Costa Tropical Blog

The Baleària shipping company has postponed its agreed summer start date for the ferry service between Motril and Melilla. Although the ink on the contract had dried and it was full steam ahead the shipping company has decided that due to the present economic climate and because of criticism from the PSOE party, they will delay opening the route. The PP party have come out with all guns blazing accusing the PSOE party of putting a stop to the service as they have been so unsupportive of it and have not defended the project which would benefit the towns enormously. Allegedly, the PSOE party campaigned against the route and the Baleària company say that if a political party is against it then they don’t want to open the line. The government in Melilla have announced that they are going to negotiate with other shipping companies that could operate a service between Melilla and Motril.

The Comisaría de Policia building in Motril has recently been receiving further criticism from nearby residents and those visiting the area, and this time it is not connected to the previous complaints concerning NIE and Residence Certificates. One local resident told us that he had parked his car on the free dustbowl car park next to Motril Radio station to do some shopping. On returning to his car, he couldn’t open his car using the remote key and therefore couldn’t get into his car. Thinking that the batteries in the remote might have given up on him, he went in search of new batteries but even with new batteries could not get into his car. He then contacted a garage who sent someone out to the dustbowl and the problem was solved. The new Comisará building has had a frequency inhibitor installed in the building as an anti attack measure (to stop remote devices being detonated) and apart from disabling car alarms and locking systems, it is now such a problem for the 1,500 residents living near to the building on some days that they are not able to use any remote devices in their homes either (although possibly less arguments over who gets control of the TV remote). Carlos González at the Comisaría says they are now working on finding a solution to the problem but it does appear the frequency of the system is changed regularly so depending on the day you park you may or may not have problems.

Calling all animal lovers in Motril. A new association for the Protection of Animals and Wildlife (APAF) has been formed in Motril. In conjunction with the Environment Department who are subsidising the APAF website http://www.apaf.org.es The new offices and animal centre will be in front of the Vivero Municipal in Puntalon where at the moment stray animals are taken by the Deputacion de Granada. However, it is still early days and the APAF have yet to finalise the set- up of the animal centre. The APAF will have a resident vet and animals will be treated, chipped and castrated before they are found new homes. If you are looking for a new pet they are putting photos and details of animals available for adoption onto their website (they already have a few photos of cats and dogs) and the website also has other general information about the association. When pets have been re-homed there will be home checks made at various intervals by the association staff. Once the centre is up and running we will get back to you with a full report.

Did you know that Motril was at one time the sugar capital of the world and that today the only pre-industrial sugar museum in Europe is here in Motril? Opened in October 2004 the Museo Preindustrial de la Caña de Azucar is built on the site of the remains of the La Palma sugar refinery house discovered in 1990 during excavation work at the rear of the Casa de la Palma building. The museum documents the history of sugar refinery spanning some 10,000 years. Indeed the earliest reference to sugar production in the Motril area is 10^th century, however it wasn’t until the 16^th-18^th centuries that production boomed.

The La Palma Sugar House dates from the 1540s to around 1787 and the sugar production process remained virtually unchanged for 200 hundred years. Mass production of sugar began in the 1570s. Each sugar house (there were 11 in the Motril area at its peak) employed 200-300 people for processing and up to 500 people for sugar cane harvesting. Sugar from Motril was shipped worldwide from Almuñecar and Malaga, making Motril the sugar capital of the world. In 1654 the La Palma Sugar House alone was producing the equivalent of 822 tons of sugar.

Sugar refining was big business and there were strict rules of access to the precious sugar cane plantations. Anyone caught trespassing, even if not cutting the sugar cane, would be imprisoned and fined. Those who could not afford to pay were beaten on the back with a cane.

By 1657 the commercial value of the sugar trade was such that the town of Motril was able to buy the title of city and therefore have its own mayor and town council independent of Granada. The wealth generated by the sugar trade also attracted pirates between the 15^th-18^th century so watch towers and fortifications were built along the coast, one known as Torre de la Vela still survives today.

