Olive Press Mallorca Issue 163

O P LIVE RESS The MALLORCA

FOUR BRITISH tourists and a Swede have been fined a massive €180,000 for the dangerous practice of ‘balconing’ at Magaluf hotels so far this summer.

The Calvia Policia Local has identified the perpetrators who put their lives on the line - often under the influence of alcohol and drugs - by clambering and leaping between hotel balconies. Each of the five people punished have been fined €36,000. They were also ordered immediately to find somewhere else to stay in compliance with the regional law to curb tourist excesses.

Calvia City Council’s Juan Feliu, said the penalties are a ‘powerful deterrent’.

Death

“Balconing is not tolerable. It is an irresponsible practice that can cause serious injuries and even death,” said Feliu.

The council is seeking to change the area’s tourist image and has introduced a zero-tolerance policy towards balconing with police patrols looking out for offenders.

The latest incident took place at 6am on Monday when a tourist jumped from one balcony to another.

He was hit with an immediate big fine and expelled from his hotel. There have been no balconing fatalities so far this summer but the council admits it’s a situation that they it fully control.

Calvia’s mayor has recently me the British consul to its determination to stamp out bad behaviour.

story of how paralysed expat and his carer fell for each other and had a child

EXCLUSIVE

By Laurence Dollimore

A BRITISH paraplegic has had a ‘miracle’ baby with the local Spanish beauty who nursed him back to health.

Expat Aaron Salter, 30, was paralysed from the waist down following a horror car crash in Plymouth in 2015, breaking his spine in multiple places.

He immediately froze his sperm, hoping that one day he would meet the woman of his dreams and be able to start a family.

After 18 months in hospital, he was able to return to Spain and stayed with his father Les Salter, 72, in the quaint village of Salinas in Valencia. However he took a turn

for the worse and developed sores, leaving him practically bed-ridden for nine months.

It was then that local stunner Estrella Garrido, now 36, began managing his care.

“I had always known of her and she was amazing with liaising with the town hall and other authorities on my behalf,” Aaron told the Olive Press.

“She started caring for me and our feelings for each other just grew and grew, and here we are.”

He added: “The support from the town has been so overwhelming, there’s been so much love shown to me.

Clinic

“I never knew if I was going to be a dad but I froze my sperm just in case.

“We did IVF treatment at a clinic in Alicante, it was much cheaper than the UK and it worked the first time thank god!”

The happy couple welcomed their daughter, also named Estrella, into the world almost exactly a year ago. The entire local village held a street party last week to celebrate the tot's first birthday.

Granddad Les told the Olive Press :

“I was amazed to hear Estrella was pregnant, I was so proud of him, it has made me feel touched.

“He had his life in front of him and we were setting him up with our kennels business and that was all taken away in an instant. To know

he has a lovely lady that loves and cares for him, and now a family, that’s lovely for me.”

Les and an eightyear-old Aaron had moved to Spain in 2001 following the death of his wife to cancer. He set up a kennels business in Sax, near Salinas, and began transporting dogs from Spain to the UK for adoption.

Aaron and two others were delivdidn’t and he was given a suspended sentence.”

ering pups on his 22nd birthday when they all fell asleep while driving the company van through Plymouth, veering off a motorway and colliding with a tree. His father explained: “His best friend Miguel was driving and they wanted to imprison him for two years, but Aaron insisted they

Aaron is currently locked in a years-long legal battle against the insurance company, with a decision on a multi-million euro payout expected imminently.

He added: “Aaron’s been through the ringer. I think the next step will be marriage but Aaron is waiting to see the outcome of the court case.

“He had to go through years of treatment and specialists and the payout has been compiled by our lawyers into a valuation of around £7.8 million.

“We’re not looking to make money, we just want to make sure that Aaron can afford treatment for the rest of his life, including a £7,000 wheelchair and prosthetic legs which are costly.”

Although in our first exclusive serialisation of a brilliant new book on Spain, Paul Richardson recalls his regular August battles against heat and

THEN: Aaron after the horror smash

NOW: Aaron happy with family while (below) after the horror crash

PARTY: Whole village celebrated

Dirty tourists

RAGING Mallorca residents are complaining about tourists swimming in and defecating near two of the island’s reservoirs, with fears expressed that their drinking water may be polluted.

Water ban

RESIDENTS in Esporles have been banned from using drinking water to water plants, fill pools or clean patios and paths due to the severe drought in the town.

Wormhole

A TEAM led by the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB) has discovered two new species of worm in an isolated Mallorca cave.

Busy nights

HOTELS in the Balearic Islands recorded a bumper 10.5 million overnight stays in July according to figures from the National Institute of Statistics, with 9.5 million of the stays coming from foreign tourists.

A DUTCHMAN who brutally assaulted a German tourist by kicking him in the head has been arrested in Llucmajor.

The 26-year-old is said to have attacked a 52-year-old German man who was casually walking in the street. Without saying a word, the assailant allegedly pushed him to the ground, after

Dutch courage

which he repeatedly kicked his head, leaving him unconscious.

A rapid police intervention stopped the Dutchman from continuing his violent aggression, leading to his arrest.

The German tourist remained unconscious on the ground until an ambulance arrived to take him to a nearby hospital.

“We don’t believe the attacker and the victim knew each other, so the first hypothesis is that the assault was triggered by alcohol consumption,” a Guardia Civil spokesman told the Olive Press.

Firebug fireman

Drone catches firefighter turned arsonist

A DISGRUNTLED sacked firefighter has been accused of starting seven fires in the Selva and Caimari areas of Mallorca after he was caught out by a drone. The man, 61, caused ‘great alarm’ to local residents after blazes started on farmland and woodland areas, with authorities clear from the start that they were

By Alex Trelinski

dealing with an arsonist. The Guardia Civil had their sights on the man for over a fortnight and recently took a statement from him to find out why he always happened to call emergency services about the fires breaking out.

BRIT BRAWL

A BRITISH man has been arrested for being the ‘main instigator’ of a violent street brawl in Magaluf.

Two groups of people traded blows in the early hours in Punta Ballena after a heavy night of partying, with the vast majority of them said by authorities to be under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

The 29-year-old detainee has been accused of causing injury, fighting in the street, and serious disobedience.

DRUGGIE

A YOUNG Englishman who was carrying drugs on a plane from Birmingman to Spain has been arrested at Ibiza airport.

Police have told the Olive Press that they got a call from the plane saying that there was a conflictive passenger on board.

“We were alerted that a British man in his 20s was misbehaving on the flight. It is likely he was under the influence of drugs,” a Guardia Civil spokesman told the Olive Press.

Officers entered the plane as soon as it landed on the island and found the Englishman was carrying 25g of cocaine and 37g of ketamine.

Tourist stabbed

On August 14, fire crews were alerted to a blaze that had started in Caimari. The proximity of the fire to several properties forced the Selva Policia Local and Guardia Civil to

evacuate the occupants. What the arsonist did not know was that his actions were being monitored by a drone and a large police cordon was set up to arrest him. The drone recorded the exact moment when he struck on a farm and tried to escape on a motorcycle.

When he was detained, he was said to be seriously drunk and in possession of several lighters and accelerants.

The man had worked for the Ibanat brigade specialising in forest and land fires but was dismissed for undisclosed reasons and became a bricklayer.

A middle-aged German tourist was stabbed twice in the early hours of Wednesday by a group of six young men in Playa de Palma.

Police are investigating the incident that happened close to a nightclub where the victim had been for a number of hours. He was said to have been under the influence of alcohol and had valuables and money taken, but managed to cling onto his phone, which he used to call for help.

The man suffered injuries to his abdomen and one of his hands.

CALLED OUT: To extinguish fires started by former colleague

PRINCESS Leonor has put away her designer clothes and pulled on an army uniform. Her mother and father, King Felipe and Queen Letizia, along with sister Sofia, accompanied the future commander-in-chief of Spain’s armed forces as she enrolled at the Army Military Academy in Zaragoza. their goodbyes with fond embracPrincess of Asturias admitting to reporters she was feeling ‘a little nervous’ but was embracing the year with ‘great enthusiasm’.

The 17-year-old’s three-year training will include this academic year at the Army academy, followed by a year each at naval school and the General Air Academy.

Angela Raver

BRITISH politician An-

gela Rayner has boasted of enjoying 12-hour vodka-fuelled ‘rave’ sessions during her very recent holiday to Spain.

The deputy leader of the Labour Party, 43, said she returned from the country last week, where she had been drinking from mid-afternoon to sunrise with just the occasional glass of

Labour deputy leader is just one of the girls as she admits to boozy Spanish break

By Laurence Dollimore

Sizzling Eva

PARTY ANIMAL: Rayner bragged about her rave with women young enough to be her granddaughters

water.

The Mancunian was speaking to comedian Matt Forde at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

She said: “The girls I was raving with are half my age, and I was like ‘I'm a grandma’. I was proud of

SUMMER BABY

A Zoo in Jerez has welcomed a new European Bison calf.

The birth of the female at Zoobotanico is being described as an important step in maintaining the species’ genetic diversity. A hundred years ago they were extinct in the wild, with just 50 specimens in zoos. Now 6,200 out of the present day population of 8,500 live in the wild after breeding and reintroduction campaigns.

that.

“At 4pm I started, and I got home at six o'clock in the morning when the sun was shining and I was like, 'Yes, I can do it'.”

She insisted that she did not have ‘chemical support’ to party all night, relying solely on vodka.

“You've got to go with the music, the vibes. You've got to be in the moment and it takes you,’ she said.

Forde added: “That really sounds like you've done drugs. That's the druggiest answer I've ever heard.”

Rayner revealed she likes to make her friends her own ‘lethal’ cocktail called Venom, consisting of a bottle of vodka, a bottle of Southern Comfort, 10 bottles of Blue WKD and a litre of orange juice.

