Olive Press Mallorca - Issue 140

NERO TO ZERO

WHEN police raided the home of feared Costa businessman Johnny ‘Cash’ Morrissey last week they hoped to find many incriminating items and the odd weapon.

But what they hadn’t bargained on was a series of little black books listing all the payments from his wife’s company Nero Vodka.

The ‘notepads’ carefully detailed all the businesses and gangs the bogus Marbella-based company had lent or laundered money through over the last two years.

Kept by the Morrisseys at their

top floor rented home in Mijas, they are understood to list hun dreds of cash payments to doz ens of local businesses.

“They are now in Madrid and being carefully gone through by detectives dealing with organ ised crime,” a source told the Olive Press.

“It’s all being done in complete secret, but all those listed will be probed for money laundering and tax evasion.

“There were so many payments that there was simply no way Johnny or his wife could keep tabs on all of them without writ ing them down.

“They noted the name of each client, the date the money was lent and the date it would be collected.

“This will spawn many other side probes and lead to many more arrests. They are going to regret not destroying those books.”

dedicated to money laundering’.

Police from five coun tries were involved in the dawn swoop on the Costa del Sol gangster, now accused of laun dering €200 million over just 18 months, a remarkable €350,000

a day.

It came as the couple’s company Nero Vodka held a string of glitzy showbiz parties at numerous top venues on the coast.

2021 and, thanks to EWN owner Michel Euesden, they managed to get their vodka sold in leading shops, even including El Corte Ingles.

It was cer tainly a gift from the gods for the Guardia Civil probe into what they de scribed as the ‘most important criminal organ isation in Spain

The Morrisseys invested heavily in anywhere or anyone who would take their cash.

They own at least 11 properties on the Costa del Sol, which were all raided last week by of ficers from the Guardia Civil’s crack GAR team.

This includes two villas, both valued at between

€3 and €5 million alone, while they own countless luxury cars and watches.

According to an Olive Press source, police have also found various bank accounts in the British Virgin Islands and they are believed to have investments in Tur key and Dubai.

Locally, despite the links

to the vodka compa ny they are believed to have invested in a drying out clinic and they were set to open an upmarket wellness spa in Mijas next year. The spa fea tures large statues of centaurs, eagles and, of course, Roman figures such as Nero, one of Morrissey’s heroes.

Organised in conjunction with their friends, the owners of Euro Weekly News , they took place at leading five star hotels and restau rants.

As well as sponsoring concerts, they even backed the Marbella Interna tional Film festival in

Everything was colourfully re ported in a string of gushing articles in the paper and online. As Michel put it at the film fes tival: “The tagline of Nero is ‘undefeatable spirit.’ And this festival epitomises that spirit, the undefeatable spirit of Mar bella.”

She later wrote in February this year that Nicola was a ‘dynamic business woman’. Under a pho to of her beside her Rolls Royce, she insisted: “She is focused with a heart of gold, sharp wit ted and sharp eyed. And she has sacrificed like only a WINNER can. She is living the life she designed for HER. She is our hope for the future - we really

GUSHING PRAISE: Nero’s pushy marketing in local press can have it all if we want it enough.

“You are MAKING IT HAPPEN and your tribe love you for it.”

Money

While Morrissey was last week remanded in cus tody at Marbella Court, his wife received bail, be lieved to be because of her 10-year-old son.

“In short the Morriseys bought the coast with the help of their friends,” ex plained a friend. “Money talks down here and they splashed it everywhere, but it ended up with them think ing they could get away with anything. No longer.”

Cashed out

HE has long been one of the Costas most feared ‘business men’.

A former Manchester door man, Johnny Morrissey, 62, was this week led out of his own front door in handcuffs.

The notorious boss of Nero Vodka, John Francis Morrissey - nicknamed Johnny Cash - is accused of laundering €200 million in a giant blow against the Kinahan drugs cartel.

The expat of 20 years is said to be the enforcer of the Irish crime clan, which has terro rised the Costa del Sol for the last two decades, with numer ous shootings and settling of scores.

Alongside his wife Nicola, 47, he was snared in a massive

Europol police operation that involved officers from five dif ferent countries.

With a helicopter buzzing around overhead, the Roch dale hardman was ignomin iously cuffed in a pair of tight Hawaiian shorts, his beer gut protruding above.

A video showed police turn over one of his various Cos ta homes (police have so far searched 11 in total) while his attractive wife stuck up a finger at a photographer as she was led to a police car. He has been remanded in custody and his wife released on bail.

The operation involved agents from the British NCA, Irish GARDA, America’s DEA, Dutch Politei and Europol’s

European Centre for Financial and Economic Crime.

The Guardia Civil later con firmed that Morrissey was at the head of the ‘most import ant’ international criminal or ganisation operating in Spain dedicated to money laundering. In little more than a year and a half Morrisey is believed to have laundered around €350,000 a day.

Fearsome

Morrissey was raised in Ro chdale and spent much of his early life earning a fearsome reputation in Manchester be fore moving to Ireland and lat er Marbella.

Things came unstuck when he had to flee Ireland more than 20 years ago after reportedly being involved in an attempt to hurt a Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) officer investigating him.

Former CAB officer Felix McK enna earlier this year linked him to the attempt to attack a prominent Bureau officer be fore he left Ireland having had more than €600,000 worth of cash and property seized.

Morrissey was soon living in Marbella and became a larger than life character, known for his links to the underworld, but also celebrities.

He was a friend of the late Freddie Starr, who used to ap

pear in a nightclub allegedly owned by Morrissey in Fuen girola.

He is also suspected of bank rolling the final days of noto rious timeshare scammer Toni Muldoon who died in 2019. Muldoon was jailed for seven and a half years for ripping off ordinary people to the tune of tens of millions over the years. On his release from jail he led a low profile life allegedly fi nanced by ‘old pal’ Morrissey.

Speaking to the Olive Press, a Guardia Civil officer explained how suspicions were raised about Morrissey and his wife Nicola last year.

While she was the owner on paper, based out of the Elviria Business Centre, he acted as the ‘ambassador’ for the com pany, with connections to Gi braltar and Glasgow.

The officer revealed: “He and his wife were spending a lot of money around the Costa del Sol, but their vodka company

did not make a lot of profit.

“Despite this, the brand was always sponsoring big events in Marbella.

“The vodka brand launched in the UK, but when the US Treasury Department exposed it as being linked to the Kinahans, they closed the company and moved it to Spain and Gibraltar.”

Murders

He added: “In the UK media they are saying that this man committed 38 murders, but the Guardia Civil is not aware of any of these.

“What I can confirm is that he used to live in a very ex clusive mansion in Marbella, but when the US Treasury linked him to the Kinahans, he moved to a small apartment in Mijas. That’s where we picked

him up.”

The US Treasury Department blacklisted Morrissey last April and announced a $5 million reward for any citizen offering information on the where abouts of the three leaders of his organisation: Christopher Vincent Kinahan, and his sons Daniel Joseph Kinahan and Christopher Vincent Kinahan Jr. The trio are known to have moved to Dubai.

According to the United States, Morrissey held a key position on the second rung of the clan’s leadership structure.

BIG TIME BUSTED: The Rolls Royce cars and look set to go after Morrissey arrest

SURROUNDED: British and Irish police joined the Guardia operation

SPANISH teen sensation Car los Alcaraz became the young est men's player in the Open Era to hold the No. 1 ranking, after sealing a four-set victory over Casper Ruud in the US Open.

Carlos Alcaraz, unfurling his full array of shots together with his combination of athleticism and maturity, beat Casper Ruud

Tennis Teen Sensation

6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7/1), 6-3 in the US Open final in a gruelling match that took over three hours.

Alcaraz’s maiden Grand Slam win at age 19 sees him be come the youngest

Oldest Abuela in Andalucia is 109 years young and still going strong

By Cristina Hodgson

David delight

HE is one of the last big visitors of the summer.

But Craig David more than lived up to his billing at a sellout show at Marbella’s Puente Ro mano Tennis Club.

In his only show in Andalucia this year, the 15 million-re cord-selling British singer brought his latest guise, TS5, to the Costa del Sol for the first time.

