Olive Press Newspaper – Issue 289 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

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Vol. 12 Issue 289 www.theolivepress.es April 11th - April 24th 2018

EXCLUSIVE: Poems from Gibraltar soldier locked up in Andalucia prison for murder SEE INSIDE

Nolotil victory

679702_DFS_SPANISH_BOX_AD_40x40_MIJAS_COSTA.indd 23/02/2017 11:31 1

CAMPAIGNER: Cristina

Olive Press medical campaign finally draws blood with Nolotil regulation close EXCLUSIVE By Elisa Menendez

AN Olive Press health campaign has led to ‘the biggest’ drug probe in Spanish history. Our investigation into the mysterious deaths of expats from the painkiller Nolotil last year, is finally being acted on. In a landmark breakthrough, a national probe is expected to lead to new regulation of the drug, which is banned in the UK and most of Europe. “It has been a long time in coming and by raising so much awareness, I am sure lives have already been saved,” medical and legal translator Cristina Garcia del Campo told the Olive Press. The medical professional found our 1000-strong petition online and took it forward after one of her patients died from the drug. “Spain wants to help, RRP 3,000€

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looms TRAGIC: Graeme Ward with wife Mary (left) and Billy Smyth, who both died from Nolotil

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cante-based Garcia del Campo spotted our campaign, while working with an Irish expat who suddenly became critically ill with sepsis and necrotizing fasciitis after taking the drug. He died later in November. Voted BEST

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Save our home!

Vol. 11 Issue 271

679702_DFS_SPANISH_BOX_AD_40x40_MIJAS_COSTA.indd 23/02/2017 11:31 1

EXCluSiVE By laurence dollimore

A BRITISH expat couple are fighting to save their Malaga home from demolition over a technicality. Gill and Bob Ward, both 74, have been locked in a battle with their town hall, which claims their house in Almayate is illegal. Just yesterday the retired couple from Cornwall were given

Continues on Page 8

August 2nd - August 15th 2017

Doctors and dentists join Olive Press appeal for ban on dangerous painkiller Nolotil THE Olive Press is calling on Spain to ban a lethal painkiller that is killing countless of unsuspecting expats. British dentists and doctors are supporting the ban after Briton Graham Ward, 75, complained to the Olive Press of how he was prescribed the deadly Nolotil drug by a dentist last week. It’s the very same drug that was blamed for killing his wife in 2006. The Marbella-based expat was furious when he was told to take the painkiller by his Spanish dentist, after suffering from a difficult abscess. His wife Mary, 59, had died after being prescribed the same drug following a double vasectomy at Costa del Sol Hospital. “Within 24 hours she was in intensive care, her white blood cell count plummeted to zero within days,” explains Graham, a former computer technician, from London. She never regained consciousness and was on a life support machine for FOUR months, before spending three years fighting the impact of the drug, which led to organ failure. “The chief surgeon at the hospital promised me he would never prescribe that drug

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THE Olive Press is giving away three pairs of tickets for two of the best concerts on the Costa del Sol this summer... And all you have to do is answer two simple questions! Michael Bolton takes to the stage for an emotive end of season night at Marbella’s Puente Romano on August 10, while Estepona is set for its biggest rock concert in years with mammoth

EXCluSiVE By laurence dollimore

one month to knock down their only property (pictured above). In a court order seen by the Olive Press, the Wards are warned they will be held criminally responsible if they refuse. “I don’t know what to do anymore, I’m at the end of my tether” Gill told the Olive Press, “I’m totally exhausted from the whole ordeal.” The retired pair, who have now spent thousands of euros on legal costs, bought the old farmhouse ‘in ruins’ in 2004, and were given permission from Velez-Malaga town hall to rebuild it. But when the original wall collapsed of its own accord during construction, the Wards’ architect told them it would be fine and that he would let the town hall know. Unfortunately for

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tribute bands Think Floyd, Deeper Purple and Whole Lotta Led rocking out the greatest hits of Pink Floyd, Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin at the Plaza del Toros on August 26. For a chance to win a pair of tickets to see Bolton, just answer the question; what year was Michael Bolton born in? For the Pink Purple Zep Fest in Estepona, just tell us; Where was Jimmy Page born? Email answers to the newsdesk@theolivepress.es. WIN WIN WIN: Bolton and Pink Purple Zep Fest tickets

Kill ThE drug

need for more research

Dr Nina King, of Oasis Dental Care in Marbella, fully supports the campaign, telling the Olive Press the drug is not something she prescribes. “It’s not a drug I use, I stick to safe and standard medication,” she said, “And after seeing what damage it can do, it’s a drug I won’t be using in the future.” Marbella-based private doctor Dra. Victoria María Chacón Almeda also agrees the drug is dangerous. “I don’t prescribe the drug,” she told the Olive Press, “I have lots of British patients and I am aware of what it is capable of doing. “There needs to be a lot more research on its impact.”

HAPPIER TIMES: Graham with wife, and Billy Smyth

again. “He said she would be alive if she hadn’t taken it, but I have heard from dozens of Brits and Irish who have been given it,” added Graeme. It is the third victim of the drug the Olive Press has reported on in under a year. Sometimes known also as

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Metamizole, Nolotil is banned in the US, the UK, Ireland and most of Europe, but it is prescribed widely in Spain. Irishman William ‘Billy’ Smyth was given a five-day course of the drug in February. But when the 66-year-old returned to a different Spanish

doctor to get a renewal in April, tests showed the drug had caused a toxic poisoning in his bone marrow and his white blood cell was dangerously low. Billy, a keen sportsman, developed sepsis and necrotising fasciitis as a result and required ‘radical surgery’ to remove the affected tissue in an attempt to save his life.

The dad-of-two later died from septic shock – believed to be linked to taking the Nolotil. Another British expat Hugh Wilcox was prescribed the same medication for mild shoulder pain on the Costa del Sol. He developed severe head Continues on Page 2

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that’s for sure. I have had support from every healthcare professional I have spoken to. “If I hadn’t come across your article I wouldn’t have realised what was happening to the English community,” she added. We launched our ‘Kill the Drug’ campaign against the painkiller last August, after learning that dozens of British and Irish expats had died after their immune systems were allegedly destroyed by the commonly prescribed drug. A trio of families told us how their relatives had died unnecessarily in excruciating pain. Yet, authorities refused to take our claims seriously, despite the evidence being backed up by local doctors. Fortunately, Ali-

KILL THE DRUG

Nolotil, or Metamizol, is still one of the most popular painkillers in Spain, yet the most feared side effect is agranulocytosis, a severe and rapid drop in white blood cells, which leaves patients unable to fight infections. Garcia del Campo noticed that a large number of other English

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and Irish patients had been suffering with sepsis at hospitals along the Costa Blanca. “I thought, this can’t be normal,” explained the translator, from Madrid. And after looking at patients’ notes, she found that each had one thing in common - they were all taking Nolotil. Although manufacturers list side effects such as agranulocytosis, necrotizing fasciitis and sepsis, they are considered ‘very rare’ affecting one in every 10,000. The figures did not seem to add up to Garcia del Campo so she set about doing her own research. However, no information existed in Spanish media. The only articles she could find on the drug and its lethal side effects was in the Olive Press. “I was in disbelief,” continued the Javea-based translator, who lived in the UK for 18 years. “I thought this was surely wellknown and someone was doing something about it. Except it wasn’t. “I felt I had to inform Spain Continues on Page 2

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Historic probe From Page 1

about it,” she added. After months of research she got the evidence in front Pharmacovigilance - a drug safety organisation, which monitors and prevents adverse effects. It immediately classified the information of ‘exceptional importance’ and began its own probe. Using our petition and expat social media groups, she has managed to compile ‘up to 100’ case studies. Now, thanks to the translator’s incredible efforts, government bodies Direccion General de Farmacia, and Pharmacovigilance are carrying out ‘the biggest national study ever into medication’ across 17 regions, she revealed. Medical professionals now believe there could be a lack of an enzyme or a genetic difference, that means Anglo Saxons are at higher risk than Spaniards. At high-level meetings with dozens of health professionals this week in Valencia, an official decision is expected to be made. Last night Graeme Ward, who tragically lost his wife Mary, to Nolotil in 2006, said: “It’s high time for it to be banned, I’m so pleased something is being done.” Garcia del Campo is still urging expats and holidaymakers affected by Nolotil to come forward by messaging her at cristinadrugresearch@ gmail.com. Direccion General de Farmacia failed to comment before press.

UK government recruits Costa del Sol expat drug lord as peacemaker in Scotland BRITISH security services have recruited a Costa del Sol expat drug lord as a peacemaker in the hopes of ending a bloody Scottish gang war. The expat, whose identity has been kept hush, was drafted in to help end the infamous Daniel v Lyons drug feud. It was hoped the kingpin could encourage the rivals to agree to a truce that would end a rivalry that has held Scottish authorities to ransom for almost two decades.

crime

Expat kingpin turns spook APPEAL: From MI5

Wealthy

The wealthy criminal, in his 60s, was on business in London when he was contacted by representatives from either MI5 or the National Crime Agency. It is not clear which secret intelligence agency ap-

April 11th - April 24th 2018

ENEMIES: Head of Lyons and Daniel clans

Hotel ‘slip’ thief facing jail A MAN has been arrested on suspicion of robbing six rooms at a luxury hotel on the Costa del Sol. The 42-year-old Spaniard from Torremolinos allegedly broke into guests’ rooms using a technique called “slip”. It involves using a plastic sheet to open the door while keeping the lock in tact. He is accused of stealing stealing valuable jew-

ellery and money. A hotel worker called police after a terrified guest caught the thief in their room, who escaped by jumping across balconies. After realising he was being investigated, the man fled his home and hid in an apartment in Benalmadena, where police later found him. His partner, a 45-year-old Cuban woman, was also arrested on suspicion of keeping stolen property.

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proached the expat, who was once jailed after a huge heroin drug seize in Glasgow before starting a new life in southern Spain. The Daniel v Lyons feud broke out in 2001, after a stash of cocaine was allegedly stolen, sparking years of gang warfare. Gang members Kevin ‘Gerbil’ Carroll, 29, and Michael Lyons, 21, were killed in a triple shooting in Lambhill, Scotland in 2006, while Steven Lyons, 37, was shot but survived. He then went on the run in the Costa del Sol and joined forces with an Irish drugs gang. Another gang affiliate, Billy Paterson, joined Lyons on the Costa del Sol some time later and was eventually jailed in 2015 for the murder of Carroll. According to British press, the drug lord's attempts have been in vain as neither gangs are willing to back down.

Found in Fuengirola AN Irish expat wanted for the murder of a dissident republican five years ago has been arrested on the Costa del Sol. Dean Evans, from Dublin, is one of three men charged with the murder of fatherof-three Peter Butterfly, who was shot dead in a car park in County Meath in March 2013. Spanish police arrested 27-year-old Evans on Thursday lunchtime in Fuengirola. A European arrest warrant was issued by the Special Criminal Court in Ireland last year, after Evans failed to show up for his trial and disappeared with his girlfriend.

Murder

Evans, along with 35-yearold Edward McGrathand and 46-year-old Sharif Kelly, was due to stand trial on charges connected with the murder of 35-year-old Butterfly. Butterfly was found collapsed in a car park after he had been shot at from a car and died shortly after. It was alleged that Evans shot Butterfly while he was sat in the back of the car. McGrath and Kelly were sentenced to life in prison after standing trial without Evans. The European arrest warrant on which Evans has been arrested seeks his extradition back to Ireland.

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April 11th - April 24th 2018

Leave him alone!

FRIENDS?: Letizia and Sofia

All made up QUEEN Letizia and Sofia were all smiles and affection while visiting Juan Carlos in hospital last weekend. It comes after an awkward video of Letizia stopping a picture being taken with her children and Sofia went viral. Rumours have swirled since of a rift in the royal family, but a spokesperson dismissed the clip.

Worries

"She is very committed to taking care of her daughters, with the protection of their image, she worries who takes photos of them, she worries where they come from, who approaches them. It's a very motherly reaction. "It's been silly, it's not a serious issue, nothing has happened." Former king Juan Carlos was recovering from a knee operation in Madrid. Sofia and her granddaughters Leonor and young Sofia posed for pictures outside the building.

AWKWARD: Viral video

JAMES Argent's fans have jumped to his de- the gym. fence after he was bullied for a picture he up- Fans quickly rallied around to give Arg suploaded from the Costa del Sol. port. The TOWIE star uploaded a snap One wrote: "Why are people so with friend and former co-star rude! Lovely piccie! Also lovely Ferne McCann as they soaked up couple you and Gemma are Arg. the sun with her baby daughter Take no notice of the nasty comon a boat in Benalmadena. ments!" A second wrote: "Nothing He captioned the picture: "Sailbetter to do than throw out an inors for the day!!! #boatlife". sult, how sad!" Another fan simply But a series of comments saw stated James and Ferne were lucky James get called a ‘fat clown’ to be away from the horrible Britwhile another said ‘Omg what’s ish weather. They said: "Lovely happened to you,’ and another picture, how lucky are you to be CHILLNG: Arg said he needed to get back into away from our grey days. Well jel.”

