Olive Press Andalucia Issue 454

O P LIVE RESS ANDALUCÍA

BAY OF PIGS GOOD NEWS!

THE rate of inflation in Spain has fallen to its lowest level in threeand-a-half years in welcome news for the country’s economy.

Preliminary figures published by the National Statistics Institute (INE) show that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for September fell to 1.5%, the fourth consecutive monthly fall and a steady decrease from August when the figure stood at 2.2%.

The CPI measures the average change over time in the prices paid by consumers for a representative basket of consumer goods and services.

Prices

September’s figure is the lowest since March 2021, when the rate of inflation was just 1.3%, and is a far cry from 2022 when a rise in global energy prices and the war in Ukraine provoked a surge in inflation to above 10%.

The INE attributes the drop in the rate of inflation to fall ing prices for fuel, food, elec tricity and leisure and cultur al activities.

They also say that Spain’s GDP grew by 0.9% in the first quarter, higher than expected, and that the economy is set to grow at an annual rate of 3.1%, six-tenths of a percentage point greater than originally predicted.

See Reasons to be cheerful, page 6

of locals and expats have mobilised against plans to

a

in the heart of a protected natural park in Andalucia. Developers are set to construct a fourstar resort close to the untouched beach of Los Genoveses in the stunning Cabo de Gata nature reserve in Almeria.

It is one of the final few stretches of Spain’s Mediterranean coast that has

not been built

as locals

The firm Torres y Gonzalez Diaz wants to turn abandoned Las Chiqueras estate - formerly a pig farm - into a 30-room hotel with 70 parking spaces. The exclusive retreat will count on multiple swimming pools and stunning unspoilt views of the beach, often voted one of

Spain’s finest.

step closer.

It comes after the mayor, Jose Garrido, announced in July he will allow construction on the rustic land.

He was backed by the PP-run Junta last year which somehow gave environmental authorisation for the project.

The firm, which owns numerous hotels, has been fighting environmentalists to get its plans approved since 2016. Now, alarmingly, thanks to a new right-wing coalition of Vox and the PP in the local town hall of Nijar, which administers the park, they are one

How the

A similar nearby project, the Algarrobico hotel also built on a virgin beach in Cabo de Gata has been mired in 20 years of controversy after it was ordered to be demolished for breaking numerous laws.

The latest decisions have sparked outrage among locals, who gathered in their thousands at the weekend.

The Genoveses Sin Hotel group organised a march on the Almeria seafront, with supporters unfurling banners and chanting slogans. Meanwhile, a total of 4,000 people have lodged official individual complaints with the town hall. And 260,000 peo-

ple have signed an online petition demanding the project be stopped. “It is still possible to stop it, but for that to happen we have to mobilise,”

said Celine Feutry, president of the platform.

“There is no social or economic benefit for the locals, the interest is merely private and for a company that already owns many other hotels in the area.”

Despite this, Enrique Ruiz, from the Friends of Cabo de Gata-Nijar Park association, said the planned hotel was being declared ‘of economic and social interest’ to get the green light. “But they must also prove job creation, sustainability and other positive impacts on the environment and economy,” he explained.

Environment

Feutry warned the council that ‘we will go to court’ if the project gets the go ahead.

She said the area of the proposed hotel is only allowed to be used for agriculture, adding: “If the council authorises it, a dangerous precedent will be created because it would give the owners of all the farms in the area the green light to build accommodation.”

The Olive Press has long campaigned for protection in the area, with a campaign against the Algarrobico hotelwhich we dubbed ‘El Horrible’ - and also to urgently protect the chapel Cortijo del Fraile, which is where celebrated writer Gabriel García Lorca set his famous book Blood Wedding.

Opinion Page 6

CAMPAIGN:

Olive Press first reported on the Les Genoveses scheme,

PROTEST: Thousands took to the Almeria seafront to demonstrate against the plan

By Laurence Dollimore and (right) the nearby Algarrobico hotel disgrace is till not resolved

NEWS IN BRIEF

Tragic death

FOOTBALLER Erick Lujan, 24, was killed in a car accident while on his way to training with his club CD Belver de Huesca when the car he was travelling in collided with a truck near Lerida.

I do

THE eldest daughter of motor-racing legend Michael Schumacher has married her partner, Iain Bethke. Gina Schumacher tied the knot at the family’s estate in Mallorca.

Murder quiz

AN investigation has been launched by British police two years after tourist Robyn-Eve Maines, 24, plunged 30ft to her death from a hotel balcony in Ibiza, with a man aged 27 arrested then bailed.

Not wanted

A DIPLOMATIC row between Mexico and Spain has erupted after the Latin American nation’s leftwing president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum refused to invite King Felipe VI to her inauguration.

A SERIES of luxury cars stolen from countries across Europe were seized by police just moments before they were due to be shipped to Morocco from Tarifa.

Among them were a €125,000 Porsche 911 Carrera that had been stolen in Denmark and kitted out with fake Swiss plates and documents to fool customs

Heist stalled Femicide crisis

police, and a €225,000 Audi RS6 that had vanished in Germany.

Police uncovered the operation over the past three weeks, seizing 16 high-end cars, five motorcycles, and a quad bike. Authorities believe the ring was target-

ing high-value vehicles to smuggle them across the Strait of Gibraltar, either to be sold on in the Moroccan market or even returned to European showrooms.

Cop deaths arrests

THE drug trafficker accused of piloting the narco boat that killed two Guardia Civil officers in February has finally been arrested.

After months of evading capture, Karim El Baqqali, 32, was picked up by authorities while in Cadiz after spending months hiding out in Morocco. The Moroccan national is accused of piloting the narcolancha that killed Miguel Angel Gonzalez and David Perez in Barbate. The incident occurred when the officers, patrolling with

Narco trafficker accused of killing two Guardia Civil finally arrested

By Walter Finch

four colleagues in a Zodiac inflatable speed boat, were rammed by a high-powered narco boat.

The smugglers, who normally loiter out in international waters, had been forced into the harbour at Barbate in order to shelter from a storm.

It prompted the Guardia Civil to send the officers into chop-

A RING of food suppliers in Spain conned eco-conscious consumers across Europe by exporting regular fruit and vegetables labelled as organic.

The scheme involved taking advantage of the higher prices customers are willing to pay for organic foods and pocketing the difference.

Investigators estimate that the group, operating in Motril, Granada, sold over two million kilograms of non-organic produce

py waters to face off against the narco boats in an attempt to either arrest them or chase them off.

But it ended in tragedy, with authorities suspecting the deadly attack was premeditated.

The narcolancha is alleged to have deliberately accelerated into the officers’ clearly marked police boat.

El Baqqali is known to be part of a notorious organisation

Fruit ring busted

as organic in just six months.

The profits from this lucrative fraud were divided among the ring's members, including the company owner and several accomplices.

Four individuals have been arrested and 16 others are under investigation.

that traffics hash from Morocco to Spain.

After the fatal incident, he fled to Morocco, where he remained hidden until his arrest.

Three other individuals, who were also aboard the drug boat that night, are still at large.

International arrest warrants have been issued for their capture.

Investigations into the incident took a sudden turn in May when the six suspects initially picked up over the officers' deaths were cleared.

Analysis of video footage from the night of the attack showed that although they were present in the port that night, they were operating a different drug boat.

Attention then shifted to El Baqqali, who was fingered as the boat’s pilot by one of the original suspects.

SOME 22 women and children in Spain have been murdered by men in a ‘summer of gender-based violence’. So far this year, 35 femicides have occurred, with 19 women killed by their partners or ex partners between June 20 and September 22.

Three minors have also been killed in a number of violent incidents, while 11 children have been orphaned.

Andalucia, Valencia and Cataluña have registered the highest number of femicides this summer, with four each. Meanwhile, three child murders have taken place in Castilla-La Mancha.

ONE of Europe’s most wanted drug lords has been arrested in Madrid.

Haredin Fejzulla, a 59-year-old Albanian national, was captured in the Carabanchel district after a year-long manhunt. Fejzulla had been on the run since his conviction in Belgium in 2022 for a string of high-level drug-related offences. Belgian authorities had issued three European Arrest Warrant, and he was included on Europol's list of Europe’s Most Wanted.

He was sentenced to 29 years jail 13 serious offences, including drug trafficking and document forgery.

Dynamic duo

RAFAEL Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz could be set to reunite to represent Spain at the finals of the Davis Cup, just months after teaming up for the men’s doubles tournament at the Paris Olympics.

The tantalising prospect of the dream duo, christened by tennis fans as ‘Nadalcaraz’, returning to the court together was raised after Nadal, 38, was

named in the five-player preliminary squad to represent Spain at the Davis Cup finals in Malaga this November.

Despite pulling out of last weekend’s Laver Cup event in Berlin through injury, the 22-time grand slam champion has vowed to continue playing tennis at the highest level for as long as his body allows.

If he remains injury-free until November, Nadal could reunite with Carlos Alcaraz, the 21-year-old four-time grand slam champion and World No.3.

CRUISE IN META EVENT

Mega star flies into tiny Spanish hamlet to have lunch with Mark Zuckerberg’s right hand man

ONE of Spain’s smallest villages had one of the world’s biggest (metaphorically) visitors over the weekend. The quiet hamlet of

By Walter Finch

Arguisal, located near the Aragonese Pyrenees mountains, 40km north of Hu-

Jack of hearts

Depp,

rate in the popu lar Pirates of the Caribbean fran chise, which has

esca, is home to just 14 people – and no tourist villas.

But that number was bumped up to 15 when Tom Cruise’s helicopter landed at the home of Meta’s Chief Operating Officer.

Javier Olivan. 47, a key figure in Silicon Valley, has been overseeing Meta companies such

grossed over €4 billion worldwide, running as the 16th-highest-grossing

The award-winning actor regularly visits children’s hospitals after his daughter, LilyRose, was diagnosed with temporary kidney failure aged just seven.

Depp says he is forever in debt to the pediatric doctors who saved his daughter’s life, and so makes regular visits to surprise ill kids.

as Facebook , Whatsapp and Instagram remotely from the isolated mountain retreat after moving from Palo Alto in California.

Despite efforts to keep the superstar visit underwraps, word leaked out of the Top Gun star’s presence in the town and his fondness for quiet, off-the-beaten-track locations.

The eagle-eyed spotted him dining with Olivan, one of Meta’s highest-paid executives, with Forbes reporting him as having a €23 million salary last year.

Confidant

Olivan, originally from the nearby town of Sabiñanigo, has been a close confidant of Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg since joining the company in 2007.

The visit of Cruise, 62, is sure to land Arguisal on the map. Shouldered by mountain peaks on the not-so-distant horizon, it’s a lush and green location that would not look out of place in Switzerland. The residents have reportedly been enamoured with their A-list guest.

However, Cruise’s presence may end up attracting further visitors to the secluded and peaceful hamlet.

This may undermine its place as a private retreat ideal for those seeking an escape from modern life.

GOLDEN CATE

Clooney praised her, calling her one of the greatest actors, comparing her to legends like Meryl Streep and Robert de Niro.

