Olive Press Valencia - Issue 8 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

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International

How these two women - an expat and a local did two centuries apart

The

OLIVE PRESS

Women’s Day

To celebrate International Women’s Day, we hear the inspirational stories from over a dozen expats from around the country

Your expat

voice in Spain

VALENCIA / COSTA AZAHAR Vol. 1 Issue 8 www.theolivepress.es March 11th - March 24th 2021 FREE

Big busts ONE of Europe’s most wanted fugitives has been picked up in Valencia city centre. The Dutch crook - said to be Holland’s ‘most wanted’ - was arrested alongside a pal who had links to a terror group that once tried to assassinate the pope. The dangerous felon, whose initials were given as E.G.L., had been on the run after the fatal shooting of a man in an Amsterdam car park in 2019. Cops also nabbed another Dutchman of Turkish heritage who had links to the Grey Wolf terror group which tried to kill Pope John Paul II in St Peter’s Square in Rome, in 1981.

Wanted expat duo tracked to Valencia, along with Spain’s biggest pink cocaine haul

...with an introduction from our British consul in Andalucia, Charmaine Arbouin

Haul

Spanish police working with their Dutch counterparts also picked up Spain’s biggest-ever haul of ‘pink cocaine’ - 11 kilos of the narcotic during the course of the operation. Other drugs including MDMA and heroin were found when cops moved in on the duo. The main suspect, aged 21, had disappeared from Holland after the Amsterdam shooting, only to be traced to Marbella when he appeared in a video clip of a well-known Dutch rapper. But there the trail went cold

By Simon Wade

until a tip-off led police to Valencia. He was in hiding with the

second Dutchman who was wanted for his links to the farright Turkish terrorist organisation. The Grey Wolf organisation

...and introducing our new Digital Editor, Fiona Govan, in Madrid

has been implicated in several murders and runs criminal networks across Europe. Both men have been remanded in custody.

All inside our International Women’s Day special supplement

Save our centre AN army of expats have joined thousands of locals in a bid to save one of Valencia’s hippest cultural centres from being forced to close. So far nearly 2000 people have signed a petition to help save the Casa Cabanyal cultural centre, which is facing closure. They are demanding the town hall cancels a series of fines - already totalling well over 1000 euros - issued for using an internal patio, which the centre insists is vital for its survival. Owners Paolo Cammarano and Alessandro De Cillis claim they have permis-

A special four-page pullout

March 2021

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CAPTION TO GO HERE

One in five Spanish women gave up work due to the COVID crisis, while they also poorer and harder are than men, writes Olive working Press Digital Editor Fiona Govan

FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN´S

LONG WAY TO GO DAY...

N previous years March 8 a day when I would meetwas grandparents to toddlers hoisted with a group of friends up on shoulders, came together in a we would hit the streets and sea of purple brandishing signs of Ma- with powerful drid joining tens of thousands slogans to show others to mark International of that modern Spain means equal Wo- opportunities, whatever men’s Day. gender you are. We would don purple items of But the demonstrations clothing and join in the also unprotests derlined how that attracted people much there was from all still to do; women walks of life and across may now be the nerations – both men and ge- fully accepted in the workplace wo- but they are still men, boys and girls. penalised by a There was a carnival atmosphe- gender pay gap, which is not im- men is still recognised as a major proving fast enough. re as people of all ages, problem in Spain and the from Meanwhile violence we are against wo- witnessing the rise of the try’s political far right and counwith it a denial of gender inequalities. This year with Spain still in the grip of the pandemic, are no mass protests withthere thorities banning gatheringsauto avoid potential super-spreader events, but the health crisis has highlighted and even compounded some of the inequalities in society. Working from home has seen a steep rise in mental health with women bearing the issues of the burden of childcarebrunt and housework as they try to balance work life with home-schooling and care for their elderly relatives.

Pics are on the wall

See inside

sion for the patio, but an ‘archaic’ law is forcing it to shut. Under the petition headline: ‘Avoid the closure of Casa Cabanyal’ the owners have asked for local community to help them.

A SMALL village in ed the skills of twodeep inland Malaga has enlistwhitewashed walls local artists to transform the into a tribute to rural across the ages. women In a project entitled rapher Ana Becerra ‘Saucedeñas’, Ronda photogtaken to Villanueva and artist Selector Marx have Residents awoke lastdel Rosario. week to large scale white collages of images black of local rural women and blazoned on walls of em“The women on the municipal buildings. are entrepreneurs, photographs are women who who cultivated creativity had a history of self-improvem or who ent” said Becerra.

When Spain went into lockdown a year ago, gender violence soared with the authorities reporting an 18% rise in calls ring the first fortnight alone. duA survey conducted by DYM in

Important day Charmaine Arbouin, British Consul for Andalusia, Canary Islands, Ceuta &

Melilla. Based in women in managerial positions Malaga she covers remains around a third of that of the region of Spain men with the numbers dropping even further as careers progress. that has the largest Spain’s female executives concentration of British 15.1 percent less than their earn residents counterparts, although this male below the EU average is just salary gap of 16 percent according “International Women’s to the latest EU data from 2017. Day is an opportunity the run up to Women’s to Day this This inequality is highlighted celebrate the achieveyear revealed that 7% of in women the statement issued ments of women - both had suffered physical or by psycho- government on March Spain’s past and present; those logical abuse from men 8: “Woduring men in Spain work who have shaped 2020. more than and transformed men our world, And most alartoday, but whether that be politithey are poorer.” mingly of all, accally or in the fields Of course there cording to the laFIVE LINERS science and culture. of are still reasons test data, women it’s also a moment toBut xxxxxxx to be positive remade up 93% of flect on what still needs and to those who gave celebrate xxxxxxxxx to be done and that’s just how far woup employment why this year’s theme xxxxxxxx men have come during 2020 in of Choose to Challenge in Spain. Spain... citing camatters. We must xxxxxxxxx all Spain may not ring for minors, choose to call out bias have had a feand inequality, so that elderly or sick remale prime we have even more great latives as the main reasons. nister but it has the largest mifemale achievers to That is one in five women, share accor- of women in any European ebrate in the future.” celding to a survey by online lecom- gislature with women munity MalasMadres. representing 47 percent of elected During the second quarter MPs, of last a bigger proportion year, a period that coincided of female with lawmakers than even Sweden. Spain’s strict lockdown 61,000 More than half of Pedro Sanwomen gave up their jobs to chez’s cabinet comprises care for others compared woto just men – each one impressively 6,500 men. qualified for their role – And when it comes to with wothe kplace itself, the proportionwor- men holding key ministerial poof sitions including Foreign Minister and Health Minister. We’ve come a long way the end of the dictatorship since a woman had to have when her father’s or husband’s permission to travel and couldn’t open a bank account. But there’s no room for complacency, we still have a long long way to go.

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CRIME

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NEWS IN BRIEF Unkindest cut... SOME €16,000 will be spent on La Nucia’s 2021 annual cat sterilisation campaign with 50 volunteers seeking out feral cats for a veterinary visit.

Fresh cobbles THE second phase of repairing cobblestones around Javea’s ‘Historic Centre’ moved to Calle San Joaquin and Ronda Sur this week.

Poppy total A TOTAL of €85,983 was raised by the 2020 Poppy Appeal organised by the Spain North Branch of the Royal British Legion. The sum was just above half of the 2019 total due to pandemic restrictions.

Con job A GERMAN accused of a €3 million con has been arrested in Benidorm after hiding out in Spain for 17 years. He set up a bogus charity and kept all the money for himself.

Teflon don

CONVICTED British gangster Brian Charrington is to get a sensational retrial. The seasoned crook, who enjoyed the high life of luxury homes, boats and cars on the Costa Blanca, has been handed a potential get-out-of-jail card over his 2018 drug trial. The Spanish Supreme Court has ruled that there were ‘impartiality issues’ over his 15-year sentence at Alicante Court. The 65-year-old ex-car dealer, who lived in Calpe, had been found guilty of smuggling 192 kilos of cocaine from South America in 2012 and 2013. Shipments came in on yachts landing at Altea, while the drugs were stored at a property in Albir, near Benidorm. The Middlesbrough-born crook - business partner of legendary Curtin ‘Cocky’ Warren - was arrested alongside his son Ray and two other associates and fined €31 million. His French girlfriend Isabelle Robert was acquitted and will not face a retrial. The original trial has been ruled null and void after defence lawyer, Joaquin de Lacy, appealed over conflicts of interest involving the Alicante judges. The Supreme Court upheld the challenge on the basis that the judges had been pre-

Retrial for legendary British drugs baron could put him back on the streets

By Alex Trelinski

viously involved in 26 separate rulings on the case ahead of the 2018 trial. That, in their opinion, infringed the defendants rights to an impartial hearing. Charrington (above) had claimed he was merely a real estate agent who ‘buys and sells villas and pays taxes’ at the original hearing. Police had raided over a dozen luxury properties as they arrested him in July 2013. Charrington has had reasonable fortune in trials back in the UK. His brushes with the law back home included a customs raid at his home in 1992 that unearthed millions

March 11th - March 24th 2021

Women’s day stabbing A TRIO of onlookers jumped in to help save a Valencia woman from death when her violent ex-partner stabbed her on International Women’s Day. The ex-soldier, 51, was wrestled to the ground by a work colleague and two

Dumb teen of pounds in alleged drugs money. However he escaped charges when it was revealed he was a police informant. In 2002, a Leeds trial collapsed when Charrington and two Middlesbrough police officers faced public office conspiracy charges. The case had collapsed when the judge ruled against illegally-obtained phone taps. He was acquitted in two other drugs trials, before being finally sentenced to seven years in Germany in 2003 and two years in France in 2006. The Spanish media branded the felon as the ‘Wikipedia Narco’ because Charrington regularly updated his profile on the internet site with news of his latest activities.

A 14-year-old boy has got himself into hot water after hijacking social media accounts belonging to two of his teachers. He posted messages that offered good grades in return for sex but the stunt backfired on him as a fellow student rumbled his identity through a simple ruse. The bad-taste prankster was arrested in an unnamed Valencia community town and charged with two counts of identity thef. The usurper contacted a female pupil to request videos and photos of a sexual nature in exchange for better grades. But the girl set a simple trap - she asked him for a video chat and when he promptly appeared, she recognised him and reported his name to the authorities.

passers by as he attacked the woman in Massamagrell. The man, who is now in custody, had jumped on his former lover as she left her home. He had apparently been keeping an eye on his ex-partner, 53, for several days, and had spent the night in his car parked outside her home waiting for her to leave for work on Monday morning. He attacked her with a 11-centimetre machete-type knife, stabbing her six times, hitting in the abdomen and severely endangering her life. A work colleague who was waiting to give her a lift in his car rushed to her aid and began punching the attacker with a key to make him let go of the victim. Two neighbours also began hitting the man with sticks, but he still refused to stop. The man only finally stopped when police arrived on the scene a few minutes later. When police finally stopped him after a chase a violent struggle broke out and police were forced to draw their guns. The woman received emergency surgery and is still in a critical condition.

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Start your engines, Spain!

March 11th - March 24th 2021 CELEBRITIES often snap up homes all over the world, from sprawling mansions in LA to penthouse apartments in Paris. And Blue singer Lee Ryan is no exception, taking to the cover of a magazine to show off his swanky Malaga pad. The ultra-luxe property boasts an outdoor pool and plenty of room for his growing family. The All Rise singer used the cover shoot and home tour as an opportunity to announce that he is expecting a baby girl in June with his girlfriend Verity Paris. It will be the pair’s first child together and Lee’s third time

Supremme de Luxe is making herstory as the first solo queen to host a Drag Race spinoff. The Spanish drag artist, from Madrid, has been crowned as the judge of Drag Race España and will reign over the season 1 panel when the show debuts later this year. Drag Race España is Europe’s third international Drag Race installment, following in the high-heeled footsteps of UK and Holland remakes of the hit drag show. De Luxe, who has built up a loyal following after years stunting pretty in the capital, celebrated her new gig by taking to social media to share the exciting news with fans.

All Rise as a father - the 37-year-old is already dad to daughter Bluebell, 13, who he shares with ex Jessica Keevil, and son Rayn, 12, whose mother is his ex-fiance, Samantha Miller. Speaking to Hello! magazine, the former Strictly Come Dancing star said: “I’m so excited. I love being a dad; there is nothing better than that. It’s the most amazing thing in the world.” Verity, who works as an Ariana Grande tribute singer, later took to social media to thank fans for their support, adding ‘bring on June!’.

Kitty

She told her Twitter followers that she’s ‘glad to be able to’ finally let the kitty out of the bag. A Spanish version of the major drag competition is expected to hit screen later this year, becoming the latest in a long line of international editions of the Emmy-winning global franchise The series also recently expanded to include Canada’s Drag Race (recently renewed for season 2), Drag Race Down Under in New Zealand and Australia, and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, which is currently airing season 2 on WOW Presents Plus. Last year, production company founders Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey said there were ‘three or four’ new iterations of the franchises in the works.

Latin lovers?

Spanish duo make waves in America

SPANISH superstar Rosalía turned up the heat with reggaeton star Bad Bunny for a steamy duet on Saturday Night Live. The Latin singers cosied up for an intimate performance of their new song La Noche de Anoche. The saucy performance marked the pair’s first time performing together on the SNL stage and the duo did not dis-

appoint. Rosalia wore a stunning pink silk slip for the occasion while Bad Bunny looked dapper in a white monochromatic look. The duet comes fresh off the back of Bad Bunny’s third LP. El Último Tour del Mundo, which features Rosalia on the title track, became the first-ever entirely Spanish-language album to reach No. 1 on America’s Billboard 200 chart.

Cheaper by the half dozen ‘Spain aficionado’ Hilaria Baldwin is no stranger to causing confusion. Last year the yoga instructor and author set tongues wagging after it emerged her Spanish roots were a work of fiction and she was in fact born Hillary Hayward-Thomas in the US to American parents, not Mallorca as she has always suggested. Now fans are scratching their heads once again following her latest surprise announcement. Hilaria took to Instagram this week to reveal that she and husband Alec Baldwin had welcomed their SIXTH child - just five months after she gave birth to son Edu in September.

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The couple, who are also parents to Carmen, seven, Rafael, five, Leonardo, four, and two-year-old Romeo, revealed they had called their newborn daughter Lucia. Hilaria shared the first photos of their adorable daughter on social media, cradling her newest addition while surrounded by her five other children. The pair’s growing family was quickly met with perplexed responses from fans who wondered how Hilaria was able to welcome a sixth baby less than nine months after giving birth. The wellness personality and 30 Rock actor quickly cleared up any confusion, revealing that they had help from a surrogate mother.

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NEWS

March 11th March 24th 2021

OPENING COURSE 2021-2022 BRITISH EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM FROM 3 TO 18 YEARS OLD

The pillars of our education

Instilling Values

Language and Culture

ROLL UP, ROLL UP PLANS have been announced for a mass COVID vaccination campaign at Valencia’s City of Arts and Sciences next month. The Principe Felipe museum – usually housing Fallas exhibitions – will see thousands of residents receive their jabs. The building meets all the criteria recommended by health experts: a large, covered and well ventilated space with separate entrances. Similar vaccination centres will be set up in Castellon’s Palacio de Congresos, Alicante’s Ciudad de la Luz, and at the IFA events hall in Elche,

By Glenn Wickman

plus a number of hospitals in the three provincial capitals. The regional authorities are searching for additional venues in Denia, Villajoyosa, Xativa, Gandia and Orihuela. Assuming enough vaccines are available, the inoculation programme could be extended from within the week to also include weekends. However, Valencia is not expected to see thousands of people queuing up outside the vaccination centres like in other countries.

