The San Miquel San Roque Fiesta

The San Miquel San Roque Fiesta started on the 15th August and in Formentera there have been fireworks, parades, discos, live music, bullfighting and much more going on, then on Friday the 4th September the fiesta continues in Los Palacios, mainly at the Swimming pool square where on Friday night there will be a film (Mamma Mia), Saturday - Childrens bouncy castles and games during the day and in the evening, music and dancing and the usual fantastic firework display, and on Sunday, Solemn mass will be held in the social centre at 13:00 the grand finale of "Great Thunder" (fireworks) to end the Fiesta.

I do not have a complex!!!

The holiday season is in full swing here though that makes it sound better than it is. Most businesses are very quiet and we look at some and wonder if they will ride the storm. Of course there are quite a few factors that effect the number of people who come to our particular corner of paradise. We are after all not truly a "holiday" destination, not in terms of what many of the Brits want anyway. The Madrilènes still flock here,Guardamar is traditionally a favourite with the folks from Madrid.
Although a number of owners and agents try to market this area, most especially Los Palacios as a destination in truth its a residential area at its heart. Yes many apartments here have been bought for holiday homes but those who bought are normally looking for something a little less commercialized. Coming back every year they can become very much part of the community. Local businesses have geared themselves to this type of repeat business to some extent. This year many of this group have either been out less or not at all, a number have lost there holiday homes since the recession. Then we have the holidaymaker who rents a property for a couple of weeks. We have a number of professional holiday lets near us. We have often heard the cry of "there's nothing here, its all spanish" for people arriving at a let. I cannot help but feel sorry for those who are sold the idea that this is a an area geared to the Brits vacation needs. Looking through a few websites yesterday I saw more than one ad that said, and I quote "Apartment is on the Los Palacios Complex and there is a community pool" naughty naughty! As anyone will know who spends time or lives here Los Palacios is most definitely not a holiday complex, it is an area where new properties have been built over the last 6 or 7 years. The pool, thank goodness, is run by the local council and is municipal not community owned. There are a number of community of Owners in the area but they could not legally collectedly own the pool as they are separate entities. The Lifeguards at the pool have the right to prevent anyone without a pass from using the pool. Passes are only given to those on the padron (residents)or those who have prove of ownership of a property in Formentera del Segura. Both can get passes for the whole family. This pass is for all the sports facilities in the town. We are fortunate in that we do not pay an entry fee,many towns do charge, costs for pool come out of the rates.
What I am trying to say, and forgive the ramble, is this, WE ARE NOT A HOLIDAY COMPLEX. The reason I think its worth making this point is this: Raise the expectations on a destination which it cannot live up to and your on a loser all the way. We have lived in many places that where popular with holidaymakers, over sell is a killer. This area has such a lot going for it there is no need for inaccurate advertising. It does nobody any good at all.
The picture with this Blog shows Rojales Centre yesterday at 10.00 in the evening
NB. A Complex: A set or group of interconnecting Buildings

Whats the word on the streets

and in the papers. Had a quick scan through,papers and online to see what we missed. Well there's been a lot of rain while we were away. The Rio Segura is a high as we have ever seen it. Had a lovely walk yesterday afternoon up towards the main part of Formentera over the iron bridge, and that will need some work soon, then back along past the site of the commercial development in Benimar. Well not much has happened on that site, remember it was supposed to be finished by christmas, now come on did you really think it would happen. I was always doubtful and given the present economic climate its manana manana for certain. The pavements and lights have gone ahead however and when they are complete it will be a nice easy walk into Rojales that way. We do wish the powers that be would put in a foot bridge though. It would be a real asset to be able to cross at the spot opposite the end of avenida Los Palacios. That would give easy access to the old part of the town and the lovely new garden area leading up to the Salud.
As i said its really rained a lot in the last few weeks,there was a humdinger of a storm last saturday for our return. We wonder if the rain and last years earthquakes had anything to do with the collapse of a cave house in the old town. Sadly a local lady of 75 was killed as she lay sleeping. This was the house she was born in and that her father had built. What an awful end to the year for her family.
The current employment situation is pretty desperate here. In the last year the number of unemployed has risen by 1 million. Spain now has the highest unemployment in europe and that's just the registered unemployed. Its a fact of life that many work without papers here and we assume this do not show in the statistics.
Some people are packing up and moving back to UK but others are moving out here. I know where we would rather be. As I said we had a lovely walk and spring was in the air, blue sky, oxalis in flower, birds singing and even saw a Hooppe. The smell of oranges and roses in bloom, come on you know what ticks the boxes for us.Just love it here.