There was a repeat of the Almerimar episode of A Place In The Sun at 3pm on Channel 4 today. For those that may have missed it the first time it was shown.

More nostalgia.

I had a bit of a shock when I googled my name today. I do not remember ever doing this before. So I had no idea what to expect.

Thanks to a site called The Olive Press I am on the front page of google when you search for my name.

I wrote some articles for The Olive Press in the period from 2010 to 2012. Their Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) must be pretty good to have got me there and then kept me there for so long.

Later during 2012 I had to relaunch the Almerimar Today site. As the old site had some technical problems. When I did the relaunch I decided not to try to reinstate all of the old stories. So I started the Almerimar Today blog anew.

So the stories here on the Olive Press site is a little look back in history. There is a total of 35 articles on a wide range of subjects. Including, Almerimar, Middlesbrough, Almería and computer science stuff.

We had Canadian rummy the other day. Now we have another look back in time.

In 2015 we stayed at Hotel Zerbinetta in Dilar. About 15 minutes from Granada. It was part of a trip we made to the Lecrin valley.

While there I found a recipe for Cazuela Dehesa. Today I am cooking the dish again for the first time in a while.

Here you can see the article about the trip to the Lecrin valley.

You can find the recipe for Cazuela Dehasa here on the site.

Recently Jacqui and I have started playing Canadian rummy again with friends. After a break away from the game. This reminded me to check whether Almerimar Today is still on the front page of Google if you search for Canadian rummy rules. The answer is yes.

They were first published on the original Almerimar Today site. Then re-published on the updated site in 2013.

I guess that my family plus people who have played the game in Almerimar must still be looking online for the rules from time to time.

On the recommendation of a reader, Sara G, I have added the phone number for the British Consulate in Málaga to the list of number on the Emergency Numbers page on the site.

The town hall has announced the launch of their new website here.

You can see the front page of the site here.

Read More for a Google translation of the article.

Until now I have made a point of trying to make this site a Brexit free zone.

However the person who contacted me about digital signatures has suggested that I publish links to the following Brexit related information:

Brexit driving permits (In particular about expats living in Spain "You can exchange a valid UK driving licence without taking a test within 9 months of the date that the UK leaves the EU. After this 9 month period you will need to take a test in order to exchange your licence.")

Brexit and healthcare

The information may be of use to both UK visitors and residents here.

One thing I spotted myself recently was that it looks like future UK state pension increases for expats living in the EU are not guaranteed.

I read an article about this recently. Coincidentally the article here on the healthcare site linked above suggests the same thing.

It tries to add a positive spin saying that the proposal is to increase the UK state pension for EU expats over the next 3 years. However what is implied is that pension aged expats in Europe may have their pension frozen after 3 years (like expats in some other countries around the world).

I guess that this is something UK Spanish residents who are thinking about topping up their number of UK pensionable years NI payments need to consider.

The site will probably now go back to being a Brexit free zone.

The article here from 10 days ago on Diario de Almería is an interesting one. About a project to make Almería the world capital of medical marijuana.

I wonder if they will make a hash of it (I will get my coat.....).

Read More for a Google translation of the article.

The article here on the Ideal site has details of an initiative to improve glass recycling in our area.

Read More for a Google translation of the article.

The article here on the Olive Press site has a neat approach to cooling the inside of your car.

Given how hot it is here at the moment I might be using this advice from the Guardia Civil Twitter account.

The story here on the La Voz De Almería site might be of interest to a couple of Almería season ticket holders I know.

The article here on the town hall website has details of the 3rd edition of the Sun Market in Almerimar. To be held on Friday night through to Saturday morning. On 26 and 27 July 2019.

Read More for a Google translation of the article.

The article here on the Euro Weekly News site has details of a lunar eclipse taking place tonight.

Thanks to Sara G for these photos from early this week. Sorry for the delay in publishing them. Jacqui and I had to go back to the UK for a few days earlier this week. Here is what Sara had to say about the photos.....

"ALMERIMAR has gone off its trolley! -

Years ago on the old version of this website I wrote a long detailed article about the way you get an ITV (MOT) done on your car. This information got lost when the site was hacked in around 2012.

I got our car done today. So here is a summary of the process.

Read More for details.

Further to the video in the previous article. Here is the videos page on the youtube channel of the town hall.

There are loads of videos on there. The oldest one is from 12 years ago in 2007 when the Rolling Stones performed in El Ejido. I remember that as I attended the event.

Yesterday we paid a visit to the indoor market in El Ejido for lunch with a couple of friends. We have been having lunch there once in a while for around the last four years. Following another friend, Shaun P, telling us about the experience.

I will not go into details in this article. Instead I will just provide a link to an article here that I wrote when we went there in 2015.

Around a year later one of the people who was working in the tourist office at the time sent me the information here. This is about a similar experience that you can have at the indoor market in Santa Domingo. This is on the right hand sign on the way in to El Ejido. Not far past the school on the right hand that is quite away beyond Lidl. As yet, I have not tried out this place. However others have told me it is good fun as well.

On last Tuesday night Jacqui and I went the Italian in the square for a bite to eat. As you can see I was very lucky as Tuesday nights is now their build your own burger night. For 12 euros you get your custom made burger plus a drink.

You get to choose between a burger bun or a pizza base. Then you choose between two types of meat (beef or crunchy chicken) burgers, two types of fish (hake or prawn) burgers and two types of vegetarian (quinoa or courgette) burger. Then choose what toppings you want (bacon, egg, tomato, lettuce, cucumber and cheddar cheese). Then choose what sauce you want (ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard or bbq). Finally choose your side dish (thin cut fried potatoes - a bit like home made crisps, chicken wings, onion rings, chicken nuggets or potato croquettes).

I chose a burger bun, crispy chicken, tomato, lettuce and cheese served with the thin cut fried potatoes.

I think I might be spending a few Tuesday nights there in the future. Trying out other combinations.

I had to drive up to El Ejido a couple of times today. I was also driving around Almerimar for various bits and pieces today.

While doing this I noticed loads of adverts for the various political parties. Having checked I now know that the local elections are taking place a week on Sunday. On 26 May 2019.

Normally when I do an out and about article I talk about various changes around town. This one is a little different as the photos were all taken as Now photos for Then And Now pictures on the Memorias de Almerimar Facebook page.

The photo above is of the Japanese garden being prepared for the summer season. The painters who were painting the bridge blue are out of shot.

You can see a number of other photos in the Gallery. You will also see edited forms of some of them over the coming weeks on the Memorias de Almerimar Facebook page.