Tragic brothers
THE bodies of two small brothers have been discovered a fortnight after they were swept away in the DANA floods.
Ruben Matias (below), five, and his brother Izan (bottom), three, were found in Catarroja, several kilometres from their home in Torrent. A giant shipping container from a passing truck had crashed into their bedroom, exposing them to the storm and sweeping them away. An extensive search operation involving hundreds of local volunteers and even a specialised Mexican team known as Los Topos Aztecas scoured for them for two weeks.
“We are devastated,” the boys’ aunt told reporters. “While we had lost hope of finding them alive, it still hurts deeply to have it confirmed.”
She added that the family felt ‘a certain peace’ in being able to finally begin their mourning process.
O P LIVE RESS
Demands grow for the resignation of Valencia president Carlos Mazon as it emerges he was having a three hour power lunch as tragedy unfolded
THE streets of Valencia have erupted in fury after it was revealed that regional president Carlos Mazon spent hours enjoying a long secret lunch while his region drowned.
The PP leader is now facing calls for his resignation after 130,000 enraged citizens gathered to protest.
Protesters accused him of murder and having ‘blood on his hands’, while hundreds of them clashed with riot police.
The leader Mazon has called a press conference for today (Thursday) in which he is expected to announce resignations and a ‘restructuring’ of his government.
It came as it emerged that Mazon was having a three hour lunch as the floodwaters rose and panic gripped the region on October 27.
Mazon was dining at the exclusive El Ventorro restaurant with journalist Maribel Vilaplana, until 6pm – many hours after the first red alerts had been issued by meteorologists.
By Alex Trelinski & Dilip Kuner
Shockingly, though, he did not cut his meal short despite the worsening crisis and only returned to his office at around 7pm, by which time the death toll was climbing dramatically.
“Mazon’s hands are stained with blood!” chanted the angry protesters outside Valencia City Hall, who clashed with riot police as they marched to the parliament building.
Injured
Four people were arrested and 31 police were injured.
As the region continued the clean up operation after the flooding that left over 225 dead with dozens still missing, residents continue to question why he continued with his lengthy meal. Government sources insisted he was
MENU DEL DISASTER
being constantly updated on the growing crisis, but his office has refused to disclose the details of his agenda for the day.
Adding fuel to the fire, critics have pointed to a major failure in the authorities’ response.
Despite the national weather agency (AEMET) sending out multiple red alerts at 8am that day, regional authorities only sent out emergency messages to citizens’ phones 12 hours later. By this time hundreds of cars had already begun to float away and many homes were submerged.
It didn’t help that Mazon failed to request emergency military assistance until 8pm, despite being fully informed of the growing disaster.
Incredibly, PP vice president, Susana Camarero, insisted Mazon should not resign, saying it would be a ‘betrayal’ of the victims.
“All we can think about is working on the recovery efforts and on repairing the damage,” she said this week.
Games
One local resident, Ana de la Rosa, 30, told the Olive Press: “They should be held responsible for manslaughter and were too busy playing political games to save lives.”
Another, Julian Garcia, 75, added: “They should have warned people to be on alert the night before and not to take their children to school.”
Sources claim Minister for Justice Salome Pradas was ultimately responsible for the emergency response, but that hasn’t stopped the public from blaming Mazon.
ANGER: Protesters chanted that Mazon has ‘blood on his hands’
See Village
DINED: Mazon (left) enjoyed a threehour lunch with Vilaplana (below) while disaster struck
Fishy business
TWO tonnes of undocumented and potentially unhealthy anchovies have been seized from a fishing boat at San Pedro del Pinatar with the captain facing a fine of up to €60,000.
Side hustle
A TECH company worker upgrading school Wi-Fi networks stole large amounts of cash and equipment from classrooms in Alicante, Almoradi, Santa Pola and Elche.
Boar alert
WILD boar herds are being reported in parts of the Murcia region with the animals spotted regularly rifling through rubbish bins on the outskirts of Cieza.
Doggy first
WORK has started on Los Montesinos’ first dog park costing €36,000, located on the La Herrada urbanisation and set to open in February.
Breaking bad
Top anti-money laundering cop caught with €20 million and a Lamborghini as narco couple
MADRID’s top anti-corruption detective has been busted with millions of dollars in cash stashed between the walls of his house.
Oscar Sanchez was arrested last week after €20 million was found hidden at his home in Alcala de Henares. The arrest came in connection to a record seizure of 13 tonnes of cocaine in the Port of Algeciras last month.
A further 15 individuals have been arrested – including Sanchez’s wife, who also
By Walter Finch
worked in the Policia Nacional. She was arrested in Toledo but released on bail.
Sanchez, who is Spain’s Economic and Tax Crime chief inspector, was known by his colleagues as ‘the discrete one’ and showed no trappings of his wealth. But photos have emerged of a fleet of luxury cars and motorbikes parked among the police cars outside his home,
including a Lamborghini Huracan Spyder. Sanchez first fell under suspicion when Internal Affairs uncovered a payment to a company owned by the po-
KIDDY CONTRACT KILLERS
THREE Swedes have been arrested in Alicante on suspicion they recruited children to commit crimes, including contract killings.
The detainees are said to be a couple and their 15-year-old son who operated from a flat in the Sant Joan area.
The Policia Nacional were involved in the operation along with Swedish and Danish police as well as Europol.
The trio are accused of recruiting youths ‘to participate in serious violent acts’ that took place in the spring and summer of 2024 in Denmark and
Sweden, according to Swedish prosecutors.
Charges include attempted murder, drug trafficking, extortion, and weapons offences.
The three suspects ran an online ‘criminal cell’ and posted ‘ads offering contract killings’ on an online channel ‘targeting vulnerable youths as young as 13 to 14 years old’, according to Europol. “The online channel has now been closed, and investigators are working to identify other individuals involved in this network,” it said.
Cat killer
AN Elche man has avoided going to prison despite brutally shooting two cats dead with his hunting rifle.
The 54-year-old Elche council employee fired several shots at a group of urban cats in the San Crispin district of the city on September 26 in an area managed by the CES Gatos charity. He was working at a council maintenance workhouse on Avenida de Novelda and pled guilty at his trial to 'deliberately wanting to kill the cats'. One of the animals called Rondi died immediately while Bombon passed away at a veterinary clinic.
lice chief for ‘services’ from a company linked to narco traffickers.
Investigators eventually managed to unravel a collaboration between Sanchez, his wife and a narco couple living the high-life in El Campello, near Alicante.
Identified as ‘Miguel and Vilma’, the couple have been on the run since police intercepted their enormous cocaine shipment on October 14, the largest in Spanish history.
They believed they had all local officials paid off and brazenly introduced the shipment into Spain from Ecuador in one single container. According to police, the Alicante couple claimed to be successful importers of tropical fruits including bananas, mangoes and pineapples from South America.
The man was given a one-year suspended jail term on the proviso that he does not reoffend for two years and that he attends an animal protection training programme.
