Nervy Times At Malaga CF

The last time I got to see Malaga play was April 13th, when they were sitting in second place in the league. They beat third placed Sporting 3-2 on that occassion, to open a gap of eight points between the two teams.

Since then, in four weeks, Malaga have lost three and drawn one game, while Sporting are now on equal points with them in joint second place.

Malaga traded places with Numancia at the top of league two, for half of the season before Numancia put some daylight between the clubs. However Malaga have sat pretty in second plave ever since and really should have secured a promotion place by now.

The season is far from over with five games still to be played. Things are looking ominous for Malaga who must re- find the form that they showed early season or risk throwing it all away.
Third place Real Sociedad could only draw in this weekends game, keeping them in fourth but only three points behind Malaga and Sporting.

Bob Dylan At Rockinrio Madrid

Bob Dylan has been confirmed to headline at Madrids Rockinrio festival. The 66 year old veteran of the music festival scene will play on the World Stage on July 5th.

Dylan joins an already impressive line up for the five day festival, with Amy Winehouse, The Police, Neil Young and Shakira amongst the many artistes performing.

The festival is preceded by the Lisbon Rockinrio segment that takes place at the end of May and beginning of June, with Rod Stewart, Bon Jovi and Joss Stone already lined up. Amy Winehouse will also appear in Lisbon.

motogp Jerez

A glorious day in Jerez, saw Spains Dani Pedrosa win the Moto gp in front of his home crowd, taking the chequered flag well in front of second placed Valentino Rossi.



In third place was pole sitter, and another Spainard Jorge Lorenzo, Rossi's team mate, once again keeping the former world champion honest. Pedrosa has been around the top of motogp for a while now, and only his own impetuousness has stopped him from becoming a world champion, but now with Lorenzo promoted this season to the top tier, Pedrosa has to share the adoration of the Spanish fans.



However today's result was an excellent boost to Pedrosa, who must now try to prove that he can continue at this level. While both Pedrosa and Lorenzo look to be future champions, Lorenzo in comparison appears to be a clamer person and that may be enough for him to make a challenge in the coming months.

Roger Waters Dark Side Of The Moon Tour In Spain

Former Pink Floyd rocker, Roger Waters is to perform just one date in Spain on his Dark Side Of The Moon tour. The gig has been confirmed for the 9th May in the village of Artafe in Granada.

A strange choice of venue perhaps, the gig will take place at the Artafe football ground at 10pm and some 25,000 fans are expected to pack the stadium.

Roger Waters created Pink Floyd with Syd Barrett in 1966, along with Richard Wright and Nick Mason and was responsible for writing most of the bands material after Barrett left the band in 1967, and up to his own acrimonious departure in 1985.

The concert features a light and sound spectacular that will last for 2 hours 45 minutes, and will feature Pink Floyd classics tracks from the albums The Wall, Wish You Were Here, The Final Cut and the legendary Dark Side Of The Moon in its entirety.

The stage set will take 300 people a week and a half to build.

Tickets are available through http://www.ticktackticket.com/ for 65 euros each.

Zapatero Wins Spain Election

Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and his Socialist party, defeated the Conservative Popular Party lead by Mariano Rajoy in yesterdays Spanish election., and will continue in office for the next four years.

Zapatero's 169 seats to Rajoy's 153 is not enough to have an absolute majority, but the Socialists collected five more seats than in the last election.

Zapatero however spoke of a clear victory and urged unity in this 'new period' in Spanish politics. "The Spanish people have spoken clearly and have decided to open a new period without tension, without confrontation," Mr Zapatero told the flag-waving crowd gathered outside his party's Madrid headquarters.

The Prime Ministers programme of liberal reforms during the last four years, including gender equality law, same sex marriages and fast track divorces, would appear to have been endorsed by the voting public, despite opposition from the Catholic church.

The Popular Party who lost the last election over the Iraq war programme and moreover the Madrid bombings, accepted defeat and leader Rajoy sent a message to his rival wishing him luck 'for the good of Spain'.

Eurovision Song Contestant in Fixing Scandal

TVE the Spanish state television company recently hosted shows to find a singer to represent Spain in this years Eurovision Song Contest. Among the entrants, an Andalucian Flamenco singer, aged 70 Antonio Gonzalez, recieved the most telephone votes and was placed as number one contender.

However TVE officials discovered some irregularities in the telephone voting, believing some 110,000 votes should not count. And so Gonzalez has been demoted from first place to 36th.

The five finalists will battle it out in a TV gala on Saturday March 8th, to find out who will represent Spain.

Pesetas still being changed to Euros

Six years after the official change of currency for Spain, from Pesetas to Euros, the Banco de Espana reports that people are still bringing the old currency in to be exchanged.

Around thirty people a day still bring in pesetas in note or coin form to be changed into euros.

The bank's director also reveals that they offer a service to exchange burnt or damaged euro notes for new ones, so long as at least half of the note remains intact.
In some cases seriously damaged bank notes are sent to technicians for approval, before exchange.

Its not a surprise that the bank note exchanges take place as the euro notes are worn out after a few transactions!