Thursday 21 February 2013

CAMPOPULSE IS BACK ONLINE!!!

We got a communication from Blogger this morning: Hello, We have received your appeal regarding your blog http://campopulse.blogspot.com/. Upon further review, we have determined that your blog was mistakenly marked as a TOS violator by our automated system and, as such, we have reinstated your blog. We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused in the meantime and thank you for your patience as we completed our review process. Thank you for understanding. Your sincerely, The Blogger Team.- (At this point, we're glad we didn't publish all the nasty things we were about to ... ) Now all we have to do is catch up, so we still beg your forbearance (nice old word that).

Friday 8 February 2013

CampoPulse is down temporarily

CampoPulse was marked as spam by Godgle. We have never spammed anyone but been the victims on many occasions over several years. Godgle promised us that the blog would be restored in two days - that was on January 26, and we're still waiting. We have been told today that it may well be restored over this weekend. If not, we have a cunning Plan B that does not involve Godgle, but this will be revealed only if Godgle decides we are guilty of any misdemeanor. ADVERTISERS: Please do not be too concerned as your advertising will continue for another month FREE OF CHARGE.

Thursday 9 August 2012

What's this about a Tapa Route?

In an effort to attract business to local bars at this financial junction, the Council's Festivities department has organised a Tapa Route. The idea is to collect a 'passport' (see picture below) from one of the participating bars or restaurants, have a drink and at least one of their featured tapas (each place has one obligatory tapa; tapa + drink only 2 euros!!) get the passport stamped and go on to the next establishment. There are 8 bars taking part, and you only need 4 stamps to participate in a draw with a prize of dinner for two. Have fun!!




Passport, front and back cover

Inside the passport, must be stamped and filled in to participate in draw


La Estrella to present this year's August Fair

All ferias and such events in Spain begin with an official opening called a pregón. Jimena's feria this year will be officially opened by two representatives of what has been for years our favourite charity: Asociación de Minusválidos de Jimena de la Frontera La Estrella. That's it's long, long official title, but our long-time readers know them simply as La Estrella. Over the years our readers have raised funds for the handicapped children of the village by holding car boot sales, markets, lunches, etc. Long may that continue. The President of La Estrella, our friend Antonio Mario Andrade Saraiva, and another stalwart friend and member of the board, Eloisa García Palacios, will be making the speech this year, onstage at El Paseo at (about) 10 on Friday evening, before the coronation (See full programme). To quote from the feria programme, written by La Estrella: "Our needs are many, and our resources too few. We are a total of 50 members and our membership fees only €3 per month, to which we add raffles, charity events, markets, concerts and precious little else."

The association began officially on November 18, 1999. A group of parents and family members got together to find a common front with which to face the challenges their children presented daily. They started by locating and hiring the services of a speech therapist, a basic need for these children's various handicaps, as a way for better integration, a way to diminish the consequences of marginalistaion.

The parents do as much as they possibly can but they have very little time for leisure or relaxation, absorbed as they are by the needs of their boys and girls. So they therefore need the rest of us to set up as many events as we can - anybody out there willing to take anything on?

As this is written, the stars of La Estrella are headed to the swimming pool having just taken part in their daily workshop, which is fun as well as an educational experience. The summer activities are possible only through the funds raised by the rest of us. And, we're told, a continuation of their daily school-term routine is very important for them, because they remain active and stimulated. 

You can easily become a member even if you do not have a challenged child. Just e-mail us at CampoPulse with your details, and we will make sure you get the minimal paperwork needed. (Prospero takes a big interest in La Estrella just because of how grateful he is that his children are not handicapped the way La Estrella's kids are.)

You will see some of the kids at the coronation ceremony on Friday evening (See programme)

Q & A about the Feria

Monday is NOT a local holiday, but Wednesday is a regional one
We are often asked as to procedures, schedules, traditions and customs regarding the fair. Below you will find what we hope are useful pointers. (PLEASE BE AWARE THAT ITEMS SUCH AS THIS MAY BE SUBJECT TO SUBSCRIPTION IN THE FUTURE. You can DONATE through our sidebar PayPal feature to help keep this site FREE)

Q. Why is everything scheduled so late?
A. Because it is summer, and hot. In any case, there are a number of children's activities planned during the day (See programme)

Q. Why is everything so late?
A. (No, it's not the same question as above - this one refers to the difference between the planned schedule and reality) Because a feria is a time to relax and have fun, and because nothing in Spain starts on time except the trains and the bullfights - with the regional exception of Catalonia, whose inhabitants don't think they're part of Spain anyway.

