Ibiza Sun - Letters From our readers

From Our Readers

Baby Ibiza
Mums and Dads will be very happy with the seemingly sudden surge of pastimes and activities for their youngsters in Ibiza lately.
In the West San Antonio’s Thursday afternoon sessions with Kelly and Marcus at the Vaca Loca (Crazy Bull Bar) have been a great success with Parents and Children alike. From 4.30pm the children can enjoy activities including the bouncy slide, trampolines, mechanical bull etc., plus Kelly´s Crafts and Marcus´ Party Tea (Hot Dogs and Ham Sandwiches etc) - and the best thing of all is that it’s for free - though of course many parents enjoy a beverage or two from the bar. The Vaca Loca is on the lower Bay Road near Kumaras. For more info contact Kelly Neuenschwander via Facebook or call her 617724982.
The Vaca Loca/Crazy Bull is also the setting for the new San Antonio Baby Rockers group Tuesday mornings at 11am. Already a success in Playa Dén Bossa where it has been running on Fridays at 4pm for some time, Baby Rockers is a Music and Song session for children up to 4 years. There is a modest fee of €4 and all are welcome - call group leader Joha Olarte on 696 714 456 for more info on both groups. She is also trying to set up a Baby Rockers group in Cala Vadella, anyone interested please contact her.
Joha is fast getting a reputation as the queen of all things childcare, very active in her facebook groups and running various other activities. On Sundays Joha provides childcare for parents using Mumak´s Energy Beach Events from 12 to 5pm. Right on the Beach of Playa Den Bossa in the dunes between Bora Bora and Ushuaia, Joha provides facepainting, crafts etc keeping the little ones occupied whilst Mums and Dads put themselves through the various Yoga etc classes on offer.
Mumak also have a great thing going on Saturdays when they hold their Mumak Niños afternoons. A range of activities are on offer including their French clowns, crafts and much more - showing their dedication to the cause they even offer a childrens version of their fabulous buffet for just €6. Contact Mumak on 971 300 452
San An´s Chiqi-Tins nursery school has a fun session on Wednesdays with their regular clown/puppeteer offering a great show for a €5 fee. No need for a formal registration, just go along on Wednesday at 6pm (or a little earlier for some free play on their great soft play equipment).
If you´re not exhausted already you might want to give Studio 64 a look. On the Boulevard which borders San Antonio and San Augustin, the Studio offers Ballet and Flamenco classes for children, for example they have a Friday 5 to 6pm Ballet class for €25 euros per month. Contact Geraldine on 625 015 911.
So plenty going on but if you know of more activities please do let us know at
nickgibbs@theibizasun.com

Ibiza Isolation
I read today (29th Jan), that Spanair has "Hit the Buffers".
Well well well, it seems at last that Spanair"s chairman Ferran Soriano, has finally realized the effect of withdrawal of subsidies by the Catalan Government.
This means that we are now "two down", and as an Island, become even more isolated.
I am increasingly thinking that the new government has become some kind of "Butcher of Ibiza", and I am fearful that they will not stop axing until the only way to get on and off this Island will be to swim.
Subsidies are founded on the basis that it is a mutual benefit to all parties. If you take it away, the only options are to:
1. Put up the fares.
2. Move the business elsewhere.
3. Go bust.
(In all cases, the agenda could be to give "Iberia" the monopoly)?!
Ryanair have chosen option 2. Spanair (being in a worse position of not making enough money, and almost solely reliant on subsidies), have taken option 3, at the expense of inconveniencing thousands of passengers and staff, and laying themselves wide open to being fined 9 million Euros for abrupt cessation of business.
PLEASE, PLEASE, STOP this madness, and will the Catalan Government reconsider the options available to them.
Or, Ibiza will be "Hitting the Buffers" too, with disastrous consequences for all on this wonderful Island.
WAKEY WAKEY !! Stop "Cutting your nose to spite your face", and learn the first rule in good business practice.... "Speculate to Accumulate". Before it is irreversibly too late.
Michael Wookey

Red Lion Valentines Charity Night
As usual the Red Lion in Es Cana will be holding its annual charity Valentines night on Tuesday 14th February at 8pm in aid of Ibiza y Formentera Contra el Cancer. As normal there will be a raffle and fund raising events and a buffet. All welcome to a night that is usually a fun night and raises some money for such a great charity on the island.
See you there
Jo and Ed
Red Lion

Thanks
On behalf of the Asociación Ibiza Y Formentera Contra el Cancer, I should like to thank the Masons for their donation of a cheque for 2,000€ which was presented to our president Helen Watson by the outgoing Grand Master, Michael Glass. The money was raised by functions and events organised during Michael’s year in the chair. Many thanks once again to all the people who raised this money and it will be well spent.
Lyn Carpenter.

The Economy
Last week Spain passed a bleak landmark when un-employment figures were announced showing 5.3 million people are now out of work, which is a rate of 22.8 per-cent. The more worrying statistic is that one in two (48.6 per-cent) of Spains’ under 24 year-olds are looking for work, a figure that has almost tripled since 2008. It is normal for many young Spaniards to live at home with their parents until well into their thirties and this looks like a tradition that is set to continue through necessity.
Jobs have been lost across the economy particularly in the construction industry and with fewer people paying taxes there is less money in the pot. hence the need for prudent spending cuts.
The long boom years saw households taking on bigger and bigger mortgages, spending more, and earning more which in turn pushed up wages to uncompetitive levels. The cost of employing one person as gone up by 36 per-cent since the Euro"s creation in 1999, while in Germany during the same period the cost has increased by a mere 3 per-cent.
We are all aware of the thriving black economy which keeps a roof over the heads of millions but unless Spain does something drastic, such as leaving the Euro, the Government could run out of cash and the country could go bust.
Clive Till

Age Concern
ACASA – The National Casework Service of Age Concern España - would like to say a big thank you to all those individuals who responded to our Christmas Appeal.
If you missed the Christmas Appeal don’t worry, donations can still be made via our website www.acespana.org, just press the donate button, or by contacting Kim Stollard on CCM@ageconcern-espana.org or 917 146 439.
ACASA has seen an increase in demand over the last month as those already struggling with illness, isolation and poverty struggle to cope with the excess demands brought on by winter and the holiday period. It is only with your help that we are able to respond to those in need. No amount is too small.
ACASA has two client bases – people over the age of 50, and those of any age who serve or used to serve in the British Armed Forces, and their families, as ACASA does the work of SSAFA Forces Help in Spain. Contact 902 00 38 38 or info@ageconcern-espana.org for further information.
ACASA - Official Partner of The British Embassy in Spain, AGE UK, and SSAFA Forces Help