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December 15th - January 11th 2022
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Nothing beats a weekend in the Costa del Ski, writes Jon Clarke
the magical architecture And if you fancy a change, Alhambra, why the Sierra Nevada of Spain’s most visited monument, the of the T’S not hard to work out Europe's top skiing is only half an hour away, while the beaches is often dubbed ‘southern beckon in an hour. nearby Costa Tropical sunbathe resort’. in the Alps this week The famous adage of ‘ski in the morning, and it’s While you’ll be shivering lunch is very much game on Pyrenees, I’m eating and it’s foggy in the the top of Spain’s second in the afternoon’ many times. the Sibeen tried and tested in bright sunshine near interests me. I like visiting usu- But none of that the sport, but also the food and highest mountain. the Sierra Nevada is for It’s mid-December and and a few of the regulars erra Nevada watchthe people. ally warm during the day while everyone looks There is simply nothing more amazing than drive are actually skiing in t-shirts, on the skyline as you ing the resort appear Malaga or tanned. washed down with an from around Spain (or fly over to land in that Even better, my light lunch, to just over €10…and Gibraltar). Mulhacen obligatory caña, comes up the slopes! peaks of Veleta and as far as is at a restaurant halfway not the number of ki- The snow-capped miles around (in fact of can be seen for 120 miles as the crow flies) and “Here we sell the weather, Luis Hernandez, boss gone Grazalema, somesteep, often single-carriageway to lometres,” explains Juan the prices have hardly winding up the EOE ski school. “And any drive in the country. the top is as exciting asout with timeless views and up for years.” This is a wonderful day
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Continues on Page 2
GIBRALTAR authorities urge caution with socialising in the run up to Christmas as 13 cases of Omicron are confirmed on the Rock. The first probable case was detected on December 9 and two subsequent cases were linked as close contacts to the initial case. Two more cases were confirmed on Monday and then a further eight on Tuesday. A government spokesman said: “We are urging people to exercise caution now that 13 cases of the Omicron variant have been detected in Gibraltar. “People are urged to be sensible, take up the offer of a booster shot, and reduce social mixing in the run up to Christmas in order to reduce the spread of the Omicron variant within our community.”
Vigilant
The Director of Public Health, Helen Carter, said: “It is extremely important for people to remain vigilant. I urge people to wear masks in enclosed and crowded places, practice social distancing where possible, and continue to wash their hands. These are known practices that will help us reduce the curb of this variant” She insisted that the best defence against the new variant was a booster jab. “Early analysis suggests that the booster shot prevents about 75% of people from getting any COVID-19 symptoms which relieves pressure from our health care systems and protects the most vulnerable within our community,” she said. “It is now clear that the Omicron variant is spreading throughout our community. We must remain cautious now, to avoid further restrictions in the run up to Christmas”, Picardo said. “The only way we can combat this variant is to get your booster shot this week. The GHA has set up the mammoth task of vaccinating as many people as possible.
the sierra
Festive joy as Gib businessman funds humanitarian mission to rescue 92 people from Afghanistan By Fiona Govan
HE is one of Gibraltar’s best known businessmen with a string of property businesses along the Costa del Sol and the local World Trade Centre. But Gregory Butcher is now set to become known as the man behind a daring mercy mission that saved nearly 100 people from war-torn Afghanistan. The keen animal rights activist part-funded an operation to evacuate 92 people from imminent danger at the hands of the Taliban. In the audacious mission, dubbed Operation Magic Carpet, he helped to get the charity workers and their families across the border to safety in Pakistan. The group of Afghanis from ani-
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MAGIC MISSION SNOW TREKKING: Across
Omicron 13
See our special 8 page Sierra Nevada supplement, which tells you all you need to know to get the best out of Europe’s most southerly ski resort
mal welfare charity Mayhew London - whose patron is Megan Markle - had worked alongside coalition forces before the American-led withdrawal in August. The Mayhew Afghanistan project was registered as an NGO in Kabul in 2016 and the team of locally-trained vets captured, neutered and vaccinated over 20,000 dogs.
Mission But their mission came to a sudden end when all international troops pulled out alongside the US, leaving the staff and their families in danger. “They were desperate to leave and were without any hope of doing so, so we teamed up with other kind RESCUED: Charity workers were moved to people to get a total of 92 saftey from volatile Afghanistan people out of Afghanistan,” explained Butcher, who part-funded in Mijas and Alcaidesa, added that seen Afghanistan spiral into escalatthe mission. corporations, like his, have a spe- ing violence and economic collapse. “They were all at risk of retribution cific ‘humanitarian and sustainable But the group saved - including 33 at the hands of the Taliban and development’ role to play in society. children and several newborn baneeded to be rescued as well.” The complex and dangerous ex- bies - were taken to temporary acThe developer behind Ocean Village traction took over two months to commodation in Islamabad on Deand various projects along the coast complete, during a period which has cember 8.
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CRIME
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NEWS IN BRIEF Justice taste IN just two days, the RGP fined 18 people £100 each on Line Wall when targeting drivers using mobiles phones. An angry driver told the policeman while being ticketed that he was ‘a vile, evil man’.
Extra, extra A FURTHER 10,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine have arrived in Gibraltar, transported from the UK by the Royal Air Force on December 11, to be used as booster jabs.
Young artists
LOCAL artists are invited to participate in the Annual Art Competition for Young Artist, which will be held in February 2022. It is open to college students up to 24-years-old with prizes of up to £1000
Annual chat THE 7th edition of GibTalks will be held on February 5, 2022, seeing a range of local speakers delivering short talks on a broad spectrum of subjects. Tickets will be on sale until January 10 via www.buytickets.gi
Repeat robber A MAN has been jailed for 48 weeks after pleading guilty to a series of crimes in Gibraltar. Christopher Wink, 31, broke into four businesses and tampered with seven vehicles at three different times this year. In August, he was caught tampering with parked cars by Harbour Views and Westview Park. After pleading guilty to all of these offences, he was given a sentence of four weeks in prison.
Prison
Then, in October, he was caught on CCTV cameras after robbing Casa Pepe, the Lounge and Pro Domestic in Queensway Quay. He pleaded guilty and received a 36-week prison sentence. In the third case, Wink was arrested after a burglary at the Bayside Sports Complex in November – where again he was caught on CCTV camera and identified by officers. For the latter case he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to eight weeks in prison. All sentences are to be served consecutively. A LOCAL 35-year-old biker has been fined £300 after being found guilty of dangerous riding’when his motorbike crashed into another after making an illegal turn. Kaylan Tilbury made a sharp left turn against
December 15th - January 11th 2022
TERRIFYING ORDEAL A CRIMINAL gang who covered their victim in ice packs and placed him in front of an electric fan before torturing him for five days as part of a €1.5million ransom plot have appeared in court. In September a gang of five hooded men had grabbed the Belgium national at gunpoint as he was about to get into his car in San Pedro Alcantara on the Costa del Sol.
Kidnap gang tortured victim and demanded €1.5mn ransom
Held
He was then driven to a rural house in Coin, 30km inland and held for five days until he was rescued by police. During his terrifying ordeal he was beaten, covered in ice and tortured. A Marbella court has ordered that four of the 12 people arrested - four French citizens and eight Spanish - be re-
Bad biker
the traffic flow and collided with an oncoming motorcyclist, who was taken to St Bernard’s Hospital for medical attention. The following day, Tilbury
By Kirsty McKenzie
manded in custody. Investigators believe the kidnapping was in reprisal for the theft of a €1.5 million drug shipment, which was stolen from one of the arrested men. The gang made a demand for was arrested for dangerous driving. When subsequently charged, he denied the offence. In court, he was fined £100 for using a motor vehicle without an insurance policy.
the same amount from the victim’s family but instead of paying they sought the help of the police. Investigators say the operation, which involved 70 police officers, managed to snare the ringleader of the group. They were all members of a huge criminal network who specialise in international drug trafficking between Malaga and Spain’s city enclave in north Africa, Ceuta. During the operation, which included raids in Marbella, Coin and Benalmadena, police seized six luxury watches, three vehicles and €6,400 cash.
TEEN TERRORS A THIRD teenager has been arrested over attacks on five police officers on October 9 in the Laguna Estate. Christian Perez, 18, was charged with Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm to an off-duty customs officer, who was punched and kicked to the ground, suffering injuries to his face and nose which required hospital attention. A Border and Coast Guards officer, who had just finished her duty shift, was also assaulted but had no visible injuries.
Fled
The aggressors then fled the scene. Police officers later attended a property elsewhere in Laguna to carry out further enquiries. Within the property, three further RGP officers were assaulted, receiving various injuries requiring medical attention. Callum Baryson,18, and a local juvenile of 16 were arrested and later charged with various offences. Perez appeared before the Magistrates’ Court on December 13.
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December 15th - January 11th 2022
TIME TO PARTY SUPERSTARS Duran Duran are heading for Ibiza as part of their 40th anniversary tour. Simon Le Bon, 63, Nick Rhodes, 59, John Taylor, 61, and Roger Taylor, 61 will play three nights in the Spring as part of the Ibiza Music Summit. Called Touch the Sunrise, the Duran Duran event will run from April 29 to May 2. Le Bon said: “Everyone in the band has a tremendous love for the island and over the years I have personally spent many sum-
Incredible survival movie about Andes plane crash filming in Spain’s soaring Sierra Nevada IT is one of the most harrowing tales of survival ever told. The incredible 1972 ordeal of the Uruguayan rugby team who managed to survive a plane crash in the Andes of Chile, in part by eating their dead colleagues. Now, thanks to Spanish director JA Bayona (Jurassic World and the Impossible), a block-
DIRECTOR: JA Bayona
A BIG HIT!
mers there with friends and family – so it’s become somewhat of a home away from home for us. “People often think of Ibiza as just a party island – which of course it can be – but there’s a side to it that we really hope our fans get to explore while they are there, that’s about the natural beauty of the place, the incredible food and the warmth of the people who live there year-round.