Q. When do you wear your feria dress?
A: We don't.

Q. No, seriously, when are the women supposed to wear their lovely flamenco dresses?
A. Whenever they like. But, depending on their age, it is advisable to wear them on Saturday and Sunday (it is a tradition to have at least two dresses for each day - just kidding, it used to be a tradition but became too expensive). Children, in the evening; middle-aged+ at any time they can get away with it; the rest, in the evening. (Get it? Wear them in the evening for the August Fair, and at other times of the day at the May Fair.)

Q. Is Monday a hangover day?
A. Depends on how much you pour down your gullet, dunnit? In fact, Monday this year is NOT a local Hangover Monday, it's business as usual. Wednesday, August 15, though, is a regional holiday and many things will be closed.

Q. What about parking?
A. Leave the car at home if possible. If not, leave the car at home. Or as far away as you can walk. Parking at Feria time is hell off wheels. See our separate item.

Q: How do we know what's happening where?
A. Read the blessed programme that we took so much trouble putting up. It is also printed in Spanish in the official programme. Please note, too, that nothing at all happens after lunch (local lunchtime starts at 2pm, not at noon), except on Sunday at the pool.

Q. What on earth is the Tapa Route?
A. Nothing to do with the Earth except in this tiny piece of it. See our separate item.

Q. Why have a feria at all, with all that noise?
A. Oh, shut up!

FERIA 2012 - Parking and traffic changes

JIMENA This year's feria takes place this weekend, from Friday evening (plus one event in the morning, see programme in another article) to Sunday night. The principal events such as the coronation of the Queen, take place in the main square. Therefore parking at the square is not allowed until the end of the feria. 'Bank street' (Calle Sevilla at the Paseo end) will be closed throughout because the craft market is going there. There will be barriers and indications to divert traffic through other streets. Parking, on the whole, will be difficult at the bottom of the village because the rides are located at the Fiday market square and the flat land behind the school (known as Llano de Jacobo).

Tuesday 31 July 2012

COMPLETE FERIA PROGRAMME IN ENGLISH



COMPLETE FERIA PROGRAMME
(Translated by TranslationHELP, with comments and directions by Prospero)

Friday, August 10

11.30 to 14.00 - Children's games and activities at the Municipal Swimmming Pool. Designed and devised by Márgenes y Vínculos.

20.30 - Parade of floats for the Infant and Junior Queens of the Fair. Leaves the top of the village at La Bodega to the main square (El Paseo, Plaza de la Constitución) down Fuentenueva and Sevilla · The municipal band will be in attendance.

22.00 - Coronation of the Queens of the Fair. Official announcement (pregón) of the fair by representatives of La Estrella, Jimena's handicapped organization (see separate item) · Awards to two outstanding local sports people · Show by Juan Carlos Arauzo, of La Línea.

23.00 - Opening of the crafts market (on 'Bank Street': Lower Calle Sevilla), with the cooperation of Vendaval, who will be making pottery · Performance by Trio Aquabel onstage at the main square · Opening of the Youth Marquee (Caseta de la Juventud, in square car park, but not actually a marquee).

Saturday, August 11

11.00 - Children's theatre, performance of the play: 'La Constitución del 12'. On the main square .

12.00 noon - Children's Party, organized by the local youth association  'Mirador Joven'. Children taking part must bring 20 balloons.

13.00 - First edition of the Tapa Route, through various participating bars and restaurants. (See separate explanatory article)

19.00 - Football Tournament in the primary school playground (at the bottom of Calle Romo). Children's event by Pequeño Duende group on El Paseo

19.30 - 'High tea' (merienda cena) for pensioners on El Paseo, with entertainment by Isabel Dueñas and Trio Aquabel

21.00 - Pádel (paddle tennis) tournaments finals at the courts by the sports pavilion

22.30 - Trio Aquabel act onstage at El Paseo

23.30 - Flamenco group Arte y Compás onstage at El Paseo · Music at Youth Marquee

Sunday, August 12

12.00 noon - Gathering at El Paseo for a Domingo Rociero (festive atmosphere)

13.00 - Tapa Route

15.00 Traditional Swimming competition at the municipal pool. Registration takes place there, before the event

21.00 - Theatre group on El Paseo, by La Serda

22.00 - Musical performance by Chico Valdivia

23.00 - More music -coplas, Spanish non-flamenco- by Virginia Guerrero · And Trio Aquabel · Music and more at the Youth Marquee.


THE ORGANIZATION RESERVES THE RIGHT
 TO MAKE CHANGES TO THIS PROGRAMME