Mallorca Olive Press - Issue 25 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

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Vol. 1 Issue 25

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March 29th - April 11th 2018

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Rotten meat for schools and pubs By Laurence Dollimore

EXPATS and locals may have been eating meat that has been kept in squalid conditions for more than THREE years. It comes after a raid on a major meat distribution company in Marratxi found flagrant health and safety violations this week.

SEE MORE IN THE RESTAURANT SECTION INSIDE1 Untitled-1.pdf

50 tonnes of meat seized after salmonella and three-year-old product found by cops

A staggering 30,000 kilos of frozen meat was found to be expired in a warehouse freezer in Marratxi, while another 7,000 was discovered in a ship container in Palma. Much of the meat, which included salmon and octopus, was also found to contain salmonella. The CEO and two employees were arrested after police discovered they had been changing expiry labels, injecting meat with pig’s blood to increase its weight and defrosting the meat in hot water. Other violations included making employees 16/06/2017 15:36use their own vehicles to transport meat prod-

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ucts. The meat was being distributed to restaurants, hotels and schools across the island. Shockingly, if bad meat was returned, employees washed it and froze it again before selling it on to another unsuspecting business, either as it was or as minced meat. The company has been ordered to stop trading after being declared a danger to public health by police. Its freezers have been sealed and some 50 tonnes of meat have been seized. The company, which has not yet been named, has been operating since 2011, with the health violations dating back to at least

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a year. A separate investigation is looking into the abuse of employee rights after it was discovered that some workers were being forced to work 60 hour weeks without extra pay. Others were forced to sign payslips that said they were paid more than they were, and all employees had to buy most of their equipment themselves - including knives and metal gloves for meat cutting and clothes for working in freezers. Police say they believe they have prevented a salmonella outbreak among at risk populations of children and the elderly.

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News IN BRIEF

Teaching hospital SON LLÁTZER has become a university hospital because of their high level of care and the connection and commitment to teaching and research, announced minister of health and education, Patricia Gómez.

Water virus BETWEEN 30 and 40 tourists contract legionella disease every year in the Balearics. The statistics were revealed at as hotel and business associations met with health service advisors in Mallorca for a conference on preventing legionella outbreaks, like last year's that killed one and infected dozens in Calvia.

A growing Baleària FERRY travel around the Balearics with transit company Baleària grew ten percent last year, with over €350 million in revenue in 2017. Passengers grew 25 percent with 3.7 million travellers.

March 29th - April 11th 2018

Historic site damaged ONE of the oldest buildings in Europe, and Menorca's most important prehistoric monument, has been defiled with graffiti. The Sa Naveta des Tudons, which dates back to between 1200 and 750 BC, is now covered with 81 spray-painted names, letters and peace signs.

A CRIMINAL group which defrauded hundreds of people of more than €200,000 have been arrested on Mallorca and across Spain. The five scam artists were found residing in Palma, Logrono and Vila-Real are believed to have been operating for three years.

Chasing

The investigation started last year after complaints were filed in Zaragoza, with victims stating that online loan companies were chasing non payment for money they had not borrowed. In total, the group of three women and two men, stole

Tests are being run on the paint to help find a way to remove the marks without damaging the small building. Tours which were set to begin at the historic site this week have now been postponed until the vandalism can be carefully cleaned up.

ID thieves busted Womenled group arrested on Mallorca

228 identities and used them to take out unauthorised loans of a modest amount to avoid suspicion, with three or four loans under each name. The gang leader, a

44-year-old man with an economics degree, has already been sent to prison and has a previous record of similar crimes. In order to obtain the personal documentation

Robbery ring caged THREE men and a women have been arrested for 13 armed and violent robberies in Palma. The four are suspected of robbing multiple pharmacies, supermarkets and other shops around Can Pastilla and Playa de Palma

over the last two months. The suspects have no criminal records, but belong to the same sports club. Police found two replica pistols, a taser gun and multiple balaclavas while searching their car and properties.

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needed, the fraudsters organised fake job interviews, during which they took photocopies of ID as well as falsifying bank receipts and utility bills. To further cover their tracks the group used an IP masking device when applying for the loans online. Two home searches in Logroño produced evidence showing transfers to and from accounts in the name of the group leader and others, including his wife.

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A NEW anti-drug operation has begun across Mallorca. Some 130 officers of the Organised Crime Team (ECO) and the Algaida police have been searching homes beginning in Palma and reaching Inca, Marratxi, Selva and Felanitx. The operation, named Luidar, aims to stop the trafficking of drugs around Mallorca, while seizing large amounts of drugs and making numerous arrests.

Major pot bust POLICE have dismantled ten marijuana farms and arrested 34 suspected drug traffickers in Palma. In total, 28 search warrants were executed, including ten grow houses and 17 homes where the drugs were sold from. Ten kilos of the dried drug ready for sale were seized, along with 1,000 growing plants, as well as hash, cocaine, MDMA, several firearms and €60,000. Electric company Endesa aided in the search as all the farms in the raid were illegally hooked up to the power grid and were stealing electricity.

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March 29th - April 11th 2018

Marbella bound TOWIE stars Gemma Collins and James Argent have bought a home on the Costa del Sol in preparation for starting a family. It comes after the reality TV couple decided to make an official 'serious go of things' last month following years of on and odd dating. Gemma, 37, said: "I've made no secret of the fact I really want kids so I don't think we'll wait too long before trying for a family. "But before we start trying I want to get my health in order.” She added: "You're going to need lots of energy, James, we'll have to do have sex morning, noon and night when we're trying!" she laughed. The couple have bought a home in Marbella to live in together during the summer and want to start a family.

What a star MILLIE Bobby Brown looked unrecognisable from her Stranger Things character Eleven as she glammed up for a special screening of the hit show in LA this week. The Marbella-born actress, 14, wore a floor-length, starprinted gown and black high heels for the 35th Annual PaleyFest screening at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. The young star also wore full make-up and styled her dark hair into loose waves. Millie, who regularly visits Estepona, spoke on stage about the Netflix series, which first hit our screens in 2016.

‘Save our marriage’ Stop partying and move full time to Mallorca, pleads wife of Brendan Cole THE wife of Strictly Come Dancing star Brendan Cole has begged him to move to Mallorca ‘to save their marriage’. Zoe, 35, wants him to give up his ‘partying ways’ after becoming parents for the second time with their son Dante this month. The lifestyle blogger, who also has a five-year-old daughter with the dancer, is pleading with Cole, 41, to move to the Balearic hotspot on a permanent basis to focus on raising their family. Zoe already spends a lot of time on the island, taking in art shows and enjoying mountain hikes. Meanwhile Brendan is busy with his dancing solo tour, which has put the couple ‘under strain’. He hired a live-in nanny to help at home while he is away, but the replacement is not enough for Zoe. A source said: “Zoe has told friends she is finding it increasingly difficult to cope

without Brendan and it’s starting to take its toll. “She’s asked him to move to Mallorca permanently in the hope that it will help them to reconnect. But Brendan knows he won’t be able to find as much work there and it will be hard to make a living.” The source added: “Brendan has laid on help for Zoe but she has

told pals it’s no replacement for actually having him there.” Brendan has been pictured out late with fellow dancers on tour — and was with golfer Carly Booth, 25, less than 24 hours after Zoe gave birth to Dante earlier this month. His first telly job since getting the Strictly axe will be on ITV’s Soccer Aid match for Unicef.

Don’t blame me THE girlfriend of Real Madrid star Isco is facing a massive security scare after she was threatened on Twitter by a man holding a gun. Fans of Isco blame girlfriend Sara Salamo - a soap actress in Spain - for the footballer’s recent dip in form. They claim she has led the Benalmadena-born footer astray and introduced him to a ‘crazy lifestyle’ when he should be living like a monk between games. After a tweet targeted at her said ‘your days are numbered’, the Spanish soap actress contacted police.

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March 29th - April 11th 2018

‘Don’t feed the monster’

Wipes being flushed costs water companies more than €500,000 per year

A CAMPAIGN titled 'Don't Feed the Monster' has spread across Mallorca, aiming to prevent wipes from being flushed down toilets and washing up on shores. Baby and toilet wipes are meant to be binned, but countless have been clogging sewers and treatment plants. This eventually leads to the waste washing up on rocky areas. Water firm Emaya spends an extra €250,000 a year on clearing wipes from the sewers and unclogging blockages. Local councils and groups also make efforts to clean wipes out of sewer systems and off

beaches. The public company Calvia 2000 spent well over €300,000 last year unblocking sanitation systems, removing 851 tons of solid waste. Part of the campaign reminds citizens that even biodegradable wipes should not be flushed, as they do not have time to break down before they cause serious problems and pollution. They should be added to compost piles or thrown in the bin. There are now fines from €700 to €3,000 for offences including clogging systems with wipes.

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SANTA Ponsa beach got a facelift as 180 volunteers joined in a beach clean, removing over 65 kilos of plastics and rubbish. The loot contained over 4,000 bits of trash, including over 500 cigarette butts, and was collected as part of the Let's Clean Up Europe campaign. Many local entities joined together to make the event happen, including the Calvia city council, the Ondine Association, Calvia 2000 and the local Rotary Club.

