Mallorca Olive Press - Issue 106 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

OLIVE PRESS MALLORCA

The FREE

CORDOBA SPECIAL

Vol. 4 Issue 106 www.theolivepress.es

Your expat

voice in Spain May 21st - June 3rd 2021

Voted Spain’s most popular historic city

See page 12

Unveiled Fashion mogul, once married to supermodel Linda Evangelista, lives the high life in Ibiza, while courts probe multiple rape claims of teenagers

TRIO: Ex-wife Linda and two victims, Lisa Brinkworth (far right) and Carre Otis

THE Olive Press has tracked down a beleaguered modelling agency boss alleged to have raped over a dozen teenagers on his books. French fashion mogul Gerald Marie has been living the highlife around Ibiza, taking long lunches and shopping, when not luxuriating at his multi-million euro villa on the island. We watched the mogul dining with friends and new wife, Russian model Irina Bondarenko, while the courts in Paris continue to investigate years of shocking claims. The ex-Elite agency boss is accused of grooming and sexually assaulting a string of women in attacks akin to those of Americans Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein. While h e strenuously denies t h e claims,

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EXCLUSIVE By Jon Clarke in Ibiza

we have helped to expose his luxury lifestyle for a hard-hitting TV documentary for Australia’s Channel Nine. The 60 Minutes documentary, which aired at the weekend, heard from many alleged former victims, including ex-Hollywood star Carre Otis, journalist Lisa Brinkworth and British model Paula Thomas. “He basically said if you want to be paid you're going to have to have sex with me,” Thomas, 52, told the show, Beauty and the Creep.

Elite

The former Elite chief is being probed by a French court over the claims of at least 13 former models, who claim he either raped or sexually abused them. French prosecutors confirmed last year that Marie was accused of raping three models aged between 17 and 20 in the 1980s and 1990s. Many more have since joined the prosecution. Such crimes are punishable by up to 15 years in prison but the statute of limitations is normally 20 years so most alleged offences are proscribed. In the case of sex with a minor, this statute can be raised to 30 years which may see him in court. A lawyer, AnneClaire Le Jeune, handling their case in Paris told the documentary she is repre-

Portals Nous, 07181, Mallorca.

14/02/2020 23:25

LUXURY: Expensive meals out for Marie and wife Irina

senting 14 former models and there are ‘12 more’ she is also speaking to. The 71-year-old is expected to be shortly charged with the offences that stretch back over 30 years. He even managed to continue in his role as a fashion boss despite a BBC documentary into his abuses in 1999. A former colleague of Marie’s told the documentary he is helping Paris detectives investigate the historic allegations of abuse. Whistle-blower Omar Harfouch claims Elite bosses had a scoreboard they called 'the podium of pussy' which handed points for having sex, gaining more points for virgins and young girls. “My first impression was he was a sexual predator,” said the businessman, who claims Gerald threatened his life for going public. He gave chapter and verse on how the grooming process worked, all

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EXCLUSIVE: Huge hillside villa overlooks Ibiza coast

backed up with footage from a former undercover BBC investigation by journalist Donal Macintyre in the 1990s. In the documentary in 1999 the Irishman went undercover as a photographer alongside aspiring journalist Lisa Brinkworth, who posed as a model.

Admits

Brinkworth now admits today that she was sexually assaulted by the French fashion boss, but ‘wrongly’ failed to report it to the police at the time. The Olive Press spent a week locating his homes and businesses on the island, which include various property development companies. He has an incredible villa in the exclusive Es Cubells corner, hidden in the wooded hills and with breathtaking views along the coast and across to Formentera island.

There were three cars in the drive and a team of staff maintained the well-clipped gardens. We watched him go out to eat on three occasions on the dot of 1pm, always getting the best tables by the beach. He looked healthy and happy and was constantly laughing and one waiter at €75-a-head restaurant Es Xarcu described him as ‘always upbeat, a real crack’. He continued: “He is one of our best clients and it doesn’t matter how busy we are he will always get a table right down by the beach.” Marie, who has two daughters of his own, was eventually confronted by the film crew at a beachside restaurant in Ibiza Town, where he denied the allegations. In an angry confrontation, he waved a film crew away and belittled their clothes, while he continued eating.

CRIME

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NEWS IN BRIEF Feeling drained A RESCUE mission was mounted in Marratxi after a four-year-old girl got her hand stuck in a pool drain. She was at the shallow end and could keep her head above water until firefighters arrived.

Fine time A TOTAL of 29,000 fines have been handed out across the Balearics to people who broke the COVID-19 restrictions since the state of alarm was declared last March.

Local heroes LOCALS in Palma went above and beyond to restrain a man who was caught in the act of robbing a shop. As he made a run for it with his loot, residents tackled and held him down while the police were called.

Sniff and tell A VIDEO of a man snorting a line of cocaine whilst driving down the Llucmajor motorway has led to the arrest of a 35-year-old Ukrainian expat after it was posted on social media.

A MANHUNT has been launched after two men were left critically injured when gunned down in Palma. One man was shot twice in the back and another took a bullet to the shoulder when multiple gunshots rang out on Calle Santa Florentina in the city’s Son Gotleu district.

Gunned down Alarmed locals alerted cops, with heavily armed officers immediately deployed. The area was swiftly cordoned off in a bid to locate the gunman, but he had already fled on foot and

May 21st - June 3rd 2021 could not be found. Medics gave the shot men first aid before rushing them to hospital. CCTV footage is now being analysed by police to identify the suspect with witnesses saying they believed the shooting was a result of a gang war between two gypsy clans.

Double murder Pregnant mum and son, 7, killed by ex-husband A PREGNANT woman and her seven-year-old son have been murdered in a horrific case of domestic violence. The 28-year-old Warda Ouchene, and her son Mohamed were found dead inside their apartment in Sa Pobla on Monday evening. Relatives of the young mother, who was four months pregnant

at the time of her death, were told by her 36-year-old ex-husband that he had killed the pair and that their bodies could be found in the home. Family members rushed to the property and knocked on the door, but after getting no response, they looked through the window and saw the lifeless bodies of the woman and her

A FORMER teacher faces up to 20 years in jail after being accused of sexually abusing multiple pupils. It is alleged that the man - who has not been named by Palma court - groped eight schoolgirls, aged between 12- and 17-yearsold, at the capital’s San Alfonso Maria de Ligorio school. Prosecutors say that from at least 2015, the man ‘showed clear predatory behaviour towards his female pupils’ with ‘actions that were of sexual intent’. This included touching the girls on their

Nazi attack

TWO self-professed Neo-Nazis have been found guilty of assaulting a black man in a racially motivated attack that left the victim partially disabled. The brutal assault took place in June 2019 inside the Megapark nightclub on the Playa de Palma. The victim, of Senagalese descent, was working as a security guard at the time and had asked the two German defendants to get off the stage. As they stepped down from the platform, the victim was knocked to the ground from behind by the two men.

Fascists

child lying on the floor. The police were immediately called and after forcing entry,

Sex pest trial

breasts and thighs, running his hands through their hair and caressing their shoulders, necks and backs. One of his victims also said the man would touch her underneath her clothes. Interviewing the eight girls before trial, the Child Sexual Abuse Assessment Unit, said all of their accounts were ‘credible’ and they ‘did not believe they were an invention or exaggeration of the truth’.

paramedics pronounced both dead at the scene. A manhunt was then launched to find the ex-husband who was later detained nearby. He has since confessed to killing his former partner and son and has subsequently been charged with murder. According to Spanish press the mother had reported being the victim of domestic abuse at the hands of her ex-husband to police twice before her death. In response to the atrocity, a minute’s silence was held on Tuesday morning in Sa Pobla to pay respects to the two victims.

As he lay injured on the floor, he was then repeatedly stamped on by the pair. At the time of the attack, the defendants were wearing t-shirts adorned with Nazi slogans and shouting racial insults. The victim was rushed to hospital, but as a result of his spine being severely damaged, he was left paralysed in one arm and his left leg. Initially, prosecutors had requested a 26-year prison sentence for the pair, however a plea deal agreed by all sides saw the defendants handed a two-year suspended sentence and ordered to pay the victim €150,000 compensation.

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Olive Press Mallorca– 170mm x 256mm – Colour

May 22nd

NEWS Great result!

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OLIVE PRESS writer Cristina Hodgson has temporarily swapped reporting for racing - with incredible results. The 46-year-old expat, who lives in Montilla, took home two bronze medals at the Andalucia Championship coming third in both the 1500m and 800m masters race. Despite officially hanging up her running shoes three years ago, Cristina was persuaded to compete at the Malaga tournament by friends and family. Mum-of-two Cristina told the Olive Press: “My kids told me not to bother coming home without a medal! So I was happy to be able to bring back two for them.” Even more impressively, Cristina barely trained for the race - but says the victory has reignited her passion for competing. She is now heading to the national championships - but this time she has pledged to train seriously!

OUR GIRL: Reporter Cristina took bronze (far right)

Paw of blame pointed at bear for string of grizzly livestock slaughters in the Spanish Pyrenees By Dilip Kuner

HE looks as cuddly as Rupert or Paddington bear. But make no mistake Goiat the bear is no marmalade-eating vegetarian. In fact, he is on the Wanted list, suspected of being a serial killer. Officials have named the adult brown bear prime suspect in a recent spate of mystery livestock killings in Catalunya that have farmers up in arms. His name means ‘lad’ in local dialect but in this bear’s case that’s not so much Jack the Lad as Jack the Ripper. His bared fangs are thought to be the last thing seen by his countless victims … sheep, goats and even horses … before he tore out their throats. More stereotypically for a bear, the paw of blame is also being pointed at Goiat for the raiding and destruction of two beehives. Goiat, originally from Slovenia, was released into the Val d’Aran in Catalunya in 2016 as part of an EU project to boost the brown bear population in the Pyrenees. The GPS-tagged animal

May 21st - June 3rd 2021

Prime suspect Wild wild west

NOT CUDDLY: Bear is accused of livestock killings

soon became ursa non gratis and in 2018, after the slaughter of 10 horses, four sheep and a goat, a local farming union called for him to be ‘removed from the

area’ permanently. Farmers hoped they had seen the back of him when he slipped across the border to France. But officials lost track of

Pablo beats Banksy PABLO Picasso has been revealed to be the most Googled artist in the world, apart from in his home country of Spain. He beats the UK’s Banksy into second place, according to website MyArtBroker. A total of 100 artists were included in the study which found the most popular artist in each country. While Banksy topped the list in 30 – mostly European – nations, Picasso was way ahead when it comes to online searches by country. The Spanish genius came top in a staggering 90 countries, leaving other famous figures, including Andy Warhol, way behind. But Banksy can lay claim to being the most Googled artist in the world by number of searches. He edged out Picasso in

terms of volume of online queries as well as coming top in, somewhat ironically, Picasso’s birth nation of Spain. The Malaga-born artist is hugely popular world-wide, with his ‘strongholds’ being in Asia and Africa.

Forensic

IT looks about as English as the Amazon. But the BBC is shooting a Western in the deserts of Almeria called The English, starring Emily Blunt. The Devil Wears Prada star, 38, is starring alongside C h a s k e Spencer, Toby Jones and Nichola McAuliffe. The six part series centres around the arrival of Englishwoman Cornelia Locke (played by Blunt) in the Wild West of America with a plot to avenge the death of her son. The deserts around the town of Tabernas have long been used as the backdrop for Western films, including Once Upon a Time in the West and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Amazon has snagged the film rights in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

BRIT: Blunt stars in The English, while (top) The Good the Bad and the Ugly

him when his GPS collar fell off in October, and he has not been seen since, apart from by a trail of dead livestock. The recent attacks resulted in the death of five goats and a sheep and coincided with a decrease across the border, leading the authorities to consider him the likely culprit. Forensic experts have now been drafted in to analyse samples taken from the ‘crime’ scenes. Meanwhile a team will be sent out to fit the animal with a new GPS collar for further study, with his ‘removal’ a possibility if he turns out to be a ‘problem bear’. Brown bears have been a protected species in Spain since 1973. The project to consolidate the population in the Pyrenees with Slovenian imports has seen their number rise from three in 1993 to over 60 today.