Down in the Trumps

Trump Jr escapes to Spanish mountains to ease the pain of divorce back home

THE eldest son of US president Donald Trump has been seeking solace in Spain as his divorce proceedings get underway back home. Donald Trump Jr donned camouflage for a series of wild treks in the Beceite Mountains in Aragon, where he was staying in a farmhouse. The 40-year-old posted pics from his trip raving about the ‘truly incredible scenery’ describing it as ‘rugged and unique’. He also posted a snap of himself and his friend, who was likewise wearing camouflage and had binoculars around his neck. “Some truly incredible scenery and terrain here in Spain this weekend,” he wrote. Other photos included a snap of his steak as well as a photo sitting on a cliff in the mountains.

Poser to yoga

IN SPAIN: Trump Jr

The trip came after his estranged wife Vanessa filed for divorce shortly after her family’s multi-million dollar windfall from her late father’s investments. It also comes after Don Jr was accused of having an affair with former Danity Kane singer Aubrey O’Day. The 40-year-old is seeking an uncontested divorce to end her 12-year marriage with the president’s son, with whom she has five children.

BRITISH glamour model Casey Batchelor has officially changed career after training to be a yoga instructor in Spain. Casey Batchelor qualified in the country last summer and has posted super-flexible shots on her Instagram ever since. “My modelling days have come to an end – it’s not my priority anymore,” said the 33-year-old, whose first baby is due at the end of May. “I can incorporate yoga into looking after my children, so I absolutely want [teaching] it to be my main job.” “I want to be the yogi queen!” she added.

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Tragic Brit death A BRITISH boy has died after waiting almost an hour for an ambulance to take him to hospital in southern Spain. Witnesses say the nine-year-old collapsed after running into a friend while playing football in Alicante beach on Tuesday. His grandmother and friends called 112 while performing resuscitation methods, but a basic life support crew didn’t arrive until 25 minutes later. The much-needed Emergency Medical Attention Service (SAMU) ambulance did not arrive until 40 minutes after the call.

Oxygen

Health workers said the three SAMUs operating on the Orihuela Coast were busy providing non-priority services at the time and none were at their base. The three in operation - one in Guardamar del Segura (25 minutes from the scene), another in Torrevieja (15 minutes away) and one located only five minutes away in Cabo Roig - were all making transfers at the time. It was not until 55 minutes after the accident that the boy, who by this time had an extremely faint pulse, was taken to Quiron Hospital in Torrevieja. He fell into a coma due to lack of oxygen to the brain, before passing away.

Bank refuses to pay out on insurance claim to fix pensioner’s gate EXCLUSIVE By Aleesha Hansel

AN expat pensioner has been forced to fork out for new gates despite having insurance for over 17 years. Sylvia Rush, based in Alhaurin el Grande, had part of her gates destroyed by the strong winds in March, but Banco Sabadell says the gusts were too slow for her to justify a claim. The damage occured during Storm Emma, on March 1 and 2, where winds in Malaga province measured up 94 km/hr according to figures obtained by the Olive Press from weather agency AEMET. But Rush, 79, was told by Spain’s fifth largest bank, that no payment would be given as readings from Torremolinos measured wind speeds of 65km/hr, 10 less than the claim cut off of 75 km/hr. “How can they expect us to

April 11th - April 24th 2018

Wind gate FIX IT: Insurance company refuses pay out accept a reading from so far out to investigate.” away? We are much higher While a closer automatic than Torremolinos,” Rush said. weather station in Coin exists, “The wind was so strong it blew the same type as Torremolinos, us off our feet when we went AEMET could not provide these

ISIS antique thief busted

EXPAT: Sylvia Rush figures when asked by the Olive Press. However they did supply the nearest available, Fuengirola, which had a reading of 74 Km/hr and Marbella’s Cabopino, which had a whopping reading of 94 km/hr. In addition Benahavis, Fuente de Piedra and Gaucín all registered over 80km/hr. Rush said: “We are in our 80s and they are taking advantage of people who have put in a claim for storm damage, “It’s the injustice, when you pay so much money and then find out when you need to be paid out they will find any excuse to avoid paying.” Sabadell failed to comment in time for press.

Slowing down? ROADS across Spain could see the speed limit dropped from 100km/hr to 90km/hr in a bid to improve road safety. Regions would be allowed to go back to the 100 limit only if the

route was deemed ‘safe and well maintained.’ The proposed changes in law will be sent to the Spanish Home Office ‘soon’ according to reports.

A TV antique specialist has been arrested as part of a clampdown on a ring that bought and sold antiquities from Libya. The man, 31, has been charged after a series of ancient artefacts looted

from Libya were recovered in Spain. The accused, based in Barcelona, is suspected of running a ring that buys and sells items from ISlinked terror groups.

Libyan

CHANGE: In speed limit

The objects seized include mosaics and a sarcophagus from the Libyan coastal towns of Cyrenaica and Tripolitania - areas which are renowned for their ancient Roman and Greek ruins.

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Give a dog a home DOG rescue charity, ADANA, has been been handed an award by Estepona officials after decades of life-saving work on the Costa del Sol. President, Mary Page, was presented with the award by Mayor of Estepona, Jose Maria Garcia Urbano, at the opening of the town’s new pooch park on Saturday. Over the last 27 years, the shelter has re-homed around 300 abandoned dogs annually. And the shining silver plaque is set to take pride of place at the charity’s office in Parque de los Pedregales. Page, said: “I feel honoured to receive such an award on behalf of the many volunteers who had worked over the years to build ADANA into the organisation it is today.” The brand new canine park, based on avenida Litoral next to La Cala river, features an abundance of obstacle courses and water and dog waste dispensers. It comes after Estepona town hall faced high demand for new dog-friendly zones.

Bride-andgroom stung by ‘phony’ Costa del Sol property site EXCLUSIVE By Laurence Dollimore

AN engaged British couple have lost thousands of euros to a fake property website on the Costa del Sol. The young Londoners paid more than €4,000 for a deposit on a villa in Marbella for their upcoming wedding celebration via luxuryholidaylifestyle.com. But when they tried to arrange a viewing of the property, which was booked for five days in September 2019, the company stopped replying to their calls and emails. Fearing the worst, the groom enquired about the very same villa for the same dates - posing as a new customer - and received an immediate response. “That’s when we knew we had been duped,” he told the Olive Press.

Wedding crushers

FAKE: Property site When they tried to visit the offices in Fuengirola this week, the address listed on the website took them to a block of apartments. Laura Charles, who runs Reviva

Weddings, which is now planning the couple’s big day, knew there was something wrong as soon as she saw the booking website. “I know for a fact they don’t

Reservoir woes

WATER reserves in the province of Malaga have almost doubled in just one month. After facing drought at the end of February, the reservoirs now have enough water to last two years thanks to a surge of rainy days in March. More than a third of the rain which usually falls in twelve months was

902 123 282

measured last month. La Concepcion is currently almost completely full and was even forced to release the equivalent of a month’s consumption of water in the province. However, concerns have been raised over whether the infrastructure can cope with the higher water levels, with many calling for ‘much-needed’ upgrades.

April 11th - April 24th 2018

have access to the properties they advertise because a number of them belong exclusively to companies that I work with,” Charles, who has been planning weddings here for 10 years, told the Olive Press. One of these villas in El Rosario, near Marbella, is only listed with one rental property company costing €3,500 per day to hire. However, on luxuryholidaylifestyle.com - whose catchphrase is ‘whatever type of holiday you’re looking for, you can put your trust in us! - it is listed at just €1000 euros per night. In the contract seen by the Olive Press, the British couple, who have asked to remain anonymous, were billed £3,500 (€4,015), out of a £10,400 total. But instead of being paid into a company account, all the money went directly into the personal account of a ‘Mr Jozef Mlynarcik’, the supposed owner of the property. The account is registered in Hull, in the UK. Luxury Holiday Lifestyle failed to comment before press.

ABANDONED: Gina

Happy ending

THE ‘saddest dog ever’ has found a new loving home after a video of it being found abandoned went viral. The clip showed how the traumatised dog - now named Gina - was found tied by her neck to a gate in Los Barrios, Cadiz. A selection of videos which were shared by animal group SOS Perreras de Los Barrios showed the labrador not move an inch when it was freed from its noose. Gina has now found a new home and is settling in well (see letters p16).

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Fe at u r e

www.theolivepress.es Voted top expat paper in Spain

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 About time! After countless expats and holidaymakers tragically lost loved ones to the lethal drug Nolotil, it seems we may finally be close to achieving justice for them. Campaigns, petitions, official complaints and word of mouth previously failed to catch the attention of Spanish authorities but now the information is in the hands of the right people, healthcare officials are treating this highly seriously. Thanks to the incredible efforts of Cristina Garcia del Campo, who has worked tirelessly day and night around a full-time job for months, she has managed to gather around 100 case studies and vital information which have been the foundation of the investigation. The Olive Press also want to thank the many victims and carers who bravely came forward to share their stories with us, along with the 1,000 expats who supported our petition. Let’s hope we finally achieve what we set out to do almost two years ago. Watch this space as results are set to be released in the coming weeks. Publisher/ Editor

Jon Clarke jon@theolivepress.es Head of SALES Sarah Adams sales@theolivepress.es Admin Maria Angeles Vázquez (+34) 951 273 575 admin@theolivepress.es

Newsdesk newsdesk@theolivepress.es Tel: (+34) 665 798 618 Laurence Dollimore laurence@theolivepress.es Elisa Menendez Elisa@theolivepress.es Joe Wallen joe@theolivepress.es Aleesha Hansel aleesha@theolivepress.es Designer James Partington design@theolivepress.es

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April 11th - April 24th 2018

EXCLUSIVE

An ode to chokey I

FAULKNER: In happier times at home with children

ere’s a joke, For my nephews in Gib, Into a bar walks uncle Nick,

Near seven hours he just sits there, Had a couple of vodkas, Then sat NOT DRINKING, just stared, Didn’t get noisy or fall down, Piss off the punters or act the clown, Didn’t sing sing sing or show them his ring, Still woke up in a cell, Not knowing a thing! Woke up in a cell, There’s one man dead, Got no memory in my head, The drink they say, It must be true, ‘You’re an alki Nick,’ ‘Look at you,’ I’m an alki yes, But something’s wrong, Where’s the missing nine hours gone? Two years pass accepting my fate, ‘You were drunk and driving, ‘Get on with it mate’, If they had dropped intent, I was happy to stay, Secure in prison, ‘Keep me away’, Mourning the child I killed that night, Gets to the trial, What? There wasn’t a fight! Alcohol too low, no stumbling stuff, Agreed with the fiscal, The drink wasn’t enough Destroyed my defence, But the jury heard, How the doorman recognised my truthful word, Stuck to my guns, Got 30 years,

T’S not everyday the Olive Press receives mail from a prison inmate. At first glance the letter appeared to be a selection of requests, asking if certain people had received his correspondence and if he could have a copy of ‘our esteemed publication’ sent to him. But what it actually contained was a treasure trove of poems, detailing how Nicholas Faulkner, who served as a solider in Gibraltar for much of his life, came to be sentenced to 25 years in an Algeciras prison. Not much has been reported on the case,

British soldier convicted of murder in Andalucia pens poems to tell his side of the story

other than that the former squaddie at the 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, ran over and killed a young man from La Linea. The tragic event unfolded two years ago outside a strip club in Cadiz. The court heard how he’d argued with a group of three men, who he then ran over with his van. Two of the men did not sustain serious injuries, with the third - known as Juan Carlos dying on the spot. The judge in Algeciras also ordered him to pay €170,000 in compensation to the deceased’s mother and sister. Thank our lady for that jury, But now, through a selection of For justice only briefly deferred poems that can be exclusively revealed by the Olive Press, Faulkner If I was drinking I would have been weeping lulling has given his side of the story. about the bar, In one poem, entitled GHB, he All alone again without my children, tells the story of the night of the The drunks depressingly familiar moan, incident that would change his life forever, while 600 Kilos is a witty Left alone, on of all days my birthday! commentary on corruption within The staff would have got me home, Spain’s Guardia Civil police force, both are as poignant as they are Would have been in bed by 10 O’clock, articulate. Full of sobs, But with my dogs,

GHB

On my own, In anguished heartbreak, But at least I still had jobs, No more money spent, No families rent, Apart by sudden death, If the killers hadn’t drugged my vodka, Juan Carlos would still be alive, I would be working on my gardens, And our parents need never have cried, All victims of a criminal act Of envy with malicious intent, Because I escaped his evil clutches And wasn’t living in a tent, Now it’s suspended, the prosecution, While they investigate the cause, I can hear the little birds tweeting, Echoes around these prison walls, I know who spiked the vodka, Will be no surprise in Jimena town, Everyone will know who done it, As soon as word gets round, How many came before me? Can we find them all?In time. I told Pepe I’d planned a garden for Juan Carlos, We will build a shrine

600 kilos

One lost 600 kilos, Another a tonne and a half, Between the Guardia seizing the cargo, And the documents getting to court, Illegal trade feeds endemic corruption, Infecting all political discourse, Stewed reports and outright lying, Keep the prohibition ship on course, Lots of cash and lots of power, We hand it all to them, Supply of a non-toxic, nonaddictive natural remedy, Controlled by criminal men, The ones that benefit mostly, Are the ones that buy the laws, A stick with which to beat us, They twist it in their claws. Don’t miss more poems from the Bard of Belmarsh in our next issue

www.theolivepress.es As more scandal emerges over a leading politician’s faked university degree, Lenox Napier asks: ‘why do politicians never resign in Spain?’

