Olive Press Andalucia Issue 418

ALARM AS SPAIN SWELTERS

FEARS are rising over what the summer has in store after an unseasonably early heatwave broke Spain’s April records.

As the month was confirmed as the hottest since 1961 when records began, forecasters predicted a doomsday scenario of no rain, perhaps until September.

The high temperatures have also brought the country’s annual heat warning campaign forward by two weeks to begin on May 15.

Record

An alarming 90-plus records were confirmed around Spain across the month for maximum temperatures.

Cordoba recorded three consecutive days of records alone, last week, with its previous highest temperature smashed by four degrees.

Residents in the city had to endure temperatures of 38.8C on Thursday, beating the country’s highest April record of 38.6C registered in Elche back in 2011.

Sevilla meanwhile recorded 37C, surpassing the 35.4C registered on April 30, 1997, and Badajoz broke its previous record of 33.2C with a temperature of 36.1C. Even Valladolid, further north,

Continues on page 4

COMING OF AGE

Legion of Spanish chefs serenade the ‘spectacular’ growth of the Andalucian restaurant scene over the last decade

CULINARY ‘BOOM’, on page 14

WHO LET HIM LOOSE?

POLICE have slammed a prosecution error that ‘allowed’ a violent British gangster to get bail over the death of a doorman killed at a popular expat restaurant.

Is it Agnese?

Body found in a suitcase in Benahavis could be body of missing Latvian expat, abducted by British pair See

They are furious that such a ‘dangerous’ man is ‘on the streets’ after his involvement in a fight that led to the death of Jose Pisani at Olivia’s La Cala, in Mijas, last month.

Incredibly, the armed thug, we can reveal as ‘Harry’, had already been bailed in February over a separate attempted murder in Marbella just six months ago.

The mafia hitman, 32, who police describe as ‘infamous on the Costa del Sol’, was on bail for a mafia hit on a trio of Irishmen at isolated Lago de los Tortugas (Turtle Lake), in Aloha, last year.

Alarmingly, at both arrests the hitman, whose initials were given officially as HGJS, had drawn a gun and pointed it at armed officers. Guardia Civil sources told the Olive Press this week they believe it was

a ‘mistake’ by the prosecutor’s

EXCLUSIVE: ‘Monumental f*** up’: Judge released alleged armed killer in doorman death when he was ALREADY on bail for attempted murder

office not to demand he be kept in jail.

“He is a very bad guy, I don’t know why he is free,” the source in Malaga said. “He shouldn’t have been bailed after the Lago de los Tortugas shooting.”

Jail

Another senior Guardia source added: “He’s well known here and we think he should be in jail.

“From a civilian perspective it simply doesn’t make sense, but sometimes judges make these decisions for whatever reason.”

During his most recent arrest, on April 18, Harry only put the weapon down after officers fired a warning shot while shouting ‘police’ as they broke down his front door. This time he is wanted on man-

By Walter Finch & Alberto Lejarraga

slaughter charges over the death of 55-year-old Pisani at Olivia’s, owned by TOWIE TV star Elliott Wright.

The father-of-two was said to have been punched and fell, banging his head against the corner of a table.

CCTV footage taken by police allegedly shows the 6 foot 5 (195 cm) doorman trying to restrain a punter, of a similar size.

The man, believed to be Harry, broke free and threw the punch that resulted in Pisani’s death.

After being arrested and charged with the crime, he was granted conditional bail by a Fuengirola judge after prosecutors bizarrely did not object.

The conditions were that he hand over his passport and report to the court on the first day of each month.

It is unknown why he had not apparently handed in his passport - or whether he had another - after his first arrest in February for his role as part of a hit squad targeting an Irish mafia gang on September 20.

According to reports, he had been brought in with five other British men to settle a score with a Dublin drug kingpin, known as ‘Mr Flashy’.

While two men managed to flee, one man, who has yet to be

named, was shot in the side, but managed to make his way to Marbella hospital, where he needed stitches.

When police arrested the six heavily-armed men, they seized a Skorpion sub-machine gun capable of firing 850 rounds per minute and four other guns. Also found were bulletproof vests, balaclavas, machetes, tasers, and a hatchet, together with GPS trackers and a mobile signal blocker.

Danger

Despite the clear serious danger to society, a court officer told the Olive Press this week that they cannot comment on cases due to data protection rules.

But he added: “It’s the judge’s decision. Why he decided that I don’t know.”

Leading local lawyer, Antonio Flores, of Lawbird, in Marbella, insisted it was ‘very alarming’ and ‘seems like a monumental f*** up’ “It definitely seems like he should have been remanded in custody,” he told the Olive Press “Now you have a very dangerous guy at large with two potential charges.”

NEXT GENERATION: Learning from the masters (right)

TRAGIC: Pisani with wife Romina

Car chase shootout

DRUG baron Antonio Sevillano, on the run from jail since March, has been captured after a high speed car chase during which officers shot out the tyres of his Mercedes in Estepona.

Bag man

A BRIT is facing extradition to the UK after being arrested in Torremolinos. He is accused of fraud and using a string of shell companies to launder tens of thousands of euros.

Family feud

TWO men who shot a man in the head during a feud between two Marbella families will spend five years behind bars for attempted murder.

Pool work

THE Pool Marbella, a new co-working and business centre on the 1st Floor of the El Capricho shopping centre in Marbella will be opened by Mayor Angeles Muñoz on Thursday.

Mystery solved?

THE discovery on a steep area of scrubland and cork oaks near one of the Costa del Sol’s most prestigious golf courses was disturbing in the extreme.

On the borders of La Quinta golf and Los Halcones urbanisations, in Benahavis, the local gardener, Bartolo Gallego, initially thought it was a toy ball. But when he looked closer, he realised it was a skull, that of a woman, with a number of teeth still intact.

“It was a real shock and I soon discovered two or three more bones, plus a bag of clothes and a big suitcase nearby,” he told local TV station Area.

Having taken photos he sent them to the boss, who immediately called in the police, who were soon on the scene.

All the remains were taken to the garage of the home, where they were loaded up for analysis, with the official DNA results expected back this week.

DNA results may prove remains in suitcase could belong to missing expat Agnese, who was abducted by Brits 10 years ago

According to the gardener, who had been heading to his vegetable garden, forensic experts said the remains are those of a woman between 25 and 35 years old, who had died around 10 to 15 years ago. What Gallego didn’t realise was that he might have stumbled across the body of decade-long missing Latvian expat, Agnese Klavina.

The 30-year-old had vanished after being abducted from the disco Aqwa Mist in Marbella in 2014 and never been seen again.

However, as the Olive Press revealed at the time, she had been forced into a car by British pals, Wesley Capper and Craig Por-

SAFER STREETS

The gang of Italians from Naples got away with 29 such robberies with a combined value of over €1 million, according to police.

Three members were arrested after Operation Soldadito caught them red-handed with a stolen watch. Further searches revealed five watches, along with four motorcycles, €995 in cash and several false licence plates.

By Walter Finch & Alberto Lejarraga

ter, who had driven her up the hill to Benahavis. We acquired photos of the pair posing in the nightclub, while later, chilling CCTV caught the exact moment Agnese was ‘forced’ into their Mercedes outside the disco at 5am. Capper, a well-known local gangster, owned up to four multi-million euro villas in the area, at least two for sale. One, had a walk-in fridge/ freezer, which he allegedly told potential buyers was ‘where we keep the bodies’. However, when he was finally charged over her abduction he insisted she had asked to get out of the car on the ‘Ronda road’ in Benahavis and he had not seen her again. He refused to confirm what had been in a heavy suitcase carried onto a yacht in Duquesa Port the following day. Capper, who died of Covid in 2021, and Porter had claimed that they were driving Agnese to another party but she changed her mind and asked them to drop her off near her house. Porter told the court he fell

asleep in the back of the Mercedes before Agnese got out. Since a body was never found, the pair were ultimately convicted in 2019 of the lesser crime of ‘coercion’ after a judge ruled that they had not unlawfully detained her. Capper had been facing up to 16 years behind bars as CCTV showed him ushering Agnese into the car.

Sentenced

Porter, who was seen holding the door open, was also cleared of illegal detention. Instead, Capper was sentenced to two years in prison and Porter got six months. The verdict caused anguish for the friends and family of Agnese, who felt that the accused had gotten away with

her murder.

“All lines of investigation are open and it is a possibility that the bones found belong to her,” a high-ranking Guardia Civil told the Olive Press yesterday. “But it is not possible to identify who the victim is until we have the results from the DNA test,” He added: “I can only confirm that the suitcase with the bones was found at the Urbanizacion Halcones in Benahavis.”

The DNA of the ‘lovely, bubbly’ waitress is among a database of dozens of missing women around Spain and it is hoped there will be a match.

It is believed that the body had initially been cut up and buried in a red suitcase, but animals, probably wild boar, somehow pulled it out and strewed it around the garden. 'blood money'.

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*Data extracted from process closure surveys after using our roadside assistance and breakdown services.

GRISLY: Skeletal remains found by gardener Gallego

THE streets of Marbella are safer to walk wearing a luxury watch after police busted a motorcycle gang targeting people wearing them.

Daddy Cool to the YMCA

PREPARE to don a black afro and/or a handlebar moustache and relive your 70s disco heyday as legendary groovers Boney M and the Village People come to town.

The pair will be headlining the grand opening of Malaga’s new Sabatic Fest, which runs from June 2 to September 23.

Legend’s award

MERYL Streep has scooped one of Spain’s top awards.

The Hollywood legend has won the prestigious 2023 Princess of Asturias Award for the Arts.

The 73-year-old star already has three Oscars, as well as three Emmys, two Baftas and a best actress victory at the Cannes Film Festival.

A 19-member Asturias jury announced Streep as this year's winner, after considering 44 candidates from 20 countries.

Previous winners include composers Ennio Morricone, John Williams and Martin Scorsese.

The Kramer vs. Kramer star is the first of eight winners to be announced for the international Princess Asturias Foundation. Other categories to be handed out will be in the sectors of humanities, science, and public affairs.

A presentation ceremony takes place in Oviedo's Teatro Campoamor every October attended by the Royal Family. The awards were established in 1980.

Let him entertain you

HE is the biggest British star to descend on the Costa del Sol for years.

Robbie Williams will play a guaranteed sold out show at Fuengirola’s Mare Nostrum Auditori um on June 15.

The iconic artist, behind Angels and Let me En tertain You, will sing to 2,300 fans in the biggest concert since the pandemic.

Tickets priced from €89 are available at www.marenostrumfuengirola.com

Ex-King’s daddy secret

Former monarch had a love child with a celebrity, who ‘frequently appeared’ in gossip magazines

SPAIN’S former King fathered a love child four decades ago, it has been claimed.

A new book on the Emeritus King Juan Carlos (pictured) claims he had a daughter during an extra-marital relationship in the late 1970's and early 1980's.

The explosive revelation comes from journalists Jose Maria Olmo and David Fernandez in 'King Corp' which investigates the former monarch's life.

They allege he had a relationship with an older aristocrat who bore him a girl called ‘Alejandra’.

Now married with her own family, she has never claimed any succession rights from her father.

An official Royal palace spokesman refused to comment on

By Alex Trelinski

the story and suggested questions should be directed to Juan Carlos himself.

The Royal Household has long been aware of Alejandra, according to the new book. It even claims Juan Carlos was ‘concerned’ that new King Felipe might accidentally meet her and fall in love with her.

Passionate

'She's tall, slim and pretty. She has lent her image to several clothes and jewellery brands,” claims the book.

'She is passionate about music, culture and travel and has formed her own family. Making public more information would

P-p-pickup a penguin

A PENGUIN has made an epic detour and ended up in southern Spain, miles from home. The disorientated penguin, which usually inhabits rocky islets and sea cliffs in the northern Atlantic, was found on the beach of Mazagon

Local police took the creature into custody and handed it over to vets at the Fauna clinic, who found it to be exhausted and starving. It is now being nursed

put her discretion in danger.”

When Alejandra was told who her father was, a period of contact between father and daughter took place in various meetings.

The authors claim he also tried to compensate for her lack of official recognition with 'affection and other signs of generosity'.

The book has ‘confirmed the story’ through three different sources, including a former boyfriend of Alejandra and a close friend of Juan Carlos for 60 years.

The matter became an 'open secret' but the book says that a 'pact of silence' was maintained to preserve the image of a perfect marriage between the king and Queen Sofia. Sources even claimed the king 'pulled strings' to ensure Alejandra's mother was never short of work and had a strong media presence as she frequently appeared in gossip magazines. She later dated a famous fashion designer and became his muse.

Not hamming it up!

SHE has famously got her kit off on screen on countless occasions.

But Penelope Cruz has admitted that she dreaded her first-ever movie nude scene.

The Spanish beauty, 49, was just 18 when she had to strip down for several racy moments with co-star and future husband, Javier Bardem in 1982’s Jamon Jamon While she revealed to Esquire she was thrilled to be cast in the 'very sexy' film, she was ‘anxious’ about the nude scenes. "I had a feeling the movie was going to be special, I knew the script was good… Of course, I was not looking forward to those scenes, but I did it," she said. However, she added that the crew helped to make her feel comfortable. "Everyone was really respectful, aware of the fact that I was 18."

Cruz's performance in the film saw her acting career take off and her next film, Belle Epoque, won an Oscar for best foreign film.

