Gibraltar Olive Press - Issue 98 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

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Walk in the park

Hooliganism

Outrage as millions of protected birds are killed and secretly served up in restaurants across Andalucia By Deirdre Tynan

A SHOCKING two-and-a-half million birds are killed in Andalucia every year during the olive harvest. Millions more songbirds get vacuumed into machinery during intensive night-time harvesting across Spain and Portugal. Birds including goldfinches, greenfinches and wagtails are among the worst affected during the harvest season between October and January. At least 17 species are affected by the practice, which was brought to light by an Ecologistas en Accion study in January 2018. The green group estimated that 100 birds were being killed per hectare of farmed land, leading to

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E might be getting nudged out of Real Madrid, but Gareth EXCLUSIVE Bale is strengthening his ties to along the famous Golden Mile, which southern Spain. features other celebrity homeowners, The much-maligned Welsh wizard including ex-England midfielder Tim has spent a small fortune on a new Sherwood. property on the Costa del Sol, despite The penthouse is just a 20-minute drive expectation of his return to the UK this from Finca Cortesin, the luxury golf summer. resort in Casares where Bale, 29, loves The Olive Press can reveal the striker, to tee up and has stayed at several times who signed for Los Blancos for €100 over the last few years. million six years ago from Tottenham, He knows La Trinidad well as he has has snapped up a stunning three-bestayed at his agent Jonathan Barnett’s droom apartment in Marbella for just home in the urbanisation a number under €2 million. of times. The purchase comes after Bale The Welshman managed to knock threatened to ‘stay and play golf’ if around 10% off the price of the properthe remainder of his Real contract is not ty, which was on the market for around paid. The father-of-three said: “I’ve got €2.2 million. three years left on my contract. If they According to sources closely linked to want me to go, they’ll need to pay me the deal, the modern pad is situated in €17 million per season. If not, I’ll stay the exclusive La Trinidad urbanisation here. And if I have to play golf, I will.”

VICTORY LOOMS ond chance’. “We can’t have 300,000 illegal homes in Andalucia,” the PP leader said, adding that around of illegal properties would be regularised. 90% Maura Hillen, president of illegal homes group AUAN, also told the Olive Press action believed a ‘precedent’ had been set in thethat she case of a British couple. Expat pensioners Noel and Christine emerged victorious after a 16-year legal Payne over their illegal home in Albox, which battle described as a ‘positive’ sign of the future.Hillen

CRUSHED: (Left) Greenfinches and (far right) Wagtails are being slaughtered by olive farming

around 2.6 million dead birds per season, just in Andalucia. The shocking statistics confirmed

Robbie’s return

IT will go down as the greatest reunion of the year. Robbie Williams is set to rejoin Take That at a headline show in Gibraltar this summer, the Olive Press can reveal. He will be reunited with his former bandmates at Gibraltar Calling Festival in September. Organiser Richard Coram revealed to the Olive Press this week that ‘Robbie Williams is definitely involved’. He added: “I can give you the heads up that he will be involved in one way or another.” The former frontman left the band in 2016, so it would be a timely return. Half of the tickets to the festival have already been sold, with many more acts to be added to the bill, that already includes Liam Gallagher and Mel C.

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AROUND 300,000 owners of illegal homes Andalucia need no longer fear the Junta’s in happened several times before. Meanwhile, a secbull- ond proposal aims to toughen dozers thanks to plans to speed up the legalisa- inspection once the royal decree sanctioning and tion process. is in place illegal homes are less likely to built in the so that While a royal decree addressing property future. ularities is still being drafted, these new irreg- The objective of the fast track scheme is to sures allow homeowners more stability. mea- continue ‘without as many obstacles as before’, according to Marifran Carazo, Andalucia’s The main aim is to grant more properties new - Minister of Public Works. many of them expat-owned - AFO status (asim- It comes after the President ilado fuera de ordenacion). of Spain’s most southerly region, Juanma Moreno, This gives houses ‘semi-legality’, saving outlined from being demolished by the Junta whichthem modifications to the Andalucia planning law has (LOUA), giving owners of illegal homes a ‘sec- HELP: Graffiti for homeowners

by the Guardia Civil’s environmental arm Seprona, are now being probed by the Junta. The Sevilla-based body is now under pressure to outlaw the practice of night harvesting, since publishing a report on the problem in October. Worse still, tens of thousands of the birds are being sold to restaurants as a dish, long popular in inland Andalucia. The dish - known as pajarito frito - has been outlawed for many years, especially when the birds in question are endangered species. “This practice is illegal and highly condemned due to a lack of sufficient health guarantees for public health,” said a Junta spokesman this week. No charges have yet been brought against any farmers or hotels, however the Junta confirmed it was looking at banning ‘super-intensive’ harvesting at night.

“It will prevent migratory birds from being caught by the machine’s spotlights,” he added. "It is a real problem, with pressing and serious environmental repercussions, which transcend the national and geographical limits of Andalucia.” Pressure has grown on Spain, after a number of British supermarkets confirmed they are also probing the practice with an eye on banning olives or olive oil produced in this way. Tesco confirmed it was investigating how olives are collected for its oils after many buyers expressed concerns, following the publication of the report in journal Nature last week. "We're currently looking into how we pick these olives so, by the time it comes to harvest them, all the necessary changes will have been made," said a spokesman. Numerous olive oil firms in Spain - the world’s biggest producer of what is termed ‘liquid gold’ - harvest at night as the cooler temperatures better preserve the aroma of the olives. ALL AREAS The issue is the bright lights of the tractors, which dazzle COVERED the sleeping birds leading to 4G UNLIMITED many being sucked into the machinery and crushed. INTERNET The issue is not a problem IDEAL FOR STREAMING TV during the day. Global olive oil brand FilipALSO IPTV, po Berio, which offers oil SATELLITE TV from Spain and Italy among many other countries, confirmed it would be checking its produce. tel: (0034) 952 763 840 “We will keep consumers info@theskydoctor.com updated as and when we www.theskydoctor.com have more information."

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Their aim was to contain the big groups of rival fans from Liverpool and Tottenham, the vast majority who arrived without tickets and many without accomodation. Far from the feared predictions of widespread ‘hooliganism’ in the Spanish press, the weekend, passed off almost entirely without incident. “The fear of hooliganism has been just that; fear, as the British fans behaved with enthusiasm and cordiality,” reported El Confidencial. With the exception of a few idiots, the mood was extremely friendly with fans mixing well and the police generally playing their part admirably. There was only one report of brutality where, allegedly, 50 Spurs fans got ‘battered’ outside a bar near Puerto del Sol. The only recorded offences were for drug possession, assault, flying a drone and public indecency. And one British woman was arrested for selling fake tickets. The 32-year-old apparently told two fans she could get them into the

Issue 30

Gareth Bale scores exclusive Marbella

Is this Spain’s prettiest street? Find out in our roundup of the coolest calles,

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THE largest police operation in Spanish sporting history has ended successfully in Madrid. A combination of restrained policing and good-natured fans turned a potential Champions League final nightmare into a game of cricket in the capital. The statistics are nothing short of amazing. As the huge clear up operation got underway on Monday morning, it emerged that only 11 arrests were made out of an estimated 100,000plus British fans who descended on the capital at the weekend. The 4,700 cops tasked with the job of policing the all-British final generally behaved admirably, in comparison to their counterparts in Sevilla and Barcelona over recent years.

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NEWS IN BRIEF Publicly auditing THE Gibraltar Audit office has launched its website with information on how it works and the annual report on the public accounts of the British overseas territory.

Postal initiative NEW Director for Postal Services Glendon Martinez promised to improve the department as he took over his post recently.

Floating in CRUISE liner Celebrity Infinity, which carries nearly 3,000 passengers and operates a floating restaurant, called into Gibraltar for the first time in May.

Child support COUNSELLING will be on offer for schoolchildren as from September to help their ‘mental health, social and emotional well-being’ according to the Ministry of Education.

June 5th - June 18th 2019

History repeats EXCLUSIVE By John Culatto

THE Deputy leader has compared the current era of Brexit uncertainty to the closure of the frontier in 1969. Joseph Garcia told the Olive Press that the feeling on the Rock - and the potential consequences of the UK’s departure from the EU - hark back to the fateful border closure ordered by Spain’s dictator General Franco 50 years ago. “The closure of the border shaped us as a people,” Garcia said this week. “It had a profound impact on who we are today economically, so-

Mood on the Rock harks back to the days of the border closure, says deputy chief minister cially and politically. “An immediate consequence of the closure was that our links with the UK strengthened as the ones with Spain were cut off.” The closer union led to the UK standing by Gibraltar at the United Nations and supporting the territory’s economy. The election of the Integration With Britain Party under Bob Peliza a month after the

Cliff plunge sadness for Liverpool fan A KEEN Liverpool fan has tragically died just days before his beloved team won the Champions League final in Madrid. Gibraltarian Felix du Val, 24, died after his car plunged off a cliff into the sea. Du Val died after the late night incident in the Sir Herbert Miles Road. Ambulance crews could not revive him, after he was pulled, unresponsive, from the severely damaged vehicle. His family and girlfriend were informed of his death and an RGP Family Liaison Officer is now providing them support. A date for the Coroner’s Inquest has not yet been announced, while an RGP investigation is ongoing.

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frontier closed proved to be the first sign of this shift. “Peliza came to power on the back of the empathy with the UK… and that was reflected in the referendum two years later,” explained Garcia. “We are the product of that history so this is reflected in the identity of our generation.” He added that he was pleased the Spanish government is no longer talking about closing

Playground creep A MAN has been arrested after exposing himself at a children’s playground on the Costa del Sol. The 63-year-old Spaniard was held on charges of exhibitionism after showing his genitals to children. Police were alerted by a mother at the Parque Infantil playground on Calle Argentea in Malaga. Police have now handed the man a restraining order, banning him from being near minors or the park where the incident took place.

the frontier as it was immediately after the 2016 referendum. “Back then we had a foreign minister in Spain that believed it was the right thing to do. “The PP government took the advice whether Spain was free to close the border and investigated the idea of a border toll. “Fortunately, other foreign office ministers since have ruled that out. It is no secret that in relation to Brexit, one of the main concerns is how the border will flow in relation to people and goods from outside the EU.” It is this new approach that has led to discussions and agreements being signed that make a frontier closure less likely, even after a hard Brexit.

King of the opera AN international megastar is zooming into the Rock. Italian opera star Andrea Bocelli will perform a concert of traditional and modern songs the night after the Gibraltar Calling festival, it has been revealed. The blind star, 51, will perform with his son Matteo Bocelli whose chart-topping album has sent shockwaves in the classical charts. “It is a first for Andrea who has never been here before,” organiser Richard Coram told the Olive Press. “I never doubt it will be anything but a standing ovation at the end of the night. “Let’s not forget he will be performing with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra who sell out halls constantly.” The concert will be split between into two halves. The first will see Bocelli sing traditional operas and the second perform his more commercial material like his work with Ed Sheeran. Tickets are already on sale for the seated concert at John Mackintosh Hall and priced at only £30 with a limit of four per person to prevent touting.