Chop shop
A CHEF has been arrested for stealing €12,000 worth of prime cuts of meat from an Alicante restaurant.
He is accused of then selling the goods to at least two other restaurants.
The 32-year-old man worked in a senior role as an assistant chef and used his status to pilfer sirloin and entrecote steaks between January and May this year.
Colleagues told the police that they saw him stuffing meat, alcohol, and prepared food into his backpack and various bags.
PROCEEDS: Flash cars outside his house. (Top) Sanchez
RICHARD Gere is selling up in the States and moving to Spain.
Despite being an outspoken critic of new president Donald Trump, the change is to be closer to his in-laws, he has revealed.
The Pretty Woman star, 75, and his wife Alejandra, 41, plan to live in the Madrid area.
“Alejandra will be able to return to her lifelong friends and get closer to their culture again. And that makes me happy,” he said.
GERE’ING UP FOR A MOVE
"I love Spain and I think your lifestyle is fabulous. Also your ability to live transmitting joy and happiness,” the actor added.
British expat’s novel tops the global bestseller list - even above Ian Rankinwith mystery thriller
A BRITISH expat has
By Yzabelle Bostyn
Karen Brady’s Where’s the Money? quickly shot to the top of the global giant’s thriller bestseller list, nudging out crime genius Ian Rankin. The plot follows two sisters, Bonnie and Skye, who move to the resort with their husbands, two ‘extremely successful businessmen.’ There, they ‘live the life of absolute
luxury’ before tragedy strikes when the men die in a mysterious car crash. And when the devastated widows go to check their bank accounts, they discover all their money is gone. Thus begins an international hunt to find the truth behind their husbands’ untimely deaths.
“It is a beautiful place, the food is extraordinary and the people exude sensitivity and generosity, as well as a strong will to laugh and enjoy. So I'm looking forward to going there.”
In 2016 he described Trump (right) becoming President as a ‘nightmare’. The timing of the move couldn't be more sensible after his wife posted her public support for Trump’s rival Kamala Harris after voting this month.
Chart topper
Brady’s ‘pasttime’ has seen her shoot up the the running after
The idea for the book
emerged when Karen and a friend were laughing about a crime article they saw in the Olive Press and asked themselves ‘but where’s the money?’
“My friend said it would make a good title for a book and it got me thinking,” Karen told the Olive Press
It is her fifth book since writing became ‘a hobby’ after retiring to Mijas in 2018.
“Spain has provided the per-
Outpour of anger
MALAGA star Antonio Banderas has slammed the slow response by authorities to Valencia's flood disaster.
Banderas was critical that the army was not mobilised fast enough once the extent of the problem became clear.
He asked why army helicopters ‘with food, water and medicine’ had not been sent to the towns affected more quickly.
“Why are our taxes and resources not used better? Why?” he added.
fect environment to pursue my writing,” she said. “I love the laid back atmosphere and how everything is mañana, I’m literally living the dream.”
She added: “I write mystery thrillers because it’s what I love, when your mind is racing and there’s suspense.”
Even though she’s not ‘in it for the money’, her books have done extremely well, charting high in the bestseller lists and selling thousands of copies.
Passion
Born and raised in Birmingham she launched her own recruitment business at the age of 23.
“I’ve always had a passion for writing,” she explained. “But it’s hard to be creative when you’re chasing the dollar.”
In 2006, she joined a writing group and began to hone her skills alongside other talented writers, before spending the next 12 years writing her debut, Agnes in Bloom.
Tennis star Rafael Nadal
FAMOUS faces have flocked to support the victims of Valencia’s deadly floods.
is managing donations through his tennis academy in Manacor, while actress Penelope Cruz (above centre) has made ‘significant’ donations to various charities.
Founder of Inditex Group, Amancio Ortega (above right), has also donated four million euros to the Spanish Red Cross, while Real Madrid President, Florentino Perez (above left) will donate a million euros to flood victims.
The football club has also launched fundraising efforts, alongside other stars including Rosalia and Georgina Rodriguez.
Director Depp
JOHNNY Depp has spent a weekend in Sevilla, close to his ex-wife who lives in Madrid.
The controversial star was printing his directorial debut at the European Film Festival as well as doing a bit of sightseeing.
Depp - whose ex Amber Heard moved to Mallorca then Madrid three years ago - has gone behind the camera to direct Modi, Three Days on the Wing of Madness
It tells the story of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani trying to find a home for his art during wartorn Paris in the early 1940's. Depp was on the red carpet for a screening at the Cartuja Center - the biggest cinema in Sevilla.
(top)
topped the Amazon book charts with her fifth novel, a thriller based in Marbella.
HOBBY:
Homes go ahead
GUARDAMAR'S mayor says there are no major obstacles so far to building 1,000 homes next to a protected area of the Segura river.
Jose Luis Saez responded to objections from the Friends of the South Alicante Wetlands (AHSA) who claimed the site has a high risk of subsidence and erosion.
The mayor said that processing and investigations for the proposed Rinconada urbanisation had been running for many years. Studies have been favourable so far and he rubbished suggestions that plans had 'suddenly been activated'.
“We’re not heartless”, he stated, adding that full public consultations had taken place at each stage.
He emphasised that approval would not be granted if any surveyor reports show the land is unsuitable for housing.
A NEW annual passenger record has been set for Alicante-Elche airport with two months still remaining of 2024.
Airport operator Aena said that almost 1.8 million people used the airport in October - up 13.3% on last year's record high. A third of the travellers came from the United Kingdom.
Record smashed again
October’s figures mean that 15.9 million passengers have been recorded during the first 10 months of 2024, beating last year's previous record of 15.75 million. The figures will boost the Valencian government's call for a second run-
way - so far rejected by the Transport Ministry which has backed a second terminal.
Valencia's Tourist Minister will go to Florida next month for a US travel conference in a bid to woo a transatlantic connection with New York.
Supermarket cash
€25m cash lifeline handed to flood-hit businesses by Mercadona
THE owner of the Valencia-based Mercadona supermarket chain will donate up to €25 million to small businesses affected by the flood disaster.
Juan Roig’s business empire launched an aid programmethe Alcem-se (Let’s Rise Up) to soften the blow for those in critical need.
Direct grants of up to
In Memorium
TORREVIEJA’S annual Armistice Day commemoration took place on Monday at the city’s Immaculate Conception church. The Royal British Legion event not only remembered those who have fallen during conflicts but also paid tribute to the 200-plus people who died in the Valencia floods.
British armed forces veterans paraded with their standards and were joined by Torrevieja Policia Local officers.
By Alex Trelinski
€10,000 per company will be available.
Small businesses employing up to 15 people can ask for money by filling out an online form.
Experts will evaluate each application and decide what is the best course of action.
The scheme is aimed to reduce the risk of permanent closures in the flood-affected areas and to reactivate local commerce as soon as possible.