No Boar-ing day

Disruptive Educational Approaches

Educational Spaces Art and Science

FISHERMEN at Valencia port made t h e strangest catch of their lives when they hauled in a wild boar. The crew had spotted the desperate animal swimming at midday within the port area. The animal was showing clear

signs of disorientation and fatigue, and is thought to have been in the water since at least 10am. The fishermen managed to get a rope underneath the boar and tow it towards the dock, while also notifying the Guardia Civil. The boar made it safely ashore, where it was immobilised and taken to the El Saler fauna recovery centre. It is thought the boar got lost and fell into the sea, where it swam for its life until being rescued. The animal is said to be in good health and recovering well from its ordeal.

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SCHOOLCHILDREN in Valencia will finally have the Fallas festival off this year. The regional government had advised local education authorities to swap the festive bank holidays for normal school days this year due to the cancellation of the fiestas. However, the education board finally voted unanimously to keep March 16, 17 and 18 free for students and teachers. The argument is based on the need for a rest after a very complicated term due to the coronavirus.

BENIDORM has been dividing up its beaches in a repeat of last year’s COVID safety measures. Sections have been marked out on the major beaches with capacity controls put into place. Benidorm council is hoping that weekend perimeter closures should lead to the imminent reopening of bar and restaurant terraces by the San Jose weekend holiday starting on March 19. It hopes the Easter week at the end of the month could also be busy. Mayor Toni Perez, said: “We are taking last sum-

Mass COVID vaccination campaigns planned at museums and conference centres in April The latest figures show that more than 275,600 doses have been administered in the Valencian Community since the beginning of the vaccination campaign on December 27. Nearly 100,000 people have already received both jabs and now have total immunity against the virus – which accounts for nearly 2% of the population. The next stage of the vaccination will focus on teachers and school staff, with an estimated 100,000 professionals set to be inoculated over the next few weeks.

Tracker dog A DOG dog owner who failed to clean up his pet’s poop on a 70 kilometre day trip to the coast was left to count the cost as the animal’s DNA was on a database. Alboraya, near Valencia City, is one of only 24 places in Spain where all dogs have to be registered on a municipal DNA list. It means that selfish owners - or any visitors - can be identified and fined if they don’t clear up any droppings.

In the poo

And one Xativa resident found this to his cost, when he drove over an hour to Alboraya where his dog did its business on a public street. After the authorities in Alboraya entered a stool sample to the database it got a match from the town hall in Xativa, with contact details for the owner. When the Alboraya police handed over the penalty notice they also noted that the person had broken the local perimeter closure rules that week. So as well as paying the dog mess fine, he had to pay an additional COVID movement fine.

Back to the beaches! mer’s ‘Benidorm Beach Safety’ concept and repeating it this year after the good response we had to the measures.” Beach cleaning services have been expanded from just the evening to include morning and afternoon shifts. No sunbed or umbrella rental service will be available due to an anticipated low demand.

FIGHTING THE FIGHT

HE COVID-19 pandemic has been a ‘double-edged’ sword in opening up opportunities for people to things they’ve not had a chance to do before, but sadly it has also increased anxiety and addictions for others.

It’s meant that the experienced team of Marbella-based Villa Paradiso Rehab Spain have been busy treating clients as social anxiety levels have risen during a year of lockdowns. The clinic was last year awarded the prestigious ‘Best Treatment Centre in Europe’ award by ‘World’s Best Rehab Magazine’, due to the high standard of help it gives over issues like anxiety and depressions as well as addictions.

SPOTTING THE SIGNS Social anxiety can present itself in a variety of ways, with Matthew Idle, Villa Paradiso’s lead therapist, saying that spotting the signs was an important stage in acknowledging a problem. He explained: “There may be issues with sleeping and waking up early for example, as people get worried about their future including work prospects.” “The lockdowns may have created an atmosphere of boredom with nothing to do and personal care and appearance might suffer as lounging around all day in a dressing gown or pyjamas becomes a norm.” Boredom is especially dangerous to individuals with past addictions who may suffer a relapse.

Helping to fight social anxiety caused by the COVID-19 lockdown

“People need to keep busy to make sure personalities have changed and they bethat their mind does not trigger a return come fearful of a return to normality,” added Matthew. to old habits,” says Matthew. “There are cases where the “Boredom can lead to deCOVID-19 pandemic has Anxiety has pression and our own exled to overthinking about perience is that around half risen so much the future, and it is not just of our clients have resorted down to financial concerns. to self-medication by taking that people’s prescription drugs.” personalities It’s in some instances they that they have missed Villa Paradiso’s specially-taihave changed feel the chance to have occupied lored sessions will seek to their time better and that identify all of those key trigwith their change caused by gers caused by boredom. Other potential anxiety indicators, accor- anxiety, future socialisation may prove to ding to Matthew, include a change in ea- be harder.” ting habits with more food being consumed or people getting snappy with their SETTING GOALS partners or children.

RELATIONSHIP ISSUES Increased anxiety levels have also caused problems with relationships covering all age ranges. Matthew added: ”Couples and families have spent so much time together over the last year that we are seeing relationships struggling or even totally breaking down.” Inevitably lockdown pressures have caused increased alcohol consumption and drug taking as part of an unhealthy sequence of behaviour that makes people feel even worse. “It’s all part of a pattern where the anxiety levels have risen so much that people’s

Award Winning Rehabilitation Clinic

On the flip side, Matthew acknowledged the many cases where pandemic restrictions have allowed people to extend their abilities from learning to play a musical instrument through to taking an online educational course.

Mathew Idle

A PERSONAL TOUCH The personal approach at Villa Paradiso is vital in getting a positive outcome. “Our groups only have a maximum of five people and they are allowed to fully express their personal feelings. We have had lots of success stories,” added Matthew. A year-long aftercare service is also provided to make sure there is a sustained recovery and besides the Marbella area, Villa Paradiso also offers treatment in Tunisia for any Arabic and French speaking clients, in a beautiful, luxurious private villa overlooking the sea.

He has had over 15 years’ experience in supporting people with mood and anxiety disorders. That includes teaching them at Villa Paradiso how to use positive coping skills and developing new ways of living a positive life. He explained: “Anybody that comes to see us will get a set of goals to achieve, but everybody is totally different, and we tailor to individual needs.”

For more information or advice contact Villa Paradiso on (+34) 689 80 67 69 or email info@villaparadisospain.com

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OPINION Play fair A WOMAN’S place is in the home. And the boardroom. In fact, it is anywhere she damn pleases. But as another old adage goes, a woman’s work is never done. Often they have to fight twice as hard to get the pay they deserve and speak twice as loud to have their voices heard in the office. You’d be hard pressed to find a woman, even in 2021, who hasn’t been called ‘darling’, ‘sweetheart’ or ‘beautiful’ in the workplace. And that’s getting off lightly. Complaining about these kinds of ‘compliments’ often isn’t worth your breath, since it’ll likely be brushed off by male bosses and colleagues as a bit of banter. A working woman has to pick her battles, and unfortunately a daily scuffle with balding dinosaurs over terms of endearment, or worse endowment, has to be sidelined for more pressing matters such as pay, fair treatment and basic respect. It is both exhausting and astonishing that in 2021 women still have to fight for the bare minimum. Why is it that bosses are happy to dish out a hefty workload and a barrel of responsibilities alongside the ‘jokes’ – but asking for fair compensation for the work completed quickly wipes the smile off their face? Take equal pay. It is fairly straightforward in principle: creating equality of opportunity for all, irrespective of gender, race, religion or sexual orientation. But somehow some of the biggest brains in business still struggle to grasp the concept. New research found that Spain was one of the best places to be a female health professional in Europe, with the country ranking number eight on the list behind the likes of the UK and France. The study found the opportunities offered to women in Spain - the same doctors and nurses who have spent over a year battling behind face masks and PPE to save people from coronavirus - were among the best in Europe. A cause for celebration? Hardly. Female Spanish doctors and nurses earning an average of €10,000 less than their make counterparts. And for those who brandish the fight for equal or fair pay as propaganda from ‘male hating feminists’, remember they’re sticking it to the man, not men. The brilliance of women is in their diversity. Recognise it. Celebrate it. Reward it. And reward it equally. That’s just good business sense.

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Spain’s very own Florence Nightingale has a controversial COVID hospital named after her, discovers Laurence Crumbie in International Women’s week

EW health centres have been the nucleus of such controversy as the pandemic hospital inaugurated on December 1, 2020, near Madrid airport and which has become the ‘main’ warehouse for the COVID-19 vaccine by Pfitzer. Some €50 million over budget, opponents of the Isabel Zendal Nursing Hospital dubbed it ‘one more urban hit’ for building companies, while unions were outraged when a worker lost his life in an accident resulting from its rushed construction. The government had placed a four month deadline on the hospital’s completion, hoping to cut the red ribbon before another wave of coronavirus could wreak havoc in the winter. In fact, if there is anything about this 80,000 square metre project that is not contentious then it is its name. For Isabel Zendal was one of the most philanthropic figures in medical history – and Spain’s equivalent to Britain's Florence Nightingale, after whom its own Covid hospitals are named. Born in 1771 in Galicia, to a pair of farmers who struggled to put food on the table, Isabel was the second eldest of eight in a family grievously affected by sickness, as many were in those days. Three of her siblings died before their

T’S common knowledge among expats that if you survive your first five years in Spain you will never look back. But just days before reaching this milestone I’ll be on a flight home to Blighty to start a new chapter in London. And while the hustle and bustle of the capital excites me, there are many parts of Spanish culture I will sorely miss. It goes without saying this includes the 300-plus days of sunshine and the cheap tapas and canas after a hard day’s work - which Shoreditch and its ilk have repeatedly tried and failed to replicate. But while we all love Spain for it’s great food and weather, it’s the every-day normalities I will find most lacking in London. I will no longer say ‘hola’ - or ‘hello’ - to strangers in a shop or on the street, and definitely not on the tube, unless I want to be sectioned. I will no longer go for churros on a Sunday morning, or enjoy late night walks without having to look over my shoulder. Coffee will be overpriced and served in far too large of a cup, and I won’t receive marinated olives or ‘cho chos’ with each round of drinks (be careful when you’re ordering the latter, if

The Señora

STAR POWER: Maria Castral as Isabel Zendal in 22 Angeles

first birthdays and at just 13, her mother succumbed to the deadliest virus in history, Variola major, or smallpox that carried a death rate of 30%. Devastating as this loss was, Zendal did not let it destroy her teenage years

but turned her bright mind to the world of medicine, making it her purpose to help those in need. Noted for her studiousness, she left home at 20 to begin work at the Charity Hospital of A Coruna.

Miss you already,Spain

It’s the jingles at Mercadona, a short stroll to his padel club and, of course, the goldfish bowl G&Ts which will be missed when Laurence Dollimore returns to Blighty you know, you know). There won’t be an independent tapas bar on every corner, but a Pret A Manger or McDonald’s. And when I ask for a gin and tonic it won’t be served in a fish bowl, but probably a test tube glass, and I’ll be asked ‘single or double?’ - perdona? I will no longer have everything I need just a short walk away, including my padel tennis club. And I won’t get that blissful end of September feeling when the tourists go home and we have an Indian summer and we get our beaches all to ourselves. And what will replace my local summer feria and Semana Santa processions? Let’s be real, I’m sure London can offer enough culture for me to get my fix. Let’s face it, Notting Hill Carnival is one hell of a party, if it’s allowed to take place. And moving back home won’t be all bad. One thing I will appreciate is the efficiency of the UK. At least I will have reliable public transport (mostly), banks will open past 3pm and I will never again be forced to endure Spanish bureaucracy - those of you who have had an ITV or been through the residency process will know the pain I speak of. But what will I do without Mercadona and its

catchy jingle? The supermarkets at home just don’t spark the same amount of joy. At least when I’m driving I’ll be safer, as unlike in Spain, drivers know how to use their indicators. I’ll also no longer fear being taken out by a bus on the motorway, which is where their stops are often conveniently placed along the Costa del Sol. Jokes aside, it’s been an incredible five years in Malaga (with a few months in Sevilla) and I’ve met some amazing people in the expat community during my time as an investigative reporter. Yes, I have caught paedophiles and exposed countless crooks and fraudsters, but they are just a small minority and do not represent the community, which is made of mostly good, honest and hardworking people. If the job market was as competitive as back home, there would be no chance of me leaving. But alas, no country has it all, although Spain comes pretty damn close.

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with the Syringe PIONEER: Zendal and doctor Balmis set sail

It was in this ‘little hospital of God’ that Zendal gave birth to her son, Benito, whom she would raise as a single mother - in itself an act of heroism considering the times in which she lived. Seven years later, in 1800, she became the rector of an orphanage, living off a small monthly salary in addition to a daily payment of one pound of bread. A year later, this increased to 1.5 pounds of bread and a pound of meat.

ADVENTURE: From Spain to the Americas

In 1803 Zendal’s fortunes really a Danish changed for the better after a chance colony on encounter with Spanish military doctor the Virgin Franciso Javier Balmis. He secured her Islands. a place a smallpox vaccination mis- So the team sion funded by King Carlos IV, whose cast anchor own daughter had died from the dis- and voyaged to ease. Venezuela, where they She was soon setting sail on her first parted company and went their sepinternational sanitary expedition in arate ways, with Balmis and Zendal 1803. travelling to Cuba and then Mexico, As the smallpox vaccine where they took onboard invented by English phyanother 25 orphans. Zendal is sician Edward Jenner inAlthough Balmis would volved inoculating a perrecognised as later sail to the Philipson with material from a pines and China, Mexico the first ever cowpox lesion, Zendal marked the end of the was placed in charge of nurse to go on journey for Zendal, who 22 orphan boys who were was feeling the toils of to serve as successive an international the journey as Balmis recarriers of cowpox. membered in a diary enmission Under her care, the boys try one year later: transmitted the disease ‘The miserable rector, from one to the other every nine or 10 who by her excessive work and the days, ensuring that the precious pus- rigor of the different climates through tular lesion made it firstly to Tenerife, which we have travelled, has lost her where Balmis’ team spent a month health,’ he wrote. ‘Indefatigable night conducting vaccinations, and then to and day, she has poured all of the tenPuerto Rico, in February 1804. derness of the most sensitive mother To Balmis’ astonishment and disap- on the 26 little angels that she has in pointment, however, the local popu- her care, and has assisted them perlation had already been inoculated by fectly in their continuous illnesses.’ (Macau, 1806) Zendal never returned to her homeland, dying as an expat in Puebla, Mexico, at some point over the next few decades. Overall, the expedition directly vaccinated around 250,000 people and is regarded by some medical scholars as a ‘pioneering event in international health that should be revisited in the current era of persistent inequalities in global health.’ Nor has the legacy of the Maria Patia’s one female crewmember been forgotten. The WHO recognised Zendal as the first ever nurse to go on an international mission, in 1950, while numerous institutions have named awards in her honour and various literary works have immortalised this pioneering nurse as one of the most selfless figures in Spanish history.