The award was presented by Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron, with whom Blanchett collaborated on Disclaimer In a surprise video message, her long-time friend George

An emotional Blanchett said it felt like a ‘homecoming’ to receive the award.

The audience then enjoyed a screening of her latest film, Rumours

ROYAL TELL ALL

JUAN Carlos, Spain’s disgraced and exiled former king, has announced he will publish his memoirs next year, vowing to ‘explain my mistakes and bad decisions’ during his time as head of state.

The 500-page book will be titled Reconciliation, a nod to Juan Carlos’ role in Spain’s transition to democracy following the death in 1975 of the fascist dicta tor General Franco. It is set to be published by Stock, a French publishing house.

The former monarch, 86, said his hand has been forced into painting his own version of events, claiming ‘my story is being stolen from me’ as several biographies detailing alleged affairs and financial scandals are published.

Juan Carlos abdicated the throne in 2014 amid much criticism for an el ephant hunting safari trip and an embezzlement scandal involving his daughter, Infantina Cristina, and has lived in exile in Abu Dhabi since 2020 following a string of investi gations into alleged corruption.

THIS is the heartwarming moment Hollywood actor Johnny Depp surprised youngsters at a children’s ward in Donostia Hospi tal, San Sebastian while dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow.

61, stars as the swashbuckling pi

CATE Blanchett, 55, dazzled in a gold gown as she received the prestigious Donostia Lifetime Achievement Award at the San Sebastian Film Festival.

FLYING VISIT: Cruise and Olivan (right) with Zuckerberg

SPAIN has smashed its all-time record for tourist numbers in August, new figures reveal.

In the eighth month of this year, a total of 13,586,095 people visited the country, exceeding the previous best of August 2019. The record comes despite rising hotel prices and a surge in protests against ‘overtourism’ in the biggest holiday hotspots, including Mallorca, Malaga, Barcelona and Tenerife.

According to the INE Hotel Tourism report, there were 47.8 million overnight stays in August, 2.6% more than last year.

So far this year, there have been 252.4 million overnight hotel stays, representing a year-onyear increase of 5.6%, and a new record.

The surge has been buoyed by foreign visitors, whose hotel stays grew by 4.9% compared to 2023, while those of locals dropped by 1.3%.

Tourism mecca Wedding horror

AN Irish tourist has been hospitalised after suffering serious burns following a freak accident at her friend’s wedding on the Costa del Sol.

The 29-year-old woman is being treated at a specialist burns unit in Sevilla’s Virgen del Rocio University Hospital after the incident, which occured when her dress accidentally caught fire on nearby candles during an Irish couple’s wedding reception.

Fellow guests quickly called the emergency services, who rushed to treat the ‘seriously injured’ woman at a set of holiday apartments by Nerja’s famous Balcon de Europa viewpoint.

She was transferred to a hospital in nearby Malaga where she underwent an emergency operation before being sent to Sevilla where she continues to fight for her life.

The unnamed victim is reported to have suffered burns to over 70% of her body, with her legs being the most seriously affected.

A spokesperson for the Republic of Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed it is aware of the case and continues to provide consular assistance.

CHILLED OUT: Nothing stops Andrey from enjoying a beer

Un-beer-lievable

THIS is the moment an expat sipped his beer just moments after almost being crushed by a falling palm tree. Andrey, 32, was enjoying a caña on Marbella’s beachfront on Saturday when strong winds began battering the promenade.

Suddenly, customers at the chiringuito where he was enjoying a beer ‘heard a creak’, before a huge palm tree came crashing to the ground. Andrey, originally from Ukraine, told the Olive Press: “It was quite a shock, I’ve got no idea how nobody was hurt.”

Video footage shows how the palm tree was within inches of crushing Andrey’s table, with its leaves reaching the expat’s feet.

However he was all smiles as, incredibly, he didn’t lose a drop of his beer.

Perhaps even more luckily, the tree landed on a table where a group had just got up to pay.

“There was a big gust, we heard a creak and then snap,” explained a barmaid.

“It’s not our fault and I hope the town hall comes and makes a close check of all the other trees around.”

Drought woes

Malaga bans filling of private swimming pools ahead of meeting between drought experts

THE ban on filling private swimming pools has returned to Malaga province after reservoirs once again slipped to below 100 billion litres.

Drought committees will hold meetings this week, where it is thought water restrictions will be reduced from the current 200 litres per person per day. This comes at the end of a year that has seen alarmingly low rainfall, even worse than the previous year. Temporary allowances granted earlier this year - following brief but heavy March rains - permitted some

By Walter Finch

pool filling and limited garden watering from June 1.

But as of Monday, those allowances have been stopped.

The College of Property Managers has already informed its members of the impending changes and urged them to prepare for stricter water usage regulations.

“The use of water resources suitable for human consumption is prohibited for the following uses: street washing,

Do not approach

A DESPERATE search is underway for a 41-year-old who escaped from a mental health centre in Malaga almost a month ago.

Jose Antonio Torres is described by his family, in Coin, as posing a threat ‘to himself and others’.

His brother Salva told Prensa Iberica: “He’s a very unstable and conflictive person.”

Since February 2023, Jose has had a restraining order in place that bans him from approaching his brother and mother.

Policia Nacional are combing the coast, specifically Fuengirola, looking for him.

If you see Jose, do not approach and immediately call the police.

filling private swimming pools, watering gardens, public and private parks, golf courses, car washing outside authorised

THE former mayor of Marbella Julian Muñoz has died aged 76 following a long battle with cancer and other health problems. The disgraced politician passed away at the HC Hospital in Marbella, after being left blinded in one eye by diabetes and suffering multiple heart attacks and a stroke in recent years. He was surrounded by his wife Mayte Zadivar and their two daughters, alongside other relatives and friends.

Muñoz had been admitted on Sunday, September 15 and had 'hardly been awake' during his last week of treatment. His body was transferred to the San Bernabe Funeral home ahead of a service.

Muñoz started his career as a waiter before entering the world of politics as a councillor for Marbella under the watchful eye of the infamous Jesus Gil in 1991.

Gil was forced to resign and was briefly imprisoned in 2002, after €390 million went

missing from the city council's coffers. Muñoz filled his place and was Mayor of Marbella between May 2, 2002, and August 13, 2003. He reached a national level of fame after having a fling with legendary Spanish singer Isabel Pantoja (pictured together).

But in July 2006, Muñoz was arrested for his role in one of the biggest urban planning corruption schemes in Spanish history. As part of 'Malaya case', Muñoz was convicted of a string of charges, including bribery, misappropriation of public funds and the granting of illegal licences. He was granted conditional release in 2021 due to his declining health.

EMPTY: Malaga reservoirs are drying up, as could private swimming pools

establishments, ornamental fountains that do not have a closed water circuit, and public fountains and spouts,” it said in a letter to its members.

Malaga's reservoirs have dropped to alarmingly low levels, with total reserves now 30 billion litres lower than this time last year.

Water levels are at a mere 16% of capacity, prompting authorities to issue warnings of a worsening crisis.

In Malaga city and the Guadalhorce Valley, experts say there is enough water to last around 10 months.

However, agricultural irrigation remains severely limited, with a lifeline of just 9 billion litres of water supplied during the summer.

In the Axarquia, some farmers

have received reclaimed water from treatment plants, but it only benefits a fraction of the region’s agricultural areas.

Urban water supplies are secure for around a year, but further cuts could be on the horizon as the crisis deepens.

Desalination

The Costa del Sol is in a slightly better position thanks to the expansion of the desalination plant in Marbella, which will add an additional 20 billion litres annually.

Despite this, water authorities have warned that the region cannot afford to be complacent given the small capacity of the La Concepcion reservoir, which currently holds 24 billion litres.

BRAD Pitt has criticised the five conmen who used his image to swindle hundreds of thousands of euros out of two unsuspecting female victims.

Spanish police arrested the suspects accused of defrauding two women - one from Granada, Andalucia and one from Bizikia, Basque Country - out of €175,000 and €150,000 respectively.

The two victims were contacted on a fanpage for the Oscar-winning actor by an account pretending to be Pitt himself.

The women were led to believe ‘they had a sentimental relationship with him’, before being convinced to invest hundreds of thousands of euros in film projects that did not exist.

In a statement, a representative for the Hollywood heartthrob said: “It is horrible that conmen exploit the strong connection between celebrities and their fans, and this is an important reminder to never respond to unsolicited online messages, especially from actors who are not on social media”.

SPAIN is set to legalise cannabis for medicinal purposes, it has been announced.

The Ministry of Health has submitted a draft Royal Decree for public consultation, outlining the upcoming legislation.

The new law will grant access to cannabis-based treatments for patients who have found standard medicines ineffective.

The draft law says 'scientific evidence has shown a variable degree of benefit of cannabis and its extracts'.

It said symptoms of certain conditions can be helped by the plant, including multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy and chronic pain.

SPAIN’S passport is now the undisputed king of Europe after being ranked more powerful than France’s or Italy’s – and, bizarrely, Hungary’s, which comes in fifth.

A new ranking by visaguide.world found that Spain beats all its European rivals according to factors such as visa-free access, visa on arrival, eVisas, and global mobility. Worldwide, Spain ranks second with a score of 90.60, behind only Singapore, which came first with a score of 91.27. Following Spain is France (90.53), Italy (90.31) and Germany (90.27).

Sanchez has been likened to the fascist dictator General Franco amid a row over his controversial media transparency plan designed to crack down on ‘fake news’.

As part of his Action Plan for Democracy, Sanchez’s government has vowed to set up an independent ‘media registry’, managed by the National Securities Market and Competition Commission (CNMC), which will force newspapers and other media organisations to declare their owners and investors.

Mudslinging

This, the prime minister hopes, will reduce ‘misinformation’ and political ‘mudslinging’, citing as an example what he describes as the targeted harassment of his wife Begoña Gomez over alleged ‘influence peddling’ in relation to government contracts.

Alberto Nuñez Feijoo, the leader of the PP, said: “Censorship and persecution of anyone who dares to criticise him - we haven’t seen anything like this since Franco”, referring to the hard-right dictator who ruled Spain for over three decades.

PEDRO

JUSTICE SERVED

Relief for Estepona family as Kinahan-linked British boxer, 24, convicted of murder for stabbing their son to death during cocaine-fuelled road rage

A YOUNG British boxer who stabbed a teenager to death and fled Spain four years ago has been found guilty of murder.

Lewis Briggs, now 24, was condemned for the most serious charge at the end of a six-day trial in Malaga that will see him serve at least 15 years in jail – and as many as 25.

The jury returned a verdict 8-1 that Briggs jumped out of his white Mercedes and launched a premeditated attack against Ulrich Perez, 19, that ended in him stabbing his Spanish victim in November 2020.

The horrific onslaught followed a road rage incident at a zebra crossing near Diana Park in Estepona when Perez shouted at Briggs to slow down.

The jury foreman said Perez ‘had no chance of defending himself’.

He added: “The victim wasn’t prepared for the attack and the proof was that he still had a shopping bag in his hand.