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A FORMER pearl factory full of hazardous waste is finally being decontaminated after 12 years of waiting. The Majorica pearl factory in Manacor still has two shipping containers full of fuel paste and oils, along with piles of rubble that have sat unattended for over a decade. Neighbours have left been uneasy amid repeated environmental warnings over the waste. The hazardous material is now being removed after the ministry of environment gave a €150,000 fine to the owners Anida, a real estate company of the BBVA banking group.

Low on green GREEN energy in Mallorca has hit a massive obstacle. A €60 million grant for renewable energy from the EU's Feder fund was thought to be divided between the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands. Instead the Canary Islands have received the lot to promote wind energy. The news has come as a shock to those backing future solar energy projects around the Balearic Islands. Presently there are 11 solar park projects with the necessary permits in order, waiting on government funding – as they were promised. The government is meeting with Madrid to fight for more money for green efforts. The lack of funding and support is a major set back as they eagerly try to raise the amount of renewable energy sources around the islands, which is currently only two percent of the total production in the Balearics.

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PALMA police have been accused of committing environmental crimes at a scrap yard. The San Toells site is filled with cars and motorbikes deteriorating and leaking oils and fluids into the grassy field, according to an official complaint. An investigation by Seprona found numerous potentially criminal problems at the site, which is a classified area. The police scrap yard does not appear to be following required protection measurements to prevent contaminants seeping into the land. The original complaint was filed last year, and Seprona has been pushing the issue with the government and the ministry of environment with no action taken yet.

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March 29th - April 11th 2018

www.theolivepress.es Mallorca’s original community newspaper

A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in Spain with an estimated readership, including the websites, of more than 500,000 people a month.

OPINION Fowl play IT is unimaginable that a meat distributing company could care so little about the health of potentially thousands of locals and expats, purely for the sake of the bottom line! It is despicable how those involved could also knowingly sell contaminated meat to schools, putting the health of innocent children at risk. It is a miracle that there was no salmonella outbreak among young people or other at risk groups like the elderly. We applaud the police for uncovering this fraud before anyone was hurt, at least not yet. Let’s hope none of the infected meat has found its way to unsuspecting diners on the island, and that the full force of the law is brought against those responsible. If anything, the scandal should serve as a wake up cal. Very few of us know where our meat comes from and how it is prepared. While there is a degree of trust when dining in hotels and restaurants, perhaps we should all take the time to research what happens to the meat we buy, from the slaughterhouse to the supermarket shelves. Depòsito Legal PM: 610-2017

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F e at u r e

March 29th - April 11th 2018

Stop fishing for impossible solutions

Never in British history has any government knowingly pursued a course of action it knew would be damaging, writes Sue Wilson of Bremain in Spain

T looks like Brexit is not going according to plan, if there was ever a plan in the first place. Even to the most casual observers, it must be clear that negotiating a Brexit deal - any Brexit deal – hasn’t been as easy or achievable as we were led to believe. So it is somewhat amazing that on Friday, EU leaders confirmed their expected support for the draft Withdrawal Agreement (WA) that was presented earlier in the week by David Davis and Michel Barnier. The biggest breakthrough was an agreement for a transition period of 21 months, ending in December 2020, during which the UK will obey EU rules but be left out of EU decision-making. The deal was heralded as ‘significant progress’ by many pundits but received criticism from both Remain and Leavers alike. For Jacob Rees-Mogg and other extreme Brexiters, it represented a betrayal of Leave voters – and especially of the British fishing industry. Rees-Mogg objected to the UK becoming a ‘vassal state’ and, especially, to UK fishermen being subject to European fisheries policies. A demonstration staged by ReesMogg on the Thames didn’t go to plan. He was unable to board the boat because nobody had applied for landing permission, leaving Nigel Farage left holding the dead, wet fish. While attracting lots of press coverage, just as Farage likes it, the protest attracted much ridicule and was described as a fitting metaphor for Brexit – i.e. badly planned and failing to deliver what it had promised. Concerns from Remain on WA meanwhile focused on what was missing rather than what was included. ‘Article 32’ was a much-discussed and unpopular clause in the original draft documents, relating to citizens’ rights. It related to restrictions placed on the freedom of movement of British citizens - us expats - living and working in the EU. If meant that our rights would be restricted to the country we call home but we would not be able to work across borders, or have clients in a bordering EU country. It was quite a surprise (a pleasant one, of sorts) therefore, to find that Article 32 had been removed

from the draft WA. What did this mean? Had our freedom of movement rights been restored? We set out to ask Our man in Spain, the British Ambassador, Simon Manley, who claimed that the offending article was not needed and that both the Brexit Committee and the European Parliament welcomed its removal. He added that freedom of movement rights had not been specifically agreed but that the British government would continue to push for us to retain those rights. Another concern was the statement from Barnier that ‘nothing is agreed until everything is agreed’. Unless the existing ‘agreements’ are ring-fenced, we will be back to square one in any ‘no deal’ scenario – a situation that May continues to insist is better than

If every British citizen in Spain wrote to their current MP it would be a very powerful message indeed a bad deal. For May and her government, the WA represented an opportunity to move forward and talk about trade – the only topic of interest to them thus far. To reach this stage, she agreed to accept the EU’s plan B for the Irish border, presumably in the hope she would never have to use it. Both sides have repeatedly said there will be no hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. May’s suggestion of using technology was rejected as unworkable so the EU devised a fall-back position – move the Irish border to the Irish Sea. In her Mansion House speech during February, the PM ruled out this option and added that no British Prime Minister would ever agree to such a thing. Now, May has agreed to this fallback position – yet another of her infamous U-turns. She must find an alternative plan to a hard border, or risk losing the support of the DUP. If she loses this, she also kisses goodbye to her tiny majority in parliament. The DUP will never accept one rule

for Northern Ireland and another rule for the rest of the UK, so it’s an impossible circle to square. The Irish border issue is one of many problems that make delivering Brexit extremely difficult, if not impossible. The after-Brexit vision promised to the public has proved a myth, a dream, a nonsense. Britain cannot be stronger, bigger and better alone than it can be with the backing of 27 partners. May has hinted as much by asking for the EU’s support against Russia over recent events. Whatever the reasons that people voted Leave, it’s becoming clearer daily that Brexit will not solve these problems. Instead, it will cause economic harm, especially ironically in Leave-voting areas. The government knows this, and its own impact analyses back up this view. Nobody voted to be poorer or to harm the NHS, just as nobody voted for job losses or for the devaluation of Sterling. Despite May and Davis insisting that Brexit is inevitable, unstoppable, it just isn’t true. Brexit is impossible to deliver and it’s not too late to stop it. Remainers have every reason to be hopeful. If May continues to pursue a hard Brexit, the ‘deal’ will not be acceptable to parliament when it votes in autumn. If every British citizen in Spain wrote to their current/former MP to convey their views on Brexit, it would be very powerful indeed. We know from personal experience how effective personal lobbying can be. The only option left on the table after a vote in parliament would be to offer the British public a referendum on the deal. This option is becoming increasingly likely and is gaining momentum with Remainers and Leavers alike. No matter how anyone voted on June 23, 2016, everyone should want the opportunity to have a final say - to assess the deal that’s being offered and decide if they want to proceed now they can see what’s on the table. This was all about the ‘will of the people’, wasn’t it? If the people don’t want to proceed with Brexit when they know how it really looks, the government must pay attention and act accordingly. Never in British history has any British government knowingly pursued a course of action that would obviously be damaging to the nation. Let’s not start now!

F e at u r e

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Life sentences for choosing to terminate

GIB RAL TAR

March 29th - April 11th 2018

ABORT THE LAW February 14th -

February 27th 2018

a pregnancy A BRITISH warned of a expat has ‘must come to thief who stole ‘psychotic’ watch after he his Rolex an end’ had been shopping in Sotogran Paul Graham-Wood, de. EXCLUSIVE claimed the Spanish 54, By Joe Wallen thief groped him as Iceland superma he left THE Governm rket in ent Pueblo Nuevo. fused to consider has rechangGraham-Wood, ing a law, which lived in the area who has women to travel is forcing abroad for years, claims thefor eight abortions. woman initially asked It comes after him for work before jumping group launched a woman’s an appeal the car and kissing into to overturn the ‘draconian’ his law, neck. countries in Europe which is the strictest in (Po- “There While doing Europe. land, Ireland and this she Malta) rights inis a lack of women’s somehow managed Currently, any Gibraltar ban abortion and Gibraltar ian his €9,000 Oyster to get - plus anyone talks with the UN all are in very conservative and it’s a assisting - facPerpetplace. to decrim- The ual watch from es LIFE imprison inalise the act. pair say they ment for Police told himhis wrist. terminating a pregnanc separate religion want to Ireland is also about from the y. to hold state been a spike in there has Under Section a referendum on the issue in final and allow women the crime in the areapetty theft Crime Act a 16 of the 2011 May. say on their bodies. pregnant since the New Year. an ‘who, with intent wom“The Catholic church “We however are to prolobby cure her own miscarria nation in Europe the only on abortion as they did who the against ge… is liable on convictio UN are not working gay marriage a couwith,” ple of years prisonment for life.’ n to imSuarez said. ago. It The Gibraltar Women’s The assocation is is wrong.” “They might think now Association believes the same laws as we have write to the UN to set to time to change the it is now in fact we are the UK but opens dialogue with plead it very differ- braltarian the GiThe group claims law. ent.” PRO CHOICE: government over Suarez (left) and many women whoto know of the issue. Suarez and Struggles Struggles have sufare Coming vefered physical and on It will also present hement their group mental niversary of the 100th anits findis prothey are unable health problems British women to attain choice, not pro-abortion per ings to the government. visas to go to Spain,” forced to travel toafter being first being able to vote, When contacted said se. Spain for its members spokeswoman Anne-Ma poor quality operation the government this week believe it is rie They believe it should be up support refused to s. forcing many Struggles, 51. The women then to a woman to decide women to any reform of the She and her colleague the Rock, keeping return to have abortions in Spain, to do with her body. what law. sin Suarez are now Tam- “The minations secret their ter- or worse, undertake back“Abortion other than in ROBBED: Paul to reverse the law fighting abortioncriminalisation of certain, seeking further and not street treatments on (right), the awareness of the and raise nation leads to discrimi- certified defined, medically with partner Gary care over fears news medical Rock. issue circumst and with infringes on ances, is the UN. abortion will spread. of their “Migrants and refugees illegal under Gibraltar women’s dignity,” Struggles a governm particularly vulnerab are law,” It comes after they told the ent spokesman le as ered that only threediscov- “We’ve Olive Press. gone back 100 years told the Olive Press. “The other Cabinet has not on this issue!” considered changing this policy.”

