Olive Press Newspaper - Issue 200 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

140828_olive_press.pdf

28/08/14

15:02

WIN WIN WIN -books, cookbooks and weekends away... all in our 200th issue!

CMY

olive press

the

THE BEST PREPAID MOBILE PLANS ON THE MARKET! WWW.MASMOVIL.ES/EN

FREE

The original and only English-language investigative newspaper in Andalucía

Vol. 8 Issue 200 www.theolivepress.es

Get out of my house!

IGHT years and 200 issues ago the very first Olive Press hit the streets. That issue exposed the travesty of greedy developers cutting off footpaths as they began carving a golf course and the obligatory 1,000-plus houses on Unesco-protected land near Ronda. In each issue that has followed, we have fought and campaigned to make Andalucia a greener, safer and all round better place. Born out of a desire to bring environmental issues into the public eye, the Olive Press has evolved into Spain’s number-one Englishlanguage newspaper. It is the only one prepared to investigate scams, expose evil and fight for justice – as various legal threats have shown.

Landlord holds protest against tenant who hasn’t paid for years EXCLUSIVE By Rob Horgan AN expat landlord has held an unprecedented one-man protest against a tenant who hasn’t paid rent for two years. David Lomas (left), 66, took to the streets over €10,000 in unpaid rent at the home in Campilllos. Followed by his four children - aged between six and 12 - Lomas marched from the three-bedroom property to the town hall to ‘demand justice’. Lomas, from Middlesbrough,

Vulnerable

Continues on Page 2

Corruption crackdown MASSIVE anti-corruption raids have swept Andalucia, the Canary Islands and Extremadura, resulting in at least 30 arrests. A number of politicians and other town hall staff were among those arrested. The arrests came on the orders of Judge Mercedes Alaya, who has been investigating the ERE scandal at the

November 13- November 26 2014

FLASHBACK: Our first issue in November 2006

Those who think they can trample over the elderly, the honest and the vulnerable - expat or otherwise - will continue to find themselves exposed by the Olive Press. Corruption cases, including Los Merinos and the ERE scandal, are finally out in the open as the voice of dissent grows louder. Next year is set to be monumental in Spain’s political history, as a new party Podemos threatens to blow apart the corrupt two-party state. We have been shining a light on the corruption and injustices here for nearly a decade and we are backing any attempt to breathe new life into Spanish politics and clean up the country. Here’s to the next 200 issues, and a better, cleaner, fairer Spain!

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

Page 18

Discover how the Olive Press came to the rescue of the decaying home of celebrated British Hispanist Gerald Brenan.

Page 20 Expat writer Chris Stewart extols the virtues of the Alpujarras in his latest book. Read all about it in our exclusive serialisation and even win a copy of your own!

Page 51

Cellar de Can Roca may have just been crowned the world’s best restaurant. But how did it stand up to the Olive Press taste test?

Page 52 Win a weekend away in beautiful surroundings and a copy of the hottest new Spanish cookbook, exclusively serialised from this issue.

Continues on Page 4

Princess charged with fraud

PRINCESS Cristina, 49, has been charged with tax fraud and could now face an unprecedented court trial. The charges against the sister of King Felipe VI come as part of an investigation into her husband Inaki, 46, who allegedly embezzled millions of euros in public funds.

Est 1984

ANTHONYS

Antiques, Jewellers & Pawnbrokers

WANTED

All types of antiques, gold, silver, jewellery, watches, paintings and unusual items.

WE BUY, WE PAY MORE, WE PAY CASH Avda. Ramon y Cajal 40, Fuengirola, Malaga 29640

EASY PARKING 952 588 795 or 609 529 633

Diamonds@anthonys-diamonds.com

UK TV Solutions Installations Troubleshooting •

663 303 932 / 675 033 474 info@alpusat.com www.alpusat.com Fully accreditted BSKYB technician based in Las Alpujarras Find us on facebook.com/alpusat.alpujarra

CRIME NEWS

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014 EXCLUSIVE By Imogen Calderwood

BEHIND BARS: Clark

Playboy caged

THE head of a multi-million euro drugs ring has been jailed for 25 years. John Clark fled across Spain in a Bentley Continental after his criminal empire collapsed in 2013, before eventually being seized in Tenerife. Clark – who enjoyed a 'playboy' lifestyle – was sentenced to 25 years by Bolton Crown Court for money-laundering and drug related offences. Originally from Lancashire, UK, Clark pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to money-laundering drug offences, and being head of a criminal gang.

A CONVICTED conwoman is facing trial in Marbella over the fraud of an expat couple. Briton Frances Stein, 70, from London, is under investigation for swindling a Marbella couple out of ‘hundreds of thousands of euros’. Stein, who spent a year in prison in the US for bouncing cheques, allegedly conned Mike Hamlet and Annie Maguire out of hundreds of thousands of euros. The couple, who ran a drycleaning company in Mijas Costa, gave the money to the Steins over five years. Handed to her in a series of loans and investments, they thought of Stein as being ‘part of their family’. As well as socialising with her regularly they were frequent guests at the villa she shared with her husband Sanford, 75, in Elviria, Marbella. “The psychological and mental effect of the theft has been awful,” Mike, 61, from Manchester, told the Olive Press. “We gave her money to invest

Swindling probe

King of the shoplifters

British conwoman investigated after cheating ‘friends’ out of hundreds of thousands of euros in various things, to pay-off insistent loan-sharks; to help her son’s ailing company; and for the daughter’s maintenance after a bitter divorce.” He continued: “It’s a great betrayal of trust, because these are people who we thought were very close friends. But now we know the whole relationship was just to cheat us.” Stein’s defence alleges that Hamlet and Maguire are loan-

sharks, and she is, in fact, the victim. “The story has all the hallmarks of a professional swindle,” said Antonio Flores, the Marbellabased lawyer representing the couple. The Steins are currently living in Barcelona. Last night, Sanford confirmed the case was in court and insisted the other couple were loan sharks. He refused to comment further.

Beheading maniac also tried to kill mum AN expat who beheaded his sister in Fuengirola last week attempted to kill his mother two weeks before, the Olive Press can reveal. The 19-year-old Ecuadorian remains in police custody after killing his 22-year-old sister in their apartment. Staff at the Churreria Alcala, in Los Boliches, told the Olive Press that the man's mother took refuge in the restaurant three weeks ago 'in fear of her life'.

www.theolivepress.es

EXCLUSIVE By Rob Horgan "She ran in looking very distressed,” said a waiter. “Her son was walking around looking for her and she was clearly hiding from him and scared that he would find her." The man’s mother and sister had moved out of the apartment months ago. However, they were returning on a weekly basis to check on the man, said to be men-

tally ill, and provide him with food. Neighbouring shopkeeper Silvia Dominguez said: "He is known to be a violent person and he often threatened his mother and sister." Neighbours on the Paseo Maritimo called the police after the siblings were heard arguing on November 3, before he killed her, and attempted to cut her head off. The brother called police to confess his crime and was arrested at his apartment.

PROFESSIONALS: Frances Stein (far right) and husband Sanford (left) with friend

THE Spanish are the second best shoplifters in Europe, according to new statistics. According to a survey by the Global Retail Theft Barometer Spanish retailers lose 1,36% to theft every year. Of the €2,500 million lost every year, some 31% is from shoplifting, 27% from staff, 21% from fraud and 25% from administrative errors and other crimes. Shoplifting always increases in the run up to Christmas and the most common things stolen are small items easy to conceal, such as jewellery, electronics and makeup. The average thief is male, aged 18 to 35. Finland leads in the European ranking while Mexico has the highest incidents of theft worldwide.

Happy 200! “The Olive Press is a free newspaper which rightly prides itself on its editorial content. Pages dedicated to advertising are therefore regulated and controlled which in turn renders a niche service for promoting ones business.” Guy McCrow, The Beach House

Give my home back From front page

lunch/dinner on Christmas Day or New Years Eve.

Email us at info@molino4paradas.com or call 952167129 or 628920632 for more information or you can go to our website www.molino4paradas.com and book online – specifying Christmas/New Year Break in the rates box.

is at the end of his tether after the Spanish tenant started ‘breeding hundreds of birds’ at the home. The pair have been involved in a legal tussle since the local man stopped paying rent in December 2012. Despite filing denuncias and enlisting help from a lawyer a court date is still forthcoming. A provisional date set for April was postponed after the Spaniard appealed. Builder Lomas, who lives in the town, said: “The point of the protest is to embarrass him. It is peaceful and is as much against the town hall, which has been totally unhelpful. “I don't think I will ever see the money he owes me, all I want now is to have my house back so I have something to give my kids when they grow up.” The former Royal Navy sailor insists his family has been ‘ripped apart’ by the ongoing situation but said he will not roll over. “My wife and I have separated because of it and the stress has been unbearable. The whole situation is heart-breaking for everyone involved,” he said. “He thinks I am just going to give in and go away so that he can claim the house for himself. That will never happen, I will never give in.” When confronted at the property, the Spanish tenant confirmed that he sells birds but refused to comment further.

DEFIANT: Lomas protests with his four children

www.theolivepress.es

NEWS

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014

Happy at home! By Rob Horgan and Imogen Calderwood

ROAD-TRIP: Will.i.am

Will he come?

INTERNATIONAL pop sensation Will.i.am is longing for a Spanish road trip. The Black Eyed Peas frontman is dreaming of a journey to take in the coast, as well as Madrid and Barcelona. His dream route would start in Germany, before heading through France to Spain, he told a US magazine. “I would like to travel through the south of France and go along the coast to Barcelona. “Then make my way from Barcelona, to Madrid, and then back along the coast to Portugal. That’d be nice.” The judge on TV show The Voice also said Google founder Larry Page and Prince Andrew would make perfect holiday companions on his dream voyage.

CANCER patient Ashya King looked happy and smiled when the Olive Press paid a visit to his Costa del Sol home this week. Playing with his brothers and sisters, he is clearly showing signs of progress since moving back to his Casares home following treatment in the Czech Republic. “Ashya’s doing really well, he is happy and smiling again,” his father Brett told the Olive Press at the three-bedroom luxury apartment at Casares del Mar. “We are so glad to be home and have the family back together at last.”

EXCLUSIVE: The Olive Press catches up with Ashya King’s family at their Costa del Sol home He continued: “We are so grateful for all the support we have received from people here in Spain as well as from around the world.” He was later seen with his family shopping in Corte Ingles, in Puerto Banus, looking happy and relaxed. Brother Naveed meanwhile has also posted a moving video to his YouTube account to show Ashya’s recovery since he received ‘successful’ proton beam therapy in Prague last month. The five-year-old will now

continue to be treated at the HC Marbella where Argentinian specialist Doctor Hernan Cortes-Funes is in charge of his health plan. Ashya hit world headlines in August when his parents, Brett and Naghmeh, discharged him from Southampton General hospital sparking an international manhunt. Following their arrest in Spain, the Kings were reunited and Ashya was allowed to fly to Prague to receive the treatment his parents had chosen for him.

CHOSEN: Jack O’Connell

Jack’s the real Don!

JOY: Ashya is recovering

Back on the horse… for love LOVESICK: Conrad

WILD Wild West star Robert Conrad is heading to Spain for one last adventure… and hopes to find a wife. The hollywood actor is hoping to offload his €4 million Malibu mansion before heading to Spain in search of love. After 27 years of marriage, Conrad split from

his wife LaVelda Fann in 2010 and now thinks it is time to get back on the horse. He said: “I'd love to fall in love again! I love women. I've been divorced now for four years and I'm not happy about it. “I'd love to have a good woman in my life right now. I'd like to have one last love before I go.”

Russell-ing up a treat

PRIVATE PICASSO HUNDREDS of previously unseen photographs of Pablo Picasso have been released, offering a ‘revelation’ into the man behind the paint brush. The vast personal archive has been released for the first time by Picasso’s grandson, Bernard Ruiz-Picasso, to be studied by world-renowned art historian Sir John Richardson. Among the intimate collection are images of the Malaga-born artist playing with his dogs as well as snaps of his first wife Olga and his celebrated mistress Dora Maar. Richardson, who has written three books on the Spanish artist, said: “They are a revelation and fascinating when you compare them to certain paintings or events in his life. It opens up his life. It is absolutely astonishing.”

EXCLUSIVE

IMPROVISER: Watson

OPERA powerhouse Russell Watson stunned diners at a Benahavis restaurant with an impromptu performance. Diners at La Escalera de Manolo Espada were treated to more than they bargained for when the English tenor sere-

Happy 200! “Congratulations on reaching your 200th issue! Over the past eight years, the Olive Press has played an important role in keeping British expatriates in Andalucia informed on everything from health matters to property issues. Your commitment to reaching even the farthest flung areas of Andalucia is admirable. I wish the Olive Press every success in the future.”

PERSONAL: Picasso with his wife Olga

Charmaine Arbouin, British Consul for Andalucia, the Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla

CRAFTSMEN IN PAINT AND PAPER

ESTUCO INTERIORS

Centro Comercial Plaza 18, 29660 Nueva Andalucia, Marbella Tel. 952 810 633 / 952 819 321 www.estucointeriors.com

naded them with a selection of his hits. Owner of the restaurant, Manolo Espada, said: “It was amazing, everyone went quiet as his voice filled the room. “It was incredible.” The best-selling tenor is currently gearing up for a world tour and tickets went on sale this month.

THE hunt for the new Don Quixote has led director Terry Gilliam to English actor Jack O’Connell. Gilliam had originally approached Hollywood Alister Johnny Depp about the role but has now turned to the 300 star to play Spain’s most famous knight. This is Gilliam’s seventh attempt at producing an adaptation of Cervantes’ iconic novel and he is not willing to rest on his laurels until filming is complete.

Floods

The former Monty Python star has had to cancel various attempts to make the movie, the first in 1999 due to flash floods. Later attempts had to be scrapped due to Spanish air force manoeuvres and illness among key staff. He said: “I've done it so many times, or not done it so many times, that I'll believe it when I see it.” Filming is scheduled to start in the new year with an initial release date of May 2016.

Our studs with slugs! STIFF upper lip, old chaps… the Olive Press team (the men, at least) are growing moustaches for an Autumn challenge. In support of the Movember challenge, which aims to raise awareness for men’s health issues, three of the boys are packing away their razors for the month of November. Helping to raise money for prostate and testicular cancer research, the trio - editor Jon Clarke, reporter Rob Horgan and salesman Stephen Shutes - are each growing a ‘mo’ as they are sometimes known. The Movember campaign began in Australia ten years ago and is now followed in 21 countries. It has raised €409 million to date. So show your support for this worthy cause by donating or joining our team on http://moteam.co/the-olive-press

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014

NEWS IN BRIEF

New Canary THE Canary Islands have welcomed a new member, to become eight. This is not because of seismic upheaval, but because the island La Graciosa has become independent from Lanzarote.

New-wave cave TECH-SAVVY visitors to the Nerja Caves can now dig into a variety of information on the caves using the new, free Cave of Nerja app available on Android and iOS.

Hotting up TORRE del Mar swimmers can now enjoy the town's first heated indoor pool, which opened on November 1. Both the town hall and the Junta splashed the cash, providing investments of €2.3 and €1.2 million respectively.

Migrant tipoff A BOAT carrying 10 would-be immigrants was intercepted 60 miles off Nerja on October 26, following notification by the Moroccan authorities.

Corruption clampdown From front page

Junta for the last two years. The judge ordered the arrests, including a number of IT specialists, as part of Operation Madeja, which is investigating alleged cash payments for work contracts in various town halls. Companies allegedly paid public officials cash bribes to obtain work contracts for parks and public gardens. It goes back to 2005. It comes after 51 politicians were arrested in the Madrid area two weeks ago.

Happy 200! “We have been using the Olive Press as our main advertising medium for over 18 months and are delighted with the response we get through the newspaper and have absolutely no plans to change. The success in reaching our target audience has been outstanding!” Mike Crompton, aStreamz

Medi-

NEWS

Bent mayor back A SERIES of PP councillors face expulsion from the party after supporting the return of disgraced Alhaurin El Grande mayor Juan Martin Seron.

www.theolivepress.es

Outrage and threats of expulsions after corrupt mayor Seron (centre, below) returns to his desk

It comes after Seron returned to office this week, following his suspension for a year over corruption charges for which he was fined €200,000.

Podemos tops poll PODEMOS has gone one better and is now the leading political party in Spain with

27.7% of the country’s support, while the PSOE stand at 26.2%. The El Pais poll put the PP at 20.7% with the two main parties blaming the seemingly never-ending corruption A MAP showing the true scale of s c a n corruption in Spain has pinpointed dals for Andalucia as the worst-affected rePodemgion. os’ sucStatistics show that more than cess. 1,900 people have been charged for The parcorruption, yet only 170 have been ty’s Citiconvicted. zens’ Assembly will Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said this week decide on this month that corruption was not the party’s cabinet as a widespread problem, but merely a well as official leader case of a ‘few bad apples’. The map, – expected to be Pabhowever, suggests otherwise. lo Iglesias.

Dirty south

Eye on CORRUPT

ION

In a bid to clean up the party his return has led the Andalucian PP party to sever ties with the local party in Alhaurin. Regional boss Elias Bendodo insisted that any councillors supporting Seron would also be expelled from the party. Seron himself was defiant, insisting he had been made a ‘scapegoat’ to divert attention away from bigger scandals,

and thanked his cabinet for their ongoing support. “It would have been easy to forget about me, but they haven’t. I can’t thank them enough for their continual support,” he said. “It even looks as though no one has even sat in my chair.” Seron was convicted for accepting cash payments in exchange for granting building licences in the town in November 2013.

Happy 200! As a confirmed Costa resident of some 28 years there have been plenty of rotating doors in the publication world…they come they go and few survive. The Olive Press however is quite different and will continue to thrive for years to come thanks to its well researched stories of local and national interest. Mark Wardell, manager, Sunset Beach Club, Benalmadena

NEWS

www.theolivepress.es

Nov 13- Nov 26 2014

5the olive press - October 30- November 12 2014

SAVAGE ATTACK EXCLUSIVE By Tom Powell IT began as an idyllic mountain walk for one expat family, with their two daughters, 7 and 11, and their Pomeranian dog, Montgomery. But happiness quickly turned to horror when a local man viciously attacked their dog, leaving it unconscious and unlikely to ever walk again. The couple, Swede Isabel Saunders-Lagrilliere and Canadian husband Michael, have now denounced the 70-something Spanish pensioner, who smashed the dog’s head with a rock after it

Merciless killing A 24-year-old man has been arrested in Almeria for beating his neighbour’s dog to death. The Spanish man first set his German Shepherd on the elderly woman’s dog, before kicking it to death himself. Tragically, she had adopted the dog from her grand-daughter who died earlier this year in a car crash. Vet Juan Manuel Taboada said: “I have never since such a bloody, merciless kiling of an animal.”

1000s of Helium Balloons

Candles, banners, party poppers, pinatas, themed party goods

Expats denounce Spanish farmer who left their dog crippled and brain-dead in brutal attack frightened his chickens. They have called in police and a lawyer after spending a hefty €2,000 on the veterinary bill, which ‘only just’ saved his life. However, the court case is expected to be at least a year away. “We were all in a terrible state of shock, and it’s a miracle our dog survived at all,” Saunders-Lagrilliere told the Olive Press. “This man must learn what he did was wrong.” The two-year-old animal had been attacked while the family were on a walk between Bubion and Pampaneira in the Alpujarras.

Coma

The couple, who run a mountain bike company, were half way along the walk when they came across some large chickens and Montgomery started barking. “We were all amused by the charming rurality of it until suddenly, without any warning, an old man ran out from the bushes and hurled a large rock at his head from less than a metre away,” she continued. “Monty fell to the ground unconscious, bleeding profusely from his nose.” The farmer then picked up another large rock and took

Greetings Cards for Every Occasion from award winning handmade designers

Christmas Stock Arriving Daily! aim again, only for their 11-year-old daughter to heroically crouch over the dog to protect him. The dog was hospitalised for six days, two of which he was in a coma after his heart stopped beating for four minutes. He may never regain full movement. The family, who live in Marbella but own a holiday home in Bubion, denounced the attacker to police in Orgiva, and

inc wrapping paper, box cards, gift bags and probably the largest choice of Christmas crackers on the coast ...why go to Gib?

ALL SMILES: Before the family were attacked

Bespoke New Years Eve Party Packs

an investigation is currently underway. The children are now frightened to return to their home, while their father is currently unable to cycle after sustaining a knee injury in the attack.

Sparklers, ice candles – Supplied to bars, resturants and clubs

OFFEX (Royal Mail) Postal Service U.K and Worldwide

Happy 200!

Courier services from documents to pallets ...no queueing at the post office for hours!

“Congratulations for reaching your 200th edition, a real achievement considering how difficult the last few years have been for advertisers. We can relate to the labour of love, laughter and tears that this momentous effort represents. Over the years, the Olive Press has grown in stature, developing a solid reputation for investigative journalism while building a nice client base along the way. It has shown time and again that it is fully prepared to expose wrongdoings and unsavoury individuals, delivering a very valuable service to the community it serves. As fellow publishers, we wish them continued success for the longterm future!”

Americian and British Candy

Online shopping website party-shop-marbella.com tel: 952 853 143 Centro Comercial La Colonia, San Pedro Alcántara 3 doors up from Macdonalds

Iain Blackwell, Essential Magazine, Marbella

La Sala

Sundays

Join us every Sunday for a traditional Sunday Lunch starting at just 15.95€*. With live chill out jazz music and a childrens entertainer.

Sundays have never been more relaxing! Sunday Lunch Childrens menu only 8.95€ for 1 course (under 10's) *All prices exclude VAT - A la Carte menu also available

Reservations Tel 95 281 4145 ● info@LaSalaBanus.com

Special 200 issue

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014

OPINION

Best of British TO mark our 200th issue, the Olive Press is celebrating the old and new of British expat writers, Gerald Brenan and Chris Stewart. After all, it is inspiring to read about others who have come to this country and made such a success of it. Both immersed themselves in Spanish culture, learnt the language and had books translated into Spanish. But what it most credit-worthy is that neither tried to bring Britain to Spain, but instead blended in and attempted to integrate. In turn, they have become as loved by the Spanish as they are by the Brits.

Needless violence THE case of the Spanish farmer almost killing a puppy for frightening his chickens is a disturbing one. On one hand, it reveals the backwards attitude still found in some corners of rural Spain, while also serving as a warning to those living in those idyllic far-out places. But we should not tar all rural Spaniards with the same brush. This is an exceptional case and hopefully will be dealt with firmly by the police, to show that such unnecessary violence is totally unacceptable.

Mystery solved! WITH Spaniards believing a ‘good education’ is more crucial to success than ‘working hard’, the country’s economic woes and high unemployment starts to make sense. In an eye-opening new study, 71% of adults insist good education is the key to success, compared to just 47% who think working hard was important. And even though 51% believe ‘other outside forces’ determine success, maybe fewer siestas and a better worth ethic would lead to a better economic situation.