Cartel

“He didn’t let go of the bag until the other man kicked him before stabbing him in his left side.

“The attack from the moment the defendant got out of his car to the moment he got back into his vehicle and drove away only lasted about 10 seconds.”

The young boxer, who trained at a gym linked to the Kinahan cartel and already had convictions for drug trafficking, had argued his actions were unintentional.

On day one of the trial he turned to the family of Perez, who were absent for the verdict, and confessed to the killing, adding ‘it was never my intention to kill anyone’ and ‘it was an accident’.

Yet he admitted to stopping his car after the streetside spat, taking a knife from the glove compartment and using it on Perez after he had already beaten him to the floor.

He had tried to argue his behaviour had been affected by a 24-hour drink and cocaine bender that he had been on leading up to the murder.

Immediately after the shocking crime, which took place in broad daylight in front of horrified onlookers, Briggs falsified the number plates on his car and fled to the UK via Portugal. He was tracked down and arrested in

Migrants to get residency

SPAIN is set to regularise the status of approximately 500,000 undocumented migrants currently living and working within its borders.

The proposed legislation, originally supported by over 600,000 signatures from members of the public, could provide long-awaited rights to these individuals, many of whom have been in the country for years.

Vice President Yolanda Diaz, one of the leading figures of the Sumar coalition, announced the breakthrough on social media.

She tweeted: "Half a million people are closer to gaining rights. Half a million people who live and work in our country, who are our neighbours. We mustn’t waste another minute. Against racism, for rights."

The legislation calls for undocumented migrants who were already living in Spain before November 1, 2021, to be given residency.

By Walter Finch

Leeds a month later and promptly extradited back to Spain. Despite being on conditional bail leading up to the trial, Briggs had left the country and taken a trip to Dubai

attack in 2020

in April or May, according to legal sources.

He was intercepted at an airport in Italy, where he claimed he had been ‘visiting a sick friend’, before he returned to Spain and had his passport confiscated.

He has now been remanded in custody to await sentencing.

YOUR EXPAT INSURANCE MADE SIMPLE

KILLER: Briggs and (left) victim Ulrich Perez

Voted

paper in Spain

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

OPINION

Shame on you!

HAVE governments in Spain learnt nothing from the recent and growing protests against ‘over tourism’?

It would appear not, at least in Almeria and Andalucia, where right-wing politicians seem hell bent on building a luxury hotel on one of the last untouched strips of the country’s Mediterranean coast (Bay of Pigs, p1).

It is clear that the project, penned for the protected Cabo de Gata natural park, is the last thing locals want or need.

But that doesn’t mean a damn thing to the money-grabbing powers that be.

Lest we forget a similar project nearby, the disgraceful Algarrobico hotel, which was also built on a virgin beach in Cabo de Gata.

It is now a rundown eyesore that has been mired in 20 years of controversy after it was ordered to be demolished for breaking numerous environmental laws.

Today, history looks set to repeat itself, with environmentalists vowing to drag the developers of the new hotel through the courts.

And all this at a time when the so-called anti-tourism movement is gaining momentum by the day. What message will granting this project send out to locals? This hotel will only serve to stir up hate against tourism, and by association tourists and ‘guiris’, in other words, expats.

It is already happening in places like the Costa del Sol, where anti-tourism messages have expanded to include expats, with ‘guiris go home’ graffiti regularly popping up.

And that’s before we even mention the devastating impact of the hotel on one of the last remaining ‘truly wild’ spaces in Andalucia.

People are sick and tired of developers who want nothing more than to make a quick buck - just look at all the ‘luxury’ homes and establishments taking over Marbella and Estepona.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if politicians are getting some sort of kickback for granting the hotel.

Lord knows it wouldn’t be a first for Andalucia, which has a decades-long history of staggering corruption.

PUBLISHER / EDITOR

Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es

Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es

Walter Finch walter@theolivepress.es

Yzabelle Bostyn yzabelle@theolivepress.es

Ben Pawlowski ben@theolivepress.es

Humenyuk Makarova (+34) 951 154 841 admin@theolivepress.es

Laurence Dollimore laurence@theolivepress.es

Alex Trelinski alex@theolivepress.es

Simon Hunter simon@theolivepress.es

Cole Sinanian cole@theolivepress.es

Héctor Santaella (+34) 658 750 424 accounts@ theolivepress.es

(+34) 951 154 841 distribution@ theolivepress.es

Look on the bright side

It’s not all doom-andgloom: Reasons to be cheerful as Spain’s economy transforms - with much thanks to foreign tourism - into the poster child of Europe

By Walter Finch

IT could be easy to find oneself overwhelmed with the constant drum beat of bad news and terrible prognostications in Europe.

If it’s not the threat of another war, the terrible forecasts for the state of the environment, or doom-laden demographics, then it’s crime, inflation and immigration.

In Spain, people fret about reservoir levels, the housing crisis and the political extremes crowding out the middle.

But what perhaps doesn’t get enough attention is the Spanish economy, which has become one of the surprising engines of economic growth for the eurozone. It is not just in football where the Spanish are currently seeing a strong regeneration.

The country has been posting GDP growth figures that far outstrip those of its stagnant northern neighbours.

International observers started to take note last year as Spain smashed its peers out of the park with an economy that grew 2.5%, one and a half times as fast as France (1.1%) and Italy (1%).

But spare a thought for poor Germany, the country Spain is supplanting as Europe’s economic powerhouse, which actually shrank in 2023.

And it only gets better: the OECD recently upgraded Spain’s economic growth forecast from 2.5% to 2.8%, while the country’s National Institute of Statistics (INE) estimates an exciting 3.1%.

So how is the country doing it?

The fourth largest economy in the EU, and 15th in the world, is already home to several important international household names.

These include the world’s largest textile company Inditex, parent to highstreet brand Zara, owned by Amancio Ortega who is worth €1.43 billion and Santander bank (Europe’s fourth largest). Then there’s infrastructure company Ferrovial, which owned 25% of Heathrow Airport – Europe’s busiest – until last year and also built its runway expansion. Meanwhile, state-owned shipbuilder Navantia is currently producing sec tions for a trio of Brit ish ships, com missioned by the Royal Navy.

Anything else driving this economic growth?

Unsurprisingly, a large majority comes from the tourism sector, which saw record numbers of foreign visitors in August.

This tourism boom has already eclipsed the high water mark of 2019, with a total of 13.6 million people visiting the coun-

try last month, and it shows no signs of abating.

It goes with the 10.9 million who came in July – a 7.3% rise year-on-year – and they splashed out a cumulative €15.5 billion over the course of the month – an 11.9% increase on last year.

Setting aside the persistent gripes about ‘overtourism’, the figures are driving a surge in development along Spain’s coasts and islands, including a tsunami of five-star hotels and golf resorts.

And there is plenty to crow about in other sectors, too.

Spain’s exports hit a record €33.2 billion in July, up 9.3% year-on-year, with France the biggest customer. For comparison, EU exports as a whole grew by 7.4%, easily outstripping Germany (5.4%), France (7.1%) and Italy (6.8%). And – Brits close your eyes – exceeding UK export growth, which shrank by -15.5% (yes, MINUS) in the same month.

eighth largest car manufacturer in the world and hosts 17 major plants which produce vehicles for foreign titans Nissan, Renault, Ford, Mercedes, Volkswagen and others.

And not forgetting homegrown car maker Seat (although owned by VW), which is located in Martorell outside Barcelona. In fact, wherever you look across the country you see records being broken. Spain’s housing market has seen near-double digit price rises year-on-year, completely bucking the trend in Europe. A home in Spain now costs an average of €2,176 sqm.

Despite the record price rises, sales jumped by nearly a fifth (19.4%) in July to reach levels not seen since the boom (or bubble) that preceded the financial crash in 2008.

Spain’s exports hit

a record

€33.2 billion in July, up 9.3% year-on-year

Spain’s exports grew most strongly in the food, beverages and tobacco sector (2.4%), while cars remain the number one export.

In fact, Spain is the

Interestingly, more than half of these property purchases were made in cash (without a mortgage), indicating that a lot of wealthy people with money to burn live in Spain. Even the beast of inflation has almost been slain; falling sharply again to 1.5% this month – the lowest rate since 2021, before the dual shocks of Covid and the Russian invasion of Ukraine took hold.

Long gone are the dark days of the 1970s, when two million Spaniards were forced to migrate to Germany and northern Europe in search of work.

Now a new class of Spaniards has aris-

en off the back of this success, a large and burgeoning group which enjoys exotic foreign holidays, drives expensive cars and – perhaps most importantly of all – own more than one property.

As most of us who live on the costas or the islands well know, they are very much alive and well, living it up with their nannies and bulging wallets through late July and August.

BOOMING: Spanish shipyards and factories are going full-throttle, giving PM Pedro Sanchez (above) plenty to smile about despite his political woes

Rustling sheep with British royalty

How one rogue and some British ingenuity smuggled Spain’s prized animals out into the world,

writes Jack Gaioni

CATTLE rustling and horse theft in the American Wild West were crimes punishable by hanging - think Hang ‘Em High with Clint Eastwood. Similarly, the theft of livestock in 19th century Russia was a crime with extreme consequences. In the Middle Ages, Spain viewed the theft and export of the iconic Merino sheep as worthy of the death sentence. Today Merino wool is produced in nearly every continent. It is the most popular wool fabric in the world - prized for its soft comfort, breathability, warmth and high performance luxury.

This begs the question: how did Merino wool morph from a restricted Spanish entity to a world wide phenomena?

The answer involves a British aristocrat, a heist crafted by King George III, and some ingenious British animal husbandry. Consider… Theories abound about the origins of Spanish Merino sheep and their fine wool. Most probably Merino sheep were created by cross-breeding the native Iberian sheep- the Churro - with a variety of rams brought to the peninsula by the Romans and then from North Africa during the Islamic period. Before long Spanish shepherds recognised the export value of Merino’s exquisite fleece and Spain became the centre of the world’s wool trade. In fact, Ferdinand and Isabella actively promoted the export of ‘the world’s finest quality wool’ and demand for Spanish Merino wool grew exponentially. The Spanish monarchy and a powerful guild called the Meseta Organisation controlled the breeding, management, and trade of the Merino sheep. They imposed strict trade and export restrictions replete with punitive (think: the death sentence) punishments for violations. This exclusivity only led to a greater demand for this luxurious fabric in European markets.

The British, perhaps more than any other European country, took a vested interest in

Merino wool. Within the UK the import and export of any raw wool was illegal. Farmers and manufacturers were well organised and successfully pressured Parliament to pass The Wool Act (1699).

This legislation restricted both the import and export of British wool products. Competition was eliminated, the wool market was monopolised but the public was left with an inferior product. Enter the most unlikely historical figure…

Joseph Banks – later baroneted as Sir John Banks – was, along with Charles Darwin, a central figure in England’s Age of Discovery.

Banks, while accompanying James Cook aboard the famous HMS Endeavor, visited Brazil, Tahiti, New Zealand and Australia. He brought back to England over 30,000 plant and animal specimens to be incorporated into the Royal So ciety, the United Kingdom’s esteemed National Academy of Sciences.