LEGEND: Bocelli

NEWS

www.theolivepress.es From front page

game at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium for €8,400, before the pair notified police. Another Liverpool fan, who had been reported ‘missing’ by his family, is now known to have been arrested in the early hours of Sunday morning. Macauley Negus, 23, from

Brits threw pints - not punches - in Champions League party worth €60 million to Madrid Plymouth was found by police lying ‘semi-naked on Calle de Goya at around 2am, before he attacked them and was arrested. A trio of British fans were also

nabbed by plain-clothes officers on Saturday after they stole another fan’s ticket and attempted to rob a TV camera from Spanish channel La Sexta.

The British consul in Andalucia Charmaine Arbouin praised the good behaviour of the fans and organisers. She told the Olive Press: “All in all it went incredibly well and was almost trouble free. A real credit to the fans and the organisational abilities of the authorities.” Arbouin, who was on duty until 3am at Madrid airport on Sunday morning, helped to ensure that a record 60 charter flights left in a three-hour window without incident. “The Spanish were a bit worried and there were lots of lost passports,” she added. “I felt sorry for the Spurs fans… all of that money to see their team lose and then having to fork out for an emergency passport on top of it.”

for some time to come. Over the weekend an incredible €60 million was said to have landed on the city, with the average supporter spending €150 a day on top of trav-

TOP SPURS: Steve Nash, Clive Owen and Alan Sugar

Dozens of celebrities and famous ex-players made the trip to Madrid for the weekend

TROUPE of famous faces were spotted partying in Madrid on Champions League final weekend. Aside from the usual round of politicians, including Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sanchez, there were union bosses like Len McCluskey and British ambassador Simon Manley, who ended up offering former Liverpool star Steven Gerrard a space on his sofa. Spurs’ most famous supporter, Lord Alan Sugar bagged himself a ticket for the game, while fellow fan NBA legend Steve Nash was also in attendance. Famous Tottenham supporting actors including Jude Law, Clive Owen and Kenneth Branagh are also thought to have been in town. Meanwhile actors Daniel Craig and Damian Lewis, both Reds fans, plus Scouse comic John Bishop, saw their side lift the trophy at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium. Players’ WAGs joined the post-match party too, including Little Mix singer Perrie Edwards, the girlfriend of

Hoodie to the Reddie! SPOTTED BY THE OLIVE PRESS

Aside from mountains of empty beer cans - and the odd hour of lost sleep, which they are famous for anyway Madrilenos will be feeling the Champions League benefits

Stardust 11

SEEING RED: John Bishop, Daniel Craig and Damien Lewis

Consul - Real credit to the fans

June 5th - June 18th 2019

ONE of the most unusual sightings of Saturday night, was Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, 20, wandering around the centre of Madrid well after midnight. Wearing a beige tracksuit he was seen by the Olive Press team walking towards Puerto del Sol with a pal. When we pointed him out and said hello, he smiled back and wondered off fast, after putting up a hood.

Liverpool’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Spurs ace Dele Alli used the final to send a message to ex-squeeze Ruby Mae, who he flew out on a private jet, calling her his ‘lucky charm’. The Tottenham midfielder split with the stunning swimwear model in January after two-and-a-half years together. Liverpool hero John Barnes was also in attendance, treating the Liverpool fan zone to a rendition of his Anfield Rap, before rapping the Sugarhill Gang's hit Rapper's Delight. The ex-Celtic boss slept rough on the floor of Barcelona train station for three hours after a ‘journey from hell’ to Madrid. Former Spurs legends Ossie Ardiles joined ex-England defender Ledley King during interviews at the fan zone. Rafael Benitez - the last manager to win Liverpool the Champions League - was himself spotted in Plaza Mayor, along with Brazilian footie legends Cafu and Roberto Carlos. Politics were also present at the party, as Madrid’s Plaza Margaret Thatcher was renamed with signs reading, ‘Jeremy Corbyn Square’. In a bizarre twist, the rather dull match was livened up by a female streaker, US model, Kinsey Wolanski, 22 (left), who invaded the pitch in a PR stunt thought to be worth €3 million. The blonde ran on in a black swimsuit printed with ‘Vitaly Uncensored’, the name of her boyfriend’s X-rated porn and pranks website.

By Olive Press reporting team in Madrid (Charlie Smith, Tim McNulty, Joshua Parfitt & Jon Clarke)

el, accomodation and tickets. And it’s easy to see why, with some bars charging €15 a pint and hotel prices increasing their prices by 200% more than the average rises at previous finals. Around 95% of the city centre’s hotels were occupied on Friday and Saturday night, according to the Hotel Business Association of Madrid (AEHM). The average price of a city centre room soared to €5,000, while the cheapest hostel bunk beds rose to €500. As the Olive Press reported last issue, a luxury two-night stay at the Santo Mauro Hotel, where David Beckham once lived, was €26,000. Food outlets surrounding the respective fan zones of Plaza de Colon and Felipe II also cashed in, with the city’s catering sector netting a total of €18 million.

24-hour

Local entrepreneurs also cashed in bringing in trolleyloads of cold beers at just €4 a throw. UK flights to Spain spiralled out of control too, as both teams reached the final in dramatic late semi final wins. Almost all trains out of the city were full, including those to the Portuguese cities of Lisbon and Porto, where many fans flew to. One female fan had to take a combination of three flights and two trains to reach Madrid, while many drove 24 hours straight from the UK. One Tottenham fan told the Olive Press about his 24-hour journey from Australia to Madrid, costing him €10,000. Darren Ashley, 48, whose dad lives in Manilva, near Malaga, flew from Sydney to Melbourne, then Abu Dhabi and on to Madrid, and also bagged himself a match ticket for €5,000. The father-of-one, who travelled with his girlfriend Emma, said: “It was a blur, 90 minutes went by in 15 seconds. The Spanish stewards were amazing and our end was a sea of a thousand white flags, kids, dads all together. “To be there gave me memories of my dad Alan taking me to White Hart Lane as a kid.”

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Long wait for singles A NEW housing estate is hoping to free up rented accommodation for single people. Construction of Bob Peliza Mews at the site of the old generating station on the North Mole will start in 2020, with nearly 400 new homes set to be put on sale under the 50-50 scheme in July. It comes after Action for Housing revealed that the number of single people struggling to find renting accommodation has not decreased over the last decade. “If you’re a single person on the housing list you would be entitled to a one bedroom flat,” Minister for Housing Samantha Sacramento told the Olive Press. “Although the evidence shows that people don’t want to buy one-bedroom flats. “We have provided some one bedrooms to sell for people who may not be able to afford a two bedroom flat but they normally prefer to buy two bedrooms.”

THE success of the Brexit party at the European elections has left Gibraltar between a rock and a hard place. Gibraltar shares MEPs with the south west of England and a number of them visited the Rock before the unexpected election. Ann Widdecombe, James Glancy and Christina Jor-

Opposition disappointed by shock move by Bet365 to Malta THE GSD has expressed its ‘disappointment’ at the relocation of Bet365 from Gibraltar to Malta. The opposition party, led by Keith Azopardi, was re-

‘Pivotal moment’ dan will all now accompany Nigel Farage in the European Parliament in his endless tirade against the EU. However, Liberal Democrats Caroline Voaden and Martin Horwood and Green Molly Scott Cato also won seats, ensuring British pro-

European voices would also be heard in Brussels. Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Garcia reminded the MEPs we were at ‘at a pivotal time in the history of our shared relationship with the EU’. “The challenges that lie

June 5th - June 18th 2019

Muslims fight fear

ahead are plenty,” he added. Despite supporting the Tories in their quest to enact Brexit, the Gibraltar Government did a big U-turn in the new year. “The policy of the Government is that it is in our best interests to remain in the EU,” it said clearly after the results were announced.

Bad luck Prime Minister, has come as a response to the uncertainty of Brexit and could see 500 staff leave the Rock. “The announcement is a big blow for Bet365 employees and Gibraltar in finally propose,” said Picardo. general,” “Her resolve and support gave us said GSD the confidence and the ability to Spokesnegotiate directly with Spain for p e r s o n the first time in our history. We Orlando were able to reach landmark, hisYeats. toric agreements for the benefit “ A p a r t of our people and our nation.” from the The Chief Minister said he would job losses always consider May ‘a friend’ of it will have Gibraltar in what he called her a knock-on ‘three turbulent years’ as leader effect on of the UK. the local economy.

acting to a huge downscaling operation announced by the huge global betting company. The move, which has been welcomed by the Maltese

Goodbye, my friend GIBRALTAR’S Chief Minister has praised Theresa May for protecting the interests of the Rock as she prepared to leave 10 Downing Street. Fabian Picardo spoke of her ‘courage’ to continue as prime minister ‘against impossible odds’. “When it came to Gibraltar, she was steadfast in our defence and rock solid in her resolve that we would be included in any Withdrawal Agreement that she might

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“Gaming companies generate huge wealth via corporate taxes, rents and utilities. “Their staff also spend much of their disposable income propping up the local retail and hospitality sectors.” The party also blasted what it called the ‘aimless strategy’ of backing of British Prime Minister Theresa May. The Olive Press understands that employees in Bet365’s Waterport Place office have been given eight weeks do decide if they want to relocate to Malta.

YOUNG Muslims are joining forces to tackle Islamophobia in Gibraltar. A group of youths organised a Moroccan meal to break a fast on one of the last days of Ramadan at Wellington Front last week. “Our aim is to challenge hatred and xenophobia,” organiser Youssef El Hana told the Olive Press. “Events like this familiarise our community to people and remove the fear communities might have towards each other.” The meal is a daily occurrence among Muslims at sunset around the world during the 30 days of Ramadan. “It was a massive turnout this time, more than double the year before,” said Youssef. “I appreciate everyone that came.” His next plan is to start a group called MYG, that stands for Muslim Youth of Gibraltar. “Our idea is that it will aim to bring harmony within our community, raise money for charity and add our grain of sand to the Rock,” he added. At the event, Minister for Education John Cortes announced that he was hoping to offer Arabic as a GCSE for next year.

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June 5th - June 18th 2019

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OPINION Ecstasy, agony and relief From Olive Press editor Jon Clarke in Madrid IT was with some apprehension that I headed up by train to Madrid on Friday afternoon. I didn’t know what to expect in the capital for the Champions League final. I just knew tens of thousands of English fans were set to descend for the biggest game of the year, watched globally by an estimated 400 million viewers. A Spurs fan since the age of six I had never GOOD MIX: Jon (left) with Liverpool fan been more excited, although I knew that getting a ticket was going to be extremely unlikely. My contacts in Fleet Street and the establishment, including consul Charmaine Arbouin, came to nothing and with prices soaring up to €9,000 each and reports of fakes, I decided to save my shekels, to coin a north London phrase. What I hadn’t expected to find was so many fans, with an estimated 100,000 in Madrid, at least 10,000 of those expatriates, I would wager. What was clear was how much fun and revelry was part of the deal. I met Spurs fans from as far away as Australia and Mexico, as well as German and Norwegian fans, who arrived from Oslo and Frankfurt. And, best of all, there was almost zero trouble. Late on both Friday and Saturday night, thousands of rival fans full of booze showed that English hooliganism is hopefully a thing of the past. Sure, the result wasn’t ideal, nor the suspect penalty at the start. But just being part of this great stream of humanity will be something I’ll never forget. Maybe I am, after all, just like them.