HOME: Le Bon
The hills are ALIVE! EXCLUSIVE By Jon Clarke
buster movie is being made on their story in the heart of Andalucia. Largely set in the soaring Sierra Nevada mountains, filming will begin near the resort of Pradollano early next year. As well as taking over a number of hotels in the resort and in Granada, producers at Netflix will be taking over a small part of the isolated Laguna valley. “They are taking over various areas in the resort, but it is all very much in secret,” said a source. “It is definitely a very big production costing millions and it is very good news for the skiing resort.” The most exciting development so far has been the construction of the crashed plane inside a
SPANISH actor and star of Netflix smash hit series Money Heist Ursula Corbero looks to be moving into the big time. One of the signs of heading into the A list category and following in the footsteps of Spanish acting royalty like Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas is being invited on to American late night chat shows. And that is what has just happened to Corbero, who appeared alongside Nicole Kidman on The Tonight Show, Show, hosted by Jimmy Fallon. Corbero - pictured in Madrid at the unveiling of the next episodes of Money Heist, Heist, titled La Casa de Papel in Spanish – has already made it to Hollywood. She appeared in Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins earlier this year, although the film got modest reviews. It is the 32-year-old’s role as Tokyo in the Netflix series which is propelling her to stardom and earned her an invite onto The Tonight Show. Show.
CRASH SITE: The wreckage of flight 571 huge hanger at the top of the resort. “They have built the hanger entirely for the film and are set to shoot various scenes inside it,” added the source. While the main actors are from Argentina and Uruguay, producers of the film, Society of the Snow, have also been looking
Adios to an ace
ONE of Spain’s greatest tennis players, Manuel Santana, known as Manolo, has died aged 83. The four-time Grand Slam champion, who helped to popularise the sport in Spain, passed away at his home in Marbella after suffering heart failure on Saturday. Santana, a pioneer of Spanish tennis, became a national hero after leading Spain to victory over the US in the Davis Cup in 1965 following his 1961 and 1964 Grand Slam successes in France. Santana won the US Open in 1965 and went on to become World Number 1 after scooping the 1966 Wimbledon men’s singles title. He also scored gold at the 1968 Olympic Games
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FATHER FIGURE: Santana with Nadal
in Mexico, and overall, he won 72 singles titles, the last one coming in Barcelona in 1970. After his playing career, he became a coach and was captain of Spain’s Davis Cup teams in the 1980s and 1990s.
out for extras from the Granada area. An advert has been seeking local men ‘with long hair and with heights between 166 (5ft, 5ins) and 188cm (6ft, 2ins)’. They also want ‘walkers, mountain climbers between the ages of 18 and 43’. Based on the book La sociedad de la nieve by Pablo Vierci, the film charts the true story of Uruguayan Air Force flight 571 which crashed on a glacier. Famous from the 1993 film Alive, only 29 of the 45 passengers survived the crash, finding themselves in one of the world’s most hostile environments. Barcelona born director JA Bayona said this week he was ‘happy to face the challenge that lies ahead’. “It is great to be telling one of the most remembered events of the 20th century, with all the complexity of a story that gives so much relevance to the survivors as well as to those who never returned from the mountains,” he said.
Who’s looking at you A PICTURE of a Spanish police dog looking lovingly at his handler has scooped top spot in a Europol photo competition. Professional and amateur photographers working with law enforcement authorities were invited to submit photographs which show the varied nature of their daily work during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. In the ‘Making Europe safer’ category, Antonio José Pedrosa Padial’s photo of the police dog was chosen as the winning entry. The police officer and her dog are part of the border control team at Valencia port.
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NEWS
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SPANISH environmentalists have slammed the arrival of yet another nuclear submarine in Gibraltar waters, warning that the Rock is becoming a repair shop for ‘floating bombs’. The HMS Astute, which docked in Gibraltar’s Royal Navy base on December 7, left British territorial waters on Monday without any official explanation as to why it has been in Gibraltar harbour for six days.
Concern
Its arrival had provoked immediate concern from Verdemar Ecologistas, an NGO umbrella organisation made up of more than 300 environmental groups across the Campo de Gibraltar. They claim that the nuclear WIZZ AIR’S service between the Rock and London-Luton has been suspended due to COVID restrictions. “The uncertain outlook for the travel industry has forced us to make a number of adjustments to our programming,” said a company spokesman. “We are constantly reviewing our schedule and would like to re-enter the Gibraltar market when it makes the most com-
December 15th - January 11th 2022
FLOATING BOMBS
Jab now on offer A BOOSTER jab is being offered to university students returning to Gibraltar for Christmas. Minister of Health Samanta Sacramento has expressed her satisfaction at being able to offer this dose to abroad students. "I would like to ask students to complete their registration form as soon as possible so that the vaccination centre team can facilitate their appointment during their stay in Gibraltar," she said.
Row over Nuclear subs visit
By Elena Goçmen Rueda
subs pose multiple threats to the environment and cite an incident in May 2000 when HMS Tireless docked in Gibraltar. The sub developed a fault in its nuclear reactor cooling system which led to it dis-
WIZZ OFF mercial sense for us, as soon as possible.” Gibraltar Tourism Minister Vijay Daryanani said that the news ‘is disappointing, but the pandemic has reared its ugly head’. He added: “The Omicron variant has not helped, all it does is cause uncertainty. With all airlines constantly
charging 200 litres of contaminated water into the Mediterranean Sea. reviewing their route networks and trying to do what they can to protect their finances, it is understandable from a business perspective.”
Earlier this year the environmental group complained that three nuclear subs had docked in Gibraltar within a month after HMS Artful, HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Lancaster were spotted in port near Gibraltar’s Europa Point during June and July.
THE death of an elderly man from COVID-19 last week tragically brings Gibraltar’s coronavirus death toll to one hundred. The man who was in his 70s had underlying health problems and, although he had been vaccinated with two doses, had not received a booster jab. Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said that the very sad news is, once again, a stark reminder of the worst consequences of COVID-19. The most recent death was of a person and family I know well’.
“Our vaccination programme has proved extremely successful. However, there is now significant evidence that the efficacy of those initial doses has begun to fade. Pocardo confirmed that to date, there have been no hospitalisations in anyone who has received the booster vaccine on the Rock.
Get it
“All people offered a booster dose, which is now being extended to everyone over 16 years of age, are strongly advised to get it’ he added. He also claims that if you have been offered the jab, turned it down, and have now reconsidered, you can get in touch and an appointment will be arranged immediately. “Follow the advice of public health professionals and call 111 as soon as the first symptoms appear, no matter how mild," he concluded.
Denounce
"We denounce that Gibraltar’s naval basy is becoming port 'X', where the United Kingdom takes these 'floating bombs' for repairs,” the group said. "We do not have nor do we want a nuclear emergency plan, we want them to leave. "We are not going to stop complaining, we will act using methods that are within our reach to drive away this nuclear risk," they said.
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Boost for all CHIEF Minister Fabian Picardo urged residents to seek out a booster jab following the news that the omicron variant had reached the Rock. “We are lucky enough to have been provided by the UK Government with an adequate supply of vaccines for third doses to protect our people and cross frontier workers, so Get Boosted Now,” he said.
Example
“By getting all of us boosted, we can really see Omicron off and be an example to other nations - but we will not achieve that if some decide to not take up our offer of the vaccine for 'diary planning' purposes. “It's a risk we cannot afford to take collectively as a people. So if it is more than three months since you had your second jab, get your booster.”
THE ROCK’s very own dancer Nicole Valverde appears in Elton John and Ed Sheeran's new Christmas hit. The song, called Merry Christmas, was uploaded in Ed Sheeran's 50,5 million followers YouTube account on December 3 to inaugurate the festive
Decade at the top THIS month marks Chief Minister Fabian Picardo’s ten years at the top. December 9 marks his arrival as the leader of Gibraltar. He became the leader of the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party in 2011, taking over from Joe Bossano, before going on to win the 2011 election, forming a coalition government with the Liberal Party. In a series of emotional tweets of photographs, he followed the chronology of his win recalling his journey to
Amazing season. The video racked up over a million views within hours of its release on YouTube, with Nicole dancing between the two megastars. It now has almost 18.5 million hits and counting.
Royal immunity
Big day for Picardo as leader By Elena Goçmen Rueda
where he got to ten years ago. They begin with the Leaders' Debate, inserting his vote a day before, when the poll had closed, leaving home for Mac Hall and arriving and winning the title. Despite winning with a small margin of 2%, he has managed to build up a strong majority.
Valverde can be seen dressed as Mrs Claus in the background while Elton John plays the piano with Ed Sheeran standing atop it, strumming his guitar. “The most incredible experience, working with an amazing team!” said the dancer on her official Instagram account.
He described the ‘crowning achievements’ of his first term as being two new schools, a university, a new bank, and a new 700-berth marina. In a variety of liberal moves, he appointed the first Minister for Equalities and passed the Civil Partnerships Act in 2014, ending legal discrimination against same-sex couples.