Canal fall claim
A PEDESTRIAN who fell into a La Mata canal is suing Torrevieja council for €139,000. The victim said that street lighting was not good enough but municipal staff checked out the area and deemed it as satisfactory. A council spokesperson said the accident spot did not need the same amount of illumination as La Mata's promenade. The claimant was rebuffed by the council and is now going to court.
The authority recently paid out over €21,000 for a fall in the Molino de Aqua park and almost €17,000 for a similar incident by the Levante dam.
In addition to money, beneficiaries will be able to get advice from business management professionals to boost their recovery. This will include setting up meetings with specialists, who will
advise on the location of new suppliers and customer purchases to relaunch individual businesses. Meanwhile Mercadona staff could get up to €65,000 each to compensate for flood damage. The company announced a €40 million fund to help any workers affected, with payouts of up to €50,000. The first payments start next Thursday.
Climate killer
PEDRO Sanchez has warned ‘climate change kills’ following the Valencia flood disaster.
“Unfortunately, we’re seeing that climate change kills and we have to adapt to it,” he insisted.
The comments came during a speech, where he approved financial measures to help those affected by the storms.
THE bodies of three businessmen who vanished after having lunch during the DANA floods have been discovered. Miguel Burdeos, a key supplier of Mercadona, Jose Marin, of Mas Camarena school group, and Vicente Tarancon, of sportswear brand Luanvi, all washed up near the La Orza de Angel restaurant in Chiva. Their vehicles were swept away when a river flooded near the town of Cheste inland.
See Village of the Damned, page 6 & 7
Stephen needs you!
Olive Press appeal to identify amnesiastruck Brit in hospital
THE Olive Press is renewing its appeal to identify a British expat who has been struck with amnesia in a Spanish hospital.
Stephen, 71, was first admitted to Torrevieja Hospital on September 24 after suffering a stroke while cycling in Alicante.
As we reported last month, he was struck with severe memory loss and can only recall his first name and age, but no other details about his life or loved ones.
Tragically, not a single person has reported him missing, and an ongoing police investigation has resulted in no further clues.
The officer leading the case told the Olive Press this week: “We still don’t know his identity, but steps are being taken through the authorities in England.”
No matches
Stephen is ‘in a bad way’ having suffered a second stroke in the same hospital and his condition has not improved.
“We want to interview him and try to get more information but right now he can barely talk,” added the policeman.
“We have absolutely nothing to go on, because he had no wallet on him when he was admitted and only knows his first name and age.
“There are also no missing persons reports that match his name or description.”
Investigators are still trying to contact Steve Presland, a keen cyclist from the
Ecopark progress
A SITE has been found for a new Orihuela Costa ecopark after plans for one in Lomas de Cabo Roig were rolled back.
Residents objected to having it close to their homes and now Vega Baja Sostenible has identified a plot in the PAU-8 south area.
The ecological rubbish dump will be close to the bridge that goes over the AP-7 to Los Almendros.
Once Orihuela council approves the site, it should be operational by next year's summer season.
Up to 15 containers will be installed at the park but only registered residents will be able to access them via an ID card system.
Sweet as sugar
TWO sugar glider possums have been born at Benidorm's Terra Natura - a first for the animal conservation park. The babies are now three months old and are beginning to explore the world outside their mother's pouch.
The youngsters have started to open their eyes and are doing well.
Sugar gliders are small marsupials, weighing between 150 and 300 grams and are native to eucalyptus forests in Australia and New Guinea.
By Laurence Dollimore
UK whose photo shares an uncanny resemblance.
While friends of Presland said he denies being the man in hospital, he has yet to speak directly to the Olive Press or police.
If you recognise the man in the photo, please contact tips@theolivepress.es.
Biosphere reserve bid
THE Mar Menor could become a Biosphere Reserve allowing the promotion of conservation and sustainable development.
The national Environment Ministry has commissioned a feasibility study to see if the lagoon and its surroundings could get the classification awarded by UNESCO. There are 60 Biosphere Reserves in Spain but none are in the Murcia region.
The Foreign Office told the Olive Press this week it ‘stands ready to support British nationals abroad 24/7’.
The UNESCO classification is given to areas that are of 'outstanding natural value'.
A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in Spain with an estimated readership, including the
OPINION
Disaster shame!
ANGER at the inept early handling of the Valencia floods by politicians manifested itself at the weekend with 130,000 people taking to the streets of the regional capital.
Fury after 225 deaths and counting is entirely understandable but it is also palpably clear the initial response from Valencia and Madrid was one of sheer incompetence.
Valencia president Carlos Mazon has tried to blame the lack of emergency alert warnings onto everybody else.
But he hasn't had the courage to say that as the boss, he has to carry the can for such a serious mistake.
Mazon was having a cosy late lunch while flood water was already sweeping cars away and flooding buildings.
Then you have the equal ineptitude of the national government which - three days after disaster struck - proudly proclaimed that 500 extra troops had been sent to help with rescue efforts.
Within 24 hours, realising the horrifi c underestimation, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez upped that number to 10,000 but it was all too little, too late.
We've been 'treated' - if that's the right word - to politicians blaming each other, and that hasn't gone down well with flood-hit residents trying to identify dead relatives and rebuild their lives.
They wanted a rapid response and didn't get it. It's fortunate that it was just mud that was thrown at Mazon and Sanchez during their ill-timed visit to Paiporta, with the King and Queen as collateral damage.
The generosity of the Spanish people has been extraordinary with donations and countless volunteers travelling to the area.
Some rescuers from France even arrived before the soldiers and local police. Others have come all the way from Mexico.
The country's politicians should hang their heads in shame for not matching their spirit by showing a basic level of competence in handling such a life-changing emergency.
They have to be made answerable in the future once people’s lives return to some kind of normality.
PUBLISHER / EDITOR
Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es
Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es
Walter Finch walter@theolivepress.es
Yzabelle Bostyn yzabelle@theolivepress.es
Ben Pawlowski ben@theolivepress.es
Humenyuk Makarova (+34) 951 154 841 admin@theolivepress.es
Alex Trelinski alex@theolivepress.es
Simon Hunter simon@theolivepress.es Laurence Dollimore laurence@theolivepress.es
Cole Sinanian cole@theolivepress.es
Héctor Santaella (+34) 658 750 424 accounts@ theolivepress.es
(+34) 951 154 841 distribution@ theolivepress.es
WHY WAS A CRUCIAL ‘LIFE-SAVING’ DAM NEVER BUILT IN CHESTE?
Village of the damned
DISPATCH: The Olive Press sent Laurence Dollimore to one flood-ravaged town in Valencia that’s been forgotten by the world
AS a biblical flood tore through his village like a tsunami, David Fraile received a heart-stopping message from his mother; “Help me, I’m going to die!”
It was just one of several panicked voice clips he was sent on that fateful night in Valencia on October 29, when a so-called DANA storm sparked Spain’s deadliest floods in over a century.
