June 2013 - Costa Calida Chronicle

This Rural Tourist development is the brainchild
of César Miñano who lives in Murcia, but
is the director of the scheme.
Set in the foothills of the mountains of Moratalla,
Hacienda Los Granadicos boasts 9
self contained houses which sleep from 4 to
20 people. All these houses are well equipped
with washing machines, fridge freezers, cookers
and central heating. They are furnished in
traditional Spanish style with some beautiful
antiques to match the many unique features.
The views are stunning and this is definitely a
place to visit either for the day or for a holiday.
it. Other facilities available for visitors are the
Social Hall, Barbeque area, Swimming Pool
and designated routes that can be discovered
by walking, mountain bike, or riding a horse
or donkey. There are 15 horses available for
riding and the instructors are all fully qualified.
These routes vary in lengths from about
half an hour on horse back to a few hours on
foot. There are three ménages that are used
for schooling the horses and also for riding
lessons.
carts can be undertaken. The larger carts
and carriages are available to hire for weddings
etc.
The whole Hacienda Los Granadicos complex
sits in acres of well worked olive and
almond trees and there is an area containing
an organic garden with fresh vegetables
available for residents. Just walking round,
you can see that this is a place that has had
a great deal of thought and planning put into
Many children from the schools in the area
and Murcia visit Hacienda Los Granadicos
and make use of the room dedicated for tuition
and they make a fuss of all the animals in
the compound that houses a great variety of
animals including a Shetland pony and a peacock.
All the animals are well looked after by
staff who live on the premises, one of whom
speaks very good English. The wonderful collection
of old carts can be seen under cover
in the equestrian section and pony rides and
Hacienda Los Granadicos is certainly worth
a visit to experience the peace and tranquility
of true rural Spain whatever the time of
year. You can see how the wonderful landscape
changes through the months if you visit
at different times of the year. César is planning
more activities, but one area that is used
regularly is the semi-permanent teepee-type
tents that are used by Scouts and Brownies
throughout the region. What a superb and
safe place for children to explore whilst enjoying
the experience of sleeping outdoors.
We hope to see you soon
César Minaño
Director
Tel 650 004 366
In association with Costa Cálida International Radio and www.angloINFO.com
Thyme – (tomillo)
Thyme is a popular herb that can be found
in hot, sunny locations as well as in cold climates
and grows as a perennial, meaning
that it grow throughout the year and will reappear
every year. It can be propagated by
seed, cuttings and even by dividing the root
sections. It is a very resilient plant and is often
found in the wild from mountain sides to
sea level. The strong aroma can be smelled
for miles on a remote Greek mountain.
Thyme has been used throughout the centuries
by the Romans and Greeks for things
such as embalming, assuring a safe passage
into the next life and the Greeks were famous
for using Thyme in their baths and burning
it as incense in their temples. The Romans
used Thyme to purify their rooms and for
centuries it has been put under pillows to
help those with insomnia and/or nightmares.
The Roman ladies would give some Thyme
to the knights and warriors hoping it would
give them courage during their long battles.
Liked many popular herbs, Thyme can be
bought either fresh or dried. Obviously fresh
Thyme is more flavoursome, but the dried
herb is popular because of its long shelf life.
If bought fresh, Thyme is usually sold by the
bunch or sprig which might be used whole in
a recipe, but usually removed before serving.
Thyme has a woody stem which is usually
discarded and it is the leaves that are used
in cooking. It is one of the ingredients of
bouquet garni, the mixture of herbs used in
French cooking. One use in British cooking
is with Parsley and Thyme stuffing, served
with roast pork or chicken. Add sprigs of
Thyme to marinades for meat, fish or vegetables
or tuck a few sprigs with half a lemon
and an onion inside a chicken before roasting.
Oil of Thyme contains 20-54% Thymol
which is a natural antiseptic and is often
used in mouth washes and natural, alcoholfree
hand sanitizers. Thymol can be found in
treatments for fungal infections especially
those affecting the toe nails. It also contains
many other compounds such as myrcene and
linalool. A tea made by infusing Thyme in
hot water can help relieve symptoms such as
bronchitis and chest infections.
There are various types of Thyme, including
lemon, orange and lime Thyme. As
the names suggest, there is a strong scent
of citrus from these varieties. These citrus
herbs prefer the full sun and well drained soil
and they bloom in mid to late summer. They
have pink or lavender flowers which attract
butterflies and bees and are often cultivated
as ornamental plants. Again the leaves are
used as flavouring in cooking and can be
used fresh in salads. The Citrus Thyme can
be used in much the same medicinal way as
the ordinary herb.
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