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arefully concealing her face, Maria Gibraltar possesses the harshest penalty for Povedano*, a 26-year-old Gibraltar- abortion in the entirety of Europe. ian woman confides in me. According to Section 162(1) of the 2011 “I am not brave enough to show you Crimes Act: “A pregnant woman who, with who I am, but I feel compelled to tell you my intent to procure her own miscarriage, unlawstory. “In 2012, I became pregnant.” fully administers to herself any poison or other Terrified of what might become of her and noxious thing, or unlawfully uses any other making an impossibly difficult choice, Maria means with that intent, commits an offence or travelled to mainland Spain in order to seek is liable on conviction to imprisonment for life.” an abortion – an act punishable by life im- Yolanda felt this law gave her no choice. prisonment in Gibraltar. “The whole thing cost me €500 all in,” she “At the clinic in Spain they didn’t tell me ev- says. erything about the procedure. “I couldn’t afford to go to a proper specialist “When I walked up the stairs to the room to clinic in the UK or one in a bigger Spanish city have the operation, I started crying hysteri- like Malaga so I had to go to a doctor in La cally. Linea. “I kept on asking if I was going to die, panic “Immediately, I did not feel comfortable – his overwhelmed me. practice was dirty and his staff rude. I felt like “After the operation tears could not stop run- I was on a conveyor belt.” ning down my face, I cannot describe the However, unable financially to consider an alguilt I felt. Six years later, Maria still resides ternative, Yolanda went ahead with the termiin Gibraltar. nation. In the immediate aftermath she knew “Fast forward to 2018 – I am not with my soul something was wrong. mate – we have two beautiful children. “I couldn’t stop throwing up and had awful “However, after giving birth to my eldest I en- cramps in my stomach and pelvic region over tered into a deep depression. the next 48 hours,” she groans remembering “I couldn’t leave my house the experience. and was having lots of suiToo afraid to visit a doccidal thoughts, I couldn’t tor in Gibraltar with her live with myself. symptoms, she borrowed “Nobody...deserves “Seeing my children smile money from a close friend and laugh is the best feelshe swore to secrecy and to be backed ing in the world, but for me a private doctor, into the corner of visited it is also the most painful again in Spain. thing in the world because having a baby they During the abortion, it fills me with vivid memoYolanda had contracted did not plan” ries of travelling to Spain endometritis, an infection for the abortion.” Unlike in the lining of the uterus Maria, crossing the border and genital tract. from Gibraltar to Spain is, While the initial infection for many Gibraltarians, a pleasurable, every- fortunately cleared up after a course of anday occurrence. tibiotics, Yolanda says she continues to enThey are welcome back on their return by the dure daily stomach cramps. Rock towering majestically above them. Furthermore, despite trying to conceive over Lights twinkle in the booming offices of the the last months, she has not become pregWorld Trade Centre, a global fintech hub nant. and laughter echoes from the deck of the She worries this is because her abortion has Sunborn, the world’s first 5-star super-yacht affected her ability to have children. hotel. “My partner doesn’t understand why I haven’t Indeed, on first impressions, Gibraltar has all conceived,” she says shaking her head. the trappings of a thriving modern city-state, “Worst of all, I can’t tell him my fears – I’m in the mould of Hong Kong or Singapore. worried he’d leave me and word will spread It is certainly affluent enough to match its around Gibraltar, it is such a small place. rivals. “Who knows what would happen to me if In 2017, Gibraltar’s Gross Domestic Product word got out here, I could get in serious trouper capita was £56,612 – the fourth highest ble with the law and my family might never in the world. speak to me again. But not everything seems to have advanced “It really is incredible in Gibraltar, where at the pace of its booming economy. politicians boast that we have some of the Yolanda Garcia*, 29, travels from Gibraltar best healthcare treatment in the world, yet into Spain several times a week. women like me are risking their health going “Everyone in Gibraltar crosses regularly, we across the border in secret for dangerous opall have business in Spain, most of us have erations.” family there, things are very different these Yolanda continues to suffer the physical and days,” she told the Olive Press. mental trauma of her botched abortion. However, there was one journey across the Yet, for future generations of Gibraltarian border which changed her life forever. women, two local figures are standing up and In late 2016, Yolanda discovered she was seeking change. pregnant. After much deliberation, she de- Tamsin Suarez, 43, and Anne-Marie Strugcided to get an abortion. “It was the most dif- gles, 51, are two members on the committee ficult decision of my life,” she sighs. “But, as I of the Gibraltar Women’s Association. was not with the father and it would have put Despite being threatened online, they have my career in jeopardy I decided to go ahead spoken out publicly in support of decriminalwith the termination.” Yolanda, like count- ising abortion in Gibraltar and giving women less other Gibraltarian women, was forced the choice as a basic human right. to cross the frontier into Spain to get a back- “Gibraltar is such a conservative place,” street abortion in one of the nearby border Struggles told the Olive Press. towns, such as La Linea de la Concepcion or “We like to think we are Gibraltarian suffragAlgeciras. ettes – we don’t encourage women to get

abortions but we think they should have the choice, we are pro-choice.” They aim to present their research into the experiences of Gibraltarian women like Maria and Yolanda to the government over the upcoming months. “There is a lack of women’s rights in Gibraltar, it is a patriarchal society,” rebukes Suarez. “We believe that the criminalisation of abortion leads to discrimination and infringes on women’s dignity. “It is so sad when you hear anonymous stories from women that are unable to get any advice here or to help with their situations and can never talk about this big secret in the back of their minds.” Well informed and aware that the United Nations has opened dialogue with the three other nations in Europe where abortion is illegal – Malta, the Republic of Ireland and Poland – the pair plan to write to the UN in the hope a delegation can put pressure on Gibraltarian leaders to change the law. The pair believe the ‘prehistoric’ law still exists today thanks to the influence that religious groups, in particular the Catholic Church, still wield on the Rock. Furthermore, the small town feel of Gibraltar means that many women do not feel comfortable approaching doctors or healthcare practitioners for fear of word spreading around the community. Their concern helps to cement the idea that abortion is inherently wrong. When contacted, the Gibraltarian government refused to consider the possibility of changing the law. “Abortion other than in certain, defined, medically certified circumstances, is illegal under Gibraltar law,” a government spokesman said. “The Cabinet has not considered changing this policy.” Davinia Caruana*, 34, booked a secret termination in Spain b u t changed her mind at the last minute. Regardless, she thinks it should be up to the woman in question to decide what to do should she fall pregnant. “Nobody, young or old, wise or foolish, deserves to be backed into the corner of having a baby they did not plan or they did not want,” she says. “Let’s talk about this, let’s put abortion on the agenda, because once it is there we not only empower women with the choices about their bodies, but we inspire our children to be a little bit more open minded, and we encourage societal change.” The ‘Gibraltarian Suffragettes’ know they have a long way to go. But, like their resolute sisters from 100 years ago, they won’t give up.

Olive Press can be read in its entirety on www.theolivepress.es And our site is updated daily with the latest news, making it one of Spain’s most visited news websites.

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treet BE food‘APPY!

