Olive Press Spain - Issue 378 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

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OLIVE PRESS

Mijas Costa

952147 147834 834 952

Vol. 15 Issue 378

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Your expat

voice in Spain

Tel: 952 147 834 TM

September 22nd - October 5th 2021

See page 24

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21/6/1921/6/19 13:30 13:30

EXPAT AID A phoenix from the flames as thousands of northern European residents rally to the fire call!

AS THE embers cool and the smoke clears above the vast swathes of blackened hillsides in the Sierra Bermeja, a phoenix is rising from the ashes. This is the spirit of a community that is determined to pull together and help those affected by a blaze which ravaged close to 10,000 hectares of woodland between Estepona and Ronda - and killed a young Spanish fireman. So quickly have expats rallied to ALL AREAS COVERED the call to help the 4G UNLIMITED victims of the INTERNET six-day IDEAL FOR blaze, STREAMING TV t h a t ALSO IPTV, American fundSATELLITE TV raising giant Gotel: (0034) 952 763 840 FundMe info@theskydoctor.com contactwww.theskydoctor.com ed the

SKY + THE DOCTOR +

HELPING HANDS: Graham’s daughters gave pocket money

Olive Press to praise them. The Californian company lauded the unprecedented number of campaigns - already numbering over half a dozen launched by expats over the last week. They include British resident Graham Pagden, 51, who felt moved to do something to help having watched the wildfire come dangerously close to ravaging his valley home. The Casares-based property manager particularly wanted to help the family of dead fireman Carlos Martinez Haro, 41, from Almeria.

Ferocious

“I looked at my two daughters who are about the same age as his and thought we have to do something for the girls he left behind,” he told the Olive Press this week. The ‘Go Fund Me’ drive he set up has already raised €6,600 for the Haro family. “Someone who says goodbye to his wife and daughters and travels across the country to stand in front of a ferocious fire to save people and their homes, is a little bit special,” he said. “It’s very sad indeed.”

TRAGIC: Dead fireman Carlos His daughters have donated their pocket money to the cause along with hundreds of others around Andalucia who felt moved to do something. As the fire raged, the expat community pulled together with volunteers rushing to those who were threatened by the blaze. Members of the equestrian community offered to take in horses from the fire zone, animal lovers took in over 100 dogs from ADANA, while voluntary vets were Continues on Page 8

Picture by David Lopez / Olive Press Spain

Se e

FI R pa E g

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SP EC IA & L

FREE

ANDALUCÍA

CRIME

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NEWS IN BRIEF Almost scammed SEVILLA council narrowly escaped a €1 million scam when fraudsters stole data to take over the identity of a Christmas light company and submitted a bill.

Pair nabbed BRITISH fugitives Alison Gracey and Christoper Jones who have been on the run for 10 years from manslaughter charges over the death of a scuba diver at their US diving school have been arrested in the Basque Country.

Taken down SOME 106 people have been arrested in a joint operation between Spanish and Italian police for allegedly laundering €10 million for mafia groups through Spanish banks.

Behave! A MASSIVE illegal street party involving 25,000 students has led to university authorities in Madrid urging students to be more responsible.

POLICE are hunting for a ‘balding’ arsonist who is believed to have started the wildfire that razed 10,000 hectares of the Sierra Bermeja. Olive Press sources have revealed that the mystery man appears to have set three separate fires on the night the mega-blaze began. “But only two of them took off, one on either side of the mountain peak,” revealed the INFOCA fire service employee, who asked not to be named. “What he knew was that as the wind was picking up and it was getting dark, it was not going to be put out that evening,” he added. Detectives from the Guardia Civil’s environmental arm Seprona are now working with the Forest Fire Investigation Brigade (BIIF) to establish the cause of the blaze that killed one firefighter and dozens of wild animals between Estepona and Ronda. They are probing why the fires were deliberately started

September 22nd - October 5th 2021

PURE EVIL ‘Bald’ man who may have started Estepona fires could have also covered his car number plates

And intriguingly, two other recent fires in the same area were apparently linked to on the road between Estepo- marijuana plantations. na and the inland Genal Val- The first in May in Genalguacil was caused by workley village of Genalguacil. The Olive Press can reveal ers as they prepared the land that the man was seen driv- in preparation to cultivate, ing in a car shortly after 9pm while the second in July in on September 8… and that he nearby Jubrique was caused may have taken off its num- by an electric generator that was linked to another planber plates! tation. “This fire was definitely Arson caused by humans, it was not “That is what the rumours natural,” said Jose Luis Meriare at the moment,” the fire da of BIIF. source continued. “We are keeping our invesWhat is certain is that the tigations open on the causes fire was definitely caused by behind it for now.” arson. There has been speculation that it could have been caused by a neighbours dispute, as well as following an argument between drug A TRIO of prisoners have escaped a POLICE have arrested the gangs. Spanish prison on jet skis. leader of Italy’s infamous It is also possiThe group of Moroccans escaped MeN’Drangheta mafia after a ble that interlilla jail during a three-day leave in the three year manhunt. national smugenclave. Gianluca Tassone, 42, glers could The trio went awol on September 13 from Calabria, was picked have caused it having planned their departure for up in Barcelona having in order to inmonths, it is believed. fled Italy in 2017 after becrease larger The prison union is demanding the dising sentenced to 19 years in shipments of missal of the director over the escape. prison for drug trafficking. marijuana to EXCLUSIVE By Jon Clarke

Jetting away with it

ITALIAN HAUL

the coast from Morocco over the following nights. The Olive Press reported in 2018, how a big blaze in Manilva that led to the evacuation of 400 people may have been caused as a diversion tactic for drug traffickers. It came after a semi-submerged stolen 4x4 was dragged out of the sea the following morning. Meanwhile, BIIF boss Merida slammed the lack of forestry workers based in the nearby Genal and Guadiaro valleys. In total, just 5 in the former and seven in the latter.

Blaze

He fears that this huge lack of much-needed mountain employees could lead to a far bigger blaze razing a massive area between Estepona and Campillos. “There is a long, thick line of 200,000 hectares of forestry between Estepona and Ronda, taking in the Sierra de las Nieves and stretching all the way to Campillos,” he told La Opinion de Malaga. “It could all go up in one big blaze,” he warned. “There are not enough plans in place to prevent a fire like this. A lot needs to be done.”

Botellon shootings! By Rob Kiteley in Barcelona

A PREGNANT woman lost her baby and four others were seriously injured after a man opened fire on revellers enjoying a botellon drinking session. Police are investigating the late night shooting in Sabadell, near Barcelona, which left three women and two men, all believed to be foreigners, in hospital. One of the women, who was seven months pregnant, lost her baby after receiving a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Another of the victims sustained four bullet wounds and remains in a serious but stable condition in the city’s hospital.

Carer jailed A SPANISH carer has been jailed for four years after stealing €130,000 worth of jewellery from a Gibraltar pensioner. Virginia Osuna Gil, 31, originally from La Linea, has been sentenced to one year and seven months for burglary and another two years and five months for theft, with the terms to be served consecutively. At the time, Osuna was employed as the carer for an elderly person at the address.

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Olive Press Costa del Sol – 170mm x 256mm – Colour

September 22nd

NEWS

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SHOT ON THE POT! A FABULOUS new crazy golf course includes a toilet to circumnavigate. The ingenious hole sits alongside others with gnomes, the Rock of Gibraltar and a windmill. All part of the zany mind of Paul Hickling, it sits in a hidden valley between Casares and Manilva. One of the coast’s longest-running entrepreneurs, Hickling came up with the idea of a crazy golf course after shutting his famous

TV show set to put Juan Carlos I’s dodgy dealings and affairs under the lens A BRITISH TV documentary is to chart the rise and fall of Spain’s former King Juan Carlos I. The controversial Channel 5 documentary will be looking at both his private life, as well as financial indiscretions. In particular, it will be looking at various offshore bank accounts and a number in Switzerland, which could amount to over one billion euros. The embattled king, who is still living in exile in Abu Dhabi, has suffered a huge fall from grace since he broke his hip during a safari trip to Botswana, in 2012. It was during that trip that his affair with Danish businesswoman Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, 57, became known. It emerged last month that she is suing him for 'tens of millions of euros' in the High

Roman Oasis restaurant two years ago. Not content to ‘sit back and do nothing’ he bust a gut (literally) to sculpt the course out of nothing this summer. “I did it all on my own and lost ten kilos from all the hard work,” he explained. But it has been more than worth it, with dozens (even hundreds) of visitors a day beating a trail to his door, hidden up a quiet country lane inland from Sabinillas.

WINDY: Paul’s favourite hole “I knew it would do well as there’s no other place like it on the coast,” he added.

The King’s gambit

September 8th - September 21st 2021

Back for more HE made his name starring in the BBC drama The Night Manager in the Balearics. And now British star Tom Hiddleston (pictured) has returned to the island of Ibiza with his girlfriend Zawe Ashton (with Tom below). The Avengers star, 40, put on an affectionate display with the actress in the water before heading back to the shore where they were joined by friends.

Betrayal

The pair have been together since starring in the West End play Betrayal in 2019. They are now reportedly living together in Atlanta where the actor relocated to film his new Disney series Loki. Hiddleston made his name starring alongside Hugh Laurie in The Night Manager, which was mostly filmed around Mallorca.

EXCLUSIVE By Giles Brown

Court, in London, after accusing him of 'unlawful covert surveillance'. She had an affair with the former monarch, 83, between 2004 and 2009. She later claimed he had 'gifted' her €65 million out of guilt for the 'intense pressure' she came under and as an expression of his love. It's believed the payment came out of funds that originated with a $100million gift from the late King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia in 2008. The 83-year-old monarch who is married to Queen Sofia, 82 - is being probed by Swiss

Love is in the air

SHE has spent the summer getting back to her roots. Love Island star Dani Dyer jetted to Mallorca - where her grandfather comes from - for her 25th birthday celebrations. The winner of the celebrated British TV show rented a villa with her parents and son Santiago. She shared a series of snaps of her stunning break on her Instagram and YouTube feeds. They included one of her father, Eastenders star Danny, toasting to his 'sweet one'.

OLD FLAMES: Former King and his ex-lover Corinna prosecutors over a number of ines-Krause, as well as from accounts in tax havens. private jet company Zagatka. Prosecutors are currently in- The ongoing investigation is v e s t i g a t i n g focussing on the period bedeposits into tween 2014 to 2018. his accounts A Channel 5 source told the where he re- Olive Press, the 90-minute ceived his documentary would be ‘conofficial roy- troversial’ and ‘eye-opening’’. al allowance It talks to key experts, biogof almost raphers and historians who €200,000 a know about Juan Carlos' early year. life, how he rejected Franco's The Spanish ideals and helped usher Spain tax authorities to democracy. are particu- “We will also be looking at his larly inter- more recent downfall and the ested in pay- investigations he faces, and fiments made nally what his legacy will be in HOLS: Dani and dad tby Mexican the eyes of his countrymen,” Allen Sang- said the source.

