EbroVoice

EbroRose September 29th, 2007

Well, the rain sure came down last Friday night in Catalonia! It was on a par with a monsoon. Delightful for my olives and a disaster for the rice harvest in the Delta as the rain brings the price down. Yet, just the weather for a good read, discover a new hobby or craft away indoors or take over the garage (again!) and try out some more painting attempts.

The wind off Mont Caro this morning, will definitely blow away any cobwebs you might be feeling now all the family have returned overseas.

1. “New Europe” by Michael Palin. If you have watched his other TV series or read ‘Sahara’ or ‘Pole to Pole’; you just have to have this one. He has such a knack of narrating in a way you feel you are the kestrel on his glove, with an eagle eye-view of all his adventures.

2. “Journey to the South” – Annie Hawes. Another great read from the authoress of “Extra Virgin”, except she has fallen in love with an Italian from the south.

3. “The Earth, my Butt and other Big Round Things” by Carolyn Mackler. A realistically and funny portrayal of a high school aspiring young adult trying to desperately loose weight for all the wrong reasons. A most enjoyable read for mothers and grandmothers too.

4. “Red, White and Drunk all Over” by Natalie MacLean. Oh what a read! A wine soaked journey from the grape being harvested, to the glass. A lovely stocking filler to accompany some Christmas “plonk” for your best friend.

5. “The Rest of her Life” by Laura Moriarty has sensitively captured how the fears and realities of one innocent action can spiral our lives downwards into a whirlpool of emotion. She writes frankly but weaves in tales with grace and without coyness leaves the reader exposed to very raw questions.

6. “Flying Upside Down: True Tales of an Antartic Pilot” by Mark. A.Hindebaugh. Try this book for an adventure read with a different twist to “living your dream.”

7. “You can Paint Water Colours” by Alwyn Cranshaw. What a wonderful place Catalonia is to take up a hobby you have always wanted to do. This is a “must have” for you to help you to start painting away the days in glorious colours.

8. “The AdSense Code” by Joel Comm. A valuable and informative book for all internet marketing and e-business enterprises – or those who would like to do likewise.

9. “The Complete Idiot´s Guide to Fishing Basics” by Mike Tooth. A book that is well dog-eared and courted by carp and catfish anglers the world over

10. “At First Sight” by Nicholas Sparks – a great novel laced with a sweet twist of romance, and other amazing attributes of surprise, shock and even tragedy, makes this an easy attention grabbing book to loose yourself in for a couple of wonderful hours.

11. “Alone in the kitchen with an Eggplant” edited by Jenni Ferari-Adler of 26 contributors expelling their cooking and dining solo experiences, while exploring guilty pleasures in bizarre and unusual food choices or combinations.The pages are entwined with recipes and it makes a jolly good read too.

12. ” The Dangerous Book for Boys” by Conn Iggulden & Hal Iggulden. A very coolbook for all ages that embraces boyhood with fun and information.

13. * Newsflash* Latest release: “Killer Weekend” from the esteemed pen of Ridley Pearson, set in Idaho´s Sun Valley. He will reach out and grab you by the jugular from the first few paragraphs . You will not be able to put this book down! The plot seems straight forward (do not believe it) with a local lawman, Walt Fleming´s task to catch an assasin who is poised to murder Liz Shaler – one presidential candidate, it will grip you to the very end, and even then leave you thinking.

Each week the Bookshelf selections are available through www.brighterspain.com and carefully considered and personally selected by EbroRose -the Voice of The Ebro Valley

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EbroRose September 29th, 2007

The friendly Londoners have now opened “Murrays” in the Sabeco complex in Tortosa, (off the C12 and near Hotel Corona´s roundabout.) Terry and Jackie are the smiling faces that will greet you with a warm welcome. They have been up and running for just five young weeks, but are doing very well after making lots of changes to the decor and the menu.

They also have a select choice of English products to try and their freezers are full of frozen delights. So don´t be shy to ask if you can look. Their meat and chicken pastries are wonderful for an easy snack, especially as the autumn chill sets in and a lovely tin of Heinz Soup does warm the old cockles.