Olive Press online ‘Spain’s best English news website’

Going for Govan

WELCOME: From editor Jon Clarke in Ronda

HE Olive Press has a new centre forward. Seasoned journalist Fiona Govan joins the group as our new Digital Editor in, fittingly, International Women’s week. Based in Madrid, she spent eight years as the Telegraph’s Spain Correspondent before editing the popular website, the Local. The 46-year-old has as good a grasp on the machinations of Moncloa as the trends of tourism. And she has lived and breathed Brexit for the last four years and knows every corner of this lovely peninsula. “But I still find plenty of stunning new sites and landscapes to amaze me every year,” she reveals. “A recent walk into the Ronda gorge was one of those moments.” Also becoming our first Madrid Correspondent, she will be in close contact with the various embassies and will have her finger on the pulse for law changes or new cultural impulses. “It’s exciting to be joining a rare media group that’s been continually expanding over the last decade,” she says. “Particularly one that cares about its community so well and has such a good balance of staff, male and female.” She brings with her a new Olive Press mascot, Rufus, the rescue dog, a keen environmentalist and long time Olive Press reader. Contact her at Fiona@theolivepress.es

The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are: - Marbella and Estepona can reopen bars, 1vid-19 restaurants and shops from Saturday after Coincidence rate drops below Junta threshold

(10,183 views)

The municipalities closing or opening 2- Listed: their borders in Spain’s Andalucia today after Junta updates list (9,490 views) Bars and restaurants can reopen in Spain’s 3- balearic islands from March 2 (9,040 views) Sale of alcohol to be banned in Spain’s Anda4- lucia after 6pm in bid to fight Covid-19 (7,648 views) Light at the end of the tunnel: Bars and restau5-rants in the Valencia region to reopen in March (7,531 views)

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LETTERS

COVID protection is my right come The ba anced v ew n years o e o w be ha obnox ous Br s camy o Spa n - no wear ng masks - on use have THEIR own good me beca ID hey have had a ab and go a COV anypasspor and don care abou a a ne anyo ha e Mak n Spa one n TV Tha s p a n y c ear rom Eng sh ee The ma or y o us expa s are e says Everyone ng embarrassed by mus hey ee sa er n Spa n Europe nes cons der s c zens and see vacc e o s op carr ers as we as con r buwor d herd pro ec on and he who e a y has o be COVID c ear or norm my o re urn We a have r gh s and ID n r gh s o be pro ec ed rom COV over my own d s r c Th s s ar rom own and cer a n y one coun ry on s can change ha ac

Readers react to the Olive Press’ new regular section and new column on the environment

BURNING ISSUE

GIBRALTAR could be gearing up for an avalanche of tourists to its shores in May. Airlines and travel agents have seen the number of Brits booking holidays abroad soar this week after the UK announced its roadmap out of lockdown. UK tourists will finally be able to leave the country for holidays from May 17, the government announced on Monday. See our WHETHER you are newly arrived in Spain or were born and bred here, one subject unites all parents - how to make sure their children get the best possible education. It can be a tough call, especially for those unfamiliar with the By Dilip Kuner (dad of 3 kids schooled on the Spanish system, but fortunately Costa del Sol) in Andalucia you are spoiled for choice. Of course your selection will make for younger children, as pridepend on certain key factors: mary schools throughout Europe distance from home, budget, ac- are more or less comparable. ademic standards, teaching style Around 80% of expats send their and word-of-mouth recommen- children to the local state schools – called ‘colegios’ for primary dations, to name just a few. schools and ‘institutos’ for secSo where do you start? The first item on your checklist ondary schools. should be Public or Private - do There are two serious advantagyou opt for a Spanish state school es to Spanish schools. The first is that children will learn Spanish or an international college? It’s generally an easier decision to fast and should integrate well into their new home country.

Choosing the best schools for your kids can be a problem of algebraic proportions - particularly a tightrope with COVID restrictions now visiting can be

slope off to You can finally heaven, Andalucia’s skiing Smith writes Charlie

is ILENCE. Therepeep not a single as I climb upwards to through the valley

meet my maker. out of the I poke my head and the cable car window fresh alSierra Nevada’slungs. pine air hits my– a sweeping Then I hear itthe crisp white crunch down snowboarder piste, as a below. whizzes past through, and Another tears all weaving at then a third, down the mountainside blistering speed.more terriI’m definitelythree Spanish fied than the the carriage guys sharing with me. behind the We have left restaurants cosy bars and the main in Pradollano, only ski town of Andalucia’s resort. at Borreguiles, We step out 2,700 mewhich sits somelevel. tres above sea basecamp for This is the Sierra’s runs, many of the from the which range ‘muy facil’ green-coloured in black, lapistes to those belled ‘muy dificil’.

Your expat

Younger children, in general, tile or pre-escolar, equivalent to a thrive in state schools, with nursery in the UK. The only costs youngsters under nine normally you’ll have to cover are books, picking up impressive spoken school trips and, if the school has Spanish (usually, far better than them, uniforms. their parents’ Spanish) within a There are, however, downsides year, just by socialising with their to Spanish schools, particularly if Spanish friends. your child is older or more timid. The majority of foreign parents There are sad – but by no means and students find that integration common – stories of the 11-plus with other nationalities is normal- ‘guiris’ being ignored by their ly handled with skill and consid- teachers and bullied by their eration. The second key advantage is that classmates, or finding themstate schooling is free of charge selves left entirely untutored. from the age of three, when children can begin attending infanContinues overleaf

HEALTH DEMANDS:Most private schools almost as ‘normal’ thanks to successful have kept running COVID planning

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That is more than double the average rate of the currently besieged Campo de Gibraltar health district, which stands at 506.5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The whole district, made up eight towns, is currently closed down, meaning no one can leave or exit without a justified reason, such as medical, legal or for work. These measures will remain in place until at least January 25, Moreno said at a press conference today. The campo was first closed off when health authorities discovered the more contagious UK variant of the virus had arrived in Gibraltar. Since then, La Linea, which receives cross-border workers daily, has seen an extremely sharp increase in COVID-19 cases. One worker told the Olive Press this week that the situation in the area was ‘out of control.’ The young woman, who works on the Costa del Sol but lives in the Campo, and her partner are still both waiting to be tested after coming into direct contact with a COVID-19 infected person.

Dark times

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STUMPED: Lathey was angry when his chilli and cloves were accepted but his Peri-Peri hot sauce was confiscated at the border A BRITISH expat has branded Spanish border officials ‘ridiculous’ and ‘clueless’ after they confiscated his Nando’s Peri Peri sauce at the Gibraltar border. Joseph Lathey, 27, was left fuming when much of his weekly shopping was binned as he tried to cross back into La Linea. This meant seeing his bananas and leeks being tipped into a customs officer’s bin. It also included his vegetable samosas, one of his favourite weekly treats he buys from Ramsons, on Waterport Road. Meanwhile, his chilli and cloves were deemed acceptable. “I was completely stumped. I had a chicken which I thought might have been stopped but not the Peri-Peri sauce,” Lathey told the Olive Press. “The officials said it contained onion puree, meaning it contained processed veg and was therefore not allowed over.

British expat left fuming after most of his shopping including the Peri-Peri sauce - was labelled ‘contraband’ at Gib border due to new Brexit rules

“I said it was ridiculous as that would mean most of my shopping would also not be allowed in.” Indeed, officials told the Brit the only items from his £55 shop that could cross the frontier were his cloves and chilli powder. “It didn’t make any sense,” he added, “they seemed to be pretty clueless. “I asked them to provide documents to justify what they were taking and they just sent me a photo of a link to a Spanish Government website.” Lathey was told he could take his shopping back onto the Rock to store it. “I ended up selling it all for £20, which is better than nothing,” added Lathey. It comes after several reports on social media of Brits See page 16 having food seized at the border. One expat,

Exclusive by Laurence Dollimore

who asked not to be named, admitted that he stuffed bacon down his underwear after hearing they were seizing the majority of someone else’s products. The EU now classes the UK as a third country, bringing in tougher controls on what can and cannot cross the border into the bloc. According to the Gibraltar Government website, several items for personal consumption are now banned, including all meat and milk products (bar powdered infant milk, baby food and special food required for medical reasons or pet food required for animal health reasons). You cannot bring in more than 20kg of any fish product or more than 2kg of other specific animal products, including honey, oysters, live mussels and snails. The Government reminder, published on January 4, does not list vegetable products as being on the

prohibited list. But Spanish legislation, specifically law 2019/2072, dictates that vegetables and vegetable-based products are prohibited from entering the peninsula from a ‘third country.’ The Gibraltar Government told the Olive Press: “The Government’s understanding is that EU law specifically exempts plant products intended for personal consumption from official controls at Border Control Posts on introduction to the EU.

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“Therefore, the Government will be seeking to clarify this matter with the relevant Spanish Authorities. “Until the final agreement with respect to Gibraltar’s future relationship with the EU is settled, and unless the Government advises on specific bridging measures or derogations having been agreed whilst that agreement is negotiated, Gibraltar will be treated as a third country for the purposes of EU customs controls.”

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China,” continued Mike, who has lived in Spain for 27 years, currently based in Malaga. “There is supposed to be a trade agreement in place, but no-one knows exactly what that agreement is - just as no-one knew exactly what Brexit was when they voted for it,” added the businessman, who recycles electronic products.

La Linea shut down

“I was completely stumped. I had a chicken which I thought might have been stopped but not the Peri-Peri sauce,” Lathey told the Olive Press. “The officials said it contained onion puree, meaning it contained processed veg and was therefore not allowed over. “I said that that was ridiculous as that would mean most of my shopping would also not be allowed in.” a The EU now classes the UK as third country, bringing in tougher controls on what can and cannot cross the border into the bloc. A spokeswoman from Fed-Ex told the Olive Press: “Food and Beverage are included among our prohibited items for international shipments.” Any perishable foodstuffs requiring refrigeration are prohibited, as well as a specific restriction for Spain for other foodstuffs, including olive oil. She added: “These restrictions are in place for any third country outside the Community Customs Territory, and now they apply to UK as well since it left the EU”.

Nando’s

It comes just a month after the Olive Press broke the story that guards at the Gibraltar-Spanish border confiscated a furious expat’s Nando's Peri-Peri sauce under new Brexit rules. Joseph Lathey, 27, a Brit who works in Gibraltar but lives in Spain, said was left fuming when much of his weekly shopping was binned as he tried to cross into La Linea.

n e w

border THE town of La Linea de la Concepcion extra has been handed reharsh coronavirus de Anstrictions by the Junta dalucia. which municipality, The has been borders Gibraltar, 4.2 of the placed into Level tier sysregion’s coronavirus tem. an unprecThe town is facingthe number edented climb in to orof cases and was forced business der all non-essential activity and trade to cease Sunday. from midnight on hotels, This includes shops, - with restaurants and bars essential the exception of supermarbusinesses such as kets or petrol stations. decision Experts made the president along with regional Friday afJuanma Moreno on inter the town’s cumulative 1,247.9 cidence rate reached people. cases per 100,000

The gift, sent from his family, via courier company Fedex, contained crisps and spice mixes - but Mike never got to unwrap them. The parcel, valPERI-LESS ued at CROSSING around € 2 0 , w a s deemed unacc e p t able by

OLIVE PRESS GIBRALTAR

Double

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double the That is more than currently average rate of the Gibraltar besieged Campo de stands health district, which 100,000 inat 506.5 cases per habitants. made The whole district, currently up eight towns, is no one closed down, meaning a juscan leave or exit without as medical, tified reason, such legal or for work. remain These measures will least Januin place until at at a press ary 25, Moreno said conference today. closed off The campo was first diswhen health authorities contagious covered the more virus had UK variant of the arrived in Gibraltar. which Since then, La Linea, workreceives cross-border an exers daily, has seen in tremely sharp increase COVID-19 cases. the Olive One worker told the situPress this week that was ‘out of ation in the area control.’ who works The young woman, but lives on the Costa del Sol her partin the Campo, andwaiting to ner are still both into dibe tested after coming a COVID-19 rect contact with infected person.

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border was confiscated at the his Peri-Peri hot sauce cloves were accepted but angry when his chilli and STUMPED: Lathey was has branded A BRITISH expat ‘ridiculous’ Spanish border officials confiscated and ‘clueless’ after theysauce at the his Nando’s Peri Peri legisprohibited list. But Spanish Gibraltar border. 2019/2072, left fuming lation, specifically law and vegetatotal of 16 Joseph Lathey, 27, was shopping Exclusive by as that THERE have been a since dictates that vegetables prohibited “I said it was ridiculous when much of his weekly Laurence Dollimore deaths from COVID-19 my shopping to cross back ble-based products are struck in would mean most of was binned as he tried in.” the pandemic first peninsula from a would also not be allowed to be named, admit- from entering the into La Linea. Gibraltar. bananas and told the Brit the who asked not his ‘third country.’ on the This meant seeing his a customs Indeed, officials his £55 shop that ted that he stuffed bacon down told the The last four occurred finally they were The Gibraltar Government only items from leeks being tipped into were his underwear after hearing weekend the vaccines of someone Olive Press: “The Government’s could cross the frontier officer’s bin. EU law speseizing the majority arrived on January 9. vegetable sawere and chilli powder. understanding is that It also included his inhe add- else’s products. The majority of the deaths weekly cloves the UK as a cifically exempts plant products underly“It didn’t make any sense,” mosas, one of his favourite of elderly people with pretty clue- The EU now classes Ramsons, on for personal consumption in tougher there ed, “they seemed to be treats he buys from Border Conthird country, bringing and cannot tended ing conditions although from official controls at to the EU. less. Waterport Road. were also some exceptions.surdocuments controls on what can and cloves trol Posts on introduction “I asked them to provide taking and cross the border into the bloc. Meanwhile, his chilli COVID-19 active cases just Gibraltar Govjustify what they were were deemed acceptable. passed the 1,000 mark I had a to just sent me a photo of a link According to the several items period althey Agreement “I was completely stumped. ernment website, website.” after the Christmas might have are now stabichicken which I thoughtthe Peri-Peri to a Spanish Government take his for personal consumption and milk “Therefore, the Government will be though they have since Lathey was told he could been stopped but not Olive Press. this matter with to banned, including all meat lised. in back onto the Rock infant milk, seeking to clarify Authorities. sauce,” Lathey told the products (bar powdered onion shopping The strict measures imposed food required the relevant Spanish with “The officials said it contained pro- store it. the social lockdown introduced all for £20, baby food and specialor pet food re- “Until the final agreement relaDecem“I ended up selling it future puree, meaning it contained added for medical reasons by the government on therefore not respect to Gibraltar’s reasons). 2 have fiwhich is better than nothing,” cessed veg and was quired for animal health than 20kg tionship with the EU is settled, and ber 27 and January Lathey. on in more allowed over. nally taken effect. It comes after You cannot bring or more than 2kg unless the Government advises believe or derPublic health expertswave was several reports of any fish product animal products, specific bridging measures whilst the start of the third on social me- of other specific oysters, live mus- ogations having been agreed shopGiinitiated by Black Friday dia of Brits including honey, that agreement is negotiated, food sels and snails. be treated as a third ping on November 29. shophaving See page 16 reminder, pub- braltar will EU cusAs the pre-Christmas seized at the The Government 4, does not list country for the purposes of and famlished on January ping spree continued together border. on the toms controls.” expat, vegetable products as being ilies started to meet spread One it is believed to have further.

Dark times

after most of his shopping ‘contraband’ British expat left fuming sauce - was labelled including the Peri-Peri new Brexit rules at Gib border due to

Continues on Page 5

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to You can finally slope off Andalucia’s skiing heaven, writes Charlie Smith

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We step out at Borreguiles, mewhich sits some 2,700 tres above sea level. for This is the basecampruns, many of the Sierra’s the which range from facil’ green-coloured ‘muy lapistes to those in black, belled ‘muy dificil’. Continues overleaf

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See page 11

Vol. 2 Issue 34 www.theolivepress.es February 25th - March 10th 2021

Nightmare

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“It was confirmation of my worst nightmare when

it comes to receivCELEBRATION: Peggy received ing her anything from the UK,” Mike told COVID jab (Below) the and happy days at Olive Press. “Before Brexit it her 100th birthday

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was the same as receiving deliveries from around

www.moraira-hamiltons.net

Continues on Page 5

A POPULAR well-known expat centenarian has had her first COVID jab as she approaches her 101st birthday. Peggy Bloomfield, based in Moraira, got her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at Teulada Medical Centre. And she’s now raring to go, according to her neighbour Shirley Young. SPAIN could be gearing up for an avalanche of tourists to its shores in May. Airlines and travel agents have seen the number of Brits booking holidays abroad soar this week after the UK announced its roadmap out of lockdown. UK tourists could finally be able to leave the country for holidays from May 17, the government announced on Monday. Costa Blanca hoteliers have welcomed the announcement from Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, who revealed the move as part of his four-step plan for gradually lifting restrictions in England. “It opens the door for our members to start to prepare to reopen their hotels. We just need to hope that the planned date happens,” said Hosbec hotel association boss Nuria Montes. Only 20% of the area’s hotels are currently open with occupancy rates of around 10%. The surge in optimism comes as airlines said bookings for the summer season were more

“She is amazing! Thrilled to bits to get the jab and feeling great!” she told the Olive Press. “Lockdown permitting I’m hoping to get the Mayor to visit on her birthday this year.” Her second jab is booked in two weeks’ time and Peggy will be celebrating her 101st birthday in April. Our photograph shows nurse Juanjo administering

the first dose of the vaccine to Mrs Bloomfield, while the second pic shows her receiving a visit with balloons, champagne and cake from Olive Press reporters when she hit the big 100 last year. Is she the most elderly expat in Spain to get the COVID jab? If you know anyone older, please contact us at newsdesk@theolivepress.es and tell us about it!