Brexit
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December 15th - January 11th 2022
In October 2015, he stated that if Brexit was voted in, Gibraltar ‘would have to carefully reconsider what the economic prospects are and how we would be positioned.’ Former politician and lawyer Fabian Vinet led the congratulations pointing out what a complicated decade it had been. “Brexit and COVID have delivered real challenges that not every leader would have dealt with as he has. Despite those challenges he’s largely delivered on the programme of government and that’s quite an achievement.”
SPAIN’S King Juan Carlos is claiming he has immunity from prosecution in an English court thanks to the 300-year-old Treaty of Utrecht. A high court battle brought against Spain’s former monarch took a surreal turn when his legal team cited the agreement that established Gibraltar as a British territory to argue that he should not face prosecution. The treaty signed in 1713 brought an end to the War of the Spanish Succession and established that the nations would not “endeavour to attempt anything to the destruction or detriment of the other”, nor to help anyone else who might “attempt the same”. Juan Carlos, 83, is seeking immunity from the English courts over allegations that he spied on and harassed ex-lover Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn while she was living in London and Shropshire causing her 'great mental pain'. Sayn-Wittgenstein claims that Juan Carlos sent Spanish secret service agents to spy on her and intimidate her while she was living in London after the relationship soured. Among the more bizarre claims of intimidation are that agents broke into her apartment and left a book on her coffee table about the death of Princess Diana alleging that it was orchestrated by MI6 and the CIA. In written submissions to the court, her legal team claim that agents also carried out ‘trespass and criminal damage’ that included ‘drilling a hole into her bedroom window while she slept at night’.
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OPINION A XMAS MESSAGE TO YOU THIS time last year we were all looking forward to turning our backs on 2020 and wishing good riddance to what was for many of us the most difficult year of our lives. A year that at times veered on apocalyptic, when we were confined to our homes and prevented from travelling, when many of us lost loved ones as the pandemic took hold and countless others suffered isolation and anxiety. But 2021 looked set to be brighter with hopes pinned on a vaccine that promised to open up the world once again to travel and once again reunite families separated by national borders and government imposed restrictions. Well a year later and 2021 hasn’t been quite as rosy as we all hoped, despite the vast majority of those in Spain having received full vaccination there are many of us facing a second Christmas of cancelled travel plans as uncertainly brought by omicron variant brings new complications for family reunions. It’s also been the year when Brits in Spain saw the real consequences of Brexit bite with new travel rules, a host of new bureaucratic hurdles from driving licence swaps to residence applications, and a loss of freedom of movement that has curtailed visitors and those with second homes in Spain staying beyond 90 days at a time. We have covered all these issues in the pages of the Olive Press alongside some of the more positives stories this year, such as the joys of discovering some of the most beautiful spots in Spain without the usual hordes of tourists. A big thank you to all our readers, subscribers and advertisers for sticking with the Olive Press and supporting independent community journalism, we just couldn’t do it without you! From all of us at the Olive Press, we wish you a very merry Christmas and an even better 2022.
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NEWS FEATURE
HAT comes to mind when most people think of Andalucía is the warm Mediterranean, stretches of olive groves and palm tree-lined white beaches. The heat defines the region, where even the structure of the working-day revolves around a siesta. I was escaping the dark damp days of London for a winter break in Andalucía and I knew it wasn’t going to be sunbathing weather but I was quite unprepared for just how cold it would be.
Scorching
I found myself in a traditional home in a pueblo blanco with views across rolling hills down to the coast. While these houses are designed for the scorching heat of summer and do a fantastic job of retaining the cold, they utterly fail to be comfortable in winter when the mornings and evenings can be surprisingly chilly. But with tile floors and no carpets, little roof insulation and no central heating I soon discovered I would need jumpers, scarves and slippers to keep warm inside.
When Olive Press intern Tallulah Taylor arrived on the Costa del Sol in December she discovered she was entirely unprepared for winter in a house better designed to keep out the summer heat
Was it just me feeling the cold? How do the locals keep warm? I started to ask around and even rea-
ched out to readers of the Olive Press to share their tips. My colleague Elena Goç-
men, a 25 year-old who lives in Marbella, described an ingenious piece of furniture that has pride
FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD: Christmas delicacies in all their historical might from English traditions to Spanish alternatives (right)
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HRISTMAS dinner for Brits means Brussel sprouts, pigs in blankets and a stuffed (and hopefully not-too-dry) turkey taking pride of place at the feast. Bon viveur Henry VIII allegedly talked us into turkey in the 16th century, as the first English
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Happy eat
LIGHT DELIGHTS: Perfect nibbles
How to cook a merry Spanish Christmas and the difference from back home monarch to choose it for the festive occasion at court. Hitherto, roast peacock or swan were the meats of choice among the rich and fashionable, or boar and goose as cheaper alternatives. While Brits are used to stuffing their birds with sausage, onion and sage, Andulacians who have adopted our turkey tradition prefer a much fruitier affair involving prunes, raisins and apples. So what else do the Spanish do differently? Christmas Eve, not December 25, is the big event when family and friends get together to eat. Known as ‘Nochebuena’ - literally ‘good night’ - the feast starts in the evening and lasts for several hours, after which everyone
goes out … to the bar, to the disco, to midnight mass... In Andalucia where the sea laps the doorstep, fish start the celebrations off with a splash. Think langostinos, prawns and sopa de pescado y marisco (fish and shellfish soup) for starters. If fish isn’t your dish, Picadillo soup with noodles, ham, boiled egg and fried bread cubes is a tasty traditional alternative. Nibbles in between courses often come in the form of huevos rellenos, boiled eggs stuffed with potato salad, seafood or tuna, creatively presented in festive shapes. While a Christmas turkey is no longer unheard of in Spanish homes, more traditional mains are roast lamb or Rioja-style salt cod. For te
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of place in her grandmother’s village house during the winter. C a - lled a ‘mesa
Camilla’, this table has a specially designed base with a hole cut out to store a brazier for hot coals
ting cod, three days of soaking and three water changes are required to remove the salt before cooking it with the key ingredient of the dish: dried red choricero peppers. Grown in northern regions of Spain and air-dried to preserve their flavour, the pepper gives the fish a sweet and tangy taste. Around an hour prior to cooking, the dried peppers must be placed into a jar of water to rehydrate, after which the inner flesh is used and the papery skin disgarded. If that sounds like too much work, never fear as most local shops sell it pre-prepped ready for cooking. Orginating in Estepa, Andalucia, the crumbly cakes called mantecados and polvorones are served up for the sweet course rather than Christmas pudding - but they are equally as delicious.
or a more modern electric much to warm these ceheater. A heavy blanket ment walls.” is draped over the table Fellow expat Jenny also trapping in the warmth so wraps herself up. “A vest, that those seated around two sweaters, fleece trouit can ensure their feet sers, knee length socks, and legs are kept toasty. furry slippers and a scarf Other tips from Spanish which does a good job of friends inclukeeping the ded ‘constant heat in. Pretsupplies of ty much what A gas fire, thick hot drinks’ I used to do w h i l e pyjamas, a hot in the UK as others inI didn’t have water bottle sisted on central heaswathing and an electric ting there eithemselther.” blanket ves in dresJanice Groom sing gowns revealed she and blankets had made an when at home, and one ingenious alteration to admitted she wears bed her drapes: “Thermal bacsocks that sometimes ked curtains have made a stay on her feet for days. big difference in my cold One young Spanish man apartment.” said his family do put car- While Sonya Llewellyn pets down in winter as a admitted to using every protective layer against available tool in the fight freezing cold stone floors against the cold: “A gas - but roll them up again fire, a blanket, thick pycome spring when they jamas, a hot water bottle are packed away in stora- and an electric blanket.” ge until the autumn. Kevleigh Bastin said he I also reached out to the had to use more drastic expat community to see measures to keep warm what advice I could glean in his home: “There is nofrom those who had ex- thing worse than being perience of swapping we- cold and I did not come ll-heated homes back in here to be so,” he wrote. Blighty for a villa in the sun. Insulation Expats Maureen Croft and “Most Spanish houses do Anne Crosskey agreed not have insulation in the that the best investment roofs, we made sure that they made was an electric we bought a house that blanket. “After 14 years needed a new roof and in Spain and a recent made sure that good insubout of sciatica, I have lation went in when it was just bought one and it is reformed, otherwise you absolutely the best thing are just throwing money for the winter.” away trying to heat a plaJennifer Santolla admi- ce that has nothing in the tted to wearing ‘hoo- roof and fighting a losing ded PJs as a winter battle. uniform’. “My flat is One thing that seemed SO COLD in winter we to be universally agreed skip showers often. upon was to spend as it’s an ice box in here,” much time as possible she wrote on The Olive outside with your face turPress Facebook page ned to the sun. in a discussion about “Go out more as it’s warkeeping warm in Spain. mer outside,” was the fi“A heater doesn’t do nal word from one reader.
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Spain taken to court over nitrates pollution SPAIN is being taken to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg over its slow response in stopping nitrate pollution in areas like the Mar Menor lagoon in Murcia. The European Commission says that Spain has flouted the provisions of the EU’s Nitrate Directive in several regions including Murcia, the Valencian Community, Andalucia, the Balearics, and Aragon.