Fe at u r e

April 11th - April 24th 2018

The Chains of Office

PAIN’S leading political problem is Catalunya, brought about by poor management and policies from Madrid over the years. Barcelona could have been a partner, but DID SHE instead, it has become a vassal. As the OR DIDN’T tension built slowly up, and the threat of SHE?: a unilateral declaration of independence Cifuentes loomed, Madrid came in swinging. Now holds up several Catalan politicians are in prison, without charge. Others are in exile. They ‘fake’ masare either rebels, or political prisoners, deters degree pending on your point of view, and the subject is not going away and feeds upon itself daily, with Madrid mostly being painted as the baddie. Last Thursday turned out to be an interesting day for the courts. The Swiss currently have two Catalan ‘rebels’ that Madrid urgently wants to try in court (that’s to say, they are in exile there peacefully enough), while the Spanish have Herve Falciani, the whistleblower who walked out of HSBC in Geneva in 2008 with a long list of those who had improperly stashed their swag in offshore accounts, including many Spanish politicians and captains of industry here. Thanks to Falciani, who now lives in Spain, the Panama Papers became possible, and all kinds of people were caught with their taxes undeclared or their money laundered. Among the most notable was the Botín (Banco Santander) family and their two billion euro stash in the Swiss bank. Falciani is wanted in Switzerland for leaking official documents, and they want him on trial. How about a deal, one Spanish prosecuNO DEAL: The Spanish allowed Falciani out while the Germans freed Puigdemont tor thought, nabbing Falciani off the street in Madrid on Wednesday – just as he was about to give a talk at a university entitled: But this has now come to a rather spec- she thundered as the PP-controlled Span‘When telling the truth is a wonderful thing’. tacular end, with the news, broken by news ish national television conveniently turned The Swiss – who have Falciani pencilled in site El Diario, that her master’s degree its focus onto another subject more in for five years behind bars for breaking the from the King Juan Carlos University was keeping with their own Masters’ viewpoint. That of the pesky Catalans. Helvetian Eleventh Commandment – didn’t a fake. have much chance to weigh the advantages She couldn’t have been studying there On Friday however, all media organisations, of a possible trade before a judge however, when she claimed and the signatures on even including the PP supporting ABC newspaper, were reporting up to the mindefied the prosecutor for misuse of the the document were false. law, unlocked the cell and said in effect, Other newspapers picked up on the story ute on the case. Would Cifuentes survive and provided extra ammuni- the weekend? The answer: ‘Somehow she ‘scram!’, you’re a free man. did.’ tion. In Spain, politics sometimes The university finally admit- We are left with this question – ‘Why in trumps justice. ted it ‘reconstructed’ the Spain would most politicians rather die At the same time in GermaThey usually after ‘the origi- than resign?’ The answer might be that, ny, a court decided Carles attempt to stay, document nal was destroyed’, but they this is all they know. Puigdemont, the ringleader of the Catalan rebellion, when they should have now sent all the pa- In other countries, disgraced politicians perwork to the police and blithely return to their previous occupawasn’t a rebel after all, and resign, they are public prosecutor to make a tion... here, well they often have no prePuigdemont, who had been vious occupation... Whether presidents, arrested on a Spanish judishort on morals decision. While it all looked very ministers or mayors, many of our leaders cial order, was politely set damning, Cifuentes finally are loathe to leave office, as they have no free. came out of hiding, and other skills and quite enjoy the perks, after Meanwhile in Madrid another leading PP politician was somehow made a three-hour statement insisting all. Cifuentes is the perfect example, havholding on to her chains of office with a the claims were untrue. But few were con- ing been in politics since she was 16. Politicians in Spain usually attempt to stay vinced and the scandal rumbled on. vice-like grip. Cristina Cifuentes took on the key job as While the socialists and Podemos demand- on in their post, when they should resign, president of the Madrid Region two years ed a motion of no confidence, Ciudadanos because they are short on moral qualities. ago offering a clean sweep after years of stuck with the ruling PP government and Politicians probably think that the public are fools – and, judging by the way we parproblems. "The corrupt era has come to an won by a vote. end," said Cifuentes as she triumphed into Cifuentes, evidently fearing a return to Civ- don their corruption and gross ineptitude, vy Street, remained firm. I’m not leaving, perhaps they have a point. office.

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Tony Chapman, Marbella

New home We have found a new home for this sad and frightened girl. Following all her vet checks she will be collected by a loving family and going to a new home (WATCH: Heartbreaking moment ‘saddest dog ever’ found tied by neck to gate in southern Spain). Thanks to Amanda Buss, Natalie Campos and Linda Thomson for helping me on Thursday, and to Jorge for untying her, comforting her, and taking her to his own home till the vet ME such BLAM DON’T checked her Eover, THE girlfriend of Real Madrid star Isco is facing a massive by a man Twitter on threatened was she after compassion shown by the scare security holding a gun. Isco blame girlfriend Sara Salamo - a soap actress in Fans ofcommunity. 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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The same property scam happened to us, and TWICE. We were in another country and in the process of moving to Malaga and we were looking for apartments on the CR IM E internet. In total we Malware lost Mastermind €5000 to scammers in Germany and Finland with similar stories as the one menRussia out tioned in your story. I reported them to the local police and they said they would Rapist caught follow it up. I’m sure nothing was done. 2

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News IN BRIEF

A CYBER-SCAMMER mastermind who is suspected of stealing around €1 billion euros was arrested in Alicante. The detained is reportedly the leader of the gang behind the Carbanak and Cobalt malware attacks, which infiltrated over 100 financial institutions.

SPAIN will expel two Russian diplomats in response to the Salisbury nerve agent attack. The Spanish government will join more than 20 countries which have stood in solidarity with the UK, collectively expelling over 100 diplomats.

A BRITISH pensioner has been extradited to the UK to stand trial for rape. Jeffrey Waite, 65, from Hartlepool, was picked up in Spain after fleeing here in 2016 and was extradited to the UK to appear at Teeside Magistrates’ Court.

Estela, Malaga

Olive Press probe reveals phony property scammer on Costa del Sol EXCLUSIVE By Elisa Menendez

A FRAUDSTER is conning expats using a fake Airbnb website renting out nonexistent properties on the Costa del Sol. An Olive Press probe discovered one property on popular advertisement website, Milanuncios, which was purporting to be a luxury apartment in the centre of Estepona.

March 28th - April 10th 2018

FAKE VIEWS

Extravagant

But the ultra-modern pad seemed too extravagant and too big for a rental price of just €350 a month. After making contact, the scammer immediately requested payment of two months of rent and a deposit through Airbnb, along with personal details including a name, telephone number and I.D. Despite the undercover journalist’s persistent requests to view the property, the conman claimed he was unable to meet as he had recently moved to Denmark for an engineering job. The fraudster sent a copy of his I.D. card which the Olive Press discovered belonged

PHONY: Fake Airbnb site looks like the real deal to a former Spanish political advisor. Choosing to remain anonymous, the victim told the Olive Press his identity was stolen after sending personal details online when securing a holiday rental. Although the impressive and genuine-looking Airbnb

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Unfortunately these types of scams are still constantly popping up along the Costa del Sol. They are obviously still working as they have been operating for years now. NEVER trust anyone who asks for money or a deposit before offering to show you the apartment, and if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. page boasted a throng of five-star ratings and a verified account, the website address did not match that of the real Airbnb, nor did it have a homepage. The Olive Press has traced the website IP address and located the fraudster’s computer on a street in Copenhagen. However, the website domain was bought in Germany and was last modified in December 2016, suggesting the shark has been conning holiday makers for some years. Sue Callow, based in Benalmadena, told the Olive Press she almost fell prey to the scammer using the same images five years ago. “It looked gorgeous and it was so cheap, so I emailed. “He said he was in London and asked if I could do a money transfer and once received, I could go to an office - he didn’t say where it was -

to pick up the keys,” said the 55-year-old who has lived in Spain for 32 years. Since we discovered the first property, the scammer has advertised a number of similar luxury properties on Milanuncios for just €300 per month using different hotmail accounts. Interestingly, the scammer uploads the advertisements late at night and deletes them the following morning. Analysing the conman’s messages, Marbella-based lawyer Antonio Flores, at Lawbird, told the Olive Press: “It is a scam.

Scammers

The way he writes, alternating formal and informal modes of addressing people and his choice of words tell me he is not a native Spanish speaker (like soltar dinero). “These scammers like to pass for engineers in other countries, I can’t recall how many times I’ve dealt with ‘engineers’ working in Germany, Holland and now, Denmark.” Director of The Finance Bureau, Tancrede de Pola, said a tell-tale sign is when the price seems too good to be true. “Scammers will present themselves as bona fide with a back-story about themselves and will make references to well-known organisations such as Airbnb in order to confer respectability,” he said. The web hosting company failed to comment in time for press.

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Has anything piqued your interest in this week’s Olive Press? Have your say on the matter by emailing letters@theolivepress.es or alternatively message us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OlivePressNewspaper or Twitter @olivepress

Mijas

Vol: 12

Issue 289

April 11th - April 24th 2018

PAR

www.theolivepress.es

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a kind of magic

T II April 11th - April 24th 2018 Photo by Jon Clarke

ll about www.theolivepress.es

Visit once and remain enchanted forever, the favourite 1960s package tour excursion still has mountains of charm writes Chloe Glover

SAPPHIRE sea twinkles from far below as lilting Andalucian guitars accompany flamenco dancers in their impassioned dances in the grand plaza. The al fresco fiesta has been a free attraction in Mijas Pueblo every Wednesday at noon since anyone can remember. Everywhere along the flowerpot-adorned streets there are snapshots of typical village life: donkey taxis waiting patiently for their next fare, kids kicking balls, gaggles of elderly gents gently snoozing on shady benches. Only a few kilometres downhill, the villageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sibling coastal resorts of La Cala, Riviera del Sol and Calahonda create a different buzz with their trendy beach bars, fast improving restaurants and vibrant nightlife, adding up

to a diverse destination with multiple layers of appeal. The local population of 83,000 is equally diverse, swelled by a multicultural potaje of expats who have come to enjoy a new life in the year-round microclimate provided by the towering Sierra de Mijas mountains. Mijas Costa, a 12-kilometre beach strip stretched between the borders of Fuengirola and Marbella, is a magnet for hotel tourists and holiday home owners. Chris Tarrant and Ryan Giggs are frequent visitors, while Victoria Beckham discovered its spice from spending childhood summer holidays in Riviera. Lorraine Kelly and comedian Stan Continues on Page 18

FESTIVAL TIME: Riders enjoy drinks in Mijas pueblo during the annual feria

Mijas

ll about www.theolivepress.es

village in the hills

April 11th - April 24th 2018

STUNNING: Church stands proud in the heart of Mijas pueblo

From Page 17

electric Tuk Tuks, Mijas boasts Spain’s only rectangular bull ring, original works by Picasso and Gaudi and, something no other resort can surely lay claim to, a miniature of the Last Supper painted onto a single grain of rice. Couple that with the friendly welcome from baristas and shopkeepers and if you’ve never visited Mijas before you’ll wonder why not. The beautifully-kept main square of Plaza Virgen de la Pena is a good place to start exploring. A few strides away is the fascinating old village flour mill. Chiselled into the rock face, a faithfully reconstructed workshop with original machinery sits inside.