SKY HIGH HOPES

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Opinion Page 6

ILENCE. There is not a single peep as I climb upwards through the valley to meet my maker. I poke my head out of the cable car window and the Sierra Nevada’s fresh alpine air hits my lungs. Then I hear it – a sweeping crunch down the crisp white piste, as a snowboarder whizzes past below. Another tears through, and then a third, all weaving down the mountainside at blistering speed. I’m definitely more terrified than the three Spanish guys sharing the carriage with me. We have left behind the cosy bars and restaurants in Pradollano, the main town of Andalucia’s only ski resort. We step out at Borreguiles, which sits some 2,700 metres above sea level. This is the basecamp for many of the Sierra’s runs, which range from the green-coloured ‘muy facil’ pistes to those in black, labelled ‘muy dificil’. Continues overleaf

Hit the slopes See page 11

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than four times higher compared with the same period last week. Alicante, Malaga and Palma were among the most popular destinations, according to the budget holiday giant easyjet, with August its busiest month. The announcement was described by chief executive, Johan Lundgren, as a ‘much-needed boost in confidence’.

By Kirsty McKenzie

“We have consistently seen a pent-up demand for travel and this surge in bookings shows that this signal has been what UK consumers have been waiting for,” he said. Holiday bookings were up by 630% and flights by 337%. “While the summer may be a little while off, we will be work-

f o r

ing around the clock to ensure we will be ready to ramp up our flights to reconnect friends and family or take them on a long-awaited holiday to remember,” he added. Travel firm Thomas Cook said traffic to its website doubled in the day after the Prime Minister’s statement, while Ryanair confirmed there had been a ‘large surge’ in bookings. However, Health Secretary Matt Hancock urged caution warning that the effectiveness of vaccines will dictate whether international travel can go ahead. He said: “We have to protect against these new variants, and that is a big challenge.” Hancock added that ‘we can be much more relaxed about international travel’ if vaccines work well against the South Africa and Brazil strains. “If the vaccine doesn’t work against them, then that will be much, much more difficult,” he said. It comes as the government

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confirmed they are looking at the idea of vaccine passports to allow travel abroad. At the moment Brits are only permitted to travel for essential work purposes. No one is allowed to enter Spain from South Africa, Brazil or the UK via air or sea until 6pm on March 2 under the current restrictions. The ban was first introduced in December when scientists first detected a more-transmissible variant of the virus in the UK. Tight restrictions were originally supposed to end on January 19 but the ban has now been extended multiple times, with restrictions currently in place until March 2. This ban comes after Spain confirmed its first case of the Brazilian variant on Friday, with two cases of the South African variant and 479 cases of the British variant of the virus. Anyone flying into Spain must also proof of a negative Covid test, which should be taken up to 72 hours before departure.

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Vol. 14 Issue 363

February 2021

LONG TIME IN COMING: But residents of Mallorca can hopefully soon hit the slopes See page 11

11th 2021

Is she the oldest expat COVID jab? If you knowin Spain to get the anyone older, con- CELEBRATIONS tact us at newsdesk@theolivepre ALL ROUND: Peggy ss.es COVID jab (inset right) receives following her recent her 100th birthday

SKY HIGH HOPES

MALLORCA could be lanche of tourists to its gearing up for an avashores in May. Airlines and travel agents By Kirsty McKenzie have seen the number of Brits booking holidays week after the UK announced abroad soar this to reconnect friends and its roadmap out on of lockdown. a long-awaited holidayfamily or take them to remember,” he UK tourists should finally added. country for holidays from be able to leave the Travel firm Thomas Cook May 17, the government announced on Monday. site doubled in the day said traffic to its webafter the Prime Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed the ter’s statement, while Ryanair confirmedMinismove as part of his four-step there had been a ‘large surge’ in bookings. plan for gradu- However, ally lifting restrictions Health Secretary Matt Hancock cial contact rules finallyin England, with all so- urged caution, warning lifted by June 21. that the effectiveness of Airlines, including easyJet, vaccines said bookings el can will dictate whether international travfor the summer season go ahead. were more than four times higher compared with the same period He said: “We have to protect against these last week. new variants, and that is a big challenge.”

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Confidence

Palma was one of the tions, according to themost popular destinaeasyJet, with August its budget holiday giant The announcement was busiest month. described by chief executive, Johan Lundgren, as a ‘much-needed boost in confidence’.

Hancock added that ‘we can be much more relaxed about international travel’ if vaccines work well against the South Africa and Brazil strains. “If the vaccine doesn’t work against them, then tha

Island could soon be back in business as UK travel ban to be lifted in May

Good read

Time will tell

I rea y en oyed read ng he co umn by Mar n Tye I ound he de a s very n eres ng and wasn aware o Spa n s prev ous y poor record on he env ronmen ep om sed by he r d cu ous bu hank u y recen y-removed sun ax Indeed s now hear en ng o read abou he progress ha Spa n has made owards becom ng proac ve on mprov ng he env ronmen as we as earn ng abou he re a ve y good a r qua y n my home prov nce o Ma aga I s good o see he O ve Press re n orc ng s green creden a s and I awa w h n eres he nex Green Ma ers ar c e

It has not yet been proven if people who have been vaccinated can still transmit COVID as this wasn t part of the trials for the first three vaccines The trials only focused on recording people getting symptoms and/or hospitalisation As we go on and get more data we will know if people can carry and transmit the virus after vaccination

Mallorca - Issue 100 “We have consistently seen a pent-up demand for travel and this surge that this signal has been in bookings shows have been waiting for,” what UK consumers he said. Holiday bookings were up by 630% and flights by 337%. “While the summer may be a little while off, we will be working around the clock to ensure we will be ready to ramp up our flights

Peter McDermott Marbella

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And she’s now raring her neighbour Shirleyto go, according to Young. “She is amazing! Thrilled to bits to get the jab and feeling great!” she told the Olive Press. “Lockdown hoping to get the Mayor permitting I’m to visit for her next birthday.” Her second jab is in two weeks’ time and Peggy ing her 101st birthday will be celebratOur photograph (far in April. right) shows nurse Juanjo administering the vaccine to Peggy, the first dose of was all smiles as she while right she received a visit with balloons, champagne from Olive Press reporters and cake when she hit the big 100 last year.

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Vol. 4 Issue 100 www.theolivepress .es February 26th - March

A POPULAR expat centenarian has had her first COVID jab in her 101st year. Peggy Bloomfield, based on the Costa Blanca, got her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at Teulada Medical Centre this week.

SPAIN could be gearing up for described by chief execuBy Kirsty McKenzie an avalanche of tourists to its tive, Johan Lundgren, as a “If the vaccine doesn’t work shores in May. against them, then that will be Airlines and travel agents have to reopen their hotels. We just ‘much-needed boost in confi- much, much more difficult,” seen the number of Brits book- need to hope that the planned dence’. he said. ing holidays abroad soar this date happens,” said Hosbec “We have consistently seen It comes as the government week after the UK announced hotel association boss Nuria a pent-up demand for trav- confirmed they are looking at Montes. el and this surge in bookings its roadmap out of lockdown. the idea of vaccine passports UK tourists could finally be Only 20% of the area’s hotels shows that this signal has been to allow travel abroad. able to leave the country for are currently open with occu- what UK consumers have been At the moment Brits are only waiting for,” he said. holidays from May 17, the gov- pancy rates of around 10%. permitted to travel ernment announced on Mon- The surge in optimism comes Holiday bookings were up by tial work purposes. for essenas airlines said bookings for 630% and flights by 337%. day. No one is allowed to enter Costa Blanca hoteliers have the summer season were more “While the summer may be Spain from South Africa, Brawelcomed the announcement than four times higher com- a little while off, we will be zil or the UK via air from Prime Minister, Boris pared with the same period working around the clock to til 6pm on March 2 or sea ununder the ensure we will be ready to Johnson, who revealed the last week. current restrictions. move as part of his four-step Alicante, Malaga and Palma ramp up our flights to reconplan for gradually lifting re- were among the most popular nect friends and family or take Restrictions destinations, according to the them on a long-awaited holistrictions in England. The ban was first introduced “It opens the door for our budget holiday giant easyjet, day to remember,” he added. members to start to prepare with August its busiest month. Travel firm Thomas Cook said in December when scientists The announcement was traffic to its website doubled in first detected a more-transthe day after the Prime Minis- missible variant of the virus in ter’s statement, while Ryanair the UK. confirmed there had been a Tight restrictions were origi‘large surge’ in bookings. nally supposed to However, Health Secretary uary 19 but the end on Janban has now Jávea / Altea Matt Hancock urged caution been extended multiple times, warning that the effectiveness with restrictions yorkshirelinencostablanca.com of vaccines will dictate wheth- place until March currently in er international travel can go This ban comes 2. after Spain ahead. confirmed its first He said: “We have to protect Brazilian variant case of the against these new variants, with two cases of on Friday, the South Afand that is a big challenge.” rican variant and 479 cases of Hancock added that ‘we can the British variant See page 19 be much more relaxed about Anyone flying into of the virus. Spain must international travel’ if vaccines also proof of a negative Covid work well against the South test, which should be taken up Africa and Brazil strains. to 72 hours before departure. TM

S u b j e c t

cine to Mrs Bloomfield, while the ond pic shows her receiving a visit secballoons, champagne and cake with Olive Press reporters when she from hit the big 100 last year. Is she the most elderly expat in Spain to get the COVID jab? If you know anyone older, please contact us at newsdesk@ theolivepress.es and tell us about it!

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the jab and feeling great!” she told the Olive Press. “Lockdown permitting I’m hoping to get the Mayor to visit on her birthday this year.” Her second jab is booked two weeks’ time and Peggy will be in brating her 101st birthday in April.celeOur photograph shows nurse Juanjo administering the first dose of the vac-

Costa Blanca Issue 50

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o n l y .

February 2021

CELEBRATION: Peggy received her COVID jab (left) and happy 100th birthday days at her

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SKY HIGH HOPES

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Vol. 2 Issue 50 www.theolivepress.es February 25th - March 10th 2021

A POPULAR well-known expat narian has had her first COVID centejab as she approaches her 101st birthday. Peggy Bloomfield, based in Moraira, got her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at Teulada Medical Centre. And she’s now raring to go, according to her neighbour Shirley Young. “She is amazing! Thrilled to bits to get

ll about

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of his shopping after most labelled ‘contraband’ left fuming British expat Peri-Peri sauce - was rules including the due to new Brexit at Gib border

m e r s c u s t o

As Boris Johnson announced the UK’s four-step plan out of to it beat him

By John Culatto

Gibraltar to recovery from the corona- lockdown, GIBRAlTAR has started on its road Monday too, with masks to be Buses restarted at half capacity on virus pandemic. outside Gibraltar’s town centre worn on-board. Masks will now not have to be worn reported in mid-February. 14 and be applicable to the curfew will continue until March after very few new active cases were the news in what he said But restaurants. all businesses including the bars and from Major Incident staChief Minister Fabian Picardo delivered on CoVID-19. away could be his last live press conference down to just 33, with a doz- The government will finally move tus on Monday. Active cases of the coronavirus are now apalthough of 12 for now,Mike BATTLING: wants Sports will only be allowed in groups en of them in hospital. to theand spices, and his crisps rise and are now at 91, with the plications can be made for greater numbers Pandemic deaths have continued to (below) our previous latest occurring on February 22. a trickle with a number of days government’s sporting association.return a front to page new cases have now gone down to despite over 1,000 tests a day. The Contact Tracing Bureau will end of the and isolate system at the A BRITISH expat has when there were none at all reported vaccines being delivered test, trace month. These are the clear results of over 30,000 branded post-Brexit were over 70-years-old to the local population. continue to Residents who are lockdown onrules will this ‘his worst nighttoday, February arriving vials freed from their own With a new batch of Pfizer mare’ after a birthday inoculate Gibraltar’s population. and are allowed back into 15. cannot throw caution to thepresent of his favourWe Children have now returned to schoollottery again. ite treats from the UK wind,” warned Picardo. playgrounds while adults can play the to able was banned from en“We are very close to being protect everyone in our commu- tering the country. Mike Battle, 41, was nity through vaccination. stumped when “Do not bring CoVID-19 on left friends he heard his package yourself, your family or See page 16 of goodies had been by going out to look for it in held up by customs in Spain.” Nightmare

S u b j e c t

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has rules ‘his worst nightmare’ after a birthday present of his favourite treats from the UK was banned from entering the A Sierra Nevada Mike Battle, country. 41, was left stumped when he heard his package of goodies had been held up by customs in Madrid for over TEN days. S The gift, sent from his family, via courier company Fedex, contained Tel: 952 147 834 crisps and spice mixes - but Mike never got to unwrap them. The parcel, valued at around €20, was deemed unacceptable by customs chiefs and returned to Mike’s mother in Hit the slopes Leeds.