June 5th - June 18th 2019

Repainting history Satanism, male lovers and family abandonment? Heather Galloway delves into the lesser known side of Spanish maestro Francisco Goya

HE last of the Old Masters and the first of the new, Goya may be one of the most celebrated artists in the world with a hallowed place in Madrid’s Prado Museum. But when British actor Jeremy Irons spoke of his eagerness to portray the painter in a biopic at the Barcelona Film Festival last month, he mentioned aspects of his life you (mostly) don’t read about in the history books. The Dead Ringers star suggested that Goya’s interest in ‘satanism’ and an apparent dabbling in ‘homosexual relationships’ - along with the abandonment of his family - could go a long way to explaining his famous Black Paintings. Painted between 1819 and 1823 as murals at the Quinta del Sordo villa, which he shared towards the end of his life with his housekeeper/companion Leocadia Weiss in Carabanchel, Madrid, they are among the most impactful artworks ever created. So who knew about this previously unknown side of one of Spain’s most famous painters? Not many people, as it turns out, though

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she argued, so these 147 letters provide a unique insight into his life, though the content is largely considered mundane. Mostly staying on the subject of hunting, music and food, they are however, far from cast iron evidence that he was gay, insists British historian and Goya expert Stephen Drake-Jones. “I think the claims are absurd,” says the President of Madrid’s Wellington Society,

After 100,000 footie fans descended upon Madrid, Laurence Dollimore counts the ways

E’VE all read the headlines… ‘drunk Brits kicked off plane’… ‘Britons arrested for drug dealing’... ‘Brits start brawl outside Marbella club’. You’d be forgiven for thinking we’re a bunch of knuckle-dragging morons who spend all of our time drinking, laying about and starting trouble. While we do we have many a moron - as does every country - Spain knows that we, too, have something to offer - just look how well we behaved at the weekend in Madrid. On top of that, there are tonnes of cultural, business and personal ties between our two countries and the Brits have contributed to Spain more than you may know. Below we have rounded up a few things the Brits have done for Spain.

Football

Laurence Dollimore laurence@theolivepress.es

Admin Beatriz Sanllehí (+34) 951 273 575 admin@ theolivepress.es

Manuela Mena, who recently retired from her position as head of conservation for Goya at the Prado, came forward with a theory that he was gay last year. She suggested the idea after spending five years of research based on the artist’s 1775-1799 correspondence with his childhood friend, Martín Zapater, which she maintains was unusually intimate. Goya was not keen on the pen in general,

What have the Brits done fo

Publisher / Editor Jon Clarke jon@theolivepress.es

LOVERS?: (Left) portrait of Goya and (right) his childhood and ‘intimate’ friend Zapater

Did you know the great game was brought to Spain by some the UK’s earliest group of expats? If you ask where and when the first recorded football game took place on the Iberian Peninsula, the answer is right here in Andalucia. In 1873, amidst the instability and financial bankruptcy of the Spanish state, the Rio Tinto mines near Huelva were purchased by British entrepreneurs. Over the next few years an influx of British miners, garrison soldiers and railroad workers arrived. In 1887, on the feast day of San Roque (the patron saint of the sick and disabled) locals and Brits gathered to celebrate. This two-day fiesta had a reputation as a drunken melee which included (when the men were sober enough to stand upright) climbing a greasy pole, donkey races, a tugof-war, etc. The Brits celebrated by forming two teams that were picked exclusively from among non-Spaniards in the first recorded ‘foot-ball’ match on the Iberian Peninsula.

Local business

The 296,000 Britons officially living in Spain (the real figure is believed to be MUCH higher) are thought to be the largest single group of UK citizens living in other European countries followed by France and Ireland. Some town populations, particularly in Andalucia and on the Costa Blanca, are up to 50% British. It means these areas rely largely on UK locals to fill the municipal coffers and create and maintain viable businesses. In expat hotspots like Sabinillas, where the Olive Press is headquartered, local cafes like Nenit depend heavily on Brits spending their money. Around 50 or more visit the cafe every single day and are more likely than other nationalities to buy food and several rounds of drinks, providing a vital stream of income.

Comedy

Tourism

Known around the world for our self-deprecating comedy and dark sense of humour, several British shows have proven a hit in Spain. Mr Bean is huge in the country and is watched by millions. Back in 2010, Spain’s then prime minister Mariano Rajoy was briefly ousted from the country’s official website after hackers replaced his likeness with that of bumbling slapstick character not unlike Rowan Atkinson’s alter ego. Little Britain, meanwhile, is also a hugely popular show, especially among those wanting to learn English.

The truth is that the Brits have been the biggest supporters of Spain’s tourism industry for decades. Last year the sector grew by 2.4% and contributed a whopping €178 billion to the economy – or 14.6% of the country’s GDP. The Brits were by far the biggest foreign group with 18.5 million visiting the holiday hotspot, contributing more than any other nation to the €89.9 billion spent by tourists. And this year they are set to remain the biggest group, despite the ongoing Brexit saga. In fact they helped the Costa del Sol break its alltime winter record for 2018-2019, accounting for up to 60% of the 3.2 million tourists during that period.

Property market The Brits have consistently been the largest foreign purchasers of property in Spain for eons now. There is such a love for Spain that this hasn’t changed for the past 12 years, despite the 2008 meltdown and the more recent Brexit uncertainty. In fact in 2018, Brits beat pre-Brexit referen-

Animal shelters dum records in terms of property purchases. Sales to buyers from the UK rose 12% year-on-year in 2018 to 10,178 – beating the 2016 record of 10,156.It means the UK’s share of the foreign market has been steadily increasing from a low of 14% in the first quarter of 2017 to 17% at the end of 2018.

While Brits might get a bad rep sometimes, there’s no denying that many expats have dedicated their lives to saving hundreds of thousands of abandoned dogs, cats and more after moving to Spain. From the ADANA shelter in Estepona, to the Last Chance Animal Rescue in Cartama, Malaga, there are dozens of British residents giving their time to neutering and rehoming abandoned animals.

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June 5th - June 18th 2019

olive press online

that’s the

Spain and Gibraltar’s best English daily news website

Million march on THE Olive Press website has done it again. After pulling in a million hits in April, we were hoping to break the barrier once more, and boy did we do it, and then some! It was indeed a merry month of May as we smashed our record, raking in more than 1.3 million views. We also, for the first time, surpassed the 1 million sessions mark. Readers poured in to read our original election coverage and scores of exclusive stories and original features. See the most read stories below, and here’s hoping we continue our reign in June. BIG FAN: Jeremy Irons peruses over Goya at Prado while (right) Saturn Devouring His Son, one of the maestro’s most famous works who lectured on Goya at the University of Syracuse, Madrid, for six years and has just published Letters Home from the Basque Country. “In all the years I have studied Goya, it has never once been mentioned,” he told the Olive Press this week. Born into a lower-middle class family in the small Aragonese town of Fuendetodos, Francesco de Goya y Lucientes moved with

or Spain?

Sherry First shipped to England in 1340, sherry has been a British favourite for hundreds of years. As it began to soar in popularity at the beginning of the 16th century, the Spanish spotted an opportunity to make sherry the leading wine import in the UK. The Spanish abolished export tax for wine in Sanlúcar and gave English merchants preferential treatment. But when the Eighty Years’ War began in the same century, exports were cut off. Brits were so thirsty for the tipple that when Sir Francis Drake attacked the port of Cadiz in 1587 he seized 2,900 butts of sherry and took them back to the UK, reigniting the love affair with the fortified wine. Sherry was soon being made to satisfy the English who, in the following centuries, were the only people drinking the stuff in any volume. The Brits’ love for a sweeter sherry continued into the 20th century as brands such as Croft Original and Harveys Bristol Cream came to prominence in the 60s and 70s. Following a dip at the end of the 20th century, the wine - which must now only be made in the ‘sherry triangle’ between Jerez de la Frontera and Cadiz - has made a great comeback. Large supermarkets like Marks & Spencer doubled their sherry varieties while London is drowning in a wave of pop-up sherry bars.

his aspiring parents and three older sib- in front of me it seems I have the sweetlings to Zaragoza at the age of three, where ness of being with you, oh, how could my he would subsequently hang out on the soul believe that friendship could reach dusty streets with the other children and these heights.” forge a lifelong friendship with Zapater. While Goya’s exact closeness with Zapater At the age of 14, his artistic abilities were (and he painted two portraits of his friend) spotted by a priest from a picture he had may still be shrouded in mystery it was done of a pig on a wall. without a doubt a close relationship. But though the boys’ lives would then take But Goya also painted his wife twice, as different directions, with Goya studying art well as the Duchess of Alba, whom he was in the city under Baroque painter Jose Lu- rumoured to have seduced, though anothzan, they remained close. er biographer Robert Hughes believes their Goya had a chequered start to his career relationship only ever amounted to a close as an artist. While he worked under Lu- friendship. zan, he was allegedly also the ring leader A woman of her age and lineage would not of a local gang and when he returned to have fallen for the charms of a man 20 Luzan’s studio with a knife in his back, he years her senior who was far from her sowas urged by his mentor to leave Zaragoza cial equal, Hughes maintains. and apply to the Royal Academy of Fine He added that his celebrated painting ‘Maja Arts, in Madrid. Desnuda’, on which much of the speculaHis application was not successful though, tion is based, is not the Duchess at all. and he went to Italy for several years in- Whether or not Goya had homosexual feelstead. ings towards Zapater is open to interpretaBut he finally found favour tion as is almost everything with Charles III in the Spanabout Goya, and the Prado ish capital, thanks to fellow When he returned Museum remains non-comartist and mentor Francisco mittal on the issue. “This to the studio Bayeu, and became chief ‘perception’ is personal to painter at court. Manuel Mena,” a spokeswith a knife in “My Martín,” he wrote to his woman told the Olive Press. friend. “I’m now the King’s his back he was With regard to Goya dabbling Painter on 15 reales a year!” in Satanism, Drake-Jones is urged to leave Goya had by then married unequivocal. Bayeu’s sister Josefa. He His paintings may have at was 27 when they tied the times been ghoulish and disknot and, though there are few details of turbing with themes of insanity (Yard with the relationship, we do know that numer- Lunatics), nakedness, witchcraft (Witches’ ous pregnancies led to only one of their Sabbath) and religion running through children surviving past infancy, which must them, but he maintains: “It would have have been heartbreaking. been too dangerous for Goya to be involved But, according to historian Drake-Jones, in devil worship.” Goya in no sense abandoned his wife or He continues: “He was a court painter. Evhis son, as actor Irons has claimed. In fact, erybody knew him and he could have lost her death in 1812 could have contributed his job or his life. He could have been garto his descent into depression. rotted – a form of strangulation, though at But 17 years after his wedding, his letters least you’re sitting down! to Zapater are certainly more ambiguous. “You were allowed to paint mythology and In November, 1790, one missive is embla- in his black period you have Saturn Dezoned with a heart laced with engorged vouring His Son, but that was the norm.” arteries instead of the mandatory cross According to Drake Jones, there is no myswhich the Inquisition demanded. tery about Goya’s black period either. In the same month, another is adorned “He had gone stone deaf,” he says, referwith a sketch of a penis. And in December ring to the illness that left Goya with a conthat same year, he writes, “Yes, yes, you stant ringing in his ears at the age of 47. bring my senses to life with your discreet “The absolutist king Ferdinand VII comes and friendly productions, with your portrait back to the throne and plunges Spain into darkness and persecutes him. And he shuts himself away.” As Jeremy Irons says in his documentary tour, PaintASK ABOUT OUR LONG ers and Kings of the TERM RETALS Prado, ‘Art washes NO HIDDEN SURPRISES away from the soul the dust of everyOR EXTRA COSTS AT day life’, allowing MALAGA AIRPORT us the freedom perhaps to interpret it as we choose. A new exhibition of Goya’s sketches opens at the Prado on November 19.

