Olive Press Spain - Issue 393 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

OLIVE PRESS SCHOOL’S OUT FOREVER ANDALUCÍA

The

Maddie McCann 15th Anniversary special

Your expat

See pages 5, 6 and 7

Maddie alibi trashed GERMAN police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann have found traces of her in a vehicle driven by the prime suspect Christian Brueckner. A Portuguese investigator has revealed that it is one of many different clues that point the finger directly at the convicted sex offender. Journalist Sandra Felgueiras announced the discovery on prime time Portuguese television. “I am certain Brueckner did it and the Portuguese police know he worked with an accomplice,” she told the Olive Press. Her SABADO investigation on the CMTV channel managed to establish that the main evidence is a ‘trace of the English girl found by German police inside the motorhome he drove in 2007’. Prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters refused to confirm or deny this week that a DNA link had been discovered in the VW van. However, he may have also been

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Vol. 14 Issue 393 www.theolivepress.es May 4th - May 17th 2022

PARENTS at a private school in Andalucia are furious, having been left scrambling to find places when it was closed overnight by inspectors. Some claim to be thousands of euros out of pocket, while some teachers are owed pay. One parent at Sotogrande’s Cameron International school is threatening legal action having paid nearly €10,000 upfront in fees for the year. Sara Sanchez said: “I am furious as nobody told me anything.” The supermarket worker, from San Roque, added: “We had to find another school for my six-year-old daughter with no notice, and I am still waiting for my money back.” A teacher, who does not want to be named, is under medication for anxiety and depression due to the stress she suffered. “I had to take phone calls from creditors demanding cash and my workload was getting bigger and bigger. My thanks was to wait for my salary - I have not been paid since January.” This week, the owner of the school confirmed to the Olive Press that it was the end of the line for her 12-year-old school. Janice Pennie, 58, said the doors had been shut for a month, and added: “It is now in the hands of my accountants.” The businesswoman insisted the collapse had come due to the pandemic. “It happened so quickly and some of the parents need to be a little more patient,” she said. “It has only been a little over a month

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Mijas Costa

€10,000 a year expat school forced to close doors after stinging inspection

Continues on Page 5

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t o

PLEDGE: Janice Pennie has asked for patience. By Dilip Kuner & Jorge Hinojosa

since we closed and the accountants are working out the best way forward. It is my main concern to get the money back to the parents.

Lost everything

“I sympathise because they have had to find another school, but it is me who has lost everything” The school, which opened in 2010 beside San Roque golf club, had plans to expand into a sports academy linked to Tottenham Hotspur See page 15 football club. At its peak around 100

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pupils attended the school, most of them British, although it had students from many different countries. But when the pandemic struck two years ago things rapidly deteriorated. “A lot of our pupils left. Many were from an international background and went to their home countries,” explained Pennie, originally from Glasgow. “I would rather the school had survived, so I put everything I had into it.” But she said it was very hard to continue and when Junta inspectors arrived at the premises in March this year they ordered the school to shut. A Junta spokesman said that it had acted after a number of ‘different issues’ had been reported to them over the past year. A complaint against the school was put before San Roque Court and the closure was authorised. He added that the school was only licensed for infants under the name

Kiddibank Day Care Center. “It was verified that Primary and Secondary Education were being taught on the upper floor of the building in an unauthorised location.” The Junta spokesman added that classrooms were in ‘poor hygienic-sanitary conditions, with a lack of natural ventilation and dirt on the floor and on the furniture.

Panic attacks

Pennie denies this insisting the school was cleaned morning and night. “Typically the inspectors came in the middle of the afternoon when children had brought dirt in – the school was cleaned every morning and evening.” She added: “I don't sleep at night, I have panic attacks and anxiety, I am broken hearted, I have given everything.” Opinion Page 6

CRIME

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NEWS IN BRIEF Daft delinquents THREE young thieves were arrested in Torremolinos after breaking into a house, beating up the owner and stealing his ipad and mobile phone.

Trip from hell PUBLIC prosecutors have charged six people with human trafficking after they brought several Nigerian women to Spain and forced them to work in prostitution to pay off an invented €55,000 debt.

Pawful A FERAL cat has died and five other felines injured after they were shot with a pellet gun by an on-theloose criminal in Malaga.

Covid con NATIONAL police have arrested a Madrid hospital worker for masterminding a Covid certificate fraud operation in which he would edit the national vaccination database for money from anti-vaxxers who could then claim to be fully vaxxed.

SPANISH police have arrested eight people for their links to a cryptocurrency cult that lured in young people. The sham organisation - called IM Mastery Academy, boasted of its members living luxury lifestyles by ‘changing their mindset towards a success led mentality’. It charged exorbitant fees for membership to the organisation and access to

Crypto-cult the groups learning materials, which were essentially a bundle of motivational YouTube videos. Unable to pay for their fees to stay at the academy, students would then be

May 4th - May 17th 2022 offered money to recruit new members as part of a Ponzi scheme. A former member said: “I recruited up to 30 people and would spend 14 hours a day evangelising the group and trying to register new members.” Police described how the organisation used cult-like techniques to get victims to cut family ties.

SNOW QUEEN

Woman faces 25 years jail, but says she is just an ordinary person A WOMAN standing trial for the distribution of more than 100 kilograms of cocaine from La Linea de la Concepcion in 2014 and subsequent money laundering has denied her characterisation as ‘the queen of cocaine’. Ana Cameno faces 25 years in prison for crimes against public health, illegal possession of arms, and money laundering. The prosecutor has also requested Cameno payback

By Kimberley Mannion

€400,000 of laundered money. Cameno‘s ex-partner, Jose Ramon Mora, is also wanted for a potential 21 year sentence, but failed to show up to the trial. Eleven other defendants are in the dock at Madrid’s High Court, some accused of being drug dealers and others for money laundering . Dubbed the ‘cocaine queen’,

A GANG of eight teenage hackers have been arrested for stealing thousands of euros from the Madrid and Granada local authorities. The crime involved manipulating the account numbers of several highly paid civil servants and diverting their salary into two bank accounts set up with false documentation. The hackers changed the direct debit on the accounts to their own, diverting more than €53,000 worth of salaries. The stolen money was then converted into

Cameno completely rejected the image portrayed of her, instead insisting: “I am a normal, ordinary person, who comes from a good family, who has

Hacked off

cryptocurrencies, making it more difficult to trace. The gang leader, 18, was found by police leading a life of luxury in a villa in Madrid with a pool, gym and top of the range sports cars. The teenager reportedly began his criminal career hacking into cafes before working his way up to the ayuntamiento.

worked all my life”. During the trial, she also lamented the first time she was arrested in 2011 and pleaded her innocence from criminality, calling the current trial ‘a machiavellian continuation’ of that first arrest. She also claims not to know the others standing trial, of whom she was allegedly the boss . Cameno also accused a high up member of the police of threatening to ‘destroy her’. She told the court of her anxieties while on release of being put back in prison, due to a belief that the police were out to get her.

Expat murdered

A HOMELESS Irish man who was punched and kicked to death on a Costa del Sol beach was trying to protect his belongings from a thief, it has emerged. Now a Spanish man, aged 37, has been remanded in custody accused of killing him. The victim, who was in his mid 40s and from Cork, has not been named by police as they try to find his relatives. The brutal assault happened on La Malagueta beach in Malaga on March 12, but details are only now being released. The alarm was raised when a passerby discovered the bloodstained body. The victim had such severe head injuries that officers originally believed he had been bludgeoned with a rock.

Gun runners POLICE have arrested two men alleged to be part of a gang that smuggled arms including tanks to war-torn countries in the Middle East from Russia via Ukraine. Properties worth €10 million were seized in 2020 as part of the operation, with seven arrested at the time. The gang, made up of Latvians, Ukranians and Spaniards, were rounded up during raids in Valencia, Alicante and Barcelona.

NEWS

www.theolivepress.es

May 4th - May 17th 2022

OLIVE PRESS EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

FORMER Scotland Yard detective Peter Bleksley is hot on the heels of Kevin Parle, the UK National Crime Agency’s most wanted criminal, who is thought to be hiding out in Spain. Parle is wanted over the murders in Liverpool of 16-yearold Liam Kelly in 2004 and Lucy Hargreaves, a 22-year-old mum who was shot while she slept in 2005 Bleksley is convinced that 6ft 6in Parle, whose nickname is ‘Hemp’, and his network are also behind the disappearance of father and son Danny and Liam Poole, who vanished on a trip to Estepona in 2019. He also thinks that the notorious Kinahan gang may be involved, the same mob that the Olive Press reported has been sanctioned by the US treasury. “It is three years since I started this investigation and I am not giving up, I am just warming up,” Peter told the Olive Press. Peter’s podcast has been downloaded over 5 million times, and his phone has barely stopped ringing since it was released. “I will be carrying on this hunt until one of three things happen; he is captured, I establish irrefutable evidence that proves Parle is dead, or I cast my last breath. It’s as simple as that,” he said. Parle has now been on the run

On the trail Peter Bleksley, the former copper whose hit podcast Manhunt: Finding Kevin Parle has become a national sensation, talks to George Mathias from the British authorities for 17 years. “Thousands of people have helped and continue to help. This is not about me, it’s not even about Kevin Parle, it’s all about Liam Kelly and Lucy Hargreaves and trying to achieve some justice for them,” said Bleksley. Bleksley has been less than complimentary about the NCA and Merseyside Police regarding their investiation of the murders and it appears that people seem to have more faith in Bleksley to apprehend Parle, than they do in the police. Bleksley was contacted directly by the fugitive team from the Guardia Civil who asked how they could help in the in-

In the clear SPANISH stinger and convicted money launderer Isabel Pantoja has been cleared at her latest trial. A Malaga court has found her not guilty in a case of ‘punishable insolvency’ over the sale of her plush Marbella villa. The prosecutor had asked for her to be jailed for three years. She had previously been sentenced to two years behind bars and ordered to pay a €1.1 million fine for her part in the infamous Malaya corruption case in Marbella. Sevilla-born Pantoja helped her former lover, Marbella’s then mayor Julian Munoz, launder money, illicitly obtained from Marbella Town Hall.

PERSISTENT: Peter Bleksley won’t give up

Faith

vestigation. “That was encouraging for me, but. I would suggest, a little bit embarrassing for NCA and Merseyside police as people are coming to me directly over them. “This makes me ask the question, how much do Merseyside police want to find Kevin Parle? I know that certain senior officers choose to believe he is

Prize guy ACTOR Antonio Banderas has scooped another prize, receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award at the RNE Sant Jordi Cinema Awards 2022. The 61-year-old made the trip to Barcelona from his home city of Malaga to pick up the trophy. The Sant Jordi Awards, which were first held in 1957, are hosted by the Catalan branch of Spain’s national radio network RNE. Judges decided to give him the award for ‘his successful film career as an actor, producer and film director, developed both in Europe and in the United States’. Other big names to scoop awards included Benedict Cumberbatch who was declared best actor in a foreign film for The Power of the Dog and Javier Bard as best actor in a Spanish film (The Good Boss/El buen Patron).

dead, they need to be truthful with the public.” Not mincing his words, Bleksley said: “They are not being open, honest or transparent, law enforcement needs to stare itself in the mirror. I don’t think they are looking for him at all, I think they are just paying lip service to it almost as an act of tokenism.” “This is about truth over lies, hope over fear, and seeing Parle in a court of law answering to these allegations.” Asked if he fears retribution from Parle or any of his associates, he said: “I have been trolled, abused, and had photographs of my house posted on social media. On one occasion there was an accurate description of the bedroom I sleep in. I have no doubt these were people who were acting on Kevin’s behalf, to intimidate me, but they have all failed and I have never been busier.”

Links

Speaking of the Kinahan mob - Christy and sons Daniel and Christy Junior - he said: “They have endless links to so much of the criminality that goes on here on the Costa del Sol,” explained Bleksley. “The DEA are on to them, and believe you me they do not give up. There’s going to be a lot of people feeling increasingly uncomfortable. There are a lot of consequences heading the way of criminals on the Costas.” The podcast is available on BBC sounds.

KIM CLARK

DOUBLE FAULT FORMER tennis champ Boris Becker has been jailed for two years in the UK for hiding assets to avoid loan repayments. The German, 54, and a six time grand slam champion, was found guilty at Southwark Crown Court. Becker, pictured with girlfriend Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro, had declared bankruptcy in June 2017, being unable to repay a loan he took out to buy a luxury property in Mallorca. In 2019 his luxury estate, Son Coll, was put on the market, but not before a group of Germans squatters had occupied it. Shortly after their eviction a pornography film was filmed onsite, featuring veteran pornstar ‘Dolly Buster’. Becker’s debts had spiralled to £11 million despite him earning around £120 million from a lucrative sporting career. At the trial Judge Deborah Taylor claimed he had shown ‘no remorse or acceptance of guilt.’ Earlier this month, jurors found Becker guilty of removal of property as well as two counts of deliberately concealing debt.

BOOTED OUT SPAIN has been thrown out of the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France after fielding an ineligible player in two qualifying matches. Spain secured a World Cup place for the first time since 1999 with a 33-28 victory over Portu-

gal in March to finish second in the Rugby Europe Championship. But a judicial committee imposed a 10-point deduction. It means Romania will take Spain's place next year in France.

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NEWS

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May 4th - May 17th 2022

TESTING TIMES

At last! BRITS who have lived abroad for more than 15 years, are now able to vote in UK elections. A new law, called the Votes for Life bill, will give thousands of Brits who reside in Spain and other countries the chance to influence UK general elections. The previous law prevented tens of thousands of Brits abroad from voting in the EU referendum. Campaigning The move follows 15 years of campaigning by expats, including from the Conservatives Abroad group. Christine Rowlands, chair of Conservatives Abroad, told the Olive Press: “This is 20 years of work in the making and we are overjoyed. It will make a huge difference to the people in the UK.” The law had been challenged by 100-year-old Harry Shindler in the High Court in 2016 and in the European Court of Justice in 2018. It is estimated that around 3.5 million brits permanently reside abroad.