But this was not Paiporta, Chiva or Utiel, the ‘ground zero’ towns that grabbed headlines around the world.
This was Cheste, a much smaller village some 40 km west of Valencia city that has been almost completely ignored by the media and, perhaps more alarmingly, the authorities - a fact that locals desperately want to change.
It was around 8pm when two ravines on either side of the town overflowed, forming one enormous torrent that first crashed into a row of 18 attached houses on the village’s outskirts.
Known as La Alameda del Chalet, the properties had largely been used as summer homes for decades and counted on a communal swimming pool, but some residents lived there all year round.
One of them was Mari, David’s mother, who thankfully realised just in time what was bearing down on her and was able to scurry up a ladder and seek refuge on a rickety shelf inside her ironing room.
From there, for nearly half an hour, she sat frozen in fear as she
O P LIVE RESS
watched the filthy flood water filling up her home, in which she has lived for 25 years.
“It was an absolute nightmare,” Mari told the Olive Press this week, holding back tears as she recalled the traumatic memory.
“I really thought I was going to die. I could see tables and chairs being washed away, even my car was taken by the rapids.”
And cruelly for her son David, there was nothing he could do to help his 67-year-old mother.
“I can hardly sleep, I keep having nightmares,” she explains, wiping away tears as her doting son consoles her. Meeting them some 12 days later, it is shocking in the extreme that they are still cleaning up the damage on their own, trying to salvage anything they can from the wreckage.
While he was only two minutes away by car in the centre of Cheste, the road to his mother’s home was completely cut off by floods. He could only listen to her increasingly desperate pleas to come out and save her.
Incredibly, Mari was saved by two Moroccan neighbours who somehow managed to scale her roof, which had been partially ripped off, and dived into the flood water to pull her out.
I can hardly sleep since the floods, I keep having nightmares, Mari told the Olive Press
They were able to get her onto a higher ground above the properties, from where they could shelter until the floodwater started to subside.
It was only then that David finally received the news that his mother was safe, putting an end to his agony.
It’s the kind of story that briefly restores one’s faith in humanity, but Mari is clearly scarred for life.
“There are so many memories here and it is just heartbreaking seeing it all destroyed,” continues Mari, pointing to badly soiled books and damaged photo albums.
Among the debris are all the shattered remnants of her family’s life, including her son’s guitar, children’s colouring books and crayons, and antique armchairs that have been passed down through the generations. As if the destruction wasn’t enough, there are now additional fears of disease, as the inside of their homes are slowly becoming condemned with creeping mould and fungus.
The pools of stagnant waters all around, also pose a series of health risks.
“We are very worried about catching cholera or tetanus,” explains David. “No-one is explaining to us what to do or how to act.”
It is indeed, something of a disgrace that vaccines for the latter are already being rolled out in other hard hit towns, such as Paiporta and Chiva, but not in Chesta, the municipality that seems forgotten amid the
BIBLICAL: The town of Cheste has been ignored by local authorities
www.theolivepress.es
ITHE BEST OF THE BEST
T is one of the most prestigious architecture prizes in the world.
So it’s amazing that Spain is connected to two of the three buildings up for the top prize of the UK’s Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) awards this year.
Spain-based architect David Chipperfield is on the shortlist of three for the International Prize, for his clever conversion of a monastery (left) into an office block in Paderborn, Germany.
British talent Chipperfield, who spends much of the year in Galicia, used ‘sculptural demolition’ to convert the St Vincenz Hospital into the headquarters of the TAP holding group.
Also on the list is the fabulous Modulus Matrix social housing project, in Barcelona, by Peris + Toral Architects.
The stunning 10,000 sqm block was built almost entirely from wood on the site of a former cinema.
The largest wooden building in Spain, it was built from sustainable wood from the Basque Country.
The other nominee is the Lianzhou Museum of Photography, in China, which was built on the site of an old sugar mill.
BREAKNECK PACE
Spain’shousingmarketrocketsfurtherupwith10%annualgrowth–butisitabubble?writesWalterFinch
SPAIN’S housing market continues to set records and shoot for the stars.
It has grown by 9.6% in a year and 16.6% since January 2023, according
to the latest data.
Breakneck expansion has propelled it well above the largest previous peak of 2007, which led to a dramatic crash,
as the graph (left) shows.
The average house in Spain now costs €2,21 per square metre, 4.4% higher
than in June 2007, when it peaked at €2,11 sqm, according to property portal Idealista.
However, by February 2010 it had tumbled to €1,89 sqm, before dropping to an alarming €1,49 sqm in 2016 worsened by the euro crisis.
Since then Spain’s prices have embarked on an impressive recovery that went into overdrive in January last year.
One of the highest rises is in Madrid which exploded by 18.8% in a year to €4,83 sqm, while in Barcelona prices are up 10.8% to €4,59 sqm.
Valencia saw the highest rise, where prices have increased by a fifth (20%), followed closely by Malaga (19.6%), Santander (18.1%) and Alicante (16.7%).
San Sebastian is the most expensive city overall, at €5,631 sqm, while
Sustainable or cause for alarm?
THE situation now is fundamentally different to 2007 in terms of supply. Spain was building more than the whole of Europe then and we are now firmly in a resale market with constricted supply. These days clients are not buying for investment but for lifestyle and you can no longer get mortgages with loan to value ratios of 100% and even for non residents.
Meanwhile, further regulatory changes have closed mechanisms that facilitated a boom such as the ability to sell a contract during construction (aka ‘flipping’).
Zamora is the cheapest at €1,17 sqm. Meanwhile, all but four provinces recorded higher prices, with Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas seeing the steepest rises of 16.4% and 16% respectively.
Other fast growers include the Balearic Islands (14.8%), Alicante (13.9%), Malaga (12.7%) and Murcia (14.9%). For anyone looking for bargains, house prices have actually fallen in Ourense (-3.2%), Córdoba (-2.5%), Badajoz (-1.1%) and Ciudad Real (-0.7%).
The Balearic Islands continue to be the most expensive autonomous region at €4,663 sqm, followed by the Community of Madrid (€3,64 sqm), the Basque Country (€3,01 sqm), the Canary Islands (€2,77 sqm) and Catalunya (€2,44 sqm).
Bargain hunters should check out Castilla-La Mancha (€937), Extremadura (€977 sqm) and Castilla y León (€1,199 sqm).
COMMENT by Olive Press Property Insider Adam Neale
SHORTLIST: Lianzhou Museum and (left) Barcelona’s wooden social housing scheme
chart
See Wooden wonder page 8
WOODEN WONDER
A BARCELONA social housing project is being tipped as the winner of one of the architecture world’s top prizes. The Moddus Matrix project in Cornella has been short-listed for the RIBA International Prize 2024.
The groundbreaking, six-story courtyard building is under construction and will feature 85 homes.
The pioneering project is largely made from sustainable timber from the Basque region.
Established in 2012, the firm was created to provide legal advice and procedural defense services to individuals as well as companies.
After several years of hard work and expansion, we currently offer a wide range of services both in the field of the traditional practice of law (legal advice and trial defense), as well as comprehensive advisory and management services in fiscal, accounting and tax matters.
Know your contracts!
THE reason many people don’t like lawyers is because we really like to split hairs. Calling a spade a spade is far too easy. Sometimes, you might be dealing with a shovel, and you didn’t even know it. The same thing happens with contracts. Buying a house is about as large of a decision a person can try to make.
In Spain, it is quite frequent that, before you sign the Deed of Sale in front of a Notary, a private contract between the seller and the buyer will be signed. However, God did not make all contracts the same. And if you’re forking out a substantial amount of money to reserve and purchase a property, you damn well better know what the fine print says.
Juan Pascual Drake explains when a down payment is not necessarily a home deposit pensation.
On the other hand, there are the option contracts. These are agreements whereby the seller reserves a property for a specific buyer for a certain span of time. This reservation, as with nice restaurants, fast cars, slow horses and certain members of the fairer sex (men can be fair nowadays too), comes with a price.
In other words, the buyer might be forking out a large amount of cash, that only buys them TIME and is not necessarily a down payment on the house.
There are two big contract families when it comes to buying and selling real estate. On the one hand a deposit contract, referred to in Spanish as arras . Usually in this case, the money paid to the seller will act as a down payment.
The buyer could in this case, request full payment of the sale price at the Notary. Most contracts today will include elements of both the deposit or arras , and the option contract.
While there are many kinds of deposit contracts, the most widely used, and regulated in the Spanish Civil Code under article 1454, allows for the parties who were going to enter a sale agreement, to unbind themselves.
If the buyer pulls out, he or she loses their investment. If, however, it is the seller who has a change of heart, he or she will have to repay double the amount of money received as com-
This is why you should always read any contracts carefully, and if possible, have a professional run through it with you. Nothing ruins marital bliss like realising you didn’t put a deposit on the house in Spain, you just reserved it for six months.
Plan for the worst, get the best.
Juan Pascual Drake
Abogado-Drake
HOLY RIVALRY
AGERMAN cathedral is on the verge of losing its title as the world’s tallest church to Barcelona’s La Sagrada Familia.
Antoni Gaudi’s as yet unfinished work is on track to surpass Ulmer Munster in Germany, which has held the record since May 31 1890.
La Sagrada Familia’s ‘Tower of Jesus Christ’ is set to be finished in 2025 as one of the final phases before completion of the cathedral.
At an anticipated height of 172 metres, it will exceed Ulmer Munster’s 161.5 metre Gothic spire by just nine-and-a-half metres once the final tower is crowned with a 17 metre cross - ironically made by a German company.
The final competition of the basilica in 2026 will coincide with the centennial of Gaudi’s death, marking the realisation of his lifelong dream.
Gaudi famously remarked: “My client is not in a hurry,” reflecting his belief that the project’s grandeur warranted the time it took. Meanwhile, the leadership at Ulmer Munster remains unfazed by the impending loss of its record.
Dean Torsten Krannich noted that while the church’s height has been a point of pride, its spiritual significance is what truly matters. “The church lifts my heart up to God,” he emphasised, highlighting its importance extends far beyond its towering spire.
As La Sagrada Familia prepares to claim its title, this transition is not merely about height, but rather a contrast of styles and
German minster about to be surpassed by Spanish Gaudi masterpiece, writes Dilip Kuner histories.
Ulmer Munster, with its Gothic architecture, represents a period marked by soaring cathedrals and religious fortresses.
Its construction was interrupted by the Protestant Reformation and only resumed in the 19th century, symbolising a city that rebuilt itself amid political and economic challenges. In contrast, La Sagrada Familia embodies a different era - a fusion of modernism, natural beauty, and faith.
Gaudí’s brilliance is evident not only in the height of the structure but also in its organic curves and intricate details inspired by nature.
Though Ulmer Munster may soon become the second-tallest church, Ulm boasts a rich cultural heritage.
Albert Einstein, born there in 1879, remains a key figure in the city’s identity. Visitors can admire a stained glass window in the church that features Einstein, and the city takes pride in its connection to one of history’s greatest minds.
UP AND UP: Barcelona’s Segrada Familia will soon trump Ulmer Munster
MAGIC CONVERSION
How to convert a charming ruin into a stunning, wonderful space and get a €20,000 subsidy?
Ask MAB Architects to help
THIS is how a ruin is converted into a wonderful place to live - while also getting nearly €20,000 in a subsidy from the state.
Transforming an old home properly will leave you with a unique and interesting space, but also add considerable value.
Arquitectos MAB have been renovating and upgrading such buildings for decades along the Costa Levante.
Working out of two studios in Orihuela city and La Zenia, the company’s clients range from large real estate developers to individual buyers with small renovation projects.
Here, the firm presents Casa 1927, the renovation of a typical house in an inland town of the Vega Baja.
Archway
The property was built by the grandparents of the owner, who was actually born on the second floor.
Now, after 40 years of being uninhabited, she made the sentimental decision to give it a new lease of life for her family.
She also wanted to conserve many of the features that she remembered fondly from her youth.
So an original archway and its beautiful hydraulic tile floors needed to become the key ele-
SUN-DECK: Enough space was created at the back of the home for a pool, bbq and wall of plants
ments of this comprehensive rehabilitation project. Using them as a guide to establish a new spatial layout, all the new materials and colours were influenced by these original features.
“A large curtain provides theatricality, intimacy, flexibility, dynamism and colour,” explains lead architect Antonio Campos Villanueva. “And we respected as much as we could of what already existed.” While reusing as much as possible and keeping the footprint of the original home, there is a much stronger relationship with light, in particular through the patio and between the rooms.
“For a space to make you happy, it must meet seven attributes: Be beautiful, exciting, useful, practical, profitable, accessible and sustainable” adds Campos, whose firm MAB stands for ‘More Architecture & Building’. Whether it is a personal project or a real estate investment, a house with history or a small beach apartment to rent, carrying out an architectural project provides so much value.
traditional passive strategies with current ones.
Connecting and opening up the living spaces, not only opened up space but also led to better cross ventilation between the street to the north and the patio to the south.
By adding key energy efficent features, such as solar panels the owners landed a €20,000 subsidy
Part of the updating of the old construction involved better energy rehabilitation and the energy performance of the house combines
If you are interested and want more information about it, you can go to www.arquitectosmab.es or write to onaru@arquitectosmab.es.
The pergola, up which grows an old vine, provides solar protection in summer, but also allows the sun’s rays to pass through in winter after it has shed its leaves.
The vine is also a great addition to the space between the dining room-kitchen and the patio, providing climatic balance at all times of the year.
carpentry and glass, solar control elements, high-efficiency climate installations and solar thermal installation for ACS.
