Mar Menor Guide
Microclima de Felicidad / Microclimate of Happiness
From Going Native In Murcia, Third Edition
Debbie Jenkins
Marcus Jenkins
NativeSpain.com
© Copyright 2012 Debbie Jenkins and Marcus Jenkins
www.NativeSpain.com
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher.
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Cover image copyright © Marcus Jenkins, used with permission.
Map data copyright © OpenStreetMap contributors, CC-BY-SA.
Typeset in Garamond.
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Contents
About This Book
Updates, Changes and Your Feedback
Overview
A Brief History
Language
Culture
Food and Drink
Eating Like A Spaniard
Tapas Guide
Local Food Specialities
Vegetarians
Local Drinks
Wine Guide
Flora and Fauna
Transport
Climate
Economy
Fiestas
Mar Menor Region Guide
Overview of the Mar Menor
Towns of the Mar Menor
Cabo de Palos
La Manga del Mar Menor
Los Alcázares
Lo Pagán
San Javier
Santiago De La Ribera
San Pedro del Pinatar
Moratalla – Free Gift To Thank You
Full Contents List For Going Native In Murcia, Third Edition
Buy the full edition from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com for your Kindle
Praise for Going Native in Murcia
About The Authors
Our Story as told by Debbie
Maps
Moratalla Map
More Books
About This Book
This region guide is taken from the Going Native in Murcia Third Edition Guide (a full contents list is available at the end) and includes a free section on Moratalla as a thank you! The city guide includes all the details on your chosen region, a history of the region, a food and drink guide, the tapas guide, plus information on the climate, flora and fauna, transportation and the economy. There are other city guides in the series, or of course you can buy the full guide and get all the details.
The full book has taken ten years to research and has been a real pleasure, taking us around the whole region that we now like to call our home. The first edition came out in May 2005, when we had to force ourselves to stop adding information and get the book out there! The second edition included most of the stuff we couldn’t fit into the first one plus almost a year’s worth of extra experience and knowledge as well as the invaluable contributions from readers.
This third edition, written a whole five years later is a complete reworking of the content. We’ve added thousands more words, maps, case studies, restaurant reviews, going native suggestions and experiences.
The book was borne out of the frustration of none of the major guides covering the region, or at best only dedicating 4 or 5 pages to it. When they did mention Murcia they focused entirely on the golf complexes and housing estates. In fact, the only guides we could find that covered the Murcia region in any detail were in Spanish, interspersing flowery language with inaccurate information. So we felt it was time for someone to put this major region firmly on the map.
Murcia is a beauty, with warm and welcoming people, a strong property market, wonderful food and fantastic weather.
Our goal for you as you read this book is that you’ll be able to enjoy visiting this region in all its glory, with us as your equally wide–eyed guides. If you’re thinking of investing here or even making this region your new home then the sections on buying and visiting will tell you all you need to know.
We, the authors, try to make the information available as accurate as possible; we accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone using this book.
Although inclusion in a guidebook usually implies a recommendation, we cannot list every good place. And we apologise in advance if we missed you out, get in touch and let us know. In addition, exclusion does not imply criticism. In fact there are a lot of reasons why we might exclude a place, for example it might not be appropriate to encourage an influx of visitors!
Updates, Changes and Your Feedback
Stuff happens, prices go up, restaurants end up under concrete (no really they do!), places change hands, bad things get better and great things go bad! So if you find things have changed, please let us know. Join our community and pop us an email via www.nativespain.com.
Perhaps you have a story to share for the Native’s Section? Or maybe you’ve visited a museum, gone scuba diving or had a wonderful meal. Get in touch, let us know. Everyone who contributes at www.nativespain.com will find their name listed in the next edition as well as author discounts on future guides.
Overview
Murcia, covering 11,000 square kilometres making up 45 municipalities is home to just over 1 million inhabitants. It has an airport, which although called Murcia airport is actually 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the city in the coastal town of San Javier. The new airport will be in Corvera around 20 kilometres from the city. Due to the present location of Murcia airport the city is hardly a well–visited tourist attraction. However, spend a few days there and you won’t regret it; it’s a great example of Spain and all its character.
Murcia is located on the Mediterranean Sea and forms a small sea of its own, known as the Mar Menor. Some of the beaches of the Mar Menor include: San Javier, Santiago de la Ribera, Los Alcázares and La Manga.
If you’re looking for more than a swim and prefer hiking, we recommend the Natural Park of Calblanque and the beautiful coves and coastal parts that surround this area. For the nature lover, there are a number of activities in the mountains of the Sierra Espuña.