She later reconnected with Bardem years later while on the set of Vicky Cristina Barcelona in 2007. Their romance quickly blossomed and in 2010 the couple secretly got married in a small ceremony in the Bahamas. They have two kids, Luna, 9, and Leo, 12.

From front

Climate danger

broke its previous record by exceeding 30C in April.

Some parts of the south have experienced temperatures up to 15 degrees above average for the time of year.

Weather agency Aemet has now warned of a ‘very high’ risk of fires and called for extreme caution due to the warm and dry air from North Africa.

As many as 54,000 hectares of land have already been ravaged by fire this year just in the spring.

In comparison, in 2022 306,000 hectares were burned, including the sweltering summer months.

Spain is undergoing a severe drought, with 27% of the country’s territory classified as in a drought ‘emergency’ or ‘alert’, and water reserves are at 50% of capacity nationally.

This drought has already driven up prices of Spanish olive oil to record levels as farmers report catastrophic crop failures, particularly of wheat and grain.

UN figures now suggest that nearly 75% of Spain’s land is susceptible to desertification in the coming years due to climate change.

The Olive Press warned that desertification was spreading rapidly along the coast from Almeria into Granada and Malaga over 10 years ago, and it is getting steadily worse.

SHEIKH Abdullah Al-Thani is not one to shy away from social media, but his stance on the ownership of Malaga CF has been consistent - it's not for sale.

The former club president has previously rejected all offers and his latest response to PSG's president Nasser Al-Khelaifi's interest was no different.

The Qatari’s stewardship has seen

Not for sale Rushing out!

them slide from Champions League quarter-finals to La Liga’s Segunda Division in the space of 10 years. Despite this, in a forceful message on Twitter, Al-Thani compared the club

UP IN A FLASH

EXCLUSIVE: Third time lucky, as ‘arsonists torch’ exclusive Marbella beach restaurant

A FIRE that destroyed a popular beach restaurant in San Pedro Alcantara, Marbella, was allegedly caused by arsonists. A partner at El Nini restaurant, gutted in a 4am blaze,

told the Olive Press they are convinced it was arson… as there had been TWO previous attempts.

“We know who did it, they’ve tried it twice before. The difficulty is getting the proof,” the

Newborn found in bin

POLICE have arrested a woman after a newborn baby was found dead inside a backpack in a bin in Sevilla.

The baby’s mother, 38, has allegedly given conflicted versions about what happened.

It is believed she had gone to the hospital with her mother because she had lost a lot of blood while giving birth. She is understood to have first told doctors she left the baby at home, but eventually admitted she had dumped it in a bin.

to a member of his family - ‘a son or a daughter’ - and vowed to hold onto it for as long as possible. However, the sheikh's grip on the club may not be as strong as he thinkshotel group BlueBay is taking him to court alleging that Al-Thani broke an agreement to give them 49% of his shares.

AN Andalucian goalkeeper has become the first openly gay player in Spain.

Alberto Lejarraga, of Marbella Football Club, published a photo kissing his boyfriend to celebrate his club being promoted to Spain’s fourth tier.

The shotstopper put the picture on Twitter as Marbella were promoted to the Segunda RFEF.

The Madrid-born player also posted a montage of other happy moments and hugs with his partner.

“Thank you very much for always being by my side, through thick and thin! This time we had to live the beauty of this!” he wrote.

man, who described himself as an ‘investor’, revealed. He admitted the Chinese owners, who have other restaurants in the area, were enduring an ‘ongoing dispute’ with another group, or person. But he wouldn’t confirm if it was a rival restaurant, and only hoped the security cameras may show some evidence. And he added that ‘two previous attempts were unsuccessful’. However, this time the assailants came ‘better equipped’ and poured petrol through a side door.

The beach bar, which had a thatched roof, quickly went

up in flames with various fire crews, who were on the scene quickly, unable to put it out. The restaurant, which only opened last summer after a year of work, was totally destroyed.

All that was left was an awning at the front and a line of tables on San Pedro’s popular promenade. “It cost us half a million and took us almost a year to build the place. We want to rebuild it, obviously with less sensitive materials, but it could still happen again.

“It is a nightmare coming just before the busy tourist season,” the business partner added.

The Madrid native joins Getafe's Jakub Jankto as the second La Liga player to come out, but he is currently playing on loan in the Czech league.

Referee Jesus Tomillero, from La Línea, also came out as gay earlier this year.

How do the recent pension tax reforms impact you?

Pensions and tax regulations change regularly, with significant reforms recently. Spanish wealth tax now applies to UK pension funds, and transfers to Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pensions Schemes (QROPS) are hit by Spanish income tax if you are already tax resident here. The UK has abolished the pension lifetime allowance tax charges – for now – which may create a window of opportunity given the Labour Party has said they would reinstate it.

At Blevins Franks, our highly qualified pensions and tax specialists work with our local advisers to provide regulated and tax-efficient personalised pension solutions for UK nationals living in or moving to Spain.

SUCKERS

Holiday operator offers measly compensation to family terrorised by eight nights of bed bugs in fourstar Spanish hotel

A BRITISH family were left flabbergasted by a derisory compensation offer from their tour operator after their dream holiday turned into a bed-bug-infested nightmare.

Gary Turner, 57, and Jutta Turner, 55, suffered from being feasted on by swarms of blood suckers over the course of eight nights at a four star hotel in Puerto Pollensa.

Gary suffered an allergic reaction to the blanket of bed bug bites on the back of his head, which ended with an ambulance ride to hospital and a painful emergency shot in his bottom.

When confronted over the Turners’ nightmare ordeal, operator Tui only offered them 10% off one of the two rooms they had booked with their two daughters, aged 24 and 31, as compensation.

They were given an alternative offer of 20% off their next holiday with Tui, but this was rejected and Gary and Jutta demanded a full refund.

“We paid for a four-star plus rated hotel, with good reviews and never ever expected to be sleeping with bed bugs for eight nights,” Gary told the Olive Press.

EXCLUSIVE

By Walter Finch

“We never expected to suffer like we did, this is not what we paid for.”

The Turners arrived at the Hotel Illa D’OR on Mallorca expecting a relaxing 14-day sunshine getaway. But when Jutta and Gary started to notice bites on their hands and head after the third night, they assumed they were just from mosquitos. Only a week into the holiday did the pair turn on the bedroom light at 3am.

Horror

To their undying horror, they saw dozens of little brown bed bugs crawling all over the fabric headboard and even the bed sheets they were sleeping in. But the nightmare was only just beginning for the British - German couple.

Apologetic staff at the hotel immediately brought insect spray to bear and moved the couple to another room where the bed had a wooden headboard. While Jutta’s arm turned bright red in a sea of vicious bed bug bites, the back of Gary’s head

BAD REACTION: Holidaymakers were covered in bites

became inflamed as dozens of the little critters had chewed up his scalp.

Gary and Jutta could not sleep at night due to the itching, while exposure to the sun caused the bites to flare up. And the medication they got from the pharmacy - which the hotel paid for - left them feeling drowsy.

“It all left us feeling tired, run down and exhausted,” Jutta told the Olive Press.

“We could not enjoy our holiday at all.”

Jutta said: “The only lucky thing was that our daughters were not in that room, otherwise we could have taken one of them back in a coffin if she had had the same reaction as my husband did. She is disabled and immune suppressant due to a kidney transplant.”

The hotel merely offered ‘a spa treatment or ride on their boat’ as compensation, an offer that

was also rejected. Gary and Jutta requested two complimentary rooms for two weeks in October as compensation.

A spokesperson for Tui told the Olive Press: “We recognise that some services fell short of our usually high standards.

“We’d like to reassure all customers that we regularly audit all of our hotels in respect to health and safety, including hygiene.”

Meanwhile, Hotel Illa D’OR called the Turners’ request for a two week free holiday in October ‘unreasonable’.

They said they would not ‘succumb to pressure from any guest seeking to receive free accommodation.’

“We want to emphasise that our hotel takes pest control very seriously and we have a company contracted to provide preventative and control services,” they said in an email.

A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in Spain with an estimated readership, including the websites, of more than two million people a month.

Voted top expat paper in Spain OPINION

No justice

NEWS that a judge bailed a British gangster described as ‘extremely dangerous’ by police after he was already on bail for a separate murder attempt boggles the mind.

This is the man allegedly responsible for killing doorman Jose Pisani at a restaurant in Mijas last month.

‘Harry’ is known to police up and down the Costa del Sol as a violent armed criminal with, at least, two incredibly serious charges hanging over him.

And a judge lets him go free to roam the coast causing all the mayhem he likes.

The message this sends is simple - and depressing: While the coast is seeing an upsurge in mafia activity, the judiciary is dragging its feet. Or worse.

It just isn’t right that the ordinary, law-abiding residents of this region should run the risk of having an encounter with one of these thugs.

Any one of us might go to the wrong restaurant or bar at the wrong time. Cross paths with the wrong character and undergo a potentially life-altering trauma. As Pisani did.

Why on earth would a judge or prosecutors allow men charged with attempted murder, who point guns at police and hold military-grade arsenals in their apartments, to go free?

Or did they not realise who they were dealing with?

When Harry was arrested for the second time in just two months, did the Policia Nacional not talk to the Guardia Civil?

What’s more, did Fuengirola court check if he was already on bail or had two passports?

There are only two possible answers to these questions and it is hard to know which is worse.

The Spanish legal system needs to get a grip and put the safety of its citizens and residents ahead of departmental rivalry or general incompetence. Or next time it could be a child or a mother in the crossfire!

PUBLISHER / EDITOR

Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es

Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es

Alberto Lejarraga alberto@theolivepress.es

Jo Chipchase jo@theolivepress.es

John Culatto

ADMIN

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WATER’S THE WORD

Nearly 30% of Spanish territory is currently in an ‘emergency’ or ‘alert’ status due to lack of rain,

WITH 27% of Spain currently either in a drought ‘emergency’ or ‘alert’, record temperatures being registered for the month of April, and an ongoing row between Andalucia and Madrid over the Doñana wetlands, there is one topic on politicians’ and Spaniards lips as we enter May: water.

Spain’s Agriculture Minister Luis Planas wrote to the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski, to request emergency funds to support Spain’s 890,000 struggling farm workers.

“The situation caused by this drought is on such a scale that we cannot deal with its consequences just with national funds,” said Planas.

The farming sector is being hit hard by the lack of rain and the high temperatures, and the problem is particularly acute in Andalucia.

The Guadalquivir river basin is at 25% capacity, and water allowances for irrigation have been cut by up to 90% for some farmers in Andalucia.

For now, the hot weather shows no sign of letting up. Over the last month over 90 temperature records were broken, including a high of 38.8ºC at Cordoba Airport, while average temperatures were forecast as being 10ºC to 15º above usual levels for this time of year. Experts at Spain’s Aemet state meteoro-

By Simon Hunter

logical service confirmed that April was the hottest since current records began in 1961.

Meanwhile, last week also saw the row over the Doñana National Park deepen.

Firstly, the European Commission once again warned the Junta its plans to grant new watering rights to farmers in the area around the protected wetlands could cause even more environmental damage.

Earlier this month the PP and far-right Vox voted through legislation that could pave the way for some 800 hectares of irrigable farmland located near Doñana to be legalised. But scientists have warned that this will put even more pressure on the park, depleting the levels of its aquifer and threatening flora and fauna.

In the run up to regional and local elections on May 28, the issue has become a point of conflict between the PP and the governing Socialist Party.

“They are still messing around with something that could cost Spaniards a lot of money in exchange for nothing,” said Environmental Transition Minister Teresa Ribera, in reference to the fines being threatened by the EC over the plans for Doñana.

Simon Hunter simon@theolivepress.es

Alex Trelinski alex@theolivepress.es

IF you found yourself among the commotion on the A-334 north of Almeria on April 24, you are probably wondering what the frenzy was about. Not to worry.

APRESIDENT of the Amigos de los Patios association once said, ‘the Festival of the Patios is to Cordoba what San Fermin is to Pamplona’.

Cordoba’s annual festival sees property owners and groups of neighbours open their flower-filled patios to the public for 12 days at the start of May – this year, that’s May 2-14.

It’s a tradition that started a century ago, and which rightly has UNESCO Cultural Heritage status.

As far as Spain’s heritage goes, for most tourists, flowers beat bulls.

The historic white-walled houses with the blue pots of red geraniums have to be the most photographed

GREAT FOR G.R.E.A Emergency Services on the Costa del Sol just got better, writes Jack Gaioni

Walter Finch walter@theolivepress.es

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Carretera Nacional 340, km 144.5, Calle Espinosa 1, Edificio cc El Duque, planta primera, 29692, Sabinillas, Manilva

It was a drill, a simulation of a dangerous chemical spill involving a tanker truck carrying sulfuric acid, a resulting fire, and the urgent call for emergency medical attention.

The drill, involving 50 rapid responders, included the evacuation of 500 people from the nearby area, assessing the risk of explosion, the rescue of the trapped driver, cutting off the road and rerouting traffic, cordoning off a 600 metre radius safety zone, the treatment of a injured rescue worker, the extinction of the subsequent fire and the logistical problem of preventing its spread to a nearby heavily wooded area replete with steep ravines.

The coordination of real-time events such as these is a monumen -

tal task.

Enter the Andalucian Emergency Group (acronym GREA) - an organisation dedicated to taking the leading role in emergency events such as: earthquakes, floods, forest fires, explosions, traffic accidents, mass evacuations, crowd control (both hostile and peaceful), terrorism and civil unrest etc.

The organization, born in 2005, had two headquarters--- a western command post in Sevilla and an eastern facility in Jaen.

