Olive Press Andalucia Issue 439

APPEAL

Nolotil campaign grows

OVER 500 people have signed an Olive Press petition to keep tourists and expats safe from the deadly painkiller Nolotil.

KILL THE DRUG

Our Kill the Drug campaign urges Spanish health professionals to agree to follow the 2018 directive banning the German-made drug for British, Scandinavian and Irish patients.

Since launching on February 12, some 505 people have backed the campaign, with many adding comments.

One supporter wrote: “Well done for tackling this problem. Too many lives have already been lost.”

While Nolotil is now banned in 40 countries, it is still being regularly prescribed around Spain.

Campaigner Christina del Campo of the Association for Drug Affected People (ADAF) claims her group has over 100 cases of British people dying from the drug.

Others have had amputations ‘and worse’.

“Something needs to be done about this as nobody’s taking notice. It’s excellent the campaign is growing,” she said.

We now plan to contact local health facilities to urge them to comply with the official warning from Madrid that urges hospitals and clinics not to hand out the drug to foreigners.

Please sign the petition by searching ‘Stop Nolotil deaths’ on Change.org.

From kings to Prime Ministers; Why Benahavis is Andalucia’s richest town with an expat population of around 70%

CAN YOU HELP?

We are looking for this happysnapping

See page 5

DOUBLE TRAGEDY

Spanish authorities ‘must bring justice’ for British expat mum who died while giving birth at Marbella hospital

A BRITISH expat died while giving birth at a private Costa del Sol hospital after being refused a C-section, it has emerged. Kelsey Brown, 34, had been rushed to Ceram Hospital, in

By Laurence Dollimore

a C-section or an epidural and would have to give birth naturally. While bleeding heavily and in ‘horrendous pain’, there was simply not enough blood on site for the procedure, a UK coroner’s court was told.

Blood

Incredibly, blood supplies did not arrive until more than five-and-ahalf hours later.

A lack of blood likely led to her death.

Andre Rebello, senior coroner for Liverpool, said: "Kelsey was advised she could not have a caesarean and she could not have an epidural, and would have to give birth naturally."

She began delivering the baby at 1.30pm with doctors using forceps to deliver the boy, named Daniel, who was found with his umbilical cord wrapped around his chest, stopping him from feeding.

were opportunities to do something meaningful for a different outcome."

A delivery of blood did not arrive until 6.45pm, but just half an hour later, at 7.15pm, Kelsey was pronounced dead.

Her mother, Maria Brown, told the BBC that she was a ‘loving mum’ to her surviving child, who was aged five when the tragedy occurred.

The family are now demanding answers from the Spanish authorities, who did not provide crucial medical documents to the Liverpool coroner.

Mr Rebello told the court this impeded his ability to properly investigate the death, forcing him

Marbella, on July 20, 2021, where a scan revealed her baby had died. Yet, despite the tragedy, the hairdresser from Liverpool was told she could not have to declare an open conclusion due to lack of evidence.

Mr Rebello previously told the court that the results of a post-mortem in Spain had been ‘withheld’, as had medical notes from Ceram Hospital.

According to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, there could be a long wait for the Spanish investigation to bear fruit.

Healthy

Kelsey’s mother insisted she was ‘very healthy’ and didn't drink or smoke.

“Kelsey really looked after herself. She was a great daughter, a great sister and a great mum,” she said.

“Hopefully the Spanish authorities will make efforts to bring justice to what occurred,” he said.

“They should be looking to see if there

Kelsey had moved with her husband to the Costa del Sol in 2019, with their toddler, who was five when she died.

The family are not commenting further until the Spanish authorities have completed their investigation.

PAINFUL DEATH: For Kelsey and her baby

holidaymaker who lost her camera

Tree kills man

A FALLING palm tree has killed a man in Frigiliana after it struck him on the head while he was walking at around 11.45am.

Boar death

A MOTORCYCLIST has died after colliding with a wild boar, and subsequently an oncoming vehicle, on a major road in Tarragona.

Gang rape

A SPANISH woman who was gang raped in India while on a motorcycle tour with her husband has been offered just €11,000 compensation from Indian authorities.

Wolfpack doc

A NEW Netflix documentary has shed more light on the shocking ‘La Manada’ - wolfpackgang-rape trial in Spain that inspired widespread public anger and protests.

Nazi dunces

A BRAZEN display of Nazi salutes at an event celebrating the 90th anniversary of the fascist Falange party has stunned Spain…and not just for getting the date wrong!

The Madrid bash witnessed a packed auditorium waving flags and singing Nazi anthems.

But the event comes a year late, with the Falange actually being founded in October 1933.

A shocking video filmed at Goya Theatre shows hundreds of supporters raising their arms as they sing the infamous farright anthem Cara al Sol (Face to the Sun). It was later posted on Falange’s own Twit-

ter page triggering outrage and leading to a police investigation into whether the display violates Spain’s Law of Democratic Memory.

“Nine decades later, the Falangists continue to raise the flag of dignity, national unity and social justice,” insisted current Falange leader Manuel Andrino Lobo. They were able to do it, he argued, despite the ‘rubbish’ Democratic Memory law that ‘changes history’.

The law deals with the legacy of the fascist Franco regime, which is sometimes blamed for millions of deaths in Spain. It outlaws glorifying the military coup and its leaders and the humiliation of its victims.

If found guilty, the organisers could face fines ranging from €10,000 to €150,000 for serious offences.

In his speech to the assembled neo-fascists, some who travelled from Portugal, France and Italy, Andrino railed against the Spanish government, calling them ‘Taliban’ and ‘b******s’ for ordering the removal of ‘crosses, plaques and monuments’. He also slammed the ‘sad task of removing bodies’ from the fascist tomb of the Valle de los Caídos (Valley of the Fallen), just outside Madrid.

DOCTOR WHO?

A FAKE doctor who defrauded patients on the Costa del Sol for over 30 years charged up to €4,000 for treatment, according to the Guardia Civil.

The 56-year old man was arrested last week for allegedly raking in over €300,000 from just two patients.

TWO French men have accepted two-year jail sentences, suspended for three years, for sexually abusing a

By Ben Pawlowski

Both of them alerted police after the treatment failed to have the promised impact on their recoveries.

The unnamed swindler had no

Spared jail

British woman who was on holiday in Ibiza.

Lawyers for the defence and the prosecution reached a deal before the case was tried at the Balearics Provincial Court.

The public prosecutor had been calling for 20-year sentences but accepted a shorter term due to ‘undue delays’, given that the assault in question took place in June 2016.

As part of the deal, the accused admitted to the facts of the case, which took place in an apartment in Playa d’en Bossa where the men were staying.

Fake medic had ‘10 appointments per day’ and ‘charged up to €4,000 for treatment’

medical training, relying on a fake medical stamp and registration number to dupe unsuspecting patients.

The man, who posed for over three decades as a rehabilitative doctor, worked three days a week at his ‘home clinic’ in Rincon de la Victoria.

He saw an average of 12 patients a day, with prices for treatment ‘ranging between €20 and €4,000’.

Investigators searched the man’s home following his arrest and found various medical reports including blood tests, ultrasounds and MRIs.

They also discovered lists de-

tailing charges and appointments, with investigators estimating daily earnings of up to €600.

The detained individual told patients he worked at the Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital - but officials have confirmed he never did.

A Guardia Civil spokesman said: “This arrest shows that we will not tolerate people who put the public’s health at risk by pretending to be qualified professionals when they are not”.

The president of the College of Physicians of Malaga said: “Fortunately there are very few cases of this type.”

The investigation continues.

Home fraud

THREE people have been arrested in Malaga for scamming around 1,200 clients who paid up to €55,000 for homes that will never be built.

The people detained by the Guardia Civil are behind Grupo 21 and have been charged with fraud.

The trio are accused of taking reservation fees for new-build homes by falsifying documents and not owning the properties where developments were taking place.

Projects were being marketed in Almeria, Almunecar and Malaga as well as further afield in Murcia.

Some of the victims made a first payment of €12,000 to reserve houses, but many of them still continued to pay for off-plan purchases reaching sums of up to €55,000.

The promoter Grupo 21 marketed between 800 and 1,000 pre-sold apartments on land they never owned.

PANDA PENSIONERS

A PAIR of pandas from Madrid Zoo are retiring to China after 17 years in Spain.

Hua Zui Ba and Bing Xing originally arrived in the country in 2007 as a gift from China to Spain. The pair had six cubs during their time in Madrid and will travel back to their homeland as a family with the majority of their children.

Two of their cubs, You You and Jiu

Jiu are now star attractions at the zoo and China has promised to send another young couple. The scheme is part of the China Wildlife Conservation Association’s mission to boost numbers of giant pandas. It has had great success, with the species going from ‘endangered’ to merely ‘vulnerable’ in the past 40 years.

WHAT A CAULKER

WIPING the sweat off his brow after a gruelling two-hour training session, player-manager, Steven Caulker reflects on his new life on the Costa del Sol.

“I love it, I honestly love it. You can’t complain about the weather or the location”, he says with a wide, genuine smile.

It’s a stunning Friday morning in Nerja, home of fifth tier side FC Malaga City and home for the latest installment of Caulker’s unique footballing career.

Sat on a bench shielded away from the warm, winter sun, the 32-year old is engaging and articulate about his remarkable journey. He started off with Tottenham Hotspur at 18, moving between different loan spells before time at Cardiff City, QPR, and a stint as an emergency striker under Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool. Internationally, he made one appearance for England, scoring in a friendly defeat to Sweden. But off the pitch, his personal life and mental health began to spiral.

England international who played for Klopp talks to the Olive Press about life at lowly Spanish football club

EXCLUSIVE by

Ben Pawlowski

“I’m an addict - I’m addicted to escapism. When I put one thing down, I pick up another. Football was my first addiction, but when I am not playing it can be alcohol, gambling, women, food”. Depression struck and it began to impact Caulker’s work on the pitch.

“I was at rock bottom. I fell out of love with football and the game”, he admits. Following a couple of years in Turkey, a surprise selection for the Sierra Leone nation-

VENOM VISIT

Hardy, 46, is a Jiu-Jitsu champion - even winning an event two years ago.

He went to the Gracie Barra gymnasium at Playa de San Juan and posed for photos with Jiu-Jitsu coaches and pupils.

Hardy has got to know Spain well in the last year, with Venom 3 shooting in the Cartagena area of Murcia last summer.

The Los Mateos district doubled up as a Mexican town and Hardy took time out to sign autographs for children and take selfies with them.

al team and a brief foray back into English foo tball with Wigan Athletic, the Londoner finds himself on the Costa del Sol, with a fresh start. Yet he admits he is a work in progress: “I take it day-by-day,

Caulker’s results

January 7: LOSS

Almeria B 6-0 Malaga City

January 13: LOSS

Malaga City 0-1 Juventud Torremolinos

January 21: DRAW

Malaga City 0-0 El Ejido

January 28: DRAW

Maracena 1-1 Malaga City

February 4: WIN

Malaga City 1-0 Rincon

February 11: LOSS

Arenas Armilla 1-0 Malaga City

February 17: WIN

Malaga City 3-0 Huetor Tajar

February 24: LOSS

Huetor Vega 2-0 Malaga City

doing a lot of recovery. I live in Marbella so I drive in, I do an hour of Alcoholics or Gambling Anonymous, I make a gratitude list, I pray, I speak to people, I balance my family life. I will never be cured of depression but I can manage it much better”.

Caulker’s new life on the Andalucian coast also brings a new role as a player-manager, his first step into coaching.

through my academy Behind the White Lines, which helps footballers released by clubs, and we began a conversation”.

“We lost 6-0 and I felt completely powerless, a real baptism

“I was on holiday in Nerja in the summer with my girlfriend and son, staying in a hotel just down the road. I knew these guys

ROLLING VISIT

ROLLING Stones legend Ronnie Wood has been in Spain enjoying a La Liga match at the invitation of FC Barcelona. Wood, 76, made it a family affair by taking his wife Sally, 46, and their seven-yearold twins Gracie and Alice to watch Barca play Getafe.

The invite came after the Rolling Stones sponsored last October's El Clasico clash against Real Madrid.

The trip to the Nou Camp was the first soccer match for the couple's daughters and they were rewarded by an easy four-nil win for Barcelona. Wood knows the city well, having bought an apartment close to the Paseo de Galicia in 2013. Sightings of his family are not uncommon as they split their time between the UK and Spain.

After many WhatsApps and calls, Caulker finally succumbed to pressure from the club’s owner, fellow Englishman George Jermy. His tenure started with a whimper with Caulker’s role constrained by the tribulations of post-Brexit visas: “We lost 6-0 and I felt completely powerless. It was hard to take, a real baptism of fire”.

“When I first came I had the idea in my head of a high press, like Klopp’s, but I soon learnt that you need to adapt to what you have”.

“I’ve been really pleased with this last week, it has been the biggest progression, a massive step”since our interview, Malaga City have climbed to 13th in the table. Does he feel pressure to achieve results?

