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Vol. 5, Issue 120 www.theolivepress.es April 15th - April 28th, 2020
Photos by Jon Clarke
Semana d e l l e c Santa n a C2020
CLOSED: Easter was a total shutdown in Spain with only cleaners like this out on the streets working, see report on page 10
shining light By John Culatto
THE success of Gibraltar’s lockdown has been an example to the world with cases at an all-time low. Despite predictions of a big peak in the middle of this month, there were only 36 active cases on April 13, with only one in hospital. In contrast, 93 people had
Gibraltar’s coronavirus restrictions set an example for Europe and Spain
recovered from COVID-19 on the same date as three elderly people at the Hillside home came close to being declared recovered. These figures were taken from more than 1,500 COVID-19 test results received, with nearly 100 still to be processed. The peak of active cases was reached on April 9 with 63 ongoing at the time, although there were also 60 recovered. There have been no deaths so far from the
virus in Gibraltar, with one suspected casualty later being confirmed to have been negative for coronavirus. On going to press the lockdown was still active, with ministers suggesting that it would continue until medical advice suggested otherwise. “Believe me when I tell you I am committed to ensuring
that these measures should not last a minute longer than necessary,” said Chief Minister Fabian Picardo. “That is why, in Cabinet, we are already seeking to work on appropriate exit strategies to lift the restrictions imposed as soon as possible.” This week could prove a turning point if figures continue to show signs of recovery although there are fears relaxing restrictions could see a second wave of the disease.
Lockdown crackdown TWO locals who escaped the lockdown in Gibraltar to go on a drunken spree have been stopped in their tracks by the long arm of the law. Ian McIntosh, 42, and Lizanne Golt, 37, were arrested for allegedly obstructing police while drunk on Lime Kiln steps. The RGP were called by residents in the area who said the pair were making too much noise. When they refused to budge they were told they were breaking COVID-19 social lockdown rules and taken to New Mole House in handcuffs.
CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL
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NEWS IN BRIEF
Hammer time LOCAL man Jaydan Zarb, 22, was arrested allegedly smashing his way into an Upper Town house and breaking social lockdown rules.
Building blocks SOME 24 building sites are the only ones that have continued work after the government closed the rest during the ‘business coma’..
Lockdown analysis CHIEF Minister Fabian Picardo dropped hints during his April 14 speech that some businesses could return to work in seven, 14 or 21 days time.
Doctor Who LOCAL medic Nick Cortes helped create a five minute COVID-19 test which could revolutionise the speed at which results are processed.
Risen to crime A FRENCH homeless man has been charged for stealing food and money from a local bakery. Edouard Grimaz, 32, was identified by CCTV footage and accused of taking £15 worth of goods from Amar’s restaurant on Convent Place. The RGP originally arrested him for breaking the COVID-19 lockdown after he refused to move into Garrison Gym. The sports hall on Europa Road has been converted into a homeless shelter by its owners Europa FC with food being served there daily. Grimaz was later charged with both theft and obstructing police once his face was spotted.
April 15th - April 28th 2020
LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER
Thank you
W
E always knew you believed in us! Now you are proving it with your generous support for our online portal, as it takes a huge hit from an 80% drop in global advertising revenue due to the Covid-19 crisis. Tasked with finding a way to tackle the huge shortfall that would have led to us having to lay off a number of journalists, we have introduced a subscription scheme for our two million-plus readers a month. This simple donation request has so far led to over four dozen big-hearted readers to part with anything from €5 to €100 in just one week. A vital help in these tough times, it helps us to continue exposing the fraudsters, cheats and conmen that sadly will be proliferating around Spain in this turbulent time. It also means we can continue undertaking the important journalism that you have become
Hundreds of generous readers support Spain’s number one English community newspaper
used to over the last 14 years: Reporting on riots in Barcelona, floods in Mallorca, crooks on the Costa del Sol, Franco’s exhumation in Madrid.. as well as getting out and about interviewing doctors, police and politicians on the current coronavirus crisis. But this money is also immediately being put to great use as we introduce a new expat community helpline (see below) giving up-to-the minute advice on issues arising from the crisis. This has so far involved helping a
pensioner tackle his local bank, a doctor get an urgent flight back to the UK and advice on travel restrictions. We are also introducing a regular ‘COVID-19 GUIDE’ section, comprising detailed guides for expats on everything from help for autonomos (self-employed) to ways to stay healthy. And we will be linking up local charities, helping to coordinate the massive effort they are undertaking to tackle this crisis on the ground (it starts on page 5 this issue). And to prove that charity really does start at home, all of the Olive Press team vows to give some of our time to help with translations of documents or helpful advice in our local communities.
The future of media
But most importantly, we see some vital and necessary changes ahead. Just as society will inevitably change once this crisis starts to ease, we want to try to wean ourselves off the need to have aggressive advertising that feeds an excessively consumer-led society and often feeds addictions. We, like you, sympathise with the amount of ads and pop ups that frustrate and make reading many websites difficult these days. But sadly for traditional media groups to survive it has been a necessary evil. In the old days papers like ours with real journalists commanded a cover charge, but that is sadly now impossible with the remarkably few places available to buy newspapers. Culturally, readers have also changed and no longer buy the
Bea’s Top Five lockdown tips SHE has helped a doctor scramble back to the UK on one of Spain’s last outbound flights. People have called her up to ask about supermarket opening times, helping vulnerable neighbours and even for translation assistance. But the Olive Press’ friendly receptionist Bea has now embarked on her latest mission to help expats navigate the COVID-19 crisis. After studying the government’s royal decrees, she reveals her top five tips, from
ASK BEA!
Bea reveals her top five tips for expats after being inundated with calls at her helpline
walking the dog to going shopping: 1. You need to go back to the UK? ●● By Ferry: From Santander you will find ferries that go to the UK ●● By Plane: At the moment British Airways is flying to the UK, please check their website ●● Airports: Gibraltar, Malaga, Granada, Alicante and Palma are operating with restrictions. Check websites for info
OLIVE PRESS
The
2
Contact the Olive Press special Corona crisis helpline..
on 951 273 575 or contact Josh at Olive Press TV on YouTube
passenger should be in the back, opposite the driver
●● Please be aware that you need to have your ticket as proof of your movements 2. Rules for shopping ●● Make less frequent and larger shopping trips, the recommendations are once a week, but maximum twice at the most ●● Please always ask for the receipt, as the police will request it to prove your movements ●● Normally in all supermarkets at the entrance it is obligatory to use disinfectant and gloves before entering ●● Only one person is allowed to go shopping. If the journey requires two people, one must wait in the car
4. Walking dogs ●● You should try and keep within a maximum of 200 metres from your home ●● Clean up after your dog by picking up its poo and take a bottle of water mixed with bleach as well
3. Trips by car ●● To prevent the risk of contagion it’s better to travel with only one person in the car ●● If there is a requirement to be accompanied, then the
We hope that all these tips help you and make for a better and easier confinement. If you need anything else please contact me on +34 951 273 575.
5. If you need to go to the bank ●● You need to know that only one person is allowed to go into the bank. You will need to wait for your turn on the street outside ●● We recommend to call the bank before, to know which paperwork you need for the enquires, and to avoid a second visit
traditional mainstream media as they used to do. They expect things online… and they expect it fast… AND of a high quality. It has created a huge crisis for newspapers globally, which has led to tens of thousands of journalists losing their jobs. Even celebrated national newspapers like the Mirror, in the UK, were laying off hundreds of them in the last two weeks. A shortage in journalists has, in turn, has led to far too many town halls remaining unscrutinized and, tragically, only a fraction of court cases getting covered. Meanwhile, fraudsters and conmen are not being taken to task, while corruption is becoming increasingly rife. In a way to remedy the situation, thousands of media groups around the world have introduced a paywall as a solution to dwindling print and advertising revenue.
