Olive Press Spain - Issue 386 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

ll about

Vol. 15 Issue 386

HEALTH,

Our tips on how to get fit and healthy this year in an 8-page special supplement

www.theolivepress.es

Ice is nice

Cold Water Swimming the benefits include better skin, circulation and even libido, discovers Niamh Ryan

TAKING a dip in the icy Year period might seemsea over the New who braved the Med for daft, but those baptism could well have a refreshing 2022 a head start healthwise. Cold-water swimming has been gaining significant popularity as a few years, particularly inpastime over the last the UK and Ireland, with many groups established and game for braving an chilly swim all For those of us based in year round. have less excuses to rulesouthern Spain, we out the option. The costas offer the perfect location to try out this seemingly loco activity. The relatively warm, clement seas here are paradise in comparison ters of northern Europe! to the freezing wain the Baltic?, so go on, (has anyone swam The health benefits ofdip in a toe. cold-water swimming have long been known going back to the Victorians, but the exact benefits were guesswork.

Executive Health 26th - February 8th 2022 Executive Essential Screening January

Science is actually still of understanding how in the early stages body, but the positive it affects the human already undertaken areimpact from studies Glowing skin, increased mind-blowing. improved circulation, tolerance to stress, higher libido and a better burning of calories are among the benefits. Then there is the knock self-esteem and overallon effect of boosted creased inflammation mental health, derecovery post-exercise. and quicker muscle It is also said to alleviate to women going through symptoms linked So don your swimsuit andmenopause. make a run for it. For some expert tips started and the safety on how to get issues to consider before getting started, check out the UK- based website, www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com

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hours. The program covers: about your previous health, heredity, present situation and lifestyle • Clinical examination by doctor with lung function test • Essential Blood, Urine and Feces tests • MRI Thorax and normal x-ray if indicated ITH Spring just around • MRI Abdomen, including ner, it’s not long untilthe cor- Wanna avoid all organs and extra scans beach COVID? There are so many for liver, pancreas and season arrives. • MRI Pelvis, including bile ducts online fitness options to help get your all organs and extra scans Although a for prostate (men) and body in shape after the all fairness - any typebikini body is – in uterus/ovarium (women) of body in swim- excesses, writes festive • Follow up Consultation wear, it’s natural to Jo Chipchase want to with our Executive Doctor trim up beforehand. • Treatment and control at the clinic of newly discovered Now is the ideal time busy to focus on your You people. diseases. If necessary, health and fitness. tion can also follow fitness referral to specialist. trainers on Face- Zwiftcosts 400 euros. • Written summary of findings joining local exerciseIf you don’t fancy book. A resource called (www.zwift.com) offers classes and Siéntete USB ‘200km of roads because young’) has Joven (‘feel across five with images Yoga of Covid, you can do an impressive worlds’, and it online. • Survey with the doctor

The Olive Press has es and apps to suit found fitness classreaders of all abilities, that can be done your home, or outdoorsin the privacy of in our beautiful Spanish countryside.

Fitness The range of fitness training networks and Google Play options on social ing for every device from is limitless – caterTV to laptop and android phone to Apple watch. You’ll find everything from lates to abdominal exercisesclasses of Piand Zumba routines to HIIT (high intensity) training. A good starting point is the list of 50 fitness channels compiled by Insure4Sport (https://www.insure4sport.co.uk/blog/the tube-fitness-channels/).-best-youWhile a pair of good YouTubers to check outfitness are Fitness Marshall, who has adapted pop songs into cardio dance routines, and Lucy Wyndham-Read, an ex-army corporal who offers handy 10-minute HIIT classes for

competitive online cyers. It offers many forms 1,728,334 follow- cling challenges, for 14.99 euros per month. of exercise and is However, Everyone and their pet popular with the 50-plussers. there’s a catch dog seem to be into Other popular links to check special support to keep - you need to buy a Yoga these days. Literally! It’s a discipline that Dailyburn.com and Gaia.com.out are Glo.com, tionary, or buy a static your normal bike sta- you can do at home or in an outdoor bike, and a smart de- spot. beauty Although online fitness classes are compre- vice to run the program. A popular YouTube channel hensive, they’re not perfect It’s cheaper to buy a normal is ‘Yoga with for everyone. static bike and We tried a fitness app called ‘Lose Belly Fat’. search for ‘free spinning class’ on YouTube. CONTACT US TODAY Although the app was easy Many exist, such Executive Health Continues on Page as Marbella 2 – Ctra. routines became repetitive. to follow, the daily the N-340, Km. 175, Puerto Reggaeton-themed Banús, 29660, Marbella, tel: +34 670 674 246 https://www.yo Málaga info@executivehealth.es www. executivehealth.es tube.com/watch? u Spinning fuaBlvesZO4. Most v =viders upload some profree Spinning is one discipline content, but you must buy that has sorted the moti- membership to access the vation issue, by creating premium rides. online communities featuring group rides Outdoor trails and leaderboards. The Olive Press tried a Peloton bike and Those who prefer to ride outside can download was impressed by the range of classes – it’s the ‘Strava’ GPS cycling and We supply so running app. addictive! freshly made alkaline However, Peleton isn’t You can track your routes, yet marketed in Spain, join challenges, share smoothies daily! where the main option photos and follow friends, is currently Volava bike. which helps with motivaThis exercise hobby isn’t tion. Your Friendly Pharmacy cheap – the static bikes As with many apps, the cost 1,195 euros, or premium features are unFor all your 549 euros for the locked by paying for membership. Pharmaceutical needs lower model, and Strava could conceivably a year’s subscrip- be adapted for horse rides. 13 Cooperage Lane GX11

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The best foodie escapes in Food, drink & travel

voice in Spain

Vol. 15 Issue 386 www.theolivepress.es January 26th - February 8th 2022

INSPITATIONAL: And award-winning, (from left) Aponiente, Noor and Asador Etxebarri

COLLARED

Police snare one of Britain’s most wanted fugitives walking the dog IT seemed like the most innocuous stroll with his dog. But Josh Hendry’s evening constitutional turned into one of the most exciting police arrests in recent Costa history. For most likely unbeknown to him, the 30-year-old Marbella resident had only just been named as one of Britain’s Most Wanted fugitives. In one of the fastest Crimestoppers foreign arrests in history, drug smuggler Hendry was picked up in San Pedro de Alcantara strolling with his dog. Wearing an olive green tracksuit, he was recognised by an eagle-eyed off-duty policeman, who had watched the nationwide appeal for 12 wanted British felons just the day before. Joshua Dillon Hendry, 30, had been on the run for three years, after be-

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ing convicted of trafficking drugs including heroin and cocaine. Hendry, from Liverpool, had gone on the run just days before his trial at Grimsby Crown Court in March 2019. The court heard how ‘the Big Guy’, as he was known, had taken a flight to Barcelona before he could face the music. He was one of the scheming masterminds behind a big drugs conspiracy to send €1.5 million of drugs to Grimsby. Alongside his mother and a brother they had been the criminal family who targeted the seaside town for rich pickings. On his departure, an international arrest warrant went out for his capure, with police knowing he was most likely living in the Estepona area where he had friends. Last week his face was plastered over the national news networks alongside Britain’s other Most Wanted, as sought by the National Crime Agency. Of the 11 felons left, four of them are believed to be living in the Costa del Sol, with the trio of Calum Allan, Jack Mayle and Nana Oppong linked to Marbella and Asim Naveed believed to be in Malaga. Tom Dowdall, NCA Deputy Director of International, said: “This is a rapid result and it’s testimony to the power these appeals can have. “Whether it’s using tip-offs from the

LED AWAY: Hendry arrested, while (inset) 12 felons in the appeal

public, sharing intelligence or de- UK’s Operation Captura initiative ploying specialist capabilities, UK launched in 2006. law enforcement and our Spanish Only 10 of those on the list still partners are working as one to trace evade justice. A further 11 will now and arrest the other 11 fugitives. be keeping a slightly lower profile. “Those men will know now that we’re after them. They can live their If you know any of these men lives anxiously looking over their email newsdesk@theoliveshoulders and wondering if today’s press.es or call 951 273 575 the day they get caught or do the right thing and hand themselves in.” A total of 86 British Hendry is not the quickest arrest in fugitives have been Crimestoppers Most Wanted history. snared under the The Olive Press helped snare wan ted paedophile Dominic Powell in Fuengirola in just October 2011 after we received a five hours in tip off from a reader. Earlier, in December 2008, we track other of Britain’s Most Wanted Dan ed down anSee pages 23 & 30 his lair in the inland village of Prun iel Johnston to We sent photos of the bank robber a. in an England shirt to Scotland Yardwalking around .

Tel: 952 147 834 TM

Not the fastest

Shadier and shadier CORRUPTION in Spain has got worse, according to a new international transparency poll. The country has dropped one place in the annual Corruption Perception Index (CPI), seeing its rating go down from 62 to 61. Spain is now 34th in the table of 180 countries, coming far behind joint leaders Denmark, Finland and New Zealand, who score a rating of 88. The global table, compiled by Transparency International, is a highly-regarded measure of anti-corruption efforts. Each country’s score is a combination of at least 13 different corruption surveys and assessments, from bodies including the World Bank. Spain scored badly on the now accepted ‘illegal’ lockdowns during the Covid pandemic, as well as the availability of public information in regional and municipal bodies. South Sudan comes bottom with 11, followed by Syria and Somalia on 13. A spokesman insisted that a country like Spain in the world’s top 15 economies should not be scoring below 70 if it ‘wants to maintain its image and competitiveness’. The Olive Press revealed last issue that of the 50 least transparent town halls in Spain, the majority were in Andalucia, Valencia and Extremadura. Sanlucar de Barrameda came bottom scoring a disgraceful 2.47% in the transparency ranking, while Rojales had 4% and Coin 6.1%. Well over half of the 500 councils surveyed offered up less than 50% of the information expected to be available to its citizens. Opinion Page 6

CRIME

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Beach mystery POLICE are investigating the discovery of five bodies found along the coast of Malaga in the past few days. Officers believe they may have been migrants who were travelling in a boat that was shipwrecked.

Big raids MORE than 150 police carried out over 50 raids in an operation against money laundering in El Puerto de Santa Maria and Barbate (Cadiz) that ended with eight arrests being made.

Death crash A MAN has been remanded in custody in Almeria after killing a 17-year-old motorcyclist in a car accident. He lacked a driver’s license and tested positive for alcohol and drugs.

Taxi chase A TAXI driver in Sevilla who saw a man aged 47 knocked over and seriously hurt chased the guilty vehicle through the streets, with film he recorded on a spy camera proving vital in police tracing a suspect.

New clues link paedophile to Maddie Rapid return A GERMAN TV investigation has uncovered a series of fresh witnesses linking a convicted paedophile to the snatching of Madeleine McCann. The Olive Press helped to track down some of the ‘shocking’ new evidence that will further incriminate career criminal Christian Brueckner. Numerous associates of the rapist, 45, will explain why German prosecutors are ‘100% sure’ he is guilty of the 2007 disappearance of the British toddler in

EXCLUSIVE

Portugal. In particular, they will provide evidence ‘for the first time’ how near Brueckner was to the Ocean Club, in Praia da Luz, where Maddie vanished. “We have got a lot of new exclusive material,” revealed lead investigator Jutta Rabe from the SAT.1 team, which has spent a year investigating the case.

“We know Christian was no more than five minutes from the Ocean Club, as far inland as Espiche.” The Olive Press revealed last month that Brueckner would be charged with three other sex crimes this Spring. In particular, he is facing ‘up to nine years’ for the rape of Irish woman Hazel Behan, in 2004, which he is said to have filmed. We revealed that police have a ‘very strong case’ having found a partial fingerprint of Brueckner’s at the scene, in Portimao.

Match up

Mijas Costa FREE

FIRE: devastated the

EXCLUSIVE by Elena Goçmen Rueda

The skeleton was found by a hiker wedged between rocks in a ravine as he stopped for a rest. “It appears to be a man, but we are not 100% certain yet,” a spokesman for the Guardia Civil told the OlPOLICE are investigating the theft of two ive Press. Salvador Dali paintings from a Barcelona “It has been sent apartment. to the Institute The stolen paintings - La Sardana and of Legal MediVi Negre worth an estimated €300,000 cine in Granada each - were part of a private family colfor analysis,” he lection in the Sarria-Sant Gervasi suburb. added.

SURREAL THEFT

Police confirmed that a mountain rescue operation was launched shortly after the hiker, believed to be German, had contacted them. Due to the ‘complicated, hilly terrain’, it took a number of hours to extract all the bones. “It was not easy to get to, due to being at the bottom of a ravine,” added the spokesman. “We needed specialists to get to it.” He also confirmed speculation that the body was likely to be linked to a skull found by a Romanian woman, near a car park on November 18. The Olive Press revealed that the dog of the new age traveller, Dragon, had found the

Sierra

Protect it!

HUNDREDS of protesters manded urgent protection have desouthern Spain’s most for one of endangered areas. They were backed by nearly groups and charities to insist50 protest the Sierra Bermeja mountain range is given ‘national park’ status, following a horrific fire this summer. The six-day blaze, which deliberately on Septemberwas started the life of a firefighter 8, claimed close to 10,000 hectares and ravaged of forest. The worst ecological damage saw the razing of over 3,000 rare trees which grow in only Pinsapo pine three areas of Spain and one in Morocco.

Protection

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Opinion Page 6

Your expat

voice in Spain

Vol. 15 Issue 383 www.theolivepres s.es December 1st - December

Why is the Spanish church ignoring child abuse victims?

GRUESOME DISCOVERY 14th 2021

EXCLUSIVE By Elena Goçmen Rueda in Orgiva

IT was during a short her dog before taking walk with the kids to school that an expat got incredible shock of her the most Wrapped up warmly life. winter morning in the against the Alpujarras, near Granada, she had no idea why Dragon started scratching madly at the earth.

