More testing

That Eurofighter was back up over the Vega Baja. This time though it wasn't breaking the sound barrier. You can see the convoluted path it took from the vapour trails in this picture.

 

How do they do it?

The first low cost, high-speed train (AVE) between Madrid and Murcia will start on December 10 with fares from as little as €7.

The ‘Avlo’ service by public rail company Renfe will take three and a half hours with stops in Orihuela, Elche, Alicante, Villena, Albacete and Cuenca.

The low-cost option will complement the regular service.

It costs more than that to go from Greaby on the Wirral to Liverpool!!

That was different

I had been tipped off by my friend Christopher that the concert this year would contain pasodobles composed my local musicians.  He didn't tell me though that each piece would be directed by different, distinguished musicians from the town. 

You can find an album of my photos from last night in the sidebar as usual. 

And for those who missed it or want to relive the moment, here is the link to my audio recording:

A sneak preview

You can find three new albums of photos in the sidebar. 

 1. The new musicians who will play their first concert with the symphonic band tonight.

2. The final rehearsal this morning for tonight's concert. 

3. A preview of the paintings that our painting group has produced for the exhibition "Music and Painting". 

A must for your diary

I was excited to see the work of my friends in Big Arte last night. As the paintings went up on the walls, they exceeded my expectations. Along with a variety of styles and expression, there was technical skill and imagination in abundance. The exhibition, Music and Painting opens to the public on Saturday at the time of the concert for Santa Cecilia. It will then be in the Sala Polivalente from Sunday onwards. I doubt you will be disappointed.

You can watch Strictly on catch up!

 

What was that noise?

This afternoon (11/21/2023), around 5:30 p.m., two Eurofighter Typhoon FG4.4 aircraft, belonging to the United Kingdom, have been testing in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula. The blue lines on the map represent the route they have taken. So what you heard was an aircraft breaking the sound barrier. 

Come and see the fruits of our labour

In total, 15 artists from Big Arte will be exhibiting 22 of their paintings in the "Music & Painting" exhibition. 

We will be mounting them on Thursday ready for the new musicians arrival on Friday night. The exhibition will then be open to the public on Saturday during the Concert for Santa Cecilia. 

From Sunday 26th the paintings will be on view in the Multipurpose Room (Auditorium Francisco Grau). 

For the weekend

The next exhibition

 

Update

FOR BIG ARTE READ BIG HEART!!

 I am delighted to report that another of the paintings from the exhibition by BigArte has now been sold. 

So far we have sold two paintings and six photographs. 

I am hoping that the band will want the three photographs; one of Manuel Moya conducting his last concert, Francisco Grau conducting his last concert and the one of the Concert Band performing at the Certamen in Alicante where they won first prize. 

The more we sell, the more we can donate to AECC in Bigastro. 

If you haven't already done so, please visit the Sala Polivalente in the Auditorium. You may find something to your liking in which case you can make a donation to AECC and own the picture in return. 

Bigastro Recycle

Bigastro will begin its pilot test of smart containers for waste collection.

Bigastro is the first municipality in the province of Alicante to launch the separate collection system for the organic fraction with a digital system, which allows the implementation of the Generation Payment Rate with which to reward neighbors committed to the good management of their household waste.

During the next Thursday market, its operation will be explained.

Information meetings will be called for all residents of the municipality.

The power of the sun

The increase of solar panels on the roof of the Francisco Grau Municipal Auditorium has begun, with this the supply will be expanded by 12 kW to 22 kW, with an investment of €15,000 thanks to the Alicante Provincial Council.

Consumption in the Auditorium can reach up to 70 kW at times of maximum activity, which is why work continues with the aim of reducing the cost of the electricity bill, such as increasing the use of renewable energies and air conditioning equipment with more sustainable performances.

We can see clearly now

Today a new work has been completed, in this case the placement of LED lighting using solar panels on the Lo Guardamuro sidewalk, next to the flood park and the climb to the reservoir from the La Pedrera intersection.

With an investment of €18,000, road safety has been improved, with busy areas for walking.

In three weeks, the execution of a new phase will begin, placing similar lighting in the Vereda La Balsa (Alquibla route, in its section from the Health Center roundabout, in the direction of the leisure orchards), which will include with a subsidy of €20,000.

Both grants obtained, thanks to the Alicante Provincial Council.

The objective set is to increase the installation of solar LED lighting, in order to reduce the municipality's electricity consumption.

An end to the leaks

Barely a day goes by without Hidraqua repairing a leak in the water pipes somewhere on our estate. 

We have already had three leaks repaired outside our house and I notice that there is probably a fourth one that is showing up as a damp mouldy patch on the inside of the wall to the street. 

The problem lies with the existing polyethylene pipe network, where breaks and water cuts in homes are continuous. It is therefore good news to read that work has begun on the installation of a new water supply network in Sector D9.  

The first phase covers Calle Holanda, Calle Escocia and part of Calle Inglaterra. Hopefully, they will move on to replace the defective pipework in the remaining streets.

This is all thanks to a subsidy of 146,060.06 Euros from Alicante Provincial Council and will allow the installation of 914 meters of cast iron pipe, including the connections to each of the existing homes.

The expected duration of the works will be until the end of December, with temporary cuts to the supply service and traffic during that period. 

The pity is that this could have been avoided if Star Sol had installed cast iron pipework in the first place. 

Trouble at mill!

Daily right-wing protests against Spain's acting prime minister Pedro Sánchez have become increasingly violent - especially in Madrid.

The reason is that Sánchez is attempting to form a government with the support of Catalan separatist groups. 

The issue is that the separatist groups, Together for Catalonia (JxCat) and the Catalan Republican Left (ERC) have demanded an amnesty for  several hundred Catalan politicians and activists who face legal action mainly for activities linked to a failed bid to secede from Spain in 2017.

The Sánchez administration have already issued pardons for nine of the  leaders who were jailed for their part in the failed secession bid; they subsequently revised  the penal code to eliminate the crime of sedition and alter the crime of misuse of public funds, changes which benefitted Catalan separatist leaders.

Among those who would benefit from a change to the law is Carles Puigdemont of JxCat, the former Catalan premier who led the independence bid six years ago and who has been living in Belgium ever since, out of reach of the Spanish judiciary.

Naturally, the PP are opposed to all of this as are a great number of Spaniards. They would much prefer another election in December to try and form a Government without the need to resort to such shenanigans.

They definitely don't want to open the door to another attempt at a referendum which could see Catalonia separated from Spain. 

Get your running shoes ready

Plenty of advanced warning for this event! And just look at prizes you could win!

 

A blustery day

 Yesterday started blustery, then it became windy and finally, by the evening it was blowing a hoolie. The brollies in the garden blew over but weren't damaged and one of the trees on the driveway blew over as it always does when the wind is strong. 

In the early days here, we had fencing that did not survive the gales and a gazebo that was not secure but survived. Nowadays we are better prepared so the damage is minimal.

We count ourselves fortunate because this latest storm has reeked havoc in northern Europe. For example, in the UK, 150,000 homes were without electricity yesterday and there were numerous flood warnings in place. 

Wisely, Bigastro Town Hall advised people not to go out unless it was necessary and they closed the sports facilities.