Olive Press Costa Blanca South and Murcia Issue 147

YOU’RE EATING WHAT?

Forget Michelin stars and caviar, we are going back to basics in Madrid with 10 traditional suggerstions of where to eat

SEE PAGE 14

HOUSING MESS

ESTATE agents in Spain have criticised proposals that could hit British and other non-EU buyers in the country. They claim Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s 12-point housing plan will create ‘confusion’ and likely put off buyers.

In particular, they slammed his proposal to double the tax paid by non-EU residents.

The scheme aims to promote public housing and solve the growing rental crisis.

Sanchez insisted the law, to begin in 2026, was necessary due to ‘an excess’ of Airbnb rentals and ‘a lack of properties’.

“Our obligation is to prioritise homes for locals over tourist use,” he stated. “We will make a change so tourist apartments are taxed as a business so they will pay the same as hotels.

Speculation

“We are also going to limit the purchase of homes by non-EU non-residents who buy about 27,000 houses annually, mainly for speculation.”

To do this the government is considering plans to raise by 100% the tax levy paid by non-EU residents who buy a second home.

This will follow April’s end of the Golden Visa scheme - the residence permits for foreigners who buy houses for more than €500,000.

To fight fraud, the government is also planning to tighten the regulation of seasonal rentals.

A fund will also be created for Spain’s 17 regions to apply for money to increase inspections of tourist properties to ensure they are licensed.

“This scheme is only likely to create confusion in the market,” claimed boss of Marbella’s Panorama, Chris Clover. “And it might deter some individuals from purchasing in Spain.”

Meanwhile, Adam Neale at Terra Meridiana, in Estepona, described it as ‘moronic’ and added: “The 12-point plan should have read: ‘Build more social housing 12 times’.”

AN Olive Press campaign against a lethal painkiller drug has won a key victory.

Manufacturers of Nolotil - blamed for the death of at least 40 expats and tourists - have had to send a fresh warning to all health centres and doctors around Spain.

The note, which went out last month, warns of ‘dangerous’ side effects to watch out for after taking the drug.

It follows an EU investigation, which concluded it was necessary to update the drug’s safety information.

In particular, it warns how the drug can cause ‘agranulocytosis’, or the depletion of white blood cells, which can lead to a weakened immune system, organ fail-

IT’S A GREAT TIME TO BE ALIVE

And, as our special health supplement explores, having a glass of wine and a morning coffee will help you live even longer

DANGER DRUG VICTORY

Health warnings must be added to controversial pain drug Nolotil after years of campaigning by the Olive Press

By Yzabelle Bostyn

ure and occasionally death.

Though statistically rare, the deadly side effects are believed to be more common among northern Europeans due to genetic differences.

The warning lists a series of symptoms to look out for and says they can appear even after the treatment is finished.

Pain

Among the side effects are a sore throat, fever, shivers and pain in the mouth, nose and genitals. Patients must also ‘remain vigilant’ as agranulocytosis ‘can ap-

KILL THE DRUG

pear at any time during treatment regardless of the dosage, even just after it has finished.’

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We take a look at the latest developments in Spain

More alarmingly, the symptoms can even ‘go unnoticed’ if the patient is suffering with the flu or taking antibiotics.

Furthermore, regular blood tests, previously required, for those taking the drug and its active ingredient metamizole will now be stopped as they have not ‘proven effective.’

“It’s a victory that things are (finally) being tightened,” medical campaigner Cristina Del Campo (above) told the Olive Press this week.

alongside the Spanish Medicines Agency (AEMPs) follows a six-year ‘Kill the drug’ campaign by the Olive Press alongside activist del Campo.

Opinion Page 6

See page 12

However, she warned that the health authorities are effectively passing responsibility over to the patients and their families to monitor the drug.

“I’m actually very angry as they are trying to wash their hands of the issue,” she insisted.

“I mean now they are saying there’s no point doing blood tests as agranulocytosis could appear at any time, so how are we supposed to trust that it’s safe?” she asked.

“People are waking up and getting angry that the most sold medication in Spain is so dangerous.”

The warning overseen by the European Medicines Agency (EMA)

Delays aplenty

MURCIA’S Corvera airport has one of the worst records in Spain for late flights, with a third not running on time in 2024.

Sleeper theft

A SLEEPING passenger on an Alicante-bound train was robbed by a man who exited at Elda station but was arrested nearby with her mobile phone, bank cards, and headphones.

Quick move

THREE Elche removal firm employees not only cleared a house but also stole several pìeces of gold jewellery before police stopped them in their van.

Wasted effort

A TORREVIEJA man has been arrested for reporting a bogus robbery involving his €1,000 mobile phone, which tried to claim on his insurance - unaware that the policy had expired.

A POLISH fugitive named as one of Spain’s ‘10 most wanted’ criminals has surrendered to police in Murcia because the added exposure put him under ‘severe’ pressure.

Marek Dawid Legiec, 32, had a European Arrest Warrant issued in his name by Polish authorities for running an international drug trafficking gang. Three years ago, the Policia Nacional

UNWELCOME SPOTLIGHT

received information that he could be hiding in Spain. After police drew a blank in their investigations, it was decided to feature the fugitive in a ‘10 most wanted’ campaign with extensive publicity in the media and on social networks.

The unwelcome spotlight on Legiec made him hand himself in. He admitted to officers that the ‘most wanted’ initiative had affected his ability to move around and that he was living in ‘unsustainable’ circumstances.

Murder change

A TORREVIEJA judge has bailed a 32-year-old Czech man over the alleged murder of father-of-two John George from Belfast, whose body was found on a farm in Rojales.

The Czech national was arrested shortly after the body's discovery on January 7.

A source from the Valencian High Court said: “The judge is currently attributing to him a crime of homicide as an accomplice or by aiding and abetting the crime.”

Farm shocker

UK father found shot dead on farm after international man hunt

By Alex Trelinski

The unnamed Czech will have to report to a court every 15 days and has had his passport withdrawn as well as being ordered not to leave Spain.

He told a judge that he was being ‘scapegoated’ because George’s family named him as a suspect on social media.

THE owners of a farm face animal abuse charges after dead horses were discovered on their property.

The Guardia Civil based in Monovar acted on information that animals were being mistreated. Grisly discoveries included the bodies of two horses covered in

The family claim his killer was a drug traffickeralso from Northern Ireland - and that he has fled to Thailand.

George was last heard from on December 14, when he made a ‘distressing’ phone call to his family after going to the Orihuela Costa for

plastic sheeting while two others had died and were in an advanced state of decomposition. Three horses were still alive on the farm along with several dogs and goats - all kept in inadequate conditions.

A man, 50, and woman, 43, are being investigated for animal abuse resulting in death.

a holiday. His father, Billy, urged him to return home on a flight he had booked for four days later. He was due to drive from Cabo Roig to Benidorm on December 14 but never arrived. His family insisted early on that he was ‘lured’ to Spain before be-

Double trouble

ROJALES council was left red-faced when one of its vans was caught without a current ITV and the driver was above the alcohol limit.

The Guardia Civil pulled over the vehicle on the CV920 between San Fulgencio and Guardamar in a routine mid-morning check.

The lapsed ITV badge cost the council a €200 fine while the employee faced an unspecified penalty.

ing shot to death by an acquaintance.

The alleged killer - according to George's familyis a drug trafficker with links to the paramilitary loyalist Ulster Defence Association.

Billy George has named six people on social media as suspects in the death of his son. They include the detained Czech national and the man who flew to Thailand, as well as his girlfriend. An autopsy confirmed that George had been shot dead. His body was found with branches covering it among some trees on a lemon farm in Rojales - 25 kms away from Cabo Roig.

A witness in the case phoned his family saying that a person had admitted carrying out the killing and that one of the suspects had taken the gun to ‘clean it up’.

Rojales mayor, Antonio Perez, has ordered an inquiry.

Marriage order

THE Pakistani parents of a teenage girl have been arrested in Alicante after they abused her because she refused an arranged marriage. The 17-year-old was ordered to marry a cousin that was eight years older than her so that he could get Spanish residency.

After standing firm against the plan, she was physically attacked and threatened with death by her mother and father.

Her parents have been charged with domestic abuse and coercion via forced marriage.

The girl is currently staying in a youth centre.

He donated about $3 million to Trump during his successful presidential election campaign.

Leon sold his company Clinica Asociacion Cubana to United Healthcare in the 1990s, and once paid $4.2

INCOMING US president Donald Trump has named an 80-year-old Cuban-American businessman as the country’s new ambassador to Spain.

Trump’s pick

Benjamin Leon will take over the post made vacant by Julissa Reynoso in July.

million for a racehorse.

Posting on his social media platform Truth Social, Donald Trump said: “Benjamin is a highly successful entrepreneur, equestrian enthusiast and philanthropist.

“He came to the United States from communist Cuba at age 16, with only five dollars in his pocket, and built his company, Leon Medical Centers, into an incredible business.”

Ahoy mateys!

Future Queen of Spain takes to the high seas

By Dilip Kuner

PRINCESS Leonor of Spain, the 19-year-old heir to the throne, has embarked aboard the Spanish Navy’s iconic training ship, Juan Sebastian de Elcano, for a six-month voyage.

The Princess of Asturias boarded the vessel in Cadiz for the epic journey that will take her across two oceans and to ports in eight countries, including stops in Brazil, Chile, and the United States. This milestone follows her time at the Na-

val Military Academy in Marin and is part of her three-year military training programme that will see her serve stints in the army, navy and airforce. During this voyage, Leonor will train as a first-class midshipman, learning practical naval skills and gaining real-world experience alongside 75 fellow

Absent royals at birthday bash

WHILE his granddaughter Princess Leonor was preparing for life on the ocean waves (see main story) Emeritus King, Juan Carlos, celebrated his 87th birthday in Abu Dhabi with a lavish party that waswell, fit for a king.

The event featured a special concert by the veteran Spanish singing duo Los del Rio - one of Juan Carlos' favourite music acts.

Around 30 friends and family

Get back to nature

SPANISH fashion house Loewe has snapped up rising star Drew Starkey for a new campaign that goes back to nature.

