Olive Press Mallorca - Issue 127 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

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DEAL STRUCK AS supermarket shelves begin to empty relieved Balearic bosses have managed to avert a threatened truckers’ strike that would have hit

deliveries. The Balearic government and transport association have agreed to call off a strike planned for March 28. Nationwide strikes have been causing chaos on the mainland in recent weeks, with the Balearic administration concerned they could spill over to the Balaerics, causing severe disruption to food supplies. There are already shortages of a number of products in supermarket chains on the islands. Supplies of chicken, fish, oil and dairy products are particularly low.

Relief

According to some of the biggest chains, the shortages are worse than at any time during the pandemic. Bartolome Servera, the president of the distributors association in the Balearics, said that if strikes continue, food supplies could only be guaranteed for 15 to 20 days. Truck drivers had threatened strikes akin to those witnessed on the mainland unless their demands for lower taxes and lighter regulations were met. But consumers will be relieved to learn that the employers’ association agreed to a deal on Wednesday to cancel the strike following an agreement which will see increased subsidies of €5.5 million for around 7,000 public freight transport drivers. The Balearic government meanwhile has said basic food supplies will be guaranteed, despite the ongoing disruption.

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March 25th - April 7th 2022

UKRAINE CRISIS SPECIAL FOCUS

Chateau Putin

IT is known as the Rock of the King (or Roca del Rey), a giant 2000m square palace with a private vineyard, helicopter pad and a dozen bedrooms in the hills above Marbella. One of southern Spain’s most expensive mansions, it also boasts a vineyard, bowling alley, mini golf course and, perhaps predictably, a ‘shooting range’. But it is what is under the ground that should be of considerably more concern to the authorities. The Olive Press can reveal that the Russian-owned mega-mansion near Marbella has no less than three basements and numerous tunnels dug into the hills overlooking the strategic Straits of Gibraltar. As well as a giant wine cellar with its own separate champagne room filled with vintage bottles - a classic hallmark of President Putin - it also counts a ‘high-tech panic room’ and a ‘control room, full of screens and buttons’. There are two guard stations ‘with at least 10 guards’, a satellite facility and ‘an underground monitoring device pointing towards the straits’, one source told the Olive Press. While officially it is impossible to know who really owns the property in Spain’s most expensive private enclave, La

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PALATIAL: Putin mansion facing Gibraltar with armed guards and underground bunkers, and panic room

EXCLUSIVE: Despite Spain declaring there are no oligarchs owning here, the Olive Press can reveal at least one - ‘a genuine fortress with at least 10 security guards’ with intriguingly close links to the Russian dictator By Jon Clarke & Jorge Hinojosa

Zagaleta, in Benahavis, various Olive Press sources say they are certain that Putin is the main investor. “He has definitely visited a number of times, when security is incredibly high,” revealed one.

“Zagaleta already has among the best security in Europe, but when Putin is visiting, there is a whole extra level and you can’t get near the house.” More alarmingly, a high-ranking Ukranian resident in Spain, knows a number of people currently working in the property and claims it has armed guards. “They carry guns and I also know that a number of drones have been shot down from the sky by them,” she explained. She continued: “When you arrive it is like an airport. You are carefully searched and you have a sticker put on your phone so you can’t take pictures.

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The guards will also know if it has been removed or altered in any way. Everybody is watched all the time.” Insisting she must remain anonymous for fear of attack by the Russian secret service, she added: “It’s definitely Putin’s house and I know all about its size and luxuries, the place is literally dripping with gold.” And she added: “It is certainly not the only house that Putin has in Spain and he owns others with partners, with at least one in the Alicante province.” The Ukranian woman, who is now in close touch with the Spanish authorities, added the government should be investigating them and ‘they should be sanctioned at a European Continues on Page 2

CRIME

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NEWS IN BRIEF Biting response A SPANIARD has been jailed for three months and fined €3,700 in Palma after violently biting a man on the cheek when he complained that the agressor was talking too loudly on his phone.

Fourfold strike FOUR establishments in Manacor have been fined for selling spoiled food and not having current paperwork in order after a police control in five food shops in the town.

Mini tragedy A WOMAN aged 50 has died after being run over by her own Mini in front of an estate in Andratx. She failed to apply the handbrake and the car rolled forward and hit her as she opened a gate.

Big spender THE manager of a luxury boat company in Mallorca, 42, has been jailed for two years for spending €82,381 on her company charge card in three years. She will have to pay back €41,800.

Royal in the dock

Former king may have to give evidence as he fights ex-lover’s claim

SPAIN’S former monarch, Juan Carlos, could be forced to give evidence in a damages claim brought by his ex-mistress in a London High Court trial. Judge Matthew Nicklin ruled on Thursday that the Emeritus King does not have sovereign immunity. His lawyers claimed he had immunity and invoked the Treaty of Utrecht of 1713, in which ‘peace and friendship’ between Spain and Great Britain were sealed. Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein is suing Juan Carlos for being put under surveillance by Spain’s intelligence service in London since 2012, after she allegedly rebuffed a marriage request from him.

By Alex Trelinski

It’s not known what financial amount she is seeking but she is pursuing a ban on the exking making any contact with her; an end to harassment; and a 250 metre distancing order from any of her homes.

PLUGGED IN

A PAIR of British expats are helping Ibiza recover from the pandemic crisis. Chris Collins, 47, founder of Befree Networks rolled out his own dedicated high-speed fibrework network through a dedicated cable to the mainland. His expertise has now come to the rescue of The Hub, whose co-founder said the reliable service installed has ‘saved the day’ after his coworking office business ran into internet problems. Between them, the two companies have managed to keep a multitude of expats connected and working remotely throughout the pandemic.

Much more than four stars.

Judge Nicklin will hear more details of her claim on March 29. He has requested Sayn-Wittgenstein’s lawyers to amend their law suit to recognise that the then- head of Spain’s intelligence service, General Felix Sanz Roldan, only acted in a ‘personal capacity’, rather than on behalf of the agency.

Threatening

In hearings last December, her lawyers talked about their client getting threatening phone calls from Juan Carlos and from Sanz Roldan. They referred to intimidation of her personal assistant and driver, as well as her two sons. Her legal counsel also mentioned continuous surveillance by ‘well-dressed and Mediterranean-looking’ men.

Friends.

March 25th - April 7th 2022

Armed guards at hilltop fortress From front

PALS: Putin and Potanin, and (below) our first front page on the villa

level as soon as possible’. The Olive Press has been reporting on the property in question since 2012, when we revealed exclusively that Putin was part of a six-man Russian consortium behind the mansion. The very epitome of extravagance, the villa cost €19 million and sits on an 18,000 m2 plot, with two swimming pools, a cinema and a gym, as well as a 22-car garage. A known Hispanophile, Putin regularly visited Spain 37 times in the 1990s alone, according to a book, using false documents.

Kleptocracy

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MISSING: Amy and Agnese MISSING Amy Fitzpatrick’s family have joined the paign to find a second cammissing Costa girl, Agnese Klavina. Amy’s aunt Christine ny offered her supportKento Agnese’s family to Amy’s disappearance mark on New Year’s Day 2007. Meanwhile Agnese, 30, has not been seen since leaving a Marbella nightclub last September.Kenny said: “Agnese went missing not too far EXCLUSIVE from where Amy did. By Tom Powell “We are trying to help each HE is one of the GRAPE ESCAPE: Putin other. richest, most is to controversial men grow his own wine “There are said to be in the in this other women who have eight world and – it seems – someincredible Benahavis mansion missing on the Costa gone what the wine buff. del Sol Russian president Vladimir since 2005 and too little is be- Putin is planting ing done to help find them.” his very own vineyard at the multimillion More than 80 expats, ing Amy’s mother includ- euro home he is developing Audrey in the hills above Fitzpatrick and partner Dave can be revealed. Marbella, it Mahon - who is currently on Olive Press sources bail for murdering insist that Amy’s the Russian gourmet, brother Dean - also attended dug 25 plants from 62, has a service in Fuengirola. Spain’s top bodega Pingus into On Monday, the body a seof a ries of terraces young woman was rumoured around mansion, in Benahavis. the to have been found by police In a huge mega-deal in Istan lake. he has also contracted the vineyard’s However, Guardia Civil the Olive Press yesterday told owner Danish oenologist Pethat ter Sisseck to oversee no such find has been producmade. tion of the wine. lars at the 10-bedroom The wine will be produced Turn to Page 2 palace no expense is being spared,” In October two huge underground in in the exclusive enclave of Za- said the 2012, the Olive Spain source. cel- galeta - complete with on many occasions, Press private A spokesman helipad and 22-car garage. for the small KGB was able to link the Ex- with a recent book claiming boss Putin to a consorfive hectare Pingus A series of French oak he came in ‘illegally’ 37 barrels in Burgos - whose holding tium of six wealthy businesstimes will store the wine. wines Spain’s most expensive are men behind the €19 million on false documents in the The climatised cellars 1990s alone. at Zagaleta project. estimated €1 million tocost an €1,000 a bottle - was unable The epitome of extravagance, He has also been linked to a install to confirm the purchase. and also include a separate Spanish construction his 18,000m² plot boasts “I am not able to give comchampagne room with its pany. out any own spa and gym, a cinema, It very own fingerprint code its information about grapevines is also clear that piano en- being sold, only try system. about the pools. bar, and two swimming preciates his wine,Putin apbottles we sell and as his “It is an amazing project distrib- Putin has South of France mansion and ute,” she said. was long been Hispanophile having a big revealed to have expansive visited wine cellars too, back in 2001.