Until last week when a third headquarters became operational in Benahavis, near Marbella, to better serve the busy Cadiz to Malaga corridor.

To be sure, the importance of emergency ‘first responders’, those among the first to arrive on the disaster scene, is paramount. Whether it be a fire-

fighter, medical technician, law enforcement or military/security personnel, their job is to provide immediate on-site support service.

Their training is specialized and specific in nature. It is the mission statement of the GREA to protect communities by coordination and integrating those disparate talents.

GREA’s role is bringing those different elements into an efficient ‘big-picture, site specific’ harmony and coordinators stress the importance of preparation, available resources, and training to make sure that services are ready should an actual crisis arise.

Additionally, an organisation like GREA can more efficiently direct the ever-chang-

prompting Spain to beg the EU for emergency funds for farmers

Want to visit Cordoba’s Festival of Patios, but don’t know how to get there, or where to find those famous courtyards? Let Sorrel Downer help

Pots of gold

properties in Andalucia.

You’ll have seen them on postcards and – if you haven’t visited Cordoba – you may think you know what to expect, but prepare for a wallop of sensory overload as well as slowly ambling crowds, and getting lost.

The patio heartland lies between the Alcazar and San Basilio, although some of the highlights lie around the Santa Marina district, as well as the church of San Lorenzo.

Once you are in the labyrinth of patios,

€20,000 business from one ad!

While subscriber mailouts net 83 and 75 bookings for two leading restaurants

ing world of technology (drones, helicopters ,alert systems, GPS tracking systems, social media platforms, etc.) to mitigate disasters.

The opening of the new GREA headquarters in Benahavis just made life in this part of the world that much safer. The Costa del Sol welcomes you.

feel free to nose about and photograph each one, but as they are privately-owned spaces and the result of years of care and imagination, do make an effort to tip.

A patio route map from the Tourist Office is a help, but there are also several companies that offer tours.

De Patios, run by young locals, has a route that takes in a manageable five patios – all of which, they promise, are among the most emblematic and awarded in town.

The pots per patio rate is certainly very high.

After buying a ticket at the first property (Calle San Basilio, 14: 16th century, perfectly preserved, 600 pots), visitors are given a map and are able to wander at their own pace.

The owners at each of the patios on the route provide a mini-tour and point visitors in the right direction for the next. Their route includes a property on Calle Duartas, famed for the variety of its flowers and aromatic plants.

There’s more here than geraniums. Actually, aside from the floral displays, the architecture itself is part of the attraction, and both are taken into consideration when the two prizes for best of the best patio is awarded. Make sure to include the 14th century Viana Palace in the Santa Marina barrio, which is beautiful inside and out. It has 12 spectacular patios, full of tumbling plumbago and wisteria, as well as a huge garden full of the scent of orange blossom, flowers and herbs.

The palace belonged to a succession of aristocrats, but it was the Marquess of Viana who got the idea to create a palace-museum in the early 20th century, and his daughterin-law, Sophia of Lancaster, who is credited

COURTED: by patios at Palacio Viana (also below)

with making it shipshape. A trek through the numerous rooms provides a little shade and the chance to gawp in awe at the collections they amassed of baroque paintings, tapestries, firearms and dinner sets.

Visit the Cordoba Tourism website for companies offering tours, and general information, including (pertinently) parking. If you can, let the train take the strain – It takes 50 minutes to get to Cordoba from Malaga; 40 minutes from Sevilla; and only one hour and 40 minutes from Madrid.

POTTED POINTERS

● Many of the patios re- main open all year – and the Viana Palace is open to visitors year round.

● The ‘Battle of the Flow- ers’ opens the fun on April 30, when dozens of women in flamenco dresses shower the crowds in petals as they pass by in wagons.

● The Trueque Cuatro Visitors’ Centre for the Courtyards Festival (if open) is a good source of information on the lifestyle centred round a domestic courtyard and an interesting building in itself.

so far for €20,000 to €22,000,” John told him. “I’ll be honest I really didn’t think print worked any more, but now I stand corrected.”

And he’s not the only one.

Martin Tye at solar panel company Mariposa Energia, revealed: “I’ve had so many bookings via the Olive Press, I don’t bother with other publications anymore.”

Meanwhile, when we ran a couple of articles on a stunning rural hotel, near Estepona, called DDG Retreat, the place found its phone run off the hook. “We actually got more bookings from the Olive Press than an article in The Times, so well done,” marketing boss Daria told us.

But, best of all, were two recent mail out campaigns for a pair of leading restaurants on the Costa del Sol.

The first, Nomad, which just opened, received no less than 83 bookings across two carefully targeted emails to our online subscribers.

The second, Bono Beach, combined two print ads with one subscriber mailout and has had 75 bookings so far. It’s fair to say, they’re happy with the result.

Alongside stories and reviews, both in print and online at www.theolivepress.es, we offer Instagram posts, YouTube videos, Facebook stories and even TikTok videos. It’s called 360-degree marketing and it means we can offer something for everybody.

Don’t let your business lose out.

Get in touch at sales@theolivepress.es

The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are:

1- Barack Obama jets into Barcelona for Bruce Springsteen concert

2- Royal Marine Commandos go AWOL in Gibraltar’s Ocean Village after brawl as police struggle to arrest them

3- Decade-long impasse over closed seaside footpath could end soon in Costa Blanca

4-

‘OUR HEARTS ARE BROKEN’: Towie star Elliott Wright shuts Mijas restaurant after death of doorman in customer fight

5- May 1 and May 2 public holidays in Spain explained

Get in touch today at sales@theolivepress.es or call us at 00 34 951273575 for more info

Thousands damn Spain’s dirtiest cities, including Sevilla, Alicante and Palma

SPAIN’S dirtiest cities have been named in a national survey that quizzed 6,863 residents in 69 locations.

Palma, Alicante, and Sevilla got the lowest rankings in the Spanish trading standards (OCU) questionnaire with dog excrement and rubbish being the biggest bugbear.

Alicante remains second-bottom, as in the previous survey in 2019 when Jaen was ranked the worst.

In general, coastal and southern cities scored the worst rankings in the four-yearly survey.

But the consumer group insisted that two thirds got at best ‘mediocre results’.

San Sebastian, Las Palmas,

WATER FIGHT

THE Axarquia region of Malaga is studying three proposals for a giant water desalination plant.

The initial capacity of the plant would be 80 cubic hectometres of water per year, or 32,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools. It would be enough to ensure a guaranteed supply of water for both human consumption and agriculture in the area.

With La Viñuela reservoir at just 10% capacity in April, or just 16 cubic hectometres, and no rainfall forecast for the foreseeable future, the plant has become the region’s great hope.

The mouth of the Velez river is one possible location, while another favours a plant next to the Velez-Malaga sewage plant.

By Alex Trelinski

Barcelona, and Madrid are all in the bottom 10, while Oviedo, Bilbao and Vigo got the highest marks.

Barcelona suffered the worst drop in standards (11 points) since the last survey, with a 10 point drop for Sevilla.

The biggest positive rise was for Guadalajara, with a massive 25 points, followed by Lugo with 18 points.

The survey ‘confirms the lack of progress’ in most large municipalities, insisted OCU.

Issues of concern were dog dirt on pavements, rubbish

CLEAN UP: Actions called for

outside containers, and excess graffiti.

“The number of fines for not picking up dog excrement is anecdotal and in most cities it

RECENT and rapid heating of the world’s oceans has alarmed scientists because it will add to global warming.

Last month the global sea surface hit a new record high temperature.

Sea temperatures have never warmed this much so quickly.

And the clever guys aren’t completely sure as to why. Their concern is that, combined with other weather events, the world’s temperature could reach an alarming high by the end of 2024. Weather forecasters also expect that a strong El Niño weather event (a weather system that causes the ocean to heat) will also set in during the next few months.

is considered a minor infraction,” added OCU. “It is vital that councils pay attention to the complaints of their citizens,” it concluded.

SHUT ‘DOLPHIN’ PRISON!

A TEENAGE animal-rights activist has handed Congress a petition with 150,000 signatures to free dolphins from captivity in Spain.

Olivia Mandle, 16, is campaigning alongside a group of scientists called World Animal Protection to close Spain’s dolphinariums.

The country has 10 such installations, accounting for a third of all those in Europe.

“I want to end Spain being the biggest dolphin prison in the world,” Olivia insisted.

She wants the installations to be converted into ‘marine sanctuaries’ and there to be ‘an end to shows and forced breeding’. “We want to stop the suffering of these highly intelligent creatures,” added fellow protester Sandra Campinas.

Why you should be just as worried as the experts SCIENTISTS ARE WORRIED

Warmer oceans:

● Kill off marine life and coral reefs

● Lead to more extreme weather – hurricanes and cyclones pick up more intensity and are longer lasting

● Raise sea levels

A warmer sea is also less efficient at absorbing planet warming greenhouse gases. Over the last 15 years the Earth has collected as much heat as it did in the previous 50 years. Most of this extra energy goes into the sea. Although the oceans are more capable of absorbing extra heat than land, this really is a cause for concern.

A VICIOUS CIRCLE

It really is quite simple to explain. Warmer waters have less ability to absorb CO2. When the oceans take up less CO2, more CO2 accumulates in the atmosphere, further warming the air and oceans.

Temperatures may come down again after the El Niño subsides…..but it’s a BIG IF.

BEFORE:

Ice in 1980 (top) and in 2012

GREENLAND AND ANTARCTICA ARE MELTING

Satellite imagery has proved beyond doubt that the Earth’s ice sheets are melting.

Seven of the worst melting years have been in the last 10 years.

All this has a profound effect on coastal communities.

You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again….. every picture tells a story.

Effective governmental action remains painfully absent.

Green Matters

By Martin Tye

Expat fun

THOUSANDS of locals and visitors enjoyed the 2023 Fuengirola’s Countries Fair, which took place over the long weekend.

A total of 32 countries from all across the globe were represented at the feria ground. It was a great chance to taste the traditional cuisine of dozens of countries and learn about their traditions.

The crowds had the chance to enjoy a large number of international folk music performances across the five days the event lasted.

One of the highlights of the fair was Saturday’s parade in which around a thousand participants walked from the Plaza de España to the fairground, dressed in the traditional costumes of each country and displaying the best of their folklore.

The event, previously known as the People’s Fair, started in 1994 with the aim of showcasing the customs and traditions of the inhabitants of the town, which is home to 127 different nationalities.

DWARFED OUT

‘HUMILIATING’ comedy bullfights and erotic shows at hen and stag dos featuring dwarves could soon be banned in Spain

Legislation has just been approved by the Senate based on a European Union directive that prohibits entertainment shows that involve the humiliation of people with a disability.

The new law has been promoted by the Social Rights Ministry, and will still have to be sent back to the lower house of parliament, the

By Simon Hunter

Congress of Deputies, for final approval.

“These kinds of shows provoke laughter and the mockery of people with dwarfism, and they teach children how to laugh at us,” Marta Castillo, the president of the CERMI committee for disabled persons in Andalucia, told El Pais “We are not clowns,” she added. “Clowns put on and take off their costumes, but we are

MANY VISITS

HUMANS have been visiting the Nerja Caves in Andalucia for 41,000 years, a new study by the University of Cordoba has revealed.

The team used ‘smoke archaeology’ which dates charcoal and remains of fossilised soot on stalagmites in the cave. Its results pushed the earliest known use of the caverns by humans back by 10,000 years and documented 73 different phases of visits/occupation over 35,000 years.

BAN: Such spectacles may soon be outlawed

who we are 24 hours a day.”

In September 2022, an event featuring bullfighting clowns with dwarfism that was due

Talent rewarded

VIOLINIST María Dueñas

(above) has won the 2023 Princess of Girona Arts and Letters Award.

I

to take place the following month in Madrid’s Las Ventas ring was cancelled due to low ticket sales. Back in 2021, however, when the Social Rights Ministry’s plans first came to light, there was an angry reaction from the bullfighters themselves.

Respect

“It shows a complete lack of respect and freedom,” Daniel Calderon, a bullfighter and the manager of the Diversiones en el Ruedo troupe said at the time.

“We are skilled professionals who work hard and we entertain like other performers,” he added.

The talented musician from Granada was presented with the prize from the Princess of Girona Foundation at a ceremony in Cordoba attended by Queen Letizia.

Winner

She received €20,000 as well as a copy of a work by Juan Zamora, winner of the 2017 award.

The award was established in 2009 and is open to young Spanish nationals between the ages of 16 and 35 working in artistic disciplines. Born in Granada, 20-yearold Dueñas has been studying with professor Boris Kuschnir at the Music and Arts University of Vienna since 2016.

Shows featuring Little People have been slammed as making a ‘mockery of people with dwarfism’

OP QUICK CROSSWORD

FROM IBEX TO INSECTS

Plus the other famous fauna of Granada’s Alpujarra region

Across

7 At once (11)

8 Deeply respectful (8)

9 Gawked at (4)

10 Nile dam (5)

11 Digested yam diet between dawn and dusk (7)

14 Formal speech (7)

16 Sudden convulsion (5)

19 Toque wearer (4)

21 Earthly end of the line (8)

22 Painful throat infection (11)

Down

1 Ailing De Sade is ill (8)

2 Simple life form (6)

3 Advanced slowly (5)

4 One left standing (4,3)

5 The last word (6)

6 Promote to excess (4)

12 Regard suspiciously (8)

13 Clairvoyant (7)

15 Money back (6)

17 Starch source (6)

18 Bouquet (5)

20 Boaters and bonnets (4)

By Jo Chipchase

AMOUNTAINOUS region rich with forests and pastures, the Alpujarra supports a wealth of wildlife – from birds to mammals and bees to butterflies. Although tourism has replaced agriculture as the main income, ‘ganaderia’ (farming) remains important to this day.