“The biggest pressure I’ve ever experienced in life has been what I have put myself under. Today I am wiser and more mature, I know it’s about the bigger picture, not just one game or one day”.

Family reunion

THE Spanish royals met up with their counterparts from around the world at St George's Chapel, Windsor, for a Thanksgiving Service in memory of Greece’s last monarch, King Constantine. Spain’s contingent was led by King Felipe and Queen Leitiza, along with Felipe’s mother and King Constatine’s sister, Queen Sofia. Also in attendance was the Emeritus King, Juan Carlos. Constantine II took to the Greek throne in 1964, but was deposed in 1973 after the military junta abolished the monarchy. His funeral took place in Athens in January 2023 after he died aged 82. The service saw Queen Camilla as the leading UK royal in attendance. King Charles was continuing his cancer treatment, and the Prince of Wales was called away at the last minute on a personal matter.

ROYAL MEMORIES:

HOLLYWOOD actor Tom Hardy has shown off his martial arts skills during a break from shooting Venom 3 at Alicante’s City of Light film studios.

Kings Felipe and Juan Carlos attended the service presided over by Queen Camilla

FAMILY AFFAIR: Ronnie Wood, wife Sally and kids Gracie and Alice at the Nou Camp

IN CHARGE: Steven Caulker is boss at Malaga City

“GOOD morning, world. Today I turn 117 years old. I’ve come this far”.

This was the wonderful tweet sent out by Spaniard Maria Branyas, who turned 117 years old this week.

The world’s oldest living person was born on March 4, 1907. She has survived two world wars, the Spanish Civil War, two global pandemics, a deadly earthquake and a major fire. She even beat off Covid-19 in 2020, becoming known as the ‘Super Grandmother’ to her adoring followers on social media.

The mother-of-three, who lives in Catalunya, has been studied by scientists keen to discover the reasons behind her remarkable longevity. She became the world’s oldest living person after the death of 118-year old Frenchwoman Lucile Randon in January last year. She celebrated her record-breaking birthday with family and friends in Olot. Born in San Francisco, she moved to Spain with her family at the age of eight.

SUNNY DAYS

Eleven restaurants in Andalucia grab a sought-after Repsol sol award - with one, in Cadiz, getting two

OVER 100 chefs have been awarded a prestigious Guia Repsol ‘sol’.

Among the winners are two Malaga-based joints, bringing the province’s total to 27, while three places in Cadiz got on the podium and two in Granada.

Malaga city’s Palodu, famous for its Pil Pil prawns, and Areia, in Marbella, both got their first sol.

Chefs Cristina Canovas and Diego Aguilar at Palodu both trained at three Michelin star restaurants, while boss Carlos García, at Areia, is known for creating a relaxed and warm vibe.

Overall, Andalucia is now home to 74 soles, with 11 new joints this year. Although Malaga has the most awards, Cadiz closely follows with 23, alongside Jaen (12), Cordoba (11), Sevilla (9), Granada (6), Almeria (3), Huelva (1).

The new joints in Cadiz are Toque, in El Puerto de Santa Maria, that got two sols, while Atxa, in Tarifa got its first and La Taberna de Chef del Mar, also in El Puerto, got one.

In Granada city, Maria de la O got a sol, while La Finca, at upmarket hotel Fin-

Migrants land

Videos show dozens of migrants jumping onshore at Roquetas de Mar, in Almeria.

Some of the arrivals needed treatment after displaying symptoms of hypothermia.

The majority of migrants arrive in Spain via the Canary Islands from poverty-stricken Mauritania, widely regarded

SUN-DRENCHED: Cristina Canovas and Diego Aguilar are among the chefs to win a Sol

ca Bobadilla in Loja also snared one.

Sevilla’s popular joint, Sr. Cangrejo, run by head chef

as the world’s deadliest migration route. Spain’s interior ministry reported that a record 55,618 migrants arrived by boat in 2023 - almost double the number of 2022. Far-right Vox were quick to comment on the crossings, tweeting: “The migratory invasion does not stop”.

“Between those that Pedro Sanchez brings from the Canaries and those that attack our borders, Andalucia is condemned to suffer the nasty consequences of illegal immigration. “Immediate expulsion for all of them!”.

Jesus León Delgado, got its first sol for its excellent menu that changes by the day.

Two joints in Jaen province, Malak and Almoroje, and Terra Olea, in Cordoba, won their first suns.

The gala, held in Cartagena, Murcia, saw 81 restaurants receive their first Sol and 16 their second.

Only one chef in Spain got the full three stars this year, that of head chef Begoña Rodrigo, at La Salita, in Valencia.

There are now 764 venues included in the guide, some 552 with one Sol, 168 with two and 44 with three.

HUNDREDS of mistreated animals, including dogs and horses, have been rescued from horrifying conditions around Malaga province.

In one case inspectors were shocked to find a dog with its ears and tail hacked off, while in another a horse had been abandoned without food or water in a heatwave.

Although the Guardia Civil managed to rescue 111 animals, in some cases they were simply too late, with others having been beaten to death. Under Operation Colaphus 500 offences were logged relating to animal welfare. The Guardia Civil has started proceedings against 34 individuals and placed the rescued animals into the care of various associations and shelters.

HUNDREDS of dog owners have been fined for failing to clean up after their pets in a Costa del Sol resort

Some 206 multas have been issued in Torremolinos since January 1, figures shared by Policia Local reveal.

All the fines, which range between €75 and €500, relate to owners failing to pick up their dog's excrement and not washing away their urine by diluting it with soapy water.

Who’s in the frame?

By Walter Finch

te.

The first picture, dated December 1, 2022, sees the unknown woman in Madeira swanning it at a €180-a-night hotel. The final snap was taken

on February 3, this year, at ‘the Passion of Music’ festival at Malaga’s Plaza de Toros bullring.

The following day, the camera was found on a beach in Benalmadena by Swedish expat Madeleine Ahlberg, 30. She told the Olive Press: “I was with my partner having a picnic, and we saw a black case lying by a wall.

“I think she was on a trip of a lifetime, perhaps to celebrate something important like a big birthday or retirement,” she said. Madeleine suspects the woman - and her out-ofshot partner taking the pictures - is British, based on snippets of the pair talking in videos on the memory card.

The recruitment specialist, from Stockholm, added: “I lost all my pho-

tos from a year I spent in Australia when my camera was stolen, so I know exactly how it feels to be robbed of your memories. “I would love to be able to get this camera back to her.”

Do you recognise her? Contact us at newsdesk@ theolivepress.es

DROUGHT UPDATE

Resurrection

THE extreme drought wracking Catalunya has seen an ancient church dating from the 11th century reemerge from a reservoir. It is the first time it has been seen since the village of Sant Roma de Sau was flooded in 1950 when a dam was built.

TAPS ARE ON WILL IT BE ENOUGH?

STORMY weather set to hit Andalucia this week could be one of the last chances to avoid draconian water cuts this summer. Predicted heavy rain will hopefully help to replenish plummeting reservoir levels that stand at just 25.9% across the region. With recent rain providing just 13% of ‘what is needed’, severe restrictions are now almost a certainty. “It has to rain a lot - what we’ve

‘Hot and humid’

SPAIN is braced for a ‘hot and humid’ spring after the national meteorological service, AEMET, released its weather forecast for the next three months. There will be unseasonably high temperatures in the Balearics, Canary Islands, and along the Med coast. Forecasts predict not enough rainfall in the drought-hit regions of Andalucia and Catalunya.

THE capacity of the Marbella desalination plant is set to be boosted by 20 million cubic litres as part of a Junta drought decree.

Costing €4.5 million, the move is intended to increase the availability of drinking water for the western Costa del Sol… but it will take nine months to complete. The plant is expected to see its treatment capacity rise from from six million to 12 million cubic litres by the Spring at least.

had in recent weeks has only contributed two million litres of 15 that are needed,” said Acosol water boss Matilde Mancha.

“There would have to be continuous rain for weeks for us to breathe easily."

Despite recent rain, reservoir levels are at just at just 15.9% in Malaga.

The Campo de Gibraltar sits at 18%, while Almeria languishes at the bottom with just 8.48% capacity.

Spain’s weather agency Aemet has forecast persistent rain from Thursday into the weekend.

But with water bosses claiming 30 days of continuous rain is needed it is unlikely to be enough.

Costa del Sol residents are all now feeling reductions in water pressure at night, while filling pools with drinking water is banned. The target is to limit people to 160 litres a day, with excessive users likely to be hit with fines.

“Watering a small garden daily could be the same as 10 days of water for a family,” explained Mancha. “We cannot permit twashing the dishes with the tap running - these habits consume a lot.”

A

Hospital shame

WHAT happened to pregnant expat Kelsey Brown is nothing short of a disgrace.

The 34-year-old was rushed to hospital where a scan revealed her baby had died - however they refused her a C-section and made her have an agonising birth without an epidural.

What’s worse is she bled out for more than five-and-ahalf hours before the necessary blood supplies arrived.

How could a private hospital designed to deliver children have been running so low on blood? And when doctors realised they did not have enough, why was Kelsey not sent to the main, nearby Hospital Costa del Sol?

These are just some of the questions the Spanish authorities MUST answer.

To date, they have done nothing but delay handing over crucial documents, including medical notes from Kelsey’s time at Marbella’s Ceram hospital, and much-needed records from her autopsy.

We call on the Ministry of Health to get to the bottom of what went wrong with Kelsey as soon as possiblealthough sadly, we doubt we will hear any admission of wrongdoing anytime soon.

Far right alarm

OH the shame of seeing hundreds of people doing Nazi salutes in 2024.

The Falange party’s 90th anniversary event is a reminder of a returning threat.

These idiots may not know exactly when their party was founded - it was actually six months earlier - but they feel bold enough to collectively revere Adolf Hitler and his notorious right-arm salute.

They even shamelessly splashed the accompanying video footage on their social media - they want people to see.

It is alarming to think we might, once again, have to fight - and vanquish - the villains of the 1930s.

Fortunately, the Falange show us who they are and we should believe them.

We will never forget what their counterparts did to the Jews, homosexuals and gypsies, not to mention most of eastern Europe.

Not omitting the estimated million Spaniards who died during the Franco regime itself, either through execution, thrown into labour camps or simply ‘disappearing’.

Does Spain’s version of Cable Street beckon in the backstreets of Madrid?

ADMIN

Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es

Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es

Walter Finch walter@theolivepress.es

Yzabelle

Simon Hunter simon@theolivepress.es

Alex Trelinski alex@theolivepress.es

Ben Pawlowski ben@theolivepress.es

TOWERS OF TERROR

Fire tragedy building in Valencia was ‘clad with material discontinued after Grenfell horror’

EXCLUSIVE by

TBen Pawlowski

HE deadly fire that killed 10 residents of a Valencia apartment complex may have been spread by the use of a highly flammable cladding banned in the UK, the Olive Press can reveal.

Ten people perished in the inferno on Avenida del General Alives on February 22, including a newly-married couple and their two-week old baby.

The tragic blaze has been dubbed ‘Spain’s Grenfell’ in reference to the similar 2017 tower block fire that killed 79 people in London.

The building, which housed approximately 450 residents, was built by Catalan company FBEX, which dissolved in 2010 at the height of the Spanish property crisis after racking up debts worth over €600 million.

Prior to its liquidation, the company operated in Catalunya, Valencia and the Balearic Islands.

Media reports initially blamed Alucobond, a brand of rear-ventilated facades, after an FBEX promotional video claimed that the apartments were wrapped in an ‘Alucobond-type cladding’.

However, images taken from Google Maps of the building’s construction in the Nou Campanar neighbourhood of Valencia show clad-

ding emblazoned with a logo reading ‘Larson’. ‘Larson’ is the brand name for aluminium composite materials (ACMs) produced by Alucoil, a Spanish multinational company based in Burgos.

Alucoil currently produces two types of ACM used to clad buildings - ‘Larson FR’ and ‘Larson A2’, although the latter has only been introduced within the last decade. According to Valencia’s Official College of Technical Architecture, construction works for the building began in February 2006 and finished in 2008.

An investigation carried out by the Olive Press suggests that the cladding used may have been of a type known as ‘Larson PE’, a common version of ACM discontinued by the company in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster.

Marketing materials indicate that Larson PE was still on sale in late 2018.

According to official documentation, Larson PE is a ‘composite panel produced by two sheets of Aluminium with a low density polyethylene inside core’.