Olive Press payments

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

- Jaipur Purple, Estepona - Reservatauro, Ronda - Webuycarsinspain.es - Motor Trader 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

olive press

Tel: 951127006 / 665 798 618 (admin/editorial/sales/advertising) 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 Urb Casares del Sol, bloque 21, portal 70, bajo b, Casares 29690, Malaga Printed by Corporación de Medios de Andalucía S.A. Editor: Jon Clarke jon@theolivepress.es Reporters: Newsdesk Newsdesk@theolivepress.es Tom Powell Tom@theolivepress.es Imogen Calderwood Imogen@theolivepress.es Rob Horgan Rob@theolivepress.es

Jacqueline Fanchini Jacqueline@theolivepress.es Admin / Distribution / Accounts: Anna Cockell 951127006 accounts@theolivepress.es Mirian Moreno admin@theolivepress.es SALES TEAM: Stephen Shutes 671 834 479 Classified Sarah Adams 655825683 Axarquia Charlie Bamber 661 452 180 Cadiz Elizabeth Gould 683 337 342

www.theolivepress.es

Out of a small acorn grew a very popular paper

HEN I first set up the Olive Press in Ronda eight years ago, I did it out of desperation for a genuine newspaper to support the huge and growing expat population in Andalucia. The largest diaspora in the world and the millions of British, Dutch, Scandinavian and Irish expats here were being insulted with nothing more than cheap magazines and papers which (badly) translated local articles. There were no proper local English journalists investigating and reporting on the issues that mattered to foreigners … and no newspapers giving them a voice. Whether to help local people fight injustice against their town halls, a warning against fraudsters, or a call to arms against barbaric projects ruining the region’s last green spaces, there was nothing. I wanted to change that… and offer some proper community service in the form of local campaigning journalism.

Hot potato

After more than a decade working in Fleet Street, travelling the world investigating injustice, scandal and corruption, I couldn’t believe what I found on my very own doorstep. Andalucia was being run by the local mafia and corruption was rife, with money having bought practically every authority and town hall. When I started to investigate the shocking web of bribery and corruption surrounding the Los Merinos golf development in Ronda, I had no idea what I was letting myself in for. The three-hotel, double golf course project was big bucks and would have seen over 1000 houses carving up a Unescoprotected virgin hillside. More crucially, I discovered, it was being protected from high up in the Junta. Perhaps even by its then leader Manuel Chavez.

Happy 200! “The Olive Press is always a great read and we always look forward to the day it arrives. On top of that we have always found the paper effective and it has just the right balance of advertising and news and we always get great results. Keep up the good work, you are a very valuable asset to the residents of southern Spain” Sarah Hawes, Cambridge 800, Mijas

Publisher Jon Clarke on the early green beginnings that saw the Olive Press develop from a local Ronda newspaper into a regional media group covering the entire Costa del Sol and Andalucia Along with green groups and university professors we followed the money and licences trail and reported how the developers had started laying the foundations and cutting down ancient oak trees despite not having permission. We also helped to promote a series of protests that came out of classic green shoot opposition. Initially the local powers that be tried to discredit the paper and told us to shut up. We were threatened with legal action – a fate that did land on a trio of expats who had dared to speak out – and I became shunned by various members of Ronda ‘society’. But we didn’t shut up and our stories first began to make the UK national papers, and then the Spanish nationals began to

follow suit. Our small regional environmental story was suddenly a major national hot potato. Somewhere along the line our reporting on corruption and green issues led to us being

labeled ‘sensationalist’. We were told to stop ruining the good name of the region and that we had it wrong.

Happy 200! “Well done on your double century and please continue to champion the green agenda, and continue carry on making a stand against the mad developments that threaten Andalucia’s environment as well as promote the best that this magical land has to offer... food, literature and history.” Guy Hunter-Watts, author

Special 200 issue

www.theolivepress.es EXCLUSIVE

La Cala Cougar moves inland

the olive press Andalucía’s Fortnightly News Publication OH TO BE IN OLVERA

page 14

HOW TO DEAL WITH A MID LIFE CRISIS

Living Consciously

**Western Edition**

page 3

Issue 20, October 19th 2007 CHRIS STEWART WRITES FOR THE OLIVE PRESS

PR ON THE PROWL

page 16

We send our hot new columnist to interview designer Sophie Cranston

page 22

His take on the Brits jailed for “saving the environment”

the

page 24

INV live press EST IGA TE o

INSURANCE SERVICES FOR EXPATRIATES Motor - UK & Spanish Plates

Health, House,

Travel, Life, Business Policies available in English We cover the entire Granada and Malaga provinces

Tel: 952 934 963 www.rightwaysl.com

AN ecological nightmare, hundreds of ancient oaks apparently stand dead. Pulled up for a huge golf macroproject, they line up in eerie rows like war graves in the Somme. Many centuries old, they have been sacrificed for Europe’s insatiable desire for golf and holiday homes. Part of the unrelenting costafication of Andalucia, they sound the death knell for nature conservation in southern Spain.

Sarah Tilley LTCL MLC Hom

Complimentary Health Practitioner

Homeopathy, Bio-resonance and Nutrition Treatment of asthma, allergies, IBS and excema Calle Nueva, Ronda t: +34 680 752 400 e: sarahtilley@mac.com w: www.sarahtilley.com w: http://es.juiceplus.com/+sarahtilley

Morente Bar

the olive press Andalucía’s Fortnightly News Publication “Spa hotel left me high & dry”. 18 million hotel refuses to pay 5k bill page 11

A fairway to treat nature?

free

www.theolivepress.es

*FREE*

“This is a cynical and botched attempt to create ambience around the golf course and create space,” said tree surgeon Kit Hogg. “I am sure very few of these protected trees will survive. It is disgusting.” Despite ongoing efforts to stop the work, EU investigations and – crucially – no guarantee of water, work at Los Merinos, near Ronda continues unchecked. This is the true price of golf. Exclusive story page 4

Longest established British bar in Mollina All types of food and tapas Live Premiership football Open from 10am till late Closed Thursday Calle Carretera, 44, Mollina

Once upon a time in Andalucia Election special

**Western Edition**

WHICH BUSINESS GREW BY 50% LAST YEAR? YES, THE OLIVE PRESS...the ANDolive WE press WON’T- February STOP NOW07- February 20, 2013 www.theolivepress.es

the

Issue 29, March 6th 2008

FREE

la cultura Yep, the klan is back...

Bin the bags

THEY are given out in their billions, used for a few minutes and clog up the back of everyone’s kitchen drawers. That is until they get thrown out to block up a landfill site. But that is only a fraction of the problem. While plastic bags take an incredible 1000 years to degrade, it is when they enter the nature cycle that they are devastating. Look at these photos. The whale dying on the seashore in Marbella (below), the gannet strangled by a plastic bag, or the giant sea turtle (overleaf). Over 100,000 large sea mammals and an estimated ONE MILLION sea birds die every year due to this plastic poison. These animals are dying because they mistake the translucent bags for jellyfish or squid, a key element of their diets. It is a horrific death. The plastic either blocks their digestive tracts, of if they consume enough bags, their stomachs simply become full, and they stop eating and starve. The Olive Press has decided enough is enough. Following the launch of a series of similar campaigns around the globe, we are vowing to help bring this mindless slaughter to a halt by encouraging the banning of plastic bags in Spain.

Selling Euros? Don’t let the banks cash in!

www.hifx.co.uk

(902 879 135

By James Bryce SPANISH Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is battling to save his political career after facing increasing pressure to resign over the PP corruption scandal. Nearly a million people have signed an online petition calling for him to step down, amid widespread protests. Opinion polls show that 77% believe he is now no longer fit to lead the country, while 54% believe there should be a general election. Opposition leader Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba has called for his head, demanding that Rajoy be grilled in Congress about the allegations. The prime minister stands accused of accepting illegal cash payments made to topranking party officials over a 12-year period.

Slush fund

The Olive Press launches campaign to consign plastic bags to the dustbin

Continued on page 2

Vol. 7 Issue 154

www.theolivepress.es

Rajoy however fiercely denies the claims, describing them as ‘totally false’ and has said he will publish his tax returns online. Among the other politicians accused of taking ‘bungs’ are current General Secretary Maria Delores Cospedal, Senate President Pio Garcia Escudero and even former Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar. The money was allegedly taken from a €22 million slush fund hidden in a Swiss bank account controlled by former party treasurer Luis Barcenas. Barcenas kept secret ledgers of money received between Turn to page 2

seepage page13 4 see

February 07 - Feb 20,

Who will cut out the cancer destroying Spain? POINTING THE FINGER: But Rajoy and many of his cabinet are said to have received black money from a Swiss bank account

While millions sit on the breadline with the highest unemployment in history, and expats come into the firing line with new laws and taxes, the PM allegedly took 30,000-a-year from an 22m offshore slush fund... Enough is enough!

BROADBAND INTERNET & TELEPHONE WHEREVER YOU ARE!

952 575 461

Telephone 627135939

MEETING OF MINDS: Jon Clarke (left) with celebrated writer Ian Gibson, while (above) some past issues But how right, in fact, we were. Today, the country is finally up in arms over the sheer depth of corruption and the amount of money that has been stolen by its leaders over two decades. A new political party Podemos threatens to turf the two big parties out of power – quite justifiably – while every national and regional newspaper is, at last, awash with news on corruption. The tide has finally turned. Meanwhile the Olive Press goes from strength to strength. We know we have a far bigger role than just reporting on the region’s politics, environment and corruption.

Positive

A series of positive features have seen us promote the best of the region’s walks and attractions, while our campaigns have helped to publicise and save a number of key buildings, including Gerald Brenan’s home in Churriana (see The Queen back on her throne on page 18).

Over the last eight years we have also introduced numerous sections to keep the reader entertained and informed. They include golf, motoring and health, while the food and drink section is not only one of the most popular, but has its own sister website www.diningsecretsofandalucia.com. Meanwhile our All About special supplements not only pick out the very best things to do and see in towns and cities around Andalucia, as well as Gibraltar and even Morocco,

but have now got their very own popular website www.allaboutandalucia.com. All of this, of course, would not have been possible without you, the readers, not to mention a growing number of quality local advertisers. Thanks for your support. We look forward to growing in strength and popularity over the next double century, with you alongside us. For that, after all, is the point.

Happy 200! “The Olive Press has become a key source of information for what is going on in Spain - even for the local Spanish. It is completely independent, critical and, above all, honest, which is extremely rare. The paper has somehow avoided the compromised world of Spanish media, which is too close and manipulated by the powers that be. Keep up the good work.” Carlos Pranger, Spanish godson of British writer Gerald Brenan

Weighty prize!

Don’t let the Don’t thein bankslet cash banks cash in www.hifx.co.uk www.hifx.co.uk see page 13

AS A MILLION PEOPLE DEMAND THAT RAJOY MUST RESIGN OVER BUNGS SCANDAL...

page 19-26

page 12-15

The original and only English-language investigative newspaper in Andalucía

olive press

Picture by Tony Coils

www.theolivepress.es

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014

Dodge the last minute dash

AMBRIDGE 800 has taken its Slimmer of the Year 2014 on the trip of a lifetime to Amsterdam. Katy Healer (pictured below and centre) was whisked off on the all-expenses paid trip to the Dutch city, along with three other Cambridge 800 winners. The other lucky winners were Hilary Stokes, who was crowned Consultant of the Year, and Lynda and Lauren Gibson, who were named Sponsors of the Year. After relaxing in Amsterdam, all four were then flown to the UK for the Cambridge Weight

Plan Convention, where they were entertained, wined and dined. Katy – who is now training as a Cambridge 800 consultant, helping other slimmers on their journey – has now been entered into the International Slimmer of the Year competition, against winners from 19 other countries. For more information about Cambridge 800 and where to find your nearest consultant, visit www.cambridge800.es, or call 952 586 324 or 952 475 954, or email admin@ cambridge800.es

HRISTMAS is drawing ever closer, and with it comes the inevitable annual worry of where to buy your presents. This year avoid the last minute Christmas Eve dash and take advantage of the eclectic mix of old and new at Déjà vu, in Jimena de la Frontera, off Plaza del Constitucion. Just 35 minutes from the coast, the shop is perfectly located and has quirky and traditional goods to suit every budget. With everything from sofas to dining tables, and lamps to trinkets, owner Jill Honess has stock her shelves with items to suit any taste. Contact us on 636 730 542

Solid foundations

STATE agent Terra Meridiana is leading the pack in Andalucia. The Estepona-based company specialises in Marbella, Estepona and Sotogrande, but has properties for sale across all of Andalucia. Boss Adam Neale has been giving his views as a property expert for the Olive Press for years and understands the complex legalities of the sector better than most. With more than 10 years experience in property on the Costa del Sol, Terra Meridiana is definitely a name you can trust. Visit www.terrameridiana.com or call 951 318 480.

déjà vu déjà vu Quality pre-owned furniture & goods for your home Open Tuesday to Saturday 10.00-14.00 Evenings by appointment Plaza de la Constitucion, Jimena de la Frontera 11330

Telephone /Telefono – 636 730 542 Opposite Bar Vecina & next to Taxi Rank Like us on Facebook - dejavuvintageshop-Jimena

the 2- October 15 201426 2014 theolive olivepress press- -October November 13 - November

Special 200 issue

House sit success

Iberian Funeral Plans: registered in Spain | Portugal | UK

ONLY mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the ‘noonday sun’, famously wrote Rudyard Kipling. Lamia Walker, director of HouseSitMatch.com, is convinced he must have been inspired by a dog like Max, a Jack Russell from London, who has really taken to the Spanish sun. But Max had never experienced the sun in Malaga in midsummer, and so when his owners - the Roberts – planned a holiday back to the UK this summer they employed a housesitter to check on his whereabouts during the day, particularly when the sun was hottest. Using HouseSitMatch.com – which has been established in Spain for more than a year – they found their sitter from the 100 registered on the online network. It is easy to register with HouseSitMatch.com, and homeowners get six months worth of free membership. For more personal assistance, call Lamia Walker on +44 1865 521508

www.theolivepress.es

Fresh

TO celebrate our 200th issue, the Olive Press is launching a brand new sister website for readers to share photographs, tips and stories from around Spain. Olive Press Insight (OPi) is the perfect home for usergenerated content, whether it is to show off your favourite autumn walks, dramatic photos of a forest fire or just a silly pet photo.

Assignments

Each week new assignments will be issued, with the best submissions to be published in the newspaper. Spain is brimming with ad-

Olive Press launches a new website - OPi - for readers to have more say over our content

venture, unforgettable scenes and colourful cultural pursuits which Olive Press readers have fantastic insight into It has been launched in connection with the Guardian’s Witness project. “Olive Press Insight makes it

Our ethics are key ‘WE work by a code of solid ethics and values,’ insists Antonio Flores, director of Marbella legal company Lawbird. All staff are fluent in English and Spanish, making them ideal to help expats struggling to cope with the infamous Spanish bureaucracy. Flores - who has been writing for the Olive Press as a legal expert for years - has an unparalleled knowledge of Spanish law. He also has a strong work ethic, determination and is not afraid of high-profile international exposure. Established in 2000, the firm currently employs around 30 staff, providing services through offices in Marbella and London. Over the last 15 years the company has successfully processed more than 12,000 files, totaling 20,000 unique clients. The mission, says Flores, is to become the most trustworthy and reliable English-speaking law firm in Spain, delivering a hasslefree, independent service of the highest quality and value. Visit www.lawbird.com or call 952 861 896

IFP - we help you plan for the inevitable An Iberian Funeral Plan n saves heartache n saves money n ensures your wishes We listen - we care! Call IFP today for a no-obligation discussion: (+34) 952 490 690 / 952 491 788 info@iberianfuneralplans.com www.iberianfuneralplans.com

The best laid plans should include an Iberian Funeral Plan wherever you live in Spain or Portugal

www.theolivepress.es

Special 200 issue

insight

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014 R

Ref: OLV200

www.europa-network.com

Birthday of his own

possible for everyone to share their experiences, and for others to learn from and enjoy them,” explains publisher Jon Clarke. “It is yet another way for the media group to get closer to its readers and strengthen our community.” Visit insight.theolivepress.es

SHARE: Photos on OPi

Happy 200! “Helle Hollis has been advertising with the Olive Press for years and we are very happy for the coverage and feedback we are getting” Christine Fleischer, Helle Hollis, Malaga

ONG time Olive Press business columnist Richard Alexander is celebrating 40 years of financial planning. After working for three insurance companies, in February 1984, the Malaga-based advisor gave up being an employee and started out in business on his own. Now, 30 years later, it is still personal relationships that are at the heart of what he does: helping people navigate through the complex financial product maze to secure their future and achieve their goals. His expertise lie in the area of pensions but this integrates with wider investment and tax planning to enable him to provide his level of personal and bespoke service. His clients live all over the world: 40% are in Spain, 30% are in the UK and the balance live as far east as the Philippines and west to America, which is why he travels a lot! For more information, visit www.ra-fp.com, email info@ ra-fp.com or call 671 742 667

INTERNET|LANDLINE|UKTV|MOBILE One company, one payment for all services Technology’s changing fast and we are too...we’ll keep you up to date!

Talk to our team today and let’s start saving you money

Call 965 796 736 Lose it – with Cambridge 800 Katy did, now she is our Slimmer of the Year NOW IS THE TIME TO LOSE WEIGHT AND KEEP IT OFF FOR GOOD We know that losing weight is only half the battle. Keeping it off long term is what really matters. Cambridge 800 Consultants will give you one-to-one support throughout your weight loss journey, all the way through into long term weight maintenance.

Katy, before

Cambridge 800 – the nutritional, healthy and convenient way to lose weight. Katy, after

Call 952 586 324 or 952 475 954 or email admin@cambridge800.es

Don’t wait January to lose for wei now is the right ght … to make the ch time an it’s a journey no ge, ta calendar event.

Visit our website www.cambridge800.es or go to www.facebook.com/Cambridge 800 Spain

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014

Special 200 issue

www.theolivepress.es

Special 200 issue

Making you ‘appy’ GETTING your hands on a copy of the Olive Press each fortnight is now even easier. After the success of the Olive Press iPhone app, launched two years ago, the newspaper is now available on all Android mobile phones and devices – totally free! Updated the same morning that the newspaper hits the streets, the app makes it easy

We launch a new Android app to go alongside our iPhone app to flick through the pages, zooming in and out. You can also scroll back through previous editions, as well as scour the packed classified section and find your favourite articles with an

I LIKE THE WAY YOU MOVE!

ET the best of British on the coast with Union Jack Removals, flying the flag for expat movers and shakers. With more than 35 years experience moving goods, this family business provides a personal service that meets whatever the demands of the client. From a no-obligation home visit to door-to-door collection and delivery, no move is too small or large. For owner Jill Honess, attention to detail is absolutely paramount. Goods set to be transported abroad are exportwrapped and packed to ensure they have a safe passage. Meanwhile comprehensive insurance is provided at no additional cost.

What’s more, storage facilities in Spain and the UK are available if required. Union Jack removals has also expanded to include the transportation of small animals, dogs, cats, birds and reptiles throughout Europe. With a Type 2 certificate in Animal Welfare – and a Defraauthorised vehicle – they visit your pet and check all the necessary documentation before travel, as well as answering any concerns you may have. Our experienced caring staff ensure that your pets needs are attended to throughout the journey. For more information, visit www.unionjackremovals.co.uk or call 902 109 560.

Europa Telecom: serving over 20,000 customers

UROPA network launched in 2002 from a small office with a handful of staff. Some 12 years later and the company is now the largest fixed line telecommunications company for expats in Spain, with 20,000 customers and 50 staff. “We’re a family-owned business with over 20 years experience in the industry,” explains owner Alan Dobinson, who lives near Alicante. “Our mission is to serve the very best in high quality telecom services, at the very best prices.” He continues: “Our dedicated team are always ready and waiting to assist you, so you can choose the right product for your home or your business. “We want to make life as easy as possible; so we work around the clock to ensure we are always available to you. Our constantly updated support site is filled with useful articles which answer a multitude of frequently asked questions. “With so many different packages available, we guarantee they’ll be something to suit your individual or business needs. Call one of our team today and we’ll have you connected in no time.” Europa Network is fully regulated by the CMT (Comisión del Mercado de las Telecomunicaciones) and is the only Spanish telephone company servicing the expatriate community with independently audited and certified management systems – ISO 9001. For more information, visit www.europa-network.com or call 965 796 736.

Happy 200! “I have been living on the coast for 12 years and when the Olive Press first appeared on the scene it was a true breath of fresh air. As well as the printed edition which is excellent, I check in several times a day to the website. I find it both informative and also allows readers to comment which often leads to some interesting debates.” Mark Vernon, Bar Elements, Fuengirola

easy-to-use search box. For the Android app visit: https://play.google.com/ store/apps/details?id=com. pagesuite.droid.theolivepress For iPhone visit: https:// itunes.apple.com/gb/ app/the-olive-press/ id428466597?mt=8

Re-kindle your love for books TIME flies when you’re having fun, and time is really rocketing for Steve Davies at The Bookshop in Sabinillas. Come December, Steve will have been at the bookshop for three-and-a-half years - all the time accompanied by his chatty companion Eva, the African grey parrot. After working as an English language teacher in Estepona for 15 years, he bought the bookshop on a whim and things initially didn’t bode well. “When we opened most customers thought we were mad to compete with the Kindle, which everyone said was the new method of reading books. “Not to mention we were also at the height of the recession.” But just one year later, Steve expanded the shop by 50%, to offer a wider range of products and has since expanded again to include a reading area where you can enjoy a coffee. A party section covers all ranges, from greeting cards, unusual gifts and helium balloons, while a postal service and a mailbox service has been introduced. There are also now daily papers and magazines. “And as for the electronic books, we suggest to customers ‘Why not ‘rekindle’ your love for books?’” he jokes. For more information, call 952 891 545.

