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Eye on IBIZA
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Vol. 4 Issue 89 www.theolivepress.es September 18th - October 1st 2020
It’s still magic across the water... but is Ibiza finally affordable for a holiday?
Photos by Allan Binderup
See page 12
HOT ZONE LOCKDOWN By Isha Sesay
MORE than 43,000 peoplehave been put on ‘partial lockdown’ in Palma from today. The Balearic Government has decided to enforce tougher restrictions on additional districts in the capital. Parts of Arquitecte Bennazar are now confinement zones, joining Son Gotleu, Can Capes, Soledat Nord and Son Canals which became ‘hot zones’ last week. The move by the Ministry of Health is aimed at reducing the number of coronavirus
43,000 people - 10% of Palma - face tough new coronavirus rules infections in areas which have suffered a spike in cases. It means that almost 10% of Palma’s population is now in partial lockdown. Being classed as a ‘hot zone’ means that only those who live or work in these areas will be allowed inside. Residents will have to justify leaving their homes at police checkpoints, with reasons such as going to school, work or to visit a supermarket or bank. Capacity will also be capped to
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50% in bars, cafes and restaurants both indoors and on its terraces and all of these establishments must close no later than 10pm. All activity in gyms and sports centres is strictly prohibited. The General Director of Public Health, Maria Antonia Font, explained that Arquitecte Bennazar has been included to reduce pressure on the health system. According to Font, the area has the highest population density in the capital, serving 31,673 people in its local hospital. This would collapse if dealing with a significant number of COVID-19 infections, she said. Welfare and social criteria have also been taken into account, with Arquitecte Bennazar having one of the highest degrees of poverty in Mallorca.
Although ‘the disease does not understand income,’ those diagnosed with the virus that are not able to isolate at home due to housing issues would do so in hospital instead, putting further pressure on the hospital. It comes as the Government of the Balearic Islands announced that parts of Ibiza would also be put on a partial lockdown fromtoday. These include the centre of San Antonio and Ibiza Town which according to the Balearic Ministry of Health, have the highest number of COVID-19 infections in the region. Although the measure will impact all those that live inside the ‘hot zone,’ tourists were initially exempt – a measure that was immediately denounced by local unions. This decision was later reversed, meaning that the movement of holidaymakers will also be restricted.
Opinion p6
2
CRIME
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NEWS IN BRIEF Smashing teens THREE teenagers have been arrested after going on a vandalism spree in Sineu. The youths, aged between 14 and 16, intentionally damaged multiple parked cars by smashing their windows in.
Hash farmers THE Guardia Civil uncovered a large marijuana plantation at a farm in Sant Llorenc. The narcotic was grown on the land as well as in an indoor laboratory, resulting in two arrests.
Big fall POLICE embarked on a high speed chase across Palma to catch two teenagers who allegedly attempted to steal a woman’s handbag. The boys were eventually cuffed after falling off their getaway motorbike.
Not secure A SECURITY guard has been arrested for selling marijuana at his place of work in the capital. The police were tipped off by his colleague, discovering 400g of the drug on his body.
September 18th - October 1st 2020
Cocaine kingpins A GANG that allegedly controlled the supply of cocaine on Mallorca has been brought down. As part of ‘Operation Gunpowder,’ 16 ‘members’ of the criminal organisation were arrested in multiple dawn raids carried out by the Policia Nacional. They included a Cuban couple, considered to be the
Police strike against Mallorca’s biggest drugs wholesalers By Isha Sesay
‘kingpins’ of the organisation. According to police, all of the other detainees are Spanish. The detainees allegedly smuggled large shipments
of high-purity cocaine from South America, which were then cut at a makeshift laboratory installed inside a flat in Palma. Once packaged, the narcotics were distributed to other drug traffickers across the
Burglar busted A PROLIFIC burglar who targeted holiday homes in Pollenca has been arrested. The man, aged 27, was captured by the Guardia Civil after a string of 13 break-ins while holiday makers were out for the day. His modus operandi was to force entry inside through a window or door, where he would then steal electronic items, cash or jewellery. Local residents gave investigators a detailed description of the assailant after witnessing the man leave the scene of a crime. This matched a serial burglar that was known to the police for his extensive criminal history and who also lived in the area. A search was carried out at his home which uncovered €5,000 worth of goods that had been previously reported stolen by tourists and linking him to the burglaries.
island. Investigators consider the dismantled gang as the most active drug trafficking group in Mallorca, gaining prominence during Spain’s state of alarm period. The organisation was able to maintain constant activity during the months of confinement by using sophisticated tactics to evade police. In total, officers raided 19 houses, several farms and storage rooms in Palma and the villages of Santa Maria, Santa Eugenia, Campos, Bunyola and Can Picafort.
Busted
RAID: Police stormed a narcotics lab
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It comes after police busted a large-scale narcotics laboratory in Mallorca. Policia Nacional officers believe they have shut down another of the main suppliers of narcotics on the island in ‘Operation Gas’. In the raid large amounts of cocaine, speed and ecstasy were found.
Artful Dodger
Trucking stupid A DRUNK lorry driver who wanted early retirement is most likely to spend a lot of it in prison. The Catalan driver downed enough booze to put him five times over the limit, then called cops and demanded he be given a breath test. The 56-year-old, from Barcelona, was parked on the AP-68 in La Rioja when he made his call. He told cops he had got drunk because he wanted to be sacked as he was after early retirement on state benefits. He added that if he was not arrested, he would continue his journey and cause an accident. Police arrived on the scene where he pleaded to be detained. He now faces multiple charges and certain prison.
HE was one of the most audacious crooks in British history. And now the story of how a working class northerner climbed into London’s National Gallery to pilfer a painting by Spanish master Goya has been turned into a film. The movie ‘The Duke’, which was immortalised at the Venice Film Festival this month, retells the incredible swinging sixties yarn about how the painting, the Duke, was stolen. Made by Notting Hill director Roger Michell it stars Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren. MISSING: Goya masterpiece
A-listers assemble HE’S best known as Darcy in Pride and Prejudice and Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones’s Diary. Now British superstar Colin Firth is set to grace the boardwalks of San Sebastian for the world premiere of his new film Supernova alongside Stanley Tucci. It has been over a decade since Firth last attended the famous film festival in 2008, when he walked the red carpet for the first screening of Genova, directed by English filmmaker Michael Winterbottom. Firth was praised for his role as a mourning father in the drama and similar success is likely for the King’s Speech actor this year. When a state of alarm was announced in Spain in March, Firth was filming a new film Operation Mincemeat in Malaga alongside Kelly Macdonald. So, the A-lister has multiple motivations to make his return to Spain.
See Double Take on page 9
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Got the message
An unlikely overseas friendship has been sparked after an American bottle landed in Spain By Kirsty McKenzie
WHEN a busy dad with wanderlust Jerry Whitt died suddenly in 2018, his wife Mary was determined that he would finally get his chance to travel the world. So she lovingly placed the American’s ashes into a bottle with a note and dropped him into the Atlantic Ocean from their favourite holiday retreat in Florida and waved farewell one last time.
And to her surprise, two years later she received a phone call from a Spanish family who had found Jerry on a beach almost 5,000 miles away.
ISOLATED: Leonor is now quarantined
SPOKEN
Now, after a series of letters and calls, the American is hoping to come and visit the Alvarez family, who found the bottle on Praia de Razo, in Carballo, Galicia. “I decided to put Jerry’s ashes in a bottle, and his picture and a note,” said Mary, from her home in Kentucky. “I thought that this would be a good way that he could travel.” She is now delighted that the Alvarez family are to spread Jerry’s ashes in the north of Spain. Mary said: “It touched all of our hearts. It’s just so heartwarming and touching that they are this good to us.” Jerry’s daughter Emilee added: “I think he would be so excited to think that we have friends in Spain now. “We talk often and he would have absolutely loved that.”