She said: “If you're ever having a crowd of you at home get that out and everyone will have a good time.

“I invited my two youngest kids’ headteacher from primary school and he had to take his wife home because she’d had some Venom.”

AS temperatures in Marbella moved into the 40s, Eva Longoria slipped into a sizzling-hot bikini to cool down. The 48-year-old actress was on one of her regular breaks in the Costa del Sol city. With weather warnings on red alert at the time, she decide to take to her pool at Villa Marusha. She has been posting regular updates to Instagram of her break. In the latest, Eva showed off her enviable figure after taking a swim wearing a tiny bikini in olive green.

In the army now Major boob

FORMER EastEnders

star Daniella Westbrook has been interrogated by armed police in Ibiza over an unpaid €37 petrol bill from five years ago.

The 49-year-old actress’s plans for a relaxing break after her eighth boob job were ruined when airport po lice realised there was an out standing denuncia against her. Westbrook had been arrested in Malaga in 2018 and detained for 14 hours over a driving offence and was convicted that same year for failing to pay for €37 of petrol. She will now have to return to Spain for a Malaga court hearing to resolve the issue, which she says she has been trying to do for five years.

IN UNIFORM: A last embrace for Leonor from mum Letizia

Cooling down No guiris

A TOUCH of autumn will hit the Balearic Islands this Sunday with a big fall in temperatures and possible heavy storms.

Temperatures have sizzled up to 38C in the last week in the centre of Mallorca with some areas enduring uncomfortable overnight lows of 27C. Saturday will show highs falling to 34C before a cold front is predicted to arrive on Sunday afternoon, slashing temperatures down to a far more pleasant maximum of 27C.

LEFT FOR DEAD

British ex-copper ‘repeatedly ran over by neighbour’ in brutal ‘attempted murder’

A RETIRED Royal Navy commando has miraculously survived being run over FOUR times by a ‘neighbour from hell’ in Spain. David James, 80, was savagely attacked by a fellow Brit on his doorstep in the picturesque hills of La Viñuela, Malaga.

Call to action

A PETITION to see bullfighting in Inca banned for its ‘cruelty, torment and disgrace’ is getting nearer its target.

Addressed to Inca mayor Virgilio Moreno Sarrio, it urges him to cancel an upcoming bullfight on September 10 and ‘ban bullfighting forever.’

It lists some of the agonies the bulls go through prior to the event as having needles shoved into their testicles and being beaten in the groin with sandbags.

Other practices allegedly include smearing their eyes with petroleum jelly to blur their vision, depriving them of food and water for days and rubbing caustic substances into their skin. The petition currently needs only a further 304 signatures to hit its target of 2,500 and can be found on change.org by searching end bullfighting in Inca now.

EXCLUSIVE

By Laurence Dollimore

The suspect, in his early 70s, a retired councillor from northern England, has been charged with attempted murder and is being held in prison awaiting trial. He also faces a string of other charges after three others were injured in the incident, court documents seen by this paper have confirmed.

“I really thought I was a goner,” David, who is also a former policeman, told the Olive Press from his hospital bed this week,adding : “I’ve lost all my teeth, fractured my pelvis and ribs and fractured multiple bones in my face, I’m lucky to be alive.”

The shocking incident occurred when great-grandfather-of-one David, his wife and their friends were returning from a lunch party to his stunning villa in the Mirador del Embalse development.

It was then, according to David, that his next door neighbour’s wife came running out of their driveway in hysterics. “She shouted ‘he’s going to kill me, he’s going to kill me’,” David recalled while nursing his arm, which still carries a

tyre mark from being crushed by the vehicle.

The neighbour, initials D.B, then emerged from his driveway ‘visibly highly intoxicated’, it is claimed. Fearing he was going to drive, David and another resident blocked off the end of the road with their cars. The neighbour began furiously driving up and down the road while beeping his horn, claimed David. The alleged attacker finally came to a halt, at which point David decided to approach him to take the keys out of the ignition. David said: “I then heard his engine rev and I knew what was going to happen, he came at me at full speed and knocked me against the wall. “I smashed my head and I thought I was a goner. Then he reversed over me, before running me over for a third time, this time on my arm, before reversing over me one more time. It was like something out of a Hollywood movie.” Neighbours and holidaymakers eventually managed to drag David onto his driveway and behind its access gate. “He got out of his car and

WORLD CUP SPECIAL

Stain on victory

Spanish football boss’ forcible kiss on his country’s top scorer - and general obnoxious antics - triggers sexism storm of controversy after World Cup victory

FRESH from basking in the glow of their first ever Women’s World Cup, a sexism storm is brewing in Spanish football - triggered by an unwelcome kiss from its federation chief. Luis Rubiales, the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, grabbed the head of Spain’s top scorer Jenni Hermoso and forcibly planted a kiss on her lips as she collected her winner’s medal.

Grinning with a self-satisfied smirk, he then followed her into the locker room and joked about marrying her and whisking her away on a boat to Ibiza. Just moments earlier, the boss of Spanish football had celebrated the women’s victory by aggressively grabbing his crotch - while standing next to Queen Letizia and 16-year-old Infanta Sofia.

During a live Instagram broadcast in the dressing room after the game Hermoso was heard saying of the incident: “What was I supposed to do?!” and: “I didn’t like it…”

Rubiales had initially shrugged off the criticism he faced, describing those who took office to his ‘public show of affection’ as ‘idiots’, ‘stupid’, ‘fools’ and

By Walter Finch

‘losers’ before summing it all up as ‘bulls**t’.

But as the pressure mounted he filmed a much-derided mea culpa, saying: “I have to apologise, there’s no other option, is there?”

Hermoso was reported

Comments attributed to her by the football federation - claiming that it was a ‘spontaneous mutual gesture’ between two people who have ‘a great relationship’ - have also been reported as fabricated.

Rubiales’

SMACKER: But kiss was unwelcome

antics have set off a firestorm of condemnation within Spain that had already been simmering in the background.

“What we saw was unacceptable and Rubiales’ apologies are insufficient and even inadequate,” acting prime minister Pedro Sanchez said.

SPAIN’S World Cup hero was brought crashing down to earth with the news that her father had passed away before the final and did not see his daughter’s moment of glory.

Olga Carmona, 23, scored what turned out to be the winning goal against England in the 29th minute in Sydney to earn Spain their first ever Women’s World Cup.

But in the most bittersweet tale of triumph and tragedy, the mother of the Sevilliana waited until her

tried to stab me with a pole,” David, a grandfather-of-five, added. “It was terrifying.”

The suspect has lived on the urbanisation for at least a decade and has inflicted a ‘years-long reign of terror’ on neighbours, witnesses told the Olive Press.

David said he filed a denuncia’ - a formal police complaintagainst him 18 months ago after he allegedly tried to attack him with an axe. The dispute was settled out of court as David’s wife had just been diagnosed with cancer and the family had no appetite for a legal battle. She also suffers from dementia. The Guardia Civil has been contacted for a comment.

FED-UP locals are putting up fake signs declaring beaches and beauty spots closed in a bid to keep out tourists, it has emerged. In the latest ‘anti-tourism’ campaign, posters in Mallorca warn in English that beaches are closed or dangerous due to jellyfish, rock falls and contaminated water.

At the bottom of one of the posters, it reads in Catalan: “Beach open, there are no jellyfish nor guiris.”

Guiri is an often derogatory word used by the Spanish to denote British tourists or expats.

The posters have been seen from Cala Morlanda to Cala Bota in Manacor.

On a poster warning about supposed landslides, it reads in Catalan at the bottom: “Enter, the danger is not from landslides, it is from overcrowding.”

BODY MYSTERY

THE body of a woman in her 50s was found floating in the waters at the mouth of Port Adriano on Wednesday morning.

She was wearing a bikini and the Guardia Civil in Calvia have as yet been unable to identify her.

Sunglasses that could have belonged to the woman were discovered on a nearby beach with early indications suggesting that she died of nat- ural causes.

BOUNCING QUEEN

THE Queen of Spain abandoned royal decorum to join in the moment of ecstasy with the victorious women’s football team - and bounced along in celebration. After the final whistle blew on Spain’s tense victory and all the emotion was released, Queen Letizia and her daughter Sofia, 16, were welcomed onto the pitch by the players.

After the team celebrated lifting the trophy, the stadium implored the queen to ‘bounce’ along with them as the players joyfully danced around her. And Letizia, clad in all red to match La Roja, did not disappoint, letting herself get carried away in the moment and fist pumping the air as she jumped up and down.

Bittersweet symphony

daughter had lifted the World Cup before breaking the news. He had died in the early hours of Saturday morning, over 24 hours before the final, but the family had not wanted to ruin the Real Madrid striker’s focus with the news beforehand.

Once the euphoria and sadness had passed, Carmona took to X,

formerly known as Twitter, to post a touching tribute to her father.

“Little did I know, I had my Star before the match even began. I know you gave me the strength to achieve something unique,” she wrote.

“I know you watched me tonight and you're proud of me. Rest in peace, Dad,” Olga wrote on her social media.

RECOVERING: David in hospital after his horrifying ordeal

TRAGIC WINNER: Olga scored the only goal

PROTEST: Previously held in Mallorca against bullfights

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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

What a trooper!

EX-NAVY commando David James’s recovery after allegedly being run over four times by his neighbour in Malaga is nothing short of a miracle (Left for dead, page 4).

But what is more concerning is how this ‘neighbour from hell’ has seemingly been allowed to act with impunity for years without any repercussions from the authorities.

He had already allegedly tried to attack 80-year-old David with an axe just 18 months ago, and a slew of complaints from other residents seem to have resulted in zero action.

The case is yet another example of how slow the wheels of justice can move in Spain.

Thank goodness the alleged attacker has been locked up and will remain behind bars until his trial - in what looks set to be an open and shut case given the overwhelming evidence.