Effectively working as a DJ, he cleverly spun a mix of banging house tunes alongside his own repertoire, which includes no less 20 Top 40 UK singles.

It didn’t take long for the in ternational megastar, who now lives in Miami, to get the crowd jumping as he cleverly spliced hits from Rihanna with the House of Pain’s Jump Around

There was also Whitney, TLC and the Backstreet Boys in the mix, as the lad from Southamp ton showed how he’s matured. Incredibly relaxed, he continu ally chatted to the crowd, who included Olive Press compe tition winner American Jason Schmidt, from Sacramento, who lives in nearby Istan.

“He is a true pro and knows how to get the fans going,” he said.

“Thanks so much for the tick ets. I never get to win things like this. It’s been a great night.”

Support act Trevis was also a big hit with the sellout audi ence, particularly the women, as he jumped off stage to ser enade a few of them with hits including Avenue and Let me Know.

GRANDMOTHER Maria Ro driguez Sanchez has just cele brated her 109th Saints Day. But through her life of hard work and hardship, she was perhaps not always a saint her self.

To make ends meet when she was widowed with three chil dren to care for, she worked as a matutera (goods smuggler). She ranged from her Cadiz home to Portugal, Gibraltar and Jerez, illicitly trading to bacco, coffee and fabrics, in order to raise her children.

Known as Maria Matacabras (Maria Goatslayer), she was born on January 24, 1913 and this month the Mayor of Los Barrios paid her a visit to cel ebrate her Saints Day.

The hardship of the era that Matacabras was born into saw her working from a very young age. At just nine years old she was running errands and cleaning for ladies of the town.

In 1931, at 18 years old, Mata cabras married Eduardo Guerrero, father of her three children, however she was wid owed at the age of 42.

Tragically, in 1980 her only daughter Pepa died, leaving

man to be ranked world number one, surpassing Lleyton Hewitt, who held the top spot at the age of 20 in 2001. Alcaraz, the first teenager to claim the top ranking, is the youngest Grand Slam men's champion since Rafael Nadal at the 2005 French Open.

What a Saint

GENTLEMEN PREFER BRUNETTES

SPANISH-Cuban actress Ana de Ar mas channeled her inner Marilyn Monroe when she trod the red carpet at the LA premiere of Blonde She posed in front of the photogra phers in a dazzling long, tight-fit ting gown with a sweetheart neck line and a mermaid silhouette with a slight train that accentuated her curves to the maximum.

The look, created by Nicolas Ghesquière in collaboration with renowned stylist to the stars, Sa mantha McMillen, was finished off with matching jewellery by Anita Ko.

Her dress indirectly paid trib ute to one of the most iconic designs of Marilyn Monroe's prolific career.

The actress reinterpreted the golden dress that William Trabilla made for Gentle men Prefer Blondes and which was censored for being ‘too sexy’, but which months later Marilyn used to attend the Photoplay Awards ceremony.

GOING STRONG: Maria is 109 years old

Matacabras to also provide for her nine grandchildren, the youngest being five years old at the time.

Matacabras, currently resides with one of her granddaugh

ters in Santa Rosa. Despite her slightly chequered past, in 2017 Maria received the title of Citizenship on Andalucia Day to mark her lifetime of work and sacrifice.

Mayor Miguel Alconchel, ac companied by the first depu ty mayor, Sara Lobato, gave their best wishes and pre sented her with a bouquet of flowers.

Sing

At 109 years young, she is still able to read and sing and can offer a tip or two about life. But she has a few years to go if she is to catch up with Spain’s oldest person. Maria Branyas Morera, from Catalunya was 115 years old in March.

Punk Patti in town

LEGENDARY American singer Patti Smith is lined up to star at Sevilla’s Iconica Fest.

The singer, songwriter, poet, painter and author became an influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 de but album Horses

Dubbed the ‘punk rock lau reate’, the 75-year-old will take to the stage on Monday September 26. She is not the only big name at the mu sic fes tival, which will

run until October 15. Iconic Heavy Metal band Deep Purple will feature on Saturday September 24, while Boy George and Culture Club take to the limelight on Friday, September 23.

FAMILY AFFAIR: Maria was presented with a bouquet

WILD WOMAN: Patti in full flow

STARS: Deep Purple and (left) Boy George

MAFIA BLOW

GANGSTERS with suspected links to the Italian mafia have been arrested in Ibiza as part of a mammoth police opera tion involving both Spanish and Italian authorities.

Thirty-two criminals were arrested on Spain’s infa mous party island, with offi cers searching 40 addresses across Ibiza, Barcelona, Mal aga and Tenerife.

Cash

About €30,000 in cash, 18 kilograms of amphetamine and 4.5kg of cocaine, as well as guns and ammunition, were also seized.

The European Union Agen cy for Criminal Justice Co operation (Eurojust) said those arrested were believed to be part of two organised crime groups, both connect ed to the Calabrian-based ‘Ndrangheta mafia group. They operated in Ibiza, but the group was based in Milan and were allegedly involved in drug trafficking, money laundering and extortion, according to Eurojust.

AN impressive multiple water spout phenomenon off the coast of Mallorca has been captured on camera.

Four waterspouts, also known as marine tornadoes, formed off Santanyi and could be seen clearly from the island.

A waterspout is an intense up right vortex that occurs over a body of water.

It happens when cold air moves

Out for a spin

across the water, resulting in drastic temperature differenc es between the warm water and overriding cold air.

The stunning natural phenome na occurred just moments after violent storms lashed the Balear ic island.

Goodbye Ma’am

Spanish Royals pay last respects to ‘Aunt Lilibet’

THE Spanish royals were among hundreds of thousands of mourners who gathered in London for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

The beloved monarch was laid to rest on Monday morning, with the UK and British expa triates in other countries stop ping for the service.

Spain's Queen Letizia sat next to her father in law, former King Juan Carlos inside West minster Abbey.

The controversial arrival of emeritus monarch Juan Car

By Anthony Piovesan

los from exile in the Middle East meant Spain's current King Felipe had to publicly sit next to his disgraced father, who is facing trial in the UK.

Juan Carlos – who is facing court in London next year over his ex-mistress and un declared income – also sat next to his estranged wife So fia at the service at Westmin ster Abbey.

They sat in a very prominent position below the pulpit just 10ft from ‘aunt Lilibet’.

The Chief Minister and Gover nor of Gibraltar also attended the funeral.

Chief Minister Fabian Picar do arrived in London on the weekend where he signed the book of condolences at Lan caster House.

All eyes were on the British royals as they mourned the

Peed off

A BRITISH woman who is paralysed from the waist down had to drag herself down an aircraft aisle to go to the loo when cabin crew re fused to help.

Jennie Berry, from Hartlepool, said she had to drag herself up the aisle as there was no wheelchair.

beloved monarch.

Prince Harry cut a sombre figure alongside King Charles and Prince William as the trio followed the Queen´s coffin into the church.

The 37-year-old Duke of Sus sex looked emotional as he was seen trailing his brother Prince William, who was following be hind King Charles II inside the abbey ahead of the funeral.

Charles, 73, also looked close to tears as he embarked on the procession from Westminster Hall.

Harry walked side-by-side

with William during the pro cession, a significant moment following Prince Philip’s April 2021 funeral, which saw Prin cess Anne’s son, Peter Phillips, standing between the brothers.

Grandmother

Prince George, 9, and Princess Charlotte, 7, dressed in black, also walked behind their great grandmother’s coffin with their parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Prince Louis, 4, was deemed too young to attend.

strength, so I proceeded to drag myself down the aisle towards the toilet, whilst staff contin ued to serve drinks,” she added. She was meant to fly with TUI from Newcastle to Palma but at the last minute, her flight was changed to the Spanish airline AlbaStar. Staff refused to let her sit near the front.

Nappy

To add insult to injury, she claims she was told she should have worn a nappy. “They would rather I peed in the seat”, she said.

“I asked to go to the toi let and they just said ‘no we don’t have an aisle chair on board’, with no suggestions of what I was to do,” claimed Jennie on Instagram “As you all know – when you have to go, you have to go. Thankfully, I have good upper body

The company told the Olive Press: “AlbaStar would like to express its sincere apologies for the event. Aisle wheelchairs are not mandato ry, not even recommended when talking about aircraft equipment/furnishing.

“The passengers’ list received didn’t show the presence of a Wheelchair C passenger, mean ing AlbaStar was never informed of the pres ence of a disabled passenger.”

A MUM of a disabled girl is asking for funds to pursue her dream of competing in the Weightlifting Masters World Championships.

Shella Badaseraye, 35, who moved to Mallorca from Ni geria when she was 12, was the star of the recent Europe an championships in Poland, claiming three golds.

This has opened the way to her competing at the World Championships in Orlando, Florida, this December.

But she does not get any fi nancial help from the Span ish Weightlifting Federation, so her ambition of competing foundered on the estimated €5,000 cost of attending.

The mother of two, who runs a gym in Palma, needs to pay €1,000 for specialised 24-hour-a-day care for her handicapped daughter Anahi, 16, while she is away.

On top of that she needs an other €4,000 for air fares, car hire and accommodation.

To help, search Shella on Go FundMe.

Don’t drink the water Heavy problem

FIVE municipalities in Mal lorca do not have any access to safe running water, according to Spain’s health ministry.

Data showed water supplies suitable for human consump tion did not exist in Ariany, Costitx, Santanyi, Sineu and Vilafranca.

Quality controls measure the temperature, chemicals, pes ticides and radioactive sub stances in the water.

The most frequent issues are related to changes in tempera ture, bacteria such as legionel la and the presence of chemi cals such as uranium.

But this is not the case in Mal lorca - the Balearic island in stead has a high presence of nitrate in its water which is the cause of water not being able to be consumed by humans.

SEND OFF: King Felipe and Queen Letizia

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Stop being so impressed

YET another prominent ‘businessman’ has been accused of a string of heinous crimes on the Costas. Johnny Morrissey is a massive catch having been fingered as a close associate of the cut-throat Kinahan gang, for whom he allegedly laundered hundreds of millions of eu ros.

He has led a larger than life existence here, courting ce lebrities and VIPs to publicise his wife’s Nero vodka brand. The question has to be asked - why has it taken so long for justice to investigate his affairs?

It is not as if his allegedly criminal background is new ter ritory.

He fled Ireland 20 years ago in an apparent attempt to es cape the heat, accused of money laundering and threaten ing to kill a customs officer.

He is not alone either. The Kinahans openly enjoyed the proceeds of crime for years before heading for Dubai.

Before them, Barbara Windsor’s ex Ronnie Knight held court on the coast as he tried to escape British justice - as did a host of criminals at the time.

In the ‘old days’ the Spanish police were not too interested in British crooks as long as they kept their noses clean. As a result Spain became a place where people could rein vent themselves.

Taking a cue from the police, the expat community often ignored dodgy pasts or simply didn’t want to know. What mattered was how they behaved in the here and now. And the more they spent the more they were welcomed. This is why notorious criminals like timeshare scammer Toni Muldoon and gold coin conman Nigel Goldman lived high profile lives at the top of expat society.

Meanwhile on the Costa Blanca, investment fraudsters Darren Kirby and Jody Smart lived the high-life too, with first class flights to the US and cupboards full of designer shoes, while leaving hundreds of expat investors destitute, penniless and even sometimes suicidal. Lauding the likes of them - or Nicola Morrissey - for their business acumen and graft is an insult to all the genuinely hard-working, low-paid expats.

Perhaps it is time people looked a little deeper into some of the more flamboyant characters. And stopped being so impressed with money.

Either way, the wheels of Spanish justice are slowly catch ing the latest charabanc of sleaze that has engulfed the costas.

It’s a shame it’s taken so long.

Grieving for you

How we will miss our ‘Aunt Lilibet’: from Spain’s king Felipe

THE moving tribute to the Queen from her distant cousin King Fe lipe of Spain showed exactly how close the two royal families are.

Insisting she ‘set an example’ to the world and that her legacy would last for generations, showed how fond of Eliza beth he was.

You could see how well they got on during the days they spent together in the UK in 2019, and you could see it with his own father during visits the Queen made to Spain in the 1980s.

Felipe actually addressed Queen Eliza beth as ‘Aunt Lilibet’ and referred to the late Duke of Edinburgh as ‘Uncle Philip’. The strong bond between the families is because Queen Sofía of Spain’s grandfa ther was the uncle of Elizabeth’s husband.

The Duke of Edinburgh, who died in 2021, was the son of Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and Princess Al ice of Battenberg. His uncle was King

By Jorge Hinojosa

Constantine I, the grandfather of Queen Sofía.

So Felipe’s letter, shared with the Olive Press from the Casa Real press office, showed an understandable depth of feeling.

Writing to her son Charles, the new King, Felipe wrote on behalf of he and Letizia:

‘Your Majesty, dearest Charles,

‘Deeply saddened by the sorrowful news of the passing away of Her Majes ty Queen Elizabeth II, your beloved Mother, I would like to offer Your Majesty and the British people, on my behalf and on behalf of the Spanish Government and people, our most heartfelt con dolences.

‘Her Majesty Queen Eliza beth has undoubtedly wit nessed, written and shaped many of the most relevant chapters in the history of our world during the last seven decades. Her sense of duty, commitment and a whole life devoted to serving the people of the United Kingdom and Northern

Ireland set an example for all of us and will remain as a solid and valu able legacy for future generations.

‘Queen Letizia and I send Your Majes ty and the whole Family our love and prayers. You are all in our hearts and thoughts. We will miss Her dearly. ‘With all my friendship and affection,’ Felipe

It demonstrates the warmth between the British and Spanish royal families and the frequent correspondence between the various monarchs.

The last time Queen Elisabeth came to Spain was back in October 1988, when she visited Mallorca, spending two days on the island with Prince Philip.

ON the day that Liz Truss became the United Kingdom’s new prime minister, I was expecting a call from Spanish TV channel La Sexta.

Their evening current affairs show, Más Vale Tarde, has recently been coming to me for some live insights every time something crazy happens in my home country. I have been joking for months that a lot of work lies ahead for me… And so it was that they called, to discuss via a Skype connection the handover of power from Boris Johnson to Truss. But in the end, we spent more time talking about Queen Elizabeth II, and that omi nous bruise that was clear to see on her hand in the photos of her meetings with the politicians she met that day.

“We all know that the queen has a delicate state of health,” I told the pre senters, using a phrase that would later become a headline on their website.

Little could any of us have known at that moment just how delicate it was.

On Thursday they called again, after alarm bells were sent ringing by the om inous announcement by the Palace that there were concerns over the Queen’s

By Simon Hunter, Madrid

health, not to mention a clear protocol at the BBC swinging into action as sched ules were rejigged and black ties donned. I updated the program with the latest news once more via Skype, and then pro ceeded to drive home.

Stuck in a typical Madrid traffic jam, I called my parents to bring them up to date and also test the mood back in En gland. Unusually, my mother had told me the news about the Queen first – given my hopeless Twitter addic tion, it’s normally the other way around.

This was just another sign, for me, of how big a story this was going to be: one of those that when you hear it, you need to get in touch with your loved ones to talk about it.

And then it happened. In mid-conversation, the news alerts – first from Spanish media, then from the UK – started to ping on my phone.

Just as my parents and I were speculating that the Queen might have already died, there was confirmation of her passing. I told my parents. My mum burst into tears. As I finished my journey home, I was able

to listen to the brilliantly judged BBC TV broadcast playing out in my parents’ kitchen. Then the fun really began.

La 1, Antena 3, Telecinco, La Sexta, Cope radio station, 24 Horas rolling news chan nel… My phone started blowing up with calls, all with interview requests so that a Briton could help try to unpick this histor ic day and its repercussions.

In the last six days I’ve done two remote connections, sat on four different TV sets, been on two different news bulletins, and turned down more than a few other of fers, and here’s what I’ve learned. First of all, the fascination for the Royal Family in Spain, as in so many countries, persists.

In particular in the context of the trou bled relationship the country has with its own royals – the Spanish king, for exam ple, is regularly booed at football games in parts of Spain that have pushed for

EMPATHY: Letizia and Felipe signed the condolences book

ROYAL TREATMENT to explain to

This was just another sign, for me, of how big a story this was going to be

It was a successful trip which began when they were met in the port by the previous monarch, King Juan Carlos I and wife Sofia.