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Best foot forward
3
STUNNING: Beautiful gown
FASHIONISTAS have flocked to Madrid fashion week. The 72nd edition of the event went ahead without a hitch from COVID-19. Famed for showcasing national designers, this year it teamed up with Amazon to give more visibility to everyone from independent to medium-sized fashion designers. It means users at home can shop straight off the runway and everyone could be in the front row this year.
FOUND: Ashes discovered on beach
Princess in isolation fears HEIR to the Spanish throne princess Leonor has been placed in quarantine. It comes after Leonor’s classmate at Santa Maria de los Rosales school in Madrid was diagnosed with COVID-19. The eldest daughter of King Felipe and Queen Letizia will now have to self isolate for 14 days within the Zarzuela Palace and be monitored closely for symptoms. The rest of her class are now in isolation as well as her younger sister princess Sofia.
September 18th - October 1st 2020
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NEWS
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Mercy move
MOVE: Schoolgirl was transferred to Barcelona by a specialist team A CHILD, 11, from Mallorca has been transferred to Barcelona’s Vall d’Hebron hospital after falling critically ill with coronavirus. Doctors had taken the decision to move the young girl to the Catalan capital after her health rapidly declined while she was receiving treatment at Son Espases hospital. The youngster not only suffers from Graves disease, an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid, but caught a myocardial infection which requires an external blood oxygenation therapy called ECMO. Although this is undertaken frequently at Son Espases, it only is carried out on adults, meaning that she had to be moved urgently to Vall d’Hebron. For this, a complex operation was launched involving the Guardia Civil and 11 specialised medical personnel from both Son Espases and the Air Force. Once at the Son Sant Joan air base, she was taken by plane to Barcelona, at all times connected to an oxygenation device. She remains in a stable but critical condition in Barcelona.
September 18th - October 1st 2020
Going bust THOUSANDS of companies in the Balearic Islands are at risk of disappearing due to the coronavirus crisis, according to a business union. Fundacion Impulsa has estimated that more than 30,000 businesses in the region will close permanently by the end of next year. This accounts for a third of all companies in the Balearics and is an alarming prediction considering that some 9,000 companies disappeared in the islands after
30,000 businesses could go under this year By Isha Sesay
the 2008 financial crisis. Its director, Antoni Riera, attributes the expected closures to the region’s heavy reliance on tourism which was ‘completely disrupted this year.’ Several obstacles have knocked
Better than we feared AT least one Balearic group has had a better summer than expected. The OD hotel chain, that has three hotels in Ibiza and one in Mallorca, managed to achieve an occupancy rate of nearly 75% in the key summer months. And now the group that also owns the hip Ryans chain in Ibiza, plus two more hotels in Barcelona and near St.Tropez, is planning to open a new hotel in London. “We have the location in Camden Town and are just making final decisions on which brand it will be. Most likely a Ryans,” its boss Marc Rahola told the Olive Press. The group is also set to open in Madrid and Miami over the next two years. “Out of every crisis come opportunities and I think 2021 will be a good year,” explained the Ibizan-born Barcelona and Tottenham fan. Talking from his office in London, he added: “People have been so starved of leisure activities and there will be so much demand to travel I am sure we will see a big upswing.” But he added: “I am a natural optimist, but also believe in persistence. I am a huge fan of Johan Cruff and his belief that out of every disadvantage you’ll find an advantage.” The businessman had intended to keep half of his hotels open through the autumn. “But the restrictions with England, followed by Germany and Belgium made things tough, followed by the Covid outbreaks on Ibiza with Neymar and the PSG team killed the market.” He said they had clung on in August, but by the end of the month would close all hotels apart from Ryans in Ibiza Town.
the tourism industry in 2020, including the unprecedented decision by the British government to enforce a two week quarantine upon those that returned from Spain. It is not known if that will be reversed with England now making exemptions for islands which are less affected by COVID-19 than the mainlands they belong to. However, Riera also blames the fact that many companies have ‘poorly managed their financial risk,’ and that there will be ‘reciprocussions to the number of loans acquired to weather the storm.’ Riera believes the result will be bankruptcy as many will struggle to repay liquidity borrowed. It comes as the Balearic Islands recorded a historic drop in its gross domestic product.
Struggle
According to the latest figures, in the second quarter of 2020, during the months of April, May and June, the Balearic GDP fell by a whopping 40.5%. This is higher than anywhere else in Spain, which saw a collective loss of 22.1%, as well as the European Union with an average drop of 14.1%.
Commuter chaos COMMUTERS have been left in limbo after transport workers went on indefinite strike. Employees at EMT Palma, the island’s bus service, are protesting against their working conditions during the coronavirus crisis. Their grievances include being made to use up their holidays during Spain’s state of alarm, in addition to a lack of sanitary controls on their vehicles. Only 30% of bus services have been running since the start of the strike on Monday, meaning delays of up to three hours.
Hunt ban THE hunting of hares with a shotgun has been banned on the island. The decision was taken by the Consell de Mallorca after research indicated that their numbers had dwindled by half this year.
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NEWS FEATURE
www.theolivepress.es Voted top expat paper in Spain
A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in Spain with an estimated readership, including the websites, of more than two million people a month.
OPINION Lockdown blues THE news that the Balearics health authorities are bringing in partial lockdown to areas that have seen coronavirus spikes should be welcomed (see front page). The initial State of Emergency rules were draconian but, at the time, needed to help contain the COVID-19 outbreak. But now times have moved on. The emphasis should be on returning to normal life as safely as possible – which is what the health department is attempting to achieve. These new regulations may be unwelcome to those who have to endure them, but at least they allow people a semblance of normality while serving to stop the spread of the virus. So we call on everyone to follow the rules – and stay safe.
I
T started as a Cold War tale of intrigue involving a spy, international headlines and appearances from Robert and Edward Kennedy. It ended when a shepherd in a remote backwater of Spain discovered a decomposing corpse in a gulley. The mystery man could only be identified from documents found in a nearby wallet. Guardia Civil decided the body was that of 48-year-old Vladimir Kazan-Komarek – an American citizen of Czech descent. The year was 1972, with Spain still under the thumb of fascist dictator Francisco Franco and the world in the depths of the Cold War. The location was the now bustling - then sleepy - town of Estepona on the Costa del Sol. Kazan-Komarek had first
Cold war MYSTERY
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A documentary is studying the enigma of spy Vladimir Kazan-Komarek, 50 years since his death, writes Dilip Kuner come to public attention six years previously when he became embroiled in a spy scandal that would not have been out of place in the pages of a John le Carré thriller. It involved the shadowy world
Big planet THE modern world is characterised by globalisation. Watching an American film while eating a Thai curry perched on the edge of your Swedish sofa is a normal Saturday night. We have free roaming for our phone data and currency cards without transaction fees to make travelling painless. All these amenities to contemporary living make the antiquated restrictions that are now rearing their ugly head because of Brexit all the more frustrating. At the Olive Press we wholly empathise with the trials and tribulations faced by expats. Since Big Ben’s knell shook parliament at midnight on January 31, life in the EU is significantly more complicated. Whether its a barrage of confusion at the extranjeria office (see this page TIEDup in red tape) or the news that Barclays is terminating credit cards for Brits living abroad (see online Barclays to cancel all expat credit cards), it is clear ease of access has been replaced with increased exasperation. Since 1919, when commercial flights first began in the UK, we have benefited from a melting pot of homogenizing cultures . In this transition period of infuriating blurred lines and unspecified grey areas, it is more important than ever to remain outward looking and adventurous.
