Olive Press Newspaper - Issue 192 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

SMASH

FACT: Spain causing border queues

IT’S official. The infamous Gibraltar border queues are being deliberately created by Spain, according to new statistical proof. The recently launched Frontier Monitoring Programme records the number of cars that cross from the Rock to La Linea in one minute. The flow rate should technically remain constant, irrespective of the number of cars waiting to cross. However, data collected on a single day this week shows a massive drop from 7.8 cars entering Spain per minute at 2pm, to 1.5 per minute at 6pm. Just one hour later at 3pm, the flow rate had slowed down to 2.9 cars per minute, which is when the queues started to build up. By 6pm it was 1.5 cars coinciding with people leaving work-places to return home.

Dramatic But by 7pm, the rate increased dramatically back to 12.7 per minute. Acting Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia commented: “The drop in cars crossing the border from 12.7 cars per minute to 1.5 is undeniable proof of the way in which delays are being generated. “The flow rate is clearly deliberately reduced by the authorities, waiting times of three hours are intolerable in an internal border of the European Union. “The brunt of this hardship is borne by EU nationals, thousands of whom live in Spain but work in Gibraltar. Needless to say, residents of Gibraltar and tourists are also being afContinues on Page 16

the spiking

The Olive Press launches a campaign against drink-spiking, see page 2

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July 24 - Aug 6 2014

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SNUFFLED!

Expat truffle farmer with links to Dragons Den is in hot water over claims of unpaid debts from Ronda to Valencia

HE claimed to have invented a ground-breaking truffle inoculation method that would ‘guarantee’ plantation owners a good yield of the expensive delicacy. And during a memorable visit to the Dragons Den BBC TV show in 2006, Dr Paul Thomas even snared €100,000 of investment from Yo! Sushi founder Simon Woodroffe. While it was later put on hold, he went on to sell his exciting invention via his company Mychorizal Systems across the world. Enter Wendy Smart, a horsebreeding life coach with direct

TRUFFLE TROUBLE: Smart at a ‘healthy plantation’ and (right) her Valencia farm EXCLUSIVE By Tom Powell marketing skills, among many other talents. The expat had arrived in Spain 15 years ago with high hopes of starting a truffle plantation to offer to investors. After creating a slick website and an enticing business plan, she enlisted dozens of optimistic investors in the Ronda area with promises of high returns,

under the name Europe Truffles. But nothing came to fruition. No estate was bought, nor a single tree planted. So when she suddenly left Ronda for Valencia four years ago, claiming ‘better truffle growing conditions’, she left behind a trail of concerned expats, not to mention workers up-in-arms over alleged unpaid debts. Here she enlisted Dr Thomas and his methods. But now those anxious inves-

Get the party started

The festival season starts on the crest of a wave with The Beach Boys in Marbella (tonight) while Paul Weller (left) wowed the Benicassim crowds and Steel Pulse rocked the Rock. See page 9.

tors have teamed up with a series of new shareholders in Valencia who also claim that their investment is anything but safe. Concerned about the state of her plantation, in Tirig, and the future of its oak trees, they cast doubts that they will ever see a return on their money. And worse, despite receiving up to €1 million in investment, Smart – the majority shareholder - is refusing to pay some ex-employees. Dr Thomas, also a substantial shareholder, admitted last night that he had been contacted frequently by worried investors. But the Sheffield-based scientist told the Olive Press: “I hear a lot of allegations, but I am always cautious. “We are still waiting for test results before making judgments, and I have also not yet visited the plantation.” When pressed on when exactly this would be, he added: “I haven’t got any plans to visit soon, but Wendy has asked me to come this year.”

Expat Roger Wallis, who originally worked with Smart over a decade ago in Ronda, claims that if he did actually visit, the scientist would no doubt be ‘horrified’. “The plantation does not look healthy and apparently a third of the crop is dying,” he claimed. The leader of a recently launched action group, Wallis invested almost €20,000 in 230 trees in an effort to help Smart, his then friend, in 2013. He also persuaded friends to invest, before discovering to his ‘horror’ that she had already received ‘nearly a million pounds in investment’, much of it sent to an offshore company in the Seychelles.

Untouchable “She owns over 65% of the shares in the company so therefore she is almost untouchable,” he told the Olive Press. “I have tried to shake up the shareholders simply to protect the trees because people stand to lose a lot of money.” For one person it is already See Page 2

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CRIME NEWS

Snout in the trough From front page

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Smash the spiking

WIN WIN WIN... Tickets to see the UK’s hottest reggae band Steel Pulse on page 22

too late. Former management consultant, Trevor Suter, who is still owed €70,687 (£56,000) for his work in promoting and overseeing the Europe Truffles project. Now living in Cambodia, Suter worked for Smart for eight months between July 2008 and March 2009. He insists he should have charged even more, but was placated with the false promise of becoming a shareholder. In the end, the only money he received was for flights and some other minor expenses. “I was appalled by how she was acting and I suggested they replace her with a new management team, but nobody listened and I ended up quitting,” he said. “It’s caused me so much stress over the past five years.” Meanwhile a sacked worker, Jose Alfonso Roda, told the Olive Press he too has never been paid for his services on the plantation. The Spanish labourer, who was in charge of irrigation, is still owed around €10,000 for four months work. Another disgruntled worker Harriet Risueno-Charlton, now living in London, stopped working for Smart as a translator when her wages dried up. She told the Olive Press she spent much of her time appeasing land-owners, workers and a multitude of people who were also owed monies.

“She was always desperate for money which seemed bizarre for someone with apparently such a big business,” she said. “More and more debts kept unfolding as I was doing her translation, until after a while she stopped returning my emails and calls, and wouldn’t pay me.” The shareholders, including a previous business partner, expat Karen Williamson and Ian Hunt, a retired businessman, are also discussing how to solve fears over Smart. Smart however denied the debts to Suter and Charlton, and claimed that she wouldn’t pay Roda as he couldn’t prove he had done his job properly. She insisted that the plantation will begin producing truffles within a year, with investors then beginning to recoup their investments. She also denied allegations of neglect; however she didn’t deny that at least some of the money had gone to the Seychelles. Smart admitted: “People who have been disengaged have their axes to grind as normal. “It’s not easy for an English woman who doesn’t speak Spanish, but I work 24/7, did all my homework and will defend my business. “If I wanted to scam people and take lots of money, I wouldn’t do it by working myself into the ground on my plantation!”

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Full Moon festival comes under fire

AN ‘irresponsible’ beach party is set to see the release of hundreds of ‘illegal’ Chinese lanterns, despite a clear fire risk, claim campaigners. The Sabinillas Full Moon party will see the launch of the candle-lit lanterns at midnight, watched by an estimated 5,000 revellers. However opponents have criticised Ma-

nilva Town Hall for not banning the release, with the coast on high fire alert after an extremely dry Spring. It comes after the coast saw three infernos last week - with Competa, Casares and Torremolinos all experiencing serious fires. At the weekend, more than 1,200 guests also had to be evacuated from el Club La

Costa, in Mijas. The Costa del Sol firewatch group has slammed the event, while local bookshop Sabinillas bookshop has withdrawn the lanterns from sale. Manilva Town Hall however insisted the free event will go ahead on July 12 as planned.

SPIKED!

continues on Page 3

th IN e Oli VE ve ST Pre IG ATEss S

Shocking failure to police drink-spiking in Spain needs to be addressed

Exclusive Olive Press investigation sparks probe into nightlife safety in Marbella... and changes across Spain By Imogen Calderwood MARBELLA Town Hall has launched a ground-breaking crackdown on drink-spiking. Steps are now being taken to tackle the crime, after an Olive Press investigation exposed the serious failings in how attacks are policed. The town hall’s foreigners department (SATE) has confirmed it is set to organise monthly meetings with local media and police to bring the problem out into the open. It comes after we exposed, in our last issue, the deafening silence that has surrounded the crime of drink-spiking, with authorities around Andalucia all but denying it is a problem. We discovered that police have no official records for

POLICE in Spain have apparently no official records for the crime of drink-spiking. Hospitals and town halls have also failed to give any indication of the severity of the problem, despite a terrifying 60% increase in sexual attacks in Spanish resorts last year. The shocking revelation comes as assaults from spiking begin to soar, with the

By Imogen Calderwood, Carey Camel and Jared Garland summer season now well underway. “It is clearly becoming a bigger issue and particularly in the summer,” said a source at Marbella Town Hall. “The problem is we just don’t have the statistics to back it up.”

Eye to eye

It is this failure to keep official records of attacks that is making it hard to tackle the issue as millions of young holidaymakers descend on the costas this month. In an exclusive investigation, the Olive Press has uncovered evidence of numerous attacks at a variety of Spanish resorts including Puerto Banus, Fuengirola and Magaluf. At one nightclub, bosses sacked an employee for spiking a client’s drink, without even calling police, while at another, a teenage expat revealed how a man had brazenly ‘added a powder’ to her drink. Magaluf, in Mallorca, hit international headlines this

Style queen’s fashion boost

Queen Letizia gives Spanish businesses a helping hand See Page 49

Stars come out to play

We meet Starlite founder Sandra Garcia Sanjuan See Page 20

Cat-calling

OUCH?: Let the annual carnage begin in Pamplona, with the police on watch for sex assaults. See Page 8

week after a video of a British teenager performing oral sex on 24 men on a dance-floor went viral. The two minute clip shows the young blonde led on by a cheering, cat-calling crowd. The 18-year-old from Northern Ireland has since claimed her drinks were spiked and she was later raped. The incident has led many concerned tourists - and expats - to question the ability of the authorities in Spain to take drink-spiking seriously.

Police stations in Marbella, Malaga, Mijas, Fuengirola and Mallorca were shockingly unable to provide any statistics about drink-spiking. Malaga National Police came back insisting our request was ‘unauthorised’ – with no explanation why - before directing questions to its headquarters in Madrid.

HARSH REALITY: A night out can end in real danger

Mudbaked and reborn

Olive Press enjoy an annual jaunt to the Costa de la Luz See Page 25

THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY - PAGE 6

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IMPACT: Our July 10 issue

the spiking the crime, while hospitals and town halls along the Costa del Sol – and in notorious party hotspot Magaluf – again had no idea of the severity of the problem. We spoke to victims in Puerto Banus and investigated the security issues surrounding spiking. Previously, Spain’s official police website failed to make

CAMPAIGN LAUNCH: ‘Smash the Spiking’

SMASH the spiking

THE Olive Press is launching a campaign to bring drink-spiking into the public eye. Working alongside public bodies, including Marbella Town Hall, we aim to bring the issue further into the open. The campaign was launched after we joined forces with Marbella’s new official radio station Mi Marbella, and the town hall’s foreigners department (SATE). Moving forward, we hope that other town halls and police forces – in Mijas and Estepona, for example – will follow our lead and start to compile statistics, to bring the crime on the public’s radar. Ultimately, the Olive Press wants to be at the sharp end of a bid to unite the Costa del Sol to crack down on this despicable crime. We have three aims: more statistics, better policing and clearer advice. We hope you will join us in our call to action. The coast depends on it.

Rat catcher

COLOMBIA’S most wanted cocaine trafficker has been arrested in Alicante this weekend and is being held responsible for 400 murders. Hernan Alonso Villa – nicknamed ‘the Rat’ for his petite figure – faces extradition to Colombia after Spanish police caught him driving with over €40,000 in cash. Alonso Villa, 40, is the leader of one of the biggest drug cartels in the world, known as ‘La Oficina de Envigado’ in Medellin, a cartel which has over 200 gang members.

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a single reference to how to stay safe on a night out – but police in Madrid are now set to remedy this. According to a spokesman for Marbella Town Hall, the National Police headquarters is investigating the issue more fully, at last. “They have asked us to supply more information and give them the sort of safety advice which we would like to see on its site,” said Nicole King, boss of new official town hall radio station Mi Marbella. She is now working with the Olive Press to help improve safety for holidaymakers and this week met with Oti Fernandez – in charge of international residents at Marbella Town Hall - to discuss the problem. “The meeting was extremely positive,” said King. “The town hall is very concerned about the extent of the problem, but also extremely grateful for the feedback. “They really do see now that this is a problem that needs to be solved, which is the first step in making the changes.” Spain’s nightlife became the subject of international media this month, after an 18-yearold British tourist was caught on video performing oral sex on 24 men in the middle of a Magaluf dance floor. The girl herself reported that her drink had been spiked.

Murdered by mistake THREE people have been arrested in Almeria following the murder of a 24-year-old Moroccan man, apparently shot dead by mistake in a botched revenge attack. The suspected killer and two accomplices are being held after the man’s body was found in a house in La Mojonera. The victim was mistaken for the intended target, who was not home at the time.

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NEWS

the olive press - July 24 - Aug 6 2014

Cilla Black is set for early trip to the Costa del Sol after a fire damaged her Estepona property

THOSE TWINS: Pataky looking hot just three months after birth

Cilla’s villa blackened in fire

BRITISH TV host Cilla Black’s Costa del Sol villa has been damaged by fire. The 71-year-old was in the UK when her Estepona home was engulfed in flames earlier

Playboy mummy Where there’s a Will…

CHRIS Hemsworth is in a thunderous mood about his Spanish wife’s plans to pose for Playboy. The 30-year-old Thor actor’s wife Elsa Pataky, 38, believes that the photoshoot will be a great career move. She is eager to show off how quickly she got her figure back after giving birth only three months ago to twins. Aussie star Hemsworth though, is not so sure and has told her he believes it is inappropriate for a mother of such young children to pose naked.

THERE’S a way to see Will Smith’s chiseled chest. Head down to Ibiza! The 45-year-old A-lister was spotted on a boat tour off of Spain’s party island. But that’s not all the father of two was up to during his holiday. Mr Jada Pinkett was also seen strutting his stuff at Cabaret Lio Ibiza nightclub until the early hours, sans wife and sans inhibitions. Hopefully, the star’s wife isn’t missing him too much while she’s at home tucking Willow and Jaden into bed!

could’ve been in the house when it happened. It frightthis month. ens me.” “All the hedges have gone at The Blind Date star usually the front of the house,” she flies to her luxury holiday revealed. home every August, but is arriving earlier this year in July in order to oversee repair work. Cilla has admitted she is nervous about staying in the villa on her own, since her husband Bobby died in 1999. “I’ve got to go to Spain, it’s got to be done, to get over being frightened, the longer I leave it, the worse it’s going to be,” she said. “What frightens me most is being on my own – I don’t stay there on my own. “I usually don’t go there until August but I’m going early this time,” added Cilla – who also owns homes in London, BuckinghamFRESH PRINCE: Will Smith showing off his hot bod in Ibiza shire and Barbados.

By Tom Powell

Not only a housewife

GRATUITOUS: Eva

HOLLYWOOD glamour has finally returned to the Costa del Sol. Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria was seen mixing business with pleasure, kicking back on the beach and taking a leading role in a charity gala. The 39-year-old was named the Honorary Chair for the Global Gift Gala, hosted by Marbella’s Don Pepe Hotel. Longoria’s NGO – the Eva Longoria Foundation, which supports women and children in the US Latino community – is one of the main beneficiaries of the Gala, whose tickets have a €500 price tag. According to founder Maria Bravo, the Global Gift foundation plans to distribute its share of the funds among five organisations in Marbella.

Royal beach bodies

PROVING that Ibiza is not just a celebrity island, UK Royals Prince Edward and wife Sophie Wessex dropped in for a week’s R&R. The soon-to-be-50 Sophie looked great as she kicked back with her family in a bright red swimsuit, reminiscent of TV show Baywatch. Both she and husband Edward, the Queen’s youngest son, appear to have spent a lot of time in the gym, flaunting trimmed bodies. And, while staying on the nearby Espalmador island, between Ibiza and Formentera he was seen taking regular five-mile runs with the Countess.

Marbs marriage on tour

ROCKING THE MED: The mommy Countess looking trim on the beach

THEY are practically the king and queen of the Costa del Sol, at least as expats go. So it was great to see La Sala group chairman Ian Radford tie the knot with former Big Brother contestant and long-term partner Claire Strutton. The fairytale ceremony, in Buckinghamshire, England, lasted four days and included trips to Royal Ascot race course and Buckinghamshire golf club. The 200 guests, believed to have included footballers David Bentley, Stephen Carr and Shay Given, were entertained by soul singer Alexander O’Neal.

“A Good Samaritan – a neighbour opposite – saw the flames at three o’clock in the morning. “I have management over there and a gardener, but I

STROLLING: Letizia looks great at cinema

Royal screening SPAIN’S new King and Queen have shown they still has a common touch by heading for a night at the flicks. King Felipe, 46, dressed down in jeans as he took wife Letizia, 41, to a night out at a Madrid cinema with friends. Queen Letizia opted for breezy gladiator-style sandals, a pair of loose trousers, and a simple T-shirt for her casual getup. It was a night of letting their hair down after a series of official trips to Morocco, Portugal, and the Vatican. It is not known if they watched a Spanish movie or perhaps a blockbuster like The King’s Speech.

One night in Marbella

MOST famous for her acting career in sex tape ‘One Night in Paris’, now Paris Hilton is spending a night in Marbella. The American heiress is set to play a DJ set at nightclub Olivia Valere on August 18. A distinctly brief encounter, the diva will be touching down with her Spanish model boyfriend River Viiperi (pictured with her, left) for the show before departing in their private jet to Ibiza and Barcelona. The American hotel heiress is most famous for appearances in reality show The Simple Life, as well as the 2004 sex tape.

NEWS

the olive press - july 24 - Aug 6 2014

News IN BRIEF Summer links NERJA and Malaga are now linked for the summer, until August 31, by a two-a-day bus service from transport company ALSA. The route also includes Torrox-Costa and Torre del Mar.

Top park SPAIN’S Port Aventura amusement park in Salou has made the top 10 best parks in Europe list, according to a recent holidaymakers poll.

Big money ANDALUCIA has received the second largest grant - of €8.4 billion - from the Providers’ Fund, a government initiative to help local businesses, coming in just behind Valencia at €8.8 billion.

Corruption rife A SHOCKING 95% of Spaniards see Spain as a country with high rates of corruption, according to the Corruption Report 2014.

Grave suspicions

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Pamplona festival leaves dozens injured, including Australian with thigh ripped open

Risks of running

EMERGENCY: An Australian man suffers a horrific injury from enraged bull

By Carey Camel AN Australian tourist had his thigh ripped open during the last bull run of the 2014 San Fermin festival in Pamplona. The bull – called Olivito from Spain’s infamous Miura breeder – got separated from the pack and gored the 26-year-old, who also suffered severe injuries to his chest. He needed emergency surgery and is still in hospital after the bull’s horn tore straight through him. His condition was described as ‘grave’. And Olivito didn’t stop

there. The 590kg beast chased down two other men – another Australian and a Spaniard – before returning to the pack. In total, eight people were gored this year, with 35 injuries overall, including English tourist Tom Hadfield. One of the key injuries was to American ‘Buffalo’ Bill Hillman, ironically the author of a guide on how to run with the bulls. His book Fiesta: How to Survive the Bulls of Pamplona was co-authored by John Hemingway, grand-

son of Pamplona legend and Nobel Prize-winner Ernest Hemingway.

See Following Hemingway An American Legacy on pages 20/21

‘WINNING’ in Pamplona AMERICAN television star Charlie Sheen was spotted dodging the bulls during the last weekend of Pamplona’s San Fermin festival. Okay, he probably didn’t run with the bulls, but he did take his porn star fiancée Brett Rossi, 25, on one of the worst dates imaginable – a bullfight. The 48-year-old Two and a Half Men star checked in to the La Perla hotel, where he stayed for the festivities, sparking a massive social media response. Luckily the star didn’t get gored by a runaway bull and spill any of his ‘tiger blood.’

FIVE graves will be exhumed in the San Lorenzo Cemetery in Ronda, which the Junta believes contain Civil War victims. A total of 1,600 Republicans and 80 Francoists may lie in the grave site.

HAMMERED: Sheen stumbles through Pamplona

NEWS

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Separate Like moths to a but equal flame A NEW campaign has been launched to oppose the Catalan independence movement. Backed by big name supporters, including Nobelprize winner Mario Vargas Llosa and theatre director Albert Boadella, the group is insisting that the whole of Spain should be involved in the issue. The main concern of the group Liberales e Iguales is keeping the whole country involved, rather than the current status quo of independence concerns discussed exclusively within Catalunya. They see the loss of one of the largest and most profitable regions (Catalunya makes up 20% of Spain’s current territory) as a pressing concern for the nation. The group’s manifesto received over 500 signatures just hours after its launch.

