Olive Press Costa Blanca South - Issue 46 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

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Looking for Cinderella POLICE have issued an appeal for a ‘Cinderella’ thief who left his trainer at the scene of a crime. The wanted man ran away from officers after he was caught drinking alcohol on the streets in Chipiona, Cadiz. He was in such a rush he forgot one of his shoes, as well as a bottle of rum and a bag of ice. Police tweeted a photo of the trainer, hoping someone might recognise it. They joked that they were on the hunt for the ‘little princess’. “We don’t know if the shoe jumped off due to the acceleration of his departure or it was a logistics failure (it was not properly on) but the reality is that that shoe is being well cared for.” They also joked that a man who wears ‘€140 trainers drinks cheap rum from an €8 bottle’. However they added: “Running is for cowards and bad bullfighters and is uncomfortable with a single shoe. “If you run it is because you know you have done something wrong”.

LOST: Cinderella’s shoe

! s r e n n i W

WE have winners of our competition to see the fabulous Paul Maxwell in The Elton John Experience, playing alongside the Malaga Symphony Orchestra. John Cahill and Kirsten Prydz each win a pair of tickets to the show at the Marbella Arena on August 21. They both answered correctly that Elton John has had 69 UK Top 40 hits. You can get tickets for the show at www.corteingles.es or call 0034 633647260 for more information.

COSTA BLANCA SUR / MURCIA Vol. 2 Issue 46

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voice in Spain

August 12th - August 25th 2021

Relax with a book this summer with our guide to the best reads on Spain See page 20

THE GREAT SPANISH TAKE OFF

Cake maker vanishes leaving ‘dozens’ of wedding clients out of pocket

A POPULAR cake maker has vanished after being accused of taking deposits from ‘dozens’ of wedding clients in Spain. The self-professed ‘Queen of amazing cakes’ Omaya Koreitem disappeared after deleting her social media accounts and failing to fulfil orders. One client of her company Cake Couture Marbella claims to have paid €350 for a cake for his big day this summer. Ryan Archie has taken to social media for advice after he heard nothing from Koreitem as the big day approached. “This is leaving us without a cake on our wedding day,” said the

CONTACT +34 711 00 49 70 – howieuk99@googlemail.com

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British groom. “I paid a 50% deposit, which was still a good chunk of money. It was a big cake. “Now we can’t get in contact with them and have had no reply on Facebook, Instagram or by email. “She (Koreitem) is continuing to take deposits and make false promises to couples. This is fraud and is ruining people’s special day.” A Facebook page now set up dedicated to those affected suggests that dozens ‘at least’ have been left out of pocket. Another person affected by the scandal, who asked to remain anonymous, first contacted Koreitem on Facebook when she paid a deposit for a client’s cake but then couldn’t get hold of Koreitem. “No one seems to know what happened,” she said. Another Marbella wedding planner, who wished to remain unnamed, told the Olive Press she and her clients had been left ‘devastated’ by the scam. The 45-yearSALES & RENTALS SPECIALISTS old wedding organiser first Moriara•Calpe•Jalon•Javea•Denia•Altea started working with Koreitem www.moraira-hamiltons.net in 2012 after

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she came highly recommended. The British wedding planner only became suspicious when she received an automated message this year that said Koreitem had changed her number. Two of her clients are waiting on cakes, with a total loss of €725 in deposits. She said: ‘I asked her where she had moved to and she said Saint Martins and that I was welcome to visit anytime. I mentioned Monica was looking for her and she acted surprised but then I said that I also had cakes booked with her and she asked me to send the details as she didn’t recall. ‘Since then she has unfriended me on Facebook, taken down her page on Instagram and is not answering any messages on WhatsApp or email.’

Deception “My clients are devastated as am I. We really don’t need this kind of deception and thieving at any point but even less so when everyone has had such a tough time. “It makes us look bad on the coast.” While a Twitter page and website still exist for Cake Couture, which was set up over two decades ago, the Instagram and Facebook pages for the business have been taken down. Another wedding planner, who had commissioned the company to make several cakes, told the Olive Press that she has apparently changed her phone number to a new one in Guadeloupe in the Caribbean. “It is such a shame as Koreitem was

CRUMBS: Koreitem vanished with the cash the go-to cake designer for very large extravagant cakes,” she said. “I am aware of five wedding companies who have clients who booked cakes with her. “I just don’t understand why she was taking deposits and final payments but hadn’t arranged for anyone to take over the cakes which would have been the right thing to do. “I know many businesses are suffering particularly in the events sector but there are ways of not letting clients down. She should be letting clients know rather than ignoring calls and messages for weeks.” The Olive Press was unable to get a comment from Cake Couture despite various attempts over the past week.

CRIME

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NEWS IN BRIEF Real drag ELCHE police broke up an illegal drag racing session in the Calle Crevillente area with 60 cars and 20 motorbikes at the scene. A 17-yearold boy was arrested for reckless driving.

Brits first ALICANTE province is still third in the national table for the highest percentage of foreigners, behind Madrid and Barcelona. Official 2020 figures show that UK expats made up 19% of foreigners in the province.

Pipe chaos SEWAGE spewed out into several La Zenia streets on Tuesday caused by a fractured pipe at the local treatment plant. Road closures caused delays on the N-332 and routes to Zenia Boulevard.

Swim death A 70-year-old woman died from a cardiac arrest while swimming at Espejo beach in Los Alcazares.

Bad traffick A COMPLEX operation involving trafficking people from Algeria to France has been busted, with 19 people arrested. Vulnerable people were taken from Algeria and promised a better life, by a group who simply wanted to profit from their misery. Victims were held in the Spanish provinces of Alicante, Murcia, Almeria and Girona, before being smuggled into France. The gang lured people desperate to leave North Africa, often in vulnerable circumstances, and transferred them to the Spanish coast using ‘pateras taxis’ (high-speed boats equipped with larger engines) and housing them in one of a number of properties managed by the gang. Once the victims had paid for their onward transfer to France, they were moved from Murcia or Almeria to Girona, where other gang members would take them into France. POLICE and animal welfare council officials have raided an illegal Elche puppy farm that housed 137 dogs. The unregistered breeder had been running his business for several years.

August 12th - August 25th 2021

Right dummy Ventriloquist may have hidden €900 million of illegal assets A SPANISH ventriloquist turned impresario who has rubbed shoulders with A-list stars including Joan Collins and Jane Seymour may have laundered up to €900 million ahead of a move to the UK or USA. Jose Luis Moreno, 74, has been arrested in Madrid as a part of a police probe into an international embezzlement and money laundering ring.

Hot water

He has previously been in hot water when Valencia City Council denounced him and demanded €360,000 after the ‘irregular management’ by his companies of a show staged in the city. Exact details of the latest investigation have been placed under a secrecy order with around 50 arrests being made. Moreno and his business partners have been accused of fraud amounting to over €43 million through a chain of companies.

Dogs saved Investigators tracked down the location of the clandestine breeding operation after intercepting the sale of a puppy for

A-LIST: Moreno, Collins, Seymour and Richards ument detailing Operation By Alex Trelinski Titella which led to his arrest. Cuatro’s programme, Todo es Moreno found fame in Spain Verdad (Everything is True) and South America in the eight- revealed that Moreno may have ies as a ventriloquist and come- hidden as much as €900 mildian making many television lion. appearances. Since then he has Some €1.3 million of albecome an impresario, most re- leged Moreno assets were cently in the news for his part in seized when police stopped a the production of the Glow and French-plated rental car in BarDarkness TV series, starring celona and found the cash in Joan Collins, Denise Richards the boot. and Jane Seymour. TV channel, Cuatro, was sent Hospital a 5,000 page confidential docMoreno has had a busy time away from show business. In €1,200. 2007, an East European gang The owner lacked five key attacked his Madrid area villa, licences and faces a range and besides robbing him, he of penalties. These include needed hospital treatment for fines of up to €18,000 and a serious injuries. Seven years 10 year ban on animal ownlater, Moreno’s recording stuership. dios in four Madrid warehouses were burnt down.

Drugs kidnapping A WOMAN was kidnapped when an Elche drugs deal turned sour. Her boyfriend was selling marihuana to a group in the city when they took his stash without paying him and grabbed his girlfriend. They then demanded a large sum of money to get his partner released. Unable to cough up the cash, he went to police and told them everything. Officers surrounded the Elche address and freed her.

Captors

Her five captors were arrested and 1.5 kilos of marihuana was seized. The kidnap victim and her boyfriend were also arrested for drug trafficking. An operation was then launched to find the other kidnappers and drug dealers at their Vega Baja homes. Three people were detained in Almoradi, Daya Nueva, and Daya Vieja. The 11 detainees, aged 29 to 39, were Spanish, German, Irish, and Romanian nationals.

NEWS

www.theolivepress.es CATALAN singer, Sergio Dalma has got into hot water after he urged his audience to ignore social distancing guidelines. The musician was forced to suspend his gig by organisers after he stopped his set three times in order to instruct fans to break the rules and get out of their seats during his concert in Murcia. Te Amo star Sergio performed as part of the Noches del Malecon series but things turned sour when he encouraged audience members to ignore the restrictions and stand up from

STAR: Dame Joan

Still got it DAME Joan Collins stole the show when she attended a glitzy charity ball in Spain. The 88-year-old and hubby Percy Gibson, 56, were at the Remus Charity Night, which attracts socialites from all over Europe to Mallorca. The Dynasty actor proved to be the star attraction, despite the competing attractions of burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese and American glamour model and actor Carmen Electra.

Proper event

Speaking on social media, Dame Joan declared that she and Percy had pulled out all the stops for the night, as it was the ‘first proper event’ they had been to in a year and a half due to the pandemic. German Real Estate agent Marcel Remus sells luxury villas on the island, with some fetching prices as high as €24 million. He is well known for the charity extravaganza he puts on each year, with this year’s event raising €64,000 for victims of the recent floods in Europe.

August 12th - August 25th 2021

SILLY SINGER their seats during the show. The 56-year-old singer tried to resist safety measures, telling the audience: “We are going to interrupt the concert every time they tell someone to sit down.” As part of the current COVID-19 regulations in Spain all concertgoers must remain seated at a safe distance and wear a mask at all times. Sergio later apologised for his actions.

What a tearjerker

SORRY: Sergio Dalma

COOKING UP A TREAT

Actor Richard E Grant visits expat couple for BBC show

AN EXPAT couple are front and centre of a new BBC TV show uncovering the history of writers in Spain. David and Emma Illsley, who run Las Chimeneas in the little-known village of Mairena in the hills of Andalucia, stole the show when their gorgeous home made an appearance on the third episode of the series Write Around the World.

ARGENTINIAN football legend Lionel Messi broke down in tears as he said goodbye to the club which has been his home for his entire career. He was speaking at a press conference to confirm his departure, and was reduced to tears when members of the press gave him a standing ovation. The 34-year-old has been with FC Barcelona since childhood and has scored an astounding 672 goals in 778 senior appearances since 2003. The six times Ballon d’Or winner had by all accounts wanted to leave the club last year, but was finally ‘persuaded’ to stay when club bosses refused to let him go.