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In another 2014 book, called Putin’s Kleptocracy, by Karen Dawisha, revealed the dictator visited Spain ‘on forged documents during the period 1996-2000 in connection with business meetings between himself, Boris Berezovsky, and Russian crime figures.’ “These kinds of reports led Spanish police to become suspicious of Russian activity in Spain, and in the 1990s they began monitoring the Russian oligarch Berezovsky, as well as several wellknown leaders of Russian organised crime, all of whom had houses on the southern coast of Spain. “In 1999, to their immense surprise, their recorders picked up an unexpected visitor: Putin. He had arrived in Spain illegally, by boat from Gibraltar, having eluded Spanish passport control.” And he clearly had more interest in Spain than just sunbathing. According to the Times, in 2015, he had been looking to buy property here since 2000. The newspaper revealed that the head of one of Russia’s biggest crime

Good life.

Music.

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March 25th - April 7th 2022

QUADRUPLE JOY IT was a big day for the rarest wildcat in the world. No less than four Iberian lynx cubs were born in Doñana National Park on the same day. Juromenha gave birth to two kittens, while Madrona popped out two more just a few hours later. The species was once on the verge of extinction with just 94 of them living in two isolated pockets of Andalucia in 2002. This figure is now up to more than 1,100 following an ongoing captive breeding programme.

Las Palmas love in

Costa lifeline BRITISH pop star Tom Parker has sought out ‘revolutionary treatment’ in Spain as he continues to battle an incurable brain tumour. The Wanted singer, 33, who has been diagnosed with stage 4 glioblastoma, spent three weeks at a private hospital on the Costa del Sol. The married dad-of-two flew to Spain after slamming the UK for the lack of treatment

UK star zooms into Spain to fight ‘incurable’ tumour battle By Dilip Kuner

and funding for cancer patients. Therapies he’s getting in Malaga include an oxygen machine, massages and a special diet. Costing €9,000 for two

weeks, his wife Kelsey has been giving regular updates on Instagram. The star had first revealed his inoperable brain tumour in October 2020 when he was told he only had 12 to 18 months to live. However after six rounds of chemotherapy and 30 radio-

Virus appeal Gathering moss THE Rolling Stones have confirmed their first stop on their upcoming European tour will be Madrid. The rock legends will play the June 1 concert in Spain’s capital to kick off their summer tour of 14 gigs across 10 countries.

Sixty

The announcement of the ‘Sixty’ tour to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the Rolling Stones was made with a post on the band’s official twitter account. The Rolling Stones last played in Madrid in 2014.

THE family of John McAfee have cast doubt on his official cause of death. The body of the disgraced anti-computer virus developer remains in a morgue in Barcelona, seven months after he was found dead in a prison cell. An investigation by Barcelona court confirmed the 75-year-old playboy mogul (above) - who was renowned for his hedonistic lifestyle - killed himself in the city while awaiting extradition to the US on charges of tax fraud. However, he was mired by allegations of criminality, not least regarding speculation he was involved in the murder of his neighbour while living in Belize. McAfee fled the country, moving to Spain and spent most of the lockdown in Catalunya, until the US government asked to arrest him on tax charges. Family lawyers have now appealed a Spanish judge’s decision to close the investigation into his death. McAfee alleged he was being pursued by the US government for exposing corruption.

BATTLE: Tom and Kelsey therapy sessions, coupled with the treatment in Spain, his outlook is looking considerably more positive. It comes after the pop star surprised fans when he returned to the stage to join his band mates on tour this month.

Throne

After missing shows in Glasgow and Newcastle, fans were delighted to see Tom return from Spain and take to the stage, singing while sitting on a gold throne at a Bournemouth show. Tom also joined the band on the Cardiff leg of the tour and shared a series of snaps on Instagram of him embracing bandmate Max George.

IT is the great comeback relationship. Now Jenifer Lopez has been caught canoodling with her former lover Ben Affleck in Las Palmas. The A-List superstars first dated 20 years ago before going their separate ways and then reuniting last year. Things seem to be going well as they put on an affectionate display in Gran Canaria.

They have been in Spain as Jenifer stars in the Niki Caro directed flick The Mother. This comes just days after JLo released a new music video for the ballad version of her track Marry Me with Maluma, featuring an unexpected cameo from Ben.

PRIME Minister Pedro Sanchez will feature in a documentary series looking at the day-to-day runnings of his office. Titled La Moncloa, creators insist the documentary will show two facets, ‘the institutional side and the human side’. Shooting for the fly-on-the-wall show is currently ongoing with the final cut expected to be made into a fourpart series later this year It will focus on the personal and everyday aspects of those working in government, rather than policy making or political ideology.

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Soup charity

A PALMA bakery is holding a charity meal event by preparing two Slavic dishes to raise cash for Ukraine. Fornet de la Soca sees food as a symbol of unity and has organised Saturday’s event to raise funds for the Mallorcan refugee aid NGO ‘A smile for Tchernovil’. “We will prepare two traditional Ukrainian recipes and ask everyone to donate as much as they can,” they said in a Facebook post. The bakery offers a beetroot soup called ‘Borsch’, and a honey cake called ‘Medovik’. The soup is priced at €5 and the honey cake at €4, ‘although any donation above that is welcome’. Both dishes can now be booked through their website, www.fornetdelasoca.com, or at their shops, located in Plaza de Weyler.

UKRAINE CRISIS SLIDING IN

Mercy for children

THEY must be among the luckiest refugees in Europe. Some 45 Ukrainian children have been given temporary homes in the Sierra Nevada ski resort. The kids, plus seven coaches from the Ukrainian Winter Sports Federation, arrived after a long four-day journey, via Hungary. The two buses that brought them were financed by the parents of various local skiing clubs. Among the athletes, aged between 12 and 16, was a group of gifted young footballers who are being looked after by Huesca, Valencia and Levante football clubs.

OVER 30 Ukrainian children with cancer are coming to Spain to continue treatment following shelling of hospitals by invading Russian forces. The children have been arriving with their families at Torrejon air base in Madrid. Exact details of the children and where they are going is being kept secret to protect their safety and privacy. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez described Russia’s targeting of hospitals in Ukraine as a ‘clear violation of human rights’.

Hair-raising for Hellraizer A GROUP of expats who drove from Benidorm to Romania to deliver aid ended up in Ukraine with an armed escort as air raid sirens went off. The 15-strong band from Projects 4 All had loaded up three vans with desperately needed food which they planned to hand over at the Ukraine border. But they found themselves unexpectedly whisked in a high-speed convoy across the border and into the war-torn country.

The Expat rock band crossed the Ukraine border with armed escort EXCLUSIVE By Jorge Hinojosa

Spokesman Johnny Hellraizer - a well known British rock musician on the Costa Blanca - explained how he and his pals found themselves in a warzone. “We had arranged to meet up with a local contact at one of the crossings into Ukraine to hand over the goods,” the former trade union boss told the Olive Press. “Unfortunately he had gone to a different checkpoint and we were left standing around with three vans of food and without a clue what to do.” The musician, from London, added: “So we spoke to a Ukrainian soldier who asked

if we were prepared to go into Ukraine if we were given an armed escort. “What do you do? We had driven 3,500 kilometres and weren’t about to turn back!” So the volunteers jumped in their vans and drove at high speed and under armed escort 200km inside Ukraine.