THE recovery of Spain’s already fragile economy could be teetering on the brink as the EU decides whether to impose sanctions against Russia. A crackdown on Russian investment and assets in Europe would badly hit Spain, which has seen a large influx of Russian capital over the last few years. It comes after the UK government openly accused Russia of arming and supporting the Ukrainian rebels who shot

Spanish recovery put in danger after Europe is divided over what action to take following passenger jet shot down by Russian separatists down a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet last week, killing 295 people. Britain is now pushing for

Reus’ coalition government – PP and Catalan nationalist – wanted to add a €750 fine for those caught with a full face veil, but the mayor decided it would be too difficult to enforce. However, police officers will be able to stop and demand identification from anyone found breaking the new law. The town hall claims the law was necessary for ‘security’ and ‘coexistence’.

THE first ever Moorish Moon Festival in Mijas lit up the streets as thousands descended on the pueblo. Dozens of craft and food stalls filled the town between July 18 and 21, for the market with a difference - all illuminated with 5,000 candles. Councillor for Culture Santiago Martin said: “We’re very pleased with the event. Never in my life do I remember so many people in the pueblo. All the bars and shops were packed.” He added that an estimated 20,000 people visited the pueblo over the three days.

Economy v justice

Spain’s first burqa ban comes into force A TOWN in Catalunya has become the first in Spain to ban burqas in public. Reus city council voted through the policy despite Spain’s Supreme Court announcing municipal authorities did not have the power to do so in 2013. Full face veils, often worn by Muslim women, were controversially banned from public areas in France in 2010, and the European Union backed the country’s right to do so.

the olive press - July 24 - Aug 6 2014

EU sanctions to freeze the assets of Putin’s wealthy group of ‘cronies’ - many of whom have financial connections with the Costa del Sol - unless Putin cooperates with a Flight MH17 probe. But Spain is joined by Italy, Finland and France in its reluctance to impose strong sanctions – in part because of strong economic ties with the country. Dutch foreign minister, Frans Timmermans, however sided with the UK insisting that Europe would need to accept the economic consequences of

imposing tougher sanctions on Russia, after last week’s tragedy. “This is no longer a question of the economy and trade,” he said. “This is a question of security, and it’s a question of justice for those who lost their lives.” There has been no confirmation as to exactly which ‘cronies’ would be targeted in a clampdown. But there have been rumours that it could include Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, who has close links to the Putin regime, and is a regular visitor to the Cos-

ta del Sol. The Olive Press revealed in May that six Russian oligarchs – possibly including Putin himself - are building a €19 million mansion inside the walls of one of the world’s most exclusive residential estate – Marbella’s own Zagaleta. Putin is rumoured to have visited the area a number of times over the last few years. Marbella town hall statistics revealed that there has been a significant increase in Russian expats and holidaymakers over the last year. In that time, two Russian magazines and a radio station have opened, as well as various businesses entirely geared towards the Russian enclave.

FEATURE

the olive press - july 24 - Aug 6 2014

Back to the dark ages

OPINION ‘More statistics, better policing and clear advice’ IT was a real pleasure to see the positive side of the media at work this week. The Olive Press is extremely proud that one of our investigations has led to action, after Marbella town hall followed our lead to take a serious look at the dark side of drink-spiking. The investigation has set in motion a series of meetings between the town hall, local and even national police and has already had a positive effect. That the Spanish national police are now looking at ways to warn holidaymakers about the issue is a fantastic step forward. We are delighted to see the authorities finally waking up to this terrifying crime that has become all too depressingly familiar for resorts including Fuengirola, Puerto Banus and Magaluf. As Nicole King from Mi Marbella radio station explains we must be extremely wary that resorts like Marbella don’t end up becoming ‘like Magaluf’. Up till now it has been the shocking silence, and people’s willingness to look the other way, that has made it so easy to get away with. We hope our campaign launched this issue on the issue of drink spiking continues to draw blood. ‘More statistics, better policing and clear advice’… those are our three demands. It shouldn’t be all that difficult.

Bored of this

WHILE it comes as no surprise that Spain is deliberately slowing down the flow of traffic from Gibraltar at peak times, the statistics reveal the shocking extent of how it is done. The Frontier Monitoring Programme feels like something that should have been introduced years ago. It is scary to think that there might be one person who decides - on a whim - that hundreds of people won’t get home to put their kids to bed that night or miss a best friend’s birthday party. Hopefully the definitive findings will help to bring to an end this utterly petty practice.

Fresh start for business SPAIN needs to listen to Christine Lagarde - managing director of the International Monetary Fund - and implement a ‘fresh start’ system for debt-ridden entrepreneurs. Of Forbes’ top 25 countries in the world for businesses, some 17 were in the EU (Ireland taking the top spot) but unsurprisingly, Spain was nowhere to be seen. The ruthless decision to refuse help to entrepreneurs in debt will inevitably drive young businessmen to take their ventures elsewhere - the opposite of what Spain should be doing. That’s not to say that all businesses should be absolved of their debt, just that Spain should start listening to the IMF, or at least follow the example of fellow EU countries that far outperform it.

Running on

PAMPLONA’S San Fermin festival has taken place for centuries, and it is still just as dangerous. Thousands of courageous/crazy (delete where applicable) people gamble with their lives when they run with the bulls while a drunken crowd watches on. But regardless of how outrageous the festival may seem to some, it is undeniably a unique and truly Spanish tradition that shows no sign of stopping any time soon.

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Tel: 951127006 (admin/editorial/sales/advertising) or admin@theolivepress.es or sales@theolivepress.es A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in southern Spain - 200,000 copies distributed monthly (130,000 digitally) with an estimated readership, including the website, of more than 500,000 people a month. Luke Stewart Media S.L - CIF: Imogen@theolivepress.es B91664029 Admin / Distribution / Accounts: Urb Casares del Sol, bloque 21, portal Anna Cockell 951127006 70, bajo b, Casares 29690, Malaga accounts@theolivepress.es Printed by Corporación de Medios Gilly Lee de Andalucía S.A. admin@theolivepress.es Editor: Jon Clarke SALES TEAM: jon@theolivepress.es Stephen Shutes 655825683 Reporters: Classified Newsdesk Newsdesk@theolivepress.es Sarah Adams 655825683 Giles Brown Axarquia Giles@theolivepress.es Charlie Bamber 661 452 180 Tom Powell Cadiz Elizabeth Gould 683 337 342 Tom@theolivepress.es Imogen Calderwood

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MAGINE a world where women have no control over their own body, a world where choosing to abort the foetus growing inside your womb is illegal. Imagine this world where the state bans abortion unless the baby is severely deformed, the mother’s health at serious risk or it is the result of rape. Now take a look around you. You’re in 21st century Spain. And in one month’s time it could really come to pass that clandestine abortion clinics once more raise their ugly heads, completely unregulated and terrifyingly unhygienic. Before July is over, Spanish parliament will have voted on the bill banning abortion, with most predictions insisting it will come to pass. In the meantime, the overwhelming majority of Spain continues to stand in defiance, desperate not to be dragged, kicking and screaming, back into the dark ages, when abortions were handled not by taxfunded healthcare, but by the black market. According to a recent poll, an overwhelming 81% of Spaniards are against the reforms. The governments of Andalucia, the Basque Country and Catalunya have all already voiced their intentions to oppose the bill – initially proposed by Mariano Rajoy’s ruling PP party in December last year. Asturias and the Canary Islands have followed suit, branding the proposals ‘regressive’ and ‘an incomprehensible step backwards’. Incredibly, more than 100,000 of the 118,000 abortions carried out in 2012 would be illegal under the new legislation, according to the Spanish Association of Accredited Abortion Clinics. The united belief is that the law would not stop abortions taking place, it would merely make them unregulated and unsafe, seriously endangering women’s health. Just days after the bill was proposed, thousands of activists flocked to Madrid to burn an effigy of Minister of Justice Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon - the mastermind behind the reforms - and demand his resignation.

‘Medieval, draconian, sexist’. Spain’s proposed abortion reforms won’t be delivered smoothly, writes Imogen Calderwood, particularly with minister Ruiz-Gallardon (above right) in charge The streets of Malaga, Bilbao and Barcelona were also teeming with outrage, as protesters demanded the rights to their own bodies. Womens rights group Femen warned on Twitter: “If they take away our right to decide, we’ll

strate the notion that the PP are stealing women’s rights to their own bodies. Hundreds marched straightfaced into regional government offices, demanding that their bodies be entered in commercial registries, normally re-

ANGRY: One of Spain’s 81% opposed to the bill have to abort morality, the Church and everything that limits our freedom.” They see the bill as returning adult women to the status of minors – unable to make a decision about their own bodies without third party intervention. “This law doesn’t respect the minimum rights that other laws in Europe do,” said one woman, at a protest outside the Spanish embassy in Paris, labelled The March of the Women. In the weeks after the burning of Ruiz-Gallardon’s effigy, the flames of discontent spread like wildfire throughout Europe. As more and more activists gathered in Madrid, Europewide solidarity protests took off in Rome, Lisbon, Paris and London. Banners were simple, blunt and serious. ‘We give birth, we decide’, read one, while another went, ‘Abortion has no place in criminal law’. One headline-catching protest managed to perfectly demon-

served for cars and planes. When baffled bureaucrats asked why, the women explained they wanted official certification that their bodies belonged to them.

A return to ‘medieval’ restrictions Astonishingly, Spain has already shed itself of these ‘medieval’ restrictions once before, following the death of dictator Franco in the 1970s.. A return would equate to a massive step backwards for gender equality and women’s rights. Spain’s historically strict abortion rules were not finally relaxed until as recently as

2010. The PSOE government changed the law to comply with fundamental rights concerning sexual and reproductive health, established by the World Health Organisation. The reforms gave women the right to decide whether to terminate their pregnancies during the first 14 weeks, with no third party intervention. The PP – strongly influenced by the Roman Catholic church - fought this progression from the very start, and was the only party to oppose it. Despite the successful reform to bring the country in line with 90% of Europe, this was clearly an issue that the PP refused to let lie. At his very first appearance in parliament in January 2012, just days after taking office, Ruiz-Gallardon announced his intention to reverse the popular 2010 law. However, times have changed and even many PP voters are refusing to back the current campaign, with polls suggesting as many as 70-80% of the party’s supporters are opposed to it. “These changes have more to do with politics and ideology than social realities today,” said Francisca Garcia of the Association of Accredited Clinics for the Interruption of Pregnancy – the umbrella group that represents 98% of the country’s abortion clinics. “From all the data we’ve seen, the number of abortions in Spain is actually on the decline. The PP is simply trying to satisfy the right-wing factions of its party.”

‘Abortion tourism’ There is an alternative to forced labour or backstreet methods, available only to those with deep pockets – this is ‘abortion tourism’.

Those with the funds will trav-

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HELPLESS: In the hands of backstreet doctors

el abroad to the many liberalthinking neighbouring countries. More than 32% of women who have had an abortion in the past four months say they would seek the same procedure in another country, according to the Clinics Association for Termination of Pregnancy. This is a common occurrence in countries with these restrictions already in place. In Ireland – one of the few countries with restrictions tighter than those proposed for Spain – it is estimated that more than 6,000 women travel to England to have abortions every year. But despite the unmistakable statistics - and overwhelming wave of fury - Ruiz-Gallardon is still standing his ground refusing to bow to pressure. “You have my word that neither insult nor cry shall make this minister rescind his commitment to fulfilling the policy of regulating the rights of women and of pregnancy,” he insisted with great pomposity. In less than a month, we’ll know if he achieved it.

UP IN ARMS: Pro-abortion campaigners protest in Madrid last week

Freedom train A HARD-HITTING documentary by a collective of 80 female film makers is fuelling nationwide outrage over plans to make abortion illegal in Spain. Yo decido. El tren de la libertad – which translates as ‘I decide. The freedom train’ – has been showing free-of-charge to audiences in cinemas, cafes and other venues throughout Spain in a bid to derail the ‘medieval’ abortion reform bill. The 42-minute documentary focuses on February’s mass demonstration in Madrid, when tens of thousands of protesters gathered in the capital from all over the world to protest the

bill. Many travelled through Spain by rail on what was dubbed ‘the freedom train’. Rosa Montero, a journalist for the national Spanish newspaper El Pais, is one of many well-known Spaniards quoted in the documentary: “I have lived this, exactly this,” she says. “ I have gone with people to London and I have gone with people for clandestine abortions here. I have gone with a friend to accident and emergency because she was dying from a botched clandestine abortion.” The documentary can be viewed online at www.eltrendelalibertad.com

Abortion policy elsewhere in Europe ABORTION is legal in nearly every European country. At the moment, it is only illegal in four countries - all Catholic - Malta, Ireland, Andorra and Poland. Malta is the only European country that bans abortions in all cases, with no exceptions – even when the life of the pregnant woman is in danger. In Ireland and Andorra, abortion is illegal with the exception of cases that endanger the woman’s health. Poland currently has laws most similar to those proposed for Spain – with abortion only allowed when the woman’s health is at risk, if she is the victim of rape or if the foetus is malformed. In Italy, while abortion is legal, it is becoming more and more difficult to access it. With a large Catholic population a large number of doctors and nurses refuse to carry out the procedure, and most women now go abroad or to clandestine clinics.

the olive press - July 24 - Aug 6 2014

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No rest in peace One year on from the Santiago train tragedy - which killed 79 - and there is still no justice for victims A PLANNED memorial for the victims of the Santiago train crash has caused uproar among its victims and their families. Victims and heroes of the July 24 tragedy – which left 79 dead and 140 injured – were due to be awarded the Medalla de Galicia as part of the remembrance ceremony. But many have rejected the

By Imogen Calderwood gong – the highest distinction given out by the region – as they feel they are being exploited by politicians. Large numbers of relatives and friends of the victims are also refusing to attend the ceremony, in protest of the al-

leged failure of authorities to properly investigate the crash. The ceremony has now been delayed, at the request of residents of Angrois – where the train derailed – so that the day itself can simply be ‘a day of retreat and silence’. Victims’ groups are demanding a parliamentary investigation, but both the PP and the opposition Socialists are opposed to the probe. The groups claim a number of obstacles have hindered the investigation – including the Santiago High Court dropping the trial of 22 Adif directors and technicians named as official suspects. The court claimed in a statement that there was nothing to indicate the officials could be considered suspects for

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having let the Alvia train – which was carrying 227 passengers - run on the stretch of track. But the driver Francisco Garzon – charged with 79 counts of reckless homicide – insisted he had voiced concerns over the ‘inhuman’ curve before the tragedy. Several reforms have been drafted since the crash – in-

cluding one that states victims and family members could receive double the amount of compensation under new regulations. Ministers have also approved the creation of the State Railway Safety Agency - Agencia Estatal de Seguridad Ferroviaria – which is responsible for control and management of rail safety.

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THE jihadist terrorist group ISIS has made Spain a target for their new Islamic caliphate. Members of The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) revealed their plans in a video vowing to ‘liberate the land of their forefathers.’ In the Spanish recording, the extremists recalled the days when Spain was part of the Arabic world and how much of Andalucia was under Islamic rule for centuries.

It comes as Spain continues its crackdown on Muslim extremism, most recently arresting collaborators of ISIS in Huelva, Malaga, and La Linea. Last month, police raids in Madrid seized eight jihadist ‘recruiters’, while 12 others were arrested for beinginvolved in terrorist activity. The US Attorney General Eric Holder has suggested Spain step up its prosecution of potential jihadists.

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Rock against racism FOR once the Rock wasn’t the centre of attention, as British reggae sensations Steel Pulse took to a stage at its base. Playing a series of classics, including Handsworth Revolution, Ku Klux Klan and Tribute to the Martyrs, they wowed a mixed crowd of over 1000 punters. The legendary Birmingham band, who led the Rock Against Racism movement in the 1970s, are still vocal against racial injustice. The recent Trayvon Martin case in Florida, where a 17-year-old was shot by police, even inspired them to write a song Put your hoodies on (for Trayvon Martin). Hinds, a friend of late Bob Marley, also puts out frequent blog posts about various social and political issues, accessible on the band’s social media sites. At one point in show Hinds explained that

reggae was music ‘against colonisation’ and shouted for ‘unification’, perhaps missing the point and upsetting a few of the Gibraltar locals. The band had included the Rock on a recent tour of Portugal, Morocco and the Canary Islands.

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GREEN NEWS

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Rubbish record Spain in European court over environmental neglect

Philippines progress SPAIN hopes to back agriculture projects in conflict and disasterstruck areas in the Philippines. Alberto Virella, the director of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), is considering the proposal. AECID has previously funded successful two projects in the Bicol and Caraga regions of the Philippines, boosting livelihood and marine management projects.

Nude no more? A POPULAR nudist beach in Vera, Almeria, is under threat from a new law banning nakedness. The law includes fines up to €300 for people who are naked or topless on the beach. However, the local town hall has described the law – supported by the PP government – as a ‘mistake,’ according to Spanish newspaper El Pais. The town of Vera holds the Guinness World Record for the largest col-

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lective skinny dip, when 729 people stripped off together. Juan de la Cruz Belmonte, the deputy mayor, has claimed the error arose when they based their legislation ‘on ordinances from other municipalities’. “I have issued orders to include an exception for the whole part of Vera beach that is nudist, including its streets and residential estates, where people go naked,” he said.

SPAIN is being taken to court by the European Commission for two breaches of environmental legislation. Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik wants Spain to face the EU Court of Justice to rectify the problems. The first is for poor waste management, due to the numerous landfill sites operating in breach of EU landfill legislation.

The second case concerns the planned rail link between Sevilla and Almeria – for which the environmental impact assessment was deemed inadequate. Landfill legislation for Europe is in place to stop harm to human health and the surrounding environment, and sites that did not match the standards should have closed down by July 2009. Spain still has an incredible 28

non-compliant landfill sites operating. Bulgaria and Slovenia have

also been taken to court by the Commission over landfill legislation breaches.

Back to nature in the Serrania de Ronda RONDA residents have embraced a brand new environmental festival. NaturaRonda drew in locals and tourists with talks, activities and workshops. Organised by the town hall – in collaboration environmental groups – the event packed-out the Alameda del Tajo, the Vicente Espinel Theatre and the Casa de la Cultura. Concerts, exhibitions and a market of natural, eco-friendly products also helped to make the weekend a ‘resounding success’. Isabel Barriga, the first deputy mayor of Ronda, praised ‘the great atmosphere’ and the ‘enthusiastic participation of the

public’. Experts from all over Spain gave talks on topics including relaxation techniques, yoga, massage, beauty products and ceramics. The festival – which promotes peace and co-operation – aims to highlight an alternative way of viewing and enjoying life. ECO-FRIENDS: Festival was a ‘resounding success’

17/07/14 22:19

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News IN BRIEF

Rising costs THE Junta has denied Villanueva del Trabuco and Villanueva del Rosario aid for 2012 flood damages which caused over €8.5 million worth of damage between the two towns.

Body watchers SPANISH sportswomen angered by European handball rules that insist female players wear skimpy bikinis have accused sports officials of using their bodies to ‘lure people to the sport’.

Broken record SPAIN received a record 28 million foreign tourists this year between January and June, a 7.3% increase on the same period last year.

Red carpet MARBELLA’S Starlite festival will host the Spanish premiere of The Expendables 3, on August 5. Its all star cast includes Antonio Banderas, Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham and Wesley Snipes.

NEWS EXTRA

Back in dock By Imogen Calderwood SPAIN'S Supreme Court has reopened the largest trial ever seen in Andalucia. Marbella’s infamous Malaya case - which saw 94 people tried over two years - has made its way up to Spain’s Supreme Court, as the appeals got underway this week. A total of 52 different appeals have been lodged by the accused, the Prosecutors’ Office, the Junta and the State department. In many cases the prosecution is asking for an increase in the sentencing.