We wish David a speedy recovery and hope that justice is duly served.

Good news, at last

THE endless stories of crime and misfortune on the in Spain are too many to count.

That is why stories like that of Aaron Salter, who has celebrated his daughter’s first birthday eight years after he was left paralysed by a horror car crash are so welcome (Miracle baby, page 1).

Aaron has really been through the ringer, as his 72-year-old father Les put it, and it is wonderful to see how he has made a full life for himself in the years after his horrific injuries.

Just as wonderful is the loving support and backing he has received from the Spanish village where he grew up.

Reminders that the Spanish and British can - and do - get on and foster strong relationships are more important than ever post-Brexit. Aaron’s story should serve as an inspiration to all.

PUBLISHER / EDITOR

Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es

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John Culatto

ADMIN Victoria Humenyuk

Makarova (+34) 951 273 575 admin@theolivepress.es

LOST Biting back

SPAIN'S new animal welfare law comes into effect in September and you’d better start saving! In just a few weeks you are going to need to get all your pets microchipped,

not to mention jabbed and sterilised.

From September 29, all dog owners will need third party liability insurance, while cat owners will need to ensure their pets are unable to breed.

There will also be a ban on keeping pets permanently on balconies and terraces.

The law applies to both domestic and captive wild animals, but controversially excludes dogs used for hunting or other professional activities such as search and rescue dogs and those operating with law enforcement.

It also excludes horses and bulls killed during bullfights.

The main objective is to guarantee animal welfare and protection, and to establish a common legal framework throughout Spain to reduce the number of abandoned animals.

In particular, cats will need to be sterilised before six months old, unless they are specifically registered for breeding.

Owners will be expected to 'integrate pets into the family nucleus', prevent uncontrolled reproduction and will be required to complete a training course on responsible pet ownership. For now, at least, it will be both online and free.

Breeding may also only be carried out by the animal’s owner and pets must be identified with a microchip.

The law prohibits dog fights, leaving pets unsupervised for more than three days (in the case of dogs for no longer than 24 hours) and regularly keeping pets in outside spaces, storage rooms, basements or vehicles.

One of the biggest changes will be that cats, dogs and ferrets will not be allowed to be sold in pet shops.

They will also not be permitted to be exhibited in public for commercial purposes - meaning no window displays of animals at pet shops - which will be classified as a very serious offence. These animals may only be marketed by registered breeders.

Circuses will no longer be allowed to keep elephants, tigers or lions, although dolphin shows at water parks are not affected, for now.

Those who do not comply with identification obligations, are violent to pets and/or mutilate or carry out unauthorised bodily modifications (ear clipping or tail docking) will be subject to the full weight of the law.

Fines for violations will range from €500 to €200,000, depending on the severity of the offence.

THE Civil War might have been over, but in August 1948, 75 years ago this week, the 200 residents of a tiny white village became what could be described as casualties of war. When right wing dictator Franco’s forces won in 1939 they still had to contend with uprisings - and they did so with great ferocity.

Frigiliana, perched in the mountains above Nerja on Andalucia’s Costa del Sol, was declared Republican in 1936, only to fall to the fascists the following year.

Anyone suspected of supporting the left wing movement came into the sights of Franco’s forces, who took bloody revenge. The village and its near neighbour El Acebuchal - today in the heart of the soaring Sierra Tejeda natural park - found themselves on the frontline of a guerilla war and were caught in the crossfire. Following the end of the Civil War, left wing sympathisers had taken to the mountains and formed a guerilla force

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BRITS have long mocked Germans for going to extreme lengths to ‘reserve’ the best spots by the pool but now the tables have been turned.

In a famous Carling Black Label advert from 1993 a gang of middle aged Germans are seen getting wake up calls from hotel reception at 6.30am before making a dash for the sunbeds by the pool.

The ‘hero’ of the ad is a Brit who calmly watches the mad rush from his balcony before throwing a rolled up towel, which, to the theme of The Dambusters , skips across the water of the pool before scoring a bullseye on a sunbed, unfurling to reveal it as a Union Jack.

It was the epitome of the ‘Cool Britan -

RESTORED: The streets of El Acebuchal today and (right) some of the expelled villagers

BRITS ON THE OFFENSIVE

UK holidaymakers turn tables on Germans in sunbed wars but who is the bad guy here?

nia’ theme that had taken over the UK in the 90s. But now, that ice-cool sangfroid has seemingly been replaced by the British love of queuing. Apparently getting up at 6.30am to join the queue is no longer enough, with some Brits reserving places for a queue to join the queue outside the locked poolside gates the night before.

And this has not gone unnoticed by the German press, which has been gleeful

in putting the boot on the other foot.

German website Focus Online said it was mainly ‘elderly or middle-aged British tourists’ responsible. Its article continued: “Vacationers like to reserve loungers by the pool or on the beach with their towels. Some hotels then closed the doors to the outside overnight.”

Tabloid Bild joined in the fun with a story headlined Battle for the couches escalates blasting Brits for an ‘embarrassing

How a village abandoned on fascist orders 75 years ago was resurrected, writes Dilip Kuner

BE WARNED: Spain's new animal welfare laws come into force in September… and it does have teeth with fines from €500, explains Dilip Kuner

roperty

OUTDOOR LIFE

How to lead that Spanish lifestyle to the full

See page 10

MOVE OVER GRANDAD

THE average international buyer of Spanish property has begun to trend downwards in age profile, according to the latest data.

While there are still plenty of Brits, Germans, French and Belgians coming in to hand over their cash, gone are the days of them being entirely high-income, near-retirement couples. The typical profile of foreign buyers used to be people between 50 and 60 years old, married with children, with a high level of education and an income of more than €60,000.

By Walter Finch

But now a report from Union de Creditos Inmobiliarios (UCI) claims that the prevailing trend among international buyers indicates the new sheriffs in town are a younger, less financially comfortable demographic. These young upstarts (between 30 and 40) have been capitalising on the freedom afforded by the digital nomad lifestyle to invest in Spanish property.

UCI's analysis shows that the Covid

pandemic unleashed the genie of the home office and flexible working, which has seen a surge in younger buyers drawn by this way of working. Thus they can fulfil the dream of spending extended periods on the Spanish coasts without waiting until they are grey and wrinkly.

As the Olive Press has reported recently, buyers from the United States have also surged onto the scene, according

to UCI.

Despite the fact that interest rates on mortgages for non-residents are invariably higher compared to those offered to residents, the market continues to witness a surge in demand from international buyers. The numbers are underlined by a dramatic 45% surge in foreign property purchases in 2022, totaling 88,800 transactions.

This data from the College of Registrars paints an optimistic picture for 2023, with the first quarter already seeing 23,380 transactions by foreigners.

The maximum financing percentage hovers around 70% of the property's valuation with an amortisation period of around 30 years.

Spain's attractiveness, enviable quality of life, profitability, and its status as a stable safe haven for investments have not, it seems, been dented by the upward trajectory of interest rates.

OLD TO NEW: how unwanted buildings have been given a new lease of life See page 12

COSTLY CITIES

MALAGA and Granada have been named among Spain’s most expensive 10 cities to live in.

According to a study they rank sixth and 10th respectively.

The website Kelisto analysed a total of 17 factors, including the prices of renting and buying, utility bills, public transport, food and activities such as cinema or a night at the pub

It found the cost of living in Granada is 8% higher than the national average, while Malaga’s is slightly over 5%.

At the same time average household income in Granada and Malaga is 14% and 12% less than Spain’s average. Meanwhile, Malaga is one of the most expensive cities in Spain, with properties averaging €260,000, over 41% more than the country’s average.

And the Costa del Sol’s capital ranks sixth in the rental table, with flats averaging €1,260 a month.

The study, which analysed 50 provincial capitals, placed San Sebastian, in the Basque Country, as Spain’s most expensive city.

Lugo, in Galicia, meanwhile has the lowest cost of living.

Jaen is the least expensive city in Andalucia, ranking 37th overall, followed by Huelva (31st).

NO EFFECT Mark Stucklin www.spanishpropertyinsight.com

THE recent General Election delivered a hung parliament in Madrid that won’t have much of an impact on the property market in a country where regional governments decide housing policy. Despite a thumping victory in local and regional elections in May, right-wing parties failed to win power in the General Election. The centre-right Popular Party (PP) party won the most votes and seats in parliament, but fell far

Political stalemate doesn’t matter when it comes to the property market

short of an overall majority, even in coalition with the Vox party further to its right. Ironically, the result has left the key to Spain’s government in the hands of Carles Puigdemont, a Catalan nationalist currently residing in Waterloo, Belgium, wanted by the Spanish State for his part in Catalunya’s illegal referendum and unilateral de -

HOUSING MARKET IMPLICATIONS

claration of independence from Spain. The Gods are mischievous indeed. In the end, the results were a fair reflection of the Spanish electorate. Around two thirds voted for the centre-right and centre-left, 25% voted for the far-right or farleft, and the remaining 10% voted for nationalists of different ideological stripes in restive regions like Catalunya and the Basque country. Having burnt their bridges with the regional-nationalists who hold the key to power, the PP has no hope of forming a government. Only the Socialists under the current President Pedro Sanchez have any chance of stitching together a parliamentary majority. They might not manage it on the first attempt, so a repeat General Election after the summer is highly likely. But one way or another, Sanchez will remain as president of a left-wing coalition supported by regional parties that local pundits call a ‘Frankenstein’ government. It doesn’t look like it will be an easy ride.

In Spain, housing and planning policy is largely devolved to the autonomous regions, over which the government in Madrid has little say. The rental market is a different story. Madrid set’s the legal framework for the rental market, which it did in May with a new Spanish Housing Law that favours tenants and squatters at the expense of owners and landlords.

As a consequence of this law, the supply of long-term rental homes on the market in cities like Barcelona and Madrid has plunged from 80% to 20% in the space of a few months. This is a disaster for local families who cannot afford to buy, and need a place to rent longterm, but doesn’t affect foreigners buying a home or holiday-home in Spain.

The government influences the way Spain is perceived abroad

The government in Madrid also influences the way Spain is perceived abroad as a place to invest. It is likely that the next government will be even more dependent on small extremist parties, which might not be a great look.

The political uncertainty isn’t helpful for the economy, which ultimately influences the housing market, but the economy seems to be ticking along okay for now.

Otherwise it doesn’t really matter who wins the General Election if you own or plan to buy a home or holiday home in Spain. The local and regional governments matter more.

ONLY CHANCE: Pedro Sanchez may hang on as PM

Back to life

A CEMETERY is getting set for a new lease of life thanks to a stunning new €3 million design project.

The Begona cemetery, in Bilbao, is to become an urban garden and heritage space, after a mass grave was unearthed with thousands of victims from the Spanish Civil War.

The companies chosen to undertake the project are LOLA Landscape Architects and IWA Design Studio. Together they won a competition which challenged architects to transform the cemetery into an urban garden for the community, and is set to reopen in 2025.

They plan to utilise the existing heritage and objects found on site and relocate, reuse or rehabilitate tombstones.

A 2,200 sqm central garden and a 3700 sqm botanical garden will be added, using gravel and fragments found from the original cemetery. The main entrance will become a ‘memorial for the victims found in the mass graves’.

SPAIN is the second best country in Europe to retire to, with only Portugal ranked higher, according to a study by internet portal Moving to Spain.

This takes into account cost of living, health care, property prices, sunshine hours, blue flags, global peace scores and the percentage of people aged 65 and above. With a staggering score of

7.31/10 it matches Italy’s score and closely follows Portugal’s 7.83. Among the 37 countries examined, Spain is in the top half for seven out of nine factors, only falling below on the population of over 65’s and the Global peace index. In five factors, however, Spain did remarkably well and picked up a top 10 spot. The biggest attractions are by far the

Empty nests

beaches and appealing weather. Spain basks in 2,555 hours of sun - over 1/4 of the year - while it has more blue flag beaches than anywhere else.

Spain also has the second highest life expectancy in Europe at a notable 83 years, trailing only behind Switzerland.

Excellent and affordable healthcare are to thank for this achievement.

SILVER MEDAL FOR RETIREMENT Better than expected

Homesalesmaybedown-butthefigures aresurprisinglygoodgivenhighinterest rates,insistexperts

By Alex Trelinski

INTEREST rate rises have slowed down Spain’s real estate market this year.

There has been a near 5% drop in the number of sales in the first half of 2023.

According to official figures, 315,783 homes were sold between January and June - 4.5% fewer than in 2022. However, experts still describe the sales figures as ‘good’ or ‘better than expected’, particularly as Spain experienced a post-covid property boom in 2021 and 2022.

The number of sales are actually in line with those seen in 2008.

“With such a big rise in the Euribor of four points in a year, to be

talking of sales decreases of less than 10% is much better than we predicted five months ago,” said Jose Maria Alfaro, president of the Federation of Real Estate Associations (FAI).

He predicted however there will be a nearly 10% annual fall by the end of the year.

“On top of that agents are getting a third of the inquiries of a year ago,” he added. “However it’s not that properties are not selling, it is just taking longer.

“If last year it took 30 days to sell, now it is taking 60 days.”

Javier Kindelan, head of the CBRE consultancy, believes the decline will be much greater, despite agree-

ing the first half of the year was strong.

“Sales will be cut by around 24% by the end of the year,” he predicted. “The market has behaved better than expected so far, but we expect increased interest rates to have a greater impact in slowing sales later this year,” he added. Their predictions are based on notary figures from the end of June that show an annual 12.9% drop in deals for the second quarter of the year.

CRUCIAL NETWORKING

RENOWNED real estate mogul Mauricio Umansky, founder of The Agency, has made a high-profile visit to Palma de Mallorca. He was here to engage with The Agency’s Mallorca franchise led

by Managing Partner Alby Euesden and explore some of the most exclusive properties on the stunning Mediterranean island. The visit, filled with luxury, networking, and discussions about the future of real estate, cap-

tured the attention of both industry insiders and eager onlookers.

Umansky’s visit was kicked off with a helicopter landing, setting down in one of the most exclusive villas in Son Vida, the Beverly Hills of Mallorca.

A few of the top luxury homes were visited here including Solitaire Villa, the most expensive villa on the island, previously stayed in by Nicole Kidmann in her previous stay in Mallorca.

During his stay, Umansky held multiple meetings and interviews, including engaging discussions

THE number of empty properties in the Balearic Islands has risen by nearly 50%

It has increased by 48% over the last ten years from 71,255 to 105,434, according to official government statistics.

The data also shows that in the same period there has only been an 11% increase in new housing. There are 652,123 homes on the islands and a population of 1,218,441.

Texan adventure

A SPANISH architecture firm has been chosen to redesign a prestigious American art museum. Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos has been chosen to recreate the Dallas Museum of Art, in Texas.

The Madrid firm won the contract after beating six finalists in a global competition for the job.

“We will be reflecting the original building, transforming the relationship between art, landscape, and community into a balance of memory and innovation,” said a spokesman for the firm.

It is the firm’s first building in the US, having previously designed the Moritzburg Museum, in Germany, and the Cité du Theatre, in Paris. It will house the ‘most significant collection of contemporary art of any encyclopedic museum’.

The museum is one of the largest in the US and was established in 1903. It contains 26,000 works spanning over 5,000 years of history.

Mauricio Umansky explores exclusive real estate opportunities in Palma de

with representatives from Lionsgate Capital, a leading financial institution specializing in mortgages for high-end properties. These conversations were crucial in establishing potential collaborations to facilitate seamless real estate transactions for interested buyers.

Prominent locations were visited for networking and site seeing, among them the luxurious Son Claret hotel, where industry professionals and potential clients gathered to exchange ideas and insights on the future of the real estate market in Mallorca

The island has long been a magnet for international investors and affluent individuals seeking second homes.

Umansky said: “Americans are a growing force in the global market. Mallorca is certainly on the short list of locations for Americans who are considering moving abroad. Over the pandemic, we saw a lot of people purchase homes in what was normally considered second home markets because people could work remotely from anywhere and the new culture of remote work al-

Mallorca

lows anyone to look internationally for their next home.”

Adding to the excitement, talks about the upcoming Season 2 of the popular Netflix series, Buying Beverly Hills, added an extra layer of anticipation to his trip. Umansky’s involvement in the series has spotlighted his role as a real estate titan, and discussions about the new season’s potential twists and turns generated enthusiasm among the gathered real estate enthusiasts.

Umansky’s visit highlighted not only the allure of Palma de Mallorca’s high-end properties but also the thriving landscape of international real estate investment.

For now, all eyes are on the horizon, eagerly awaiting the unfolding developments in the world of international real estate that were sparked by Mauricio Umansky’s visit.

PLAYERS: Mauricio Umansky (right) with the team drom the Agency in Mallorca

These great outdoor living spaces are sure to inspire you to open up your home

LIVING spaces, kitchens and even bathrooms can be brought out of the home to boost your mental health during the hottest time of the year.

Adding nature and fresh air can add a relaxing element to a space you

By Kayleigh Beardsley

usually socialise or unwind in. Here, we take a look at four examples of outdoor living that should inspire you to open up your property.

1This outdoor bathroom in Ibiza is open to nature while keeping your privacy with high surrounding walls and fences. Immersing yourself in a bath

or shower becomes effortlessly indulgent when it is placed outside. The sounds, sights and fresh air creates a perfect spot to unwind or meditate.

3Seamlessly connected to the other parts of this Marbella house, yet still separate from others, these three different areas provide a space for all members of the household to gather and get some fresh air. With the closeness to the pool and the flowers and foliage of the garden, guests really get the sense of relaxing and enjoying the beauty of the space.

2Another great way to utilise outdoor space is to install a kitchen like this one on the Costa del Sol in Mijas. Prep your favourite dishes while taking in the calming atmosphere. Whether casual brunch or a grand dinner, the kitchen is designed to withstand all types of weather.

GET OUT, BUT NOT ABOUT! 4

This striking outdoor living room by the sea, near Santander, is a great example of how a dining area outdoors can be perfect for entertaining. The home of Lorenzo Castillo, a well-known decorator, it houses vintage rattan sofas and plaid cushions to keep the indoor comfort with an outdoor atmosphere.

US TO YOU.

Are you looking for a new property? We have the most unique listings in Mallorca. In addition to the properties on our website, we have dozens of pocket listings of premium properties that are not listed publically anywhere. We are here to help our clients from the first-time buyers to experienced investors to make the best possible deals in real estate.

If you are interested in selling or buying a property, our experienced agents are trusted advisors and are happy to help with that.

NEW LEASE OF LIFE

By Kayleigh Beardsley

WHEN buildings reach the end of their natural lives it’s time to think again about their use.

The recent transformation of the long-closed Canfranc railway station

KAOS TEMPLE

Taking a look at Spain’s top repurposed buildings

in the Pyrenees to a plush luxury hotel is the perfect example.

Thanks to dozens of inspired architects many other buildings in Spain have been re-imagined with brand new purposes. They include seeing slaughterhouses converted to art galleries, churches changed into skateboard parks. Here we examine 10 of the best…

This off-the-wall skatepark, in Llanera, in Asturias was originally the Church of Santa Barbara. Abandoned for years, skaters took an interest and plans to repurpose it finally materialised. Its gothic style has been cleverly integrated with a new contemporary style associated with skating - including colourful graffiti. Okuda San Miguel is the artist behind the revamp and used his ‘skater appropriate’ artwork to bring together spirituality and a world of colour and happiness.