Paul Hyett, an expert witness to the Grenfell

BYE BYE PRINCESS

IRA von Fürstenberg, the iconic socialite princess, carved her path through the Jet Set age with elegance and allure. Born into royalty, her early life exuded glamour and sophistication. Ira's lineage as a member of the House of Fürstenberg shaped her into a symbol of aristocratic grace and style. She was just 15 when she married 31-year old Prince Alfonso of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, who once jealousy refused the great Salvador Dali’s request to paint

2016

A look at the life of Ira von Fürstenberg, who helped build the Jet Set reputation of the Mediterranean gem of Marbella---

By Ben Pawlowski

Ira in the nude. The scandalous marriage didn’t seem to harm either party as the publicity helped cement Prince Hohenlohe’s position within European high society. It was during this period that the rakish prince and glamorous model and actress brought world-wide publicity to Marbella as the paparazzi of the day and gossip columns lapped up the never-ending string of personalities visiting the Mediterranean town Known as the ‘Princess of Marbella’, Ira lived a life of glamour, luxury and controversy right to the very end.

Rome

Ira died last month in Rome, aged 83. She was born in Rome in 1940

SOCIALITE: Ira enjoying the Marbella lifestyle with Prince Alfonso

zu Fürstenberg, daughter of the German prince Tassilo von Fürstenberg and his wife, Clara Agnelli, the granddaughter of the founder of automotive giant Fiat. When she married Prince Alfonso her socialite status was set. She not only appeared on the silver screen in a string of movies, but attracted the attentions of the great Salvador Dali , who several times requested she pose for him - a request always turned down.

Together with her husband, she

cemented her status within the ‘Jet Set’ elite, owning homes in Ronda, Marbella, Austria, London, Madrid and Rome.

Popularly denoted as one of the first ‘It girls’, she had two children with Alfonso.

Christoph, known as Kiko, who died in suspicious circumstances in a Bangkok prison in 2006, and Hubertus, a former Olympic skier and fellow member of the clique that Ira called the ‘happy few’.

In 1954, Ira and Alfonso estab-

lished the iconic Marbella Club, the luxurious hotel that put the city, and the Costa del Sol, on the ‘Jet Set’ map. Ira became friends with fellow wealthy elites, such as the German millionaire Gunter Sachs, the French activist-actress Brigitte Bardot, and every corner of the Spanish

as Virginia Carolina Theresa Pancrazia Galdina

HAPPY: Ira with her Prince and new born child and (right) on screen with Klaus Kinski

FATAL BLAZE: The fire (right and above) was reminicent of the Grenfell disaster (far right)

enquiry and a former president of the Royal Institute of British Architects, told the Olive Press that polyethylene is ‘highly inflammable’, with a combustibility akin to ‘diesel fuel’.

Larson PE received a classification of ‘E’ on the EU’s EN-13501 fire safety test, the same score received by Reynobond PE, the type of cladding widely blamed for spreading the flames on Grenfell Tower.

The ratings on the test extend from A to F, with A the lowest inflammability and F the highest. UK regulations currently state that cladding used on buildings with a height exceeding 18

metres must have a rating of either A or A2, indicating incombustibility.

Five tower blocks in Norwich were forced to have their Larson PE aluminium composite cladding removed in 2018 after the facade failed fire safety tests.

Jonathan Sakula (pictured inset below), the official cladding consultant to the Grenfell enquiry, told the Olive Press: “Polyethylene is a combustible filler, like the one used on Grenfell. It is not a good material to use, especially on high-rise buildings, as it is too combustible”.

Larson FR is a more fire-retardant version of

aristocracy.

“Marbella back then was a wild party when you came and went with different people. One night it could be the Franco’s or the Bismarck’s, the next Cayetana de Alba”, she told Vanity Fair. After just six years of marriage, she controversially eloped, starting a passionate romance with the notorious Italian-Brazilian playboy Francisco ‘Baby’ Pignatari, a businessman Ira referred to as ‘the love of her life’.

Larson PE - however, with a score of B on the EU’s fire safety standard, it would still remain unsuitable for high-rise buildings under new UK legislation.

Larson FR was first mentioned on Alucoil’s website in 2008, the year that construction of the Valencia apartment complex was completed.

It was described as ‘the first step of a new composite panel generation with which Alucoil hopes to answer modern

architectural needs’.

A revised technical building code (CTE) was introduced in Spain in March 2006, one month after construction in Valencia began, explicitly mandating ‘the limitation of the risk of fire spread via the exterior of the building’. Buildings known to be clad with Larson PE include: residential blocks in A Coruña and Madrid, a Carrefour supermarket in Mijas, the University General Hospital of Cartagena, the Oceanografic Centre in Valencia and buildings at the Jerez Circuit. The buildings were clad between 2002 and 2014.

Experts from the Official College of Property Administrators (CAF), in conjunction with the College of Architects of Malaga, are reviewing buildings on the Costa del Sol with similar characteristics to the Valencia apartment block that burnt down last month.

Chimney

Manuel Jimenez, president of the Malaga branch of CAF, urged for calm, stressing that ‘the characteristics of this building are not common in Andalucia’.

It is unknown how many residential buildings across Spain contain Larson PE cladding, or similarly inflammable equivalents.

Sakula stressed to the Olive Press that ‘there is no way of truly telling what happened until one does a proper investigation’.

Hyett likewise suggested that other factors, such as the use of cavity barriers to inhibit the passage of smoke and fire through the gap between the cladding and insulation, must be thoroughly analysed.

Susana Gomez de Lara, head of the College of Architects of Malaga, told Malaga Hoy that the cavity space was ‘not compartmentalised’, and that high winds may have created a ‘chimney effect’, helping to spread the flames.

The Olive Press approached Alucoil for comment but received no response.

BRAVE: Firefighters tackled the blaze in Valencia

As Olive Press becomes THE reference point for news in Spain… take advantage of our special SPRING

EAGLE-eyed readers may have noticed how our website was once again followed up by news outlets around the world this past fortnight.

Our exclusive of how two brothers were arrested for kicking out squatters from their flat in Barcelona was picked up by the Daily Mail - and even the leading paper in their home country of Belarus (see right).

It was just one of many original stories that caught the eye of the world’s biggest publishers.

They include the Sun who followed up our story about a Brit missing while holidaying in Mallorca. Fortunately John Webster (below) has since been found alive and well - having been hospitalised with breathing issues without access to his mobile phone.

Meanwhile, our live coverage of the ‘historic’ Christian Brueckner trial in Germany was followed by the Sun, MailOnline, Mirror and Telegraph Editor Jon Clarke was also working for ITV and Germany’s RTL for the start of the trial in Braunschweig, involving a string of vile sex crimes in Portugal. It once again proves that for those interested in news in the Iberian region, there is no better source than theolivepress.es.

And the numbers don’t lie, with over 2,000 readers registering an account on our website so far this year, including from as far away as the USA and Australia.

Only by being a subscriber can you enjoy full, ad-reduced access to our content, which is around 20 stories, features and reviews a day.

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HAPPY READING!

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

1- EXCLUSIVE: Terrifying moment expat brothers are arrested inside their own flat in Spain after the SQUATTERS they kicked out called in police

2- Missing: British tourist, 61, who vanished from Spain's Mallorca two days ago - as partner back home says she's 'worried sick'

3- My Top 10 places in Ronda

4-

This tiny village in Spain with 40 volcanoes and a secret waterfall is a must visit for 2024according to the Sun

5-

Huge 'crystal lagoon' is coming to this major city in Spain's Andalucia - featuring artificial beaches and water sports

SOCIETY: Ira was a regular visitor to Marbella’s Starlite Festival. She is pictured (above) with singer Eros Ramazzotti and (right) with actor Massimo Gargia

LA CULTURA

Moviegoers return

BLOCKBUSTER movies

Barbie and Oppenheimer helped to lift Spain's cinema attendance to 77.8 million last year - 26% more than in 2022.

The figures are still well below numbers achieved in 2019 when 105.5 million people went to the movies, generating box-office ticket sales of €624.1 million.

Nevertheless it is good news for cinemas as they continue to recover from the Covid pandemic which saw their doors closed for months.

They also face tough competition from streaming services which saw their uptake boosted during lockdowns.

The Federation of Spanish Cinemas (FECE) says last year’s highlight was the big summer box office figures generated by the release of Barbie and Oppenheimer . The best weekend of the year of July 21-23 brought in €11.5 million in revenue.

November 29thDecember 12th 2023

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March 6th - March 19th 2024

RICH PICKINGS

Competing claims by Colombia, Spain and Bolivia over sunken galleon’s €20 billion booty mar plans for robotic expedition

A SPANISH treasure galleon sunk off the Colombian coast has sparked a three-way tugof-war over the estimated €20 billion booty at the bottom of the sea.

Historical records sug gest the San Jose gal leon, sunk in 1708 by a British naval squadron, was car rying a vast fortune of emeralds, gold and silver coins accumulated from Spanish colonies in South America.

By Walter Finch

to investigate the wreck, nicknamed the ‘holy grail of shipwrecks’.

The Colombian government of Gustavo Petro has announced plans to launch an expedition

Colombia has now said that it is investing over €4 million in 2024 alone to explore the galleon and its hidden riches. New technology will be used to explore the 600-metre-deep waters surrounding the wreck. Initial efforts will involve submerged robots attempting

DON APPROVAL

BRITISH gardener Monty Don has visited Estepona, where he admired the town’s ‘ambitious’ plant project. He visited the town as part of his Spanish Gardens series, currently airing on BBC Two.

In a preview of the episode he praised the city’s change from a ‘car dominated chaos’ to a ‘huge communal garden’.

Some 16,000 plant pots are found throughout the town, with each street choosing the colour of pot and the type of plant they would like.

In the programme, Don meets with the town hall’s gardens boss , as well as the landscape designer behind the scheme.

BATTLE: The San Jose is sunk and now lies on the seabed

to recover some surface-level treasures in April and May. However, Petro faces competing claims from both Spain, which argues the treasure belongs to them as the ship was flying the Spanish flag when it sank, and also Bolivia.

The Bolivian government claims treasures were mined by the indigenous people of the Qhara Qhara nation under Spanish colonial rule, making them the rightful owners.

The San Jose was destroyed and its 500-strong crew killed after its gunpowder magazines detonated during a fierce battle with the British near Baru Island off the coast of Cartagena,

according to historians.

But its precise location is being kept a secret, ostensibly to deter amateur treasure hunters. So far, oceanographers have used sea depth analysis and soil studies of the ocean bed to understand the best ways to extract the galleon’s contents. The findings will help assess the condition of other treasures located deeper within the wreckage and guide future recovery efforts.

Double time

SPANISH public broadcaster

RTVE has accused its British counterpart of attempting to steal the idea for one of its most successful TV series. The makers of hit TV series El Ministerio del Tiempo (The Ministry of Time) have hit out at the BBC over the uncanny similarities between its new series The Ministry of Time Creator Javier Olivares wants the BBC to ‘explain’ its new series, featuring identical titles and eerily similar plots. The BBC had announced a ‘new drama based on Kaliane Bradley’s hotly anticipated debut novel of the same name’. The British broadcaster made no mention of the Spanish TV series when announcing its own The Ministry of Time Its plot revolves around a government time travel department that gathers figures from throughout varying times in British history and the relationships they form.

Meanwhile, the plot for El Ministerio del Tiempo also revolves around a secret government time travel agency.

Discover some of Spain’s most important treasures - and could you find some of your own?

THE

Bronze Age after the Royal Tombs of Mycenae. It consists of 59 gold, silver and iron objects with a total weight of nearly 10kgs and was discovered in the Valencian city of Villena in 1963.

Two iron artefacts - the oldest found in Spain - one of them

The Hoard of Cheste

a small hemisphere covered with a sheet of gold, which possibly served as the pommel of a sword hilt, the other a bracelet or ring, are the subject of the experts’ new report. But the hoard is not the only one to have been found in Spain. Join us as we rediscover some of the most famous treasures from the country.

And don’t miss the Buried Treasure section of items known to exist but still unrecovered. You could be lucky and hit the jackpot for yourself!

varre yielded up its long-kept secret. Hidden inside it were 52 coins made of gold, silver and iron. They represented various monarchs - Juana I, Felipe II and Carlos V - indicating they date from different periods of the 16th century. How they got there remains a tantalising mystery.

This haul of gold jewellery and silver coins secreted inside two ceramic pots is one of the most important discoveries in Valencia. The collection was found in 1864 in the town of Cheste and can be seen at the city’s History Museum. Experts believe the hoard may have been hidden during the Second Punic War and date it from around 4BC.

Treasure of El Carambolo

A haul containing 21 pieces of crafted gold jewellery and plaques was discovered by Spanish construction workers in the town of Camas, near Sevilla, in 1958.

Whether of Tartessian or Phoenician origin, the booty - including pendants, bracelets and necklaces hidden in a ceramic vessel - has been dated from between the 7th and 5th centuries BC, making it one of the oldest treasure finds in Spain. Some experts even link it to the legend of the Lost City of Atlantis.

LA CULTURA

The Missorium of Theodosius I

Discovered in Almendrale jo, Badajoz in 1847, this elaborate ceremonial silver dish resides today in Madrid’s Royal Academy of History. Dated be tween 388 and 393 AD, it was probably made in Constantinople for the 10th anniversary of Emperor Theodosius I’s coronation, the last Emperor to rule both Eastern and Western Empires.