September 18th - October 1st 2020
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RECEPTION: Robert Kennedy greets Kazan-Komarek
of espionage and high level diplomatic negotiations. Now, a French documentary team is looking into the mystery death of the American, trying to piece together his intriguing life. What was known was that on October 31, 1966, when Vladimir was returning from a travel agents’ conference in Moscow, the Soviet airliner on which he was traveling — supposedly on a nonstop flight to Paris —was diverted to Prague for ‘mechanical reasons’. It has never been proven that the flight was deliberately diverted at the behest of Czechoslo-
vakia, but the authorities certainly grabbed their chance to lay their hands on the suspected spy. He was hauled off the plane and charged with setting up and operating an underground espionage and terrorist network in the communist country between 1948 to 1950. They also held him responsible for the death of a policeman. Press reports from the Czechoslovak media had previously identified him as an agent for US Army Counterintelligence. A prisoner of the Nazis during World War II, Kazan-Komerak had worked for the US army in Germany in 1945 and 1946, before he returned to his home country. But when the communists took control, he fled Czechoslovakia in 1948 and lived in Paris before moving to the US in 1953. There he faded into the background, marrying a noted beauty, fathering five children and becoming a US citi-
TIEd up in Red Tape
It’s a bureacratic joke as I still can’t get my NIE after two months of trying By Lydia Spencer-Elliott
TIME passes at varying speeds: you age slower in a spaceship but faster when in the queue at the extranjeria office in Spain… A whole month has elapsed since I last wrote of my seemingly endless quest for a TIE residencia card. Since then I have mentally decayed faster than a peach in the Spanish sun … transformed from my prime (24) to the metaphorical autumn of my life, rotted by bureaucracy and fermenting with fury. Concerned that my A-level Spanish was insufficient for the task, a native speaker with five years experence in a legal firm called several official offices on my behalf to identify our next port of call on this marathon mission. “I’ll be honest, we don’t know the steps anymore, ” she was told. “Because of COVID and Brexit, everything has changed.” After another fruitless appointment at the police station in Estepona, some pleading and a borderline refusal to leave until we had more information than ‘no se’, we were handed the next clue in the treasure hunt: a website link. Into the search bar it went and three clicks later our appointment in Malaga was secured. Things surely had to work out differently on the fourth try. The instruc-
LONG WAIT: Lydia is still battling Spain’s infamous red tape tions had come straight from the horse’s mouth and, to mix metaphors, we knew better than to inspect the teeth of this gift horse too closely. Wrong decision, we discovered on our arrival in the city. “They told you the wrong thing,” said a genuinely sympathetic member of staff. “The appointment you need can only be booked on the phone. You have to come back another day.” It turns out lucky expats who secured residencia before July 6 are not required by law to obtain any new documents. But if, like me, you arrived after this critical date, the road to residencia is long, winding and may cause stress-induced alopecia. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Will our fifth attempt turn out to be the charm that works …or a one way ticket to an asylum? Watch this space.
A PRAGUE: Kazan-Komarek (inset) was imprisoned behind the Iron Curtain
zen, all while settling into life as a travel agent. Life seemed to be going well until he made his fateful Moscow trip. In Prague he was charged with high treason and espionage. During the Kazan-Komarek trial in 1967, the most serious charges that he had been an American intelligence agent were quietly dropped after an intense diplomatic campaign by the US government. He was instead convicted on lesser charges of subversive activities against the Czechoslovakian state and jailed for eight years. His rapid release was brought about largely through the intervention of Senator Edward Kennedy, whose brother Robert was present when Kazan-Komarek’s flight touched down on American soil. Once safely back in the US, Vladimir admitted that the charges against him were partly true. He had helped people escape from Czechoslovakia, believing that he was working for French intel-
ligence. Subsequent investigations found he was being rather modest with the truth. It is believed that he was one of the most important agents for the French Secret Service (SDECE). And that he returned to the other side of the Iron Curtain to organise a network to rescue people threatened with death or prison for their resistance against the regime’s dictatorship. The network was liquidated by communist police and Kazan-Komarek alone managed to make it back to the West after a shoot-out with border guards. Seriously injured, he returned to Paris and spent several months in hospital. While the case caused a sensation at the time, Vladimir faded into the background. He severed ties with the Harvard Travel Service, of which he had been president. Then in 1971 he left his wife and five children in Wellesley, Massachusetts and disappeared to Europe. In November that year he re-
surfaced in Estepona where zan-Komerak through the he lived alone in a small flat. documents found nearby, toGuardia Civil investigators gether with a key to his front said he led a normal life, door. passing his time writing a Strangely, the US authorities book about flying. in Spain failed to inform his He made friends with expat widow of the death. That was Americans and was due to fly left to the Canadian couple to the US with a he had been Canadian couset to travple when he disel with some The mystery appeared. months earlier. On June 5, US State Deof his life and 1972, the Unitpartment offideath have ed States concials said there sulate in Sevilla was no indicanever been was informed tion that Kaquite forgotten z a n - Ko m a r e k by Samuel Berman, an Amerimight still have can living in Esbeen involved tepona, that Kazan-Komarek in intelligence work, and inhad been missing since May sisted he had not been em11. ployed by any United States The authorities discounted intelligence agency. And the report after being in- there the matter rested. formed he had been seen in But the mystery of his life the first week of June. But a and death has never quite body was discovered on Sep- been forgotten. There are tember 7 in a hillside gully on still people who wonder if the a farm outside Estepona. body truly was his and why A Marbella court decid- he should have given up a ed there were no signs of successful career and large foul play and confirmed family to disappear into what the corpse’s identity as Ka- was, at the time, a remote backwater of a country living under a dictatorship. Now, nearly 50 years on, a French documentary team led by Karel Prokop and Laurence Guyot is trying to unravel the mystery of Kazan-Komarek’s death and is looking for anyone who knew him, or had heard any stories about the man of mystery. Their ultimate ambition is to solve the enigma of Kazan-Komarek - and find answers to the puzzle that briefly thrust the quiet town of Estepona into world headlines.
SLEEPY: The quiet backwater of Estepona found itself at the centre of world headlines
You can approach the film makers through us by emailing newsdesk@theolivepress.es
T the Olive Press, there are few things we love more than a good story. Sure, our print night pizza run and coffee from our favourite corner cafe might be up there but the only thing that really beats the thrill of setting the agenda and breaking the biggest news stories is hearing from our readers. When you talk, we listen - whether it is when you’re sharing your enthusiasm, differences of opinion or pointing us in the direction of an unearthed story, we always love to hear from you. And receiving your feedback on the new paywall is no exception. We’ve been thrilled with the uptake so far and we hope you are equally delighted to be getting top quality journalism for as little as €5.99 a month - or even better value at €59 a year. However, as your comments reminded us, not everyone can afford to pay, which is why we are happy to announce we will be offering a 50% discount to all pen- sioners and students. To those of you who have already subscribed, thank you. When you pay for journalism, you are paying for people who really excel at storytelling to do the work they love and the job they were trained to do. We are not working for clicks, we are working to bring you the biggest breaking news stories, the most important campaigns and the agenda setting content that has made us Spain’s only English language investigative paper and website. But we pay for our own late-night coffee runs. Promise. Contact us at newsdesk@theolivepress.es for any questions.
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8
LA CULTURA
September 18th - October 1st 2020
Dancing Queen • How did it all begin?