The 26-year-old actor has swapped the Outer Banks beach for the catwalk in a series of snaps cosying up to trees in the Spanish countryside. But he's not alone in this woodland romp - the star is joined by Taylor Russell and Chinese actor Wang Yibo for the Spring/Summer 2025 collection, shot by top snapper David Sims.

midshipmen and over 200 crew members. The training cruise is steeped in tradition, with both her father, King Felipe VI, and grandfather, King Juan Carlos I, having undertaken similar voyages during their own military training.

It’s not the first time Starkey's teamed up with Loewe's head honcho Jonathan Anderson. The pair hit it off while working on the racy flick Queer last year. Fans are going wild for Drew’s new look, with one gushing: “Drew Starkey and nature? It's a match made in heaven!”

members were in attendance, including daughters Elena and Cristina.

King Felipe and wife Letizia were not there and neither was his estranged wife Sofia.

Reports said the festivities lasted for several days with family members staying at the mansion that spreads over 3,000 m2.

At a recent event, King Felipe described the experience as one that ‘will remain among the best memories of your military training’ and encouraged his daughter to embrace its ‘human and seafaring’ lessons.

The Princess's journey reflects her growing public role as future queen. While she will be just another crew member at sea, she will continue to fulfill royal commitments on land during port stops.

The Elcano’s voyage will end in July in New York before Leonor returns to Spain to complete her military studies at the General Air and Space Academy. She has already completed a year in the army.

Messi in the money

A REAL estate trust owned by ex-Barcelona footballer Lionel Messi made its debut on Spain's stock markets at the end of 2024 and pocketed €223 million in a day.

Messi is chairman of Edificio Rostower which owns seven hotels in Spain and Andorra, plus offices and apartments.

Most of the company’s investments are in Catalunya where Messi, 37, moved in 2000 when he was 13 years old to join Barcelona’s youth team.

The eight-times Balon d’Or winner - currently playing for Inter Miami - has long said he plans to return to live in Barcelona with his wife and three children after he retires from soccer.

Messi’s wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, is the board’s vice-president.

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Getting bigger

ALICANTE-ELCHE airport’s terminal will be expanded to include a dedicated area for UK flights and other non-Schengen zone services.

The Transport Ministry promised the enhancement last year after rejecting calls for a second runway. It has now allocated €20 million for detailed plans to be drafted.

The airport set a new passenger record number in 2024 of nearly 18.4 million - up 2.6 million on the previous year, which in itself was an all-time high.

The Ministry said the expansion of the terminal plus taxiways will ‘aim to meet future demand, improve passenger service quality and boost operational efficiency’.

About time

RAILINGS on two popular Orihuela Costa promenades will be replaced after years of deterioration.

Work costing €195,000 will take place on 800 metres of the Playa Flamenca walkway and just under 400 metres at La Zenia.

All of the railing posts will be brand new and horizontal fixtures will be replaced if required.

Marine corrosion has affected many of the posts - causing several sections of fencing to collapse.

CULTURAL HAVEN: The buildings will contain a museum and a cultural centre

Complex countdown

PILAR de la Horadada’s new cultural complex is expected to open before Easter.

Two sections of the town’s Museum, Music, and Performing Arts Centres (CAMME) have been built on a plot covering 11,000 m2 with an auditorium scheduled in the future.

A €537,000 contract for furniture and equipment has now been advertised by Pilar council.

The two buildings on the complex - between Avenidas Reina Sofia and Lo Alegre - have cost €6.6 million.

One of them will be the Semana Santa (Holy Week) Museum with exhibits celebrating local Easter traditions.

The second building is the Casa de Cultura which will house Pilar's council's culture and education departments.

Dry January

Drought continues in southern Spain as early year rain fails to fill up reservoirs

EARLY rainfall this year has failed to ease the drought in much of southern Spain despite improved reservoir levels.

While the north of Spain has overcome drought, Murcia, Almeria and Alicante’s water reserves are critical, according to a report by the Public Sanitation and Supply association (AEOPAS).

“The southern half of Spain is still in drought,” it warned, adding that the

By Yzabelle Bostyn

Costa del Sol, and Costa Blanca needs to remain under ‘emergency’ conditions and water-saving measures need to be increased.

In total, 16 municipalities in Andalucia and the Marina Baja of Alicante are still suffering from severe drought.

“The Guadalquivir, Segura, Jucar, Guadalete-Barbate

and Catalunya regions still show worrying water levels, with reserves well below the historic average.

“These challenges underline the urgent need for better water management which links to the effects of

NOTHING NEW

ALICANTE'S Low Emission Zone (ZBE) will officially come into force on January 30.

The reality is that motorists will notice no difference as the Old Town area continues with restrictions introduced in 2011, and has now been classified as ZBE Zone 1.

Alicante mayor, Luis Barcala, has made it clear in recent years that access would not be reduced across a wider area.

The newly created Zone 2 covering the ‘traditional centre’ and Zone 3 (Gran Via) will continue to allow all vehicles to enter as before.

The Alicante ZBE law states that it is ‘flexible’ and does not contemplate extra restrictions in zone 2/3.

climate change,” the report ruled.

Across Andalucia, levels currently sit at 34%, which is 15% up on last year, but 11% down on a decade ago.

Across Alicante the levels currently sit at 22%, which is 2.4% less than last year.

Ten years ago it was 36%. In Valencia the levels are 3% up on last year.

In Murcia the levels are 20% , which is 5% down on last year and 7% down on ten years ago.

Critical

The most critical region is Almeria, where the levels sit at 9.38%, which is exactly the same as this time last year.

In contrast, in the Basque Country, reservoirs are 100% full and there has been a significant improvement in Valencia.

“Spanish reservoirs are slowly getting better but there are marked differences between regions, showing the need for different water management policies,” concluded the report.

In particular, ‘urgent action’ is needed to avoid future droughts such as a diversification of water supplies, re-use measures and the improved measuring of urban water supply.

FATAL CALL

A WOMAN died after getting too close to an Alicante railway track, with the slipstream generated by a passing train throwing her onto a rock.

Eyewitnesses said the 52-year-old victim Moldovan was talking on her mobile phone in a prohibited area by El Palmeral park.

The Renfe Cercanias commuter train tooted an emergency alert but it was too late for her to take any avoiding action.

The dead woman had accompanied her husband to go fishing but left him to make a call.

It emerged there have been previous incidents with anglers also being thrown to the ground.

NEARLY three-quarters of Alicante’s tourist flats are not registered according to a council report.

It comes as the city has seen a 23% increase of tourist flats being rented out via the internet. Up to 20% of these properties in the Old Town, San Juan beach, and the city centre are holiday rentals.

Alicante council insists the majority are advertised online without permits and there are 3,550 tourist homes - with an average nightly price of €107on Airbnb alone.

A third of those are managed by professional leasing companies but 73% are not licensed. It means some 2,596 homes are being rented on the Airbnb platform without a registration number issued by the Valencian government.

AROUND 9% of Torrevieja’s registered population are Ukrainians according to the city's municipal padron, with numbers double that of British expats.

Torrevieja council says that registrations totalled 106,350 people at the start of the year - up by almost 6,000 in 12 months.

Over 52% of residents are non-Spanish with 123 countries represented.

The largest foreign group are Ukrainians with 9,612 on the padron, an increase of 1,850 in just a year.

Russians in Torrevieja number 5,926 residents, with Colombia overtaking the UK to claim third place with 5,141 people.

The number of British residents has remained firm at 4,708, followed by Moroccans at 2,961.

Poor choice to live Thousands of ‘illegal’

ALICANTE has the second highest poverty rate in Spain (28.5%) and is among four areas with the highest risk of social exclusion (13.9%).

Too much dependency on tourism is said to be behind the figures from a household income study by the Valencian Institute of Economic Research.

Meanwhile, Alicante city comes bottom for well being in provincial capitals with a population between 300,000 and 500,000 people.

The extreme poverty rate in Torrevieja was striking with almost 24% of its population at risk of exclusion. The exclusion rate in the city rises among young people to 33.7%.

Economics professor, Carlos Albert, said: “Those who live in Benidorm or Torrevieja are people working in tourism like waiters and cleaners, rather than businessmen.

“The residents have low wages, high inequality rates and there is a lot of poverty.”

PLASTIC PURGE

AYEAR after millions of tiny plastic pellets were spilled off the coast of Galicia, how has the environmental disaster impacted Spain?

On December 8, 2023, the Liberian cargo ship ‘Toconao’ lost six containers, including one with 1,000 25kg sacks of tiny balls used to manufacture plastic products.

Dubbed a ‘nightmare environmental crisis’ by Spanish ecologists, over 25 tonnes of the pellets washed up in northern Spain, prompting hundreds to volunteer in clean up operations.

Despite Portuguese authorities alerting the Spanish government of the issue immediately, the regional government claims they were not informed until 25 days later, leading to greater damage and heightened costs.

Over 400 people searched 630

Green Special

The Olive Press looks at the aftermath of the plastic pellet spill and how it still affects Spain

By Yzabelle Bostyn

beaches to collect the pellets, reaching a cost of €2.3 million. Alongside volunteers, just 5,000 kilos were removed from the coast by Spanish waste management service Sogama.

But according to experts, the damage is still being felt a year later. According to Greenpeace the incident not only ‘damaged the marine ecosystem but also put the fishing industry at risk.’

“A year later, chronic pollution persists…we need to put more ambitious rules in place to prevent this from happening again,”

a spokesman told the Olive Press

are

while urging the central government to provide updates on their claims.

“One year after the Toconao disaster, protecting the future of our coasts and sea should be an immediate priority. ”

A Plastic pollution expert consulted by the Olive Press , Natacha Claire Tullis, agrees: “Spain has faced significant issues with plastic pellet pollution,” the Officer for Preventing Ocean Plastics at Pew Charitable Trusts said.

“The spill caused signifi-

cant environmental harm. Plastic pellet pollution is pervasive and often invisible to the naked eye, yet its impact on ecosystems and human health is profound. These tiny particles are everywhere, lurking in the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat.”

