Finca Arboleda, Vera, Idyllic Holiday Accommodation For Discovering Almeria
The GALLEGA DEL MARISCO FAIR is on in Vera.
From 13 to 23 July at the El Palmeral Exhibition Centre. Free admission. Open from 12 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and from 9 p.m. to midnight. More information on tel. 666103447
If you love fresh seafood this is a must, we went a couple of years ago and it was tasty and interesting to try dishes that are not easily available locally, washed down with a glass (or two) of Albariño.
Yummy, try it for yourself.
The BBC chefs “The Hairy Bikers” were in Lorca a few weeks ago to film for their new series on Mediterranean cuisine which will air in February 2018.
Lorca Castle is about 40 minutes from Finca Arboleda just over the border in Murcia. It was built between the 9th and 15th centuries. It consists of a series of defensive structures that, during the Middle Ages, made the town and the fortress an impregnable point in the southeast part of the Iberian Peninsula. Lorca Castle was a key strategic point of contention between Christians and Muslims during the Reconquista. It is listed as a Site of Cultural Interest.
Archaeological excavations have revealed that the site of the castle has been inhabited since Neolithic times. There were archaeological excavations conducted between 1999 and 2011, in conjunction with other excavations conducted in the centre of the town of Lorca. The excavations revealed the existence of an Argaric town that extended from the castle to the actual site of the current town. The excavations revealed funerary sites, homes, and a wall.
During Muslim rule, Lorca Castle was an impregnable fortress and its interior was divided into two sections by the Espaldón Wall. In the western part, there was an area used to protect livestock and grain in times of danger. The eastern part had a neighbourhood called the barrio de Alcalá.
Lorca was conquered by the Castilian Infante Don Alfonso, the future Alfonso X, in 1244, and the fortress became a key defensive point against the Kingdom of Granada. For 250 years, Lorca Castle was a watchpoint on the border between the Christian kingdom of Murcia and the Muslim state of Granada.
The Castle is well worth a visit and entry costs from only €4 They have lots of events there and the night visits look lovely. Their web site in English has loads of information Castle website
I must admit the only people I’ve heard of are Chase and Status and that’s only because I’ve seen them plastered all over the London tube a couple of years ago. But hey it’s for people a lot younger than me, a bit like when my parents couldn’t understand why I sat in a field all weekend listening to people who needed a damn good haircut, happy days!
When we first moved here the festival was part of the Creamfields group and did use to feature some more mainstream acts, even The Pet Shop Boys played one year. Other acts included The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, Goldfrapp,Fatboy Slim, Massive Attack, Groove Armada and Basement Jaxx who I’m familiar with but wouldn’t go and see.
Four days of music on 4 stages will be enjoyed by over 100,000 people with the campsite holding around 30,000. The first sign that something is happening is when the average age of people in the supermarkets plummet as the sales of booze rises. We then realise there is a bass pounding in the distance at bedtime and that it is still there when we wake, great stamina these kids.
It normally passes without incident and we hope they all have a great time.
Vera’s half marathon as well as 5K and 10K races will take place on the evening on 15th July 2017.
Deadline for registration is 12th July and it costs €12 for all categories. It is designed to be a basically flat course as you would expect being by the playa.
TELÉFONO / FAX: 627 866 423 (Félix) / 670 028 833 (Pedro) for information.
If you need accommodation for that weekend our one bedroom garden bungalow has availability at the moment from the 8th – 17th July, minimum stay is 3 nights but it would make the ideal place a a summer break. http://www.fincaarboleda.com
Starting yesterday Vera will be holding holding traditional pottery workshops.
They will be held by local craftsman, Salvador Hernández. The workshops, which will be held in the Plaza de Toros from June 19 to September 15, will be divided into 4 groups with a maximum of 8 students per group , thus giving personalized attention during the training. It will include everything necessary to make the pieces.
The cost of registration is 50 euros for a month, or 120 euros for the entire three months duration of the workshop. For more information you can contact by phone 600 06 26 87.
50 euros for a months pottery course has to be a great offer and will no doubt be very popular.
The Summer Solstice in Spain is celebrated on the beach, where else? At midnight on 23rd June, family and friends, young and old all head for their local beach with some wood for a bonfire, food and drink, a blanket to sit on and a pen and paper to write down their 3 wishes.
