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USEFUL NUMBERS
If you have access to a mobile phone the number to dial for Emergency Services is 112 irrespective of where you are in Europe. The response is immediate and is in the language of where you purchased your phone card.
LOCAL:
Ambulance 061
Emergency 091
Guardia Civil 062
Fire Brigade 080
HOSPITAL:
There is a good hospital at Torre del Mar (as you enter the village and before the tram lines, take a right, well signposted) off the N340.
Telephone: 0034 95 254 8300 or 951 067 000
This is also well signposted off the E15 at Junction 272.
A&E facilities (see map in 3rd drawer)
Clinica Europa: Block 86 Centro Internacional TORROX-COSTA
Telephone: 95 253 09 08 (English spoken)
Cόmpeta
There is a Health Centre/Clinic in Cόmpeta up from the Police Station on Calle Santonio, before the dentists and opposite the old knicker factory. Opening times 08:00 - 20:00. Personal calls only unless you can speak fluent Spanish on the phone!
Telephone: 95 251 6089
Taxi Rank Cόmpeta: telephone 0034 95 251 6199
PHARMACISTS:
Pharamcists in Spain are more like doctors and can usually advise and treat minor complaints without a doctor's visit e.g. Antibiotics are available from the pharmacist.
I have found the pharmacist opposite the Bar Runio (Now Oscars) around the corner from Country Properties to be most helpful, very friendly and his English is good.
There is a further Pharmacist on Calle Santonio beyond the Cyber Café (see map) who deals more with prescriptions but is also very efficient.
There is a Dentist on Calle Santonio by the school (see map) Dr. Fernando Gabriel Bajos Blindhuber
Telephone: 95 251 6204
Opening Hours: 09:00 - 13:00 and 16:30 - 21:00
English spoken
SUPERMARKETS: Cόmpeta
The main supermarket, Consum/Eroski, is on the steep hill approaching Plaza Almijara and has its own car park, although this can be VERY busy and the gates are closed and locked between 14:100 and 17:00. It is a comprehensive supermarket with fresh meat and vegetables, wines, cheese, condiments, frozen foods and most items required for regular shopping. (see map)
There is a second, smaller supermarket, Komo, beside the main car park, also with limited fresh meat etc.
A fresh/frozen fish shop is around the corner from there (see map)
Further small supermarkets are all around the village, but these do not sell fresh meat.
Market day in Cόmpeta is Saturday morning in the Main Car Park and sells just about anything you never knew you needed! Fruit, Vegetables, Current CD's, T-shirts; Denims, Shoes, Sunglasses etc.
There are many fresh bread shops (Panadarias) dotted about the village. One is up form the square on the main pathway behind the kiosk in the square, another opposite the Hotel Balcon.
Fresh bread is also available from the supermarkets.
There is a New Wine and spirits shop (recommended) behind the bank in the square, panadaria next door. For those of you who have stayed at the villa before, please note that Panadaria Borriquito plus restaurant up from the main car park is temporarily closed as of June '06 but should reopen with a new owner soon.
Logs and BBQ Charcoal are available from Eroski but much easier to buy from both the shops at the bottom of our driveway at the Venta da Palma crossroads.
FURTHER AFIELD
There is a vast 'SUPERMERCDO' called EROSKI off the E15, immediately at Junction 272 (25 minutes drive) for those wishing to buy with a greater choice. It IS vast and if you use a credit card you will need your passport with you as proof of identity. This is common and it may be with to carry a passport for such occasions. There is also a 'Dunns', and Intersport, cobblers, dry cleaners, soft furnishings, Mango, Zara etc... everything typical of a enormous shopping mall plus cafés and banks.
You will need a €1 coin for the trolley which you will get back when you return the trolley.
BANKS:
Cόmpeta:
Unicaja, Plaza Almijara, Also Cash Machine in English. Mon - Fri 09:00 - 14:00
La Caixa Avenida de la Constituciόn. Mon - Fri 09:00 - 14:00, Thurs 17:00 - 20:00
MARCO POLO BOOKSHOP: English owned and spoken (see also WALKING in Activities)
This is located down the main road from the Plaza Almjiara (see map) and has a wide selection of second hand books for sale. There is a small selection of books in the villa for your use.
They also have videos and DVDs to rent for a small deposit. They also carry a wide range of walking maps. We recommend '25 Walks in and around Cόmpeta & Canillas de Albaida' by Albert & Dini Kraaijenzank. There are 'Military/OS' maps of the area in the chest of drawers/living room but these are not like the OS maps you are used to in the UK. Be aware that their maps are ambiguous!
They sell stamps for their postcards, otherwise stamps are available from kiosks and the Post Office.
SHOPS
Opening times (generally): 10:00 - 14:00 then 17:00 to 20:30
Weekly market in the Main Car Park, Saturday only open in the mornings. 09:30 to 13:00
Two (one new October 2005) newsagents marked on the map. They carry a large, multi-language stock of newspapers and magazines. Newspapers e.g. The Times (very limited delivery), Telegraph, Mail, Express arrive around 11:00 - 12:00. The new newsagents also stocks books,birthday cards etc in English. Newspapers are printed in Spain so don't expect your favourite supplements e.g. T2.
Sorry, Sunday papers are not available except from the coast. They arrive Monday.
CYBER CAFÉ
There are a couple of cyber cafés in Cόmpeta but the one we tend to use is located on the Boulevard San Sebastian. It is downstairs and shares its premises with the video rental where Spanish and English language video and DVDs can be rented. Computer access is either using their computers or bring your own laptop. If using your own, you may need to enter DNS settings which they will provide for you. The connection is Broadband at 516 Mbts. Prices are low at round €1.50 per hour. English (Anna) is spoken. Opening hours are similar to shop hours i.e. 10:00 - 14:00 and 17:00 - 21:00
MOBILE PHONES
These generally do not work inside the villa due to signal reception. Most mobile phones work when taken out to the terrace, by the balustrade, by our car park or in the Tower Room depending on the signal. There has been an increase in signal strength for Vodafone/ES and Star recently.