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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.
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