Sunday 23rd February in Madrid........

General view of the Neptuno square in Madrid during a demonstration against government austerity on February 23 in Madrid. / BORJA SANCHEZ-TRILLO (AFP)

Police arrested 45 people following Saturday’s mass demonstration in Madrid, in which thousands of protestors took to the streets calling for an end to the government’s austerity measures and demanding quick solutions to outstanding cases of public corruption.

The arrested demonstrators, including nine minors, were charged with vandalism and disturbing the peace. The arrests were made in several areas in downtown Madrid, including Paseo de las Delicias, Lavapiés and Hospital street near the Atocha roundabout.

Overall, the mass protest, which was dubbed the “human wave,” was held peacefully.
 Similar demonstrations were also held in 16 cities across Spain, including Barcelona, Valencia and Vigo.
In Madrid, marches began at different points in the Spanish capital and they converged at Neptune square near Congress. Riot police blocked off a wide area around the parliament building, the Ritz Hotel and the stock exchange.

About 40 people were hurt in scuffles, including a dozen police officers, but none seriously, authorities said Sunday. Some protestors set trash bins on fire and threw rocks at riot police but the level of violent confrontation did not reach that of protests held last fall in front of Congress. However, authorities said that they had discovered several unused Molotov cocktails in different areas. 

 

The protest marches, which began at around 4.30pm, were made up of citizens from all walks of Spanish life chanting anti-government slogans, including issuing calls for Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to resign. Near Atocha, vandals ripped away chairs and tables that had been chained to a post near a sidewalk café. Burning trash bins were also pushed into the street in Paseo de las Delicias.

This was the latest protest against Rajoy’s government which, besides coming under fire for the painful cutbacks to social and medical services, has been rocked by corruption allegations focusing on a purported slush fund his Popular Party (PP) set up to pay out bonuses to top officials. The claims stem from a series of balance sheets allegedly penned by former PP treasurer Luis Bárcenas which recorded names and amounts dished out over an almost 20-year period. Rajoy, who has denied receiving any bonuses, is said to have received some 320,000 euros over that time.

Money coming in from contributions made by companies and businessmen were also recorded. If the amounts of some of the donations are correct, they could be in violation of the political financing laws, investigators have said.

Referring to the money that was allegedly handed out in paper envelopes, people during the march chanted: “My cutbacks, your envelopes.” Hundreds of placards were seen in the massive crowds with drawings of envelopes and return addresses that read: L. Bárcenas.

“I have attended all the demonstrations. There are people here who believe [the politicians] are worthless. It is true that Rajoy will remain in office but when there are more people coming out each time to protest, it is going to be difficult for them to ignore us,” said Alejandro, a 30-year-old master’s candidate in agrobiology.
“When I graduate, I know that I am going to have to leave Spain. That is why I am taking English classes,” he added.

Some 1,400 riot police officers were on duty on Saturday.
The demonstrations were held on the 32nd anniversary of the attempted coup led by Civil Guard Lt. Col. Antonio Tejero.

El pasado año, cerca de 290.000 personas utilizaron el Puerto de Motril para entrar o salir de la península....

Motril tiene tres líneas con la naviera Armas, una diaria con Melilla y otras dos en días alternativos con Alhucemas y Nador.

La Charca de Suárez to almost double in size.......

 La Charca de Suárez, a very important 'wetland' in Motril on the Costa Tropical, currently covers an area of 150,000 square metres.

This is expected to be increased by another 100,000 square metres of land lying to the west of La Charca.

Councillor, José Luis Chica  of  Land management and Sustainability, for Motril  has appeared before the media to report on the extension of land that is pursued across the  Suárez pond.  He is quoted as having said that  "this will nearly double the size of the nature reserve and optimize the environmental conditions of the whole."

At present, various actions are being carried out to improve environmental conditions of this new area.

José Luis Chica stressed that the work of adaptation and improvement of the pond are running with municipal  resources and with the cooperation of the Environment Service, technicians from the Ministry of the delegation and staff Limdeco.

 "This effort is a clear example of the effectiveness of coordinated work when administrations  collaborate with each other to manage resources in difficult times."

Among the most significant points have already been developed to prepare the land for expansion by demolishing abandoned buildings adjacent and clean the area to remove exotic vegetation.

The new access to the pond will be from Pelaillo Road, where you can enter without glimpsed in the Culebra Balate additional lagoon to be built to facilitate the location and identification of all visitors space.