Andalucia’s biggest ever trial reopens again in Madrid The Malaya case centres around the laundering of €2.4 billion via Marbella Town Hall – including bribery, embezzlement and influence peddling. A corruption crackdown saw almost two thirds of Marbella’s councillors hauled in, as well as a series of well-known construction and real estate bosses. The scale of the corruption proved so pervasive that con-

Smooth transition for expat kids

MORE than three quarters of expat children integrate into Spanish life without any problems, according to a report. The study, based on 7,000 children aged between 12 and 17, measured signs of failing to adjust such as leaving school or home, unemployment, going to jail or underage pregnancies. A massive 78.4% of the so-called ‘second generation’ immigrants – children of expats - registered no such incidents, while only 4.3% registered two or more. Rosa Aparicio, the university professor behind the La Caixa study, stressed that expat kids feel far less discriminated against than their parents and find it easy to integrate with local children. "The data shows a positive adaptation process and a psychological and cultural convergence between children of immigrants and children of natives," she said.

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‘I could have died on slide’

trol of Marbella Town Hall had to be temporarily handed over to a caretaker administration appointed by the Junta until local elections could take place in 2007. Judge Jose Godino spent 14 months deliberating the case, before handing down a total of 29 years to the accused in October 2013. While the public and press dubbed them light, considering the severity of the corruption, the majority of those convicted are appealing the decision. These include former planning svengali Juan Antonio Roca and ex-Mayor Marisol Yague. Appeals are predicted to be a lengthy process, unless the Supreme Court decides to simply throw them all out, or increase the sentences.

The Way to make money MONEY has been rolling in for the ambitious father-son team who took on the Camino de Santiago on their bikes. Marbella-based insurance expert Danni Worth and his 15-year-old son Tom defeated the 800km notorious pilgrimage path in just 10 days in May this year. Danni and Tom raised an incredible €11,500 for a school lunches project for children in extreme poverty in Malawi - called Mary’s Meals.

A BRITISH holidaymaker insists he ‘could have been killed’ when his ride on one of the world’s tallest waterslides went awry. Jamie Norman, 27, suffered serious injuries to his face, legs and arms, when the 60mph ‘VertiGo’ slide in Aqualandia, Benidorm, malfunctioned. Adrenaline junkies wait - in a capsule 110ft in the air – for a trapdoor to open, initiating a heart-stopping plummet down a steep slide into a pool at the bottom. But the trapdoor only partially opened, causing agonising injuries to his legs, face and arms as his whole front half was scraped down the trap door’s edge. The electrician, a father of two, said: “I could have been killed. If I’d been knocked unconscious I could have lost control and fallen and drowned in the pool. I took an almighty crack on my face.”

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the olive press - july 24 - Aug 6 2014

AXARQUIA NEWS

Boom time beach fest

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Velez plans second Weekend Beach festival after debut success A TORRE Del Mar music festival has brought in masses of revellers – and revenue. The Weekend Beach festival took in €1.2 million from its 37,000 visitors. Fans flocked to see Australian drum and bass stars Pendulum, techno DJ Dave Clarke, Spanish bands Los Zigarros and Los Castizos and many more acts. The Mayor of Velez-Malaga,

Francisco Delgado Bonilla has big plans for the future of the festival. “Starting from today, VelezMalaga Council will work towards organising the second edition of the Weekend Beach Festival to consolidate it next year and turn it into one of the best in Spain,” he said. “It’s been a great weekend of living, leisure and entertainment.”

PACKED: Punters enjoyed the first Weekend Beach festival

Arson mystery

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW? This month, Su Derrick gives us some tips on building recycled gardens

At La Vaqueria crafts centre in Benamargosa, the inviting little garden is an oasis of colour and inspiring ideas, but this was not always the case. No, when I bought this ramshackle collection of farmyard buildings, it looked like exactly what it was; a disused cowshed. The six existing avocado trees were taller than the building and everything in between was covered with lean two’s and a collection of rotting ‘this will come in handy one day’ things! 12 years on and it is a beautiful place to sit out and relax with your coffee and cake, or lunch made from the garden’s fresh vegetables and herbs. With only limited space it has been a challenge to fit in as much as possible without giving it a cramped feeling. One of the most useful techniques that I have found is ‘vertical gardening’. Using recycled materials carefully constructed together it is quite easy to fit seven plants, for example, into

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a space that would fit just one when planted directly into the ground. As it is now illegal for anyone to dump or burn used car tyres, local garages are happy to supply you with them, rather than pay for their special disposal. Brilliant! They are just perfect for piling up to make a very impressive herb garden. Be it pyramid, vertical or retaining wall, with a little bit of forward planning this is an effective way to add interest to your garden whilst being practical and economic. Here are a few top tips and pitfalls to beware of:1/ If spraying your tyres, as I have done, wipe them over first with white spirit to remove any oily residue 2/ Always spray out of doors and you need only colour the parts which will be visible 3/ Mix very good soil to fill then: I use 1 part top soil, 1 part potting compost and 1 part horse manure 4/ As you ‘build’ you will notice gaps where the soil will fall through – roughly block it with a flat stone 5/ Be sure to pack your soil right inside the tyre as well as filling up the middle. 6/ If you are going up more that one level then it is advisable to water the soil down and top up before continuing upwards 7/ Plant and enjoy! For further information e mail studio.20lavaqueria@hotmail. com or visit www.la-vaqueria. com

WILDFIRE investigators have determined that a Competa blaze was started deliberately. The Brigade for the Investigation of Forest Fires (BIFF), termed the fire ‘intentional’. The fire burned for two days before it was extinguished and affected a total of 220 hectares of forest and 20 hectares of urban land. No arrests have yet been made in connection with the fire.

Grim find on beach AN unidentified dead body has been found on Burriana Beach in Nerja. The grim discovery was made by municipal cleaners. The Guardia Civil are investigating the case, though it is not known if the body is that of a man reported missing from Maro.

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the olive press - July 24 - Aug 6 2014

Summertime sculptures

AN ECLECTIC mix of bronze sculptures, paintings and drawings is currently on show at a Competa gallery. Dutch artist Lieuwke Loth has

used laser cutting techniques on the statues, some of which are available to purchase. Felt works and pottery by Diana Worthy, from England, have

also been added to the exhibition, which runs until August. Loth is also offering creative workshops at the Luz de la Vida gallery.

ARTY: Sculptures at the Competa gallery

Charity’s call to arms THE new president of Granada hospice charity Acompalia has launched an inspiring call to action. Lindsay Ostervig was welcomed to the new role in a meeting in Salobrena,

where tributes were paid to outgoing president Tina Emmott. The charity is forming a partnership with a group of regional Spanish businesses who will help Acompalia to work with the local government and Spanish community. The charity, which has raised an incredible €13,933 so far this year, provides practical and personal support free of charge for terminally ill patients and their families in Granada province.

Lost and found TWO Spanish women have been rescued near the Chillar river. The hikers, aged 28 and 29, were rescued by Nerja Civil Protection and firefighters in the early morning of July 15 after becoming lost the previous day. A sister of the women reported them missing, and they were swiftly found.

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News IN BRIEF

Naval planning

Fire placements

Speed bumps

AN application for a £120m development on the site of the Naval Grounds has been filed at the Development and Planning Commission.

A RECORD seven students have taken up placements with the Fire Brigade under the Student Summer Placement Scheme.

A CRACKDOWN on speeding has seen 211 people hauled up in just four days.

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Game on Gib A EUROPEAN Commission report on the protection of online gambling users and the prevention of underage gambling has been welcomed by Gibraltar’s Government. Minister for Gaming, Albert Isola MP said: “These principles reflect the existing regulations in Gibraltar for ensuring online gaming services are safe and reliable. “For nearly two decades Gibraltar has helped set the standards for online gaming and we will continue to do so. “It is pleasing to see among the recommendations so much of what we already do, and that Gibraltar’s own proposal for national selfexclusion registers has been adopted by the Commission.” Gibraltar licenses only 30 online gambling operators, all

Border chaos

From front page

fected." The news comes as the ‘dustbowl’ car park next to the border in La Linea, used by tourists and workers crossing over to Gibraltar, appears to have been suddenly closed down. Run by the unemployed people in the town, who charge between one and two euros, the car park is always busy. However, as the Olive Press went to print reports came in that diggers had begun working on the site, despite the fact many cars were still parked there.

with established reputations in the industry. Commenting on the EU report Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner Phill Brear

Rock bishop heads to Sheffield DEPUTY Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia represented Gibraltar at the installation of Bishop Heskett as the Bishop of Hallam in Sheffield in the UK. The ceremony took place at the Cathedral Church of St Marie in Sheffield in the presence of the Papal Nuncio to Great Britain, Archbishop Antonio Mennini and Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the leader of the Catholic Church in England.

Power problems

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T: (+350) 200 76501 | E: reservations@caletahotel.gi www.caletahotel.com | www.visitgibraltar.gi

said:“Gibraltar licence holders are the ‘top drawer’ of the remote gambling industry and much of what is recommended is already firmly in place here.”

Civil War symposium A MAJOR symposium to be held on the Rock will explore life in Gibraltar during the Spanish Civil War. The event, planned by retired members of the Unite union to take place in February 2015, will study the effects of the Spanish Civil War on the community, in particular trade unions and other workers' movements.When Nationalist forces landed in Algeciras in 1936 many Spanish trade unionists and Re-

publican sympathisers sought refuge in Gibraltar. Foreign experts will speak on the subject and the organisers have been amassing information from the files of the Museum of Gibraltar, the Gibraltar Garrison Library and the Department of Culture. Locals who have any historically-significant objects – photos, clippings personal items – or are willing to share their personal experiences should call 00 350 200 74185

A SERIES of power outages on the Rock forced the Government to claim the issue was one of stability in the network – not of generating capacity. The Government said Gibraltar now has overcapacity thanks to new generators. The Government explained that the problems arose as a result of the fire at Waterport Power Station, which damaged equipment central to ensuring stability across the grid. Without that equipment, any surge in demand can make the network trip. According to the Government, the long-term solution to ensuring a stable supply of electricity is the new power station and the of replacement Gibraltar’s aging infrastructure.

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GIBRALTAR NEWS

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LETTERS

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POTTED POINTERS ANDALUCIA RESERVOIR LEVELS This week: 80.24% full Same week last year: 89.59% Same week in 2003: 60.74% AIRPORTS Gibraltar 00350 22073026 Granada-Jaen 958 245 200 Jerez - 956 150 000 Malaga - 952 048 844* *For English press 9 Sevilla - 954 449 000 EMERGENCIES Police 091 Guardia Civil 062 Medical service 061 Fire 080 EURO EXCHANGE RATES 1 euro is worth 1.36 American Dollars 0.80 British Pounds 1.46 Canadian Dollars 7.45 Danish Kroner 10.55 H Kong Dollars 8.30 Norwegian Kroner 1.70 Singapore Dollars

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Spite spike is truly appalling DRINK-SPIKING is truly appalling, but it’s not new (Spiked, issue 191). Two friends of mine were drugged in Tenerife by a middle-aged man who ‘befriended’ them at a bar. They woke up hours later minus money and cards. That was in 1990. The Spanish police have been dealing with drunk tourists for so long that they may not be on top of this new nasty drug situation. It could result in a death toll, as Rohypnol is easy to procure but difficult to dose. There is already a death toll in USA, with 16-year-olds trying it out on young girls. The police need specific help to target this problem. And young girls have to accept that alcohol is a dangerous drug in this situation: not always a big joke. Rona Main, London

Blurred lines Dear OP, YOUR reader Mark Ashdown (OP Letters, issue 191) is correct in describing Laurie Lee as ‘a bit of a rogue’ and a stretcher of the truth. He himself would probably have agreed. Whether he actually took part in any fighting during the Civil War

WIN WIN WIN... Tickets to see the UK’s hottest reggae band Steel Pulse on page 22

olive press The original and only English-language investigative newspaper in Andalucía

the Let HiFX help you reach your destination. www.hifx.co.uk

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Vol. 8 Issue 191 www.theolivepress.es

July 10 - July 23 2014

Full Moon festival comes under fire

SPIKED!

continues on Page 3

th IN e Oli VE ve ST Pre IG AT ss ES

Eye to eye

Style queen’s fashion boost

Queen Letizia gives Spanish businesses a helping hand See Page 49

Shocking failure to police drink-spiking in Spain needs to be addressed

Stars come out to play

We meet Starlite founder Sandra Garcia Sanjuan See Page 20

Cat-calling

OUCH?: Let the annual carnage begin in Pamplona, with the police on watch for sex assaults. See Page 8

HARSH REALITY: A night out can end in real danger

Mudbaked and reborn

Olive Press enjoy an annual jaunt to the Costa de la Luz See Page 25

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HARSH REALITY: A night out can end in real danger, as we reported last issue

can never be verified. However, there can be no doubt that he did sneak back into Spain in 1937 and tried to enlist in the International Brigades. His heart was in the right place, even if he sometimes blurred the lines between imagination and reality. He maintained that ‘the only truth is what you remember’ and his book, A Moment of War, was not published until 1991, when he was 77, more than half a century after the events it described. As he had lost vital diaries and notebooks, he had only his memory to go on. Fortunately, Laurie Lee's reputation does not rest on his possible Civil War experiences but on his lyrical, poetic masterpieces. David Baird, Frigiliana

Wheel problem I WAS interested to read Andrew Robb’s letter in issue 191, about police revenue targets being met by issuing fines for ‘tiny misdemeanours’. I was recently denounced and fined €200 by Mijas police for parking in an invalid parking spot at the new Las Lagunas Carrefour. Being 78 years old with a chronically painful knee condition, I thought it was worth the risk. No warning, just pay up or else! When I tried to reason with them, explaining my infirmity, they demanded to see a wheelchair. Do Spanish police have the right to prosecute for ‘car parking offences’ in private car parks? Brian Flowers, Mijas Costa

FC Biter

I HAVE stuck by my team, FC Barcelona, through thick and thin, but I cannot stand by a club which supports a player like Luis Suarez. He’ll always have a past behind him that pollutes the good sportsman-

from the pavement where I was lying. As has been said before, when I got home I ‘lost’ the next 12 hours, so any trace would have gone. I told the bar owner who didn’t really believe me and simply suggested I was drunk.

ship and class that this club represents to me, ever since I first read of the Catalunyan struggle against repression and the outlet that FC Barcelona provided. When he is gone I will once again support the club that signed a young man who needed medical care and became the greatest player of this generation (Lionel Messi). I will once again believe Dani Alves’ simple stand against racism made this club one that cared about race relations. Matthew Yeoman, Mijas

Under the sea Great article (Deep cover in an octopus garden, issue 191)… Myself and my partner, both in our 40s decided to we needed to try something new. Being just a 45 minute drive from Tarifa, we decided to give scuba diving a go. It’s one of those things we both always wanted to try. We communicated with a few scuba dive companies but YellowSub was the most welcoming and professional. Their ‘Discover Scuba’ package,

WE have just been on a visit to Selwo Wildlife Park and were disgusted that the elephant enclosure had no shade. They were trying to put hay onto their backs to get some protection, as they only had a small concrete pond. Elephants need natural muddy ponds to go in. The enclosure was also far too small for three elephants. They looked so miserable. Ellen, Estepona

Not my problem

THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY - PAGE 6

I HAD my drink spiked in a bar in Duquesa Port (Spiked, issue 191). I think the motive was simply spite as my football team had just thrashed another, but it could have been robbery. I may have saved myself and my belongings by staying on the phone to my girlfriend while I was too helpless to even move

Elephant misery

Name and address withheld

where you start in shallow waters, is a great way to try out the sport before committing further. We ended up taking our PADI Open Water Courses with them – and now with 60 dives under our belts we have never looked back. Pat Healey, Estepona

Basic beauty

UNFORTUNATELY my wife and I are another casualty of the unbelievable incompetence and poor service provided by Movistar. If all the disgruntled customers voice their views through the media, maybe a miracle will happen and Movistar will get rid of its robotic customer service staff and provide us with what we pay for. I signed a contract with Movistar for the Fusion package of €60 + I.V.A. per month, for 18 months. We have only been with them four months but I am dreading the next 14. I could write a book of over 18 excuses given out by Movistar, from technical fault all over Andalucia to ‘It’s not my problem’. The final one being: “It’s a computer error.” Alan Hartley, Puente Mayorga

LAST October I took the family for three days up the coast to Bolonia and we had an amazing time (Seeing the light on the Costa de la Luz, issue 191). The beach there is huge and surrounded by lovely forests and wonderful scenery which has not been ruined like a lot of the plastic Costa del Sol. The highlight was the huge dune and we were amazed to see cows wandering around. It is very basic out of season, with not much open, but we had a great quiet time away from madness of Fuengirola. The Roman ruins of Baelo Claudia were also amazing. Mark, Fuengirola

Time-wasting SPAIN’S striking cabbies are wasting their breath protesting over new car-pooling apps (Un’appy, issue 191). It’s pointless getting worked up about this, technology will sweep all before it. Online shopping will do away with many trades, and this is just another aspect of it. Taxi drivers would be better employed driving the delivery vans for the new online businesses. Even the car-pooling apps will be superseded by driverless cars (sooner than anyone thinks).

Stefanjo, Marbella Letters should be emailed to letters@theolivepress.es. The writer’s name and address should be provided. Opinions are not necessarily those of the Editor.

CROSSMOT 36 Across 1 Limpió (7) * 5 Nivel (5) * 8 Oscilado (5) * 9 Aduana (7) * 10 Specialised (13) * 11 Consternación (6) * 12 Palos (6) * 15 Terribly (13) * 18 Legend (7) * 19 Seven (5) * 20 They (5) * 21 Operated (7). Down 1 Swan (5) * 2 Crews (7) * 3 Talks (13) * 4 Showers (6) * 5 Systems (3, 8, 2) * 6 Violates (5) * 7 Lecciones (7) * 11 Detail (7) * 13 Sentence (7) * 14 Ally (6) * 16 Real (5) * 17 January (5). L = 199

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1919 the olive press - July 24 - Aug 6 2014

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July 23 - August 6 2014

Curtain up on scorching end to the summer

what’s on

stepona. July 25 A

free night of reggae in the central Plaza Ortiz, organised by the town hall. Doors open at 8pm. With local bands Mufayah Sound and Gismo and Silves.

MARBELLA’S last big summer concert is set to be a scorcher. Tropical king of cool Kid Creole and the Coconuts – three glamorous ladies from Scandinavia – are bringing their exotic flavour to the coast on August 23.

lozaina. July 18-27First solo

exhibition of painter and musician Dermott McQuillan, at the Aula de la Cultura, runs during the town’s feria.

uengirola. July 31

Combination

Second-hand market, with clothes, shoes, brica-brac, jewellery and toys. Come and find a bargain. From 10am to 12.30pm. At the Lux Mundi Ecumentical Centre.

Seeing red

enalguacil. July 31-Aug 14 The 20th

annual International Festival of Art Encounters, with the highest budget in history - of €100,000.

Tomatina festival organisers accused of corruption over annual tomato throwing bash. Carey Camel reports

arbella. July 23Aug 23 The third

annual Starlite Festival. Performances and appearances from Antonio Banderas, Ricky Martin, The Beach Boys and the Pet Shop Boys, among others. See www.starlitefestival. com

Kid is set to shimmy across the stage, dazzling the crowd in his infamous yellow and purple suits, belting out such

favourites as Annie, I’m not your daddy, Stool Pigeon and I’m a wonderful thing baby. His vocals – a combination of latino and disco – will raise the roof at Hotel Puente Romano, while the Coconuts’ dance routines will up the heat. Tickets cost from €25, with top end SuperVips (inc. preshow cocktail and after-show party) from €125. Tickets available from Ticketmaster, El Corte Ingles or call 602 644 546.

UNOL town hall has been accused of corruption over its annual tomato throwing extravaganza. The town hall’s PP opposition party has called in anti-corruption investigators over ‘a lack of transparency’ concerning the selling of tickets for the festival.

It comes after the town hall contracted a private company Spaintastic to sell tickets for the festival that sees revellers descend on the Valencia town from all around the world. However, so far the company has failed to give exact details of the sales. Even though an estimated 45,000 people attend the festivities annually, the company claims to have sold just 5,200 tickets at €10 each. A further 9,800 more were handed to 20 tourism operators to sell them as part of holiday packages to the event.

Iceberg

However figures have yet to be given for these tickets and the PP opposition believes the town may have made over €2 million from the event. “This is just the tip of the iceberg,” said a spokesman for the party. “There are plenty of other irregularities also being looked at here.” The town hall however denied the charges, insisting the complaint would go nowhere. Although Tomatina began in the 1950s, Bunol only started charging for the festival, two years ago, as the town’s debt reached €4.1 million.

