the mo st ake M
y la amo.
Free! 15 June -3 1 Ju l y
y!
in
Communi t ian
VLC
1 the Valen f o c
WITH | the best of Valencia and the Community | Benicassim & essential festivals and gigs to see | impartial reviews | ÂĄaprende inglĂŠs con nosotros! ...
When you ďŹ nish with your inVLC... pass it on to a friend!
inVLC on...
festival season is here! This month is always a favourite for the music lovers amongst us and, what’s more, what a great place to be for those summer months when watching your favourite groups on stage. Murcia has been treated to the delights of S.O.S and Barcelona has already been rocked by Primavera Sound. Benicassim, Sonar & Benidorm Low Cost Festival will all soon be here. Have a look at our Summer festival guide on page 16. The whole team here is excited about the Summer. Eoghan’s off to India for volunteer work, Andy & Kelly will be off to Benicassim and Sean, well, he’ll be in the UK for two months trying to round up 50 teenagers of varying nationality in Covent Garden.
Intermediate First certificate Advanced
We visit the wonderful community town of Utiel on page 10, Chris and Sean get into the festival mood on page 18 with the latest album reviews and ML and Malou bring us the finest that Valencia’s art scene has to offer on page 25. There’s plenty more to enjoy in this month’s inVLC. Remember to ‘like’ us on Facebook to keep informed and get in touch if you have any comments, suggestions or just to say hi. And, as if you need to be told, have a great Summer! ¡Pásatelo bien! Andy, Kelly & Sean
A lo largo de esta revista encontrarás distintos niveles de dificultad indicados en la parte superior de cada página y recuadros con vocabulario debajo del texto. Para la pronunciación hemos incluido la fonética.
about us inVLC is for all people in the community of Valencia: whether born here, visiting for a day, or living a new life in the sun. We hope to guide you on what’s going on in the community, help those living in it, and support language learning with a bit of added fun. Translations Sara Hancock Contact information email invlceditor@gmail.com phone 639 740 746 - English speakers phone 628 831 400 - Spanish speakers facebook inVLC If you have any thoughts, comments or complaints or want to advertise, please email or phone us. Important numbers & Embassies / consulates Fire | 080 Local police | 092 Medical | 061 General | 112 French | 96 351 0359 USA | 96 351 6973 British | 96 521 60 22 Dutch | 96 341 4633 German | 96 310 62 53 Legal chat We do our very best to strive for accuracy in this magazine but we cannot accept responsibility for unintentional errors or omissions, accuracy of advertisements or contributors’ opinions. We aim at all times not to offend. depósito legal V-816-2006 We use CreatorSilk paper It’s chlorine free & the wood used is from sustainably managed forests. We do this because we’re nice & want to reduce our environmental impact.
index The latest News keeping you up to date Hotspots 5 Free in Valencia is eerie 6 I heart Valencia sees a football frenzy 9 Holidays and fiestas are firey fun 10 Valencia community Utiel surprises us 12 Restaurant of the month La Botifarra 4
Let's talk 13 Expat life! Eoghan is taking action 14 Talking teaching is hammering home the errors Art & culture 15 Live music across the community 16 Festival no need for your wellies 18 Music hot new musical releases 19 The cinema v.o. releases in Valencia 20 Read me Iain loves his books 21 Your photos of ‘Colour’ Lifestyle 22 Sport news 23 Green Declan is sunning it up 24 Artist Gabriel Chalmeta is snap happy 25 Art to see visits 2 great galleries 26 Recipe Lia is a big softy 27 A day in the life Miska is out and about 28 Health samples the Spanish wonderfood 29 Cocktails are long and juicy 30 Animal the girls are on top 31 Events & classifieds keeps you in the know
15/06/1977. After the fall of Franco, Adolfo Suarez of the Unión de Centro Democrático (Union of the Democratic Centre), became Spain's Prime Minister when he won the first free elections here in 41 years.
Intermediate
3
4
News
First certificate
Live for the music | Valencia has been cited in the British, Canadian & Australian music mag 'Vice' as being one of the best places in the country to go and listen to new, live music. The recent bout of exciting up-andcoming bands such as Caballo Trípode, Wau y Los Arrghs and Ansaldo Tropical has put Valencia firmly on the musical map.
Take me away | Jet2.com Flights to Belfast from Alicante will start on 27 June and the company has also announced that summer flights will start between Edinburgh and Alicante from 29 March next year. This is in addition to the existing Leeds, Manchester, Glasgow, Newcastle and Blackpool routes for those wishing to avoid using Easyjet and Ryanair.
You live and learn | Recent new measures proposed by the Valencian school authorities could have large, positive implications for teachers of the English language. The Councillor for Education has stated that he hopes to put English on an equal footing with Spanish and Valenciano from the 2012/13 school year. This means that teachers will now need to achieve a level of certification of their own which should lead to an increase in the number of available jobs for native speaking teachers.
This is the real thing | On the 125th Anniversary of the world's most popular soft drink, the BBC uncovered that the townsfolk of Aielo de Malferit near Ontinyent claim the town to be the birthplace of Coca-Cola. They said that they sold the recipe to John Pemberton who went on to create 'The Real Thing'. The town has a museum devoted to Neuz de KolaCola which had the same taste & colour and was also made from kola nut and coca leaves. They claim that their brew was available from 1880 (six years before the US version was officially launched), but Spanish patent law peculiarities meant that the drink was not registered until 1903.
16/06/1903. Henry Ford forms his motor manufacturing company, he owned 25% of the shares and made himself VP and Chief Engineer. Also that year he broke the world land speed record by driving his car at 147km/h.
5
ant to see the Valencian Community on the cheap? Every month we'll list some great spots
W
where you can enjoy Spanish culture, nature and good, cheap fun. This month we'll be:
1| walking under the Puente del Mar after the sun has set. The sounds emanating from under this bridge are calming, eerie, and as musical as a chorus. 2| drinking a coffee in the cafeteria in the old University building - La Universidad Literaria or 'La Nau' on Calle de la Nave. It's a grand building with a great ambience for enjoying a cafe del tiempo! 3| taking a day trip to check out historical Llira. With Roman ruins in the city centre, and beautifully painted churches at the top of the old town, this is a dramatic place at the end of the metro line. La Universidad Literaria was designed by Pere Compte (La Lonja and Torres de Serranos) in 1498 and opened in 1502. Much of the University library was destroyed in 1812, taking many of the books with it after the French invasion left it aflame. Fortunately much of the building was rebuilt in 1830 by architect Joaquin Martinez. The building is on a historical site, with the old Moorish walls
still standing underneath. Within the interior courtyard stands the Philosopher of Education Juan Luis Vives, and outside sits a nude marble female: Wisdom. There are often stunning art exhibitions, which are worth seeing before you have a wellearned rest in the cafe. This sits within a smaller symmetrical courtyard, with seating inside and out, offering tranquil respite.
16/06/1904. The novel 'Ulysses' by James Joyce takes place entirely on this day. It perfected the stream of consciousness technique using almost every literary device available in a modern re-telling of Homer's Odyssey.
First certificate
Free/cheap in Valencia
6
I heart Valencia
Intermediate
T
his month we look at La Liga's Valencia Club de Fútbol (VCF) and pitch them against Manchester City Football Club (MCFC) - their opposite number from this year’s English Premiership. Both the teams finished in third place in what most football people agree are the two strongest leagues in the world, well certainly the richest two leagues anyway! Let's look at the facts.
Round 1| Origins Manchester City FC were originally founded as 'St. Mark's (West Gorton)' in 1880 by Anna Connell and two church wardens of St. Mark's Church, in east Manchester. In 1887 they were re-named Ardwick Association Football Club but financial troubles led to a further reorganisation in 1893-94 season when they were reformed as Manchester City Football Club. Valencia CF was formed on March 5, 1919 and officially approved in March 18, 1919, when Octavio Augusto Milego Díaz became its first president, supposedly after a coin toss. The club played its first competitive match away from home on 21 May 1919 against Valencia Gimnástico, and lost the match 1–0. Winner - MCFC Formed earlier and by a woman!
"Amunt! Valencia la victoria Amunt! es tiempo de vencer Amunt! nos espera la gloria Amunt! contigo ahí estaré siempre Valencia Amunt!"
Round 2| Ground Valencia CF originally played their home games at the Algirós ground before moving to the current Mestalla stadium. In 1923 Mestalla could hold 17,000 and this number increased to h 25,000 in the 1930s before major damage sustained during the civil war cut the numbers drastically. Restructuring in the 1950s meant 45,000 spectators could get in and today 55,000 can watch a game there making it the 5th largest stadium in Spain. 75,000 seats are planned for the Nou Mestalla Stadium should it ever be finished. Manchester City have used several grounds Ma during their history and even played home matches at five different stadia between 1880 and 1887 before settling at Hyde Road in Manchester and staying there for 36 years. After a fire destroyed the main stand the club moved to the 84,000 capacity Maine Road ground (which the developers nicknamed The Wembley of the North) before capacity problems in 1995 meant only 32,000 could watch the team. Since 2003 the team has played at the 47,726-seater stadium Eastlands Stadium which was the centre-piece of the 2002 Commonwealth Games held in Manchester. Winner - Valencia CF A larger ground & more loyalty.
