A RICH AND VARIED CHOICE

La Manga over the years has become home for a large cosmopolitan society made up of all nationalities and this mix means that the services, goods and products on offer is more varied than would normally be found in Mediterranean resorts. There is a complete mix of nationalities, including many English, German, Swedish and Belgian business owners, to name but a few, which means that everyone has the opportunity to try different cuisines and sample different atmospheres created by these intrepid settlers in Spain.

At nearby Cabo de Palos the Sunday market offers a great variety of goods for sale, from fresh fruit and vegetables to clothes, shoes, hand-crafted goods and gifts being among the most popular. The market receives visitors from many of the surrounding areas, who then drift down to the harbour to take a "tapa", stay for lunch or just stroll along the quayside.

It used to be that the only bread available in Spain was the "barra" loaf, which inevitably turned hard as soon as it was cut! This has changed drastically over the past couple of years, helped by the Belgian and German bakers that opened here, to the extent that the types of bread available now compares favourably with the rest of Europe. The same can be said of the Supermarkets who now stock a variety of products from various countries in addition to the standard produce of Spain. In fact La Manga now offers such a variety of services - electrical appliances, computer supplies, bookshops, nautical supplies, etc. - that there is really no need to leave the "strip" if you do not want to.

A GASTRONOMIC EXPERIENCE

As we mentioned earlier, La Manga offers a wealth of different styles of "cuisine" although it is fair to say that the typically Mediterranean style of cooking is available in all good restaurants. This includes paellas, fresh fish, freshly grilled meats and succulent salads normally using locally grown produce. In fact the whole area has seen a considerable increase in agricultural production as a result of the extension of the areas now covered by irrigation from the Tajo-Segura river diversions. This can be seen by the fields leading to La Manga with their automatic irrigation systems and up-to-date planting and harvesting machines.

Entre los pescados, destaca la dorada y el mújol, preparados a la sal o a la brasa. Las bandejas de pescado frito no pueden faltar como elemento importante de la gastronomía del Mar Menor. La calidad de la fruta, las verduras y hortalizas de la huerta murciana prestan un saludable toque de color a todos los platos. El mojete murciano, el zarangollo, los michirones, los guisantes o las habas con jamón son algunas de las delicias de las que se pueden disfrutar en la zona. También se preparan excelentes platos de carne, destacando el conejo y el pollo preparados con el tradicional guiso "al ajo cabañil".

One of the local delicacies is a whole fish (usually locally caught "mujol" or "dorada") cooked in a jacket of salt, which, although when served is quite often considered to lack a little in terms of presentation, is a very delicate and filling dish. Lobster is also available, as are oysters when in season, and a great variety of shellfish brought in each day by the fishermen from Cabo de Palos.

It would take to long to explain here each of the various dishes available and we recommend that the visitor tries them all - the cold "gazpacho" soup, the garlic stews, the magnificent whole legs of goat and lamb - the list is as endless as it is mouth-watering. But the good thing is that everyone is catered for - with the many "foreign" restaurants, including the inevitable pizzas, burgers and chinese you cannot fail to find somewhere to your liking.