Olive Press Valencia - Issue 2 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

The

OLIVE PRESS

Your expat

voice in Spain

VALENCIA / COSTA AZAHAR FREE Vol. 1 Issue 2 www.theolivepress.es December 10th - December 23rd 2020

Nativity Double!

LIKE buses, Alicante has bagged two world records in one fell swoop. The city has been handed the Guinness World Record award after building the tallest and largest nativity scene in history. The display features a record-breaking 18-metre high statue of Joseph alongside a smaller Virgin Mary and baby Jesus. Created by Jose Manuel Garcia, its giant statue easily beats the old 1991 height record set in Mexico. The display is also now the world’s largest-ever static nativity scene occu-

By Alex Trelinski

pying an area of 56 square metres. Some local political parties have criticised the cost of the enterprise, including €123,000 for the sculptures. There is also the bill of €14,000 payable to Guinness World Records for certification. Councillor Manuel Jimenez justified the expense saying: “The visitor numbers justify it and we are seeing business being stimulated by the display.”

Dinner with destiny SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO: Boris was set for crucial meeting with Von der Leyen last night

BRITAIN’S Prime Minister had a date with destiny last night in Brussels. Boris Johnson was having dinner with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen to see if there was any chance of salvaging a so-called soft Brexit trade deal with Europe. It came after Johnson insisted a deal with the EU was looking ‘very very difficult’ on Tuesday. The frustrating news came after weeks of claims that a deal was close to being finalised. “We’ll do our level best, but I would just like to say to everybody - be in good cheer, there are great options ahead for our country,” Johnson insisted. Talks with the EU have remained in deadlock for days thanks to disagreement over fishing quotas. While it comprises just 0.1% of the UK economy, the fishing

row could spell a hit of up to 3% for the economy and up to the same for Spain, the biggest predicted victim in Europe. A final last minute push sawJohnson travelling to Brussels in an attempt to salvage a deal. Von der Leyen confirmed that an EU summit will begin on today (Thursday) to address the disagreements. EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier has been firm that talks will not continue past Wednesday and is ‘very downbeat’ and ‘very gloomy’, according to the Irish government. As Johnson took to Twitter to celebrate the first day of the coronavirus vaccine roll out, Belgium’s president jibed that the jab had been ‘Made in Europe’. See Cash Crash, p17 and No News is Bad News, p22

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CAN’T BEAR IT

Environmental groups unite after hunters kill two protected brown bears on ‘dark day’ for Spain SLAIN: Female brown bear Sarousse was shot by a hunter who claimed it was an act of ‘self defence’ AN investigation has been launched after a pair of brown bears were gunned down on a ‘dark day’ for efforts to protect the endangered species. The adult females were shot dead by different hunters, with one claiming to have fired at the bear in self defence. In what has infuriated environmentalists, both animals were killed in conservation zones, in the week a law banning hunting in Spain’s National Parks came into force. The first bear was shot in the Palencia mountains, in Castilla y Leon, by a hunter who claimed he thought the creature was a wild boar. A second bear, named Sarousse, was killed during a

By Kirsty McKenzie

hunt in the Aragon Pyrenees. The 21-year-old animal - one of just 350 in Spain - was shot dead in the Bardaji valley. The hunter, who claimed he was acting in self-defence, gunned her down at pointblank range when she acted in an ‘aggressive manner’ after being disturbed by his dogs. Sarousse, who had originally been captured in Slovenia before being released in 2006, is the third bear to be killed in the Pyrenees this year. Spain’s environment minister Teresa Ribera slammed the deaths and said efforts were

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underway to determine what led to the killings on November 29. It comes after six green groups, including Ecologistas en Accion, SEO Birdlife and Friends of the Earth, united to demand immediate action. The Guardia Civil’s wildlife unit Seprona confirmed this week that an investigation has now been launched.

Heritage

The deaths came just 10 days after police in Catalunya arrested a local environmental official over the death of a third bear, a six-year-old male called Cachou, who was killed in the Val d’Aran area in April. The Spanish Brown Bear Foundation described the killings as a ‘dark day for conservation’. The group warned that deliberate hunting carried penalties of up to three years in prison. “This is enough. These bears were everyone’s heritage,”

said spokesman Garcia Paloma, who insisted the laws needed to be strengthened. Bears, once critically endangered in Spain, are now considered ‘high priority’ by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Brown bears became a protected species in 1973 as part of an attempt to grow numbers in the Pyrenees between France and Spain. The deaths came as sport and commercial hunting became illegal in Spain’s National Parks on December 5. The law was actually passed in 2014, but the then-ruling party, the PP, granted a six year extension, which came to an end last week. Hunters described the ban as ‘ecological disaster’ that will lead to job losses and overpopulation of the species. Environmental groups called for Aragon’s regional council to suspend all wild boar hunts in the areas where the presence of bears is known. Opinion Page 6

CRIME

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NEWS IN BRIEF Tax slash LEADING hotel association Hosbec has called on Valencian municipalities to emulate Madrid and cut IBI and rubbish collection taxes by 50% to support the industry during the pandemic.

Hospital fraud INVESTIGATORS are probing a contract to run three emergency field hospitals in the Valencian Community after there was no public consultation during this year’s bidding process.

Top tier EIGHT doctors from the Valencia area have made it into the top 50 list of medical experts in Spain, who have been hand selected by the leading global specialists at TopDoctors.

Busy bees VALENCIAN beekeepers could soon be stung by a €60,000 fine if they leave hives near growing citrus fruit. Apiculturists have slammed the proposals a ‘total discrimination’.

Car-jacked

December 10th - December 23rd 2020

Easy cop

British couple robbed by ‘good Samaritan’ gang in broad daylight, writes Eugene Costello A BRITISH businessman and his wife have been robbed in a car-jacking incident by criminals posing as ‘Good Samaritans’. Company director Chris Ogilvie-Taylor and his wife Linda were forced over by motorbike robbers in Barcelona during the broad daylight attack. The couple, 65 and 64, were en-route from their home in Portugal, to their holiday home in Palma, Mallorca, via ferry, when they were attacked. The couple had decided to drive into the Catalan capital for lunch with three hours to spare

EXCLUSIVE before their ferry. “I guess we looked like wealthy targets with the car being on Portuguese plates,” said Ogilvie-Taylor, from London, who was driving a Mercedes GLC. “I’m pretty certain we were tailed as we left the port. “We were apprehended as we drove near the zoo by Parc de la Ciutadella when someone on a scooter tapped on my window, pointing to my rear tyre. “And at that moment the onboard computer indicated the

tyre had deflated rapidly,” he continued. Naturally, he pulled over to inspect the tyre, while the rider explained to his wife, who speaks good Spanish, that he had seen the tyre blown. “He said not to worry as he knew a mechanic who would be able to bring a spare and then he drove off, promising to return with his friend.” It was then they suddenly realised that the man had been distracting them while an accom-

New evidence in Maddie probe GERMAN police are gathering new and ‘interesting’ evidence as they prepare to question the chief suspect in the Madeleine McCann disappearance case. Chief Prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters revealed he is following up new information on Christian Brueckner, who spent over a decade travelling around Spain and Portugal. This includes new photos from holidaymakers at the time of Maddie’s disappearance, in 2005, in Portugal. “There are quite good leads we are following

up,” said Wolters. It comes as Brueckner, 43, was moved to a notorious high security jail once used by the Gestapo as an execution centre during the Nazi reign. The German pervert is serving a 21-month sentence for child sex offences as well as seven years for the rape of an American, 72, in Praia da Luz, where Maddie went missing. He had an application for parole turned down last month and will be in prison until at least 2026.

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VICTIMS: the OgilvieTaylors and Mercedes plice had opened the rear door and snatched two expensive designer handbags, which contained their passports, credit cards and some cash. “A haul of over €10,000,” added Ogilvie-Taylor. It emerged the tyre had been slashed by a long knife – suggesting the hijack could have got very violent if they had tried to stop it. “It’s a classic ‘Good Samaritan’ theft, which I call the modern equivalent of lawless 18th-century highwaymen,” continued Ogilvie-Taylor. “The fact it can take place in broad daylight in a modern, European city like Barcelona, is amazing.” Last year, Spanish police warned tourists about a migrant gang who were slashing car tyres, then robbing owners by posing as Good Samaritans when they were forced to pull over. The gang from eastern Europe preyed on tourists on a 450mile stretch of the AP-7 motorway, running from Catalunya’s border with France to Murcia.

A BRITISH thief has been rumbled by an off-duty cop when he tried to exit a Valencia bar with stolen cash and alcohol. The arrest came just as the off duty cop was arriving for his shift at the Torrevieja barracks. He spotted the Brit, 35, and his 31-year-old Spanish colleague, clutching money and bottles of spirits, coming out of a bar that was shut during the COVID lockdown. When he ordered them to stop they ran leading to a chase with the officer finally apprehending the British felon, who has an ‘extensive criminal record’ of similar crimes. His partner in crime was finally located hiding in bushes.

Footloose FAMED flamenco dancer Rafael Amargo has been arrested for drug trafficking. The performer's partner was also detained while the authorities searched their home, where they found drugs. Amargo, 45, is allegedly facing charges for drug trafficking and criminal association. He was due to star in a new production in Madrid this month.

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NEWS

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TOP: Letizia Ortiz, Isabel Diaz and Elena Ochoa

No kidding around NINE-year-old Solea Fernandez Moreno from Sevilla, the youngest contender at this year’s Junior Eurovision Song Contest, has done her country proud by taking third place. Born into a family that is part of the famous flamenco clan Farrucos y Fernandez, Solea proved that musician’s blood runs in her veins by interpreting Palante, a catchy number that fuses flamenco and urban pop. Her performance earned her 470,000 online votes – over 10% of the total share – and proved that Spain may well have a new Rosalia in the making, as many have suggested. The winner was France’s 11-year-old Valentina, with J’Imagine who burst into tears at the result.

FORBES has done what it’s known best for and made another list that ranks society’s elites. But the twist in this tale is that all of Spain’s ‘most influential people of 2020’ are women. Clocking in at number one is the Reina de España herself, Letizia Ortiz. A public sweetheart, Queen Letizia has presided over numerous important events this year when her husband, King Felipe VI, has had to self-isolate.

Girl power

The rest of the list is largely dominated by politicians, presidents and CEOs. Ana Botin, President of Santander bank, is the silver medallist, while the President of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Diaz Ayudo, comes in at third. Other famous faces on Forbes’ list include psychologist and gallery owner, Elena Ochoa Foster.

December 10th - December 23rd 2020

Top e of th

pops

Love is blind LOVE ISLAND’S Theo Campbell is suing an Ibiza beach resort after nearly going blind from a flying fizz cork. The reality star, who rose to fame after appearing in the third season of the hit ITV show, was partying at a champagne spray party hosted by Wayne Lineker when tragedy struck.

TV star sues swanky Ibiza beach club after champagne cork blasts in face and leaves him partially sighted By Kirsty McKenzie

While enjoying the celebrations at O Beach Club one of the party’s official bottles

PAIN: Theo partying and, right, recovering

Baring All SPANISH on-screen superstar Penelope Cruz is set to reveal the most intimate details of her life in a new documentary TV show, Pongamos que Hablo de, available on Atresplayer Premium this December. The detailed series will track the actress’ life from Alcobendas to Hollywood to Madrid, through over 30 interviews with the star herself and those closest to her.

TENNIS star Rafael Nadal has raised over €20,000 in the fight against coronavirus. The world number two donated one of his prized match winning shirts, worn at the prestigious Roland Garros tournament in France last year The donation formed part of the #LaMejorA-

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popped in his direction and penetrated the cornea of his right eye. Theo required 11 stitches after surgery in Ibiza and the UK, but is still suffering severe sight issues. The 29-year-old Great Britain runner says the incident has significantly reduced his ability to work, and wants answers as to why his sight has never fully recovered. “The last 15 months or so trying to come to terms with what has happened have been hard,” he said. “I’m a positive person and try and remain upbeat but as time goes on the chances of my sight getting back to normal become reduced. “I’m speaking with doctors about what may or may not be possible but I also have a number of questions about what happened to me. “I don’t know what the future may hold with regards to my sight but I feel that the least I deserve is answers to what happened and why. “Bringing this case was something that hasn’t been done lightly but I feel that at present it’s the best opportunity for me to get the answers I deserve.”

POPULAR: Bad Bunny

LATIN rapper Bad Bunny has been named as Spotify’s most-streamed global artist of 2020 with fellow reggaeton singer J Balvin (pictured below) trailing close behind. Bad Bunny, 26, born in Puerto Rico, shot to stardom after collaborating with Cardi B on her single I Like It in 2016 and went on to become one of the best-selling Latin music artists in the world. Famous for performing Latin trap and reggaeton, Bad Bunny - real name Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio - has garnered millions of fans in Spain, the UK and beyond. In 2020 he hit more than 8.3bn streams, beating out the likes of Drake and J Balvin for the global top spot. His second album YHLQMDLG was the most streamed release of the year, ahead of After Hours by the Canadian singer The Weeknd, Hollywood’s Bleeding by Post Malone and Fine Line by British singer Harry Styles.

Getting shirty sistencia, or The Best Assistance auction to raise much needed funds for the Spanish Red Cross. Organised by Liga ACB, Spain’s premier bas-

ORIGINAL IRISH TAVERN

ketball division, Nadal’s shirt proved to be a big seller, bringing in a whopping €20,500 Before the auction opened, Nadal shared a video to social revealing that he would be donating a ‘precious object’. He said: “I wanted to donate the shirt with which I won Roland Garros in 2019.

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Block threat

BID: Polop castle

Grave attraction THE remains of Polop Castle are being given a makeover in a bid to become a tourist attraction. €133,000 is being spent on the 12th century castle to carry out repairs. The fortress was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC) in 1997 but recent years have seen it fall into a serious state of disrepair.

Disrepair Information boards will be erected around the castle grounds to tell visitors about its history. The fortress stands on a hill to give it a dominating view over Polop and was built as part of the Almohad north African Berber empire dating back to the 12th century. In the 19th century, the area was transformed into a cemetery.

BENIDORM’S bar owners are threatening to snarl up roads outside the regional parliament building in Valencia city if they don’t get immediate cash help. Three hospitality and retail groups have written to Valencian president, Ximo Puig, and called for direct aid worth €1,000 per employee.

Claim

The groups claim that plenty of money is in the coffers because of €1.5 billion of European grants given to the Valencian government. Motorcades blocking Valencia city streets are said to be planned if they get no satisfaction. In a joint statement, the groups said: “We feel abandoned, despised and humiliated compared to other Spanish regions that have already come up with measures like Murcia, Andalucia, Galicia, and the Basque Country.” “We believe there has been a total neglect by the president of the Generalitat Valenciana.”

NEWS

December 10th - December 23rd 2020

Christmas cheer

But while bars and clubs can open from 5pm there’s still no dancing allowed

BARS and restaurants in the Valencian Community will be able to stay open until 1am over four nights of the festive season. The holiday rules are based on national guidelines agreed between all Spanish regions. The night-time curfew will be delayed by 90 minutes to a 1.30am start on December 24, 25, and 31, as well as on January 1. Those are the same evenings as the extra hours for the hardpressed hospitality industry with service ending at 12.30am ahead of a 1am closure. Tables at bars and restaurants can accommodate up to six people but the Valencian government says that can be extended to 10 people consisting of family members and people who live together under the same roof. The same quotas will apply for

XMAS NIBS Still on SEASONAL festivities will still take place on the streets of Valencia this month despite the coronavirus pandemic, with Christmas markets taking place on Plaza del Auntamiento, Calle Tapineria and in the City of Arts and Sciences until the first week of January.