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SPECIAL GUEST: David and Emma met Grant

Gushed

Actor Richard E Grant, who presents the BBC show, gushed about the couple’s cookbook during his visit to the Alpujarras. David and Emma moved to the remote town between the Sierra Nevada and the Medi-

By Kirsty McKenzie

terranean Sea after spending three years teaching English in the Canary Islands with the British Council. But just like friend and author

AT EVERY Olympic Games over the last three decades race walker Jesus Angel Garcia Bragado has represented Spain, hip-wiggling over 50kms while never breaking into a run. But on Friday at the grand old age of 51 years old, after finishing 35 th in the 50km race walk in Sapporo, he admitted it would be his last. “You have to know when it is time to retire,” he said after the race adding that he was hugely grateful to the Spanish

Chris Stewart, the couple were seduced by life in southern Spain and now have two sons, a booming holiday business and a popular Spanish cookbook under their belts. The pair described the family’s television debut as a ‘feel-

THE FINAL LEG Federation for support during his long career. Although the Madrid born athlete has never brought home an Olympic medal despite competing in every Games since Barcelona ’92, he has still made history by become the first track and field athlete to compete in eight in a career that spans 30 years.

good shot-in-the-arm’ that came ‘hurtling out the blue’. They said: “To our complete consternation, we were already able to see episode three, in which we feature for a full ten minutes, with the actor Richard E. Grant waxing lyrical about our book Las Chimeneas: Recipes and Stories from an Alpujarran village. “Even our boys were impressed: after all, this is a man who has shaken the hand of Luke Skywalker! “It’s a quirky and amusing bit of telly, and worth watching if only to see the gentle, rather mystified smiles of our cooks Conchi and Sole as they prepare an al fresco meal for a Hollywood actor and his hungry, drooling crew.”

But having been a free agent since July 1, he would appear to have had a change of heart, and was willing to accept a 50% pay cut in exchange for a new contract. But the parlous state of Barcelona’s finances has meant they can’t keep him without falling foul of the La Liga’s financial fair play rules. Messi has since been signed by Paris St Germain, where he will be reunited with Brazilian superstar and former Barcelona teammate Neymar.

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4 www.theolivepress.es Know the risk ORIHUELA’S Health Department, that covers popular expat areas like Villamartin and Orihuela Costa, has launched a campaign targeted at the young to cut out alcohol and drugs Under the slogan ‘This summer, play responsibly. No alcohol, no drugs’, the aim is to reach out to the young through a series of different posters, raising awareness of the dangers. The area’s Councillor for Health, Jose Galiano said: “Holidays are usually the time of year when most alcohol and drugs are consumed, and it is very important to warn of the dangers from an early age.” He added: “Unfortunately, minors have less perception of risk and are not aware of how dangerous the consumption of these totally harmful substances is.”

A MURCIA man drowned at Cabo Roig on Tuesday when he went into the sea to save his dog. The 57-year-old was on holiday with a friend in Campoamor. They walked up the coast to the cliff area of Cabo Roig with their two dogs. Both pets jumped

NEWS

Godmother bust

Notorious mafia boss known as ‘The Godmother’ arrested on way to Spain

ONE of Italy’s most wanted female fugitives has been arrested attempting to leave Rome’s Ciampino airport en route to Spain. Maria Licciardi, 70, was detained as she checked in her bags early Saturday morning ahead of her flight to Malaga where her daughter lives.

Bat

“She didn't bat an eyelash when the officers blocked her and served the warrant,” said a police spokesman.

Pet rescue tragedy into the water and the men acted instinctively by going in after them despite the rough sea conditions. A wave carried out the 57-year-old man and he was submerged in the water for several

The leading member of the notorious Camorra gang, she is accused of a string of offences including extortion, fraud and auction rigging. Those close to her called her ‘La Madrina’, or The Godmother, while she is also known as ‘la piccoletta’ because of her tiny stature. She is the sister of the late Gennoro Licciardi, who founded the Camorra clan and died in prison in 1994. Police believe she has been running the crime organisation based in Naples ever since minutes. His friend exited the sea without any trouble and called emergency services. A boat sighted the unconscious man at around 9 am and pulled him out. An Orihuela police officer tried to resuscitate him without success. The dead man’s dog survived.

August 12th - August 25th 2021

Slippery customer BENISSA firefighters rescued a 2.5 metre-long snake that had slithered out onto the street from its glass cage. The reptile was spotted on a wall resting next to some fish sculptures on Calle Deis Desemparats. The fire crew caught the snake in a net and it was about to be taken away when its owner appeared to claim his missing pet.

OWL RESCUE

NABBED: Licciardi

her release from jail in 2009. She was arrested in June 2001 and served eight years for a series of mafia-related offences. A major crackdown on the mafia in June 2019 saw the police arrest more than 120 members including the wives of several other members but Licciardi managed to escape. Her arrest came just days after Spanish police tracked down notorious Ndranghete mafia leader Domenico Paviglianiti in Madrid after two years on the run. The Italian mafia gangs are said to now earn more money in Spain than they do in Italy.

ALBATERA police saved an eagle-owl trapped in a mesh fence at an irrigation ditch. The bird was taken to a wildlife sanctuary and will be released once it has recovered. The eagle-owl is one of Europe’s major owl species. Like other birds, it is susceptible to getting caught in wire fences or being electrocuted on a power line.

NEWS

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Second shot PEOPLE in the Valencian Community who missed a COVID-19 vaccine appointment will get a second chance to book a date from today (August 12). SMS text notifications will include a link to pick any day between August 23 and September 19. The system has brought in extra flexibility due to work or holiday commitments. Health Minister, Ana Barcelo, said: “This new opportunity should not be ignored because the vaccine works against COVID-19. “It is the best way we have to cut the chains of transmission of the virus and save lives.” Barcelo stressed that even if somebody without a vaccine felt well, they could still be carrying and passing on the coronavirus.

CURFEWS are set to run into September in the Valencian Community. The regional government yesterday(August 11) asked the Supreme Court to continue night restrictions in 68 of

AN Expat has slammed his insurance company after it demanded receipts for stolen jewellery that had been in the family for 100 years. Brian Snell, 83, woke up one February morning to find his Costa Blanca villa had been burgled and his late wife’s jewellery had been stolen along with cash. The thieves had wrenched away the security grills on the front street and brazenly ransacked the house while Snell slept.

Dismissed

Wife Barbara, who died five years ago, had accumulated a wonderful collection of rings, necklaces and bracelets, some of which had been her grandmother’s. “You can imagine how distressed I was when I woke up to find out what had been stolen and how it was stolen,” explained the former London Railway Foreman. Brian said: “The Guardia were wonderful and so supportive, taking plenty of

WRIGGLING OUT OF IT

Expat despairs at insurance company demanding receipts for 100 year old jewellery EXCLUSIVE By Simon Wade

notes and pictures of everything – they even helped collate the information I needed for the insurance company.” However, his claim was soon to become a nightmare. Despite Snell providing pictures of every piece of missing jewellery, the Santander insurance assessors are still demanding receipts for the €5,000 claim, even though some items are over 100 years old.

Extension expected the current 77 curfew areas. The extension would run until September 6, and there is little doubt that judges will

August 12th - August 25th 2021

approve the request. Valencian president, Ximo Puig, and his colleagues will meet this Saturday to pour over the latest COVID-19 in-

Get your skates on HOT on the wheels of a high-profile Olympic debut for skateboarding, Orihuela has just opened a dedicated new facility. The €55,000 skatepark’ of La Aparecida was opened by the mayor of Orihuela, Emilio Bascuñana.

Park

HAPPY: Brian (right) and Barbara (seated middle) The widower explained: from me and from the Guar“They’ve had all the infor- dia. Now, seven months on, mation they’ve asked for they’re asking for things I just can’t provide.” In despair, octogenarian Snell said, “It’s like I’m going through the robbery all fection rates before over again. announcing what

other restrictions will remain in force. Changes to current rules appear unlikely including the hospitality trade having to stop serving at midnight.

Value

“Barbara’s jewellery was so sentimental to both of us, you can’t put a cash value on it – I’d say it was priceless.” So far, Santander has refused to comment to the Olive Press.

The new park is nine metres long by 23 metres and can accommodate skateboarding, roller-blading and BMX riders in the bowl. Bernabeu promised that this was to be the first of three in the municipality, with others to follow on the coast and in residential areas.

www.theolivepress.es Voted top expat 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

INTERESTING A Dickens of a challenge

BEST OF LUCK! TIMES have been hard for all of us during the coronavirus pandemic. There is no one who has not been affected by the health regulations, lockdowns, stress and sheer inconvenience of the restrictions. Many of us expats in Spain have been unable to visit family and friends in the UK and elsewhere in Europe for fear of becoming stranded should travel restrictions change suddenly. Indeed, the Olive Press itself has suffered earlier in the pandemic with a reporter being stuck in England for months for just that reason. But looking beyond the personal pain we have all felt, the Olive Press is extremely conscious of the suffering felt by expat businesses throughout 2020 and the first part of 2021 – particularly those in the hospitality industry. While the ERTE furlough scheme at least helped workers with a proportion of their wages guaranteed, precious little aid has been given to the owners of businesses. Yes, low-cost loans have been ‘guaranteed’ by the government – but even then we have learned of instances where banks used these to pay off old loans rather than supply new capital to tide companies over. It has been a hard slog – but as can be seen on these pages – expat businessmen and women are a resilient lot. Belts have been tightened, businesses refocused and survival plans put into action. And the more forward thinking entrepreneur’s now find themselves in position to not just catch up on lost ground but to even forge ahead. They have the vision – and energy – to rebuild their businesses so that they are better than ever before. We wish them luck, and hope that our readers will support them in the coming months and years. PUBLISHER / EDITOR

Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es

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INTERVIEW: Sala boss Ian Radford talks to Dilip Kuner

I STRONG: Tracey Faulkner

Lockdown shocker, but now stronger Rumours Formentera was only open for three weeks when COVID struck, writes Simon Wade TRACEY Faulkner loved her local so much she bought it and transformed it into Rumours Formentera in 2020. After working in her native Belfast, Magaluf and in New York hospitality, the 34-year-old had even built a portfolio of how her perfect bar would look. “We’d only been open for three weeks following refurbishment, when lockdown forced us to close,” she lamented. “On that first night, the front window was smashed in and we got broken into.” It was an awful start, but friends and customers rallied round to help fix the damage, after the insurance company’s attempt wasn’t up to scratch. “Steve Howells Transport gave us some strong wood, and my boyfriend got a group together to do a secure job at fixing it,” she said “Those kind actions gave a hint of what was to come from the pandemic,” continued Tracey,

Time

“Getting through December was essential, so we delivered a threecourse Christmas menu for €14.95, which was very popular.” While little money was made, keeping staff in a job and reminding punters that their local was still trading, proved a worthwhile investment. “I feel very lucky to have come through this pandemic, but that’s down to hard work and long hours,” adds Tracey. “Even if customers didn’t order from us, we kept in touch with Facebook videos showing people how to make exotic cocktails.” A new pizza oven meant Rumours could be even more diverse with their menu, and free deliveries meant essential contact with customers was maintained. Tracy concluded: “It’s been a long wait, but the legacy of lockdown is a better business and a stronger relationship with the community.”