Banks achieved immediate fame as the foremost natural ist scientist and for the next 41 years was president of that venerated organisa tion. He was so infatuated with the biodiversity of Aus tralia, that Banks took a

particular interest in the British colonisation of that continent.

As a trusted advisor to King George III, the two realised the great potential for the Merino sheep in the unique ecosystems of Australia.

Together, using bribes, falsified bills of lading, stealth and shady diplomacy, they covertly smuggled (read: stole) two genuine Merino sheep from Spain through Portugal. Over the next few decades a ‘national project’ of cross-breeding the Spanish Merino with various British species produced what King George called his ‘royal flock’.

Fashionistas

The project was exported to the British colony of Australia and for the next century the production of Merino wool would greatly bolster the British economy. From about 1810 onwards the Merino sheep industry shifted worldwide to France, Germany, Sweden and the United States.

However it is Australia and New Zealand that now dominate the industry.

Since the early days of settlement ‘down under’, the wool industry has played a dominant role in both the economic and social perspectives. Today, Australia is the undisputed leader in the wool market producing more than 50% of the world’s Merino wool. For fashionistas, Merino wool is more popular than ever. In addition to its comfort, warmth, breathability, etc, the hairs of this storied fabric provide a natural antimicrobial quality that keep bacteria, mould and dust mites from growing. Collectively these qualities speak to society’s desire for a more renewable and sustainable material. Thankfully, we as consumers can enjoy Merino wool products today without risking some draconian punishment. Perhaps we should thank

for

The Olive Press online continues to be THE go to news source for English speakers in Spain with over one MILLION visitors in September

THE Olive Press has once again been leading the news agenda for everything happening in Spain this past fortnight.

We had multiple stories placed in national newspapers in the UK and dozens of our stories followed up throughout September.

They include that of British expat Serena Coronado, who told of her horrific ordeal at the hands of an abusive Spanish neighbour in Galicia. The story was picked up by Mail Online

So too was our exclusive about an Irish father who lost almost €2million on a hotel investment in Malaga thanks to town hall pencil pushers.

Elsewhere, our exclusive tale of a British mother who was the last known victim of the Ibiza gassing robbery gang was picked up by multiple national titles, including the Daily Mail and the Daily Express that continually - and disgracefullytakes our stories and even our pictures without payment or a credit.

The same can frequently be said of the highly dubious GB News.

Even in Spain, you may have noticed our rivals have started copying our style of headlines online.

It proves that we are still the goto source of news in Spain for English speakers.

And the figures back it up, with more than one million people visiting our website over the past month.

Meanwhile, more than 3,700 people registered an account at theolivepress.es in September, taking advantage of all that comes with membership.

And the number of paying subscribers continues to climb, with our unrivalled coverage of the most important stories of the day simply too important to miss.

Don’t forget that simply registering an account grants you access to an extra article and means you will be sent newsletters on news, travel, health and property.

You’ll also receive a personalised missive from digital editor Laurence Dollimore each Saturday.

So what are you waiting for?

Scan the QR code here to register an account and join our more than 50,000 members.

Sir Joseph Banks and King George III

their sheep rustling!

ROGUE: Sir John Banks (above) smuggled the Merino sheep out of Spain through Portugal. Now the fine wool is used in haute couture

DEATH: Ferdinand and Isabella imposed harsh punishments on Merino wool violations. Above, King George III, who wanted the sheep so much he turned to smuggling

LA CULTURA

STARS ON THE SHORE

Biblical sale

A 700-year-old Hebrew bible from medieval Spain sold for €6.16 million at a Sotheby's auction.

The Shem Tov Bible is a 768page illustrated text written on parchment in the early 14th century.

Display

The text was copied by Rabbi Shem Tov Ibn Gaon, born in the late 13th century in Soria. He spent an unknown number of years painstakingly working on the bible, taking care to make every letter and illustration as perfect as possible.

The new owner has pledged to put it on public display.

THE 72nd edition of the San Sebastian Film Festival has been packed with excitement and drama.

Australian actress Cate Blanchett, Spaniards Javier Bardem and Pedro Almodovar received the sought-after Donostia Lifetime Achievement Award. The honour is a welcome birthday gift for Almodovar, who turned 75 at the festival before presenting his first English film, The Room Next Door. Javier Bardem dedicated the award to

his wife, Penelope Cruz and defended his love for Spain, saying: “It’s my country, my people, my culture.”

Following his contentious departure from the Hollywood mainstream, Johnny Depp appeared at the festival to present his second directorial effort, Modi - Three Days On the Wing of Madness. Meanwhile, Gia Coppola, granddaughter of Francis Ford Coppola, presented The Last Showgirl, a film about a retired dancer starring Pamela Anderson, who

was also in attendance.

Renowned German director Edward Berger, known for the Oscar-winning All Quiet on the Western Front, showed his new film, Conclave, based on the Robert Harris novel.

Starring Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci, the ‘juicy’ production has been met with praise from critics.

The feature film Tardes de soledad directed by Albert Serra, bagged the Golden Shell award for best movie.

Friendly armada

Floating museum the Andalucian Galleon makes triumphant entry into London through Tower Bridge on final leg of world tour

THE sight of a Spanish galleon cruising up the River Thames used to be enough to give any Englishman the shivers.

But this Andalucian Galleon was not part of a new armada demanding Gibraltar back, but rather a floating museum that is on the final leg of a worldwide maritime tour.

Spectacular

It made a spectacular entrance under London’s iconic Tower Bridge, the bright red and yellow of the Spanish flag fluttering in contrast against the drab greys and blues of the British capital.

By Walter Finch

The meticulously crafted replica of a 17th-century Spanish galleon has been sharing the maritime heritage of Andalucia with several European countries, including France, the Netherlands, and Germany. Built in 2009-2010 by the Nao Victoria Foundation, the Galeon Andalucia was designed by Ignacio Fernandez Vial and constructed at the Palmas shipyard in Punta Umbría, Huelva. The ship’s interior was furnished with pieces made in Valverde del Camino, Huelva, based on historical re-

cords from the Marques de la Victoria.

Since its launch in 2010, the Galleon has travelled more than 100,000 nautical miles, visiting ports in Asia, North America, and Europe, and welcoming over 150,000 visitors along the way. Now in harbour at St. Kather-

ine's Dock, the London public can step aboard and experience the life of a sailor on a historic Spanish vessel until October 6.

The visit provides an opportunity to learn about Spain's maritime history and the craftsmanship involved in recreating such a vessel.

AN exhibition of art created by artificial intelligence at the University of Salamanca has provoked the outrage of artists and illustrators. Called Sobre Fondo Azul (Over a blue background), it showcases comic book art and cartoons that were not created by a human.

“Playing Guitar Hero doesn’t make you Paco de Lucia,” said one critic.

Another anti-AI activist pointed out that the developer companies ‘have already got 30 lawsuits around the globe thanks to the infringement of copyright they commit.’

However, Jon Hernandez, a leading AI advocate, hit back:

“Tools are just tools. I understand their situation. “There are jobs threatened by new technologies, and it is normal that they try to protect them. “AI is not going to be declared illegal.

“There was no law to protect against the use that has been made of AI.”

OPEN WELCOME: The Galeon Andalucia approaches Tower Bridge

WHAT’S IN A NAME

Fancy taking a trip to the quaint Spanish towns of Poo and Penisville? Why not saddle up, brace yourself for the unexpected and join the Olive Press on a tour of Spain and its most weirdly and wonderfully-named towns

By Walter Finch

WITH towns and villages such as Bell End in Worcestershire and Slag Lane on Merseyside, it’s little surprise that Great Britain is the king of the crude place names. After visiting those two locales, why not head onwards through Sandy Balls in the New Forest and finally end up in Shitterton in Dorset (probably best to bypass Twatt)?

But Spain can boast its own equally bawdy journey of head-scratching place names. So why not join the Olive Press on a wonderful, fear and loathing-style

tour of Spain’s most weirdly-named locations?

First up we are going to hit Poo in Asturias. Poo, on Spain’s northern coast, is known for its beautiful beaches and scenic walks. The Asturian version of the name, Po, is also the shortest place name in Spain. You could even get some

work done at Dental Poo.

After a heavy session at the dentists, nothing on earth will be able to stop us zipping over to Galicia and rocking up at Penisville (Villapene), a lush village which tends to have its road sign stolen fairly frequently. According to linguist Joseph M. Piel, the 200-inhabitant town probably

AMUSING: Place names in England are possibly outdone by those in Spain...

LA CULTURA

got its name from a Roman settler proudly called Penius.

Today, the full name of the town is Santa Maria de Villapene, though adding ‘Holy Maria’ to the front hasn’t seemed to have dissuaded opportunistic sign robbers.

Lodged very close to Penisville is another delightful town named Pair of Blondes (Parderrubias) in the province of Ourense.

I’m sure we’ll try to combine both into our itinerary.

And of course, while in the area, how could we resist diving into the charming Cuntis (Cuntis), a mediae-

val-style town south of Santiago de Compostela.

Cuntis is renowned for its natural beauty and hot springs.

Visitors have been relaxing in Cuntis’ thermal waters for centuries, which are believed to have therapeutic properties.

Just a short drive east and we are in Warm Snot (Calamocos) in Cantabria.

Warm Snot is the perfect village to unwind in after a good time in Penisville and Pair of Blondes. The Mencia wines produced in Warm Snot are something in particular to

savour.

Calamocos Adios

Then come with us for the five hour trek to Goodbye (Adios) in Navarre. According to popular belief, Goodbye gets its strange name from the War of Navarreria in 1276.

Enemy soldiers reportedly camped out in the area but were forced out, saying ‘a dios, a dios’ as they left.

The name stuck and now 172 people inhabit the town known for its churches and surrounding countryside.

After leaving Goodbye we will go to Don’t Go (Novallas) in Aragon.

But we won’t stay there long and we will quickly be hitting up wine country in La Rioja and looking for Ashtray (Cenicero).

Those after a taste of Spanish life will love Ashtray, famed for its exceptional

Moving south through the heart of the country, we make a pitstop in a little town which we’d rather avoid called Motherin-Law (Consuegra), in the province of Toledo, Castile-La Mancha. Although at least we might at least hope to get a good meal and fresh bed sheets. The area boasts a raft of iconic windmills nestled in the surrounding

Wed. 2nd-Sun.13th OCTOBER

‘24

Wed to Fri at 7.30pm • Saturday Matinees 2pm Sunday 7pm – No Performance on Monday 7th or Tuesday 8th

Find us on C/Emancipation, Fuengirola Centre (Just of Church Square) BOX OFFICE TEL: 952 47 45 42

OPEN: Monday to Friday 11am-2.30pm and 1 hour before each performance For further information: www.salonvarietes.com

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Funny old world

landscape.

But before we call in at Mother-in-Law we may take an unexpected detour to Cocaine (Coca) in Segovia. It’s more or less on the way and what could go wrong? The Cocaine Castle (Castillo de Coca) is a particular masterpiece to be admired.

