EbroVoice

EbroRose August 23rd, 2007

Fiestas en honor a la Virgen de la Cinta Patrona de la ciudad. Se celebran en la primera semana de Septiembre.

The summer season has been wonderful this year. We have already seen the amazingly entertaining July Renaissance festival in Medieval Tortosa town and Fiesta Majors in Campredo, Jesus and Roquetes have entertained us all, especially our Jordan (Jordi- a his amigos call him-who has relocated to live with us this year), with all the bull running sports. But fiestas are never over in Catalonia and the Fiesta Major is still on in La Senia this weekend and Benifallet will be on in a week´s time.

From the 1st September to the 9th September included, Tortosians honour our patron saint , the Virgin of the Ribbon – Virga de la cinta, after whom the Hospital on the hill is named. Although this starts off a religious festival and a procession,there is an awful lot of sporting activities and challenges along and on the River Ebro. (Oh yes, folk, the river is not just for catfishing!)

Boat races are endured in “muletas” on river day. Not to be missed is the “big” swim from Ferreries to Tortosa, not sure if this is bank to bank, or down stream . So lets come along and find out – or join in.

Fun for everyone to enjoy. The childrens´favourite greasy pole pursuit -”cucanyes” entertains the onlookers as well as the kiddies.

Night follows day, and the pleasures continue on with highly contested boat races along with the “habaneras” -Cuban songs on the shores of this mighty River Ebro – that oozes life in to this town in so many ways.

More details can be found at the local Tourist Information Office in front of the Bus station or online in Catalan, wherethe programme takes on a cultural flair :

http://www.tortosa.cat/webajt/festes/cinta07/programa.pdf or

I was surfing online the other day (as normal) and was surprised to read a report that Tortosa is not deemed to be a Tourist town . How misguided are they! I have been here over four years now and find out something new going on somewhere,or something knew to do all the time. Come back, I say to the writer, introduce yourself and I will prove you wrong.

The Tortosians are wonderful friendly people and the population is very international now and with more languages appearing all the time. Tortosa is steeped in history, is becoming a very popular destination and a pivotal point for exploring Catalonia and Northern Valencia,not just for other Europeans, but also amongst Americans and Canadians.

Why not round off your evening by trying a different restaurant to your normal one.Wonder around the streets, browse the colourful menus in the doorways and pull up a chair. Bon appetite! Enjoy your culinary delight and soak up the evening views of this riverside city.

Read a lovely message in Catalan from our Mayor (Alcalde de Tortosa ) : Feran Bel i Accensi, http://www.tortosa.cat/webajt/festes/cinta07/salcalde.pdf

“Bones festes de la Cinta 2007!”

p.s. Don´t forget to share your photos with me of this event.

• Sport , Where to go
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EbroRose August 23rd, 2007

Once that rocket is launched to announce 11 o´clock on Wednesday 29th August in Buñol ( near Valencia), one hour of sheer squashed tomato hurling tom foolery commences. Fun and laughter ensues! Creation of spontaneous, fabulous photographic opportunities of one of the most hilarious fiestas of the Valencian calendar year, rolls out across these red strewn streets. Where “bodies” lay sprawled, trying to regain footholds, but can´t for giggling too much and responding by retaliating with what ever “red, gooey, gunge” they can claw back off the street and”wham” back at their assailants.

“La Tomatina Fiesta” has received International fame and usually 40,000 or more Europeans, Americans, Asians converge on this small town . This is some 30 miles away from the nearest airport in Valencia and though you can travel by car , the Tourist Board recommends you take the train (return ticket is approx 3 dollars from Valencia) or bus(no return tickets, but around 2 dollars for a single). Everyone will be in fiesta “free for all tomato projectile” mode and may have already started celebrating before joining the commute. You are sure to have made new friends before you get there!

Avis! Warning!

Please, please pre-protect your camera equipment in plastic bags.This is no sympathy, and in fact, you will become a likely target for these tomato hurlers of all shape , sizes, ages and refinement. Believe the “British Reserve” mode flies out the window before you get there.

Tomato Warfare Rules of Engagement ( N:A:T:O: approved- yeh, for sure!) :

# You may only throw tomatoes, tomatoes and more tomatoes (The clue is they are red, different shape and sizes -categorised as a fruit, though some folk think they grow on pizza´s.)

# Please squash them before throwing them. Whole one´s will cause bruising when thrown with menace (Oops, sorry darling, missed one!)

#Polizia (local constabulary) strictly forbids you to tear off other folks clothing, thought the locals seem to ignore that. (It springs to mind, “When In Rome….”, but do so at your own perril!)

