Mallorca Olive Press - Issue 72 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

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Vol. 3 Issue 72 www.theolivepress.es January 24th - February 6th 2020

RECORD: Waves of up to 14m lashed Mallorca this week

Climate emergency declared as recordbreaking storm Gloria leaves 12 dead

By Joshua Parfitt

declaring a landmark state of ‘climate emergency’ for the entire country. The PSOE leader surveyed the devas-

tation in the port of Cala Rajada and agreed to declare a ‘catastrophe zone’ in Mallorca as of today (Friday). Sanchez also insisted ecological transition would now be at the ‘forefront’ of government action with an unprec-

We’ve all gota learn

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A gota fría (cold drop) is caused by pockets of arctic or polar air that move southeast across western Europe before meeting the warmer, humid Med climate, according to Alicante scientist Jorge Olcina. The cold blast becomes ‘isolated’ at high altitude, hence its spanish term DANA, or Isolated Depression at High 16/06/2017 15:36 Altitudes. When coming into contact

with warmer air, the rising humid vapours immediately condense and drop a massive quantity of water in one burst. In Orihuela in September over 400mm of water fell in less than 48 hours, nearly twice the town’s annual average precipitation, due to a freak gota fría. The term refers to this unique weather event that is only used in the western Mediterannean.

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edented ‘climate change law’ expected within 100 days, following in the steps of scores of countries across the world. The island was hit badly, with heavy rainfall and giant waves in the fourth ‘gota fria’ storm to hit Spain in just one year (see panel left). Sa Dragonera saw record 14-metre waves, twice the height of a double decker bus, crash down onto the roof terrace of a hotel, as shocked holidaymakers clung for their lives. Videos posted on the Olive Press website show the moment as they filmed it from a fourth floor. Gusts of up to 110 kilometres per hour were recorded in Capdepera, while emergency services responded to 150 separate incidents. Some supermarkets reportedly ran out of stock due to ferries not being able to dock. Meanwhile, a bridge running over the Tordera river has collapsed in Catalunya. Across Spain 200,000 people have been left without electricity, while 130,000 children did not attend

WASHED UP: Trio of boats school on Thursday. Gale force 9 winds wrought havoc with 115km/h winds recorded in Oliva and waves reaching a record-breaking 8.44m in Valencia. So far, 12 people have died around Spain, with a further four missing around the Balearic Islands and Catalunya. The first victim, age 44, died in Asturias on Sunday when a truck lost control in heavy snowfall and crashed into his car while he was putting on snow chains. The following day a 63-year-old died in Avila after he was struck by a roof tile. Meanwhile a 70-year-old man Continues on Page 5

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PHoto by Lin Edwards

A SERIES of giant 14-metre waves lashed the Balearics this week as Storm Gloria officially became the most destructive winter storm since 1982. The record-breaking walls of water have left 12 dead, while five are still missing, including British man Ben Garland, 25, who disappeared from Portinatx, Ibiza, on Wednesday. The latest fatality was confirmed after the discovery of a man’s body in the Anoia river in Jorba, Barcelona. It comes as Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (below) jetted into Mallorca after

ACTION STATIONS

2 www.theolivepress.es Peeled away

EXCLUSIVE By Charlie Smith

A PALMA shopkeeper has been arrested for imposing abusive conditions on his workers. His arrest came after complaints from staff at the Pakistani expat’s two greengrocer shops in the city.The 40-year-old was snared after police could prove that his six employees were working 14hour days, seven days a week. Most did not have contracts and they were not given holidays nor compensated for not taking them. The employees felt they had no choice but to work under the illegal conditions as they could not afford to be unemployed. The shop owner has been arrested for crimes against worker’s rights.

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

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

A GERMAN expat has been arrested after an international arrest was issued in the UK. It comes after the 31-year-old Mallorca resident became very aggressive on a flight from Frankfurt to Liverpool in 2017. The Andratx resident went on to attack bouncers outside a club after they refused to let the aggressive man inside. In 2018, a UK judge issued a European arrest warrant for the man – with National Police finally picking him up this month.

CRIME

January 24th - February 6th 2020

PAEDO ALERT

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

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

only around 0.2% of the 58,637 registered sex offenders in England and Wales in 2018 alone had their foreign travel restricted. It says that the barring service is ‘confusing, inconsistent and in need of reform’. A shocking 361 suspected child sex abuse cases abroad were recorded between 2013 and 2017. In 2018, in Spain alone, around five Brits were arrested for child sex offences, according to data by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Up to five more Brits in Spain were held for child porn charges in the same year, although the exact

Rotten lawyer in court A GERMAN lawyer in Palma is in hot water after she allegedly stole €25,000 from a client. The solicitor is facing three years in prison as well as disqualification from practicing after she refused to return the money for a business transaction that did not take place. It came after she received the mon-

ey as a deposit for the purchase of a beauticians in the city, in 2015. However, the buyers pulled out after a series of disagreements with the sellers and naturally demanded the return of their deposit. When it was refused they were forced to take legal action and are set to take the woman to court.

