Olive Press Newspaper - Issue 214 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

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Vol. 9 Issue 214 www.theolivepress.es

See A Spring of Change, on Pages 4 and 5

Not

TOWIE star Elliot Wright launches a no-holds-barred column on Page 3 before we grill him on our food pages. See The Wright Stuff on Pages 54-55

May 28th - June 10th 2015

TV presenter Nick Knowles and stunning wife Jessica lift the lid on their escape to Sotogrande on Page 3

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Arty tapas is the special of the day in a new column from former Michelin-starred TV chef Steven Saunders. See Page 49

Estepona Town Hall fails to clean up a deadly river often played in by children A DEADLY bacteria has been found in an Estepona river. A strand of the killer E-Coli bacteria has been detected in the Arroyo del Hornacinos, a stream often played in by children.

What is E-Coli?

EXCLUSIVE By Rob Horgan Residents of the neighbouring Villas Andaluzas are now calling in the Guardia Civil’s environmental arm Seprona, after written complaints to the town hall came to nothing. They insist that the area is overrun with rats and mosquitos and the town hall has been completely ‘inactive’ despite receiving the first report in April. Independent analysis of the water shows that the river poses a serious health risk and could be fatal. A report from Laboratorio Rafael Perez Rodriguez stated that the quantities of ‘coliforms’ were so high that there were ‘too many’ to count. E-Coli can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, liver disease and

CONCERNED: Resident Sam Hall at river’s bank worse. “It is an absolute disgrace and worse, a serious health hazard,” said British resident Sam Hall, 78. He added: “It’s especially worrying because we have seen children playing near the water where it flows into the sea. “If anyone were to be struck down, it would be a national scandal.” Hall and his wife Susanna,

Which ageing costa DJ’s show was cancelled after he crashed his new €60,000 Range Rover into the studio’s front door?

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Musical Not chairs THE winds of change have truly blown in as dozens of anti-corruption parties made substantial gains in town halls across Spain. Voters made clear they are ready to ditch Spain’s traditional two-party system as new parties Podemos and Ciudadanos performed well at regional and local elections on Sunday. All over the country the governing PP lost absolute majorities, meaning it will have to pact with, at least, one other party to form legitimate governments. Some of the big mayors in danger include Marbella’s Angeles Munoz and Malaga’s Francisco de la Torre.

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from Surrey, as well as various neighbours, have submitted a number of formal complaints to the town hall. In response, a town hall spokesman told the couple Mayor Jose Urbano was ‘aware of the problem’ and it would be ‘sorted out’. However, when a clean up was finally ‘promised’ for May 18, nothing happened. “They say one thing to keep you happy and then do noth-

E-Coli is a type of fecal coliform bacteria usually found in the intestines of animals and humans. Its presence in water is a strong indication of recent sewage or animal waste contamination. When the bacteria lives in animal or human intestinal tracts it is harmless. However when it appears in inadequately treated water it produces a toxin which is harmful and potentially fatal to humans. ing about it,” Hall added. “On hot days the smell is so unbearable that we are unable to sit out in our garden.” Ironically, Estepona was recently honoured with a Green Flag Award for boosting environmental awareness. Estepona Town Hall failed to respond to Olive Press questions.

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CRIME NEWS

the Olive Press May 28th - June 10th 2015

Knockout villa Controversial boxer Scott Harrison’s Spanish adventure ends in tatters with his villa trashed and his front gate even stolen

ON THE RUN: Constance and Patrick Adams

Spanish manhunt for leading gangster

AN international manhunt has been launched for Britain’s most dangerous gangster who is thought to have fled to Spain. Patrick ‘Patsy’ Adams is wanted in connection with an attempted murder – thought to be a gangland hit – more than two years ago. The 59-year-old – known as the ‘enforcer’ in the infamous Adams crime family – reportedly owns a villa near Torremolinos with his wife Constance, 54, who is also

Kidney shame

SPANISH police have arrested five Serbian gang members for attempting to buy the kidney of an immigrant for €6,000. The immigrant reportedly tried to pull out of the deal while undergoing clinical tests and was kidnapped, beaten and threatened with death if he did not comply. In March, Spain signed the first-ever international treaty against the trafficking of human organs.

wanted. British police named the couple in connection with the London shooting and believe they have been hiding out in Spain or Holland since then. Detective Inspector Glenn Butler said: “It is apparent, by the nature of this violent crime, that they need to be traced and interviewed by police.” The Adams family – also known as the Clerkenwell Crime Syndicate or simply the A-team - were for decades the most feared criminal force in London. Trading in drugs, murder and armed robbery, the family was the best connected and the smartest gang in the capital. But evading the law for so many years now appears to be catching up on the brothers, including the eldest Terry, now 60, who last year declared himself bankrupt after coming out of prison and forfeiting his fortune under the proceeds of crime act.

IN RUINS: Boxer’s home, while (right) Harrison

THE luxury villa of disgraced boxer Scott Harrison has been left ruined by mystery assailants. Police are investigating vandalism at the former world champion’s €450,000 Alhaurin el Grande property which has been bricked up after being looted and vandalised. Thieves have even stolen the controversial Scottish star’s front gate and the handrailing for a staircase, as well as wood from a pergola. On the run from Spain’s authorities for three years, the 37-year-old boxer clearly made one or two enemies while in Andalucia. Fleeing to Scotland in 2012, after being given a four-year

Kidnap warning for women walking Camino A MANHUNT is underway for two men who attempted to kidnap a woman of 50 on the Camino de Santiago. The woman was exercising near a section of the trail when her attackers tried to force her into a vehicle in Santa Catalina de Somoza, in Leon. The Guardia Civil is investigating the

incident but do not initially believe it is linked to the disappearance of US pilgrim Denise Pikka Thiem nearby six weeks ago. The American Camino walker disappeared without trace in Astorga on April 5 and the town’s mayor advised residents not to venture alone to isolated areas.

EXCLUSIVE By Rob Horgan

jail term for assaulting three men in a Malaga brothel, Harrison has so far avoided extradition. In his absence, his dream home in the Guadalhorce Valley has been left to rot and a neighbour told the Olive Press that the bank are now repossessing the property. Despite Spanish prosecutors continually demanding his extradition, Scottish authorities have so far failed to hand him over. A Spanish prosecutor appealed for his extradition as recently as March this year. In and out of prison for the best part of a decade, the ‘Scottish Raging Bull’ previously served a two-and-a-half year sentence for assaulting a police officer with an ashtray in Alhaurin in 2009.

NEWS

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HE has played every minute of every game in Chelsea’s premiership winning season. So it’s fair to say Jon Terry deserved his minibreak in Marbella, where he was spotted on several occasions out celebrating with wife

Toni Poole, including two nights dining at trendy La Sala in Puerto Banus. Terry, 34, was on the plane with his wife just hours after scoring in a 1-1 draw with Liverpool, before returning to play against Sunderland the next weekend.

Woody Allen’s six-figure gig HOLLYWOOD movie director Woody Allen was paid €100,000 by the Junta in Extremadura to perform at a pre-New Year’s bash, it can be revealed. Four-time Oscar winner Allen and his New Orleans Jazz Band received a total of €160,000 to perform at the December 30, 2014 gig, in Badajoz. The 79-year-old movie mogul, who plays clarinet in the band, also reportedly provided a 20-page contract of demands, including sleeping arrangements, food and drink requirements and assurances that his wife would not be photographed.

BBC presenter Nick Knowles and family set up camp in the millionaire’s playground, after a health scare EXCLUSIVE By Iona Napier DO your shelves need fixing? Fear not! Because the BBC’s DIY SOS host Nick Knowles has moved to the Costa del Sol. And what’s more, the 52-year-old is looking for a golf buddy. Knowles, his wife Jessica, 27, and their nine-monthold baby, Eddie, have moved from Eton to - appropriately Sotogrande for a better quality of life, it can be revealed. In a snap decision following a burst artery in his sinus, Knowles - who has recently been linked to the Top Gear anchor post - spontaneously

ESCAPE TO SPAIN: The Knowles family came here to ‘breathe’

SOS! Soto

moved the family to the millionaires’ enclave, after it was recommended by a friend. “It all happened so quickly – there were only two months between considering the move to unpacking our first box,” Gloucestershire-born Jessica told the Olive Press.

BANTER: Wright with OP editor Jon Clarke

You can’t build without a licence!

ELCOME to my first ever showbiz column! I think you’ll find me to be blunt, abrupt, honest and fun... because that’s how my life in Marbs has been so far! Parties, fast cars and women, it has been a frenetic first month indeed. And it is about to get a lot more crazy, when my pals from TV show The Only Way is Essex (TOWIE), roll up for their annual shenanigans in Marbs next week. I’ve been on the show two years now, and I can’t wait to see my mates. OK I’ll admit I’m a bit less excited about seeing my ex Chloe Sims (one of the main stars, pictured right) as I’m not sure what frame of mind she’ll be in, but I’ll take it as it comes with the help of a glass of wine! So why I am I here, you are probably wondering? Why is this Bethnal Green boy getting a regular column? Well, I’m opening a new restaurant Olivia’s in La Cala de Mijas, a multi-million euro project, and my third restaurant in Spain – and I’m so excited. I’ve been in La Cala for a month, and I love this charming, friendly place. But I can’t lie… It’s been a shock to discover the way things are done differently down here compared to up in Alicante, where I have my other restaurants.

ESTUCO INTERIORS

Having previously taught English as a foreign language in upmarket Puerto de Santa Maria, near Cadiz, the move for her was a dream. “It’s great to be back and I’m excited about getting my Spanish back to how it was,” she continued.

“Being out here means the time we will spend together as a family will be so much more special, and hopefully less pressured. “There is such a sense of space here – I feel like I can finally breathe.” However it has not all been plain sailing. “The beginning was tough when Nick was away on work and I was alone with Eddie,” she said.

LA CALA

Launching the first of a brand new showbiz column, Our man in Mijas, Elliott Wright, from TOWIE, gives you the ups and downs of his new life on the Costa del Sol And – looking back - maybe I should have listened when people said: “You’re not allowed to build without a licence.” But, as my teachers said at school, I never was very good at listening, and now I’ve been fined for knocking down the old Mijas Playa restaurant! Oops!

MAKING A SPLASH: Elliott (second from left) will be welcoming TOWIE crew to Marbs next week

Showbiz wedding of the year I’VE just got back from the wedding of the year between my cousin Mark Wright and Michelle Keegan. The attention to detail of the day in Suffolk was incredible, but I’m sworn to secrecy for now – phone confiscated and all! Needless to say, Michelle looked stunning, see pics in Hello. It feels like the wedding has been going on forever – but FOUR stag-dos didn’t help matters!

CRAFTSMEN IN PAINT AND PAPER

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Champion holiday

the Olive Press May 28th - June 10th 2015

On the positive side you have to appreciate that things are done more correctly here. You can’t get away with blue murder and the cowboys can’t get away with stuff that has given the Costa del Sol a bad name over the years. Maybe I deserved the kick up the bum. Either way, I’m enjoying every minute and can’t wait to show everyone this new project.

Hangover

“After the excitement of moving in, it felt like clearing up after a party with a thumping hangover – but now we love it and are really excited.” The couple are regularly apart due to Nick’s hectic schedule, but Jessica’s younger sister, Ellie Sadler-Moor, works as a nanny for three weeks a month. Nick, who has three grown up children from previous relationships, has worked for the BBC for over two decades and has presented the National Lottery, Sports Relief and Who Dares Wins among other shows. He recently rebutted rumours he would fill Jeremy Clarkson’s job hosting Top Gear, saying ‘audiences should see less of me rather than more of me.’

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ELECTION SPECIAL

May 28th - June 10th 2015

UNPRECEDENTED ELECTION RESULTS...

A spring of change Anti-corruption parties make huge gains around Spain, seizing key towns like Cadiz and Barcelona and forcing unprecedented pacts around Andalucia By Tom Powell RADICAL anti-corruption party Podemos has vowed to overthrow the PP after it made dramatic gains in the regional elections on Sunday. Combined with huge gains for fellow new party Ciudadanos, which also campaigned on an anti-corruption platform, it is clear many Spaniards have finally turned their backs on the traditional two party system. The governing PP party received the most votes overall - but still lost all of its majorities around the country. The right-wing party has alternated with the socialist PSOE in government for nearly four decades, but both parties’ days could be numbered. In the regional elections on

SYMBOL OF CHANGE: Pablo Iglesias Sunday, the two parties combined received just 52% of the vote nationwide, down from 65% four years ago.

“They have both had one of the worst results in their history,” said Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias. “This spring of change is irreversible, we will take up the challenge of winning the forthcoming national elections against the PP.” The two large new political groups inspired by the 15M ‘indignados’ protests of four years ago made huge impacts in Madrid and Barcelona.

Battle

UNDER FIRE: Pact could see Munoz out

Ahora Madrid, led by 71-yearold retired judge and grandmother Manuela Carmena, came second behind the PP, but could govern the capital if she joins forces with the PSOE, who came third. Meanwhile Barcelona en Comun, supported by Podemos, won the most votes in Barcelona. Its leader, anti-eviction activist Ada Colau, 41, now faces the tough battle to pact with smaller rival parties after winning by just one seat.

All change in Marbella? A FOUR-WAY pact could see the PP mayor of Marbella ousted, after she failed to win an absolute majority. Angeles Munoz only managed to get 13 seats, down from 15 in 2011 and meaning that the four other parties – PSOE, Opcion Sampredena, Costa del Sol Si Puede and Izquierda Unida – could now form a leftist coalition government. In what would be an unprecedented political situation for the town, the parties began negotiations immediately on the night that votes were revealed.

Munoz requires the support of Si Puede, a Podemos-style anti-corruption party, to stay in government after Opcion Sampredena ruled out any possibility of joining with her. If the four-party coalition is to prevail, socialist candidate Jose Bernal will effectively replace Munoz as the mayor and the PP’s impact across the country will again be diminshed. Munoz has been facing a number of sleaze allegations over the last couple of years, in particular over her personal financial dealings in Luxembourg, plus a shady boundary deal with neighbouring Benahavis.

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ELECTION SPECIAL

May 28th - June 10th 2015

...AS OLD SPANISH TWO PARTY SYSTEM RECEIVES A DRUBBING

Brits in office

ALL SMILES: For Shelton and (right) Hillen

BRITISH expat Dean Tyler Shelton is ‘over the moon’ after he was voted in as a councillor in the May 24 local elections. Representing the IU party in Manilva, Shelton praised the ‘invaluable’ support of the town’s expat community. “Many people said the IU was finished in Manilva after some of our members formed a new party,” he told the Olive Press. “Happily we have proved them wrong.” “Over the next few days we have the unenviable task of

PP crash in Andalucia Podemos win in Cadiz? THE PP has lost absolute majorities across Andalucia’s municipalities. The party is now being forced to form pacts with new parties such as Ciudadanos in order to remain in power. In Mijas, PP mayor Angel Nozal lost his majority by two seats with Ciudadanos gaining five seats, meaning they may now

be forced to pact with each other. In all eight of the provincial capitals the PP lost its absolute majorities, and Huelva city council changed hands for the first time in 12 years with an absolute majority for the PSOE. The rest now need to pact to form governments. In Cadiz city meanwhile,

the PP look like being pushed out completely as Podemos-backed Por Cadiz Si Se Puede attempt to pact with the PSOE. After claiming eight seats, Si Se Puede’s mayoral candidate - and other half to Teresa Rodriguez, Podemos’ leader in Andalucia - José ‘Kichi’ González looks set to be named mayor.

trying to stabilise a secure pact with the party that will best represent the aspirations of the people of Manilva.” Meanwhile in Albox, AUAN

president Maura Hillen claimed a seat in the town hall after a dominant showing for the PSOE. A key campaigner for changes to Spain’s property law, Hillen pledged to bridge ‘the serious gap between the foreign community and Spaniards’. “Overall it has been a fantastic experience,” she told the Olive Press. “My cynical old heart was warmed by the dedication, commitment and enthusiastic engagement of the Spanish community.”

Computer says no A TORROX expat has slammed his town hall after being told he couldn’t vote in the local elections. Briton Andy Robb, 55, was left fuming having been an official resident in the town for over eight years and signed onto the padron. He has also paid his annual taxes, as well as owning a registered property in Torrox. “It is incredible!” said Robb. “Talk about making things difficult and no wonder this country is in such a mess... someone needs to get a grip of it and put in reforms to simplify bureaucracy.” Elsewhere, in San Roque, mother-of-two Mirian Moreno, 31, told the Olive Press she was also turned away at the polling station because she was ‘not on the list’, again despite being registered on the town hall’s padron.

NEWS IN BRIEF Still socialist THE PSOE gained the largest share of votes in Andalucia, with 34.34%, up from 32.5% four years ago.

Historic gain THE PP won the most seats in Ronda for the first time in history, but will need to form a pact after beating the PSOE by one seat.

Prime time PRIME Minister Mariano Rajoy said the regional and local election results were a ‘disappointment’ but he ‘would not change’ his plans before the general election in November.

Big win IN Estepona, the PP retained its absolute majority with 17 seats and Mayor Garcia Urbano will continue for another fouryear stint.

Malaga miss THE PP failed to win an absolute majority in Malaga for the first time in 20 years.

the June 10th 2015 the Olive Olive Press Press May May 28th 13th 28th --- May June27th 10th2015 2015

OPINION Round the riverbend IF a deadly bacteria festering in a river isn’t concerning enough to act then what is? Residents at Villas Andaluzas are rightly frustrated with the lack of activity by Estepona Town Hall. There is little more they could have done to identify the problem and voice their concern. But with all the furore surrounding the local elections perhaps it was considered more important to plant a few more geraniums. Now the elections are done and dusted in Estepona, lets hope this mess is sorted out sooner rather than later.

Year of change THE people have spoken. Spain has voted to end the two party political system which had gone on long past its expiry date. The Olive Press has not backed a specific party this year (nor any year), but instead support the need for a fresh start in every aspect. We predicted that 2015 would be a turning point in this country’s history in our 200th issue, and it is turning out to be just that. New parties have shaken the traditional political shackles off cities like Madrid and Barcelona, while corruption has been given the proverbial finger in Andalucia, with the two main parties losing drastically to rivals and now facing long, drawn-out talks over pacts with their rivals. Welcome to a new era of Spanish politics.

Costa buzz CELEBRITIES, film crews and tourists are arriving in their droves... and Spain is ready. The Costa del Sol is bouncing back with a two-finger salute after BBC documentary Last Brits standing slated the coast, claiming the sun was setting on the expat dream. But with DIY SOS TV presenter Nick Knowles’ arrival in Sotogrande and three reality TV stars setting up shop in La Cala de Mijas, the Costa has never been so buzzing. The Only Way is Essex’s Elliott Wright and former Ready Steady Cook star Steven Saunders are reinventing the La Cala scene AND you can get to know them in their brand new Olive Press columns. Filming for glamorous reality TV show Life on Marbs continues in Marbella and the entire TOWIE cast arrives in June to swap their fake tans for the real McCoy... And as more and more tourists come out to play, the coast is hotting up for yet another baking summer of fun!