Complaint
It accuses the country of not controlling nitrogen fertilisers used in agriculture that cause water contamination and has filed a complaint to the EU’s top court. The Nitrate Directive drawn up in 1991 obliges EU member states to monitor their waters and identify people affected or likely to be affected by pollution
Train dealing CAR manufacturers are not noted for their green credentials, despite their move towards an electric future. But now Spanish company Seat is taking a step forward in its ‘Move to Zerø’ strategy with a new rail service linking its Martorell (Spain) plant with the Volkswagen Autoeuropa factory in Palmela (Portugal). The new service is operating once a week, and is expected to transport more than 20,000 vehicles per year to a distribution depot, which will avoid 2,400 truck journeys and reduce CO2 emissions by 43%. The return train journey will take vehicles manufactured in Palmela to the Port of Barcelona, from where they will be distributed by road to different regions of Europe.
In the dock By Alex Trelinski
caused by nitrates originated from farming. The accord demands the use of ‘good agricultural practices’. Excessive nitrate levels damage freshwater and the marine environment, which is the case with the Mar Menor lagoon where thousands of fish have died in several ‘mass death’ events over the past few years. The European Commission sent a formal notice to Spain in 2018 that it needed to toughen up measures against nitrate pollution. In December 2020, the Commission gave the country three months to adopt an action
DISASTER: Dead fish on the Mar Menor shore package to stop it breaking the too little, too late for the ComNitrate Directive. mission. An EU spokesman Increased measures have start- said: “The measures have been ed to be taken in Murcia and insufficient to reach the objecelsewhere but it appears to be tive of the Nitrate Detective.”
I
recently had the pleasure of taking tea with a delightful couple, Clive and Shami, on the terrace of their beautiful house just north of Benidorm. They are regular avid readers of the Olive Press and in particular the Green Page. COP26 had just come to an end and we were discussing the outcome and progress made. Clive commented: “Real action will have to come from individuals and private industry. Governments have proved themselves consistently incapable of tackling the issue of climate change effectively.” I have to say he is 100% right. When you consider what was actually agreed at COP26 the obvious conclusion in my view is that we are planning to fail. So what was actually agreed in Glasgow ? It was agreed all countries will meet again next year to pledge further cuts to CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions. Wow….that must have been hard. It was agreed to significantly increase financial support to help poor countries cope with the effects of climate change. Haven’t we heard that before? World leaders agreed to phase out subsidies that artificially lower the price of oil, coal or natural gas. However, no firm dates were agreed. Plus governments love nothing more than cutting subsidies. The world’s biggest CO2 emitters, the US and China, pledged to cooperate more over the next decade in areas including methane emissions and the switch to clean energy. It will be interesting to see how that goes. China and the US fall out more than warring siblings. Leaders from more than 100 countries promised to stop deforestation by 2030. This is seen as vital as trees absorb vast amounts of CO2. However, there is no mention of how this
December 15th - January 11th 2022
Blown away WIND power is on track to become Spain’s leading energy source this year, overtaking nuclear and gas-powered electricity for the first time. Wind has generated 23.1% of Spain’s electricity in 2021 so far, above Nuclear’s 21% contribution and 16.8% from combined-cycle generators which run on natural gas. Spain currently boasts 1,267 wind parks with 21,431 wind turbines providing 27GW of wind energy capacity – the second-most capacity in the EU after Germany. Spain’s National Integrated Plan of Energy and Climate (PNIEC) hopes the industry will double in size to hit the target of making Spain 74% renewable energy by 2030. “Wind power is going to continue to dominate the Spanish electricity grid for a long time,” said Francisco Valverde, a consultant at the energy company Menta Energía. The northern regions dominate wind power production with Castilla y Leon providing 23% of wind power, Aragon providing 15.2% and Castilla La Mancha providing 14.2%.
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will be policed. This year, Brazil’s Amazon rainforest has seen more deforestation than ever. Over 14,000 square kilometres of forest has been lost. Brazil’s president, Jair Bolsonaro (straight out of the looney Trump mould) actively encourages mining and agriculture in the Amazon. A scheme to cut 30% of methane emissions by 2030 was agreed by more than 100 countries. However, the big emitters (China, India and Russia) didn’t commit.
So, you can see why I remain cynical. Next year’s COP27 is in Egypt. We can all look forward to hearing the ‘same same’ pledges again with insufficient action. Will we be convinced more then with the magnificent pyramids as the backdrop, or like the resident camels get the hump?
Martin Tye is the owner of energy switch company Mariposa Energy. +34 638145664 ( Spain Phone ) Email him at martin@mariposaenergia.es
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A Sierra Nevada
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Nothing beats a weekend in the Costa del Ski, writes Jon Clarke
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T’S not hard to work out why the Sierra Nevada is often dubbed ‘southern Europe's top skiing resort’. While you’ll be shivering in the Alps this week and it’s foggy in the Pyrenees, I’m eating lunch in bright sunshine near the top of Spain’s second highest mountain. It’s mid-December and the Sierra Nevada is usually warm during the day and a few of the regulars are actually skiing in t-shirts, while everyone looks tanned. Even better, my light lunch, washed down with an obligatory caña, comes to just over €10…and that is at a restaurant halfway up the slopes! “Here we sell the weather, not the number of kilometres,” explains Juan Luis Hernandez, boss of EOE ski school. “And the prices have hardly gone up for years.” And if you fancy a change, the magical architecture of Spain’s most visited monument, the Alhambra, is only half an hour away, while the beaches of the nearby Costa Tropical beckon in an hour. The famous adage of ‘ski in the morning, sunbathe in the afternoon’ is very much game on and it’s been tried and tested many times. But none of that interests me. I like visiting the Sierra Nevada for the sport, but also the food and the people. There is simply nothing more amazing than watching the resort appear on the skyline as you drive from around Spain (or fly over to land in Malaga or Gibraltar). The snow-capped peaks of Veleta and Mulhacen can be seen for miles around (in fact as far as Grazalema, some 120 miles as the crow flies) and winding up the steep, often single-carriageway to the top is as exciting as any drive in the country. This is a wonderful day out with timeless views and many Andalucians simply head up to take in the air, particularly on bank holidays which are generally worth avoiding. What is certainly changing in the Sierra Nevada though is the dedication to move forward. New kilometres of pistes are added most years, while this year saw a record 77 of the latest snow cannons installed, guaranteeing excellent snow until early May. The season normally starts promptly with the De-
cember ‘puente’ weekend of Constitution Day and the Immaculate Conception, when up to 40,000 skiers can rock up for the weekend.
Netflix
There will be up to 110kms of pistes open at the peak, including the excellent Laguna valley, for expert skiers, where they have recently been filming a Netflix series about the infamous 1972 plane crash in the Andes, when the Uruguayan rugby team were forced to take to extreme measures to survive. You must also look out for the excellent Superpark Sulayr, Europe’s largest freestyle snowboard park, with its fabulous 165 metre long 'half pipe', amazing for snowboarders. And then there is the famous 'Rio' run that leads Continues on Page 2
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right down to the resort of Pradollano, which sits at 2,100 metres. At the same latitude as Cyprus and just 30 miles from the beaches of the Costa del Sol, it is nothing short Plaza Andalucia where there are of amazing really that you can usu- new credit card machines now installed so you shouldn’t have to ally ski here in early May. This is all to do with the altitude of queue for long. the Sierra Nevada, which has its A day’s skiing is not cheap, costing highest peak in Mulhacen, a stag- €51 to €54 on most days, but just €42 on a wednesday, while those in gering 3,482m above sea level. Named after a 15th century Arabic their 70s get free passes. king Muley Hacen (Abdul Hassan It certainly pays to pick your days Ali), who is said to have been buried with Christmas and Semana Sanat the top, this is the highest peak in ta seeing the resort rammed, with sometimes big queues for the ski mainland Spain. lifts. My tip is to visit for the Reyes From the top of the when 99% of the highest ski lift, at 3,300 Spanish will have remetres, the views make The apres ski turned home for their the Mediterranean bepresents and family low look like a small at this resort get togethers. pond, with half the Then there is Semana of fun is coastline of Morocco Blanca (literally 'white clearly in view. amongst the week') – or half term It is an amazing place, best in Europe at the end of Februalthough it can be a ary – when school little nippy up there children can learn with the wind whistling how to ski, while bank past, so make sure to bring a coat holidays can also be very busy and and jumper. From here, competent skiers access getting up to the resort can be slow. the amazing runs of the Laguna de That said, problems can be missed las Yeguas area, including the cele- by arriving by 8.30am or by waiting brated Olympic run, which is full of till midday. While a modern resort, Pradollano twists and turns. And believe me, you can sometimes itself is a pleasant place to simply find yourself skiing alone midweek take in the air or a spot of lunch, and and the sheer nature and land- there is a fair amount for children to do, with entertainers and Disney figscape are spectacular. It is incredibly easy to have a few ures wandering around, particularly days skiing and you can always park around Christmas. in the underground car park right It has also got a good reputation as being a resort for fun, with the below the main square. You come up to the ticket office in apres ski being some of the best in
HIGH LIFE: Spectators and media watch a competitor on the Olympic run, while (right) snow cannons at work
Europe, once you know where to find it (tip: it’s most uphill). The place really started to evolve quickly from 1995 when the World Skiing Championship was scheduled to be held there (it actually took place the following year due to poor snow). “Since then the infrastructure changes were huge and it is now a big resort,” explains resort marketing boss Santiago Sevilla, who has worked there for well over a decade. “When the weather is favourable, and that is most of the time, this is
a fantastic place to be skiing.” Giles Birch, who runs the well-established British Ski Center, estimates that Pradollano has one of the longest seasons in Europe, opening at the start of December and often going through to mid May. “There have even been snowfalls in June and when the snow and weather are favourable, which is more often
then not, the openness of the ski terrain provides some of the most exhilarating off piste skiing to be found anywhere.” He continues: “Off piste skiing here has made a great name for itself with easily accessible zones all over the terrain, very little avalanche risk and wide open expanses for all to enjoy.”