A Brief History
It is widely believed that Murcia's name is derived from the Latin words of Myrtea or Murtea, meaning land of Myrtle (the plant is known to grow in the general area), although it may also be a derivation of the word Murtia, which would mean Murtius Village (Murtius was a common Roman name). Other research suggests that it may owe its name to the Latin Murtae (Mulberry), which covered the regional landscape for many centuries. The Latin name eventually changed into the Arabic Mursiya, and then, Murcia.
The city in its present location was founded with the name Medinat Mursiya (market of Murcia) in AD 825 by Abd ar-Rahman II, who was then the emir of Al-Andalus. Moorish planners, taking advantage of the course of the river Segura, created a complex network of irrigation channels that made the town's agricultural existence prosperous. In the 12th century the traveller and writer Muhammad al-Idrisi described the city of Murcia as populous and strongly fortified. After the fall of the Caliphate of Cordoba in 1031, Murcia passed under the successive rules of the powers seated variously at Almería, Toledo and Seville. In 1172 it was taken by the Almohades, and from 1223 to 1243 it briefly served as the capital of an independent kingdom.
The Castilians, with forces led by King Alfonso X, took the city at the end of this period of autonomy, whereupon large numbers of mixed immigrants from north Catalonia and Provence resettled the town. As with much of the Spanish Reconquest, these Christian populations were brought to the area with the goal of establishing a Christian base here, one that would be loyal to the Crown of Castile and whose culture would supplant that of the subjugated Moorish peoples. During the process of Christianization, many of the city’s mosques were destroyed or converted into Catholic churches. In 1296, control over Murcia and the surrounding region was transferred to the Kingdom of Aragon and, in 1304, was finally incorporated into Castile under the Treaty of Torrellas.
Murcia flourished in the 18th century, benefiting greatly from a boom in the silk industry. Many of the modern city's landmark churches and monuments date from this period of nascent mercantilism.
However, this was to be followed by nearly a century of mishap. In 1810, Murcia was looted by Napoleonic troops; it then suffered a major earthquake in 1829. According to contemporaneous accounts, an estimated 6,000 people died from the disaster's effects across the province. Plague and cholera followed.
The town and surrounding area suffered badly from floods in 1651, 1879, and 1907, though the construction of a levee helped to stave off the repeated floods from the Segura. A popular pedestrian walkway, the Malecón, runs along the top of the levee.
Murcia has been the capital of the province of Murcia since 1838 and, with its creation by the central government in 1982, capital of the autonomous community (which includes only the city and the province). Since then, it has become the seventh most populated municipality in Spain and a thriving services city.
Language
The language in Murcia is Castilian Spanish, the standard Spanish you’d be taught in school (not Catalan).
However, the Spanish spoken in Murcia is quite different from other areas of Spain. Murciano tends to eliminate many syllable–final consonants and to emphasise regional vocabulary, much of which is derived from old Arabic words. For example, swapping the diphthong ai for ei, so instead of seis you get sais (saayis). And of course the addition of the diminutive ico, for example bonico.
Some Murcian countryfolk still speak a separate díalect, called Panocho, which is virtually unintelligible to speakers of standard Castilian Spanish.
What you’ll most likely notice is the lack of ‘s’ at the end of many words, for example ‘do’ instead ‘dos’ (two).
English-Spanish-Pronunciation
Spanish-español-(es–pahn–YOL)
Spanish (Castilian)-castellano-(kah–steh–YAH–no)
Hello, hi-hola-(OH–la)
Goodbye-adiós-(ahdy–OS)
Please-por favor-(pore faah–VOR–e)
Thank you-gracias-(GRA–thyahs)
Sorry-perdón-(pair–DON)
That (thing)-eso-(EH–saw)
How much?-cuánto-(KWAHN–to)
For example-por ejemplo-(pore eh–HEM–ploh)
English-inglés-(ing–GLESS)
Yes-sí-(see)
No-no-(noh)
I don’t understand-no entiendo-(noh en–tYEN–do)
Where’s the bathroom?-¿dónde está el baño?-(DON–deh es–TAH el BA–nyo)
Cheers! (toast)-¡salud!-(sah–LOOTHE)
Do you speak English?-¿habla usted inglés?-(AH–blah oos–TED ing–GLESS)
For advice about where to go to learn the language see the Resources Section at the end of the book.