T was the best of times, it was the worst of times…it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair. Charles Dickens may have written those words about the French revolution, but they could just as well have been penned for the British boss of the Sala Group of restaurants, Ian Radford, whose situation in Spain has been distinctly challenging over the past few years. Apart from the spectre of Brexit, which has still not settled down, he has had nearly two years of COVID-19 problems to deal with. Speaking to the Olive Press the 52-year-old father of three explained: “Everything was great and 2019 was our best year ever. Things went to another level.” It came after a decade of hard work, which saw him open his seminal La Sala restaurant in 2010 and the nearby La Sala by the Sea in 2008, which was designed and is now run by his wife Claire with the help of son Piers, 19, and eldest daughter Sophie, 27. Daughter Chea at 11 is the baby of the family.

Superstar

Along with the Oak Garden Grill (now rebranded as The Social by Sala) and the Havana bar in Estepona (run by Sophie) they have attracted a big celebrity clientele, including Irish superstar Ronan Keating, Premier League footballers including Harry Kane, Ashley Cole and David Bentley - who liked the restaurant so much he became a shareholder. Then there is Alan Sugar, Jamie Oliver and Prince Albert of Monaco, not to mention

The team behind Triple Brew in Rojales picked up some valuable tips during the lockdown SEASONED restaurateurs Michael and Faith Lindemann actually opened their restaurant and nano-brewery in the middle of the pandemic, November 2020, just as takeaways were being introduced as the only option available. “We took it week by week and news-release by news-release,” explains Michael, who has previously held front-of-house and restaurant management positions in New Zealand.

SURVIVORS: Michael and Faith Lindemann

HAPPY FAMILY: Ian with Claire and Chea

just about the entire cast of TOWIE who have become regulars. This has led to an upward spiral of success - a trend that continued into 2020 with takings up 20% year on year in January and February. But the worst of times were about to strike as COVID-19 suddenly came on the scene. The lockdown from March last year instantly brought the guillotine down on business for three months, with no opening allowed. And even when things opened again the levels were far lower than ever before. “Our turnover in 2020 crashed 70% over 2019. The challenge was massive,” admits Ian, a former professional squash player and keen golfer. “It didn’t help that we had very little help from the government. While the ERTE furlough scheme paid staff 70% of their normal salary,

WE LEARNT A LOT “With the planned wine-tastings and beer brewing demonstrations on hold, we needed to find a different way of bringing customers in. “We worked on making our takeaway menu something special, offering beers and wine samples in smaller bottles and QR Codes meant we could still showcase different options safely.” Knowing how busy the area can get, the summer influx of tourists was really missed. But they discovered that takeaways are still a growing sector and they have vowed to continue with the QR codes as they save printing costs. Faith, who has 20 year’s experience as a headchef in native New Zealand, the UK and in Spain, admitted: “Customers’ loyalty and staff dedication really shone through during the pandemic - that’s a great legacy.” “That support ensured we were still here once the restrictions were lifted.”

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TIMES

August 12th - August 25th 2021

But the high spending power of this summer’s visitors to the Costa del Sol and low-cost loans are helping key expat businesses like the Sala Group survive the pandemic

BUSY: La Sala has had a good August while (below) Ronan Keating and wife Storm with Ian (right)---- and Claire (left)

what a lot of people don’t realise is that we still had to pay their social security contributions. “Guess how much that worked out as? Almost exactly 70% of their salaries. And we had 160 staff! “In effect it was costing the government nothing – the businesses had to pay it… and apart from some small payments we got very little help from the government.” Speaking on the terrace of his flagship restaurant La Sala, he was keen to recognise the tough times his loyal staff have also suffered. “They have had to make do with 70% of their salaries plus they have no tips, which really hurts them,” he points out. Despite the huge drop in turnover the businessman realised that he still needed to invest in the business to put himself in a position to take advantage of the recovery. He has been targeting local trade, improving his terrace to avoid indoor seating restrictions and changed the emphasis of the Oak Garden Grill, relaunching it as The Social by Sala to make it more focused on being a sports bar rather than a restaurant. And the investment seems to be paying off. “We have just had a very encouraging July – business was actually up on July 2019. On

HEN the pandemic storm broke, Stephen Grange and Alex Hemingway bosses of the Oasis in Benijofar weren’t too worried. “When the pandemic hit, we just didn’t know what to expect,” admitted 61-year-old Stephen, a former advertising executive. “We thought it was going to be an enforced two week closure at first, so we took the chance to enjoy a well-earned holiday.” “As we planned for the reopening, we designed

Worth paying for

E at the Olive Press are always keen to talk to our readers to get constructive comments and feedback. After all, without readers – whether for our traditional newspapers or our website and online platforms – there is really very little point to our job. One question we get is 'what do I get for my money – what am I paying for?' Well, what you get is journalism, you are paying for people who excel at storytelling to do the work they love and the job they were trained to do. Being behind a paywall frees us from the tyranny of 'clickbait journalism'. With the knowledge that money is coming in, we do not have to chain our reporters to their desks to chase ever more page views. This means that our national media schooled journalists, including News Editor Dilip Kuner (top) Digital Editor Fiona Govan (right) and Costa Blanca reporter Alex Trelinski (below) who worked at the Sunday Mirror, Telegraph and BBC respectively, can do what they were trained for. Thanks to those people who have signed up for €5.99 a month – or €50 a year – we can afford to free our journalists to do what they do best – get out and about, meet people and report back to you, our readers. So far the takeup of subscriptions has been way beyond our initial expectations – so thank you to everyone who has recognised that quality journalism is worth paying for!

The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are: UK poised to relax travel rules for those 1-doubled jabbed abroad and drop quarantine from amber list countries added in Spain? Yes you can tra2- Double vel to England without quarantine from August 2

top of that we have become more efficient as we had to be if we were to survive. “It is not just us – everyone around here in Banus is very busy. I have noticed that the customers this year have very high spending power. They have the money and they seem happy to spend it.” Adding to the optimism is the way he was able to shore up his business financially. “We did manage to get some low-cost loans – that is something the government can be thanked

new menus and operations to get back to some sort of normality.” “Menus had to reflect what people wanted, and when they wanted it.” Alex, a 52-year-old former teacher and trained chef, added: “Lockdown also made us review a lot of what else needed to change, so there were benefits.” Like many restaurateurs Alex and Stephen had to think outside the box to survive the crisis. “We created a new brand called Oasis Heat&Eat; a

for – so we can pay our 2020 costs off over the next five years. “It means we didn’t have to approach private capital or our investors for money.” And the rest of the year is starting to shape up nicely. “We have managed to hang in there through the bad times. Now we are in position to take advantage of the opportunities that always arise after crises. “We are expecting to finish the year strongly and to have an incredible 2022 – COVID permitting!”

next for the UK’s am3- Analysis: IsberSpain plus travel list These are the rules for travel 4- Reminder: to the UK from amber list Spain Westley Capper implicated in disappea5-rance of Latvian model Agnese Klavina in Spain’s Marbella dies from Covid

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An Oasis in the storm range of wholesome meals to go, that just needed warming at home,” said Alex. Stephen continued: “We did everyday meals, curries, Sunday lunches, and even Valentines and Mothers Day options.” The concept is turning into a new string to their bow. “Certainly the Heat&Eat menu will return in the Autumn as people choose to eat in more and out less,” said Stephen.

“We pride ourselves on being here for everyone, whether it’s a coffee, a nice meal, or just a chat that will never change.” “Those chats have been dominated by three topics in the last five years; the EU referendum, Brexit and then COVID.” “All three have left such a legacy, they will never go away.” “But because of them, we are stronger and more focussed about the future.” NEW THINKING: Stephen Grange

GREEN

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August 12th - August 25th 2021

If we all do a little we will achieve little - the evidence is there

HERE is a worldwide organisation you probably haven’t heard of called the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). Bear with me,this is highly relevant. Formed in 1988, this body provides politicians and Governments every seven years with assessments on the science,the impacts and the potential options for tackling climate change. They are meeting now. Their findings will be shared with the representatives of 195 countries.

Their last report, published in 2013, helped to set the scene for the Paris climate agreement signed in 2015. This report was highly critical of our lackadaisical approach to tackling one of the most critical issues of our time…..climate change. In 2013,its assessment said: “Humans are the dominant cause of global warming.” Interestingly this report had a great impact on younger generations, many taking to the streets to demand effective political response. Has it changed things? In my view only a little.I’ve said before .. If we all do a little we will achieve little. The new report that will come from this meeting that will last a week, held virtually because of COVID, will play a key part in guiding global leaders who meet this November in Glasgow. It will be DAMNING! How can it not be.The evidence is staring us in the face.

Green

Time to wake up!

Matters

By Martin Tye

New report on climate change will be damning

Extreme weather events have shaken Europe, the US, Canada and Asia.

GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER! The IPCC is not just a bunch of scientists. This body is commissioned by governments, and IS unique in the way it operates. More than 200 researchers have been working in groups to gather all the relevant scientifically proven evidence. Nothing is written that is not scientifically correct. The report will have new information on sea levels rising and the state of the Arctic and Antarctic. It will also report on the likelihood of us holding the

global rise in temperatures to 1.5C this century. It will also review how governments are tracking against agreed targets set in the Paris climate pact. For sure Spain will not be crowned in glory. Time for the politicians to ‘walk the walk’. Relevant and strong lyrics come to mind from a track released in 2018 by the Black Eyed Peas (pictured left) called Ring the Alarm. “Wake up! I wanna say what’s on my motherf***ing conscious The whole world right now is f***ing bonkers” Anybody else agree with these sentiments?

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A PIONEERING maritime Sea’s first coral nurseries across nursery has been created on several zones. the Andalucia coast to rescue SOS Corals co-ordinator, Marirare coral damaged by fishing. na Palacios, said: “This colony The SOS Corals Project has has hundreds of endangered been set up in Almuñecar’s specimens because they are Punta de la Monta conserva- very vulnerable to nets, hooks, ALSOlines, traps and other fishing tion area. The mixture WE of local rocky and sandy seabed gear, which kills them off.” INSTALL features high numDivers and volunteers bers of endangered started mapping SOLAR PV PANELS species, including out the location the orange coral of coral coloand the candenies. The team labrum coral. created areas The water of around 50 quality, the square meunderwater tres where up relief system to 250 kilos of and marine rubbish, almost currents have all from fishing, combined to create was removed. the right conditions Just one plot had in the area for coral to 200 metres of rope, 300 thrive. metres of netting, and a three The candelabrum coral is espe- kilometre length of fishing line. cially rare and normally flour- Eight out 10 corals were damishes in depths of more than 50 aged and they have been inmetres. dividually cleaned up by the However, the Punta de la Mona divers before being transferred has seen up to 1,000 speci- to colony areas. SOS Corals has mens develop at just 30 metres. set 2025 as a target for a fulDamage caused by the fishing ly-healthy coral zone with five trade has prompted the setting ‘safe’ nursery plots being creatup of one of the Mediterranean ed over the next few months.

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22/01/2021 17:03:05

NINE White-tailed Eagles are to be released in the first step of a plan to reintroduce the species to Spain. The birds are being housed in an acclimatisation enclosure in Asturias having arrived from Norway, before being released into the wild. The scheme is being led by Spanish conservation group GREFA and follows the restoration of Bearded Vulture to Asturias. Norway has been key to the reintroduction of the species to several countries where the eagle had gone extinct. These include Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of Wight in England. The Spanish birds have been fitted with GPS transmitters so scientists can keep track of them in the coming months.