Sierra Nevada
Native English Ski & Snowboard Instructors
www.skisierranevada.co.uk Holiday Arrangements: sierraessence@skisierranevada.co.uk
info@britishskicenter.co.uk T: 670 461330 / 646 178406
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PISTE TO PLATE! WHERE TO EAT
No uphill battle to find good places to eat in the Sierra Nevada, writes Jon Clarke
Y
OU might think you have walked into a scene out of a skateboard
video. They call it Rebel Food, but the team at Ci Vediamo, quite frankly, cook some of the most classic food in Granada. Yes, there is plenty of creativity here too, but the simple dishes of young chef Stevie Silva are often the
best. Take the tartaki of Galician beef served in a yuzu sauce with chives and flowers, or an amazing soft crab tempura they are mountain fresh and delicious to boot. And when he gets all arty you find dishes like a ceviche of scallops in a bloody Mary sauce and an amazing false risotto with coconut
CREATIVE: Stevie with Luna (right) and dishes
milk, kimchi and prawns. With over a dozen years on the slopes, he and his partner (and Maitre d) Luna keep getting better and better. Thanks to a wanderlust that takes them around the world in summer time (to the Far East and around Europe) there are plenty of new dishes each season. And on top of that the pair have a new restaurant to go
with their collection, a simple joint, Bar Tola, which sits in the heart of the resort’s nightlife sector. While nothing fancy, it has a simple, good value menu that includes lots of hearty tapas dishes. More exciting is their Asiatic joint Shimbuya, that takes its inspiration from classic Japanese minimalism, with its wood and electric blue interior.
Ci Vediamo The Sierra Nevada’s most elegant restaurant
Michelin trained chef Esteban Silva produces classic Italian style dishes with a modern twist Open 7 days a week Monday to Sunday 12.00-16.00 & 20.00-24.00 Plaza Andalucía, Edf. Salvia s/n, Pradollano tel: 958 480 856 civediamosn@gmail.com FInd us on Google Maps with 360° degree view
My top tip, go for the California Roll with a king prawn, salmon and sesame seeds. Next door, keep an eye out for the excellent local Swell, which is a cool place to grab a burger, salad or wok and watch the football. Another great place to eat, particularly if meat is your thing, is La Muralla, run by Argentinian Gonzalo Funes. The steaks are surely the best in the resort, while the
melt-in-the-mouth carrillada is also stunning. The ‘tostas’ are also great and come in various guises, while I loved the milhoja of foie gras and a courgette carpaccio with fig sauce. He and his brother Luciano also run the brand new Muralla Burguer, almost next door, which specialises in Continues on Page 4
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WHERE TO EAT
cocina 100% mexicana
RE-FIT: La Muralla Burguer has the best gourmet burgers in the resort From Page 3
TREATS FOR THE TASTEBUDS
tel: 958 00 72 97 / 605 91 07 86
the best quality burgers on the slopes. It’s hard to disagree when urged to try his ‘gourmet’ burger, which is actually made from oxtail ‘rabo de toro’ with a thin slice of cheese and mayonnaise and cooked in its own juice. The brothers also own the famous Las Gondalas restaurant right in the heart of the resort, next to the slopes and excellent for some apres ski light bites, a hot drink or a beer. Also look out for the two joints owned by Yolanda, one of them a Swiss joint called La Fondue de Noa and the more exciting La Braseria. Recently renovated it has a great mix of dishes, particularly specialising In things on the bbq.
I loved the Portobello mushrooms stuffed with provoleta cheese and tomatoes and even the basic onion soup which had the surprise of a whole egg yolk in the middle. Another great simple joint, but with great home cooked food, is Telesilla Burger. It is one of the most popular joints with workers in the resort and that is no surprise both for its great value prices, and the fact that owner Maria works in the kitchen.
Buzzing
Cleverly designed using ski lifts as tables, you can get everything here from hot coffees in the morning to superb desserts at tall times of day.
Sierra Nevada’s coolest new restaurant
By far the most fun tapas joint is Bar Ski, set up by the funniest man in the Sierra Nevada, Nichi, two decades ago. His place is always buzzing at lunch and in the evenings and comprises a classic soul kitchen concentrating on hardy, simple dishes. Just up from here, look out for the amazing Bodega Casablanca run by Jose Carlos Villanueva, who grew up on the slopes, with his father opening one of the first hostals in the 1960s. The historic photos add to the atmosphere (as does a framed Olive Press article!) and the heart-warming soul food is always excellent, and includes stews, lentils as well as prawns wrapped in potato with a soya mayonnaise and lovely lamb chops with whisker-thin wild asparagus. Another excellent place overlooking the slopes is Tia Maria, which has a good mix of dishes and is a great place for breakfast. A total institution run by Carlos (part of the Tito Luigi family) this is the spot to chill out and enjoy the sun for the afternoon and early evening.
Rated
ONLY the Best Beef! Edif Mont Blanc, Sierra Nevada (in front of Melia hotel)
TEAM: At Antorcha and their ‘sausage tree’
For coffee, breakfast, and in fact just about everything, Vertical is hard to be beaten and also has a great range of snacks and light bites, including hot dogs for the British clientele. Finally, few places get as busy as the highly-rated Antorcha, which sits by the Kenia Nevada hotel. Run by Antonio and Maite for over a decade, each table gets its own ‘sausage tree’, while its speciality of the house is the ‘hot and spicy platter’ on which you can cook your own rump steaks, up to 400gr.
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STALWARTS: Big cheeses at Tia Maria and Vertical, while (below) the recently opened Bar Tola
QUIRKY: Telesilla (left) and (above) Nichi at Bar Ski
KINGS OF PRADOLLANO: Xavi and Luis at Tito Luigi
ROYAL DINING
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N the heart of the resort the most established restaurant is easily Tito Luigi, run by two long term pals Luis and Xavi (above). At least two kings of Spain have eaten at this seminal joint and the walls pay tribute to their long list of established and famous clientele, including American film stars, bullfighters and politicians. You will need to book in high season
even though it can sit 250 covers a night, but you will be rewarded with splendid Italian fare, my favourite dish being the squid-ink spaghetti with prawns. The pair have another, hipper restaurant Tito Tapas practically next door and a third joint up the hill in the middle of the resort.
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WHERE TO STAY
SNOW DREAMS
There are hundreds of places to stay in the Sierra Nevada, but only a handful are really reliable, writes Jon Clarke
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T is hard to describe Pradollano as an authentic mountain village. But, with a metre of snow on the ground and the sun finally out, it certainly has its charms. There are lots of places to stay but easily one of the most charming has got to be the authentic Hotel Kenia Nevada, which is well located near the centre of town and open most
of the year. Run by the friendly Don Pedro – who used to ski for the country as a youngster - it is clean, well run and serves up one of the best breakfasts in Spain. It also has a gym and spa, with an in-house masseur, and plenty of communal areas, filled with charming old furniture. You could also go upmarket
and splurge on one of the two wonderful Melia hotels, right in the heart of the resort. The rooms at the Melia Sierra Nevada have been recently renovated and the New Premium rooms have been built on floors 7 and 8. Meanwhile the nearby Meliá Sol y Nieve hotel offers The Level experience, which is the hotel group’s most exclusive commitment to luxury and personal service.
Shock
SPLURGE: At luxurious Melia hotel
Another popular option is to rent an apartment in the resort, of which there are many. Be careful, of all the many deals on the likes of airbnb and Booking you could be in for a shock when you arrive, being stuck out in Babylon or find the place much smaller and dirtier than it initially looked in photos. A much better option is to trust the long-time local specialists, Snow Rentals, which has up to 50 apartments on its books, which start from €80 a night
AUTHENTIC: Kenia Nevada
and go up to well over €1,000 if you want something really exclusive. It even has some chalets to rent to boot. A more upmarket apartment agency is Imeda, which has been situated in the resort for over a decade. All come with kitchens and are fully air conditioned, and each has a parking space. Best of all, pets are welcome which is a good draw for many expats.
MELIÃ
SIERRA NEVADA
MELIÃ
SOL Y NIEVE
MELIÃ | SIERRA NEVADA
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MELIÃ | SOL Y NIEVE
(+34) 902 144444 // www. melia.com
Nevada
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Festive fun MAGICAL: Three kings trudge up the slopes on January 5
T
he resort is one of the most festive places to be in Spain, and the Spaniards know it, as they arrive in their droves for Christmas and New Year. ‘Nochebuena’ or Christmas eve, when the Spaniards celebrate the festive season with a huge family meal and lashings of turron, is usually a sell out. Meanwhile ‘nochevieja’, or New Year’s Eve, where
massive screens show the countdown in Madrid’s iconic Puerta del Sol, with grapes galore, is a riot. For the eve of the Reyes on Jan 5 the three kings duly arrive on skis. Kids will love it. Carnival, from February 6-14, also sees a mass arrival for the fancy dress competition, snowsport contests and spectacles from Granada University.
THRILL-SEEKERS: Get their kit off every year
But would he approve? A COLLECTION of Sierra Nevada’s bravest and silliest thrill seekers rush down the mountain in swimsuits for t h e last day of the season. Next year, the unusual downhill event will start at Borreguiles where participants hand in their clothes to take to the slopes into Pradollano where drinks and hedonism awaits. Budding nudists often get a discounted ski pass if they sign up to the official page. However, space is normally limited to 500 people and prizes are given to the best and most outrageous outfits. One regular visitor to the slopes, King Felipe, is not expected to take part. In former years he normally drops in around Christmas time with friends (pictured left).