W
Ballet and wowing audiences at Sadler’s Wells in London with her own production, Ursula Lopez is on point for her next challenge as director of the Andalucian Flamenco Ballet in Seville. The Junta de Andalucía’s institutional dance company represents the region on stages all over the world and plays a fundamental role in attracting new audiences to experience Andalucia’s flamenco culture. Founded in 1994, it has won plaudits from the public and critics and a host of prestigious awards. Don’t be fooled by the overpriced and often tacky tourist shows. Andalucia’s most iconic dance style is so much more than overthe-top frilly wardrobes, fancy fans, castanets, excessive use of microphones and showy light
effects. Born out of oppression and suffering, flamenco should above all be fierce, evoking passion, temperament and energy. Puro flamenco relies on improvisation and though renowned artists rehearse for choreographed theatre productions, their true personality and creative flair shine during intimate, spontaneous performances of singing, guitar, and dance. An authentic performance will put equal focus each. To master the art, a flamenco dancer
I started in a dance academy at a very young age, graduating in both Spanish and classical dance. In Sevilla I had the opportunity to train with great flamenco maestros such as Manolete, an internationally reclaimed Spanish choreographer and dancer. And with Manolo Marín who choreographed the Opera Carmen, directed by Carlos Saura, which opened the doors to my professional career when I was 18. In 1996 I joined the Compañía Andaluza de Danza, known today as Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía. For the next eight years I performed in the company’s shows, touring the most important festivals and theatres around the world. I then joined the Spanish National Ballet as a featured artist for two years before setting up my own dance company in 2007. Flamenco was always part of my life. My sister, Tamara, too, had an extensive career in dance, with a 12-year long trajectory in the Spanish National Ballet. She has taught Spanish dance all over the world, from London to Chicago and even received an award from the Emperor of Japan for cultural merit. Together we run our dance academy, Studio Flamencodanza in Seville.
“
ART: Dancers strike beautiful poses consistent, dedicated and determined, it will show. In that sense, flamenco is very just. It’s a great honour that the Andalucian Flamenco Ballet have placed their trust in me. They have seen the direction I want to take and have given me their backing. I believe my proposals stood out for their artistic direction, based on the dissemination of dance and Andalucia’s intangible heritage. I now look forward to taking the Andalucian Flamenco Ballet to where it belongs. We have some very exciting projects coming up, both nationally and internationally, a three-year scheme which I’m very excited to lead.
Born out of opression and suffering, Flamenco should evoke passion and above all, energy
• You’ve just been appointed Director of the company you danced for. How does that feel?
ENERGY: Flamenco dancers in full flow
Basque city and the fantasy of the event (she has an affair with a French movie director, he falls in love with a Spanish woman). Amid sexual assault allega-
I received the news in a phone call, an incredible moment where I felt proud, happy, emotional all at the same time. It is a recognition of eight years of hard work where I proved my dedication to dance and flamenco day in and day out. Nothing is handed to anyone on a plate, especially not in flamenco. If you haven’t put the hours in, if you haven’t been
• You are currently holding auditions for the cast of the Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía (dancers, singers, guitarists, percussionists). What do you look for?
In a dancer, for someone who masters all the typical Spanish dance styles but whose underlying strength is flamenco. Nowadays dancers are extremely well-prepared. They have all been dancing since they were about six years old and their formation is excellent. My generation did not have the extensive training they have. These young dancers have a confidence about their abilities that is enviable. It took me years to reach that level of self-assurance in my abilities. This is positive for someone who intends to perform in front of thousands of spectators. In one way they have it easier as they are so well prepared, but, on the other hand, having so many well-prepared dancers makes the competition tougher. However, at the same time, there is a lack of individuality, of personal growth and experiences … shared moments with fellow dancers that I feel is missing. Perhaps social media is to blame. I know that
my experiences helped me grow into the dancer I am today, and I’m grateful for them. • Has flamenco changed since you first started out? With deep-seated roots, the principals remain the same as those taught from parent to child decades ago. I would even go as far as to say they remain steadfast from over a hundred years ago. There is of course a natural evolution process, but just as flamenco is in Andalucia its most significant expression, its deepest root, the fundamentals remain unwavering. •
THE island’s most important celebration of contemporary art got underway this week in the most peculiar of fashions. This year, Nit de l’Art, an annual festival that sees Palma’s museums and galleries open their doors to the public for free during the evenings, commenced with an eerie silence. In this edition, running until the end of the weekend (September 20), there will be no grand celebrations or packed audiences. The capital will not dazzle under impressive streetlights and displays, and there will be no cava or canapés - all measures taken in strict coordination with the Balearic Government to halt the spread of coronavirus. Although disparate to previous years, this year’s edition offers an intimate experience and a unique opportunity to learn more about contemporary art. For the first time in its history, visitors can enjoy long conversations with gallery owners and artists thanks to the strict capacity limits imposed. Participating galleries and museums include 6A, Aba Art, Pelaires, Xavier Fiol, Pep Llabres, Gerhardt Braun and the Cultural Sa Nostra galleries, among other spaces.
Opening hours are from 12pm to 6pm.
tions towards the American director, the selection of the rom-com to launch the programme hasn’t passed without controversy. However, Allen, 84, will THIS month, Gerhardt Braun Gallery presents the ‘High Gloss’ exhibition by globally renowned pop art artist Heiner Meyer. Born in Bielefeld in 1953, Meyer began his career as an assistant to Salvador Dali in Portlligat, receiving numerous awards throughout his career.
not attend the festival himself, due to coronavirus fears.
High gloss Meyer is considered to be one of the most important pop art artists in the world, where his works have been shown in more than 250 solo and group exhibitions from San Francisco to Beijing. He has exhibited with Andy Warhol, Rauschenberg and Lichtenstein, among others, and his art is displayed permanently in numerous museums and private collections around the globe. The exhibition will be composed of both paintings and sculptures, showcasing Meyer’s fascination for feminine beauty and luxury culture, and can be visited weekdays from 10am to 8pm.
9
September 18th - October 1st 2020
Pedal away
San Sebastian Film Festival to headline controversial Woody Allen film about sex in its own city
Nights of art spends years, often a decade or more, practising and perfecting the strict framework of rhythmic patterns. And even when the steps are down pat, a dancer will never stop practicing and training daily. It’s this dedication that has propelled Urusla Lopez to the very top of her profession, as she explains.
ITH the grace of a ballet star, the passion of a flamenco artist and the regal air of a Queen Ursula Lopez was dancing towards her destiny at an age when most children are taking their first baby steps at school. “There was never a time ‘before’ flamenco, it was just something we all did, my parents, grandparents and great-grandparents before them,” says the 44-year-old beauty, born in Cordoba, raised in Algeciras and feted today as one of the best flamenco dancers and choreographers in the world. From being discovered by legendary film director Carlos Saura, to being a featured artist at t h e Spanish National
Send your informa tion to newsdesk@theolivepr ess.es
SPAIN’S top film festival opens this month with the premiere of a Woody Allen film about itself. Shot in the city last year, the action in Rifkin’s Festival starring Elena Anaya and Louis Garrel is set during festival week. It tells the story of a married American couple seduced by the magic of the
PASSION: Ursula in action
“
At 44, mother-of-two Ursula Lopez has danced her way to the top job at the Andalucian Flamenco Ballet. The homegrown Queen of Flamenco talks exclusively to Cristina Hodgson about her new role, flamenco as therapy and how today’s young dancers can follow in her footsteps
LA CULTURA Double Take Do you have a what’s on?
Running from September 18-26 and now in its 68th edition, the festival has long attracted esteemed directors such as Alfred Hitchcock and Francis Ford Coppola, silver screen legends (Elizabeth Taylor and Bette Davis) and current stars like Penelope Cruz, John Malkovich and Arnold Schwarzenegger. And this year, with Cannes cancelled and Venice scaled down due to the pandemic, San Seb is picking up the slack with top-tier cinema normally reserved for its famous rivals. Originally due to premiere on the French Riviera, Colombian filmmaker Fernando Trueba’s Forgotten We’ll Be will now close the festival. Other top movies to watch out for are Harry Macqueen’s British drama Supernova starring Stanley Tucci and Colin Firth and Chloe Zhao’s Nomadland, starring Oscar award-winner Frances McDormand.