Campaigning
We are holding firm however and see a different way to survive. Using a method introduced by the UK’s campaigning Guardian newspaper two years ago, we hope that readers who regularly use our site (and there are millions of you), are prepared to pay something to help see us grow and thrive. With our excellent team of journalists, plus dozens more freelancers who rely on the income we pay them, we hope ou will support us and continue to enjoy and use our content. The fact so many of you have already donated just goes to show that you are. Please continue to support us and I vow, as publisher, that we will take on more journalists and writers over the coming year and by 2021, when this crisis is (hopefully) finally over, we will be giving you national coverage on a daily basis, 365 days a year. Yours sincerely, Jon Clarke
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CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL
April 15th - April 28th 2020
3
Facing facts RESIDENTS won’t have to wear face masks in the street until there are enough for everyone. The government has ruled that it would be unfair as many people are still unable to get one. For now the priority has been given to health professionals and security forces. It comes as the WHO ruled it was not necessary except for the sick and for those who care for patients in their homes.
Bad omen A GROUP of ten are facing heavy fines for breaking lockdown rules to perform satanic rituals. Police were called in after the group wearing robes were spotted in the Mas Duran forest area of Catalunya. It comes as a woman was arrested for stripping naked and climbing on a police car in Torremolinos, near Malaga.
Troops in
Soldiers drafted in to Gibraltar’s COVID frontline BRITISH soldiers have provided the muscle to help out during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Gibraltar Regiment and Barbarians helped the
Can’t alter the rules Bald gesture A PRIEST narrowly avoided arrest when he was stopped walking around blessing people on their balconies. The Basque cleric, from San Severino de Balmaseda, was caught walking around his town with a bottle of holy wa-
Pull the other one A MAYOR has been caught breaking lockdown to ring his village’s church bells. PP leader of Sahagun Paula Conde was caught breaking quarantine with local Podemos councillor Ramon Rodriguez. Neither took any precautionary measures such wearing a mask or social distancing. The pair were denounced and arrested after they posted their session on Facebook. Police agreed that ringing church bells was not among the essential services included in the state of emergency legislation.
By John Culatto
Gibraltar Health Authority (GHA) set up the Nightingale field hospital at Europa TWO expats have found a hairbrain way to raise money during the lockdown. Lesley Horn, 71, from Canada and partner Andrea Underwood, 70, from the UK, have shaved their heads and are taking bets on how much will grow back by the time they are allowed out again. The former healthcare workers are asking big-hearted expats to donate to their Homeless Entrepreneur ‘bold bald’ campaign. The pair, based in Jerez, have also vowed to donate €8 each per centimetre of hair that grows back.
Our heroes POLICE in the Guadalhorce Valley were overjoyed when dozens of children sent in pictures to brighten up their police station. The Guardia Civil headquarters in Alhaurin de Grande is now awash with paintings of rainbows and drawings of children with words of encouragement such as ‘thank you, heroes’.
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Point. It came after the Gibraltar Government made a Military Aid to the Civil Authority (MACA) request. “The Gibraltar Regiment is always there when we need it - a part of the fabric of what Gibraltar is,” said Chief Minister Fabian Picardo. It came after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised Gibraltar would have the ‘full support of the UK Government in the fight against the disease’. Acting Governor Nick Pyle said he was ‘delighted’ that British Forces Gibraltar were helping fight the pandemic. “Relationships are often tested during difficult times, but strong relationships like that between the UK and Gibraltar survived the test,” added Pyle. The RAF also did its part by flying in thousands of medical gloves on a transporter plane that landed on the Rock last week.
Time for action PHILANTHROPIC Spanish chef Jose Andres has been celebrated on the cover of America’s Time Magazine for his COVID-19 efforts. The 50-year-old World Central Kitchen founder has set up soup kitchens at his Washington and New York restaurants to feed firefighters and homeless people. He also sent food to passengers on quarantined cruiseliner the Diamond Princess in Japan, on which 10 people died after contracting coronavirus.
Wedding surprise A COUPLE have married on their balcony after their wedding was cancelled due to COVID-19. Jose Lopez and Deborah Gurrea were stunned by their friends and neighbours when they had to call off their La Rioja wedding. After announcing the cancellation, two of their friends who live on the same street in Arnedo, took the matter into their own hands. They decided to mobilise the neighbourhood and organised a surprise wedding,
sending a big box to their home on the morning of the big day with a bridal bouquet, a tutu, a top hat and a bow tie. As the box was delivered they heard a cacophony of noise outside and watched as hundreds of neighbours filled their own balconies with balloons and banners with the couples’ faces on them. Even the mayor of the town was able to make it and stood on the street, with an impromptu sound system. Visibly moved, the couple said ‘I do’ and married in front of all their neighbours. The ‘newlyweds’ will have an official ceremony when the pandemic is over.
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NEWS
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dr dolots
April 15th - April 28th 2020
Early lockdown and shrewd planning from local GP helps rural region stay free from coronavirus
Strictly locked down
HE can’t dance his way out of this one. Former Strictly Come Dancing star Brendan Cole has been locked down in his Mallorca holiday home since the Covid-19 outbreak began. The New Zealand ballroom dancer has been unable to leave the property he owns with wife Zoe and their children Aurelia, seven, and Dante, two. They have been making the most of their pool and BBQ, while Brendan, 43, has been cooking up a storm with a meat and potatoes dish. Zoe, a model and lifestyle blogger, also posted selfies of herself enjoying a glass of wine. “Today we’re happy as the sun came out for the first time in over a week!” she commented.
A REGION of eight towns and villages in northern Spain have stayed Coronavirus free by declaring a lockdown a week earlier than the rest of the country. The area of Cedrillas decided to begin social distancing and take drastic measures on March 7, a week before the country went into official lockdown. The boss of the local health centre and the local mayor agreed to close the 428km square region, in Teruel, which includes Castellar, el Pobo de la Sierra, Monteagudo del Castillo, Jorcas,
By Joshua Parfitt
Allepuz, Villarroya de los Pinares and Miravete de la Sierra. The result: not one person in the area has so far been confirmed as a victim of Covid-19.
Trust
Now, the region’s GP Eduardo Comas, coordinator of the Centro de Salud de Cedrillas has been singled out for praise in his quick-thinking measures. He puts his decision down to trust and says it was vital as a large percentage of the re-
gion’s 1,221 residents are over 65 years old. In particular, the main town has an old people’s home, which has seen no cases, while in the town of Valderrobres, just outside the region over 80% of residents and half of the workers in one nursing home alone have caught the virus. “The advantage of rural towns is that residents trust in their doctor, and have contact with their doctor,” explained Comas. All consented to introduce social distancing measures, and also included disin-
650,000 people break lockdown SINCE the start of Spain’s coronavirus lockdown on March 14, police have issued 650,000 fines for breaking the emergency regulations. Spain’s Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, revealed the figures on Monday during an online press conference. Marlaska emphasised that the sole purpose of issuing fines was to ensure people obeyed the regulations, dismissing claims from some quarters that it was a money-making exercise. He added that public health was his department’s priority. He continued to say that the
vast majority of people were obeying the regulations. There had been a slight rise in the number of people being fined last week, but generally compliance was good. Marlaska said that money collected from fines will be handed over to the Treasury, which will decide on how it should be spent. During the conference he also announced that 4,500 Policia Nacional, Guardia Civil, Red Cross and Civil protection volunteers have started handing out 10 million free protective masks at train and bus stations. He pledged that the scheme will be rolled out to pharmacies in the coming days.
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INGENIOUS: Dr Comas saved his town and region
fecting all shops and public buildings and keeping old people indoors. “The nursing home was like a bunker,” continued Comas. “No one entered, and no one left. We cleaned the trucks bringing in supplies with bleach, because if the virus got in, there would be no way of stopping it.” The only person given a special permit to use the roads was ‘Ratoncito Perez’ – the Spanish version of the tooth fairy – whom mayor Jose Luis Lopez assured children would still visit their homes. While a beautiful area for rural tourism, Comas believes that Cedrillas’ lack of ‘tourism, concerts, big events and public transport’ has saved them from the coronavirus. Oh, and a bit of quick thinking from him.
Mask task A PAIR of factories in Andalucia have launched a huge recycling project, aiming to each recycle 500,000 face masks a day. The petrochemical facilities of Asturain energy firm Therman in Montilla (Cordoba) and Palos de la Frontera (Huelva) are participating in the national project, ‘Industrial and Neutral Antiseptic Pressurised System’. The project urges all hospital and healthcare personnel to properly recycle used surgical masks. Therman spokesperson Carmen Espinosa told the Olive Press that the project aims to ease the shortage of protective equipment due to the high demand generated by the coronavirus pandemic.
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CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL
April 15th - April 28th 2020
5
Stay in!
Elderly residents in Gibraltar will be confined to their homes for at least another month
SMILING: A street sweeper on Barcelona’s famous La Rambla
Over 500 beds freed up
By Diexter Thomas and John Culatto
THE elderly of Gibraltar will not be allowed to leave their homes for 30 days, the Chief Minister has ruled. Fabian Picardo said that the lockdown for under-70s would probably be extended next week. Extensions to the COVID-19 measures came as recoveries soared to 104 with active cases down to 25. The continuation of the rules followed a meeting between the Cabinet and leaders of the Opposition on Tuesday. “It's clear that we do appear to have slowed the progress of the virus in our community,” said Picardo. “This is no doubt assisted also by the lockdowns in place in the United King-
Photos by Mike Riley
APPLAUDING: Medical workers clap a patient who survived the virus at a hospital in Catalunya
THE amount of beds available in Gibraltar for a big surge in COVID-19 serious infections is at an all-time peak. A total of over 500 beds were made available after all non-urgent surgery and medical services were cancelled at
dom, Spain and Morocco, the nations with which we have direct maritime links. “As we look forward, we've been considering not just their impact, but also how we would be able to end the lockdown or the closure of businesses and schools.” Gibraltar’s leader said the aim was ‘to save lives’ as 120,000 deaths were recorded worldwide. Privacy concerns could be raised after the Gibraltar Government said it was
looking at contact tracing via mobile phones. More random testing, vaccines and medication are also being reviewed to fight COVID-19. The Chief Minister spoke with Wendy Morton and wished Prime Minister Boris Johnson the best wishes for his recovery after leaving hospital. In response to Olive Press questions, Commander British Forces Tim Henry said that military help to Gibraltar had been ‘a great success’.
the start of the pandemic. This rapid reaction by the Gibraltar Health Authority led to over 180 beds being freed up at Gibraltar’s main hospital, St Bernard’s, located at Europort. A field hospital was also
Dear diary... A DIARY about life in the health services during the coronavirus crisis is being broadcast on social media. The idea was the brainchild of Gibraltar Health Authority worker Isobel Ellul who interviews different people on the job. “It started when the local TV station came in to film different departments,” Ellul told the Olive Press. “I then thought that maybe I could do a mini-version of this feature and put it on social media.” She said she aims ‘to show off all the hard work everybody is doing’ in a way the public understands. “I think it creates a sense of calm in the community,” she added. “I then got permission from the Ministry of Health and it all started from there.” Find ‘Diary from the GHA’ on social media to catch up on all the work being done by our dedicated and hardworking health professionals.
opened up at the Europa Point sportshall with 190 beds at the site and the possibility of expanding it to have 300 beds. Renamed the Nightingale Facility, it still has not had any patients, although its availability has reassured the public that the government is ready for anything. Even more bed space was created at elderly homes run by the Elderly Residential Services at its Mount Alvernia and Hillside homes. A number of cases were reported there in the last week of March but the situation was quickly brought under control. They were equipped with 50 in-demand ventilators, including around five for children, which were brought in or repaired by the Gibraltar Government. A callout for equipment saw wheelchairs, crutches and oxygen returned to the GHA by former users.
6
CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL
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Spanish flu, part 2
Voted top expat paper in Spain
A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in Spain with an estimated readership, including the websites, of more than two million people a month.
OPINION
A century ago the world experienced the deadliest pandemic in modern history. Joshua Parfitt delves into what lessons we can learn from the Spanish flu
Breaking point A MAN on a rampage with swords in Madrid and a naked woman waving her arms atop a police car in Torremolinos. These shocking viral videos reveal a country at breaking point. But these two individuals are anything but alone. After more than four weeks of confinement, millions of us across Spain are already feeling the bite. The mental health implications of being starved of human contact and the freedom to exercise outside are numerous. These are the harsh issues Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and his PSOE administration must grapple with on a daily basis. However these stark realities - and an economy on life support - have not stopped the government extending the lockdown until April 26. It also hasn’t stopped the country’s police forces levying a shocking 650,000 fines, many for totally trivial and unjustified reasons. This hasn’t gone unnoticed, as it emerged this week that a Spanish lawyer has complained to the European Parliament that his government’s actions are illegal. Jose Ortega has seen what is happening across Europe and is appalled at his country’s response. Exercise is permitted in the UK, France and Germany, shops are trading in Austria, Denmark is going back to school, and some Italian regions have even permitted clothes shopping. A ‘de facto transitional dictatorship’ is how Ortega labelled Spain’s draconian measures in his legal plea, now being assessed by MEPs. So with Brussels involved, surely now is the time for Sanchez to seriously consider relaxing some of Spain’s inhumane measures. Builders and factory workers were back at work on Easter Monday, so please Pedro let us go for a jog. Or at least a walk, without having to use a neighbour’s pimped-out pet dog. Publisher / Editor
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POSTER: Gives mask-making advice (left) and a 1918 Spanish flu ward
THE SS Talune carried no troops when it docked in Western Samoa on November 7, 1918 – four days before the end of the Great War. But the passenger steamship’s voyage from New Zealand to the remote pacific islands of Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Nauru, is remembered as one of the deadliest in history. By December 31, 1918, an estimated 20% of Western Samoans had been wiped out by the so-called Spanish flu that would go on to claim four times more casualties than the entire First World War – an estimated 100 million. Tonga also saw 10% of its population felled as Talune crewmen infected in New Zealand spread the influenza to cultures with
A
BRITISH cyclist has been ‘overwhelmed’ by the help he has received after becoming trapped in southern Spain during the nationwide coronavirus lockdown. Paul Rhodes, 55, was in Morocco when he boarded the last ferry back to Spain on March 12, unaware of the impending quarantine. The freewheeling Liverpudlian with no fixed abode works as a freelance carpenter and volunteer and spends his days travelling the globe. SAFE: Paul (left) with new pal Santiago in Huelva, while (above) his tent pitched by a But when he arrived in Tarifa on the evening of March 12, there was something in the air. “The atmosphere was very different,” he told the Olive Press. “Many people were already wearing masks. In the Ohana A British cyclist tells Laurence Dollimore how he was hostel where I was staying, ru- kindly taken in by Andalucian farmers after being left out mours were rife and there was a lot of confusion. in the cold during the coronavirus lockdown “Some people were starting to worry. Then the rumours be- up the apocalyptic mood.” Cycling through winds and came fact; the hostel was go- Pepa filled Rhodes’ water bot- rain, he eventually reached ing to close in two days. Spain tles and gave him her number the border where he was met was going into lockdown.” in case he fell ill. by a posse of at least a dozen Rhodes said the next morn- “And then there was a young Portuguese police and immiing saw a ‘mad scramble’ as man in Bollullos, in Huelva, I gration officers. guests rushed to get home never got his name but there “They were somewhat amused and began checking out en was fear in his eyes,” recount- to see a cyclist coming tomasse, much to the disap- ed Rhodes, “yet he still went wards them at 10.30pm,” pointment of ‘friendly’ owner into his home on a street lined said Rhodes. Jesus. with lemon trees to fetch me “If I’d done this in the UK I “Poor old Jesus was bewil- some much-needed water.” would have been in trouble, dered,” said Rhodes. “he had Rhodes spent four days cy- and probably publicly shamed just reopened cling to reach online. Here, nobody got anhis family’s Ayamonte on gry with me, they understood hostel after a the border in a my need to find a place to stay Overcome with two month renbid to catch a for a while. Yet as nice as they ovation, now he tiredness and ferry to Portugal, were, the officials had their was going to be missed the jobs to do, and said that my LEGEND: Pharmacist Pepa forced to sleep but empty.” last boat by 16 volunteer job wasn’t a good With no support under a tree by hours. enough reason to enter. My forced to sleep under another network or a E x h a u s t e d passport was copied and 15 tree next to the N495 motorthe motorway and dirty, he minutes later I was on my way way. home to return After cycling another 19km, to in the UK, searched the back across the border.” Rhodes decided now ‘ghost Battling heavy rains, Rhodes he stopped at a gas station to head to Portugal, where town’ for supplies before man- was forced to find shelter un- in Santa Barbara for lunch he had some volunteer work aging to find a shop that was der a tree next to the N431 when Guardia Civil stopped lined up. still open. before heading back down to him and told him he could no “On the trip there were few- “I sat on a bench in the de- Ayamonte. Policia Nacional longer carry on travelling and er and fewer people out and serted town square eating my and the town hall directed him needed to find somewhere to about, the roads were eerily sandwiches, wondering what towards the Red Cross but stay and self-isolate. The officers drove slowly quiet,” he recalls, “Of the few to do next,” Rhodes recounts. they were unable to help him. people I did meet, most were Despite the border closing the He decided to head north to around the town to help him afraid..then I met Pepa, a night before, he opted to head find friends in Albergue, near look for accommodation, but pharmacist in Los Cabezas de for Portugal as he could prove Salamanca, but after cycling it was in vain. So with the San Juan, near Jerez, she was he had arranged volunteer through the night he was over- owner of the gas station’s a ray of sunshine, brightening work in the country. come with tiredness and was permission, he was allowed
MY SPANISH HER
April 15th - April 28th 2020
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even less resistance to the viruses than in the Old World. The death toll was particularly devastating due to Pacific Island customs requiring whole families to gather around the sick. Scientists have been painstakingly reconstructing this pandemic, even recovering infected lung tissue from an Inuit victim preserved in Alaskan perma-
frost, to figure out what happened and what we can do to DEATH CHART: ‘Flattening the curve’ was also a priority in 1918 stop it happening again. Fast-forward 100 years, and it’s cities that responded in wildly clear a virologist’s worst night- different ways (how ironic given what’s happening today) as the The Spanish flu pandemic dismare has landed upon us. But what can we learn from this second wave of the pandemic appeared by 1920 – but it did hit the continent in September not sleep. largely forgotten pandemic? Aside from laying the foundation 1918 (the first wave has been In 2009, nearly the exact of the World Health Organisation variously reported as arising same H1N1 strain resurrect(WHO), the discovery of the virus in China, Kansas and Europe’s ed as the cause of the swine flu pandemic that killed an esand the invention of life-saving Western Front in March 1918). vaccines, the research hours American pandemic expert timated 150,000 to 575,000 into Influenza A virus subtype John Barry, author of The Great people globally. H1N1 (A/H1N1) carry important Influenza, has drawn parallels Scientists investigating the in particular with Philadelphia Spanish flu have therefore lessons for us all. – which held a 200,000-strong been bugged by the question: Liberty Loan parade in Septem- what makes a virus more ber – and cities like St Louis deadly than others? – which went into immediate The original H1N1 virus is lockdown, closing schools and thought to have developed in birds, acquiring mutations that While Western Samoa record- business. ed the worst death rate for any “The Liberty parade went for- human immune systems had country in the 1918 pandemic, ward and, roughly 48 hours not fought for decades, if ever. the islands of American Samoa later, the disease exploded in As the Spanish flu came deaths. Philadelphia. They ended up back to attack in four known This detail is attributed to the with about 14,500 deaths,” waves, it eventually beUSA territory’s Naval Governor, Barry revealed to the New York- came part of the regular human-borne winter influenza John Martin Poyer, who heard er in March. reports of a deadly pandemic “St Louis, however, imposed all that carries lower death rates on the radio and immediately sorts of social distancing mea- and, more recently, can be imposed a maritime quaran- sures and had a much better vaccinated against. tine. outcome – they did, in fact, “It’s not good for the virus to kill the host as soon as it Researchers in 2008 later flatten the curve.” scoured archival documents, Most interestingly for us living infects it, because that host concluding that the confine- under strict confinement as has less chance of passing ment measures were ‘success- Europe battles the COVID-19 the virus on to other people,” ful’ in excluding the influenza. pandemic, is that the Spanish British virologist Wendy BarSimilar comparisons have flu did arrive in American Sa- clay, from Imperial College been drawn between American moa in 1920 – and yet no one London, revealed in 2018. This is why the 2009 swine flu pandemic was more potent than toned-down winter influenza in previous years: it was a virus adapted to infect pigs, not humans with a distinct immune system. These lessons are of incredible importance to us in our fight against COVID-19. Barry added “The coronavirus is now stuck with us forever. “I would expect to see waves of this: a second wave, and then less and less.” The coronavirus is currently deadly because it is believed to have jumped to humans from an unlikely source – bats or pangolins, scientists believe – for which our immune systems have little precedence. This helps to explain its leThe 1918 pandemic is known thality, and should inform as the ‘Spanish flu’ despite governments across the the influenza claiming heaworld to control for further vier death tolls in the USA, outbreaks until the virus Portugal and Italy. tones down, or we develop a The nickname is due to vaccine. Spain’s neutral status during When the 1918 Spanish flu the First World War, allowing pandemic hit, we did not its press to report on the spread freely. even know what a virus was, While most wartime governments actively suppressed and still authorities succeednews of the deadly influenza, to protect public morale ed with public policies of conwhich would have sunk as the disease mostly killed men finement. aged 20-40. New Zealand’s government While the USA had up to 675,000 deaths, newspaper reapologised to Samoa in 2002 ports suggested that the epidemic was not expected to for its mismanagement of the hit hard. SS Talune incident – with the Spain’s press freedom, however, gave a distorted impresbenefit of this hindsight and sion the country was the worst hit. an additional mountain of While former British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, scientific research, governand US president Woodrow Wilson, both fell ill, the flu is ments no longer have the best remembered for infecting Spain’s King Alfonso XIII, excuse that they didn’t see a which was widely reported (see inset). disaster coming.
The Varying Virus
A Tale of Two Samoas
petrol station in Santa Barbara
ROES
to set up his tent behind the forecourt. “Margarita was great and helped me a lot,” Rhodes said, “With her mask on I don’t even know what she looks like. When the quarantine is over I will drop by and give her a hug.” The next day a local farm manager named Santiago happened to see Rhodes’ tent and offered him a room on land belonging to his pal Francisco in Cabezas Rubias, Huelva. “I have a well for water, a fireplace, wonderful views and Amber, a nine-year-old horse for my neighbour,” Rhodes told this paper, “More importantly I am in a safe place. “Santiago, Margarita, Francisco; my neighbours; Joaquin and Pepi, Carlos and especially Vanessa have been absolutely wonderful. “They have given me shelter, bedding and a stove to cook on, given me a big bag of old clothes and even sourced a Spanish sim card. “Vanessa often passes food over the wall, and Joaquin lets me use an outside shower. To be honest, I’m overwhelmed by their humanity and generosity. “In this, the time of COVID-19, there are billions of stories to be told, and sadly hundreds of thousands that will never be written. “Coronavirus heroes are everywhere, and mine are here in Cabezas Rubias and Santa Barbara. “Muchas gracias mi héroes.”
DID YOU KNOW?
2.3M
4.2 M 6.7 M
ON TOP: Olive Press website traffic for March
nothing similar
T
ruth is often said to be the first victim of wars and crises. And, right now, it pays to be wary of any information that gets slapped on social media or rapidly Google-translated for a website. For Fake News is rife during the COVID-19 crisis, as we have discovered ourselves over the last fortnight. Disgracefully, conspiracy theorists, keyboard warriors, people with agendas and those seeking monetary gain have been getting far too much air-time and traction. Having good journalists to look behind the headlines, dig into sources and analyse the claims is key to having a trustworthy newspaper or website. And as any good journalist will tell you... the best stories always carry three or four good facts. So here we have a few: FACT1: According to leading online comparison site www.similarweb.com the Olive Press had DOUBLE the number of visitors than any other English rival in March FACT 2: According to Alexa.com, owned by Amazon, we are this week ranked in the world’s Top 6,000 sites (see graphic below), putting us around 70,000 places ahead of our nearest rival FACT 3: According to official Google Analytics (top) we had 4.3 million visitors in March reading 6.7 million pages FACT 4: Global digital advertising revenue has dropped by around 80% over the last month And it is due to this last fact that we have introduced a subscription scheme for our regular online visitors INSTEAD of introducing a pay wall, as many other publishers have over the last few years. Meaning 100% of our content is available all of the time, it also allows us to continue investing in our editorial team, which currently counts nearly 20 journalists and writers. So please if you are a regular user of our website make a small contribution, which can be from as little as €5. You’ll see the green button easy to find on the site. Every little helps, as they say.