Slimmed down sparkle This years Global Gift Gala was down in numbers due to the pandemic and health restrictions, but the occasion had a dash of Hollywood glamour as always. Although Global Gift Ambassador and frequent Marbella visior Eva Longoria was unable to attend, founder Maria Bravo was joined on the night by Prison Break actor Amaury Nolasco, Despacito singer Luis Fonsi and CSI star Gary Dourdan, along with Miss World 2020, Ana Garcia Segundo. The most special guests, however, were the inspirational young people who have benefited from the work of the Global Gift Foundation.

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DISASTER SPECIAL

HELL, FIRE AND BR

Man and nature have both shown the awesome power of fire as these pictures from two disasters in Spain show

OOK daddy what’s that? A holiday in Estepona served to show this youngster the beautiful but deadly spectacle of wildfires. Standing at a safe distance with his father the duo, due to head back to the UK the next day, drove up from the Costa del Sol beaches to see the firefighting helicopters swoop down at first hand. It proved a sobering experience as the realisation hit home that despite the striking spectacle nearly 10,000 hectares had been razed and countless wildlife killed in the man made disaster.

Spain’s first ‘Sixth generation’ fire

Pictures by Jon Clarke

AUTHORITIES have described the Estepona wildfire as a ‘sixth generation’ fire, an extremely intense blaze that thrives in conditions brought about by climate change. It is the first such blaze in Spain, with others so far only recorded in Australia, Greece, America and Turkey. These fires cause a ‘cumulonimbus flammagenitus cloud’ (CbFg), also known as the pyrocumulonimbus cloud, to form above them. These create a pressurized accumulation of flammable material - embers and burning ash - that can explode and rain down suddenly spreading the fire even further, particularly in high winds. They are particularly dangerous for those battling the flames, as they can become suddenly trapped by a new front behind them.

Preparing for future disasters

Serious flood threat after blaze THE Sierra Bermeja fire will ‘seriously increase’ the possibility of flooding in Estepona experts have warned. According to geography professor Antonio Gallegos the additional ‘loss of soil’ in one of the richest botanical enclaves in Andalucia will result in the ‘immediate risk of flooding’. He estimates 1.3m tonnes of soil could be lost in three municipalities over the next year and this will cause a big increase of runoff rain. “The risks will only begin to fade when the forest and the soils recover,” he insisted.

ANDALUCIA is getting itself prepared for three major disasters - specifically tsunamis, earthquakes and floods. The Junta has announced a ‘catastrophe simulation’ to take place over three days in October. Named ‘Drill Response 21’, it will test the response of all local and regional emergency services in the event of natural catastrophes. On October 19, an earthquake drill will affect eastern Andalucia (Almeria, Granada and Malaga, while on October 20, a tidal wave plan for Cadiz and Huelva will be actioned. The next day a flooding emergency will be launched around the Guadalquivir Valley (in Jaen, Cordoba and Sevilla).

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DISASTER SPECIAL

BRIMSTONE

September 22nd October 5th 2021

‘It’s terrifying, tragic… and the greatest show on earth’

LMOST every day for the last 12 years tour guide Jonas Perez has told visitors about the ‘active, but dormant’ volcano that dominates the landscape of La Pal-

ma. But it wasn’t until Sunday at 3.12pm, the moment when a vent ripped open in the Cumbre Vieja volcanic ridge spewing hot lava into the air, that he truly understood the reality of it. “It provokes very mixed feelings,” he told the Olive Press. “By day it’s devastating watching the lava eat up land and properties as it slowly moves towards the sea, cutting up roads and dividing communities. “But at night when red hot lava is shooting up 30-40 metres into the sky and the landscape glows a deep red with the moving lava, it is the most enthralling spectacle you’ll ever see.” Perez, 44, his wife and their four-year-old twin daughters are among the 5,000 or so residents who were evacuated from their homes in the hours immediately after the volcano erupted. It came after a week of seismic activity that led to authorities raising the alarm for a possible eruption. “We packed up everything, got in the car and drove to the other side of the island,” explained Perez who runs Isla Bonita Tours. So far, his home is not among the 166 that has been swallowed by black lava as it cut a devastating swathe through the landscape. “Whether our homes are destroyed or not is completely down to luck,” he admitted. Authorities estimate around 10,000 people could be displaced during the eruption which could last weeks. The last time the volcano was active in October 1971, the eruption lasted 23 days.

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 SPIRIT OF THE BLITZ IN England we call it the ‘Blitz Spirit’- that sense of community that brings people together in the face of great adversity, not just to make the best of it but to reach out and go the extra mile to really help those that need it. There may not be an equivalent term in Spanish (and if there is, please write in and tell us) but here - as in the worn-torn London of World War Two when the German bombs rained down - people certainly have the propensity to behave the same way. The wildfire that ravaged the hills above the Costa del Sol earlier this month served to bring out the very best in the Costa del Sol community. People were united in despair as they watched hillsides burn. They rallied round to offer shelter to those fleeing from their homes as the blaze threatened to devour properties. And in the aftermath of the tragedy, once the flames were dampened, people didn’t forget the debt owed to firefighters who risked everything, and who tragically lost one of their own. When the brigades returned from the hills it was rightfully to a heroes’ welcome in Estepona and fundraising efforts to rebuild lives are continuing in a material show of appreciation. A similar drama is now playing out in the Canary Islands where forces of nature are to blame instead of a despicable act of arson from a particularly evil individual. But there too, we’ll see that the human spirit will not be broken and as homes are ripped apart, community roots grow stronger. PUBLISHER / EDITOR

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EXCLUSIVE: Frantic battle saw expat charity bosses rescue 100 dogs just before Sierra Bermeja wildfire engulfed their centre

LIKE A MOVIE

AN animal rescue centre boss By Elena Gocmen Rueda has recalled the dramatic mo& Amber Edirisinghe ment she and her husband had to evacuate their shelter asMalaga's biggest wildfire for decades after walking around the site with raced towards them. Brown and her husband, treasurSusie Brown, the president of er Reg Winkworth - the British ADANA (Association for the rights mother-of-one was frequently of abandoned animals), revealed overcome with emotion. how they had been ordered to re- It is hardly surprising with the treat ‘immediately’ after the wind entire valley around them being changed directotally obliterated tion, sending the by the blaze as it Sierra Bermeja 'We got out by raged for six days blaze directly toand leading to the skin of our the destruction of wards them. “Everyone was so hectares. teeth', shelter 10,000 scared,” revealed Driving up to the Brown who deshelter in the boss Brown scribed it as ‘a Parque de los Perevealed miracle’ that the dregales, on the entire centre in border of EstepoEstepona was not na and Casares, razed to the ground. the absolute devastation was all Speaking to the Olive Press on too clear. her first trip back, she added: The ‘sixth generation’ wildfire, “Someone was definitely watch- which was only finally extining over us. If we had been evac- guished largely thanks to rain, uated just half an hour later we has decimated the shelter’s surwouldn’t have made it”. roundings, as well as its outbuildIn an extremely moving interview - ings which held around €10,000 worth of vital supplies, many of them medical. By something of a miracle the main building survived thanks to the volunteers cutting a big fire break around it last year. The shelter had to be evacuat- DEVASTATION: Susie Brown and Reg Winkworth (inset) organised the evac ed along with its 100 dogs after strong winds suddenly fanned were scuppered when news of a tangled mess with volunteers HE wildfire which the flames and they began to the shelter’s struggle was pub- struggling to get by in their vans raged through the crawl down the mountain at lished on social media with pleas carrying the animals. Sierra Bermeja ravaround 8am. to ‘get to ADANA, quickly, they “We got out by the skin of our aging 9,670 hectBrown and her husband had need help with the evacuation’. teeth,” Brown revealed, as tears ares with a perimeter of 85 been monitoring the situation Soon hordes of well-meaning vol- rolled down her cheeks. kilometres is anything but through CCTV cameras fitted unteers began to turn up along She continued that firefighters the biggest fire in Spain’s around the property and even with children in tow. had told them they would have recent history. slept there for two nights. It turned out to be more of a hin- to sacrifice the shelter and let it In fact it comes in ninth As well as cutting the fire break, drance than a help, with Wink- burn as they didn’t have enough and pales in comparison to the charity had also put an emer- worth describing the scene as manpower to protect it. the Minas de Riotinto blaze gency evacuation plan in place ‘surreal’ and like ‘a horror movie’. “There were a thousand soldiers between Huelva and Sevilwith a list of people to get in touch Despite the goodwill it made the and firemen and 40 airplanes la in the summer of 2004 with if the shelter was at risk. evacuation far harder, as the but they just couldn’t cope,” she destroying 29,867 hectHowever, the well made plans narrow access tracks became added. ares across 13 municipalities and killing two people. The second worst fire this century broke out at a welding workshop in 2012 in Corte de Pallas, in Valencia, devastating 28,879 YOUR LEGAL PROBLEMS ADDRESSED BY ANTONIO FLORES hectares. Another blaze this year in Cepeda La Mora, near Avila, which started when a car burst into flames, saw 21,993 hectares destroyed over eight days. And back in 2012, a wildfire in Andilla, Valencia, saw some 20,064 hectares scorched. That same year Castrocontrigo, in León, had a fire ravaging 11,592 hectares. N the wake of the wildfire that raged In 2005, a fire in the through Sierra Bermeja speculation is province of Guadalamounting as to the ‘who, how or where’ of jara torched 10,352 the source of the blaze. hectares. If you ask any Spaniard as to what the most Next comes a 2017 likely cause of forest fires is, they will autofire in Encinedo matically point in one direction: real estate (Leon) which speculation. burnt 9,820 had occurred would have never been eligible This false belief has been so deeply ingrained for construction anyway, largely due to locahectares, in their mentality that the 2003 Government tion or it being publicly owned. while a fire decided to act to discourage arsonists from Still, the conservative Aznar government of in Quesada, believing fires could lead to rural land being 2003 thought that the 30-year ban on real in Jaen, saw reclassified for building even though it was estate development would fix the problem. 9,756 hectnot the case.. ares burnt in Unfortunately statistics tell another story. So a new Mountains Act was passed that Although the number of burnt hectares has 2015. It thereprohibited for 30 years the change in use of been reduced, there has not been a notable fore comes in forest land after a fire. ninth, with decrease since the worst years (1976-1994). It also made the regional government respon- The thing is that fires have rarely been the 2012 sible for ensuring the restoration of forests caused by owners of the affected land and fire in Malfollowing a blaze and banned any activity that therefore we should look deep into the arsonaga, which would get in the way of the regeneration. razed 8250 ists’ deranged minds and their psychological For the most part, forestry where wildfires characteristics for an explanation. hectares, coming in around Email Antonio at aflores@lawbird.com tenth.

