Costa Blanca South Olive Press - Issue 6 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

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OLIVE PRESS

We explore Spain’s best yoga retreats...

12 Look at the dozen best health resolutions to stick to easily in 2020

AND find out how these cute seals are helping Alzheimer patients in Spain A

ll about

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Good health 20

Vol. 13 Issue 335

January 22th - Februar

y 4th 2020

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Water worry

pharmaceutical SPAIN’s a warnwatchdog has issued influing over social media health encers pushing dodgy products. Council The CGCF (General Associof Physiotherapist filed a has Spain) ations of Spanish complaint with the about peoHealth Ministry medicinal ple promoting condibeauty for ts treatmen knowltions without proper training. or edge law, According to Spanish n is such medical promotio ng is banned and advertisi d by indusstrictly monitore try professionals.

safe to drink, a believing it was r may not be After decades of Spain’s tap wate new study finds

is among SPAIN’s tap water the worst in Europe. study has A major Barcelonathe fourth found it carries cancer highest risk for bladder on the continent. that longFindings suggest a group of term exposure towater called tap in chemicals may be the trihalomethanes 20 cases of than 0.1%, in one for THM count of less cause Europe each THMs on the followed by the Netherlands ( highest levels of bladder cancer in - behind only Cy- 0.1%) and Germany (0.2%). year. Barcelona continent 23.2%, Malta with The scientists also concluded Scientists from the Health prus with Liffey wag and bathing Institute for Global the tap 17.9% and Ireland’s g third that showerin disease, alcan also trigger the ter coming a surprisin (ISGlobal) analysed EU countries from bottom with 17.2%. chemicals to enter water of all 28 the lowing the the pores of the of meRomania end social and Bulgaria At the opposite Denmark’s the body via However Spanish advocat- except and 2018. horror list, dia ‘stars’ have been creams, between 2005 with a skin. tap wa- H2O At 10.9%, Spain’s the fourth water was the purest, ing the use of certain in order to with wipes and tablets issues, un- ter came out t or obese compared overweigh being cosmetic of odds help with drank lower-fat varieties. the potential with their peers who d that whole milk causes aware of some of indiscrimiIt has been speculate which reduces snacking. health risks that to feel fuller, studnate use can cause. the results of 28 are less children Martin drink full-fat milk seven counThe research combined Pharmacist Guillermo CHILDREN who the probt than those given ies that were conducted across correlation beMelgar first noticed brand of likely to be overweigh had explored the lem when a certainwipes was or semi-skimmed. in The American tries, which drinking cows milk and the risk skimmed children published prescription facialout, only to The findings wereNutrition and they found that tween being overweight. suddenly selling recommendJournal of Clinical whole milk had 40% lower of find it was being chanchildren who drank ed by a popular Youtube acne. for t treatmen nel as a

Risks

Milk matters

guide to OM! Our t yoga Spain’s besE Page 17 breaks SE

All in our special health supplement inside

COSTA BLANCA SUR / MURCIA

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Vol. 1 Issue 6 www.theolivepress.es

Your expat

voice in Spain

January 23th - February 5th 2020

Climate emergency declared as recordbreaking storm Gloria leaves nine dead

RECORD: Waves ofof up RECORD: Waves toup 14m eastern to lashed 14m lashed east Spain this week Spain this week

ACTION STATIONS

A SERIES of giant 14-metre waves lashed eastern Spain this week as Storm Gloria became officially the most destructive winter storm since 1982. The record-breaking walls of water – and weather that left nine dead – came on cue as Spain declared

be at the ‘forefront’ of government action with an unprecedented ‘climate change law’ expected within 100 a landmark state of ‘climate emergen- days, following in the steps of scores cy’ for the entire country. of countries across the world. Leader Pedro Sanchez (below) insist- It came after serious storms lashed ed ecological transition would now the Costa Blanca, also leaving millions of euros of damage. Gale force 9 winds wrought havoc with 115km/h winds recordA gota fría (cold drop) is caused by pockets of arctic or ed in Oliva and polar air that move southeast across western Europe bewaves reaching a fore meeting the warmer, humid Mediterannean climate, record-breaking according to Alicante scientist Jorge Olcina. 8.44m in ValenThe cold blast becomes ‘isolated’ at high altitude, hence cia, and a shocking its spanish term DANA, or Isolated Depression at High 14.22m in Ibiza. Altitudes. So far, nine people When coming into contact with warmer Mediterannean have died around air, the rising humid vapours immediately condense and Spain, with a furdrop a massive quantity of water in one burst. In Orihuether four missing la back in September 2019 over 400mm of water fell in around the Baleless than 48 hours, nearly twice annual average precipiaric Islands and tation, due to a freak gota fría. Catalunya. The By Joshua Parfitt

We’ve gota learn

first victim, age 44, died in Asturias on Sunday when a truck lost control in heavy snowfall and crashed into his car while he was putting on snow chains. The following day a 63-year-old died in Avila after he was struck by a roof tile. Meanwhile a 70-year-old man died of hypothermia in Moixent, Alicante after falling into snow close to his home, and two homeless people – one in Gandia and another in Carcaixent – also died from hypothermia. Four people died yesterday, including a farmer in a hailstorm, a homeless person killed by hypothermia in Almeria, a woman whose house collapsed in Alcoy, and a man whose car was swept off a road near Benidorm. Four are still missing in Catalunya and the Balearic Islands – including a 25-year-old Brit in Ibiza. Leading climatologists backed the

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NEWS IN BRIEF Well done POLICE have arrested 107 people across Spain after 35 illegal wells and 38 desalination plants were discovered in Murcia and other areas.

Road tragedy A YOUNG driver has been killed in a horror crash on the RM-2 near Fuente Alamo, north of Cartagena.

Death trap CALLOSA de Segura has come under fire from the PSOE party for neglecting the town’s pavements which have become increasingly dangerous.

Snared A BRITISH fugitive wanted for two killings in the UK has been arrested in Spain. John Kennedy, 39, was held in Tenerife over the Glasgow deaths of Jamie Campbell in 2006 and Kenny Reilly in 2018.

EXCLUSIVE By Charlie Smith

THE UK is failing British children overseas, as numerous paedophiles are being allowed to travel overseas to commit sex crimes, a new report has found. Dozens of dangerous sex offenders are being allowed to live around Europe, many in countries like Spain. In the hard-hitting report, it emerged that many expats have requested consular assistance over child sex offences. The findings have been released in a 74-page report by the Truth Project,

CRIME

PAEDO ALERT

UK authorities are allowing too many paedophiles to travel and live around Europe, claims report which is part of Britain’s in-depth inquiry into child sex abuse. It found that UK offenders

‘figure highly’ in the numbers of sex crimes against British children abroad. According to the report,

Dirty dozen

Caught red-handed POLICE have arrested two Algerians suspected of a spate of nine robberies throughout Costa Blanca South and Murcia. Investigations, which began after vehicles were broken into in Crevillente, soon led to burglaries in San Fulgencio and San Javier. One trader alerted the police after he saw the two men, 52 and 38, act-

January 23th - February 5th 2020

COPS have arrested two men responsible for a dozen robberies at empty holiday homes near Cartagena. Guardia Civil officers have been tracking the pair,

ing suspiciously. When police arrived they ran off on foot, but were caught. In their car they had a series of tools used to break into homes.

only around 0.2% of the 58,637 registered sex offenders in England and Wales in 2018 alone had their foreign travel restricted. It says that the barring service is ‘confusing, inconsistent and in need of reform’. A shocking 361 suspected child sex abuse cases abroad were recorded between 2013 and 2017. In 2018, in Spain alone, around five Brits were arrested for child sex offences, according to data by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Up to five more Brits in Spain were held for child porn charges in the same year, although the exact figures are not given.

aged 23 and 45, since 2018, when a number of similar robberies started in Los Nietos. The detainees ensured that all properties were isolated, picking homes they knew to be empty, entering via upstairs terraces or balconies.

Bled to death A SCANDINAVIAN expat who shoved his stepfather through a glass door has been arrested on suspicion of murder. The Icelandic man jumped over a wall into his mother’s house on the Costa Blanca at 3am one night. He then pushed his 66-year-old stepfather through a French window at the property in the Balcones de Torrevieja urbanisation. Police found the stepfather bleeding heavily, but were unable to revive him. The accused’s mother initially told police the death was accidental.

In 2016, the Olive Press, was able to snare wanted paedophile Matthew Sammon just hours after being named as one of the top 10 most wanted fugitives by Crimestoppers. Police swarmed Sammon’s camper van in the popular Costa del Sol holiday resort of Fuengirola, after a reader tipped us off where he was living. In the same year, serial child abuser Mark Frost was snared. He later admitted to 45 offences, spanning 25 years, until he was tracked down to Spain, after fleeing a sex abuse probe in Thailand. Spanish and Dutch authorities charged him with 67 offences, 23 of which he pled guilty to.

Glitter

He also pled guilty to 22 offences, which he was charged with under Section 72 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which extends the jurisdiction of UK courts abroad. However it is suggested in the report that Section 72 may be underused, as since 1997, there have only been ‘eight successful such prosecutions’. Infamous pop star Gary Glitter – aka Paul Gadd – was jailed for four months in 1999, after admitting to the possession of indecent images of children. He later fled to Spain, where the Olive Press tracked him down in 2008 to Sotogrande port.

NEWS

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LET’s Go Mad

Woke joke OSCAR nominee Antonio Banderas has bizarrely been labelled a ‘man of colour’ ahead of the prestigious Hollywood awards. While the Malaga-born star is olive-skinned, the people of colour (POC) category is usually reserved for black, Asian and Latin Americans. Several US media outlets have been slammed for wrongly categorizing the 59-year-old. He is nominated as best actor for his role as film director Salvador Mallo in Pedro Almodovar’s Dolor y Gloria, which is also up for Best Foreign Film. It comes as Academy Awards judges have again been criticised for nominees’ lack of diversity, with only one actor out of 20 Oscar-hopefuls being non-white (Harriet actress Cynthia Erivo).

January 23th - February 5th 2020

From power pop to underground electro, Mad Cool Festival has music for all tastes TAYLOR Swift and Kings of Leon are among a long lineup of international artists taking to the Mad Cool Festival stage this summer. Other headliners at the Madrid bash include Billie Eilish, Khalid, The Killers, Twenty One Pilots and the Pixies. The event taking place from July 8 to 11 also features numerous British acts, including Indie rock band Wolf Alice, former Pulp guitarist Richard Hawley, soul singer Tom Misch, Charli XCX, Foals, Alt-J, The Struts and Jamie Cullum. In addition, there will also be some famous Spanish acts performing, including all-girl band Hinds who are huge in the UK. The festival was first launched in 2016 with music legends like The Who and Neil Young performing and is already one of the biggest in Europe. Last year’s festival attracted more than 186,000 music fans. The acts are drawn from a wide mix of music genres such as rock, indie, pop, hip

Bail of a time SURREAL British comic Bill Bailey is bringing his unique blend of abstract humour and musical wizardry to the Costa del Sol. He will perform in Torremolinos as part of his European tour, Larks in Transit, which is a healthy mix of travel stories and anecdotes from his 20 years as a comedian The Never Mind the Buzzcocks regular, 55, is well known for fusing musical performances into his stand up routines and regularly gets the crowd to join in. He will also be performing on March 2 in Madrid and March 3 in Barcelona, before performing in Torremolinos on March 5.

DIVERSE: From Kings of Leon to Billie Eilish, Khalid and Killers (bottom)

hop and underground electronic music, catering for different types of audiences.

Four day tickets have already sold out, but three day tickets are still available.

Queen of pop flops MADONNA has cancelled another show of her Madame X world tour due to an unspecified injury. The 61-year-old pulled out from a Lisbon performance just 45 minutes before she was due to go onstage. The Queen of Pop told fans she needed to ‘listen to her body’, although she didn’t specify what her ailment was. It comes after Madonna told an audience in San Francisco she was suffering from a ‘torn ligament’ and ‘a bad knee’. Madonna is currently on the European leg of her tour, which was meant to have 93 dates, but has now been reduced to 85.

They call it Madness

PUT on your baggy trousers, because legendary British band Madness are coming to Spain. The London ska outfit are jetting to Murcia for a gig at the city’s Plaza de Toros on June 26. Led by frontman Suggs, the group, which formed in 1976, are emblematic of Britain’s iconic two-tone era. Madness had 15 singles in the UK Top Ten, with House of Fun being their only UK number one. They also won an Ivor Novello Award in 2000 from the British Academy of Song-

writers, Composers and Authors for their ‘Outstanding Song Collection’. Tickets have gone on sale and start at €35.

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STOP playing games!

NEWS

Gutted by Gloria Fundraiser launched after expat-run horse stable destroyed by Storm Gloria

EXCLUSIVE By Charlie Smith

A SPANISH police chief investigating the disappearance of a British man in Spain has urged him to ‘turn himself in’. Harry Stagg, 23, from the Isle of Wight, vanished on November 29 on the way to his grandad’s home in Malaga, where he was due to spend Christmas. But the Guardia Civil officer in charge of the initial search for the missing waiter revealed all may not be as it seems. As the search for Harry was widened from Malaga to the whole of Spain, the Guardia Civil sergeant insisted the

January 23th - February 5th 2020

operation had become ‘very expensive’. He told the Olive Press that Stagg (above) most likely ‘did not want to be found’. He added: “We want to stop looking for someone who wants to stay travelling.” Since he went missing, Harry’s family have received notification that he made a bank transaction of €41 on December 12 in the town of Albocacer, in Valencia. Harry made his last call to his mother Susan from nearby Huesca Police Station on November 29.

Growing concern in Spain THE Spanish population has reached an all-time high at 47.1 million. The increase is due to the increasing number of immigrants entering the country, despite the birth rate among Spaniards dropping. In total, 348,625 immigrants arrived in Spain in the first half of 2019, compared to 139,528 emigrants leaving. This brings the total of immigrants in Spain to 5,023,279, or 10.67% of the population. The Balearic Islands increased the most (0.87%), followed by Madrid (0.66%) and the Canary Islands (0.61%), with Extremadura having the biggest decrease ( - 0.25%). The two nationalities with the biggest influx were Venezuelans (18%) and Colombians (14%). Spanish deaths greatly outnumbered births with 214,218 people dying, while only 169,216 babies were born.

He and his travelling partner Kim Muca became separated in the French city of Bayona on November 22, before Harry made his way across the border into Spain. It comes as there have been four reported sightings of Stagg across Andalucia and Gibraltar. The first came on December 13 in Antequera, Malaga, where Harry was ‘seen’ by a British expat dressed in black and hitchhiking. Then another British expat saw him ‘walking along the N-340 on January 13 in the direction of Almeria near Lucainena de las Torres.’ She saw him again on the same road twice over the next few days. He had a bag with juggling pins and was sorting spare change. Harry’s mum, Susan Stagg, 51, said: “There is a possibility that Harry doesn’t have a clue that we’re worried.” Have you seen Harry? Give us a call on +34 951 27 35 75 or email newsdesk@theolivepress.es

the stables keeping her 11 horses dry. Most of the horses tack and bedding was destroyed, being blown around the finca. A tearful Janet told the Olive Press she was unable to get her wooden stable insured, due to it being a fire hazard. “I’ve invested all my money into this place, where I have cared for many abandoned horses,” she said. “The storm ripped everything to pieces all through the night. I just don’t know how I’m going to get through this.” Janet is heartbroken after her horses were split up HEARTBROKEN: Janet Welsh

DELUGE: Homes around the Costa Blanca have been flooded, while many people needed to be rescued

AN urgent plea for funds has been launched after a British expat lost her 15year horse rescue business and nearly her life - during violent Storm Gloria. Janet Welsh escaped death after the roof from her stable crashed through her caravan window, in Jesus Pobre, on Monday night. Welsh then spent the rest of the night trying to repair

and homed at nearby rescue centres and riding stables. One, Reeva, is in a perilous position suffering from bad colic and needs medication following the removal of a tumour last year. “I’ve raised her from a baby and only I know what she needs,” Janet insisted.

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NEWS

January 23th - February 5th 2020

At least HE’LL be Climate emergency insured From Page 1

DRAMATIC: A driver rescued from his car

Search for Ben “It’s a miracle none of the horses were injured,” Janet said. “I’ve never seen a storm this bad in all my 15 years here.” The GoFundMe fundraiser

is aiming to raise €10,000 to help Janet rebuild her horse stables and get her animals back home. Visit www.theolivepress.es for more details.

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EMERGENCY services are searching for a 25-year-old Brit, Ben Garland, who they fear was swept out to sea as deadly Storm Gloria lashed Ibiza. The missing man is said to be one of the crew docked on a boat in Ibiza port. His motorcycle was found in Cala Portinatx, after he went on a tour of the island on Tuesday.

THE boss of one of the Costa Blanca’s best known insurance company’s was left devastated after his seafront office was destroyed by Storm Gloria. Mark Petrie’s Javea office (bottom) was left underwater as waves stormed through the windows and door. Petrie, who received an MBE in December for services to expats, said the office may take until Easter to get open again. “My colleague went to open up shop on Monday and found the place in a ruin,” he told the Olive Press. “This is about the third time we’ve had our office wrecked by storms. It wasn’t the worst we’ve seen – in 2007 we found an octopus in the bathroom.” Petrie added that Spain’s national Consorcio de Compensacion de Seguros (CCS) would cover damages caused by such natural disasters.

government’s emergency blaming global warming for the four devastating ‘gota frias’ – one for every season – over the last year. “The jet stream is now circulating in waves, instead of a straight line, and this creates ever increasing pockets of arctic air at lower latitudes,” Jorge Olcina, president of the National Association of Spanish Geographers (AGE) told the Olive Press. “This process is directly related to global warming and the gota frias, which have caused massive losses of human life and property. We’re being left with no other choice than to prepare this region to better resist increasing storms and freak winds.” The Valencian Community’s emergency line received nearly 1,500 calls in twelve hours leading to 1,034 call outs. Meanwhile, Alicante airport was closed for nearly two days with flights diverted as far as Zaragoza, while Valencia and Gandia ports were shut, as well as roads including the A-7, the A-31 and the A-33. The British Foreign Office issued an ‘extreme risk’ warning for tourists travelling to Spain during the storm. The only real winners were local children, after school was cancelled for 200,000 students.

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features

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CHasing

Voted top expat paper in Spain

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

OPINION Stormy side up THE shores may be sunnier in Spain, but not everyone sees the storms. For those who live here through all four seasons the intense rains and gusting winds become a frequent part of life. Like clockwork, every season another storm hits, sometimes trashing the same beachfront shops and restaurants. When this paper spoke to a British-owned insurance broker about his broken-in window, he said: “It wasn’t as bad as the first time – back in 2007, we found an octopus in the toilet.” But as ever, familiarity breeds complacency. This year one man has died from a falling tile, while a Dutchman broke his leg while out taking photographs on the Costa Blanca. Weather warnings from Spain’s met office, AEMET, are issued for a reason – don’t go out to danger zones if you don’t need to. When nature is raging, red alert means red alert. Take extra care, and the sun will be back out soon.

January 23th - February 5th 2020

As news breaks that the search for missing Federico Garcia Lorca may begin again, we go inside the fleeting life of Spain’s most famous poet, snuffed out for being gay, socialist and ‘undesirable’

CREATIVE: From a young child (far left) Federico showed great talent, while (bottom) writing at his finca just weeks before his execution

Devil in the detail THE death of British expat Paul Aust in a fire at his apartment is a tragedy. A mother has lost her son and fellow Brit Ben Lake has lost his boyfriend. However, after dispatching an Olive Press reporter to the fire-ravaged Alcaidesa flat, there are still more questions than answers. Lake told this newspaper that the ‘accidental’ blaze at the couple’s home was ‘confirmed’ by a police report. Yet the report in question has never seen the light of day, with neither Lake nor cops having let the Olive Press have access. On top of this, there are other things that just don’t add up, like the disputed claim that the burning house was locked from the inside. Details have been scant since the day Paul died, with the cause of death and the cause of the fire still disputed. Hopefully the exact details will be cleared up in the fullness of time. Publisher / Editor

Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es Charlie Smith Joshua Parfitt charlie@theolivepress.es joshua@theolivepress.es John Culatto Laurence Dollimore laurence@theolivepress.es johnc@theolivepress.es Dimitris Kouimtsidis dimitris@theolivepress.es Admin Beatriz Sanllehí (+34) 951 273 575 admin@ theolivepress.es

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AWARDS

2016 - 2020 Best expat paper in Spain and the second best in the world. The Expat Survey Consumer Awards.

2012 - 2020 Named the best English language publication in Andalucia by the Rough Guides group.

Special report by Dimitris Kouimtsidis in Granada

HE city of Granada is famous for many reasons. The Alhambra Palace attracts myriads of tourists daily, as does the Moorish architecture evident throughout the narrow streets of the last Spanish city to be recaptured by the Christians in 1492. The provincial capital is also feted for its most famous literary son - the poet and playwright Federico Garcia Lorca. You may be familiar with the name, and even with his controversial murder, but few people realise the full extent of his legacy. As the Olive Press reported last issue, a long-term search for his missing body, could be about to begin again. It comes after family of another victim, allegedly buried in a mass grave alongside him, filed an official demand to start digging again (more of which

later). this sense of magic realism. It is a sad and moving chapter in the “Even after all these years of studying history of Spain, still coming to terms his plays I’m still amazed. The way he with the legacy of the long and bloody used language is full of similes and civil war. metaphors that ‘trip out’ the audiLorca was born in 1898 in Fuente Vaence.” queros, a small village outside GranaBlood Wedding, considered his most da, into an economically comfortable famous play, is awash with examples family. of magical realism such as the moon The house where he lived until he was speaking as if it’s a human character. ten is now a museum - a perfectly preHis work tended to be quite dark, emoserved early 20th century home where tional and radical for the time. A comvisitors are surprised to see, along with mon theme running throughout is the his writings, some of his artworks and spirit of duende, (passion doesn’t fully his first piano. describe it). Duende controls his largAlthough not as famous for his art as er-than-life characters, most of whom his close friend Salvador Dali, many struggle with a form of suppressed depeople forget that Lorca also drew and sire, like Lorca himself who was homoplayed music. sexual - a factor that almost certainly The family moved twice played a part in his unmore - first to the neartimely death. He was also by village of Valderrubio; an outspoken socialist then, when Lorca was 28, One can imagine and when the Civil War to Huerta de San Vicente, erupted in Spain in 1936, what he must then on the outskirts of he was arrested by FasGranada but much closer have been feeling cist forces and summarily to the city centre today. as he walked to executed. Both these homes are Prior to his assassination also museums he was held prisoner in his death showcasing the the village of Viznar a few life of this influmiles outside of Granada. ential writer. He was most likely shot According to the guide at along with other ‘undesirables’ someHuerta de San Vicente, Lorwhere between the villages of Viznar ca described his final home and Alfacar. The exact location is unas the perfect place for writknown and his body has never been ing as it was relaxed. “He found, despite numerous projects to needed this space to clear discover his burial site, the most rehis head after the time he cent in 2016. spent in Madrid and BarceNow there is talk that the investigation lona,’’ explained the guide. may be reopened once more. His work was ‘crazy, quite Celebrated Hispanist Ian Gibson told out there’, he added, which the Olive Press: “It’s about time they may explain why it so incarried on with his search. It is abhorspired people, and why Lorrent that Spain’s most famous playca remains iconic nearly a wright and poet is still buried in an uncentury later. marked grave.” Anastasia Revi, an artistic The route from Viznar to Alfacar is only director, theatre director three kilometres but as you walk the and workshop facilitator winding mountain path, you can’t help who has rigorously studied but wonder what the poet was thinking Lorca’s works and run multion this final leg of his earthly journey. ple workshops on the SpanHe wrote of his own death often. These iard, echoed the sentiment. lines from his 1929 poem The Fable “His stories are full of surreand Round of the Three Friends, are al elements and they create particularly prophetic: ‘They looked for

January 22th - February 4th 2020

SHADOWS BURIAL SITE: It is not known exactly where Lorca is buried, although Ian Gibson (below) believes it is under the fountain (above). A memorial (right) in the village of Alfacar

MURALS: Line the walls of his Granada home, where he wrote and played music

me in cafes, in cemeteries, in churches, but they didn’t find me. They never found me? No. They never found me’. Could he have known? Halfway between the two villages, a serene wooded area perfectly representing the Granada countryside hides a grim secret beneath its scented pines. The Barranco de Viznar memorial, erected beside an olive tree, only hints at the untold story – marking the spot where numerous Republicans were mown down by firing squads and buried in unmarked graves. Just outside Alfacar, a park named after the playwright has become a point of pilgrimage, its memorial stone showered with flowers all year round by visitors who make the trek up the mountain to visit his supposed place of death. His ‘murder’ is a war crime that has given the poet legendary status. “He was killed very young and his execution at the hands of fascists for his liberal beliefs has only helped to elevate his sta-

tus,” continues director Revi. There is a sense that the Spanish, and the people of Granada in particular, are ashamed by the murder of one of the world’s most famous poets and playwrights on their own soil. It might have been why I wasn’t allowed to take any pictures at his museum homes. ‘You need special permission from the local council’, I was told. My request to interview the tour guides about their fellow Grenadino also oddly received the same point blank refusal. Why does the local government have all these rules in place for journalists wanting to write a piece on someone as famous as Lorca? Shame would certainly make sense, and not just because of the snuffing out of an exceptional life barely half lived - he was just 36 when he died. It is believed that a staggering 115,000 missing souls are still buried in unmarked graves throughout Spain. Federico Garcia Lorca is just one of them.

www.theolivepress.es Courts back the scrapping of huge gas project in Andalucia’s most valuable park

The lynx effect

A SHOCKING 23 lynx were run over and killed in Andalucia last year. A further eight were killed on roads around the rest of the country, according to the WWF. The numbers account for an alarming 5% of the global population of the protected wildcat. It comes despite progress on modifying the A-4 road in Sevilla last year, a black spot when it comes to lynxes being hit by cars. However the WWF said more work needs to be done, as well as on the N-420 in Ciudad Real region, where two lynxes were killed in 2019. Despite the deaths, 2019 was a positive year for the lynx, with an estimated 150 believed to have been born across Spain and Portugal, an increase of 22.4%. The population is now believed to be around 825 species, which is double a decade ago.

A BARBARIC gas project that threatens one of Spain’s biggest protected areas has been given the elbow. The Andalusian High Court (TSJA) has backed the regional authority’s ruling to prevent the scheme in the Donana National Park. The ruling against Naturgy’s project will stop the digging of 14 wells inside the park’s boundary. It will also prevent plans to put in a 70km pipeline across the park, which is Andalucia’s most important, as well as a huge gas storage tank. The ruling comes after a decade of protests across Spain, led by Greenpeace and Ecologistas en Accion. Four sub-projects at Saladillo, Aznalcazar and Marismas Occi-

GREEN

January 22th - February 4th 2020

Doñana saved! PROTECTED: Andalucia’s huge National park is home to much wildlife and hundreds of lynxes dental do not have the necessary permits to go ahead, according to the court. Initial works at these sites were stopped after the Junta de Anda-

lucia took the case to court at the beginning of 2018. Since then, the World Wildlife Fund and the European Parliament joined increasingly vo-

‘This is NOT a drill’

xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx BEHIND GRETA: Mayor Ada

THESE are the immortal words of Greta Thunberg, used by the Mayor of Barcelona to declare a ‘climate emergency’ in her city. Mayor Ada Colau borrowed the Swedish teen activist’s unforgettable phrase to announce that the Catalan capital would join the likes of Ottawa, London, New York and Sydney in declaring a state of environ-

mental emergency. Spain’s second largest city aims to half its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, in a bid to curb the damaging effects of the climate crisis. Barca city chiefs have pledged €563 million to cutting emissions and have recently banned older, more gas-guzzling vehicles from the city centre.

cal protests to have the project scrapped. Initial joy at the Junta’s ruling was shortlived after the company, formerly Gas Natural, took the regional government to court. Although the case could still be appealed at both national and European level, it will grant a reprieve for the endangered species of the Iberian lynx that lives there. A majority of the world’s most endangered wild cats live in the 250,000 hectares of the park, which spans Sevilla, Huelva and Cadiz provinces and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2012. The Olive Press has campaigned tirelessly so that this pristine natural environment would not be damaged in any way.

LA CULTURA

Culture hub SPAIN has been named the third most culturally important country in the world. According to a highly regarded study it has the second largest cultural heritage, as well as a language that is spoken worldwide. The report was commissioned by the US News and World Report, the BAV Group and the University of Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, Spanish adventure holidays were ranked the third highest in the world, with the country being considered perfect for an outdoor break.

Spain is the third most important culture haven globally Only Brazil and Italy bettered Spain for adventure holidays, with Italy being top for heritage. Yet despite Spain’s rich cultural offerings, which include the likes of Picasso, Dali and Cervantes, the country is also one of the world’s most humble. A poll of some 56,000 peo-

ple in 34 European countries found that Spaniards have the lowest ‘cultural arrogance’ in Europe. Only one in five regard their traditions and artistic exports as superior to others. Research carried out by the Pew Research Centre between found that just 20% of Spaniards supported the statement: “Our people are not perfect, but our culture is superior to others.” Unsurprisingly for Brexiteers, 46% of UK respondents had higher ‘patriotic chauvinism’, while neighbouring Portugal’s rate was 47%.

Bullas from the past

Off with his head

A ROMAN statue found in the Murcian town of Bullas is to be returned after being kept by a Madrid museum for over 150 years. The ‘Venus de Bullas’ was found in 1867 at the Roman Villa of Los Cantos, west of Murcia. Since being kept out of sight for decades in Madrid, the precious piece was to be transferred to the Archaeological Museum of Murcia this year, but will now be shown for a while at the Museo del Vino in Bullas.

Discovered

It will form part of a larger exhibition displaying Roman history in the immediate area. After being discovered by farmers in the 19th century, it was assumed to be one of a collection of statues shown in the Villa de Los Cantos. The artefact was transported to the capital in 1894, and spent much of the last century in storage at the National Archaeological Museum of Madrid.

RECLAIMED: Picasso’s valuable Head of a Young Woman is back in Spain

A FASCINATING exhibition on the world’s most famous sunken ship has opened in Murcia. On display are items of memorabilia from the Titanic, which started its maiden voyage on April 10, 1912. The Titanic: The Restoration show allows visitors to enter a raffle to win a replica of a wash basin that was fitted in

Titanic prize second-class cabins on the ‘unsinkable’ vessel. The handmade piece made by Spanish company Bathco, is considered identical to the original style, and a similar one was gifted to former US President Barack Obama, for his new home.

A SPANISH billionaire who tried to smuggle a priceless Picasso artwork out of Spain has been fined €52million and handed an 18-month prison sentence. Ex-banker Jaime Botin was arrested on his yacht with the Malaga artist’s Head of a Young Woman (1906), valued at over €26 million. Although he is the painting’s owner, Botin was accused of exporting the work to try and sell it, in breach of a ban on exporting an artwork of cultural significance. The 83-year-old former Bankinter chairman, whose family helped found Banco Santander, was convicted after a customs search in 2015 in Corsica revealed he was heading to Switzerland. Botin strenuously denies the charges and maintains that he was taking the artwork to Switzerland for safe keeping. Prosecutors on the case accused Botin of ordering the captain of his yacht to ‘hide it from authorities’ as it left the port of Valencia. The painting has now been transferred to Spanish state archives. Picasso completed Head of a Young Woman in his pre-Cubist phase, with the painting snapped up by Botin in London in 1977.

January 23th - February 5th 2020

what’swhat’s on on Thursday 23 Jan TORREVIEJA, Cafe Bar El Paso, 10pm. Marco, his magic guitar and co! ORIHUELA, Lime Bar Spain & The Bar Next Door, 4pm. Northern Soul Party. FORMENTERA DEL SEGURA, Rumours Bar, 8.30pm. Quiz Night. TORREVIEJA, Murphy’s on The Park, 10pm. Karaoke with Nikk. Friday 24 Jan TORREVIEJA, Cafe Bar El Paso, 10pm. Start your weekend with a JAM session. QUESADA, The Olive Tree, 1.30pm. Ladies’ Lunch. BENIJOFAR, The Stone Horse Tea Rooms, 2pm. Pink’s Fashion Show. FORMENTERA DEL SEGURA, The Inn Place, 8pm. Free Quiz. TORREVIEJA, Municipal Theatre, 9pm. Annual Carnival starts with Pregón Gala. Saturday 25 Jan LA MARINA, Plaza 39, 4pm. Quiz LOS ALCAZARES, La Zona Bar & Mini Golf, 5pm. Burns Night, only €15 per person. QUESADA, The Quesada Club, 7pm. ABBA Elite tribute act.

VILLAMARTIN, The Plaza, 12pm. The Little Pod Association Gift Fair. PUNTA PRIMA, Captain’s Bar, 8.30pm. One Love Reggae Party, featuring Martin Kay. Sunday 26 Jan ROJALES, Edina’s Bar & Grill, 6pm. Tourettes Karaoke with Brian Mooore. ORIHUELA COSTA, Pablo’s International Bar, 7pm. Sunday Soul / Motown. LOS MONTESINOS, Oasis Bar, La Herrada, 7.30pm. Karaoke. ALGORFA, Jilly’s Bar, 9pm. Free Quiz. LA MARINA, Maya’s Bar, 2pm. Sixth Anniversary Fiesta with Dee. Monday 27 Jan BENIJOFAR, The Pines, 7.30pm. Quiz Night with Mike. Tuesday 28 Jan LA MARINA, Plaza 39, 4pm. Quiz night. ROJALES, Edina’s Bar & Grill, 7pm. Songbook collection JAM. LOS MONTESINOS, Oasis Bar, La Herrada, 8.30pm. Free Quiz. ALGORFA, Jilly’s Bar, 7pm. Free Super Quiz. ALGORFA, Chandeliers, 8.30pm. Prize karaoke.

January 23th - February 5th 2020

LA CULTURA

No small feat! A love letter written on the back of a cigarette packet is part of a new exhibition revealing the poignant stories of families torn apart by the cruel Franco regime, writes Heather Galloway

OST evidence of suffering from the Franco era has been neatly swept under the carpet but heart-breaking stories can be teased out and pieced together from the remaining scraps That’s the theory behind the Exhibition of Small Things, a collection of everyday personal items belonging to families from Franco’s time, put together over the past 10 years by anthropologist Jorge Moreno and his Mapas de Memoria (Memory Maps) research team from UNED, Spain’s equivalent of the Open University. If there is one thing that Jorge cannot get his head around, it is the lack of empathy he sees in Spanish society towards the families of Franco’s victims. “I hope these apparently insignificant objects will serve to prod people into imagining what their lives were like,” he explains. “If a letter written in

pencil on the back of a cig- fear of being branded by neigharette box to say goodbye to bours as ‘the enemy’. But was loved ones hours before being the fear justified? executed doesn’t move peo- “When they’ve killed members of your family, your father or ple, what will?” Currently on display in Madrid your husband, then the threat but due to travel around Spain feels very real,” says Jorge, over the course of the year, whose grandfather, a captain gathering additional keep- in the Spanish Second Resakes from that harrowing public’s aviation forces, was era along the way, the exhibi- handed a life sentence – later reduced – after tion currently the war. consists of 12 God is in the items. Collectively they show the He sneaked over detail, it’s said, in this case extent to which to the scene of but it is the size of the identities the massacre the objects that of those on the the losing side of and retrieved the captures sense of how the the Spanish Civil families of FranWar were forced objects underground, co’s victims had and visible evithe memories of their loved ones dence that memreduced to what Jorge deories were wiped out. The secret stashing of trea- scribes as ‘scraps’. sured mementos at the bottom “He even banned people from of a chest or at the back of a calling their children names cupboard suggests a very real such as Libertad, anything

BLACK GOLD: Coal from an exiled miner and (right) slippers revealed by an executioner who came clean about a grave

that could be associated with the Republican side,” he continues. The first ‘small thing’ Jorge brings out is a piece of cloth stained with the blood of Heliodoro Meneses. It was used to wrap up the few bits and pieces his cousin found in his pockets after he was taken out at night, along with other villagers from Puertollano in the province of Ciudad Real in 1939, and shot by a firing squad. Other assorted objects include a hair clip, cigarette papers, tobacco and matches and a pencil and rubber. Heliodoro’s cousin had furtively watched the execution and

when the soldiers abandoned the bodies – waiting until the next day to dump them in a mass grave – he sneaked over to the scene of the massacre and retrieved these last tangible objects, such as they were, to remember Heliodoro by. “It was a surprise,” says Jorge whose team has interviewed many families for the Mapas de Memoria project. “We were expecting mementos, things people had treasured for years. And this first one acted as a call for others to be brought out.” But isn’t all this just opening old wounds? “The idea that we should leave the past in the past is a fascist

one,” says Jorge. “There is always a relationship with the past. Unlike Argentina in the 1970s and 1980s when the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo came out to demand answers from the authorities about their ‘disappeared’ children, in Spain there was no opportunity to protest about those who were disappeared. Those left behind had to focus on surviving themselves. Their only way of protesting was to keep these small things and, in the case of mothers who had lost their sons or daughters, to go into permanent mourning.” Jorge relates the heart-break-

Bits and bobs ing story of one woman whose husband and father both disappeared. When she approached the authorities for information in the 1950s on what might have happened to them, she was told it would just stir things up. To which she replied, “But I myself am stirred up inside.” The fact that the suffering of those who lost their loved ones was ignored for so long in Spain, and with children never taught about it in schools, has had inevitable consequences, says Jorge.

A blood-spattered cloth contains the bits and pieces that Heliodoro Meneses was carrying in his pockets the night of his execution in Puertollano, Ciudad Real, on October 22, 1939, including smoking papers and tobacco and a hair clip, pencil and rubber. The execution was watched secretly by his cousin. When the bodies were left unguarded before being dumped in a mass grave, he went through Heliodor’s pockets and gathered together what he could for the family to remember him by.

Bloody stones

Execution

“To be useful, history in schools should start with recent events,” he says. “I think people are very complacent about fascism in this country. If it was taught as part of the curriculum, people might not be so quick to swing to the extreme right, as they have with Vox recently. “There is still a lot to be done to get everything out from under the carpet. If a country doesn’t offer a dignified memory of the dead, what kind of country is it? The values that a democracy upholds are the same values that were held by these people.” The exhibition can be seen at the EscuelaPías de UNED-Madrid center, Calle Tribunal 14, Madrid, until January 31.

Vicenta Ruiz tells the story of the stones spattered with the blood of her father, Ángel Ruiz, hidden away for fear of reprisals: “When they killed him, there were some stones spattered with his blood. “My aunt picked them up and wrapped them in green paper as if it were silk. She kept them until she died without saying anything. Before she died, she told my mother what was at the bottom of the chest. She said, ‘The stones from when they killed Ángel are there.

I have kept them there without my husband knowing.’ “That was because her husband was one of those [politically] on the right but who is dying of hunger. “That’s why my aunt had them hidden because she didn’t want her husband or anyone else to know. Afterwards my mother brought the stones home. She kept them in the box. Afterwards, a piece of stone splintered off and my mother sewed it into her apron. She always had it on her.”

MOVING: A love letter scrawled on the back of a cigarette packet hours before an execution

LETTERS

January 23th - February 5th 2020 Check out our issues online at www.theolivepress.es

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The nearly man becomes the Main Man, as Pedro Sanchez forms a government in Spain after a turbulent two year wait

LEAVERS: Trio k Cold shoc of Brits in Spain

SERIOUS: Fabian Picardo

GIBRALTAR will ‘make a success’ of tough ‘challenges’ in 2020, the Chief Minister has said. In his New Year’s speech Fabian Picardo mentioned details of a major investment to be announced in the next couple of weeks Picardo said everyone must work together with ‘stoic sacrifice’ by asking for less ‘to secure our children’s future’. He noted the ‘critical importance’ the MoUs and Tax Treaty which of lowed Gibraltar to take part in althe transition period. Picardo highlighted the ‘dangers and opportunities’ of leaving the EU, pointing out the agreement of a common that was a ‘Brexit Bonus’.UK

Respect

However, the Chief Minister promised to remain firm in agreements over future relations with the EU after the expected final departure date of the end of 2020. “Any negotiation for Gibraltar such a deal will be conducted for for braltar by a team led by me or by GiJoseph Garcia,” he said. “Such negotiations must be based on mutual recognition, mutual respect and an understanding that nothing can ever be imposed on Gibraltar. “The Government I lead is willing walk away if the terms proposed to not favour Gibraltar or respect do our red lines.” This would mean Gibraltar could opt out of a deal which gave other countries like Spain a greater say on the future of the overseas territory. After congratulating Pedro Sanchez on forming a coalition government, Picardo will have breathed a huge sigh of relief he would not be up against a more right-wing Spain.

RELIEVED: Pedro Sanchez after the vote PEDRO Sanchez has become Spain's official prime minister after winning a second vote of confidence yesterday. The PSOE leader will govern the country for the next four years, after an agonizing two-year wait and three general elections. Acting prime minister Sanchez, 47, from Madrid, was forced to recall MPs to sit for the over the weekend to confirm his victory.first time It was his second attempt at an investiture vote since the PSOE won the most seats in December's general election, but failed to win majority. The vote saw MPs in Spain'san overall vote either 'yes' or 'no' to Sanchez's congress proposed left-wing coalition government, propped up by Pablo Iglesias's Podemos party and a host of other parties. After a heated afternoon session, he won a knifeedge victory of 167 votes against 165, while 18 MPs, the majority from Catalunya, abstained. It means Sanchez will preside over the first coalition government in Spain since 1977 after the death of dictator Franco. The PSOE is propped up by MPs from Podemos, PNV, Más País, Compromís, Unidos Galego

OVERWHELMED: Podemos’ Pablo Iglesias in tears after the coalition victory Nationalist Block, Teruel Existe and Nueva CaIn his letter, he referred to the two narias. men’s shared desire to look beyond ‘the eternal It was no surprise who voted against issue’ of soverthe lefteignty and he extended the hand wing coalition, with 165 MPs from of friendship on the Partido behalf of the people of Gibraltar. Popular, Vox, Ciudadanos, Junts per Catalunya, He also offered his support for the Navarra Suma and others saying promotion of 'no'. ‘policies based on the principle of The left erupted into applause, with dialogue, understanding and co-operation between ding tears, when it was revealed some shedour rethat Sanchez spective people’. had clinched the vote. Key to Sanchez’s victory was the Representatives screamed 'si, se abstention puede!' while the pro-independence Catalan Republican of Sanchez hugged Iglesias, who was Left photographed party (ERC), which agreed to sit in tears. Spain’s most recent election out ter Sanchez vowed to find a solutionthe vote affourth in as many years as the country was the failed to litical conflict that has dogged Spain to the poform a cohesive government. since Catalunya’s separatist regional government “It’s great news for Spain,” leading tried to secede in 2017. panist, Sir Ian Gibson told the Olive expat HisPress. “There are going to be lots of compromises, but also solutions.” He added: “Sanchez is an amazing man and it’s remarkable to think he stuck it out after being kicked out of his own party and then came fighting back. “He has the qualities of a true statesman and speaks very well. He will be a great asset for Europe.” Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Fabian Picardo also sent a letter of congratulation to Sanchez on being re-elected, after ‘a tortuous and fractious debate’.

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The government’s opponents argue Sanchez’ ‘Frankenstein government’ will be en to Catalan separatists and pose too beholda threat to Spain’s national unity. While Sanchez appealed for calm, and called on MPs to overcome the ‘atmosphere of his adversaries went on the offensive. irritation’, PP leader Pablo Casado, accused him ‘extremist’ who had left the country’sof being an future in the hands of ‘terrorists and coup-mongers’. In a tweet sent after the vote, Sanchez “Spain is entering a time for defending wrote: dialogue and useful politics. A government for all people that restores co-existence and fights for social justice. Today is the dawn of a time of moderation, progress and hope.” See page 23 Spain’s new coalition is expected to roll out a policy of raising income tax for people in Spain who earn more than €130,000.

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UK ‘failing’ abused kids

THE UK is failing British children overseas, as numerous paedophiles are being allowed to travel overseas to commit sex crimes, a new report has found. Dozens of dangerous sex offenders Euare being allowed to live around rope, many in countries like Spain. In the hard hitting report, released reyesterday, British expats have quested consular assistance numerous times over child sex and child pornography offences. a The findings have been released in 74-page report by the Truth Project, which is part of Britain’s in-depth Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.

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The nearly man becomes the Main Man, as Pedro Sanchez forms a government in Spain after a turbulent two year wait

Shocking

It found that UK offenders ‘figure highly’ in the numbers of sex crimes against British children abroad. According to the report, from March the 31, 2018, only around 0.2% of in 58,637 registered sex offenders England and Wales had their foreign travel restricted. It says that the disclosure and barring service is ‘confusing, inconsistent and in need of reform’. sex A shocking 361 suspected child abuse cases were recorded between in 2013 and 2017 alone. In 2018, Spain alone, around five Brits were arrested for child sex offences, according to data by the Foreign & Commonin wealth Office. Up to five more Brits Spain were held for child porn charges in the same year, although the exact figures are not given.

SEALED: Handshake from King confirms Sanchez as leader

for the and a He also offered his support on the be Pablo Iglesias’s Podemos party promotion of ‘policies based Press: “While there are going to “QUICK, simple and painless. The lots of compromises, there will also host of other parties. principle of dialogue, understanding It helped that 18 MPs, the majority and co-operation between our repain comes later,” King Felipe told be solutions.” incoming Prime Minister Pedro San- The Madrid-based writer, who has from Catalunya, abstained. will preside over spective people’. chez at a swearing in ceremony yes- lived in Spain for half a century, add- It means Sanchez government in Key to Sanchez’s victory was the abthe first coalition pro-independence terday. ed: “I’m delighted. He’s an amazing the death of stention of the ERC, after SanThe PSOE leader will certainly hope man and it’s remarkable to think he Spain since 1977 after Catalan party, the solution to the not, having had to endure an agoniz- stuck it out after being kicked out of dictator Franco. Podemos, chez vowed to find a Spain since A THIEF has been caught after ing two year wait and three general his own party and then fighting back. The coalition, includes Galego conflict that has dogged government states- PNV, Más País, Compromís, leaving his shoes behind at a crime elections to get this far. Catalunya’s separatist at “He has the qualities of a true Nationalist Block, Teruel Existe and tried to secede in 2017. scene. It was his second recent attempt man and speaks very well. argue Nueva Canarias. It happened after a resident of Pal- an investiture since the Socialists the The government’s opponents The parties opposing included the most seats in December’s ma heard rumbling in his garage Sanchez’ ‘Frankenstein government’ he won an Frankenstein PP, Vox, Ciudadanos, Junts per Cata- will be too beholden to Catalan sepa– when he went to investigate the general election, but failed to win to Spain’s threat a a great asset for Europe,” lunya and Navarra Suma. found his valuables in a pile by overall majority. pose be and will He ratists the who has penned Spain’s most recent election was Sanchez, 47, pulled out all the door ready to be taken. national unity. PP leader Pablo Casaof And as he cracked heads at a mam- added the Hispanist, fourth in as many years as the country do accused him of being an ‘extremon Spain. Mysteriously, he also found a pair stops in numerous books a cohesive government. future someone else's shoes next to them.to moth two-day weekend session Sanchez was sworn in at Zarzuela failed to form Fabian ist’ who had left the country’s Police were called and arrived the Madrid, after which he finally won Palace after winning a second vote of Gibraltar’s Chief Minister in the hands of ‘terrorists and coupPicardo sent a letter of congratula- mongers’. find a barefoot Spaniard on the vote by two seats. confidence. being re-elected, is expected to street nearby. After years of instability, it is ‘great MPs voted by a knife-edge 167 votes tion to Sanchez on fractious de- Spain’s new coalition tax The 26-year-old was already known news for Spain’ insisted one of the to 165 to support Sanchez’s left-wing after ‘a tortuous and roll out a policy of raising income by bate’. 15:36 16/06/2017 best known1expats. for similar break-ins and has now country’s Untitled-1.pdf coalition government, propped up for people in Spain who earn more been charged. Irish author Ian Gibson told the Olive than €130,000. Sanchez has als0 sent a message that economic management is a priority in his new government, by keeping in the (left) Montero on Maria Jesus Treasury. However, in a further sign of loyalty, C pohe has also awarded her the new UK BASED sition of ‘spokesperson of the CoaliM tion Executive’. Y Opinion Page 6

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EXCLUSIVE By Joshua Parfitt

ONE of the world’s leading experts on swimming pool deaths has flown to Spain to investigate the tragic drownings of three British citizens on Christmas Eve. Allen Wilson, a health and safety expert who has worked on numerous drowning cases around Europe, arrived on the Costa del Sol yesterday. He told the Olive Press last night he believed the pool, where British tourists Gabriel Diya, 52 Comfort Diya, nine, and Praise-Emmanuel Diya, 16, died on Christmas Eve, was ‘hazardous’. He insisted the Club La Costa World (CLC) resort in Fuengirola - which he is set to visit this week - was ‘most likely to blame’ for the shock deaths of the trio.

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SWORN IN January 9th - January 22nd 2020

The nearly man becomes the Main Man, as Pedro Sanchez forms a government in Spain after a turbulent two year wait

Wilson claimed the pool’s design with just one floor ‘outlet’ – instead of two – could have created an ‘excessive suction vacuum’ and dragged them under water. It flies in the face of the Guardia Civil’s official investigation, which concluded the three died as a result of their ‘inability to swim’. Their controversial report was thrown into jeopardy, however, when mother and wife Olubunmi Diya insisted all three could swim. Her lawyer, Fuengirola-based Javier Toro, later insisted daughter Comfort had even taken lessons a ‘week before the holiday’. Toro told the Olive Press this week that ‘many lines of investigation remained open’. Wilson, however, went further to claim the report done by the police was a ‘cover up’ to protect the Span- “QUICK, simple and painless. The ish tourist industry, the resort and pain comes later,” King Felipe told Press: “While there are going to be incoming Prime Minister Pedro San- lots of compromises, there will also the tour operators. “It stinks,” Wilson, who has worked chez at a swearing in ceremony yes- be solutions.” The Madrid-based writer, who for leading European tour operators terday. has The PSOE leader will certainly hope lived in Spain for half a century, addnot, having had to endure an agoniz- ed: “I’m delighted. He’s an amazing Continues on Page 4 ing two year wait and three general man and it’s remarkable to think he stuck it out after being kicked out elections to get this far. of his own party and then fighting It was his second recent attempt at “He has the qualities of a true back. an investiture since the Socialists stateswon the most seats in December’s man and speaks very well. He will be a great asset for Europe,” added general election, but failed to win the an Hispanist, who has penned overall majority. numerous books on Spain. And Sanchez, 47, pulled out all the Sanchez was sworn in at stops as he cracked heads at a mamZarzuela Palace after winning a second vote moth two-day weekend session of in confidence. Madrid, after which he finally won MPs voted by a knife-edge 167 votes the vote by two seats. to 165 to support Sanchez’s After years of instability, it is ‘great left-wing coalition government, propped news for Spain’ insisted one of the Pablo Iglesias’s Podemos party up by country’s best known expats. and a EXPERT: Allen Wilson Irish author Ian Gibson told the Olive host of other parties. It helped that 18 MPs, the majority