Also, the perimeter of the assembly shall be demarcated by visual screens behind which Cañaveras planted vegetable carvings to create a wall that allow animals are isolated from the noise and dwell in the best conditions.

This first phase of expansion also includes a new observatory and another placed on a promontory from which spot the flora and fauna around the wetland. In another vein, the waters are diverted Lizard Balate your entry to the pond to reduce the pollution of water bodies.

Environmental councilor has praised the work done by the Joint Commission of the Suárez Pond to set goals that imbue this space the reference value has acquired in recent years, while stressing its "avant-garde in the protection of environmental values ​​and biodiversity ".

Arte y Pasión in Motril......

A night out at the 'Teatro Calderon'.....

I say a night out and not just an evening out, as the perfomance, which wasn't due to begin until 9pm as is the custom in this part of the world,  didn't actually begin until ten minutes or so past the hour which again seemed to be perfectly normal, people sitting quite happily waiting, chatting, no mutterings or tuttings about the lateness to be heard anywhere.

The curtains eventually parted to reveal a giant cinema screen showing images of previous Easter Parades with close ups of the Saints and the Virgin Mary on the huge, beautifully decorated, candle covered floats carried by members of the Cofradia, brotherhood.  At each side of the stage stood Cofrades, members of the Brotherhood,  perfectly still in their white robes with their heads covered by  tall conical red satin hoods.  They each carried a tall candle topped with a lighted candle bulb.

Behind the screen, as the film began, the sixty piece band with Trumpets & Drums,  Banda Nuestra Señora del Rosario, burst into sound.

Another Cofrade came down from the stage to the centre front and held up a large wooden cross that had been resting there after which, the others came down and joined him, standing silently in front of us with their eyes eerily glinting through the slits in their hoods.

There was no doubt whatsoever as to who was responsible for putting together this evening's entertainment as we sat mesmerised by the sights and sounds in front of us for the next fifteen minutes or so.   Was it a promotional display, a come and support us event or was it just a chance to show the complete, passionate commitment that these brothers have for their Cofradia?

The advertising poster with it's promise of  Flamenco Passion had given us no reason to suspect this Religious Passion which culminated with a lyrical, soul searching rendering from a talented Tenor above us in the 'gods'.  Utterly beautiful.

The film over, the screen lifted, we were given our first sight of the Band in their blue and red regalia which was impressive to say the least.  They marched four steps forward to the front of the stage and proceeded to deafen us with their trumpeting and drumming.  With fingers in ears it was just about bearable.

 When the band begins to practise in the weeks running up to  'Semana Santa', Easter week, it can quite clearly be heard from Cortijo Azahar which is some 2/3 kilometres from Motril city centre and with the 'Teatro Calderon'  being on the small side as theatres go, this might give an indication as to the noise level experienced inside.

The mood changed, the curtains opened once again and the Presenter made his appearance.
He was casually, scruffily dressed in faded jeans, a grey/beige coloured leather lookalike jacket, with a long burgundy scarf wound around his neck,  carrying his A4 notes to which he continually referred. 

What followed was a series of contributions from the pupils of various academies around Motril...

beginning with a lovely gentle Arabian dance from some younger students.....
then a complete contrast, teenagers copying the English dance group, 'Diversity'....
a small group of disadvantaged girl students gave a touching display and received a rapturous applause....

later, a choir consisting of 6 men, 3 guitarists and 9 women powerfully sang their way through some Andalusian tales, the Sevillana being a mood uplifting favourite which had everyone clapping along.

Finally came the Flamenco dancers, so graceful, so passionately uninhibited.    You have to be born Spanish to dance the Flamenco.  It is in the blood.

But no, the evening wasn't yet over, back came the Presenter to announce the band.  We escaped to listen outside in front of the theatre awaiting friends who had stayed in their seats.

A thoroughly enjoyable evening and credit to the various Motrilenian Academies that had contributed their talents so generously, the price of the ticket being a mere 5 euros.

Container traffic at Motril Port up by 46% in 2012......

Container traffic at the port of Motril for domestic transport or export in 2012 experienced growth of more than 46 per cent over the previous year.
 
This increase is mainly based on the sound performance of having regular shipping lines bound for central and northern Europe, which has led to the passing of the 4404 TEU (unit of measurement of capacity container shipping) year 2011 to 6455 of 2012.

