Visit Andalucia December 2018

visit Andalucia

Magical MĂ laga

at Christmas

Walk off the Turkey Mediterranean Steps

Celebrating Nativity

Museo de Belenes

Car & Fashion Museum Opulence & Style

Food & Drink

Sweet Poatao & Spinach Curry December 2018

MANILVA • DUQUESA • SABINILLAS • ESTEPONA

Hamilton Homes

REAL ESTATE - INMOBILIARIA

Come View with Me As a boy, I used to come to Manilva on holiday. Some of my fondest memories are of playing on this beach in Duquesa.

After a career in private banking, my heart pulled me back to this part of the world and my wife and I decided to set up a Real Estate Agency. Now, 20 years on, we are still in love with this part of the Costa del Sol, and enjoy helping people find their dream home.

Our motto is, and, has always been, ‘Honesty, Simplicity, Clarity’.

It is important for us to build honest relationships with our clients so that we can find their dream property within their financial budget. Our experience over the years has enabled us to simplify the process . We aim to keep our clients informed throughout. We use our expertise to make the journey as smooth as possible.

Today I have selected some of our best properties.

Come View with Me +34 952 890 444

Andrew Bacarese - Hamilton Duquesa Village Apartment ref: 1611P 149,500€

Majestic Villa, Casares, ref: 1571P 549,000€

Beds: 2 • Baths: 2 • Private Parking • Storage Room 5 Community Pools • Padel Tennis Court Sea & Mountain View • Jacuzzi Bath in Master Bedroom Air Con & Heating • 24 Security with Guard Post

Beds: 5 • Baths: 4 • Private Garage • Private Pool Private Garden • Excellent value • Spacious living area with open fireplace • Sea and mountain views Walking distance to Casares beaches & Finca Cortesin

Hamilton Homes

tel: (+34) 952 890 444 andalucia@hamilton-homes.com

SOTOGRANDE • ALCAIDESA • CASARES La Noria IV, Ground floor Apt, Sabinillas ref: 632P 175,000€

Casares del Sol Duplex Penthouse ref: 1610P 205,000€

Beds: 2 • Baths: 2 • Private Parking • Communal Pool Padel Tennis Courts • Garden View Large Terrace • 24 hour Security Direct access to Sabinillas promenade & beach

Beds: 3 • Baths: 2 • Private Parking • Storage Room 2 Communal Pools • 24 hour Security 360 degree panoramic views, sea & mountain Spectacular solarium with hot tub • Air Con & Heating

Hacienda Guadalupe Penthouse, Manilva ref: 1614P 219,000€

Elevated Ground Floor Apt, Alcaidesa Golf ref: 1615P 190,000€

Beds: 3 • Baths: 2 • Private Parking • Communal Pool Stunning Sea Views • Fabulous Terrace Air Conditioning & Heating throughout Beautifully presented

Beds: 3 • Baths: 2 • Private Parking (2 spaces) Communal Pool • Stunning Views of sea, golf & lake Fantastic outdoor space • Large Terrace • Air Con & Heating • Walking distance to beach & golf club

Ground floor apartment, Majestic Hills ref: 1496P 325,000€

Jardines de la Duquesa Townhouse ref: 1602P 165,000€

Beds: 4 • Baths: 4 • Private Parking • Storage Room Communal Pool • Garden • Pool & Mountain Views Luxury Apartment with Stunning Terrace • Air Con Walking Distance to the beach & Finca Cortesin

Beds: 2 • Baths: 2 • Carport • Communal Pool Golf & Mountain Views • 2 Terraces Small Private Garden • Large Basement Walking distance to Duquesa Marina

tel: (+34) 667 633 830 whatsapp www.hamilton-homes.com

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Merry Christmas

Contents December 2018 Magical Málaga at Christmas

6

Spotlight Interview

30

Look After Your Eyes

10

What’s On in Duquesa & Sabinillas

32

Beauty Care

14

The Mediterranean Steps

34

Sweet Potato & Spinach Curry

16

The King’s Bastion Leisure Centre

38

Estepona Port Hidden Secrets

18

Algeciras to Ronda by Train

40

Automobile & Fashion Museum, Málaga

20

A Family History

44

Community News

22

On the Bookshelf

46

Building Bethlehem in Andalucia

24

Operation Mincemeat

48

Gardening on the Costa

26

Art at Galeria 151

50

Disclaimer: No part of this magazine may be reproduced by any means without prior permission in writing from the publisher. We do not accept responsibility for the content of articles supplied or for the claims made by advertisers

Editor: Nick Nutter Production Editor: Julie Evans Deposito Legal: MA-1544-2018 info@visit-andalucia.com www.visit-andalucia.com M: +34 634 344 163

Images courtesy of N. C. Nutter & Adobe Stock

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VISIT ANDALUCIA December 2018

visit andalucia Welcome to the Costa’s newest magazine. Every month we will be bringing you what we consider to be the best of Andalucia. Places to go, things to do, museums and galleries and days out. We will have regular features such as Health and Beauty, Gardening, Food and Drink and a special section for Gibraltar. Ho hum I hear, it’s all been done before. Yes, I know because we, Julie and I, did it a few years ago with Andalucia Life and nobody has produced anything similar since. So perhaps I should say welcome back to the best-read magazine in Andalucia.

Since Andalucia Life, technology has moved on remarkably. Our most reliable tool for exploring the back roads of Andalucia back then was the Repsol Road Atlas. Ours fell apart every year and was replaced with the latest edition. Now we have a navigation tool on Julie’s mobile. We call it Jennifer. Julie always has looked after the navigation to let me concentrate on the driving.

This is a good thing. Sometimes, normally in a confusing road network in a city, I, for some

inexplicable reason, would get it into my head that I wanted to turn left (or right) or go straight ahead despite my navigator’s instructions to the contrary. Very rarely was my decision justified, for instance if the road down which I was directed was a one-way street. If I got it wrong, that is most of the time, then words were exchanged. Discreet enquiries amongst the older male population reveal that I am not the only person with this aberrant habit.

Along came Jennifer. Now I have two female navigators. I approach every junction with fear and trepidation hoping their instructions coincide. Most of the time they do. Sometimes they do not. Who to listen to. If I get it wrong with Jennifer, she sulks and deliberately sends me through a maze of back streets to regain my route. If I get it wrong with Julie, well, let’s not go down that road. (pun intended).

Nick

Magical Mรกlaga at Christmas

Young and old will be enchanted by the festive illuminations, nativity scenes, street vendors and celebrations from the 30th November until the 7th January

M

รกlaga Christmas lights just keep getting better and better. They provide festive illumination from the huge Christmas tree in Plaza de la Constitucion, all the way down the dead straight Calle Marques de Larios to Plaza de la Marina from the last Friday of November until the 7th January. The switch on event is rapidly becoming an attraction in its own right with live bands playing in the street and street food vendors competing with the bars and restaurants.

The celebrated lights are just a taste of the Christmas magic you will find in Mรกlaga during December and the first week of January. In addition to the huge Christmas tree in Plaza de la Constitucion there are three more (or there were in 2017), one in Plaza de la Marina, one in Molino Lario and one in Huelin Park. The Paseo de Parque is festively illuminated every year and has been joined by Calle Granada, Calle San Juan, and Calle Carcer. The lights are switched on at 6.30pm every evening until 2 am. To add to the festive spirit, the Paseo de Parque hosts a Christmas market with stalls selling gifts, fireworks and street food from midday until midnight daily.

6

continued >> VISIT ANDALUCIA December 2018

8

VISIT ANDALUCIA December 2018

Children and adults will adore the Nativity Scenes. There are over seventy belen on display in Málaga over the Christmas season. Ask for a map of all the locations at the Tourist Office. Not surprisingly the most traditional belen is in the Cathedral. This is on display 10am to 2pm, and 5pm to 8pm daily. Others worth seeing are at the Carmen Thyssen Museum (closed on Mondays), and at the Diputacion on Calle Pacifico next to La Termica cultural centre. The latter is only open on weekday mornings. The most unusual is at Archivo Principal on Almeda Principal. The scene is comprised of fifteen life-size figures made from papier mache on a wooden frame in the traditional Valencian ninot-figure style. Every year, for the festival of San Juan, these figures are taken to Valencia and burnt. The Archivo is open weekdays 10am to 1pm and 5pm to 8pm and weekends 10am to 1pm.

While you are at the Archivo try and see the magnificent collections of tin soldiers, some of which are unique.

Santa’s grotto, complete with reindeer, is set up at Muelle Uno at the eastern end of the port from the 2nd December to the 5th January.

Santa will be there from noon to 2.30pm and 5pm to 8pm. Funfair rides will prevent any boredom during the wait.

