Villa La Manga reports…Golf courses in Murcia are back in the news and for all the wrong reasons. The ongoing debate about the lack of water in the region continues, with Spanish authorities reporting that reservoirs supplying the area are at only at 10 per cent capacity. Minister Cristina Narbona has accused local politicians of putting the tourist industry above the environment.
Villa La Manga reports…Murcia’s La Condomina Bull Ring is establishing itself as one of Spain’s leading music venues with the arrival in September of megastar band REM. Tickets for the concert, scheduled for September 30th , will cost 58 Euros and are now available through Tick Tack Ticket and Servicam.
Villa La Manga reports…The Spanish Airforce will be hosting a major airshow in Murcia. The show scheduled for the weekend of June 3-4 will be based around the 20th Anniversary of the Spanish Demo team Patrulla Aguila. International display teams from other countries will be joining the fun, including the Patrouille de France, Patrouille Suisse and the Flying Bulls. Visitors to La Manga Club will be able to enjoy watching these teams as they fly in formation above the local beeches. The only down side, San Javier Airport will be closed for the two days of the show, commercial flights will be diverted to nearby Alicante.
The Villa La Manga news team reports a crack down on drink driving in Murcia. The local authorities have declared that between now and January 7, they will target 400 drivers a day. A massive team comprising of 710 officers using speed traps and camouflaged patrols will be at work. The campaign aims to reduce accidents and deaths on the road. A similar approach last year was heralded a great success.
Villa La Manga news announces the arrival on the 5th of January of 160 lady golfers with just one thing on their mind – getting their hands on a full playing card for the 2009 Ladies European Tour. Thirty cards are up for grab at the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School which takes place over ten days in La Manga Club.
The prestigious event, which being covered by Sky Sports, is expected to uncover major talent for the future. Amateur golfers staying at the resort will be able to join in the fun, playing alongside the professionals in a Pro-Am for a low-cost fee of just 70 Euros.
Villa la manga news team …. Here’s another great idea for ‘investing’ public money. Murcia is providing a 200 euro subsidy towards buying a new, or upgrading an existing home computer. The offer is limited to one computer per family. The scheme is being run via three banks. Citizens of Murcia, which includes La Manga Club, need to obtain a certificate and then pop down to one of the large retailers taking part. Applications need to be in by February 2. Customers are also entitled to subsidised financing of up to 1,400 euros at 7% interest for a period of four years.
More information from the villa la manga news team…. Why not take a walk? For the more adventurous visitor to La Manga Club, there are lots of opportunities to stretch your legs. The Calblanque nature reserve is on the doorstep, with beeches, cliff tops and salt flats all on offer.
More leisurely walking can be found in the area around the Mar Menor. This area boasts a national trail that takes walkers through the various beeches that surround the massive salt lake.
For walkers willing to travel further a field, the Sierra de Espuna National Park offers trails for walking, hiking and rock climbing. The paths take vistors across ridges with breathtaking views across the Spanish landscape.
Latest news from the La Manga Villa news team – it is alleged that Murcia is at the centre of a massive ‘black water market’ that is rampant throughout Spain. Illegal water wells account for nearly half the water used by large consumers including golf courses. A report by Spain’s Environment Ministry has concluded that water extracted from illegal wells could provide supply to 56 million people.
La Manga Villa news team reports… Murcia is continuing to invest in infrastructure projects to improve accessibility to the province from both home and abroad.
200 million Euros has been earmarked from central funds. Visitors can already see of the work, with mini-spaghetti junctions springing up all over the place even when there appears to be no traffic to justify them. Apparently the investment in the road system is to cope with the increased influx of visitors expected when the new airport at Corvera opens in 2010.
Rather more in line with a green future is the extension of the Spanish AVE network to include a ‘Mediterranean Arc’ that will bring high-speed connections between Madrid, Valencia, Alicante, Murcia and Almeria. This is just a few months away from completion now.
News from the villa la manga environment correspondent…We can all see for ourselves the developments round the Spanish coast – now Spain’s National Geographical Institute has released figures showing that the coastal area (defined as land within 2 km of the sea) has seen a 22% growth in developments. Just over a quarter of the Spanish coast is developed. Murcia it seems is one of the country’s fastest development areas. This could all come to a shuddering halt if the current economic crisis continues. So it’s not all bad news, at least the environment maybe saved! As a spokesperson for the ministry noted, there are lots of vested interests at stake. Developers who want to carry on building, environmentalists demanding an immediate stop and fishermen who just want to get to their boats.