FOODIES of all sorts should head to Port Adriano’s XI’s Street Food Festival March 30 through April 1. Gourmet burgers and spicy tacos are Download among the island’s topour app now and begin enjoying the best Spanish food cart options available, with livenews music on the go. and entertainment for all ages.

egan Day

Novel by Queen Letizia’s ex could be a kiss-and-tell

VEGAN Day Out QUEEN Letizia's ex-husband has III is ready to go, penned a romance that could be based with plant based food onPress his real-life relationship with the and drinks, local sus-Olive The Spanish royal. tainable crafts, and enAlonso Guerrero Perez, 55, from Alcalá gaging entertainment TOP for news in Spain! de Henares, Spain, has published El and performances at Amor De Penny Robinson (The Love of Santanyi's Viñedo Son Penny Robinson) as a fictional book. Alegre on March 31. But the novel tells the story of a man with the same name as the author who is suddenly thrust into the spotlight when ike fest his ex-wife becomes queen. MURO’S RoadThe hero even describes how he took a bike festival renude snap of his first love, Laura, a charturns with four days of acter believed to be based on Letizia. events and activities for Letizia married high school teacher cycle lovers. From April Alonso, nine years her senior, in 1998 11 through 14, the festifollowing a 10-year romance. They first val will host races of all met when the future Spanish queen was sorts, workshops with just 16. pros, the latest gear They got hitched in a civil ceremony in and sportswear and test the town of Almendralejo, Badajoz, but runs of a diverse range divorced the following year. of bikes. The former journalist, now 45, met husband-to-be Felipe in 2002, while she

was working for popular TV channel 24 Horas. They announced their engagement just a year later. But Letizia's status as a divorcee caused controversy in Spain ahead of the royal wedding, thrusting Alonso into the spot-

light. In his novel the male protagonist falls in love with two women - Laura and Nené. Both characters are thought to be based on Letizia although it is Nené who becomes Queen. According to Royal Central, Alonso has previously told Spanish media how his relationship with Letizia 'has neither benefited nor harmed me'. Letizia married Felipe in 2004 in a lavish ceremony at Madrid’s Almudena Cathedral. The royal couple have two schoolage daughters. She was allowed to marry in the Catholic Church as her previous marriage had been a civil ceremony. Despite her popularity today, a book published in 2005 suggested that King Juan Carlos considered the former journalist a threat to Spain’s royal household. Polls have since shown that Felipe and Letizia's ‘common touch’ has boosted the approval ratings of the royals.

Marlango THE combination of jazz, rock and cabaret come together in Marlango, a Spanish band formed from Leonor Watling and Alejandro Pelayo. The duo have been making magical music for 20 years, with seven albums out released so far. Tom Waits is a substantial influence for the band, who can be seen at the Palma Auditorium on April 13. Fans of Radiohead, PJ Harvey and Muse are bound to enjoy the jams of Marlango.

Spring festival PORT Adriano celebrates the arrival of spring with their annual Spring Party on April 7. There will be food stalls and entertainment for all ages, including workshops and workouts, to ring in the sunny season. The €4 entry fee along with all proceeds benefit the Balearic charity Gaspar Hauser, which assists families of people with autism.

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Fit for a queen QUEEN Sofia has attended the annual charity concert for Project Home in La Seu, along with her sister Princess Irene of Greece. The concert is a fundraiser for the for charity that combats drug addiction in the Balearics. Government president Francina Armengol was also in attendance. The Symphonic Orchestra of the Balearic Islands, directed by Pablo Mielgo and the University Choral choir of the Balearic Islands, conducted by Joan Company led the performances which included Verdi's Requiem. Special soloists also joined the event.

London beats Barca

LONDON has been named the second best tourist destination in the world by TripAdvisor. The UK capital came second only to Paris in the tenth annual Travellers’ Choice awards for destinations. Rome was hot on its heels in third place, with tropical Bali fourth. But the Big Apple fell from top-of-the-tree fifth place to tenth in the ratings. Crete, Barcelona, Prague, Marrakech and Istanbul come in fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth respectively.

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March 29th - April 11th 2018

VERY year during Holy Week, streets throughout Spain turn into a swaying sea of robed and conehooded penitents marching to the solemn beat of brass instruments and drums. The scent of candle wax and incense hangs in the air, mingling with the heady fragrance of spring orange blossom. Those who have experienced the passion and pageantry of Semana Santa know that this is one of Spain’s most soul-stirring celebrations. Precious religious icons are brought out of churches and paraded on immense golden thrones in lavish processions that bring millions of locals and tourists together in the run-up to Easter. Easter is one of the biggest holidays in Mallorca, and has been for many centu-

The brotherhood is a cherished tradition dating back to the Middle Ages ries. Known locally as Semana Santa, Easter week is also the biggest and most celebrated Catholic tradition in Mallorca. Palma of course has the biggest celebrations, with parades and processions taking over - almost every other town on the island will celebrating as well. Don’t be surprised to see unusual costumes and blocked off streets over the weekend. Holy Thursday, March 29, kicks off Easter weekend, and the ‘Crist de la Sang’ procession truly is something different here. The procession of the parish brotherhood, or ‘cofradias’ sees the men

Incense and orange blossom CAPTION.

Gillian Keller delves into the passion and pageantry of Semana Santa

dressed in robes and conical hoods, walking incredibly slowly and solemnly through the towns. They carry heavy statues of religions icons, and are usually followed by a parade of participants. It takes hours and hours. The

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brotherhood is a cherished tradition dating back to middle ages in Mallorca, This year there are 33 brotherhoods with 400 brothers participating. . The Palma Cathedral, Santa Ponsa, the Mana-

cor Monastery of the Holy Family, and Alcudia old town all celebrate at 18:00. Palma’s Good Friday re-enactment of the Passion of the Christ is a rather powerful scene, remembering each station of Jesus’ journey to

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March 29th - April 11th 2018 March 29th - April 11th 2018

Why the pointy hoods?

BIG DEAL: Semana Santa is one of the biggest events of the year across Spain

the cross at the Cathedral at noon. Andratx, Campanet, Ses Salines and Algaida all begin their processions at 20:00. Easter Sunday is a day for family and friends in Mallorca, with many shops and some restaurants and cafes closed for the day to celebrate. Churches fill up early, and the ‘Procession of the Meeting’ is tradition, as women stand with a statue of the Virgin Mary, and men carry Jesus to her. After the morning’s religious duties are finished, living-rooms and restaurants alike fill up with big parties enjoying a feast after Lent. The Palma Cathedral begins Easter Sunday cel-

ebrations at 10:15, the Port of Soller kicks off at noon, and Pollensa’s old town at 9:00. The Sunday after Easter is known as Angel Sunday in Mallorca, and traditionally was the day to break bread with the poor. Today the day is more celebrated with picnics and outdoor feasts with friends and family. The most popular place to toast to the summer is the park around Bellver Castle - bring a basket of favourite foods and a bottle of wine and you’re set to go.

Worn by the nazarenos - members of the religious associations, known as cofradías (brotherhoods), they are ‘penitents’ who cover their faces in mourning and shame both for the sins of their forefathers during the Spanish Inquisition and those they have committed throughout the past year. Their conical hats (capirotes), traditionally worn by clowns and criminals, are a physical manifestation of this shame. Many foreigners are unnerved by the costumes’ similarity to the Ku Klux Klan in America but there can be no comparison with the Semana Santa penitents who are ordinary men and women proud proudly upholding a fiercely religious tradition.

902 123 282 * Fu l l y co m p re h e n s i ve o f fe r v a l i d fo r n e w c u s to m e r s o n l y. Ty r e C o v e r a v a i l a b l e w i t h o p t i o n a l Tr a v e l A s s i s t a n c e . S u b j e c t t o c o n d i t i o n s . E n d s 3 1 / 0 6 / 1 8 .

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That’s Tom Powell, touched by Semana Santa in Sevilla for the very first time

Y friends laughed when I told them I was going to Sevilla in Holy Week. Because of course, so was everyone else. There’s not even standing room in the streets on Good Friday when the city plays host to over one million spectators. Sevilla is home to 58 hermandades (brotherhoods) and each of them fields a procession of float-carrying penitents, followed by their family and friends … abuelos and tíos, siblings and babes in arms walking solemnly behind, generating one giant traffic jam. It’s almost impossible to describe Sevilla’s incredible Semana Santa processions without making them sound like a sinister Disneyland parade. But when I joined Toma Tours’ Semana Santa trip to Sevilla on Holy Wednesday with MD Manni Coe, I promised to try, so I will avoid references to the Klu Klux Klan (sorry, that’s just my inner guiri coming out). As a virgin spectator in a city that’s mobbed with multiple Virgin Marys at this time of year, it’s safe to say I have never witnessed anything quite like it. We arrived as Sevilla was sleeping, the calm before the storm. Manni’s excellent introduction showed how passionate he is about Andalucia’s capital, where he lived for five years before deciding he couldn’t put his body through another tortuous 50C summer. As – like me – he grew up in Reading,

March 29th - April 11th 2018

Like a virgin that’s more than understandable… We parked on the outskirts, as all roads through the centre are closed to traffic during Holy Week; a whole thriving city shut down. Toma Tours had rented

a balcony – the only way to watch the spectacle if you’re in the know. The largest in the city, we were told, owned by a welcoming American-turned-Sevillian named Brad.