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NEWS

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Foot on the ladder THE Construction Confederation has unveiled proposals to use European funds to improve access to public housing in Spain. It comes after Spain was urged to take advantage of EU money to set up a fund that would cover 20% of the property price. A number of banks are joining the project, with Santander Bank launching a pilot programme to grant mortgages of up to 95% for the young buyers.

Scheme

The project is similar to the UK’s ‘Help to Buy’ scheme that aids first-time buyers climb onto the property ladder. The UK scheme, introduced in 2013, has enabled tens of thousands of people to buy newbuild homes with a 5% deposit and 20% of the sale price covered by a government loan. These loans are aimed at young people who have the capacity to pay, but have no savings. They have to provide a personal guarantee for the first five years. A new Housing Law being prepared by the government will introduce the scheme in the second quarter of this year.

May 21st - June 3rd 2021

Enticing tourists

There’s Wally?

A LARGE Gray whale has been spotted off Mallorca – and the suspicion is it could be Wally the Whale. He has become a bit of a celebrity having been first spotted in waters off southern France then along Spain’s Eastern coast from Benidorm to Alicante. People in pleasure boats have been known to search him out - but it seems they have been looking in the wrong place. What makes the leviathan so unusual is that there is no known population of the species in the Mediterranean – except for Wally.

The Gray whale is believed to inhabit only the northern Pacific Ocean. The route he took to make his way into the Atlantic, through the Strait of Gibraltar and to France and Spain is unknown. He was spotted yesterday morning (Thursday) by a man flying a drone, which videoed the creature swimming placidly in shallow waters off Santa Poca.

Legal, at last Expat couple who saw home demolished in Spain’s Andalucia finally get legal right to live in their garage

AN elderly British couple who have been living in a garage since their dream villa was demolished 13 years ago have finally legalised their property. It means Len and Helen Prior can now be connected to mains water and electricity. It has been a long battle for the Almeria-based couple,

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Top expat agent in trouble owing €250,000 but insists she is not bankrupt

11 page13 seepage see

INSULT

Vol. 7 Issue 154

Szekely in crisis

Don’t let the thein Don’t cash bankslet cash in banks www.hifx.co.uk www.hifx.co.uk see page 13

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February 21 - March 6,

Priors finally awarded ‘ridiculous’ €30,000 five compensation after spending years living in their garage since their home was demolished

EXCLUSIVE

By Kathryn Richardson However, a court has now A RETIRED expat couple ruled that the original apwho have spent the last five plication, granted without THE Costa del Sol’s most years living in their garage their knowledge in 2004, famous expat estate agent is after their home was de- was illegal. in financial turmoil. molished have received “a The Priors only learnt about Kristina Szekely has filed ridiculous” €30,000 com- the plans to bulldoze their for the Spanish version of pensation bill from their home two years later in May bankruptcy and admitted town hall. she owes €250,000. 2006. Helen and Len Prior’s villa Their villa, one of around The Hungarian agent, who Junthe by with down deal ripped was exclusive has an EMBATTLED: Szekely 100 illegal homes in the ta in January 2008 after their area, was the only one to be Sotheby International, told insists she will ride building licence was revoked. the Olive Press she intends out the storm with a to ‘battle on’ regardless. ‘number of big sales Currently in negotiation on the horizon’ with her creditors, she confirmed: “I have filed for in the 1980s and quickly what they call in America, dominated the coast’s real Chapter 11. estate industry. she outgoing, and Bubbly forged a global reputation Optimistic was frequently quoted “We owe €250,000, but I and press. international the am hopeful of getting out of in last week, she had ofit as we have some big sales Untilin Marbella, Gibraltar fices coming in. Sotogrande but has “The word bankruptcy is and struggling to pay her completely wrong, it hurts been and creditors for sevstaff the business. months. “There is a big difference eral week the office in Gibetween somebody going Last was chained shut bankrupt and our situa- braltar at 5pm. tion.” competitor, who BE She added: “We are also One to remain anonyWHICH TYPE OF BIRDS WILL selling apartments and I asked said Ms Szekely had mous, someFLOCKING DOWN TO THE COSTA think it is optimistic overheads and how. I am keeping staff on.” enormous DEL SOL THIS SUMMER? find the next few The Hungarian agent ar- would very tough. Find out on page 12 rived on the Costa del Sol months

INJUSTICE: Len and Helen

Prior

tice. We aren’t happy about demolished. the insulting €30,000 offer They have since been sent but we are happy that it has from pillar to post to find been proved it was an illegal someone responsible for the order.” fiasco. She insisted she would need Mrs Prior told The Olive to get ‘€5m in damages’ to Press: “The whole thing is make up for the way they ridiculous. It’s a horror sto- have been treated. ry and just stupid because The couple’s main claim all of our neighbours were against Vera Council, for saved but us.” €700,000, is still ongoing. The couple have been forced Despite their living condito live in their converted ga- tions, and losing all trust in rage without electricity or Spain’s justice system, she running water. said they did not want to reTalking about the damages, turn to the UK. she added: “That’s not jus-

NIGHTMARE: Len and Helen Prior have been through 13 years of hell, as reported by the Olive Press (left) By Fiona Govan

who became infamous in 2008 when bulldozers were sent in to flatten their villa in

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Vera, over so-called ‘planning irregularities’. They have now finally been granted an AFO certificate for their property – the special licence issued in Andalucia to normalise properties built ‘illegally’ on rural land. For more than 13 years they have been living in the garage they converted into a living space after their €400,000 villa was reduced to rubble. They use a noisy generator to power their home and bring in bottled water. “It’s a huge relief,” Helen, 77, told the Olive Press this week. “Hopefully we will be connected to mains services soon and then maybe we can get a proper roof in as at the moment every time it rains we run around with buckets to collect the leaks. “We never imagined we would spend all these years fighting for fundamental rights just to live in a garage,” added the grandmother of six, who has three great-grandchildren. “We moved out here to have a peaceful retirement after working hard all our lives but ended up like this.” Len, also 77, is recovering from life-saving open heart surgery. “We didn’t want to leave our children to deal with this mess, which is something

that has been preying on our minds,” he admitted. Despite having planning permission issued by Vera town hall, the regional government of Andalucia had revoked the licence and ordered the villa to be torn down in 2008. Five years ago a court ordered Vera council to pay them compensation of €425,000 plus interest.

Torndown

However, the figure was barely enough to cover the legal costs they had racked up over their eight-year battle. Gerardo Vazquez, a lawyer with AUAN, the pressure group representing hundreds of expat homeowners in the Almeria region said the decision was ‘an end of an era’. “This represents a milestone,” he told the Olive Press. “It’s been a long journey from that image of Mr Prior collapsing on the ground at the shock of demolition to now, with what is left of that disaster finally regularised. “At last this lovely couple can live with the minimum dignity of having access to electricity and water in the final stage of their lives, and that is an important change.” Opinion Page 6

Time to relax

Scan to find out more!

COVID restrictions are being slightly relaxed from Sunday, with the curfew pushed back to midnight and some bars allowed to use interiors. Tourism minister Iago Negueruela said that the Balearics Islands were approaching the ‘final stages of the de-escalation plan’ which so far, has been ‘exemplary’. Under the new restrictions, the curfew will be from midnight to 6am the next day and the number of people permitted in social gatherings will be increased from six to eight people. As for bars and restaurants, the interior areas will be allowed to be used only if the establishment does not have a terrace. This may spell particularly good news for the 80% of restaurants in Mallorca without a terrace who have not been able to open under the current measures. In regards to controls at ports and airports, a traveller from Spain will still have to present a negative PCR to be granted entry into the Balearics.

THE Balearic government has revealed that it will cover the cost to repatriate any tourist that is diagnosed with coronavirus while on holiday. In an initiative named the ‘Safety Pack’, the campaign aims to attract holidaymakers to the islands this summer. The government will pay for the flight home for any tourist that tests positive for COVID-19, provided that they quarantine in one of their regulated hotels. However, if the individual decides to quarantine in their own hotel or holiday home they will have to cover the cost for their own flight home. Under the Balearic rules, a COVID-19 positive result means that an individual must quarantine for a minimum of 10 days and if this scenario arises during a holiday, it will likely lead to cancelling a flight home without receiving a refund. The government will also pay to repatriate any tourist who dies from COVID-19 while on holiday. As well as this ‘insurance’, a dedicated call centre with Spanish, German and English handlers will be set up in the coming weeks to help any tourist who has a COVID-19 related question. A maximum price for all PCR and antigen tests taken across the Balearics, of €75 and €30 respectively has also been set.

Hopes soaring FLIGHT bookings to Mallorca have soared following the announcement that German citizens will not have to quarantine or present a PCR test on their return home if they have been vaccinated against coronavirus. This spells particularly good news for Mallorca, a destination favoured by German tourists, since it is estimated that one-third of the country’s 83 million people have already received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Demand

Eurowings airline says that the demand for flights by German citizens to the Balearic island has increased by 100% with TUI also confirming a surge in reservations this week. Hotel bookings have also seen an upward trend with the TravelgateX platform reporting that Mallorca has seen an increase of 22.5% in reservations compared to the previous week, becoming the third community with the most hotel reservations in Spain after Andalucia and the Canary Islands. Balearic president Francina Armengol and tourism minister Iago Negueruela recently travelled to Berlin on an official tour in aim of driving home the message that the islands are a safe destination for travel this summer.

NEWS

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Flying the flag THE Balearic islands will be flying 44 blue flags over their beaches and marinas this summer. Mallorca now boasts 31 of the coveted awards for cleanliness and facilities on its beaches, with another 10 handed out to the island’s marinas. Seven beaches in Ibiza and three in Minorca have also won the award. Spain itself has gained a record number of flags this year, with a total of 713, the highest number of any country taking part in the scheme.

Coveted

The Valencia region has more coveted 'Blue Flag' beaches than anywhere else in Spain. The region has a whopping 138 flags in total, beating Andalucia (with 137) by just one award. The Blue Flag programme is an international honour which was first started in France in 1985. It is handed out by the Foundation for Environmental education. The standards cover water safety and quality in addition to providing visitors with environmental information, mainly through display boards.

May 21st - June 3rd 2021

I beg your padron A GROUP of British expats have been detained by police after their padron certificates proving they lived in Spain appear to have been doctored. At least eight people have been grilled over the town hall registration forms, which were all handled by the same gestor company on the Costa Blanca. National Police confirmed to the Olive Press that detectives are working alongside the Guardia Civil to now investigate all residencia applications in Alicante made in 2021.

Fraud

It comes after ‘widespread fraud’ was allegedly detected in over 22 Britons attempting to become resident here. This week a number of elderly expats described the situation as ‘humiliating’ and ‘hellish’, after they were held for questioning under caution. They told the Olive Press how they were carted to Alicante police station and grilled about falsifying documents submitted with their TIE card applications. “We were wrongly arrested for submitting fake padrons, even though we put the cor-

‘Hellish and humiliating’ as British expats arrested over ‘fraudulent’ residency applications EXCLUSIVE By Simon Wade

rect ones in with our paperwork for residencia,” said Jay Elliott, 66, of Orihuela Costa, who has lived in Spain for over five years. She and her friend Lily Higgins, 71, had planned for a peaceful retirement in the sun but are now living with the threat of a court case or even deportation. “I’ve never been in trouble before but here I am, being treated like a common criminal,” said Higgins. “It’s humiliating.” They added that the same gestor is being investigated for changing the date on at least 22 more British applicants. Another couple, who asked not to be named, told the Olive Press how they had been questioned when they went to collect their TIE cards. “We were taken into a room, read our rights and told to explain why our 2021 padron had been doctored to show a 2020 date - it was hell.”