Menorca is the place where the oldest tomb in Europe dwells. Resembling a dry stone wall pyramid, it was built circa 1200 and 750 BC. It is presumed to be a collective grave as it contained the remains of at least 100 skele tons, along with bracelets and ceramic and bone buttons on display at the Museu de Menorca in Mahón.

Buried Treasure

Naveta d’Es Tudons

More recently, during the 2nd Spanish Republic (1931 – 1936), Governor Juan Negrin arranged for truckloads of gold and art treasures to be moved from the Spanish Central Bank to Girona, to protect it from fascists, also sending seven trucks to France. Only six arrived at their destination. The missing truck could contain 10 tons of gold but it has never been found.

The law of Treasure Trove

Is it finders keepers in Spain? There’s no simple answer. It depends what it is and where it was found.

● According to Articles 351 and 614 of the Civil Code, treasure trove belongs to the owner of the land where it was found. If someone else discovers it, they have a right to half its value even if the landowner is the State. But if the treasure is ‘of interest to science and the arts’ the State can acquire it for ‘its fair price’ which opens a whole new can of worms.

● For the kind of treasures we’re talking about, the State would almost certainly step in and buy it to retain complete control.

Biofuel boost

WORK has begun on a €1.2 billion biofuels plant in Huelva.

It will be built in Palos de la Frontera next to the La Rabida Energy Park, and is expected to create 2,000 direct and indirect jobs during the construction and operation phases.

The joint project between the Cepsa oil company and Malaysian vegetable oil producer Apical will be completed in 2026.

It will be the second largest renewable fuel complex in Europe, able to make up to 500,000 tons of aviation fuel and diesel per year.

The fuels will use agricultural waste or used cooking oils as its feedstock.

In the shade

THE number of homeowners installing solar panels on their properties in Spain fell by almost 50% last year as enthusiasm for solar energy began to wane across Europe. Almost 112,000 Spanish households installed solar panels in 2023, roughly half of the 217,000 residential solar energy installations constructed in 2022. Analysts claim that falling energy prices and a squeeze on household budgets thanks to rampant inflation have stymied an appetite for solar energy. The newly-released figures represent the first fall in the installation of solar panels since 2018.

Despite being Europe’s sunniest country, Spain lags behind other countries in the production of renew-

Home installation of solar panels in Spain halved in just a year

By Ben Pawlowski

able, solar energy, including the Netherlands, Italy and Germany. The industrial sector also installed 27% less solar in 2023, with 1.9 gigawatts of capacity added to the network.

Experts claim that the ‘sun tax’, a controversial levy implemented on energy obtained through solar panels in 2015 but abolished in 2018, has left Spain playing catch up against its European peers.

Delays in crucial subsidy payments, averaging at around a year, are also dis-

suading households from investing in photovoltaic panels.

According to the Association of Renewable Energy Companies (APPA), an average domestic solar energy system costs €7,000. Based on 2023’s energy prices, it would take seven years to recover this investment.

Currently, only 7% of single-family homes and 2% of businesses in Spain receive energy from their own solar panels.

Despite this, Spain remains on track to reach a 2030 target of 19 gigawatts of solar panel installations on homes and company-buildings.

TURNING THE TAPS OFF

WATER

scarce: it has not rained enough for more than 40 months. You can see it clearly in nature, with our hillsides brownish and dry when they should be verdant at this time of year.

The water shortage is now so severe that it is threatening our drinking water sup ply.

Several municipalities have already introduced usage limits, i.e. how much each person is allowed to con sume per day.

To counteract the shortage, mo bile desalination plants are being used to extract drinking water from the sea. However, their capacities are limited and the authorities are considering shipping drinking water in by tanker.

This illustrates how cat astrophic the situation is and it is obvious that this solution is incredi bly inefficient. We must therefore all start saving water! I have summarised the following tips on how to save water with out sacrificing a lot of comfort:

PAY ATTENTION TO CON

SUMPTION: HYGIENE, WASH ING, RINSING

It sounds banal, but we often don’t even realise where we use water unnecessarily. For example, we can turn off the water while brushing our teeth or soaping our

hands. Or when washing: does everything really need to be washed after wearing it once? Many items of clothing, such as pullovers, are better off being aired out rather than washed constantly. Can you save a wash cycle and thus about 50 litres of water? Eco-wash cycles really do save water and energy, especially with newer washing machines. Water can also be saved when washing dishes. Rinsing in the sink saves much more water than washing under running water. Dishwashers should also only be switched on when they are really full. A modern dishwasher uses around 15 litres of water per cycle.

CLEVER TECHNOLOGY: LOWFLOW SHOWER HEADS

Having a bath is one of the biggest water consumers, so the first thing to do is to stop bathing and start showering instead! This saves up to 100 litres of water. What’s more, an energy-saving shower head can save a lot of water without you even noticing. With a conventional shower head you use an average of 80 litres per shower while with an economy shower head only between 40 - 50 litres is conThe principle is simple: it is a flow limiter, but it adds air to the water in order to maintain the same water pressure and create a pleasant showering sensation. Where conventional shower heads allow

DOLPHINS ‘TO BLAME’

THE hundreds of dead fish washed up in Estepona, were chased there by dolphins, claims the Junta.

Thousands of ‘immature dead fish’ appeared on La Rada beach, considered a Special Conservation Zone (ZEC) by the European Union.

It prompted calls from a local ecology group, Ecologistas Sierra Bermeja, for an explanation for the ‘mass death’. Now, the Junta has issued a statement saying the incident was probably caused by dolphins.

It said that it was likely that the predators ‘disorientated’ the fish while hunting. This led them to swim to shore, where they died, claims the Junta.

However, ecologists have questioned these findings on Facebook, saying that no proper investigation has been done. They believe pollution, or algae growth may have been the cause.

around 15 litres

of water to flow per minute, a lowflow shower head only allows around 7 litres per minute.

Incidentally, these are also available for washbasin taps.

SIMPLE SAVINGS: ECONOMY FLUSH

BUTTON ON THE TOILET CISTERN

Many people already have it: a small button for flushing the toilet to use only a small amount of water. This is usually 1/5 of the entire cistern and is normally sufficient. This can save up to 80% water!

TIPS FOR THE GARDEN

If at all possible, you should set up rain

barrels to collect water from gutters, which can be used for watering etc. Otherwise you should ask yourself, does everything really need to be watered? A dry lawn is perhaps better than people dying of thirst.

When watering the lawn, it is much more economical to sprinkle the lawn after sunset, as otherwise all the water will evaporate in the sun before it can soak in. Drip irrigation is recommended for plants that still need to be watered.

An efficient and intelligent hose system delivers the water directly to the roots of the plant, thus reducing unnecessary water consumption.

FURTHER IDEAS

Dripping and leaking pipes and taps should also be checked everywhere and repaired if necessary. It may also be worth driving around in a dirtier car for the benefit of the drinking water supply, thus saving a few car washes.

And finally, could golf course owners and golfers perhaps be persuaded to play on evergreen turf that is not constantly watered?

NEW SITE: Construction work has started

All about

TOWERING SUCCESS

A honeypot for the rich and famous, Benahavis offers an example of a true Spanish success story

T just seems to keep on growing. The statistics for this tiny enclave, a short drive from the snazzy nightlife of Puerto Banus and Marbella, are quite remarkable.

Long the highest-earning place in Andalucia (with an average earnings of €38,000), its population (of which 68% is foreign) by last year had soared from 7,300 residents to a healthy 9,244 since 2022. It could hit the magic number of 10,000 this Spring, predict experts.

It’s a massive amount of growth and is mostly down to digital nomads and teleworkers looking to live somewhere warm surrounded by nature and open spaces.

The free tennis, football and golf lessons for kids, plus language, yoga and pilates for adults does not do any harm either.

Benahavis really does offer something for everyone, particularly as its nearby hills have recently been officially designated the Sierra de las Nieves

National Park. Spain’s sixteenth national park, the soaring peaks often covered with snow in winter (hence the name), are some of the most amazing for hiking and bird-watching, with eagles and vultures soaring above with increasing frequency.

Best reached from the Benahavis urbanisation of La Quinta, a threehour circular walk takes you up to the famous castano santo - holy chestnut tree - that at 1000 years old is said to be the oldest in Malaga province.

Gorge

But there are many other walks right from the village, in particular down into its famous river gorge, where many people combine hiking with swimming, or up towards the stunning country retreat of the wealthy Goldsmith family, where the UK’s former Prime Minister Boris Johnson stayed three years ago. First revealed by the Olive Press, Johnson had turned up to enjoy

what Benahavis offers best: a week of hiking followed by a dabble with a paintbrush out in the open air. By coincidence his visit came at the same time as Netflix descended on the village to film a couple of scenes from the hit series The Crown. Renting out a villa in the exclusive Benahavis enclave of Zagaleta they portrayed the mid1990s holiday that Lady Diana took with her friend Jemima Goldsmith at her nearby family estate, Tramores.

The cast and crew were regularly seen around the village, both filming various scenes, as well as enjoying their time off.

“It is the best possible promotion we could have had,” explains Councillor Scott Marshall, who’s artist father David moved to Benahavis in the 1970s.

Both visits were thanks to the village’s connection to the Goldsmith family, who are heavily focussed on

Continues on next page

VERDANT: Leafy Benahavis offers a more relaxed lifestyle than the bustling coast, while (left) its famous steps

From previous page

Still forging ahead

protecting the local environment, in particular planting trees.

Lady Annabel Goldsmith wrote about the moment when she and her famous and talkative husband, Sir James, fell in love with the enclave. She said: “That day, as we stood on the terrace, looking at the mountains, at the amazing view, with no other sign of human habitation, and at nature at its simplest and most dramatic, Jimmy fell silent.”

In total, just 2,500 more homes

The Benahavis Effect

IT’s a great place to retire, explains local expat Barry Segal, a former radio DJ. “I call it the Benahavis effect and once you’ve lived here for a year you won’t want to leave.

“The people are so friendly, the climate is perfect and the place is so nice and quiet,” he continues. “Plus it is great all the free Spanish and exercise classes and even trips around Andalucia, one we recently took to Antequera.”

will be allowed inside its borders, while there are plans agreed with the Junta - to have its own 1,500-pupil school - more on that soon.

Visitors will be more impressed by the village itself, which is so nicely secluded from the buzzing Costa del Sol.

about around town.

Lungfulls of pure mountain air are on the house as you huff and puff up the cobbled streets to the top of this beautifully-kept pueblo hung with painted flower pots, and ornamented with stylish street lanterns, fountains and viewpoints, 10 to the pound. Keep an eye out for a glimpse of President Putin’s multi-towered castle at the top of one nearby hill (not that he is likely to be using it again anytime soon), while I was impressed with the electric car charger points, not to mention innovative bike repair stations

A village hike is a free history tour taking you back to Moorish times, when this former Arabic stronghold was crowned by the 11th Century Montemayor castle, overlooking vast swathes of the Costa del Sol.

The village takes its name from Havis, a Moorish prince who ruled from the castle, before his family were finally ousted, the village reconquered by the Catholic monarchs in the late 15th century.

raged on for 350 years until the village gained its independence. Near the village are a few things of note.

Village hike is a free history tour taking you back to Moorish times

It was then that war broke out between Benahavis and Marbella and

Water babies, will love the Rio Guadalmina gorge, which is one of the coolest natural attractions on the Costa del Sol.

Take a river ramble along its banks, go wild swimming in one of the deep rock pools or try canyoning along the Canon de Las Angosturas. Not for the faint-hearted, the 50-metre descent starts at Charca de las Mozas - a popular picnic spot south of the water tow -

er roundabout that’s become the unofficial swimming baths. Dive in - there’s no charge! Parts of the river were channelled by the Arabs in order to supply nearby farms and orchards. These routes have since been adapted for hiking with the addition of a suspension

bridge over the Angosturas canyon, opening up the Sendero Acequia del Guadalmina (see pic below), an easy family walking route of around four kilometres beside a watercourse dug for the farmers.

Finally, there is the Benahavis for foodies. With over a dozen restaurants and its own cookery school, it is no surprise it has been called the ‘gourmet capital’ of the Costa del Sol. There is certainly healthy competition between the many restaurants in the

QUALITY NOT QUANTITY

MOST of the population growth in Benahavis over the last half decade has been wealthy professionals, and the majority come from abroad.

Indeed, an incredible 68% of the population is now foreign, with hundreds of digital nomads relocating here from northern Europe and the States over recent years.

But there were an incredible 101 nationalities registered on the local padron last year, with the British still the largest, counting for around 50% of the foreigners in the town and approaching 2,000 in number.

As well as the location and natural surroundings, foreigners are also drawn to the town’s high-speed fibre optics as well as its excellent sporting facilities, which are mostly free to residents.

The town is modernising and upgrading all the facilities all the time and has recently installed a full size running track.