MYSTERY: Dragon

the dog dug up the

skull above the house,

it probably belonged to this tree (below) from the Civil War, as to a victim in nearby Orgiva. there were A patrol many people executed car in this scene, by the was quickly on the region and buried in new age settlement unmarked of Beneficio, graves. near Canar, where the expats live. “But when I After picked it up age, taking the bag for safe storthey went with her to later and put macabre visit the site, which sits just below it into a plas- the tic bag to stop tive main car park of the alternaALL AREAS COVERED Dragon from Theycommunity. chewing it, I found looked around and, oddly, 4G UNLIMITED knew it was There no further bones or remains. was no sign of clothes much more re- any or INTERNET other personal items, cent.” nor any IDEAL FOR signs The mother-of- Expatsof a struggle. STREAMING TV told the Olive Press two, who has had they ALSO IPTV, lived in Spain that initially believed the head was SATELLITE TV for 11 years, Linda,of a Dutch woman named ing’ Dutch woman and was ‘most who had an abusive had soon got ner part- likely’ a man in his 40s. “The Judicial Police tel: (0034) 952 763 840 the father of “Sheand a teenage son. have taken had very distinctive her info@theskydoctor.co teeth over the investigation and it has children and m to contact the it waswe immediately suspected now been taken to a laboratory in www.theskydoctor.co m Linda,” said one. Sevilla for its study,” he Guardia Civil, in said. strange circumstances“She left and we were worried about her.” Missing A spokesman for the “DNA will be extracted Guardia Civil con- leased to the Missing and refirmed the discovery Persons to database within the See page 32 the Olive Press and annext two nounced an investiga- months.” tion had been launched. He added: “We can assure you However, he denied that that it is not Linda, who is safe and it belonged to the ‘miss- sound and living in a commune elsewhere in Europe.”

nian expat, who askedthe Romanamed, told the Olive not to be “My initial thoughtsPress. were that

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A SERIES of harrowing pictures of a young girls bedroom have helped police trace the apparent victim of child sex abuse. It came after cops sent out a tweet showing the minor’s room, with photos of stuffed animals, medals and other ornaments. Within just two hours they had identified the home of the girl and her family have now been dragged into a detailed child porn investigation.

See page 6

Skull found at alternative community near Granada is ‘not’ missing Dutch expat, but man in his 40s

Campaigners want the area to be given the maximum environmental protection and resources for ment, in the hope thatforest manageduce the risk of wildfires.this would reJoaquin Araujo of Ecologistas en Accion explained that the mountains and nearby Genal Valley had been exploited for their water for decades. “They have been drained Horrified satiable golf courses whichto supply inunsuitable in our climate,are entirely Walking over she was ming pools and lush privatefor swim- fied to discover that horriin super luxury estates designedgardens man Shepherd cross the Gerhad dug for the up enjoyment of billionaires,” a skull that she immediHe added it was time to he said. ately knew unique character of the recognise the Initially was human. thinking it was a vicrange which is home to 37 species endemic to the tim of the Spanish Civil War, area. she later realised on returning A petition to demand action has got to retrieve it that it was more than 75,000 signatures. more recently deceased. much The nearby Sierra de awarded National Parklas Nieves was “It was definitely fresher and status earlier smelled quite a this year. lot,”

Mystery skull appears to have a body, after skeleton found near expat community A BODY has been found in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The skeleton, found near Orgiva, is believed to be connected to a head found nearby in November. The gruesome find came close to the alternative expat community of Beneficio.

OLIVE PRESS

NEWS IN BRIEF

January 26th - February 8th 2022

The

3 1 / 1 2 / 1 9 .

21/6/19 13:30

FLASHBACK: December 1 issue head on a walk. It was located just yards from where dozens of expat travellers spent much of the year, near the village of Canar. The expat had initially thought it was a victim of the civil war, but on retrieving the head realised it was much more recently deceased. “It was definitely fresher and smelled quite a lot,” she revealed. The mystery over the body and head still remains.

‘Pablo Escobar’ snared

POLICE have arrested an alleged drug kingpin in one of the biggest heroin busts in recent years. Known as the Pablo Escobar of Spain, the ringleader was intercepted at a petrol station near Toledo, with 85 packages of heroin in the car. The Spanish man, who has not yet been named, is suspected of distributing the 55 kilos of heroin from the Netherlands around Spain. He is said to be ‘closely associated’ with an international group led by a Turkish drug lord known as 'The Paralytic'. In recent raids on his properties near Toledo police seized 12 cars and €51,000 in cash.

NEWS

www.theolivepress.es

Flaming tradition

Final whistle REAL Madrid and Spanish footballing great, Paco Gento, has died at the age of 88. The winger was part of the record-breaking Madrid side of the mid-fifties that won the European Cup five consecutive times. His colleagues in that side included the likes of Puskas and Di Stefano. Gento was the only Real Madrid player to have won Europe’s top club competition six times - the last time being in 1966. In his 16-year-career with Real, he played 600 games and scored 182 goals. He also received 43 Spanish international caps between 1959 and 1969.

A TRADITION where horses are spurred to leap through 20 flaming bonfires has been revived after a COVID break. Las Luminarias, which celebrates Spain’s patron saint of animals, San Anton, returned after the COVID-19 pandemic. This year the 200-year-old event saw 120 horses going through the cobbled village streets of San Bartolome de Pinares, near Avila. The strange ritual is in memory of a devastating epidemic that wiped out a large part of the area’s cattle and horses. The bonfire smoke from bonfires is meant to drive away evil spirits.

SIMPLY DAVINA

TV heartthrob Ricky Merino has told the Olive Press how he fell in love with British presenter Davina McCall the minute he set eyes on her. The actor, who has been presenting the dating show The Language of Love, revealed how they hit it off immediately. “It was love at first sight and we really connected from the beginning,” he admitted.

Passion

He added working with McCall on the Channel4 programme filmed on the Costa del Sol was a ‘dream come true’. “She was very funny and I really love her,” he continued about his time working on the reality game show, set near the white village of Casares. “She made things very easy for me. I met her online one month before we started

By Tallulah Taylor

filming and then I met her in Malaga two days before we began.” Getting a unique understanding of how foreign nationalities bond, the Spanish X Factor winner particularly stressed the importance of music. “One of the universal languages that really helps with love is music,” he explained. “You don't need to speak the same language to fall in love. You don't need to understand every single word to feel the connection, music is universal.” The show sees a dozen British and Spanish youngsters thrown together in a beautiful farmhouse, where they hope to find love without speaking the same language. But Ricky explained that the

ROYAL SPLIT KING Felipe’s sister, Cristina, has split from her disgraced husband Iñaki Urdangarin by ‘mutual agreement’. It came just days after photos were published of him with another woman. Infanta Cristina and Urdangarin have been married since 1997. A magazine published pics of Urdangarin with a female co-worker during a stroll in the south of France, close to where he and his wife have a holiday home. Urdangarin later admitted that ‘these things happen’. The former Duke of Palma, was jailed for five years and 10 months for corruption in 2018. However, in June 2020, he was allowed out

HAPPIER TIMES: Wedding day due to good behaviour and converted his sentence to community work. The former Olympic handball player used his royal connections to win public contracts related to sports.

ESTUCO INTERIORS

Spanish star tells the Olive Press it was ‘love at first sight’ on meeting Davina McCall

SPACE INVADER: Ricky with Davina Spanish men were a bit much for the British girls. “They don't care if they are going to be rejected,” he said. “Brits are more polite and respect space, while in Spain it's like an invasion. We want your space.” He added: “The British girls were really a bit overwhelmed.” He continued: “Spanish people are very close, very passionate. We love touching each other. We speak very loudly and we are too much”. Coming from Mallorca, Merino started learning English from a young age. “I met a lot of English people there so I’ve personally never felt the language barrier,” added the star, who is currently starring in a musical version of Ghost, in Madrid.

January 26th - February 8th 2022

Home from home AN outbreak of COVID on the set of new movie The Mother, filming in Gran Canaria, allowed star Joseph Fiennes to fly back to spend time with his wife in Mallorca. The Shakespeare in Love actor, 51, is currently renovating a country home with his Spanish wife Maria Dolores Dieguez on the island. The pair have lived on and off Mallorca for nearly a decade and have two daughters together, with one born on the island. Dieguez is a photographer and has a studio in Palma.

Golden girls MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE actor Hayley Atwell, 39, has been taking it easy on holiday in Ibiza. She was mostly looking after her friend Lily Cole, 34, who arrived feeling unwell. The Cambridge graduate revealed she had got some ‘TLC’ from her friend and ‘good sleep’. The pals, who grew up in London, were staying at the new Six Senses hotel. Under a photo of the two lounging in their suite, Atwell wrote: “The golden light of female friendship. As within, so without.”

The Language of Love airs on Tuesdays at 10pm on Channel 4

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NEWS

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NEWS IN BRIEF Making changes THE second prize winner of a proverb contest in Alcala La Real (Jaen) has been disqualified after complaints that he said that women from a nearby town were ‘good in the house and as good as a donkey to carry firewood’.

Hefty price THE bill to repair damage caused by vandals on an 8.4km stretch of disused railway line in Sevilla, will be €4.9 million, according to the Junta.

Posters stay COUNCIL chiefs in Cordoba have said that anti-abortion posters put up by a Catholic association urging people to pray in front of clinics can stay as they break no rules.

Exciting times THE former five-star Byblos Hotel, which will re-open in June as La Zambra Hotel by Mijas Golf, has been named by Forbes magazine as one of the 10 most exciting hotels to open in Europe in 2022.

Holy Hyena

January 26th - February 8th 2022

PEAKING AT LAST

THE bones of a giant prehistoric hyena have been found in Andalucia. The remarkable find in Orce, Granada, shows that hyenas were once as big as lions, weighing 120 kilos. A researcher from Malaga University, revealed that the studies have been ongoing at the site at Venta Micena for 30 years. Paul Palmqvist explained that the giant hyenas were ‘brutal’ in the way they dismembered and transported the corpses of their prey back to their dens.

SPAIN has finally started to see a drop in the new infections of the coronavirus. The sixth wave of COVID finally seems to be in reverse, after a huge spike after the festive period. For the first time in over two months, the data shows a drop in new infections, with the 14-day cumulative rate falling by 91 points to 3,306 cases per 100,000 people. There are currently 18,918 COVID patients hospitalised, representing a 15% occupation of hospital beds in Spain. Of those, 2,243 are in intensive care occupying 23.7% of ICU beds.

FILMING OVER LEMONS Seminal expat book to be made into TV drama about ‘misadventures’ in Spain

HIS books recounting the trials and tribulations of living offplan in southern Spain have enthralled and inspired millions of readers around the globe. Now Chris Stewart’s best-seller Driving Over Lemons is set for the big screen. The story of the hapless Englishman, the original drummer of rock band Genesis, who chucked it all in to be a farmer, will be dramatised in a TV series. His autobiographical tomes, that stretch to four books, recount numerous misadventures as he and wife Ana set about building a life at a tumbledown finca in the Alpujarras area of Granada.

Old news THE world's oldest man, Spaniard Saturnino de la Fuente, has died aged 112. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Garcia was named the oldest living man just four months ago when he was 112 years and 211 days old. Garcia, born in 1909, was just three weeks shy of his 113th birthday. ‘Pepino' from Puente Castro leaves behind seven children, 14 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.

EXCLUSIVE By Fiona Govan

They chart their journey to self-sufficiency as the couple navigate rural customs, wily locals, and the forces of nature to become a valued part of the local community.

Daydreaming

“The story intrigued us from the start - so many of us have daydreamed about uprooting our lives for sunnier climes,” explained scriptwriter Dan Sefton of Seven Seas Films. “His tales of the reality of doing this has provided the most brilliant story filled with

ADIOS: To Pepino

CHALLENGE: Stewart family approaching el Valero farm humour, miscommunication, will take place on location in inspiration, challenges, and the Alpujarras during 2022. gratitude. And all set against The Olive Press has frequentthe gorgeous Andalucian ly visited (and stayed) at the backdrop. I think audiences amazing farm, el Valero, hidwill fall for its charm, as much den in a fold of the foothills as we have.” of the Sierra Nevada and only He added it would make for reachable on foot. ‘captivating television’. Stewart, a keen environmenNo details have yet been re- talist, has also written a numleased on who might be given ber of hard-hitting pieces on the role of Chris, Ana or their sustainability and corruption daughter Chloe but filming in Spain.

DON’T KILL SNOOPY! OVER 200,000 people have signed a petition to save 38 beagles from slaughter by an animal testing company. The dogs are being used in a pharmaceutical trial by Barcelona University and those that survive will be put down regardless. Animal activists launched the petition against controversial laboratory Vivotecnia, which has been accused of animal cruelty over recent years. An undercover investigation by the Cruelty Free International (CFI) charity showed that tests were carried out without sedation, last year. The footage led to a probe by a Madrid court, which is ongoing. This however has not stopped the Valencia foundation Parc Cientific awarding a €255,000 contract to carry out further animal testing this year. When the current trial ends in March, the animals are set to be put down. So far 202,000 people have signed a petition on change.org asking for the animals to be adopted by supporters. Some 450 protesters joined a demo against the clinic this week. More protests are planned.

Lonely hearts club bank BANK staff in Andalucia are being trained to spot signs of loneliness among elderly customers. The scheme hopes to reach 460,000 pensioners around the region, where an alarming 47% of the over 55s claim to ‘feel lonely’. In the initiative backed by the Junta, nine banks have met to discuss ways to train staff to spot the signs and offer help. The Bank of Spain will provide training materials and

workshops with the help of the Active Participation Centres (CPA ) network. Banks are believed to be an excellent first point of contact because of the digital gap impacting the older generation. Many struggle to adapt to the many technological changes in banking as well as many services moving online. By 2040 around 28% of the population of Andalucia will be of pensionable age.

Man loses scarf in Albacete HAVE you seen an orange scarf with holes at each end? You could be up for a €50 reward if you can return it to a 75-year-old widower in Albacete. His social media post looking for his favourite clothing item made by his wife went viral, leading tens of thousands of people to join the hunt. Angel Saez even ended up on national TV to discuss the scarf, knitted for him before his wife Carmen died four years ago. It has still not turned up despite its fame.