Spain’s gift to world of music... THE Andalucian Cadence – technically the Diatonic Phrygian Tetrachord – is the most popular cadence in musical history. You may recognise this pattern of notes from across the globe and from different time periods, as everyone from Beethoven to the Supremes to Rihanna has made it part of their music. Adapted from flamenco music, the Andalucian Cadence comprises four simple chords found by walking down the scale (for example, A-G-F-E in the key of A).

EXOTIC FLAVOUR: Kid Creole and the Coconuts

five ances only

perform

globe london by Lope

de Vega

From 1 to 6

« « ‘Supre« mely ac« compli The Guardi

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#LopedeVega #G2G

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20 20the olive press - july 24 - Aug 6 2014

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Following Hemingway: An The Olive Press sent American writer Carey Camel to follow in the footsteps of his hero Hemingway at Spain’s most famous festival Sanfermines in Pamplona

T was like stepping into my favourite novel. My first breath of Pamplona air somehow forced every line of Hemingway’s delicate prose to rush back. The entire weekend I couldn’t help feeling like I was walking in his footsteps, completing a rite of passage that every American dreams about. Hemingway and his time in Spain are part of our collective national history. You either love or hate our famous expat/writer/playboy/ alcoholic, but regardless, you certainly know having read his first novel The Sun Also Rises that the festival in Pamplona, Navarra, is not something to miss. Luckily, I didn’t. Picture this: an entire city bathed in white and red. Every person you meet has donned snow-white clothing with a dazzling red scarf. Everyone wears the same uniform for nine days, but somehow retains their individuality, creatively accessorising

PAYING HOMAGE: A nod to Hemingway from Carey near the Pamplona bullring within the strict guidelines of the festival’s colour scheme. And when you put it on yourself, you know you’ve made it. Walking out into the streets of Pamplona proudly following the dress code, I felt energised, like I was part of something way bigger than myself. I was part of the collective fiesta of Sanfermines. Now, I come from Louisiana, so I have seen my fair share

of city-wide debauchery and festivity with its annual Mardi Gras festival, but Sanfermines is different. At Mardi Gras, everything is a spectacle: people flash each other in the street, attend the massive parades, or make appearances at the glitzy, star-studded balls. At Sanfermines, as the Spanish know the festival (for us yanks and you limeys, it is

PARTY HARD: Youngsters at the day’s bullfight throw (and spray) more sangria than they consume predictably, the ‘Running of the Bulls’), people party all night long for nine nights, but no one is obnoxious. Ev-

eryone apparently loves each other and plays nice. Ask anyone for a cigarette, a light, a drink from their goatskin of

wine, or even the sweater off their back, and they will surely give it to you with a smile and not an ounce of disdain. The festival is held every year

the olive press - July 24 - Aug 6 2014 21 21

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American Legacy

VAMOS: The much-anticipated moment when the bulls arrive, and (below) some well-dressed revellers from July 6-14 with a plethora of events, everything from traditional Basque sports like wood-cutting to the daily bullfights where lines of drummers and circus performers accompany the nail-biting event. But none is more famous (or perhaps infamous) than the encierro, the ‘running of the bulls’. Every morning at precisely 8am, a rocket goes off, sig-

The hundreds of runners take their lives in their hands to say they’ve ‘run with the bulls’ naling the release of the bulls at the start of their 825-metre mad dash to the ring. Marauding through the city, the over-500kg beasts negotiate the hundreds of runners who take their lives in their hands to say they’ve ‘run with the bulls.’ Though I did not attempt the feat myself (editor’s orders), I did have the unbelievable

luck of getting a prime spot to watch it happen. After an entire night out, imbibing in the nonstop party of San Fermin, I climbed up to my seat on the spectator gates around 6am. It was truly mystifying watching this massive street party clear out entirely, as police started setting up gates blocking off the path where the encierro would soon rampage. Soon, the police line appeared in the street, a set of burly security guards vigilantly watching for any drunken

fool to stumble into the danger zone. The appearance of the crowd control completely changed the energy, initiating a wave of quiet (and respectful) ex-

citement across the masses. Anxiously waiting, I constantly checked my watch as I chatted with a friendly Spaniard, patiently teaching me the delicate difference between the pronunciations of ‘todo’ (all, everything) and ‘toro’ (bull). But suddenly, our conversation was interrupted by the sound of a rocket exploding in the distance. Sure enough, my watch read exactly 8am as a suffocating hush fell across the entire city. Slowly, we heard a frenzied gallop growing louder and louder as the excited bulls and corredores approached. In a blink of an eye, the entire procession was before me and in another it was gone. It is a strange thing to witness such a highly-anticipated event, one that’s full of danger and anxiety, when it’s compacted into a mere two seconds. You are left feeling somewhat cheated, yet somehow undeniably satisfied. What I really enjoyed were the moments just after the run. I slowly wandered back to my bed, lifting my head above the streets of Pamplona, the sun also rising. I never knew why Hemingway titled his novel in this way until experiencing first hand the comforting feeling of the early morning sun, brightening the fiesta-soaked city after a night full of hazy bars and the clamour of nightlife. Everyone walks away from the run confident, having achieved something whether they ran or not because no matter what, they were part of Sanfermines. They were part of a collective celebration that is truly unique in every way possible. Walking home in the gentle light of the madrugada, I smiled, acknowledging the moment before inevitably doing it all over again the next day.

July 24 - Aug 6 2014

GOT RHYTHM?: A lively drumline parades after the early evening bullfight

HIGH RISE: Stilted circus performers welcome spectators to the ring

Pamplona: the facts •

•

MAN DOWN: Paramedics attend to a fallen runner

Some historians date the Running of the Bulls back to 1385 - when bullfighting began in Pamplona - but many say it officially began in 1591, when the festival of San Fermin, the livestock fair and the bullfighting festival were combined The origin of the classic white and red costumes of San Fermin is also debated: some say the white represents the sainthood of San Fermin and the red his martyrdom, while others believe the dress mimics the butchers who started the tradition Since records began in 1924 there have been 15 deaths at the encierro, the last in 2009 when a 27-year-old Spaniard died from gorings in the neck and lung

IT’S THE COPS: Police protect the festival-goers by sifting out the drunks

PICTURES: Jon Clarke

NEW FRIENDS: The friendliest stranger at San Fermin

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July 24 - August 6 2014

Modfather steals the show The Sabinillas Bookshop

The Bookshop Sabinillas

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Postal Service • Books & Cards Balloons • Maps & Guides • Day Trips

THE ‘Modfather’ Paul Weller stole the show as Spain’s most famous music festival Benicassim celebrated its 20th anniversary. The star of the weekend, according to El Pais, Weller - who is a regular visitor to Andalucia - wowed fans with a frenetic set. Described as the ‘Godfather of Brit Pop’, he played a series of his most famous songs, including Start, from his Jam days and My Ever Changing Moods, by the Style Council. A very British line up - and thousands of UK punters - helped make the festival a huge success. Kasabian, The Libertines, Lily Allen and Ellie Goulding all took their turns at entertaining the 60,000-strong crowd. Among the most popular festivals on the international circuit, ‘Beni’, as it is often known, has always been a big hit with Brits due to its nearby beaches and with good weather normally guaranteed. An incredible 55% of partygoers come from the UK and Ireland. ‘Beni’ - which is organised by Briton Melvin Benn - has seen some of the UK’s biggest bands gracing its stage over the years, including Blur, Franz Ferdinand and Oasis. Luckily for organisers, the fes-

Spanish flavour to summer page turners ...

CLASSIC: Chris Stewart

TT’S that time of year again when everyone heads to the beach. Whether you’re a beach bookworm, a poolside peruser or just like to while away the afternoon in a shady cafe, the Olive Press’ top 10 summer reads offer some inspirational Spanish subject matter. Andalucia has inspired a huge number of British and American authors over the years, and whether you’re heading to Mallorca, Barcelona or just up the road in Tarifa or Almeria a bit of Spanish lit is the perfect travelling companion. In no particular order here are our favourite 10 of the moment.

STAR LINE-UP: Paul Weller (top) Ellie Goulding (above) and The Libertines (below)

Blood Med – Jason Webster Fourth in a series of detective stories set in Valencia. Set in recession-hit Spain Red Sky at Sunrise – Laurie Lee Special collection of Lee’s books Cider with Rosie, As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning, and A moment of War tival didn’t succumb to the summer fire risks this year unlike in 2009, when a giant fire threatened the camping grounds and stopped a number of performances going ahead.

NEW OPENING TIMES Monday ~ Friday 10:00 - 14.30 / 16.30 - 20:00 Saturday 10:00 - 14:00 Sunday 10:00 - 13:00

Secure Mail Boxes Available Ask in the shop for details

Last Days of the Bus Club – Chris Stewart, former Genesis drummer Fourth (and most recent) in a series, starting with Driving Over Lemons, chronicling rural life in the Alpujarras mountains, south of Granada

CLASS ACT: Lily Allen on stage

Don Quixote – Miguel de Cervantes Written more than 400 years ago, still Spain’s must-read classic, even if bound to baffle a few people The Drifters - James Michener From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, six very different young people find themselves drawn to Torremolinos in the 60s, when the town was in its heyday Ghosts of Spain – Giles Tremlett Fantastic recent tome by the Guardian’s Iberian correspondent about Spain trying to come to terms with the legacy

of the Civil War The Basque History of the World – Mark Kurlansky A good place to start for Basque Country beginners The Queen of the South - Arturo Perez-Reverte A rip-roaring page turner about drug cartels and trafficking in southern Spain, Mexico and Morocco The Telling Room – Michael Paterniti, an American journalist Real-life tale of a master cheesemaker and love, friendship and betrayal set in Sevilla South from Granada – Gerald Brenan Charts a seven-year stay in an Alpujarran village with some members of the Bloomsbury group

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25 25 the olive press - July 24 - Aug 6 2014 25

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All about

ummer activities

Issue 192 www.theolivepress.es

July 23 - August 7, 2014

Land of adventure

HERE aren’t many places in the world where you can sunbathe on stunning Mediterranean beaches in the morning and go windsurfing on the Atlantic in the afternoon. Throw in a round of golf at one of Europe’s top courses, a horseback adventure through soaring sierras, and a scuba dive where two seas meet and Andalucia begins to feel like nature’s own adventure park. While the Costa del Sol may steal the tourist limelight, it is to the sierras, the valleys and the pueblos blancos where those in the know head for an endless range of activities. The Costa del Sol and Costa de la Luz are watersport meccas, in particular, with kitesurfers and windsurfers from around the world descending on Tarifa in their droves. Meanwhile scuba diving is available all the way along the coast, perfect for complete newbies to go out for their first dive and for seasoned pros to visit mesmerising wrecks. Whale and dolphin watching tours also make a great alternative day out, and there is nowhere better than the straits of Gibraltar at the mouth of the Mediterranean for this. It might be a good idea to tone up at one of the luxury gyms, such as Ultimate Performance in San Pedro, before hitting the beach, or - if you’re brave enough – a nudist one. And if you are more interested And for those who have grown in staying on the coast, then tired of the land, paragliding, there is plenty to do there as hot air ballooning and skydiv- well, but beware many of the ing are available in various adventure and activities parks stunning locations. may be fun but they do not There’s no shortage of culture come cheap (see below). and history either, from the But a great day out in Andalucia small Moorish remains and needn’t cost a thing. Besides castles dotted around the Ax- the glorious beaches there are arquia, the Serrania de Ronda infinite amount of spectacular and the Guadalhorce Valley, to walks throughout the region, the tourism titans – such as traversing mountains, lakes, the Alhambra in Granada or the valleys and hidden villages. Mezquita in Cordoba.

Get off your sunbed and head inland or off towards the Costa de la Luz for a world of exciting opportunities, writes Tom Powell

ADRENALINE: Kite-surfers catch waves on the Costa de la Luz, and they’re not the only ones in the sea

Priced-out of the parks EXCLUSIVE: Our investigation finds that a family-of-four can easily spend €200 on an afternoon outing on the Costa del Sol, a quarter of the average monthly wage

THE Costa del Sol is full of family-friendly wildlife and theme parks, but getting in could leave your wallet feeling a little light. After taking taxis, or buying lunch, a family trip to the zoo or an adventure park will cost up to €200 per family, above the average weekly wage for the region. The main problem seems to be that the upper limit for children is rarely above 12, meaning that adult prices start from 13 years old. At some places the children's price upper limit stops at just nine years old. One of the most expensive days out is Selwo Aventura, in Estepona, which advertises a full day at the park for only €49 per person, including free parking, an 'ATV ride' through the park and one meal. But for a family of four, that's still €196 total for the entry tickets, not to mention getting there. At sister park, Selwo Marina Delfinarium in Benalmadena, ticket prices vary by day, but entry for two adults and two kids hovers around €60. That's the just basics: a Dolphin Experience will cost about €29.70 per person, and a swim with the sea lions €38.70. A trip to Tivoli World will cost each fam-

PRICEY : Attractions at Tivoli World (top), Mijas Aqua Park (left) and Selwo park can test family budgets ily member more than 1m tall €7.95 on the door, plus an extra €15 for a Super Tivaino ride pass, making for a base price of €91.80 for a family of four. That is, before anyone gets hungry or wants to ride a not-included attraction, like bumper cars. Aqua Park, in Mijas, meanwhile, offers nine pools and attractions, charges a hefty €23 per adult just to enter the gates, as well as €17 for juniors from 8-12, and €12 for each child aged 3-7. There is a family rate of €58, but it only applies to those with two kids, both seven years

or under. Fuengirola's zoo Bioparc may be better rated these days than a decade ago, after a UK press expose shut it down, but it’s still not cheap. Minus the ziplines and safari tours of Selwo - but with exotic animals from lemurs to leopards - entry still costs €17.90 for adults and €12.50 for kids under nine. Lobo Park in Antequera, which offers wolf sightings, Crocodile Park in Torremolinos, and Benalmadena Butterfly Park, all cost between €7 and €15 for entry.

June 26 - July 9 2014

26 www.theolivepress.es

the olive press - july 24 - Aug 6 2014 ll about

ummer activities

July 24- Aug 6 2014

Tarifa: a biking GREAT views, a feeling of adventure, varied trails and daring descents. Tarifa cyclists have it all. You can go cross-country on full days along stony coastal paths beside the Strait of Gibraltar with amazing views of Morocco and the Atlas Mountains, medieval herding tracks over rolling farmland/wetlands, or winding trails through ancient cork oak forests.

Buzzards

All within a lush green landscape with craggy sandstone peaks and mountains that roll into the sea.

paradise

Tarifa is a mountain biker’s dream Rides take from two to seven hours, and most start from the heart of the town. “You can expect to hear the screech of an eagle, see thousands of buzzards crossing the straits and fields of wild flowers,” explains keen cyclist Tony Cassidy.

“There are also plenty of Roman ruins and even remains of Prehistoric Man,” he adds. “It’s an outdoor enthusiast’s wonderland.” Bikes can be rented for around €20 a day from a number of places.

MEMORABLE: A beautiful vista and a goat herd ahead

RESTING: Time for an en route break with Africa in the distance

OFF-ROAD: Green, peaceful...and so picturesque

Right down to a tee

AS Europe’s undisputed capital of golf, the Costa del Sol draws hundreds of thousands of fanatical players each year. Andalucia, said to have more golf courses per capita than anywhere else in the world, is a true golfer's paradise. There are nearly 100 courses in the region, with over half of them on the Costa del Sol between Gibraltar and Malaga. It is no surprise that around 700,000 people a year come to Andalucia primarily to play golf. “The coast, and specifically Estepona, has the best golfing temperatures in Europe, with over 320 days of sunshine a year and an average of 22 degrees,” explains Jason Callow, of Estepona Golf.

Famous Founded in 1989, Estepona Golf is renowned for its superb putting surfaces and stunning sea views. The town is blessed with two other gems in the shape of El Paraiso and Atalaya. Green fees in Spain are comparable to the UK – between €25 and €60 – but in summer, great deals can be found for the hottest daytime hours and the evenings. You can usually get some tuition from the resident pro from around €25 upwards, while renting clubs will cost around €15 and a buggy €30 – that’s if

By Tom Powell you can’t get an inclusive deal with the green fee. The most famous courses are around Sotogrande, in Cadiz, where you will find the holy trinity of Sotogrande, Valderrama and San Roque. The selection of Valderrama as the venue of the 1997 Ryder Cup sealed the reputation of the 'Costa del Golf' as Europe's premier golfing destination, with its endless array of exquisite courses. Nocturnal golf

fiends can even play at night at Marbella's La Dama de Noche course. More and more courses are popping up inland, too. Besides the stylish Arcos Gardens course in Arcos de la Frontera, another new inland course is Antequera Golf.

Outside

Away from the coast, most of the cities have courses: Sherry Golf in Jerez and the Real Club de Golf in Sevilla, for example. On the coast, well-established

clubs include Santa Maria golf club, Miraflores and Marbella golf club. The oldest golf club is the Parador de Golf course, just outside Malaga. It was built in 1925 and is a true links, sitting right by the sea. For more information visit www.andalucia.org or the Federacion Andaluza de Golf at www.fga.org For an interactive map to all the courses in Andalucia, visit http://www.vivaandalucia. com/golf_courses/golf_courses_andalucia.php

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What’s SUP?

Club Mistral is bringing stand-up paddle-boarding to the Costa del Sol. Tom Powell went to check out the new fitness craze and see if he could keep his balance

ERFORMING pelvic stretches while balancing on a paddle-board in the middle of a river was certainly a new experience for me. Getting soaking wet, however, was not. It’s the watersport making a huge splash in Spain, and all over the world, right now. And, if you’re half decent at standup paddle-boarding (SUP), it is

actually very easy to avoid making a splash yourself. I first stepped onto a paddle board with Club Mistral in Sotogrande, which is running summer sessions in various coastal locations from Tarifa to Marbella. The club’s new SUP branch does not have a fixed home yet, meaning that anyone interested need only check the website

or Facebook page to see when they’re next in the area. “With our new mobile school, we want to bring paddle-boarding to the Costa del Sol and the calmer beaches, better suited to it than Tarifa,” explains Chris Ziaja, from Germany, the project manager. Despite my legs initially shaking like jelly in the wind, with a bit of trust in your paddle, the

SETTING OFF: And not a single person in the water… yet!

AND BREATHE: Yoga on paddle boards requires all your concentration sport is simple to master and great fun. People of all ages could find themselves at home on a paddle-board, gliding across the water and giving their body a powerful work-out with a twist. Club Mistral offers a range of activities, from beginner SUP lessons to fitness training and yoga, as well as excursions, company events and kids’ days.

Energy

I sampled them all and found I preferred the intense work-out, which involved more jumping around and less worrying about falling in. The instructors – three German and one Dutch – made the afternoon enjoyable and joined in with the race at the end. Those with energy remaining after the fitness sessions divided into two teams and each

FUN: Whalewatching

A whale of a time TAKE advantage of the yearly whale migrations by heading to the Strait of Gibraltar for some prime whale-watching tours. A number of local companies – such as the best established Turmares Tarifa - take guests on boat trips to see these mammals, with a focus on marine conservation. The orcas are attracted to the sparkling Mediterranean by the large amount of tasty bluefin tuna, which occasionally brings them into conflict with local fisherman. They also share the waters with pilot, sperm and fin whales emigrating from the Atlantic, as well as three different types of dolphins: common, striped and bottlenose. You can see them all during boat trips, depending on your luck! For more information visit www.turmares.com

attempted to get its ball down the river and under the bridge, using only paddles. Wild swings of the paddle, frantic racing and a fair bit of knocking each other in ensued. Club Mistral currently operates two watersport centres in Tarifa, offering windsurfing, kitesurfing and SUP. The team includes personal fitness trainers and nutrition experts, who are developing special fitness, physiotherapy and injury recovery programmes. For those brave enough, in August and October there is the opportunity to stand-up paddle from Gibraltar to Ceuta, the Spanish enclave in Africa, crossing continents and oceans. The easiest way to stay on top of what is happening and where is to ‘like’ the Club Mistral Paddleboarding Facebook page, or visit the website: www. clubmistralsup.com/en

POPULAR: Stand up paddle-boarding is the latest watersport craze

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ummer activities

The sport of kitesurfing leaves Jon Clarke (right) in a tangle, after the first morning started with a nasty ‘shock’ IT’S gusting 45 knots and my lines have just got tangled with the only other kitesurfer within half a kilometre. We’re two metres deep in the briny and with the waves crashing over our heads it is impossible to hear the urgent instructions our teacher is barking from the beach. Could it get any worse? Well for starters I am caught up with the only other student on my course – Stefan, a German, based in Zurich – and he is just as clueless as me. And second, just as I finally unhook the last of my four lines from his kite, I am jolted stiff from an electric shock from below. Quite unsure what the hell is going on, in my panic I pull the red emergency cord, as I have been instructed to do. The problem is it is not the

Stung int emergency cord I have pulled, but the emergency-emergency cord, (the one you are not meant to pull) – and next thing we are watching my kite go shooting off towards Africa. It’s like Apollo One as within seconds the 3.5m comet is almost out of sight as it tumbles and somersaults its way south at a rate of knots - 45 to be exact.

