Iberian Peninsula lynx exhibition

The Office for Socioeconomic Impact of the Environment (OISMA) Ministry of Water, Agriculture and Environment, in collaboration with the City Council, will hold an exhibition and informative talks about the Iberian Peninsula lynx in the towns of El Sabinar and Moratalla between January 26th and February 10th. 

This exhibition is intended to publicise the European project 'Life + Iberlince' and the current situation of Iberian lynx ('Lynx pardinus') in Spain and Portugal, as well as informing the population of their conservation.

The exhibition can be visited in El Sabinar and Moratalla on Monday to Sunday from 5pm to 8pm, although organized groups (schoolchildren, associations) may request the visit in the mornings by calling the Town Hall (968 730 0 01), or the Tourist Office (968 730 208).

• Exhibition Hall (El Sabinar): from Thursday 26 January (7 pm) to Thursday 2 February.

• Convent of San Francisco (Moratalla): from Friday 3 (7 pm) to Friday 10 February.

In addition, at the opening of the exhibition (January 26 and February 3 at 7:00 p.m.), there will be an informative talk about the characteristics and problems of the lynx, and the main actions of the "Life + Iberlince" Project to achieve conservation of the species.   The project "Life + Iberlince" involves about twenty partners, and involves two countries, Spain and Portugal, which account for the entire historical range of the Iberian lynx Worldwide.

BABIES MASSAGE WORKSHOP - MAZARRON & PUERTO

The Centre for Early Childhood Development and Early Warning (CDIAT) in Mazarrón offers, within its programme of preventive activities, a new cycle of children's massage workshops. The first of the sessions will take place on Friday, January 27, at 11:45 am in one of the rooms of the facility located at Virgen de Fátima Street, in the neighborhood of La Cañadica of Mazarrón.

This workshop is aimed at all babies up to 6 months and their mothers, with the sole aim of putting at your fingertips the knowledge of a technique and work tool that allows you to achieve the greatest possible well-being, to strengthen the bond between parents and children, relieve birth tensions and prevent ailments such as colic in the baby.

The activity is organized in collaboration with the midwives of the Health Centres of Mazarrón and Puerto and is supervised by a physiotherapist of the Centres. The sessions will continue on the following two Fridays (3 and 10 February). More information can be obtained by calling 968 590 623

SIGN LANGUAGE COURSE - MORATALLA - FEBRUARY

The City Council of Moratalla, from the Department of Youth and Social Policy continues to promote training in sign language, with the aim of further training and raising awareness about the importance of sign language in our society.

The course "Language of Signs Level 2" will begin next February 21 and will have a total duration of 20 hours. In this training, which will be developed over seven sessions and through Adinor, it will cover adjectives, classifiers, verbs, hours, places and spaces ... new concepts that will facilitate more complex conversations and a better knowledge of the language of deaf people. 

In order to perform this training it is advisable to have performed level I in LSE since the dynamics and contents are quite complex.

Those interested in this training must register at the Local Employment Centre of Moratalla before February 17. A novelty for this edition is the discount of 25% for those who have the Youth Card or are enrolled in the Youth Guarantee Programme.

CROSS TRAIL COMPETITION & HIKE - BOLNUEVO - 29 JANUARY

The Department of Sports of the City of Mazarrón and the Sports Club Bahía de Mazarrón have organized for this Sunday 29 January, the IV Cross - Trail Calas de Bolnuevo. Two tests of 21 and 11 kilometers that will see more than 450 runners of the Region of Murcia and adjoining Municipalities take part. This year, as a novelty, the organization has included a 9 km hike.

The Councillor for Sports, Patricio Sánchez and Pedro Lorite, responsible for the Club Bahía de Mazarrón , visited the location of the event on Monday and from there invited the citizens of the Municipality and those who visit to come to watch this event.

The departure will take place at 10.30am, from the esplanade of the Erosions of Bolnuevo. The 21-kilometer test will reach Percheles and return to the starting point. There will be five categories in both events, and specific prizes available. The 9-km hike will not be a competition as such, but will accommodate a wide participation of family runners from the two main events.