It was certainly massive, 30 metres in lion people who come for the build-up length with views over the church and to Good Friday begs belief and soon I’m plaza of Cristo de Burgos from every walking in circles, far from the convivialangle. ity of our candlelit balcony and just as Before the night-time frenzy, I took the far from the cathedral I’d hoped to see. opportunity to explore Sevilla in the sun- The plaza, when I relocated it, was light and soon became adept at spot- rammed and humming with the expectting a gap between the ant masses, the fervour nazarenos and slipping heightened as many of through. these meticulouslyNazarenos are the figThe logistics of planned processions ures in pointed hoods were rained off the year organising half and robes in the colour before. Bad weather code of their hermana million people at Semana Santa ocdad who walk behind casions real mourning the floats (pasos). They begs believe among the more pasnumber hundreds, sionate Spanish. sometimes making proThey’re also not averse cessions a mile long. to mixing vino with their Usually led by a brother veneration and we enjoyed a copa, carrying a wooden cross, a police escort along with wafer-thin slices of jamon helps them carve a way through the Iberico, from our balcony – surely the crowds. best seats in the house. The logistics of organising half a mil-

THE paper not to miss on Mallorca island THE Olive Press is now distributing all over the island in an incredible 500-plus locations. Found at castles, tourist offices, museums and petrol stations, it has become the most soughtafter English newspaper in Mallorca every fortAlaro Alcanada Alcanada Alcudia ALGAIDA Andratx Andratx BENDINAT BENDINAT BENDINAT Binissalem Cala Estancia Cala D’or Cala D’or

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STUNNING: Sevilla is the place to be for Semana Santa The priceless floats are beautifully hand-carved and this is the only time they leave their churches. Although ‘float’ they do not. They can weigh several tonnes and the technique of swaying them to emulate dancing is very tricky to master. Christ came first, followed by hooded nazarenos dressed in black and shouldering crucifixes, all accomplished in reverential silence and under the gaze of a thousand expectant eyes. The Virgin followed, bedecked with candles, flowers and silver, then

the band, pumping the sound of drums and brass around the square. I recognised the music. I’d heard it coming from the sports hall in Estepona on many evenings over the previous month. Obviously rehearsals! Similar processions are held across Spain, from tiny pueblos to major cities, but they can’t hold a candle to Sevilla’s. As the sun dipped behind the spires, the rapturous music and the scent of burning incense and candlewax created an intoxicating, ethereal cocktail.

As one Virgin slowly disappeared around a tight corner, another appeared with its own procession of nazarenos, this time clad in brown. Among the hoods were immaculately-dressed children hurling sweets into the crowd from buckets, excited to be the centre of attention. Other youngsters holding balls of wax hovered tentatively on the edge, begging the nazarenos to pour candle wax onto them. Manni explained that this is a competition between the local kids to end the night with the biggest ball. We spotted one lad cheating – pouring wax over a football – but refrained from reporting him to the wax ball police. It was soon time for our own Virgin’s return, streetlights were turned off and candles alone lit the majestic scene. As the procession stopped one last

time, a saetaro on our balcony began singing to the crowds and all eyes were turned upon us. The saeta, a mournful gypsy prayer that has become a song through flamenco, is notoriously difficult to sing and only heard in Holy Week. It was a magical moment. Everything that had gone before lead up to this still moment in time: the statues, the flickering candles and the lines of nazarenos caught in freeze frame before wending their weary way back into the church, watched by the entranced worshippers. I understood why there were TV cameras in every square, beaming this breathtaking footage to screens around Spain. But it doesn’t come close to being there, living it, breathing it, being a part of it. Everyone should go once to see the wonder of Semana Santa in Sevilla.

Telephone: 971 73 56 37 Carrer d’Espartero, 6, 07014 Palma, Illes Balears Monday to Friday 10am-8pm Saturday: 11am-2pm Sunday closed

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Property

March 29th - April 11th 2018

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March 29th - April 11th 2018

olivepressnews British-owned Balearic island +TheolivepressEs paradise bought for peanuts sells for €18 million

BE ‘APPY!AN entire island has been bought

by a Luxembourg family for €18 million. S’Espalmador in the Balearics was on sale for months but the regional government ‘could not afford it’, saying they had no support from Madrid. The island is a protected nature reserve, Download our app now and and the family have been warned they are prohibited from SOME 136,000 property enjoying any Spanish type of construction under the owners whobegin have adver-the best law. tised to let on sites includnews on the go. S’Espalmador was first bought ing Airbnb have been sent

Pay up!

an official warning from the treasury. It comes after the Hacienda began investigating sites such as HomeAway and Wimdu for rental incomes not declared by property owners. In a notice sent out to SELLERS: Cinnamonds landlords, it said: “According to the data availby a Briton in 1932 for just €255 able to the Tax Agency, €14,000 in today’s monyou have made TOPannouncefor news(around in Spain! ey). ments of rental of real esIt was owned by Norman and tate in different advertisRosy Cinnamond who inherited ing media, including the it from their British grandfather, internet Bernard Cinnamond. He origi“We remind you that, in nally purchased the mini paradise case of having received for just 42,500 pesetas from Ibicenco rental income, they must owner Carlos Tur. be included in the declaJust 800 metres wide by three kiloration.” metres long, the island sits in the Ses

The Olive Press

Isle have that! Salines Natural Park and contains 137 hectares of land. All swimming excursions to the island have been stopped and the popular mud baths for tourists have

been banned in a bid to protect the area. Local authorities tried to stop the sale but the Balearic government’s appeal for help to stump up the cash

went unanswered by the national government. Councillor Pilar Costa said: “The owners told us they had an offer so we addressed the deputy prime minister of the central government to ask for support for the purchase. They verbally told us they would consider it but never answered us and in the end the owners accepted the offer of the buyers.” The new Luxembourg owners are ‘well aware of the regulations of the island,’ according to their representative. There are already two small houses on the islet. “I am convinced they have bought it knowing what there is. I don’t think anybody is that naive,” said Silvia Tur, a deputy for the Gent per Formentera party.

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Keys Isl nd to the

The sun is back but confusion reigns over new rental laws, writes Amanda Butler

Property

March 29th - April 11th 2018 March 29th - April 11th 2018

By Amanda Butler

Rental clouds

PRING is finally in the air! After what I would say is probably the worst February/March we've had for many years weather-wise, the sun is finally out and the forecast for Easter looks very promising, thank goodness! Having said that we are all, of course, thankful for the rain that has filled up our reservoirs and I am sure that all the farm- course), but certainly for both Airbnb and now TripAdvisor who ers and vineyard owners will have been delighted - so we can't could be looking at a €300,000 fine for continuing to promote grumble too much! properties without the correct licence documenMarch/April is special time of year, when the tation. towns and villages start to become more viApril is a special So the Council of Mallorca has finally revealed brant with the re-opening of many bars, restauinformation about zoning for holiday rentals. Inirants and shops as they prepare for the start time of year, when tially holiday rentals in apartments and houses of the season. All of the island's residents are towns and villages in the majority of ‘saturated’ areas will be alcoming out of their winter slumber since the lowed 60 days a year. These areas include Magbecome more extra hours of sunshine bought about with the aluf, Palmanova, Paguera, Santa Ponsa and the Spring Equinox and the clocks going forward, Llucmajor part of Playa de Palma. Interior towns vibrant and so a new season begins. include Alcudia, Pollensa, Santanyi, Ses Salines, Property wise the season has of course alSoller and Valldemossa, as well as Banyalbufar, ready started, for many -including myself- a Deia and Fornalutx. Oddly enough resorts such great start in sales for the year already. Not so fantastic for as Puerto Alcudia, Puerto Pollensa and Puerto Soller are simthe rentals market however (depending on your perspective of ply grouped together as the "other" coastal tourism areas and

Google knows all

SPANISH property sales will increase by 8% this year... at least that’s what Google predicts. CaixaBank researchers have used Google Trends to show the popularity of internet searches such as ‘buy flat’ or ‘buy flat in Barcelona’. This allows them to predict how healthy the 2018 cycle will be. While the amount of searches has been lower than last year - which saw a 14.6% rise in property sales - experts

have predicted an 8% rise in purchases nationally, and a 10% rise in hotspots Barcelona and Madrid. The use of Google search data has been described as opening up a ‘new paradigm for the forecasting of real estate trends’. Being able to more accurately predict changes in house purchase trends before they actually happen could improve the capacity of housing supply to react to changes in demand, experts say.

are not defined as being either ‘saturated’ or ‘mature’ - seemingly to me for no rhyme or reason. The Council has yet to conclude its plan for intervention in tourist areas (PIAT), so cannot move ahead with any new licences for holiday rental accommodation. With the moratorium on new licences due to expire at the end of July, they'd better get a move on! There is lots of confusion as to whether the 60 days has to be in one go or spread out. And in other areas such as resorts not classified as ‘saturated’ rentals can be for 365 days a year, apparently. However in some areas of protected land in the Tramuntana Mountains there can be no rentals. The President of the Council Miquel Ensenyat said that zoning has been undertaken in order to identify areas where holiday rentals cause a problem and where they can act as a stimulus. The President of the Partido Popular has agreed to repeal holiday rentals legislation and zoning criteria should they win the election in May 2019, accusing the Balearic Government of ‘wanting tourist money, but without the tourists’. Their plans are to ‘embrace all forms of accommodation for holiday rental, observing that the use of apartments is a reality’. I foresee lots of confusion and red tape ahead! Wishing everyone a very happy and sunny Easter!

Contact Amanda J Butler to buy or sell your home: Tel: +34690075169, www.mjcassociates.net. Your professional one stop property shop around the Island!

