Informal English Speaking Group February 2010 - Newsletter Group Reminder for Start of Our Sixth Year The English Group will meet as usual at the Hotel Almazara, Rio Frio on Tuesday 2nd February between 12:00 and 1:30 pm. From 1:30 pm until approximately 2:30 pm Rob Westwater will be Talking about the law in Spain. Further details can be found below. We have invited a number of people who have helped and supported us in the past, including Diana Kelham the Honorary Consul, Alcalde de Loja, Loja TV, Aqui TV, President and secretary of Asociación Espanola Contra el Cancer, the Director of Hotel Almazara among others. We are hoping for an especial turn out this month to welcome our guests and to support the management of the hotel as they are opening the bar especially for the group while the hotel is closed for refurbishing and building of new facilities over the winter. Please note that the Hotel main entrance is open and lift in operation. Diary Dates for February 2010 Group Meeting Dates for 2010 2nd February, Tuesday 2010 – this meeting marks the start of the group’s 6th year, 2nd March 2010 6th April 2010 Other Dates 31st January, Sunday from 2 until 5 - The band Salt of the Earth – Venue, Café Continental 13th February, Sunday from 2 until 5 – Quiz afternoon – Venue, Café Continental 16th February, Tuesday - Shrove Tuesday. Pancakes followed by the Office of Compline. Hosted by Peter & Marilyn Reynolds at Iznájar 27th March, Saturday - 11.00 am - Choral Eucharist with Procession of Palms & sung Passion (Plainsong - Tomás Luis de Victoria), Vva La Tapia Useful Web Sites Another web site to add to the list of useful sites: www.juntadeandalucia.es Parts of this site are being translated into English, although not all pages are yet available in English. It is worth having a look as the site contains much valuable information. 2010 Programme of Visits After the success of the Malaga trip we have been asked if it would be possible to organise other such visits on a more regular basis. After much thought we have been able to come up with the following programme, but if you have any other ideas or comments on timings please do let us know. All coach prices are dependant on the number of people signing up for the visit but are a good indication of the final amount. February 2nd First talk by Rob Westwater. De Cotta Law following normal meeting 1.30pm free March 2nd Second talk by Rob Westwater, De Cotta Law following normal meeting 1.30pm free March 23rd Afternoon visit to Science Park, with time afterwards in Granada. Leave Loja 3.30pm, Arrive Science Park 4.30 approx. and stay until 6.00pm Shopping time in Granada, leave Granada 8pm Cost of entry to Science Park 6 euros for groups of 15 or more Cost of coach approx. 10 euros April 27th ' A Stroll amongst the Wild Orchids' with Mick Richardson. See orchids, butterflies and birds with the expert to guide you. Take own car (max 5 cars) 6 euros per person. See www.englishinloja.com for further details May 13th Full day visit to see the Patios of Cordoba, including a visit to the Mezquita and time in Cordoba. Cost of coach 12 euros June 10th Nighttime visit to see the Alhambra in all its glory when illuminated Tour is one and a half hours and commences at 10pm. Tickets are 12 euros. Cost of coach 10 euros. July/August Visit to Howl Night at the Wolf Park, Antequera. Bring your visitors! Admission, as a group, including meal, is 25 euros each for adults and 20 euros each for children. Cost of coach 10 euros August Don’t forget the night time Walks around Loja during Fiesta Week (end August) September Any ideas? October Walk Around the World for Cancer November 2nd Talk by finance group to take place after meeting 1.30pm free December Evening Visit to see illuminations in Granada, with time in Granada for Christmas shopping. Cost of coach 10 euros We are also trying to arrange with the Consulate in Malaga to deliver an Open Day for members of the Informal English Speaking Group and any members of other groups in the area. Forms to gauge level of interest in the above visits will be available at the meeting on 2nd February Walking in Andalucia by David Foster Over the next few months we will be publishing a series of walk by David Foster who has covered every footstep of these walks. These walks range in difficulty for easy suitable for anybody reasonable mobile to more difficult walks for the serious walkers. I commend these walks to you even for the less fit of us they can be ventured in small bites. Remember to take water, refreshments, a camera and field glasses with you. The first of the walk from Bar Los Caminos via El Adelantado and Ridge returning to Bar Los Caminos will be published next month. Anyone who wish to is invited to join the Wednesday Walks group (3 to 5 hours) or the Saturday Strolls (a more gentle 1 to 2 hours) contact at wednesdaywalks@hotmail.co.uk Olive Country Life Special offer for members of Informal English Speaking Group from Olive Country Life: Get Seen, Get Noticed, Get Business! Book 4 adverts for the price of 3! Available on all sizes. Plus free editorial of 200 words in the “Who’s New” section. Talks by the Lawyer Rob Westwater will be giving two talks in February and March, each will last for approximately an hour, they will be aimed at bringing up to date the those given by Myles Jackson two years ago. Since the last series of talks there have been numerous changes in Spanish and EU law which will affect the British who reside in Spain. Therefore talks will be relevant to new comers to life in Spain, also to longer standing residents who are interested in keeping up with the law in Spain. If you have any topics that you would like Rob to address please let us know as soon as possible by email to englishinloja@gmail.com and we will pass these on to him. Any requests should be of a general nature rather than a specific enquiry relating to your personal circumstances. Consulate Open Day The British Consulate based in Malaga has held a series of Open Days on pension and benefits as they affect British residents in Spain. We are negotiating with the Consulate to bring such an open event to Loja. For this to happen we need to know the number of people who would be interested in such an event. If you think that you would be interested in attending please email us as soon as possible at englishinloja@gmail.com. If the open day can be arranged we will let you have full details in due course. It is hoped that if there are sufficient numbers to make the event viable it will provisionally be in early June. Priority will be given to members of the Informal English Speaking Group of Loja and spare places will be offered to other groups in the area. New web site Informal English Speaking Group’s web site has been re-launched and is being updated on a more regular basis. You will be able to access the web site in the usual way at www.englishinloja.com. The usual contents will be there, as well as some new information and pages. Edited versions of the previous newsletters will be available with information that is still relevant retained. You will be receiving a separate email inviting you to click on the link to the web site and to put in your bookmarks If you have items that you would like to see included on the web site or in the monthly newsletter please contact the editor englishinloja@gmail.com Mailing List After a series of disastrous computer crash courtesy of Endesa we are having to rebuild the membership database. If you know of anybody who is not on the mailing list and would like to receive a copy of the Newsletter please let us know as below. If at any time you do not want to receive the Newsletter please let us know by email and your name will be removed from the mailing list. Contact us on englishinloja@gmail.com Peter & Patricia 28h January 2010 Disclaimer Although we hope the information contained in the newsletters and on our web pages will be of interest the authors accept no liability and offers no warranties in relation to it and its content, to the fullest extent such liability can be excluded by law. The documents are not a substitute for legal advice, and are not intended or offered as such. Every case is different, and the only way to ensure that the advice is appropriate to your particular circumstances is to instruct a lawyer, who can take full instructions on all relevant issues. The author does not therefore accept any duty of care to anyone who makes use of, or seeks to rely on, material in the newsletters or on the web site. Contents Group Reminder for Start of Our Sixth Year 1 Diary Dates for February 2010 1 2010 Programme of Visits 2 Walking in Andalucia by David Foster 3 Olive Country Life 3 Talks by the Lawyer 3 Consulate Open Day 3 New web site 4 Useful Web Sites 4 Mailing List 4 |