A few paces down a slope lies the Virgen de la Pena grotto, a rugged little chapel excavated in the rock in 1548. Legend has it that it was here the Virgin Mary appeared to two children, bringing joy to the villagers. And it is impossible to miss the bright yellow building that houses the Carromato de Mijas museum. Once the private collection of hypnotist Juan Elegido Millán, this weird and wonderful treasure trove of miniature items gathered from around the globe makes Ripley’s Believe It or Not seem tame. Take your eye to the magnifying glasses to admire everything from a microscopic version of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper and a painting of Abe Lin-

DE LAS O D N TE U M

LAS

Boardman also have homes here. But it is the whitewashed village in the hills where most day trippers begin their discovery of Mijas, a village steeped in heritage and culture. Today the ancient Greek and Roman hill fortress welcomes an annual invasion of visitors from all over the world thanks to its timeless charm and enviable location, half an hour from Malaga and a short drive from the major tourist resorts of Fuengirola, Torremolinos and Marbella. Spending just half an hour in its meandering maze of Moorish streets, where terraced restaurants with tiny darkened doorways lead onto expansive sun-filled patios with mountain views, is enough to understand its allure. “There are so many reasons to stay longer,” says Rudi Van Der Zalm, owner of Tuk Tuk Spain whose nippy three-wheel transporters now offer an alternative to the famous donkey taxis. How right he is. As well as the world’s first 100%

IL E

THE

LD OF

T X TE

MUNDODELASTELAS

TEL: 952 47 70 50 ARR. DE MIJAS, KM. 4,7, 29651, LAS LAGUNAS DE MIJAS, MÁLAGA

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April 11th - April 24th 2018

Mijas by numbers

- Picasso’s ceramic works in the Contemporary Arts Centre Mijas (CAC Mijas), the second most important collection of this kind in the world.

50%

- ratio of male to female residents.

2,920

- hours of sunshine per year (243 days of solid sunshine)

SPANISH FEEL: Religious artefacts, white painted homes and donkeys coln on a pinhead to a ballerina carved into a wooden toothpick. You’ll also feel good to know your €3 entrance fee will go to Afesol, a Costa del Sol charity caring for people with mental health issues. Venture deeper into the village to find the non-conformist bull ring. “There was just no space to give it the traditional circular shape,” explains Rudi who shares the villagers’ pride in the rectangular arena and all the village’s kooky attractions. Mijas is also big on fiestas, both new and traditional. The pretty white Immaculate Conception church is the starting point for the popular Semana Santa religious parades while the open air auditorium opposite hosts al fresco concerts throughout the summer. The brief thigh-burning walk up to the Moorish tower vale la pena, as the Spanish say, for 360 degree coast to mountain views although photogenic vistas can be found at every twist and turn of the village streets. The picture postcard calles were inspired by the north African settlers to keep the heat of the Mediterranean sun at bay and it’s all too easy to lose hours discovering their devious charms. But you haven’t ‘done’ Mijas until you’ve visited its ethnographic museum - a lovingly put-together twofloor exhibition that guides visitors through the village’s past – and the Contemporary Art Centre for those Picassos and Gaudis. Even if you’re not tempted to put down roots yourfactory and shop for miles around - and a fantastiThose who have the energy should also take advanself, you can take a piece of the village away with cally ethical one at that. tage of the numerous walking routes from town that “It’s the most fun job in the world and it’s thanks you from the many delis and speciality shops sellzigzag up to the mountains and down to the coast. to Mijas’s continued appeal that ing everything from exotically-flavoured honeys to “I feel so much pride for my village,” I have it”, said co-founder Jason pretty porcelain plates. says a beaming Rosalia Villatoro Godwin, originally from Glossop, In a more modern and sophisticated way, the Alarcon, an ethnographic museum who shares his passion for choco- scene on the coast is just as eclectic. One of the Not lost that volunteer who has lived her whole late with tours and workshops and most profitable destinations on the Costa del Sol, life in Mijas. neighbourhood claims the Mijas mountain air gives Mijas Costa’s swanky seaside urbanisations and “It has kept its character despite hotels all offer sandy beaches and a great range its growth in popularity and has not feel which makes it it a distinctive flavour. lost that neighbourhood feel which such a friendly and One of his shop staff, Claudia, re- of restaurants and water sports including jet skis, galed us in a brilliant Blackburn ac- waterskiing, wakeboarding, windsurfing and paramakes it such a friendly and enenchanting place cent with the story of how her mum penting. chanting place.” found her forever home in Mijas Las Lagunas on the fringes of Fuengirola offers reMijas is mouthwatering too. Multiafter meeting her Malagueno hus- tail therapy for shopaholics while the small, whitecultural cuisine is served alongside washed fishing village of La Cala has morphed into band. Andalusian specialities in this very “She was a tour guide and met him while he was a popular resort town with over 20,000 residents, international pueblo, where Argentinian and Canaworking on a reception desk of a hotel nearby,” offering a complimentary if strikingly different dian restaurateurs vie for trade with the local Spanish charm to its antique sister pueblo in the hills. says Claudia. spots. “She fell in love with both him and Mijas at the Visit once and remain enchanted forever, Mijas is You can even make your own chocolate at the curistill one of the brightest stars on the Costa del Sol. same time.” ously-named Mayan Monkey Mijas, the only chocolate

Auto Quick

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4,000

flower pots damaged during road works will be restored.

150,000

Japanese tourists visit Mijas each year.

6,000

Brits are registered as living in Mijas.

1,476

feet above ground - Mijas pueblo’s location ensures hot summers and mild winters.

82,184 tion of Mijas.

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Mijas

ll about April 11th - April 24th 2018

Royal dining WHERE TO EAT

Everyone from Lady Di to Jimmy Carter and the Rolling Stones to Julio Iglesias have tested out the now vibrant Mijas restaurant scene, writes Jon Clarke

tel: 952 00 13 86

Paseo Marítimo Rey de España, 119, 29640 Fuengirola

www.grupopuracepa.com

MEAT-FEAST: At Casa Navarra

Avenida del Compás, 18. Mijas Pueblo

“In the heart of Mijas”

T is one of the most prestigious tables one can imagine. And everyone from Lady Diana to Julio Iglesias have dined there. Welcome to Casa Navarra, where the great and the good have eaten beside the open fire in winter (see right) and the leafy garden in summer. It is a true family affair, open since 1990 and with an amazing collection of wines in its cellar going

Every Tuesday ANY PIZZA FROM OUR MENU

952 59 07 46 Also to take away

www.theolivepress.es

April 11th - April 24th 2018

STARRY LUNCHES: Lady Di, Julio Iglesias and the Rolling Stones have eaten here

way beyond that. the coast on Trip Advisor. “We’ve had everyone eating here from Lady Run by Alison and Steve Hyatt, this is a Diana to the Roling Stones and both Julio popular joint, which offers up numerous fish Iglesias and his son dishes - and some excelEnrique on lots of lent wines. occasions,” explains I particularly liked the owner Carlos. clam chowder as a But you are here realstarter, while the Bang ly to try the food and Bang pasta with prawns the real star of the was one of the coast’s restaurant is Carlos’s most original dishes daughter Leire. and a true star. The I particularly loved lemon posset made by her use of vegetaAlison didn’t let the side bles, including chard down. with almonds and This couple became fathistles (cardoons) mous from the TV show with ham, both great A New Life in the Sun dishes. and run a tight ship, if Being a Navarran you’ll excuse the fishy joint it specialised pun, with hundreds of in succulent steaks regulars swearing by cooked over a their place. wood grill, It is not really surpriswhile there ing, given that the pair was some ran restaurants back nice fish in Scotland, while chef too. Steve has worked in The huge many places around changes the world and his famDYNAMOS: Alison and happenily have been running inns Steve at Blue Marlin ing in Mijas as far back as 1760. these days Nearby you might want to seem to be in check out Utopia, where I ate an amazing La Cala, where you’ll find spread of healthy tapas, including hummus, the wonderful Pura Cepa wine bar, as well guacamole and a great burrata of mozzaas the amazing Blue Marlin fish restaurant Continues on Page 22 - currently voted the best fish restaurant on

CONCENTRATION: French masterchef Joffrey finishes off a dish

AprilApril 11th -11th April- April 24th 2018 24th 2018

21 21

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Mijas

April 11th - April 24th 2018

Contemporary fine dining

Joffrey Charles is a French chef born and raised in Normandy. He has worked, for the past decade, in fine dining restaurants in Mont Saint Michel, Val D’Isere, Corsica, Dublin and London. Joffrey recently featured in a 2018 Channel 4 programme about his cuisine & opening a restaurant in Spain.

Wed to Sun 1-4pm, 2 Course Lunch €20 & Tues to Sat 6.30-10.30pm, A La Carte Dinner

NEW ORDER: Hugo at his new joint la Cucine di Nico and its Osso Bucco dish

tel: 952 493 909 or 658 748 919 reservations@joffreyslasmimosas.com Urbanización las Mimosas, 3A, La Cala De Mijas, 29649 Mijas, Málaga Plenty of parking available outside restaurant www.joffreyslasmimosas.com

and panna cotta with passion fruit, I am gorella on a bed of rocket and cherry tomatoes, ing to stick my neck out with shavings of parmesan on top. (as I did last year) and tip The brainchild of Pepe Villalba and Ana him for a future Michelin star. Romero, these two young local Andalusians And there is more at wonderful El Oceano, a are so welcome back on their own terra fir- hotel restaurant right on the beach which is ma, having spent the last six years of veritably glamour personified. the recession living and working Head chef William Squires, 31, abroad in Berlin and Bristol. has worked around the world, “We knew it was time to including four years in Auscome back now the crisis tralia and three years in is easing,” explains Pepe, Ireland, and has built up a who is the whiz in the kitchrave repertoire with Asiatic en. “We found this spot dishes in particular. and built it up from scratch, The beef tartare is his tete brick by brick.” de cuvee, marinated overAnd now what was once a night, then rolled in pepperwaste ground parking lot for cars corns before being seared for 30 is today a lovely hidden garden seconds, then rested in the fridge with a great funky atmosphere. HEALTHY: Burrata before being served. And there’s more, with Joffreys special at Utopia I also liked the tempura prawns with of La Cala well on track to bewasabi, as well as the excellent scalcome one of the true culinary reflops with ham, while my true winner erences on the coast. was the original Manchego Arancini, Classy French chef Joffrey Charles offers up or rice balls seasoned with saffron. a wonderful mix of exciting dishes, such as The restaurant offers front row seats right balls of foie served in a hazelnut crust with on the beach and, after a multi-million euro figs, and scallops served with slices of bacon overhaul, is even more glamorous than beand capers. fore. His bubbly partner Lisa Burgess, who worked The only place that can come near it for style in TV for years, looks after the guests with is Olivia’s, where TV star Elliot Wright has aplomb. invested over three million creating the ultiHaving dipped into his turbot with fennel, mate dining experience. From Page 21

WHIZ: William at Oceano

VOTED NO.1 SEAFOOD RESTAURANT IN COSTA DEL SOL ON TRIPADVISOR

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CHEERS: Joffrey raises a toast

With fantastic sea views, stunning decor and a menu to match, this is an excellent addition to the Mijas dining scene. And, contrary to popular belief, Elliot is actually a very experienced restaurateur and knows how to deliver. For yet another completely different style, head 400 metres inland to find the fantastic family-style Ole restaurant, where Juan Gomez has been on the go for an incredible 25 years. Juan is a charming host – speaking perfect English – while his son Victor is equally

PURE-BREED: Ronda chef Paco Flores at Pura Sangre made a name for himself with a stunning ‘gazpachuelo’ at Madrid Fusion in 2012. He now divides his time between his La Cala eaterie and a new restaurant, Fabrica, in Fuengirola, which used to be the legendary Toston.

What began as a wine shop is now one of La Cala’s finest places to ‘tapear’ friendly and both put a great emphasis on fresh ingredients, much of it sourced from their finca near Ronda. “I buy all the meat and fish and go shopping every day to the local markets to find the very best ingredients,” explains Juan. “And price/ quality is the key to my success.” Expect to eat fantastic stuffed red peppers, delicious lettuce hearts with anchovies, and great salmon cooked in a spicy dill sauce. Looking for somewhere else new? Why not try the great wine and tapas at Tapavino, which can be found up in Calahonda and is incredibly busy. This is no surprise given that Brit Craig Hyatt and Canadian wife Robynne both have a strong hotel and restaurant background. The pair worked for the Renaissance and Vintage Hotels groups in Canada and were frequently dealing in com-

ELEGANCE: At Pura Sangre

EXCITING: Great wines at Sherry House and Pedro at Bella Coppia (right)

plex and detailed wine lists. You’ll find a good mix of tapas here to go with

dozens of wines by the glass. Sit on the great dining terrace and watch the sun go down if you get here early enough. Last but not least, if credentials were needed to run a wine bar, owning your own vineyard

would certainly help. The owner of Pura Cepa on La Cala high street, 30-year-old Bernardo Diego Pullido (far left), has three, including one nearby in Mijas, Malvajio. What began as a wine shop is now one of La Cala’s finest places to ‘tapear’ and, of course, drink wine. There are always more than 40 wines by the glass and around a dozen fabulous tapas to dip into. There is also an amazing list of gin and tonics, should you decide for something stronger. Even better, nearby in Fuengirola, you need to hunt out Pura Cepa Sherry House, which claims to have the largest selection of sherries (330 of them) in the world. Recently opened, the food is darn good too and there is a decent choice of degustation menus. Up in the pueblo you have an equally exciting range of restaurants and new places seem to open by the month.