5,917 # 164 # 167
EXTRA FACT: In case you hadn’t noticed, we have continued to print all FIVE of our editions through this crisis, of course cutting down in size and numbers to mirror the number of distribution points currently closed.
Here are the top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks:
for holidays in Spain in 2021 skyroc1- UKketsearches by a staggering 1,600% (48,811 visitors) When lockdown is predicted to end 2-inREVEALED: Spain as experts say country’s coronavirus hospitalisations have already peaked (37,335) More than 40 families caught escaping to second 3-homes on Spain’s Costa Blanca over Palm Sunday weekends (35,501) coronavirus lockdown ‘to be exten4- Spain’s ded another 15 days’ but rules may be loosened (33,500) NO NEW COVID-19 deaths in Balearic Islands as 5-Ibiza clinic becomes first in Spain to use pioneering ozone therapy (28,009)
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8
www.theolivepress.es
April 15th - April 28th 2020
Clubbing together By John Culatto
MORE than £1 million has been gifted to fight COVID-19 on the Rock since the pandemic began. Companies, tenants as-
Bay standoff THE Rock might be in lockdown but culture keeps on flowing in the tiny territory. After all of Gibraltar’s high-profile artistic, musical and sporting events were cancelled in March, a wide-ranging cultural programme was created online. Daily pre-recorded and live talks, performances and plays are being shown on culture.gi, the Gibraltar Cultural Services (GCS) website. This week, an arts competition for children and teenagers was hosted online. They could take part in one of four different age ranges by sending in their work electronically. Every fortnight the kids have a chance to win £50 worth of artistic supplies. Another group which has been actively entertaining the public is the recently formed Musicians’ Association of Gibraltar (MAG). The group hosts live musical acts from their homes with some recordings too, all featuring Gibraltar artists. Catch MAG, which was recommended by Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, on their social media page for some great shows! Other than that, lots of other creative people have been performing, giving yoga classes and workshops online via social media.
sociations, charities and private individuals are continuing to give generously with nearly The Guardia Civil then left the area and returned to Spain. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has made a diplomatic protest to Madrid. Spanish boats often make incursions into Gibraltar waters which it claims as its own as a result of the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht. The UK works under the rules of the UN law of the sea which gives Gibraltar its own territorial waters.
Moor-ons BORED teenagers are believed to be responsible for wrecking the Moorish Castle lighting system at the start of this month. The vandals not only switched off the power but left the fusebox exposed to the rain which soaked it through. The Moorish Castle has been lit up in blue to pay tribute to healthcare workers working hard to fight COVID-19. “At this time in our history we have to work together, not create more work for each other,” said Chief Minister Picardo.
£1,130,000 raised so far. The community effort to support the fight against the killer virus has shown the ‘solidarity as a caring society’ Gibraltar has become, according to the Gibraltar Government.
Heartfelt
“I have been overwhelmed by the generosity shown by our community, and I cannot find words to express how grateful I am to the people of Gibraltar,” said Minister for Health Paul Balban. “I am immensely proud to see how so many of you have contributed in your own ways, be it financially or by volunteering your own time for this our common cause. “My heartfelt thank you goes out to all of you and although you may be unnamed here, you all know who you are and how much we appreciate you all.”
OP QUICK Crossword
A RECORD eight Lynx cubs have been born in just one week. The octuplets arrived as part of the Iberian Lynx Captive Breeding Programme in Doñana National park. A total of three cubs were born to Nota, while another three were born to Narsil at the El Acebuche centre, in Almonte. Another female Gitanilla gave birth to two cubs. It is great news for the endangered species which was close to extinction a decade ago, with little more than 300 examples in the wild. There are now believed to be over 1000 lynxes around Spain, the majority spread around Andalucia, primarily in Donana and in the north of Cordoba, near Andujar. A good number are also now living in Jaen, while the species has proliferated into Extremadura and Castilla la Mancha, as far as Toledo. Researchers at the centre perform regular gestation tests, via a technique to determine whether a female is pregnant developed at Leibniz Zoo in Berlin. It takes into account the levels of prostaglandin in the faeces. Apart from captive breeding and demographic management of the captive population, the Iberian Lynx Ex situ Conservation Programme prepares the captive-born animals for release.
Across 1 Roomy (8) 5 Image of a deity (4) 9 Borders (5) 10 Cushion for kneeling (7) 11 Dog of mixed breed (7) 13 Shouts (5) 14 17th letter of the Greek alphabet (3) 16 Overzealous (5) 18 Little drink (3) 20 Science of logic, quantity, shape and arrangement (Abbr.) (5) 22 Loss of memory (7) 24 Makes journeys (7) 26 Young hooter (5) 27 A great deal (4) 28 Frenzied rush (8) Down 1 Cooking vessel (7) 2 Inert elemental gas (5) 3 Underwriter (7) 4 Exclamation of disgust (3) 6 Draws aimlessly (7) 7 Finds pleasing (5) 8 Wan (4) 12 North African oil state (5) 15 Survive (7) 17 “Raiders of the Lost Ark” actor
OP Sudoku
Rocking the lockdown
A ROYAL Navy launch has been forced to intervene after Guardia Civil tried to board a local yacht in Gibraltar waters. HMS Sabre sped to the scene as the Spanish S21 patrol-boat tried to search the yacht.
Donations from individuals and companies top £1 million
Great week for lynxes
--- Elliott (7) 19 Chatter (7) 20 Broken rock for road repairs (5) 21 Killed (4) 23 Find the answer (5) 25 Posed (3)
All solutions are on page 14
10
April 15th- April 28th 2020
LA CULTURA
Semana Santa
W
E would normally get there an hour before, parking a kilometre out of town and battle our way through the throngs to get to a good vantage point in the bustling main square. With a glass of ice cold fino and a media-racion de gambas, we would wait patiently for the penitents to arrive, along with
EASTER DISPATCH: The ritual and theatre of Semana Santa has been packed off to Spain’s sitting rooms, with the sound of distant drums subsiding for spraying machines, writes Jon Clarke on the most unusual Andalucian Easter in history Jesus and Mary and, the highlight... a squadron of soldiers from Ronda’s nearby Foreign Legion cuartel. This has been our Good Friday ritual at Semana Santa for much of the last two decades. Away from the usual tourist trail, Setenil de las Bodegas, at Easter, is as authentic as anywhere else in Spain at this time of year.
The marching bands, the smells, the pointy hats and above all - the tattooed and disciplined soldiers, with their guns and songs about valour and death. It is the highlight of the year, hands down, for most local Andalucians. A time-worn ritual that is rehearsed for months ahead and signifies the start of the tourist season.
Cancelled
DESERTED: Streets where Foreign Legion and parades normally pass The tradition, drama and cho- excellent local wine - at Easter reography per2020, is one of fectly combines the most disquion the cobbled eting times of my Locals had streets of emlife. blematic Setenil, blocked three I knew it would famous for its be depressing to out of four many cave housvisit during the es that nestle access roads to coronavirus lockinto the folds of down, particularthe landscape. ly given a recent the town So to visit this article I had read age-old settlethat the village ment - once used of 2,700 inhabby the Romans to store their itants had decided to block
three out of its four access roads in and out. Taking the decision alongside other local towns, including Zahara de la Sierra, tractors were brought in to build roadblocks, which would be manned 24 hours a day. Ostensibly checking the movements of anybody coming in - ensuring they had good reason to visit and were taking the correct precautions - this was a village-led decision to keep out the virus.