Helping in tragic times

GRIEF is all the more difficult when living abroad, but thankfully Iberian Funeral Plans are on hand to help. Iberian takes care of all funeral arrangements, with a 24-hour English-speaking bereavement helpline to simplify things wherever you are in the world. The company only employs funeral directors with a full knowledge of local laws and regulations, leaving you time to grieve. Funerals in Spain cost an average of €4,880, but with Iberian you can spread the cost over the years, with one fixed price and no additional hidden fees. Visit www.iberianfuneralplans. com

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014

GLF Olive Press ad 2210_Layout 1 22/10/2014 14:38 Page 1

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014

GIBRALTAR INTERNATIONAL LITERARY FESTIVAL

THE

NEWS

www.theolivepress.es

THE GIBUNCO GIBRALTAR INTERNATIONAL LITERARY FESTIVAL 2014

FRIDAY 14th TO SUNDAY 16th NOVEMBER Speakers include: A.C. Grayling • Lord Carey • Kate Mosse • Jonathan Fenby • Kate Williams • Nick Rankin Lord Hennessy • Jonathan Aitkin • Tunku Varadarajan • Ada Parellada • Patti Boulaye Professor Sir Diarmaid MacCulloch • Melanie King • Jimmy Burns • John Julius Norwich Joanne Harris • Madhur Jaffrey • Jeremy Robson • Professor Martin Kemp • Alex Furest Dr Charles Powell • Sally Gardner • Dr Ross King • Professor Rafael Arenas • Ben Okri Steve Hogarth • Maureen Lipman • Harry Freedman • Jacqui Dankworth • Maggie Gee Nicholas Parsons • Beltran Domecq • William Chislett • Claudia Roden • Richard Klein Orchestra of St John’s • Prajwal Parajuly • Richard Garcia • Christopher Howse Françoise Atlan • Anna Bogie • Erica Wagner

www.gibraltarliteraryfestival.com

Festival Title Sponsor

The Festival is organised by

Gibraltar NEWS

www.olivepress.es

Drug slur CHIEF Minister Fabian Picardo has lashed out at UK MP Keith Vaz for labelling Gibraltar as a haven for laundering drug money. The Labour MP for Leicester East told the House of Commons: “The drugs trade is worth some $380 (€240) billion a year, most of which enters the financial system, some through offshore areas

the olive press - November 13- November 26 2014

NEWS IN BRIEF Tough tie GIBRALTAR’S national football team face their toughest test to date when they face the World Cup winners Germany in their latest Euro 2016 qualifier this Friday

Staying put

ATTACK AND DEFENCE: Fabian Picardo and (right) MP Keith Vaz

Fabian Picardo incensed by MP’s comments that Gibraltar is a drug money haven such as Gibraltar.” The MP, who briefly held ministerial responsibility for Gibraltar, added: “We need to be sure that authorities cooperate.” Furious Picardo

Happy 200! “It is with great pleasure that I add my voice and that of the people of Gibraltar on your 200th edition. I have no doubt that your role in keeping expats and English speaking people in Spain well informed will continue in the coming years. Many thanks for your fair reporting of Gibraltar matters.” Fabian Picardo, Chief Minister of Gibraltar

has now written to Vaz to defend the Rock. “I am outraged at the untrue way in which you have specifically linked Gibraltar with the introduction of the proceeds of drug trafficking into

the financial system,” he said. “You have given the impression, totally erroneously and without any factual basis, that Gibraltar is a gateway for sums – possibly colossal amounts – of illegal proceeds into the

Escape the ‘Brizzle’ drizzle EASYJET has announced plans for yearround flights between Gibraltar and Bristol, UK. The UK’s largest airline, which already flies from London Gatwick to the Rock, will launch the 2-and-a-half hour route in spring 2015. Minister for Tourism Neil Costa MP said: “We are tremendously excited that Easyjet has

decided to launch a second route to Gibraltar. “My team and I have worked very hard to secure this link and we are delighted to be able to deliver yet more opportunities to Gibraltar’s tourism, leisure and hospitality industry.” There will be more than 19,000 seats available on the service next summer alone.

ON the Rock November 15, 10am-2pm

Craft and collector’s fair, St Andrew’s Church. Entrance fee £2.

November 17, 8pm

Telling tales

THE innovative Gibraltar Literary Festival has brought together a unique, world-class array of celebrated novelists, writers, biographers, food writers and public figures for its second outing. The event – on a scale to dwarf any UK literary festival – will take place from November 14-16. The line-up – curated by festival director Sally Dunsmore – includes philosopher A.C Grayling, in-

ternational best-seller Kate Mosse, broadcaster Nicholas Parsons and former Conservative MP Jonathan Aitken. Gibraltar’s neighbours Morocco and Spain are the focus of many of the talks, combined with music and orchestral performances, jazz, songs from West End shows and the Bookshop Band, for some musical storytelling. For more information and tickets visit www.gibraltarliteraryfestival.com

Illustrated talk on photoshop, with Gibraltar Photographic Society. At Society’s Premises on Wellington Front. Free entry.

November 21, 6pm Festival of lights, including arts fair, traditional choir and song and dance performances. John Mackintosh Square. BIG NAMES: From left, A.C Grayling, Kate Mosse, Nicholas Parsons and the Bookshop Band

November 21, 7pm

International MMA cage fight. Central Hall. Tickets for £10 on sale at the Ju Jitsu Acadamy, or on the door for £15.

world’s financial system. “You cannot imagine the distress your throw away remarks have caused me, the government and the fiercely loyal people of Gibraltar.” Picardo’s letter goes on to list seven facts which clarify the Rock’s strict financial regulations, demanding Vaz take heed of them and correct his statements.

BRITAIN’S European Minister David Lidington is working with the US Congress in order to bolster support for Gibraltar’s right to remain British.

Bad taste GIBRALTARIAN fashion designer John Galliano ost an unfair dismissal case against Christian Dior and was ordered to pay a symbolic €1 after making anti-semitic comments.

GREEN NEWS

the olive press - November 13- November 26 2014

What a ‘Babe’ magnet ROBERT Redford is fighting for the environment in Ronda. But the handsome star of environmental group Ronda Limpia’s new video is no Hollywood actor, but a piglet. Named after the star of All the President’s Men and Indecent Proposal, Robert Redford even performed his own stunts, launching himself from a parked car. The video – which can be viewed on YouTube – is one of a series produced to teach Andalucians good environmental habits. STUNTMAN: Robert Redford, the piglet

Green goals THE European Union is leading the way when it comes to fighting climate change. At the end of October, the union’s 28 member states promised to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% over the next 15 years. And newly-elected president, Jean-Claude Juncker is already rolling out a 30% binding target, saying he is ‘fully committed’ to making Europe an ‘environmentally cleaner’ continent. A 30% cut in emissions relates to a 22% cut in gas im-

New EU President Jean-Claude Juncker’s blueprint for a greener Europe

ports and a 16% decrease in oil imports. Although this has been largely viewed as a step forward, some members of the council still remain unconvinced, among them Green Party member, Philippe Lamberts. “Goals on renewables and energy efficiency are not binding, so they will never be

reached,” he said. “A 40% CO2 reduction goal is more than anywhere else, but not enough to save the planet.” In response, Herman Van Rompuy, head of the European Council said: “Of course we could have been more ambitious but we needed the support of 28 member states.

Ultimate in eco luxury A LUXURY hotel group is pathing the way for the future of the tourism industry. Ecological chlorination, zero gardening and mineral-based paints are just three sustainable eco-innovations adopted by the Spanish Fuerte Hoteles group. In the 50 years since the first Fuerte Hotel opened on the coast, the green obsession has become its overarching philosophy. Managing director of Fuerte Hoteles José Luque said: “Making guests realise that these measures are contributing to a more sustainable world is our ambition.” A website has been launched to explain the weird and wonderful ways the group has adapted in the name of conservation. This includes changes to water supplies,

COMMITTED: Juncker A 40% CO2 cut is still very ambitious.” Member states also agreed to improve energy efficiency by 27% by 2030 through reducing waste and relying less on fossil fuels. Countries that fail to meet the targets may be forced to pay for green credits from overachieving neighbours.

Happy 200!

RESPONSIBLE: Fuerte hotels such as using salty water rather than chlorine and planting shrubs that need little feeding. Every hotel also recycles over 2,500kg of paper, 3,500kg of glass and 110kg of plastics every year. The company has reaped awards from global environmental agencies and travel websites like TripAdvisor, which awarded Fuerte Hoteles with the Certificate of Excellence last year. For more information visit: www.fuertehoteles. com/responsible-tourism

“As an animal rights campaigner, big thanks must go to you for helping to bring my many campaigns to your readers’ attention. Without your support, my work would have been made far more difficult with my campaigns always having far more impact when reported upon by the Olive Press. You truly deserve all the success you get.” Michael Owens, previously of the Born Free Foundation, Fuengirola

British Food Shopping, Delivered Worldwide

£15

off your first order*

ode use c E3RT8

OLIV S C B

*Valid until 31/01/15 when you spend over £75

What are your favourites?

BritishCornerShop.co.uk

Order online 24/7 or call +44(0) 1454 22 88 70

Olive Press Advert.indd 2

03/09/2014 10:30

LETTERS

POTTED POINTERS ANDALUCIA RESERVOIR LEVELS This week: 71.36% Same week last year: -0.24% Same week in 2004: 48.13% 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 1.24 American dollars 0.78 British pounds 1.41 Canadian dollars 7.44Danish kroner 9.64 H Kong dollars 8.45 Norwegian kroner 1.61 Singapore dollars

Broken dream Dear OP, FOR over a year we have been looking for a house in Spain to move to when we retire, having sold our home in Belgium. But apparently it is impossible to buy a house in Spain with 100% certainty that all is okay and legal. We have had a lawyer looking into properties we liked and of three: one had no decent paperwork, one was taken off the market at the last minute and the third is still under investigation. Unfortunately we have been forced to buy a smaller home in Belgium and rent a house in Spain during the winter months. What does it take to buy a house in Spain without having to worry that in one, five or 10 years the Spanish authorities will tear it down? They do nothing for the ‘tourists’ who are willing to spend their hardearned money to buy a home and live there. Instead they leave you with only debts. We are so disappointed in everything that seemed great about moving to Spain. Paul van der Velden, Brussels

Fighting back I ENJOYED your article on Podemos (Can they or can’t they? issue 199) but I want to expand on exactly what their anti-corruption measures are. Their aim is to make the delivery of justice in this coun-

the olive press - November 13- November 26 2014 an awards ceremony (Being Frank, issue 199). At last, the world’s expert on ugly, over-priced, impracticable, pretentious, and just plain bad architecture speaks out. If anyone knows how to build an even uglier, less useful, more absurdly ostentatious building than the Bilbao Guggenheim then let him or her step up and give the middle finger to Frank Gehry. Okay now, don’t rush. Form an orderly line. There’ll be time for all of us to give him one!

Have you seen a bright green hummer?

Alun Whittaker, Valle de Lecrin

Game over I LIVE in Casares Costa and a few days ago I disturbed a bright green hummingbird that was resting on the clothes drier. My neighbour says she saw one two years ago in a street nearer to the beach. Has anyone else seen hummingbirds in Spain? Where try: (i) expeditious and wellresourced (as opposed to the very slow and bureaucratic process at present); (ii) heavy sentences on corruption, creation of new laws regarding the financing of political parties and increasing the period of prescription to at least 10 years; (iii) to obtain financial recourse for the affected parties (i.e. to get back the stolen money); (iv) provide the system with transparency; and (v) make the system more professional, controlled by the judiciary and the creation

have they come from? Am I right in thinking they shouldn’t be in Europe? Answers much appreciated!

of specialist entities to investigate corruption. I can’t wait to see it in action. German Rodriguez, Malaga

Real tangle HOW difficult is it to get a fishing licence in spain? I have an English licence but can’t get a Spanish one without going on a three-day Spanish-speaking fishing course. Plus the course is only available at certain times of the year. I would hate to be a tourist coming over to fish as

Rosalind Lovelock, Casares it is impossible. There is a big fine if you are found fishing without a licence, and your rods can be taken off you. It’s so easy to change your UK driving licence to Spanish with only a medical check. So why do the Spanish have a problem recognising the official UK fishing licence? Philip Wiggall, Coin

Finger of Frank I WRITE in response to your article on Frank Gehry’s foul-mouthed outburst at

Ramsay revival AFTER watching the episode of Ramsay’s Costa del Nightmares featuring our restaurant La Granada Divino, chef Neil Brown came up with a very scary mask for halloween! But in truth we all thought the show was good, and surprisingly positive compared to Ramsay’s usual debacles. Thank you to Olive Press editor Jon Clarke for his excellent comments on the show. I am absolutely delighted that Neil has kept the format recommended by Ramsay, he has retained the advice given by a superstar chef and as a result has gone from strength to strength. Customers from all over the coast and of all nationalities

IT is becoming more commonly known now that there are major welfare problems with Kim’s Animal Rescue Centre which are not going away. The animals are suffering through lack of food, water, sanitation and, crucially, veterinary care. This has been the case for some time. A rescue’s priority should always be the animals, and if you can’t give them a safe clean environment then let them go to someone who can – personal differences and pride must be put to one side if the animals are the true priority. Kathryn Bigwood, Mijas

Snowballing DO corrupt ministers realise the permanent damage they are causing Spain and its people? If you need to make money here but are not connected to the government’s illegal activities then you may as well leave, because the system is set up to stop you. Mark Donaldson, Sotogrande

Time bomb

SCARY: Ramsay mask have been coming to taste our food. Long may it continue! Milan Varmuza, Gaucin

Rajoy is a dead man walking. The people of Spain need to elect a new party to power. The PP and PSOE are corrupt to the core and should really never be allowed into power again (not without massive ground-up reforms). Unfortunately, some people like corruption and vote for people that best serve and behave like them. Democracy has its limitations. Ryan Taylor, Campillos

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

CROSSMOT 44

Across 1 Settee (4) * 3 Helado (8) * 9 Realizar (7) * 10 Criadas (5) * 11 Disturbing (12) * 13 Touched (6) * 15 Giraffe (6) * 17 Que Representan (12) * 20 Matorral (5) * 21 Inútil (7) * 22 X-Ray (2, 5, 1) * 23 East (4). Down 1 Apoya (8) * 2 Granjas (5) * 4 Común (6) * 5 Fighters (12) * 6 Existed (7) * 7 Mástil (4) * 8 Considerablemente (12) * 12 Ranges (6, 2) * 14 Más Clara (7) * 16 Problemas (6) * 18 Artículos (5) * 19 Utilizado (4).

la cultura

17 www.theolivepress.es

AXARQUIA

the olive press - October 30 - November 12 2014

Bleating the rush hour

Shepherds from across Spain descend on the capital accompanied by their woolly friends

TOUR guides in Madrid were faced with a new flock of tourists to show around the capital this month. Over 2,000 sheep were led through Madrid’s streets by shepherds from across Spain to highlight the threat of modern agriculture and urban expansion to traditional herding. Musicians and dancers dressed in traditional regional outfits joined the shepherds who marched in defence of ancient grazing, herding and migration rights. The protest was fueled by a 700-year-old law that allows farmers to move their livestock through areas that were open pastures and woodland before modern day cities popped up across Spain.

WHITE OUT: Sheep parading through Madrid The sheep were paraded through the city’s most emblematic locations with a stop at city hall where the

chief herdsman paid authorities for the crossing with 25 maravedies, copper coins first minted in the 11th century.

highlight the hard work that went into his seemingly light and playful pieces, including this – one of his most recognised works – Kiss at the Town Hall (1950).

A collection of 50 photographs will be on show as part of the exhibition which runs until January 7.

Andalucian affair

ICONIC: Kiss at the Town Hall, 1950

THEATRE-LOVERS will love International Theatre Studio’s new offering. Comedian Dave Thursby has died. But on the day of his funeral an uninvited mourner arrives to crash the party. Wife After Death is written by Eric Chappell, the creator of Rising Damp. It will be performed at the Atalaya Park Hotel on November 14-16. Tickets are available by calling 852 880 630 mornings, or 952 896 739 evenings and weekends.

what’s on

stepona, November 15, 11am-5pm

Christmas market, at the Palacio de Congresos, with mince pies and mulled wine and a raffle with a first prize of €500.

orre del Mar, November 24, 9am

Coach excursion to Ronda and the Bodega Sangre de Ronda with Lux Mundi. Contact 952 543 334, or email luxmundi@ lux-mundi.org

enalmadena. November 27 The

American Club celebrates its most important festival of the year, Thanksgiving. All nonmembers also welcome. Contact David or Lucca on acbenalmadena@ yahoo.es

os Barrios, November 29 and 30, 11am-9pm

PASSION: Carmen

Grave situation

the olive press Nov 13- Nov 26 2014

Doisneau exposed THE creator of this iconic symbol of Parisian passion is celebrated in a new exhibition in Malaga. French photojournalist Robert Doisneau is world-famous for his street photography. And now, the La Termica contemporary cultural centre has launched an exhibition to

17 17

WINNERS

CONGRATULATIONS to the winners of our latest book giveaway, of Song of Granada by Anne Sikking. Marie Ryan, Cynthia Helm, Erika Van Dyk, Maggie Wilkinson, Vera Cagney, Alex Harley, Berenice Lemeire, Bridget Reynolds, Luc Degens, Sue Simpson. Now turn to Page 52 for our Finca Buenvino cookery book giveaway and the chance to win a stay at Finca Buenvino.

A STAR-studded theatre and dance group from Sevilla is returning from a worldwide tour to showcase the hit show Mi Carmen Flamenca to its native Andalucia. The adaptation of the famous opera Carmen gives a flamenco-infused taste of Andalucia while remaining true to the original script. With a dozen of Andalucia’s best flamenco dancers and five musicians, the Flamenca Antonio Andrade Company is the only purely Andalucian private theatre company. Director Antonio Andrade said: “It is a production of Carmen but with a twist. “We wanted to give Carmen a new character, to give the opera more of a Spanish feel, to make it closer to its Andalucian storyline.” The production will appear at Malaga’s Teatro Cervantes on November 25. Tickets start at €9 and are available at www.unientradas.es

Christmas fair, with pony rides, face-painting, a flamenco choir and lots more. Entrance €3 per vehicle. Carretera Antigua de Los Barrios, 4.5km. Call 677 591 312, or email feriachristmas@ gmail.com

la cultura

the olive press - November 13- November 26 2014

The Queen back

HAVE spent nine days at Churriana. Already I feel rootHoles in the floor and roof, ed in this life and house again, almost as though, 13 smashed windows and a The Queen years ago, I had never left itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, wrote Gerald Brenan in his book, The Face of Spain. of Spainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stolen Virgin, that was the fate literary past Under fire *FREE* When â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Don Geraldoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of the Queen of Los Angeles, first set up his typess re p the home of famous British writer here, little was the olive Hispanist Gerald Brenan. Until known about Andalucia, a region of backthe Olive Press launched a water villages and for Blue plaque campaign to save it. Now mule tracks. Even now, Churriana is an seven years on - the home unassuming town, l has been restored and a new Dressed to kil overshadowed by the chapter of Brenanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life story towering apartment blocks and hotels of can finally begin. By Imogen neighbouring TorremoCalderwood linos. 1Call Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to believe toVĂ ZQUEZ day that the life of one of Spainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest expat writers was played out here, in the house named Reina de Los Angeles (Queen of Los Angeles). But it is only now, with the inauguration of his home as a museum and cultural centre dedicated to his life and work, that the story of Gerald Brenan in Andalucia can finally be told. But the 11th-hour restoration might never have come about but for the efforts of the Olive Press and a small group of dedicated people bent on safeguarding it for future generations. At the packed inauguration, it was touching to see the house reclaim its rightful place at the heart of the expat and Spanish community. WHOLE AT LAST: Brenanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s restored home and (top) our campaigns Silvia Grijalba, coordinator for Casa Gerald Brenan and a journalist for El Mundo, said â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;All around us lay the broad, on the night: â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I started flat, richly cultivated fields, to mature the project recently, spreading like a lake of green the Olive Press was one of the water to the edges of the first newspapers I contacted, mountains,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; wrote Brenan in because of its central role in â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Olive Press has long been essenThe Face of Spain. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;A team of the English-speaking commutial in Andalucia for its critical and honoxen was ploughing and, from nity. est point of view on local and national far away, a boyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s voice carried â&#x20AC;&#x153;The restoration of this house stories. Furthermore, the articles about in gusts of windâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. owes the Olive Press so much. culture are a must. Congratulations on But what he missed most durI am very grateful. People from your brave journey.â&#x20AC;? El Mundo journalist ing his enforced absence was Malaga will come here to see Silvia Grijalba his treasured garden. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;We had this centre and bring the life forgotten what a garden we back to the town.â&#x20AC;? hadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, he wrote of that homeBrenan was drawn by the quiet 1934 and the storm clouds of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Don Carlos was in great dan- coming. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The long path hedged charisma of the town when he war were gathering. ger and we were obliged, every with box bushes, the orange made his home at Number 56, Two years later, as the couple time armed lorries entered and lemon trees, the Japanese Calle Torremolinos. were finishing its transforma- the village, to conceal him in a medlars... the grove of BurAlthough run-down, Brenan tion into a comfortable home, secret cavity in the roof of the mese canes, the pecans and was captivated by the villaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the Spanish Civil War broke bathroomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, writes Brenan in avocado pears and jacaranda neo-classical style, with its â&#x20AC;&#x201C; two acres and more enclosed out. It was especially bad news The Face of Spain. soaring tower, romantic cobfor the houseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s previous owner. Eventually, Brenan organised by high white walls and irrigatbled courtyard and fountain Carlos Larios was a falangist a pass for Larios on a British ed from a raised tank in front where pigeons splashed and Franco-supporter, a prime tar- destroyer to get him out of the of the central patio. We walked cooed. get for the working-class syndi- country. But it was too late. about in a sort of enchantBought for a mere ÂŁ1,200 cates who controlled the town. The damage to the Brenansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ment, amazed that this wonfrom a member of Malagaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s derful garden, Desperate for a safe place to reputation was wealthy merchant class, Don with its wealth lie low, the compassionate Bre- already done. Carlos Crooke Larios, it was We walked about, of flowers and nan took him in, although it put Hounded out the ideal love nest for Brenan handsome the lives of his household in the village for amazed that and his new wife, American trees, should jeopardy. suspected poet Gamel Woolsey. But it was this wonderful be oursâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. right-wing symgarden should be From within the pathies, the ours gardenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s walls author and his he found inspiwife had no ration to write choice but to some of his greatest works: return to England. It was here in 1943 that Bre- The Face of Spain (1951) and nan wrote his first Spanish South from Granada (1957). masterpiece, The Spanish Ernest Hemingway and BerLabyrinth, a socio-political ac- trand Russell spent their holicount of the run-up to the civil days here, along with friends war. It has been hailed as the from the artistic Bloomsbury most perceptive study of mod- Group, drawn by the glamorous ern Spain ever published by a dinner parties, endless drinks and late nights spent setting British writer. External forces kept the cou- the world to rights. ple away from Spain for more â&#x20AC;&#x153;I met Gerald first as a child,â&#x20AC;? than a decade but in 1949 recalls his godson, the writer they were able to return to the Carlos Pranger, one of those dream home where they had instrumental in the houseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s IN THE OLD DAYS: the house before the vandalism renaissance. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I came to the begun their married life. the olive press

- Western Edition

- Issue 18

feature

10 CAPTION:

ress.es

www.theolivep

blaze Was new Ronda rately in a bid started delibe ing permission? to get plann p3 see

mber 7th 2007

AndalucĂaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Fortnightly

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

So what if GERALD BRENAN lived here 1934-1969?

page 14

News Publicatio

Septe on** Issue 17, **Western Editi

HATRICK S SCORES A OLIVE PRES two, but THREE top - Not one, not for us. This week authors write and Jason Webster. Giles Tremlett s Stewart Next issue, Chri

destruction neglect, Trembling with historic is BrenanÂ´st to be home abou flats? converted into

piles bricked up and its front door state of the former decaying with sorry DERELICT and in its garden, this is the writers. famous British in, the house was to of rubbish strewn SpainÂ´s most home of one of the roof and windows kicked Brenan, whose bethe life of Gerald Tiles falling off and tribute to the Spanish Labyrinth have become a museum Granada and the world. books South from rs both here and around Russell, among many Bertand de la come huge bestselle Hemingway andpromise by Malaga mayor Ernest by Visited glory. under an election d back to its former famous writers, page 9 it was be renovate Continued on Torre in 1998

Construcciones

The

The Stores Villagee Stores Villag es Groceries

English Groceri English

Best value builders in the Sierra

Estepa 6, Estepa Andalucia, 6, Avenida Andalucia, Avenida 955944262 955944262 Mollina 43, Mollina C/Carretera,, 43, C/Carretera 952740314 952740314 CAFE INTERNET CAFE NEW NEW INTERNET ESTEPA IN INESTEPA

Call us for a quote

650795416

s free free

s 3 minute minute 30 ad with this thisad with

feria time again HURRAH! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dressed Damas will for Rondaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s well 12 chosen girls Goyescas. The a number of civic be performingfiesta week. And to duties during watch the famous cap it all, get toght on Saturday, Goyesca bullfi by horse and totally free, arriving the toreros. Spainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s carriage with cribed bullfight is oversubs most d to expect a this year rumoure Nicholas Sarkozy, visit from one You read it heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll the PM of France. doubt though, here first. We current street price, a be paying the 900 euros for said to be over shade. good seat in the

s SL Property Reform tion,

All types of construc g, renovations, plumbiny electrics & carpentr ra to Olvera from Anteque

Call for a quote

628 578 544

hotmail. com onecallr eforms@

s, ed for treasure has been ransack s virgin STOLEN: House this priceles including recently

Morente Bar

hed Longest establis Mollina British bar in

and tapas All types of food ip football Live Premiersh till late Open from 10am Closed Thursday Calle Carretera,

44, Mollina

Telephone 6271359

Happy 200!

Hemingway for lunch, fascists hiding in the bathr beatnik blondes stayin reported that Geral g for years. After the Olive oom, Press of collapse, CARL d Brenanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s former home is in danger OS PRANGER and wonderful JON of the last ancho story of the Reina de Los AngelCLARKE tell the rs to Andaluciaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; s important literaes, which is one constant presence of dozens of emaciated cats. ry past Its neo-classic country

IT was the days before the heady tourist invasion of the late 1950s. Hardly a mile inland now-famous golden from the still under al style had, in sands of particular, Torremolinos, Churriana tion after the war. reconstruc- spite two tenants appealed to Brenanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still was a quiet backwater Clearly showing occupying the groundstubbornly of a village, with new American wife Gamel Woolfloor. only one car. sey, who had no the village was how beautiful They soon left, intention of livin those days, Still waiting for he wrote: â&#x20AC;&#x153;All around the â&#x20AC;&#x153;corrupt and and following the hordes of ing in the remote backwater of Scandinavians broad, flat, richly us lay the tions of the 1950s,rottenâ&#x20AC;? condiand British to Yegen, in the Alpujarras, where by the 1960s cultivated and start disgorging Gerald had been fields, spreading the advent of living for years. from the glistening themselves They instead green water to thelike a lake of things improved package tours, opted would herald the DC10s that stunning Churriana to buy the mountains. A team edges of the Those who knew a little. villa for just package holiday, birth of the 1,200 pounds ploughing and fromof oxen was remember it as Churriana then from a member being far convenient away poor and childrenSpain was still of Malagaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wealthy a and attractive. boyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s voice, carried It was close to merchant in gusts of Malaga and dressed in rags.were hungry class, Don Carlos wind.â&#x20AC;? and the beaches Crooke Larios. of TorThis austerity was But it was the garden remolinos, as well clearly as that was port, reflected in the house Turbulent times to make the biggest which was then justthe airimpression. a small ed writer Gerald of celebratDespite being left to their former white villa with a bar and a reshad lived in Spain Brenan, who It was 1934 and servants - Antonio, taurant where one these were exciton and off for many decades. ing, if turbulent Maria - during theirRosario and drink and watch could eat and times to live in the planes come Reina de Los Spain, the country cultivation (the houseabsence for in to land. Angeles (the attempting to Queen of the Angels) forge a new democracy rented to raise money was to be . obliged, every ber 56, calle Torremolinat num- Despite war approachin it was in impeccable for taxes) The place to be os had a Brenans order. g, the ries entered thetime armed lor- He wrote: certain touch of went about village, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The posada discomfort: tepid food, business of renovating the costly ceal him in a secret cavityto con- forgotten whatgarden! We had Churriana dishes soon become a in the had. a garden the house roof of the clean in cold water, scrubbed into a modern refbathroom.â&#x20AC;? The long path hedged we uge for people who were growwith ing tired poured into smarter cheap wine dards) liveable (by 1930s stan- He continued: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Eventually box of the home. But bottles, no cally, after on bushes, the orange and lemfireplaces, no bathroom, first invasions of coast and the having spent over typi- considerable risk and anxiety trees, the Japanese tourists. It was nor, for to 1,000 all of medlars that matter, any running water pounds on the renovation, war him us, I obtained a pass for ... the grove of Burmese canes, cheaper to live there than along at all. and put him on a was indeed to break British de- the pecans and avocado pears the coast and a large house out in 1936. stroyer.â&#x20AC;? The lavatory was with and jacaranda â&#x20AC;&#x201C; servants did not flushed by a jug It might not have been so bad But two acres and cost a great deal of water, while baths the damage was had the Brenanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s done, and more enclosed by high white to run. not taken the with many in tubs with water were taken charitable decision walls According to heated from the to shelter of being a then suspecting him raised and irrigated from a folklore, four the hearth. former owner Crooke houses right wing sympathitank were in to become the key front of the cenNonetheless, the - a Falangist Franco-sup Larios ser, Brenan and his wife social life centres 200-year-old who decided tral patio. We walked villa - which sprawled needed somewhere porter - they had no choice but to return a sort of enchantme about in The grandest and of the area. over 400 certain nt, amazed tant most importo square metres persecution from hide to England, where he went on to that this wonderful garden, was La Consula, and owned the write, The Spanish with large tropical garden boasted a working class Labyrinth, a its wealth of flowers and hand- an American couple, Bill by mediately attracted - had im- held the town. syndicates who key work analysing the and Ann Davies. As causes of some trees, should be ours.â&#x20AC;? well as Brenan the Civil War. was to write South Brenan, who While Brenan The main problem there was a writer was a man of the The da, among many from Grana- left and a Republican couple house was being was that the pert called Freddy and wine exother books in rented to five sympathi- over a decade,would not return for separate Wildman who the house. ser, he knew the rented Cortijo until in 1949 families. man personally turned It had a big tower and was happy to the â&#x20AC;&#x153;dreamâ&#x20AC;? home,they re- poverty â&#x20AC;&#x153;similar A time of great sculptor BayardBuenavista and to oblige, even they had and a romanto Osborneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s La tic cobbled courtyard though it was extremely begun married life. where the Revolutionâ&#x20AC;?, Russia before Casa Nueva. wrote with dangerBrenan, His wife It was to be a moving a ous for him. fountain where Pilar doves homecom- while they had looked after ing, as and cooed. All around splashed As he explained the calls: â&#x20AC;&#x153;There Osborne, 72, rein his later book Spain, recorded in The Face of house, they were not prepared were only two was the The Face to written move places in out of Spain: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We Churriana, and to be back then. without a struggle. were giving an accurate Either image of a Regardless, on January 7, 1953 in Cadaques in Catalonia, where they finally moved the Guinness family back in, de- home, had or in Churriana. their They

la cultura

19 19

on her throne

the olive press - November 13- November 26 2014

Back in the spotlight

PROUD: Carlos Pranger

TREASURED POSSESSIONS: Brenan’s record player and typewriter house a lot while I was growing Our outrage was infectious. Naup and it was a truly amazing tional newspapers took up the place. call and finally the town hall re“But what always struck me alised that this historic national was the marvellous garden. It treasure was at risk of being was full of tropical trees and lost forever. water features, and was an idyl- Driven by the energetic force of lic place for a child to play.” Brenan’s stepson, Carlos, with It makes it even more aston- help from Olive Press and El ishing that this vital link to An- Mundo journalists, the gradual dalucia’s literary past was so restoration began. casually abandoned and left to “The Olive Press was instrudisintegrate into dust. mental in getting things going. Passing from owner to owner It was that campaign, and the after Brenan left Churriana for impact it had on the EnglishAlhaurin el Grande at the be- speaking community in the ginning of the 70s, vandalism area, that drove the restoraand neglect took their toll on its tion,” says Carlos. noble façade. “This house is Seven years a piece of hisago, the oncetory, and it is a The Olive Press pristine whitereal shame it campaign was washed walls was left in that instrumental had turned to state for so in driving the grimy grey, the long. But now windows that we can rebuild restoration once glowed that spirit and with warm work on returnlamplight had been kicked in ing it to its place at the centre by vandals and the 200-year- of the community.” old villa was crumbling to dust. Others who knew the Brenans Most shocking of all, the Olive have their own tales to tell, Press discovered inside the bringing the house and its hisdecaying property plans by the tory back to life. then town hall to turn it into “The conversation was always flats. fantastic,” recalls Cuban-born It was September 2007, and Pilar Osborn, wife of sculptor we were so shocked by the Bayard Osborn who lived in plans and the extent of the Churriana, in a house called La damage – including the theft Casa Nueva. of a wooden statue of the Vir- “We would discuss politics and gin Mary from the side gate – literature and the conversathat we launched a campaign tions would go on forever. We to save the house. would arrive at 8pm and not

HISPANIST: Gerald Brenan himself

even sit down for dinner until 11pm and it would go on and on and on, way into the early hours.” Those stories were reprised on the night of the inauguration party as the laughter of Britons, Americans and Spaniards spilled out of the newly whitewashed ‘house-museum’ into the street. Inside, where flamenco music and applause from upstairs echoed in the stairwell, Brenan’s most treasured possessions were on show. Donated by Carlos, there’s his record player and a selection of wellpreserved vinyl discs; bookcases crammed full of the thousands of books he read; and, in pride of place, the old typewriter on which he composed some of his finest works. Celbrated Irish-born expat writer Ian Gibson was one of the speakers at the inauguration. Clearly touched by the admiration being expressed for a man who inspired his own career, he told the Olive Press: “I dedicated one of my books to Brenan. The dedication read, ‘without him, this book might never have been’. “He inspired me to write as I do, and some of my work has picked up where he left off. He was always a great conversationalist and letter writer, I am honoured he considered me a follower in his footsteps.” Looking at the house today, with the Virgin Mary’s newly-restored statue back where she belongs, Carlos is nostalgic for the house of his childhood. “It has taken a very long time to get to where we are today, and a great deal of hard work,” he says. “But we mustn’t let it stop here, and let the house fade back into oblivion. We have a great opportunity to restore the heart of the expat community, and we can’t let it stop now.” But this isn’t just a story about one man and his house. It is about all adventurers and dreamers who leave their homeland for distant shores and make a difference there. It is an inspirational story for expats today, as well as a treasured piece of British and American cultural heritage on the Costa del Sol. It is a story that must never be forgotten.

Casa Gerald Brenan sheds light on a neglected chapter of the writer’s life, writes his godson Carlos Pranger

ERALD Brenan became a celebrity but there are parts of his life that have never received enough attention. The years he spent in Churriana, for example, were essential to his career as they gave him his inspiration. In September 2007, the Olive Press published an article about Gerald Brenan’s house in Churriana. The title could not have been more appropriate: ‘The Queen of Spain’s literary past’. Malaga Town Hall had bought the house to create a cultural centre but, after endless bureaucratic delays, Brenan’s life in Churriana seemed destined for oblivion. The article’s impact was crucial to speeding the rehabilitation of the building. Now the initiative and inspiring ideas of Spanish writer Silvia Grijalba are bringing the project to life. The beautifully-restored house museum magically conjures up the atmosphere of Brenan’s time, when every visitor felt free to create: to write, to play music, to paint. It will be a meeting point for the English-speaking and Spanish worlds, and hopefully the most important cultural melting pot of the Costa del Sol. The opening was frenetic. It seemed like the whole of Malaga had arrived to honour Gerald’s memory and old friends were reunited. Indeed, it was just like the days when Brenan gave his wonderful parties there!

la cultura

the olive press - November 13- November 26 2014

Author Chris Stewart is back with more hilarious tales of his adventures (and misadventures) in the Alpujarras. In the first of an exclusive serialisation from his fifth book The Last Days of the Bus Club – the former Genesis drummer is in trouble with the River Authority...

ESPITE my bravado, I was quite seriously worried. As the worry grew, I started to come out in boils, and all manner of unpleasant ailments began to assail my person. This thing was in me and doing me harm. Then one day, notification of a registered letter arrived in my post office box from Medio Ambiente – the Environment Department. I looked at the envelope for a bit, then tore into it. ‘LEVE’ was the first word I saw, because it was in capitals. Leve means ‘light’ … it seemed that my misdemeanour was being considered by the administration as ‘light’, i.e. not serious. I read on. The denouement was on the last of five pages: if within thirty days you have not appealed against our decision, you must pay a fine of ninety euros. Ninety euros! That was probably about a fifth of what the original permission to work on the river would have cost me, had I actually applied for it. This was as good a piece of news as the news that somebody wants ninety euros off you can be. I resolved to pay the word of anything but Spanish. fine without further ado, and That’s OK. They’re nice people accordingly scanned the rest of and do what they can to run a the letter to see how one went halfway decent bank. Augustín about paying it. It seemed that I in particular is always at pains would need a form called Mod- to ensure that our every whim elo 047. I went back to the post is catered for. He seems to be office, because sometimes you in a constant state of agitation can pay these things through about the parlous state of our that august institution, but no, accounts, and the utter fiscal they hadn’t the first idea what a chaos that reigns amongst Modelo 047 was, or how to go them, and he is always on the about paying the fine. lookout for one or other of us to ‘Try the bank,’ they suggested. ‘have a talk about it’. Our local bank in Órgiva moves He got hold of Ana a few with the times. Given that a months ago; she was in the fair proportion bank and unof their clienable to slither They don’t tele is Englishaway quickly speak English. speaking, they enough. have decided ‘Ana,’ said AuApart from a to get in on the gustín, ‘I think very garbled act. The first that between ‘goomorrnin’ manifestation us we could of this forwardmake a better looking policy job of organiswas a big poster in the bank ing your financial situation.’ and a set of fliers in a heap on ‘Claro, Augustín,’ she said, trythe counter. These advertised ing to sidle off. ‘On-Line Banking’, and un- ‘We need to maximise the derneath the announcement growth potential of your deposof this unusual service, the its,’ he continued. ‘You underbaldly mendacious statement, stand what I’m saying?’ ‘We Speak English’. They don’t Ana was eventually only able to speak English. Apart from the get away by promising to send very charming Augustín, who me in to discuss matters. can greet you with a garbled Thus betrayed by my own wife, and almost unrecognisable I was unable to go anywhere ‘goomorrnin’, and might on oc- near the bank for a long time. casions be persuaded to count But to cut to the chase: having from one to ten, nobody has a drawn a blank with the Modelo

BRIDGE OVER WATER TROUBLE: Chris Stewart attempts to pay an impossible fine

Form of madness

HAPPY FAMILIES: Chris, Ana, Chloë and Boa

WIN WIN WIN

FIVE lucky Olive Press readers are in with a chance to win a copy of Chris Stewart’s new book The Last Days of the Bus Club. For a chance to win, just answer this simple question: What is the name of Chris Stewart’s first book? Send your answers to newsdesk@theolivepress.es

047 at the post office, where they hadn’t a clue about it, and in the town hall, where Mayor Mari-Ángeles was out having coffee, I decided to try the bank, in the hope that Augustín might not be waiting for me. To check that he wasn’t there I peered through the double security airlock (a curious invention that means you can’t get in while another person is trying to come out). It was rather dark in there. There was a figure waiting for the electronic permission to burst out into the rarefied atmosphere of the high street, with its smell of coffee, roasting chicken and patchouli oil. And then, bang! – the door flew open – and there like some sort of fairy godmother stood Augustín. He looked at me censoriously. ‘Goomorrnin Cristóbal,’ he said. ‘Ah, Augustín … er, I was just going into the bank,’ I explained. ‘What for, Cristóbal? Can I be of help?’ ‘Um, no, I don’t want to molest you during your coffee break.’ ‘No, let me see. What is it?’ ‘Oh, it’s a fine that I have to pay to Medio Ambiente. It’s not a lot of money but I can’t work out how to go about paying it and nobody seems able to help me. I need, apparently, to get hold of a Modelo 047.’ ‘047?’ said Augustín with a

chuckle. ‘That’s easy: you just download it from the Internet, fill it in. All they want is your name and address and the amount of money to be paid and that’s it, pan comido.’ ‘Simple as that?’ ‘Simple as that. Here, give it to me and I’ll do it after my coffee; it’ll only take a minute.’ ‘A thousand thanks, Augustín, that’s so kind of you,’ and I was almost on the verge of adding, ‘maybe we could sit down for a bit and see if we can’t make some sense of our bank accounts’, but some blessed angel drew me back from the brink. So I went off into the town to deal with a few other pressing matters. When I passed the bank again – Órgiva is not such a big town that you can go anywhere without repeatedly passing the bank – there were no customers, so I decided to nip in and check that the transaction had gone through. ‘Ah, Cristóbal,’ said Augustín. ‘I haven’t done it yet; I got busy. We’ll do it right now.’ And he moused about with the computer on his desk. He scrolled down, clicked a bit, and moused some more … He frowned, reached for the form I had given him, scanned it a bit, frowned some more and returned to mousing. ‘047,’ said Augustín. ‘Hmm.

21 the olive press - November 13 - November 26 201421 21

www.theolivepress.es

the olive press - November 13- November 26 2014 There’s a 046 and a 048, but I can’t find the 047. It doesn’t seem to be here.’ He frowned some more and flipped through the five pages of the document. ‘I know what we’ll do,’ he said brightly. ‘We’ll ring them. There’s a number here.’ He dialled a number. The phone rang four or five times, then came a long, speedily jabbered formula, ending in something like ‘How may I help you?’ ‘It’s Augustín from the bank in Órgiva …’ At this, he was cut off, and I heard synthesised muzak. It was, as far as I could gather, a cod ‘Für Elise’, played on an electronic glockenspiel. After about five minutes, during which Augustín continued mousing and clicking in a small way, the muzak stopped. There was silence. ‘Speak to me,’ said Augustín. ‘Dígame.’ But nobody did; there was nobody there. He frowned again and leafed through the papers, then dialled another number. I could hear the ringing, and then another jabbered formula. ‘It’s Augustín here, from Órgiva, and I’ve got a customer who wants to pay a …’ ‘You’ll be needing an 047, then,’ said the voice. ‘Yes, but …’ ‘Wait, I’m going to give you another number to ring.’ Augustín jotted down the number and, with a sigh, dialled it. He gave me a look of mock despair, and grinned, but wanly, then dialled the next number he had written on my form. After the inevitable jabbered reply he start-

Nuts!

Chris Stewart on the perils of almond harvesting

BITTER-SWEET: Chris’ verdict on the almond harvest ed doodling as more muzak – a jaunty Casio-generated flamenco number this time – played. I found myself wondering what Kafka would have made of telephone muzak. ‘Good day. It’s Augustín here from Órgiva and I want to pay a fine to the department of the environment …’ ‘It’ll be a Modelo 047 you want…’ ‘Yes, but I don’t seem to be able to download it…’ ‘That would be because you can’t download the 047; only the 046 …’ ‘What do I do, then?’ There was a silence, during which Augustín fiddled with his biro.

HE almond trees on the hillside above the farm had been more or less abandoned and so many had reverted to bitter almonds, as they do in the wild. Actually, it was a bit more troublesome than that, as they often had some branches of bitter almonds and some sweet. Now, you can’t tell the difference between a sweet almond and a bitter one just by looking at it; you have to taste them. And, worse than that, it takes time for the bitterness to develop in your mouth, so you have to make a proper job of mastication, really grind them up with those molars. Then, and only then, do you know if you’ve got a sweet almond,

DOG DAYS: Chris walking Bumble ‘I tell you what: I’ll give you another number to ring; this is not really my department,

which is as subtly delicious as a nut can be … or a bitter almond, a thing which all of a sudden fills your mouth with the vilest bile, tasting intensely of cyanide and vomit. You can get used to anything, though, and it was said that the old folks of the Alpujarras developed a taste for bitter almonds, to the extent that there were, for many years, posters published by the state against the practice. Twenty bitter almonds will kill you, they said. For they don’t just taste of cyanide; the amygdalin in almonds is converted by enzymes in your stomach to cyanide itself. Naturally, it fell to me to check out the almonds. Ana would watch me for telltale signs as I

you see …’ I smiled gratefully at Augustín. I could see that his patience was soon going to run out, but I wanted to keep him hanging in there till we got some sort of a result. Augustín dialled the new number and avoided looking directly at me while he awaited results. Soon a person came on the line who seemed to know what we were talking about, and to have a sound grasp of administrative procedure. ‘… so I think you ought perhaps to get in touch with Madrid,’ I heard him say. I can hardly expect you to believe me when I say that Augustín made no less than nine phone calls in search of

masticated furiously. If my features were suffused with sweet relief, we would spread the net and attack the tree with our long canes; if, as was more often the case, I started to gag and retch and spit out the bitter, bitter paste, we would move on. By the end of the first morning I had such a god-awful bellyache that we decided to abandon the almond harvest altogether. I wasn’t going to go down with cyanide poisoning just for the handful of pesetas that our miserable crop would bring in.

information on how to pay my fine, and in the end threw in the towel. ‘I’m so sorry, Cristóbal,’ he said, ‘but it’s beaten me. Forgive me, but I can’t see how to solve this. ou’re on your own.’ I was starting, by this time, to think in an urgent way about some lunch, so I was quite relieved when Augustín finally admitted defeat. I went home for lunch and flipped my way through the letter again. It was pretty unfathomable, but all in all I figured that we had been going about it in the wrong way. I reckoned that what I ought to do was to sign the letter, to give the impression that I was in agreement with what it said

– which broadly speaking I was – and then send the signed letter back to Medio Ambiente. Upon receipt of it they might see fit to send me a copy of the undownloadable Modelo 047. Thereafter I could hand over their, or rather my, ninety euros and rest easy once more. This I did, and at the moment of writing – two years, and counting, after consigning the letter (registered) to the post – I’m still waiting for a reply. Last Days of the Bus Club by Chris Stewart, published May 2014; £7.99 Sort of Books, www.sortof.co.uk More of Chris’s adventures next issue.