SALES & RENTALS SPECIALISTS

Andalucia Issue 363

PERI-PERI 2

EXCLUSIVE exBRITISH A By Kirsty McKenzie pat has branded post-Brexit rules ‘his held up by customs worst nightmare’ af- ies had been over TEN days. ter a birthday pres- in Madrid for from his family, ent of his favourite The gift, sent Fedex, contreats from the UK via courier company and spice mixes was banned from en- tained crisps - but Mike never got to unwrap tering the country. M i k e them. around €20, B a t - The parcel, valued at by tle, 41, was deemed unacceptable returned to was left customs chiefs and stumped Mike’s mother in Leeds. of my worst when he “It was confirmationcomes to reheard his nightmare when it the UK,” p a c k a g e ceiving anything from Press. of good- Mike told the Olive “Before Brexit it was the same as receivTHE SKY ing deliveries around from DOCTOR the corner, now ALL AREAS COVERED prodreceiving ucts from the UK is just as 4G UNLIMITED difficult as from

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A BRITISH expat branded post-Brexit

2021

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the border confiscated at hot sauce was his Peri-Peri accepted but and cloves were when his chilli Lathey was angry STUMPED: branded expat has A BRITISH legisofficials ‘ridiculous’ But Spanish Spanish border after they confiscated prohibited list. law 2019/2072, and ‘clueless’Peri Peri sauce at the vegetalation, specifically vegetables and his Nando’s Exclusive by dictates that are prohibiteda that Gibraltar border.27, was left fuming from Laurence Dollimore ridiculous as ble-based products shopping the peninsula of 16 shopping Joseph Lathey, “I said it was been a total of his weekly admit- from entering most of my when much as he tried to cross back THERE have COVID-19 since to be named, would mean be allowed in.” told the down his ‘third country.’ the who asked not was binned deaths from first struck in would also not told the Brit that ted that he stuffed bacon they were The Gibraltar Government and “The Government’s into La Linea. the pandemic Indeed, officials his £55 shop his underwear after hearing seeing his bananas someone Olive Press: is that EU law spethe were This meant tipped into a customs Gibraltar. only items from majority of occurred on understanding plant products inseizing the cross the frontier leeks being The last four vaccines finally consumption UK as a cifically exempts sa- could and chilli powder. he add- else’s products. officer’s bin. weekend the classes the cloves for personal at Border Con9. his vegetable any sense,” weekly clue- The EU now bringing in tougher tended were controls didn’t make It also included arrived on January is to the EU. of the deaths of his favourite Therecountry, on “It “they seemed to be pretty ILENCE. third and cannot from official introduction mosas, one The majority ed, with underlyfrom Ramsons, peep on what can trol Posts on not a single controls the bloc. treats he buys of elderly peoplealthough there less. upwards GovI climb the border into to provide documents asand cloves cross Waterport Road. ing conditions exceptions. “I asked them they were takingthrough the valley to to the Gibraltar items his chilli and Agreement will be surof a link According website, several Meanwhile, acceptable. justify what were also some active cases meet my maker. ernment a to just sent me a photo are now Government with of the were deemed website.” COVID-19 1,000 mark just they consumption and milk “Therefore, the stumped. I had matter my head out personal GovernmentI poke have forand the meat to clarify this take “I was completely passed the window period alto a Spanish told he could carhis cable Authorities. including all I thought might milk, seeking to banned, fresh alwith stabiRock chicken which but not the Peri-Peri Nevada’s after the Christmas relevant Spanish Lathey was powdered infant Sierra onto the have since final agreement products (bar special food required the been stopped told the Olive Press. though they pine air hits my lungs. shopping back re- “Until the Gibraltar’s future relafood and sweeping £20,it – ababy or pet food I hear for Then sauce,” Latheysaid it contained onion lised. all store it. imposed in respect to is settled, and white reasons proup selling it crunchadded down the crisp for medical with the EU health reasons). “The officials The strict measures introduced advises on it contained not “I ended than nothing,” than 20kg tionship quired for animal piste, as a snowboarder puree, meaning or derthe social lockdown on Decemwhich is better Lathey. bring in more than 2kg unless the Government and was therefore past below. whizzes You cannot fibridging measures whilst or more cessed veg by the government and comes after It Another tears through, January 2 have any fish product animal products, specific having been agreed Gireports allof weaving allowed over. ber 27 and effect. several then a third, is negotiated,third live mus- ogations me- of other specific nally taken social as a the mountainside at honey, oysters, ondown that agreement experts believe be treated was of Brits Public health speed. includingsnails. diablistering braltar will the purposes of EU custhe third wave terrisels and food more for reminder, pubthe start of Black Friday shopI’m definitely having Government 4, does not list country Spanish thethreeThe at the See page 16 initiated by fied than 29. seized on January as being on the toms controls.” carriage shopguys sharing thelished ping on November border. products vegetable with me.expat, As the pre-Christmas and famthe One We have left behind ping spree continued to meet together cosy bars and restaurants ilies started to have spread main in Pradollano, the ski it is believed town of Andalucia’s only further. resort.

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Double the than double That is more of the currently average rate de Gibraltar besieged Campowhich stands health district,per 100,000 inat 506.5 cases made habitants. district, currently The whole towns, is one up eight meaning no closed down,exit without a juscan leave or such as medical, tified reason, work. legal or for will remain These measures at least Januin place until said at a press ary 25, Moreno today. conference was first closed off disThe campo authorities when health more contagious covered the of the virus had UK variantGibraltar. which arrived in La Linea, workSince then, an exreceives cross-border has seen ers daily,sharp increase in tremely cases. Olive COVID-19 told the situthe One worker week that ‘out of Press this area was ation in the control.’ woman, who works lives The young del Sol but parton the Costa and her in the Campo,both waiting to ner are still coming into dibe tested after with a COVID-19 rect contact infected person.

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Confidence

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed the move as part of his four-step plan for gradually lifting restrictions in England, with all social contact rules finally lifted by June 21. Airlines, including easyJet, said bookings for the summer season were more than four times higher compared with the same period last week. While Spanish destinations were popular, Gibraltar businesses will be looking forward to a surge in airport arrivals too. The announcement was described by chief executive, Johan Lundgren, as a ‘much-needed boost in confidence’. “We have consistently seen a pent-up demand for travel and this surge in bookings shows that this signal has been what UK consumers have been waiting for,” he said.

BATTLING: Mike wants his crisps and spices, and (right) our previous front page

THERE have been a total of 16 deaths from COVID-19 since the pandemic first struck in Gibraltar. The last four occurred on the weekend the vaccines finally arrived on January 9. The majority of the deaths were of elderly people with underlying conditions although there were also some exceptions. COVID-19 active cases surpassed the 1,000 mark just after the Christmas period although they have since stabilised. The strict measures imposed in the social lockdown introduced by the government on December 27 and January 2 have finally taken effect. Public health experts believe the start of the third wave was initiated by Black Friday shopping on November 29. As the pre-Christmas shopping spree continued and families started to meet together it is believed to have spread further.

La Linea shut down

border THE Lintown of LaConcepcion ea de la handed extra rehas been de Anharsh coronavirus by the Junta strictions which dalucia. municipality,has been The of the borders Gibraltar, Level 4.2 tier sysplaced into region’s coronavirus unprectem. is facing an number The town in the to oredented climb was forced business of cases and activity der all non-essential to cease and trade on Sunday. from midnight shops, hotels, - with This includes and bars restaurants of essential the exception such as supermarbusinesses stations. kets or petrol the decision Experts made regional president afalong with on Friday inJuanma Moreno cumulative ter the town’sreached 1,247.9 cidence rate people. cases per 100,000

Sky high hopes

PERI-LESS CROSSING

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Airlines, including easyJet, said bookings for the summer season were more than four times higher compared with the same period last week. Malaga, Alicante and Palma were among the most popular Spanish destinations, according to the budget holiday giant, with August its busiest month. by The announcement was described as chief executive, Johan Lundgren, a ‘much-needed boost in confidence’. “We have consistently seen a pent-up in demand for travel and this surgehas bookings shows that this signal been what UK consumers have been waiting for,” he said.

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La Linea shut down

THE border town of La Linea de la Concepcion has been handed extra harsh coronavirus restrictions by the Junta de Andalucia. The municipality, which borders Gibraltar, has been placed into Level 4.2 of the region’s coronavirus tier system. The town is facing an unprecedented climb in the number of cases and was forced to order all non-essential business and trade to cease activity from midnight on Sunday. This includes shops, hotels, restaurants and bars - with the exception of essential businesses such as supermarkets or petrol stations. Experts made the decision along with regional president Juanma Moreno on Friday after the town’s cumulative incidence rate reached 1,247.9 cases per 100,000 people.

Continues on Page 4

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SPAIN could be gearing up for an avalanche of tourists to its shores in May. Airlines and travel agents have seen the number of Brits booking holidays UK abroad soar this week after the announced its roadmap out of lockdown. UK tourists will finally be able to leave 17, the country for holidays from May the government announced on Monday. rePrime Minister Boris Johnson vealed the move as part of his fourstep plan for gradually lifting restrictions in England, with all social contact rules finally lifted by June 21.

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Today more than ever, we believe in providing a safe and happy learning environment for our students to achieve more than they dreamed possible. Contact our admissions team for more information on our unique international curriculum from 3 to 18 years.

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The the UK. is on a list of 33 The south-western European nation and not even a top countries which requires a quarantine boxer can be excluded from the rules. are always having to “In the current environment we Eddie Hearn. think on our feet,” said promoter March 6 happen, but “We did everything to try and make travel restrictions it was impossible. with A the new box, compelling, we have something outside the “now Education heavyweight fights of and a unique setting for one of the Rock!” the year - roll on the Rumble on the sent Povetkin to the Brixton man Whyte had twice in August. The Rusground during the first clash back knocking out Whyte sian had the last laugh, however, with a single punch.

Andrew Witkowski Estepona

Raising awareness SAVE MONEY

Mixed feelings

Grea ar c e on h s sub ec I s very mpor an or you o ra se he awareness o he prob ems we are eav ng beh nd or he nex genera on We done

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R C TY IMPORTANT: The Olive Press GREENER E ECT has long been highlighting environmental issues

Passport deal on the cards A deal (for people who have had the COVID-19 vaccine) makes sense especially with such slow progress with the vaccine programme However I am sceptical about allowing tourism into Spain All is well and good if UK citizens that have had the vaccine want to come here but they can still transmit COVID to the entire population here that haven t had a sniff of a vaccine

Jus a qu ck ema o congra u a e your paper on cover ng a very mpor an ma er such as he env ronmen and he renewab e so u ons ha ex s here n Spa n So hank you

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boxing fights of the ONE of the biggest heavyweight March 27, thanks to year will be held in Gibraltar on CoVID-19. get a second chance to British boxer Dillian Whyte will Rock because of UK topple Alexander Povetkin on thehe succeeds he will coronavirus quarantine rules. If Fury for the WBC win back the right to challenge Tyson Antony Joshua in their world belt - so long as Fury beats own fight. was a shock, was meant Whyte, whose defeat to Povetkin on March 6, but to have a rematch in Wembley Arena he would have had to with Whyte training in Portugal, when he arrived in go into hotel lockdown for 10 days

Keeping it up!

A NEED S THE A R HA BR A H …

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LA CULTURA Art case

EX Santander Vice President and one of Spain's richest men Jamie Botin has seen his second appeal rejected for the attempted smuggling of a Picasso painting. He was convicted in January last year of trying to take the painting, The Head of a Young Woman' valued at €26 million out of the country to sell through London Auction house, Christies despite being denied permission.

Defence

Botin's defense still claims that the billionaire was not trafficking the painting to sell on to a collector, however the courts have rejected all claims and have stood firm on their charges. The Madrid Court has now rejected a second appeal. Botin has been jailed for three years and fined €91.7 million.

March 11th March 24th 2021

The winner is…

BEST RATED SPANISH SCHOOL IN VALENCIA!

Spain’s ‘Oscars’ hosted by Antonio Banderas in Malaga

THE GIRLS, a coming of age drama by a first time female feature film director has scooped the best film award in the 2021 Goyas, the Spanish equivalent of the Oscars. Pilar Palomero also won Goyas for best new director and best screenplay for her drama Las Niñas set in a convent school. The film was also awarded the prize for best cinematography. The film scooped the top prize beating Netflix drama Adú which as the front-runner leading up to the ceremony with 14 nominations although its director Salvador Calvo was awarded the best director trophy. Hosted by Antonio Banderas and Maria Casado, the Goyas

THE fossilised remains of dinosaurs, their eggs and footprints have been found in Catalunya. The fossilised footprints are of tetrapod vertebrates and arthropod invertebrates that lived about 240 million years ago. Among the remains described is the Puigventos ichnite, the best preserved of all the fossilised tracks in the Iberian Peninsula, since it even preserves

was held at the Teatro del Soho CaixaBank in Malaga. The Girls also beat other film nominees including Ane Is Missing from David Pérez Sañudo, Icíar Bollaín’s La boda de Rosa (Rosa’s Wedding), and The People Upstairs aka Sentimental, from director Cesc Gay. In addition to Bollaín, also in the running in the best director category this year were Juanma Bajo Ulloa, nominated for his horror thriller Baby, and veteran filmmaker Isabel Coixet for It Snows in Benidorm.

Drama

Up for best European film at

Dinosaur hotbed detailed impressions of the claws and the skin. Ichnite sites in Spain are amongst the world's most important for the quantity, quality and variety of the tracks to be found, with Catalunya considered as one of the last strongholds of the dinosaurs.

Learn at home or at the school Classes led by native teachers Try a FREE lesson today (+34) 96 34 46139 info@2daylanguages.com www.2daylanguages.com

HOST: Antonio Banderas the Goyas were Jan Komasa’s Polish drama Corpus Christi, Viggo Mortensen’s Falling, An Officer and a Spy from Roman Polanski and Florian Zeller’s Brit drama The Father, which won the category. Best Ibero-American film was awarded to Fernando Trueba’s Colombian drama Forgotten We’ll Be, beating out contenders including Chilean documentary The Mole Agent, Guatemalan horror film La Llorona, and Fernando Frias’ Mexican drama I’m No Longer Here, all three of which are on the Oscar shortlist.

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LA CULTURA

March 11th - March 24th 2021

SAVE OUR CENTRE

An urgent appeal and petition, signed by 2000 people, is hoping to save the Casa Cabanyal cultural centre from closure, writes Glenn Wickman

F there is one part of Valencia city that is well and truly off the beaten track, that would be the Cabanyal neighbourhood. For years, El Cabanyal-Canyamelar was only really known to the general public for facing the Malvarrosa beach and for being a no-go area rife with squatting, drugs and crime.

ing city set up home here. However, underneath the shabby exterior bubbled a strong and determined community spirit and the vast majority of residents formed a cohesive and open-minded unit, accepting each other’s differences. This hidden reality suddenly slammed into the public consciousness in the new millennium, when former Valencia mayor Rita Barbera unveiled plans to split Cabanyal in half by extending Blasco Ibañez avenue, connecting the city centre with the beach. The project entailed the demolition of 1,600 properties and the forceful eviction of hundreds of residents, as well as the destruction of an area classed as a Cultural HerPIONEERS: Owners Paolo and itage Site. Alessandro A neighbourhood platform entitled Salvem El CabanyTotally abandoned by the author- al (Save the Cabanyal) was set up ities, the once historical fishing to oppose the plans. quarter with its beautiful tiling It rumbled on for years, but the and traditional architecture fell dispute came to a head in 2009 into dereliction, with collapsing when the city council sent in buildings occupied equally by diggers to begin knocking down drug dealers, students and immi- houses. grants. The move led to clashes between Indeed a whole cross-section of police and locals and was widely society that was unable to afford reported at the time as ‘The batthe astronomical living costs of tle for Cabanyal’. the vast majority of the fast-grow- And so began a long drawn-out

court dispute between the platform and the city council, which after years of political crossfire ended with the plans being scrapped. Since then, the neighbourhood has slowly begun to mend. Public pressure has led to the repair of some streets and houses, while new businesses have opened up and cultural events have been planned, in spite of the spectre of COVID. One of the main focal points has been the Casa Cabanyal, a fully licensed sociocultural centre set up in a derelict building built in 1924. The charming building in Escalante street was de-

HOPE: For centre

veloped by partners Paolo Cammarano and Alessandro De Cillis over three years with a ‘big personal investment’. “We didn’t receive a penny of public funding,” Paolo told the Olive Press this week. Since opening in September last year, it has hosted music and art events, as well as regular film screenings ‘in a neighbourhood that has not had a cinema for more than 30 years’, he added. Meanwhile there are plans to hold public talks, children’s workshops and literary meetings, while an association has been set up to promote local events. However, the promoters are now ‘extremely worried’ for their future after being fined three times by Valencia City Hall for simply using the inside patio. While they are unable to pay the fines - which they fear already reach 4,200 euros - due to the continuing financial crisis, they are more worried that police have threatened to continue to come round and fine them regularly. “We are really worried we are going to be forced to close,” Paolo continued, adding that none of the fines mentioned complaints from neighbours. He insisted the patio ‘constitutes the heart of Casa Cabanyal’ and

SOLAR PV PANELS

‘is indispensable for the economic sustainability of the project since it represents half the space of the room’. It has been a bone of contention with the authorities since the beginning, but it was finally approved ‘for daytime use’ and ‘as long as it caused no disturbance to neighbours’ last year. It must also be used strictly according to the terms set out by the council, with a maximum of 46 people in the centre at any one time. “The paradox is that if it were a private house there could be 30 people on the same patio having a barbecue and there wouldn’t be any problem after COVID,” added Paolo. “We could have simply restored the building and turned it into tourist apartments or one of those aparthotels that are beginning to pop up throughout the area. It would probably have been more profitable, but it wasn’t our goal.” The problem is an obsolete law that decrees that the terrace can-

not be occupied by people, which is ‘not applied in other similar cases in Valencia’ claims Paolo. The pair have now launched a Change.org petition to encourage Valencia mayor Joan Ribo to step in and provide them with a solution. As we went to press it had been signed by 1,980 people, many of them expats, as the centre is very popular with Brits in particular. “We have had many English, Irish and American clients at our events, and we have staged concerts by British musicians.,”explained Paulo. The petition can be found here: www.change.org/casacabanyal

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March 2021

GENERATIONS: The many faces of solidarity on International Women’s Day in Spain

One in five Spanish women gave up work due to the COVID crisis, while they are also poorer and harder working than men, writes OP Digital Editor Fiona Govan

Circulo Podemos Ciudad Líneal

N previous years March 8 was a day when I would meet up with a group of friends and we would hit the streets of Madrid joining tens of thousands of others to mark International Women’s Day. We would don purple items of clothing and join in the protests that attracted people from all walks of life and across the generations – both men and women, boys and girls. There was a carnival atmosphere as people of all ages, from grandparents to toddlers hoisted on shoulders, came to-

gether in a sea of purple brandishing signs with powerful slogans to show that modern Spain means equal opportunities, whatever gender you are. But the demonstrations also underlined how much there was still to do; women may now be fully accepted in the workplace but they are still penalised by a gender pay gap, which is not improving fast enough. Meanwhile violence against women is still recognised as a major problem in Spain and we are currently witnessing the

Vandal insult

A MURAL depicting 15 pioneering women including civil rights heroine Rosa Parks and artist Frida Kahlo was painted over in a brutal act of vandalism on International Women’s Day. The faces of the iconic females were sprayed with black paint by a far-right group that left a note describing feminism as ‘one of the bêtes noires of our era’. The mural in the Ciudad Lineal neighbourhood represented women ‘from various backgrounds who overcame challenges, broke barriers and became reference points in the defense of women and equal rights’, according to the project’s creators. Last week, a mural celebrating the achievements of women was similarly targeted by vandals in Gandia, in the region of Valencia, who daubed it with swastikas and anti-feminist slogans.