They shall be remembered

AGONY Property ANT

No motivation

Legal eagle Antonio Flores on why urban planning isn’t behind the Sierra Bermeja blaze

September 22nd - October 5th 2021

HORROR

PHOENIX FROM THE FLAMES...

EET Phoenix who within just two days of the fire was dumped near ADANA. Volunteers working on the clean-up operation at the animal shelter took in the abandoned dog along with his sibling when they were found abandoned tied to a fence near their centre amongst the still smouldering countryside. ADANA’s Susie Brown and Reg Winkworth took in the two lovable dogs without a moment’s hesitation. Winkworth said that Brown wanted to give them ‘two very poignant names’, so the canines were aptly named Phoenix and Pegasus. The pair were said to have been brought in ‘starving’. Winkworth said: “They’re safe now so that’s the most important thing.”

cuation of the ADANA shelter as flames destroyed the surrounding area Walking around the shelter to assess the damage, they described the silence as ‘the weirdest feeling’, as the usually lively shelter that can house up to 150 dogs was completely empty. A series of pipes that provide water for the animals had been destroyed, meaning the dogs can’t return until this is fixed. Luckily they have a 19,000 litre reserve tank that will be able to help them for the meantime while they seek to get new pipes installed. The outer fences that are usually used to contain dogs in case they run away were also completely burnt along with the thermal winter beds that help to keep the dogs warm later in the year. Volunteers have finally returned

to begin the slow process of clearing the debris and trying to begin to return the place to normal. For now, the dogs are being safely housed with 60 different families along the coast. “People were amazing, we have the best supporters,” added Brown. She was also keen to squash a series of ‘fake news stories’ that spread about them having chosen to abandon ‘angry dogs’ and horses at the shelter. It ended up causing a lot more problems as their switchboard became blocked by angry people

Horrifying screams AS well as scorching temperatures and choking fumes, firefighters had to endure the horrifying screeches of wild animals trapped by the fire. Dozens of charred animal carcasses have already been found in the aftermath, particularly those of goats and sheep. Many other creatures, including rabbits, deer and wild boar also died. The nests of around three pairs of Golden Eagles and 10 pairs of Eagle Owls were also destroyed. The Sierra Bermeja is home to 14 species of invertebrates as well as 300 wild mountain goats or Ibex. One fireman described the ‘horrifying screeches’ of wild boars stuck in the undergrowth as he and his team battled against the deadly flames. Francisco Morales told of his feelings of ‘impotence’ and ‘sorrow’ during the six days they were battling the fire. More than 25 volunteer vets with expertise in disaster conditions have come forward to give advice and care to wild animals burnt in the fire. The Malaga Veterinary Association set up a 24-hour hotline (630 80 99 23) to report any sightings of animals injured.

calling up to complain about it. They even received a message from an English newspaper asking: “Why did you let your horses burn?” As for all the generous volunteers, Brown wants to thank them for their ‘phenomenal response’. However, she stressed that the existing team of volunteers are going to have to sort out the cleanup themselves, saying that ‘no matter how kind and well meaning people are, please stay at home’.

What’s breaking

VERY day, almost every hour and sometimes by the minute we are putting up breaking stories online. Over the last 48 hours it has been the remarkable volcano erupting in La Palma, while over the last fortnight it has been the terrifying Sierra Bermeja wildfire. Our website often publishes 25 stories or more on what is happening around the country on any given day. BREAKING Be it floods, fires or terrorist attacks, we have it covered… and we will enNEWS sure to get journalists into the area as soon as we can. Take the fire in Estepona. Over a week-long period we published over two dozen stories - many of them exclusive - with analysis on the horror blaze that killed a fireman and razed 10,000 hectares. Our reporters sought out officials working to contain the blaze to keep our readers informed about how it was developing. We kept in touch with those who were most affected and those who were forced to flee from their properties as the flames approached. And we told their stories. And now our team is doing the same to cover developments as a volcano erupts in La Palma, by speaking to people on the ground, checking official sources, and publishing the most up to date and reliable information. BREAKING It is perhaps little surprise that over the last fortnight we have NEWS seen a healthy 78 people signing up for our paywall online. The team at the Olive Press is dedicated to providing reliable factual reporting but we can only do this by asking our readers to support us. We already have 30,000 of you following us on Facebook, 10,000 on Twitter and 2,000 on Instagram. Please now come and register online and subscribe for full adfree access to our website as well as daily newsletters with all the news straight to your inbox.

The top three most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are:

“The best way to help ADANA right now is to donate,” she said. Visit www.adana.es to make donations. Or visit the shop in Estepona.

National park now!

URGENT: Petition for extention of park grows fast

A CAMPAIGN to turn the Sierra Bermeja into a national park is gathering steam. A petition to include it in an extended Sierra de las Nieves national park now has 71,000 signatures. Such a move would mean 'more vigilance, more controls and more resources for fire prevention'. Scientists insist the area has a ‘unique and invaluable’ ecosystem, which needs urgent protection. One biologist Felipe Roman, claimed that the area had been ‘completely abandoned to its fate’. The Sierra Bermeja National Park Platform failed to get support from either the PSOE or PP when the Sierra de las Nieves national park, between Mijas and Ronda, was finally created this year. The map above shows the new national park boundary in greenin green with the proposed extention in red.

Is a volcano on Spain’s Canary 1- Analysis: island of la Palma about to blow? Horrorshow as Spain’s Estepona blaze 2- goes into fifth night with 4 more villages evacuated UK scraps COVID-19 traffic light sys3- tem with changes for fully jabbed passengers

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NEWS

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NEWS IN BRIEF Screwdrivers out A NEW Ikea store is set to open in Marbella’s La Cañada shopping centre this November, bringing dozens of new jobs to the area. The new store will join 25 of the Swedish giant’s other outlets across Spain.

Earth shook AN earthquake measuring 2.9 on the Richter scale was recorded at 4.55 am on Tuesday with an epicentre in Carcheles (Jaen) at a depth of 17 km.

Selling more ANDALUCIA achieved its best export figures for July since 1995 growing 38% year on year to €2,866 million.

Scam warning PEOPLE are being warned to look out for scam emails. Spain’s The National Institute of Cybersecurity, said fake mail pretending to be from major companies like Amazon and Apple is being sent by scammers trying to steal people’s bank and credit card details.

SPAIN and Belgium are the first two teams to qualify for the finals of the European Cricket Championship. They topped Group A of the 10-overs-aside competition being held at the Cartama Oval, near Malaga. In total, 15 nations are battling it out to earn the chance to be crowned champions in finals week where six teams will play a round robin competition from October 4 to 8. There are plenty of games to watch for enthusiasts, with games in Group B currently THE UK’s controversial traffic light system will be officially scrapped next month. The current red, amber and green country rankings will be replaced with one red list only from October 4. It means a significant loosening of travel rules for people entering and leaving the UK, from around Europe. Passengers who are fully vaccinated will also no longer need to present a negative test to travel into England from countries not on the red list. The red list, which features 62 countries at present, will

September 22nd - October 5th 2021

Doing their bit

HOTTING UP being played. Defending champions Germany and an England XI will be in action next week in Group C. In total, 100 matches will have been played in the European Cricket Network-organised competition. For more details visit www.ecn. cricket

From front page

IN ACTION: Spain’s team

Green for go Get set for rush of bookings from the UK as the traffic light system is finally scrapped By Isha Sesay

be reduced to 56 with the removal of among others Kenya, Egypt and Sri Lanka. The change will initially only

ONE of Spain’s richest expats has cashed in to the tune of £110 million. That’s how much Charlie Mullins (pictured at his La Cala home) is set to pocket after selling Pimlico Plumbers, the company he founded 42 years ago and whose clients include Helen Mirren and Joanna Lumley. Mullins, who lives in Mijas, has sold up to a private equity firm. He already has an estimated worth of £70million and the sale will dramatically enhance his fortune, given he owns 90% of the company. He told the Olive Press last year he was planning to move to live in Spain permanently.

apply to England, with the Scottish government announcing it will have its own set of rules. The Welsh government has also said that it would first need to carefully consider the

Feeling flush

measures before they are officially introduced. Transport secretary Grant Shapps said it was not possible to scrap the system sooner because scientific advice did not favour it.

Simpler

He said the changes would mean a ‘simpler, more straightforward system, one with less testing and lower costs, allowing more people to travel, see loved ones or conduct business around the world while providing a boost for the travel industry.’ British demand for foreign holidays is now expected to reach its highest level since 2019 after the main barrier for travel to Spain was removed.

on call 24/7 to deal with injured wildlife or livestock. Numerous social media groups popped up to help collaborate with the firefighting efforts and to donate shelter, household items, food, clothes to whomever might be in need. And while the immediate threat is now over, the aftermath still has to be dealt with… and that’s where the fund-raising efforts come in. Big-hearted local Kikki Godskesen is another expat who launched a GoFundMe in a bid to help those impacted by the fire. She set it up to demand immediate action to ‘support the affected families, as well as the wildlife and domestic animals that need support’. She has so far raised €1,350. Fellow resident Daria Dubinina, based in Casares, launched a similar fundraiser, adding: “After days of an absolute nightmare, I would love to put all our efforts so we may together restore our beautiful home. Any money raised will go to local nonprofits and animal shelters.” She has so far raised an incredible €3,770 out of a planned €4000. For details of the campaigns and how to donate email newsdesk@ theolivepress.es

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GREEN

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National park status would help protect these beautiful areas

ORMALLY I dedicate this column to criticising mankind’s ability to damage the world we live in. Instead of dwelling on global warming, CO2 emissions, pollution of our seas and the air we breathe, this week I want to reflect on the catastrophic damage caused in the Sierra Bermeja. I watched from my terrace as the fires raged in the distance, the night sky alight with an orange glow wrapped with turgid smoke. 10,000 hectares of beautiful nature de-

stroyed. Countless animals burnt alive. Unique forms of flora and fauna decimated. People evacuated from their homes. A brave firefighter dead, leaving behind a wife and two young children to live a very different life to the one they planned.

WHY? This was an intentional act of arson. It was clear to investigators that this could not have happened any other way. One Olive Press reader wrote to me saying that the guilty parties ‘should be burnt at the stake’. An understandable sentiment , although an unlikely outcome. I cannot fathom why anyone would want to do this. I hope they rot in jail until the next mil-

September 22nd - October 5th 2021 Green

Matters

TIME TO REFLECT By Martin Tye

Disastrous wildfire gives food for thought lennium. All this does make me reflect on the beauty that surrounds us. Spain has it all - sea, mountains, fabulous landscapes. It needs protecting. Areas like the Sierra Bermeja need National Park status, and a suitable infrastructure to enable it to be protected and thrive. I hope the Spanish government provides suitable financial support to enable speedy restitution in the Sierra Bermeja. I have been touched by the many local initiatives that have sprung into action:

-The charity Collective Calling organised and delivered food parcels to displaced and affected families -GoFundMe pages to raise funds to help resident animals who lost their feeding habitat -Aloha College Marbella with a non uniform day to raise funds These are just a few of the many examples of how communities pull together to relieve disaster. The sad thing here is that this disaster should never have happened.