Tip for the Children, put a parent in the queue and enjoy the rides.

More adult entertainment can be found to the west on Corte Inglés esplanade. The famous store sets up an ice rink, toboggan ride and traditional Merry Go Round that is open 10am to 10pm daily.

Return to Plaza de la Constitucion between 7pm and 10pm any evening over the Christmas period and you will find a concert. It can be anything from traditional Spanish carols to flamenco, to children’s VISIT ANDALUCIA December 2018

Visit the Lights until 6th January 2019 choirs. It does not really matter; it is the atmosphere.

When you have had enough of the festive spirit, there is one place where you can put your feet up have a coffee or something stronger and still enjoy the scene, the rooftop terrace at the AC Hotel is acknowledged as one of the best views of Málaga in the city.

Credits »»Pg 6 Calle Larias * »»Pg 8 Alcazaba and Roman Theatre * Outsite the Cathedral * Shopping Street Nativity scene from the Málaga Museum of Glass »»Above Málaga Main Street * * © Málaga City Tourist Board

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Top Tips eyes The thing with health of any kind is that you don’t notice it until something goes wrong. When we are running at optimum everything functions perfectly, or at least without much effort, giving us little cause to think. It’s when we are aware of our bodies that there is usually something to worry about.

They say you never miss anything as much as your health, and eyes are no exception. The best tactics for keeping our peepers healthy may be less obvious. Here are six top tips for keeping your eyes super-clean and healthy.

Goggles It’s not just the pro swimmers that need to wear goggles. Swimming pools are often high in chlorine content, particularly in summertime when levels of skin infection are heightened. This can easily lead to irritations and problems in the eyes, which are particularly unpleasant.

Wash hands, never rub eyes Our hands get everywhere, every day, and as our most important tool of touch, you are likely to pick up lots of bacteria while that’s happening. Avoid rubbing your eyes, and never forget to wash your hands regularly and properly. Conditions like conjunctivitis are spread through coming into contact with a surface that an infected person has touched after rubbing their eyes.

Sleep properly This is less to do with straining your eyes while working when tired, and more to do with the fact that our eyes are drier when we are tired. That dryness causes us to rub our eyes, and the more we rub our eyes, the greater the chance of disease or infection. To reiterate, then, stop rubbing your eyes.

Hydrate This one is all about the waterworks. When we are dehydrated, our body produces fewer tears. Tears are incredibly good for us; they can even kill off some 95% of bacteria. Basal tears are produced continuously and keep the cornea lubricated. Without them, our eyes can not function properly, or clean themselves, so drink plenty of water to ensure your blues (or browns, or blacks, or greens) stay beautifully perfect.

Eye Checks If you’re younger than forty and do not have any eye problems, your optician might suggest you get routine tests every two years.

If you are forty or older, you should get your eyes checked every one to two years.

If you’ve had eye trouble in the past, or if you are at risk of developing it, for example, if someone in your family has problems, you should see your optician every year.

Christmas 2018 and Joanne, Jane & the team from OPTICA MACHIN ENGLISH OPTICIANS would like to wish everyone a very happy festive season.

For those of you who don’t know us, we are the English Opticians in Estepona.

Jane Staunton Machin established the practice in June 2000, and she and her team have been providing eye care to the local community since. As a family-run independent practice, we pride ourselves on offering a bespoke service to our clients There is more to eye care than just an eye exam.

Jane has been an optometrist for over thirty years and is experienced in examination technique and in making nervous patients feel more relaxed. “Having my own practice means that I can give each person the time they need” she says.

As an independent optician, Jane takes the time to understand you and your lifestyle, and she strongly believes in continuity of care.

It can sometimes be difficult to describe your vision or the feelings you have in your eyes, and that is why it is so important to choose an optician who will do their utmost to understand and try to resolve your visual problems Joanne Warren is our practice manager. As well as managing the business, Joanne is responsible for sourcing frames. As independents, we can choose from a range of manufacturers to find the best spectacles and contact lenses to suit you. Joanne enjoys selecting the latest fashion frames for our patients and takes great pride in helping them choose spectacles that look and feel great!

Helen Dobson, our part-time optometrist, qualified in 1998. She registered with the Spanish Colegio in 2007 and has since become a valued member of the team.

Louise Knight is our part-time receptionist and so between the four ladies and Juanma, our technician, at OPTICA MACHIN you can be assured that your sight is in good hands!

Being a family-run practice means we understand how important your family’s eye health really is. You can expect a warm and friendly service each time you visit.

For more information or an appointment in English or Spanish, phone Jane or Joanne on 952 806813 or email info@opticamachin.com or follow them on Facebook @opticamachin Optica Machin - Avenida Litoral - Edificio Vistamar - Bloque II - Local 1 - 29680 - Estepona

INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT

Lesley’s Story I started using Isagenix in July just after its launch in Spain.

The reasons

To try and regain some energy and mental clarity depleted from my body by mother natures cruel joke, aka the menopause.

The results

Within a week I can honestly say my energy levels were back, brain fog lifted and one kg in weight released. (I have since lost three kgs.)

The weight loss is a bonus for me, but I know other members who have have serious results with this.

After about two weeks I also found I was sleeping better, another bonus.

Friends have remarked on my skin, saying how good it is looking.

When you rid your body of toxins everything improves.

Lesley Handford

Isagenix removes the toxins picked up by your body everyday Isagenix cleanses the body and helps expel dangerous visceral fat

w: www.lesleyhandford.isagenix.com

m: 619 346 526

Much more than a meal replacement programme SIDE EFFECTS OF #Nutritional Cleansing: NATURAL ENERGY

Weight Loss

hand-holding-heart Isagenix is a health and wellness programme hand-holding-heart Isagenix is a full body nutritional cleanse, with a side effect of weight loss

BETTER SLEEP

hand-holding-heart Isagenix allows you to continue eating without feeling a sense of deprivation

REDUCED STRESS

hand-holding-heart Isagenix products use only the highest quality ingredients backed by science including undenatured whey protein, vitamins and minerals

Clearer Skin LEAN MUSCLE REDUCED BODY FAT

BRAIN CLARITY

IMPROVED DIGESTION

hand-holding-heart Isagenix supports intermittent fasting. It loads the body with optimal nutrition and allows cleansing on a cellular level whilst building muscle

Reduced Inflammation

Health and Wellness, weight management or energy and performance, Isagenix has the programme for you.

e: lesley_handford@yahoo.com

check-square Isagenix offers a 30-Day Product Guarantee for all new Associates on their first order so that they may enjoy the benefits of Isagenix worry-free

Stay connected with our IsaLife App

WINTER skin Look after your face during the cold weather chevron-circle-left SuperClean Cucumber

Herbal Conditioning Cleanser melts away dirt, impurities, and make-up whilst conditioning skin for a fresh-feeling cleanse that lasts all day. Formulated with cucumber extract and plant-based glycerin, our

non-drying, non-irritating facial cleanser maintains skin’s moisture leaving skin feeling soothed, soft and comfortably cleansed.

chevron-circle-left Gentle Remover

If you are looking for a convenient makeup remover small enough to fit your sports bag, weekend or hand luggage?

Try the effective MicellAIR Skin Breathe Micellar Gel in the new pocket-size format. It removes make-up from your face, eyes and lips effectively and gently.

No rubbing or rinsing needed.

chevron-circle-up Luxury Rehydration

Divine Cream is complete face moisturiser that fights against visible signs of ageing: wrinkles, loss of firmness, radiance and uneven skin tone

chevron-circle-left Timeless Classic Lightweight makeup remover quickly dissolves tenacious eye and face makeups, sunscreens. Transforms from a solid balm into a silky oil upon application. Cleans thoroughly, rinses off completely. Gently helps remove the stress of pollution so skin looks younger, longer. Non-greasy. Non-drying.

MAKEUP trends

Latest additions to your make up- bag chevron-circle-left Marc Jacobs Magic Marc’er Precision Pen Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner

A goof-proof liquid liner that makes creating sharp flicks and wings easy.

chevron-circle-right Dior Diorshow Pump‘N’Volume Mascara

Just a few swipes of this mousselike formula is all you need to get ultra-thick, but never clumpy, lashes.

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chevron-circle-left Huda Beauty Rose Gold Palette chevron-circle-up Mac Hot Pink Lipstick That Looks Good on Everyone

Regardless of the undertones in your complexion, the one-size-fits-all fuchsia is one that flatters both cool and warm skin alike.

The fuchsia holds just the right amount of blue to complement skin with a cool base (while making your teeth look whiter, at that), but has enough orange to complement tan complexions or those with hints of yellow.