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SEALED: Handshake from King confirms Sanchez as leader from Catalunya, abstained. It means Sanchez will preside over and co-operation between our respective people’. the first coalition government Spain since 1977 after the death in Key to Sanchez’s victory was the abof stention of the pro-independence dictator Franco. The coalition, includes Podemos, Catalan party, the ERC, after SanPNV, Más País, Compromís, Galego chez vowed to find a solution to the Nationalist Block, Teruel Existe and conflict that has dogged Spain since Catalunya’s separatist government Nueva Canarias. tried to secede in 2017. The parties opposing included the The government’s opponents PP, Vox, Ciudadanos, Junts per Cataargue Sanchez’ ‘Frankenstein government’ lunya and Navarra Suma. will be too beholden to Catalan sepSpain’s most recent election was the aratists and pose a threat fourth in as many years as the country to Spain’s national unity. PP leader Pablo failed to form a cohesive government. Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Fabian Casado accused him of being an ‘exPicardo sent a letter of congratula- tremist’ who had left the country’s tion to Sanchez on being re-elected, future in the hands of ‘terrorists and coup-mongers’. after ‘a tortuous and fractious de- Spain’s new coalition is expected bate’. roll out a policy of raising income to He also offered his support for tax promotion of ‘policies based on the for people in Spain who earn more the than €130,000. principle of dialogue, understanding Opinion Page 6

killer

Dear Olive Press, I have read and watched many reports about why the tragedy in Mijas occurred (Diving in, Issue 334). I swim in our communal pool in Benahavis every day of the year and as president of our community have is safe. theaspool that lly, to ensure ibilitythe a political the respons EU, essentia Moore sees Rose tempera water the year of The ture time 7). this pg at r 325, Issue Howeve proud, dictatorship (Leave and our pool as Eve Christm on28 andare states, to 11°C down sovereign is now . There opposite is the reality cold. nally still, exceptio this isvoluntari to become ly chose was at 13°C the UK,–which including water at g in to swimmin would persons that the UK Only those believes Dunneused d. Steve associate going late contemp should to into tures going not tempera I’m so. these Not terms. fair better on WTO to anyone occur chapter that can andjumpreaction The a pool. by quoting letters page your down weigh serious will cause turelooks of that into the ing into that Steve ndtempera I recomme butwater verse, tragic terrible a been have to me to Trump That seems It knows. shock. he that industry any of specifics the with s problem been have there should if UK but t; EU-free an acciden with deal is trying to get a trade But please, be exposed should deals this they Trump’s. trade pool to know: want all you youthen tell a warning whenBrent forout to a timeFinally, speaksgo Mahlershould is certainly US-first labels. have just bethat Spain, to holiday on force come who armed EU those an of all wary citizens UK of a number swimin tures tempera water the – ideas are sunny is it these , cause However and an ever closer union. certainly areEU heated, am what unless policy. I not pools, ming by and not people specific floated g pool. swimmin in a UK 40-plus seeinsidious of proyears would ever you worried at the more Englandh,where of East North the in up Telegrap brought Mail, the was I by EEC/EU the against paganda th at Tynemou beach on the did Sun. What The our outdoor of course, and, was Times pool Express, annual the athe 10°C was so an-openwas water why and thesay asked he was whentemp Murdoch 16°C in ofinto maximu to aof: in Easter I go the pool “Whenm ing of the lines g along Somethin ti-EU? rise never would ture tempera sea The The . EU.” the to summer go I the when say: I what do they 10 No. levels the to t differen very are ent! These appointm 17°C. an for above ask to had implication is that he that we experience here. John Stephenson, Benahavis

Get educated

Danger zone

And endangering those lives that have to go out and rescue ignorant people that go out in dangerous storms just for a photo. Thank God no one else was hurt during the rescue. Tina Torres, Cadiz

Dumb and dumber

One thing is to risk his life, but to risk the lives of his family. He was one of a family group of five. All stupid. Theresa Rawlinson, Alicante

Natural selection Darwinism hard at work.

John Wolf

Normal

there was a warning of a tsunami in the dominican republic once when I was living there and people went to watch John R Evans, Andalucia

Sad times

Isn’t it sad that people need to be told by Guardia Civil not to risk their lives?! Good grief. Teresa Tracy Ramsey, Fuente-Tojar

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

There were hundreds of victims in Spain alone plus France and other parts of Europe and this scam was just one of many registered with HMRC and over seen and administered by regulated trustees (Costa to Caravan, Issue 21, pg 5). These people have lost everything that they have worked for all of their lives and now many face destitution in their autumnal years through no fault of their own. Jayne Hulme, Granada

Lost for words This happened to me as well (Online, Storm gloria destroys stable roof as British owner scrambling to rehome 11 horses, January 21) last night my stables roof came off, with five of the stables irreparable. The roofs just flew through the air, horses still in the stables including a foal. It’s just devastating, lost for words, no money to repair them so I know exactly how you feel Janet. Anita Johnson, Murcia

Ryanair model Why can’t these airlines make profits? (Airline Flybe saved by British Government deal that includes tax break, Online, January 14) Perhaps they should look at the dreaded Ryanair model. Neil Hollow, Fuente de Piedra

In training Another one (Mission Impossible, Issue 21, pg 2) there must be a school for conmen somewhere on the Costa. Michael Bath, Malaga

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OP QUICK Crossword Across 7 Perch (5) 8 Hug (7) 10 Poorly matched (7) 11 Infectious agent (5) 12 Shout of discovery (6) 14 Mistake (4-2) 17 Showy and cheap (6) 19 Hue (6) 21 Mistaken (5) 23 Small bag (7) 24 Cap attachment (7) 25 Fertile area in a desert (5)

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REuse REduce REcycle We use recycled paper

Lost everything

Down 1 Altercation (8) 2 D-i-y beer (4-4) 3 Hit (6) 4 Exchange for money (4) 5 Two identical things (4) 6 Military dining room (4) 9 Chamfer (5) 13 Some (3) 14 Not sweet (3) 15 Foretell (8) 16 Render immobile (8) 18 Majestic (5) 20 Choice (6) 21 Small songbird (4) 22 Rowing levers (4) 23 Drinks slowly (4)

All solutions are on page 21

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Vol. 1, issue 6

Showing no Murcia SPAIN has been gripped by a flu epidemic that originated in Murcia. Desperate doctors are treating a shocking 400 to 500 people for influenza every day. It comes after the ‘epidemic’ threshold of 55 people per 100,000 was quickly surpassed, with the national average now standing at 106. Asturias and Navarra are also facing epidemics from the contagious respiratory illness.

Epidemic

Valenciana, Catalunya and Andalucia are also expected to reach official epidemic levels. Last year, 57 people died from flu-related complications to already existing conditions. Health authorities are reminding the public that plenty of flu vaccinations are available at health centres and at pharmacies.

Good health www.theolivepress.es

13 January 23 - February 5 2020

Water worry After decades of believing it was safe to drink, a new study finds Spain’s tap water may not be SPAIN’s tap water is among the worst in Europe. A major Barcelona study has found it carries the fourth highest risk for bladder cancer on the continent. Findings suggest that longterm exposure to a group of chemicals in tap water called trihalomethanes may be the cause for one in 20 cases of bladder cancer in Europe each year. Scientists from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) analysed the tap water of all 28 EU countries except Bulgaria and Romania between 2005 and 2018. At 10.9%, Spain’s tap water came out with the fourth

highest levels of THMs on the continent - behind only Cyprus with 23.2%, Malta with 17.9% and Ireland’s Liffey water coming a surprising third from bottom with 17.2%. At the opposite end of the H2O horror list, Denmark’s water was the purest, with a

Why are we waiting WAITING times for operations in the Valencian Community are currently averaging 113 days – or four months – across all the region’s hospitals. Figures released this week show Valencian secretary for health, Ana Barceló, has managed to cut waiting times by 20 days since September.

THM count of less than 0.1%, followed by the Netherlands ( 0.1%) and Germany (0.2%). The scientists also concluded that showering and bathing can also trigger the disease, allowing the chemicals to enter the body via the pores of the skin.

Urgent measures have meant that of the 63,434 patients awaiting an operation, 38,565 of them will see the surgeon within 90 days. Nevertheless, 10,494 patients will have their operations between three and six months, and 14,375 will wait a year. Current waiting times are equivalent to December, 2018, when the average hovered around 115 days.

OM! Our guide to Spain’s best yoga 16 breaks SEE Page

14 January 22th - February 4th 2020

Milk matters Children who drink full-fat milk are less likely to be overweight than those given skimmed or semiskimmed. The findings were published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and they found that children who drank whole milk had 40% lower odds of being overweight or obese compared with their peers who drank lower-fat varieties. It has been speculated that whole milk causes children to feel fuller, which reduces snacking. The research combined the results of 28 studies that were conducted across seven countries, which had explored the correlation between children drinking cows milk and the risk of being overweight.

BLOG Health &OFF Beauty

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dozen resolutions Make it your healthiest year ever with these good for you goals. Small changes that deliver big results. 2020 - bring it on! 1. Start supplementing Regardless of your age or lifestyle, these really are a must to maintain good health. These are the basics you need to feel good at any age. VITAMIN C - It’s a vital support to our immune system and a protective antioxidant. A good daily dose is 500mg. Taking more thanwww.weekender.news 1,000mg a day may cause stomach pain, diarrhoea or flatulence. And of course living in Spain, take advantage of the juiciest citrus fruits and add more to your diet.

Look better in the buff: Get your sexy back without giving up everything you love

SPAIN’s pharmaceutical watchdog has issued a warning over social media influencers pushing dodgy health products. The CGCF (General Council of Physiotherapist Associations of Spain) has filed a complaint with the Spanish Health Ministry about people promoting medicinal treatments for beauty conditions without proper knowledge or training. According to Spanish law, such medical promotion is banned and advertising is strictly monitored by industry professionals.

However Spanish social media B COMPLEX- Essential for energy production in your body and to sup‘stars’ have been advocating the port your hormones. A good average dose is 25-50mg of each of the use of certain creams, wipes main Bs (1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and smaller amounts of B9 and B12) in one and tablets in order to help B-complex tablet. These nutrients are not stored in the body, so you with cosmetic issues, unaware need to top up the supply every day. of some of the potential health risks that indiscriminate use OMEGA-6 EVENING PRIMROSE OIL (or starflower oil) slows signs of can cause. ageing, balances hormones and helps with PMS and menopause Pharmacist Guillermo Martin symptoms. Take 1,000mg daily, increasing to three times a day for horLooking svelte or built by BPT but additional treatments loving their truSculpt iD Melgar first noticed thesexy, probmonal imbalances, such as PMS. in your clothing is one thing. may be required for optimal results. In a separate study lem when a certain brand of 2. Disinfect your phone! Looking better in the buff is a runners and yoga enthusiasts sculpting results. of individuals who had the prescription facial wipes was topping the list. whole other ballgame. Clothing iD is a inflammation very procedure,and 100 We percent said our phones a gazillion times a day and if you’ve taken check OMEGA-3 FISH OIL OR linseed oil “TruSculpt can help reduce suddenly selling out, only to to board- even low-cut necklines, shortnew daily development in athey were satisfied, wouldinto get the toilets, you’re not the only one! But that means yours maximiseAccording brain function. Takeexciting 1,000mg or twice day if you plastic surgeon non-surgical body contouring. it done again andphones or tight-fitting tees suffer - can certifi would refer find it was beingshorts recommended carry about 10 times as much bacteria as most toilet fromeddry skin or sore joints. Your body’s cells are dependent on Walter L. Bernacki, MD hide your fl aws and accentuate The lower abdomen and love a friend for truSculpt iD. And by a popular Youtube channel seats. And British researchers found that one in six devices Essential Fatty inAcids (EFAs), such of Ohio Plastic Surgery in your assets, but when you are handles can be treated just a everyone felt better in or out as a treatment for acne. as 15-minute Omega-3comfortable and -6; without nude, there’s nowhere - or way Central Ohio, “The newest single of - theirthem, clothes. were contaminated with E. coli!). Use cleaning wipes that don’t contain bleach as that’s safer non-surgical body contouring treatment your body will deteriorate more rap- thinking about - to hide anything. session. Our patients So, if you’re If you want to look better system is Cutera’s truSculpt have beenIfvery pleased with the enough, looking into for your phones and tablets idly. you’re getting youra new kind of naked, you are not alone. Far iD that uses radiofrequency body sculpting results they can personalized and do it every week. skin will be beautifully strong andbody sculpting from it. More and more people (RF) technology to target and achieve with this innovative without resorting to drastic supple. are into healthy living and permanently destroy fat in your system,” says Dermatologist measures, find a truSculpt iD getting fit these days. The good news is that there is finally something you can do about it that doesn’t involve giving up carbs and sweets, doing excessive crunches or having invasive cosmetic surgery. Fully one-third of Americans opt for minimally invasive fat reduction or body sculpting treatments to look better in the buff, according to a new survey of 500 men and women from Cutera, Inc. And those who exercise regularly are most likely to have a body-sculpting treatment, with

trouble spots (think muffin tops Jeffrey S. Dover, MD, FRCPC provider near you by searching You need this to and love handles) - in just 15 of VITAMIN Skincare D Physicians in https://trusculpt.com/find-acomfortable minutes with no Chestnut Hill,calcium MA. provider. absorb and phosphodowntime. We have found that By large, bones people are rus and to keep and teeth the treatment works on all skin healthy, most of our body’s types, sizes and physiques, vitamin D comes from expoincluding individuals who sure to sunlight. Thank goodwere previously not considered ness for the Spanish sun! candidates for body contouring procedures.” What’s more, truSculpt iD produces an average fat reduction of 24 percent, and visible improvements are seen in 6 to 12 weeks following the first treatment. Multiple areas can be treated in one session,

3. Add some spice to your life

Turmeric should really be known as trendy spice given everyone was talking about it last year. And not without reason. It’s an incredible anti-inflammatory and can help ease rheumatoid pain.Ginger like turmeric is also anti inflammatory and is a powerful remedy for upset stomachs and nausea

Don’t worry Worrying and anxiety can make day to day life difficult, but with its top class medical staff, Clinica Britanica is here to help Worrying and anxiety can make day to day life difficult, but with its top class medical staff, Clinica Britanica is here to help WHEN does worrying end and an anxiety disorder begin? Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health problem in the whole world, with around 1 in 3 of us suffering an anxiety disorder at some point in our lives. They can be defined as a disorder when your anxiety gets out of control and starts to affect your life. Anxiety disorders can be distressing and make it difficult for you to live your life the way you want. However, there are effective treatments available and effective ways to prevent anxiety. Mental illness is treatable and there are lots of ways to get help. Just come and visit our psychiatrist for a

consultation. Clinica Britannia is a British medical and dental centre established in Calpe in 1997. English, German, Russian, French and, of course, Spanish are also fluently spoken by the staff. You can always contact them in case of emergency 24/7/365. With no waiting lists, Clinica Britannia has at your disposal the best surgeons and anaesthetists under the supervision of a consultant physician.