#Play fair – a cheek for a cheek. ( Not sure which cheeks are referred to? Oh well, all is fair in love and tomato warfare.)

# Do not take bottles. Do not carry anything that may harm other people, or cause a hindrance to your tomato whirling arm.

#Make sure that wallets and handbags (purses) cannot be pulled off you or lost accidental in this fun brawl.

# Tomatoes and fiesta are free. Do not bring your own.

#Show respect for the passage of trucks bearing these mature tomatoes. You will not run out. They keep on rolling up with tonnes upon tonnes of this tomato cannon fodder.

#Do not wear white (or best clothes). White to a giant tomato in full flight, is like red is to a charging bull!

# Only throw at people. (Fabulous, give me your best shot!)

#Do not deface someone´s home or windows!!!

#Take no prisoners.

Well, that all sounds fair game and enough mishief for me .

Sounds a wonderful way of relieving summer stress, and without having to do a gruelling hike for days up to the top of a mountain in Nepal to shout and shout and exhale all that pent up emotion.

If you are a tourist and need accommodation places for all budgets will be found in Valencia, but are limited in Buñol. Contact either the Spanish Tourist Office or call 0034- 963-986-422or fax 0034-963 -986-421.

The Ayuntamiento de Buñol can be contacted for more specifics of teh town and fiesta details of events leading up to, during and after – as well as local amenities.

Unfortunately, this year I will be unable to personally take part, but then it will be with joy that I will be at Barcelona El Prat Airport to greet my daughter Julie (and best friend you could wish for) and other grandson, Shane Adam. Just received a text of their arrival dates!!Must find a fiesta or two for them to attend.

However, would love to receive some of your La Tomatina photo stories and tales to go with them. Please email me.

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EbroRose July 26th, 2007

We welcome the herald of the EU, for bringing in new regulation from today, for the travel industry, airports and airlines for improved services and access for travel towards the elderly and Disabled! This will enhance the journeys for the Blind, as free travel must be provided for guide dogs. (Obviously they will need their own passport!) Though I am not sure if Snowy, the Labrador, gets her own seat and in flight drink and complimentary snack…

Our friends back in old blighty, Gary and Janet, have faced this problem for over 20 years now, since Janet was struck with crippling MS. Constantly, he has had to fight with airlines to allow Janet to travel and to get the extra leg room seating for her. I often heard him complain that they did not treat her with dignity and respect, rather as an encumberance and someone who merely slowed down their work routine, irrespective that she was a paying customer and a twice a year traveller and with a very good working brain that could comprehend their comments and attitude!

But, unless he booked twelve months in advance they would not have been abled to find her a seat. Likewise, the hotel tourist “hot spots” were limited to their choices, as the Disabled accommodation did not cater for adequate bathroom facilities (they supply the diasable toilet and completely overlook the bath and / or shower facilities)for them and often if they did, he could not get her wheelchair through the narrow doors of their allocated room.

Now, the low cost airlines whine that this change in regulation, will increase their costs, but surely that will be combated by disabled groups being able to travel together? This will also increase confidance in the elderly travelling out to their families who have relocated to Brighter Catalonia. Let alone, more wheelchair bound individuals from making spontaneous bookings and flying out more frequently and probably even further afield than Spain.Likewise, if hotels in Spain and Catalonia, had a couple of rooms with bath lifts or wheelchair access showers, this will also draw the disabled tourists. I know Gary and Janet would love to hear of those available near us in the Lower Ebro Valley in southern Catalonia.

We now hope that our dear friends ( who we do miss so much) Gary and Janet will be able to visit us,once these airlines get up to speed, ( full range of the EU law to be enforced by July 26th, 2008).

We know that as the Catalonians will definitely give them a warm welcome!

There are sporting facilities becoming more available to cater for Disabled people. Here, in the Lower Ebro Valley of Southern Catalonia, Spain, Natalie and Graham of www.ebrocatfishingadventures.co.uk – have already forged links with the British Disabled Angling Association ( http://www.bdaa.co.uk/)

Furthermore, “It was while I was reading the news, on www.eubusiness.com, this morning, on the new EU laws coming into force today, where elderly and disabled people have to be provided with the same travel service like other abled-bodied travellers on airlines, airports access and the ´the right to travel´ by travel agencies, I thought, ´this will open up boundaries beyond the beliefs of the diasbled´. Then I found your link on www.ebrocatfishing.co.uk – with the amazing name of my very own thoughts. Lets hope more sports people can travel better and sooner! If there are other activities available in Catalonia, Spain, we would love to hear from you.www.beyondboundarieslive.co.uk

• Business Enterprises , Fishing and more fishing , Hints for settlers , Sport , Where to go
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