Light and shade Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey
This is a sweet and sad novel about Maud, an elderly woman with dementia, trying to find her friend Elizabeth who she is convinced is missing while at the same time remembering her sister’s unsolved disappearance 70 years previously. It is an enjoyable and easy read with characters that you really warm to. Although there is a mystery element, the story mainly focuses on following Maud on her disjointed investigation as she frustrates, amuses and insults the people around her. If you are looking for something easy, intriguing and amusing then this is a good option. The Bookshop San Pedro, www.thebookshop.es
2020
LA CULTURA
11
April 15th- April 28th 2020
On the face of it, somewhat sinister, a sort of China-lite idea to monitor the movements of anyone and everyone, it was justified by the fact that just 5kms up the road was the town of Alcala del Valle, where over 100 people have so far caught the Covid-19 infection, with up to half a dozen having died. But I was to find none of this. My drive from Ronda was totally unimpeded and I saw not one car during the 25 minute
journey. I arrived to find no roadblocks and a total ghost town, with not one person in the street. It was approaching dusk and you could hear a pin drop in a place where normally you would hear the sound of faraway trumpets and banter rumbling around its narrow windy streets and the classic sights and smells of Semana Santa. I took our normal route up towards the Nazari castle and Church of the Encarnacion at the top of the town, stopping to take a picture of the empty town hall
square that would normally ly, slowly sanitising the streets be rammed with the hundreds with antiseptic from hose of tourists waiting for the pa- packs strapped to their backs. rades. Well one of them was working When I did fiwhile the other nally catch the two were simeye of someone Spanish are not ply taking in the from a balcony majestic scene he immediately used to being below, looking looked away and down on the facooped up melted back inmous, historical doors. town that was indoors unlike It was not, in finally seized fact, until I got by the Cathothe Brits to the very top of lic kings from the town, where the muslims of I finally bumped the Kingdom into people. Three, in fact, of Granada in 1484, a year dressed top to toe in hazmat before Ronda, and just eight suits and masks, and careful- years before they finally succumbed in Granada in 1492. It made for a seminal photo, particularly given the sign next to them, heralding the village one of the 100 most beautiful villages of Spain. They turned round surprised to find someone else out at this time, approaching 8pm, on Good Friday. After posing for photos they explained that the discipline in their town had been amazing and that they were hopeful for an end of the lockdown on April 26. Not only destroying the spirit of the villagers it was a massive hit on the local economy
Photos by Jon Clarke
CHANGE: From Easter 2019 to this year, while (right) spraying team and (below) procession in Setenil
that makes a good chunk of its annual income over the Easter week normally. “We need this to end, it is horrible for everyone,” he said, before strapping on his backpack and heading off to spray. He was certainly right. The Spanish are not used to being cooped up indoors, like us northern Europeans with our frequently inclement weather. They are a sociable nation that needs to get out and talk to each other, to play in the streets, to laugh and to joke and be seen, as they are every evening for paseo. This lockdown is killing them and they will come out on April 26, a different people, hopefully more appreciative of what they have and certainly full of
energy for the summer months ahead. As the bells of the church next to me chimed out 8pm, I immediately knew that things would be right again. After hearing the national anthem, I looked down and could see hundreds, maybe more, out on their balconies clapping and cheering and waving… a new Easter ritual that went on for five, maybe, ten minutes. Clapping the bravery of the Spanish health workers, who have taken the brunt of this crisis, they hooted and cheered with optimism, albeit with a touch of weariness. And then suddenly it all went quiet… apart from the distant whir of the trio of men with their spraying machines.
12
April 15th- April 28th 2020
A
S COVID-19 continues to predominate our news feeds and eclipse our daily lives, millions of people in Spain and around the world are learning to cope with the colossal changes. The confinement of people to their homes has caused a 'total disconnection' with the natural environment, a situation that 'can have negative effects on our well-being, especially on our state of mind,' according to landscaping design expert Fernando Pozuelo. This is a phenomenon known as Nature Deficit Disorder (NDD) which can lead to ‘lack of concentration, anxiety, stress or irritability’. But with the aid of technology we are able to connect once again with the natural environment. Gardens such as those of the Generalife in Spain or those of the Palace of Versailles in France make up some of the most beautiful natural spaces in the world which can now be enjoyed from the comfort of your own sofa during quarantine.
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
Home grown Is Corona killing you? Take a tour of Spain's top gardens from your sofa, writes Cristina Hodgson
Star quality
Virtually walk through the Gardens of La Granja and indulge in the palatial atmosphere of three centuries ago. There you will find the impressive fountains of mythological influence. The Fountains of the Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso are one of the best known tourist attractions in Segovia. The Gardens of La Granja were ordered to be built by Philip V with the idea that they would be more important than the Palace itself. Designed by the engineer Merchán on a surface of 146 hectares, of which 67 are forest.
Not only is the connection with the natural environment vital to maintain Nature Deficit Disorder at bay, gardening itself can also relieve stress. An abundance of scientific research suggests that caring for plants can reap many unexpected health benefits. One hour of light gardening can burn 330 calories and also lower blood pressure as well boosting selfworth. The act of growing plants and interacting with flora can improve your mood and mental health. Dame Helen Mirren is a long-standing advocate of the benefits of gardening. She has confessed how a little of green therapy helps in keeping her “dark dragons” at bay. The Oscar-winner admits she can be plagued by anxiety but keeping herself busy in the garden helps her stay in a positive state of mind. The actress, who played Elizabeth II in The Queen, says that gardens and green spaces are vital to the planet, suggesting it should be included in the school curriculum to make sure future generations can benefit from the advantages of gardening.
Acknowledged in 1943 as a “garden of historical and artistic interest”, the Botanical Garden La Concepcion in Malaga covers a total of 3.5 hectares. Located on the side of a hill, its landscaped layout comprises a series of waterfalls, streams, fountains, flights of steps, greenhouses, large trees and centuries-old palms, the latter considered one of the finest collections in Europe.
History, adventure and romance. That’s just the setting.
Enjoy a virtual tour around the Generalife Gardens, located at the foot of the Alhambra in Granada. Be delighted by its patios, its palaces and its architecture, which together form an intimate and peaceful atmosphere.
Join us for a celebration of history, art, heritage and pageantry in a unique part of the world.
With a UNESCO world heritage site offering 120,000 years of human history and only short drive from the Costa del Sol, enjoy the warmth of the British Gibraltarians and splash out VAT-free in Sterling. Gibraltar. Sun, sea and history served with a very British twist. PROUD
BRITISH
For further information call: Gibraltar Tourist Board +350 200 74950 Or to download a brochure go to: www.visitgibraltar.gi
www.visitgibraltar.gi
Heritage STREET PARTIES MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE HISTORY MUSIC
Phoenician Empire Calentita
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INTERNATIONAL
THE ROCK The Moorish Castle Festivals Food Festival Pillars of Hercules Music Week, Chess, Snooker, Darts, Backgammon Championships 100000 YEARS National LITERARY FESTIVAL
Neanderthal Settlements
ibraltar
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A year of Culture
Bring hearts, minds and souls
View the spectacular Gardens of Alcazar of the Christian Monarchs in Cordoba, where Julius Caesar himself personally planted different species of flowers and exotic trees. The major attraction of this royal fortress are its magnificent backyard gardens. Beautiful fountains, basins and well-cut hedges give evidence of innovative Moorish horticulture.
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
13
April 15th- April 28th 2020
Putting a cork in it!
The Madrid Botanical Gardens were created following instructions by Fernando VI on October 17, 1755. In 1774, Charles III gave instructions for its transfer to the current site of the Paseo del Prado, where it was inaugurated in 1781. It is a secluded place in the centre of Madrid where it’s possible to enjoy nature and tranquillity. It is full of beautiful corners that incorporate more than two centuries of history.
The Gardens of the Palace of Versailles just 19 kilometres from Paris, were created by King Louis XIV and are the ‘best example of a French-style garden’. They were declared a World Heritage Site in 1979 by UNESCO.