FOR months, the organisers of the popular 6Points Cycling Challenges have been working hard to deal with the challenges thrown at them by coronavirus. After confirmation from the Balearic Government this week, they have now been given the go ahead for the exciting sporting event to take place from October 2nd to 4th, albeit with some minor changes. Those wishing to participate will be able to enjoy a unique tour of Mallorca, taking in at least four extremities of the island and climbing over 7,000 meters in over 400km across three days. The schedule includes two nights in Port d’Pollensa with rides to Formentor, Lluc and Caimari before returning to the port. Day three will take the group to Muro and Sineu, climbing Randa and Col des Tords, then finishing in Santa Ponsa. This year, London 2012 Paralympic medallist Karen Darke will join the event, answering questions at the evening reception. Visit www.6pointschallenges.com for full details on availble packages.
Your day-to-day must be hectic with your new directorship, your own dance company and dance academy, and two young children?
I won’t lie, it is very tough. It’s a very long day which begins before 7am and ends after 11pm. Non-stop. Dance has taught me to be strong, determined and resilient, but it’s my love for flamenco that gives me the drive to set new challenges and I’m lucky to have a career which I love and have always loved. I feel very fortunate. • Can anyone take lessons at your Flamenco Danza Academy? Anyone, from beginners to advanced. The most important thing is not to feel intimidated or foolish. If you really let yourself go, flamenco is one of the best therapies. The connection between body and mind is incredible. To feel the music, you free your mind in an almost meditational way. And instead of feeling self-conscious, you will find it gives you confidence. With a good instructor and a bit of patience, even an inexperienced dancer can learn. What can I say, I highly recommend it!
TM
952 147 834
www.juntadeandalucia.es/ cultura/flamenco/content/ www.flamencodanza. com/teacher-profile/ursula-lopez/
* O f f e r v a l i d f o r n e w c u s t o m e r s o n l y. S u b j e c t t o c o n d i t i o n s . E n d s 3 1 / 1 2 / 2 0 .
TheOlivePress-256x170-HOME0720.indd 1
20/7/20 13:08
COLUMNISTS
10
Time for governments to get their act together
Testing - it certainly is!
THERE are two distinct camps of people - those who will or won’t risk trav-
elling abroad, but I think it should be down to the individual to choose.
OP QUICK Crossword
September 18th - October 1st 2020
Across 1 Uneasy (8) 5 Chilled (4) 9 Little (5) 10 Strange (7) 11 Vacant (5) 12 Small, powerful harbour vessel (7) 13 Dealer in smokers’ supplies (11) 18 Pilot (7) 20 Stupefy (5) 21 Virgin Mary (7) 22 Wide river-mouth (5) 23 Close (4) 24 Unfastened (8)
In my case I was going back to the UK to see my son who starts university. As we live in Mallorca I’m unlikely to see him again before Christmas so this trip felt like a re-run. It’s certainly going to be very interesting to see where we are with Covid at Christmas, and how society and Governments will compromise on spending time with loved ones, whilst protecting from further spikes. We’re only a few months off, and I for one feel more defiant about what I can and cannot do then I did at the start of this back in March when we were first forced into lockdown. Whilst I understand people with underlying
Terenia Taras Telling it like it is
health problems, or the elderly wanting to protect themselves, I would much rather be given the option of being able to travel and be able to simply have a test done at the airport. I’d happily quarantine myself until I received the result, and if positive, then of course I would do the responsible thing and self-isolate. Nobody intentionally wants to spread this deadly virus, but the problem is without the availability of testing and in many cases it being asymptomatic, then we’re blind to the threat of it. Arriving at Palma Airport for our flight there was no testing, not even a temperature check. The airport was fairly quiet, but there were cafes and
Option
Down
OP Sudoku
I even looked to see if there was an option to have a test done privately. Bupa offers an antibody test, but this will only tell you if you’ve had the virus, so it’s not much use to anyone really. The UK Government’s website states that only people showing symptoms are able to have a test, but there was no availability for testing the day I checked. Again, it seems that there just seems to be a complete lack of tests available, and this is simply not acceptable. The onus should be on our Governments to provide testing, and not on us to keep locking ourselves away.
1 Dared (6) 2 Hair cleaner (7) 3 Boodle (5) 4 Fireproof theatre barrier (6,7) 6 Capital of Egypt (5) 7 Indicate (6) 8 Source (6) 14 Concentrate (6) 15 Bright red (7) 16 Freshwater food fish (6) 17 Recompense for hardship (6) 19 World’s largest democracy (5) 20 Relating to sound reproduction (5)
All solutions are on page 15
What a deal!
restaurants open even if there weren’t many people about. The make-up and perfume stands in Duty Free were wrapped in plastic, meaning you could no longer help yourself to the sample fragrances or make-up testers. In general the whole process of checking in, going through security and boarding our flight was quick and efficient due to the stark numbers of travellers compared to normal. In fact the plane itself was nearly empty. Unfortunately, for me and thousands of others like me, testing is not an option. But I don’t understand why not, when in 30 other countries, including France and Italy, they seem to be able to organise airport testing?
QUIET: Flights are nearly empty
@tereniataras
Lobster increases data giving up to 50% more, for everyone, with no changes in price
LOBSTER, the only mobile operator in Spain to authentic and straightforward. The Lobster ofoffer a service completely in English, has re- fering is based on simplicity and understanding cently made all its tariff plans even better, with that customers enjoy a service and experience no changes in price. ‘like at home’. The company has increased data permanently This, together with a service completely in Enby up to 50% on all its tariff plans, so Lobster glish and competitive tariff plans tailor-made customers can now surf the internet more and for expatriates, has provided a winning formufor longer! All tariff plans continue to la that has appealed to tens of include unlimited calls and texts in thousands of happy customers and Spain, to the UK and other countries, growing rapidly. Our customers and start from just â‚Ź12 per month VAT “Our customers are using more and included. are using more more data, browsing the internet Also, the tariff plans include ‘Roam keeping in touch with friends and more data more, Like At Home’ so that customers can and family with video conferencing enjoy the same services while at services, watching their favourite browsing the home in any country in the European series with video streaming, and internet Economic Area, at no additional cost. much more. We have increased Customers can keep their existing data for new and current Lobster Spanish number if they already have customers with no changes in price. one or opt for a brand new one. At Lobster it is important to us that our customThe Lobster brand was created to establish an ers have the highest levels of satisfaction in the emotional bond with British values and service. market,â€? said Tony Watts, Marketing Director of The DNA of the Company is ‘English, easy and the company. effortless’ together with a personality that is It is very easy to become a Lobster customer,
just provide identification and pay month by month with no commitments. You can cancel at any time. Signing up for the service can be done through any one of more than 600 retail stores. Customers can easily find the closest store to them using the store finder on their website lobster.es. If customers prefer, they can also sign up online or by calling the Customer Contact Centre for free on 1661 where all the agents are native English speakers.