This growth has meant the port of Motril far exceeded the increase experienced by the State Ports across the board, which was a 3.12 percent.

According to data from State Ports, this is an increase of 46.57 per cent for Motril Port.

The good's movement went from 34,976 to 55,636 tons, which represents an increase of 59.07 percent.

Pension recipients top nine million for first time......

The number of people in Spain receiving a pension in one form or another from the state surpassed nine million at the start of this year for the first time ever, largely as a result of Spain’s ageing population.

This puts a further burden on the state’s coffers at a time when the government is striving to put the country’s financial situation on an even keel.

According to figures as of January 1, released Tuesday by the Labor Ministry, the number of people receiving a state pension climbed 1.5 percent from a year earlier to 9,008,348.
The biggest increase, of 7.3 percent, was for those entitled to an orphan’s pension.
 The biggest financial impact came from a two-percent rise in those receiving a retirement pension, to 5,402,863.

The Social Security system posted its biggest deficit on record last year of 11.8 billion euros, around one percent of GDP, as a result of the increase in benefit payments and a drop in the number of contributors.

 Unemployment hit 26 percent at the end of last year, while the number of people contributing to the system declined by 4.6 percent to 16.3 million.

As a result, for the first time ever, there are fewer than two Social Security-affiliated workers for every person receiving a pension.

In January alone, outlays on contributory pensions rose 4.8 percent from a year earlier to 7.653 billion euros.

A days skiing in Sierra Nevada.....

For those new to skiing at Sierra Nevada it’s a great family ski resort!  

 A few facts and numbers:

There are 105km of ski-able pistes, serviced by a transport system capable of moving 49,411 people per hour.

Ski Lifts – 18 in total – 2 cable cars – 15 Chair lifts (2 - 6 man) and 1 drag lift. 

Pistes / Runs / Attractions – 119 including half pipe, snow park and green, blue, red and black runs

Approximate splits by run types:   

Black (expert) – 8

Red (Difficult) – 50

Blue (Easy) – 40

Green (very Easy) – 18

So the resort has runs for all abilities, and is a perfect place to learn to ski with large open green slopes, and blue slopes, especially around the area called Borreguiles (is located at the main cable car station up from the village). 

 The ski resort is the village of Pradollano, where there are numerous hotels, parking, restaurants and bars. 

There are also plenty of good things to do in Sierra Nevada, which are not skiing related - the toboggan run in the Mirlo Blanco kids park area, piste basher rides, BMW off road rides, mountain biking, hiking, etc.

 As you reach the outskirts of Granada you follow the signs for Sierra Nevada.  

Check weather conditions, as  if there is significant snow, quite reasonably you will not be allowed up the mountain without snow chains on your vehicle!

As you arrive in Pradollano, you follow the main road into a large underground car park,  its about 15-20 euros for the day.  Into here and get parked up.

  If you are missing some gear, or need to hire gear, no problem.  Chances are the ‘lucky lucky’ men will be offering you cheap gloves and hats before you step out of the car, and there are plenty of ski hire shops in the main squares as you get out of the lift from the main car park. 

Next up you need your lift passes.  Again these are sold in the kiosks, and from vending machines, on the main square.  The vending machines, which take credit cards, are multi lingual!

You are then ready to hit the slopes. 

 Depending on your abilities will decide where you head next! 

 Most people take the main high capacity Al Anadlus cable car from the edge of the village at Pradallano, which takes you up to Borreguiles, at which point you have a wide choice of runs to go at, with 3 large capacity chair lifts taking skiers and boarders up to a range of red, green and blue slopes.

 If this is really busy, a lesser known alternative, unless this blog is read by millions, is the lower capacity but often quieter Borreguiles cable car which goes from the back of the shopping centre at the top of the steps to the right of the ski lift ticket sales area.

Or for those happy with blues you can take the Jara chairlift up into the mountains just to the right of the main Al Andalus cable car.

And you are off! 
Ski Schools are aplenty in the village too and you can book onto group or private lessons.

 There are plenty of places to eat and drink on the slopes, although not quite as quaint and pretty or as expensive as those found in the Swiss and French resorts. 

 Borreguiles is the main area for this with many large capacity self-service eateries. 

 Many choose to head all the way down to Pradollano, and dine in the restaurants a little lower down.  We enjoy the Crescendo Bar at the bottom of the Borreguilas cable car, and the very upmarket chill out terrace at the bottom of the Aguila red run.  Both offer great food and atmosphere!