16/06/1948. Chinese bandits commit the first ever recorded hijacking of an aircraft when they take over a Cathay Airways Flying Boat. The crew refused their orders, gunfire ensured and only the bandit leader eventually survived.
Round 3| Managers Unai Emery Etxegoien (03/11/1971) has been manager of Los Ches since 2008 taking over from ex-Holland star Ronald Koeman. He was a midfielder in his playing days spending most of his years in the second division in Spain before managing Lorca Deportiva, Almeria and now Valencia. In his time at the Mestalla, Valencia have finished 6th, 3rd and 3rd respectively. Roberto Mancini (27/11/1964) has a great pedigree in the footballing world playing over 550 times for Sampdoria where he also gained 36 full international caps for Italy. He managed Fiorentina, Lazio and Internazionale before his move to Manchester in December 2009 and since then Manchester City have had their best two seasons ever in The Premiership with 5th place finish and now a third place finish this year. Winner - MCFC Mancini with a lifetime at the very top of the game.
Round 4| Club songs MCFC sing the classic Richard Rogers and Lorenz Hart's 1934 jazz standard 'Blue Moon'. The true origins of the reason for this anthem seems to be the fact that Manchester City fans taste success so irregularly - as in the phrase 'Once in a blue moon'. Covered by Elvis and Frank Sinatra and many others.
7
Round 5| Success MCFC League Champions: 2 times (1937 & 1968). Cup Honours: 5 FA Cups (1904, 1934, 1956, 1969 & 2011) and 2 League Cups (1970 &1976). European: Cup Winners Cup (1970). VCF League Champions: 6 times (1942, 1944, 1947, 1971, 2002 & 2004). Cup Honours: Copa Del Rey Champions: 7 times (1941, 1949, 1954, 1967, 1979, 11999 & 2008) and 1 Supercopa de España (1999). E European: Champions League RunnersUp: twice (2000 & 2001), Winners of: UEFA Cup Winners Cup (1980), UEFA Cup (2004), Fairs Cup (1962 & 1963), UEFA Super Cup (1980 & 2004) & UEFA Intertoto Cup (1998). Winner - Valencia with a record that speaks for itself.
"Blue moon, You saw me standing alone Without a dream in my heart Without a love of my own." OVERALL WINNER - Manchester City takes it 3-2 in a great match.
VCF players come onto the park to the strains of Amunt Valencia, which has very powerful imagery of identity and pride in Valencia. Officially called Himne de València CF it shouldn't be confused with the similarly named Himne de València, which celebrates the Valencian Community in general. Winner - MCFC with a bona-fide classic.
16/06/1978. Iconic game machine 'Space Invaders' is demonstrated by Taito Corporation. It took $2bn in its slots in just 4 years but try showing it to today's Halo and Grand Theft Auto generation and saying it's a classic.
Intermediate
I heart Valencia
8
Learn Better with the British Council
Holidays and parties
T
here are no bank holidays coming up, but there isn't a break for the fiestas. Let the fun continue!
San Juan Fiesta | VLC & the Community towns | 23 June, in the evening. This is a happy atmospheric event, down at the beach with fireworks and bonfires. The day is spent building bonfires & hoping for clear skies. Local women make scented water and bath themselves in it for luck and if you still needed more, there is a tradition of jumping over the fires and entering the sea at midnight. Also| Moors & Christians| Maritime area| 1st weekend of July. San Cristobel| Grau| Sat nearest 10 July, followed by a Vintage car procession at 8pm. Beato Gaspar Bono| C/ Cañete, nr C/ Quart| 2nd Sunday in July. Virgen del Carmen| El Carmen| 16 July - all day.
In the Community and the neighbouring towns | 15-30 June 20| Casa Altas, Santisima Trinidad 23 & 24| Palmera, Purisima Concepción and Virgen del Carmen, Sant Joanet, El Cristo 24| (San Juan) Benicolet, Bonrepós i Mirambell, Bugarra, Chiva, Cullera, Guardamar de la Safor, Loriguilla, Manises, Massanassa, Puçol, Sant Joanet, Siete Aguas, Utiel, Vallés 27| Benavites, Santa Paula, Benetússer 28| Daimús, Virgen del Carmen 29| (San Pedro) Alqueria de la Comtessa, Canet d'en Berenguer, Catadau, Daimús, Godelleta, Moixent, Pobla Llarga, Pego (ALI), Santisimo Ecce Homo 30| Torrella, Corpus Cristi
Feria julio | July | VLC This festival has been in place since 1871, set up by the local Government to provide entertainment and fun throughout the sweaty months for all those who choose to stay in or visit VLC. The city is filled with activities: Live Concerts| Park Viveros 6 July - Malú 7 July - Pablo Milanés 8 July - Maldita Nerea 9 July - Iggy Pop 10 July - Musical Bob Esponja 13 July - Sergio Dalma 14 July - Dani Martín 15 July - M-Clan 18 July - Seal 19 July - Pablo Alborán 21 July - Andrés Calamaro 23 July - Vetusta Morla
9
Dance & theatre| Jardin del Palau Classical, Flamenco and Jazz| Palau de la Música| 7-15 July This year at the XV Festival de Jazz you can see Wynton Marsalis, Wallace Roney, Mavis Staples, Lee Ritenour, Chano Domínguez, Sebastián Chames, Elma Sambeat and Big Band Sedajazz. Get a full brochure from the Palau. www.palaudevalencia.com Fireworks| Castillo at Arenas beach near the port | Every Saturday night 12pm | Special show on 16 July. Bullfighting| Plaza de Toros www.torosvalencia.com
Tickets from El Corte Ingles, Ticketmaster, Bancaja's Servientrada. www.feriadejulio.com/2011
Parade| Paseo Alameda| Last Sunday of July, 8pm. A dramatic interactive parade of stunning flower enveloped floats. Watch as the ground becomes carpeted in colours. Followed by a Battle of the Flowers and a Mascletà (fireworks).
Traditional music| Parque del Oeste, Jardin de Ayora
Pick up a programme from your local tourist information or venue.
Markets| Park del Oeste, Jardin de Ayora, Puente Exposicion 1-31 July 1| Alqueria de la Comtessa, Divina Aurora, Sempere, San Pedro 3| Dénia (ALI), Festividad de la Sangre 4| Pinet, San Pedro, Benissa (ALI), Moros y Cristianos 6| Jérica (CAS), Cristo de la Sangre 7| Rafelcofer, Moros y Cristianos 7 & 8| Real 8| Rafelcofer, Virgen del Carmen 11| Ondara (ALI), Virgen de la Soledad 13| (Festividad de la Sangre) Alfarp, Catadau, Llombai, Picanya, Almussafes, San Bartolomé 15| Almussafes, Santisima Cruz, Beniparrell, Virgen del Carmen, Eliana, Teulada (ALI), Virgen de los Desamparados 16| (Virgen del Carmen) Alcasser, Sagunt, La Yesa
19| Manises, Santas Justa y Rufina 22| Beniflá, San Jaime, Oliva, Moros y Cristianos, Sollana, Santa María Magdalena 23| Alzira, San Bernardo 22 & 23| Castellonet de la Conquesta, Santiago Apóstol 25| (San Jaime) Albaida, Alborache, Carlet, Gandia, Petrés, Real de Gandia, Turís, Alfarp, Santiago Apóstol 26| (Santa Ana) Bellús, Senyera, Simat de la Valldigna, Zarra 27| Quartell 28 & 29| Barxeta 29| l'Ènova, Virgen de la Aurora 30| Albalat del Sorells, Santos de la Piedra, Sagunt, Santos Abdón y Senén, Torrent, Santos patronos de Torrent Courtesy of www.docv.gva.es
All information correct at time of print. Check with the local tourist information when making plans. 17/06/1867. Joseph Lister amputates a cancerous breast from his sister using carbolic soap as an antiseptic. On the same day in 1950 the first successful kidney transplant is carried out in Chicago.
10
Valencia community | Utiel
Advanced
I
t must be admitted that Utiel lacks the charm of nearby Requena, but it does have its moments, particularly in the warren of narrow streets around the church. The church itself is magnificent in its simplicity. Barely decorated, in complete contrast to most of the churches in the Valencian Community, the simple stone walls and barley-sugar twist pilasters with their gilded capitals has a majesty that outweighs much of the extravagant ornamentation seen elsewhere. With recordings of Gregorian chant enhancing more than destroying the peacefulness, it is the sort of place where, even if you aren’t of a religious mind, you can’t help but want to sit awhile and absorb the tranquility. When I left the church, I stood for a few minutes watching some council workmen trimming trees. No hint of delicacy, they just hacked away with a great big trimmer till most of the growth was sheered off. I knew how the tree felt; it was an arboreal version of the No.2 I get when I visit the barber. Almost to the bone, giving plenty of growing time – same for the tree, I suppose. Utiel is one of the main wine production towns in the Valencian Community, and gives its name to the Denominación de Origen Utiel-Requena (where its name goes first, much to the chagrin of the Requenenses). Once mainly exported or used for blending, the region is now producing some excellent wines, hence the D.O. and is Valencia’s main producer of cava. The Cooperativa Agricola Utiel is the main bodega to visit in Utiel for well-priced wines. Great tiled swathes of grapevines decorate either side of the arched doorway with a tiled panel above depicting a poetic rural landscape of lowing oxen pulling a plough through deeply tilled earth. The huge metal door itself would look more in keeping as the entrance to a prison, but during working hours it opens to reveal the work going on around the huge shining vats in which the wine is produced. Two large tiled plaques inform you that it was built between 1949-1960 and has a capacity of 30 million litres. Some resaca (hangover)! Step through inside and the bouquet certainly doesn’t have the hint of chocolate and raspberries that wine aficionados eulogise about. If you want to sample the product you can do so at the Despach de Vinos next door.
