Please read through this booklet, we hope it helps to make your stay more pleasant.
Contents
The switches are located behind the main entrance door in the grey wall box. Please switch everything off when you leave, leaving the fridge door open.
The water supply is switched on under the sink. We leave the water on now as getting the best water pressure is very difficult. If it is off, turn the square knob to half way to get maximum water pressure. At either extreme of the square knob the water is off. The hot water heater tank is in the downstairs toilet. It is OK to leave the hot water switched on throughout your stay unless the water is cut off. Please switch off the water heater when you leave. The water is suitable for washing etc, but not for drinking. Buy bottled water from the supermarket to drink.
The gas is only for the hob. The gas bottle is under the sink. Flip the lever on the top over to use and back to switch off after cooking. Please make sure that the gas is off when you leave.
The spare gas bottle is in the cupboard under the stairs- take care - it is very heavy !
Apart from the front door keys and key to front balcony, all the others are in the wicker backet on the
coffee table or on the key rack behind the coat rack. These are:
When you leave the house for a short time, you can just lock the front door and patio doors to the garden. When you leave the house for a longer period, please lock, in addition, the front door grill. If you think
you will be back after dark it is a good idea to leave the light on outside the front door. Air conditioning units have been installed in the living room ( remore control on/in sideboard ) and the
main bedroom ( remote in right-hand bedside table ). These units will either cool the air or heat it depending on the
temperature of the room. They have fan units out on the patio/balcony and there are bottles to collect the water
condensed under these units - please empty these on the plants when they are gettng full. Operating instuctions for the
units are in the drawer under the television and in the right-hand bedside table drawer.
Please use the air conditioning sparingly - use the fan instead. If you open the shutters slightly and keep the
french windows open, this will bring some cool air in. The second bedroom does not have any air conditioning - use the fan from the other bedroom. The road
at the front ( outside the second bedroom ) can be noisy for light sleepers so you may want to close the balcony door and
window and keep the door to the landing ajar.
Four sideboard drawers from left to right contain:
left-hand cupboard - glasses and drinks right-hand cupboard - games, and electrical mosquito
killers ( see also Emergency Contacts at the end of the handbook ) Directions to the nearest public phone box : turn right
along the path, past the swimming pool to the end of the El Cid estate, then out onto
the main road Most of these are in the drawer under the television set.
There are useful books and maps of the area, as well as general reading
books under the television, and in the bookcase. The television comes from satellite via cable and can get all the usual free English channels. The digibox is under
the television and the remote controls for TV and digibox are by the TV. A list of channels and instructions are in
a Torresatellit folder next to the TV. Please do use any of the food and drinks you find the the cupboards
if you wish. Please replace any that are getting low in stock if
you regularly use them. There is a limit on the power that the electrical circuits can take - please
do not use more than one of kettle, dishwasher, toaster and microwave at the
same time or the circuit breaker will trip in the electrical panel behind
the front door. If it does, disconnect one device and reset the circuit breaker. The nearest is the 24 hour mini supermarket in the green Rotunda building on the roundabout. On the main road ( N332 ) towards Torrevieja ( right at the top ) there is a good bread shop for early morning rolls
( called Backstube ) open 8am to 5:30pm. The main supermarket in the village is a little further on foot - about 15 minutes. Follow the main road into the village
and take the third turning on the left - signed for Chez Felix. The supermarket is open from 9am to 2pm each
day and 5pm to 8pm on Monday to Saturday and in the morning on Sunday ( 8:30am - 10pm in July - August ). This has a
good selection of groceries - but a car is recommended if you want to bring large bottles of water home. A supermarket - Consum - is in La Zenia - the next village towards Torrevieja - turn left at the roundabout. This
is probably cheaper than the village. It is open continuously 9am to 9:30pm six days a week. Larger hypermarkets are towards Torrevieja, with Mercadona / LIDL 4 kilometers away and a huge Carrefour just off
the Torrevieja bypass ( the Creviente exit ) for electricals / clothing / beach equipment etc. The Ferreteria on the left of the main road towards Torrevieja sells many useful household items. There are a number of Ceramicas along the main road towards Torrevieja selling colourful local ceramics. There is a large market in San Pedro 5 miles towards Cartegena - this is on a Monday morning - starts to clear up around
noon. Playa Flamenca has a market on Saturday mornings ( up the road behind Mercadona supermarket ) There are plenty of restaurants & cafes within walking distance
There are spare blankets and quilts for the beds in the wardrobe of the main bedroom and
landing. Under the double bed ( lift up the end - it is a bit heavy ) are spare
blankets, sheets and towels. In the second bedroom are spare single sheet sets in pull-out containers under the beds. Please wash any bedlinen, towels etc left in the linen basket when you arrive and put them back in the appropriate place.