Long way to go

rise of the country’s political far right and with it a denial of gender inequalities. This year with Spain still in the grip of the pandemic, there are no mass protests with authorities banning gatherings to avoid potential super-spreader events, but the health crisis has highlighted and even compounded some of the inequalities in society. Working from home has seen a steep rise in mental health issues with women bearing the brunt of the burden of childcare and housework as they try to balance work life with home-schooling and care for their elderly relatives. When Spain went into lockdown a year ago, gender violence soared with the authorities reporting an 18% rise in calls during the first fortnight alone. A survey conducted by DYM in the run up to Women’s Day this year revealed that 7% of

tions remains around a third of that of men with the numbers dropping even further as careers progress. Spain’s female executives earn 15.1 percent less than their male counterparts, although this is just below the EU average salary gap of 16 percent according to the latest EU data from 2017. women had suffered physical This inequality is highlighted or psychological abuse from in the statement issued by men during 2020. Spain’s government on March And most alarmingly of all, 8: “Women in Spain work according to more than men the latest data, today, but they women made are poorer.” Women up 93% of thoOf course there represent 47% are still reasons se who gave up employment to be positive of elected during 2020 in and to celebrate Spain... citing MPs, a bigger just how far wocaring for mimen have come proportion nors, elderly or in Spain. sick relatives as Spain may not than Sweden the main reahave had a sons. female prime That is one in five women, ac- minister but it has the largest cording to a survey by online share of women in any Eurocommunity MalasMadres. pean legislature with women During the second quarter of representing 47% of elected last year, a period that coin- MPs, a bigger proportion of cided with Spain’s strict loc- female lawmakers than even kdown 61,000 women gave Sweden. up their jobs to care for others More than half of Pedro Sancompared to just 6,500 men. chez’s cabinet comprises woAnd when it comes to the wor- men – each one impressively kplace itself, the proportion of qualified for their role – with women in managerial posi- women holding key ministerial positions including Foreign Minister and Health Minister. We’ve come a long way since the end of the dictatorship when a woman had to have her father’s or husband’s permission to travel and couldn’t open a bank account. But there’s no room for complacency, we still have a long long way to go.

Important day Charmaine Arbouin, British Consul for Andalusia, Canary Islands, Ceuta & Melilla. Based in Malaga she covers the region of Spain that has the largest concentration of British residents “International Women’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women - both past and present; those who have shaped and transformed our world, whether that be politically or in the fields of science and culture. But it’s also a moment to reflect on what still needs to be done and that’s why this year’s theme of Choose to Challenge matters. We must all choose to call out bias and inequality, so that we have even more great female achievers to celebrate in the future.”

March 2020

‘I

JENNIFER Cunningham is happy to share the trials she faced as a woman starting a business in Spain and the personal tragedy that fuelled her determination to become a success. Like many of those who end up living in Spain it was after enjoying a holiday with friends on the Mediterranean coast that Jennifer took the decision to relocate from North London to sunnier climes for a quieter life. “My late husband was much older than me and, after suffering a cardiac arrest, he wasn’t expected to live long, so we took a snap decision to move over to the Costa Blanca where the climate suited him and in fact he thrived and lived another 12 years,” she tells Fiona Govan of The Olive Press from her home in Javea. “I was suffering with diabetes so the move gave us both a new lease of life, swimming every day in the sea and the Mediterranean diet really helped me,” she continues. “The Spanish way of living, taking time to enjoy family and friends, also really gave me a new way of looking at life.” But Jennifer wasn’t content to quietly live out the rest of her days…over the last three decades she has forged a reputation as one of the leading expat business owners in Spain, now running seven offices along the Costa Blanca, as well as one in Lanzarote, as a broker offering private insurance designed especially for members of the expat community. She learnt early on that to get ahead as a woman in a male-dominated business sphere, she had to be fearless. “I was a widow, surviving on a meagre widow’s pension and so

to be fearless

How the death of her son led hard-working Jennifer Cunningham to expand eight insurance offices around Spain

the only way I could start up was to re-mortgage my home, borrow money and make it work,” she admits. “I had problems finding a bank who would support me and I remember the first time I presented my business plan to get a loan, the bank manager wouldn’t address me directly but kept looking towards the male friend I had brought with me. “I had to point out that it was me who was borrowing the money, that I was the business owner and when they didn’t take me seriously, I walked out and went somewhere else.” She eventually found a sympathetic bank manager, a man who has supported her ever since her first venture, and who she has stayed with as he moved across different banks. She then began working with Liberty Insurance and ASSSA Se-

guros designing special packages for the expat market. “At the beginning they didn’t want to take me on and they felt sure that I would fail,” she reveals. “My style of selling was completely new to them, the culture here in Spain was so different.” “As an entrepreneur I had to take risks and convince those who had the financial backing of huge institutions behind them to take a gamble on me, but I proved myself and in the end, those very same people later looked to me for strategy and even asked me to teach them how to do it.” She recalls now that she can hardly believe the risks she took. “I realise that I was utterly fearless, when I look back I think to myself: ‘God, did I really do that?’” She admits today that what drove her determination to succeed was the personal tragedy that saw her lose her son from cancer when he was only 33-years-old. “When you lose a child, you just want to die. You can’t get over it and I just knew I had to pour all my energy into doing something to stay alive, losing my son made me want to do something to be proud of,” she said, recounting a loss that even now, more than 25 years later, causes her voice to break with sorrow. After spending the last months with her dying son Paul in a Sue Ryder hospice in Bedfordshire, Jennifer returned to Spain where she lost her husband just over a year later. Finding herself all alone as her other son had moved to Japan, she looked for a new focus. “They had taken such exceptional care of my son but on my return I looked around to see what would happen if someone was in the same circumstance here in Spain and discovered that there really wasn’t anything similar. People were simply being sent home to die to be cared for by their family, but what if that wasn’t possible?” The realisation led Jennifer to set up the Paul Cunningham Nurses Charity to offer free hospice care at home for the terminally ill among the expat community on the Costa Blanca. “The business and the charity have been my reason to get out of bed and do justice to my life and to his,” she admits. Now in her seventies, does she have any plans to retire?

“No chance!” she laughs. “I love doing what I do, and will continue as a long as I am capable of doing so.” Visit www.jennifercunningham.net or www.paulcunninghamnurses.com for more info

Age, no barrier M

AUREEN Payne, president of Age Concern Costa Blanca Sur, has been one of the region’s most prominent figures in helping people within the community. Indeed, she was awarded the British Empire Medal in the 2020 New Years’ honours list in recognition of her charitable work, including over a decade as Age Concern president. Before moving to Spain, Maureen had an active life in the UK, working as a councillor in Aylesbury as well as in the Mercedes head office in Milton Keynes. “I moved to Spain on my own back in 2003 and I

MAUREEN PAYNE, President of AGE CONCERN COSTA BLANCA SUR wanted to do something really useful and not to treat it as an extended holiday,” Maureen told the Olive Press. She spotted a newspaper advert appealing for Age Concern volunteers, which then changed her life. “I was keen to help people and so I joined them as a one morning per week helper sorting out clothes donated to their Torrevieja charity shop.” Maureen threw herself into all aspects of the organisation and became a manager for its La Siesta centre before joining the charity’s executive committee. After a spell as vice-president, she took the top position in 2009, which she has held since then. During that time the team has expanded from 50 volunteers to over 150 people giving their time for the charity. “ Age Concern

is all about making life better for older people with some of the volunteers doing home visits or providing befriending services,” she said. Maureen boosted the range of services offered by the charity like getting a chiropodist to visit their centre on a weekly basis or organising free Spanish language lessons for the local community. She sees community contact as vital and when pandemic restrictions don’t apply, she is a regular sight at many local organisations giving talks about the work of Age Concern. A personally-driven idea was to work closely with the local doctor’s surgery to discuss support for the elderly in the area.

Humbling But what of her BEM award last year? Maureen said: “ I was gob-smacked and humbled when I heard the news.” “I was truly honoured to be recognised for all the years of work with Age Concern that has given me enormous pleasure.” But there has been a slight hitch as she explains: “I’m still waiting for the actual medal some 15 months later as the pandemic has held everything up!” ‘Holding up’ thoughhas not been part of Maureen’s psyche during her 17-year involvement with Age Concern with her tireless efforts greatly appreciated and admired in the area.

Just hit refresh Since moving abroad I’ve never looked back, writes Cepee Tabibian of She Hit Refresh OVING abroad provides a prime M playground for self-exploration. Removing yourself from what you know is

a powerful experience that takes you out of your comfort zone and allows you to create new paths that you couldn’t have imagined otherwise. Moving abroad brought me closer to not only who I want to be, but who I really am. It was an opportunity for reinvention. I took the leap at 35 years old, leaving a good life in Texas for a great one in Spain, and here I am five years later, living a life that has exceeded my expectations. Are doubts about changing course later in life holding you back? Life is full of responsibilities - careers, children, mortgages, relationships, aging parents, pets - and societal pressures make us question whether our dreams to

move abroad are even possible or realistic the older we get. Dreaming to pave your own path, especially in your 30s to 50s and beyond, can make you feel like your dreams are ‘crazy’. And unfortunately friends and family can reinforce this sentiment. But I’m here to tell you: just do it. What do you have to lose? Less than you think! If you’re worried about leaving your comfortable lifestyle and security, just know that it will very likely be there for you if you ever want to go back - houses, cars and jobs are all replaceable. What’s not replaceable are the years you spend wondering, instead of doing. Take the leap and make your dream come true! No decision has to be permanent. An excerpt from Cepee’s book I’m Outta Here! An American’s Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe.

ss’

SPARK: The death of Paul drove Jennifer on

March 2020

Out of the mental fog

OIRA Carmenate founded The Expat Centre M in Ciudad Quesada 18 months ago for Brits to come and get help about anything in life in

Spain. This ‘one stop shop’ has grown massively through word-of-mouth and now helps thousands of expats to get unbiased help and free advice. Her team of advisers work on a collaborative basis to give clients advice on legal services, wills, residencias, insurances, investments and her own low-priced funeral plans business. She is a role-model to many having broken through the City of London’s ‘glass ceiling’, at a time when women struggled in a male-dominant sector. She did this by becoming a board member - and sales director - of a highly regarded financial services institution. She later moved on to transformational therapy and trained, coached and developed international business leaders, enabling them to drive important changes in their organisations. After personal tragedies throughout her life, “giving up” is not a trait of Moira’s and she continues to inspire both men and women to move their lives forward. Her book “In a Mental Fog”, explains more. “International Women’s Day is a day to remind all women in the world that they are not alone, whatever struggles they may be facing,” she explains. “Reach out to someone as there is always an answer. “Whatever successes they have, it’s good to share, but this goes for men too. Sometimes we forget to pat ourselves on the back and a day of international celebration gives us that reminder.”

SUELLA Winston-Campbell devotes almost all her time to animal charity Big Reds Animals Association. And when not looking after animals she is helping unfortunate local families, collecting food and clothing for them. With a small team of volun-

A HELPING HAND

teers, she looks after cats, dogs, pigs and chickens on a near subsistence-level in what was a derelict farmhouse on the edge of Catral. Fundraising events were typically done at pubs and restaurants, but - for obvious reasons - that’s all been on hold. She eventually got permission to reopen the Big Reds charity shop in nearby Almoradi on the morning of March 13, 2020.

But by that lunchtime the country was going into lockdown and the shop had to close after only a few hours’ brisk trade. But through all of this, she’s kept her faith in the dozens of generous donors and the general kindness of strangers throughout the region. “I admire so many women these days, it’s fabulous that so many manage to run successful businesses and a family in these taxing, traumatic times,” she explains.

