A remarkable photograph taken in 1938 shows a group of men unloading huge piles of esparto grass from barges on the River Thames. In the smoggy background is Westminster Bridge and the Houses of Parliament. The grass was shipped from the Murcian town of Aguilas and was probably destined as cellulose to produce high quality paper for book printing.
Before the arrival of synthetic fibres, Aguilas was the chief distribution centre for esparto, exporting shiploads across the Mediterranean and to northern Europe.
Archive for the ‘Murcia’ Category
Spanish esparto grass on the River Thames
Monday, December 16th, 2019Deadly earthquake hits Lorca, Murcia
Wednesday, May 11th, 2011Rather sad news, Two earthquakes with magnitudes of 5.1 and 4.5 have hit the centre of the Murcian town of Lorca, killing at least ten people, after several buildings collapsed. Although minor tremors are relatively common in south-east Spain, this the first time since 1956 that so many people have been killed. Almost 200 soldiers have been dispatched to the area.
- El País
- BBC
- More on the history of earthquakes in Spain
American Belted kingfisher in El Mar Menor
Friday, November 20th, 2009It’s amazing the things which turn up: an American Belted kingfisher in the Mar Menor, Murcia. It was probably brought over by storms in the Atlantic. This is the first record for Spain and Southern Europe. Spotted and photo by Antonio Jesús Hernández. More from the most excellent Rarebirdspain.net
Madness in La Manga
Thursday, November 29th, 2007A series of excellent posts by Jill et al on the forum with some amazing photos of coastal erosion in La Manga where they are building houses right on the beach. She notes “Why does anybody buy into these projects? It seems to me that it is 50 percent grab-it-while-you-can-(and-hope-to-leave-the-next-fellow-holding-the-hot-potato) and 50 percent mass credulity.” (Forum)
Murcia shark closes beaches
Thursday, August 30th, 2007Several beaches in La Manga, Murica, have been closed after bathers spotted a shark – apparantly shortfin mako shark (marrajo, Isurus oxyrinchus). This is despite calls for calm from Murcian shark experts who note that the mako is not dangerous (La Verdad). Let us hope this does not have the same lamentable ending as this month’s shark in Valencia. The mako is now considered endangered as it is a favourite catch among commercial and recreational fishermen. See also sharks in Spain