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014

N E P O H T N2O8 W

www.theolivepress.es

ll about

the olive press - November 13- November 26 2014

August 7 - August 20 2014

enahavis

Benahavis is home to some of the world’s wealthiest people, a haven for fine art, fabulous scenery, fantastic golf and first-class cuisine – all within minutes of the Costa del Sol. Tom Powell heads for the hills to sample a slice of the A-list’s Arcadia

Billionaires’ paradise

I PICTURESQUE: Benahavis nestled in the foothills of the Serrania de Ronda

T is the nearest thing to paradise I have ever seen, at least in Europe,” is how Lord Stanley Fink described his home in La Zagaleta, the wildly exclusive country estate that has helped to put Benahavis on the world map. Coming from the former treasurer of the UK’s Conservative Party, that’s some en-

dorsement! And the British peer gets to be there, ‘virtually’, even when he’s miles away in London. “The screen saver of my computer in London is a picture of the views of the golf course from my house,” he revealed. Lord Fink is one of 230 privileged buyers Continues on to next page

Dream Cars:Layout 1 10/11/2014 11:09 Page 1

ClassiC Cars to rent or buy restoration of Classic Cars

C/ Málaga 22. benahavís. Málaga. 669 548 082 • 609 806 705 952 856 248

Porsche 911 Targa 1979

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014

ll about

B enahavis

www.theolivepress.es

A celebrity hideout CHARMING: The picturesque town centre and (left) a beautiful statue

From previous page

IT’S A SIGN: To the Costa del Sol’s dining room

who own a home in the billionaires’ enclave, where average house prices hover at over the €10 million mark. Although the identity of residents is normally shrouded in secrecy, Hugh Grant and Rod Stewart reportedly own homes there, as well as the former mayor of Moscow. But the rural retreat for the super-rich was thrust into the media spotlight two years ago when the Olive Press first revealed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s interest in a 10-bedroom palace being built there. On a tour of the urbanisation earlier this year,

the amazing house - which boasts a helipad, spa and gym - was still under construction with dozens of builders’ vans parked around it. Whether or not the Russian

supremo has really bought the property is still open to debate. While some well connected Benahavis property figures still insist it is the case, officially the story is denied.

When coupled with the other celebrated millionaires enclave of nearby El Madronal, it is perhaps no surprise that Benahavis is the wealthiest town, per capita, in Spain... and one of

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 201425

www.theolivepress.es

the olive press - November 13- November 26 2014

“We moved to Spain for the Andalucia’s richest town halls. lifestyle and the Spanish culBut the town’s wealth can ture, and Benahavis has it all. equally be measured in other “It’s the perfect place to bring ways: by its stunning scenery, up kids as there is so much attractive architecture, nine to do, and we love it all,” great golf courses – some said Bentley, who lives with of the Costa del Sol’s finest his young family near Los fairways to heaven – and the Arqueros Golf and Country infinite opporClub and owns tunities for fine shares in La dining. Indeed, Bena- Enticing restaurants Sala restaurant tumble over each group, which havis is known as ‘the dining other through the has joints in room of the charming squares both Marbella Costa del Sol’, and winding streets and nearby San Pedro. and its Escuela “I play golf very Hosteleria (caoften but we tering college) also go horse riding and walkis not the only reason! ing, plus being so close to the Enticing restaurants tumble coast we do a lot of watersover each other through the ports.” charming squares and windIt is the actual arrival into the ing streets of this picturesque village that really takes your mountain village, attracting breath away. gourmet diners from miles One minute you are on a clasaround. Classy, yet authentic, sic built up stretch of the Costhe village frays at the edges ta del Sol and the next driving into wild scenery that’s perfect through a practically virgin valfor walking up an appetite. ley with breathtaking views of As former premiership footmountains in the distance. baller David Bentley told the Just a short windy 7km from Olive Press earlier this year:

the coast, Benah av i s p e rc h e s on the southern edge of the Serrania de Ronda. The Las Angosturas gorge at the village entrance offers an incredible 60 rock climbing routes and is always dotted with daring, roped-up ‘spidermen’. The Rio Guadalmina, cascading down to the coast, is another invigorating experience if you don’t mind clambering, sliding and, occasionally, swimming through it. “I never ever tire of the drive into Benahavis through the gorge, and at certain times of day the light is incredible, unlike anything I have seen elsewhere,” said British expat Nicola Mizen of Altavista estate agents, who moved to the village with her husband and daughter eight years ago.

EVOCATIVE: Newer developments retain an authentic feel

FAMOUS FACES: (Clockwise from top) Tony Blair, Vladimir Putin, Hugh Grant and Rod Stewart and David Bentley (in circle, on right)

“Best of all, our ‘citizen card’ from the town hall entitles us to lots of facilities for the whole family, such as a free driving range and a wonderful community pool.” Mountain bikes, mopeds and golf buggies abound, as do expats, but the invasion of the modern world has not spoiled the charm and authenticity. West of the village, the road rises vertiginously to the crumbling Moorish Montemayor Castle atop Benahavis’ tallest mountain, a strategic vantage point for photographers today as it was for sentries in times gone by. It is said that underground passageways connected the castle to the coast, which the Arabs used to move soldiers, food and weapons. Founded at the end of the 11th century, Benahavis also has Arabic origins and takes its name from Havis, a Moorish prince who ruled from the castle (in Arabic, ‘Bin al Havis’ means ‘son of Havis’), making it one of the few Spanish names where the ‘h’ is pronounced. History notes that, after Montemayor castle was captured by Catholic Monarchs in the 15th century, a 350-year war broke out between Benahavis and Marbella, until the village achieved independent community status. It may have been a bitter divorce but, today, the glitzy coastal resort and the charming mountain retreat are the ideal two-centre holiday partnership!

YOUR SHOP, BAR AND TASTING ROOM EXCLUSIVE WINES AND SELECTED PRODUCTS • Room for private meetings • Wine tasting • Iberian products, delicatessen and olive oil • Wide range of wines and microbrews • Spirits, whiskey, vodka, gin • Advance booking for wine tastings

FLEUR DE LYS OPENING SOON New Location Our Main Business Partner Urbanisation La Aldea Pza Camilo Jose Cela Local 02 29679 Benahavis Malaga tel: (0034) 951 778 153 mov: (0034) 622 084 133 – (0034) 690 714 927 bodegongallery@gmail.com www.bodegongallery.com

B enahavis

www.theolivepress.es

the olive press - November ll about13 - November 26 2014

Architect Christian Cabral talks to the Olive Press about inspiration, the environment and Benahavis property

A heterogeneous place What is the construction industry like in Benahavis? Benahavis is a large and heterogeneous area; the historic town, developments such as La Quinta and Alqueria and the exclusive developments like Zagaleta and Marbella Club. Each presents different requirements, and recently the demand for new builds has started to increase. I have noticed a definite increase in new consultations which I hope indicates some recovery in the economy. What drew you to architecture? I was always fascinated with buildings and their capacity to carry a cultural ‘message’. Even very small changes can have a big impact. Sustainability and consideration of the environment are always key, and I enjoy developing and combining traditional with modern concepts. Where did you train? I studied architecture at the University of Buenos Aires before leaving Argentina in 2001 to travel around Europe. After spending some time in Madrid I moved to the Costa del Sol, where I am now opening an office in Benahavis. Why have you settled in Andalucia? For me, Andalucia is a place that allows you to open the ‘door’ on to nature; you have immediate access to the sea, mountains, fresh air, and of course the sunshine! What do you think about Andalucia’s architectural style? I like the principles of designing to adapt to the climate. This is one of the basic concepts of ‘sustainable architecture’, which is increasingly fashionable, but is not often incorporated into design. Contact Christian Cabral on 622 113 826 or 627 805 581, or email ug.architecture@gmail.com, or visit his office at 4 Calle Estepona, open for consultations Wednesday 4-8pm, or other days by appointment

PUTIN’S PALACE: The €19 million Zagaleta mansion linked to Vladimir Putin and (below) the village

Fit for a president ‘SECRETIVE’, ‘exclusive’ and ‘elite’ – it can only be La Zagaleta, said to be Europe’s most expensive residential estate and country club. It is home to some of the world’s richest businessmen, oligarchs and celebrities, up in the hills above Benahavis and with all-encompassing views along the Costa del Sol and out to Gibraltar and Africa.

Christian Cabral - Architect                                

Residential & Commercial New Constructions Extensions Renovations Refurbishment Energy Certificates

“Dedicated to excellence in design & customer care” www.cabralarchitects.eu

tel. 622.113.826 / 627.805.581

Swimming in riches and swirling with rumours Zagaleta is an undeniably desirable place to live. Tom Powell gains unprecedented access into ‘Europe’s most exclusive residential development’ Surrounded by rumours and jealousy – and one of the world’s slickest security operations – Zagaleta has the mysterious allure of a place that is both known, yet completely unknown. And the latest rumour (well it’s been rumbling around now for two years - first reported by the Olive Press) is that none other than Russian president Vladimir Putin is close to finishing a €19 million palace built within its borders. The soaring mansion, sitting atop its very own peak, was revealed to be owned by a group of six incredibly wealthy men by the Olive Press earlier this year. Whether one of them is Putin cannot, and might never, be proved. What is for sure though is that this 2,200-acre enclave is exactly the kind of place one could imagine a Russian president residing. Flying in

by helicopter and luxuriating at his 10-bedroom mansion, taking a dip in the infinity pool before entertaining the elite. The villas vary dramatically, from elegant Moorish designs with sea views to new modern builds surrounded by forest, each complete with pools and jacuzzi though. But the best views are found at the estate’s helipad, which allows those with the deepest pockets to land at Malaga airport in their private jet, hop on a helicopter and 10 minutes later they are sipping a cocktail by their pool. And Zagaleta certainly provides the security required to relax and unwind, with armed guards and pack dogs constantly patrolling on and off road. Every property is also directly linked to central security, meaning touching a panic button delivers the weight of Zagaleta’s forces to your

YOUR BUILDER IN BENAHAVIS

Delivering your requirements to the highest standards ES. 696.398.551

EN. 616.931.970

SECURE: La Zagaleta is highly guarded 24/7

doorstep within seconds. And it wouldn’t be the Costa del Sol without a stunning, top-of-the-range golf course. Well, Zagaleta has two. And there is no problem getting a tee time, as long as you have a home there, that is. The clubhouse was originally the home of disgraced former billionaire businessman Adnan Khashoggi, and he clearly had an eye for a good view. The entrance is studded with his hunting trophies – stag heads – and the communal areas are elegantly furnished. After his fall from grace for arms dealing, the estate was confiscated and then purchased by its current owners – a Spanish/Swiss consortium – in the mid 1980s. The development officially began being marketed in 1991 and has been regarded as the height of luxury living ever since. Currently around 30% of residents are British, 30% German, 15% Scandinavian and 10% Russian. So far 250 homes have been built, but there is room for 410 and another zone at the far end of the estate is soon to be released.

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 201427 27

www.theolivepress.es

the olive press - November 13- November 26 2014

Artistic hive T ORIGINAL: The oldest studio of sculptor David Marshall

Benahavis is the perfect village for artists and art-lovers, and always has been

BEST BUSTS: Sculptor Venancio Sanchez Ole Ole:Layout 1 05/11/2014 16:32 Page 1

OLÉ OLÉ. Antiques, Delicatessen & Gifts. C/ Málaga 22. Benahavís. Málaga. 669 548 082 • 609 806 705 • 952 856 248 oleole.gifts@gmail.com

HERE has long been a strong artists’ presence in Benahavis, centred on the gallery of famous sculptor David Marshall, tucked away in the charming La Aldea urbanisation, which he designed. The Scottish artist lived here for more than four decades, while his son Scott owns local estate agents PropertieSpain. “It has always been a village of artists and artisans,” explains sculptor Venancio Sanchez, 39, who recently opened a studio in the town. “First of all it is surrounded by stunning nature and secondly you could always find good local materials out of which to make baskets and weavings, etc,” he adds. The Granada-raised artist began playing and moulding mud into shapes as a child, before later attending eight years at art school. As well as teaching, he has over a dozen of his remarkable bronze statues scattered around the region, sitting on benches and standing in squares. He has even created a famous statue of recently-beatified Fray Leopoldo in the nearby Serrania village of Alpandeire. His studio is littered with photos of the famous politicians he has worked with and a range of his original sculptures. “Most of my clients come from England, Germany and Belgium and most importantly I want to stress that I work with them here in my studio, ending up with an incredible bronze bust of them.” Another exciting new opening is the Ole Ole gallery just up the road. Full of fabulous curios and antiques, the Granada couple who own the shop, also collect vintage cars. Look out for ancient Roman amphoras, a pair of wooden angels from Belgium, as well as collectable coins, materials and paintings. There is even the top of a lighthouse. And boss Elia is also now renting out her vintage cars for the day or week. “They are also for sale,” she explains. With all this focus on art, it is little surprise that the Benahavis Fine Art and Deco-

rative Society, launched in 2012, is a catalyst for local talent, putting on lectures, trips and events. Chairman, Betty Fooks, a resident of seven years, said: “The society is growing very quickly and seems to have generated more of an interest in local art. “We have another big exhibition coming up, ‘Art in Action’, and we have invited local

schoolchildren to take part in a competition to design the programme for it.” Betty, originally from Surrey, added: “I love living here, there sometimes appears to be more expats than locals but when the tourists aren’t all up here for dinner, there is a beautiful, peaceful atmosphere. “Plus, there is a great, friendly expat community too!”

COLLECTION: Elia at Ole Ole

28 28

B enahavis

www.theolivepress.es

the olive press ll - November about 13 - November 26 2014

The Olive Press walking team takes on the infamous Benahavis river walk, with Tom Powell in the lead…

FTER battling our way down the Rio Guadalmina - forced to leave one of our team behind - we had eventually found what appeared to be a way back to civilisation. But a series of bent metal steps jutting out of the vertical rock face had never looked less enticing, as I

clutched my shaking body and scanned the cliff for an alternative. Two-and-a-half-hours previously, three of us had set off just south of Benahavis on the river walk – sometimes called canyoning – with no idea what to expect. Driving up the valley towards the village gives no indica-

tion of the exhilarating, some would say ‘hard-core’, experience you are about to have. After parking our car near the head of the gorge, just a few hundred metres south of the water tower roundabout, we walked down to the river and initially hovered awkwardly around the first pool, uncertain whether we were in the

Rocky river rapids EXHILARATING: Canyoning on the Rio Guadalmina is very popular in the summer

right place. Finally taking control in true Bear Grylls fashion, amid

shouts of ‘It’s not deep enough’ and ‘You’re going to smash head-first into that

rock’, I lowered myself onto a slippery waterfall and went plunging into the murky water below, scream-

Paula Slaamanca:Layout 1 05/11/2014 14:30 Page 1

Paula Salamanca Pereira Abogada • Lawyer

“A work of art” Radio COPE

“A vision” “Marvellous” THE OLIVE PRESS

CANAL SUR

“tense from the first to the last moment” Brígida Gallego Coín

Your English speaking lawyer in Benahavis

“a book you cannot “electrifying...Lorca put down” fans will thrill to this” J G Harlond

Available in bookshops and online from October 20, 2014... Check out www.song-of-granada.com

for events, reviews and local appearances by the author

Pan Zador

CONVEYANCING INHERITANCE WILLS NON RESIDENT TAX CIVIL LAW FAMILY LAW 8C- Urb. Montemar Avda. de la Moraleda s/n 29679 Benahavis Malaga

Tel: 952 855 689 Mob: 647 585 625 E Mail: paula@paula-salamanca.es www.paula-salamanca.es

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 201429

www.theolivepress.es

the olive press - November 13- November 26 2014

Golfing hotspot THE gently sloping foothills of the Serrania de Ronda and glistening sea views make Benahavis the ideal location for a round of golf - as nine stunning courses can testify. With more than 320 sunny days per year, golf is played in all seasons, and more often than not in polo shirt and shorts.

ing as I went. As I resurfaced, shouting my approval while messily ejecting river water from my mouth, the others ditched their fears and bounded down to slide in after me, and that was it, we were off. A series of open pools, bridged by slippery rocks and feisty little waterfalls took us down deeper into the gorge, until the sun was obscured and the November chill began to take its toll on our exposed torsos. Little frogs and fish bounded around our ankles as we tried to locate a foothold in the riverbed, while an enormous dragonfly sent me crashing when it shocked me into losing all sense of balance. The rocky path opened up into long,

deep stretches of stream that required swimming, and we were soon engulfed in the beautifully peaceful valley. But when we came upon a pitch black cave that had to be swum through, one of our team of three began to raise serious questions. Questions like: ‘Are we sure this is even the right river?’, ‘Is there ever going to be a way out?’ and, most pertinent of all, ‘Are we going to have enough energy to go all the way back up when we eventually decide to turn around?’. But untroubled by negative mumblings at the back, I surged forward through the narrow passageway and emerged clambering over slimy rocks, only to realise I was well and truly alone. After what seemed like an eternity of unanswered shouts and shivering, I beat a solitary path onwards; confident I would find the end and

meet the weaklings in my group back at the car. But at that moment I was overjoyed to hear a clumsy sloshing from behind me, as the rest of the team followed. And ten minutes later we found ourselves face to face with the questionable metal ladder, one missed step and we were dead. So instead of watching my violently shivering companion slip and slide his way up the perilous cliff edge, I got on all fours and improvised, hauling myself up the rock using grubby handholds and tree trunks. Perhaps, in hindsight, canyoning down the river is more of a hot summer’s day activity - at least without a wetsuit - and a brilliant one at that. But even in the November drizzle, it was a great adventure, and I can’t wait to do it again.

SPLASH: There are many deep pools along the Rio Guadalmina

Clubs such as Los Flamingos, Atalaya and La Quinta boast more than 18 holes. While the village itself is now home to its own driving range and hosts regular tournaments on its courses. The spectacular courses were designed by renowned golf architects such as Robert Trent Jones and golfing legends including Seve Ballesteros and Jack Nicklaus. In 1991, the Benahavis Golf Club was founded, aiming to get residents playing at their local course for a reasonable price, even the luxurious fairways in La Zagaleta.

SWING TIME: Benahavis is one of the coast’s golfing capitals

B enahavis

www.theolivepress.es

the olive press - November 13 ll - November 26 2014 about

Gourmet and green to go! AMBITIOUS: Rafael is championing local producers

HE largest organic and gourmet supermarket in Andalucia has opened in Benahavis. Family-run Chipolino Natural in Centro Comercial Los Halcones, in Benahavis, on the Ronda road, is stocking everything from non biological washing powder to organic pet food. Its 250 square metres are also packed with vegetables, herbs, milk, fresh meat and fish. “We aim to get locals eating well and there is a definite drift, albeit slow, to healthy organic food,” explained owner Rafael Vicuña, 58. The Basque father-of-three launched the business after working for many years in the US and Mexico, as a constructor. “I got interested in organic food when I discovered how much rubbish people ate in Mexico. It is the same here, yet in Andalucia, you can buy the best quality produce in the world, if you can just get hold of it,” he added. “Sadly too much of it gets sent abroad. We hope to change that.” Vicuña, whose wife is Russian, hopes to champion small, local producers and soon set up a website to buy online. His sister Jovita - wife of Marbella estate agent Panorama Properties boss Christopher Clover - is also a parter in the venture. Contact 952 799 401 for information.

Dining room of the

T bills itself as the ‘Rincon Gastronomico’ (gastronomic corner) of the Costa del Sol. So it is no surprise that you can eat well in Benahavis. Tucked away in the back streets of the charming town are up to three dozen attractive, atmospheric haunts, the best packed to the rafters at weekends. Los Abanicos is perhaps the best example. This 30-year established spot can seat 350 people on a Saturday night and will regularly get 150 people. It is not hard to see why. The attention to detail, professionalism of its waiters and capable team of chefs led by Jesus

CREATION: At La Torre (right)

Over the last 40 years Benahavis has become one of key gastronomic hotspots on the Costa del Sol, writes Dining Secrets of Andalucia editor Jon Clarke Casanueva, from Coripe, is second to none. Inspired by its owner Juan Diaz Rendon, a massive foodie, you can expect to eat some delicious local chestnuts including melt in the mouth rabo de toro and, when in season, an amazing dish of yermas de huevo mushrooms with parmesan. As eye opening are the wines, which says a lot about the type of clientele who regularly drop into Benahavis centre from its nearby millionaire enclaves.

LEADING LIGHTS: Chef Jesus at Los Abanicos There are dozens of €100-plus thentic Andalucian dishes from wines, each of which shifts up along the Costa del Sol. cases each year. The restau- Its former owner Manolo rant even manages to sell over Espada is luckily still around, 20 bottles of Pingus at €1,400 although now at a different a throw each year. restaurant La Escalera de The food revolution in Bena- Manolo Espada, just around havis began at the restaurant the corner. called Sarten (meaning frying Now, very much an institution, pan) some four decades ago, it is one of the ‘must visit’ ressucking people in to eat au- taurants in Andalucia, with its

Restaurante

LOS ABANICOS

Traditional Spanish cooking with some international accents. Specialities : Leg of suckling Lamb, Fresh fish every day. Vegetarian food Probably the largest selection of top Spanish wines in Benahavis. Open all year for lunch and dinner. Closed on tuesdays.

Great terrace in the pedestrian street and private dining rooms available

C/ Málaga · Benahavis village · Tel : +34 952 85 51 31

www.theolivepress.es

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014

Costa del Sol

owner Manolo one of the most likeable restaurateurs. A born comic and charmer, he is not only extremely knowledgeable about food, he knows how to entertain and welcome his guests. Expect funny stories, bouts on the piano and even magic tricks. And best of all the restaurant is open every day of the year, minus Christ-

mas Eve, for lunch and dinner. You also might find yourself dining next to Antonio Banderas… or last week British opera star Russell Watson (see story on page 3). But you are primarily here for the food, which is both excellent and original and includes such gems as a black pudding crepe with onion and egg, which was both crunchy and succulent in equal measures, and a delicious red pepper stuffed with spinach, prawns and salmon and served in a spicy pepper sauce. For my main I tried his grandmother’s recipe for Iberian pork steak, which includes loads of herbs, sweet pepper and olive oil. It was delicious. Another place worth trying is the highly-rated La Torre on the charming main square. A stunning place to eat on a sunny day or warm evening, this place is run by a talented sommelier Diego, from Salamanca, and is highly rated by TripAdvisor. Look out for the good value five course set lunch, which weighs in at just €28, and includes a good range of dishes, including salmon tartar, lobster soup and a choice of either sea bass or carilleras (pork cheeks). There is a separate a la carte menu and the restaurant specialises in game in winter and plenty of other seasonal dishes

BORN CHARMER: Manolo Espada (top) including mushrooms and pickled partridge. Unsurprisingly it is also a wine drinker’s paradise, thanks to Diego, with over 300 references and some great value chestnuts including Fincas de Ganuza at €30 and one of my personal favourites Contino Reserva at €35.

31 the olive press - November 13

- November 26 2014 31 31 31

the olive press - November 13- November 26 2014

32 32

B enahavis

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014

ll about

ERCHED on a hillside above Benahavis is a glorious ‘tropical country farm’ boasting unbeatable views across the Mediterranean to Africa. Alcuzcuz house and gardens have belonged to the English aristocratic family of interior de-

www.theolivepress.es

Paradise gardens

signer Jaime Parlade for more than 150 years. The lauded gardens are influenced by botanist Jamie Caffery, a ‘great mentor’ to Parlade and one of the first landscape gardeners to arrive on the Costa del Sol. Palms, pines and all manner of

fruit trees provide shade, some more than a hundred years old. “Over the years we’ve introduced many plants, including a very special collection of mimosas, some cypresses, and countless shrubs and perennials,” explains Parlade. “There are Moroccan influences

too - I grew up in Tangiers, where I would go out with my mother to the souk to buy exquisite flowers from the Rif women under the great ombu trees.” Inside the house, which Parlade shares with his wife Janetta, there is a library adorned with 19th century bull-fighting paint-

Great British value delivered to your door 10% Cotton on to comfortable casual clothing and footwear in a wide range of sizes and styles for men and women with a truly British vibe. Delivered to your door for just £6.95.