Cristina Hodgson, Olive Press reporter and former international runner

Battling Brexit

How a British woman in Spain became a leading campaigner for global expats vited to take over as Chair of Bremain, and I have dedicated my life to it ever since. It’s an obsession. I’m not sure my sanity would have survived intact without it. I had found a new family. There are so many downsides to Brexit, but on a personal level, there have been some positives too. I have met some amazing people from all walks of life, many of whom I would never have met under any other circumstances. I have learned new skills, not least public speaking on a scale I could never have imagined. In my career, I had regularly spoken to small groups of people, but delivering a speech to 120,000 people from a stage in Parliament Square in London, was a whole new ball game. Nerve-wracking yes, but the crowd was so receptive, and I got a real buzz from it. My Brexit journey has changed me in ways I could never have imagined. Apart from the public speaking, I’ve got better at dealing with confrontation and I’ve become a writer of sorts. Considering my previous nervousness about voicing any political opinions, it still tickles me when journalists seek out my comment on current affairs. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks after all. I don’t think we fully appreciated what Spanish life for us would be like when we originally made our plans to emigrate. When we dreamed of our retirement in Spain, we certainly never

Kate Langshaw Olive Press tech guru

hey say that a challenged T world is an alert world, appropriately, this years’

International Women’s Day 2021 theme is ‘Choose to challenge.’ Yet sometimes, without choosing, without even realising, we really can challenge. As a former international runner Cristina Hodgson , based near Cordoba, comprehends what ‘challenge’ means more than most. “Automatically, I always associated it with a physically demanding test,” she said. “But ironically one race will always stand out in my mind as one of my most ‘challenging’ but not for the physical toll undertaken.” It was New Years eve, 1998, and Cristina had signed up to run an important open race in a town near where

UE Wilson moved to Spain with the expectation of a quiet retirement in the sun. But when the Brexit referendum produced a ‘yes’ vote in June 2016, the course of her life changed forever. This is her story: Like many a British tourist, I fell in love with Spain at an early age. The idea of retiring on the costas was a dream that blossomed over time until, in our fifties, my husband Steve and I began to ask ourselves why wait till we retire? Why not just take the plunge? It was the best decision we ever made. Although we moved in 2007, I continued to work for a further 11 years, both in the UK and Spain. When retirement did eventually come, it was rather different than expected – thanks to Brexit. I say I’m retired, but since the Brexit referendum I have never worked so hard, or such long hours.+ Before that fateful day, when the referendum turned my world upside down, I had never been very interested in current affairs, and most definitely not in politics. I didn’t understand it or care to do so. When friends talked politics, I never engaged – I lacked the confidence to comment, or never felt I knew enough to offer an opinion. That all started to change as the day of the Brexit referendum loomed closer. I started to worry that the UK was about to make a terrible decision. I had no real idea what leaving the EU might mean for us Brits living in Europe, or the UK, but it could hardly be good! When the referendum result came in, I felt a range of emotions usually associated with grief. It was a rollercoaster of fear, anger, depression, shock, disbelief and sadness. And swearing, a lot of swearing! Even now, I can’t fully explain why it affected me so deeply, or still does. After three miserable weeks, I woke up on day 22 determined to act. I joined the anti-Brexit campaign group Bremain in Spain. I needed to get involved and take personal action. I don’t know where that drive came from, but I began devouring the news and became very active online. It was a comfort to know my feelings were shared by others and that I was doing something positive. Within three months, I was in-

she lived. She won the race and was given a small, cheap-looking medal to congratulate her win and watched in horror as the male winner walked off with an enormous trophy, a huge leg of jamon Iberico, a box of wine and a wad of cash. “I was appalled to say the least,” she recalls. “I kicked up a right fuss.” The following year Cristina returned to race. “I had my motives and it certainly wasn’t for a leg of jamon,” she said, “That year I walked away with a trophy, a leg of ham, a box of wine, money but most importantly on equal terms. “I never asked for more, just the same. I didn’t choose to challenge, but I’m glad I did.”

Most of you readers might not recognise her name. But for six years Kate Langshaw has been ‘skulking under the bonnet’ of the OP engine and making sure the website keeps ticking. Before moving to the Costa Blanca eight years ago, Kate studied for her degree in computer software engineering back home in England. “There weren’t many women on the course and at some points I was the only one in the class. “From there I set up my own website design and development company, working from home and taking on new clients.” She also spent 15 years playing semi-professional poker alongside her web busines, getting sponsored to play tournaments all around the world. “You really do learn to have your wits about you and you meet many characters along the way,” she said. “Being a woman in poker definitely had its advantages and disadvantages.” She also trained weekly at a Thai Boxing gym, believing it was a great way to build confidence and power. “I always thought it was important to be able to defend yourself if ever needed,” she said. Now a single mother raising her son in Spain has provided her with plenty of new challenges. “Being a mum and working certainly changes your priorities,” she said. “ Now my only focus is that I hope I am a positive role model and an inspiration to him.”

imagined that I would be doing voluntary work seven days a week, 52 weeks of the year. I am often asked how much longer I intend to continue campaigning, or what I will do when Brexit is finally all over. It’s a difficult question to answer. On the one hand, despite all the pain, disappointment and effort, I am doing something that I care about deeply, and which, despite everything, I enjoy. I have a supportive husband who gets pleasure from seeing me so motivated and engaged, and he’s proud of what I have achieved. That means so much to me. On the other hand, I’m now in my late 60s, full-time campaigning is exhausting, and Steve and I deserve that retirement we dreamed of. There have been many times I’ve looked ahead and given myself a deadline. I’ll give up Bremain when Brexit is ‘done’. I’ll give up Bremain when the transition period comes to an end. Then something will happen in Westminster and the adrenaline kicks in again, not to mention the fact that Brexit likely won’t be fully over for a decade. Maybe I should let fate decide and give it up when a Brexiter finally gives me one real benefit of Brexit. I might have a very long wait! Sue Wilson is the Chair of Bremain in Spain

Christine Hartfield, Silver medalist at the Andalucian Dressage Championships

hristine, who runs Cortijo Uribe horse C riding holidays near Antequera, said: “My belief is that people should feel empowered to achieve their personal ambitions no matter what age or sex. Do not be put off by others, do not make excuses. See your goal and make it happen. You will find people on your journey that will help you make your dreams come true.”

BUSINESS

March 11th March 24th 2021

Cashing in SPAIN is slated to receive a multi-billion cash injection from the EU as part of a scheme to boost the economies of Member States that have taken a battering during the pandemic. Of the €750bn to be dished out by the EU Recovery Fund, Spain is eligible for €140bn - almost half of which will be handed out in the form of grants, while the other half could be requested as unsecured loans. “It is a tsunami of money and it is a tsunami of responsibility,” Elisa Ferreira, European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms. “Spain has all the characteristics to make the most of this historic opportunity.” The Portuguese Commissioner hopes that the funds will be available by the summer and emphasised that time is of the essence because of the ‘different institu-

Spain’s financial capital set to triple thanks to ‘tsunami’ of money from EU

tional mechanisms which need to be complied with.’ So far, only six countries have submitted applications, which

Spanish saviours PRIMARK branches in Spain have prevented the low-cost fashion firm from going under during the coronavirus pandemic, sales figures reveal. In a normal year, sales from Spanish outlets would account for about 20% of the chain’s annual turnover. But as coronavirus restrictions have forced ‘non-essential’ shops all over Europe to close for months at a time - including in the UK, the clothing company’s largest market - Spain has transformed into Primark’s lifeline, with sales from Spanish branches accounting for more than 50% of the retail firm’s turnover between September 2020 and February 2021.

must be completed by April at the latest. “Meanwhile, the Commission is discussing with countries their plans for where and how they want to invest the money,” said Ferreira, adding that she preferred the term ‘invest’ over ‘spend.’ “It’s about investing in restructuring, and consolidating our exit from this crisis with greater attention to and greater capacity for complying with environmental or climate objectives, investing in a more modern economic recovery.” She said this meant a greater use of new technologies, but also needed to be consistent with social and regional needs.”

Swan’s Corner

You could be owed thousands Are you entitled to claim back an overpayment of Spanish Inheritance Tax? Asks Martin Hayes of Swan Partners

THREE years ago, the Spanish Supreme Court issued a long-awaited judgment confirming that the Spanish inheritance tax legal framework breached the free movement of capital when taxing non-EU residents on Spanish assets received through inheritance or gift. The origin of this discrimination was the regional inheritance taxation system, under which Spanish regions were entitled to apply tax breaks and reductions when the deceased person lived in their region. Most regions in Spain have approved substantial reductions for inheritances received in the vertical line of kinship. However, when either the deceased person or the heir did not reside in Spain, the inheritance tax was calculated under the central state rules, where no tax breaks were available. A similar situation occurred when a non-resident received a donation of an asset loca-

ted in Spain. The Spanish government understood the judgment referred only to situations within the EEA, but the Supreme Court stated that the judgment on Spanish inheritance tax was founded on the free movement of capital without any express limitations on extending its effects to third-country residents. The Supreme Court judgment had a huge impact on the inheritance and gift tax rules, and it also opened the door to non-residents who had paid undue tax on inheritances or gifts, or who were obliged under that legislation to pay undue tax, to take proceedings against the Spanish state to reclaim or challenge such unduly paid or assessed tax. As these situations could only appear when receiving an inheritance or gift before such a tax judgment, we are now arriving at the deadline for claiming back the tax unduly calculated in the fiscal tax years of 2017 and 2018. Therefore, in case you had received or granted an inheritance or a gift in the past, or any parts of a transaction as a non-resident, we kindly recommend you get proper advice in order to determine whether you can claim for a refund. If you need legal assistance in English please contact Pepe Oltra or Martin Hayes directly.

For information on Swan Partners visit www.swanpartners.es. For information specifically relating to expat services please see www.martinhayes.es SWAN Partners C/ Pizarro, nº 1, 4º-15ª. 46004 Valencia (Spain) + 34 96 334 89 83

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Helping UK veterans in Spain with the residency process

PROPERTY Royal residence 16

O one is certain just how many British people living in Spain once served in the UK armed services but one estimate puts the figure at something like 30,000. Certainly, it is common for Age in Spain to come across Veterans (of all ages) and their families as part of its work to support British people in the process of becoming resident in Spain. For instance, on Tenerife our Regional Co-ordinator is supporting the Sarah Byrne pictured with her husband Aiden (who sadly away in September last year) and son Paul at the 2019 widow of an ex Royal En- passed Remembrance Day ceremony in Westhaven Bay, Tenerife. gineer with the process of exchanging her green residency certificate for the new TIE. In (UKNSF) in Spain that we will be a single another example, Age in Spain’s Support point of contact for Veterans and their faCoordinator picked up the case of someo- milies who need help with the residency ne acting in the role of carer for his mo- process. ther (who had served in the Armed Forces) For any UK national who was legally living and we were able to give information and in Spain by 31 December 2020 there is support about his residency status along- still time to apply for residency in Spain side making links for the family with a mi- under the UK’s Withdrawal Agreement litary charity and with the Spanish system, and now Veterans and their families can to make sure they get the support they contact Age In Spain to access free UKNSF support. need and are entitled to. Age in Spain has a longstanding relationship with the network of great services Simply email veterans@ageinspain. organisations both here and in the UK, as org or call +34 932 20 97 41 We’re here to help. well as working with individual veterans. That is why we have agreed with the other organisations delivering the United Kingdom Nationals Support Fund

IN EXILE: King Juan Carlos I with friends HE may be living in exile, but he’s not exactly slumming it. Reporters from the television programme Viva la Vida have traced Spain’s disgraced King Emeritus, Juan Carlos I to a secluded, paradise island in Abu Dhabi. A 15 minute boat ride from the mainland, Nurai measures just one kilometre squared and is home to a swanky hotel as well as 11 luxurious villas that are ‘hidden behind vegetation.’ One of them, worth an estimated €11 million, has become the former king’s exile pad. Owned by the Al-Qubaisi family, with whom Carlos I is staying, the two-storey house has six bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a panoramic sea view,

spacious lounges, a snooker room, a table football room, its own cinema, a private beach, and an infinity pool. Altogether the plot is some 4150 metres squared. Embroiled in numerous controversies, among them an elephant-hunting trip to Botswana in 2012, Carlos I abdicated in 2014 and has since been investigated for various financial crimes. These include the use of ‘opaque credit cards’, for which he had to pay €678,393,72 to Spain’s tax agency in what constitutes an admission of fraud. He left Spain on August 3, 2020, to go into exile, which is apparently not so bad after all.

March 11th March 24th 2021

Mortgage pull down HOME mortgages granted in Spain last year fell to their lowest level since 2017 according to the National Institute of Statistics (INE). The INE said that 333,721 home loans were approved in 2020. It added that the fall caused by the COVID-19 pandemic will not be the start of a new long-term trend. “We expect to see a progressive recovery in mortgage numbers with the return to normality after pandemic restrictions are ended,” the INE observed.

Loaned

Their review of 2020 said that the average amount of a home mortgage went up by 7.4% to €134,904 but the total figure loaned out last year dropped by 0.8%. Unsurprisingly the biggest monthly fall last year was in May, when the impact of the first State of Alarm was most keenly felt by the real estate sector. The INE said that new mortgages handed out that month fell by 27.6% compared to May 2020. One key factor was that notaries and public officials were unable to deal with people on a face-toface basis.

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FOOD & DRINK

Eco-dream Branson finally set to achieve his green hotel plan

RICHARD Branson has taken another step to realising one of his dreams. The founder of the Virgin Group has longed to convert the Son Bunyola estate on Mallorca into ‘the best eco resort in Europe’ for years now, but now he finally has planning permission. “We are absolutely thrilled to

have the opportunity to restore this beautiful Finca [farmhouse], with its rich history, and look forward to welcoming another small luxury hotel to our portfolio, inviting guests to discover this unspoilt corner of the world,” said a spokesman for the Virgin Group. “We are hopeful to start con-

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March 11th March 24th 2021

FREE ASSESSMENT WEEK

struction work later this Spring for a 2023 opening and are incredibly excited to bring back to life a beautiful historic Mallorcan building in one of the most ancient areas of Banyalbufar.” The building due to be developed dates back to the 1800s and occupies a verdant area in the northwest of the island, surrounded by ‘vines, citrus fruit trees, almonds and hundreds of olive trees’. Although its facade was severely damaged by storms in August last year, the farmhouse with its crenellated tower resembling a chess rook, cuts an impressive, proud figure against the bucolic backdrop and the Mediterranean coastline. The British billionaire has been in love with Mallorca for more than three decades and originally purchased the San Bunyola estate in 1987, though he flogged it in 2002.

UK Landlords - What you need to do if you live abroad Tax specialist team APARI can help you work out the best way to act

F you own a UK property but live abroad, then it is likely that you currently submit a tax return. If this is the case then the way in which you file your Tax Return is changing. From April 2023 it will be a legal requirement for anyone with over £10,000 of combined annual UK income to register for Making Tax Digital for Income tax. This means rather than submitting one annual self assessment tax return, you will be required to submit quarterly statements showing your income and expenditure, followed by an end of period statement and an annual summary. The annual summary is similar to your current

self assessment return. But it’s not just submitting quarterly returns you will also be legally required to keep your records in a digital format, on an MTD compatible software. Unfortunately this means no more spreadsheets! If you currently submit your tax return online already, this could seem like a huge amount of work and change, from filing one return annually. APARI understands this and has developed an MTD ready software with you in mind. With APARI’s free MTD software, you can upload transactions directly from your bank - either by a csv upload of your bank statement, by individual transactions, or soon, by directly linking up with your online banking. Once uploaded you can easily allocate transactions to MTD compatible categories, and at the end of the quarter, you can submit this information to

HMRC directly through APARI. After all four quarters have been submitted, you can input your annual summary information - this is where you will be able to claim any allowances or adjustments for the year. If you currently use an accountant, we would suggest that this be the point you ask them for a review - that way you are only paying them to do the confusing tax parts, rather than the admin. Although MTD isn’t mandated until 2023, why not get ahead of the game and sign up to APARI now - it’s free to use, and by the time mandation comes around you’ll be MTD ready! And as APARI also has a tool to be able to submit the current self assessment Tax Return (for

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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

Hope for vaccinated Brits travel plans to Spain

SPAIN could create a ‘green corridor’ to allow vaccinated Brits into the country if there is no EU agreement on vaccine passports, the country’s tourism minister has said. Fernando Valdés revealed that the Spanish Government were in talks with the UK in a bid to make travel between the two countries easier in time for summer, allowing Brits to book a holiday in the sun. Mr Valdés added that Spain is hoping to find an agreement with the EU so the country can start welcoming back tourists as soon as possible. IT may be one of Europe’s smaller airlines, but then bigger is not always better. Binter Canarias was the only Spanish airline to place on the ‘Best Airlines in the World 2021’ list by online travel agency eDreams, beating the likes of flying giant Iberia. Although it did not make the overall top 10, the regional carrier received the best score of any airline for reliability (4.8 out of 5), as well as an admirable 4.2 for general on-

March 11th - March 24th 2021

Green light

Speaking to Bloomberg TV, he said: “Right now we have discussions with our colleagues in the UK. “For us the British market is our main market. But obviously since we are a member of the

European Union, the solutions have first to be part of the discussions with the EU. “And obviously if that cannot be reached, we will be thinking of other corridors like green corridors with third countries

Dream airline board experience and value for money. However, it fell down on speed and efficiency of refunds (2.9) and coronavirus-related security measures (2.8). Binter Canarias is one of the few airlines that has not had to grind its flights to a near halt during the pandemic, as residents often is-

land-hop for medical appointments and administrative reasons, among others. Qatar Airlines took first place in the eDreams’ rankings, with an overall score of 4.4, followed by Delta Air Lines (4.11). British Airways came a respectable fifth (3.88).

that can help us restart tourism flows.” Greek officials have also said UK holidaymakers with vaccine passports could be allowed to skip lengthy queues at the border for Covid-19 tests. Plans could be in place by May, which is the earliest possible date British people may be allowed to travel following the results of a government consultation. The news comes after UK’s health secretary Matt Hancock confirmed discussions about vaccine passports with other countries and the EU. THE pandemic has caused British holidaymakers to become more wary, new research has revealed. Following the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak 40% of Brits are more likely to consider taking out travel insurance and 37% are less inclined to visit spots severely hit by the virus. According to data

TRUE GOLDEN AGE ONE of Spain’s most emblematic buildings has reached the ripe old age of 800. Sevilla’s Torre del Oro has achieved the eight century landmark as the city gears up to open to national tourism again from next month. The 12-sided building was built as a watchtower over the Guadalquivir river during the Arabic Almohad dynasty. It has been a prison and laterly a museum.