Time up for UK driving licence holders as grace period ends and fines already handed out THOUSANDS of Brits across Spain are now unable to drive after an extension period that allowed Brits to use their British driving licence in Spain ended on Saturday. It means that British residents who have been living in Spain for more than six months are forbidden from driving with a UK licence. The news is expected to impact tens of thousands of Brits living in Spain and also applies to anyone holding a Gibraltarian

By George Mathias

licence. Alastair Carmichael, who has lived in Spain for over 40 years, is now stranded in the small town of Lloreda in Cantabria as he didn’t renew his licence. “I am absolutely screwed,” he said. “ I have lived here for 40 years and don’t consider myself an expat.” Carmichael, 62 and originally

from Sussex, runs the Carmichael Alonso Libros bookshop. “I am 6km from the nearest shop and 30km from my bank.

Blooming brilliant

Frozen at last

THE Patios de Cordoba Festival has returned after a two year hiatus due to Covid-19 with a total of 52 homes taking part. To celebrate the annual Courtyard Festival and Contest, a tradition that began in 1918, the beautiful courtyards of Cordoba will open their doors to the public. The festival started yesterday (Tuesday) and runs until May 15 and this edition pays tribute to the singer Manuel Espejo ‘Churumbaque’. Since 2012, the Cordoba Patios have been designated part of the world’s cultural heritage.

SPAIN has frozen 12 bank accounts, seized three luxury yachts and 23 properties linked to five Russian oligarchs. The sanctions imposed by EU institutions are coordinated in Spain by a recently created body and are linked to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A second body has been created and is responsible for coordinating the reception of refugees arriving in Spain, who now tally more than 130,000. The number of Ukrainian children attending school in Spain currently exceeds 15,400 and 72,000 applications for temporary protection have been granted.

I don’t understand why an agreement can’t be struck, it’s not rocket science!” Elsewhere, Brit Stephan Bramley reported what is surely one of the first fines handed out for falling foul of the law change: “For those still driving on a UK licence but a resident, this morning I was fined €200.

Exception

It was my understanding that I could still drive on my UK licence until October 31 but apparently not,” he said on Facebook. The UK has an agreement with all other EU member states on driving licenses allowing Brits to swap their UK licence for that of the country they reside in. Spaniards living in the UK are also permitted to swap their Spanish driving licence for a UK one.

Hee haw MOT THE 61 equines that form part of the Mijas donkey taxi service are being given an ‘MOT’ equivalent check-up. For several years Mijas City Council, in collaboration with the British foundation Mijas Movement Donkey, have carried out checks, every six months, to ensure the welfare of the 61 donkeys which form part of the taxi service. The Donkey Sanctuary has worked closely together with the Mijas authorities to improve the conditions of the animals and make sure that the donkeys used in the burro-taxi service are fit and healthy.

SUN HALO RESIDENTS in Malaga were treated to a rare phenomenon when the sun appeared surrounded by a halo of light. A Sun halo is an optical phenomenon that occurs due to sunlight refracting in millions of hexagonal ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere and takes the form of a ring around the sun. The presence of a sun halo usually indicates the existence of cold air at high altitude and typically occurs in glacial places such as Alaska, Antarctica or Greenland, as well as in countries with tropical climates such as Colombia or Ecuador.

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15 YEAR ANNIVERSARY MADDIE SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS

Noose tightens MADELEINE McCann suspect Christian Brueckner will be charged with the abuse of a 10-year-old girl on the Algarve this month due to his ‘terrible teeth’. The German sex offender, 45, has revealed in a letter from prison that the young German victim insisted he had teeth ‘like a rabbit’. The girl, Joana, had been sexually assaulted by a blondehaired attacker, who spoke German, on a beach near Praia da Luz, just a month before Maddie went missing. The naked man, who had first spoken English to her, had run off from Salema beach when the girl’s sister raised the alarm and her parents ran over to help. They had filed a detailed police report the following day, giving an excellent description of the

SUSPECT: Brueckner with the VW camper

Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner confirms he is being probed over five other sex attacks EXCLUSIVE By Jon Clarke

attacker, who ran away towards a beach car park, where Brueckner is known to have stayed. The family, from south Germany, whose surname we are not naming for legal reasons, have since confirmed to the German BKA police that he was the assailant. Brueckner has now confirmed he is being prosecuted over the attack and also confirmed he is being probed over ‘at least five open cases’.

MADELEINE McCann suspect Christian Brueckner is penning a book. The German sex offender, made an arguido, or official suspect in Portugal, last month, is writing it in prison, he has revealed. In a remarkable six-page letter written to an American blogger, he insists it will be ‘a bestseller’ with a plot as good as anything by novelist John Grisham. “I know, all of the things I say are hard to believe. John Grisham couldn’t find a better story for a book,” he wrote in the missive sent from his prison cell in Germany. Brueckner, 45, was pouring his heart out to anti-McCann supporter Isabelle McFadden, who insists he is innocent.

In the letter to blogger Isabelle McFadden he writes: “I know already about at least five open cases against me. All of them including raping and abusing.” In the case of the Salema attack in April 2007, he said he had received ‘the complete file to read’. But he claims the BKA have ‘manipulated’ evidence in ‘an unprofessional way’ in partic-

BOOK HIM! EXCLUSIVE

In the letter also addressed to fellow McCann troll Ben Thompson, he wrote that he had been dreaming of being a writer for 20 years. He insisted it would make a lot of money as he was the most famous German in the world, adding darkly that ‘Hitler was Austrian’. The prisoner also compared himself to infamous gangster John Dillinger, who became America’s Public Enemy Number 1 in the 1930s.

From front

ular, focussing on his teeth and protruding jaw. He continued that the BKA then sourced a 1999 prison dentist check up file and wrote that he had a protruding jaw. But he insisted it is ‘a fake’ and it is ‘definitely not me’ and that he will be able to prove it is not me when the case gets to court. However, in a further letter, written more recently to a German investigator, he admits that the case against him is extremely strong.

Charged

The letter given to the Olive Press by documentary film maker Jutta Rabe reads: “In the case of Joana the investigation file does not leave a single doubt that I was (the attacker).” Olive Press police sources in Germany meanwhile told the paper he will be formally charged with three sex crimes this month.

Dummy run to Spain driving a large Winnebago - the first of two - that he acquired around the time. And he was also driving a dark Jaguar. It’s not clear at this stage exactly what traces of Maddie were found in which vehicle. Neither Wolters or Felgueiras would be drawn further on it, today. But, he explained to Felgueiras - who has been investigating the case since May 2007 - that he could not confirm it ‘because the suspect has not yet been informed’. The infamous yellow and white van was part of the original appeal put out in a bombshell German police appeal in June 2020.

Missing

It was photographed parked alongside Barranco beach, near Praia da Luz, where three-year-old Maddie went missing while on holiday on May 3, exactly 15 years ago. The van, which Brueckner had borrowed from a German mechanic friend, had been taken on ‘a potential dummy run’ along the Costa del Sol to Almeria from Portugal just weeks before Maddie went missing. “It was him. He is guilty,” Felgueiras said. “The key point is that Wolters doesn’t deny it.”

NEWS FEATURE

www.theolivepress.es Voted top expat paper in Spain

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

OPINION Wrong man for the job EXPERTS say that the search for Maddie has so far cost in excess of £13 million. This is an eye-watering sum of money made even more inexplicable by the persistent failings of authorities to uncover hard evidence of what happened to Maddie. But is it any wonder that finding the truth has been so difficult when the former lead investigator continues to believe that the McCann’s were in fact the culprits of the grave crime? Such a claim has been persistently debunked. But, given that in those early days lead investigator Goncalo Amaral was so obviously prejudging what happened,is it any wonder that the case remains unsolved 15 years later?

Doesn’t add up IT is outrageous that parents who paid a small fortune to send their kids to a school are now having to find alternative arrangements for their children. It is equally astonishing that the authorities did not apply the correct checks and balances. That the school was teaching kids of all ages but was only licenced for infants is utterly damning for the Junta and surely a clear sign that oversight of schooling in Spain needs to be severely beefed-up. As for the school closing due to the pandemic, we know of no other example of a school in Spain closing for such a reason. Covid was certainly bad news for a host of businesses across the country and indeed the world, but schools are integral parts of society and should not be run by people who would appear to be not up to it. The news is also further proof that just because a school is private does not mean it is a better option for your child than a state school which can be more easily assessed by local government. PUBLISHER / EDITOR

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

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JUSTICE FOR MADDIE INCHES NEARER

15 years of pain could soon be over as global interest surrounds a German becoming an official suspect in the Madeleine McCann case, writes Jon Clarke, author of My Search for Madeleine

E had just finished a light lunch in solitary confinement at Oldenburg Prison when five men pulled him over and ushered him into a side

room. As shocked as his fellow inmates and with his lawyer opting not to attend, Christian Brueckner, 45, had to think quickly. The convicted paedophile and rapist (pictured below) opted to say nothing, crossing his arms and staring at the five policemen - two Portuguese and three Germans - who were finally grilling a man over one

of the world’s most baffling crimes. Describing himself as the ‘most known bad person in the world’, Brueckner is certainly globally famous going on the dozen-plus interview requests I have fielded from as far as Australia and Chile over the last 10 days. I have always thought Maddie was abducted and my heart missed a beat on hearing the recent announcement that Brueckner was now an official suspect, particularly having recently put him on the cover of a book I published on the case last year. It has been a long time in coming since a German prosecutor announced in June 2020 that ‘Christian B’ was the ‘prime suspect’ in the abduction of Madeleine McCann. While the wheels of justice might seem to be grinding slowly, the German prosecutors have been working hard to get their ducks in a row before charging their dangerous felon with more crimes. For the last six years between 10 and 100 German officers have been tasked with bringing him to justice. In Braunschweig alone - where the Madeleine investigation began in 2016 - they have been probing him on at least six separate crimes, I can reveal. Lead prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters is imminently planning to lay four charges at his door, three involving children and one the vicious rape of a 20-year-old Irish woman.

Como Pedro por su casa ‘Taking a liberty’ ‘Like Pedro in his house’, is a generally derogatory way to describe a person who seems comfortable in an environment not their own. It refers to the Aragon king, Pedro I, and his easy victory against the Muslim caliphate at the battle of Alcoraz in 1096 which, in turn, led to the conquering of Huesca. The original phrase is likely to have been ‘Like Pedro through Huesca’ but the word ‘casa’ appeared over time. These days, it means taking advantage of someone.

A caballo regalado, no le mires el diente ‘Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth’ Basically the same in English: ‘Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth’ and is used as a reminder to be grateful for a gift and not find fault in it. It refers to the ancient practice of determining a horse’s age by looking at the state of its teeth.

En boca cerrada no entran moscas ‘Silence is golden’ ‘No flies can enter a closed mouth’ advises one to keep quiet on certain subjects or face the consequences – or basically ‘Think before you speak’. It is believed to have originated in the 16th century, during the reign of Charles I who was famous for his Hapsburg chin, a congenital condition that caused a distinctive protruding jaw and left him frequently open-mouthed. During a visit to Calatayud, a local once told him: ‘Close your mouth, your Majesty, the flies of this kingdom are mischievous’.

He and his co-prosecutor Uta Lindemann have ‘nearly everything they need’ to bring a murder charge over Madeleine, who went missing at the age of three (she would be 18 today) from her holiday home in Praia da Luz, on the Algarve, on May 3, 2007. That the Portuguese also now think he is guilty of the crime is nothing more than a convenient side-show in this infamous missing person case. Naming him as an ‘arguido’ (which translates as ‘person of interest’ or ‘official suspect’) on April 20, means the magnifying glass zooms ever closer on his movements in early 2007. The Portuguese police now have years to continue probing him and don’t have to worry about the statute of limitations running out as they otherwise would have on May 4, which will be 15 years since the crime. Being able to get into prison and talk to the suspect was a major coup for the pair of PJ officers sent by the Portimao Justice department. Their investigation is being led by the DIAP in Faro (Portimao section) with the assistance of the Judiciary Police (PJ), and ‘with the cooperation of the English and German authorities’. They had been negotiating for months to visit Brueckner at the prison and were joined by three detectives from the German

Watch what you say Quintessential Spanish proverbs with ancient origins to impress your friends

NCE you have more than a basic grasp of Spanish you’ll begin to realise that in common parlance conversation is peppered with delightful and sometimes downright puzzling phrases. Every language around the world has typical adages, sayings that are so often used that native speakers

know their meaning, even if their historical origins have been forgotten. But for the outsider who is learning the lingo, these refrains can leave you scratching your head. Here is Elena Goçmen Rueda’s pick of her favourite proverbs with origins that lie far back in Spanish history:

A buenas horas, mangas verdes ‘You’ve missed the boat’ Meaning ‘Good timing, green sleeves’ it is used sarcastically for someone failing to do something in time or arriving too late. It has its origins in the time of the Catholic monarchs when a particular brotherhood, whose members wore green sleeves, was charged with capturing bandits and wrongdoers. They chased them from town to town but, according to legend, this early police force had to be roused by church bells which provided ample time for a getaway and left them with a reputation for arriving too late to make an arrest.

Aunque la mona se vista de seda, mona se queda ‘You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear’ ‘A monkey dressed in silk is still a monkey’, it reminds us to accept what we are and that faults cannot be hidden by mere cosmetic improvements. Tomas de Iriarte, a Spanish neoclassical poet, wrote the fable La Mona inspired by this saying in 1782, but the exact origin is unknown. The equivalent could be ‘You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear’ or more colloquially ‘you can’t polish a turd’.

May 4th - May 17th 2022

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AUTHORITATIVE: Clarke was first on the scene as police arrived

SHAMEFUL: Former leader of the investigation still claims McCanns are gullty, while (right) Brueckner’s motorhome BKA police headquarters, in Wiesbaden. While going through accepted Europol procedures, there is ‘no way’ the Germans are going to allow him to be extradited to Portugal. “All the good police work that established him as the prime suspect happened here and he will definitely be charged by the German authorities,” explained a BKA source. “We are currently going through the official extradition paperwork with Italy, where he was last a free man. It will take a couple of months.” The interview at Oldenburg prison - dubbed ‘Germany’s Alcatraz’ for its incredibly high-security - lasted ‘just over an hour’. “The Portuguese turned up with a list of 20 questions, but he refused to answer a single one,” added the source. It came as ‘a massive surprise’ for Brueckner when he walked out of lunch (he eats alone, exercises for one hour alone and meets no other prisoners) and was con-

El perro del hortelano, ni come ni deja comer al amo ‘Temptress’ or ‘prick-teaser’ ‘Being led on’ or ‘blue ball’ ‘The gardener’s dog neither eats, nor lets his master eat’ and is used to describe a person who not only doesn’t enjoy something themself but also prevents others from enjoying it. Often only the first part (‘El perro del hortelano’) is used and the second part is taken for granted. First emerging in the 11th century, the proverb is famously the title of a play from the Golden Age, a comedy written between 1613 and 1615 by playwright Lope De Vega.

La mancha de una mora, con otra mora se quita ‘Plenty more fish in the sea’ ‘A blackberry stain is removed with another blackberry’ may sound like an old laundry tip, but it has an entirely different meaning. This Spanish proverb is used to explain that a broken heart is best mended with a new love affair or, as the American philosopher Henry David Thoreau said, ‘There is no remedy for love but to love more’.

fronted by the group. His lawyer Friedrick Fulcher had been advised of the interview and charges. “But he said he did not have time to go, it was too far away and it would ‘not change anything anyway’,” added the source. He later told Bild newspaper however, that it was merely a ‘procedural issue’ and the media should not ‘overestimate’ the moves. But I believe it would be foolish to underestimate them. Making Brueckner an official suspect will help to stem the cynical whispering campaign by the thousands of trolls, who still believe the parents are guilty of killing their daughter. The former chief of police who led the original investigation, Goncalo Amaral, still implies they are guilty and even wrote a best-selling book on his beliefs. It is little known that the ex-detective was made an arguido - and later convicted for corruption and the covering up of a beating of a false confession - over another missing child case just ONE day before Maddie went missing. This is the man whose force failed to close the border for 48 hours and failed to stop over two dozen people traipsing through the crime scene during the first 12 hours. The facts today point the finger directly at Brueckner. As I laid out in my book, he has not only confessed his links to the crime to a number of former friends, girlfriends and associates, but was also on the phone for half an hour in the vicinity of the abduction less than two hours before Maddie went missing. In addition, he knew well and regularly burgled the Ocean Club holiday complex she was staying at and kept dozens of stolen passports, watches and wallets at his home, just outside Praia da Luz. According to one girlfriend of the time, he went on a long journey north that night in his winnebago, a vehicle in which he claimed he could smuggle children ‘in a secret compartment’. One of his flatmates Micha Tatschl (who later became a cell mate) told me he spent a lot of time on the dark web and regularly ‘talked about snatching children and selling them in Morocco’. And then he was caught telling a friend in a Skype chat that he ‘wanted to trap’ a small child and keep her for days. And let’s not forget that a few years ago police dug up a stash of ‘up to 20,000’ pictures, videos

and other documents, some almost certainly linked to the case, at an isolated box factory, owned by Brueckner in Lower Saxony. Crucially, he himself appeared in some of the videos that involved rape, bestiality and child porn. And his most recent conviction was for the sadistic rape of an American pensioner, 72, in her home in Praia da Luz, which he carried out on film, in 2005. He got seven years after being caught when police matched a hair of his at the villa, which is just 500 metres from the Ocean Club. The list goes on, but Brueckner has been prosecuted at least 17 times twice for child sex abuse - and probably should have been many more times. I’ve been investigating this sadistic narcissist for 22 months now and carefully catalogued his sick and sordid life, but maybe the last word should go to Brueckner himself. A man keener to use the media than proper legal channels to prove his innocence, his so-called ‘alibi’ will be announced in a documentary set to air on Spain’s AMC crime channel on May 3. And in one letter, published by Mail Online last week, he wrote: “I made some silly mistakes when I was younger but who hasn't?” Then referring to the Maddie case he continued: “Perhaps I was a suspect after all they found out about me. Drug dealer, breaking into houses, living in cars and there was something with kids when I was 17.” It is, as if, from the age of 18, when he became an adult he suddenly became a fine upstanding member of society.. Fortunately the German police don’t believe his alibi and as well as having a dozen key witnesses, they also have some sort of document that proves his guilt. It is why Hans Christian Wolters says he is ‘100% certain’ he is guilty and why I’m convinced this evidence will soon damn him to eternity and once and for all solve this abhorrent, pernicious crime that has troubled the world for a decade and a half. Jon Clarke’s book My Search for Madeleine is available on Amazon

LISTEN UP!

IT back and relax. The definitive book on the complicated Madeleine McCann case is now available as an audiobook. My Search for Madeleine by Olive Press editor Jon Clarke is being released this week to tie in with the 15th anniversary of her abduction in Portugal in 2007. Whether you are a frequent traveller or busy housewife/husband, all 11 hours, 14 minutes of the 46-chapter tome can be heard on leading platforms including Amazon’s Audibl and iTunes. Narrated by Clarke himself, it spans the early years after the British toddler was snatched from her holiday home on the Algarve to a deep dive into the life of the prime suspect Christian Brueckner over the last two years. The investigative journalist - who was the first to arrive in Praia da Luz on May 3, 2007 - has visited Germany twice and Portugal dozens of times while researching the book. As well as also finding numerous links to Brueckner in Spain, he met and interviewed dozens of friends of the German paedophile, who was made an ‘arguido’, or official suspect, in Portugal on April 20. Listen carefully as he builds a painstakingly detailed case against the 17-times convicted sex offender and exposes the many flaws in the original police investigation. “This is a world class True Crime book and a solid piece of public interest journalism,” said former Sunday Mirror Investigations Editor Graham Johnson. “Tirelessly researched and told me a lot of things I didn’t know about the case,” added Martin Brunt, Sky News Crime Correspondent. “A Herculean effort,” insisted Robbyn Swan and Anthony Summers, authors of Looking for Madeleine. The book was created thanks to the excellent services of www.bookmarketing.pro

The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are: stops women going for an abortion be1-ingSpain hassled by pro life protestors outside clinic as Brits fall foul of beefed up Spa2- Confusion nish border rules crossing from Gibraltar in Spain 2021 full list of dates 3- Bankforholidays every Autonomous Community probed over vicious beating of 4- Russians Ukrainian man inside Costa Blanca bar in Spain Concerns raised after Spanish police tighten 5-checks on Brit travelers crossing border from Gibraltar

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REEF RELIEF

Project to recover coral in danger off Spanish coast By George Mathias

SCIENTISTS are attempting to restore the coral reefs of La Herradura in Granada. The project is being conducted by the NGOs Coral Soul and Coral Guardian in partnership with the universities of Cadiz, Sevilla and Granada. So far the team have successfully introduced nursery-grown corals some 30 metres deep. The reefs between La Herradura and neighbouring Almuñecar are home to lots of endangered marine life, but have been decimated in recent years thanks to pollution and climate change. The ecosystem is home to a unique coral species called candelabrum which is not found anywhere else in the world. Waste The team has also removed 800 kilograms of waste from the reef, most of which had been caused by fishing. The team said: “We are calling for the need to support the proposal to ban recreational fishing, it is necessary to protect the area. “We are not against fishing, but we are against the consequences of the activity in Punta de la Mona. There are many places to practise the sport on the coast.” The NGOs are also putting on environmental awareness activities and are organising a conference with Almuñecar town hall.

GREEN

May 4th - May 17th 2022

FINCA CORTESIN golf club, which hosts the 2023 Solheim Cup, has scooped an environmental award. The club in Casares (Malaga) announced it has been become the first golf course in Spain to be awarded the Acosol seal of quality, an award which recognises ‘exceptional water management methods’. For 15 years the club has been using a water recycling system which replenishes the irrigation using regenerated water. Managing Director and President of the club,

On the green Vicente Rubio Morch said: “The award is a culmination of many years of hard work from the team at the resort and it aptly reflects the positive moves we are making to guarantee our sustainability position, ahead of hosting next year’s Solheim Cup.” The tournament will see the best female golfers from Europe and the US go head-to-head on September 18-24.

EU trying to force Spain to clean up its act

SPAIN IS FILTHY

T hurts me to say it (I love Spain) but it’s true that Spain is filthy. And I’m not the only one who thinks this. Supermarkets across Europe (notably Tesco, Sainsburys, Lidl and Aldi) are threatening to boycott purchasing fresh produce from Andalucia and Murcia. Why? Because Spanish law is lax and ineffective. The government and regional authorities have failed miserably to clamp down on illegal irrigation practices in the Mar Menor and the Donana wetlands. The supermarket chains are right. No one with a conscience will buy and consume fresh fruit and vegetables from regions where the intensive farming practices are clearly destroying the ecosystem and endangering life. Last week these massive supermarket chains demanded in writing that the government of Andalucia take action against the illegal irrigation in the protected Donana national park. I think it’s good news for the environment and consumers when Tesco publicly states that ‘we do not buy lettuce from Campo de Cartagena because they do not meet environmental requirements’. Thumbs up to Tesco! Spain is a massive producer for Europe. • Last year Murcia exported 2.7 million tonnes of fruit and vegetables (€2,900 million worth). • 70% of strawberries grown in Andalucia go to the international market. • Spain is the biggest producer of blueberries in Europe and the second largest producer of raspberries Wouldn’t it be better to grow this produce in an environmentally aware manner?

POLLUTION: One of the main culprits in Spain is the massive scale pig farming

Green

THE EU TAKES SPAIN TO COURT AGAIN

The EU law is very simple. Even politicians should be able to understand it. If a town has more than 15,000 inhabitants then it HAS TO COMPLY with EU legislation regarding sewage treatment. Spain has already been fined millions of euros. And now it faces far bigger action from the EU. The European Union is taking action against 133 towns across the country. The first case resulted in a €12.3 million fine against the Junta de Andalucia related to four towns - Coin , Nerja , Alhaurin el Grande and Estepona. Estepona responded and has resolved its issues. If Estepona can do it ,why can’t other towns? The ‘guilty list’ is long and makes for painful reading. The length of this list serves to reinforce how incapable Spain is of acting within the European guidelines. A good example of Spain’s inaction is Cartama. Cartama’s sewage is being released into the Guadalhorce river, along with sewage from Alhaurin el Grande. This will carry on until the new Malaga-Norte sewage plant is built. Work hasn’t even started yet! With luck it may come into operation late 2025. Really! FERTILISING US TO DEATH Nitrate water pollution is threatening people and ecosystems in Spain. It’s not just in Spain.......approximately half of Europe’s rivers, lakes and coastal waters contain dangerous substances. One of the main culprits in Spain is the massive scale pig farming. Spain is Europe’s biggest pig meat exporter. Castilla y Leon is one of the most prolific pig farming areas in Europe. If you visit Zamora the farms are easy to see. The problem they cause is nothing new. Pig manure is collected in tanks and then spread across neighbouring fields. When the ground cannot absorb any more, the excrement leaks into the groundwater and contaminates it. In certain areas of Spain’s pig farming regions the groundwater nitrate levels are up to 400% higher than

MAR MENOR: several ‘mass death’ events have left tonnes of dead fish on the shore the legal threshold of 50mg per litre. The problem continues to grow. According to Greenpeace data in 2000 around 60 municipalities were affected by nitrate pollution in the region of Castilla y Leon. That figure is now over 700. Once again Spain’s inability to conform has been referred to the European Court of Justice. If a country like Spain is willingly a member of the EU, how can it blatantly disregard the law? Instead of grasping the nettle and resolving the problem, it chooses to mask the problem. In Mar Menor, the beach of Los Nietos is raked every morning to collect rotting algae on the shoreline. Algae grows uncontrollably, nourished by nitrates from farm fertilisers. Data shows that tonnes of nitrates go into the lagoon every day. Complaints are systematically ignored. Get this.....The President of the Campo de Cartagena Farmers Association, Manuel Martinez Madrid, said: “There’s no reason to believe it contributes to the poor state of the Mar Menor.” How can he sleep at night? Maybe the brown envelopes under his bed help. All the problems caused by lack of sewage treatment and nitrate pollution are man made. I hope the EU takes the Spanish government properly to the cleaners.

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

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LETTERS

10 Call for clean-up visiting AndaluI HAVE been enjoying a truly beautiis It rs. cia for several yea ful part of the world. l stain on this Yet one place is a rea be easily imld cou it d province, an by the beach d lan proved. The waste and the golf club ar alm ad Gu een betw and appears to be is covered in rubbish ve to solicit the dri n me a place where es. Now this rare services of prostitut is having its vegarea of coastal naturethe drivers. etation destroyed by engaging in the What is worse, thoseg huge amounts of sexual acts are leavin take hundreds of used wetwipes which I truly love Andayears to disintegrate.a area, and would lucia, and the Malag blicise this issue. therefore like to pu be turned into The area could easily en space if cars a beautiful natural gre driving there. I were prohibited frome local residents, have talked with som rated by this. and they too feel exaspe Frank Deveux, dress supplied ad d Name an ank you Frank Editor’s note: Th h. It is a shame uc to in for getting has been althat such an area place for such a lowed to become hear time and criminality. We ture hotspots again of former na ualid places, sq to descending in the case for ke and continue to ma preserved and be to es ac sp green protected.

CAR CRASH

With thousands of Brits now unable to drive in Spain following the lapsing of a deadline on negotiations between the British and Spanish governments, reaction has been highly polarised and Olive Press readers have responded to the news in a variety of ways… Bureau-car-atic

I set up my exchange online over a year ago and got a reference code. I was never contacted by anyone following my submission. The sad thing about all this is that our licenses are EU licenses and nothing regarding our driving skill has changed yet we have to exchange our current license for a Spanish one. It is all a load of bureaucratic nonsense.

German efficiency I’m surprised that Brits have actually been driving with a UK licence in Spain for all this time. I’m German and therefore a member of the EU and was told 20 years ago to change my German licence to a Spanish one in order to get insurance. Many companies stopped insuring people without a Spanish licence at that time and I never saw an issue with this.

Winter Hannah-Ward via Facebook

Driving fault

Claudia E. Mueller via Facebook

I read your article online about the change in driving licence policy and was taken aback by the man who lived in Spain for 40 years and never changed his licence to a Spanish one. Am I supposed to feel sympathetic towards him? Nope, I couldn’t give a monkeys. There are so many of these stories where people want us to feel sorry for them but it would appear it’s entirely their own fault.