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THE following companies are no longer allowed to do business with the Olive Press (Luke Stewart Media SL - CIF B91664029), due to long standing debts: - MWM Investments Ltd - Petersham Coins, Marbella - Investor Spain - Simple Care - Autotunes Manilva - Hotel Embrujo, Arriate

The details are being published in support of other companies that may be unaware of the problems that might be faced by providing credit facilities to the businesses and their present individual owners. The original and only English-language investigative newspaper in Andalucía

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Tel: 951 273 575 (admin) Accounts: 658 750 424 Sales: 655 825 683

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: B91664029 951 273 575 Carretera Nacional 340, km 144.5 Calle Espinosa 1 Edificio centro comercial El Duque, planta primera, 29692 San Luis de Sabinillas, Manilva Printed by Corporación de Medios de Andalucía S.A. Editor: Jon Clarke jon@theolivepress.es Newsdesk Newsdesk@theolivepress.es Tel: 665 798 618 Tom Powell Tom@theolivepress.es Rob Horgan Rob@theolivepress.es

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World heritage wonders Y

OU may wonder what an ancient ring of standing stones in southern England has in common with Peru’s Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, Syria’s war-ravaged city Aleppo or Australia’s Tasmanian wilderness. The answer is, they’re all UNESCO World Heritage Sites and there are more than 1,000 of them in the world. Even the most intrepid travellers would

struggle to scratch the surface of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s varied portfolio of world wonders. The international UNESCO designation was set up in 1972 to conserve buildings and locations of outstanding cultural or natural importance under one umbrella. Spain has 44, the third highest total of any country in the world, and almost

With the package holiday Mecca of Benidorm vying for UNESCO World Heritage status, Tom Powell checks out membership to this exclusive culture club

double the United Kingdom’s meagre 23. They range from well-known tourist hotspots such as the city of Toledo and the Pyrenees to hidden gems like the Paleolithic Cave Paintings of Altamira in Cantabria. Here, the Olive Press chooses its own highlights from Spain’s long list of UNESCO world heritage wonders.

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Capital attractions, Segovia

THE Roman aqueduct of Segovia is in phenomenal shape for a structure that was built 2,000 years ago, without a drop of mortar to bond its 25,000 granite blocks together. The two tiers of 170 arches along this bi-millennium bridge are the focal point of Castilla y Leon’s magnificent capital. The 11th century Alcazar, Gothic cathedral and city walls are further heritage highlights in a city that’s high on every culture vulture’s bucket list.

HERITAGE HIGHLIGHT: Segovia’s aquaduct

The migration game Plans to use Algeciras as a clearing port for Europe’s migrant quotas could leave Spain carrying the can

UROPE has never shut its doors to migrants. And, despite the rhetoric coming from Brussels, it won’t try to keep out the hundreds of North Africans who are trying to reach the continent’s shores. Last week, there was an outcry from several EU-member nations, including Spain, over what they claimed was an unfair plan by Brussels to assign quotas to different countries, allocating each a share of the asylumseekers fleeing war-torn places like Libya and Syria. Spanish Foreign Minister José GarcíaMargallo doesn’t agree with the fixed quota system the European Commission is trying to impose. He said it didn’t take into account certain factors, such as Spain’s high unemploy-

ment rate, in measuring a country’s ability to handle a migrant intake. In Britain last year, net migration reached its highest level since 2005, with 318,000 making the UK their new home. In an effort to deal with a growing crisis and prevent more deaths in Mediterranean waters during dangerous crossings, the EC wants to welcome at least 20,000 migrants over the next two years. But it also offered Britain, Denmark and Ireland the option of not accepting any. Italy, Germany and Austria are strong backers of this new quota system. The proposed formula, in which Spain was assigned to take in 9.1% of the 20,000, still has to be passed by the national parliaments of each

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member state before it will go into effect. And we know how slow those processes can be. A formal proposal by the EC is expected to come at the end of the month. Now the question remains, where will these migrants be taken for processing if agreements are reached? Among the places being discussed are Algeciras, on Spain’s southwest coast, and other ports in Italy or Greece. The Spanish government may not agree with the planned quota system, but it certainly will come out against any EC proposal to use the country as a clearing house, on the grounds that many migrants who are brought here will instead want to remain in Spain.

FEATURE

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the theOlive OlivePress PressMay May28th 13th 27th 2015 28th- -June - May June10th 10th2015 2015

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SEVEN of Antoni Gaudi’s most emblematic works in or near Barcelona are now protected monuments, including the Crypt of the still-incomplete Sagrada Familia church. One of the most distinctive architects ever, Gaudi’s fluid works transformed Barcelona into the arty city tourists flock to from the four corners of the world today. The mesmerising Parque Guell, with its multitude of sculptures and colourful tile work, is another wonderful display of Gaudi’s monumental talent.

Magnificent Seven, Barcelona

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ART-LOVERS PARADISE: Parque Guell in Barcelona is a surrealist dream

What does it all mean? A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place of special cultural or physical significance that is legally protected and, under certain conditions, can obtain funds from the World Heritage Fund. The programme was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO on 16 November 1972 and is now maintained by the international World Heritage Programme, which is administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.

Andalucia’s big six

Ultimate pilgrimage, Quirky Cuenca, Castile Santiago de Compostela La Mancha THOUSANDS of pilgrims annually walk the well-worn path to the shrine of St James the Apostle at Santiago de Compostela cathedral, passing some 1,800 buildings of historic interest en route. The Camino de Santiago (Way of St James) traditionally begins at the border with France before navigating the Basque Country to Galicia, a journey of some 790 kilometres. A penance for some, a p**s-up for others, and a challenge for all, the route now has hostels, bars and shops all vying for pilgrim alms.

THIS Moorish city towering above the countryside is iconic for its gravity-defying ‘casas colgadas’ (hanging houses), suspended from sheer cliffs overlooking the Huecar river. Their origin remains uncertain, and only a few survive today, although there is proof of their existence since the 15th century. Cuenca is one of the most striking medieval towns in Spain with its unusually well-preserved architecture and the country’s very first Gothic cathedral.

ANDALUCIA boasts six UNESCO sites, including one of Spain’s only two natural sites, Donana National Park in Huelva. The vast nature reserve and wetland is a breeding site for thousands of migratory breeds, and also home to the endangered Iberian lynx. Elsewhere, Granada’s stunning Moorish palace, the Alhambra, has been awarded the accolade, as has Cordoba’s Mezquita, the city’s extraordinary cathedral built around a mosque. The Alcazar and Gardens in Sevilla has also made the list along with the beautiful renaissance cities of Ubeda and Baeza in Jaen province. Finally, 68 items of cave art in Almeria, Granada and Jaen have been recognised for their importance in depicting the way of life during a critical phase of human development.

NOT JUST A PRETTY PLACE: Party isle Ibiza

PARTY island Ibiza is not the first place that springs to mind in terms of culture.. But the Balearic isle is unique, having been recognised by UNESCO twice, both for its cultural and natural importance. Its marine and coastal ecosystems support a diverse range of sea life, while archaeological sites such as Sa Caleta and Puig des Molins hark back to its role in early Mediterranean history. The fortified Upper Town (Alta Vila) is an outstanding example of Renaissance military architecture.

Double bubble, Ibiza

ANCIENT: Cave paintings at Cueva de Pileta near Ronda

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Bad day for David ‘the Dogman’ Klein after he rams brand new Range Rover into studio, forcing his show off air EXCLUSIVE By Tom Powell

IT is anything buy the perfect start to your regular Saturday radio show. Perhaps rushing to get on the air after a lazy weekend lie in, David ‘the Dogman’ Klein appears to have arrived at Talk Radio Europe, in San Pedro, in something of a fluster. Rather than putting on the brakes as he parked his brand new €60,000 white Range Rover Freelander Evoque, the 78-year-old animal trainer rammed it forward into the gates of the station. Suffering the mother of all parking nightmares, the pensioner managed to crash his shiny white car right through the double glass sliding doors of the studio, in La Colonia. In a highly embarrassing turn

DOGGONE DONE IT: Klein rammed new Range Rover into TRE radio station of events for the station, nobody could enter or exit for an hour, while Klein’s show had to be cancelled and a replacement presenter stood in. With the car almost a write off, a tow truck had to be called to pull the vehicle from where it had become wedged. “It was one of the funniest things that has ever happened to the station,” revealed a witness. “It was wedged good and proper. “David was very clearly shaken up, but it is lucky for him that it was not during the week when there could have

been children coming out from the next door kindergarten.” It has not been a good spring for Klein, whose recent holiday in Las Vegas with wife Susan turned into a nightmare when he was struck down with pneumonia. He told a newspaper he had been forced to stump up thousands in medical costs, after being bamboozled by American health authorities. When asked for comment, Klein told the Olive Press: “I want nothing to do with the Olive Press. No comment.”

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NEWS

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10 www.theolivepress.es the Olive Press May 28th - June 10th 2015

NEWS

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NEWS IN BRIEF Twitter terror A VALENCIA man, 21, will spend two years in jail for glorifying Basque terrorist group Eta on social media.

Death toll MORE UK citizens abroad died in Spain last year than in any other country - 856 but proportionally the deadliest country for UK expats is the Philippines.

Hard as nails TENNIS goddess Maria Sharapova was met with imitations of her iconic grunt from fellow clients upon entering a Madrid nail bar recently.

Nice touch SPAIN’S national Prado museum in Madrid has recreated 3D copies of famous artworks by Goya and El Greco to be enjoyed by the blind.

Miners’ struck TWO miners have been left with serious injuries after accidents at a Huelva mine on May 25. The first fell down a three metre hole and the second was crushed by a lorry.

May 28th - June 10th 2015

Expat banned from looking after Benalmadena’s stray cats

Catwoman kicks back

A BRITISH expat is fighting back after Benalmadena Town Hall banned her from feeding the town’s stray cats. Kelly Dooley, 44, was given a slap on the wrists by Guardia Civil officers who spotted her laying out food for the moggies in Paloma Park. But the caring expat has now launched a change.org petition to overturn the decision and has already garnered the support of over 2,000 signatories. “I cannot believe they can do this,” Dooley told the Olive

EXCLUSIVE By Rob Horgan

Press. “It is a total injustice. “I have worked like a nutter to neuter and save these cats for the last seven years.” Dooley, originally from London, currently cares for 55 stray cats. She has invested a lot of money into improving the number of abandoned pets on the Costa del Sol and has rescued many. “I have saved the lives of over

Take shelter

AN animal rights group is fighting back against the Junta after it threatened to close a key Mijas shelter. PACMA has launched a petition to stop the closure of ACE Charity’s protectorate, in La Cala, which houses more than 250 animals. A report carried out by the Junta found the shelter ‘unsatisfactory’ and failing to meet new standards. The kennels at the shelter failed the inspection as they do not all have access to light, artificial or natural. The charity has now been given a month to carry out necessary improvements – valued at €50,000 – or face closure. ACE has been running its shelter in Mijas for 15 years and has homed more than 17,000 animals during that time. PACMA’S petition can be found online at www.firmas.pacma.es

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DO-GOODER: Dooley 100 cats,” she said. “I’m really frightened that the cats will starve now or worse the town hall will cull them.” Dooley launched an awareness campaign in February, via the Olive Press, after one of her strays had its heart cut out in a ‘voodoo-style assassination’. A pet is abandoned every three minutes in Spain, and 150,000 pets are left on the streets each year, according to animal rights group Observatorio de la Fundacion Affinity. To support Dooley’s campaign visit change.org and search ‘Help save the park cats’.

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Gibraltar NEWS

the Olive Press May 28th - June 10th 2015

ON the Rock

NEWS IN BRIEF Canine convenience

May 31

EY are hosting a run on the rock for Gibraltar’s children charities. Starting at Casemates Square at 10am, teams made up of three runners must raise £100. For more information contact janice.buttigieg@gi.ey.com

GIBRALTAR’S pooches are in for a treat thanks to the arrival of two dog toilets on the Rock costing £20,000.

In it to twin it

June 6&7

The Gibraltar National Dance Organisation will be hosting a series of dance workshops at the Tercentenary Sports hall, hosted by professional dancers from Errol White Dance Company. Tickets cost £10 and are available at the On Pointe Dance Shop or via gndo@ gibtelecom.net

June 12

Ocean Village will host the annual Gibraltar-Morocco Yacht Rally, starting at midday. For more information visit www. boatshedgibraltar.com or contact Boatshed on boats@ boatshedgibraltar.com

1313

LEGENDARY 80s heavy metal band Saxon will headline the HardnHeavy festival on June 27 in celebration of the Rock on the Rock club’s tenth anniversary. Famed for their mind-blowing live shows, Skindred previous winners of the UK metal Hammer best live band award - will also play, along

Bully probe triggers radical change THE Royal Gibraltar Police has made radical changes to internal procedures after its bullying probe. The force has ‘learned lessons’ after allegations of ‘institutional racism and sexism’ were lodged at a selection weekend in December. Chief Minister Fabian Picardo ordered the internal investigation after a female candidate reported ‘inappropriate’ physical and mental abuse. All candidates who had attended the weekend were asked to complete a telephone questionnaire, and ‘all but one other had no complaints with the weekend’, according to a RGP spokesman.

Rock on! with seven other hard rock and metal bands from the local area including Midriff, Angelwings and The Tragic Company. Come in Leon,

Soul Within, Dead City Radio and Overdry complete the line-up. The event runs from midday to midnight, with multiple

CHIEF Minister Fabian Picardo has welcomed La Linea Mayor Gemma Araujo’s proposal to twin the Rock with its Spanish neighbour.

bars, a BBQ and restaurant as well as a chill-out area and merchandise stalls. It will take place at Lathbury Barracks on the south side of the Rock. Tickets cost £30. They can be purchased at www.eventbrite.co.uk or at Rock on the Rock club, D&H ceramics and Parodytur.

Simple as ABC SPANISH newspaper ABC has published a rectified article after the Gibraltar government sued them for libel after the paper labelled the Rock an ‘iceberg of dirty money’.

Reefing the reward THE Rock’s controversial artificial reef is ‘teeming with life’, two years after it drew furious protests from Spain. Gibraltar’s environmental department claims the decision to install the reef is now completely vindicated as it is ‘exploding with life’. Spain had accused Gibraltar of creating the reef in a bid to hinder its fishing fleet, when 70 concrete blocks were sunk

‘Exploding with life’ Gibraltar vindicates its controversial reef into the waters surrounding the British Territory’s airport runway. “This is what happens when you let mother nature do her work,” said Stephen Warr, senior environment officer.

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GREEN NEWS

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the Olive Press May 28th - June 10th 2015

Model example on solar-powered catwalk THE world’s first solar-powered fashion show will beam down in Sevilla this summer. Model and entrepreneur Jessica Minh Anh is hosting the show at Gemasolar, a futuristic power plant which will house a 100-metre catwalk on July 17. The J Summer Fashion show

aims to promote the most exquisite designs from five continents, alongside the most advanced technology in environment preservation. The show, in which Jessica will also star, is to be staged bang in the middle of Gemasolar, surrounded by thousands of shim-

mering mirrors. The plant is the first in the world to produce round-the-clock electricity solely from the power of the sun. It has previously been used as the backdrop for commercials by Mercedes Benz, Ford and Louis Vuitton. Manager Raul Mendoza Ruiz said: “Gemasolar is an international symbol of the next generation of power plants and represents the future, just as Jessica does in fashion. “We look forward to fascinating the world with a mixture of high technology and high fashion in this particular project.”

Safe at last

Plans to extract gas from Doñana nature reserve win a provisional stay of execution

YEARS of blood, sweat and toil have succeeded in stopping the latest attempt to extract gas in Donana National Park. The Junta’s Ministry of Environment has rejected, albeit provisionally, Gas Natural’s proposal to drill for and store natural gas in the protected wetlands. Green groups Ecologistas en Accion and WWF have announced their delight at the decision which will help protect wildlife in the area, a key habitat for the endangered Iberian lynx. The decision comes two months after the park’s

FORWARD-THINKING: Jessica and Gemasolar plant

Undermined by corruption

NATURAL BEAUTY: Donana reserve bosses rejected an oil project from Marismas Oriental, declaring it would be fundamentally opposed to nature conservation. But while the battle is won, the war is not yet over. Gas Natural is expected to appeal against the ‘provisional’ decision on the grounds that there

was an ‘unjustifiable delay’ of over two years in the proceedings. Doñana, a UNESCO World Heritage site spread between Sevilla, Cadiz and Huelva provinces, is one of Spain’s most important reserves, famous for its thousands of migratory birds.

THE reopening of a controversial zinc and silver mine near Sevilla has been cancelled amid corruption allegations. Los Frailes mine in Aznalcollar, responsible for causing 1998’s infamous ‘Doñana Disaster’, was due to reopen later this year after 17 years of closure. However, allegations of corruption during the

bidding process have forced the Junta to pull the plug on the project. President Susana Díaz said: “When a judge has serious suspicions about the procedure for awarding a contract, it must be halted and clarified.” The contract was awarded to the Grupo MéxicoMinorbis consortium in February following a threeway contest. But a probe was launched in March after a rival company filed a denuncia, accusing the group of of bribery, peddling of influence and perversion of justice. The dam shot to fame in April SPAIN has been sweltering under its hottest May in his1988 when a dam burst, releastory with the heat wave that ripped through the peninsula ing dangerous levels of heavy earlier in the month. metal pollution into the rivers Records were broken across Spain when the eastern town surrounding Doñana natural of Xativa hit a sizzling 42.9 degrees centigrade, smashing park. The clean-up operation the previous European heat record. took three years and cost an esTemperatures usually only seen in high summer exceeded the timated €240 million. previous record of 40.1 degrees set at Cordoba Airport in 2006.

Hot hot hot

www.theolivepress.es 15 www.theolivepress.es AXARQUIA

Underage sex probe

NEWS IN BRIEF Unfair dismissal

Crystal clear

By Iona Napier

NERJA’S Burriana, Torrecilla and El Playazo beaches are expected to have the cleanest waters in Spain after a sewage treatment plant comes into action this summer.

Health check THE old San Juan Hospital in Velez-Malaga is being revamped to become the new town museum, displaying 1,700 artefacts.

TRAGIC: Child-sex ring tions bore fruit when police stormed the Velez-Malaga property to find a young woman hiding under a bed in squalid conditions. Investigations continue, along with renewed campaigns against sexual exploitation in the region.

Sister act THE story of expat sisters Karen Atkinson and Sarah Melton and their struggle to keep Torrox hotel La Casa afloat is to air on Channel 5’s Hotel Inspector later this month.

Mayor in the dock THE mayor of Benamocarra used public funds to pay for personal lawsuits, a court has heard. A judge ruled that claims brought about against Ab-

deslam Lucena are ‘justified’. Lucena had previously denied the allegations and had even filed a libel complaint against PSOE mayoral candidate Manuel Cazorla, after he

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A MALAGA court has ruled Antonio Garrido’s dismissal from his post at the head of the Nerja Cave Foundation was ‘unfair’.

Eleven arrested for pimping child prostitutes via smartphone catalogue A GANG forcing under-16s into prostitution has been broken up by National Police in Velez-Malaga. Eleven people aged between 35 and 75 were arrested for corrupting minors and being part of the gang recruiting young girls for sex without their parents’ knowledge. The ringleader offered potential clients a glimpse of the naked minors by swiping through sexually explicit images on his mobile phone. Once a girl was chosen, she would be driven from VelezMalaga to a remote farm, then dropped home before her parents became suspicious. The gang charged €30 to €40 for sexual services. Three months of investiga-

15 the olive press - February 19th - March 4th 2015 www.theolivepress.es 15 the Olive Press May 28th - June 10th 2015

posted the damning accusations on Facebook. The judge confirmed Lucena ‘used public resources in judicial proceedings’ and that he ‘lacked legal standing’ in his libel pursuit against Cazorla. Ironically, the public funds were initially used to settle a previous libel dispute between the two politicians.

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Full steam ahead A NEW mini-train for tourists will connect Nerja caves with the town’s historic centre. The scenic route will also feature a stop at the small fishing village of Maro with the aim of boosting trade there, as well as at Verano Azul park. An audio guide about the various places and monuments passed on the journey will be included.