Utiel fact file Population | 12.421 (2010) km to Castellón | 148km km to Valencia | 83km Places of interest | Local vineyards Fiestas | 6-15 September Feria Anual Useful phone numbers | Town Hall | 96 217 05 04 Tourist Info | 96 217 11 03 turismo@utiel.es
17/06/1959. The Daily Mirror/Liberace libel trial of the previous month concludes. The paper had denied implying he was homosexual after a columnist had called him 'a fruit-flavoured, mincing ice-covered heap of Mother Love'.
To see how it’s all done, visit the Museo del Vino housed in the Bodega Redondo (Round Bodega – which is exactly what it was) where tools and equipment used in wine making from centuries past are on display. As you walk around the lower section, where the wine would once have been stored, look up at the ceiling and you will see it is made up of broken bits of tiles (to help with insulation), some of which are so gorgeous that any collector would give his eye, teeth even for the damaged piece.
11
Car | A3 direct to Utiel, Takes 1 hour. Bus | ALSINA: 96349230 or ask at the bus station. Train | The high-speed AVE 4 times a day in 22 minutes, or the La línea C-3 de Cercanías Valencia. www.renfe.com
Unlike the façade of the Cooperativa, the bullring almost opposite is more a thing of ugliness than a thing of beauty. Even so, the locals are inordinately proud of their plaza de toros, which was built in 1858 and rivals that of Bocairent as the oldest in the Comunidad and is the second largest in the region, second only to the bullring in the capital. The Guardia Civil barracks on Calle Heroes de Tollo (which presumably celebrates a battle, although I could find nothing relating to the name other than an hotel, restaurant and industrial estate) is like a big iced birthday cake in the shape of a castle, with turrets and all. Don’t be tempted to take a photo though, because they are considered military establishments and therefore secret – although how secret can they be, stuck on the main road into town! I was pulled inside one a couple of years ago when I was spotted photographing the barracks in Torrevieja and was only allowed out after a sergeant had a long conversation with the editor of the Weekly Post and I deleted the image. Derek Workman To discover more about Spain, visit www.derekworkman-journalist.com & www.derekworkman.wordpress.com.
17/06/1972. Five men are arrested breaking in to the Watergate complex in Washington DC. They are found to be bugging Democratic Party HQ and the resulting scandal eventually implicated President Nixon.
Advanced
Valencia community | Utiel
Intermediate
12
Restaurant of the month | La Botifarra
I
t’s easy to miss places in El Carmen due to the sheer quantity of places around to eat. Fortunately La Botifarra didn’t pass under my radar. Owner Jorge opened up La Botifarra eight years ago with the aim of bringing fresh, affordable and healthy food to his clientele for a reasonable price. All of his ingredients are bought every day at the central market and he uses no oil to cook any of his food. Wine, water, steam and beer are what the food is cooked in although he does break his own rule for the Patatas Paris Hilton which, he confesses, are very, very dirty. They are cooked in oil and have a fried egg broken on top of them, which you then have to cut up before you eat. The idea is that his customers can leave feeling full, but not too full to spoil the rest of their night. really are a delight and you can see that the owner Other places have closed down during the eight himself takes pride in recommending them to those years that he has been here, but La Botifarra is still who are unsure of what to order. going strong. This could be due to the rest of the It’s a small place so you have to make sure to dishes, which are your usual tapas, but tweaked a reserve a table before you go. What’s good about it little here and there and elaborated to make them is that you can stand at the bar and have a couple of that little bit different from what you get in tapas or you can have a sit-down meal. Whichever most places. Another special of Jorge’s are the Salchichas al you fancy. The atmosphere is very welcoming and Roquefort, which have won the restaurant prizes it’s always heaving at the weekends. in the past. These creamy cheese-laden sausages La Botifarra is certainly not one to miss!
Caña + tapa | €1.50 Doble + tapa | €2 Tapas | €4-6 WIne | €9 C/ Pinzón, 12 El Carmen (VLC) Tues–Sun 8pm-12.30pm 616 758 624 (closed Sundays July-Aug) Make reservations for 10+
17/06/1988. Reggae poet and street vendor Dennis Loban manages to add murderer to his CV after he is found guilty of killing reggae star Peter Tosh in Kingston, Jamaica. He was sentenced to hang.
13
I
n August I travel to Darjeeling in North Eastern India. I will be volunteering with The Edith Wilkins Street Children Foundation. This promises to be quite a change from my very comfortable life here where the more precarious thing I do is slalom with the buses on Fernando el Católico on my way to and from work. According to a study by the Federation of Located just 45 minutes from the border with Progressive Women, an estimated 40,000 foreign Nepal and close to Tibet, Assam, Bangladesh, Bihar women are forced into prostitution in Spain, and Sikkim; Darjeeling is something of a hub in the trafficking of children. It is estimated that some 2000 although only some 18,000 have been identified. If we choose to continue to view prostitution children are sold across the border with Nepal alone, from the perspective of it being a consenting adults every week. Eight euro a child is about the situation and that trafficking is only going rate. ‘We could do worse than something that happens in Asia or These kids are sold for sex, address the demand at Eastern Europe then we are turning labour, and drug trafficking. The our end.’ Edith Wilkins Street Children a blind eye to genocidal criminality. Foundation has a drop-in centre, over-night shelter At least here in Spain the law puts trafficking and half way house where ‘at risk’ kids can come and on a par with rape when it comes to prosecution eat, see a nurse, play and just be safe for a while. and sentencing but throughout the world it is often The first priority is to reunite them with their judicially viewed as a lighter offence then trafficking families and failing that to get them on the path to drugs and so is less risky. It is of course every bit as education and some kind of stable, safe existence. lucrative with estimates putting the annual turnover There are success stories but the numbers are in the billions. I’m not one for celebrity causes but in the case over-whelming. of the DNA (Demi and Ashton) Foundation’s recent This is not an issue restricted to the third world campaign I think they have the right idea. They are places like Darjeeling but one that has resonance pursuing a cultural awakening to right here on our doorstep. this issue through social media In my daily jaunt up and and have pointed at the issue of down Gran Via the one thing demand with their slogan ‘Real Men that is impossible to miss is the Don’t Buy Girls’. advertising on the buses that I In Darjeeling The Edith Wilkins share a lane with. Street Children Foundation is There has been a noticeable fighting the supply of human increase in advertising for commodities, we could do worse brothels or puti clubs recently. than address the demand at The advertising is slick and our end. impressive in scale. Of course Further information on The Edith it plays on the age-old chestnut Wilkins Street Children Foundation of portraying these places as can be found on their website glamorous, just like the cards www.edithwilkins.org that advertise ‘private services’ Eoghan Ryan that get stuck to your car window every time you park in the street. Eoghan will be organising a We may not be in Darjeeling number of fundraising events ahead of his trip in but these two issues are linked. The trafficking of August, should you wish to get involved or contribute people, much like that of drugs is a demand based please email ryan.eoghan@gmail.com business. If there were not the demand there would be no business. There are an estimated 12.3 - 27 million people in sexual slavery around the world at any given time. The vast majority of these people are women and while it seems that it is generally 18-24 year olds trafficked into Spain some estimate the worldwide average at around 13 years old.
18/06/1978. Garfield, the world's most famous, lasagne-eating cat is seen for 1st time. John quote 'I wouldn't say Garfield is fat, but the last time he got on a Ferris wheel, the two guys on top starved to death'. Class.
First Certificate
Expat life | Supply and Demand
14
Talking Teaching with Orange Language Academy
I
’ve been thinking about common errors at FCE when speaking English and how to try and combat them in class. Some errors I’ll let slide for whatever reason, e.g. the rest of the student’s English is very good or if the student makes the mistake whilst trying to use quite a complicated structure (these 'positive errors' are normally seen as such because they show an element of progression in the student’s abilities). I’ve highlighted here, however, my top “What did you just say?” mistakes that I simply will not and cannot abide at this particular level. Hopefully, alongside a reason for the error and how to go about correcting it, you should be able to eliminate them before they head into those all important June/ December exams.