The Spanish media report ed that both of them were wearing ‘very summery clothes’ even though it was autumn. And during their trip they visited many beau ty spots, including Andratx, Valldemossa and La Mola. They stayed at the Palacio de Marivent, which is the of ficial Royal residence near Palma, and after lunch they went up into the Sierra de Tramuntana.

The following day they spent time on the royal yacht, El Fortuna , with the Duke of

Badajoz, Luis Gomez Acebo, and Pilar de Borbon.

They reportedly went home ‘very happy’ with the way they had been treated by the Spanish royals during their stay.

The last time that the Span ish Royal family officially met the Queen was in 2019 when King Felipe was dec orated with the prestigious Order of the Garter at Wind sor Castle.

The king visited with his glamorous wife Letizia and the pair were photographed at various different events with the Queen and Prince Charles during the visit.

The most recent published correspon dence was another heartfelt letter sent to Elizabeth last April after husband Phil ip’s death.

Once again addressing her as ‘aunt Li libet’, King Felipe and his wife Letizia

showed great warmth for their British cousins.

The letter read:

‘Dear Aunt Lilibet, We were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our dear Uncle Philip. At this painful time, we would like to convey to you our deepest condolences on behalf of the Spanish Gov ernment and the people and all our closeness and support.

We will never forget the occasions we were able to share with him and the legacy of service and dedication to the Crown and the United Kingdom that he always carried out at your side. Our thoughts and prayers are with Your Majesty and the whole family. With all our love and affection,’

Felipe, Letizia.

UNLOCK THE NEWS

YOU’VE got Spotify, you pay for Netflix and now you’re going to have to pay for your journalism.

While traditionally anyone who wanted to be in formed bought a newspaper or magazine, this changed over the last decade with the advent of digital media.

As the world changed, the leading media groups, includ ing the Daily Mail, the Guardian and the BBC guaranteed top quality, well researched content on the hour every hour.

But when Google and Face book started to unfairly dom inate global advertising rev enue (by as much as 85%) media groups could no longer fund their journalism through adverts.

It has caused a crisis for the worldwide news media in dustry (whether TV, radio or print) of enormous propor tions.

A giant trust lawsuit filed by the European Union this year, alongside the UK, for 26 billion euros in damages against Goo gle for unfair practices, could not come to court soon enough. Most people realise that you only get what you pay for!

And currently, the ONLY way out for the media groups is to charge for their content and thankfully the vast majority of respectable groups now have paywalls. In Spain, that means El País, El Mundo and el Público, while locally Dia rio Sur, Provincias and Última Hora also do.

All of them offer a cheap, good value subscription service for their readers to enjoy largely ad-free, reliable, well re searched news content.

The Olive Press is no different and for over a year now has pro vided 20-plus stories a day with unfettered access and almost no ads for under €1.50 a week!

Over 30,000 of you have now registered and have taken the opportunity to have decent, well re searched content delivered to you daily. While the newspaper remains free, and always will be, to be really well informed and up to date on everything from fires to the environment and from changes in the law to health warnings, it’s time to get on board.

independence.

Meanwhile, the emeritus king, Juan Carlos, is in self-imposed exile after the weight of his financial and roman tic scandals became too much to bear.

Given this recent history, it takes quite some explaining to Spaniards as to why people are so upset about the passing of the Queen.

Secondly, in a country where the dead are buried the very next day, such a long period as this one before the Queen is laid to rest is also something of a mystery.

And finally, the passing of Queen Eliza beth has prompted Spaniards – not just those I have met on TV sets this week –to ask the same question: how on Earth is everyone going to react here when Juan Carlos dies? There is one thing everyone seems to be certain about: it will be a very different royal affair.

CURIOUSLY, neither the King of Spain, nor Queen Elizabeth, were themost titled or noble royals in Europe.

That honour went to the Duquesa de Alba, Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart,who had more titles than anyone else in Europe.

According to folklore, she could cross the whole of Spain without leavingher land and should she have met the Queen of England formally, theQueen should have had to curtsey to her.

Fortunately this never happened as the Duchess - who was also known asCayetana de Alba - had a very close relationship with Queen Elizabeth.They became friends when Cayetanastudied in London and she remaineda lifelong lover of the city, frequentlyvisiting throughout her life.

The duchess, who died in 2014, toldthe Olive Press in an exclusive interview a decade ago that she had indeed ‘loved living in London’ and thather favorite shops were Selfridgesand Marks & Spencer.

“I always stay at Claridges when I amthere, it’s divine,” she said. “I lovevisiting all the art galleries and watching operas.”

For the record, her full name was:María del Rosario Cayetana PalomaAlfonsa Victoria Eugenia FernandaTeresa Francisca de Paula LourdesAntonia Josefa Fausta Rita CastorDorotea Santa Esperanza Fitz-JamesStuart y de Silva Falcó y Gurtubay. YOU ROYAL THAN BOTH OF THEM

The Olive Press is the trust ed English speaking news provider, qualifying and checking all its facts before publication and calling out the many fake news sources. This is, above all, our role. Advertising no longer funds this profession, the fourth es tate, which is vital in a healthy democracy to keep checks and balances on the powers that be.

Just like the musicians who create the songs on Spotify or Apple Music and the actors and directors who create the movies and TV shows you now subscribe to on Ama zon Prime or Disney, we hope you believe that journalists need to be paid for their work too.

If so, please join us at www.theolivepress.es to find the best package to suit you.

1- Watch Kinahan drugs cartel financer Johnny Morrissey arrested in Spain accused of laundering €200 million

2

- Spain’s former King Juan Carlos has once again found himself in the Spanish headlines this time thanks to the arrangements for Queen funeral

3

- Nero to zero: Kinahan financier and enforcer arrested after seizure of 200 kilograms of cocaine and €500,000 cash

4- King Felipe VI will try to avoid photo with father at all costs at Queen Elizabeth II funeral

5- Listed remaining strike dates in Spain for Ryanair, Easyjet and Iberia Express

The most read stories on in the past two weeks are:

CLOSE: The two monarchs in Mallorca (left) and above King Felipe and Queen Letizia with Queen Elizabeth in 2019

REGAL: Duquesa de Alba

King Felipe was decorated with the prestigious Order of the Garter

IN DEMAND: Simon on TV

Burning issue

Xmas lights going up already despite energy crisis

CHRISTMAS lights are already being put up in Madrid amid a debate on energy saving and efficiency.

There have been calls for a re duction in the number of lights put up this coming festive sea son, but it is unclear whether the Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, will cut back on the numbers lit up.

He has stated that Madrid will have Christmas lights but that he ‘will ensure that they are switched on with efficiency and energy efficiency’. The lights are normally switched on on the last Friday of November.

This was his response to Min ister for Ecological Transition Teresa Ribera’s call for ‘creative solutions’ for Christmas light ing.

The mayor refused to consid er keeping the lights switched off ‘because they are a tourist, commercial and economic at traction for the city of Madrid as a whole.

Alicante Mayor Luis Barcala has taken a similar stance fol lowing a Valencian government

WARM WINTER

WINTER is coming, but Spain can expect it to be warmer and drier than usual. Autumn officially starts on September 23 and weather experts have warned the up coming cooler months will be warmer than usual across the entire country.

It comes after the country sweltered through the most torrid summer since 1961. It will be warmer along the Mediterranean coast, with the Balearic islands set to be the balmiest location.

It will also rain less along Spain’s Iberian peninsula.

The average temperature for June, July and August this year in Spain was 24 degrees celsius, 2.2 degrees more than the usual average.

By Dilip Kuner

proposal that all municipalities should turn off 20% of their public Christmas light displays to save energy.

It is one of eight energy-saving proposals that the Valencian government, under President Ximo Puig, has submitted to the Ministry of Ecological

Transition.

But Barcala was not impressed. He said: “We need a plan to help municipalities to improve energy efficiency instead of coming up with an ill-thoughtout idea over Christmas lights,” said Barcala.

“President Puig has not realised that Christmas lighting in the region is crucial for commerce and tourism.”