All those detained had used One Way Services, a gestor based in Quesada, near Torrevieja, to process their applications - including the padron. Owner Matt Smith insisted that his is anything but the only gestor business to be dragged into the investigation “Nobody has been arrested, that is a fact,” he insisted, adding: “Other gestors are also being brought in as part of an ongoing investigation into TIE applications.”

Exploited

A police spokesman told the Olive Press: “All residencia applications from every gestor in the province will be investigated in case of possible connections.” All fraudulent submissions will be cancelled with applicants given the right to appeal. Anne Hernandez of Brexpats in Spain warned that a lack of clear national guidelines means rules can differ from region to region.

She added that the complicated application process is leaving expats vulnerable to unscrupulous gestors. “One would expect that when you turn to a professional for help, you pay the money and get professional advice but we hear lots of stories about people being given the wrong information or even being exploited and landing into trouble by so-called qualified gestors,” she warned. “This case of fraudulent padrons being submitted is shocking but it’s by no means isolated.” Have you been affected? Please get in touch at newsdesk@theolivepress.es

Good news? THE Balearic government is considering allowing bars and restaurants to open until 11pm. This week, key ministers met with local business unions to discuss easing the restrictions currently enforced on the sector. With the curfew set to be pushed back to midnight from this Sunday, unions have asked that bars and restaurants can also extend their opening hours by one hour. They also request that all interior areas can reopen. Bars and restaurants across the Balearic Islands have been far the worst hit under the coronavirus pandemic by particularly since the start of this year, first operating under limited hours and then being told to close indefinitely.

Reopen

Once being allowed to reopen their doors, they then faced capacity constraints and the prohibition of the use of their indoors. For Mallorca this meant a closure of 80% of its restaurants since this proportion did not have a terrace. Such restrictions have put the sector in crisis and according to the Association for Small and Medium Sized Businesses (PINEM), since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, restaurants have lost an average of 80% of their turnover, 30% of the workforce have lost their jobs and 40% of businesses have permanently closed.

NEWS FEATURE

www.theolivepress.es Voted top expat paper in Spain

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

OPINION Wrong side of the law SOMETIMES you can do everything right and still find yourself on the wrong side of the law. At least, that is the case for foreigners in Spain, especially when dealing with the powerful adversary that is the clunking arm of Spanish bureaucracy. Being a foreigner here and often not having a good command of the language means that many of us must rely on the advice of experts, those supposedly in the know, to whom we pay good money to help guide us through a system that is not easy to navigate at the best of times, even for Spaniards. The Priors did everything possible to ensure that they bought wisely when they sold up in the UK and sunk their savings into a dream property in which to spend a peaceful retirement.

Battling

And yet they have spent the last 13 years living in a garage without access to the basic amenities of mains electricity and water while battling through a judicial system that only now has delivered a hollow victory. The latest scandal is the dozens of Brits trying to get their residency in order who have fallen victim to apparently unscrupulous practices by gestors who should’ve known better and have now jeopardised their future in Spain. Unfortunately there will always be crooks ready to prey on the vulnerable, but this is compounded by Spain’s lack of clear national guidelines with differing rules from region to region and even town hall to town hall on important issues such as planning laws and residency applications. We can all do our due diligence but isn’t it time Spain stopped making things so complicated and gave us a helping hand? Publisher / Editor

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

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Seeking the truth Olive Press reporter Kirsty McKenzie helps probe mystery death of Kirsty Maxwell for TV documentary

IRSTY Maxwell was just 27 when she Friends and family had no clue what connecplunged from a 10th floor balcony in tion Kirsty had to the men or what prompted Benidorm after a night out partying her to leave her own apartment, barefoot and with her friends. The Scottish lass was without her mobile phone or purse, and climb discovered lying beside the pool as the sun up to the top floor in the early hours of that rose the next morning — April 27, 2017 — so morning. peacefully still that at first no one realised the What’s worse, they had no idea what hapextent of the horror that had unfolded. pened inside the men’s room in the minutes I remember Kirsty’s story well. I wrote about leading up to her fall. her death as a trainee reporter at a Scottish It’s those unanswered questions that led me national newspaper and the to investigate her death for a details always stuck with me… new documentary series foAfter all, we were close in age, cusing on young people who A young had grown up just a few towns lost their lives in mysterious apart and even shared the woman, newly circumstances. same first name. It was a crisp January morning Reporting on tragedy - the colliwhen I drove eight hours from married and sion of absolute horror with orthe Costa del Sol to meet the planning a dinary daily life - is always upteam, fixer Javier and my two setting, but it has a devastating family had died cameramen Adrien and Vicpotency when you can so easily tor in the boozy party capital identify with the victim. of Spain. Due to COVID-19 The initial facts upset all of us restrictions the director, proin the newsroom that day: a young woman, ducers and MTV host Linda Adey were stuck newly married and planning a family, had died in England and it was up to me and the crew while on a hen weekend abroad. to find out as much as we possibly could in Yet as more details of the case emerged it Benidorm, retracing Kirsty’s final steps and became clear this was no typical story - Kirsty looping back to the team at at home in the UK. had not fallen from her own room on the ninth And investigate we did: hunting down the ownfloor, but from the tenth floor of an apartment er of the apartments where Kirsty died, speakon the opposite side of the building. ing with the manager of a nearby hotel who Suspiciously this was occupied by five men held all the contact details of eyewitnesses from Nottingham. from that fateful morning and knocking on the

OLIV PRESSE

The

Bonnie Did Maddie suspec n Brueck t & Clyde aChristia female accompner have lice?

voice Spa

IN THE CLEAR

Corrupti on appeal bid

Issue 19

CIA

www.theol ivepress.es July 23rd

- August 5th

ANTI-CORRUP TION prosecutors are against a launching an appeal 34 people verdict that cleared the awardiof taking bungs over ng of an waste disposa Orihuela l contrac Alicante Provincial t. Elche acquitt Court ed the group, in cluding former inmayors Monica Orihuela PP Lorente and Jose Manue l Medina, ruption charges of cor. The Suprem cide if a new e court must deafter prosecu trial can be heard tors failed to get conviction corruption in the biggest-evera trial to be Alicante Provinc held in e. The court’s ter judges decision came afof phone ruled that wiretap s conversations inadmissible, along with were cerns over consurveillance.house searches and The 34 people in the dock accused of were millions taking bribes worth granting ofof euros over the the Orihue contract dating la waste back in what became to 2006, known as Brugal case. the Millionaire Orihue la busines man, Angel saccused of Fenoli, had been and faced being the ringleader up to 37 years if he had been in jail After hearingfound guilty. the verdict Fenoli broke said: “Justic down in tears and, done after e has finally been 14 years.”

ON CAMERA: Kirsty (right) in Benidorm and (inset) our most recent Corona comeback front page on the case office doors of both detectives and judges. A mecca for bargain holiSPANISH NUMBER PLATES days, the coastal city has Destina tion Rel axa tion long been considered Spain’s tourist hotspot brimming with 671 2 147 83 608 503 bars and spine-chillingly high 95 apartment 4 blocks. “The Manhattan of Spain,” fixer Javier joked to me as I craned my neck to take it all in. But in January, with so few tourists in Spain, and a complete ban on pubs opening in the city, the party strip had come to a standstill. Locked doors, shutters pulled tight and signs

That’s the ticket

exp

COSTA BLA NCA SUR FREE Vol. 1 / MUR

Page 8

But the fam and ‘disg ily of tragic Kirs usting’ way ty five men Maxwell slam ‘flaw have been ed’ inves found inno cent of

THE family idaymaker of a young holdeath from who fell to her By Andy SPAIN’S McInnes Benidorm an apartment in have tripled COVID-infections & Dilip detective have slamm Kuner court’s ruling David Swindl ed a old, They have since July 3. conduct their not to appeal e to Kirsty’ from her risen from own investi every 100,00 tion into 8.76 for Theydeath. jumped to Scotland, had not ga- them s fam her are convin an alarmin 0 inhabitants to was lost after vital evidence to fin ced five Brits ing an alcoho death followon holiday compo This is theg 27.39. l-fuelled preserv and police night with caused Maxwell’s hen vestiga e the scene failed to disgustund same numbe cases as when death in Kirsty The five friends. tion from of the in- “The ing. lads on Spain first r of 2017. April, from gan de-esca contamination. family be- A private Nottingham,holiday, all just as the gon, Catalunlation in May. Aracused of spiking detecti were aclooked ya ve down throu who caine into Country have and the Basque and pushinher with cothe decisio the case described Shortcom all experie tigation. outbreaks n as flawed g her to her death. nced Howev ing . Mr Swindl did not Th er, a panel have been of concern. Contro She ma had e, ls of judges Alicante ruled put in place, conclu mistak investi some confine while no ‘strong that there in 10th floor room enly entered a ‘flawedgation was ded the significant w ment measur was mentos seriously its and evide have been at the Aparta evidence’ ’ es inality. issued. Payma hotel, of crim- gusting’ and added it was ‘disexpecte of the d her friends for instead out family They added Wear it or ’ neighbouring through the had to find of a young lifes apartment. there was pay up P5 ing to indicat media that confusing there would noth- It comes e the 27-yea circ be no further probe. “Kirsty and r- ing familyafter Kirsty’s grievhired retired He said: pear to have h CID no conside“There has by appare ration givenbeen shortco nt mings to police, forensi investigation which may hav evidence being l Kirsty’s parent Vehicles re-reg s Denise Curry istered in Spain ha Spanish judge’s For the re-reg September istration of nal probe to she motorbikes cars, The threeinto her , motorhome s Section Two judge as well as the transfer and caravans, vincial Courtof Ali of ownership Spanish regist was ‘affecte rule of d by al ered after vehic consuming Properties les, contact: t lent of 10 to rent and spirits the buy in the fore, appear sunny Costa s to ha Blanca apartm We have beaut ent 9A and who, after entered 10E v iful re-registerin where men were. and luxury homes for sale g over 3,000 will put villas

Leigh Blan

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Breaking the new speed limits can mean hefty fines

EW speed limits now apply on many roads across Spain and it’s important to know about them as those caught speeding face steep fines. The new general speed limits as outlined in the Royal Decree apply to urban roads and are as follows: ●● 20 km/h on roads that have a single lane with one way traffic and with a raised path/pavement. ●● 30 km/h on roads with one lane in each direction reduced from 50km/h. ●● 50 km/h on roads with two or more lanes per traffic direction. This speed limit remains the same except for vehicles carrying heavy or dangerous goods which must reduce their speed to 40 km/h. Which roads will the new speed limits apply to? The new rules apply to vias urbanas which doesn’t actually mean any roads within a town but is defined by the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) as ‘any roads that form part of the internal communications network of a settlement, as long as they are not through roads (travesias) or form part of an arterial network’, according to Spain’s Directorate General of Traffic (DGT). So this encompasses most streets within a village, town or city unless they are major thoroughfares or ring roads. To give you an idea, by far the majority of Spain’s roads are classified as vias urbanas, 165,600 km in fact, whi-

le travesias, which include motorways and dual carriageways, count for just 17,228 km or less than 10% of all of Spain’s roads.

HALVED: The footpath is on the same level

What are the penalties for breaking the new speed limits? Failure by drivers to comply are considered a ‘serious’ or ‘very serious’ road offence by traffic authorities depending on how much over the speed limit they were caught going at. Fines will range from between €100 to €600 depending on how fast they were going plus the loss of up to six points on the driver’s licence. So on a two-lane road with traffic in both directions where the maximum speed will be 30 km/h, the penalty for driving between 31 and 50 km/h will be €100. If the driver exceeds the 50 km/h mark but doesn’t reach 60km/h, it will result in a €300 fine and the loss of two points off the driver’s licence. Driving between 61 and 70 km/h will land a fine of €400 and four points; and speeding at between 71 and 80 km /h will cost the driver €500 and the loss of six points. It is considered a ‘very serious speeding offence’ if a driver is caught exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 km/h, which results in a €600 penalty and the loss of six points. And exceeding the speed limit in urban areas by 60 km/h is considered a crime against road safety and is punishable with a prison sentence of three to six months, or community service for 30 to 90 days, and in all cases a ban from driving vehicles of between one to four years.

BIG DROP: the lack of pavements means the

NEW LIMIT: A single lane road is now just

BIZARRE: One side of the road with two

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TRAGIC: Kirsty fell from 10th floor

our

pat

E are proud at the Olive Press to provide expat communities in Spain with the latest news - and plenty of features - in our six print editions. But while each copy is guaranteed to be full of at least 50% editorial, sadly plenty of things do not make the edition, which is fortnightly, after all. Hundreds of articles - from restaurant reviews to travel features and from crime stories to explainers on new laws - are FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL SEVILLA SPECIAL not making the printed paper for many reasons. But fortunately, modern technology has come to the rescue in the shape SNAPSHOTS OF SEVILLA and form of our website. The portal www.theolivepress.es gives us unlimited space to expand on topics and really go to town on the most interesting subjects. Our team of trained journalists, who have experience at The Daily Telegraph, The Times and the Daily Mail, spend hours each day investigating and producing great content for the site. Take our four-page special on Sevilla last month. While we printed three articles SEVILKLA & TRAVEL FOOD,DRIN SPECIAL FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL in the paper, TIME TRAVEL over a dozen more were only Y published on the website. T It will be the same with our travel special on Cordoba this issue, with plenty of other articles on the city going out over the next few weeks. It is the same for Ibiza and the same for Madrid and other popular destinations like Ronda and Barcelona.

April 7th - April 20th 2021

As the Olive Press prepares to launch a brand new travel website, we give you a preview by taking a look around Andalucia’s historic capital

e in ain

h 2020

THE FIVE KEYS/ THEORIES ON KIRSTY’S DEATH Suicide

STUNNING: Sevilla is a city noted

for its beauty, architecture, gardens

and lifestyle

in Spain. By Dilip Kuner In this four-page special, to celebrate our dedicated travel portal to Spain, the launch of HE streets of Sevilla are normally thronging at takes the this time of year. a look at some of the highlights ofOlive Press Sevilla. The first city to be spotlighted in Tens of thousands of people flock our new to the capi- website, tal of Andalucia to witness and savour in the coming months we will be travel the solemn taking pasos, or processions, that wend their way through a close look at Cordoba, Granada, Ronda, Madrid the historic heart of the city at Easter. and Valencia, plus all the other key destinations An extremely popular tourist destination around - equally Aside Spain. busy for the Feria de Abril a few weeks later - Sevilla dozensfrom the articles included here, there will be is famous for its beautiful architecture more vignettes and features on Sevilla and its outdoor lifestyle and terrace dining. as well as its wonderful province. But, as these pictures show, now This includes potted guides to the if you want to avoid the queues - is the time to visit mona, Ecija, Osuna, as well as key towns of Carand it is all down special features on to COVID-19 restrictions. the curious communist town of Marinaleda, mounOf course you may have to wait tain escapes like Cazalla de la Sierra and the wonthe restrictions to finally lift, but a few weeks for derful Roman city of Italica. you a taste of the treats in store these photos give At the moment, while many foreign when you CAN finally make a trip to one of the most missing out on their travel dreams, tourists are famous cities local at expats can make the most of whatleast the is easily Europe’s most diverse and colourful country. Watch out for the new portal which will be at:

https://travel. theolivepress. es/

stigation f her dea th

Her parents are adamant she was cheerful and happy and this coul not have happened. Her frien d ds backed this up insisting she was ‘happy and full of life.’

SAD: Kirsty

and hotel mily in this, nd out like and for “Nothi ded their this has trary,” ng points to the grief. It is it said. “Althou con. is true cocaine gh it y has been was the bathro om and found in ey have let down woman been let ’s fingerp the dead ughout the rints were discove he Spanis inves- bathro red on an interio om window r anage theh police been possibl , it e to obtainhas not witnesses, scene, evidence strong exhib- viduali of specific ence as would and indised crimin such a tragic be The five ality.” men - Joseph e in unexpl loss ham, Ricky Graained, thony Gamm cumstances. Holehouse, on, Anher family Northridge Callum and Daniel ap- ley been let - will not Baidown charge face any further irretrievable s. Their lawyer in Spanis ic and crimeh chez, said: , Roberto San“I am very with the court proced happy ve resulte ures imagine my decision and I d in ing lost.” forward toclients are lookputting all behind them.” s Brian this ad appeal and Kirsty’s dad ed decision lasta cision, saying:blasted the detold the appeal “We were not elve a crimihad been and now r death. lost, we are having to the court es based at has happen to find out to go icante’s Prowhat have been ed. For us not to ed that she shown the of being kept courtesy lcohol’ and informed palling. the equiva is ape night be-- “All we have asked truth and for is the ave left her portunity yet again the opvoluntarily to get to the what happen heart of e the five been denied ed to Kirsty has to us.” Opinion

Tel: 952 147

Balconing

Page 6

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3 1 / 1 2 / 1 9 .

21/6/19 13:30

on the doors and windows of restaurants and bars, clubs and takeaways alike — “Sorry we are closed due to Covid-19 restrictions” - the party was well and truly over, the streets silent with nothing but the sound of Union Jack and

Now

as the road so speed is restricted to 20kph

speed limit is just 20kph

30kph when before it was 50kph

lanes limited to 50kph, the other is 30

Images taken from DGT.es

s .

other northern European flags flapping in the wind. It was somewhat appropriate that the streets felt haunted. Four years on no one has ever been charged with Kirsty’s killing. Last year, three Spanish judges in Alicante ruled that there is no ‘strong evidence’ of criminality surrounding the death and none of the five men staying inside the apartment at the time of Kirsty’s death have ever been formally accused of any crime, despite the booze and unidentified white substances found in their room by police the next morning There’s no doubt that Kirsty’s death, and others like it, have had a grip on the collective consciousness in the UK for many years, in part because she was a Brit abroad who had lost her life far too young. But what I found over the course of my investigation in Benidorm is that Kirsty’s age and nationality are potentially why the Spanish justice system failed her. Indeed, it is more than possible that she was just seen as another drunk Brit abroad, her death all too easily filed away as an accident. The true mystery isn’t what happened in Kirsty’s final moments. It’s how the Spanish authorities were able to treat her case with a carelessness that bordered on contempt. As for the theories buzzing round true crime forums, the more I investigated, the less they made sense. It’s almost impossible to imagine that Kirsty was suicidal or sleepwalking as some Reddit threads suggest. Her father said that she was ‘happy and full of life’ and had ‘never slept walked in her life’ - and after looking up at the terrifying height of the apartments, I am convinced not even an adrenaline junkie would attempt to try ‘balconing’ from the tenth floor. Certainly not Kirsty, who friends insisted was scared of heights. Indeed, up until the last hour of her life, all of Kirsty’s actions made sense. Going away with friends for a hen party, the accommodation had been carefully picked: My Pretty Payma, self catering apartments with a pool, a two minutes walk away from the hustle and bustle of the main party strip. Nearly 20 girls flew out for the hen weekend, wearing matching pink t-shirts, all looking forward to the pool and beach and instilled with the pure joy of heading out with friends into a warm evening of laughter, drinks and dancing. Kirsty acted as any of us would have. What we still don’t know is what led her to leave her bedroom, less than an hour after friends captured a video of her peacefully snoring in bed. I wonder now, in retrospect, whether the crazy theories, the accusations of drinking too much and why exactly she was in a room with five men stem from the fear of accepting something bad happened… the need to erect a clear barrier between people who behave

The idea of ‘balconing’ - as jumping off balconies into a pool is known is unlikely on various levels, in par-ticular as she was scared of heights. Sleepwalking One theory suggests that Kirsty may have slept walked upstairs and into the apartment, although an expe rt believed it odd that nobody saw her do this and her family insisted she had never slept walked before. Her clothes Damage to her skirt when her body was found suggested she was facing into the balcony. when she fell. There was a snag in the fabric although her clothes which coul d have held key DNA evidence have bizarelly since been destroyed by Spanish police. The men in the room

April 7th - April 20th 2021

EMPTY: Sevilla’s streets are normally

abroad and the people who end up losing their lives. But the truth is, Kirsty is exactly like us, exactly like anyone on holiday. Optimistic, care free. Full of life. The only barrier that exists now, for the family, for the private investigators and for journalists like me, seems to be the Spanish authorities. Over the course of our investigation we uncovered some truly horrifying truth about the mistakes made by the police - and yet any attempt to get the cops or court system to explain their missteps was met with hostility or silence. I hope pressure from the documentary will change that. Her parents Brian and Denise maintain her death was never investigated properly and that they are still waiting on answers. We need justice for Kirsty’s family. We need to make sure that when a foreigner dies abroad, the case is always treated with respect, sympathy and, above all, without errors. What happened to Kirsty could happen to many of us, or our children, and that is terrifying. - True Life Crime UK is available on MTV on demand

packed at Easter (below centre)

April 7th - April 20th 2021

There’s no better place to get lost in history than Sevilla, the city which hosted the departure of Christopher Columbus - just ask the likes of Barack Obama and Uma Thurman, writes Laurence Dollimore

