When I was young (a year or two back) I was far too busy chasing girls and being in the army to go marching for CND or Ban the Bomb, but today Elayne and I were in the very front line of a peaceful protest march through the middle of Albox. We had a police escort and traffic ground to a halt whilst over eight hundred people marched. TV cameras were there from Spain and the UK. We are told that a news clip will be shown on BB1 Manchester
at 7-30pm on 31-1-2007.
There are over two thousand homes in the Almanzora valley that have been built and sold, illegally. Solicitors and Estate agents must have known of the illegality and turned a blind eye to the situation whilst collecting their fees. The developers knew in the first place that the houses that they were building were illegal. The local authority must also have been aware that two thousand homes in the area were being built illegally. Now the poor unfortunate folks from all over the world, not just the UK, who have invested their future here in Spain, face having their houses pulled down because of the corruption and conspiracy at all levels of the house sale marketing in this area.
The march was organized to highlight the situation and to put pressure on the local authority to legalize these houses so that people can relax in the sun, which is what was originally intended. The town traders also stand to lose an awful lot of spending power if these houses are eventually pulled down. The march had a full cross section of nationalities including local Spanish residents. A petition was handed in at the Albox town hall and the Mayor came out to give TV interviews.
I could do with standing on a soap box at Hyde Park Corner like The Reverend Donald Soaper used to do (do you remember him?).
We have builders on site again today putting height extensions on the vertical formers. I think one of them indicated that we will be getting the concrete to fill the formers tomorrow at ten o’clock (we will be playing tennis so we’ll leave them to get on with it).
at 7-30pm on 31-1-2007.
There are over two thousand homes in the Almanzora valley that have been built and sold, illegally. Solicitors and Estate agents must have known of the illegality and turned a blind eye to the situation whilst collecting their fees. The developers knew in the first place that the houses that they were building were illegal. The local authority must also have been aware that two thousand homes in the area were being built illegally. Now the poor unfortunate folks from all over the world, not just the UK, who have invested their future here in Spain, face having their houses pulled down because of the corruption and conspiracy at all levels of the house sale marketing in this area.
The march was organized to highlight the situation and to put pressure on the local authority to legalize these houses so that people can relax in the sun, which is what was originally intended. The town traders also stand to lose an awful lot of spending power if these houses are eventually pulled down. The march had a full cross section of nationalities including local Spanish residents. A petition was handed in at the Albox town hall and the Mayor came out to give TV interviews.
I could do with standing on a soap box at Hyde Park Corner like The Reverend Donald Soaper used to do (do you remember him?).
We have builders on site again today putting height extensions on the vertical formers. I think one of them indicated that we will be getting the concrete to fill the formers tomorrow at ten o’clock (we will be playing tennis so we’ll leave them to get on with it).
We found some of these beesties this morning on pine trees just outside Taberno (but not near us). We have read about them before.
Caterpillars (Processional Pine Caterpillars)
Pine Caterpillars (Latin name thaumetopoea pityocampa) are probably one of the most unpleasant creatures you will find in Spain, certainly in areas where pine trees grow in abundance. They are found throughout the warmer regions of Southern Europe, the Near East and North Africa. As well as causing much damage to pine forests, they are a major danger to animals and, to a lesser degree, human beings.
Do not touch them. Warn your children that they are not like the friendly English caterpillars. The very fine hairs on these creatures are poisonous and most dangerous. They can be seen living in silk cocoon style nests hanging in the pine trees to which they are most harmful, stripping them of their pine needles. When hungry, they leave their cocoon to seek another uninfested tree on which to feed. They travel nose to tail in a line, hence the name Processional. They are most noticeable from January to mid April and are at their most dangerous in mid/late February. The caterpillars are often seen in the evenings, walking in procession from tree to tree.
If they drop onto you or your pet, don't brush them off with your hands because the effect is most unpleasant, causing great irritation, rash and pain. Dogs, cats and people can suffer from shock. The hairs of the caterpillars are still virulent even when the creatures are dead. Do not hit them with sticks because hairs flying in the air are just as dangerous. Burn them, but be careful of floating hairs. If the caterpillars are in the tree cocoon state, first spray the nest with hair spray (to seal down the hairs), cover the cocoon and the affected part of the branch with a plastic bag, cut down the branch, place it on clear ground and burn it.
If the caterpillars are on the ground marching, it is better first to spray them with lighter fuel and then set them alight. This reduces the risk of flying hairs.Take care to only do this where you cannot inadvertently start a forest fire because during the summer months the undergrowth and trees are very dry.
If you live near pine trees, it is recommended that you keep Anti Histamine tablets handy as an early treatment. In particular, avoid ingesting the hairs. Dogs are most at risk by sniffing the ground where the caterpillars have marched.
Take particular care with your eyes. If affected the result is serious, causing pain and swelling similar to a bad case of conjunctivitis.
Treatment: If a person or animal shows signs of shock, get them to a doctor, hospital or vet immediately.
If you have children and are considering buying property, take the above details into consideration.
Golfing. When these caterpillars march across golf courses, play ceases immediately because it is too hazardous to try to clear them away.
Pine Caterpillars (Latin name thaumetopoea pityocampa) are probably one of the most unpleasant creatures you will find in Spain, certainly in areas where pine trees grow in abundance. They are found throughout the warmer regions of Southern Europe, the Near East and North Africa. As well as causing much damage to pine forests, they are a major danger to animals and, to a lesser degree, human beings.
Do not touch them. Warn your children that they are not like the friendly English caterpillars. The very fine hairs on these creatures are poisonous and most dangerous. They can be seen living in silk cocoon style nests hanging in the pine trees to which they are most harmful, stripping them of their pine needles. When hungry, they leave their cocoon to seek another uninfested tree on which to feed. They travel nose to tail in a line, hence the name Processional. They are most noticeable from January to mid April and are at their most dangerous in mid/late February. The caterpillars are often seen in the evenings, walking in procession from tree to tree.
If they drop onto you or your pet, don't brush them off with your hands because the effect is most unpleasant, causing great irritation, rash and pain. Dogs, cats and people can suffer from shock. The hairs of the caterpillars are still virulent even when the creatures are dead. Do not hit them with sticks because hairs flying in the air are just as dangerous. Burn them, but be careful of floating hairs. If the caterpillars are in the tree cocoon state, first spray the nest with hair spray (to seal down the hairs), cover the cocoon and the affected part of the branch with a plastic bag, cut down the branch, place it on clear ground and burn it.
If the caterpillars are on the ground marching, it is better first to spray them with lighter fuel and then set them alight. This reduces the risk of flying hairs.Take care to only do this where you cannot inadvertently start a forest fire because during the summer months the undergrowth and trees are very dry.
If you live near pine trees, it is recommended that you keep Anti Histamine tablets handy as an early treatment. In particular, avoid ingesting the hairs. Dogs are most at risk by sniffing the ground where the caterpillars have marched.
Take particular care with your eyes. If affected the result is serious, causing pain and swelling similar to a bad case of conjunctivitis.
Treatment: If a person or animal shows signs of shock, get them to a doctor, hospital or vet immediately.
If you have children and are considering buying property, take the above details into consideration.
Golfing. When these caterpillars march across golf courses, play ceases immediately because it is too hazardous to try to clear them away.
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