LIVE AND KICKING Rock up to Spain’s highest music venue, Edelweiss, as it launches in the heart of the Sierra Nevada
I
T eventually had to happen. And now, as the sun finally sets over the main square of the Sierra Nevada resort, there is music - and often a live band - to dance to. Thanks to the ingenuity of music fan Antonio Huerta, over 100 concerts are now planned for the late afternoons and evenings in Pradollano’s Plaza Andalucia. His new venue is called Edelweiss, a name not normally associated with rock n roll, but it is one you are soon going to struggle to forget. With an amazing sound system and stage (both inside and out) and a lineup of bands scheduled for the season, make sure to rock up for the best apres ski fun on the slopes. “We’ve got 70 concerts planned for the winter and 30 in summer,” explains Antonio, a softly spoken chef by trade, who heralds from Sevilla. “I realised there was a gap in the market here and I love my music, particularly rock and pop and anything from the subculture from the 1980s onwards. It was all too obvious spending an afternoon at the venue, firstly listening to the strains of classics from the likes of Joy Division, Elvis and Nirvana, before a live band came on to play
a variety of Amy Winehouse covers. But that’s not all. Thanks to Huerta’s profession as a cook, he has an excellent kitchen specialising in Americana-style dishes. This means amazing ribs, fabulous burgers, but also a nice mix of salads and cakes to follow. Make sure to pop inside to see the amazing bar, painstakingly created by Antonio out of an olive tree, using a cornucopia of nic nacs and stickers he’s collected over the years.
introducing...
SHIMBUYA RESTAURANT
REBEL SUSHI AND MUSIC
For more information, visit www.edelweissapresski.negocio.site
tel: 958 88 55 06 Virgen de las Nieves, Edifico Bulgaria (local 7), Monachil
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Sierra Nevada
HEN four friends set up Telemark in 1991 they were only the fourth skiing school in the Sierra Nevada. Some three decades on they count on 21 teachers, five admin staff and well over 100 years of experience of teaching on the
slopes. “It’s great to have made it this far,” explains Luis Casanove, one of the resort’s true village elders. “What a different world it was back then with so few schools.” He continues: “We wanted to be the pioneers of the new world offering a much more private, personalised service and doing it in various languages.” English, in particular, was a key requirement for the team (and still is) and among their first clients were various British expats from Marbella, as well as many Scandinavians and Portuguese. The name of the company comes from the style of skiing known as ‘telemarking’. This can be seen in a photo on the wall of the company… a grainy black and white picture of Luis’s grandfather skiing in 1912 in the Guadarrama mountains near Madrid. “Telemark skiing was the original way before Alpine skiing became more fashionable later in the century,” he explains. Be it hiking, Telemarking, cross country, snowboarding or off-piste skiing, there are not many inches of the Sierra Nevada that Luis and his business partner Jesus Fernandez don’t know. They can arrange everything from accommodation to ski passes and are well known for their famous off-piste mountain adventures that last from a morning to two days. “Our knowledge and know-how is ideal for families who want the perfect personal one to one break,” he adds. The company also runs amazing wilderness trips that literally end up in another world... the charming cobbled villages of the Genil valley, in the Alpujarras. These one or two-day adventures take you through deep off-piste snow onto narrow mountain tracks. Another popular pastime for those who don’t fancy risking life and limb on the pistes, is to have a day of cross-country skiing on two or three well established paths around the resort. “It is great fitness and you do get to enjoy the fabulous views and nature at the same time,” he adds. The company can also help organise hard-core uphill climbing for mountaineers to a half day soft snow walking trip with snow rackets.
HAPPY HATRICK
While Sierra Nevada ski school Telemark hits its 30th anniversary this year, its roots go back to 1912, writes Jon Clarke
PROUD: Luis shows off photo of his grandfather
BEFORE AND AFTER: The team in 1991 and 2021
Contact the team on telemark@telemark.es or call 958 48 11 53.
ting Celebra on 30 years es the slop
WE ALSO ORGANISE ACCOMMODATION AND SKI PASSES
LA CULTURA
Feel the beat
THE most listened to artist on Spotify Spain during 2021 has been Puerto Rican musician Rauw Alejandro. The Reggaeton star has had 34.2 million monthly listeners on the platform compared to his girlfriend Rosalia who racks up a mere 23.6million listeners. Other artists in the top five include Bad Bunny, Myke Towers, J Balvin and Anuel AA in that order.
Popular
But in terms of most popular artist streamed on Spotify worldwide, Bad Bunny holds the crown for the second year in a row. Bad Bunny, who is also from Puerto Rico, has notched up a whopping 9.1 billion plays this year. Second place in the global rankings is American singer Taylor Swift, followed by South Korean group BTS, then Canadian hip hop artist, Drake and finally pop superstar Justin Bieber.
By Fiona Govan
A STAR has been born as the final piece was placed atop a tower on the Sagrada Familia cathedral, changing the skyline of Barcelona The giant five-and-a-half tonne star was lifted into place to complete one of the Antoni Gaudi designed towers, just in time for Christmas. Architects have been labouring to finish the basilica for close to 140 years and it was slated for completion by 2026 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Gaudi’s death. The visionary architect began work on his most ambitious project in 1882 but his death in 1926 beneath the wheels of a tram in the Catalan capital meant completion of his opus was entrusted to future generations. Known as ‘God’s architect’ for his pious yet visionary obsession, Gaudi died penniless after sinking all his money into the project when public funds dried
December 15th - January 11th 2022
A STAR IS BORN
Barcelona skyline has a new feature
AFTER a year-and-a-half of partial closure, Madrid’s Prado Museum is finally fully open. Many parts of its exhibition space had been closed down to comply with COVID social distancing measures. Since lockdown it has gradually been opening up again, and now the process is complete. With almost one million visitors since the start of 2021, it
17
Full glory
has averaged over 100,000 a month since July. You can now visit the Treasure of the Dolphin and the Still Lifes of Clara Peeters as well as the works of Rubens, Jan Brueghel and David Teniers, plus painters of the Dutch school including Salomon de Bray and Gabriel Metsu.
INKY FINGERS
up. During the Spanish Civil war of 1936-39 anarchists burned
Historical nuggets
A GOLD coin struck 1,400 years ago been found during home improvement work in Leon has been seized by police. An even older coin was also intercepted by cops in the Ciudad Real area after it was advertised for sale on a social media site. Both coins come from the Visigoth era which was a time of French-based rule sandwiched between the fall of the Roman Empire and the arrival of the Moors. The Leon coin was struck during the reign of Visigoth king Sisebuto between 612 and 621 AD. It’s only the third-such Visigothic coin to be discovered and had an engraving that suggested it was minted in what would these days be Lorca in the Murcia region.
the original plans for the project leaving modern architects struggling to remain true to Gaudí’s vision. However, as the target completion date of 2026 edges closer, the coronavirus pandemic has taken its toll.
Toll
Without the huge numbers of tourists visiting the unfinished site – which is Barcelona’s most popular tourist site and the second in Spain after the Alhambra – resources are dwindling. Before the pandemic hit, the site attracted 60,000 visitors a day and filled the coffers with around €100m in 2019 alone.
A BIZARRE new exhibition is celebrating the art of the tattooist. CaixaForum Madrid has put on an unusual display of more than 240 pieces celebrating everything about the tattooing world and its history. The exhibition goes back to the origins of body art and showcases how its popularity has surged in recent years. A special feature of the exhibition is the bizarre sight of of 20 silicone torsos tattooed by masters of the art, as well as models of other body parts. Tattoo. Art under the skin can be visited until April 17, 2022
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LA CULTURA
A taste of the divine
December 15th - January 11th 2022
Get thee to a Spanish nunnery for the best sister act in home-baking since Two Fat Ladies. Karethe Linaae gets an exclusive cookery lesson in Ronda
I
excitement that the Olive Press got to spend a morning baking with a group of group of nuns at the Convento San Francisco in Ronda… and the results were divine! Convent pastries - such as Huesos de Santo (Saints’ Bones), Trufas de Madre de Dios yolks, sugar and a few drops of (Mother of God Truffles) and lemon. Corazones (Sacred Hearts) de They are among a heavenly Santa Clara - are often chris- host of artisan reposterias tened to reflect made in Andatheir saintly orlucía’s convent igins. And the kitchens. CarTaste of home melite, Cisternuns work their culinary alchemy cian and Franciscooking, old with the humcan are among blest of ingredi- village kitchens the orders now ents. busy at their deand a bit of Augustine nuns votions to proat Sevilla’s Conduce seductive heaven vento de San Lesweetmeats for andro have been Christmas. baking since the While initially 16th Century and their most selling to the surrounding comfamous pastry, Yemas de San munities, some convents now Leandro, contains only egg have websites, offer gluten-free alternatives, and can ship anywhere in the world. Our local nuns in Ronda have Among the most typical Christmas pastries are Roscos also gained quite a reputation de Vino. Andalucian children will keep three to give to for their blessed dulces. the Three Kings on Dia de los Reyes, known as Roscos de We are led in to meet them Reyes. While the grandmothers of every household used in their wonderful authentic to bake these ring-shaped pastries infused with sweet kitchen in the bowels of their wine for the whole family, today that task is often left to wonderful home, just off the the local nunneries. mountain town’s historic Plaza Borrachuelos are a traditional Christmas treat from Made San Francisco. laga’s villages - miniature empanadas filled with cabello We are soon watching ancient de angel (angel hair, a spaghetti squash marmalade). Sister Natividad cracking a Borracho means drunk, and these tipsy treats are laced sack of almonds on a tree with a generous glug of cider. Each piece is then deeptrunk in the convent patio with fried and dunked in sugar for extra naughtiness. a giant hammer. It’s no surprise that some pastries date from the Al AndaAs December begins, the sislus era. For example alfajores (from the Arabic al-fakher, ters can be found rolling dough meaning luxurious), have been found in the Spanish dicaround the clock, kneading tionary since the 14th Century, and are a particular spetheir love, care and culinary ciality in the Cadiz pueblo of Medina Sidonia. Alfajores traditions into every bite-sized were also exported to the New World and have become treat. a traditional Christmas treat in South America. They are baking an incredible 35 kilos of mantecados – meaning a few thousand cook-
T’S beginning to smell a lot like Christmas, here in Spain, when the buttery aroma of mantecados warm from the oven wafts from bakeries and abuelas’ kitchen windows, filling the chill December streets with festive expectation. Sinful homebaked sweetmeats have been a guilty Christmas pleasure in these parts since Moorish times and every town, village, peña and brotherhood has its own traditional recipes – frequently jazzed up with a naughty nip of cider, sherry or aniseed liqueur. But who could have guessed that some of the nicest (and naughtiest) are produced behind convent walls by nuns! Some sisterhoods have been tempting mortals with their convent confections since the Middle Ages, guarding their recipes with the secrecy of the confessional. So it was with a fair degree of
DID YOU KNOW?
