Community Spirit, July 2018
Community Spirit emagazine was created in 2017 to help bring the English speaking community closer together in the city and the surrounding towns. And to support individuals and businesses to overcome their challenges of setting up a new life in this beautiful area. Don't miss an issue of the emazine magazine! To subscribe and get all the back issues, visit and send a message to: www.facebook.com/emazinemediaglobal
Community Spirit emagazine was created in 2017 to help bring the English speaking community closer together in the city and the surrounding towns. And to support individuals and businesses to overcome their challenges of setting up a new life in this beautiful area. Don't miss an issue of the emazine magazine! To subscribe and get all the back issues, visit and send a message to: www.facebook.com/emazinemediaglobal
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
<strong>Community</strong> <strong>Spirit</strong><br />
Let's use our good Energy to create great things together<br />
JULY <strong>2018</strong><br />
KNOW HOW<br />
TO PROTECT<br />
YOUR PET<br />
FROM<br />
HEATSTROKE<br />
DOGS FOR<br />
ADOPTION IS<br />
BACK!!<br />
DUTCH TELEVISION<br />
MAN BITES DOG<br />
EXCLUSIVE<br />
INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL ABSPOEL<br />
GETTING LOST AT<br />
THE MANDALA<br />
CAMPING FESTIVAL<br />
OXYGEN THERAPY<br />
AVAILABLE IN<br />
CAPSULES!<br />
EXCLUSIVE INTERVEIW<br />
WITH FOUNDER & CEO,<br />
VENETIA KRUGER<br />
MOVING TO VALENCIA?<br />
ON THE ROAD WITH MAN &<br />
VAN - DAVID SMITH
IN THIS<br />
ISSUE<br />
Founder's Message<br />
Hi Everyone,<br />
This is the 9th issue <strong>Community</strong> <strong>Spirit</strong> e-magazine.<br />
<strong>Community</strong> <strong>Spirit</strong> Valencia... brings you local news and stories,<br />
combined with international exclusives which support the community!<br />
In June, I went traveling to the Netherlands and had great fun painting<br />
lots of beautiful souls at the well known Mandala Camping Festival in<br />
Wanroij. It was a beautiful tribal and community experience. Afterwards,<br />
I traveled to Amsterdam to catch up with friends and was delighted when<br />
I got to interview one of the Editor's-in-Chief of Man Bijt Hond, one of<br />
Holland's most famous community television programmes. I found the<br />
experience really inspiring and it's encouraged me to take <strong>Community</strong><br />
<strong>Spirit</strong> e-magazine to another level.<br />
Also, I am now co-working at the Serrania Solar office in Villar del<br />
Arzobispo. <strong>Community</strong> <strong>Spirit</strong> Valencia is now ranked No.1 in Google.<br />
I am grateful to everyone who is getting involved!<br />
All the Best,<br />
Richard T. Voller<br />
Editor-In-Chief<br />
EXCLUSIVE:<br />
MAN BITES DOG<br />
This is community television the Dutch<br />
way! If you don't know the programme,<br />
it was a sort of humorous news<br />
programme which ran for 16 years in<br />
Holland. It literary opened doors and<br />
let people meet the ordinary folk!<br />
Everything you need to know! What<br />
symptons to look for? And what to do if<br />
your dog is suffering from heatstroke.<br />
MOVING TO VALENCIA?<br />
Instead of discovering different<br />
places in the community of Valencia<br />
in which to live, this time I join<br />
David Smith, a well-known Man with<br />
a Van.<br />
OXYGEN THERAPY NOW<br />
AVAILABLE IN CAPSULES!<br />
The Nobel Prize winner, Dr Otto<br />
Warburg, has established that<br />
cancerous cells can not live at high<br />
oxygen levels. This is an exclusive<br />
interview the Founder & CEO of<br />
Oxygen Products Ltd, Venetia Kruger<br />
14<br />
PROTECT YOUR DOGS FROM<br />
HEATSTROKE<br />
26<br />
43<br />
31<br />
To subscribe click on the flower above!<br />
TRAVELLING<br />
Helen Warriner tells us about her<br />
Death defying trekking and<br />
orangutan spotting in Sumatra!<br />
11
CONTENTS<br />
Areas of interest to be covered .<br />
4<br />
WHAT'S ON?<br />
In local towns and in the city centre.<br />
6<br />
LOCAL BUSINESS<br />
SERVICES DIRECTORY<br />
11<br />
20<br />
THINGS TO DO<br />
Indian Summer Festival at Centro<br />
Ayurveda<br />
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW<br />
Michael Abspoel was one of the Editorsin-Chief<br />
of Holland's famous TV<br />
programme 'Man Bites Dog' which<br />
opened up the community!<br />
13<br />
31<br />
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW<br />
Oxygen Products are now available in<br />
capsules. Exclusive interview with<br />
Founder & CEO, Venetia Kruger<br />
MONEY MATTERS<br />
David James goes shopping 'Money is<br />
Money'<br />
33<br />
40<br />
MOVING TO VALENCIA?<br />
Man with a Van, David Smith invites<br />
<strong>Community</strong> <strong>Spirit</strong> along to experience<br />
the big move!<br />
GARDENING MATTERS<br />
Your little balcony: healthy things it can<br />
produce.<br />
37<br />
44<br />
ANIMAL WELL-BEING<br />
Learn how to protect your pets from<br />
heatstroke.<br />
HEALTH AWARENESS<br />
Happy Poops!<br />
46<br />
TRAVELLING & HOLIDAYS<br />
Helen Warriner inspires us about her<br />
death defying trekking and orangutan<br />
spotting in Sumatra!<br />
50 NATURAL REMEDIES<br />
Mozzies Are Back! Facebook group<br />
article, what you have to say!<br />
49<br />
57<br />
SCIENCE & HEALING<br />
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)<br />
available in Valencia<br />
ANIMAL WELL-BEING<br />
Dogs for Adoption!<br />
58 AURA PAITING<br />
Getting lost at the Mandala Camping Festival in<br />
the Netherlands
WHAT'S ON?<br />
Local Towns and Valencia<br />
Free Language Exchange,<br />
Lliria<br />
The address is:<br />
ASOCIACION VECINOS LA BUITRERA<br />
C/ ABETOS 2<br />
URBANIZACIÓN LA BUITRERA<br />
46160 LLIRIA<br />
The language exchange takes place every Friday from<br />
7,30 to 8,30 PM.<br />
We do half an hour of Spanish conversation and half<br />
an hour of English. There is no charge for this<br />
R E I S E | P A G E 2<br />
ARTS & MUSIC
- Emergency: 112<br />
- National Police: 091<br />
- City Police: 092<br />
- Civil Guard: 062<br />
- Fire: 080<br />
- Red Cross: 963 67 73 75<br />
Wednesday- Casinos and L'Eliana<br />
- Airport: 961 59 85 00<br />
- Bus Station: 963 46 62 66<br />
- Port: 963 93 95 00<br />
- Post Office: 963 51 67 50<br />
- Valencia Regional Government Info: 012<br />
- Valencia City Hall Info: 010<br />
- Customs: 963 67 13 00<br />
- Visas, Embassies & Consulates<br />
Pedralba<br />
Rastro<br />
Pedralba Rastro<br />
Sunday 8th <strong>July</strong> <strong>2018</strong>,<br />
Location: Behind Bar Sardi, Pedralba.,<br />
From 9.00 til 1.00.<br />
Lin Shepherd, event organiser, raises funds for<br />
Naturaleza y Animales (Vice President) by charging<br />
Euro 2 for space at the Rastro which goes to the charity.<br />
Sellers need to arrive at 8am<br />
Weekly Local Town Markets<br />
Friday - Villar del Arzobispo<br />
Thursday - Lliria<br />
Tuesday - Betera<br />
Public Holidays in <strong>2018</strong>:<br />
There are some things which you just need to<br />
you don't want to be driving into. .<br />
remember,<br />
town to find that everything is closed down<br />
because you forgot it was a public holiday!<br />
Tuesday 1 May - Labour Day<br />
Wednesday 15 Aug - Assumption of Mary<br />
Tuesday 9 Oct - Valencian Regional Holiday<br />
Friday 12 Oct - Fiesta Nacional de España<br />
Thursday 1 Nov - All Saints' Day<br />
Start planning now for Villar del<br />
Arzobispo Fiesta Week!<br />
10th to 18th August<br />
Thursday 6 Dec - Constitution Day<br />
Saturday 8 Dec - Immaculate Conception<br />
USEFUL NUMBERS FOR<br />
VALENCIA:<br />
Emergency Numbers<br />
- Renfe (National Train Service) Information: 902<br />
24 34 02 or 963 52 02 02<br />
- Renfe Tickets: 902 24 02 02 or 963 52 02 02
Local<br />
Services Directory<br />
NOW<br />
FREE<br />
HOME<br />
SERRANIA SOLAR / NATHAN / +34 619 589 210 OR UK MOBILE 0044 07743 755108<br />
MAN & VAN / DAVID SMITH / +34 615 462 452<br />
PLUMBER & ELECTRICIAN / TONY ROGERS / +34 677 201 382<br />
DOG AND HOUSE SITTING, HOUSE CLEANING /VILLAR DEL ARZOBISPO /<br />
JANICE PARKER / +44 752 389 5968<br />
CLEAN AND GREEN ECO-FRIENDLY CLEANING SERVICES / KELLY DANVERS / +34<br />
633 975 167<br />
GENERATORS/ NEIL / +44 7759 333 839<br />
ANIMAL WELL-BEING<br />
ECLIPSE VETS / MARIA LLUCH BARBERA / +34 962.700.659 OR +34 652.161.659<br />
BUSINESS MATTERS<br />
CONVERSATIONAL TRANSLATIONS / DANI /+34 618 37 92 94<br />
SUSANA DIAZ ESTEBAN / PA & MANAGEMENT / SUSANA / + 34 651 407 565<br />
EXPAT WEB DESIGN / DERRICK BAILEY / +34 674 996 156<br />
CHLOE DELAUNAY COACHING / CHLOE DELAUNAY - CAREER & BUSINESS COACH<br />
/ +34 673 246 661<br />
ELENA ZURRIAGA VIRTUAL ASSISTANT SERVICES / ELENA ZURRIAGA -<br />
BUSINESS SUPPORT / +34 615 339 555
Local<br />
Services Directory<br />
ECO FRIENDLY PRODUCTS<br />
TIERRA DELICADA / DAVID JAMES / +34 617 24 27 42<br />
HAIR & BEAUTY<br />
BLONDES, BRUNETTES AND REDHEADS/HAIRDRESSING SALON -PIERRE & YOHE<br />
DEBAAS-TORTOZA / + 34 654.890.599 OR ESP + 34 654.893.956<br />
FITNESS, WELL BEING and EXERCISE<br />
YOGA WITH JENNISON / JENNISON GRIGSBY / +34 661 58 56 53<br />
YOGA VIDA HATHA YOGA / KELLY DANVERS / +34 633 975 167<br />
BIG YOGA FESTIVAL / BEATRIZ ABRIL / +34 671 065 533<br />
ALTERNATIVE HEALING<br />
KAIKKI MASSAGE / DIDIER THOMAS / +34 602 87 61 92<br />
AYURVEDIC LIFESTYLE / RONAK NEGI / +34 962 324 478<br />
REIKI THERAPY / KELLY DANVERS / +34 633 975 167<br />
NUTRITION, FOOD<br />
WARRIOR UP TO WIN / NUTRITION HEALTH - KELLY DARLING / WHATS APP 001<br />
(480) 290 2906<br />
BICK'S BAKES / CAKES & DOG BISCUITS - KAREN BICKNELL / + 34 636 660 380<br />
FOR YOUR 'INDIAN DELIGHTS / MORGINI / + 34 642 189 873<br />
Click here to Subscribe
<strong>July</strong> <strong>2018</strong> / <strong>Community</strong> <strong>Spirit</strong><br />
CLICK ON TO ACCESS WEBSITE<br />
To benefit from advertising in <strong>Community</strong> <strong>Spirit</strong> online magazine, please visit our website and<br />
discover more:<br />
www.EmazineMedia.wixsite.com/communityspirit
Local<br />
Services Directory<br />
LA PUERTA COACHING /PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT SPECIALIST - ANNE E.<br />
DUGUID - TEL + 34 657 43 43 24<br />
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT<br />
LIAH BERLIOUX COACHING / LIFE COACH - LIAH BERLIOUX - TEL + 33 635 180 638<br />
ENTERTAINMENT<br />
POMPINO LIVE MUSIC /ELECTRIC ROCK & KARAOKE FOR FIESTAS, ACOUSTIC<br />
FOR FUNERALS OR CHRISTENINGS / DEREK BELL - +44 7480 319 687<br />
BPSB - BUDDY PAUL'S SMOKIN' BLUES BAND / RED HOT JUMP BLUES, R'N'B,<br />
RICK'N'ROLL / PAUL TIDIMAN - +34 640 353 304<br />
HOLIDAY HOMES<br />
VILLA TORRENT / JEANNY GREVELINK / +34 678 446 129<br />
HAPI ZEN / RICHARD VOLLER / +34 602 564 973<br />
SCIENTIFIC HEALING TREATMENTS<br />
DELTA O2 / GHISLAIN MOUTON / +34 638 15 35 85<br />
SPIRITUAL<br />
BRUJA CELTA / MASAGE,HEALING, AROMATHERAPY (PHYSICAL,EMOTIONAL AND<br />
SPIRITUAL) WITCHCRAFT. /CHLOE / +34 673 146 224
THINGS TO DO<br />
Art Competition<br />
Villar del Arzobispo<br />
Are you artistic? Do you like painting or<br />
drawing and want to enter an art<br />
competition? If so, then this is a great<br />
opportunity!<br />
You need to create a piece of artwork on a bedsheet, which<br />
you collect when you register at the Fiestas Commission in<br />
Villar del Arzobispo.<br />
The photo to left is the Winner of the competition in 2017.<br />
The art competition is open to individuals and groups, you<br />
don't have to live in Villar del Arzobispo to enter the<br />
competition. You need to be over 18 years old and the<br />
theme and the style is totally up to you!<br />
Registration<br />
To register, send an email to:<br />
communicacionfiestasvillar<strong>2018</strong>@gmail.com<br />
Deadline for finished pieces is 3rd August <strong>2018</strong><br />
Prizes: 1st - Euro 200, 2nd - Euro 100 and 3rd - Euro 50<br />
You'll find further details of the competition on the Fiestas del Villar Facebook page.<br />
www.facebook.com/fiestas.delvillar
THINGS TO DO<br />
INDIAN SUMMER FESTIVAL AT THE AYURVEDA<br />
LIFESTYLE CENTRE, L'ELIANA<br />
Saturday 28th <strong>July</strong><br />
11am till 8pm<br />
Entrance FREE<br />
More info: Susan 606517656<br />
& Kalpana 600720357<br />
*if you would like to<br />
participate with your<br />
Craft/Art or promote your<br />
business please contact us.<br />
Call: 962 324 478<br />
www.ayurvedabybharatnegi.com<br />
Ayurveda Lifestyle By Bharat Negi,<br />
C/Salamanca 12<br />
L´Eliana, 46183, Valencia<br />
What's going on?<br />
Lots of Craft & Artisan stalls:<br />
Products from India,<br />
Natural Cosmetics,<br />
'Clean & Green',<br />
Handmade Soaps & Jewellery,<br />
Hand decorated Fans,<br />
Face Painting for kiddies,<br />
Ecological home made Jams & Chutneys, fresh<br />
fruit smoothies & much more<br />
Richart (<strong>Community</strong> <strong>Spirit</strong> e-Magazine) will be<br />
there with his Aura paiting: 20€ & if you bring<br />
your own black t-shirt,15€<br />
Indian food available throughout the day.<br />
Traditional Dance demonstrations.<br />
Come along & join us for a lovely relaxing<br />
Summer day out.