Most Wanted caught A BRITISH fugitive wanted for two killings in the UK has been arrested in Spain. John Kennedy, 39, was held over the Glasgow deaths of Jamie Campbell

in 2006 and Kenny Reilly in 2018. He was cuffed in Tenerife in the Canary Islands on a European Arrest Warrant, before being charged. His arrest is believed to

have taken place as he left a supermarket in the south of the island. The UK’s National Crime Agency is believed to have informed Spanish police of Kennedy’s location.

figures are not given. In 2016, the Olive Press, was able to snare wanted paedophile Matthew Sammon just hours after being named as one of the top 10 most wanted fugitives by Crimestoppers. Police swarmed Sammon’s camper van in the popular Costa del Sol holiday resort of Fuengirola, after a reader tipped us off where he was living. In the same year, serial child abuser Mark Frost was snared. He later admitted to 45 offences, spanning 25 years, until he was tracked down to Spain, after fleeing a sex abuse probe in Thailand. Spanish and Dutch authorities charged him with 67 offences, 23 of which he pled guilty to.

Glitter

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

NEWS

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A PORN film has allegedly been shot at Boris Becker’s former Mallorcan villa, which had been taken over by squatters. The luxury €15 million property is believed to be the site of a recently filmed X-rated German movie. Homeless hippies had squatted the 12-bedroom mansion after the tennis ace went bankrupt in 2018. TV station RTL has reported that a ‘third-rate’

DOWNFALL: The stunning Arta home and (inset) Boris

LET’s Go Mad

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

3 From an ace’s abode to a porn palace January 24th - February 6th 2020

porn film was shot at the house in Arta, which is still on the market. German squatter Georg Berres, well-known as Bauchi, has been in and out of the villa with friends and other nomads for years. “Can you imagine what this means to me, a porn film has been filmed at the Becker Finca,” said Berres. “I do not feel like keeping it for myself anymore,” the famous squatter continued. “Damn this hurts,” he concluded.

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

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

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

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

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

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NEWS IN BRIEF

More tourism FOR the seventh year in a row Spain has broken its own record with around 83.7 million visitors coming to Spain in 2019.

Pouring turnout RAIN again drowned out Palma’s Revelta on San Sebastian, with a historically low turnout of just 2,000 people – some of the concerts were cancelled due to storm Gloria.

Money problems BALEARIC President Francina Armengol has announced that although the islands will receive more financing in 2020, it is still not enough to cover government services and will be asking for more.

NEWS

January 24th - February 6th 2020

Island sting Undercover secret services operation snared an Irish terrorist in Santa Ponsa

By Gillian Keller

A DANGEROUS Irish terrorist was snared during an audacious undercover operation in Mallorca, it has emerged. The secret services sting by MI5 snared Colin Duffy, 52, into admitting his involve-

Germanic Exodus GERMAN residents have halved over the last decade. The number of Germans living in the Balearics is only 4,000 more than British residents and less than Italians, according to official statistics. The dramatic drop saw 36,000 Germans living here in 2010 compared to 18,900

in 2019. This compares to 14,900 Britons, 19,500 Italians and 27,000 Moroccans living officially on the islands. A total of 205,000 foreign residents live on the island out of 1.14m people, comprising 18% of the total population.

DANGEROUS: Duffy ment with the IRA and a trio of planned attacks. In the clever operation in 2013, two British agents posed as a Serbian businessman and his girlfriend on holiday in Calvia and tricked Duffy into opening up to them. The pair struck up a conversation with Duffy after asking him for a light for a cigarette

Controllers face sky high fines OVER 100 air traffic controllers have gone on trial for an illegal strike that saw 1,352 flights cancelled in 2010. The 133 airport staff are charged with illegally leaving 300,000 passengers stranded for two days. A judge in Madrid must decide if the controllers must foot the €17m bill for the strikes.

The December strikes came when controllers walked out on their positions in a dispute over working hours. It left eight airports facing chaos in the run up to Christmas and led to the military to step in and take control of the skies. The Madrid court case is the largest ever seen in Spain,

with 133 workers facing justice. In a private agreement with the prosecutor’s office, 126 of the 133 workers have admitted responsibility and accepted responsibility for the losses of 15,190 passengers. Each is set to be awarded €1,000, plus €150 for expenses incurred.

at a beach restaurant in Santa Ponsa. They began chatting and Duffy eventually asked the serbian if he could supply weapons, having heard him mention to his female operative that he sold tanks during the Balkans conflict. They ended up talking about the purchase of RPG rockets, explosives and AK47 assault rifles, each to be sold in small batches. Replying from behind a screen at a court in Belfast, the agent explained that he and his fake girlfriend set out to be ‘a very odd couple’ fascinating fellow holidaymakers. He explained that a heated debate had ensued with his girlfriend, all staged for Duffy. “I realised that Duffy was looking at us and I think he believed that theatre,” he told the court. Duffy is accused of directing an IRA grouping, and attempting to murder members of the security forces with Alex McCrory and Henry Fitzsimons. He faces further counts of possessing firearms and ammunition. The alleged offences are connected to a gun attack on a police convoy in north Belfast. Duffy is already known to the authorities, having been previously charged with crimes related to police and military killings.