Flight risk from Comparethemarket.com, nearly half of Britons have confirmed that they are more likely to take out the right level of insurance before their next trip to protect themselves against cancelled plans or unexpected illness.

Additionally, it looks like Brits are prepared to splash more cash than ever before to make sure they achieve the holiday of their dreams after being locked inside for almost a year. Over 20% of holidaymakers are prepared to spend more money than usual when booking their next trip abroad.

WE CARE

If the past year has taught us anything, it’s to appreciate those around us and to show them that we care.

t’s for this reason that Liberty Seguros is saying thanks to existing customers and is welcoming new customers with fantastic Cashback offers. From now up until 26th April 2021*, existing clients who take out a new car, home or life policy with LIBERTY SEGUROS will receive 60€ Cashback per new policy. New clients will benefit with 30€ Cashback on their first policy, and 60€ Cashback on subsequent new policies thereafter. Whilst this offer is not available for renewals or replacements, there’s no limit on the number of new policies that can be taken out per customer – and therefore, there’s no limit on cashback rewards. With this in mind, what better time could there be to switch to LIBERTY SEGUROS for even greater savings with the very best covers for all types of insurance? Committed to always being right by your side, LIBERTY SEGUROS is here to make things a little easier for you and your loved ones. It offers peace of mind with its range of products that care for both your family and your assets, and it provides all the necessary tools to make you feel safe and secure – both with policies to ensure you have everything in order, as well as unparalleled assistance and

support if the unexpected does happen. The advantages of placing your trust in LIBERTY SEGUROS are extensive. From your choice of vehicle repair garage or a courtesy car as standard for up to 35 days in case of accident or mechanical breakdown and up to 45 in case of theft or fire with its car policies, to garden reconstruction and garden furniture replacement with its home insurance – amongst others. Moreover, you will always have a 24/7 multi-lingual freephone number for both roadside assistance and emergency home assistance. Understanding that now, more than ever, there’s a real need for you to feel safe and secure, LIBERTY SEGUROS remains onhand to keep you informed with clear and transparent information regarding its products and

services. What’s more, with LIBERTY SEGUROS you’ll enjoy a bespoke service and the peace of mind that comes with placing your trust in an international group with more than 100 years of experience. With an extensive network of more than 300 expatriate brokers and agents in Spain that speak YOUR language and who are at YOUR disposal for friendly and expert advice that’s tailored to you, it’s easy to see why LIBERTY SEGUROS has become in the preferred expat insurer in Spain with over 175,000 expat clients. To find the location of your nearest broker/agent, simply visit www.libertyexpatriates.es or call 91 342 25 49 * Conditions and minimum premiums will be applied.

GREEN

www.theolivepress.es

March 11th - March 24th 2021

Solar Push

Martin Tye on the concept of giving up plastic

Why can’t we stop?

REMEMBER as a delinquent and rebellious teenager my mother’s words…”If you don’t knuckle down you are going to end up as a Stop and Go man!!” Stop and Go. Simple words, frequently used, with many connotations. Changing tack to my theme for this edition’s article, why as human beings can’t we stop and go green? Why can’t we increase our efforts to stop pollution? Will we actually ever get serious on this topic, or just pay lip service to one of the major issues this world faces? Is it something we believe other people should do, optional...like using your car indicators in Spain? Why do my children keep attending beach clean ups? And What do we and local councils do to stop pollution on our beaches? Precious little in my view. Spain relies on tourism. Yet PLASTIC is a major problem on our beaches. Plastic waste is a global phenomenon that the UN is trying to tackle by persuading countries to introduce restrictive measures. Spain has introduced - after most Europeans - the banning of free plastic bags in shops. Baby steps. If we all do a little, we’ll only achieve a little. That’s the truth.

HISTORY OF PLASTIC The first synthetic plastic, Bakelite, was produced in 1907, marking the beginning of the plastics industry. Rapid growth came after the Second World War. From 1950 to 2020 annual production of plastics increased more than 200-fold. Annual production now exceeds 400 million tonnes. To put this in context, this is roughly equivalent to the mass of two thirds of the world population. I am not castigating plastic. It is a unique material with many benefits: It’s inexpensive, versatile, lightweight, and resistant. This makes it a valuable material for many applications. The trade off between its benefits and pollution are therefore complex. What I do take issue with is the ultimate destination of this item. In 2020, the world produced more than eight billion tonnes of plastic - more than one tonne for every person alive today. A staggering statistic. ONLY 22% OF PLASTIC IS RECYCLED While 23% is incinerated, a process that produces Carbon Dioxide (CO2), a primary driver of global climate change. Now the bad news....55% is discarded. Within Europe, Spain does

Green matters

By Martin Tye

not not fare well. 0.28Kg is wasted per person, per day. That’s a lot of plastic. By comparison, France is 0.19Kg per day, while Italy 0.13Kg per day.

WHAT CAN WE DO? • Cut down on use of non essential plastics • Replace single use plastics with sustainable alternatives • Recycle • Stop littering • Be responsible, do more and educate others PLASTICS LAST FOREVER Macroplastics (small particles), appear to persist on the surface of the ocean for decades without breaking down. Objects are regularly found at sea that date back to the 1950’s. Even if we stopped ocean plastic waste this year (there’s more chance of COVID ending tomorrow), macroplastics would remain in our surface waters for many more decades. This is because we have a huge legacy of plastics buried and awash on our shorelines. Big changes are needed. Stop and Go think, dear 100% Certified Green Energy readers.

Martin Tye is the owner of Mariposa Energy, contact him at martin@mariposaenergia.es

ENERGY company Iberdrola is to build its first three solar energy power plants in the Valencian Community costing €235 million. Two of the new facilities will be in the Avora-Cofrentes Valley in Valencia Province, with the third at La Encina in the Villena area of Alicante Province. Iberdrola says that up to 1,450 jobs will

Alarming CLIMATE change could have devastating effects on food safety all over the world in 20 years’ time. According to research by Valencia-based non-profit technological centre Ainia, global warming is expected to cause problems with regards to access to food, nutritional quality and product price stability as early as 2021. Biological threats are a main cause for concern, with a type of bacteria known as Vibrio potentially due to appear in seafood products as a result of rising temperatures in the oceans. Vibrio can cause an infection known as vibriosis, which currently kills 100 people and infects an estimated 80,000 in the USA every year. Animal welfare risks could also appear.

be created and will 'reactivate the local economy'. The company added that it reached agreement with a 'multitude' of landowners for the projects to go ahead. New infrastructures will be constructed including substations and power lines to feed into the grid network. The solar plants will supply power to over 220,000 homes and will see a reduction of 140,000 tons of CO2 emissions each year. Iberdrola already has a hydroelectric generation presence in the Valencian Community which includes their Cortes-La Muela complex, which is Europe's largest pumping station.

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ALBIR’S lighthouse and visitor centre is to be powered by solar energy under a new five-year-deal. L’Alfas council will continue running the building in an extension of their contract with the Alicante Port Authority. A navigational beacon operates at the site which will be powered by a €20,000 investment in solar panels. The lighthouse, built in 1863, has become a popular tourist attraction after the council took over its management in 2011.

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HEALTH

March 11th - March 24th 2021

Getting vaccinated

THE Spanish Health Ministry has added new vaccination groups to its immunisation strategy, giving people a better idea of when they will be inoculated and with which vaccine. The latest Estrategia de vacunacion includes nine groups, with some of these divided into subgroups, which have been organised according to vulnerability and potential exposure to the virus. Notably, Group 4 - Grandes dependientes - refers to people who require ‘intense measures of support’, but do not live in a care home, as well as their carers, whether professional or not. Included in Group 6 - those

with an ‘essential societal function’ - are army personnel, firefighters, police officers, and the like. None of the nine groups encompass the healthy under-45s, who will presumably fall under the category of ‘rest of the population’ once the vaccination campaign has reached that stage. Although the three vaccines currently available in the EU - Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca - have all ‘shown adequate levels of efficacy and security’, Spain only plans to administer the AstraZeneca jab to those under 56 years of age.

Old ways… Researchers turn to Spain’s ‘liquid gold’ in fight against COVID

A HOSPITAL is trialing a revolutionary tablet containing one of Spain's most synonymous products against the symptoms of COVID-19. The University Hospital of Jaen is testing the effects of a new treatment containing olive polyphenols, a key chemical ingredient in olive oil. A team of researchers are testing the new treatment on a group of 60 volunteers over the age of 50 that have been admitted to the hospital with mild symptoms of COVID-19. The idea is to examine the effects of the olive polyphenols on reducing symptoms in the early stages of the virus,

Good news!

Lisa Burgess

After a long struggle against breast cancer, surgery is finally about to start

t has been two and a half years since I was diagnosed with 15 tumours in my right breast. Today I received the news that my reconstruction surgery will go ahead today (March 10). To say I am overjoyed is an understatement. I have endured a mastectomy, eight months of gruelling chemotherapy combined with a weak immune system. Afterwards, the radiotherapy caused severe burns, further delaying my surgery. Then COVID arrived on our doorsteps further delaying my dream of receiving a breast reconstruction. They will be taking fat from my back and replacing it with the painful implant currently residing in my right boob. Afterwards, they will cut and lift my left boob to match the other one. Mmmmm, I can choose a horizontal or vertical scar on my back. I haven’t decided on that yet completely. I yearn to wear a backless dress with my new up-

Pamela Anderson: I met the Baywatch star in London

right pair, so vertical is the front-runner. I will be in Malaga Materno Hospital for about a week depending on how my surgery goes. After my mastectomy at the Costa Del Sol Hospital, I felt like half the woman I once was. I would look in the mirror with sheer incredulity at myself, I was unrecognisable. At 50, I felt deformed, unfeminine, hopeless and faced mountains I felt I would never conquer. I have just turned 53 and sadly my partner and I recently split up. This week though I have been dancing around my living room to disco hits with this phenomenally super news.

I have received tremendous support from family and friends especially within the Costa Del Sol community. I have really tried to keep a stiff upper lip throughout it all but it has been heart-wrenchingly difficult. I have shed many a silent tear. I met Pamela Anderson once in London at the opening of a restaurant in South Kensington called ‘The Collection’. She was extremely friendly, bubbly and truly gorgeous in real life. Though I will never match her beauty I will certainly now be getting her boobs. That is just absolutely bloody boobaliciously fantastic!

OLIVES: Key to reducing COVID symptoms?

and determine whether it will stem the progress of symptoms before they reach a severe level. During the trial, the patients will still be treated with the standard

COVID-19 treatments, but will be given the new tablets every eight hours for a three week period. The tablets, branded under the name Alyvium, contain polyphenols, as well as natural flavonoids, vitamin A, riboflavin and biotin, and contain the name nutrients as around 15-20 olives.

Promotion Discount

Trials Dr Carmen Herrero Rodríguez, researcher at the Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Unit, is pleased with the early results the new supplements are showing. “Thanks to intense research work with authorised trials, we now have drugs that have managed to reduce mortality in our patients. “We think that the administration of the nutritional supplement can be beneficial for COVID-19 patients who are showing certain symptoms.”

OP Puzzle solutions Across: 1 Ranged, 5 Grieve, 8 Deadline, 9 Suit, 10 Zany, 11 Years ago, 12 Yellow, 15 Ease in, 17 Immature, 20 R I Ps, 21 Puts, 22 Didactic, 23 Why not?, 24 Wisest. Down: 2 Average, 3 Godly, 4 Daily, 5 Grenade, 6 Insists, 7 Vying, 13 Liaison, 14 Wouldn't, 16 Impairs, 18 Mouth, 19 Endow, 20 Ricks.

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Happy families

FINAL WORDS

DIVORCE numbers dropped in Andalucia for the sixth year running. Couples filing for divorce fell by 11.5% in 2020 despite the lockdown and ongoing pandemic.

Load of bull! ONE of Spain's best known matadors has lost a lengthy battle to copyright his most famous 'kill' after the Supreme Court ruled that the bullfighter had acted on impulse and not by design.

Snapped up SPANISH police officers have rescued a South American caiman from a farm, where it was being held in appalling conditions, after its owner tried to flog it for €2,000.

Bar Wars! Your expat

voice in Spain

VALENCIA / COSTA AZAHAR Vol. 1 Issue 8 www.theolivepress.es March 11th - March 24th 2021 FREE

A WHITE arm stretches across the bar, a claw-like hand clamped around the rim of a pint glass. Slowly it lowers the glass below the beer tap, waiting as it fills, and adjusts the cup to make sure the head of the beer levels out just right. The secret behind the perfect pour and great service? A robotic duo in Sevilla. One works behind the bar, while another - a robot dog named Spot - whizzes around Cuesta del Rosario, delivering canas and copas to tables.

A lot of dough

Master baker is just earning a crust

IF you're partial to a slice of toast and jam in the morning, chances are you won't be carving a slice off this loaf, dubbed the world's most expensive bread. The pricey pan is the brainchild of Juan Manuel Moreno, manager of a family run

bakery in the Malaga village of Algatocin, in the Serrania de Ronda. The unique recipe, containing all natural ingredients and blended with flakes of edible gold and silver, is sold to wealthy clients around the globe for a stag-

Tongue tied

LEARNING a language is a point of pride for most people, but apparently not for the Trump family. Donald Trump Junior has made headlines after taking a selfie of himself and his son holding a copy of The Cat in the Hat, as the pair was covering up a front cover starburst in a suspicious manner. Internet users found out that Trump Junior’s son was reading a bilingual edition of the Dr. Seuss classic, as the starburst almost certainly contained the words ‘in English and Spanish’.

BREADWINNER: Moren0’s prized loaf contains gold gering €1,480 per loaf. Moreno is the owner of the Panaderia Pan Piña bakery, a business that has been in his wife's family since 1946 and has been producing quality bread ever since. Moreno explained that he came up with the idea after hearing that the world's most expensive coffee was being sold in Marbella. Keen to see how far he could push the limits of bread making, he set to work creating his ‘artistic’ masterpiece. The result was a loaf that

contains gold and silver in the form of flakes and dust, and in total uses approximately €1,100 worth of ingredients, depending on precious metal prices at the time. One client, a Saudi Prince, ordered 18 loaves for a wedding last year, and since its birth Pina Pan has sold 96 loaves in total, with six so far in 2021. “We did not do this for the money, we did this to try to put the bakery on the map and show what is possible,” said Moreno.

Tips

And the pair are certainly earning their tips - and fans. The devices were invented by Boston Dynamics and Spainbased Macco Robotics before COVID-19, but the pandemic could signal that the time has come for robots to take over. “I think that in times of a pandemic it is very good that there is a robot serving drinks so there is no contact between people. “It’s very cool!” said one customer Abel Ros. Another stunned fan took to Twitter to write: “We need an explanation! 2020, relax now!”