It’s common to see people jumping over fires which, according to legend, cleanse the body and the soul. Jumping in the sea at midnight is supposed to be a way to wash away evil spirits. It is ritual that rules San Juan. After midnight, for example, people wash their faces and feet three times in order to be granted three wishes to ensure a happy twelve months thereafter.
Whether you want to partake in the rituals or just have a great party it is far more fun than when we celebrated “Midsommar” in Sweden and normally we were huddled together to keep warm outdoors before heading in to thaw out with a large whiskey in front of a fire. (It was warm sometimes!)
If you are here on holiday head down to Garrucha, this is what you can expect.
We left the UK 14 years ago to start a completely new lifestyle adventure at Finca Arboleda. This programme on Channel 5 tonight features another couple making the leap. It’s always interesting for us to see how they get on but the main reason for watching this particular one is that the lovely Alex Polizzi is presenting. If you didn’t catch her “Spectacular Spain” series which finished a few weeks ago make sure you look out for it on one of the catch up options that are around.
Casa Cuevas Alex Polizzi lends her expertise to British expats Mark and Shirley, who have spent the past eight years living and working on the southern coast of Spain. A weekend break to a traditional Spanish cave house has inspired the pair to open their own. Setting their sights on a hillside in Granada, the duo plan to use their 25,000-euro savings and a £50,000 inheritance to set up a three-bedroom B&B, but an ambitious 10-week turnaround period could leave them struggling to open the doors on time.
Maraú Beach Club is all set to be a popular destination this summer. We haven’t tried the food but the menu is extensive and reasonably priced considering the beachfront location. They also have a pool and sunbeds. When we went it was reasonably busy and they were playing pleasant music, not too loud.
It looks like the place to be seen, I prefer a more traditional Chiringuito.
The restaurant is open from 13:00 to 16:00 and from 20:00 to 23:30. Reservations: 950 961 961
Their Facebook page says the bar is open from 11.00 till 06.00
This video does a good job of showing what they offer.
It’s almost time for this years Moros and Christians celebrations. It starts in Vera on Friday 9th June at 20.00.
It is a celebration of their Patron Saint’s Festivities in honor of the Virgin of the Angustias, Vera revives the tradition of the Moors and Christians, with an act that represents the capitulation of the city, occurred In the year 1488.
In recent years, the tradition of Moorish and Christian Festivals in Vera has been revived and the Town Hall have wanted to turn this particular celebration into an important tourist attraction with its presentation at Fitur 2017.
The event was presented at the stand of ‘Costa de Almería’, with the presence of Isabel Maria de Haro, Councilor of Culture of Vera, Gabriel Amat, President of the Provincial Delegation, Alfredo Valdivia, territorial delegate of Culture and Tourism, and Members of the Association of Moors and Christians of the municipality.
The secretary of this association, Pedro Soler, explained that the recreations of the capitulations “are historical events that occurred in a similar way throughout the Almerian Levant and other points of the province of Almeria, when the Moors gave to the Christians, peacefully, the keys of their cities, just as it happened in Granada. ”
Soler has asked the administrations to collaborate with events of this type, which “recover the traditions of the towns and their historical and cultural heritage”, with the aim of “converting the month of June, to the month of the Moors and Christians in the Levante Almeria “.
AquaVera offers safe fun for everyone, both young and old, perfect for a day of water and sun, with family or friends. The Kamikaze is for the most intrepid and brave who wish to experience the sensation of a fall into the void or the Aquodrome, to make quick races with family and friends. The star attraction is the Black Hole where you slide down in darkness. The fun Zig Zag slides, twists and turns on two slides that crisscross and descend quickly. If you want something gentler try the Aventura River, in company or alone, a great channel that descends gently in the sunlight. You can relax in the Lake pool or at the wave pool.
Aqualandia, is for the little ones where new for this year is tree adventure, an interesting tree house with walkways, Tibetan bridge, sliding bar, slides … an endless series of adventures under the shade of the pines. Aqua Vera has plenty of places to relax where you can enjoy your own food, but they also offer something for most tastes as well as drinks and of course Ice Creams, it’s not a holiday without an Ice Cream!
Opening Saturday, May 20, 2017 from 11.00 till 18.00, 19.30 in July and August.
Tickets are from €15 to €23 depending on height, book on line for a 10% discount.
Visit their web site here http://www.aquavera.com/?lang=en
Tel 950 46 73 37 email mk2@aquavera.com
It is located on the coast between Garrucha and Villaricos and it can be seen in the distance from our garden!