TOGETHERNESS<br />
02<br />
july <strong>2018</strong> issue 09<br />
written by Christine Woodbridge<br />
I love the most wonderful woman in the world,<br />
I love her and she loves me,<br />
we love unconditionally.<br />
She comforted me when I cried,<br />
laughed with me when I was happy,<br />
Held me when I was in pain.<br />
She was an integral part of my life and I of hers.<br />
I could not have lived my life without her.<br />
For she is part of me and I am part of her.<br />
We are in this world together and will always be<br />
together, nothing can tear our love apart for we are<br />
Mother and Daughter.<br />
In memory of my Mother<br />
E D I T O R I A L O F F I C E<br />
www.emazinemedia.wixsite.com/communityspirit
1 3 | X C L U S I V E<br />
O X Y G E N T H E R A P Y N O W A V A I L A B L E<br />
I N C A P S U L E S<br />
I N T E R V I E W<br />
Oxygen Therapy now available in a capsule!<br />
Founding Director and CEO of Oxygen Products, Venetia Kruger interviewed by Richard T. Voller<br />
Ever since I discovered oxygen therapy in Valencia and began to experience it for myself at the Delta o2 wellness<br />
centre, I started noticing considerable changes to my general well-being. But I also noticed that whenever I shared<br />
my perspective in public I seemed to get a lot of negative feedback from people with misconceptions as to what<br />
oxygen therapy actually is and how important it is in transforming the current healthcare and medical treatments<br />
being offered by big pharmaceutical companies and corporations.<br />
So I was really delighted after I did some internet research and discovered a pioneering company based in South<br />
Africa which is using Mother Nature's oxygen therapy as a natural way of healing people with chronic illnesses.<br />
Could it be true that I’d finally stumbled across a medical healthcare company that actually had a heart and soul?<br />
That actually cared about curing the cause of sickness in people and not just the symptoms?<br />
The more I looked into the Asante Foundation and Asante Philani which are the Research and Development arms of<br />
Oxygen Products (Pty) Ltd, the more I realised that this company is on a massive global humanitarian mission. So I<br />
started doing some research into the company and eventually ended up speaking with Nancy Ramos, the Office<br />
Administrator who was very helpful and arranged for me to have an interview with the Founding Director and CEO<br />
of Oxygen Products, Venetia Kruger.
C O M M U N I T Y S P I R I T 1 4 | X C L U S I V E<br />
I N T E R V I E W<br />
To give you an overview of the<br />
humanity today has attracted<br />
patients in general recover<br />
company, I think it is right that I<br />
widespread interest among<br />
remarkably quicker from<br />
share with you some of the<br />
doctors, health practitioners,<br />
chronic wounds, bedsores,<br />
following information which is<br />
various institutions, public<br />
venous ulcers and all other<br />
from their Medical Portfolio<br />
sector organisations and the<br />
chronic diseases. I am thus very<br />
document.<br />
public at large.<br />
excited to see the outcome of<br />
any new studies and would<br />
Asante Foundation and Asante<br />
The knowledge and expertise of<br />
therefore strongly recommend<br />
Philani which are the Research<br />
Venetia’s key partners, Dr Julian<br />
further clinical studies in the<br />
and Development arms of<br />
Holmes, internationally<br />
future.”<br />
Oxygen Products (Pty) Ltd,<br />
renowned for his competent<br />
formed with the mission of<br />
research in ozone-related<br />
The Asante Foundation has<br />
becoming dynamic and<br />
technologies and products, and<br />
therefore embarked on bold<br />
influential leaders in the<br />
Dr Thozamile Qubuda of<br />
fund-raising initiatives in order<br />
research and development of<br />
Africeutical Health Sciences,<br />
to deepen and widen the scope<br />
innovative oxygen therapy and<br />
specialising in chronic disease<br />
of clinical trials; to focus on<br />
associated products. They are<br />
management, recognised for his<br />
dedicated to providing support<br />
exceptional work in HIV/AIDS,<br />
chronic illnesses and lifethreatening<br />
diseases. And<br />
and healing for severe health<br />
are bringing exciting new<br />
intensify ongoing research<br />
maladies, including the<br />
dimensions to the ongoing<br />
projects towards the further<br />
debilitating chronic nature of<br />
advancements and healings<br />
advancement of oxygen therapy<br />
major dreaded diseases such as<br />
qualities of oxygen therapy.<br />
treatment, together with the<br />
HIV/AIDS, cancer, diabetes,<br />
formulation of new products<br />
heart dysfunction, Ebola and<br />
Oxygen Products (Pty) Ltd is<br />
lines. In addition, the need to<br />
others.<br />
gaining momentum at an<br />
build community based natural<br />
accelerated pace and now finds<br />
health clinics is of critical<br />
The founder and CEO of Oxygen<br />
itself strategically poised to<br />
importance. Asante’s<br />
Products (Pty) Ltd, Venetia<br />
seize the opportunity for<br />
aspirations, together with<br />
Kruger, has devoted the lion’s<br />
exponential growth. The<br />
Oxygen Products (Pty) Ltd, is to<br />
share of her life to the study of<br />
ongoing demand for oxygen<br />
forge collaborative working<br />
healing through natural health<br />
products is increasing steadily<br />
relationships/partnerships with<br />
medicines. This has culminated<br />
with over 200 pharmacies<br />
professional health<br />
in ground-breaking<br />
stocking a regular supply and a<br />
practitioners and institutions,<br />
developments pertaining to the<br />
growing number of medical<br />
and in so doing expand its<br />
healing qualities of oxygen<br />
practitioners utilising oxygen<br />
horizons, enabling the provision<br />
therapy, incorporating a range<br />
therapy and associated products<br />
of crucial health services<br />
in their practices. An email<br />
around the globe. Asante’s<br />
of uniquely formulated fit-forpurpose<br />
oxygen products.<br />
received at the time of writing<br />
medium-term vision is to<br />
Outstanding results benefiting<br />
encapsulates their experience:<br />
establish a natural health and<br />
patients across the spectrum of<br />
“My experience, with the<br />
healing retreat followed by a<br />
the foremost diseases plaguing<br />
product, Super Oxygen, is that<br />
natural health hospital over the<br />
long term.
Richard: “What is oxygen therapy<br />
Venetia: “It is one of the most<br />
Richard: “How is it possible to<br />
Venetia: “This formulation is<br />
Richard: “What types of<br />
Venetia: “This product will boost the<br />
Richard: “How quickly can Oxygen<br />
Venetia: “We know from experience<br />
C O M M U N I T Y S P I R I T / M A Y 1 5 | X C L U S I V E<br />
I N T E R V I E W<br />
So I don’t know about you, but<br />
that all seems like really good<br />
news to me! And as I am<br />
reaching 50 years old in a few<br />
years, and both my parents have<br />
died, one from cancer and the<br />
other from a heart attack, I am<br />
lot more aware about about my<br />
state of well-being and looking<br />
after my mind/body/soul temple<br />
so that I can live a long, healthy<br />
and active life.<br />
I am currently in the process of<br />
really transforming my lifestyle<br />
because I feel that now is the<br />
time to do it, so I’ve drawn up a<br />
new healthy lifestyle plan and<br />
am step-by-step putting it into<br />
action. So you can imagine my<br />
wonderful surprise when the<br />
Universe brought me into<br />
Above: Venetia Kruger, Founder and CEO of Oxygen Products (Pty) Ltd<br />
alignment with Venetia Kruger<br />
and Oxygen Products.<br />
have oxygen therapy in a<br />
THE INTERVIEW<br />
the body to heal itself from disease.<br />
Any chronic disease will be supported<br />
immune system and will thus assist<br />
capsule?”<br />
such as diabetes, poor blood<br />
circulation, high blood pressure,<br />
natural and includes some of<br />
Cancer, Hiv/Aids, Allergies, wounds<br />
and how can it heal people?”<br />
the finest medicinal plants and<br />
and many more."<br />
minerals. When the product is<br />
taken with water, there is a<br />
chemical reaction that takes<br />
versatile therapies available to man<br />
Products have a positive effect on<br />
place in the body and oxygen is<br />
today because if one is able to raise<br />
the oxygen levels in the blood, then<br />
released into the bloodstream.<br />
someone's well-being?<br />
no fungi, virus or bacteria can live<br />
This “oxygen in a capsule” will<br />
at high oxygen levels. With this<br />
live up to your expectations on<br />
healing the body.”<br />
being said, it means that we will<br />
that results can already be seen from<br />
the very first week of using our<br />
have a better immune system and<br />
products. It is very important to use a<br />
the body will stay healthy and<br />
diseases can be cured with your<br />
lot of water when taking the products,<br />
protect itself as it is designed to<br />
to get the best results.”<br />
Oxygen Products?”<br />
do.”
Richard: “Is it effective for long-<br />
Venetia: “We have done a trial<br />
Richard: “Does increased<br />
Venetia: “One of our medical<br />
Richard: “Can Oxygen Products<br />
Venetia: “We have a special<br />
Richard: “Are there any side<br />
Venetia: “There may be a<br />
Richard: “Why do you think that<br />
Venetia: “Our medical doctors are<br />
Richard: “So are your products<br />
C O M M U N I T Y S P I R I T / M A Y 1 6 | X C L U S I V E<br />
I N T E R V I E W<br />
term diseases? Have there been<br />
any trials?”<br />
in 2014 with Hiv/Aids patients<br />
and results have shown an<br />
increase of 65% on the CD4<br />
count of all patients within 30<br />
days! Nobody has reported any<br />
side effects but good health and<br />
some have been able to go back<br />
to work again. Also we have<br />
seen reversal of different<br />
Cancers even with late stage<br />
cancer. The Nobel Prize winner,<br />
Dr Otto Warburg, has<br />
established that cancerous cells<br />
can not live at high oxygen<br />
formulation for Sport people<br />
some people might be afraid of using<br />
levels.”<br />
that helps with better<br />
natural treatments like oxygen to heal<br />
endurance and also removal of<br />
themselves? And what advice do you<br />
lactic acid. All sport people<br />
have to reassure them?”<br />
oxygen cause a premature<br />
using our products claim major<br />
ageing of your cells and body?<br />
improvement on their times<br />
with marathons, cycling and<br />
trained on pharmaceutical products<br />
others.”<br />
and not natural products. Never in the<br />
doctors has noted that all of his<br />
history of mankind have we had so<br />
patients using this product tend<br />
many health problems that was<br />
to have younger looking skin.<br />
effects when using Oxygen<br />
unheard of a mere 100 years ago. We<br />
More oxygen also means<br />
Products?”<br />
have advanced in knowledge but not<br />
increased energy levels and<br />
in treating diseases. Today Big<br />
better well-being.”<br />
Pharma has designed medical care in<br />
reaction of headaches within<br />
treating symptoms and not disease.<br />
the first three days of using the<br />
Staying a patient for the rest of your<br />
help people gain more energy?<br />
product. This is only because of<br />
life has huge financial benefits for big<br />
Especially people who do lots of<br />
the removal of toxins in the<br />
Corporations.”<br />
sports or outdoor physical<br />
body. Just increase the water<br />
activities?”<br />
intake to flush out the toxins<br />
and you should feel on top of<br />
affordable so that more people can<br />
the world.”<br />
use them?”
Discover so much more about your self<br />
through this soul reflection art workshop<br />
guided by Richart.<br />
THIS SUMMER HAVE FUN AND LEARN HOW TO PAINT YOUR<br />
You might just starting seeing life in a<br />
new light! Call Richart on 602.564.973<br />
AURA ON CANVAS<br />
THERE'S NO PAIN IN AURA PAITING!!<br />
LET YOUR SOUL SHINE BRIGHT!
Venetia: “Most definitely as the<br />
Richard: “As a pioneer in oxygen<br />
Venetia: “To get the product into<br />
Venetia: “Oxygen is Life. Oxygen is<br />
C O M M U N I T Y S P I R I T / M A Y 1 8 | X C L U S I V E<br />
I N T E R V I E W<br />
product is designed to take care of<br />
the problem and not only a<br />
symptom. Many conditions can<br />
also be reversed with lifestyle<br />
changes. This product is meant to<br />
be a humanitarian product and be<br />
available to everyone in need.”<br />
therapy, what are your big goals<br />
for the next year?”<br />
the rest of Africa and get more<br />
trials done to prove the efficacy of<br />
this product.”<br />
Richard: “Why are you so<br />
Click on advert to go to website<br />
passionate about Oxygen Therapy<br />
Products?”<br />
the Source of all Healing. Oxygen is<br />
the Breath of our Creator".<br />
Editor’s Note:<br />
Yes, I am very excited to try out their products and will report back in the future as to what the results<br />
are. But what I feel in my heart and soul about this company is not a belief in their products, but it<br />
feels deeper than that. It’s more like a sense of knowing. That makes me curious. So I’ve ordered a<br />
bottle of oxygen products online through their website and am looking forward to them arriving soon.<br />
If these products live up to our expectations then this will be amazing for the community as a whole.
COMMUNITY SPIRIT / SUBSCRIBE 19<br />
Click on logo to access website<br />
Add video Here<br />
Interview with Kelli Davis,<br />
Founder of Happy Family<br />
Natural Wellness<br />
This is one of a series of video interviews with local business owners in and around Valencia.<br />
Our aim is to give you a greater insight into their business, the services, and products which they<br />
offer and to help you to get to know them a bit better.
BEHIND THE DOOR:<br />
THE MAN FROM<br />
'MAN BITES DOG'<br />
M I C H A E L A B S P O E L , O N E O F T H E E D I T O R S - I N - C H I E F A N D T H E<br />
V O I C E - O V E R O F T H E F A M O U S D U T C H T E L E V I S I O N P R O G R A M M E<br />
F O R T H E C O M M U N I T Y .