Particles are everywhere,

“If we do nothing they will continue to accumulate, harming marine life, disrupting food chains and posing health risks to humans.”

Galicia’s regional government is now pursuing compensation and legal ramifications against the shipping company responsible,

In a statement released in December 2024, it said: “The central government hardly helped to stop the pellets reaching our coasts. “These incidents must serve as a lesson to move forward at a European level.”

It comes as the EU takes a ‘vital’ step forward towards curbing microplastic pollution.

In December, the Council of the EU finalised its position by setting out specific obligations for pellet transporters to prevent such disasters from repeating.

“Spain has directly suffered the consequences of a maritime pellet spill and is supportive of an ambitious legal framework to limit accidents from happening in the future,” it claimed.

HIDING: Tullis claims the plastic particles

in the air we breathe

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

Not killed yet

THE Spanish authorities have finally taken a step towards making killer drug Nolotil safer.

As our Kill the Drug campaign has been insisting for six years, it has lethal side effects for far too many expats and tourists.

A new warning for doctors and health professionals shows that our campaign and the work by campaigner Cristina del Campo has finally been heeded.

We sincerely hope that listing the symptoms of agranulocytosis will go on to save lives and the thousands of Brits, Irish and Scandinavians vulnerable to side effects will no longer have to suffer.

However for many, the warning comes too little too late. Since we started campaigning to get the drug banned in 2019, countless people have needlessly died at the hands of Nolotil.

While the new warning is an important step forward, it is important to ask: exactly how many people died before someone put pen to paper?

Nobody knows the real number, but for now, we are sure the new warning will save quite a few lives in the future.

Property peril

SPAIN’S proposal to hit non-EU second-home buyers with a 100% stamp duty tax is not going to affect everyone. But those who it will affect will likely come from the UK, the USA, the Middle East and perhaps Russia and/or Ukraine. The type of people with money to invest and a penchant for sun and sangria – but from countries outside the club. They are clearly the target of Pedro Sanchez’s 12-point housing plan.

These are the no-gooders who will take the blame for inflating Spain’s housing market and pricing Spaniards out of their homes.

While it might feel harsh and unfair, a cash-grab even, the problems that Spain is trying to tackle are very real. It remains to be seen to what extent foreigners are the ones coming in and trying to profit off Spain’s booming Airbnb business.

Yet it’s true something needs to be done. But should this be plan A?

Instead, should’t stopping giving out licences, locating every single unlicensed Airbnb – which can’t be that hard since they literally advertise themselves – and slapping them with five or six-figure finds should be the first course of action?

PUBLISHER / EDITOR

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When atom bombs rained on Spain

PALOMARES doesn’t stand out in any way.

It’s just a typical Andalucían village beside the sea.

Halfway between Almeria’s charming Cabo de Gata natural park and the port of Cartagena, in Murcia, you can easily drive through it without knowing you’ve been there.

But on Monday, January 17, 1966, Palomares entered the Cold War in dramatic style.

To set the scene, the US and USSR had been facing each other off for most of the decade and under a strategy known as Chrome Dome, the Americans kept several B52 bombers in the air, ready to strike Moscow, 24 hours a day.

The aircraft fell from the sky killing seven out of the combined crew of 11

While Spain was trying to keep out of the Cold War (so-called because neither side dared start a ‘hot war’, so devastating was the power of their nuclear weapons), American money was too tempting for General Franco.

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It’s nearly six decades since a small Spanish village had four nuclear bombs dropped on it DON’T

TAKE a country walk in any part of southern Spain or the islands and you will almost certainly be serenaded with a cacophony of barks and howls.

Almost every country villa, finca and plot will have a dog either running up and down its fenced off border, or tied up and chained to a post somewhere near the front door. Look closely and there may be a few hunks of stale bread scattered nearby.

right to build a military air base at Moron de la Frontera, near Sevilla (and it’s still operational today). It meant the Americans could base their nuclear bombers in Spain and they regularly flew back and forth from bases in the US, flying non-stop around Europe.

Though they had a phenomenal range, in order to stay airborne for hours, they frequently needed to refuel in flight. On that fateful day in 1966, a KC-135 tanker plane took off from Moron to rendezvous with a bomber 10,000 feet above the coast of Andalucia.

In return for millions in investment, the dictator granted the USA the

And that’s when things started to go wrong when the aircraft collided and fell from the sky killing seven out of the combined crew of 11. A spectacular crash, but what was potentially a million times worse was the B-52’s four thermonuclear bombs which fell on Palomares, three on land and one at sea. Mercifully, atom bombs don’t explode on hitting the ground. They work on a different principle, and have to be detonated by pressing a button. However, the damage caused was extensive

A new law requires dog owners to take out Civil Liability Insurance or face fines of up to €10,000. But, as the Olive Press asks, will it have teeth?

your dog insurance policy and you don’t have one, you could be liable to a fine of between €500 and €10,000.

In addition, all pets must now have a microchip inserted (usually in the ear) and the government is now using vets to enforce the rule.

Suppose your dog develops an illness. When you take him to the vet, he will be scanned for a chip which identifies both him and his owner. No chip, no antibiotics.

cluded in your home insurance. It’s worth checking with your provider.

Since September 2024 all dogs have needed to have a chip and, as of January 1, levying fines becomes the law of the land.

Welcome to Spain where owning a dog doesn’t necessarily mean you are a soppy animal lover who dotes on his or her pet. With far too many cases of cruelty coming to light over the last few decades - much thanks to the emergence of a new animal welfare party PACMA - a new law has finally come into force to remedy the situation.

The Animal Welfare Law obliges dog owners to acquire insurance for their pet, as of this month.

From now on, if a policeman asks to see

From now on, if your dog bites someone or causes damage (for example, worries sheep or knocks over a display in a shop), you (the owner) will be liable for the harm caused and must be insured against it?

What does it cost?

If you’re lucky your pet might already be in-

If not, you need to consider taking out a separate policy. A typical safe domestic breed (e.g. a Labrador) will work out at about €30 a year. Dangerous breeds are more expensive (around €50).

Other,

As one Olive Press staffer confirmed, the pet insurance was once included in his home insurance, but is now an extra of €35.

ALL-CLEAR: Tourist minister Fraga swims at Palomares despite the dropped bombs (below)

WRECKAGE: The fallout from the bombs was not understood and America and Franco brushed off the incident

FUTURE OF MEDICINE

How AI is transforming Spain's healthcare - from 'digital hearts' to 'predicting strokes'

ARTIFICIAL intelligence (AI) is at the forefront of modern medicine, offering solutions to longstanding challenges across diagnostics, treatment, and drug discovery.

In Spain, this technological revolution is gaining momentum, with several institutions and companies leading the charge.

It comes as no surprise, as Spain has recently become one of the forerunners in global medical research, establishing itself as an international science and technology powerhouse.

Among Spain’s recents achievements are digital hearts used to quickly and cheaply test new treatments, AI models to develop new medicines and robot counsellors to help patients make important medical decisions.

BARCELONA LEADS WITH VIRTUAL HEARTS

Two Barcelona-based organisations, Elem Biotech and the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, have developed a groundbreaking virtual replica of the human heart.

This model can be personalised for individual patients, enabling precise testing of drugs and treatments.

According to Elem’s co-founder Mariano Vazquez: “Nature can be interpreted using mathematics. In the same way you can do human clinical trials, you can test a cohort of digital hearts.”

Elem’s supercomputer achieves in just nine hours what would take a human 57 billion years to calculate, offering faster, cheaper, and more sophisticated medical solutions.

The company’s ultimate ambition is to model the entire human body digitally, opening new possibilities for personaliSed medicine.

PREDICTING RISK WITH AI

By Tate Askey

enabling timely interventions.

Chatbots and virtual assistants also help patients manage their symptoms more effectively.

DRUG DISCOVERY AND CLINICAL TRIALS

AI is also transforming drug research with Barcelona-based Biorce recently securing €3.5 million to enhance clinical trials using AI, streamlining processes and increasing efficiency.

Developing new drugs has become notoriously slow and expensive, and rising costs and tighter regulations have slowed development to a crawl.

AI offers a way to reverse that trend, ensuring life-saving new treatments reach patients faster.

Biorce’s AI model ‘Jarvis’ will reduce costs and shorten timeframes for drug development.

“ “ Elem’s supercomputer achieves in just nine hours what would take a human 57 billion years to calculate

The Barcelona Supercomputing Centre isn’t stopping at virtual hearts.

The research centre has developed an AI model capable of predicting stroke risk using data from mobile devices.

This innovation could significantly improve early intervention and prevention strategies, allowing healthcare providers to identify at-risk individuals and offer timely treatment.

By using the widespread accessibility of mobile technology, this breakthrough represents a major step towards more inclusive and proactive healthcare.

These remote monitoring systems powered by AI allow continuous tracking of patients’ vital signs,

It achieves this by helping patients find and understand the requirements for relevant clinical trials, while aiding researchers in the search for eligible participants.

The AI database is a user-friendly solution including over 480,000 clinical trials, streamlining the research process so that effective treatments can be identified sooner.

AI IN HEALTHCARE COUNSELLING

At a clinical level, AI platforms are being used to provide specialised healthcare guidance through apps like 1Doc3.

The development provides Spanish-speaking users with AI-driven healthcare guidance, allowing millions to make informed medical decisions. Powered by AI, the system is able to streamline healthcare by performing basic symptom assessment, triage and pre-diagnosis before connecting the patient to a doctor. This enables patients who may not normally have access to a physical clinic get the help they need.

ENHANCING DIAGNOSTICS AND IMAGING

AI-powered algorithms are also revolutionising diagnostics. For example, AI tools match or surpass human experts in analysing medical images like X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs These technologies enhance accuracy in detecting conditions such as pneumonia and skin cancers, significantly improving diagnostic efficiency.

Beyond clinical applications, AI is streamlining healthcare administration by managing electronic

health records, scheduling, and reducing paperwork, thus taking some of the burden from already stretched healthcare systems.