Columbus Uma Thurman Barack Obama was along Calle Betis. decided to build a fort. However, it alive with food and the explorer’s plundering of South Amergrounds were The riverbed comes become over 500 years that theMoorish, Chris- drink stalls lining the riverside calle while series). OU can easily picture Christopher To this day you can sail along the river, ica, saw the country’s empire added to by successive old competithe world. making it during the day a centuries’ Columbus setting off for the Amer- just as the explorer did, and gaze in awe among the most powerful in oth- tian and finally Catholic rulers,attractions tion known as the La Cucana sees parBetween 1492 and 1681, gold and icas as you stroll along the banks at the medieval marvels along the way. the most emblematic attempt to walk along a boat’s er minerals from the ‘New one of of the Guadalquivir in Sevilla’s And just a stone’s throw characterised by its multicul- ticipants bow which has been slathered in grease World’ catapulted Spain in a region central neighbourhood of El Arenal. away in the Santa Cruz attempt to catch a little flag attached into an era of wealth and tural history. The medieval shipyards here - which neighbourhood you’ll find miss the Giralda bell tower at- andthe end - with prizes for those who Murillo and prosperity, with its litera- And don’t Catedral, the top of which at have existed since the days of Julius the tomb of Columbus at and arts also flour- tached to thevia a series of ramps which complete the task. Velazquez are ture Caesar - are central to this ancient city’s the Catedral. over the river, however, something ishing (showcased best is accessed history. be ascended by Moors on horse- Backis brewing. The largest Gothic church new at the Museo de Bella used to just two who Boasting a Gothic style, the galleys they back before calling citizens to prayer. the in the world, covering the central neighbourhood of Alfalbuilt played an important role in the some 23,500sqm, it not just the old town centre In this chose to live in Artes). Just ask the greats Mu- But it’s with sites, with medieval church- fa, the Soho Benita area is proving battle for the Strait of Gibraltar and was completed in the Velazquez, who packed city can also host 21st century Hundred Years’ War - and more notably early 1500s before being the historic city rillo and and centuries-old food mar- ancient gems. chose to live in the roman- es, conventsevery corner. as the launchpad for Columbus’ explora- registered as a UNESCO kets around Covering six streets (Golfo, Perez Galdos, tic city. tions. No neighbourhood knows this more than Don Alonso el Sabio, Ortizo de Zuniga, in World Heritage Site in The former has gorgeous gardens (They also played an important role Luis Luque), it invis- Triana. still Jose 1987. can and you while Thrones, Santillana of him after Game of Flamenco named the fictional world Once home to sailors, potters, It is one of dozens of remnants from around 20 small businesses, it the birthplace of the latter tucked bull-fighters, Triana’s rich corporates posing as the crypts of the Red Fortress Spain’s Golden Age, which, thanks to behind a narrow dancers and colourful as its buildings including a modern art gallery, nail salon in the seventh season of the hit fantasy traditional barbers, and was recently street in the Al- history is as up the river bank on its iconic and as a must-place to visit by the New falfa neighbour- which light tipped Calle Betis. hood. York Times. arraan as known once was arrival is the RecoVeco Luckily for us, The barrio given to areas separated The newest the era also saw bal, the name of Sevilla. And many in restaurant on Calle Ortizo de Zuniga, Habsburg from the centre just this year. the see themselves as strictly opened The Spanish ‘heritage’ Dynasty solidify the town stilldistinct from eatery promises traditionand create some trianero and including the AlaSevillanos, and the of Andarest surrounding the area the seasonal is al and of the cities most HE Alameda neighbourhood by bars, cafes and restaurants Believed to often referring to the lucia dishes but with an stunning sites. meda de Hercules, a long mall accompanied the Avant Garde twist - and all include neighbourhood as of These on either side. have been Republic the Alameda was once a in a super-chic setting... the stunning Real Independent Lying in the northern part of the city’s old town, place to treat founded by the the perfect loved Alcazar palace Triana. meeting point for the elites in the 1800s. quickly deteriorated into one of the have been ones for or and gardens, just Believed toa Roman colHowever following the Spanish Civil War, it prostitution - with up to 35 brothemperor yourself a night. opposite the Cat- founded by emperor Tra- Roman poorest barrios and was ravaged by drugs and ony under And you wouldn’t be the and the promenade edral. els operating in 1989. Trajan by crossplan in the early 2000s which saw traffic limited first to want to hang out in Declared a World jan, it is entered But it is now back in action following a rescuetrees. II bridge, a the Alfalfa barrio. Heritage Site by ing the Isabel restored, and lined with poplar and hackberry and anyone looking for a good time. itself. Former US President UNESCO in 1987, landmark in a traditional as the warm up acts to nightToday it is the place to be for the young, cultured with bars like Dilema, Nua and 1987 acting it is among the It’s home totile industry - with a museum Barack Obama was papped entering the It also the most gay-friendly quarter of Sevilla, eatery Bache San Pedro after oldest palaces pottery and clubs Holiday, Fun Club, Men to Men or Itaca. (which does a great Moscow Mule) and a flavourful selection of restauto the crafts - vibrant fla- popular in Europe hav- paying homage and hugely popular mar- attending a climate change summit in There are also great cocktail bars like Gigante ing begun con- menco festivals the city. rants, from the traditional to the nouvelle. what he opted for, but the struction in 913, kets and festivals. the Sevilla heat between No one knows with ‘special sauce’ is sublime, as when the caliph If you’re braving (on Calle Eslava). You may have EATING... 26, don’t miss the Vela San- pork famous cheesecake, made with cannot leave Sevilla without visiting Eslava of Andalucia Abd July 21 and If you’re looking for gastro-tapas then you bar for a shorter wait) but it is more than worth it with one of the quirkiest held every day and night is its al-Rahman III first ta Ana festival to queue to be seated (opt for a spot at the tataki), vegetable strudel and tastiest menus around. jamon, other highlights include Vaca Tataki (beef Among the classic pork ribs and solomillo or it cream. terrace ice a sun-kissed and manchego cheese situated along the Alameda promenade. Boasting For Middle Eastern fusion head to Arte y Sabor, and innovative and creative salads. is unique in its wide range of vegetable dishesat Casa Ricardo, which has been serving locals since 1898. Their melt-inIf you want something more traditional, stopa cold sherry while enjoying the old-school writing of orders with chalk on the-mouth jamon can be knocked back with the bar and walls adorned with religious art. Nickel has some of the best burgers in Sevilla while Al Solito Posto has If you’re looking for something less Spanish,

El Sevilla is stunning, whether it is the OLD AND NEW: The architecture ofcentre or the modern La Seta (above) Salvador church (far left) historic

payoyo cheese from the hills of Cadiz. up Back in 2015, Uma Thurman dressedthe as the Virgin Mary while drinking at uber traditional El Garlochi bar - a watering hole like no other, with more religious art than wall space and only the holiest of music blaring through the speakers. of Alfalfa provides the perfect snapshot Sevilla, where centuries’ old traditions live in harmony alongside 21st century upgrades. Just head to the modern-day Las Setas in the neighbouring Encarnacion barrio. Officially known as the Metropol Parasol, the imposing structure boasts six parasols and is spread over four levels. JurIt was designed by Berlin architect gen Mayer who entered into a governthe ment-run competition to renovate area in the early 2000s.

Repeatedly ranked as the number by one tourist attraction in Spain EsTripAdvisor users, the Plaza de pana is truly a work of art. the Designed by Caidon Fox for 1929 Sevilla Expo, it was created to showcase Spain’s industry and technology exhibits at the historic fair. The complex is a huge half-circle with buildings continually running mix around the edge, boasting a of 1920s Art Deco, Baroque and Neo-Mudejar styles via The buildings are accessible the four bridges - representing

Plaza de España

four ancient kingdoms of Spain - built over a moat which runs the whole length of the complex. In the centre sits the Vicente Traver fountain while by the walls are tiled alcoves, each depicting a different province of Spain. If you REALLY have time to kill, you can row a boat in the moat in what is possibly the most unnecessary tourist trap - although it does make for a nice photo.

Potted barrios guide to... ALAMEDA

delicious pizzas. head to the Cereal Cafe. Or if you want a taste of gentrified London,

a lion atop each column Roman-style columns. The northern side features At either end of the promenade you’ll find two Caesar. while the other end features Hercules and Julius of Andalucia, which bears the Pillars of Hercules and, obviously, two The two lions and Hercules represent the emblem lions. while Legend has it that Hercules founded Sevilla Julius Caesar also ruled it for a time. at its Head to Convento Santa Clara and marvelfor eximpressive cloister which is frequently used hibitions. While there, don’t miss the Torre de Don Fadrique, ofnamed after the late owner of the site and which fers a stunning example of early Gothic architecture in Sevilla. Built in 1252, the tower is also surrounded by beautiful gardens. with Finally, the Convento San Clemente is adorned1500s fascinating frescoes and artwork from the by the and you can also buy some pastries made nuns who live there.

SITES….

STUNNING: The Moorish Alcazar is

a must-see in Sevilla

FOMO So if you feel you are missing out (the so-called FOMO effect), the solution is at hand: Just go to our website and SEVILLA FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL SPECIAL you will find a huge amount of FRY AWAY INLAND high-quality articles, news and views – all at your fingertips. We are also pretty sure that you’ll soon get registered like tens of thousands of other users, ensuring you get a daily email giving you a breakdown of the main stories of the day. You’ll even get one a week on travel, with more to follow shortly. With theolivepress.es you never have to miss out! April 7th - April 20th 2021

Her friends did not know what connection Kirsty might have made to the five men who claimed she had come into the room acting ‘drun k and strange’. They insisted they didn’t speak her and did not witness her fall. to A Spanish detective allegedly said he believed she may have been ‘intimidated’ by the men to jump.

pan IT is known as El Sarten, the frying dip of Spain because it’s location in a La surrounded by the olive groves of Campina means it regularly records the hottest temperatures in southern Europe. of But Ecija is also dubbed the ‘CitysurTowers’ and ‘City of Palaces’, no prise when you see the skyline interrupted by several dozen towers, some with detailed ceramic work and usually topped by a stork nest. to Located 85km from Sevilla, a visit this gem of a town is like stepping back in time. And if you are struggling under the weight of tourism in the provincial cercapital, or nearby Cordoba, you tainly won’t be here: It’s unlikely you’ll hear a single English accent, even after COVID. Narrow cobbled streets, white-washed

as Ecija: A visit to the charming city known soup’ ‘the frying pan’ of Spain, where ‘cat is on the menu By Fiona Govan

houses and alluring porticos reveal glimpses of bloom-filled patios within. While avenues are lined by orange

STUNNING: One of dozens of mosaics found

ROMAN CITY: Ecija is awash with

historic monuments and priceless

WHERE TO EAT

Roman statues

trees, their blossom filling the air with this the powerful scent that screams part of Andalucia. Once an important Roman settlement or known as Astigi on the via Augusta, A-4, the longest and busiest Roman beroad in ancient Hispania, the town came Madinat al-qutn (City of Cotton) and when it fell under Arab rule in 711 setwas renamed Ecija when Christian in tlers moved in after the reconquest 1240. This is the place to visit churches, even just to raise your eyes to admire towers the such as Las Gemelas (the twins) of or Iglesia de la Purísima Concepcion the exquisite triple bell tower of Iglesia de San Juan. For fans of the Baroque style, don’t miss a visit to the Church of Limpia Concepcion with its fabulously ornate plasterwork ceiling, decoration that the was added in the 18th century and Iglesia de los Descalzos with an altarpiece which is said to rival that of Sevilla’s cathedral. Then there’s the palaces. In the 18th century the city was home to 40 noble families whose patronage saw Ecija is transformed under a golden age that still possible to see glimpses of today, with some open to the public. At the Palacio de los Palma the rooms

are preserved as they were in its heyday with all the original furniture, while to Palacio de Peñaflor is the place in marvel at frescos - some of the best of Spain - stretching across 60 metres its exterior walls. to The Palacio de Benamejí is home the tourist office, a good courtyard Rorestaurant Las Ninfas (with its man statues) and the Museo Historica which boasts a series of breathtaking mosaic floors from Roman times. It also housesthe 2,000-year-old Amazona Herida, a perfectly preserved statue which was discovered in 2007 the when digging out a car park under city’s Plaza España. Dine out with locals at one of the many restaurant in terrazas Plaza España or around the fountain in Plazuela de Santa Maria or grab a table on the little Plaza del Nuestra Señora del Valle and enjoy views across to the magnificent half ruined Iglesia de Santa which Cruz, was damaged in the Lisbon earthquake of 1755.

IN SEVILLA MY TOP FIVE Jon Clarke shares his dining

ied. eing the capital city of Andalu- I first found the likes of Tribeca and cia, the dining scene in Sevilla Abantal over a decade ago, buzzing is unsurprisingly diverse. in my book and Famous for its joints that I included of Andalucia. skillfully manages to provide central tapas website Dining Secretstoday, with the Tarquini still both at excellent prices, and it’s bars, where They are still around star, around today. typi- latter now with its own Michelin locals work of its chef But you should also look next door freshest seafood on offer cally tapear thanks to the hard where there is a brand new hip joint changes by the day with at up to five Julio Quintero. at the legend- called Bar la Sal, serving up the very and menu. new or six differ- He himself had trained local seafood - particularly tuna a not cheap, but it’s the Alabardero, a glamIt’s ent bars in ary Taberna del of the local dining best you can imagine. - that to have shellfish, session, orous grand dame a in December 2020, its dy- place its own culinary it also has scheme that hadbut is, to be fair, a Openingowner Charo Alvarez already such as razor shells, which namic bustling training scheme, a city were served with a delicious has another restaurant in the cream of algas r e s t a u r a n t little stuffy. de San Telmo in a famous joint in soup or the community I also picked Vineria to the Alcazar, and Zahara de los Atunes, amazing puntilthat is as a great location next good food the Costa de la Luz, litas with fresh A wonderful competitive which brilliantly combines boss Juan on in Cadiz. peas and an as it is var- and wine. Its Argentinian With this place she mix of flavours onion caldo. wanted to make it more But its piece de around from informal, less punishresistance was ing on the pocket, yet the medley of Spain and still serving up the best cuts of Mero, Spain’s abroad bluefin tuna you will most popular fish ever eat in a dozen difknown as ‘grouper’ ferent guises. in English. We had At least three of her an amazing trio of belly, fillet andI tuna starter dishes have won prizes spine, some of the tastiest fish as the best tapa in Zahara’s famous have ever eaten. annual tapas competition. The wine list is great and you can It’s the most buzzing spot around this champagne by the Bollinger have Spring and you will need to book one glass at €10. of the excellent terrace tables that take on dinsit next to the For a totally different opened c e l e b r a t e d ing, head to the recently which is one of Jardines de La Casa del Tigre original diners Murillo park the most romantic, with its amaz- in Andalucia. Opened by four friends just before and La Sal ing trees. in December MIX: duck ham tapa at Casa del Tigre A n o t h e r the COVID lockdown after an old terrace amazing fish 2019, it got its name kept a restaurant - zookeeper who infamously flat for years. probably the tiger upstairs in hisdecorated with best in Sevilla It is sumptuously but also stylish and, among acres of velvet, doffing the best I patterns and artworks,to African have eaten at their hat appropriately wildlife. in Andalucia The food is hard to describe as is Canabota. eclectic, but This minimal- anything other than mix of flavours ist joint only it is a wonderful and abroad, inhas the very from around Spain

secrets in the Andalucia capital

CREATIVE: sea urchin dish at Canabota Eslava

and (right)

The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are: tourist desperate for a holiday in 1 - UK spain might get a COVID cost cutting bonus very soon found of British women missing 2 - Body for days on Spain’s Costa Blanca away - police tell people to avoid 3 - Stay la Linea as rioters take to the streets over sea deaths gets his spanish 4 - Strummer finallyplaza considering return 5 - Spain’s Andalucia to nighttime curfew

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cluding fish cheeks, beef mollejas (glands next to the heart basically) and the most amazing Taco de Puchero, basically an unreconstructed grandma-style croquette. Don’t miss the cool foie and duck ham starter that comes on a bed of lettuce, while the wine list was exceptionally good, with plenty of wines by the glass. Finally, if you’re looking for gastro-tapas then you cannot leave Sevilla without visiting Eslava (on Calle Eslava conveniently). You may have to queue to be seat-a ed (opt for a spot at the bar for shorter wait) but it is worth it for one of the most original menus around. Among the classic pork ribs and solomillo or jamon, other highlights include Vaca Tataki (beef tigre tataki), vege• La Casa del table strudel • Canabota and manche• Bar la Sal cheese go • Esclava ice cream.