VISIT ANDALUCIA December 2018

A revolutionary eyeshadow palette with 18 unique, buttery smooth shadows to create the most amplified metallic finish.

What you thought was love, was barely even a crush. Introducing the Huda Beauty Rose Gold REMASTERED Eyeshadow Palette; a transformed version of Huda’s groundbreaking first edition. This palette is inspired by Huda’s obsession with the absolute, most necessary colours you need on an everyday basis.

HAND care Hands as smooth as a summer peach

Not that you need one more thing to do, but have you looked at your hands lately? Does the skin appear smooth, supple and even-toned? Do your hands look as young as you feel? Unless they’ve been swaddled in gloves for the past 20-plus years, your hands are probably showing some signs of wear. The environment, sun, pollution, harsh weather can be just as damaging to your hands as it is to the face For many of us, some damage has already been done, but the good news is that most of it can be reversed and even slowed, thanks to new anti-ageing hand treatments, many of which use the same sophisticated ingredients found in products directed at the neck up.

Chemical peels can help fade dark spots and give your hands a much smoother texture, and fat injections (using fat transferred from a fatty area such as the buttocks) can plump hands up, so they appear smoother and less wrinkled on top.

Laser treatments can also help get rid of pigmentation spots but such procedures are expensive: They cost €100 and up, and often require several repeat visits per year. The bottom line is that most women in their 20s and 30s don’t need these treatments and won’t ever need them if they learn to care for their hands early on.

The best and often cheapest way to care for your hands is with a quality cream or lotion. Which cream is best for you depends on the results you’re after and what time of day you’re planning on applying it. Many of the night creams can be too greasy for daily activities. Then, maximise its moisturising effects by simply applying it to just-washed, still-damp hands.

&

Sweet Potato Spinach Curry The Sweet Potato When is a potato not a potato? When it’s a sweet potato.

Sweet potatoes are members of the Ipomoea genus, the most familiar being the creeper Morning Glory that is seen all over coastal Andalucia. The true potato is a member of the Solanum genus that includes tomatoes and aubergines.

It was the sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas (which is where the word potato originates), native to the tropical parts of Central and South America, that was brought to Europe by the Conquistadors in the early 16th century. It had been cultivated since before 3000 BC. Because it only grows in warm climates, the sweet potato was a rare and expensive treat in Europe.

In Andalucia, the sweet potato is grown from stem cuttings. The edible part is the swollen root. From planting cuttings to the first harvest is only 12 weeks and per acre produces more kilograms of food than any other cultivated plant.

It was only when explorers reached the highlands of South America that they found the potato we are more familiar with, Solanum tuberosum, growing in cooler climes. This potato grows happily in northern Europe, but it was many years before it was accepted as a food fit for humans.

Serves 4-6 I Easy 40-45 Mins Preparation & Cooking 60 ml : groundnut oil 1 : onion: peeled and chopped 2 : garlic cloves peeled and crushed 15ml : fresh grated root ginger ¼ tsp : cayenne pepper 1 tbsp : mild or medium curry paste 350gm : peeled sweet potato, cubed 200ml : passata or tomato triturado 300ml : vegetable stock 300gm : spinach leaves, roughly shredded 225gm : button mushrooms 60ml : peanut butter 30gm : coriander plus extra for garnish Salt and pepper Greek yoghurt or Crème Fraiche to serve

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Method QQ Heat 45ml of the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onion, garlic, ginger and cayenne and fry gently for 10 minutes. Add curry paste; cook stirring for 1 minute QQ Add the sweet potatoes, stir to coat with the onion mixture and fry for 3 – 4 minutes. Add the passata and stock. Bring to the boil and cover and simmer for at least 20 minutes until the potatoes are almost tender.

QQ Meanwhile, add the remaining oil in a frying pan, add the mushrooms and stir-fry for 4 – 5 minutes until golden and beginning to release their juices. Add the mushrooms with the shredded spinach, stir gently but well and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

QQ Mix a few spoonsful of the stew juices with the peanut butter to soften it slightly then stir back into the pan. Add the coriander, season and heat through.

QQ Scatter plenty of the coriander over the top and serve at once with the Greek yoghurt or Crème Fraiche

VISIT ANDALUCIA December 2018

Peanut Facts

It takes about 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter.

Two peanut farmers have been elected president of the United States of America, Virginia’s Thomas Jefferson and Georgia’s Jimmy Carter.

Astronaut Alan Shepard took a peanut with him to the moon.

Most peanut butter is a simple mixture of ground peanuts and salt. Others might also contain oil or added sugar; nearly ALL peanut butter is 100% vegan Peanuts are sometimes called “ground nuts” or “ground peas” because peanuts grow underground.

Former President Bill Clinton says one of his favourite sandwiches is peanut butter and banana; also reported having been the favorite of Elvis “the King” Presley.

Women and children prefer creamy peanut butter, while most men opt for chunky.

For Vegans, Vegetarians and Meat Eaters to enjoy, warming, filling, healthy and tasty

Estepona Port Overlooked by its control tower, Estepona marina offers shelter and moorings to a mix of boats from the local fishing craft to luxury sailing and motor cruisers. Estepona has a thriving fish market through which much of the catch is processed daily. Some then appear on the local supermarket fish counters and the remainder in the local fishmongers or Pescadero of which there are many in the town. The moorings are surrounded on the land side by restaurants offering food from all nations and bars offering refreshment of a liquid sort, all looking out on the deep blue Mediterranean Sea. On the eastern end of the marina on a promontory, sits the lighthouse. Its light still guides the mariner at night and during spells of bad visibility while in its shadow nestle the fisherman’s huts where, each Sunday, an ages-long tradition is maintained. Whole families and their many extensions descend for a family reunion and meal. On the menu - fish of course.

What’s On in December Plan B

Open as normal during the

Christmas period and looking

forward to welcoming you on Christmas Day

Restaurante Bangkok 31st

Special New Year’s Eve Menu, call for details

24th 26th 31st

Christmas Draw Sing Along at La Luna New Years Eve Party until Late

La Luna

La Carbonara

Special Christmas & New Year Menu

The Festive Season at the Kempinski Hotel Bahia Estepona From the magical tree lighting in the lobby to elegant dinners with Christmas carols, guests will experience a festive season full of atmosphere, rest and relaxation in one of Spain’s best hotels.

From the 3rd of December, there will be a daily Christmas Afternoon Tea, packed with festive treats, from 3 pm in the lobby.

On December 21st and 22nd, two days of entertainment, including Jazz and Gospel acts in its restaurant outlets and as well as in its trendy lobby.

On December 24th, the hotel hosts its famous Christmas Eve Gala Dinner that starts at 7:30 pm. Prices start from 180€ per person.

On December 25th a choice of two Christmas Lunches. El Mirador, a buffet with a range of meats, seafood and Christmas treats or the Baltazar Bar & Grill, a Grand Christmas Day Lunch with a bespoke menu. Buffet prices are from 145€ per person and under 8s eat free. The hotel’s youngest guests will be kept busy and entertained with a range of festive activities throughout the day.

On December 31st guests can bring in the New Year with live music, sumptuous food, and fine wine. This New Year guests have two options, a 6-course extravaganza at Black Rose, or a 4-course menu in Baltazar Bar & Grill.

Both include drinks throughout the night, live music and entertainment, as well as snacks in the early hours.

Tickets are 380€ and 280€ respectively, with children under six free. Children between 6 and 12 can either enjoy a special children’s party or can stay at the table with parents.

Finally, a New Year’s Day brunch at El Mirador Restaurant.

Automobile & Fashion Museum Málaga

Y

ou may consider classifying motor cars into movements or periods, as you would with works of art, a little eccentric until you visit the Malaga Museum of Automobiles. There you will see vehicles with the fashions associated with the time and their role in the lives of those that owned them.

Car Museum

The first period is known as the Belle Epoque, the late 19th century to 1914 when vehicles were little more than developed horse-drawn carriages. After the First World War war came the Golden Years, the 20’s. The euphoria caused by the end of the war created a liberalisation of fashion, clothes and vehicles and the emancipation of women who influenced the design of the car during this period.

Then came the Popular Cars, those driven by the doctors, vets and priests. Cheaper to build and less expensive to run, they reflected the harder financial climate of the 30’s. Simultaneously and surprisingly from the same period are the Art Deco automobiles from the Golden Age. They reached levels of quality never before experienced. It is during this period that Rolls Royce, Mercedes, Packard, Delage and Lancia

20

emerged as the manufacturers producing the most innovative, creative and above all luxurious designs.