2 1 | X C L S U I V E<br />
M I C H A E L A B S P O E L<br />
I N T E R V I E W E D B Y R I C H A R D T . V O L L E R<br />
I N T E R V I E W<br />
In June, I returned to the Netherlands after being away for about three years.<br />
It was a great time for me to catch up with old friends and also to expand the<br />
reach of the <strong>Community</strong> <strong>Spirit</strong> into the Netherlands, so that the e-magazine can<br />
become truly international. I realised that in my network I have some pretty<br />
inspirational people who have been working on community projects, and now<br />
with this online platform I have created, I had a good reason to dig deeper into<br />
their lives and discover some amazing things.<br />
So Michael Abspoel, one of the<br />
Editors-in-Chief and Voice-Over of<br />
the Dutch television programme<br />
known as ‘Man bijt hond’<br />
(translation is Man Bites Dog’) had<br />
invited me to his home and during<br />
one of our conversations he<br />
mentioned to me that he had seen<br />
my recent video interview with Kelli<br />
Davis, the founder of Happy Family<br />
Natural Wellness in Valencia and<br />
was very impressed with the quality<br />
of the interview and with the<br />
filming. I saw his interest in my<br />
work as a unique opportunity to get<br />
an exclusive interview with the man<br />
behind the famous Dutch television<br />
programme ‘Man Bites Dog’. I was<br />
delighted when Michael agreed to do<br />
the interview as his 16 year TV<br />
programme had a massive positive<br />
impact in Holland. It was a ground-<br />
breaking programme to say the least<br />
and it was all about the community<br />
spirit.
Richard: “So you developed a<br />
Michael: “To start with, the<br />
Richard: “What type of news?”<br />
Michael: “It could be international<br />
Richard: “What angle?”<br />
Michael: “We looked at how the<br />
Richard: “And how do the<br />
Michael: “Well the television<br />
2 2 | X C L U S I V E<br />
Richard: “So how did you connect<br />
Michael: “The starting point was that<br />
M I C H A E L A B S P O E L I N T E R V I E W<br />
B Y R I C H A R D T . V O L L E R<br />
I N T E R V I E W<br />
"The name of the programme, Man Bites Dog,<br />
is a term which is used in journalism. It means<br />
that a dog who bites a man is not news, but a<br />
man who bites a dog, that is news! ..."<br />
of the Netherlands. So it was<br />
things around the royal family or<br />
THE INTERVIEW<br />
something which moved people.<br />
things like football, etc, etc!”<br />
And then we always tried to look<br />
concept for the Dutch television<br />
at the news from a different<br />
“So the community feeling was<br />
programme, 'Man Bites Dog' to bring<br />
angle.”<br />
lacking a little bit I think before we<br />
people together in the community in<br />
aired the programme. Everybody<br />
a positive way. Can you explain a<br />
was doing their own thing and what<br />
little bit about the formula of Man<br />
we missed on television was a<br />
Bites Dog and why you think it<br />
programme especially from the<br />
became so successful?”<br />
common people looked at the<br />
point of view of ordinary people. So<br />
news. It was never with experts<br />
we were able to fill-in that gap.”<br />
or celebrities. The starting point<br />
television programme ran from 1999<br />
was always to see how the<br />
to until 2015. So it had 16 seasons<br />
common people looked at news,<br />
with the ordinary people and gain<br />
and it was a daily programme. The<br />
looked at each other and looked<br />
their trust?”<br />
name of the programme, Man Bites<br />
at things evolving in society.”<br />
Dog, is a term which is used in<br />
journalism. It means that a dog who<br />
we wanted to be one of them, and<br />
bites a man is not news, but a man<br />
common people look at each<br />
not to be the journalist or the<br />
who bites a dog, that is news! So we<br />
other?”<br />
interviewer. So we just became<br />
are always looking for unusual news.<br />
friendly with the people and showed<br />
You would think that it was a news<br />
them that they were important.<br />
programme, and partly it was. It was<br />
programme was originally an<br />
Before this, it was just the people<br />
a magazine which started with the<br />
idea from Belgium. A colleague<br />
who had success and who were in<br />
news of the day.”<br />
and I, transformed it into a Dutch<br />
the media who were on television. So<br />
concept. We knew that the<br />
you never saw your neighbour on<br />
diversity and the individuality of<br />
TV, but in our programme you<br />
the Dutch people was an<br />
would!! Or you would discover<br />
important element of the<br />
something amazing about the local<br />
news like Trump meeting the<br />
programme. But there are also<br />
community.”<br />
dictator of North Korea or a train<br />
things that bind us together like<br />
accident in the south of<br />
the ‘Kings Day’ celebrations and
Richard: “So what was the structure of the<br />
Michael: “It was a magazine with a daily<br />
Richard: “Like what types of<br />
Michael: “There was a man<br />
2 3 | X C L U S I V E<br />
I N T E R V I E W<br />
“Can you imagine the happy feeling of<br />
seeing your neighbour on television?”<br />
“We showed that everybody has a good<br />
story and that everybody can be inspiring,<br />
and you can be like them. I think that is<br />
why everybody loved to watch it. It was<br />
about us, but it was also about me. The<br />
feeling was that anyone might be in the<br />
programme the next day!”<br />
Above: The famous dog from Man Bites Dog with garden gnomes<br />
programme?”<br />
community discovering new<br />
things?”<br />
things and thinking ‘Wow, we<br />
programme of 25 minutes with 6,7 or 8<br />
are bloody interesting!”<br />
small items. It always started with the<br />
news, the talk of the day. So we would go to<br />
who was collecting gnomes in<br />
“That’s because it was a feel<br />
a market place for example, and ask<br />
good programme. One of the<br />
his garden. It was not about the<br />
people what they thought about what was<br />
gnomes but it was about the<br />
most popular items of the<br />
happening in the news. But it was not<br />
programme was that everyday<br />
passion that he put into his<br />
really about the news, it was more like who<br />
hobby. There was a camera<br />
we would just go to someone’s<br />
would you like to slap in the face? Or who<br />
house and ring the doorbell<br />
crew filming them about what<br />
would you like to give flowers too? Or who<br />
they were doing and it was the<br />
around dinner time. We would<br />
do you think deserves a royal award?”<br />
ask if the people were going to<br />
first time in their lives that they<br />
got so much attention. We<br />
eat and could we come in and<br />
“And then people would say, ‘I think my<br />
join them and ask about what<br />
didn’t just ask how many he<br />
neighbour or my brother deserves it<br />
had or how expensive they<br />
they had done that day!<br />
because of …..”<br />
Actually it was more than that,<br />
were, or whatever, but it was<br />
about why he did this? And<br />
it was more like, ‘Who is<br />
“Everyone could recognise him or herself<br />
Behind the Door?’<br />
what does it do for him? And<br />
in the answers. So after the news we had a<br />
what do the neighbours think<br />
question that you could answer, it was<br />
“What is he thinking? What is<br />
about it?”<br />
about your life. And that made it a very low<br />
he doing in life? What is<br />
key programme where everybody could<br />
“We always made it into a<br />
important to him or her? How<br />
recognise themself in the programme. So<br />
normal conversation between<br />
does he look at things? How<br />
there were always small documentaries of<br />
does he handle certain<br />
two people who were curious<br />
maybe 5 or 6 minutes with just ordinary<br />
and not judging. So in general,<br />
difficulties in his life? So it was<br />
people doing extremely fantastic and<br />
always interesting because you<br />
people who watched the<br />
inspiring things.”<br />
programme liked to look at<br />
never knew who was on the<br />
other side of the door.”<br />
Dutch people, the Dutch
Richard: “So there was no planning??”<br />
Michael: “Yes, there was no planning!<br />
Michael: “Yes, it didn’t exist<br />
2 4 | X C L U S I V E<br />
Richard: “So that means it must have<br />
I N T E R V I E W<br />
In about one hour they would be<br />
released and shared on the internet.<br />
really. Not a daily programme<br />
It meant that everyone could share<br />
about the people! Now that it has<br />
their special stories from the<br />
So it was always a surprise for us too!!<br />
gone people really miss it! That is<br />
The idea was that everybody has a story,<br />
programme, so some stories went<br />
always what happens when you<br />
are gone, I hope they miss you!!!”<br />
viral because it was so crazy or<br />
maybe not every time as interesting, but<br />
we wanted to show the diversity of the<br />
funny, or it was a very emotional<br />
Dutch people. Sometimes it was just a<br />
story. It was not about lunatics or the<br />
“But I think that people miss it<br />
family with children and then it was a<br />
crazy side of Holland, sometimes<br />
because it was a mirror to<br />
there were crazy people in it doing<br />
very lonesome old man who just lost his<br />
Holland. It was repeated during<br />
eccentric things, but it was always<br />
the evening, so young people also<br />
wife. Or we went to small villages where<br />
there are very eccentric people living. So<br />
got to see it. They would come<br />
done with respect.”<br />
out from the bars in the evening<br />
you saw how Holland really is. And<br />
because we made more than 3,000<br />
and watch ‘Man Bites Dog’, and<br />
“I think it gave people the idea that<br />
they wanted to be part of it, it was a<br />
episodes a lot of people who came to<br />
we also made clippings after<br />
every episode.<br />
family programme.”<br />
Holland, like refugees who were here in<br />
the centres, used ‘Man Bites Dog’ to<br />
learn about Dutch culture, who we are<br />
they got a lot from watching the<br />
So<br />
because it was different to<br />
programmes<br />
they were normally taught about<br />
what<br />
Dutch community.”<br />
the<br />
“So it was really like a fly on<br />
Richard:<br />
wall documentary of real life…”<br />
the<br />
“Yes, because it was about us. I<br />
Michael:<br />
also the Voice Over of the<br />
was<br />
so you heard me<br />
programme,<br />
the items, so I became the<br />
introducing<br />
of Holland. But you never saw me<br />
Host<br />
you never saw the interviewer so it<br />
and<br />
always about the people. In the<br />
was<br />
the people didn’t know what<br />
beginning<br />
expect!” to<br />
“It must have been very<br />
Richard:<br />
to what was around at the<br />
different<br />
time?”<br />
"Yes, there was<br />
no planning! So it<br />
was always a<br />
surprise for us<br />
too!! The idea<br />
was that<br />
everybody has a<br />
story, maybe not<br />
every time as<br />
interesting, but<br />
we wanted to<br />
show the<br />
diversity of the<br />
Dutch people."<br />
it was on…”<br />
when<br />
“Yes, I think it must have.<br />
Michael:<br />
on we came with new ideas<br />
Later<br />
new themes relating to things<br />
and<br />
were hot in Holland, but we<br />
that<br />
to make our own version of<br />
wanted<br />
So things like cooking<br />
them.<br />
or a reality soap. We<br />
programmes,<br />
in 2006 with a reality soap<br />
started<br />
it was an instant success because<br />
and<br />
was an Amsterdam family with an<br />
it<br />
woman who was living on a<br />
older<br />
with her daughter and son-in-<br />
boat<br />
She was just sitting there<br />
law.<br />
and counting the cars that<br />
smoking<br />
the bridge. So she didn’t<br />
crossed<br />
a very exciting life, but she was<br />
have<br />
‘Jordaan’, so Amsterdam Dutch,<br />
so<br />
she was an instant success. So<br />
that<br />
thought that we must do more<br />
we<br />
and how we get along with each other.<br />
affected 3 or 4 different generations<br />
with her.”
Richard: “Did you follow them to different<br />
countries?”<br />
Michael: “First we followed them in Amsterdam<br />
and later they had a little villa in Benidorm in<br />
Spain. We followed them there, it was really funny.<br />
But the thing was that a completely unknown<br />
family and a completely unknown woman became<br />
stars. We had to organize a ‘Meet & Greet’ with<br />
them for the viewers. So ordinary people could be<br />
famous through the programme. That was not our<br />
intention, but it just happened that way.”<br />
“So there were more people who became sort of<br />
stars.”<br />
Richard: “So people were open to you coming into<br />
their lives with a television crew with no prewarning?”<br />
Michael: “The first season it was really difficult because<br />
they didn’t know us. But later they realised that our<br />
intentions were good. It was not making them look<br />
foolish or with treating them with disrespect because of<br />
the way we talked to them. We talked to them as if they<br />
were our friends. It was like meeting someone in the bus<br />
station or train station, within a few minutes you have a<br />
click and you start talking to each other and you tell<br />
them everything about your life and then you say ‘Oh<br />
my train is coming, I must catch it. Got to go. Nice<br />
meeting you!’ And then you never see each other again.<br />
It was that type of feeling.”