HEALTH
Vital vitamin
A FORM of vitamin D may have kept COVID-19 sufferers out of intensive care (ICU), according to a Spanish study. Researchers followed 76 patients who were hospitalised with COVID-19. Of those, 50 were given calcifediol and only one of them needed to be admitted into ICU. All were discharged without complications. But of the 26 not treated with the drug, 13 were eventually admitted into the intensive care unit, and two died. Now larger trials of the drug are being carried out to confirm if calcifediol is able to reduce the severity of symptoms. “Our pilot study demonstrated that administration of a high dose of calcifediol or 25-hydroxyvitamin D, a main metabolite of vitamin D endocrine system, significantly reduced the need for ICU treatment of patients requiring hospitalisation due to proven COVID-19,â€? said lead author of the report, Marta Entrenas Castillo of Reina SofĂa University Hospital in Cordoba. The research was started after doctors realised that a severe vitamin D deficiency is fairly common among COVID-19 victims. According to the researchers, the calcifediol hinders the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome. They say that calcifediol is safe, cheap and potentially very effective.
A STUDY has revealed that teachers in Spain show clear symptoms of anxiety because of COVID-19 and the return to the classroom. Some 54% of teachers who responded to the study ‘Impact of COVID-19 on the psychological health of workers in Spain’ reported clinical signs of depression or anxiety.
September 18th - October 1st 2020
Date rape breakthrough New test instantly shows if drink has been spiked
SPANISH researchers have come up with a way to easily detect if a drink has been spiked with date rape drug GHB. It allows people to see with their naked eye if the drug – which is colourless and odourless and has a slightly salty taste – has been poured into their drink. GHB (Îł-hydroxybutyric acid) is notorious for leaving its victims helpless and open to attack. The Spanish Society of Emergency Medicine (SEMES) estimates that the substance is involved in approximately 20% of sexual assaults. University of Valencia (UV) predoctoral researcher Silvia RodrĂguez NuĂŠvalos ex-
Back to school blues
The report was led by consultancy firm Affor Prevencion Psicosocial. It showed that teachers suffered disturbed sleep (90%), nervousness, irritability or tension (89.5%), headaches (79.2%), delays in starting
tasks (62.9%) or a feeling of suffocation without physical exertion (52.1%). The report also highlighted that 64.6% of teachers feel more overwhelmed and stressed than usual and 42.7% feel unhappy and depressed.
SIMPLE: Colour test for suspect drinks plained that current tests ro, Professor of Organic are not particularly reliable. Chemistry at the university, She said: “When you mix the team has now patented spirits with non-alcoholic the test. GHB is relatively beverages, for example, a easily available. Its effects tonic, the detection prob- last from three to six hours lems increase, as those and the body metabolises beverages contain products it quickly, so it is very difthat can give false positives ficult to prove its intake afor false negatives. terwards. “With the sensor developed by the UV team, the compoDefenceless sition of the drinks does not It is used as a recreationchange the response, so it is al drug due to its euphoric a safer method.� The test comes in an easy to effects, but it is addictive use kit where a drop of the and produces loss of consuspect drink is added to a sciousness of reality, so the liquid. If it changes colour, person who swallows it is defenseless against dangers then GHB is present. Led by Ana Maria Coste- such as robbery or rape.
11
Testicle Trouble CORONAVIRUS may cause men’s testicles to swell and impair their ability to have children, Spanish scientits have warned. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) fever, dry cough and shortness of breath are the defining clinical aspects of COVID-19. However, scientists are now documenting a growing list of atypical coronavirus infection symptoms, giving doctors more insight into the emerging disease. Spanish scientists highlight ed a scientific study whose conclusions have been published in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine. The study covered the treatment of a patient who had swollen testicles after testing positive for coronavirus. The report explained that the patient, in addition to the typical symptoms of the disease, arrived at the hospital with severe testicular pain. In addition to this medical case, the study included other cases of coronavirus positives who also experienced inflammation in the testicles. This potential condition is painful and could lead to fertility problems if no action is taken, experts warned.
Double mission Saving both money AND the planet is the promise of fast-growing Malaga company Mariposa Energia IT should come as no surprise that Mariposa Energia is rapidly spreading its wings. Meaning ‘Butterfly Energy’, the expat-run firm is now covering the whole of Spain with its double mission: to save you money AND save the planet. The green business, which only set up a year ago, is shaking up the electricity market by providing cheaper energy tariffs, while also providing 100% sustainable energy, coming exclusively from Spanish wind farms. And the team, based in Marbella, are so confident they can save you money they are more than happy to prove it. Simply send over a recent energy bill and the team of ten will calculate the amount you would save if your electricity was supplied by Mariposa. Consumers who switch, not only save money, but they’re also reducing their carbon footprint with one of the cleanest forms of electricity available. Electricity from wind farms has very little environmental impact and unlike traditional fossil fuels, there are no emissions that pollute the air, creating greenhouse gases. Furthermore, the turbines take up far less space than traditional power plants and don’t consume large quantities of water (for generating electricity or for cooling purposes). Even better, wind energy is renewable, meaning it’s constantly replenished and won’t run out.
“Saving the planet is something the whole team at Mariposa are passionate about,â€? insists CEO and founder Martin Tye. The British businessman, based in Marbella for years, adds: “We know it’s often difficult to prioritise the planet but our cheaper tariffs give everyone the opportunity to save money FLEET-FOOTED: Some of the rapidly growing Mariposa Energia team in San Pedro de Alcantara and do their bit for the environment.â€? to understand, a key selling point for Mariposa EnWhile switching energy suppliers is common practice ergĂa. in many European countries it is a relatively new con“Electricity bills are notoriously difficult to undercept in Spain. stand and it’s often challenging to know how much energy you have consumed,â€? adds Martin, a long-time green campaigner. “That’s why we’ve made our bills simple, straightforIt is an incredibly straightforward process, explains ward and easy to understand.â€? Tye, a father-of-three, whose solar panel and LED bulb And when it comes to customer service you won’t have company supplies schools and universities around to deal with a faceless call centre, as each Mariposa the UK. client has their own account handler for any queries. “The team will make the switch for you and almost “We’re helping businesses and households alike to instantly you will get cleaner, greener energy down save money. As long as you spend â‚Ź25 or more per the same cables. month on your electricity we’re confident we can save “There is no need for any new equipment or for any you money. “Some of our clients are saving as much work to be done. It’s literally easier than flicking a as 35% on their electricity bills. switch. You won’t even notice it’s happened until you “If you’re a business that consumes a high amount of start receiving cheaper bills.â€? energy, such as a restaurant, that could make a big A further benefit is that your bills will be a lot easier difference to your monthly fixed costs.â€?
Straightforward
To find out how much you could save, the friendly English, Spanish and Swedish team can be contacted at their San Pedro offices on 951 120 830 or at info@mariposaenergia.es or visit www.mariposaenergia.es for more information.
12
September 18th - October 1st 2020
Eye on IBIZA
You don’t have to be a millionaire A-lister to enjoy a week on the party island of Ibiza, discovers Olive Press editor Jon Clarke
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
September 18th - October 1st 2020
It’ll be all white!
13
History tour
STUNNING: Dalt Vila
M
any wrongly assume that Ibiza is lacking in culture, being full of footballers and Love Island types. In fact the island has a rich history dating back to the Romans and Phoenicians before them. One of the best places to appreciate this is Ibiza Town, also known as Eivissa. Beautifully preserved behind formidable fortifi-
GOLDEN FIND: Chiringuito on Cala de Sa Ferradura sits below Ibiza’s most expensive rental
W
E’RE eating €8 sausage sandwiches with thinly-sliced Toro tomatoes, washed down with ice cold Estrella Damm lagers and a couple of fizzy drinks. With a plate of prawns as a
starter and ice-creams for the kids for postre, the bill comes to just €58 and the owner throws in a couple of sunbeds and a parasol for free, as it’s a ‘bit of a gloomy day’. The simple beach chiringuito, Es Pas de S’Illa, on Cala de
return fare on Ryanair from Malaga this summer. While hoping to experience some of the glamour of the socalled White Island, we were very much on a budget and looking to save our pennies as much as we could.