ETHICAL AND PRACTICAL CHALLENGES

Despite AI’s potential, ethical concerns and regulatory hurdles remain challenging. Data privacy, ethical considerations, and the need for robust human oversight are some of the issues researchers are working to overcome. Moreover, models like ChatGPT, while promising, are not yet suitable for direct medical use. Researchers at Harvard and Stanford University highlight significant gaps between AI’s performance in standardised tests and real-world scenarios. The Assessment and Validation of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare frameworks (EVIAS) aims to address these issues within Spain, ensuring AI algorithms meet efficacy and safety standards before deployment in clinical practice.

THE FUTURE OF AI IN MEDICINE

Combining human expertise and AI will create a healthcare system that is smarter, more efficient, and tailored to individual needs.

Pioneering initiatives in Barcelona showcase AI’s potential to revolutionise healthcare while addressing critical challenges through frameworks like EVIAS.

As AI technology continues to advance, its influence on medical practice is set to grow, offering innovative solutions to emerging global healthcare issues such as aging populations and resource constraints.

By streamlining processes and optimising outcomes, AI could help ease the pressures on overstretched healthcare systems worldwide.

I’LL DRINK TO THAT

MODERATE wine drinking may benefit heart health according to researchers at the University of Barcelona.

They found drinking a small glass a day could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 50% for those following a Mediterranean diet.

The study, part of a larger investigation into the celebrated diet, included 1,232 people at risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Researchers used urine samples to measure tartaric acid levels, a natural substance in grapes and wine, as an objective indicator of wine consumption. Results showed that light-to-moderate wine consumption (half to one glass per day) was associated with a 50% lower risk of cardiovascular issues.

A

coffee a day... but NOT all day!

PEOPLE who drink coffee in the morning have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to those who drink it throughout the day.

The research, by Tulane University, studied 40,725 adults between 1999 and 2018.

Compared to people who did not drink coffee, those who consumed it in the morning were 16% less likely to die from any cause and 31% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease.

They also fared considerably better against all-day drinkers.

Urgent situation at A&Es

SPAIN’S health system is dealing with record numbers of patients swamping A&E departments.

A report from the Ministry of Health shows a staggering 31 million A&E visits in 2022 alone - the highest ever recorded.

But while casualty departments are bursting at the seams, hospital admissions have plummeted to just 9% - the lowest in a decade.

Experts blame the chaos on skyhigh waiting lists and a health system at breaking point.

One doctor told El Pais the ‘deterioration’ of healthcare is forcing desperate Spaniards to turn to A&E as a last resort.

The number of people rushing to casualty has rocketed by 17% since 2013, with private hospitals seeing a whopping 46% surge.

Doctors are now suggesting patients should be charged for non-emergency A&E visits.

Pediatrician Roi Piñeiro said: "We can't blame patients, but maybe it's worth charging them if it's not a real emergency - like the fire service does."

With GP waiting times stretching to 17 days in some areas, experts warn Spain's ageing population could push services to breaking point.

PROTON BATTLE AGAINST CANCER

SPAIN is set to get 10 new proton therapy units by 2026, boosting the country’s fight against cancer. Unlike traditional radiotherapy, this treatment fires protons directly into tumours to prevent radiation spreading into surrounding healthy tissue. Currently, there are just two facilities which offer the therapy to private clients.

But thanks to a €280 million donation from the Fundacion Amancio Ortega, a non profit dedicated to education and social wellbeing, the treatment could become common in Spain.

The new centres will be in Galicia, Catalonia, Madrid, Andalucia, the Basque Country, Valencia and the Canary Islands.

Galicia will be the first, with a scheduled opening date of January 2026, followed by Santander’s Hospital Marques de Valdecilla later that year.

Worrying trend

SPANIARDS are getting more reliant on drugs to combat anxiety and insomnia with usage tripling in under two decades. The use of drugs like lorazepam and diazepam has tripled since 2008 according to a report by the University of Santiago de Compostela.

It found that one in five people between 15 and 64 regularly take hypnosedative medication.

YEAR OF BREAKTHROUGHS

A look back at Spain’s medical successes in 2024

By Yzabelle Bostyn

FROM face transplants to robot surgeons, Spain has achieved many medical discoveries and innovations over the last year.

The country is becoming a world leader in scientific research and last year, it overtook Germany as the European forerunner of clinical trials.

Spain is proactively investing in research centres, healthcare structure and commercial partnerships, leading to this rise in medical research. It is also faster at recruiting research participants and performs more single-country research than most European countries.

One of the most impressive feats of the year was a pioneering face transplant carried out in Barcelona’s Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge last September.

It was one of the world’s first to extract tissue from a donor in controlled asystole.

This is a way of manually stopping the heart of a patient with no hope of recovery for the purpose of organ donation, providing an opportunity to retrieve organs that would otherwise be lost after natural death.

It was the first time in the world this kind of organ retrieval allowed for the extraction of the heart, face, and kidneys.

Now, the hospital is one of only 18 across the globe to have carried out the complex operation, since France achieved the first in 2005.

The operation lasted 12 hours and included over 60 professionals from at least 10 different medical and surgical departments.

It was led by Dr. Anna Lopez Ojeda and Dr. Oriol Bermejo alongside Dr. Gabriel Moreno Gonzalez.

The 47-year-old patient was suffering from type 1 neurofibromatosis, a hereditary condition causing benign tumours in the nervous tissue.

He had a large tumour on the side of his face, leading to severe aesthetic, psychological, social and functional issues.

To remove the tumour, the surgeons had to completely remove his upper

lip, nose, right eyelid, the right half of his face and scalp.

They then implanted the donor's face, connecting arteries, veins, and nerves.

The transplanted face will gradually take the shape of the recipient’s face as it adjusts to his bone structure.

To extract the tumour, surgeons removed most of his face

It follows a European first carried out last June, where the Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, in Granada, gave a 16 month old girl an artificial palate. The palate tissue was designed and generated by a team at the University of Granada, the same group that created artificial skin now authorised by the Spanish Medicines Agency.

Created over 12 years ago, UGRSKIN has only been used up until now as a

last resort, experiential therapy. Now burn units can receive specialist training to use the pioneering technology.

Also in Barcelona, the world’s first emergency robot surgeon was introduced to the Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol in November.

The robot works 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to attend urgent surgeries.

Known as Da Vinci, the robot will be used alongside surgeons to provide greater accuracy and less trauma for patients.

So far, it has been a great success, decreasing the time spent in hospital and speeding up recovery.

“Emergency surgeons are not always experts in certain pathologies, so robotic surgery makes surgeons who do not have the maximum expertise better,” director of the new emergency surgery unit Jose M Balibrea told La Vanguardia.

An upward trend

By Dilip Kuner

AS we step into 2025, the health and fitness landscape continues to evolve, blending technology with holistic wellness approaches.

Here are 10 trends that experts predict will dominate the industry this year.

Wearable technology dominates

Wearable devices remain at the forefront of fitness trends, offering increasingly sophisticated insights into users' health metrics. These gadgets now provide real-time data on heart rate, sleep patterns, and even stress levels, enabling more personalised fitness regimens.

What 2025 has in store for us when it comes to health and wellbeing

training designed to improve quality of life.

Strength training for all

Traditional strength training is experiencing a renaissance across all age groups. Research continues to highlight its benefits for longevity and functional movement, making it a cornerstone of many fitness routines.

Mental health and exercise

AI-powered fitness apps

Focus on older adults

Artificial intelligence is revolutionising personal training. Mobile exercise apps, ranked second in popularity, are offering AI-driven workout recommendations tailored to individual goals and progress.

The connection between physical activity and mental wellbeing is gaining recognition. Programs combin- ing exercise with mindfulness practices are on the rise, addressing stress, anxiety, and depression.

Recovery and wellness

enthusiasts are embracing more scientifi c approaches to their workouts. Heart rate variability (HRV) monitoring and recovery readiness assessments are guiding smarter training decisions.

Remote personal training

The convenience of virtual coaching has led to a staggering 414% increase in interest for remote personal training.

This trend allows for flexible, personalized fitness guidance from anywhere.

Pilates goes mainstream

Pilates is experiencing a surge in popularity, with both mat-based and reformer classes becoming widely accessible. Its focus on core strength, flexibility, and mindfulness appeals to a broad audience.

Functional fitness training

Workouts that mimic everyday movements and improve overall functionality are gaining traction. This approach aims to enhance performance in daily activities and prevent injuries.

surged on and for

Exercise programs for older adults have surged in popularity, reflecting a growing emphasis on maintaining health and mobility in later years. These programs often include low-impact exercises and strength

As we navigate through 2025, these trends reflect a shift towards more personalised, technology-driven, and holistic approaches to health and fitness.

Cold exposure therapies and sauna sessions are becoming popular for their purported benefits in recovery and longevity. This trend reflects a growing interest in holistic approaches to fitness.

Data-driven training

Leveraging data from wearables and apps, fi tness

Whether it's through AI-powered apps, wearable devices, or mindfulness-integrated workouts, the industry is adapting to meet the diverse needs of individuals in our increasingly digital age.

COMPLEX: The surgery took over 12 hours and 60 professionals at Barcelona’s Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge

Spanish scientists have also been at the forefront of groundbreaking cancer research.

Javier Cortes, a researcher at the International Breast Cancer Center (IBCC) found a treatment plan to increase survival of early-stage triple-negative breast cancer patients. Alongside Queen Mary University London researcher Peter Schmid, he identified that using drugs to boost the immune system increases survival rates if given both before and after chemotherapy. Their research was recognised by the New England Journal of Medicine as one of the year’s ‘notable’ studies. Meanwhile in Madrid, a research

team from the Hospital Infantil Niño Jesus has successfully created an injection to combat tumours in children.

Known as Celyvir, the treatment has taken its first steps to approval by the Spanish Medicines Agency (AEMPs). Injected directly into tumours, the medicine activates immune cells to fight against the cancer.

It is one of three advanced therapies created in Madrid’s health system (SERMAS), alongside Alofisel and NC1.