Editor’s note: We thank all readers for voicing their opinions. Whilst some have had ample time to change their licence, this is not the case for those who have recently moved to Spain, many of whom did not vote for Brexit and are now encountering a lot of difficulties living their daily lives. We will continue to highlight both sides of debate in our paper.

Paula Davies via Facebook

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Dear Olive Press,

May 4th - May 17th 2022

Across 1 Source of fibre (4) 4 Chic male messed about in the laboratory (8) 8 Take too much (8) 9 Little girl’s little girl (4) 10 Iced (5) 11 --- Donan castle (6) 13 Round directional aerial (4) 14 “Bad idea” (3) 15 “They also serve who only stand and ---” (John Milton) (4) 16 Shepherd or measles (6) 18 Sea north of Australia (5) 20 Wound by piercing with a sharp object (4) 21 Fitted out (8) 22 Make-believe (8) 23 Type of ice sheet (4) Down 2 Company with high staff turnover (9,4) 3 “Capital” of East Anglia (7) 4 Wooden-soled shoe (4) 5 Common sense Stevie Wonder lacks (8) 6 Private film-maker, informally (5) 7 Alcock and Brown made the first non-stop flight across it (8,5) 12 Practise (6,2) 15 “... not with a bang, but a ---” (T S Eliot) (7) 17 --- Butler, in “Gone With the Wind” (5) 19 Trick (4)

All solutions are on page 31

ll about

Vol. 14 Issue 393

Estepona

HIDDEN GEM I

WAS sitting in the sunshine, squinting at the Med and wondering if I would be brave enough to take a dip. I had the beach to myself, save from some dogs splashing their owners along the seafront and athletic locals playing beach volleyball in their

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May 2022

Estepona, on the western Costa del Sol, is stepping out of the shadow of glitzier Marbella, writes Kirsty McKenzie swimwear. It was exactly 19 degrees – in March – and I was wearing a bikini.

In short, I was in heaven. Or Estepona, to be more precise. Once a fishing village, Estepona is a small town in Malaga province

that combines a charming old town with 21km of beaches offering sea views of Gibraltar and, on a clear day, north Africa.

Something of a hidden gem on the Costa del Sol, Estepona thankfully doesn’t make the usual lists of popular weekend destinations, like Mijas, Ronda or Marbella. As a result, it has maintained Continues overleaf

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AUTHENTICLY CHARMING its authentic charm and beauty while providing all the essential Spanish beach and tapas bar culture of its more popular siblings along the coast. I’ll admit, I felt slightly smug watching my fellow travellers disembark from the bus and head towards

Puerto Banus. I knew something they didn’t: that just a few kilometres from the garish glitz of party town Marbella, there was a place with an undisturbed coastline, with low, square buildings painted in pristine white, and flowers blooming in the doorways. One of southern Spain’s best kept secrets, Estepona is nothing if not enchanting, particularly out of season. As I rolled my suitcase through the centre in search of my hotel, I felt like Dorothy on her first trip to Oz. There were no clouds in the skies, no swarms of tourists on the beach. It was only just spring but the whole town was in bloom – the jasmine and bougainvillaea tumbling down the white walls were almost fluorescent – and the trees were filled with oranges. I

Estepona

arrived at noon at The Old Town Hotel on Calle Caridad, a pristine adults only boutique hotel on one of Estepona’s prettiest streets in the heart of the old town. It opened in 2021 after husband and wife Simone and Giusy un-

dertook massive renovations on a once crumbling townhouse. It’s certainly paid off. Estepona’s warm climate and mountain-view setting lend itself well to rooftop terraces and the Old Town Hotel has one of the

SERENE: Estepona’s coastline thrives without hoards of people

best. I take in the stunning views before settling down for a sundrenched early siesta. With close to 300 sunny days a year in Estepona, it’s hard to ignore the miles of golden sands. Despite donning my bikini and

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3 May 2022

heading for the beach, I eventual- – with the sort of abandon that ally decided it was not quite swim- ways seizes me on the first night ming weather and settled instead of any trip to Spain. for listening to the crash of the I ended the evening with a stroll waves as I tucked into an alfresco around the old town, walking belunch at El Pescador. yond the bell tower and up to the As I washed down cloudy Gam- hilltop church, stopping only to bas Pil Pil with ice-cold Albariño take in the poetry enshrined on I asked myself why I’d spent all the whitewashed walls. those years dashing off to other Unsurprisingly, the next morning places on the Costa del Sol, when started slowly with a languid wanits best bits were right here all der along the newly refurbished along. seafront promenade. I also found time for a dinner, The pedestrian pathway is quintonce again accompanied by bone- essentially Spanish, drenched in dry, white wine, at Bodeguita del sunshine and flanked by palms. Chato. Run by beToddlers in sun hats loved local wine conwaddled along handnoisseur Pedro and in-hand with their A languid his wife and daughparents, locals chatter, the family serves ted over gins at the wander along up some of the best joggers the refurbished chiringuitos, tapas in town. pounded the promI grabbed the only enade, and couples seafront vacant seat at the strolled along the promenade buzzing bar, balancsands. ing on a stool and I decided to wake watched as my tapas up my weary muswere prepared right in front of cles with a cycle along the coast, me. Pedro’s wife arranged freshly and, setting off after a breakfast cut Manchego cheeses on crispy of fresh orange juice and tostada bread and generously heaped con tomate at the hotel, I cycled tomatoes sauce on top of silky happily along the sunny waterravioli just a metre or two away. front snapping pictures of the Naturally I ordered both, and de- fishermen on the beaches to my voured the Manchego in a single right and marvelling at the height greedy bite. of the mountains to my left. Sitting at the bar it was easy to Cycling back was equally easy, chat to staff and locals alike and the path keeping me away from soon I was barrelling through the traffic that was making its glasses of wine and ordering more way up to the town’s main road. dishes – including a boa bun with Back in the old town, I visited Darjuicy fillet steak and tangy cy’s on Calle San Antonio hoisin sauce and was invited to try the full range of their glorious cheeses.

There was more food to discover next door where I spent a happy hour discussing wine and local produce with the lovely German owner of restaurant-art gallery Huber. My next visit to Estepona will be a longer one. There’s simply too many restaurants and bars to enA lot more than just clothes! – Mucho más que moda! joy in the old town alone. On the bus back to Malaga I was reunited with those Marbella weekenders. They had obviously had one hell of a party, but I couldn’t help feeling they had missed out on something. To them, Estepona was just another spit of land on Spain’s southern coast. To me, it is a contender for my second home. After all, once you find paradise, why We are on Calle Nueva, just one minute from the center of the city and the public would you want parking lots, the beach and the lovely cafes where you can rest after shopping. to leave? We offer you comfortable, natural, 100% linen, exclusive fashion with a lot of colour and style and much more... Come and see us... Be happy! Estamos en la Calle Nueva, tan sólo a un minuto del centro de la cuidad; muy cerca de los parking públicos, de la playa y al lado de preciosas cafeterías donde puedes descansar después de la compros. Te ofrecemos moda cómoda con mucho estil y colorido, natural 100% lino y mucho más... Ven a vernos... Se feliz!

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2 Galeria 151 Art offers a changing program of exhibitions with work from emerging to established Artists from the region of Andalucia, Spain.

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With friendly locals and a vast Calle Terraza, you’ll pass a array of tapas and drinking glass-domed building with bars along its narrow cobbled whiteCafacade – the Estepona lle Pilar de Farinós streets, Estepona is the ideal Orchid House, where more town for a stroll. Mthan 1300 species of orchids s a de l Begin at the north end, are on show. C a minoin I Avenida Andalucia where Stop for coffee and pastries at many of the residential build- nearby Tahona de Chana. The lle ve R osa ings are adorned by enchantcafe has an ideal central locaro lía ing murals. Continuing onto d tion, butOchjust before the hustle oa and bustle of the bars. sas Me There’s a fish and seafood restaurant with a decent t nia sse hearty GaSpanish menu oppoto e y L a site,rtegbut further down you’ll arO rive at Estepona’s busiest plall e z Ca de én Antonio Guerreza – the Plaza M iz u R ro – where both the Freiduria al ób ist and eLa Cr Taberna de Juan make ll perfect spots for a beer and a Ca bite to eat. ueva N From there, walk a few hunrta ue eH dred Cyards down the road and all to the right, and you’ll find the charming Plaza de Flores. The early afternoon, when it is quiet, is the best times to enjoy the peace and appreciate the full spectrum of colourful flowers around the ornate fountain. Later, the plaza is transformed into a hotspot for sangria-drinking Brits – on occasion, I have lle

Framing Gallery 151

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HILE the cities of Marbella and Malaga are held up as the cities to visit on the Costa del Sol, Estepona offers sights and sounds to rival its neighbours, and has a much more tranquil ambience. It’s high time the town had its day in the sun.

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ANDALUCIAN AMBLE: (From top left) the old town, Plaza Antonia Guerrero, La Rada beach and Plaza Antonio Ortega Vela

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STUNNING: (Clockwise) Walking map of Estepona, Plaza de las Flores, Parroquia Nuestra Señora De Los Remedios, Parque del Calvario and statue in Plaza Ortiz

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you’ll find El Capote on Calle Viento, a secluded bar that is great value for money. After that, head down to the beach. Despite the number of vehicles on the sand and the considerable maintenance work in preparation for the summer onslaught, the view of the sea remains glorious. Walking along this beach never gets old, especially hailing

as I do from Hampshire where the closest thing we have to the costas is Bournemouth – even if that is in Dorset. Return to Avenida Andalucia, passing the understated but decent Cafeteria Delta, and finish at Parque el Calvario. The park makes a fitting end to a 5 kilometre walk that takes about

an hour and a half and allows you to do more than scratch the surface of this traditional yet vibrant town.

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952 147 834

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25/1/22 16:49

6 May 2022

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Estepona

EXPLORING ESTEPONA A guide to the town from the expat authors of a new book highlighting all that’s best in Andalucia

RITISH couple Calum Chace and Julia Begbie have penned a glossy book on Andalucia encapsulating their love for the region. Hailing from Sussex, the couple bought their Spanish home in the Sierra de Ronda in 2016 and have fallen in love with all Andalucia has to offer. And so they decided to share their love of the region to wider audience by writing Exploring Andalucia. The roughly 300 page book begins by taking readers on a journey through each of the main Andalucian cities, before moving on to the white villages, traditions like feria and bull runs and then onto a look at the Andalucian countryside. In this excerpt from Exploring Andalucia, they run their eyes over Estepona… Rio de Janeiro is famous for vast sandy beaches and beautiful people. Nice is famous for long promenades, elegant buildings facing the sea, and the subtle bling of its wealthy residents

Buying a property in Estepona? Need a good local lawyer? David Garcia Virto is bilingual, well-connected and knowledgeable. Serving clients in Estepona for over 20 years! CALL 663 441 696 or EMAIL virto.international@gmail.com

and visitors. Estepona isn’t really famous for any of that, but it does have considerable charms, and a great deal of potential. It also feels more authentically Spanish than its neighbours. The name comes from the Phoenicians, who settled here 3,000 years ago and called the place “La Astapa”, which means “town on the water”. Under the Moors the name transitioned to Astabbuna. The site was fought over by Moors and Christians until Granada fell in 1492, and Estepona received its own town charter in 1729. It wasn’t a particularly large settlement, with a mere 9,000 residents at the start of the 20th century. The old town is quaint, with narrow streets of whitewashed houses, but surprisingly few features apart from a regiment of wall-mounted flowerpots which marches alongside you at shoulder height. In recent years (starting in 2012), central Estepona has been transformed, with cars and raucous motorbikes banned from newly pedestrianised streets, and exuberant floral displays accompanying you into town through the main thoroughfares. The mayor spent a reported €8m on plants to bolster the town’s unofficial title as the Garden of

the Costa del Sol, which paid The walkers on this promenade for 20,000 geranium pots, may not have been airlifted with a different colour for ev- straight from St Tropez, but ery street, including some in they’re not wearing shell suits, polka dots. A million spring either. Parking for this beach flowers were planted along the is in a huge underground car town’s 16km of main roads. In park. To the west of the town the spring, jasmine and orange centre is the Costa Natura, blossom greet you everywhere, Spain’s first nudist beach. and the avenues are lined with The smart sports marina palm trees. boasts a lot of expensive-lookSurrounding the old town is ing boats, and although they a mantle of attractive civic aren’t the helicopter-worthy streets with a wide range of monsters you’d find in the shops. Enthusiasts compare marinas of the French Riviera, this part of town to Brighton’s if you squint your eyes so as Lanes. As well as curiosities to avoid reading the fish and and souvenirs, this is the chips signs on the restaurants, place to come for the staples you could imagine yourself you can’t get in in one of the mountain village less busy ports supermarkets, there. Oh, and Along with its like clothing, you’ll also need sports accesso- floral explosion to imagine that ries and houseprices are 20 the town has a the wares. times higher. There are relawith its reputation for Along tively few bars floral explosion, murals in the old town, Estepona has which feels odd cultivated a repwhen you’re utation for muused to finding a tapas bar ev- rals, and it now boasts around ery hundred yards or so in the 60, which you can hunt down mountain villages. This is be- with the aid of a map from the cause the bars and restaurants tourist office. are clustered on the shore. Some of them are world class, What they sell, of course, is but the quality overall is best seafood – all of it very fresh, described as variable. and some of it very inventive. Perhaps because it is the fur(Prawns in black pudding make thest from Malaga airport of surprisingly good tapas.) the Costa del Sol’s coastal reThe beach and the sea are of sorts, Estepona is a relatively course the main attractions for quiet town, not offering the visitors. Estepona has 21 km of frantic night-life found elsecoastline, and some 17 beach- where. es. The town’s main beach is This is part of what makes it La Rada, over 2.5 km long and special for many of its visitors flanked by the attractive Paseo and residents. It does have a Maritimo promenade. bullring, which is used for open air concerts and cinema much more often than for bullfights. It also has a theatre dedicated to flamenco called Peña Flamenco (flamenco club), which stages most of its shows in the winter. But mostly, what Estepona offers is an attractive setting for a relaxing holiday, with 325 days of sun each year. It doesn’t lack ambition, though, and if a few more of its beachside bars (“chiringuitos”) stopped trying to pretend that they are in the Caribbean, and started serving the sophisticated modern Spanish tapas which have made Barcelona and Madrid such popular international destinations, it could

Grow your garden and save the planet

May 2022

WHO ARE WE? We are every indoor gardener’s best friend! We are specialists in light (Dimlux) and air (OptiClimate) which, when used together, create the perfect environment for all types of crops 365 days a year. We are located at Vía Centro Comercial Costasol, 13, 29688 Estepona, Málaga. WHAT MAKES US SPECIAL We focus on two high performance products. Because we have our full attention on the Dimlux and OptiClimate products, we can provide you with the best service. We also sell accessories from Dimlux and OptiClimate and other technical products related to crop growth. We have a beautiful shop in Estepona (Cancelada) where anyone is welcome for a cup of coffee, and to find out more information. You are also free to come in and make a plan/calculation with us, if you are starting from scratch. Be sure to look out for our new LED. It comes in 500W, 750W and 1000W. The options that make this LED special are as follows: • It has a work function in the nightime, where the lights turn green automatically • It has a NIR (near infrared) function, so you will get 10-12% more light then with a regular LED • It has more potential than a regular LED. This means our Dimlux 750W LED is similar to a Dimlux 1000W HPS, so imagine what the Dimlux 1000W LED can do for you! • You can change the spectrum by hand, to whichever setting you want

become a seriously stylish place. Exploring Andalusia retails at €20 and is available in bookshops across Andalucia including Luces bookshop and Museo Carmen Thyssen in Malaga, Bookworld Banus in Puerto Banus and Libreria Europa in Nerja.

FULL CONTROL: For stress free cultivation WHY CHOOSE FOR DIMLUX/OPTICLIMATE A better question would be, why wouldn’t you choose Dimlux/OptiClimate. If you want to grow crops, and have an easy and stressfree life at the same time, you should team up with us. If you make the decision to combine the two and add some accessories, we guarantee your crops will develop exactly how you want them to. This is because you can also monitor and adjust all details like humidity level, temperature, CO2 level, night & day mode and many more. The QR code in our advert below links you directly to our website where you can find more product information and all prices.

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ll about

May 2022

USE THE PROS

Premier Bodyshops is your trustworthy and reliable vehicle repair specialist in Estepona

INDING a garage that carries out painting and repairs as well as mechanical work is really important. This is exactly what Aiden and his team do at Premier! Founded in 2009 they have built a reputation for a reliable service, competitive prices, professionalism and transparency. Premier Bodyshops offer all types of services from small repairs and painting, car servicing, tyres, mechanical work and restoration of classic cars. Breathing new life into older cars with attention to detail, turning your cherished vehicle into mint condition. Premier Bodyshops are approved repairers for all major insurance companies and will liaise with your insurer throughout the process. The first class service includes, free estimates, free courtesy cars, subject to availability, along with collection and delivery. Your vehicle will also be professionally cleaned inside and out before being returned to you. In addition, Premier Bodyshops offer a vehicle sales service if the time has come to sell your car, or purchase a new one, as well as car events and open days throughout the year. To have Aiden and his team take care of your car contact Premier Bodyshops on 951 90 11 55 email – aiden@premierbodyshops.es

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 8.30 – 17.00

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C/ juan de Herrera 23, polígono industrial estepona. 29680

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Estepona

Pirates and plants

Find out how this booming seaside town is so much more than sun, sea and sand

ID you know pirates regularly attacked the coast of Estepona in the 1700s? Or that its bullring is the only asymmetrical structure of its kind in the world? This gem of the Costa del Sol is packed full of history and amazing facts and those two are just for starters. Here are 5 stupendous Estepona assets that easily make it one of the coolest resorts on the coast.

No Micky Mouse town

A pirate legacy Back in the 18th century pirates were no strangers to Estepona’s shores and King Felipe II had seven watch towers built along the coast to protect it from attack by sea, known as almenaras, which still stand today.

A remarkable tower

If things had been different, Eurodisney Estepona would have been coining it in from millions of visitors around the world. The resort was the original choice for Eurodisney back in the early Nineties before the project was finally awarded to Paris for political reasons. But frankly we prefer it that way.

One of a kind

Estepona’s plaza de toros isn’t the oldest, biggest or best in Spain but it’s one of a kind the only asymmetrical bullring in the world. Its clever shape was designed by Juan Mora Urbano to offer spectators more seating in the shade than under the hot Spanish sun, and it has hosted numerous sport and cultural events since it opened in 1972.

The Lisbon Earthquake of 1755 was the most devastating earthquake known in the history of southwest Europe, triggering a tsunami that spread to the Med. Estepona’s church didn’t make it, but the tower did and it’s still standing today, although it had to wait until the 20th century to get its famous clock.

Rare species The Sierra Blanca mountains backing Estepona and the rest of the Costa del Sol are the only place in the world to find forests entirely composed of rare Abies pinsapo Spanish fir trees.

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Premier Bodyshops: Take Care of your Car Premier Bodyshops Estepona Car Repair, Restoration, Service and Storage – Fast, Professional and Reliable Service aiden@premierbodyshops.es

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Calle Juan de Herrera, 23, Estepona Poligono, 29680

9 May 2022

Global reach Atlas will be the first Costa del Sol school with an American curriculum offering all levels of education from 3 to 18

T is the most exciting school have excellent sports facilities, launch on the Costa del Sol for including two basketball courts, years. soccer pitches, and a big area for Based in Estepona, the Atlas younger students. American School will open in The ‘real difference’ will be the September offering the American incredible team recruited from all High School Diploma, which is the around the world. equivalent to the Spanish Bachil- While all the teachers are accredlerato. ited in the US, they are coming Opening for children from the age from as far and wide as South Afof three (K1), the rica, Poland and Asia school in the soarand all come with ing Selwo hills will go their own distinct set Our students right up to the 12th of skills, both inside grade for 18-yeartheir subjects and will be able olds. outside. to access From 2022-23 it is “Some of them are also requesting to and universities all filmmakers be certified for the sportsmen, who will over the world instill great passion IB International Baccalaureate diploma in the children,” conprogramme. tinued Sargent. Students will be able to access The school will also offer lots of universities all over the world, arts, drama and sports, in line explained Head of School Trevor with the American curriculum. Sargent. This includes clubs for design, “The building is underway and it coding and 3D printing. And there will be spectacular with fantastic will also be opportunities for high facilities for the arts and multiple performance sports including tenlabs for the sciences,” he added. nis, padel and golf. The state of the art facility will “We want our students to be ac-

SPECTACULAR: How the state of the art campus will look

tive learners, to be curious, to be empowered. We want well rounded life-long learners. Already active, global citizens,” added Sargent. “From the minute they wake up we want them excited to be at school.” Atlas-ASM is part of Mathema Education Group, founded in 2012, and managing two other schools: Aquinas American School with three campuses in Madrid and a student residence. It also has The British School of Navarra, in Pamplona. Personal visits are being offered through the Dean of Admissions Miss Carpio, who can explain the curriculum and admissions policy. Visit the website at www.atlas-asm.es for more information

ATLAS

AMERICAN SCHOOL OF MALAGA

Our mission is to promote superior academic achievement, mastery of skills and content, and foster moral citizenship.

Opening in September 2022

ESTEPONA

• US Curriculum from 3 to 18 years old • Will request authorization in 2022-23 for the IB Diploma Program • American credentialed teachers • Spanish National Language (Lengua) Curriculum • Student Support Services (including English as a second language & Spanish as a second language) • Intensive French program from G5

• High Performance Sports programs • Entrepreneurship program • International environment • Humanities development through sports, arts, drama and music • State of the art facilities with gym, 2 basketball courts, soccer field • School bus service available • Boarding program available in September 2023

www.atlas-asm.es

Camino de Torrevigía s/n • Selwo hills, Estepona • Málaga 29689 Spain • T. +34 644 951 180 • admissions@atlas-asm.es

AMERICAN SCHOOL OF MALAGA

Our mission is to promote superior academic achievement, mastery of skills and content, and foster moral citizenship.

Opening in September 2022

ESTEPONA

www.atlas-asm.es

Camino de Torrevigía s/n • Selwo hills, Estepona • Málaga 29689 Spain • T. +34 644 951 180 • admissions@atlas-asm.es

10 May 2022

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Estepona

Mural magic

T’S quite literally the most offthe-wall collection of urban art on the Costa del Sol. Everyone from top international artists to creative prison inmates have contributed to Estepona’s amazing al fresco art gallery of murals glamming up bleak concrete buildings around town. Every other high rise is bursting with colour and imaginative designs – from dancers and divers to optical illusions which deceive the eye from a distance. One of the latest additions to the ‘Artistic Murals Route’ is Atlantis by Jose Fernandez Rios, located on Avenida de los Reales. Another example of Rios’ work is the gardener cutting bougainvillea on the side of Victor de la Serna school. Likewise, the impressive Fishing Day mural occupies 1,000m2 across six separate buildings – and holds the record as the largest vertical mural in Spain. Artistic inmates of Alhaurin prison meanwhile created sixmetre-long metal sculptures for one mural which recreates the sea floor as part of the Moraga Collective initiative. Erin Aman, whose work is featured in San Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, is another of the famous contributors to the offbeat outdoor expo.

Does your property lack First Occupation License/Licence of First Occupancy? Did you know architects can now issue these licences? Having a First Occupation Licence/Licence of First Occupancy Will enable you to comply with current laws if you wish to rent your property short-term OR will improve your chances to close a sale if you wish to sell your property.

Lawbird is a firm of English speaking lawyers who specialise in property law, corporate law, litigation and immigration law. Whether you plan to buy a house, start a company or relocate to Spain, we offer a no-nonsense service to assist you.

LPO Architects, in collaboration with Lawbird Legal Services S.L.P., can help you get this licence in record time.

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11 May 2022

ESQUIVEL & MORENO J OY E R O S A R T E S A N O S - A R T I S A N J E W E L L E R

THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN OF ESTEPONA

D E S I G N S - R E - M O D E L L I N G - C R E AT I O N S

After working for many years in Paris (France) for high-end jewellery brands, they move to Estepona where they have opened their own jewellery store and workshop. They can fix all kinds of jewellery, design your ideas and make exclusive jewellery for you. If you are looking for a reliable jeweller, do not hesitate, they are what you are looking for.

Bringing Paris chic, tailored to your jewellery Dneeds I S E Ñ O S - FA B R I CA C I O N E S

- CREACIONES

tel: 952 92 82 06 WhatsApp: 654 09 06 02 squivel & Moreno is Estepona’s www.joyeriaesquivelymoreno.com C/ Castillo 9, Estepona, Málaga

go-to jewellery shop. After refining their craft in Paris, the shop moved to Estepona where it now runs its dream store, complete with its own workshop. Having worked for a host of luxury brands including Cartier, Chanel, Dior and many others, Esquivel & Moreno is the only place to go if you want a pristine quality service that understands your needs. Whether you need repairs, modifications, cleaning or even a new piece designed and made from scratch, Esquivel & Moreno is the place for you. They create beautifully-crafted bespoke jewellery and can restore your most cherished items as good as new. Among the multitude of things they specialise in are wedding bands where Esquivel & Moreno add detailed personalisation to rings and can even add your own fingerprint or signature to the piece. The only limit on the jewellery they can make is your imagination. You can even bring a sketch of an idea and they will create a unique and exclusive piece just for you. Other services available include shining and polishing, all kinds of coating including Rhodium, gold-plated, silver-plated, engraving on any type of material and even replacing the battery of your favourite watch.

Find them Calle Castillo, 9, 29680, Estepona, Malaga or call 952 92 82 06

ESQUIVEL & MORENO J OY E R O S A R T E S A N O S - A R T I S A N J E W E L L E R D E S I G N S - R E - M O D E L L I N G - C R E AT I O N S After working for many years in Paris (France) for high-end jewellery brands, they move to Estepona where they have opened their own jewellery store and workshop. They can fix all kinds of jewellery, design your ideas and make exclusive jewellery for you. If you are looking for a reliable jeweller, do not hesitate, they are what you are looking for.

D I S E Ñ O S - FA B R I CA C I O N E S - C R E A C I O N E S tel: 952 92 82 06 WhatsApp: 654 09 06 02 www.joyeriaesquivelymoreno.com C/ Castillo 9, Estepona, Málaga

12 May 2022

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Estepona

BLOOMIN’ MARVELLOUS In the heart of Estepona lies an unmissable exotic collection of plants that form the largest orchidarium in Spain

HE Estepona Orchidarium is famed in Andalucia for its mind-blowing flora. The striking building, which is the largest orchidarium in Spain, is divided into two levels separated by a beautiful bamboo forest that covers 1,000 square metres. With a waterfall more than 15 meters high, the three glass domes provide the perfect vantage point to view the 5,000 plant varieties and 1,300 orchid species. As of February, it boasts an extremely rare orchid known as Fredclarekara After Dark,

so named because of the distinctive balck colour of its flowers. Park curator Manuel Lucas explained that such a colour rarely occurs in nature and is the result of exposure to light that the plant receives at the time of flowering. Amazingly, the colour of the plant changes depending on the time of day - in the first half of the morning the flowers are a chocolate brown, while from midday the hue transitions to an intense black. The Orchidarium also recently announced that the

Phalaenopsis gigantea, also known as 'Elephant Ear' and deemed to be a highly rare species, can now be viewed

UNIQUE: Estepona’s orchids are the envy of Spain

OPEN ALL YEAR TUE - SUN Playa de la rada · junto rio de la cala · 29680 Estepona www.palmbeachestepona.com · Tel: 952 113 556

#Chiringuito #Beach Bar

13 May 2022

SPRING IN THEIR STEP Action-packed fun at Super Jump

VALUE FOR MONEY: A family of four can visit for under €10 by the public. It is also anticipated that the Coelogyne rochussenii will soon be on show, noted for its highly pungent smell. Next month should see the blooming of the Psychopsis orchids, large flowers of intense orange red and yellow which are often compared to dancing butterflies. The Bulbophyllum nimphopolitanum meanwhile will showcase its lemon-yellow leaves coinciding with the bloom of the purple Miltonia. The ticket price is €3 for adults and €1 for children.