Tembleque

After leaving Mother-in-Law as soon as we politely can, we will go Wobbly (Tembleque), famed for its unique wooden balconied buildings.

Once Wobbly and Mother-inLaw are firmly in the rear view mirror we will naturally go to Dirty Man (Guarroman) in Jaen, a place we have visited on many occasions previously. They also grow olives. After our dalliance in Dirty Man we will inevitably find ourselves

in Sewer (Alcantarilla), which unsurprisingly is a satellite town of Murcia. It gets its name from the Arabic word al-qantarat, which means ‘bridge’ or ‘aqueduct’ and over time evolved into ‘sewer’.

Once we manage to escape from Sewer we will try to avoid going to The Hells (Los Infiernos) but sometimes it can’t be avoided.

Why not then swing by Kill a Fat Woman (Matagorda)?

Legend has it that the town was named after a group of farmers encountered a large ‘mata’, or bush, in the area, calling it ‘Fat Bush’.

On the home straight now, and we make a beeline across the country once again, this time moving without hesitation head towards Kill the Beers (Matalascañas) in Huelva on the Atlantic coast.

It’s full of stunning beaches and there are not that many beers to be killed so prepare for some disappointment.

We are coming towards the end of our gruelling tour of Spain now. But where else could we finish it off, but with a quick drink in The Queen’s P***er

(Meadero de la

in

The urban myth goes that Queen Isabel II had to make an ‘emergency stop’ in this Cadiz town on a journey through Andalucia in the 19th century, giving it the curious title. It is believed the Queen and her husband, Francisco de Asís were visiting the region to gain the sympathy of Andalucians.

Some 160 years later, the legend remains immortalised in the town’s name. And if you’ve made it this far with-on this wild and wonderful journey, go home.

Guarroman

Reina)

Cadiz.

Matalascañas CREDIT: Flickr/Timothy Krause

By Dilip Kuner

A town transformed

time Marbella’s little sister was a place to drive through on the busy N-340 on the way to Estepona, Sotogrande or Gibraltar and infamous for the traffic lights where the Ronda road joins the busy coastal highway.

Long queues of motorists fumed in the massive delays that built up, often lasting more than an hour, to be followed by more delays as cars crawled past the traffic lights in the

This rapidly became a place for a stroll and somewhere for the kids town itself.

A tunnel following the line of the old N-340 was the solution and, more than that, the catalyst for the remarkable transformation of a once sleepy but unremarkable town.

Not only was the tunnel built, but also a hyper-modern urban boulevard over the top of it. This rapidly became a social hub - a place for a stroll and somewhere for the kids to

play away from the fumes and traffic hurtling through underground.

With a skating rink, a skate park and a hat trick of new children’s play parks, the seaside village is growing increasingly unrecognisable from a decade ago. It is sometimes easy to forget about the incredible rich history that surrounds those of us fortunate to live around San Pedro.

Fortunately in San Pedro you’ve got reminders all around you, if you know where to look.

To get a really good idea of what

ning of the 19th century, there were nearly two dozen sugar mills (‘trapiches’) on the coast and no less than two either end of San Pedro.

While large swathes of the coast were covered in cane (and the famous Larios gin family owned much of it), it was San Pedro that got the headlines nationally.

Importing the most modern machinery from France and Britain, the landowners also broke from the mould by building colonies for their workers, hamlets made up of small, but well built cottages, that would guarantee a modicum of comfort.

Workers soon ar rived from as far and wide as Valencia, Murcia and Almeria, as they heard of the success of the groundbreak ing new crop and irri gation systems.

shops scattered around the bustling town centre.

While not quite up to the high fashion levels of nearby Marbella, there are loads of interesting boutiques dotted around, as well as a mixture of book shops, half a dozen bike shops, and hundreds of others selling fruit, ice cream or restaurants and tapas bars. But some things never change. The evenings still see veteran Sanpedreños gather on shaded benches around St Peter’s statue, outside the parish church, and you can bet your bottom centimo the pavement cafes and ice cream parlours are heaving on Sunday

The Agricultural Colony of San Pedro Alcantara was officially opened in 1860 and became the ‘most important in Spain’, creating thousands of jobs and leading to a key nucleus on the Costa del Sol. When sugar

What has kept San Pedro special has been its ability to hang on to its Spanish persona in the face of massive investment from Marbella Town Hallmore than €100 million. This has turned the town from an also-ran suburb into a spanking new social hub and desirable destination.

And beneath the glitzy exterior, San Pedraños are as friendly and unas-

TOWN PLANNING: From reminders of its seafaring past to a tower that looked out for pirates

worldwide standard of excellence, while chic chiringuitos like Macaao and Guayaba are hotspots for the cool and hip. The once-barren wasteland between the boulevard and coast now includes shops, restaurants, residential communities and world class amenities like Nueva Alcantara NAC paddle and tennis club,while a massive new sports stadium is due to open any moment now.

And there’s more. San Pedro has its own leafy satellite suburb in the shape of Guadalmina (Baja and Alta), just west of the town centre. This exclusive neighbourhood – a kind of western golden mile - boasts multi-million euro mansions galore.

Guadalmina Baja is frequently home to ex-Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, who is often seen jogging or walking along the tree-lined avenues, flanked by two or three burly bodyguards.

SANDY STRETCH: San Pedro’s long sandy beach with La Concha mountain in the background

Guadalmina Alta, on the opposite side of the A7, has an 18-hole course and the coast’s only cable ski lake which thrill-seekers can circuit on water skis or a wakeboard.

“I adore it here, you feel like you are in the real Spain,” raves Irish Guadalmina resident Debbie. “You are so close to Marbella and Estepona but without the madness of Puerto Banus, it’s perfect.”

Like most locals, these days, she’s proud to tell anyone who asks that, no, she’s not Marbelli - she’s ‘Sanpedreño, actually’.

OxygenSpa is an innovative device which naturally

on the map for cyclists, joggers and walkers. Its beaches fly the prestigious blue flag, the

ROMANS & MORE

A Roman bathhouse and one of Spain’s oldest churches lie next to San Pedro’s beach, writes Jon Clarke

AS the lineup of SUVs edges slowly closer to the entrance of popular Calpe primary school each morning, one hopes the parents get a lift from the view off to the south. For right there in plain sight is one of the true hidden gems of the Costa del Sol - the sixth century Basilica de Vega del Mar. The remains of this Visigoth-

ic church - one of the oldest churches in Andalucia - is just a stone’s throw from the end of the popular promenade. For lovers of ancient history, this is an intriguing doorway into pre-Islamic Spain. The remains in Lindavistaalong with the nearby Roman baths of Las Bovedas - are on the site of the Roman settlement of Cilniana

While its exact location and size is lost in the mists of time, every year the coastal area gives up more clues, such as the beachside ovens

appearing after a storm in November 2021.

The basilica was first discovered in 1915 by a farmer planting trees, but extensive excavations only began in 1929, led by archaeologist Jose Perez de Barradas. He and his

Vamos a la feria

SAN PEDRO’S much awaited feria kicks off on October 15.

Thousands of people from all over Andalucia and other parts of Spain are expected to attend the popular local celebrations that go on until the 20th, marking an end to Andalucia’s feria season.

Launching with a firework display, the event will feature hundreds of brilliant activities.

From the usual feria attractions to the food and game stalls, the frenetic week will be unforgettable for most.

A full programme will be published a week before its start, Marbella’s City Hall has confirmed to the Olive Press.

This year’s Queens and King of the feria have already been chosen with Alba Baena García and Chloe Bianca Martínez Gonzalez the Youth and Children Queens, respectively. Feria King will be Hector Aguilar Gonzalez. The monarchs get a free pass to all the attractions.

team mapped out the basilica and initially unearthed 148 tombs, though later excavations have found a total of over 200.

The most significant is that of ‘Constantine Crimson’, named after the Holy Roman Emperor Constantine, which may be the oldest Christian tombstone yet to be discovered in Spain.

While the adjacent necropolis dates back to Roman rule in the fourth century, archaeologists disagree over the construction of the basilica. Perez de Barradas initially believed it was built around then, although today historians insist it was built by the Visigoths from the north in the sixth century.

The significant features are its rectangular plan and the presence of three naves, along with its apses. Unlike most churches of the time, it has two apses, which are the semicircular terminations or recesses of an ecclesiastical building. And most unusually, its western apse is its main one.

Protection

The basilica is usually open from 11.15 am to 2pm but it’s best to call Marbella’s Delegacion Municipal de Cultura on 952 825 035 to check. Nearby, just across the stream by Macaao restaurant you will find the remarkable Las Bovedas Roman bathhouse. Sitting on private land in someone’s garden, it is not often open to the public and you will need to ask when to visit. But it is a remarkable construction, in urgent need of protection and repair.

VISIGOTH TO ROMAN: Basilica and (top) Las Bovedas

URBAN ART & ARCHAEOLOGICAL GEMS

EL INGENIO is experiencing a transformation. Recent renovations to the main road and communal spaces have breathed new life into the area, thanks to a significant investment by the local council.

A new pedestrian-friendly entrance now extends from the boulevard roundabout, marked by a large Spanish flag, and flows towards Linda Vista beach. The walkway is adorned with a stylish garden and fountain, setting a welcoming tone for visitors and locals alike.

Along this vibrant street, you’ll find a well-stocked SPAR minimart offer- ing local produce, a tradi-

How new life is being breathed into one of San Pedro’s oldest districts, writes local resident Georgina Gamble

tional panadería (bakery), and Francisco’s Ferretería (hardware store). The area’s beloved family-run restaurants, El Churrero and Bar Añón, have expanded their outdoor seating areas, where patrons can now dine surrounded by lush flower boxes and greenery. A giant pepper tree provides natural shade, making the street a comfortable place to stroll and socialise.

Traffic moves more slowly here, encouraging a relaxed pace that mirrors the authentic, village-like life - style cherished by the local community. The

neighbourhood spans a couple of kilometres from La Colonia down to the beach at Linda Vista.

It is one of the oldest parts of San Pedro, centred around the site of a 19th-century sugar mill. Over time, the area evolved from an industrial zone housing wineries and the alcohol factory, La Alcoholera, into a cultural hub. Today, the former industrial building serves as a multi-purpose cultural centre and theatre, complete with gardens and a football pitch.)

At the street's end, nestled among a grove of eucalyptus trees, lies a true archaeological treasure: the Basilica Paleocristiana de Vega del Mar, dating back

to the 5th century.

This ancient site is particularly notable for its impressive baptismal font, carved from a single block of stone.

It is one of Europe’s rare full-immersion baptismal baths, designed so that individuals could enter from the West, symbolising leaving the past behind, be fully submerged in water, and emerge renewed toward the East, symbolising new beginnings and a metaphor for El Ingenio itself.

HEART OF THE COMMUNITY: El Ingenio takes centre stage during the Easter celebrations

Photos: Jon Clarke

100-POINT HAVEN

ive Press relocating to the town a year ago I have really started to get to know the place and its sheer range of eateries.