Growing concern

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

Unearthed

OVER 100 people have been arrested for the digging of illegal wells around Spain. A total of 107 people are now charged with the illegal extraction of water. It comes after 1,800 inspections were carried out around the country, finding a massive 1,457 illegal wells. The largest number was in Huelva, with 77, including over 30 in the Doñana National Park, while in Murcia they found 35 wells.

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

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January 24th - February 6th 2020

5 PHoto by Lin Edwards

LASHED: Waves reached 14m, while boats right got washed onto the beach at Puerto Pollensa

Gutted by Gloria From Page 1

died of hypothermia in Moixent, Alicante after falling into snow close to his home, and two homeless people – one in Gandia and another in Carcaixent – also died from hypothermia. Four people died yesterday, including a farmer in a hailstorm, a homeless person killed by hypothermia in Almeria, a woman whose house collapsed in Alcoy, and a man whose car was swept off a road

near Benidorm. Four are still missing in Catalunya and the Balearic Islands – including a 25-year-old Brit in Ibiza. Leading climatologists backed the government’s emergency blaming global warming for the four devastating ‘gota frias’ – one for every season – over the last year. “The jet stream is now circulating in waves, instead of a straight line, and this creates ever increasing pockets of arc-

tic air at lower latitudes,” Jorge Olcina, president of the National Association of Spanish Geographers (AGE) told the Olive Press. “This process is directly related to global warming and the gota

frias, which have caused massive losses of human life and property. We’re being left with no other choice than to prepare this region to better resist increasing storms and freak winds.” Meanwhile, Alicante

VISIT: Prime Minister Sanchez speaks with victim, while (right) dead tuna and a collapsed bridge

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

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

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

‘This is NOT a drill’

BEHIND GRETA: Mayor Ada

airport was closed for nearly two days with flights diverted as far as Zaragoza, while Valencia and Gandia ports were shut, as well as roads including

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

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

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

the A-7, the A-31 and the A-33. The British Foreign Office issued an ‘extreme risk’ warning for tourists travelling to Spain during the storm.

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

Oh Dia, oh Dia!

A CRIMINAL probe has been launched into alleged account-fiddling at supermarket Dia. The retail giant’s former CEO, Ricardo Curras is suspected of helping inflate pre-tax profits to the tune of €51 million in order to justify his bonus. A judge is now investigating the alleged wrongdoing of Curras in 2017, which made it appear as though the company had met its financial objectives. Russian oligarch Mikhail Fridman took over Dia in 2019, promising to inject €500 million into the crisishit supermarket chain. It comes after Dia lost an eye-watering €420.7 million during the first half of 2019, 14 times higher than the previous year when it shed €29.5 million.

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OPINION Stormy side up WHILE the Spanish climate may indeed be generally nicer than back home in Britain, Holland or Germany. For those who live here through all four seasons the intense rains and gusting winds become a frequent part of life. And more so now, that two or three decades ago. Like clockwork, every season now another violent gota fria storm hits, trashing the same beachfront shops and restaurants, blocking roads and, worst of all, claiming lives. Here, in Mallorca, the waves have broken records this time, leaving boats washed up on the shores. Meanwhile heavy rains have left hundreds of homeowners with sleepless nights and days of cleaning up in front of them. While the Olive Press salutes Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for coming over on a mercy mission and to reassure locals of his financial help, it is his promise to call a climate emergency that is most exciting for us. Since we launched 14 years ago (three years ago in Mallorca) we have been demanding action on the climate and insisting that more needs to be done. Finally, it seems, a government is about to do something about it. Publisher / Editor

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

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January 24th - February 6th 2020

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

Special report by Dimitris Kouimtsidis in Granada

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

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

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

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January 24th - February 6th 2020

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BURIAL SITE: It is not known exactly where Lorca is buried, although Ian Gibson (below) believes it is under the fountain (above). A memorial (right) in the village of Alfacar *Based on over 1,500 reviews on Trustpilot

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

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

Luxury Mallorcan villa situated in Old Bendinat, one of the most prestigious residential areas of Mallorca. Boasting beautiful sea views from all living areas, this classical style property is beautifully presented with bright south-facing rooms and oak parquet throughout. Distributed over 3 floors, double lounge and dining room, 7 spacious bedrooms, master with walk-in wardrobes and private terrace. Nicely landscaped gardens, al fresco dining and delightful sea views over the pool. Just 10 minutes to Palma.

Contact Amanda J Butler your one stop property advisor in Mallorca email: ajb@mjcassociates.net or tel: (+34) 690 075 169

PROPERTY

January 24th - February 6th 2020

Sympathy for Keys Isl nd Pain and Gloria the devel-opers By Amanda Butler

to the

The mountains home to British rock and roll royalty has more tourist stays than people ENVIRONMENTALISTS have called for action after a village home to British Alisters has been blighted by uncontrolled tourism. The mountain idyll of Deia, where rock stars Bob Geldof, Mick Jagger and formerly writer Robert Graves have homes, now has more tourist rentals than registered residents. A green action group has now stepped in to protect the hilltop pueblo, whose famous expat residents, also include Virgin mogul Richard Branson. Terraferida has urged town hall bosses to suspend the issuing of rental licenses until the planning model is reviewed. Bizarrely, there are now 618 registered tourist rentals in Deia, while there are only 617 residents in the town. “They have almost turned it into a town-hotel,” said a spokesperson from Terraferida. “We encourage the town hall to review planning with ecological and social criteria that celebrates Deia.”