TEL: 952 48 50 97 97 CALLE DE LOS CAÑOS 13, MIJAS WWW.RESTAURANTEBELLACOPPIA.COM

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Pueblo revolution EVOCATIVE: A magical surprise awaits diners at the Secret Garden

FAMILY FARE: Juan and Victor at Ole

From Page 23

There are some excellent wine bars and places to eat tapas but few beat La Bodega del Pintor, which has a lovely hidden garden at the back. Welcoming owner Amparo was actually born in this charming spot, which offers visitors the chance to dine in a historic 300-year-old townhouse. Atmospheric in the extreme, the restaurant serves up plenty of wines by the glass to go with its tempting tapas. “I wanted to create the sense that you are dining in someone’s home,” explains Amparo, whose 86-year-old mother still lives upstairs. “The whole family comes and goes and my brother even runs an apartment hotel at the back,” she adds. Another excellent place to visit is La Bella Coppia, an Italian restaurant run by Pedro for nearly three decades which just gets better and better. As well as a great range of pastas and pizzas, the place specialises in steaks and quality meats, grilled to perfection. Make sure Pedro also carves you a few slices of his amazing ham. Also be sure to look out for the oasis known as the Secret Garden, tucked away behind its more typical whitewashed sister restaurant Aroma. It’s a delight to kick back in the beautiful garden in good weather where you can enjoy a nice mix of authentic Iberian dishes alongside Argentinean fare – particularly steaks - thanks to co-owner Hugo German. Part of a group of restaurants owned by Hugo and his business partner Thomas Weller, make sure to look out for their Taberna Meguinez (which means ‘Are you winking at me?’) which has an excellent menu, as well as the fishy delights at Latitud 36. Then there’s Tapintxos, inspired by Thomas’s love of the north of Spain, and his new Italian La Cucine di Nico, where the osso bucco is something very special and the pizzas are probably the best in the village.

A taste of home

IF there was one word to describe The Almond Tree it would be ‘fresh’. From the burgers to the apple crumble, everything in the cafe, based in Sitio de Calahonda, is made anew every day. In an interesting twist of fate the new expat owner, Mandy, had her first Spanish job in the cafe when she arrived 18 years ago. Now she is the owner and passionate to carry on with the tradition of good quality British food, that offers a taste of home away from home. Set on a cobbled courtyard overlooking a water fountain, and with seating available inside and out, The Almond Tree is both child friendly and the perfect place to relax. Why not read one of the complimentary newspapers and enjoy a glass of wine or something stronger from their wide range Mon-Fri: 9am-4pm of liquors and spirits? The cafe is open 9am to 4pm Sat: 9am-3pm Monday to Friday and 9am to Calle de Los Adarves, 3pm on Saturdays.

Breakfast, Lunch & Snacks El Zoco, 29649 Mijas

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Property

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No +TheolivepressEs LIVING AT THE OFFICE deposit BE ‘APPY! needed FAMILIES have taken to living in commercial properties in Barcelona as rents have skyrocketed over recent years. It comes as the average rent in the city increased by 10% last year to €900 a month. It is believed around 10,000 non-residential

SPAIN’S second biggest bank, BBVA, is bringing back 100% mortgages after almost Football a decade. The loan will allow buyers to stars suing Download our app now and purchase property without over failed the best saving begin up forenjoying a deposit first.Spanish It is setnews to have lower interest investments on on the go. rates than when previously Costa del Sol available. Spain has the largest supply of empty housing in Europe, FOOTBALL pundits Robbie and Danny Murphy are standing at 1.36 million, and Savage suing the Queen of England’s it is hoped that this move will bank Coutts over a failed inhelp re-invigorate the mar- vestments into property on the ket. Costa del Sol. Almost a quarter empty hous- The ex-Premier League stars ing stockThe currently belongsPress to are understood to have lost a Olive banks and investment funds, fortune after investing in conwith many repossessed dur- troversial property-based tax forcrisis. news in Spain! ing theTOP financial avoidance schemes in the early It comes after the government 2000s. announced plans to build be- The pair are part of a group of tween 120,000-150,000 new four former top players to bring housing units this year, a legal action against Coutts and 71% increase from the actual the Royal Bank of Scotland for number of new homes built allegedly giving them bad advice over the deal. last year - 43,300. This is in addition to a public- Former Leeds and Sheffield striker Brian Deane and ly funded mortgage subsidy United ex-Blackburn Rovers winger scheme which will give under Jason Wilcox are the other 35s earning less than €1,600 players involved. per month €10,800 to help The four players invested in them buy their first home. apartments in the Monte Re-

premises remained unoccupied and a debate is now raging over whether these properties should be turned into housing to help alleviate the crisis. Currently, 3,106 commercial properties are being used as living quarters despite having no occupancy licenses.

Balls up sina development in the hills of Marbella for a total cost of £6 million, plus others in Charlotte Harbor, Florida. Savage, Murphy, Deane and Wilcox each also bought a flat in the Spanish development. Players said they were persuaded to invest because of a four-year mortgage guarantee. When the guarantee r a n out in 2008, however, the Spanish

MORTGAGE THINK TANK by mortgage broker Tancrede de Pola

Beware the 100% T HE news that BBVA are bringing back 100% mortgages for resident buyers in Spain should be a cause for concern for some. Before the great 2007 crash, most banks were far too happy to hand such mortgages out, but the disaster that followed changed after millions of homeowners were left unable to pay back their loans, leading to financial meltdown from which we have only just recovered. It has been almost 10 years but BBVA are one bank in many to bring back the controversial offering of 100% mortgages at fixed or variable rates for residents willing to purchase from the bank’s stock. In some cases the loans include all the expenses of the purchase of a property especially where the property values much higher than purchase price. It means if the purchase value of a property is €100,000, and the appraised value is €130,000, an 80% loan would amount to a €104,000 mortgage. Therefore, the bank pays the total €100,000 euros that the apartment costs, leaving the buyer €4,000 towards completion expenses. This new breed of 100% mortgages carries some serious risks, and these days that risk is taken on by you, the buyer, rather than the lender.

Are mortgages that pay for your property in full a good idea? You are likely to face higher fees and charges and you will have fewer deals to choose from if you don’t put up any capital. The buyer is limited to properties held by the bank that rarely, these days, represent good value for money. Although lenders may have found a new way to offer 100% Spanish mortgages by asking borrowers to contribute additional security, nothing much has changed in that they put buyers at risk of negative equity - a much greater risk than a buyer who has contributed financially to the purchase. Equally, the higher loan amount means higher monthly repayments which may make future rentals less viable. In addition, buyers should be prepared to pay extra for a Mortgage Indemnity Guarantee. This is an insurance policy to protect the lender against loss if the buyer defaults. So although it may be a tempting offer, only those with extremely secure finances should consider 100% mortgages.

To contact Tancrede for all your mortgaging needs call: 666 709 743 or for insurance queries call: 951 203 540 Email: tdp@thefinanacebureau.com The Finance Bureau Centro Commercial Guadalmina, 2nOffice No. 7 Guadalmina, 29670

property market was collapsing due to the financial crash, and the flats were only worth a fraction of their original value. Several of the players who invested say they suffered a fall in value of more than 50%. One flat is now on the market for €350,000 (£250,000). Coutts and RBS Gibraltar were the banks that provided loans for the investments, which were promoted by financial adviser Kingsbridge Asset Management directors David McKee and Kevin McMenamin. The players are claiming damages, costs and interest, but an amount has not been set. Coutts has denied the claims, saying: “Coutts acted as a reasonable and prudent bank in considering whether to lend to the claimants based on their circumstances and ability to repay the loans.”

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Property

April 11th - April 24th 2018

Club Med heads for Marbs AN iconic Marbella hotel is set for a €70-million renovation after being closed for over 10 years. The Hotel Don Miguel is due to reopen in 2019 after investors, who bought the abandoned property in 2013 under the name Magna Hotels & Resorts, reached a deal with top French all-inclusive opera-

tor, Club Med. A VIP ceremony in April will mark the beginning of the refurbishment which will create some 300 new jobs. The reopening will mark Club Med’s return to Spain.

Capital gains Madrid and Palma lead the way as prices grow steadily in strong start to 2018

MADRID is leading the way as house prices have increased significantly across Spain since the start of the year. Property prices have increased

nationally by 3.8% in the first quarter of 2018 year-on-year, but the capital saw an increase

of 17%. Palma de Mallorca wasn’t far behind, with a 14.7% price in-

Strong start to 2018 PROPERTY investment in Spain increased by 9% to €9.2 billion in 2017. According to Savills Aguirre Newman, foreign investors continued to be the most dominant, accounting for 65% of the total, increasing from 56%

in 2016. It means British and other European nationalities sunk €6 billion in the Spanish property market last year. Across Europe, property investment rose 7% to €234 billion in 2017.

crease. They were followed by Barcelona with a rise of 11% and Pamplona with 10.4%. Meanwhile, transactions in Madrid and Barcelona are at their highest level since the property crash, according to real estate agency Lucas Fox. New homes accounted for 50% of the agency’s total sales in the two cities and transactions across all Lucas Fox’s offices in Spain increased by 39%. Asking prices have also risen across the country, including in Andalucia. Madrid saw the largest quarter on quarter asking price rise at 7.8% to €3,540 per square metre and year on year prices are up by 21.3% - but they are still 12.3% down on the market highs of 2008. Prices rose by 5.6% in Granada, by 5.2% in Logrono, while in Malaga they increased by 5%.

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Visit and like our Facebook Page and join our Facebook Group for news on the local and international music scene, great competitions and features including an opportunity to win 2 tickets to see Ed Sheeran at Wembley Stadium on 15th June 2018! Tel: (+34) 856 830 003 | studio@radiomix106.com www.radiomix106.com

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Fake+TheolivepressEs news fightback BE ‘APPY!

On your bike, Brexit!

SPAIN could become one of the first countries in the world to make laws against fake news. An amendment to a new data protection bill is currently being passed through Spanish parliaSTUNG: Routledge ment, put forward by the PSOE. app online now and It aims toDownload get rid ofourfalse content that could posethea best threat begin enjoying Spanish to real facts andoninformation. news the go. In a bid to regulate digital rights, the amendment looks to make administrators of social media and digital platforms personally responsible for any potentially untruthful content published on their sites. Spain’s new amendment also aims to preserve people’s right A BRITISH expat claims his Gary Routledge, originally The Scot, who is currently to reputation online. The Olive Press bike business has already from Scotland, has been liv- applying for residency in Those affected may even de- changed ‘dramatically’ since ing in Jaen, Andalucia, for Spain, has run a bike shop mand that the website publishes TOP for news in Spain! the UK voted for Brexit. the past 10 years. for almost a decade. corrections, but only in certain legal situations. The term ‘fake news’, coined by President Donald Trump, has been at the forefront of a number of recent scandals which have posed a threat to democracy. THE HSBC whistleblower who leaked He was convicted in absentia of inBut it is unclear whether the documents claiming the bank helped dustrial espionage in 2015 by a Swiss term is referring to false facts clients evade billions of dollars in tax- court, after he leaked documents published or the way online es has been arrested in Spain. which alleged that the private branch platforms make editorial deciHerve Falciani, a former employee at had helped over 120,000 clients to sions about what they choose to HSBC’s Swiss private bank, was picked cover up more than €180 billion from report. up on the way to a conference in Ma- tax authorities. If Spain’s new amendment is drid last week. Falciani was sentenced to five years in passed, it could become the first The French-Italian national is known prison but failed to show up to his trial country with multiple, comprefor exposing the ‘Swissleaks’ scandal. and has lived in Spain ever since. hensive laws relating to digital rights.

Expat cycle business already feeling the squeeze in Spain

Leaker plugged

902 123 282

But since the Brexit vote he has had to almost entirely stop ordering parts from the UK. He said: “Since Brexit kicked in we have started to buy less bikes from the UK due to the fact that bikes have gone up in value - they charge us more for the same bike. “So we are now buying more Spanish bikes. We buy 80% of our bikes from Spain now and 20% from the UK, whereas it used to be 100% from the UK. “So the UK is losing out both from us and the wholesalers who we speak to.”