1. I am agree. ee. (Estoyy de acuerdo.) acuerdo o.)) Agree and disagree sagree are arre verbs in English En nglissh whereas wher wh her e ea e s 'de' is often used states sed in Spanish Spanish to describe descriibe b st tate es i.e. i. i. de examenes, d de e lu llujo, jo,, de de jjuerga, uerga, etc. Try to provoke students in class statements like asss with with controversial con on ontroversial n “I think bullfighting ghtin i g is is actually alright” and then make sure they ey use tthe he correct form. If that doesn’t get a rise, nothing will. thing wi ill l. 2. I think yes. sí.) es. (Creo que e ssí í.) Also, “I think no” instead of “I d don’t think on’t on n’t tthi hink hi n so”. nk Relentless correction rrection required due to direct translation from Spanish. If it comes up, stop the class and ask the students what’s wrong. A good way to encourage peer & ultimately self-correction. 3. We are 4 in my family. (Somos 4 en mi familia.) Another one that can be solved with pelmanism i.e. number & question cards i.e. “12 + How many people had lunch earlier?” “There were 12 of us.” 4. I want that you come. (Quiero que vengas.) Subjunctive. Nightmare! Structure breakdown 'want + object + infinitive with to'. Drill. Drill. Drill. Give them situations in class i.e. 'The class is hot. Tell your partner to open the door'. Ten or fifteen of these in pairs should sort them out. 6. The people is (la gente es/ está) If I had a euro for every time I heard this, my nest egg would be resolved. Teach people as 'they' and all other verbs must follow suit.
5. Is very g good. ood. (Es bueno/ bu ue ueno/ ue Está bien.) I can can imagine i agin im ne even evven n as as an an examiner exa e xami xa mine mi nerr it’s ne it’s diffi d cult not to tut tu ut and a d nod an d your head hea ad here. here. There’s There’’s always Th a wa a subject al before a verb in English with relative Eng nglish except maybe w clauses or afterr a conjunction referring tto the same subject. Hammer subjjec ectt. Ham am mmer this relentlessly. It’s unforgivable un at FCE. FCE CE. 7. I love the sports. (Me encantan los deportes.) When speaking generally about things w we do not use an article in English. What about “go to tthe beach”? Well, Well that’s an activity and it refers to a sspecific beach. I am still searching for a miracle cure. 8. Is possible? (¿Puede ser?) There are so many things wrong with this. Subject? No! Inversion? No (because there’s no subject). Where is that goddamn modal verb from unit 9 that we looked at? Have you found it? Good. Use it! 9. You must to go… (Tienes que ir…) Ah, you’ve remembered the modal from unit 9! Well done! Now let’s get started on the infinitive and bare infinitives. You could do a class on modality, draw them up some signs to elicit necessity/ obligation/ permission/ prohibition, etc. Always good to revise before the speaking exam!! You can find a number of helpful podcasts at www.orangeidiomas.com dealing with common errors. Orange Language Academy has been an American run language school for the city of Valencia and its provinces since 2005 offering all types of language related services. They run the Mon language exchange at The Bohemian Café and the Tues and Weds nights at the Portland Ale House. Find out more at www.orangeidiomas.com
For those of you who really want to get down to learning the language, we’ll be bringing you an expression each month. This is our job. Your job? Get out there and use it! Then tell us how you got on… pegarse – to get/ have sth. stuck in one’s head e.g. Se me ha pegado la nueva canción de Nick Cave I’ve got that new Nick Cave song stuck in my head. 18/06/1928. Some years after winning the race against Scott to the South Pole, adventurer Roald Amundsen loses his life when his plane crashes while he attempts to rescue a lost colleague. There should be a film about this guy.
Live events
15
C
heck out the centre pages for all your festival needs, but don't forget that there's still loads more going on. As usual we’ll root out the important live performances in the community so you can just turn up and enjoy the music. Café Mercedes| C/ Sueca, 27 (VLC) Café Mercedes| C/ Cirque du Soleil - Corteo| Universitat de València Until Sueca, 27 (VLC) A nice, cheap jazz venue in the heart of 10/07. €35+ www.cirquedusoleil.com David Guetta| Some DJ action from the Guetta on 24/06 Ruzafa with free jam sessions on Sundays from 20:30. 17-18/06 (23:00 & 00:00) The Carlos Martín Quintet will as part of F1 Rocks at the Agora Arena. www.f1.rocks.com. Iggy Pop and the Stooges| Iggy and his boys will be be playing their fusion of jazz/ latin/ flamenco. €8. rocking the Viveros on 9/07. €40 www.ticketmaster.es 25/06 (23:00 & 00:30) The multitalented Mamen García Spongebob Squarepants| 10/07 20:00 & 22:15. will be showing off her wonderful voice and piano skills. €9. Seal| On at Viveros on 18/07 as part of the Feria de Julio. www.cafemercedes.es €36 www.nvivo.es Jimmy Glass| C/ Baja, 28 (VLC) This place often features Sala Matisse| Campoamor 60 (VLC) 28/05/2011 22:30 some great talent from the local and international scene. 16/06 (22:00) Concierto Benefico Felcan has been 21/06 André Fernandes Quintet are playing. €13. 28/06 Jorge Pardo will bob out some jazz noodles on his organised to promote the awareness of the protection of animals. Mirza Zaza will be providing some alternative flute. Price TBC. sounds alongside singer Coque’s performance of his new Fridays will alternate between the Jazz Es Uno and Piano solo EP. €5. Du Sessions. About €4. www.jimmyglassjazz.net 18/06 (22:30) Electro pop group Souvenir will La Caverna| C/ Cuenca, 70 (VLC) La Caverna often showcasing their new album 'Travelogues' for the princely magically transforms from a late bar into a very small but sum of €10 (€12 on the door). intimate venue just a short walk away from the bustle of the 22/07 (23:00) 80s and Life. Kerrrrang! A celebration of city centre. 25/06 (23:00) Indie Rockers Emma Get Wild will Hard Rock from the 80s featuring covers from Motley Crue be playing their tunes. €5. Pop Club Deluxe| C/ Poeta Mas to Def Leppard to Judas Priest. Tickets y Ros, 42 (VLC) Always a safe bet prices TBA. www.salamatisse.es for a bit of music of a weekend. Sala El Loco| C/ Erudito Orellana, www.deluxepopclub.com 12 (VLC) Every Wednesday since 01/06 B.B. King| The man himself will Sala Loco have been hosting Arenal’s be headlining the 8th Peñíscola Road Festival. Basically a battle-of-theInternational Jazz Festival - page 16. bands situation with the winner getting El Palau de la Musica| (VLC) 25/06 to play Arenal Sound in August. Check A benefit concert for the victims of out some of the local talent! €3. the earthquake in Lorca will take 18/06 (22:00) The melodic Damien Lott will be providing support for place. €10. the pop sounds of Maronda. €10. June sees the Banda Municipal de www.lococlub.org Valencia play every Thursday night in the Jardines del Palau. 20:15, free! Sala Wah Wah| C/ Campoamor, 5/07 – 15/07 the XV Festival Jazz 58 (VLC) 18/06 The Canary Sec will play their sixties Rock ‘n’ Roll sounds alongside the will be taking place. Highlights include Jam Sessions (8/07 garage punk of The Glurps for a full night of grooving. & 15/07) and a performance of Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew www.wahwahclub.com with Wallace Roney (13/07) www.palaudevalencia.com Excuse me| C/Tomasos 14 (VLC) Always an eclectic taste Durango Poligono Industrial La Closa| (Meliana) Durango Durango are offering their sala to any up-and-coming groups from Northern Soul to rock, pop & indie. On Facebook. Café del Duende| C/ Turia, 62 (VLC) A great place to catch throughout the summer. 17/06 (22:30) Clash of The Queens night! The gloves are some decent flamenco from Thursday - Saturday from 23:30. off and the handbags have been ditched. 13 Tries, Knock www.cafedelduende.com Out, Glassmoon and Wurdalk, all of whom have female Music Box| C/ Pintor Zariñera, 16 (VLC) & Radio City| vocalists, will be battling it out on stage. €10/8. C/ Santa Teresa 19 (VLC) Open daily with visiting DJs and 30/06 L.A. Guns, Jolly Joker and Juliette Lewis’ ex-group Tuesdays offer live flamenco music at Radio City (23:00, €7 Venrez will be supplying the hard rock sounds. €25/20. with free drink). www.myspace.com/themusicboxclub and 22/07 (23:00) Bob Wayne & The Outlaw Carnies are www.radiocityvalencia.com coming to town with their country/ punk sounds. €12/15. Hot music news - Cut Copy, Dr Queen and Toro y Moi www.durangoclub.es check our Music news on page 18!
20/06/1909. Acting legend Errol Flynn born. Famous for his swashbuckling acting and hard living lifestyle of drinking, gambling and womanising, he suffered from a heart defect, recurring malaria and TB.