Grapes of wrath RELAXED: Rules toned down for Christmas By Alex Trelinski

domestic gatherings on December 23, 24, 25, 31 and January 1. The Valencian border closure has been extended until January 15, but will be relaxed between December 23 to 25, December 31, and January 1 in

Bag lady bagged

ALICANTE council has removed over 6,000 kilos of rubbish from a woman’s apartment. Workers filled up four construction skip-sized loads with rubbish from the home. Neighbours complained about the health risks in the apartment block in the Plaza de Manila area, as the resident refused to clean up her flat. A court order allowed specialist cleaners to move in for a two day clean that involved sterilisation and sanitisation. Four cats and a pigeon were removed and put in the care of the El Bacarot animal shelter.

cases where travellers can prove they are going to a home of a close relative. No mention was made as to what relaxations are planned, if any, for the Three Kings holiday period on January 5 and 6. The Andalucia region, in contrast, has refused to follow the Madrid guidelines, insisting that locals will only be able to travel to see family. In a further boost for the hospitality sector, nightlife businesses are set to reopen in the Valencian Community. Late bars and clubs have had their licences altered to allow them to open during the day and are expected to be able to trade between noon and midnight with club opening hours between 5pm and midnight.

MADRID’s regional government has cancelled all its traditional New Year’s Eve celebrations, including the main event in Puerta del Sol Square where thousands gather to eat a grape at each stroke of midnight.

All Aboard TAXI drivers in Cordoba have reached an agreement with the town hall to give the elderly and vulnerable a special guided tour of the city's Christmas lights.

Woman cheats death in balcony Jungle fever collapse

FOUR lions have tested positive for coronavirus at Barcelona Zoo.

Honesty praised AN Alicante resident has handed in an envelope stuffed with €2,000 cash after finding it on the ground by a pedestrian crossing. Rather than pocketing it, the unsung hero, from Almoradi, handed it in to police, who had it back with the rightful owner the very same day. Police chief Juan Miguel Murcia said: “The honest gesture of the lady who brought in the money sets an example to follow.” The money belonged to a man who had just made a withdrawal from a bank and had various bills to pay which is why he withdrew such a large amount. Incredibly the substantial sum had somehow dropped out of his pocket. Police verified the man’s personal details and his banking information before reuniting him with the missing money.

Zala, Nima and Run Run, all females, and male Kiumbe underwent a COVID-19 test after displaying mild symptoms. Two staff members also tested positive for the virus and an investigation is now under way to establish how the infection spread. Zoo officials said the risk of the virus spreading to visitors or other animals was low since no one gets ‘close enough’ to the pack. The lions, all aged 16, and have had no contact with other animals at the Barcelona facility. Zala, Nima, Kiumbe and Run Run are responding well to treatment, and aside from a minor cough are almost back to full health. They are being treated with anti-inflammatory drugs and monitored closely. “The lions were given veterinary care for their mild clinical condition - similar to a very mild flu condition - and [they] responded well,” the zoo said in a statement. “The Zoo has worked with international experts such as the veterinary service of the Bronx Zoo, the only one that has documented cases of Sars-CoV-2 infection in felines.”

A VALENCIA city resident got the shock of her life when she walked onto her apartment balcony - and fell through the floor! The 62-year-old woman fell over three metres to a balcony below in the city centre. While she suffered serious injuries and was taken to Valencia’s General University Hospital, she is expected to make a full recovery. Her neighbours below also got the shock of their life when they heard a giant crash and found the woman lying on their balcony. “It’s a miracle that she survived and we could see this coming due to the poor state of the balconies,” said one of the neighbours. Residents of the four-storey block have been told not to use their balconies until safety checks have been carried out.

NEWS

www.theolivepress.es

December 10th - December 23rd 2020

Bus fall victory A BUS passenger who broke her hip when the vehicle made a sudden manoeuvre will get €47,340 in compensation. Valencia city’s EMT bus company was ordered to make the payout by the Va-

lencia Provincial Court, after appealing an original ruling over the June 2016 accident. The woman, who was aged 77 at the time, got onto the bus and was having her ticket validated at the onboard machine when the vehicle suddenly pulled away from the bus stop. With no handle or railing to cling onto, she fell over and A Vinaros man has been acquitted of murdering his suffered a broken hip. “This mother due to diminished responsibility. Castellon is a key ruling which makes Court sectioned him to a 25-year sentence in a se- it clear that a bus operator cure psychiatric ward. He suffered from schizophre- must assume responsibility nia and was a cocaine addict. The man had an attack for any mishap suffered by a of paranoia after taking a cocktail of drugs and alco- passenger, provided it is not hol in 2018 and mistook his 83-year-old mother for the fault of the traveller,” said an intruder and bludgeoned her to death. her lawyer.

Son sectioned

End of the line A SHOCKING 16 buses in the Valencia City EMT fleet were destroyed in a blaze at the company’s San Isidro depot at the weekend. The company insisted 10 vehicles could be repaired and that services have been running ‘as normal’. The blaze is believed to have started in a 20-year-old bus that had, however, passed its ITV test on November 19. The company said that the ageing buses were set to be replaced by a new 164-strong fleet of hybrid vehicles.

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EXPATS have named Valencia the best city to live in, a new survey has revealed. The city pipped Malaga, Barcelona, Alicante and Madrid to the top spot in a list of 66 global cities. As well as coming top overall, it ranked as number one for quality of life and for cost of living. It also came in third for finance and housing, fourth for getting settled, and achieved a 92% happiness level from expats. While Alicante came second and Malaga and Madrid also made the top 10, expat residents in Valencia told the Olive Press the city was also great for socialising, finding new friends and health. “Health and culture are great in Spain,” the boss of InterNations, Malte Zeeck, who conducted the study told the Olive Press. “However, it has always been difficult regarding employment,” he added.

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Happiness

“Spain’s performance was really exceptional this year and out of the five Spanish cities in the ranking, four have made it into the top 10,” he said. “Expats love the wonderful climate and find it fairly easy to get settled in. They are also happy with the cost of living,” Zeeck continued. “Last but certainly not least, expats report very high happiness levels in all five Spanish cities, which I think says a lot about the country.” Notably, it was only Barcelona that has not scored a spot in the top 10 list. However, the city still ranked 25th in a list of 66 locations. In second place, Alicante has proven a retirees paradise, with 81% of expats happy with their financial situation and ability to get settled in their new home. Over 15,000 expats participated in the survey.

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The Olive Press Valencia & Costa Azahar ed. - JP (250mmx200mm) - December 10

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 Fair game? EVEN before last week’s gruesome shooting of two bears at the hands of swaggering hunters in Spain, we’ve been worrying about the fate of the creatures that roam the country’s national parks. The number of Cantabrian brown bears has steadily grown since the 90s, from a record low of 60 to the current 350 living in the Cantabrian Mountains and an additional 40 in the Pyrenees. But they are still an endangered species and the senseless death of two females is a particularly hard loss. Supporters of hunting may argue that their expensive activities provide job opportunities but that shouldn't be at the expense of the animals. It would be far better to boost the economy by creating jobs in National Parks that allows us to enjoy life alongside the animals instead of working against them.

Animal Farm AS Brexit negotiations are taken down to the wire, the final sticking point for Johnson and his cohort is, bizarrely, fish. Like school children scrapping over who has the bigger piece of birthday cake in their party bag, each side has fought hammer and tongs over EU quotas in UK waters that quantify for a minuscule 0.01% of trade. It bears consideration then that, as the powers that be fight for fish, this fervour hasn’t been shown for people hoping to be saved by the same governments. A fish that crosses an invisible borderline into our waters automatically becomes ours— we are willing to fight, to the detriment of international relations, for their citizenship. Yet when people cross invisible lines, on desperate and dangerous nighttime voyages, they far from automatically become our people. Often, we simply send them back where they came from. As the refugee and migrant crisis rages on at Gran Canaria’s Arguineguin harbour, thousands of people from Western Africa have been left to wait for aid and shelter. While some asylum seekers are vulnerable, most are highly skilled workers, as demonstrated by Spain’s thriving refugee restaurant industry (see right). It’s important to acknowledge that these people are monumentally more significant and, on an unsentimental economic level, more profitable for the EU in the long run than cod, bass or haddock.

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NEWS FEATURE

The healing taste of home Could Spain’s restaurant industry be the answer to its refugee crisis? Lydia Spencer Elliott reports on the asylum seekers whose home cooking skills are ‘building appetites, not walls’

S BOMBS rained down from the sky in Syria, all 38-year-old Wesal could think of were her children. In terror, she fled the civil war-torn country with her twoyear-old in her arms, leaving behind her home and a successful medical career for a safer life in Spain. Arriving in Madrid but not speaking Spanish, she was unable to use her qualifications as a phlebotomist (blood specialist) and her employment prospects looked bleak. But what she did have was a talent that crossed borders and communicated without language: she could cook. “Chicken and rice with mint, parsley and Middle Eastern spices, Wesal was an amazing chef,” remembers Natalia Diaz, founder of the Madrid charity Chefugee whose slogan is, ‘Build Appetites, Not Walls’. “Syrian food is delicious and, when we started, nobody in Madrid was serving hummus or tabbouleh. Now Wesal has her own catering company and hummus is in every restaurant.” Set up by a group of volunteers in 2016, Chefugee’s mission is to provide refugees and asylum seekers with the opportunity to

TOGETHER: Hala with her team at the Refusion Restaurant and creation (right)

earn fair wages and share their The smells, the scents, it’s like cultures through their culinary recreating your childhood.” skills. Elsewhere in the capital, Hala Funded and promoted through Dondieh discovered food’s culinary events in Madrid, in- healing powers working in the cluding a week-long Refugee refugee-run restaurant RefuFood Festival, today the team’s sion alongside chefs from Venproteges are working all over ezuela and Sudan. the Spanish capital, everywhere “I’ve grown as a person, as an from pizzerias and artist and as pop-ups to upmara chef since I ket eateries. started workRefugee run “It was actually ing here,” says quite hostile when the 29-year-old restaurants we started in who left Syria 2016,” says Diaz. are becoming a in 2013 after “Restaurants in her mother was Madrid didn’t want trend all around persecuted for to hire refugees. criticising Presthe world “But food is a great ident Bashar cultural bridge and al-Assad. “I’m refugees are proud learning how to to talk about their culinary cul- make Sudanese food and I’m ture. It’s good for people to see sharing my recipes, which is the them in a positive light, rather most beautiful thing.” than just pity what they man- “We have a moral, rather than aged to escape. a paper and ink, contract be“Food is healing,” adds Diaz. “ cause we’re trying to build a It always reminds you of home. platform for people in the future,” says Hala. “That future for a project like this is a beautiful kitchen with people from all over the world,” she says. “We have chefs from three continents now, but why not have all of them? Food will always gather us together.” says Hala. But as coronavirus restrictions continue to damage Spain’s restaurant industry, not everyone shares Hala’s multi-cultural enthusiasm. This month, over 1,000 Spaniards took to the streets of Gran Canaria to protest the soaring number of arrivals from Africa to the Canaries, with many demonstrators brandishing ‘stop invasion’ placards. “I have nothing against the immigrants,” one unemployed protester told reporters. “But if there isn’t enough to go around for us, how can there be enough for them?” “It’s not all like a happy ending,” confirms Diaz. “Wesal still struggles with paperwork and rent payments and a lot of our chefs were furloughed or let go at the start of lockdown.” LEARNING: Students at the Mescladis cooking school and dishes

“But everything that we make from our events goes to the salary of the chef and a fund for refugee businesses in the future. So, when this whole thing happened we used that to buy groceries for refugees who were out of work and money.” Despite pandemic and prejudice, refugee-run restaurants are becoming a trend, popping up everywhere from Lebanon to London and Brooklyn to Berlin. While mostly private initiatives, the appeal of the food industry for asylum seekers has been noticeable in government-funded projects too. Throughout this year’s European Commission enterprise, which found over 1,000 refugees jobs tailored to their interests in Spain, the most popular job after farm work was waiter or chef. Barcelona Restaurant owner Martin Habiague is convinced food could be the answer to the refugee crisis. “The hospitality sector in Spain is very strong,” he says. “Even though we are suffering with the pandemic on top of us, it’s a good sector to create inclusion and gain social, economic and political rights for people.” Habiague’s not-for-profit cafe, Espai Mescladis in the El Born barrio, currently employs 16 migrants in chef and server roles, as well as students from Venezuela, Honduras, Guatemala, and multiple African countries learning how to cook professionally. “Historically, we have three ways of dealing with people we consider ‘other’,” he says. “We go to war and kill each other, which is what we’ve done for centuries, we build walls around us so people can’t meet or interact, which is what we’re currently doing, or we promote dialogue, which brings positive results.” Gastronomy is a great equaliser, he affirms: “Geography, history, culture, social habits, even politics or economics, these are all things we can talk about when we talk about food,” he says. “We are the only animal on the planet that modify the elements to feed ourselves, it’s how we define ourselves as human beings and it’s something we all have in common.”

December 10th - December 23rd 2020

www.theolivepress.es

BREAK OPEN THE BUBBLY: It was smiles all round as the Olive Press editing and production team celebrated the paper’s sixth edition in Valencia. It came after a superb Autumn saw our online visitor numbers for November double on last year’s figures. While the number of unique visitors and visits doubled to 750,000 and 1.8 million, the numbers of pages read went over three million for yet another month.

Hit for six! Sometimes five times a fortnight is just not enough, as Olive Press prints new sixth edition in Valencia

ALL SMILES: Juan Carlos at Lia restaurant

The Oliv launched ite Press proudly s SIXTH ed ition

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VALENCIA / COSTA AZAHAR 23rd 2020 ress.es December 10th - December FREE Vol. 1 Issue 2 www.theolivep

NATIVITY DOUBLE!

two LIKE buses, Alicante has bagged world records in one fell swoop. The city has been handed the Guinness the World Record award after buildinghistallest and largest nativity scene in tory. The display features a record-breaking 18-metre high statue of Joseph alongside a smaller Virgin Mary and baby Jesus. Created by Jose Manuel Garcia, 1991 its giant statue easily beats the old height record set in Mexico. The display is also now the world’s largest-ever static nativity scene occu-

By Alex Trelinski

pying an area of 56 square metres. Some local political parties have criticised the cost of the enterprise, including €123,000 for the sculptures. payThere is also the bill of €14,000 for able to Guinness World Records

certification. Councillor Manuel Jimenez justified the expense saying: “The visitor numbers justify it and we are seeing business being stimulated by the display.”