UPER Jump is the perfect family outing. The centre is a kids dream, with trampolines, a parkour area, a ninja warrior zone, a giant airbag not to mention a giant foam cube pool. A park for all ages, it is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 5pm to 9pm, Friday 5 - 10pm and Saturdays and Sundays 12 - 10pm. It boasts a 500m terrace where parents can watch their children play whilst relaxing. It is the ideal place to host your kids’ birthday parties and offer a totally different experience from the same old kids’ parties that have been done over and over again. At Super Jump kids experience an unforgettable birthday with the birthday boy or girl receiving an hour of free jumping for any day of the year. Super Jump takes care of the whole party, providing classic or fondant cakes, private monitors, special decorations, face painting, and much more. Parking is available on site and is free of charge whilst for the adults, there are nightly disco sessions. The activities on offer combine fun with physical activity and endurance and you can have a tailored event depending on your group, whether that be adults on a stagdo or a class of primary school children.

Get on down at C. Copérnico, n1, 29680 Estepona, Málaga Or call 679 00 96 09 to book. www.superjumpestepona.com

ll about

May 2022

Estepona

All Sun and Games There is far more to Estepona than just sandy beaches and walks through the old town

INCE it was named the European city of sport just over a decade ago, the town has invested millions into sports, epitomised by the construction of a state-of-the-art athletics stadium complex featuring an athletics track, football ground, and BMX track. Truly a summer sport paradise, it boasts two genuine grandes dames of the Costa del Sol. Both El Paraiso and Atalaya are among the oldest golf courses around,

FORE!: A dreamy backdrop established in the days when you could build a golf course just about anywhere you liked.

ACE: World-class facilities facilities

As a result, the quality of the courses is fantastic, built on wonderfully flat land with the mountainous backdrop of the Sierra de las Nieves. It means you don’t lose so many balls and the courses are a joy to walk around. El Paraiso was designed by Gary Player, among the greatest golfers of all time and one of only seven golfers to win a career grand slam. But the club is not just the reserve of the elite, and prides itself on catering for every kind of golfer, boasting up to eight competitions a week for varying abilities. Featuring spectacular views of La Concha Mountain the club is owned and managed entirely by its members. Meanwhile the stunning Atalaya golf club, open since 1968 and designed

by Bernard von Limburger is one of the oldest and most prestigious clubs on the coast. Founded only with the aim of assimilating perfectly into the environment, its rural heritage allows members and visitors alike to enjoy golf in surroundings completely detached from urban development. A unique feature of the club is its diverse membership, with at least 40 different nationalities enjoying their golf in the Spanish sun. “Estepona has the best golfing temperatures in Europe, with over 320 days of sunshine a year and an average of 22 degrees,” explains Jason Callow, of Estepona Golf. “This coast is one of the best places in Europe for golf, due to the weather, the breathtaking panoramic views

across mountains and sea, and of course the great choice on offer.” If you prefer your tiebreaks to your tees, then Tennis Club Estepona has you covered. Founded in 1988 the club has a sprawling 24,000 square-metre area with five clay courts, three grass courts and two hard courts. The club has received national recognition and has been visited by legends like Manolo Santana (the former world number one) and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, who won 14 grand slams in the women’s game whilst the current coach of Novak Djokovic, Pepe Imaz counts the club as his one of his favorites in the world to visit. With much more to offer than sipping cocktails on the beach, Estepona has become a sporting smash-hit.

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15 May 2022

WHERE TO EAT

MELTING POT

The food scene in Estepona is starting to come together, writes Jon Clarke

UCKED away in every backstreet and tiny square in Estepona these days you’ll find a new place to eat. They literally jump out at you as you stroll around the charming city centre, both at lunchtime and at night. Helped by the sudden arrival of three boutique hotels, it means many more tourists are staying the night… and they, of course, need to

be fed. Whether you fancy Japanese, Thai or Mexican - or just good tapas - there is something for everyone… there are even some fancy new wine bars sprouting up all over the place. The changes were previously taking place between the two key squares of Plaza Ortiz and Plaza de las Flores, but now you will need to spread out.

GREAT PAIRING: Estepona’s wine scene is also flourishing Take Plaza Manilva, in the north west of the old town, here you will find Take a Wine, a great new spot that cleverly couples great wines by the glass, with tapas and music.

Set up by a charming Madrileno Anselmo, who spent many years working in La Rioja, he has close links with Spain’s leading classical musicians, not to mention bodegas.

The menu is simple, but focuses on gourmet ingredients from the north of Spain and has plenty of exclusive Continues on page 16

WINE & FOOD

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PLAZA MANILVA, ESTEPONA

Treat yourself to goodness! Aromatiq Lounge has fresh local food and premium signature cocktails

EW to the area and already taking Estepona Port by storm, Aromatiq Lounge is the perfect new spot in town for a high-quality hospitality experience. The bar specializes in premium and signature cocktails, concocted by Aromatiq Lounge’s talented and experienced mixologist, Diego Mancera. The cocktails are going down a treat so far at Estepona Port, the most popular choice being its namesake ‘Aromatiq’. Aside from cocktails, the wine list includes quality house wines and carefully selected biodynamic wines at a very reasonable price. Aromatiq Lounge is casual and trendy, and this is reflected in the food menu which is based on fresh, local products cooked in a healthy Mediterranean style. The spot is more than just a restaurant, with future plans including mixology events pairing dishes with cocktails, “Wine & Paint” events, and a French style breakfast starting in May. The entire ambiance has been carefully planned, with art from local artists (also available to buy) decorating the walls, and a small gourmet boutique in the works. Diana Storin, restaurant entrepreneur who previously owned two establishments in Panama, is the mind behind Aromatiq Lounge. Having arrived on the Costa del Sol for semi-retirement, Diana couldn’t resist the challenge of turning an abandoned restaurant in the port into something beautiful. After two months of scheming and redesigning with best friend and former client, Erika Gonzalez, who had also recently moved to Estepona, Aromatiq Lounge was born.

ll about

May 2022 From page 15

Tasty treats in town wines. Best of all, you sit out in the charming shady square surrounded by orange trees and the usual phalanx of geraniums. Back in the corner of the

Offering beautiful views of the marina, Aromatiq Lounge can be found on Av. Virgen del Puerto, 29680, Estepona. For opening hours, info and reservations please call +34 625445299 and follow on Instagram @aromatiq_lounge YUM!: It’s a joy to eat out in the sylish old town

Estepona

main square, Plaza de los Flores, you must try out Casa del Rey. This was the first of the great new places to eat in the old town, both stylish and with a great menu to match. Owned by the Reinaldo group, there are over 100 wines served by the glass and approachable halfDutch expat owner Liliana is often around for a chat about the best dishes.

Nearby, look out for Etcetera, set up by an enterprising expat mother and daughter from Austria and Poland. Sitting on the recently upgraded Plaza Rocio Bazan, half way along Calle Real, this is charm personified with a splendid range of dishes of a very international flavour. There were some fabulous asparagus croquettes, a superb ham-

17 May 2022

LA CARBONARA

T R A D I T I O NA L I TA L I A N F O O D

REFRESH: Be sure to check out Palm Beach for a cocktail burger and the most creative pudding (a cross between a cheesecake and banoffee pie) I have had this year. Another well established place, also in a lovely square, Plaza Ortiz, look out for brilliant Argentinian restaurant Sur, where well-travelled owner Juan is a hands-on and hard-working trouper. He is normally around alongside his daughter, son and wife and promises superb steaks, juicy empanadas and lamb tagine. For fish, you most certainly must not miss el Pescador run by Alfonso for years - and very often found in its kitchen, when not up the road in his new place in Guadalmina.

Few places are as busy as this and the hard-working team are professional and offer the best fish in town, overlooking the main beach. Another excellent chiringuito is Africa Beach, run by the team from well established inland restaurant La Alcaria de Ramos. But the best place to spend the day, hanging out on a sunbed, then enjoying cocktails at night is the chiringuito Palm Beach. A superb fish lunch with espeto skewers, it is run by friendly Dutchman Erwin, whose prawn pil pil samosas and crab spring rolls are legendary.

“

FABULOUS FOOD

The chef came to our table and designed a menu of fresh seasonal ingredients with perfectly-sized portions. The flavours were amazing; the service was impeccable and very reasonably priced. We’d go back in a heartbeat! Open 6.30pm - 11pm Closed Wednesday Calle de Ceuta 18, 29680, Estepona Spain

”

Continues on page 18

InIn the the heart heart of the of the old old town town of Estepona, of Estepona, next tonext the Plaza to thede Plaza las de las Flores Flores and and framed framed within within a house a house with more with than more200 than years 200 ofyears of history, history, thethe Casa Casa del Rey del Rey is a “wine is a “wine bar – restaurant” bar – restaurant” that that opened opened its doors its doors in December in December 2012. 2012. Every Every corner corner of our of our house house tells of tells theof history the history of our people of our people and and wewe have have spoiled spoiled everyevery detaildetail to make to it make so. it so.

Tel:Tel: 951 951 96 54 9614 54 14 www.lacasadelreyestepona.com www.lacasadelreyestepona.com Abierto Abierto todos todos los dias los dias / Open / Open everyevery day: 12:00 day:– 12:00 24:00 – 24:00 Calle Calle Raphael, Raphael, 7. 29680 7. 29680 Estepona, Estepona, Málaga. Málaga.

18 May 2022

ll about

Estepona

From page 17

Something for everyone Looking for good pasta? Up in the newer part of town look out for the excellent Italian La Carbonara where they make their own pasta fresh in the kitchens every day. There are some excellent wines by the glass and always plenty of starters and mains off the menu.

La Alcaria de Ramos may be out of the way but it’s worth seeking it out, somewhere between the two famous golf courses of El Paraiso and Atalaya. An ancient coaching inn, it is charm personified with some amazing Spanish tourist posters and has wonderful views

of the coasts sitting up in an enviable position. And for something completely different head for the coolest spot by far on the Estepona coast… the La Catalina restaurant and beer factory. This is fast becoming one of the hippest places to hang out on a Friday night and over the weekend when there are a string of live events taking place. But the food is also excellent and the beer and wine is hard to beat, being local and organic.

19 May 2022

WHERE TO STAY

OPEN HOUSE Estepona has new kids on the block and they’s fabulous places to stay

OR decades the only places to stay in Estepona old town were flea pits where you took your life into your hands. All the decent hotels were stretched out along the coast, way outside the charming centre, perfect for the beaches, but needing a taxi or a long walk for a decent restaurant or some culture. Now, like London buses, a trio of boutique hotels have opened in the centre. The best are renovations of charming old buildings in the heart of the town. The Old Town Hotel, on Calle Caridad, one of Estepona’s prettiest streets, opened in 2021 after hus-

PANORAMIC: Hotel Estepona Plaza provides stunning views

band and wife Simone and Giusy undertook massive renovations on a once crumbling townhouse. Their hard work certainly paid

off. The entire building has been thoughtfully redesigned while keeping original details, from the geometric tiles to the wooden beams, and has stunning artworks hand-

picked by the couple. Modern furnishings, enormous showers, bright white cotton sheets, Nespresso machines and cava in the mini bar all dial up the luxury

feel. Forgot your toothbrush? There is one among the plastic-free toiletries in the room. Another excellent place to stay is the recently-opened Hotel Estepona Plaza, a beautifully reformed building on Plaza Ortiz. One of the old town’s most bustling squares, full of great restaurants, the hotel has been tastefully renovated preserving as much of the original building as possible.

Rooftop

CHECK IN: The Old Town has stunning rooms and a rooftop terrace

This includes the charming hydraulic tiles in the lobby, which are laid out in their original grids. The three-dozen rooms are well appointed and excellent value, while the highlight has to be the incredible rooftop pool with dreamy views across the town. Part of a Scandinavian group set to open more hotels in the town, it is just metres from Estepona’s famous beach.

Eco-friendly adults only boutique hotel, three minutes walk from the beach, set in a restored townhouse in the heart of Estepona historic centre featuring a rooftop bar overlooking the mountains and Estepona skyline.

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LA CULTURA

May 4th - May 17th 2022

UNESCO Malaga

Looking Rosalia

SPANISH superstar Rosalia has announced a massive world tour that kicks off in Andalucia and takes in 12 dates in Spain. The tour to promote breakthrough album Motomami will include 46 shows in 15 countries beginning on July 6 with a gig in Almeria before moving on to cities including Fuengirola, Sevilla, Granada, Valencia, Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, Barcelona, La Coruña and Palma. From Spain, the singing sensation will go on to South America to performing in Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Argentina before moving north for a series of concerts across the US scheduled for Boston, Chicago, Washington and San Francisco among others. Later this year, she will return to Europe with concerts scheduled in Portugal, Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium the UK and ending in Paris..

MALAGA City Council has approved a proposal to put forward the declaration of the Gibralfaro mountain and Calle Alcazabilla as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Urban Cultural Landscape Category. According to Councillor for Culture Noelia Losada, the site includes the Gibralfaro Castle and the Alcazaba, together with the Roman Theatre and the surroundings of the Jewish quarter of Malaga as a historical enclave in which the civilisations that have settled in the city throughout history, from the Phoenician, Roman, Muslim and Christian conquest to the present day.

PISSARRO THE ACTION

Fight over Nazi-looted painting on display in Museo Thyssen A JEWISH family is fighting a Spanish museum for a priceless painting they were forced to surrender to the Nazis. Lilly Cassirer and her husband surrendered Camille Pissarro’s impressionist masterpiece Rue Saint-Honore dans l’apres-midi. Effet de pluie to the Third Reich ahead of the holocaust in 1939, but their heirs - who have been involved in a legal battle for 20 years want it returned. The piece, created in 1897 and worth well in excess of €40 million, has been held at the Thyssen-Bornemisza museum in Madrid since 1993. The museum argues it has legal ownership but the family’s lawyer David Boies disagrees.