Murder

When we finally clamber out of the sea, our Slovakian instructor is completely beside herself. She has been screaming blue murder from the beach and is only marginally consoled that nobody has drowned. Luckily it is only a €250 beginner’s kite and, luckier still, one of only a dozen brave souls daring enough to risk this particularly crazy Tarifa morning (one of the windiest for months, I am

told) zooms off after it. A 10-minute walk down the beach later and he has fished it out, rolled it up and delivered it to us on the shore, before calling us a complete bunch of losers and shaking his bloodied little finger - cut by one of my lines - as proof of his endeavour. Not a happy bunny, our instructor Veronica is at least cheered up when I tell her about the sudden electric shock that had led to my disgrace. It turns out I had stepped on a leguado (or sole), a flat fish that lurks on the rocks. Now it all makes perfect sense, she tells me. I feel marginally better about the whole fiasco and somehow pluck up enough courage to get back in the water later that afternoon, when the wind has dropped just a little bit. I had volunteered to undertake a three-day kitesurfing

course w Valdeva as part pullout. While so the star others j quite fra Everyon it gets i bines al full tilt o ras, and the cen town go But not sensatio first wa the kite board in I was p my feet half of into eve my wets ears an Accordin windies

Swimming with the fishes Octopus, moray eels, sea cucumbers … Tom Powell went into Deep cover to discover a whole new enclave of cool Costa residents

BENEATH the sun-kissed sea lies an entirely different world, teeming with colourful life that makes the coast’s crowded beaches and bars feel a million miles away. Scuba diving, both a thrilling and serenely relaxing sport, abounds all along the Costa del Sol from Tarifa to Malaga. Whether you are an experienced diver or a complete rookie, you will be struck by two underwater wow factors: the clarity of the water and the infinite variety of fish. I embarked on my subaquatic adventure with the scuba pros at Yellow Sub, who operate out of Tarifa harbour. They take people of all experience levels on dives and offer official PADI courses. After a thorough landbased briefing on safety, science and equipment with my dive manager, Sabina Agostini, we kitted up and made our way to the boat. Given that my previous introduction to scuba diving was a university swimming pool, I too was blown away by the vivid underwater landscape and clear visibility. The sheer number of aquatic species all sizes and colours of the spectrum is astounding. We chugged around Tarifa’s mini island, Isla de la Palomas, investigating every nook and cranny, marvelling at the magnificent orange anemones clinging

to the rocks. Sassy sea cucumbers, evil-looking moray eels with their malevolent mouths agape, fish that camouflage themselves in the sand … even Sir David Attenborough would wax lyrical! “The diving here is amazing. There is so much to see and the water is so clear,” enthused Sabina, from Switzerland. At one point we came upon a pair of octopuses entwined in a passionate embrace and, feeling like a third wheel, I edged away. But from Sabina’s hand signals I soon realised they were fighting over the best hiding place under the rocks. It was fascinating to watch, and as the victor took up residence, the loser powered off to regroup, leaving no surface ripple to tell the world above what had transpired in this deep sea ocean kingdom. Yellow Sub, run by Italian Enrico Demelas, offers dives to 10 different sites, including two wrecks for those who take the PADI courses. There are dives every day, accompanied by professional and incredibly friendly instructors. Whether you’re a rookie or an expert seeking fresh challenges, Yellow Sub shows you a haunting underwater world you never would imagine existed.

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July 9 - July 23 2014

to action

with the Mistral team at aqueros beach, in Tarifa, of this special activities

ome insisted it must be rt of my mid-life crisis, just felt sorry for me. I, ankly, was terrified. ne knows how windy in Tarifa. The wind turlong the coast are going on my drive from Algecid even my walk through ntre of the charming ot a little gusty. thing compares to the on you feel when you alk onto the beach with e in one hand and your n the other. practically knocked off as I stood on the sand, which had quickly got ery nook and cranny of suit not to mention eyes, nd nose. ng to locals, this is the st spot in Europe and

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back in by the wind. It instilled confidence and by the third day when the board was introduced I was raring to go. Sadly though, it is not just jumping onboard. With the wind still howling around the 35/40 mark and plenty of waves, it is anything but easy getting the board attached to your feet while lying in the water and trying not to sink, while still flying the kite.

has the best conditions for kite and wind surfing. So strong is the wind my instructor told me how a friend’s nine-year-old boy had been literally blown across their street earlier this year from one particularly enthusiastic gust. Confidence It seemed somehow inconceivable that at the age of 45 I was opting for this intense sport, instead That said, by the afternoon of quietly practising my golf swing. I was finally floating with the But there are some challenges in life worth underboard on my feet and actually taking and by the second day I had finally found some rhythm. Going through the discipline of rigging up your kite is all part of the learning process and the team at Mistral insists that the safety side of the sport is carefully explained. You certainly feel more confident going out with a fully qualified instructor, even if our Eastern European belle had a bark on her worse than an East London fishmonger. After two days of learning to effectively fly the kite, we were slowly introduced to the water, first getting dragged one way (out to sea) and then dragged BEACHED: Fellow student Stefan gets ticked off by Veronica

Amazing mounts

HORSERIDING through Andalucia is the perfect way to get back to the heart of the beautiful, rugged landscape. Through the Guaro valley in the Axarquia, or along the bright, windswept Costa de la Luz, there’s a wealth of opportunities for horseback adventure. Hurricane Hipica, in Tarifa, has established itself as an equine epicentre, offering rides that take you over breathtaking beaches and forested mountains. Run by world-class Dutch equestrian Klaartje Muijser, the horses are incredibly well looked after, living shoe-free in open fields. Another gem can be found in Vejer de la Frontera. Cortijo El Indiviso boasts an incredible 65 horses and ponies on standby. A great place for a private lesson or a group hack, Cortijo El Indiviso also holds a series of equestrian events at the finca. An hour-long Friday night show features 20 horses, flamenco and a great barbecue.

HACKED OFF: Group ride from Tarifa (top) and (below) learning at Indiviso with Vejer in the background

standing up (albeit for a brief few seconds) when I got the ‘figure of eight’ motion right. But as experienced kitesurfer and Tarifa stalwart Tony Cassidy tells me, I’m not a million miles off. “Once you’ve done your three days and you can finally stand up on the board, do another three lessons and get your confidence up,” he advised me. “You really need to get the lessons to get the confidence.” And as we all know, it’s all about the confidence. So apparently I’ll just need a few more hours of lessons and I’ll be skimming across the waves with the best... I can hardly call myself a kitesurfer, but one thing’s for certain: when the autumn comes I’ll be back for another go. Kitesurfs can be rented from a number of well established companies in Tarifa including Hot Stick, Dragon and Mistral. Lessons start from around €200 for a 3-day starter course.

HORSE SHOW YEGUADA EL HIERRO – CORTIJO EL INDIVISO – VEJER DE LA FRONTERA 1 HOUR OF SHOW WITH 20 HORSES LIVE ANDALUSIAN MUSIC – FLAMENCO – BAR – BARBECUE Espectáculo de 1 hora con 20 caballos – Música andaluza en directo – Flamenco – Bar – Barbacoa Info and reservation : (+34) 687 33 87 41 – info@elindiviso.com – www.elindiviso.com

20h30 July – August every Friday 5 September 26 September 10 October 17 October

2014

For more information, check out www.tarifahip.com and www. elindiviso.com Affiche-cortijo_A4.indd 1

27/03/2014 13:13

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July 9 - July 23 2014

What will you do at ROOM? Indulge your creative side with art classes in Duquesa

OOM is a new creative space being built in the Las Galerias shopping centre in Duquesa. Manchester native and longtime Spanish expat Christian Lee Dunn (right) conceived ROOM as a space to allow people of all ages to hone their skills in all things performative. An accomplished dancer, Christian will teach classes as well as host several worldclass dance instructors, who will share their secrets with the Costa del Sol. Non-dancers needn’t worry, as ROOM also promises classes in acting and other creative arts. With an expected customer base comprised mainly of expats, ROOM also plans to hold language classes as a convenient way to hone you and your children’s linguistic skills. A drama society is also in the works, hoping to unite the Costa del Sol’s thespians with the goal of putting on an annual Christmas pantomime. All of this and more is in store for the future of this Duquesa capital of culture, but now let’s get to the logistics:

TALENT: Dunn and (top) some of his troupe The space will be open seven days a week, with a regular schedule of 55-minute classes,

the room

promoting everything from Hip Hop dancing to Classical Ballet. Of course, this is Spain after all, so Christian is excited to bring in some masters of flamenco as well, kicking-off a line of ROOM Latin dance courses. And parents, listen closely. ROOM could be a perfect alternative to after-care programmes. Especially so during the summer, as Christian plans to hold longer 90 minute summer specials on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, giving you the perfect amount of time to grab a drink and catch up while the kids are entertained.

Whether you bring your kids or enroll yourself, rest assured that ROOM employs only instructors of the highest calibre. Christian, 30, has an impressive background as a professional dancer and performer, not to mention he is quite the linguist, fluent in English, Spanish, and Norwegian.

Performing

An extensive resume supports his expertise, beginning with a three-year dance and musical theatre course at the Bolton Dance & Performing Arts College.

After receiving his degree, Christian immediately jumped into a four-year career on the stage, performing in a variety of venues and most notably, in a tribute band to ‘90s British pop group Take That (cleverly named ‘Fake That’). Other credits include appearances as a professional dancer with Jamelia, Rachel Stevens, and BodyRockers, among others. Following these action-packed years, Christian took a break from the limelight to share his talents through a career in dance instruction. After a quick stint at a Man-

chester performing arts college, he jetted across the globe to become the course coordinator at the Wang Qi Feng School in Shanghai, run by China’s first Prima Ballerina. With so many outstanding achievements under his belt, Christian landed a job as the Principal at Aalesund Ballett Skolen, a prestigious ballet school in Norway. It was here in Norway where Christian completed some of his truly admirable accomplishments. After directing a well-received full orchestra production of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, Christian put on the Norwegian version of one of America’s favourite musicals, the TonyAward winning Annie. He even found time in between all this to organise Norway’s first flash mob, a spectacular choreographed public dance session where civilians spontaneously bust a move in perfect unison. With this in mind, you can’t deny that the staff at ROOM are top-notch, so mark your calendars for July 28, when ROOM has its grand opening, complete with free courses all week. Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to hone your creativity, express yourself, and learn a thing or two along the way. So, what will YOU do at ROOM?

ROOM

Open week commences Monday 28th July - come and try classes for free! Classes available in: Hip Hop/Jazz/Ballet/Tap/Musical Theatre/Contemporary/Fitness/Body Conditioning/Martial Arts/Linedance/Latin & Ballroom/Argentine Tango/Salsa/Drama/Duquesa Drama Society/Spanish Language/Art Classes/Art Gallery Exhibition and more!!! The teaching faculty at ROOM are of the highest standard, many of whom are ex professional international performers and teachers. This ensures the quality of teaching is exceptional. Studio Hire available. Drop in classes or pay 4-weeks in advance and receive your 5th class for free! The Studio is located in Las Galerias, El Puerto De La Duquesa. For further information and to register for classes Info@roomduquesa.es Office - 952 89 34 80 Principal - 605 41 34 51

WHAT WILL YOU DO AT ROOM?

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Body shapers

Olympians and English rugby players are flocking to the Costa del Sol for a new gym experience. The Olive Press asks owner Nick Mitchell (below) what makes his gym Ultimate Performance Marbella so unique

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

What is Ultimate Performance Marbella and why is everyone talking about you?

We are widely regarded as the world’s best personal training business and have our own gyms in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and Singapore. What makes us different, and why so many people are buzzing about what we do here, is because we are results oriented. We aren’t interested in clients who just want a spa-like environment or the stereotypical ‘renta-friend’ personal trainer. We actually make it very clear to our personal training clients that we don’t care about becoming their friend and if we do, it is a side bonus to the real goal of getting tangible results. Our facilities are solely for our private personal training clients, but our new gym here on the Spanish coast is bit different. It’s a regular members’ gym where people can come to exercise by themselves, as part of our TeamUP group classes, or of course for the personal training that we are famous for. The team has come all the way from London and Madrid, with the goal of bringing the same level of care and attention here as we do in the bigger cities where we are already based.

HE leap between ivnvestment banking in London to opening a chain of international gyms hailed as the best personal training business in the world might seem an unlikely one. But for entrepreneur Nick Mitchell it was the most natural step in the world. A competitive body builder in his twenties, Nick confesses that he has always been at his best when in the gym. And five years ago, he decided to open one of his very own in London. Now he owns five gyms across the world, in the UK, Hong Kong and Singapore - with the most recent opening in nearby Marbella. Nick is such a big fan of the Costa del Sol that he has recently moved here with his young family, as he believes the environment and weather will be good for them. And as the author of the number one best-selling fitness book - The 12 Week Body Plan - on Amazon UK for the last 18 months running, Nick is the goto guy for celebrities and members of the public alike. “But we are in this for real people, who are prepared to do what it takes to actually make a real change,” he explains, adding: “These are the people who will really benefit.” He proudly shows off photos of his best ‘before and afters’, with his particular favourite being 28-year-old British expat

Three point programme

Your new gym looks amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it. Can you explain it?

PEAK FITNESS: English rugby stars Paul Doran Jones (left) and James Haskell (right)

Glenn (top left). “What he did was really incredible. He worked so hard, training eight or nine times a week for 15 weeks, but that’s not normal. Most people do three or four sessions, and in just six to 12 weeks can make huge changes but not necessarily to Glenn’s crazy level.” Another client he picks out is Rob, 46, who decided it was time to transform himself.

Here, the Olive Press puts a few quick questions to the gym boss about his business and why he expects to do well in southern Spain.

We know we are not a gym for everybody. If you want a gym with fluffy towels and handmaidens waiting on your every whim then there are definitely better gyms for you to join. But if you want serious equipment for serious results then we are one of the best facilities in the world. One word of warning though. If your definition of a ‘great gym’ is one with ranks of treadmills and stationary bikes then we are not the gym for you. This is a resistance training gym. Not because it is full of knuckle dragging bodybuilders, that isn’t the case at all. But because resistance training is the optimal and most malleable tool for rapid changes in fat loss and body shape. And one of our main draws - that blows everyone away - is that we have an outside exercise area to match the quality of our inside area. The indoor gym is 500 metres square of weights, and we have another 500 metres square of astroturfed outdoor ‘functional training’. Even though we’ve only been open for two months we’ve already had Olympic sportsmen and England rugby players come to visit specifically for the environment, equipment, and the sheer fun of training in the sun! But a gym like this must be very expensive and only for higher end customers? While what is inside the gym is certainly not cheap, our membership is very reasonable and can be as little as €59/month depending upon the package. Our goal isn’t to make the most money. We know that sounds hard to believe but unlike other gyms on the coast we get revenue from many other places. Our goal is to create something special and a community that people love. We seem to be getting there. We are capping our membership so that the gym is always fun to train and never too busy, and we are already 70% of the way to that goal, and every day we have people visiting who have come on holiday from all over Europe just to experience what it is like to train in such a unique environment.

AFTER

TOP FACILITIES: UP gym (above and left)

Visit Ultimate Performance Marbella, at 22 Calle Chipre, San Pedro de Alcantara, 29670. For more information, visit www.UPFitness.com.es, www.facebook.com/MarbellaGym, email info@ UPfitness.com.es, or call 951 194 600.

EXCLUSIVE OLIVE PRESS OFFER - If you turn up at the gym with this page Ultimate Performance will give you 33% off any gym membership. But you need to hurry as this one-time offer expires on July 31

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Li s t in g yo u r p ro p e r t y w i t h Si e s ta H o m e s i s a b re eze .

Co n ta c t u s n ow Ce n t ro Co m e rci a l Ce n t ro Pl a za , O fi cin a 4 4 - 4 6 , E - 2 9 6 6 0 N u ev a A n d a lu cí a – M á l a g a t e l : ( + 34 ) 952 9 0 87 0 5 w w w. s i e s ta - re a l e s ta t e . co m

Property

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Taxing times

Expats rally as town hall ‘overcharges’

SPAIN’S Balearic Islands have seen a boom in their luxury property market with sales numbers exploding this year. Party island Ibiza is leading the charge with it’s celebrity guests and media coverage, according to Glynn Evans, managing director of Ibiza Sotheby’s International Realty. Evans said: “There have al-

A GROUP of Chiclana expats claim they are being ripped-off by the town hall’s property tax. The association, IBI Real, insists that many families are being charged too much IBI – similar to UK council tax. They are calling for the town hall to review all

properties to ensure the tax charged accurately reflects property values after the nationwide housing collapse. A key factor taken when calculating IBI is whether the property is on rural or urban land. IBI Real insists that too many properties are being charged the higher urban rate. Bill Davie, a leading member of the group, told the Olive Press: “People should only be charged the ‘urbano’ rate if they receive council provided utilities. “The remainder, which would probably apply to the majority of properties, should be charged the ‘rustico’ rate.” Mr Davie added: “IBI Real can improve things for all expats if it can succeed in persuading the council to acknowledge that IBI must be fairly charged.” Formed in October 2013, IBI Real has already attracted attention from both Spaniards Waschkeat at Sotheby’s Mal- and expats. Their latest initiative is a travlorca firm. The Balearic Islands have a elling outdoor office in the history of success in Spain. Chiclana area, to help people Last year, the hotspots saw fill out forms and demand the largest investment from refunds when they have been foreign investors, ahead of overcharged. Andalucia’s Costas and Cata- For more information contact asociacionibichiclana@ lunya. gmail.com

Balearic boom ready been in excess of 25 transactions for villas priced over €2 million,” and UK citizens are the biggest investors in this market. Mallorca and the other Balearics seem to faring just as well, to the delight of Evans’ colleague Daniel Chavarria

Goodbye buying blues HOUSE hunting in Spain is about to get a lot easier for foreign buyers. Online resource company SpainBuyingGuide.com has opened a Spanish office to help expats find their dream home. With new premises in Cala de Mijas, the firm – part of the Overseas Guides Company – puts property seekers in touch with estate agents and lawyers and has an exclusive partnership with international money transfer specialist

Smart Current Exchange. Head of Spain Buying Guide, Angelos Koutsoudes, said: “Our Spanish office will raise our customer offering to a whole new level. “Face-to-face contact with our team and partners on the ground in Spain will complement our existing operations run out of London perfectly.” The team can also offer guidance over the phone and online from its UK-based resource centre, its buying guide website and portfolio of free information guides.

MIJAS VILLA €395,000* Gorgeous Villa in Valtocado, only 7 min from Mijas Pueblo. Panoramic views. Spacious and bright, Lush gardens. Beds: 3 Baths: 4 Built: 340m2 Plot: 1,850m2

T: 670 607 246 952 486 296 E: mijas@palominoproperties.com www.palominoproperties.com

PROPERY SALES • PROPERTY MANAGEMENT • PROjEcT MANAGEMENT PLANNiNG • REfuRbiShMENT • TuRNkEY cONSTRucTiON George T Klein, founder of Klein & Partner, has many years of experience and expertise working in the property market of Marbella and its surrounds on Spain's renowned Costa del Sol. The result is that, today, Klein & Partner is recognized as being one of the most established and reputable real-estate agencies in the area - a company that goes far beyond mere property sales and purchase, but provides a whole realm of additional support services. Tel: (+34) 952765636

E: klein@kleinandpartner.com

www.kleinandpartner.com

the olive press - july 24 - Aug 6 2014

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Infinite luxury

A mark of the elite, an infinity pool revolution is on the horizon

NEW symbol of elegance is quickly becoming the centrepiece of luxury hotels around the globe. Enter the infinity pool, a beautiful and seemingly edge-less form, with water rolling on endlessly towards the horizon. Below are some of the best infinity pools in Spain and its islands.