Dinner with destiny

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO: Boris was set for crucial meeting with Von der Leyen last night

CAN’T BEAR IT

ELL we did it again. In the midst of one of the toughest times in recent years, with your help we have managed to expand to a new and exciting region. Despite the spectre of Brexit and COVID-19, the Olive Press now has a SIXTH edition in Valencia and the Costa Azahar. HAPPY: Readers including chef Isaac Sidro Our fortnightly mix of news and features, experts and entertainment went down well in found the new paper at one of over 100 locations, including the El Saler centre and the sophisticated city, Spain’s third biggest. all a Merry Christmas...office Wishing you Espana Delivered to over 100 spots around the city Home and up the nearby coast, it is most easily found on stands at Mercat Central or at the Tel: 952 147 834 car park entrance of El Saler shopping centre. It is also well sited at the excellent Paris-Valen834 952 147 cia bookshop by Corte Ingles in Plaza D’Alfons and at the popular Bear Club Irish pub. “It’s certainly been flying off the stand outside our office,” said Chris Solomon, manager of HomeEspana estate agency. “It’s obviously convenient being next to an Irish pub… but we’ve noticed quite a few Spanish also taking it.” Meanwhile, you’ll also find it up the coast in town’s like Castellon, where restaurants Puerto del Sol, el Faro Industrial and L’Antigua Valenciana all stock it. Meanwhile golf clubs like Escorpion, in BetWe have long known that the large expat comera, and the four star Porto Cristo hotel in Pemunity – of ALL nationalities – in Spain see niscola welcomed it with open arms. the fortnightly publication of their local edition “It is great to have an English newspaper as one of their highlights. They are a huge mix launching in the area,” said chef Isaac Sidro, of nationalities and around 10 to 15% of our owner of the el Faro Industrial restaurant, in readers are actually Spanish. Castellon. Packed full of well researched news and features we have continued to produce an exceptional read through the difficulties of the coronavirus pandemic. And lawyer at Swan Partners And we are sure that we will attract also the UK honorary consul a whole new set of fans with our - Martin Hayes welcomed us latest edition. saying: “It’s great to finally Our team, led by distribution chief have your excellent paper and logistics expert Jamie Ganthere in Valencia.” ley, got the papers out during It has been a busy few years the worst storms of the year a for the Olive Press group, fortnight ago. They will be doing it having launched three new every fortnight from now on. editions in just two short Meanwhile our team of journalyears, starting with the Costa ists - who include Alex Trelinski and Blanca north and Costa Blanca Simon Wade, both based in the Vasouth editions last year and now lencia region - will be sniffing out the Valencia. best exclusive stories and look behind Backed by our website and strong sothe headlines to bring our readers the news cial media presence, most expats already that matters. knew of the Olive Press before we launched Olive Press editor Jon Clarke said: “I have long in each region. been aware that there is a whole section of the Since our inception 15 years ago the Olive coast north of Valencia and in the city with a Press has built up a loyal readership in all of large expat community that has been poorly our regions, that also include Andalucia, Giserved by English language titles. braltar and Mallorca. “I am delighted to be able to rectify this. We BRITAIN’S Prime Minister had a date with destiny last night in Brussels. Boris Johnson was having dinner with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen to see if there was any chance of salvaging a so-called soft Brexit trade deal with Europe. It came after Johnson insisted a deal with the EU was looking ‘very very difficult’ on Tuesday. The frustrating news came after weeks of claims that a deal was close to being finalised. “We’ll do our level best, but I would just like to say to everybody - be in good cheer, there are great options ahead for our country,” Johnson insisted. Talks with the EU have remained in deadlock for days thanks to disagreement over fishing quotas. While it comprises just 0.1% of the UK economy, the fishing

after Environmental groups unite hunters kill two protected brown bears on ‘dark day’ for Spain

Sarousse was shot SLAIN: Female brown bear

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AN investigation has been launched after a pair of brown bears were gunned down on a ‘dark day’ for efforts to protect the endangered species. The adult females were shot dead by different hunters, with one claiming to have fired at the bear in self defence. In what has infuriated environmentalists, both animals were killed in conservation zones, in the week a law banning hunting in Spain’s National Parks came into force. The first bear was shot in the Palencia mountains, in Castilla y Leon, by a hunter who claimed he thought the creature was a wild boar. A second bear, named Sarousse, was killed during a

by a hunter who claimed it

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spokesman Garcia Palounderway to determine what said who insisted the laws led to the killings on Novem- ma, needed to be strengthened. ber 29. once critically endanIt comes after six green Bears, in Spain, are now congroups, including Ecologistas gered ‘high priority’ by the en Accion, SEO Birdlife and sideredWildlife Fund (WWF). Friends of the Earth, united World bears became a proBrown to demand immediate action. species in 1973 as part The Guardia Civil’s wildlife tected to grow numattempt an of unit Seprona confirmed this in the Pyrenees between week that an investigation bers and Spain. France has now been launched. The deaths came as sport and commercial hunting became Heritage illegal in Spain’s National 5. The deaths came just 10 days Parks on December passed after police in Catalunya ar- The law was actually then-ruling rested a local environmen- in 2014, but the a six tal official over the death of party, the PP, granted which came a third bear, a six-year-old year extension, male called Cachou, who was to an end last week.the ban as killed in the Val d’Aran area Hunters described that will ‘ecological disaster’ in April. and overThe Spanish Brown Bear lead to job lossesspecies. Foundation described the population of the called killings as a ‘dark day for con- Environmental groupscouncil for Aragon’s regional servation’. boar hunts The group warned that de- to suspend all wild the presliberate hunting carried pen- in the areas where alties of up to three years in ence of bears is known. prison. “This is enough. These bears Opinion Page 6 were everyone’s heritage,”

NOW YOU SEE IT, NOW YOU DON’T: Our stand full of papers at Mercat Central a fortnight ago and again last week

3 1 / 1 2 / 1 9 .

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Olive Press online ‘Spain’s best English news website’ The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are:

Honorary consul

TOP LOCATIONS: In central locations such as the Bear Club and Saint Martin’s pub will bring our readers the very best local news – and offer our advertising clients a fantastic platform to publicise their businesses.” Print day meanwhile, was a hectic affair as the entire team pulled together to produce a fantastic launch edition. While sales manager Charlie Bamber and local rep Melissa Boer brought in business right up to the final hour, our head office staff of editors and designers pulled all the stops out to hit print deadlines. No small task when considering that all the existing five newspapers had to be produced as well! And there were no less than SIX unprecedented power cuts that left the team kicking their heels for an hour-and-a-half in the dark in Malaga. The number was perhaps prophetic.

gets a much-need live entertain1- Benidorm ment boost on Spain’s Costa Blanca (27,485 views) predicted to give Spain’s Costa Blan2- Storms ca a big drenching (21,705 views) You will not be permitted to travel to meet 3-close friends in Spain’s Andalucia this Christmas (21,517 views) British-led drugs gang ran marijuana busi4-ness out of restaurant on Spain’s Costa Blanca (21,436 views) Benidorm’s bars and restaurants issue 5- ultimatum to top politicians in Spain’s Costa Blanca (20,153 views)

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est pub. And if I say so myself, UNABLE to have his regular Friday ness on draught. job.â&#x20AC;? up like a man weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done a grand night down the boozer during locka â&#x20AC;&#x153;After being coopedI came up with Called El Irlandes, after his fadown, expat Conor Wilde hit on in solitary in March vourite Martin Scorsese film, novel idea - to build his own pub! a plan,â&#x20AC;? the Valencia-based real fits his closest pals The Irish expat, 46, got his mates estate consultant told the Olive it happily usual Friday night in for the over and converted his garden Press. Wilde, from Skerries, shed into what he claims is Spainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had an old paellero shed in the Blarney. near Dublin, has run the Found smallest watering hole. garden. I got the lads over â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Tuejar, agency for two deMeasuring 2.4m by 2.5m, it counts El Gallego & Champ â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and we set Valencia on a cornucopia of Emerald Isle about turning it into Spainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s small- cades. collectiblesâ&#x20AC;Ś and it even has Guin-

Such an agreement would even see the airport being included as part of Schengen. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The arrangement we are looking at would solve the mobility conundrum and the ability of persons to move goods with them,â&#x20AC;? Picardo told the lords. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It would permit the wholesale and commercial movement of goods into Gibraltar without Customs friction. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It would be a common travel area between Gibraltar and the Schengen travel area. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It may be that we have a different legal form in coming weeks which is more acceptable to the European Commission, UK, Gibraltar and Spain.â&#x20AC;? Picardo revealed it was unlikely to mean Gibraltar would have full membership of both Schengen and the Customs Union treaties. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whether it is full or associated membership of Schengen or extension of Schengen or simply treating the entry points at Gibraltar, the port and airport as Schengen entry points, is the subject of our final considerations,â&#x20AC;? said Picardo. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to find a way that is and to all the parties agreeable Conor THE DRAUGHT: FORGET the sovercross any oflocal doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t at makeshift and pals eignty, jurisdiction and control red lines each of us bring to the table.â&#x20AC;?

Advantages

He said Gibraltar would not take part in the single market despite this, He added that even if the UK leaves the EU without a deal, talks with Spain could continue after December 31. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think anybody will gain with a no deal,â&#x20AC;? said Picardo. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Life will be very different and we will lose a lot of the mobility and a lot of the other advantages. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The essentials we are providonly ensure that ing for would and PM Johnson TALKS: Michel Barnier the essentials can continue to flow.â&#x20AC;?

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A bunch of crooks tried to sell my hotel for a song Page 16

GREEN campaigners are rejoicing after plans to erect over 100 giant pylons were effectively sparked out this week in Andalucia. In a shock win, they thanked the Olive Press for its year-long campaign to stop the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;motorway of power linesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; through two iconic Granada valleys. Our Fight the Power campaign, launched in March 2019, strongly opposed the long lines of pylons and a giant electricity substation in the Alpujarras and Lecrin Valley. We were joined by celebrated writer Chris Stewart and pop star Dr Robert of the Blow Monkeys to oppose the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;crazy abominationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. The battle had erupted when locals unearthed energy giant Red Electricaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s state-funded plan to erect the 80m high structures, mostly on private land. In the case of British expat Steve Holdup, 63, the REE scheme would have seen a pylon going up in his back garden. Ironically, the tower and service road would have been installed right in the middle of the retired teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own solar panel project. Grassroots movement Di No a Los Torres (Say No to the Towers) was quick to argue the high voltage towers would have a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;devastating effectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on tourism, agriculture and health. After probing the shady interests

Celebrities join furious expats and locals to stop â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;abominationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of pylons set to ruin series of celebrated tourist valleys

By Laurence Dollimore

Black out

A BRITISH expat couple â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;disasterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; after they learntare facing a one of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;monstrousâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; electricity masts to be built in their back garden.(left) is Steve Holdup, 62, and wife Karen, 61, who live on a self sufficient near Orgiva, could ironically farm even lose their sole source of solar panels, which are inpower from the way. The retired teachers, who moved from Cumbria a decade they have been kept in ago, claim energy company REE, andthe dark by out about the pylon from only found a friend. Steve told the Olive Press: â&#x20AC;&#x153;From having a fantastic house from scratch ten years we rebuilt ended up with a disaster. ago, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve â&#x20AC;&#x153;We put all of our life saving into it and now we face having a 220 volt tower directly to live with behind our home.â&#x20AC;? If built, the tower and adjoining vice road will cut right through sertheir field of 13 solar panels. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So somebody in Germany gets a load of electricity from Morocco as a result of putting a tower at the back of our house and we end POWER STRUGGLE: the little electricity we have up losing Christ Stewart and for ourselDr Robert (inset above) ves.â&#x20AC;? He added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It has been join long, snaking X-GENESIS drummer protest against pylon the most chevalier fashion done in project you could Stewart has joined Chris Over Lemons novel made the imagine. the fi- gion famous reEXCLUSIVE ght against a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;motorwayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; - added While supposedly necessary of growing collective his name to a By Tim McNulty power lines planned of campaigning to take Howard, electricity from Morocco daluciaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iconic Alpujarras for An- expats battling the proposal. to Europe, Valley forwho has lived in the Lecrin it is set to ruin the untouched two decades, told the These include former The British author - whoseregion. Olibeauty 80s star Doc- again private financial interests are of the area, Driving tor Robert, enjoyed by tens of thou- ve Press: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The project to take these from the Blow Monkeys, riding roughshod over the TM massive pylons across the rights of the people, will and sands of nature lovers each year. who an abomination. It will our valley is leaving, as The Di No A Las Torres li- ever, have devas(Say No To tating consequences ves in the tion,â&#x20AC;? a wake of heedless destruc- The Towers) group n e a r b y this Stewart told the Olive Press, tage towers would argues high vol- lly and economically. environmentahave L e c r i n â&#x20AC;&#x153;Oneweek. ting effectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on tourism a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;devasta- â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a magical place, a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Vale day the tide will turn and and agricul- ppinessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, Of V a l l e y , reasonable, more ture, as well as health. as the Moors called Hasustainable ways it, a TM which is prevail; place A but seemingly not yet; will a petition has been launched, while vation.of natural beauty and conseralso set to itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s protest saw over a thousand so... peo- â&#x20AC;&#x153;These giant be badly Theback to the barricades again.â&#x20AC;? ple march near the village pylons will scar the outrage comes after it of Con- landscape, a f f e c t e d vealed was re- char on Sunday. could destroy the local energy by tourist businesses and the ca de EspaĂąa company Red Electri- The protest, which included ravage the (REE) plans to install expats many environment. See pages 40 project. and children, is the start a network of some 211 of â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are no benefits â&#x20AC;&#x153; O n c e across giant pylons many to stop the scheme. at all for local the two valleys. people - we Blow Monkeys singer Robert Ecotourism must fight to stop them.â&#x20AC;? is vital to the which was nominatedregion, UNESCO World Heritageas a site in 2017, mainly for having some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest olive groves. Some 245 businesses rural tourism and the work in which is set to have 109valley of the pylons - receives an estimated Reliable private hire transfer 8,000 visitors every weekend. 2/8/18 17:01 for services any occasion The figures for the Alpujarras, for Spanish which will see pylons â&#x20AC;˘ Luxury vehicles residents â&#x20AC;˘ Door to door service ching all the way to the stretria border, are certainly Almeâ&#x20AC;˘ Airport collections much higher. â&#x20AC;˘ Weddings transport Scottish â&#x20AC;˘ Sightseeing day expat Teresa trips See page 2 Keon, 49, who has been Mcâ&#x20AC;˘ Restaurant shuttles at the forefront of the campaign, 96 626 5000 Find out more at: the Olive Press: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The told whole www.simply-shuttles.com +44 (0) 1353 699082 place is going to be destroyed tel: 951 279 117 it is just awful... it really is awwww.eliteglasscurtains.com info@simply-shuttles.com ful.â&#x20AC;?

behind the project, we managed to get the story printed in the national newspapers in the UK. Robert Howard, singer of the Blow E f o * Oa f home f e r in v the Monkeys, who has a l i d r n e w c u s t o m e r Lecrin Valley, described the scheme as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ravagingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for the region saying it NEWS: Start of the Olive Press Tel: 902 123 282 would â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;have devastating consequenc- campagin 902 123 282 TheOlivePress-256x170-HOME02.indd es environmentally and economical- 1 awareness and fight it. lyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. TRAVEL â&#x20AC;&#x153;Technically this line can still be conDriving Over Lemons writer Chris INSURANCE Stewart added it was â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;heedless de- structed,â&#x20AC;? she explained, â&#x20AC;&#x153;However, structionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and showed private inter- there is no substation to connect to. ests â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;riding roughshod over the will â&#x20AC;&#x153;So we continue to question the legality of a proposal which included a and rights of the peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. 30/11/18. Not valid for renewals. Subject substation, and of the JunNow the Junta has effectively ruled *Offer ends'fictitious' to conditions. that REE cannot build its second ta's approval of such a project.â&#x20AC;? substation, which would connect the Olive Press publisher Jon Clarke said long lines of pylons the region. last night: â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is amazing news and TheOlivePress-256x170-BIKacross E-4.indd 1 environment. A subsequent appeal by the electrical a great win for2/8/18 the 17:01 giant has also been rejected, accord- â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m proud that the Olive Press has been able to help achieve this victoing to campaigners this week. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great news,â&#x20AC;? Teresa McKeon ry, showing that the press still has told the Olive Press. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thank you so relevance and can put pen to power. much for all your articles and the This is what a genuine peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paper does.â&#x20AC;? campaign you launched. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We continue to work behind the It comes after REE reportedly igscenes to try to safeguard the natu- nored prohibition orders slapped ral beauty of our landscape from this down by town halls in Orgiva and Lanjaron which were designed to and other threats.â&#x20AC;? McKeon explained that REE's prevent work starting back in July megaproject included two lines last year. crossing the valley. The first had been Councillors had issued the bans over published in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;environmental fearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, but REE sent the BOJA in in diggers and dump trucks regardN o v e m b e r less, to begin preliminary ground2017 and was work. subsequent- Now, for the time being at least, See pages 11 & 24 ly approved the electrical giant will have to find by the Junta somewhere else for its electrical before locals pylons. were able to Opinion Page 6 raise public TheOlivePress-256x170-BIKE-4.indd

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The Holdups

A BRITISH expat â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;disasterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; after couple are facing a they learnt one â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;monstrousâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; electricity of the masts (left) is to be built in their Steve Holdup, back garden. 61, who live on 62, and wife Karen, near Orgiva, a self sufficient farm lose their sole could ironically even source of power solar panels, which from are in the way. The retired teachers, who moved from Cumbria they have beena decade ago, claim energy company kept in the dark by REE, and only found out about the pylon from a friend. Steve told the Olive Press: â&#x20AC;&#x153;From having a fantastic from scratch ten house we rebuilt years ago, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ended up with â&#x20AC;&#x153;We put all of a disaster. our life saving and now we face into it a 220 volt tower having to live with directly behind home.â&#x20AC;? our If built, the tower vice road will cut and adjoining serfield of 13 solar right through their â&#x20AC;&#x153;So somebody panels. load of electricityin Germany gets a result of putting from Morocco as a of our house anda tower at the back the little electricity we end up losing ves.â&#x20AC;? He added: we have for ourselâ&#x20AC;&#x153;It has been done the most chevalier in fashion you could imagine.