The Avant Garde period saw aesthetically advanced models created to impress and surprise society, in clothing and on the road. The 50’s ushered in the Dolce Vita decade. Sports cars were in. The Maserati, Porsche, Aston Martin and Jaguar came to the fore for those that could afford them.

The museum also has vehicles representing the Hollywood celebrity cars, all designed to impress by their elegance and outrageousness. Here you will see Elvis Presley’s “Eldorado” (1959) with its fins, wraparound windscreen and chrome. A car that became the symbol of the ‘American Dream’.

Looking to the future, the museum has three experimental cars that run on solar power, hydrogen and compressed air and compares them with early 20th century models that ran on alternative fuels, electricity and steam.

Fashion Museum

The museum has a collection of almost 100 cars together with 200 Haute Couture fashion exhibits that portray the world of the motorist.

VISIT ANDALUCIA December 2018

Fantasy, mystery, exclusivity and grandeur unite, a fascinating spectacle of Haute Couture

Open: Monday to Sunday from 10:00 to 19:00 hours. Tickets are on sale up to 30 minutes before closing time.

Find Us At: The Automobile and Fashion Museum of Mรกlaga is located in the emblematic building of La Tabacalera, in Sor Teresa Prat Avenue 15.

W: www.museoautomovilmalaga.com/en E: info@museoautomovilmalaga.com VISIT ANDALUCIA December 2018

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COMMUNITY news Cudeca Light a Light Celebration

Once again Cudeca Hospice celebrates their traditional Christmas “Light a Light” in memory of a loved ones, on Friday 14th December from 6 p.m.

During this celebration the traditional lighting of the lights that decorate the Cudeca Hospice Centre in Benalmádena will be carried out by the Founder & Honorary President, Joan Hunt OBE; and the chief executive & Medical Director, Marisa Martín together with more than 300 charity candles of the volunteers, friends and employees. tree A visit from Father Christmas tree Face painting for the little ones tree Christmas cake & sweets tree Pupils of Sunny View College Choir tree Raffle On this particular evening, we will participate in a charity raffle, with homemade cakes, and other savoury delights. Further items will be on sale, e.g., Cudeca’s favourite Christmas Cards, hand-crafted by patients and volunteers, Calendars and the Christmas lottery tickets.

If you wish to light a light in memory of your loved one, you can do it at www.lightupcudeca.org for a minimum donation of €10 or at the Hospice Centre on the night of the event.

The dedication will figure in the book “Light a Light” that will be printed and displayed in the Cudeca Hospice.

The Lights of the Centre are a personal tribute and will continue to shine until 6th January.

Everyone is welcome to join us for this poignant evening.

Your participation will help us to continue offering our “special kind of caring” to those who need it most.

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VISIT ANDALUCIA December 2018

Vecinos y Amigos of Marina Casares Club The Vecinos y Amigos of Marina Casares Club moved to new premises next to the back entrance to The English Bookshop, Sabinillas, in September. They would like to thank the Ayuntamiento of Casares for the use of their offices for the last twelve years.

The Club has many favourite events and some new. They are open on Saturdays for coffee, tea and cake – a break from the shopping and have a full calendar of events through the week with crafts, flower arranging techniques and more.

Christmas is a busy period.

If you want to know about our enjoyable, friendly club open to all nationalities, please call in on either Wednesday or Friday 11 am – 1 pm when a committee member is there to answer all your questions. The subscription is 30€ per annum

The Arts Society de la Frontera is a European member society of The Arts Society, a UK non-profit organisation with over 340 member societies worldwide founded in 1968 by Patricia Fay. Originally started in 2005 to meet the needs of those living on, and visiting, the western end of the Costa del Sol, The Arts Society de la Frontera is one of the largest societies of The Arts Society in Spain and mainland Europe. Based close to Sotogrande, its main catchment area is from Marbella along the coast to La Linea and inland to Casares, Gaucin, and Jimena de la Frontera. Lectures are held in the exclusive San Roque Golf & Country Club. A7 Km 127. globe www.nadfas-delafrontera.org

8th December Christmas Fair 10th December Social evening 19th December Grand Draw with the ‘Love to Sing’ choir 24th December pre Christmas party with entertainment and a buffet

Festive Events

The Arts Society de la Frontera is a vibrant and sociable society, holding lectures on a broad range of topics on the third Wednesday of the month between October and May, given by world class lecturers that have been chosen from a list of The Arts Society accredited UK based speakers.

Membership for our season 2018/2019 is now open. Single membership is €60 and for a couple €100, this includes entrance to 8 illustrated talks given by expert lecturers and quarterly issue of The Arts Society Magazine delivered to your door. facebook @theartssociety

VISIT ANDALUCIA December 2018

envelope delafrontera@theartssociety.org

23

Building Bethlehem in Andalucia A small village on the lower slopes of the Sierra de Mollina some 65 kilometres inland from Malaga and 3,600 from the Holy Land itself is an unlikely spot to choose to re-create Bethlehem, but that is exactly what the citizens of Mollina, with the help of the Diaz Caballero foundation, decided they were going to do.

Mollina dates from the 16th century. It grew up around the Convent de la Ascension and the church of San Cayetano built in the late 17th century. The population were farmers, ancestors of the beneficiaries of the Crown’s largesse following the reconquest when arable land was parcelled off to the victors. The primary crop then was olives and so productive were the olive groves that the name of the church was changed to Nuestra Señora de la Oliva. These days the main crop is the vine. Mollina produces about 80% of the wine made in Malaga province.

The villagers did not precisely replicate Bethlehem of course, instead they set about collecting the dioramas that are called, in Spanish, Belén.

A Belén is a Nativity Scene. The word means Bethlehem, since a Spanish Christmas scene includes the entire town of Bethlehem and what often looks like all of Judea. In addition to angels and shepherds and sheep, there are farmers with their ploughs, hunters with strings of game, washerwomen washing and bakers baking. There are caves and

houses and temples, rocks and streams and mountains. Off in the distance, there are the Magi on their camels, and sometimes you will see the soldiers of Herod, ominously advancing with their swords drawn. All the while, children like small lambs dance through the scenes, bringing their offerings to the Child, the Niño, who sleeps in a straw-filled manger under the gaze of his adoring Mother and the vigilant St. Joseph.

The tradition is thought to have been started by St. Francis who is credited with creating the first nativity scene in Greccio, Italy in 1223. The custom soon spread to Spain where it underwent many changes, becoming larger, more intricate and allowing for artistic licence in the interpretation of the scene. For the last 800 years, skilled manufacturers have been producing nativity scenes to delight children and adults alike.

Now in the small village of Mollina between Antequera and Fuente de Pedra you can see a collection, reported to be the largest in the world, of belen created by famous Spanish manufacturers from all corners of Spain. There are 60 scenes on display around three huge creations. Vicente Martinez created one 25 metres long representing the eight provinces of Andalucia. The newly opened (December 2017) Museo de Belenes is already attracting large numbers of visitors.

The museum is open all year.

If you plan to visit during the Christmas period, you are advised to book through the website museodebelenes.com Your children will love you for it.

Herbs & Vegetables

ide u g art re p 3 pa pre w so st ve har

Over the next months, I will be taking you through a fulfilling project; creating a herb and vegetable garden on the Costa del Sol without using insecticides, herbicides or fertilisers.

Preparation

Gardening on the Costa can be a challenge. Much of what you know from growing in the UK has to be forgotten for one reason. Whereas you may get one main crop and a catch crop per year from land in the UK you can expect two main crops plus a catch crop here in Spain. That means unless you regularly re-energise the soil, replace all those minerals and nutrients taken up by your plants, you will soon have barren land that produces weak, diseased crops. Fortunately there is a way to do this that does not involve the use of artificial fertilisers.

The Power of Compost

Compost performs two primary functions. It introduces humus to the soil making it more friable and more efficient at retaining moisture, and it re-introduces nutrients taken up by plants. As a bonus, on the clay soils common on the Costa del Sol, it also prevents the formation of the rock-hard surface that is impenetrable to fork, spade and more importantly, the delicate roots of seedlings.

You can never have too much compost. Even if you compost all your waste vegetable material from garden and kitchen, you will never be able to entirely replace all the goodness taken from the soil. You will have eaten much of it. Now I am not advocating using human waste although it did work and was much used in mediaeval times. Far better if you can use animal or poultry manure and, if you live on the coast, seaweed left over winter to have the salt washed out. Waste coffee grounds are a compost ingredient that is freely available here. Coffee boosts the nitrogen content of the compost and acts as a compost accelerator. Get friendly with your local cafĂŠ or venta. Do not have more than about 20% by volume of coffee grounds to other vegetable waste, you can make it too rich.