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Parking wars

Cool for school

SOME of the UK’s largest SPAIN will invest €74.3 million to bring airlines have failed to pay BE ‘APPY! super-fast broadband access to schools a combination of over £4 in Andalucia and six other regions. million in court judgments The high-speed internet will immeto delayed passengers. diately benefit 1.86 million pupils in According to the Registry 5,991 state-funded primary and secTrust Online, a company ondary schools in Andaluica, Aragon, that records all County Court Judgments in EngDownload our Thomson app now and land and Wales, has been biggest beginthe enjoying the bestofSpanish fender news afteronfailing the go. to pay £2.4million in compensation to approximately 5,000 delayed passengers. Following closely behind is easyJet, who failed to pay £1.5m in compensation to over 3,000 delayed passengers.

the Balearic Islands, Cantabria, Castilla-Leon, Extremadura, Madrid and Valencia. The rollout is part of Spain’s Digital Agenda objectives and will be funded in part by the European Regional Development Fund.

Rags to riches

The Olive Press Fobbed off

TOP for news Spain! A spokesman from Bottin and Co Solicitors said: “Many SPANISH billionaire and of our customers have tried Zara owner, Amancio The strong performance, to recover compensation Ortega, has grown his UK which has seen Pontegadirect from the airlines property empire to more dea UK’s value rise to £2.1 but have been ignored or than £2 billion. billion up from £1.88 bilfobbed off so they have had Worth £63.5 billion, the lion in 2016 comes despite no other choice but to come entrepreneur who is one of concerns that Brexit might to us for help. the world's richest people, take a toll on the market. “Thomson in particular is has a property arm called A Pontegadea UK spokesmaking life difficult for dePontegadea UK which man said: “The company layed passengers. owns several London does not expect Brexit to “In 2017 we had to issue buildings. have a significant impact court proceedings on 73% The turnover of the comon its operations as it is of our Thomson cases – pany, which boasts Devona long term investor in around 3,000 in total on shire House opposite the behalf of 7,000 passenRitz and a stretch of Ox- risen 3% to £75.1 million prime locations.” gers.” ford Street among its port- with pre-tax profits com- The results have been seen as positive sign for LonBott and Co, who operate folio, is reported to have ing in at £50 million. don’s property market in a on a no win no fee basis, have lost only 1% of all claims against Thomson Airways that have gone to court in the last year. “At least there is a crumb of comfort for passengers TRIPADVISOR has been fined hundreds of given to Airbnb, for listing vacation rentals while they’re waiting at thousands of euros for offering illegal tour- that lack the correct license. the airport for their deist rentals. Officials found at least 25 advertisements layed flight this summer,” A fine of €300,000 has been given to the without the required license number. it added. international tourist website, similar to that

FINE FOR TRIPADVISOR

Zara boss’ UK property portfolio has doubled since 2014

post-Brexit world. It comes following a spending spree in 2015 in which the company bought Almack House for £225 million and a £400 million stretch on Oxford Street, which went some way to increasing the portfolio's 2014 value of £620 million. Ortega, who co-founded the clothing giant 1985, is currently the seventh-richest person in the world and the second-richest in Europe behind LVMH chief executive Bernard Arnault.

CALVIA car hire firms will be fined between €1,000 and €10,000 if unrented cars are parked on public streets for more than 24 hours. Residents have been struggling to find parking as thousands of rentals are parked in neighbourhoods instead of rented lots – enforcing strict restrictions are aimed to ease the stress for locals.

Ouch! THE owner of a Mallorca mansion has been fined a record €1.4 million after officials discovered it was built illegally on rustic land. The 1,200 m2 estate cost under €1 million to build, and for each month it is not taken down, the owner will have 10% interest added to the fine. It is Mallorca’s largest fine ever for an illegally built property.

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March 29th - April 11th 2018 March 29th - April 11th 2018

New routes

New luxury hotel on Costa del Sol to be ‘best in Spain’

On board ESTEPONA has won a hardfought competition to take Mayfair’s position on the Spanish Monopoly board. In total 16,589,649 votes were cast by the public over the two-month period, with Estepona coming on top with 571,778. It will be joined by Mijas, another Malaga province, which came in tenth with 189,754 votes. “This is the second time that the public has had the opportunity to decide the contents of a Spanish Monopoly edition. This time there has been a huge number of participants and we are proud to be one of the few countries in the world with our own Monopoly board,” said Ignacio Gaitán, marketing director at Hasbro Iberia. The special edition is set to hit shops just in time for Christmas.

A COSTA del Sol hotel is set to receive a €150 million makeover to become the ‘best luxury resort in the country.’ The Princess hotel in Estepona will be turned into an allinclusive luxury complex after being bought by Ikos Resorts. “Ikos Andalucia will open its doors in May 2020, with the aim of becoming the best luxury all-inclusive resort in the country,” the company said. “This is a concept that has recently been recognized by TripAdvisor as the number one in the world in the AllInclusive category.” The Ikos Andalucia will have more than 400 rooms and suites across seven buildings. It will have 70,000 square meters of gardens and facilities with direct access to the beach. “The resort, which will have eight restaurants, will offer its guests a wide range of leisure

Best in Spain

activities with the best sports facilities, a theater, 4,000 square meters of heated swimming pools, both indoor

and outdoor, and spa,” Ikos added. “Estepona has always been a destination of reference for

Double trouble

PASSENGERS are reading the riot act after Ryanair doubled the price of reserving a standard seat from £2 to £4. The airline has also upped the price of extra legroom seats from £11 to £15. The price bump was revealed by Money

Saving Expert this week. It comes as British holidaymakers accused the budget airline of purposefully splitting up groups and families so that they pay the extra fee to have seats together.

travelers who seek the perfect combination of sun, sea, a unique lifestyle and culture. “We are pleased to present in Spain our exclusive all-inclusive experience and the promise of an incredible Infinite Lifestyle. We are excited.” The hotel will have a DineOut service which will include bringing in food from a selection of local restaurants. Ikos believes that this will favor the hiring of local employees for 70% of the jobs.

THIS winter you will be able to get flights from Manchester to Malaga for as little as €35 one way. Primera Air is launching low budget flights from the northern city to the Costa del Sol from October 2018. Operating four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, this will be the first time Primera Air operates flights from Manchester, after launching departures from London Stansted and Birmingham earlier this year.

Strongest

Primera Air chief commercial officer, Anastasija Visnakova, said: “Malaga is our strongest destination and with more than 1,000 flights last year it was also our most demanded destination. “We see that Malaga is also very popular for UK travellers, so we believe our Manchester route will give British travellers improved flight options.” The low-cost Nordic airline, based in Denmark and Latvia, has been providing flights across Europe for 14 years.

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Bottled it BE ‘APPY!

SPANISH airports are set to cap the price of bottled water at €1, following a string of angry complaints from customers. AenaDownload will force allnowairports in our app and Spainbegin toenjoying reduce the price of the best Spanish waternews sold in shops and vendon the go. ing machines. It comes after airport officials took notice of the recurrent complaints of travellers. The new rule enforces that stores must cap prices of 33cl bottles at €1, while vending machines offerPress 50cl botThemust Olive tles for the same price. TOP foracross news in Spain! 19 stores seven airports have already implemented this rule in Palma de Mallorca, Girona, Madrid Barajas, Bilbao, Tenerife Sur, Santiago and Vigo. Other airports including Malaga, Alicante Elche, Valencia and Barcelona El Prat, are set to change prices in the near future.

Gastro goal REAL Madrid midfielder Isco Alarcón is kicking around ideas for his own gourmet food emporium on the Costa del Sol. The football star has bought the entire upper floor and a number of small properties on the ground floor of San Juan commercial centre in Arroyo de la Miel. Although exact details of the business plan have not been confirmed, Alarcón is hoping to boost local economy in the town where he grew up. The player’s representatives are currently in talks with the Ayuntamiento de Benalmádena and the Junta de Andalucía about the possibilities of refurbishing the 1980 building as a gourmet market, with various shops across the two floors.

World’s 50 Best Restaurants hit Bilbao

It’s the most prestigious culinary event on Spain’s foodie calendar

THE most prestigious international event in gastronomy, The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards, will be held in Bilbao, País Vasco this year. Recognised as the most sought-after title in the culinary world, the awards are voted for by international chefs, restaurateurs, gourmands and critics and after being held in Melbourne last year, the 16th edition will return to Europe this summer. Kicking off on June 16, the five day culinary celebration will take place at Palacio Euskalduna in the Basque city centre. The main awards night, will be held on Tuesday June 19 with a red carpet and a glamorous reception, welcoming some of the biggest names in gastronomy. It seems only fitting that the highly anticipated annual event is in the País Vasco, as San Sebastián is known for boasting one of the highest concentrations of Michelin Star restaurants in the world - only beaten by Kyoto in Japan - and the region is internationally renowned for its famous pintxos bars. Since the awards were launched in 2002, Spanish restaurants have won the best

Easter Menu

March 29th to 31st 2018 Grilled Octopus On hummus and paprika de la Vera, Es Trenc salt and Mallorcan olive oil

Grilled Scallops Over a nest of arugula and apples, with yogurt dill sauce

Main course to choose Twice Cooked Cod Served on “patatas panadera” (sliced baked potatoes, it is a traditional Spanish side dish) and poached egg

Lamb Shank With vanilla flavoured puree and shallots a la cava

Dessert

Trio of Mallorcan Robiols Traditional Easter pastry from Mallorca

Price 45€ (IVA included) The Easter menu includes: flavoured water, bread, coffee or tea. Other drinks aside. BEST OF THE BEST: To hit Bilbao in the world a staggering seven times, with El Bulli taking the top spot five times and El Cellar de Can Roca twice. Spanish and Basque restaurants regularly place highly on the list, with three winning spots in the top ten last year - El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, 3rd, Asador Etxebarri in Axpe, 6th and Mugaritz in San Sebastián, 9th. President of the Vizcaya Regional Council, Unai Rementeria, said: “We are sure that all visitors will feel at home, we are a small territory in which gastronomy is not only a pleasure but also a culture. Basque cuisine reflects our values as a country: it is a mixture of tradition, re-

spect and culture.” There will be a number of private and public events across the city, such as an “After-After” party in San Mamés football stadium on June 19.