Murray’s are currently open on Sabeco shopping days, from 10:00 until 18:00. As they progress they hope to extend this until 21:30. Open during siestas. Hoorah!

Need a photocopy of your passsports or forms for NIE´s? They can oblige. Colour photocopying is also available and this is handy for school projects or for your scrapbooks and journals. Maybe you just want to pop an enclosure into a letter to send back home. All copying is A4 size.

Internet is available for One Euro for 30 minutes. Come in for a cup of “cha” and a slice of cake for afternoon tea. If you have never been online and are curious, they will show you how to sign on and you can surf to your hearts content. Beware! It is addictive.

Friday’s wouldn’t be Fridays, if they are not rounded off with a good size piece of cod in batter, chips and oh, the all time English favourite, mushy peas! But hey, why wait until Friday for a favourite meal? Everyday there is an “English Speciality” that is freshly cooked on the premises.

Couldn´t make any of the meals through the week? Don´t worry! Saturday is “The British Roast”. And best of all, you always have a choice of three; Roast Chicken, Roast Pork or the proverbial and genuine Roast Beef. All covered in “proper gravy” and always accompanied with Roast Spuds, vegetables and Yorkshire Puddings. (Makes me hungry just writing about it!). And all this, for just 8 euros. We suggest you book early for it and they start serving from midday onwards.

Apart from a good cup of coffee or English tea you can mingle with Spanish traditions and have a beer or two, cider, wine or cava. Still room for more? How about apple crumble and custard, apple pie and custard or ice-cream, banana split or a choice of cakes? Once tasted – never forgotten. All the sweet baking is from the delightful hands of “Dee” that equally matches her gentle disposition.

Smaller meals are available with hot and cold sandwiches, with generous fillings. Traditional Ham Burgers or try a chicken or turkey Burger, served up with chips and a healthy salad to balance out the carbs! Yummy jacket potatoes for your body “central heating” system this winter. English meat or chicken pies served with mashed potatoes and peas or baked beans and gravvvvvvvvy…

Light breaks are on offer too, with a hot drink and toast or crumpets with jam and marmalade. These just about full Grandma to bursting point. Now, for the Englishman who boasts a hearty appetite in the morning (or all day long) and Murray’s will full their tums, with a full and hearty English Breakfast. Served with bottomless cups of tea or coffee. You just have to try it, to believe it. You will not be disappointed. A breakfast that size will keep the wolf from the door throughout the best part of the day!

For a more “petite” size breakfast, make up your own combination from a range of “hot” options. This way you can have as much or as little as you wish. No need to hurray your meal at Murray’s, as they have two big TV screens for English satellite telly.

You can also pick up your latest copy of “Catalunya Life” and the German / English magazine “Caminos Cost Daurada”, each for the nominal sum of 1,50 Euros, and page your way through them over a drink. Smokers can sit and eat their meals outside under umbrellas.

But before you rush off, browse their “grocery shelves” and freezers for some of your favourite English goodies. They even have sugar-free juices for diabetics, so you no longer need travel miles up the coast to find some.

Enjoyed yourselves? Email us and tell your friends too. Forget the English reserve and why not go and invite your Spanish neighbours to join you there for a meal or a snack!

**Newsflash** Hot roasted, full sized Chickens will soon be available as a “takeaway”.

Like I said – no need to hurray at Murray´s! Murray´s a Brighter Cafe in Brighter Catalonia. Highly recommended by the Voice of the Ebro and

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EbroRose September 18th, 2007

Week 3 of “Bookshelf” choices and the mornings are darker now, but nothing beats crawling out of bed and enjoying that first cup of coffee and turning the pages of a new book. The house is quiet. The washing can wait for another hour. Curl up on the couch and savour a few cherished moments and the first few chapters. The chores are on hold. This is your time. Read on!

The olives are ripening now on the trees. Some are green and fat, some black and large, others are small and black, some are green and red…so many different types. Looks like it will be a good harvest this year. There is so much more you can do with your olives and our Number one choice this week is EbroVoice´s olive ‘bible’. This is one book that is bursting at it seams with information. You will not regret buying it – if you enjoy the country life and love experimenting and trying new things out – or just curious about Olives.