The compost bin is easy if you are not too worried about aesthetics. I use old pallets, three for back and sides and one as the front door. I use old towels, plastic or old carpet to line the vertical sides. It all helps to retain moisture and restrict light, and I cover the bin with a sheet of black plastic for the same reason. The bin sits on bare earth so that worms can have free access. You will have read about how to build the perfect compost heap. Forget it. Start with some twiggy stuff and then pile in whatever you have with manure and coffee thrown in. Make sure the heap is damp, not sodden. You will have to water it during summer.

Once you have filled your bin to the top, it will take about six months to reduce down to nearly a third by volume. At this stage, you can remove the top few centimetres that will not have fully decomposed to act as a compost bin starter and use the remainder as compost on the garden.

Notable Weeds

The majority of weeds are annuals, and you will be getting rid of those as you work the ground. There are two perennials that I find a particular nuisance.

Bindweed. In flower, it produces small convolvulus type flowers (like morning glory). Its leaves are dark green, small and ovate. Its stem and roots are white like thin spaghetti. One tiny piece of root left in the ground can produce a mass of bindweed in no time. The roots can survive dry conditions for a couple of years, and they can be, in my experience, up to one metre down. One day I was deep digging a patch to rid it of bindweed, and a gentleman with an allotment nearby stopped, peered over the edge of my metre plus deep trench, and enquired why I was digging what looked like a grave. You get the idea.

Grass

I am not sure what you would call this type of grass. It has small beansized black seeds with hair-thin, sharp appendages. They look dried up and dead until they find a hint of moisture, when, within hours, they sprout green shoots, and the appendages become roots that rapidly colonise the ground throwing up more green shoots as they go. Those seeds can survive years in the dry ground. As with bindweed the only solution is to dig them out.

Needless to say, I try not to put those weeds in my compost heap.

A BIG thank you W

hen we first suggested to people that we intended to publish a new magazine in a similar style to our previous one, Andalucia Life, we were astounded by the positive response. Neither Julie nor I realised how much we had been appreciated. Previous readers told us how they had saved all previous copies and still re-read articles. We were even more astonished with the response from businesses that had previously advertised with us. Most are genuinely pleased to see the magazine again and want to appear in it.

During this, admittedly primitive, market research, we found a good proportion of those previous clients not only still in existence but thriving.

We also saw several new businesses, just or recently started, and obviously optimistic about the future, despite Brexit.

Space prevents us mentioning more than a few of the most recent arrivals.

There is the Flying Squirrel in Monte Duquesa, CA SHOTT female fashions in Duquesa, Arcos 38 in Sabinillas and Buddha Bowl in Estepona Port.

Some businesses have changed hands, the Cork Tree Bar in Duquesa and Ringo’s in Pueblo Mexicana. There are entirely new types of businesses being established, like Isagenix. It is all very positive and exciting.

So, a great big thank you to all for your support.

28

Alia and Lee at the Buddha Bowl Opening

Estelle & Family at the Buddha Bowl Opening

Chirine at the Buddha Bowl Opening

Kat at the Buddha Bowl Opening

Visit The Flying Squirrel in Monte Duquesa

Warm & Cosy at Ringo’s, Duquesa landside

Lisa & Wally new owners of Arcos 38 Fathoms

Fashion at CA Shott in Puerto de la Duquesa

The Cork Tree, Duquesa opening in December

VISIT ANDALUCIA December 2018

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THE SECRET OF SUCCESS

At the age of just 24 years, in 2014, Lynn Van Wilderode established Primrose Real Estate SL. In just four years she has built a successful and respected business based in Sabinillas. What is the secret of her success?

Lynn, how did you become an estate agent?

After leaving school in Manilva I worked at a lawyers office and then for three established estate agencies. That work experience taught me the legal side of the business and the technical and administrative skills required. One day I decided ‘I can do this myself’ and did.

There are lots of estate agents, why are you different?

I was born in Belgium, only moving to Spain when I was 13 years of age.

By that time I could speak Flemish and French. I finished my education in Spain so learnt fluent Spanish and, at the same time, English. I realised early on that to make an impact on the real estate market you should be able to communicate with a spread of nationalities, not just in the office or at viewings, but through the website and social media as well. Flemish is not a mainstream language so I have established a small niche in that market.

So, you are saying find a niche?

Yes, exactly, but you also need commitment and determination, especially in the early years when things might not always go as planned. Even in the last four years, I have seen estate agencies established and then gone. Some people seem to think it is an easy market to get into when property prices are rising, that they can make a lot of money very quickly with little work. Life is not like that, especially in the real estate market.

VISIT ANDALUCIA December 2018

Have you made mistakes?

Of course I have. In the early days I was not good at delegation, I was very protective. I have had to learn that skill. I am still learning it. When you work for other people, you tend to be the one being delegated too, not the delegator.

People management skills are also essential. I find it very difficult to chastise or dismiss staff. I am not yet sure whether that is a good thing or a bad thing.

Have you any advice for people planning to start a real estate business, or any other business for that matter?

Yes. Look at the competition in the area and do your market research.

Find a product or service that is not being offered and then find out whether there is a reason for that, it may be nobody actually wants it.

Plan to take two years to become established. That means long hours, lots of stress and not much return.

And finally plan any business expansion just as carefully as you prepared the foundation and make sure that foundation is solid before you build on it.

Is there any one asset that you would recommend?

The first couple of years are tough.

During that time your main asset has to be a supportive family and friends. I could not have gone as far as I have today without them.

What is your favourite quote?

“It doesn’t matter how great your shoes are if you don’t accomplish anything in them.” (Martina Boone)

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Puerto de la Duquesa What’s On in December Kinsales

Thursday 9.30pm Lily Williams Fridays & Saturdays 9.30pm Karaoke with Brian Sundays 9pm DJ Kat Christmas Eve Christmas Jumper Day Christmas Eve Teatime Carol Singing Christmas Eve 9pm Niel Diamond Tribute Christmas Day 5pm Kathy and Eddie Christmas Day 9pm DJ Kat from 9pm New Years Eve 9pm Party & Karaoke with Brian

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entertainment throughout the holiday period

San Luis de Sabinillas What’s On in December Arcos 38 Fathoms Mondays 8pm Saturdays 12 – 6pm 12th from 7.30pm

O’Callaghans

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Sponsored Swim 26th from 12 noon

Quiz Night with Graham and Ann Solo Afternoon Tea Carol Singing with Love to Sing Choir Quiz night Jingo Karaoke Live Music On the beach in front of the statue

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www.kinsaleduquesa.com Kinsale La Duquesa

The Mediterranean Steps

Start and Finish

Jews Gate, Gibraltar. (Pillar of Hercules)

How to get there:

Take the steep road signposted Upper Rock which is just south of the Rock Hotel.

(You can catch a bus to the hotel). Just past the first toll booth and adjacent to the second, on the left is a flight of concrete steps, the start of the walk.

Distance: 7 kilometres Difficulty: Hard Essential: Boots, food and water

continued >>

Top left: Looking towards Algeciras from the Upper Cable Car station Right: Flora & Fauna on the walk Bottom left: WW2 Tunnel

Jew’s Gate Many people wonder where the name Jews’ Gate originated. Between 1746 and 1848 a Jewish cemetery, Jews’ Gate Cemetery, also called Windmill Hill Cemetery, was located here. Why the Jews buried their dead there is not known. One theory is that, by keeping a low profile and not burying their dead in the Christian cemetery, they could avoid expulsion from Gibraltar which had been mandated by the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. In 1848 the Governor of Gibraltar ordered that, ‘ no more interments shall take place at the former Burial Ground above Wind Mill Hill but that all future Hebrew dead shall be deposited in the allotted portion of the New Cemetery.’

Pillar of Hercules The sun, just risen and still hidden behind a menacing mass of rock that was more sensed than seen through the dense, moist fog that enveloped me, caused a glimmer of light to percolate through the pewter coloured, woolly clouds above. To my side, black against the grey sky, with tendrils of mist twining through it was the northern pillar of Hercules. Glimpsed 180 metres below, through thinning cloud, the shipping anchored in the bay gradually took form, floating on gunmetal, flat sea. It was easy to understand how ancient mariners attached mystical importance to this place. A cup of steaming coffee helped while away some time whilst the sun burnt its way up the sky to take me out of the shadow of the Rock of Gibraltar. It was time to start the walk.

VISIT ANDALUCIA December 2018

35

The walk leads south initially through dense maquis but soon opens up into less dense garrigue. As the vegetation thins a spectacular view to North Africa 12 miles away across the Strait emerges. In season you will see clumps of paperwhite narcissi, asphodels, Dutchman’s pipe and Gibraltar saxifrage amongst the Esparto grass, dwarf fan palms and wild olive trees.