POWER STRUGGLE: Christ Stewart and Dr Robert X-GENESIS (inset above) join long, snaking Stewart has drummer Chris Over Lemons protest against ght against a joined the fi- gion famous novel made the pylon project â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;motorwayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of - added his name repower EXCLUSIVE to a daluciaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iconiclines planned for An- growing collective of campaigning By Tim McNulty expats battling While supposedly Alpujarras region. The British author the proposal. necessary to electricity from - whose Driving These include former take 80s star Doc- again private financial tor Robert, from it is set to ruin Morocco to Europe, Howard, who has lived in TM Valley for two the Lecrin the untouched the Blow Monkeys, interests riding roughshod over the will are of the area, enjoyed by tens beauty ve Press: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The decades, told the Olithe rights of and sands of nature who of thou- massive project to take the people, lithese pylons ves in the ever, a wake of heedlessleaving, as The Di No A Laslovers each year. an abomination.across our valley is Torres (Say No destruc- The n e a r b y tion,â&#x20AC;? Stewart told the It will have devasTo tating consequences Olive Press, tage Towers) group argues high L e c r i n this week. towers would volhave a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;devasta- lly and economically. environmentating V a l l e y , â&#x20AC;&#x153;One day the tide will TM â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a magical turn and more ture, effectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on tourism and which is reasonable, sustainable place, a agricul- ppinessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, as well as health. ways will A petition as the Moorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Vale Of Haalso set to prevail; but seemingly called it, a place of natural not yet; so... a protest has been launched, be badly itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s back to the barricades beauty and consersaw over a thousandwhile vation. ple march near a f f e c t e d The outrage comes after again.â&#x20AC;? the village of peo- â&#x20AC;&#x153;These giant pylons vealed energy it by Con- landscape, company Red was re- char on Sunday. the ca will scar the See pages 40 Electri- The protest, de EspaĂąa (REE) could project. tourist businessesdestroy the local which included plans to install expats â&#x20AC;&#x153; O n c e a network of some 211 many environment. and ravage the giant pylons many and children, is the start across the two to stop the scheme. valleys. of â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are no benefits Blow Monkeys singer Robert people - we must fight at all for local to stop Ecotourism is vital to the them.â&#x20AC;? region, which was nominated *Offer end s 30/11/18 as a UNESCO World . Not valid for renewa UK BASED in 2017, mainlyHeritage site ls. Subject to conditio some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sfor having ns. oldest olive groves. Some 245 businesses work in rural tourism Reliable private which is set to and the valley hire transfer have 109 of the 2/8/18 17:01 pylons - receives for Spanish services for any occasion an estimated 8,000 visitors residents â&#x20AC;˘ Luxury vehicles The figures for every weekend. â&#x20AC;˘ Door to door service which will seethe Alpujarras, www.globelink.co.uk â&#x20AC;˘ Airport pylons stretcollections ching all the way to the Almeâ&#x20AC;˘ Weddings ria border, are transport certainly much â&#x20AC;˘ Sightseeing higher. day trips â&#x20AC;˘ Restaurant Scottish expat See page 2 shuttles 96 626 5000 Keon, 49, who Teresa McFind out more +44 (0) 1353 at: forefront of the has been at the 699082 www.simply-shuttles.com campaign, told the Olive Press: tel: 951 279 117 â&#x20AC;&#x153;The whole place is going info@simply-shuttles.com www.eliteglasscurtains.com it is just awful...to be destroyed it really is awful.â&#x20AC;?

LANDING BREXIT

Rewards system for recycling bottles and cans is on the way to Barcelona and Spain

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We examine the coming motoring revolution Page 7

GOOD HAUL: Compromise with French fishermen could help set up a Brexit deal by this A TRADE deal between weekend hints MEP Christophe Hansen and Britain is on the verge the EU of being By Dilip Kuner finalised, after the EU Landmark trade deal looked set is within days of to cave in being signed after fishing on fishing mands over UK waters. rights issue r i g h t s . Christophe Hansen said the EU appeared solved An MEP would have to meet the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deFrance had previously b r o k e mands to clinch an agreement. been refusranks to â&#x20AC;&#x153;There will be compromises to be ing to back down on any fishing He said it would come down to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;political will, both say that made on fisheries. The status quo, deal, demanding near-parity to Kingdom and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m in the United it looked that is somewhere weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not going the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coastal waters. clear cal will is there from the the politiIt comes as the governor likely the to land,â&#x20AC;? he told an event. European of F r e n c h French fishermen are understood Bank of England warned thatthe Unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. a EU ambassadors w o u l d to have backed a compromise de- no-deal Brexit would be more eco- the weekend that were told over have to spite losing out on access to cer- nomically damaging than COVID a trade Britain is on the verge deal with to the UK. c o m - tain fishing grounds. of being finalised. p r o m i s e It came after the EUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chief nego- Andrew Bailey said failure to get They were told with Bo- tiator Michel Barnier told them a deal signed would create a masthe majority of the ris John- to compromise in order to get sive cross-border trade blockage 11 main negotiation issues have sonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s de- the trade talks if there is to be an and damage goodwill between â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;joint legal texts with fewer and agreement. fewer outstanding pointsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Brussels and the UK. Meanwhile, Ireland leader Micheal Martin said on Progress Monday he was hopeful that a Brexit deal The European commission presiwould be completed dent, Ursula von der Leyen, struck a positive note, saying: See page 7-10-16 this week. â&#x20AC;&#x153;After difTaoiseach Martin said ficult weeks with very, very slow â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;by the end of this progress now we have seen in the week we could see the last days better progress, more movement on important outlines of a dealâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. files. This is good.â&#x20AC;?

Mallorca - Issue 94

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RECYCLE: New scheme

OP QUICK Crossword

An eco-disaster

Across

1 Hunkers down (8) 2 Very widespread (8) 3 Leaped (6) 4 Wordsworth words (4) 5 Mountains (4) 7 Branch of Islam (5) 12 According to some ... (2,2,4) 13 Set off (8) 15 Uproar (6) 16 Three bright stars are his belt on high (5) 18 Increases (4) 19 Narrative songs (4)

All solutions are on page 22

THIS refund system (Olive Press Online) has been working in Finland and France for more than 40 years, and all glass and plastic bottles and cans are recycled at a rate of 98%. So finally it is coming to Spain too. Maybe in 10 years this system will be in operation in the whole of the country.

Dear Olive Press,

6 Loses signal strength (6,2) 8 Hogwarts posties (4) 9 Load (6) 10 Close, but no cigar (6) 11 Together, they're a charm (12) 14 Ghostly cop is incoherent expert on how we tick (12) 17 Small settlement for a Shakespeare character (6) 20 Coordinated (2,4) 21 Indolently (4) 22 Meets up with (4,4)

Kirsi Oras, Fuengirola

YOU state that electric cars are the future (Motoring supplement all. editions). This simply is not true Electric cars are the most horren-r dous thing to happen to the moto industry, let alone the environment. Millions of tons of precious minerals are taken to build the cars and batteries, minerals that are mined by young children ranging from seven years upwards. The batteries canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be recycled, andare second class due to their limitd ed life. The minerals are only foun in China, Russia and the Congo. I could go on, but there is nothing good about very overpriced carst that no one can afford, with shor mileage ranges. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an eco-disaster just waiting to happen. Europe needs to think again, before we are drowning in unusable batteries.

Down

OP Sudoku

Waste not

MALLORCA

Vol. 4 Issue 94 www.theolivepress

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Celebrities join furious expats and locals to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;abominationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;stop of pylons set to ruin series of celebrated tourist valleys

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.es November 27th BRITS arriving in Mallorca expat December 10th 2020 without proof of a negativepaper in SAVED: the stunning PCR result for Spain coronavirus will be sent Mijas Costa countryside and how This warning was laid home. it would have looked down by Balearic government president with the pylons Francina Armengol on the day PCR tests became required for international GREEN campaigners are rejoicing travellers flying to Spain. Black out after plans to erect over 100 giant â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have the power to By Laurence Dollimore pyrepatriate anylons were effectively sparked out this one who does not comply week in Andalucia. UNABLE to have his mandatory measure,â&#x20AC;? said with this behind the project, we managed regular Friday on a cornucopia Armengol. In a shock win, they thanked the to night down the boozer As the first flight jetted Ol- get the story printed in the during lock- lectiblesâ&#x20AC;Ś and of Emerald Isle col- turning it into into the island ive Press for its year-long campaign national down, expat Conor Wilde on Monday, six passengers it even has Guinness Spainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smallest hit on a on draught. pub. And if I say so myself, failed to to stop the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;motorway of power linesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; newspapers in the UK. novel idea for this one present their â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;fit to flyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Robert Howard, singer of the Blow weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve - to build his â&#x20AC;&#x153;After being cooped documentadone a grand job.â&#x20AC;? through two iconic Granada valleys. own pub! tion. in solitary in March I up like a man Called El Irlandes, after Our Fight the Power campaign, Monkeys, who has a home in the E The Irish expat, 46, got All were ordered to take came up with ite his Lecrin Valley, described his mates a plan,â&#x20AC;? the Valencia-based the scheme launched in March 2019, strongly Martin Scorsese film, favourover and converted his test by contracted airportan antigen it happily real esgarden shed tate consultant opposed the long lines of pylons and as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ravagingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for the region saying it into what he claims slapped with a â&#x201A;Ź600 fine. staff and told the Olive Press. fits his closest pals in for the usual FORGET THE DRAUGHT: would â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;have devastating consequenc- NEWS: Friday night Blarney. of the Olive Press a giant electricity substation in Tel: 902 123 282 Start Conor est watering hole. is Spainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s small- â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had an old shed in the garden. Meanwhile, the es environmentally and economical- campaign and pals at makeshift 902 local business 123 282 I Wilde, from Skerries, in March 2019 got the lads over â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Tuejar, Alpujarras and Lecrin Valley. local Measuring 2.4m by 2.5m, have criticised the enforcementunions near Dublin, El Gal- has it counts lego & Champ â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and We were joined by celebrated writer lyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. of the awareness and PCR testit. fight we set about for run the Found Valencia agency in belief that they are too TRAVEL Chris Stewart and pop star Dr Robert Driving Over Lemons writer Chris INSURANCE two decades. exâ&#x20AC;&#x153;Technically pensive this lineand canwill stillput Stewart added it was â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;heedless be conoff tourists from of the Blow Monkeys to oppose travelling. explained, â&#x20AC;&#x153;However, the structionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and showed private de- structed,â&#x20AC;? she â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;crazy abominationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. inter- there is no substation In collaboration to connect to. the Spanish with The battle had erupted when locals ests â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;riding roughshod over the will â&#x20AC;&#x153;So we continue Confederation to question of Hotels the le- and Tourist unearthed energy giant Red Electri- and rights of the peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. gality of a proposal Accommodation, which included Now the Junta has effectively the Mallorcan a *Offer ends 30/11/18. Not valid for renewals. caâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s state-funded plan to erect Hotel substation, Subject toAssociation conditions. the that REE cannot build its ruled 'fictitious' and hasoflaunched the Jun- a campaign 80m high structures, mostly on prisecond ta's approvalrequesting of such a project.â&#x20AC;? the substation, government which would connect the Olive Press publisher to instead vate land. ask travellers Jonto Clarke take an said antigen test. the region. last night: â&#x20AC;&#x153;This In the case of British expat Steve long lines of pylons TheOlivePress-256x170-BIKacross E-4.indd 1 In a is letter amazing sent to news andMinister PePrime Holdup, 63, the REE scheme would A subsequent appeal by the electrical a great win for dro environment. 2/8/18 the giant has also been rejected, 17:01 Sanchez they said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;PCRâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s will have seen a pylon going up in that the Olive his ing to campaigners this week.accord- â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m proud generate tremendous Press has problems for back garden. been able tomany help achieve because this theyvictoare excessively Ironically, the tower and service road â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great news,â&#x20AC;? Teresa McKeon ry, showingexpensive that the and pressnot told the Olive Press. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thank still has in some available would have been installed right in countries.â&#x20AC;? can put pen to power. the much for all your articles you so relevance and middle of the retired teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own and the This is whatEarlier a genuine thispeopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s month, paper campaign you launched. the Spanish govsolar panel project. does.â&#x20AC;? ernment announced fines â&#x20AC;&#x153;We continue to work behind of up to Grassroots movement Di No a the It comes after â&#x201A;Ź6,000 REE forreportedly Los scenes to try to safeguard any traveller ig- arriving to Torres (Say No to the Towers) was the natu- nored prohibition Spain by sea orders or air.slapped quick to argue the high voltage tow- ral beauty of our landscape from this down by town It applies hallstoincountries Orgiva deemed and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;at riskâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ers would have a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;devastating effectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and other threats.â&#x20AC;? Lanjaron which and includes were most designed McKeon explained that REE's European to nations, on tourism, agriculture and health. prevent work withstarting a requirement back infor July TALKS: Michel Barnier the test to be After probing the shady interests megaproject included two lines last year. taken up and PM Johnson to 72 hours before the trip. crossing the valley. The first had been CouncillorsThe hadmeasure issued the came bans over despite studies republished in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;environmental vealing fearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, that but onlyREE 0.08% sent of cases origithe BOJA in in diggers and nated from trucks international regardarrivals. N o v e m b e r less, to begin dump preliminary ground2017 and was work. subsequent- Now, for the See pages 11 & 24 ly approved the electrical time being at least, giant will have to find by the Junta somewhere else for its electrical before locals pylons. were able to raise public Opinion Page 6

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hopeful that a Brexit completed this week. of Taoiseach Martin said â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;by the end this week we could see the outlines of a dealâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. He said it would come down to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;political will, both in the United Kingwill dom and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m clear the political is there from the European Unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. EU ambassadors were told over the weekend that a trade deal with fiBritain is on the verge of being nalised. the They were told the majority of 11 main negotiation issues have fewand fewer â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;joint legal texts with er outstanding pointsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

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set about turning it into Spainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smallest pub. And if I say so myself, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done a grand job.â&#x20AC;? Called El Irlandes, after his favourite Martin Scorsese film, it happily fits his closest pals in for the usual Friday night Blarney. Wilde, from Skerries, near Dublin, has run the Found Valencia agency for two decades.

Energy giant sent packing after campaigners and Olive Press win long battle against â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;destructiveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; pylon plan

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LOCKDOWN LOCK-IN

It comes as the governor of the Bank of England warned that a no-deal Brexit would be more economically damaging than COVID to the UK. Andrew Bailey said failure to get deal signed would create a massivea cross-border trade blockage and damage goodwill between Brussels and the UK. Meanwhile, Ireland leader Micheal Martin said on Monday he was hopeful that a Brexit deal would be completed this week. Taoiseach Martin said â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;by the end of this week we could see the outlines of a dealâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. He said it would come down to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;political will, both in the United Kingdom and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m clear the political will is there from the European Unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. EU ambassadors were told over the weekend that a trade deal with Britainhis is shrine on the and verge of being finalised. TRAGIC: Ulrich, the were told the majority of the 11 British-platedThey car linked to his death main negotiation issues have â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;joint legal texts with fewer and fewer outstanding pointsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. The European commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, struck positive note, saying: â&#x20AC;&#x153;After difficulta weeks we have seen better progress, on important files. This is good.â&#x20AC;? See No hard shoulder, page 6 REJOICE: Chris Stewart

Energy giant sent packing after campaigners and Olive Press win long battle against â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;destructiveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; pylon plan

Your voice in Spain

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UNABLE to have his regular Friday night down the boozer during lockdown, expat Conor Wilde hit on novel idea - to build his own pub! a The Irish expat, 46, got his mates EXCLUSIVE over and converted his garden shed into what he claims is Spainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in solitary in March I came up with smallest watering hole. a plan,â&#x20AC;? Measuring 2.4m by 2.5m, it counts estate the Valencia-based real on a cornucopia of Emerald Isle Press. consultant told the Olive collectiblesâ&#x20AC;Ś and it even has Guin- â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had an old paellero shed in the FORGET THE DRAUGHT: Conor ness on draught. garden. â&#x20AC;&#x153;After being cooped up like a man jar, El I got the lads over â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Tueand pals at makeshift local Gallego & Champ â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and we

A TRADE deal between the EU and Britain is on the verge of being finalised, after the EU looked set to cave in on fishing rights. An MEP broke ranks to say that it looked likely the French would have to compromise with Boris Johnsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s demands over UK waters. Christophe Hansen said the would have to meet the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s EU mands to clinch an agreement. de"There will be compromises to be made on fisheries. The status quo, that is somewhere we're not going to land,â&#x20AC;? he told an event. French fishermen are understood to have backed the compromise despite losing out on access to certain fishing grounds. France had previously been refusing to back down on any fishing deal, demanding near-parity to the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coastal waters.