In addition to the new passive energy efficiency strategies, the house has been awarded a B-A energy rating. Extra insulation, high-efficiency
By adding these key energy efficient features meant obtaining €19,000 in subsidies from the PREE energy rehabilitation programme, all arranged via MAB.
OPEN-PLAN: MAB architects made sure to conserve the ancient wooden arch as well as the stunning hydraulic floor tiles
Créditos fotográfi cos David Frutos
chaos.
In fact, given the lack of help from police or the army, you’d be forgiven for thinking the flood had happened overnight.
On my visit, there were no more than a dozen officials working around the town, and they were entirely focused on repairing a bridge around 200 metres away, which had been heaved in half by the deluge. Meanwhile, dozens of cars, motorbikes and hundreds of pieces of furniture and personal effects remain scattered outside the properties.
The shocking scenes show how the wall of water completely emptied out these houses, dragging everything outside after around 500mm of rain per square metre fell across the region in just a few hours.
Rosalia Martinez Santos, 50, who vacations in one of the homes, told the Olive Press: “We’ve had no help from the government and feel totally abandoned.
“The only people who came to help were a group of 200 or so young people who travelled from other parts of Spain.
“When I saw them getting off their buses with shovels and buckets, it was incredibly emotional.
“We have a saying here, ‘El pueblo salva al pueblo’ (the people saves the people), and never has it rung more true.”
Rosalia had been in her own flat in the centre of the nearby town when the worst of the flooding began.
From her first floor balcony she watched as the torrent carried cars and large recycling containers down the street as if they were pieces of lego - knowing full well that her summer home on the outskirts was being turned upside down.
Her fears were soon realised when she visit-
ed the following day.
“It was a complete shock, I was lost for words,” she continued. “It’s going to take us years to recover from this.”
But if there is any positivity to be taken from this disaster, it is the seemingly unshakeable sense of community.
While the Olive Press was reporting among the wreckage, two boys named Juan and Vigilo (pictured), aged 12 and 13 respectively, showed up to offer their help, having walked over from the centre of town.
Dressed in simple clothes and with plastic bags over their shoes, they told us they had a ‘driven need’ to do something to help.
This had been the scene of many happy summers for them, where they would come and play in the communal swimming pool with friends.
“We have come to help and do whatever we can because this is our pueblo and we have to stick together,” explained Juan.
much of the damage caused by the DANA.
“People are angry,” he told the Olive Press, “I remember when they were planning to build it but political interests got in the way, many lives could have been saved.
“My mother used to tell me stories of the deadly 1957 floods, so we’ve always known that these ravines pose a danger to the area and nothing has been done.”
The dam project was shelved allegedly following pressure from ecologists, who insisted it could cause harm to biodiversity - while the roughly €300m price tag became difficult to justify following the 2007 economic crash.
She cannot go through something like this again, we don’t feel safe
But in the wake of the disaster, questions are being asked as to what could have been done to prevent such a tragedy, which has so far claimed well over 200 liveswhile more than 90 remain missing.
In Cheste, scrutiny is being placed on a phantom dam that was announced as part of the National Hydrological Plan for 2005, but was never built.
Locals revealed how a site on the borders of Cheste had been earmarked for the project.
The Olive Press was led to the area by a former plasterer who lives on a farm nearby.
Ramon Toledano Milla, 57, said he believes the dam that never was could have mitigated
The dam site was at the height of the now infamous Poyo ravine, which measures dozens of kilometres and travels through all the worst hit towns down to Valencia city.
For the residents of Cheste, they now face years of crippling anxiety over if - or rather when - history will repeat itself.
It comes after meteorologists this week said a similar flooding event is likely to reoccur ‘within 20 years’. And this is largely due to global warming.
It means the value of homes, smack bang in the middle of this flood catastrophe - plus thousands nearby - have plummeted overnight.
“We are thinking of moving,” confesses David, “My mother doesn’t know if she can continue living here now, she cannot go through something like this again, we don’t feel safe.”
But he at least remains hopeful.
“We are taking it day by day, and we will rebuild step by step, but we want the world to know what has happened here, and we want the people in power to be held accountable.”
BBC PLAUDITS
Respected global news outlets use the Olive Press for reliable
THE Olive Press’s coverage of the deadly DANA floods has clearly shown our media credentials worldwide.
Both the BBC and Sky News, as well as the Daily Mail, the Times and Chinese State radio, reached out to us as we delivered round the clock 24/7 reporting on the worst disaster in Spain this century.
Since the chaos began on October 29, we have published scores of stories both online and in print - and even sent our reporters to Ground Zero, both in Andalucia and in Valencia.
Unlike our rivals, we gave the story the gravitas it deserves, with front-page prominence and cleared the first few pages inside, (top) while others completely missed the story altogether.
Our digital editor Laurence Dollimore visited the disaster zone in Valencia for three days last week (pic below left), where he worked alongside the Daily Mail to speak to the affected locals.
He was the first reporter into the village of Cheste, where victims were desperate to tell their stories.
“Thank you so much, you did an amazing job and now the world knows what happened here,” said one villager after reading our exclusive report.
Meanwhile, editor Jon Clarke (above) appeared in half a dozen radio and TV interviews, including Sky News, BBC News and LBC, while Yzabelle Bostyn (below) was interviewed on Times Radio The rest of our NCTJ-accredited reporters kept readers informed of the latest updates through the night and weekend.
This is the kind of journalism and dedication you should expect from any decent expat newspaper. It is also the kind of work that is supported by our subscription model, and so we thank those of you who have already become paying members.
CHAOS: Cars, furniture and people were thrown into disarray, while (inset) two boys help with the clearing up
REUNITED: David and his mother Mari
LA CULTURA
Still good
THE REINA Sofia Museum is set to auction off some of its prized artwork and donate the proceeds to DANA victims. They plan to auction Colombian artist Fernando Botero’s Still Life in New York and pass on the proceeds to Valencia-based food banks.
On first sight, the piece shows a full fruit bowl, but if you turn the canvas around, there is another painting showing an empty table.
Botero donated the painting to the Fundacion Reina Sofia before his death upon a plea from the charity to help with their work in food banks.
Chauvinism exposed
Netflix reveals longstanding mistreatment within the walls of Spain’s FA
A NEW streaming documentary is shaking the foundations of the Spanish Football Association over the way it has historically treated its female players.
Netflix’s ‘It’s All Over: The Kiss That Changed Spanish Football’ delves into the history behind the infamous kiss FA chief Luis Rubiales’ planted on the lips of female player Jenni Hermoso. The women’s head coach,
By Yzabelle Bostyn
It details how Jorge Vilda, would reportedly enter the players’ hotel rooms at night, check their shopping bags and control their media appearances.