16
Festival | Don't forget the sun-cream “If music be the food of love, play on”
Even Shakespeare loved a bit of music, didn’t he? Yes, the festival season is here in all of its glory and, what’s more, it’s right on our doorstep (well, some of it). There’s something for everybody no matter what your taste is – heavy guitars, soft guitars, brass, decks, strings or even a cheeky harp (I’m making a massive assumption that this is what the bard himself would have gone for – I think he would have loved PJ Harvey’s set at Primavera Sound!). We’ve broken down all of the biggies for you in this year’s guide. Azkena Rock Festival| Vitoria-Gasteiz (nr. Bilbao), 23-25/06 The Modfather himself Mr. Paul Weller, has recently announced his attendance. Rest assured, he won’t be the only big name. The line up includes mentalist Ozzy Osbourne, The Cult, Eels, Primus, Queens Of The Stone Age, Atom Rhumba, Brian Setzer’s Rockabilly Riot, Bright Eyes, Band of Horses, The Avett Brothers and already I want to go after listing only half of the groups. To celebrate the festival’s 10th anniversary, they’ll be dishing out CDs to passport holders. There’s also a Motörhead photography exhibition by Pep Benet & Rally, theatrical performances and you can get hitched €155/3 days, €100/2 days and €39/1 day in advance. Vegas style if you’ve had a few too many San Miguels or find the clanking sound of guitars the perfect Prices will go up if you pay at the door. backdrop for dropping on one knee. www.sonar.es
Sonar| Barcelona, 16-18/06. A festival celebrating 'Advanced Music' (I’m sure that wasn’t a GCSE at my school) and Multimedia Art, Sonar attracts people from far and wide. This year’s artists include Underworld, M.I.A., Aphex Twin, Magnetic Man and Human League amongst hundreds more from both the local and international scenes. There are also a number of films being shown from 10 minutes long to full-length features in addition to a series of interactive works based around the concept of portrait. Promises to be as colourful and as loud as previous years with a plethora of artists, new and old, at your disposal.
©FIB File / Promo/ Paolo Nutini
©FIB File / Promo / Arctic Monkeys
€100/ 3 days, €52 + tax/ 1 day. www.azkenarockfestival.com.
Arenal Sound| Burriana, Castellón, 4-7/08 Another community festival, which boasts an incredible line up of Spanish groups with a sprinkling of British favourites: Scissor Sisters, The Charlatans, Love of Lesbian, Orbital, Paul Thompson (Franz Ferdinand), Mystery Jets DJ set, The Suicide of Western Culture, Dorian, Supersubmarina, We Are Standard, La Habitación Roja, Triángulo De Amor Bizarro, The Welcome Dynasty, Los Últimos Bañistas, El Secreto De Amelie, Máximo No Canta, The Noises, Coque, Proyecto Solaz and many more. On top of that, they’ve got a market, pre festival parties & a party boat! Go there, do it and get the T-shirt for €10. €110 at the gate. www.arenalsound.com. 23/06/1985. Sikh terrorists blow up an Air India plane on a flight from Canada to Ireland. 325 people are killed just 120 miles from the coast of Ireland.
Festival | Don't forget the sun-cream The 8th Internacional Jazz Peñísicola Festival| Palau de Congresos (VLC), 7-21/07 Plenty of foot tapping going on in Valencia during the month of July as this festival plays host to a number of national and international acts from the jazz scene: Jeff Lorber Fusion on 8 (23:00, €20), B.B. King on 20 (22:00, €38/44), Lucky Peterson Blues Band on 22 (23:00, €20), Cassandra Wilson on 22 (23:00, €20) and Roberta Gambardini Quartet on 29 (23:00, €20).
17
Benidorm Low Cost Festival| 21-23/07 Crisis Prices. Handy as times are tight. Plus they have an interesting line up. Mika will be playing alongside the Klaxons, Mando Diao, Crystal Castles, OK Go, Cut Copy, Eli 'Paperboy' Reed, Shout Out Louds, Cat People, Supersubmarina, Sexy Sadie and many more all for the princely sum of €60 for the three days. There will be three stages at La Ciuda Deportiva Guillermo Amor with over 50 bands playing. Low Cost are also offering a camping area and renting out tents. Bless! There's a bus for the campers.
www.culturalcas.com €30/ 1 day (Fri), €40/ 1 day (Sat or Sun). www.festivallowcost.com
©SONAR / Underworld
PLUS| Fly Me To The Moon| Barcelona, 27-28/07 Tickets not yet on sale. www.primaverasound.com
Benicassim Festival| Benicassim, 14-17/07. This is the biggie. This is what many people refer to as the Spanish Glastonbury. All of the bands that do the big summer tours stop here. The best thing about this big mutha is that it’s right on the beach and the town itself is beautiful (see inVLC Apr-May). Take along your tent, some cash, some sun cream and you're as good as sorted for the 4-day duration. What we like about this particular festival is its 'greenness'. Organisers are, and always have been, fully aware of the environmental impact that something like this has and have in place various measures to make sure that everything is recycled and the surrounding areas are returned back to normal afterwards. Over the course of four days you can catch the likes of the following (deep breath): Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, Beirut, Big Audio Dynamite, Bombay Bicycle Club, Brandon Flowers (The Killers), Cat People, Chase & Status, Crystal Fighters, Dorian, Elbow, Friendly Fires, The Go! Team, James Murphy, Lori Meyers, Noah & The Whale, Paolo Nutini, Pendulum, Plan B, Portishead, Primal Scream and The Stranglers. There is not much more to be said really. You can also check out the number of different exhibitions, short films, dance and performing arts, which are thrown in for good measure. Various prices from €175/ 4 days - €70/ 1 day. (There is also a payment plan for people in el paro!) www.fiberfib.com 21/06/1919. 51 out of 74 German warships are scuttled at Scapa Floe in The Orkney Isles to stop them falling into the Allies hands. Now one of the best scuba diving sites in the world.
18
Music
Advanced
M
usic reviewers Chris Kellett and Sean have been busy, so you can experience all the enjoyment that true musical talent can give. We're always open to hearing from you, so get in touch with your recommendations!
Album to reflect to | Bon Iver - Self titled 'Bon Iver' marks a radical change from 2007’s cult indie classic 'For Emma Forever Ago' in that he is no longer just a weepy acoustic act. A transition to fully fledged band, backed by drums, electric guitars, horns and even banjos give the album a fresh and surprising appeal, all of which help to enhance his obvious talent for song writing at its saddest. This album is sure to top the success of his earlier work and then some. Standout Tracks | Calgary, Towers, Holocene Album to feel uncomfortable to | Battles - Glow Drop For the most part chaotically instrumental, Battles have invited a number of collaborators to contribute vocals to their latest work. This feels like something of an after thought as they are at their best 8 minutes into one of their many unstructured offbeat jams. For instance, album highlight, 'Futura', has something of a nightmarish carnival ride feel to it. It's at once unsettling and strangely hypnotic and this is Battles at their best, sans voix. So, regrettably, while there are some inspired moments like this, 'Glow drop' fails to eclipse the high standards set by its predecessor. Standout Tracks| Futura, White Electric Album From a newbie | Anna Calvi - Self-titled From the atmospheric guitar strokes of the opening track, Anna Calvi’s debut album doesn’t take its foot off the pedal. Haunting yet uplifting in places, Calvi’s production team includes former PJ Harvey producers and Brian Eno himself who sometimes provides backing vocals. Her guitar work is reminiscent of Jeff Buckley and, combined with an incredibly sexy voice, make for very seductive live performances, which include her appearance on this year’s first Jools Holland episode. Standout Tracks| Desire, Blackout, Susanna Other releases | Ziggy Marley, Marianne Faithfull, Brian Eno, Youssou N’Dour, They Might Be Giants, Vanessa Carlton and one that we're waiting for with anticipation: Big Sean with ‘Finally Famous: The Album’. Music news| Fresh off the back of the festival circuit, Australian electropop quartet Cut Copy will be playing Sala Mirror (C/ San Vicente Martir, 200, VLC) on 28/10. Ticket prices TBA. Keep your eye on our Facebook or www.discomirror.es
Queen Tribute band Dr. Queen will be running us through the classics on 3 November as well as Columbian experimentalists Toro y Moi, who will be visiting us on 1/12. www.discomirror.es
Lost in Fame Actress Scarlett Johansson, is to team up with Bristol trip-hop legends Massive Attack to record a version of George Gershwin's Summertime for the soundtrack of upcoming thriller 'Dias de Gracia' (Days of Grace).
Pint-sized pop lothario, Justin Bieber, will this June release his first fragrance, 'Someday'. In the advertisement, Justin floats through the sky & repeatedly almost snogs a woman some years his senior. Gripping stuff. Check youtube!
P Diddy (Puff Daddy) has announced that he will (temporarily) change his name to Swag to mark his recovery from a little publicised but serious illness. According to newlynamed 'Swag', he was sick with a fever for a week and "had a lot to think about".
23/06/1987. Hypnotism evidence first used in a trial. Lorene Rock shot her husband when he tried to stop her leaving to buy a hamburger. The judge believed that her finger was not on the trigger when it went off.
19
inema Jove returns to Valencia from 17-24 June for its 26th year celebrating cinema by putting on films, bringing in big names for talks and dishing out awards to local and international talent. The festival itself will take place anywhere and everywhere within VLC with a decent size screen and big enough space for an audience.