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June 5th - June 18th 2019

what’s on

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about

CHILDREN are invited to dress up as their favourite Toy Story character and take part in a treasure hunt on June 8 at Ocean Village in aid of Childline Gibraltar.

ody ting

boas-

A DEADLIFT competition is being held at the John Mackintosh Hall for bodybuilders on June 8 with a top prize of £1,500 and a chance to qualify for international events.

alking mad

A STREET party will be held at the John Mackintosh Square on June 12 followed by a Balkan folk music concert the following day at St Michael’s Cave.

Send you r informa June 5th - June 18th 2019 newsdesk@theolive tion to pres

s.es

Painting’s on the wall

Exhibitors from as far as Iran and Israel hope to bridge cultural gaps on the Rock

GLOBAL culture will take over Gibraltar’s streets for World Music Festival this June. A street party, talks, film festival and Balkan folk concert will showcase different points of view at the festival. The theme for this year is ‘Out of Chaos’, describing how a small event can cause waves in society. “The butterfly effect of chaos is that whatever small initiative you start now, will provoke an earthquake,” ethnic organiser Yan Delgado told the Olive Press. “The lesson is to manage the chaos because the change

Going royal!

irthday band

A PARADE and band will be present on June 13 at Casemates Square to celebrate the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II.

Do you have a what’s on?

WORK: By Cosquieri

DON’T MISS: World Music Festival comes from inside.” Delgado was born in Morocco as a Jew before living IT has proven to be ‘third time lucky’ for a Gibraltarian artist as he was finally admitted to the Royal Academy summer exhibition. Paul Cosquieri told the Olive Press about how proud he was on having his ‘Rock of Ages’ painting shown at Burlington House, in Piccadilly. “Getting selected is a considerable achievement on a personal level,” said Cosquieri. “But what really makes me proud is knowing that one of my images of the Rock will be hanging among works by

in France with three or four religions in his family. “I have no choice but to celsome of Britain’s top artists. “It is a bit like placing the Rock on the artistic map and in a very particular year with Brexit looming in the background.” This was the third time the president of the Gibraltar Fine Arts Association had applied to enter the Royal Academy exhibition. The success comes after two solo exhibitions which included the Paintings to dance to series. “This is an ongoing series that I really enjoy painting,” he said.

ebrate these differences,” he said. “This is very much what the festival is about.” This fusion is reflected in the participants who come from as far as Iran and Israel as well as the UK and Morocco. “The festival is all about what we can do together to make a change,” revealed Delgado. “People like to put you in a box but I am too bridged to do that. “If we could help grow the self-esteem of our younger children then we can help them go higher.”

Differences

A day of talks will help educate over 1,000 students about the differences in culture around the world. “People are not in their box to do something against someone else,” he concluded. “They’re there to celebrate and enrich others with their positive attitudes.” The event kicked off with a photography exhibition held at the Space 92 on Irish Town which will be on until July.

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HUMAN rights and freedom of movement have been highlighted by new street art. Located at Fountain Ramp, it was painted by Eleanor Taylor and 12 local children. The artist went around the beaches collecting pieces of driftwood, mainly from the pateras used to cross the straits by migrants. The final result were a number of boats pieced together from those bits of wood which were then photographed and painted by Taylor. “We talked about people’s freedom of movement as a basic human right,” she told the Olive Press. “Children responded to that really well. If they are allowed to go where they want, why not other people too?” Painted with render and acrylic it is expected to last some time on a wall that was very bare before. “There are lots of quirks from each of the children about hope, freedom and justice,” said the artist.

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Issue 30

Page IV

June 2019

BALE-ING IN Gareth Bale scores exclusive Marbella pad

E might be getting nudged out of Real Madrid, but Gareth Bale is strengthening his ties to southern Spain. The much-maligned Welsh wizard has spent a small fortune on a new property on the Costa del Sol, despite expectation of his return to the UK this summer. The Olive Press can reveal the striker, who signed for Los Blancos for €100 million six years ago from Tottenham, has snapped up a stunning three-bedroom apartment in Marbella for just under €2 million. The Welshman managed to knock around 10% off the price of the property, which was on the market for around €2.2 million. According to sources closely linked to the deal, the modern pad is situated in the exclusive La Trinidad urbanisation

EXCLUSIVE along the famous Golden Mile, which features other celebrity homeowners, including ex-England midfielder Tim Sherwood. The penthouse is just a 20-minute drive from Finca Cortesin, the luxury golf resort in Casares where Bale, 29, loves to tee up and has stayed at several times over the last few years. He knows La Trinidad well as he has stayed at his agent Jonathan Barnett’s home in the urbanisation a number of times. The purchase comes after Bale threatened to ‘stay and play golf’ if the remainder of his Real contract is not paid. The father-of-three said: “I’ve got three years left on my contract. If they want me to go, they’ll need to pay me €17 million per season. If not, I’ll stay here. And if I have to play golf, I will.”

Victory looms

AROUND 300,000 owners of illegal homes in Andalucia need no longer fear the Junta’s bulldozers thanks to plans to speed up the legalisation process. While a royal decree addressing property irregularities is still being drafted, these new measures allow homeowners more stability. The main aim is to grant more properties - many of them expat-owned - AFO status (asimilado fuera de ordenacion). This gives houses ‘semi-legality’, saving them from being demolished by the Junta which has

happened several times before. Meanwhile, a second proposal aims to toughen sanctioning and inspection once the royal decree is in place so that illegal homes are less likely to built in the future. The objective of the fast track scheme is to continue ‘without as many obstacles as before’, according to Marifran Carazo, Andalucia’s new Minister of Public Works. It comes after the President of Spain’s most southerly region, Juanma Moreno, outlined modifications to the Andalucia planning law (LOUA), giving owners of illegal homes a ‘sec-

HELP: Graffiti for homeowners

ond chance’. “We can’t have 300,000 illegal homes in Andalucia,” the PP leader said, adding that around 90% of illegal properties would be regularised. Maura Hillen, president of illegal homes action group AUAN, also told the Olive Press that she believed a ‘precedent’ had been set in the case of a British couple. Expat pensioners Noel and Christine Payne emerged victorious after a 16-year legal battle over their illegal home in Albox, which Hillen described as a ‘positive’ sign of the future.

June 2019

PROPERTY

Brits to the rescue Mark Stucklin

www.spanishpropertyinsight.com

Sales to British buyers propped up Spain’s property market in the latter half of last year, writes Mark Stucklin

HE number of Spanish homes in the period, the notaries point out FOREIGN PUSH: Charts clearly show how foreigners dominate the market acquired by foreign buyers that, “in comparison to the previincreased in the second half ous year, the increases registered in Non-resident demand fell by 4.9% Spanish property has changed since of last year at the slowest the two halves of 2018 were a long in the period, after a decline of 0.7% the base period of the first half of rate since the second half of 2010, way from the results of 2017, when in the first half of the year, whilst ex- 2007, whilst comparing it to loand growth would have been even growth was above 10%.” Foreign pat demand rose by 6.9%, down cal demand. In the first two years from 11.3% in the both local and foreign demand lower had the the British not contin- demand looks like it first half. The notaries collapsed by around 60%, but then ued their love affair with property in might be running out out that both foreign demand started to recover, Spain. of momentum. If you are selling a point segments are now re- whilst local demand (bright blue) Foreign buyers acquired 50,249 The notaries break homes in Spain in the last six down the figures into property in Spain treating from the high continued in the doldrums until the of growth com- start of 2014, and is still 40% below months of 2018, up 1.4% com- resident and nonyou better hope levels mon in recent years. its peak after four years of recovery. pared to the same period a year resident purchases it will interest a Referring to expat Non-resident foreign demand – pribefore, reveals a report just pub- by foreigners, showdemand the notrar- marily Western Europeans buying lished by Spain’s General Council ing that non-residents foreign buyer ies say “It appears holiday homes (dashed line) – reof Notaries. Notaries witness the purchased 22,111 that the trend towards covered by 2012 and is now around vast majority of property sales that second homes in growth in the pur- 70% higher than it was at the height take place in Spain, and according Spain between Auto their figures, foreign buyers made gust and December last year, com- chases of real estate by foreign of the boom, whilst expat demand up 18.2% of the market, down from pared to 28,138 purchases by residents, which had been growing – primarily economic migrants but a high of 20.3% in the second half foreigners living in Spain. So non- by more than 10% every semester also some Western Europeans moving to Spain (solid blue line) – recovresidents accounted for 44% of for- since 2014, has been interrupted.” of 2015. Although the number of sales in- eign demand, and expats living in The left hand chart above (blue) il- ered by 2015 and ended last year Cantueso 255mm x 170mm_Layout 1 30/05/2019 11:40 Page 1 lustrates how foreign demand for 40% higher than in 2007. In both volving a foreign buyer increased Spain 56%.

cases you can see how demand showed signs of turning down in 2018, though the same could also be said of local demand. The chart on the right (yellow) shows how spending by locals and foreigners (non-resident and expat) has changed over the same period. Local budgets (red line) declined until the end of 2014, and have barely recovered since, with the amount spent on property in terms of €/m2 still around 35% lower than it was in 2007, whilst non-resident foreign spending has recovered to 95% of what it was, and expat spending is around 85% of what it was. If you need to sell a property in Spain you better hope it will interest a foreign buyer. www.spanishpropertyinsight.com

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III

June 2019

No way PLANS to expand the Queensway Quay development have been met with anger from local residents. It comes after new luxury flats with underground parking and a hotel in the centre of the marina were discussed at a recent Development and Planning Commission (DPC). With a three-bedroom townhouse at Queensway Quay fetching as much as £6.5 million, residents fear the project will seriously affect the value of their properties.

Connected The 120 room hotel with 45 luxury apartments would be built on a 1,000m2 concrete platform in the middle of the marina waters. The new apartments and shopping units would be built on top of underground parking in the current parking between the two main structures. It would be connected by a bridge with the road and change the entire layout of the area. But the project was met with boos from the homeowners of one of Gibraltar’s most exclusive marina complexes. There were also calls from the Environmental Safety Group for the redevelopment to be halted. A DPC assessment said it would affect the sea-life with the construction disturbing a normally peaceful area. The subject is bound to be raised again later this year.