Richard: “So what was one of the<br />
Michael: “I think it was our ability to get<br />
Richard: “And they also did it in<br />
Michael: “Yes! So I was a bit<br />
2 6 | X C L U S I V E<br />
Richard: “Someone said to me<br />
Michael: “You never know what the<br />
I N T E R V I E W<br />
“I think that inspired people to lookout<br />
“So when it went deeper it became<br />
‘I never expected to tell you this<br />
story because I never told this<br />
interesting for people watching it,<br />
more for their neighbours who were in<br />
story to anybody! Not even to my<br />
need or lonely people, or whatever. So it<br />
but also for us. I always felt that<br />
was just about communicating and<br />
daughter or son!’<br />
when it moved me or touched me, or<br />
I was inspired, then I knew that<br />
talking with each other! So that was one<br />
of our aims, but the Dutch are quite<br />
other people be inspired too. It<br />
open in any case. The problem these<br />
front of a film crew!”<br />
always had to bring you something, a<br />
days is that you see everyone on the<br />
laugh or a strong emotion.”<br />
streets glued to their mobile phones, but<br />
not connecting with the people around<br />
jealous of the camera crew, but<br />
recently that Man Bites Dog, was<br />
them in the moment. And our show was<br />
they would come back with great<br />
almost responsible for shifting<br />
results. You learn a lot about<br />
all about being in the moment.”<br />
people’s perspective of themselves<br />
people and we always wanted to<br />
go deeper than what you saw on<br />
or society in general in Holland…”<br />
the surface. It always started with<br />
successes of the programme?”<br />
‘What did you do today?’ … but it<br />
always ended with a life story.”<br />
effect will be when you start such a<br />
people to open up and talk about<br />
programme. It evolved, the more<br />
Just to be curious and give<br />
themselves.<br />
of yourself and then you get<br />
something<br />
back.”<br />
something<br />
“So because you were one of<br />
Richard:<br />
Editors-in-Chief and ‘the Voice’ of<br />
the<br />
programme for 16 years, how did<br />
the<br />
affect your life?"<br />
that<br />
“It affected me in a very<br />
Michael:<br />
way and as a team, we were a<br />
positive<br />
of family. We talked every day how<br />
kind<br />
could improve things and what was<br />
we<br />
about in society and how we could<br />
going<br />
our own comment on that. I<br />
make<br />
a lot of editing because I never<br />
watched<br />
went with the camera crew to<br />
actually<br />
people. We were always looking for<br />
the<br />
items and I looked at the results. It<br />
new<br />
moved me to see that we were<br />
really<br />
"...we realised<br />
that this was<br />
very important<br />
to people and<br />
it was more<br />
than just a<br />
programme. So<br />
there was a<br />
kind of<br />
community<br />
feeling."<br />
more that we got into contact<br />
and<br />
people and the more feedback<br />
with<br />
got, we realised that it meant<br />
we<br />
to people than we could have<br />
more<br />
imagined!”<br />
ever<br />
also had a 'Man Bites Dog'<br />
“We<br />
on the internet, so we<br />
community<br />
events and people could<br />
organised<br />
together and because that was<br />
gather<br />
successful we realised that this<br />
very<br />
very important to people and it<br />
was<br />
more than just a programme. So<br />
was<br />
was a kind of community<br />
there<br />
feeling.”<br />
was a magazine, it was intense<br />
“It<br />
it went fast. People learned a lot<br />
and<br />
who we really are and how we<br />
about<br />
in just 25 minutes each day<br />
function<br />
capable of opening up people because a<br />
of the week.”<br />
lot of times people would say afterwards
Richard: “Would you ever consider<br />
Michael: “All the people who worked at<br />
Richard: “Just by opening the<br />
Michael: “Yes, people thought<br />
Richard: “Well that is true<br />
2 7 | X C L U S I V E<br />
Michael: “Yes, I think in my career I<br />
Richard: “So you are fascinated by<br />
I N T E R V I E W<br />
And that for me was a great thing<br />
to see. It was just seeing people<br />
have also been lucky to do things<br />
doing something similar to this again?”<br />
which have inspired me as a person.<br />
be there true selves that made<br />
Of course, this programme became<br />
things so special. I got inspired<br />
the programme in 2015, were<br />
my pièce de résistance ... because it<br />
by so many people on that<br />
programme actually…”<br />
comes the closest to explaining who<br />
disappointed that it stopped, even after<br />
such a long time. So for many people<br />
I am and how I want to<br />
who worked on the programme it was of<br />
communicate with people. You<br />
always have to be curious about life,<br />
door..”<br />
great importance, so we could have<br />
continued to make it for another 5 years<br />
in order to discover more. You can<br />
always ask people questions.”<br />
or so. I made it for the Dutch public<br />
that we pre-arranged that … but<br />
television network.”<br />
that was never the case. That was<br />
“It’s not because it is my occupation,<br />
“In 2011, the general public voted on<br />
it is about being curious as a person.<br />
the most amazing thing! That<br />
behind every Dutch door could<br />
which Dutch programme made the most<br />
I always want to know who people<br />
are? What your dreams are? How did<br />
be an inspiring and beautiful<br />
impact in 60 years of Dutch Television<br />
and we won that award. It was really<br />
you get so far and what were the<br />
story.”<br />
important for us because it was a prize<br />
obstacles? I find this always<br />
interesting.”<br />
of the public. I think that it is better to<br />
because you invited me into your<br />
be remembered in a good way and step<br />
home and I have got this<br />
down, rather than people saying ‘Ok,<br />
we’ve seen enough now! It’s over the<br />
awesome story today!”<br />
the personality of people?”<br />
hill.”<br />
“Yes, I am looking at that<br />
Richard:<br />
on the wall behind you now of<br />
photo<br />
Jagger. I know what you mean!”<br />
Mick<br />
“Yes, we can go on forever, but<br />
Michael:<br />
know!”<br />
you<br />
this point we just both burst into<br />
[At<br />
it took a few moments before<br />
laughter,<br />
interview continued again]<br />
the<br />
“Do you have a favourite<br />
Richard:<br />
of 'Man Bites Dog'?<br />
memory<br />
“There are so many! I think it<br />
Michael:<br />
just that there were so many special<br />
was<br />
people became public figures.<br />
ordinary<br />
"I wanted the<br />
interviewers to<br />
be sharp, so<br />
they could get<br />
things out of<br />
people without<br />
having to force<br />
them, just<br />
simply keep<br />
asking the<br />
questions."<br />
“Yes, so that is what I<br />
Michael:<br />
repeated with the camera<br />
always<br />
and the editor … ‘What are we<br />
crews<br />
for?’ I know that sometimes<br />
looking<br />
them it was very tiring because I<br />
for<br />
wanted 100%. I know I was<br />
always<br />
demanding. They always told<br />
quite<br />
that I was very tough to work<br />
me<br />
but from you we learned the<br />
with,<br />
about being really passionate<br />
most<br />
the job.”<br />
for<br />
always wanted the interviewers to<br />
“I<br />
deeper and deeper. I wanted the<br />
dig<br />
to be sharp, so they<br />
interviewers<br />
get things out of people<br />
could<br />
having to force them, just<br />
without<br />
keep asking the questions.<br />
simply
Richard: “So you really thought that you<br />
Michael: “Yes, and luckily we got the time<br />
Richard: “Now I am curious, as 'Man Bites<br />
Michael: “When people contact me and<br />
2 8 | X C L U S I V E<br />
Richard: “Wow! That is very<br />
Michael: “Yes, for example the eight<br />
I N T E R V I E W<br />
That was another way of making<br />
want to make any programmes any<br />
“Now it is the man from 'Man<br />
Bites Dog', who comes walking<br />
more which are scripted. Almost 90%<br />
television that was for me very<br />
through your door!! And I am<br />
interesting.”<br />
are scripted!! That is not something I<br />
would like to do.”<br />
working on a programme where I<br />
“So that was my programme, it was who I<br />
come and have dinner with you.<br />
We are now making a trailer to<br />
“The thing is that in my heart, I am a<br />
am. It was how I look at people. It’s my<br />
sell that concept, it’s called<br />
passion for people, my curiosity for<br />
theatre-maker. Being back in the<br />
people. It could have been based in Spain,<br />
‘Cooking Today”.<br />
theatre is really an important part of<br />
my ‘new life’. I’ve always felt that I<br />
it doesn’t matter. What matters is that<br />
“One of the ingredients of the<br />
was more than a television-maker, so<br />
wherever you are , you’ve got to have the<br />
same drive to learn from the people, so<br />
now I am planning to make a theatre<br />
website, is that the man known<br />
show around the 'Man Bites Dog' TV<br />
that is what my drive was!”<br />
from Man Bites Dog is famous for<br />
programme.”<br />
the voice-over comes to you and<br />
interviews you like we did in the<br />
programme. I’ve just interviewed<br />
were creating something in Dutch public<br />
television that was transforming what was<br />
a Syrian refugee who fled to<br />
inspiring and creative way to evolve<br />
everything you have learnt from the<br />
there…”<br />
Holland and opened her own<br />
experience! I suppose the nice thing<br />
catering business. It is about food<br />
would be to see how 'Man Bites Dog'<br />
and more. In every country<br />
to establish our programme. These days if<br />
has really impacted the Dutch media<br />
people come together at the<br />
you don’t have the results after a season or<br />
dinner table, where they share<br />
and culture...”<br />
stories. So at the dinner table that<br />
six months, then the programme is gone.<br />
is where you really get to know<br />
So in the beginning it was difficult, the<br />
o’clock news started to make news<br />
first two seasons we really had to work<br />
that Dutch people, but also other<br />
very hard to convince the bosses to keep<br />
people.”<br />
items where they went to the<br />
going on with the programme. But we<br />
ordinary people to ask them about<br />
how they were looking at the news.<br />
proved to them that we were right.”<br />
“Six o’clock and food is on the<br />
Before 'Man Bites Dog', you never<br />
table. That is the only moment<br />
saw the common people in the eight<br />
when the mobile phones are<br />
switched off, when you are<br />
Dog' has finished, with all this passion<br />
o’clock news! It was always experts<br />
that you have for people, what are you<br />
talking about what the common<br />
lucky!! And people start to ask<br />
people were thinking!!”<br />
each other questions about the<br />
doing now?”<br />
day and all kinds of subjects.”<br />
“Now at the School of Journalism, the<br />
'Man Bites Dog' approach is taught to<br />
want to work with me, it is all 'Man Bites<br />
“I started to invent new television<br />
formats like the programme<br />
students. I also gave some workshops<br />
Dog' related. So now I am a Freelancer<br />
and I love to do things that I know best. I<br />
about the Moroccan integration<br />
because people are curious what it is.<br />
So it has had its effect because<br />
know how to communicate with the<br />
into Dutch society. It was heavier<br />
stuff, but when you’ve done 'Man<br />
sometimes also in other programmes<br />
general public, so now I am more<br />
interested in interviewing people myself.”<br />
Bites Dog for 16 years, everything<br />
you see 'Man Bites' Dog kind of items.<br />
One of the results<br />
else is less, you know. I don’t
Richard: “Why did Man Bites Dog stop<br />
Michael: “We don’t know. It’s all about<br />
Richard: “Where you rocking the boat too<br />
Michael: “No, we had a lot of freedom.<br />
Richard: “Do you think that it<br />
Michael: “Yes, it become sort of<br />
Richard: “Yes, what pops up in<br />
Michael: “Yes, I think that it<br />
2 9 | X C L U S I V E<br />
Richard: “So it was fully inclusive,<br />
Michael: “Yes, it gave people the<br />
Richard: “To gather… “<br />
Michael: “Yes, that is what was<br />
Richard: “Can you give me an<br />
Michael: “Well when there was a<br />
Richard: “It almost feels like a<br />
I N T E R V I E W<br />
is that it really changed the way that we<br />
is very hard to go to a person and<br />
say ‘What is it that you want?<br />
which is what community really is,<br />
look at our community and society, which<br />
don’t you think?”<br />
was in a positive way. And that is good.”<br />
became more than a television<br />
feeling that they were important too.<br />
programme?”<br />
then?”<br />
To, to… "<br />
politics. How the RTL’s and the SBS’s from<br />
national public heritage.”<br />
this world, the commercial television,<br />
how to face them. So we had to stop. Now<br />
important over the years. People<br />
there is a new magazine about food and<br />
my mind now is that it was like a<br />
knew that over the years we would<br />
kind of cultural identity.”<br />
interior decorating! That’s politics! And<br />
go everywhere and everybody had a<br />
one of the other big problems that we had<br />
good story to tell. I think that for the<br />
was concerning the time slot. We were<br />
first time people saw how other<br />
always on seven o’clock before the news.<br />
became that because there were a<br />
lot of studies which documented<br />
people thought in the different cities<br />
But then the ‘De Wereld Draait Door’<br />
which was also on a public TV channel<br />
about who we really are? Also a lot<br />
around Holland. They got to discover<br />
what was going on there locally. So<br />
which was very popular was also moved to<br />
of the old Holland was slowly<br />
fading away. Most of the television<br />
we made small local news, big news!<br />
a seven o’clock time slot and we became<br />
competitors for viewers. We lost viewers<br />
programmes in Holland don’t go<br />
And the big news small.”<br />
further than Amsterdam, The<br />
from that battle, even though we were<br />
Hague, Rotterdam, and Utrecht.<br />
very popular. If we would have continued<br />
example of what you mean?”<br />
to have about 800,000 viewers per night,<br />
We went to the smallest places in<br />
the North and in the South, in<br />
then we would still be on. That is also<br />
politics.”<br />
Zeeland and in the East. We went<br />
everywhere and then people<br />
royal wedding, we wanted to know<br />
who cleaned the toilets! Who’s going<br />
would marvel that we were<br />
coming from so far away to see<br />
much?”<br />
to clean the toilets for 3,000 guests??<br />
That is what made it so popular. It<br />
them! That was one of the reasons<br />
that people liked us everywhere<br />
was funny, but you made other<br />
Every year we got a little bit more budget<br />
choices and the woman who did that<br />
because we were not stuck in the<br />
was very proud of what she did. And<br />
to do what we wanted. We had complete<br />
Ranstadt area.”<br />
creative freedom to do whatever we<br />
we made her become a star in the<br />
wanted actually. We would never find that<br />
“The meaning of someone in<br />
public's eyes. So everybody<br />
counted!”<br />
again. That is the problem, if I worked for<br />
Groningen was just as important<br />
as someone in Amsterdam. Of<br />
public television now I would have four<br />
course it was not always possible<br />
other Chiefs telling me different things<br />
that they want in the programme. When<br />
to go everywhere, we tried our<br />
political movement or something,<br />
but without the politics.”<br />
you have so much freedom of creating, it<br />
best though, we even went to the<br />
Dutch Antilles islands.”
Michael: “Well in 2002, we had our first<br />
2 3 | I N T E R V I E W<br />
political murder in Holland with Pim<br />
Fortuyn. Two days before he was killed,<br />
he was in our programme because there<br />
were elections coming up. And we had a<br />
disabled kind of dwarf who was in our<br />
programme because the local news was<br />
that one of his gnomes got stolen. Of<br />
course, the funny thing was that he<br />
looked like a gnome and his wife was a<br />
little bit retarded so the combination<br />
was fantastic, although still respectful to<br />
“So we would ask him questions<br />
Editor’s Note<br />
them both.”<br />
and everytime he got it wrong it<br />
After the interview I felt very<br />
privileged to have discovered more<br />
would go ‘Beeeeeb!!’ and then<br />
“In the programme we had a<br />
you’d have to start all over again.<br />
about Michael’s inspiring work. I<br />
reconstruction of the violent robbery of<br />
wished that I had taken the time to<br />
It was terrible, Buzz Wire game<br />
the garden gnome, of course it went<br />
that's what it was. So that is an<br />
ask him some questions years before<br />
viral, but he was also doing voluntary<br />
about his work, but then everything<br />
example of how we handled<br />
work and he had his own political party.<br />
politics.”<br />
happens when it is supposed too I<br />
But he was the only one in the party and<br />
guess.<br />
his wife was supporting him. One day<br />
“But Pim Fortuyn was one of the<br />
we thought that we need to do<br />
big leaders who said that nobody<br />
I could really feel his passion and his<br />
something with politics, so we made<br />
excitement about creating the 'Man<br />
listens to the ordinary people.<br />
him our 'Man Bites Dog' political<br />
What we now see with the Dutch<br />
Bites Dog' programme. I am looking<br />
journalist. When there were elections,<br />
forward to seeing his next<br />
elections or with Trump being<br />
he was always there. The political<br />
elected, is that it is all about the<br />
programme about cooking and<br />
leaders all wanted to have some free<br />
storytelling around the dinner table.<br />
ordinary people being screwed.”<br />
airplay or television time so they also<br />
Actually this interview has given me<br />
participated in our programme. Pim<br />
a new perspective and some great<br />
“With 'Man Bites Dog', we were<br />
Fortuyn was doing silly things in the<br />
saying that you forget the<br />
ideas of how to evolve <strong>Community</strong><br />
programme and our journalist was<br />
common people because we were<br />
<strong>Spirit</strong> for the better.<br />
asking silly questions, but the public<br />
making the common people<br />
liked it. But two days later Fortuyn was<br />
important. And not outspoken,<br />
killed.”<br />
but we showed it everyday in our<br />
people were thinking about<br />
www.michaelabspoel.com.<br />
programme, we showed what<br />
“The game that Pim was playing was the<br />
funny doctors game where you have to<br />
politics or whatever. We just<br />
move a metal gadget around a wire and<br />
showed how beautiful the Dutch<br />
everytime it touches it goes ‘Beeeeeb!!!’<br />
people really are!”