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16 16

LETTERS

Olive Press May 28th - June 10th 2015 thethe Olive Press May 28th - June 10th 2015

POTTED POINTERS ANDALUCIA RESERVOIR LEVELS This week: 78.61% Same week last year: 82.27% Same week in 2005: 63.25% 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 1.09 American dollars 0.71 British pounds 1.35 Canadian dollars 7.45 Danish kroner 8.44 H Kong dollars 8.43 Norwegian kroner 1.47 Singapore dollars

No reason for negativity DEAR OP, I AM sick of all the doom and gloom being spread about the Spanish economy. The scaremongers should have a word with Volkswagen, who has announced its intentions to invest €4.2 billion in its Spanish plants between 2015 and 2019! Or the increasing number of foreign property investors in Spain! Or even the growing number of people taking out mortgages in Spain (21,300 new mortgages were approved in February, according to the latest data from the NIE, an annualised increase of almost 30%, and the best month for mortgage approvals since 2011). Surely they should be told, as the scaremongers told us, that Spain was about to leave the euro, that Santander bank was about to fold, that the Home Office was about to evacuate a million Brits. What??? They got all that wrong, and still they’re here spreading their doom. Chris Woolsey, Mijas

New surge AS one of the new independent parties in the Ronda city council election, I would like to congratulate the Olive Press on a comprehensive and well-documented article (Get ready to rumble, issue 213). As you know, Podemos decided not to stand in any

Stunning croc...

...But traffic mayhem?

GAUCIN for me appears like a crocodile. When approaching from Manilva you see a long chain of houses on top of the ridge forming the tail and body of the crocodile, while on the right side the head and mouth of the crocodile being modeled by Castillo del Aguila. I enjoy this silhouette of Gaucin every time when travelling from the Costa to the mountains of Grazalema.

GAUCIN and tranquility do not go together. The two one-way main streets inside the village are so small and riddled with nooks and crannies. Therefore Gaucin suffers from traffic jams nearly all the time. Have you ever tried to reach the cemetery below the Castle del Aguilla at Easter? I remember a Sunday when the A369 was closed. All traffic from Manilva to Ronda had to go through the centre of Gaucin. That was true for our tour bus too and our driver needed 90 minutes maneuvering the large bus around the small corners, thereby blocking the rest of the traffic and tearing down the festoons which were hanging over the street as part of the local election campaign. This ancient, crocodile-shaped village needs a total car ban in order to become tranquil. Are the citizens of Gaucin, especially the rich and beautiful, ready for a walk?

Wolfgang Zullner, Manilva

Jon Henley, Ronda

council elections in Spain, preferring to concentrate efforts on the regional and national elections. This has led to an amazing surge in the creation of new, entirely local, political parties with the ‘Podemos DNA’. The women and men in the streets are simply fed up with corruption, incompetence and the sheer indifference of the main parties. Ani González, Candidate for Mayoress of Ronda for Sí Se Puede

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Brexit warning

Cat-astrophe

ALL of us British immigrants living here in Spain may soon have to think very carefully about our position living abroad. At the moment, we enjoy all kinds of advantages here that may disappear if the UK exits the EU. For example, we have freedom of movement, access to the Spanish health system, the ability to transfer UK gained professional qualifications into Spanish ones, the list goes on and on. We have no idea how this might change should there be a UK exit and I for one hope we stay in.

HORRIFIC. I find it hard to believe that the town hall couldn’t have found a better and more humane way of controlling the cat population like a neutering programme for example (Anger over cat massacre, issue 213). Very upsetting for the very kind expats who were trying to do the right thing – some of the cats in the picture may have already been neutered.

Sheilagh Kent, Fuengirola

MY partner and I have just bought a house in Atalaya,

Jane Garrett, Axarquia

Fantastic feria

and to celebrate we had the most wonderful day at the Estepona Feria on Sunday 17th May. We have both ridden horses most of our lives and have great appreciation for the skill that others show while on horseback. It was, as anticipated – beautiful blue skies, the warmth on one’s back and the pulse of excitement in the air as one beautiful horse after another took to the stadium to dance, show its agility or equally to jump. We were in awe, as was everyone else watching. It was exhilarating and a fun filled afternoon for all of us there. I hope your readers enjoy the photo I took (below). Neil Egerton, Estepona

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WHAT’S the use of the Colegio de Abogados if someone doing this - and he’s by no means the only one - and is still allowed to practice (Not above the law, issue 213). What do lawyers have to do to get barred in this country? Steal from the President of the Colegio? Why don’t they realise that having members like this shames them all? Gus Campbell, 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.

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Across 7 Man (6) * 8 Balancín (6) * 9 Gris (4) * 10 Ahogando (8) * 11 Andando (7) * 13 Vestido (5) * 15 Herida (5) * 17 Crop (7) * 20 Moliendo (8) * 21 Cinta (4) * 22 Prism (6) * 23 Líder (6). Down 1 Strap (6) * 2 Obedecer (4) * 3 Lectura (7) * 4 These (5) * 5 Northern (3, 5) * 6 Pinturas (6) * 12 Bondad (8) * 14 Aproximadamente (7) * 16 Worker (6) * 18 Saltó (6) * 19 Cigarro (5) * 21 Brings (4). L = 198

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May 28th - June 10th 2015

la cultura

www.theolivepress.es

the Olive Press May 28th - June 10th 2015 ROCKERS: Arkanes

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what’s on

otogrande, June 3 Feasting on art: exhibition featuring the work of 34 artists including crafts and jewellery in the grounds of restaurant La Cabana de Sotogrande (A7 exit 130/131). Artists stalls open 11am3pm. Visit www.nadfasdelafrontera.org

enahavis, June 7 ‘Lark in the Park’ charity event in Parque Leonera features a line-up of musicians and comedians. Admission by donation but to reserve call 952 880 630 or 952 880 240 out of office hours.

lhaurin el Grande, June 11 Evening of music and dance to raise funds for Andalucian Rescue Centre for Horses at Venta Miralmonde from 8pm. €5 donation on the door or call Sheila on 635 208 798 or Jill 656 935 613.

anilva, June 12-13 The Duquesa Drama Society will be performing the Broadway show Love, Loss And What I Wore in Manilva Theatre, above the wine museum. Tickets €5.00, available at The Bookshop and TLC. For info call 686 823 555.

1717

Playing on MANILVA residents are gearing up for a last-minute, three-day music festival. Liverpool-based band The Arkanes are the headline act, with The Universal and soul band Stone Foundation also set to rock the stage. British bands Northside and The Christians are also set to be a hit with the Manilva faithful and Spaniard Javier Ojeda will headline on the Sunday. The Malaga Rocks Festival was

originally planned to take place in Mijas, but a fallout with the town hall left British organisers on the brink of cancelling. However, determined to play on, Welsh event organiser Carl Wileman reached an agreement with Manilva Town Hall to host the event instead. Mijas councillor Juan Carlos Gonzalez said that the festival would be cancelled as it had ‘failed to obtain proper authorisation’ and was

‘fraudulent’. A claim that Wileman denies. Unable to get past their disagreement, Wileman began looking at alternative venues. “Thankfully after ten months of hard work we are getting there,” Wileman told the Olive Press. “We hope this is the start of many events here. The festival will be now held at the Manilva fairground from May 29 - 31.

His art’s in the right place! Businessman finally donates €14m artwork to his city after 15 year legal battle

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BIG HEARTED: Generous Bellver and some paintings THEY say no good deed goes unpunished, and for generous Sevilla businessman Mariano Bellver this is truer than ever.

Money no object IT smashed records for the most expensive piece of art ever sold at auction. And now the deep-pocketed buyer of Picasso’s Women of Algiers has been revealed. It was the billionaire former prime minister of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, who handed over an incredible €163 million for the work. But it may never be exhibited in public due to the nudity in the painting upsetting Middle Eastern customs.

Bilbao-born Bellver, 88, decided to gift the city of Sevilla €14 million worth of art in 2000. But only now has a 15-year bureaucratic nightmare ended, allowing him to finally hand over his eye-watering present. Having lived in the city since 1940, Bellver made the gesture to pass on 943 items collected over half a century since he felt ‘more Andalucian than many Andalucians.’ But after hitting numerous legal brick walls he considered giving up and auctioning the collection of paintings, sculptures and furniture off for charity. Childless Bellver said: “I don’t want money, I have never sold a painting, but I do want Sevillanos to be able to have this forever. You get more enjoyment out of giving than receiving.” The Real pavilion will house the collection, opening on December 5 of 2016 - Bellver’s 90th birthday - after a €3 million renovation.

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Lord of the Dance

IROUETTE, followed by a quick gallop before rounding off with a split jump. It only took 40 minutes for me to be transformed into the Olive Press’ very own Lord of the Dance… fortunately leotards were not required. On my way to meet Gibraltar’s 15-year-old superstar Jonathan Lutwyche, it suddenly dawned on me what I had got myself into.

Is it a bird, is it a plane? No it’s an Olive Press journalist soaring through the air with Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist Jonathan Lutwyche EXCLUSIVE FEATURE By Rob Horgan The dancing supremo has two-stepped his way to the semifinals of the biggest tal-

ent show in Europe - Britain’s Got Talent. His breath-taking audition at the Royal Albert Hall left the entire crowd on their feet, along with Simon Cowell, the rest of the judges and the millions watching on TV. I, however, had yet to grace a dancefloor without being suitably lubricated (usually with cheap cider) beforehand.

PHENOMENAL: Jonathan dances his way into the finals and (inset) laughing outside his dance studio But my nerves evaporated at will stop him and tell him how and newfound stardom, it the flick of a heel as you can’t much they enjoy his dancing. is clear the teenager has rehelp but be won over by the “I have never worked with mained well grounded. young Gibraltarian’s enthusi- someone who captures the He describes his family, inasm and infectious laugh. audience in the way Jonathan cluding three older sisters, As his teacher at Danza Acad- does.” as his biggest supporters and emy, Anne Marie Gomez, She adds: “I even learn things claims he wouldn’t have the explains: “People just love from Jonathan and I have 23 confidence to dance without Jonathan, he has a presence years dancing experience. them. about him that touches ev- “I would term him as a ge- “I would like to think I’ve eryone. nius.” done myself and my country “Big, rugged men in the street And despite the high praise, proud,” he says. “It is a difficult thing as a young boy to say you want to dance, some people think it’s not cool, but I think the way I dance is winning the boys around, and the fact I do flips adds a bit of coolness to it.” Jonathan will be bidding for his place in the competition’s final later this week. What the future holds is still in the balance, if he’s a hit on the show he will tour with it, if not he has a place lined up at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York to fall back on - not a bad consolation prize. As for my future dancing career, I think I better stick to the day job. To watch exclusive footage of Jonathan dancing and talking LIMBERING UP: Jonathan puts Olive Press reporters to the Olive Press visit www. theolivepress.es through their paces

Culture break

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JUST in case you shop until you drop next time you hit Marbella’s El Corte Ingles, their inhouse Art Exhibition Area offers light relief. And art gets philosophical in the latest arrival from Valencian painter Cristina Gamon. Winner of the 2011 BMW Painting Prize at just 24, her latest exhibition ‘The colour of empty’ features large acrylic paintings in an abstract Romantic style. The show runs until June 28.

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the Olive Press May 28th - June 10th 2015

Fab’s on fire

ROCKERS ON THE ROCK: Kings of Leon and (inset) Picardo

CHIEF Minister Fabian Picardo should be feeling ‘on fire’ since the Rock bagged Kings of Leon to headline its music festival. Picardo is a huge fan of the

American Rock band, as he revealed in an Olive Press interview in 2012. “I’ve managed to sync all my music on iTunes Match so I can have my collection in the

Dance under the stars THOUSANDS of square feet of dance floor are just waiting to be trampled by mods and rockers in Benalmadena this summer. Amazing venue Sala Nautica in the town’s Puerto Marina, with restaurant, terraces, bars and panoramic views, will kick off the summer hosting Solid Rock festival. The open-air event from June 7-19 hosts three rock bands per night – many of them acclaimed tributes - with musicians and punters flocking in their hundreds from the UK. The first and last three nights will be under the stars while the middle week is set for the main stage, rigged up with lights and a ground-shaking sound system. There is a special rate of €15 for residents (bring proof) and €25 for visitors, all ages are welcome – for tickets visit www. solid-rock.es or info@salanautica.com

office,” he told the Olive Press. “I love all sorts of different music, Spanish bands like Mecano and La Oreja de Van Gogh as well as British stuff like Queen, Dire Straits … oh, and Kings of Leon,” the CM added. And as luck would have it, the ‘Sex on fire’ boys have been confirmed as this year’s headline act at the Gibraltar Music Festival. The star-studded lineup will also offer a blast from the past, with 80s British legends Duran Duran taking a bow, along with pianist Tom Odell, breakthrough singer-songwriter Rae Morris and Noughties power-pop superstars The Feeling and Lawson. Tickets for the festival on September 5 & 6 go on sale from May 15 at www.gibraltarmusicfestival.com

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www.theolivepress.es the Olive Press May 28th - June 10th 2015

hat brings you back to Gibraltar time and time again?

I have friends in Gib so there’s a slight social element to it. The main reason I’m here this time is that I had such a good experience in The King’s Chapel last year as part of the Gibraltar International Literary Festival. It was only a small show, in comparison to the upcoming one, but it was a rare one where everything just flowed. I was so happy with it that I asked my friend Fabian (Vinet, former Gibraltar Government minister and personal friend) if there was any chance of coming back for another one. He found me promoter Jordan Lopez of GibMedia and I think it has been set up really well. Cheers gentlemen!

Will you perform solo or with a band?

I normally do these h Natural gigs alone but we wanted to make this one different – a bit special. At some point in the show I will invite my pal Dave Gregory to join me on stage. Dave’s a great player and apart from being the guitarist in 80’s influential/innovative band XTC – I’m a big fan. He has also collaborated with me on numerous occasions, as the core member of the h Band (we made the Ice Cream Genius album and toured Europe together) and cocollaborator on my recent work with Richard Barbieri (of Japan, Porcupine Tree). In addition to Dave, my other pal – and son – Nial Hogarth will be adding percussion to the show.

Focusing on your son Nial the drummer, is this the first time you will perform together?

I have only performed in public once with Nial. This was at the Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury last year. We played a couple of songs as part of a charity event. He’s a good player and, like Dave, a top human being. I’m very proud of him. To play together with Nial will make the evening doubly special for me.

What do you expect from a concert in a venue such as Saint Michael’s Cave? What will make it ‘supernatural’?

Ha ha. (Super) natural. I think Fabian came up with that title. I have played St Michael’s Cave once before. It is a beautiful space to play. Truly ‘underground!’ The whole point is to create something fragile, volatile, intimate and totally ‘in the moment’. I’ll be digging around in myself for the spiritual and the supernatural alright. You can be sure of that.

What genre of music will you guys play? Marillion hits, new material, acoustic...

The ethos of h Natural has, and will remain acoustic. I’ll have a concert-grand piano, Dave will play acoustic guitar and Nial will play cajon, although I will begin the show alone. These shows are deliberately organic and I like to have a dialogue with the audience. I’ll give the audience the freedom to steer the show’s direction – so if it goes wrong, it’s not my fault, it’s yours! The choice of songs will only really become apparent afterwards although I will include whatever has been particularly meaningful to me across

Supernatural! Steve Hogarth has been the frontman of veteran British rock band Marillion for over 25 years. He talks ahead of his ‘special h (super)Natural’ show in Gibraltar

EXCLUSIVE the course of my life. In Marillion’s shows I am in control of what I’m doing, every musical detail is rehearsed and I have a wall of sound to hide in. This show will be the opposite of that. An expose - the good, the bad and the ugly… Hopefully, and all being well, the exquisite too.

About your biography: why is it titled The Invisible Man? It’s a curious nickname for a frontman.

‘The Invisible Man’ is the opening song on Marillion’s ‘Marbles’ album – arguably the best song we ever wrote. I chose it as the title for the diary because it exposes the side of me that the fans can’t normally see. Fixing the dishwasher, playing with my children, sleeping on buses, being hauled off trains at gunpoint, meeting astronauts…

Are you still keeping a diary?

Not every day. Just now and again. It was always like that.

How is your experience as a musician going to be a role model to young readers?

Ha! Well it might work the other way… They might read it and think ‘Where’s the sex and drugs?!’. I haven’t lived the life of a saint, but I never felt the need to write down which laws I have broken or who I have slept with. If the kids want me as a role model, well I’m a good choice – I’m all about love and understanding.

Any advice to youngsters starting a band?

First of all, decide whether you’re doing it for fun or whether you’re serious. If you’re serious it can still be fun, but you’re going to have to be focussed and you’re going to have to work hard – not just on the music, but you’re going to have to pick up

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the phone, the email, and put yourself about. If you’re too shy to do that, then make sure there’s someone in your band who isn’t! I won’t give you advice about the music because that’s all down to you. What people recognise as brilliant isn’t always obvious to everyone and definitely not always obvious to old men like me. But make sure that when you walk onto a stage you recognise that being there isn’t your right, or a bit of fun, it’s a huge privilege – and you’d better justify that by doing something important. And make sure you collect the email addresses of everyone who hears you play and enjoys what you do, because if you know who your fans are, then you have the power. (That last point is important, so don’t ignore it.)

Will you return for the 2015 Literary Festival with Volume 3?

Well if I do, it won’t be a book, it will be a pamphlet – I haven’t written much this year. Now, if I’m invited to come and hang-out or play a few songs, that’s a different matter!

When you were a kid, what did you want to do when you grew up? What was ‘plan B’ if your artistic career didn’t take off? Fighter pilot. Formula 1 racing driver. Then I heard the Beatles and that was it. Plan B was a degree in Electrical Engineering followed by working as a design engineer for a while. I did the 9-to-5 but my heart wasn’t in it.

What did your school friends say when you told them ‘when I grow up I want to be a rock star’? And what do they say now?

how do you find the UK one?

I’m afraid I know nothing about the Gib music scene. I think Britain still occasionally throws up incredible bands - Radiohead, Elbow, Massive Attack. Can’t think of anything utterly outstanding recently but then I have been busy.

Anyone opening for you at the Cave?

Yes. Megan Dallas, a young talent who I’ve been assured is well liked on the Rock.

What do you do when you are not singing?

Email! Worrying. Doing the school-run. Hanging out with the rich and famous. Sleeping with supermodels. Not all of that was true...

An anecdote about a proud moment and one about an embarrassing moment?

I was driving Neil Armstrong at great speed round the M25 motorway and I asked him if it was okay for him that I drive so fast. After a pause he said “That’s fine.” I was as proud as I was embarrassed.

Why shouldn’t – and won’t – we ever stop the music?

The best answer to this is stolen from something I heard Neil Tennant say. “If you could imagine a time when there was only one person left on earth – sitting in a cave somewhere – he or she would probably be humming a tune.” h (Super)Natural - A Special Evening with Steve Hogarth & Friends takes place this Saturday 30th May in St Michael’s Cave, Gibraltar. Tickets, priced £20, include a shuttle service from Grand Parade and are available from www. buytickets. gi

My friends wanted to be rock stars too, so there wasn’t much to mock. But there was much to discuss! What do they say now? Well I think I only have one friend left from back then. He’s called Dave and he says hi. Most of us drifted apart, like you do. I lost one to cancer, one committed suicide. One tried to murder me! We didn’t speak much after that...