CANFRANC STATION

Canfranc had been closed since 1970 after suffering from a train derailing and a fire. Now finally 50 years on it has been transformed into a plush hotel, utilising the massive space to the fullest.

Designers made sure to keep the facade of the station intact to preserve its history and structure, however, they have re-imagined the interiors completely while giving its 104 bedrooms and a handful of common areas a nostalgic feel.

It welcomed its first guests in January 2023 95 years since its original opening.

The railway station has an incredible history built into it with a long list of lavish guests such as the King of Spain as well as being a hotbed for nazi espionage.

Is this the right house?

Ana Eulalia Millán, commercial director of Urbanisation Jardines Almenara, help us to know if we have found our dream home. Buying a new home is always an important decision, something that involves needs to take into account the likes and desires of all members of the family. So, it’s very important to answer these questions before you say YES.

Will I feel happy living here?

Most people are looking for places to move to where they can enjoy a calm lifestyle, without traffic and stress. Places with good weather – especially a warm temperature and sunny days – which give you a fantastic opportunity to enjoy an outdoor lifestyle. When you find such a location, you will have a happy life for sure.

Will my family be pleased with this house?

The key is the space; the perfect house should always have a place for every family member, included pets. The outdoor living areas are always a good point to consider – for example does it have a solarium or balconies. But best of all is a villa with a big garden.

Imagine if you could have your own swimming pool – think of all the good times your family could enjoy together.

Is it a good investment?

Owning a property is always a good investment. If the location is good – for example, a main street in a big city, or a private residential complex with 24 hour security – the increase in value of the property will outperform a similar home in a less desirable area. More so if it is well located in a good neighbourhood with good communication to local facilities and services.

Do I have all the information about the property?

Before making an investment, it’s very important you know all there is to know about it. You have to know if it is free of charges and how much community fees you have to pay each month. It’s vital to ask about the structural state of the house and know that there are no big cracks or, for example, damp problems which will be a big problem in the future. You need to discuss this with the owner or developer selling the property.

Do I really want to live here?

This is the most important thing. We have to consider if we want to live in a big noisy city or in a bustling beach place, or perhaps you feel inclined to live in the countryside. A good option could be a place just 15 minutes easy drive to the city or to the beach, near the motorway, and within easy reach of the airport, for example. If the chosen spot is surrounded by main services like supermarkets, restaurants, medical centre, school and shopping centre it could be a perfect place to live.

If you had said YES to most of the above questions… you should be extremely happy because then you have found that Jardines Almenara is YOUR DREAM HOME!

Your dream home

Brand new villas ready to start living in now!

A stunning place to live!

600m2 fenced plots with garden. A quiet sunny place in a private residential complex with 24 hour guard watch

There are 4 different models of independent houses to choose, with 2, 3 or 4 bedrooms. The villas are modern but they are also built in keeping with that typically Spanish feel. They are very good value for money, with top quality materials and focus on a confortable living space. The build quality is great and the urbanisation is clean, tidy and very safe and secure.

The property has a perfect location, in the middle of the best coast places in Spain, close to sunny sandy beaches and golf courses and near the motorway, so it´s very easy to go to the airport.

This place is a Spanish Jewel and an opportunity not to be missed.

968816770 662618529

www.jardinesalmenara.com

comercial@jardinesalmenara.com

Find the right home

Strand Properties have the networks and the knowledge to help

STRAND PROPERTIES, the Spanish real estate company founded by Finns Serena and Anssi Kiviranta, are going from strength to strength.

Not only do they have offices in Marbella, Fuengirola, Malaga and Mallorca, offering an in-depth and personal service based on local knowledge, but they are part of the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World ® network. The network includes 550 companies located in 70 countries, with an estimated 136,000 real estate agents working under them.

Sirena and Anssi Kiviranta were two of the founding partners of a very successful Finnish real estate concept, Bo LKV. They participated in growing the business from scratch to a company of 200 employees and €23M turnover in less than five years.

A capital investment company acquired the majority of Bo LKV in the autumn of 2019. In mutual understanding, the Kiviranta couple had the chance to start a real estate agency abroad under their own brand.

The Strand Properties chain has grown to become one of the most recognised real estate brands among agents, customers, and developers.

It is a luxury real estate agency that offers services to both sellers and buyers, but its listings include properties to suit all budgets with over 1,500 homes for sale.

Strand Properties can help customers find the right home by carefully charting the customers’ wishes and using a learning property search service.

For the sellers, the brokerage concept focusing on quality offers the fastest selling times and the best possible selling price. The experienced team at Strand speaks more than 20 different languages between them and guarantee a personalised and professional real estate service.

The Strand Properties concept also includes the import and sales of carefully selected Scandinavian products in Spain, with brands such as Timberwise, BEdesign, Drop Design Pool, Tablebed, Framery and Woodio. Strand Properties also represent e.g. Ballingslöv kitchens, Massproductions, Fogia, Garden Glory, Kasthall, and Carl Hansen & Son furniture and products.

From page

MAYORAL DISTRIBUTION CENTRE

This amazing distribution centre for clothes company Mayoral, in Malaga, was originally a giant textile factory.

Ordered to be built by Franco in

the 1960’s, it was abandoned in the 1990s.

Now the building has been brought back to life as a stylish central base by System Arquitectura.

LA FABRICA

THE studio and former home of one of Spain’s most famous architects was originally a cement factory.

Ricardo Bofill, who died last year, transformed the long-derelict plant outside Barcelona, after spotting it while driving to a friend’s house. Built during the 1920s, the massive complex covered nearly 10,000 m2, so Bofill had a real challenge on his hands to convert it into his family home. The end result is more than worth it.

IP2-10067 - New family home for sale El Toro -4 Bed, 3 Bath

2.500.000€

Luxurious home that boasts 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, integrated garage, utility room and a beach style infinity pool. High-quality German kitchen including top of the range appliances from Miele and stand-alone utility room. Every detail has been carefully considered to provide the ultimate in luxury living. Bathroom suites are equally impressive, featuring Aquabella and Hans Grohe fixtures that provide a spa-like experience. The beach infinity pool provides a stunning focal point, with views that stretch out to the surrounding countryside. There is plenty of space for sun loungers where you can soak up the sun in or out of the pool, and a dining area with a barbecue, perfect for al fresco dining and entertaining. Click on our QR code to see full photo set and information

info@imperial-properties.com

+34 971 692 434 www.imperial-properties.com

WAREHOUSE 8B

Another slaughterhouse in Madrid has been turned into an office block. The walls are made of reclaimed roof tiles taken from the original roof before it was replaced. Some sections were left such as this part which was refurbished in 2009 to accommodate a stock room and a space for events.

STUDIO 1700

Nordest Aquitectura has turned this 180 year old barn into a workspace in Girona.

The barn has kept its old walls intact as well as its original entrance shape, which now has a giant glass door. Parts of the inside have been removed or modified to better accommodate its current use.

A sea view apartment in the prestigious residential area of La Mola; it enjoys fabulous panoramic sea views towards Dragonera island, a community pool, and it is just a few minutes from the centre of Puerto Andratx where you will find boutique shops, restaurants, and stylish bars. The apartment has two double bedrooms and two bathrooms (one en suite), a modern kitchen and an open plan living/dining room which has a cosy fireplace and full height sliding doors which offer direct access to the balcony and boast stunning views of the sea and surrounding mountains. Other features include a laundry room, walk-in wardrobe, reverse air-conditioning, double glazing, 1 parking space in the garage and a storeroom.

ref: RH-51717

Type: Sea View Apartment

Location: Port D’Andratx

Constructed area: 140m²

Bedroom: 2

Bathroom: 2

View: sea

Price: €1.220.000

Real estate boutique specialising in the promotion and sale of luxury housing in Majorca; with an extensive knowledge of the island and widespread experience in luxury real estate.

+34 971 694 055

info@lovianproperties.com www. lovianproperties.com

Avenida Rey Jaime I, 109, D5, 07180, Santa Ponsa, Mallorca, Spain

(Photos courtesy of Filippo Poli, ArchDaily)

MATADERO MADRID

Although it may have an uncomfortable heritage, the Matadero art centre in Madrid is a great example of a building repurposed.

The former abattoir, which once corralled thousands of animals en route to slaughter is now an incredible art space.

In 2006 Madrid City Council decided to turn it into a hub for art which attracts tens of thousands of people every year today.

BURGOS RAILWAY STATION

Canfranc is not the only railway station to be converted into something new. The old station in the city of Burgos has been turned into a leisure space

for children, while work continues on the project to transform the area. As well as keeping its original architecture it has many of its internal features.

CASAL BALAGUER CULTURAL CENTRE

Architecture firms Flores & Prats and Duch-Piza came together to renovate this old baroque home and turn it into a new cultural centre for Palma, in Mallorca.

Much of the original building was kept while space has been created for new facilities, including the exhibition spaces, a restaurant, a library and a museum.

It was always a ‘priority was to not lose the domestic character of the building’.

(Photo courtesy of Flores & Prats + Duch-Pizá)

(Photo courtesy of Contell-Martínez Arquitectos)

known as the Maquis to fight the fascist victors - a movement that was not to be finally crushed until 1952 when the last fighter - Antonio Sanchez Martin - was killed by Guardia Civil forces

in front of his two young daughters. His body was then draped across a mule and led through

the streets of Frigiliana as a warning to the silent villagers.

Frigiliana paid a heavy price in terms of blood with communist sympathisers shot on sight, while El Acebuchal basically ceased to exist. Suspected of helping the rebel fighters with food and refuge, the Guardia Civil ordered the villagers to leave.