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Stars out in force A

RAISE A TOAST: Behind the scenes

TRIBUTE: Elena claps dad

Marbella hosts world’s best chefs in homage to Basque culinary genius Juan Mari Arzak

SOME of the world’s most prestigious chefs came together in Marbella to pay tribute to the father of Spanish and Basque cuisine. A Cuatro Manos paid tribute to the groundbreaking gastronomy of Juan Mari Arzak, owner of three Michelin-starred restaurant Arzak, based in San Sebastián in the País Vasco. Over five days, Marbella’s own two Michelin-starred chef Dani García joined forces with some of the globe’s most recognised chefs at his eponymous Puente Romano Hotel restaurant . Now in its fifth year, this stellar gastro gig celebrates innovators who have paved the way for modern Spanish cuisine. Arzak opened the event by taking to the stage to conduct the Tamborrada de San Sebastián - a traditional anthem performed every January 20 on the patron saint day of Donostia - the Basque name for the País Vasco.

The 75-year-old’s daughter, Elena Arzak - named Best Female Chef in the World in 2012 and co-owner of Arzak - was moved to tears by the procession in her father’s honour. Opening his self-titled restaurant in 1966, Arzak’s menus were based on traditional Basque cuisine but offered a personal touch to each dish as he created them alongside his mother. As the restaurant grew from strength to strength, his repertoire evolved into a food trend dubbed New Basque Cuisine. In 1989 Arzak was awarded his third Michelin star, becoming the second Spanish chef to receive the prestigious recognition three times - a standard which he has maintained for nearly three decades. Some 10 years ago he was awarded the Universal Basque Award for ‘adapting gastronomy, one of the most important traditions of the Basque Country, to the new times and making of it one of the most innovative of the world’.

Given the pioneer’s accolades it seemed only fitting that the event was held on Father’s Day, as Arzak is widely recognised as the father of Spanish gastronomy. Famous chefs who attended the event included five time ‘Best Restaurant in the World’ winner, El Bulli’s Ferran Adrià, Joan Roca, Martín Berasategui, Quique Dacosta and Angel León of Aponiente, Andalucia’s only three-Michelinstarred restaurant. The 20 culinary alchemists with 40 stars between them, conjured up dishes reflecting Arzak’s techniques, flavours and aesthetics, incorporating products typical of his menus. Held at Dani García’s restaurant, BiBo in Marbella, the private dinner saw a menu combining Basque, Spanish and even Peruvian cuisines as Peru’s Gastón Acurio - recognised as one of the top 20 most influential chefs in the world - joined the culinary team this year.

S excited as a kid in a with 40 Michelin stars between sweetshop, I snuck into the them, but in truth there were many kitchen at Dani Garcia’s more, perhaps 30, not to mention eponymous Marbella res- dozens of scurrying sous chefs and wannabes. taurant to salute nearly Up-and-coming talent Joa dozen of my culinary sean Alija, from Bilbao’s heroes. Nerea restaurant, had Joan Roca, Quique Dacoseven cut a holiday short ta, Angel León - NINE to Thailand to make it Michelin stars between home in time. them - stood chatting in “It’s so much fun and ina huddle, while legends formal, like the AndaluMartín Berasategui and cian food, fresh and viFerran Adria discussed brant and I am so happy the jamon next to me. to be here,” the one star I’ve waxed lyrical about man told me. their dishes over the last THRILLED: Angel Celler de Can Roca genius two decades, reviewed Joan Roca put it more their restaurants, and Leon star-struck simply: “What an event, even met them one on what a day and a real honone, but to find them our to be here.” altogether in one small That coming from a man, room was almost too whose restaurant has much. twice been named the There are few words to BEST in the world by Resdescribe just how imtaurant magazine, and not portant this gathering of been out of the top three chefs has become at the for nearly a decade. Hotel Puente Romano “I love coming down to Anover the last five years. dalucia though. The exFew events around the traordinary produce, the globe - and most cer- TRIP: Alija came sardines, the fried fish, tainly Spain - manage to from Thailand the gazpacho - it’s such a draw such a key group of luxury… and the local talculinary wizards all under ent gets better and better. I was acone roof. There were meant to be 20 of them tually staying in Marbella for Easter

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Evolution and maturity

Andalucia ‘Indie’ DANI Garcia also paid tribute to what he described as the ‘indie’ gastronomy of Andalucia at the A Cuatro Manos event. Gathering together the best of up-and-coming chefs of the Andaluz food scene, he saluted their ‘spark’ which he said was helping to make the region a ‘first class gastronomic destination’. The restaurants included Bar FM (Granada), La Cosmopolita (Málaga), Bagá (Jaén), Los Marinos José (Fuengirola), El Campero (Barbate) y Cataria (Chiclana).

Olive Press editor Jon Clarke gets five star access to Spain’s three star heroes

two years ago and the culinary resur- the event as ‘una bestia’ in classic Angence has definitely come on since daluz parlance, and explained how he then.” was as starstruck as me. Three Michelin crowned “To have so many inQuique Dacosta, from credible legends in one Alicante, agreed on evplace is so amazing… To have so many erything but one thing. and just an hour-and“Andalucia is full of a-half up the road from legends in the chefs with dreams and me, what a joy!” creation and the proThey were all here of same place is duce is amazing… seccourse, to pay tribute ond only to Alicante,” he amazing... it’s una to the so-called ‘New joked. Basque cuisine’ of Juan bestia! If ever proof was needed Mari Arzak. that he was wrong, step Now 72, he was joined over Angel León - chef by his daughter Elena of the sea - who earnt Andalucia its who now runs the restaurant, which first ever Three Michelin star restau- has had three Michelin stars for three rant at Aponiente, in Cadiz, last year. decades. Beaming from ear to ear, he described Sadly, I have yet to make it there, but

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March 29th - April 11th 2018

LUCKY DINERS A total of 96 lucky diners were invited to eat a selection of the most famous dishes created at Juan Mari Arzak’s restaurant over the last half century. Each with their own twist, diners ate hake in a salsa verde, a pudding de cabracho and a ‘flor de huevo con chistorra de dátiles’. BEST IN WORLD: Jon with Joan Roca

did once eat at nearby eaterie Akelarre, run by Pedro Subijana, the man who Juan Mari Arzak credits as being his inspiration. In a touching summing up of the event, Elena explained: “It’s fantastic to see so many people making the effort for my father. He is so happy too.” I asked organizer Dani Garcia himself to sum up the event for me in three words. “Evolution and maturity.” Few words would better sum up the Andalucian food culture over the last few years. It’s been an honour to be part of it. Jon Clarke is the author of Dining Secrets of Andalucia (www.diningsecretsofandalucia.com)

arzak blew me away Dani Garcia was blown away eating a meal at Arzak in 1996, in which he tried cigalas in a maize tart with mushrooms and foie mayonnaise and Chinese noodles. “Juan Mari is our spiritual father. He carved out a road, while Ferran Adria carved out a very differone, which wouldn’t have pened without Juan Mari,” he said.