The selection is varied and there is something for everyone.

1.The Sophisticated Olive – Marie Nadine Antol – the complete guide to olive cuisine, olives health & beauty, the art of olive making, olives in your own backyard, the history of the olive. A valuable companion to anyone who relocates to Catalonia or rural Spain.

2.Easy Spanish Phrase Book: over 770 Basic everyday phrases for easy use “Dover Easy Phrases”by Dover Press. Don´t worry if you are just starting to learn Spanish or if you are already chatting away, this will definitely make your conversation more interesting. Try a few out and see the expressions of wonder

3. “Ripe for the Picking” – Annie Hawes .If you enjoyed the best selling book of “Extra Virgin”. Anyone living in the Mediterranean will relate and enjoy this fuzzy-warm, hilarious and a magical read and people-watching is second to none. If you live further afield you will feel as though you are sat on the Ligurian mountainside sharing all her experiences.

4.”The Barefoot Fishermen: A fishing book for kids” by Paul Amdahl. A charming book to encourage your children to learn about “…bass, crappie, sunfish, carp and catfish live in warm water..”.Oh it does please me when the youngsters pull out these giant carp and magnificent Catfish off the Ebro River banks and they are bigger than their well-seasoned Fisherman-father´s best catch of the day (or night).

5.”Earning Money from Your Spanish Home” by Joanna Styles. Spent all summer”doing it up”? Now lets see show you can refill those coffers that might be feeling the strain of restoration and relocation.

6.”What Fish don´t want you to know: An Insider´s Guide to Freshwater Fishing” by P.Baron.The title itself makes you want to want to grab the book and scour it. A lovely present for “him indoors”.

7.”The Burning Shore” – Wilbur Smith. Once more captures a breathtaking adventure of love, war and the acid bitter revenge and the struggle of a quest just for survival in a country torn apart at the seams. Brilliantly descriptive and such a tale he weaves into the characters. A jolly good read for everyone.

8.Teens book “Guyaholic” by Carolyn Mackler. Another one to save for the Christmas stocking!

9. “False Impression” – Jeffrey Archer. This brilliant plotter and skillful story teller has excelled himself again, with twists and turns as the action and intrigue moves from New York to London, Bucharest and on to Tokyo, turning up in a sleepy English village.

10.”Needlework Tools and Accessories: A Dutch Tradition-made in Holland” by Kay Sullivan. Something to do when the wind blows off Mont Caro and you curl up by your wood burner, when the olive crop is picked.

11. “Pavarotti – Life with Pavarotti” by Adua Pavarotti – 3 daughters & 34 years married to Luciano until photos surfaced of him and his secretary mistress, Mantovani. The famous, late tenors´, wife offers unique insight into her husbands complex personality, his first love was football, his love of music, his early years, the pressure of fame and their family life.

12.”Spain: The Root and The Flower:An interpretation of Spain and the Spanish People” by John A. Crow .

13.**Newsflash** New release…September 2007 “Songs without Words” by Anne Packer. She stamps the pages with keen introspection and astute psychological tones about Liz and Sarabeth (such an unusual name) friendship. Strong characters entwined in close connections. Yet will the flaws within their friendship stand the strain as their lives are soon to be blown apart in a huge crisis. Her second novel and a jolly good read about Californian lives.

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EbroRose September 13th, 2007

I keep hearing the lament of Expats and Tourists that there is “nothing to do” for young people in the Lower Ebro Valley. I intend to enlighten them. “Young people” here I regard as 18 and over. In other words “aspiring adults” – those who can stay up late, party all night and still rise early enough to scooter off down to work or tractor up those fruit groves.

“Go Dance Club” in Roquetes to all tense and purpose to other Europeans is not a dance school. It is a nightclub . It is situated just off the Hotel Corona´s roundabout, pass Caprabo Supermarket on your right , a vacant piece of land and boom there it is “plonked” slap bang in front of the Cinema complex and behind the Buddha Lounge.