Taking picnics to isolated beaches is a great option, as is watching Netflix at home in the evening with an excellent bottle of Ribera (or a local Balearic wine) in the comfort of your rental home. I particularly recommend White Lines,
From here you pass an ancient cobbled courtyard into a maze of narrow, winding streets full of rather overpriced restaurants and boutiques. You’re better off shopping in the grid of streets below the old town, home to one of the island’s oldest restaurants, Comidas Bar San Juan, or the nearby Santa Rita Ibiza, which has some great value tapas and wines by the glass.
Super Santa
a drama about the genesis of Ibiza’s club scene, actually set in nearby Mallorca, but with some excellent storylines. Here are some other great money-saving ideas for doing Ibiza on a budget without missing out on a thing.
Take a hike
CONTRASTS: From hip W hotel to historic Puig de Missa church
Santa Eulalia is probably Ibiza’s only year-round resort. It’s great value for families, well looked after with a historic core and a friendly vibe. The polar opposite of rowdy ‘San An’, make sure to visit the charming Puig de Missa church which dates back to the 16th century before strolling along the promenade to the pretty marina. There are some excellent restaurants dotted along the seafront and a couple have live jazz in the evenings. But this is not a party town so by midnight most of the locals and tourists have gone to bed. The beaches are darned good too and the historic Hotel Buenavista, the island’s second oldest, has gorgeous gardens - paradise for cocktails or an evening meal. You should also take a look at the recently opened W Hotel which architecturally takes some beating.
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sa Ferradura, may not be the easiest place to find, but keep your eyes peeled and you might see an international superstar or footballer stopping in for a quick one. For above it is, reportedly the most expensive private island home in the entire Meditteranean. Built on a small rocky outcrop, actually joined by a small spit making it a peninsula, the stunning home has been rented by global starlets, including singer Madonna and Cesc Fabregas for his wedding. Russian-owned, it will set you back a lofty €250,000 a week in summer. But it sleeps 18, has 22 staff and you can arrive by boat or helicopter if the mood so takes you. With spectacular sea views, two swimming pools and a rotating sun-deck atop a tower, you get the picture that this is something out of the ordinary Costa rental market. Welcome to Ibiza, where even in the heart of the Covid crisis, the fashionable beach restaurants are busier than ever. Indeed, according to locals, many are almost twice as busy as usual. This is the island of the global super rich and don’t think for a minute that the coronavirus is stopping them from spending their money. Whether buzzing to and fro from nearby Formentera isle on a superyacht or shooting the breeze at a private villa party, they were very much in attendance. You could see it from the lineup of private jets at the airport and the designer schmutter being worn around Ibiza town. And while the island’s celebrated superclubs might have been shut this season, it didn’t stop the select few from splashing out on bottles of champagne at €500 a pop or a plate of Jamon Iberico de Bellota at €50 a throw. I watched it with my own eyes during a 10-day stay on the island with my family, taking advantage of an amazing €50
cations, the historic core is known as Dalt Vila, a UNESCO protected World Heritage site and once one of the most important trading centres in the Med. Heavily fortified during the reigns of Kings Charles I and Felipe II to defend it against the French and the Ottomans, you enter on foot via the dramatic slope up to the drawbridge and gateway of Portal de Ses Taules.
SECRET: Portitxol beach is accessed by mountain path only
I
t might come as a surprise to many, but Ibiza is excellent walking terrain. The island is criss-crossed with a network of fabulous hikes, many taking in secret, isolated beaches that can only be accessed via Shanks’s pony. The walks are well mapped out, particularly the ones in the north, and the excellent website and app Wikiloc provides plenty of easy-to-follow maps. One of my favourites, short and sweet at under 8km, is the amazing circular walk which takes in Playa es Portitxol, a stunning cove with a few boat houses and nothing else. Park up by the Urbanizacion Isla Blanca and, my advice, take the inland route downhill first, skirting around an incredibly unspoilt pine forest.
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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
September 18th - October 1st 2020
This gorgeous beach deserves special mention. It’s where the cool crowd go to strip off (often entirely, so be warned) and listen to the sunset bongo drums, particularly on a Sunday which is an all-dayer (although you now have to get bussed down as it gets very busy)
Flights/Ferries
Getting to Ibiza from Mallorca has never been cheaper. Since the Covid crisis took a grip direct flights have been costing not much more than €40 return. Alternatively take a ferry via various companies and you can take your car.
Car hire
Be warned car hire is expensive in Ibiza whenever you go. Always book a long time in advance or look out for local firms, based in each town/ resort who will rent you cars for considerably less once in situ.
I
BIZA has a great range of restaurants, although many are overpriced and underwhelming at the same time. It pays to have some local knowledge and, in particular, to have a car to get to the rural reaches of the island, where many of its best eateries are found. The northern triumvirate of Sant Miguel, Santa Gertrudis and Sant Llorenc have some of the best chestnuts. I particularly liked Aubergine (www. aubergineibiza.com), an unpretentious roadside venta from the outside that opens out into a stunning landscaped garden. Just outside Sant Miguel, its remit is offering a veritable feast of local goodness, with the Slow Food concept of ‘farm to table’. As you might expect there are plenty of great light vegetarian dishes, such as the fabulous roasted aubergine carpaccio, with cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, rocket pesto and a lot more...but it also had delicious lamb chops with homegrown potatoes at just €20 and a superb Aberdeen Angus burger. There is a kids menu at €12 and they also have a playpark at the back, plus on busy nights you’ll be spoilt by an unobtrusive fashion show of the restaurant shop’s wares.
Where to stay
The supercool five-star OD hotel in Talamanca (www.od-hotels.com) is easy walking distance to Ibiza Town and the famous
nightclub of Pacha. Walk the other way and in ten minutes you are in amazing pine forests en route to the superb Cala Bonita. Hyper modern with a cascading trio of pools, it is where the DJs and those-in-theknow stay. It’s top floor restaurant (above) has views to die for, as do most of the rooms. Another great place to stay is the Hotel Buenavista & Suites in Santa Eulalia which counts on fabulous, mature gardens and some spacious rooms (www.ibizabuenavista.com)
Markets
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It’s the great Ibizan bargain hunt! Deals are on offer from chalets in Santa Eulalia to apartments in Sant Jordi
Breathtaking Benirras
TASTY: Atmospheric Aubergine, and top floor dining at OD Talamanca
September 18th - October 1st 2020
Movers and shakers
Beach life
Dining secrets
PROPERTY
The hippy market in Las Dalias opened in 1985 and is bustling with people out to buy handmade jewellery, cool linen beachwear, and rustic-looking leatherwork.
I
biza is famous for its huge variety of beaches, ultra clean water and lush undersea Poseidon grass meadows. Don’t miss Cala Bonita (below), a great city beach near Eivissa with its own excellent chiringuito, Cala Nova, which rustles up great surf waves and fodder too at the hip Atzaro Beach club (above). Cala de Sant Vicent is another must visit, as are the beaches east of Portinatx including Cala Xucla, Cala Xarraca and, if you like to dive in from the rocks, S’Illot des Rencli. Another excellent beach for underwater exploration in the south is Cala Tarida, with its superb, good value beach restaurant Ses Eufabies.