In truth, the villagers were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Politically they were a

mixed bunch, some had actually even fought on Franco’s side during the Civil War. But to the Guardia this did not matter. Everyone had to go. They fled, leaving behind all their possessions and the homes that most had lived in all their lives. Many moved into neighbouring villages taking refuge with relatives and started new lives. Technically they were allowed to return to their old homes during daylight hours, but they could not stay overnight - not much good when they were often living several hours walk away.

Gradually, El Acebuchal fell into ruins, deserted with just the inn remaining open to service the needs of muleters on the old mountain route to Granada.

But when they stopped passing, the final death knell of the hamlet was rung and the inn closed. El Acebuchal crumbled until little more than mounds of rubble and a few standing walls were left, and it became known to locals as the ‘lost village’.

But it lived on in the memories of the former residents until decades later in 1998 one couple decided to do something about it. Virtudes Sanchez and Antonio García ‘El Zumbo’ whose parents had been expelled, realised that the burgeoning ‘rural tourism’ sector meant the village could be brought back to life. They started with three plots that belonged to relatives and started to rebuild the village stone by stone, soon acquiring another 11 of the former homes. They worked tirelessly with no electricity or running water for years to get things back into order.

Finally their work was done in 2003 and the lost village was once more on the map. Other former residents and their descendants soon joined the effort, and today, incredibly, 33 homes have been rebuilt.

Few people live there permanently, with most of the homes rented to tourists and today, where farmers, charcoal burners and muleteers used to live, foreigners relax on holiday among the stunning natural tranquillity.

As visitors hike in the hills, bask in the sun and enjoy the mountain air, it is difficult to imagine the violence and terror that once caused El Acebuchal to become lost.

But now, after 75 years, it has finally been found again.

deckchair and towel race’ in Tenerife - where locals have resorted to setting up deckchairs in the middle of the night to beat the swarm

of foreign tourists dashing for the best spots first thing in the morning. But while the participants in the race-for-abed maneuvers seem to take the battle dead

ly seriously, others are not so po-faced. has previously run tongue-in-cheek stories, with one headlined Ziz means war accompanied by a graphic of a gun and a sunshade. Referring to a Thomas Cook initiative allowing Brits to reserve sunbed up to six days in advance, its headline ran on England plans a new offensive - new miracle weapon in the towel war.

And on the Costa del Sol Patrick, a German hotelier in Ronda, told the Olive Press that times have changed. “My dad used to do sunbed hogging when I was a kid and I didn’t like that.

“These days I think for Germans getting a good place to eat is more important - breakfast is our priority and not so much getting to the pool so early!”

THRIVING: The restaurant attracts day trippers

HIDDEN: Tucked away in the mountains the chapel (right) was reopened in 2007, while (below right) a muleteer passes through in the 60s

LA CULTURA

SOROLLA QUIZ: Test your knowledge on the renowned artist

August 10, 2023 marked 100 years since Joaquin Sorolla passed away.

The great impressionist painter is being remembered all over the world including

IN honour of the respected artist we have created a multiple choice quiz to test your knowledge on the famous painter.

1- Where was the artist born?

A. Madrid

B. Zaragoza

C. Sevilla

D. Valencia

2- What is the nickname given to him?

A. Master of light

B. Mediterranean maestro

C. King of seascape

D. Painter of painters

3- How many children did Sorolla and his wife, Clotilde have?

major exhibitions in Spain's capital and in his hometown.

The commemorations are continuing throughout the rest of the year.

4- Which of the paintings below is titled Walk on the beach?

OP QUICK CROSSWORD

Across

1 Vertical (7)

5 Stigma (5)

8 Stage play (5)

9 Apprehensive (7)

10 Rowdy (5)

11 Never-ending (7)

12 Pet Holstein dances about on the switchboard (11)

17 Volatile petroleum distillate (7)

19 Bishop or knight (5)

20 Esteem (7)

21 Lord ---, Prime Minister 1770-82 (5)

22 Squander (5)

23 Settled (7)

Down

1 Sunk (6)

2 Make concrete (7)

3 Unearned gain (5)

4 Sympathetic (6-7)

5 Nurse! Go out for a doctor! (7)

6 Oak-to-be (5)

7 Snuggle (6)

13 Radical (7)

14 Scoffed (7)

15 Wander round an apostle (6)

16 Approach (6)

18 Mexican moolah (5)

19 Kind of room (5)

All solutions are on page 39

5- Which illness was Sorolla the first person to portray in a painting?

A. Cerebral palsy

B. Polio

C. Rickets

D. Polydactyly

6- The below is a photograph taken in 1908, but who took the photo?

A. Eadweard Muybridge

B. Alfred Stieglitz

C. Annie Leibovitz

D. Gertrude Käsebier

8- Which country did Sorolla NOT study in?

A. Italy

B. Spain

C. Germany

D. France

9- The artist has had many exhibitions around the world (with paintings including this one below). His first exhibition was in his late teens, but where was it?

A. In Assisi, Italy

B. In Madrid, Spain

C. In Paris, France

D. In Rome, Italy

7- Sorolla worked for seven years on a commissioned mural for the Hispanic Society of America. What building was the mural for?

A. A museum in Los Angeles

B. A wall in Mexico City

C. A library in New York City

D. A library in Buenos Aires

10- We know that Sorolla painted a lot of hisworks in the places depicted in his piecesrather than simply use his imagination. How do we know this?

A. He always took souvenirs from the places.

B. There were often grains of sand embedded in his works.

C. He brought back postcards for his wife.

D. He had lots of sand in his shoes when he returned to Madrid.

This shows that he was actively at the seafront whilst creating his pieces.

Q10 - B. There were often grains of sand embedded in his works. - Due to painting on the beach, grains of sand would be found embedded in the work underneath layers of paint.

Q9 - B. In Madrid, Spain - His first exhibition took place at the National Exhibition of Fine Arts in Spain. The event took place regularly from 1856 to 1968.

Q8 - C. Germany - Well known for travelling around Europe to learn more about his craft, Sorolla studied in many countries but not Germany. He went to the San Carlos Royal -Acad emy of Fine Arts in Valencia, travelled to Paris and was exposed to modern impressionist painting. In addition he had a four-year grant to travel and work with great artists like -Fran cisco Pradilla in Italy.

Q7 - C. It’s library in New York City - The commision from the Hispanic Society of America saw 7 years of work put into the piece. It depicted life in various provinces of Spain. The piece took a toll on the artists and left him exhausted.

Q6 - D. Gertrude Käsebier - The American photographer was a pioneer for women in the art of photography. The well-known photograph sees Sorolla positioned in a strong pose with admirable posture. Many have commented on how his hands are oddly obscured by gloves and his shadows.

Q5 - B. Polio - In ‘Sad Inheritance’ children with polio are seen bathing in Valencia under supervision of a monk. A polio epidemic had struck the city years prior and following the painting he won a medal of honour at the Universal Exhibition in Paris.

Q4 - A. - The work depicts his wife, Clotilde and his eldest daughter, Maria wearing long white sundresses. This painting was completed in his home town of Valencia at the Playa de El Cabanyal beach.

Q3 - A. 3 - The pair had their first child, Maria in 1890. Joaquin and Elena came shortly after, born in 1892 and 1895 respectively.

Q2 - A. Master of Light - This nickname comes from his incredible talent for depicting light in his pieces.

Q1 - D. Valencia - Not only was Sorolla born in Valencia but he also frequented the city to reference it in his work.

Sorolla quiz answers:

DONATION BOOM

SPAIN performs more than half of all egg donation treatments in Europe and is the largest provider of donor eggs on the continent.

The country is a popular

Infection rises

SPAIN has recorded an increase in E.coli and Listeria infections in 2022, according to recently released figures.

In 2022, 633 infections were reported, as well as eight imported cases, up from 426 cases in 2021.

A total of 134 hospitalisations were reported and six people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This is a severe complication associated with E.coli infections that causes kidney failure. Four of these cases were in under threes, one was 10 years old, and the other was 84. In 2022, 460 listeria cases were reported, with 67 deaths compared to 38 fatalities the previous year.

choice for private fertility treatments because any woman or man regardless of their civil status, sexual orientation or age can access them. There tend to be short waiting lists and people come to Spain for treatments due to restrictions and even

bans related to egg donation in their home countries.

Egg banks in Spain have proliferated in recent years, shipping in donor eggs from around the world. Close to 15,000 women undergo egg extraction cycles every year in the country, with donors getting some of the best financial inducements in Europe at around €1,100 for a successful cycle.

ER DELAYS

Tourist flood causes waits of up to eight hours

By Alex Trelinski

BOSSES at Palma’s Son Llatzer hospital have made 20 extra beds available to the emergency department which was ‘flooded’ out by patients - mainly tourists - on Monday and Tuesday.

The ER suffered delays of eight hours for people to be seen with up to 30 patients seeking admission at any one time.

The department normally attends to around 300 people daily during the summer season, but that went up to 350 at the start of the week - a rise that was not reflected in other public hospitals in the Balearics.

The reason is that Son Llatzer’s

catchment area includes busy tourist areas like Playa de Palma and s’Arenal de Llucmajor. The Servei de Salut de Baleares admitted there had been problems but extra facilities had reduced delays and overload on staff.

The CCOO union at San Llatzer denounced the added pressure on staff and the lack of space for people to be attended. It added that delays caused

friction amongst patients who vented their anger at health workers. A union spokesman said: “Many of these patients require a more comfortable place than a wheelchair to wait in until a bed becomes available. The union is demanding that hospital management take on more staff and increases the number of available beds further to cut waiting times.

FIRST CLASS

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DID YOU KNOW?

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Monkey warning

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A total of six victims have been identified, according to Barcelona’s Public Health Agency, which said all six were infected outside Catalunya.

Monkeypox is an infectious disease caused by a virus and its most common symptoms are a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes and fever. It can be serious and even lead to death.