Travelling alone or on your own as “Billy no mates” you will soon have many friends at GO as you mingle and dance away the late hours of the night.Over the next few nights there are different musical enticements for you to absorb and revel in.

Keep watching. ‘The Voice of the Ebro’ will be posting other nights’ activities at Go here later on.

Don’t speak the lingo? Don´t worry. Music has no barriers or difficult verbs.

Dave and his staff will welcome you…boogie on down around midnight or 00:30. Let the fun begin!

Postscript: What is your favourite nightclub, Disco or Music bar in Southern Catalonia or Northern Valencia? Send me a comment.

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EbroRose September 10th, 2007

Week 2 of our Bookshelf collection for a Brighter Read. The selection is varied and covers different interests and activities for all age groups, but ensures enjoyment for all of you. Nothing beats a good read for relaxation and escapism into your own little world. Bliss!

1. “The King and I “-Herbert Breslin – witty and frankly written about Luciano Pavarotti life, escapades and rise to fame from footballer to tenor, by his friend and manager for the last 36 years.

2.” Rugby World Cup 2007 Official Travel Guide” – Mike Gerrard, Donna Dailey and Hope Caton. Bursting with information about the 42 matches across 10 French cities and 2 in the Uk. Jam packed with talk of the rugby villages,shopping and tourist information to make your rugby tour so much more enjoyable. Rugby news and lots of it.

3. “Sharon Osbourne Extreme: Autobiography”.This classical lady has entertained us on TV-She is sassy and so much fun.You will just love her attitude and all her titbits about her husband Ozzey, who she loves unconditionally. Her temerity in her fight for life. Her world has been a man´s world -”dog eat dog”, but above all she has been a Mum to 3 wonderful kids. A definite autumn read!

4. “Craft Inc: Turn Your Creative Hobby into a Business ” by Meg Mateo Ilasco- in paperback since August 2007.Always thought about doing it – autumn is now the time to start putting your dream craft forward into a business. You are never too young nor too old to do it. A valuable reading source.

“Totally flawed, totally loveable” by Melissa Walker.A book for teens and it has 5 star reviews. V is the girl who is fascinating. All her insecurities and flaws in her character we can relate to. Page after pages scoops you up with both joy and pain.

6 “Double Cross (Alex Cross) by James Patterson as advertised on Satelite television. Definitely another “must read” book while it is still warm enough to enjoy your deckchair outside under the mulberry trees.
7.” Woodworking for Dummies” by Jeff Strong – out in paperback. This book is valuable to “him indoors”, but have you never thought of how this craft is now accessible to us ladies with all these new fanciful, electric tools. Hey, if we can manage the Concrete mixer and the petrol chainsaw,we must be dummies not to give this a go.Afterall, the garage is not just his domain.

8.” A Thousand Splendid Suns” by Khaled Hosseini

9. “The Collectors” by David Baldacci – The members of the Camel Club reunite to solve a murder at the Library of Congress.

10. “74 Seaside Avenue” by Debbie Macomber. A chess champion keeps a protective eye on his hairdresser wife after receiving veiled threats from a Russian opponent; Book 7 of the Cedar Cove series.

11.”Water for Elephants” by Sara Gruen – a young man, an elephant -save a Depression-era circus. This book will be enjoyed like we have just enjoyed the live Circo Raluy in Tortosa.

12.“1001 Most Useful Spanish Words (Beginners Guides)” -Seymour Resnick´s valuable book for all Expats and not just the college kids – that is a lot of words!

13.**Newsflash** – “You´ve been Warned” – James Patterson new release which will be on sale Monday, September 10,

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EbroRose September 10th, 2007

National Holiday in Catalunya und Nationalfeiertag Catalunya -11th September 2007.

With all the activities of family visiting over the summer break I would have completely forgotten tomorrow is the Official National Holiday of Catalunya, had I not picked up my first copy of “Caminos” in Murrays busy cafe´in Sabeco, Tortosa.

So do your shopping today. Tomorrow everything may be shut!