Expats stand firm BREXIT fears did not cause a rush of British expats to become Spanish citizens in 2020. Just 394 Brits switched nationality, according to the latest figures from the National Statistics Institute (INE). This is a drop in the ocean compared to the 126,266 new Spanish citizenships granted that year. That number was 30% up on the previous year, with nearly 50,000 being from South America and 28,200 coming from Morocco alone. Some 2,770 came from Romania, while 710 were from Italy. Just 12 came from Scandinavia.

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

OPINION NOT GOOD ENOUGH LAST edition we reported on how dismal many of Spain’s town halls are when it comes to transparency. And now comes the confirmation that Spain is getting worse when it comes to corruption. The country has fallen to 34th position in the annual Transparency International poll with just 61 points. OK, this is a lot better than Sudan on 11 points but way behind New Zealand and Denmark - both with smaller economies than Spain - on 88 points. There is no acceptable reason for this. Most authorities here are simply stuck in the past when it comes to openness and talking to the public. They actually like secrecy. It all, of course, links back to the Franco years. The 37 years of dictatorship may have ended decades back but some regrettable attitudes linger on. Too often these seem to include ‘just do what you’re told’ and ‘don’t ask questions’. They also involve an incredibly slow and faceless justice system. For a modern democracy with the 14th biggest economy in the world it is simply not good enough.

NEWS FEATURE

HE Vox candidate for Castilla y Leon, Juan Garcia Gallardo stands mask-free on the podium in the regional capital’s Plaza de la Universidad. He is 30 years old and has been in the news for deleting tweets about qays in football and how women have the easy life, or words to that effect. Alongside him stands party leader Santiago Abascal, who’s here at the mid-January rally to kick off Vox’s regional election campaign. Abascal is on his usual sparkling form, bellowing out statements and generally rebel rousing. In particular, he insists the only time Covid was out of the headlines was when they were focussing on his candidate Garcia’s tweets.

EYES PEELED IT’S awful to think one of them might live next door or could be sitting on the next table enjoying a beer. But there is a very good reason why the authorities regularly team up to appeal for help to catch Britain’s Most Wanted fugitives in Spain. Sadly the majority of Brits who go on the run come to Spain, where it is easy to blend in without much effort among the large expat communities along the coast. We may have come a long way since the days where there was no extradition treaty between the UK and Spain and the sunny climes of the Costa del Crime became a haven for hardened criminals on the lam. But these days it is still possible to hide in plain sight, and police increasingly rely on tip offs from the general public to help nab a dangerous array of offenders. The latest mugshots include murderers, drug dealers and armed robbers. Thankfully one of the 12 caught last week was nabbed due to one officer’s eagle eyes. Keep your eyes peeled for the others.

PESADO

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Could an anti-abortion, anti-immigration party - and whose following is three quarters male - somehow get into power in Spain, asks Heather Galloway as regional elections loom

And he’s anything but done. He adds that the pandemic has been used, plain and simple, as a device to mask Spain’s real problems, which include immigration and the rights of young people over those from the LGBTQ lobby. And then there’s the soaring energy prices, the elitist sustainable development Agenda 30, driven, he says, by China, as well as, let’s not forget, the recent government attack on the livestock industry. There is a long list of beefs, not only with the PSOE government and its radical left wing partners, but also with the conservative PP party, who Abascal claims are

You Que?

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

YEAR OF

HIJO

o conclude the topic of family terms in Spanish, the word hijo meaning ‘son’ and hija meaning ‘daughter’ are real terms of familiarity in Spain. Generally used by older people referring to younger acquaintances, it’s a word similar to ‘love’ or ‘sweetheart’ in English but shows perhaps even more affection and concern. You can add on a possessive mío at the end to get really intimate. Example No, hijo mío, no he visto tus llaves por aquí. No, my son, I haven’t seen your keys around here.

f there’s any word that best encapsulates Spain’s love of family – and especially for one’s mother – it’s captured in the verb desmadrar. Literally it means to ‘de-mother’. It can describe separating a baby animal from its parent but more commonly means ‘to ruin’, ‘to mess up’ and even ‘to fall apart’. Cute, right?

they are now predicted to get as many as ten berths in parliament in elections next month. The mid-January polls put the party on an alarming 20.5%, up from 10.3% in the November 2019 general elections. If they do well in Castilla and, later

Nine genius Spanish words you just can’t translate into English, writes Josh Parfitt

EARNING a language is a lot like spraining an ankle: it’s painful and takes ages to get better. But every language learner will hit a tipping point when suddenly they jump and shout for joy. S o m e say it happens when you first dream in a foreign language.

T If you’ve ever tried to find the word for ‘annoying’ in Spanish you might have seen pesado. Literally, though, the word just means ‘heavy’. But this works in the word’s favour especially when someone’s energy is stifling a situation or just bringing everyone down. The best part is in feeling the weight just lift off your shoulders with this satisfying insult. Example Dame el mando ya, ¡pesado! Give me the remote now, annoying person!

‘socialists in disguise’. The crowd is stoked. There are around 1,000 people cheering and chanting (5,000, according to Vox) in this, Europe’s largest region and one of its least populated. Vox has gained ground in Castilla y Leon since 2019. From one seat,

Others say it’s the pride of correctly insulting someone. But more often than not it occurs as you spit out a word in your native tongue and get stuck. Not because your brain has had enough, but because there’s just no translation for the foreign word you’re trying to say. The word has a certain je ne sais quoi about it. (See what we did there?) Here are nine genius words in Spanish that just don’t mean the same thing in English.

The word to, ahem, use the bathroom has an incredibly rich range of uses without verging into swear word territory. A terrible situation can be a cagada or a ‘pooing’ for example, while a cagado is a fantastic way of referring to a terrified person. It captures the essence of when English people say they ‘wet themself’ with fear, but with a little more oomph. Example No ha mirado su cuenta bancaria aún, esta cagado de miedo. He can’t bring himself to check his bank account yet, he’s pooing with fear.

BOCACHANCLAS

ocachanclas is a fantastic word that literally means ‘flip-flop mouth’. It’s akin to the English ‘chatterbox’ except that the association with flipflops add in an extra air

CAGADO

Except that desmadre or ‘unmothering’ has since come to mean ‘rampage’ in Spanish and particularly when referring to an incredible night out. Example ¡Vaya desmadre que tuvimos anoche! Que dolor de cabeza. What a mental unmothering we had last night! I’ve a stinking headache.

COTILLA

DESMADRE

January 26th - February 8th 2022

FORGING AHEAD

HE green shoots of recovery are starting to sprout after the pandemic. Those of us in the newspaper world are among the first to notice economic recovery. How’s that? Well, major advertisers come back on board as they seek to capitalise on the early signs of growth. In recent weeks we have welcomed significant campaigns from key clients such as McArthur Glen, the European Cricket Network and Mijas Town Council. A trio of big insurance companies, Liberty Seguros, Abbygate and Linea Directa have also just committed for the year ahead. Specsavers has done the same. These are major players and they take their advertising seriously. Above all, they expect bang for their buck and recognise that a solid media group like the Olive Press is an excellent place to spend their marketing budget.

Top of

HORDES: A rally of thousands in Valladolid, which comes as Vox is predicted to get 20% of the vote this year, in Andalucian elections, they will not only occupy key regional positions of power, but will also have a chance of entering government after the general elections next year. As a party - which counts 76% of its voters as men - it primarily wants

lower taxes, a pared down welfare state and donation-only funding for political parties. What do their voters think? The Olive Press spoke to a couple. The first, Alejandro, who prefers not to use his full name, is keen to see a change in the political system.

EMPANADO

mpanado is a word you’ll find on menus as it means ‘breaded’ (think schnitzel). Yet you wouldn’t want anyone calling you empanado in Spain. It’s usually hurled as an insult for anyone distracted, away with the fairies, momentarily blocked for ideas or just a confused soul. Once you know it, the visual imagery of a person’s head all breaded over is too delicious to forget. Example ¡Oye empanado, que te vas a chocar contra la pared! Hey stupid, you’re about to walk into the wall!

of cheapness and uncleanliness. An extremely satisfying insult that can also be shared among friends. Example ¡Cállate ya que estoy conduciendo, bocachanclas! Shut up while I’m driving, flip-flop mouth! If there’s one activity everyone’s grandma is up to in Spain it’s curtain-twitching. Spying on other people and gossiping about it after are so popular in Spain that both activities only need one verb: cotillear. The word you’d call a gossip or curtain-twitcher is cotilla. There’s even a popular gossip mag in Spain called Cotilleo or ‘gossip’ who’s byline unashamedly reads ‘we are gossips by hobby and by profession’. Example Para ya de espiar la nueva piscina de los vecinos, ¡que cotilla que eres! Stop spying on the neighbour’s new pool, you’re such a curtain-twitcher!

CHUNGO

ou won’t get very far in Spain without knowing the word chungo. It’s one of many Roma words commonly used in Castilian Spanish, and literally means ‘disgusting’ or ‘repulsive’. However you’ll hear Spaniards turning to the word at the first

COCHINO

ochino is a word that in some Spanish-speaking countries means ‘pig’ but in Spain can be an affectionate way to call someone messy or unkempt. Okay, you can use it to call someone downright disgusting too, don’t worry. It’s a word you might often hear dog owners calling their pets in the sense of ‘mucky pup’ when they roll their muck all over your bed sheets. But it can also be used to describe a generally dirty establishment or to gossip about other people’s hygiene. Example ¿Has visto que cochinos tiene sus niños esa tía? Have you seen how dirty that woman’s children are?

sight of any troubling or tricky situation. Example ¿Que chungo las obras no? ¿En pleno verano encima? How terrible the roadworks no? And in the middle of summer?

“For starters, the politicians in ‘Spain is crap’ while Red Cross Vox all had jobs before getting volunteers danced around them. into politics, or assets or inheri“I saw it on the TV,” she insists. tances at least,” he says. “Not your TV. This isn’t shown on “They don’t need the money Spanish TV. We have to put up and want to eliminate the public with these kinds of things and funding of parties. We’re talking many people are fed up.” about millions in taxes.” When we drill it down she conHe is also a keen pro-lifer, like firms she watched it on EDATV, Vox, which believes that women an uncensored TV platform used have no rights over the life inside by Vox. them. This sort of propaganda and “It’s not about the woman’s a series of bulos or fake news body,” he continues. “The fetus stories (see example below) are doesn’t belong to them. It’s anonly further accentuating the other life and abortion is never truth and spreading lies. Despite okay.” this, Abascal is unrepentant and And even in rape cases he bein full denial at this month’s rally. lieves it is wrong. “When you talk “We are the party of truth and to women who have been raped dignity,” he cries at the Valladoand have the kid, they are usulid meeting. But where does the ally happy with that child. That truth lie? speaks to the The right accuse power of life,” he the left of ‘an insists. ideological dicThe fetus Sonia Organista tatorship’ and doesn’t belong of being fascists meanwhile, is one of the rare while the left acto them. female supportcuse the right of ers of the party, the exact same Abortion is having previously thing. never okay been a PP voter. It’s not the first The PP today is time Spain’s pol‘too soft’ for her itics have been and she supports Vox’ plans to this polarised, but it may be the abolish the gender violence laws. first time that the right is, ironiAbove all, she likes the party’s cally using the term ‘Nazi’ to vilify stance on illegal immigration, their political opponent. which is extremely strict and The worry is the divides are growsupports repatriation. ing and the far right is on the She believes Spain is facing march, and, let’s not forget that a Muslim cultural takeover. “I Trump made it into the White can’t say Happy Christmas anyHouse and Brexit happened more. I have to say Happy Holiamid all this migrant furore. days. But the Muslims can still So will Vox really have a shot at say hala-hala-hala,” she tells parliament? the Olive Press, referring to the As extreme right specialist and recent European Commission’s historian Xavier Casals told the internal guidelines for staff. Olive Press this week: “My only She claims she’s even seen forecast in politics is that you newly-arrived illegal immigrants can’t make a forecast.” with mobile phones costing €700, then refusing to eat the See online, 8 times fact macaroni they were offered checkers caught Vox lies in by rescue workers and singing 2021 Vox Vice-President Jorge Buxade recently reeled off a list of crimes allegedly committed by immigrants of a predominantly north African origin with no time frame and no mention, according to the National Institute of Statistics, that these would be a fraction of those committed by Spaniards. African immigrants, for example, were responsible for 8.9% of sexual assaults last year while Spaniards accounted for 73.4%. In the case of homicides, 6.6% were attributable to Africans and 75% to Spaniards.

In return, we promise up-to-the-minute news, quality features and acerbic analysis leaving our rivals well in the shade. Our dozens of writers and journalists GUARANTEE that this newspaper will be taken home and read! And don’t just take our word for it: Ask Google, which actually awarded us for our content in 2020. As these screenshots show, search for news in any coastal area of Spain and you’ll find us near the top of Page one. In many key resorts - including Estepona, Benidorm, Torrevieja and Mijas - actually right at the top, Numero Uno. And this despite many of our rivals serving these areas for 10, even 20 years longer than us. It is gratifying to see that not only do major advertisers recognise our quality - but so does Google.

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January 26th - February 8th 2022

THE SPANISH EXTINCTION

SPAIN is the European country with the most plants and animals at risk of extinction, according to a new analysis. Data from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species show a staggering one in seven species (14.51%) in Spain are categorised as being under threat of disappearing. Spain was trailed by Greece with 14.24% of species under threat of extinction, followed by Portugal with 11.64% and Italy with 11.35%. Though the report suggests half of Spain's threatened species are suffering from agriculture – and over a third from residential and commercial construction – Spain's top spot is not totally down to manmade factors. Spain was also the country with the largest number of species registered for the study (7,549) and with the most endemic species of any European nation (1,297 or 19.77%) According to Jose Luis Postigo, a researcher from the University of Malaga, the number of threatened species is directly related to the total number of species in a country. He said that as the Spanish mainland is on a peninsula,

Killer Plastic A GIANT fin whale found beached in Estepona probably died from ingesting plastic, it is believed. The 70 tonne mammal most likely ate too much plastic, believe experts from the Center for the Recovery of Marine Species in Malaga. The team are also probing the death of three dolphins in Malaga, as well as others in Torremolinos, Marbella and Nerja.