Do it for dean

HOPEFUL: Francisco Sarabia Nieto

Football ace’s restaurant finally gets green light after 12 month construction ban LIONEL Messi’s latest restaurant venture has finally been put back on track after being blocked by the town hall for a YEAR. The Argentine football star will now resume constructing his beachfront restaurant in Barcelona after the local government shut him down when it discovered part of the building was not included in the original planning of the works. Construction has been on hold for 12 months in the upmarket Castelldefels, with Messi desperate to have it finished for this summer season. Situated in the Lluminetes neighbourhood, the Argentine restaurant will be run by his wife Antonella Roccuzzo and will have

Green and tidy

RECOGNITION: Spanish hotels overwhelming winners in awards

Rent reform

OFFICIALS in Barcelona have moved to introduce Spain’s most aggressive rent controls after seeing rates rocket by more than 50% in the last five years. Under the decree, landlords in desirable neighbourhoods will have to negotiate leases based on set prices for their property. The regulations come after a national law implemented in March capped annual rent hikes at the rate of inflation, currently 1.5 per cent. The combined rental listings of Airbnb and HomeAway in the Mediterranean city have soared to over 20,000, based on last month’s figures, according to Denver-based researcher Airdna.

MALAGA is set for yet another election as the candidates for Dean of its College of Architects are announced. Four contenders, all male, have thrown their hat in the ring for the top job which will be voted on by the 1,288 architects of the college on June 27. Current dean Francisco Sarabia Nieto will be battling at the ballot box to retain his position against three rivals: Juan Jose García Montesinos, Jose Luis Alonso de Diego and Alberto Campo Urbay. The ballot takes place at El Limonar school from 10am to 5pm.

Messi start

TWO iconic hotels on the Costa del Sol are among a string of seven in coastal Spain earmarked for a €30 million revamp by the new owners. The Pez Espada in Torremolinos and the Riviera Hotel in Benalmadena are part of the new chain purchased by the Azora group, which also includes five sister hotels in Benidorm. All will get a share of the €30 million facelift fund.

Failed attraction

UNBLOCKED: Messi restaurant

capacity for 100 people. Built in the 1960s but now in ruin, the property is an old farm and is just a 60 second walk from the

Investment bonanza

beach. Using his real estate company Edificio Rostower SL, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has already

SPAIN is leading the way in hotel sustainability with 26 ‘green stays’ in the country being awarded by TripAdvisor. The Barcelo Hotel Group has had 32 of its hotels recognised for their sustainability in total , including three in Mexico, two in the Dominican Republic and one in Portugal. The ‘TripAdvisor Ecolider certificate’ aims to recognise hotels for sustainable practices and allows ‘eco-friendly’ travellers to see which ones best share their values. Sustainability is incorporated into the design of hotels like Menorca’s Barcelo Hamilton, which has solar-heated hot tubs. The green efforts of hotels are also paying off in other ways, for example the Barcelo Cabo de Gata in Almeria is helping to maintain the nearby natural park from which it takes its name.

lost around €150,000 on the project, but will hope to turn it around now he has been given the green light once again. It comes after the father-of-three’s previous foray into the restaurant world ended in abject failure some three years ago, when his Bellavista del Jardin del Norte eatery in the centre of Barcelona closed after two years following a drop in profits. The Lluminetes barrio has been on the up in recent years thanks to an influx of Barcelona FC stars moving into the area, including Messi. It has seen the arrival of pricey restaurants and boutique hotels while the value of many homes has far surpassed the €1 million mark.

LEADING man Michael Douglas has put his 250-acre Mallorca estate back on the market for nearly half the original asking price. The two-times Academy Award winner has even done a voiceover for a special video to drum up buyers for the stunning €29 million property. The historic S’Estaca estate offers expansive views of the sea and has five apartments, a loft, two cottages, home cinema and spa. Douglas, who is married to actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, brought the estate in 1990 with his former wife Diandra Luker. The Fatal Attraction star originally put the property up for sale in 2014 for a cool €50 million.

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Villa with stunning panoramic sea views over the Mediterranean Gibraltar and Africa, 5 minutes from the beach,water sports, prestigious golf courses, polo, international schools. Set in a mature mediterranean 1.100sq.m garden with beautiful sun bed area and swimming pool, the villa was recently fully renovated to the highest standards with prime materials (including beige marble flooring, granite, air conditioning, heating, double glazing,solar panels). With 320 sq.m built and 280sq.m terrace, the two-story villa is south facing with uninterrupted sea view from East to West comprises a spacious living-dining room (fireplace) giving onto a fantastic covered terrace and solarium, a fully equipped modern open plan kitchen, a guest toilet, 6 bedrooms, 5 bath shower rooms, dressing, laundry, cellar with parking for 5 vehicles. Energy class B 15 minutes from Marbella - 56 minutes from Malaga airport -15 minutes from Gibraltar airport

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PROPERTY

June 2019

Streets ahead!

Carrera del Darro, Granada Carrera del Darro is one of the most scenic walks in Granada, along the river Darro (which means ¨gold¨ in Latin). It is located at the edge of the Albaicín, the old Arab quarter that is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The street has remained practically the same since the 17th century, with many interesting buildings from the 16th and 17th centuries and remains of old Moorish houses.

Spain has published a list of its prettiest postcodes

PAIN is one of the most visited countries in the world, attracting travellers from all four corners of the globe. They come here for the food, the culture, and of course, the stunning local architecture. If Spain’s streets could talk, they would tell incredible stories, with the Moors, Christian conquerors and Romans and beyond having created and lived among them. They are so steeped in history and architectural splendour that Spain’s tourist board has listed the most beautiful streets in the country. Here we present a whistle-stop tour of some of this year’s winners.

Calle San Agustín, San Cristobal de la Laguna, Tenerife La Laguna is the second city of Tenerife and home to its first University. Calle San Agustín is located in the city's historic centre, which is declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. You can gaze at the many colourful houses and visit historic buildings such as the Casa Salazar and the Convento San Agustín.

Calle del Angel de Toledo

Passeig de Gràcia, Barcelona

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With its fascinating buildings and impressive range of luxury boutiques, Paseo de Gracia is one of the most famous streets of Barcelona, and is often compared to the Champs-Elysées in Paris. It was originally built to connect the Catalan capital to the town of Graciá. Today, Graciá is a neighbourhood of Barcelona, but it has kept its independent and vibrant spirit. The boulevard is representative of the modernist era that ruled the city throughout the 19th century. You can admire Art Nouveau buildings such as the Casa Batló and Casa Milá, designed by Antonio Gaudí.

Walking through painter El Greco's adopted home is like travelling back in time. Historically known as the ‘Western Jerusalem’, Toledo was once the home of Jews, Christians and Muslims who famously lived in peaceful co-existence. Calle de Angel, in the old Jewish quarter, is an example of the city’s cross-cultural heritage. The figure of an angel gives its name to the street. An Islamic-style gate, separated two parts of the judería.

June 2019

Calle Betis, Sevilla LOCATED in the Triana district, Calle Betis has become an emblematic spot of Sevilla. The street’s patchwork façade of colourful and asymmetrical houses make it typical of the Andalucian capital. It follows the course of the river Guadalquivir, which the Romans called Baetis (hence the name of the street).

Calle Marques de Larios, Malaga Calle Larios, in Málaga’s city centre and next to the port, is the epicentre of Málaga’s social life and shopping scene. It is currently the most expensive street to live in Andalucia for rental values. It was named after the Larios, a wealthy malagueña family, who bought most of the shares when the street was built. It was

opened to the public on August 27 1891. The harmoniously constructed street is the home of big retail chains and luxury stores such as the jeweler Swarovski. Calle Larios also hosts many major events, including Málaga Fashion Week. In the early 2000’s it was renovated and became pedestrian.

Calle Alcala, Madrid

Calle Alcalá is one of the oldest and longest streets in Madrid, at 10,5 km. Starting from the Puerta del Sol, it was the road to Alcalá de Henares and eventually on to Aragón. At the intersection of Alcalá and Gran Vía stands the emblematic Metropolis building, topped with a statue of the goddess of Victory. Metropolis was designed in the turn of the 20th century by French architects Jules and Raymond Février. Its classic BeauxArts style was unusual in Spain at the time.

Calle de las Flores de Cordoba (Calle Velazquez)

HOTEL/RESTAURANT FOR SALE IN ARACENA (HUELVA)

Calleja de las Flores, in the old Jewish quarter of Córdoba, regularly makes it in rankings of the world's most beautiful streets. In fact, much of the city’s historic centre has been declared a World heritage Site by UNESCO. The narrow dead end street comes off Calle Velázquez-Bosco and ends in a little patio with a fountain in the middle. The stone pavement, arcs and white walls create the typical look of a Mediterranean town street that makes it so popular with tourists. Between the tile roofs you can see the bell tower of the Mezquita-Cathedral. Perhaps the street’s best known trait is the the coloured pots of carnations and geraniums hanging from the walls and balconies.

Passeig del Born, Palma de Mallorca

4 Hectares In the heart of Palma, Paseo del Borne is an outstanding example of the city’s Europeanlike modernisation at the beginning of the 19th century. It was built on the old channel Torrente de la Riera, that used to cross the city, and connects the famous Plaza Juan Carlos I and Plaza de la Reina. The boulevard was designed by Madrid architect Isidro González Velázquez, who shaped it in a way reminiscent of the Paseo del Prado in his home city. Two pairs of majestic sphinx guard the street at its beginning and end.

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June 2019

PROPERTY

Garden city by the sea

AMBITIOUS: New reclamation project Victoria Keys

HE latest mega-development for Gibraltar has all the signs of being a big hit with investors. Victoria Keys, which will be built at Coaling Island inside the historic har-

bour, is set to raise the profile of Rock to rival the likes of Monaco. Luxury flats, new shopping areas and offices are set to be built in partnership with the government.

Gibraltar

A lineup as bedazzling as the backdrop.

Chief Minister Fabian Picardo explains that the development will ‘showcase our benefits to our widest ever worldwide audience’. “Our international prominence appears to have had a positive influence on the high net worth individuals that we strive to attract to Gibraltar,” he said. With current Brexit concerns in Europe, Gibraltar is seen as a stronger investment than owning a Spanish property. A total of 60,000 square metres of land are to be created for the project by a massive sea reclamation scheme. The complicated scheme is to be undertaken by a government-owned company, guaranteeing safety in the investment, while the £300 million cost will be returned to government coffers once the land has been created. “It is precisely projects like these that ensure that new businesses wanting to relocate are able to secure accommodation for themselves and their workers,” added the Chief Minister. “With the continued requests for commercial space, and its knock-on demand for residential accommodation, it is essential that we exploit this opportunity to its fullest.”

Environment But he promised that there would be no reclamation outside of port waters before the end of the current transition period under the EU Withdrawal Agreement. And he added that the scheme would be ‘in keeping with all environmental protection rules’. “Victoria Keys will have an extensive landscaped public promenade, solely for pedestrians and cyclists, along the entire waterfront perimeter,” he continued. “There will also be wide tree-lined avenues running east to west retaining the historical views across the bay. “It will become our very own garden city by the sea.” This will be the second time that the current government carried out a project of this magnitude. The Westside reclamation of the late 1990s arguably created the foundations for the modern Gibraltar economy that we now know.