The event calendar or veranstaltungskalender of “Caminos Costa Daurada” is up to date and enlightening. They report there will be various flag hoisting events with “sardanes” (Not Sardines I presume, Mr.Watson?) www.los-caminos.com

In L´Hospitalet -look for the Plaça de Catalunya (most towns in Catalonia have one) and head there for first sombreness and then festivity. Afterwards. you can stroll along their gorgeous sandy beaches and dip your toes into the cooling waters of the Mediterranean.

Chocoholics can embrace the flag ceremony in the mountains of Castell-Vandellos with “hissen den flage und Xocolatada”- the flag is still made of traditional material and design of Catalonia and not chocolate. So how do flags and chocolate go together? Half the fun of the day is finding out so why not venture out to a neighbouring region, meet new friends and try something different.

There is more!

Don´t lie in tomorrow! These things get under way at 10.45 in L´Ampolla on the coast from the Pl. Manel Ferre´. The Sardanes traditional dance (traditionelle tanze mit ) with “Els Dansaires del Penedes” and “la Cobla Principal de Tarrragona”.

The Sardanes is a circle dance and the group can be as large as you like.So do not be surprised if you coached into joining in.

The Costa delights of Salou is not left out. Plaça del Carrilet will see the Sardanes with “Cobla Reus” .

“La Cobla” is not “cobblers” it is all a wind band (a cobla) about music to accompany the dance of Sardana played with 12 typical instruments (Four typical Catalan one´s are tenore, tible, tambori´, flabiol and the more usual trumpet, fiscorn and double base).

Today 130 plus coblas are alive and will be palying to their hearts content in Spanish Catalonia and the French Catalonia. There is even one Cobla in Holland – Cobla La Principal d’Amsterdam.

So lots of fun about to round off the summer season before the leaves start falling and autumn blows in .

But please remember in the history and culture of our neighbours, towns and Catalonians this is a very important day to them.So read more about the history of Catalonia> http://www.odontocat.com/angles/catalonia.htm

So embrace it! Respect it! Join in singing their anthem – we are Expats -but this is our anthem too, now

Catalunya, triomfant,
tornarà a ser rica i plena!
Endarrera aquesta gent
tan ufana i tan superba!

Bon cop de falç!
Bon cop de falç, defensors de la terra!
Bon cop de falç!

Ara és hora, segadors!
Ara és hora d’estar alerta!
Per quan vingui un altre juny
esmolem ben bé les eines!
(tornada)

Que tremoli l’enemic
en veient la nostra ensenya:
com fem caure espigues d’or,
quan convé seguem cadenes!
(tornada)

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EbroRose September 6th, 2007

Forty million pounds have been raised over the last seventeen years with MacMillans´ largest Cancer Support Coffee Morning. Last year alone they raised 2 miilion pounds.

Friday, 28th September 2007 – help make it the World´s biggest, greatest Coffee Morning ever.

Come on you Expats out there. Hold a good old Coffee morning, gossip and chin wag. Strategically place a little chipped mug on the corner of the table for people to drop their donations in. Invite your neighbours in, network with other expats and meet and mingle with old and new friends in multi-language groups.

Don´t drink coffee no problem! Whatever your tipple, lemon tea or herbal, sangria or cava- Earls Grey is fine too. Just get together and support MacMillans and help celebrate the lives of folk like Luciano Pavarotti and Jane Tomlinson, but also help support other cancer sufferers and their familiesin their daily burdens.

You may register today online at www.macmillan.org.uk.

This year there is more on offer on their site. Ever tried A “Virtual Coffee”? You can now!

Also peruse their shop online for goodies to uplift your coffee morning.

You may be late risers because fiesta season is till rife across Spain and you did not roll in until dawn with feet “all danced out”. Pas a nada! It will be morning somewhere in the world. So go on! Have a coffee morning and join in – do your bit. Jane Tomlinson did hers.

She gave us smiles. She gave us hope. She gave us courage. She gave us love and so much inspiration.