Historically, livestock supported local families by providing much-needed daily rations of milk, meat, cheese, and eggs – and at a better, fresh quality than in any supermarket.

In past decades, mules and donkeys were a very common sight in the white villages as the main form of transport and families stabled them in the basements of their houses.

Horses remain popular, with the accomplished ‘jinete’ (horseman), riding his Andalucian steed around the countryside and particularly at fiestas and ‘romerias’. Here, the Olive Press presents some of the most symbolic animals of the area.

Symbolic Ibex

The Spanish Ibex, otherwise known as the ‘cabra montesa’, is understandably the emblem of the Sierra Nevada. This wild goat, with remarkable unmissable horns, has adapted to the mountains of the Alpujarra. Agile creatures, they can often be spotted leaping down slopes, usually with companions. However, take it from me from experience, by the time you’ve grabbed the camera, they’ve disappeared.

Sheep for shearing

Today, they are still popular with the region’s pastors and are frequently kept alongside goats. The sheep shearing season is about to start, to remove those cumbersome winter coats. Chris Stewart of Driving Over Lemons fame, made the custom famous and even originally made a living shearing them in Scandinavia, when not in Granada. Although the fleeces were historically sold, they are now discarded, as imported wool is sadly cheaper.

Fantastic foxes

The Red fox, or Zorra, is a renowned species of the Alpujarra. With distinctive red fur, it is frequently seen at dawn and dusk. Very much a predator, don’t let your small cat wander off in the dark.

Wild boar

All solutions are on page 19

Sheep (‘ovejas’) have a long history in the area and the fine-wool breed, the Merino, was established in Spain by the 13th century and was seen by Don Quixote.

Wild boar, or Jabali, weigh up to 200kg and favour deeply forested areas. They are hunted for meat, and to keep numbers down, as they can sometimes be destructive – especially if they enter your garden at night, seeking food. Jabali have a stocky, muscular build, a long, pointed snout, sharp tusks, and a bristly coat of dark hair. They tend to live in groups of up to 20 and can become aggressive if threatened and during mating season.

Birds of prey and partridges

The golden eagle can regularly be seen soaring over the mountains of La Alpujarra. One of the world’s largest birds of prey, it is majestic and has keen hunting skills. There are various other eagles also found, including short-toed and booted eagles. The griffon vulture is also regularly spotted. A scavenger, it helps the ecosystem by cleaning up carrion. He might also clear up your pet mouse!

Partridges are a common game bird in La Alpujarra and are hunted for sport and food.

Impressive insects

The Sierra Nevada hosts many butterflies, including the Apollo, the Large Blue, and the Moroccan Orange Tip.

At ground level, there are beetles, including the wingless Tenebrionid, ground beetles, and longhorn beetles.

Grasshoppers and crickets might serenade you at night and there are various dragonflies and damselflies.

The area is alive with bees and wasps. There’s also the Bumble Bee, Paper Wasp, and the more aggressive Yellow Jacket – don’t stand near its nest.

And finally, watch out for the dreaded Scalopendra stinging centipede. You don’t want one in your home.

Andalucian horses

The Pure Spanish Horse, known as the PRE or Andalucian horse, has long played a significant role in culture and history.

It was bred as a war horse and has also been used for bullfighting, dressage, and other

Moving the herd - Transhumania

equestrian sports.

A beautiful breed, it is compact yet powerful, with a flowing mane and tail.

Their graceful movements and excellent balance make them an ideal mount for dressage.

Mules and donkeys

Smaller and slower than horses – and extremely sturdy - mules and donkeys were traditionally used to work the land and carry goods.

Mule tracks connect most of the Alpujarran villages, although many have been lost over time.

To this day, mules are used to plough land on the Sierra de Contraviesa, where steep terraces make modern-day tractors impractical. This is done to plant grapes (‘uvas’) for the local wine.

Pigs for jamon

Pigs are kept for their meat and to make the famous cured ‘Jamon Serrano’, especially in the higher villages. The Trevelez ham carries its own quality seal and denomination of origin status and is renowned throughout the region. Many Spanish families held (or still hold) a fiesta for the ‘matanza’ (slaughter) of the pig. They turn every part into an edible product, from sausages encased in the guts to boiled trotters, to the traditional ‘lomo’ (loin).

Cows for milking

Cows, or ‘vacas’, are less commonplace in the Alpujarra than sheep, goats, and pigs. However, some farmers keep them for their meat and milk, which can be made into a tasty cheese.

Be careful that it isn’t a bull approaching you on that rural track – look out for horns!

Goats

Many people keep goats, mainly for their meat and milk. A common sight is the local goatherds wandering with 200-300

‘Transhumance’ means the ‘passage’ of cattle, led by their shepherds, from their summer pastures to winter ones, and vice versa, because of sea sonal differences.

In April and September, flocks of goats and sheep are migrated, travelling sub stantial distances on foot.

This is an impressive spectacle in La Al pujarra, with the environmental agency or police escorting the large herds and their human guides along the main roads.

Transportation by lorry would be too ex pensive: that’s why the ancient tradition exists today.

‘cabras’, which they take out daily to graze on grass. Each pastor has a permit to graze the flock on certain pastures. A young goat’s meat is called ‘choto’ and is a staple ingredient in various regional dishes. If you’re driving around rural tracks, be patient, as goats can sometimes block your way and they don’t move so fast!

A variety of dogs

The Podenco is a prominent breed in the mountains. It dates back thousands of years – to the ancient Egyptians. It was brought to Spain by the Phoenicians and was historically - and still is - used for hunting. An ideal companion animal, the Podenco has long ears and a pointy nose (all the better to hear and smell). Although different varieties of Podenco exist, common characteristics are agility and intelligence.

Other popular breeds on the mountains are Mastiffs, Border Collies, and various Shepherd breeds.

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Picasso and Sorolla are both being celebrated this year but not to everyone’s delight

Art-felt

THANKYOU for your quiz about Picasso (Olive Press all editions).

He was such an influential artist that he actually made a fortune during his lifetime - unlike so many of his fellow masters.

Another to do so was Valencian painter Sorolla, whose work I have long admired, and which has also influenced many artists through the years. While attention is focussed on the 50th anni-

Royal cheer!

Dear Olive Press, WHILE on holiday, it was very uplifting to see the crowds of Dutch expats and visitors celebrating King Willhelm’s birthday in Torremolinos. The atmosphere was one of great joy and exuberance, which I captured in this photo. The occasion was a surprise for many people on the Carihuela seafront and a very enjoyable one. It was good to see such a positive attitude towards thor royal family. We could do with something like this in England.

Bravo the Dutch!!

Richard Duebel (by email)

versary of Picasso’s death, it should not be forgotten that Sorolla too has an anniversary. It has been 100 years since he passed away. I read in the Olive Press (Sorolla setback) that plans to borrow 30 of his works from Cuba for an exhibition have come to nothing, but surely there must be some sort of event to mark the centenary?

Dennis Capper, Quesada

Editor’s note: There are indeed many exhibitions to celebrate Sorolla and his works. Visit www.centenariosorolla.es/ for a list of several taking place in Spain and abroad. There are also many exhibitions to mark Picasso’s death. It is a very special year for art lovers who can view so many great works. Maybe book a week off and do a tour of some of these events. To get a taste of the best of two very different styles, head to Madrid, where both masters are being showcased.

Standing for election

I HAD to giggle when I read about former gay porn star Antonio Moreno running for mayor (Unusual candidate, Press all editions. Should he be elected I am sure he will be a fine upstanding mayor.

Picasso no gent

THE exhibitions and events to mark the 50th anniversary of Picasso’s death are well underway. I feel it is not too soon after his death to point out that he was a flawed genius, for want of a better term! The way he treated the (many) women in his life was not the mark of a gentleman. In many ways, his treatment of them was just as ugly as his paintings!

Jennifer Steele, Torremolinos

90 day woes

AS a homeowner in Spain for 17 years and recently retired I find it all very confusing around the 90 day stay rule and registration as a resident, wishing to just come and go as planned before Brexit. What a mess that has caused and makes my plans much harder. Do you think they will sort out an easy solution in the near future or is becoming a resident the only solution?

John Davies, UK

Editor’s note: Since Brexit the simple fact is that if you want to stay longer than 90 days in Spain then you need to get residency. There are whispers that the EU may relax this regulation, but nothing concrete has been proposed.

Reduce Family Stress

Mijas

THE SECRETS OF MIJAS

Ditch the

and

THEY turn up in their droves. On tour buses, or in cars, and stretch their legs for about 400 metres. Out come the cameras and the ticklists and, wait… there is the donkey statue (left), perfect for a family snap, the vista to the sea, ideal for a selfie, and the chocolate factory to while away an hour.

And then there’s the other side of Mijas pueblo for those who do their utmost best to avoid the above tourists like a plague!

What is striking about Mijas is its ability to satisfy both types of tourists and yes, there is so much more to this wonderful white village than at first meets the eye. Want a quick and easy morning or evening visit with the family while on your hols?

Well the village ticks plenty of boxes: It’s a simple 15 minute uphill drive from the coast, it’s pedestrian-friendly and there’s a giant multi-storey car park right in the heart of the village, costing just €1 a day.

Even easier, you walk out into a charming, leafy square with a big playground for the kids and the donkey taxis (or horse-drawn carts) waiting to ferry you away on a whistle-stop tour of the pueblo. On your return a host of pavement cafes offer a splendid place for a bite.

For the more discerning tourists looking for authenticity, history and charm, however, you just need to know where to look.

Continues on next page

donkey

get on Shanks’s pony, insists Jon Clarke, if you really want to enjoy Mijas

PRETTY AS A PICTURE: The pueblo in springtime and (inset) kids ride the donkey statue

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Culture vulture’s dream

My advice, just keep walking, Shanks’s pony, and aim to get to the far extremities of the village that spreads out like a ribbon along the southern slopes of the soaring Sierra de Mijas. It is in these much quieter parts of the white village where you will start to appreciate its history and finally find some peace. And for anyone looking to really stretch their legs you can continue out of the village and eventually up into the pine-

clad nearby hills. At each end of the village there is a proper hike, with the main ones - to the Puerto del Pino or the Ruta de los Duendes - taking about two to three hours. Alternatively you can go for the taster option of a half hour stroll uphill to the now defunct quarry, Cantera El Puerto, which promises a lovely view and a good spot for a picnic. Whatever you choose, particularly in Spring, you will find an abundance of wild flowers and the fresh smell of lavender and pine. Look up and you will most likely spot an eagle, European Short-toed or Booted, and highly likely a phalanx of Bee-eaters or a local Griffon vulture.

In contrast, the culture vultures among you mustn’t miss the municipal museum, a superb tour of local and regional history with some fabulous photos, to boot.

Whatever type of tourist you are, the town hall and tourist

Mijas Properties was established in 1984 by Susanne Terés

office make things incredibly easy. Maps and walking-tours are carefully planned and signposted, with excellent translations in English, which is almost unique for Andalucia. Each walk is colour coded, with the yellow tour snaking through the town, and guaranteeing the main sites. The first port of call is the shrine of the Virgin of the Rock, a cross-between a cave and a chapel carved out of the mountainside. This is the patron saint of Mijas and from its viewpoint, you can take in the phenomenal panoramic views all along the Costa del Sol. It’s a nice shady spot to linger, particularly as there’s a cafe providing cold beers, coffees or waters, but perhaps you’ll wait for the central hub, Constitution Square.

It’s always a hive of activity and from here streets radiate out, lined with craft shops - packed with ceramics and textiles,

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many of a very high quality. Next you head up towards the ancient bullring, which is unusual due to its oval shape, as well as boasting charming gardens.

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HISTORY TOUR: Virgin of the Rock, while (left) two street scenes and (right) an artisan shop

da and even the colourful faenas of British bullfighter Frank Evans, aka El Ingles, who famously fought in the ring at 71 years old.

Bullfights are pretty unheard of these days, but you might catch a horse-show if you’re lucky.

Alternatively head off at a tangent into the backstreets as getting lost in the maze of alleyways is one of the best things about the pueblo.

You’ll be amazed by what you might find, from sleepy chapels to a hidden fountain and from random caves to one amazing vaulted ceiling spitand-sawdust joint, with a bank of ancient radios on the wall.

One of them could have been the ancient transistor that

the former mayor, the famous Mole of Mijas, listened to when he hid for five years during and after the Spanish Civil War (see page 10).

You can learn more about him at the municipal museum, as well as about the area’s traditional form of making money selling esparto products (a kind of wild mountain grass).

Traditionally collected from the nearby hills, it was weaved into a huge array of items including shoes, hats and bags, many sold to tourists over the years. There is a statue to an espartero worker in the main square and the museum explains well how it became an invaluable source of income during the tough times after the civil war and during the Franco dictatorship.

Beside an evocative photo of a grandmother stitching it to-

gether in the street, is a touching elegy to the trade. “One has to be born to the work in the mountains. Collecting esparto sounds easy, but it isn’t. The mountain changes every year. It is full of cracks and holes that are covered with weeds, one must know how to walk there.