TRANQUIL WALK: The Sendero Acequia del Guadalmina is a pleasant walk, while (right) a rare wild cabra montes

SITE: of the town’s popular Romeria

NATURAL SPLENDOUR:

The arrival road is a wonderful setting for Benahavis (right)

heart of the village and each of them vie for your custom with enticing terraces facing out to the nearby hills. While they may not be free for local residents, they are anything but expensive and far better value than their nearby rivals in Marbella or Estepona.

La Taberna Fantastica was born with the idea to create a restaurant that had a unique personality Set in a century old Andalusian Cortijo in the old town of Benahavís. This space was created for you to share those fantastic moments in life with your loved ones in a charming atmosphere.

tel: 608 38 29 43 info@latabernafantastica.es Plaza de España, 8, Benahavís www.latabernafantastica.es

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

RESERVATIONS:

+34 951 74 47 77 / +34 627 12 14 43

clive@cotorestaurante.com

www.cotorestaurante.com

Monday to Saturday: 1pm-12am

Sunday: 1pm-6pm

Ctra. de Ronda, A-397, Km. 44, 29679 Benahavís, Málaga

Flamenco Show every Friday

Cooking up a storm

Benahavis set to gather the largest number of Spain’s leading chefs for decades

THEY will be descending on Benahavis from the four corners of Spain and its islands.

An incredible 55 of the country’s leading chefs are teaming up to teach local children the joys of cooking and healthy eating.

All of them with Michelin stars14 with the highest accolade of three - they will help shine a light on the small town’s giant culinary reputation.

Under the motto

‘Eating healthy is fun’, the sixth edition of Chefs for Children will feature legends, including Elena Arzak, Eneko Atxa and even Martin Berasategui, who holds a record 12 Michelin stars.

By Jon Clarke

nnas.

Andalucia’s finest three star whizkids Angel Leon and Paco Morales will be joined by Valencia’s superstar Quique Dacosta at the April 22 charity event at the Anantara Villa Padierna Hotel.

Sponsored by Sabor a Malaga, a grand gala dinner featuring a special menu by Malaga’s chefs will take place at the hotel that night.

Others giving cookery workshops are the celebrated team from Barcelona’s Disfrutar, Oriol Castro, Eduard Xatruch and Mateu Casa-

The Diputacion de Malaga is providing most of the local ingredients for the event, while jamon is being provided by Joselito, from Salamanca. This year’s event is raising money for charity, Autismo España, which represents nearly 175 local

groups around the country.

Mayor of Benahavis, Jose Antonio Mena, said he was ‘proud’ to be sponsoring the event again this year, after a very successful celebration last year.

The event is the perfect opportunity to showcase Spain’s most southerly region with the chefs also getting to spend a few days tasting local Andalucian cuisine.

As Asturias superchef Nacho Manzana told the Olive Press last year: “The big revolution in Spanish cuisine is taking place here in Andalucia.

“I have been cooking with amazing talented chefs from Andalucia for 25 years, but the region kept getting overlooked.

“Now, thanks to their talents, the huge variety of ingredients here and the amazing climate, it is finally happening.”

Double Michelin garlanded Navarra chef David Yarnoz, of Molino de Urdaniz, agreed: “There are so many great places to eat down here now and it’s growing by the year.”

And Valencia’s famous female

CHILD’S PLAY

NEARLY 150 children from three local schools were given the task of creating a dozen healthy recipes for the annual Chefs for Children event in 2023. Whether shelling peanuts, making guacamole or mixing fruits for dessert, there were smiles all around.

“It’s really exciting to be here,” Adrianna Rose Morton, 6, a student at Benahavis’ Daidin College told the Olive Press.

Despite missing her two front teeth, she was beaming as she showed off her (half eaten) pudding, adding: “I’ve learnt a lot.”

The kids were helped by dozens of pupils from Benahavis’ own cookery school and Le Cordon Bleu school, in Madrid.

Organiser, Pilar Candil insisted the event had been a ‘huge success’ after raising thousands for the charity Pequeno Deseo Foundation. Much of it was thanks to the 300 guests who had paid €350 each for the large set menu at the night’s Gala Dinner.

chef Begona Rodrigo, added: “Andalucia was always the region with the most soul but the difference now is it also has great places to eat.”

Andalucia’s most recent

three Michelin star chef, Paco Morales, of Noor, in Cordoba, is proud that 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.

His restaurant changes the menu every year, based on a different century of Spain’s culinary recipes. This year is the 18th century ‘a key century’ in Spain’s history for culinary influences.

Meanwhile Cadiz three star wun-

derkind Angel Leon explained that the ‘big boom’ over the last five to 10 years is remarkable. He believes that many wealthy gourmet tourists are specifically heading south, perhaps instead of a trip to the Basque region or Catalunya.

“This 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.”

LOCAL LADS: Fernando Villasclaras and Diego del Rio regularly visit Benahavis

GREAT PLACE TO EAT: Begona Rodriguez loves Benahavis, while (right) Diego Guerrero of DSTAgE

ROCKY RIVER RAPIDS

The Olive Press walking team takes on the infamous Benahavis river hike

AFTER battling our way down the Rio Guadalmina, forced to leave one of our team behind, we had eventually found what appeared to be a way back to civilisation. But a series of bent metal steps jutting out of the vertical rock face had never looked less enticing, as I clutched my shaking body and scanned the cliff for an alternative.

Two-and-a-half-hours before, four of us had set

off just south of Benahavis on the river walk –sometimes called canyoning – with no idea what to expect.

Driving up the valley towards the village gives no indication of the exhilarating, some would say hard-core, experience you are about to have.

After parking our car in the village, by the water tower roundabout, we walked down to the river and initially hovered awkwardly around the first pool, uncertain whether we were in the right place.

Finally taking control in true Bear Grylls fashion, amid shouts of ‘It’s not deep enough’ and ‘You’re going to smash head-first into that rock’, I lowered myself onto a slippery waterfall and went plunging into the murky water below, screaming as I went.

As I resurfaced, shouting my approval while messily ejecting river water from my mouth, the others ditched their fears and bounded down to slide in after me, and that was it, we were off.

A series of open pools, bridged by slippery rocks and feisty little waterfalls took us down deeper into the gorge, until the sun was obscured and the November chill began to take its toll on our exposed torsos.

Little frogs and fish bounded around our ankles as we tried to locate a foothold in the riverbed, while an enormous dragonfly sent me crashing when it shocked me into losing all sense of balance.

The rocky path opened up into long, deep stretches of stream that required swimming, and we were soon engulfed in the beautifully peaceful valley.

But when we came upon a pitch black cave that had to be swum through, one of our three began to raise serious questions.

Questions like: ‘Are we sure this is even the right river?’, ‘Is there ever going to be a way out?’ and, most pertinent of all, ‘Are we going to have enough energy to go all the way back up when we eventually decide to turn around?’.

But untroubled by negative mumblings at the back, I surged forward through the narrow passageway and emerged clambering over slimy rocks, only to realise I was well and truly alone.

After what seemed like an eternity of unanswered shouts and shivering, I beat a solitary path onwards; confident I would find the end and meet the weaklings in my group back at the car.

But at that moment I was overjoyed to hear a clumsy sloshing from behind me, with only one of the team actually going back.

And 10 minutes later we found ourselves face to face with the questionable metal ladder, one missed step and we were dead.

So instead of watching my violently shivering companion slip and slide his way up the perilous cliff edge, I got on all fours and improvised, hauling myself up the rock using grubby handholds and tree trunks.

Perhaps, in hindsight, canyoning down the river is more of a hot summer’s day activity, and a brilliant one at that.

But even in the winter drizzle, it was a great adventure, and I can’t wait to do it again.

TAKING A DIP: Adventures on the Benahavis river

HURRAH FOR HEREDIA

There’s a lot more in a name that first meets the eye - enter gypsy-loving Dapper Don Heredia

WHETHER it’s a glimpse as you climb the road to Ronda - or in its full glory as you enter the village - when you see La Heredia for the first time you’ll know it’s something special.

This little known pueblo, a part of greater Benahavis which sits at 300m above the Med, is striking and attractive in equal measures for its architecture and colours.

Dig a little deeper and the history behind it is just as interesting in equal measures.

The story begins when a young boy arrived in the Malaga area from Rioja

around the turn of the 19th century.

That boy became Don Manuel Augustine Heredia (1786-1846), one of the first entrepreneurs in Spain and a founding father of Spanish industrialisation. Records show he started work as a sales assistant in Vélez-Málaga at the age of 15 but by 1808 he had progressed and began to make his fortune with his first business projects trading nuts and wine with Gibraltar during the War of Independence. In 1826 he created the company La Concepción, mining iron ore to the east of Marbella and building the first blast furnaces in Spain.

This business expanded in 1833 with the founding of the La Constancia in Malaga, one of the most advanced ironworks in the world at the time.

It was to provide timber to fuel for his ironworks that Don Manuel bought a huge area of land densely forested with pine and cork trees which includes what we now know as neighbouring El

Madroñal (named after the strawberry trees that were once common here) and La Heredia. At his peak Sr. Heredia employed more than 2,500 people and, having tried experienced Welsh miners who could not cope with the searing summer heat, a large proportion of his employees were gypsies.

Unfortunately not all gypsies were thought to be as hard-working and honest as those miners and in the mid 1800’s the Spanish government started to expel all who were not properly baptised with properly-registered family names.

PUEBLO: La Heredia has a traditional feel

And that’s when Don Manuel had the brain wave to adopt every one of his workers officially into his family. And so the story goes he

brought a priest and a notary to the offices of the Governor of Malaga, along with all of the gypsies, hundreds of them. While there he proceeded to dictate a document whereby he and his wife adopted each and every one of them, before they went on to the chapel where they were duly baptised and given the Heredia name. Then it was back to work!

Fast forward five generations to the early 1980’s and two descendents decided to create a unique pueblo named in honour of their greatgreat-great-grandfather.

STARTED IT

ALL: Big-hearted Don Manuel Heredia save the lives of hundreds og gypsies

CELEBRATED: La Heredia in a Country Life advert in 1984

identified a horseshoe shape hill with south facing panoramic views… perfect for a classic Andalucian pueblo

Winding cobbled streets, plazas and fountains abound

The building of around 50 large villas had already begun next door at El Madroñal when Francisco (Paco) Parlade, an architect, and his brother Jaime, an interior designer,

“When this pueblo is finished I would like people to look at it and wonder how many centuries it has been here,” insisted Francisco. So winding cobbled streets, plazas and fountains were introduced, alongside mahogany doors and wrought iron window rejas... and for that, like Sr. Heredia, he turned to the gypsies who scoured the local countryside. They came back with such treasures that sometimes the design of a house was changed to fit a particularly fine old door.

As Francisco would always insist, he wanted to make sure the place had class and style and didn’t just make him a small fortune. “After all, I live just up the road,” he said.

Adverts dutifully followed in upmarket British magazines like Country Life. Now, 40 years later, the pueblo is complete, having matured beautifully into its environment with a profusion of lemon trees and bougainvillea. With its elevated position just a few kilometres from the coast, La Heredia not only offers a photographers paradise, but now there are a decent number of restaurants and cafes to keep you entertained, before you take a ride further into the famous Serrania de Ronda perhaps.

FROM PAST TO PRESENT

Built to support Montemayor castle, Benahavis is still a highly prized location

WIts unobstructed views of over 100 kilometres of coastline and across to Africa were a prime reason why the Moors built a well fortified settlement here.

The town has its origins in the late 11th century, when it formed to support the nearby Castle of Montemayor, which was built about 100 years earlier.

Indeed, the town is named af ter Havis, the Arabic chieftain who built the castle.

Havis is Arabic for ‘son of Havis’.

The castle and town were strategically placed for the battles fought between An dalucia’s Arab kings before it eventually fell into the hands of the Catholic monarchs

PRESERVED: The Torre de la Leonera

in 1485, as part of the Spanish

At the time Benahavis was a part of Marbella, but it gained its ‘independence’ in 1572 when King Felipe II granted it a Carta Puebla and it became a town in its own right. It remained strategically important for centuries, with its location allowing for the detection

of pirate raids long before boats landed on the shores.

During the Spanish War of Independence (1808-1814), Montemayor Castle was used by the Spanish troops as a strategic stronghold against Napoleon's army. Located 579 metres above sea level, the ruins of what was once one of Andalucia’s greatest military gems is still home to some of the most outstanding views of the Costa del Sol. Some of its walls are preserved in good condition as well as the Torre de la Reina, which contains remains of what

were once chambers and a well.

Another five towers are still standing that were built to protect the castle and village, with the Torre de la Leonera sitting in a park of the same name perhaps the best preserved.

Six towers are still standing that were built to protect the village

Spanish 20th century historian Antonio Maíz also described an entrance to a subterranean passageway, which is believed to lead all the way to the ruins of La Boveda Roman baths of San Pedro Alcántara. There are tales of treasures hidden in this passage, although none have ever been found.

BRASSERIE – DELICATESSEN – PRIVATE CATERING – TAKE-AWAY – BODEGA

Guillermo Carniceria Holandesa

A Taste of Tradition!