What is your impression of the Gibraltar music scene? And

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uadalhorce Issue 214 www.theolivepress.es

the Olive Press May 28th - June 10th 2015

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June 26 - July 9 2014

May 28th - June 10th 2015

Different worlds Plunged into the Guadalhorce Valley, Rob Horgan discovers a secret world of lakes, white villages and rocky mountain highs hiding in the hills behind the Costa del Sol

Picture by Rob Horgan

BREATH-TAKING: View across the valley near Alozaina and (inset) procession of the Virgin of Rondeles in Casarabonela

NEES knocking, hands scrabbling for something to grip on the crumbling rock face, at last I found a foothold on the sheer-sided cliff and breathed a sigh of relief. Precariously perched 10 metres above one of Ardales’ shimmering turquoise lakes, I snuck a quick look at the dizzying mountain backdrop before letting go, plunging from my rocky eyrie to pierce the smooth glass surface of the water below. As I emerged from the crystal clear water (shaking my curly locks, Baywatch-style) I was greeted by congratulatory cheers from onlookers awaiting their turn above me. It’s fair to say that my first experience of the Guadalhorce Valley took my breath away! Reached from Marbella on the Coin road, via the white-washed pueblos of Ojen, Guaro and Monda with its impressive hilltop castle, it’s hard to believe that this stunning valley is just 45 minutes

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Andalucia’s own ‘bread basket THE Guadalhorce Valley is 804km2 in size, and home to around 150,000 permanent residents, while many more own second homes there. It has always been known for its citrus production, with orange and lemon plantations stretching out in every direction from the valley’s towns. Of the eight municipalities, Coin is the biggest. But towns such as Alhaurin el grande, Alora and Cartama are also immensely popular with expats. While first colonised by the Romans, it was the Moors who have had the largest influence on the area. Everywhere there is evidence of their work, which tamed the tumbling streams into irrigation systems and brought fertility to the whole of the valley. But while the region has been termed one of the bread-baskets of Andalucia since Roman times, the locals have long struggled with fluctuating rainfall, which can still bring devastating floods to the whole of the valley or leave the land parched for months on end.

from the hustle and bustle of the Costa del Sol. Once a best-kept secret, this summer thousands of new visitors will discover this littleknown natural beauty spot on a mission to take the El Chorro Challenge. The Caminito del Rey is already a big hit with thrill seekers. Dubbed the ‘world’s deadliest walkway’ until its re-opening this Spring after a €2.8 million restoration, this high-adrenalin hike runs above the El Chorro gorge, an immense fissure five kilometres long and 300 metres deep, running between two towering limestone cliffs. El Chorro and Ardales, at the other end of the Caminito, are often called Andalucia’s Lake District and it’s easy to see why. These two postage stamp-sized villages are linked by hairpin bend roads to three stunning, turquoise reservoirs bordered by sandy beaches and shaded by feathery conifers. The scenery is more akin to the countryside of Cumbria or the cantons of Switzerland than anything people imagine could be found on the Costa del Sol. With lakeside camping sites, it’s the quintessential active weekend break for outdoor sports types, offering rock climbing, watersports, pedalos and dining under the stars at charming pine-shaded ventas. The polar opposite to the glitz and glamour of the nearby coast, the valley offers a more peaceful, relaxed way of life...

May 28th - June 10th 2015

Andalucia’s lake district CRYSTAL CLEAR: Lake in Ardales, near El Chorro A more ‘typically Spanish’ lifestyle perhaps, something that’s also noticeable in the region’s bigger town’s – Coin, Alhaurin el Grande and Alhaurin de la Torre. As English expat Ray Finch explains: “The Costa del Sol is great for people who love the beach and like to party, but up here in the hills, we get to experience the real Spain.” Ray moved from London to Coin five years ago to retire and

has never looked back. “Why would I ever go back?” he protests. “I love it here, the scenery is incredible, the people are lovely and the way of life is so much easier-paced than it was back in London.” Coin, the region’s ‘capital’ and largest town, is merely an up-scale version of its smaller neighbours (Tolox, Yunquera and Alozaina) with two main squares, an emblematic church at its centre and a

multitude of winding cobbled streets, stacked either side with white-washed houses. Named by the Romans, turned into a market town shortly after and then abandoned for almost 500 years, the Moors rebuilt most of Coin in 950 AD. Marble and iron ore quarried from its hills into the 19th century were used in the construction of the Roman town of Italica, near Sevilla, birthplace of the future Emperor, Hadrian.

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Reconquered by the Christians after a siege in which the legendary Christopher Columbus took part, it also had a special place in the heart of another great explorer, Captain Cook. HISTORIC: Arab tower in Alora After a visit to Coin, Cartama and Alhaurin in 1829 he wrote: “These villages are on rising ga province, El Castillo is believed – the crowning glory in most ground above the river and in to have been built by the Arabs of these pueblos - can be seen beauty of situation and cultiva- and used as a watchtower during against the skyline from the wars. Today this important heri- narrow streets below. From tion cannot be excelled. “They afford a specimen of the tage site has been refurbished to the striking Santa Ana church whole country when possessed function as an information centre itself, there are spectacular views towards the Sierra Prieta. by the Moors, being surround- for the Sierra de las Nieves. ed by gardens with orange, “Yunquera really is beautiful,” I saved the best gem for last lemon and palm trees and enthuses local artist Miguel Mer- on my weekend in the Guadalhorce Valley – Alora, half an abounding in all the fine as well chan. “I often go down to the bot- hour up the road. as the more common fruits.” Even today, the Guadalhorce tom of the town and look up Helping myself to the oranges is considered to be among the at the white houses with the and lemons dangling invitmost fertile valleys in all Spain. church spire sticking up in to ingly from the trees in the high Crisscrossed with streams, as the air. It makes me proud to street, I headed through busbe from such tling streets packed with Mowell as modern an inspiring roccan and Roman influences and ancient aceplace.” to the castle, which sits on a Alozaina is quias (man-made After a life- lofty pinnacle looking down on water channels), time dedi- this quaint pueblo. it is home both to embedded like a cated to art, A stop at the 17th century La Enwild nature and jewel in a setting Merchan now carnacion church en route is the modern cultivaruns a small perfect prelude to the main event of olive groves tion, while signs museum in atop Cerro de las Torres hill. of its fecundity memory of The castle has had a long and continue into the villages where you can pick or- his mentor, legendary local chequered history. Originally anges and lemons from ‘urban artist and musician Francisco built by Phoenicians, before being expanded under Roman orchards’ of trees lining the Sola. Set in Sola’s home, Merchan rule, it was destroyed by the streets! To the west of the valley, ver- has recreated the artist’s study Visigoths and rebuilt by the dant Sierra de las Nieves Natu- and turned the upper floors Moors. ral Park has seen even less hu- into a gallery showcasing some Looking down one last time on of his best works - many of this lush green valley, as the man interference. Apart from the few towns and vil- them self-portraits and studies inhabitants of all these past civilisations must have done lages on its outskirts, the park is of his family. largely uninhabited, with a rich Just 15 minutes from Yun- too, I felt a pang of regret to be variety of pine, fir, ash, chestnut quera, Alozaina is embedded leaving. and oak trees, and countless like a jewel in a setting of olive But then I remembered the groves. best thing about the Guadalstreams and waterfalls. A National Hunting Reserve The entrance to the village’s horce. It’s so close to the coast teeming with mountain goats charming centre is marked by it’s almost my back yard and I’ll and mouflon deer, rambling, stone arches while the church be back there soon! horse riding and river kayaking are all great ways to explore its undiscovered beauty. The park is easily accessible from the picturesque villages of Tolox and Yunquera, which possess a charm all of their own. Tolox is a tumble of whitewashed houses where the villagers have even gone so far as painting the tree trunks white, to reinforce the pueblo blanco look. Yunquera is slightly bigger, with one of the most picturesque church spires in the Guadalhorce Valley although its emblem is the ancient castle towering 500 metres above the village. One of the highest points in Mala- EMBLEM: Church tower in Yunquera

EVERY boy wants to grow up to be a soldier and in Alhaurin el Grande it is no different. Here, a group of teenagers practise moves with their rifles in the hope of one day following in the footsteps of the Foreign Legion that marches through its streets at Easter time.

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The big brother of the Guadalhorce Valley, Coin has kept hold of the charm that sweeps through the pueblos blancos across the region

T may be the ‘capital’ of the Guadalhorce Valley but the town of Coin has managed to retain the charm of its smaller neighbours. Literally surrounded by citrus plantations, with a true rural community, it is no surprise to find an orange tree on the town’s coat of arms. Despite growing considerably over recent years, Coin still has a curious sense of being both bustling and rural in equal measures. You still regularly see tractors and quad-bikes buzzing about its narrow streets and there are plenty of businesses dedicated to agricultural pursuits and farming tools.

Much of this is thanks to the Moors, whose clever use of water and love of gardens and planting, left the surrounding countryside full of profitable businesses, who sold to the coast and, indeed, further afield. Thankfully when the Arabic invaders were ejected from the town in 1485, after a long siege, the town’s Christian Crusaders from the north, who may have included Christopher Columbus, didn’t alter much. The legacy of using acequias to water the fields is still used today and the countryside is among the wealthiest in Andalucia growing citrus fruits,

WRITING ON THE WALL: A fruit cooperative mural

May 28th - June 10th 2015

Capital gains avocados and pomegranates, in particular. This agricultural legacy was clearly noted by British explorer Captain Cook when he visited the town, along with Cártama and Alhaurín in 1829. Travelling with the Royal Navy, he was mightily impressed. “These villages are on rising ground above the river and in beauty of situation and cultivation cannot be excelled,” he wrote. “They afford a specimen of the whole country when possessed by the Moors, being surrounded by gardens with orange, lemon and palm trees and abounding in all the fine as well as the more common fruits.” Over 4,000 foreigners are said to live in the mountain town of around 20,000 people. The majority British - but increasingly with a large number of Dutch and Germans - they enjoy the more relaxed country town living, while still having excellent connections for the airport and nearby Costa del Sol. A big town, it has the quality of

life of a village and a very laid back feel. Best of all, it has a lovely average annual temperature of 15 degrees. It was the Romans who gave the town its first name ‘Lacibis’, it became an important market town and transition point for the minerals being quarried in the nearby Sierra Blanca. Marble from these quarries was used in the construction of the Roman town of Italica, or Roman Seville, and the mining of iron ore and marble continued into the 19th century. During the time of the Visigoths, like many places in Andalucia, the town lost its lustre and largely fell into ruin until the Moors conquered the region and rebuilt it around 929 AD. The town has grown rapidly over the last two decades and even counts its own shopping centre La Trocha, with a cinema and branches of Dunnes and Corte Ingles. It is a popular shopping trip for expats who come from all around the region, and even

BEAUTY: Captain Cook admired Coin and the surrounding plantations the coast... and, best of all, here you will find a big Sunday market, which on its day is one of the best attended in

Andalucia, with people sometimes queueing up all night to get a stall, it being so oversubscribed.

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25 May 28th - June 10th 2015

Jon Clarke visits a brand new retreat in a hidden valley 20 minutes from the coast, where multi-talented owner Martina Willis is weaving her magic on many different levels

My recipe for Wellbeing

CHOING to the sounds of running water, croaking frogs and nightingales, it was hard to believe that I was just 10 miles and 20 minutes from the fleshpots of Fuengirola and Marbella. Following an intensive massage, and with a healthy chickpea tortilla salad and a bottle of gewurztraminer awaiting me on my dining terrace, things rarely get much better. I had been invited to check out the hottest new wellbeing retreat to open on the Costa del Sol; a place where smiles are guaranteed. Set up by a talented Austrian, whose CV would put many a CEO’s to shame, The Source of Wellbeing is set to become one of the mustvisit hideaways this year. Also running as a luxury B&B, this amazing spot,

HISTORIC: The ancient retreat

based on the banks of the bubbling Alamino stream, is a genuine oasis of near-tropical vegetation. Well-appointed with spacious rooms, outdoor jacuzzis and hectares of grounds, it is a wonderful place to hole up for a few days, and a great base to explore the nearby Guadalhorce Valley. Also expect to be spoilt by Martina and her team, which includes a great range of masseurs, chefs and therapists. Based at the heart of one of the true secrets of the Costa del Sol - the Barranco Blanco - there is only one way in and one way out… a dirt track, with one very small sign. But, once located, you drop down into a stunning valley which counts less than a dozen properties and one of the loveliest streams and waterfalls in Andalucia. The Source of Wellbeing is the brainchild of Swiss-educated Martina Willis, a woman still in her 30s who counts working for Larry Ellison and Bill Gates on her CV. After studying mechanical engineering and marketing, she worked for 19 years in the IT sector, in particular with Oracle in Europe and Microsoft in Seattle, where she became the youngest product manager in the company’s history. But, after the inevitable burn-out, working sometimes 120-hour weeks with her own company, based in the UK, Saudi Arabia and Sweden, she decided to look for a career change.

SERENE: One of the two stunning freshwater pools at the Source of Wellbeing and (below) boss Martina Out went the private plane and yacht and in came a focus towards self-development and a drive for health and happiness. She moved into life coaching, got a diploma in MindTraining and has started to help focus and train senior executives and corporate teams around Europe. “I have now made it my life goal to equip people to become the driving force to change organisations,” she explains. “Let’s face it, the economy needs to adopt a new business model, away from profit and towards customer and employee satisfaction. “In short: a happy successful employee will generate a happy customer.” Her new Wellbeing project encourages executives and business owners to learn from her, as well as offering hard-working women, or those who have lost their identity, the chance to escape and enjoy a well-earned pampering break. “When people look at me, they see this petite blonde who’s had a lot of luck to be successful in business and seems to have it all,” she says. “What they don’t see is the incredible hardship I have had to overcome along the way. The

physical and emotional abuse I endured in my life from an early age and the obstacles I have had to overcome in my private and business life to be successful. “It has been a hard drive to become happy and I have had to break through detrimental and addictive behaviour patterns to become the assertive and strong person I am today. “Ultimately, I love to help people face the fear they have in their lives and help them achieve their goals without the need for approval of others.” Visit www.thesourceofwellbeing.com

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Cut off from the rest of the world, I can feel a deep connection to nature. Time slows down and all becomes extraordinarily bright and beautiful.

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May 28th - June 10th 2015

Secret valley with links to the Nazis The beautiful, hidden valley of Barranco Blanco has a shady past, writes Tom Powell

L MYSTERY: Secret waterfall and (inset) our investigation in 2010

IKE an illustration from a fairytale, the Barranco Blanco will enchant you - once you find it. But the search is more than worth it, for this serene spot (which means White Ravine in Spanish) is set in stunning woodland teeming with wildlife - including wild boars - and its river ends in a magical waterfall. Located in the foothills of the Sierra Alpujata between Coin and Alhaurin el Grande, it cannot be seen from the surrounding roads. These days it’s a photographer’s paradise and a hotspot for horseriding, mountain biking, walking and river swimming. But, just like the stories by the Grimms brothers and Hans Anderson, it has a darker side, too.

This beautiful spot was allegedly used as a Nazi training camp during the Second World War, due to Hitler and Franco’s friendship. The Olive Press previously investigated the area’s Nazi history in 2010. The remnants of their occupation are not obvious at first sight, as nature has done its best to erase Hitler’s impact, but they are still there. Driving in from the main road, past the water tower, the small white building on the left was originally a sentry point. Around the waterfall there are more houses, now in disrepair, which were formerly part of the Nazi military complex and home to SS soldiers. “There is certainly some truth to the links,” says one Austrian resident. “It

seems to spring back to a former SS officer who bought a lot of land here and eventually fled to South America.” It is difficult to picture this wonderful valley as a cradle of evil, but it seems that even the Nazis were unable to resist Barranco Blanco’s enduring charm.

Castle of light

RETRO: TV flop Eldorado

Monumental failure

ARTAMA castle at night is a magical juxtaposition of ancient and modern. The crumbling hilltop remains are bathed in floodlights at night, recently installed by the Town Hall. Even in daylight, no other vantage point in the vicinity offers such far-reaching views of the Guadalhorce Valley. Cartama spreads out below, at the head of the Guadalhorce river, where a restored iron bridge connects the town

with its train station. A rocky path zig-zags up from the main square to the castle, meandering beneath shady pine trees, with benches placed at intervals for much-needed breathers. At the top stands a pretty shrine to the town’s patron saint - the Ermita de Nuestra Senora de los Remedios. Built in the 17th century on top of the original 15th century building, the sanctuary was restored as recently as

2007. Inside you can still see the ornate ceiling with its crystal chandelier, the elaborate decoration contrasting with the spartan wooden benches that seat the congregation. Above the shrine are the remains of the 10th century Moorish castle. The crumbling walls are all that’s left of the impenetrable fortress that originally boasted ten watchtowers, but the views are still to die for.

IT has been well over a decade since Eldorado vanished from TV screens and bid viewers “adios’’ for good. Dubbed the ‘biggest flop in BBC’s history’, Eldorado was filmed at a prefab village set in the hills above Coin and on location around the Alhaurin area. While there remain various rumours of its return, it still remains one of the costliest failures in the BBC’s annals, costing £87,000 per episode to shoot. Ham-strung with problems from the start, the show suffered from poor casting, bad storylines and cringe-worthy performances by amateurs, many of whom didn’t even know what a read-through was. Indeed, the only thing producers had no shortage of was endless sunshine for filming. The set still stands today, a sad and somewhat tacky monument to the BBC’s failure to bring the expat lifestyle in Spain to life on the small screen.

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Cliff hanger

HE ‘world’s most dangerous walkway’ is a sell-out success and on track to become one of Andalucia’s top tourist attractions. Not one for the faint-hearted, the jawdropping Caminito del Rey (King’s Pathway) winding above El Chorro’s 200-metre-deep gorge, grabbed world media attention when it reopened on March 28, after a €2.8 million renovation. Free tickets for the first six months sold out in a matter of minutes, with tourists keen to ‘walk the planks’ this summer, while King Felipe is due to pay a royal visit later this year. Restored from a crumbling ruin which saw thrill-seekers taking their lives into their hands to tick it off their bucket list, the cliffhugging 1.2km walkway runs from El Chorro to Ardales above the Guadalhorce reservoirs. Closed in 2001 after a series of fatal acci-

dents, it became a rite of passage for adrenaline junkies, and companies began offering unofficial tours of the dilapidated walkway after a video of it went viral on YouTube. Today punters will only have to part with €3 for a much safer experience - a price worth paying for the spectacular views alone. The Junta and Malaga city council split the restoration cost and commissioned the works in 2011.

Picture S (RECENT) by TOM POWELL

Thousands of visitors are flocking to take the El Chorro Challenge along the ‘world’s most dangerous walkway’

DON’T LOOK DOWN: The restored bridge spans the gorge while previously daredevils had to navigate a broken path with many unstable gaps

Welcome to Aris Real Estate for your place in the Sun! We have been in business for more than 25 years in Alhaurin de la Torre specialising in properties inland and on the coast. AGE-OLD ATTRACTION: A group poses on the old Caminito

You know the type of property you want but perhaps not how to find it. Use our vast experience and resources to locate your property and save valuable time. Esme and Julia, familiar names in the area, will listen carefully to your requirements and select only those properties which will be of interest to you. All documentation pertaining to the properties are thoroughly checked to ensure a smooth sale when a decision is made.

OLD AND NEW: The old path looks daunting beneath the new

We speak English, Spanish, French, German and Afrikaans. ARIS INMOBILIARIA Calle Nogal, 13. Alhaurín de la Torre 29130 (Málaga) Tlf: +34 952 415 358 / +34 629 487 762 f.aguilar@arisinmobiliaria.com

www.arisinmobiliaria.com

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Alhaurin has really blosso

Spainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest expat writer Gerald Brenan made the Guadalhorce Valley his home and now, thanks to an Olive Press campaign, his house the Queen of Los Angeles has been restored to its former glory

NEW chapter in the life story of the late British author Gerald Brenan is currently being penned. It also marks a victorious new reign for the Queen of Los Angeles, Brenanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beloved Churriana villa where the worldfamous Hispanist wrote many of his books. Eight years ago, the property at the bottom of the Guadalhorce Valley was in ruins, having been abandoned, looted, covered with graffiti and left to rot. It looked like the writing was on the wall for Brenanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s memory, too, until the Olive Press stepped in and started a campaign to save the historic site with an an 11th-hour restoration that was completed last October. When â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Don Geraldoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; first set up his typewriter here, little was MEMORIES: At Casa Brenan

known about Andalucia, a region of backwater villages and mule tracks. Brenan, widely hailed as the greatest expat writer to have lived in Spain, was drawn by the quiet charisma of Churriana when he made his home at Number 56, Calle Torremolinos. Although run-down, Brenan was captivated by the villaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s neo-classical style, with its soaring tower, romantic cobbled courtyard and fountain where pigeons splashed and cooed. Bought for a mere ÂŁ1,200 from a member of Malagaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wealthy merchant class, Don Carlos Crooke Larios, it was the ideal love nest for Brenan and his new wife, American poet Gamel Woolsey, to begin their lives together.