THE RICH GET RICHER

HE neo-monopoly Big 5 continues to make ob scene levels of profit.

As the price we all pay for electricity, gas, and fuel continues to soar, their profits have hit ex traordinary levels.

There is talk of applying a windfall tax in 2023. Why Profits have been made, and money is in their bulging bank accounts whilst residential and commercial cus tomers struggle to make ends meet.

The Spanish government has a sordid histo ry of enabling the “big 5” to prosper. Political lobbying and blatant corruption have never been successfully quashed.

European tax systems have started to adapt to the reality of exorbitant profits in the energy sector.

The United Kingdom, Italy, Greece, and Belgium have announced an intention to act.

So has Spain, but I don’t believe any action taken will be sufficient or timely. Spain’s Prime Minister Pe dro Sánchez has said the state will collect an esti mated 2 billion euros from the fiscal years 2022 and 2023.

This is a drop in the ocean compared to the actual prof its generated by these com panies. So, the rich get rich er, and consumers suffer.

I prefer Greece’s formula. Earlier this year the cen tre-right government an

HIGH PRAISE

SPAIN is among the world’s top countries in the push towards renewable energy, according to a new report.

International nonprofit Climate Group graded G20 countries and compiled a ranking based on ambition and progress.

Spain was graded an A in the areas of net zero targets, renewable power target ambition, and renewable capacity additions in 2021.

Spain was lauded for setting out to deliver ‘one of the most ambitious renewable power poli cies in the European Union’.

Renewables accounted for 21% of Spain’s total final energy consumption in 2020 and plans to increase this to 43% by 2030.

nounced a plan to levy a tax rate of 90% on windfall profits generated by domestic power producers. That’s more like it!

Greece is not a country usually associated with a sound financial policy, but it seems to have this nailed.

The European Commission permitted in March of this year for member states to introduce temporary tax measures.

There is no excuse for delayed action.

GROW UP!

On a lighter note, this made me smile last week.

Animal Rebellion protesters, who believe the best op tion to mitigate the climate crisis is to transition to plant-based milk, blockaded the Muller factory gates and tied themselves to milk lorries.

The response from the local MP, Siobhan Baillie, was classic.

She said: “It is difficult to know what planet these people are on. It is unforgivable to try to intimidate hard-working staff. They should just grow up and stop playing games with people’s lives and livelihoods. The public is fed up with protesters.”

Not surprisingly The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs declined to comment.

Martin switch company Mariposa Energy.

The windfall tax

Green MattersBy Martin Tye

BRIGHT IDEA?: Madrid

Adios Celebrating Pablo

JAVIER Marias, author of novels like All Souls and A Heart so White and a regular candidate for the Nobel prize for lit erature has died at home in Madrid aged 70.

His publisher Alfaguara said that he has been ill with pneumonia for the past month.

“It is with enormous sadness that we regret to inform you that our great author and friend Javier Marías has died in Madrid this afternoon,” the publisher wrote in a statement.

He used to write a col umn in the Spanish newspaper El Pais hav ing started as a writer in 1971 when he was at the age of 19.

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez paid his respects say ing that Marias (pictured) was one of the best writers of our time.

A YEAR of events to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Pablo Picasso has officially started.

The culture ministers of France and Spain officially launched ‘Picasso Celebra tion’ at the Reina Sofía Mu seum in Madrid.

The two countries have joined forces to celebrate the Spaniard who lived in France for most of his adult life.

More than 40 exhibitions, conferences and other events are planned at muse ums in Madrid, Paris, Bar celona, Malaga, as well as in cities across the world.

By Dilip Kuner

The celebrations were launched by the two min isters standing in front of Picasso’s iconic painting Guernica (below left).

Picasso painted it at his home in Paris in response to the 1937 bombing of Guerni ca, a Basque Country town, which was bombed by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy at the request of Spanish Nationalists led by Franco. Upon completion, Guernica was exhibited at the Span ish display at the 1937 Paris International Exposi tion, and then at oth er venues around the world. The touring exhibition was used to raise funds for Span ish war relief.

Picasso was born in Malaga on October 25, 1881 and died in Mougins, France, on April 8, 1973.

“We aim to revin dicate the artistic

Year of events to mark the 50th anniversary of Picasso’s death

legacy of Picasso and the relevance of his work,” said Spanish Culture Minister Miquel Iceta.

“If there is one artist that defines the 20th century, who presents it in all its cruelty, violence, passion, excesses and contradic tions, that artist is Pablo Picasso.”

SHIP AHOY!

GOTHEBORG of Sweden, con sidered one of the largest classic wooden sailboats in the world, has sailed into Spain.

The magnificent vessel is a toscale replica of an 18th Century Swedish East Indiaman Göthe borg I trading boat and is on a long voyage that will last until 2023. It is in Malaga and will be in Barcelona next month.

Built in 2005, this 47-metre sailing ship is made of oak and pine wood, maintaining all the facilities of the 19th Century ships, with a crew of 70 to man age all elements of sailing.

*Data extracted from process closure surveys after using our roadside assistance and breakdown services.

MAESTRO: Pablo Picasso

OPEN ALL HOURS

SCHOOLS in Madrid may open for 12 hours a day, from 7am to 7pm, to help parents with their work-life balance.

The unusual proposal was made at a ‘state of the region’ debate in the Madrid parliament by PSOE socialist party spokesperson, Juan Lobato.

The idea is for junior schools to observe this timetable five days a week, and for them to be open from September 1 to July 31.

Currently the term at public schools begins in the second week of September and finish es toward the end of June.

Wild claims

THE president of Spain’s Football Federation, Luis Rubiales, has been accused of using organisation funds to pay for private parties at which orgies took place.

The claims were made to Spain’s corruption prosecu tor by Rubiales’ uncle, Juan Rubiales, who was also a for mer colleague.

According to the uncle, Fed eration credit cards were used to pay for a party in early 2020 at which young women were present in a rented house in Salobreña, Granada.

The statement, to which Spanish daily El Mundo has had access, said that the offi cial purpose of the spending was for ‘working days, but they were no such thing’.

Juan Rubiales went on to say that ‘the former footballer and the president’s friend, Nene, invited a group of eight to 10 young girls’ to the house. There is no suggestion that the women were prostitutes, but rather had been picked up at local nightclubs, El País reported. Nor is there any evidence that they were obliged to have sexual rela tions with the men present.

Money

Juan Rubiales also told the prosecutor that in August 2020 his nephew suggested that he had to ‘find a way to

REGAINING

President of Spain’s Football Federation accused of using official funds to pay for orgies

TAX SLASHED

PRIME Minister Pedro Sanchez has confirmed that IVA (VAT) on gas will be slashed from 21% to 5% from October to help fam ilies with the cost of heat ing.

Speaking to Cadena SER, Sanchez claimed it is possi ble that the measure would continue into next year, depending on the econo my.

By Simon Hunter

get money to his father’ from the Federation.

The uncle explained that he

rejected the proposal, which was when his nephew told him ‘to leave and that he didn’t want to see me again’.

The Football Federation said the claim is totally false.

DELIVERY Company Glovo has been fined €78.9 million for hiring people under fake self-employment contracts in Barcelona and Valencia.

Spanish broadcaster Cadena Ser re ported that more than 8,331 workers in Barcelona and 2,283 in Valencia were ‘falsos autonomos’ (fake self-employed in Spanish).

According to Spanish law, to work legal ly in Spain drivers should have a labour contract.

Glovo maintained that it is an interme diary in contracting services between drivers and distributors. But labour in

Sanchez added: “We do not contemplate restric tions on gas this winter, the context is very uncer tain, but we have a more secure situation than other countries.”

He also reminded his in terviewer that the Spanish government has reduced tax on electricity by 80%.

Gloves off

spectors disagreed.

In Barcelona, a fine of €39 million has been imposed, with the labour authority demanding another €24 million in So cial Security contributions that should have been paid by Glovo.

In Valencia, a fine of €10.7 million has been raised, with another €2.05 million in Social Security contributions to be paid.

Spanish Minister of Labour, Yolanda Diaz, said this Wednesday ‘the weight of the law is going to fall on Glovo’.

