Although something is going on somewhere in Benalmadena from the 12th to the 18th of July the Big day (or evening) is the 16th when at 19:30 hours, the image of The Virgin will be paraded through Benalmadena Costa. Carried shoulder high the virgin will take the following route from the "MAS" church by Bonanza square, Avenida Bonanza, Flamingo, Carril del Siroco, Antonio Machado, Alay, Juan Sebastian Elcano, and finally, to the yacht club, accompanied by the Banda de Música Nuestra Señora de la Paz of Malaga (band of bugles and drums). At around 21:30, the Virgen del Carmen will be put aboard the boat "Torremolinos", Alonso Gallardo, which each year takes the procession out to sea. Dozens of boats accompany Virgen del Carmen who is also applauded by the thousands of faithful who line the shore. While the boats travel the coast from the Marina to somewhere about The Santa Ana beach, those remaining in the Marina will be presented with a glass of wine served by venenciadores, courtesy of the Delegation of Celebration, and will begin dancing with Orquesta Nuevo Día Upon its return, around 22:30 pm the Virgin is received at the Yacht Club by a soprano and a tenor accompanied by saxophone and piano. This is followed by a spectacular firework display from the beach Malapesquera beach And from midnight in the Puerta Marina there is a big band and dancing until dawn.

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For those of us living in spain unsolicited telephone calls selling all sorts services messages are a pain in the neck. As of July 1st 2009 you can subscribe to ListaRobinson.es where you can opt out of theses calls to your landline and or your mobile. You can also opt out of postal junk mail from spanish companies and email - SMS and MMS messages. Sounds like bliss I have registered and I really do hope the system works. The site is in spanish, click on Registro web under the CIUDADANOS section the click on the centre option and fill in the registration. You will receive a confirmation email and you must click the link to activate your account you can then select which services you want excluded. REMEMBER TO USE THE LINKS UNDER CIUDADANOS NOT Entidades as I did :oops:

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We took the ferry from Benamadena to Fuengirola along with hundreds of schoolkids, well it seemed like hundreds :roll: I charted the costa from sea and you may be able to find your favourite Hotel, Apartment, Bar or Restaurant.

click here for a slideshow of the coastline

Remember that you can stop the slideshow and click the pic to blow it to full size

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The Benalmadena Arroyo de la Miel Romeria de San Juan paraded through the streets as usual but this year (because of the roadworks in the village) ended up at the Feria Ground in Parque Paloma. The Casitas (Large Tents) have already been constructed in readiness for the Feria which kicks of this week, and they were packed with revellers to welcome the Romerio.

click here for a slideshow giving a sense of the occassion
Remember that you can stop the slideshow and click the pic to blow it to full size

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Here is the latest info available for the 2009 summer season at the Mijas Hipodromo.

Saturday July 4th

Saturday July 11th

Saturday July 15th

Friday July 21st

Friday August 7th.

Gates open at 8:00 pm with the first race at 10:00 pm Entrance fee is 5 euros with under 18's and over 95's Free. There has apparently been changes made to the restaurant areas and pricing bears in mind the "crisis"

For directions to the Hipodromo Click Here

Link

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The Easter parade in Arroyo de la Miel this year was blessed with dry weather although it turned a little cold later on. Click on the link below for a slideshow that will bring a sense of the occesion