THE knives are out in a turf war between dozens of new restaurants that have opened in the last few years in San Pedro Alcantara.

Everything from Greek to Japanese and French to Italian, just about every nationality is represented in this pavement tussle which is great for punters.

Taking place in a string of local battles - in the heart of town, on the promenade and also just off the snazzy boulevard - every time I stroll

With thousands of new (and mostly wealthy) expats moving in over recent years, there has been a distinct focus on quality and style.

And yet, it is still the well-established older places that remain my favourites. Take La Bodega del Cantinero which claims to have the best selec tion of sherries (from both Jerez and Montilla-Moriles) in Europe, the food here has got better every year for the last decade.

And you won’t just get to experience the best tipples of Spain’s top wine, but keep your autograph book handy as it’s a regular haunt of celebrities, politicians and captains of industry.

No surprise, given that Alberto’s amazing joint claims to have all of the Top 100 sherries in the world, according to American critic Robert Parker, many available by the glass.

The last time I popped in I sampled a stunning 30-year-old Oloroso, from Bodegas Tradicion (earning a ‘98’ from Parker), which at

San Pedro’s restaurant scene includes a Europe best and it keeps improving

€14 is amazing value.

Eased down beside a creamy plate of rabo de toro oxtail, as tender as any served up in Cordoba, it was a genuine pairing from heaven.

“I’ve got every 100 point white wine from Parker,” insists sommelier Alberto (above), who has been in charge for two decades now. “There is apparently only one place in the world with more sherries, and that’s in Japan.”

While the wines have always been amazing, what has really changed over the last

couple of years is the kitchen, thanks to Alberto’s Ukrainian wife, Marina, a chef, with many years experience. You never know what will be on offer and she changes the menu regularly, always featuring some great fresh seafood, plus a great bluefin tuna dishes and fresh clams. Understandably she makes a splendid Ensaladilla Kyiv If on offer, definitely get a few slices of his mature stilton, into which Alberto decants a whole bottle of 1993 Pedro Ximenez. “It takes 30 days to completely soak in,” he explains. “And it sells out fast.”

My other favourite stalwart, that’s been keeping the bar high in San Pedro for decades, is the beach restaurant, Macaao Run by the Dhondt family, from Belgium, the fantastic service is only matched by the food, in particular, fresh fish, which is among the best on the coast. In particular the black cod is amazing, but I also recommend the hake in a fresh pea salad with watercress and new potatoes, while the salmon is always superb.

The black cod is amazing, but I also recommend the hake in a fresh pea salad with watercress and new potatoes, while the salmon is always superb

Patriarch Michel trained with legendary chef Alain Ducasse in France and oversees a tight ship, alongside his wife and daughter. Their specials often include mussels, predictably perhaps, while I am always a sucker for his crunchy Vietnamese nems, which come out on a bed of lettuce and mint. The shrimp croquettes are also great.

Another great place to sip wine and watch the world go by with a few decent tapas is Nicolas in Guadalmina.

Part of the centuries-old French wine

PAIRING: The quality of food at Cantinero has really improved since wife Marina (top left) started in the kitchen

around I spot something new. With the Olchain, husband and wife Pierre-Carlos and Georgina Galvan have dozens of glasses of wine on offer, plus hundreds of different bottles of Champagne, Burgundy and Bordeaux to boot. There are pates, cheeses and, as Pierre, explains ‘we try to find a bottle to match everyone’s taste and budget’.

Close by a great place for breakfast, or light lunch, is Valeria gourmet, where the quality of the foods is always paramount, not to mention some of the best coffee in Marbella.

Run by Argentinian Valeria, she is the real life and soul of the place, and it’s always worth asking her what she recommends to eat.

Back in San Pedro

is one of the coast’s best chiringuito restaurants with a

itself there are so many places to eat off the boulevard it is extraordinary.

I am a huge fan of the asian joint, Inch, a regular takeaway favourite of the family, while the Italian L’Impronta and celebrated Albert & Simon across the road, are always worth a visit. It is also worth mentioning the popular Urban, which has a huge mix of great quality dishes, and only shuts for one day of the year, New Years Eve. It has a pool table and shows most football games, while also doubling up as a popular place to eat, in particular for spicy Asiatic dishes. One of the best value places for supper or lunch, the prices haven’t gone up for two years, expat owner Oliver, insists.

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Cava de vinos – Importador Cave à vins – Impotateur

After a marked presence of more than forty years in the international hospitality industry, Michel Trezzy opens a wine cellar “La Odisea del Vino” in San Pedro de Alacantara.

Passionate about wine, Michel does not select them on their labels. His philosophy is above all to find wines that offer the best value for money,

“La Odisea del Vino” proposes a large selection of French wines, many of which are certified Organic and Biodynamic.

“La Odisea del Vino” is full of oenological treasures, and also offers French gastronomic specialties: fore gras, duck confit, cassoulet.....

This space filled with a selection of old vintages will seduce the enlightened connoisseur in search of local qualitative products.

You will find wines of Bordeaux, Burgundy or Champagne as well as many other AOC of France.

Free delivery possible 12 bottles minimum.

www.laodiseadelvino.com +34 635 45 82 27

Avd. de Salamanca, 1 – Nueva Alcántara San Pedro Alcántara, 29670 Marbella

BEACH LIFE: Macaao

regularly changing special menu

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

November 29thDecember 12th 2023 LOOKING FOR MORE TRAVEL STORIES? Scan to

LONELY Planet has revealed its top 10 autumn holiday destinations, and two Spanish cities made the cut. Sevilla was crowned the best city break, praised for its ideal sightseeing spots like the Real Alcazar and the world’s largest Gothic cathedral. Flamenco lovers can also enjoy live performances at the Museo del Baile Flamenco or catch street performers while strolling along the Guadalquivir River.

2nd -

Tenerife, ranked eighth, was dubbed ‘best for sunshine’. With year-round warmth, Lonely Planet exploring Puerto de la Cruz or es caping the crowds at Los Gigantes as well as taking in the stunning views of El Teide, Spain’s highest peak. Copenhagen, The Scottish High lands, Montenegro, Dodecanese in Greece, Umbria, Malta, Latvia and Burgundy were also highlighted.

TOP BREAKS Choose carefully

NOT CHEAP Healthy colour

IT has been revealed that the cost of opening a new restaurant in Spain starts at around €40,000.

But for more ambitious projects be prepared to pay €2 million or more, according to Hostelería de España's Secretary General Emilio Gallego.

He pointed out that while passion drives many aspiring restaurateurs, financial backing and navigating Spain’s complex permit system are significant hurdles.

Gallego said: “These processes are slow and cumbersome,” adding that the paperwork often takes years to be resolved, with different layers of government involved.

The restaurant sector is booming, contributing 6% of Spain's GDP, with 1,432 new independent restaurants opening between 2022 and 2023.

Set sail this autumm with our Candela Marbella Yacht.

Save more than €1,200 a year by going to the right supermarket

SMART shoppers can save up to €1,272 per year if they choose their supermarket carefully, according to a new report from the Organisation of Consumers and Users (OCU).

In a country still grappling with inflation, shoppers buying at Alcampo can make this massive saving, while Madrid residents stand to reduce their weekly food bill the most.

Prices

The study also shows that some supermarkets have actually cut prices for the first time in two years.

Carrefour Express has reduced prices by 0.9%, followed by Lidl (-0.7%) and Aldi (-0.6%), but beware – some, such as El Corte Inglés (+9.7%) and Hipercor (+8.2%), have raised

By Walter Finch

theirs.

Overall, the average price increase across all chains between May 2023 and May this year stands at 2.9%.

Food price rises have been slowing down, although 63% of items increased in price during the 12 months surveyed, coming down from 90% the year before. Sunflower oil has seen the biggest drop at 23%, but olive oil (76%) and orange juice(47%) have increased massively.

Madrid residents stand to save the most, with potential savings of over €4,100 depending on where they shop.

The OCU found that Alcampo hypermarkets in cities such as Barcelona, Murcia, and Vigo

are the cheapest stores.

In contrast, Sanchez Romero stores in Madrid continue to top the list as the most expensive.

The study also revealed that regional disparities in prices are significant.

Galicia, La Rioja, the Valencian Community, and Castilla y LeOn were found to be the cheapest regions for grocery shopping, while Madrid, the Basque Country, the Balearic Islands, and the Canary Islands were the most expensive.

LIDL Spain is set to bring in a new health labelling system to all its products from 2026.

The Nutri-Score system will use a colour-coded scale to show customers a product’s healthiness, Lidl has already implemented Nutri-Score on 50% of its private-label items and aims to cover all 1,700 products in the near future.

Drive

The supermarket chain is also working to reformulate over half of its products to reduce salt and sugar levels, aiming for up to a 20% reduction by 2025 in another health drive.

Wifi, AC, outdoor shower and much more...

Capacity: 12 per, 3 cabins, 2 bathrooms. And a choice of four distinct menus, one vegan, perfect for a fun - or romanticday out on the high seas!

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COUNT PENNIES: They all add up

TOP: Sevilla’s Real Alcazar and (far left) El Teide

THE MAGIC KINGDOM

Autumn is the perfect time of year to fall in love with the town that has a real life Cinderella castle

AS the scorching summer days draw to a close and before the chilly winter weather arrives (and it can get very chilly indeed in central Spain) now is the time to visit Segovia.

Around an hour from Madrid by train, car or bus, the historic city is an ideal day trip from the capital.

Like many Spanish destinations, it has a charming old town, imposing cathedral, impressive views, world famous Roman aqueduct and tranquil walks in the surrounding countryside. And presiding over all its attractions is its alcazar, believed to be the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Cinderella castle.

A replica for Cinderella’s fortress stands at Disneyland Paris, so Segovia could be considered Spain’s answer to a Disney theme park, but with

By Yzabelle Bostyn

fewer screaming children, less tacky decor and no extortionate prices.

Once you hop off the train or bus, it’s about a half an hour walk up to the old town.

I recommend heading straight to the castle as it lies at one of the furthest points from town, meaning you can take a leisurely stroll past the city’s other attractions to go back to the train station.

After a brief walk around the city walls you will arrive at the alcazar

The towering turrets and grand gates will call to mind any fairy tale, but the wonders have only just begun.

To the left of the grass in front of the castle is the ticket office, where you can buy entrance for just €10.

Tickets include the palace, museum and entrance to the tower.

Although I thought it couldn’t get any prettier than the castle’s exterior, I was wrong.

The walk to the castle gives you a flavour of Segovia, as you wander past centuries old buildings on one side and calming views of the town and green valleys on the other. I visited in autumn and it’s truly one of the best times to go as the views are dotted with vibrant reds and oranges as the trees begin to change colour.

ribs

QUAINT: Segovia is full of ancient buildings, with a delight around every corner

The inner courtyards and exhibition rooms are stunning, with arabic inspired carved and gilded roofs, plenty of art and arched windows peeking out onto the countryside.

My favourite part was definitely exploring the castle’s terraces.