NEIGHBOURS: Jagger and Geldof are Deia regulars

Star quality MALLORCA hotel chain Iberostar has continued its impressive growth with the opening of two new hotels on the island. Five-star boutique hotel, the Heritage Llum in Portocolom, sits on the shore of the small fishing village. Family-friendly hotel Cala Domingos, also near Portocolom, is the other of the 11 Iberostar hotels to open globally this year. The new offerings mean the hotel giant now has 18 sites across the island, in addition to ten in Africa, nearly 50 in North and South America, and more than 50 across Europe.

After a rather glorious autumn in Mallorca, winter seems to have finally arrived in all its ‘glory (pardon the pun), with Storm Gloria having battered the east coast and some inland villages including Pollensa, Capdepera and Sencelles. On the upside at least the reservoirs are 94% full and the forecast for the weekend has brightened up, but there’s a lot of storm damage to clear up. It is rather concerning however, observing how affected we are by the reduction in shipping, with supermarkets running low on produce very quickly. Naturally the beginning of the year is generally a slow start for the real estate market in Mallorca and the Balearic Islands. It is a time to review marketing campaigns and build up stock for the start of the spring season ahead. Some interesting figures have been released by the Mallorca College of Quantity Surveyors showing that the number of building licenses granted in 2019 was up by 42% compared to 2018, with 1601 licences for apartments, outstripping 1171 house licenses.

Balearics bearing brunt of Storm Gloria, amid a slow start for Mallorca’s property market. However when comparing pre-financial crises figures there is a huge differential, where 10,000 licenses were being granted annually – a massive reduction in figures! This of course could be partially due to lack of buildable land, since much of Mallorca is protected – and rightly so, but it also reflects upon the lack of interest by developers to redevelop, perhaps due to prices, as well of course in availability.

Passports

Meanwhile, with the Brexit negotiations, nothing has particularly changed, however what I can report on is that ABTA, the Association of British Travel Agents, has confirmed that during the Brexit transition period, people can continue making travel plans with confidence. Up until at least the end of 2020 nothing will change, including passport control,

health cards and data roaming agreements. Good to know, although of course this does remind us of the big issue for all of us Brits, who are concerned about what will have to happen regarding our European passports? For anyone following my property report, we still haven’t come to a final agreement with our negotiations for the ‘Luxury Sea View Old Bendinat Villa’ – these things take time and a great deal of patience on all sides. But I’m hoping to have a concrete decision by the next Olive Press issue... wish me luck! For any enquiries or assistance with buying or selling luxury property in Mallorca and the Balearic Islands, please contact Amanda J Butler – MJC Associates Real Estate, ajb@mjcassociates.net. +34690075169

Friends.

Reset.

Music.

At OD Port Portals we have our own star rating. In fact, we have all the stars of the Mallorca sky and we will enjoy them all together every summer night at OD Sky Bar, on our spacious terrace and at our restaurant On Top. A hotel full of local experiences, music, art, gastronomy, yoga, pre-parties, flea markets, brunches, concerts, Pilates, tardeo, sea, sun and all the stars. A hotel full of life.

Horizon.

Sunset.

Memories.

LA CULTURA

www.theolivepress.es

January 24th - February 6th 2020

January 22th - February 4th 2020

Hollywood’s coming home

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

Off with his head

HIT TV series The Hunt – or La Caza – is set to return to screens for a second series and will be filming in Valldemossa, Mallorca beginning on February 25. The show will be paying attention to the green, mountainous side of the island along with the

villages of the Serra de Tramuntana. Series one focused on the disappearance of two girls from the Pyrenean town of Monteperdido. Fans will see the return of Sergeant Sara Campos and Corporal Víctor Gamero.

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

Official New Year

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

CHINESE New Year has been declared an event of ‘cultural interest’ in Palma. This year the celebrations kick off on February 2 in Placa Pedro Garau, with the festivities again organised by the Chinese Association

They call it Madness

PUT on your baggy trousers, because legendary British band Madness are coming to Spain. The London ska outfit are jetting to Murcia for a gig at the city’s Plaza de Toros on June 26. Led by frontman Suggs, the group, which formed in 1976, are emblematic of Britain’s iconic two-tone era. Madness had 15 singles in the UK Top Ten, with House of Fun being their only UK number one. They also won an Ivor Novello Award in 2000 from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors for their ‘Outstanding Song Collection’. Tickets have gone on sale and start at €35.

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

of the Balearics. Traditional food and drinks are on offer, as well as story readings, folklore and other cultural activities. Palma alone is home to more than 3,500 Chinese expats.