So, I know I said that this month’s article would be<br />
boxes, then 3…you get the idea. A while ago I<br />
fund!) The grand sum of my gatherings, €187.50, not<br />
I don’t know about anywhere else but in the UK<br />
Now,<br />
supermarkets have a Coinstar machine. For<br />
most<br />
unfamiliar with the concept, it is similar to a<br />
those<br />
machine into which you pour all of your copper<br />
kiosk<br />
silver after which you receive a coupon equal to<br />
and<br />
value of your coins minus 7%, which goes to a<br />
the<br />
charity. That coupon can then be used in<br />
designated<br />
supermarket or exchanged at the counter for less<br />
the<br />
papery currency. As I gather you have<br />
weighty,<br />
by now, no such Coinstar exists here. At<br />
assumed<br />
not one that I have found, and I have been<br />
least<br />
asking web searching.<br />
looking,<br />
my search, many people had advice as to how<br />
During<br />
dispense of said coin. Others got into arguments<br />
to<br />
how terrible it was that Spain “refused” to<br />
about<br />
such machines as Coinstar.<br />
entertain<br />
SPIRIT<br />
COMUNITY<br />
VALENCIA<br />
of those arguments got quite dark and weird.<br />
Some<br />
an aside I found it bizarre that expats would argue<br />
As<br />
Spain would not allow foreign entities to enter<br />
that<br />
country, yet were very annoyed that Spain has<br />
its<br />
refugees to land on its shores, seeking a<br />
allowed<br />
away from their war-torn countries. Just saying!<br />
home<br />
digress. So, the advice given to rid myself of my coin<br />
I<br />
was thus:<br />
collection<br />
it into little plastic pipes and give it to the<br />
Count<br />
who will then credit my account.<br />
bank,<br />
MONEY MATTERS<br />
PAGE 31<br />
MONEY IS MONEY<br />
W R I T T E N B Y D A V I D J A M E S<br />
about the arguments against recycling but I have<br />
found myself in a different kind of “recycling”<br />
situation that I want to share.<br />
Over my time here I have been tossing my change<br />
into a wee box, after a while that box became 2<br />
decided to separate the coins into denominations<br />
and very recently I was inspired to count up my<br />
Use it at tobacco machines in bars.<br />
hoardings (to contribute to my electric scooter<br />
Make small purchases using said coins<br />
to be sniffed at!<br />
Use it at the self-service machines at supermarket<br />
Use it at the ticket machines for public transports
COMMUNITY SPIRIT E- MAGAZINE, JULY ISSUE<br />
So, the first option is clearly the<br />
easiest, I already have some of the<br />
plastic pipes. However, having read the<br />
other ideas I saw an opportunity to<br />
have a little fun with it. The second<br />
option was a write off as I haven’t<br />
smoked a cigarette since August 2017<br />
and, although I want one every single<br />
day, this was not going to be the reason<br />
for putting one in my mouth, lighting<br />
that beautiful baby and sucking back on<br />
its thick, delicious, devilish smoke<br />
before exhaling it and sinking back into<br />
my seat in absolute pleasure and a<br />
little bit of guilt. God, I miss those<br />
things!<br />
The small purchases seemed to be the<br />
best way forward. I try not to do a “big<br />
shop” at the supermarket, purchasing<br />
the essentials then buying the bits, veg,<br />
wine etc from local shops. This was<br />
very well received. I purchased food<br />
for my dog, Gizmo, with a bag of 10€ in<br />
20c. The owner couldn’t have been<br />
more appreciative of the change.<br />
Although, she is an absolutely<br />
delightful woman who wouldn’t raise<br />
her voice to someone who stamped on<br />
her toe and called her very unsavoury<br />
names. Next was a charcuteria. I made<br />
a small purchase amounting to €3.60.<br />
The owner made such a display of<br />
thankfulness that I tried my luck and<br />
dangled €15 in 10c and 20c in front of<br />
her which she snatched out of my hand.<br />
So far, so good.<br />
Despite my reluctance to do the “big<br />
shop” at the supermarket one of the<br />
most common pieces of advice I<br />
received was using the self-service<br />
machines that some supermarkets have<br />
available. This takes some<br />
consideration. Which store? How<br />
much? Other people! The latter being<br />
my main concern. I was doing this to<br />
get rid of the change I had<br />
accumulated, not piss people off. I have<br />
stood in the queue at a supermarket<br />
whilst the people in front are handing<br />
over coupons, paying in change,<br />
changing their mind, realizing they<br />
don’t have enough money, and talking<br />
about family members and friends with<br />
the clerk. I have realized that other<br />
composed people in the queue, at these<br />
times, are not exercising patience.<br />
They are simply waiting for their<br />
turn to talk about their family<br />
members and friends with the clerk.<br />
And so, there I was, pouring €35<br />
worth of 1c, 2c, and 5c into a<br />
machine at the Hipercor in<br />
Campanar. One of the only<br />
supermarkets I knew that not only<br />
had the machines, but had eight of<br />
them. Less chance to piss folk off,<br />
right? NO! Within 5 minutes of me<br />
arriving at one of the eight empty<br />
machines available a queue began to<br />
form. I was already getting funny<br />
looks from the clerk attending to the<br />
machines as I manically shoved the<br />
copper into the slot. The few times I<br />
had the guts to look up I was greeted<br />
with glares of annoyance, confusion,<br />
and some looks I had never seen<br />
before and therefore had no way to<br />
interpret what was going on in that<br />
particular individual’s mind. The<br />
horror finally ended and as I gleeful<br />
walked off with my purchase, which<br />
mostly consisted of deliciously<br />
indulgent cheeses, I bade farewell<br />
and a “muchas gracias” to the clerk.<br />
She was not impressed and gave me<br />
the dirtiest look I think I have ever<br />
received from someone.<br />
The ticket machine fiasco was very<br />
short. I tried several times to pay for<br />
my bonometro and broke several<br />
machines doing so, including one<br />
that proceeded to spew out ticket<br />
paper. I quickly realized that the<br />
machine would accept no more than<br />
€2.50 in 5c before spitting it all out<br />
in impatience and disgust.<br />
What have I learnt from this<br />
adventure? Firstly, get rid of my<br />
change! I’m not sure why I<br />
saved it all up in the first place<br />
but I’m happy that I did. Second,<br />
never be impatient whilst<br />
standing in a queue ever again.<br />
Third, there is a weird thing<br />
that people have about coins.<br />
Money is money! Why is it<br />
important what denomination it<br />
is in? For some it is a blessing,<br />
for others a bane. Did the lass in<br />
the Hipercor think I was some<br />
sort of homeless dude who had<br />
saved up all his pennies to buy<br />
fine cheeses? Did she feel that I<br />
had made her job difficult in<br />
some way? I will never know!<br />
I still have about €10 left in 1c<br />
and 2c but the bulk of the work<br />
is done. I ordered my electric<br />
scooter on the weekend and am<br />
looking forward to reaping the<br />
rewards in a few days. My<br />
advice to you all? Crack open<br />
that piggy bank, empty that<br />
oversized whiskey bottle, look<br />
under your bed and down the<br />
side of the sofa. We don’t have<br />
many rainy days, certainly as<br />
it’s summer, but go ahead, treat<br />
yourself!
Moving to Valencia?<br />
When it comes to the big move, you really<br />
want to make it as less stressful as possible<br />
because let’s face it, you’ve got a heck of a<br />
lot of stuff and just the thought of getting it<br />
from A to B can be a headache before you<br />
start!<br />
So if you have a family or if you live alone,<br />
you’re going to need some professional help<br />
just to make the experience a little bit more<br />
fun! Yes, moving home doesn’t have to be a<br />
grueling experience when you choose the<br />
right man with a van.<br />
David Smith is a name which keeps on<br />
popping up in Facebook expat groups<br />
whenever you see someone looking for a Man<br />
with a Van. So this month instead of<br />
researching different places in Valencia that<br />
you can move too, I thought why not<br />
experience what it’s like to do a move with a<br />
professional English speaking removals<br />
business based here in Valencia.<br />
Speaking with David I discovered that he’s<br />
been shuffling people and their furniture<br />
around for a while now, either from areas in<br />
the suburbs of Valencia or for people coming<br />
from abroad to live here. So I decided to<br />
work with him on one of his jobs to experience<br />
what it was like and then write up my story<br />
for <strong>Community</strong> <strong>Spirit</strong> Valencia.<br />
Richard T. Voller<br />
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
midday, when sun would really start to<br />
move. It’s amazing just how much you can<br />
beds, sofas, tables and chairs, plus loads<br />
boxes, we also stacked in 13 bicycles, a<br />
hot, that I wondered why the hell I’d<br />
creams, just as I thought I was going<br />
The Big Move Finally Arrives!<br />
I arranged to meet David at the Repsol Petrol Station in Casinos at 8.30am. Of course he was on time, and we were<br />
chatting all the way to our customer’s front door, which actually turned out to be a gate of a castle … or a least it<br />
looked like one! So by the time that we stepped out of the van to meet everyone we felt in really high spirits.<br />
The customer, a Scottish family who already moved to live in L’Eliana where now on the move to Naquera (on the other<br />
side of Betera). Ruth was the woman in charge and Connon her son, had offered to give a helping hand.<br />
I noticed that David is always very much on the ball, as soon as we walked into her home he wanted to know exactly<br />
what needed to be moved. So we walked around the house, while Ruth explained the different things which were<br />
either staying or going. I thought that David must have a photographic memory because I would need to write<br />
everything down to remember it all! It certainly did remind me of the Generation Game, when later on I was trying to<br />
remember all of the different things that were on the conveyor belt … cupboard in the children’s room, badminton set<br />
in the garden, electric piano, BBQ, cuddly toy…<br />
So there’s no time wasting with David, it’s just go, go, go! And OMG, we were working flat out! I remember that we<br />
managed to move a washing machine, a bed, two mattresses, a sofa, a TV and lots of boxes from an apartment<br />
building to our van parked outside and fully load it in under 45 minutes in the summer sun! And as an extra service,<br />
without being asked, David kindly unscrewed a very tight nut on the dishwasher to detach the unit from the wall, ready<br />
for the owners to sell it.<br />
There were moments during the day,<br />
So driving back and forth between L’Eliana<br />
especially when it was getting really<br />
and Naquera seemed to get shorter and<br />
shorter on each trip. The main aim was to<br />
decided to opt for this experience.<br />
get all the really heavy items moved before<br />
It’s really hard work, but the thing is<br />
that we ended up working as a great<br />
heat us up. I think it must have reached at<br />
team with the customer and actually<br />
least 35 degrees on the day of the big<br />
they were no longer a customer, now<br />
we’d all become friends. It was like<br />
fit into a 13 cubic meter white van. As well<br />
we were all just digging in and<br />
as all the normal types of furniture such as<br />
making the very best of our shared<br />
time together and it was a really<br />
great experience! Ruth, bless her,<br />
home weight-lifting machine and a huge<br />
even brought out the Magnum ice<br />
basketball stand on the different trips!<br />
to melt with sunburn.<br />
And David is right up there with the Fair<br />
Trading standards. I was impressed when<br />
I have to admit that the thought of<br />
at one stage we were so far ahead of<br />
getting a washing machine up 20<br />
ourselves that we thought we’d stop off for<br />
steps at the front of the new house<br />
a coffee and a tea, so that we could meet<br />
was a bit daunting. But with David’s<br />
Ruth back at the house at the time we’d<br />
expertise and experience, we worked<br />
agreed earlier. But he didn’t charge her for<br />
together to quickly haul it up using<br />
that time! Now that’s really rare.<br />
the sack truck It was bish, bash,<br />
bosh! Job well done!
eport, I realise even more, just how great the<br />
SPIRIT<br />
COMMUNITY<br />
VALENCIA<br />
MOVING TO VALENCIA?<br />
PAGE 35<br />
I learnt a few things from Connor as well. I’ve<br />
never seen anyone look so surprised as when I<br />
told him I didn’t know what a PS4 was! And<br />
there was a lovely moment when Ruth invited<br />
us to pick some fresh fruit from her garden. I<br />
was amazed at the size of the fruit, lemons,<br />
apricots and plums. Her daughter was so kind<br />
as to show me the different trees and even led<br />
me to an outside stone sink where I could<br />
wash the fruit. It was just a nice family feeling.<br />
I felt very grateful to be part of this wonderful<br />
day helping them to move home.<br />
I think we spent about 12.5 hours over 2 days,<br />
moving everything from one place to another,<br />
it really was a good way to get a suntan and<br />
build up my muscles. But I can easily<br />
understand why David has become so popular<br />
in the community. Basically he really cares<br />
about the quality of service that he offers, he’s<br />
open and genuine, and considering his<br />
approach to work, I think that his prices are<br />
really good value for money.<br />
Now sitting here at home and writing up my<br />
community spirit is here in Valencia and what<br />
a joy it is to be part of it.<br />
Click on logo to access websites
City Centre Space for Rent<br />
Calle Doctor Ferrán 13, located between<br />
avenida Aragón and avenida del<br />
Cardenal Benlloch next to the hotel<br />
Puerta Valencia.<br />
About 70m2<br />
Charges are included : air conditioned,<br />
wifi, water, electricity<br />
We are renting, with its own entrance in the<br />
street that can form a shop window of about<br />
6m2, with its own electric shutter, half the part of<br />
our property. This property looks like a U, the rent<br />
concerns the left part of this U. In the rear room,<br />
separated of the 2 branches of the U by 2<br />
beautiful patios containing an olive tree and<br />
plants, you can find 2 toilets that have to be<br />
shared, one of them contains a shower.<br />
The place for rent is very bright, 55m2,<br />
ceiling height is about 3,35m. The patio is<br />
16.50m. The common rear room of 20m2<br />
eventually can be added to the rent, just<br />
giving us the Access to the area that we now<br />
use as a stockroom. The two of them are<br />
70m2.<br />
The place is completely renovated, bright,<br />
smooth concrete floor, LED lights, water and<br />
a place that can be used as a small kitchen<br />
without smoke exit.<br />
Conditions : 1 month of deposit + 1ºmonth:<br />
TOTAL 1200 €.<br />
CONTACT: JEREMY tel. 638 153 585
ANIMAL WELL-BEING<br />
PROTECT YOUR<br />
PET FROM<br />
HEATSTROKE!<br />
By Maria Lluch Barbera (veterinarian) & Laila Fletcher (trainee canine behaviourist)<br />
WELL, SUMMER HAS BEEN A<br />
LITTLE SLOW TO ARRIVE THIS<br />
YEAR, BUT IT’S CERTAINLY<br />
ARRIVED NOW WITH A BLAST!<br />
AND WITH THESE<br />
TEMPERATURES LIKELY TO<br />
KEEP RISING, IT’S<br />
IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THE<br />
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL<br />
WELLBEING OF OUR PETS.<br />
Heatstroke is a dangerous rise in body<br />
temperature (above 41 oC), that can<br />
cause clinical shock, and proves fatal for<br />
one in every three affected dogs. Dogs<br />
are at risk because, unlike us, they have<br />
very few sweat glands. The only sweat<br />
glands they have are between the pads<br />
on their feet, and these don’t get rid of<br />
much heat at all, so the only other way a<br />
dog can eliminate excess body heat is by<br />
panting, which they do when their body<br />
temperature rises above 39 oC.<br />
Heat stress and heatstroke occur when a<br />
dog’s body temperature continues to rise<br />
above 39 oC, but it is unable to get rid of<br />
the excess heat, and this can be fatal if<br />
not recognised and dealt with quickly.