C
Luis García Berlanga will also be honoured for his services to cinema by director/ screenwriter Álex de la Iglesia, Santiago 'Torrente' Segura, and directors Miguel Albaladejo and Óscar Aibar. Each director will choose what they consider to be the most 'Berlangian' film from a career Madrileño Carlos Aceres will be than spanned five decades. awarded with the Premio Un Futuro del Cine, high expectations Berlanga made his mark as a then for this bright young talent political and social satirist by of Spanish cinema. Aceres criticising Franco’s regime in already boasts an impressive his films. His most famous film back catalogue of films including Bienvenido, Mister Marshall (1953) Spanish Movie (2009) and this involves the arrival of Americans to the small village of Villar del Río year’s Lobos de Arga (2011). with plenty of American dollars to spend. The film openly criticised the political and social situation in Spain at the time. Los jueves, milagro (1957) received a great deal of censorship before its subsequent release, Plácido (1961) was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film and Todos a la carcel (1993) won him a Goya for Best Film. The fact that Berlanga was born in Valencia makes this homage all the more poignant. Expect a great deal of Berlanga’s work to be shown throughout the duration of the festival. This year Stanley Kubrick’s producer Jan Harlan will be given el Premio Luna for his work. Harlan worked with Kubrik on The Shining (1980), Full Metal Jacket (1987) and Eyes Wide Shut (1999) as well as working with Spielberg on A.I. (2001).
Cinema Jove also celebrates many other visual art forms alongside film including the wonderful drawings of local boy Javier Mariscal and the colourful film posters of Czech artist Vratislav Hlavatý. There will also be a two-part talk on the Light Cone by the director of one of Europe’s most important and valuable collections of experimental film Emmanuel Lefrant. Lefrant will be discussing the need for experimental to exist as an antidote to mainstream cinema today. Check out some of the fantastic examples of the Light Cone at www.lightcone.org. For further information and to keep up-to-date with more recent developments and event listings, visit www.cinemajove.com
Babel, C/ Vicente Sancho Tello, 10, www.cinesalbatrosbabel.com Filmoteca, Plaza del Ayuntamiento, 17 www.gva.es
25/06/1797. During the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Admiral Horatio Nelson was wounded in his right arm by grapeshot, and by the end of the day had had it amputated.
Intermediate
Cinema
20
Read me | John Fowles
Advanced
T
he French Lieutenant’s Woman - published in 1969, is one of the books that really grabbed me when I was younger and showed me just how wonderful great literature can be. In fact I would go as far as to say that this historical novel is one of the books that changed my life – by inspiring me to study literature at University and try my hand at writing myself. The French Lieutenant's Woman is set in the south of England in the coastal town of Lyme Regis in the 1860s – a beautiful contrast of sea and inland woods. It tells the story of Charles Smithson, a Victorian gentleman and amateur paleontologist, who is staying in Lyme with his fiancé Ernestina. Theirs is a typical Victorian romance governed by restrictive etiquette and stifling social conventions. Ernestina is young, pretty and fashionable, but also naïve and rather shallow. Charles on the other hand considers himself to be an intellectual, unconventional – a follower of the scandalous ideas of one Charles Darwin, agnostic, a thoroughly modern man. Though of course he is in fact a closet conservative. Charles’ life is shocked out of its quiet complacency when he encounters the mysterious Sarah Woodruff – a young woman, previously a governess – who has been ostracised by the local community for apparently having an illicit affair with a French Naval Lieutenant. The Novel’s title refers to the cruel nick-name the locals have for Sarah ‘The French Lieutenants’ Woman or Whore’. Sarah is a beguiling mix of complexities and ambiguities - she is a working class woman but has received a middle-class education, so cannot find acceptance within either community. Sarah is also a highly perceptive and intelligent person who sees through the hypocrisy and double standards of Victorian society – in short she is a woman ahead of her time, a modern woman
trapped by the regimented social rules of Victorian society. After several coincidental meetings during walks in the woods around Lyme, Charles begins to fall in love with Sarah – which forces him to question not only his relationship with Ernestina but also his values, identity & future. The French Lieutenant’s Woman is much more than a simple love story set in the 1860s. Fowles attempts something far more ambitious by imitating the tone and style of a real Victorian novel and using his narrative voice to puncture the story and comment on events. He implicitly compares the Victorian age with our modern one and experiments with a highly original and modernistic narrative method in which he offers the reader alternative versions of the story and its ending. The author himself even appears as a minor character within the story, analysing Charles on a train and speculating about his future. Needless to say, the writing is pitchperfect and subtle to the point of seamlessness. The developing romance between Charles and Sarah is paced perfectly and never predictable. The dialogue is excellent and the plot riveting. Above all, the characters are perfectly drawn and having read this novel several times I still can’t help genuinely caring about what happens to Charles and Sarah. I freely admit – when I read this novel for the first time I was 19 and I fell half in love with Sarah myself. A wonderful story, beautifully written. Iain Armstrong Bikes| The monthly bike meeting of VLC will take place as usual on the first Friday of the month. This aims to promote bikes and bike safety in VLC. Place| Plaza de la Virgin, VLC Time| 7.30pm
25/06/1876. Chief Crazy Horse leads his tribe of Sioux Indians to Little Bighorn, Montana where General Custer mounts his famous last stand. All 264 soldiers of the 7th US Cavalry are killed.
Your photos | colour
E
21
ach month we’ll give you a topic for the following edition. Email us 1 high-resolution image with a sentence describing the photo by 31st of the month. We’ll choose a few entries to print and the editor's favourite wins a prize. This month's favourite is by Monica! Steve Horler | Local shops
David Cross | Balloons
Monica F | Under my umbrella Lin Shepherd | Pedralba at 5am
Please send 1 photo per person & only send your own photo for copyright reasons. There are other terms and conditions - email us for them.
Next month’s topic is ‘seaside’. Look forward to seeing your pictures. invlceditor@gmail.com
26/06/1541. Incan empire conqueror Francisco Pizarro is assassinated in the town he helped found - Lima. Apparently with his last few breaths he drew a cross in the ground with his own blood and kissed it.
22
Sport
Intermediate
Football| Charity Football Tournament| Our own Eoghan Ryan has set up a football tournament on 25 June to raise funds to support The Edith Wilkins Street Children Foundation, which is an NGO working with children in Darjeeling in Northern India. Sadly, child trafficking is a fact of life there and for just a few dollars children can find themselves in the hands of people who do not have their best interests at heart (see page 13). It costs €150 to enter a team (which works out at just around €10 a player). For more information contact Eoghan through the Editor here at inVLC, directly at ryan.eoghan@ gmail.com or go to the Facebook page 'Football Tournament in aid of The Edith Wilkins Street Children Foundation'. www.edithwilkins.org
Motor racing| Formula 1 The Formula 1 World Championship returns to the Valencia Street Circuit for its 4th successive year between 24-26 June. At 308km in length, the race will be won by the driver who manages to navigate 57 laps of the 5.41 km track in the fastest time. Sebastien Vettel won last year in his Red Bull-Renault and looks like a good bet to repeat the feat as he is currently leading the driver's championship by a long distance. Local hopes will once again be pinned on Fernando Alonso in his Ferrari and a home country win could put his personal championship hopes back on track. He certainly won't suffer from lack of support from the crowd. Tickets start at €50 for the first practice and for the race itself the cheapest tickets are €150. www.valenciastreetcircuit.com
Malvarrosa Beach Sport| The beach at Malvarrosa is holding several sporting events throughout July to entertain you as you tan. Futvoley, rugby, beach soccer, running and even a swimming race across to the port. www.deportevalencia.com
Looking for customers for your business in the Valencian Community? Contact us on invlceditor@gmail.com ¿Estás buscando clientes para tu empresa en la comunidad valenciana? Ponte en contacto con nosotros invlceditor@gmail.com 27/06/1844. Mormon founder Joe Smith is killed when a mob gains access to the jail he is imprisoned at. He had been charged with treason for previously calling out troops to defend his polygamous community.
B
B) When I was in Turkey on the Mediterranean I saw that nearly every house had a solar panel to heat water. We use hot water for all manner of things, from showering and bathing, to washing clothes and dishes, floors and cars, steaming food, and heating the house with radiators. Doesn't it make perfect sense to get an almost permanent energy source to heat our water? Although this may sound logical, it isn't always easy. For example to put solar panels on our terrace requires that all 40 owners in our block give their permission. This is difficult when most of the owners don't live here and when there's a mini civil war going on between the owners who do! For those who have no such difficulties there are many solar companies will give you all the info you need.
efore I came to Spain I had heard that Spain was well known for sand, sea, sun and sex. These are all well and good but there's a lot more to Spain than that. This month though, I'd like to concentrate on one of these, unfortunately not sex but SUN. If Spain has any renewable energy then it must be from the sun, and Spain should be one of the leaders in production, use and R & D of solar energy. Unfortunately this is not the case, but it is in the process of catching up quickly. There are 3 primary uses of solar energy: A) solar panels which produce electricity. B) solar panels which heat water. C) solar ovens which cook your food.
A) Solar electricity is now produced in large quantities by the large energy companies, at the moment, they are being subsidized by the government. The renewables (wind, sun, hydro, biomass...) now produce about 28% of all Spain's electricity needs. What hasn't really been developed are the individual houses and flats producing electricity and selling it to the electricity net thereby reducing our bills and radically reducing Spain's dependence on fossil fuels. For those who are interested in putting up their own solar panels there are many companies who are involved in solar energy. If you want to buy from a company that, only produces renewable energy (not paying for nuclear, oil, etc.), have a look at www.terra.org and they will explain how to do it.