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LETTERS

Follow the law… Dear Olive Press, house here in WE have been coming to our years and al20 over for te) can Cabo Roig (Ali in 180 day rule, ways complied with the 90 day er concerned. even though the Spanish were nev have been here In fact, several of our friends years with no 20 over for ly ous tinu virtually con problems. e subsequentHowever, since Brexit, most hav some of our But t. den resi lly lega me ly beco nish citizens friends do not want to become Spaa little longer stay to t wan but occasionally may od. than the 90 days in a 180 day peri nged (i.e. 90 cha not e hav s rule the xit Bre Since citizens and EU and UK to lies app day rule still country for EU ther ano in be all can only legally It does appear 90 days in a 180 day period). e EU citizens that there is discrimination as som ly apply to real not s doe it ng sayi are openly not enforcare ies orit auth them, as the Spanish British. This is ing the rule excepts towards the rimination. obviously unfair and blatant discthe rule but it I have no real problem with no discriminashould be enforced for all with tion. stay in the UK I understand that EU citizens canunfair. is this k thin and ths for six mon

Name and address supplied

Giving us a bad name PERHAPS you should have asked Mr Lewis why he has been living and driving in Spain for 20 years on a UK licence as he states in your article. This is an act which is illegal in Spain as he is driving with an invalid licence and illegal in the UK as he must have renewed a UK licence when a non-resident. Perhaps if he followed the law in the first place, he wouldn’t be in this situation now. Seriously, he and other British immigrants who think they are above the law expect sympathy when all they do is give the law abiding residents a bad name. Lucie, Axarquia

Editor’s note: You raise a good point, but it only fair to point out that many UK citizens in the past had a ‘lifetime’ licence. As the old regulations only required UK citizens to exchange their licence for a Spanish one on expiry, Mr Lewis may not have needed to at the time, although he should have notified the UK authorities of a change of address.

Hard to sympathise MY wife and I have lived in Spain for 16 years and we know just how trying, slow-moving and frustrating Spanish bureaucracy can be. But we find it difficult to sympathise with the gentleman who now must take a driving test in order to retain his driving licence. Your article refers to him living in Spain for 20 years so his licence should legally have been exchanged for a Spanish equivalent many years ago.

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NEWS IN BRIEF Lux-living GERARD Pique’s family investment company has secured a deal worth around €50 million to build a five-star hotel in a prime Malaga location.

Man down SPAIN’s top golfer, Jon Rahm, is out of the Olympics after he tested positive for Covid-19. He was vaccinated earlier this year with Johnson and Johnson.

No jackpot POLICE in Sevilla have arrested a 39-year-old man while he was robbing a gambling saloon wielding a knife.

Fire death AN elderly couple died in a raging fire in a two-storey house in San Lucar de Barrameda (Cadiz).

August 12th - August 25th 2021

ANDALUCIA’S vaccination programme has opened up to 18-year-olds. Since yesterday, all 18 and 19-year-olds - those born in 2002 and 2003 - resident in Andalucia, can apply for the COVID-19 jab. And from tomorrow (Thursday) those born

NEWS

July 28th - August 10th 2021

JABBING THE YOUNG

in 2004 and 2005 (17 and 16-year-olds) will also be eligible for their first COVID-19 vaccine dose. Appointments can be requested from authorised groups according to the vac-

cines available. They can be requested directly on the Andalucian Health Service (SAS) website via ClicSalud+, through the mobile app and the Salud Responde telephone number

Licence to ill

A BRITISH expat has been told he has to retake his driving test Brit must take driving test to get a in Spain after the authorities licence despite registering before claimed he never registered in the system prior to the cut-off Brexit.. And he’s not alone date. This is despite Jeff Lewis insist- his Gestoria, which said it was EXCLUSIVE ‘unable to help people’ change ing he called the special number By Katherine Brook 060 and registered his intent to their licences after December on change his licence on December 18. He has since been to his local “I the system’. 11. drive a 2L motorbike so it’s But after hearing nothing from DGT (Department General de not a simple exchange for me,” the Trafico department the Trafico) office multiple times Lewis told the Olive Press. Londoner sought advice from to try and prove he did indeed “To gain a licence for my motorregister, only to be told he ‘isn’t bike I have to do both a car driving test and a motorbike test. “And even then I still won’t be able to use it as the licence only allows you to drive a scooter. I STUDENT Pilot Oliver Daemen became the world’s youngest would have to wait another two person to travel to space at the age years before I could take a third the One Air pilot school in Malaga. of just 18, after training at test just to be able to drive as I The Dutchman joined billionaire Jeff have been in Spain for the last Bezos, and 82-year-old Wally Funk Bezos, his brother Mark 20 years.” ‘60s and now the oldest woman to(part of Mercury 23 in the go to space) on the Blue The 50-year-old believes he Origin mission. is one of ‘thousands’ of expats The New Shepard Rocket took off from struggling to obtain Spanish performed a suborbital flight, reaching a desert in Texas and a maximum altitude of driving licences due to ‘faults in around 107km (351,210ft). the system’. Daemen obtained his licence at the Malaga pilot school in British residents actually had March, and was invited on the monumental trip. until December 30 to register in order to carry out the simple

To infinity…

(955 54 50 60) and also at local health centres. Immunisation for young adults will be carried out with the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, of which 308,880 doses of Pfizer and 91,600 from Moderna are expected to be delivered to the region this week.

GUTTED: Jeff Lewis driving licence exchange before the Brexit deadline. For those who had registered before this date and are still awaiting their appointment,

Two-way terrific DOUBLE jabbed expats travelling to the UK may soon be able to do so without having to quarantine. The news comes after reports in the UK media suggested Spain may escape being put on the dreaded amber-plus list. UK Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi confirmed the government was working hard on a scheme to offer quarantine free conditions to those who have been fully vaccinated abroad.

Reciprocal

“We want to offer the same reciprocity as the 33 countries that recognise our app and that will also happen they now have until October 31 soon,” he said without very to exchange their British licence mitting to a deadline. comfor a Spanish one. The exemption from quarantine for those arriving from amber list countries currentExchange ly only Lewis isn’t the only one who’s were applies to people who had difficulties proving he reg- and vaccinated in the UK have an NHS COVID ceristered on the system. tificate or digital pass. Chrissy Sims insisted her hus- A decision band registered his driving li- amber-plusto put Spain on the list, which would cence in November and still has mean travellers having to the call log - 24 minutes. self-isolate on arrival in the Similarly, Ben Alford was also UK, is expected to be made told there was ‘no record’ of on August 5. him, even though he had a It is believed more likely that printed confirmation PDF. France will come off the amber list than Spain going on it. Have you had similar issues? Contact newsdesk@ See Olive Press plea to theolivepress.es Sky News, Page 7

If he has lived in Spain for 20 years then his UK licence will have been renewed at least once, maybe illegally, as the life of a UK licence is 10 years. The backlog of most things ‘Brexit’ related, especially residencia and driving licence issues, were well reported via all the free We pick up and deliver websites for most of 2020 so, knowing press and government right long-winded your door. these procedures can be, why wait until three how to weeks before the cut-off date? Order online It is not fair to blame Spain and its lovely people when the fault Flat rate pricin does not liegwith them. Branded laundry bags Terry Pilcher, Oliva

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But Mr Lewis is not alone in being caught out…. mrk liin. com 690 849

277 Me mrkltoo iin

MY partner and I used a gestor in Fuengirola last June to obtain our residency. All went smoothly and we were very happy with his services. We then decided we would like him to exchange our licenses, this he agreed to and we sent him photos of our licences. This was last July. He then emailed us on many occasions saying he was having trouble getting an appointment in Malaga. We kept asking whether he had registered us with DGT and he said we should have some good news soon. Come January we hadn’t heard from him. We emailed him on many occasions asking what the position was. Finally in March he responded denying all knowledge of us although we have all his emails saying he was dealing with it. He was a well-respected gestor. I have a feeling we are not the only ones. J.Murrell, Fuengirola

OP QUICK CROSSWORD Across 8 Not for money (3,4) 9 Elevate (5) 10 So soon? (7) 12 "Oleanna" playwright (5) 16 Parliamentary output (4) 19 Kind of entertainment channel (5,2) 20 Gentlemen's preferences, maybe (7) 21 Partial darkness (4) 24 Vesicles (5) 27 A girl's best marriage prospect (2,5) 29 Middle Eastern heights (5) 30 In name only (7)

Down

OP SUDOKU

Just unfair

Our article about Jeff Lewis (Licence to Ill) and his driving licence woes drew a critical response from some readers

1 Spread out lazily (6) 2 Take a loan (6) 3 Prolonged unconsciousness (4) 4 £25 (4) 5 Metric mass unit (4) 6 Thin layer (4) 7 Euro fraction (4) 11 Crack a cryptogram (6) 13 Modify (5) 14 Roof overhang (5) 15 Vituperative person (6) 17 Forced to turn and face attackers (2,3) 18 Talent-spotter (5) 22 Imploring (6) 23 Small boiler? (6) 24 Minor but essential workers (4) 25 River sediment (4) 26 Opposite/hypotenuse (4) 27 "I had not thought death had undone so --- " (Dante Alighieri, "Divine Comedy") (4) 28 City of Seven Hills (4)

All solutions are on page 20

LA CULTURA

Film on

THERE may only be seven registered inhabitants in the small village of Ascaso, Huesca, but that hasn’t stopped it from putting on a film festival every year. This August, the film festival returns from August 31 to September 4, and is set to be bigger than ever, as it celebrates its 10th birthday. A hugely important event for the village, the film festival has an economic impact of around €100,000, and is a way of putting the small towns of Upper Aragon on the map. The quaint village currently has no electricity in the houses but by the end of 2021 residents will finally be given power. During the festival, nine films will be shown: five feature films and four shorts.

August 12th August 25th 2021

Cache in hand Enormous hoard of Roman weapons discovered By Alex Oscar

Archaeologists have uncovered a large cache of Roman weapons and tools in the protohistoric settlement of Son Catlar, Menorca. A statement released by the University of Alicante revealed that the cache held Roman ‘weapons, knives, three arrowheads, spearheads, projectiles, surgical tools, a

IMPORTANT: Son Catlar site and some of the hoard bronze spatula probe, and so undergone its fifth season of on’. excavation following a year of Some of these items date back inactivity due to COVID, is a as far as 100 BC. fort surrounded by an 870m The dig site, which has just wall, the largest Talayotic settlement in the area. The settlement, pending approval to be a UNESCO site, was a Talayotic (ancient Menorcan) and then later Roman stronghold, during the In Algar, a pueblo blanco with 1,428 resPunic period (264-146 BC). idents just inland from the coast in Cadiz According to Heritage Daiprovince, Andalucia, pulling up a chair outly, Son Catlar was originally side your front door to shoot the breeze with founded between 2000-1200 your neighbours at the end of a long hot BC and was occupied until summer day is as vital to daily life as col476 AD, the end of the Roman lecting a barra in the morning and taking a occupation. siesta in the afternoon. The director of the excavaJose Carlos Sanchez Barea, the Popular Partion, Fernando Prado, even ty mayor of Algar saw an opportunity to enspeculates that the walls of courage the practice - known in Spanish as the settlement may have had charla al fresco - that he believes is essential a special religious connotato community spirit and general wellbeing. tion. He said: “We are going to begin the process Gateway to cities were associto have charla al fresco awarded World ated with the God Janus, the Heritage status,” he announced. god of transitions, time and beginnings.