What are the symptoms of heatstroke?<br />
In addition to excessive panting, there are plenty of other signs<br />
that could indicate your dog might be suffering from heatstroke:<br />
excessive drooling<br />
breathing difficulty<br />
panting is very noisy<br />
dizziness/loss of balance<br />
rapid or irregular heart rate<br />
reddened gums and moist or gloopy eyes/nostrils<br />
vomiting and diarrhoea<br />
agitation/distress<br />
tremors, seizure or loss of consciousness<br />
Flat-faced (brachycephalic) breeds, such as the Bulldog<br />
(French/English/American), Boxer, Pug and many toy breeds,<br />
are at particularly high risk. The reason for this is that in these<br />
dogs the same amount of body tissue has to fit into a much<br />
smaller muzzle than in longer-nosed breeds. This restricts their<br />
airflow as well as their oxygen intake and prevents panting from<br />
efficiently reducing their body temperature. Also at risk are very<br />
young or elderly dogs, those with a medical condition, and those<br />
with very thick fur. If your dog is one of the latter, you might be<br />
tempted to give her a haircut, but her fur actually insulates her<br />
from the heat as much as it does from the cold – without it she’ll<br />
be unable to properly regulate her body temperature, and she’ll<br />
be more susceptible to sunburn. Rather than an all-over haircut,<br />
you could trim the abdominal area, so that she can better cool off<br />
lying on the floor tiles. Also make sure her coat is wellgroomed,<br />
and free from any knots and tangles so that air<br />
can pass through it naturally.<br />
What should I do if I think my dog is suffering from<br />
heatstroke?<br />
1. Take your dog to a cool and airy place, offer her fresh<br />
water to drink, lay a cold wet towel over her or wet her<br />
coat thoroughly. It is especially helpful to wet the ear<br />
flaps, armpits, between the legs, and the paw pads. The<br />
water should be cool, but not cold so that her peripheral<br />
circulation isn’t reduced – her peripheral circulation is<br />
essential for dissipating her body heat.<br />
2. Get your dog to the vet immediately, as heatstroke can<br />
cause multiple organ dysfunction.<br />
An effective method to further reduce your dog's body<br />
temperature is to soak it with alcohol instead of water.<br />
Alcohol evaporates much more rapidly than water, taking<br />
a significant amount of heat with it – this can help reduce<br />
your dog’s temperature even more quickly.<br />
Of course, prevention is always better than cure. In the<br />
summer heat, air conditioning and fans may come to rival<br />
your position as your dog’s best friend! Make sure that<br />
you don’t exercise your dog during the hottest part of the<br />
day.
COMMUNITY SPIRIT VALENCIA |<br />
JULY <strong>2018</strong><br />
19<br />
This is not just to avoid the hot air temperatures, but ground surfaces<br />
such as concrete and tarmac are even hotter, and your dog doesn’t<br />
have protective shoes to prevent her pads becoming scorched and<br />
blistered. Temperatures are lower in the evening, and the coolest<br />
hours of all are first thing in the morning. Always ensure you carry<br />
fresh water for yourself and your dog when you do go out for a walk.<br />
There have been several reports in the news recently, both in Spain<br />
and the UK, where owners have left their dogs (and in one case a baby)<br />
in a parked car. This is never acceptable, not even if the windows are<br />
ajar and the car is in the shade and is unfortunately often very rapidly<br />
fatal. If the air temperature is just 22oC, the temperature inside a car<br />
can rise to 47oC within an hour. With temperatures here this week in<br />
the mid-30’s, even a few minutes in a parked car could cause your pet<br />
significant cardiovascular distress. If you see a dog has been left in a<br />
parked car here in Spain, call 091 immediately to alert Seprona (the<br />
Guardia Civil division responsible for animal welfare). It can take just<br />
6 minutes for a dog to die in a parked car.<br />
What can I do to entertain my dog if it’s too hot to go out?<br />
Your dog is likely to be much less energetic in this heat, so won’t need<br />
as much exercise as normal, but there are plenty of things you can do<br />
indoors to burn off any energy she has, or to prevent boredom. Ten<br />
minutes of mental stimulation can actually burn off as much energy as<br />
a half-hour run, and should be as regular a part of your dog’s routine<br />
as physical exercise. You could play gentle games indoors with your<br />
dog, give her some new toys to play with, train her to do some new<br />
tricks, or give her some canine enrichment activities (heaps of ideas<br />
are out there with a quick Google search, or check out the Canine<br />
Enrichment group on Facebook at<br />
www.facebook.com/groups/canineenrichment/). You could combine<br />
enrichment with keeping your dog cool and make some canine<br />
lollipops! Make use of your empty yogurt pots, by filling them with<br />
water and a few dog treats and popping them in the freezer, or have a<br />
peek here www.kongcompany.com/en-uk/recipes/ for some frozen<br />
Kong stuffing tips. If you have a canine splash pool (or don’t mind a<br />
hairy swimming pool!), there is also a wide range of toys available for<br />
purchase that are designed for water-based doggie fun.<br />
"...With temperatures here<br />
this week in the mid-30’s,<br />
even a few minutes in a<br />
parked car could cause your<br />
pet significant cardiovascular<br />
distress. If you see a dog has<br />
been left in a parked car here<br />
in Spain, call 091 immediately<br />
to alert Seprona..."<br />
Overall, make sure your dog always has access to cool fresh water,<br />
whatever the weather and plenty of shade/shelter to protect her from<br />
the extremes. If you have any great ideas you’d like to share, then please<br />
do share them with us all on the <strong>Community</strong> <strong>Spirit</strong> Facebook page!<br />
<strong>Community</strong> <strong>Spirit</strong> Valencia
Y O U R L I T T L E B A L C O N Y : H E A L T H Y<br />
T H I N G S I T C A N P R O D U C E<br />
Written by Ray and Grace Foster<br />
This month, as promised, are some helpful,<br />
healthy uses for the things you’ve now been<br />
growing on your Little balcony. Let’s start with<br />
the Chili pepper rubbing oil I mentioned last<br />
month. It’s very simple to make and is oh so<br />
warming on a painful joint.<br />
CHILLI PEPPER RUBBING OIL<br />
10 FRESH CHILLIES.. with stalks cut off<br />
2 CUPS COLD PRESSED OLIVE OIL…….Yep<br />
that’s all you need… If you have one of those<br />
old-fashioned meat grinders put the whole<br />
Chillies through it… if not, just grate them on<br />
the large holes in your grater… wash your hands<br />
carefully, these are HOT!.. Simply just put in a<br />
glass jar, and pour the oil over... Put the lid on<br />
and keep in a dark place for a week, strain and<br />
bottle... It really is that easy…..You can keep the<br />
pepper mix in the fridge to oomph up a meal.<br />
When you have a painful joint just massage a<br />
small amount and feel the warmth spread all<br />
through the area. Wash your hands very<br />
carefully. Obviously if this oil causes a rash etc.<br />
then the mix is not for you.<br />
HOW TO AIR DRY PLANTS<br />
Simply pick bunches, tie loosely or use a rubber<br />
band, hang upside down so the essential oils go<br />
down into the flowers and leaves… DO NOT<br />
hang in direct sunlight but in a well-ventilated<br />
area. After around 2 weeks the leaves will feel<br />
dry and crisp. Strip from stems, crumble and<br />
keep in an airtight, coloured glass container, or<br />
in a dark cupboard.<br />
REMEMBER…ALWAYS sterilize your glass<br />
containers... Either wash carefully and put in the<br />
oven on low setting for around 20 minutes or<br />
put in the dishwasher on the hottest cycle.<br />
Some recipes call for dried plants.<br />
COMMUNITY SPIRIT VALENCIA / JULY <strong>2018</strong><br />
40
COMMUNITY SPIRIT VALENCIA /<br />
INFUSED LAVENDER OIL<br />
Did you grow some on your balcony?.. If not, don’t worry<br />
it grows wild all around our area of Spain. I'm going to<br />
give you 2 methods, so choose which is best for you.<br />
METHOD 1… Fill a glass jar about three quarters full<br />
with dried Lavender and pour over Sweet Almond oil<br />
(you can use veg oils too though Almond oils tend to feel<br />
lighter and less greasy on the skin, it’s your choice) cover<br />
with either cling film or the lid and keep in a lightly sunny<br />
place, not full heat of sun! Can cover with a paper bag if<br />
necessary, and keep for 4 – 6 weeks, after which strain<br />
and keep in dark coloured bottles... You can always paint<br />
your bottles lovely colours if they are plain glass! This oil<br />
should keep well for at least up to a year.<br />
METHOD 2…Collect a bunch of fresh Lavender, pulling<br />
flowers off the stems, cut the stems into pieces, lightly<br />
crush, and put into glass jar along with the leaves, don’t<br />
pack too tightly, now fill jar with virgin olive oil right to<br />
the top of jar so that when you add lid/ stopper/ cling<br />
film it should touch the oil so there are no air pockets.<br />
Stand on a windowsill in some sun for around a month,<br />
shaking daily. Pour through a fine strainer or cheesecloth<br />
into another jar squeezing the Lavender to make sure you<br />
get as much of the lovely oil as possible. There are so<br />
many uses for this oil… a few drops in your bath, rub a<br />
little on aching muscles, put a few drops in your pets bath<br />
water because it helps to kill fleas, ticks etc.<br />
ROSEMARY INFUSED OIL<br />
Although these oils are often called Sun Infused Oils, in<br />
practice our sun here in Spain in an enclosed area like on a<br />
balcony will be far too hot, so on a windowsill indoors<br />
would be better.<br />
This oil is made with dried flowers/leaves as before.<br />
Lightly crush and put in a glass jar, fill with olive oil or oil<br />
of your choice, making sure the herbs are well covered.<br />
Stir well to disperse any air bubbles. Cap tightly and shake<br />
once or twice daily. Leave for 2 or 3 weeks and strain.<br />
Store in a cool, dark place. This should keep well for a<br />
year.<br />
Incidentally, ROSEMARY INFUSED OLIVE OIL makes an<br />
amazing base for your homemade salad dressings.<br />
Add 2 or 3 drops to your bath water. Add a few drops to<br />
your shampoo bottle. ROSEMARY is anti-inflammatory,<br />
antibacterial, antifungal and antiseptic and has<br />
traditionally been used for many hair problems in the<br />
past. It stimulates hair growth, feeds hair follicles,<br />
soothes scalp problems and is also helpful for Eczema and<br />
Psoriasis.<br />
This method works equally well with Thyme, and also with<br />
Calendula flowers… remember edible Calendula must be<br />
Calendula Officinalis… not the commonly known Marigold<br />
If you’ve managed to grow some Calendula on your little<br />
balcony here’s an easy recipe for a simple hair rinse.