Some people need to leave early and don't get the chance to wash before they go. There are three beach chairs, beach mats, umbrella/stand, beachbag, ball and a few other items
in the patio area if you wish to use them on the beach. They are in the two cupboards outside the front door. In the village there is Catholic Church - next to the supermarket. The service is on Saturday evening. The nearest Anglican churches are on the road between Torrevieja and San Miguel. During July and August there is a
Holy Communion service at 10.30am at Lago Jardin Church. For the rest of the year, every Saturday evening at 6:00pm
there is Holy Communion at Lago Jardin Church. Every Sunday at 10:30am there is a service - alternatively Holy Communion
and Morning Prayers - at Los Balcones Church ( 11am in July and August ). To find these churches, go towards Torrevieja on the
N332. Where the road forks left for the bypass, go right for Torrevieja. Within a quarter of a mile, turn left at
traffic lights towards San Miguel / Orihuela and go under the bypass. For Los Balcones church turn left at the second roundabout and you will see a large concrete church, with a cross
on the tower. For Lago Jardin church turn right at the third roundabout after going under the bypass, then immediately left into
the service road, then bend right into Lago Jardin urbanisation. The church is in a public garden on the left. The swimming pool in the complex is to the right past the carpark. There is a children's area and deeper main pool.
It is open 10am to 10pm - please look at the instruction on the board for restrictions. The nearest beach is about 15 minutes away by foot. Follow the main road into the village
and take the first turning right. The walkway and steps at the end will take you down the cliff to the beach which has
a bar/cafeteria and toilets April to October. There are sunbeds / parasols to hire by the day and during the summer a
children's play area, also pedal boats to hire. In summer there is a lifeguard. Another beach with no cliff but limited parking in the summer can be found by following "Chez Felix" signs past the
supermarket and to the left. In the summer this also has sunbeds/parasols for daily hire, toilets and a bar on the beach.
There is also a lifeguard during the summer. There are golf courses a few miles inland - towards Vilamartin Take the road left past the village supermarket to find tennis courts, a bar/restaurant with pool tables and a larger
swimming pool. At the far end of the nearest beach there is a marina with bar and restaurant and above that a bar/restaurant near the
tower with entertainment on Friday/Saturdays nights in the season. There is a cliff walk on the front at Aquamarina - the next village at the back of the house towards Campoamor. Please water the plants on the roof - once a week in low season, twice a week in the summer. There are secateurs in the tool
box in the dining area to cut back spikey plants if necessary. Most shops take credit cards with no problems, but supermarkets ask for your passport / driving licence as
well as proof of identity. There are cash dispensers on the roundabout at La Zenia and on the main road to the left and they will change currency
and travellers cheques
and give you money on a debit/credit card if you have no pin number. Remember to take your passport. The local English language paper - Costa Blanca News - comes out every Friday and is available from supermarkets.
It has information about local events and other news There are many free English language papers available for shops and cafes/bars along the main road. Melvyn at no.31 lives there all the time and can advise if necessaryhave a front door key and a new key can be cut at the Ferretaria over the roundabout. On the wall in the kitchen is the number of a locksmith if you should need one ! First Aid box in the bathroom - please replace any plasters etc you use.
There is a Health Centre on the main road at the end of the blocks. Just beyond it is a Pharmacy and there is another
to the right in La Zenia. The general emergency number ( like our 999 ) is 112 As last resort ring Ian and Helen Gardiner on 0044 1423 540415 or 0044 7801045399
The front balcony key is left in the balcony door.
Air Conditioning
Sideboard
Refuse and Cleaning
Phone box
Instructions for Appliances
Books, Maps and Television
Food and Drink
Kitchen Appliances - Electricity
Shopping
Food
Other
Markets
Nearby Restaurants and Cafes
Restaurants
Cafes
Bedding and Towels
Beach Equipment
Local Churches
Local entertainment & facilities
Money and Banks
Local Information
Emergency Contacts