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March 29th - April 11th 2018 March 29th - April 11th 2018

Happy at Easter

Mallorca diaries

By Lesley Ke ith

...Even if I’m not a millionaire, writes Lesley Keith

aster is upon us and I’ve been dishing out the chocolate hither and thither like the good bunny I am. Well if I’m going to be fat and spotty I’m bringing everyone else down with me. Chocolate is a funny thing, if I go without it for a few days then I suddenly forget all about it, but if I’m eating it on a regular basis I always crave my next fix. I suppose that’s an addiction then, oh dear. If an advert comes on the TV showing chocolate then I just have to have some and if you’ll pardon the sort of oxymoron, willpower has never been my strong point. The trouble is that it’s cheap and easily obtainable. The wonderful Lidl (other budget supermarkets are available) I think I’d rather does a milk chocolate and be that loved hazelnut bar character than tell that if you tried people what I own haven’t already, I seriously suggest you never do. Once tasted that’s it, there’s no going back, I think they put a little extra something in it, resistance is futile. The other good thing about Easter is that I start my work contract again which means I get a bit of extra money. Now money has always been close to my heart, and I never seem to have enough. By Western standards I really don’t have very much. Let’s just say I certainly have enough to live a comfortable life if I don’t set my expectations too high, but living here it seems that you mix with people from every financial level. The thing I found strange when I first got here is was how people seemed to have the need to tell their net worth. I’d just met someone and there they were giving me full details of how much they’d sold their business for, how much their house in the UK was worth and what they’d paid for their penthouse overlooking the sea. Yes, all very nice but is that really how to measure wealth? If success is the level of your bank account then an awful lot of us aren’t doing very well. If however success is measured by the impact our lives make then that’s a different story. Do we leave people feeling

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FAVOURITE: The Spanish royals love Easter time on the island and (left) a procession through the streets of Palma

valued and good about themselves, did we bring up our children to be good and caring adults, do we care about the environment, do we have friends? Surely if we are measuring ‘success’ then it’s those things that should matter. There’s a very famous film called ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ where James Stewart tries to do the right thing all his life but ends up financially ruined. However, all the people he’s helped along the way step up and bail him out, so the moral of the film is that no man is a failure if he has friends. I think I’d rather be that loved character than someone who feels compelled to tell you what they own because that’s the only way they feel good about themselves. That said, let’s be honest here, if I could be a James Stewart character and have loads of money then I’d be happy with that too. I’ve recently read about a multi-millionaire who arranged to have his magnificent super car buried with him when he dies. He even had the hole dug out much to the chagrin of all his friends who thought he was mad and tried to dissuade him saying that it was such a waste of a perfectly good machine. After a short while he stated that he I live in a beautiful wasn’t really place and am going to bury the car, and blessed with good he also wasn’t health, that’s going to bury his perfectly enough for me good and functioning body organs either. It was a brilliant way to publicise the importance and value of organ transplants. I like that man’s thinking. I live in a beautiful place, have continuing good health, am blessed with a wonderful family and friends, a caring partner plus enough food, clothes and money to be comfortable, I’d say that makes me incredibly rich indeed. I’m also guessing at least 85% of the world would like to be in my shoes. OK enough with the schmaltz, all this sentimentality is making even me feel queasy enough that I think I’ll put the chocolate back in the fridge (for now).

Suite and Gallery – Private dinner – All in the same place

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Rafael Nadal reclaims World BE‘APPY! ‘APPY! BE BE ‘APPY! No.1 spot as rival Federer bows out of Miami Download Downloadour ourapp app now nowand and Nadal has reclaimed RAFAEL Download our app now and begin beginenjoying enjoyingthethe best best Spanish Spanish his position as the number one begin enjoying the best Spanish news newsononthethego.go.player in the world after his rinews on the go. val Roger Federer suffered a

shock defeat in Miami. While the Spaniard has been out nursing a knee injury, he is expected to return in the coming months to defend his four clay titles in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid and Roland Garros. The The Olive Olive Press Press The Olive Press The Mallorca-born legend will have 4,500 ATP points to deTOP TOPfor fornews newsininwhile Spain! Spain! Federer has none TOP for news Spain! A DISPUTE between Gi- in fend having skipped the entire clay braltar and Spain at the Valencia Half Marathon season last year. has been resolved in fa- That will increase the pressure on the reigning champion to vour of the Rock. After a political decision produce the goods, despite his injury concerns. was made in Madrid, the recent Federer will be skipping the enrace organisers decided tire clay season. not to fly the Gibraltarian “Federer made it very clear in flag at the event. Indian Wells that his particiWhen the team of seven pation in the clay-court season Gibraltarian athletes ar- would be determined by what rived at the competition is best for him - and not by the they were informed and fitness, or lack of fitness, of his complained to the In- chief rivals,” expert Russell ternational Association Fuller told the BBC. of Athletics Federations “Much as he will be missed, his decision to skip the entire clay (IAAF). The Gibraltarian flag was season does make perfect sense. then raised before the “He had actually played four more matches than last year competition was over. “Mixing sport and poli- heading into Miami, having tics like this is how the won in Melbourne and Rotter-

Half mast

Spanish government ensures Gibraltar never forgets how badly we have been treated historically by them and how future generations will ensure we remain 100% British,” the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo wrote on social media. “Delighted to see this result delivered for @ GAAA5 and for our athletes, who did not deserve that their flag should not fly in a competition in which they are properly enrolled #FairnessPrevails”.

ENGLAND has been granted just one match to get used to the new World Cup ball before the tournament begins in Russia this summer. The Football Association's lucrative sponsorship deal with Nike means the Three Lions are unable to get accustomed to the Adidas Telstar model until their final warm-up match. The terms of the £34milliona-year deal with Nike means they have to use their balls as well as wear their kit. The American sportswear firm have given permission

SIMPLY THE BEST: Nadal reclaims top spot

Back on top dam before reaching the final at Indian Wells. “Although Federer won't be able to add to his tally of ranking points until June, he may well return to world number one before then. “That is because Rafael Nadal has a mountain of points to

Balls up for the Telstar to be used in the final warm-up game before the tournament begins - the clash with Costa Rica at Elland Road on June 7. Gareth Southgate's side potentially risk being at a disadvantage to some of their rivals at Russia 2018 who are already using the ball in friendly matches, including

Sofia brings the sun AS the sun comes out – finally – so do the sails as the Princess Sofia Trophy kicks off the summer season with almost 1,200 sailors. The 49th edition of the regatta is the biggest to date, with over 800 boats from more than 60 countries. The sailors include 17 medallists from the 2016 Rio Olympics and eight from last year's World Champions. Spain has the biggest fleet with 87 boats, with Great Britain having the fourth most amount of boats.

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defend on the clay having won last year in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid and Roland Garros. “Failing to defend any of those titles will cost him top spot.”

March 29th - April 11th 2018

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A DRUNK British woman has been fined £800 (€915) after spitting at a BA flight attendant for refusing her alcohol on a flight from Malaga to Gatwick.

Life savers TEN firefighters had to use a special stretcher to transfer a 50st man to Hospital Clinico in Malaga for an operation.

Free pizza ALGATOCIN, located in Serrania de Ronda, has installed a wood burning oven in the town centre which can be used for free by residents and visitors.

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March 29th - April 11th 2018

Snap! UK tops Ibiza

Daredevil selfie

A TEENAGER has been rescued after trying to take a ‘daredevil selfie’ in Spain. The 14-year-old girl was hanging from an eighth-floor ledge in Eixample, Barcelona, after falling while trying to snap a pic. A friend of the unnamed girl called police who quickly came to the rescue. Police said they found her frozen by vertigo while suffering a panic attack. Cops tweeted a photo of the girl and the moment she was rescued.

UK beaches photographed more than those in Spain SNAPPING a photo on the beach is just as important as being on the holiday itself these days.

Expat factor START warming up those vocal cords, as the X Factor is coming to Spain. Talent scouts from the British version of the show are travelling to Benidorm and Tenerife to conduct open auditions for expats. Voices on Avenida Doctor Severo Ochoa will play host to wannabe stars on April 7 between 10am-4pm. While April 10 will see the scouts at St Eugen’s Av De Espana between 10am-6pm. The next series, which will be its 15th, is to be broadcast on ITV this autumn.

If you can’t show off to your friends at home by posting sizzling pictures on Instagram, is there any point in

Welcome to Palma

going at all? And with its white sandy beaches and millions of tourists each year, you would

FIRST OF MANY: Thomas Cook lands in Palma de Mallorca

THOMAS Cook Aviation Balearics have landed their first flight ever in Palma. The new airline was welcomed at the Palma airport by the airport firemen with the traditional water arch given to any new airline’s first flight. The flight, coming from Hamburg, is the first of many new routes connecting the islands to Europe.

think that Spain would come out on top for the most instagrammed beaches. But it is the UK which is home to three of the most photo-friendly beaches in Europe. Research by Globehunters analysed Instagram hashtags and looked at the top 60 most Instagrammed beaches on the continent. While the number one spot was handed to Positano, situated on Italy's Amalfi Coast, beaches in the UK made up half of the top six. Three classic British coastal spots featured in the top ten Brighton (2nd), Durdle Door (4th) and Bournemouth (6th). It means Brighton and Durdle Door beat out Ibiza favourites Playa d’en Bossa (5th) and Cala Salada (10th). UK beaches also make up 15% of the overall top 60 beaches in Europe in total.

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Thinking of studying A Levels? Come to our Taster day on 11th April Try out some classes & meet our qualified teachers Based in the heart of Palma Offering Academics, Enrichment & Next Steps programme

Where individuals count! C/Can Veri 5, Palma de Mallorca office@palmacollege.com www.palmacollege.com

That’s gotta hurt! A MAN in Spain had to have firemen rescue him from a plastic chair after his testicles became trapped. The pensioner, who was between 60 and 70 years old, was sitting naked on the chair before a planned shower in Alicante. But according to the Daily Mail, when he tried to get up, his testicles had dropped through the slats in the folding chair, and were stuck. Two carers tried to assist him but had to call in emergency services for back up. The fire crews decided to cut away some of the plastic slats which took around half an hour. The guest was eventually freed but had to be treated for minor injuries at the University Hospital of Torrevieja. Firemen said it was one of the strangest calls ever received and at first thought it was a prank.