EXCLUSIVE

relatives in the future. about our daily lives.â&#x20AC;? sadly lost to CoVID-19 were Since the outbreak, the â&#x20AC;&#x153;In just 11 short days, Giof the generation who lived homes run by Elderly Res- braltar has sadly mourned FIVE people have died from By John Culatto through the hardships of the idential Services have been the deaths of five members coronavirus on the Rock in of our community to this viEvacuation. the past two weeks, includand too soon.â&#x20AC;? locked down to prevent any ing a school friend of Chief youngvictims over 90-years- â&#x20AC;&#x153;They endured the long further infection of the most cious virus,â&#x20AC;? said Picardo. Two â&#x20AC;&#x153;less than two weeks ago, years of a closed frontier, all Minister Fabian Picardo. were the other casual- the while keeping up the un- vulnerable in the communi- we had lost nobody.â&#x20AC;? Four of the deaths were di- old the pandemic. ty. shakable Gibraltarian spirit. The Chief Minister hinted In contrast, the neighbourrectly caused by CoVID-19 ties from deepest sympathies go while another died from â&#x20AC;&#x153;our family and friends of â&#x20AC;&#x153;We should all remem- that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;a new protocolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is being ing Campo region is regber their sacrifices now as arranged to allow the public istering an average of five another condition while suf- to the the deceased,â&#x20AC;? said Picardo. and increasmake vitally important fering with the virus. elderly family deaths per day, members of our we to the way we go to visit their es of more than 100 new They are the first fatal vic- â&#x20AC;&#x153;Three who we have changes cases every 24 hours. tims connected to the dis- community Gibraltarians Meanwhile, ease in Gibraltar, which had fatalities. avoided now entering Spain cannot travuntil Why Spain a spate of linea until lasuffering of is el outside The first two Gibraltar earthDecember tremors 10. at least deaths occurred on the It comes after the rules to weekend of november 21-22 Page 6 65 over man a was first fight CoVID-19, which inThe cludes closing the perimewho also suffered from unnow ters of all municipalities in derlying health conditions. deaths ty of personal responsibility Gibraltarians N a tight-knit community where talked have to realise is in their hands, often literally. the region, were extended â&#x20AC;&#x153;The patient died on novemmost the of failsome are straterespiratory coping marriages from be week. and this ber 22 casual- Though these might in fact stress, about subjects, the recent COVID-19 As borders are still open, ure as a result of CoVID-19 gies to lighten the load on emotional must in fact be a ties have been a shock to the system. Gib residents have been alpneumonia,â&#x20AC;? confirmed a than two these deaths of real people With five deaths reported in less lowed to pass through the hospital spokesman. that the pan- wake-up call. have indeed weeks, it is no longer a question frontier but can only remain The second victim was a The way that whole economies of the most lives demic is lethal. in neighbouring la linea. man under 50 who died as a will always shut down to preserve the Even if the latest wave of cynicsthat disturbs vulnerable in the community shows the oppoThe only exception would be result of multi-organ failure cry wolf at the sign of anything if people are registered as caused by CoVID-19 pneuthat site is true. question in longer home no caring now primary is it sepsis. indeed their is and norm, the having monia It has shown that the state is not the only COVID-19 kills. in another town. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I knew the deceased perones who for the people and that money Often they are the most afraid, the These new restrictions on sonally from our school find ways to priority. economies have fear death so much they need to movement were explained days and more recently conspir- Countries that have put their grief engulfinoculate its danger with improbable more clearly by Picardo. from my role in governsuffered the consequences, with acy theories. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A resident of Gibraltar enment,â&#x20AC;? revealed Chief Minvictims were ing them like a tidal wave. Gibraltar Campo While it is true that most of the tering Spain is subject to ister Picardo. the fact Just across the bay in the elderly or had underlying conditions, passing around five deaths have been recorded every exactly the same constraints â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am deeply saddened to motoring over la linea,â&#x20AC;? of coming residentthe that the virus has quickened their asWea examine hear of his passing, too day, as people swear by their normality revolution away can no solidarity. explained to GBC. he be- 11 longer be de- There is hope on the way, though. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They cannot then go Page save lives nied. yond the municipal boundThe vaccine programme will likely The politics of through the power of science and the research aries of la linea unless their a hidden agen- that keeps humanity charging onwards. travel is in keeping with the See page 7-10-12-16 da are always The detractors to this change are part of the Spanish rules or they are escape humanity is an registered beyond it.â&#x20AC;? problem too, and probably why from the reali- more in crisis than ever before.

days of Landmark trade deal is within issue being signed after fishing rights appeared solved deal would be

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demands over UK waters. EU Christophe Hansen said the dewould have to meet the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mands to clinch an agreement. be â&#x20AC;&#x153;There will be compromises to made on fisheries. The status quo, that is somewhere weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not going to land,â&#x20AC;? he told an event. to French fishermen are understood have backed a compromise despite losing out on access to certain fishing grounds.

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Mijas Costa DEATHS: St Bernardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s has been

LANDING BREXIT

Future perfect

killer of teen Ulrich

Pandemic claims five victims in a fortnight on the Rock as Picardo warns of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;vicious virusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

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GIBRAlTAR could have a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;common travel area with Schengenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and be part of the Customs Union if a deal is reached between the UK and the EU before December 31. The proposed â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;free-standing EU-UK treatyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, as the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo (pictured) called it, was explained in full to the House of lords European Union Committee on november 24.

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Martin West, Leeds

Not going to last THE recycling machines will be vandalised and obsolete in months, just like the hundreds of pop-up basura bins that must have cost tens of thousands to install and the so-called water dispensers that didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t last a summer. Who comes out with these ideas? Michael Bath, London

Too little, too late WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;VE had these recycling machines and this scheme in Norway since 1972, and we recycle over 90% of our bottles and tins. Earlier on, we only got money back for recycling, but now thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an option to either get the money or to donate to the Red Cross. These machines should have been all over Europe decades ago, in my opinion. Rune Jamne, Oslo

Has anything piqued your interest in this weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Olive Press? Have your say on the matter by emailing letters@theolivepress.es or message us on at www.facebook.com/ OlivePressNewspaper or Twitter @olivepress

Stupid world

he world is falling apart from corruption that all governments are involved in, so in some regards this is the most important period in human history, and yet people are complaining that shops are empty on Black Friday (Olive Press Online). What is going on in this stupid world? Aleksander Keltanoski, via FB

Those Christmas shopping blues Open then shut

Stay inside

DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T do shopping! Because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the time of the year when governments earn extra money! Christmas will be the same. They open the gates for two weeks, then lock you up after that!

Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t people just stay inside for a little longer? Black Friday seems like a terrible idea with the virus and is generally awful anyway - just another scheme to make our consumerist society even more addicted to brands.

Reena Merkel, via FB

Jack Riggs, Valencia

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LA CULTURA Javea mill deal

JAVEA council is to buy its fourth windmill on the Plana del Montgo for €85,000. The stretch of 11 towers are protected as an ‘Asset of Local Relevance’ with the oldest structure dating back to the 14th century.

Popular

The set of buildings are a popular tourist attraction and are regarded as amongst the best surviving examples of windmills in the Valencian Community.

Do you have a what’s on? Send your informa tion to newsdesk@theolivepr ess.es

CrowNing glory

Malaga has a starring role in the new Netflix series of The Crown MALAGA was transformed into the Australian outback to provide the set for the most recent season of the hit Netflix show The Crown. The largest city in southern Spain had a starring role in the royal drama, with spots including AC Hotel Malaga Palacio featured in the fourth season. The big-budget series, rumoured to be one of the most expensive TV shows ever to be made, cut costs by filming scenes set in Oz in the Andulucian city. Scenes for Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane were all shot in the city of Malaga while Uluru, the landmark formerly known as Ayer’s Rock, emigrated to the des-

By Kirsty McKenzie

erts of Almeria. The brief appearance of a well-known city in the episode - named Terra Nullius - also had Spanish fans pretty excited. One Twitter user joked that Brisbane ‘was filmed in the most Spanish city you’ve ever seen in your life’. Another spotted that one scene was captured from the top of AC Hotel Malaga Palacio. Shooting for the special Australian episode which follows Charles and Diana on their 1983 tour down under, took place last year. Emma Corrin and Josh

Grave discovery CINE MAGIC: O’Connor and Corrin on location... in Malaga, which doubled for Sydney and Brisbane O’Connor, who play the young royals, were also spotted filming in Almería

Bank-sy-ing on art

POPULAR: Mills are an attraction

December 10th - December 23rd 2020

SOME of the works of British street artist Banksy will be on show in Spain in the coming months. An exhibition called The Street is my Canvas has just started in the Circulo de Bellas Artes in Madrid. It marks a return to the capital for work by the anonymous artist, after the BANKSY: Genius or Vandal exhibition at the IFEMA centre last year. Fans of his art will - coronavirus restrictions permitting – have until May 9 to see some of his most notable works.

, where Clint Eastwood filmed many of his famous spaghetti western films.

Substitute

Actor Richard Roxburgh, who plays Bob Hawke in The Crown, said the spot had ‘a desert kind of light’ that was the perfect substitute for the Australian Outback. Netflix added that they relied on ‘a little cinematic magic’ and used special effects to superpose iconic famous Oz landmarks like Uluru and The Opera House onto the background.

A MASS grave in northeast Spain could shed light on the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula. Workman in Tauste, near Zaragoza unearthed the ancient Islamic necropolis, which is said to contain more than 4,500 skeletons. Archaeologists say the 400 tombs across the five-acre site are likely to date back from the 8th century. By 711, Arab forces had invaded Spain after crossing the Strait of Gibraltar and conquered most of the Iberian peninsula in just three years. y remained in power for the next seven centuries until 1492, when the area was totally reconquered by the Christian kingdoms. The discovery of the graves is viewed as highly important because it is one of the few pieces of evidence that Muslims lived in the area.

LA CULTURA

English-speaking writers keep falling for Spain’s charms. Joe Duggan looks at some of the best authors over the decades

December 10th - December 23rd 2020

Literary love

PAIN has captivated wave after wave of English-speaking writers for generations. Even now, with so much written about every corner of its magisterial landscape, Spain’s rich traditions and sorrowful past are a siren call to artists from rainy northern climes. Popular, modern-day writers like Britain’s Chris Stewart and the Anglo-American Jason Webster, are re-introducing readers to Spain’s allure, as the country weaves its spell on the next generation. It’s far from an unrequited love affair. In a relationship stretching back centuries, expat historians, journalists and novelists have left an indelible and invaluable stamp on Spain’s cultural map.

Labyrinth

Indeed, Gerald Brenan, with books like South of Granada, the Spanish Labyrinth and The Face of Spain, cemented his place as perhaps the most authoritative voice on Spain, albeit one with a clipped British accent. The perspective of British writers like Brenan and Hugh Thomas, following the Civil War, was crucial in forming an accurate historical analysis of the bloody conflict and its aftermath. With Spanish historians and scholars neutered by Franco’s vicious suppression of free speech, British writers fixed a powerful beam on the Generalissimo’s murky regime. Here is our guide to five of the best British and Irish writers on Spain.

Robert Hughes ART critic Hughes’ peerless Barcelona is an aria to this most elegant of cities. Avoiding the fiery civil war years, his meticulous research and acute observation cast a magisterial eye over the Catalan capital’s 2,000-year history. In the city’s transexual prostitutes plying their trade, Hughes divined Barcelona’s endlessly rich spirit of reinvention. He warmly evokes nights spent in bustling working-class restaurants around the fisherman’s quarter Barceloneta in the 1960s, and vividly recalls the then-seedy Placa Real where you could feel ‘the germs mutating’. But it’s the sheer historical scope of Hughes’ book that so impresses.Tracing the city from its Roman roots, he explains how Catalan developed from the class of Latin conquerors who settled in the area. Barcelona’s art, architecture, its struggles with Castilian and foreign monarchs and the surge in Catalan nationalism are all given generous attention in Hughes’ scholarly masterpiece.

BARCELONA: Hughes cast a magisterial eye over the Catalan capital in his historical book spanning 2,000 years

George Steer

George Orwell

Michael Jacobs THE art historian, travel writer and hispanophile Jacobs was one of Britain’s foremost writers on Spain. A bon viveur, he settled in the Andalucian town of Frailes, writing his much-loved Between Hopes and Memories: A Spanish Journey and The Factory Of Light, set in the village he had come to call home. His final, unfinished work was a book on Spanish art, focusing on Velázquez’s masterpiece, Las Meninas, and his relationship with it. As he was dying of cancer, he pointed out the irony of the darkened figure in the background of the painting, quietly exiting the scene up some stairs. He died in 2014 aged 61.

Jimmy Burns Staying with Barcelona, Burns’s lifelong passion for the Catalan football giants is given vivid expression in a superb labour of love. Barca: A People’s Passion is a forensic examination of the club’s history, tragedies and glories, both sports book and historic account. Burns is a committed cule (the name given to the club’s fans comes from

HOMAGE To Catalonia is a typically Orwellian sneer at the absurdities and hypocrisies of war. An early volunteer to the Marxist POUM, Orwell was initially energised by the anarchist revolution he encountered on arrival in Barcelona in December 1936. ‘When one came straight from England the aspect of Barcelona was something startling and overwhelming,’ he wrote. ‘It was the first time that I had ever been in a town where the working class was in the saddle.’ Dispatched to the front, Orwell describes with a journalist’s detail the squalor, fear and dom of life as borea soldier. While

there, he was shot and wounded in the neck. While recovering, Orwell was in Barcelona again during a key moment in Spain’s Civil War, where he watched the bullets fly between rival leftist factions

the Catalan for ‘arse’, he reveals, as before the Nou Camp was built, fans’ backsides would hang off the walls of small stadiums). The club’s motto, Mes Que Un Club, is examined

on the Republican side from the rooftops of the Ramblas. He was forced to flee Spain with his wife for fear of being assassinated by Communists. His book remains a key firsthand document of the war.

by the journalist as he talks extensively to fans, players and officials connected to the Catalan titans. Barca has, over the years, become a political and social phenomenon, at times acting as an engine of social change and a symbol and forum for dissent. The club’s emergence from a group of English, Swiss and Spanish players, the 1936 assassination of president Josep Suñol and Barca’s reawakening with Johan Cruyff's arrival are all brought to life by Burns in this excellent account.

TIMES journalist Steer was the first reporter on the scene after Hitler’s Condor Legion eviscerated the ancient Basque market town of Guernica. Filing his copy the day after the 1937 massacre, Steer was quick to point the blame at the Nazis, identifying Junkers and Heinkel bombers and fighters as responsible for dropping more than 3,000 incendiary bombs before machine-gunning fleeing victims. The overall death toll is estimated to have been as high as 1,500. Franco denied the bombing was carried out by nationalist forces, ludicrously blaming the massacre on the Republicans. Steer’s detailed on-the-scene account for the Times and the New York Times was a bold repudiation of Franco’s lies. Four days after reading it, Picasso began painting his iconic Guernica.