Make this your year to celebrate the rich, diverse and fascinating world of Gibraltar

With a UNESCO world heritage site offering 120,000 years of human history and only short drive from the Costa del Sol, enjoy the warmth of the British Gibraltarians and splash out VAT-free in Sterling. Gibraltar. Sun, sea and history served with a very British twist. PROUD

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Heritage STREET PARTIES MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE HISTORY MUSIC

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Phoenician Empire Calentita

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GREEN: The garden city will be treelined

THE

MEWS THE DEVELOPMENT

The Mews, Town Range – a rare opportunity Within metres of the Governor’s Residence, The Mews is an enclave of 7 boutique houses and apartments each meticulously designed and built to a flawless standard, drawing on its unique gated location in the heart of the old town. Four contemporary mews-style houses will be built on the foundations of the 19th-century stables, at the rear of the original, grand Victorian house, which will itself be refurbished to provide 2 thoughtfully designed apartments and a stunning duplex penthouse, commanding spectacular views. Mews houses are, by their nature, located in the very best parts of town. Providing a safe, traffic free environment that is both practical, and hugely charming.

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BUSINESS

Money rules

RULES on financial services will be tightened under a new law being prepared by the Gibraltar government. The Financial Services Bill aims to bring together over 90 pieces of legislation while making it harder for fraudsters to operate. It has been described by Minister for the department Albert Isola as ‘a bill which will serve the us well for the next generation of financial services business’. It constitutes the sum of three years of work in close discussion with the Finance Centre Council and companies in the sector. The bill includes all relevant EU legislation as well as local checks and balances. It will make the process easier for both the private sector and the regulator. Courses will be held in June by the GFSC will help the private sector get to know the new rules before they come into effect. This revision is part of the Legislative Reform Programme (LRP) launched by the Gibraltar government in 2016.

Energy rush STOCKS in an Australian mining company have soared amid hopes that plans for an open uranium mine in a Spanish village will be waved through. Berkeley Energy has risen 35% on the London stock exchange following the election of a new PP government in Retortillo near Salamanca. The village of only 200 inhabitants could become the home to one of the only open air uranium mines in Europe if the town hall opposition to the plan is lifted. EVEN the high-flying boss was on hand as the experienced lawyers at Lawbird revealed their brand new €50,000 office. Firm founder Antonio Flores was on hand to distribute the sliced ham and manchego cheese to selected guests at the packed launch in Marbella. The new look office will accommodate 30 members

HAPPY: Flores

June 5th - June 18th 2019

Royal rise REAL Madrid has unseated Manchester United as the ‘most valuable’ club in Europe. The report by KPMG took into account the Spanish giants popularity, profitability, broadcasting rights, stadium value and potential for future growth. Real, now valued at €34 billion has leapfrogged United who had led the way for the last three years. The Manchester club was valued at €31 billion after

Mind the gap!

Spy phone failure to reach the latter stages of the Champions League has seen them lose ground. Report author Andrea Sartori said: "At league level the English Premier League has confirmed its absolute dominance, having nine clubs in the top 32 and accounting for 43% of the total aggregate value."

SPAIN’S spy chief has upset telecom companies with a warning that installing new 5G technology will affect cybersecurity. National Intelligence Center Director Felix Sanz Roldan has stressed security in Spain ‘will suffer’ if development is left in the hands of Chinese companies. Telephone operators have hit back against the

claims the introduction of 5G will be any less safe than that of 4G. A Vodafone spokesperson said: “We do thousands of tests with our networks and we ensure 100% that they are safe before putting them into commercial production."

Made in pain

NGO study reveals Spain’s richest man benefits from exploitative Moroccan labour

BILLIONAIRE Zara founder Amancio Ortega has been accused of exploiting workers in Morocco. The Spanish business owner reportedly pays the seamstresses who make the garments as little as €178 a month for up 65 hours a week. Ortega-owned Inditex was investigated by spanish NGO ‘Clean Clothes Campaign’ that analysed the living conditions and low pay suffered by female textile workers.

EXPOSED: Zara factory in Morocco The NGO said the retailer ‘operates in the Moroccan market taking advantage of production costs clearly lower than those of the European Union.’ El Corte Ingles, Mango and other European firms were also named as using exploitive moroccan based suppliers. Spain has been the most important customer for Moroccan clothing exports

Signed and delivered AMAZON has pitched its tent in the heart of the Costa del Sol with the sudden arrival of a distribu-

New Nest

of staff and features a living ‘green’ wall with spacious meeting rooms. Business Development Manager Gary Newsham said “It was good to see so many faces, many of which we only normally communicate with by email or telephone. “Everyone is welcome to pass by now, have a coffee and look at the inspiring environment that we have created.” Launched more than 15 years ago, the firm’s Englishspeaking lawyers advise a worldwide client base around mainland Spain and its islands.

tion centre in Malaga. The delivery giant has taken over land in the Los Prados area and built a pop up logistics hub featuring a giant tent and prefab offices. Site owners Adif have confirmed the 345,000 square metre plot has been loaned to Amazon for a period of three years. The delivery mega-firm are expected to expand the site with an investment of close to €1 million reported to be in the pipeline.

since 2006 and 10% of all Inditex clothes are made in Morocco.

The Inditex brands covers many popular high street names including Massimo Dutti, Pull & Bear and Zara. The report revealed the harsh conditions Moroccan garment workers have to face including excessive hours of work with low wages and alleged physical abuse. Report author Albert Sales said: “These companies have in their hands the ability, both to generate situations of labour exploitation, and to avoid them." Younger workers are reportedly made to work without contracts and receive just 0.36 cents per hour.

THE second cycle of the women’s mentoring programme got off the ground on May 28. The events brings top speakers to the stand so that they can help women improve their leadership skills and help them dream big. It comes after Minister for Equality Samantha Sacramento said there was an urgent need to address the gender pay gap and get over negative stereotypes. Supported by the Women in Business network, it was declared as an ‘amazing’ opportunity by the only woman minister in government. A study has been commissioned by the ministry of equality to discover what the gender pay gap actually is. Statistics from 2017 suggest the difference between men and women could be as much as 20%.

June 5th - June 18th 2019

BUSINESS

AVING lived in six different Spanish resorts over the course of six weeks, my wife and I Susie created a dossier on each. Listing what we did and didn’t like about each place we drew up a short list with Nerja, in the Axarquia, and Denia, on the Costa Blanca, at the top. When we returned to the UK in the middle of June, last year, we decided to advance our plans immediately and put our house on the market. Life, as it so often does then threw us a bit of a curve ball, as three days after our return my son, 19, had a serious wakeboarding accident, and following a mistake by the hospital, was in danger of losing his leg. There were a million other reasons to stay – for one, Susie’s daughter was expecting her first baby, to add to our other two granddaughters.

Don’t trust experts In his second column, chartered financial planner Jonathan Holdaway FPFS ACSI, reveals where he has made the leap to Spain and why

But, equally, there were other good reasons to go – our own health and sanity, just counting two. So plans were delayed, until eventually in February this year - having sold my UK financial planning business (to the safest pair of hands, rather than the highest bidder) - we piled most of our possessions into the back of my X5, roof box and trailer and started another journey with our two faithful hounds Toby and Robbie also on board. Eager to start our new life as soon as possible, we agreed to take a rented villa in Nerja from February 1 for fear of losing it to someone else. So we didn’t hang about and DREAM LOCATION: Nerja in the Axarquia made the jour-

ney down to Malaga, through France and Spain with two days of pretty much solid driving. And with the Brexit decision looming large, as soon as we arrived we leapt into action to obtain NIE numbers, a Spanish bank account and, of course, the obligatory health Insurance... all the things I had researched we needed in order to obtain residency. It soon became very apparent that everyone you meet here has a slightly different version of the truth, when it comes to the mechanics and costs of moving here. Although I found some of the various expat Facebook pages helpful, it was clear that a lot of users and so-called ‘experts’ were using this medium as a virtual soapbox, trying to ram their own opinions firmly down other’s throats and were clearly wrong! New life begins And so, with a slightly faltering start, our new life in Spain has finally begun, as we both strive to establish

SETTLING IN: With wife Susie and the dogs

our social life and businesses as quickly as possible. With my long-term training as a chartered financial planner (I’ll explain what that means in later columns), I naturally intend to continue offering help and advice to clients who need, or who can benefit, from my advice. While setting up has been hampered slightly by the excessive bureaucracy that exists here, I am finally in the position to help. As the lady in Santander said; ‘Spain is the land of paperwork’ and she wasn’t kidding!

Our next step is to obtain residency, and fortunately the delay to Brexit has given us slightly more time to achieve this. Since our arrival we have had visits from three of our kids – including Susie’s nine-month-old granddaughter, so they can also appreciate the benefits of our move! Also a recent return to Bournemouth for a friend’s wedding has confirmed our decision to move here was the right one. While we were always very thankful that we lived in a beautiful part of the UK, there is so much more to offer here in terms of quality of life. I look forward to what the next few months brings – my in laws arrive today for a 10-day visit, for which I have included a night time tour of the Alhambra Palace in Granada. I hope it makes as much as an impression on them in their 70’s as it did to me in the ‘70’s (see my first column from last month). Send your comments and feedback to Jonathan at jonathan. holdaway@chasebuchanan.com or call him on 00447723027864 Jonathan works with Cyprus-regulated financial advisor CHASE BUCHANAN, which has been operating in Cyprus since 2015. Visit www.chasebuchanan.com for more information

Send your comments and feedback to Jonathan at jonathan.holdaway@chasebuchanan.com or call him on 00447723027864

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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL Two Spanish wines for under €20 are among the best in the world

PROUD: Cantini

Serving up a win THE winner of the Andalucia Gourmet Award for Best Room and Customer Service has been announced. Hotel Palacio De Santa Paula in Granada was crowned champion in the second edition of the awards, which aim to celebrate hotels in the region. Maître d El Marco Cantini, who also works alongside staff at the hotel’s El Claustro restaurant, described the award as an ‘injection of confidence’. The awards, doled out by IDEAL newspaper, take into account everything from the appearance of dining rooms and table layouts to the attitudes of staff.

EIGHT Spanish wines have been listed in the ‘top 50’ in the world, including two for just €17 a pop. The vinos were granted the prestigious accolades at the Decanter World Wine Awards, where some winners were worth over €400. Finca Azaya, from Bodegas Valduero in Castile y Leon, is one of the two bargain bottles awarded ‘Best in Show’ by British magazine Decanter. The wine from the northern region was awarded 97 points, as was fellow winner Coto de Imaz Gran Reserva

June 5th - June 18th 2019

Can’t buy taste

from El Coto de Rioja. Another highlight of the list is the 30 year-old V.O.R.S Oloroso Sherry from Andalucia’s Jerez, priced at €101.48. Despite Spain’s impressive eight ‘Best in Show’ bottles, it finished second globally to France, which had 13 of its wines in the ‘top 50’. The the list was compiled by Decanter after the tasting of 16,500 wines, of which only 50 (0.3%) were given a ‘Best

Ice ice baby! ICELAND is opening a new store in Marbella. The popular supermarket, opening as part of the Overseas group, has begun work at its newest branch in San Pedro de Alcantara. The shop is situated just off the A-7 among the row of shops and restaurants in Guadalmina Alta. The location will stock an array of British brands as well goods from UK favourite Waitrose.

LANDED: In San Pedro

The store is hoped to open in time for summer and an advert in the window says it is looking for staff.

in Show’ medal. Meanwhile, Australia and Portugal were each awarded three medals, putting the countries third globally, while fourth was taken by Italy with five. One of the more unusual ‘Best in Show’ medal-winners was the UK, which received three ‘top 50’ awards, along with Georgia, Greece and Germany, which each received one prize.