Duck quacks back SPAIN'S Marbled Duck population is bouncing back after serious concerns about its decline. Falling numbers in the 2010s led to the official declaration of the species as being of ‘critical conservation importance’ in 2018. In 2021, 105 females accompanied by 759 chicks were recorded during the breeding season, distributed mainly in Andalucia (50.4%) and Valencia (38.1%). The Balearic Islands and Castilla-La Mancha had nine and three breeding females respectively. The positive results are viewed as outstanding especially with the scarcity of water in Andalucia’s natural wetlands during 2021.

Wildlife in danger as plants and animals face dying out it’s more likely that species are specialised and hence under higher threat of extinction as they aren't found elsewhere.

The Iberian Lynx is faring much better going from 94 cats in 2002 to a healthy 900 today.

It is crystal clear we are not moving fast enough since since COP-26

Green

WHEN WILL THE PENNY FINALLY DROP? I T’S now over 2 months since the COP-26 conference concluded in Glasgow. Have the many declared and promised actions been implemented? The UN climate summit ended with calls on governments to return this year with tougher pledges to slash greenhouse gas emissions. Nations made new pledges on methane gas pollution, deforestation, coal financing, as well as long awaited rules on carbon trading and a notable US-China deal. When the curtain fell in Glasgow, climate scientists, legal experts and some politicians argued that the promised actions would only result in incremental progress and be inadequate in addressing the real severity of the climate crisis. As I have written before in this column, in my opinion nowhere near enough has been done. As Ani Dasgupta, President and CEO of the World Resources Institute said: “While we are not on track, the progress made over the last year and at the COP-26 summit offer bright spots. The real test now is whether countries accelerate their efforts and turn commitments into action.” I couldn’t agree more. I hate to say ‘I told you so,’ but I told you so. COP-26 became a public relations exercise. I agree with what the International Executive Director of Greenpeace, Jennifer Morgan wrote. She said: “It’s meek, it’s weak and the 1.5C goal is only just alive.” Part of the feel good factor that came from COP-26 centered around the US President’s commitments with his Build Back Better Plan. He now faces legislative gridlock with his bill containing $2 trillion of spending on social and environmental initiatives. Biden can pursue his climate agenda without legislation through rules and regulations. BUT those can be undone by subsequent presidents, as demonstrated

by Biden reversing the Trump administration rules, that in turn rolled back protections put into place by Barack Obama. Even with the Build Back Better bill, engineers at Princeton University have stated that there is a ‘yawning gap’ between where US emissions are today and where they need to be to hit President Biden’s climate targets. The UK government recently admitted that its efforts to insulate the UK from climate change impacts have been inadequate. Ministers agree they’ll have to go much further and faster to curb the worst impacts. Tell us something we don’t know! Of course everyone agrees with this. But where is the action? Inadequate finance from the Treasury will result in failure. Not just in the UK but everywhere. In the last UK budget, the Chancellor did not mention climate change once. Green MP Caroline Lucas said: “It’s crystal clear that we are moving nothing like fast enough to net zero emissions and the longer we delay, the more it will cost. The government acknowledges the risks. We have yet to see the action plan that will deal with them.” It’s almost like a comedy scene from Yes Minister. The difference is; this isn’t funny. When will the penny finally drop? Look at just some of the compelling evidence that results from World leader’s inaction:

● The past 7 years are the hottest on record (EU satellite data). ● The amount of warming gases in our atmosphere continue to increase. ● Last summer was the warmest ever in Europe. ● In Sicily, 48.8C was reported, breaking Europe’s record for the highest temperature by 0.8C.

● Australian bushfires spread fast and wild. ● Green snow in Antarctica. Parts of Antarctica are turning green due to climate change and the bloom of snow algae. ● The hot temperature in the eastern and central Mediterranean was followed by intense wildfires in Turkey, Greece, Italy, Tunisia and Algeria. ● Huge floods devastated parts of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. ● Methane levels continued to rise in 2021 compared to 2020. (Methane is more potent than CO2). I could add many more to this list. It was bitterly disappointing that the COP-26 delegates left in their executive jets without setting up a fund to actually help people who suffer permanent loss from climate change. The aspirational rhetoric that came from COP-26 is exactly that. Scientists confirm that we are on track to see temperatures rise by more than 2.4C this century. I’ve said it before,and I’m sure I’ll have to say it again….. WAKE UP WORLD.

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Matters

By Martin Tye

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January 26th - February 8th 2022

Fair grilling?

uisition No one expects the Spanish Inq wrote he n whe fitt Par h Jos - least of all da ma que Tor tor uisi about Chief Inq

Dear Olive Press,

laugh or cry at ONE does not know whether to ish Inquisition Joshua Parfitt’s article on the Spans. in the last edition of the Olive Pres d cliche was left Suffice to say that no ill informe piece. Probably id turg tt’s Parfi Mr in rned untu was the historithe greatest expert on this subject en. Kam an Henry nish InquisiHis study on the subject, The Spa contrary to how s show , ision Rev tion: A Historic ish InquiSpan the , time its populist opinion, for rol of the Cathsition (at least that under the contnot excessive. olic Church) was reasonable and a much more The state/secular inquisition was on a par with capricious entity. But neither was ashed by the the tortures and depravities unle tion in England forces of the Protestant Reforma ’s torturer in beth Eliza en Que and elsewhere. prime mover in chief, Richard Topcliffe, being the this regard. read about the So, don’t believe everything you . false lly usua It’s n. isitio Inqu revieja Eric Conway, La Mata, Tor

’s secretary Editor’s note: Queen Isabellathat at least te wro gar Pul del do nan Her throughout 2,000 executions took place quemada Tor ch whi her reign, during was Chief Inquisitor. ReformaWhile no doubt the Protestant that alone feel not do we tal, tion was bru able’ or ‘not makes 2,000 deaths ‘reason excessive’. es turgid as In this regard, Mr Parfitt tak . ent a complim

LETTERS

PULPO FICTION News of an octopus farm planned for the Canaries has brought a backlash Load of nonsense PESCANOVA’S plan for a €65 million octopus farm seems to be built on a fiction. The company says it will help save ‘wild’ octopuses from being caught to feed Spain and Japan’s seemingly insatiable appetite for the sea creature. This is nonsense. As usual it is all about money. These poor creatures will be crammed into cages and it will be an environmental disaster, sucking up fish from the region to feed them. In the meantime fishing for their wild cousins will carry on unabated. David McAndrew, Castellon

Gripping problem OCTOPUSES are recognised as the ‘Einsteins of the sea’ and are capable of complex thought processes. They can move through mazes, use tools and learn to do things like unscrew lids just by watching. They are masters of disguise, decorate their homes just as we do and have excellent memories. They are also extremely sensitive to pain. Cramming these intelligent cephalopods into tanks or netted ponds (Strong arming, the Olive Press last issue) where they would be denied everything that gives their lives meaning would be unacceptable, which is why scientists, conservationists and tens of thousands of PETA supporters are calling for the construction of an octopus farm on Gran Canaria to be ruled out. These fascinating and highly intelligent animals should be respected and allowed to live in their natural environments, not locked up and killed for covers. Mimi Bekhechi, Vice President of International Programmes, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) London

Respect needed I FIND it ironic that in the same edition that you report on the massive environmental problems caused by intensive pig farming in Spain (No Porkies, all editions), tucked away on the Green page I find an article on octopus farming. At first sight pigs and octopuses do not have much in common. But they are both intelligent species who deserve our respect and should be treated properly, regardless of your views on eating meat in general. Factory farms on land are bad enough, but we should not be exporting the problem into the sea as well! Heather Simpson, Malaga

REAL TREAT THERE have recently been some super articles on Spanish culture, language and achievem ents including the latest Genius Spanish words you need to know (The Olive Press online). The author has a real flair with lang uage. Well done; keep them going. David Hamilton, St Andrew s Editor’s note: If you missed it six for more language trea online, turn to page ts! Better still, visit www.theolivepress.es for the full article.

OP QUICK CROSSWORD Across 7 Disappear forever (6) 8 School divisions (6) 9 Kind of rock (4) 10 Centre of the English Riviera (7) 11 Pair of loose trousers upheld by a drawstring (6) 13 Residence (5) 15 Instagram shot (3) 17 Entangle (5) 18 Unfathomable (6) 20 Prepared to land a plane (7) 21 Tagged along (4) 22 Of the back (6) 23 “Honey, I --- the Kids” (1989 film) (6)

Down

OP SUDOKU

1 Kind of chapel (8) 2 Unbudging (4) 3 London Marathon theme tune (3,4) 4 Graph (5) 5 Commuter country (8) 6 Kind of flare pistol (4) 12 Alter a magazine cover photo (8) 14 “Bulldog”, created by Sapper (8) 16 Most unfriendly (7) 19 Cunningly (5) 20 “Terrific!” (4) 21 “Dead ---” (Dick Francis novel) (4)

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BUSINESS

CASHING IN

THE latest 5G technology is being used for smart bins that automatically pay responsible homeowners for recycling. A trial period of three months has passed for 16 intelligent bins in Sant Boi (Barcelona). Telefonica Tech and not for profit recycling organisation Ecoembes came up with the scheme that rewards people for recycling. A sensor on the bins scans the barcode of the discarded packaging, with the information sent by 5G network to a data processing point. This allows Ecoembres to trace what type of waste has been deposited, in what area, at what time and how often. This information can then be used to help improves the efficiency of recycling and identify which types of packaging are most suitable for recycling. In return people using the bins get vouchers to spend via the Reciclos app.

January 26th - February 8th 2022

CRYPTO WARNING

SPAIN is clamping down on the advertising of unregulated cryptocurrency investments. Concerns about investors being ripped-off by bogus claims mean that all crypto advertisements in the country will carry a warning from February 17.

Lost

The CNMV, the government agency that regulates the financial industry in Spain says that the following disclaimer has to be published in adverts: “Investments in crypto-assets are not regulated. They may not be appropriate for retail investors and the full amount invested may be lost.” Adverts will also have to be ‘clear, fair, and balanced and TOURISM in Spain in 2022 could generate 88% of the income seen in the pre-pandemic year of 2019 according to the Exceltur tourist industry association. Before the coronavi-

HOLIDAY HOPES

rus pandemic struck, Spain was the second most visited country in the world with its combination of beaches and historic cities like Madrid and

Barcelona attracting hordes of tourists. Exceltur’s Business Confidence Study reveals that it expects Spain’s tourism gross

New rules over unregulated cryptocurrency adverts By Alex Trelinski

non-misleading’ according to the CNMV. The measure is part of a package designed to regulate the sector in Spain and is seen as ground-breaking in Europe. The rules require digital asset service providers, including social media influencers who are paid to promote crypto, to notify the CNMV about advertising content and to issue the disclaimer about the risks of investing. Crypto service providers looking to reach domestic product to rise to €135 billion this year. This is 88% of what was achieved in 2019. But the tourism industry will not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2023, according to the organisation.

Sherry good news WINE group Gonzalez Byass saw profits soar 132% to €9.1 million after tax in the last fiscal year, bringing it close to pre-pandemic figures. The company’s gross turnover was €269 million, down 3.8% on the previous year and mainly due to repositioning the business in Asia. Despite that, international sales represented 73% of the total, an increase over the 2019 to 2020 fiscal year.

Growth

100,000 or more people will have to submit details of adverts at least ten days ahead of publication for approval. Two popular crypto exchanges, Houbi and Bybit, had warnings issued about them last summer because they were operating without a licence. The CNMV took to Twitter in November to rebuke Spanish footballer, Andres Iniesta(pictured), who used the social media platform to say he used the exchange firm, Binance.

The brands that contributed most to this growth were Tio Pepe, Croft, Beronia, Veramonte (Chile), The London Nº1, Soberano and Lepanto, according to the winery group. The company considers these to be good results, with measures taken to combat pandemic problems, such as better stock management and cost control leading to a 24% reduction in net financial debt.

MONEY SAVERS As energy bills soar, English language comparison website will save you money on electricity bills and much more FOR a long time, price comparison websites have been a familiar and popular service in countries such as the United Kingdom. Companies like MoneySupermarket, GoCompare & CompareTheMarket are used by millions of people to save money. Indeed, comparison websites can be a real lifesaver. By comparing prices, you can guarantee that you are getting the best deals on anything you are buying. It is to the consumers advantage to use comparison engines, and the Spanish Internet has a few to offer, but none in English, until now. Finally, Si Compare, www.sicompare.com a new price comparison website, has been launched to help English speakers compare and save money in Insurance, Banking and Utilities in Spain. It is Spain’s first and only comparison site in English with thousands of active users. It started as an energy comparison website back in

2019. Since then, the website has rapidly grown and launched comparisons of finance products such as current accounts, savings accounts, personal loans, and multi-currency card accounts. To date, one of their greatest accomplishments has been the newly added insurance comparison service that compares the leading insurers in Spain for offers in car, health, life and death insurance, with home and other insurance types coming shortly, making them one of the largest comparison services available in Spain. Si Compare do all the hard work for you and cut down on considerable amounts of time by price comparing hundreds of prices and deals in an instant. In seconds the major Spanish insurance and utility companies are compared by the search engine, providing a summary of the different deals or plans available and categorising the options in order of price. With a minefield of prices and policies on offer, you may prefer to speak with someone directly. No problem, with Si Compare you can also speak to one of their friendly and knowledgeable agents either by chat or on the phone. From there, they will take care of everything. And another benefit? All the information provided by the customer service team both online and

KNOW YOUR OPTIONS: Si Compare can save you a lot of money business in the market with very little hassle on the phone, is offered in native English or – it is much easier than going through each Spanish. power company individually. “We believe that no matter in which country Co-founder Marina Aragon reports that ‘curyou live, it should be simple to know your oprently we are seeing a surge in our services tions and not be disadvantaged by continually due to the high prices of electricity. For the paying the high prices set by some of the momajority of consumers with a Flex or Variable nopoly suppliers”, says James Morris, one of rate plan, there are far better deals available the founders of Si Compare. and huge savings to be made by switching energy suppliers’. It does not stop here, says Marina: “We are “As an example, prices in the energy market constill expanding our comparison service, to the tinuously change, and with various rate plans sectors of Mobile, Landline, TV and Broadavailable, what may be good for one home or band. business, may not be for another. The task of “Our services are 100% free and unbiased, finding the correct tariff can be daunting. and no fee is added to the quotes. On the “We make switching as easy as it can be, by contrary, on many occasions we offer better liaising with your chosen supplier and taking prices than if you were to go direct’. care of all the paperwork, you can concentrate on other important matters in your day-to-day To find out more, simply visit www.sicomtasks.” pare.com to compare utilities, banking By using the tools, advise and price comparand insurance or call 910 606 123 to ison service of Si Compare, you can find the speak to a representative in English and cheapest electricity prices for your home or start saving money.

Daunting

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Vol. 15 Issue 386

Good health

Executive Health January 26th - February 8th 2022

www.theolivepress.es

Ice is nice Cold Water Swimming - the benefits include better skin, circulation and even libido, discovers Niamh Ryan

SPONSORED BY

Executive Essential Screeni

A quick basic check-up, taking you through the most essential scans and tests TAKING a dip in the icy sea over the New Year period might seem daft, but those who braved the Med for a refreshing 2022 baptism could well have a head start healthwise. Cold-water swimming has been gaining significant popularity as a pastime over the last few years, particularly in the UK and Ireland, with many groups established and game for braving an chilly swim all year round. For those of us based in southern Spain, we have less excuses to rule it out. The costas offer the perfect location to try out this seemingly loco activity. The relatively warm, clement seas here are paradise in comparison to the freezing waters of northern Europe! (has anyone swam in the Baltic?), so go on, dip in a toe. The health benefits of cold-water swimmingwere known by the Victorians, but the exact benefits were guesswork. Science is actually still in the early stages

of understanding how it affects the human body, but the positive impact from studies already undertaken are mind-blowing. Glowing skin, increased tolerance to stress, improved circulation, higher libido and a better burning of calories are among the benefits. Then there is the knock on effect of boosted self-esteem and overall mental health, decreased inflammation and quicker muscle recovery post-exercise. It is also said to alleviate symptoms linked to women going through menopause. So don your swimsuit and make a run for it.

YOUR HEA

For some expert tips on how to get started and the safety issues to consider before getting started, check out the UK- based website, www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com

ESSENTIAL CHEC

(normally 1495€, valid til 15.4.22

GET FIT IN YOUR LIVING ROOM

MAKE YOUR B

https://executivehealth.es/our-ser

This checkup takes 2-3 h

• Survey with the doctor about your previous

• Clinical examination by d • Essential Blood,

• MRI Thorax and n

• MRI Abdomen, including all organs and

ITH Spring just around the corner, it’s not long until beach season arrives. Although a bikini body is – in all fairness - any type of body in swimwear, it’s natural to want to trim up beforehand. Now is the ideal time to focus on your health and fitness. If you don’t fancy joining local exercise classes because of COVID you can do it online. The Olive Press has found fitness classes and apps to suit readers of all abilities, that can be done in the privacy of your home, or outdoors in our beautiful Spanish countryside.

Fitness The range of fitness training options on social networks and Google Play is limitless – catering for every device from TV to laptop and android phone to Apple watch. You’ll find everything from classes of Pilates to abdominal exercises and Zumba routines to HIIT (high intensity) training. A good starting point is the list of 50 fitness channels compiled by Insure4Sport. While a pair of good fitness YouTubers to check out are Fitness Marshall, who has adapted pop songs into cardio dance routines, and Lucy Wyndham-Read, an ex-army corporal who offers handy 10-minute HIIT classes for busy people.

Want to avoid COVID? There are so many online fitness options to help get your body in shape after the festive excesses, writes Jo Chipchase You can also follow fitness trainers on Facebook. A resource called Siéntete Joven (Feel Young) has an impressive 1,728,334 followers. It offers many forms of exercise and is popular with the 50-plussers. Other popular links to check out are Glo. com, Dailyburn.com and Gaia.com. Although online fitness classes are comprehensive, they’re not perfect for everyone. We tried a fitness app called ‘Lose Belly Fat’. Although the app was easy to follow, the daily routines became repetitive.

Spinning Spinning is one discipline that has sorted the motivation issue, by creating online communities featuring group rides and leaderboards. The Olive Press tried a Peloton bike and was impressed by the range of classes – it’s so addictive! However, Peleton isn’t yet marketed in Spain, where the main option is currently Volava bike. This exercise hobby isn’t

• MRI Pelvis, including all organs and extra sca

• Follow up Consultation

• Treatment and control at the clinic of newly disc

cheap – the static bikes cost €1,195, or €549 for the lower model, and a year’s subscription costs €400. Zwift offers ‘200km of roads across five worlds’, and competitive online cycling challenges, for €14.99 per month. However, there’s a catch - you need to buy a special support to keep your normal bike stationary, or buy a static bike, and a smart device to run the program. It’s cheaper to buy a normal static bike and search for ‘free spinning class’ on YouTube. Most providers upload some free content, but you must buy membership to access the premium rides.

• Written summary of fin

Yoga

Everyone and their pet dog seem to be into Yoga these days. Literally! It’s a discipline that you can do at home or in an outdoor beauty spot. A popular YouTube channel is ‘Yoga with

CONTACT

Continues on Page 2 Executive Health Marbella – Ctra. N-340, Km tel: +34 670 674 246 info@execut

Outdoor trails Those who prefer to ride outside can download the ‘Strava’ GPS cycling and running app. You can track your routes, join challenges, share photos and follow friends, which helps with motivation. As with many apps, the premium features are unlocked by paying for membership. Strava could conceivably be adapted for horse rides.

We supply freshly made alkaline smoothies daily! Your Friendly Pharmacy For all your Pharmaceutical needs 13 Cooperage Lane GX11 1AA Gibraltar +350 200 44544

2 January 26th - February 8th 2022 From front page

Going down dog

Good health

Are your drinking days numbered?

As we approach the end of January, how many have managed to stay alcohol free? Will it continue into February? We asked Jo Chipchase to test some alternatives

OU’D have to be a hermit not to notice that Spain has a strong drinking culture – from old men enjoying a morning ‘sol y sombra’ (anis and brandy), to builders downing their lunchtime canas, having a snifter is part of the culture. Culturally, the Spanish enjoy a glass of wine with an evening tapa or two, followed by the cuba libres and copas (spirits and mixer) sipped at night. It’s simply part of life. So it’s difficult to avoid participating in social drinking in Spain, and many of us expats who live here will have over-indulged during the festive season and continued into January. Once started, bad habits can be difficult to stop, especially when they’re fun. While some people attempt ‘Dry January’ or ‘Sober October’, for others, sobriety is a permanent choice for their

mental and physical wellbeing. The old stereotype of the alcoholic has been replaced with the knowledge that countless people have various stages of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). This varies from the daily evening wine drinkers, who down a few just to relax, to those who binge heavily at weekends. Alcohol misuse can lead to elevated liver enzymes (although Spain is surprisingly number 150 globally for this problem, according to WHO) and an increased risk of liver disease, liver cancer and other cancers.

MEND YOUR ROOF WHILE THE SUN SHINES By urologist James Allan

Maeloc cider

O farewell and good riddance to 2021! Hopefully the tide is turning and we are beginning to see the back of COVID. But while the earthquake may be in our rear mirror, the tsunami of growing disease generated by 18 months of healthcare neglect is fast approaching. Combine this with the anxiety of finding good quality healthcare post Brexit and a big challenge looms. However, it’s not all gloom and despair, two doctors have decamped from London to revolutionise urological care on the Costa del Sol. After setting up a unit in Gibraltar, British urologists Paul Hughes and James Allan are taking their skills into Marbella. So what are the red flags on your urological beach? Well first of all most problems are manageable if they are picked up early enough, don’t bury your head in the sand! Men are notoriously bad at engaging with healthcare and the idea of discussing what happens in the lavatory, bedroom or indeed your boxers isn’t a great vote winner for the average bloke. Let's start with your prostate! If you are getting up at night, always in the loo, your fuse is getting shorter and certainly, you can't put out a fire, then it is time to get help. Worried about the big C? The vast majority

Even on a less drastic level, heavy boozing can lead to weight gain, reduced sleep quality and lower energy levels. The good news is that many online support groups can help you quit drinking, take a break, or simply cut down. Take the social media group Sober Inspired Pirates, it offers daily support from a friendly community. Meanwhile Sober Sisters is targeted at women, while HAMS, also on Facebook, caters for those who want to reduce their consumption. Apps for your phone include Dry Days, I am Sober and So-

ber Time. These enable you to track your progress and set goals such as ‘money saved’, ‘calories not consumed’, ‘goals reached’, ‘how many days you’ve managed to remain sober’, etc. You can also print a simple calendar from the internet and mark your non-drinking days. Alcohol-free drinks For those who cannot face socialising with fizzy drinks - or water - there are other options available, with Spain’s supermarkets selling alcohol-free

OUR TOP TIPPLES

Adriene’ – accompanied by her cute dog. Adriene has recently uploaded a free 30-day class that is suitable for newcomers. For your smartphone, the ‘Down Dog’ app has an impressive 4.9 rating on Google Play. It features 60,000 different configurations to avoid repetitive workouts, is beginner-friendly, and membership costs around €10 per month. Also popular is ‘Asana Rebel’, which creates a daily plan based on your personal aims and includes nutrition, mindfulness, and sleep advice. It weighs in at around three euros per month. Novices might also like the free app, ‘Yoga for Beginners – Workouts for the mind and body’. With online yoga, it’s important to do the asanas (stretches) correctly to avoid hurting yourself. Says qualified yoga teacher trainer, Amy: “I don’t do Is online exercise online training. There’s for you? just so much that can go wrong. I teach anatPROS omy, so I am aware of potential issues.” s than les sts co lly ua Us 3 th wi , es ss cla l ica phys at Diet membership starting 3 euros per month 3 No Covid risk If you’re on an exercise need to 3 Convenient – no st actiregime, controlling your be ur yo dress in diet is important. Rem gy a to ve vewear or dri member: move more and eat less! CONS The ‘My Fitness Pal’ app provides a database of / on ati tiv 2 Lack of mo 14 million foods and bo a n easy to abando features a QR code ss cla ring scanner for food labels. op e bik ing inn 2 The sp The ‘Lose It!’ app is ive ns pe tions are ex also popular. Or pay a do u yo 2 Risk of injury if g. visit to www.fooducate. on wr s ise erc ex the com.

ll about

Ambar sin gluten cerveza

Alhambra 0.0%

Mayerling sin alcohol

MIRAFLORES TENNIS AND SPORTS CENTRE

of problems are so much better when addressed and shared. If you have any sign of passing pink or red urine then it’s not fine wine but a big red flag. If your urinary habit has changed and you have to memorise all the local public loos then it is time for a chat with your favourite plumber! This is especially true for those of you who enjoy or used to enjoy a cigarette. Just because you are over 21 does not mean you cannot enjoy a high quality of life. The male menopause, testosterone, sexual performance and erectile dysfunction are all problems that have solutions. Ladies should not be plagued by urinary tract infections. And incontinence is a terrible curse, don’t tolerate it! Put the last two years behind you and mend the roof before it rains!

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

OCATED conveniently in Mijas Costa, Miraflores Tennis and Sports Centre offers guests an impressive range of facilities and services. The club boasts six clay tennis courts as well as two padel courts. Private lessons in both tennis and padel can be booked per hour with in-house coaches Jose and Tony, and children's lessons being specifically catered for by Dario. If you feel like hitting a few balls or playing a game with a friend or family member, courts can be easily reserved per hour for just €18 for tennis courts and €20 for padel courts. If you are getting started in tennis or padel, and don't fancy investing in rackets and equipment just yet, don't worry! You can rent rackets for just €2. El Pellirojo, the on-site restaurant is a great place to have a tasty lunch, with spacious, sunny terraces available for

outdoor dining. The delicious Sunday roasts and daily tapas are a must- try! Adult’s and children’s birthday parties (complete with optional bouncy castle and entertainer) and special event hosting are a specialty at the Miraflores Tennis and Sports Centre, and the friendly, efficient staff will ensure that you and your guests have a memorable celebration. The stunning swimming pool, complete with cocktail bar, is the ultimate place to chill out when the weather begins to warm up. The weekly live music and summer barbeques with live DJ are unmissable and a great way to while away the day and relax on the sunny Costa del Sol.

For more information, reservations and to keep up to date on upcoming events at Miraflores Tennis and Sports Centre, check out their Facebook and Instagram accounts, or their website, www.miraflorestennisclub.com. Give Karen a call on: 952 932 006 for any reservation queries or additional information. 6 Clay Tenni

Swimmin Weekly live mus Private lessons for p

Beautiful Restaura

3 January 26th - February 8th 2022

Dra. Leticia Macías Rodríguez

versions of popular beverages. I conducted a blindfolded taste The Olive Press decided to test featuring three AF beers, take a look at a selection of one real beer, and three willing these drinks. participants. There are two main types of Of the testers, only one (yours alcohol-free (AF) beer: 0.0%, truly!) failed to identify the real with literally no alcohol, and beer in the set and found the ‘sin’, which genAF options easierally contains er on the palate. about 0.4 to Of less success The array of 1% alcohol and were the alcoisn’t suitable for hol-free cavas AF liquors recovering alcoavailable at my in our large holics. local supermarAdding to the ket. Codorniu supermarket choice, some of tasted like a was dazzling the AF beers are cross between ‘tostado’ (toastcider and sour ed) with Ambar a sweets and was gluten-free alternative, a joint discarded after a glass from all favourite, alongside Alhambra. of us. Mahou is another good Freixenet was better but fell choice, while Radler is pretty way short of the taste of its refreshing. regular bottle. Answering criticisms that alco- With ‘mosto’ (grape juice), it hol-free beer ‘tastes different’, pays to watch the sugar levels,

but generally it was pretty decent. Castillo de Salobrena, in particular, was the nicest we tried. My team unanimously liked the Maeloc AF cider, pronouncing it ‘delicious’ and ‘a real winner’. This is clearly a good choice for dinner parties. The array of AF liquors in our large supermarket was dazzling, largely because of the bright colours created using food additives. Eek! They are generally quite expensive and we bumped into a local chef who insisted that most of them are ‘disgusting’. But we tried a couple and found that the Mayerling ‘melocoton’ drink was actually really nice and enjoyed by all three testers. The hazelnut liqueur from Frutaysol was liked by two of us, and was OK in coffee.

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6 Clay Tennis Courts | 2 Padel Courts Swimming pool with cocktail bar Weekly live music and summer BBQ’s with DJ Private lessons for padel and tennis and group tennis

Beautiful Restaurant | Sunday Roast Every Week Birthday parties and events hosting Bouncy castle | Large sunny terraces Friendly, helpful and efficient staff Big screens showing live sports

All Welcome ! Tel: (+34) 952 932 006 info@miraflorestennisclub.com www.miraflorestennisclub.com Miraflores Tennis Club – Calle Juliana S/N, Miraflores, Mijas Costa, Andalucia, Málaga 29649

MIND AND BODY 4

Kaliyoga puts an emphasis on health, wellbeing and just sheer enjoyment

N 2002 yogis Jonathan and Rosie Miles left London in search of a beautiful location for a retreat centre. Their friend Kali predicted that it would be in the Alpujarras, and so it came to pass; Kaliyoga was founded. It has been a success story from the beginning. Testimonials on their website are full of praise and guests repeat year after year. Barack Obama’s staff wrote long and glowing testimonials following their visit in 2019. It was also named as offering one of the best well-being holidays in Europe by UK national newspaper the Guardian - high praise indeed. Unlike many retreat centres, classes at Kaliyoga are taught by their own in-house teachers. The location in the foothills of the majestic Sierra Nevada mountain range and the climate are well suited to the

4 January 26th - February 8th 2022

AND BEND AND Gabriella Chidgey checks out the best online yoga videos to get into the 2022 health groove CHAMPAGNE and Ferrero Rocher felt like an excellent self care program for the first week of Christmas, but by the end of the Reyes, while their appeal had not palled, their effects certainly had. Long hill walks had kept my step count up (essential in our intra-marital competition) and strengthened my legs, but they had allowed my stomach and

activities of a yoga retreat. While an emphasis may be put on yoga, there is far more to enjoy. There is a strong emphasis put on good food, health treatments, hill walking and, well, just sheer enjoyment. During your stay, you’ll be able to sample some natural health treatments. The retreat has an exceptionally gifted massage and therapy team available for a wonderfully nurturing experience that would be hard to beat anywhere in the world. It is truly a wonderful place in which to relax, detox and renew your mind and body - and have a really good time.

For more information or to book your place at our retreat, please visit www.kaliyoga.com

Restorative and Transformational Retreats in Las Alpujarras Andalucia since 2001

arms a completely free ride on what were increasingly tight and painful hips. So, on the morning of Jan 7 it was definitely time to roll out the yoga mat. I have been propping up my phone to follow yoga videos online for four years. Initially, it was to manage an old back injury that I had re-inflamed by wielding a hoe in my

garden. Later it was to stay fit and in shape. Free yoga videos online have completely changed the landscape, and become a lifeline to many people during the two years of pandemic. It takes no more effort than looking up yoga channels on YouTube and choosing a 15-minute tutorial for a painful lower back, or whatever is your affliction. Obviously the enormous amount of free content online means that the choice can be overwhelming, but it does give you the opportunity to experiment with different teachers and explore yoga styles. Natalie Farrel, a yoga and wellness coach based in Sotogrande agrees that they are a ‘great resource’ not only for be-

Weekly Retreats from March to December led by our caring team of in-house staff Your week includes: En-suite accommodation, healthy gourmet vegetarian cuisine, acclaimed yoga and meditation course, swimming pool, sauna To deepen your retreat experience (optional), book sessions with our world class holistic practitioners

Tripadvisor Rating – Excellent 5 stars Reviews by journalists - The Guardian, Queen of Retreats, Conde Nast Cost per person per week: from 1470 euros to 1980 euros (£1225 to £1650 sterling)

www.kaliyoga.com

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Good health

5 January 26th - February 8th 2022

BREATHE...

Great free online yoga resources: There are lists which cite the most popular ten yoga channels on YouTube. I tried several and below are my favorites so far. 1. YOGATX These free videos are taught by a variety of certified yoga teachers. I started here since they tailor a lot of videos for those suffering from back and neck pain. Their friendly, personal style makes it feel like having a private yoga session and I was drawn in by their warmth. The soothing southern tones and the kind invitations to follow their moves, entranced and inspired me. I particularly enjoyed Savannah’s 40 minute deep hip opening stretches, and the 20 minute hip and hamstrings and IT bands. 2. Cole Chance

ginners, but also for more advanced yogis too. She has also observed that many men start in this way because they feel less self conscious then in an open class. And she adds that it is also an inexpensive way to practice yoga more and a useful tool to ‘mix into the practice’. Her core belief that yoga is about ‘celebrating our individuality and not about competition’ might also be embodied by sometimes practicing alone. I have also certainly found that by being less self conscious at

home and without any need with great irregularity and even for competition, I both connect eventually paying a yearly submore deeply to my feelings and scription to one of my favourite respect my physteachers Cole ical limits better. Chance was not And if it were enough to align Very small purely self pracmy desire for actice, without the changes to your tion with the act structure of a itself. routine bring teacher led seA book I would quence, I would recommend is remarkable stay far too comAtomic Habits fortably within my by James Clear results range. (available on AmThe only issue I azon) on ‘how to have had with online classes is build good habits and break my own inconsistency. My mo- bad ones’. tivation has waxed and waned The main tenet is that very

small changes to your routine, just a 1% improvement per day, bring remarkable results. He also advises that you choose who you want to be, not what you want to achieve. By implementing some of his strategies I have finally managed to get on the mat four to five times a week throughout the pandemic. The main changes I made were to put my yoga clothes on first thing every morning, have my mat out, allocate the daily session to a specific time and place and also to share the practice with a friend.

I followed her 15 and 20 minute tutorials for back, neck and sciatica pain until I reached a stage where I wanted longer sessions and I finally paid and subscribed for 1 hour sessions. I love the graceful flow and movement of Cole’s classes. She gradually eases you into more challenging sequences, while keeping an expansiveness to the poses. The alignment cues are helpful as well as how she breaks down poses so that you can find their essence, even if you lack the strength or flexibility for the advanced posture. She is very open about her own past struggles with addiction, and how yoga helped her become sober. She is a fun, light presence to spend an hour with, while the yoga itself does the deeper work. Visit YouTube or www.Colechanceyoga.com 3. Yoga With Adriene Adriene is possibly the most popular teacher on the internet with a global online community of millions of subscribers. From Austin, Texas, she has a large and diverse selection of video tutorials and is always posting new ones. She has a soft voice and gentle humour. I enjoyed the steady flow, clear alignment and breath cues and how the stretches and core work deepened as the class progressed. www.yogawithadriene.com

Your medical specialists on the Costa del Sol! Sol Eyes Clinic specialises in a variety of eye surgeries, including cataract, retinal and refractive laser surgery, as well as esthetic surgeries and treatments, such as eyelid surgeries. Our doctors have years of experience in their own respective fields and we are always up-to-date, using the latest technologies to ensure the best results. Whether you are willing to get rid of your glasses or just wanting to make sure your eyes are healthy, the first step is to book an appointment for a full eye-examination. The tests we perform during this examination give us a good idea of what’s going on inside your eyes.

Pre-examinations for Eye Procedures

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THE VERY BEST CARE Sol Eyes Eye Clinic and Medical Centre offers top quality treatment with the latest technology

6 Jan 26th - Feb 8th 2022

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Good health

THE JOURNEY TO LONGER LIFE

OL EYES is an internationally recognised eye clinic and medical centre situated in the heart of Fuengirola. Your medical specialists Their combined clinic consists of a team of internationon the Costa del Sol! ally renowned specialists, specialising in optical care and surgery, gynaecology, FTER nearly two years orthopaedics and aesthetic and a month of cataract, retinal and refractive laser surgery, Sol Eyes Clinic specialises in a varietyof ofCovid eye surgeries, including treatments. festivities and excess, is as well as esthetic surgeries and treatments, such as eyelid surgeries. Our doctors have years of experience in their The state of the art Nordic clinic offers quality professional it anyup-to-date, wonder that many own care, respective fields and we are always using the latest technologies to ensure the best results. service and top of the range medical technology and facilities, to of us are feeling a little under Henrik Reinhard, a knowledge- non-meat diet is the best salve its patients, meaning you can feel at ease and safe in theare hands Whether you willing to get of your glasses or just wanting to make eyes are healthy, able Dane,sure he your will be quick to forthe many issues, particularly the rid weather? of the highly qualified and experienced medical team. first step is to book an appointment for you’ve a full eye-examination. testsout we perform during this examination pick any abnormalities, digestive or stomach comBut now made it past The

After the rich foods and heavy drinking of Christmas, it’s time for a full health exam - and maybe a new diet, writes Jon Clarke

give us amost good depressing idea of what’s going inside your damaged eyes. the day of on including

Surgery

Sol Eyes eye clinic is run by the renowned eye specialist and ophthalmic surgeon, Dr Antonio Soler and his team. They offer a wide range of services, specialist eye surgeries and treatments, such as, laser eye surgery (Lasik and PRK), cataract correction and retinal surgeries, a revolutionary new treatment for dry eyes, as well as expert general eye checkups and examinations, an annual essential for bright, healthy eyes. Laser eye surgery is a life- changing optical procedure, which is on the wishlist of many spectacle wearers. However, it is a highly complex and delicate procedure should only be Dr Antoniowhich Soler Dr Graciela García Opthalmic surgeon, Ophthalmic and performed by experienced ophthalmic surgeons, and using retina specialist oculoplastic surgeon, the best technologies. Sol Eyes Clinic has recently invested specialises in childrens ophthalmology in the latest to the market, Eximer Teneo laser machine, the ultimate in cutting- edge technology in laser eye- surgery. For a limited time only, Dr. Soler and his ophthalmic team are offering pre- surgery laser eye consultations for €65 (normally €129), and redeemable against the cost of the surgery. They are also offering a €200 discount on laser eye surgery at a cost of €790 per eye (normally €990).

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LA CULTURA

LOOK TO THE STARS WORK on building the EU’s largest planetarium is set to start in Malaga. The finished construction will have a dome 27 metres in diameter with a capacity of 400 people. The project’s promoters, headed by astrophysicist Alberto Castro-Tirado, have revealed that work will start this year on a plot of 8,811 square metres between the Plaza Mayor and Bahía Blanca shopping centres, next to the A-7 motorway. The large dome will show films on a variety of leisure and science themes, as well as planetarium sessions with recreations of the night sky at different times and places. Equipped with 8K technology and a surround sound system, Malaga Planetarium is scheduled to open in 2023, with an estimated annual number of more than 250,000 visitors.

IT may be a little too late for them, but Catalunya is set to honour and dignify the memory of women persecuted and hanged for witchcraft by naming streets after them. Catalunya has a haunting history of witchcraft in the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries, with 400 women estimated to have been hanged.

Too little too late If as expected a resolution is approved this week in the Catalan parliament, then local councils will be able to change their street names to honour the women.

January 26th - February 8th 2022

A turnip for the books Woman takes traditionally male role in centuriesold fiesta that features root vegetables

THE first woman Jarramplas has been named in a bizarre turnip throwing fiesta. The country has a whole host of odd fiestas, from jumping over babies during El Colacho in Burgos province to the gigantic flour and egg battle of El Enfarinats in Alicante. The January festival of Jarramplas is no less weird as it involves one lucky resident running through the streets dressed in rags and a devilish mask while crowds pelt him or her with turnips.

Rob

The centuries-old tradition takes place each January in the town of Piornal in Spain’s agricultural Extremadura region. It is said to be a re-enactment of an incident far back in the annals of time when a thief came to the town to rob cattle but was thwarted by the townsfolk who saw him off using turnips as projectiles.

By Fiona Govan

These days the thief is represented by a devil-like figure in a costume that includes protective armour beneath the rags topped by a mask with long horns. Portraying the Jarramplas, who runs through the street banging a drum, is considered a great honour with a waiting list running until

Strokes of genius SOME 18 Spanish artists have been named in the top 100 world-wide for murals. They are street artists who work alongside town halls to spread messages of inclusion, celebrating the elderly, reducing electricity consumption and promoting feminisim. Their work paints life and colour into otherwise empty walls and structures. The Street Art Cities website has combed the world for the most striking murals and named 18 works in Spain in the top 100. People can now vote for their favourites from the short list to come up with the top 10.

2047. This year Maria Hernando, 27, made history as the first female Jarramplas in the history of Piornal when she donned the 50kgs suit. Her father had taken the role decades before and offered her some advice: “My father told me: Keep going straight ahead, look under the mask and stride down the middle of the street with a firm step.”