Pay up! SOME of the UK’s biggest airlines have failed to pay a total of over £4 million in court judgments to delayed passengers. TUI (now incorporating Thomson) has been the biggest offender after failing to pay £2.4million in compensation to approximately 5,000 delayed passengers. Following closely behind is easyJet, which failed to pay £1.5m to over 3,000 delayed passengers. EU law states passengers are entitled to refunds when flights are delayed. A further 2,000 people are also owed small sums of money by other airlines, according to an online database of County Court Judgments in England and Wales. A spokesman from Bott and Co Solicitors said: “Many of our customers have been ignored or fobbed off so they have had no other choice but to come to us for help. “Thomson in particular is making life difficult for delayed passengers. “In 2017 we had to issue court proceedings on 73% of our Thomson cases – around 3,000 in total on behalf of 7,000 passengers.” Bott and Co has lost only 1% of its claims against TUI that have gone to court in the last year.

*Offer valid for new customers only. Ends 31/05/18. Not valid for renewals. Subject to company underwriting regulations.

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April 11th - April 24th 2018 April 11th - April 24th 2018

Fighting plan ADVERTORIAL

Judges in Spain are heavily punishing banks in off plan cases

HAT was at the time said to be a ‘strategy without substance’ by banks, developers and even by many lawyers, is now Case Law of the highest Spanish court – the

Supreme Court. Judges across the country are punishing banks which failed to protect buyers investing off plan in first or second residencies.

But what are the most important things Judges are saying today in regards to these situations? ●● Victims can recover of the total interest paid from the date of payment into the developer’s account. In many cases that results in more than ten years of interest at the ‘legal rate’ (4-5%) added to the return of the Principal amount of the off-plan deposit. In many cases Judges are also imposing the legal costs on the Bank. ●● The fact that many years have passed since payment to developer does not necessarily prevent the claim as there is a 15 year time limit to claim from the date the contract was deemed to have been broken. There is not ‘bad faith’ in these late claims, as many banks are defending in a desperate position. ●● This Law can be used if you bought an illegal (against Planning rules) property. Courts are making Banks pay the financing excess of the boom years by extending the application of this law to illegal complexes. ●● Whatever the agreement with the developer in a bankruptcy proceeding is, liabilities of guarantors remain intact. The buyer can claim full amount against them. Just in those cases where some refund has been received from developer, these would be deducted. ●● Even if you are an investor, if your contract included the clause for guarantees according to Law 57/68, you are pro-

tected. This is another argument of common use by banks in their defenses.

Pioneers & experts in Spanish off-plan property claims ●● according If you topayments were made by your banks liabilities – under ley 57/1968

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lawyer or NO agent, are of course, also WIN you NO FEE protected under this Law as if they had Contact us now for a free appraisal of your case been made by you. ●● Once a Guarantor exists, all amounts you prove to SPAIN have been paid to developer,Calle according to the30, contract are proRegino Martínez 3Âº, 11201 Algeciras, Cádiz, Spain tected Tel. +34 956 092 687 | Fax. +34 956 092 697 ●● The assignees (those who bought the off-plan UNITED property from the original buyKINGDOM ers)2,have theClose, sameCrownhill rights as the original Unit Cochran Industry, buyers would have Milton Keynes, MK8 0AJ,had. United Kingdom ●● The return of amounts includes those Facebook: costaluzlawyers web@costaluzlawyers.es amounts that were delivered to buy the Twitter: costaluzlawyers www.costaluzlawyers.es plot on which a property was to be constructed. The whole process - from buying the land - is protected. ●● The tourist apartments that were sold as residential are covered by this law. It also applies to communities of owners ... the important thing is that advanced payments for off plan projects were made to the developer and the subsequent failure of the project without the buyer receiving a refund of amounts paid. One of the most recent successes of the CostaLuz-DeCastro teams has been in a very difficult case for a development in Manilva where Ocean View intervened as an intermediary buyer/agent. The case was difficult from the beginning with no clear purchase contracts. These victories have now made Spain the safest country in the world to buy off-plan properties, in addition to balancing the voracity, greediness and reckless attitude of banks. It’s good news for us and the team that accompanies me, Costaluz Lawyers- DeCastro, also good news for the Spanish judges and most importantly good news for those people that are now able to recover their money after thinking all was lost. www.costaluzlawyers.es

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11/01/2017 11:07:12

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business

Tourism tumbles in Andalucia as holidaymakers return to terror-hit countries

AS SEEN ON SCREEN: The Joffrey’s team

Get on TV free! A NEW Life in the Sun is looking for expat business owners in Spain for its next series to be aired on Channel 4. The hit show follows Brits who have moved abroad to start a new life or business, documenting the trials and tribulations of setting up shop in another country. A spokesperson said: “If you’re British and have recently moved or are planning to move to Spain with the intention of setting up a new life and a business, then we would love to have a chat with you.” The previous series featured restaurant Joffrey’s in Mijas and McGuinesses in Sabinillas. Any expat interested in getting involved should email anewlifeinthesun@truenorth.tv

ANDALUCIA’S tourism sector is braced for a downturn after the number of foreign visitors dropped for the first time in 33 months. The number of visitors to the region in February fell by 0.3% compared to the same month last year. Rival regions Catalunya and the Canary Islands both saw foreign visitor numbers increase by 2.8% and 0.8% respectively. Perhaps more worryingly, the

April 11th - April 24th 2018

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April 11th - April 24th 2018

Turkish delight number of British tourists coming to Spain dropped by 5.9% this February compared to 2017. Brits represent around 30% of the holidaymakers visiting An-

flight delays PASSENGERS flying to and from London could be hit by major delays after air traffic controllers switched to a new digital system this week. Heathrow and Gatwick are set to face the biggest disruptions, while there could be minor delays into Stansted, Luton and London City. Travellers have been warned to be prepared for delays as flights landing at the airports will be reduced so staff can get used to the new technology. It comes after the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) said it could “no longer deal with the demand” of the former system of using paper strips to record instructions which are given to pilots. Expect morning flights at Heathrow to face the biggest disruption, while delays are likely to be around 20 minutes.

dalucia each year. In the first two months of 2018, the number of Brits arriving in the region fell by 3.1%, while the number of French – the region’s third biggest market – fell by 2.2%. Tourism lobbying firm Exceltur and hotel management chain Cehat have placed part of the blame on the recovery of tourism in rival destinations such as Turkey, Tunisia and Egypt, and a less favourable pound/euro exchange rate. Tunisian recently announced

it expects to rake in 25% more profits from tourism this year than in 2017. One minister said he expected a record number of tourists, which would reverse the damage inflicted by the terrorist attacks in several tourist spots in 2015. Travel firms including Thomas Cook and TUI have begun to return to the country three years after the attacks on the beach of Susa, which killed 39 people, and the Bardo National Museum, which killed 21.

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motors

April 11th - April 24th 2018

30 30

Test run TRIUMPH has tested its latest motorbike in the hills of Almeria in southern Spain. The Speed Triple RS model has a black, grey and red colour scheme with glossy five-spoke wheels and arrow exhausts - and has had a complete engine overhaul. Its power has been upped from 138bhp to 148bhp at 10,500rpm, 86 lb-ft of torque (117 NM) comes in at 7,150rpm rather than 7,850 rpm and the entire bike weighs 3kg less at 189kg

Rocket team

Andalucia company 3D prints rocket engine in world first

AN orbital rocket will be powered by a 3D-printed engine for the first time thanks to a trailblazing Spanish startup. Zero 2 Infinity will use printed combustion chambers for engines for its Bloostar balloon-assisted orbital rocket. The engine was printed by Andalucia’s Foundation for Aerospace Development (FADA).

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Firing

Bloostar is a launch vehicle designed to use balloons to rise above the densest layer of Earth’s atmosphere before firing rocket engines to place satellites weighing up to 75 kilograms into low Earth orbit. FADA’s Advanced Center for Aerospace Technology, known as CATEC, created the combustion chamber

LEADERS: The Zero 2 Infinity scientists

that Zero 2 Infinity intends to use in its Teide 1 engines. The engine is named after an inactive volcano in Spain’s Canary Island archipelago — the region Zero 2 Infinity plans to conduct Bloostar launches

On the up NEW car sales rose by 2.1% in March compared to the same period last year. Some 128,175 vehicles were purchased in the country last month. While there was a 3.3% fall in private individual sales to just over 55,000, company purchases soared by 11.5% to 37,021.

from. “Traditional rockets have had straight cooling channels because that’s all that could be manufactured,” Jose Mariano Lopez-Urdiales, founder and CEO of Zero 2 Infinity, said. “When you put a flashlight in your ear, you see a wonderful tree-like structure of blood vessels. We don’t have straight rows of blood vessels in our ears. 3D printing and AI now allow rockets to evolve, like nature.” Zero 2 Infinity plans to launch Bloostar from Spain’s Canary Islands, located west of Morocco.

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Golfers’ choice

WINNING COURSE: La Manga in southern Spain has a host of awards

La Manga continues to rake in awards as new prestige tournaments are announced

LA MANGA Golf Club has been honoured by Golf Digest for the second year in a row. The southern Spain favourite was again included in a select group of global venues to receive an Editor’s Choice Award for Best International Resorts 2018. The list was compiled after receiving feedback from more than 1,000 golfcourse raters. Max Adler, editorial director for Golf Digest, said: “The ‘Golf Digest Editors’ Choice Awards’ for resorts are based on consultations with our 29 international affiliates and input from our panel of more than 1,200 course raters. Unlike our course rankings, this reward takes a wider view to consider the merits of all aspects of the resort property.” Eduardo Ruiz, La Manga Club’s sports general manager, said: “To receive a

Golf Digest ‘Editor’s Choice Award’ for a second year is a great honour and privilege, and is testament to all the hard work that has been put in by the resort to offer our guests the best possible golfing experience. “It’s been a fantastic start to the year for La Manga Club as we celebrate our 45th anniversary and we’re confident that, by continuing to invest in our sports and leisure facilities, even better times lie ahead in the future.” Three times the size of Monaco and nestling in an exclusive corner of Murcia, La Manga Club has been at the forefront of European golf since opening in 1972, with its facilities including three 18-hole courses, a ninehole academy course and outstanding practice area. The resort has been chosen to stage the prestigious IAGTO Trophy from May 21-24, while the 22nd edi-

tion of the popular Footballers’ Golf Classic will take place at the venue in early June.

SERGIO Garcia has honoured his wife’s baking and Spain’s heritage cuisine in his menu for the Masters Champions Dinner. The main course was a traditional Spanish lobster with rice while dessert, Angela Garcia’s Tres Leches Cake, was a sweet ode to his wife. The legendary meal tradition was started by Ben Hogan in 1952 and sees all past winners of the green jacket join together on the Tuesday before the Masters to honour the previous year’s champion - who creates the menu.

SWEET: Sergio Garcia

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Critics toast 2015 Spanish wine as ‘one of best on planet’

The Olive Press TOP for news in Spain!

A SPANISH producer is making the best wine in its category in the world. American wine guru James Suckling has dubbed the wine, Les Tosses, from Catalunya, ‘perhaps the greatest Carinena in the world’. The former editor of Wine Spectator insists

the Priorat vino - made out of century-old vines - is his favourite in Europe. After tasting nearly 1,200 wines, his company installed the 2015 vintage in the Top 10 best wines in Spain. Created by the Terroir al Limit winery, it ranked ninth out of Spain’s top 100 wines

this year. The winery was launched in 2001 by Dominik Huber and winemaker Eben Sadie. Produced using 120-year-old vines, the wine was first released in 2006. The grape, also known as Carignan, is named after the area where it is believed to have originated Carinena in Aragon. The same winery also saw its Priorat Pedra de Guix 2015 come in at no.19 on the list, while its Garnacha Priorat Les 1 - VEGA SICILIA RIBERA DEL DUERO UNICO 2006 Manyes 2015 securing No. 33. 2 - MUGA RIOJA PRADO ENEA GRAN RESERVA 2010 Iconic wine Vega Sicilia’s Unico 2006 took the top position. The 3 - COMPAÑIA DE VINOS TELMO RODRIGUEZ RIOJA LAS BEATAS 2014 Ribera del Dueno producer 4 - ARTADI ALAVA VIÑA EL PISON 2014 also has its Reserva Especial at 5 - DESCENDIENTES DE J. PALACIOS BIERZO LA FARAONA 2015 number 12 on the list. 6 - CUNE RIOJA REAL DE ASUA 2001 The second best wine in Spain 7 - LA RIOJA ALTA RIOJA GRAN RESERVA 890 2005 was voted as Prado Enea Gran Reserva, produced by Muga in 8 - LÓPEZ DE HEREDIA RIOJA GRAN RESERVA VIÑA TONDONIA 1996 Rioja. 9 - TERROIR AL LIMIT PRIORAT LES TOSSES 2015 Meanwhile three of the top 10 - CONTINO RIOJA GRAN RESERVA 2010 10 wines were made a literal 11 - GRANJA DE NUESTRA SEÑORA DE REMELLURI RIOJA BLANCO 2014 stone’s throw away from each 12 - VEGA SICILIA RIBERA DEL DUERO RESERVA ESPECIAL UNICO other in Haro, Rioja: CUNE’S 13 - DESCENDIENTES DE J. PALACIOS BIERZO MONCERBAL 2015 Real de Asua, 2001, La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 890, 14 - DOMINIO DE ES RIBERA DEL DUERO LA DIVA 2015 2005 and Lopez de Heredia’s 15 - ALVARO PALACIOS PRIORAT L’ERMITA 2015 Vina Tondonia 1996. 16 - DOMINIO DE PINGUS RIBERA DEL DUERO PINGUS 2015 Spain’s most expensive wine 17 - ALVARO PALACIOS PRIORAT DOFI 2015 Pingus found itself dropping 18 - LA RIOJA ALTA RIOJA VIÑA ARDANZA RESERVA ESPECIAL 2001 down to No.16 on the list. 19 - TERROIR AL LIMIT PRIORAT PEDRA DE GUIX 2015 His top 100 can be found at www.jamessuckling.com/ 20 - GRANJA DE NUESTRA SEÑORA DE REMELLURI RIOJA GRAN RESERVA 2011 wine-tasting-reports/top100-spanish-wines-2017/