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livepress.

NEVER FORGOTTEN: Brenan at Alhaurin home and (inset) our front page campaign

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ARRIATE: The Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Republic of FUN!

So what if GERALD BRENAN lived here 1934-1969?

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But two years later, as the couple were finishing its transDressed to kill formation into a comfortable home, Civil War broke out. Desperate for a safe place to lie low, the compassionate VĂ ZQUEZ 1Call Brenan took in previous owner Don Carlos, formerly a Franco supporter, although it put the lives of his household in jeopardy. Eventually, Brenan organised returned to the dream home. a pass for him on a British de- Ernest Hemingway and Berstroyer to get him out of the trand Russell spent holidays country. But the damage to there, drawn by the glamorous the Brenansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; reputation was dinner parties, endless drinks already done. and late nights Hounded out spent setting of the village People will come the world to for suspected rights. here to see this right-wing symIt makes it even pathies, the centre and bring more astonishauthor and his ing that this the life back to wife had no vital link to Anchoice but to the town daluciaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s literreturn to Engary past was so land. casually cast It was here in 1943 that Bre- aside. nan wrote his first Spanish At the packed inauguration, in masterpiece, The Spanish Lab- October 2014, Silvia Grijalba, yrinth, a socio-political account coordinator for Casa Gerald of the run-up to the Civil War. Brenan and journalist for El External forces kept the couple Mundo, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The restoration away from Spain for more than of this house owes the Olive a decade but in 1949 they were Press so much. I am very grateful. People from Malaga will come here to see this centre and bring the life back to the town.â&#x20AC;? Passing from owner to owner after Brenan left Churriana for nearby Alhaurin el Grande at the beginning of the 1970s, vandalism and neglect took their toll on its noble faĂ§ade. It was at this point, in September 2007, that the Olive Press first saw the sad ruin that the 200-year-old villa had become. Shocked by the extent of the damage â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including the theft of a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary from the side gate â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this newspaper launched a campaign to save the house from its sorry fate. National newspapers took up the call and, finally, the town hall realised that this historic national treasure was at risk of being lost forever. Driven by the energetic force of Brenanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stepson, Carlos, the restoration began. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This house is a piece of history, and it is a real shame it was left in that state for so long,â&#x20AC;? he said at last Octoberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s triumphant reopening ceremony. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But now we can rebuild that spirit and work on returning it to its place at the centre of the community.â&#x20AC;? Trembling

is BrenanÂ´swith negle home abou historic converted t to be into flats?

DERELICT and decayin of rubbish strewn g with in its garden, its front door bricked home of one up and piles this Tiles falling of SpainÂ´s most famousis the sorry state of the off the roof former become a museum and window British writers. s kicked and tribute books South to the life of in, the house was to Gerald Brenan, come huge from Granada and the bestsellers both whose Spanish Labyrin Visited by Ernest here and th famous writers, Hemingway and around the world. have beTorre in 1998 under an election Bertand Russell, among it was be renovate promise by Malaga many mayor de la d back to its former glory.

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s been a market town for centuries but omed under Moorish rule

he arden f Allah

T was in Phoenician times that Alhaurin el Grande first developed its role as an important market town, as the already established Iberian tribes bartered their goods with new arrivals from Lebanon. Later the town thrived under Roman occupation when a number of wealthy merchants from nearby Malaga made money from the rich mineral deposits in the nearby hills. They built sizeable villas, such as Villa de la Mata, and labelled the town Lauro Nova. Evidence has been found in the numbers of coins, statues and pillars, a trio of which stand pride of place opposite the town hall today. But it wasn’t until Moorish rule that the town really blossomed, as the Arabs planted new crops in the wide fertile valley that is crossed by two rivers, the Fahala and Blas Gonzales. They introduced acequias (or water courses) to irrigate the entire valley and built a number of important mills, such as the Molino Morisco de los Corchos. An area of particular beauty – not to mention an extremely clement climate – it had soon taken on an appropriate new name, that of ‘Garden of Allah’, or Alhaurin. Remnants of the eight centuries of Arabic rule can still be found, particularly at the Arco del Cobertizo, which was a gateway to the medina, that had a souk specialising in silk. One of the last towns to be conquered by the Catholic kings in 1485, it was eventually merged with Alora, Cartama and Coin in 1666 to form a single entity known as the Four Towns. Though it was anything but plain sailing for the united municipality and there were epidemics of plague and even an earthquake in 1680. Later, Alhaurin was occupied for four years by the French during the Peninsular War in the early 19th century, which led to the inevitable destruction and upheaval. Since then, apart from the turbulent period during the civil war, the biggest threat to civil peace was an influx of English hooligans in the 1990s and early 2000s, who thankfully have now all but gone. There is no doubt that Alhaurin el Grande has been through a dramatic transformation over recent years but there is a now a real swagger about the place. Businesses are opening and the type of expat now coming to live here is more interested in integration, learning the language and enjoying the town’s varied culture.

Famous for decades

LUSH: Alhaurin has been a key market town for centuries

Tall story IS it a castle? Is it a folly? Or a piece of redundant scenery from a movie set? The origin of the brick tower standing tall on the hillside above Alhaurin el Grande, has been the subject of heated debate, splitting opinion across the Guadalhorce Valley and beyond. Many thought it was a Medieval castle, rumours did the rounds that the Moors built it and there were even whispers that it was a glorified tourist information centre. Some people even remember it from the opening credits to the ill-fated BBC soap opera, Eldorado. Now the Olive Press can settle the score once and for all by definitively revealing the true identity of the castle in the sky overlooking Alhaurin. It was built as a water tower, cunningly disguised as an ancient castle to fit in with the region’s surroundings. Although it turns out it was a bit of a folly after all - constructed to provide irrigation water for a golf course that never happened. However, it is still something of an icon in these parts, visited by those who recall it from Eldorado and others who are hoodwinked into thinking they are visiting a historic monument.

CASTLE IN THE SKY: In Alhaurin

ALHAURIN has been a popular hideout for celebrities and writers for a century. It was celebrated hispanist Gerald Brenan, who first settled in the town in the 1960s, living there for two decades. Brenan, famous for his evocative South from Granada and benchmark civil war tome The Spanish Labyrinth, described the town as his ‘Garden of Eden’, before moving just down the road a little to Churriana, nearer Malaga. Other more recent celebrities to enjoy the area include Status Quo’s Rick Parfitt (above), who lives with his wife and kids near the town, while Claire King from Emmerdale is a regular visitor, as is singer Neneh Cherry, who has been a few times on holiday. It has even been said that Coronation Street’s Bet Lynch has a place in the area, having been spotted shopping in Mercadona a couple of times. And let’s not forget controversial boxer Scott Harrison who has a house here.

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Valley in demand

With Brits flocking to Andalucia in their droves, estate agents are running out of properties to sell as townhouses and dream fincas are snapped up in the Guadalhorce Valley, writes Rob Horgan

ROM dream fincas in the hills to town houses in quaint pueblos blancos, property has got hot, hot, hot in the Guadalhorce Valley. It would appear that the Andalucian property boom started in Marbella is not restricted to the Costa del Sol and has moved its way inland. And as the buyers flock in - predominantly British - the estate agents have been left chasing their tails to keep up with demand. “We have seen the best start to a year that I can remember,” explains estate agent Jo Wood of Grapevine properties. “It is ridiculously busy at the moment. AGENTS: The Woods at Grapevine (above) and the team at Aris Inmobilaria

RELAXED: Locals in Coin mix with expats, enjpying the relaxed laid-back lifestyle in the Guadalhorce Valley

We have sold so many properties already this year that we have been left scrambling around to find sellers. “Don’t get me wrong, it is a nice problem to have.” Jo came to the Guadalhorce Valley in 2003 where she set up her business with her husband Graham. And after a few quiet years during the recession, she explains how things have been moving in the right direction.

“Last year was a much bet- market has been boosted by ter year for an influx in Britus, and that ish buyers piling has rolled on It is a great place in their pounds to the start across the Guato integrate of this year,” dalhorce Valley. yourself with the This is a trend she says. “We are even fellow estate Spanish way of seeing townagent Margaret life houses beMitchell from ing snapped Alora Properties up, which was previously un- has also seen. heard of.” “During the crisis years from Jo explains that the property 2008 to 2013 it was mainly

Man of property BUILDING a rural retreat to escape to at weekends opened up a new business opportunity for property professional Richard Woodland. After moving to Spain almost 15 years ago, he initially worked for H2O Countrywide as an IT manager before setting up the Property Overseas Group, which concentrated on property sales along the coast. “Having spent several years living in Marbella I was then attracted to the inland lifestyle and energy so I bought some land and constructed my own finca in Coin,” explains Richard. “Initially this was intended as a weekend retreat, but it wasn’t long before I’d moved in permanently and then started my next building project in Monda”. He soon gained experience of the country property market and, alongside his coastal operation, he now has a thriving inland office in Coin. Richard works closely with local architects, lawyers,

Obsession

IN THE KNOW: Richard

gardeners and builders, such as Coín Gardens, to provide a complete property service in the area. Situated opposite La Trocha commercial centre in Coin, Property Overseas Group deals with sales and rentals in the town & its neighbouring villages of Monda, Guaro, Tolox & Alhaurin el Grande. Contact Richard on 952 814 780 or visit www. propertyoverseasgroup. com

Dutch and Belgian buyers looking to buy into the life on offer in the Valley,” explains Margaret who has been based in Alora since 1998. “But since then the British have been coming back and I expect that to continue as long as the pound stays strong. “All sorts of properties are selling now, be it in small villages, larger towns or a lone finca in the countryside.” Fellow agent Julia Pronegg, who has run Aris Inmobilaria in Alhaurin de la Torre for 25 years, is equally optimistic about the market.

DREAM PAD: For sale in Alozaina for €2,995,000 with Grapevine

STYLISH: For sale in Alhaurin de la Torre with for €349,000 with Aris Inmobilaria

She believes the recent ‘obsession’ with Malaga in the world’s press is driving the property market in the valley. “The market is definitely picking up,” she says. “The attraction of Alhaurin and the Guadalhorce Valley as a whole is the feeling of being in a typically Spanish place. She adds: “It is a great place to integrate yourself with the Spanish way of life, and being so close to Malaga and the Costa del Sol, home comforts are not too far away for Brits looking to move here. “The fact that Malaga is being dubbed the new Barcelona also helps a great deal.”

STUNNING: For sale in Alora for €630,000 with Alora properties

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Alluring Alora

WHITEWASHED: Alora is a beautiful set atop a hill with panoramic views while (inset) its Moorish castle

LORA is much more than another whitewashed, sleepy Andalucian pueblo. Despite keeping its fascinating history to itself with unwarranted modesty, this town has blossomed into a hive of cultural activity. Marked out by its stunning Arabic castle atop Cerro de las Torres hill, the sprawling streets are brought to life through Moroccan and Roman influences before them. However, the castle is even older and was originally built by Phoenicians, before being expanded under Roman rule. And later destroyed by Visigoths in the fifth century before the Moors finally came and rebuilt it. The Muslim minaret is still clearly visible today, protruding defiantly from the elegant and

The key market town at the heart of the Guadalhorce Valley is beginning to unveil its fascinating historical importance, writes Tom Powell

immaculately preserved castle. I was lucky enough to receive a tour of the castle, built in 1462, from local history expert and Adjoining the church is the mumuseum worker, Maria Jose. nicipal museum, complete with “You can see evidence of all ancient pottery, historical disthe different ages of the castle, plays and intense mustiness. it is so interesting and such It is a Mudejar construction a shame that so few people dating from the 16th century come and see it,” she said. and supported by stone pillars It is a wonderful and columns. place to visit, but “Alora is such unfortunately the a wonderful The castle, lit castle is not oftown, there up like a halo, is ten open to the is so much public. culture to see utterly alluring at A short walk in the artists, night down narrow trahistory and ditional streets of course, the leads to the best food in town’s lowest-lying square. the region is here,” explains loHere stands the impressive cal tour operator Kora Buggel, 17th century Catholic church of who is hoping to organise tours La Encarnacion, which some- of the castle and village. how appears to be even larger Hidden right in the heart of the on the inside. town is an old molino, where

olive oil was traditionally produced but it is now used for the occasional concert. Various small museums and bars have sprung up in the centre since the turn of the century, as this town continues its legacy as one of the most important settlements in the Guadalhorce Valley. It is certainly a fairly bustling place, much busier than I had imagined. One of the highlights was the small bodega belonging to José Miguel Pérez Hidalgo, which produces a range of wines from the Guadalhorce Valley’s vineyards, and offers tasting sessions to organised groups. At the foot of the hill on which Alora rests is railway station, and it was here, just three

years ago, where the houses were struck by a terrible flood, killing livestock and destroying homes. From the castle it is easy to see where the river ripped apart a bridge, separating Barriada Estacion from neighbouring Barriada del Puente. David McGovern, owner of Manhattan bar opposite Alora train station, recalls the water flooding all of the surrounding buildings, reaching metres high. “It was awful,

people lost all of their possessions and were left homeless for 18 months,” he said. “I gave my Nike trainers to a man who lives just across the river from us, and he’s still wearing them now!” But the area has recovered and risen again, with hourly trains bringing visitors up to the town from Malaga. And those who travel when the sun goes down continue to be treated to one of Alora’s most stunning sites. The castle, lit up like a halo, is utterly alluring at night… A sight not to be missed.

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May 28th - June 10th 2015

Andalucia’s poshest pet hotel has installed an incredible sensory garden, discovers Jon Clarke

ITH a herb garden, crazy daisies and a sandpit with treats hidden in it… could there be a pet hotel in Spain quite as posh? The latest installation at Posh Pets ‘boutique dog hotel and cattery’ in Alhaurin is enough to make most owners smile and relax, let alone their pets. Just opened, the Pet Sensory Garden/Playground sits in a half acre grove of mature orange, lemon and grapefruit trees and is a riot of smells and colours. The perfect place for your beloved pet to play, interact with other dogs and unwind, it is the invention of award-winning groomer Rachel Goutorbe and her husband Les. “They absolutely love it in there, running around playing together, their tails wagging,” explains Rachel, who has been running her upmarket kennels since 2004. “A lot of the dogs are rescue dogs and you can see how they unwind and relax there. “It helps to build up their confidence as well as to tantalise all their senses, plus it helps them to interact with their surroundings and provide physical and mental challenges to help enrich their lives.” Cleverly thought out, there is a big range of self-medicating plants such as valerian, often selected by anxious dogs for its calming effect, and marigolds, often selected by animals that are experiencing grief or emotional stress.

Then there is lavender to encourage scar tissue regeneration, wheat grass for animals that are nervous, as well as peppermint which is good for its cooling properties and often selected by animals with skin irritations. It can also be used as an aid for training. The garden also boasts a water feature, wind chimes, an illusion mirror (see right), sun catchers and crazy daisies, which spray the dogs with water, keeping them cool in summer. The garden is also split level with climbing areas and a sun deck allowing dogs to reach different vantage points. The fantastic adjacent dog hotel has its kennels named after Coronation Street characters and each comes with its own pink sun bed. Aside to this there is a spacious boutique catter y a w a y f r o m

the boasting llarge individual rooms complete with climbing frames, cat trees, toys and music. Each cat has a 360 degree view. “Our grounds are fully secure with CCTV and we live on site so there is peace of mind,” continues Rachel, who has won grooming competitions around the world, and now trains up students, who come from as far as Greece and Holland. “We understand owners concerns for the care of their pets and they receive the same love and attention as you would bestow upon them whilst they are in our care,” she says. Regularly photos of the pets on their holiday are posted on the Facebook page POSH PETS SPAIN. And clients that live some distance from

Alhaurin can be picked up by a licensed Pet Pick-up service too. On top of this the company runs a fully licensed pet transportation service to and from the UK and Europe. “This is a door to door bespoke travel service for pets in vehicles that are totally customised for all your essential pets’ needs. Finally, the Grooming Salon & Groomers training centre is fully equipped and caters for all breeds & crossbreeds as well as cats. Visit www.poshpetsspain. com for more info or call 952 597 035

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British-owned Iberian Funeral Plans now has 13 offices in three countries...

From humble beginnings I

T all began in a poky, shared office in Alhaurin el Grande nearly a decade ago. While Spain was on the brink of recession, British expat Stephen Nelson was launching his own funeral planning service with just one other person. Now, as his company celebrates its ninth anniversary, Iberian Funeral Plans boasts offices in Mallorca, Huelva, Portugal, Tenerife and on the Costa Blanca. The independent firm - originally called SPN has 13 offices in total, with its four main Spanish offices being in Manilva, Benijofar, Ayamonte and, of course, Alhaurin el Grande. “Alhaurin was low cost and geographically perfect,” explains Nelson, 55, the firm’s Director. “We shared an office with an estate agent and it all grew from there.” Nelson’s next step was to incorporate a company up in Valencia into his own, hence the opening of a second office in Benijofar and a third satellite office in Castilla. The company continued to defy the economic

crisis and grow, due to its ‘fair, honest and sound service’. But the moment the firm really began to soar was when it changed the name to Iberian Funeral Plans three years ago. “Since then it has just taken off,” says Nelson, a family man who has lived in Spain for 13 years. “We have just opened an office in Lagoa, on the Algarve, and this year is all about pushing forward with sales before we take the next step and expand further into Spain.” The Spanish offices are all no more than an hour apart, meaning customers are always close enough to receive the best personal service. There is even an office in Macclesfield, Eng-

land, for clients who return to Britain. “It is not easy to run a business in a foreign country but the rewards are there if you do the job properly,” says Nelson. “We have grown thanks to our reputation among clients, it’s as simple as that.” That reputation has been built up over the years thanks to the solid set-up with fully registered and legally-constituted companies in each country. The experienced staff do not employ high pressure sales techniques, they are upfront and clear with customers from the start. Nelson puts his success down to clear and precise pricing, terms and conditions, with genuine fixed-price funeral plans. But more than anything, it is the care and peace of mind for customers that they value highest. “We don’t hide anything, we are completely honest in offering customers a fair service,” he adds.