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Meanwhile we sip into Spain’s most expensive wines overleaf.

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FOOD,DRINK &

June 5th - June 18th 2019

restaurant | lunch and dinner restaurant | lunch and dinner

Top of the tipples Would you pay €1,000 for a bottle of sherry from Jerez? Check out our connoisseur’s guide to 10 of the bestscoring Spanish wines (according to the Parker Guide) and you’ll be sorely tempted, writes Claire Leibovich

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HE love affair between Spain and its wine has been turbulent but enduring. The land of Cervantes has been making wine since pre Roman times in some regions. Production slowed to a trickle under non-drinking Muslim rule, but enjoyed a relative renaissance between the Reconquest and the 20th century when two world wars and Franco’s ban on wine exports

put the stopper on production once more. But Spain’s grape expectations rose again and 1986, when it joined the EU, was a turning point. Today the Spanish wine revolution is well underway and has almost caught up with the country's booming gastronomy. Spain is the third biggest producer of wine in the world, behind France and Italy, and the top international exporter. It’s also still the best value for money as Spanish wine prices remain comparatively low. The country is home to over 400 grape varieties, although the Famous Five - Tempranillo, Garnacha, Monastrell, Palomino and Airén - are most commonly used. But that’s changing too. Specialists and amateurs are not only rediscovering traditionally reputed wines but also experimenting new creations. Check out our connoisseurs guide to the best of the best, based on the celebrated Robert Parker Guide. Your new-found knowledge will please your palate, impress your friends and never mind the price!

Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Priorat The Big Three wine regions at the international forefront of the Spanish wine revolution need no introduction but there’s still much to learn.

Bodegas Contador, Benjamín Romeo ‘Contador’, Rioja

€247

Rioja, in northern Spain, has long been the country's most famous wine region, along with the ‘sherry triangle’ of Jerez. It produces mostly red wines, but even its whites are celebrated for their distinguishable oak aromas and flavours. However, one of the best is atypical of the region: Benjamín Romeo´s ‘Contador’ is a modern wine lacking that signature oak flavour but still obtained a score of 95 in the Parker guide (2018). Dense and complex with fruity aromas, its limited production and high Parker score explains the average price of €247.

Dominio de Pingus ‘Pingus’, Ribera del Duero One of the most expensive Spanish wines, Danish oenologist Peter €800 Sisseck established the Pingus domain in the province of Valladolid in 1995, which remains its best vintage y e a r , followed by 2014. Although it produces other wines, Dominio de Pingus is its flagship. Intense yet elegant, with a deep colour and balsamic and floral aromas, this cult wine averages an astronomical €800 a bottle.

Vega Sicilia Unico Gran Reserva, Ribera del Duero

€376

This wine is traditionally known as Spain's first great wine and the most sought after. The renowned winery Vega Sicilia started operating in 1864, however the first Unico cuvée dates back to 1936. Unico is produced from 80% Tempranillo, and the rest from Bordeaux varietals. It shot to international fame in the early 1990´s, and since then it has only gained in desirability, in particular because of an increasing scarcity. The average price is €376.

Alvaro Palacios L´Ermita, Priorat Over the past few decades, Priorat has gained international recognition for its exceptional wine - one of the only top-class wines in the world produced from Garnacha grapes. Alvaro Palacios was instrumental in this revival when he acquired an old plot of vines in the Catalan region in 1990. It is now considered the best spot to produce wine in Priorat. L’Ermita, a blend or Cariñena and Garnacha, is the star of Palacios’ winery, receiving a perfect 100 points from the prestigious Parker guide in 2013. L’Ermita is almost black in colour with 03 a dense but delicate texture with fruity €7 undertones. Average price €703.

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TRAVEL

June 5th - June 18th 2019

Malaga

Although Málaga is one of the oldest wine regions in the world (vines were introduced in the region by the Greeks around 600 B.C.), it has been unfairly kept in the shadow of better-known denominations. It is also great value.

A Spanish restaurant with a twist, located on the edge of historic old Estepona Town in a converted farmhouse dating back to the 1890 with many features retained.

Jorge Ordoñez and Co., No.3 Old Vines Moscatel

Teso la Monja, Toro, Spain Toro is a region in the northwest of Castilla y León that has recently soared to fame for its powerful, full-bodied red wines made from Tina da Toro (Tempranillo). Teso la Monja comes from the eponymous, family winery near Valdefinjas, in Zamora. It holds the record for the most expensive Spanish with an €993 average of €993.

Descendientes de J. Palacios, La Faraona, Bierzo In the northwest of Castilla y León, the potential of Bierzo as a wine-producing region was discovered relatively recently by the same Alvaro Palacios who helped put Priorat on the map in the 1980s. The winemaker established Descendientes de J. Palacios in Bierzo in 1999 and now produces a selection of highend, single-vineyard wines. La Faraona is a red wine made from Mencia grape grown on barely more than an acre of land, with the vines yielding just a single barrel of wine each year. Its aver- €939 age price is €939.

Jorge Ordoñez founded his winery in 2004, with huge success in short time. His series of four sweet white wines in particular have found favour with the rich and famous. No. 2 Victoria Moscatel was served to the Queen at Picton Castle in Wales during its 88th anniversary; former British Prime Minister Tony Blair enjoyed it on his last visit to Spain; and it was also the first Spanish wine to be served at a Nobel Prize function in 2012. Made from Moscatel de Alejandría grapes which add floral aromas, No. 3 Old Vines offers the best value for money of the series. Average price €85.

Restaurante La Pampa is open from Wednesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner. Calle Sevilla 70, 29680, Estepona Phone: 952 795 545 email: reservas@lapampaestepona.es www.lapampaestepona.es

€85

Jerez Sherry wine and the Andalucian town of Jerez de la Frontera are synonymous and production dates back to the 8th century at least. First exported in the 12th century, for a long time it was reputed to be the finest wine in Europe and was probably the first wine to be com-

mercially exported to the Americas. Jerez is made from the white Palomino Fino grape, which makes it drier than wines using Pedro Ximénez and Moscatel de Alejandría grapes. The vineyards of Jerez and the neighbouring coastal towns of El Puerto de Santa María and Sanlucar de Barrameda are collectively known as the Sherry Triangle.

Barbadillo Reliquia Palo Cortado Jerez This winery is located in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, a port town celebrated for its Manzanilla, a variety of sherry with a subtle chamomile flavour (manzanilla means chamomile in Spanish). However, Barbadillo also offers remarkably old and chokingly pricey wines, including an Oloroso, Pedro Ximenez… and a Palo Cortado, the €100 3 first sherry to be awarded 100 by the Parker guide. Barbadillo’s Palo Cortado is dry with a clear, golden complexion. Average price €1,003.

Montilla-Moriles These wines from Cordoba share similar characteristics to sherry, yet they are often overlooked by wine lovers. The Andalucian region mostly produces sweet, dessert wine from Pedro Ximénez.

Bodegas Toro Albala Don PX Convento Seleccion This winery in Aguilar de la Frontera is famed for its vintage PX wines. Convento Seleccion is a dense and complex wine with notes of dark chocolate and roasted coffee beans, and less sweet than other PX wines. The 1946 is its best year and it was the first sweet wine to be awarded 100 points by the Parker guide (1958 was also an exceptionally good year with a score of 97). Average price €229.

€229

Gonzalez Byass Anada Palo Cortado Another top Palo Cortado sherry hails from the Gonzalez Byass bodega in the town of Jerez itself. With its iconic Tío Pepe brand, Gonzalez Byass’ sherry is famous worldwide. The Palo Cortado is salty and intense with citrus notes. Average price €164 euros.

€164

www.bistropoint.gi UNIVERSITY OF GIBRALTAR, EUROPA POINT

Reservations on 200 76588 or bistropoint@huntergroup.gi

June 5th - June 18th 2019

COLUMNISTS

Playa-ing away

PHOTO CREDIT: Cadiz Turismo

HEY’RE environmental gems, protected in national parks and UNESCO biosphere reserves. Some are Natural Monuments. They’re also public beaches just begging to be enjoyed in June when you can almost have them to yourself. Not strictly virginal – their charms have been discovered by birdwatchers, naturists, hard-core hikers and Spanish tourists – these pristine playas play it very hard to get, hiding below towering dunes or across marsh and scrubland, away from tarmac roads and civilisation as we know it. So no showers, mojitos or muzak. No lifeguards, first aid posts or safety flags either. What you need, you lug with you and back again, plus rubbish (no bins) along trails more suited to

Belinda Beckett veers off-road to explore Andalucia’s hottest heritage beaches

Indiana Jones than the average extended Spanish family of abuelos, niños-in-arms and half the kitchen sink. But the effort will overwhelm you with wow factor (unless you’re a sulky teen); sand dunes as soft as icing sugar, rock pool aquariums and some of the most untainted coastline in Spain. These hot heritage beach zones should float your boat. A DIP IN DOÑANA Rompeculos (Bum Breaker Beach) is just one pearl in a 25km string of playas fringing Doñana National Park, a sunset strip book-end-

ed by the frenetic summer resorts of Mazagon and Matalascañas. There are dirt track turn-offs along the A494, then it’s a 20-minute hike through stone pine forest Iberian lynx territory. Seriously! The grassy bridges over the main road are lynx crossings although you’ll be lucky to see any. If you find yourself looking over a 100 metre cliff you’re standing on a national monument: the Acantilado de Asperillo, a 12km range of fossilised sand dunes that took 15 millennia to make. ROMPIDO ARROW AMOR

STUNNING: La Flecha beach

see the same peninsula two years running. With regular 15-minute ferry crossings from the town of El Rompido you’ll have to share the love but, on the plus side, a frozen daiquiri is never far away.

La Flecha is one of the Seven Wonders of Huelva and, like Cupid’s arrow, this sensational 13-kilometre sandbar induces AWESOME ANCHOVY POINT love at first sight. Aside from jaw-dropping beauty, this natural marshland spit offers Cadiz has its own spectacular the novelty of swimming in the sandbar flanked by the Atlantic River Piedras on one side and the on one side and the Bay of Cadiz Natural Park on the other, an Atlantic on the other. It’s a chameleon beach, home to the colour-changing reptiles and a shapeshif ter itself, changing with the tides Giles Brown is used to insults flying so you never

estuary sanctuary that’s seafood heaven for birds and humans. The dune cape of Punta del Boqueron at the tip is a natural monument offering up Instagrammable views of Sancti Petri island castle from a Caribbean-copy beach. Walk it barefoot from San Fernando or catch a ferry from the phantom pueblo of Sancti Petri near Chiclana, abandoned in the ’70s when it lost its almadraba tuna fishing industry but now being revitalised to catch tourists.