TEAM EFFORT: Nuns sit and prepare their Christmas treats at the San Francisco de Ronda convent
HAND MADE: Nuns using traditional skills to make mantecados ies – by hand in a single day! destinely through a revolving By purchasing their artisan Originating in Antequera and Lazy Susan embedded in the pastries, you are not only sharbrought to fame in the tiny town wall so as not to show their fac- ing in a best-kept Spanish gasof Estepa, mantecados have es, but our nuns now sell them tronomic secret but also keepgone nationwide to become from their little store, albeit still ing alive an important part of synonymous with a Spanish behind bars. the country’s culture. Christmas. What’s the se- People here say that the nun’s And when you get to eat them cret? Could it be the generous reposterias taste of home - believe me - heaven can wait! amount of lard? cooking, old village kitchens In their industrial-sized and a bit of heaven. The convent in Barrio de 19th-century kitchen, the Thanks to the income from San Francisco is open for sisters chat softly as they fill their baking, the sisters can purchases from 10.00 to tray after tray with neat round continue their simple lives and 18.00. For more information dough balls which one of the maintain their convent. call: 952 872 177 novices will top with sesame seeds. After baking, each mantecado is individually wrapped in a silk paper with the convent’s seal. “Working and praying is our They may not taste as life”, Sor Isabel tells me. great, but it’s always fun to try: Madre Nieves, the Abbess, adds touchingly: “With all the bitterness in the world, we pray that our treats will sweeten the 1 cup lard 1 kg Almonds lives of those who eat them”. ½ l sweet sherry 500 gr sifted pastry flo When I ask them where they 5 ur gr sal t 100 gr sugar + keep their recipes, they look 850 gr pastry flour 100 gr icing sugar down at their busy hands, preSugar to sprinkle on top ½ l water tending not to hear. Each convent has its own specialties and the recipes are In a bowl, mix lard, she sacrosanct. and salt. Gradually add rry Put the two types of sugWhat I can disclose is that flour until the dough wothe ar in a saucepan, adding no pastry is made with more stick to the hands. Forn’t the water. Make a syrup than a handful of ingredients small identical balls m mixture without letting it and change colour. and contains no preservatives flatten them slightly. Pla or artificial flavourings; just the mantecados on a ce Remove from heat and pre- cover the balls ground almonds or wheat flour, greased oven tray. Ba with syrup butter or lard, cider or sugar at 180* C for 15 minuteke and icing sugar. s. and a touch or cinnamon, lemForm the balls into tub Remove and sprink ular on peel or orange zest. abundantly with sugar. le shapes. Most ingredients are grown loCool before ser ving. cally, some in the monastic gardens. Some closed convents still sell their confections clan-
Why not try for yourself?
Mantecados
PROCESS: A patient nun watches her mantecados bake in the oven
Alfajores
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BUSINESS
New and old
A €720 million package to help Spain’s pandemic-hit tourist sector has been approved by the Council of Ministers. New technologies as well as historic heritage areas feature as part of the investment. Reyes Maroto, said: “These funds will allow the modernisation plan to go forward for tourism which in turn will allow the whole economy to recover and modernise.” Tourism accounts for 12% of the country’s economy. Some €565 million will fund innovative projects that seek to improve the competitiveness of the sector. That includes ramping up digital and smart technology as well as energy efficiency in tourism-related businesses. PEOPLE in Spain are in their most precarious financial situation for 30 years, according to data which combines the unemployment rate and inflation. The estimated annual inflation of the Consumers Price Index in November 2021 was recorded at 5.6%, according to a flash indicator prepared by the National Statistics Office (INE). Inflation has become the most serious threat to the Spanish
IN A PERFECT WORLD
THE pay gap is still having a devastating effect on women in Spain, with four in 10 female workers making less than €1,336.60 per month, compared to just one in five men. The average female salary stood at €1,852 per month in 2020, an increase from the €1,773.30 average in 2019. Meanwhile, the average salary for men increased in 2020 to €2,210.30 per month but the wage gap still reduced from 22.5% to 19.3%.
PAIN IN SPAIN economy as the increase not only puts the recovery of companies at risk it also hits the purchasing power of citizens. Significant increases in the price of electricity have had a fundamental impact on the inflation rate and the price of fuel is at a record high with petrol exceeding €1.50 per litre. Public expenditure is
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Salaried
Some 30% of Spain’s salaried employees, around 4.88 million people, earned less than €1,350 per month. Another 40% of employees (6.44 million) earned between €1,336.60 and €2,295.20 gross per month in 2020, while 30% (4.8 million people) earned salaries of at least €2,295.2 monthly.
Down
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also linked to inflation, such as contributory pensions, which will rise by 2.5% in 2022. Despite falling significantly in recent months, unemployment in Spain still stood at 14.57% in the third quarter and is the second-highest unemployment rate of all EU states. Overall, the data revealed that of all the developed countries, only Brazil and Turkey are worse off than Spain.
al Institute of Statistics (INE). What they didn’t say is how much more than that they earned. The majority of teachers and public workers also took home well over €2,000 per month. Meanwhile cleaners had the lowest monthly wage, pocketing an average of €997.30 total per month while hospitality workers bagged an average of €1,119.50 and agriculture employees earned €1,373.6 each month on average.
7 Her tan, uniformly distributed, is unlikely to have been acquired here (6) 8 Part of a service (6) 9 Site of Pendennis Castle (8) 10 Waiters wait for them (4) 11 Shut with force (4) 12 Wracked with pain (2,5) 14 Falkland Islands capital (7) 16 Cramped (4) 19 Storage containers (4) 20 Most likely to get a laugh (8) 21 Thin layer of wood (6) 22 Went off (6)
sive car, motorbike and home insurance to British expatriates and residents in Spain for over 25 years. With over 3 million customers nationwide, all services and documentation is in English. Your car insurance protects you financially against loss in the event of a motor vehicle accident or theft of your vehicle. From flat tyres and dead batteries to empty petrol tanks, Línea Directa is always on hand 24/7, 365 days a year for total peace of mind. Did you know that Línea Directa has its own Expat2Expat programme? Whenever an existing customer recommends a friend, then we reward the policy-holder and the friend with 30€ in cash. You can recommend up to 10 people and earn up to 300€ in cash per year. Simply ask your friend to call 917 002 006 and quote your full name. Then once their application for car, bike or home insurance has been approved, Línea Directa will pay the reward straight into the bank account following payment of next or first premium. See terms and conditions at lineadirecta.com.
Finance and insurance executives earned the most, with 64.8% taking home more than €2,295.2 a month, according to new stats from the Nation-
Across
OP SUDOKU
A
Women remain lower paid than men
OP QUICK CROSSWORD
TM
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2 3 2of 8 2 12team 90DEDICATED English-speaking
December 15th January 11th 2022
1 Throw off course (6) 2 North was the one who lost America (5,8) 3 Pakistan’s chief river (5) 4 Really ready (7) 5 Places offering good looks? (7,6) 6 Enter enthusiastically (4,2) 13 Go onstage (7) 15 Big families (6) 17 Barely touched (6) 18 Nasal grunt (5)
All solutions are on page 22
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
December 15th - January 11th 2022
Rich food
Happy camping MALAGA is the most popular place to go camping in Andalucia, according to new figures. Data collected by the Institute of Statistics and Cartography found the city was a hit with happy campers, even well after the summer season ended. Most of the campers were from Spain (38,475), compared to 9,275 foreign visitors. Spanish holidaymakers stayed an average of 4.5 days camping in the region, while tourists from abroad stayed around 3.3 days.
HIGH COOKING
IT brings new meaning to the term ‘haute cuisine’. A new restaurant has opened in a Madrid skyscraper to become the highest eatery in all of Spain. Elkar opened on the 33rd floor of the Torre Emperador in the capital’s business district at the northern end of the Paseo de la Castellana. Diners can enjoy panoramic views through floor to ceiling windows of the city stretching below them to the snow-dusted mountains of the sierra beyond. The restaurant, whose name means ‘together’ in Basque, is probably not the place to take a date who suffers from vertigo as tables are located at 160 metres above ground level. But its location promises to be a lure for Instagrammers as much as for foodies drawn by the promise of exquisite dishes designed by celebrity Basque chefs Sergio Ortiz de Zarate and Beñat Ormaetxea who have teamed up in the kitchen at Elkar.