LEGENDARY: George Steer and (below) Guernica

A Vol. 1

The ll about

Issue 2

errania de Ronda

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December 10th - December 23rd 2020

City of dreams Inspirational to novelists and poets, its Moorish history, Renaissance architecture and excellent cuisine make Ronda an irresistible destination for a winter break to Andalucia

‘

NICE promenades, good wine, excellent food and nothing to do…’ Thus Ernest Hemingway wrote off the town where he spent numerous holidays drinking the local wine and carousing at corridas, no doubt disappointing many of Ronda’s proud residents with his puzzlingly lacklustre review. Most of today’s travellers - including Britain’s last two prime ministers and an American First Lady - would certainly disagree with him. Ronda has been crowned Andalucia’s third most-visited town and it’s not hard to see why. The so-called ‘City of Dreams’ is a true wanderlust gem and somewhat of a celebrity hang-out. Theresa May, Anne Hathaway, Ricky Gervais, Jodie Whittaker, Gordon Ramsay, Kristin Scott Thomas and Spain’s ex-premier Mariano Rajoy have all allegedly visited the stunning mountain town... so say locals in the know.

Obama

Michelle Obama also made headlines when she visited in 2010, touring the old town and discovering the Moorish dynasty with her daughter Sasha. Celebrity chef Jean Christophe Novelli went house hunting in the town after falling in love with it in 2009. With its spectacular high sierra setting, leafy parks, cobbled lanes and atmospheric ventas it’s no wonder Ronda has stolen the hearts of so many travellers. Over the centuries a slew of writers have waxed lyrical about its timeless character, stunning views and charming locals. The German poet Rilke baptised it the ‘City of Dreams’, Orson Welles took a shine to its bullfighting scene and COLOURFUL: Hemingway, Michelle Obama, Anne Hathaway, Jodie Whittaker and Ricky Gervais have enjoyed Ronda’s sites

Continues on Page 12

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12 December 10th - December 23rd 2020

ll about

errania de Ronda

From previous page

Hemingway himself capitalised on its culture of bullfighting for two of his own works. Ronda’s legendary torero Pedro Romero who slew more than 5,600 bulls was the muse for his noble matador in The Sun Also Rises; while the fierce rivalry between Luis Miguel Dominguin and Antonio Ordonez, the city’s other most famous bullfighter, is chronicled in The Dangerous Summer. But it seems the good people of Ronda overlooked the Nobel Prize-winning author’s slight on their hood. Instead, they paid homage to him with the Paseo de Ernest Hemingway, a pathway that teeters along the top of Ronda’s crown jewel – El Tajo gorge – which offers up gorge-ous views across the Sierra de las Nieves Natural Park. This 120-metre-deep chasm slicing the city in two is bridged by Ronda’s most photographed structure. The magnificent Puente Nuevo is anything but new, having been completed in 1793. As you cross the cloud-touching bridge, it’s like stepping into a medieval fairytale. The backdrop of soaring mountains crowned with traditional Andalucian white villages is equally dramatic. Taller than London’s Centre Point tower, the structure took a staggering 40 years to complete, claiming the lives of some 50 builders who died bridging the gap. They left behind an awe-inspiring fusion of na-

Picture by Geoff Scott Simpson

City of dreams

Trailblazers IRISH novelist and poet James Joyce (1882-1941) “Ronda with the old windows of the houses, the eyes which spy out hidden behind the latticework so that their lover might kiss the iron bars.”

The word on the street from some of Ronda’s famous visitors…

Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986) “It is here, in Ronda, in the delicate penumbra of blindness, a concave silence of patios, leisure of the jasmine and the light sound of water, which summoned up memories of deserts.”

ture and architecture connecting the new town of Mercadillo with the old quarter, La Ciudad.

Syrian prince Abu’l-Fida (1273-1331) American author Orson Welles “Elegant and lofty city in which the (1915-1985) clouds serve as a turban and its towers “A man is not from where he is as a sword belt” born, but where he chooses to die.” German poet Rainer Maria Rilke (18751926) “The spectacle of this city, sitting on the bulk of two rocks rent asunder by a pickaxe and separated by the narrow, deep gorge of the river, corresponds very well to the image of that city revealed in dreams.” REGULAR VISITOR: Orson Welles

A chamber above the bridge’s central arch was used as a prison during the Spanish Civil War. Legend has it

that Republican and Nationalist prisoners were tortured and thrown from the windows to the deadly rocks be-

low. Later it housed a bar, today it’s a museum dedicated to the history of the bridge and its skyscraper jail.

At the heart of nature F INCA La Donaira is a luxury eco-retreat, organic farm and equestrian centre with Lusitano horse breeding. The hotel is a nine-bedroom farmhouse designed and decorated with the simplicity of the traditional Andalucian vernacular and the uniqueness of the contemporary. The retreat in the Serrania de Ronda includes a state-of-the-art spa and an infinite list of tailor-made activities ranging from horse riding, paragliding and ‘bee bed meditation’. There are numerous home-grown products including organic wine, extra virgin olive oil, honey, almond milk, as well as eggs from free-range chickens. You are bound to find yourself in good company, with conversations around the table continuing late into the night under starry skies, with one or two glasses of good biodynamic wine. La Donaira counts on stunning custom suites and two international award-winning yurts, and guests wake up to birdsong, before swimming in the infinity pool. Take a walk around the 1,700 acre estate, which counts on over 50 mares that live in freedom with their foals as a backdrop.

Horse whispering, bee bed meditation and more at Andalucia’s finest 1,700 acre eco-retreat

Finding a sanctuary, a place separate from time, is not so different from finding faith - Pico Iyer All your five senses will be awakened at an altitude of 1,000 metres during the four seasons of the year. Everything is designed to help guests feel good, from the healthy, eco-friendly food designed by chefs each morning with the

STUNNING: Views towards the Grazalema Natural Park greet guests at the luxurious finca

fresh produce they harvest in the garden, to places for meditation, the outdoor swimming pool powered by spring water or the yoga platform. Interested in riding? The equestrian activities are designed for beginners and advanced riders, while you can learn natural horsemanship with a horse whisperer, or practice grounding, a way to connect with the horse through breathing exercises. Guests can also visit the organic farm and orchards and even be a farmer for a few days and collect their own free range eggs. They might also like to visit the medicinal garden with over 350 varieties, or meditate on one of only four bee beds to be found around the world. There are a variety of hikes and guests can take a bike to go for a cycle. Then again you might just want to do nothing more than relax under a 700-year-old holm oak and enjoy the peace and views across beautiful mountain meadows towards the soaring peaks of the Grazalema

Natural Park. La Donaira grants one of the most precious gifts - it allows its guests the simple and forgotten luxury of enjoying nature and time.

For more information call (+34) 951 39 00 59 or email info@ladonaira.com

13 December 10th - December 23rd 2020

Gateway to history

Picture by Jon Clarke

It’s been a key nerve centre since the time of the Romans and back in the days of Al Andaluz, Ronda was a key stopping off place for travellers. Today, it is famous for its old doorways and will definitely feel like you are stepping back in time.

CAPTION

BIBLICAL: Shepherd pats his sheepdog under the walls, while (right) Mandragon Palace and Almocobar gate For a picture-perfect view of the historic settlements and was a key Moorish occupation, it was on these bridge, hike down to the bottom of military bastion in the Roman Em- vertiginous steps that chain gangs El Tajo. You can access the scenic pire. of Christian slaves formed a human walking routes from either side of It was completely transformed by conveyor belt to pass up containers the bridge. Take the old town side for the Moors, who were responsible for of water from the river Guadalevin. a more challenging hike or the new many of its tourist-magnets today. The heart of the new town is the bustown side for the easier route. The banos Arabes is one, originally tling main shopping street, Calle EsRonda’s bullring, poised between built in the 13th century and operat- pinel - known as ‘La Bola’ by locals. new town and old, also gets huge ed by a water wheel, bringing water It’s bursting amounts of attention for being the up from the River Guadalevin below. with handicraft oldest and most beautiful in Spain. A stroll around the immaculate cham- shops, local proThere’s a museum inside and you bers, arches and columns conjures duce and infinite can take a tour. up images of the lavish lifestyle en- places to stop Despite bullfighting’s alleged wan- joyed by travellers in what was then off for churros ing popularity, this famous arena is the Kingdom of Granada. A fantastic and chocolate or mobbed in September for the annual reconstruction film brings it all to life. Ronda cheeses Goyesca bullfights, a homage to Ron- Another Moorish highlight is the and wine. da’s two most famous matadors and Casa del Rey Moro, the palace where Another way to the Spanish artist Goya. Michelle Obama surprised onlookers explore Ronda Ronda is a tale of two cities. Its old in 2010 when she descended the is via its exquiand new towns each have their own 300 perilous steps down to La Mina site wine tours. distinctive styles with Roman and - the water mine – an experience Since PhoeniMoorish influences. many tourists choose to pass on. cian and ancient Built in 9 BC, it’s one of Spain’s most Built in the 18th century during the Grecian times, wine has been produced here and probably transported to the great cities of the Roman Empire. Take a visit to any of the 20 or more bodegas and you’ll be filled in well. If you’re spending more than a couple of days in Ronda, the cave art at the Cueva de la Pileta is another mustsee. Nestled in the village of Benaojan some 20 kilometres southwest of the city, the belly of the cave reveals Stone Age paintings of horses, goats and fish which can be marvelled at by torchlight with a guide. A trip to Ronda, whether it be for a day, a week or even a month has the uncanny ability to transport any visitor to another time. HISTORICAL: Alleyway leads up to Spain’s oldest bullring

14 December 10th - December 23rd 2020 THE historic Roman town of Setenil de las Bodegas is a real eye opener and amazing for p h o to g r a phy. Nestled in the rolling landscape, 20 minutes out of Ronda, it was built around a series of caves, w h i c h served to keep the wines of the Romans cool in summer, hence its name. It is best to leave your car outside the town, wander up to the old fortress before heading down to the famous overhanging cave for a fine tapas lunch.

Cavemen colony

ll about

errania de Ronda

Secret Serrania

REPUBLIC OF FUN FRIENDLY Arriate sits just five minutes outside Ronda, but is a completely different world. This charming village of nearly 5000 souls is a bustling place and fiercely independent of big sister Ronda, from whom it officially broke free some 400 years ago. It has a warm, homely feel about it and a great mix of local shops, restaurants and places to stay. Pick of the bunch to eat is El Muelle, a converted train station, while you must spend the weekend at either Hotel Arriadh or finca Alcantarilla. Its Fiesta en el Aire festival in early Autumn - hopefully back next year after COVID - is now legendary and attracts nearly 20,000 punters over a long weekend.

From bandit hideouts to Roman wine cellars, there is so much to see and do close to Ronda, writes Jon Clarke

Preaching the blues

ONDA is surrounded by two natural parks, the Sierra de las Nieves and the Sierra de Grazalema, not to mention its very own breathtaking Serrania. These surrounding hills are creaking with wonderful walks and pretty towns and villages to visit, all easy to reach in the car and most with their own excellent places to stay and eat. Here are a few top picks for a trip out of Ronda.

WHILE it’s about as stunning as any of the pretty villages around Ronda, there is one big difference with Juzcar… it’s blue. This is thanks to the Smurf movie that in 2011 decided to use the tiny village as the ‘mythical ‘base of the tiny creatures. It has been used a handful of times since and voted to stay blue some years back despite the film-makers’ offer to return it to a more traditional white. But apart from the many attractions for kids, based around the movie, it is also the perfect place for a walk and to see Griffon vultures and crag martins.

Bandit territory THE Serrania was once a major stronghold for bandoleros (bandits) and the tiny towns of Benaojan and Montejaque were famously where many holed up. But there is much more, such as the Cueva de la Pileta, near Montejaque (left), which has the oldest cave paintings in Spain, while Benaojan is the centre of the ham and sausage industry. There is also a fabulous walk from Benaojan Estacion down the river to Jimera de Libar, from where you can get the train back. At each end is a great lunch spot, with hotel Molino del Santo, when open in season, the obvious pick.

OUTDOOR VIBES: Visitors to Fiesta en el Aire festival

Fanning its fortune

Prehistory kept alive FOR anyone wanting an idea of what life was like in Ronda 5,000 years ago, head to Algaba, a short drive out of Ronda. This wonderful estate has recreated a prehistoric village showing clearly how the area’s forefathers lived, how they ground their bread, decorated their homes and what they did with their dead. There are also lots of rare breeds of cows and goats and you can even stay in the nearby finca if you fancy it. Visit www.algabaronda.com

Roman Ronda A 15-minute drive from Ronda takes you to the ancient city of Acinipo, where the Romans built another ancient settlement. The highest hill for miles around, it still has much evidence of their skills with a large part of its amphitheatre intact and a lot more to look at, not to mention the views. The visitor centre is only open for the morning, but one can always climb up to the amphitheatre out of hours.

AN hour walk from Ronda will take you to one of the most stunning natural sites, the Cueva de Abanico (the Fan Cave). Near here celebrated flamenco star Estrella Morente, and husband bullfighter Javier Conde were planning to build a hotel and it is no surprise why. This is one of the most beautiful walks imaginable, with bits of Roman road to discover, ruined towers and then the amazing cave and river at the end, perfect for a picnic.

AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE AT AN ORGANIC VINEYARD IN RONDA Guided visit of the Kieninger bodega and vineyard, plus a tasting of four distinct wines, alongside a range of delicious local quality tapas from the Serrania. RESERVE: Tel: 952 879 554 Mob: 618 685 152 Email: araceli@bodegakieninger.com VIDEO PRESENTATION:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL3VdNftgUE&t=13s

www.bodegakieninger.com

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09/12/2020 13:58:21

PROPERTY

Not a snip

FORMER Hollyoaks actress Davinia Taylor has put her Marbella home on the market for €17 million. Taylor - who played Jude Cunningham on the Channel 4 soap - is said to be moving back to Lancashire after years of living in the Spanish sun. Listed on LuxuryEstate.com, the villa boasts a stunning frontline beach location in the exclusive Los Monteros urbanisation, not far from a spacious property owned by Antonio Banderas. It has seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms, a Balinese gazebo, tropical gardens, huge pool and extensive indoor and outdoor dining and living areas. The villa also incorporates an ancient stone tower featuring a luxurious suite.

Bright future DESPITE the property market having declined during the COVID-19 crisis, demand from foreign investors has simply been put on hold while waiting for a swift return. This is the conclusion of Miguel Arimont, founder and CEO of LEM Loan e-Market. His business specialises in buying and selling real estate debt in Spain and Portugal, and he thinks that foreign investors will return to the Spanish market in a big way by the end of the year.

But this depends on the health crisis being managed effectively in order for the economy to pick up, he warned. Arimont said that Spain is normally a ‘very safe and attractive’ market for buyers and investors, a situation he says is recognised by those looking to make investments. He said: “With interest rates at historic lows, the returns from this sector will continue to attract international buyers, mainly large funds and estates.” He added that expats also continue to see Spain as an attractive location for holiday homes and to retire to.

Swan’s Corner

Legal pointers on building in Valencia you have found your perfect fixer Stimeoupper home in Valencia and now its to put your own stamp on it. Here we consider the main points that you must have in mind when starting a building project. The best way to start your project begins even before you buy your home. Get your lawyer to make your purchase subject to a positive survey. The romantic feelings you may have to recapture a home’s former glory will be short lived if the property is found to have a major structural defect that could derail your project before its even started. Tell your surveyor that you plan to refurbish and specifically ask that any red flags from an urban planning and structural prospective are raised. Get costings from right from the time you are viewing the property. If possible, bring your architect and builder to view the property before you have committed to the purchase. This will ensure that you are not making any false assumptions as to how much it will really cost to make your project a reality. Take your time picking your builder and do not simply go with the cheapest option. Have your architect review the quotations. Go with a builder that has a positive reputation and that is properly resourced to get your project done on

time. Have your lawyer carry out company checks on the builder. It is essential that he or she ensures that proper insurance is in place and that all workers are correctly employed and covered to work at your property. Once you have picked your builder, have your lawyer draft a well-balanced construction contract that sets out realistic time frames to get the job done. The contract should set out clear payment terms whereby payments are made as milestones are met and certified by your architect. The contract should place a clear obligation on the constructor to deliver a habitation certificate on completion. At SWAN we assist our clients to successfully complete their construction projects. In the case that a dispute arises we will work to find a workable solution. This commitment is backed up with many years’ experience in construction litigation should the dispute come before the courts. If you need legal assistance in English please contact 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

December 10th - December 23rd 2020

House for €3 A BRITISH couple are offering potential buyers the chance to purchase tickets for their €400,000 home complete with a swimming pool - for less than €3. Gina and Wayne Ironside have lived in the luxury pad worth nearly half a million for seven years but have decided to make the decision to move from Tenerife to be closer to family in the UK. The pair are selling their pad on the website Prizevillas, where potential buyers can purchase a ticket for just €2.80. The family are selling 23,0000 tickets to raise the sum of €440,000 - just a little over the estimated asking price if it was sold on the open market. Once all the tickets are

Expats put luxury home up for raffle

BARGAIN: buy a ticket and take your chance

sold one lucky winner will be chosen at random and given the keys the incredi-

Rental concerns

RENTAL home prices have fallen in Spain in tandem as defaulting tenant numbers rise. With the economy contracting due to the pandemic, the average price of rental housing reached just over €10 per square metre between July and September this year. That’s a fall of 8.4% over the first three months of 2020, with Barcelona, Madrid, and Palma hitting above average figures, according to the real estate platform, BrainsRE. Figures taken since mid-September show that the number of people unable to pay their rents has risen from 3.5% to 5.9%, according to contracts monitored by the File of Defaulting Tenants. A combination of job uncertainty during the second wave of COVID-19 cases along with economic concerns is said to have caused the spike in non-payments.