The path narrows and curves to the north as it takes you to the edge of the cliffs. Yellow -legged gulls launch themselves off the cliff to soar over the sea. Their cries are piercing in the otherwise silent world you inhabit here. When nesting these gulls mob the unwary walker, swooping at your head and swerving at the last split second with cries of outrage that you have trespassed in their area. Do not fear; they are harmless.

The Steps You will arrive at the bottom of the first flight of stairs.

These take you to a cave, Martin’s Cave, where the rare Schreiber’s bat roost and breed. On this day the bats are very sensibly still deep in the recesses of the cave. It is an excellent spot to sit, have a coffee and admire the view. For an oldie like me, it is also the last chance to regain breath before the more strenuous part of the walk. The steps continue and lead to the Goat’s Hair Twin Caves, home to humans in the dim and distant past.

These caves now hundreds of

metres above sea level were once on the shoreline.

At the top of this first flight, there are some buildings built by the military during World War II and a short tunnel. Emerging from the tunnel, you are treated to a unique view north along the east face of the Rock to Spain and the coast of the Costa del Sol. Between 1903 and 1961 the east face was covered in concrete and corrugated steel sheets. This 34 acre covering drained rainwater into channels that then took the water to underground reservoirs. In 2001 the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society started to supervise the removal of the water catchment area and by 2006 it was returned to its natural state, a fossilised dune that had built up over hundreds of thousands of years.

The path winds its way upwards getting ever steeper.

Keep your eyes open for the Gibraltar Candytuft that nestles in crannies in the rock face. The posts and ropes alongside the steps have been refurbished, but care is still needed. This steep section takes you to the base of the final cliff. From here the path ascends in a zigzag up the vertical face. This last section before the top is home to no less than five species of plant endemic to Gibraltar, the Gibraltar Candytuft, Gibraltar Thyme, Gibraltar Campion, Gibraltar Chickweed and Gibraltar Saxifrage.

The Top Finally, at the top you will be rewarded by views both east and west. Just to the south, on the summit ridge, are two 9.2 inch gun batteries. These are Lord Airey’s and O’Hara’s batteries. Last fired in 1972 by the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, the batteries were installed during World War II. O’Hara’s has been restored and is now open to the public.

Follow the road as it zigs and zags down the rock to emerge back at Jew’s Gate or at the north end of the Rock on Willis’s Road that takes you past the Homage Tower. From there you can twist and turn through the old town to reach Casemate’s Square.

MAKE a

SPLASH in the

New Year visit Andalucia

More than just a Magazine Visit Andalucia is a community resource, it lets you promote your forthcoming events, your business news and your business promotions in the magazine and on our website Visit Andalucia is a new editorially based, glossy publication. 5000 copies are distributed in Marbella, Puerto Banus along the coast to all the tourist and ex-pat hotspots down the coast into Gibraltar and then inland to Gaucin, Casares, Manilva and Jimena de la Frontera. We distribute on the first two working days of every month.

IN THE MAGAZINE Every edition has lots of lovely editorial about Andalucia. Places of interest, fashion, health and beauty, food and drink, homes, gardening, history, plus what to do and where to go.

Visit Andalucia is an interesting read and as a magazine, it will be in circulation for a lot longer than a newspaper. It is a coffee table type of publication.

TO ADVERTISE WITH US Contact Jane on 619 820 403 - jane@visit-andalucia.com or Nick on 634 344 163 - nick@visit-andalucia.com

ON THE WEB In addition to your advertisement you also automatically get an entry in our Business Directory online and will receive regular updates of the number of visitors to your page.

Included in your listing is a full web page showing your logo, up to 4 images, a Google map and a complete description of your business You will be able to log on and edit your page and indeed monitor traffic yourself.

Now in 20 Major European Languages IN THE COMMUNITY Tell us about your forthcoming events and we will share them with our groups and friends and print them in the magazine.

Charities benefit from free promotion of their events in the magazine and on the web.

The King’s Bastion Leisure Centre On the 1st March 2008, the Chief Minister of Gibraltar, Peter Caruana, officially inaugurated The King’s Bastion.

A major entertainment venue for children and adults, quite the opposite of its original purpose.

Alexis Almeida, the Chairman of the Gibraltar Heritage Trust, said ‘The King’s Bastion was the last major battery built in this style’.

Bowling

At the Movies

King’s Bowl offers 14 lanes suitable for both beginners and professionals. You can also book Children’s Parties and Corporate Events. Wheelchair ramp available.

Ice Skating Our ice skating rink, with a real ice surface, is open all the year round and has a capacity for up to 50 skaters. Children under 7 are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult on the ice, there is also the option to take lessons with a qualified coach.

Ice ride bumper cars are available for extra fun.

Pool Tables

Come to Leisure Cinemas and enjoy the latest movies on the big screen, with performances daily and matinee performances on weekends. Also featuring Event Cinema and 3D presentations.

The front row of the cinema has been designated for wheelchairs.

Eat & Drink In the Rock Bastion Restaurant, you can enjoy a light snack or full a la carte menu, either indoors or al fresco. Boyd’s Wine Bar & Lounge serving alcoholic drinks to adults only is located on the second floor and is one of the Rock’s most popular venues for celebrating parties, corporate functions and all types of special events.

In our Games Rooms, you’ll find 7ft and 8ft pool tables in the UK and American style.

Open 9am to midnight

Arcade Games With over 60 coin-operated machines, the Amusement Arcade is fun for all ages. Includes a Virtual Reality Extreme Adventures simulator, shoot ‘em ups, driving games, pinball machines, basketball and air hockey as well as rides for small children and a free access Toddlers Play Area. Free wi-fi is also available.

Internet Lounge 8 internet stations & chill out area with sofas.

Fitness Gym Spread over two floors and offering a wide range of Technogym equipment for all types of workouts including cardiovascular and strength building. An open-air section is also available.

www.kingsbastion.gov.gi

W

hat is a Bastion?

The concept of a bastion developed in the mid 16th Century and became a dominant feature of fortifications for three hundred years and was a direct result of the increasing use and efficiency of the cannon. The round, high towers of mediaeval fortifications could not withstand the pounding they received from the shot fired from gunpowder artillery.

A bastion combines a number of ideas. It is generally much lower than the towers it replaced, usually on the same level as the curtain wall on either side. Usually there would be a ditch in front of the bastion and a glacis, a slope of earth built to the same height as the bastion, sometimes fronted by stone, on the far side of the ditch. The glacis would deflect enemy fire up and over the bastion itself whilst the height from the bottom of the ditch to the top of the walls would still make it challenging to scale. Kings Bastion did not have this feature since the sea came almost to the bottom of the wall. Unlike earlier towers, a bastion was flat faced eliminating dead ground in front of the fortification. The bastion itself was an angular structure with two faces and two flanks projecting out from the curtain wall so that fire from the flanks could protect any bastions on either side and the curtain wall itself. The stonework on the outside of the bastion (in the

example at Gibraltar) was not designed to stop cannon balls and shells; it was merely a retaining wall with a good thickness of packed earth and rubble that would absorb the enemy shot. Kings Bastion had one other feature; it was shaped like an arrow so that the part of the bastion that connected with the curtain wall was inset allowing three fields of fire to engage any enemy unfortunate enough to find themselves in that position.

K

ing’s Bastion, Rise

Kings Bastion was built on the site of a Spanish gun position, the Plataforma de San Lorenzo, and construction began in 1773. It was the most important part of the western defences playing a major role as a command post during the Great Siege from 1779 to 1783, in particular, the action known as the ‘Grand Attack’ of 1782 when the Spanish floating batteries assaulted Gibraltar.

By 1859 there were seventeen 32 pounders, six 8 inch smoothbore cannon and two 10 inch howitzers installed in the bastion. Between 1873 and 1878 the bastion was modified to take one 12.5 inch and four 10 inch muzzle loaded rifled guns (RMLs) on turntables mounted in iron shielded casemates. They were in operation until 1902.

K

ing’s Bastion, Fall

By the late 19th Century the bastion no longer played a significant role in the defence of Gibraltar, and the shore in front of the bastion started to be reclaimed by the deposit of thousands of tons of rock and earth, part of the construction of the New Dockyard.

The Kings Bastion however still had military significance initially as a lookout post and then as an antitank position with a six-pounder gun. After the Second World War, four 25 pounder guns were installed and the bastion became a saluting platform. Its days as a military fortification came to an end in 1961 when the bastion was chosen to house the oil storage and administration offices for the Kings Bastion Power Station built alongside the bastion’s north facade. The power station was closed in the early 1990s and demolished in 2005 to once again reveal the north facade.