What| Shut the fridge door. Why| Open the door: cold air out and warm air in. The compressor has to work hard to sort that - increasing your bills & using energy. Why not| You enjoy making your fridge work harder. Benefits| Reduces your bills energy resources!
Source| Thedailygreen.com
A little goes a long way
23
First certificate
Green living | Going solar
C) Solar energy can be used for effectively cooking all sorts of foods and there are a variety of solar ovens on the market, see www.wikipedia. com/solar_cooker. I have just purchased my first Solar Oven choosing the Box type. I bought this as I have only a small balcony and nowhere to store the main alternative, the Parabolic, which can be over a metre in diameter. In addition, once put together it's difficult to take apart so you really need a terrace or garden to use it. I normally get sun on my balcony from about 9.30am-1pm but it's been cloudy recently and I haven't been able to do much experimenting. I've however seen them in action in fairs and in private houses and I've been impressed. Obviously you can't cook with them all the time but combined with a gas cooker all your cooking needs should be covered. I bought mine from www.terra.org and I was very happy with the service, but here are a few more addresses where they can be bought www.alsol.es, www.ecopasion.com, www.ecologicum.net. Declan Lehane
27/06/1976. An Air France plane is flown to Uganda after being hijacked by Palestinian cause sympathisers. Israeli's on board are told they will be killed if demands are not met leading to Israelis forces storming the plane.
Artist of the month| Gabriel Chalmeta
24 24
W
e want to support new and up-and-coming artistic talent in the Valencian Community. Each month we'll choose one artist at random and devote a page to that artist.
name| Gabriel Chalmeta location| Originally from N.Spain but now settled in Valencia. web| www.flickr.com/photos/gabrielchalmeta email| gchalmeta@gmail.com phone| 637 088 616
history| After 25 years teaching philosophy at universities in Italy, Gabriel now focuses on his art.
inspiration| Natural Park of La Albufera. Its light, birds hiding among the rice paddies and sugarcane fields, the boats and people.
style| Gabriel captures peace, calm, and joy through colors and tones, the soft contrast and a lack of sharpness of foggy days, and the shadows and reflections that run around in the reeds of the Albufera. what's available| Photos for canvas, aluminum or large acrylics. prices| €100 - 700
If you, or anyone you know, would like to feature in our art pages, contact us at invlceditor@gmail.com
25 25
T
his month our art lovers have visited art with a young influence, with illustrations, comics, toys and sweets all inspiring the artists into creating something which our reviewers found new and exciting. They are both free, so check them out yourselves.
T
o illustrate a point (until 28/8) | Illustration or cartoon? Well, whatever you choose to call it, you certainly won’t be disappointed with Panoptica. Covering four fruitful decades, this luminous retrospective by Max, one of Spain’s greatest comic book artists, is insightful, sensual, weighty, hilarious and, at times, gruesome and sinister. To be honest, I really enjoy this type of exhibition because (without relegating the art form) it’s acceptable to stride around the room and then, having seen everything, spend a little extra time at the end with particular favourites. A bit like speed dating without the recriminations and looks of derision – a role duly filled by the gallery attendant, who bid me farewell by way of a chorus of snorts for leaving via the EMERGENCY EXIT ONLY door. Oops… Regardless, everything about this showcase is top class, including the video installations and the accompanying paraphernalia. Max’s apparently effortless ability to chameleonise (not a real verb!) from one spectacular drawing style to another, is one of his greatest appeals. Moreover, his progressive visual commentaries on social, environmental and political themes make for the meat and veg of all things comic. An encouraging reminder that ‘the power of the pen’ isn’t limited to the written word. ML MuVIM, Guillém de Castro, 8 - Centre, VLC Tues-Sat 10am-2pm, 4pm-8pm, Sun/Hols 10am-8pm Closed Mon | muvim@dival.es | Free!
L
udoteka Disidente (11/06-11/07) | A child’s playroom with a difference, this month’s exhibition is the ‘Ludoteka Disidente’; a small but thought-provoking art project by Daniel Sanchez Lopez whose perverse playpen of toys and games offers an interesting twist on the average doll, Lego block or play-mat of conventional children’s recreation. From a xylophone composed of Barbie dolls, to a gumball machine that dispenses swearwords instead of sweets to a toy army tank that can be dismantled and made into other shapes, these are but a few of a number of unusual prototypes which attempt to highlight the influential nature of children’s toys and their role as ‘transmitter’ of social values and norms. Tackling issues, which include sexuality and sex, violence and modern consumerism, the ideas behind the project are interesting and thought provoking, stimulating debate around, for example, the sexism behind skinny Barbie dolls and the aggression that traditional boys’ toys encourage. Vital to the exhibition is, of course, the spectator who rather than observe is forced to partake in the playpen’s activities and thereby made to react and form
a type of temporary relationship with these unusual and somewhat unorthodox games. By breaking these art/ spectator boundaries and allowing the adult to participate, the exhibition goes even further in questioning the conventional social norms that are usually taken for granted. Malou Herkes
El Árbol, Calle Soledad Doménech, 5 Benimaclet, VLC Mon-Fri: 12am-2pm, 5pm-9pm www.el-arbol.org | Free!
28/06/1988. The Spanish Toxic Olive Oil Syndrome trial comes to an end. At least 600 people were killed, 25,000 others were poisoned and many others suffered partial paralysation as a result of industrial oil being used on food.
Advanced
Art to see
26
Recipe | Coca de llanda
Intermediate
C
oca de llanda is a simple, light cake commonly found in the bakeries of Valencia. It is a large, rectangular cake sold by weight; all you have to do is decide how big of a piece you want! The name is Valencian. Coca is bizcocho (cake) in Spanish and llanda is hojalata (tin), referring to the rectangular cake pan that it is traditionally baked in. You can find it outside of Valencia but it goes by many different names so you have to know what to ask for: coca boba, coca malfeta, coca secreta, coca de mida, etc. My friend Ana was kind enough to share her family recipe with me and it can feed a crowd! It’s perfect for a large family meal and leftovers make a delicious breakfast (especially when accompanied by fruit salad or dipped in a thick mug of chocolate!). The only change I made was adding a little vanilla sugar and adjusting the gaseosa. If you are confused about gaseosa, just look for a small box that says gasificante when you are at the supermarket. The box contains small packets of baking soda and malic and tartaric acids, basically, another form of baking powder. If you want a really light and fluffy cake, use 5 gaseosas. If you want a slightly denser cake, use 4. You can also substitute the gaseosa with one packet of levadura (baking powder). Lia Wallon reLIAble eats www.reLIAbleeats.blogspot.com
98
Percentage of vanilla sold as a fragrance or flavour which is actually synthetic vanilla. It is much cheaper to make, but leaves many farmers unable to match their prices.
ade in hand m finest h the VLC wit spices d n a k r po spanish
contact richard to place an order or for more info at:
What to buy| 6 eggs 500 gr sugar 1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar 500 gr flour 175 ml of milk Zest of one lemon 6, ½ eggshells vegetable oil Pinch of salt 4-5 packets of gaseosa (see note in article) 2-3 spoonfuls of sugar for sprinkling on top of cake 2 apples, peeled and sliced into eighths (optional)
Wow factor| Dress it up with whipped cream & fruit! Effort| Easy, just a lot of mixing! How to make it| one Preheat oven to 180˚C. Grease and lightly flour a 35 x 25 cm rectangular pan (at least 3cm deep). two Separate eggs, reserving the whites for later. Save ½ an eggshell for measuring the oil. three In a large bowl, beat yolks, sugar and vanilla sugar together until thoroughly blended. four Alternately add flour and milk, in 3 additions, mixing thoroughly after each addition. five Use half an eggshell to measure out 6 half-shells of oil and add to batter. Add lemon zest and mix thoroughly. six In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Set aside. seven Add the packets of gaseosa to the batter and mix. (You need to use both packets! So you will actually be using 8-10 little packets.) You might notice the batter begin to bubble slightly. eight Carefully fold in the egg whites, being careful not to over mix. nine Pour the batter into prepared pan. If desired, arrange apple slices neatly on top. Sprinkle 2-3 spoonfuls of sugar over cake (this will create a nice sweet crust). ten Bake for 30-45 minutes – the time will depend a lot on your oven! When a toothpick or sharp knife inserted in the center comes out clean, the cake is done.
britishbangers.vlc@gmail.com 10/07/1985. Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior is badly damaged in an explosion in Auckland harbour set by the French Foreign Intelligence Services. They claimed Greenpeace were interfering in nuclear testing.
A day in the life in VLC| Miska
27
L
iving in Valencia and the Community is surprising, varied and exciting and everyone sees something dierent. We thought it would be fun to see what other people see. For one day, a reader will take a photo of what they can see on the hour, every hour for 9 hours. This month, Miska shows us her Tuesday. Contact us if you want to have a go. invlceditor@gmail.com
10h
11h
12h
13h
14h
16h
17h
18h
19h
11/07/1975. The Terracotta Army which was discovered near the ancient capital of Xi'an in Northern China is announced to the world. Over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots and 670 horses are believed to be buried.