We now deliver to Spain

shop now cottontraders.com One promotion per order. Full terms at cottontraders.com

OFF your order Quote 49SE

ings. Portraits flank the living room fireplace, including a 19th century painting of Parlade’s great-grandmother. Elsewhere the designer has transformed an old chapel into a guest cottage, with a Guatemalan bedcover and a Moroccan wall-hanging.

33 33 the olive press - November 13- November 26 2014

Tip of the Golden Triangle Property experts in Benahavis are quietly confident that things are finally getting better

ITH the wealthiest town hall in the whole of Spain keeping the town in top condition, it’s no wonder that Benahavis also has one of the front-running property markets. “It’s definitely an area that people come to for a higher-standard property,” explains Scott Marshall, of PropertieSpain, the town’s oldest established estate agent. “And it is worth remembering that Benahavis is not just the town. It has 145km worth of boundary, home to many upmarket urbanisations so there is plenty of stock.” Better than that, Benahavis is at the forefront of the revival on the Costa del Sol, estimates Antoine Pellet, from fellow agent Private Property. “We have seen a real resurgence in the market, this year especially, but it has been coming for a little while. “That’s not to say that prices are really rocketing, just that they are plateauing and we’re actually selling properties,

PROPERTY FRONT-RUNNER: High standard homes for sale in Benahavis whereas before we were fight- isations, such as La Zagaleta a real pick-up in buyers’ conand El Madronal, and we have fidence in these areas, which ing for sales.” Benahavis is part of the Costa seen these urbanisations really are in turn pushing up sales in neighbourhoods nearby. del Sol’s Golden Triangle, along take the lead,” adds Antoine. with Marbella and Estepona, “Now trying to find one of these “Obviously we are not comand as a result it tends to be properties for less than €2 mil- pletely out of the woods just yet associated with the more high- lion is really quite hard, where- and we are still seeing a couas before there was a real glut ple of small setbacks. World standard properties. events have had a noticeable “We have some spectacular of them.” properties in up-market urban- The company has also seen impact on sales, from knocking

buyers’ confidence, but in general we are going in the right direction.” Marshall at Propertiespain agrees that the property market is picking up, but is urging caution. “It is definitely getting better, but there’s still a surplus of properties that will be very difficult to sell,” he says. “Some people are starting to think that things are getting better and we should be putting up the prices, but I disagree. Things are getting there, but we are not yet where we were in 2005 or 2006.” One thing he has most definitely noted is the changing nationality of the buyers, with clients now coming from a huge variety of countries. “It is a much more varied market now,” adds Scott. “Most of our clients are Arab, Belgian, English, Dutch, French and Irish. “There has been a definite dip in the Russian market, however, which looked to be doing well before.”

CC Los Halcones, Local 3, Ctra. de Ronda A397, 29679 Benahavís (Málaga) Telephone: +34 952 927 878 Fax: +34 952 799 696 E-mail: info@privateproperty.es Website: www.privateproperty.es

HELPING HAND: Salamanca

Help on the hillside

HE Spanish legal system is a minefield designed to baffle the bravest of expats… but do not despair, as one Spanish saviour, based in Benahavis, is more than willing to lend a helping hand. Solicitor Paula Salamanca Pereira has been guiding expats through the country’s complicated property procedures since establishing her own company in January 2013. And after 10 years at a Marbella based law firm she insists she can ‘make a difference’. “Unlike the big firms I do not treat my clients as numbers, I assess each one individually and treat them as people,” she explained. “I get to know them well, I learn their childrens’ names, their grandchildrens’ names. I take an interest in them as people, not just as cases.” To contact Paula, call 952855689 or email paula@ paula-salamanca.es

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014

www.theolivepress.es

Property

www.theolivepress.es

the olive press - November 13- November 26 2014

Top 10 most expensive addresses in Spain (€/ per square-metre)

1 2 3 4

. Calle Serrano, Madrid (€10,900)

. Passeig de Gracia, Barcelona (€8,450)

. Calle Hernani, San Sebastian (€6,400) . El Sardinero neighbourhood, Santander (€6,350)

. Abandoibarra Etorbidea/ Plaza de Euskadi, Bilbao (€5,500) GLITZY: Puerto Banus is a constrat draw for wealthy jet-setters

Port of gold HOUSE-HUNTERS with cash to burn should look no further than Puerto Banus for their luxury coastal pad. The glitzy marina area has been crowned the sixth most expensive address in Spain, with an average price of €5,450 per square-metre. Home to the world’s top designer stores and a regular celebrity hangout, property in Puerto Banus is highly sought after.

Topping Spain’s price polls, however, is Madrid’s Calle Serrano – home to luxury brands like Gucci and Prada – according to a new study by real estate firm TecniTasa. Elsewhere, the Paseo Maritimo in Cadiz comes in 10th – with an average price of €4,500 per square-metre – despite property prices in the province falling on average by 20% in 2014.

Offices at the Puente Romano Hotel & opposite the Marbella Club Hotel Tel. (+34) 952 863 750 info@panorama.es www.panorama.es

6 7

. Puerto Banus, Marbella (€5,450) . Paseo Sarasate/ Primer Ensanche, Pamplona (€4,950)

. Area around Calle Santiago, Valladolid (€4,750)

9 10

. Paseo de los Fueros, Barakaldo (€4,500) . Paseo Maritimo, Cadiz (€4,500)

An International Associate of Savills

Enclosed: 172 m² LA ALZAMBRA Luxurious 3 bed penthouse in La Alzambra,designed Terrace: 109 m² by the famous architect Melvin Villarroel. Beautiful tropical gardens Price: € 900,000 with pool. Walking distance to Puerto Banús and all amenities. Ref. 7680

Enclosed: 416 m² EL PILAR Charming rustic style 5 bed family home with Plot: 1,042 m² modern ﬁxtures. Heated pool and mature garden with fruit trees. Price: € 595,000 Near shopping centres, a short drive to Puerto Banús. Ref. 7695

Enclosed: 131 m² ALTOS REALES Immaculate, south facing, 2 bed, ﬁrst ﬂoor Terrace: 67 m² apartment with great sea and garden views within an exclusive Price: € 590,000 gated community on the Golden Mile. 24h security service. Ref 8007

Enclosed: 149 m² LA PEPINA Bright and spacious, 2 bed, beachside ground ﬂoor apartment, renovated in contemporary style. Gated community with Terrace: 31 m² Price: € 399,000 pool. Walking distance to the beach and Puerto Banús. Ref. 8232

36 the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014

déjà vu déjà vu

Quality pre-owned furniture & goods for your home Open Tuesday to Saturday 10.00-14.00 Evenings by appointment Plaza de la Constitucion, Jimena de la Frontera 11330 Telephone /Telefono – 636 730 542 Opposite Bar Vecina & next to Taxi Rank Like us on Facebook - dejavuvintageshop-Jimena

Property

www.theolivepress.es the olive press - November 13- November 26 2014

Eye in the sky

Homeowners face heavy fines in Hacienda crackdown on undeclared developments EAGLE-EYED Hacienda (tax authority) helicopters have been flying over Spain in search of undeclared constructions. More than three million homes have already been inspected countrywide, with those found to have undeclared alterations facing hefty fines. Thousands of fines have been issued by the regulatory body to proprietors found to have built extra rooms, terrac-

ON THE LOOK-OUT: For illegal extensions

es, pools or sheds without proper planning permission. Those ‘caught’ are issued with an initial fine of €60 and face further punishment and legal fees. The Real Estate Cadastre Law came into force in 2013 and will run until 2016 to assess the country’s property situation. The regulatory body will provide an increase in revenue for municipalities by

detecting additions to properties listed on the property tax register (IBI). Properties deemed to have ‘increased’ in size face the prospect of moving tax bracket and therefore paying more in IBI costs. The law states that any home modifications must be reported to the Land Registry office within two months of completion.

Passing over country lemons

HRIS Stewart's famous memoir Driving Over Lemons continues to inspire people to seek an idyllic, rustic life in Spain. However, if you

are looking to buy a property or land in the countryside, some good advice could help keep things sweet. Not everybody wants to live near the beach. We have a steady flow of clients in search of a remote piece of land or a house in the hills, where they can live peacefully without a worry in the world. However, buying country property in Spain can be a risky business if it is not going to be used for agricultural purposes or does not have the required municipal licences to make building on it and living there legal. We discussed the potential pitfalls with Ignacio Perez de Vargas, head of Perez de Vargas Abogados, a well-known law firm with offices in Estepona, Marbella, and Malaga. While the firm handles all kinds of cases, we regularly work with them on sales in the countryside, as Ignacio and his property team are truly ‘experts in the field’ (geddit?). Ignacio reminded us that terreno rustico (non-urban land) is normally used for farming, keeping livestock, or woodland purposes. So if you do want to buy land to build a home, you must submit a proyecto de actuacion (development proj-

The Prop er Inside ty by A r dam

Neale

The romance of a rural Spanish retreat is undeniable, but living ‘off the grid’ requires careful consideration, writes Adam Neale ect) that justifies the need to do so to support the activity in question. Projects must be approved by the regional government's environmental agency before being submitted to the local town council to obtain a building licence. To further complicate matters, Ignacio explains, there are two kinds of non-urban land: “Common land, in other words without legal protection, and non-urban land under special protection. On protected land, in general, construction is prohibited. If a property has been built on protected land and there is no municipal building licence in place, purchase is not advisable.” On the other hand, if a property is on common non-urban land, buyers should check it was given a municipal building licence, subject to a development project, and a licence of initial occupation. If a building licence was not granted, ask the seller to obtain a certificate from the town

council stating that the statute of limitations on demolition orders – now six years, previously four – has expired. Buyers should also be aware that such properties still contravene town planning and may only be maintained, rather than extended. Owners of property on nonurban land can also experience difficulties when it comes to contracting utilities and connecting to municipal services, such as sewage systems, that are taken for granted when buying and building on urban land. Ignacio suggests that ‘buyers should request to see contracts from utility companies and check services work.’ While the same taxes are charged in Spain for urban and rustic sales, cadastral values of non-urban land tend to be lower, Ignacio adds, meaning Impuesto de Transmisiones Patrimoniales (transfer tax) and Impuesto Municipal de Plusvalía (municipal capital gains tax) are also lower.

COUNTRY DREAM: But a life like Chris Stewart’s comes at a price

Property

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014 3737

www.theolivepress.es

the olive press - November 13- November 26 2014

Tough trading By Rob Horgan

INDEPENDENT retailers could soon be forced to shut up shop when a 30-year-old agreement of below-marketrents ends next year. The rental scheme – which has shielded retailers since 1985 – ends in January 2015 and could see retailers’ rents rise by up to 1000%, according to self-employed workers and professionals body

Jobs threatened as independent retailers face 1000% rent hike UPTA. Industry experts have said 100,000 stores, bars and restaurants are ‘at risk of closure’ which would result in thousands of job losses. Property expert Miguel Angel Sanchez Fraile said the agreement had ‘distorted the true market value’ which had in

turn allowed for independent retailers to thrive. He added: “There used to be a demand to rent commercial outlets and now there isn't.” “There is still a climate of worry in this recovery that hasn't quite found its feet, although things are starting to get better in city centres.”

Stand alone retailers with less than 10 members of staff employ 4.2 million people in Spain, making up 40% of the private sector workforce. Industry experts are predicting the change in rental agreements could result in up to 10% of private workers losing their jobs. Unemployment levels in Spain stand at 20% with the economy slowly recovering from the economic crisis.

Airbnb’s best A FUTURISTIC apartment block in Ibiza has been crowned Airbnb’s most impressive listing. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel, the luxury two-bedroom pad boasts a swimming pool, hot tub, gym and children’s play area. Nouvel claims that the building ‘will become one of the most emblematic sights on the island of Ibiza’. One night’s stay at the Boas de Ibiza apartment costs a cool €200 and availability is already limited for next summer. Airbnb was founded in 2008 for people to rent out unused rooms in their homes. It currently has 800,000 listings spread across 192 countries. The Boas complex is situated on the Paseo Juan Carlos I, on the seafront with views of the marina and the Dalt Vila. For more information visit www.airbnb.com

HOMES CRUSHED: Almeria properties

Homes under the hammer

THE Junta is set to demolish two more Britishowned homes in Cantoria, Almeria. Two houses in the village of Las Terrenas have already been demolished and the town’s former mayor arrested for lying about his involvement with the properties. The two detached houses were judged to have been built on undeveloped land without the required paperwork. The former mayor Pedro Llamas is currently serving a two year prison sentence for lying about authorising water and electricity supplies to the four properties.

AWARD-WINNING: Futuristic Boas de Ibiza complex

Happy 200! “We at HouseSitMatch.com have very much enjoyed working with the Olive Press team. They have helped to make our entry into the market in Spain an enjoyable and rewarding experi-

ence. In particular they helped us find some valuable clients, from both the human and animal kingdoms!” Lamia Walker, HouseSitMatch.com

Highrise high

• Litigation and tax specialist (resident and non-resident) • Property conveyancing • Spanish investment and inheritance tax International Lawyers & Investment Professionals Tel: (0034) 951 29 52 60 Fax: (0034) 951 29 51 68 Legal Property Solutions SL Avenida de Cibeles Nº1, Urbanización Arenal Golf, Fase 2, Bloque 2, Portal 3, Bajo B, 29639 Benalmádena, Málaga We speak English / Parle français / Wir sprechen Deutsch

info@legalpropertysolutions.com www.legalpropertysolutions.com

THE construction of new homes in Spain is on the up. Applications for building permits rose by 3.3% in the first eight months of 2014, compared to the same period in last year. Ministry of Development data shows a total of 24,696 requests have been received this year. If the current rate of applications is maintained, 2014 could end with more than 37,000 permits applied for – beating last year’s 34,288. This is the second consecutive improvement following the continuous declines experienced since the beginning of the financial crisis. Nearly 70% of the applications were for the construction of housing in apartment blocks – a total of 16,782 – which is an increase of 3.7% on 2013. The remaining applications were for the construction of family homes – a total of 7,902 – which is an increase of 2.3% on 2013.

38 38

Property

www.theolivepress.es

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014

the olive press - October 2- October 15 2014

the olive press - November 13- November 26 2014

Buying or Selling property in Spain? Let us help you reach your destination. Save time and money by sending your international money transfers the easy way and benefit from: Consistent bank beating exchange rates online or over the phone. Move money, pay people and settle bills within seconds. Make and track payments 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Norton security used by 97 of the world’s top 100 banks.

Contact our Costa Del Sol Office: Tel: +34 951 203 986 costadelsol@hifx.co.uk

Don’t let the banks cash in!

www.hifx.co.uk

HiFX Sucursal en España is a branch of HiFX Europe Limited. HiFX Europe Limited is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009, registration 462444, for the provision of payment services.

Top Dollar

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 201439 39

www.theolivepress.es

the olive press - November 13- November 26 2014

Happy 200! “Congratulations on finding success in an increasingly competitive publishing world. Since writing for the paper three years ago I have found some excellent clients, while

many more people I meet tell me that the Olive Press is their preferred local newspaper. Keep up the good work.” Richard Alexander, Richard Alexander Financial Planning, Malaga

AGONY ANT

YOUR LEGAL PROBLEMS ADDRESSED

Drunk behind the wheel

veryone knows that drinking alcohol and driving are two activities that, when mixed, put people’s lives in danger. But alcohol-impaired driving will also get the driver into serious trouble with the authorities. One faces an automatic driving ban and a fine and where there is careless driving, refusal to provide a specimen for analysis or an accident causing injury or death to other people, prison terms. Nowadays, 98% of cases end up with the court passing a guilty verdict and it is for this reason that most lawyers advise their clients to plead guilty to benefit from a reduced sentence (one third off, which translates normally into a eight to 12 month ban and an €800 - €1,000 fine).

Antonio Flores explains the obvious and not-soobvious dangers of drink-driving

But then, there is always a departure from the norm. The remaining 2% of drivers will pluck up courage, challenge the prosecutor’s offer and win! This is how some did it: - A driver was found in a vehicle that happened to be diagonally parked (incorrectly as it happened). When the police ordered him to come out of the car, he stumbled and fell over. Against the prosecutor’s opinion, the lawyer acting in this instance argued that there was no evidence that he was driving and thus, the court acquitted.

- A driver who was found guilty of driving while intoxicated and had been banned from driving was later stopped by the police. The courts acquitted him of a further criminal charge because the lawyer argued that formal notification of the ban was not conducted properly, but by means of ordinary registered post. - A driver who had an accident left the scene and went home. Later, he returned drunk and invoked that the alcohol had been ingested after the accident. The prosecutor was not able to demonstrate, beyond reasonable doubt, that the driver had been drunk while causing the accident and the court had no option but to pass an acquittal sentence. Still, better not to drink and drive.

Email Antonio at aflores@lawbird.es

Kids aren’t alright THE number of children living in poverty in Andalucia is far above the national average and more than three million children are living in poverty in Spain. A quarter of all Spanish children at risk of poverty live in Andalucia, according to new UNICEF figures. UNICEF’S report, Children of the Recession, studied 41 developed nations from 2008 and found that child poverty in Spain rose by 8.3% to 36.3% in five years – among the highest in Europe. President of UNICEF Spain, Carmelo Angulo, warned that

UNICEF issues damning report on Spain’s child poverty, with Andalucia above the national average

‘measures need to be put in place’ to stop the trend. He said: “It is necessary that all social groups involved get behind political and economic foundations to ensure the rights of Spain’s children.” Andalucia has become the

WORRIED: Angulo face of Spain’s child poverty with the district of La PalmaPalmilla in Malaga setting the scene for UNICEF’s video on its latest report. Spain’s unemployment rate is 23.6%, however, in Malaga the rate is almost 12% greater. An Oxfam report has also revealed that the wealth gap in Spain is increasing – the richest 1% of people own as much as 70% of the country’s wealth.

‘Board’ by corruption scandals A NEW board game capitalising on the country’s never-ending stream of corruption scandals is in the works. Student Marina Belda, from Valencia, designed Corruptopolis by drawing inspiration from underhand politicians, disgraced mayors and unscrupulous bankers. Players take on the roles of notorious figures in some of Spain’s best-known corruption scandals with the objective of reaching the fictional city of Villa Corrupta. The 22-year-old designer is using crowdfunding website Verkami to raise the €6,500 she needs for production costs. INSPIRED: Corruptopolis

LIBERTYCAR Insure your car, pay by Direct Debit and get 50€ Cashback refunded directly to your bank account. Or, if not paid by Direct Debit, we’ll give you a 20€ fuel voucher. For an instant quote call 902 255 258 or go to www.libertyexpatriates.es

if you care about your car, so will we.

quality is our policy. trust in an expert.

€

CASHBACK

IF YOU PAY BY DIRECT DEBIT

€

FUEL VOUCHER

The Olive Press – 170 x 256mm

Only for policies issued between 3rd October and 31st December 2014. Premiums must be paid by Direct Debit and be over 400€ to receive a 50€ Cashback. Premiums over 400€ but not paid by Direct Debit will receive a 20€ fuel voucher. Not for renewals or replacements. Conditions apply.

13th November

The Expats’ No.1 Choice

Top Dollar

40 40 the olive press - November 13

BUSINESS IN BRIEF To be Franks LEADING international tax and wealth management advisers to UK expats in Europe, Blevins Franks, has agreed to acquire Siddalls France from IFG Group PLC.

Tax boost THE national government has decided to cut the withholding tax for self-employed workers from 21% to 18% over the next two years.

Jobs all round ESTEPONA Mayor Jose Urbano has launched sixmonth work contracts for the town’s unemployed youths. 167 jobs have been given in various town hall departments.

www.theolivepress.es

- November 26 2014

GREASY PALMS: Granados and Marjaliza A CHILDHOOD friend of former PP executive Francisco Granados has been accused of a central role in a ‘bid-rigging’ scandal following a massive anti-corruption crackdown. Builder David Marjaliza was linked to Granados when large transfers between their Swiss bank accounts aroused suspicion of ‘aggravated’ money-laundering. Francisco Granados, former number two in Madrid’s PP under Esperanza Aguirre, was arrested in October as

olive press - October 1330-November November26 12 2014 2014 thethe olive press - November

Money between friends

one of 51 in a corruption crackdown, after revelations in February that he held a Swiss bank account containing €1.5 million. In the same month – though allegedly before the investigation – Marjaliza voluntarily regulated funds in four of his accounts, taking on a tax debt of more than €10 million. He paid off €2.5 million at the time, deferring the rest for later payment. However, the judge presiding

over Marjaliza’s initial court appearance, Eloy Velasco, said: “[Marjaliza] is the core of a criminal organisation whose activity is linked to administrative actions such as housing developments, public contracts and administrative concessions, having taken advantage of his extensive personal relationships and policies for irregular awards for both his own companies and third parties, receiving a commission for his perfor-

Bid-rigging, moneylaundering and bribery link childhood friends in massive corruption case, writes Jacqueline Fanchini mance.” Granados is believed to have negotiated fees with those competing for public contracts – leading to bid values being manipulated. Among the crimes being investigated are money-laundering, embezzlement, bribery and influence peddling. Marjaliza’s solicitor has claimed that his client is being detained illegally, held for more than 72 hours before appearing at court.

Advertorial

Beating the burglars

Linea Directa offers advice should your home be burgled DOMESTIC burglaries and thefts have increased sharply since the financial crisis. The message to expat residents, however, is ‘don’t panic’. Some simple precautions such as fitting security grills, installing exterior lights and alarms and being careful about what is posted on social networks could help keep your home safe. A reliable home insurance policy that will cover your home and all its contents will also give you peace of mind. What to do when you’ve been burgled As soon as you discover the break-in or theft at your home, call the police. Don’t touch anything until they arrive. A police report will be needed to process your claim. Then secure your home to avoid further damage, board up any broken windows, make a list of damaged or missing belongings and detail the damage to your home resulting from the burglary, taking photographs of damaged windows or doors. At this point, you can call the claims department of your home insurance company. We advise you to have your policy on hand when you call. Peace of mind with Linea Directa We understand that your peace of mind is important. Our claims department will take a full statement of the circumstances of the incident and check the insurance coverage with you explaining all the procedures. If emergency repairs are required from locksmiths to glaziers, we will help you swiftly handle your claim and get things back to normal. Your homeowner’s insurance policy will cover the loss or destruction of personal property if it’s stolen from your home. Hold-up outside the home In many cases, your home insurance policy will also cover you for incidents that occur outside your home. Should you be the victim of a robbery outside your premises, for example, your personal belongings are covered. We will ensure replacement documents are quickly and efficiently supplied and arrange the locks on your home to be changed if necessary. For more information call Linea Directa on 902 123 161 or visit www.lineadirecta.com

International Design School

• GRAPHIC DESIGN • INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE • FASHION DESIGN

Can’t catch a break

THE EU’s anti-trust regulator has ordered some of Spain’s biggest companies to repay billions of euros after they exploited tax break regulations. Phone company Telefonica, banking giant Santander and energy group Iberdrola are among the companies accused of dodging taxes when acquiring foreign businesses. The companies were able to manipulate the system due to pre-crisis tax break measures in Spain.