Come and visit us. We will inform you. CLINICA BRITANNIA, 16 BIS (next to 16) FIRST (not Ground) Floor, Ejercitos Españoles Av Tel 965 837 553 - 24H 607 255 755

4. A bit of juice

After the excesses of the holiday season, give your body a break and start juicing. It’s a great way of using up leftover fruit and veg and you get an instant shot of nutrients. Some swear by a full on 3, 7 or ten day juicing detox regime, but you don’t have to go that far. Even pledging to start your day with a healthy cucumber juice will make a difference. Check out Gym Junkie cafe in San Pedro de Alcantara, they are the experts on nutritional juicing, detoxing and protein shakes and can whisk you up a tasty drink to get you started..

6. Get a better nights sleep

One in three of us don’t get a good night’s sleep. Overthinking, the glare of TV, phone and computer screens are all sleep wreckers. Lack of sleep impacts your mental and physical wellbeing. If this is you, try the 4-7-8 breathing method which can help calm before sleep. Breathe in for a steady count of 4 – hold for 7 – breathe out for 8.

5. Look after your mouth

Regular dental check ups and brushing twice a day is a must, but add in flossing once a day and tongue cleaning once a day and you’re on the way to the gold standard in oral health. If you don’t clean your tongue, bacteria can build up on it quickly, leading to discolouration and risking bacteria spreading to your teeth and gums.Tongue cleaning also helps prevent bad breath.

Good health

you can stick to! 8. Key into Kindfulness

7. Hop it!

You may have heard about Mindfulness but in 2020 it’s all about Kindfulness. According to Freud, we all have a part of the mind that is unnecessarily critical. It can make you beat up on yourself over anything - the career you have chosen, your relationshipor lack of, even the huge piece of chocolate cake you just guzzled. Kindfulness is about recognising where YOU come on your to do list. It’s not about treading on others to make sure your needs are met, but its OK to recognise what those needs are and love yourself, even if you’re not always perfect. Celebrate who you are instead of comparing yourself to others and make yourself the most important person in your life. To find out more, check out Kindfulness by Caroline Millington, available on Amazon Books.

Hopping for five minutes a day may protect women from breaking their hips, according to a new study. It could strengthen bones in the legs, making them more dense and less likely to break. Brittle bones, caused by a condition called osteoporosis which makes holes inside the bones, is a common issue for women who have been through the menopause. Scientists at Loughborough University, followed 35 women aged 55-70 over the course of six months and told them to do up to 50 one-legged hops each day. At the end they found the density of their leg bones had increased in the hopping leg while it had decreased in the non-hopping leg. The team also did MRI scans of the women’s knees to check the exercise had not done any damage to the joints, which it hadn’t.

10.Listen Up

Health podcasts are great for connecting with wellbeing issues and research says audio conversations help you retain information. When you listen, as opposed to watching a screen, your brain has to be more active to process the information. Podcasts are easy to fit into your day; when you’re cooking or travelling, for example. Here are three great ones to get you started. Ted Talks Health - If you haven’t heard of TED talks, you’re missing out. These fascinating lectures cover all sorts of topics and are given by some of the smartest people around. The health ones are by researchers and doctors who excel in their fields, sharing compelling developments and advice.

January 22th - February 4th 2020

Feel Better, Live More with Dr Ranjan Chatterjee - A presenter, author and GP with more than 16 years experience, Dr Chatterjee believes most of us don’t need a pill, but a lifestyle prescription. He says some of our ills, from menopausal symptoms to IBS, can be related to stress. With experts sharing insights, you’ll get brilliant advice. Plus, advice from this realist doctor won’t be pie in the sky. Wellness with Liz Earle - Can you improve your hormonal health? Are walnuts the wellbeing wonder they are made out to be? If you find yourself trying to decide if something is a gem of wellbeing wisdom or a passing fad, Liz Earle MBE and her expert friends will set you straight.

9. Eat superherbs for a brain boost Add sage to your food or simply inhale its scent and you’ll get a brain boost. It’s been known to increase memory recall and retention so may be a superfood for the mind. Sage is high in Vitamin K - just two grammes provides 43% of your daily recommended intake. It can also help with cholesterol levels, treat symptoms of the menopause and improve blood sugar levels. Fresh rosemary is another herb that can help as a cognitive booster, helping with focus and mental clarity. Its rich in vitamins A, B6, C, folate and thiamine. Phew!

11. Get your eyes tested Our eyes are often called ‘windows to the soul’ but they are also a very effective window to our overall health. Many people first learn they have diabetes, high cholesterol and even cancer from a routine eye exam. So as well as evaluating whether you need glasses or a new prescription or have glaucoma, an annual eye check could be one of the best things you can do for your health. Researchers are even working on an eye test that can identify your risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

12.Don’t fear fats

Raw nuts, avocados and olive oil are all rich in good fats you should eat them regularly. Avocados are also a good source of Vitamins E and C, which are important for skin health. Vitamin C helps make collagen, the protein that keeps skin plump and elastic, while Vitamin E is an antioxidant which helps protect skin from the sun’s damaging UV rays.

January 22th - February 4th 2020

Olive Press health and wellbeing resolutions Charlie Smith, News Editor I am going to play tennis a lot more this year.

Jon Clarke, Editor and Publisher I am going to conquer my jelly baby addiction need to cut down on sugar! Karen Livermore, Features writer Since moving to Spain I have not been to the gym and I was a regular in the UK. So I am determined to join my local gym and start working out again. John Culatto, Journalist To get fit I am going to ride more waves this year Dimitris Kouimtsidis, Journalist I am going to start cutting calories again (stopped during my first month in Spain) in order to get abs in time for the summer. Beatriz Sanllehi, Admin I am trying to stay vegan for four days a week - its hard!

Seal of approval

AN ingenious new robotic aid to help Alzheimer’s patients has been launched in Spain this week. Nuka - a fluffy seal with AI technology - has proven effective in relieving anxiety, improving communication, alleviating pain and even stopping patients from wandering - a common issue among sufferers. Developed in Japan, the benefits to many health organisations, is their ability to cut spending on psychotropic drugs. Currently the worldwide cost of treating Alzheimer’s stands at US$1 trillion. Nuka has voice recognition and emits baby seal sounds, as well as actually move. Alzheimer’s experts say it also helps the mental and emotional well-being of patients. The clever new invention was unveiled at the CK La Quinta Care home in Marbella, Malaga. Commercial Manager Victoria Herrero, said: ‘This is a very significant aid for Alzheimer’s patients. “We are proud to be part of this launch and plan on working with other healthcare experts to launch more innovations at La Quinta.”

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Good health

Escape from the everyday For the ultimate yoga break, these Spanish retreats offer the very best in health and wellbeing. Gabriella Chidgey checks in and chills out…

ORE energy, more flexibility, a clear mind and a toned body. There’s a reason why so many of us are switching to yoga instead of powerlifting at the gym or pounding the pavements. We are lucky enough to be living in an area that boasts many of the world’s best retreat centres. Regularly topping lists of the greatest yoga holidays in UK newspapers such as The Guardian, The Telegraph and The Times. The centres featured below are all set in stunning locations, with state of the art yoga halls and offer retreats led by internationally renowned yoga teachers.

probably the first founded in Andalucia and has been running since 1994. It hosts a wide range of retreats, including spa and massage treatments, hiking and hillwalking. I visited about 18 years ago and was impressed by its beautiful location and cave pool area. The owner Anthony assured me that in every year since I had visited they had continued to build and perfect the property. Testament to their success, guests have been repeating for 20 years, and indeed their retreat calendar is booked out a year in advance. Laughing, he claimed that there was almost nothing he could do now to improve on the property during the months it is closed !(November-April) Shanti som www.shantisom.com

KING OF RETREATS: Molino del Rey

Molino del rey www.molinodelrey.com

Described by The Telegraph as ‘Asia meets Spain’ and featured in both 2012 and 2016 in their articles on the best wellbeing holidays, Shanti Som sits in the mountains above Marbella. It offers twice daily yoga classes in either its indoor studio or outdoor yoga pavilion and a wide range of health and beauty treatments and healing

EXCLUSIVE: Marbella’s Shanti Som retreat

therapies. It also has personal trainers available for private training sessions or pilates lessons. Kaliyoga www.kaliyoga.com In 2002 yogis Jonathan and Rosie Miles left London in search of a beautiful location for a retreat centre. Their friend Kali predicted that it would be in the Alpujarras, and so it came to pass; Kaliyoga was founded. It has been a success story from the beginning and they have recently opened a second centre in Puglia, Italy. Testimonials on their website are full of praise and guests repeat year after year. Barack Obama’s staff

Hand built and loving crafted by the owners Anthony and Lidiya, this centre was

RELAXING: A group at Crisalida

wrote long and glowing testimonials following their visit in 2019. Unlike many retreat centres, classes at Kali Yoga are taught by their own in house teachers. Their blog is well designed and an interesting read, so whether or not you manage to visit, it is still worth a look. La Crisalida www.lacrisalidaretreats. com Unlike most retreats, this centre in Albir, Costa Blanca is open all year round and offers shorter 3 day courses as well as the usual week long stays. Founded in 2013 by John and Lisa Brant, La Crisalida offer a wide range of yoga, health and wellbeing retreats led by an experienced and professional team. Lisa, a former epidemiologist, is now a yoga teacher, nutritionist and NLP coach, while John left his job as an actuary to become an NLP, hypnosis and life coach. Together they promote alternative health through their retreat programmes. Their website is professional, detailed and informative. Other useful websites: www.bookyogaretreats. com www.yogascapes. com www.yovada.com retreat.guru

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

January 22th - February 4th 2020

eSCAPE THE NUT ROAST GHOST Veganuary is upon us and we are all being encouraged to be more herbivore but just how easy is it? Dawn Brierley (right) reveals how she does it

hen I left the UK in they will offer you fish. When 2014, being vegetar- you explain you don’t eat fish ian was not particu- either, tuna is then suggested larly difficult - unlike with a pitying look. Is it any the days of lone nut roasts on wonder that chips and vino 1980s supermarket shelves tinto became my primary diet and the ubiquitous goats (at least this is the argument cheese starters and mush- I use). room stroganoff mains on My staples of Linda McCartney 1990s restaurant menus. Now- sausages and vegetarian baadays, British supermarkets con also became a heartbreakand restaurants ingly distant have extensive memory. Every choices for both country has its Many menus vegans and vegown food culture, only seemed etarians. of course, and Moving to Spain with a much lowto include the felt like going er percentage of back in time veggie option vegetarians in one of the reaSpain, it’s also gazpacho sons I fell in love a case of supply with my adoptive and demand. country. For me, Eating out as a life here seems simpler and vegetarian was (and is) an onhappier. However, being vege- going challenge. Having only tarian suddenly became more previously visited larger tourist complicated. destinations in Spain where Tell a waiter in any restaurant vegetarian travellers were caor tapas bar you want a meat- tered for, the sudden lack of free option and, confusingly, options in a small town came