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

Thawing out

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Climate change will ‘wipe out glaciers in Pyrenees within 20 years’ CLIMATE change is to blame for the dramatic shrinking of glaciers in the Pyrenees which could all but disappear within two decades, scientists in Spain have warned. A new study reveals the extent to which the ice mass has melted at a steady but rapid speed since the 1980s. Three glaciers have all but disappeared since 2011 leaving just stagnant strips of ice behind while in 17 of the remaining ice sheets an average loss of 6.3metres of ice thickness has been recorded. And in parts of the fasting-melting glaciers, the ice thickness loss was estimated to be up to 20 metres. Using high-res satellite imagery dating back to 2011 and

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drone footage collected last summer, a team from the Pyrenean Institute of Ecology, (IPE) mapped ice mass evolution and produced 3D models of the shrinkage.

Alarm

According to the study, the ice mass of Pyrenean glaciers shrank by over one-fifth on average over the last decade. The researchers firmly lay the blame for the shrinking glaciers on climate change and specifically the 1.5ºC rise in temperatures in the mountain region over the last century. Jesus Revuelto, one of the research team said the findings should act as an alarm bell.

Running out of Puffinus THE most critically endangered seabird in Europe has been spotted off the coast of Ibiza. At least 10 pairs of Balearic Shearwaters were seen nesting on the islet of Es Vedranell. Balearic Shearwaters are one of the rarest birds in Europe and one of two listed as ‘Critically Endangered’. As well as a low reproduction rate and small population, it has a very high mortality rate from non-natural causes such as being hunted by rats and cats. Many get accidentally caught in fishing gear.

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LETTERS

Pollution criminals Dear Olive Press, ON the beautiful Rio Verde, between the villages of Otiva and Jete in Andalucia, the fruit growers are throwing their rubbish on the riverbank and burning it! Large plastic crates, supermarket water bottles and plastic packaging will all wash into the Mediterranean. When the river rises in the autumn all of these plastics will pollute the sea and the microplastics will be there forever,killing the fish, birds and ulti mately human beings. , This is against International law . Law nish Spa and Law an Europe However, the environmentalg agency in Spain is doing nothin about it! In fact, the office fora the environment called Sepronin is just a few moments away the village of Otiva. They could see the smoke rising of from the river if they look out their window! Please email: seprona@guardiacivil.org and ask for action!

Raymond Russell (Ortiva)

September 22nd - October 5th 2021

NEW GROWTH

Readers were quick to write in with their thoughts of the Sierra Bermeja wildfire SMELL of smoke still fills the air, and fire burns on the slope of Real behind Estepona. Earlier there was a glow behind the blackened mountains that form the horizon, showing the fire is still burning further from the coast. Smoke drifts down the valleys, but this will change as the breeze begins to blow in from the sea. We wait for the drone of the planes and helicopters, starting with the rise of the sun, on a new day, but apparently more of the same. It's so sad to see the blackened hillsides, to know that the forest of pines has gone, and it will be 100 years until it looks as it was again.

Good job Terenia Tara’s column (Mallorca Olive Press and online) about her lack of trust in government and touching on the mysterious death of Dr David Kelly drew a response

Salute to brave flyers

Park call

I WAS at the Ikos hotel in Estepona, where ash fell like confetti on Thursday all day. ON Friday the ash was gone but the fire fighting planes came over the roof of the hotel so close it was eery. With planes just skimming the hotel blocks, it was as if war had broken out and I wanted to salute the brave flyers trying to control the fire as it spread. A massive cloud covered the resort and all we could do was hope the flames we could see in the distance would die out before dawn broke - but it didn’t look good and we had a sleepless night as we waited for daybreak.

CALLS have been made to make the Sierra Bermeja a National park following the wildfire. This should have been done years ago. It is an area of outstanding ecological value and so should get the same sort of protection as the neighbouring Sierra de las Nieves. This is even more important now if the area is to recover and regenerate in the coming years. With national park status would come extra funding which will be much needed.

THANK you for Terenia Tara’s comments on Afghanistan and all that went on back in 2003 in your recent (August 29) article in the Olive Press. Like Terenia, a few years ago I did a lot of research into the death of David Kelly (above) and I was sure then and I am still sure now that the poor man was put to death for no other reason than oil. I could go on, and on, but I don't think I need to when Terenia clearly understands. There is one hell of a story here but will the truth ever come out? It seems now to be well and truly buried.

Kate (Oxford, England)

Jane Dempsey (Fuengirola)

Frank F. (by email)

However, the sight of nature's regeneration will also be refreshing and inspiring. Dust to dust, ashes to ashes, but that dust and ashes feeds the new growth. After days of mourning for all we've lost, we must be positive again and grow better. Campbell Ferguson (Estepona)

OP QUICK CROSSWORD Across 7 They can be common or proper (5) 8 House clearer (7) 10 Most common TV or radio broadcast (3,4) 11 Run off (3,2) 12 Like old videos (6) 14 Wide scarf (5) 16 Oliver Twist’s fence (5) 19 Pines (6) 24 Arranged in stacks (5) 25 Machine-like (7) 26 Unruly SAS well out of it (7) 27 Electrical rectifier (5)

Down

OP SUDOKU

1 In the limelight (2,5) 2 Archimedes’ shout of triumph (6) 3 In the wake (6) 4 Roof support (5) 5 Charm (6) 6 Banal (5) 9 Period of watchfulness (5) 13 Hankering (3) 14 Wily (3) 15 Super excited (7) 17 Permit (5) 18 Heavily committed (2,4) 20 Personify (6) 21 Sines and tangents, for example (6) 22 Express words by letters (5) 23 Destroy (5)

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LA CULTURA

IN one of the most unexpected pairings in entertainment history, filmmaker David Lynch and singer Pharrell Williams have paired up to open a nightclub and beach restaurant in Ibiza. Situated on the west coast of the White Isle, El Silencio Ibiza features ‘huge fabric tentacles, giant lips and swing seats, giving off the vibe of an ethereal, Lynchian dreamland,’ said Miranda Makaroff, the artist and fashion designer responsible for the some of the premises’ interiors.

September 22nd October 5th 2021

The odd couple

David Lynch and Pharrell Williams team up for nightclub

Cocktails Managed by Arnaud Frisch, the space has been designed by Moredesign with the cocktails imagined by Diego Cabrera. While the artsy club and cocktail bar is something to behold, these peculiarities are enhanced by a Balearic-themed restaurant backed by Williams’ own ToGo street-food group. Sitting on wooden tables directly on Cala Moli beach, diners can enjoy simple dishes such as a strawberry, feta and tomato salad, tempura calamari or Iberian pork with sweet potatoes and chorizo. There’s even a pool complete with a simple poolside menu that includes Mediterranean favourites including toasted focaccia bread and mozzarella with caramelised tomato. This is not the first time Lynch has delved into the nightclub world having opened a members-only club

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

By Isha Sesay

in Paris called Club Silencio which was inspired by his classic film Mulholland HUGE prehistoric footprints uncovered in western Andalucia belong to elephants, researchers have confirmed. After careful analyses of fossilised footprints discovered along a stretch of the Huelva coastline between Matalascañas and Mazagon, experts have revealed

Drive. Its new Spanish counterpart is however much less formal and open to the general public from Monday to Friday until the end of October.

BIG FOOT

that the site was a nursery for prehistoric elephants some 129,000 years ago. Based on the rounded–elliptical nature of the tracks, along with other shape features, the team have concluded that the footprints were left by

Happy anniversary

MARBELLA’S Starlite music festival celebrated 10 years this summer with its longest ever season. This year’s festival featured more than 180 shows in 80 days - 57 concerts in the main auditorium and more than 124 on the outside stages and attracted 161, 724 concert goers. Although hampered by COVID restrictions and travel rules that meant many international acts were unable to perform, Starlite still featured a diverse lineup of artists across all musical genres. They included Tom Jones, Bonnie Tyler, Nicky Jam, Raphael, Miguel Ríos, Carlos Rivera, Placido Domingo, and Ara Malikian. straight-tusked elephants. Researchers from the University of Lisbon assessed the height, mass and age of the elephants by each of the 34 tracks discovered and believe that the footprints belong to 14 young calves, eight juveniles (aged two– 7), six adolescents and five adults.

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A year of Culture

Bring hearts, minds and souls

In a second extract from his new book My Search For Madeleine Olive Press editor Jon Clarke tracks chief suspect in the Maddie McCann case Christian Brueckner to a desolate corner of Saxony

Photos by Jon Clarke

LA CULTURA Overgrown and isolated

September 22nd - October 5th 2021

Shallow grave?