Stocking a mouth watering selection of Irish black Angus beef and Spanish dry-aged beef from Galicia, TOP CUTS of American beef, as well as delicious free-range chicken, are just a portion of tasty offerings.

Famous, succulent DUTCH-STYLE SAUSAGES are a ‘must-try’, thanks to Guillermo’s own secret recipe.

CATERING for a special occasion, party or business event?

Look no further than Guillermo and his team. Choose from a delicious range of homemade dishes, including beef bourguignon, goulash, lasagne and spaghetti bolognaise. Drinks, can be selected from Guillermo’s own bodega, a selection of champagne, fine wines and cognacs from France, Spain and Italy are sure to add some fizz to your event.

TAKE AWAY a delicious homemade dish for dinner.

Choose from a wide selection including curries, goulashes, French and Spanish favourites, hearty homemade soups, as well as a range of inspiring sauces, designed to add that ‘special touch’ to dinner.

HORARIO/OPEN: Martes a Sabado / Tue to Sat 10.00 - 16.00

Tel: 952 92 74 78

email: carniceriaholandesa@gmail.com

Carretera Ronda, 43, Benahavís, Andalucia, Spain

ITH its lofty position high above the coast, Benahavis has long been one of the most sought after spots to live on the coast of Andalucia.

STANDING: One of six towers that still exist

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

November 29thDecember 12th 2023

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March 6th - March 19th 2024 21

SPAIN’S best burger will come to the Costa del Sol this summer after Burger Food Porn announced it will open a restaurant in Malaga.

The hamburger chain was victorious in the 2023 Spanish Burger Championships thanks to its Double Bacon Cheese offering.

The winning dish consists of a brioche bun, two dry-aged Galician beef patties, mature creamy Cheddar cheese and oak smoked bacon topped off with a lashing of chorizo and fried egg sauce.

Now, residents of the Costa del Sol will be able to get their chops around the €12.50 award-winning burger as a branch of the Sevilla-based business comes to Malaga.

The new restaurant will be located on Calle Vendeja in the Soho neighbourhood.

Hands off our plaza!

Mayor wants to charge visitors to enter Sevilla’s most famous square

PLANS to close off the Plaza de España in Sevilla and charge tourists a fee to enter have sparked a huge backlash.

The conservative (PP) mayor of the Andalucian capital,

BURGER MOVE Soaring prices

FLIGHTS will be more expensive across Europe this summer due to a lack of new planes, the boss of Ryanair has warned.

Michael O’Leary said his budget carrier - and others - are waiting for new Boeing planes to be delivered, but expects they will arrive late.

This means there will be fewer seats available for budding travellers, bringing price rises of around 10%.

By Laurence Dollimore

Jose Luis Sanz, said the new levy for visitors would ‘finance its conservation’ and ‘maintain a 24-hour surveil-

GOOD INTENTIONS

SPAIN is moving forward with plans to ban some short-haul domestic flights as part of its 2050 climate action plan. Which routes will be scrapped would depend on whether there is a high-speed AVE train service that can link two points in less than two-and-a-half hours.

The change is about cutting CO2 emissions but it has met with resistance from some of

the country's regions, fearing a negative impact on business and tourist travel.

A key point surrounds hub airports that link with international routes, which means the likes of Barcelona, Madrid, Alicante, and Malaga will be largely exempted from the new rules..

That means the impact of such a measure would appear to be minimal with opponents saying it would make Spain less competitive and would have no positive impact on the environment.

lance service’.

The new tourist charges would also go towards the ‘permanent restoration’ of the site, Sanz added. It has recently been restored at a cost of more than €10 million.

ATTRACTION: and not for tourists but film stars too

II – Attack of the Clones (2002) and The Dictator (2012).

The iconic site was built in 1929 for the Ibero-American exhibition and is Sevilla’s second most visited monument. Some 97% of the 3.8 million tourists a year who visit Sevilla take in the plaza, according to the Seville Tourism Observatory

The square has had several silver screen appearances, including in blockbusters like Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Star Wars: Episode

One journalist wrote on X : “What the mayor of Sevilla proposes is to close the Plaza de España is an aberration, it is illegal.”

Another said: “Not content with privatising healthcare, education… they now want to privatise the assets of the people of Sevilla. If we don’t wake up, they're going to privatise Sevilla.”

People born in Sevilla or resident in the province will be exempt from the fee.

O’Leary said Ryanair has a scheduled delivery of 57 Boeing 737 Max 8200s in March, but that only up to 45 will arrive for the summer season.

Arabian nights

AIRLINE Qatar Airways has announced that it will be significantly boosting its flights to the Costa del Sol, with daily routes between Doha and Malaga this coming summer.

From March 31, the route between Spain and the Middle Eastern country will restart for the sixth year, offering travellers from Malaga the chance to reach 170 destinations from Qatar’s Hamad International Airport, including Bangkok, Manila, Shanghai, the Maldives and Phuket.

During April, May and October, there will be three flights a week between Doha and Malaga, rising to five in June and September, and daily in July and August.

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

WE arrive outside El Lodge in just over two hours and before we can blink, the car is ushered away and our bags are in the room.

Some five minutes later we’re in the hotel skiing shop being fitted for boots, topof-the-range Salomons with brand new Swiss-made Stockli skis at the ready!

In the corridor is a ticket machine recently installed by the Sierra Nevada resort, where Apple Pay secures us twoday passes with a decent discount for my son.

Bish, bash, bosh! By 11.30am we’re on the slopes, sliding down the red run Aguila, which goes right past the hotel terrace.

There couldn’t be a simpler, quicker, more fluid introduction to Europe’s most remarkable skiing resort.

A station that often stays open well into May, by the end of February this year, the place was finally blanketed with snow, creating a wonderful white world of fun for winter sports lovers.

SLIDE AWAY

Bish, bash, bosh. JON CLARKE is skiing down a Sierra Nevada red run just two hours after leaving Marbella, thanks to the amazing services of exclusive El Lodge hotel

A regular visitor to the Sierra Nevada, some 30 minutes outside Granada city, I normally get a two night deal at one of the many good value hotels in the resort. This time, we were here to do it in style. And by that, I mean, as the Royals might do (which is fitting with the Spanish king having once allegedly stayed in the Lodge).

PRECISION: Ski shop pro sets the fittings

El Lodge, as they prefer to call it, is a front row seat to the cream of the Sierra Nevada. And not just the creamy, white powdery stuff that’s just arrived in a deluge. This is where the beautiful people head to and on a bright sunny day in March or April (and statistically the weather is far better than any other resort in Europe) the terrace is fun with a capital F. The scenic spot is impossible to beat; the Aguila run sloping in from stage left while the legendary Rio run faces you with the white-tipped peaks above it. Music is provided by a DJ, jazzy and soulful through lunch, then picking up to some heavier house and R&B classics with the occasional banger as

the sun starts to set. A real smorgasbord of languages, at least half the guests are here to simply chill out and enjoy the food, with skiing very much off the agenda. The cool retro menu with its black and white pics of days gone by has a great mix of light bites, healthy options and classics,

such as burgers and steaks and, of course, the obligatory Swiss fondue or raclette.

There are lots of sharing plates, such as assorted tacos and a bruschetta Caprese with organic cherry tomatoes.

I went a bit off-piste with the Rock Fish soup - a kind of bouillabaisse - which was a real winner, coming with plenty of surprises below the surface - chunks of sea bass, clams and prawns, perfectly braised and adding flavour to the rich

Opening again this Saturday 9th March!

Discover a new gastronomic concept at Candela Marbella, a restaurant right in the heart of the charming old town.

Enjoy traditional local and national dishes with unique international touches and flavours thanks to our chefs Andi Zillner and Mathias Theodosis.

tel: 646 88 84 31 candelamarbella.com

Pl. Gral. Chinchilla, 2, 29601 Marbella, Málaga

TOAST OF THE SLOPES: Jon Clarke salutes El Lodge

broth. I also tried the truffled burrata mozzarella salad with original pis-

tachio pesto, a real joy. Next up was the delicious Wagyu ‘Pepito’ sandwich that came out looking like a hot cross bun - perfect for Easter - but included a glorious slice of tender steak with cheese and spicy Chipotle sauce oozing out the side. Given the exercise levels I was more than happy to get stuck into a joyous semi-cold peanut cake pudding with mixed berries and even edible flowers. It was time for some more skiing and af-

ter three more hours of pushing myself up black runs and across into the amazing Laguna valley, where they recently filmed award-winning film, Society of the Snow, I needed some pampering. And that’s what makes El Lodge and its new sister hotel, Maribel next door, so great… they both count on impressive spas to rejuvenate yourself. Both have heated outdoor pools, plus hot tubs, steam rooms and jacuzzis. And there’s a team of masseurs on hand to soothe away your aches and pains. My son Alfie and his pals loved jumping in and out of the hot tub and ice bath, posing like vikings, between spells in

And what about a dream day out with a gourmet lunch on Candela’s stunning new yacht?

“A choice of four distinct menus, one vegan, perfect for a fun - or romantic - day out on the high seas!”

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

SALIVATING:

November 29thDecember 12th 2023

the steam room and sauna.

In the evening, we ate in the intimate dining room inside, a cosy space with seductive lighting, gas fireplaces, low ceilings and beams, the antler lamps particularly eye-catching. The menu is a sophisticated mix of modern European but particularly focusing on good quality meats, with a dozen to choose from, including slow-cooked Wagyu ribs, suckling lamb shoulder as well as dry aged 35day beef entrecote.

We went for the recently introduced Rossini tournedo, an extremely tender cut of French steak, a fillet mignon, served with warm foie on top. A true winner. All put together by executive chef Juan

His amuse bouche, an ox croquette, was a melt-in-themouth creation Martín,

in a shin of beef, had a wonderful spicy kick and a lot of black truffle to boot. A kale salad accompaniment with goats cheese and peanut sauce screamed out with goodness, while a side order of grilled leeks were delicious. I went off piste again with my main, trying out the Lobster thermidor, which comes with Boletus mushrooms and a Hollandaise sauce. It is the first time I have had lobster cooked this way and was surprisingly tender and delicious. Not something I’d expected to find in the mountains. Finally, on the subject of food it would be remiss not to mention the amazing

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room

food truck outside, perfect for lunch, care of the Cheat burger bar in Marbella. This was one which got my son and his pals salivating over and was near enough to the snow to not feel they were getting held up for lunch. For me, if for any reason I was never able to ski again, I would happily spend my days sitting here or on the terrace next door watching the world go by.

www.ellodge.com

The Cheat food truck is always popular, while (right) the dining

WHITE WORLD: The views from even the bathrooms are amazing, while (below) the heated pool

DELICATE:

TTo

excellent service and great location, the choice becomes rather more limited. This is where Max Beach comes in. Its prominent beachside location in Riviera, with access straight from the paseo walkway that wends its way along the coast,

TO THE MAXIMUM!

Max

Beach

has

reopened for 2024 with a new menu that does not disappoint,

writes Dilip

Kuner

offers excellent views, the meals are top-notch and the efficient staff are all too eager to help without being too obtrusive.

What more could you want?

Last summer Max Beach offered an excellent Asianthemed menu combined with European favourites. While it still has a good helping of Asian cuisine, but the latest offering has swung back to a more European theme with American influences.

The grill menu makes full use of the Josper Grill - for those not in the know a Josper oven

lent results unmatchable at home.

Stand-out dishes from the grill include wagyu beef entrecote, wagyu beef côte de bœuf to share and whole grilled tur bot, also to share.

The restau rant itself has a laid-back Boho themed vibe, whether inside or on the comfortable terraces.

PERFECT: The red berry cheesecake and (below) the choclate and pistachio cake

The food did not disappoint.

My wife Sandra tucked into a duo of lobster tacos to start.

These were little packs of flavour, with the seasoning just right to give a boost without overpowering the delicate meat.

My soft shell crab tempura was perfectly cooked - a crispy, light, batter encasing a delicately flavoursome filling.

The jalapeno dressing gave just enough of a kick to bring added interest to the palate. Sandra followed with a

herb-encrusted and cooked-to-perfection rack of lamb - blushingly pink on the inside and smokily grilled on the outside. Personally, I felt the crust was a bit too herby, but it was simple enough to avoid and take just enough to complement the meat.

I opted for the Korean barbecued chicken, served with beautifully delicate pickled cucumber. It is all too easy to overpower the flavour of chicken with barbeque sauce - a trap not fallen into by the chefs.

Last time we visited Max Beach we skipped dessert,

tempting as they were, and walked the meal off along the promenade. This time round we did not deprive ourselves! Sandra was tempted by the chocolate and pistachio cake, which was made up of layers of chocolate mousse, crunchy biscuit and a fluffy pistachio genoise.

I opted for the red berry baked cheesecake, which was a delight. Light and creamy, it was neither too tart, nor too sweet and was the perfect finale to a memorable dinner.