The documentary highlights the deep divisions in the team after a group known as Las 15 spoke out against the former manager, with many with-
Spanish celluloid
THREE Spanish films have been nominated for Best Film at the European Film Awards (EFA). Pedro Almodovar’s English language debut The Room Next Door, which received a 17-minute ovation at Cannes, made the cut. As did They Shot the Pianist by Fernando Trueba, and The
Sultan’s Dream by Isabel Herguera and Javier Mariscal. The winners will be revealed at an awards ceremony in the Swiss city of Lucerne on December 7.
It is no surprise that the much-lauded Almodovar is also up for Best Director, while his star Tilda Swinton is in the running for Best Actress.
drawing from the squad in the lead up to the 2023 World Cup.
They say that Rubiales, who was in charge at that point, dismissed the women’s claims despite being at the ‘beck and call’ of the men’s team.
But the Netflix show claims that the culture of sexism actually stretches back even further, to the reign of predecessor Ignacio Quereda, who managed the side for 27 years between 1988 and 2015.
Players claim Quereda frequently made vulgar remarks, treating them like his
‘little girls’ and ‘squeezing their stomach rolls.’
Despite complaints and Quereda’s removal, the issues simply continued when Vilda was appointed, with the successor essentially ‘being his own boss.’
The documentary culminates with the World Cup win and controversial Rubiales kiss, which has changed the face of Spanish women’s football forever.
A feature length documentary, it follows a 2021 film ‘Breaking the Silence’, which exposed Quereda’s regime.
SOLID SINGING
OVER 200 artists and bands will take part in solidarity concerts across Spain to raise money for DANA victims this week.
SOM VALENCIA (We are Valencia) events will take place in some 20 cities including Madrid, Barcelona, Zaragoza, Bilbao, Granada, Burgos, Lleida, Mur-
Roaring thirties
MADRID is hosting a free exhibition celebrating 30 years of the Lion King, including original pieces from the films.
The event is now open in the Espacio Cultural Serreria Belga and will be available until November 27.
Artefacts include original sketches and models from the films and the musical. A fashion collection inspired by the film’s savannah setting is also exhibited, designed by French studio Balmain.
The event is the precursor to Mufasa: The Lion King, the latest film in the series, to be released on December 20.
cia and Sabadell. Funds raised will go to the Fundacion Horta Sud, a charity dedicated to helping those affected by the floods.
The initiative is the brainchild of Barcelona based record label, Hidden Track Records.
BUSINESS
The right choice?
THE Choice Hotels group will expand its portfolio in Spain as part of a long term strategic agreement with Faranda Hotels & Resorts.
Eight properties will switch to the group’s Ascend brand over the next year, with some changing in the next few months.
It means the hotels will add 700 rooms to the Choice offering in Spain.
Faranda, which was founded by the Fernandez family, has built an international portfolio of hotels over 40 years in both Europe and Latin America.
“Spain is a key market and through this agreement, we will see the Ascend Hotel Collection expand significantly across Spain in the coming months,” said Choice CEO David Beers.
Madrid and Valencia are counting the financial cost of the flood tragedy
THE deadliest floods in Spanish history have exacted a massive financial cost in addition to the human suffering.
Valencia Chamber of Commerce estimates the final bill will be well above €10 billion.
At least 4,500 businesses located in ground floor properties have been badly damaged or destroyed.
Dozens of shopping centres and industrial estates have also been damaged while many transport companies lost their lorries.
The flooding of fields meanwhile dealt a heavy blow to agriculture in the region.
Trade union La Unio estimates at least 50,000 hectares of crops were affected, while agricultural insurer
UNEMPLOYMENT in Spain went up in October but it was the smallest rise for that month since 2006 - barring the pandemic years of 2021 and 2022.
The number of jobless rose by 26,769 - below average increases for last month.
The total fell 5.7% from the same month last year, which was the biggest annual fall since September 2023.
€10 billion flood fee
By Alex Trelinski
Agroseguro believes the cost could rise to €150 million.
Both regional and central government finances will be severely stretched by the cost, although Spain is seeking aid from the EU solidarity fund to ease the burden.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a series of measures worth €10.6 billion euros aimed at shielding and relaunching Valencia's economy. These include aid to small and medium-sized businesses, self-employed workers, tax relief and a three-month
Positive trend
postponement to repayments of loans and mortgages.
Clearing debris and reconstructing infrastructure will
the sector in the event of a natural disaster.
Thanks for your service
STRONG sales and demand are continuing to drive robust expansion in Spain’s service sector, according to an S&P Global survey. The study recorded 14 consecutive months of uninterrupted growth – a trajectory which does not look set to change any time soon. “Spain’s economy continues on its positive trajectory and the service sector remains a significant growth driver,” according to Hamburg Commercial Bank economist Jonas Feldhusen.
Optimistic
The overall figure was 2.6 million people registered as unemployed. Among industrial sectors, construction registered a fall in unemployment compared to the previous month.
The Labour Ministry said a significant trend in hiring was confirmed with 43.5% of contracts registered in October being permanent.
BACK ON TRACK
Unfreeze your PC blues: The ultimate guide to reviving your Windows device
IS your Windows PC stuck in a digital deep-freeze, leaving you twiddling your thumbs?
Fear not—whether it’s the spinning wheel or a full-on freeze, we’ve crafted a safe and simple guide to help you thaw out your tech troubles without risking your PC.
First things first, sometimes your computer’s just thinking. Give it a minute or two to snap out of it.
This little ‘freeze frame’ could just be your PC’s version of a power nap. Meanwhile, grab a coffee, check for any quirky error messages,
and let it regroup on its own.
And if you’re still stuck, it might be time to reach out to AnyTech365 for some remote expert support—they can quickly identify what’s holding your PC hostage. Next, make sure your PC is up to date.
Running outdated software is like ignoring oil changes for a car!
also be financed by Madrid to the estimated tune of €2.6 billion. Spanish insurers rely on a common fund managed by the CCS public consortium that shares the cost across
Head to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update , click Check for updates , and let your PC grab the latest fixes and patches. It’s the simplest way to prevent future freezes and keep things running smoothly.
If you’re unsure about system updates, AnyTech365’s experts can guide you through it safely, ensuring nothing gets missed. If you notice just one app acting up, it might be time to give it a nudge. Use Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, find the app under Processes, and click End Task to close it safely. This gentle reset usually won’t affect other parts of your system, making it an easy way to bring unruly apps back in line.
reset that solves a lot of common glitches. This method is as non-invasive as it gets and is often all you need.
Founded in 2014 by Janus R. Nielsen,
If things still aren’t working, booting into Safe Mode is a simple way to see what might be causing the issue. Restart your device, hold down Shift, and select Restart from the Power menu. From the options that appear, choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings and select Safe Mode Safe Mode only loads essential files, which helps you pinpoint software conflicts without changing any core system settings.
The
If you’re uncertain about this step, AnyTech365’s team can walk you through it remotely, mak-
The CCS therefore covers most of the compensation and insurers only directly pay out for peripheral damage in areas unaffected by the floods.