Patricio Sánchez, Councillor for Sports, called on residents and visitors to enjoy this event, demonstrating the commitment of the City of Mazarrón with the organization of events of this type that serve to de-seasonalise tourism. Therefore, he said, "we will continue to support clubs such as the Bahia de Mazarron by continuing to organise events that show the visitor the possibilities offered by the Municipality for Sports."

TRIP TO MURCIA - 23 FEBRUARY

On January 18, the Centro Municipal de Día de Personas Mayores (Municipal Centre for Elderly People) travelled to Alicante and Alcantarilla, within the workshop called "Know your Region", which allows you to travel each month to a Municipality in the Region of Murcia and neighbouring Provinces to learn about its history, gastronomy, customs and monuments. 

In this case, the visit covered the City of Alicante, the old quarter known as El Barrio, Puerta del Mar, Explanada de España, the Cathedral and the Port, where they had a lunch in a restaurant. The journey then continued to Alcantarilla to visit the Museum of the Orchard and its famous Noria.

The next trip within the "Know Your Region Workshop", is scheduled for Thursday 23 February to Murcia capital. Those who want to know more information about the trip, can go to the Mazarrón Municipal People's Day Centre, located at Calle Reverendo Luis de Anta No. 2 in Mazarrón.

TRIP TO SIERRA NEVADA - 28 JANUARY

The Youth Council of the City of Mazarrón through the Directorate General of Youth of the Region of Murcia encourages those between the ages of 14 and 36 in the Municipality to practice winter sports such as downhill skiing and snowboarding by the way of one-day trips to Sierra Nevada and four-day stay in the Pyrenees. 

The programmed activities include transportation, start-up or improvement classes, rental of equipment, insurance and, where appropriate, accommodation.

The trip to Sierra Nevada takes place on 28 January, departing from Mazarròn at 3:15 in the morning, from the bus stop on Avenida de la Constitución. 

The price of the activity will be 59€. The young holders of the Youth Card and / or Murcia Total Card will be entitled to applicable discounts.

More information can be obtained in the Department of Youth, located in the Municipal Pavilion of La Aceña, by calling phone 968 591810 or by email at juventud@mazarron.es

Information can be completed at www.mundojoven.org

FREE WORKSHOP "INTRODUCTION TO THE WORLD OF CINEMA", MAZARRÓN

The filmmaker and writer Benito Rabal will give in Mazarrón on Friday 20 and Saturday January 21 a free workshop entitled "Introduction to the world of cinema and interpretation (From idea to screen)." 

The activity will be carried out in the classroom 2.3 of the Centro de Iniciativas Municipales de Empleo (CIME) de Mazarrón from 5pm-9pm on Friday and from 10am-2pm on Saturday.

Given the good reception this training offers, the Department of Culture have expanded the number of seats to 25.

The activity was presented last week by the Councillor for Culture, Pedro Martinez and Benito Rabal himself. 

It will be the first of a cycle of four workshops that will bring the world of the image closer to the public, with a special focus on narration and the applications of the craft. 

The experienced filmmaker has four decades of work in the world of celluloid along with great national and international names of the cinematography and has been awarded  with the most important distinctions by its participation in several films and works.

The rest of workshops, also to be developed in Mazarrón, will have as a theme the script, direction and interpretation of actors, direction, production and assembly.

GUIDED WALKS IN ENGLISH IN MAZARRÓN IN JANUARY

The Council of Tourism of the City of Mazarrón offers two new routes for January with an English speaking Guide, giving you the opportunity to get to know the beauty and history of the Bay of Mazarrón. 

The first of them will take place next Saturday, January 14th. It will be a hiking route between Isla Plana and Cabo Tiñoso and has  40 places available

The second of the guided tours will be held on January 28. With the title “Paseos con Historia por Puerto de Mazarrón” (History Walks in Puerto de Mazarron), it will include a visit to the Centro de Interpretación del Barco Fenicio, la Casa Roma de la calle La Era, el Museo Arqueológico-Factoría Romana de Salazones  (Centre of Interpretation of the Phoenician Boat, the Roman House and the Archaeological Museum-Roman Factory of Saltworks). There is also the option to climb to Cabezo del Faro y al Sagrado Corazó (Lighthouse and the Sacred Heart). This walk also has 40 places available

The registration deadline was opened on Monday, January 9, and the applications can be formalized in person at the Tourist Office of Puerto de Mazarrón, by calling 968 59 44 26 or online www.visitamazarron.es

FIESTA - LAS BALSICAS - 13-15 JANUARY

The hamlet of Las Balsicas is celebrating its Patron Saint festivities next weekend. The festivities, scheduled for mid-December, were postponed by the rainy season and will now take place from January 13 to 15 when the Mazarron people enjoy celebrations that have a wide popularity and follow a tradition of more than two centuries.