Not only were the views over Segovia stunning but the terraces themselves are full of little wonders, including bridges and wells worthy of a fairytale. After the terraces you pass through a museum while waiting for your chance to go up the tower.

Continues on next page

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

MAGICAL: There is more than a hint of Cinderellas’s castle about Segovia’s alcazar

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

November 29thDecember 12th 2023

October 2nd - October 15th 2024

ENCHANTING VIEWS

If the castle hadn’t already given you the itch to sing ‘someday my prince will come’ a la Snow White, perching your chin on your hand while admiring the valleys of Segovia will certainly do the trick.

DAY OUT:

Perched on top of a hill, the vistas of the town are also enchanting and made me excited to spend the rest of my day exploring. After coming down from the tower, I left the castle and snapped some pictures on the lawn outside.

Desperate for a coffee I nipped into the cafe on the left hand side, where I discovered a hidden garden with excellent photo opportunities and

views of both the castle and city. Then, I wandered into the Jewish quarter, with ramshackle tudor-esque buildings and cobbled streets leading to the main square. One thing I loved about Segovia was how quiet it was.

I visited in November last year and found it tranquil compared to similar tourist destinations. Once you reach the main square you will find the gothic cathedral, which is known for its striking appearance, stained glass and art laden chapels.

Around the square there are plenty of cafes, restaurants and ice cream shops that even

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Often referred to as the “Cheers bar” of Andalucía, The Tipsy Mermaid is always ready to meet the needs of its customers. Marc and Alison are dedicated to expanding their business, not just as a café bar but also as a tapas bar (in the next month...work in progress), bringing even more delicious offerings to the table.

Join us for a cozy atmosphere, friendly faces, and a menu that will tantalize your taste buds. Whether you’re looking for a place to unwind after a day in the sun or a lively spot to enjoy with friends, The Tipsy Mermaid is the perfect destination. We can’t wait to welcome you always with a big smile!

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Tuesday-Saturday:10am-11pm Sunday: 10am-9pm Monday closed Puerto Sotogrande, Ribera del Marlin Local 11

tipsysoto

From previous page

GREAT

Yzabelle at the alcazar and (above right) taking in the views

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

tempted me in the November chill.

The Plaza Mayor is quite different from your typical Spanish square, as it is dotted with trees, is an irregular shape and has a band stand in the centre.

After refuelling on coffee or ice cream, wander down one of the side streets heading towards the aqueduct.

Reaching a shocking 28m tall, it is one of the best preserved Roman aq-

ueducts in the world.

You can climb the steps to get an expansive view or simply admire it from below.

I recommend walking along the length of the aqueduct to truly appreciate how it transported water across the city until the 1970s.

As the sun set over the monument it was time to go home.

On the way back, we had some bad luck

and all the bus tickets were sold out and we were forced to take the train. However, you must be careful when booking a train from Segovia as it is quite a confusing system and we were not the only pair at the station convinced we had picked the wrong stop.

Therefore, I would advise booking your travel beforehand, ideally from the nearer and cheaper bus station.

MARVELS: The cathedral and Roman Aqueduct are sights to behold, with the latter still used for transporting water right up until 1970s

•

• Cost-Effective Renovation.

• Durability and Protection.

• Energy Efficiency.

• Modernisation.

NEW LOW FOR LOWLIFES

Pickpockets need to be shamed and punished

thedral after lighting candles for deceased family members.

Of all places for these lowlifes to operate, choosing to steal in a religious place is really taking it to a new low!

I was pickpocketed in Toledo Ca-

Sign of the times

THE Yanx restaurant rooms in Centro Plaza Marbella has ‘Presidents’ on the door indicating the male bathroom and ‘First Ladies’ on the door for the female bathroom. This is sexist as it assumes that US Presidents are male.

In November this year they may have to change the female’s bathroom sign to be ‘Presidents’ and the male’s bathroom sign to be ‘First Gentlemen’.

Marie Miller, Marbella

I lost my ID/residency card, bank cards and medical cards, plus €400.

It’s not only horrible to feel so violated, but also the aftermath is just as bad - the inconvenience, disruption and costs that are involved with restoring all your losses.

Just to get a duplicate ID card is not only like pulling teeth, but is also an expensive and time consuming project.

I am also at the mercy of waiting for new bank cards to arrive, one internationally. Personally, I think this kind of theft should be dealt with much more seriously than just a slap on the wrist.

There are far too many pickpockets worldwide wreaking havoc on people’s lives. The people that were complaining in comments about how the victim was shaming the woman, have obviously never experienced being stolen from.

The thief should be named, shamed and punished in a way that ensures they won’t steal again.

NB, I have been pickpocketed four times in the Netherlands, twice in New York and an attempted theft in Madrid was stopped by the Guardia Civil.

Carol-Anne Abbink, via Olive Press online

Emit away

A MADRID low emission zone designed to improve air quality has been annulled after a court stated that the poor were being disproportionately hit.

The High Court of the Justice of Madrid (TSJM) decreed that the low emission zone failed to comply with the requirement of the European Union’s Court of Justice to respect ‘the principles of proportionality’.

It argued that forcing people on low incomes to buy newer cars meant they faced shouldering an unfair share of the burden.

Currently, 21 districts of Madrid are subject to low emission regulations, which can impose traffic regulations and fines even on cars that do not produce excessive amounts simply because of their age.

Desert warning

PARTS of Spain will have a desert-like climate by 2050, a new study has warned.

Research from the Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya (UPC) into global warming and drought has placed Spain on the frontline of climate change in Europe.

By 2050, they predict that rainfall will decrease by up to 20%, causing drought across the country.

Between 1971 and 2022, average temperatures in mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands have surged by over 3C.

PRESERVE THE RESERVE

A PETITION to reopen the Ojen EcoReserva has reached 100,000 signatures.

The reserve is one of the biggest conserva tion areas in Malaga but was forced to close in 2022 after Jun ta environmental officers found al leged failures in the park.

Since 2016, visitors could spend a day in nature and even pet the animals, which included deer, mountain goats and wild boars.

By Yzabelle Bostyn

The ‘idyllic’ park was a far cry from the landscapes burnt from wildfires that volunteers first restored in

In 2016, local Antonio Calvo came up with the idea of establishing an eco reserve alongside the environmental group Pinsapo and the ecotourism company Andalucia Ecotour.

Then, just six years into their work, Calvo was issued a fine of €130,000

for ‘failures’ in the park and although this was later reduced to €65,200 on appeal, he was still forced to close.

“This is one of the most beautiful projects in all of Andalucia. We were lucky to be able to transform the hunting area into an ecological reserve,” he told the Olive Press.

“We created jobs by protecting nature and have been punished for it.”

Amongst the alleged offenses was storing a 1000-litre water tank on the property, which provided water for the

animals in times of drought.

Despite the three orders he has received to leave the site, he refuses to go, saying the animals ‘cannot survive’ otherwise.

For two years, he has been doing everything he can to get the 350 kilos of food needed to feed the animals when drought conditions make supplies scarce.

The Junta has also announced it wants to sell the park, but cannot do so until a judge gives the green light. Either way, Calvo has no intention of leaving.

Howling with rage

THE EU has declared that wolves should no longer be ‘strictly protected’ despite fierce opposition from Spain and Ireland EU’s Competitiveness Council has approved downgrading their status to simply ‘protected’. This means wolves, whose population has nearly doubled across the EU in a decade (from 10,000 to over 20,000), could soon face more threats, including hunting.

Attack

Farmers have blamed wolves for killing livestock, while European Commission head Ursula van der Leyman, who backs the proposal, has lost her own pony to a wolf attack. But environmentalists are raging. Over 300 organisations, including WWF, have blasted the move, saying wolves still aren’t in the clear and need strict protection. They claim Europe is sending a ‘disastrous’ message ahead of a major biodiversity conference in Colombia. Wolves remain fully protected in Spain, despite the EU’s decision.

The European Commission will take the proposal to the Bern Convention in December, where the final fate of Europe’s wolves will be decided.

DISASTER: for Antonio Calvo and the animals he cares for despite the reserve being officially closed

Buying Barcelona

A REAL estate brand made famous by Netflix series Buying Beverly Hills, has launched a new office in Barcelona.

Led by Josep Turro and Chi Wei Chin, the Barcelona office will focus on catering to both local and international clients in one of Europe’s most vibrant real estate markets.

CEO of The Agency and star of the Netflix show Mauricio Umansky praised the city’s cultural appeal, saying Barcelona’s artistic charm and beaches make it the perfect location for expansion. It joins Spanish franchises in Marbella, the Costa Blanca and Mallorca.

THE Canary Islands are set to ben-

efit from a €14 million package of support from the European Commission to help pay for the thousands of irregular migrants who arrive on the archipelago.

The announcement was made following an official visit to the islands from Margaritis Schinas.

More than 26,000 migrants have so far

Cash support

this year arrived via the Canary Islands. The route between the western coast of Africa and the Canary Islands is widely regarded as the world’s most dangerous migration route, where some 4,808 deaths were recorded in the first five months of 2024.

Credit: Mercedes Menendez

Hands in pockets

THE number of people paid for by the government in Spain now outnumber the number of people working Some 8.21 million people are currently receiving state income through pensions, public sector salaries, or social benefits. This is compared to 17.69 million people earning through private enterprise. It highlights growing concerns over future financial

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More people are now paid by the government than the private sector

By Walter Finch

sustainability, with Spain’s ageing population at the heart of the issue.

The number of pensioners has soared to 9.2 million as of August, equal to 44% of the working population of just 21.6 million people, according to Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE). With only six in 10 people economically active out of a total population of 48.8 million, it means less than half of people in Spain are shouldering the country’s pension payments, which now exceed

TOURISTS visiting Barcelona have been hit by a rise in tax after the city council agreed to increase visitor levies by over 20%.

The Catalan capital, which receives over 12 million visitors annually, will increase its tourist tax from €3.25 to €4 a night on tourist accommodation in a move that is expected to generate an additional €20 million in revenue each year. Currently, Barcelona collects €95

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million annually from the tax, but claims it spends €142 million in tourist expenditure, including additional transport, security and cleaning. The €4 charge is the maximum that can be applied under Spanish law, with local authorities urging the central government to raise the cap further.

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Public Wi-Fi: Don’t get hacked while sipping lattes

Iis excited to announce a partnership with the leading IT security and support company Costa del Sol. This collaboration offers Olive Press enhanced tech support and cybersecurity solutions. will receive exclusive discounts on AnyTech365 ensuring their digital safety and worry-free use Internet-connected device, personal, or within the their small business.

N our hyper-connected world, public Wi-Fi has become a lifeline, especially when travelling or on vacation. Whether at a coffee shop, airport, or hotel, the allure of free internet access is undeniable.

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However, this convenience can come with significant risks, making public Wi-Fi an easy target for hackers. Connecting to an open network can expose you to several potential threats. It’s like offering your personal data on a silver platter to anyone tech-savvy enough to snatch it. Cybercriminals can intercept data transmitted between your device and the internet, capturing sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, and personal emails.