Payout
The system is 'perfectly prepared to deal with this type of situation', said UNESPA head, Mirenchu del Valle Schaan.
More than 72,000 claims have been submitted so far, with the first payouts already arriving.
Businesses are said to be ‘optimistic’, expecting positive market conditions and planning further investments and commercial initiatives accordingly next year. Separately, another study showed Spanish manufacturing expanded last month at its fastest pace in more than two years. The economy improved by 0.8% in the third quarter of 2024 – faster than economists had expected and double the eurozone as a whole.
ing sure everything is done safely and effectively. For users who prefer the peace of mind that comes with expert assistance, AnyTech365 provides reliable, safe, and hands-on support for tackling stubborn freezes and other computer woes. With their help, you can
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
Slice of success
AN Italian restaurant in Tarragona has been garlanded for serving Spain’s best traditional pizza at the National Pizza Passion Championship in Barcelona.
The Aboccaperta pizzeria scooped the prize for its ‘pizzaiolo’, a dish that uses finely milled Molino Castillo flour and peeled Pelati di Puglia Rosso Gargano tomatoes. Aboccaperta was founded in 2011 by Italian immigrants, Matteo Gripo and Davide de Nuncio.
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WINE-ING
Spanish wine clinches top prize at the ‘Academy Awards’ of global wine
A SPANISH winery took the top prize at the prestigious Golden Vines Awards, often referred to as the ‘Oscars of wine.’
The ‘best picture’ award, known as the Robb Report Golden Vines World Best Fine Wine Producer award, went to Vega Sicilia, based in the Ribera del Duero region.
Vega Sicilia has long stood out for producing some of Spain’s best wines, including its flagship bottle Unico
The winery, established in 1864 and one of the oldest in Spain, makes sure it uses
OP Puzzle solutions
Quick Crossword
Across: 8 One day at a time, 9 Tugboat, 10 Stand, 11 Bohr, 12 Jamaican, 16 Grimaces, 17 Inst, 20 Unite, 22 Plateau, 23 Greenhouse gas.
Down: 1 Hot tub, 2 Feng shui, 3 Gabon, 4 Last, 5 Capstan, 6 Visa, 7 Lead-in, 13 Are, 14 Converge, 15 Pageant, 16 Grunge, 18 Truest, 19 Patsy, 21 Idea, 22 Poor.
By Yzabelle Bostyn
grapes that fully matured in a long-ageing process to get its award-winning results.
A second Spanish winery, Familia Torres, was also recognised at the glitzy ceremony.
Familia Torres, from the Salnes valley in Portas, won for its innovation in sustainable winemaking.
It received an award for pioneering eco-friendly techniques such as organic farm-
ing, water conservation and its use of renewable energies.
Other notable winners included Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (Best Wine Producer in Europe) and Harlan Estate (Best Wine Producer in America).
Each winner received a trophy designed by artist Nuria Mora, housed in a custom Gucci bag.
The prestigious Golden Vines Awards took place this year in Madrid in a lavish ceremony at the Cibeles Palace.
Fresh off the success of its inaugural event in London in 2021, it was followed by further editions in Florence, and Paris.
The next Golden Vines awards will take place in Miami from November 7 to 9, 2025, with tickets already on sale for €15,000 each.
BACK ON TRACK
HIGH-SPEED train services between Valencia and Madrid were scheduled to restart today(Thursday) after flood damage to tracks was repaired.
Wednesday saw 99% of Renfe Cercanias services restored, with just under half of the routes having to be operated by buses.
The C1 and C2 commuter lines returned to operationalbeit with buses covering sections from Carcaixent and Silla to the centre of Valencia City.
The C3 line is still out of action, meaning a full-blown substitute bus service from Utiel to Valencia.
“The recovery of Cercanias trains is very important because they have 82,000 passengers daily in Valencia,” said national Transport Minister, Oscar Puente.
Sitting pretty
NATIONAL Geographic has picked Frias, in Burgos, as the ‘prettiest town to visit in November.’
The hamlet of just 300 residents was chosen for its ‘historic splendour’, architecture and landscapes. Frias is known for its gothic buildings constructed in traditional limestone, hanging houses, and the impressive castle and church.
The magazine also highlighted the town’s mediaeval bridge, described as an ‘architectural jewel’ of Burgos. Writer Jose Alejandro Adamuz stated: “Frias has lots of historic and architectural value, all of which is perfectly preserved.
Shooting for sixes
SPANISH speakers have topped 600 million globally this year for the very first time. There are nearly 500 million people who speak Spanish with native proficiency.
Honesty pays
DINERS in El Palo who tried to pay up after realising they had not been charged €48 for a paella were told by the restaurant owner to donate the money to charity.
Mud raker
A SPANISH news reporter was caught on camera caking himself in mud before giving an update on the deadly Valencia floods direct from the disaster zone.
HISTORY REPEATS
Neighbours shocked to discover they had recreated a street scene from 60 years ago
VOLUNTEERS have inadvertently recreated a slice of history by dining outside in a floodwrecked street – just as past valencianos did during deadly floods in 1957. History rhymed as a family were snapped celebrating that their street in Catarroja had
finally been cleaned up after nearly two weeks of hard slog. What they didn’t realise is that the photo eerily recreated a moment last seen 67 years ago. On that occasion, locals dragged
out a table and chairs into knee deep water during severe flooding which killed 81 people. It is just one of a number of heartwarming moments that have surfaced amid the chaos
WHAT CAN AI GET YOU?
A BENIDORM hotel is blazing a trail with a team of eight robots that can help check people in, print room keys and even pour pints. The Climia Benidorm Hotel boasts its latest recruits can also clean rooms and provide room service. While the robot waiter can carry up to 60kg worth of food and plates. Creators Bumerania, from Alicante, say they will not take jobs, but free staff to concentrate ‘on serving the client’.
and tragedy that struck on October 29.
In another video, two toddler cousins are seen running to hug one another after being separated by the catastrophe.
One commenter said: “It’s the little ones that are the best, so cute!”
Meanwhile, one little boy’s birthday was nearly ruined after flood waters had left a car outside the front door trapping him in his house.
So instead, family and friends climbed on top of the cars to reach up and pass him his presents through the balcony and celebrate with him.
Close to the bone
MADRID’s Jamon Museum is trying to entice tourists to come and visit by telling them to ‘go ham!’
It is a daring marketing campaign that takes aim at the anti-tourist graffiti which has become ubiquitous in Spain. The darkly humorous slogan has been seen on buses, trains and street corners. However, not everyone has seen the funny side.
One Madrid local slammed the ‘sh*tty sign’ for ‘laughing at the locals who live there.’
A STIR was caused outside the Bernabeu Stadium after a Real Madrid superstar was spotted taking pictures with fans. Even the local media were on the scene with a cameraman and journalist to get a few words with the great Vinicius Jr. What the people had failed to realise was that the man getting all the attention was just a lookalike.