A SPANISH billionaire who tried to smuggle a priceless Picasso artwork out of Spain has been fined €52million and handed an 18-month prison sentence. Ex-banker Jaime Botin was arrested on his yacht with the Malaga artist’s Head of a Young Woman (1906), valued at over €26 million. Although he is the painting’s owner, Botin was accused of exporting the work to try and sell it, in breach of a ban on exporting an artwork of cultural significance. The 83-year-old former Bankinter chairman, whose family helped found Banco Santander, was convicted after a customs

Punk flunk

BRITISH punk group The Exploited have postponed a gig in Sa Possessio, Palma on February 14. Frontman Wattie Buchan, 62, is due to have an operation which will take three weeks to recover from.Formed in 1979 by Stevie Ross and Terry Buchan, the group went on to release hits such as Dead Cities, Computers Don’t Blunder and Punk’s Not Dead. The band are considering May and June for a rescheduled performance.

search in 2015 in Corsica revealed he was heading to Switzerland. Botin strenuously denies the charges and maintains that he was taking the artwork to Switzerland for safe keeping. Prosecutors on the case accused Botin of ordering the captain of his yacht to ‘hide it from authorities’ as it left the port of Valencia. The painting has now been transferred to Spanish state archives. Picasso completed Head of a Young Woman in his pre-Cubist phase, with the painting snapped up by Botin in London in 1977.

January 24th - February 6th 2020

LA CULTURA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LA CULTURA

January 24th - February 6th 2020

what’s on Having a good time RHAPSODY of Queen are playing a tribute concert to the legendary band at the Palma Auditorium on February 1 and 2.

Full steam ahead

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

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

Bloody stones

Execution

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

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

Think pink TWICE a year the colourful reflection of the front rose window on the Palma Cathedral aligns perfectly with the back rose window – catch the unique sight at 8 am on February 2.

Jazz fest WORLD famous jazz musicians including Kenny Garrett and Avishai Cohen will be performing at the Palma Jazz Festival from February 13 to 23.

www.falkentours.com

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

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

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

info@sghaulage.com www.sghaulageltd.co.uk

+44 1522 702 443

January 24th - February 6th 2020

Sagrada showstopper THE Sagrada Familia in Barcelona has been crowned Europe’s top ‘must-see’ attraction. Eurochange has analysed data from TripAdvisor for some of Europe’s top attractions and compiled a list, including ratings from previous visitors. The famous Catalan Basilica takes the top spot with 160,964 TripAdvisor reviews. Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi is the maestro responsible for designing the church, beginning his magnum opus in 1882. Construction only passed the halfway mark in 2010 and it’s anticipated that the unfinished church will finally be completed by 2026. Spain’s next two highest attractions are Park Güell in Barcelona, in 10th place, and the Alhambra in Granada, 11th.

So Spar so good UK supermarket giant, Spar, has confirmed it is opening four new stores across western Spain and in Andalucia. The four new stores, are set to join the newly opened store in Spain’s Murcia and the newly renovated store in Aleje, Tenerife. The plan is to open four new stores in Badajoz, Zarza de Granadilla, Caceres and Jerez de los Caballeros,

What’s on for foodies!

o r l d ’s best

PALMA’S Sa Feixina park hosts the second edition of the World Championship of Pa amb Oli on February 28, with tasty combinations of breads and oils from around the world.

ho you know

THE Balearic Restaurant and Bar Fair returns to the Palma Velodrome from February 3 to 5 offering a great opportunity for industry networking.

o nuts

ALMONDS are centre stage at the annual Almond Blossom Fair in Son Servera on February 2, with cakes, oils, perfumes and candles all on sale.

as well as a new Eurospar store in Castuera. Spar’s increasingly large presence is Spain has bolstered the UK’s infiltration into the Spanish market, with Iceland stores, operated by Overseas Supermarkets, already a popular feature on Spain’s Costa del Sol, and a string of new Tesco stores popping up across Andalucia and Murcia operated by The Food Co.

Flight of fancy LOCAL chef Miquel Calent is to open two new restaurants in an effort to improve the lackluster cuisine at Palma Airport. The Mallorquin talent is currently head chef at Can Calent in Campos and the Nakar Hotel Palma restaurant. The first new eatery will be on the lower level near check-in, and the second larger restaurant upstairs before security. Both restaurants are to be part of the ‘Exploring the World by Miquel Calent’ brand. Other new additions include Dean & DeLuca, Diabolito and Vermuteria La Rosa, bringing the total number of restaurants and bars at the airport to 33. MAYOR Jose Hila has confirmed talks are underway to limit the number of cruise ship tourists coming into the Bay of Palma. Hila has explained that the city of 420,000 residents has been working to ‘limit

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

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

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

KING OF RETREATS: Molino del Rey

Molino del rey www.molinodelrey.com Hand built and loving crafted by the owners Anthony and Lidiya, this centre was probably the first founded in Andalucia and has been running since 1994. It hosts a wide range of retreats, including spa and massage treatments, hiking and

hillwalking. I visited about 18 years ago and was impressed by its beautiful location and cave pool area. The owner Anthony assured me that in every year since I had visited they had continued to build and perfect the property. Testament to their success, guests have been repeating for 20 years, and indeed their retreat calendar is booked out a year in advance. Laughing, he claimed that there was almost nothing he could do now to improve on the property during the months it is closed !(November-April) Shanti som www.shantisom.com Described by The Telegraph as ‘Asia meets Spain’ and featured in both 2012 and 2016 in their articles on the best wellbeing holidays, Shanti Som sits in the mountains above Marbella. It offers twice daily yoga classes in either its indoor studio or outdoor yoga pavilion and a wide range of health and beauty treatments and healing therapies. It also has personal trainers available for private training sessions or pilates lessons. Kaliyoga www.kaliyoga.com In 2002 yogis Jonathan and Rosie Miles left London in search of a beautiful location for a retreat centre. Their friend Kali predicted that it would be in the Alpujarras, and so it came to pass; Kaliyoga was