A RIGHT CHARLA A SLEEPY town wants to elevate the long held tradition of having a neighbourly chat on one’s doorstep into a UNESCO recognised cultural activity that deserves preservation.

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THE MOST PROFESSIONAL DISTRIBUTION NETWORK ON THE COSTAS ENSURES AN EFFICIENT AND GREEN SERVICE FOR THE OLIVE PRESS

he Olive Press has always invested heavily in ensuring that our copies are readily available for our growing legion of readers. We work hard to achieve our target of zero returns, ensuring we do not waste money or paper, which is an ever important factor for our environmentally-conscious readers. Since 2019 we have employed the services of Self Select Media, the UK market leader in charge of distributing hundreds of free papers and magazines, including the Evening Standard, Metro and Time Out! The team that now has a company in southern Spain has analysed the region and strategically placed our stands within the main supermarkets and major expat hangouts around the costas. This highly targeted process ensures that you can conveniently pick up your favourite read easily every two weeks. To keep in line with our green philosophy it also allows us to closely monitor our distribution and how it ebbs and flows depending on tourism and trends.

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LA CULTURA Following in lorca’s footsteps 12

OET Federico Garcia Lorca was murdered on August 18, 1936, during the first stages of the Spanish Civil War. He became a martyr and a legend. The most translated poet in the Spanish language, his work is venerated wherever it is read. However, there are still aspects of his life that are not very well-known. One of them is his connection with la Alpujarra. S o m e years ago, the council of Pitres erected a monument in its main square comme morating the visit Lorca made to

August 12th - August 25th 2021

Carlos Pranger takes a step back in time to walk the hills of La Alpujarra with poet Federico Garcia Lorca and composer Manuel de Falla the village in 1932. It consists of a photograph of Lorca standing in front of a Y-shaped tree and an extract of a letter to fellow poet Jorge Guillen, which reads in part: “Here I am in Pitres, a village with no voice, or pigeons from the mountains, crucified on the Y of the tree.” It is hard to know what to make of this remark. The presence of Lorca in la Alpujarra is a matter of some uncertainty as he did not write much about the mountainous region. But there are a few letters, postcards and photographs that prove he was a regular visitor until 1934, two years before his tragic death. His first contact with the area was with the spa town of Lanjaron, the gateway to la Alpujarra. Federico’s mother, Vicenta Lorca, was ill with a

liver condition and a doctor prescribed a treatment of water from the town’s Capuchina fountain, famous for its curative properties since Mozarab times. Therefore from 1917 until 1934, the Lorca family spent a few weeks every year in Lanjaron at the Hotel España, which stands to this day. Federico’s first written testimony about Lanjaron that has survived is a postcard dated August 17, 1924, to the Cuban diplomat and poet Melchor Fernández Almagro. “What an admirable place. You should come to visit this paradise. I have found curious romances and tales.” One of Federico’s favourite places was Lanjaron’s Moorish castle and he posted numerous postcards of it. In one of them, sent to the critic Sebastian Guash, he descri-

bes Lanjaron as: “Sierra Nevada, which means that you are in the heart of Africa, at the entrance to la Alpujarra. The most incredible fantasies develop in the most serene and logical way.” One activity he enjoyed was the regular excursions to the nearby sierras with one of his best friends, the priest Juan Padial, who showed him the beautiful Castaño Gordo and the Barranco de las Adelfas.There, on top of the mountains, the view on clear days was incredible; the sea lay in the distance with the mountains of Africa beyond and below was the vega de Lanjaron, cultivated with cereal, fruit and olive trees, all irrigated by the network of irrigation channels. In a letter to artist Sebastian Guasch, Federico writes: “In Lanjaron, oh mountains! Oh

TRAVELS: Lorca (above) amongst villagers in la Alpujarra and (inset) his musician friend Manuel de Falla

orange trees! I am reborn to your friendship.” But the poet also had time to work and to find inspiration in the manner people talked. For him, they are the descen-

dents of the Moriscos. “No doubt that here the nostalgia is anti-European, but it is not oriental. [It is] Andalucia.” In the evening, after a long day, there would be a dance

LA CULTURA

in a salon of the Hotel España and Federico would play the piano. Lanjaron acted as a base for Federico and his excursions deeper into la Alpujarra. In the 1920s, Federico was an assiduous participant of one of Granada’s most famous gatherings, El Rinconcillo, which took place in the café Alameda. The participants were some of Granada’s leading intellectuals. One of the most famous was the musician Manuel de Falla, who soon made friends with Lorca as they were both interested in folk music. In 1922, Federico wrote a letter to Falla mentioning la Alpujarra as a wonderful place to search for old folk songs. “Maybe we could take the Cristobicas to its villages,” said Federico. Las Cristobicas was a puppet show for children.

Lanjaron and la Alpujarra in Granada, on a two-day influenced Lorca’s work and, excursion to the region. “I while he was there, he wrote did a little excursion to la Aland edited poems such as La pujarra. It took us two days. I casada infiel, Reyerta, Reyer- have never seen anything so ta de mozos and San Miguel. exotic and mysterious. I can’t Federico was also inspired believe that it is in Europe.” by places like Orgiva, whe- But he also saw the dark side re Falla loved talking to the of the villages, the Guardia people and getting lost in the Civil often ruled their inhabistreets. Lorca describes Orgi- tants with cruelty and brutaliva in a letter to ty, especially the surrealist paingypsies, a race ter Salvador Villagers were Lorca respected Dalí as ‘a myth and loved for often treated of fresh water in their flamenco a glass of pure culture. brutally and crystal’. He had heard cruelly by the The most imthat a Guardia portant testiCivil had pulled Guardia Civil mony from Lorout with some ca’s excursions pliers the teeto la Alpujath of a hungry rra is a letter to his brother gypsy who had stolen a hen. Francisco, who lived in Paris Maybe these stories inspiat the time. Federico was red one of his most famous invited in 1926 by Manuel poems, El romance de la Segura, a professor of law Guardia Civil or Cancion del

August 12th - August 25th 2021

HOME FROM HOME: The house where Lorca's family stayed on their trips to Lanjaron

gitano apaleado. Travelling with Falla in the search for folk songs, Lorca visited the villages of Carataunas, Soportujar, Pitres and Haza del Lino. But there is another area of great importance. According to the writer and journalist Rafael Gomez Montero, at Christmas 1926, Lorca stayed in a cortijo close to the hamlet of Bayacas. Lorca biographer Ian Gibson also mentions this excursion. Cortijo Montijano was in an area of Bayacas known as ‘Pollo Dios,’ between Ca-

rataunas and Orgiva. The Sortes Cave, which was inhabited by gypsies, was also nearby. One night, after dinner, Federico and his friends listened to some coplas sung by the son of the caretaker of the cortijo. One of the songs about infidelity immediately caught their attention: Que yo me la llevé al río, creyendo que era mozuela, pero tenía marío. Lorca was challenged by his friends to write something inspired by this copla. From this he produced La Casada

Infiel, which became part of the Romancero Gitano. Over the years, la Alpujarra has exerted an attraction on many people and Lorca’s letters, postcards and photographs show that he was also under its spell. Not only was he attracted by the landscape, but the people and their culture. A large part of his visits to the region will probably always remain obscure due to the lack of material. If he had lived perhaps he would have written something more substantial about the area.

BUSINESS

Bargain motoring

FOR the first time in five years, diesel is over 14 cents per litre cheaper than petrol. This represents a saving of over 10% for those filling up with diesel, and in general, fuel consumption is lower in diesel-powered vehicles than petrol. The average forecourt prices in Spain as reported by the EU are €1.264 per litre for diesel and €1.408 per litre of Euro-super 95 petrol. The difference of 14.4 cents is the widest reported since May 2016. This is an increase of almost three cents since the beginning of 2021. In general, diesel-powered cars emit fewer CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions than petrol-engined vehicles, but are worse for air quality due to their particulate emissions.

SPAIN’S economic growth after the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic has helped the eurozone out of recession. The EU had suffered a double-dip recession when two successive three-month periods showed a worrying drop in productivity. However, with both Spain and Italy showing growth of 3%, the entire region has been bolstered by an overall 2% in growth. Sources have revealed that up-to-date figures suggest growth occurred in all the EU countries involved in the research, albeit at different levels. But after the economic devastation caused by COVID-19 and var-

LOOKING UP ious lockdowns, the eurozone is still 3% down from its pre-pandemic level in the fourth quarter of 2019. Austria and Portugal also showed signs of strong recovery with Spain’s neighbour reporting an even healthier 4.9% expansion in its economy. Andrew Kenningham, chief Europe economist at Capital Economics was diplomatic with his view that Portugal’s recovery reflects, ‘a slightly less disastrous tourism season than Spain’s’. Germany and France have rebounded from the

August 12th - August 25th 2021

GOING CASHLESS

What you need to know about Spain’s ban on cash payments over €1,000 SPAIN has introduced a new rule to outlaw cash payments of over €1,000 for registered companies and professionals in part of a clampdown on tax fraud.

recession slower, but still showed increases, with 1.5% and 0.9% respectively. Figures released show that household spending made an important contribution in France, Germany and more so in Spain. Kenningham predicted that by the end of this year, growth levels will be close to pre-pandemic levels, but the gap will still be there. The USA has closed that gap, but unemployment is still high stateside. By contrast, the new eurozone figures showed the number of people gaining work increased by more than 400,000 in June alone.

The regulation applies to payments involving registered businesses and professionals as part of an on-going battle by Spain’s tax office to prevent undeclared economic activity and tax fraud. That means it only applies if ‘the transaction involves one member who is acting in a business or professional role’. So for example, you can only pay the mechanic who fixes your car up to €1,000 in cash but if you sold your car to a private buyer, there is no limit.

Rules

However, the rules are different if the person paying isn’t a tax resident in Spain. So for individuals who are visiting and are not working in a professional field in Spain, they can make cash payments of up to €10,000 to a Spanish company or for professional services.

By Fiona Govan

The measure is part of a wider EU move to crackdown on money laundering that could see a cap in cash payments set at €10,000.

TAXING MATTERS

ITH Brexit still fresh in everyone's minds, and a number of changes surrounding visas and the end of freedom of movement between the UK and the EU, the topic of residency, especially tax residency, can seem like a minefield. So how does tax residency work, and how will it affect Olive Press readers? Well, If you are a UK national and you live overseas with no intention to return to the UK to live, then you will only pay income tax on your UK income. However if you are an overseas national, then you will need to consider your residency status.

The Sufficient ties test, which looks at your connections to the UK, will help establish whether or not you can be considered as a tax resident. A sufficient tie test takes into account the following;

The first step is to see if you are an overseas resident and you can do this by answering three simple questions

● A UK resident who is a close family member - eg. a spouse or partner ● Available UK accommodation in which the individual has spent one night during the tax year ● Substantive UK work (Employed or Self-employed for at least 40 days, working for a minimum of 3 hours per day) ● Present in the UK for more than 90 days during either of the previous two tax years ● If the UK is the county that you spent the most time in during the tax year - this will be considered if you were resident in any of the previous 3 tax years.

1. Are you present in the UK, for less than 16 days in the tax year? 2. Are you present in the UK, for less than 46 days and have not been a resident in the previous three tax years? 3. Do you work overseas full-time and are not present in the UK for more than 90 Days in the Tax Year? If the answer is yes to any of these questions then you are automatically an overseas resident.