The Roca Nivaria Gran Hotel – Tenerife If you find yourself in the Canaries, head south to stay at the superb Roca Nivaria, a location perfect for couples and families alike. The resort features two infinity pools, one saltwater and heated year-round, the other freshwater and with an open air Jacuzzi. The pool’s edges

perfectly align with the hotel’s stunning ocean views, so it looks as if you could swim right into the sea.

W Barcelona – Barcelona, Catalunya After touring the Sagrada Familia, relax poolside at the W Barcelona, a sleek hotel located flush against the coastline. The infinity pool shimmers under

the city lights at night, and the wet deck area is a suntrap for tanning and lounging on plush furniture during the day.

Hotel Hacienda Na Xamena – Ibiza Nestled above the Ibiza cliffs, the Hotel Hacienda Na Xamena offers quiet solace from the nonstop parties the rest of the island is known for. Treat yourself to a massage at the hotel’s excellent spa, La Posidonia, or try a hydrotherapy session at their multi-leveled infinity pool, complete with waterfalls and massage jets.

Jumeirah Port de Soller Hotel & Spa – Mallorca If you need a break from the crowds, try taking a dip in the Jumeirah Port de Soller Hotel’s simple yet oh-so-elegant infinity pool. Another great place to bring the kids, this resort features multiple pools to keep them entertained for hours, while parents can recover with a spa treatment or poolside cocktails, complete with stunning views of the Mallorca coast and Balearic Sea.

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The Property Insider by Ad am Neale

If you’re buying or selling property in Spain, the best place to start is online. Here’s a hand-picked selection of essential sites to get you moving. FIRST off, if you're reading this in print, you should also check out the online version (see my Property Insider column on the Olive Press website) to harness the power of the Internet, do a lot less typing and view direct links to the websites mentioned. A great starting place for English-speaking international users to break down language barriers and decode the baffling legal terminology of investing in Spanish property can be found on the website of Registradores de Espana (Spanish Land Registrars): buyingahouse.registradores.org

Available

Users of this site can request a nota simple (information extract) from the relevant property registry office and receive an English translation detailing the legal status of the property in question – all within 48 hours. There’s even a series of YouTube videos explaining how the whole process works. The site of the Directorate

Help for buyers and sellers is just a click away

BEFORE THE STORM: Undeveloped Banus in 1956

General for Cadastre (Land Registry) provides data about various Spanish properties and is available in English at: www1.sedecatastro.gob.es (click 'welcome' in the top right hand corner). You'll also find a comprehensive guide – again in English – about how to start a range of cadastral procedures electronically: buying, selling, inheriting and chang-

ing the use of a property. You can also calculate fiscal property values anywhere in Andalucia online. You’ll only need the cadastral value of the property, the date it was completed, its location and some basic Spanish. Simply enter the details into the application in the Virtual Office of the Junta’s website at: www.juntadeandalucia.es

There’s much more propertyrelated material on the website, but it's all only available in Spanish. Tinsa – one of Spain’s leading property valuation firms – offers online valuations via their website (in Spanish): www.tinsa.es Starting at less than €10, with just the address, basic details, and a credit card or PayPal account, they will provide a PDF Stima report that gives buyers an idea of a fair asking price and vendors a realistic selling price, based on statistical data from recent valuations. For vendors, Malaga’s Patronato de Recaudacion (Revenue Management Authority) has a new website – portalweb.prpmalaga.es, available in English via Google Translate. The site lets you calculate the plusvalia municipal (local capital gains tax) you will have to pay when selling a property in any of the province’s municipalities. Worried about what could

be built on that empty plot next to the dream villa you're thinking of buying? You can check its planning status with your local town hall online. In the case of Marbella, for example, go to: sit.marbella.es/visor_SIT2/ index_internet.html The site is in Spanish and takes a while to master, but it's worth the effort. For example, with Gestion de Capas you can even explore Marbella’s planning dating back to 1956, as well as confirming urban and non-urban land classifications. Finally, if you're uncertain about which taxes you may be liable for, Hacienda (Spain’s Tax Agency) has a very comprehensive guide to non-resident taxation on their website in English: www. agenciatributaria.es Here you will find information on income tax, value-added tax, special taxes on property and a whole host of other FAQs.

Terra Meridiana. 77 Calle Caridad, 29680 Estepona. Tel: +34 951 318480. Office Mob: +34 678 452109 Email: info@terrameridiana.com. http://www.terrameridiana.com

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Tarifa’s prices now top elite Marbella’s TARIFA’S rapidly rising real estate prices are giving Marbella a run for its money. The exclusive beach resort on the Costa de la Luz has more expensive property prices per metre squared than in Marbella, which costs €1,833 per metre square. Tarifa, where it costs €1,840 per metre square, has seen a rapid increase in property prices in recent years, and is only topped by Cadiz city in Andalucia, according to the latest official figures. Tony Cassidy, 66, of Tarifa Direct, insists that not only is the town now level-pegging with Marbella and Mallorca, it will also give Ibiza, Madrid and Barcelona a run for their money in terms of demand and price. “It is one of the true dynamos of Spain and demand is incredibly high,” explained Cassidy, from Leeds in the UK. “We are just waiting for a big developer like Taylor Wimpey to arrive. “I have a villa near the Punta Sur hotel for €3 million, which in Rosario, near Marbella, would be €1.5 million.” But it is not luxury mansions that are drawing buyers to Tarifa, but the lifestyle. “You get less for your money, but have the most amazing countryside and beaches.”

the olive press - july 24 - Aug 6 2014

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Endesa is fined €1.2m for abuse THE Spanish Antitrust Commission (CNMC) has fined electric company Endesa €1.2m for abusing its dominant position in the market between 2009 and 2012. The fine for unjust installation charges came as the company, based in Madrid, expanded its market across Spain. In 2011 the company - owned by Italian giant Enel - boasted over 12.7 million clients in Spain, almost 28% of the entire population. Complaints were first levelled against Endesa in Andalucia and the Balearic Islands, which brought Endesa back into the CNMC’s attention. The company was fined in 2006 and 2012 for similar infractions.

the olive press - July 24 - Aug 6 201437 37

July 24 - Aug 6 2014

The Olive Press fortnightly business section taking a look at the Spanish economy and offering tips on how to save AND make money

Win for expats Historic court ruling against Landsbanki sparks probe A EUROPEAN court has made a historic ruling in support of an expat group of banking victims. Luxembourg’s Court of Appeal is proceeding with a full investigation into claims of money laundering and fraud against the bank Landsbanki, which went bust in 2008.

“This is a significant step forward in our fight for justice and the right to get our properties and lives back,” Michael McInnes of the Landsbanki Victims Action Group, told the Olive Press. A total of 180 British, German and Dutch expats united in 2009, after falling foul of the bank’s ‘equity release’

scheme. Victims were allegedly mis-sold financial products by the bank , which was neither registered or licensed in Spain as an investment bank. Loans worth 25% of the market value of their properties were agreed in return for investing the remaining 75% in a portfolio managed by the bank. But Landsbanki went bust in 2008 and investors were left in the bank’s debt.

Cashpoint crooks

Hooked! THE Spanish are hooked on their gadgets. The average Spaniard spends an incredible eight hours and 48 minutes a day on their devices, not counting work use. According to the study by Technonomic Index, Europeans spend at least six hours a day glued to their electronic devices. Brits are comparatively neglectful of their tech, spending just six hours and 54 minutes a day at their screens.

SPANISH banks charge more to take out cash than any other country in Europe. It is also the only European country where customers pay to withdraw cash from their own bank network – including Servired, 4B and Euro6000. Banks in Spain grab €3.3 billion every year from fees and commissions – four times the estimated €840 million it costs to maintain the ATM network. Bankia and CaixaBank have the highest fee to withdraw cash, according to a study by comparison site kelisto.es. In most other EU countries, there is no commission, regardless of which bank you use.

Criminal

The group was told the bank held a mortgage on their properties and that if they did not settle all debts their homes would be seized. Joining forces with a group of French victims, the group filed a criminal case against the bank for fraud and money laundering. The court’s ruling is not the end of the fight, but victims are now meeting with their lawyers to discuss the next steps. McInnes added: “Although a long way from winning the war, we are winning more and more battles in our quest for justice.”

BUSINESS IN BRIEF Ryanair plans Malaga boost RYANAIR will increase flights between Malaga and the rest of Europe after predicting a rise in tourism. The Costa del Sol accounts for over 50% of Andalucia’s visitors, with an annual income of €10 billion.

A+ debt SPANISH public debt has now reached €996.9 million, just €3.1 million from the billion-euro mark. This puts debt at 97.4% of Spain’s GDP, the highest percentage in over a century.

Shameless plug THE Spanish government has announced that it will provide up to €6,500 aid to those who buy electric cars.

Seeing double THE IMF has doubled its growth forecasts for Spain from 0.6% to 1.2%, claiming that the economy has ‘turned the corner’.

www.theolivepress.es

the olive press - july 24 - Aug 6 2014

July 24 - Aug 6 2014

The Insurance Doctor

Staking your claim

Claiming on your household insurance? Danni Worth has the magic formula FIRST things first. Check your policy to see if you are covered. If in any doubt, call your broker as soon as possible to confirm.

Pre-claim considerations:

1. Does your policy have an excess? If so, remember you will only be entitled to claim for sums greater than the excess. 2. If the claim is for a small amount, you should consider the impact it could have on the price of future renewals. This will depend on how many claims you have made in the past, and whether you maintain other policies with the insurer. Insurance companies are used to paying claims but get worried when they detect claims frequency. If in doubt, contact your broker.

Communicating the claim:

If it’s a weekend or national holiday, your policy document should contain a 24/7 emergency assistance number to call. Let the broker know once they are open again.

What to expect:

It is possible the insurer may send a loss adjuster to inspect the damage or a tradesman to carry out necessary repairs.

What should I do?

Generally, following a loss, it is always good advice to minimise the extent of your claim. Always carry out urgent repairs to limit the damage - your broker will advise on the best approach. Photographs showing the damage can also be very useful. It is vital that you don’t throw away any damaged items until the insurance company has inspected them. For any burglary losses, you will need a police report detailing the circumstances and listing the stolen items and their values. If you later discover that

other items are missing, which is quite common after undergoing the trauma of a burglary, you should return to the police and make a supplementary report to accompany the original. As soon as you can, establish the amount of money you will need to put things right, carry out necessary repairs and replace items. Your broker can do a much better job of defending your interests if your expectations are understood early on in the claims process.

Be prepared!

A claim runs smoother if the sums insured are correct at the outset, with objects of particular value notified to insurers. To be able to properly document losses with purchase invoices, Op de Beeck & Worth - Insurance Brokers photographs, repair estimates etc. also C. C. Guadalmina IV - Locales 97-98, 29670, San Pedro Alcantara (Málaga) - Tel +34 952 88 22 73/Fax +34 952 88 42 26 helps ‘oil the wheels’. olivepress@opdebeeck-worth.com - www.opdebeeck-worth.com If in doubt as to

Having established that you are covered, inform your broker as soon as possible. Failure to do so may jeopardise your claim.

whether you are please contact us.

insured,

How to complain:

If you are dissatisfied with the insurance company’s offer, discuss this with your broker and provide him with documentation to explain why. This will help him negotiate for you. If this doesn’t work, your broker will need to make a formal complaint to the insurance company’s customer services, which must respond in writing within two months. If all else fails, a formal complaint may be made to the Direccion General de Seguros & Fondos de Pensiones, the regulatory authority in Spain which deals with such complaints. In addition to the above, it may be necessary to engage the services of an independent loss adjuster who can prepare a report challenging the insurance company’s decision.

the olive press - July 24 - Aug 6 201439 39

Top Dollar

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Wifi giant’s collapse leaves foreign investors sceptical about Spanish stock markets SPANISH wifi provider Gowex has filed for bankruptcy after its former president admitted to fiddling company accounts. Disgraced Jenaro Garcia Martin could be looking at more than 10 years in prison. Charged with false accounting, distortion of economic and financial information and insider trading, Martin – now banned

‘Tech’ him away boys! from leaving Spain – must pay €600,000 bail or prepare for jail. The spectacular collapse of Gowex, which had contracts to

Portugal’s bank crisis rumbles on PORTUGAL’S banking crisis has sent shockwaves through financial markets in Spain and the Eurozone. Banco Espirito Santo – Portugal’s second largest bank – suspended trading early last week, reviving concerns about the underlying health of Europe’s banks. The crisis has caused ructions in the bond markets, leading Spain’s Banco Popular to postpone plans to offer €750 million in contingent convertible bonds, known as CoCos. A CoCo bond con-

July 24 - Aug 6 2014

verts into equity for the bank when it starts demonstrating financial difficulty, effectively turning the bond into a share of stock. Talk of Espirito Santo needing a bail-out has underscored fears that the credit crisis in Europe is not over yet.

provide free wifi in major cities such as Madrid and Paris, has raised new questions from foreign investors about the regulation of Spain’s stock markets. The tech firm’s share price rose

60% from 2012 to 2013 on Spain’s Alternative Stock Market but is now all but defunct, with its major contracts over or cancelled.

Android bites Apple

Banco Santander is voted ‘the best in western Europe’

ANDROID phones are more popular in Spain than in any other country, according to new data. An incredible nine in every 10 smartphones sold in Spain are Androids – more than in the US, China or any other country worldwide. Android rung up a massive 87% of sales in Spain, compared to iPhone’s 6.2% market share and 5.4% for Windows. Blackberry cornered a tiny 0.3% of the market.

SPAIN’S Banco Santander has been showing the other Eurozone banks how it’s done, scooping a top award as ‘best bank in western Europe’. International financial magazine Euromoney also named Santander the best bank in five of its main markets: Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Argentina and Puerto Rico. Euromoney’s Awards for Excellence are the global

FACING JAIL: Former Gowex president Jenaro Garcia Martin

benchmark for the banking industry. The magazine particularly praised Santander Group’s

geographic diversity, retail banking and consumer financing businesses in Europe.

Top Dollar

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the olive press - july 24 - Aug 6 2014

Airline jobs plummet

AGONY ANT YOUR LEGAL PROBLEMS ADDRESSED

TRANSFER tax in Spain, and more specifically in Andalucia, has been upped consistently over the last few years. Up until December 31 2011, transfer tax on resale property was capped at 7% (6% some years before) but, as if the worldwide housing slump had not reached this region, the Socialist government chose to increase it to 8%, 9% and then 10% - applied on property purchase price brackets of 0-400k, 400k-700k and 700k and above. Madrid, on the contrary, thought that it was wiser to bring it down, from 7% to 6% (a little incentive to make up for lack of good weather it seems). But going back to Andalucia, not all transactions are taxed at rates close to double digits. Property professionals that buy resale property and sell it within five years can benefit from a reduced 2% rate. So what are the requirements that have to be met to get this deal? That the property is for living accommodation purposes (commercial and land are excluded). That the unit(s) remain(s) registered in the same form (i.e. buying a plot with a derelict property to rebuild and divide up into several units will not qualify). That the property is sold within five years of purchase, and the sale is not subject to VAT. When completing the purchase transaction at the notary, the buyer officially confirms that he is a property professional and the asset will be categorized as a ‘current asset’ (i.e. reasonably expected to be sold through the normal operations of business), that he wishes to use the tax reduction and that he intends to sell within five years. Does this scheme make sense financially? Three points to be considered when opting to

Tackling transfer tax As property transfer tax grows higher and higher, Antonio Flores looks at ways to get around it

go down this route: The pretty stiff closing costs in Spain if you add buying and selling costs: these can reach 20% if one factors in transfer taxes, legal costs, agency fees and capital gains tax. By taking up this option, anything between 6% and 8% can be saved.

The ‘running costs’ of being a property 2 professional: by registering with the tax office, and social security, one has fixed

minimum costs of €280/month plus €50/ month in legal/accountancy fees - the lowest the market has to offer- roughly €4,000 p.a. (if we multiply it by five years, that’s €20,000).

The ‘Five Year Rule for Buying a House’, 3 which is the average time people expect to stay in a particular property, according to experts.

Email Antonio at aflores@lawbird.es

BRITISH Airways and Iberia employees are facing unemployment as the companies plan massive job cuts. International Airlines Group (IAG) – owner of the airlines– says that more than 1,580 employees are in danger of redundancy.

The decision follows heavy losses within the companies in previous years. However, there are signs of improvement for the airlines. Iberia has halved its losses from last year, while BA showed only £4 million (€5 million) in losses this quarter, compared to last year’s £60 million (€75.7 million).

Spain’s oldest business hits the triple century mark FROM tobacco papers to lottery tickets to paper tops on alcohol bottles, everyone has come in contact with J. Vilaseca at some point. Now Barcelona-based paper company J.

Vilaseca has celebrated its 300th birthday. Since setting up in 1714, it has produced 600 different products and still sells its wares to an amazing 84 countries. “The secret has been constant innovation and internationalisation,” asserts commercial director Carlos Four of Spain’s 10 oldest businesses 1744 – Delgado Zuleta: Cadiz, Anda- Torredemer, are wineries - all of them based in An- lucia. noting that Sherry house boasts a staff of 170 dalucia. the company It seems the same rule that applies to family members and 10 employees. 70% wine (it improves with age) applies to 1745 – Arcos: Albacete. The cutlery does company produces over 600 models of its busithe businesses as well. ness abroad. All 10 are also still family owned, with of knives and boasts 500 staff the exception of Banco Etcheverria, in 1784 – Matas: Palamos, Girona. Ma- Although its top clients which the founders only hold 20% of tas runs port services around Spain 1808 – La Farga Lacambra: Les Ma- are France, its shares. sies de Voltregà, Barcelona. A copper Tunisia and Here are the firms, from the oldest: 1714 – J. Vilaseca: Capellades, Barce- company with production plants in Iran, J. Vilaslona. Printing firm selling paper goods Spain, China, and the U.S eca even pro1821 – Antonio Barbadillo: Sanlucar duced paper to 84 countries. 1717 – Banco Etcheverria: Betanzos, de Barrameda, Andalucia. Historic for the ChiGalicia. Spain’s oldest bank is also the winery making one of Spain’s best nese yen for selling wines 11th oldest in the world. three years 1729 – Bodegas Alvear: Cordoba, An- 1830 – Luis Caballero. Starting out as b e t w e e n dalucia. Alvear, a winery known for its a sherry and brandy company, it has 1996 and expanded into wines and gins. sherries, has 70 employees 1999.

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Airbnb backlash SPAIN is cracking down on tourism website Airbnb. The website and other services that offer ‘housing for tourist use’ will be hit with a five-night minimum rule. Furious hoteliers insist that the sites – through which people can advertise their own properties for tourists to rent – are bad for business. Catalunya has threatened the website, stating that the properties listed on it are breaking the law and need to be listed on the local registry. Madrid has followed suit enforcing the five-night minimum rule, which would force tourists visiting for a weekend to pay for a hotel room. The average stay in the city is just two nights, so the new restrictions could mean that Airbnb is in real trouble. According to estimates, there are currently between 6,000 and 8,000 homes ‘for tourist use’ in Madrid, all of which will face the new restrictions.

Let bankrupts bounce back IMF pushes for Spain to allow business debtors to launch new companies

By Jared Garland SPAIN’S legion of bankrupts may be given a second chance. The International Monetary Fund is pushing the country to allow failed company owners to start up new businesses,

despite still being in debt. Only four countries in Europe - including Hungary, Croatia and Bulgaria - still stop failed business owners from launching again. And, according to IMF boss Chris-

Team players team up

tine Lagarde, this policy is not only suppressing development, but it may end up COSTA del Sol-based tax advisor Alex Browne has teamed costing Spain more in the long-run. up with leading Marbella law firm BCP International. With offices in London, Morocco and Portugal, BCP are a She believes that when entrepreneurs know that force in the legal world. everything they earn is goAlex Browne, founder of Browne Freeman, ing towards paying off past said: “I am very enthusiastic about the prosdebts, it can lead them to pect of providing a quality service to expat inthe underground market. dividuals and businesses. Expats can now enThis money then does not joy the full legal, tax and accountancy service enter the economy. on offer from the new pairing. YES: Browne

Market mumbles with Mark Rickard

A Sterling summer THE minutes of the Bank of England’s latest meeting offer a description of the BOE Monetary Policy Committee, made up of nine experts delivering their predictions for the UK economy. With news of more jobs being created in the UK, but lower wages, Mark Carney will again be asked to 'explain' his economic projections and strategy for the UK. Low-wage inflation coupled with rising consumer price inflation is, of course, ammunition for Labour against the government and adds to the debate for a balanced approach to UK economic growth. Despite this, Sterling has been strong, trading close to 1.2650 against the Euro at times. In Europe, despite what seems to be a healthy summer in the Costas, they are struggling to gain traction. Business sentiment in Germany

was lower last week and Portuguese banking came under fire, as BES defaulted on some corporate bond payments. A new EU President, Jean Claude-Juncker from Luxembourg was 'nominated' despite Cameron's absolute disdain at the choice, and EU process for nomination… it's just not cricket is it? For the Euro, none of the above helped – it continues to struggle. This week there is more data from Germany, which if we take the business sentiment number into account, optimism for improvement will be low! On the sunny Costa del Sol we are pleased to see a definite increase in Brits house hunting for retirement or their dream holiday home. If you need expert help when transferring funds in, or out of Spain, call 951 203 986.