CTRA. A7, KM 198.1

URB RIVIERA DEL SOL

PARCELA PLAYA MAX BEACH

29649 MIJAS COSTA

TEL: 952 930 858 info@maxbeach.es www.maxbeach.es

The soft shell crab Tempura

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION: It is the perfect setting to tuck into some lobster tacos (right)

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November 29thDecember 12th 2023

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SUPER RICH

A NEW expert index comparing locations for highnet-worth individuals to invest has ranked Madrid as the hottest property market in Europe.

The 2024 Barnes City Index studied 50 cities across the globe for ‘practical, emotional and financial criteria’ that included social life, business, taxation and culture.

The Spanish capital was placed as the best in Europe and the fourth best worldwide, only behind Dubai, Miami and New York.

According to Barnes, a property company, Madrid’s reputation for safety, stunning architecture, warm weather, high-quality healthcare, education and transport makes it a perfect destination for the super rich.

Malaga residents are fed-up of seeing tourist rentals replacing family businesses

LOCALS on the Costa del

Sol have said they are fed-up of seeing 'historic' shops and buildings converted into tourist flats or Airbnbs

Fuming residents in Malaga city took to X to vent their anger over what has been dubbed their 'new reality'.

The rise of Airbnbs and similar accommodations often cause rents and property prices to surge - particularly at times of high demand - as they reduce the amount of available stock.

In the past year, some 38 shops, bars or other commercial sites were granted

Unfairbnb

By Laurence Dollimore

permission to be turned into holiday rentals, official figures show. It comes as millions of young Spaniards are increasingly unable to find homes to rent or buy.

Fran Campos, a Malagueño, share a photo online showing how a once popular noodle bar on Calle Santa Elena was now a bleak-looking tourist rental. He captioned the image: “Malaga's new reality”. He then shared further before-and-after pics of the city, showing how 'iconic' businesses were being wiped out.

Among them were a Neighbourhood Association, embroidery work -

Property deals go down

HOME sales in Spain fell by 11.2% last year compared to 2022, according to the General Council of Notaries (CGN).

New mortgage loans dropped even further, by 21.3%, while prices recorded an average annual rise of 1.5%.

Property deals reached 640,451 transactions last year but despite the reduction, it is still the fourth-highest figure after 2007, 2021 and 2022, despite higher interest rates and the general

economic situation.

There were also significant variations during 2023 over purchases, with a year-on-year decline of 15.6% between the first and third quarters of the year. The fourth quarter saw a more moderate year-on-year drop of 4.8%, which buffered the annual decline.

New mortgages fell by 21.3% in 2023, to 280,340 transactions and the average amount dropped by 3.1% to €148,592.

PRICED OUT: Room with a view but unaffordable to locals

Sizzling prices

REAL estate on the Costa del Sol is sizzling as prices continue to buck all trends and soar through the roof, according to a report by the Fotocasa portal.

In some locations, prices per square metre have almost doubled, with Casares Costa (Casares Golf-Casares del Sol) seeing a 92.8% rise - to €4,087 sqm.

One neighbourhood in Mijas Costa (La Cala Golf-Lagar Martell) has exploded by 70% to €2,902 a sqm, while in Estepona, La Concha-Resina Golf has shot up 60% to €3,683 sqm.

Top 10

shop and ‘legendary’ dance clothing store.

Another X user commented: “I'm from Malaga and I never visit the centre when I see my family because I do not recognise the place where I grew up, such a shame.”

Fight

Another local said: “My whole neighbourhood is the same, they grow like mushrooms... it's destroying the neighbourhood.”

“In Cadiz it's the same,” added another; “We need to fight back!”

Staying in Estepona, the El Velerín neighbourhood has entered Spain's top 10 most expensive areas, with a square metre costing over €10,000. Several upscale neighbourhoods in the province are also catching the eyes of property buyers.

Notably, Lomas de Marbella Club-Puente Romano in Marbella (€6,963 sqm) and La Malagueta-Monte Sancha (€6,378 sqm) in Malaga city command top dollar.

Similarly, Martín CarpenaTorre del Río (€5,777) in Malaga and Nueva Alcantara (€5,464) in Marbella have seen significant price jumps of 34.9% and 36.5 %, respectively.

Costa Angels are ‘Assisted Living’ professionals who provide the best client centered care for our Clients while enabling them to maintain their all-important independence in their own home. Whether you are a Client in need of our services or a Carer interested in working with us to provide first class care, please contact us on +34 952 709 933, +34 611 289 381 or email us on info@costaangels.com Visit our website at www.costaangels.com

We offer a flexible approach to 24hr Live In Care, Hourly Visits, Respite and Palliative Care to Clients living on the Costa del Sol and some inland areas. Our services include help with personal care, dressing, washing & grooming. Medication prompting, light housework, shopping & meal preparation. Accompanying to social & medical appointments.

OP QUICK CROSSWORD

Bad Booking

THE online hotel reservation platform Booking.com has said that it could be fined a whopping €486 million for anti-competitive practices in Spain.

It would be the largest financial penalty ever imposed by Spain's competition watchdog, the CNMC. The organisation launched an investigation in 2022 to determine whether the Dutch subsidiary of US Group Booking Holdingswhich dominates the online hotel booking market - has exploited its strong market position.

The company warned about the

possibility of the big fine as it announced its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2023. Businesses have accused Booking.com of forcing them to not market rooms on other websites and of setting ‘abusive’ average commissions of 22%, without any variation accounting for the size of a hotel.

POWER UP

VAT on electricity bills will leap up from 10% to 21% this month due to big falls in the wholesale price of energy. Anti-inflation measures saw the tax cut to 5% on domestic bills in 2022 and was doubled at the start of the year.

The plan was for the original 21% figure to be restored by June, depending on the direction of the wholesale electricity market with an automatic trigger for the rise to happen.

The law states that if the wholesale market ends a calendar month below €45 per megawatt hour - as was the case in February - the VAT rate then automatically rises to what it was.

OP SUDOKU

Across

1 Source (6)

5 An absolute riot (6)

8 Whisky cask material (3)

9 Dexterous (6)

10 Like some jobs and information (6)

11 Perfectly vertical (5)

13 Did cats frolic? They can’t stop (7)

14 Breathe with difficulty (6)

17 Be a benefactor (2,4)

20 Less sorrowful (7)

22 Infernal writer? (5)

25 Militaristic city-state (6)

26 Wood finish, in marquetry (6)

27 Stage (3)

28 Let out (6)

29 Canadian pole-vault star --Newman (6)

Down

2 Annual flyer with a famous nose (7)

3 Cake figurine (5)

4 Marginal inscription (4)

5 Lost traction (7)

6 Ruined rug isn’t going to ruin (7)

7 Examine the books (5)

12 “Well, that’s show --- !” (3)

15 British and Roman, for example (7)

16 May birthstone (7)

18 Eccentric (3)

19 It’ll never get off the ground in Africa (7)

21 More than enough (5)

23 Soothe (5)

24 Latvian capital (4)

All solutions are on page 31

FORGING AHEAD

Economy to grow better than expected this year

SPAIN will be the best-performing large economy in the eurozone next year after official forecasts for growth were updated. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) now predicts that Spain’s economy will grow by 1.5% in 2024 and 2% in 2025 following a

By Ben Pawlowski

2.5% growth last year.

Spain is the only country in the eurozone to see its growth forecast improved after the OECD revised official predictions.

Inflation is also set to be better than expected this year

Fashion brings value

ZARA, the flagship fashion brand of the Inditex group, closed 2023 with a value of €14.7 billion and for the fourth successive time heads the Top 30 list of Spain's most valuable brands.

The total value of the listprepared every two years by consulting firm Interbrand - totals €55.8 billion and has grown by 10% compared to 2021.

The top five ranked brands account for 70% of the total value.

Zara is followed by Santander, which climbs to second place with €8.5 billion and then Movistar. BBVA, and CaixaBank.

Several companies are new to the list, such as Cupra, which takes 11th place, with its value placed at €1.2 billion.

after the OECD lowered the forecast price increase in Spain to 3.3%.

The new figures provide Spain with a sunnier economic outlook in comparison to many of its European peers as the continent looks to bounce back from high inflation, spiralling energy prices, and the war in Ukraine.

Growth for the eurozone is forecast at just 0.6% in 2024 and 1.3% in 2025.

Germany’s economy is expected to expand by just 0.3% this year, with its French neighbours not faring much better thanks to an official growth prediction of 0.6%.

Meanwhile, official figures released last week showed that the UK is in the midst of a recession.

The Office for National Statistics said the economy contracted by 0.3% between October and December last year, having already shrunk between July and September.

The UK is considered to be in recession if the economy fails to grow for two successive quarters.

Empowering

Feels like home

Hola Quooker!

Quooker has arrived in Spain. You can now benefit from official technical service and local warranty. Visit www.quooker.es to know more or to find a dealer near you! With a Quooker in your kitchen you always have 100 °C boiling water alongside regular hot and cold. Add a CUBE and you will also have filtered chilled and sparkling water – all from the same tap. The tap that does it all.

info@quooker.es

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Sleep easy Deadly prank

SWITCHING to a vegetarian diet can ‘prevent or treat’ sleep apnoea, the medical condition that causes heavy snoring, a new study has found.

Researchers used dietary data from over 14,000 people who participated in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

People who ate more vegetables, fruits and whole grains were 19% less likely to have sleep apnoea compared to the group who ate the least.

Meanwhile, people who ate more processed meat and junk foods high in sugar and fat were found to be 22% more likely to snore heavily during the night.

Destructive sleep apnoea affects one in 10 adults, particularly men who are elderly and overweight.

Sleep apnoea is a respiratory condition that causes breathing to stop and start during sleep, potentially straining the heart.

SPAIN'S annual birth rate has fallen to its lowest level since 1941 when current reporting systems were introduced, ac-

BABY LOW

cording to the National Statistics Institute (INE).

There were 322,075 new babies last year

- 2% fewer than in 2022 and births have fallen by 24.1% over the last decade.

Just two regions - Madrid and Extremadura - registered increased birth

rates last year. The figures show that the age of motherhood in Spain is rising and there are more births to those aged 40 or over (10.7% of the total) compared to women under 25 years of age (9.4%).

As for deaths, last year’s number was 435,331 - 5.8% fewer than in 2022 but 4.6% more than in 2019, before the outbreak of the Covid pandemic.

Waiting shame

A UTERINE cancer patient has filed a criminal complaint against the Hospital Costa del Sol for having to wait more than 120 days for urgent surgery.

Known only as Daniela A, the 46-year-old woman has revealed she has been waiting for the operation since October last year - despite being classed as a ‘priority’. She has now filed an official denuncia at the Malaga Pros-

MEASLES RISE

TWO measles outbreaks have been reported in Spain this year - in Alicante and Toledo provinces - with the virus originating from abroad. Aragon and Catalunya have also seen one measles case each where the origin of the contagion is as yet unknown.

Spain has confirmed 15 measles cases since January 1 - of which seven were imported.

Cancer patient calls in cops after waiting four months for surgery

By Laurence Dollimore

ecutor's Office.

Daniela said: "It is a terrible anguish... I am suffering incredible pain, which means there are times when I cannot

Just 11 cases were detected throughout the whole of last year, while between 2021 and 2022 only three cases were diagnosed in Spain. The disease has no treatment and usually clears up in 10 days, but complications can include pneumonia, meningitis, blindness and seizures.

TAKE A STEP BACK

The narrative we tell ourselves impacts on our daily mood, writes Fijaz Mughal

S

OMETHING so simple as the stories, the beliefs and the narratives that we tell ourselves, have a crucial part to play in affecting our moods on a long term basis.So, if I was to ask you how many times you say self-critical things to yourself, would you say that it is a regular occurrence in your life?

Through the counselling work that I do, it is clear that for many, the ‘inner voice’ that speaks within them, is one that is largely self-critical, harsh and ‘rules based’. It includes statements like, ‘I am not good at that’, or, ‘I can’t do this and I feel deficient’, or worse still, ‘I am useless and just wasting my time’.

For many people, other ‘rules based’ thoughts are the root cause of their never ending anxiety and low moods; as though they are running against a treadmill in life that never stops putting negative thoughts in their way.

Having stringent internalised rules in the way that we speak to ourselves creates mental inflexibility and this can lead to mental health problems.

It is therefore important to remember that the more mentally flexible we are, the greater our sense of well-being and our ability to deal with stress.

For example, how many of us take a ‘rules based’ approach to ourselves on a daily basis and say statements like this: “I must do this otherwise I will feel like a failure.”

Alternatively, how about: “I should have done this earlier, what is wrong with me.”

These two statements demonstrate the harshness that many of us speak to ourselves with and, with each statement, we convey a sense to ourselves that we are deficient, incapable or lacking in some way.

We would never say some of the things to others that we say to ourselves. It is as if, just because we speak to ourselves, we can be brutally harsh to ourselves.