Holy goal EIGHT Spanish neighbours have made it their duty to rescue a crumbling Gothic church in their village, and are succeeding. Founded in the 16th century, the iconic San Lorenzo Martir church in Fuenteodra, northern Spain, is blessed with awe-inspiring architectural features. However, its grandeur is marred by patches of mould on the columns and numerous cracks that zigzag through its walls and ceiling – defects that both lend the building a haunting beauty and put it at risk of imminent collapse. Now locals are taking matters into their own hands and have already raised €40,000 of the €300,000 needed. “We are obliged to future generations to preserve this unique legacy of our ancestors, which they raised together, with a titanic effort,” they said on their Crowdfunding page.

HOME buyers are looking for out-of-town properties and more space due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to one of Spain’s major real-estate valuation firms, Tecnitasa. Its report says that buyers are trying to shun high-rise apartments in cities and want properties on the edge of centres that have good road and transport links. Tecnitasa says that between July and September this year, purchases of more ‘isolated’ homes have risen by over 10% compared to a year earlier. In contrast, apartment sales in the same period are down by over 16% over 12 months. The report lists a number of pandemic-related factors like larger rooms and windows offering better ventilation. That’s in addition to

ble home that boasts three bedroom, stunning hillside views and a jacuzzi. Set in the picturesqu Adeje area of Tenefife, the villa has three double bedrooms on the first floor with two having en-suite bathrooms and each with their own private balconies.

Study

Downstairs there is another double bedroom and a large study, playroom or store room. Additional features include a high spec kitchen, living room and spacious gardens complete with a terrace and a communal pool.

Pandemic Movement a demand for better internet and phone services as home teleworking continues to increase. City and town based apartments and properties are more expensive than more rural areas and with reduced purchasing budgets, buyers are happy to cast their net further afield. Technitasa president, Jose Maria Basañez said: “There is definitely a drop in demand for apartments coupled with a significant increase in people looking for family homes.” “We put this down to all of the restrictions on mobility implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic combined with the consequent rise in teleworking.”

THE NEW HOT SPOT ALICANTE’S San Juan area is continuing to be the city’s hot spot for new property builds. A survey by real estate firm, Activum, shows that of the 2,500 homes built in Alicante over the last three years, almost half of them have been on San Juan area urbanisations. San Blas comes a distant second on 23% followed by the Benalua area on 10%. Prices around San Juan hit an average price of €300,000 for a three-bedroom family home, some €22,000 more than a city-centre three-bed apartment. The report says there are around 11,000 listed second-hand properties in Alicante, roughly five-times more than new builds. 26.5% of the resales are in San Juan with the city centre accounting for 17.6 %.

BUSINESS

Take it easy

WORKERS in Spain could soon be enjoying a four day week under proposals being considered by the country's left-wing government. The Spanish finance ministry is examining proposals to offer financial incentives to companies that reduce the working week to 32 hours without cutting employees salaries. Deputy Prime Minister Pablo Iglesias has said they are studying how shorter working hours could help boost employment and productivity as part of the 2021 budget. Speaking in an interview to RTVE the Labour Minister said: “The reduction of the working day, the control of overtime, the right to disconnect or work-life balance are elements that must be discussed in this necessary debate "

Grants

The €50 million plan to offer grants to companies who cut working hours with no pay loss was proposed by small leftwing party Mas Pais. Iñigo Errejon, an MP from the party said that it was a ‘policy for the future’. He said: "Now that we have to rebuild our economy, Spain has the opportunity to go for the four-day or 32-hour week. “It is a policy for the future that allows for an increase in the productivity of workers, improvements to physical and mental health and reduces our impact on the environment.”

December 10th - December 23rd 2020

Investor cries foul British businessman takes legal action over football club deal

A British businessman who spent €800,000 on a Spanish football team is taking legal action after his money was banked and he was then thrown out of the club. A judge is investigating ex-La Nucia (Costa Blanca) sports councillor, Jose Antonio Benavente over fraud and falsifying a document. The angry investor is Stanley Yu who owns Sockaytyes, which makes sports equipment and has international agreements for advertising at sports venues. It also runs soccer academies

By Alex Trelinski

for youngsters, including the first one that was set up in the Benidorm area. Just 10 kilometres up the road, the financially-struggling CF La Nucia was desperate for investment and it tapped up Yu and Sockaytyes for some help. Yu opened talks with La Nucia council and a deal was struck in October 2019 for a takeover worth €800,000. The new owner and his representatives were removed

RED CARD: Yu (inset) was thrown out of La Nucia

from the CF La Nucia board on January 23, which was the very day that Yu’s money was transferred into the club’s bank account. He issued a denuncia against Benavente which accuses the former La Nucia sports councillor of dissolving a ten-year deal over an agreed board of directors. The previous board was then simply restored but with €800,000 to play with. Yu alleges that Benavante appeared at the ground at 2.00pm on January 23, accompanied by council officials including the mayor, Bernabe Cano, as well as police agents, and a notary. His statement says: “The police and officials were there to back up the notary who told me and the new board that my signed contract was being unilaterally ended, and we were forced to leave, despite being a legally and constituted board of directors.” Yu’s declaration also makes it clear that though he is taking legal action against Jose Antonio Benavente, he regards long-standing Partido Popular mayor, Bernabe Cano, as having taken all of the decisions behind the scenes.

SPAIN’S economy is the most vulnerable to a hard Brexit research from the Bank of Spain has found. While experts have said the impact of Brexit will vary from country to country, Spain’s exposure to calamity is ‘notably higher’, analysis has found. Due to its significant relationship with the United Kingdom, Spain is at greater risk of negative financial and commercial impact in comparison to other countries in the eurozone.

Cash crash

In a worst case scenario, the Bank of Spain’s analysis calculates that the UK’s exit will cause the GDP of the European Union to drop by 0.4% by 2022. Meanwhile, the UK’s economy will suffer a significant blow with a fall of between 1.5% and 3% of GDP by 2022.

Top marine firm expands in Alicante ONE of the world’s biggest nautical electronics firms will move its global marketing and digital transformation base to the Costa Blanca. Norwegian-based Navico already has a presence in Alicante with its Navico Iberia division. The city will now be home to a Digital Lab that will come up with new products as well as promoting the company’s international expansion strategy. Navico supplies navigation, instruments and fish detecting equipment to both the leisure and commercial marine sectors. The firm says that Alicante beat off rivals for the Digital Lab location due to ‘its unbeatable sea access and support from the local council’. The facility is scheduled to open in the new Panoramis Life & Business Centre based at the port this spring. Navico’s Chief Marketing Officer, Jodri Neves, said: “Alicante fits the bill for all of our requirements in rolling out our Digital Lab.”· Navico say they plan to launch new products and hold presentations at their new Costa Blanca base. They will also have two boats moored in the marina with all of the company’s latest innovations installed in them for clients to look at.

Create your dream home with Found Valencia’s construction services YOU might already be in a home you love, and would love to realise its potential further. We help clients like you with our construction services.. At Found Valencia we put all the pieces together for you. We specialize in coordinating projects from apartment refurbishments to bespoke house builds. We organize architects, builders, tradesmen. And we personally project manage your build or renovation project to an impeccable standard. No surprises on timelines or budgets! Nàquera restoration project One of the biggest projects the Found Valencia team has been involved in over the last few years is a complete restoration of a mansion in Nàquera. Not all of our projects are on this scale, but the project provides an example of the work

Contact email; welcome@foundvalencia.com

we can carry out on behalf of our clients. The property had handsome features, but as we began peeling back the layers a number of unexpected surprises made themselves known. The downpipes were located behind the original walls and ceilings, creating problems with damp. That meant we had to repipe and rewire the whole house, and it’s a big property. The façade was covered in thousands of hairline cracks that proved to be a challenge. The windows and shutters had dried out, and there was a serious woodworm problem on the main staircase. Our team also rebuilt the stone work.

● Flooring ● Period building restorations ● Kitchen renovations ● Bathrooms ● And much more! More details are available on our website at https://foundvalenciaconstruction.com. We would love to help you with your construction project. Contact us to discuss your property needs. We’d be delighted to chat with you! Contact email: conor@foundvalencia.com

How we can help you? We help our clients with the following construction projects: ● Garden and landscaping

Phone: +34 963447 774

www.foundvalencia.com

HEALTH

Doses declared

Festive health warning

SPAIN’S health minister, Salvador Illa, has issued a blunt warning that relaxations of curfew and travel rules for Christmas could be changed if coronavirus cases continue to climb. The government agreed on a package of relaxations for the festive season with the country’s regional administrations.

Curfew

That includes travel between regions for family members, the curfew starttime being pushed back to 1.30am for a few days, and up to 10 family members allowed to meet at home or at a restaurant. Salvador Illa said: “If infection rates worsen in the coming weeks, then the measures “If the rules are not followed, there will be more infections and a rise in deaths.”

Just a little prick

December 10th - December 23rd 2020

AT least 400,000 doses of vaccine against the coronavirus will be made available to the Valencian Community across the first three months of 2021. Regional president, Ximo Puig, said that the region expects to get the first doses in January. Two doses will be required for each person with a gap of three weeks between the two inoculations. Puig confirmed that the national vaccination plan would be followed locally. That means that nursing home residents and staff would be the first to get the injections, as well as health service workers.

CHEERS: UK health staff clap the first COVID vaccination with Valencia next In Alicante Province, there are an estimated 13,500 people living and working in residential homes, along with 19,600 health staff.

FERNANDO Diez, general director of Elix Pharma, has announced that the first models of the pharmaceutical company’s COVID-19 home testing kit will arrive in Spanish pharmacies ‘between December 10 and 15.’ Priced at €25.50, the ‘Primacovid’ home test is much more affordable than the PCR tests and, according to Elix Pharma, is 95.7% reliable. It works with a simple prick of the finger, detecting the presence of IgG and IgM antibodies against SARS-

The number of doses is based purely on the Pfizer vaccine which means that vaccine estimates are on the low side, as other sources are expected

to boost availability. Further south, the neighbouring Murcia region says that expects 30,000 people to be vaccinated in January.

COV-2 in the blood, and produces results within 15-20 minutes. Currently under manufacture in Switzerland, Primacovid bears the CE authorisation mark, meaning it has been approved by the EU. Elix Pharma hopes to distribute the first 500,000 models within the next three months. Unfortunately, however, a prescription is required to buy the home test kit. Nor are the prescription criteria

Health kick SCIENTISTS in Spain are studying how exercising twice a week for 50 minutes can help boost recovery from socalled ‘Long-Covid’. Exercises used in the study include a programme of strength and aerobic exercises to help people return to full health post-coronavirus. Understanding the best rehabilitation methods is becoming increasingly important as people continue to report ‘long Covid’ symptoms - such as fatigue and dehydration - that have continued for many months after first contracting the virus.

themselves entirely clear yet. Nonetheless, Diez told 20Minutos, ‘the demand [for Primacovid] far outweighs the supply.’ With any luck, the Primacovid home test kit will not spark the same fiasco as the Chinese-made coronavirus self-diagnosis kits distributed in Spain earlier this year. Of the 640,000 models purchased, 58,000 proved defective, leading to the entire batch being pulled.

It’s fair

t o say that 2020 has been one of the most challenging years in recent memory. We at Telitec are proud to have played our part in keeping workers at home connected, children connected with their schooling, and above all else keeping friends and family connected during this very difficult year. It’s even clearer to us now how much people need and value a fast and reliable internet connection. 2021 will see our biggest deployment of fibre 600 connecting even more people in the community. On behalf of everyone at Telitec we wish you and your family a healthy and Happy Christmas and together we hope we can make 2021 a much better year for all.

Tel: 965 743 473 sales@telitec.net www.telitec.com

H A P P Y CHRISTMAS from us all at Telitec

Tel: 965 743 473 sales@telitec.net www.telitec.com

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL All aboard

TRAIN: Being trialled

High speed future

SPAIN’S latest high-speed electric train is currently undergoing tests throughout the region, with plans to link much of the Costa Blanca and Murcia. The section between Monforte del Cid (Elche) and Murcia has seen the unusually-designed train going through its paces, passing through a number of Vega Baja towns. Routes between Alicante and Beniel, and Beniel to Villena are mooted. Train company Renfe admits the commissioning of any highspeed section or any new train is complex and requires many tests to satisfy safety protocols. Renfe says that standard class seats are just as spacious and comfortable as those on their AVE trains.

CANFRANC train station, situated in the Pyrenees between Spain and France, is set to reopen next month after being shut for half a century. A historical landmark, the terminal was where many Jews fled Nazi Germany, including the painters Max Ernst and Marc Chagall. Originally opened in 1928, the station was used to transport goods - including Swiss gold.

Chateau

Once called the ‘Titanic of the Mountains’ the terminal boasts a French chateau design and the second-largest high-speed rail network in the world. The gargantuan building that’s ten times the size of St. Pancras in London -had its services brought to an abrupt halt in 1970 when a derailment destroyed a bridge on the French side of the line. But thanks to a collaboration by France, the European Commission and the Aragon government, the railway will be restored to its former glory. “Canfranc [station] is part of the memory and our identity, of our DNA, of our most intimate feelings as a people,” José Luis Soro, Regional Minister of Mobility for Aragon, told reporters.

December 10th - December 23rd 2020

Takes the cake!

Spanish lesson for Italians as Valencian panettone scoops awards

By Alex Trelinski

A VALENCIAN bakery has won a major Italian award by showing the locals how to make the world’s best panettone. The sweet bread was originally created in the Milan area and has spread around the globe as a treat that is especially popular over the festive season in countries like Spain. Fartons Polo sent off some of their special bakes to Rome and got a gold award in a contest organised by the Italian Federation of Pastry, Ice Cream and Chocolate.

TASTY: Spain beat Italy at its own game The 60-year-old Alboraya (Valencia) based company has been baking panettones for over a decade, both in a tra-

Bottom of the class SPAIN could lose out on tourism because of poor language skills. The nation ranks worst among all EU countries when it comes to learning English, a new report has found. The country has swapped bottom place with Italy, which climbed three places in the annual table. Only a handful of Eastern European countries, including Albania, Ukraine and Turkey, fare worse. The Dutch came top of the survey, with many of the Lowlanders speaking better English than those from the UK.

ditional version and one with chocolate chips. They started work last year on creating an artisan panettone made with homemade sourdough. Fartons Polo thought they had come up with something special and decided to see how good it was by entering the competition, which featured over 300 international rivals. They are keeping the exact baking process under their hat, but besides the fresh sourdough, the Fartons blend includes vanilla from Tahiti, orange and lemon zest, and cream.