Living here on the Costa Tropical, we are more than a little spoilt .  Having such a great facility just over an hour's   drive away means you can check out the weather and travel when you know it’s going to be good! 

It's very easy over cooked the kids by clothing them in multiple layers! 

 On a good day  usually a ski  jacket and long sleeved T shirt will suffice for adults with the only places really cold has been in the wind on the chair lifts. 

 Lunch is usually spent in a T Shirt in the sun. With Sierra Nevada being so far south its often very warm (how daft does that sound!). And bear in mind the fact it is so far south, with the reflection of the sun off the snow thrown in – you really need to apply the high factor sun lotion. 

Above the clouds in the Sierra Nevada.......

Sitting in the Marbella Club watching the most spectacular of sunsets but not in Marbella.....

 not overlooking the sea, but sitting above the cloudline, watching the sun go down over the ski slopes of the Sierra Nevada.

In what must easily be Andalusia’s most exciting new boutique hotel of the year, the Costa del Sol’s famous Marbella Club group has opened a chic retreat on the Granada slopes.

The 20-room style palace – designed by Andrew Martin – is the epitome of ‘cool’ and the perfect addition to what is fast becoming one of Europe’s hippest ski resorts.

Already seeing the return of the Spanish royals, who traditionally frequent the Pyrenees to ski, there is a real sense that the Sierra Nevada is moving back towards its 1960s heyday when the likes of Sean Connery and Prince Alfonso Hohenlohe regularly came up for holidays.
 “The Prince brought friends such as Sean up to the slopes,” explains Marbella Club area general manager Franck Sibille.
“This was the place to come for the rich and famous who spent much of the year on the Costa del Sol.”

Local businessman and boss of EIE Skiing School Antonio Serrano agrees.
“In the 1960s everyone knew of the Sierra Nevada, but somewhere in the mists of time – perhaps with the property boom of the 1980s and 1990s – it got forgotten.”
“But now it is finally making its way back again.”

There is no doubt that this is the case. Over the last six years there has been a distinct move upmarket, in particular with the arrival of better quality restaurants.
These include stylish Italian Ci Vediamo and this year Argentinian-run Antares, which serves up an incredible cerviche straight out of Peru.

There is a new wine bar in town and even a Veuve Cliquot champagne bar half way up the slopes.

 One restaurant Campo Base recently catered for Prince Felipe and his wife Leticia, who turned up by helicopter for a couple of days skiing.

None of this however, should come as a surprise with the resort now counting no less than 105 kilometres of runs, the second highest ski area in Spain after Barqueiro (115kms) in the Pyrenees.

But then you have to factor in the weather and length of season in the Sierra Nevada, which is longer than almost any other resort in Europe.

While it’s foggy in the Pyrenees and they’re shivering in the Alps, this month it was possible to ski down the slopes in just a long sleeve shirt.

Even better, a coffee and bottle of Lanjaron water came to just over three euros… and that was half way up the slopes!

 
“Here we sell the weather, not the number of kilometres,” explains David Navarro, of el Remonte ski hire shop. “And mostly prices have not gone up for three years.
“On top of that you are just over an hour from the beaches of Motril and half an hour to the Alhambra. That is hard to beat.”

At the same latitude as Cyprus and just 30 miles from the beaches of the Costa Tropical, it is nothing short of amazing that you can ski here from December through to May.
This is all to do with the altitude of the Sierra Nevada, which has its highest peak in Mulhacen, a staggering 3,482m above sea level.

From the top of the highest ski lift, at 3,300 metres, the views make the Mediterranean below look like a small pond, with half the coastline of Morocco clearly in view.
It is an amazing place, although it can be a little nippy up there with the wind whistling past, so make sure to bring a coat and jumper.

Competent skiers are spoilt with the amazing runs of the Laguna de las Yeguas area, including the celebrated Olympic run, which is full of twists and turns.

You can sometimes find yourself skiing alone midweek for up to ten minutes and the sheer nature and landscape are spectacular.
It certainly pays to pick your days to visit with Christmas and Semana Santa seeing the resort rammed, with sometimes big queues for the ski lifts.
Then there is Semana Blanca (literally ‘white week’) – or half term at the end of February – when school children can learn how to ski, while bank holidays can also be very busy and getting up to the resort can be slow.
That said, problems can be missed by arriving by 8.30am or by waiting till midday.