T pound euro (GBP/EUR) exchange rate fluctuated in a wide range through the first half of September, briefly touch ing a 19-month low before bouncing back. Over the last two weeks, GBP/EUR traded between highs of €1.16 and lows of €1.14 before settling somewhere in the middle. BEEN HAPPENING?

The pound euro exchange rate strengthened in early September after Russia extended its shut down of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipe line, fuelling fears of a possible Eurozone recession. Meanwhile, GBP investors cheered the end of the Tory leadership election, hoping for political stability.

The euro then surged higher as Eurozone GDP growth beat fore casts ahead of the European Central Bank (ECB) interest rate de cision.

However, the bank’s meeting itself caused mixed movement. The ECB hiked rates by 75 basis points but also slashed its growth fore casts, prompting volatility in EUR.

Likewise, Liz Truss’s energy support package faced a mixed recep tion. Markets cheered the announcement but were worried about the lack of details, particularly how it would be funded.

GBP/EUR then plunged to a 19-month low amid some surprising volatility. This seemed to be a knee-jerk reaction to Ukraine’s sur prisingly swift and successful counteroffensive against Russia. Sterling quickly regained this ground, despite UK GDP printing at 0.2% in July rather than the forecast 0.4%, and the pound euro exchange rate stabilised.

The UK’s mixed labour market report failed to boost the pound as freshly announced strikes in Felixstowe weighed on investor confi dence. However, the UK’s CPI saw Sterling climb as headline infla tion cooled and core inflation rose, providing some relief for con sumers while still supporting Bank of England (BoE) rate rise bets. Meanwhile, optimism around the European energy crisis was tem pered by anxiety over a likely recession in German, Europe’s largest economy.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO LOOK OUT FOR?

The first major event of the coming fortnight is the BoE delayed interest rate decision. The BoE was due to meet on 15 September, but it postponed

the event in respect of the national mourning period for the death of the Queen.

At the time of writing, the consensus among economists is that the BoE will opt for another 50bps hike, although there is a chance it could raise rates by 75bps. A steeper rate rise could see GBP/EUR strengthen, while the pound may also enjoy improved economic fore casts from the BoE following Truss’s energy intervention.

The latest flash PMIs for the UK and the Eurozone could impact the pound euro pair. If private sector activity improves in either region it should support the relative currency.

At the end of the month, the flash eurozone CPI is due out. If inflation continues to climb, ECB rate rise bets may boost EUR.

Meanwhile, markets will be keen to hear the details of Liz Truss’s en ergy plans. Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng is due to deliver a financial statement in the week following the Queen’s funeral. Economists’ analysis of his mini-budget could prompt pound volatility. Finally, news about Ukraine and European energy costs could also drive significant movement. Could the situation continue to improve, thereby boosting the euro?

PROTECTING AGAINST VOLATILITY

This kind of volatility can cause some nasty surprises if you need to transfer money overseas. On a £200,000 transfer, that two-cent gap between €1.16 and €1.14 translates to a €4,000 difference. And the larger the sum, the higher the discrepancy.

Fortunately, there are ways that you can protect against volatility. Specialist currency brokers, such as Currencies Direct, offer different tools to help you navigate the ups and downs of the currency market. For instance, you can use a forward contract to secure an exchange rate for up to a year. This way, you won’t lose out if the market moves against you.

Services like rate alerts and daily updates make it easy to keep track of what’s going on in the forex world so that you can make informed decisions. And with Currencies Direct you’ll have a dedicated account manager there to provide guidance and support whenever you need them.

At Currencies Direct we’re here to talk currency whenever you need us, so get in touch if you want to know more about the latest news or how it could impact your currency transfers.

Since 1996 we’ve helped more than 325,000 customers with their currency transfers, just pop into your local Currencies Direct branch or give us a call to find out more.

Health form gone

PASSENGERS arriving in Spain by air or sea no lon ger have to present a health control form.

The Official State Gazette (BOE) announced that it is now not necessary for trav ellers arriving in Spain to use the mobile app Spain Travel Health.

Thalia Robles, who often travels from London to Mal aga, said: “This is fantastic news, it was very tedious filling in the form.”

“It will make travelling less stressful,” she added.

Going nutty

PRODUCERS across Castil la-La Mancha are ditching olives and wheat and are in stead growing a more lucra tive crop that is not native to Spain.

Some farmers in the central Spanish region, south east of Madrid, have stripped wheat fields and vineyards, and opt ed to grow pistachios instead.

Each kilo of olives farmers produce fetches between 65 and 85 cents, and about 65 cents for grapes.

But farmers can cash in to the tune of €6-8 for a kilo of pis tachios.

It comes after the regional government set up a research project more than three de cades ago to look for more lucrative crops its farmers could grow and entice grow ers to stay in the province.

Spain harvested 2,800 tonnes of pistachios from 70,000

HUNDREDS of passengers on a flight from Dublin to the Algarve ended up 410 kilometres away when it touched down in Malaga.

According to Ryanair, a French air traffic control strike led to delays and the flight missing its slot at Faro. The airport has a curfew after which it can not operate.

The flight was then diverted to Mal aga with passengers bussed back to Faro.

Passenger Barry Masterson tweet

By Anthony Piovesan

hectares (173,000 acres) last year, nearly all in Castilla-La Mancha.

But Spain is still a newcomer

Wrong country

ed: “Got on a Ryanair flight to Faro and I’m in Malaga lads, you couldn’t make this up.”

“Morale is low, some people have just realised that we are in Spain, and flight staff are trying to calm the crowd with the promise of the mys tery box of answers that someone else will provide when we get to the airport,” he added.

Farmers in Spain ditch olives and wheat crops for pistachio

in the market which is dom inated by Iran, Turkey and California, which between them account for nearly 90% of world production.

Pistachios are mostly eaten as snacks, but also widely used in Middle Eastern cuisine, as well as in the production of cakes, sweets, ice-cream and cosmetics.

Olives

Agricultural activities across Castilla-La Mancha have his torically been based on the cultivation of wheat (37%), grapes (17.2%) and olives (6.6%).

The region also has some of the most extensive vineyards in Europe, nearly 700,000 hectares, (1,700,000 acres).

Much more than four stars.

It’ll be all white!

MINIMUM spend lunches at €250-a-head, €700-a-week hire cars, Michael Gove on the dancefloor. Yikes! Is it any wonder Ibiza’s been a little quieter this summer.

Ask any regular visitors or business owners and they’ll tell you the same thing; the White Island is anything but empty, but there’s definitely less visi tors than last year.

Meanwhile, getting a restaurant book ing is still advisable weeks before you arrive, while the service has noticeably gone south, thanks to anyone on a wait

er’s salary struggling to afford a rental. Could it be that the hippest island in the Med has finally boiled over? Priced itself out of the market?

Ibiza has certainly become a money trap for anyone not keeping their wits about them and doing their homework well in advance.

Take the words of stalwart DJ Carl Cox, one of the original spinmasters who made the island famous back in the

late 80s and the Summer of Love. Back doing a weekly slot after some time away, he recent ly insist ed: “The island is a bit weird now… Anything

commercial is considered success ful… Everything is more expensive and there are a lot of private jets and yachts around. There is still cool stuff going on but you have to know where to find it.” I’ll second that. You definitely need to know where to go and, despite a good deal of research this year, I’ve made my fair share of mistakes.

A lot of the problem is location, as half the best restaurants sit on coves where you take up to half an hour to get there and 10 minutes to park. And as most of them have no competition nearby they have a monopoly, which can often end up with abusive pricing.

Eye on IBIZA

sunbed and walked out of a very aver age lunch with a €75-a-head hole in our pockets.

The good news is the island still does have some excellent value places to eat, not to mention plenty of things to see and do.

That’s over 20 kilometres of unspoilt coastline to explore

One classic case is Cala Bonita, a hip chiringuito on a dreamy isolated cove miles from anywhere. We’d walked there two years ago and eaten a stunning, good value lunch and enjoyed the day on the beach.