Passenger friendly FOLLOWING Easyjet’s controversial change in luggage allowance, Jet2 has pledged to keep passenger-friendly policies. The Leeds-based firm claims it will not change its on-board baggage rules after Easyjet recently emulated Ryanair’s charging policy. The Irish airline has long had additional charges for second carry-on bags, but Jet2 has promised it has no plans to introduce similar policies, when flights resume later this month. With 10 UK bases and destinations to many holiday destinations, it hopes to reintroduce some services in time for Christmas, following COVID-related cancellations. It says passengers will not be charged for a large cabin bag and will continue to benefit from two pieces of free hand luggage, whether the service is flight-only or part of a holiday. In addition to a piece of hand luggage weighing no more than 10kg and no larger than 56cm x 45cm x 25cm (including wheels and handles) customers can carry a small personal item that can be placed underneath the seat in front of them.

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

Biowars Spain’s fruit and veg is facing its biggest threat since Brexit and this new nemesis also involves pests and parasites – but local science has found one solution, writes Charlie Smith

REXIT spells much uncertainty for Spanish fruit and veg on its way to the UK. Import tariffs, working restrictions, border queues - the list goes on. But this year alsobegan with Spain’s fresh produce facing down a series of threats much closer to home. Pests and parasites. Not the Westminster or Moncloa kind but the insect, fungal and animal varieties. In March came news from the north of Spain that olive harvests had decreased by as much as 50% in some areas. The olive fly was behind the devastation in Aragon, one of Spain’s worst-hit regions. Meanwhile the Balearics announced it was flying 46 people out to California to study the Xylella bacteria, another pest which attacks olives. The pathogen has decimated crops in Mallorca, since it was found on the island for the first time in November 2016. But it isn’t just olives, Mallorca and Ibiza’s almonds are also under threat. In Palma, a study of Xylella was conducted on 17 almond and 29 olive varieties to test which are the most resistant. Balearic nuts also face an assault by the Asian wasp ‘Vespa velutina nigrithorax’, which has brought significant economic damage to the region. Another big concern is bees after it

emerged that the Costa Blanca had seen its bee hives on the decline by 13.5% over the past decade. Now it’s emerged that a small mite called the ‘Varroa destructor’ clings to bees and slowly kills them. In February more bad news broke that Malaga was beginning to import prickly pears - or chumbos - which usually doesn’t happen until the end of summer when stocks run low. The reason: cochineal beetles. A plague sweeping through Spain saw some plantations totally wiped out. Now avocado harvests are firing up and set to keep growers busy until mid-May - that’s if the avocado’s arch nemesis the ‘Rosellinia necatrix’ fungus - doesn’t wreak its usual havoc. But there is hope on the horizon. Recently leading Spanish researchers discovered that a unique fungus is able to surround an avocado tree, fighting off Rosellinia necatrix while leaving the plant unharmed. ‘EnHV1’ is the name of this heroic pathogen. But while there may be an answer to ensure the continuation of the avocado boom, not all Spanish crops are created equal. Here we look to Spain for the fruit and veg most under threat from pests.

December 10th - December 23rd 2020

Chestnuts

At this time of year pests pose little threat to chestnuts around Spain, but come Autumn, all hell looks set to break loose. Last Christmas, the chestnut gall wasp from China was responsible for plunges in the crop’s production of up to 30%. The tiny Asian creature was behind a trail of destruction in Ronda’s Genal Valley, for example, where chestnuts bring in €10 million annually. The female of this wicked wasp (below) lays eggs in the buds of the tree, disrupting the fruiting process and reducing the yield of a tree by up to 70%.

EARLY: Chumbos imported to Malaga, while (right) the cochineal beetle

Prickly pears The cochineal beetle is farmed and bred to produce the ‘carmine’ dye that colours red food and many other products. But in Spain it is the enemy of the prickly pear, locally known as the ‘chumbo’ and the fruit this bothersome beetle likes to call home. In February a beetle plague devastated crops in five Andalucian provinces: Cadiz, Huelva, Malaga, Granada and Almeria. Only Cordoba and Almeria are still growing prickly pears with each province having just 14 hectares of dedicated land.

The fruit you can often pick up from a roadside seller for next-to-nothing had to be imported early on in the season from as far away as Sicily, with prices oscillating between €2.40 and €3.50 a kilo.

Avocados

Olives Aragon in northeastern Spain has just rounded off the olive season from hell - largely thanks to its foe, la mosca del olivo - the olive fly. Some areas in the region have seen downturns of 50% compared to last year thanks to the pesky insect. But Mallorca too faces an olive threat, namely the ‘Xylella fastidiosa’ bacteria, which can be carried by 309 different insects. This pathogen can cause so-called ‘olive quick decline syndrome’, which can cause the fruit to whither and drop from the tree prematurely, or cause fungal infections. Female flies can also lay larvae in olives which can lead to a 30% decrease in yield.

The ‘green gold’ is Alicante’s most important crop, yielding a bumper harvest of over 600,000 kilos in 2017 - 50% up on the previous year. It is also very important to Malaga’s Axarquia region. Spaniards devoured 19 million more avocados than they ate in 2017, a 35% increase, according to t h e World Avocado Organisation. But avocado amor could be nipped in the bud if ‘Rosellinia necatrix’ has its evil way. This fearsome fungus rots the plant’s roots, an affliction that could prove fatal to the Spanish avocado sector. The Hass avocado - the common bumpy kind, which accounts for 70% of national production - is particularly susceptible to this predatory pathogen. So despite scientists locating a ‘counter fungus’ in the EnHV1, to rely so much on one variety of avocado could spell trouble for Spain in the future.

Honey PARASITES: ‘Varroa destructor’ and (right) zoomed in

Almonds Ibiza saw a devastating 65% drop in its almond harvest last year, while neighbouring Mallorca experienced a 40% drop. As well as bad weather, the Xylella bacteria was largely responsible for this nut slump. The Balearic Islands are famous for almonds, producing most of Spain’s 60,000 tonne total last year. Bees pollinate about 80% of the Balearics’ cultivated and wild plants, including almonds but they also have a nemesis: the Asian wasp ‘Vespa velutina nigrithorax’, which wreaks significant economic and ecological damage on the insect’s populations. The threat from this pest to the region is so real that an app Vespapp - was even designed at the University of the Balearic Islands in order to detect Asian wasps.

For honey-lovers bees are man’s best friend but the ‘Varroa destructor’ is definitely not the best friend of bees. This parasitic mite feeds on the bee’s fat reserves by latching on to its abdomen and slowly killing the insect. And the Costa Blanca is one of the areas where honey production is most at risk from this pest. It emerged in February that 13.5% of Valencia’s hives had disappeared since 2008, while bee organisation Asaja Alicante said it was at a ‘clear disadvantage’ to other communities. Meanwhile Jose Luis Herguedas, secretary of the Apicultural Fair Foundation, said: “At the moment, it is the disease that is causing the greatest number of bee deaths in apiaries.”

December 10th - December 23rd 2020 Lo

T’S really sad driving by Palma airport and seeing all the planes parked up. The airline industry is suffering probably worse than most, and it’s the main reason I’m here. My partner and I came to live in Mallorca at the start of the year with his job as a pilot for Jet2, but he hasn’t worked a single day since! No one could have predicted when we welcomed in a new year what was about to descend on us. When we arrived at the end of February we were so excited to be starting a new life in Mallorca. But just three weeks in we watched on the news the growing threat of coronavirus before Spain went into lockdown. Since then, Paul doesn’t think he will work until at least the start of the summer season in March 2021 and has joined the long line of people on Erte, which has been somewhat unpredictable when it comes to payments. So, whilst I’m doing my best as a writer, forget PR for now because the budget for that was one of the first things to go! It’s tough! The pressure for a lot of couples having to endure lockdowns together is already a real tester of their relationship. Add to that the loss of income and job uncertainty and what you’re left with is another layer of stress. After nine months of not working, the hardest thing for Paul is filling his day. Whilst many of our friends and family are envious of what appears to be our permanent holiday in the sun. They’re not privy to hear, or witness, the 5am angst-ridden OVER the past week, apart from the excitement of a vaccine becoming available for use in the UK, intense talks between the EU and the UK have been taking place with not much being reported which was seen to be a positive outcome. That old adage ‘no news is good news’, though, seems to be in question as talks look to be on the verge of collapse with the countdown stopwatch being paused while David Frost and Michel Barnier report back to their principals that the ‘conditions for an agreement are not met’. Neither side wants to compro-

Telling it like it is

Our move to Spain has been tough with a nightmare situation regarding jobs and mental health

GROUNDED: No chance to fly conversations we have when one of us cannot sleep with worry. Annoyingly for him I tend to knock on his chest asking if he’s awake. Well, if you weren’t, you are now! It’s not just about whether he’ll still have a job next year but the impact of that on our future because we live here now. And with all the will in the world, it’s really bloody hard to find an alternative job during this crisis when you don’t speak Spanish! I believe many men all over the world are secretly struggling. It doesn’t matter what

business you’re in because every last one of them has taken a hit. Whether you’re an airline pilot, a restaurateur, or sales assistant, this virus has screwed everyone. People are just trying to keep their head above water financially to safeguard their families. But aside from the financial support our governments are trying to give, there isn’t much mental support. We hear about the impact on mental health that this situation is causing, but are we really listening to those closest to us? Having had heartfelt conversations with Paul, I know he’s struggling. Yes, he’s down, understandably, but I’m scared he’ll fall down the rabbit hole if he isn’t thrown a career lifeline soon. The airline industry has no idea what will happen next year because so much rests on air bridges being restored and on people’s confidence to travel. Holidays may not seem like a necessity, but the global airline industry makes in excess of $800 billion each year. Hopefully with the recent announcement of vaccines this may help reverse the current situation. But look at EasyJet’s £1.3billion (€1.45 billion) loss, the first in its 25-year history, following the flights constantly being cancelled. Those planes need to get off the ground, and soon, if the whole travel and tourism sector is to be saved!

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EXIT COUNTDOWN TO BR mise although a no deal could spell problems for both the UK and the EU. The fishing industry is one stumbling block as France, in particular, wants to continue to fish in British waters but Britain is digging its heels in and part of its ‘taking back control’ wants to control that access and, with the last EU summit this week, France could veto any deal it doesn’t like.

No news is bad news Waiting with bated breath for a Brexit deal, writes Anne Fernandez We wait with bated breath as to the outcome but, as has been predicted by many since the referendum back in 2016, it has certainly gone to the wire! Meanwhile, the haulage firms

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are left unable to plan for any new rules because that information, due in August, is still not forthcoming. So delays at customs and queues regardless of any deal, might mean food shortages in the UK which, in turn, will likely lead to price increases as the extra tariffs and costs of delays are offset. 26% of the UK’s food imports come from the EU. Produce like fresh fruits, salad vegetables, meat and wine could become scarce and unbelievably, even most of that very British Cheddar cheese comes from Ireland! And, of course, the site in Ashford, Kent where all these lorries are due to be held

“IT’S light red,” my Valencian ex-husband assured me as he jumped the lights on a roundabout, while looking me dead in the eye. Half of his fingers on his right hand were in contact with the steering wheel, the rest holding a cigarette. His left hand rummaging in the guantera (glove box) because there was no better time to be switching up the tunes. He has single-handedly maintained the wages of three funcionarios (civil servants) with the amount he has paid in multas (fines). Why are roundabouts so chaotic in Valencia? The only likely explanation is that it was raining on the day they had to paint the roundabout lanes and that particular mañana lo hacemos (we’ll do it tomorrow) was another one that never came. The semáforos (traffic lights) are purely decorative. If you need to exit the roundabout near the Arts and Sciences and you’re 11 invisible lanes deep, my ex says you can happily cut across the lot of them safe in the knowledge that the more bocinas (car horns) you hear, the more successful a manoeuvre you’ve pulled off. What are the rules on parking? One of the great wonders of the universe. My ex-husband might aparcar en doble fila (parallel park and block you in). No pasa nada. He’s likely left the handbrake off so you can just push the imposing Seat a few metres and be on your way. If he’s forgotten, check the dashboard for an official ahora vuelvo (I’m coming back now) sign. Of course, ‘ahora’ could mean anything between now and never, so it’s up to you to decide whether to start a local manhunt or call a grúa (tow truck). Another important piece of advice: if it’s raining, get as close as you possibly can to the car in front, don’t increase the distance in unfavourable climatic conditions. Your car stays drier this way. And finally, don’t call your colega (mate) from your sofa for a chat. Wait until you drive past each other on a two-way street, then stop and wind your window down for a chin wag. Don’t worry, if your ex-husband is behind you, he’ll use those five minutes to catch up on his WhatsApp messages. Drive carefully! Tash Aleksy has been living in Patraix for 10 years and offers online Spanish classes at www.spanglishcity. com; her number is 633 091 664 while the paperwork is checked, is still under construction. Rain has stopped work there for some time but the construction wasn’t even started until late summer. Nothing like leaving things to the last minute! Spain has announced the requirements for visas for Brits visiting after 31 December. The 90 days in any 180 days Schengen rule still stands but longer stays will need a visa being granted in advance upon application for those Brits who, as non EU citizens, wish to come to reside, work or study here. Spain continues to try to meet

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our increased and late demand for those residencies and for exchange of driving licences but, with appointments being few and far between, many Brits are very worried for their residential status here come next year. We, at Brexpats in Spain, are doing our best to help but 24 hours in a day at the moment frankly do not seem enough! The EU is interested in our plight with TV and radio wanting interviews and talks with our members over the next couple of weeks but, disappointing though not surprising, nothing requested from any British-based press!

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A 16TH century love poem recently discovered in Oñati, near San Sebastian, is believed to be the oldest known text in Euskera, the Basque regional tongue.

Baby plan SCIENTISTS in Barcelona are creating an artificial placenta to help babies born at less than six months’ gestation to develop in a ‘natural environment.’

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VALENCIA / COSTA AZAHAR FREE Vol. 1 Issue 2 www.theolivepress.es December 10th - December 23rd 2020

Aliens or pranksters? A STRANGE silver monolith has appeared in Spain, one of half a dozen suddenly appearing around the world. The Spanish example appeared overnight beside the ruins of a church, in Ayllon, Castilla y Leon. An identical monolith was also found over the weekend in the town of Sulzbach, Germany, meaning the eerie objects have now appeared in six countries, also including Britain, Colombia, Holland, Romania and USA. The first one was discovered in the remote Utah desert on November 18 and caused a sensation online.

ENGLISHMAN George King climbed Barcelona’s Agbar Tower without ropes on Saturday to ‘raise spirits’ during the virus-affected festive season. STRANGE: Monolith

Who dumped Trump?

Hitting the heights Expat hitting world’s top 10 peaks - including Everest - in staggering personal challenge for charity

By Alex Trelinski

AN EXPAT is running the equivalent distance of an ascent of Mount Everest plus the world’s top peaks for charity. Dave Clissitt’s ‘Ten Peak Challenge’ involves scampering the height of 10 world summits including the seven highest on seven continents. The ultra-marathon runner, 49, who lives in Villajoyosa, has already done three parts of the challenge on a circuit rising 1.8 km up to Torre del Aguilo. The Spanish summit section included Aitana, the highest spot in Alicante Province, and the country’s biggest mountain, Mount Teide, in the Canaries.

BUMMER: Trump figure HE has had fun poked at him for years and has lost the election, but now the final indignity has been heaped on Donald Trump - a statuette of him taking a poo has been produced for Christmas. Catalan figurine makers Caganer.com have made a series of tiny figurines of the biggest names from 2020, transforming iconic faces from the world of politics, artistic, sports or fiction, into caganers (poopers).

Bottoms up

CHALLENGE: Dave Clissitt is well on the way The Aitana saw Dave, originally from Wales, doing 12 laps of the course in over three-and-a-half hours to clock up 23.5 kilometres.

The challenge is all about raising money for Doble Amor School, which is a special Benidorm college that looks after people with disabilities.

This year Trump taking a dump features highly in their seasonal offer for nativity displays. Other figures to get the same treatment include Vladimir Putin and Boris Johnson, and even Her Majesty the Queen. They all feature bare bottoms and a pile of poo in a typically ‘robust’ display of Catalan humour. And there’s no need for these tiny leaders to keep 6ft apart as 15 of the most popular sculptures now come with masks.

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