EXCLUSIVE: Marbella’s Shanti Som retreat

founded. It has been a success story from the beginning and they have recently opened a second centre in Puglia, Italy. Testimonials on their website are full of praise and guests repeat year after year. Barack Obama’s staff wrote long and glowing testimonials following their visit in 2019. Unlike many retreat centres, classes at Kali Yoga are taught by their own in house teachers. Their blog is well designed and an interesting read, so whether or not you manage to visit, it is still worth a look. La Crisalida www.lacrisalidaretreats. com Unlike most retreats, this centre in Albir, Costa Blan-

ca is open all year round and offers shorter 3 day courses as well as the usual week long stays. Founded in 2013 by John and Lisa Brant, La Crisalida offer a wide range of yoga, health and wellbeing retreats led by an experienced and professional team. Lisa, a former epidemiologist, is now a yoga teacher, nutritionist and NLP coach, while John left his job as an actuary to become an NLP, hypnosis and life coach. Together they promote alternative health through their retreat programmes. Their website is professional, detailed and informative. Other useful websites www.bookyogaretreats. com www.yogascapes.com www.yovada.com retreat. guru

Quality not quantity the load capacity’, after nine million visitors disembarked last year. Palma has recently made drastic changes to tourist rentals, includ-

ing new building laws to cap tourist numbers. Limiting the number of cruise ships that stop in Palma is next on the city’s list.

RELAXING: A group at Crisalida

Lighting up the way Jon Clarke tries thermal imaging as part of a full body January check up

HEALTH

Jon Clarke, Editor and Publisher I am going to conquer my jelly baby addiction - need to cut down on sugar! LIT UP: Jon Clarke gets a peek inside his body and (right) with a friend

the Costa del Sol in 2004. all picture without any side effects and the im“I liken it to switching the overhead lights on ages are always taken under specifically set rather than using a torch.” conditions for consistency. She continues: “And best of all, Using thermal imaging the body is there is no radiation, as used in checked for issues and problems X-rays or CAT scans, no clausin major organs, muscles, nerves My headaches and arteries. trophobia (as with MRI), and no pain, as with PET scans and enof all though, Estelle conwere probably First doscopies.” ducts a detailed consultation The Consultant Physiotherapist, stemming from exploring health issues and any who trained with the RAF three factors that may cause current or tension in the future problems. decades ago, is particularly keen on the method, as it helps In my case, recent headaches may neck to screen issues in the lymphatbe because of worsening eyesight, ic system and for nerve pain. as well as, perhaps, to do with a “This is difficult to see in other car crash I suffered in the Middle tests and often helps to identify ‘persistent’ East two decades ago. pain that is resisting treatment elsewhere,” And, hey presto, the results entirely backed up she continues. my concerns showing deep red, and most imporThe useful general health guide gives an overtantly, a white spot in my left tear duct. The ‘Thermographic Interpretation’ explained that my headaches were probably stemming from tension building up in the neck and shoulders and possible dental inflammation in my jaw. While my lymphatic and immune system was a little out of kilter and would benefit from treatment, my images showed that I was mostly in the clear for cardiac issues moving forwards. I was also in need of a serious alignment of my body and to learn how to run, and even walk, better. “You are clearly tense in your back, which is not SPAIN’s tap water is an uncommon finding,” explains Estelle. among the worst in Eu“You also have nerve issues around your neck, rope. which could be to do with your car accident. A major Barcelona study The body remembers even if you forget.” has found it carries the She continued: “But some of your issues could fourth highest risk for be to do with the way you walk, the way you bladder cancer on the shift your weight. Your body is like a chain, like continent. Jenga, and something wrong at the bottom can Findings suggest that go all the way up.” long-term exposure to She recommended addressing this as well as a good clear out of the lymphatic system, likena group of chemicals in ing it to a cleaning lady. tap water called triha“If your drains are blocked your cleaning lady lomethanes may be the can’t do a good job. You need to get someone cause for one in 20 cases in to clean the pipes.” of bladder cancer in EuAnd finally she insisted that I needed to drink rope each year. far more water. At least two litres a day! between 2005 and 2018. Scientists from the Bar- lysed the tap water of all At 10.9%, Spain’s tap celona Institute for Glob- 28 EU countries except Bodyworks Clinic is based in San Pedro de Alwater came out with the al Health (ISGlobal) ana- Bulgaria and Romania cantara, where a multidisciplinary team offers fourth highest levels of a wide range of specialist health treatments. THMs on the continent For more information visit www.thebodyworkbehind only Cyprus with sclinic.com 23.2%, Malta with 17.9% and Ireland’s Liffey water coming a surprising SPAIN’s pharmaceutical watchdog has issued a warnthird from bottom with ing over social media influencers pushing dodgy health 17.2%.