CALENDULA HAIR RINSE<br />
Freshly made for 1 rinse.<br />
1 HANDFUL OF DRIED CALENDULA<br />
1 TABLESPOON OF LEMON JUICE- OR. APPLE CIDER<br />
VINEGAR. The vinegar smell will disperse very quickly<br />
Pour 1 – 2 cups of boiling water over the Calendula, add<br />
the lemon juice or vinegar and stand for around 20<br />
minutes. Cool and strain and use to pour over your freshly<br />
washed hair leaving it silky smooth.<br />
SAGE HONEY<br />
FOR SORE THROATS…1 Large bunch of fresh SAGE<br />
LEAVES<br />
RUNNY HONEY<br />
Wash leaves and put in a pan with enough honey to cover<br />
them, gently simmer on very low heat for around an hour.<br />
Cool and strain into a jar. A fresh sprig of Sage in the jar<br />
adds to your visual pleasure and also makes a useful gift. A<br />
teaspoon in warm water will ease a sore throat.<br />
ALOE VERA<br />
We all know how brilliant it is for our poor sunburned skin,<br />
and many of us also take it internally as a drink, but very<br />
often, a good, completely natural Aloe Vera tends to be a<br />
little expensive, so here’s an easy recipe to make your own<br />
1 LARGE ALOE VERA LEAF<br />
1 LEMON<br />
2 CUPS OF WATER…As normal slice the leaf lengthways<br />
and scoop out the gel. Cut it into pieces and put in a<br />
blender with the water and the juice of the lemon. Blend<br />
for around 40 seconds.<br />
freshly made for 1 rinse.<br />
Now strain through some cheesecloth….the little extra<br />
time taken to do this is extremely worthwhile as it breaks<br />
up the slight sliminess. This should last about a week in the<br />
fridge… Drink a little after meals… if you want you can add<br />
a tad of honey to your drink to offset the lemon<br />
sharpness… how easy is that to make??? Definitely worth<br />
growing a pot or two…..Until next month...<br />
As always, Hasta pronto<br />
Last of all this month is a plant we are all familiar with,<br />
living in this hot sunny climate that we love, and is a plant<br />
that I’m sure we have all used at one time or another, and<br />
now, hopefully, you are growing one on your balcony too. It<br />
is, of course ………<br />
Grace Foster
Spanish bureaucracy<br />
and language<br />
getting you down?<br />
Susana Diaz Esteban<br />
PA &<br />
Management<br />
Legal assistance, conveyance, wills, translations on site, NIE,<br />
residency, Architects, Town Halls, Self-employment Ltd<br />
registrations and Accountancy<br />
tax and Social Security registration and returns, etc<br />
info@spanishrelocate.com<br />
susana@spanishrelocate.com<br />
Tel/Fax: 962792916 Mob / Whats App: 651407565
Health Awareness<br />
Happy poops!<br />
W R I T T E N B Y D I D I E R T H O M A S<br />
All along my career as a masseur, I have seen<br />
people with many problems and symptoms and I<br />
can point out one particular symptom that I could<br />
name the Mother of all symptoms: Fatigue. Or<br />
Exhaustion, tiredness, weakness, lethargy,<br />
lassitude. Well, in two fashion words: Low<br />
Energy!<br />
On Saturday morning after a beer-pouring night,<br />
you may think: “Yes, I’m tired, I had too many<br />
beers last night”. But, what if you’re suffering<br />
from chronic fatigue without even noticing it?<br />
Maybe something way more vicious and way<br />
more discreet than this Alien from the 1979 movie<br />
that scared the whole world – ranking just after<br />
Jaws in 1975 – is sucking out your energy from<br />
inside?<br />
Sometimes, physical pains also exhaust you – as<br />
many people can testify – and push you to stay<br />
lying down the whole time you’re not working (if<br />
you’re working lying down, you may not notice it,<br />
though). Lying down in front of the TV, do you<br />
remember the fight scene between Merlin and<br />
the Witch in the Disney cartoon back in 1963,<br />
The Sword In The Stone? They had two rules: 1) No chimera and 2)<br />
No invisibility. They knew the reason: invisible, like bacteria and<br />
parasites, can be mean and are the subjects of serious studies.<br />
Here is some information about our tiny inhabitants. You won’t<br />
look at yourselves in the mirror the same way! Eew!<br />
The main difference between parasites and bacteria? We don’t<br />
want any parasites in us, ever! Away we’d like them to be but<br />
they’re hiding within what keeps us alive: food and drinks…<br />
sometimes even in the air! According to the W.H.O (World Health<br />
Organization), we are more than three billion generous people<br />
allowing the parasites (all types) to live inside us without any<br />
permission! Bad me, and I thought that the human being was a<br />
selfish species! It starts very early when kids are in majority<br />
tested positive at school, meaning that there’s a big chance we’ve<br />
been carrying them all these years – both our best childhood<br />
friends and best men. We accept them just like we silently accept<br />
corruption in our society. Unless we’re doing a feces analysis<br />
(pooh analysis) every payday of the month, there isn’t an obvious<br />
event that’s going to ring our wellness bell when our (yes, it’s ours<br />
now) parasite penetrates us discreetly. Starting small and<br />
seemingly harmless like these tiny plants in the walls of the<br />
Angkor Wat now destroying temples in Cambodia, they’ll start<br />
ripping apart their hosts from within. Some of them are enjoying<br />
our red cells and proudly singing: These Fingers are Licking Good!<br />
Until anemia shows up = fatigue. Most of our diet is unbalanced<br />
but some parasites will still eat what we eat until we suffer from<br />
5 4 | C S V • J U L Y 2 0 1 8
undernutrition = fatigue. Oh! And others are organizing a<br />
general garbage strike like the one in Toronto back in 2009,<br />
making us as walking sewage = fatigue. And I could go on with<br />
examples likes these for days!<br />
Bad news: it’s impossible to avoid them. So, if one or several of<br />
these 9 symptoms occur, it’s time to proudly show our stools to<br />
a specialist: Sleeping problems, skin problems, fatigue,<br />
symptoms of irritable bowel, digestive problems (food<br />
intolerance – same symptoms than gluten intolerance!!! – and<br />
stomach aches…), general inflammations (arthritis, muscle<br />
cramps, swollen feet and hands…), loss of weight control,<br />
mental disorders (stress and anxiety, depression, memory<br />
loss…), reproductive problems (premenstrual syndrome, water<br />
retention, cysts, menstrual irregularity, and urinary tract<br />
infections). Even though I’m not a woman, it’s like I can feel all<br />
of them now! I think we all understood the message: if we have<br />
nothing to do next week during la siesta, let’s go to the poopyguy<br />
for analysis!<br />
become harmful to your body temple by stepping down<br />
in front of an unbalanced diet that causes an unbalanced<br />
population of bacteria. Did you know that 80% of the gas<br />
formed in our large and small intestine, where the poop<br />
is waiting to get ejected, is released through the lungs?!<br />
Yes! Unbalanced bacterial populations = coated tongue<br />
and bad breath! French kiss, no thanks! For instance,<br />
some of these bacteria are heavy sugar consumers, like<br />
kids are! Feed them and they’ll convince you to consume<br />
even more sugar. They prevent sugar metabolism and<br />
transform it into alcohol or vinegar. Dear Mary Poopins,<br />
two spoons of sugar could produce bloated intestine!<br />
Even worse, once the wrong bacteria’s colony outgrows<br />
others, it will eat up our mucus (in an empty intestine)<br />
which is made of sugar, and create hydrogen, the same<br />
gas flying out from a fully charged car battery, hence<br />
generating small intestine inflammation. Farts<br />
prohibited! The vinegar itself will be fermenting salads,<br />
cereals and legumes, causing acid reflux, pain on top of<br />
the umbilicus, gastritis, oesophagitis, even tract lung<br />
irritation through discreet signs. Some bacteria are also<br />
Tryptophan eaters. No bacteria, no happiness!<br />
Remember? Tryptophan is an amino acid in the large<br />
intestine and is a precursor of serotonin and melatonin,<br />
both responsible for happiness and good sleep! And<br />
where is 80% of our serotonin is produced? Good guess,<br />
in our large intestine! So now, get bacteria and parasites<br />
tested for, get well-balanced, and have happy poops!<br />
Wander around the Internet for smart and easy<br />
solutions. Here is some interesting information.<br />
www.medicalnewstoday.com<br />
Good news: once your feces analysis is made and tested<br />
positive, like almost 30% of the world population, treatments<br />
are common for most of them. Some food can even prevent the<br />
parasites from growing and proliferating. And your<br />
intolerances and allergies may even disappear along with these<br />
parasites! Gluten intolerance symptoms could be an example of<br />
parasites feeding on gluten, making us weak. Eliminate the<br />
gluten and you feel better, but eliminate the parasite and you<br />
can eat gluten again!<br />
https://www.emedicinehealth.com/small_intestinal_bacterial<br />
_overgrowth/article_em.htm#facts_and_definition_of_sibo_s<br />
mall_intestinal_bacterial_overgrowthl<br />
Contact Details:<br />
Name:Didier Thomas,<br />
called Diego.<br />
Nationality: Swiss.<br />
Date of birth: 05 march<br />
Now we know a bit more about our none-friends, the parasites,<br />
let the bacteria take their place. There are reasons why<br />
parasites and bacteria are in the same articles. The presence of<br />
parasites can often offer the same symptoms than a bad<br />
bacterial symbiosis. In opposition to the parasites, we need<br />
bacteria! No bacteria, no happiness! However, if you leave your<br />
bacteria without care, they can<br />
1972<br />
- 3 kids<br />
Married<br />
Trainer and<br />
Profession:<br />
at Kaikki<br />
masseur<br />
Massage.<br />
Website:<br />
www.kaikki4all.com<br />
page: Kaikki<br />
Facebook<br />
Massage.
Travel<br />
COMMUNITY SPIRIT<br />
E-MAGAZINE<br />
Death defying trekking and orangutan spotting<br />
in Sumatra<br />
Written by Helen Warriner<br />
with the fast-flowing crystal<br />
clear blue waters faintly<br />
audible over the birdsong<br />
and insect buzz, it creates a<br />
beautiful back drop and<br />
perfect setting for a swing<br />
in the hammock and an<br />
afternoon snooze.<br />
My adventure to Indonesia (an<br />
archipelago of only 17,000 islands)<br />
began in Sumatra. With only 60 days<br />
granted on the visa and a million<br />
amazing activities and areas to<br />
explore, it seemed most logical (and<br />
highly optimistic) to start at the first<br />
island and just work our way across.<br />
Without my time stopping machine<br />
however it quickly became apparent<br />
the plan had a flaw. Sumatra is huge,<br />
in fact it is the sixth largest island in<br />
the world and despite sadly losing<br />
almost 50% of its tropical rainforest in<br />
the last 35 years, it boasts an array of<br />
incredible wildlife and other than<br />
Borneo, is the only place in the world<br />
where you can find a wild orangutan.<br />
We flew into the overly<br />
underwhelming capital city of<br />
Medan and local bussed it<br />
(because it saved a whopping<br />
fiver), sweatily bumping and<br />
grinding our way over cobbled<br />
potholes and against local<br />
strangers, to arrive in Bukit<br />
Lawang, a quaint village in<br />
northern Sumatra built along the<br />
side of a river (that I was clothes<br />
off and straight into, on arrival)<br />
and adjacent to a towering<br />
rainforest.<br />
The town is so peaceful it has an<br />
effect that just makes you lazy and<br />
sleepy,
PAGE 27<br />
COMMUNITY SPIRT<br />
E-MAGAZINE<br />
with the fast-flowing crystal clear blue waters faintly audible over the birdsong and insect buzz, it creates a beautiful<br />
backdrop and the perfect setting for a swing in the hammock and an afternoon snooze.<br />
(Or in my particularly lazy case one day, an additional morning one for 4 hours). There is also little going on in terms of<br />
nightlife and therefore average going to bed time is around 8 or 9pm, just to add to the vibe.<br />
We awoke fresh and buzzing one Bukit Lawang<br />
morning for a 2-day jungle trek (why am I paying<br />
to voluntarily sleep in the middle of the jungle<br />
again?). It was a real slog… up and down, up and<br />
down, in extremely hot,humid and quite<br />
dangerous conditions. I must have lost at least<br />
2kg in sweat and almost died several times. On<br />
one occasion I was very nearly a gonner as I<br />
toppled sideways towards the edge of a steep<br />
drop and am only here telling the tale because a<br />
kind hanging vine obstructed my fall to death.<br />
Climbing down was pretty hair raising<br />
(especially after a night of rainfall) I felt like a<br />
contestant on jungle gladiators, traversing<br />
2-mile-long vertical tree roots and swinging on<br />
vines. Alas we finally reached the camp (3<br />
mosquito net covered mouldy mattresses under<br />
a wooden roof laden with holes, a plastic bag<br />
door and a tarantula).<br />
They certainly weren’t lying when they said it was basic. The smoky<br />
undrinkable water they provided meant that luckily, I didn’t require my<br />
normal middle of the night toilet jaunt (screw wilderness weeing in the<br />
pitch-black jungle, I actually have a (not now) secret fear of snake<br />
bottom biting).<br />
Within less than an hour of our 2-day trek, we spotted 2 orangutans.<br />
Or should I rephrase ‘half of Bukit Lawang’ had and we joined the<br />
small crowd in wooing and cooing over the beautiful orange beasts. I<br />
felt a little cheated as my aim to go jungle trekking for 2 days was to<br />
spot a truly wild orangutan, and somehow surrounded by one<br />
hundred Nikons, the spotting didn’t feel so authentic. I was especially<br />
disturbed by the feeding of bananas to the orangutans, who were<br />
clearly accustomed to human interaction as they happily slapped out<br />
their palm in anticipation of getting some grub. Back in 2015, the<br />
rehabilitation centre located in the exact spot was closed and thus the<br />
orange inhabitants are familiar with humans and explain their<br />
proximity to the town and why they hang out in this particular area.<br />
Controversial then is the question of whether feeding them is ethically<br />
correct.
PAGE 27<br />
Throughout the rest of the trek we spotted around 8 more of these gorgeous creatures, equally beautiful to their Bornean<br />
cousins but Sumatran orangutans are paler with a longer beard and narrower face. I didn’t nearly cry when I saw one this<br />
time (I did in Borneo) nor did I fall in love with one and want to run away and live in the jungle (also a past behavioural<br />
trait). I did, however, laugh my head off at a cheeky baby haphazardly swinging through the trees doing loop the loops<br />
and stealing caps, one of which he popped on his head backwards and scurried up the tree, much to the disappointment<br />
of our guide who had just lost his favourite hat. I also had a chuckle at his mother who, all the while, seemed to be<br />
entertaining herself by playing the drums with sticks.<br />
Northern Sumatra holds the largest lake in South<br />
East Asia (and the largest crater lake in the<br />
world) that was created due to a volcanic<br />
eruption of Mount Toba 74,000 years ago. The<br />
eruption was so catastrophic that it affected the<br />
whole planet, wiping out 60% of the human<br />
population and changing the worlds weather<br />
forever. In the middle of the lake stands a great<br />
volcanic island the size of Singapore; an island<br />
within an island!<br />
The island is inhabited by the Batak people who<br />
traditionally live in a distinct, curved roof, style<br />
house and are predominantly Christian. The<br />
locals are easy going and friendly and I thought<br />
the kids were nice and cute (until they gave us<br />
the finger and started gesturing a vigorous hand<br />
motion towards their genitals on our departure).<br />
The island is very green and boasts some<br />
incredible views that we enjoyed from a motorbike (sorry mum) whilst<br />
lapping up the chilled vibe and slow pace of life. Apparently, the<br />
island was popular in the nineties with “hippies” coming to get off<br />
their head on mushrooms and take advantage of the lack of policing.<br />
We politely declined many offers of mushrooms, even from the lady<br />
wearing a pink mickey mouse nightie with a large stick in her hand<br />
who started chasing us down the street.<br />
Lake Toba is stunning, and I don’t understand how it isn’t a more wellknown<br />
spot on a traveler’s bucket list. Despite the random encounters<br />
with locals (including the impromptu show we received on the<br />
balcony by a group of school kids wanting to practice their English<br />
whilst I’m embarrassingly sunburnt and feeling nakedly inappropriate<br />
in my skimpy bikini), it is the perfect spot for some peace, natural<br />
beauty, a bit of culture and lots of amazing photo opportunities.<br />
www.joyfuloverlander.com
PAGE 25<br />
COMMUNITY SPIRIT<br />
VALENCIA E-MAGAZINE<br />
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)<br />
available in Valencia<br />
From around 20 to 25 years old, due to our lifestyle habits, polluted air, stress, poor nutritional diets, drug<br />
abuse and many other reasons, our bodies begin to change naturally with the loss of our thinnest and<br />
smallest blood vessels (capillaries) in many parts of our body, and the consequences are that we don’t get<br />
enough of the necessary nutrients and oxygen which we need for the metabolism of all the cells in our<br />
body.<br />
So our skin starts to deteriorate and each day we get tired faster when doing things. The more bacterial and<br />
microbial attacks we have, the more we are weakened. Sometimes it disturbs our sleep and so we end up<br />
taking pills, changing our diet or doing a lot of sports, trying to change things.<br />
But there is a therapy which can treat the root problem: OXYGEN HYPERBARIC THERAPY<br />
Until now, this technology was too expensive for people in Europe, only for the privilege of the medical<br />
world in some hospitals treating diseases or serious injuries. But it is a natural therapy that can really be<br />
preventive for many problems and diseases. Why?<br />
Under pressure, oxygen is not only captured by red blood cells and white blood cells, but it dissolves and is<br />
stored in all our body fluids. The first consequence affects cell metabolism, starting with vascular<br />
regeneration that will re-feed each cell of our body. And thus optimize the energy and the complete vitality<br />
of our body, strengthen its defenses and prevent many disorders and diseases.<br />
HBO has the effect of delaying natural degeneration such as arthritis and Alzheimer's disease.<br />
For more medical information about HYPERBARIC OXYGEN (HBO)THERAPY, check out these links:<br />
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3058327/<br />
http://www.hyperbaric-chamber.ca/about.html<br />
https://maisonsaine.ca/sante-et-securite/loxygenotherapie-hyperbare-nouvelle-arme-contre-les-maladiesneurologiques-et-environnementales.html<br />
You can call Benoît Roul, Director of Delta o2 Valencia, on mobile: 00 34 638 15 35 85 to arrange an<br />
appointment and get more information about HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY (HBOT) at Delta o2 in<br />
Valencia.<br />
Location address: Delta o2, Calle del Doctor Ferrán, 13, Valencia, Spain<br />
Further information:<br />
Delta o2 are official distributors of hyperbaric oxygen chambers for Spain<br />
and also for France. We can also provide a financing system for customers<br />
who wish to purchase our products.
