Saturday, July 14, 2007

The Bitter Sting Of Tears

So there was this really useful article in “The Bulletin”. Spoke about a cream that protects against jellyfish stings; before you go in the water. Great, one thinks. Then one reads it again. There’s something missing. Something quite important. The name of the cream. Nowhere to be found.

Anyway, I went to the friendly chemists in Playa de Muro. Said I’d read this article. Ah yes, but it’s “cortada” (finished) for this summer. Demand presumably. Have a look. Oh no, there is some. So I got a bottle. It is from the ISDIN range of sun protectors. Comes as a sun cream, factor 25. Protects against jellyfish, it states, though it also says to avoid going into waters infested with jellyfish. So, it’s ok for the odd jellyfish, not a plague. But at least it’s something. If this is not the cream mentioned in the article, maybe someone can let me know, and I shall put the information up here. Email, as always, to the address below.


Update on a previous item. I quote from 28 March:

“Anyway, where was I? Ah yes, the Carretera Arta. Well, no it’s a crap idea - the red track I mentioned last time. Karen from Foxes was giving the situation a good once-over and was muttering darkly about drivers using it rather than cyclists, which begs the question - what is the point of it?”

Well, Karen was going on about this again today. And absolutely rightly. Just to give you a picture. As you come from the Magic Roundabout going towards Playa de Muro, there is a red lane which is clearly marked “bicicletes”. This lane then cuts down from the main carretera. The point is that cars and coaches are using this, and then hammering along the side road that runs in front of Foxes, the chemists and Epcot. And I stress “hammering”.

The problem seems to be that no-one is absolutely sure what is and isn’t allowed. The sign suggests cycles only, but there is nothing to say that vehicles are prohibited. Whatever the situation, this cut-through is seriously dangerous if it is used by vehicles going at high speed, which is often the case. We need to find out more, because it’s going to end in tears as there will be a serious accident here before long. For anyone who is staying at the Delfin Azul and other nearby hotels, or just walking on that side road or across it, please take great care. It seems obscene that right at the spot - on the main road - where one of last year’s worst accidents took place, the side road could become a death-trap.


Re markets. I mentioned the other day that Playa de Muro now has two markets a week. Sorry, I got that wrong. The Saturday market has now moved to Mondays. And weather word ... could be hitting 40 degrees this weekend.


Quiz: Congratulations to Anne Marie in Dublin who not only got Stingray but also got Gary Miller: “What are these strange enchantments that start whenever you’re near”. What a cracking record that was. Additional quiz question: which actor was Troy Tempest modelled on? And today’s title - from what famous song does this come?

(PLEASE REPLY TO andrew@thealcudiaguide.com AND NOT VIA THE COMMENTS THINGY HERE.)

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