IT is every wine lover’s biggest irritation. The moment you raise the first glass to your nose and get an aroma of… wet socks. Best known as a ‘corked’ wine, it comes from a chemical compound found in a small percentage of corks. Guaranteed to ruin even the hardiest of wines, an estimated one in ten corks are said to carry the so-called TCA taint. Now, one of the world’s biggest cork producers believes it has found a solution to the problem. Global giant Amorim - that produces stoppers from its huge cork oak estates in Spain and Portugal - believes it has found a way to get rid of 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA). Scientists at the firm, based near Porto, claim they have found a way to stop the fungi present in natural cork from proliferating and ruining the wine in the bottle. Boss Antonio Amorim, 52, insisted that by the end of the year the company’s corks will have ‘a zero TCA risk’. The new process involves a secret substance and a use of steam, but as a patent is being sought, the company has yet to divulge how it works.
A new invention is set to help Spain and Portugal’s huge cork estates grow and thrive
Amorim - whose firm makes 5.5 billion of the world’s 13.2 billion corks - told the Revue du Vin de France, that it will make the process ‘more economical’ and bring down the price of corks. The company already offers a guarantee of non TCA corks, due to its so-called NDtech program, but the corks are seen as too pricey. The invention is seen as a vital battle against a range of other stoppers that have entered the market, from glass to plastic ones, as well as screwtops. However, fine wine makers across Spain, France, Portugal and Italy, still favour corks as they allow the wine to breath and develop in the bottle.
The discovery comes as it emerged that the number of wines u s i n g corks has risen by 600,000 bottles a year, while plastic stopper use has fallen by four million units. It is great news for the huge cork oak estates that straddle Extremadura, Andalucia and the East of Portugal. Key wildlife, including rare eagles, the Ibex and the Lynx wildcat are set to continue.
HEALTH
14
April 15th- April 28th 2020
HIIT the...lounge carpet KEEPING fit and healthy is more important than ever as the nationwide lockdown in Spain looks set to last until at least early May. A good HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout gets the heart rate pulsing and is great for circulation, breathing capacity and overall health. The effect of a good workout on your mental health can also never be underestimated, with a commitment to a daily sweat-a-thon providing
Stay limber during lockdown with our 20-minute, high intensity, equipment-free workout you can do at home routine and a hit of feel good endorphins. But with COVID-19 and the ensuing confinement to our homes taking us by surprise, not many of us have the luxury of a private gym or fancy equipment. In this spirit, we’ve programmed 10 HIIT exercises which will get you fit
as a fiddle. Perform as many of each exercise as you can for a minute and take a minute’s break between each exercise. Remember to stretch afterwards. If you can’t do an exercise, replace it with jumping jacks, knees up or one you have fewer problems with.
1. Jumping jacks - Also known as star jumps, they are the perfect warm up. 2. Knees up - March on the spot, bringing your knees as close to your chest as possible. 3. Russian twists - Sit on the floor with your heels on the ground (or lifted if you’re able), place your hands on your chest and twist from side to side. 4. Plyo push-ups - Your regular push-up except you try to push your hands off the floor and land back in the push-up position. This can also be modified by going on to your knees while the uber fit can clap as they come off the floor. (If you’re finding it tough try pushups on your knees to begin with). 5. Burpees - Drop into a squat and place your hands on the floor in line with your feet, jump your feet out and in, then jump into the air - repeat. 6. Supermans - Lay on your front
with your arms stretched out in front of you, then lift your arms and legs at the same time, keeping them straight as possible. 7. Tuck-ups - Lay on your back with your arms stretched out by your ears, bring your knees to your chest then lay them back down. 8. Mountain climbers - Assume the plank position (similar to the push-up position but on your forearms), and bring your knees into your chest one at a time as fast as you can. 9. Lunges - Lunge to the left, being sure to keep your right leg straight. When your left leg reaches a 90 degree angle, hop on to your right side and repeat. 10. Squats - Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, put your arms out in front of you with hands clasped to help balance and bend your knees. Try to achieve a 90 degree angle, while keeping your back straight.
Pluck of the Irish
I
worked on TV3’s Ireland AM as a stylist for over a decade and left my beloved Ireland for sunny Spain in 2016. I opened Joffrey’s restaurant in La Cala de Mijas with my partner, Joffrey Charles, a splendid French chef. Channel 4 television filmed with us for six months for their programme, A New Life In The Sun, aired in early 2017. Life as a newly minted restaurateur was exceptionally difficult but nothing prepared me for the news that came in September of 2018. Joffrey noticed a lump under my right arm. I waved his concerns away, taken up with pushing the business ever forward but the lump continued to grow and he insisted I attend a clinic. That was in August. I was referred to Costa Del Sol Hospital in Marbella in September and at that appointment, all hell broke loose. I had 15 cancerous tumors in my right breast. I immediately had to have a mastectomy followed by eight months of chemotherapy, then a month of radiotherapy. Some nights I could see angels as Joffrey cradled me in his arms. Our amazing
OP Puzzle solutions
Across: 7 Spacious, 5 Idol, 9 Edges, 10 Hassock, 11 Mongrel, 13 Yells, 14 Rho, 16 Rabid, 18 Sip, 20 Maths, 22 Amnesia, 24 Travels, 26 Owlet, 27 Lots, 28 Stampede. Down: 1 Steamer, 2 Argon, 3 Insurer, 4 Ugh, 6 Doodles, 7 Likes, 8 Ashy, 12 Libya, 15 Outlast, 17 Denholm, 19 Prattle, 20 Metal, 21 Slew, 23 Solve, 25 Sat.
SUDOKU
Quick Crossword
Locked down from critical cancer tests after a mastectomy and eight months of chemo, La Cala restaurateur Lisa Burgess finds her Irish British Resistance
SOLID: Chef Joffrey and Lisa
restaurant had to close. on behalf of expats in Spain I am supposed to have my to safeguard their healthcare tests in early April 2020 with rights before Brexit. I haven’t a meeting scheduled with to date received a reply from my oncologist in Marbella on Number 10. April 15. But I still haven’t The Spanish system is unbeen told if it’s der siege, I on or off. The am awaiting Spanish have instructions on This Irish been extraorattending those dinary to me, tests to see if British helping me as I have beatResistance much as possien cancer but ble with my brothere is no word fighter will ken Spanish. I yet. Spaniards battle boldy on are dying at a am now a whiz at Spanish medrate of knots, ical terms with a they are the prilittle help from Duo Lingo. ority, not me. I have self-isoWhen my treatment finished lated for over four weeks and I flew to London, filmed by I have decided to concentrate Channel 4, and handed in a my efforts on helping others. petition at Downing Street I am writing to the media here
in Spain, the USA, and Ireland. Especially for the Olive Press newspaper which can be relied upon for thoroughly researched and sourced material. There is so much misinformation out there and it’s causing people to panic. I am trying to stop this on all my social media accounts. Chef Joffrey has opened a new business this month called ChefJoffrey@Home on the Costa del Sol with all appropriate licenses and sanitary conditions. His first customer was a wonderful Irish friend, Lynn Branagan Cronin who needed a night off from cooking. Chef Joffrey will deliver a free meal to the elderly every week in our community, and more as business increases. My new nickname from an eminent journalist is ‘IBR’ the Irish British Resistance. I must do my bit, as must we all in these dire circumstances, while relying on my native sense of humour to see this through. My grandfather, Ned Burgess, was an Irish politician and Mayor of Cobh; my Irish mother, Ann Burgess, was a fierce activist; and my British brother Michael fought AIDS to the very end without complaint. My darling departed mother, who battled cancer bravely as we nursed her at home, often reminded me of this poignant James Joyce quote: “Better pass boldly into that other world, in the full glory of some passion, than fade and wither dismally with age.” Likewise, this Irish British Resistance fighter will battle boldy on, quill at the ready.
BUSINESS
15
April 15th- April 28th 2020
Doors closed
Ease it off THE founder of Easyjet has slammed airline bosses, accusing them of ‘misusing taxpayer’s money’ by accepting a government loan. Easyjet is due to get £600million from the coronavirus fund, with Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou opposing the loan and urging executives to cancel the billion pound Airbus deal in order ‘for Easyjet to survive’.