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LA CULTURA

FIGHTERS: Men from the International Brigades arriving at Jarama

HE Battle of Jarama in February 1936 during the Spanish Civil War served as a brutal reality check for the anti-fascist volunteer army known as the International Brigades. Most of the fighters lacked military experience, having been drawn to the war because of their political convictions, and attempting to hold back the professionally-trained Spanish army bolstered by troops from Germany and Italy proved deadly for many. But one man from the American volunteer force, known as the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, did have military experience. Oliver Law, a 36-year-old veteran of World War I, impressed his colleagues with his skill and bravery in the battle. Afterwards, he earned a promotion to commander of the brigade’s machine gun company. And when the brigade’s commander Martin Hourihan fell ill, the soldiers turned to Law to lead them. In just six short months, he had risen from soldier to commander, in doing so becoming the first black American ever to lead integrated American troops. Such a rise would not have been possible had Law been fighting with the US military, which remained segregated until after World War II and barred African Americans from serving at the highest ranks. Law was acutely aware of this discrimination. Born in Texas in 1900, he joined the U.S. army as a teenager, and fought in France during World War I. Although he stayed in the military after the war, he was prevented

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LA CULTURA Laying down the Law January 26th - February 8th 2022

How a black American soldier became the first to lead an integrated battalion during the Spanish Civil War, writes Shannon Chaffers

HERO: Oliver Law died leading his men in the battle against fascism from rising beyond the rank of corporal. So he left the army in 1925 and traveled north, ending up in Chicago. When the Great Depression hit, though, Law found himself unemployed. Frustrated by the labour shortage and lack of government assistance during this time, he joined the local Communist Party, setting him on the path to fighting in Spain. When the Spanish Civil War broke out, America and many other Western democracies adopted a non-interventionist policy. This left the Soviet Union as the Spanish Republican forces’ lone major ally, and they put out a call for volunteers across the world to come and fight. Around that time, Law’s activism in the Communist Party involved protesting Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia under Mussolini. So when he heard that these same forces were helping to assert fascism in Spain, Law, along with 2,800 other Americans, 90 of them African American, decided to fight back. They joined over 30,000 men and women from 52 countries

who made their way to Spain to the other western democracies form the International Brigades. officially enter the fray, ultimateLaw and his American com- ly succeeding in defeating Hitler rades arrived in January 1937, and Mussolini’s forces. and Law was made commander Although Law and his colin June. leagues were pioneers in this Unfortunately, he only held this fight against fascism, the Amerposition for a few weeks as he ican government did not see died just west of Madrid at the them as heroes like those who Battle of Brunete in July. fought in World War II. According to those who were Instead, those who made it with him, Law back were treatdied as he fought: ed with suspicion fearlessly. due to their comThe American Fellow soldier munist leanings, Harry Fisher ex- government did and became tarplained that he gets of the FBI. ran across a hill, not see them as And although known as Mosheroes on their the city of Chiquito Ridge, wavcago recognised return ing his men toLaw by declarwards the enemy. ing November “He was the first 21st Oliver Law man over the top... he [did not] Day in 1987, he is still a largely attempt to protect himself, and overlooked figure in American in a matter of seconds, ma- history. chine-gun fire ripped into him,” His legacy has faced a similar Fisher recalled. fate in Spain. The war ended two years later During Franco’s reign, the govin defeat for the Republicans, ernment promoted a simplified but it was only the precursor for story of the Civil War favouring the coming international fight the fascists, and the ‘pact of against fascism. forgetting’ instituted after his World War II saw the USA and death meant the specifics of the war were largely swept under the carpet. While many on the left today celebrate the Brigades, those on the right have a less favorable view so it remains a contentious topic. One author, Pablo Durá, has attempted to elevate the history, recently publishing a graphic novel telling the story of Law and the International Brigades. He said: “If this graphic novel can help and play a small part in keeping the memory of those who came to Spain [to fight] alive, I’d be very happy.” Indeed Law’s story is certainly one worth telling. As his fellow troop member Steve Nelson said at a celebration of their acts in Spain in 1986, ‘it is important that we recognise now that it was an historic moment – a black man was placed in charge of a largely white unit for the first time in U.S. history. We want the world to share in the pride that we feel’.

LA CULTURA

he Spanish Civil War did not only pit Spaniard against Spaniard, but drew fighters from around the world willing to

January 26th - February 8th 2022

die for their ideological beliefs. Those on the left wing of the spectrum viewed it as an opportunity to fight Fascism.

1. What were the International Brigades?

2. Who organised the International Brigades?

The men and women of the International Brigades were anti-fascist volunteers from outside Spain who fought on the side of the Republicans in the Spanish civil war.

he Brigades were organized by the Comintern, the international communist network based in Moscow. Entry to Spain was arranged through the central International Brigade office in Paris which organised money and travel documents for the volunteers.

Fighting for their beliefs Eight things you really need to know about the International Brigades that fought in the Spanish Civil War by David Mathieson 5. Why did the volunteers go to Spain According to the legend on the International Brigade memorial on the south bank of the River Thames in London, “They went because their open eyes could see no other way.” In Britain, Conservative governments pursued a policy of appeasement in the 1930s but the volunteers saw things differently. They realised before many others that there would only be one way to stop the totalitarian steamroller - and that was to fight.

3. How many volunteers joined up? Estimates of the total number of volunteers who fought in Spain range from 35,000 to 45,000 although the exact number will never be known. Accurate records of volunteers coming in from all over the world have been lost, destroyed or were never kept in the first place.

O 4. Where did the volunteers come from? The volunteers came from more than 50 different countries. In the 1930s there were far fewer sovereign nations than today - many countries have only established themselves with post-Second

World War decolonisation - so this was a high percentage of the global total. The biggest national groups were French, Germans and Italians. Around 2,500 Brits joined up too.

ne wit described the IB as ‘the most literary brigade in history’ as writers and artists flocked to defend the Spanish republic. George Orwell, Ernest Hemingway, Martha Gelhorn and Paul Robeson were amongst those who helped bring the war to an international audience. But perhaps the bestknown ‘volunteer’ was Rick Blaine, the hard-bitten bar owner played by Humphrey

6. What were conditions like for the volunteers?

retty bad. Equipment, food, pay and leave were poor. Some of the volunteers had fought in the First World War or been trained in the services - but not many. One volunteer recalled, ‘we never wasted ammunition in training because there wasn’t any’. Rudimentary aids like maps were lacking too: one commander was reduced to planning his strategy using a map ripped out of an aged Baedeker guide.

8. Did General Franco also use foreign troops?

es - and many more than the Republicans. Franco claimed that he was fighting to preserve the true Spanish identity but it was an ironic boast given that he relied so heavily on foreign troops for the

self-appointed mission. Franco himself led the Army of Africa, which was mainly comprised of Muslim Moroccans. Mussolini and Hitler also sent tens of thousands of well-equipped troops to help Franco.

7. Were any of the volunteers famous? Bogart in the film Casablanca. Over a quiet drink the town’s police chief Louis lets Rick know that they have a file on him revealing that he was a gun-runner ‘for the Republicans in Spain’. With that one line the audience suddenly understands that Rick’s apparently disinterested cynicism is really a sham. He is a good guy after all.

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FOR those looking for a property investment, a mansion is being offered for sale in Galicia that costs little more than a terrace house in one of London’s more fashionable districts. While you wouldn’t get much change from €2 million if you bought a standard townhouse in Fulham or Putney, Villa Florida has plenty of ‘wow factor’ with its classical granite facade, stucco ceilings, wine cellar, a courtyard and gardens planted with an orchard. This classically designed mansion is located in O Porriño in the Pontevedra province of Galicia and was built at the end of the 19th century. It is one of the few private homes designed by prestigious architect Jenaro de la Fuente, who was responsible for much of the iconic municipal architecture in the nearby city of Vigo. The house comprises 460m2 over two floors with gardens of 4,380m2 Although ripe for a revamp, the house is in good condition with two of the four bedrooms boasting access to private terraces.

BOUGHT: Messi has acquired the Hotel Club Maritimo in Sotogrande

Stop Messi-ing with our jobs! ONE of the most luxurious hotels in the rich man’s enclave of Sotogrande has been bought by footballing superstar Lionel Messi. But the deal has been heavily criticised after 40 staff at the emblematic Hotel Club Marítimo were dismissed when the MIM group owned by Messi - bought the hotel. Mayor of San Roque - the municipality that encompasses Sotogrande - Juan Carlos Ruiz Boix said: “It is unjust. Inexplicable. We will fight for the staff to get their jobs back when the hotel reopens.” He highlighted the case of one of the sacked workers.

THE Flea Market offers a trove of antique, vintage and quality second hand furniture and objets d’art from their premises in San Pedro (Marbella). Director and co-founder Marco Rodriguez explains more about the business… OUR ORIGINS Our origins go back to our parents. I remember as a child playing and running around with my brothers among paintings, statues and works of art, as well as decorative furniture and antiques. As a teenager I worked in the family business, and it was there that I began to love this profession, which today is - more than a profession - a way of living. Around the year 2017, we decided to start a new adventure that today is ‘The Flea Market’.

PSG star Lionel Messi snaps up hotel in Sotogrande, but runs into trouble with town mayor “Miguel has spent 26 years giving his all to the hotel. They change ownership and throw away years and years of dedication. He is now unemployed at the age of 49 having worked 26 years flat out in the tough hotel business.”

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ments in Ibiza, Mallorca, Sitges and Andorra. This is the sixth hotel acquired by the group. It sits in a prime position overlooking the sea and marina and includes a wellness centre and spa, and two restaurants with terraces. Renamed the MIM Sotogrande Club Marítimo, it will re-open its doors in April. The decor has been selected by celebrity interior designer Pascua Ortega.

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We are a small commercial company specialised in second hand furniture, decoration and antiques. Our main objective is based on the purchase and sale of all kinds of unique and exclusive items, but above all, treasures that we like. Such is the authenticity and rarity of our stock that we also work rent our material as props for film companies, events and congresses. In our shop, you will be able to find furniture and current, vintage and antique decorative items. Our facilities include a shop for the public and a warehouse. You can visit our physical shop in C/ Ucrania 20, CP; 29670, Poligono Industrial de San Pedro de Alcantara, Marbella (TLF: 952385094)

If you want to BUY FROM US, you can do it in our physical shop or in our social networks. Instagram: https://instagram.com/lapulgamarbella and Facebook https://www.facebookcom/.thefleamarketsp/. If you want to SELL TO US, you can contact us on 952385094 - 635835985 - 632321211 - 627521717. Once you have clarified your query, you can send us photos of your items for sale by WhatsApp to any of these phones, or bring your items to our shop. In the case of not being able to take photos, call us as we may be able to visit to examine the items. I look forward to your visit and will be pleased to meet your needs.

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.

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PROPERTY HOME and garden giant Leroy Merlin is the latest to jump onto a new craze for prefabricated houses. The perks are clear: for less than €5,000 you could own your own home. The new prefabricated houses are modular, meaning you can keep on building and expanding as money allows. It is being billed as a revolutionary way to live with vastly reduced expenditure and getting people who can’t afford a traditional home off the rental treadmill. Leroy Merlin is giving guarantees of

January 26th February 8th 2022

Prefab haven

up to five years. There is a snag though - space will be at a premium. Only one of the basic houses exceeds 20m2 living space. And on top of the cost of buying the ‘house’ you will need to pay for someone to put it up, as well as have the land to put it on. The cheapest prefab is €4,449 and is a tiny 10m2, with prices rising to €11,999

for a studio of 19.57m2, including French door and PvC windows. A 24.7m2 house is available too, for €10,881.

The plots thicken… THE Spanish government has once again criticised Gibraltar over a string of land reclamation schemes. The latest dig at Gibraltar has been over the Cape Vantage project. This will see a

Spain reiterates opposition to reclaiming land while Gib remains defiant tourist development that will include 100 homes, 400 moorings for small boats

and a car park on reclaimed land. Questions were raised in

Splash the cash IF you want to buy a home in Benahavis (Malaga), Calvia (Balearic Islands) or Pozuelo de Alarcon (Madrid) you are going to have to splash out an average of more than €1.1 million. And rentals are hardly less affordable at an average of €1,900 a month in what have been listed as the three priciest municipalities in Spain. Of the three, Benahavis - home to the ultra-exclusive La Zagaleta estate where Hugh Grant, Rod Stewart and Vladimir Putin are rumoured to have homes - is the most expensive. Here property prices are an average of €1.5 million, according to real estate portal Idealista.

In Calvia the average asking price is €1.178 million, just pipping Pozuelo de Alarcon, which is at €1.176 million. On the Costa Blanca the highest entry on the list is Javea (€634,000) for seventh spot, while Altea is in ninth (€561,000).

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the Spanish parliament, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation reiterating its ‘opposition to any landfill, construction or any other type of operation on areas not ceded by Article X of the Treaty of Utrecht of 1713’. But the Gibraltar government has remained defiant and is pressing ahead with plans. Last year it dismissed Spanish government concerns on another real estate development, and pushed on with its €300 million Victoria Keys development for 1,500 homes and commercial properties on reclaimed land.

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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

Bitter taste

ONE of Spain’s most iconic cafes, famed for inventing the terms for different strengths of coffee, has closed its doors. The Cafe Central in the heart of Malaga which was managed by the Prado family, was about to turn 102-years old. Back in the 1950s Jose Prado fed up with constantly tipping out coffee to add extra milk for customers - came up with nine terms now used all over the Costa del Sol when ordering a coffee. They are a Solo, Largo, Semi Largo, Solo Corto, Mitad, Entre Corto, Corto, Sombra and Nube.

January 26th - February 8th 2022

Fun on hold TENERIFE and Cadiz have decided to postpone their famous carnivals until June. The festivities, previously scheduled for February, have had to be postponed due to an increase in the number of COVID infections on the island. Municipal sources suggest a possible date between June 4 and 26.

Two of Spain’s most famous carnivals postpone festivities

Galas

They will have a format of contests and galas that will take place outdoors rather than indoors, but for now, parades and street parties are not being considered. The Tenerife and Cadiz

By Elena Goçmen Rueda

carnivals are the most famous in Spain and attract wall-to-wall television cov-

TRAVEL RULES NEW rules come into play from February 1 that mean vaccination certificates are only valid if you have received a jab against COVID within the last nine months (270 days). This means that all travellers who had their last dose more than 270 days ago, will need to have a booster shot to be permitted entry into Spain and that will need to appear on your COVID

pass. And if your last jab (before your booster) was administered more than 270 days before you require entry then make sure your booster was received at least 14 days before the date of travel. Those who received their boosters in Spain must make sure that this is reflected on their COVID certificate and this means downloading a newer version.

erage every year. The Cadiz carnival is said to have its origins in the 15th century when Genoese traders settled in the area. It is characterised by bands of musicians singing often satirical songs lampooning politicians and well known figures.

Rio

Internationally, the Santa Cruz de Tenerife festivities are second only to those held in Rio de Janeiro and attract thousands of tourists every year. It is most notable for its extravagant costumes, fireworks and dancing, and is also host to an ‘outrageous’ Drag Queen festival.

Extra dates for star hiking trail MALAGA’S star hiking trail, El Caminito del Rey, has announced it has put tickets on sale for travel agencies as well as for the general public until June 19. Tickets can be purchased on the official website at a price of €10 for general tickets or €18 with guided tours, with a minimum age of eight to go on the Caminito del Rey. In order to cover the increased demand for tickets, the operators of the world famous trail are preparing to open on three major holidays this year, specifically on February 28, April 11 and May 2.