Mr Henderson’s Railway

Algeciras to Ronda by Train

I

n the late 19th Century British officers, garrisoned at Gibraltar, enjoyed the campo and travelled as far as Gaucin and Ronda but the roads were narrow with potholes and craters and the carriages often had to navigate around boulders fallen on the track from the hillsides above. It took many hours, sometimes days, to even reach Gaucin and four days to reach Ronda. In 1890 a British engineer, John Morrison, with the backing of his friend, Sir Alexander Henderson, later Lord Faringdon, proposed a single track rail line between Algeciras and Bobadilla where it would meet the main line to Madrid.

40

The pair had previously been responsible for building railways through atrocious countryside in South America so anticipated little difficulty in Spain.

Two Hotels and a Railway

The first section of the line, to Estacion Jimena, was opened in October 1890 and the second stretch, to Ronda, in November 1892. The company established to build and operate the line was the Algeciras (Gibraltar) Railway Company Ltd. To cater for the gentlemen and their ladies, Henderson also built two hotels the first being the Reina Cristina, at VISIT ANDALUCIA December 2018

Algeciras. The architect, T.E. Colcutt, was nothing if not British and produced a baroque colonial haven of tranquillity that was typically English. Initially the hotel had magnificent views of the Rock and across to Africa. During the Second World War, it was popular with spies from both the Axis and Allied camps who spotted shipping in the Strait.

Some even took sea view rooms on a long let and converted the bathrooms to darkrooms. In the 1890s the hotel was not only used by passengers on the new train line who would disembark from the small packet steamer from Gibraltar; it was also popular with those

Catching the Train Rather than grapple with the traffic and parking in Algeciras many people prefer to start their journey at Estacion San Roque, the third station up the line. There is ample parking near the station.

There are typically five trains per day starting at 06:30. The last train is at 15:46. Returning from Ronda there are five trains starting at 09:18, the last at 19:54.

The easiest way to enjoy the experience is to book a Day Trip

travelling on the P. & O. ships to India and the Far East who would disembark for the Saturday evening dances. In 1906 the Reina Victoria was built at the other end of the line in Ronda and today offers guests the same very English service and atmosphere enjoyed by the officers and ladies from Gibraltar a hundred years ago.

All Very British

Between Algeciras and Ronda there are eleven stations, all built originally to the same pattern. You would be forgiven for thinking that you had been transported to the set of The Railway Children at many of the single storey stations. An English station clock hangs beneath a fringed wooden canopy.

Metal slatted seats stand outside the stationmasters’

continued >> VISIT ANDALUCIA December 2018

41

office. Some have a weighbridge for goods set into the platform, made in England of course. The original hand-operated points and signals are still lovingly cared for. Most stations are well maintained, the platforms decorated with brilliantly coloured geraniums and petunias, the slatted fences painted annually. The stationmaster is also in charge of the points and level crossings so, after setting the necessary levers, he rapidly dons his uniform to await the arrival of the train.

He is equipped with a red cap and carries a red flag and a whistle with which he signals the train driver to proceed. It’s all very nostalgic.

Electronic signalling has also replaced the manual technique of warning of oncoming trains. The method was simple and foolproof.

As a train left each station, the driver was given a hoop. He handed this to the next stationmaster who could then release any train standing in the spur line at his station, and the hoop would travel back to its home station with that driver.

Beyer, Peacock and Co. of Manchester built the first steam locomotives to run on the line.

Steam gave way to diesel in the 1970s, a disappointment to steam buffs but a significant increase in efficiency. When the rails were wet the old engines had trouble climbing some of the steep inclines and had to be preceded by a man throwing sand on the track, reducing the speed to a walking pace. The modern diesel locomotives spray sand automatically when they detect a lack of adhesion.

The Route

Secure in the knowledge that progress will be in a forward direction, passengers can sit back and enjoy the spectacular scenery as the line follows the course of the Rio Guadiaro. You will notice that the towns and villages served by the stations are some way from the line and often perched high above on their defensive ridges and buttresses.

Estacion Gaucin, or Colmenar for instance, is 12 kilometres from Gaucin itself and Estacion Cortes serving Cortes de la Frontera is 5 kilometres away. After Estacion Jimena the line takes you through canyons and narrow valleys as it starts the climb up to Ronda, crossing and re-crossing the river. Just before Ronda the line performs a hairpin bend to manage the last hill. It is a fantastic example of the best of 19th century, British, engineering.

‘Fake News’ was not a term many people used two years ago, but it is now seen as one of the greatest threats to democracy, free debate and the Western order. And yet, nobody can agree on what it is, the extent of the problem, and what to do about it.

Fake news is not new. Octavian famously used disinformation to help his campaign against Marc Anthony. By the 20th century, fake news was called propaganda, and the new forms of mass communication helped propaganda’s persuasive power to grow, particularly during wartime and by fascist regimes. However, before the Internet, it was expensive to distribute information and to build up trust took years.

Propaganda, largely sponsored by Governments, tended to become less effective as populations became used to mass communication; they could more easily see through it.

Nation state-sponsored misinformation: The goal here isn’t revenue, but influence. Outlets in Russia or elsewhere might produce content to swing public opinion, sow division or give the illusion of support for a particular candidate or idea, either domestically or abroad.

Fabricated stories can often be mixed with true or sensationalised ones. Over thirty nations currently employ opinion shapers according to the 2017 Freedom on the Net report.

Highly-partisan news sites: These can conflate fact and opinion, are nakedly supportive of one political viewpoint or party, and often position themselves as alternatives to the mainstream media.

Social media itself: Swarms of Twitter bots posting doctored or

misleading photos, adverts on Facebook paid for by Russian intelligence outfits, videos on YouTube claiming terrorist incidents are hoaxes. These are not links outside of social media but are part of the social networks themselves.

Finally: the deliberate dissemination of false information by politicians for political means. Once the false data hits the media, it becomes ‘fact’.

Is there an answer? At the moment, no, despite reassurances from Facebook, Google and the press association. Everybody has to judge for themselves whether what they read is fact or fiction. The general mistrust of news could lead many people to trust their own prejudices which could be very dangerous; there are some real loopy loos out there.

The 21st century ushered in the Internet and Social Media, and fertile fields for the ‘opinion shapers’ who promote propaganda online. Opinion shapers come in different shapes and sizes.

Commercially-driven sensational content: Stories that are not ideologically driven, but very often have absolutely no grounding in fact. Their key goal is to drive web traffic and, as a result, generate advertising income.

VISIT ANDALUCIA December 2018

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A FAMILY history

In late 1965, Ken and Maureen Marlow opened the very first fish and chip restaurant, with take away, in Gibraltar.

The small family, mother, father, and two young children one of whom was Steven Marlow had travelled from Leeds by caravan. The journey took three weeks, and on arrival, they had moved down the Costa del Sol looking for a suitable location for a fish and chip shop. Ken correctly foresaw that the south-west of the Iberian peninsula would become a favourite tourist destination and expatriate home for the British. When they could go no further, in Gibraltar, Ken found his location.

Irish Town Fisheries was established in Irish Town, Gibraltar, at Number 39. The building is now a toy shop, but when Ken and Maureen arrived, it was one of the oldest buildings in Irish Town, an abandoned tobacco warehouse with walls a metre thick. All the fryers were manufactured back in Leeds before being shipped out to Gibraltar. Even the cod had to be authentic; Ken imported Norwegian cod, another first for Irish Town Fisheries.

The ‘Irish Town chippy’ remained open until the 1990’s when Jyske Bank bought the building and demolished it.

Today Steve Marlow carries on the family tradition from the fabulous premises, ‘Marlows Fish and Chips’ in Los Hidalgos.

Back in June 2008 when Steve opened the shop, he had the fryers built by the same firm in Leeds that had supplied those for Irish Town.

Steve still imports cold water North Sea fish, just as his parents did 50 years ago.

Left: Steve frying today Middle: York Room restaurant 1966 Right: Ken frying in Irish Town, 1966

Social Media is the BUZZ word but not all our readers belong to the ‘club’

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On the BOOKSHELF featuring Joan Fallon

I first came to Spain in the 1970s on holiday and like most British people I was seeking the sun. I knew little about Spanish history and culture except that it was a dictatorship, something borne out by the armed police and general air of poverty that we found around us. In 1998 when we moved to a democratic Spain, we found life very different, and I discovered a country so full of art, music, dance and tradition that I wanted to know more about it and in particular Andalusia.