On Friday, January 13, at 9pm, Cristóbal García Pérez will give the proclamation of the holidays. This is followed by a musical bingo at 10pm with free chocolate and cake for all attendees. At 10.30pm, the band Las Balsicas will perform.

On Saturday January 14, at 9.30am, sees the procession, held in honour of the Patrona con Cante de Pascua. At 1pm, it´s time for their Migas Contest. The Festival Committee will provide the flour and the oil to the participants and there will be a prize for the one judged the best. At 4pm, children's games, inflatable castles and men's and women's caliche championship. At 6.30pm, a dance performance by the School of Juan Antonio Iglesias. And at 10:30pm, it will be the turn of a performance of the crew of Paretón. There will be musical bingo and piñata, whose winner will be presented with a dinner for two in a restaurant in Puerto de Mazarrón.

On Sunday, December 18, at 10:30am, the exhibition of classic motorcycles will open with participation from the Classical Vehicle Association of Mazarrón. At 1.30pm, Mass takes place followed by the traditional "braying" by Bartolo El Tabillla and Paco El Ministro.

Las Balsicas "bray" follow a tradition of more than two centuries of history and have their origin in the construction of the small hermitage in honour of the Purísima Concepción. It was then, when the donkeys, which were the main elements of transport, had to raise the materials to the top of the hill where the hermitage was. Everyone ended up exhausted except one, who, according to neighbourhood testimonies, romped and brayed non-stop. The young people gathered there laughing at the animal's attitude and began to imitate him. The anecdote was remembered year after year to become a popular celebration.

The brawler, wearing a hat with coloured ribbons, chooses an audience member and simulates his grooming with a large comb, a horseshoe, barbs and hammer. Good humour and understanding, always within the logical festive context, reign during a day of fun

At 3pm, will be a giant paella for all attendees and musical bingo, followed at 6pm with a performance from David Andreu. At 11pm, fireworks close the fiesta

THREE KINGS PROCESSION - MAZARRÒN AND PUERTO DE MAZARRÒN

The Three Kings from the East will arrive by boat this Thursday in Puerto de Mazarrón. Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar are already on their way and their arrival at the fishing pier is expected at around 4:00 p.m. on January 5. Their Majesties will climb aboard a chariot to start the expected cavalcade that will cross the main streets, first in Puerto de Mazarrón and later in Mazarrón. 

They will be accompanied by a parade that will include scenes of the Birth, of Shepherds and Chestnut Trees, and will also include performances from the dance schools Antonio Jara, Juan Antonio Iglesias and De Rosa. A group of riders will close the parade in Mazarrón. In Port of Mazarrón, their Majesties will visit the Church of San José where they will adore the Child.

During the tour the Three Kings will not throw gifts as previous years. They will have a gift for each child, at the end of the procession, in the Plaza de Abastos of Puerto de Mazarrón, at around 5.30pm and in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento de Mazarrón, at 8:30 p.m.

In Puerto de Mazarrón, the itinerary will be the following: Muelle Pesquero, Plaza del Mar, Calle Hernán Cortés, Calle Mayor, Calle González Ballesta, Avenida Doctor Meca and finishing at Plaza de Abastos, where the delivery of gifts takes place

In Mazarrón their Majesties will visit the Residencia de Ancianos La Purísima. From there, around 7:00pm,  the journey starts  from Calle Filomeno Hostench towards Avenida de la Constitución to the top of the street close to Universidad Popular heading towards Plaza del Convento. The delivery of gifts will take place in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

At the end of the procession in Mazarrón, in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, a draw will take place  among participants who have filled out the passport of the Ruta de los Belones, that was organized by the Department of Culture.

 On January 6, at 11:30am, in the Plaza Juan Pablo II, sees Auto de Reyes Magos and at midday, in the Church of Cañada de Gallego, Mass with Cuadrillas takes place