However, all this wealth and prosperity came at a price. The sugar refineries needed wood to fuel their furnaces but this led to mass deforestation. A single sugar house consumed 300 cart loads of wood in a season. This mass deforestation had a substantial impact on the local environment, destroying some 20 million square metres of forest land, transforming the landscape, the effects of which are still in evidence today.

The cutting down of the trees also meant increased flooding to the low lying plantations and it was this, and the lack of sustainable wood fuel, that led to the decline in the pre-industrial sugar industry. By 1673 only 3 of the original 11 refineries were left. It was not until the mid 19^th century that steam driven machines returned Motril to its position as the sugar capital. Evidence of these 19^th century sugar refineries can be seen in the shape of the brick chimney stacks.

To find out more, or if you simply want something to do when the weather is not so good, I recommend The Museo Preindustrial de la Caña de Azucar. It is behind the La Palma UNED College opposite the Dani supermarket. The museum is wheelchair friendly and has an information centre with literature in English, German, French and Spanish. The helpful staff speak English and can give guided tours. There is a full working reproduction of a water powered twin roller sugar house refinery, original artifacts and other static exhibits. The Museum is open Tue-Sun 10am to 1.30pm and 5pm to 8.30pm, entrance €2. Tel: 958 822 206 or online at www.motril.es/museodelazucar.htm (English, German, French & Spanish).

Safe Tourist Information?
What I’m about to tell you may kill you or at least put you in hospital!

Newly opened in April 2006 the Motril Tourist Office occupies the first floor of a not unattractive, if not slightly unusual, looking building at the start of the Parque de los pueblos de America which is beside the big yellow church on the hill, or opposite the main Taxi rank.

Finding the new Motril Tourist Office is far more straightforward than the old one, which was tucked behind the town hall, but it is still not the easiest place to get to. For a start you have to walk there because as yet there is no dedicated parking a matter made worse by the current roadworks going on (but that is another story).

Ok walking is good and healthy but you have to cross a minefield of roads to get there. Yes there are pedestrian crossings, but as this is Spain don’t expect vehicles to stop and let you cross, even if there is a red light!

Once you have got to the right side of the road access to the tourist office is very good, they have even included a ramp to make it wheelchair/pushchair friendly, which is commendable. However there is a significant flaw in this ramp and raised area design!

In a previous life I used to be involved in civil & structural engineering and was involved in many projects for local authorities and the key word in that line of work was always SAFTEY. What has that got to do with this….? After all this is Spain and Health & Safety is a little different here!

True, but if you take a closer look at the design of this ramped access to the tourist office you will notice that it is a little too easy to go up and fall off the edge. There are no railings or bump stops at the top on the edge opposite the ramp, to stop the wheelchair or pushchair from rolling off, or along the end furthest away from the office. This leaves a stepped drop of about 30cm or about a foot in old money. Now I’m no expert but I’m sure your average pushchair or wheelchair is not designed to deal with such a drop. Even an able bodied adult would be in trouble if they stepped backwards over the edge. Back trouble anyone!

There is however a brightside to this, not having railings here means these stepped edges conveniently double as a seating area. Also in designing the access ramp in this way the local authority has provided excellent street furniture to skateboard on or bike over, by those who laugh in the face of safety.

The Motril Tourist Office is open Monday to Friday 10am - 2pm & 5pm – 7pm, Sat/Sun 10am – 2pm & 5pm – 8pm. It has maps, leaflets, a (multilingual) multimedia information desk, monthly what’s on flyers, a very helpful English speaking lady (Jacky) and a brand new website www.turismomotril.com. Or (tel. 958 825 481)

Why do so many families visit this area year after year for their holidays? It is unspolt and very Spanish and the prices in the area haven´t shot up when they see a tourist coming (well, OK I know of one restaurant where a drink on the terrace brought to you will cost you an additional 0.50c !)