I’m a writer and novelist and not surprisingly most of my books are about Spain and its people. The more I saw of this rich and varied country, the more I became interested in its past. My first book, The Daughters of Spain, was a collection of interviews I made with Spanish women. I wanted to know what their lives had been like under the dictatorship of Franco and how different they were now. Their fascinating accounts told me a lot about my new home and the people who lived there, but it also provided me with the inspiration to write two other books.

One of the interviewees told me about her family’s experiences during the Spanish Civil War; I was amazed to learn about how the people of Málaga had suffered at the time. Thousands of people fleeing for their lives along the N340—a road I travel along most days—were mown down with machine guns and mortar fire from

cruising battleships and when the Nationalists took the city thousands more were killed. So I researched further into the period and wrote the novel Spanish Lavender.

As I began to explore my new home, I began to realise that there was even more to this country’s past than I had realised and I became interested in Andalusia and the Moors. Everywhere I looked there was evidence of its Moorish ancestry, from the architecture and pottery to the food eaten - local dishes that hadn’t changed in centuries. Place names, irrigation systems, gardens and fountains, the language itself, all reminded me that this Christian country once had a very different past.

In the year 2000, I went to an exhibition of Umayyad art held in a place called Madinat al-Zahra, just outside Córdoba. The Umayyads were the rulers of Muslim Spain for three hundred years.

That visit inspired me to find out what life was like in Andalusia in the 10th century and led me to write the al-Andalus trilogy, the first book of which is set in Madinat al-Zahra. The trilogy ends with the fall of Córdoba, but I find I’m not ready to leave this fascinating period and have just started the first novel in a series set in 11th century Málaga, a time not so well known but equally as full of intrigue and conspiracy.

Every month we feature a local author, if you would like to be ‘On the Bookshelf’ for future issues please contact info@visit-andalucia.com

Operation Mincemeat

O

nly a thin sliver of the waning crescent moon seen through a thin veil of cloud very low down on the eastern horizon illuminated the Gulf of Cadiz. In three more nights the moon would be new, but that would be too dark for what was planned for the night of Thursday 29th April 1943.

Seraph’s Role

At 4.30am on Friday 30th April, just 22 minutes after moonrise, with barely a ripple, a periscope emerged from the sea and rapidly turned through 360 degrees.

Lieutenant Bill Jewell, commander of His Majesty’s Submarine Seraph did his first quick reconnaissance.

Only two specks of light showed, both more than a mile away to the west, probably local sardine fishermen night fishing with the aid

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of a light in the boat, a traditional method in these parts, in any case too far away to interfere with Seraph. To the north, the low lying sandspit, Punta Umbria, was faintly backlit by the glow of urban lights from the town of Huelva, one mile inland in a neutral Spain. It had been an impressive feat of navigation to bring the submarine to just this spot on a mostly featureless coastline, underwater and undetected, exactly 1 mile off the mouth of the Rio Odiel.

Even more impressive to arrive at just the right time, low tide.

Seraph glided to the surface.

Lieutenant Jewell joined his first lieutenant, Lieutenant David Scott, on the bridge. All was clear. Jewell ordered a canister to be brought on deck and then cleared the deck and bridge of crew. The canister had been carried all the way from Holy Loch in Scotland where it had been VISIT ANDALUCIA December 2018

loaded aboard on the 19th April. The crew thought it contained a topsecret meteorological device. It was important they never discovered the true contents, the fewer people who knew, the better.

Lieutenant Scott, the only other officer aware of the contents, opened the canister. He removed a male body dressed in the uniform of a Royal Marine officer with a great coat over his battledress uniform.

Scott and Jewell fitted the corpse with a lifejacket and attached one end of a leather-coated security chain to the coat’s belt, running the other end down the right sleeve of the coat to fasten it to a briefcase.

Lieutenant Jewell read the 39th Psalm as the officers committed the body of Major Martin to the deep.

Operation Mincemeat was underway.

Operation Barclay

Mincemeat was part of an overall operation called Operation Barclay which was a series of ruses in 1943 designed to persuade the Germans that an allied invasion of southern Europe would be through the Balkans rather than Sicily. Planting fake documents on fresh corpses that would then be found by the enemy was not a new idea, but Operation Mincemeat had a complication. The body could not be fresh since it had to be prepared in the UK and transported to the Spanish coast and then appear that death was as a result of drowning following an aeroplane crash into the sea. Flight Lieutenant Cholmondeley, who was seconded to MI5, and Ewen Montagu, who worked in Naval Intelligence, were assigned to the plan.

Creating Major Martin

Pathologist Sir Bernard Spilsbury was consulted for advice over the matter and Northern District of London coroner, Bentley Purchase, was subsequently asked to keep a look out for a suitable body. He pointed out that “I should think bodies are the only commodities not in short supply at the moment, even with bodies all over the place, each one has to be accounted for.”

In January 1943 Purchase found a suitable body, that of a tramp who had died through eating rat poison that contained phosphorus.

Montagu commented that the undernourished corpse did not look like a fit field officer. Purchase told him, “he does not have to look like an officer – only a staff officer”.

The body was put into storage at a temperature just above freezing point. Purchase warned that it had to be used within three months or it would have decomposed too much to be of use.

Montagu and Cholmondeley created a legend for the corpse who was now called Captain (Acting Major) William Martin of the Royal

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“he does not have to look like an officer – only a staff officer” Marines that included a fictitious girlfriend and father, a family solicitor and a non-existent account at Lloyds Bank. The deception went as far as Cholmondeley wearing the uniform procured for Major Martin to give it a used look.

Meanwhile, the documents to be used in the deception were being prepared. Lieutenant General Sir Archibald Nye, Vice Chief of the Imperial General Staff, wrote a letter to General Sir Harold Alexander, commander of the Anglo-American 18th Army Group in North Africa.

The message covered several subjects not related to an invasion and then the following paragraph: “We have recent information that the Bosche have been reinforcing and strengthening their defences in Greece and Crete and C.I.G.S. [Chief of the Imperial General Staff] felt that our forces for the assault were insufficient. It was agreed by the Chiefs of Staff that one Brigade Group should reinforce the 5th Division for the assault on the beach south of CAPE ARAXOS and that a similar reinforcement should be made for the 56th division at KALAMATA”.

This letter together with other corroborative ‘evidence’ was placed in the briefcase attached to Major Martin’s body.

Major Martin Lands in Spain

Major Martin was found by Spanish fishermen the following morning, the 30th April, and the body was taken to Huelva. There the British Vice Consul was informed by the Spanish. He started a series of communications with the Admiralty using a code known to have been cracked by the Germans, in which the recovery of the briefcase was stressed as being a priority. On the 1st May a post-mortem was carried out on the body by Spanish doctors.

Cause of death was given as ‘asphyxiation through immersion in VISIT ANDALUCIA December 2018

the sea’. The following day Major Martin was buried in the San Marco section of Nuestra Senora cemetery in Huelva with full military honours.

The briefcase was not returned to the Vice Consul until the 11th May by which time the information within had found its way to the Germans.

It was not until 1996 that the corpse of Major Martin was revealed as that of Glyndwr Michael through evidence found in the Public Records Office. In 1997 the Commonwealth War Graves Commission added the postscript “Glyndwr Michael served as Major William Martin RM” to ‘Major Martin’s’ grave at Huelva.

Did Mincemeat work? On the 14th May 1943, Grand Admiral Donitz met Hitler to discuss the progress of the war. The Mincemeat documents were referred to as the ‘Anglo Saxon order’. The minutes of the meeting showed that, “The Führer does not agree with ... [Mussolini] that the most likely invasion point is Sicily.

Furthermore, he believes that the discovered Anglo-Saxon order confirms the assumption that the planned attacks will be directed mainly against Sardinia and the Peloponnesus.” Reinforcements were sent to Greece and Sardinia but not Sicily.

Just twenty-six days later, on the 9th July 1943, the Allies invaded Sicily in an operation code-named Husky. Six weeks later, on the 17th of August, the last Axis troops were evacuated from the island leaving it in Allied hands. As a result of Operation Mincemeat the island was taken from the Germans and Italians more quickly and with fewer casualties than had been anticipated. The way was opened for an invasion of Italy and Mussolini was toppled from power. One- fifth of the German army on the eastern front was diverted to Italy and the Balkans to replace Italian troops.

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The ART & FRAMING Shop

Dress your walls with feel-good artwork to cheer up your winter days

Galeria 151 is located on the N340 at Arena Beach.

For many years it has been a focal point for artists on the Costa del Sol. Lizzie is one of the very few picture framers on the coast. Over the years she has developed her skills that now include the recessed framing of objects such as butterflies and fishing lures.

Her gallery walls are covered in selected works that would adorn any home.

In future months, Visit Andalucia will be featuring artists from the Costa del Sol together with the best of their work.