T the end of a dark, narrow track I finally found the collection of derelict buildings, suffocated by knee high weeds and weighed down by history. The former East German box factory, near the tiny Saxony village of Neuwegersleben, was one part of my journey into the heart of darkness for my book that I couldn’t avoid. It was here that the prime suspect in the Madeleine McCann case Christian Brueckner invested €36,000, through an auction in Leipzig, and here that police found up to 20,000 sickening photos and videos he had hidden in a Lidl bag under the body of his buried dead dog Charlie. I arrived on a sunny afternoon to find nobody else about, although I recognised it from a SINISTER: One of Brueckner’s cara and an apparent shallow grave at the German box factory, Maddie and Brueckner (below) number of press reports. It had thing rather more sinister than fit the bill. ‘Particularly if evitaken some time to find the making boxes. Perhaps arma- dence is destroyed afterwards,’ site, which spread over quite ments. There were dozens of he had replied to his pal. a number of hectares and its openings that led down to dark ... rusty old gate was chained shut spaces, some interlinked and and had a ‘Stop’ sign alongside others full of rubbish. I had those words etched in my it. I clambered into the first build- brain so when I wandered to It was walking into the wide ing, which had a collapsed roof the back of the small annexe open expanse that you began and rubble piled up at least a I did a double take. Looking to realise what an incredible metre high. On one wall the recently dug up, and certainly opportunity this could have word Arbeit (job/ work) and two not appearing in a single photo been for a pervert like Bruec- shorter words could just about or video I had seen of the box kner, 44, who officially told be made out, not dissimilar factory, was what looked like friends that he wanted it to be to the words on the entrance a shallow grave, about 5ft in a car repair garage or some gate at Auschwitz concentra- length and a foot and a half in sort of sculpture tion camp: Arbeit in depth. garden. macht frei (work A pile of rubble, with chunks As Chief Prosesets you free). of concrete at the bottom, was saw cut into a workbench. gersleben was one such facilCould this cutor in the case I slowly wan- next to it, while an empty bot- There was a kitchen, two bath- ity. It would make more sense Hans Christian dered about the tle had been thrown in, almost rooms and a big room with doz- to blow the place up once the be where Wolters told me various build- for decoration. It was extremely ens of shelves, which had up investigation into Brueckner is Brueckner the following ings looking for sinister. to 1,000 books on them (many finally comday: “If you want anything of rel- When I later brought it up more were strewn on the floor), pleted. made some of to sexually abuse evance until I with the prosecutor in nearby as well as hundreds of old rekids, that is the his videos? stumbled across Braunschweig, he refused to cords, presumably all once My Search right place, as a side annexe be drawn on what they had stolen by Brueckner, including for Madnobody would with four huge found at the box factory, only one by Barry Manilow, which I eleine is see or hear plastic vats, presumably used admitting that they had recent- imagine wasn’t his taste. available on anything. There are no neigh- to store the diesel that Bruec- ly been back. The weirdest thing I found as I Amazon in bours!” kner stole on many occasions. The industrial site would have sifted through the cornucopia Kindle and The site was divided into a Next to it was another small been one hell of a job for the of neglect was a large series paperback grid of concrete squares and annexe with one big, heavy ga- police to examine and, it was of circular symbols sprayed v e r s i o n s comprised around half a doz- rage door slightly ajar. I pushed reported that 100 of them had on the floor at the threshold and at most en buildings. The first thing I it open and wandered in to been in situ for the first few of each room, a neo-Nazi-type good booknoted was the amount of un- find a pair of dirty mattresses days of the search which began Celtic cross in an electric or- shops derground areas, suggesting propped up against the wall, a on January 14, 2016. ange colour. that it was once used for some- tub full of empty alcohol bot- All around the site I found They appeared to have been recently, probably tles and a pair holes in the ground, openings added of broken wom- leading to cellars and tunnels. sprayed by police as they finen’s sunglass- Some areas had obviously ished inspecting a room in the been excavated by police, while latest search. es. Could this be many others appeared to have With dusk falling I took my where Bruec- been ignored. But that is only leave, not wanting to be stuck here at night and with an kner made guesswork. some of his The downright spookiest build- appointment already made videos? Did he ing was probably once the fac- with friends of Brueckner’s in keep women, tory’s main office and it was Braunschweig, an hour’s drive away. even children, the most intact. chained up I pushed open the door to go in Braunschweig, I later learned, and found a trapped bird flying was where Adolf Hitler had here? There was only around and tried to let it out, been given citizenship in 1932 to allow him to run in that one small win- unsuccessfully. dow with rein- This had obviously been the year’s German presidential forced glass, hub of activity and according election, and he was rewarded so this would to one of Brueckner’s friends with a series of ministries once be the place Bjorn, who I talked to later, this the Nazis took power the folfor it, and given was where he stored most of lowing year. his 2013 Skype his stolen goods, including doz- This included the Hitler Youth chat with his ens of computers, solar panels and even the SS training online friend and many other items. There schools base, while a numpanickspatz66 were pots of paint, cutlery, ber of key armament factories about ‘captur- countless chairs and tables, were set up around the area. UNSETTLING: Was this Brueckner’s place to ing something over a dozen computer mon- It would certainly make sense ‘capture something small’? small’, it would itors. A nasty looking circular that the nearby site in Neuwe-

DARK HISTORY

HIS LINKS TO GRANADA!

T was two weeks after Christian Brueckner had been made a prime suspect in the Madeleine McCann case in June 2020 that I received a call from the Mirror to dig into him in Spain. Talk about coincidences. I was actually reading a book about Orgiva, the Granada town, which I’d dubbed the ‘Glastonbury of southern Europe’ (and where, coincidentally, the Olive Press was born) when the reporter in London asked: ‘Can you get to a place called Orgiva?’ I almost fell off the sofa. ‘It’s where Brueckner’s friend Michael Tatschl lived for many years, a guy he went to prison with. I’ve tracked him down on Facebook and he would make an excellent interview.’ Despite omitting the fact that his Facebook page actually showed him leaving Orgiva in 2016 – or that his featured image showed him snarling at the camera with his middle finger sticking up – it was definitely worth the threehour drive into the Sierra Nevada mountains. Most of all though it came as a real Eureka moment when two dots itching to be joined were finally united as a concrete certainty: the hippie hangout of Barao de Sao Joao in the Algarve, where Brueckner lived for some time, now had a direct crime link to Orgiva, the new age capital of Spain. I had long had a feeling Brueckner would have links to Orgiva, with its little-checked, free-spirited community of international travellers tucked away in a string of hidden valleys. The Alpujarras is a region I know well having come across the fledgling Olive Press there in its first few months, while writing a travel article for a UK paper.

PAL: Micha Tatschl

MASTER SPANISH VERBS

N Learn how to conjugate and use all the verb tenses

O you have problems with Spanish verb tenses? Do you know how to conjugate them and when to use each one? Verbs are probably the biggest problems for English speakers learning Spanish. There are many more verb tenses in Spanish than in English, 14 in use nowadays, and all of them have regular and irregular verbs. In addition, in each verb tense there are six different forms, one for each person. For these reason, the online academy Tu escuela de español, creator of the successful YouTube channel, published a book with which anyone can learn how and when to use all the Spanish verb tenses, ‘Domina los verbos en español’ (Master Spanish Verbs). This book has 176 pages divided into 20 lessons. In them, you will learn how to conjugate and use correctly each of the 14 verb tenses that we currently use in Spanish in the indicative, imperative and subjunctive modes, and how to distinguish one from the other. You will also learn how to use non-personal forms of the verb (infinitive, gerund and participle) and verbal periphrases. All the lessons have several exercises to help you practise and the solutions are at the end of the book so that everyone can advance at their own pace. ‘Domina los verbos en español’ (Master Spanish Verbs) is available in three versions: paper, printable PDF and non-printable PDF. And now you can buy any of them with a 10% discount using this coupon: OVLI10S21 Tu escuela de español has another book, ‘Por fin entiendo el español’ (Finally, I understand Spanish), also written by its founder, Elena Prieto, and dedicated to improving text and audio comprehension in Spanish. This book has 40 lessons: 8 at basic level, 18 at intermediate level and 14 at advanced level. In each lesson, there is an article, most of them about current affairs in Spain, accompanied by audio and various exercises to work on different aspects of the Spanish language. Finally, you can also improve your Spanish with the 5 online courses of Tu escuela de español on grammar, verbs, vocabulary, spelling and comprehension. Our Premium Zone has more than 200 lessons with 150 videos, 90 audios, dozens of PDFs and more than 600 exercises. Visit us at www. tuescueladeespanol.es.

O one wants to be the expat who can’t speak the language, but starting out on the road to being bilingual can be hugely intimidating. There are many different options and the indecipherable long lists of schools online would put off even the most enthusiastic of students. But here, the Olive Press has broken down all you need to know about picking the best language lessons for you and on this page some of the region’s finest schools can be found.

ALONE OR IN A GROUP? The first choice you face is whether you want to be taught alone or as part of a group, and both options have their advantages and disadvantages. If you go solo you’ll have 100% of the tutor’s attention, making your lessons more intensive

IVING in Spain for nearly two decades I didn’t think I could improve my Spanish much. How wrong could I be? While understanding most of a newspaper article or a film or TV programme, it turned out my own grammar needed more than a brush up. While I was happy to grill a mayor, or a lawyer on a story, my conjugation of verbs was a shocker and my grasp of the subjunctive worse. Then along came Gymglish, a dynamic easy-to-use - and fun! - way to brush up on the lingo. Through an open-ended series of daily emails, you get a 15-20 minute lesson served up to your inbox. Based around a series of real life subjects - that have real practical use - you simply open up the email when you find you have a moment, be it lunchtime, teatime or before going to bed! And you don’t have to do it every day - if you miss a lesson it reminds you the following day and continues until

ack to

School

LET’S GET The Olive Press takes a look at the variety of ways you can improve your Spanish and what to look out for in a course.

and solely structured around you. But many people find a group learning environment more beneficial, and that a sense of camaraderie boosts their enthusiasm. Learning from your peers is invaluable, and if you’ve recently moved here language classes can be a good way to meet like-minded people in a similar situation. There is much debate over whether solo or group classes are the more effective, but ultimately this choice is down to what you feel will suit you best.

FINDING A TUTOR There are many ways of tracking down a tutor, the most useful way in a smaller town is to check ads in local newspapers

and other community areas like post offices and newsagents. If you’re in a larger town or city, there are a number of websites where tutors advertise that ensure a level of legitimacy. Try www.language-school-teachers.com, a website that allows you to search for tutors by city. Or www.spanishteachermalaga.com, which focusses on Malaga, Marbella and the Costa del Sol. The key factor for choosing a personal tutor is to find someone who you get on well with. Don’t be afraid of asking for a discounted first lesson, to make sure that the tutor is the kind of person you’re looking for.

FINDING A GROUP CLASS The search for a group class can be even more baffling, as

language schools tend to employ more persuasive marketing tactics than personal tutors and there are a lot more factors to consider. Be clear in your own mind what you’re looking for and you can simplify the search before it even begins. These are the main factors to consider:

TYPE OF COURSE The intensity of timetabling varies greatly from course to course. Some schools offer six hours of lessons a day, while others offer a couple of hours a week. Take into consideration how much time you want to dedicate to your lessons before choosing a course. In terms of class sizes, small-

Language work out! Gymglish offers a simple daily step to help learn the lingo, writes Olive Press editor Jon Clarke you have taken the lesson. My series began with a granddaughter flying over for a funeral in Madrid staying at the Hotel Borbollon. It was interesting and entertaining and gave me a great work out on practical language we all use when we travel. There are plenty of cultural and social references to Spanish characters and society and optional spin offs you can immerse yourself in. Best of all, they do a simple test at the end to see if you picked things up… and give you a mark almost immediately. Then you get a reminder the next day on the mistakes you made to remind you not to do them again. I’m proud to say I’m getting

mostly As and Bs, but there is always something I get wrong - and this is an easy and simple way to address it. I’m only on lesson 7 after 2 weeks so, yes, I’m a bit behind. But I’m planning an autumn blitz so by Christmas I can storm into Madrid’s Ministry of Health and insist on a detailed breakdown on the fight against COVID. And for now - all Olive Press readers have a very special back to school deal of an additional 30% discount on all online Spanish courses from September 17 to October 5. In order to benefit from this special offer, simply subscribe to our 15-day free trial

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NATIVE er classes are nearly always preferable, as they ensure you will get more time with the tutor and the class will progress more quickly. Look for schools that specify a number of pupils in each class, as the ones that don’t are likely to accepting applications until the class is too big to handle. Check the credentials of the teaching staff - the schools that show the credentials are proud of the quality of their staff. The better the staff, the better the teaching. Find out where the other students are from - you’ll find that many schools cater to specific nationalities. Although it doesn’t sound very PC, this has its basis in the language. If your class is predominantly Portuguese or Italian, it is likely to move a lot quicker as the vocabulary and grammar is so similar and you may struggle to keep up. Are other cultural activities on offer? Many schools offer other opportunities to immerse yourself in the Spanish culture, including cookery and dance lessons. Some schools operate a ‘20+5’ system, which consists of 20 hours of Spanish lessons a week with five additional hours

Summer 2021

Learn Spanish with confidence Maravillas has the programme for you

of ‘extracurricular’ lessons included in the price. One school Pueblo Ingles is a total immersion school where you go and live in a stunning rural location in northern Spain for a week, just speaking Spanish.