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

JUST BLOG OFF

However Spanish social media ‘stars’ have been advocating the use of certain creams, wipes and tablets in order to help with cosmetic issues, unaware of some of the potential health risks that indiscriminate use can cause. Pharmacist Guillermo Martin Melgar first noticed the problem when a certain brand of prescription facial wipes was suddenly selling out, only to find it was being recommended by a popular Youtube channel as a treatment for acne.

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

LOOKED like a traffic light turning from amber to red. The top of my body and neck (above right) was a cauldron of red and, on first glance, it looked like I was about to blow my top. Fortunately my head and face was a little cooler - demonstrated by large swathes of green - and the long slash of red down my spine was also to be expected. This was my first experience of thermal imaging, a modern way to check someone’s general health, without the need to be invasive, give blood or other bodily samples. As part of Bodyworks’ Full Body Check Up I spent a morning having my entire body catalogued from top to tail, before the images were sent off to a team of American radiologists to analyse. “It’s part of our ‘whole body’ approach,” explains Estelle Mitchell, who set up the clinic on

products. The CGCF (General Council of Physiotherapist Associations of Spain) has filed a complaint with the Spanish Health Ministry about people promoting medicinal treatments for beauty conditions without proper knowledge or training. According to Spanish law, such medical promotion is banned and advertising is strictly monitored by industry professionals.

January 24th - February 6th 2020

Showering

At the opposite end of the H2O horror list, Denmark’s water was the purest, with a THM count of less than 0.1%, followed by the Netherlands ( 0.1%) and Germany (0.2%). The scientists also concluded that showering and bathing can also trigger the disease, allowing the chemicals to enter the body via the pores of the skin.

ANALYSIS: Estelle Mitchell looks over images

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

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

Flu epidemic on march in Spain SPAIN has been gripped by a flu epidemic that originated in Murcia. Desperate doctors are treating a shocking 400 to 500 people for influenza every day. It comes after the ‘epidemic’ threshold of 55 people per 100,000 was quickly surpassed, with the national average now standing at 106. Asturias and Navarra are also facing epidemics from the contagious respiratory illness. Valencia, Catalunya and Andalucia are also expected to reach official epidemic levels. Last year, 57 people died from flu-related complications to already existing conditions. Health authorities are reminding the public that plenty of flu vaccinations are available at health centres and at pharmacies.

BUSINESS

January 24th - February 6th 2020

Salad days

Spanish firm pioneers four-day work week AN Andalucian company has become the first in the country to shave a whole day off the working week, cutting summer hours down to just 28 a week.

Tech firm, Software Delsol has gone ahead and introduced the radical idea put forward in the Labour Party’s manifesto for the recent UK General Elec-

tion. The degree of worker satisfaction for the new initiative is a staggering 9.28/10. In order to make this possible,

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

New look

MAGALUF’S most famous club, BCM, which is owned by the notorious Bartolome ‘King of the night’ Cursach, is to undergo a €2.5 million transformation. BCM’s new bosses are hoping the party spot can shake its reputation as a haven for drunk British tourists. The 5,000-capacity venue is to reopen on May 23, with the renovations expected to create around 100 new jobs. It comes as tourism chiefs are holding talks in a bid to attract a more classy clientele to Mallorca’s party town. As reported by the Olive Press last issue, Cursach still faces criminal cases after years of corrupt business practices. Club Omnia in Las Vegas has been touted as a model of inspiration for BCM’s new look.

On a wing and a prayer TROUBLED British airline Flybe has finally reached a deal with the government and its investors to keep their planes in the skies. The carrier’s shareholders, which include the Stobart Group and Virgin Atlantic, have agreed to pump more cash into the company. Meanwhile the government will review Flybe’s payment of air passenger duty, which the airline had hoped to defer. It means that Flybe, which operates routes to several Spanish cities, is able to continue operating, according to Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom. Flybe’s Spanish destinations include Malaga, Madrid, Palma and Alicante.

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

OP Puzzle solutions

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

SUDOKU

Quick Crossword

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

the company has had to hire 25 more employees, bringing its workforce to 181. The weekly working hours have subsequently also been reduced from 40 to 36 in the winter months and 28 in summer. The only other large scale example of the four day week is Microsoft in Japan, which claims to have increased its sales by 40% as a result. Fulgencio Messeguer, the Jaen company’s CEO said: “It has not been easy to introduce this measure, it has been a challenge because we did not have any reference to go on.”

Satisfaction

According to Messeguer, there are other benefits apart from increased productivity and worker satisfaction, such as energy savings and reduced pollution due to fewer car trips taken to work. In addition, Software Delsol also guarantees a salary increase of over 3% each year, another unprecedented measure. The company is based in the Geolit Science and Technology Park in Mengibar and also boasts very impressive leisure facilities, such as a gym, a paddle tennis court and even an outdoor pool.