DINERS with exceptionally deep pockets should head to SubliMotion in Ibiza which has been recognised as having the most expensive tasting menu in the world. The restaurant located at the Hard Rock Hotel on Playa d’en Bossa is only open during the summer season from June 1 to September 30 and charges a whopping €1,500 for a 20-course tasting menu accompanied by wine and champagne. But as the price-tag suggests, this is no ordinary meal. ‘If Willy Wonka had a restaurant, this could be it,’ says the Michelin Guide in its description of a
The Ibiza restaurant that is officially the most expensive dining experience in the world totally immersive dining experience that includes a sound and light show for which virtual reality goggles are required. The entire restaurant seats just 12 diners for a meal that includes a course served up in Faberge eggs and is designed under the watchful eye of molecular gastronomy genius Paco Roncero and a team of chefs who at one point boasted eight Michelin stars between them. The restaurant, which opened in 2014, was identified
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as the world’s most expensive Michelin-starred tasting menu in a recent study by Chefspencil, an international food magazine that reports on industry trends.
Chefs
Although many of the chefs who collaborate in the kitchen there have Michelin stars for other restaurants in Spain, SubliMotion itself hasn’t won any of the coveted awards.
Ranked
Algeria was ranked the second most popular staycation spot, followed by Almeria and Cadiz. Huelva came in fourth place with a total of 47,750 overnight stays and 11,174 visitors since October. People choosing to holiday at home have fuelled a recovery for the camping sector as figures confirm that campsite visits in the region returned to pre-pandemic levels.
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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
December 15th - January 11th 2022
PEAKS OF PERFECTION Set your sights higher than the festive food mountain this Christmas and scale one of Spain’s Awesome Nine.
C
HRISTMAS is an opportune time to fill your boots with food and drink and veg out around the family fireside but extreme measures may be called for later when your trousers don’t fit … like climbing a mountain! That’s not such a tall order in Spain, Europe’s second most mountainous landscape after Switzerland. And with scaleable sierras in easy reach of the costas (no need for crampons), there can be no excuses. To celebrate International Mountain Day on December 11 we bring you Spain’s Awesome Nine! Happy hiking!
Towering Teide - 3,718m Standing tall at number one with the most vertiginous vital statistics in Spain, Tenerife’s Mount Teide in the Canaries is glued to the landscape like a giant limpet. UNESCO describes it as Earth’s third-tallest volcanic structure and this mythological mountain is steeped in folklore. The native Guanches believe that Magec, their God of Light, is trapped inside and erupts when angry, releasing a molten tide of rage over the landscape. However, the last time Magec got hot under the collar was in 1909. These days he’s a lot more chilled.
Awesome Aneto 3,404m Despite being outside Andalucia, this geological giant deserves recognition for standing guard against the French along the Pyrenees. But its reputation as the ‘needles of ice’ is under threat as its impressive glacier is rapidly shrinking due to ever-increasing summer temperatures and scientists estimate it could completely disappear by 2050. The icy heart of Spain can still be scaled in under 12 hours by both experienced and novice climbers alike.
The Amazing Alcazaba - 3,371m Almost a quarter of Spain sits a kilometre above sea level and Alcazaba, whose north face is the backdrop to the city of Granada, is no different. A walkers’ paradise with one of the longest climbing seasons in Europe, nimble ibex are a regular sight. But if the going gets too tough, you can take refuge in the Poqueira hut at a height of 2,500 metres. If that’s full, there are a few stone huts on the western side of the mountain but book well in advance, they’re popular. Competent climbers take on the north face challenge while novices stick to the gentler south.
Sublime Cerro de los Machos - 3,327m Often overshadowed by its siblings, Veleta and Mulhacén, this mini mountain is the perfect to hone your mountaneering skills, taking 2 hours 30 minutes to reach the top.
The Mighty Mulhacén - 3,479m This monster massif is named after another captive of his environment, Muley Hacén, the penultimate Muslim King of Granada. In the 15th century, according to legend, he was buried at the foot of the mountain, the loftiest in the Sierra Nevada. In a country flanked with reigning peaks, Mulhacén stands above all of them and is the highest peak in western Europe after the Alps. But the path to the peak is well-signposted and can be reached in a day so forget the satnav and add a sturdy pair of hiking boots to Santa’s list.
Pico Posets - 3,369m
Vertiginous Veleta - 3,398m Back in the Sierra Nevada, this steely champ protects and inspires skiers from all over the world. Having gained fame for hosting the World Ski Championships in 1996, southern Europe’s de facto ski resort is celebrated as the place where you can ski in the morning and be back on the coast, mojito in hand, in the evening. The highest ski lift, Puerta Laguna, arrives just shy of the summit offering one of the longest ski runs down to Pradollano for a flying finale.
OP Puzzle solutions Across: 7 Tehran, 8 Teacup, 9 Falmouth, 10 Tips, 11 Slam, 12 In agony, 14 Stanley, 16 Poky, 19 Bins, 20 Funniest, 21 Veneer, 22 Rotted. Down: 1 Derail, 2 Prime Minister, 3 Indus, 4 Itching, 5 Vantage points, 6 Jump in, 13 Perform, 15 Tribes, 17 Kissed, 18 Snort.
SUDOKU
Quick Crossword
Also known as Punta de Llardana, it is the second highest peak in the Pyrenees, after Aneto. The spectacular mountain is located in the north of the province of Huesca (Aragon) and forms part of the famous Pico Posets, Pico Perdiguero and Pico Aneto route undertaken by serious hikers.
Lofty La Maroma 2,066m This rocky gem has its own claim to fame as the highest peak in Malaga province. Taking nearly six hours to scale, but travellers are rewarded with some of the best views of the Mediterranean on reaching the summit.
Luscious La Concha 1,200m Named for its conch shell shape, Marbella’s La Concha mountain is the defining feature of the Costa del Sol, whose beauty has been revered by settlers for millenia. The walk is not difficult and caters for families and climbers of all abilities.
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
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December 15th - January 11th 2022
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Swapped at birth
FINAL WORDS
THE biological parents of a woman accidentally swapped at birth 19 years ago have told their daughter they will ‘take her in’. The blunder was only discovered when a judge ordered a DNA test in a paternity case.
Dino bolt EXPERTS studying a series of 120 millionyear-old fossilised dinosaur footsteps in La Rioja have calculated that it could run at 28 miles per hour - the same speed as sprinter Usain Bolt.
Defrocked BISHOP Xavier Novell i Goma who made headlines after he abandoned his calling to marry the erotic novellist Silvia Caballol has formally been stripped of his powers by the Church.
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December 15th - January 11th 2022
HOT FOOTED
Thief picked wrong man to steal trainers from A THIEF who nicked a coveted pair of Nike Air trainers probably thought he could get away with a clean pair of heels. Unfortunately for 19-year-old Charles Alex Baglietto, he had picked on the wrong victim – a Gibraltar plod. The teen had swiped the footwear from outside a home on the Varyl Begg Estate on the Rock before making a run for it. But the unnamed policeman
was not surprisingly security conscious and had fitted a motion-sensitive camera to his home.
Camera
When the next morning the hopping mad officer found his £130 trainers missing, he checked his camera’s footage and immediately identified the culprit, who was well
known to the Royal Gibraltar police. Later that same day, officers found Baglietto in Edinburgh Estate. He didn’t have a leg to stand on when questioned as he was wearing the officer’s trainers. He was arrested on suspicion of theft and the shoes were seized as evidence. At Gibraltar Magistrates’
Licking their wounds
A GANG of teens are licking their wounds after being bitten by a dog following a boozy street brawl. The group of five youngsters were seen throwing bottles at people and taunting a passerby’s Belgian Malinois. Police rushed to the scene in Malaga city centre at around 4am after concerned witnesses raised the alarm that the teens were wreak-
ing havoc in the streets as tempers flared. The louts confronted a man walking a large dog and taunted the animal by attacking and prodding it. A fight was then sparked as the dog lashed out and bit two of the boys, according to police. Five youngsters were then arrested and two were hospitalised for dog bites to their legs.
PHOTO: The evidence Court Baglietto, of Edinburgh Estate, pleaded guilty and was fined £80. It is not known if the policeman has had his footwear returned to him. In a separate case Baglietto was given a £200 fine after pleading guilty to Possession of Cannabis after police found him puffing away on a joint in a storeroom in Mid Harbours Estate. And in yet another case Baglietto was fined £400 after pleading guilty to three counts of Criminal Damage at Charles Bruzon House, Eurotowers and Edinburgh Estate in offences dating back to August.
REAL Betis’s match against Real Sociedad saw a pitch invasion in their last home game of the year. But there were no hooligans in sight as the Sevilla team’s supporters carried on a ‘tradition’ of showering the pitch with cuddly toys. They have been doing so since 2018, with the soft toys being donated to disadvantaged children over Christmas. This year fans rained a record 19,000 of the cuddly presents from the stands during half time, which were quickly collected by volunteers at the Benito Villamarin stadium. Around 52,128 fans were in the stands, watching the soft toys thrown as Bobby Helm’s classic ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ was played.
Merry Xmas to all our readers... back on Jan 12