“I have travelled as far as Granada and Cordoba to collect it. On these trips, you had to sleep under trees, even at Christmas when it was far too cold. In the end we managed to save around 300 to 400 pesetas. We were used to living with so little in those times.”

Life for Mijas folk was anything but easy in the previous few centuries, particularly for women, who often worked the land, while their husbands went off to find esparto or went off to work abroad, particularly during the Franco dictatorship from 1940 to 1975. People were so poor they had only one outfit for work and one for holidays. “It was a life of miseries a thousand times worse than I can explain,” explains one old timer.

The town today has ultimately struck an impressive balance between encouraging its thriving tourist industry and maintaining its authenticity.

The streets have been carefully looked after and the level of tatty souvenirs are kept to a minimum. But, without a doubt, Mijas is at its best after 6pm, when the sun starts to set and the tourist coaches

have gone. It is then that you will feel the ambience of the place and really sense its past. As you wander around, doors start to open and the locals come out with a chair and sit and watch the world go by, while children play in the street. Looking at photos past and present, it is easy to feel yourself drift back half a century,

harking to a quieter life, when there were no emails, nor the internet and, best of all, no mobile phones. This is the time to hop in a bar, grab a cold Victoria beer, sit on a shady terrace and take it all in. I promise you’ll come back.

INDUSTRY: But the esparto grass made only 400 pesetas a month

CURVES: From the vaulted ceiling bar (left) to the unusual bullring and (inset) ‘El Ingles’ Frank Evens last flight

Life was anything but easy in the previous few centuries

DID YOU KNOW?

If you thought you knew all there was to know about Mijas, these 10 fascinating facts could make you think twice

WAR HEROES

In 1810 during the Napoleonic Wars not even the distinguished British General Blayney and his 2,000 soldiers were able to conquer Mijas. Under ferocious attack by sea and land, the defenders routed British and Spanish forces, captured Blayney and sent the troops scuttling north. It’s known as the Battle of Fuengirola but it was really Mijas as you’ll see below.

MARBLE-OUS MIJAS

Who would guess there are pieces of Mijas all over Spain.

Marble was its main export during the XVII and XVIII centuries when it was used to embellish many important places of worship, including the cathedrals of Malaga and Sevilla, San Pedro Church in Granada and Santa Tecla in Burgos.

BURIED TREASURE

Traces of Punic-Phoenician temples have been found in only eight locations throughout the Iberian Peninsula and Mijas is one.

During excavations in 2013 two bronze pieces representing the Eyes of Astarte the goddess were found within the old city walls, suggesting that the site was once a sanctuary to a healing cult.

During the 1960s Mijas was a much sought-after backdrop for movie makers for its the typical Andalucian charm.

Brigitte Bardot (above), Raquel Welch and the Spanish actress and singer Marisol respectively strolled its romantic streets in Les Bijoutiers du clair de lune (1958) Fathom (1967)” and Solos los dos (1968).

SHAPE-SHIFTING

Most bullrings are round but Mijas has one of the few oval plazas de toros in Spain. Built in 1900 by popular demand, it’s not easy to pick out, so well is it camouflaged among the white village houses.

STYLING FOR YOU

Your Home Styling

different from traditional furniture stores

KITTING out a new home with furniture is an exciting but perhaps daunting experience which is where the team at 'Your Home Styling' in Mijas can give you all the help you need. Whether it is a whole property or just a single room the company, which has built up a great reputation since it opened over three years ago, will provide ideas for all budgets.

'Your Home Styling' is the brain-child of owner and CEO Martin Rance.

“We are very different from traditional furniture stores with our team of interior designers acting as personal shoppers for customers,” said Martin.

“You can just go to our Mijas showroom and have a no obligation chat with one of the designers to see what we can do for you,” he added. The business offers tailor-made furniture packages to suit your style and your budget as it offers a variety of brands at all prices starting with the top range 'Nordic Home' and 'Boho Home' packages. Martin Rance said: “We will get hold of

anything for a client because it is about helping them get the furniture they want. If it is not in stock, we will order any item.”

“We pride ourselves in having very honest and fair prices coupled with our personal bespoke service,” Martin added.

'Your Home Styling' delivers to any address in Andalucia and if customers are waiting to move into their new home, there is free warehouse storage for up to six months.

It's not just furniture but there's help to get curtains, bedding, towels, kitchen utensils as well as the full decoration and style of a new home. Even if a client just wants a single-room makeover or to buy just one or two items, then 'Your Home Styling' can assist.

“Service is absolutely key,” commented Martin. “English-speaking purchasers are very important and everybody, including our delivery drivers, speaks English.”

The showroom is at the Centro Nordico in Mijas and is open weekdays between 10.00am and 6.30pm.

SIAMESE TWIN

Once upon a time Fuengirola didn’t exist - it was all part of Mijas, including the castle on the coast. In 1841 the two towns were separated although one still merges into the other so that the difference is almost imperceptible, like identical twins.

SMALL WORLD

The Professor Max Museum of Miniatures is a dinky-sized delight. Inside what may be Spain’s quirkiest attraction you’ll find curiosities

like a shrunken head, the seven world wonders sculpted from a toothpick and Abraham Lincoln’s portrait painted on a pinhead.

SIZE MATTERS

Although the pueblo is petite, the tourist slogan ‘Mijas Inmensa’ is no lie. With an 89,000 population and an area of 148km2 it’s the third biggest municipality in the province of Malaga, after Malaga City and Marbella.

Y our Home Styling

COST A DEL SOL

MIRACULOUS MIJAS

Visitors are often curious to know why there are two sculptures of the Roman God Hercules flanking the entrance to Mijas Ethnological Museum of Mijas.

MAKING AN ENTRANCE

They were put there to symbolise the burden of responsibility of the old Mijas political leaders. Clearly they had a Herculean task.

One of the treasures of Mijas is the Virgen de la Peña sanctuary where, according to legend, the Madonna appeared to two shepherds. As a tribute, a hermitage was hollowed out in stone which has become a point of pilgrimage.

Mijas

PIC CREDIT: golfelchaparral.com

PHYSICAL THERAPY

Helping Costa del Sol patients achieve pain free lives

Mijas Costa was declared a Community Interest Area (CIA) in 2006 for its valuable marine ecosystem.

Scientists have found 170 different species of molluscs along its shoreline, close to where the Mediterranean meets the Gibraltar Strait, a rich ocean habitat.

led a revolt against King Ferdinand VII’s regime in 1831 as well as the history of other coastal watchtowers, and the traditional fishing customs of the Mijas Costa. It was only four decades ago

that the village consisted of little more than the watchtower and half a dozen fisherman’s cottages. Even up to the 1970s, almost all transport was by donkey and back in the late

1950s most of the land in the area was split between two big families, the German Berne family and the wealthy Cotrinas, from Malaga. Their land stretched all the way to Fuengirola and inland to the pueblo.

“It was beautiful back then, the land was so unspoilt and the fields were full of life. We had an incredible time growing up here,” a former gardener for the Berne’s told me.

“If you had a little bit of land you could live very well, but if you lived in the town of Fuengirola with no land, you would be pretty poor,” he explains.

STAN: I LOVE LA CALA!

Scouse comedian Stan Boardman told the Olive Press why he has loved living in La Cala for years.

“It’s one of the few places left on the coast that still has a local village feel,” he said.

“There is still a very Spanish feel and people are very friendly.”

Live a Stronger Life

Welcome to our physical therapy clinic! Our primary objective is to help our patients achieve a pain-free and healthier lifestyle as quickly as possible.

We take pride in discussing the possible causes of your pain, injury or ill health, and work diligently to identify and eliminate them.

FIVE years after arriving in Costa del Sol, Strong for life has become one of the most successful physical therapy clinics in the area.

Founder Marcel Salazar is a qualified physical therapist with over 20 years of experience who has also worked in the UK and the USA.

Those suffering from any kind of joint or muscular pain can live pain-free lives after a course of six sessions at the clinic.

Some clients have experienced life changing improvement after just one session!

Key to Marcel’s therapeutic success is to fully investigate the cause of the pain. Once identified, he will provide long-term solutions.

The goal is to free patients from their pain and significantly improve their quality of life.

Strong for life maintains a 5-star rating across various review platforms.

An example from Google reviews:

“Having suffered neck stiffness and developing long lasting headaches I visited Strong for Life. Marcel is a thoroughly professional physiotherapist, he identified the problem immediately and after a one-hour-session, I left his surgery absolutely relaxed and I have not had more headaches ever since.”

One session is €60 and you may only need a few of them, or even just one, to walk out of the clinic as a pain-free and much happier person.

Services include back pain, personal training rehab and nutritional advice.

For readers of the Olive Press a special deal of buy five get six sessions is available until June 30 2023. Use Code “Olive”.

For further information please visit www.strongforlife.me

You can also call or whatsapp 633540609 or email marcel@strongforlife.me and visit the clinic at Centro Comercial Valdepinos Local 16 & 17A, 29649 La Cala de Mijas, Málaga

LEAFY: Mijas costa and (left) a hidden beach near El Oceano restaurant

BYGONE TOWN

MIJAS workers created an industry around the weaving of esparto grass, men picking it in the high mountains and women folk creating a range of baskets, hats and even shoes.

Everything was tranported by donkey and men always wore hats, while on the hardly developed coast fishing made more money than tourism.

ALPARGATERIA LOS ABUELOS

Espadrille Shop offering classic, modern, latest trends and custom painted models

alpargateriamijas@hotmail.com

LITTLE CHANGE: At Mijas Pueblo’s main church

GRAND ENTRANCE: Amazing Hercules doorway at the Municipal museum today and (below) in the 1940’s

Calle Malaga 1, Mijas Pueblo, Mijas

BESPOKE ISN’T EXPENSIVE AT WHITE DESIGN COMPANY

Helping Costa del Sol patients achieve pain free lives

HERE at White Design Company, we have many clients with busy lifestyles. Let’s face it, who wants to spend precious holiday time going from shop to shop, selecting furnishings and decoration for their new or existing property? And then coordinating the delivery or fitting That’s why we are here to help.

Most of our work takes place when you, the owner, are back in your home country. You can turn the key when you arrive, assured of a relaxing holiday.

Our experienced staff will help with your bespoke furniture package, largely by email, allowing you to avoid any stress.

Whether your favoured look is contemporary, classical or a minimalistic Scandinavian design – to name a few ideas – we’ll create a package to suit your tastes.

We’re frequently asked, at the start of the design process, how much a package will cost. This really depends on your budget, as well as the quality and style you’re seeking. With some elements, you should consider spending a bit more to allow for comfort and longevity. With others, you can economise.

We can boost your chosen look with inexpensive, decorative pieces - such as pictures, and mirrors. These will stand the test of time and keep the cost down. Together with your larger items, we can install a few decorative pieces for you to see ‘in situ’ before committing to their purchase.

Remember that White Design Company can provide everything you desire, from your sofa to one-off curtains and bedding. Bespoke doesn’t need to be expensive!

We look forward to helping you soon.

For more information, please call on 952 494 155, email info@whitedesignco.com, visit www.whitedesignco.com, search White Design Company on Facebook or _whitedesigncompany on Instagram.

SKIP THAT: Apart from the rubbish container, what else has changed in Plaza los Siete Caños since 1960?

Mijas

I PULLED MY OWN TEETH OUT

IT is one of the most remarkable stories to emerge from the Franco era.

Now best known as ‘The Mole of Mijas’, Manuel Cortes Quero was the last Republican mayor of the pueblo, from March to November of 1936. However, when the town fell to dictator Franco’s nationalist troops during the Spanish Civil War he was forced to abandon his wife and newborn daughter and flee the town under the cover of darkness.

However he returned in 1939, willing to sacrifice his freedom in exchange for living under the same roof as his family, making himself a prisoner in his own home.

For 30 years - YES you read that correctly, THIRTY years - the Mole stayed hidden, tucked in a cramped space under the stairs behind a false wall.

“I pulled out my own teeth, as soon as I got an ache,” Cortes

said later. “I would work at the tooth until it was loose and then I would yank it out with my fingers, without any pliers or tongs. I pulled out nine or ten teeth this way.”

In 1960, after 21 years of hiding, Cortes’ daughter Maria got married. “I had to make do with watching her come out of church through a little hole above,” he said.

“The wedding procession left the house and after the ceremony Maria scurried away to come to my room and kiss me, just as we had planned.”

Listening to the radio on March 28, 1969, with his ear pressed to the wall, Cortes heard the news that he had been waiting 30 years to hear.

The government had granted amnesty to those people who had committed crimes from July 18 1936 to April 1 1939.

“I got a lump in my throat because of the emotion of

the moment,” said Cortes. “I couldn’t think straight.”

The then mayor of Mijas, Miguel Gonzalez, accompanied Cortes to the headquarters of the Guardia Civil in Malaga, where the world’s press waited to hear the confirmation that he was finally free.

“Was it worth it?” asked Cortes. “I never lost faith in democracy. The tyranny of the dictatorship could not last forever.”

Today, his amazing story has been given an added tribute, with the addition of an excel-

lent new attraction in Mijas. The Escape Room, available in English or Spanish, takes between an hour and 90 minutes and costs just €66 for six people.

Unlike other Escape Rooms around Spain it has a fantastic twist.

“Instead of escaping you must remain in the game and each find a hiding place before the Guardia Civil come knocking on your door,” explained a spokesman. “Oh and don’t leave anything around that could raise suspicion.”

To book or for more information telephone +34 647 679 345 or visit the website at www.secretplacemijas.com

ENTHRALLED FROM THE START!

