The 3rd. Ruta de la Tapa (Tapas Trail) came to a gastronomic end on Sunday afternoon. We only did the Saturday leg (it was over 3 days) and managed to get round 11 bars out of 35. (It was tough). Last year's winners, Meryl and Gwyn did the whole three days again and we ran into them in Bar el Azahar. (astute Álora spotters will notice that this photo was actually taken in Bar Los Dos Caballos) They were 'on a mission' to win again and ask the alcalde, Epi when they could expect to receive their winner's prize from last year.
Meryl and Gwyn
I don't think the prize for 'Best Tapa' will have been won by Manolo at Bar El Madrugon. His 'Dracula' really was blood and onions. It was all right but I don't think his heart was in it. His chances weren't helped by him shutting the bar at 2.00 pm. to go to a 'First Communion'. You can see his tapa and all the others by following the link.
http://www.alora.es/Inicio/N.asp?IdArticulo=4334
My favourite was 'Caprichos de Codorniz' at Bar El Mocho in the Plaza Baja. Two pieces of smoked bacon on lightly toasted bread, coated with cream cheese and crowned by a fried quail egg. A mini English Breakfast and delicious. Mmmmmm.
We ended up at the Hermandad de Dolores on Calle la Parra. They had run out of their tapa, Potaje de Bacalao (salt cod stew) but we had a couple of cañas and other snacks and sat in the late afternoon sun discussing the difference between anchoas and boquerones. Best skip the next bit if you want to stay awake.
I am still not clear about this. According to the experts in the hermandad, anchovies caught in the north of Spain and tinned in oil and salt are anchoas (anchovies). The Álora boquerones you are served fried or marinated raw in vinegar, garlic, oil and parsley and served cold are boquerones but when uncooked or unprocessed look the same as anchovies. They are caught in the Med. and are allegedly not as fatty as those from the north. 'Boquerones' is nearly always translated as 'anchovies' on 'English Version' menus and therefore avoided by many foreigners in the same way that 'Callos' is translated as 'Tripe'. Got it?
Anchovy experts at the Dolores Hermandad
Alligator sighted in the Mijas Area
Don't worry if you have difficulty distinguishing between an anchovy and a boquerón. In the Mijas area (not very far from Álora) they are looking for an alligator, even though the sign says 'crocodile'.
Alligator on the loose on the Costa del Sol.
The Mayor of Mijas - where hundreds of Britons holiday or own homes - said the round-the-clock surveillance post will be in place in time for the busy Easter period.
Police and animal experts have been on high alert since the presence of alligator tracks confirmed an earlier sighting of the reptile at lakes near Marbella.
Experts have calculated that the beast is around 12-18 years old and could weigh 70kg.
Police believe the alligator was released by an "unscrupulous" individual - probably a resident who kept it as an exotic pet.
Spanish warning signs saying "Grave Danger. Crocodile On The Loose" went up last week around the Majada Vieja de Mijas lakes, an area popular with walkers next to a golf course.
The Mayor of Mijas, Angel Nozal, headed a meeting where councillors and members of the police nature protection group, Seprona, discussed how to trap the alligator alive.
SKY NEWS
Mario Calvente ,37, first raised the alarm two months ago when he 'spotted' 'a large reptile' in the lagoon whilst passing by on his motorbike. Traps were set by Mijas town hall's Environment Department and last week 'after a routine inspection of the traps' the body of a highly aggresive Nile Crocodile was found. It weighed 80 kilos, measured 2.13 metres from nose to tail, was 15 years old and had been dead for approximately three days. 'It looked strong but exhausted and had some damage to its head and tail.' The owner of the nearby 'Crocodile Park' (not surprisingly) says it isn't one of his. No wonder it was exhausted if it had walked all the way uphill from Fuengirola.
Just when the residents of Mijas thought it was safe to go out, the mayor announced that the crocodile's feet did not match the tracks found nearby and Mario Calvente says the dead crocodile is not the animal he saw. 'It was much bigger and broader'. The environmental arm of the Guardia Civil, SEPRONA have ordered the signs to be kept up and warned everyone to watch out for signs of large reptiles.
Here's how to spot the difference between a crocodile and an alligator but I expect this information will not be of immediate use if your leg is being eaten.
An alligator
Another alligator
Er......
Is it an alligator or a crocodile?
All the species of alligators, caimans, crocodiles, and gharial together are known as “crocodilians.” That is sometimes shortened to “crocs” and still refers to all the species as a group.But many people want to know what the difference is between an alligator and a crocodile. If you really want to know for sure, you need to know the particular characteristics of each species. But don't worry—there are a few general ways to tell the two apart:
Shape of the jaw— Alligators tend to have wide, U-shaped, rounded snouts, while crocodiles tend to have longer, more pointed, V-shaped snouts.
Teeth—The fourth tooth on the lower jaw sticks up over the upper lip on crocodiles, so you can see it when their mouths are closed. In alligators, this fourth tooth is covered up. (!!!!!)
Habitat— Crocodiles also have special glands in their tongues that can get rid of excess salt, so they tend to live in saltwater habitats. Alligators have these glands, too, but they don't work as well as the crocodiles', so alligators prefer to live in freshwater habitats.
With 23 species of crocodilians, though, these general rules don't always apply—there are exceptions!
Well, there you are, and if you are planning a trip to Mijas or have booked a no refund holiday there, take this handy guide and don't go near the water, especially on golf courses.
As for the dead crocodile, Mijas ayuntamiento is going to have it stuffed and put on public display. That's nice.
24th. April 2013.
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