Air raid

The father-of-four, who has lived on the Costa Blanca for 15 years, added: “It was nerve racking. The convoy seemed to go at about 200kph. “We did not hear any bombs, but we heard an air raid close to us, so we were taken somewhere safe. “We spent three hours inside a shelter with Ukrainian soldiers” When the air raid was over they handed over all the aid before making the long trip home. ROCKING: But on serious business

HOSTS’ TAX BREAKS FAMILY’s on the Balearic Islands who host Ukrainian refugees are to be awarded tax breaks, the Balearic president has announced. There will also be tax relief for people making donations to Ukraine via official channels and the Balearic Islands employment service will also establish a specific protocol to help people who arrive on the islands from Ukraine to find work. The Balearic Minister of Social Affairs, Fina Santiago, said it would be ‘immoral for the autonomous governments not to collaborate in light of the more than 3.5 million displaced people from Ukraine.’

No room at the inn SOME 30 Ukrainian refugees have been sent to Andalucia from Palma due to lack of beds. They arrived in Mallorca on March 18 and have been staying at the Hotel Bellver since. No permanent homes could be found on the islands to accommodate them. In future, charities and people giving refugees a home will have to have a bed

ready and waiting for them to avoid a similar situation. At the end of this month, the agreement between the socalled Hotel Covid and the government will come to an end, so the Ukrainians hosted there will have to move out in less than a week. The Ministry of the Interior has already granted temporary residency to 440 Ukrainians in the Balearic islands.

Help for refugees

SPAIN is set to host at least 21,000 Ukrainian refugees. And this number is set to more than double as thousands of Spanish families are offering to host Ukrainians. So far, two official reception centers are based in Madrid and Alicante with two more set to open in Malaga and Barcelona. At least 250 are expected to arrive in Malaga over the next few weeks, while 99 kids are already here and enrolled at local schools. Of the nearly 1,000 who had arrived in Madrid by last week, some 55% were minors.

Support

On arrival the refugees are given food and mental health support, and then helped with their documentation and places to stay. If you want to host a refugee, you need to contact your council or local charities. The Spanish government is working to create a national system where families can enter their details. Elsewhere, a new Airbnb-style website called Ukraine Take Shelter was set up last week and can be used to list accommodation available for refugees worldwide. The address is UkraineTakeShelter.com. So far in Spain, listings have been advertised in Murcia, Molina and Cartagena. One user in Murcia has offered a residence to house 120 people in 23 rooms so that ‘groups who want to stay together in Spain can do so.’

Animal magic A MENAGERIE of animals including lions and tigers have arrived at a rescue centre in Spain after a nine-day odyssey from wartorn Kyiv. They were moved as it was feared they would be killed by bombs as Russian forces approached the city. They are now at AAP Primadomus, a specialised rescue centre for big cats in Vellena, in Alicante. Volunteers at the centre offered to drive over and collect as many animals as they could transport in their truck. It turned out to be six young lions, several tigers, two caracals and a wild dog.

Gun point

A blockade by Russian tanks initially forced the truck to turn around and give up the animals. Astonishingly, the driver who was held at gunpoint, refused to hand them over and continued on the journey. After two days of travel through Ukraine, they were finally able to reach the Polish border, making the crossing on Thursday morning, March 3. Once in Poland, the animals received a veterinary checkup at Poznan Zoo. After a five day layover, they headed for Spain where they are now said to be settling into their new home.

SPECIAL FOCUS

Mother of all problems EXPAT Mourad Hamoum welcomed his Ukrainian motherin-law for a month-long holiday in Javea in February. But just as she was preparing to return to Kyiv, Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine, leaving her stranded. Now, Inna has no choice but to stay in Spain, although it is proving more difficult than it initially seemed from government statements and the media. Mourad and his wife told the Olive Press that they are ‘pull-

Expats slam Spanish settlement scheme for Ukrainian looking to settle on the Costa Blanca By George Mathias

ing their hair out’ trying to get her settlement rights. “It is an absolute nightmare,” explained Mourad, who moved to Spain from the UK, three years ago. “We have gone down

every avenue to help her stay.” He insisted the process depicted by the government of an efficient and streamlined process is in fact swamped with bureaucracy and poor planning. They couldn’t even get through to the official Policia Nacional number for an entire week. “We rang the number from

Hola ensalada Olivier! IT has been a staple on menus across Spain and often appears as a free tapas alongside a caña… so what has happened to the ‘Ensaladilla Rusa’? Since the invasion of the Ukraine, the typical potato salad, a mix of vegetables and chunks of tuna and mayonnaise, has been notably absent from bar tops

from Madrid to Malaga. Instead many establishments have renamed it in solidarity with Ukrainians, dropping the ‘Russian’ from the title or calling it ‘ensaladilla de Kyiv’. A number are also calling it ‘Salad Olivier’, in honour of the legendary chef Lucien Olivier who is credited with its invention.

Tuesday morning to Thursday evening, but not once were we able to speak to someone to get an appointment,” he said. “There is only one telephone number for registering refugees from Ukraine in the whole of Spain.” The head of a wall covering manufacturer continued: “We ended up going to two police stations in Denia and even travelled to Alicante, but drew blanks as you have to make an official appointment via the number.” Desperate for answers, they all attended a Red Cross meeting in Javea with many other Ukrainians last Friday. He says the charity is helping as best they can, but with such poor organisation from the government, their hands are largely tied. “Despite having a lawyer there to answer questions, most of us were left more concerned than when they came in,” he said. “Everyone I spoke to complained that nobody picks up. They had been calling constantly for days.”

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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 DO YOUR HOMEWORK SPAIN has insisted it will embargo on real estate and other assets belonging to a blacklist of 893 Russian oligarchs with links to the Putin regime. But so far only three superyachts have been impounded, and the government insists no homes are owned by the giant group of crooked businessmen. Odd then, that we today publish more details of a palace closely linked to Putin or, at the very least, one owned by one of his close cronies. Described as a fortress with armed guards, we’ve been informing the world about the bloated extravagance of the Russian dictator and his shady development in Zagaleta since 2012. It’s nearly impossible to prove who really owns it, given the web of shell companies and legal tricks the Russian oligarchs use to hide their wealth. But it has all the hallmarks, right down to its name, the Rock of the King. Dripping in as much gold as the besieged city of Mariupol is dripping in blood, this gross symbol of Russia’s ruling elite needs to be tackled urgently by the powers that be. And let’s not forget Sergey Chemezov, a colleague of Putin’s in the KGB and owner of Russia’s largest state-owned defence group. He has at least two properties in Spain, according to El Pais. One is a mansion in Catalunya, while the other is a large rural property in Estepona, the resort, where the town hall fails to comment on anything. The rapidly-growing enclave, which has hundreds, perhaps thousands of wealthy Russians living there, recently-built a gold-plated Russian orthodox church. It’s also the seaside idyll, where the corrupt former head of Spain’s National Police, Jose Manual Villarejo, managed to acquire a suspiciously large number of properties. All in all, it’s time to shine a torch on the shady dealings behind the gates of the upmarket estates in Estepona, Marbella and in Alicante’s Altea Hills, also famous for its super-rich Russians. Chances are, Spain will find many other dictators and tyrants hiding their money here.

GOING POSTAL Jo Chipchase on the quixotic experience of UK to Spain deliveries post-Brexit Before Brexit, parcels used to flow seamlessly between the UK and Spain. However, now that the UK is a ‘third country’, outside the single EU market, our post can be intercepted by Spanish customs to check for re-

WHAT IS S? ADTPOSTALE

A DTPostales, acting for the Spanish Correos, has a dire reputation. The company has a one-star rating on Trustpilot, with 99% of users ranking it as ‘bad’. Says one Trustpilot user: “I would give zero if possible.” There are some reports of shipments being returned even after import duties have been paid. Cath Wall was so disgusted that she booked a flight to collect her goods instead. “My husband ordered

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IBWE TRY TO ‘L RPA A E’ AT ER BY CEL HELD CUSTOMS

So, is it really that difficult to deal with ADT? On February 4, the author had an old inkjet printer, packed inside a suitcase, sent from the UK. By February 6, it was reported as ‘held by customs’. The author set up an online account at www.adtpostales.com . She selected ‘transmit your customs procedure with Correos’, rather than the other option of ‘transmit with AEAT’ the Spanish tax office) - and completed the required doc-

Spanish as she is spoke E

VERY language has its own particular sayings and proverbs that are passed down generation to generation and whose origins are often lost in the annals of time. Many common Spanish phrases are completely baffling to an English speaker when translated

AL QUE MADRUGA, DIOS LE AYUDA

PUBLISHER / EDITOR

Fiona Govan fiona@theolivepress.es

some spares for his medical equipment that aren’t available in Spain,” she explained. “ADT wanted nearly as much to release them as they cost, so we refused to pay, and the package was returned to sender. I flew to the UK to collect the parcel myself, and the return flight cost just €15 more than ADT’s fee.” Another reader was stuck awaiting mental health drugs that were sent for pharmaceutical testing. Meanwhile, he had nothing for his symptoms. Andy Linton complains: “ADT Postales can be very sticky about the paperwork and seem to review what you’ve submitted only once a day, so it can take a week to get cleared.”

toms’, it can be difficult to liberate. According to readers, this process can drag on for weeks, with a high failure rate. In some cases, parcels are returned to the UK without warning.

hile literally translated, this common Spanish saying means ‘God help those who wake up early’ the equivalent phrase in English would be ‘the early bird catches the worm’.

A la tercera va la vencida While it translates as ‘the third time’s a charm’, here’s a phrase you use when you want to say ‘third time lucky’ in Spanish.

NO HAY MAL QUE POR BIEN NO VENGA This is the phrase to use when you are looking on the bright side. Translated as ‘All bad things bring good ones’ it can be used in place of ‘every cloud has a silver lining’.

literally – especially when it comes to swear words and insults. So considering the difference in culture and history it’s surprising how often Spanish sayings have an almost exact equivalent in English. Here are 14 proverbs in Spanish that can replace common sayings in English.

DEL DICHO AL HECHO HAY UN TRECHO While the literal translation of this phrase is ‘it’s a stretch from said to done’, in English the phrase is ‘easier said than done’.

Mas vale prevenir que curar

A BUEN ENTENDEDOR, POCAS PALABRAS BASTAN

2016 - 2020 Best expat paper in Spain and the second best in the world. The Expat Survey Consumer Awards.

2012 - 2020

Named the best English language publication in Andalucia by the Rough Guides group.

uments. This process requires printing, scanning, uploading JPEG or PDFs, and your NIE. Sure enough, the process went wrong, largely caused by specifying on a vital form that the printer was ‘mudanza de trabajo’. Apparently, this means ‘moving for work’ and not ‘piece of office equipment’. The correct tick box was ‘regalo’ (gift). Unknown to the author, the ‘mudanza de trabajo’ category requires proof of your new Spanish work contract! Equally, selecting ‘luggage’ means uploading your airline ticket, while ‘student goods’ requires proof of your higher education course. This was, apparently, in the small print… somewhere.

A baker’s dozen of common Spanish sayings that have a very similar equivalent in English (and you can use everyday without offending anyone), writes Elena Goçmen Rueda

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

stricted items, or to see if taxes are due. Anything sent via Royal Mail (including Parcelforce) goes into ADTPostales at Madrid’s Barajas Airport. If your shipment is marked ‘held by cus-

his phraT se is the Spanish equivalent of ‘a word to the wise is enough’

his common saying T is easily translated as ‘better safe than sorry’.

EN CASA DEL HERRERO, CUCHARA DE PALO

he Spanish phrase literally translates as ‘In the house of the blacksmith there’s only wooden spoons’ which is used in exactly the same way as the old English saying ‘the shoemaker’s son always goes barefoot’.

March 25th - April 7th 2022

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MEET THE OP TEAM

FRUSTRATION: Both postal services are in denial, while (right) Jo with her printer at last In the end, our parcel finally left Madrid Barajas Airport on February 25, and arrived at its destination soon after.

UR TRANSMIT YOTHE H IT W ITEM SPANISH TAX OFFICE? The Olive Press spoke to the Oficina de Consumidores (consumer office), whose representative said to choose ‘transmit your customs with AEAT’ instead of Correos. He advised unhappy consumers to denounce ADTPostales via the Guardia

Civil if they pay import duty, or their parcel is returned to sender or lost. We tried to transmit our stuck parcel with AEAT. However, this proved impossible because a vital confirmation email repeatedly failed to arrive. Making matters worse, Hacienda has redesigned its website and we kept getting dead links cheerily saying ‘error – we have a new website!’. Lucy Hayes Logan, an adviser at the Tus Alpujarras agency in Lanjaron, was unimpressed. “Can ADT not create a PDF telling British people how to use the system?” she said. “Customs processes should be carried out by a customs agent, not members of the public.” She added:: “As a lot of

DIOS LOS CRIA Y ELLOS SE JUNTAN

hile in the traditionally Catholic country of Spain, the phrase has more religious connotations in English we would just say: ‘birds of a feather flock together ’.

new customs regulations came into force on July 1, all merchandise destined for Spain from third countries must be declared to pay VAT. “This declaration is made automatically if the operator of origin sends the correct information in the ITMATT message – an electronic message with customs processing data. If the information isn’t received correctly, it goes through R- a manual process at the VE L AI M ROYAL S – destination exchange ofSUS CORREO ME? fice.” LA B WHO IS TO He adds: “Royal Mail is the UK operator with the worst quality of electronic advance data, which The Olive Press causes delays and genercontacted ates costs for the onward Correos, whose shipment operators. The spokes- p e r s o n reason for the delays isn’t said: “Since t h e because of Correos España – it’s the responsibility of the Royal Mail.” We spoke to the Royal Mail.

the process is fully digital, people suffering from the ‘digital divide’ get left out. Correos can’t help, as it’s usually out of their hands, and the AEAT has ‘help guides’ that currently advertise their website over providing actual information. It leaves people feeling hopeless.

Culo veo, culo quiero

his Spanish phrase translates as the rather crude ‘bottom I see, bottom I want’ and is best replaced with ‘monkey see, monkey do’ to describe a situation when one blindly acts without care of what comes next.

CRIA CUERVOS Y TE SACARAN LOS OJOS

n Spain if you ‘raise crows, they will gouge out your eyes’ but in English the phrase best explaining the treacherous nature or ingratitude of someone we trust or care for is best explained with the phrase ‘nourish a viper in one’s bosom’.

Cuando el rio suena, agua lleva

EL MUNDO ES UN PAÑUELO

f you translated this literally into English it does sound a bit odd. But instead of ‘the world is a handkerchief’, English speakers would say ‘it’s a small world’.

he Spanish equivalent of the oft-used English phrase ‘ where there’s smoke, there’s fire’ makes use of an entirely different element to make its point: ‘When a river sounds, it’s carrying water’.

Mas vale malo conocido que bueno por conocer

asily translated as ‘better the devil you know than the good you don’t know’ in English this is usually shortened to just ‘better the devil you know’.

Gift

A spokesperson said: “When sending gifts abroad, customers need to complete and attach a customs declaration - CN22 or CN23. Items sent without a customs declaration, or an incorrectly or partially completed declaration, may be delayed or returned to sender.” “The recipient may then have to pay customs or VAT charges and a handling fee before they can claim the parcel. There’s a threshold before gifts become liable for VAT or duties (€150) – it’s important that customers tick the ‘gift’ box on the customs declaration when sending parcels to their friends and relatives.”

Just be positive A focus on Olive Press web wizard Kate Langshaw

LIVE PRESS webmaster Kate Langshaw is thankfully used to the late nights of the media from her poker tournament days in Las Vegas. Most of you readers won’t know her but she has worked at the Olive Press for seven years skulking under the bonnet. She is the one that keeps the website ticking along, delivering the news to your social accounts and email inboxes on 365 days a year. Grinding the nuts and bolts making sure everything online is running smoothly. Yes, it’s her fault for those lovely adverts you all love to click through so much! (AND can avoid if you join our paywall). Kate has lived in Javea, on the Costa Blanca for 10 years and she couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Well, how did she get here? It’s certainly been quite a journey and a challenging one. She attended university in England a few years later than everyone else after a monotonous job kicked her into action wanting to do more with her life. A computer software engineering course was definitely a challenge and there weren’t many women alongside her. Despite working three part time jobs on the side to pay for her course she managed to graduate and then set up her own website design company, working from home. Meanwhile her weekend hobby led to 15 years of playing semi-professional poker alongside her fast-growing web business. She got a sponsor and played in tournaments around the world, from Budapest to Las Vegas and even on Caribbean cruises. But eventually she decided to settle down and moved to Spain, for no other reason than ‘why not?’. She has continued to develop her web business and built a great new client base, as well as having a son, Lucas, who was born here. As a single mother it has certainly been quite a challenge juggling work and raising him. “It certainly changes your priorities and now my only focus is that I hope I am a positive role model and an inspiration to him.”

The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are: Celia scoops up Saharan dust tur1- Storm ning skies yellow in Spain’s Costa Blanca clocks go forward in Spain as 2- When dospring 2022 edges closer Spain’s truck drivers begin nationwide 3- strike over working conditions and rising fuel prices warnings issued 4- Storm Celia weather across Spain Red weather alert for Spain’s Malaga and 5-Costa del Sol as Storm Celia lashes through the province

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OIL TO SOL TWO of Spain’s best-known and biggest companies are to set up a solar panel venture for homes and businesses. Oil giant Repsol and telecoms provider Telefonica have agreed to create a 50-50 joint company. The project will become a reality in a few months once regulatory approval has been granted. No pricing structure has been announced. The firms boast that they bring different skills to the table in the joint venture. Telefonica through its Movistar brand name, has over 1,000 shops and a customer base of more than 20 million people, while Repsol has its long-standing energy background. Potential customers will not have to be Movistar subscribers to take advantage of the new supplier. The company will have its own management team, and will have specialists covering all customer needs.

Electric jackpot VOLKSWAGEN’S battery plant will be located in Sagunto. In the best business news ‘for half a century’, the factory, costing €7 billion, will employ around 3,000 staff. The facility will be VW’s first cell plant outside Germany and will make the company’s next-generation ‘unified cells’. Valencian president, Ximo Puig, described the decision as ‘the best business news in half a century’ for the region. The Sagunto site beat off other possible sites in Aragon and Catalunya. It was helped by its proximity to the Ford factory at Almussafes as the German carmaker signed an agreement with Ford in 2020 over the development of zero-emissions vehicles. Almussafes will see two new electric car brands start to be produced in 2025. Construction on the Sagunto plant will begin this year and the factory will start production in 2026.

March 25th - April 7th 2022

Turtle muerte

Repsol and Telefonica join forces for solar power By Alex Trelinski

That includes pointing out the advantages of solar power and coming up with the best designs and the most suitable installations for each location to ‘maximise savings’ on electricity bills. A mobile app will be used to control installations

to optimise energy expenditure and any other service linked to the solar installation. Telefonica Spain president, Emilio Gayo, said: “This is a strategic agreement between two leading companies that are pooling their knowledge to build a solid and innovative value proposition, both for individuals and companies.”

AN army of marine specialists were unable to save a 230-kilo leatherback turtle in Murcia. The reptile was treated with anti-inflammatories and rehydration therapy in round-the-clock care, after being cut from a fishing line it had become caught in last week. The turtle looked to have made a full recovery at the oceanographic marine animal centre and was seen being active and moving freely. However, when it was returned to the sea, things took a sudden turn. It was seen swimming erratically before beaching itself on the shore of Cartagena where it was later pronounced dead.

As energy prices soar, this is what can be done

ARE YOU BURNING MONEY?

HIS is a simple question, answered easily. YES you are. The human race is not stupid, yet it continues to do things that we know are not right.

Why? When you’re in a restaurant and the waiter tells you not to touch the plate because it’s hot, why do you feel compelled to touch it? With regards to the environment and climate, why do we ignore doing the things we know we should do? WE HAVE TO REDUCE OUR DEPENDENCE ON RUSSIAN ENERGY Although Spain takes just 9% of its gas imports from Russia we still feel the pain. Our costs are increasing rapidly. As the global market spikes, so do our bills. Not just here, but throughout Europe. All countries are looking at the ‘security of supply’ problems we all face. As the western world reels in the face of Russian aggression we are having to react. Sadly the reactions jeopardise the commitments made to reduce the impact of climate change. In capital cities across Europe officials are now staring at their climate change rule book, once a defining part of their legacy planning, wondering if it can be torn up. ‘Energy supply strategies’ have changed enormously since February 24. It is not that long ago, but it was a devastating date for mankind. • In the UK Boris Johnson is looking at bigger exploitation of gas and oil deposits in the North Sea. • Fracking is back on the agenda. A court order compelling Cuadrilla to destruct two fracking mines in

Green

Lancashire has been put under review • Nuclear power is on many European countries radars….even Germany which planned to be nuclear free • Countries are crawling back to negotiate alternative supply options with Saudi Arabia (a country that executed 81 people in a single day last week) WHAT CAN WE DO? I’m with the former Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo. CUT OFF RUSSIAN OIL AND GAS No new gas supply contacts with Russia. Forget the political pressure. From the environmental view point, the pain caused will lead to green gain. Governments will have to accelerate plans to increase the renewable mix in energy generation and storage. Let’s focus on European supply and at the same time have a concerted effort to tackle methane gas leaks. EU member states need to look collectively at gas storage levels and cooperate. ACCELERATE THE DEPLOYMENT OF NEW WIND AND SOLAR PROJECTS Fast track these projects and tackle the delays caused by permitting. Streamline the administrative process and digitalise applications. IF YOU HAVE A ROOF - USE IT! Faster deployment of rooftop solar PV systems reduces consumer bills and the demand on the national grid. Even if your commitment to the environmental cause is not strong, it is an incredible return on investment, with a payback period typically less than three years.

RIGHT: Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo INCREASE TAX RATES ON ELECTRICITY COMPANIES WINDFALL PROFITS The current wholesale market prices create additional profits for many electricity generators. It has been estimated that excess profits of UP TO €200 BILLION will be made in Europe in 2022 from energy produced using gas, coal, nuclear, hydropower and renewables. TAX IT and support those struggling to pay for a basic necessity. FOCUS ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY AT HOME AND IN THE WORKPLACE • Switch appliances off • Change to LED lighting • Improve insulation • Turn your thermostat down • Check to see what temperature your hot water is stored at. It doesn’t need to be any more than 55*C Government needs to support small businesses to become more efficient. We need to all do our bit. AND DO IT NOW.

Martin Tye is the owner of energy switch company Mariposa Energy. +34 638145664 ( Spain Phone ) Email him at martin@mariposaenergia.es

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FOOD, DRINK & TRAVEL

March 25th April 7th 2022

Paella for peace

OVER 250,000 PROPERTIES FROM 2,000+ AGENTS

Five Spaniards drive from Spain to Poland to cook paella for refugees fleeing Ukraine FIVE friends from Spain were so moved by those fleeing Ukraine that they decided to do what they do best: make a paella. The group set off from Alicante with three vans full of ingredients to make the famous Valenciano dish; rice, chicken and vegetables as well as the giant pans to cook them in and headed for Poland. After a 5,000km drive, they arrived in Przemysl, a city near the border with Ukraine that has been flooded with refugees fleeing Russian forces.

By Jorge Hinojosa

Since then they have been cooking up a storm and serving plates of the dish to new arrivals. David Juan Diaz, one of the organisers of ‘Paella por la paz’, said: “What is happening on the border is devastating.”

Tiring

In a post on Instagram the group said: “Our long and tiring journey has brought us from Alicante to Przemy-

RESEARCHERS at the University of Valencia have surveyed local chefs on the sacred rules of paella. Some 400 chefs were surveyed from over 250 different Valencian villages. The findings established the 10 essential ingredients for the national dish, with a broad consensus on rice, water, olive oil, salt, saffron, tomato, green beans, lima beans, chicken, and rabbit. Paprika was deemed essential by 63% of chefs, whilst 52% said rosemary should be used. Artichokes also split opinion, with 46% saying they are a necessary ingredient.

HOT MEALS: Volunteers help, Spanish style sl, the main city closest to Medyka, on the border with Ukraine.

The rice is right The findings were published in the International Journal of Gastronomy and Science on Thursday, and presented at a seminar titled: A nightmare glocal discussion: what are the ingredients of paella Valenciana? The university said: “Everyone has an opinion about paella but the idea was to do fieldwork to establish what are the essential ingredients. “What we have shown is what is always an ingredient of paella, what ingredients are sometimes used and what should never be used.”

“Hundreds of people fleeing the war arrive here daily. “For now we have established our base camp here, and once we finish setting up our tents and kitchens, we will start the paellas. “From what we are finding out, perhaps in the next few days we will have to move to another area of the border, the situation and the flow of people change by the hour. “We will go where we are most useful.” The group which translates as ‘Paella for peace’ aims to cook 12,000 servings before driving back to Spain and bringing refugees who want to return with them.

www.thinkSPAIN.com

952 147 834

TheOlivePress-256x170-MP0122.indd 1

25/1/22 16:49

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL S RANKED: TOP FIVE SKI RESORTS IN SPAIN

March 25th - April 7th 2022

We love Spain for its sun and sand but after all the current rain its many ski resorts will be rocking

BAQUEIRA BERET

WHAT IS BAQUEIRA BERET SKI RESORT FAMOUS FOR?