Link

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From April for about eight months, works will take place in Arroyo de la Miel that will change its appearance, incorporating more green spaces, with another traffic light and separating the road from the pedestrian walkway. The council will receive an investment of state funding of 9 million euros, to add to the input from the Junta Safeguard Plan, of just over one and a half million euros. Also a stretch of Avenida Garcia Lorca and Antonio Machado, on the Costa, there will be alterations, also in the Pueblo, in the Avenida Juan Luis Peralta. ************************************************************************************************** Traders are worried about the economic loss that may suffer during that time, and the deadlines being met. A trade commission, composed of the town hall, ACEB and other groups will be reporting the progress of the work. Last January it was announced by the team of government execution that there would be 13 works projects. Spread widely throughout Benalmadena Pueblo, Arroyo de la Miel and Benalmadena Costa, with an investment of 9 million euros from the State Fund for local investment. The transformation of Arroyo de la Miel is one of the most outstanding projects, with work proceeding on the boulevard Antonio Andrade, and remodeling of the avenues of the "Station", "constitution" and a first phase of Garcia Lorca. PRESENTATION A condition to obtain these 9 million euros of state funds, is that all works must be finished within the year, a period which means the simultaneous execution of work. To account for and report on the development of these works to residents and traders, also a public presentation of projects will be established a Commission of Trade Town Hall, 'ACEB' and other groups that have already held two meetings. The works that detail the mayor of Benalmadena, Javier Carnero, accompanied by the deputy mayor of Arroyo de la Miel, Elena Benitez, Francisco Salido and, on the Coast, are designed to cover all villages in the locality, and not only the big streets and avenues. (The work is detailed in table below). Moreover, nearly one and a half million euros will be provided by the Junta de Andalucia through the Safeguard Plan, because of the increase in the unemployment rate, there will be more social work. The definitive plans of work being submitted, to residents and traders, before the launch, expected in April. For its part, wants to show ACEB based on levels of these works, and respond to all traders and businesses who want know or require more information. In the presentation of the work, it will ask the assistance of municipal officials to resolve the doubts that arise. Mayor Javier Carnero, presented these projects in the latest edition of Fitur, International Tourism Fair in Madrid in January and will involve the transformation of Arroyo de la Miel centre, the recovery of urban v modernization and improvements trade influences the first industry, tourism. Moreover, as noted in the presentation in the City of Benalmadena, if fomit credits allowed in 2010, with final settlement to be finished with Pueblosol as part of the town plan. Since this is the largest number of works projects which are to be taken in a legislature is to create over 200 jobs, and that the final outcome will be improved and the modernisation of small enclaves and large avenues, with effects on local trade, patience is called for from residents and merchants who will have to endure the inconvenience of the works for months . The ACEB, through the Committee of Commerce, will be made available to the City Council resources, in order to transfer the information to traders and businessmen affected by the works council will have to take the on concerns and demands of these parties, to find measures that minimize the impact of work on your business. With a budget of nearly 230,000 euros and an implementation period of three months, It is necessary to renew the asphalt and pavements, as well as rearrange the parking. Aid for commercial tourism of up to 60% of the investment, according to the mayor of Town Planning and Works, Jose Joaquin Villazon, this will allow remodeling of the main avenue of Benalmadena Pueblo. The reform affects 478 meters of track, from Las Moriscas to exit Retamar, and much of it is to renew the infrastructure for sanitation, water, stormwater, electricity and telephone. This area is to be renewed. using asphalt and steel, combining beauty with other streets of the village recently refurbished, and recovering space for pedestrians giving two meters of sidewalk. In addition, it will rearrange the parking all along the avenue, creating area for loading and unloading and for a taxi rank. Lastly, install new lighting and install new furniture.

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Carnaval finished this year (2009) with the usual sunday parade of the lagatija (lizard) through the streets to its fiery fate on the beach below Las Gaviotas. I followed it with my camera and have put together a slideshow (click the link) Carnaval is the first big fiesta after the Kings (Los Reyes) have brought the Christmas and New Years celebrations to a close. In Benalmadena and Arroyo de la Miel the festivities are spread over three weeks. This year was blessed with beautiful spring weather allowing the "peoples" parade of the lagartija (Lizard) to go ahead as planned. Each town and city in spain has its own tradition to bring the carnaval festivities to a close, and in Benalmadena the tradition is to parade a papier mache lizard through the streets with the carnaval king and queen in attendance and any other of the previous nights fancy dress participants who have got up in time for the midday start. (2009 set off with almost exactly the required 20 minute delay at 12:20 ish) Each year the lizard takes a different form, usually politically incorrect and mocking the towns or the countries dignitaries. This year he was a property speculator who had obviously made off with the black dustbin bags stuffed full of cash.. The bands that accompany the lizard on his last journey alternate their tunes between lively jazz music and mournful dirges and the widows dressed in their mourning attire and pretend to wail and scream at the lizards impending doom. On arrival at the beach in front of las gaviottas he is taken from his trailer and deposited on the sands where he finally "dies" in flames watched over by the bomberos (firemen) who are a new addition to the festivities to make sure that the crowd does not get too close to the flames. The mourners continue to keen until the lizard passes on and only his ashes remain. Mourners, the bands and the crowd then make their way to a gourmet tasting of local rustic dishes and to enjot the performance of the irreverent carnaval troubadours, before dispersing for the next 12 months. �

Link

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The first fixed radar speed traps are being installed on the streets of Málaga city. The City Hall is installing a first group of four of the traps which will come into operation shortly. They will be sited in the Avendia Andalucia, Avenida Valle-Inclán, Calle Pacífico and on the Paseo Marítimo Pablo Ruiz Picasso. The traps are being installed in small gray boxes usually placed in the central reservation of the road, and under the plan there will eventually be a network of 15 across the city.�

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