By Dilip Kuner

FIND: A hidden world in Osuna

Digging up the past LIMESTONE burial vaults dating back 2,500 years have been discovered during building works in the Andalucian town of Osuna. The rare archeological find was uncovered during building work to upgrade water supplies in the town which lies 90km east of Sevilla on the way to Antequera. The hidden burial vaults date back to the fourth or fifth century BC when the Iberian peninsula was occupied by the Phoenicians, long before the Romans settled the town, which they named Urso. Archaeologists have so far uncovered eight burial vaults linked by staircases and atriums which they described as similar to necropolises discovered at the ancient site of Tharros on Corsica and in the Tunisian sites of Kerkouan and Sahel. However, such a find is ‘unprecedented in inland Andalucia’. Similar burial grounds have been discovered along the coast but are rare so far inland and it is suggested Osuna may have been a settlement long before the Romans arrived. Mario Delgado, who is leading the team of archaeologists at the site said the find had been ‘completely unexpected’ and due to the age and state of conservation unlike any other archaeological find in the region. “To find a necropolis from the Phoenician and Carthaginian era with these characteristics – with eight well tombs, atriums and staircase access – you’d have to look to Sardinia or even Carthage itself,” he said.

He said: “This is an issue that is critically important not only in terms of trying to right terrible wrongs that had their origin in the Nazi persecution of the Jews but also to establish principles that are very important to what's happening now in the world.”

Law

A California court’s decision in 2020 that the case should proceed under US Federal law rather than California State law seemed to have ended the matter in the museum’s favour. But now a US Supreme Court ruling has referred it back to the Californian

RONDA is gearing up for the annual International Guitar Festival which will bring a host of international artists playing a diverse range of guitar music. The festival, which takes place from June 6 to 11, prides itself on the diversity of the classical guitar with Flamenco, classical and Jazz just some of the genres that will be on show. The performances will take place at the Congress and Exhibition Centre Santo Domingo right in the heart of Rondas old town marking the sixth In-

court, opening up the possibility that the Thyssen museum will have to re-

Ronda rhythms ternational Guitar Festival. Artists from Spain, Greece, Belgium, Poland and the Czech Republic will all be descending on the Spanish town. The festival said: “We are delighted to celebrate in the city of Ronda, the treasure and legacy that is the Spanish guitar!” Tickets range from €10 - €15 and can be bought at rondaguitarfestival.com.

Transferred

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turn the masterpiece to the heirs of Cassirer. She had inherited the piece in 1926, but had to hand it over to the Nazis in 1939 in order to get visas for her and her family to leave Germany in 1939. After the war she received the modern equivalent of $200,000 in compensation from the German government, but never gave up her claim to the painting. The artwork resurfaced in the United States in 1951, where its ownership changed hands several times. It was finally bought by Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza for $300,000 in 1976 and was eventually transferred to the Thyyssen Museum in 1993. Representatives of the museum remain confident they will retain ownership of the piece, despite the Supreme Court ruling.

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BUSINESS Spanish 32

Exception

THE EU has granted permission for Portugal and Spain to continue capping the price of gas. Normally, gas and electricity prices are ‘coupled’, meaning EU member states trade wholesale gas and electricity wholesale with each member state paying the same price regardless of how that electricity is produced. But Portugal and Spain are to continue having their gas price ‘de-coupled’, allowing the two centre-left governments to cap soaring energy costs for consumers.

Mechanism

The agreement has created a temporary mechanism which caps the price of gas at €50 per megawatt hour. Experts say the agreement will halve electricity bills for about 40% of Spanish and Portuguese consumers who have regulated rates. The announcement on Tuesday follows EU leaders formally agreeing to ‘urgently assess the compatibility of emergency temporary measures in the electricity market notified by Member States, including to mitigate the impact of fossil fuel prices in electricity production.’ Fuel prices have skyrocketed in the past few months, made worse by supply limitations caused by the war in Ukraine.

May 4th - May 17th 2022

NEW KINAHAN VICTIM

Marbella-founded MTK Global boxers management company closed down US government sanctions on the Kinahan Irish mafia cartel have claimed their first business casualty. The MTK Global boxing management company has closed its doors after promoters told it they would no longer deal with any of their fighters. The company was set up under its original name of MGM by Irish gangland kingpin Daniel Kinahan in Marbella. Kinahan, who lived in a luxury villa in Estepona before

By Dilip Kuner

moving to Dubai, is believed to control a €1 billion crime organisation. The UAE has now frozen the assets of the Kinahan family following the US sanctions. Kinahan put the money up to open the Macklin Gym Marbella (MGM) in 2012 with former Irish, British and European Middleweight Champion Matthew Macklin.

SPAIN’S annual inflation rate fell to 8.4% in April according to the National Statistics Institute(INE). The 1.4% drop on the March figure was higher than expected due to lower fuel prices. It’s the first monthly inflation fall since January. The INE said that despite energy prices falling, food and drink costs rose compared to April 2021. Underlying core inflation however hit its highest level since 1995. The measurement does not include food and

KNOCKOUT: Daniel Kinahan with Tyson Fury Kinahan is the son of Irish underworld kingpin Christy Kinahan, known as ‘the dapper don.’ MGM quickly started to build a stable of top boxing talent and rapidly expanded its operations internationally The U.S. government has of-

Mixed picture energy products, and went up by 1% on the March figure to 4.4%. The Bank of Spain has doubled its inflation forecast for the rest of the year and 2023 based on energy price hikes. It warned of risks to an economy that is trying to recover from the effects of the Covid. That includes businesses having to cut profit margins and demands by workers for higher wages to keep pace with inflation.

SWINGS AND ROUNDABOUTS GBP/EUR exchange rates seesaws on Ukraine concerns and central bank rate speculation, writes FX specialist Peter Loveday

HE Pound Euro (GBP/EUR) exchange rate continued to trade in a wide range through the second half of April as developments in Ukraine as well as shifting Bank of England (BoE) and European Central Bank (ECB) interest rate expectations infused the pairing with volatility. This has seen the pairing trade in a range of between €1.18 and €1.20. WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING? The past couple of weeks have seen central banks back in focus, as market expectations for future interest rate hikes from both the BoE and ECB have shifted. This resulted in the pound stumbling amid a notable fall in BoE rate hike bets after the latest UK retail sales figures reported an alarming plunge in retail sales in March. The worrying fall in sales growth reinforced fears that a fall in consumer spending could leave the UK at risk of a recession in the summer, prompting GBP investors to reprice their expectations for several more rate hikes in 2022. At the same time, a series of hawkish speeches from ECB policymakers, such as Vice President Luis de Guindos who claimed an interest rate hike in July is ‘possible’ has resulted in EUR investors reassessing their expectations for how aggressively the bank could begin to tighten its monetary policy. This speculation was stoked by the latest Eurozone consumer price index, which reported inflation in the bloc soared to a new record high in April. Meanwhile, events in Ukraine have also continued to influence the GBP/EUR exchange rate through the second

fered a reward of $5 million for information that will lead to the ‘financial destruction’ of the Kinahan crime gang or the arrest and conviction of its leaders - Christy and his sons Daniel and Christy Junior

Sanctioning

“As a business we have faced unprecedented levels of unfair scrutiny and criticism since the sanctioning by the US Government of Daniel Joseph Kinahan,” a statement from MTK said. “Mr Kinahan’s involvement in MTK ceased in 2017, and despite repeated reassurances in this regard, unfounded allegations about his ongoing association with us and our fighters persist.”

DEAR GREEN SPACE AMANCIO Ortega, the richest man in Europe, has invested hundreds of millions in office space in Glasgow. The space, costing around £200 million, comprises 30,000 square feet and is as yet unfinished. The office is close to the centre of the city, less than five minutes from Central Station and will apparently have Virgin, BNP Paribas, and Transport Scotland as some of its tenants.

Portfolio

The move follows a string of UK acquisitions by the clothing magnate, with the portfolio of Pontegadea UK, the British subsidiary of Ortega’s property firm valued at around £2.8 billion with ownership of properties on Oxford Street, St. James Square, and Devonshire House, as well as a gigantic building by Piccadilly station. The Spaniard who founded the Inditex fashion group, was recently named the 23rd richest person in the world by Forbes magazine, with a $60 billion net-worth.

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half of April. EUR investors were particularly unsettled by Russia’s move to block gas exports to Poland and Bulgaria, amidst fears it could also cut off energy exports to other countries in the EU over their refusal to pay in roubles. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO LOOK OUT FOR? A key focus over the next couple of weeks will be the outcome of the Bank of England’s May policy meeting. While the BoE is expected to deliver its fourth consecutive rate hike in May as it seeks to tame domestic inflation, the bank’s forward guidance may act as the main driving force behind the pound. A cautious outlook from the BoE would undoubtedly dent expectations for future interest rate hikes, and in turn push the GBP/EUR exchange rate lower. Meanwhile events surrounding the war in Ukraine will continue to have a major impact on GBP/EUR. This could see the euro face some considerable headwinds if Russia extends its gas export ban to other countries such as Germany. PROTECTING AGAINST VOLATILITY At Currencies Direct we’re here to talk currency whenever you need us, so get in touch if you want to know more about the latest news or how it could impact your currency transfers. Since 1996 we’ve helped more than 325,000 customers with their currency transfers, just pop into your local Currencies Direct branch or give us a call to find out more.

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BUSINESS Cash is king May 4th May 17th 2022

Spain’s King Felipe VI reveals he is worth €2.6 million THE King of Spain has revealed his net worth - and it turns out to be a ‘modest’ €2,573,392.80. While that may seem a lot to most people, it is dwarfed by the €2 BILLION his father - the former King Juan Carlos - is

By Jorge Hinojosa

estimated to be worth. And the richest royal in the world, according to Wikipedia, Vajiralongkor, King of Thailand’s €43 billion fortune is on a different

Ladies first COSTA WOMEN have announced the return of their conference on Women in Business in Andalucia. The conference, taking place on May 12, will feature its usual dose of chat from leading business experts as well as talks from inspirational speakers sharing tips, knowledge and tools for business success. This year’s conference, hosted at Andalucia Lab in Marbella, is titled: ‘Make it happen by being You’ The event is open to all women in business with many expected to come from all corners of Spain. Costa Women Founder, Ali Meehan (pictured) said: “We’re delighted to be able to celebrate with the inspiring business women from all around Spain during our conference and offer inspiring, motivating and interesting talks which will help them to survive and thrive in the years ahead.” Tickets cost €39.95 including refreshments for the 9.30am to 4pm event and can be booked on costawomen.com/conference-2022.

scale altogether. King Felipe’s worth was unveiled by the Spanish Royal Family in a statement yesterday. He currently has €2,267,942 in the bank account and €305,450 worth of paintings, and jewelry. The decision to reveal his wealth is thought to be a bid to increase ‘transparency’ and trust in the Royal Family. “The patrimony of the King is mainly made up of the salary he has received during the last 25 years, first as the price of Asturias from 1998 and then as the King of Spain from 2014,” said the Royal Family.

Inviolable

Spanish News Agency Europa Press stated the government and most political parties agreed with the decision to publish King Felipe’s worth. However, Pablo Echenique, a member of congress for Podemos, has heavily criticised the Royal Family. He said: “As long as the king is legally inviolable, it is impossible to know if the heritage he declares is real.”

How to invest in Spain Del Canto Chambers takes a look at the Golden Visa for investors

PAIN is known as one of the most attractive markets in Southern Europe for various foreign, EU and local investors. However, this scenario has not always been the case since the European financial crisis of 2008 hit our country hard when debt more than doubled (i.e. from 40% to 90% in 2013). Of course, by that time, the Spanish financial system was quite fragile and the government took some drastic measures, as well as some complex labour market reforms, to stabilise the market and the economy of our country. As a result, the Spanish economy revived with higher economic growth rates and a better/(improved?) account balance with the rest of the world. Spain also adjusted its legislation with regard to foreign investment, providing more incentives for the private sector, and generating greater security for investors. Spain is currently the thirteenth largest economy in the world and the fifth largest in Europe in terms of gross domestic product, and is expected to retain both positions for the next few years. Some of the most relevant sectors that can be found within the Spanish economy are real estate, renewable energies, tourism, the Forex market and mining. However, one of the biggest questions asked by some foreign investors is: How to invest in Spain? Golden Visa: Residence for entrepreneurs in Spain

In 2013, in order to stimulate foreign investments, the Spanish Government introduced Law 14/2013, of 27 September, on support for entrepreneurs and their internationalisation, which establishes that people from outside the European Union that invest in the country can obtain an investor residence permit (also called Spanish Golden Visa). There is no doubt that the Golden Visa offers several advantages to its applicants, the first is that, unlike any visa under the General Law on Foreigners, you can apply for this permit directly from Spain. In addition, it grants you the right to live and work in Spain for two years on an initial application (instead of just one year like

other residence authorisations). The Golden Visa will also allow you to renew your residence permit, and this time will be valid for you to apply for Spanish nationality. Obtaining this residence for investors in Spain will also allow you to: ● To circulate freely in the rest of the European countries of the Schengen area. ● Carry out the residency procedure at the Spanish Consulate or directly from Spain. ● Work in Spain as an employer or employee once the permit has been granted. ● That your family group lives in Spain, even if you as an investor do not reside here. ● To include your children over the age of 18 if they are economically dependent on you Additionally, unlike non-lucrative visas and residence permits under the General Law on foreigners, the Golden visa does not require a minimum stay of six months in Spain. As a matter of fact, you can renew it only by having entered the territory once. On top of all these advantages, the Spanish administration is resolving Golden Visa applications within 10-20 working days (usually a visa application under the General Law on foreigners can take up to 3 months). It should be noted that the Golden Visa is granted if you make an investment of a value equal to or greater than two million euros in Spanish public debt securities, or for a value equal to or greater than one million euros in shares or stock in Spanish companies, or bank deposits in Spanish financial institutions. Another equally valid and interesting option for many investors is to acquire the Golden Visa in Spain through the acquisition of real estate with an investment of 500,000 euros or more. Finally, you can also obtain your residence by investment if you

To make a no-obligation enquiry, please either call us now on: +44 2070 430 648 or make an online enquiry at www.delcantochambers.es

present a business project that can be developed in Spain and that is considered and accredited as being of general interest, since it would promote the creation of jobs, and would have a relevant socio-economic impact or a relevant contribution to scientific and/or technological innovation. In conclusion, obtaining a residence visa for investment in Spain is a quicker and simpler way for those interested in making a substantial investment in our country. It is precisely this ease of obtaining and maintaining it that has led to a large number of people having already benefited from it, as has happened in countries such as Portugal or France. You should bear in mind that on our website we offer key and timely information on various procedures or processes. However, in order to assess your possibilities, it is essential to receive a comprehensive analysis and advice based on your personal circumstances. Del Canto Chambers takes a personalised approach to each client, which is carefully tailored to their conditions, providing certainty throughout the process, and making our clients' applications successful.