Mountain-range: Pyrenees Spanish province: Lleida, Catalunya Total piste length: 160km Ski trail difficulty: Green to double-black diamond Annual foreign skier numbers: 158,000

Baqueira Beret is not well-known internationally, but is famous in Spain as the royal family’s ski resort of choice. Former king Juan Carlos I and his wife Sofía were among the first to fall in love with Baquiera after it opened in the 1960s. They own a luxury house in which they traditionally celebrated New Year’s Eve with their children, including current King Felipe VI. The ski area is between 1,500m to 2,610m elevation and boasts 160km of ski pistes. Ski routes from green to double-black diamond are spread across the three valleys of Beret, Baquiera and Bonaigua. The resort has 35 ski lifts, including a gondola, 20 chair lifts, 7 conveyor belts and 7 ski lifts. Due to its elevation and favourable position on the northern side of the Spanish Pyrenees, Baquiera Beret enjoys some of the best snow cover among European ski resorts and a season lasting November to April.

WHERE TO STAY

My advice is to stay in the charming nearby town of Vielha (left) which is just 10 minutes to the resort and has lots of shops and excellent restaurants. A superb good value hotel is the Aparthotel La Vall Blanca (www.lavallblancavielha.com), which has well appointed suites, most perfect for families. On the right side of town to make an easy exit towards the slopes in the morning, it serves a decent breakfast on demand and is close to the heart of town. For classic village charm stay in Hotel Seixes in Bagergue, the highest village in the Val d’Aran. www.hotelseixes.com WHERE TO EAT Val d’Aran has a great mix of nice restaurants. Every village and particularly the main town of Vielha, has a good choice. There are some excellent wine bars, but few better than De Vins, in the heart of the old town, where wines by the glass are matched by local dishes. Another wine bar is Donde Rafa, which specialises in good local pro-

duce, with its asparagus and onion soup highly recommended. Another great choice particularly for families is Nosati restaurant, where everything is cooked on huge grills. A hip new place to try is Lits (left), in Arties, which is the most creative food in the valley, decent value and with friendly service. Definitely try the amazing chicken canelon and the Tagliatelle with ossobuco ragu. In Bagergue Casa Rosa is

charm personified while Jardi dels Pomers has a great garden for spring and summer, while in winter a big log-burner to aid the ambience. On the slopes itself you definitely have to try the legendary Moet Winter Lounge (right) champagne bar, where all the movers and shakers and celebrities come and dine during the day or apres ski. This is THE place to be seen if you like posing.

pain is Europe’s second-most mountainous country, with its southernmost ski resort, and one of few places you can ski in the morning and hit the beach in the afternoon. Not only can you go skiing all around Spain, but its premier ski resort Baquiera Beret is popular among Spain’s royal family and often enjoys the best snow cover in Europe. During the 2019-20 season ski resorts in Spain received 4.7

HOW DO I GET TO BAQUIERA? Baquiera is in the province of Lleida and a 2 hr 15 min drive from Lleida city. One of the best ways to get to Baquiera and the Val d’Aran is on the train. The AVE fast train takes just over four hours to get from Malaga to Lleida and a similar amount of time from Valencia. You get off in Lleida, where you can hire a car for the two-hour drive up to the slopes, made an hour quicker since the long Vielha tunnel was finished in 2007. A good stop half way for lunch is in Benabarre and its Hotel Mars, where the king of Spain has eaten on occasion. On your return perhaps stay a night in Balaguer outside Lleida where you can eat at the excellent Cal Xirriclo.

FOOD & DRINK

March 25th April 7th 2022

million people, with 3.4 million going to the Pyrenees mountain range in the northeast border region with France. The Sierra Nevada mountain-range in the south is home to Spain’s second most popular ski resort, though you can have a day-out skiing at Navacerrada when staying in Madrid or visit La Molina if you’re staying in Barcelona over winter. Below are the top 5 ski resorts in Spain ranked according to popularity with international skiers.

SIERRA NEVADA Mountain-range: Sierra Nevada Spanish province: Granada, Andalucia Total piste length: 105km Ski trail difficulty: Green to black diamond Annual foreign skier numbers: 91,000

WHAT IS SIERRA NEVADA SKI RESORT FAMOUS FOR?

The Sierra Nevada is home to continental Spain’s tallest peak, Mulhácen (3,479). Sierra Nevada means ‘mountains covered in snow’ in Spanish and Mulhácen typically stays white from October-June despite being on the sunny Costa Tropical. The ski resort is just a 1hr 30min drive from Spain’s southern Mediterranean coastline and is Europe’s southernmost ski resort and the highest in Spain, with a base elevation of 2,100m rising to a max elevation of 3,300m. The high altitude allows for a ski season from November to May, which can make for sunny ski days towards to the end of the snow. When snow is abundant, you can ski almost anywhere across the ski resort as it’s above the tree line. The Sierra Nevada is how to 110km of ski runs, from green to single-black diamond. The lift system features 2 cable cars, 17 chairlifts, 2 T-bar lifts, 2 magic carpets and 1 ski tow.

OP QUICK CROSSWORD Across 6 Early bird’s breakfast (4) 8 He slew the Hydra (8) 9 Agreeable (8) 10 A trifling sum (4) 11 Such as the Gestapo, KGB, Stasi etc. (6,6) 14 Electrostatic document producer (5,7) 17 Small drink of liquor (4) 19 European nation since 1993 (8) 20 Occur simultaneously (8) 21 They’re tapped in pubs (4)

HOW DO I GET TO THE SIERRA NEVADA SKI RESORT? The resort is just 42km and half an hour from Granada The nearest airport is Granada, but Malaga is only two hours away. Direct buses are available that take just 45 minutes to reach the ski resort, allowing for day-trips from Granada.

Mountain-range: Pyrenees Spanish province: Lleida (Lerida), Catalunya Total piste length: 45km Ski trail difficulty: Green to black Annual foreign skier numbers: 52,000

WHAT IS BOI TAULL SKI RESORT FAMOUS FOR? Boi Taull is located further south than Baquiera Beret in the Spanish Pyrenees, but is home to the highest ski pistes in the entire Pyrenees. Base elevation starts at 2000m to a maximum of 2750m. The high altitude allows for higher-quality snow is one of the reasons Boi Taull was ranked as the no. 1 ski resort in Spain during the last three World Ski Awards. Boi Taull has 45km

Down

of ski pistes, with 10 green runs, 7 blue runs, 26 red runs and 9 black runs with 16 ski lifts allowing access around the ski resort. HOW DO I GET TO THE BOI TAULL SKI RESORT? Boi Taull is a 1hr 50min drive from the nearest international airport, Lleida–Alguaire Airport in the city of Lleide (Lerida) in Catalunya. Boi Taull is a four-hour drive from Barcelona, and a 3 hour drive from Zaragoza.

Continues on Page 12

OP SUDOKU

BOI TAÜLL

1 Overabundance (13) 2 Crosspiece in a boat (6) 3 Small attractive cave (6) 4 Drunken Marquis OKs ten after inquiries (8,5) 5 Mineral deposit (4) 7 Deep hole, or instruction to machinery owner? (3,4) 12 Worthless ideas (3) 13 Cook nine veg. before nightfall (7) 15 Victorian art critic and social thinker (6) 16 Get back in business (6) 18 It might be square or underground (4)

All solutions are on page 15

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL FORMIGAL

WHAT IS FORMIGAL SKI RESORT FAMOUS FOR? Formigal (also known as Formigal-Panticosa) is based in the Tena Valley and the only ski resort in the region of Aragon in this top 5 list. Formigal-Panticosa is one of few ski resorts in Spain with an elevation difference over 1000m. The region of Panticosa in particular is known as one of the best places to freeride in Spain, with 1075m of elevation difference to enjoy. Skiing starts at the bottom of the Tena Valley at 1145m and rises to 2265 at its highest point. The 182km of ski runs are accessed by a network of 37 ski lifts. Formigal is known as one of the most modern ski resorts in Spain and features a purpose-built town at its base.

Mountain-range: Pyrenees Spanish province: Huesca, Aragon Total piste length: 182km Ski trail difficulty: Green to black Annual foreign skier numbers: 44,000

March 25th - April 7th 2022 MASELLA Mountain-range: Pyrenees Spanish province: Girona, Catalunya Total piste length: 74km Ski trail difficulty: Green to black Annual foreign skier numbers: 40,000

HOW DO I GET TO FORMIGAL SKI RESORT? Formigal is located right on the Spanish-French border, and is a 1hr 30min drive from the city of Huesca. The Huesca-Pirineos airport is 100km from ski resorts but is the best way to access Formigal-Panticosa.