The new rules in Spain include penalties for those caught failing to comply. Fines imposed by the tax office increase incrementally according to the amount paid in cash over the permitted €1,000.

Apari helps explain how tax residency works for UK nationals living in Spain

● Your Sufficient Ties (otherwise known as connections to the UK). ● the amount of time spent in the UK ● what your previous residency status was in the UK A sufficient tie, or connection to the uk, can be determined by the following;

The automatic UK test, comprises a further 3 questions;

Days Spent in the UK

Previously Resident

Less than 16 Days

Automatically Not Resident

1. Are you present in the UK for 183 days or more in a tax year? (spending any day past Midnight is classed as being present in the UK for a day)

16 - 45 Days

Resident if 4 UK Ties or more

So how does residency affect you? Well as a UK resident you will pay tax on both your UK Income and Overseas Income - but this also means that you are eligible for the UK tax free personal allowance. Not Previously Resident If you are a non-resident then you will only be liable Automatically Not Resident to pay income tax on all income arising in the UK. Automatically Not Resident

46 - 90 Days

Resident if 3 UK Ties or more

Resident if 4 UK Ties or more

2. Is your only home in the UK?

91- 120 Days

Resident if 2 UK Ties or more

Resident if 3 UK Ties or more

121 - 182 Days

Resident if 1 UK Tie or more

Resident if 2 UK Ties or more

183 Days

Automatically UK Resident

But what if you answered no to all of the above? Well then this leads us onto the Automatic UK test.

3. Do you carry out full-time work in the UK? But it doesn't end there - if you still answer no to all three of these questions, there are still steps to consider.

The below table will help to determine your sufficient tie test outcome - this can affect your residency.

APARI has been developed to support people with any resident status - you can sign up for free at www.apari-digital.com today and start Making Tax Doable!

952 147 834

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21/6/21 10:12

PROPERTY

PRICEY LIVING

MAP: Shows cost of living across Spain NEW data reveals the huge differences in cost of living across Spain, with Madrid and Barcelona proving a whopping 30% more expensive than in the cheapest urban community. A report from the Bank of Spain that compares average salaries with rental prices, services and goods in each urban community revealed just how much more expensive it is to live in Madrid or Barcelona. The report shows that in these two cities, the cost of living is 20% above the national average and 30% more than the very cheapest place to live, which turns out to be the twin cities of Elda-Petrer, inland within the Alicante province in the east of Spain. A map to illustrate the report shows that outside of Madrid and Barcelona which are the only cities designated as red, the cost of living drops but is still marked as reasonably high (amber) in provincial capitals of Zaragoza, Malaga, Cordoba and Sevilla. Those regions with cities considered to have the lowest cost of living include Valencia, Extremadura, Murcia and Galicia.

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August 12th - August 25th 2021

Good times are back VALENCIAN property developers have recovered pre-pandemic levels of business. The Valencian Federation of Construction Businesses (Fevet) this week confirmed that the sector suffered a severe setback in 2020, with numbers of companies and employed workers falling drastically as projects - especially public contracts - were cancelled or put on indefinite hold throughout the region.

Developers are getting to prepandemic levels of activity

ON THE UP: Construction is gaining momentum In addition, job figures are also said to have climbed by 7.7%, with more than 92,350 workers currently employed

Upmarket demand AEDAS Homes has begun work on its upmarket Amaire development at Nou Nazaret in Sant Joan d’Alacant. The area is well-positioned to beaches at San Juan and Muchavista and a short drive from Alicante City. The firm says that it has already pre-sold 94 properties, which is around 60% of their planned builds. AEDAS promotions manager, Aurelio Perea, said: “The big demand for these types of home shows that people value modern and innovative architecture along with spaces for teleworking and generous-sized terraces and garden areas.” Up to 96% of the buyers are coming from within Spain and many are local to Alicante Province. “We have received a magnificent response to the properties,” Perea commented.

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in the trade. Spokespeople for Fevet insist on the importance of capping the ‘excessive increase’ in prices of raw materials and energy, which encumbered the sector’s recovery at the beginning of this year.

Unbalance

Continuing yet another tradition of their annual retreat, the Sanchez family are expected to stay at La Mareta Palace, which boasts panoramic sea views and is surrounded by lush gardens and giant palm trees, this week. The palace was built in the late 1970s by King Hussein of Jordan, though the Hashemite monarch never stayed there. In fact his son was the only member of the Jordanian royal family to use the residence when he enjoyed his honeymoon on the lavish estate.

The cost of steel, copper, wood and aluminium is said to have shot up on a global scale due to an unbalance between supply and demand, with a surge in consumption on behalf of China and the USA. Another problem reported by developers is a lack of qualified, professional workers, with analysts predicting a possible abandonment of projects if urgent solutions are not found soon.

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AS the weather heats up across Spain, Pedro Sanchez is planning his summer vacation. The prime minister will be staying at a luxury resort in Lanzarote. The Sanchez family have spent almost every single summer and Christmas on the Spanish island.

Retreat

Figures

However, Fevet has revealed that at the end of June there were 15,630 construction-related companies registered in the Valencian Community – 5% more than at the same point in 2020 – many of them so-called ‘small and medium-sized businesses’, or pymes.

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BARCELONA City Council has become the first council in Spain to impose a penalty for ‘real estate racism’.. City bosses fined a real estate agency and landlord €45,000 for refusing to rent a property to a man from Morocco. Refusing to rent property to anyone based on their race has been illegal since the start of 2020 but this is the first time a fine has been issued in Spain. Computer engineer Redouane Mehdi reported racial discrimination to the Office for Non-Discrimination after he was denied the right to rent the property in Barcelona. Mehdi said after weeks of his calls going unanswered he was told that the landlord had given the property to another tenant. It comes as research by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration revealed that people who are not originally from Spain are being discriminated against in the rental market.

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL Amber light SPAIN’S tourism industry welcomed the British government decision to keep it on the amber list, allowing those who are fully vaccinated to enter the UK without the need for quarantine. The changes that were announced by the UK’s Transport Secretary Grant Shapps came after weeks of speculation that Spain might be heading for an ‘amber plus’ list or new ‘amber watchlist’, both scenarios which would seriously deter tourists from visiting. But instead the current rules as regards travel to the UK from Spain will be maintained until the next review in two weeks. Confusingly, the Department for Transport said that ‘arrivals from Spain and all its islands are advised to use a PCR test as their pre-departure test wherever possible’. This is despite the fact that the official regulation allows people to use the cheaper lateral flow antigen tests.

CORKER! By Katherine Brook

A SPANISH vineyard has beaten the world’s finest to be named the best in the world to visit. Herederos Marques de Riscal has been given the accolade by online drinks retailer, The Bottle Club. Fifteen vineyards from around the world were ranked on a scale of 0-90, taking in different variables like the year established, size, distance to nearest city, cost of tour,

Spanish bodega named best in world to visit

bottle price, Google review, accommodation, Instagram hashtags and variety of wines

FRAUD ALERT THE Spanish Organisation of Consumers and Users (OCU) is warning holidaymakers to be careful when renting holiday homes in order to avoid falling prey to fraud. Common tricks used by con men include posting adverts for non-existent properties and pocketing the deposit, phishing - posing as companies or official government bodies to obtain personal information - and offering accommodation that is in much worse condition than advertised. If any money has been handed over for a non-existent property and the company does not offer customers the chance of making a refund claim, victims are urged to report the case to the police or the Guardia Civil cybercrime department. When the conditions of an apartment are not as agreed, the client is entitled to make a claim either to the owner – if rented directly with no intermediaries – or to the internet platform or agency used. According to the OCU, cases of fraud have shot up due to a rise in the number of holidaymakers renting apartments and chalets instead of staying at hotels.

available. The highest score was awarded to Spain’s Herederos del Marques de Riscal, in Elciego, with 71.6, over 12 points higher than Bodegas Salentein in Argentina, which came in second place with 59.2. Next was Antinori nel Chianti Classico, in Italy (59.1), followed by Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte in France (58.4), and Delaire Graff Estate in South Africa (55.5). Other countries to also make the top 15 list include Austria, Chile, New Zealand, Portugal, Uruguay and Germany. In last place was Catena Zapata, in Argentina, with a score of 46.3. Herederos del Marques de Riscal began operating in 1858, and was the largest vineyard in the study, spanning 985 hectares. Tours of the vineyard start from €19 and they have a variety of red, white and rose wines available.

August 12th - August 25th 2021

BENIDORM GETS JAPPI SIX Benidorm tourist, leisure, and hospitality groups are to offer low season holiday packages to entice visitors to the resort. The new online push is called the ‘Jappi Experience’. It follows on from last autumn's ‘Benidorm Resort’ initiative offering cut price accommodation and meals. That scheme was marred by regional border closures introduced in late October followed by New Year curfews and hospitality shutdowns, all caused by COVID-19 restrictions. A motorhome decked out in the Jappi logo and symbols of the city's six participating groups will travel around Spain and Portugal to advertise the initiative. The Abreca hospitality association’s Alex Fratini said: “Clients booking accommodation can also buy meal vouchers redeemable at bars, cafes, and restaurants that are Abreca members.” Over 60 Abreca establishments have signed up to the scheme with the aim to get over 100 businesses involved. “Being a Jappi customer, you will also get exclusive discounts on shops, nightlife, and excursions in Benidorm,” added Fratini. “The concept was first suggested over a decade ago and it has now come to fruition because businesses need to increase their turnover when they need it most, which is in the winter,” he added.

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

August 12th - August 25th 2021

Looking for somewhere to cool off this summer? Visiting southern Spain’s amazing caves tell the story of early human culture, with Shannon Chaffers

of the imagination

HE first human inhabitants of Spain were hunter gatherers who lived in the mouths of caves scattered around the country. One remnant of the era, which has led to some of the most significant discoveries about early human life, is cave art. Forget the stalagmites, stalactites and underground lakes, in caves around Spain, pot holers, explorers and residents alike have discovered paintings of animals, ships, and more abstract figures dating back to the Neolithic and, in some cases, the Paleolithic time periods. While