Troll trouble

MUST VISIT: Anchovy Point in Cadiz

family and that’s a different matter

COUPLE of issues ago, I wrote about keyboard warriors - the kind of people who are quite happy start an argument or fling an insult at you for something you write or post on social media. They also tend to use language and attitudes that they would never dare use if they were in the same room as the person they are attacking. It’s called trolling. Having worked in media in one form or another for over three decades, I’m used to getting a bit of flack. ‘If you can’t take it, don’t dish it out’ tends to be my mantra. I was once called a ‘bald bastard’ on Central Night Live TV (which made Davina McCall laugh) and have been accused of being a dictator on my own radio shows. I like to think I’m a benign one, by the way. It comes with the territory. What I won’t stand for, however, are attacks on family. In my last column, I wrote about my beautiful and talented goddaughter, Ziggy, who had performed her first gig in Spain. Ziggy’s mum, Tiffany, was my best friend and tragically died of cancer was she was only 29. Ziggy was two-and-a-half. The family moved to Australia and I lost touch, until Ziggy found me on Facebook and we met in London six years ago. As her mum’s best friend, I’ve been able to tell Ziggy about her and, because Tiffany spent a lot of time in Spain, I can take her to places that her mum and I used to hang out in. I don’t have children, so my goddaughters – I have three – are the closest thing I get to that, and my relationship with Ziggy is an integral part of my life. The article was all about being a proud Padrino, plus describing the outfits she wore for her Burlesque show. Ziggy is 22, by the way. I sent it to her before it went to Press, she loved it, and I posted an abridged version on Social Media. And that’s when the troll struck. A certain, Ceri Jones Harrison, who I have never met, wrote in the comments: “Your goddaughter? Should

his way, but troll his

you really make comments such as applying nipple tassels just for you or that you didn’t look like a normal expat couple...don’t like the underlying tones in your report. You really need to reread before posting as it appears you are either in a relationship with her or fantasise about her. Both are quite perverted.” In case you didn’t know, I’m a Celt. My dad is Welsh and mum was born in Glasgow. And I have to admit, at that moment, I went off the scale, as a supercharged combination of the Pontypool front row and The Black Watch coursed through veins. I fought back the urge to go full Liam Neeson, ‘I don’t know who you are but I will find you etc.’ and replied: “Thank you for your reply. I can assure you that I am not in a relationship nor do I fantasise about Ziggy. In fact, I will be acting as celebrant at her wedding this year. I suggest it is you who is quite perverted.” ‘Quite a sizzling backhand down the line’, I thought to myself, somewhat smugly. “Professional arsehole...you need to reread your article,” came the trollish reply. ‘Professional arsehole’. Well that’s certainly a new one and, let’s be honest - only one of us in this conversation was getting paid. ‘Duck it’, I thought (not my actual words) as I hit the share button and unleashed my followers on her. The reaction sent her scurrying back under her cyber stone. I grabbed the phone and called my long suffering Swedish/Cuban friend, who is also mother to another of my goddaughters. She’s used to my strange requests and, having Scandinavian heritage, is well versed in all sorts of Nordic customs. “Sorry to bother you, Bambini…do you have any Swedish Traditional troll hunting equipment over there?” “I’ll call my mother. She’s bound to have something in the Finca,” she replied, completely unfazed. As I said, she’s known me a long time. Well, now that Game of Thrones is over, I have to do something with my spare time, and ‘troll hunter’ does have a certain ring to it…

SPORT

June 5th - June 18th 2019

Top tips

Red revolution Hundreds of Liverpool fans in Gibraltar swarmed Waterport fountain after the club won the Champions League final for the sixth time. Golden boot winner Mo Salah put away a penalty in the first minute. The mean defence then kept Tottenham Hotspur out before Divock Origi came off the bench to double the lead at the end. The victory was saluted by thousands of fans into the night in Madrid and back in Liverpool on Sunday. On the Rock it was not any different as supporters sang ‘Allez, allez, allez’ late into the night. After the heartbreak of bitter defeat against Real Madrid last season, the relatively boring final was a welcome ‘relief’ for manager Jurgen Klopp. “It was not the best of football matches to watch for a neutral, but for me, this was the culmination of a great season,” said local Liverpool fan Jonathan Cartwright. “After back to back Champions league finals it was thoroughly deserved.” “Watching the team lift the trophy with the champions league music was mind blowing!” added Orlando Yeats, whose bar in Ocean Village is packed on matchdays.

Getting shirty AN Andalucian football club has taken a stand against racism by printing racist slurs on the back of their shirts. Alma de Africa - soul of Africa - are a team of five Spaniards and immigrants from 12 other nationalities based in Jerez. The multiracial squad donned jerseys adorned with the racist insults for their last match of the season against Algaida. Shirts included the terms: “Monkey, slave, ape, sudaca (derogatory name for a South American), undocumented migrant, gorilla, gypsy, Indian, illegal, blackie, scum, immigrant and black.”

Hail the Gaels ANDALUCIA’S Irish Andaluzes Gaelic football side have finished third in the Men’s Shield tournament at the Iberian Finals in Barcelona. The combined Costa Gaels and Eire Og Sevilla squad beat Sitges 1-0 (3), 0-8 (8), before easing past hosts Gaelicos de Gran Sol 0-1 (1), 3-8 (17). The team also went close in their third tie against eventual champions Auriense, the Galician club securing a narrow 0-3 (3), 0-2 (2) win.

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Three snippets of car advice from Linea Directa and why we should be the insurance company you choose

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Mad about motoring? Whether you’re a car enthusiast or rely on your car for just about everything, keeping your vehicle on the road is a costly endeavor. Prices for car insurance can vary greatly between providers depending on different risk factors. While reducing your annual mileage and keeping your car in a secure location will help keep your premiums down, Línea Directa recommend shopping around for insurance quotes to get the best possible price with the best possible cover.

FAN ZONE: On the Rock

Reyes in peace Andalucia grieves as Arsenal ‘invincibles’ star Jose Antonio Reyes dies in horror smash FORMER Arsenal winger Jose Antonio Reyes has been laid to rest at an emotional church service in his hometown in southern Spain. The 35-year-old died after speeding at 147mph in his Mercedes and a tyre blowout caused him to veer off a motorway outside Utrera, Sevilla on Saturday. Jonathan Reyes, 23, the former Gunner’s cousin was also killed in the high-speed crash. The much-loved player’s coffin was draped in a Seville FC flag and thousands watched on as the casket was carried by family and friends.

Reyes’ widow, Noelia, has paid tribute to her late husband and told mourners the star ‘will live forever in our hearts.’ The Spaniard joined the Gunners in January 2004 and was part of the ‘Invincibles’ side that went through the 2003-04 season unbeaten, winning the Premier League. He later spent a season on loan at Real Madrid in 2006-07, winning La Liga. “We couldn’t be confirming worse news,” Sevilla FC said on Twitter when news of the incident first broke. The La Liga club paid tribute to

FUNERAL: In Utrera the ‘eternal legend’, adding he was ‘one of the most valuable home grown players in the history of the club’. Reyes leaves behind his wife Noelia Lopez, who he married in June 2017, and three children.

Minor car problems At this time of the year in the early morning sunshine, condensation is particularly troublesome especially in older vehicles. Motorists and other road users are at risk. Accidents can be caused when drivers try to wipe down the windscreen. Here are some handy tips to help you tackle condensation. Wash your car regularly as dirt and dust attract moisture and early morning dew. Remove any damp items like towels or coats from inside the car. When safe to do so, leave the windows open for a few hours. Switch on the air con-

But what if it doesn’t start? A flat battery is a great inconvenience, jump-starting your car from the roadside can be hazardous and new batteries are expensive and can be troublesome to fit. These tips can help prolong the life of your battery. Keep the terminals clean of residue that builds up over time. And remember to turn off air conditioning, lights, radio and other battery draining systems whenever possible. Help is at hand Línea Directa offers service, support and 24-hour roadside assistance to over 3 million customers in Spain. Should you break down or your car won’t start, they will immediately dispatch an approved mechanic to help get you back on the road again as soon as possible. And with their new GPS Geolocation service Línea Directa can pinpoint your exact location and send breakdown recovery even faster.

We hope the information provided in this article is of interest. If you would like to contact Linea Directa please call 952 14 78 34 More information about Linea Directa online at www.lineadirecta.com

www.transmatic.es

Small but mighty A JUNIOR rugby team from the Costa del Sol have been crowned champions of this year’s Championship of Spain. Under 10s from Estrecho Rugby beat teams from across Spain over the eight game two day tournament. The victories came despite a gruelling 11 hour drive to Valladolid for the San Roque club. Coach Juan Moraleja said: “The kids played with a lot of confidence but most importantly they played like a team, so we’re really happy.”

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ditioning and wipe down the inside of the windows. Finally, you can fill a sock with cat litter and place it in your car to help absorb excess moisture.

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KNOW HIM?: Mystery dad in Spain in the 1960s

Thick as thieves

Union retirement

FINAL WORDS

Vol. 4 Issue 98 www.theolivepress.es June 5th - June 18th 2019

CHIEF Minister Fabian Picardo paid tribute to Victor Ochello as he stepped down as leader of Unite the Union in May, wishing him a ‘long and fruitful retirement’.

THE first ever public water kiosk on the Costa del Sol could be removed after the popular service become a target for pocket change thieves. The ‘Casa de Agua’ in Sabinillas has been in place less than a year but has been repeatedly damaged in a number of attempted thefts. It comes despite the kiosk

Sub-served A ROYAL Navy Trafalgar class submarine pulled into Gibraltar for a routine visit on May 31.

Engineers to be flown in from Italy after robbers break into water dispenser - all for a couple of euros! holding little more than a few euros in mostly fivecent coins. Designed to provide lowcost clean water, it has been put out of action for over a

Is that fare?

Target practice

A SPANISH taxi driver has been denounced to police for wearing a skirt to work during hot weather. Elite Taxis in Vigo bans cabbies from sporting shorts, tracksuits, tank tops and flip flops, de-

DARTS fans will be happy to hear that they will have their own high-tech premises in the new Europa Point Sports Complex being made ready for the Island Games.

week since it was attacked. “This is not the first time this has happened, they go after the money inside” local English Bookshop owner Steve Davies told

Thick as a Rock spite searing temperatures. The unnamed driver donned a knee length, white denim number, which he paired with trainers.

MORE than half of the British public don’t know that Gibraltar is an Overseas British Territory, a new survey has revealed. Some 53% of Britons are unaware that the Rock is actually part of the UK. Meanwhile, only 21% were able to name more than three British overseas territories, found the study by Money Saving Heroes. Over 2,200 British adults took part in the quiz.

BUSTED: Machine the Olive Press. Installed by Italian company Ecozona, the kiosk pumps municipal water through a stringent filtration system before it is delivered, nicely chilled. Davies said: “The machine is Italian-made so in the past the parts had to shipped over, a specialist might come over from Italy. “If it keeps on happening it will just have to be taken away.”

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Last chance saloon A BRIT has launched an appeal to find his long lost father whose last known whereabouts were at a bar in southern Spain in the 1960s. David Abbott, 53, from Blackpool, knows that the man he believes to be his dad spent time in Benidorm and the Costa Blanca and southern Spain in general and may have even moved there. The only photos he has of his father are from Bobby’s Bar in Benidorm in 1965. “I believe this man is my father who I’ve never met,” Abbott told the Olive Press this week. “The woman is my mother Christine Oakes (Christine Abbott) who sadly passed away in 2015. I don’t have a name for the man...however I do know he made a call to Glenroyd Hospital Whitegate Drive on April 18 the day I was born to ask Christine what she had named me.” He added: “Any leads would be fantastic… It’s a long shot but you never know.” Recognise the man in these photos? Contact newsdesk@theolivepress.es

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