But this year, we got stung for €30 a

The very fact the island still has a large tribe of new age travellers and hippies around (many more than say, Tenerife, or nearby Mallorca) bodes well, plus there are far more Fiat Pandas than Range Rovers. And, without a doubt, the island has some of the best hikes and cy cling routes in Spain. It’s really worth making a point of hiring a bike, or heading off on one of the many walking trails.

What you need to know though is that the north of the island is far wilder, more authentic and generally better value than in the south.

The north from Cap Nuno to Cala San Vicente is full of wooded head lands with hidden coves worth walk ing to with a pic nic. That’s over 20 kilometres of won derful unspoilt

coastline to explore and the inland towns and villages nearby have both good places to stay and often cheaper places to stay.

Take Sant Joan, aside from the cool Giri Cafe that recently opened with its secret garden, you can stay for around 75 euros a night at the nearby Hotel Ses Arcades.

One of the best hikes is the amazing nearby 8km circular walk which takes in Playa es Portitxol, a beautiful circular cove, dotted with a handful of wooden boat houses. The walk starts at the Ur banizacion Isla Blanca and, my advice, is to take the inland route downhill first, skirting around an incredibly unspoilt pine forest.

Dozens of other walks and cycling trails are listed on the websites www. Alltrails.com or www.komoot.com.

Pedal-wise, there are over 20 official routes scattered across the island, split into four levels of difficulty and to talling over 700kms.

I headed on the one that skirted out of Sant Joan towards Benirras, which then looped around to the south. It was largely flat and almost all on dirt tracks or incredibly quiet roads. And this was in early September.

Other things you might look out for are the unusual

DON’T BE INFLUENCED BY THE INFLUENCERS

It might seem Ibiza has been cancelled under the weight of influential Influencers fizzled out after a decade of celebrity love-ins.

It’s certainly likely that the continual photos of footballers on yachts and hard-to-remember models letting their hair down (the Delevignes, etc) is just becoming a bit too tedious.

All those Insta feeds and Tik Toks rammed with pouting prin cesses and preening pricks has certainly put me off over recent years. But ignore them. You don’t need to get a yacht, head to For mentera, and you don’t need to hang out on Playa d’en Bossa or San Antonio. Ibiza has so much more.

GLAMOUR: Taking a dip at Cala Xarraca

SCENIC: Beaches around Sant Joan and perfect veiwing spot

sculpture, Time and Space, installed in Cala Llentia thanks to Cirque du Soleil boss Guy Laliberte, who has a home nearby. You could also track down the Ojo de Ibiza vineyard owned by former Yello genius Dieter Meier. And then there’s the Las Dalias hippy

market in Sant Carles, which has been doing a roaring trade since 1985 with its funky handmade jewellery, linen beachwear and rustic leatherwork. Make sure to stop at nearby Anita’s for lunch or breakfast. The original hippy hangout from the 1970s.

WHERE TO EAT

BEFORE

heading anywhere to eat in Ibiza, these days, take my advice and carefully look at the photos on Google or TripAdvisor, which I normally hate, and you’ll hopefully see a photo of the menu, or some recent bills, and you’ll be able to work out the price and cut your cloth. In the meantime, here is a cutout and keep list of five of the best good value places to eat on the island and four great places to stay, two budget op tions and two excellent value five star splurges.

IL BUCO

BACK in the 60s young people laughed at public transport by donning hotpants, shades and roller skates to glide on down to the local corner shop for some bread.

And in the 70s personal hygiene went out the window when young men began growing those greasy lamb-chop sideburns that were to frame their face for the next decade.

Then in the 80s young women eschewed French fashion trends by wearing leotards, legwarmers and getting scrunchy mullet haircuts to boogie-on-down to their local newsagents in the pouring rain.

Now in the 2020s, 9 out of 10 Línea Directa customers get the same satisfaction and rec ommend their car, bike and home insurance policies.

All customer service and documentation is in English, their claims service is fast and effi cient, you can get quick, no obligation quotes over the phone, and their easy payment op tions help spread the cost of premiums.

DEDICATED TO EXPATS

Línea Directa has been providing comprehen sive car, motorbike and home insurance to British expatriates and residents in Spain for over 25 years. With over 3 million customers nationwide, Línea Directa makes sure you get the best possible price for the insurance you really need.

EVERYTHING IS IN ENGLISH

Their Roadside Assistance team speaks En glish and will quickly help you with your on ward journey. If you urgently need a duplicate set of keys for your motorcycle, then their English-speaking customer service will sort it out. And should you require Home Assistance to set up your new Wi-Fi connection, then En glish speaking technical staff will set up a visit.

EARN CASH WHEN YOU RECOMMEND US

Línea Directa’s Expat2Expat programme means that whenever an existing customer recommends someone, both the policyholder and the friend are rewarded with €30 in cash, when that person takes out any policy.

You can recommend up to 10 people and earn up to €300 in cash per year. Simply ask your friend to call and quote your full name.

Then once their application for car, bike or home insurance has been approved, Línea Directa will pay the reward straight into the bank account following payment of the next premium.

See terms and conditions at lineadirecta.com

SECRET SPOT: Aguas Blancas chiringuito

RUSTIC DINING: Gorgeous interior of Il Buco 952-14-78-34

Trends come and go but Linea Directa is always top of the charts...

strawberries, honey and pollen to fin ish. This is one of the best I’ve eaten. www.ilbuco.com

NUDO

It doesn’t have a sign, hardly has a web site and there is almost nothing to read about it online.

And while it has the feel of a pop up and lacks any fanfare the young team at Nudo will be here to stay (if they fancy it). Don’t be put off by the location beside the outsized Invisa holiday club at Playa Figueral, this is easily one of the current dining secrets in Ibiza.

The creativity at play is impressive, while the freshness is

second to none.

Real market-style cooking, the team, including Edo, Jessy, Jose and Frances ca all did their time at Copenhagen’s famous Noma restaurant (once voted the World’s Best), while Jose helped open sister restaurant Inua in Japan and worked for the group in Tulum, in Mexico.

“We are two Italians, a Catalán and a Guatamalan and we love to cook,” he told the Olive Press. “I was all set to wow Kyoto with the new Noma but Covid end ed that. Now we are giving Ibiza a good go.”

That was clear when out came his Scal lop carpaccio, with lemon zest, wild rose oil and local horseradish - eaten by hand!

While his amberjack ‘tiradito’, with to matillo, a Mexican spicy tomato grown for the team on the island, was an ed ucation, as was his superfresh ‘rocket koshu’.

The smoked eggplant ‘bikini’ with scamorza and miso was a dreamy sand wich worthy of the Ritz, while a fried fish taco in iceberg lettuce with a Tarragon mayonnaise made my wife admit that ‘sometimes’ she does like fish!

Simple wooden tables and a mix and match of chairs in all shapes and sizes make up the scene, while 95% of the lemmings below have not the slightest clue what they’re missing. So good was the barbecue peaches with rosemary pudding served with yoghourt ice cream, we quickly ordered the only other pudding left, a stunning chocolate torte with figs and fig jelly.

www.nudoibiza.com

CASA KICA - restaurant and store

Another new spot with a great shady gar den between San Carlos and Santa Eula lia - Casa Kica should do well.

While it initially feels like you are sitting in a furniture shop (because you actually are with everything for sale), the menu focuses on good quality local produce.

The tables are all laid out with African cushions and fans hanging from the gi ant willow tree.

The lunch menu is simple, focusing on light, cooling bites, so expect plenty of salads, such as the green papaya salad, which comes with prawns.

Then there is the ‘rainbow’ of tomatoes with tuna belly, ‘padron’ green peppers, a free range beef carpaccio with black truffle and a smoked wild salmon poke, with avocado, cucumber, soy beans and spring onions.

Lamb tacos were great for the kids, with onion confit, red cabbage and Japanese spring onions.

There are always specials of the day, in

cluding a good value ‘frita de Calamar’ which looked like a dog’s dinner but tast ed great and was gentle on the pocket at 8 euros.

@casakicaibiza

CALA XARRACA and CALA XUCLAR

These two local beach spots in the north of the island, near Sant Joan, are among the best for good value, no

nonsense dining. The former has been very unfairly slammed on Google, but has really turned things around and you get to sit right on one of the nicest beaches, perfect for rock jumping and snorkling. The menu is simple, but the fish is fresh and the hamburgers will keep the kids happy. You can’t book, but our waiter Nacho ensured we didn’t wait long and came and found us when a table came up.