Olive Press’ new member of staff, Matt Jones, has been in love with Mijas for well over a decade

MY first visit to beautiful Mijas Pueblo was 13 years ago. A number unlucky for some, but as I’m still a regular visitor all those years later, it’s the very opposite.

The impact was immediate and I was totally enthralled with the atmosphere of the place, its nearby mountains, its closeness to nature and, of course, the amazing views down to the twinkling Mediterranean below.

I’ll admit I’m a little bit biassed with my family owning an apartment in the village, but how could anyone tire of visiting this little white gem of a village nestling securely onto the hillside with unrestricted vistas? There is a great range of restaurants and bars served by friendly staff who speak English to help those visitors who are not that confident with Spanish.

There is also a range of lovely shops to while away a few hours of retail therapy. These include many excellent artisan goods, such as hand made jewellery, traditional espadrille footwear, woven baskets, painted tiles and beautiful paintings and textiles to enhance anyone's home.

Mijas Pueblo also has a bus service to be proud of. They are cheap, clean and reliable so a car is really not necessary. Just hop onto a bus - or take a taxi if a quarter of an hour really matters - and after just a short drive you’ll hit the coast with all its beaches and a charming town of La Cala. This lovely spot boasts a wealth of places to eat whether one's preference is for tra-

ditional tapas, a more formal dining experience or everything in between. All of this with the added benefit of a beautiful coastal backdrop.

The recently completed boardwalk is a great addition for either taking a stroll or for a more energetic walk, and, of course, there are plenty of beach bars along the way!

HIDEOUT: The Mole’s room in the heart of Mijas

KEEPING AN EAR TO THE UNDERGROUND: Manuel Cortes

The remarkable story of the Mole of Mijas who hid underground during the Franco dictatorship has now been turned into an ‘escape room’ experience… with a twist!

The tyranny of the dictatorship could not last forever

THE Secret Garden is a little gem tucked away behind Aroma Café which, in turn, is situated in one of the most picturesque streets in the heart of Mijas Pueblo.

It is a BBQ style Argentinian restaurant serving high quality steaks cooked to individual perfection as well as a range of other meats and fish all accompanied by delicious Mediterranean vegetables and a choice of tasty chips or jacket potatoes.

They also offer an excellent wine and drinks selection and if you still have room, a selection of tasty desserts.

All of this at a very reasonable price for a fine dining experience.

As soon as customers enter the garden the natural beauty of the environment is there to see.

A range of tables is set amongst an extensive and natural garden with a backdrop of mature orange and olive trees, many in blossom when I visited, and all festooned with fairy lights providing a typical Andalucian vibe.

As the area is large there is plenty of space between tables, providing an intimate and very special atmosphere. As beautiful as the surroundings may be, any restaurant is only as good as the food it serves.

The Secret Garden can boast an extensive menu, an excellent and competent chef who, along with a team of polite and professional staff, all work to make the overall dining experience enjoyable and memorable for all the right reasons.

If you are ever in Mijas Pueblo seek out the Secret Garden. If your time is limited, you can enjoy just a coffee or a glass of wine or even add a few tapas from their excellent selection. You will be well looked after and not be disappointed.

For more information or to make a reservation, telephone or text to

+34 604 423 230

FOODIE REVOLUTION

IT was in Mijas pueblo during a summer holiday as a child, that one of Britain’s top chefs made one of his first formative foodie memories.

“I remember I got a great big chunk of honey in the comb and was baffled as to how to attack it. I ended up just scraping and sucking it,” recalled Michel Albert Roux (right) of his trip to the Costa del Sol resort in the 1970s.

“I had orange juice, too – made with fresh, real squeezed oranges.”

One of the true golden boys of British cuisine, the former star of Masterchef and Hell’s Kitchen , added in an interview with the Times :

“We drove all the way to Mijas. That’s a heck of a long drive - two days, with my sister next to me being a real pain and

Mijas is developing a decent restaurant scene, writes Jon Clarke

constantly whingeing - but I remember tasting things I’d never tasted before.”

Oh to have been on that holiday with the two Michelin starred chef, who owns London’s leading Le Gavroche. His father, also Michel, is credited with revolutionizing the British food scene in the 1970s with his (still) three Michelin star temple of dining, the Waterside Inn. It would have been an amazing time to be in Mijas Pueblo and, chances are, he might have just stumbled across the Secret Garden , hidden at the back of a nondescript white house in a narrow side street. Today, it is one

of the definitive dining secrets of the coast, an oasis, tucked away behind its sister restaurant Aroma

It is exactly what you would expect from the name, but a lot, lot more, a beautiful hidden garden in the heart of the village.

The best place to relax and enjoy typical Spanish dishes alongside Argentinean fare – particularly steaks - thanks to co-owner Hugo German, from Buenos Aires. Part of a group of restaurants owned by Hugo and his Canadian business partner Thomas Weller, who's now in his third decade living in Mijas, it really is something extraordinary.

Argentinian Hugo, 59, first arrived in Mijas, via a short stint in Mallorca. An engineer by trade, he left Argentina during the deep 1990s recession, looking to make a new life in Spain. He had soon found his vocation working with fellow expat Thomas, with the pair opening a series of shops in Mijas pueblo.

Things went well but it was when they stumbled across this hidden overgrown garden in the heart of the pueblo that they knew instinctively to open a restaurant together. After clearing out mounds of rubbish and brambles they initially turned it into a tea rooms with tapas, but it wasn’t until they

changed the concept to an Argentinian-style bbq three years later that the place started to boom.

“It was certainly a very tough start,” explains Hugo. “And it wasn’t until we got the concept right that things started to work.

“Finally we created the bbq out of a recycled staircase and suddenly it went wild.”

Since then they have invested more and more in the remarkable gardens, which are a must-visit, if only for a glass of wine or coffee.

Thomas, who arrived in Europe as a ski rep in the 1990s, recalls: “We wanted to create a sensation, something visual, not just a place to eat.”

Simpler, but equally as tasty, is Weller’s

Continues on next page

& BRUNCH RESTAURANT

PLAZA VIRGEN DE LA PENA, MIJAS, SPAIN

tel: 952 46 19 12

thelemontreemijas@outlook.com

Mon, Thur, Fri, Sat, Sun: 9.30-16.00

AS

SEDUCTIVE: And Thomas and Hugo (above left) have also created a wonderful space with the Secret Garden

We created the bbq out of a recycled staircase and it went wild

AUTHENTIC: Charming Casa Navarro is where Lady Diana once ate

BREAKFAST

Well worth a visit

IF you want a great breakfast or lunch option, then the Lemon Tree in Mijas Pueblo will definitely have something to your taste.

Michael, Craig and Sarah and the team offer a range of fabulous choices to suit every palate… and served with friendly banter and good humour, all at very reasonable prices.

The breakfast bagels and full English breakfast are top picks… while their lunchtime baguettes are loaded and delicious.

The bread products and delicious cakes on offer are all sourced locally from an artisan baker a couple of streets away.

Pop in and see the Lemon Tree team at Plaza Virgin de la Pena or for more infomation and bookings call on +34 952 461 912

THE BEST ON THE COAST

Italian La Cucine di Nico , where the osso bucco is the best I’ve had on the coast.

The pizzas are also amazing, while the salad selection is also highly rated.

Heading downhill from the pueblo, a great place to stop is Casa Navarro , which has been serving the area for decades.

Everyone from Lady Diana to Julio Iglesias have dined there and it’s a true family affair, open since 1990 and with an amazing collection of wines in its cellar going way beyond that.

“We’ve had everyone eating here from Lady Diana to the Rolling Stones and both Julio Iglesias and his son Enrique on lots of occasions,” explains owner Carlos.

On the beach it certainly does not get any better than at wonderful El Oceano , a hotel restaurant which is glamour personified.

Luxurious in the extreme, its use of light and views across the Med are incredible.

The beef tartare is the ‘tete de cuvee’, marinated overnight, then rolled in peppercorns, seared for 30 seconds and rested in the fridge before being served. I also liked the tempura prawns with wasabi and the excellent scallops with ham while my winning pick

would be the original take on Manchego Arancini, rice balls seasoned with saffron. The restaurant offers front row seats right on the beach and, after a multi-million euro overhaul, is even more glamorous than before.

FOUR DECADES OF EXPERIENCE

Mijas Properties has been helping people with their property dreams since 1984

TOP DISHES: Artfully created at El Oceano

TAKING the leap to selling your beloved local property is a big decision.

We know that well having sold homes around Mijas for four decades.

Our team at Mijas Properties are well trained and trustworthy and know the town like the back of their hands. Founded in 1984 by Susanne Terés the agency also handles rentals for both holidays and long term stays.

This nearly 40-year business makes Mijas Properties the longest-serving agency in the area, and this brings with it invaluable expertise and insight into the market. Years of service have built this family-run business a reputation as well respected and honest, meaning you can put your home buying journey in their hands with total peace of mind.

Susanne and her husband, Ian, run the show alongside the brilliant Nina, who is now the office manager. Along with experience, passion is at the heart of Mijas Properties operation.

Susanne insists she herself would never live anywhere other than Mijas and finds every day waking in this beautiful part of Andalucia a blessing.

A TOUCH OF CLASS IN MIJAS

A calendar of colourful fiestas ramps up the movida in Mijas village year-round

HARDLY a month goes by without some kind of party animating the flower-pot strewn streets of Mijas Pueblo. And the residents have every reason to celebrate life in this quintessential Andalusian white village. Ingrained with southern Spanish traditions from a young age, the people of the pueblo celebrate with gusto

International People’s Feria - May

Mijas celebrates world cultures on this day every year by inviting local folk from more than 20 countries to set out their stalls with traditional food, drink, handicrafts and clothing. Many countries also stage music and dance performances, with everything from Brazilian beats to Irish dancing.

La Noche de San JuanJune 23

La Noche de San Juan sees coastal towns all over Spain lit up with beach bonfires to celebrate the longest night of the year. But landlocked Mijas Pueblo also gets in on the act, with a firework display and the burning of effigies held in Sebastian Street after sundown.

Flamenco Festival - July

This typically Andalucian art form is celebrated by Mijeños in July with a programme of flamenco guitar, singing and dancing by top local and national performers.

PARTY PUEBLO

Mijas Feria - September

Held around the first week of September, this is one of the highlights of Mijas’ packed cultural calendar. Held in honour of the town’s patron saint with most of the action taking place in her eponymous square, Virgen de la Pena Plazathe ladies get glammed up in flamenco dresses, Andalucian thoroughbred horses strut their carefully-choreographed stuff and the sherry flows into la madrugada.

International FestivalAugust 31 - September 2

A recent addition to the Mijas agenda, this is a blockrocking music festival that boasts a stellar line-up, and this year it does not disappoint. Attendees can get their groove on to headliners The Strokes from New York, the electrifying Florence + The Machine, and Arcade Fire. From the local scene, Foals, Metronomy, Amyl and the Sniffers, The Blaze, Delaport, Amaia, Cupido, Carino, Baiuca, and Judeline and Ballena are all present and accounted for.

THIS family owned and operated oasis of laid back luxury is more than ready to welcome you at their fabulous seafront location.

El Oceano’s restaurant is well known for offering top-class cuisine, with each dish created with imagination, flair and served with attention to detail.

The stunning waterfront terrace menu presents some a la carte favourites, plus some more relaxed daytime options! For those who simply want to unwind a little in a stunning location, the option is open to pop in to enjoy an expertly shaken cocktail or two.

Not forgetting their famous Sunday lunch with top class live entertainment all afternoon.

Apart from the fabulous restaurant, it is also the perfect beachfront hotel, situated between Marbella and La Cala de Mijas, and offers an outdoor pool, pool bar, VIP sunbeds and the Martini Lounge.

Plus it helps that there’s always friendly and highly trained staff ready to offer impeccable service.

Meanwhile, the stunning rooms, which were recently redesigned, are spacious and luxurious and give every guest a ‘feel good factor’

Most of them are Ocean-Front Mini-Suites offering stunning views of the coast.

But for those who prefer to self-cater, there are 15 beautifully appointed south-facing studio apartments offering a little privacy, away from the main hotel. And don’t forget the hotel’s penthouses.

They consist of four spectacular, private Penthouses, all with uninterrupted sea views.

Many of the rooms offer spectacular views of the North African coast, the Pillars of Hercules and the Rock of Gibraltar...and just under your nose, there’s a quiet, secluded beach, heaven!

El Oceano...where else!

Diners searching for a touch of class on the Costa del Sol will be delighted that El Oceano is now open for the 2023 season

Feast for the eyes

ROCKING UP!

Midnight munchies for mega trio of Springsteen, Spielberg and Obama

DINERS at a restaurant in Barcelona did a double take when a rock star, a film star and an ex-President walked in together for dinner.

FLAMBEE TERROR

A CONSUMER group has called for inspections on all restaurants of an Italian chain, after a fire left two dead.

A PAIR of Andalucian restaurants have been included in a list of the best meals with views in Spain.

La Garganta, in El Chorro, and Mirador San Diego, in Algodonales, both have spectacular dining terraces to feast your eyes while eating.

They have been included in the six best restaurants with views in the list by Repsol’s popular travel guide.

La Garganta, which overlooks the famous Caminito del Rey walkway and deep Gaitanes gorge and lake below, is known for its traditional cuisine.

Mirador San Diego sits in the small hamlet of La Muela, in the Sierra de Lijar, and is known for its dishes cooked on a big open grill.