Suckling’s top 20 Spanish wines

WWW.ELMUELLE-ARRIATE.COM WWW.ELMUELLE-ARRIATE.COM ESTACIÓONDEDEARRIATE ARRIATE||ARRIATE ARRIATE(MA (MA7400, 7400,KM KM4)4) ESTACIÓON 0034637 637784 784416 416||0034 0034952 952166 166370 370 0034 CLOSEDONONMONDAYS MONDAYS CLOSED

Cellar performance RIOJA exports increased by 4% last year, new figures have shown. Over 108 million litres were shipped out, with most growth seen in newer markets such as Russia, which was up by 40% and China, which shot up by 17%. However, the

growth was not just to emerging markets, with the UK also increasing its importation of Rioja by 3.2% on 2016. Sales of white and rose grew by 61% and 42.3% by volume respectively in the UK. Rioja makes up 31% of all Spanish DO-labelled wine exports with its av-

erage bottle price 49% higher than other Spanish DO wines. In the UK, Rioja accounts for nearly half (49%) of all Spanish wine sold by value with a bottle setting you back on average £6.79, in comparison to the overall average wine price of £5.64.

TALES OF A HOTEL DOG

D Open Tuesday to Sunday. until 22.00 Closed 12.00 until mid February

O you want to know where I sleep? My basket is moved each night into the marital bedroom and I pretend to be in a deep sleep there. My gentle snoring should not be mistaken for laziness – I am of course on standby guard duty. Most nights I manage a few Zs – I won’t go into more detail as to why I get disturbed but let’s just say he’s not as young as he used to be and ….. well, you can imagine. Now alongside he-who-must-beobeyed’s pillow is the emergency phone for overnight calamities at the

Bats in the bathroom It’s been an eventful week for Molino del Santo’s resident dog Eddie

hotel. It is connected to the hotel rooms and to the outside lines.

Last week unusually, the phone rang at 03.15 am. I heard a voice telling him that there was a bat in his bathroom and he would like assistance to remove it. He said he was in room number six. I didn’t laugh – it’s not advisable - as he staggered out of bed to go to be of help, torch in hand. I would have gone with him but I was rather cosy by this stage.

To get in touch with Eddie, contact his owners Andy and Pauline at the Hotel Molino del Santo. Bda Estacion s/n

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Hurrah for salmorejo! IT may not be as famous as gazpacho, but Cordoba’s celebrated Salmorejo soup, is getting recognition by the day. It comes after travel bible The Lonely Planet dubbed it one of the world’s top ‘must try’ bowl dishes. Concocted with tomatoes, bread, oil and garlic, the soup is served cold and sometimes topped with serrano ham and diced hard-boiled eggs. Not to be confused with its cousin gazpacho, salmorejo is pinkish-orange in colour and much thicker and creamier in texture, due to the inclusion of bread.

Slick operation

DO YOU LIKE TO April 11th - April 24th 2018

FILL IN THE GAPS? PART ONE: Molino del Santo is a charming, small h_ _ _ _ and r_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ located near the railway station in Benaoján, quite close to R_ _ _ _ . The train times from San Roque make Molino del Santo an ideal destination for l_ _ _ _ or for an overnight s_ _ _ . 65% of people at Molino del Santo have visited b_ _ _ _ _ , some making the journey many times each year. What leads to so many happy visitors? It could be the friendly s_ _ _ _ , the interesting f_ _ _ _ _ _ _ , the pretty g_ _ _ _ _ or the stunning s_ _ _ _ _ _ . Molino is located by a mountain s_ __ _ _ which flows all year round. Molino is a great spot for special c_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ like birthdays and anniversaries although you may like to visit without such an “excuse”. Come and enjoy the experience of 31 y_ _ _ _ under the same management.

AN Andalucian olive oil company has scooped gold for the fifth time in a prestigious annual competition. Organic producer Finca La Torre, in Bobadilla, near Antequera has produced the ‘best extra virgin oil’ for the fifth time in six years. Awarded by the Ministry of Agriculture, the prestigious Food Awards of Spain recognises the incredible quality of the oil, which is sold abroad in 25 countries, including South Korea, Australia and the Middle East. The Swiss-owned company, AMERICAN shellfish could be imported to Spain for the first time in years. The US authorities have confirmed that a two-way trading deal could be back on the menu if harvested from Puget Sound or Massachusetts Bay. It could see clams, mussels, oysters, lobsters and scallops being sold into the US or back into the EU. If allowed, it will be the first time such a deal has been struck since the EU banned US shellfish entering the EU in 2010. In addition, Spain and the Netherlands will also be able to sell raw ‘bivalve’ shellfish. US Food Commissioner Scott Gottlieb confirmed: “In order to help break down this trade barrier and ensure the safety of imported shellfish products in both markets, the US and the EU have been actively working to move the process forward.” It is a big potential market for Spanish exporters with the American seafood industry estimated to be worth more than €73 billion.

which owns 380 hectares of olive trees, has seen its turnover triple over the past three years. Sales have gone from €400,000 in 2014 to €950,000 in 2017, with the company estimating it will turnover €1.2 million in 2018. The success of the oil is put down to local agronomist Víctor Pérez, who uses only the very best oil from the estate’s 33,000 trees, which include Hojiblanca, Arbequina, Cornicabra and Picudo varities. The estate sits on the site of a 2,000 year old Roman olive farm between the two natural parks of Torcal and Fuente de Piedra.

You may spot vultures and e_ _ _ _ _ soaring on the thermals, see amazing wild f_ _ _ _ _ _ all around or just come to r_ _ _ _ and chill out. Because Molino is such a s_ _ _ _ _ _ _ place it is nearly always necessary to make r_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ for restaurant tables and hotel rooms. Call 952 16 71 51 or email info@molino delsanto.com – someone will respond in E_ _ _ _ _ _ (or Spanish if you prefer.)

Fresh from US

By Benaojan Eddie

PART TwO: Help us to fill in our gaps. we only have 18 rooms but we like them to be occupied during our season from March to early November. Many dates are already very busy but we’ll do our best to find a gap that you can fill. Sometimes we have rooms left at the last moment – within a week of arrival – and we will always offer you a discounted rate for last minute bookings.

DO IT NOw!

Twenty minutes later he returned and said to she-w-m-b-o , that there was no sign of life in room six and he had remembered that it was English speakers in that room and that the caller had definitely been Spanish. They exchanged puzzled looks. …. A minute later the phone rang again and I heard an angry voice saying that he was very disappointed that no-one had been to help. He-w-m-b-o said that he had been to the room to check and seen no lights. The

angry one was asked to re-confirm his room number and then said, ‘Es una broma.’ Being bilingual I understood this to mean it had been a joke. I didn’t think it was very funny and the great one didn’t either. He didn’t find it any more amusing when the same person called back at 04:25 am singing the Batman theme song. And you thought hotel dogs had an easy life…..

n, 29370 Benaojan, Malaga. 952 167 151 - 952 167 927. info@molinodelsanto.com

PLAN AND BOOk A vISIT TO MOLINO DEL SANTO SOON ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt

More information of any kind e-mail

info@molinodelsanto.com

www.molinodelsanto.com | info@molinodelsanto.com | 952 16 71 51 ESTACIÓN DE BENAOJÁN, NEAR RONDA, MÁLAGA

36 36

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April 11th - April 24th 2018 Food, DRINK & TRAVEL Food, drink & travel

The grape Wine escape time With Aleesha Hansel

The Spanish are past masters at winemaking and there are strict conventions governing this specialist field. But forget everything you knew. Inventive new tech wineries have had the bottle to turn the rule book on its head with audacious new

tipples that will blow your mind - and it’s nothing to do with the alcohol by volume. Orange wine, blue wine and wine aged underwater are among the fancy new brews revolutionising the world’s grape expectations, as Aleesha Hansel reports

UNDERWATER WINE

There is nothing new about ageing wine. The practice of barrel ageing has been around since the Romans started shipping wine in oak casks rather than heavy clay amphorae - an idea they nicked from the French. But Spaniard Raul Perez, who is known for his love of indigenous grape varieties in north western Spain, took the idea one step further … and deeper. In 2003, he placed a batch of Albarino bottles underwater in a shallow bay off the Galician coast. For 60 days they lay submerged in water and the resulting wine was named ‘Sketch’. According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ‘every 10 metres of depth at which a wine is aged subjects wine bottle seals to one atmosphere of pressure’. ‘Una copa de vino azul’ might be your new go-to phrase this sumThe pressure, in addition to the temmer. perature of the water, current moveGik, the world’s first blue wine, uses a mixture of grape varietals ment and lack of light, all have an affrom La Rioja, Zaragoza and Courthèfect on the final product. zon. The sweet 11.5% wine is meant to be served chilled with suggested food Terroir pairings including pizza, pasta carbonThe process was dubbed ‘aquaoir’ ara and tzatziki. - a play on ‘terroir’ which describes Obtaining its electric colour from anhow a region’s environmental factors thocyanin, a pigment from the skin of change and influence the characterred grapes, and indigotine, a plantistics of a wine. based food dye, the inventors say they Although still a relatively new conwant to ‘revolutionise the world of wine cept, it is widely accepted that underwith a blasphemous drink’. water aging has an acceleration efDeveloped with the help of chemists at fect, and quite a few vineyards have the University of the Basque Country, tried it, including Ronda’s celebrated the alcohol anarchists urge drinkers German producer Federico Schatz. to ‘forget everything you know about But while some wineries, such as wine’. Viña Maris in Alicante, are dedicated But why blue? The idea apparently solely to underwater aging, the risk came about after the team, all in their of spoilage has proved too high for twenties with no prior wine knowledge, some, including pioneer Raúl Pérez. read about the blue ocean strategy. The small percentage of Sketch still An economic theory which identifies red oceans full of sharks aged underwater is done so for purely research purposes, with all the commercially available stock aged on land.

BLUE WINE

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ORANGE WINE FROM SEVILLA Seville oranges are world famous for their marmalade-making abilities, however it might come as a surprise that they are also used in the production of wine. Vino de naranja starts off with a sherry base, which is aged through the classic solera system in American oak barrels for between five and seven years. Orange peel is then added along with

CANNABIS CAVA

Spain’s answer to champagne, this mainly Catalonian produced sparkler can be traced back to the 1850s. And with annual production nearing 250 million bottles our thirst for this fizz doesn’t seem to be in danger of being quelled any time soon.

grape must and mixture is macerated for up 18 months, giving the drink its distinctive bitter-sweet taste. Drink as an aperitif, compliment to blue cheese and chocolate or even on the rocks in a whisky glass after dinner.

Now open - book ahead! Come and enjoy our wonderful beaches around historic Cape Trafalgar.

Recipe

Advances in technology have understandably led to a rise in automation, but little has changed to the basic recipe. Step in Enrico Bouchard, inventor of high end bong ‘The Sublimator’ who teamed up with cava producers Vina Fragrance to come up with Les Quatre Vins. Translated as The Four Wines, the name is a play on - quatre vingt - meaning four twenty, a self proclaimed celebration day for all things cannabis. Winning ‘Best New Product’ at Barcelona’s Spannabis awards last month this wine, which technically can’t call itself a cava due to strict EU rules on the term, is infused with terpenes, extracts of essential oils and plant resins. While it is said to provide drinkers with a full and realistic aromatic experience, it doesn’t contain any of the active ingredients which makes users feel high.