For better quality food and somewhere you will definitely need to book, chiringuito Cala Xuclar is a sure fire winner.

It doesn’t have a website and you can only pay by cash, so be aware, but the creativity and quality of the food makes up for it.

WHIZ: Jose trained at Noma

NEW BROOM: Charming garden at Casa Kica, while (right) Xarraca

INCREDIBLE FIND: Chiringuito Cala Xuclar

WHERE TO STAY

For those on a bud get my advice is to head towards the north of the is land where you can find well over a dozen hos tels, agroturismos and bed and breakfasts that won’t cost more than 100 euros a night.

OD TALAMANCA

THE supercool five-star OD Hotel in Talamanca (www.od-ho tels.com) has got even better over the last year.

Aside from adding a fully-equipped gym, the hotel, which is easy walking distance to Ibiza Town, has an amazing top floor chill out bar and restaurant with some of the best views on the island.

The rooms are incredibly well appointed, hyper modern and the grounds full of cascading swimming pools. It’s stylishly built and the place where all the DJs and thosein-the-know stay.

SETTING NEW STANDARDS

THERE is nothing standard about The Standard hotel in Ibiza Town.

You can tell this place is different from the upside down name plate on the front door to the offering of a local hierbas de Ibiza spirit at reception, which at 23% almost guarantees a smile.

The colours and warmth of this American chain are immediately obvious (and it’s not just the welcome snifter), while the stylish ly-attired staff make up the palate.

Much of the reception area and atmospheric Jara restaurant next door has highly sensual artwork from Colombian artist Nicolás Villamizar, who lives in Madrid.

His erotic style gently segways into the quirky things for sale be hind the reception desk, which are best to leave to the imagina tion.

Jara is easily one of the most seductive, adventurous dining rooms on the island. Sophisticated and intimate, it counts on 50s retro chairs and sideboards paired with 70s-style banquetes.

The vanguard lighting and stunning African panelled screen guide the eye up to the raised round pit in harmony while two circular recessed lightwells break up the ceiling.

A clever use of tropical plants breaks up the sections while a cocktail bar and handsome mixologist in a Panama hat makes up the scene.

Outside are a dozen tables for those aching for more classic peo ple-watching (and Ibiza town gets no better on that front).

We are here on a Monday and it’s African music night and with other live music events on Sundays and Thursdays this shows a team not just in touch with the Ibiza vibe, but also trying to en gage with its local envions.

It is clear through dinner that many local people not staying in the hotel come in for a drink to enjoy the music. Being inclusive like this has got to work for them in the long run.

Rooftop

Food-wisde the menu was a fairly standard trawl through the Spanish national scene.

I particularly loved the scallops from Galicia (zamborinas) served with dollops of butter, pesto and watercress, while the crispy duck rolls were delicious with a cherry mustard sauce. We didn’t eat much as we also wanted to check out the much-talk ed about rooftop terrace UP and also try the food there.

But dining aside, this is one place anyone visiting Ibiza town MUST visit this Autumn.

Wow, wow, wow. The rooftop pool (above) is incredible and this wonderfully designed space with its cleverly planted mix of gaura, citrus trees and Australian bottle brush, will be a reference for years to come I’m sure.

The cream glazed ceramic pots, unfussy rattan chairs and cal ico-fringed parasols with their ambient solar lights create the relaxed mood.

TWO excellent good value options are Hotel Ses Arcades, just outside Sant Joan and Apartamentos Aguas Blancas, in Sant Carles.

Ses Arcades has a great restaurant downstairs and while it sits by the main road you walk out into lovely countryside behind it and the rooms are quiet with air conditioning, a huge bonus in the stickiness of the summer.

In contrast, Aguas Blancas (above), sits on its own on an amazing promontory, surrounded by pine trees, overlooking a bay south of Cala San Vicente and out towards Tagomago island. This collection of low rise buildings counts on a dozen apartments, most with two bedrooms and all with their own private balconies with sea views.

They are excellent value and are well appointed with all the mod cons one might hope for, plus you are just a five minute walk to the beach and the laid back, hip Aguas Blancas Chiringuito, which counts on one of the loveliest evening Mojitos on the island.

www.apartamentosaguasblancas.es & www.sesarcades.com

While light, the menu was creative enough with a great super fresh guacamole with wholemeal nachos, while a toasted taco, with spicy prawn and red cabbage and spring onion, at just 6 euros was a steal.

We watched the sun set and then the moon rise over Ibiza town’s haunting skyline as jets and airlines swooped down to the nearby airport. There is little more to add, except to stress

that the rooms certainly did not let us down. While anything but grand our Su preme King bedroom had a hip chaise longue with bright cushions, excellent products and a superb bed. We slept like babies.

www.standardhotels.com

Getting there

GETTING to Ibiza from mainland Spain is great value in the autumn!

You can fly direct from Malaga, Barcelona, Madrid and Alicante airports from as little as €55 before booking in a bag using either Ryanair or Vueling. But bear in mind, hire cars can be costly so a far better way to get there is via the fast ferry from Denia, or the slower one from Valencia, which only takes two hours and costs from a similar price with a car.

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You’re nicked

A few too many

A DRIVER seven times over the legal limit was so drunk he had to be breath tested on his back.

The man was driving a truck near Agoncillo where he registered 1.16 milligrams per litre.

High alert

PET owners are on high alert after a spate of re cent dog thefts across Spain.

Dogs are being stolen by criminal gangs for use in hunting or illegal dog fights, according to police.

Dog commute

RENFE has put on sale its first tickets allowing passengers to travel with dogs of up to 40kg. The tickets were offered on September 13, but is only a three-month trial for AVE trains between Barcelona and Madrid.

FLYING COMEBACK

Missing Osprey lands on Galicia beach after hitching a lift

A CLOSELY monitored Osprey has landed on the shores of Spain after it vanished out at sea for more than two days Worried trackers thought he had met a watery grave but then he reappeared on their screens after hitching a lift on two ships.

Its sudden appearance on the shores of Galicia triggered many questions from UK group Conservation Without Borders, who were tracking the bird’s route after it left the tip

By Anthony Piovesan

of Cornwall on September 10.

The bird of prey, named Glen, was presumed dead until it then appeared on a small out crop of rock off the tip of Gali cia after it went off radar for an ‘unusually long time’.

Conservation Without Borders chief executive and United Na tion Convention of Migratory Species ambassador Sacha Dench said she was surprised

BUTT OF THE JOKE

FLOODING which hit Benidorm may have been serious to mostbut for one Brit tourist it was an opportunity for some naked fun.

In a video posted online by Benidorm.MemeSh*t a man is stark naked rolling in a giant pud dle.

All is revealed when he stands up

to see the alert, but was ‘even more shocked’ after discover ing how Glen made it to land. “Glen took off in a pretty strong head wind coming from the

before he pulls his shorts back up. He was later the butt of some crit icism, with one woman comment ing: “I am sure that he would not do that in his country.”

But not everything was fun on the night of September 18, Alicante firefighters carried out 32 inter ventions due to the heavy rain.

north west so after two days we thought he probably didn’t stand a chance,” she told the Olive Press.

“But then at 10pm on Sep tember 13 we got a ping from him and on the radar you will notice there are many straight lines and a 90 degree angle”. Dench said Glen had first been blown off course, and the ex hausted bird then spotted a fishing vessel to land on. Glen then swapped over to a large shipping container when it realised it was headed in the wrong direction, before even tually taking flight and discov ering land.

NATIONAL police officers captured a 2.5 metre VUL TURE after it was spotted by several tourists in Mar bella’s luxury marina Puer to Banus.

The two officers were advised by specialists to use their pa trol car to take the carrion bird into the nearby Sierra de las Nieves natural park.

So they ‘arrested’ the vul ture and put it in the back passenger seat of their pa trol car and gave it a lift ‘home’.

On arrival at a suitable spot the bird was in no hurry to leave - officers had to hang around for 10 minutes be fore it finally stretched its wings and flapped away.

FREEDOM: Bird’s release