THOUSANDS of falsely-labelled Iberian hams have been seized in a probe over a €1 million food fraud. Seven meat firms are being investigated by the Guardia Civil in Badajoz, Madrid, Murcia, and Salamanca. Ten people have been interviewed, and one arrested, over the bogus labelling of premium meat products. Some 29,000 items have been impounded including

Fake ham probe 19,600 Iberian hams and ham shoulders, with a retail value of over €1 million. Inquiries into a mass fraud started after a food shop inspection in the Zafra area of Badajoz last year. Experts spotted deficiencies and anomalies in meat sold there, notably in Iberian ham products that were not what they claimed to be. Police uncovered a chain of seven meat firms who falsified documents and changed the classification of hams to the accredited Iberian standard.

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

January 26th - February 8th 2022

NEW PASTURES The Olive Press’s chief foodie Jon Clarke (bottom) offers up his wishlist of exciting places to graze around Spain this year now the pandemic is starting to ease

THE DELIGHTFUL DOZEN!

DEESSA - Madrid

We might as well start with Senor Dacosta, the genius of the East with a collection of Michelin stars to compete with the best. Having tried and failed to eat at his Denia nerve centre on three separate occasions, this year I’m planning the next best thing: his new restaurant Deessa, at the Ritz hotel, in Madrid. OK, it may not be the Real McCoy, but one of my all-time best meals in Spain was at the diffusion restaurant of El Bulli legend Ferran Adria, at Hotel Benazuza, near Sevilla, in 2009. A 25-course menu to celebrate his quarter century at El Bulli (then the world’s top restaurant for nearly a decade), he was on hand, alongside Ronda’s now celebrated Benito Gomez (of Bardal), to roll out a masterclass. I’m hoping for something similar at Deessa.

BAGA - Jaen

t was something of a surprise when the culinary desert of Jaen won a Michelin star a couple of years ago. But Baga gaining the plaudit says so much about the changes in Andalucia over the last decade: skillful chefs who trained abroad coming home to use the region’s great local ingredients. Jaen is, after all, the home of two of the country’s four best olive oil denominations. It is

also not short of vegetables and great wild game, like partridge and venison. Head chef Pedro Sanchez Jaen even has the right name to weave magic in his hometown and his dishes, including beef tartare with smoked eels, sound wonderful. Small and little-known locally, let alone abroad, this is one joint I’m looking forward to getting my teeth into. www.bagagastronomico.com

ASADOR ETXEBARRI Axpe

its borders is something few would have thought possible in 2010. It’s the same with Madrid, which easily rivals San Sebastian and Barcelona, as Spain’s food capital nowadays and well worth a gourmet-tour in 2022, whatever the budget. And let’s not forget the east coast, which I have gotten to know well over the last few years, having launched a trio of newspapers there. Valencia is today one of the most exciting places to chow down, what with its phalanx of female chefs, such as Vicky Sevilla, in Sagunto, coming to the fore, not to mention Quique Dacosta, who is fast becoming the country’s top kitchen whiz. Now the pandemic is finally easing, I’ve sauteed a list of chestnuts - one a month - ready for the ultimate gourmet tour of Spain this year.

3 NOOR - Cordoba

RESERVE LIST: Casa Marcial

T’S been a dreadful two years for restaurants and anyone who relies on the sector for their livelihoods. The Olive Press - and me, specifically - has had a tough time surviving without the regular weekly trips snuffling out great new local eateries, not to mention the monthly escapes to winkle out the best dining secrets further afield around Spain. Well I’m out grazing again, acting like a bloodhound on the hunt to sniff out a morsel, whether that be close to home on the Costa del Sol, along the Costa Blanca or somewhere in the wilds of Teruel. Since writing a book, Dining Secrets of Andalucia, over a decade ago, I’ve had a keen weather eye on my local region, which has improved massively for foodies since then. That Andalucia now has a staggering 20-plus Michelin stars within

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If food tourism has become one of the biggest growth areas for the industry, it is places like this that have encouraged it. In a tiny village, next to the little known Urkiola natural park, some 30 kilometres inland from Bilbao is Asador Etxebarri. Google Maps sums it up perfectly as simply: ‘Rural retreat for refined Basque dishes’ Said to be the ultimate expression of simplicity, it is all about the ingredients and most of the dishes are cooked on an open grill. It’s long been on my bucket list. www.asadoretxebarri.com

SOLLO - Fuengirola

A VISIT: Jon with Diego in 2017

revisit to try the food of the now-legendary King of Caviar, Diego Gallegos, on the Costa del Sol is already well overdue. While it’s near the Olive Press HQ, in Fuengirola, I last tasted Diego’s thoughtful food around four years ago. An erudite and intellectual chap, Sollo deservedly has one of the very few ‘green stars’ handed out by the Michelin guide for his ethics and drive for sustainability. I first tried Diego’s creative food at the obscure (but amazing) Casa Piolas in Algarinejo, in the wilds of rural Granada, 15 years ago. A trip I will never forget, these days he is known for his skills with the caviar that he brings in from Riofrio, also in Granada.

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL 8

HOSPEDERIA EL BATAN - Teruel

APONIENTE Cadiz Staying with fish, one place I am certainly going to visit, money permitting, is the new location of celebrated restaurant Aponiente, in el Puerto de Santa Maria. Angel Leon is to Spain, what Heston Blumenthal is to the UK. A magician consistently foraging for new tricks - and always with an environmental edge. Chef of the Sea, as he is known in Spain, he was the pioneer to take cod and tuna off the menu in response to overfishing. A man who bought his own fishing boat and deliberately used rare fish that nobody had heard of, less, knew how to cook. Interviewed a few times in the early days for the Olive Press, today he is an international star, whose name is held up in Japan and America.

7 BALUARTE - Soria

his is the very definition of a gourmet tour, striking out to find this temple of cuisine in the sticks in Soria province. Billed as Castilla y León’s ‘best chef’ Oscar Garcia is all about ‘tierra’ and is a genuine hero to his homeland. Having set up in 2008 it has been a huge battle to get this far, and he has become much more than just a chef. Known for his ‘responsible gastronomy’ he has a local huerta (vegetable garden) where he employs only people with mental health issues. Expect to eat some of the local black truffles, wild mushrooms and some of the best butter in Spain. www.baluar te. info

January 26th - February 8th 2022 Looking for THE most wonderful rural escape ticking all the boxes? Well Hospederia el Batan has it all. This rural hotel in the wilds of Teruel province has great walks right from the door and nature literally banging on it. We stayed here last summer, nearly running over a stag as we arrived, then listened to the bark of foxes and other creatures through the night. It sits just 10 minutes from the gem of Albarracin (one of Spain’s most beautiful villages) and, best of all, is really a restaurant with rooms. It even has a Michelin star and given, sod’s law, it was closed due to COVID last year, I’m hell bent on a return this year to give it a proper test run! www.elbatan.es

ELKANO - Getaria

t was on a trip to northern Spain a decade ago that I tried the best turbot of my life. In the small fishing village of Getaria, el Astillero, was simple, remarkable and sat right on the dock of the port. With the excellent Balenciaga museum, it should be noted, just up the road. After continually mentioning it to chefs and foodies around the country, the one thing that kept coming back was: ‘try it’s near neighbour Elkano, it’s even better’. Fingers crossed, this year I will.

El MESON DE LA COSTA - Torrevieja On the other end of the spectrum to many of my choices, El Meson de la Costa is simply the very epitome of an excellent quality local. Right in the heart of touristy Torrevieja, it ticks so many boxes in so many ways and does it without fanfare.

In a resort where you really struggle to find decent tucker it is a real oasis, focusing on good solid ingredients and with a great wine list. Expect excellent seafood and the best steaks money can buy. www.elmesondelacosta.com

11BON AMB - Javea

VORO Canyamel (Mallorca)

ou might assume that having had a newspaper on the Balearic island for five years that we’d know all the great places to eat there. But things change so quickly in Mallorca - and so many places open and close - it is hard to keep tabs on what is good or not. One reliable place is that of Marc Fosh, the expat Brit, who has kept his Michelin star for eight years running now. But another, I really want to try is Voro, in a sleepy rural corner of the island, where you expect plenty of good hikes and beaches but not adventurous, creative cuisine. The difference though is the wunderkind Alvaro Salazar, from Jaen, who has made the Cap Vermell hotel not just a great place to unwind, but now to feast! Describing his food as ‘dishes with heart and soul’, you certainly get a good flavour by a visit to the website. Www.vororestaurant.com

It’s been nearly three years since we celebrated the launch of the Olive Press Costa Blanca north edition at Bon Amb. The world has been through a whirlwind since then, but here we are… planning a return to celebrate our birthday in March at this same wonderful restaurant. A taste of everything best about the region, Bon Amb perfectly combines style with comfort and luxury with authenticity. Thanks to its chef Albert Ferruz, who started cooking at 12 and did his time in Paris, and Pablo Catala, a globetrotting, award-winning sommelier, you are in the most reassuringly reliable hands. www.bonamb.com

TOP TEN RESERVES There are so many chefs and new ex excellent young choose around Spainciting places to more to get the appe . Here are a few tites whetted

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COLUMNISTS

January 26th February 8th 2022

Dreadlock birthday The return of the Jamaican Ninja as Giles celebrates another year on the clock

HERE is nothing quite like celebrating a birthday in mid-January. As the rest of Spain pledges never to touch a drop, go vegan, enroll at the nearest gym or posts life-affirming quotes on social media - ‘It’s Going Be My Year! I’m ready to receive my abundance of blessings! Embrace your inner warrior princess!’ etc – and generally vows to turn over a new leaf, January 19 means that I turn another year older. Due to my, ahem, lifestyle change a while back, my birthday celebrations are no longer the week-long, decadent ‘Fall of Rome’ scenarios that they were. The fact that I am pointing the right way up is celebration enough. Because I now get up when I used to get in,----- pottering around the casita and talking to the animals, while pouring yet another coffee, is reward enough. Birthday presents this year included a dark beanie hat and black scarf, which

I decided to wear as I drove to the studio. As it was a cold day I flung on my black leather jacket and dark jeans, as well as black fingerless gloves. My basic ‘Mossad operative between missions’ look, which gets me through the queue at Mercadona quickly, I can assure you. Suddenly I realised that I had forgotten my mask, so pulled up at the nearest chemist. “I’d like a mask please,” I called from the doorway. “Certainly sir”, replied the assistant looking wearily at my black clad form. “What colour would you like?” I decided that perhaps pink wouldn’t suit the look. Black mask purchased, I once again con-

OP Puzzle solutions

Quick Crossword

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templated my theory on why Japanese Ninjas are the worst in the world. It goes something like this. If I say the word ‘Ninja’, you immediately associate this with a stealthy and silent Japanese figure, clad head to toe in black. My theory that Japanese Ninjas are the worst in the world is because everyone knows what they look like; they are hardly silent and unseen. Which opens up the possibilities that there are other nations that have Ninjas that are so stealthy and deadly that no one knows what they look like. I rather like the idea of Jamaican Ninjas…

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FRENCH striker Anthony Martial, 26, has made a surprise move from Manchester United to Sevilla, with the Spanish club paying a €6 million loan fee to keep him until the end of the season.

Winter hope SPANISH eyes are set on snowboarder Queralt Castellet who will be competing in her fifth Winter Olympics in Beijing. The Sabadell native has just won bronze at the World Cup in Switzerland.

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Vol. 15 Issue 386 www.theolivepress.es January 26th - February 8th 2022

CRICKET lovers in Spain don’t have long to wait to see some of the best club cricketers in Europe in action. Some 30 teams from across the continent and the UK are heading to the Cartama Oval in Malaga for the 2022 Bet2Ball European Cricket League finals. ECL22 will take place over six weeks starting on February 7 with Group A action including the English champions Tunbridge Wells. Hailed as ‘the Champions League of European cricket’, ECL22 is an expanded 30 team tournament including the champions of England, Ireland and Scotland. Originally set to be held at La SOME of the world’s best rugby players have been in Spain for the HSBC Sevens World Series. F o r the

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Your

Padding up By Dilip Kuner

Manga Club in Murcia, it was postponed due to pandemic travel restrictions. This year the Federations and Champion Clubs of Jersey,

Eyes on Spain as ‘Champions League of Cricket’ set for Malaga Guernsey, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Portugal, Bulgaria, Malta, Turkey, Cyprus, Croatia, Greece, Luxembourg

SEVENS HEAVEN

first time ever, the country is hosting the major competition, with men’s and women’s events held in Malaga last weekend and then Sevilla this coming Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Andalucian cities are two of three new hosts, along with Toulouse in France, to tempo-

rarily replace traditional Series hosts Sydney and Hamilton. The inaugural Sevens provided a weekend to remember in Malaga as South Africa needed a late try to come out on top in an engrossing men’s final and USA women clinched their first Series title since 2019.

and Switzerland have been added to the expanded tournament. The European Cricket League is a fast-growing competition that attracts teams from countries not traditionally know for the sport. European Cricket Network (ECN) CEO Roger Feiner told the Olive Press: “People don’t realise it, but cricket is the fastest growing sport in Europe, and second fastest in the world. “In Germany there are now 350 clubs - there were only a handful a few years ago.” Matches are televised and streamed on YouTube and have attracted an incredible 130 million viewers.

HE had to dig deep, but Rafa Nadal is still on track for a record-breaking 21st Grand Slam men’s singles title. The Mallorcan showed all the grit he is famous for to overcome Denis Shapovalov in the Australian Open quarter finals. He needed four hours and seven minutes to beat the Canadian in five sets with a 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3 win in his 14th Melbourne quarter final. “I was completely destroyed after that,” said Nadal. He will now take to the court again on Friday. “For me it’s amazing, honestly, to be in the semi-finals.” Now two wins away from a second Aussie Open men’s singles title (2009), Nadal survived an inspired comeback from the 14th seed and a troubled stomach to avoid an upset. One year after surrendering a two-set lead to Stefanos Tsitsipas at the same stage on Rod Laver Arena, Nadal was able to summon a late surge to avoid a sequel. With World Number one Novak Djokovic not at the tournament following his expulsion from Australia Nadal may not have a better opportunity to win another Slam.