Pesetas from heaven TURN out your pockets - seven old pesetas coins collectively worth €50,000 are still in circulation. The old Spanish currency ceased to be issued 18 years ago, but €1,610 million worth of the currency is still out there. The Bank of Spain will officially stop exchanging pesetas for euros on December 21, 2020, so you have more than 11 months to round up your old coins and maybe bag yourself a windfall. Make sure you check the years they were minted because they could be worth a fortune. The most valuable coin still in circulation is the five pesetas franco trial version coin from 1949 - worth €36,000 to collectors.

AGONY Property ANT YOUR LEGAL PROBLEMS ADDRESSED BY ANTONIO FLORES

Spanish headaches Lawbird’s Antonio Flores explores Manchester Building Society’s loan problems in Spain The story of Manchester Building Society’s (MBS) venture in Spain is threatening to end in tears. What was devised – and sold to the public – from 2008 onwards as a responsible, safe and law-compliant lifetime mortgage ‘from a prestigious UK Building Society available to European Nationals who are Spanish residential property owners and are fully fluent in English’, has turned into a serious financial drag that is jeopardizing the future of the company. MBS executives already knew that lending overseas (up to £58m) was a risky business, risk that was to be mitigated – intentionally – by entering into ‘swap’ contracts, which are complex financial instruments designed to hedge risk of adverse interest rate fluctuations. Time proved them right: already in the first half of 2016, MBS posted losses of £1.4m, half of which was related to Spanish lifetime mortgages. Those losses were mainly attributed to a technicality on how those ‘swaps’, used to limit the risk of Spanish mortgage loans and others, were accounted for. So, in 2011, a review on the methodology of accounting the cost of the swaps meant that MBS’s profit of £6.35 million for 2011 became a

loss of £11.44 million. Grant Thornton got sued for purportedly providing wrong advice but won. Fast forward seven years to the society’s 2018 annual report and accounts when, quite apart from mentioning the word Spanish 24 times, identified the Spanish loan book as the first ‘key judgement area most significant for the group’. In 2019, the society auditors expressed doubts as to the viability of the company as a going concern, after posting losses of circa £1 million. For its part, and this is probably the most relevant aspect, Spain-based borrowers have found that they are no longer receiving any more payments under the schemes, despite MBS contractually undertaking to significant loan advances, on the par with home valuations. One such borrower contracted a €200,000 loan of which only €30,000 was advanced, leaving him in a precarious financial situation. Borrowers (over 200 across Spain) now have an opportunity to terminate these agreements and clear the mortgages on their properties, due to MBS defaulting on their contractual commitments, but still retaining the advance payments as compensation.

SPORT BALE: With Wales team

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

January 24th - February 6th 2020

You’re NOT the special one

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

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

Dedication

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

Aceing it

NADAL: With mates Williams and Djokovic

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

Courting favour

THE Harlem Globetrotters have announced they are to return to Palma for a game at Son Moix on May 11. The legendary New York basketball side is known for its entertaining and acrobatic on-court performances. A sold out Palma Arena witnessed the Globetrotters in 2018 and the city expects the same

turnout this year. The team are touring Spain in May on the No Limits World Tour, with their famous team members including Thunder Law, Moose Weekes, TNT Lister and Hammer Harrison. Tickets for the show are on sale from proticketing.com.

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

New goal for Reina

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

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

January 24th - February 6th 2020

THE shocking rape of a 13-year-old girl in Palma has uncovered exploitation throughout so called ‘protective’ homes. The young victim, who was attacked on Christmas Eve, alleged that she had received several offers to prostitute herself before the rape. Vulnerable teenagers meet other young people in these homes who introduce them convince them to escape and have sex with adults for drugs or money.

Exploited

There are 30 ‘children and youth homes’ across Mallorca and according to Diario De Mallorca, and this exploitation has been going on for at least three years. One social worker said: "We raise reports every time we detect one of these cases, but we do not see anything done." The independent Mallorcan Institute of social services (IMAS) has been criticised for not taking action on these reports.

Gummy wars HARIBO has launched legal action against a group of young entrepreneurs in Bilbao, over claims their alcohol-infused gummy bears were ‘copied’ from the sweet giant.

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Vol. 3 Issue 72 www.theolivepress.es January 24th - February 6th 2020

Not stereotyping! New map makes fun of Spanish stereotypes

ANDALUCIANS are lazy, Madrileños are clowns and Valencianos are drug addicts. These are the amusing - but

highly offensive - stereotypes featured on a controversial new ‘emoji map’. Ivan Grad has created the map

of social media icons to rile Spain’s 17 autonomous communities, posting it on Twitter. Starting with the capital, Madrid, he has chosen the clown emoji to describe the local politicians. Andalucia is illustrated with a sleepy face and a bed, reinforcing the image of a love of siestas and being lazy. The Spanish flag is used all across Catalunya, in direct contrast to the sentiment of the Catalans. Valencia and the Balearic Islands are described as being drug-infested with the use of the pill emoji. In Galicia and Asturias, cow emojis can be seen spread across its green countryside, similar to the stereotype in the UK about Wales and sheep. Finally, the author of the tweet then added a comment because he had forgotten the inhabitants of Ceuta and Melilla in North Africa, with the emoji used being one of a Muslim lady. Do you agree with these stereotypes? Get in touch to let us know at newsdesk@theolivepress.es

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