Full steam ahead FOR eight amazing days the Transcantabrico Gran Lujo will be your lounge, bar and bedroom - a hotel on wheels - in which you sleep and wake up in a different place every day. The landscape passing by the window of your deluxe suite or social carriage with upholstered sofas means each coffee is a new adventure. It makes the San Sebastian to Santiago de Compostela route unique and unlike any other experience in Europe. The original 1923 Pullman coaches, evoking the nostalgia and charm of early 20th century grand express trains, will take you back decades while a jam-packed itinerary will keep you up to date with all the goings-on in Northern Spain. The cherry-picked route will take passengers through the verdant Basque Country, Castilla y Leon, Cantabria, Asturias and on to Atlantic-fringed Galicia. Through the Costa Blanca-based Falken Tours, a Deluxe Suite aboard the unforgettable train can be yours for €5.500 per person. Departure dates for 2020 are: April 25; May 9, 23; June: 6, 20; July: 4, 18; August: 1, 15, 29; September: 12, 26; October: 10, 24. Or, the returns from Santiago towards San Sebastian are: April 18; May 2, 16, 30; June 13, 27; July 11, 25; August 8, 22; September 5, 19; October 3, 17. Suites include a la carte and buffet breakfasts every day, as well as the finest cuisine in hand-picked restaurants en route. Passengers are also treated to entertainment on board, including music and live performances, parties in the pub car, show cooking and cocktails, dancing, and more. Gastronomy, landscape, culture, glamour, entertainment and relaxation come together to make this journey a unique and unforgettable experience. www.falkentours.com

as a bit of a shock. One hot summer’s day shortly after arriving here, I searched through the menus of chiringuito after chiringuito desperately looking for a viable lunch option. Yet, despite the numerous fish and meat dishes on offer, many menus only seemed to include the vegetarian option of gazpacho. And so began my journey… I quickly learnt to adapt dishes on menus - perhaps a mixed salad minus the tuna, a Spanish tortilla with a side of vegetables, cheese and onion toastie or often, in stereotypical British fashion, good old egg and chips. Once my Spanish improved and I was able to decipher the menus more easily, I found there were a few more choices than I’d previously thought. I also discovered that whilst a meat-free philosophy may seem odd to many chefs, they were more than happy to accommodate me. Special dishes

MEAT-FREE: Dawn swapped wine and chips for veggie stables like tortilla and padron peppers, while even Venus Williams (far right) is a fan of plant-based foods. And (right) her favourite vegan joint in Malaga

would be proudly created such as the chef who offered to rustle me up a dish of chickpeas, various beans and egg. To my English ear, this didn’t sound particularly appetising, but he was so kind that I agreed and and my misgivings were unfounded - it was delicious! In short, in cases where a vegetarian option doesn’t seem obvious, ask and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how cooperative waiters and chefs can be. Of course, Spanish cities offer

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

January 22th - February 4th 2020

CARPET HEAVEN January 23th - February 5th 2020

Fitted & Edged Carpet from the UK Traditional & Modern Rugs Soft Step Cushion Flooring Burmatex Carpet Tiles

Traditional Spanish meat free dishes

Pimientos de padron - Green peppers fried in olive oil and salt Croquetas de queso y berenjenas - Cheese and aubergine croquettes Espinacas con garbanzos - Spinach with chickpeas Salmorejo - Cold tomatoes and garlic soup Berenjenas con miel - Aubergines with honey Paella vegetariana - Vegetable paella (worth the wait) Tortilla de patatas - Traditional Spanish omelette Patatas Bravas - Potatoes in a spicy sauce

Help!

the most choice with numerous vegetarian or vegan restaurants such as Canadu on Plaza Merced in Malaga. Just steps away from here is the similarly wonderful La Plaza which offers a varied vegan/vegetarian menu alongside meat and fish dishes. Their vegetarian shepherd’s pie is so delicious that this place is now a regular haunt for me when I visit the city. Nearby there are also heaps of non-vegetarian restaurants offering fabulous and healthy Spanish dishes you can eat.

Awakening

Ultimately, in the six years I have been in Spain, I’ve seen a major awakening regarding the availability of healthier plant-based food and growing awareness of animal rights with even bull fights dying a much needed death. All this is a positive step towards a sustainable future for Spain, one that mirrors the global awakening and acknowledges that rather than simply being a trend, meat and dairy free living is the future. Not only because of the suffering the meat and dairy industries cause to animals, but because of their devastating impact on the environment. The growing list of famous names in the plant-based camp is also exploding globally, topped by sporting heroes like tennis star Venus Williams, boxer David Haye, Spanish footballer Hector Bellerin and Grand Prix ace Lewis Hamilton, as well as celebrities like Woody Harrelson and Camilla Cabello. Add to this mix the fact that Spain’s former Queen Sofia doesn’t eat meat and is anti bullfighting and, from where I’m standing, the future’s looking bright and green for Spain. So now I am joining in Veganuary - wish me luck!

Q. Where can I buy vegetarian and vegan products in Spain? A.Supermarkets generally sell plant based meat alternatives and options such as tofu and seiten (a wheat gluten meat substitute). For more typical UK style products such as Linda McCartney or Quorn, visit one of the overseas shops or venture into Morrisons in Gibraltar. Health food stores are great for items such as soya mince, nuts, seeds and vegan cheeses. Alternatively, companies like Fate Food Deliveries on Facebook can deliver full vegetarian/vegan meal solutions to your door. Q. I’m considering going vegan but how do I ensure I eat all the nutrients my body needs? A.Going vegan is similar to starting a weight loss diet - it requires initial planning as you need to understand how to consume all the nutrients your body needs. Don’t despair though, for help is at hand. Join Veganuary via Facebook or look up www.veganuary. com - a non-profit organisation providing a wealth of information including dietary checklists, recipes, shopping tips and meal plans. Q. Will I get enough protein from plant-based foods? A. It’s a common myth that it’s difficult to get protein from plant foods. In reality, they can provide all the essential protein building blocks that we call amino acids. Good sources include beans, lentils, chickpeas, soya products, peanut butter, cashew nuts and pumpkin seeds. Q. What about vitamins and minerals? A. If you are going vegan, it is important to make sure you get enough vitamin B12 – commonly found in meat, eggs and fish – as without it, you will feel exhausted and weak. You can get B12 from fortified foods including dairy alternatives, breakfast cereal, dairy-free spread and yeast extract. Alternatively, you can take a B12 supplement, which you can buy in most health-food stores. Fortified plant milk contains the same amount of calcium as cow’s milk, while fortified yoghurt alternatives, calcium-set tofu, and a soya and linseed bread fortified with extra calcium are also really rich sources. Q. What about children? Is veganism safe for them? A. Children can be healthy vegans. It is possible to provide all the nutrients needed for growth and development without animal products. It’s worth looking at the Vegan Society website which has detailed guidance on vegan diets for children of all ages, including infants.

tel: 966 720 782

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www.carpetheaven.es IF YOU LIKE COLOUR YOU WILL LOVE CARPET HEAVEN

January 23th - February 5th 2020

BUSINESS

Cracking idea AN estate agent in Alicante has come up with a cracking idea to keep staff motivated and happy. Agents at Intasun in Rojales on the Costa Blanca often arrive to a bag of fresh eggs on a Monday morning. Brought in by owner Arthur Longden from his nearby farm, the eggs are the perfect January pick-me-up for Blue Monday – statistically the most depressing day of the year. “It’s not every week, but it's always a nice thing to find on your desk,” said Commercial Director Jamie Landon, who has worked at the agency for many years. The Elche-based agent (far left) knows the area like the back of his hand and has sold hundreds of properties to British buyers. He covers a wide area, including Ciudad Quesada. Owner Longden has lived in the area since 1973 and currently has a farm in Daya Nueva. ONLINE gambling has shot up by 78% and people are spending twice as much money as they did five years ago. In 2018, 1.47 million people enjoyed a flutter online, a figure that represents 3% of the popula-

Don’t hate the player tion in Spain. Of these, 300,000 were new users, according to the online player profile reports produced by the General Directorate of Game Management.

The average expenditure per player has also risen in the past five years, from €243 to €449. At the same time, the amount paid out in winnings has also dropped.

Dear Jennifer: What does Recommended Garages mean to me?

urther to my previous article last month, of why Jennifer Cunningham Insurances is special, I felt it was important to provide some more information. Our special expat car policies with Liberty Seguros have further benefits – one of which is Recommended Garages. To be a recommended garage for Liberty Seguros is a thorough and rigorous process, to ensure that the services offered are of the highest standard. What does this mean for the policy holder? Well, if your car claim is opened by our Claims Administrator, you will be offered a choice of Liberty Seguros Recommended Garages in your area, in the first instance. These particular garages are far more beneficial for you, as you will be given preferential treatment and any work done will be guaranteed for two years. These garages can provide replacement vehicles, subject to availability and this can be arranged directly with the garage and your repairs booked to coincide with this availability. The garage will initially self-assess the repairs required, which will speed up the process of the works.

However, for larger damages, an assessor will be required, as is normally the case, and this will be arranged by the garage, directly with Liberty Seguros. Your vehicle will be valeted at the end of the process and you have the option of a free general check-up. As a Liberty customer, any private repairs can be arranged at a special discount. Obviously the garage for your repairs will always be your choice. But with all these benefits, why would you choose anywhere else? There are so many advantages of dealing with a specialist insurance company, for example rather than a bank and of course, at Jennifer Cunningham Insurances, I offer the services of a specialist Claims Administrator to make the process as smooth, easy and stress free as possible. Liberty Seguros Expat policies and Terms and Conditions are in various languages, including English, which also makes life much easier for you and are tailored for the Expat requirements and expectations. Expat policies are not just for car insurance, but for most of the insurance policies we provide.

For further information or a quotation, please contact one of my offices or visit the website www.jennifercunningham.net

Hot Seat

MOTORS

SEAT broke its own sales record AGAIN in 2019 - up by 10.9% to 574,100 vehicles. The new figure is the highest in the history of the company, surpassing the previous record which was set just a year earlier in 2018 with 517,600 vehicles. This was the third consecutive year that the company registered a double-digit growth. The Leon is SEAT’s best-selling car, with 151,900 sold worldwide. Vice-president for Sales and Marketing Wayne Griffiths said: “We have obtained our best ever result in five of SEAT’s ten main markets and consolidated our leadership in Spain.”

January 9th - January 22nd 2020

King of the desert

Spain’s off-road legends make it three Dakar titles after gruelling two-week rally CARLOS Sainz and Lucas Cruz have won the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia.

Following victories in 2010 and 2018, the pair have now won the competition

McCharge it ENDESA and Iberdrola have reached an agreement with major chains like McDonald’s and Carrefour to install electric vehicle charging points in their car parks. The plug-in points will be rolled out at hypermarkets, shopping centres and petrol stations as the green revolution to reduce the country’s carbon footprint continues to gain momentum across Spain. Across Andalucia, including in Malaga, there are already Iberdrola charging points at selected McDonald’s after an agreement was brokered last year, with an aim to increase the number of points by the end of 2020.

for the third time. Each of these victories have come with a different car – Volskwagen, Peugeot and now Mini.

Matador

Sainz who is the father of Carlos Sainz Jr – Spain’s only current Formula One driver – is a legend of the motorsports world, setting the world alight for decades. ‘El Matador’ – Sainz’s nickname – had won multiple World Ral-

WATER DAMAGE

ly Championship events throughout the ‘90s, before moving onto the Dakar Rally. This year has been the first time the January 5-17 contest was held in Asia, with Saudi Arabia being the host nation. The Saudis have also managed to secure the rights to host the event for the next five years. The 57-year-old completed the 12 stages with a time of 42:59:17 over six minutes

Robo bus

MALAGA passengers will be able to climb aboard the first driverless bus ‘within the next few months’, it has been announced. The autonomous electric vehicle will initially operate between the port and the city centre for cruise ship passengers. Manufactured by Irizar, the self-drive bus will travel on the same streets as

ahead of Nasser Al-Attiyah. The Qatari was the heavy favourite to be crowned champion, but his time of 43:05:38 has caused him to finish as the runner-up. Spanish Formula One legend, Fernando Alonso on the other has finished in 13th place, but he will be very happy with managing to complete the entire race in his first attempt. His time of 47:42:04 meant he was more than four hours behind his fellow countryman.

others, with no need for new lanes to be created. The project, managed by bus company Avanza, has the full backing of the city council. Avanza CEO Valentin Alonso said in a press conference that he is committed to making the whole fleet electric, but in a ‘rational way’. The company, which makes around €500 million per year, is investing €30-€40 million per year in renovating its fleet.

OP Puzzle solutions

Across: 7 Roost, 8 Embrace, 10 Unequal, 11 Virus, 12 Eureka, 14 Slip-up, 17 Tawdry, 19 Colour, 21 Wrong, 23 Satchel, 24 Earflap, 25 Oasis. Down: 1 Argument, 2 Home-brew, 3 Struck, 4 Sell, 5 Pair, 6 Mess, 9 Bevel, 13 Any, 14 Sec, 15 Prophesy, 16 Paralyse, 18 Regal, 20 Option, 21 Wren, 22 Oars, 23 Sips.