Instead, one of the things I always say to clients is to be more self-compassionate with themselves. So for example, take the following statement: “I should have done this earlier and I am wasting time.” This could be re-addressed internally by saying: “I would have liked to have done this earlier, but I understand that other things came in the way. I will try and get this done later.”

even get up due to fatigue and discomfort. I am also suffering from incontinence." She has allegedly become so stressed over the ordeal that she has been forced to go to the ER on at least two occasions.

Daniela is the mother of two teenagers, aged 14 and 17, and says she is ‘scared’ after losing her own father to cancer.

She added: “If I am supposedly a priority, I don't know what we are waiting for, when the doctors told me the problem is getting worse with each passing day and that we must intervene as soon as possible.”

It comes after a doctor's union in January denounced what it described as a ‘profound crisis’ at the hospitall, due to underfunding and

huge waiting lists.

The Malaga Medical Union (SMM) claimed that at the end of 2023, there were ‘75,368 patients waiting for surgery, a diagnostic test or a consultation’.

Have you been affected by long waiting times in Spain?

Contact tips@theolivepress.es

A 14-YEAR-OLD boy has died after drinking a can of Red Bull spiked with over two grams of ‘tusi’, a luxury drug also known as ‘pink cocaine’.

The narcotic is comprised of a mix of cheaper drugs, such as ketamine, ecstasy, and caffeine, which form the basis of the pink powder.

The youngster drank a can of the energy drink given to him by a group he had met on Instagram

The unknown group then fled via the subway, boasting on social media about their ‘feat’ in a video that has since been deleted. Minutes later, the teenager collapsed and died of cardiac arrest.

The effects of recreational use of the drug remain poorly understood, although it is reported to have similarly powerful effects to ecstasy.

OFF THE MENU

ONLY a quarter of younger adults in Spain say they maintain a balanced diet including fruit and vegetables. According to a study by consulting firm Gfk, just 25.3% of adults under the age of 30 consider it necessary to embrace balanced eating habits.

That's in contrast with 48.4% of those aged over 45 who do consider a healthy diet to be important to take care of themselves.

Although 38.7% of households with children consider that eating in a balanced way is important to take care of themselves, only 32.9% of them admit to actually doing it. The study says that 47.7% of families with children point to price as the main reason why they have not consumed more fresh fruit and vegetables in 2023, compared to 17.6% the previous year.

Are you depressed? Suffering from anxiety?

Worried about the year ahead?

Are your kids having social issues?

You can see the stark difference between the two statements and the way that one plays into a harsh sense of self-criticism. The more we do this to ourselves on a daily basis, the more we undermine our sense of self and our belief in ourselves, both of which lead to lower moods and higher anxiety states over time.

First Class Medical Treatment in Marbella

Call me, Fijaz Mughal, in confidence. I’m fully-accredited and professionally-trained in London and recently moved to Spain.

So, next time you catch yourself saying something critical about yourself, try stepping back in your mind and just giving yourself the space to be able to rephrase any critical self-talk. Give yourself the space by adapting your language which can create a sense of mental flexibility, forgiveness and self-compassion.

I understand the issues many expats feel in Spain. Change through relocation abroad can really 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.

Remember, be kind to yourself in the way that you speak sellors and Psychotherapists and is also a qualified and accredited hypnotherapist with a focus on CBT (Cognitive Behavioural) techniques.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT FIJAZ MUGHAL ON INFO@COUNSELLING4ANXIETY.COM OR VISIT WWW.COUNSELLING4ANXIETY.COM

Help is available through my confidential counselling

PEDIATRICS

CONTACT: Fijaz Mughal OBE FCMI MBACP on info@counselling4anxiety.com www.counselling4anxiety.com

+34 637 80 60 85

Monday - Friday: 9-18 Hrs.

NEW ADDRESS:

C/ Jacinto Benavente, 10, 29601 Marbella, Málaga

DR. ROCÍO ESTELLA & DR. IGNATIOS CHATZIANDREOU

Pools,

Brick wall!

Dear Olive Press,

I READ your article about a new project to attract people to depopulated parts of Andalucia in the Alpujarra. Something about it piqued my interest and so, as a result of your article, I booked flights and visited the area a few weeks ago. I loved the area and decided that I would like to make a go of it as a digital nomad there and spoke to estate agents in Cadiar and Ugijar about a rental but couldn’t find one available. So I visited the council building in Ugijar but they had no details of the project. I’ve emailed the council in Mecina Bombaron but heard nothing back from them.

LETTERS

LETTERS

No to Nolotil

Our campaign against the controversial drug continues to draw comment from our readers

Still prescribed

I’ve tried to contact OnTech Innovation but the contact form on their website doesn’t work!

It seems well and good that they wish people to move there and the project is clearly at its infancy. But I would love to pursue this and could hopefully be part of paving the way for others - if I can break through the brick walls I am encountering!

Emma Coulthard

Editor’s note: I am glad we have inspired you to make the move! Hopefully as the plans progress more help will be made available.

OP Puzzle solutions

Quick Crossword

Close escape

READING about Mark Brooks’ tragic death recently alerted me to a recent prescription for post op painkiller.

The name Metamizole would not have registered to me as Nolotil, had it not been for your publicity around Mark becoming another unavoidable victim.

I queried it, refused it and questioned as to why it was being used. The private doctor, who has probably 90% Spanish patients, 'prescribes it regularly’. Since then I have confirmed at my local surgery and Chemist that they are aware of the Nolotil risk. More worrying still, a friend had it added to her post op discharge papers from Denia Marina Salud, just three weeks ago, she too refused it. Will be signing up to back your and Señora del Campo's ADAF campaign.

SJS, Costa Blanca

Across: 1 Origin, 5 Scream, 8 Oak, 9 Adroit, 10 Inside, 11 Plumb, 13 Addicts, 14 Wheeze, 17 Do good, 20 Happier, 22 Dante, 25 Sparta, 26 Inlaid, 27 Leg, 28 Leased, 29 Alysha.

Down: 2 Rudolph, 3 Groom, 4 Note, 5 Skidded, 6 Rusting, 7 Audit, 12 Biz, 15 Empires, 16 Emerald, 18 Odd, 19 Ostrich, 21 Ample, 23 Allay, 24 Riga.

KILL THE DRUG

BAD CATCH

I MUST say that I was shocked about the article It was this big (All editions back page about a boy who caught a 69 kilo catfish). Nature is beautiful and we should respect it, all of us!

I AM a British citizen who has been resident here for five years. I was prescribed Nolotil by a doctor at Miramar three weeks ago. Thank God I only took two, but did end up in clinica Juaneda for 10 days with severe pneumonia. If I’d had a reaction from the Nolotil I’d be dead now!

Lynn MacEwan, Via OP website

Wife saver

I MANAGED to trap a nerve in my neck and I had to go to The Hospiten in Estepona where I was prescribed Nolotil. I am diabetic and I have a pacemaker fitted and fortunately my wife checked the medication on-line to see what, if any, side effects it may have. Fortunately she saw that, as a Brit, I should not be taking the drug as it is banned in the UK and should not be prescribed to Brits in Spain. Needless to say I did not take the drug and I was somewhat annoyed that a doctor in a hospital should be prescribing the banned drug.

David Appleyard

O P LIVE RESS The expat

REuse REduce REcycle Your voice in Spain

Sheep placenta SERIES salons Madrid were - ered to be using banned products made from sheep placenta and oth- er cancer-causing prod- ucts. arrests were made. Toothbrush swallow A WOMAN viral in Spain after she swal- lowed a toothbrush, which she had wedged down her own a bid to dislodge piece of jamon. She has made a full recovery. Pet food win airline Vueling has become the first carrier in Eu- rope to offer food and treats for dogs travel- ling with their owners.

A BRITISH youngster had a Spanish holiday that he'll never forget after netting a re- cord-breaking 69 kilo catfish. Joshua Davenport, 11, from West Sussex got his catch of the day while out fishing with his parents on the banks of the Ebro river. The 2.7 metre-long catfish nibbled on Joshua's and he could scarcely believe what was waiting for him the end

ANDALUCÍA FREE Vol. 17 Issue 434 www.theolivepress.es December 13th January 10th 2024 FINAL WORDS IF you love the smell of fried chicken then KFC has the perfect Christmas present for you limited edition ‘fragrance’smellingofitspopularproduct. Called Eau D'uardo, has the aroma fried chicken has been shaped like chicken drumstick. The unisex perfume retailing at a

By Alex Trelinski

How can a boy of 11 years old be allowed to catch a big beautiful fish, maybe three times his age? It is surely a rarity in nature, defenceless and maybe unique, and is not doing any harm to anybody.

Puerto We use recycled paper

FINGER LICKIN’ AROMA

It was THIS big! Record breaking catch as 11-year- old lands 69 kilo monster fish of the line. It took 25 minutes to reel in the monster fish (pictured with Joshua) which has now become the biggest freshwater fish to be caught by boy in Europe. Catfish are nothing new to Joshua who had previously netted 50 kilo whopper. His mother Lorna said: “Fishing is everything to Josh who got his first when he was four caught his first catfish aged six which weighed 10 kilos.” Lorna explained his love of catfish is simply down to their large size and that son's catch was the last he made during their week- long break in Spain. “It was his catch one over 45 kilos there was no way he was going to let go. He did brilliantly and it took him about 25 minutes,” add- ed “Whenhesaw hejustcouldn't believe and it took three adults to lift it.”

pocket friendly €3.99 has been com- missioned KFC Spain. It contains the herbs and spices from Colonel Sanders' origi- nal recipe, including ‘notes of bergamot, geranium, manda- rin, and pink pepper’.

Even the parents should have the wisdom, in their education task, to tell the boy to leave the fish in peace and not to hurt or kill it. God knows what they did with the poor animal later on.

Dirk V, Malaga

BLOOMING SHAME

I WAS in Coin and saw Town Hall workers planting lots of flowers on the roundabout.

If we are in an extreme water crisis, how is this logical?

And how many other villages are doing the same?

There was even a protest in Coin regarding the water issue!

Linda W.

AN chocolate rador not only joined local police force but been chosen Christmas video message. Keta the puppy is barely months old, but has been taken on as colleague by officers in Malaga after was born part of litter was rejected by its mother. In the Christmas as the narrator explains ‘when she was looked bit like croqueta’. That’s the name came from, she adds. She is seen in the film trolling the streets of the with officers, as well as ering their duties over the tive period, which mainly volve ensuring citizen safety.

Paw patrol Wishing all our readers very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year. Olive Press will return 10th January 2024

Top lovers

SPAIN is the most sex-

satisfied country in Europe, a study found, partly thanks to the ‘positive change in sexual attitudes’ among young people.

Holy Res-erection

Popular priest arrested for illicitly supplying Viagra and aphrodisiacs

By Alex Trelinski

before a judge for four hours before being bailed, but will have to report to court twice a month while his partner has been remanded in custody.

ing 37,000 people. He has been described as ‘popular’ and is said to have a modern approach to his clerical duties.

The unnamed priest testified

A lawyer acting for the priest said that his client had done nothing wrong and had ‘no knowledge of anything incriminating’. The arrests were made by

NUNS have been swindled after fraudsters used AI to make their voices sound like the local bishop.

Around 15 convents in Jaen province were targeted with phone calls coming from bishop impersonators asking for cash.

A man claiming to be the Bishop of Jaen - Sebastian Chico - called several nuns asking for €5,000 so that he could have some surgery.

A Torredonjimeno convent fell

the Guardia Civil, which seized a large amount of ready-to-sell material.

Unsisterly act

for the ruse and transferred €3,000. One nun told a fraudster who introduced himself as the Bishop of Jaen: “You’re not Don Sebastian, your voice is very hoarse.” His quick-witted reply was that he needed an operation to cure his sore throat.

Both men have been charged with public health offences after investigations lasting several months with customers coming to the priest’s home.

The diocese of Plasencia said that it regrets the arrest of the priest ‘because of the pain, suffering and scandal that these events entail’.

Earlier this year a priest in Poland was arrested after he allegedly organised a gay orgy during which a man was hospitalised after overdosing on viagra pills.

REAL Mallorca have reached the final of the prestigious Copa del Rey for just the fourth time in their history after a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Real Sociedad.

The Balearic minnows will now face Copa del Rey royalty Athletic Club Bilbao - winners 23 times - in the final, due to take place in Sevilla on April 6.

Mallorca drew 1-1 with Sociedad before Slovakian keeper Greif saved a penalty in the shootout before Sergi Darder converted the winning spot-kick.

Mallorca have reached the final of Spain’s premier cup competition just three times before - the side were runners-up in 1991 and 1998 before clinching the silverware in 2003 after a 3-0 victory over Recreativo de Huelva.

AC Bilbao beat Atletico Madrid 4-0 on aggregate to reach the final for the 50th time. Reaching the final also means that the Palma-based outfit will compete in the lucrative Supercopa de España, a fourteam tournament that takes place annually in Saudi Arabia. The competition includes the winners and runners-up of La Liga and the Copa del Rey