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WAIT: Union is demanding more beds and staff at hospital

BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES

IT is over three decades since journalist Paul Richardson, 60, swapped London for Extremadura, via Ibiza.

The well-known travel and food writer, who has penned for everyone from the Financial Times to the Guardian, has battled the elements to tame his idyllic farm in a rural corner of Caceres province.

Aiming for self-sufficiency, he and partner Nacho sowed seeds and planted a vegetable garden, while carefully cul-

In the first of an exciting serialisation of seasoned travel writer Paul Richardson’s new book, Hidden Valley, he warns of the trials - and benefits - of midsummer in Spain

tivating his orchard of peach, apricot and cherry trees. They also took on a menagerie of animals, including sheep, goats and chickens, which they learnt to butcher when needed.

I SNIFFED THE AIR: SMOKE!

DRAMATIC: Sniff of the air was the first warning of a dreaded wildfire

Summer dragged on in its grim-faced way…And just as it seemed August’s annoyances couldn’t get any worse, suddenly and dramatically, they did. It can never happen to you: that’s a certainty you cling to. It can never belong in the universe of possibilities pertaining to your life. It’s something that happens to other people in other places, places more arid and godforsaken, unfortunate places where things would have gone wrong anyway, you sense, though perhaps not in such a swingeing and destructive and traumatic manner. Every summer there were news stories on the TV, forming almost a particular genre, like overcrowding on the beaches or traffic jams on the motorways as citydwellers fled for the coast. I watched the images of the sky turned Judgement Day red by the flames, the agony etched on the faces of people who had lost their homes, their animals, their livelihoods, and though I felt the pity of it all there was a smugness at the core of my being, a comforting voice that whispered in my ear: Yes, of course it must be awful, but it’s an experience you will never have to face. The verdant oak and chestnut woods encircling our land were a kind of insurance policy; their darkgreen shade would protect us. The thing starts in a small way, a germ of fear that grows as it feeds on the dry tinder of your complacency.

It’s your sense of smell, as is often the case, that tells you something’s up. Padding outside in bare feet to sample the day, still half-asleep, I sniffed the air. Smoke. I noticed a grey blurring in the air, a weird kind of morning mist, but so thick the village was barely visible. Smoke. For a while all is quiet. You go about your tasks. That day I had fruit trees to water and six buckets of aubergines to deal with. My battle plans included a chutney

with garlic, a smoky baba ghanoush, and melanzane alla parmigiana with mozzarella and tomato sauce. I’m just frying the first batch of aubergine slices when I hear the helicopter. A whirr that becomes a thudding as it comes in low over the house. The dogs cower, peering skyward; the sheep have scattered. We run outside to see the giant red bag swinging underneath the ’copter, slack and empty for the moment, but brimful, spilling water over the sides, when it returns a few minutes later. Later there will be hydroplanes, too, coming and going. Whatever’s happening, it won’t affect us. Life, and our domestic routine, goes on. The aubergines go in the oven.

Wildfire has always been a fact of life in southern Europe. Burning stubble was common practice at the start of the summer.

Baudilio often used to set light to a pile of vine prunings or a heap of woodland detritus against a wall: he called them his ‘flame-ups’. Thanks to the troops of goats whose grazing kept the forest clear of overgrowth, summer wildfires were brief and occasional. Somewhere along the line, fire had stopped being just another inconvenience and become an ever-present danger. Wildfires were increasingly common, increasingly virulent. No one ever knew for sure how these fires started. Sometimes it was an act of foolishness, a cigarette tossed from a car window, a stray ember from a still-glowing barbecue. More often it seemed they were started deliberately, perhaps by an arsonist with a grudge or a streak of

While their ultimate goal proved impossible, they have carved out an enviable, if often stressful, life in a stunning part of Spain, while frequently both travelling for work.

In his latest book, serialised exclusively in the Olive Press, he has mapped out life in rural southern Europe on a month by month basis, kicking off in January. Richardson doesn’t pull punches and is brutally honest about the problems of fire and depopulation, plus issues with being a gay couple in such a backwater. As every expat and regular traveller to Spain will know, August is about keeping cool and dealing with the constant fear of forest fires.

IDYLLIC: Up at seven to tend the fields and graze the sheep which are only too eager to escape the corral

August brings a violent heat

YOU’ D think I’ d be better prepared – after all, it does come round every year – but somehow there is just no preparing for August. It feels extreme, and every year more so, in a dull, violent way like a carelessly wielded hammer.

Even now there’s an ongoing shock factor, a pinch-yourself feeling that this surely can’t be real.

An August day has two awakenings. One in the dew-freshened early morning, when you pull the bedcovers up around you and wish you’ d worn a T-shirt to bed, but struggle up and out anyway.

Sometimes after our late hungry breakfast (eggs and ham, the full works) I feel a snooze coming on and happily give way to the impulse – an hour or so on the sofa, thence to work.

But even cogent thought is hard: heat turns the brain to jelly. So you batten down the hatches. Like the news footage of people nailing planks to their shopfronts before the arrival of a ferocious storm, I go around the house shutting windows and blinds though

I can feel the sun already nosing around the house, the incipient heat on the window frames.

Casting my eye around for anything that might suffer under the onslaught: a box of carrots newly dug; a canister of two-stroke; a length of garden hose (they go sticky if left out in the heat).

One morning years ago I left a whole crop of just-pulled onions lying on

perversion. Ultimately the immediate causes mattered a great deal less than the underlying, long-term ones. Longer, hotter summers. Milder, drier winters. Changing rainfall patterns, with longer periods of drought coming between bouts of often torrential rain. The decline of the great herds of goats and sheep whose grazing once kept the landscape ‘clean’. Depopulation, and a rural society in which traditional woodland management is no longer practised, leading to overgrown forests full of dead wood and brush. Powder kegs waiting for a spark. It was said the fire had started outside a village a few miles away. By mid-morning the fire brigade were at the scene and had quickly put it out. They retired for lunch, and in their absence a wind came up and the flames revived. By the time they returned the fire was gaining ground, spreading on two fronts up the hill and down towards the village. The ‘three 30s’, said to be the indicators of catastrophic wildfire risk, were all in place: that is, less than 30 per cent humidity, more than 30°C and a wind speed above 30 km/hour. We were heading for disaster and we didn’t even know it. In the fantasy I’d always entertained, the church bells would be tolling, and this would be the signal for the villagers to rush out with brooms and buckets in a communal, all-in-this- together effort to beat back the fire’s creeping spread. Initially, however, there was no panic, but a mixture of excitement, alarm and curiosity: where was the fire? Was it spreading?

This of course was the time of year for it. If I could catch the man who did this, I tell you I’d have his guts for garters. But when the novelty wore off I noted a collective shrugging of shoulders: it was in another village. The firemen would deal with it. It was an inconvenience. Martín’s mother was busy at the clothes line on her first-floor balcony: ‘I’ll have to wash it all again, can’t have it smelling of smoke,’ she called down to me. And all the time the comings and goings of helicopters, the thud-thud-thud of their blades as they came in low like in Apocalypse Now. On the second day there were fleets of hydroplanes with big bellies for scooping up water. All day they flew overhead, back and forth, back and forth. The smoke was thicker now, catching in your throat, drifting on the wind like a thick fog, the sun at the back of it a grubby yellow blur like a half-sucked sweet. Meanwhile the WhatsApp messages came in thick and fast, a whirl of confusion and, increasingly, of worry. Is the fire out of control? Has it reached this or that village? It’s looking like a big one. Four thousand hectares already burned, they say. Firefighters drafted in from neighbouring provinces. Even from Portugal. Did you see the nightly news? We were mentioned in a report on the summer’s biggest fires so far. Well, it’s good to be famous for something. When the wi-fi went down we were plunged into an uncanny silence. Phone coverage was reduced to a single bar. Maybe the 4G mast had been damaged. Outside the smoke was now a choking cloud, but there was no flame, no red skies, nothing to indicate that the fire was coming closer. So we shut ourselves

indoors and busied ourselves making ratatouille and strawberry ice cream. We became so used to the war-zone rumble of planes and helicopters passing overhead that we were even able to sleep through it. Four days went by. There was no official communication, no warnings, no information. There were very few phone calls. No one knew anything. The fire was out there somewhere but posed no danger to us. We even forgot to be afraid. After all, it was happening somewhere else, and to other people. It was their problem; their misfortune; their tragedy. We clung to our selfishness to keep us sane.

On the night of the fourth day our luck ran out. For three days the prevailing southerly wind had fanned the flames away from the village and down towards the plain. Now the wind abruptly changed direction. Huge gusts

Overgrown forests full of dead wood and brush. Powder kegs waiting for a spark

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

WHEELBARROWS OF TOMATOES

After months of impatient waiting the tomatoes were in full flood, and I became used to struggling up to the house in the mid-morning heat with a wheelbarrow full of them.

We grew four, five, varieties, always according to the laissez-faire method I’d been taught by Carmina, with no training or other form of support but letting the plants lean in on each other to form a kind of low hedge.

Our first plantings were the classic Bull’s Heart, richly flavoured, almost seedless and with a meaty texture, and cherry tomatoes – lovely at first, you popped them into your mouth and they burst with a musky sweetness, but then so madly productive you prayed for them to stop.

like a carelessly wielded hammer

the ground to dry off briefly, only realising hours later they were still out there and roasting, broiling, frying under the midday sun.

After that, the specialities. Big fat orange-yellow Ananas, with a haunting taste – was it mango? – to remind you that tomatoes are, in origin, a tropical fruit. San Marzano, the celebrated Italian variety, proved ideal for sauces and bottlings, and we also dried them on racks in the sun, sprinkled with a little rough salt to speed up the process. The tomato we looked forward to most greedily was pink. Ricardo first gave me the seeds in a twist of paper, pressing it into my palm

Between the day’s two bursts of activity, all is somnolence and sitting about, sweating lightly, in the darkened house.