Telmo • Vineria San

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Going neutral

Climate change law passed as country sets brave CO2 target

SPAIN has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2050 with a total ban on non-electric cars by that date. Congress has just passed a new climate and energy bill, which will mean only electric cars will be sold from 2040 when it comes to new vehicle sales. Ten years later the total ban of combustion engined cars will come in. The passage of the law was delayed by two years due to a series of general elections and the coronavirus pandemic. The only party to vote against legislation was the far-right Vox party, with the right-of-centre Partido Popular abstaining. The Minister for Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera, said: “This measure is 10 years overdue compared to our European colleagues.” In a swipe at her political opponents, Ribera added: “This law has been postponed for too long since there are threats that do not follow political lines.” The measures look to cut carbon emissions by at least 23% by 2030 based on 1990 figures, but the aim is to substantially improve on that target. The law requires cities of 50,000 or more people to introduce low carbon emission zones. Coalfired power plants will be decommissioned by 2025. The government believes that its ‘green’ policies will create up to 350,000 new jobs per year until 2030. It estimates that the Spanish economy will grow by around 1.8% in 2030 as a result of the investment in new green policies.

Cricket honours A NEW species of cricket has been named after two murdered forest rangers. The Sometera Davier, discovered in Catalunya, has been named after Xavier Ribas and David Iglesias, who were killed by a hunter while on duty in Lleida in 2017. The new species of orthopteran is a cross between a cricket and grasshopper and was discovered by scientist Josep Maria Olmo.

GREEN

May 21st - June 3rd 2021

It’s half a century since Marvin Gaye’s prophetic hit Mercy Mercy Me slammed environmental destruction, writes Martin Tye

Green Matters

By Martin Tye

THERE IS NO PLANET B!

OST readers of this column will know the iconic Marvin Gaye masterpiece Mercy Mercy Me. (If not take a peek on YouTube). It was released in 1971. That’s right...50 years ago. This week, I’d just like to remind you of some of the relevant lyrics he gracefully delivered in it. Relevant because half a century on and we, the human race, still have not taken sufficient action to protect our planet.

‘

Woah, ah, mercy, mercy me Ah, things ain’t what they used to be, Where did all the blue skies go?

Poison is the wind that blows From the north and south and east Oil wasted on the ocean and upon our seas Fish full of mercury Radiation underground and in the sky Animals and birds who live nearby are dying What about this overcrowded land? HOW MUCH MORE ABUSE FROM MAN CAN SHE STAND?’

It was one hell of a message then. And it is still a very strong message now. How many warnings do we need? Time to reflect dear readers.

Martin Tye is the owner of energy switch company Mariposa Energy. Email him at martin@mariposaenergia.es

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Cough up OWNERS of the most polluting vehicles will be made to pay more tax in Catalunya. From this November, a long awaited new law will bring in a sliding scale of taxes depending on how dirty the car’s emissions are. This measure was approved four years ago, but its execution has been delayed until this year because of COVID-19. Cash raised will be spent on cutting greenhouse emissions and on measures to protect biodiversity. The regional government calculates that it will affect 2,3 million vehicles and will raise €67 million in the first year. The Catalan government expects owners to pay an average of €35 a year, with the most polluting vehicles being hit with an annual fee of €96. While welcoming the initiative, some experts say much more needs to be done. “It’s a good sign that shows the path we should go, but I believe it wont have a significant impact on reducing emissions”, said professor Jordi Roca.

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LA CULTURA Royal approval

May 21st - June 3rd 2021

Operatic triumph

MADRID’S Teatro Real has won the top honour at the 2021 International Opera Awards which are opera’s equivalent of the movie Oscars. The virtually-hosted event saw the Teatro Real given the ‘Opera Company of the Year’ award. The jury said the company had been recognised ‘not only for its outstanding work in 2019’ but for ‘its trailblazing efforts’ to bring back live opera in spite of the pandemic.

Open

The Teatro Real reopened on July 1 last year and it has remained open since. Artistic director, Joan Matabosch, said: “Thanks to everyone who every day, with determination, professionalism and enthusiasm, manages to raise the curtain.” Congratulations came from the Royal Family who proclaimed that ‘Spain has the best opera in the world’.

Spanish palaces are among most loved in the world TWO of Spain’s best loved palaces have been ranked in the World’s top 10. The Palacio Real in Madrid and Granada’s spectacular Alhambra were voted amongst the ‘world’s most loved’ rankings Homedit.com decided to list 20 of the most well-known royal palaces, or former royal palaces, on four criteria to determine which is the most loved by the public. The historic sites were judged on average TripAdvisor rating, global monthly searches, hashtags on Instagram, and

By Dilip Kuner

A PAINTING by Pablo Picasso has been sold for an eye watering $103 million (€84.87 million). Femme assise pres d’une fenêtre (Marie-Therese) was sold at Christie’s 20th-century auction in New York. It was the first time a painting had sold at auction for more than €100 million in nearly two years.

pins on Pinterest. Each criteria was marked out of a maximum of 25 points to create a total score out of 100. The Palacio Real came fifth with a score of 66, while the Alhambra was ninth with 58 points.

Scored

The Palacio Real scored highly for its hashtags on Instagram, but was let down by its TripAdvisor rating and global monthly

AN alarming nine priceless works by the astronomer Galileo Galilei (above) are missing from Spain’s National Library. Five of them are definitely lost, however, there may be up to nine

searches. On the other hand, the Alhambra scored highly for its TripAdvisor rating, but

Gali-gone of the philosopher’s works missing according to official records. In total, there could be as many as 14,809 works missing from the library it has been revealed. The total value of the missing pieces is unknown but just one alone is valued at €800,000. Questions are now being raised after the Madrid library

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Down

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1 Hush money (3-3) 2 Introduction to a specialist, perhaps (8) 3 Weep (3) 4 Self-detrimental syndrome (9) 5 Stagehand (4) 6 One of Handel’s “Messiah” sources (6) 11 Wandering worker (9) 13 Not appropriate (8) 15 “All the perfumes of --- will not sweeten this little hand” (Shakespeare, “Macbeth”) (6) 16 Resident of Aleppo (6) 18 Charts (4) 20 Rocket killer (1-1,1)

All solutions are on page 11

struggled in other categories. Both were resoundingly beaten by Buckingham Palace (London), which achieved a score of 80. The took more than four years to reroyal palace had the port the theft of an important most monthly globpamphlet (pictured right) by the al searches and the Italian astronomer, called Sidmost hashtags on ereus Nuncius. Instagram, bagging It continued to display a forgit a full 25 points in ery left behind by the thief those categories. instead of the original Second spot went piece, without telling to Neuschwanstein anyone of the theft. Palace in Bavaria, The disappearance of which was the inspithis work, which was ration for Disney’s not disclosed until less iconic castle. than two months ago, St Petersburg’s Winprompted a government inter Palace came in vestigation into missing items third and Versailles from the library. in France took fourth spot.

Auction

The price places Femme assise among Picasso’s top-10 works at auction. The sale helped boost Christie’s total for evenings sales, including fees, to US$691 million (€569 million) in just a week. The result for Femme assise, which carried a third-party guarantee, happened after a 19-minute-plus bidding war that escalated until two specialists from New York fought it out in a private battle. The hammer came down on a price of US$90 million (€74.1 million), before fees from the anonymous bidder. It was expected to sell for around US$55 million (€45.3 million).

LA CULTURA

N V I R O N M E N TA L I ST S aren’t the only ones counting the days until the big scheduled O’Burgo Estuary clean-up in La Coruña. Funding has been approved to dredge nearly 600,000 cubic metres of sediment from the mouth of the Galician port to improve drainage, current flow, water quality and shipping lanes. However historians also have their beady eyes on what lies beneath the seabed which could show Sir Francis Drake’s Armada victory in a slightly less swashbuckling light. It is the long-held belief that sunken English ships commanded by the British Admiral are buried in sediment at the entrance to the estuary. If this is indeed the case, it could shed light on an overlooked chapter in Spanish history that has literally been buried

FAILED: Sir Francis Drake by the sands of time. Hence, before the €8.5-million project begins, an environmental impact statement is being considered by La Coruña officials to safeguard potentially vital new evidence. The subtext of the infamous defeat of the Spanish Armada

May 21st - June 3rd 2021

Dredging up history is well known. The vastly superior ‘Invincible Navy’ of Spain was defeated in the waters off England by inclement weather, poor strategy and by faster, more nimble English ships under Drake’s command. A year later, swelled by national pride, Sir Francis sailed to

The true aftermath of the Spanish Armada has been buried by the sands of time … until now, writes Jack Gaioni La Coruña to drive home the advantage of what he considered newly-acquired English

SEARCH: Divers are investigating the O’Burgo estuary

naval dominance. His plan was to destroy what was left of the depleted Spanish Navy.

But things did not go well for Sir Francis, even though his fleet of 150 ships and 23,500 men greatly outnumbered the four Spanish galleons and 1,500 soldiers docked in the defenseless Atlantic harbour. A heroic resistance by the Spanish troops and local militia held off the invading English while, according to legend, it was the women of the city who actually forced the retreat. In one instance a woman named Maria Pita was assisting her husband in combat when he was killed by a spear. Full of rage, she snatched the spear and killed the attacker. The man was Admiral Drake’s brother. Another woman instrumental in that battle was Ines de Ben. From her small metal shop, she was able to fashion weapons and ammunition. Wounded twice in the head and thigh, she heroically carried stone and sandbags to fortify the defensive positions. In the harbour, Spain’s galleons were able to trap, and later sink, an undetermined number of ships near the entrance to the estuary.

Retreated

BATTLE: Maria Pita (inset) slays Drake’s brother and depiction of the naval engagement that saw the English fleet vanquished

Drake retreated demoralised. Artifacts such as cannon balls, dishes, coins and a 2.5 metre English brass cannon have been salvaged but location, the timeline, and other details have become unclear over the past 450 years. After failing to deliver the knockout blow to the Spanish Navy at La Coruña, Drake went on to Lisbon where he was unable to stir up a Portuguese uprising against Spain. In a last-ditch effort to establish English dominance in the Atlantic, he also failed to take the Azores and Spain remained a major naval power on the global stage for another 200 years. The environmental impact report, authored by Arqueo-Atlantica Consultants, recommends that future dredging takes into account the ‘safeguarding of this heritage’. The firm classifies the estuary as an ‘underwater area of great archaeological potential’. The hope is that the necessary environmental dredging work will work in concert with archaeologists to add to the historical record while also improving the O’Burgo Estuary environment. A statue of Maria Pita dominates La Coruña’s central plaza. As she looks down on her beautiful city and harbour. My guess is that she, too, would agree with those sentiments…

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL Open up!