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uadalhorce Valley

Creative cuisine WHERE TO EAT

There’s a fantastic mix of restaurants in the Guadalhorce Valley, writes Jon Clarke

ITH an incredible range of local produce it is no surprise you can eat well in the Guadalhorce Valley. Casa Paco attracts diners from far and wide and understandably so, with not just an amazing range of fresh fish and seafood, but for its stylish interior. It has also been running since 1985 with current owner Juan starting to work there at the ripe old age of 16. A charming livewire with a young family, he works extremely hard to make sure the offering is continually fresh and of the season and it is not for nothing this is one of the genuine ‘dining secrets’ of An-

dalucia. The hot conchas finas are incredible, while the razor shells are as fresh as could be and the grilled langoustines unforgettable. A stuffed tomato with tuna, egg mayonnaise and prawns was superb. La Mota on the outskirts of Alhaurin, in its own secret valley, is another extremely popular rural option. Run by a Dutch family, you dine on a candle-lit terrace at night surrounded by mature pine, orange and avocado trees. A classic rural idyll, the diners are spoilt with a great mix of in-

ternational dishes, with a slant on the oriental, Moroccan and Thai. Its latest offering is an amazing starter or main course of red king crab, which is as succulent as lobster and comes care of owner Kees’ new company Norcrab (see side bar far right). Meanwhile you must try herring on brown bread, the chicken satay and a splendid ‘ z a r zuela’, which has a top mix of shellfish, rosada and langoustines. The Thai prawn and chicken

WHERE TO STAY

A rustic dream Guadalhorce Valley has some of Andalucia’s best rural retreats to luxuriate in, writes Jon THE track narrows and drops down into the most amazing hidden valley. Just five minutes from Coin, Barranco Blanco is one of those places that has to be seen to be believed. Best of all, the stunning valley now has a charming place to stay, the Source of Wellbeing, which is bordered by rivers and surrounded by trees. The perfect base for exploring the nearby Guadalhorce Valley, expect to be pampered, with masseurs on-hand, not to mention a team of chefs able to drum up a great range of healthy meals. At the other end of the valley near to Malaga city and just 15 minutes to the airport, you will find the enigmatic Rancho Ingles. You arrive to a metal sliding gate, which slides open to what can only be described as paradise. A charming B&B that has been running for well over a decade, it sits on a leafy hillside just outside Alhaurin de la Torre. The creation of David and Miyuki, the historic cortijo has been lovingly restored and has grown organically into one of Andalucia’s most charming places to stay. Now also a wedding venue, it is the attention to detail that best catches the eye. Whether it be the eclectic mix of antique

GRAND: Entrance at Rancho Ingles

doors, beds and columns, or the collection of tables and beams, it is one for a visit. A former advertising man, David ended up getting into reclamation in the UK before moving to Spain and the fruits of his labour include parts of the London Foreign Office, St Pancras Station and a Wandsworth church are in situ. Now run by son Cameron, with occasional help from their daughter Milli, a chef in London, you will most certainly not want to leave. Another amazing rural spot to luxuriate in is Finca la Mota, in Alhaurin el Grande, that was once one of the biggest estates in the entire valley. The 350-year-old farmhouse sits in its own secret valley, surrounded by stunning countryside and with views to match. Run by Dutchman Kees and his two sons Reuben and Danny, you enter into a classic patio Andaluz with a huge pool and its own terrace restaurant. Inside it is charming with comfortable rooms and a separate dining area. A lovely shady pool and views to match make up the scene. Best of all, it has a highly rated restaurant, perfect for shady dining by day and charming atmospheric dinners at night.

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uadalhorce Valley

My pincer movement STYLISH: Casa Paco and (below) Bohemia

GALLIC FLAIR: Postillon curry came in red, green or yellow depending on your preference for spice and was delicious. The apple strudel was a sure fire winner to end the meal. If you are looking for Gallic flair (and let’s face it which foodies aren’t?), then look out for stalwart El Postillon, where you eat on a fantastic terrace overlooking a leafy garden and with views into the nearby Sierra de Mijas. You will be spoilt by the cooking from Xavier Sierra, who after working in his parents’ restaurant in France and study-

ing at the best cooking school in Bordeaux, Ecole Hoteliere de Talence, packed up his kitchen utensils and headed to Spain 20 years ago. “I am passionate about cooking and I want to share that passion,” he says. “Cooking is my life. My parents owned a restaurant and I was all but born in a kitchen.” After running a restaurant in Fuengirola for the best part of a decade, Xavier made the move inland to spend more time with his family. As one would expect his foie gras is excellent, as is his lovely seafood ‘gratin’ with prawns and scallops, not to mention a fresh sea bream. Finally over in Coin, you must look out for the adventurous and highly romantic, Bohemia restaurant. The owner Pedro Trillo has incred-

ible talent both for his interior design, food and original tapestries which line the walls. His food is classic soul food with a heavy emphasis on vegetables and, in particular, I loved the aubergines layered with salmon, parmesan, chives, caviar and cherry tomatoes. The courgettes stuffed with goat’s cheese were amazing too and the portions are of an excellent size.

ALWAYS looking for a new way to keep his regulars happy, Kees de Cock jumped at the opportunity to serve up red king crabs from the north of Norway. And so impressed were his clients at Finca la Mota, in Alhaurin, he decided to set up a company to import the huge crustaceans, via a client, a fisherman, who has a holiday home nearby. “This chap has been fishing them deep from the ocean for years,” explains Kees, a former tour guide. “They are better than lobster and they went down so well we set up a company to import them.” Served up as a starter with rose island sauce (see picture above), they arrived from Norway having been cooked and then frozen. For more information visit norcrab.es

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Property law wars Spanish group enlisted in expat battle to change illegal homes legislation

A SPANISH association has joined forces with two British lobbying groups in a campaign to change property law in Spain. AMA, a group of Spanish homeowners in Cantabria, has teamed up with expat associations SOHA in the Axarquia and AUAN in Almeria in a battle to protect illegal properties from demolition when they are bought in ‘good faith’. The pressure groups formed following the well-publicised demolition of several British expat family’s homes, declared illegal even though they originally received town hall ‘approval’.

DEMOLITION: An expat’s home destroyed in Almeria ment demonstrates the ‘need for change’. “It demonstrates that the issues we face reach beyond Andalucia and that Spanish people are suffering from these injustices too,” she told the Olive Press.

THE biggest urban development project ever seen in Spain has been stopped dead in its tracks. The €6 billion Operation Chamartín in Madrid, which included 17,000 new homes, has been halted after missing an approval deadline. Set ahead of the local elections on May 24, now the project will have to sit on the back burner until long after the votes are counted, and can reapply for approval in November. The project aims to revitalise the area around Chamartín with 20 residential tower blocks of some 20 storeys high and an extension to the railway line to Chamartín.

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WHEN Catherine Guy retired from her job as a music teacher in Ireland, she decided to head for the sun and ended up in Vera, a place she knew from her holidays. Although she is in love with her new home, Catherine regularly visits friends and family in Europe and Canada, and with two dogs to look after, this posed a problem in the past. That changed when last December she came across HouseSitMatch, the online network for finding housesitters. She hasn’t looked back since. “It’s been fabulous, the service is very efficient and I am 100% satisfied,” says Catherine. “Before I was leaving my dogs in places I wasn’t entirely comfortable with, but now I know they are in safe hands.” One housesitting couple came from the USA, an active, retired pair, Laurie and Keith were travelling the world by housesitting and petsitting in order to secure free accommodation. Her next house-sitters were Canadian’s Rob and Tracey who had given up their professional roles to travel the world with young son Makai

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By Rob Horgan In April, the associations were dealt a blow when the Spanish Senate’s Justice Commission vetoed proposals to adjust the law to protect owners of property with planning issues. Now the three associations will appeal directly to the Senate to vote in favour of changing the Ley Hipotecaria (Mortgage Law). AMA president Antonio Vilela Fernandez stressed the need for legislative change ‘to protect those who purchased in good faith’. While AUAN president Maura Hillen said AMA’s involve-

“Together we are becoming stronger.” According to AUAN, there are an estimated 300,000 illegally built homes in southern Spain. The Senate’s announcement is expected before the end of May.

Rental race

MORE people are opting to lease rather than buy as home rental rates plummet nationwide. Average prices in Spain have fallen for 25 consecutive months, while April saw an average fall of 0.6%, a significant decrease considering the property market is on the up.

Calle Bolivia 8, 29692, Sabinillas

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Lucky dip

EVER dreamed of owning your own bistro on the Costa del Sol? Just like writing a novel, running a restaurant is a common dream that many will never realise as it requires years of work and huge investment. But now an expat couple is offering the chance to win a newly renovated bistro and bar in a raffle. All for the bargain price of €100 (ten tickets). Owner Michel and his wife - who have asked us not to reveal their surnames - are keeping the location secret at this stage, but promise the footfall is significant with a magnificent terrace and 50 covers. They claim the kitchen has been recently renovated to

Mystery bistro bar on the Costa del Sol is yours to win in a raffle

the tune of €25,000, while the fully fitted restaurant would be ready to open tomorrow. “It’s such a great opportunity for someone who has the drive and the passion but maybe not enough money to open up their own business,” said Michel. “Whoever wins can start to-

morrow – or if they want us to stay to help them settle in that‘s possible too, all options are open and we’re really excited to see what happens.” In fact, there is only one thing Michel won’t be leaving for the lucky new owners... his favourite potato peeler! Visit www.bistroraffle.com/ more_info.html to bid.

essentialmagazine

16 years 1999-2015

w w w. e s s e n t i a l m a g a z i n e . c o m

Buying a new new home Purchasing a brand-new or off-plan property in Spain can be more complex and risky than buying a resale home. You, or your lawyer, should check the details and know your rights before signing the contract, handing over the deposit and receiving the keys

N many of the in-demand locations on the Costa del Sol where we work, particularly in Marbella and Estepona, there has been no new building at all for the past six or seven years. A number of halffinished developments have remained that way since ‘la crisis’ hit, back in 2008. At the end of 2014, however, and more noticeably this year, builders, banks and, most significantly, buyers seem to have recovered their confidence in the marketplace. Now, due to a dearth of existing, quality modern properties for sale, newbuild urbanisations are on the rise again. But, if you’re thinking about putting down a deposit or putting your signature on the bottom of a contract on an off-plan property any time in the not-too-distant future, you should be aware of the potential legal and planning pitfalls awaiting those who fail to do a little research. The first thing you need to confirm is that the property in question has a valid building by licence, issued by the local town council, and that it complies with urban planning regulations. Spanish law protects prospective buyers from onerous clauses that favour developers and, even if you have already signed an unfair contract, you may have redress in the courts. As an integral part of any contract for the sale of a new-build property, developers also have to provide buyers with a full schedule of specifications that define the characteristics of the home in question. Also, check the developer or promoter has insurance in place to protect you, and your money, if things go awry. This should be a bank guarantee (provided by an institution duly authorised by the Bank of Spain) to refund advance payments if work does not begin or end on agreed dates; and a 10-year liability warranty against structural defects. Ask to see the policies, read the small print first and only sign if you’re sure. You should also demand a certificate from

the insurer and the developer every time you make a payment. Doesn’t the show home look great? Well, you’ll want your apartment to be identical, so ensure you get hold of a detailed list of building materials and specifications from the developer. Check these against the plans that the architect has submitted to the town council for approval, and against any promotional materials provided as part of the sale, to avoid problems when the keys are handed over. And get your lawyer to make sure the property you’re buying is correctly identified on any contract you sign, so you don’t get a basement instead of a penthouse. If you’re buying a unit in a new development, there will be no existing community, so the developer will draw up the rules affecting residents. Always ask to see the statutes beforehand, to make sure there’s nothing you can’t live with. Delays can, and frequently do, occur in any build. But if the wait for your new Adam Neale home becomes too long to bear you may be able to cancel the contract, sue for damages and get back any money paid in advance, via bank-guarantee insurance. A lawyer can help you explore your options. Once your new property is finished and ready for delivery, it cannot be legally lived in until the local town council issues a license of initial occupation. Ask the developer for a copy or, if it cannot be produced, refuse to complete until it is provided. Without one, you will not be able to connect to utilities and may even be liable for fines, so don’t take the developer’s word for it. Finally, a word about taxes. If you buy a new property in Spain, you need to pay 10% VAT on top of the purchase price to Hacienda, as well as 1.5% of the price in Stamp Duty. This means that if your dream home costs €300,000, you need to set aside another €34,500 to keep the taxman happy.

The Property Insider

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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FOUR pages of business news

In the money ALL ABOARD: Cash investment heading to Andalucia to boost transport and housing

National government to pump €1.6 billion into Andalucia’s infrastructure

ANDALUCIA’S transport networks and housing are set for a billion-euro makeover. The national government has set aside a massive €1.6 billion for Andalucia’s infrastructure this year - up 23% on last year’s investment.

Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Housing, Julio Gomez-Pomar, has identified Andalucia as an integral cog in the country’s economic recovery. “Andalucian construction companies are to stay tuned,” he said. “They must

contribute to economic growth in Spain, it is integral to the nationwide recovery. “Andalucia is one of the places where most investment has been undertaken in quantitative terms and in relative terms of growth, we have made a strong investment.” A total of €456 million will be used for road works, €730 million on rail and €239 million on airports. Meanwhile €111 million will be allocated to housing in the region. This is part of a wider national incentive to boost infrastructure.

Business boom Roam free ROAMING charges could soon be a thing of the past… as a ‘super-app’ has been launched to stop holidaymakers from forking out on their travels. Combining the best features from existing phone apps WhatsApp, Skype, Viber and Facebook a UK based technology company has come up with the answer. The app, SkipRoaming, is available as a free download on the Apple store as well as on Android devices.

NUMBERS of new registered companies hit a seven-year high during the first four months of 2015, with Andalucia close to the top of the list. A 4% year-on-year increase saw a total of 9,903 new companies being created during March alone, according to the National Statistics Institute. One out of five companies registered were based in Madrid, while a total of 1,760 new companies were registered in Andalucia. Leading the way, 22% of new businesses are traderelated while 18% are in the construction sector.

Horrible bosses MOST Spanish managers justify bribery and corruption to generate profit, according to a new report. A massive 69% of managers ‘justify corruption’, placing Spain as the third most corrupt country in the European Union, behind only Portugal and Greece. The figure is almost double the average for Western Europe, where 35% of bosses admit to some corrupt behaviour. The Danes are the most honest bosses, with only 4% of Denmark’s executives putting profit before ethics.

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BUSINESS IN BRIEF

Better latte than never STARBUCKS coffee chain is to open a second store in Marbella’s El Corte Ingles department store, after the success of the first store which opened in Puerto Banus last December.

Good news SPAIN’S GDP is forecasted to rise to 2.9% and the country’s unemployment level will drop to 22.2% in 2015, according to government projections.

On track THE largest transport investment in 20 years will see €1.26 billion spent on the country’s rail service in 2015-18.

Balearic win THE Balearic Islands offer the best value-for-money family holidays according to British parents, and hotspots Majorca and Menorca are 16% cheaper than last year.

www.theolivepress.es 40 www.theolivepress.es May- 28th June 10th 2015 the olive press - March 19th April -1st 2015

Road to Riches, by Richard Alexander

RE-ELECTION coverage in the UK waxed lyrical about ‘the most interesting election for years’ and a result ‘too close to call’. A surprise result it was: a Conservative majority in the House of Commons and an incumbent Prime Minister increasing the number of seats held in the house for first time in 90 years. The other big news story of the night was the runaway success of the Scottish National Party (SNP), taking all but three Scottish seats. We have seen the inevitable bloodletting since then, with the leaders of Labour, the Liberal Democrats and UKIP all resigning... and the almost immediate resurgence of Nigel Farage as UKIP leader. I do have some sympathy for UKIP and the Greens, both of whom secured many more votes than the SNP yet ended up with one seat each compared to the 56 that the SNP secured. Perhaps it is time to ask whether the British ‘first past the post’ electoral system is appropriate now that we have a wider range of parties to consider than ever. Thank goodness I am not a politician and don’t have to worry about these things! What we should consider is the impact that this election result could have. Historically both Equity and Bond markets have performed better under a Conservative majority government although the performance of both

Looking to the future after the Tory victory

Election surprise –

what next?

is ultimately driven by corporate profits and cash flow. With the overall health of the UK economy looking to be in good shape now, (although we are not fully out of the woods just yet) we should be able to look forward to more positive times – but what does that mean for investors? Firstly, the UK property sector should benefit. Some of the uncertainties caused by the threat of ‘Mansion Tax’ have lessened and there is potential for an increase in the Inheritance Tax threshold to £1 million. There also remains the overall shortage of housing and so the sector should benefit and there is a huge knock-on effect from a strong property sector which often drives that elusive ‘feel good factor’. The only major uncertainty is over the UK’s membership of the EU, with a referendum promised by the end of 2017. There is a call for this to be held as soon as possible because of the negative effect of uncertainty. If the UK were to vote to leave, would that really signal the end of UK-EU relationships? I doubt it. They would certainly change and there would be winners and losers, but let’s not forget, the European markets are also on the road to recovery. However, there is still no sign of an imminent increase in interest rate. While this may frustrate investors, there are alternatives to deposit accounts worthy of consideration.

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

Game of phones JAZZTEL received more customer complaints than any other telecoms operator in Spain in 2014. Spain’s fastest-growing telecoms company received more than 11 complaints for every 10,000 landline telephone subscribers. In second place was Orange, with 7.59 complaints, followed by Ono on 6.39, Vodafone on 4.7 and Movistar on 2.32. Orange is currently in the process of buying out Jazztel, which also received a high 15.86 complaints per 10,000 subscribers to its main voice and data products. It was again the worst for customer service, receiving more than twice the number of complaints averaged by its competitors. The statistics have been revealed by the Telecommunications Customer Service Office, announcing it received 34,327 complaints in total in 2014, an 8.6 percent increase on the previous year. The most common complaints were about mobile phone bills and difficulties with terminating landline internet contracts.

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Terminal WiFi

BOOMING: Easyjet is slashing prices for flights to Spain

Cut-price sun

BUDGET airlines are booming as thousands of sun-seeking holidaymakers board the plane to Spain. Many are British holidaymakers cashing in on the strong pound in their pockets to grab some cut-price sun. In the first four months of the year, low-cost airlines trans-

Low-cost airlines cash in on the new tourist surge to Spain ported 8.6 million passengers to Spanish airports. That is an 11% increase on the same period last year, and budget flights now account for

Paying it forward SPAIN has sworn off its ‘manana’ reputation and is paying off its debts ahead of schedule. The Spanish government will pay back €2.5 billion of the money it received in bailout loans in 2012. The Economy Ministry has announced that it will be transferred to the European Union to bolster its ailing banks ahead of schedule. Spain has already reimbursed €2.8 billion in bailout funds it received for its banking sector, despite having a decade to do so. In total, Spain borrowed €41.4 billion to help kickstart its economy.

48% of all arrivals into Spain. And with the pound standing strong, UK visitors are especially keen to reap the benefits. They account for the largest proportion of the budget airline bonanza. In April alone, 2.85 million Brits descended on Spain via low cost airlines, representing a massive 33% year-onyear increase. Ryanair, Easyjet and Vueling make up 71% of all budget airline voyages to Spain. British airline Easyjet recently announced that it would be slashing the price of 7,000 tickets to Spain to under €40 over the summer. While more traditional airlines also saw an increase in demand, with 1.1% more passengers onboard during the first four months of the year.

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a direct debit service to help with these funds, giving you one less thing to think about. You can trade with us over the phone or online which is available 24/7, we can send holiday money to your home in the UK or you can go to our website, www.moneycorp.com and click the travel money tab, order your chosen currency and collect this from one of our airport or London branches. Moneycorp is UK-based and is one of the largest commercial foreign exchange companies. Regulated by the FSC, we have the highest credit rating in our industry and we have been dealing with clients’ currency exchange for 36 years. We trade all the major currencies, over 40 in total. We traded over £11billion in foreign exchange. Our office in La Cala is open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm (no siesta) we have a very knowledgeable team and are here to help. Contact us on 952 587 657 or email costadelsl@moneycorp.com and please quote the ‘Olive press’ when contacting Moneycorp.

FREE unlimited WiFi is to be rolled out at 46 Spanish airports by the end of the year. AENA, the country’s national airport authority, will also be quadrupling the current speed of the internet service available to passengers. A bidding process will now begin to contract a company for two years by October, with the agency aiming to have free WiFi available two months later. “Offering free Internet access via WiFi in airports is yet another step in Aena’s commitment to the development of digital passenger services,” said the airport authority in an official statement. The free connection will most likely be combined with a paid-for premium service, which is already available for passengers in need of higher connections speeds. Malaga airport, like 37 others in Spain, currently offers 30 minutes of free WiFi through AENA’s contract with Kubi Wireless, which it won in April 2013.