WORLD: of stalactites is a stunning setting for the art of our ancestors

some of the most famous examples, like those in the Cave of Altamira,

are closed to the public, southern Spain is home to its fair share of cave

HORSES: See more than 100 paintings in the stunning Altamira cave

LEARN: Remains and art have led to significant findings about early man

art available to the public. Many have been designated UNESCO heritage sites. Starting in the southeast corner of the country between Almeria and Murcia, look out for Cueva del Gabar and Cueva SPOTTED: Cave art dating back to the Neolithic era is a wonder de los Letreros, both of to behold and gives an insight into early man which are located near tening underworld of sta- the cave have led to sigVelez Blanco. For those looking for an lactites and stalagmites, nificant findings about adventure, viewing the sprouting and dripping these settlers. And, as paintings in Cueva del into weird and wonder- the name suggests, the Gabar requires a rope and ful formations, with each cave hosts one of the ladder to scale a sheer flight of stone steps the most important bat colorock face with the help eerie caverns get more nies in Spain. You can visit via a guided tour. of a guide. For a more low impressive. key experience, you can Heading inland to Ardales Cadiz province is also reach Cueva de los Letre- is the Cueva de Doña home to considerable ros via a kilometre walk Trinidad, which is a kilo- cave art. For example, metre and a Cueva del Bacinete, in from your car, half in length, the Alcornocales Natuwhere you’ll c o m p l e t e ral Park, near Los Barrifind renderIt is a with tunnels os, has cave paintings ings of huand lakes. A that range from 3,000 to mans, birds, marvellous guided tour 6,000 years old. animals that glistening will take you Next, Cueva del Muro, date back to paintings located in the Estrecho around 4000 underworld of to from about Natural Park, near GibralBC. stalactites 20,000 years tar, includes cave paintShifting westago, includ- ings of horses that are ward to Rining those of more than 20,000 years con de la Vicold. deer, goats, and fish. toria is Cueva del Tesoro. Earning its name from a Near Ronda, the Cueva legend that it contains de la Pileta, in Benaojan Centuries hidden treasure, the cave is a popular spot. A guidhas been the site of a ed tour through the cave centuries-long, as yet will allow you to observe Finally, Cueva de Laja unsuccessful treasure over 100 paintings from Alta in Jimena de la hunt. You can also visit a the Neolithic time period. Frontera, boasts unique room where Roman aris- While there, you can also cave paintings, includtocrat Marcus Cerassus spend time in the cave’s ing those of ships that allegedly hid for eight vast chambers which passed through the area months after fleeing boast fascinating rock during the first centuries formations. of the first millennium from Rome. Nearby is one of Spain’s In Zuheros, near Cordo- BC. You can also catch most famous, la Cueva ba, the Cueva de los Mur- a view of the Rock of Gide Nerja, which boasts cielagos (bats) is a cave braltar from the cave. the world’s largest sta- system known for its dis- Visiting any one of these lagmite; a 32 metre high tinctive cave paintings, caves will afford you a column verified by the as well as its archaeolog- new perspective not just Guinness book of world ical record of human set- on the wonder of nature, tlement in the Neolithic but also that of human records. It is a marvellous glis- period. The remains in history.

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

August 12th - August 25th 2021

LA B O DE

lys

panishwine

Sunshine in a glass This is what makes Spanish wine so special, write Matthew Desoutter and Benjamin James

PAIN’S a big place, we all know that. Europe just behind Switzerland. That means At over 500,000 km2 it’s over twice you can find grapes growing in all sorts of the size of a country like Great Brit- different places: from way up high at above ain but with about 20 million fewer 1,500 metres in the Canary Islands, to right people. With big chunks of the population down by the seashore in Galicia. concentrated on the coast, that means With climate change forcing up average the Spanish interior is full of temperatures pretty much everywhere, winemakers being wide open spaces and not that able to grow grapes at altimany people. Spain has a tude is a good thing. As the There’s also a lot of vines. In pure numbers, it’s got more range of wine temperature drops the higher up you go, planting grapes at hectares of vine planted than styles few higher altitude helps ensure any other country in the world – close to 1 million hectares countries can the grapes have longer to ripen which helps make for fresher, at the last count. This means match more balanced wines. Spain is one the world’s big These changes in altitude wine-producing countries; mean Spanish vineyards can every year it can churn out about 44 million hectolitres of wine, which also have really diverse climates, from the is about 6,000 million bottles to you and me. wet, damp North-West, where fighting off So all those stats are interesting, but what is diseases like mildew and getting grapes it about Spanish wine that makes it special? to ripen properly can be a challenge, down Well for us here at Simply Spanish Wine, one to the hot, dry South-East where as we all of the key things that makes Spain so differ- know temperatures can reach over 40ºC in ent is diversity. the summer months. First of all there is diversity of landscape. Re- All those different climates have a real immember, Spain is a very high country. With pact on how grapes are grown and wine is an average altitude of 600 metres above made and ensures Spain has a fascinating sea level it’s the second highest country in range of different wine styles which few oth-

er countries can match. Another thing the Spanish wine scene has really got going for it is its people. We’ve spent many years driving round Spain meeting winemakers from all over, and we’ve always been struck by what a diverse bunch they all are. Lots of them are surprisingly young. There’s a big demographic change going on, as the next generation takes over vineyards and bodegas from their parents, or sometimes even their grandparents. In lots of cases, this is a conscious career choice – we’ve met lots of young Spanish winemakers in their thirties, for example, who faced with a choice between city life or going back to their family’s more rural roots, chose the latter to pursue their winemaking dream. There are also lots more women winemakers on the Spanish wine scene now than there used to be. Sometimes they are car-

rying on the family tradition managing famous, well established wineries, like Maria Jose Lopez de Heredia at Bodegas Lopez de Heredia Viña Tondonia in Rioja, while others like Paola Medina Sheldon at the Williams & Humbert sherry house in Jerez de la Frontera oversee the winemaking process on a daily basis. Between them, these new winemakers are shaking up the Spanish wine scene. They might be recovering ancient vineyard plots, rediscovering native grape varieties, or experimenting in the bodega, reworking traditional practices like whole bunch fermentation - stalks and all - to get fresher, more complex wines, ageing their wines in concrete eggs or clay amphorae instead of wooden barrels, or focusing on organic or biodynamic winemaking. Wherever you are, there’s a huge amount going on and loads to discover. If you’re a fan of wine, you’re living in the right country!

Matthew Desoutter and Benjamin James are the pair behind Simply Spanish Wine, an online community for wine lovers who want to learn more about the amazing wines of Spain. Check out the website: www.simplyspanishwine.com

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

12 books about Spain for your holiday reading list, with Shannon Chaffers

UMMER in Spain usually brings with it the opportunity to get out and explore the country. But even if the pandemic forces you to stay put this year, don’t forget that something as simple as a great book can transport you to the world’s most interesting places. With that in mind, here are 12 books about Spain to check out in the remaining weeks of summer. Ranging from historical investigations to action-paced thrillers, each provides a unique insight into life in this rich and varied country.

THE ALCHEMIST by Paulo Coelho

HIS internationally renowned tale of an Andalucian shepherd boy who sets off on a hero’s journey in search of hidden treasure is both heartwarming and fulfilling. Coelho’s writing offers both inspiration and wisdom to power you into autumn.

MADRID AGAIN by Soledad Maura

nother modern-day novel, this tells the story of a Spanish woman torn between the life she has made for herself in America and the family she left behind in Madrid. When she decides to become a historian to discover her family’s past, a whole new journey awaits, and it’s one you’ll want to take with her.

GALICIAN SONGS by Rosalia de Castro

witching genres, this book of poems about Galician traditions and culture will shed light on the particular experiences of the Galicians in northern Spain. De Castro is seen as the founder of modern Galician literature, and with her work only recently being translated into English, reading her poems is a great opportunity to immerse yourself into the oft-overlooked Galician way of life.

August 12th - August 25th 2021

LITERARY SUMMER

DON QUIXOTE by Miguel de Cervantes

erhaps Spain’s most famous novel, Don Quixote is widely considered to be a foundational text of Western literature. Written in two parts in the early 1600s, it follows the trials and tribulations of a nobleman who, inspired by tales of chivalry, decides to become a knight. Its varying narrative styles and engaging plotlines still holds up centuries later, and it’s a mustread for those interested in the roots of Spanish literature.

THE ORNAMENT OF THE WORLD: HOW MUSLIMS, JEWS, AND CHRISTIANS CREATED A CULTURE OF TOLERANCE IN MEDIEVAL SPAIN by María Rosa Menocal

f you are interested in learning more about the Real Madrid-Barcelona rivalry, Spanish Vignettes is your go-to guide for this and other important elements of Spanish culture. American expat Norman Berdischevsky covers 34 topics in a fun, digestible way that is perfect for newcomers to Spain.

hen it comes to contemporary novels, you can’t go wrong with this one, in which a mother must confront the past she left behind in Sevilla when she returns with her daughter years later. It makes for a feel-good read that’s perfect for your summer holiday. To find out more, check out the author’s online interview with the Olive Press.

I D

unne’s work is a bottom-up narrative focused on football. The Irish journalist goes beyond the dominant Real Madrid/Barcelona narrative and dives into Madrid’s working class club, Rayo Vallecano. Providing insight of the club’s neighborhood pride and anti-fascist roots, he achieves a unique blend of sports and history that lovers of both will find captivating.

ialing back the clock, Ernest Hemingway’s 1940 novel set during the Spanish Civil War is regarded by many as one of the best novels written about the war. Drawn from his experiences covering the conflict for an American newspaper, this gripping tale centres on an American fighting with a Spanish guerilla force as a member of the International Brigades. It is just one of Hemingway’s books about Spain: The Sun Also Rises and Death in the Afternoon are also worth checking out.

DRIVING OVER LEMONS by Chris Stewart

Quick Crossword

SUDOKU

his light-hearted, witty memoir offers another accessible avenue into Spanish culture. Former Genesis drummer Chris Stewart describes how he and his family adjust to their new life in Spain after buying a remote farm in Andalucia on a whim.

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THE INTERNATIONAL BRIGADES by Giles Tremlett

FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS by Ernest Hemingway

OP Puzzle solutions

Down: 1 Sprawl, 2 Borrow, 3 Coma, 4 Pony, 5 Gram, 6 Film, 7 Cent, 11 Decode, 13 Amend, 14 Eaves, 15 Abuser, 17 At bay, 18 Scout, 22 Urging, 23 Kettle, 24 Cogs, 25 Silt, 26 Sine, 27 Many, 28 Rome.

THE ORANGE GROVE by Rosana Ley

WORKING CLASS HEROES: THE STORY OF RAYO VALLECANO, MADRID’S FORGOTTEN TEAM by Robby Dunne

f you are looking for a non-fiction approach to medieval Spain, this historical narrative will do the trick. As the title suggests, Menocal details the relatively peaceful coexistence of Muslims, Christians, and Jews in Spain that lasted for 500 years during the medieval era. Offering lessons for the present day, it makes for a fascinating historical account as well.

Across: 8 Pro bono, 9 Raise, 10 Already?, 12 Mamet, 16 Laws, 19 Cable TV, 20 Blondes, 21 Dusk, 24 Cysts, 27 Mr Right, 29 Golan, 30 Nominal.

SPANISH VIGNETTES by Norman Berdichevsky

his historical undertaking makes for a great pairing with Hemingway’s novel, telling the full story of the International Brigades who fought against Franco in Spain. A bottom-up investigation by the Madrid-based British journalist sheds light on the complicated, fascinating, and chaotic experiences of these anti-fascist fighters.

GARDEN BY THE SEA by Merce Rodoreda

n enthralling work by one of Spain’s great Catalan writers closes out this list. This novel follows the lives of a wealthy family and their friends who spend their summers vacationing at a villa on the Meditteranean. Told through the eyes of their gardener, this sun-soaked, carefree story evolves into a tension-filled mystery when a wealthier family moves in next door.

HEALTH

Third time’s a charm

CAREHOME health workers are asking to be given a third shot of the coronavirus vaccine. The president of the Círculo Empresarial de Attention to People (CEAPS), a group representing care home workers, has said a third shot of the vaccine can protect staff and residents in homes against mutations of the virus, including the Delta variant. President Cinta Pascual said: “The vaccine does not protect 100% and with this fifth wave it has become clear that the third dose is totally necessary. It should be mandatory.” Pascual is also calling for the government to introduce a clear protocol of action for care home residences and said that telling the elderly to isolate in their rooms and cut off visitors ‘is not an option’.