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It’s akin to sending a postcard with your credit card details and hoping it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. Known as Man-in-the-Middle attacks, these interceptions allow hackers to eavesdrop on your online activities without your knowledge, which is about as comforting as a surveillance camera in your bedroom.

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IF you want cheap petrol head to Sevilla. It is the cheapest city in Spain in which to fill up at an average price of €1.54 a litre for petrol, according to a report by parking company ParkVia. It is a significant rise since 2015 when a litre of fuel in Sevilla cost €1.21.

Risen

€12.8 billion per month.

Nearly half of Social Security contributors (46%) are now over 45 compared to 41% five years ago.

Meanwhile, August 2024 data shows that 1.8 million people were on the paro (unemployment benefits), and a further 1.96 million individuals, spanning 649,000 households, rely on the Minimum Living Income (IMV).

The public sector workforce itself has also grown by 12% since December 2023 to over 3.6 million people.

Despite this, Spain's central bank upgraded its forecast for 2024’s economic performance from 2.3% to a eurozone-busting 2.8%. And unemployment has been falling over the long-term, most recently down 1.02% to 11.27% in the second quarter of this year.

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Overall, petrol prices across Spain have risen by 49 cents a litre or 35% since 2015.

Valencia (€1.58) and Las Palmas (€1.61) come in second and third cheapest, with Alicante (€1.63) and Madrid (€1.65) rounding off the bargain top five. Bilbao (€1.71), Zaragoza (€1.70), Malaga (€1.69), Barcelona (€1.67) and Palma de Mallorca (€1.67) are the priciest.

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that’s as trustworthy as a used car salesman in a neon suit. This mimicry, known as an Evil Twin attack, fools unsuspecting users into connecting and opens the door to all sorts of mischief.

Once you’re in their web, they can monitor your activity and snag your info quicker than a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat.

These imposters are like the pranksters of the Wi-Fi world, always ready to mess with those who aren’t paying attention.

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To protect yourself on public Wi-Fi, always use a VPN when connecting.

A VPN encrypts your connection, turning your data into an unreadable mess for hackers, leaving them as confused as a mime in a windstorm.

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A comprehensive security suite, combining all AnyTech365 premium products together with quick issue resolution by certified technicians without onsite visits anytime, day or night, with AnyTech365’s around-the-clock support services, all offered in more than 15 native languages.

Unsecured Wi-Fi networks can be used by hackers to distribute malware faster than gossip in a small town. Once infected, your device can be exploited to steal data or even take control of your system.

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Malware comes in various forms - viruses, ransomware, and spyware - each one more invasive than a mother-in-law asking about grandkids. Ransomware locks up your files like a disgruntled sibling hiding your toys, while spyware snoops on your every move like a curious cat. An attacker might set up a fake Wi-Fi network

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This encryption ensures that even if someone intercepts your data, they won’t understand a word of it, providing an extra layer of security as comforting as finding out your favourite ice cream shop is still open. Ensure the websites you visit use HTTPS, the digital equivalent of putting a padlock on your internet door. Look for ‘https://’ at the beginning of the URL or a padlock icon in the address bar. This encryption protects your information from being intercepted by cyber sneaks, adding an extra layer of security that’s as reassuring as knowing your favourite show got renewed for another season.

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Making a meaningful local impact, AnyTech365 has been a proud title-sponsor of the Andalucía Open tennis tournament, including the ATP 250 tournament in 2021, the biggest sporting event in the region. It has excellent online reputation scores with tens of thousands of end user reviews on Trustpilot (4.8/5) and Google Reviews (4.9/5).

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Regularly update your operating system, brows-

er, and other software to protect against security vulnerabilities. Think of updates as your device’s mandatory spa day - essential for keeping it fresh and protected in a world full of digital dust bunnies. Cybercriminals often exploit outdated software like a cat with a new scratching post, so keeping everything up to date is your best defence. While on public Wi-Fi, avoid accessing sensitive information like online banking or shopping sites. If you must, use your mobile data instead, treating it like your emergency stash of chocolate in a room full of hungry kids. Public networks are inherently less secure, so it’s best to save sensitive activities for more secure connections.

The company and their solutions have been widely recognized and won multiple awards on local, national, and international level such as “The Fastest growing technology company in Spain and the 27th fastest growing company in Europe across all sectors” (Source: Financial Times FT1000), the Andalucía Excellence Award in New Technologies, and others.

The company is currently in the process of becoming publicly listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), with the transaction expected to complete in Q3 of 2024.

For extra security, keep your firewall on and antivirus updated. Firewalls are like internet gatekeepers, keeping out unwanted guests, while antivirus software acts as your digital

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TAKE CARE: Public Wi-Fi is not secure

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British and Spanish Curriculum

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types of construction from A-Z

and

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Far out

A PAIR of clinical trials are taking place in Barcelona to study the use of psilocybin (otherwise known as magic mushrooms) to treat depression.

Researchers at Hospital Clinic are also keen to know its effects on alcohol addiction and anxiety – specifically for those with terminal illnesses who are afraid of dying.

As well as the mushrooms, clinicians are experimenting with the hallucinogens produced by the venom of the Colorado River toad.

The team has hailed the drugs’ capabilities to alter the brain’s ‘plasticity’ and create new neurons and connections, which can lead to new medical benefits where traditional medicine fails.

Feeling Ruffled

Consumer watchdog names least healthy brand of crisps

HEALTH experts have warned against eating a hugely popular brand of crisps.

It comes after the consumer watchdog OCU analysed 331 brands and their products to discover which were the least healthy.

In general, the OCU said crisps are not the most recommended snack as they are ‘calorie bombs’ filled with saturated fats, added salt and in certain flavours, preservatives and colourings. They said the majority of bags of crisps in Spain contain 1.2g of salt per 100g, while some reached as high as 4g.

THE death toll from the West Nile Virus outbreak in Andalucia continues to rise as Sevilla city recorded its first fatality.

The victim has been identified as a local resident with underlying health conditions, although their age and gender have not been disclosed. Health authorities have confirmed four new infections in Seville province, with cases detected in La Cam-

By Laurence Dollimore

However there are two brands which are deemed the worst offenders due to the presence of the E150d colourant and a list of ‘bad’ ingredients. They are Ruffles (Jamon flavour), and Wavy (ham flavour).

E150d, or ammonium sulphite caramel, should be avoided as it is feared to be a carcinogen, said the OCU. The two worst offenders could also pose a risk to your health because they have a smoky flavour.

To achieve this, producers

NILE DEATH

pana, Los Palacios y Villafranca, Coria del Río, and Mairena del Aljarafe. So far this year, eight new cases of West Nile Virus (WNV) have been confirmed across Andalucia, with half occurring in Sevilla province. Elsewhere, cases were recorded in Cordoba, Huelva, and Cádiz provinces.

have to add a series of added flavours which could be carcinogenic. It is why the EU has banned future authorisation of smoky-flavoured produce,

Not so healthy

FIVE coffee-based ‘health products’ have been taken off shelves after the Spanish Food Safety Watchdog (AESAN) found traces of banned drugs, including, viagra in them. Often marketed as ‘detox’ or ‘weight loss’ drinks, the withdrawn products are: Soraya Capsulas, HHS Kuka Cafe, Soraya Slim Coffee Cafe, Lipo Solucion and Te Detox.

although the law is not in effect yet.

Other additives to look out for when buying crisps, the OCU said, are maltodextrins, dairy proteins, yeast extracts (which replace the additive E621 or glutamate) and syrups.

If you don’t want to give up crisps, the watchdog recommends finding a brand which uses the least amount of ingredients as possible –preferably olive oil and salt flavours.

Baked crisps are also a healthier option because they have not been fried, and especially if they do not contain added salt.

Sibutramine is banned in the European Union due to its serious side effects including depression, seizures, heart palpitations and hypertension. Additionally, Te Detox contains sildenafil, also known as viagra, which is banned for use in this type of product. The combination of sibutramine and sildenafil could lead to dangerous side effects such as cardiovascular and metabolic changes. AESAN has advised consumers not to consume the drinks and to get in touch with health authorities if they have.

FAVOURITE: but not very helpful

Shark attacked

A PET dog has been filmed chasing a shark off a Spanish beach.

In a video shared online, the golden retriever can be seen jumping into the sea off Denia in Alicante.

A child can be heard screaming ‘no, perrito!’ (no, doggy!) as the animal swims at full speed towards a shark that is lurking just metres away.

The pooch is seen swimming all the way up to the shark and even nibbling on the end of its tail as its panicked owners beg for it to turn around and come back.

The dog eventually gave up and returned to the shore, seemingly having enjoyed himself immensely.

Tragically, the sharkwhich had caused quite a stir in the area after several sightings - was found dead the next day after being attacked by a swordfish.

O P LIVE RESS ANDALUCÍA

MOUSEJACKED!

Rodent leaps out of airline meal, forcing emergency landing

A FLIGHT from Norway to Spain was forced to divert this week after a mouse ‘jumped out of a woman’s food’.

The drama unfolded on Scandinavian Airline SAS flight from Oslo to Malaga.

Shortly after take off, a woman is said to have ‘opened some food’, from which a mouse ‘jumped out’.

The experience was retold by passenger Jarle Børrestad, who was sitting next to the woman at the time of the inci-

By Laurence Dollimore

dent.

He wrote on Facebook: “Believe it or not, a lady sitting next to me opened her food and a mouse jumped out.

“We have now turned around and landed at CPH (Copenhagen) to change flights.”

Oystein Schmidt, a spokesperson for SAS in Norway, said:

“According to our procedures, there was a change of aircraft

A BRITISH couple’s cheeky attempt at joining the mile-high club has landed them in court.

Bradley Smith, 22, and girlfriend Antonia Sullivan, 20, (pictured) were caught performing a lewd act on an EasyJet flight from Tenerife to Bristol, shocking passengers just minutes after takeoff.

SMILING NOW: But the mouse was a real shock to Jarle and the women in the row

for an inspection.

“It’s something that happens very rarely.”

The passengers eventually arrived at Malaga after switching aircraft in Copenhagen.

SLEAZYJET

Witnesses reported seeing ‘vigorous hand movements’ under a coat on Smith’s lap, with some even catching a glimpse of his manhood.

“We have established protocols for these situations, which also include a review with our suppliers to ensure that this does not happen again,” Schmidt added.

The couple pleaded guilty to outraging public decency at Bristol Magistrates’ Court. The Welsh pair were slapped with 570 hours of community service and ordered to pay €120 compensation to each of the three horrified witnesses. Judge Lynne Matthews reprimanded them, saying, “You had no regard for the feelings of other passengers, including a child sitting behind you.”

Speed demons

POLICE are hunting for a duo who posted a video to social media of them speeding at over 300 kph on the A-7 around Malaga.

Snake attack

A 19-YEAR-OLD hiker had to be airlifted to hospital after being bitten by a viper in the Pyrenees. He was later released. Wasps and bees kill more people in Spain than snakes.

Women first

EXPERTS studying a 5,600-year-old necropolis near Granada have discovered a significant bias towards female burials, with twice as many female skeletons as male. This suggests funerary practices focused on maternal lines.