90 schools altogether. FEDELE ensures high teaching standards, and takes out some of the risk elements in picking a school.

country category. You can view past winners and nominees on the Hot House Media website.

LTM Star Awards

Check if they’re members of any associations

This is an award ceremony for the best language schools in the world. Hosted by Hot House Media, the publishers of Study Travel Magazine, there are five or six nominees and one winner in each

Don’t take reviews too seriously. Everyone will have their recommendations and while it’s good to hear some different views, bear in mind that choosing a school is a very personal decision. What’s right for everyone else might not be right for you.

Have a look at the FEDELE website. This is a federation of six smaller associations in Spain and it includes around

Live the language

A final word of advice

O get the best from settling into a new life in Spain, it is best to learn the language. Whether it is for business purposes or simply to be able to lead a fulfilling lifestyle with conversational Spanish, Maravillas Programas Internacionales has the exact language course for you. Based in Benalmadena, where it has a bright and spacious air conditioned campus, it is a premier Spanish language school with over 40 years’ experience. It offers intensive residential courses to get you up to speed quickly, as well as more leisurely drop in courses more focused on conversational Spanish. Regular afternoon events including cooking tapas tours and sightseeing trips are designed to immerse students in Spanish culture and improve their language skills. Maravillas is fully accredited by the Cervantes Institute and is an official examination centre for the DELE and CCSE exams. The DELE exam is the mandatory qualification for those people wishing to take Spanish nationality, and is held monthly. Maravillas also offers a two-week preparation course for the exam if need. Personal lessons can also be held online. Language courses are held all year round for adults aged from 17 upwards. They are flexible and can be tailored for individuals who want one-to-one lessons as well as for those who are happier in a group. Maravillas is the perfect place to learn Spanish in a relaxed and fun atmosphere – find out more at maravillas.es.

Maravillas Programas Internacionales Avda. Salvador Vicente 9, Benalmadena +34952447000 info@maravillas.es

SPANISH LANGUAGE SCHOOL Maravillas Programas Internacionales is a premier Spanish language school with over 40 years’ experience on the Costa del Sol. We are accredited by the CERVANTES INSTITUTE and are an OFFICIAL EXAMINATION CENTER for the DELE and CCSE exams.

CENTRAL LOCATION • CULTURAL VISITS • ACCOMODATION

Maravillas Programas Internacionales – www.maravillas.es Avda. Salvador Vicente 9, 29631 – Benalmadena, Malaga, Spain

16 PROPERTY OF THE WEEK E

L XC

V SI

BUSINESS

September 22nd October 5th 2021

SLAPDOWN

PM targets major electricity companies in bid to keep prices down

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SPAIN has unveiled a package to bring down soaring electricity bills that include capping gas prices, cutting taxes to the consumer and redirecting energy company profits. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (right) outlined the measures as he admitted that it was unacceptable to see energy companies profit from elevated market prices. High natural gas prices on international markets are driving up electricity prices, benefiting gas producers and energy companies that generate power from other sources. Spain’s government plans to take €650 million of additional profits from electricity

companies to reduce consumer bills until next April. Plans also include reducing the electricity tax from 5.1% to 0.5% and an extension of the IVA reduction from 21% to 10% for users with less than 10 Kw of contracted potential until the second quarter of 2022.

Bills

Households across Spain have seen their electricity bills rocket about 40% to record prices this year, with the cost reaching an all-time high of €154.16 per megawatt-hour last week, according to market operator OMIE. Martin Tye, CEO of green energy company Mariposa

Minimum rise

SPAIN is set to finally introduce a rise in the minimum wage after months of haggling between trade unions and business federations. Economy Minister Nadia Calvino said the increase would come into force as early as October, but apart from calling the increase ‘limited’ she did not put a figure to the rise. Ther minimum wage was last increased shortly before the pandemic in 2020, when it went up by 5.5% to €1,108 a month. The minimum wage in Spain is set through negotiations between labour unions and business representatives, although the government can force through a settlement if no consensus is reached.

MORTGAGE THINK TANK by mortgage broker Tancrede de Pola

Second home boost

Post pandemic priorities include search for better lifestyle

OW has the COVID-19 pandemic affected buyers’ work/life priorities? After an unprecedented period of lockdown, many people have taken the opportunity to reassess their lifestyles and values. The threat of future outbreaks occurring has also had a specific effect on those looking to purchase a second home or retreat. Knight Frank’s recent annual Global Buyer Survey has highlighted some of these trends. For some, the ability to work remotely, alongside incentives such as visas for digital nomads, and a desire to travel after a period of confinement, has boosted demand for a TRENDS: COVID has home-from-home. meant higher demand The pandemic has sparked a wave of second home demand with 33% of respondents say- The property market in ing they are more likely to buy a second home several areas in Spain as a result of Covid-19. Better lifestyle and use witnessed an immediate as a retreat was the key reason surge in cited by home buyers. enquiries Of those looking to buy a seclockThe pandemic after ond home, 23% say the pandown. Rehas sparked a searchers demic has influenced where they want to buy with counalready predictwave of second are tries with advanced vaccine ing a second wave of activity programmes or stringent lockhome demand as rules start to ease and travdown measures topping the el restrictions loosen - a trend in Spain menu with an overwhelming already evident this summer 67% of respondents citing this across prime second home as a major sway factor. hotspots France and Italy. The Buyers of second homes are prioritising out- reappraisal of the work/life balance may sigdoor space, a home study and greater privacy nal a boom in the luxury property markets post-lockdown. throughout Spain.

For any more questions contact the Finance Bureau on 952 801 401

Energía , has welcomed the government’s plans , stating: “It is time for the consumer to be put first.The large corporations continue to make big profits while the average consumer suffers.That is completely unfair and wrong.” He also applauded Sanchez’s proposals to promote cleaner and greener energy, adding: “A move to renewable energy is not only vitally important in order to combat climate change, it is also a cheaper source of energy.

Green

“Due to the fact that green energy does not produce the greenhouse gas CO2 , there are no emissions rights charges levied on this type of energy, which instantly makes it cheaper. Over the past two years we have been able to reduce thousands of consumer’s bills by switching them to 100% green energy.”

GETTING BIGGER

EL Canto Chambers is opening a new office in Palma, Mallorca, as the London-based barrister chambers expands its work across the UK and Spain in response to increasing demand for advice on the opportunities available in the Balearic Islands. Covid-19-related restrictions encouraged many to re-think their lifestyle choices and as such, UK entrepreneurs are increasingly looking to move their business operations and residency to sunnier climates. Recognising that many businesses can operate from anywhere in the world, Spain has become one of the most popular choices, with the Balearic Islands coming up trumps. Since the Brexit vote, interest from British investors into Spain has grown significantly, with the UK becoming the main foreign investor in Spain in 2019. Investment by British companies increased by almost 80% in the first half of 2019 compared to the same time in 2018, to €3.125bn.

Relocation

While many entrepreneurs are considering relocating their UK-based business to Spain, there are also many investors looking to buy a small or medium sized enterprise in Mallorca or one of the other Balearic Islands. The types of business vary greatly, from service-based businesses to boat chartering and horse riding, with Spaniards selling these to UK citizens. The type of activity you wish to embark upon goes together with the need to gain residency. There are three available visa options to consider. Golden Visas incur mostly a €500,000 expenditure out of tax and expenses and will reward you with citizenship for investing into the country, other Golden Visa options related to significant deposit and Spanish company

Desert dreaming AN avant-garde new tourism project has opened in the heart of the Gorafe desert in the Granada. In a world first, District Hive aims to change the current concept of luxury accommodation and offers a total disconnection from the outside world, through a deep immersion with the environment. The project features the first 100% self-sufficient and transportable modules or pods that can be deployed on any terrain, even where construction is not possible. The Dichomodule, created by the Spanish studio MOHO Arquitectos, is capable of generating its own water from the air, its own electricity from solar energy, and has enough energy to power it for four days without sun. The management system of black water transforms waste into ash, and waste water from the kitchen and bathrooms is filtered through two filtering processes so that it can be used as irrigation water.

More help at hand as Del Canto expands in Spain

Julio Prieto is an international barrister specialised in Tax and Private Clients, based in London and Palma de Mallorca. investments’ are options to be considered too; The Non-Lucrative visa relies on the person’s own financial resources to ‘sufficiently’ maintain him/herself and family members – this is a good option if you are not planning to undertake professional activities in Spain, so is ideal for retired people that want to spend most of their time in Spain. Finally, the Entrepreneur visa requires a specific cost to start up a business in Spain considering innovation and benefits that the business will bring to Spain as other requirements. It is also important that expats consider their tax options when relocating to Spain, especially prior to buying a property in the Balearic Islands and seek professional advice from international lawyers with a good understanding of the two jurisdictions (the UK and Spain). This requires a variety of taxes payable, which consist generally of personal income tax on property or any income rental; capital gains tax; city council tax; and tax on assets such as boats. For British citizens and foreign expats planning on moving or operating their business from Spain, there are many options available.

