While at golf today I was chatting to a few people about parking in the marina area of town. Apparently the yellow lines in various parts of town have been repainted. Also, cars are being given parking fines if you park on the yellow line areas. Apparently they are pretty strict about it. Even if only a small part of you car is over the yellow lines they are still handing out parking tickets.

So be careful where you park. You have been warned.

PS If you do get a parking fine be sure to pay it off quickly. One of the people I was chatting to got a 200 euro fine recently. She then only had to pay 40 euros as she paid quickly. She also said that you can pay in the town hall office in Almerimar. I think it is only certain days. If I remember rightly I think she said on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Jacqui and I have been away for a few days. So I am only just catching up on the local news.

The article here on the town hall website is from last Friday. It is about the services on the beaches this year.

Read More for a Google translation of the article.

Christina G has been in touch with the following information....

There has been a change in the use of some of the council owned facilities on the ground floor of Porto Fino.

The town hall office that used to be in the back of the building near the pensioners centre has moved. The town hall office is now located inside the tourist office at the front of the building.

I understand that the old town hall office is to be used as a study area.

Just spotted the article here on the Euro Weekly News site.

Further to the article here from November last year about changes to two motorway junctions close to Almerimar. The article explained that work would take place on the 409 (Almerimar/Copo) junction and the 411 (Las Norias) junction in 2019.

Work has now started on the 411 junction. There are signs on the motorway saying that the Las Norias exit is closed and to use other exits to get to Las Norias. I was driving that way this morning. It is OK to take this exit then head north towards the eastern end of El Ejido. However the turning south towards Las Norias is now closed. While the improvement work takes place.

As yet, there is no disruption at the 409 (Almerimar) junction. Mind you, a friend told me a week or two ago he saw a machine perhaps drilling some holes in the ground near the junction. So perhaps work has started on the foundations for the new bridge that is going to be built. I guess we will just have to wait and see.

In the last few weeks I have been speaking to various people about new property being built in Almerimar. It appears that the vast majority of the new builds are houses rather than apartments. As I believe that there are quite a lot of apartments already for sale in Almerimar. I am not sure but I think part of the desire for more houses is that Almerimar is slowly becoming more of a dormitory town for El Ejido.

The photo above that I took a few days ago got me thinking about this subject. When I get some spare time I will probably go around town and take some photos of the various development sites.

On the far right of the photo above close to the top you can see an urbanisation with I guess more than 70+ new houses close to completion. To the right of those white buildings I think you can just see two cranes. This is one of the few developments where some apartments are being built. The builders look to be finishing off a half-built development that has not been touched for a long time. As well as the apartments I think there are 5-6 houses being finished in that area as well.

Just over half way up on the left hand side of the photo you see the fairway and green of the 2nd hole on the Master 3 (Classic) course. Just out of shot, close to the tee of this hole the first of a number of houses is currently under construction. I have been told that some more houses are also under construction between the golf course and the sea in this area.

Closer to the original part of town there are developments going on as well. For some time there have been houses under construction on the right hand side half way down on the road into Almerimar.

Another new complex of houses is being built on the land between the D´Bar towers and the cliff.

Plus, some time ago I saw an advertising hoarding near Mercadona promoting the development of some new property on a now vacant part of the Velas Blancas urbanisation.

From the above it appears that there is an increase in demand for new property in Almerimar. Particularly houses.

Earlier today Jacqui and I popped over to Playa Serena to sort out some plans for playing some summer golf there. On the way back I decided to take a few photos from the cliff.

Two things to notice:

- You can see that the greens on the Master course are being replaced

-  If you look carefully you can see that there is a lot of new property being built at the moment (I will write a little more about this sometime soon. When I have a bit more free time.)

If you click on each photo you can zoom in and see the image in a bit more detail.

Jacqui and I wandered out for a spot of early evening tea in town after Friday golf yesterday. On the way down into town we spotted a couple of new businesses due to open soon.

The top two photos are from a couple of doors down from Mercadona. Looks like a music and dance studio is opening soon. The third photo is from behind "the square". Looks like there is a cheap ladies clothes shop opening soon.

Please see the attached message from Christina G.....

"Hi, just a reminder about the municipal and european elections this Sunday. The polling stations are situated in the municipal office, the hall at the rear of the pensioner’s club and the state school, situated near the puerto marina golf complex. Anyone registered on the padron, or municipal register has a right to vote. The polling stations open at 9 am and close at 8 pm. I will continue to represent the foreign owners on the junta local for the PP party if the party gains sufficient votes!"

The article here on the Ideal site has some details of sports facilities being promised by the various parties in the upcoming local elections.

Read More for a Google translation of the article.

Thanks to Ilyas S for sharing these photos of a dead turtle on the nature reserve beach to our Facebook page earlier today.

The finding of the dead turtle has been reported to the appropriate authorities.

As you can see from the image above there was an earthquake in the area early this morning. I have to admit that the earth did not move for me.

Just spotted the article here on the town hall website about the local bus services. It was published a couple of weeks ago.

Read More for a Google translation of the article.

Further to the earlier article here. As you can see from the photo above from the Spanish petanca association work is underway building the pavilion for a round of  the upcoming world championships. They are being held here from 2-5 May 2019.

For years the town hall has been trying to get Correos to set up a post office in Almerimar. Without success.

However I have read something on the Almerimar Vivelo Facebook page saying there might be a new service being set up in the tourist office in Almerimar. Correos have launched a package sending and pick up service called Citipaq. You can read about it here on the Correo site. With a more detailed website here in Spain.

I understand that the Junta Local for Almerimar is trying to get this service set up here in Almerimar. Fingers crossed it goes ahead.

Thanks to Shaun P who pointed out this post (in Spanish) by WIllem B on the Almerimar Vivelo Facebook page earlier today....

Here is a Google translation of the post that I have corrected a bit:

Attention to all: Last week I drove my car from Almerimar to El Ejido, passing many roundabouts. Halfway there I was stopped by the Civil Guard in an unmarked car. I did not use my indicator lights when leaving the roundabout. Virtually NO ONE does that. The fine was € 200.-, which is extremely high. So, everyone: be careful and use your indicator lights when you leave a roundabout!

 I happened to be in the Darsena 1 part of town earlier today. While there I spotted there were some road works going on. It looks like some form of pipe is going to be installed under the road.

The other thing I noticed was the cafeteria and the bike hire shop. They have probably been there for ages. However they have not caught my eye before now.

I also spotted the for rent sign on what used to be Leo's. Not sure whether they have opened up in their new place yet. I guess I will have to wander round Darsena 3 and have a look sometime.

If you click on the image above you can see a bigger version of it.

PS Other news on the bar/restaurant merry-go-round. Looks like Chingon restaurant is now closed.

PPS I hear a rumour that La Plaza might be extending their kitchen or building a new one.

I understand that the garages were on fire earlier this evening in some of the blocks in the Almerimar Golf complex. Thanks to Brian D for some information.

By chance I happened to be in that part of town and took this photo earlier while the fire was happening.

I got the photo above from the Almerimar Junta Local Facebook page. As you can see it is the time of year where the council start spraying to try to reduce the number of mossies here.

Here is a Google translation of the text that was with the image (with the text tidied up a bit):

UPDATED: I assume this is the play area close to Espigon as they say it will be almost 1000 square metres.

I picked this up of the El Ejido Es Mi Prioridad Facebook page. The image above is from the page and there is a press release about the upcoming changes to the Levante park area of Almerimar here: https://elejido.es/…/Comun…/textos/190221_Junta_Gobierno.doc.

Read More for a Google translation of the press release.