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EbroRose September 6th, 2007

From years in convent school days attending boring, soul-screeching, cure for insomniacs- type operas (but, hey I got a day out of school!), I never ever dreamed I would be converted to love operas. Then this wonderful tenor voice of Luciano Pavarotti was everywhere. This profound voice and captivating, smiling, warm face was on television, in movies, in glossy magazines, books, on stage and in sports arenas. Luciano Pavarotti was in my heart and soul and mind.

We look back with fondness at this gentle giant, born in Moden Italy on 12th October, 1935 and who uplifted so many hearts from a young age when he followed in the footsteps of his opera voice father. What a legend to follow! He did so much more for Opera than any other male singer. We will recall his amazing feat in bringing the Three Tenors together -Jose´ Carreras, Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti.

Even though cancer was ravishing his body and he was in the grips of so much pain, he strode on. He fought against it. He remained positive and calm, determined to keep on working on his new album.

For me his lyrics will live on- O Solo Mio, an old favourite Santa Lucia. Then there is Mamma and Notte E Piscatore and of course -Caro Mio Bien.

But today is tinged with sadness at the passsing of this legend in the early hours of dawn. We offer our deepest condolensces to Adua, Nicolette and his four daughters who adored the man as well as the voice.

We salute the King Of Opera!

Yet, he was not the only great persons´ life to be snatched away by rancid cancer this week. Jane Tomlinson, MBE and CBE lost her fight at 43 against her terminal illness after battling for seven years, on Monday night 3rd September.

Jane Tomlinson of Rothwell, Leeds only link to Italy may have been her cancer fund raising bike ride from Rome to Leeds,but she is another magnificent inspiration to us all.

She personally raised over 1.75 million pounds in one endurance event after another. She would not lie back on her couch and give in. She donned her trainers and ran every night, gruelling sessions in a gym, arduous hours in all weather in West Yorkshire – she cycled on and on. Always pushing herself forward. Always refusing to let this illness take over what days, hours weeks or months she had left with her family.

With awe and admiration we watched one endurance event after another undertaken by her. Mini marathons rolled into half marathons. They stormed into full marathons and always she crossed the finishing line smiling looking for her beloved family to hug, hold and cherish. The nations hearts went out to them all – as it does this week.

She rode on and on. Solo rides, became tandem rides and then when we thought she could do no more, as her treatment was heightened, the battle was becoming fiercer against her cancer, as it had spread from her breast to her lungs and bones- she amazed us all again!

Jane decides to do the ride across Amercia -not Route 66 on a Harley Davidson, but on a push bike! Where did this young woman keep finding her mental strength, develop such physical stamina agianst such medical odds?

Her smile lives on her! May her Fund Raising Appeal to help other cancer sufferers and families do likewise.

www.cafonline.org – a tribute to Jane Tomlinson and all the heartsand charities she touched.

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EbroRose September 3rd, 2007

Every week I will delight you with a choice of good reading material covering all the various needs of Expats and their families. No two weeks will be the same. The selection will be carefully researched and will also cover other European languages.

All these books will be available through : http://www.brighterspain.com/books_for_expats — for a A Brighter Read .

Please surf these these pages as there will be regular reviews and updates .

1. The Jamlady Cookbook – highly acclaimed and a very good friend – Beverly Ellen Schoonmaker-she has been a source of inspiration for all my fruit produce in Spain.

2. Adventures of the Pillowcase Puppy -by Michelle Lee …already received 5 star reviews- a puppy who has magical powers-page turner for any age group-delightful read and very well written.

3.A Late dinner – Discovering the food of Spain – Paul Richardson

4. Ghosts of Spain – travels through a country´s hidden and intriguing past – Giles Tremlet

5.Bring Tapas to your Table- 1080 Recipes -best loved cookbook on Spain for for over 30 years- Simone Ortega

6. The Quickie – James Patterson -available since July 2nd, 2007 in hardback

7.The Almost Blossom Appreciation Society – Chris Stewart

8. Valencia- the Lonely Planet guide- Valencia is just over the Catalonian border and close to the Baix Ebre and Montsia regions…somuch to see and do there!