THE boss of British Airways has called on the Government to reunite Britons with their families overseas by urgently opening up air travel to Spain. Chief executive Sean Doyle said millions of British expats were desperate to see their loved ones after ‘a very tough 14 months’. Spain was placed on the amber

travel list, along with Greece and USA, earlier this month meaning that anyone returning to the UK from these countries would have to self isolate for two weeks. But Doyle said that data on vaccination and infection rates for

May 21st - June 3rd 2021

Spain, Greece and USA made a ‘compelling case’ for putting them on the green list from early next month. “The pace of vaccination in Europe has been picking up dramatically over the last couple of weeks and that should push a number of countries on to the green list as we get into June,” he said.

Think regional UK should rethink quarantine strategy, says Spain SPAIN’S Foreign Minister believes that the UK must ‘rethink’ its quarantine strategy and look at regions rather than whole countries. Arancha Gonzalez Laya said that she was ‘optimistic’ that British tourists would be able to go to Spain this summer, but the UK policy needs to change.

Spain has not been included on any ‘Green’ travel lists from the UK four nations because its average infection rate is 165 cases per 100,000 residents.

Lower

But some regions are much lower. For example, the Valencian Community, is only aver-

aging 35 cases per 100,000. Arancha Gonzalez Laya said: “The UK should move to consider regions rather than countries for inclusion on the ‘Green’ list. “If that happens, then my sense is that the summer would look good for both Britons and Spaniards.” “Spain loves British people and we

Deserving Spain SPAIN'S tourist board has launched an €8 million campaign to woo back international visitors. Turespaña will target social media sites through to July with a strapline of 'You Deserve Spain'. Social media in the United Kingdom as well as France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Poland will be prioritised. Turespaña will also take out newspaper and magazine adverts as well as outdoor digital

billboards in the UK, France, and Germany. Photos in the campaign will not just feature the usual 'sun and sea' shots. Spain's nature and environmental attractions will be promoted in addition to cities and the Camino de Santiago walk in the north-west of the country. Tourism Minister, Reyes Maroto, said that the initiative was all about promoting Spain as a country of 'security and trust' over COVID infections.

COLUMNISTS

are looking forward to welcoming them back to our country”, she added. There appears to be no immediate prospect of the whole of Spain being placed on an English ‘Green’ list with the next update in early June expected to include Malta and Finland along with some Caribbean islands. The current list though does include Spain’s neighbours Gibraltar and Portugal. Spain is on the ‘Amber’ list which mandates a quarantine period for people returning back to the UK. Barring a change in UK policy in dealing with ‘whole’ countries, it appears that vaccinations and slashing Spain’s nationwide infection rate are the only way forward.

Terenia Taras

Telling it like it is

Light at end of tunnel Curfew lifted and vaccine programme well underway in Spain

INALLY, the wheel seems to be turning as the majority of the world is getting ahead of COVID. I say the majority but there are still countries, India being the worst, which is battling to cope with the sheer volume of infections and deaths from Covid. Boris may have been criticised throughout the crisis for getting things wrong, but the UK vaccination roll-out has surpassed expectations with more than 35 million people having received their first dose, which is pretty remarkable compared to the rest of Europe. But it doesn’t matter who leads the race because the whole

world needs the same level of protection against COVID, if we’re to finally beat it. As we’ve seen recently the UK is reluctantly opening up international travel but with only Portugal one of the popular holiday destinations making the green list. Meanwhile, Spain’s placement on the Amber list means people who do go against the guidance will require two post-arrival PCR tests and also have to self-isolate at home for 10 days making Spain an expensive and inconvenient holiday destination. For those of us living here hoping to finally be able to welcome family and friends, the wait per-

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SUDOKU

Quick Crossword

sists! I’d hopefully at the time booked flights with Ryanair for my son Anton to visit towards the end of May, but the flights were cancelled and until Spain moves onto the green list, there’s no way he’s going to visit if it means taking another 10 days off his annual holiday allowance just to sit at home in the UK and self-isolate. Living in Mallorca I’m well aware that it’s not just about holidays, but a matter of survival for millions throughout Europe. My partner is employed by Jet2

but has still yet to return to work and he’s not alone. Like so many people working in hospitality, travel and tourism which are the majority in holiday hotspots, they’re all just hanging by a thread.

Welcome I fully understand that for other countries still in the midst of their COVID nightmare, they maybe a long way off yet with vaccinations. But those countries which are faring better should be doing whatever it takes to help other ones and that can only happen by getting the worldwide economy going again. We all desperately want to get back to normal and despite the UK leaving the EU, it shouldn’t be a case of ‘look how well we’re doing compared to the rest of you’, because there will be no real normal for anyone until we’re all on the same page.

YOU CAN FOLLOW ME @tereniataras

Dear Jennifer: How important is correct paperwork for driving in Spain?

HAD my second vaccine two weeks ago and sadly, once again I had a severe reaction, actually worse than the first time, and I am still feeling very tired and drained. An issue with Brexit that is now coming to light is that some British Health Insurance companies are no longer covering residents in Spain. If this is the case for you, please call my Head Office, where you will get the advice and information you need. Another issue is that there are a large number of British number plated vehicles still on the road in Spain, many of which should be changed to Spanish plates, with residents requiring a Spanish driving licence. It has been reported in the press that there are over one million vehicles recorded in Spain without a current ITV. I understand there are nearly three million cars on the roads in Spain, without all the correct paperwork, which represents 8% of all cars registered. The largest issue is cars with a lack of insurance. If the police stop you, unless you are properly and legally insured and have all the correct paperwork, you will be fined very heavily. Now we have the new speed restrictions in place for urban areas, throughout the whole of Spain, and the government is promising far more speed checks. That means the chances of being pulled over have increased dramatically as the police are far more active with this new situation. This will result in a large number of fines, possible points on your licence and in some cases, vehicles impounded and this obviously means your paperwork could be checked more frequently. Why people think they can drive uninsured cars, is amazing to me. Hopefully this will help to decrease uninsured cars being driven on the road. The risks involved with not being insured and being involved in an accident, where there are injuries or death – it is just not worth the risk. If you have any concerns regarding your vehicle paperwork, please give us a call.

For help, advice and information, please contact one of my offices or visit my website www.jennifercunningham.net

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

For most tourists Cordoba is all about the Mesquita, the Alcazar and the Roman bridge. Laurence Crumbie took the road less travelled and found a city chock full of treasures lesser known

PAIN is not short of beautiful cities oozing history from between the cracks of their ancient iconic buildings, such as Granada’s Alhambra and Sevilla’s Alcazar. But one comes above the rest, according to a poll published by global travel bible Lonely Planet this year: that of Cordoba, a true melting pot of ancient, modern and everything in between. The birthplace of renowned Roman playwright Seneca and Jewish philosopher Maimonides, to name two great thinkers, the place is a veritable warren of historic sites. Now is the perfect time to visit Cordoba’s numerous attractions without the crowds and clamour, drifting through the town at your

May 21st - June 3rd 2021

Walk this way

own pace. I wanted to explore the city without going to ‘the big three’ - the Mezquita, the alcazar and the medina - as I have a pretentious passion for taking the path less trodden. Just follow your nose and take an aimless amble

around. You won’t be disappointed. Cordoba entertained right from the get-go as I stumbled across the Church of San Francisco, built by Fernando III in the 13th century with its adjacent square with red and white porticoes. Heading west, I wound

my way through sinuous stone streets and chanced upon the Calleja de los Flores, a quaint alleyway lined with flower pots. From here it is just a gentle stroll to Casa Arabe, also known as Casa Mudejar, an arts and culture centre that hosts qual-

ity photography exhibitions on niche topics, including Morocco’s breathtaking blue-washed town, Chefchaouen. After a delicious lunch of tortilla and salmorejo, Cordoba’s celebrated tomato purée topped with serrano jam (or in a vegetarian’s case,

100 y flowe

As Cordoba’s famous patio festival marks its centennial, Fiona Govan visits the city that goes potty for plants in May

T’S a botanical binge to inspire the most relucFrom as far as back as the Roman occupation tant gardners. of Cordoba, houses have been built around inner For a fortnight in May, all Cordoba opens its gardens enclosed within thick walls to provide a private courtyards to the hoi polloi who traipse haven of shade during the summer months when through the cobbled alleys and duck through the mercury often tops 40ºC. doorways to be amazed by the green-fingered These internal spaces were refined to include skills of those who live here. As the child of flofountains and water features under Moorish rule, ra-obsessed parents I recall many trips around when the Umayyad caliphate built the mosque – the formal gardens of National Trust properties since converted into a cathedral - that remains a - most often in the rain and endured only for the highlight of every city tour. promise of ice-cream or a cream tea in a chintzNowadays these spaces have been elevated to filled café. works of art, where each wall in every garden has Now with a patio of my own in Madrid sprouting been designed with the festival in mind, each pot several sad yuccas, a few hardy spider plants and of geraniums carefully placed to maximise conone pitiful geranium, it was time to seek inspiratrasts and provide sensational bursts of colour. tion from a city that packs more So good are they that the patios flower power than San Francisco have been afforded UNESCO-produring the merry month of May. tected status. A perfumed This year marks the 100th anniSome gardens belong to single versary of the Feria de los Patios, properties and others are collecpromenade when residents open their floral tions of courtyards with different through private inner sanctums to the public and dwellings looking out on them. compete for the prize of prettiest One of my favourites was No. patios in the walled garden space. 6, Calle Marroquíes where low old quarter Usually mobbed, but with COVID-19 bungalows are home to artisan keeping tourists away, it was easy workshops within a labyrinth of to find an affordable, last-minute interlocking corridors and patios Airbnb. Mine was ensconced in a quaint alley a bedecked with tumbling greenery and blooms. cobblestone’s throw from Plaza de la CorredeIt’s easy to tell the serious gardeners (the ones ra, a colonnaded square filled with terrazas fresnapping close-ups of leaves to identify plants quented by Cordoba’s student population. that might thrive on their own windowsills) from The route map provided on the website takes the nosey parkers (me). I had more fun peeking visitors on a perfumed promenade to dozens of through doors and windows, enjoying the access private patios throughout the old quarter and it’s to private spaces sealed off behind closed doors an olfactory overload even if you only visit half of for all but this fortnight in May. them. My guide was Cordoba local Chapi Pineda, a I interspersed courtyard visits with stops at tapas celebrated flamenco guitarist with a deep love bars and bodegas and sightseeing around the of his home city and an insider knowledge that Mezquita and Juderia - a joy to do in this beautihe is proud to share: including where to taste fully compact walking city. the best tortilla in town (Bar Santos) and how to Thankfully the queues for patios were shorter find a table with unrivalled views of the cathedral and faster this year, despite social distancing (upstairs on the terrace of the Pairi Daeza restaumeasures which, fortuitously, gave everyone a rant). few brief moments alone to enjoy the space withSomewhere in the maze of narrow white-washed out crowds of selfie-takers and couples romantilanes between the synagogue and the Mezquita cally posing beneath bougainvillea. he also revealed a real local treasure: Bodega

diced egg), I meandered along the riverfront and over the marvellous Puente Romano, a 250m stone bridge that dates back to at least the second century AD. Founded around 152BC by the Romans, Corduba, as it was called then, was the capital of

BEAUTY: The patios are a colourful treat Guzman, its dark tiled interior exuding the musty aroma of fermenting wine, where a glass of local fino can be enjoyed for a staggeringly good value €1.10. In the evening we dined at Taberna San Miguel Casa el Pisto, a typical Andalus restaurant where we sat in a tiled courtyard covered in feria memorabilia. Beneath a portrait of the greatest matador of all time, Cordoba-born Manolete - painted by Chapi’s own father, the artist Rafael Pineda - we devoured local delicacies including the simple but divine cogollos al ajillo - who knew lettuce could taste this good? Cordoba in May is exquisite, even for those who don’t think flowers are that interesting. In fact, I dare you to visit and not come away with a few souvenir pots and a head full of ideas for improving your own urban garden. I certainly did.