WHAT IS MASELLA SKI RESORT FAMOUS FOR? Known by itself, Masella is actually part of a wider ski resort known as Alp 2500 and which includes the towns of Masella and La Molina. The Alp 2500 area covers 135km of ski runs, with a base elevation of 1600m rising to 2535m. Masella itself enjoys a vertical elevation of 935m. Masella is based on the side of the Tosa d-Alp mountain in the province of Girona, in Catalunya, and its 65 ski runs are serviced by 17 ski lifts. Masella also has 10km of illuminated ski slopes to allow for night skiing. HOW DO I GET TO MASELLA SKI RESORT? Masella is located on the Spanish-French border very close to Andorra. It is a 2hr drive from Girona city and the closest airport is Girona-Costa Brava airport.

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LA CULTURA

Do you have a what’s on?

CHILD’S The art PLAY of war

New research credits children for prehistoric art

AN exhibition detailing the history of duelling at staterun museums in Moscow has been cancelled after a host of European countries withdrew loaned artworks in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine. The exhibition, titled: The Duel: From Trial by Combat to Noble Crime was to show loans from 10 European museums but each one has cancelled. The artworks were due to be showcased this month, but institutions from Madrid, Paris, Leeds, Vienna and London have since cancelled their loans with immediate effect. The original exhibition listing announced that artefacts from the Prado Museum and Royal Armoury museum were due be made available for public viewing, however these have also been withdrawn. Art has become the latest flashpoint for sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine. Earlier this month the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg recalled the loan of Raphael’s The Holy Family from the Renaissance art exhibition at London’s National Gallery.

MUCH modern art may look a little sketchy to the untrained eye. But new research has found that some of the world’s earliest known art may also be child’s play. Experts from Cambridge University and Spain’s University of Cantabria found that children, possibly even toddlers may have been behind up to a quarter of prehistoric rock art. Researchers analysed hand stencils painted in Spanish caves some 20,000 years ago.

After studying 180 examples of art made by blowing pigment through a hollow reed or bone, scientists believe that ancient rock painting was actually a family-oriented group activity, not a solitary male pursuit. The study, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, revealed that between 20% and 25% of the hand painting were made by chil-

Spring in their step

By Katharina Beiersdoerfer

A NEW exhibition exploring the relationship between art and automobiles will open at the Bilbao Guggenheim. The exhibition, titled: ‘Motion, Autos, Art, Architecture’ will run from April 8 to September 18. A gallery spokesman said: “The exhibition celebrates the artistic dimension of the automobile and links it to the parallel worlds of painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, and film.” The premise of the exhibition looks at the age-old question: Does

TOUCHING THE PAST: Prehistoric hand paintings dren aged between 2 and 12 years old. Researchers studied art in five caves across Spain - El Castillo, Maltravieso, Fuente de Salin, Fuente del Trucho, and La Gama.

OIL -PAINTING art imitate life? The exhibit is split into seven separate galleries: Beginnings, Sculptures, Popularizing, Sporting, Visionaries, Americana, and Future. Each gallery will showcase cars alongside the objects that influenced their design. The cars on show include a Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic, a Hispano-Suiza H6B Dubonnet Xenia, a Pegaso Z-102 Cupula, and the Bentley R1Type.

Lead author of the study, Veronica Fernndez-Navarro said because the prehistoric images were made by blowing pigments onto hands placed against the cave wall, the process that would have made the outlines slightly larger than the hands themselves.

Survival

She said: “From the real hand to the one on the wall there are always a few centimetres of error, because the silhouette comes out larger. “We calculated that error and many more children’s hands came out than we expected.” She added: “It would appear that artistic activity was not an activity exclusively for male individuals and the survival of the group, as had previously been thought.”

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THE Sineu spring fair, celebrated in Mallorca since the 14th century, is to return after a two year absence. The Sa Fira de Sineu is one of the cultural events of the year in Mallorca, and makes its eagerly anticipated return on May 1. However, this year the fair has been beset by organisational problems. First, in arranging its traditional showcase of farm animals as a result of restrictions on the transport of livestock because of outbreaks of bluetongue affecting sheep and goats. Secondly, the company that usually provides its agricultural machinery has not yet confirmed it will take part this year. Sineu’s mayor, Tomeu Mulet, says the town hall is in discussion with the company, saying it ‘is willing to make a contribution so that they do not incur losses because of the cost of diesel and transport.’ The Sineu fair normally takes place in the heart of Pla de Mallorca, which borders Costitx, Maria of the Salut and Llubi. The fair is one of the oldest on the island, along with the festivities of Sant Marcit and the Saint Thomas’ Fair. The annual celebrations are in honor of Sant Marc, the patron saint of the town and feature agricultural, livestock and handicraft exhibits highlighting the cultural clout of Mallorca.

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March 25th - April 7th 2022

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March 25th - April 7th 2022

IMPORTS: A village of native Filipinos were imported to live in Spain’s most famous park with some dyimg of mistreatment

NESCO’s newest World HerBy Fiona Govan itage Site in Madrid hides a deplorable secret recognition of a shameful period in tropical plants (see above) was a the history of Madrid’s Retiro park replica village, a model of the sort when people would come to stare of settlement found on the Filipino wide-eyed at live exhibits in a ‘hu- island of Luzon. Housed within it as the centrepiece man zoo’. When news came through last year of the exhibit were 43 Igorot men that Madrid’s Retiro Park had been and women brought from the other awarded with the coveted World side of the world to play out their Heritage Site status, it was greeted lives in front of curious onlookers. In April 1887, the Exhibition of the with celebration across Spain. Philippines, then a At last Madrid’s leafy part of the Spanish oasis in the centre empire, was inauguof the capital with its At least four rated by Queen Maria rose garden, boating Cristina. lake and lofty glass exof the Igorot During the next six hibition hall had been people died months tens of thougiven the recognition it deserved. from poor living sands from across Spain came to gaze But, for some the conditions at the prize exhibits in news came as an optheir folk costumes as portunity to explore they carried out their the history of the park, and with it calls to make amends for ‘typical’ daily activities of hunting a shameful episode that blights the with spears, fishing from wooden dugout canoes or ploughing the Retiro’s past. Towards the end of the 19th Centu- land with oxen. ry, Madrileños flocked to the Retiro Records show that at least four of the Park not just to enjoy a stroll be- Igorot people brought over died as a neath the shady boughs of its many result of poor living conditions during trees but also to gawp at a rare ex- the exhibition, but apart from a few hibit that had been shipped in from photos hidden within city archives, a far-flung corner of the Spanish there is no public acknowledgement of their plight on public display. empire. Alongside the Palacio de Cristal, a All that remains to inform curious colossal greenhouse built to contain visitors today is a small weath-

Shameful past Human zoo secret of Madrid’s new World Heritage site has been carefully airbrushed from history

er-beaten plaque outside the palace that names the architect and the dimensions of the structure and what plants were originally contained within it. No mention is made of the human exhibits. Leah Pattem, an amateur historian wrote about the shameful secret history of the Retiro human zoos in her blog Madrid No Frills that has been shared by thousands. “It took me three visits to the National Museum of Anthropology to find any acknowledgment of the people involved in the 1887 exhibition. On a small display card beneath the

boats, a sentence reads “...city residents could ride in them with the aid of the Filipino crews”. Other than this, you have to dig deep into the museum’s archives which are not accessible to the public,” she told the Olive Press. Campaigners now want the true history to be told as a way of putting the racist world view of the past into context for modern times. “The point of UNESCO is to preserve and protect, through education and culture, a universal respect for human rights,” explained Alexis Lahorra, a Madrid-based Filipino Canadian

activist, who has taken up the cause. “Why is it that we’re not protecting the people who were in the exhibition? Their dignity was taken away. By remembering them, we can at least try to recover some of that.” Fellow activist Angelica Pfleider, also from the Philippines, insists that historical wrongs shouldn’t be buried. “Acknowledging the human zoos in Madrid will show other racially marginalised groups, such as Roma people and indigenous Latin Americans in Spain that it’s also possible to acknowledge what was done to them in the past,” insisted fellow Filipino activist Angelica Pfleider.

Courage

“If we’re successful, it could give others the courage and inspiration they need to seek the truth about their own history too,” she said. Pattern adds: “It seems clear to me that the inclusion of 43 Igorot people has been deliberately omitted because historians are aware that this is a shameful episode in Spanish history. However, we must confront and acknowledge Madrid’s human zoo because, if we don’t, it’s as good as saying what happened was ok – a passive action which has a direct consequence on racist attitudes and behaviours today, in Spain and beyond. “There are many more monuments in Madrid with hidden racist histories and we hope that updating the plaque outside the Palacio de Cristal will pave the way for further changes to be made around the city.”