While a modern resort, Pradollano itself is a pleasant place to simply take in the air or a spot of lunch, and there is a fair amount for children to do, with entertainers and Disney figures wandering around at holiday time.
It has also, rightfully, got a good reputation as being a resort for fun, with the famous apres ski being some of the best in Europe.

 If you want some fun off the piste, particularly those with young children then drive out of Pradollano. Turn right at the car park outside town and follow the signs for Hoya de la Mora.
 This takes you up high above the town to a car park beyond which you cannot drive further. There are a couple of snack bars.
 From here you can take short walks to snow slopes (natural) beneath the Pico del Veleta (3,396 metres) that are not frequented by skiers, ideal for sledging.
You can buy those plastic sledges that look like large shovels for a few Euros and hurtle down these slopes to your heart's content.
 Properly equipped (if you have to ask then this is not for you) it is only 5 kms to the top of Veleta from which point you can see, seemingly and enticingly close, the higher peak of Mulhacen.

 

The resort really started to evolve quickly from 1995 when the World Skiing Championship was scheduled to be held there although it actually took place the following year due to poor snow.

“Since then the infrastructure changes were huge and it is now a big resort,” explains Jose Maria Rada Calvo, or ‘Chechu’. The 57-year-old has been running his ski school and rental business 'Snowpeople' in the resort for over 30 years.

Giles Birch, who runs the 'British Ski Centre', says the resort has one of the longest seasons in the world, opening at the start of December and often going through to mid May.
“There have even been snowfalls in June and when the snow and weather are favourable, the openness of the terrain provides some of the most exhilarating off piste skiing to be found anywhere.”

Also, there is the famous adage that it is easy to have a morning’s skiing or snowboarding in the Sierra Nevada followed by an afternoon on the beach.

Two years ago, local Granada newspaper 'Ideal' decided to try out this theory, picking a sunny day in May and a couple of foreign students based in Granada.
Picked up in Granada at 8am they were skiing on the slopes from 9am to 1pm, before taking the 75 minute drive down to the Costa Tropical resort of Salobreña.
“It worked perfectly and by 3pm they were settled in eating a paella on the beach,” explains Santiago Sevilla, from Cetursa, the company that runs the resort.
“Then by 9pm, not content to call it a day, they were having a tapas crawl around the Albaicin of Granada just to add the icing on the cake,” he adds.

Pure luxury, a dream in the Sierra Nevada......

.......for those that can afford it, that is.

You arrive to a pair of bronze lions at the front door and a Hummer in the drive!

As you check in, a brand new iPad is thrust into your hands ‘for any of your needs and, of course, to check your mails,’ explains amiable manager Francisco.

There is literally nothing normal about the latest addition to the hotel scene in the Sierra Nevada.
With Spain’s only outdoor skiing resort swimming pool – heated to 38 degrees – and a Turkish bath, sauna, gym and jacuzzi in the basement, El Lodge was designed very much with an emphasis on luxury.

Expect to be wowed by the dozens of special touches, from the 14-speaker sound system on the terrace to the Space Invader video game in the lounge. There are even electric toilets with heated seats that do everything but sing to you.

A total refurbishment of a classic wooden chalet, originally built for the King of Spain, there is no doubt that the latest addition to the Marbella Club group, owned by the Shamoon family, is going to be a huge hit.

The skill of London designer Andrew Martin  has given it the feel of a hunting lodge with natural materials that echo its location.

Its alpine charm has been complemented with faux skin throws, cow hide armchairs and stylish antler-chandeliers. It also has playful touches such as Martin’s signature patterned wallpaper, wooden animal heads,  Smeg fridges in the corridors and little silver bears guarding the entrance to the spa.

The African drums in the bedrooms are great fun.

There is a cool bar area with Campari lights and a true patrician-style lounge, with a blazing fire and pool table. Both have armies of comfortable leather sofas and stylish decorations.

There is even a children’s play area equipped with everything your kids might need to have some fun when not on the slopes.

Best of all though is its restaurant, which has a similar menu to the Marbella Club grill and a similar team of top class chefs and waiting staff.
 The tartare of tuna with avocado was elegant and tasty, as was the wild sea bass with guacamole.

With just 20 rooms, the lodge retains the feel of a private chalet and can be booked by room per night or in its entirety for private parties.


More information and bookings  www.ellodge.com