Culture
Reading the history books you’d be forgiven for thinking Murcia doesn’t actually exist. From the Romans, to the Muslims, the Visigoths to the Spanish Inquisition, Murcia remains resolutely unmentioned. Murcia’s cultural heritage bears an impression of old battles and recent political machinations; however, it remains clearly removed from the limelight. Signs of the influence of all of these invaders and aggressors litter the whole region, from aqueducts, castles, fortifications and Roman roads lined with olive trees to the stunning architecture of the grand buildings in the cities.
Murcia is a friendly region, a warm “Buenos Días” upon entering a shop or restaurant is uttered to all, followed by an “Adios” or “Hasta Luego” upon departure. At the coast, they don’t expect visitors to speak much Spanish, however in the villages a lack of Spanish can create difficulties as few rural Spaniards learn English.
The Murcianos are a gregarious bunch, taking great care to include children and the older generations in their social activities. They enjoy making an effort in their appearance. A walk around the Murcian capital on a summer’s Saturday evening will show a decadence in dress that us Brits generally reserve for weddings! Even the children will be dressed in their finery.
Murcians works on the same timetable as most of the rest of Spain, relaxed! The heat for most of the year encourages a long lunch break, followed by chatting and snoozing during the afternoon (siesta). The shops mostly close between 2pm and 5pm for most of the year, reopening at 5pm and staying open until 8 or 9pm.
During the hottest months Murcianos take advantage of the cooler evenings, sitting and chatting outside till well past midnight. It’s not uncommon to see young children racing round outside restaurants at 2am, while their parents and extended family drink slowly and cool down.
In August Murcianos take a well needed 1 month holiday. Many shops and restaurants (outside of the tourist destinations) will shut down or work reduced hours, while their Murciano proprietors enjoy the beaches and the mountains.
Murcia is a very sociable region, respect for elders and enthusiasm for children leads to a relaxed atmosphere, full of life and parties. Daily Murcianos can be found at their afternoon paseo or playing dominoes in the bar.
In addition to the native Spanish population in Murcia you will find the usual pockets of immigrants and expats from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Portugal, Germany, Poland, Eastern Europe, North Africa and many from Latin American countries.
Food and Drink
Throughout the book you’ll find many references to the food and drink of the region. We make no apologies for dedicating a lot of time to this subject. As we researched the book our favourite pastimes were checking out bars and restaurants, tasting different wines, going on cookery courses and eating with our neighbours. Our waistlines have suffered but we did it for you, our very special readers!
The Spanish, like many Latin cultures, make the mid–day meal their biggest, stretching it out for hours. From midday to mid–afternoon, everything shuts down, except of course for the restaurants. Then, after this long, leisurely meal (and sometimes a nap) they return to their workplaces and continue into the night.
The evening meal is late, anywhere from about 9pm to midnight. While most of us are not accustomed to eating dinner so late you might consider indulging in the Spanish favourite, tapas, as a light supper, although no real Spaniard would ever do this.
Restaurant hours are typically 1:00pm, 4:30pm for lunch and 9:00pm to 12:00 midnight for dinner. Though this may vary in the tourist areas, so always check your chosen restaurant.
Ventas, an excellent opportunity to eat reasonably priced meals almost any time of the day or night. These are motorway or roadside service areas. Often attached to a petrol station they are popular with lorry drivers and coach tours. There is usually a shop where you can buy local bread, vegetables and meat. And if you’re lucky homemade sausages.
Menú del Día, though not usually very exciting, this fixed price meal is required of restaurants. It’s a great way to taste some standard Spanish food, without the worry of a long menu. The prices for a menú del día almost always include bread, water and wine or beer, with a coffee at the end. They are very good value.
Menú, the principal ingredients of local Murcian dishes are the fresh produce of the Huerta (market garden, the fields of Murcia) and rice, fish and seafood from the nearby Mar Menor and the Mediterranean Sea.
Excellent choices are the king prawns and the huevas de mújol which is a local variety of caviar. The region also produces fine wines among which the most known are Jumilla and Yecla.
Eating Like A Spaniard
You may have noticed that Spanish restaurants seem awfully quiet… …when you go in. This is probably because you haven’t worked out how to eat like a Spaniard yet. Read on to find out how to go native and eat like a Spaniard and understand how military–precision timing can be all–important (doesn’t sound like Spain, does it?)
Breakfast
First Breakfast: in Spain, most people actually have two breakfasts. The first breakfast is to get you started. Since most Spaniards start the day early, the constitution is only ready to receive something light at this stage, around 7:30. So first breakfast usually comprises any of the following: