A HORROR flick written, produced and filmed in Gibraltar premiered on Amazon Prime last week.
Tragic Waste tells the story of a young girl who is killed by a group of inebriated off duty police officers, who try to hide the crime by disposing of the girl’s body.
Unluckily for them, the girl’s mother is a witch who conjures a demon to enact revenge on the corrupt cops.
The film was written, directed by local Nigel Canepa, who also stars as one of the officers.
Tragic Waste was mainly shot on the Rock, with some scenes filmed in Spain.
It stars a cast of local actors including Orlando Charvetto, Harriet Seed and Charlie Bishop. It was produced by Creephouse Entertainment.
Rocking the small screen
A DOCUMENTARY has been made about the discovery of prehistoric links between Neanderthal populations in Gibraltar and France.
It follows the discovery of Thorin, a fossil whose DNA provided the missing link between a Neanderthal population in the Rhone Valley and another on the Rock.
DNA extracted from Thorin, in a cave known as Mandrin Cave, found its closest match with the Neanderthal fossil found in Gibraltar’s Forbes’s
Continues on page 4
P LIVE RESS GIBRALTAR
Halloween is not as young as you may think in Spainexcept the name
A TIMELAPSE captured by the Met Office Gibraltar has shown a stunning cloud formation over the Rock. Taken on October 22, the clouds seemed to emanate from the landmark as if it were a volcano. The billowing cloud covered the whole of the town centre in a blanket of thick cloud.
Narco gloom
Thousands in La Linea call for a border deal for Gibraltar as mayor tells the Olive Press that failure could boost local traffickers
THE inhabitants of La Linea de la Concepcion are fighting for a treaty with Gibraltar to stop the town from slipping into the hands of the narco traffickers.
Over 12,000 linenses and expats took to the streets of the frontier town on Friday night in support of a deal that would avoid a hard border and save jobs.
But a dark fear underscores the urgency with which nearly a quarter of the 60,000-strong town gathered at the call of the mayor, Juan Franco. They carried banners proclaiming ‘La Linea matters, we are not invisible’
A MASSIVE 13 tonnes of cocaine have been found hidden among bananas in Algeciras, dubbed Spain’s ‘narco port.’
It is a record drug bust for Spain, with the previous biggest being 9.4 tonnes last year – also in Algeciras.
One arrest has been made in Toledo, while the main suspects behind the shipment are believed to have fled.
Police are now hunting for a man and woman who are the owners of the fruit importation company that received the mega load.
By Walter Finch
and chanted the old slogan ‘united, the people will never be defeated.’
During a speech, Franco declared a nodeal ‘threatens the economic stability of thousands of families and businesses.’
With almost half of the town’s working population needing to cross the border and back again daily, there is little doubt that persistent long queues at the border would hurt.
“If there’s a sharp rise in unemploy-
Investigators found that they had been living in a ‘luxurious’ €700,000 chalet in Algeciras, with clear signs that its occupants had made a hasty getaway. These included empty safes and missing luxury watches.
The shipment, which had arrived from Ecuador – fast becoming South America’s exit point for cocaine shipments to Europe – was handled by the company based in nearby El Campello.
ment because of no-deal, then perhaps many people will be tempted into getting involved with this kind of [narco] activity,” Franco told the Olive Press after the march.
Failure by distant politicians in London, Madrid and Brussels – not to mention the occupant of No 6 Convent Place – to strike a deal before the EU’s digital border control system comes into place would spell a ‘true disaster’, according to the mayor.
Franco continued: “It’s also likely there will be longer customs checks at the border, which will cause a significant contraction in the Rock’s economy.
“That will hit us just as hard, likely leading to a loss of jobs and an overall reduction in living standards.”
Meanwhile, as one corner of the economy suffers, another continues to flourish.
Officers subsequently carried out searches of houses and businesses in El Campello, Playa de San Juan and Almoradi.
A previous incident at Algeciras Port saw 3.3 tonnes of cocaine discovered among a delivery of 12,000 live cows from Colombia.
The seizure will dampen hopes that Spain may be finally getting to grips with stemming the flow of cocaine into the country and Europe .
The country seized an enormous 145 tonnes of cocaine in 2023, which was a three-fold increase on the previous year.
The region’s smugglers have continued to bring in huge quantities of hash across the Strait from Morocco, despite a crackdown since February when two Guardia Civil officers were murdered in Barbate.
A total of 61 tonnes were seized in the entire province of Cadiz last year, up by a third on the year before (in Huelva it was even more).
Half of that was seized in Algeciras alone, which also can lay claim to the dubious crown of making Spain’s largest ever cocaine bust last week, with an unheard of 13 tonnes discovered (see story left)
It all points to a thriving illicit industry that will be waiting with open arms when the job losses from any putative hard border start to hit La Linea.
But Franco isn’t so sure.
“The state has invested a lot of resources and taken a really hard response on the traffickers in the region,” the mayor told this newspaper.
Collapse
“So, fundamentally, there shouldn’t be a collapse into narco trafficking. And if the scenario does arise, you can be sure that we will deal with it.”
But once again, it all hangs on whether there will be a deal before the new Entry-Exit System (EES) comes into effect.
The most recent deadline for implementation, on November 10, has already been pushed back, buying both sides some breathing space. But will it be enough?
“There are days when I am optimistic and I get out of bed with a lot of faith,” Franco said.
“And there are others when I am less believing.”
YES DEAL: Old and young march to the border
EXCLUSIVE
WEATHER SPECIAL Costa del DELUGE
LANDSLIDES, road collapses, mammoth hailstones and cars being swept away by surging rivers.
These are just some of the biblical scenes recorded in Andalucia this week as the heavens finally opened and left two people needing rescuing from their cars in Jaen.
Firefighters around Andalucia helped evacuate many more people from their homes as floods rose.
Huge hailstones ‘as large as eggs’ smashed car windows in El Ejido, Almeria, as footage online showed locals having to take cover.
So heavy was the rain that several cars
By Laurence Dollimore
were swept away in Cartama and Alora - which was soaked by 175.6 mm of rain in 24 hours, the highest level in Andalucia - as the Guadalhorce river broke its banks.
Meanwhile, a deep three metre wide trench opened up on the A334 in Seron, in Almeria, making the road completely impassable.
State weather agency Aemet was forced to issue an emergency red alert for the Costa del Sol on Tuesday afternoon after an unexpected surge in the amount of rainfall.
There were widespread reports of flooding along the coast, including in Fuengirola and Marbella, while roads were cut off in Ronda and Ardales, near the famous Caminito del Rey.
“We are stuck in El Chorro, the situation is very bad and all the roads are closed because of rocks and mud,” explained one reader.
In Benalmadena, firefighters responded to a landslide in Avenida Del Indico, warning drivers to avoid taking unnecessary journeys.
There were no take offs or landings at Malaga airport early on early Tuesday morning due to ‘dangerous conditions’.
It came after an electric storm kept scores of residents awake across Malaga province overnight, with the ac-
Flights delayed, cars swept away and hailstones as large as eggs in worst storms for years
STONED: Hail storms pounded El Ejido and smashed car windows
companying deluge causing dozens of rivers to surge.
At least 20,000 lightning bolts were recorded during the dramatic episode.
In Alora, one British expat could be heard crying: ‘Oh, my God!’ as he filmed two cars being carried away under a river bridge.
Meanwhile, one expat in Ronda told the Olive Press: “I have never seen rain like this, there will definitely be flooding here too.
“There was thunder and lightning all night, it was scary stuff, the sky was
lighting up constantly.”
Meanwhile, streets around Malaga province were turned into rapids due to the heavy rainfall, with many major roads having to be closed off.
There was travel chaos in Malaga city and Marbella, where traffic was brought to a standstill.
The storms came following the arrival of a dreaded ‘gota frio’ (cold drop) or DANA - an area of high isolated depression that brings heavy rainfall and a drop in temperatures. The wet weather is forecast to last until at least Thursday this week.
SURGE: Rivers broke their banks and swept away cars in Alora and Cartama
Cute conservation
TWO adorable but endangered sloths named Reina and Flo have taken up residence in Bioparc Fuengirola.
The pair have moved into an expanded recreation of the South American rainforest as part of a European conservation program aimed at protecting these
remarkably gentle and peaceful animals.
One of the myths surrounding sloths is that their slow-moving lifestyle is due to laziness or inactivity, when in reality it is an adaptation to their environment. However, these gentle creatures face numerous threats in the wild, including habitat loss and the illegal pet trade.
HEAVEN OR HELLRAISER?
JONNY ‘Hellraiser’ Elraiz has quietly been making a name for himself providing food and support for hundreds of homeless people around Benidorm.
Raising hell on the stage and heaven on the streets, Jonny
‘Hellraiser’ Elraiz is behind Benidorm’s City Streets project, providing food and support to the city’s homeless.
Tattoos, piercings and a long black beard, Jonny Elraiz is not a stereotypical charity boss, but the 50-year-old metal musician is nonetheless ‘determined to change the world.’
Originally from South East London, Elraiz began helping
“It’s better to have a fence at the top of a cliff than a fleet of ambulances at the bottom,” explains one of Spain’s most unusual yet big-hearted British expats
ways done stuff for the homeless because I know what it's like, I am an ex-heroin addict and was on the streets of London. I’ve been clean for 22 years now,” he told the Olive Press
“As a musician I had a lot of free time during the pandemic so I started giving out food.
Covid marked a transfer of wealth from the bottom to the top
By Yzabelle Bostyn
and now, the population is in crisis, the idea of becoming a homeowner resigned to the history books.”
Photo by Fran Cea Photography
After working with existing charity Project4All for three years, Elraiz established City Streets in Benidorm, providing food and assistance to the city’s homeless.
The non-profit helps people from all over the world who have found themselves living on the streets. Their team of 12 volunteers is also international, with a mix of expats and Spaniards helping out.
They work together with local restaurants and the British Consulate to help with documentation, repatriation, clothing, food and more.
“It’s better to have a fence at the top of a cliff than a fleet of
ambulances at the bottom,” Elraiz said.
“We’re not Deliveroo for the poor, the food serves as a way to start conversations and build relationships so we can help get people off the streets.”
For Elraiz, a typical day starts at 9am and between food rounds and metal gigs, doesn’t finish until 4am.
He is part of many bands, including White Coast Rebels, who are preparing to launch their second album after their European tour.
“People think we only sing about Satan and demons but music, culture and life go hand in hand. It’s heavy metal, but we sing about everything from partying to being angry with the system to falling in love,” Elraiz said.
One of their videos, Hanging with the Bad Boys, even includes a cameo from Benidorm royalty, Johnny Vegas.
A rebel at heart, Elraiz even named three of his children after rock’s finest: Elvis, Axel and Ozzy.
To catch him in Hellraizer mode, catch a show at any of their ‘sin city’ favourites: the Heartbreak Hotel Benidorm, The Million Dollar Bar, The Western Saloon or The Crown.
Learn more about City Streets Community Project by visiting their website: citystreets.es
A BIT BLUNT
IT’S a celebrity spat up there with his brother’s personal battle with Robbie Williams.
It came after Noel Gallaher risked the wrath of one of the UK’s most popular singer/songwriters, James Blunt.
The Oasis star slagged off his neighbour in Ibiza, claiming he had sold his property there because he didn’t want to live next to Blunt.
He blurted out in an interview with Time Out: “I simply didn’t want him (Blunt) as a
By
neighbour.” He added he had sold his villa for €6.6 million because he couldn’t stand Blunt ‘writing his shit songs down the road from him’. Blunt recently told a podcast Gallagher leaving had led to a bounce in house prices. “He said he was leaving Ibiza and prices subsequently went up after he left,” he joked. Gallaher had originally bought the property from Tubular Bells star Mike Oldfield for €3 million in 1999.
George and Harry
PRINCE Harry has reportedly splashed €4.3million on a luxury Portugal property, alongside one snapped up by Hollywood star George Clooney. Harry and wife Meghan Markle bought the off-plan home in Melides, on the western coast, south of Lis-
The Costa Terra Golf and Ocean Club development will house 300 properties spread across 722 acres. George and Amal Clooney are also said to be interested in buying a home there, according to Hello magazine. Harry and Meghan stopped off for a ‘romantic’ break in Melides, in Alentejo, after attending the Invictus games in Germany last year. They met up with Harry’s cousin Princess Eugenie at her home on the Atlantic coast.
Surrounded by rolling rice fields, azure waters, and pristine beaches, the town is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts.
One for the boys
THE Ministry of Equality will hold a conference to celebrate International Men’s Day.
‘Breaking Barriers’ will be held on November 19 at the Sunborn and aims to identify and eradicate barriers that may prevent men and boys from seeking help, advice and support for physical and mental health concerns.
It hopes to promote a positive conversation about men and masculinity, as well as better health outcomes for boys and men.
There will be panel discussions, Q and As, personal testimony, interactive engagement and a keynote presentation from 9am to 1pm.
Minister for Equality, the Hon Christian Santos GMD MP, said: “Men are less likely to focus on self-care so creating a culture where seeking help and advice for mental health concerns becomes the norm is vital.”
WEATHER WARNING
THE GOVERNMENT has issued a weather advisory for heavy rain until at least October 31. Heavy showers and thunderstorms are likely over the upcoming days.
Ferried frenchie
A FRENCH man wanted by Interpol France has been arrested at Gibraltar ferry terminal. The 40-year-old is believed to have come in on the Sunday night ferry from Morocco. He was arrested on arrival by special branch officers on suspicion of being a member of a criminal organisation and drug related offences. Currently, he remains in custody at New Mole House Police Station.
Festive magic
THE International Magic Festival will return to Gibraltar for the first time since the pandemic this December. It will see award-winning illusionists, magicians and circus acts from around the world take to the stage. Performances will take place at John Mackintosh Hall from December 4-8. Tickets are available on buytickets.gi
ROCK OFF
Gibraltar dares Spain to test its sovereignty claims to British waters in row over new marina
THE Gibraltar government has dared the Spanish authorities to ‘sue us in their own courts’ over the controversial Eastside landfill project.
A spokesperson told the Olive Press: “The BEST thing that could EVER happen to Gibraltar would be that any official entity of Spain should start a litigation on our waters, in any court, even their own.”
The government went on to slam Spanish complaints about the new marina development and Spain’s
By Walter Finch
claims to the territorial waters around the Rock as ‘legal and political nonsense.’ It comes after Madrid claimed Gibraltar has not ‘requested any permits’ to carry out landfills in ‘ecologically protected Spanish waters.’
But the government hit back: “Gibraltar will not ever seek permission from Spain to reclaim land or for any other lawful activity in
Fresh hope
A NEW investigation has been opened into the death of Simon Parkes, a Royal Navy sailor who mysteriously disappeared in Gibraltar on December 12, 1986.
Minister for Justice, Nigel Feetham, has given the project the green light after a campaign by GBC.
“We’ve waited 37 years for this,” said Margaret Parkes (pictured with husband, David Parkes), Simon’s mother. “We are very grateful to everyone that has taken part.”
She originally requested the investigation in 2006, without success.
“It was rejected because they said there was no reason to believe he was dead. I’m sure any investigation would take a long time, but we’re hopeful. It could
give us more answers and of course, a death certificate which would help us get closure,” she continued in an interview on GBC. Parkes was just 18 when he disappeared from the boat he worked on, the HMS Illustrious, during a stop in Gibraltar. Both the family and investigators are reportedly convinced the young sailor was a victim of serial killer Allan Grimson (left), an ex navy official who was also on board at the Hampshire Police, alongside Gibraltar Police and the Minister of Defence, have carried out multiple searches in the surrounding area. Grimson, known as the ‘Frankenstein Killer’ due to his wide forehead and burly stature has been described as a ‘natural serial killer.’
He was sentenced to 22 years in prison in 2001 for the murder of navy sailor Nicholas Wright and barman Sion Jenkins.
The Eastside marina is a huge project
the exclusively British waters around Gibraltar.”
“Anyone who thinks we would does not understand the rights we have under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the worthless legal nature of the reservations entered by Spain in respect thereof.”
Rules
It added that ‘all reclamation projects done by Gibraltar in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters comply with all international and EU rules.’
“In fact, the reclamation on the Eastside was approved by the EU Commission at the time we were members of the EU.”
Both Madrid and the Junta have accused the ongoing €340 million project of being an ‘invasion of sovereign Spanish waters’ which ‘fails to comply with international environmental rules.’
But the Gibraltar government dismissed the allegations and practically begged the Spanish government to take legal action against them.
“It would enable us to make justiciable the nonsense of
DAMP SQUIB
A NEW act to control the sale and use of fireworks has been introduced.
the argument they make that we have no territorial waters or, indeed, that our reclamation projects have not complied with all relevant and applicable rules,”
the government said.
Spain refused a UK invitation to put the issue before the International Court of Justice in the 1960s and since then has preferred to assert its sovereignty by making frequent incursions into the disputed waters.
Meanwhile, an EU spokesperson confirmed to the Olive Press that it ‘is not competent to deal with this matter following Brexit.’
Court
But the Gibraltar government is eager to bring the issue to any court, even with Spanish judges, because it believes the Spanish claims to its waters could not stand up to legal scrutiny – even its own.
Despite Brussels no longer having competence in the issue, Gibraltar assured that it has ‘always complied’ with any EU ‘obligation to consult (which is NOT an obligation to seek permission).’
The Firework Control Act restricts the sale of fireworks to over 18s only. F4 fireworks, which are the strongest, can now only be sold and used by licensed professionals. The sale of fireworks to people under 18 is formally forbidden, having been the responsibility of individual vendors before the act came into place. Minors are also banned from possessing fireworks. Fireworks may only be used on private property on New Year’s Eve.
Cave men
Quarry (commonly known as Nana).
The link stunned researchers as it showed that France’s Mandrin Neanderthal population was even closer genetically to the Gibraltar population than it was to other French and continental European Neanderthal populations.
The dating of the French individual suggests a late surviving population of Neanderthals at around 40,000 years ago, clearly linked to the last populations in Gibraltar.
Professor Clive Finlayson features in the programme, showing French researchers around the Gibraltar National Museum and the Gorham’s Cave Complex, of which he is site director.
“We will strive to continue to keep a level of science and interpretation that helped us achieve World Heritage Status for Gibraltar and it fills me with great pride to see our Gibraltar featuring so prominently at the highest level.
“There are some important discoveries in the pipeline, so we should expect more news in the near future,” he said.
‘Thorin: The Last Neanderthal’, was produced by ARTE, the European TV culture channel.
Give back this Xmas
THE Environmental Agency have organised a toy drive which aims to provide children in need with toys this Christmas. It is working alongside local charities to make sure no child goes without.
To get involved, gifts for children aged 0-12 can be donated to the Environmental Agency collection point at 37 Town Range.
THE British military is looking for a new deputy harbour master to help deliver ‘safe and timely operations’ in the strategically important naval base in Gibraltar.
The base is home to the Gibraltar squadron, which consists of two patrol vessels, HMS Cutlass and HMS Dagger, and a number of Rigid-hulled Inflatable Boats (RHIBs).
It also serves as an important way station for refuelling and repairs for vessels from the British Royal Navy and the US Navy among other NATO allies. Among some of the most notable ships that dock in the naval port are the UK’s fleet of nuclear submarines, with over 100 stopovers in the past two decades.
From front page
SOVEREIGN:
EXCLUSIVE
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
Death of a local hero
DEMO: Against the Los Merinos project, with Terroba inset) very much involved
HE helped stop motorways, power lines and golf course developments.
Through the course of a four decade battle as an environmentalist in Spain, Juan Terroba faced far too many sleepless nights.
As with the campaigners in the continuing battle to see the disgraceful 411-room illegal Algarrobico hotel demolished in Almeria, he was tasked with defending his beloved Serrania de Ronda region from developers.
Entirely voluntary, Juan was used to the knock on the door to sign for a writ.
In total, he and his local group Silvema (allied to Ecologistas en Acción) faced around 50 lawsuits for their work to stop the barbaric 2000-home macro-project of Los Merinos golf.
Later described by a judge as ‘mafia tactics’, Juan and others faced losing their homes in ridiculous demands totalling into the tens of millions and disgracefully backed by the town hall.
Yet, while some caved in Juan soldiered on, even when he was demoted from his day job as a green policeman (patrulla verde) and put on traffic duty.
He continued to dedicate his spare time to studying the legality of projects, such as a motorway scheme that would have carved through the virgin Genal Valley to bring tourists to Ronda in 22 minutes.
Juan knew what money and concrete had done to the nearby coast. He understood how the vast majority of projects were only there to make money for speculators.
He helped to bat away giant wind and solar farms over recent years, and even gave his weekends to analysing sewage projects, while undertaking treatment for cancer. And all the while, developing a rare breeds farm, where he built the famous La Algaba stone age village for schoolchildren to learn about the deep and fascinating history of their region.
The Olive Press (our first issue above) launched to support and promote the bravery of folk like Juan, a genuine people’s hero, a warrior who always put the welfare of his area above his own personal benefit.
Sadly, people like Juan are all too rare and it's an honour to salute his short life that ended this autumn.
As the rains hammer down and the lightning crackles, it's time to remember the dedicated ecologists and green groups who provide a vital counterweight to the infamous greed of developers who sadly thrive in every corner of this wonderful country.
PUBLISHER / EDITOR
Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es
Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es
Walter Finch walter@theolivepress.es
Yzabelle Bostyn yzabelle@theolivepress.es
Ben Pawlowski ben@theolivepress.es
ADMIN Victoria Humenyuk Makarova (+34) 951 154 841 admin@theolivepress.es
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Deposito Legal MA: 834-2017
SP CATCHER
As a British pensioner loses his extradition battle to face a money-laundering trial, his claims of being a secret 007-style agent for Spain will come under the spotlight
T sounds like a long-running spy novel series, each book more implausible.
But in the tortuous saga of British accountant Paul Blanchard, everything now depends on a panel of Appeal Court judges that his life is anything but fiction. The stakes could not be higher for the 79-year-
EXCLUSIVE
By Walter Finch
one of the trials of the decade in Madrid and shed a light on his incredible connections to some of the world’s scariest mafia figures. He came into contact with many - including former British Public Enemies John Palmer and Kenneth Noye - during his years spent living in Tenerife. That he is not denying. But what he claims is that he was actually
an undercover agent for Spanish intelligence, codenamed Isabella during his years on the island.
In a fascinating interview with the Olive Press he claims to have spied on these organised gangsters, as well as numerous terrorists to boot, including members of Al Qaeda and even the IRA.
Regularly supplying Madrid with a slew of information, everything had been fine until his handlers ‘threw him under the bus’ in 2004. It came after Blanchard became the personal accountant for Mo-
hamed Derbah - known as the ‘Godfather of Tenerife’ - in 1999.
A feared mafia boss, he owned and ran numerous timeshare firms and their security alongside his partner John ‘Goldfinger’ Palmer, who smelted the gold from the infamous Brink’s-Mat gold heist at Heathrow Airport in 1983 (recently turned into a BBC drama called The Gold). Blanchard met them both (and many more) and, assuming his appeal is unsuccessful, he will tell all about his life at a showpiece trial in Madrid, likely next year.
Here, the Olive Press pours over the fascinating life of the ‘undercover agent’.
Mixing it up with Mo
Blanchard met Lebanese businessman Mohamed ‘Mo’ Derbah, in Tenerife, in 1999. He wanted advice on how to invest (read launder) the proceeds of his timeshare business that, unknown to Blanchard, was a notorious scam that defrauded 17,000 holidaying Brits. He should have thought twice and turned down the offer, but once he had agreed to help he got quickly drawn into a world of intrigue and criminality.
This included Mo ordering him to make a false deposition against a rival to take over his business – all with the connivance of the island’s police.
When he finally confronted him and threatened to go to the authorities, Mo replied: ‘You don’t have the balls’.
Fearful for his life, Blanchard claims he contacted Scotland Yard in July 2001, who set him up
As Coco the cat inspires calls for a
carbon monoxide law, Dilip Kuner looks at vital
ANEW law inspired by a cat named Coco would require all homes to be fitted with carbon monoxide (CO) detectors.
The idea, being floated by Olive Press readers, stems from a potentially life-saving event when Debbie Lush (below), an expat, noticed her cat persistently meowing at her water boiler.
As reported on our front page last issue, the simple purchase of a CO detector led to her finding a deadly gas leak, which could have been fatal without Coco’s relentless warnings. She was lucky, but the issue highlights the need for stricter home safety regulations to prevent future tragedies, which happen all too often in Spain each year.
We have reported on too many deaths over the years, with the most recent involving the suffocation of a Dutch tourist, 21, who was overcome by CO when a bird’s nest blocked a ventilation pipe in Mallorca. While Coco’s Law - as we think it should be known - focuses on one particularly deadly danger, there are a host of checks that homeowners and landlords should make every year.
From inspecting gas boilers to testing smoke detectors, an annual home safety inspection is a proactive way to safeguard your property and loved ones.
By Dilip Kuner
Here’s a guide to help you carry out a thorough check of your home’s critical areas.
GAS BOILERS
Gas boilers are essential for heating and hot water, but they can pose risks if not properly maintained - as emphasised by a plan for a Coco’s Law.
An annual service is not only critical to prevent CO leaks and ensure efficient operation but actually required by law. These should be pre-arranged with a reputable firm, via your gas provider.
Do not fall foul of the ‘gas man scam’ where a stranger knocks on your door with no appointment and over charges you hundreds of euros for a ‘check’.
A proper technician will check for leaks, test combustion levels, and ensure proper ventila tion.
As a householder you can check for visible signs of damage and always look for potential leaks, unusual noises, or changes in performance.
CO detectors have a test button. Check each unit annually and replace batteries or the entire unit as needed.
SMOKE DETECTORS
Smoke detectors are your first line of defence in case of a fire. An annual inspection ensures they will function when needed. Press the test button on each detector to verify the alarm is working.
Coco’s Law calls for compulsory CO detectors, because they are not yet mandatory in Spain, unlike in the UK and Ireland.
Replace any that fail the test. Even if your detectors appear to be working, it’s advisable to change batteries annually to avoid any unexpected failures.
Smoke detectors have a lifespan of about 10 years. If yours is older, replace it entirely.
Electrical Appliances
Faulty electrical appliances can cause shocks, fires, or short circuits, making it important to check their condition annually.
Check for frayed wires, exposed conductors, or any damage to plugs. Replace or repair faulty cables immediately.
Test circuit interrupters, which protect against electric shock and electrical fires,
BFFS: Blanchard (left) and mob boss Derbah in happier times
EXTRADITED: Paul Blanchard claims to have lived the life of a real-life 007
with a meeting with an agent from Spanish intelligence at the Novotel Hotel in Madrid.
Just five months later, Mo was arrested on charges including money laundering, arms dealing and potential ties to Middle Eastern terror groups. Meanwhile, Blanchard’s Spanish handlers urge him to get out of the country.
And understandably so as Mo spent just 10 months in jail before getting bail for a trial that never happened, thanks to the slow wheels of Spanish justice. Mo has remained a free man and become something of a pillar of the Tenerife business community, even recently dabbling in local politics
Yet there is a sting in the tail for Mo as Spain’s High Court has confirmed to the Olive Press he will finally face trial in Madrid over the coming months.
tently told the Policia Nacional in Malaga he was working undercover.
This seriously angered Muñoz when the queries were run up the flagpole and he was forced to intervene.
He came across the names of the July 7 bombers in London a year before they killed 52 people
If Blanchard is successfully extradited to Spain, he will stand in a parallel trial to his one-time business associate – in spite of his claimed assistance in catching him.
My Spanish handlers
A pair of Spanish intelligence officers became Blanchard’s handlers –and his only lifeline to the law-abiding world he had left behind.
Inspector Fernando Muñoz, based in Madrid, was his primary contact, providing detailed instructions, guidance, and assurances of protection for him throughout. Meanwhile, an officer called ‘Enrique Esteban’ guided him during spying on terror groups. The relationship was healthy until Blanchard inadver-
TIMESHARE: Alleged ‘Tenerife godfather’ Derbah will stand trial thanks to Blanchard’s evidence
“Don’t speak with other people about our issues - about Mohamed or terrorism,” the officer told Blanchard in a recorded phone call, the Olive Press has had access to.
Fearing the worst and he was about to be hung out and dried, he had a meeting with the pair in Madrid in May 2004.
He asked for assurance that the pair would acknowl-
UNDERCOVER:
edge his role if the UK authorities got involved.
Muñoz allegedly delivered a chilling response: “No, no, no,” he allegedly told him.
“That’s impossible, the relationship.....it’s not working.
“They [Spanish intelligence] would deny any involvement.”
The disavowal marked the start of his problems, which continue today.
Moscow mafia and the hit on Palmer
He was soon helping Lebanese billionaire Edmond Hamid, who had amassed a €25 billion fortune through dodgy dealings with the Kremlin.
He hired the accountant to help him hide his wealth, create a new identity and ride off into the sunset.
Blanchard got wind that part of Hamid’s fortune had been unwisely invested in a shadowy fund known as ‘Project Moscow’ allegedly via the help of a British fixer called Scott Young.
UK-based Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky was another investor in the lucrative venture, of which
RISK: gas boilers must be checked regularly
by pressing the test and reset buttons. For safety and energy efficiency, unplug appliances that are not used regularly. And take care with mobile phone chargers. Recently four members of one family in Sevilla died in a blaze that started when a phone overheated when left on a sofa to charge overnight.
COOKERS AND OVENS
Both gas and electric cookers can pose safety hazards, so an annual check is essential for preventing fires and other accidents. Make sure all stove burners and heating elements are working properly. For gas stoves, check for any blockages that could result in gas buildup.
If you smell gas or suspect a leak, turn off the gas supply immediately and contact a professional for an inspection.
HAVE AN ESCAPE PLAN
Go over your home’s emergency exits with your family and make sure everyone knows the quickest way out in case of fire or another emergency.
It is also a good idea, especially if you have small children, to have a fire drill at least once a year to ensure everyone knows their role and escape route. Choose a safe place outside where your
family can meet after evacuating.
CARS AND GARAGES
Cars and garages also need attention in your home safety checklist, as they can present risks such as fires, toxic fumes, or accidents.
Regularly inspect your car’s tyres, brakes, and battery to ensure they’re in safe condition. Schedule any necessary repairs with a professional mechanic. And make sure your garage is well-ventilated to prevent a buildup of exhaust fumes, which can seep into living areas.
OUTDOOR SAFETY
The exterior of your home is just as important as the interior for safety checks. Check for any loose or damaged tiles on the roof, which will allow for water seepage.
Clean the gutters of leaves and debris to prevent water damage.
Overgrown vegetation near your home can cause damage or become a fire hazard, particularly in Spain’s scorching summers. Keep trees and bushes trimmed, especially those near electrical lines. And check that outdoor electrical outlets are weatherproof and functioning properly so you don’t have a shocking experience when you mow the lawn!
little is truly known – but is thought to have enjoyed the guiding hand of President Putin.
Hamid was tipped off by Russian security services to get out just in time, but Young was accused of ‘skimming off the top’ and ‘fell to his death’ out of a window.
Berezovsky, meanwhile, was found to have ‘committed suicide’ in his Berkshire mansion in 2013.
Both were killed by a trio of Bulgarian brothers known as ‘the Sofia Three’, Blanchard told the Olive Press, a trio who specialised in deadly and untraceable poisons.
He claims the hitmen were also responsible for the unsolved death of Palmer, who was gunned down outside his British home in 2015 on the orders of the Russian mafia.
A dalliance with the Irish Republican army Blanchard claims he was recruited to delve into the overlapping worlds of organised crime and terrorist financing in Spain.
He was tasked with actively investigating a fraud suspected to involve Irish Republicans and telecommunications giant Lucent in 2003 (today Alcatel-Lucent).
Under the cover of a reputable corporate services company, Blanchard reported that two IRA operatives (one named ‘John’) had held middleman John Allin (a serial fraudster) captive and put a gun to his head as their scheme unravelled.
According to his investigations, money syphoned off from the company was used to bribe the very judges in Spain who were investigating the fraud.
My tip off about the London bombers
The most astonishing claim is that he came across the names of the July 7 bombers in London a year before they killed 52 people and injured 700.
He says he saw the names of 7/7 terrorists Mohammed Sidique Khan and Shehzad Tanweer when Malaga police asked him to inspect the phone of Allin, who had allegedly been helping funnel money to the IRA.
He was then ordered to attend a meeting at the Meridian Hotel in London in 2003 with the future suicide bombers.
At the meeting, Blanchard played the helpful white-collar enabler as they discussed transferring €10 million to be withdrawn in cash from a bank in Spain.
He got an inkling of what they were up to when he noticed that Khan was nervous about his face being captured on CCTV.
Meanwhile, Allin was happy to lend his fraud and IRA-financing talents to the jihadis.
“Mohammed Khan masterminded the theft of £375,000 from the NatWest bank in Derby in the UK, and then transferred the money to Spain,” Blanchard told the Olive Press.
“It was all withdrawn in cash to fund terrorist activities.”
Both the names of Khan and Tanweer were included in a report to Muñoz on May 17, 2004, which was later faxed to MI5 – but never acted upon.
A CLUCKIN’ RESULT!
Chicken shop sees surge in sales and recognition after taking out an advert with the Olive Press
WHEN the general manager of Estepona’s Pollo de La Mar took out advertising with the Olive Press, she had little idea of what was in store.
As well as the usual advert in the newspaper, we interviewed Lisanne, 26, for a special article that immortalised her as the ‘Chicken Girl’.
Not even a day later, she was being stopped in the street after the article received tens of thousands of hits.
As she reminisced to this newspaper: “The morning after it was published, I was walking in the port when at least two or three people from other businesses told me they had seen me on the Olive Press Facebook page.
“And I hadn’t even seen it yet, so I was like ‘you saw me’?... And then it never stopped.”
Lisanne added: “Customers were coming into the restaurant because they had seen me in the newspaper and they wanted to try the chicken, both new clients and regulars.
Impact
“People would stop me and say ‘hey Chicken Girl, how are you doing’?”
But the reach and the impact of the advert went far beyond just the confined corners of Estepona Port.
Lisanne explained: “I was getting messages on Facebook from people sending me the link or screenshots, or people who saw it on their Google feed. In fact it went far beyond the Costa del Sol.
“I saw a lady at a wedding whose mum lives in England – she told me her mum had seen the advert and that next time she comes for a visit she wants to visit my restaurant! That’s when I realised it had gone way bigger than I expected.”
Business has been booming for Lisanne, who says she’s so proud of her team, her business, and herself for what they've been able to achieve.
“It has been really positive,” she concluded.
“People came to the restaurant because they wanted to try it out after what they had seen in the newspaper, it really worked!”
VILLAINS: Kenneth Noye (left) and John ‘Goldfinger’ Palmer
Blanchard claims he was recruited by Spanish intelligence to spy on gangsters and terrorists
Whole hog!
A NEW study has revealed that the amount of wild boars in Spain is set to double by 2025.
Hunting Resources Research Institute (HRRI) revealed the data last week.
Currently, there are almost a million boars in the country, which are often seen in urban areas.
Experts are considering many reasons for this including a lack of food in the countryside, a tendency to avoid their natural predators and rubbish making an easy food source. It comes after a loose hog was stopped running around inner city Madrid.
But it’s not abnormal to see the animals wandering around Malaga, Galicia and even Barcelona in the summertime- better get used to it!
Protests
planned as new
law sanctions giant utility companies to effectively ‘steal’ land for solar projects
LOCALS and landowners around Spain are set to unite to protest Government plans to allow utility companies to expropriate land for green megaprojects.
They are angry that the new Ley de Utilidad Publica has already announced over 1,000 areas that could see fields seized for wind or solar projects.
The territories have been deemed as ‘available for public usage projects’, in an official BOE (Bulletin of the State) issued last week.
While many are nationwide, the bulk are in Andalucia, where over 800 megaprojects are set to be licensed over the next few years.
In Jaen, an incredible area of 714,000 square metres - or 100 football pitches - of olive groves will be lost in the Lopera, Arjona and Marmolejo areas.
Meanwhile in Coin, near Malaga, some 10 million square
FROM BAG TO BIN
SPAIN’S largest retailers are launching a project to identify the best way to recycle used clothing.
A dozen brands will take part in the initiative, which will see six municipalities try out different methods of recycling, next year.
These will include clothes recycling points in shops, commercial centres and even churches.
It comes as the government announced a decree obliging clothing shops to reuse what they produce.
Daylight robbery
By Yzabelle Bostyn
metres of ‘solar estates’ are to be installed.
Protest group Asociacion Valle Rio Grande slammed the ruling, announcing an immediate appeal against taking healthy farmland for renewable energy projects.
“The worst thing is the law means the company doesn’t even have to tell the owner’s they are going to take their land,” spokesman Marisa Casal, told the Olive Press
“It’s theft to steal someone’s private property for the benefit of foreign companies,” she continued.
“And worst of all, the electricity produced almost certainly won’t be staying in Spain.”
As of January 1 next year, local councils will also have to collect used textiles.
It is thought the move could lead to an increase in second hand shops and recycling centres.
Over 900,000 tonnes of clothing is thrown
every year in Spain, 88% ending up in rubbish dumps. Only 12% of the clothing is recycled, though this varies greatly between the regions, with 24% in the Basque Country and less than 3% in Extremadura.
Name:
She insisted the ‘solar industrial estates’ are not as eco-friendly as promoted.
“They use lots of water, increase temperatures in already hot areas and can leak toxic chemicals into local irrigation systems,” she claimed.
There are projects planned all around the region, including many near the ancient Roman city of Acinipo, near Ronda.
Hundreds of hectares are set to be plastered in solar panels between there are Setenil de las Bodegas, while dozens of schemes are also planned near historic Jimena de la Frontera.
Both areas, famous for their nature and hiking, will be crisscrossed with new electricity lines and pylons.
Other areas effectively sacrificed to giant macro projects are around Granada, Antequera and inland from Manilva.
Heritage
It is believed the process of forced expropriation will start on November 7.
A protest group against the forced expropriation in Jaen, Platforma Campiña Norte, vowed to organise a string
of protests over the coming months.
“We cannot allow our heritage and our way of life to be destroyed.
No trust
THERE have been fewer tuna in Gibraltar waters this season and the reason could be climate change, anglers warn. By October 14, just 24.55 tonnes of the 25-tonne quota was caught despite a ‘bumper’ first half of the season. Now, researchers have warned this could be due to rising water temperatures. University of Gibraltar PhD researcher Samantha Slisarenko reminded that the animals can track environmental changes.
Samuel Marrache of the Gibraltar Tuna Fishing Club, added: “Tuna are migratory fish and follow bait fish, but the water temperatures have been ridiculously high around Gibraltar with recordings of sea temperatures around 28C in August.” It is thought that while the tuna went to cooler waters around Tarifa, Gibraltar saw tropical fish typically found in the Caribbean like Mahi Mahi. A similar phenomenon occurred last year but according to anglers, this year’s impact was ‘greater.’
NEARLY three quarters of Spanish youngsters don’t trust their leaders over global warming.
Some 73% of 15 to 30-year-olds do not trust politicians to handle the climate crisis. According to the Fundacion SM report, 45% feel powerless, 42% are fearful and 36% are sad about the problem.
More optimistically, 57% think that science and technology will solve the crisis.
INCLUDE WWF SPAIN IN YOUR WILL
Surname:
or
LA CULTURA
Do as the Romans
A SPECTACULAR Roman forum has been discovered that experts believe was used to help integrate new tribes into the empire.
The discovery, in the mountain town of Ubrique, Cadiz, has revealed an impressive complex of public buildings dating from the 1st to 5th centuries AD.
Excavators uncovered a central square's wall stretching 16 metres in length, along with what has been described as a 'monumental altar' decorated with elaborate architectural features including column bases, shafts, and statue pedestals.
Scholar
The discovery vindicates 18th century scholar Juan Vegazo, who first suggested the central terrace of Ubrique's hill concealed an ancient Roman forum – a gathering place that would have been the heart of social and political life. The team believe the complex played a key role in what they term 'hybridisation' - the process by which Rome absorbed and integrated local communities that were already settled in the area.
DEEP DIVE
Archeologists begin recovery of 2,600-year-old Phoenician wreck –the most complete ever discovered
WORK has begun on the amphibious excavation of an ancient Phoenician trading ship off the coast of Murcia.
The remarkably well-preserved vessel, dubbed Mazarron 2, is believed to be the most complete ancient ship ever found in the Mediterranean.
An expert team of specialists
By Walter Finch
from the Universitat de Valencia have been painstakingly working to extract the ship’s contents since last month. They even had to put up a barrier of buoys to cordon off the archeological site during the tourist season to keep curious
FRAGILE: Researchers had to cordon off the site from tourists
Stars colliding
ROCK legend Lenny Kravitz will play three gigs in Spain early in April next year. The American singer will visit A Coruña, Madrid and Pamplona as part of the Blue Electric Light Tour. It is part of the star’s huge European tour stretching from France, to Germany to Spain.
onlookers at bay from the incredibly fragile artefacts.
So far the team has recovered fragments of ropes and pieces of pottery that
ANCIENT: The wreck could valuable insights
have remained hidden beneath the seabed for centuries, providing an insight into the lives of the sailors who once sailed these waters.
The artefacts, once properly excavated and preserved, will offer tantalising clues about the ship’s construction, cargo, and the daily lives of its crew.
Experts believe that the learnings from the Mazarron 2 could revolutionise current understanding of life at sea and shipping during Phoenician times.
To help them along, Spain’s Ministry of Culture has kitted the team out with advanced technology, including air compressors and motor pumps that allow the suction of sediments under water.
The experts have even created 3D models of the wreck, which has been divided into 22 pieces.
It has allowed them to foresee and anticipate potential problems during the planning and
execution of the incredibly challenging excavation.
The team hopes to complete the excavation by early November, but the timeline could be affected by weather conditions.
Once the artefacts have been recovered, they will undergo a meticulous conservation process before being put on display in a museum.
Empire
The Phoenician Empire flourished in the eastern Mediterranean region, primarily centred around the modern-day countries of Lebanon, Syria, and Israel from around 1500 BCE. They established trading posts and colonies throughout the Mediterranean, including in North Africa, Europe, and the Iberian Peninsula and were one of the pre-eminent ancient powers in the region until - like so many empires, they were conquered and finished off by the Romans in the first century.
Pedro for peace
SPANISH director Pedro Almodovar (pictured) has urged Pedro Sanchez to ‘take urgent measures to impose a comprehensive arms embargo on Israel.’
In a 10-page letter signed by members of Spain’s cultural industry, supporters expressed their ‘profound concern regarding the oppression and violence suffered by the Palestinian people under the Israeli genocide, aparthied and occupation.’
Although the Spanish government suspended arms sales to Israel at the start of the conflict, there were pre-authorised deals which still went ahead. “The provision of arms and munition from Spain could be perpetuating and financing the genocide against the Palestinian people, increasing the loss of life and suffering of civilians,” said the statement. “Publically, Spain has said it is in favour of peace. But that is not enough. While Spain has military relations with Israel, it will continue to be complicit.”
COMPETITION: Many of the events now inlude
THOUGH most souls as-
sociate Halloween with glowing jack o’ lanterns and slasher films, the true origins of this haunting holiday are not rooted in America but go farther back to the Celtic tradition.
In fact, the eerie roots of Spanish Halloween can be traced back to Galicia, where ancient Celtic rituals still echo through the mists to this day. Samhain, an ancient Irish festival, was brought to the Iberian Peninsula by the Celts thousands of years ago.
OP QUICK CROSSWORD
Meaning ‘end of summer,’ Samhain marks the beginning of the Celtic New Year, plunging the world into a shadowy ‘dark period’ that only lifts with the arrival of spring. It is a time when the veil between the living and the dead grows thin, and the spirits of the departed are said to roam freely.
By Yzabelle Bostyn
shadows at bay.
Many of these spooky customs would be familiar to Brits from their childhoods, including the time-honoured practice of apple bobbing. And those Halloween costumes we know so well? They originated from the Celtic practice of wearing grotesque masks to confuse and ward off lurking evil spirits.
Meanwhile, the carved pumpkinsonce far more sinister- were said to be fashioned from the skulls of fallen enemies, with a flickering candle inside to frighten away mischievous ghosts. Turnips, too, were hollowed out and lit to guide wandering spirits through the mortal realm.
Celtic new year plunges the world into darkness
On November 1, these old traditions come alive in Spain’s northern regions, marked by rituals that stir the souls of those long passed. Long ago, the druid or village leader would summon the gathering, often held in the heart of dark forests where the flickering light
One of the most ghostly Galician rituals is Santa Compaña, a nightmarish procession of the dead. Draped in white and clutching candles, these restless spirits walk solemnly through the town, led by an unfortunate living soul. Dare to peer out of your window during the procession, and legend says you may be cursed to join them in death.
But beware, for the procession’s leader may very well be the last unlucky soul who spied on them the year before.
During Samhain, if someone enters your home, fate may cast its lot - a visit from a troll spells doom, while a fairy’s presence brings blessings.
on November 2, in Illa de Arousa (Galicia), children go door to door begging for sweets - sound familiar?
Celtic traditions are not confined to Galicia alone. In Asturias, they hold banquets in graveyards on Samhain, feasting with the dead, much like the colour ful cele brations of the Mexican Dia de los Muertos.
Pumpkins are once again a symbol of death, and in the Galician city of Lugo, dried pumpkins are even used as macabre masks during Feb ruary's carnival.
“In Galicia, we are resur recting Samhain to fend off the creeping influence of American Hallow een,” said the Gali cian Tourism Office.
CERN guy dispersed
Sacrificed saints (7)
It doesn’t pay, they say (5)
Unsteerable bus? (4)
Heave-ho (4)
Wise
(4)
Even the tradition of ‘trick or treating’, so often cursed as an ‘American invention’, has roots in these ancient Celtic customs.
On the ghostly night of October 31, Celts would knock on doors, asking for offerings of food to honour their dead. Similarly,
“Across the re gion, you’ll find rituals such as pumpkin carv ing, leaving the dinner table set after All Hallows’ Eve so that the dead may dine, and lighting bonfires to guide wandering spirits.”
These bonfires are said to keep visiting spirits warm and to purify the town, driving away any malicious forces. They also play a key role in magostos,or chestnut parties, where townsfolk gather around the fire, sipping wine and feasting on roasted chestnuts to celebrate the harvest.
Revival
The modern revival of Samhain in Galicia was sparked by a local teacher, Rafael Lopez Loureiro.
In 1990, when his daughter came home with a pumpkin, it stirred ancient memories of his own childhood, and he set out to revive the tradition. After 13 long years of research, he published his study, Samhain: The Pumpkin Festival.
To revive the tradition, Loureiro reintroduced a pumpkin carving contest in his hometown of Cedeira nearly 30 years ago. Today, thanks to the tireless efforts of Loureiro and the Amigos de Samain, Samhain is celebrated in many Galician towns, including Briz, Allariz, Ferrol, A Coruña, Pontevedra, and Ribadavia.
TRADITION: Samhain was brought back from the dead
DELICIOUS: Magostos, orchestnut parties were practiced even in the 1980s (1981)
costume contests
LA CULTURA
The origins of Halloween are closer to home than you
ENDURING: Young & old have embraced the tradition
SONIC CLARITY
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In Cedeira, villagers compete in pumpkin carving and costume contests, while in Ribadavia, a shadowy procession pays tribute to the ghost with detractors calling it an extension of American imperialism disguised as Halloween. “The original purpose of reviving Samhain was to stand against Halloween,” he admitted, “but now it’s become a sort of ‘Hallo-haim’ - a mix of Halloween and Samhain.”
Ryanair’s refusal
RYANAIR says passengers who were stuck on planes from Spain due to Storm Ashley were not entitled to free water, let alone compensation.
Despite some people getting stuck on the tarmac for 15 hours, a spokesperson said they get nothing when delays are caused by something clearly beyond Ryanair’s control.'
A passenger on an Ibiza to Dublin flight on October 20 said the pilot twice attempted to land in Ireland before diverting to Liverpool.
Passenger Alan Duncan told the Olive Press they could not get off the plane for four hours as it was an ‘EU to EU flight.’
“There was no food or water and some people also suffered panic attacks,” he claimed.
Samhain is only one of four major Celtic celebrations that haunt the calendar
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National winners!
By Yzabelle Bostyn
THE Alhambra, the Canary Islands and the Picos de Europa have been singled out as Spain’s best destinations, by National Geographic.
The trio have been chosen in honour of the 25th anniversary of the celebrated magazine’s Spanish edition.
The Alhambra, which featured on the cover of its first edition, is the number one must-visit place in Spain.
“The beauty of this monument always serves everyone well,” the magazine explains.
“If you go just to see it or accompany it with a jaunt around Granada, with its barrios full of character, you’re sure to have a great
Three sites in Spain are among leading magazine’s top picks
Passports
BORDER controls between France and Spain are returning for at least six months. Fears over terrorism threats have prompted France to re-establish checks until the end of April next year. This is despite it being part of the EU's Schengen border-free zone.
Controls will reappear at all land, air and sea borders with Spain, as well as with Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. The Schengen Borders Code permits all EU nations to temporarily reinstate border controls 'in the event of a serious threat to public order or internal security'.
IMPRESSIVE: The Picos de Europa span Cantabria and Asturias
time.”
Next on the list was a reader’s ‘preferred destination’, the dramatic Picos de Eu-
ropa mountain range in the north of Spain.
The area spanning Cantabria and Asturias - often
ROUTES TO HEAVEN
SPAIN is the best place in the world for a road trip.
The north of the country, in particular, is the best destination to explore by car, according to the Travelbook Awards. The German travel experts particularly praised its many varied and unspoilt landscapes. It beat competitors including Wales, Slovenia and Namibia to claim the award. The judges highlighted the region's green
hills, mountains and beaches.
“There are many steep coastlines where the Atlantic crashes into strong waves and which sometimes you can enjoy all by yourself.
“The north is also known for its picturesque towns and its modern, vibrant cities.
“From Catalunya to Galicia, travellers can find mountains, unspoilt beaches, enchanting towns and a lot of culture.”
compared to the Alps for its dramatic valleys - is perfect for hiking with its two best spots, the ‘impressive’ Pico Urriellu and Naranjo de Bulnes.
The Canary Islands were chosen, meanwhile, for their distinct character across all seven islands.
“We have always tried to lovingly convey the natural and cultural value of each island,” explains the magazine.
Since launching, the magazine has written about everything from sprawling rain forests to ancient ruins and from Bali to Bristol.
MALAGA has Spain's second-worst airport for flight delays.
A total of 3.4 million passengers saw travel plans disrupted this summer, with only visitors to Mallorca suffering more. Over a third of all flights (36%) failed to stick to schedule during the peak summer season. The worst-performing routes were flights to Abu Dhabi, Budapest, and Riyadh - while travellers to Asturias had the most punctual connection.
Photo by M. Bereijo Samain
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
THE shifting sands of the culinary landscape have always needed careful guidance.
And with a bustling ever-changing metropolis like Palma, you need to add a big pinch of local knowledge.
Having written a restaurant book, Dining Secrets of Andalucia, I know the necessity of doing the research and always keeping your ear to the ground… and my mantra always is: ask the local restaurateurs and chefs themselves. And that is exactly what an enterprising pair of expats (one Dutch, the other German) have done in Mallorca.
After years of event planning and organising festivals around the world, they’ve combined their knowledge by immersing themselves in the food industry on the island.
Now, after three years of research they’ve launched a series of food tours around the city and even around the island.
November 29thDecember 12th 2023
A TASTE OF THE CITY
1302 by King Jaime II, and then pointed out one of the city’s oldest bakeries close by.
The Forn del Teatre had been making pastries and bread by hand for a century, until it was reborn in 2010 thanks to a local entrepreneur Tomeu Arbona.
Renamed as Fornet de la Soca it has kept the photos of the old owners on the wall as well as an array of old pans, trays and cake tins that have produced classic Mallorquin goodies for centuries.
As if by magic a white tin plate was thrust in front of us with some melt-inthe-mouth croquettes
A pleasant surprise when navigating is that there’s no need to download anything – the Food Tours Mallorca web app is easily accessible online from your phone, the only thing you need is internet
While it wasn’t listed as one of our four evening courses, the pastries looked so good, I couldn’t resist trying an empanada of red pepper and pork, which turned out to be a splendid way to kick off the tour… and for just €4.50 extra.
Our first restaurant (proper) was a classic Spanish vermuteria - all the rage nowcalled La Rosa. Hidden up a little alleyway, it was a surprising hive of activity, despite the time of 5.15pm... “We’ve got the tourists coming in for an early supper or the Spanish taking a late lunch,’ explained manager Carlos Fabiani, who is in the process of launching a second same-name joint nearby. To strains of jazz and, thankfully overhead fans, we mulled over the idea of bravas or oysters, before realising that our tour meant everything was already chosen for us and we just needed to sit back and order our
simplicity La Rosa specialises in ‘gourmet tin conserved food’, plus jamón ibérico, and, of course, the vermouth, which is made locally from the Manto Negro grape.
There are well over a dozen on offer here and La Rosa makes its very own vermouth with local herbs, six or more, including cardamom, rosemary and orange peel, collected by the boss Nacho Velasco from the nearby hills. As if by magic a white tin plate was thrust in front of us with some delicious melt-in-the-mouth croquettes, two types, plus some anchovies with an ensaladilla kyiv.
We could have stayed for the whole evening, but our tour awaited, so we followed the simple map on the app around the corner onto La Rambla, which we were told was once the course of the local river and where, in 1403, severe flooding caused the death of thousands of citizens. It led to the diversion of the river Torrent de Sa Riera a kilometre or so to the west and the creation of the wonderful shady avenue of La Rambla.
We needed to stroll about a third of the way along, past around three or four flower sellers, until we spotted what was literally a hole in a wall.
Cantina Panza is an annexe of a grand merchant’s house, laid out in a series of corridors and spaces with a small kitchen at one end.
This is one of the most joints in Palma and full of old photos on the wall. All about
Grand it isn’t, but it is certainly charming and the focus is very much on the quality of the food, produced by a pair of chefs, one, Fernando Arellano, who has won two Michelin
GRANDEUR: the amazing bulls cheek dish matched the glamour of Xalest, while (below) the fun began at La Rosa with its friendly staff and vermouth
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
stars.
The other, Javier Gardonio, an Argentinian, is on hand to explain their concept, which they describe as ‘cooking from memory’ with a nod to both Spanish cuisine and French know-how.
“We think of it as comfort food,” he explains with a big smile as he sets down the most delicious plate of scallops stuffed with chopped and braised octopus in a rich fish sauce with chives.
We found ourselves meeting one of the tour bosses, Michelle, a friendly Dutch woman, who explained how they had seen a gap in the market and were very busy.
She explained the tours set off at 1pm and 5pm in order to cater for everyone, whether at lunchtime or early evening. They also use various routes and different restaurants, working around their opening hours to bring them more business in their quieter hours. Massive foodies themselves, they realised they were always out trying new places and chatting to the local restaurateurs and cooks. They realised they could get people out for a tasting tour and chances are, they would go back for proper meals in the following days.
There was no doubt a real frisson of excitement as to how our tour would unravel. Where would it take us next?
Would the next joint be better or
worse? A modern, stylish place, or traditional and au thentic?
A brilliant way to impress a date, it was also the perfect tour for a family or couple wanting to get a flavour of the city, without having to take a gamble on one restaurant for the main night out.
So the next venue couldn’t have been more perfect.
A nondescript street and average looking stone building turned out to be an amazing 15th century palace, which only opened as a five star hotel three years ago.
Xalest (meaning in a good mood) is the restaurant of the Concepcio by Nobis hotel, which was once a palace and later a soap factory. Here we were served pigs cheeks (carillera) with corn puree, demi glas and fried tortillas...the spices really did the dish justice...
Restaurant manager Ali, from Casablanca, explained: “We try to offer KM-zero local food, Mediterranean food, some fusion.”
Its chef, Xema Álvarez has won Palma’s prestigious TaPalma competition and ran his own joint Catalina la Fina, before it was destroyed by Covid.
Finally we arrived at Arlequin... around 8.30pm, a seductive place, influenced by Alice in Wonderland.
This was to be our sweet course and the puddings are served in a red gift box and a giant donut... See pics (right) to understand.
My colleague Charlie grinned like a child with his chocolate number while my sweet donuts with caramel cream and
The unusual cocktail bar fect for the end of the tour, and we were soon moving onto the cocktail menu. The tour cost €130 for two people and sets off at various times of the day.
For more information Visit www.foodtoursmallorca.com
FUN: the donut pudding and chocolate surprise (below) at Arlequín left us in a good mood
CREATIVE: From the stuffed scallop dish served by Javier at Cantina Panza to the empanada at Fornet de la Soca (left) it was a fabulous tour
Jon Clarke takes an exciting gourmet tour around Palma, in Mallorca
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
November 29thDecember 12th 2023
GRAND CRU ANDALUZ
IT may only be a short stroll from Puerto Banus, yet Chambao is a million miles away in style.
You arrive from the beach through a low key entrance, or better, mountain side via a dramatic natural cane arch, interwoven with bougainvillea.
Either way, you are transported to a slice of Belle Epoque Gran Cru Andaluz where seductive lighting combines with flower power, with the sea as the perfect backdrop. But this is no chiringuito, Chambao has been created by the team behind the Puente Romano
Down: 1 Crumbs, 2 Abandons, 3 Crime, 4 Tram, 5 Boot, 6 Idiocy, 8 Damage, 12 U R L, 13 No way out, 14 Delphi, 15 Recipe, 17 Beside, 18 Truro, 20 Egos, 21 Magi.
Planet of the humans
Dear Olive Press,
AND I thought the UK was WOKE. Nobody wants to cause animals unnecessary suffering. However, precisely because primates are the closest animals to humans they are the most suitable animals on whom to try out life saving drugs.
If an alternative can be found that’s fine but if not then we should not stop medical research – which can save or greatly ameliorate human life – on monkeys. Humans trump monkeys.
In any event the way to achieve the ends at which this putative legislation is directed is to simply to tighten medical research on apes.
My guess is that it is very regulated already but there may be grounds for further restrictions.
What is ludicrous and wholly unnecessary is to re-categorise apes as humans in the hope that this will strengthen the case for legislation.
It will do no such thing. It will be seen for what it is, part of a campaign to wage war on traditional Spanish values. This is a government which would like to ban the corrida (bullfighting), expunge all references to Spain’s fascist past, legalise the position of 500,000 illegal immigrants many of whom have no real connection to Spain and abandon a western looking Israel. It is all part of the international WOKE package, adapted to Spain. It should be rejected.
This is the planet of the humans not the planet of the apes.
El Sapo de Medina, Medina
By Jon Clarke
hotel. So this is a restaurant of significant standing in its own right, a place where the food should be the main protagonist.
And so it is, with a straightforward seafood slanted menu, featuring a range of dishes that you won’t try at many other places on the coast. It actually bills itself as a ‘boutique beach and pool club’ and this it certainly is if you pop in during the day, when the venue promotes its pool and sunbeds.
It’s at night though, when the magic begins.
This starts with its waiters, who are well trained, bilingual and
good natured, as you’d expect from an eaterie connected to a leading five-star hotel. ly mention the bread, but a mini-loaf comes out warm, served with alioli and fat plump olives. It bodes well.
LETTERS
THANK YOU
Two Olive Press readers have very differing views on the Spanish health care system
TOO many people complain about hospital treatment in Spain.
I had a recent life threatening situation and these wonderful people saved my life – they should be proclaimed heroes in my opinion!
From the ambulance crew to the whole hospital staff they made me so calm and reassured, treating me like the only patient in the world.
The facilities and building were immaculate and my room was as good as any five star hotel suite- completely self contained with constant superb care from doctors, nurses, cleaners and caterers with excellent food.
My original reasons for admission was that I suffer from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and had a chest infection compounded by bronchitis and some form of bacterial attack. In other words, it was virtually im-
possible for me to breathe. From start to recovery they all worked really hard as a fantastic team with determination to get me through this very frightening time. I just want people in the Murcia region to never be afraid if they are admitted to this hospital, you will not get better care anywhere in the world than Los Arcos (above).
My wife and I want to publicly thank this wonderful team of professional and cheerful people who do a marvellous job in saving lives.
Donald Anthony Wilson, Murcia
‘Fake news’ and Covid-19
WHY keep pushing the Covid narrative? It's a scam. Get your brains organised..and stop pedalling total b******s, but no, vaxt*rds like you are so f***ing braindead. Good luck with the jabs, see you in five years, B*LL ENDS.
James Richards, via online
The menu is split into ‘starters to share’, which includes seafood soup, prawn pil pil and the interesting burratina and pickled tomatoes, ‘mains to share’ section, a ‘seafood’ section and a ‘Malaga fried fish’ section, which guarantees I’ll avoid it. I don’t usual -
We go for a shared tuna tartare (far left), which comes in an original fried rice base, spiced up with a thick kimchee sauce.
A separate sushi menu deserves a try, we are told by the maitre, Cristina Gallardo, from Cordoba. We dutifully plumb for a Kabuki roll with bluefin tuna, avocado and cucumber, which lends itself to a splendid pic, coming out as it does in a Far Eastern dragon boat (above).
For mains, I can’t resist trying the intriguing ‘Menorca-style’ lobster, which at €60 per person isn’t cheap, but is hardly extortionate for Marbella.
Housing fears
IT all started with too much protection for non-paying tenants and squatters. Holiday lets are much more hassle than long term rental. Linen changes, overuse of water and electricity, less caring occupiers because there’s a relatively small deposit, more disturbance of neighbours, etc.
The net return after management costs, owners time, etc is more important.
It’s fear of long term occupiers with rent increase restrictions that resulted in the housing shortage.
These protections have been tried many times worldwide and always make matters worse.
Eventually they are removed, more long term become available as they are less hassle for the owners, and the market stabilises, but at a higher rent level than before the restrictions started.
Campbell D Ferguson, Survey Spain
MOO-T POINT
When we arrived in Spain from the UK four years ago, we could buy fully skimmed fresh milk (leche fresca desnatada) in almost every supermarket chain.
But bit by bit over the last 18 months, it has been only available to a few supermarkets, and then recently to only Dia, Carrefour and Consum.
Last week we tried all three of these supermarkets to no avail and when asked, we were told ‘issue at factory, but don’t know if we will stock again.’
I would be grateful if you could investigate as neither my husband or myself can take milk in any other form.
It seems a very backward step to stop producing a healthy product which a lot of people buy.
Valerie Walker, via email
CHAMBAO Marbella
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
It is certainly one of the oddest dishes I’ve sampled this year, though, coming out in a rich tomato and paprika sauce (called an ‘American sauce’) with a fried egg (yes fried egg!) on top. But this is how they do it in Menorca, our waiter Ezekiel tells us, as he cracks open the claws and picks out the delicious crustacean goodness inside for us. Served up with fried green peppers, thinly-cut dauphinoise potatoes, carrots and garlic and consome of fish and prawns, it is unusual but somehow works. Where lobster, you must say, becomes a meal rather than just a dish. Out pops, head chef Sergio Zubia -
dut, from La Coruña, in Galicia, who is a long way from home, but tells us he is enjoying his time in Marbella.
He brings a ‘Tajin’ sorbet, which serves as a palate cleanser before we dip into a pudding, a cheesecake, which has a slice of classic Tom & Jerry cheese on the plate (but unless you’ve got a very sweet tooth beware of tasting it). It’s a great ending to a memorable meal.
Above all, remember this is the Golden Mile so it won’t suit all budgets.
www.puenteromano.com/dining-drinks/chambao/
Bring them back
SCHOOL kids in Tenerife penned a heartfelt message demanding the return of their new migrant classmates after they were transferred away overnight.
Chef’s wrath
A chef in Ibiza stormed out of his kitchen and beat up an elderly German who had complained about the food. He even threw a plate at the man’s head who was prone on the floor.
Just dumb
A QUAD bike driver who went viral doing wheelies and standing on one leg on the A7 to Algeciras – one of Spain’s most dangerous motorways – was tracked down and arrested just days later.
Housing joke
Room with a view of a toilet goes on sale in Madrid at a mere €16,500 per square metre
THE latest ‘bargain’ to come on sale in Madrid’s housing market is a flat with a microwave under the sink and a toilet within arm’s reach of the bed.
Located in Gran Via, the capital city’s much-sought after thoroughfare, the tiny 10 sqm studio also boasts a single-person table.
Right up against the dining table is the bathroom, enclosed only by an opaque plastic pane and conveniently elevated for ease of view.
The kitchen is a masterclass in economy of space, with fridge, single hotplate, sink and microwave all crammed into one square metre.
It comes generously equipped with a double bed wedged into the corner, between the shower and the open clothes rack.
The lucky owner will enjoy a three centimetre shelf above the bed to store their belongings.
All yours for the low low price of
By Yzabelle Bostyn
just €165,000. At €16,500 per square metre, it is considerably pricier than the average property in the city, which comes in around €5,000.
Understandably, the offering has prompted outrage among Madrid residents, with one local influencer asking: “How
have we got here? Is this even legal? Is it moral?”
Madrid’s housing market has been rocketing out of control in recent times, with prices rising 18% in just the last year.
It’s a similar story in Barcelona, Valencia, Palma de Mallorca and Bilbao – and almost all of Spain’s most desirable cities. But if you really want a bargain?
Look to Zaragoza, Spain’s fifth
BARGAIN: But the owner may fear squatters
largest city. There, an apartment costs just €1,175 sqm –the best value in all the country.
AN influencer from Argentina wowed tourists by performing 300 pull ups while hanging from El Tajo bridge in Ronda. Gero Arias pulled off the arm-busting feat with a dizzying 100 metre drop to the rocky gorge below.
“Today wasn’t easy, I cried, I bled but I made it,” he said. It is the 300th straight day he has performed
less impressed, found that he was nearly three times over the alcohol limit. The driver was bailed after a court appearance, while the entrance to the Colon metro remained blocked for several hours.
DAREDEVIL
the stunt, starting with just one pull up on January 1 and adding another rep every 24 hours.
The challenge has taken him all over the world, from Paris to Barcelona to Bolivia - often, surrounded by crowds of adoring fans. However, although an impressive feat of strength, it wasn’t that daring – the ‘daredevil’ was hooked up to a harness the whole time.