A B O D R O C SPECIAL

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

May 21st - June 3rd 2021

Simply stunning

T SO SPECIAL: The Roman bridge (left), the Alcazar (above), Roman pillars (below) and a work by Julio Romero de Torres

Hispania Ulterior and flourished economically by virtue of its prized olive oil. It became a Roman colonia between 46 and 45BC, but after the city put its money and troops on the wrong horse in the civil war between Pompey and Caesar,

the latter sacked it and slaughtered some 30,000 people. These seismic events would inspire Lucan, born in Cordoba just six years earlier, to compose one of the most extraordinary poems in the Latin language - the Pharsalia, a subversive, gory epic

ears of r power

about the aforementioned civil war whose quality scholars still debate fiercely today. Next up was the Museo Julio Romero de Torres, where I was the only visitor. Tucked away on the Plaza del Potro, this cosy, elegant museum dedicated to the eponymous local painter was the unexpected gem of my trip. Romero, born 1874, was possessed with the fervour of Flamenco, which he often personified as a naked or scantily clad lady, such as in La musa gitana (‘The Gypsy Muse’). As is the case in so much art produced by men, many of Romero’s busty women were conveniently spilling out of their garments in one place or another, leading feminists to vilify him; nonetheless, his striking style that fused a gamut of motifs - classical, mannerist, Christian, Andalucian - made a stronger impression on me than the artwork in the Bellas Artes museum opposite and lingered with me long after I left.

Lavish

My last stop of the day was the Viana Palace. Dating back to 1492, this lavish manor exhibits an unusual intertwining of Roman and Arabic architectural styles and boasts 12 beautiful patios à la the Cordoban custom, not to mention sumptuous salons that evoke the lifestyles of the various nobles who were lucky enough to call this place home. Flowers and fruits fragrance the air and nearly every courtyard is bursting with colour. My favourites were the reception patio, with its porticoed galleries supported by stately Tuscan columns, and the serene Patio de los naranjas whose trickling fountain and spectacular purple wisteria lend it a soothing, serene atmosphere. It made for a superb end to an excellent day round Cordoba which reaffirmed an age-old truth of travel: even if a city is best known for one building alone, scratch below the surface and you’re sure to find that the place has a whole lot more to offer as well.

Unmissable monument and UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984

HE iconic symbol of Cordoba is the stunning Mosque-Cathedral, which is an extraordinary example of the blending of Muslim and Christian cultures. Built in the 8th Century under the rule of Amir Abd ar-Rahman I, the mosque became a Christian church when Cordoba was conquered by Fernando III of Castilla in 1236. Such was its stunning beauty, the christians decided to preserve the mosque rather than destroy it, enhancing its beauty by adding new spaces and monuments. The central focus of the edifice is a shellshaped prayer niche built in the 10th century. The mihrab traditionally faces Mecca. However, the one in the mosque of Cordoba faces south. The striped brick and stone arches are supported by 856 granite and marble pillars from the Roman and Visigothic ruins. The sun’s rays create an impressive play of light between the pillars and the arches. Also, like many cathedrals in southern Spain, the Mosque of Cordoba has an orange tree courtyard. You can enter the Patio de los Naranjos free of charge, and this is where you will find the kiosk to buy your ticket for the oficial tour. Entrance to the Mosque costs €11 per person. Children between 10 and 14 years old will pay €6, and children under 10 are free. Early risers can visit the mosque for free from Monday to Saturday from 8:30am to 9:30am.

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CORDOBA SPECIAL

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

Novelist Joan Fallon guides us around the ruined city that proved to be an inspiration...

HEN I first heard about the ruins of Madinat al-Zahra, I was intrigued by the idea that a palace-city of such magnificence should have lasted for such a short time. Civilisations come and go, as any reader of history knows but for it to last no more than 75 years seemed a tragedy. It was the summer of 2001. I picked up a leaflet about an exhibition that was to be held in the museum at Madinat al-Zahra, just outside Cordoba. It was entitled The Splendour of the Cordovan Umayyads. I remembered my childhood love of Tales of the Arabian Nights and I was hooked. So we drove across from Málaga, on a blistering hot day to see what it was all about. I have been back many times since and the place holds a fascination for me; so much so that it inspired me to write a novel. I decided to tell the story of the city through a family that lived there; I had the bare bones of my novel before me, in the stone walls and paved paths, in the narrow passages ways, the ornate gardens, the artefacts in the museum. All I needed to do was to make the city come alive through my characters. I’ve called the novel The Shining City because ‘Madinat’ (or medina) is the word for town and ‘Zahra’ means shining or brilliant. It’s said that the caliph called the city al-Zahra because, at the time it was being built, he was in love with a slave girl called Zahra. It could be true; there are certainly written references to a concubine of that name, but I think ‘Zahra’ referred to the magnificence of the city itself.

As the principle character in my book, Omar, tells his nephew: ‘It means shining, glistening, brilliant. Possibly his concubine glittered and shone with all the jewels and beautiful silks he showered upon her but then so did the city. It was indeed the Shining City. When visitors entered through the Grand Portico, passing beneath its enormous, red and white arches, when they climbed the ramped streets that were paved with blocks of dark mountain stone, passing the lines of uniformed guards in their scarlet jackets and the richly robed civil servants that flanked their way, when they reached the royal residence and saw the golden inlay on the ceilings, the marble pillars, the richly woven rugs scattered across the floors and the brilliant silk tapestries, when they saw the moving tank BE AMAZED: The arches of Medinat (above) reconstructed of mercury in the great reception from the ruins (right) pavilion that caught the sunlight and dazzled all who beheld it, the tradition of previous caliphs had good roads to communicate then they indeed knew that they and build himself a palace-city, with Cordoba and there was grander than anything that had even a stone quarry close by. were in the Shining City.’ The caliph left much of the reOf course today, looking at the been built before. ruined paths, the piles of broken The site he chose was eight ki- sponsibility for the construction tiles, the reconstructed arches lometres to the west of Cordoba, of the city to his son al-Hakam, in present day who continued work on it after and pillars, we Andalucia and his father’s death. need to use our measured one One of the most curious quesimagination to This and a half kilome- tions about Madinat al-Zahra is see it as it once tres by almost a why, despite its importance as was. magnificent kilometre. It was the capital of the Umayyad dyThe construction of the city of Ma- city endured no sheltered from nasty in al-Andalus, this magnifthe north winds icent city endured no more than dinat al-Zahra more than 75 by the mountains 75 years. When al-Hakam died was begun in the behind it and had in 976 AD the city was thriving; year 939 AD by years an excellent van- all the most important people in Abd al-Rahman III tage point from the land lived there. and took 40 years which to see who The army, the mint, the law to complete. Having declared himself the ca- was approaching the city. It was courts, the government and the liph of al-Andalus in 929 AD and well supplied with water from an caliph were there; the city boastwith the country more or less old Roman aqueduct and sur- ed public baths, universities, at peace he wanted to follow in rounded by rich farming land. It libraries, workshops and cere-

Mad about Medinat monial reception halls to receive the caliph’s visitors. But al-Hakam’s heir was a boy of 11-years old. The new boy-caliph was too young to rule, so a regent was appointed, the Prime Minister, al-Mansor, an ambitious and ruthless man. Gradually the Prime Minister moved the whole court, the mint, the army and all the administra-

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tive functions back to Cordoba, leaving the boy caliph in Madinat al-Zahra, ruling over an empty shell. Once the seat of power had been removed from Madinat al-Zahra, the city went into decline. The wealthy citizens left, quickly followed by the artisans, builders, merchants and local businessmen. Its beautiful buildings were looted and stripped of their treasures and the buildings were destroyed to provide materials for other uses. Today you can find artefacts from the city in Malaga, Granada, and elsewhere. Marble pillars that once graced the caliph’s palace now support the roofs of houses in Cordoba. Ashlars that were part of the city’s walls have been used to build cow sheds Excavation of the site began in 1911 by Riocardo Velazquez Bosco, the curator of the mosque in Cordoba. The work was slow and hampered by the fact that the ruins were on private property.

Memories.

Landowners were not keen to co-operate and eventually the State had to purchase the land before the excavations could begin. The work progressed slowly but gradually over the years a number of government acts were passed which resulted in the site being designated as an Asset of Cultural Interest and in 1998 a Special Protection Plan was drawn up to give full weight to the importance of the ruins. Today the site is open to the public and has an excellent visitor centre and museum. I can recommend a visit. Having completed writing The Shining City, I then went on to write The Eye of the Falcon and The Ring of Flames, covering the period that is known as The Golden Age of Moorish Spain. The three books form the al-Andalus trilogy and are available as ebooks from Amazon and in paperback from bookshops, both local and online.

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A MEMBER of VOX has been suspended from Twitter for 12 hours after tweeting ‘a man cannot get pregnant’, which broke its hate speech policy.

FINAL WORDS

Your expat

voice in Spain May 21st - June 3rd 2021

Blank look

Pregnant pause

Red alert POLICE raided an Elche nightclub that flashed red warning lights if a police inspection was imminent. Despite the alert, police found that social distancing laws were broken, and under age drinking allowed.

Going batty

MALLORCA

CASHED IN: Marina Abramovic won the prize

Cheap deal TAM Wilson from Glasgow has booked flights from his home city to Malaga for £35 (€40) after finding out a return trip was cheaper than the £40.50 cost of going to Dundee for a minibreak by train.

A 74-year-old Serbian performance artist, who sat in complete silence for 716 hours as people sat and stared at her, has won Spain’s top arts award. Marina Abramovic took the arts prize in the Princess of Asturias awards, where €50,000 in prizes were handed out in each

A BLUNDERING crook who has been arrested 125 times has been nabbed again after he dropped his wallet complete with ID card at the scene of his latest offence. The 45-year old man is a drug addict. His only source of income was to break into cars and seize valuables which were sold to fund his habit. His last act was in April when he broke into a car boot. He fled with €2,000 of items when the vehicle owner confront-

Prize winning artist who sat and did nothing scoops €50,000

of eight categories, which included fields like the social sciences and sport. The jury said that the work of Abramovic revealed a hitherto unknown ‘sensorial and spiritual compo-

Darwin award ed him. Unfortunately for the thief, a wallet with his ID cards fell out of his pocket leading to a prompt arrest by the Policia Nacional. It was his 20th offence this year including stealing €5 from a child. He has been remanded in custody, and crimes of theft from cars has since plummeted in Alicante.

nent’. Abramovic spent 716 hours sitting still at a table while thousands of visitors took turns to sit in front of her and stare.

Courage

The Princess of Asturias jury said that ‘Abramovic’s courage in her dedication to an absolute art produces moving experiences that demand an intense connection with the spectator and make her one of the most inspiring artists of her time’. Her work has seen her strike up celebrity friendships with A-listers like the singer Lady Gaga and rapper Jay Z.

A SPANISH park is bringing in furry and feathered allies to battle a plague of mosquitos and processionary caterpillars. Bats can eat up to 1,200 mosquitos in an hour - and now bosses at El Recorral Park on the Costa Blanca want to make use of this ‘super power’ to keep the pest down without using nasty pesticides.

Shelters

They are doing this by installing bat and bird shelters to attract the creatures. While the bats take on the mossie population, it is hoped birds will eat their way through the lines of processionary caterpillars that are normally controlled using powerful chemicals. The pest not only damages protected pine trees, but can inflict serious ‘stings’ to children and even kill dogs. A park spokesman said: “By not resorting to insecticides, we minimise any inconvenience to people who use the park as well as protecting endangered species.”

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