OLIVE PRESS 256X342 BANDERAS INGLES.pdf

www.theolivepress.es 41

03/10/14

11:13

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014 41 the olive press - October 16- October 29 2014

Top Dollar

42 42the olive press - November 13

www.theolivepress.es

- November 26 2014

the olive press - November 13- November 26 2014

Road to Riches, by Richard Alexander

The end is nigh!

T may seem premature to be talking about end of tax year planning in November but that is not necessarily the case. From a practical point of view, most of the information that you need for your 2014 tax return will be based on values as of December 31. This is true for income, capital gains and wealth taxes, with additional reporting under M720 of capital values of overseas assets as of that date. All very tiresome, but if you are ready in advance you can request information from the various providers and banks and won’t be scrabbling around at the last minute next March or June. That having been said, there is an even greater opportunity to simplify many aspects of this burden on an ongoing basis, particularly

Preparation now could save grief at the end of the tax year, writes Richard Alexander

the M720 requirements. This is by undertaking a bit of financial housekeeping and re-engineering – and while you could argue that this would have been better done earlier in the year – it is not too late to make improvements now.

Succession

As regular readers will know, I have often advocated the merits of a structured financial planning review, which in itself would look at many aspects to be taken into account, including things like aims and long term objectives, sensitivities and concerns, income needs and succession planning. All that before we start to think

about sensible investment returns and tax minimisation, themselves all part of the wider financial planning that should be considered. So how does this link with preparing for the tax year end? As you think about the things you will need to report and consider the places you have your capital – or from where you are receiving income – it should raise one simple question: is there a better way? Could you, for example, reduce the amount of tax you pay on the income you receive or avoid paying capital gains tax on disposal of some investments? Is it possible to reduce the amount you have to include on the M720 return

and could you reduce the amount of inheritance tax that might be payable one day? The answer in each and every case is ‘Yes’, but there is no universal answer – individual circumstances will always differ. My suggestion is therefore a simple one. As the nights draw in, why not put some time into looking at how your current finances are arranged and if they have not been reviewed for a year or more, take the opportunity to have a full financial review. A word of caution as always – make sure your adviser is properly qualified, regulated and fully independent and that he is not working for an organisation that has a ‘one-size-fits-all approach’ and that pays high commission on new business rather than sensible charges for advice provided.

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

Ibex driving down the cost of car insurance • • • • •

Underwritten at Lloyd’s of London Up to 65% no claims discount Pay in three installments Comprehensive, third party, fire & theft or third party only options Competitive pricing and efficient claims service Ibex guarantees to beat your renewal quote*

Estepona

Call into one of our local offices or call us on:

952 887 125

estepona@ibexinsure.com C.C. Benavista, Local 3 Ctra. de Cádiz Km167 29688 Estepona

Sotogrande

956 695 750

sotogrande@ibexinsure.com Local 1A Sotomarket Sotogrande, San Roque 11310 Cádiz

Fuengirola

Gibraltar

952 465 588

fuengirola@ibexinsure.com Edif. Vega, Local 6 Avda. Jesús Santos Rein 15 29640 Fuengirola

200 44628

gibraltar@ibexinsure.com 68 Irish Town Gibraltar

*subject to T&C

Ibex Insurance Services Ltd 2014. Ibex Insurance Services Ltd, 68 Irish Town, Gibraltar. Registered no. 77247. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Commission FSC 006 43B

Motor

Home

Marine

Travel

Medical

Holiday Apartment

Business

Pet

Community

Do as Spain does!

Spain sets example as eurozone giants slammed at G20 summit

LEADING THE WAY: Spain praised at G20 summit SPAIN is leading the way for shocking the eurozone back to life, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The Paris-based think-tank picked Spain as the country to follow as their report slammed the attitudes of the Eurozone’s largest economies. France, Germany and Italy were all told they should be learning from Spain – which has pushed through reforms to boost the economy – rather than getting bogged down in discussion. Speaking before a meeting of world leaders at the G20 summit in Brisbane, Australia, Catherine Mann – the OECD’s chief economist – praised Spain for restructuring its banking sectors and driving down labour costs to revitalise the economy. Mann added that world leaders had plans on the table to boost the G20 GDP by about 2% by 2018, equivalent to an extra €1.3 trillion of income.

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 201443

www.theolivepress.es

Ref: OLV100

Autumn

sale

www.europa-network.com

Top Giveaway

RRP

€129.95

Watch anywhere in Europe, over 40 channels to choose and more coming soon

500

Set Top Boxes

available free to new and existing customers

FREE GIFT

Don’t miss your chance to claim your free set top box, call today and order yours For more information on our Top Giveaway

We’re giving away

500 SET TOP BOXES

RRP

€129.95

Call 965 796 736 Terms and conditions apply

44 the The Olive olive press Press’ - November 13 44

- November 26 2014

monthly youth and education section

44 the olive press - Nov 13 - Nov 26 www.theolivepress.es

treme

38 57

You ‘cheating’ ‘lying’ gypsy! SPAIN’S most authoritative dictionary has caused outrage after defining the word ‘gypsy’ as ‘one who lies and cheats’. The Royal Spanish Academy unveiled its 23rd edition this month, at a ceremony presided over by King Felipe and Queen Letizia. According to the latest edition, gitano – meaning gypsy – is synonymous with trapacero, an adjective meaning ‘dishonest or swindling’. The new definition was a failed attempt to put right the previous definition – which

Gypsy communities enraged after dictionary dubs them ‘liars’ and ‘cheats’ also caused uproar – listing gitano as an adjective meaning ‘defrauding or operating with deception’. Gypsy communities insist that the definition is obsolete and does little more than feed into established prejudices. “You can’t label an entire community, a whole population like this,” said Maria Jose Jimenez Cortinas, a member of the Association of Femi-

Happy 200! “I have been reading the Olive Press online since moving to Salamanca, and despite the target readership residing in southern Spain, I find it to be entertaining and relevant to expatriates all over the country.” Sarah Samuel, English language teacher, Salamanca

nist Gypsies for Diversity. “The entry legitimises stereotypes. We’re asking that for once the academy move ahead of society and eliminate definitions that serve only to marginalise our community. “This is a world-renowned institution that carries a lot of weight, they need to be held accountable.” The association is calling on Spaniards for support by uploading photos of themselves with messages directed at the academy. The director Jose Manuel Blecua insisted that ‘a dictionary must be scientifically correct, and if possible, politically correct, but only if possible.” The academy added on Twitter that a dictionary ‘ónly seeks to reflect’ how a word is used by speakers.

Ghouls at school

Times tables and spelling tests weren’t the only scary things in the primary school last wee classroom at Arriate k, where kids donned their spookiest outfits for Halloween.

THE world’s top universities have been announced. Barcelona is home to Spain’s best universities – according to the US News and World Report rankings – the University of Barcelona coming top, followed by the Autonomous University of Barcelona. The rest of Spain’s top five are the Autonomous University of Madrid, the University of Valencia and the

Top of the class Pompeu Fabra University – again in Barcelona. The University of Granada came in seventh place, with the University of Sevilla coming in 12th. All of the top 10 global universities are in the US or the UK. Harvard University took the number one spot, while

Oxford came fifth and Cambridge came sixth. Factors taken into account in the rankings include the university’s global and regional reputation, its academic research performance and data on faculty and PhD graduates.

Top Salud

Stubbed out SPAIN’S venture into the world of e-cigarettes is going up in a puff of smoke. In the past year the number of shops selling electronic cigarettes has decreased by 90% following lobbying by pharmaceutical companies and industry experts. The number of shops stocking vapour sticks has fallen from more than 3,000 to barely 300. Vice president of the country’s national ecigarettes association, Alejandro Rodriguez laments ‘smear campaigns’ against the product. He said: “There has been a very intense attack by pharmaceutical companies which has generated bad publicity in the media.” Companies such as GlaxoSmithKline want to regulate e-cigarettes and introduce

Spanish smokers shun ‘magic wand’ e-cigarettes

OUT-OF-PUFF: E-cigarettes are banned in hospitals

medical regulations while the World Health Organisation said their potential

health risk ‘remains undetermined’. One shopkeeper who stocks

the devices said that the problem is largely because of the number of stores in competition. He said: “There was a boom for the product here, people thought it was a magic wand for giving up smoking and no, this wasn't the case. “It seemed like the market was infinite and there would be enough for everyone, and we can't deny that many of our clients have gone back to normal tobacco, although nobody is going to admit it.” Governments worldwide have struggled with how to regulate e-cigarettes and Spain has already banned their use in public places including hospitals and schools. Supporters claim they are a safer alternative to regular cigarettes and can be used to help smokers quit.

the olive press - November 13- November 26 2014

SHARING SECRETS: Ministers Mato and Vardhan

Organic relationship INDIA’S health services are looking to Spain to develop their organ donor infrastructure. Spain’s Health Minister Ana Mato is set to sign a pact with the Indian government to teach Indian surgeons and health authorities the best organ transplant practices. Spain has the world’s highest percentage of organ donors – 35.3 per million – and is a pioneer in the field. On a visit to Madrid, Indian Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said Spain’s organ infrastructure ‘offers a perfect model from which we can borrow’. He added: “I would like our own National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation to have the same high standards as Spain’s and I am grateful that the Spanish Health Minister has offered full technological assistance.”

How do contact Life on Mars – in Sevilla lenses work?

ontact lenses are very popular for people of all ages and with a range of lifestyles, but people can worry that they will not be right for them, or simply never have thought about wearing them. What are contact lenses? Contact lenses are very thin, domed discs made up of complex plastic materials. They are positioned in front of the transparent outer layer of the eye - called the cornea - to focus images onto the retina at the back of the eye, like a spectacle lens. They stay in place by floating on the film of tear fluid covering the surface of the eye. Who can use them? Contact lenses are available to correct most conditions for which

Amrik Sappal, Store Director at Specsavers Opticas Fuengirola, gives an overview of what they are and how to care for them glasses are prescribed, and almost everyone can use them. But the type of lenses you choose must be the right ones for you. What are the most popular type of lenses? Soft contact lenses - they are very pliable, which makes them comfortable to wear, although they do need careful handling. They are great for sport, and suitable for occasional use and even people with sensitive eyes can usually wear them successfully.

How should you care for them? Keep them really

clean, read the instructions carefully and make sure you follow them properly in order to avoid complications and make sure you are replacing them as frequently as necessary. Specsavers Opticas offer contact lens health checks, lifestyle advice and also a free trial so you can make sure that the lenses suit you before you buy.

Specsavers stores are in Marbella and Fuengirola, visit www.specsavers.es

SCIENTISTS in Sevilla have unearthed the remains of an ecosystem of micro-organisms that live without oxygen. It is believed the first life on Earth originated in such circumstances and that similar life could exist on other planets like Mars. These extremophile organisms – or bacteria – were discovered 150m beneath the surface in Las Cruces mine, near Sevilla, by researchers at the Centro Superior de Investigaciones.

The organisms feed on the remains of organic material, causing significant chemical changes to their habitat. “Las Cruces is probably one of the best and most unique examples worldwide of how life changed and modeled mineralisation,” said researcher Fernando Tornos. He added that this process may still be occurring, emphasising the importance of such bacteria in the chemistry of underground environments.

PREGNANCY POLLUTION RISK CHILDREN whose mothers are exposed to high levels of traffic pollution during pregnancy are at an increased risk of lung damage. Researchers at Barcelona’s Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology tested 620 four-year-olds

whose mothers had been exposed to air pollutants during pregnancy. The researchers found that youngsters whose mothers were exposed to high levels of benzene and nitrogen dioxide are 22% more likely to suffer impaired lung function.

Free varifocal lenses with glasses from 89€

Poorer children are at an even greater risk. Dr Peter Sly said: “Limiting exposure to trafficrelated pollution during fetal development and early postnatal life is one way that the burden of respiratory disease can be decreased.”

59€

Offer extend ed

At Specsavers, if you buy any single pair of glasses from our 59€ range or above, we’ll fit Standard PENTAX varifocal lenses, usual price 69€, free. Alternatively, if you prefer any other varifocal lens you can still save, with a 69€ discount. All our lenses include a scratchresistant treatment at no extra charge. And what’s more, an eye test is included in the price. Request an eye test online at specsavers.es or by calling your local store

Marbella 952 863 332 Avda. Ricardo Soriano 12 Fuengirola 952 467 837 Avda. Ramón y Cajal 6 Cannot be used with other offers. 199€ Fineform and Rimless ranges: include 1.6 PENTAX Standard varifocal lenses. All lenses are scratchresistant. Extra Options available at an additional charge. Subject to suitability. Ends 30 November 2014. ©2014 Specsavers. All rights reserved.

OLIVE PRESS – 105mm x 256mm – Colour

13th November / 27th November

Columnists

Mind your Slanguage!

’VE been dying to call someone a ‘consecrated wafer eater’ ever since I found this delightful phrase in a Spanish slang dictionary. I’ve almost decided on the vicar. Comerhostia (‘to eat the host’) is something vicars do all the time at communion, and it only means ‘a goody goody’, which vicars supposedly are, so it could be construed as a complement. But like the national dish, Spanish slang is a rich paella of saucy words and spicy phrases that should be handled with kid oven-gloves if you don’t want your pals to descojonarse (crack up laughing) – the social equivalent of removing your own testicles, as well as the literal meaning. It’s unfailingly fruity... A mango is a hunky man but pineapples are trouble, as in darse una piña – to have a prang in the car. Staying with greengrocery, no te importe

Belinda Beckett aka Mistress of Sizzle breaks down the ‘slanguage’ barrier In part two of her series on Spanish semantics un pepino means you couldn’t give a cucumber’s toss. Imagine Gone With The Wind’s Rhett Butler saying that to Miss Scarlet, rather than his immortal “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn”. It’s frequently fishy... A bagre (codfish) is an ugly person, a besugo (red snapper) is an idiot and you go on a hake (merluza) rather than a drinking binge. If you’re off alcohol, never tell the waiter “I’m the café con leche” unless you really mean to tell him you’re gay. It’s food-focused to the point of obsession. To bear ill will towards someone is tener mala leche (to have bad milk)

in which case, you might want to hacer arroz con culo (raise hell or, more literally, ‘make rice with your bottom’). Avoid both in the same sentence or it conjures up a somewhat unsavoury milk pudding. Unsurprisingly, sausages of all types (butifarra, chorizo) are colloquialisms for the male appendage but so is canario ... That’s canary the bird, so presumably the type that lives in ‘budgie smugglers’... Simply cambiar el agua al canario (change its water) to have a pee! If you’re female, and someone admires your ‘escaparate’ (shop window) or ‘anginas’ (‘chest inflammations’!)

‘SLANG SHOTS’ TO TRY OUT ON YOUR FRIENDS: SLANG LITERAL MEANING REAL MEANING

Aplastado como un sapo Buscar las pulgas a alguien Deberle a las vírgines Le ronca la madre de los tomates Planchar la oreja

Two recent Supreme Court decisions in passengers favour makes claiming simpler

Squashed as a toad Search someone for fleas To owe the virgins Snore the mother’s tomatoes off To iron your ear

Exhausted To wind someone up To be in bad debt Good heavens! To go to sleep

COMERHOSTIA: To eat the host give them a slap! They’re being lewd about your breasts. Finally, when it’s not about food, Spanish slang has a tendency towards the scatological, so watch where you’re walking! Andar (to walk) con el cutis flojo – with loose skin – means you’ve a nasty case of ‘the runs’ while andar con mal tapón (‘with a bad plug’ – something you might do if your cutis is flojo) is the medical opposite (though not to be used at the doctor’s). Inexplicably, andar con pelota (walk with the ball), is to be in love but be careful with this one, too. In the plural (andar con pelotas) you would be walking around b***ock naked!

OU may have noticed from the marauding gangs of hyperactive children dressed as vampires, mummies and various other members of the undead that it was Halloween recently. I don't usually get much trouble from ‘trick or treaters’. A quick description of my lifestyle reads like something out of a horror movie, anyway: ‘A bearded loner living in a ruin in the woods on the edge of a lake, where the only access is via a two-kilometre track down the side of a mountain’ would tend to put the little buggers off. Then there was the infamous time in London when my flatmates (who were professional chefs) decided to chocolatecoat laxatives to give out to the children. We moved flat soon afterwards... But I ventured out on Halloween anyway, and was once again congratulated on my Uncle Fester costume. And once again had to explain that I wasn't wearing one... Next day, life having returned to what passes for normality and with most of the population of the village getting toasted at the local ‘Toston’, I sauntered down to the coast. I wasn't prepared for the fact that Christmas starts the day after Halloween. There were festive decorations everywhere. It made me wonder if they do this in the States, which could lead to an interesting Thanksgiving/ Christmas crossover, where Santa delivers presents to the Pilgrim Fathers on a sled pulled by turkeys. I decided to take a quick look around the shops for pressies for the various godchildren when I stumbled across a bullfighting board game, ‘suitable for ages 8+’... My evil twin at

The horrors of Halloween

LAST DAY OF THE TRIFFID: Or is it edible... wonders Giles once imagined the reaction if you tried selling this in Islington! It got me thinking of other unsuitable Spanish board games I could invent, such as ‘Inquisition – the game the whole family can play. Comes with thumbscrews (batteries not included)’; ‘Spanish Monopoly – Become a mayor and amass the biggest fortune through illegal building permits’; and ‘Ebola Time Crisis – Find the cure before Fido gets it!’. No more Agave agro THE big plant bit the dust last week. Thanks to Florin, the Romanian superhero who main-

tains the upkeep of the Casita – I'm useless at gardening, DIY and anything more challenging than changing a fuse. Florin decided the agave plant that suddenly sprang up outside the garden this summer was in danger of crashing back over the wooden fence, and had to go. After a fair bit of pulling and pushing, the agave finally crashed to the ground, as the picture shows. Maybe it was me, but I had the sudden urge to grab one of those giant paella pans, a dozen eggs and a pack of butter and make the largest asparagus tortilla that Istan has ever seen!

www.theolivepress.es 47 40

FOOD & DRINK

the olive press electrician

metal works

C lassifieds

floor/polishing

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014 47

bUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

ELECTRICIAN

All aspects of electrical work covered

Domestic and industrial Fault finding, full re-wires, Boletins, etc... 651 395 597 952 599 019 Call anytime

FOR GENERAL ELECTRICAL WORK Call Mark 68 68 69 413

guttering

Garden & Security Lighting Re-wiring, Sockets & Switches

Mobile mechanic Full workshop facilities.Full auto electrics, aircon, grua service & also remapping.

PLUMBER: Water heaters repaired, replaced same day. Full bathroom and kitchen reforms, previous work can be seen. References available. Mark Allan 608 454 778 / 952 937 244

Call richard 678 71 77 98

motors

FOR SALE

Experience counts â&#x20AC;Ś we have plenty! HARRIS INSURANCE A name you know A name you trust www.hispain.es info@hispain.es 952 887 298

mechanics

BRITISH

PLUMBER

insurance

POLISH your marble floor professionally, half price, 25 yrs experience 671244683, momarbella@yahoo. co.uk

I BUY ANY CAR UK OR Spanish any price cash

2006 Renault Kangoo estate. Diesel 1900cc. 4x4. Current ITV. 190.442 km. Good condition. 4.200â&#x201A;Ź. To view phone 951 127 006 (office hours)

Mobile vehicle airconditioning, gas recharge, etc

602 533 508 mikewallsp@gmail.com

UNWaNted or SCrap CarS Free Collection 2002 Ford Fiesta. Diesel. Recently serviced. To view phone 951 127 006 Total bargain 1500 euros

Good, Bad, Or Ugly

Any Plate, No Papers No Problem! All Papers Legally Transferred. Call Now

696 321 138 722 560 924 Whatsapp

Calle Gutemberg, Nave 5

Poligono Industrial de Estepona

C lassifieds

www.theolivepress.es

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014

TRANSPORT and storage

pet care

AIRCON

Blinds and shades WINDOW TINTING AND BLINDS

We tint: cars, mobile homes, offices, conservatories, patio doors, glass curtains, glazed balconies. Also, Solar Blinds that maintain the view, reflect heat, and insulate during winter.

Motorhomes - Caravans Boats - Cars & Vans Delivery & Collection available Short Term - Long Term Established 15 years Safe & Secure - 24hr CCTV

For more information contact: 958 496 571 - 644 546 176

679 786 669 - Alan - 606 101 807 www.eurodog.es - Email - info@eurodog.es

www.solarshade.es

PEST CONTROL

kennels

pest localsolutions PEST CONTROL 952449591

www.localpest.es

info@localpest.es

Professional and fast

PET transport

All areas covered

952 449 591

Alhaurin el grande Tel:952 112 978 630 197 435 (DEFRA/OCA Licensed) www.cat-and-dog-world.com info@cat-and-dog-world.com Your premier boarding facility on the Costa del Sol, proudly offers everything you expect for the care of your pet while you are away. Also pet transport to the U.K.

www.localpest.es

couriers

Eurodog Boarding Kennels & Cattery

AirtechAC for all your Air Conditioning Requirements. Installations, Services, Repairs and Re-gas. Coin & Card systems available. Prompt, reliable and honest service. Call Paul on 607793923 or 952599019 info@airtechac-spain.com www.airtechac-spain.com.

AIR CONDITIONING installations repairs and servicing. Airflow 952443222 > airflowspain@live.com

furniture

Chimney care

www.eurodog.es - Email - info@eurodog.es

All types of awning and blinds

Installed or fixed Manual/electric Will travel inland No deposit/cash on delivery Call John on 952467783 680323969 ROLLER shutter repairs 7 days a week. Conversion from manual to motorised. New installations. Also blinds, awnings, mosquito screens. All areas covered coast and inland. 655825931

WANTED English Cars/Vans Shopstock Household furniture anything considered

Professional chimney sweeping service, all areas covered. Call 654 184 242

TEL: Christian 660 366 033

Fully Licensed Sanitary Approved Large Secure Runs Purpose Built Secure Play Area Established For Over 20 Years 5 Minutes From Fuengirola

679 786 669 - Alan - 952 464 947

SUNSHINE TOLDOS

WANTED drainage

BLOCKED DRAINS?

Funerals

CLEANers

TEL: 952 568 414 661 910 772 NO CALL OUT CHARGE

HP Jetting Root Removal CCTV Survey - Insurance Claims 24/7 CALL OUT Drain-tech Solutions

COAST & INLAND

Bluebell Cleaning Services is an established cleaning company between Estepona and Sotogrande covering domestic cleaning, offices, windows and ironing for hourly rates and availability please call Nicola on 617576412

www.theolivepress.es

the olive press Property

C lassifieds recruitment

ACTORS WANTED to take part in a new production at a theatre in Marbella. Rehearsals start in January. Send your details to Bajondillo, Los Alamos, La Colina, Playamar, Benyamina, La Carihuela, El Pinar, El Pinillo Estate Agents since 2002 formerly Dreamtime Properties, based in heart of Playamar by the beach area of Torremolinos, we cover all of Torremolinos and close areas. We have rentals for holiday and long lets. Provide Wills, reforms of property and deal with Inheritances all explained in simple English. New website at: www.playamarproperties.com IMPORTANT!!! Do you have property but live less than 183 days a year in spain Then Non resident property tax for 2013 is due by 31 Dec 2014. We can provide forms completed for 25 euros (dual owners 35 euros) just bring IBI receipt 2013 and NIE number to our office. FREE FREE!! Energy Certificates when your property is sold by us.