Spanish hospitals have also begun to administer the world’s first vaccine against lung cancer. Developed by German company BioNTech, the

SKIN

SUCCESS:

vaccine teaches the immune system to attack lung cancer cells.

It is now being used at the Hospital Universitari i Politecnic La Fe in Valencia, as well as the Consorcio Hospitalario Provincial de Castellon as part of an international study. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide but this innovation is thought to significantly improve treatment outcomes and minimise side effects compared to traditional chemotherapy. It is administered alone or in combination with another drug, cemiplimab. It is hoped that combining the two will lead to better treatment

1. Oolong

For a post-festive detox, this is just your cup of tea, activating enzymes that cut down triglycerides, a type of fat found in the blood. One study showed that women who consumed oolong tea burned a slightly larger amount of fat than those who drank only water. More than just a fat burner, it also contains niacin which helps detoxify the body, and antioxidants that can prevent tooth decay.

outcomes. Overall, 2024 has been a great year for Spanish medical innovation. While clinical trials are dwin-

DOWN TO A TEA

dling around the world, the country has strengthened its offering, becoming a leader in the medical research industry.

2. Black

This is one of the most highly-caffeinated varieties of tea, with about 40 milligrams of caffeine per cup. Black tea also contains thearubigins and theaflavins, two types of antioxidants that have been linked to lower cholesterol levels. Plus, drinking three or more cups of black tea a day can cut your risk of stroke by 21 percent.

3. White

The seven healthy cuppas you should be supping this year

TWith its many proven health benefits, this is the ultimate multi-tasker of teas. Much like green tea, it contains catechin which may help fight cancer and cardiovascular disease. Drinking white tea might also reduce the risk of cancer recurrence for breast cancer survivors, according to the American Cancer Society.

Ginger has an active ingredient called zingiber, while lemon contains the immune-boosting compounds pectin and limonene. This epic duo makes lemon ginger tea an effective weapon against bacterial infections. One study shows that it can even kill the bacteria linked to salmonella!

HE Brits love their cups of tea, but when they’re full of sugar and fattening dairy milk, the health benefits don’t exactly spill over. But tea can also be the cup that cures so check out our concoction of healthy brews. They not only have the power to help your heart, liver and bodily functions, they’ll also stop you from dunking calorific bickies.

Green tea is an excellent source of catechins, another type of antioxidant. A subgroup of this compound known as EGCG has been studied for its potential role in preventing cancer and heart disease. One study showed that drinking one cup of green tea per day could decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease by 10 percent.

5. Echinacea

Echinacea purpurea is a commonly-used natural compound that fights illnesses such as the common cold and other respiratory infections. One study showed that consuming echinacea in tea or lozenge form over a four-month period helped to prevent infections.

7. Chamomile

An ancient natural remedy with many health benefits. Research shows that the antioxidants in chamomile tea may help stunt the growth of cancer cells and prevent diabetes side effects such as loss of vision, nerve damage and kidney damage. Unlike the teas mentioned above, this brew is made from the flowers of the chamomile plant.

A Granada research team has created artificial skin approved by AEMPs

BNT116

WORK OF ART: The ‘Da Vinci’ robot assists in surgeries, while (below) man receives first lung cancer vaccine

6. Green

4. Lemon ginger

SNOOKERED!

147 is the magic number if you’re Ronnie O’Sullivan playing at the Crucible: but for expat journalist Michael Coy it is anything but lucky

IT’S the maximum possible score in snooker and appropriately Ronnie ‘the Rocket’ O’Sullivan has achieved it on a record 15 occasions.

It means doing everything right. Which is what I thought I had done when I moved to Spain over two decades ago to get a job away from the grind in the grim old United Kingdom. But working long hours in Andalucia in trying circumstances doesn't always end well, as I have found out to my peril. How so?

Let me ask you a question: When was the last time you pestered your Spanish boss for an up-to-date statement of your pension status? Exactly.

For those of us brought up on the British PAYE system, or in Germany or Holland, say, it’s a no-brainer. You do the work, you get the pension. You don’t need to delve into it. Spain unfortunately doesn’t work like that.

To be fair, most of us can see the employer’s point of view. He or she not only pays your salary, but has to fork out for below-the-line costs which you know nothing about. In Spain, the rate of social security alone is a staggering 30% plus per worker.

This makes it very unattractive for small businesses to take on workers – or to put it more accurately, it’s painful for the boss if he does it by the book. So they have to cheat.

Not all of them, and certainly not government departments (but it’s very hard for expats to land such jobs).

What some cheating bosses do is quietly alter your work record to read, ‘part-time’.

It saves them a fortune, and you don’t complain (because you don’t know it’s happening). Things come to a head, as they recently did for me, when you show up at the Seguridad Social offices at your assumed retirement age and ask: “Pension please” – and they tell you that you haven’t done your full 15 years!

I’ve lived and worked in Spain for decades, and yet it has happened to me. Worse still, I was

once an employment lawyer in London, before retraining as a journalist here. So if I can get shafted, anyone can.

I’m lucky. My shortfall is only (only?) 147 days, and I’m reasonably able-bodied, and so I can find some way to make up the time.

But what about people who are ill, or simply can’t argue their corner? Can you take your boss to court?

And the answer is: Yes, you can. But it will involve years of expensive litigation, and you might well lose. Employers often argue that their employer was ‘in on the scam’...” I only took him on because he agreed to my under-the-table methods.” they might say.

So what’s the answer?

Well go back to work and find some way to make up the time.

Luckily for me, I have a background in journalism, and the kind souls at the Olive Press have found an opening for me. I am going to be writing over the coming year about rural Spain (I have lived in Ronda for over 20 years, after all).

with the bombs releasing clouds of deadly plutonium radiation gas.

The streets of the village and the nearby countryside was badly contaminated, and the US immediately launched a decontamination programme.

While three bombs were quickly found, the fourth, at sea, proved to be much more allusive.

to search the area without any protective gear, as nuclear fallout was not properly understood in 1966.

It also meant they ‘tamped down’ the radioactive dust far too aggressively and sprayed so much water onto the land that the natural underground reserves were used up, and sea water seeped in, killing all the local crops.

It led to the US later agreeing to skim off the

more expensive, policies will cover accidents (for example, if your dog causes someone to trip and fall) and that will probably work out at about €100 a year. You can also insure a pet against getting seriously ill and needing surgery, but that is far more expensive (maybe €400 a year).

Furthermore American troops were sent in area’s topsoil, and take it back home in metal drums.

But Spanish Scientists now believe the operation was bungled and the most contaminated soil was not collected, while the metal drums were not properly accounted for.

The most important thing was to brush the dangers under the carpet as quickly as possible.

As the important tourism market was really taking off in the Sixties, with thousands of youngsters arriving from the UK, Holland and Germany, it was vital to keep the gravy train rolling.

Franco realised that Spain being seen as a nuclear wasteland was bad for the package holiday hordes and he told his Tourist Minister Manuel Fraga to do something urgently.

His solution was to head for Palomares for a holiday where he was pictured swimming in the sea.

It turned out to be just metres from where the fourth bomb was found a year later. Yet ironically Fraga lived to the ripe old age of 90, dying just a decade ago in 2012.

Will it change anything?

But for anyone else. Carefully check your status regularly (or pay an accountant to do it), or go autonomo, or try and win the lottery.

From now on I am always asking for a loto ticket which contains the digits, ‘147’.

EMPLOYMENT MAZE

- Know your terminology

Qualifying for a pension

In a sense, it’s very simple. You do 15 years of appropriate work, and you are entitled to a retirement pension. However, there are snags:

(1) Spanish bureaucracy has no give in it, so don’t expect to ‘top up’ your time served, or wriggle through. If your Vida Laboral (employment history) doesn’t show 15 years of ‘proper’ work, you will not qualify.

(2) You can’t object to an irregularity after the fact – they’ll tell you: ‘you should have checked your records as you went along’.

(3) If you’re self-employed (autonomo), special rules apply, so consult an accountant.

Autonomo

UNESPA is the Spanish Association of insurance companies. It advises members of the public to ask their insurer, will this policy insure me against the following?

Like many laws in Spain, they exist but are not followed properly on a national basis and half the time only one or a couple of autonomous regions will adopt them properly. In addition, the new law will create a lot more paperwork for the local police, who will also need to be motivated to go out into the countryside to identify the rogue dog owners.

* Any veterinary care my pet may need?

* Theft, or other loss, of my pet?

* Legal costs, if my pet causes harm or physical damage?

And half the time the local police will likely know the owners and let them off. Alternatively, they might be incentivized to collect fines by their local town hall, perhaps after pressure from local expat residents. It could be seen as a nice earner for empty town hall coffers before the tourism season kicks off properly.

The one big controversial exception under the new law is hunting dogs, who are excluded, meaning owners might simply tell police their pet is for hunting rabbits, etc?

The cruelest irony is that the ‘galgo’ and ‘podenco’ hunting dogs are usually by far the worst treated animals in Spain… and that includes fighting bulls.

Send us your comments to newsdesk@theolivepress.es

This is the Spanish word for ‘self-employed’. There used to be a joke that there are no autonomos in heaven, because they can’t afford the time off to die. Recent changes to the law have made going self-employed a much more attractive option in Spain. Ask your asesor/gestor (accountant) about the new tarifa plana (flat rate) option. A small monthly charge is replacing the old tax burden.

This word, referring to your employment record, means ‘official’. The Spanish govern-ment will not count any work you’ve done towards your pension entitlement unless it’s cotizado

Beat the January blues!

With a trio of controversial characters looming over Spain, it’s your last chance for a huge 50% discount on the Olive Press’s annual subscription

DUE to popular demand, the Olive Press is launching an end of January sale for those of you who missed out on our special Black Friday or Christmas deals.

We know the first month of the year can be tight after splurging on presents and parties over the festive period. So we are offering a year’s subscription to www. theolivepress.es for just €30 - which will amount to 50% off once we increase our prices next month. It’s going to be a very busy year for news in Spain andas our 60,000-plus registered users already know - the Olive Press is the best way to stay informed.

Donald Trump’s presidency could have dramatic consequences for Europe, from trade tariffs to NATO shakeups. He also insists he will end the Ukraine war. Meanwhile, anti-tourism movements are set to ramp up their protests this summer as anger over Airbnb-style lets and ‘excessive’ tourism models reach boiling point. What effects they will have on the local property market remains to be seen - but the latest reports and in-depth analysis will be found daily in our email news mail outs as well as monthly in our Property Magazine

We will also keep you abreast of the latest travel trends and all the secret up and coming spots that you need to know about and get to before the hordes descend?

Only the Olive Press keeps foreigners so well up-to-date and informed on such matters in English, thanks to our team of NCTJ-trained journalists, who have all worked for national newspapers or the BBC or Sky back in the UK.

Bryan Adams

With our numbers of registered users doubling in 2024 and the monthly visits to our website frequently going over a million, we go from strength to strength.

It is a testament to the quality and reliability of our news, with our work being picked up by the foreign national media almost daily.

Moreover we are not scared to probe controversial figures like Tommy Robinson (above), now in international news thanks to Elon Musk (above), investigate wrong-doing by politicians, such as the bizarre picadillos of Estepona’s current mayor, or expose corruption on a regional or national scale.

So what else do you get for your money? Alongside adfree reading of all our articles at theolivepress.es, subscribers are sent a daily newsletter with the top stories of the day. They will also receive weekly mail outs on health, travel and property.

And, best of all, they get advance notice of special competitions and offers, some of them exclusive, such as prizes to see Bryan Adams (right) or Craig David (below) in concert.

Scan the QR code above to claim your very special offer until the end of the month

POT LUCK: Michael Coy tries to emulate Ronnie O’Sullivan (right) by taking a maximum break from his working life

THREATS: Trump, Tommy and Musk

COTIZADO

LA CULTURA

GOING FOR A SONG!

IN these days of hooking-up through dating apps, young men no longer need to serenade women beneath their balconies with music and song as in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

November 29th - LOOKING FOR MORE CULTURE STORIES?

Scan

But in the tiny, remote village of Cañar, near Granada, that’s exactly what they do. Every year, starting at 2am on December 28, the merry minstrels set off on their tour of the village with the intention of seducing a mate.

Get yourself a balcony and wait for the perfect mate to come by and serenade you at this fun festival, writes Jane Whyatt

rines - as

amazing that the party is still going on today”.

of alcohol and percussion is created by banging a fork on a bottle of anis, the local aniseed liqueur or perhaps a Bailey’s Irish cream. With maracas, cymbals and tambourines - as well as guitars and accordions - the fi esta is LOUD.

December 29 when the fiesta continues.

All the young men serenade all the young women. But to avoid misunderstandings, they also paint names and symbols on their faces using red paint. Merriment is guaranteed by copious amounts

With musical instruments, smiling painted faces they are very photogenic

Tourism is thriving in the Alpujarra village today with ‘active tourists’ exploring the region’s many hiking trails, including the Europe-wide GR 47, which follows an ancient trade route from Tarifa to Delphi in Greece.

Like the fiesta, the architecture of Cañar is unchanged since the Moors were expelled from Andalucia by Christians in 1492. The church replaced the mosque which originally stood on this site. Poetry, passion and polvorones (traditional almond-flavoured cookies) are the order of the day on

Villagers and visitors dance around a bonfire, fountain and Christmas tree, celebrating with firecrackers, party poppers and balloons.

Hundreds of hardcore mountain-bikers are seen each weekend pitting their strength against the steep winding road to the white village perched 1,040 metres above sea level. Hikers and bikers were

Robin Smith, who owns a holiday home in Cañar, told the Olive Press : “I didn’t get much sleep last night and it’s

OP QUICK CROSSWORD

Across

1 City satellite? (6)

5 Faulty organs produce sounds of dismay (6)

8 Gear tooth (3)

9 Cloak-and-dagger doings (8)

10 Flushed (7)

11 “The --- House Rules” (John Irving novel) (5)

13 Taverns (4)

15 Race section (3)

16 “___ , Shoots & Leaves” (Lynne Truss bestseller) (4)

18 Eager (5)

20 Compared (7)

23 Going nowhere (8)

24 The government’s cut (3)

25 Plaster ingredient (6)

26 Few and far between (6)

Down

2 Mistakenly, an uncle needs sprucing up (7)

3 Exhorted (5)

4 Spontaneously (2,6)

5 Innards (4)

6 Opening (7)

7 Common sense (5)

12 Duckling’s problem (8)

14 Instructs (7)

17 Germany, Japan, and Italy, during WWII (3,4)

19 She stood by her man (5)

21 Bit player (5)

22 Stiff (4)

oddly thin on the ground when I visited the Musica de las Mozuelas festival at ‘Twixmas’ between Christmas and the New Year. Meaning Music of the Maidens the event is defi nitely not really for tour- ists. This festival is all about the locals with ev-

ery family joining in, even including young girls of primary school age (ED: hmmmm) and elderly widows who still enjoy being serenaded. It is the imbalance between men and women (211 men to 186 women), which perhaps keeps alive the tradition: with women in the minority, the men have to try that bit harder to impress the opposite sex. With their musical instruments and smiling, painted faces, the revellers are very photogenic.

As the iconic Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca observed when he visited in 1926: “There are of course two perfectly defi ned races. The Nordic, Galician, Asturian, etc., and the purely preserved Moorish. People with blue eyes and people with… indescribable eyes. I saw a queen of Sheba shelling corn on a bitumen-coloured and violet wall, and I saw a child king disguised as a barber’s son.”

The visit inspired Lorca’s poem, The Unfaithful Wife (La Casada Infi el), based on a local folksong. It tells the story of a man who seduces a young maiden (mozuela) by the river –only to discover later that she is already married. Lorca himself is immortalised in Cañar. Quotes from his poems are set in tiled plaques around the village and a large information board describes in detail his connections to the region.

A DATE has been set for the end of Spain’s Golden Visa.

Introduced in 2013 to attract foreign investment, the scheme will end on April 3 after the withdrawal of the visa was officially published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) on January 3.

The Golden Visa program allows non-EU citizens to get Spanish residency by investing at least €500,000 in real estate. It could also be obtained by investing €1 million in Spanish companies, or €2 million in government bonds.

Visa farewell

The decision to end the programme comes after months of debate and a vote in the Congress of Deputies, where it was approved with 179 votes in favour.

Current Golden Visa holders will not be affected and can maintain and renew their permits under the original rules. And it is not too late to take advantage of the Golden Visa. Appli-

cations submitted before April 3, 2025, will still be processed under existing regulations.

Top of the class

Spain responsible for 40% of all GDP growth in the eurozone

SPAIN is set to account for 40% of all economic growth in the eurozone after a near-miraculous 2024 that has left traditional heavyweights Germany and France trailing in its wake.

Fresh data from the Bank of Spain reveals the country's economy expanded by a robust 3% in 2024, nearly four times the Eurozone average of 0.8%.

The dramatic transformation has seen Spain's GDP growth outstrip its larger European neighbors, despite representing just 10% of the Eurozone's total economic output. It makes a stark contrast to

By Walter Finch

Spain's position during the 2012-2014 financial crisis, with the country now leading rather than lagging behind its European counterparts in economic performance.

Growth

Just 10 years on, and Spain’s GDP growth was nearly seven times the Eurozone average in 2023, and final forecasts for 2024 suggest this trend will continue. This economic renais-

Spain to the rescue

SPAIN’S state shipbuilding company Navantia has swooped in to save the iconic British shipyard that built the Titanic in a dramatic rescue deal.

The acquisition of Harland & Wolff will secure around 1,000 jobs across the UK and ensures the survival of all four of the company's historic shipyards, including its famous Belfast base.

The naval construction giant, which has yet to disclose the purchase price, will take control of facilities in Belfast, Northern Ireland, as well as Arnish and Methil in Scotland, and Appledore in southwest England. Northern Ireland minister Hilary Benn welcomed the takeover, describing it as ‘great news for the Northern Ireland economy and, above all, for Harland and Wolff 's hugely skilled shipbuilding workforce.’

The rescue comes after a turbulent period for the 163-year-old British company, which was forced to call in administrators in September after struggling with rising energy costs and mounting debt.

The UK government had previously rejected the company's request for a £200 million credit facility, leading to a suspension of its shares on the London Stock Exchange in October.

The deal strengthens Navantia's position in British shipbuilding, building on an existing relationship that saw the two companies sign a manufacturing agreement last year for a £1.6 billion Royal Navy support ship project.

British government officials confirmed the acquisition would ensure the completion of three vital support vessels for UK aircraft carriers, designed to transport munitions, spares and supplies.

One in six British expats over 65 in Spain are covered by an Avalon Funeral Plan*

What happens when an expat dies in Spain?

The unfortunate reality for many family members, whether expected or unexpected, is the process tends to move quickly.

Paperwork, language barriers, logistics, flights, and the speed with how quickly the process moves...It’s a lot for even the most seasoned expat to cope with.

Now, imagine your partner or your family, trying to get their head around it all, maybe from abroad, and having to arrange it within hours of you passing.

At an already difficult time, many struggle to confidently cope with the complex funeral system in Spain.

That’s why more than 100,000 people have chosen a funeral plan from Avalon. Because when the inevitable happens, it helps to have a team standing by to remove some of the burden from your family.

Avalon’s bilingual bereavement team help families cope with language barriers and unfamiliar procedures at an already difficult time.

sance has been fueled by record-breaking service exports, a booming tourism sector, and a surge in employment, with over 460,000 new jobs created in the past year pushing the workforce to an all-time high of 21.3 million.

Oxford Economics' chief European economist Angel Talavera points to Spain's unique advantages, including lower energy costs thanks to renewable energy investments and a service-oriented economy that has proved more resilient than the manufacturing-heavy German model.

The country's ability to attract and integrate newcomers has played a crucial role, with immigration accounting for 84% of population

Pension timebomb

PENSIONERS in Spain have seen their retirement benefits surge by a third since 2018 - outpacing wage growth across the nation.

New data released by Spain's Social Security system reveals that while working Spaniards have seen their salaries rise by 25% over the past six years, retirees have enjoyed a 33% increase in their monthly payments.

The average pension has jumped from €1,107 in 2018 to €1,450 per month in 2024.

Workers' wages have climbed from an average of €1,748 to €2,181 monthly. The pensions system closed 2023 with a shortfall exceeding €50 billion, according to calculations by the Foundation for Applied Economics Studies (Fedea).

growth since 2022. These new arrivals have filled 40% of newly created positions, particularly in key sectors like hospitality and care services.

Plus, Avalon were voted ‘Best Funeral Plan Provider’ at the UK Personal Finance Awards every year between 2019 and 2023.

To find out if you’re eligible for an Avalon funeral plan designed just for expats, visit AvalonFuneralPlans.com

Protect the ones you love today. It only takes a few seconds to get started.

*Based on: 106,512 British nationals over the age of 65 registered in Spain (exc. Canaries) from the INE 2021 census data and 88% of our 19,398 live plans being British citizens from a sample.

Healing your finances

Peter Dougherty; the investment advisor in Spain who makes house calls

PETER Dougherty of BISSAN Wealth Management is known as ‘the financial planner for Americans in Spain’. But some might call him ‘the Doctor of financial planning’.

Peter however, doesn’t wear a stethoscope. He’s much more likely to have a financial calculator. As both medical and financial professions start with an examination to be able to make a diagnosis. For doctors, that’s reading an x-ray or MRI; for financial planners it’s looking through financial documents.

So selecting a financial planner has similarities to choosing a doctor. We can see this if we replace ‘doctor’ with ‘financial planner’ in these three questions:

1. Does the doctor have special training or certifications? 2. Is the doctor part of a registered medical group? And 3. Has the doctor kept up to date on the newest medical practices?”

So you always need to ask: Does the financial planner have special training or certifications?

In Peter’s case, yes. Spain’s European Financial Planning Association (EFPA España) has certified him as a European Financial Advisor (EFA) and a European Financial Planner (EFP). Visit its website and you can find every officially registered financial planner and advisor in the country.

Peter is also certified as a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor by The College for Financial Planning, as a Foreign Account Tax Compliance (FATCA) specialist by Global Compliance Institute, and as an Investment

Adviser Representative by the North American Securities Administrators Association.

Next, is the financial planner part of a group?

Yes. Peter is a financial planner at BISSAN Wealth Management, a trusted financial advisory company founded in 2010 and authorized and supervised by Spain’s regulator, the CNMV. TOP TIP: always make sure any financial advisory firm is registered clearly on the CNMV website www.cnmv.es

Finally, has the financial planner kept up to date on financial practices?

Last year Peter got a master’s degree in Spanish taxation from the Instituto Europeo de Asesoría Fiscal (Institute of Tax Planning).

He told the Olive Press: “With this new diploma, I now have more degrees than a thermometer. But it was worth the effort to understand and be able to explain the ins and outs of Spanish taxation in plain English.

“And while researching tax policies for the thesis, I uncovered interesting information. So, I compiled it and published it under the name ‘La Hoja de Ruta Fiscal y Financiera para los españoles en EE.UU’.”

Coincidentally, Peter’s first book, The Dougherty Code: Secrets of Financial Planning in Spain Revealed, was published in 2023.

“The goal of my books relates to the idea that as medicine aims to prevent disease and prolong life; and ideally to eliminate the need of a physician. My aim is to provide useful financial planning to as many expats in Spain as possible. And maybe reading my books will eliminate the need to even hire a financial planner.”

To schedule a free consultation with Peter visit: www.financial-planning-in-spain.com

IFOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

WNovember 29thDecember 12th 2023

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ELL Madrid has finally become one of Europe’s dining capitals. Fact.

Having long been overshadowed by its neighbours Barcelona and San Sebastian, it is at last bearing fruit from the Spanish food revolution that started marching south around 20 years ago.

No less than 29 places now carry at least one Michelin star in the city, while those on the road to getting one are well into the dozens, possibly hun-

January 16th - January 29th 2025

BACK TO BASICS

Churros, Calamari sarnies and Zarajos; why Madrid is a lot more than Michelin stars. Jon Clarke picks over some of its true culinary institutions

folklore and fanaticism, it has charmed and dazzled me since I moved here after university for two years in the 1990s.

Returning a few times a year ever since, I love its friendly locals, its distinct working class districts and its amazing weather (for a guiri, at least), which the locals describe as ‘nine months of winter, three months of hell’.

He can wax lyrical about the reasons for citing the capital here in 1561, why the Bourbons are among the most inbred royals in the world and why exactly Madrid never surrendered during the Spanish Civil War.

The capital is a place that Americans and Japanese no longer just visit for its amazing art galleries and monuments, but fly in for bespoke gourmet tours and for reservations at its temples of dining, such as Deessa, DSTAgE or DiverXo (their capitals, not mine).

It is no surprise that Time Out singled out two barrios: Lavapies and, more recently, Embajadores, as two of the world’s trendiest neighbourhoods. A third, Vallecas, is bubbling under. Predictably, leading to gentrification and rubberneckers, there are thankfully, at least, half a dozen more barrios that still maintain their authenticity and independence from tourism.

Meet him outside the former Hotel Florida, where all the famous journalists and photographers stayed during the war, including Martha Gellhorn, John Dos Passos and Arthur Koestler, whose book Darkness at Noon is based on the conflict.

to Plaza Mayor and Don Quixote and his creator Cervantes (top) in Plaza Espana, it’s time for Churros or meatballs at Casa Julio

T has for decades been the Madrid hotel for anyone flying in for a spot of business, or a big game at the nearby Bernabeu stadium.

But now the Cuzco hotel on the city’s main thoroughfare, Paseo el Castellano, has had a major refit. Following a 17 million euro injection of capital from the Marriot group, it has been turned into a reference of cool and convenience under the hip Westin brand.

Just around the corner from the recently redesigned futuristic Real Madrid stadium and by the city’s business nervecentre, it offers plenty of reasons to stay. For art fans it is also close to the eye-catching Palacio de Congresos with its celebrated Joan Miro mural, as well as the amazing Sorolla museum where the artist made his home in the city. It is also just a hop and a leap to Plaza Castilla with its emblematic architecture and variety of muse-

Now sadly converted into a brutalist-style Corte Ingles department store, he will take you upstairs to the ninth floor viewing deck and gourmet market, from where he will point out where the fascist rebels dug in their front line in the nearby Casa de Campo park. He will tell you how their howitzers regularly hit the hotel, despite not supposedly aiming at it and he will then show you the bullet and shrapnel marks in the walls outside to prove it.

But while they eat among the best meals in the world at these three wonderful joints (all of which I’ve reviewed for the Olive Press over recent years - see online), they often miss the very essence of what makes this city one of the most intriguing and charming places in Europe.

A city of extremes and contradictions,

While here is not the place to tell you about Carabanchel or Usera, it’s well worth a visit out into the outer suburbs to hunt out a restaurant or cultural spot. In the centre, you can easily get off the beaten track in Malasana or Justicia and even in the heart of the casco historico there is so much to find if you’ve got the right guide.

I often ask Stephen Drake-Jones, an English historian and former professor, for a few hours to show me a couple of things I may not know.

The 75-year-old - who moved to Madrid a year before dictator Franco’s death in 1975 - has written various books on the city, including a new one on its most esteemed expat Ernest Hemingway.

ums, including the Fundacion Canal and EMT Transport museum, which is great for kids. A tube station next door is just six stops to Plaza de Espana.

The second Westin in the city (the first is the historic Palace hotel, a dozen blocks south), it boasts 44 incredibly-appointed suites among its 290 rooms.

Many with impressive views across the city and nearby Navacerrada range, each has been renovated with a clear eye on style.

The suites are amazing, each with three rooms and a huge walk-in wardrobe, plus three toilets. They count on the latest in tech and, most importantly, top quality linen and pillows.

The paintings and artwork perfectly compliment the carefully-selected retro mix and match furniture. A separate meeting room with director’s table is ideal for business meetings. Modern lines, vanguard design and earthy coloured

hues give the whole hotel an almost Scandinavian feel, while its reception area and stunning bar have become a key meeting point for football fans and business-folk alike.

The bar area with its giant curved chandelier, matching circular sofa and black and white floors are set off against natural oak arches and a bright crimson bar.

This is the place to eat supper and, while limited, the menu is great value for light bites and, of course, a margarita, one of the finest around.

CHOCOLATE HEAVEN

Next he might show you the place outside the Cortes, Spain’s House of Commons, where firebrand politician Dolores ‘La Pasionaria’ Ibarruri famously insisted the fascist rebels would ‘not pass’ or ¡No Pasarán!, which became the slogan of the conflict. From here it’s only a two-minute stroll to Barrio de las Letras, a hive of pedestrianised streets where legendary scribes including Miguel de Cervantes, Federico Garcia Lorca, and Lope de Vega once lived and imbibed. If you’ve got up nice and early you’ll be thinking of elevenses, or more than likely lunch is beckoning, so here are my tips for some traditional institutions and foods you must look out for:

For breakfast, elevenses or a mid-afternoon pick me up, head for Chocolateria San Gines. You’ll know you are there when you see the queue which normally snakes 100m down the street.

Open since 1894, the walls are lined with the most famous clientelle its possible to imagine, including Pele, Tony Curtis, Maradona, President Carter and Tina Turner. are dreds.

For warm days and evenings it also now has a terrace outside to take in the wonderful Madrid weather.

Make sure you include breakfast in your rate as it’s among the best in Madrid.

Visit www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/madczthe-westin-madrid-cuzco for more information

HISTORIC TREATS: After a visit

Photos by Jon Clarke

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

January 16th - January 29th 2025 15

of cups of chocolate, plates of churros and fatter than possible porras and somehow carry them off into annexes, basements and corners.

For speed, if it’s not too cold outside grab a terrace table - or head to the takeaway window where your reward will arrive in a paper cup and bag!