Avda. Trafalgar 102, Los Caños de Meca, Costa de la Luz tel: 956 437 255 CalifaVejer.com

Columnists

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Fools in high places The people MIJAS running Mijas MATTERS are well By Bill Anderson connected but not plugged in, writes Bill Anderson

LEARNED about the Peter Principle a number of years ago and it has helped me to better understand the world I live in. This Principle explains why we see people in high positions who seem to be totally inadequate for the demands of their job, i.e. they are useless. It doesn’t make them bad people, but they have been promoted to a level beyond their abilities, and then left there. This rings a bell with the current government of Mijas. And yes, I refer to Ciudadanos, PSOE, and Curro 42K. They may be well connected but they are not plugged in! I want to be positive today, so I won’t talk about the more than 30 months of paying their bills late which cost us a €190,000 fine from the Social Security and also resulted in power cuts to several municipally managed buildings including the Tourist Information centre in Mijas Pueblo. This also affected the telephone junction box resulting in, well, chaos.

Out of order

I will be careful not to mention that the lift in the Town Hall has been out of order for two months creating major problems for the elderly and disabled, with one disabled gentleman being unceremoniously carried down the stairs by well meaning and helpful council workers. Then there would be the Panoramic Lift in the village; the most expensive piece of garden furniture ever. Sometimes it even works. Nor will I mention the illegal budget they approved recently. They were told that their spending ceiling is €66 million and approved a budget for €10 million more. I wouldn’t worry about that though as they have never managed to spend more than 70% of their budget. More serious, however, is that even with €70 million euros unspent, they still refused a motion to help the poorest pensioners and families struggling to make ends meet, by subsidising their water bills. But I won’t mention that. Now they are worried about their image among the voters, so of course they decided to get their sleeves rolled up and do their job. Well, no! They decided it would be better to use taxpayers money to employ a €50,000 a year image consultant to make them look better. If you hear that this appointment is a friend/acquaintance of the leader of the Mijas Socialists, you didn’t hear it from me. In psychological terms this is known as the ‘sweep it under the carpet approach’. But on this matter, my lips are sealed. Now it is time to speak out. This kind of chaos never happens under Angel Nozal’s Governance. These issues affect everyone, but the International Community can most certainly do things to change it: Get onto the Padrón, you can’t do anything until you are registered. Make sure you are on the Voter’s Roll. Be here on the 9th June 2019 and make a change. I couldn’t possibly tell you how to vote, but my tick is in the Nozal box. For more information contact: mijasmatters@gmail.com

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April 11th - April 24th 2018 April 11th - April 24th 2018

One night with Pablo

N my so far rather colourful journalistic career, I've had the opportunity to interview the good – Rik Mayall was as brilliantly funny as you would expect – and the bad – a certain TV talent judge wouldn't come down from his hotel suite on a Sunday morning, after I'd travelled two hours by train to meet him.

Giles Brown rubs shoulders with the descendants of Malaga’s maestro

planned interview with bad boys Danny Dyer and Tamer Hussain went on into the early hours. I didn't come away with a story but we ended the evening as firm friends...I'm just thankful we didn't get tattoos. But after you have done the cava and cocktail circuit in Marbella for a couple of years and have rubbed shoulders with It-girls, wannabes, Premiership footballers and most of the cast of TOWIE, you can get a little jaded with it all. I even get a little blasé about the invitations to the openings of new bars and restaurants, preferring to spend my evenings up on my lake away from the madding and maddening crowds. But when an invitation to a world premiere screening featuring a genuine Hollywood A-Lister drops through my virtual letterbox, then it's time to fling on T’S 20 years this month since I landed coffee from a very contrary machine, and the glad rags. my first job on the Costa del Sol as a pre- hang around in the corridor sipping tepid senter on … well, let’s just call it Shoe- sludge from polystyrene cups until it was string TV to avoid a libel writ. time to go on. My grandiose title was Head of English Pro- I always had an animal guest star. At least Genius:Picasso is a ten part series by grammes – although, having no staff, I was dumb animals don’t complain about the National Geographic TV about Pablo merely head of myself. facilities. There was the aquarium filled Picasso, Malaga's favourite historical It was my task to produce a daily news bul- with piranha fish, the python I wore coiled son and starring Antonio Banderas, letin in English, and a weekly chat show; tall around my neck, the baby crocodile sat on Malaga's contemporary historical son. order, given the lack of tools, although only my lap ... The crocodile had its jaws wired The company decided to premiere the bad workmen are supposed to blame them. up but it should also have worn a nappy… series in Malaga in the week leading up I called the show Not the BBC with Belinda However the highlight of my short-lived cato Semana Santa, when Antonio makes Beckett & Co. How apt reer under the spotlights his annual pilgrimage to the city. that turned out to be! was also my last day in the Purely by chance I had arranged to inThere was no autocue profession. terview the extremely urbane Olivier and precious-little film I should explain here that Picasso, the great man's grandson, and footage so I had to talk the ‘studio’ was a muhe invited me to the event at the Teatro to camera non-stop. This seum of ball gowns. Yes, Cervantes and the after party. meant translating into we broadcast between Banderas may love Malaga, but Malaga English and memorising the crinolines and the flaloves Banderas more. a dozen news stories a menco dresses to a ‘studio When I turned up to the screening a day. audience’ of tailors’ dumgood hour and a half early, the hardI bet even the competent mies. And one day, the obened fans and even more hardened Kay Burley of Sky News vious happened. paparazzi were already in place in front would have found that a The risky proximity of of the photo wall, waiting for the man tough call. scorching spotlights to himself. As the only place quiet polyester dresses cataInside the theatre was no different, with enough to learn my lines lysed into a wildfire. hundreds of invited guests doing their was the loo, I spent quite In the midst of melting part in the Antonio love in. In the midst a few hours locked inside mannequins and acrid The only slightly off note was when the getting my head round black smoke, my guests CEO of National Geographic TV decided of melting names like ‘Councillor Maand I rose to flee the buildto rung through an exhaustive list of his rie Concepción Palacio de mannequins and ing and were promptly films. 'We know who he bleeding well is, Pil Pil Gutierrez y Bobadilordered to sit down again let him on stage' you could hear the colla’, then trying to remem- acrid black smoke because Shoestring TV had lective murmuring. ber why I was even talking no budget for a retake! But when he finally took to the stage, we rose to flee about her. Needless to say, we flouted Antonio had us all captivated. He spoke When I was more-or-less these orders and splutof his love of Malaga, his love of Picasso word perfect we might start tered out to the safety and the fact that when filming here he the recording; or not. The only functioning of the street where we watched our floor had been breathing the same air and camera was often out on location during self-combust. In my own case, I was permafeeling the same sun that the great artdaylight hours so the ‘rehearsal toilet’ be- nently out on the street, minus my only winist was. He finished by telling us that Picame my second home. Thank heavens it ter coat and final pay cheque – my broadcasso's daughter told him that once she wasn’t live TV, although you had to beg the casting career also up in smoke. caught Pablo waking from a siesta and producer on all fours to do a retake. Today, writing this in my office at home, smiling “I've been in Malaga' he told her. The chat shows were worse. No make-up, with access to decent coffee and minus You could hear the audience melting no wardrobe, no Green Room. Guests, a mad menagerie of pythons, piranhas after that remark. Banderas isn't an Awhen you could sucker them into coming and incontinent crocodiles, all I can say is lister for nothing.... on the show, were forced to buy their own ‘thank you, God!’

A kiss and telly story with lights, camera (when available) and plenty of animal action

Needless to say I didn't come back later that afternoon as his frazzled press agent implored me, and the ugly – let's just say my

Not the BBC

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Ronaldo shocks +TheolivepressEs football world with ‘insane’ bicycle kick goal BE ‘APPY! CRISTIANO Ronaldo scored what has been described as one of the greatest goals in recent memory. The Real Madrid striker’s simply unbelievable goal came during the ChampiDownload our appmatch now and against ons League quarterfinal Juventus. begin enjoying the best Spanish His bicycle kick 64th minute was newsin on the the go. textbook form from the Portuguese striker, who skied to connect with Carvajal’s high cross and made perfect con-

The Olive Press TOP for news in Spain!

TEAM SPAIN: Nadal and Ferrer

Rafa to the rescue

RAFAEL Nadal and David Ferrer have secured Spain’s place in the Davis Cup semifinal. Germany led 2-1 after Saturday’s doubles but world number one Nadal evened out the tie with a 6-1 6-4 6-4 victory over Alexander Zverev. Ferrer beat Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-6 (7-1) 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 7-5 in the deciding rubber in Valencia. France will host Spain in the final four after beating Italy.

Flipping hell MALAGA will play host to the BMX World Tour Finals this September. Organised by Vans, an American skateboarding apparel manufacturer, Rubén Alcántara skatepark has been selected as this year's venue. The World finals, which will take place on the 22nd and 23rd will directly follow the European Tour finals on the 21st. The comes after the huge success of choosing Malaga last year for the World Tour qualifying venue, with the design and quality of the bowl the driving force behind the decision. Sporting director of Vans BMXPro Cup, Jerry Badders said: “Rubén Alcántara park is made for BMX. Last year, the atmosphere and the professionalism was incredible in Malaga and we’re sure it will be the same this time around.” American Chase Hawk won 2017 with Canadian Corey Walsh and Spaniard Sergio Layos coming in second and third.

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Kicking off tact to direct the ball inside the right post. Even Juventus supporters had to stand up and applaud in their own stadium in Turin.

Applause

In several videos shared on social media you can hear the supporters in Turin immediately break out in polite applause after the goal.

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane, who was the author of a few belters in his day, was left in a state of bewilderment. Marcelo scored nine minutes later, shortly after Juve’s Paulo Dybala was sent off, to give Real Madrid a commanding 3–0 lead in the away leg. Ronaldo also opened the scoring with a nice one-touch finish from Isco in the first half.

ICONIC: Ronaldo’s bicycle kick

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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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Lap of luxury IT’S truly a dog’s life for Madrid’s four-legged crime fighters whose valour in the line of duty has been rewarded with heated beds, chill zones and music therapy sessions in their classy new kennels. The 22 dogs have had a threemonth makeover of their home in a bid to improve their health and wellbeing. In what has been dubbed ‘The

Madrid’s PC pooches get airconditioned kennels and Mozart therapy Mozart Effect’, the pooches are piped classical music several times a day to reduce stress levels. The new canine pads boast a grassy play area with toys, a

patio where they can relax in the summer months, air conditioning, a veterinary clinic and a bathing and personal care centre. Madrid’s canine unit has been operating since 1983 and is

Out and about

It’s officially flamingo season, send your pink bird pics to newsdesk@theolivepress.es

DOG’S LIFE: Mozart and AC for police pooches proud of the fact a number of the dogs have double specialities, something which they say is ‘very difficult to get’ All of the dogs are trained in at least one area of detection, such as explosives, narcotics and counterfeit money, while others are taken out to rescue missions. Officials say that, due to the nature of these tasks, the dogs are regularly subjected

to high levels of stress. Trials carried out by the municipal police showed that exposure to music was effective in reducing these levels. Unit boss Rafael de la Gándara claims claims the changes are enhancing performance. The sergeant explained the dogs anxiety was eased when listening to reggae, jazz and soft rock but hackles rise to the sound of heavy metal.

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Drummed to death MAN-made rubbish - including a drum - has caused the death of a whale found off a Spanish coast. The young sperm whale, discovered near Cabo de Palos in Murcia, died from its inability to digest the rubbish causing Peritonitis, an inflammation of its internal organs. An autopsy, conducted by the El Valle Wildlife Rescue Centre, found 29kgs of waste including plastic bags, ropes, fishing nets and even a drum. Murcia’s Environment Minister Consuelo Rosauro said: “The presence of plastics in seas and oceans is one of the biggest threats to the conservation of wildlife in the world.” Every year some 19 billion pounds of plastic waste ends up in the world’s oceans.

A WOMAN who left her vehicle in a car park for nine years ran up €28,000 in unpaid fees. Inmaculada M. parked the blue Volvo in the underground carpark of Bisbe Berenguer Palou Square in Palma on March 24, 2009. Following a lengthy judicial process dragged out for six years, the car was awarded to the parking company. Instead of being sold, the vehicle has been taken to a scrap yard, as its value did not match monies owed. This is not the first time such an incident has occured at this car park. In a previous case, a man died after parking to attend a nearby hospital.

Unstable man caged A MAN in Spain has been caged after being caught on tape having sex with horses. The twisted suspect was caught in the act after the stable owners in Mallorca noticed injuries and marks on a mare and a foal. They set up security cameras after the vets noticed marks on the animals’ genitals that were consistent with being mistreated sexually. Police arrested the man after being made aware of the footage. He has been released on bail and will be summoned to testify at Inca’s No.2 inves-

tigative court. The owners finally decided to place security cameras in the barn after realising their horses had been abused several times. The injuries suffered by the two animals were not only due to the sexual acts that the man had with them, but also due to the ‘introduction of objects’. Police identified the man – a 50-year-old Alcudia local – after a month-long investigation. He has a family and stable employment, and no history of animal abuse.