Debtors

“It’s not about offering second opportunities to everyone, but rather to use it as a reprieve for debtors that have shown good behaviour,” explained professor Matilde Cuena, at the Complutense University of Madrid. “If not they can turn to the underground market’, she warned. “It’s not by coincidence that Spain has one of the highest levels of fraud.” Additionally, the IMF believes the current policy can disincentivise first time entrepreneurs from starting their businesses in Spain. Currently in Spain, 92.1% of businesses are ‘micro-businesses’ with nine or fewer employees.

Road to Riches, by Richard Alexander

Little pensions add up! WITH SO much bad press about pensions over the years, I would like to share a positive news story on the subject for a change. Who knows, you might just be in a similar position to the client I recently advised. The lady in question had some pension questions relating to several ex-employers in the UK. When I met her, she explained that she had been a member of four different pension schemes before leaving the UK. Now, as she has been living in Spain for a number of years, she wanted to look at the options available to her. As we talked, it became clear that all four pensions were final salary/defined benefit schemes which are designed to provide a level of guaranteed retirement benefits, based on length of service and final pensionable earnings. This type of scheme is extreme-

ly valuable for people who complete years of service with the same company. But for those who chop and change employers, such schemes are notoriously less generous. My client had worked for an average of just over three years with each of her four employers and the total deferred pension benefits added up to a little over £6,000 a year. There were a number of other personal considerations that necessitated a full investigation of these seemingly trifling amounts of pension benefit. Thus, we embarked on gathering the information we needed to advise the client properly.

Once the information from each scheme had been received, it was then necessary to run each through a detailed analysis programme. This is vital in identifying all aspects of each scheme thoroughly, discovering how they apply to the individual case and what level of performance would be needed to match the retained benefits in the scheme. Not only is this a regulatory requirement; without such an analysis, this type of scheme is so complex that you cannot be sure all aspects are being considered and, where relevant, compared with the alternative options. The result of these investigations was quite enlightening. In total, these seemingly insignificant little pensions actually added up to an equivalent cash transfer value in excess of £250,000! As a result of the advice I was

able to provide, this client has been able to secure a more appropriate pension structure, giving her control over when and how to take her pension benefits. It has also enabled her to nominate eventual beneficiaries in a way that suits her, instead of being restricted to the prescribed benefits of the old schemes. In this case it was right for the client to transfer the pensions but that is not always true. There’s no rule of thumb that applies to all. However, if you too have some retained pension benefits from old UK employers, you may well have rather more value in your pension than you realise. As always, when seeking advice, make sure you do so from someone who is suitably qualified, experienced and authorised to deal with these complex matters.

Richard Alexander Financial Planning Limited is an appointed representative of L J Financial Planning Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK. Contact him at Richard@ra-fp.com

the olive press - July 24 - Aug 6 201441 41

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the olive press - july 24 - Aug 6 2014

OP Columnists

Belinda Beckett, aka the Mistress of Sizzle, regrets her career choice

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Hacks and Lumberjacks are NOT OK! E VER since Monty Python’s ‘Lumberjack Song’ there’s been something ‘nudge-nudge, wink-wink’ about chopping down trees for a living. Conversely, being a journalist used to be a career that carried kudos (think Woodward and Bernstein of Watergate fame) and raised an interested eyebrow at cocktail parties in the way it never did if you were a maths teacher. Alas, in today’s Digital Age when casual bloggers are calling themselves ‘professional writers’, no longer… News reporting ranks secondto-bottom in 2014’s Best & Worst Jobs list – an analysis of 200 professions based on salary, prospects, work environment and stress levels published annually by US website CareerCast.

Diminishing To add insult to injury, journalism comes only one place above lumberjacking! I suppose ‘blogging’ and ‘logging’ sound pretty similar... But who would have thought our noble profession would one day be put on a par with timber harvesting, the career choice of incontinent cross-dressers who press wild flowers for a hobby! Sure, anyone in the newsprint business has chopped down a few trees in their time by de-

fault. And quite a lot of them used to hang around in bars in my day. But if any of my former male colleagues liked to ‘wear high heels, suspendies and a bra’, they never shared their guilty pleasure with me! Unbelievably, broadcasting has

and daily newscasts is diminishing. Both jobs once seemed glamorous but stress, declining job opportunities and income levels are what landed them on our Worst Jobs list.” That’s not the worst of it. Dishwashing, undertaking and

COMEDIC JOBS: Hacks and lumberjacks would do better to join the Flying Circus also lost its cachet, ranked fourth from bottom in the list (eat your heart out Jeremy Clarkson)! Which seems a bit odd as Jeremy Paxman did alright and most people would give their right foot to step into one of Sir David Attenborough’s shoes (even if a tarantula might be lurking there). But CareerCast stands by its stats, stating: “As the digital world continues to take over, the need for print newspapers

operating a sewage plant are all regarded as better career prospects than news reporting these days!

Boffins rule Today, ‘numbers geeks’ are the new career heroes and dry old mathematicians will be in big demand at that hypothetical cocktail party, as they top the Best Jobs list. “‘Maths is expe-

riencing something of a renaissance period,’ reports CareerCast. “Analytics is the driving force, with analyses of trends now being used to gauge everything from internet-user tendencies to airport traffic control.” As for the other jobs we should all be slitting each other’s throats to get hold of, what the hell’s an ‘Audi-ologist’? Someone who studies luxury German cars for a living, perhaps (in which case, a promising new career opportunity for Jeremy Clarkson)? According to the dictionary it’s someone who ‘diagnoses and treats hearing problems by attempting to discover the range, nature and degree of hearing function’ … or what we redundant journalists would simply call ‘an ear doctor’… 5 Worst Jobs (with average US salary) 1. Lumberjack: $24,340 2. Newspaper Reporter $37,090 3. Enlisted Soldier: $28,840 4. Broadcaster: $27,750 5. Head Chef $42,840 5 Best Jobs 1. Mathematician: $101,360 2. University Professor: $68,970 3. Statistician: $75,560 4. Actuary: $93,680 5. Audiologist: $69,720

T'S that time of the year again on the Costas that all residents dread. The time when merely nipping out to the shops to get a few bits and pieces can turn into something resembling the trials and tribulations of Job. Welcome to the High Season. It traditionally runs from midJuly to the end of August, and it’s enough to rattle the most tolerant of residents. I know we should all be grateful for the annual influx of tourists that helps the local economy but it comes at a high price. Over the coming weeks I strongly advise you to take up whatever anti-stress techniques work best for you: deep breathing exercises, meditation, a large G and T before 11, that kind of thing. Trust me you will need it.

Pints

Little things, such as grabbing a coffee in your local, take on a whole new dynamic. You need razor-sharp elbow skills and the low cunning of the ‘French front row’ to get to the bar. If you decide on a terrace table, you may need to let off the odd flare to get the hassled waiter's attention. And, be warned; you may find yourself next to a group of beer-sozzled Brits who have been sinking pints since breakfast. When my old rugby team came on tour to Marbella a couple of years ago, I put them in a hotel that caters for stag parties, hen parties and golfers. Over the next few (admittedly bleary and beery) days, I made good friends with the hotel bar staff, who would begin pulling pints from 8am. To a man, they all had what Vietnam Vets referred to as the 'Thousand Yard Stare', from seeing too much,

NO MORE HEROS: Would-be Woodwards and Bernsteins have met their Waterloo

Summertime, and the livin’ ain’t easy

too young. Talking of Vietnam, if you want to witness an accurate reconstruction of the American withdrawal from Saigon, when huge queues formed outside the US embassy to get on the last choppers, try visiting your local supermarket. The queues are usually so vast that I highly recommend taking something to listen to on your iPod as you wait. Wagner's Ring Cycle should do the trick. Of course, when you do get to the check-out, the tourist in front is bound to have forgotten to weigh his fruit and veg! And, once again, you are likely to meet a gang of beered-up Brits (are you sensing a pattern here, by the way?) whose sole purchases are packs of San Miguel, crisps and a single bottle of Bacardi, 'in case we bring any birds back'. Driving in high season is also something of an experience. Ignoring traffic signs and pulling 'interesting' driving moves are something of a national pastime in Spain but the influx

of tourists makes driving even more ‘white knuckle’ than normal. From motorists sitting in the left-hand lane trying to turn off the main road as other drivers come speeding up behind them, to the nervous drivers doing around 20 kph, you have to channel your inner Lewis Hamilton to get to your destination. Not that you'll be able to park once you get there, of course.Come September 1, the tourists vanish and the Costas return to normal. So my advice to surviving the hectic summer months is to pour yourself something long and strong and position yourself halfway between the fridge and the pool.

Goal in Himmel SO the World Cup has finally finished and congratulations to 'Die Mannschaft'. Which confirms my belief in the old saying: 'International football is a game played between 22 that Germany wins. Normally on penalties.'

43 The Olive Press’ www.theolivepress.es

monthly youth and education 43 section

43 38 57

the olivepress - July 23, August 7 the olive press July 24 - Aug 6 2014 43

treme

15 more arrests in Operation Edu ‘Record’ fraud case could be bigger than ERE scandal

POLICE have made 15 more arrests in Andalucia in connection with Operation Edu, hailed as Spain’s ‘biggest ever fraud case’. The scandal - which involved hundreds of professional training courses and is rumoured to

be even bigger than the ERE scam - has seen the theft of up to €2 billion-worth of EU education funding. Pablo Andres Viedma Hurtado, President of the Axarquia Association of Training and Employment, along with his son Edu-

Education chief bungles maths

DOESN’T ADD UP: Education Minister Jose Ignacio Wert A SERIOUS error in in calculating the budget for educational reform will leave Andalucia footing the bill for an unexpected extra €395 million.

Spanish Education Minister Jose Ignacio Wert - who spearheaded the controversial reform - has been blamed for getting his sums wrong.

Wert predicted it would cost €189 million to finance the ‘Law to improve the quality of education’ (Lomce) but new estimates say it will actually cost up to €584 million. Lomce plans to address Spain’s 25% education dropout rate but has attracted controversy since its creation. Opponents argue that it deprives teachers of the freedom to cater to an individual student’s strengths, as well as claiming that it will cost too much. Many feel that Spain cannot afford such reforms in the current financial climate. Wert insists that none of the uncalculated €395 million will come from Andalucian state funds but will be covered by the European Social Fund.

ardo Videma Hurtado, were among those arrested. Between them, the father-andson team allegedly syphoned off €60,390 in 2010 - some of which was diverted into the Andalucian Centre of Training and Labour Orientation SL, a

company founded by Eduardo. In other instances, fictitious students were signed up for courses. Police have demanded that Luciano Alonso, Councillor for Education, Culture and Sports, reveal information about the

funds given to education companies. Alonso reportedly refused, stating clearly: “We’re not going to do any assessments.” The investigation, which will take place in Malaga, will be kept under wraps.

Winnie wins the honeypot A ‘BEAR of very little brain’ tops a nationwide poll of best-loved children’s books over the last 150 years. Threadbare but still ‘in there’, A.A. Milne’s perennially popular Winnie the Pooh, 88 this year, is still the all-time family favourite, according to a YouGov poll for chain store John Lewis and children’s charity Barnardo’s. Modern children’s book authors like Harry Potter’s creator JK Rowling don’t get a look in to the Top 10, which is dominated by books from the 19th and 20th centuries. Here’s the full list in order of merit: • Winnie the Pooh by AA

• • • • • • • • •

Milne, 1926 Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, 1869 The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, 1969 The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien, 1937 The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson, 1999 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, 1964 Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, 1877 Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, 1883 The BFG by Roald Dahl, 1982 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis, 1950

BEAR NECESSITIES: Honey-loving Pooh’s still on the money

44 44 the olive press - july 24 - Aug 6 2014

Top Salud

44 www.theolivepress.es 35

Bugs abroad

SPAIN is one of the world’s most likely places for a tourist to fall ill, according to a new study. The country sees the highest number of travel insurance claims of any country in Europe, putting in on a par with Egypt and Turkey. According to the survey, carried out by Debenhams travel insurance, the average medical claim for a sick Brit abroad

By Imogen Calderwood

COUGH UP!

Government attacked for failing to tackle child poverty with derisory and unbalanced budget

SPAIN has come under attack for failing to tackle child poverty. NGOs are up in arms after the government offered just 0.18% of the €9.4 billion that Unicef insists is necessary to help the country’s huge number of impoverished children. They insists millions of youngsters in Spain are being left at risk after the government agreed to put up a paltry €17 million. More money is urgently needed for vital medicines, clothing, food and toiletries, and campaigners insist this amount is ‘very, very far’ from what is needed to stop the rising tide of child poverty. The current rate of child poverty is 27% affecting around 2.5 million youngsters. The way funds are being distributed has also proved very controversial, as it bases funds on relative poverty levels and not the size of the af-

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fected population. As a result, Andalucia will receive additional funding of just €1.90 per poor child, whereas the Spanish north African enclave of Ceuta will receive €153.02 per child. Maria Jose Sanchez Rubio, the regional health minister for Andalucia, said it is an ‘absolutely unbalanced’ situation. “We cannot have the same budget for 636,000 (underprivileged) children in Andalucia as for 20,000 children in Ceuta.” Save the Children Spain insisted that, while the additional funding is a ‘sign of political goodwill’ in the fight against child poverty, it is not enough. “We also need public policies to prevent and eradicate structural child poverty that affects 32.6% of children in our country.”

is more than €1,100 (£900) – almost double the figure of a decade ago. But despite this, research shows that more than six million British holidaymakers travel without arranging insurance every year. Tourists are being warned that the cost of treating even just everyday illnesses could really break the bank if they do not have insurance. Gastroenteritis – a stomach bug – is the number one cause for a claim, with symptoms including dehydration. Other top claims include knee injuries, ear infections, chest infections and insect bites.

Keep drinking the plonk CHEAP plonk is better for your health than vintage vino, according to the latest research. British cardiologist Dr William McCrea has been prescribing red wine to his patients for more than a decade to ward off

heart attacks and strokes. But he has surprised wine connoisseurs by recommending cheap, new wines made from grapes grown at high altitudes,

Mental if you smoke

TOBACCO addicts really do need their brains tested, according to a new study that links smoking and nicotine to mental health problems. The shocking World Health Organisation study suggests that cigarette smoking could cause up to 14% of Alzheimer’s cases and that nicotine may lead to dementia. More alarming still, people living with smokers have a 78% higher risk of developing dementia through ‘passive’ smoke inhalation than those in smoke-free households. Smoking has already been shown to cause artery hardening (arteriosclerosis) which in the brain can cause oxygen starvation, leading to certain types of dementia, says the WHO. Despite its proven risks to physical health, smoking is still rampant in Spain where over 35% of men and 25% of women have failed to kick the habit.

19/06/2014 12:44

rather than the more cosseted, costlier varieties such as Spanish Rioja and Ribera del Duero. According to Dr McCrea, these cheaper wines are exposed to higher levels of UV radiation and develop a higher concentration of healthy antioxidants

- great news for penny-pinching drinkers. However, it hasn’t put the good cardiologist off his personal red wine favourites - Pinot Noir or Shiraz from South Africa, Argentinian Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile.

Top Salud

www.theolivepress.es

July 24 - Aug 6 2014

Go granny!

Spanish women live second longest in world

Slip-slop slapdown

EVEN Factor 50 sun cream can’t ‘guarantee’ to keep you safe from skin cancer, according to a shocking new study conducted in Spain. Berta Lopez Sanchez-Laorden, co-author of the study, said that while creams can protect against immediate damage – such as sunburn – radiation can still damage skin cells. It’s a slap in the face for sun cream manufacturers whose profits have been riding high since the iconic Slip-SlapSlop sun protection campaign of the 1980s. The study - carried out at Elche’s Miguel Hernandez University - controversially used mice that had been genetically modified to make them susceptible to melanomas.

SPANISH women enjoy the second-highest life expectancy in the world, beaten only by the Japanese. World Health Organisation (WHO) figures show that the average Spanish woman lived to the ripe old age of 85.1 years in 2012, with their Japanese counterparts averaging 87 years. The country’s women share second place with those in Singapore and Switzerland but Spanish men, however, don’t even make the top ten. Living more than six years less than their female counterparts, Spain’s men had an average life expectancy of 79 in 2012. The world’s male leaders, Iceland, boasted a life expectancy of 81.2 years, followed by Switzerland (80.7) and Australia (80.5). Despite the global rise in life expectancy, figures show that there is still a serious rich/poor divide. In nine sub-Saharan African countries, including Nigeria and the Ivory Coast, men and women both live to less than 55 on average.

By Imogen Calderwood

GOLDEN GIRLS: Spanish women live longer

Go for Froyo

SPAIN may see a massive rise in frozen yogurt (FroYo) sales this holiday season as Britons get a taste for the healthy ice

An acid test for Alzheimer’s

A NEW blood test which can predict Alzheimer’s with 87% accuracy has been hailed as a major breakthrough in preventing onset of the disease. The test - conducted on 220 adults at risk by a team at King’s College London - searches for the presence of 10 key proteins which degrade the brain and cause Alzheimer’s. Of those who tested positive, 87% went on to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s within the following year. Although the test won’t be rolled out in GP’s surgeries any time soon, scientists have welcomed this ‘early warning system’ which will help them develop medical treatments focused on prevention rather than cure.

cream alternative. According to new research from Mintel, sales of the tasty treat have risen 117% from 2011 to 2014, raking in some £13 million (€16.4 million). This comes to the disdain of ice cream makers, who have suffered a 345 million litre drop in sales since 2013.

Cut-price smile A DENTAL clinic in Malaga has been giving its customers something to smile about. Clínica Dental Velasco has launched a discount insurance card that entitles many patients to receive X-rays and oral examinations free of charge, and up to 30% off the price of other services. Under the direction of Doctor Verónica Peña Velasco, the clinic offers everything from regular check-ups to orthodontics and oral surgery, using the latest equipment and cutting edge treatments. All procedures are carried out in-house without referral to other clinics. Despite its large client base of over 3,000 customers, Clinica Velasco prides itself on a high level of personal service.

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Shake it up

Spain’s cocktail ‘revolution’ here to stay? MARGARITAS, Mojitos and the classic G&T – Spanish bartenders will be spending their summers mixing these favourites in massive amounts. Spain is in a ‘golden era’ for cocktails, and bar owners and mixologists want to keep the trend growing. “Cocktails are here to stay,” said Diego Cabrera, an Argentinean barman and consultant. “It is possible to put ourselves among the international elite because, among other things,

we have the great advantage of the Spain brand, which is very powerful on the gastronomic front.” The ever-increasing growth of mixology – the art of creating cocktails – is apparently led by women. “Television series such as Sex in the City and Mad Men have pushed women into cocktail bars, and glamour has followed in their wake,” observed Catalan barman and entrepreneur Javier de las Muelas.

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Booze overboard!

is said to be, bizarrely, Spanish traffic authorities. Increased police presence and roadside alcohol tests are forcing customers to consider quality over quantity – a minimum of €10 per drink does not exactly encourage binge drinking.

The Olive Press looks into the unlikely method of ageing wines under water

Local issue 46:The Local Issue 5 5/12/14 7:29 PM Page 59

Fed up with crap!!!