Other little-known restaurants the Repsol guide has recently singled out in inland Andalucia are Bodega del Bandolero, in Juzcar, and Nomada del Genal, in Farajan.

Both sit in the stunning Valle de Genal, in the Serrania de Ronda and are known for their dishes with chestnuts.

Even the staff at Amar, at the Palace Hotel, were stunned when Bruce Springsteen, Steven Spielberg and Barack Obama rocked up at midnight. The three global megastars arrived with their respective spouses having made a reservation in a false name, via a friend, earlier that day.

Rocking up for the first night of a European tour for Springsteen, they were apparently famished and ‘tried everything’.

By Walter Finch

The Andalucian chef, Rafa Zafra, had received a call about an ‘important reservation for friends’ from famous Spanish chef Jose Andres. Andres, who is a close friend of the Obamas and cooked at the White House, asked him to be discreet.

“Jose told me it was a very important table, but we should please not say anything and, of course, I began to investigate and saw that Obama was coming and Bruce had a concert,” he revealed.

TRAVEL FREE

FREE four-month season tickets for travelling between May 1 and August 31 have been made available.

The passes are for a specific route only and users will be able travel between two chosen stations up to four times a day.

Deposits of €10 and €20 will be asked to purchase Cercanias and mid-distance train tickets.

These will be refunded to passengers that take a minimum of 16 trips during the four months.

He added: “Just before leaving Obama entered the kitchen and told us it had been one of their best meals and if they could take a photo with the team.”

Amar, which specialises in fish and seafood, served up plenty of classics for them including oysters, although prepared in ‘eight different ways’j and shellfish.

The ‘very normal table’ also tried brioche toast with butter and caviar, Rosas prawns, and wagyu meat. For dessert? The chef’s macerated fruit cheesecake.

Described as ‘a dinner with true friends’, they drank ‘a little’ and went to bed shortly after 2am. Barack and Michelle Obama were in town to see Springsteen’s new European tour kick off at the Olympic stadium on Friday. The political pair were spotted visiting various Barcelona sites, including the Moco Museum and the Sagrada Familia.

Facua insisted all Burro Canaglia’s should be urgently checked around Malaga, Cuenca, Huelva, Santander, Alicante and Sevilla, where it has branches.

It comes after a blaze broke out in its Madrid venue killing a 25-year-old waiter and a 43-year-old customer and injuring 12.

Artificial plants held in place by a wire mesh caught alight and fell onto the tables and floor, blocking the entrance. It has emerged that a waiterthe man who died - accidently set fire to the decorations as he tried to flambee a dessert with a catering blowtorch.

Grim future

THE company responsible for controversial plans to build the world’s first octopus farm has launched a staunch defence after a public outcry. Ignacio Gonzalez, the CEO of Nueva Pescanova, which is proposing to set the farm up in the Canary Islands, claimed that the method is the ‘future of the oceans.’ Documents suggest the proposals would employ intensive farming of octopuses, a species that has never been farmed on such a large scale before.

CULINARY ‘BOOM’

Legion of Spanish chefs serenade the spectacular growth of the Andalucian restaurant scene over the last decade, writes Jon Clarke

THEY came from the four corners of Spain and its islands and were all in agreement: Andalucia is going through a foodie revolution. Over 40 Michelin starred chefs - including triple-starred Elena Arzak and Angel León - were pooling their

amazing knowledge at a charity event for Chefs for Children in Benahavis’ Padierna Hotel.

But, what perhaps amazed them more than the local kids’ joy at learning to cook was how far the southern region has come in the last five years.

“The big revolution in Spanish cuisine is taking place here in Andalucia,” insisted two Michelin-starred

Nacho Manzana, who has seven restaurants in the Asturias region.

“I have been cooking with chefs from the south of Spain for 25 years who are so talented, but the region kept getting overlooked.

“I guess it was always finally going to get noticed, thanks to their talents, variety of ingredients and amazing climate. It is finally happening now.”

Navarra chef David Yarnoz, of Molino de Urdaniz, agreed. “Andalucian gastronomy has just got better and better.

“There are so many great places to eat down here now and it’s growing by the year.”

Valencia’s famous female Begona Rodrigo, in particular, singled out Ronda’s Bardal restaurant and three-Michelin star Aponiente, in el Puerto de Santa Maria, in Cadiz, as her favourites.

“I love coming down to the south of Spain now, particularly Cadiz, for all the fun, the guitars and the partying. Andalucia was always the region

with the most soul but the difference now is it also has great places to eat.”

Andalucia’s top-rated chef with three Michelin stars and three Repsol suns, Angel Leon, agreed that since the Olive Press first interviewed him (he didn’t have a star back then) and ate his food 14 years ago, there has been a ‘boom’.

“We have seen a big boom and the change over the last five to ten years is remarkable.

High end gourmet tourists are now specifically coming from abroad to eat with us, perhaps even instead of a trip to the Basque region or Catalunya.

“That is a dream come true,” he added. “We always had the ingredients but now so many of our local chefs know how to finally use them.”

“Andalucia is also very much on the map now when it comes to its cooking,” added Diego del Rio, who cooks at Marbella’s top-rated Boho Club. However, there is still a long way to go and ‘things can definitely improve’ insists two-Michelin star Paco Morales, from Cordoba’s highly-rated Noor.

In particular, with the local market, he believes work needs to be done to educate people.

“Not enough local people realise how good our food is or how many different spices and recipes originally come from Andalucia, including cumin and azahar (orange blossom). “There are so many amazing local recipes, which still need to be better promoted.”

Trained

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But, Morales who trained under one of Spain’s leading global talents, Andoni Aduriz, of Mugaritz, near San Sebastian, insists the ‘creative edge’ has very much come south. “There is no doubt the chefs in Andalucia are now starting to push the boundaries,” he told the Olive Press. He, himself, has been changing his menu every year, based on a different century of Spain’s culinary recipes. This year it is the 17th century, while next year it is the 18th century. “That was one of the key centuries in Spain’s history when so many global influences started coming back home so I’m looking forward to next year,” he said.

A unique dining experience in a inspiring location boasting stunning views of the Andalusian landscape all the way down to the Mediterranean Sea

SERENADE: By Elena Arzak to among others Angel Leon (far left)

CUT TO IT: Paco Morales jokes with Jon, while (right) Diego Del Rio and trainee

STAR-STRUCK: Young chef collects an autograph

There are so many amazing local recipes which need to be promoted

NOT KIDDING AROUND

ALUCKY 150 kids, including various expats, from three local schools were set the task of creating a dozen healthy recipes for the annual Chefs for Children event.

Cribbing from recipes pegged out on each table, the groups of kids were guided by a handful of Spain’s best chefs per table.

Whether it be shelling peanuts, making a guacamole sauce or mixing fruits for a gourmet dessert, there were smiles all around.

Wearing cobalt blue chefs hats and ‘Sabor a Malaga’ pinafores, they got properly stuck in, getting their hands dirty in the midday sun.

One expat, Adrianna Rose Morton, 6, who attends Daidin College, in Benahavis, told the Olive Press she was ‘super excited’ about being there. Showing off her (half eaten) dessert

(above) with a beaming smile - minus her front two teeth - she insisted she had ‘learnt a lot’.

The main thing she had picked up from her cookery teachers, including Boho Club’s Diego del Rio, from nearby Ronda, was ‘you need a lot of concentration’.

The kids were aided by older pupils from Benahavis’ own cookery school and Le Cordon Bleu school, in Madrid, while sponsors included Porsche, Joselito ham and the Diputacion de Malaga

“It makes me very proud to see this amazing display of positivity,” said local chef Fernando Villasclaras, of El Lago, who heralds from nearby Nerja.

“Apart from the annual Michelin gala in November, you will never see so many of the country’s leading chefs together and everyone is having so

GOING GOING GONE

much fun.”

This was a continual theme brought up by the chefs who came from all around Spain, including Ibiza, the Basque Region and Catalunya. Organiser, Pilar Candil insisted the event had been a ‘huge success’. With over 300 punters paying 350 euros to eat at the Gala Dinner at the five-star Anantara Padierna Hotel ballroom in the evening, it was hard not to agree.

“It is raising a lot of money for a great cause and doing so much to promote our local Malaga chefs,” explained Pilar, whose husband Angel Pardo, was the marketing boss for Michelin Spain for years.

“There are eight local Malaga chefs cooking for us tonight and I am sure they will do us all proud.”

The event was in aid of the Pequeno Deseo Foundation, founded in 2000.

CHILD’S PLAY: A legion of Spain’s leading Michelin-starred chefs, including Fernando Villasclaras (left) and Begona Rodrigo (right),did their bit for top children’s charity

TEMPTATION: Adrianna Morton battled all morning for the perfect dessert, but the odd ingredient went missing

JEREZ de la Frontera is at the heart of the sherry triangle, the cradle of flamenco, and home to dancing horses. It’s also a city which knows how to party. And there is no better way of finding out than at one of Spain’s most flamboyant ferias – the Feria del Caballo – which takes place from May 6 to 13… and, unlike nearby Sevilla, everyone’s invited.

A glittering society event (albeit with some bawdy carousing in the early hours), Jerez’s feria started out in the traditional way as a horse fair in a field in the middle ages. Even then, ‘trading’ involved late night partying, and the occupants of surrounding houses risked being fined the equivalent of a euro if they failed to keep a lantern burning so the goings-on were illuminated. Now, when someone important flicks the switch on May 8 at 10pm, Parque Gonzalez Hontoria, the vast fairground in the south of the city which, for most of the year, is a 52-hectare dark (square) roundabout, will be lit up (fuses allowing) by over 1.3 million points of light, in

ALL THE fun

To discover what makes Jerez tick, visit it during the annual May feria for a celebration of sherry, flamenco and fancy purebred Andalucian horses, plus some nice and tacky fairground rides, under a million lights

over elaborate arches like necklaces of dazzling jewels.

It’s a temporary town for the week, with 175 casetas (a superior alternative to hospitality tents), each hosted by a religious association or a winery, a business, or a social group – all of whom go all out with the decor, adding potted palms, terraces, window boxes, elaborate facades, and painted wooden chairs. Most casetas (unlike Sevilla, as said) are open to the public, and most will be serving food at some point. If not a guest of the aristocracy at a private catered feast, your choices are mainly limited to fried fish, calamares and papas aliñas on paper plates, but there’s also fabulous jamon and you can’t go wrong with that – unless you’re a vegetarian. Each caseta has a bar where you can buy drinks, specifically Jerez sherry and rebujitos (sherry and lemonade), the feria classic down in these parts. And all are guaranteed to have music playing loudly and, at what seems random times, live flamenco. Catching a performance here, among an audience of well-fuelled, passionate aficionados, is an unforgettable experience.

Your Mental Health is Just As Important as Your Physical Health

Life sometimes seems to be a series of ‘ups and downs’ and all of us are somehow expected to cope. At times like this when there are financial pressures, worries about the future and the spiralling cost of living crisis, there are additional stresses on us all that affect us directly, or through our families.

We sometimes reach a point where we need to speak to someone for professional help and assistance to get through life’s hurdles. For many, having someone to talk things through with, to share what may be troubling you or having someone to engage with in counselling, helps to overcome fears, apprehensions, worries and self-doubt.

This is especially so in Spain where English speaking qualified and trusted therapists are hard to come by.

Sadly, many people suffer from anxiety, stress, fears and a lack of confidence. For others, bereavement, family or work pressures can lead to problems. Change through relocation abroad can also add to mental health pressures and these life changes are never easy.

Counselling and therapy has changed the lives of many.

Getting in touch is the first step.

Recognising that there is an issue is the first step on the road to recovery. Help is available through our confidential counselling service.

+34 664 666 252 info@counselling4anxiety.eu www.counselling4anxiety.eu

By Sorrel Downer

7.30pm) when hundreds of horses, riders, and carriage drivers circle the fairground, nodding to people before dusk and the lights go on.

Note: the opening hours are 1pm to dawn, Andalucia style. There is a lot of horse action, much of it competitive and taking place in the Equisur area. Try to catch the displays of doma vaquera, a unique form of dressage rooted in cattle herding and wrangling out in the sierras, and involving fancy footwork on the part of the horse. At the far end from the main entrance, there are fairground rides – a blindingly hot expanse of roaring generators and over excited children buying plastic things. Not for nothing is it called the Calle del Infierno (Street of Hell).

This year’s event is dedicated to flamenco fashion (a thriving creative industry) and the magnificent Lola Flores who was born in Jerez 100 years ago. The singer, dancer and star of the silver screen was what amounts to a national treasure and you will, for sure, be hearing multiple renditions of her greatest hit, Ay Pena, Penita, Pena The week starts fairly sedately (there are discounts for pensioners on the Monday), and builds to a grand finale with the biggest shows on Friday and Saturday. Choose which day to visit according to your tolerance for noise, passion and queues, but time it to coincide with the last hours of the Paseo de Jinetes y Caballos (held Monday-Saturday, 1pm-

However much you enjoy the singing, don’t feel the need to join in

It’s not only the horses that parade around impeccable and proud to murmurs of admiration: the attendees do too: People come beautifully dressed – the women with flowers in their hair and stitched into full length dresses of vibrant hue and trailing flounces, and men in the traditional short jacketed suits in grey and blue with boater style hats. You can expect to see some impressive bandalero style sideburns, too. It would be tempting to dress like that – but just don’t.