28
Health | ¿Quién quiere jamón?
First certificate
T
here is no escaping the sight of the cured legs, hanging from the ceilings of restaurants, bodegas and markets. And once the intense flavour hits your tongue, combined usually with a glass of smooth, local wine, there's no going back.
But is it good for you? Surely the process of covering a leg in salt and hanging it up for a long time is a metabolic nightmare? In fact the truth is quite the opposite. The curing process alters it to the Elvis Presley of meats. It's the best in its class. But like Elvis, it also has its failings, so before you rush to buy a leg of your own, please remember, due to the salting process, its salt content is still quite high, and so should be savoured in moderation. Here's our essential guide, to the king of pig meat, jamón.
Benefits to your health| The jamón is stuffed with minerals, vitamins and amino acids. But the other amazing part is that the fat in jamón is made up of 55% oleic acid (the 'good' fat). This aids production of HDL ('good' cholesterol), and reduces LDL ('bad' cholesterol).
Tip| Eat with tomato to Protect your heart & essential organs (Potassium) increase the Lower your cholesterol (Oleic acid) health benefits of Improve your mental health (B1, B6, Amino Acids) eating the ham Improve your metabolism (B1, B6) Promote your growth and development (B6) Fight infections (Iron, Zinc) Help reproduction (should you want to) (Zinc) Improve your bone strength and muscle development (Phosphorus)
Know your ham from your Spam| Jamon Iberico. Considered to be the best, from black (pata negra) or cross breed pigs (with 75% minimum of black pig), giving a black appearance. In order of quality: 1| Jamon Ibérico de Bellota - fed an exclusive diet of acorns & free range food. 2| Jamón Iberico de Recebo – fed a mix of acorns, pasture and grain. 3| Jamón Iberico de Campo – fed on grain. Jamon Serrano. This is the type you normally find in bars, with meat usually from the Landrace breed, a white pig. But it's not clear cut, sometimes it's better to choose a higher quality Jamon Serrano, than a lower quality Jamon Iberico - so try before you buy.
What bit to eat| Jamón is the fatter back leg and paleta is the thinner front leg. Due to this, the flavour can be more intense with the paleta. Quality depends on| The type of meat The feeding regime The weather conditions during curing The lifestyle of the pig The curing process Sources| ezinearticles.com, wikipedia.com.org, health24.com
13/07/1973. Harmonic US music superstars The Everly Brothers parted company live on stage in California when Phil smashed his guitar and walked off-stage leaving brother Don to finish the gig.
Lush cocktails
29
S
ummer is here, so long drinks will refresh your tastebuds and keep you hydrated, as long as you take it easy on the alcohol content. We've trawled tirelessly through the best drinks that you can have, and come up with some international favourites.
Here are some tasty treats for great fun:
one Pimms The Brit classic. I measure Pimms 3-4 ice cubes 2-3 slices orange, lemon cucumber (although we went local and had strawberries & cherries!) 3 measures lemonade mint sprigs 1 lime Pour Pimms over ice in a highball or hurricane glass. Add fruit and cucumber, and then lemonade. Decorate with the mint.
two Sangria The Spanish classic. 1 bottle red wine 2fl oz brandy 225ml soda water Slices of seasonal fruit strawberries, cherries, pears, orange, etc. Pour wine and brandy over ice in a bowl. Add soda to taste. Float the fruit.
Pour the cocktail over an ice filled tumbler glass with the squeezed lime skins.
Serves 5-6 Serve in tumblers.
three Fruit punch The international classic. 600ml/ 1 pint fresh orange juice 300ml/ .5 pint cranberry juice, 300ml/ .5 pint pineapple, 250ml/ 8 fl oz soda water ice cubes Slices of oranges and apple Pour together and cool in the fridge. Add ice and fruit to decorate before serving. Add Dark Rum for a warming smile. Serves 8 Serve in tumblers.
Tip| If you can't get hold of Pimms, see drinksmixer.com for their cheat Pimms recipe.
1840
the year in which ch James Pimms first invented his magic recipe for the timeless classic, Pimms.
6
number of types of Pimms originally sold, with different types of alcohol, however there is now only 1.
30
Animals| Daisy beats Duke
I
1915 The year in which the boat 'Formidable' sank, taking it with it the lives of 500 men. Some men washed ashore, and were laid out in the local bar. 'Lassie' the dog licked the feet of one dead sailor, who reacted, and was revived by the locals. And so Lassie the hero was born. Foster/ permanent homes URGENTLY required Name| Kiki Age| 18 months Size| Small Personality| Intelligent, loving and playful Health| Sterilized and vaccinated
t seems that there's a reason why one of TV's most famous dogs Lassie was so intelligent... she was female! In a recent study, led by Corsin Müller of the University of Vienna, 50 pet dogs were tested to identify differences in behaviour between males and females using balls, which mysteriously changed size. As for the shock findings, the scientists found that females are more intelligent than males. Or as an alternative theory, which could be more telling, the boys didn't care about balls changing size. A variety of dogs were included in the tests, including the intelligent dogs like poodles and retrievers, and some of the doughnuts, and a mixture of neutered and unneutured males. In the experiment, the dogs were allowed to freely play with a ball the size of a tennis ball in a room. At a later point, the ball was rolled out of view, behind a screen, and after a short period of time, either the same ball, or a different sized ball would roll on from behind the screen. The test was to see if the dogs noticed the 'change' in the size of the ball. The theory behind this is that experiments on infants and younger children found that they look longer at something which they find surprising. In the case of the dogs, both sexes would look at the emerging ball, and the males would look at the changed ball for the same amount of time as the original sized ball. However females would stare longer at the changed ball than at the original sized ball. This variation indicates that females had noticed a change in the size of the ball. Or, that the boys just didn't care. Both entirely plausible conclusions, to be investigated further in the future.
Info| P.E.P.A on 650 304 746 www.pepaspain.com
Check out the full investigation at Biology Letters on www.royalsocietypublishing.org 14/07/1902. The famous bell tower 'The Camponile of St Mark's Cathedral' in Venice collapses suddenly, and ironically, as it was undergoing a safety inspection at the time.
Events & Classifieds
31
I
f you’ve got an event coming up or you are buying, selling or donating anything, drop us an email and we’ll try to give it a mention in the next issue.
Markets | Mon-Montroy, Tues-Monserrat & Turis, Weds-L’Eliana Piccassent & Villamarchante, Thurs-Alaquas & Lliria, Fri -Turis, Torrente & Chiva, Sat-Real de Montroy & Torrente, Sun-Alborache Rastros | Rastro Montroy | Sun 3 July | Calle La Pau, Cindy or Nicolas, 960 80 25 13 or 695 100 540. Olocau Rastro | Sun 26 June, 24 July | Social Club Centre, Urb. La Lloma, Olocau, 10am-2pm. Spaces free, Tables €1 Carolyn 962555819 or 664809608. Masia Rastro | 19 June, 17 July (every 3rd Sun)| Mas Pavia Restaurante, Masia Pavia Urba, nr Monserrat. Free Pitches (2m max), Stallholders from 9am. Amanda 625819734, sparklesinsunshine@gmail.com for directions. Lliria Rastro| 9 July (every 2nd Sat)| Magpies Bar, 10 Calle los Sauces, Camp de Lliria, Lliria. Tables free. 962728708, Lyn 625217777 magpiesbar@yahoo.com Football Tournament| In aid of The Edith Wilkins Street Children Foundation, 25 June, 4pm, Torrefiel. ryan.eoghan@gmail.com. For Sale| Whirlpool Washing Machine AWO/D6130. €250. Bought Feb 2011, never used. Paid €299. Ken 620 806 265 (Chiva). Help | I'm a single mum in Turis desperate to find activities for my 1 year old son! Can you help me? Playgrounds or childrens groups or anything - driving is not a problem! Any help to invlceditor@gmail.com. Musicians wanted| Valencia local area. Singer, Bass Guitarist, drummer, etc. to get together for jamming & possibly playing in bars. Blues & Rock Music. 962731510
IWC | Monthly coffee morning will be 7 July. HIPERCOR - C.Comercial Ademuz, Av. Pio XII, 51 Valencia, top floor restaurant. www.iwc-valencia.ning.com Villa/garden sale| Sun 10 July 10-1pm Garden, kitchen equipment, antiques... From Montroy roundabout take the CV50 Turis. At the 52.2km sign turn left Cama Palmeral. Follow this road, turn right at 3 bins. Villa on left. Look for green arrows. Amanda 625 819 734/Cindy 651780504 or sparklesinsunshine@gmail.com Art in Lliria| Weronika Zerdzinska & Alumnos, Placa Mayor Lliria, Forn de la Villa, Carrer de la Sang 23-30/06 Art in l'Eliana| Centro SocioCulteral de l'Eliana, Placa Jutge Miquel Comes, 1, l'Eliana, 8-22/07 Mon-Fri 9am-9pm In the number puzzle, each letter is represented by a number 1-26. Crack the code! 3 letters are already in place. In Sudoku, every row & column of 9 numbers & 3x3 box must include all digits 1-9 in any order.
Finished with your inVLC ? Pass it on to a friend..!
32