To make a no-obligation enquiry, please either call Del Canto Chambers now on: +44 2070 430648 or complete our online form on our website’s contact page, which after receipt we will come back to you within 24 hours. Our office in Ibiza are located on: Calle Illa Plana 7, 07800 Ibiza, Islas Baleares. Contact us directly on 971 761 171

FOOD & DRINK

September 22nd October 5th 2021

Cooking up a treat Spanish chefs dominate world’s Best Chef awards A SPANISH chef has scooped the top prize in The Best Chef Awards 2021 in a list dominated by Spanish talent. 41 year-old David Muñoz is the owner of Madrid’s three Michelin starred DiverXo collected his award in Amsterdam with a speech that recognised the hardship suffered by restau-

rants during the coronavirus pandemic. During the pandemic Muñoz launched a successful takeaway service GoXo offering food from his restaurant in Madrid and then expanded to Barcelona. He leapt from number five on the list last year to scoop the top award describing the recogni-

Flying high MALAGA airport bosses say they had their busiest month since the year began as summer holidays soared across Spain. Airport operator Aena said that during August there were 13,033 aircraft movements, just 16.7% fewer than the August before the pandemic. But the numbers are still far below pre-pandemic levels. During the month of August, the airport handled 1.4 million passengers, a figure that represents 36.5% fewer than the number recorded in the same period of 2019 Compared to 2020, the latest Aena data shows that Malaga airport registered 106% more travellers last August and 45% more landings and take-offs. So far this year, Malaga airport has seen 4.2 million travellers pass through its gates, some 69% fewer than in this same period, pre-pandemic, in 2019.

IT’S HEAVENLY

IN THE HILLS

AuTuMN IS A gREAT TIME fOR ExpLORINg ThE MOuNTAINS, ThE vILLAgES, ThE TOwNS AND ThE cOuNTRySIDE Of ThE INTERIOR Of ANDALucIA And there is one very special place to visit if you are in the Ronda area MOLINO DEL SANTO - a converted watermill alongside a mountain stream offering you great dining and comfortable rooms if you’d like to stay over. See our website for more details www.molinodelsanto.com Special room rates available mentioning this advert.

tion as ‘the greatest joy’. Muñoz was among 15 Spanish chefs named in the top 100 chefs which included Basque chef Andoni Luis Aduriz, from Mugaritz restaurant, in third place. Joan Roca, one of the brothers behind El Celler de Can Roca in Catalunya, appeared in fourth place and also took home the Science Award.

Named

The team at Barcelona’s Disfrutar - Oriol Castro, Eduard Xatruch and Mateu Casañaswere jointly recognised in sixth position. Other Spanish chefs named on the top 100 list are Martin Berasategui, (at number 28), Eneko Atxa (31) Paco Roncero (45); Angel Leon (48); Paco Morales (54); Quique Dacosta, (57); Jordi Cruz, (59); Antonio Romero (87); and Diego Guerrero (89).

“

”

Molino is our special place... don’t change a thing - we love it just as it is Kindly note we are closing for a short break from 18:00 on 3rd October until 12:00 on 7th October 2022

IT’S MARVELLOUS AT MOLINO DEL SANTO hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

MOLINO DEL SANTO

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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

Calling all classic car lovers! It is one of those Classic Saturdays that you miss at your peril

AR lovers from all over Malaga will be zooming up to Estepona for Premiers first ever annual classic car open day. Vehicle repair specialists, Premier Bodyshops, have organised the open day event on Saturday September 25 from 12am–3pm (possibly later) at their workshop on Calle Juan de Herrera 23, in Estepona’s Poligono industrial estate. All classic car owners are invited to bring their cars from 10am-11am so they can be organised before the open day. Entry is free, while all visitors will be able to enjoy cold beers and tuck into a special BBQ. There will also be a raffle during the event with prizes such as a full car machine polish and wax from Premier Bodyshops to a photoshoot worth €100 from balance photography and many more... All proceeds from food,drinks and the raffle will be donated to local animal charity ADANA (Association for the rights of abandoned animals) which was badly damaged in the recent Sierra

Strange sights Pay a visit to eight of the most unusual museums in Spain

Bermeja wildfire. The body shop that was founded in 2009 offers a complete service from minor scratches to full restoration, to suit its clients needs. It offers a wide variety of body repairs and mechanical repair services, as well as basic maintenance services and also offers a one of a kind personalized classic restoration service. It has also produced some rare classic conversions such as the Rolls Royce Silver Cloud II four door convertible and are currently converting a Bentley MK VI from hardtop to two door convertible.

For more infomation visit www.premierbodyshops.com or email info@premierbodyshops.es

September 22nd - October 5th 2021

PAIN has its fair share of world-class museums and galleries to visit, but look beyond the major tourist attractions and you will find some small and sometimes frankly bizarre collections dotted across the country. Here are eight of the most unusual and fascinating museums to seek out if you are travelling off the beaten track.

MUSEUM OF SALT AND PEPPER SHAKERS FROM just a single pepper mill, Andrea Ludden grew her collection to what it is today, with over 20,000 pairs of eclectic salt and pepper shakers. Ludden has organised shakers dependent on theme and colour and it’s crazy to see the variety of different pieces from replicas of the beatles to antique pieces from the 1800’s. Head inland from the Costa Blanca to the hilltown of El Castel de Guadalest in Alicante, to visit the collection and spice up your life!

WITCHES MUSEUM

AS home to one of the largest known witch trials in history, it is natural that the town of Zugarramurdi in Navarra is also the location of this museum. The museum remembers the 53 victims who were sent to the stake and prison during the trials and explores the history of the myths and folklore surrounding witchcraft.

THE POTTY MUSEUM UNVEILED in 2006 by Jose Maria del Arco Ortíz, this museum is home to over 1,320 different chamber pots, ranging from the 13th to 20th century that were donated by the public and collected by Ortíz himself. Ortíz sadly passed away in 2011, however the town has continued his legacy. If you find yourself in Salamanca’s Ciudad Rodrigo, it’s worth spending a penny.

MICROMUNDI MUSEUM OF MINIATURES BESALÚ in La Garrotxa is home to this collection, inaugurated in 2007 by artist and jeweller Lluís Carreras. The museum displays over 5,000 pieces of miniature artwork, with many pieces having to be viewed through a microscope. Some pieces to note are an ant holding an umbrella whilst walking a tightrope and pinocchio and his maker in a peanut shell but there are many more. The collection is very diverse as it receives donations from many different artists.

FOOD & DRINK

September 22nd October 5th 2021

The perfect Autumn escape!

MELON MUSEUM GENERATIONS of melon farmers belong to Madrid’s Villaconejos and the fruity museum sprouted here acts as an exploration of the history of the area, honouring the fruit itself and its growers. The municipality even hosts its own melon festival in autumn!

MUSEUM OF FUNERAL CARRIAGES

THE TORTURE MUSEUM ALTHOUGH there are indeed many torture museums all over the world, this one found in Cantabria’s Santillana del Mar, focuses in on methods used during the Spanish inquisition. There are over 50 gruesome torture instruments on display, from guillotines to iron maidens and chastity belts.

MUSEUM OF EROTIC SCULPTURE ALTHOUGH this is an outdoor sculpture park, this collection of erotic sculptures certainly merits a place on the list. Located throughout the Can Ginebreda woods in Girona, the collection began in 1975 and was sculpted by Xicu Cabanyes. Cabanyes utilises many different materials in order to create his pieces from concrete and stone to recycled objects and scrap metal. His pieces that often prompt a giggle from passers-by, actually hold many deeper meanings. The sculptures act as a celebration of life, connecting intimacy with nature and also incorporating religious symbolism.

OPENED in Barcelona in the 1970’s by Cristóbal Torra. This seemingly morbid museum displays 19 pieces from the 18th century to the 1950’s including: 13 horse-drawn hearses, 6 accompanying cars and 3 motor hearses. Visitors can marvel at the intricate carriages and take a glimpse into the history of funerals past.

“MACAAO BEACH TAKES THE

CHIRINGUITO EXPERIENCE UP SEVERAL

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The San Pedro beach club open most of the year.

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AFFORDABLE BUSINESS CONTACTS

September 22nd October 5th 2021

KENNELS & CATTERY

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HEALTHCARE RECRUITMENT

HEALTH

September 22nd October 5th 2021

MONIQUE

No laughing matter

BIG BOOST SPAIN has announced it will immediately roll out plans to administer a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine to those considered the most vulnerable. Elderly people in care homes as well as those with compromised immune systems such as cancer and transplant patients, will be eligible for booster dose, the Health Ministry announced on Thursday. Health chiefs had been weighing up whether to introduce a booster programme and decided not to delay for fear of overlapping with the start of the flu season.

Immune

Other countries, including the United Kingdom, the USA and France, will also offer boosters to the elderly and people with weak immune systems, although as yet there is no global scientific consensus as to whether they are necessary. Spain’s elderly care homes were badly hit at the start of the pandemic with close to 30,000 residents dying from COVID by the end of February this year.

POLICE are warning people about the dangers of nitrous oxide - or laughing gas - after a ‘worrying’ growth in consumption of what many consider a harmless drug, despite deaths linked to its use. Usually sold in small silver jars, nitrous oxide is inhaled and affects everyone differently, depending on the amount inhaled and interaction with other substances or medications. Most users report a feeling of dissociation from their body, similar to floating, as well as distorted perceptions and, in rare cases, visual hallucinations. The immediate effects of laughing gas include euphoria, body numbness, a feeling of sedation, dizziness, uncon-

HAUL: Seized gas

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Police warn of dangers of ‘party drug’ nitrous oxide

NOT FUN: Nitrous oxide can be dangerous trolled laughter and blurred ly inhaled through balloons, vision. In some cases, inhal- has been linked to multiple ing the drug can be fatal. recent incidents In Spain. The effect of gas can lead to In June, a 32-year-old man a loss of blood pressure that was rushed to intensive care can lead to fainting and heart after he fell from a third-floor attacks or hypoxia from lack holiday rental apartment in of oxygen. San Pedro de Alcantara, and Prolonged use can lead to just days later a girl was seside effects such as memo- riously injured after leaping ry loss, ringing in the ears, out of a moving vehicle and numbness of limbs, spasms, jumping from a bridge, in depression, weakening of the Marbella - both the man and immune system and psycho- the woman were believed to sis. have taken laughing gas. Police warn that the increase A Swedish holidaymaker in use across Spain is ‘dev- drowned after taking the astating’ and said they have drug and becoming disorienseen an increase in the pres- tated, also in Marbella. ence of the drug in Barcelona, the Balearic Islands, Malaga, Oviedo and Ceuta. The gas, which is common-

LOOKING AND FEELING GOOD MONIQUE M NE

ONIQUE New Age Beauty arrived in the Marbella six months ago directly from Sweden. With its Swedish owner, Monique Rittstam - a qualified specialist since 2003 in face and body treatments - and its Finnish and Polish F a c e a n d B o d y Tr e a t m ents employees, they are able to offer the most optimal treatments. Rittstam has decided to reopen what was a faSwedish specialist in mous spa in Sweden, but in a new and better location: the centre of Marbella (C/ Ramon GoFace cupping mez de la Serna, 8). Monique New Age Beauty offers effective treatMicroneedling treatment ments and ensures a spa experience at salon Deep face cleaning prices, where ‘everything for less than €50’ is their slogan. Face slimming In the establishment aesthetics merges with art, Pigmentation treatment where treatments for both face and body will Swedish massage make you feel and look like an improved you. From ‘Swedish massages’, butt lifts, and celluWood therapy massage lite-fighting massages to lip augmentation wiCellulite treatment thout needles, eyelash lifts, waxing and more. Lymp hatic massage With unique products that blend the best of hands with Monique Spain and Sweden, she promises and guaran- EXPERT: you are in safe Bum lifting treatment modern ones, they are able to adapt the treattees results in a pleasurable process. Waxing specialist of each client enIf you decide to try beauty's favourite corner, Ri- ments to the personal needs ttstam recommends the golden facials, bum lifts suring results. TheyKIN highlight the butt lift as one of the most and cellulite-fighting massages as the top three BOO GS/ FRE E CON SUL TATION requested treatments for the summer, with a most popular treatments. tel or Wha +34 442a011 threep:months in 675 less than handful By mixing ancient techniques and tools with duration oftsAp of sessions. Also, the hour-long Swedish massages will leave no corner of your body unmassaged, whiMoniqueyou Newwill Agehave Beauto ty fight le, according to Rittstam against your instincts not to fall asleep. Calle Ramó n Góme z de la Serna, 8 In wax treatments there is an1, immense of bis, local 29602 Marbvariety ella scents, from lavender or aloe vera for the most sensitive, to champagne and wine for the most daring.