Up the road in the village of San MIguel is the stunning La Luna Nell’Orto (www.lalunanellorto.com), where you sit under a shady fig tree and watch the beautiful people. It’s a touch overpriced, but the food is excellent and includes a delicious carrillada, or bulls cheek. Better value, although certainly not cheap, is La Paloma (www.palomaibiza.com), a genuine island secret and well worth seeking out in San Llorenc. The very definition of style, this rural delight is authentic in the extreme, based around a country farmhouse and you will definitely need to book. Top tips to eat must include the aubergine starter as well as the amazing salt cod fish cakes. The meringue cake pudding with rose petals and raspberries was the pudding of the holiday. Nearby in Santa Gertrudis you will find some charming places to eat. But nothing will beat Bottega il Buco (www.ilbuco.com), an amazing Italian with the best ingredients imaginable. The sister restaurant of the famous New York joint, it has dozens of homemade focaccia every day, made from its own largely gluten-free flour. The menu changes daily, so a burrata one day comes with peach the next day with figs… and there are loads of fresh vegetable dishes, including a superb cauliflower gratinale, with roast fennel. I particularly liked the smoked swordfish with cod roe, while the shoulder of lamb was particularly tender and slow cooked. In terms of beach restaurants, you are obviously spoilt for choice. I particularly liked Atzaro Beach (www.atzarobeach.com) in Cala Nova for its amazing locaAUTHENTIC: La Paloma and (right) Luca tion and decent explains the menu at il Buco
FINDING a dreamy rental property in Spain during the summer season often turns into a nightmare. But the arrival of COVID-19 in lieu of millions of holidaymakers - means landlords in hotspots across Spain are offering substantial discounts in some of the country’s most desirable postcodes. Some of the biggest bargains can be found on the party island of Ibiza, best known for its glamorous parties and big-name celebs - and counts Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Jade Jagger, Rafael Nadal and Michael Fassbender among its A-List fans. The island, nicknamed the White Isle after its traditional lime-washed houses, is known as the clubbing capital of the world and acknowl-
edged for its high octane parties - and equally high rental prices. But even the most hardcore ravers were forced to call it a night after coronavirus swept the globe and pulled the plug on the party island. Still, if you’ve ever dreamed of living it large in Ibiza, now’s the time to make your move. For instance, rental sites like Idealista and Fotocasa are advertising homes all across the island for 50% less than their usual rental price. The rent on a three-bedroom chalet in Santa Eulalia has fallen from €4,000 per month to €2,000. Meanwhile €1,500 has been knocked off a two-bedroom luxury penthouse with a jacuzzi in the center of Ibiza, and €775 off another villa in
MOVE IN: Bargains to be had the same spot. Rooms in shared apartments are also seeing prices slashed by up to half. A room in a
OP Puzzle solutions Quick Crossword Across: 1 Restless, 5 Iced, 9 Small, 10 Foreign, 11 Empty, 12 Tugboat, 13 Tobacconist, 18 Aviator, 20 Amaze, 21 Madonna, 22 Delta, 23 Near, 24 Unbolted. range of dishes to match. This is one cool spot overlooking the hip Cala Nova, famous for its surf waves on many days of the year. The view goes for miles to the Punta de Fonell and famous Tagomago island across a sea of green umbrella pines, dotted with cubist villas. Part of the fast-growing Atzaro chain, owned by a local Ibiza family, its menu includes an amazing ceviche of sea bass, with aubergine crisps, as well as a superb red prawn carpaccio, which is reminiscent of a Jackson Pollock or a Rothko, but far tastier. Finally, as hotel restaurants go, the sixth floor roof terrace of the hotel OD Talamanca takes some beating. Sitting at one end of trendy Talamanca beach, just a 15 minute walk to Eivissa town, Finally, looking for a great chiringuito, try the great value Es Pas de S’illa on Cala Ferradura You have one simple menu but views to die for.
Down: 1 Risked, 2 Shampoo, 3 Lolly, 4 Safety curtain, 6 Cairo, 7 Denote, 8 Origin, 14 Attend, 15 Scarlet, 16 Salmon, 17 Reward, 19 India, 20 Audio.
SUDOKU
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two-bedroom shared apartment in the centre has gone from €1,200 euros to €650. And in the town of Sant Jordi, the landlord of a four-bed villa is now offering a room for just €300 after previously asking for €500. In the same town, a room in a five-bedroom villa has decreased in price from €850 to €500. But remember, just like bleary-eyed partygoers, properties in Ibiza move quickly. If you want to bag a bargain and secure a rental property in Ibiza, you better get a wiggle on.
Friends.
Reset.
Music.
At OD Port Portals we have our own star rating. In fact, we have all the stars of the Mallorca sky and we will enjoy them all together every summer night at OD Sky Bar, on our spacious terrace and at our restaurant On Top. A hotel full of local experiences, music, art, gastronomy, yoga, pre-parties, flea markets, brunches, concerts, Pilates, tardeo, sea, sun and all the stars. A hotel full of life.
Horizon.
Sunset.
Memories.
We use recycled paper
FINAL WORDS
Mistaken identity COPS busted a brothel in Tetuan and dished out 75 fines for flaunting COVID-19 restrictions after a man mistook the plain-clothed officers for punters and offered them ‘alcohol, girls and parties’.
Bomb surprise A DOG walker on a stroll in Murcia’s Sangonera la Verde stumbled across an active mortar grenade dating back to the Civil War in the late thirties.
Tomb raider 11 ANCIENT graves have been uncovered by student volunteers at Pobla de Ifach in Calpe on the northern Costa Blanca.
OLIVE PRESS
The
Reuse Reduce Recycle
FREE
Colour clash
MALLORCA
Your expat
voice in Spain
Vol. 4 Issue 89 www.theolivepress.es September 18th - October 1st 2020
Sign of the times
A STORM is brewing over the makeover of a 90-year-old lighthouse with a campaign group taking a dim view of the colourful changes. The beacon, near the Cantabrian town of Ajo, is at the centre of a cultural row after a vibrant paint job by local artist Okuda San Miguel.
Zebra crossings and children warning signs are deemed to be sexist ROAD signs in Spain have been branded sexist. A government report highlighted what it called the 'machismo' displayed in tra-
ditional road signage. In particular it claims that a ‘careful of children’ sign, which depicts a boy holding the hand of a girl leading
Missing post SPANISH police have tracked down a valuable painting by renowned Spanish artist Joan Miro that had been missing since it got ‘lost in the post’. Investigators tracked it down to a London auction where the piece was up for sale with an estimated price of €10,000. Investigations began after
the artwork from the famed Gaudi series failed to reach its destination.
Eye tests available by appointment at Specsavers Ópticas. We’ve made some changes to our normal practices in store. We are thoroughly disinfecting the room and all the testing equipment used after each person we see, our team are wearing personal protective equipment and if you try on frames, we’ll ask you to give them back to us when you’re done so we can give them a good clean before they’re tried on or touched again.
For more information or to request an appointment visit specsavers.es Santa Ponça Avda. Rei Jaume, 117 Tel. 871 964 331
Olive Press Mallorca – 170mm x 256mm – Color
18 September
her across the road, shows women in a 'situation of dependence and subordination.' Other signs such as those for 'zebra crossings' and 'tractors prohibited' are also under fire for showing only male figures. "Even when progress has been made, signs contrary to the principles of equality still survive,” said a spokesman for the Attorney General’s office. Critics argue that the signs, designed in 1957 by British typographer Margaret Calvert OBE, were created
without a specific gender in mind. A survey carried out in 2017 by El Pais showed that just 22% of Madrid's street names were after female figures, compared to 19% in Barcelona and just 10% in Valencia. This is not the first time that Spain has seen its roadside information come under fire. As early as 2006, the town of Fuenlabrada near Madrid gave all its signage and traffic lights a make over, swapping all of it's male signs for female outlines.
Vibrant
Some 4,000 people have signed a petition asking the council and the port authority to reverse the scheme for the monochrome sentry, which stood stark white over the Atlantic for almost a century. The council has been hoping the recently completed project, called Infinite Cantabria, would encourage tourists from across the globe to visit the landmark. Some of the money raised through events at the site will go to funding food banks in the area.