HEALTH

TikTok twits

SOCIAL media users taking part in viral TikTok challenges are putting themselves at risk of blindness, an expert has warned. Dr Nigel Best is urging people not to take part in dares which sees them exposing their eyes to bright lights and toxic substances. He said: ‘These challenges can be extremely dangerous and can put your eye health at risk. One of the challenges going viral sees people mixing bleach, hand sanitiser, jelly and shaving cream in a bag and holding it up to their eyes. It is thought this will make their eyes appear brighter.

Splits

Dr Best, from Specsavers, said: “Apart from the fact that it won’t make your eyes any brighter, if the bag splits and the contents leak out it could cause corneal scarring, extreme pain and blindness.”Another video doing the rounds sees users trying to change their eye colour from brown to blue by exposing the eye to bright light while using the S5 filter on their phones. Dr Best said: “By intentionally exposing your retinas to bright lights, you risk permanently damaging the light sensitive cells on your retina and causing blind spots.”

Double debut THE Madrid Zoo Aquarium has announced uplifting news in this miserable weather. Giant panda twins 'You You' and 'Jiu Jiu', born last September, made their first public appearance this week. They were the first pandas born at the zoo since 2016. Queen Sofia was accompanied by the Chinese Ambassador for a special event to celebrate the Zoo’s 50th anniversary. Ambassador Wu said the pandas 'represent the friendship and cultural exchanges between China and Spain' with the cubs' names symbolising best wishes and friendship.

March 25th - April 7th 2022

A BRITISH woman has been caught claiming disability benefits in the UK while helping to run a property business on the Costa Blanca. Louise Jones, 53, has received a six month jail sentence and a big fine for her double dealings. The owner of McHardy Spanish Properties spent half her time in Spain working for a property developer, despite claiming she spent her time between Cleethorpes and Hull. Facebook photos however, showed her living a luxurious lifestyle in Alicante, while claim-

Benefits backlash ing disability allowance for almost a decade. She had been living with husband Bruce McHardy, who had his own property business, Chersun, based in Avileses, on the Costa Blanca south. Jones claimed a total of £46,867 in disability and housing benefits between 2007 and 2016 and £33,000 in severe disability allowance.

BAD INFLUENCE

Influencers to be barred from plugging junk food

THE Spanish government has announced plans to ban influencers from advertising junk food to children. The plans outlined would see anyone in a position of influence barred from marketing food and drink high in sugar, salt or fat. The draft legislation states: “The ban would prohibit appearances in commercial communications by parents, educators, teachers, children’s TV professionals, sportspeople, artists, influencers, and people or characters – be they real or fictional – who may, by dint of their

careers, be likely to represent a model or example for these minors.” A 2019 study found over 40% of Spanish children aged six to nine were over their recommended weight. Alberto Garzon, the coordinator for the United Left alliance in the coalition government, said the measures were necessary in order to tackle ‘the serious public

LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE A NEW report has given surprising insight into the countries whose populations have the best mental health. The contrast between the UK and Spain could hardly have been more different in the study published by research organization Sapiens Lab. Of all the 34 countries surveyed, Spain was second, surpassed only by Venezuela. The UK meanwhile had the joint lowest mental health score, alongside South Africa. Of the top 10 countries, six were Spanish speaking. The survey looked at a variety of factors in determining its rankings, including mood and outlook, how we relate to ourselves and others, and drive and motivation, quizzing a total of 223,000 people. In addition, the survey found a correlation between living in an English-speaking country and poor mental health. The USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland all ranked in the bottom 10.

Inequality

The survey found no link between a country's wealth and the happiness of its citizens but there did appear to be a trend between inequality, which has increased in many western countries over the past decade, and negative mental health. This is perhaps most clearly exemplified by Venezuela which was top despite being the most poverty-stricken nation in Latin America. One of the things all nations appeared to have in common was the decline in mental health of young people, with every single country surveyed showing a decline in the mental well being of 18-24 year-olds.

OP Puzzle solutions Across: 6 Worm, 8 Hercules, 9 Pleasant, 10 Song, 11 Secret police, 14 Laser printer, 17 Dram, 19 Slovakia, 20 Coincide, 21 Kegs. Down: 1 Embarrassment, 2 Thwart, 3 Grotto, 4 Question marks, 5 Vein, 7 Oil well, 12 Pap, 13 Evening, 15 Ruskin, 16 Reopen, 18 Root.

SUDOKU

Quick Crossword

Feeling down SPAIN has experienced the largest drop in happiness in Europe, a new study has revealed. Research published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, used ‘sentiment analysis’ automatically to scan the contents of 600 million social media posts from 10.5 million people, and assess the emotional content. Analysing the language used, in correlation with the locations tagged, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that Spain experienced one of the largest drops in happiness in Europe, closely followed by the UK. Using data from across 100 countries, the study determined that countries with a higher death toll and inefficient governments had the most unhappy residents. Scientists also analysed the effects of lockdown by comparing similar countries that did and did not impose restrictions. Surprisingly, they found that in the short term there was tentative evidence that going into lockdown led to a small net increase in happiness. Professor Siqi Zheng said: “On the one hand, lockdown policies might make people feel secure, and not as scared. On the other hand, in a lockdown when you cannot have social activities, it’s another emotional stress. The impact of lockdown policies perhaps runs in two directions.”

health problem of childhood obesity’. In addition, high-profile figures popular among children, such as Youtubers, will also be asked to participate in public health campaigns to promote physical activity and healthy eating.

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FINAL WORDS

A MAN in Gipuzkoa has been jailed for 15 months and fined €275 after calling on Spanish politicians to suffer ‘a slow death’, and for them to be ‘dissolved in sulphuric acid’ via Facebook.

Paper Picasso A MYSTERY origami artist at Granada’s San Cecilio hospital has been revealed to be an 81-year-old cancer patient who has been making jaw-dropping paper figurines to calm his nerves before chemotherapy.

Guardian angel WORKERS at a Sevilla supermarket have described a local shopper as an ‘angel’ for doing a €261.21 food shop at their store before giving it all to a homeless woman.

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March 25th - April 7th 2022

DISGRUNTLED! Tunbridge Wells given good reason to be out of sorts after cricket masterclass from Spain RESIDENTS of the UK’s Royal Tunbridge Wells are infamous for being disgruntled on many things in life. Long fabled for writing angry letters to newspapers, now the Victor Meldews of the Home Counties have a good reason to whine. In a remarkable European cricket final, Tunbridge were humbled in a seven wicket drubbing by Spain’s Pak I Care

By George Mathias

Badalona. Now crowned the European champions the Catalan club won the European Cricket League finals in a remarkable final day. It came after they topped their group before beating an Irish team, a Swedish team and an Italian team to reach the finals.

The six week tournament witnessed over 25,000 runs and 1,450 wickets during the course of the competition at the Cartama Oval, Malaga. Muhammad Babar leased the ‘Monday shopfrom Pak I Care was per bag’, made of white named player of the calfskin. tournament, scoring It is adorned with vertical an unrivalled 433 blue stripes and a red logo, runs, including 53 with eagle-eyed Brits quick sixes and 17 fours. to point out a resemblance He also took 23 between the new release wickets. and Tesco’s old design. The tournament, Europe’s biggest-ev-

Every little helps THEY were once handed out free at the tills, but now a designer label shopping bag reminiscent of the plastic Tesco version has been put up for sale at a whopping €1,200. High end Spanish fashion brand Balenciaga has re-

er tournament, has truly put cricket on the European map after drawing in millions of viewers worldwide every week. “It’s great to see a Spanish club taking the crown in Europe. It is well deserved for the club, Spain and the development of European Cricket,” ECL boss Roger Feiner told the Olive Press. “At first glance, the victory of Pak I Care came as a surprise. But when you see the quality of individual players, you can understand why the sport continues to evolve.”

SPAIN will take its place on Rugby Union’s biggest stage after qualifying for next year’s World Cup. Los Leones completed a remarkable turnaround when they defeated Portugal in Madrid, having lost their first three qualifying matches before embarking on a six-game winning run. The 33-28 victory meant that Spain were guaranteed at least second place in the Rugby Europe Championship ahead of their last day clash with Georgia. It was just as well as they were then crushed 49-15 in Tbilisi.

Water result BARCELONA has more cannabis residue in its waste water than Amsterdam. A study of the sewage from 75 cities by the European Agency for Drugs and Drug Addiction, revealed that the Catalan city showed three times more traces of the narcotic than the Dutch capital. The report placed Barcelona and Amsterdam at one and two on the list.