ETIQUETTE

The Feria de Jerez is officially designated as being of international tourism interest, and hundreds of tourists visit each year and are warmly received, but there is an unspoken code of etiquette.

If you are a foreigner, unless going with friends from Jerez who absolutely demand you must, it’s not advisable to attempt wear-

ing a full flamenco traje (outfit). Firstly, it’s hard to carry off; and secondly, flamenco dress is by no means a costume, but an extension of deep-rooted, local culture.

In Jerez – unlike at many ferias –you are welcome to squeeze into the casetas, and buy drinks and food at the bar. But don’t head to the best table – the casetas are there to enable the hosts to offer hospitality to their own family, friends and clients. However much you enjoy the singing, don’t feel the need to join in, although the occasional, welltimed ole! may go down well.

BEAUTIFULLY GROOMED: Riders and horses are a main highlight

REAL TERM SUFFERING

Spain amongst worst hit in cost of living crisis

SPANISH workers suffered the most of any large Eurozone country as their real wages got hit by high inflation in 2022.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report Taxing Wages worked out the effect of inflation on purchasing power and calculated that wages in real terms fell by 5.3% in Spain last year.

Although gross salaries grew by 2.9% (almost €800) to an average €28,360 per year, skyrocketing inflation (which closed the year at 8.6%) reduced the purchasing power of people in Spain by far

BIG SWITCH-OFF

NETFLIX has lost a whopping one million users in Spain since it decided to put an end to account sharing last February.

The figures come from the first quarter of 2023.

The streaming platform asked all its subscribers to confirm their permanent address, ending access to those entering the account from a different location.

Two thirds of the lost users were using a shared password, according to a study carried out by the company.

Customers wanting to keep sharing their accounts need to pay an extra €5.49 a month per ‘guest’.

The new strategy has come after Netflix acknowledged that there were over 100 million households in the world sharing an account.

CAUGHT BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE?

By Alex Trelinski

more than their European neighbours. On average, the gross salary of the 38 countries that make

Shorter hours

CAR rental company Wiber rent a car has introduced a 32-hour working week.

The company has offices in Spain’s main tourist spots, including Mallorca, Valencia, Alicante, Ibiza and the Costa del Sol.

The decrease in the number of hours will not lead to a wage reduction, as workers will maintain their previous salaries.

Spain currently has a 40-hour working week, but this may be subject to change.

Spanish Minister of Labour Yolanda Diaz has spoken earlier about the benefits of shorter working weeks earlier this year.

“People should work to live and not live to work,” she said.

OP Puzzle solutions

Quick Crossword

Across: 7 Immediately, 8 Reverent, 9 Eyed, 10 Aswan, 11 Daytime, 14 Address, 16 Spasm, 19 Chef, 21 Cemetery, 22 Tonsillitis.

Down: 1 Diseased, 2 Amoeba, 3 Edged, 4 Last man, 5 Newest, 6 Hype, 12 Mistrust, 13 Psychic, 15 Refund, 17 Potato, 18 Smell, 20 Hats.

up the OECD suffered a loss of 3.4%, two points less than in Spain.

Moreover, the purchasing power of Spaniards fell 10 times more than in France (-0.5%), three times more than in Italy (-2.2%) and 1.4 points more than in Germany (-3.9%) - a country that had an inflation rate similar to Spain’s in 2022 but where a significant rise in wages cushioned the blow.

The only European countries whose real wages fell more than in Spain were the Netherlands, Greece, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Latvia and Lithuania, mainly due to their double-digit inflation rates at the end of last year.

People in Spain paid an average of 39.5% of their income in taxes and social security contributions in 2022. This is five points above the average for the 38 countries that make up the OECD.

THE terms residency and domicile are often interchanged despite having two completely different legal meanings. Your domicile can be your residence however your residence is not necessarily your domicile. You may move abroad without changing your domicile.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

Spanish succession tax is based on your tax residency whereas UK inheritance tax is based on your UK domicile of origin. This is acquired at birth and is usually the same as the domicile of your father at the date of your birth, unless your parents were unmarried, in which case you take your domicile from your mother.

Whilst you can claim and acquire a domicile of choice by settling say in Spain with the intention of living there permanently, making it stick to avoid being liable to UK inheritance tax is notoriously difficult. The burden of proof falls on you (or more likely your heirs) to prove that you had successfully acquired a new domicile of choice.

You may avoid UK IHT after five years of non-UK residency. However, it’s not straightforward. HMRC will consider your ties including business interests, social connections, family, property ownership and your intentions to eventually return to your country of birth, to determine whether you are UK domiciled or not.

When it comes to UK IHT it is always advisable to plan for the worst so that a negative posthumous determination by HMRC does not reduce the inheritance of your children.

To complicate matters, Spain has forced heirship rules where the inheritance is divided with two thirds going to the surviving spouse and children, and the final third being distributed freely.

The EU Succession Directive enables expats to distribute assets based on their nationality rather than the country they live.

This means a British expat in Spain can avoid forced heirship rules and distribute assets as they wish.

The differences don’t end there. Whereas in the UK inheritance tax is paid by the estate in Spain the beneficiaries must settle any succession taxes before inheriting any assets.

The double taxation treaty between the UK and Spain does not extend to IHT, which means that potentially you could be exposed to inheritance tax in both jurisdictions.

The good news is there are tax planning opportunities to restructure your financial affairs to avoid forced heirship rules and mitigate both Spanish succession and UK IHT.

You need a safe pair of hands to ensure your legacy is protected.

We are in the Costa del Sol fully available for meetings throughout the week from Sotogrande to Nerja and inland Andalucia.

Lawbird is a firm of English speaking lawyers who specialise in property law, corporate law, litigation and immigration law. Whether you plan to buy a house, start a company or relocate to Spain, we offer a no-nonsense service to assist you.

Lawbird Legal Services Slp C.Ricardo Soriano, 19 29601 Marbella (Spain) TEL: +34 952 861 890 FAX: +34 952 861 695 gary.newsham@lawbird.com www.lawbird.com

Welcome to my beautiful home!

Alozaina is a stunning slice of Andalucian paradise, writes Matt Jones

T is always a pleasure to welcome new residents into my beautiful village of Alozaina.

A recent conversation with one such new face, Doug Cohen Millar - who is also an excellent photographer - resulted in the two of us taking a walk around the village.

I wanted to show him the most picturesque spots and promote our wonderful scenery and nature… and it’s not hard as our neighbouring countryside is among the best in Spain. For those who do not know this area, Alozaina is situated in the Sierra de las Nieves, formerly a natural park which was declared a National Park in May 2021. It centres around imposing Mount Torrecilla (1909 metres) and the area also offers a diverse, natural and very beautiful environment.

WE began our walk at the Mirador Restaurant which has glorious views across the valley towards Malaga.

From here we wandered with frequent stops for Doug to photograph the local scenery, featuring a wide variety of trees including pine, chestnut, wild olive and oak.

Best of all, we passed no less than three herds of mountain goat.

Along the way we also passed many beautiful viewpoints and idyllic scenery that constantly changes with the seasons. Mount Torrecilla often has a covering of winter snow which changes the whole outlook.

Looking back on our lovely village nestled on the hill with the local church prominent against the skyline is a view I will never tire of and it was clear that my new neighbour was also very impressed with his new home and the many photo opportunities it provides.

The whole walk was just over 5kms and was a very easy route.

It was mostly along very quiet tracks with a few inclines, none of which were particularly steep. A walk in this area is good for the soul and the welcoming bars and restaurants in the village will round off the experience perfectly.

A-366

A-366R

PAIN IN SPAIN

By Alex Trelinski

OVER nine million people in Spain - some 26% of the adult population - suffer from some form of chronic pain.

The biggest issue is lower back pain (58%) according to a survey carried out by Cadiz University and the Grunenthal Foundation.

Some 7,058 people between 18 and 85 were interviewed for the study, which clarified some of the unwelcome consequences of pain.

Some 42% of sufferers have used health services in the last month with 87% going to their medical centre.

Those suffering such chronic pain are defined as having it for more than four days a week and persisting for longer than three months.

Chronic pain presents a financial cost with 28.6% of patients needing to take time off work over the last year from it.

Over a quarter of Spain suffers from chronic pain

Work towards change

Our childhood experiences shape our unconscious and conscious feelings and thoughts

MUCH of what we feel, how we react and the impulses that we have, have been laid down in our childhood and very early adolescent years. This is not to say that we cannot shift and change these, but the older we get, the more difficult it becomes to do so. However, change is always possible, though this needs consistent work through counselling, care and the empathy of a trained counsellor who can develop a strong therapeutic relationship with their client.

The client and therapist working relationship therefore sets the foundation stone for trust and healing in the future.

Alarmingly, 22% of chronic pain sufferers said they got depression as a result of their condition and an additional 27.6% people said they were

At 28, happiest in Spain!

THE happiest people in Spain are statistically men under 29 with money to burn.

However two-thirds (67.3%) of Spaniards aged 16 or over are happy ‘always or almost always’. Men were slightly happier than women at 68.4% versus 66.2%.

No surprise, 70.7% of high earners felt happy, while only 61.3% of low earners did.

prone to anxiety.

People aged between 55 and 77 had the highest incidents of pain with women (59%) more prevalent than men.

“The study has given us a better awareness of what is going on and what pain represents at a social, economic, and health level,” said Cadiz University’s Inmaculuda Failde. She added there needed to be more pain units added to the existing 417 at public hospitals.

“There also has to be more cooperation between all health departments as relieving chronic pain should be a national priority,” she concluded.

For many, the chance to reflect, think about and work towards change comes about when there is a major life change that takes place. Divorce, deaths and house moves usually come high up in the stressors that bring out early learnt behaviour patterns, be they disregarding others, consistently blaming loved ones, or not allowing partners to be part of life changing decision making processes. These are just some examples, and others include more drastic learnt behaviours such as emotionally ‘shutting down’, thrill seeking behaviour or drug and alcohol abuse.

The latter are behaviours that seek to provide some form of emotional self-regulation for the affected individual by numbing out emotional traumas and scars that may have developed during childhood or adolescence. So, our early experiences of the world through our parents and carers, will have long lasting

impacts on the future of our lives.

Only by reflecting, acknowledging and working through past experiences, behavioural activities and traumas, can individuals learn to let go of harmful or damaging patterns that they have developed over time.

It is also important to acknowledge that to work through this process also means that individuals need to develop a strong sense of self-compassion and self-care in a world that leaves us with little time for this as we are expected to do more and more in shorter periods of time.

This is why making time for yourself is important. Whether that means walking for 30 minutes a day where you can free your mind, or meditating or working with a therapist, such activities are an investment in ensuring your mental well-being in the future.

The ‘Counselling Guru’ is a fully-qualified UK-trained therapist, who can be contacted on Whatsapp on +34 66 46 66 252 or by e-mail on info@counselling4anxiety.eu

REFLECT: Childhood trauma can have a lifelong effect

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In the dock

A NISSAN has met a watery end after its owner forgot to put on the handbrake at Cartagena's Navantia docks, from where it slid into the sea.

Cancer cheat

SPANISH sports journalist Guillermo Valades has gone into hiding at his mother’s house after pocketing hundreds of thousands of euros from colleagues by falsely claiming he had cancer.

Up in smoke

SPAIN is looking for companies to incinerate seized illegal drugs with the Interior Ministry offering to pay €990 a ton to companies that can pass security tests.

O P LIVE RESS The

Bear Hunt

Parasite statue ridicules out of touch ex-king’s plans of returning to Spain

A STATUE of former King Juan Carlos I holding a hunting rifle has been erected without permission in Madrid. The 170-cm sculpture had the monarch pointing his gun at an emblematic bear monument, in Puerta del Sol, which is the symbol of

Don’t toy with me!

By Alberto Lejarraga

Madrid.

The statue by Chilean artist Nicolas Miranda was aimed at pouring scorn on the exKing’s plans to move back to Spain from his current home in Abu Dhabi.

BEAR TODAY: But King’s statue was soon removed

Naked truth

CLIMATE activists stripped naked and dived into a fountain at Madrid’s Royal Palace.

The pair from Futuro Vegetal swam in the fountain and climbed on two stone lions covered in red paint. The group claims the monarchy has ‘actively taken part in the plundering of the resources of the Iberian Peninsula’ for centuries.

Called Parasitic Strategies to Survive in a Cruel World it is a parody of the Emeritus king’s disastrous faux pas when he posed with a dead elephant he had killed in Africa. The incident is a painful reminder of Juan Carlos’s 2012 hunting trip to Botswana, where he fractured his hip. It was to lead to his downfall, firstly with the

media exposing a long term affair and then a controversial hidden fortune. The sculpture was eventually transferred to a cultural centre, where it is being displayed in an exhibition.

Display

The display was timed to coincide with the former king returning to Spain for the second time since fleeing to Abu Dhabi. He has been in Galicia where he planned to attend a sailing regatta and where he is reportedly looking to buy a home.

AN election candidate for this year’s local elections has caused controversy when he swapped the classic baby-kissing photo with one of him holding a vibrator. PP hopeful for Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Carlos Tarife, posed in local sex shop Besos Prohibidos with the owners. While they held up his campaign leaflets, he opted to brandish one of the shop’s rather large sex toys. Unsurprisingly, the candidate for the normally conservative right wing party spent the rest of the week fending off criticism. He received further anger, when he described critics of the photo as being ‘backward’.

Easiest arrest

POLICE have arrested a serial burglar who dropped his ID card while robbing a property in the Javea area. The man had left the card in one of two properties he had broken into that night.