By Carey Camel

EEP in the Mediterranean you might find vibrant ocean wildlife, beautiful coral, maybe a shipwreck... but a decent Cabernet? A new fad has hit winemaking markets around the world, and now Spain is included. It’s called underwater aging. A Ronda bodega run by esteemed winemaker Federico Schatz has embraced the radical new process, ageing some of its prime vintages in the Mediterranean Sea. The man in charge of the ‘Bodega Submarina’ project is Mr Antonio Martinez. He explained that the bottles lie off the coast of Marbella, near the Puerto de la Bajadilla, where they are submersed 20m beneath the surface. At this depth, the seawater remains at a stable temperature – varying between 13˚C and 16˚C – especially during the months of October to April. The deep-sea submersion also results in a moderately pressurised environment (the wine is held at about three bars of pressure) which translates to a slower, more delicate aging process.

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But what does this aquatic process do for the actual taste of the wine? According to Martinez: “Underwater aging takes properly aged wine to a new level.” So far he has tested three vintages of the same Schatz wine (the Acinipo (H) label) from 2004, 2005, and 2006, leaving some on solid ground while the rest were sunk for a year of underwater aging. After comparing each year’s normal and ‘submarina’ bottles, Martinez concluded that the underwater-aged wines were ‘undeniably distinct’, even ‘completely different wines’. The underwater wines had a more complex colour, deepened by 365 days in the cool,

DIVE TEAM: Retrieving the sunken treasure trove of vino and (top) wine-maker Federico Schatz

FINITO: The finished product after a year at sea sunlight-free environment, gently rocked by the tide. Martinez also noted a particular freshness that was evident in the intensified aroma. He also claimed that the taste was different with the seafloor environment giving the product a subtle salinity that accents the natural minerality of the wines, especially the 2006 vintage. However, Martinez did make a point to mention that underwater aging ‘won’t work any miracles.’ He said: “If you put in a bad wine, you’ll get back just as bad a wine.” Find out more at Antonio Martinez’s wine tour company Milamores at www.milamoresronda.com

BOOZE CRUISE: Anchored in the Med to send some bottles overboard

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Hollywood meets Spain’s power brokers to celebrate the 150th anniversary at the nation’s most famous vineyard, Vega Sicilia, writes Imogen Calderwood

FOOD & DRINK with DINING SECRETS of ANDALUCIA.com

Ageing with style

ANYONE who comes knocking at the door of Vega Sicilia winery will be turned away and even waving a wad of cash won’t get you far at this most unusual bodega. One of the most exclusive bodegas in Spain, this is not the kind of place you can just turn up and buy a bottle. That is unless you are a big name politician or celebrity, with Hollywood stars Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, their daughter Kate Hudson and her husband, UK musician Matt Bellamy, from Muse, as well as Spain’s deputy PM Soraya Saenz de Santamaria, all attending the famous vineyard’s 150th birthday this month. Over 700 celebrities and powerbrokers were out in force for the event, at which they were treated to a trio of ancient vintages and a range of tasty dishes, including sea bass in hazelnut sauce. Nestled in Valbuena del Duero, between the Duero river and a forest, the Castilla y Leon vineyard is credited with producing Spain’s consistently best red wines. In the words of its own biography, the wine is ‘elegant and complex, with finesse and a phenomenal POWER BROKERS: From left: Pablo Alvarez, Kurt Russel, ability to improve with age’. “It’s unique personality stems fromGoldie Hawn, Matt Bellamy and Kate Hudson using only the highest quality grapes and the Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Malbec and care taken with its creation. But mostly it’s the Merlot vines were planted across the bodega’s love that the Alvarez family dedicate to their 250 acres, and are still the main varieties in the craft,” it adds. Founded in 1864 by Don Eloy wines today – with some vines more than 100 Lecanda y Chaves – a Spanish winemaker years old. trained in France’s Bordeaux wine region – the The Alvarez family - members of the Primum entrepreneur returned to his hometown with Familiae Vini, an association of family-owned his French grapes in tow. wineries - took over ownership of the winery in

Vega Sicilianstyle feud (Γεια μας)

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A FAMILY feud between Vega Sicilia boss Pablo Alvarez and his siblings against his father David, 87, has overshadowed the 150-year celebration. The row has seen a raft of lawyers drafted in on all sides. The battle began when an alleged takeover coup was launched by five siblings during their father David Alvarez’s honeymoon with his third wife in 2009. Apparently, the children have been unsettled by David’s wife, 61, who was not only his secretary but also younger than his oldest child. It came to a head recently when Alvarez Senior organized a celebration on the same day as the Vega Sicilia 150th anniversary party at his Madrid residence. At the lavish bash he also invited many of the same people as his children, attempting to take a shine off the event.

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the olive press - July 24 - Aug 6 2014 59 51

1982, and have been instrumental in maintaining the vital traditions of Spanish winemaking. The key to the winery is its very low production, keeping the quality high. Fewer than 7,000 cases of this most exclusive Unico wine are produced every year, on average, and if the bodega’s winemaker is dissatisfied with the quality of the harvest, the winery won’t produce a single bottle. This has happened just four times in the last two decades: 1992, 1993, 1997 and 2001. But over its 150 years, the winery has perfected its technique – with its attention to detail and incredible patience earning it worldwide acclaim. The wines themselves – Unico, Special Reserve and Valbuena – go through an extensive aging process. Unico gets its toasty wood notes and pleasantly bitter tannins only after aging for at least a decade in barrels and bottles. The Special Reserve – with a dark cherry tone and fine, spicy bouquet – carries on a Spanish winemaking tradition of blending harvests from several different years, so you won’t find a vintage date on the bottle. But it is the bodega’s oak barrels – many of

which are made of American oak onsite after being allowed to dry for at least three years – that provide the real essence of the wines’ personalities. At the end of their journey, the wines are left to rest in the bottle for between a year and six or seven years before being released to the public. Prices start for Unico at around €150, with Valbuena starting at around €60. The whole process can be summed up in the bodega’s simple philosophy: ‘the rush, it doesn’t exist for Vega Sicilia’.

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the olive press - july 24 - Aug 6 2014

Fluttered to deceive

Do you remember KONTIKI on the El Chorro lakes? On the shore of green lake Guadalhorce. Good news is open again. You can enjoy beautiful views over a best chicken curry and sip cold Cobra beer.

Best of the

WHEN a parrot is bigging up the coffee and pancakes, you know you’re not in a regular restaurant. This was the surprise welcome one couple received from Ruby the African grey, when they went for dinner at the Roman Oasis in Manilva. “What’s going on here then? I’m Ruby, I’m a parrot, what are you?” was the unusual introduction. But when George the cockatoo was in town, things got even stranger, as he started imitating the owner Paul Hickling. As his wife Kaat was attempting to siesta, she was bemused to hear what sounded like her husband telling the bird off: “George! No, no! You’ll go to prison, bad parrot.” “Is that you sweetie?” she called out, but sweetie was busy up a ladder trying not to electrocute himself at the time.

Open from Thursday till Sunday. Directon: From restaurant Kiosko on the El Chorro lakes 2.5 km towards Valle de Abdalajis - Antequera. Tel: 679742761

PALS: Paul and Ruby

EW places came with such anticipation and the chance to disappoint. It had been six months since I’d interviewed Spain’s chef-of-the-moment David Munoz, 34, at his restaurant DiverXO, in December… and this was the first available Saturday booking. Back then, the man with the Mohawk had just won his third Michelin star in almost as many years and the first for Madrid in two decades. Describing his food as ‘brutal’ and ‘like porno’, he had understandably been bombarded with media requests, not to mention 100 times as many calls for bookings. It was something of a blow, to say the least, that after driving all the way to Madrid we hadn’t even had a sniff of his food (nor even a glass of water) during the interview. Egalitarian in the extreme, he had explained that ‘not even David Beckham or Princess Letizia’ could get a table that month. Getting in line was ‘our best option’… apparently a method Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg had utilised when he ate there last month. Having waited six months for a table, we arrived – for once – 10 minutes early to be led through, literally, an army of waiters (around two dozen, no exaggeration) to our table with David’s trademark piglet on it. DiverXO has been described as like entering a ‘magical world’ and the first genuine stroke of

TRICK: Flame thrower

Dining Secrets of Andalucia editor Jon Clarke finds Spain’s hottest restaurant of the moment, DiverXO, in Madrid, incredible value for money magic was our waiter Tobias, steering us away from the 11-course menu to a very reasonable seven-course affair, costing just €115 a head, very cheap by three star Michelin standards. Even when we told him we had deliberately eaten lightly for lunch, he still insisted we took it. A brilliant piece of advice (not just for the wallet) as it turned out. Next came the exceptionally good value wine list, where we chose a bottle of champagne for €35, followed by a bottle of exception white Meursault ‘Les Tillets’ for €50 and a Spanish wine Dido, from Montsant, for just €27. I am not going to give you a blow by blow breakdown of what we ate (it is printed right if you really care), but I can tell you the seven courses often comprise two or three dishes each, with new layers added as we went along. Inspired by journeys to the Far East, his working years in London (including celebrated joints like Hakkasan and Nobu) and, above all, his love of native Madrid, David has created a new way of eating. Fact. The simple explosion of flavours on the canvases, as he calls them, the pure joy of what is being produced, be it meat, fish or vegetables, made this one of the best meals I have ever eaten in Spain… and like nothing else myself or my welltravelled friends had experi-

GRUBS UP: Or the pig gets it!

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Mohicans

25/06/201

ence before. Forget Ferran Adria’s creative acumen, the panache of Dani Garcia and the crazy science of chefs like Heston Blumenthal (we have tried all three), this is simply a display of passion, a true love of food. The fact that David has not missed a service for six years and refuses to open if he is not in the house says it all. He is completely driven to find the perfect meal for his punters and the menu changes weekly, daily, sometimes hourly, depending a little bit on the guests. So short of references for his food before handing him the landmark three stars last year, Michelin’s bosses sent no less than 10 inspectors from around the world to run a rule over him. What is guaranteed at DiverXo is fun. We laughed right through the meal and a large part of its success must go to its wonderful waiters and

Coco Joven. Guiso ligero acidulado trufa, colina de berberech do y suero os, zambu de mantequ riñas y pocha illa de bufal s. Tartar de a. Mollete atu a vapor de galete de atu n, Cocotxa de n merluza al pil pil de foi e, finger lim e y horse radish Costilla de cochinillo, hoisin de fre sa, y chocol ate blanco caldo transl . Dim sum ucido y agr de cerdo con ipicante de cebolletas carne , Jugo de pic hon asado y escabecha do. Pechuga Mojito de fruta de la de pichon, pasión. Mu alb aha ca, hierbabu slo de picho ena n con fruta de la pasión y cresta. Centollo con tomate pic ante, finas hierba holandés de mante quilla de cab s. Cangrejo ra, palo cor caparazón tado y gno blando ver cchis de sión bienm Lenguado esabe sechuan, aca riciado en wok. Salmo nete, ajo neg ro. Cremo so y tostad Aceituna gor o de setas dal, papaya y tuétano. Ensalada de vaca roja gal lega sellad papaya a en wok, cigala y Petit suisse de fresitas silvestres, chocolate blanco y jug o de chiles agridulces

EFFICIENT: Service was impeccable while (top) some dishes sommeliers, who definitely enhance the experience. Their sense of theatre is impeccable; their style (all dressed in black with little piggies on the back) is hard to beat.

When we finally meet David afterwards, well into the early hours, his face streaming sweat and his team jumping around behind him, it is clear that this man really is a find.

DiverXO, Calle Pensamiento, 28020 Madrid. Tel: 915700766

Still incredibly young, enthusiastic and friendly - and looking forward to opening a restaurant in London thisDavidautumn Muñoz - he is a man who cannot be kept down. One thing’s for certain, this should keep Spain head and shoulders above the French in the culinary stakes for the next 10 years.

the olive press - July 24 - Aug 6 2014

the olive press - july 24 - Aug 6 2014

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Double dose SWITCHING to organic fruit could be equivalent to eating two extra portions of fruit and veg a day, according to an international research team. Organic produce contains more antioxidants as well as lower levels of toxic metals and pesticides. The study concluded antioxidants – which can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and some cancers are

between 19 and 69% higher in organic fruit and veg. Opinions are still divided, however, as the organic versus conventional produce debate rages on. Professor Richard Mithen of the Institute of Food Research (IFR) at the University of East Anglia, insisted the study failed to persuade consumers to switch.

“There is no evidence provided that the relatively modest differences in the levels of some of these compounds would have any consequences [good or bad] on public health,” he argued. Prof Mithen added that the higher cost of organic produce would mean that people would be likely to eat less, offsetting any nutritional benefits.

Hotelier and Hoteli-HER Lunch at noon, dinner at 11pm!! IT’S interesting that smaller hotels tend to become focused - to a greater or lesser extent - on one nationality, usually reflecting the land of origin of the owners. We have always wanted to attract as many different nationalities as possible but we have to admit that, like it or not, the majority of our guests are from the UK. This has pros and cons of course, the biggest pro being that we know more or less what Brits expect from us. It is not just the food that varies from nation to nation – even within Europe – but the timetables, the sense of humour, so many expectations are so different. The Spanish and the Germans are the most antithetical in their eating times. When some Germans are looking to have lunch on the stroke of noon, many of our Spanish guests will only just be thinking about breakfast. Andalucian lunches can easily

continue until 7 or 8pm, whilst some northern Europeans will have their children safely tucked up in bed and the parents will be following them way before the Spanish children are even thinking of having dinner. It is also crucial to know which countries have embraced Monty Python humour over the last decades. Trying Python humour on some nationalities is really not to be encouraged – at least if you want guests to return. Trust me I have learnt the hard way. Nothing wrong ‘avec la difference’ of course. It just means that we are constantly striving to please as many people as we possibly can. We all know that is an impossible ask but it doesn’t stop us from trying.

Variety is the spice of life What does it matter what anyone wants to eat or drink as long as it satisfies them and makes them happy? It doesn’t matter a jot to the team in the restaurant but some requests do make us smile, laugh or even gasp in amazement... For example: The charming Canadian who appeared early before breakfast looking very sheepish and asked me for a coke – and then mustered up enough courage to ask for two. I can’t have masked my surprise as he then explained – “Yes, I’m hooked on coke. I have to have a litre when I wake up...” Or the Russian guest who astonished Victor by asking for a Baileys with ice before lunch – and then another...and another... Or Diego who came to me to help with an order from a charming American guest because he felt he hadn’t understood her correctly. But he had. The lady wanted tea with milk, a fresh orange juice and a glass of red wine all at the same time with her meal... And no-one can forget me trying to take an order from a Japanese couple. The lady came down for dinner dressed in a beautiful traditional Kimono... both of them politely smiling... but they couldn’t understand a word of any language I tried to speak...and my Japanese is non-existent. What would you do? Everyone ended up laughing as my food charades got more and more absurd...thank goodness they kept smiling until the end of their stay.

Hotel - Bar - Restaurante. Bda Estacion s/n, 29370 Benaojan, Malaga. 952 16 71 51 - 952 16 79 27 . info@ molinodelsanto.com

the olive press - July 24 - Aug 6 2014

SPOIL YOURSELF AT BARGAIN RATES! Treat Yourself to a Bargain Break in the Ronda Mountains Award-winning Watermill Hotel and Restaurant near Ronda offers you Exceptional Value for Last Minute Reservations. You can enjoy this Very Special Package at Hotel Molino del Santo, Benaoján : ● A Twin or Double standard room with Air Conditioning and Private Terrace. Parking, pool towels and tea and coffee facilities included. ● Full Buffet Breakfasts included

Escape To A Special Place

● A Lunchtime Plate of Tapas to Share included. ● 3 course evening meal from our acclaimed Monthly Menu offering choices on all courses, served on our magical riverside terrace included ● A Bottle of our Excellent Local House Wine included - red, white or rosé - per room for stays of two nights or more included ● Free Room Upgrade on Arrival - subject to availability.

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ie the dog p of Edd the hel

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h apell wit Andy Ch

EDDIE’S THOUGHTS – BY EDDIE DOGG The price of fame... As regular readers will know I am a very busy dog, what with writing this column and chasing balls and sticks and, er... eating and, er... mostly sleeping. So it has come as a great shock to realise that I am now a celebrity. Normally I am not allowed at Hotel Molino del Santo because I am a dog but people are asking to meet me. It was a pleasure to see, amongst others, Ron and Marjorie at breakfast time recently and to show them how well I can ﬁnd a ball when it’s thrown for me. I am available for all kinds of events - please contact my agent at the hotel. Fees negotiable. He’s been feeding me nothing but raw garlic recently - he says it will make my bark worse than my bite. Ho ho ho.

Follow Eddie’s regular thoughts on our Facebook page – Hotel Molino del Santo

www.molinodelsanto.com | info@molinodelsanto.com | 952 16 71 51

Mosquito Screens Call

Mosquito Nick 647 072 861 Still kickin’ After a Facebook death hoax following her fullon Madrid show, Miley Cyrus proves she’s still alive by Instagramming a topless picture from a California desert.

FINAL WORDS

Drill demand Spain ‘can’t afford the luxury’ of not drilling for oil and gas off the coast of the Canary Islands, according to the country’s Industry Minister.

Cave horror A man is in a critical condition in hospital after becoming trapped in an underwater cave in Catalunya for 20 hours with just a small air pocket keeping him alive.

Banking on it SPAIN will lose out on €12 billion with the recent €1.187 billion sale of Catalunya Bank to BBVA, according to recent reports by market analysts.

the

Covering Andalucia in 2014 with over 200,000 papers EE (130,000 digital) and around 300,000 visits to the R F website each month… The Olive Press just keeps growing!

olive press

Telephone: 951 127 006

July24 - August 7 2014

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‘Just hanging out’ NEARLY half of Spanish women have gone topless at the beach. Some 4.1 out of 10 female Spaniards have no problem stripping off at least their bikini tops, being beaten only by their Austrian counterparts. An overwhelming 91% of Spaniards also feel skimpy speedo-style briefs are acceptable beach-wear for men, compared to a more reserved 40% of Norwegians. When it comes to stripping off completely, Germans are continuing to dominate the Costa del Sol’s nudist resorts. Not just content with being the best footballers on the planet, the Germans also top the fullon beach-nudity league. According to Expedia’s annual ‘Flip Flop report’, Germans were the most likely to sunbathe fully nude for the third year running. Tied with the Austrians, 28% admitted to having spent a day at the beach without any clothing.

A ROYAL selfie of two teenage girls and Spain’s new Queen Letizia has gone viral on social media. The photo was snapped during a visit from the Queen and her husband King Felipe to Madrid’s Kinepolis cinema (see story on page 3). The two ecstatic fans described Letizia - a former journalist - as ‘very friendly’ and she apparently chatted with them for some time.

Nearly half of Spain’s women go topless at the beach

A right Royal selfie

What a twit! AN AMERICAN millionaire caused €2,000 in damage after he hid €700 in envelopes in a treasure hunt in Malaga. Desperate punters uprootedplants, ripped up manhole covers and emptied rubbish bins in their bid to find the money. Police are now considering prosecuting the 40-something real estate investor Jason Buzi (pictured above), who left clues as to where to find the money on Twitter. The debacle came a few days after he did the same thing in Madrid, where he put €1,300 into 26 envelopes in the city’s Retiro park. Using the Twitter handle @ HiddenCash, Buzi encouraged those lucky individuals who successfully dug up his treasures to tweet pictures of their finds. The California native began the competition in San Francisco and has since spread it throughout the US, UK, and Europe. There is a method to his madness, though, as he asks those who find the money to do their part and share it with charity.

Ryanair’s flight fail RYANAIR should get a map after directing not one, but TWO Spainbound British families onto the wrong plane. Instead of jetting off to sunny Almeria, both families boarded separately at East Midlands Airport bound for Latvia. They were lucky to exit the plane before take off, but the airline’s blunder did cause them to miss their actual flight. The Pritchards and Housleys then forked out £70 (€89) to share a taxi to Birmingham airport, where they caught a different flight. Their flight plight did not end there. The plane took them to Murcia, some 107 miles from Almeria. After a whopping £130 (€165) taxi ride – the families finally reached their holiday destination. So much for a relaxing break...

Where art thou?

THE Prado Museum in Madrid cannot find 885 of its artworks, according to the Spanish Audit Court. However, the museum has dismissed fears over all the missing works. It put the loss down to historic fires, periods of war, and a merger with another museum, but said works cannot be removed from the inventory without factual evidence. Despite having one of the largest collections of art in the world, the court did note that there was insufficient staff at the Prado to manage it all.

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