W AGE BEAUTY

For bookings and information, please call 675 442 011 or search Monique New Age Beauty on Facebook or Instagram

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A hidden oasis in Marbella

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COLUMNISTS

LEARN THE LESSONS

Think of others Dear Jennifer:

Devastating blaze is a warning to authorities insists Giles Brown

It can be a struggle for the disabled

E take it for granted we are surrounded by some of the most stunning nature in Spain But the recent devastating fires in the Sierra Bermeja proved just how fragile the environment really is We had survived summer without a major fire but then the monster that destroyed 10,000 hectares and cost the life of Carlos Martinez Haro, the firefighter from Almeria, erupted in the mountains behind Estepona. The sheer scale was terrifying, and it is beyond comprehension that this devastating blaze could have been started intentionally. Living in the campo, a wildfire is one of my biggest fears. Seeing the beautiful but foreboding dawn on the Thursday morning as the sun reflected off the smoke clouds was the indication of what's to come. Driving west I was stunned by the sheer size of the conflagration. It really did look like something from a disaster movie. On Sunday night I saw flames as I drove back up the Istan road, worried that they might

AM going to start this article with an observation. Unfortunately, for over a year now, I have been struggling with knee problems and I have to be very careful of pavements, steps and access to The Ladies Room, and this part has been a nightmare. How people manage when they are disabled, I just don’t know but I am very shocked at the lack of facilities in so many places. Even just a support bar in the toilets would make so much difference. Can I therefore ask owners of restaurants to check if their facilities are actually easy to use, for those who need it. With the easing of the travel restrictions, I am delighted to be able to inform you that once again I can now offer travel insurance. Unfortunately, the company that we have been dealing with for many years, for some reason has been unable to become Brexit friendly and has withdrawn from the Expat market, which meant I had to find a suitable travel insurance for my clients.

Travel policy

This was not an easy task and took some time, but we have found a very good alternative, which matches what we used to be able to offer, and I am delighted. The new policy is very similar to what we are used to and so far the service has been excellent and the prices are very competitive. All the sales consultants have been trained with the new policies and to obtain a quote is the easiest thing to do, with single trip and yearly policies available. I have noticed on the television UK insurance companies adverts and in little print – those awful words - auto renewal. This is quite normal, so unless you are checking your bank statements on a regular basis, you can miss your renewal premium. My company has invested in a renewal department of now very experienced ladies, who contact all my clients on renewal, to check that they understand their cover and inform them of the new premium, which is always very reasonable with Liberty. It is a service which I am very proud of, as it works extremely well.

Time movies on, but not all change is better

OP Puzzle solutions SUDOKU

Quick Crossword

Down: 1 On stage, 2 Eureka, 3 Astern, 4 Truss, 5 Amulet, 6 Trite, 9 Vigil, 13 Yen, 14 Sly, 15 Psyched, 17 Allow, 18 In deep, 20 Embody, 21 Ratios, 22 Spell, 23 Trash.

be heading my way. As we know, in the early hours of Monday morning, by some miracle, it rained and helped the firefighters put out the blaze. My neighbour, a fireman in Marbella, said that they hadn't seen anything like this before. The fire planes use my lake to scoop up water and I am used to seeing them on practise runs - one at a time or occasionally in pairs if there’s a fire nearby. That week they came over five at a time, fast and low. I was locking the gate at the end of my driveway on Friday and looked up to see three planes speeding towards me. I sudden understood what the German sentries on the Dambuster raids must have felt. You cannot praise the bravery and sheer bloody skill of those pilots enough. This weekend I got up early and, with

CASHLESS AND CLUELESS

IF YOU NEED ANY HELP, JUST CALL US ON 966 461 690, EMAIL INFO@JENNIFERCUNNINGHAM.NET OR VISIT THE WEBSITE WWW.JENNIFERCUNNINGHAM.NET

Across: 7 Nouns, 8 Remover, 10 The News, 11 Leg it, 12 Grainy, 14 Stole, 16 Fagin, 19 Yearns, 24 Piled, 25 Robotic, 26 Lawless, 27 Diode.

September 22nd - October 5th 2021

FTER drinking three cocktails in a seafront trendy bar, I nonchalantly threw a €50 note on the counter. ‘Sorry, nothing smaller,’ I declared. The young bartender looked at the note, then with a thinly disguised sneer, slapped an electronic ticket alongside totalling €54. With an expression that would have exterminated a Dalek at 100 metres, I reluctantly added a further €4 using as many small coins as I could muster, including a generous tip of 2 cents. The barman was not amused. Feeling like I had just won a minor age-gap battle, I glanced around the bar to see how many appreciated my stance – none. The bar was packed with young people drinking like there was no tomorrow and paying for each round by pinging their cards on an electronic terminal. None could have had any idea of how much they were spending — until the statement arrived at the end of the month. Exit a deflated Old Hack. Cash has always been the best form

dawn breaking, took a kayak out on the lake. I looked around - everything was green, tranquil and beautiful, and said a little prayer that this particular slice of paradise had been left alone. Let’s hope the powers that be can learn something from the Sierra Bermeja fires so that we never have to witness this destruction again.

OL D HA CK IN TH E SU N

Benny Davis

Ramblings of an 80-som ething

expat

of money management. In my young days, if you couldn't afford it, you went without. ‘Money doesn't grow on trees’, I was always told. Bank overdrafts were taboo and buying on tick was considered a sure way to bankruptcy. Many readers will remember mum’s and grandma’s home bank, collecting coins in countless jam jars labelled for all family eventualities from holidays to Christmas and birthdays to shillings for the electric metre. Now, it seems, we are heading towards a cashless society. No more Boy Scouts, ‘Bob-a-job’, (Swipe-a-Scout?) ‘Penny for the Guy’,(Crowd Fund Fawkes?) Just read that, not content with creating a faceless cashless society, the money bigwigs are now working with the European Central Bank on producing its own virtual digital euro, complete with a virtual digital wallet. Where will you keep those odds and ends, including that virtual digital Durex to stop that possible virtual digital baby? Sounds like the Hans Christian Andersen tale of, ‘The Emperor's New Clothes’. The story of a vain emperor who believes two fraudster tailors who give him nothing but tell him his new magnificent new clothes are only invisible to the stupid or incompetent, and parades before his subjects, who not wanting to appear inept or stupid go along with it, until an innocent child blurts out that the emperor is ‘starkers’. Gord ‘elp us all!

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.

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Pilgrim lost

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POLICE are hot on the trail of a French pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago who vanished along with seven goats, three donkeys and a dog from a ‘secure pound’ where the animals were placed when officers demanded to see paperwork.

Sad addict A BOY from Castellon (Valencia) has been registered as the first clinical case in the world for video game addiction after he spent 16 hours a day playing Fortnite when he became depressed after his mother died.

Vol. 15 Issue 378

www.theolivepress.es

It’s no surprise as saddest folk in Spain live in the wettest regions IT will come as no surprise to northern European expats that the Spanish regions that experience the highest rainfall are also the most miserable. A new study has discovered that Galicians, who experience the most rain, are the least happy in the country.

Hisssteria POLICE spent two days hunting for a two-metre long boa constrictor which escaped from its tank in Palencia, with people being warned to keep their pets at home in case they became a snack for the slippery reptile.

Your expat

voice in Spain

Pig of a plan

September 22nd - October 5th 2021

RAINING ON HAPPINESS By Amber Edirisinghe

The region, which gets around 75 inches of rainfall a year, is only matched in a lack of happiness by its near neighbour Asturias that gets

Win a home for a song WITH property prices constantly rising one woman has decided to give people the chance to get a house for just €28. The three bedroom two bathroom villa in the historic town of Mula (Murcia) has been home to Colette Copperwhite for 20 years. But now she has decided to pack up and head back home. And instead of selling her property in the traditional way she has decided to put it up for raffle. For £25 a ticket people can not only win the villa but pocket a cash lump sum of £15,000 (€17,450) if enough tickets are sold. A percentage of proceeds from this raffle will be divided between the Spanish and Irish Cancer societies if all tickets are sold. See advert on page 7.

almost as drenched. Meanwhile, sunnier spots, including the Balearic Islands, Andalucia and Valencia are among the happiest in Spain. The most joyous spot of all however is Navarra, with a 7.85 out of 10 rank, closely followed by the Balearics, both dry and sunny areas.

Culture

According to research by the Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas (CIS), the southern and north-eastern regions have the most cheerful residents. A colour-coded map by Carlota Albala clearly shows which regions are the happiest. According to the study, the residents of Pamplona, in

Navarra, are the happiest in Spain. The region is known for its rolling countryside and gastronomy as well as its art and culture. Andalucia ranks at a respectable fifth place, with its warm climate and rich cultural history. Valencia ranks sixth with a happiness rating of 7.38 out of 10.

IT has stood firm against hordes of marauding Moors and columns of crusading Christans. And at one time it was the base for legendary Spanish knight El Cid. But the fearsome fortress of Gormaz, in Soria, is now under attack from a more unconventional, and decidedly smellier, enemy. It comes after plans for a nearby pig farm were passed, allowing 4,000 swine into the nearby valley. The move has sent a hastily raised militia of ecologists, architects and history lovers to the battlements. Only a kilometre from the castle - the largest fortress in Europe when constructed in 965 - the pig farm will understandably pollute the area with its smells. Green group Ecologistas en Action, in particular, cite the health risk caused by 2,000 sqm of slurry. Now the battle is on to ensure that the 28-tower fortress, that was once a strategic stronghold for the Caliphate of Cordoba, repels this latest repugnant assault.

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