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Top of the hops With lower duties on alcohol than anywhere else in Europe, let’s raise a glass to Spain’s taxman

ANCIENT: El Rocio in Huelva

Appy band of pilgrims A NEW phone app has added a 21st-century twist to Spain’s most historic pilgrimage. The world-famous El Rocio Romeria dates from the 13th century. But this year, for the first time ever, those walking the hallowed route to Huelva from all corners of Andalucia (and way beyond) were given a helping hand from technology. No longer bound by old maps and basic instinct, this year’s band of 6,000 pilgrims were able to plot their route to the shrine of the Virgen Del Rocio (Virgin of the Dew) in Donana Natural Park with the help of a GPS-supported phone app. The app allows walkers to follow the mythical path and plot their rest stops without the worry of taking the wrong turning. The El Rocio cult dates back eight centuries to a time when a hunter from the village of Villamanrique, in Donana, discovered a statue of the Virgin Mary in a tree trunk. A chapel was built where the tree stood, and it became a place of pilgrimage. The pilgrimage takes place over the weekend before Pentecost Monday - May 24 this year, May 15 in 2016, if you want to make a date in your diary.

BEER drinkers across Europe will be packing their bags and heading to Spain this summer in search of a cheap pint. A recent study found that Spaniards pay lower tax on their beers, whiskeys and wines than anywhere else in Europe. While boozy Brits fork out the euro equivalent of a whopping 70 cents per pint in beer taxes, their Spanish counterparts pay just six cents, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Tax-free wine

A shot of scotch will come with a 75 cent charge in the UK, whereas whiskey is taxed at just 17 cents per shot in Spain. And while wine goes tax free in Spain, Brits pay €2.65 in tax per bottle, while the Irish are forking out as much as €3.19 in tax for a bottle of plonk. But it’s not all doom and gloom in Great Britain… Spare a thought for those in Finland who have to cough up a massive 88 cents in tax per pint and 80 cents for a shot of spirit.

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XClass action

All aboard

RECORD numbers of Spanish pupils are heading to top UK boarding schools. An overseas recruitment drive has boosted the number of foreign students at UK boarding schools over the past five years. Students from overseas make up a massive 15% of all UK boarding schools’ intake. While Spaniards account for almost 5% of that number, the Chinese are the biggest foreign presence, making up 21% of all international students. The Independent Schools Council’s report showed that Russians (10%) and Germans (7%) are also keen on UK education.

43 the Olivethe Press May 28th - June 10th 201510th 2015 olive press - May 28th - June monthly youth and education section 43

treme

Parents back petition to standardise homework across Spain

MORE than 110,000 parents have signed a petition calling for the standardisation of homework in Spanish schools. Madrid mother-of-three Eva Bailen launched the petition when dismayed by her son suffering three hours of homework each night. Diego, just 10, was so swamped by homework that he had no free time in the evenings and was showing signs of stress. Paradoxically, his sisters – at the same school - had far less homework.

Crying

OUT OF DATE: Teaching in Spain

Let’s get visual EXPERTS have slammed Spanish teaching methods as outdated and ineffective. Traditional textbooks and chalkboards should be replaced with audiovisual facilities and ‘disruptive education’ – a new wave of innovative, student-centred learning. Fundacion Telefonica’s

School of Disruptive Education (EED) unites trailblazing teachers in using leisure, fun and varied artistic disciplines to inspire learning. A spokesman said: “We live in a visual society of images so how can the primary language of education used in schools still be written down?”

Bailen said: “I am not against homework, and I think that children should do something, rather than just sitting around in the afternoons. That was, until I saw my child crying because he could not go out and play.” The call for a standardised level of homework in all schools has now spread throughout Spain. Luis Miguel Lazaro, professor of educational theory and history at the

Tongue-tied no more OVERLOAD: Of homework

University of Valencia, has suggested a maximum of one hour per evening for high school students. “But the key here is that teachers work together: you can’t have one teacher assigning a huge workload as though their subject was the only one that counted,” he said.

Peking interest SPANISH students will be taught about the history and culture of China in a programme set up between the Asian superpower and 14 other countries. The programme aims to raise cultural awareness of China in a number of countries in which there are strong trade relations. Other countries taking part include Italy, Japan and the USA.

SPANIARDS are getting to grips with the English language. In 2011, Spain was ranked as the third worst country for English proficiency, with only Russia and Turkey behind. However, four years on and Education First has reported that Spaniards have made massive strides in their language skills. According to a new study: “The level of English of the adult population of Spain has significantly improved in the last four years and it is now the fourth mostimproved European country when it comes to English proficiency.”

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Tanners warned as top suncare products accused of misleading labelling

HOLIDAYMAKERS heading to the Costa del Sol this summer are well aware of the sky high temperatures. And they probably expect their sunscreen to offer the level of protection its label promises. But consumer association Which? – and it’s analysis of 13 brands – has slammed two leading British suncare brands for giving less protection than they advertise. Which? tests found that Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Lotion SPF 30 and Boots Soltan Protect & Moisturise SPF 30 both provided less than two-thirds of their labelled SPF. This leaves sun-worshippers at a much greater risk of skin

OUCH: Sunburn increases risk of skin cancer cancer than expected. ous. An SPF of 30 means the wear- Boots deny the alleagations in er can safely stay in the sun the strongest term and insist 30 times longer than without that it is ‘confident’ that all its protection, so an incorrect products ‘meet the SPF labelSPF can be extremely danger- ling claim’.

How to choose the right glasses to look your best By Leighton Griffiths, Store Director, Specsavers Opticas Marbella GLASSES are a fantastic accessory which can be a great reflection of your personality and a real fashion statement. Ahead of the launch of our Specsavers’ Spectacle Wearer of the Year Competition on June 1, we wanted to answer your questions about how to choose the right glasses to make you look fabulous. Q. What things should I consider when choosing a pair of glasses? A. Consider your face shape, colouring and style. Different style glasses will suit different face shapes and by choosing colours that match your hair colour and skin type, you can find the glasses which complement you perfectly. Think of your glasses as an extension of your wardrobe and an accessory to dress your face! This way you will complement your fashion sense with your glasses choice and set off your look perfectly. Q. What style glasses suit round faces? A. A round face is fairly short with a wide forehead, full cheeks and a round chin. If you have a round shaped face you should consider angular or geometric styles as they

draw attention to the top half of the face. You should avoid oval or round shaped frames Q. What colour frames would work with blonde hair and fair skin? A. Try lightweight styles with delicate colour effects. Experiment with colours that add warmth to your skin tone. Avoid dark, heavy styles, cold colours such as blues and greens, and light-coloured metals. If you blush easily, avoid pinks and amber. There are Specsavers stores in Fuengirola and Marbella and they are launching the Spectacle Wearer of the Year Awards on June 1. People can enter between June 1 and the July 5 via Facebook and online at en.specsavers.es/loveglasses by submitting a picture of themselves in their glasses. Anyone from the age of 16 or over can enter and there are five age categories; 16-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-59, 60+. The person crowned the overall Spectacle Wearer of the Year will win a cool €500 and a pair of designer frames. There will also be a semi-finalist from each age category who will each win a pair of designer frames worth €159.

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Marbella 952 863 332 Avda. Ricardo Soriano 12 Fuengirola 952 467 837 Avda. Ramón y Cajal 6 Cannot be used with other offers. Eye test usually 15€. 199€ Fineform and Rimless ranges: include 1.6 PENTAX Standard varifocal lenses. All lenses are scratch-resistant. Extra Options available at an additional charge. Subject to suitability. Ends 28 June 2015. ©2015 Specsavers. All rights reserved.

OLIVE PRESS – 105mm x 256mm – Colour

27th May

Columnists

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May 28th - June 10th 2015

Going to blazes Giles Brown escapes an inferno and for once it wasn’t his sex that was on fire

IVING in the Casita in the middle of a UNESCO-designated biosphere, fire has always been one of my biggest fears. I’m not so concerned about the danger to myself as the Casita is lakefront and so, in the event of a blaze, my plan of escape mainly consists of grabbing 50 Shades the cat, leaping into one of the kayaks and paddling madly away from the flames. But earlier this month my worst fears came true when fire struck the hills around Istan. It was a Sunday and, as I had a couple of guests staying over from Switzerland, we decided to hit the beach. I also host a radio show on a Sunday and, not wanting to be disturbed from my few hours of free time with my (female) companions, I turned off my mobile. As I parked the car outside the studio I switched the phone back on and it immediately began ringing. The first call was from Marco, one of my neighbours. He told me that there was a fire close

to the Casita, and when I asked him how bad, he answered: ‘Ufffff’. Marco is a lawyer and not prone to exaggeration, so I knew “Uffff” was serious. The Yummy Mummy was on the phone next, saying that she could see the smoke from her place, about halfway up the Istan road, and I should get up there sharpish. As I sped up the road I could see plumes of smoke rising further up the valley. I was halted by a Guardia Civil roadblock and told them I lived on kilometre 11. Where was the fire I asked? ‘Kilometre 11’ they replied. Shit! I was allowed to drive up to kilometre 10, where I could clearly see flames as well as helicopters dropping water. At a second road block I was told that I would not be allowed to drive down the track to my house as it was too dangerous. Two hours later, the fire was still burning so I decided to go back to the beach. The girls had fully embraced the beach lifestyle and I found

LUCKY ESCAPE: Mojitos were in order them chilling out on their sunbeds. When I broached the rather sensitive subject of the possibility of the Casita being burnt to the ground they shrugged. “If the house has burnt down, have a mojito. And if the house hasn’t burnt down, then have a mojito!!!” Later that night we were allowed back down the track to the Casita. The house was un-

touched but it was close, as the fire had started just 500 metres to the north and the wind was blowing in the opposite direction. That night we stood on the terrace and watched the torches of the firemen as they made sure the fire was out. The fire had caused damage, but without the skill of the helicopter pilots and firefighters it could have been much worse.

Sound bites of fun

Belinda Beckett, aka Mistress of Sizzle, goes behind the scenes at a TV cookery show that was more ‘Faster-chef’ than Masterchef!

TAPAS TV: Filming a two minute show took two hours

ative chef in him was bursting to garnish rios, 39 years ago. his performance with insights and witty He’s got a Gold Medal from asides. But he was beaten into monosyl- the Cadiz Hotels & Restaulabic submission – like a spatchcocked rants Association, too, but chicken – and force-fed lines that made he doesn’t bang on about the Mushroom Maestro of Los Barrios it. He’s more enthused sound indistinguishable from Fanny Crad- by mushrooms. And this dock. champinones champion “Repeat this phrase after me: ‘Now we’re has a wicked way with going to prepare a sofrito’.” ; “Go again, setas. without the ‘hola’”; “and again but drop You should taste his the ‘bueno’”; “relax, breathe, stir, smile! chanterelle flan caramel The whole point is to be natural”... and boletus tarte tatin – After a dozen takes for Clone TV, ‘natural’ he makes puddings from mushrooms too! was a tall order - Jesus was wearing the His caramelised death’s trumpets are to die glazed expression of an I’m A Celebrity for (although not literally). Get Me Out of Here contestant after a As the Canal Sur team discovered after the Bush Tucker Trial. And Refrito Barreno re- ‘wrap’, when Jesus invited us all into the ally is bush tucker! dining room for a free fungi fest. Well, he’s But to give him his due, he didn’t utter the a fun guy! J-Word once (that’s the F-Word in Spanish) ‘Wow, mushrooms with strawberries, although it might have spiced up a show buenissimas!’ everyone cooed. that clearly runs to the same tired (sorry) Now that would make a programme. tried-and-tested formula, week-in, week-out. That’s because Jesus is a true professional, who started washing dishes at RESTAURANTE nine, was among at the first boys in Hotel Molino del Puente his village to go to San Roque Catering School, and worked for Jose Banus (of Puerto New Banus fame) at the AndaThe bar is open lucia Plaza on Monday nights Open for lunch Hotel in - FREE tapa with Marbella, on Saturday & Sunday and every drink! for eight dinner Tuesday to Sunday years, before openTel: 952 874 164 or visit ing Reswww.hotelmolinodelpuente.com taurante 5 mins from Ronda on the A374 Al- Andalus Ronda/Sevilla Road in Los Bar-

T was lights, cameras, action down at one of my favourite Los Barrios restaurants last week, when Canal Sur came to film a cookery spot for Este es mi Pueblo. Every week the show features a different Andalucian chef giving a master class on a typical dish from their village. Cue Jesus Acosta Blanco, award-winning chef of Al-Andalus in his best, Daz-bright cooking whites, ready to show the world (or the housewives of Andalucia) how to make Refrito Barreno, a dish handed down by his grandfather. Farmhands used to prepare this stick-toyour-ribs bread-based soup over an open fire in the countryside during the planting season, chucking in whatever they found growing in the fields – asparagus, wild garlic, mushrooms – and eating it from a communal wooden bowl, speared on the end of their pocket knives. It had the makings of an interesting interview but, as the presenter explained when she arrived with her cameraman, there wasn’t time for ‘interesting’. She needed brevity and clarity; tapas-sized portions of speech. The cookery slot only gets two minutes of air time within the main show – barely long enough to list the ingredients. Talk about the sound bite society... if you tune in and miss it you probably blinked! But what a palava! It took nearly two hours to film Jesus’ two minutes of fame. The cre-

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FLOWER POWER by Steven Saunders of the Little Geranium

With 10 cookbooks to his name, the former regular on BBC TV programme Ready, Steady, Cook, lays out the first in a series of easyto-make artistic tapas!

As spicy as pil pil, as hot as a chilli, the Olive Press is proud to present a new regular dining column by former Michelin-starred chef Steven Saunders, recently relocated to Mijas with his fabulous new restaurant The Little Geranium

Getting on my goat!

APAS is the perfect way to eat in Spain. Many restaurants that we visit locally have the good old fashioned classics like prawns pil pil, patatas bravas and boquerones fritos, but sometimes you feel like being a bit more creative and exploring more international flavours. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know where to go for that. So when I opened The Little Geranium in La Cala last month we opted for an artistic tapas menu, with dishes like homemade smoked salmon blinis with avruga caviar and caper berries, crispy duck salad with pomegranate and oriental dressing, skewers of free range chicken with cashew satay dip and tempura of prawns with sushi ginger, chilli and wasabi dip. To our delight, the clients loved the menu and the only problem now is accommodating everyone! So with artistic tapas in mind, things that are simple to make at home, it gives me great pleasure to launch the first in a series of easy to make dishes, perfect for sharing and a far less formal way of throwing a party. But donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tell everyone or they may all just stay at home!

Goats cheese with candied walnuts and apple caviar Ingredients for four (enough for two slates or plates) - Approx 125g of Spanish goats cheese (queso de cabra) - Approx 1 tablespoon of caperberries (see photo) - Approx 2 level teaspoons of apple (or shallot) caviar (Available from some good supermarkets) - 1 tablespoon of walnuts - Half tablespoon of brown sugar - A small amount of salad including rocket leaves - 1 small bunch of basil - 250 ml of olive oil - A few tiny heritage (mixed colours) tomatoes (optional if you cannot find the fruit caviar) - Maldon salt - Black pepper - A teaspoon of Spanish honey - A small blow torch

Method: FIRST make the basil oil by blanching the basil and stalks in boiling water for 20 seconds and remove and shock in iced water. Put the olive oil in your blender, add the basil and blend until fully green. Remove, season and decant into a small squeezy bottle. Next heat a small frying pan and fry the walnuts dry. Sprinkle the sugar over, mix, stir and shake using a wooden spoon to keep them moving or else they will burn. Remove as soon as they start to colour and allow to cool. Now cut the goats cheese into 5mm pieces with a warm sharp knife using a jug of warm water to clean the knife each time. Set aside six slices for two plates or slates. Following the simple design of the dish as per picture, construct the plates with three pieces of goats cheese and a few caperberries, some apple caviar and a small amount of salad leaves and rocket leaves. Now take the walnuts and break them gently with your fingers into halves and quarters before sprinkling around the dish. Add a small amount of caperberries and then the fruit caviar using a small teaspoon. Drizzle the dish with the basil oil and then squeeze a drizzle of honey over the cheese. Finally use your blow torch (or you can pan fry dry in a very hot pan) to glaze the cheese, season with Maldon salt flakes and a grind of fresh black pepper and serve in the centre of the table. A perfect combination of warm creamy cheese with sweet crunchy nuts, basil and honey flavours and textures from the caperberries, yummy!

Steven Saunders FMCGB www.thelittlegeranium.com

Raising the steaks MEAT maestros at Longhorn del Sol restaurant receive consistently rave reviews and the restaurant bagged the elusive 2015 TripAdvisor certificate of excellence for a second year in a row. This recognition as a top performing restaurant as reviewed by globetrotters themselves sets the burger and steak joint out as a cut above the rest. Go and see for yourself, it is on Calle San Miguel in Benalmadena Pueblo.

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SPRING DINING SPECIAL

Life on the lake Leading inland chef Stefan Crites of Al Lago, in Zahara, shares one of his favourite outdoor barbecue dishes for our continuing spring dining special feature

WHO’D want to be a chef cooking in the heat of a 40-degree Spanish summer?

For American Stefan Crites it’s a doddle, particularly with his team of hardy chefs and super-talented wife

Chargrilled octopus with a honey chipotle Chipotle peppers are smoked dried Jalapeño peppers usually sold in adobo sauce. They can be found at most supermarkets in the Mexican or ‘world food’ section. Octopus is a great source of vitamin B12 and iron. This dish is best grilled directly on your barbecue, using either charcoal, grape vine clippings or olive branches. The smoky flavor is wonderful but failing that you can grill it under the grill in your oven, letting it char slightly.

Ingredients 1 medium octopus. 3-4 kilos 3 litres of cold water. 1 litres dry white wine. 1 head of garlic. 1 onion peeled and quartered. 2 tablespoons thyme. 2 tablespoons black pepper corns

2 tablespoons cilantro seed 2 bay leaves. 2 tablespoons salt. 1 lemon quartered. Chipotle honey glaze. 200 ml honey. 2 chipotle peppers in adobo. 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro.

METHOD IF you have tried octopus and found it tough and rubbery do not be put off. This recipe is tried and tested. I have cooked hundreds of octopuses and experimented with various methods, from thrashing them against the side of the sink to bashing them with daikon radish. This triple dunk method works every time. Start by washing the octopus and removing the beak and cleaning out the head cavity. In a medium stock pot (large enough to hold all of this) combine the water the white wine and the rest of the spices and lemon and bring to a rolling boil. Using tongs

dunk

dunk the octopus in the boiling water, completely submerging it, then remove from the pot. Allow the water to once again come to a rolling boil and repeat the process. On the third time you will notice the tentacles have plumped up and begun to curl. Place the octopus in the boiling water and gently push down to make sure it is completely covered and reduce the flame to a simmer. At no time now do you want the water to boil as this will damage the delicate membrane. Leave at a simmer for one hour then remove the pot from the heat and allow to cool completely with the octopus inside. Once cooled you can separate the tentacles from the head. For the sauce, chop up the peppers and cilantro and combine with the honey. Once your barbecue is nicely hot, brush the tentacles with olive oil and place on the grill. After about 4-5 minutes turn them and brush on the honey glaze. After 4-5 more minutes place on a serving tray and drizzle with more of the honey sauce. A dish to impress your guests this summer!

TASTY: Terrace and octopus dish at Al Lago

Mona running their restaurant Al Lago, in Zahara de la Sierra. One of the true idyllic spots in inland Andalucia, their stunning restaurant has some of the most amazing views and a terrace to die for. Now conveniently providing rooms upstairs, the restaurant, open since 2006, is one wonderful spot to head to for the perfect two or three-day break. And with dishes like Stefan’s char-grilled octopus on your table you will not be disappointed.