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What Brexit? THERE are more foreign residents living in Spain than ever before, new data suggests Some six million foreigners were officially recorded as having residence in Spain in 2021, the highest number on record. The Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Services and Migration said the rise started prior to the pandemic with immigrants mainly coming from the UK and EU. In addition, the number of third-country nationals obtaining Spanish residency

More foreigners call Spain home than ever before, latest government stats reveal permits rose by 3.6 per cent in 2021. Almost 60% of foreign residents came from the other EU Member States, with over two-million from third countries. Many of them were British ‘Brexit refugees’ who emigrated to Spain under the terms of the withdrawal agreement. Indeed, more UK nationals

Full house HOMES to rent in Spain are in increasingly short supply, according to property giant Idealista. They found the supply of rental housing has fallen by 37% during the first quarter of 2022 compared with last year. In Granada, there has been a whopping 64% reduction in places available to rent with Girona seeing a 62% fall. Sevilla and Malaga have seen a drop of 50% in the number of houses and apartments to let. The only places to buck this trend were Palecnia, which saw rental housing availability increase by a quarter, Huesca (14%) and Soria (7%). Idealista said: “Most Spanish capitals now have far fewer rental homes than there were a year ago. At the provincial level, the situation has been similar in the last year. Granada registered the greatest drop in supply, followed by Barcelona and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.”

History, adventure and romance. That’s just the setting.

moved in 2021 to Spain than in many previous years with over 16,000 upping-sticks in that year alone, a 5% increase on 2020 figures. It is thought that the surge may be due to people wanting to ensure permanent residency before the end of the transition period. Now that Britain has left the EU, British citizens can only stay in the county without a visa for 90 days at a time. The figures, which are based on the number of residence applications granted, show that by the end of 2021, there were 313,975 British passport holders with official residence in Spain.

Increase

The largest populations of foreigners who call Spain home are Romanians followed by Moroccans, then Brits. The average age of foreign residents is 40, with slightly more men than women (52%). Spain’s foreign resident population has increased by almost a fifth in the last five years.

GOING DIGITAL SPAIN has experienced a 25% increase of interest in property from foreign buyers over the first quarter of this year. This is part of a wider trend observed across Europe by property portal Kyera of increased interest in the property market from overseas. This is thanks to the rise of digital nomads looking to base themselves abroad while working online post-Covid, with new visas being put in place to encourage this.

Nomads

Spain is getting ready to launch its own digital nomad visa for non-EU citizens, which will allow holders to settle temporarily in the country while working for companies outside of Spain, without having to apply for the traditional full work visa. Plans for the new visa are part of the Spanish government’s new ‘Startup Act’, first approved in late 2021. Indications suggest it will be a 12-month visa with two chances to renew, thus allowing digital nomads to remain in Spain for up to three years.

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THE Spanish minister of Tourism claims that Spain is the fourth most searched tourist destination in the world. Reyes Maroto confirmed that the Spanish tourist sector is at similar levels to pre-pandemic years, with hotel and tourist accommodation occupation matching the figures seen before Covid hit.

Recovery

She told Spanish broadcaster Antena 3 that official data showed ‘17.6 million overnight stays in Spain in March’. With regards to employment, Reyes Maroto revealed that there are currently 2.4 million workers in the tourism industry. She credited government efforts to mitigate high energy costs as part of the reason for the recovery in tourism.

Taking the lead

May 4th May 17th 2022

SPAIN’S tourism sector has launched a scheme to recruit Ukrainian refugees to work in hotels and holiday accommodation. The Confederación Española de Hoteles y Alojamientos Turísticos (CEHAT), the Instituto Tecnológico Hotelero (ITH) and beWanted has created a version of its job platform in the Ukrainian language to recruit the tens of thousands Ukrainains fleeing the Russian invasion.

By Dilip Kuner

ing manual passport controls when they arrive at the airport. Since Brexit, UK arrivals into EU nations have had to be treated as third-country nationals, according to EU legislation. But each member state is free to introduce its own regulations – and Portugal is the first to do so for British citizens. It is being seen as a way of encouraging British tourism this summer - possibly at the expense of Spain.

HOTEL AID

More than 134,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Spain since Putin sent his troops to invade Ukraine on February 24. CEHAT initially offered accommodation for Ukrainians who had no place to stay under a refugee scheme but they have now gone a step further in helping those who fled war to rebuild their lives in Spain.

BE PROTECTED

Know what your insurance covers and don’t be under insured

Portugal stealing a march on Spain as it bids to slash airport queues

PORTUGAL is hoping to get a march on Spain by scrapping post-Brexit airport security checks for Brits arriving at its airports. UK visitors to the country will be treated the same as EU nationals and will be able to use fast-track automatic gates. Portugal's Foreigners and Border Service (SEF) has opened four new-generation e-gates at Lisbon Airport with similar facilities at Faro, Porto and Funchal airports. The new regulations mean that UK citizens will not have to go through time-consum-

Dear Jennifer:

Meanwhile, the Olive Press continues to get reports of British travellers entering Spain via Gibraltar being asked for evidence they have €100 a day to spend. Some have also been asked for evidence of hotel or accommodation bookings.

Invitation

Ken Broomfield approached the Olive Press to explain: “My wife and I, both UK nationals, are in Gibraltar and occasionally visit Spain. Today my wife had great trouble in entering Spain to do some shopping as she was asked to provide evidence of her journey. “We asked the immigration official what would happen if we wanted to visit friends in Spain and were told we would need a written invitation. “This treatment is totally unacceptable and indicates to me that British people are not welcome in Spain. The immigration official exceptionally allowed my wife to enter.”

NE area of our lives that we can control in order to protect both ourselves and our loved ones is insurance. Unfortunately, I still hear of people who refuse to insure themselves, their families and everything they own, which of course, is very unwise. I have already said these words – if in doubt, speak to one of my consultants, who will be able to help you ensure your policies are correct with the coverage you need. One example - are you confident that all of the seats in your vehicle are covered? Do not assume that all your seats automatically have cover. Is your house policy adequately insured – is the size and area correct, do you have enough contents cover, remembering that the kitchen is covered under contents? Have you made any changes or improvements to your home and have you updated your policy to include these? I can think of nothing worse than being told by an assessor that someone’s home is under insured and they do not have enough coverage on their policy for the repairs and replacements required. I am often informed that insurance companies are very good until you have to claim. This, of course, can be true but that is not always the fault of the insurer other than when it is sold on price only. Take great care when offered a cheap home insurance – make sure you know exactly what you are paying for and again I offer an extra service to you all – my consultants will be happy to explain your policies and coverage. If in our opinion, you are under insured but you choose to stay that way, that of course is your choice but not necessarily a very wise decision and with my staff there to help and advise you, there is no excuse for not being insured correctly.

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HEALTH YOU AND YOUR PSA STOP 38

OST mature men, and their wives, have heard of the blood test for your prostate called PSA but how many of you understand it? First of all what is it, where does it come from and what does it do? Prostate Specific Antigen is a protein produced by normal cells in the prostate and by prostate cancer cells. It’s normal to have a small amount of PSA in your blood, and the amount rises slightly as you get older and your prostate gets bigger. A raised PSA level may suggest you have a problem with your prostate, but not necessarily cancer. It’s an enzyme that results in the semen becoming more liquid, which is important for fertility. It goes up for lots of reasons; age, the size of your prostate, urinary tract infections, inflammation or prostatitis, trauma, manipulation, catheterisation and finally prostate cancer. We started using it as a ‘tumour marker’ for prostate cancer in the 1980’s although it was controversial. Why? Well there are several reasons and it’s about a balance between risk and benefit. 1. Prostate cancer is only one of several causes of a raised PSA test. 2. Historically, two thirds of men with a raised PSA level didn’t have cancer cells in their biopsy and old-fashioned biopsies were neither pleasant nor accurate. 3. Some 15% of men with prostate cancer have a normal PSA.

May 4th May 17th 2022

Booze ban on Menu del Dia slammed as ‘fake news’

WINE-ING!

What to look for and what to do if you have prostate problems Mr. James Allan FRCS

4. The test doesn’t distinguish between aggressive and slow-growing cancers and may detect tumours that would not otherwise become evident. 5. There is very little good evidence that a screening programme based on PSA testing significantly changes your prognosis. So what should you do or who should have a PSA test? The answer is easy. If you have developed waterwork symptoms, going frequently or urgently, getting up at night or a slow flow, bloody urine or if you have a family history of prostate cancer, then you need to chat to a sensible urologist about having your PSA done and possibly an MRI scan of your prostate. MRI scanning is the new kid on the block and has revolutionised prostate cancer diagnosis. There is real hope of a screening programme, which will radically change this terrible disease that visits far too many men and families. As the technology advances then it is now reasonable for the over 50s to be counselled, tested and for prostate cancer to be beaten!

You can now meet Mr Hughes or Mr Allan at HC Marbella hospital or in Gibraltar or simply check out www.theurologyclinic.gi

THE Ministry of Health has rubbished claims that bars and restaurants will be forced to exclude alcoholic drinks from their traditional Menu del Dia. The Ministry, along with the country's 17 regions, however do want catering establishments to promote healthier eating on their menus via the so-called

Mediterranean Diet. It's one of the key planks in a national strategy to improve cardiovascular health with heart disease being the main cause of death in Spain. The Ministry says that the proposals ‘establish recommendations for healthy habits and do not contemplate prohibitions of any kind’. “It is false that drinks such

Lovely jabbly THE Spanish government will approve the fourth dose of the coronavirus vaccine for over 80s. Other countries in Europe like Italy and France have also approved the fourth dose for people in this age group. A fourth dose is already given to immunosuppressed people in Spain. The European Medicines Agency and The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control stated that it is not necessary for the population in general, but it is for people over 80 years old. The latest data from the Minister of Health stated that there is a cumulative incidence in those over 80 years old of 731,31 cases per 100,000 inhabitants recorded in the last two weeks. The Health Ministry says that 40,375,699 people have received two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine in Spain.

as wine or beer are going to be eliminated from the Menu del Dia,” added a spokesman. The rumour over an enforced Menu del Dia change surfaced after the news that free tap water will have to be supplied if asked for at restaurants across the country - something that is already done in some regions. Obesity is a major concern in Spain with over one in five adults classified as clinical obese. Child obesity levels are the highest in Western Europe, despite the healthy food options that are readily available.

Junk food

The draft proposals being discussed recommend the promotion of physical activity in schools and the removal of processed food and alcohol from vending machines. It also targets a reduction in junk food consumption by regulating advertising and balancing the scales by encouraging financial measures to reduce the price of fresh products that make up the Mediterranean diet.

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FINAL WORDS

THREE Michelin star Marbella chef Dani Garcia has been shortlisted as one of the world’s top 100 chefs by the Best Chef Awards with the winner to be chosen from the shortlist in the next few days.

Play dead NATIONAL police uncovered an illegal dog cemetery in Madrid’s Entrevias park run by a woman and her sister who both had mental disabilities and who owned 12 dogs.

Save the date A PAIR of policemen rescued a bride on her Malaga wedding day whose car had broken down in Churriana, dropping her and her godmother in Alhaurin de la Torre just in time for the service.

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Vol. 14 Issue 393 www.theolivepress.es May 4th - May 17th 2022

Top of the league Spanish fans are flocking to support Wycombe, writes George Mathias IT may not be the biggest club in English football, but for one set of Spanish fans it is number one. Forget the Manchester, Liverpool and London giants - English League 1 club Wycombe Wanderers has won an unlikely Spanish fanbase, with 100 fans flying over from Spain recently to watch the League One club beat Sheffield Wednesday. After a popular Spanish You-

Tube channel - La Media Inglesa - sent a questionnaire to various English clubs asking why they should support their team, only one responded in Spanish - Wycombe Wanderers. From then on, the channel contributors have become dedicated Wycombe Wanderers fans, regularly flying in for games with some of their subscribers. The channel, which has 330,000 subscribers, said:

VISIT: Spaniards were welcomed at Wycombe “Wycombe Wanderers was the half years ago and from there only one which answered our we started to collaborate.” questionnaire in Spanish. And “Wycombe is a club that mirthen they invited us to their rors our values. It was love at stadium. We visited two and a first sight,” said Ilie Oleart, who runs the channel. Wycombe described itself to the Youtubers as a family-orientated club based near London, which ‘would love to reminutes later returned to look for it. ceive many people from Spain One of the witnesses then offered to help find in our stadium.’ it by asking for the number so he could ring it La Media Inglesa said they and reveal its whereabouts. had been very warmly welThe phone was firstly traced by the suspect to comed by the Wycombe loits resting place under a car as it rang, and latcals and said they are now in er by police to an address in Orihuela after the a ‘constant, permanent relawitness gave the number to cops. tionship with the Chairboys’.

Dummy’s too thick to mention POLICE have nabbed a suspected sex assaulter after he was conned into giving his phone number to a witness. The suspect, aged 36, had forced his victim into a garage doorway and tried to molest her. Two passers-by heard a commotion and went to the woman’s aid, at which point he ran away. In his haste he dropped his phone and a few

THREE teens are in the doghouse after they kidnapped a pet and tried to hold out for a €150 ransom. They were arrested when they turned up at a rendezvous to collect the cash but instead of the distressed pet owner, the two 16 and one 17-year-olds were met by plain clothes detectives in Paterna (Valencia). The pooch had been swiped from a house before the thieves rang a number engraved on the dog's collar and demanded payment for its safe return.

EARLY RIDERS

AN alarming escape story could have ended in tragedy after it emerged two young children escaped their nursery school riding a plastic motorcycle after the door was left open. The two-year-olds were spotted by a woman some 300 metres away from the preschool in Almeria after they had crossed several roads. She scooped them up and called police who returned them to the care of teachers at the nursery. Parents of the children were outraged by the incident.