Calle Ninive Local 3, Omega I, Playamar, Torremolinos, Malaga. (next to Prince of Wales and Oficina Bar by the roundabout)

Telephone: 952 384 046 (mobile/whats app: 645674003) email: gary@playamarproperties.com

property marketing

sherrymidas@yahoo. co.uk

Cambs contractors limited

HGV Drivers urgently required CPC Courses available. UK based 1 week to 52 weeks average earnings Euro 1000 Bricklayers, good contracts UK £450 per 1000 laid accommodation found Email: info@cambscontractors .co.uk +441487822008

www.creativepropertymarketing.com Sell your property privately at a cost of just €296.45 No commission, with full support & 12 months advertising on 20 property sales websites including: Prime Location.com Zoopla Overseas.com Kyero & Think Spain

It works! Can you afford not to give it a try?

FIND OUT MORE… CALL: 951 400 228 Email: info@creativepropertymarketing.com

Design

Rentals

Rental properties Avaliable NOW Marbella to Estepona English:615 40 55 87 Spanish: 620 753 865 www. costa1salesandrentals.com

Properties also required to rent

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 201449

C lassifieds

50 www.theolivepress.es

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014

the olive press

49 cents per word. Minimum charge based on 10 words per issue and a minimum of 2 issues. IVA not included All ads include the first 2 words in bold. For all text in bold add 25% Display boxes Single column display box 38€ per issue

the olive press - November 13- November 26 2014 Double column display box 54€ per issue Three column display box 75€ per issue

Satelite TV

Full name and passport or NIE number must be provided when advertisements are placed. All ads must be paid prior to publication

Construction/garden/landscape

Satelite TV

TV WITHOUT INTERNET IN HD

DIRECT FROM SATELLITE BBC1,2,3,4 ITV1,CH4 & RADIO STATIONS IPTV 200 CHANNELS TV CATCH UP 1000s MOVIES ON DEMAND WE CAN PROVIDE INTERNET

617 169 792

astra2sat@hotmail.com

Carers

Mobility

Damp heating

Butcher

THE MOBILITY WIZARD. The only company in southern Spain that specialises in repairing and maintaining mobility scooters, power chairs and mobility products. Authorised repair agents for most European manufacturers. Most repairs carried out at your place of residence, batteries analysed and replaced if needed, tyres supplied and fitted. Summer’s coming, has your mobility scooter been serviced lately? Full service and inspection at your home for just €60. Large selection of mobility scooters available for sale and rent, no deposit required and free delivery. We also offer roadside assistance, we will come to your rescue if you’re unfortunate enough to have a breakdown or puncture, keep this number handy! Tel 633 127 901 / www.mobility-spain.com / info@mobility-spain.com

Swimming poolS

damp proofing

indoor parking

olive press

Malaga Airport

Secure INDOOR parking

Classified Rates

Please call our Classified Manager Sarah Adams, who has many years in media sales. She will be only too happy to assist you. Call 951127006 or 655825683

Special

YEARLY Parking Offer Pay for one year and get 2 additional months free !

Helle Hollis Parking, Avda. García Morato nº 18, Málaga Airport

Tel.: +34 951 01 40 58

www.hellehollisparking.com

PURE POOL Solutions

Get quote via web =10% off before 2015 www.purepoolsolutions.com HeatWave SuperQuiet our TOP selling product

Titanium Heat Exchanger core Fully tested and certified by AHRI

Heating your swimming pool Air Energy® up to means being able to use it for 80% energy savings! more months of the year and Absorb heat from the air then improves bather comfort simply transfer it to heat pool water by increasing the pool’s water temperature by a few degrees

Call us 951 275 032 Pure-pool-AquaCal.indd 1

20/October/2014 15:04

www.theolivepress.es

the olive press - November 13 FOOD & DRINK with DINING SECRETS of ANDALUCIA.com

Whine and dine!

Olive Press editor Jon Clarke asks is Cellar de Can Roca really the world’s best restaurant? Possibly, if the wine is taken out of the equation

TRIO: The Roca brothers and (right) their fabulous ‘vegetable stock’

“

WE buy locally, but think The place is currently so highly internationally,” explains rated that it has been in the Joan Roca, as he shows me top two eateries in the world, around the high-tech kitchen of according to food bible Restauhis celebrated Catalan restaurant magazine, for the last four rant. years. It is 10 minutes before service So it was a major treat to be and his team of 30-odd chefs flying up to Girona to be joined is surprisingly zen-like as they by some friends from London beaver away in their specific and Estepona for a monstations. umental five-hour cuBroadly split into fish, meat, linary master class. poultry and pastry sections - the Securing a table latter overseen by his younger for six on a Satbrother Jordi - the most eye- urday night, catching sight is a bank of ov- out of the 55 ens, where a series of meat covers that dishes are being slow-cooked each sitting for up to an amazing 70 hours! provides, had This is the engine room of the been some‘World’s Best Restaurant’, ac- thing of an obcording to TripAdvisor, where stacle course, to the average wait for a table is say the least. currently 11 months. We duly arrived at the “It is great to be recognised in door of the eponymous this way by our customers,” ex- diner at 8.30pm, bristling plains Joan, who spends much with anticipation, the night havof the year travelling to far- ing been perfectly set up by away places scouting for ideas. TripAdvisor’s surprising new ac“We have had colade. 10,000 diners Normally highly Reviews are this year so far fallible with recoming from views frequently written by 56 countries. It written by rivals, dullards who can’t is quite a mix.” or dullards who Recent guests tell the difference can’t tell the have unsurprisdifference bebetween capons ingly included tween capons and capers the UK’s chef and capers, the extraordinaire travel website Heston Bluhad apparently menthal and Michel Roux, while got it right this time. Jamie Oliver is lined up for a Or so we hoped… for in, at least, visit in the next month or so. one key area the evening was “We’ve not had Gordon Ramsay anything but perfect. yet, which is a shame as I’d like The arrival was charming, up to meet him,” he adds. a wooden passageway into a A personable chap – who is pretty tree-lined courtyard, with one of Spain’s best ambassa- comfortable looking tables and dors for food – he tries to use chairs perfect for an aperitif. Exlocal ingredients ‘as much as is cept that nothing was offered, humanly possible’ and keeps a as we were immediately led to close eye on trends. our table inside. Quality control is king, which is The stylish interior, décor and why he has stayed ahead of the settings made up for the rather game since he opened the res- hurried arrival, and the waiters taurant alongside his parents’ carried just the right panache older restaurant in Girona with and knowledge that you would his brother Josep, a sommelier, expect from a leading threein 1986. Michelin starred restaurant.

Happy 200! “I am delighted to have watched the Olive Press go from strength to strength over the last eight years. As well as the informative and reliable reporting, we enjoy the admirable, regular campaigning to expose the less savoury aspects of local life, as well as its stance on environmental matters. It is no small achievement that more and more residents on the Costa del Sol call the Olive Press their local newspaper of choice. Furthermore it brings the right kind of clients for our inland hotel and restaurant and as the geographical spread of the paper has expanded so has its effectiveness for advertising.” Andy Chapell, Hotel Molino del Santo, Benaojan

- November 26 2014 5151

STYLE: The dining room and (left) pulsating pudding W e three hours and infused with signed delicate herbs, flowers and up for pomegranates. It was as stunthe lonning to look at as it was to taste. ger tasting We were soon chugging through menu, which some inventive fish dishes, inweighed in at cluding the splendid smoked a rather alarming eel and chestnuts, served on €190, but seemed better cellophane through which a value than the shorter 8-course couple of holes emitted a puff affair, which cost €160. For the or two of toasted ‘yuzu’ smoke. simplicity of the meal and to A prawn with vinegar, an oyster ease things along we went for a with anemone, mackerel with €95 wine-pairing deal. pickles and mullet roe, they In all we ate 20-odd courses and rolled along in steady intervals, it proved to be a good choice served up with, to be fair, rather with the menu varied, original uninspiring wine pairing choices and exciting, starting with the (more of which later). arrival of a bonsai olive tree, off Things started to get interestwhich we ing when the were enfish courses couraged fused into to pick meat and we anchovyhad the skin stuffed olof a sardine ives from stitched onto the nearby pork jowl. This Ampurdan. slow cooked A quintet invention, with of amuse the sauce of bouches a suckling pig, from five was dubbed countries simply ‘surf arrived with and turf’ which us having didn’t do it justo match tice. up which The two main ARRIVAL: The Olive came from meat courses Press party at the door Turkey (a to follow had stuffed vine leaf), Mexico (a each been slow cooked for a mini burrito), Morocco, China couple of days and the tenderand South Korea. It was a fun ness was impressive. In particustart and helped to break the lar the Iberian roast suckling pig ice. A bunch of truffle ‘bonbons’ with figs had an amazing balfrom just 30 kilometres away, ance, while the veal shin with got us back to the local feel. ‘St. George’ mushrooms, marNext up came a beauty in the row, tendons and truffle was shape and form of vegetable stunning, cooked for over 70 stock, no less, slow-cooked for hours!

BODEGA: Some 3,000 references, but we lost out

By the time our puddings came we were finished, completely gone, which was a real pity as the so-called ‘chocolate anarchy’, which claims to have 50 types of chocolate in it, was simply breathtaking… one of those dishes you really want to go back to try again. Oh, and we mustn’t forget the pulsating pudding, the genuine shock of the night, which came out moving on its stand. Basically ‘sourdough ice cream’ with cocoa pulp and dried lychees, it was delicious, and certainly raised a few laughs. Heston, your influence moves

far and wide! The big downside of the night though was the wine. Partly in a hurry we had selected the 12-glass accompaniment, rather than doing battle with the three large wine lists (one each for red, white and rose) that came out laden on a trolley. To be frank, the mix was disappointing, particularly as it included no less than three Rieslings from Germany, a rather over the hill 1990 Grand Cru Chablis and a quite bizarre, oxidized 1986 Ribera del Duero, which was horrible. At some point brother Josep came out to have a chat, but he hadn’t exactly sold them to us, or hung around to hear our views. He was, to be fair, as memorable as his wines, which, between the six of us, had cost us €570, with only the 1962 Montilla Moriles with our pudding standing out. For that price we could have ordered two good clarets and still had change to buy half a dozen top Spanish wines. It took off the shine. As we sat in the courtyard at the end of the night (once again, without being offered a nightcap) we mused that while the food had been incredibly good, it hadn’t quite blown us away. With the debacle over the wine, I am afraid to say the Roca boys get only two out of three from me.

Happy 200! “I’ve lived on the Costa Del Sol since 1978 and the Olive Press is the most informative and refreshing newspaper I have come across. It is always a good read and, what’s more, it has always been productive to my business when I advertise. Keep up the good work for hundreds, nay thousands of editions to come.” Paul Hickling, The Roman Oasis Restaurant, Manilva

52 the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014

FOOD & DRINK www.theolivepress.es with DINING SECRETS of ANDALUCIA.com

IGH on a secluded hillside, surrounded by only chestnut trees and cork oaks lies the spectacular Finca Buenvino. Owned by the Chesterton family for 30 years, the pinkwashed guest house lies at the heart of the Sierra de Aracena natural park, one of the most picturesque and unspoilt parts of Andalucia. Olive groves and orchards fill the valley below the house. Nearby is the beautiful dehesa; the rolling grassland where black Iberian pigs make their home. The guesthouse owners Sam

A taste of

TEAM: Jeannie and Sam and Jeannie – a husband-andwife team from the UK – also run cookery courses for small groups.

A wonderful new cook book provides an insight into the rustic culinary lives of the expat couple behind guest house Finca Buenvino Cook Jeannie, who trained at the Cordon Bleu School in London, has a unique take on Spanish and Mediterranean

cuisine and has just published a collection of her inspirational recipes in her debut book. “Although my cooking is influ-

WIN WIN WIN

HE Olive Press is celebrating the launch of The Buenvino Cookbook with a fantastic competition. Up for grabs are three great prizes, with one lucky reader set to win a luxury weekend stay at the Finca Buenvino, in Aracena expertly looked after by the very welcoming Sam and Jeannie. Two runners-up will receive a copy of the cookbook, packed full of Jeannie’s favourite recipes. To enter, just answer this question: What is the English translation of bacalao?

IDYLLIC: This could be your home for a night

Serrania de Ronda’s freshest new restaurant

Come and see what Gordon did next!

Views to Gibraltar and Africa

Reservations: +34 951 709 075 reservations@lagranadadivino.com

www.lagranadadivino.com

Send your answers to newsdesk@theolivepress.es

SPREAD: Outside meal

FOOD & DRINK with DINING SECRETS of ANDALUCIA.com

www.theolivepress.es

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014 53

gran cru Andaluz enced by Spanish ingredients and methods, this is not a thoroughbred Spanish cookbook, of which there are many,” says Jeannie. “Instead, it’s a reflection of our way of life and the food we share with our guests.” Jeannie takes her inspiration from all over Spain and the other cultures that have influenced Spanish cooking.

“My cooking incorporates the pounded picadas of Catalunya – a mixture of garlic, bread, spices or even chocolate added to a dish at the end of cooking – and the use of fruit and spices in savoury dishes that is so typical both of Andalucia and of the Maghreb,” adds Jeannie. “In autumn, wild mushrooms spring up in the woods, while

just-picked chestnuts from the forest below the house, roasted in the open fire, are perfect with a glass of our rich, dry Chesterton Oloroso straight from the barrel which sits in the conservatory.” To sample some of this Andalucian idyll for yourself, try out some of Jeannie’s carefullycrafted recipes below, a handpicked selection from her new

cookbook. Jeannie and Sam’s cookbook - The Buenvino Cookbook: Recipes from our Farmhouse in Spain - is available to buy in store and online, for €25.50.

Bacalao pilpil Salt cod with chilli and garlic Serves 4 . 450g (1lb) salt cod fillet . 150-300ml (5fl oz–½ pint) extra . virgin olive oil, depending how much sauce you want . 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped . ½–1 small dried chilli, soaked, or 2 fresh chillies, deseeded . leaves from 2 sprigs of parsley, finely chopped . freshly-ground black pepper If you have one large piece of salt cod, cut it into three or four smaller pieces. Put the fish in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Leave to soak for 48 hours, ideally under a dripping tap or, if not, change the water four times.

Local issue 48:The Local Issue 5 15/09/14 10:29 Page 39

SCRUMPTIOUS: Salt cod dish

Drain the cod, give it a good rinse in fresh water, then pat dry with kitchen paper. Be careful to remove all the water by pressing down on the fillets gently with the paper. Remove

Have a Cocomo Christmas

any dangerous looking bones with a pair of tweezers, but do not remove the skin as this contains the magic ingredient which will meld with the olive oil to make the sauce. Heat the oil in a wide, fairly highsided pan. The best is either terracotta or cast iron. You will need constant gentle heat when cooking the fish – and constant movement – but you do not want the oil to splash out over the edge. Sauté the garlic and chilli for two or three minutes until golden. Scatter in the parsley, stirring for about a minute, then remove everything from the oil with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reduce the heat to very low. Add the fish to the pan, skin-side down, and poach. Do not fry at high heat or you will ruin the oil and brown the skins and it will not be possible to make the sauce which is the most distinctive part of this recipe. Move the pan in a circular motion almost constantly while the fish is cooking, or slide the fish about gently from time to time with a wooden spoon. It’s important to keep up this movement while the fish is cooking, so the gelatine in the skin is released into the oil and begins to make a thin custard. Some whitish bubbles in the oil are a sign that the gelatine is beginning to be released from the skins. The oil will start to froth around these white spots. When you see the flesh of the fish begin to separate into ridges, it has been cooked sufficiently. Remove it with a slotted spoon and keep it warm in a low oven in a preheated dish.

Now taking bookings

COCOMO

Cocktail Bar & Restaurant Reservations recommended

685 218 054

Next to the Senator Banus Spa Hotel

Please mention The Local when responding to advertisements Page 39

Now get working on making an emulsion of the oil. It should be warm rather than hot. Take a small metal sieve and lower it into the warm oil until it is resting on the bottom of the pan. Now shake it about gently over a low heat, where you see the bubbles of gelatine forming. Work it around in a circular or sideways motion and you will see the oil begin to thicken. If this does not happen immediately, dip your fingers into a bowl of cold water and splash some droplets of water into the oil. Start once more, concentrating on one area at a time, then gradually moving from one part of the pan to the other until the whole lot of oil has thickened into a mayonnaiselike sauce. When the sauce is done, pour it over the fish and grind on some black pepper. Decorate with the fried garlic, chilli and parsley and bring to the table. Simple steamed potatoes are the way to go. MORE RECIPES IN THE NEXT ISSUE

54 the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014

www.theolivepress.es FOOD & DRINK with DINING SECRETS of ANDALUCIA.com

Tasting the world

restaurant| lunch and dinner

WORLD-famous chef Michel Roux Jr. has named Mijas as the town that inspired him to take on the world, tastebuds first. The 54-year-old AngloFrench owner of London’s two-Michelin-starred Le Gavroche visited the Andalucian

ADVENTUROUS: Michel Roux Jr.

Honeycomb and real orange juice in Mijas gave celebrity chef Michel Roux Jr. the taste for travel pueblo with his family, where he tasted things he had ‘never tasted before’.

“My first real memory of travelling is summer holidays with my parents,” said Roux,

Divino for autumn

estación de arriate s/n | 29350 arriate (málaga) +34 952 166 370 | +34 637 784 416 www.elmuelle-arriate.com closed on Mondays

the n o gain bre a g n i cto open th of O 30

EXPERIMENTAL: Adria honoured in exhibition

Mmm... molecular magic A CHEF who pioneered molecular gastronomy and is to be honoured in a delicious new exhibition. Ferran Adria – considered by many to be the best chef in the world at his El Bulli restaurant – brought cutting edge techniques to cuisine and is now the star of the Auditando El Proceso Creativo exhibition, in Madrid until March 2015.

THE restaurant made famous by Gordon Ramsay is making changes for autumn. La Granada Divino – in Gaucin – has launched its new autumn menu del dia, all fully approved by Ramsay. Chef Neil Brown’s new two or three course options, include dishes such as home-made pork terrine with plum compote, and pan-fried sea bream with crushed potatoes, spinach and roasted pepper sauce. The restaurant was fixed up by Ramsay in June for his Channel 4 show, Ramsay’s Costa del Nightmares, which aired in October.

who was born in Kent in the UK. “We drove all the way to Mijas, on the Costa del Sol. That’s a heck of a long drive – two days, with my sister next to me being a real pain and constantly whinging – but I remember tasting things I’d never tasted before. “I got a great big chunk of honey in the comb and was baffled as to how to attack it. I ended up just scraping and sucking it. I had orange juice, too – made with fresh, real, squeezed oranges.” He said: “Very rarely will I sit down in a dank and dreary hotel and order the international bill of fare, like a bowl of pasta. “I always go for the adventure, eating in places where the locals eat. Food is a joy, and whether you’re eating street food in Thailand or the finest dining possible, that feeling should be the same.” From Mijas, Roux’s travels have taken him to eat crocodile in Broome, in northwest Australia; snake in China; and boiled pig’s head covered in pickle in Barbados.

www.theolivepress.es

the olive press - November 13 - November 26 2014 55

olive press

Telephone: 951 127 006

TO GET AHEAD: Hard work is not important

School, not graft, is key to success

SPANIARDS see a good education as far more crucial to success than working hard, according to a new survey. The Pew Research Centre’s 2014 survey into global attitudes toward the future revealed that 71% of Spanish participants ranked a good education as the key to success. Meanwhile only 47% thought that working hard was important to get on, almost equal with the 42% who believed it was all about knowing the right people. And even though 51% believed outside forces determined success, 52% blamed the government’s economic policy for inequality. Furthermore, seven in ten believe that gap between rich and poor is a huge problem which must be dealt with urgently.

Happy 200! “We’ve been advertising with the Olive Press for ages now and it has been great for us. We have always received good service, both for Union Jack Removals and more recently with Deja Vu. We wouldn’t dream of advertising with anyone else.” Jill Honess, Union Jack Removals and Deja Vu

November 13- November 26, 2014

Contact Sandy for further information Tel: 952 574 051/952 577 751 www.theolivepress.es

In it to win it Malaga creates world’s largest stamp mosaic

MALAGA has created the world’s largest stamp mosaic in celebration of this Thursday’s Guinness World Records Day. An incredible 200,000 stamps were donated by the post office to create a huge ‘ñ’, one of the letters unique to Spain. The finished mosaic, measuring an incredible 200m², can be seen at the Martin Carpena sports stadium.

Fantastic Rentals & Sales

www.benalmadenaproperty.com

Rafa pain TENNIS superstar Rafa Nadal is to undergo stem cell treatment on a back injury that has plagued him for the last three years.

By Jacqueline Fanchini

Moyes moves

This year’s Guinness World Records Day marks the book’s 60th anniversary, and the Spanish have certainly claimed their fair share of titles. This summer 352 kitesurfers in Tarifa broke the record for the largest kitesurfing parade, while Rodrigo Martin, 27, was awarded a record

FORMER Manchester United boss David Moyes has been appointed as the manager of Basque team Real Sociedad following the sacking of Jagoba Arrasate.

ATTEMPT: Helpers assemble the giant ‘ñ’

for the largest collection of Tomb Raider memorabilia thanks to his 2,383 items.

Sierra Nevada: A price freeze and more family fun FAMILIES will be flocking to the Sierra Nevada this season, after €3.1 million was invested in making the ski resort more family-friendly. Three new lifts, the renovation of two existing lifts and a new easier-touse website have been added to improve Spain’s most famous resort, near Granada. And the best news: the price for a ski pass will remain frozen for the fourth consecutive season.

Valencia meanwhile has a long-standing tradition for making giant paellas and restaurateur Juan Galbis officially made the world’s biggest paella in 1992, feeding 100,000 people. In another food record for Spain, young chef Senén González supervised the creation of the world’s largest tortilla in VitoriaGasteiz, which came in at 5m and weighed a tasty 1,500kg.

Load of bull BRITISH taxpayers have been outraged to discover that Spanish bullfighting costs them €17.3 million a year. Farmers in Spain receive handouts from EU subsidies to breed the animals.

BRITISH DENTAL CLINIC

Implants & Aesthetics

Taking care of all your Dental needs

By having specialist dentists in each and every field of dentistry working under the same room in a hospital environment, no matter what the dental problem, we have the expertise to take care of you, whether you have dental phobia or you need just a simple cleaning. Our reputation speaks for itself. Free Intravenous Sedation for Extensive Dental Treatment Do you want to look and feel 10 years younger? We’ve got the answer - visit us for more information CENTRO MÉDICO QUIRÓN, AVDA JESÚS SANTOS REIN NO 19. 29640 FUENGIROLA.

For a Free Consultation - Tel: 952 58 48 58 www.ladentalclinic.es

FINAL WORDS

the

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