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SPRING DINING SPECIAL

Recipe Jet-setting caterer Milli Taylor has notched up hundreds of air miles bringing the flavours of Andalucia to London’s trendy dining scene. Now she’s sharing the secrets of her new book with Olive Press readers...

HETHER preparing party bites for pop stars and politicians in the ‘big smoke’ or rustling up recipes for the lemons festooning the trees at her family’s finca in Andalucia, Milli Taylor is one of Andalucia’s foremost foodie ambassadors. From college days, the 28-yearold private caterer has spent her life commuting between London and her parent’s campo B&B, Rancho del Ingles, near Alhaurin de la Torre. The self-taught cook admits her heart resides in Spain, even if

Mama Lotties special

IN the second part of our look at Gibraltarian gastronomy, Mama Lotties author Justin Bautista reveals two more recipes that rock from his gourmand-nominated cookbook.

MAMA’S TORTA DE ACELGA SPINACH PIE

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A dog’s life, by Eddie the hotel hound

One of my favourite Gibraltarian dishes and most definitely a filling one. I have always enjoyed it with puff pastry, and continue to make it that way, but many prefer to use short crust pastry. Although this can be served all year round, it is always available and seen throughout Christmas and Easter, served at room temperature for all to enjoy as a party snack.

Player on the playa Tame your hunger! MY Holidays have arrived… hurray! We are going to the beach where I can get some time off from the daily grind of sleeping, walking and eating. It’s a two hour journey from the Ronda mountains to the Atlantic Coast – which of course is 14 hours in dog time. The good thing is that when we arrive those humans only get two days there: I get two weeks. And how jolly it all is. I adore the large expanses of sand where I can chase balls and sticks. The master has measured my stride at over three metres when I am at full throttle, pretty impressive. But the best way to keep cool on a warm beach for me – apart from swimming – is to dig a hole that means I can lie on the wetter, cooler sand. Genius, I know. The excavation is amusing and especially so when I can get my aim right and cover the humans with sand while they are sunbathing. I do get told off but it’s much better than being ignored, don’t you think?

To get in touch with Eddie, contact his owners Andy and Pauline at the Hotel Molino del Santo. Bda Estacion s/n, 29370 Benaojan, Malaga. 952 167 151 - 952 167 927. info@molinodelsanto.com

SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS 350 G SPINACH 300 G HARD EDAM CHEESE 30 G BREADCRUMBS 3 GARLIC CLOVES SALT PEPPER 4 EGGS 500 G PUFF PASTRY

METHOD Preheat oven to 200°C. Wash and finely chop the spinach. Place in a bowl with salt and cover with boiling water. Leave this to one side. Finely chop your garlic, drain your spinach completely, removing all the water, and mix in your garlic, breadcrumbs, 2 eggs and grated hard edam. Line a small - medium oven dish with half of the dough. Fill your pastry with the spinach mixture and crack an egg in the centre. Cover with the remaining dough, brush the top with a beaten egg and bake in the preheated oven at 200°C.

SUGGESTION Although the traditional method is with hard edam, cheddar cheese can also be used, but keep in mind this will have a slightly different, yet still delicious flavour.

the Olive Press May 28th - June 10th 2015

for a good party her demanding work schedule keeps her in London for much of the year. She might be catering a Spanish-inspired charity supper club for Jamie Oliver, or creating show-stopping cakes for the recipe pages of Hello! and Grazia magazines. Milli has cooked for numerous celebrities – Dannii Minogue and Foo Fighters singer Dave Grohl among them – sharing her fab finger food recipes in a tastebud-titillating Instagram feed and now in a new book: Party-perfect Bites - 100 Delicious Recipes for Canapes. Her enthusiasm for all things Hispanic is infectious. “I have been coming out to Spain all my life and it is here where I am at my happiest and where I feel most at home at my parent’s bed and breakfast,” she says. “Whether it’s sardines on the beach or potaje in a noisy roadside venta, knowing just what’s to come excites me because I know it will be seasonal, local, fresh and therefore delicious.” “I also adore the Spanish way of eating,” she continues. “The importance of sitting down and having breakfast, always making time for lunch, but most of all, standing up and grazing through tapas at the bar and in some ways, that’s exactly what

Photo by Helen Cathcart Copyright Ryland Peters & Small

Ajo blanco

Churros

This chilled white soup is a traditional dish from southern Spain. Juan, my brother’s friend, kindly shared his recipe, which I first tasted at a wedding he catered.

1⁄2 teaspoon salt 200 g strong white flour 1⁄4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 260 ml water at around 70°C (160°F) 400 ml sunflower, for frying For the dipping sauce: 100 g dark (70%) chocolate, chopped 120 ml double cream a thermometer a piping bag

300 g whole almonds, skins on 300 g white breadcrumbs 4 garlic cloves 150–200 ml olive oil 4 tablespoons Jerez sherry vinegar 1 teaspoon salt 2 ripe figs, thinly sliced balsamic reduction, to serve 25 shot glasses Makes about 25 (1.3 litres) Put the almonds into a shallow bowl and cover with boiling water. After a couple of minutes, lift them out, and remove and discard the skins. Put 600 ml of cold water in a blender. Add the breadcrumbs, garlic, olive oil, vinegar and almonds. Blend until smooth. Add 200 ml cold water and blend until silky. Add extra water if needed to achieve a drinkable consistency. Add the salt, stir well and chill. To serve, pour the soup into shot glasses. Top with a slice of fig and a drizzle of balsamic reduction. canapes are and what I feed my clients at parties.” But Milli’s not keeping it to herself and is happy to share

some of her heavenly Hispanic hors d’oeuvres with Olive Press readers and the book is available on Amazon.

It is available to readers for the special price of £11.99 (RRP £16.99) by calling 01256 302 699 and quoting GLR L4L.

Makes around 30. Whisk the salt, flour and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl. Add the water and whisk quite vigorously so that there are no lumps. Leave to sit in the bowl while you prepare the oil. Heat the oil in a small saucepan and bring to 180°C (350°F). Spoon the dough into a piping bag (use a star nozzle if you want ridges). Twist the piping bag and hold with one hand. Gently squeeze out the dough to a 5-cm piece and snip with scissors into the oil, frying in small batches. Fry for a couple of minutes and then turn over with tongs and cook until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and keep the churros in a warm oven. There is no strict shape for churros. Snipping them into the hot oil in lines is the easiest way to get started. Once you get the hang of it, you can try piping them into other shapes, such as the horseshoes shown. For the dipping sauce, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring the double cream to a simmer in a saucepan, then pour over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute, then stir to combine. Serve the churros immediately, accompanied by the dipping sauce.

AYBE he’s charming or maybe he’s forgotten my name, but I can’t deny going weak at the knees when Elliott Wright calls me ‘babe’. The afternoon we meet in La Cala de Mijas, the deep-tanned 34-year-old reality TV star may look like he just strolled off the beach but he is, in fact, ‘highly stressed’. A pint of fresh orange juice down though, and he is back to his best; full of banter and talking a million miles an hour. The man from The Only Way is Essex (or TOWIE - the UK’s most popular reality TV show) is on a mission to single-handedly charm the coast. All part of his plan to ‘kill it’ with his new restaurant Olivia’s La Cala, he promises to make it the single most exciting new venue on the coast this summer. Touchingly named after his fiveyear-old daughter, it certainly promises to be something very different for Mijas, with a lobster and burger bar and a main restaurant with up to a dozen chefs and many more waiters. “I want my bar staff to be handsome and my waitresses to be beautiful… the barmen have got to be 10/10 – they’ve got to look good for the girls,” he insists. Despite currently resembling a building site, he is confident it

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The Wright stuff With the body of a Greek god and the shrewd mind of a businessman, TOWIE’s Elliott Wright gears up to put La Cala de Mijas on the map with his hotly anticipated beachfront restaurant… EXCLUSIVE By Iona Napier will be open in July with a celeb-packed launch, promising to feature his famous cousin Mark and new wife Michelle Keegan, ex-Coronation Street, as well as ‘loads of footballers, boxers, actors and, of course, lots of fit models’. But it is not all plain sailing with the restaurant, formerly known as Mijas Playa, having the usual issues over planning with the town hall. “I actually got nicked the other day,” he laughs, totally unfazed. “I got frogmarched down to the town hall by a couple of officials for pulling down too many walls – all sorted now, I hope – lot of red tape out here and I learnt that the hard way!” Herein lies Wright’s real talent – he is hell-bent on getting the job done, his way, without fretting about the system. And, above all, he knows how it works here, having lived in Spain on and off since he was 10 years old and since opening his first restaurant at the ripe old age of 21 in Alicante. He still has the restaurant, called Eduardos Villamartin

MR WRIGHT: Elliott with kids and (top left) with reporter Iona Napier Plaza (soon to be renamed Elliott’s after his son Elliott, 8,) in Orihuela, and it is often packed with up to 200 covers a night, he boasts. But nothing compares to the excitement and buzz that is building up around his first venture on the Costa del Sol. Taking no chances he is spend-

ing a whopping €3 million on the site, which will also include a champagne bar and stage for performances. Wright may have the body of a Greek god, but he’s got the shrewd mind of a businessman, and despite his happy-golucky vibe, he’s deadly serious about making this a success.

“I never really wanted to be famous and I never wanted to go on the show because my heart’s in restaurants and hospitality,” he reveals to the Olive Press in his first ever interview in Spain. Talking to him over drinks at Cafe Bulevar, next to Homefinders estate agents, he adds:

“I’m a sociable person and grounded – I love the job I do, I love talking to people and I want my restaurants to be like coming to a party at my house – welcoming.” And for the close-on half a million Twitter followers that hang off his every tweet, he is remarkably down to earth and sincere. In his own words he is ‘unstable, volatile and a bit of a nightmare to control’ but faceto-face this comes across endearingly as he flits lightningfast from subject to subject. You can almost see his brain whirring behind piercing blue eyes. Perhaps surprisingly, he rises every day at 6am for two hours at the gym before work and is ‘barely drinking’ at the moment, all the hallmarks of a driven guy. One minute we are laughing about how long he takes to get ready in the morning (‘Only two minutes, I don’t mess around’), and the next, it’s back to business. “It stressful when you’ve invested every single thing you’ve got into something, and if this fouls I will be bankrupt. “But I’ve never failed before

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and I don’t expect to now. Not in the name of my daughter.” Although recently single after splitting up with TOWIE co-star Chloe Sims, Wright is open to finding love on the Costa del Sol and settling down, but he is focussed on putting his kids and business first. Humorously, he admits that apart from looking for ‘big boobs - after personality, I promise’ a future love interest ‘could be international, just like my food, as long as she makes me smile’. And the food may well be international, since Wright’s long-standing head chef Dave Gallagher has just returned from Australia - and is putting together a talented team. All is not hunky dory, however. The star is reeling from the news that his ex-wife is moving their kids back from Alicante to Ireland, having initially moved them from the UK to Spain, meaning he will only get to see them occasionally at weekends and during holidays. “It’s like everywhere I’ve gone I’ve chased her and the kids and she’s now moving back to Ireland. It’s very upsetting,” he reveals, showing a rare sensitive side. This does not rock his commitment to Spain though, a place he has always loved, and harks fondly back to the days when Puerto Banus bars shunned all but collared shirts and chinowearers and, of course, glamour girls. The son of a successful Bethnal Green car dealer, he actually went to private school in Marbella for two years, at international school Aloha College.

Route to stardo m

TRUE to form, Wrigh t en Way is Essex comp tered ITV2 reality TV series The On ly Back when he wa letely by chance in series eight. s living in Spain, an old family friend Arg invited him to TOWIE was filmingan Essex barbecue. an d the makers, tures, were not th e only ones to be Lime Pichim. taken with “Chloe [Sims] wa s on the show an interest in me, I d was just there ha she took an with a few other gir vin ls, and the produc g a laugh me a chance to be ers offered part of it.” Wright turned them do wn or igi na lly persistence he de cided to take the but after much The show can draw plunge. as ma ny as two million viewers a time and stars at ge t a lot of publicit has half a million followers on Twitte y, Wright himself The show, watched r. the US has been so in the UK, Australia, New Zeala to Marbella this su popular that Lime Pictures has re nd and flamboyant charac mmer to film some of the Costa located You can rely on th ters in reality show Life on Marbs. ’s most you the latest on e Olive Press to gatecrash events their movements… and give While back then as a youngster he got to know and love the fleshpots of Banus and ‘Marbs’ well, these days he thinks the scene is a ‘little shot’. He insists though that he is not trying to intercept the Puerto Banus market, but is adamant that many will travel to La Cala when they see its potential. Wright discovered the unspoilt spot by chance when his ‘Uncle Dave’, who owns Homefinders, suggested it. “I fell in love with it here and see massive potential. “It’s vibrant, it’s got that Andalucian feel about it and it’s very friendly – all it needs now is for someone to show it off with a trendy, universal place.” He is in good company, as three reality TV stars are setting up shop in La Cala: TV chef Steve Saunders has opened the Pink Geranium, while a mystery Life

on Marbs star will run the soonto-open Jessie’s wine bar. Meanwhile, he is keen to quash the rumours that he is set to quit TOWIE to concentrate on his new venture. “It has been a great way to drum up business and public recognition and I enjoy doing. I don’t plan to leave just yet.” It is certainly not likely to happen this summer, with the cast of TOWIE set to touch down on the Costa del Sol next week to film their annual The Only Way is Marbs special and it is a racing certainty that they will all be popping over to see his new venture. Just back from the big celebrity wedding this year between cousin Mark and Michelle, he is certainly optimistic: “We’re all over the Olive Press, the Costa del Sol and ITV. Watch this space.”

where you may well be impressed

BY THE EAGLES circling on the thermals

SPECIAL RATES FOR YOU AS AN OLIVE PRESS READER

“Rural piece of heaven” John and Sue, May 2015.

When you need a break from the busy-ness of your life or you deserve a treat or you want to celebrate an event with friends, there is a simple solution: a small hotel near Ronda. Molino del Santo offers great service in comfortable rooms and has excellent food served on a riverside terrace. Tucked away in a fold in the mountains, the old watermill is designed to allow you to relax from the moment you arrive. Whether you come for one night or for a month, if you are looking for peace and quiet, you are guaranteed a wonderful time at the hotel. GARDENS & ART Molino del Santo is no new kid on the block having been established 28 years ago. Experience counts and you’ll find this reflected in the attention to detail in all aspects of your stay. The mature gardens too are a delight of this enchanting corner of rural Spain. Mature trees and shrubs combine with colourful planting. If you art is your thing, you will find the work of local artists for sale in many areas of the hotel. TRAIN Although the hotel is only an hour away by road from Marbella, you might prefer to arrive by train. An efficient stopping train takes just 70 minutes to make its way through stunning landscapes. The fare is a bit scary

– it’s about 6 euros each way! The hotel will provide full details of how to do the journey from San Roque. UNISEX MASSAGE There is an in-house beautician who offers you all kinds of treatments at very reasonable rates. Massages, pedicures, manicures, nail treatments, waxing, facials… what will you most enjoy? Full details on request : info@ molinodelsanto.com SPECIAL OFFERS Right now the hotel is offering three different packages with very special deals available. Some include massages, others special menus. And you can design your own package if you so wish. Drop reception an e-mail and they’ll send you full details of the irresistible deals. info@molinodelsanto.com AWARD-WINNING & GUARANTEED Worried that this may all be exaggerated sales talk? Molino del Santo has won lots of awards including Trip Advisor accolades for the last 7 years running and has an enormously faithful following. They even guarantee that you will have a great time – if anything about your stay does not delight, let them know and you won’t be charged. So there’s no risk - you are GUARANTEED a really memorable experience. E-mail now. info@molinodelsanto.com or call 952 16 71 51 – English speaking staff will answer your enquiry.

www.molinodelsanto.com

ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt Follow us on Facebook for Special Offers Hotel Molino del Santo www.molinodelsanto.com | info@molinodelsanto.com | 952 16 71 51 ESTACIÓN DE BENAOJÁN, NEAR RONDA, MÁLAGA

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May 28th - June 10th 2015

Cheeky monkeys

Mothers meeting SPANISH women have their first child at 30, placing them next to Italians as the oldest firsttime mothers in Europe, according to Eurostat.

FINAL WORDS

That’s your lotti THE most coveted job in sport is up for grabs, after Real Madrid dismissed boss Carlo Ancelotti after a trophyless season.

Lord knows AN initiative to get Spaniards pronouncing ‘Ogilvy and Mather’ has been launched by Agency Spain to get Spanish students speaking English ‘like a lord’.

Blurred vision BLONDE bombshell Edurne failed in her quest for Eurovision glory. Taking 15 points the Spaniard underperformed as Swede Mans Zelmerlow was victorious.

HURLING: In action

Game on ANDALUCIA’S first ever game of hurling took place in Marbella on May 23. Players from Gaelic football sides Costa Gaels, Eire Og Seville and Gibraltar Gaels swapped football for hurleys at the historic event. Hosted at the Marbella rugby club, brand new hurling side Andalucia Vandals gave a glimpse of things to come.

Mountain Hi A TEAM of seven members of HiFX, including Spanish boss Jose Ivars-Lopez, are to take on of the toughest mountains in the Nepalese Himalayas. Led by Everest mountaineer Tim Mosedale, the team will be trekking and scaling the Ama Dablam mountainside peak up to a giddy 6,812 metres in the name of charity. For more info visit: www. amadablam2015.comt

Tourist calls in police after Gibraltar apes ‘sexually assault’ on the Rock A BRITISH tourist claims to have been ‘sexually assaulted’ by monkeys while visiting Gibraltar. Melissa Hart, 23, (pictured above) travelled to the Rock on a day trip from Marbella, excited to see the famous Barbary Macaques. But when two began to pull at her clothes and hair atop the Rock, she began to panic while other tourists close to

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EXCLUSIVE By Tom Powell her laughed. “I felt totally helpless as these two monkeys grabbed and pawed me in my most intimate areas,” she revealed. “Then, with a yank, one of them pulled my bikini top straight off.” Hart, a baker from Macclesfield, continued: “I was being sexually assaulted and these people all thought it was a great joke.” Luckily, her screams quickly grabbed the attention of a warden, who ran in and freed her. However, she was so angry she insisted in filing a police report, which also failed to go to plan. When she revealed to the po-

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ICON: Sir Elton John ROCKET man Sir Elton John, 68, is set to touch down on the Costa del Sol this summer. Appearing in Andalucia for the first time in a decade, Sir Elton will be thrilling fans at the Palacio de los Deportes Martin Carpena in Malaga on July 15. In his five-decade career Elton John has sold more than 300 million records, and his doubled-sided single Something About the Way You Look Tonight/ Candle in the Wind is the best-selling single of all time, selling 33 million copies worldwide.

liceman on duty she had been attacked by the monkeys, he was unable to take her claim seriously. While the policeman told her he was ‘sorry’ for her ordeal, he added that monkeys are ‘wild animals’ and cannot legally commit a crime. “And if they could, do you think you could pick out your attacker in a line-up?” added the officer, evidently struggling not to laugh.

Dr Suarez will see you now

CARING: Suarez SWAPPING his football boots for a stethoscope, Barcelona superstar Luis Suarez played doctor in a heartwarming video call to a young Uruguayan cancer patient. Just days before winning his first La Liga title with the Catalan giants, Suarez took time out to surprise an adoring fan. Diagnosed with cancer two years ago, Mateo thought he was having a consultation with a Spanish doctor. After initially chatting to a blank screen, Suarez appeared on screen and Mateo burst into tears when his ‘doctor’ turned out to be his idol.