August 12th - August 25th 2021

Seeing red Time to drop tax on tampons

MINISTER of equality Irene Montero has said the tax applied to sanitary products, nicknamed the ‘tampon tax’, should be abolished in Spain. Montero is calling for the 5% levy applied to items such as pads, tampons, menstrual cups, nappies and other hygiene products for dependents scrapped. It is a controversial law because the IVA (value-added tax) that is applied to the sanitary items means they are classed as luxury items - a rule that has been called ‘sexist’ by many people. Women’s rights campaigners have been fighting for years

to put an end to the tax and earlier this year the UK was able to get rid of the ‘Pink tax’ because it is no longer

The group said that clinical trials had not been cancelled but had been merely postponed until the AEMPS fully evaluates the vaccine’s safety. The vaccine produced by the National Centre for Biotechnology has been regarded as ‘promising’. The formula was going to be tested initially on 112 people via a programme co-ordinated by Madrid's Hospital de la Paz. Full clinical trials would have rolled out to as many as 30,000 test subjects.

subject to European Union rules on sanitary products due to Brexit. An EU directive meant the rate could not fall below 5%. VAT on sanitary products has been levied at various rates since 1973. Montero said: “The next Budget should be a Budget centered around the reconstruction of the country and feminism is key to that. We should not have another tax system that punishes women or the tasks they assume. “Menstruating is not a choice and neither is it a choice that a baby uses nappies during their first years of life or that an older person also needs them.”

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would result if left untreated. A specialist was referred for assessment, who confirmed Lisa’s diagnosis and Joanne underwent surgery to have the skin cancer removed. No further treatment is required, but Joanne will continue to have six-month check-ups with the specialist. Lisa stressed that it is important to contact an optometrist if you have any concerns about the health of your eyes or your vision and to have regular check-ups.

SPAIN’S Health Minister, Carolina Darias, has rejected using the EU COVID-19 certificate nationwide to allow fully-immunised people into indoor hospitality and leisure venues. Carolina Darias said: “The EU COVID certificate is a legally approved document for EU travel purposes but we would need a new national law for it to be used in a different way. “The regions already have powers to regulate indoor capacity of bars and clubs and have produced their own documents that show whether someone has been fully vaccinated or got a negative COVID test,” she added. Areas like Andalucia and Galicia are already using the EU certificate for entry to venues like clubs, but the Valencian Community has held back as it feels it would discriminate against people who have not been vaccinated yet.

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CALL: Irene Montero wants tax scrapped

NOT MONKEYING AROUND AUTHORITIES have stopped clinical trials for a Spanish-developed COVID-19 vaccine following media reports that a monkey developed a lung lesion during testing. Over 100 volunteers were set to get the first test jabs of the new formula, but Spain's medicines agency (AEMPS) postponed their injections due to safety concerns. The Higher Council for Scientific Research denied suggestions that the decision was prompted by test results on the macaque monkey.

OPTICIAN Lisa James, was happy to help when she was approached by her sister who was suffering redness in one eye. However, she discovered something quite sinister, for sibling Joanne had skin cancer. Lisa, also director of Specsavers Opticas in Guardamar, had concerns when her sister sent a selfie. She studied the image, and although the redness was of little concern, Lisa noticed a lesion near the eye, which she suspected was a common type of skin cancer called basal cell carcinoma, also known as rodent ulcer. Joanne was advised to visit her doctor, as damage

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COLUMNISTS

A GREAT WAY TO MEET PEOPLE AND ENJOY YOURSELF WE expats have a penchant for quizzes on the Coast. I attended one recently and the questions involved determining the drawings and flags of individual countries. I was quietly outraged when I saw three people at a nearby table consulting their phones with clear colored flags in view. This is just not cricket. I summoned over the quizmaster and they were dutifully told off. As it happened they came last so their efforts were far from rewarding. We have many pensioners living here and I believe it is a great way to get out and enjoy yourself. Not only are quizzes fun but they enhance your memory, reduce stress (unless you are on my formidable team of seasoned quizzers where I torture myself with indecision) but most importantly a good quiz connects people. If you are sitting there twiddling your thumbs then go and find out where your local quiz is and even if you are on your own then take the bold step to try it - I have often invited people of all ages to my table and they have thoroughly enjoyed themselves. I won my last quiz with an amazing team and that is what it is all about - teamwork. It brings people together. We had a superb time and I learnt new and useful facts to progress in my quiz future. Sometimes the correct answer just pops into your brain without much forethought. How did I know where Del Boy lived in Only Fools & Horses? On the other hand whenever I get the question Where is Mount Ararat without fail I get it wrong. Either way, I have a good time and it is the experience more than the win. This is the medicine we all need after our annus horribilis so get out there and just give it a try! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Lisa Burgess

August 12th - August 25th 2021

EVER since I read the Erich von Daniken book, ‘Was God an Astronaut?’, I have always wondered if aliens really existed, and the recent US government report on UFO activity reinforced my curiosity. Now, thanks to the bloke who plays snooker with my mate’s uncle Harry, all has been revealed. The man is in touch with an alien whistle-blower. Well not exactly, ‘in touch’, but as he is the product of his mum being abducted by an alien (others say it was the milkman), he receives the odd birthday and Christmas card from his estranged space father.

Affair or alien abduction?

OLD HAC K IN THE SUN Benny Davis

Ramblings of an 80-s omething

expat

Anger

But recently, in an apparent fit of anger and frustration, Daddy ‘Greenblob’ decided to breach the wall of intergalactic security by revealing certain facts to his snooker player offspring. China was not the culprit for the outbreak of COVID. According to our whistle-blower, it started in a Yorkshire Chinese take-away. Evidently the owner, another surrogate space birth who was being financed by the Alien Federation, defaulted on

his repayments. So as any decent organised crime boss would

have done, they injected a minute dose of COVID on a set of chopsticks.

YOU CAN KEEP IT

Once more onto the beach? No thank you, says Giles

UMMER is here and like the much maligned and misunderstood lemmings of popular folklore most of Spain flocks to the shoreline every summer August is of course the high point and one can hardly move for tattooed and frequently topless teletypes sunning themselves. I, however, do not do the beach. There are several reasons behind this. The most obvious is the fact that, as you may know by now, I live in splendid semi isolation on a lake. I have little need to cool off or dip my tootsies in the Mediterranean when I have a huge body of water right in front of me.

Great Added to that is the fact that packing for the playa is always something of a hit and miss affair. More often than not one always forgets some small yet vital piece of beach equipment, from bat and ball to factor 40. Living on the lake with my entire house behind me means that everything I own is within 30 seconds walking distance. No brainer. Then there are the crowds. The beach in August, even in the middle of a pandemic, still sees the usual suspects lying next to each other like boquerones fritos. Even worse is the thought of a beach club. Don’t get me wrong - I used to love lazy hazy days of summer afternoons and evenings in a slightly shabby chringuito. One of the great specialties of a Spanish summer is a well timed siesta. Snoozing at any modern beach club in summer is a nigh on impossibility due to the frazzled and frenzied crowds frotaging against each other. There is bound to be a live DJ, saxo-

phonist or, even worse, electric violinist belting the latest summer hit (I’m thinking of inventing my own massive LED decorated triangle to compete with their din). The other thing that I miss about the beach is the informality. Now beach bars are more like open air nightclubs, I was once famously barred from one beach club for writing that it was a beautiful place where beautiful people did beautiful things to each other and the permatanned orange octogenarian with the sniffling alabaster skinned 18-year-old Eastern European was merely a proud uncle treating a favourite niece to a day on the beach. That didn’t go down well with the owners. Oh, and did I forget to mention. The sand gets EVERYWHERE!

The idea was to infect one customer with a mild fever, as a Health and Safety ‘frightener’ on any future non-payments. Unfortunately, the purchaser was a Chinese national, who the following day returned to his home in Wuhan. The catastrophic end result is now history. Feeling extremely guilty, the aliens decided to contact the US intelligence service, and warn them to take immediate action by administering a proven antidote. Unfortunately, all their attempts at communication were met with a recorded message saying, ‘We are sorry, but the CIA cannot answer your call at the moment.

Alternate

All our agents are busy studying new reports on UFO sightings to determine if there is alternate life in the universe.’ You may think I have entered a world of fantasy with this so-called report, and you would be right, but when you have lived as long as I have and witnessed so many extreme scientific leaps and bounds over the years, nothing would surprise me in this crazy, rapidly changing world of ours. FOOTNOTE: According to Wikipedia, many thousands of people across the world claim to have been abducted by aliens. That’s one helluva milkman – or?

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FINAL WORDS

Shut out SPANISH football striker Alvaro Morata was forced to sleep at a hotel after his wife accidentally locked him out of the house. Worse yet, his team, Juventus, had just lost 3-0 to Barcelona.

Winging it WATCH out for American-style chicken wings by La Cocinera, which have been recalled after certain packs were mislabelled, leaving out a key allergen ingredient, milk!

expat

voice in Spain

August 12th - August 25th 2021

Not snickering now

A BIT EARLY

Jelly big! A GIANT species of jellyfish that can reach a whopping 40 kilos has been spotted off the coast of Andalucia. Researchers believe the increase in ‘jellyfish blooms’ could be down to global warming.

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Fountain mania

A HISTORIC fountain, dating from 1790 in the centre of Malaga has been used as an impromptu bathtub. A man has been captured on camera bathing in the Fuente Los Cristos, The image shows a man, dripping suds into the drinking water - at least with the decency of wearing Speedo-style swim trunks. The image has triggered various comments, many of which slam the fountain user. “This cannot be allowed. We need quality tourism.” said one twitter user.

SUMMER may still be in full swing, but in the north of Spain, Christmas preparations have already arrived. The festivities have started early in Vigo in Galicia after the city started to string up its Christmas lights.. Mayor Abel Caballero said that the council is committed to having the ‘best Christmas in the world’ as 11 million led lights were installed across the town

Christmas decorations going up to ‘boost tourism’

Bite

Trees

The city council is decorating more than 350 streets and has ordered more than 1,000 trees - over double the number they had last year. In an attempt to boost tourism to the area, the city has said this year will be ‘bigger and better than ever before’ and boasted that the display will be the greatest in the world, putting the likes of New York, London and Paris to shame. The city also plans to erect the tallest tree in the world, a

SNICKERS Spain has found itself in a sticky situation after an ad for the chocolate bar was branded homophobic. Now the company has apologised and pulled the 20 second TV advert featuring Spanish ‘influencer’ Aless Gibaja. In it, the long haired and famously camp Gibaja (pictured above) is at a beach bar with a friend where he asks a waiter for a ‘sexy orange juice with vitamins A, B and C.

ATTRACTION: Vigo illuminations

By Kirsty McKenzie

ski slope and a gigantic Ferris wheel, which is normally one of the main attractions of the display. Home to Europe’s largest fishing fleet, Vigo’s Christmas lights have been a great draw in previous years.

But visitors will have to wait before they can view the illuminations in their full glory. While the €1 million decorations are going up now, it is thought that they will be officially switched on in November, with visitors arriving en masse for the switching on ceremony at the end of November.

The waiter gives him a Snickers ice cream. After taking a bite, Gibaja turns into a macho short-haired bearded man with a deep voice (above left). “Better?” the friend asks. ‘Better,’ the bearded man replies. Snickers’ slogan then comes across the screen: “You’re not yourself when you’re hungry.” This did not go down well with the LGBT State Federation. It tweeted: “It is shameful and regrettable that at this point there are companies that continue to perpetuate stereotypes and promote homophobia. We are here if you need training!”