Yesterday I somehow forgot to eat as the window of opportunity for lunch gently closed and I was already on the sofa with my daily dose of Proust. Drifted awake at half past seven, confused and mired in sleep.

The morning now seems irretrievably distant, like something that happened long ago in another world.

Up at seven. The sheep are eager to be out of their corral and scarper down the slope to their favourite pear tree, where they chomp on the night’s fallen pears awkwardly with teeth unsuitable for chomping, rolling the fruit around their mouths. This morning a yellowish, dirty haze lies over the country, which wears an exhausted look, colour-drained, the line where the land ends and the sky begins nearly indistinguishable.

In these dog days even the clean clear mornings are denied us. Just getting through the day feels like an achievement.

I nip out at lunchtime to pick a leaf from the bay tree and the heat is shocking – I feel the air searing my lungs.

The high today is on course for 40°C; the low, as much as 27°C. Heats I’ve never known in all these years.

Heats so powerful they warp and bend the whole structure of your life. It’s horrifying.

It was 3 a.m. when he shook me awake. ‘Come and look at this,’ he said, leading me to a window. The fierce north wind that had whipped up overnight was carrying the fire in our direction. Somewhere down the valley was a great nebulous, whirling tornado of smoke with an evil orange glow at its core. Hard to tell how close it was, but the towering scale of it sent a shock of primitive terror through me. The phone rang: one of the few calls to get through. It was Lucía. ‘Have you seen? It’s moving up towards you. I’m calling because I think it’s time you thought about leaving. No, I’ll rephrase that: you need to get out. Right now.

I dumbly assented. Without saying a word we hurried around the house, closing doors, picking things up, putting them down. What do you take with you when your house is about to burn down? How many times in the past had I idly played that mental parlour game?

NEVERENDING

TREASURE: Crop after crop of delicious tomatoes

with the air of one sharing something rare and precious. This rosy tom was truly special. The tomatoes grew into big, bulbous, bosomy shapes with a definite

coral-pink tint about them, sometimes ballooning into great double handfuls weighing a pound or more.

The skin of these tomatoes was so thin it bruised and broke easily, presumably rendering it useless in a commercial context, but I found that if you laid straw under the plant as it grew, the tomatoes would be protected from rot and damage, lounging on their bed of straw like spoiled children.

When my coral-pink beauties ripened into squishiness they lent themselves to a high-summer dish I loved above all others.

Grated and strained, seasoned and oiled, scattered with chopped mint, oregano or basil, and with lashings of parmesan, they made a cold, raw sauce for pasta that was light and refreshing, disarmingly simple yet substantial, practically a salad, flooded with summer vibes, and given an extra deliciousness by the knowledge that such a minimal dish would only work if you had access to the ripest, sweetest tomatoes in the world.

blew up the valley carrying with them a miasma of smoke and dust. But I felt nothing.

Four days after the initial shock, my resources of panic were exhausted. A strange calm had settled over my mind. I’d lost my appetite. All I wanted was to sleep, and to wake up when it was all over.

Nacho, however, was nervous. Pacing around the house, watching through the windows. Maybe he had intuited some- thing, but it just looked like paranoia to me.

‘I think we should both stay up. Take turns to keep watch.’ ‘Come on, now. The fire’s burned everything it had to burn. I think we need to sleep. This thing has really taken its toll on me. You should get to bed, too. We’ll check it out in the morning.’

‘Do what you like, but I’m staying up.’ ‘Whatever.’

Passport, wallet, obviously. A change of clothes. Computers. I wrapped up mine in a blanket. What about the dogs? The four small ones would fit in the back of the car but Lola, the great lumbering mastiff the size of a Thelwell pony, would have to fend for herself. I told myself she’d find a damp cool spot somewhere and take refuge; she’d be fine. And then we were driving fast up the track, away from the life we’d made, away from the learnings, the plans, the triumphs and failures.

At the entrance to the village the road was blocked, flames leaping among the scrub on both sides. Police sirens wailed, red lights flashing. The fire had reached the first houses on the outskirts and trashed them summarily, destroying various stables and an ancient

posthouse. We made a U-turn and drove back along the main road to a neighbouring village in the lee of the wind, waking up Elena to beg for a room at the inn. At the door in her night dress, our friend peered through dazed, sleepy eyes at what must have seemed a strange apparition at this hour of the morning: a pick-up truck full of computer screens swaddled in blankets, clothes hastily stuffed into super- market bags, and several dogs. Here at least we would be safe. Relief is the strongest kind of tranquilliser: I slept until midday, waking in the quiet of a village where nothing had altered the routine of a summer day, except for the smoke filling the streets. Now there were no bars at all on our

phones. With no one to call and no news of the fire, we spent the day in an information limbo. It was like retreating from the trenches of the First World War to some country place behind the front line where life continued its gentle, comforting routines. Smoke, flame, noise, chaos, unanswered phone

calls, rumours, worry, fear, tension, sleepless nights, exhaustion, desolation, relief, tears, hugs, anger, coals, ashes, silence.

I’ve heard it said the first thing people notice after a wildfire is the lack of birdsong. The unbearable weight of silence. True, but a lonely eagle glides over our blackened forest in search of a non-existent nest. And our oasis-like corner, spared largely from the rip-roaring flames, I suspect now harbours a refugee bird population.

Luck, or providence, has been on our side. We keep finding evidence of this. The wall-building work beside the house that had created a long barrier of grass-free dust, stopping the creeping flames in their tracks.

OP Puzzle solutions

Quick Crossword

Across: 1 Upright, 5 Stain, 8 Drama, 9 Nervous, 10 Noisy, 11 Eternal, 12 Telephonist, 17 Naphtha, 19 Piece, 20 Respect, 21 North, 22 Waste, 23 Decided.

Down: 1 Undone, 2 Realise, 3 Gravy, 4 Tender-hearted, 5 Surgeon, 6 Acorn, 7 Nestle, 13 Extreme, 14 Sneered, 15 Andrew, 16 Method, 18 Pesos, 19 Panic.

The way our watered and strimmed and cared-for land was respected by the fire – even a wildfire has principles – as it devoured all the abandoned and overgrown thickets in its path. The sometimes extraordinary distinctions it appears to have made, whether to destroy or leave well alone.

The chicken house: woodland behind it frazzled right up to the wall, the lean-to where the birds lay and sleep, demolished as if with a sledgehammer, while the rest of the building remains uncannily intact, the rabbits continuing their placid existence, the hens having retreated into the yard out front.

For days my heart has been in my mouth. The feelings are raw, like an unhealed wound. Emotion rises in my throat and catches there at the oddest moments, such as when an announcement from the town hall rings out across the charred valleys, the folksong used as a prelude sounding now like a doleful lament.

Here at least we would be safe. Relief is the strongest kind of tranquilliser

TIME TO GO: As the fire raged ever closer a refuge was sought

O P LIVE RESS The

Beach Volleyboar

A HERD of wild boars interrupted a number of beach volleyball games in Marbella amid a surge in sightings of the species across the Costa del Sol this summer.

Whiskey thief

POLICE are searching for a spirit-loving thief who drove with a lorry containing over 14,000 bottles of whiskey that was parked in Murcia.

Wrong turn

A LORRY transporting 25 tons of toilet paper got stuck in a narrow street of a village in the Basque Country while following GPS instructions.

Brace for the Brummies!

LET US STRIP!

Nudists lodge official complaint over ‘too many clothed people’ at their designated beaches

A NATURIST group in Catalunya is fuming over the lack of naked people at their prized nudist beaches. The Naturist-Nudist Federation has sent a letter to the regional government, claiming they are facing ‘discrimination’ due to the influx of

By Alex Trelinski

clothed beachgoers. Spain has a liberal attitude to public nudity where technically it is not illegal unless lewd acts or intentions are involved.

Seigmon Rovira, the head of

the Naturist-Nudist Federation of Catalonia, told The Guardian: “Nudism is not banned and you can do it on any beach, but so as not to bother people, we prefer to go

Jelly whopper

BEACH-GOERS in Alicante got a shock when they spotted a giant jellyfish floating just metres from the shore. The remarkable sight unfolded on Sunday at Muchavista Beach in El Campello. The impressive find, weighing in at nearly 40kg, raised eyebrows and curiosity among those soaking up the sun. The specimen has been identified as a Rhizostoma Luteum, a species rarely seen in the region. Unlike the common Mediterranean jellyfish, this marine marvel belongs to a unique category, with sizes three to four times bigger than its coastal counterparts.

to beaches that have traditionally been nudist and where most people are naked. We want people to respect this.”

Rovira's issue is that nudist beach users appear to be changing, as he explained: "Before, people would arrive at a nude beach and either leave or strip down but now they stay and keep their swimsuit on.

“What they don't realise is that if there are a lot of them, they end up making us uncomfortable. It's a lack of respect.”

Rovira said that tourists who actively seek out secluded spots often overlook the nudist identity of certain beaches.

“These clothed beach goers then proceed to take photos .”

REAL Madrid is overjoyed with their new British star Jude Bellingham after he secured a brace against Almeria at the weekend - and his brother could soon be following in his footsteps.

Birmingham-born Jude, 20, became the first Los Blancos player to score in his opening two games since the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009. And just a few hours later, his sibling Jobe, 17, also scored a brace.

The young Sunderland striker secured his team’s 2-1 victory against Rotherham in England’s second-tier league.

Bloody relief!

POLICE rushed to the scene of a car that appeared to have blood oozing from its boot. Cops in Alcudia, Mallorca, had received a frantic call from a resident who feared a dead or wounded person was bleeding out in the trunk of a parked black Peugeot. A sticky red substance was dripping down the back of the vehicle. However it turned out that a vandal had thrown raspberry jam at the car. A police spokesman said: “We all breathed a sigh of relief.”