PROTECT YOUR HOME

Finding an emergency plumber to fix a burst pipe in the early hours of the morning can be a stressful experience. Damage can run into the thousands. Most home insurance covers water damage from leaking pipes. But what is covered and what is not, can be confusing.

GUARANTEED PROTECTION

Home insurance from Línea Directa covers your property 100% against any water damage, which means we will guarantee the insured contents for their full base value. Our policy also covers accidents, unforeseen spillage and leaks from neighbouring properties. Our policies also cover flooding, mudslides or an accidental diversion on the ordinary course of water flow in channels, ditches or sewage flows.

DISCOVER A LEAK

If you discover a leak, turn off the stop valve to stop the flow of water. Then turn off the mains electricity supply. Place a bucket under the leak to catch as much water as possible, while turning on all the taps to reduce the system pressure. Take photographs of any damage and retain any possessions that have been damaged. These may be needed in the event of a claim. If you would like some further advice on this matter, please call our English speaking customer service on 902 325 325.

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COLUMNISTS Tightening the belt 22

January 23th - February 5th 2020

Farm Flash By Susan Weeding

The dreadful weather and sudden changes in taxation have made the start of 2020 the most challenging yet, writes Susan Weeding Our rescue centre is now experiencing the most pressure we have ever been under in the 11 years we have been up and running. The financial situation is crippling the foundation so much so we have to let some of the workers go as we just cannot find the resources to pay their wages and all

the associated tax and insurance costs. Having to lose two full-time workers is now putting 70 year Rod and myself at 64 and the few volunteers who help, under incredible stress to keep on top of all the usual daily chores as well as attempting to keep on top of the maintenance issues for taking care of

120 equines never mind all the other necessities of running a Foundation. The financial crisis has been exacerbated this year following the devastating after-effects of last September’s ‘DANA’. This storm destroyed all the forage in the area so now it has to come from further afield. We have been able to source

the forage from places such as Albacete but with double the price tag. A large bale of alfalfa previously cost €50 and we are now paying a staggering €100 each and we get through two of those every day. The current bill for forage is €20,000.’ Most people don’t realise that there are so many rescued animals at the Centre due to obviously needing to help the individual equine in need but to also making a

Does size really matter?

always find it interesting how whilst I’ve spent the last 5 or so years writing articles about how to ensure value, honesty, transparency and quality for your pensions and investments, the main focus of other firms here in Spain seem to be their size and how long they’ve been around.

Of course, I agree that longevity is important, and myself and Senior Partner Tracy Storer have accumulated around 13 years in Spain, and well over 20 in the industry between us. In fact, from an advisor perspective we’re amongst the longest serving here in Spain.

Independence

Surprisingly, the vast majority of financial advisors barely last a year in Spain. Much of this is down to the fact that they have been recruited based on sales experience, or perhaps a couple of years working behind the counter in a bank, and often lack any form of qualification or investment advice experience. So, a company that’s been around for 20 years may have seen hundreds of IFAs come and go during that period. Moving on to size. The vast majority of UK IFAs work from small, independent offices, with perhaps 2-3 advisors in the

company. Those advisors provide high quality, independent advice, and have access to the largest, and most successful investment companies in the world. They are generally not tied to any one provider, and can therefore act in their client’s best interests, and maintain independence at all times.

Performing

What we see from the larger firms in Spain is quite the opposite. We see ‘special’ relationships in place with selected fund managers who financially incentivise these firms to recommend their funds. What this means in real terms is that the IFA is not going to the open market to select the best investment funds for you. More often, their head offices are dictating where they should invest client funds, and these decisions can be more focussed on the financial benefit of the firm, rather than the client. What we should see is a symbiotic relationship. This is one where you agree a transparent form of renumeration for your advisor, and your advisor uses their experience (and qualification) to find the best solution for your needs from an open marketplace. Logically this is the ONLY way to ensure quality, as statisti-

stand with the Police against animal cruelty. Time and time again the Police say if EHCRC could not take these abused and abandoned equines then they could not pursue prosecutions with the ultimate aim of reducing animal neglect and improving animal welfare. EHCRC cannot easily reduce the number of equines we have as due to working with the Police, the majority of the animals must remain at the Centre as they are part of the judicial process and are not the Centre’s to give up for adoption. Those few that don’t fall under these conditions and could be adopted aren’t because they are not suitable for riding and come with long term and often costly health care needs which most people do not want. Adding insult to injury EHCRC have now been informed that strict measures need to be put in place in all our Charity Shops where they will need to function like any other shop/business and that goes for all Charity Shops in the region not just EHC. The Government in its wisdom has decided that Charity Shops should be treated like any other business and we will therefore now be paying 21% on all shop takings. This is a huge blow for all genuine Charities. EHCRC are hurling from this incredible decision

on the part of the Government as the Charity Shops are a life-saving way to raise much-needed funds for the animals from the very kind donations and purchases of supporters. EHCRC have been in contact with all the local authorities, where the equines have come from originally, to inform them of the huge burden these recent events are now having on the Centre. As always Rojales Council is at the forefront of looking at ways to help the Foundation to not only get through this current financial crisis but to look at long term measures to help with the ongoing animal welfare battle. Sadly the support from the other Councils to date has been non-existent. Sue concluded ‘More than ever we now need the public’s help and support to not only look after those most at risk equines but to continue with the fight to change the future of animal welfare in Spain. As always we thank you for your support and kindness and ask you to please contribute in whatever way you can – donating, volunteering, sharing...the options are endless just check out our website for all details www. easyhorsecare.net . Many thanks.

Providing multi-award winning advice for your pensions, investments & tax planning.

By Sam Kelly DipPFS, EFA, BA (Hons). Managing Partner, Chorus Financial cally it is almost impossible to think that a firm tied to one or two fund houses have the best performing, most appropriate solutions from the hundreds available in the open market. Chorus clients benefit from access to leading fund managers, including Royal London, Prudential, Vanguard, Rathbones, HSBC, Fundsmith, Schroders and more, with an honest and transparent fee arrangement. We would generally see between 12-16 different investment funds in a typical portfolio, ensuring appropriate diversification.

Slick

Ironically this means that the ‘smaller’ firm arguably provides the ‘larger’, and more robust solution. Financial services is all too often ruled by slick marketing over decent honest advice, and Spain is particularly no-

965 641 163

www.chorusfinancial.es info@chorusfinancial.es torious for this. Always get a second opinion before making a decision that could affect your financial wellbeing for the rest of your life. If you want to discuss any new or existing arrangement, without pressure or obligation, please contact me on 664 398 702 or s.kelly@chorusfinancial.es.

Investment contracts are intended as medium to long term investments, and all investments have some level of risk. Figures in our articles are examples of what can be achieved and cannot be guaranteed; the value of your investments can go down as well as up. Fees and charges can vary and will be fully explained to you before any advice can take place. This article should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular product.

Chorus Financial is a trading style of Tourbillon Limited, authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Commission (Gibraltar), Licence Number FSC1118B, registered with the UK FCA reference 539348, registered with the Spanish DGS and CNMV Nº Registro Oficial 3214.

SPORT BALE: With Wales team

Bale’s a keeper GARETH Bale’s agent has said he is likely to stay at Real Madrid, despite speculation that he would be moving elsewhere. Jonathan Barnett said his client is not leaving the Spanish capital during this transfer window and is ‘unlikely’ to leave in the summer. Bale’s contract at the Bernabeu doesn’t expire until 2022 but he’s been linked with a move away for some time. The Welshman has been linked with a return to his former club Tottenham and allegedly was close to signing for a team in China last summer but has stayed put.

January 23th - February 5th 2020

You’re NOT the special one

Barcelona waste no time in appointing new manager after sacking Valverde BARCELONA have sacked manager Ernesto Valverde and wasted no time in finding a substitute. The 55-year-old was in charge of the Catalan giants for two-and-a-halfyears before being replaced by former Real Betis boss Quique Setien. Txingurri – Valverde’s nickname – had led the Blaugrana to two successive league titles and back to the top of the pile this

season on goal difference. However, the Catalans had been criticised for their style of play and had failed to reach the final of the Champions League during his tenure.

Dedication

Valverde had previously managed other Spanish teams such as Espanyol, Valencia and Athletic Bilbao.

Aceing it

NADAL: With mates Williams and Djokovic

RAFAEL Nadal and his ‘Rally 4 Relief’ friends have raised nearly €5 million for the Australian bushfire appeal. Some of the biggest names in tennis played an exhibition match in Melbourne to raise

The Extremeño had also previously been in charge of Greek giants Olympiacos, winning the Greek AXED: Valverde dropped League with for Setien them twice. In a statement, Barca said they had ism, his commitment, his reached an agreement dedication and his always with Valverde to terminate positive treatment tohis contract and thanked wards all that make up the him for ‘his professional- Barca family.’ Setien led Betis to their highest finish since 2005 funds for the aid proand to the semi-finals of gramme. the Copa del Rey before They included the likes leaving in May. of world number one He has agreed to a twoNadal, Roger Federer, and-a-half-year deal. Novak Djokovic and The 61-year-old was preSerena Williams. sented to the media on At one point there were Tuesday and said: “My up to eight players on goal is to win everything court in a four against that can be won, in addifour matchup. tion to playing well.”

New goal for Reina

PEPE Reina has returned to the Premier League in goal for Aston Villa. The Villans have signed the Spaniard on loan from AC Milan for the remainder of the season. The 37-year-old is no stranger to England’s top flight, having spent eight years with Liverpool, during which his side won the FA Cup, the League Cup, the European Super Cup and the Community Shield. Villa needed to add to their goalkeeping options after Tom Heaton was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury at the start of the month.

Foul result SERGIO Ramos has led 10man Real Madrid to a 4-1 win on penalties over rivals Atletico to claim an 11th Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia. The Galacticos captain put away the decisive spot kick at Jeddah’s King Abdullah Sports City Stadium. The dramatic derby finished 0-0 after 90 minutes and was still goalless after half an hour of extra time. One of the match’s main moments was the dismissal of Federico Valverde, the Real midfielder taking a red card to keep his team in the tie.

MARC and Martina are now the most popular baby names in the Marina Alta region, though Jose and Josefa remain the most common names for men and women.

FINAL WORDS

Unhappy world HARIBO has launched legal action against a plucky group of young Spaniards over their alcohol-infused gummy bears that were deemed ‘too similar’ to the wellknown brand’s version.

Oh crap DOG owners have been hit with fines of up to €150 during a crackdown on canine poo in Valencia.

New ride A GROUP of kind-hearted policemen have bought a man a new bike after they hit him with their car, while running a red light in Malaga.

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No way Jose

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Great Outdoors ANDALUCIANS are lazy, Madrileños are clowns and Valencianos are drug addicts. These are the amusing - but highly offensive - stereotypes featured on a controversial new ‘emoji map’. Ivan Grad has created the map of social media icons to rile Spain’s 17 autonomous communities, posting it on Twitter. Starting with the capital, Madrid, he has chosen the clown emoji to describe the local politicians. Andalucia is illustrated with a sleepy face and a bed, hinting at a love of siestas. The Spanish flag is used all across Catalunya, in direct contrast to the sentiment of the Catalans. Valencia and the Balearic Islands are described as being drug-infested with the use of the pill emoji.

Your expat

voice in Spain

January 23th - February 5th 2020 A FLOATING sunbed sofa, beanbag and even an ‘island’ could be just what your garden needs given the current extreme weather conditions. Costa Blanca furniture specialist Dumas Design is taking weightlessness to a whole new level. It’s all part of an innovative range featured in the company’s exiting new 2020 catalogue. Its exclusive line of life-sized bulls and Iberico pigs has been beefed up, with life-size lions and standing horses.

Not stereotyping!

We revealed last year that the Benissa firm had sold hundreds of them around Spain, some costing as much as €2,500. The animals that come in many colours, including gold, silver and bronze, are even popular with the locals. One famous bullfighter even bought one, revealed owner Arthur van der Mast, from Holland. “He literally just turned up one day at the warehouse and wanted one,” he said.

Electrified

Meanwhile plant pots have been electrified with LED lights that give an other-worldly feel over your garden at night. The LED range also extends to serving trays, floor lamps, ice buckets and cocktail tables. Backed up with an impressive range of weather-resistant tables and chairs, the new catalogue is a must-have for Costa Blanca homeowners looking for a conversation starter. The catalogue can be downloaded online from www.dumasdesign.eu.

No need for a hot waterbottle A BRITISH builder (above) is taking his Spanish rescue dog on a nationwide tour. Tom Day, 62, is taking his Podenco Chica on a coast to coast walk from Gibraltar to Andorra. “He makes a great hot water bottle sleeping in our tent,” Day, from Somerset, told the Olive Press. Following the GR-7, which eventually leads to Athens, he and his wife Gill Crane, 65, hope to raise thousands for the plight of other rescue dogs. Speaking on their eighth day walking, Day added: “We really need to help dogs like this and for people to change attitudes to them.” Podencos are mostly used as hunting dogs in Spain, kept in tiny cages, and often let go illegally or killed after the hunting season ends. They are raising money for SOS Podenco Rescue and Galgos del Sol.