As the manager told me they might get 5,000 clients in a morning, 2,000 in the afternoon and 2,000 in the evening. “It just never stops,” she explained.

WEIRD AND WONDERFUL

It’s just gone midday and time for some snacks and your first cold cana (obviously Mahou, the only beer the true Madrilenos can possibly consider).

Zarajos and entresijos are among the curious and colourful range of earthy offerings you’ll find in some of the back street bars of the city. A bowl of snails with chorizo is also a very typical tapa, as is a plate of pigs ears (orejas) in the Embajadores district.

The zarajos (sheep intestines) usually come on a wooden skewer and are lightly barbecued. “You need to eat them slowly and savour them,” explained teacher Cristina Herrera, 31 (left).

Meanwhile, entresijos - the ‘mesentery’ of a lamb, which joins their small intestines to their abdomens - are not dissimilar to wild mushrooms, but slightly chewier. Another unusual tapa is gallinejas, or chitterlings, which are the intestines of a suckling pig.

MEATBALLS

IN MALASANA

The very opposite of Michelin starred fare, croquettes and meatballs (far left) may sound a bit dull, but try them at Casa Julio and your whole perception of these basic Madrid staples will change.

RECORD-BREAKING:

Madrilenos have been eating these delicious morsels here for a century and the Malasana restaurant, which opened in 1921, has been patronised by the likes of U2, who filmed a photo shoot here in 2003. The very definition of a spit and sawdust joint in a grotty backstreet, best of all are the prices, which might get you a slice of bread in DiverXo.

SLICE OF HISTORY

Looking for a proper slap up meal then head to Botin, which is the oldest restaurant in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records Open since 1725, Hemingway and Graham Greene waxed lyrical about the place and it’s the spot that foreign dignitaries are usually taken for a bit of authentic Madrid.

The legend goes that its wood oven has never gone out and the dish to try is roast suckling pig (pictured left), sad as it may be, and easily one of the most succulent and richest meals you’ll eat anywhere in the world… But don’t have it for supper!

Sure, you might also try roast lamb, but I prefer it in nearby Segovia or Pedraza, where it just seems to have the edge.

www.botin.es

CASA VARONA

For something a bit more modern try

150 year old Casa Varona In the heart of Barrio de las Letras.

Open since 1877, it’s a no nonsense, great value tapas joint, with plenty of recipes reaching back a century or so.

Excellent wines by the glass, and an original list of their wares that serves as a tick box for what you fancy, be it fishy or meaty.

I particularly loved the home cooked gammon ham with Gorgonzola on toast, while a boiled egg recipe from the owner’s great grandfather was original, coming with tuna and mayonnaise.

Best of all though was the typical Madrileno dish of thistle stew with clams cooked in a hot pot.

www.casavarona.com

SHARPEST TOOL IN THE BOX

It was once an ancient ironmonger on one of the busiest, scruffiest, thoroughfares from Atocha station into the heart of the city.

Now Ferreteria is one of the hippest spots in Madrid.

Beautifully designed you walk into what was once the shop with floor to ceiling wooden cupboards, which were once full of every nail, screw and light fitting imaginable.

You can perch at the bar or various spots in the entrance area, or try and get one of the tables in the expansive interior that goes down into a series of vaults underground.

Charm personified, this is where the chefs are found and the menu is full of alluring dishes, very much with a Madrid flavour.

This includes the meal of the moment,

Torreznos, which are basically pork scratchings (or effectively roast suckling pig). Delicious, but make sure you share them though as they come in a very generous portion.

www.ferreteriarestaurante.com

THE BARRERA NECESSITIES

Ok, OK, Restaurante Barrera may only be two decades old, but the recipes here reach back centuries.

One of the most no-nonsense places to eat in the city, it was chosen as one of the favourites of top London importer of Spanish produce, Brindisa, in a recent list.

I’d never heard of it and, no wonder, it sits in a highly unfashionable out of the way place, up on Calle Alonso Cano.

A bit Adams family, a bit French rural, it apparently featured in a Netflix documentary a few years ago. But what you first notice is peeling paintwork and a light bulb missing.

Ignore all that for Ana, who comes from the small nearby village of Santa Maria de la Alameda is a massive foodie, who sources her ingredients daily from the local markets.

So yes, there is no actual menu and your receipt, if you need one, will be hand-written and stamped… but you will definitely eat well.

This was clear when we were thrust a delicious ensaladilla with hot almonds and pumpkin seeds as an amuse bouche.

The artichoke hearts with foie, aubergine jam and pomegranates (below) couldn’t be more seasonal - and were delicious!

We’re soon talking about seasonality in cooking and her favourite Arabic-style way to cook quinces, while she admits the Boletus mushrooms, I like the sound of, are frozen. No worries, I tell her, and they turn out to be delicious, chunky and gelatinous.

Then came the hake (merluza) which was oven baked and came with a typical pimiento de pequillo - red pepper - deep red and proud!

The kid chops are a bit too rangy and so typical of the meseta... Tasty but short of flesh... And come from Jaén as it turns out!

An amazing lemon meringue pie - quite different to anything seen in Madridmore than makes up for it though.

POST

DINNER DRINKS

Tablao Villa Rosa is one of the most beautiful bars in the world. Having featured in a couple of Pedro Almodovar’s films (almost all of them are set in the capital or nearby), it is a great place to take a glass of wine or cana while often being able to watch some flamenco or a jazz singer. Later, it becomes a bit of drinking den and a place to meet friends.

CHIC IT OUT

You’ll now be ready to take your excursion into the early hours, of which Madrid is famous.

The two traditional haunts to hang out are Malasaña and Santa Ana where there are hundreds of buzzing bars to traipse around. A more traditional and glamorous place that has been open for a century is Chicote, which actually calls itself a ‘museum’. Up on Gran Via this is where Hemingway would hold court after a bullfi ght or when he was trying to impress a lady, during one of his many stays in the city. It was also where Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner and Sofi a Loren would come for a margarita thanks to the skills of barman Pedro Chicote who learned his trade at the nearby Ritz hotel. www.museochicote.com

OP Puzzle solutions

Across: 1 Suburb, 5 Groans, 8 Cog, 9 Intrigue, 10 Reddish, 11 Cider, 13 Inns, 15 Leg, 16 Eats, 18 Itchy, 20 Likened, 23 Immobile, 24 Tax, 25 Gypsum, 26 Sparse.

Down: 2 Unclean, 3 Urged, 4 By itself, 5 Guts, 6 Orifice, 7 Nouse, 12 Ugliness, 14 Schools, 17 The Axis, 19 Tammy, 21 Extra, 22 Firm.

TASTY: Toasts at Casa Varona and the generous torreznos at Ferreteria (below left)

NIGHTLIFE: at Villa Rosa and (below) drinks at Chicole

Botin is world’s oldest restaurant, while (right) two dishes at Barrera

O P LIVE RESS

Happy New Year!

COMMUTERS in the Campo de Gibraltar faced a nasty New Year surprise when bus fares mysteriously tripled on the first day of 2025 after a technical error.

Top translators

According to a study by Education First (EF), Galicia and Madrid have the best English levels in Spain while Extremadura and La Rioja have the worst.

Bomb scare

GUARDIA Civ-

il agents in Sevilla found a mortar bomb dating back to the Spanish Civil War, though it was not explosive.

SCAN

COSTA BLANCA SUR / MURCIA here

for the latest news

Spanish engineer chosen to lead NASA’s ambitious Gateway project

AMERICAN space agency

NASA has chosen a Spanish engineer from Malaga to help lead its flagship programme to return humans to the moon.

Carlos García-Galan, 50, has been named deputy manager of the Gateway program - a crucial component of NASA’s Artemis mission that aims to establish a permanent human presence on the moon.

The appointment marks a significant milestone for Spain

A SPANISH mayor is under investigation for ‘offending religion’ after he imitated the famous Popemobile.

Carlos Martinez, the mayor of Soria, has been summoned to testify as a defendant after he arrived in a ‘Popemobile’, leading to accusations that he intentionally mocked the Christian faith.

MOONMAKER

By Walter Finch

in its involvement in international space exploration, with NASA Director Vanessa Wynche praising Garcia-Galan’s exceptional credentials.

“Carlos is an outstanding engineer and leader, and I’m thrilled to announce his appointment,” said Wynche.

“His experience in human spaceflight, international col-

EMBARRASSED cops are investigating after burglars raided an unmanned police station with no security system and stole a weapons cache.

Eight guns plus ammunition were taken from the Els Poblets station in Alicante, which is not manned overnight.

Thieves sawed off one of the security bars on a window and then forced it open to get inside.

laboration, and spacecraft development will be a tremendous asset to Gateway.”

The Malaga-born engineer

RED FACES

Eight Walther 9mm pistols were stolen along with 16 bullet magazines totalling 240 rounds.

Els Poblets mayor, Jose Luis Mas, said: “I’m worried what the pistols will be used for.”

He said security cameras will now be installed. Don’t

The new leader of the PSOE in Castilla y Leon will face the judge on February 5 after he rode the vehicle through town, ‘blessing’ citizens using a wet toilet brush. He is charged with a crime of mockery.

brings 27 years of experience in human spaceflight to the role, including extensive work on the International Space Station as an air controller in both Houston and Russia's

Korolev space center.

Gateway represents a new approach to lunar exploration, functioning as an orbital outpost around the moon.

Unlike the Apollo missions of the 1960s, which took astronauts directly to the lunar surface, Gateway will serve as a staging post for both lunar landings and potentially deeper space missions.

NASA's Artemis program, combines several key elements including the Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion capsule - the latter featuring a European-built service module.

Citizens from the Spanish Christian Lawyers Foundation voiced their outrage at the incident which occurred last August during a festival in Tardelcuende.

Martinez claims he didn’t ‘intend’ to mock Christianity and has apologised for the ‘silly mistake’ and ‘controversy’. Referring to the court case, he claimed ‘we need to respect the course of justice’. His accusers claim the mayor has committed a crime of mockery (art. 522 of the Criminal Code).