from members of the Facebook group for<br />
Feedback<br />
<strong>Spirit</strong> was used for the content of this article.<br />
<strong>Community</strong><br />
COMMUNITY SPIRIT VALENCIA - JULY <strong>2018</strong><br />
The<br />
Mozzies<br />
Are Back<br />
WRITTEN BY RICHARD T. VOLLER<br />
This year in Spain the common<br />
mosquito seems to be getting a<br />
little bit more blood thirsty than<br />
usual and in the last few years its<br />
got a new friend, the Tiger<br />
Mosquito (Aedes Albopictus),<br />
which is native to South East Asia<br />
but can now be found here too.<br />
So as I’ve had a terrible time coping<br />
with an avalanche of Mozzies in my<br />
neck of the woods, I decided to<br />
share a post in the <strong>Community</strong> <strong>Spirit</strong><br />
facebook group and see if anyone<br />
else was been eaten alive by these<br />
little insects and if they knew of<br />
any good natural remedies for<br />
dealing with them?<br />
I was quite surprised by the<br />
feedback I got because of the<br />
diversity of the answers which<br />
ranged from some people not<br />
getting stung at all to others having<br />
swollen hands because the bites!<br />
Also the number of different<br />
natural remedies recoomended was<br />
vast.<br />
Here is a list of all them with my<br />
feedback.<br />
Eating raw garlic (suggested by<br />
Alexandra Paredes)<br />
Now this was an easy one to start<br />
with and although the taste is<br />
quite sharp to eat by itself, I did<br />
find myself adding more fresh<br />
garlic to my cooking and salads.<br />
Now it’s become part of my<br />
everyday diet.<br />
Tea tree oil to dab on after the<br />
bite as it calms the itching and<br />
act as an antiseptic (Fiona<br />
Botham)<br />
Luckily I still had some tea tree oil<br />
in my medicine cabinet and<br />
actually there is a healthcare shop<br />
in Casinos opposite the vets and<br />
there is another good one in<br />
L’Eliana where you can buy it too.<br />
For a little 10ml bottle it is quite<br />
expensive, about Euro 10,<br />
although you can buy it cheaper<br />
online via Amazon. But I’ve<br />
always found it a soothing natural<br />
remedy for many things and it was<br />
perfect for my mozzy bites.<br />
Citronella essential oil for oil<br />
burners and as a candle<br />
(Clodagh Walsh)<br />
I found that the candle<br />
version is always a bit<br />
annoying as it never seems to<br />
burn properly, or only burns<br />
half the candle. I was able to<br />
get the essential oil from a<br />
Chinese shop and I do prefer<br />
oils as they seem to be more<br />
effective.<br />
Mosquito nets on windows<br />
and fans on the ceiling<br />
(Clodagh Walsh)<br />
For this experiment I wasn’t<br />
about to start paying out vast<br />
amounts of money to have a<br />
ceiling fan fitted, but I did<br />
have a portable Jetrad fan<br />
which I keep facing me by the<br />
side of my bed. As well as<br />
keeping me cool, I suppose it<br />
just blows the mozzies away!<br />
Simple solutions are<br />
sometimes the best!
PAGE 61<br />
COMMUNITY SPIRIT<br />
E- MAGAZINE<br />
Marmite every day for up to<br />
month (Grace Foster)<br />
The television advert in the UK<br />
used to say, “My mate Marmite.<br />
You either love it or you hate it!”<br />
Well I love it and it seems like<br />
mozzies hate it! I’m stocked up<br />
on it now, I’d forgotten just how<br />
much I love this stuff. It’s only<br />
been a week now, but it’s<br />
definitely working.<br />
Flowers: Allegedly they don’t<br />
like geraniums (Anne E Duguid )<br />
I’ve put geraniums in pots by the<br />
front door, on the porch and also<br />
some by the eating area at the<br />
back of the house. When sitting<br />
outside eating my Marmite on<br />
toast and having a citronella<br />
candle lit dinner with a friend, I<br />
have to admit that the mozzies<br />
don’t seem to come anywhere<br />
near us.<br />
Hypnosis to help with allergic<br />
reactions to bites and swelling<br />
(Anne E Duguid )<br />
So far I haven’t had any allergic<br />
reactions to bites, but it’s good to<br />
know that if you do, then Anne<br />
(based in the area of Valencia) is the<br />
person to get in contact with.<br />
Brewers yeast tablets are a good<br />
source of Vitamin B. Apparently<br />
Mozzies don’t seem to attack high<br />
Vitamin B people Mike Harmon and<br />
Glen Lawes )<br />
I haven’t been able to get hold of<br />
Brewers yeast tablets so I can’t give<br />
any feedback on this. Mike did<br />
mention that as Vitamin B is water<br />
soluble, you can't overdose on it, you<br />
just pee out any excess but that also<br />
means that your body can't store it.<br />
Marmite is a source of B vitamins but<br />
the brewers yeast tablets are more<br />
concentrated and more effective.<br />
Eucalyptus essential oil is a natural<br />
repellent, lavender essential oil to<br />
ease the bite/sting, and heal the skin.<br />
(Victoria Koshoni and Chloe Bright )<br />
I always like to have eucalyptus oil in<br />
my medicine cabinet but never<br />
thought about using it as a natural<br />
repellent. It’s funny how you put things<br />
into boxes. But it does seems to work<br />
very well, but then again I am eating<br />
Marmite, and raw garlic whilst sitting<br />
on my porch surrounded by geraniums<br />
Put a warm spoon on the bite. The<br />
heat neutralizes the protein in the<br />
venom that causes the itch. Or use a<br />
cigarette lighter for immediate relief<br />
(Laura Free Wheeler/USA)<br />
I can’t help thinking that a cigarette<br />
lighter might cause a number of other<br />
side effects and which I’ll need to put a<br />
new post up in the <strong>Community</strong> <strong>Spirit</strong><br />
facebook group page.
PAGE 62<br />
COMMUNITY SPIRIT<br />
E-MAGAZINE<br />
Buy some mittens that’ll stop<br />
you scratching the bites (Cheryl<br />
Morton )<br />
It good to see that things are<br />
becoming a little bit easier to<br />
test. The only drawback to this<br />
one is that it’s quite<br />
uncomfortable wearing mittens<br />
in the summertime.<br />
Vinegar in water in a spray<br />
bottle .. It soothes the itch plus I<br />
have not had any more bites<br />
since I started using it! (Janice<br />
Parker)<br />
Yes!! Loved this one. I bought<br />
some white wine vinegar from<br />
the local supermarket in Villar<br />
for a very cheap price and added<br />
water. Now I’ve got the spray<br />
bottle sitting in the living room,<br />
although I hardly ever use it<br />
now. But it’s there just in case!<br />
Lastly, but not least place an x<br />
with your naiks and of your<br />
saliva as soon as possible<br />
(Izabela Amsterdam)<br />
I don't know about this one<br />
Izabela Amsterdam ... I must<br />
admit... it does sound a bit weird<br />
... are you sure it works? But<br />
anyway, it did make me laugh.<br />
Thank you.<br />
Conclusion<br />
I’ve tried out as many as I can or<br />
dared too! But now I am not<br />
getting stung at all! The thing is<br />
that I can’t pinpoint the exact<br />
one which is doing the best job<br />
and maybe it might be that using<br />
them all together in a more<br />
holistic healing approach is best!<br />
But anyway, it was a lot of fun<br />
doing the research and testing.<br />
Aura Paiting Weekend Retreat<br />
People often ask me if it is Paiting or Painting? And I reply that there is no pain in aura paiting!<br />
That’s a simple way of saying that aura paiting is really good for your heart and soul, it’s<br />
relaxing, it’s energizing, it’s healing!<br />
One of the ultimate ways to<br />
experience Aura Paiting is at home<br />
Hapi Zen sanctuary which is deep in<br />
the countryside near the mountains<br />
of Valencia. Aura Paiting is an inner<br />
experience, so being in a peaceful<br />
place in harmony with nature, is one<br />
of the best possible ways to truly<br />
experience it.<br />
Also during the retreat you have<br />
plenty of time for self-awareness and<br />
time to talk with me about what you<br />
are experiencing.<br />
Click on the logo to discover more<br />
about this authentic and unique<br />
experience.
FOR<br />
DOGS<br />
ADOPTION<br />
From the Pedralba shelter:<br />
REX is a German Shepherd cross,<br />
who spent years living as a stray<br />
in the campo with a female<br />
companion. Together they had<br />
several litters of puppies, and<br />
when we found out about them we<br />
rescued them all together. The<br />
puppies have all been adopted,<br />
and Rex and his friend Neus are<br />
now getting used to being around<br />
people. Rex is a lively boy,<br />
although he’s a little shy of people,<br />
as he spent so long living rough.<br />
He’s gaining confidence, and<br />
learning that people are not going<br />
to harm him. He’s very wellbehaved,<br />
gets on well with other<br />
dogs, and walks impeccably on<br />
the lead. He’s looking for a family<br />
that understands his background,<br />
and has the patience to help build<br />
his confidence – they’ll have a<br />
faithful friend, and will be giving<br />
him the chance he’s never had.<br />
He needs time, love and stability.<br />
Naturaleza y Animales (Pedralba)<br />
Tel: 644 439 665 (Spanish),<br />
680 790 059 (English)<br />
Email:<br />
naturalezayanimales@gmail.com<br />
Social media:<br />
www.facebook.com/naturaleza.animales
FOR<br />
DOGS<br />
ADOPTION<br />
From the Pedralba shelter:<br />
LAIKA has not been with us long.<br />
Her family moved abroad and left<br />
her with another family, where<br />
she had a litter of puppies. The<br />
family then sold their house,<br />
taking all the puppies with them,<br />
but they abandoned Laika,<br />
leaving her tied to the fence with<br />
no food or water! Luckily the new<br />
house owners arrived and found<br />
her, but could not keep her as<br />
they were only here for holidays.<br />
She is about 7 years old, very<br />
sweet, loving and trusting, and<br />
gets on well with other dogs.<br />
laika<br />
Do you remember Rusty and Jazz<br />
from the April issue? They are<br />
both now really happy and settled<br />
in their FURever homes!<br />
Ṅaturaleza y Animales (Pedralba)<br />
Tel: 644 439 665 (Spanish),<br />
680 790 059 (English)<br />
Email:<br />
naturalezayanimales@gmail.com<br />
Social media:<br />
www.facebook.com/naturaleza.animales
FOR<br />
DOGS<br />
ADOPTION<br />
From the Villar shelter:<br />
SIRO is a 2-year old Breton<br />
Spaniel, who just wants nothing<br />
more than cuddles and affection.<br />
When he’s out and about he runs,<br />
plays and bounds around with<br />
endless energy! He’s very<br />
sociable with other dogs, and is<br />
looking for a family that would<br />
love to take him for the long walks<br />
he so much enjoys. He is positive<br />
for Leishmaniasis, a<br />
Mediterranean disease we wrote<br />
about in the December issue –<br />
with regular veterinary check-ups<br />
it is a very manageable disease.<br />
Siro<br />
Tel: 657 645 727 (Spanish), 622<br />
089 461 (English<br />
Social media:<br />
www.facebook.com/protectoraanimalesvillar
FOR<br />
DOGS<br />
ADOPTION<br />
From the Villar shelter:<br />
TINTIN is a 2-year old Bodeguero<br />
(similar to a Jack Russell Terrier),<br />
who was rescued from a puppy<br />
mill, where he never received<br />
cuddles or any other show of<br />
affection. Bit by bit he has gained<br />
in confidence, and the gorgeous<br />
boy that he is, is emerging from<br />
within. Tintin is now able to show<br />
that he’s incredibly affectionate,<br />
sociable and very playful. He’s<br />
looking for a family that<br />
understands his background, and<br />
why he’s a little shy of people he<br />
doesn’t know.<br />
Tintin<br />
Tel: 657 645 727 (Spanish), 622<br />
089 461 (English<br />
Social media:<br />
www.facebook.com/protectoraanimalesvillar
Not in a<br />
position to<br />
adopt?<br />
Your help in any of the following was is always<br />
much appreciated!<br />
Fostering provides a temporary home for those animals that may not<br />
cope very well in a shelter environment. It also leaves a space available in<br />
the shelter for another.<br />
Volunteering activities are always welcome, as shelter staff often care for<br />
the animals in their spare time, whilst holding down full-time work<br />
commitments. You could help with walking, grooming and socialising the<br />
animals, with cleaning and maintenance work, with organising and<br />
attending fundraising events.<br />
Donations are crucial to the survival of animal shelters, as very few<br />
receive any funding from the authorities. Financial donations help cover<br />
veterinary and upkeep costs, which can rapidly mount, as shelters need<br />
to cover costs of vaccinating, microchipping, neutering/spaying and<br />
treatment for medical conditions before an animal can be rehomed.<br />
Donations of food, blankets, collars, toys, etc. are also always needed.<br />
Sharing the animals up for adoption with your friends, as well as<br />
fundraising events, means that more people may want to help, and more<br />
animals find their new homes.<br />
C O M M U N I T Y S P I R I T | P A G E 5 7
AURA<br />
PAITING<br />
There's no pain in aura paiting<br />
@<br />
MANDALA CAMPING<br />
FESTIVAL<br />
I T ' S P O S S I B L E W I T H R I C A H R T
GETTING LOST AT<br />
MANDALA<br />
CAMPING<br />
FESTIVAL<br />
It's been about five years since I last did a festival in the<br />
Netherlands and it's been about six years since I did my<br />
aura paiting at a campsite. So as you can imagine, it was a<br />
really fantastic feeling to be back!<br />
Ruud van Lieshout came out to collect me from the airport,<br />
funny guy with a great awareness of people's personalities. I<br />
think the funniest moment was getting lost when we<br />
arrived at the campsite while asking people where the 'Lost<br />
Travellers Tribe' was?<br />
P H O T O B Y M A R I T B I E S M A N<br />
No sooner had I arrived, than I was made to feel very<br />
welcome by the Rotori's who were the main organizers of<br />
the 'Lost Traveller's Tribe', as well as the people from the<br />
'Huis Kamer', Alex the audiovisual artist, Femke Slotman<br />
from the vegan kitchen and Evan Shields from America!<br />
It was a very special community feeling throughout the<br />
festival actually, I met so many fascinating people of all ages<br />
and from all walks of life, even bumped into Tirso Francés<br />
again! I must have painted about 70 beautiful auras of<br />
radiating souls, one of which was Kathy de Graaf (photo at<br />
the bottom).<br />
P H O T O B Y M A R I T B I E S M A N<br />
So I wish to give special thanks to Alba Otten Hernández<br />
who organized everything so well for my arrival at the<br />
festival and also for Lena Anglen and Marcel Mingers for<br />
manifesting such a fabulous experience. Definitely one of<br />
the best festivals in the Netherlands now.
EMAZINE MEDIA<br />
<strong>Community</strong> <strong>Spirit</strong> Valencia e-magazine is published by<br />
eMazineMedia.<br />
<strong>Community</strong> <strong>Spirit</strong> Valencia e-mazine<br />
For more information, please visit his website:<br />
COMMUNITY SPIRIT VALENCIA<br />
You can join our FaceBook group to get involved with this community project:<br />
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ourcommunityspirit<br />
This iz Your Life facebook page:<br />
https://www.facebook.com/ThisIzYourLife<br />
Colofon<br />
Design: eMazineMedia<br />
Editor-in-Chief: Richard T. Voller<br />
Transcribing of interviews: Lynne Bygrave<br />
Proofreading: Lin McNally<br />
Front cover photo: Farmer from 'Man Bites Dog' TV programme (Holland)<br />
This project is being supporrted by<br />
Click on logos to access websites<br />
60