9.A Piano in the Pyrenees – The ups and down of an Englishmen in France – Tony Hawks

10. Europe on a Shoestring-big trips on small budgets – not just for the backpackers- Saraj Johnstone

11.The Olive Route – A personal and poignant journey to the heart of the Mediterranean – Carol Drinkwater – a brilliant British actress who can write so entertainingly as well.

12.Neither here nor there – Travels in Europe -Bill Bryson

13. **Newsflash: September 24th, 2007 – “Playing for Pizza” by John Grisham**

http://www.brighterspain.com/books_for_expats

If you are an avid reader desperately trying to find something that you have not read or merely someone searching for a book for a present for an adult, a child, a teenager- a sibling “nothing to do Mom- I´m bored” sort of persona and can´t find what you are looking for.

I will relish in finding your requisite. Just go to my contact page on www.BrighterSpain.com

Besides now is an ideal time to put away books for Christmas presents and avoid the festive rush on deliveries..or it may just be a learning aid required now!

Hey, Gareth , Lee and Julie, if you want to buy your Mom some good Christmas reads..I will send you a brilliant list to choose from -hint-hint!

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EbroRose September 3rd, 2007

Everyone loves the circus! Everyone loves fiesta time in Spain! Everyone enjoys the lights, noise and laughter of children and couples in a fairground!

Tortosa has all three of them this week.

The fiesta is in the main park (behind the police station where you queue for your documents) surrounded with bands, food stalls and market stalls bearing their crafts and toys and trinkets.

The fairground links into this and wraps itself around the park onto the big “sandy car park” along the wonderful Ebro River.

.The Circus “Circo Raluy” is setup on the open land cornering on the roundabout of the new Millenium Bridge at Tortosa Plaça de Bimillenari – where we have that lovely modern Ironwork Sculpture (in the middle of the Roundabout). At night it oozes excitement when the “BigTop” tent is festooned with lights and show time atmosphere and beautifully painted and restored circus trailers, (some even rescued from the old circus giants of Chipperfields) enircle it all.

Don´t worry if you have not pre-booked your tickets online:www.cervicaixa.com.There are two performances a day at 19:00 – 21:15 and tickets can be bought onsite. Otherwise you can telephone :0034 627 535 512 or alternatively 0034 609 329 343.The circus will run from Friday “viernes” 31st August to Tuesday “martes” 11th September.

Seats vary in price for adults (adultos) and children (niños) according to your preference. They also have an offer on of one free child place. Snap it up, grandma! Obviously, the ringside seats are most sought after and more expensive, but oh so worth it to be so close as to feel as though the trapeze artists are flying over your head -Louisa and Rosita Raluy themselves do perform! This year has seen Pat and Kate Bradford join in with this esteem circus family. The Gentleman Juggler, Jean Christopher compliments the outfit,along with the Cuban Yosvani – just amazing.There is more – so much more to marvel at!

Then a circus would not be a circus without the adorable and humorous clowns.Then we have the suspense and sit in awe at the Globe of Death of Danny Varame.

Yet, this circus is steeped in history from 1911 and is still travelling the world delighting young and old, believers and non-believers in their amazing craft of offering excitement, magic and intrigue and waterfalls of laughter.

But their are no animals.No animals tied up in small cages in the heat. Just very talented circus artists. Very professional and definitely captivating to watch their new show called ” Belle Epoque”.

Ever thought of “running away” to join up with the circus when you were a child at bedtime who did not want to go to sleep? Well, now as an adult Circo Raluy does have employment opportunities for you. You may be double jointed and able to hang upside down by your toenails at death defying heights or maybe you are a talented crafts person . a professional carpenter, electrician, painter, chauffeur, musicians ( a circus would not be a circus without music!), a solderer or simply feel you have the CV that would slot into the travelling circus world. Do contact them on email at personal@raluy.com.

Loved this show and want to see more? Well, if you are on the Indian Ocean Island paradise of Reunion you can see their new show “Circo de España”.

Love to read more about the history and Museum of the Raluy family? Visit their website:

www.raluy.com

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