IN Some Spanish regions half of all hotels have taken the decision not to open at all this year due to global coronavirus travel restrictions. At least 50% of hoteliers in the Balearic islands will delay opening until 2021, the Balearic Hotel Association (ACH) which represents hoteliers in Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera has said. Meanwhile 25% will remain shut on the Costa del Sol, according to the Association of Hotel Entrepreneurs of the Costa del Sol (AEHCOS). The Balearics are already bracing for their biggest recession in history, fol-
Around 50% of hotels in some Spanish regions will not open this year
lowing a predicted €1.8 billion tourism hit and 400,000 job losses in 2020 alone. It comes as airlines operating in the European Union have on average grounded 98% of their fleets. This was compounded by a recent Exceltur poll, which showed that 58% of
Britons and 40% of Germans will now not holiday abroad this year. Hotel chains there may decide to open only one or two of their establishments from July 1 or September 1 to cater to a demand in a particular area. The Costa del Sol and the rest of Andalucia has already felt the bite of a se-
A Beatle and a businessman A FEW months ago I mentioned a two-day course I attended in London last December, the start of my training to become a Registered Life Plan-
ner with the Kinder Institute of Life planning, which is the most recognised and long established organisation of it’s kind in the world.
Its founder George Kinder is internationally recognised as the father of the Life Planning movement, and has himself been a practicing financial
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planner and tax adviser for 40 years. I then went on to write how my father’s death inspired me to become a financial planner, helping people ensure their money didn’t run out before they did, yet also having the life they wanted with the money they had. A strong desire to enhance my skills as a financial planner, led me to decide to continue my training with the five-day residential EVOKE™ course. With the outbreak of coronavirus it looked like my progress was to be temporarily halted, as the course in the UK I was due to attend had to be cancelled. However, in a world first I am pleased to say that I have just completed the course online via Zoom with six other pioneers, all highly qualified and experienced financial planners from the UK. Life Planning connects the dots between our financial realities and the lives we long to live. The Kinder Institute’s tools and training make it possible for trained financial life planners to help individuals cultivate a Life Plan designed to deliver the most meaningful kind of freedom: The freedom to pursue life’s passions, wherever they may lead. EVOKE ™ stands for the five stages for developing a life plan – Exploration, Vision, Obstacles, Knowledge & Execution. Most of the life planner’s time will be focused on working at a deep level in the first three of these, then using their
verely reduced hotel trade during Semana Santa. In Sevilla alone, the expected tourism loss from this most important week of the year has been put at around €400 million. AEHCOS President Luis Callejon Sune said: “This volume of hotels will never be able to lift their heads again.”
Paper chase THE Government has ruled that you CAN still leave the house to pick up your newspaper of choice during the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown. Whether it’s the Olive Press, El Pais or Daily Mail you’re after, it is among the activities still considered ‘essential’ in Royal Decree 463/2020. Along with food, medication and other necessities, Article 10.1 specifies that people are still permitted to buy newspapers, despite many kiosks being closed. The Olive Press is found at many of our usual drops.
Chartered Financial Planner Jonathan Holdaway has just completed his life planning course and is channelling Henry Ford and John Lennon to beat coronavirus knowledge and experience in financial planning to deliver – or execute a life plan for a client. Before starting to develop their life plan, I will ask my client to do some ‘homework’ – including writing down as many of their life goals as possible, broken down into short, medium and longer term goals, as well as their ‘heart’s desires’. I will also ask them to answer three key questions. In the Exploration meeting we are trying to create a framework where the client is eager to pour forth everything that might be remotely significant to creating their financial life plan. Vision is where their life goals and heart’s desires will be explored along with their answers to three questions, the majority of the time being spent on the last one. Such is the power of these three questions – particularly the last one, as it encourages people to have a good look at the most important aspects of their lives, and it has inspired thousands of people to start new careers, take early retirement from their businesses and have experiences they will remember the rest of their lives. The third Obstacles meeting is where the rubber meets the road.
Henry Ford said that ‘obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal’. This could not be more pertinent in the current pandemic, which is currently ruling most of our lives. The Obstacles stage is often the most exciting – it’s where things really begin to happen. Where all the excuses we had for inaction, all our apologies, doubts and regrets, all our resentments, blames and complaints not only fade away but are actually transformed into action – action on all the things we care about most in our lives. Naturally the successful execution of the life plan will depend on certain action steps being accomplished at certain times – any slippages in either of these crucial elements may put the whole plan at risk. John Lennon once famously said ‘life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans’. Recognising the truth in these words of wisdom, financial life planners know that the final plan really may not be final at all. This is why they will regularly ‘check in’ with their client to ensure they are staying ‘on course’ to meet their goals and dreams as there will undoubtedly be changes in their lives and new obstacles will invariably crop up. In the current climate there has never been a better time to create your life and financial plan, so once we are through this coronavirus crisis you will be in a great position to move forward in a life that inspires and rewards you.
Jonathan now has an office Malaga, which can be found here: Alameda Colón, 9, 1, 7. 29001 Málaga, Spain
of interest. If you would like to contact Linea Directa please call 952 147 834. More information about Linea Directa online at www.lineadirecta.com
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Contact me by telephone or email for a free virtual ‘discovery’ meeting. Call me on +34 654 898 303/+44 77230 27864 or email me at jonathan. holdaway@chasebuchanan.com
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No walkabouts! LOCALS in Estepona were thrilled when they received a message saying they could go out in various streets to exercise. Supposedly sent from the town hall, the WhatsApp message insisted they could go out in groups of two, as long as they wore a mask. They were also told to keep 1.5m apart and only walk in five designated streets, including Calle Real and Calle Terraza. Unfortunately local police have now confirmed that the note was in fact a hoax and anyone found outside would be fined.
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Vol. 5, Issue 120 www.theolivepress.es April 15th - April 28th, 2020
A HAMLET in the region of Castilla y Leon has registered its first birth in 64 years. Victor Gonzalez, 34, and Viviana Palacios, 38, are the proud parents of baby Ivan who weighed just under 4kg. This birth was the first in Valcuende since 1956. The new family, who own a farm and keep cows, chickens, rabbits and pigs, are understood to be healthy and have all tested negative for coronavirus.
Breaking point Samurai wannabe
A WOMAN has been arrested TWICE today for violating the coronavirus lockdown by stripping naked in the street before mounting a police car. The 41-year-old was first cuffed at around 8.10pm in the Adolfo Suarez plaza in Torremolinos. Police had been alerted by concerned neighbours who reported a woman running naked in the street during the daily clap for healthcare
Lockdown pressures laid bare as residents break lockdown workers. The Spaniard was swiftly arrested and taken to see the on duty judge after police managed to persuade her to put her clothes back on. According to local reports, she was then released before immediately taking her
Death won’t us part!
AN elderly couple married for 65 years have made a complete recovery from Coronavirus. The pair, both 88, were hospitalised after falling ill just days after celebrating their auspicious anniversary with their seven children. After two weeks in hospital both on different floors - the
It’s a miracle!
GIBRALTAR
couple Jose Prieto and Guadalupe Matas, from Castilla la Mancha, were discharged
having made a full recovery. According to a doctor, Guadalupe refused to be discharged until her husband had made a full recovery too. They were released from the hospital together to rapturous applause and posed the following day from the balcony of their home.
clothes off and going on another streak. It comes after a Finnish expat was arrested in Malaga for breaking lockdown rules and running around in his birthday suit. Policia Nacional officers arrested the man in Fuengirola and charged him with repeated disobedience, as this was not the first time he had been caught breaking lockdown. The police received a call from a worried neighbour saying that a man was running around without any clothes, shouting he had coronavirus. Officers descended on the scene and located an ‘aggressive’ man who ignored their instructions, so they arrested him and charged him.
A TOPLESS man has threatened the police with two swords in Madrid. The Policia Nacional were called to the scene when the 45-year-old started brandishing two katanas and was threatening whoever tried to approach him. According to El Pais, he shouted “I am going to kill you all, you sons of bitches”. The riot police were then called to help with the arrest as he was deemed dangerous and eventually he was arrested and taken to Moratalaz police station.