Olive PRess Valencia Issue 30

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VALENCIA / COSTA AZAHAR FREE Vol. 1 Issue 30 www.theolivepress.es January 27th - February 9th 2022

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

FIND HIM!

American tourist sought over killing and dumping his wife in woods on Costa Blanca THE body of an American woman missing since Christmas has been discovered in a shallow grave on the Costa Blanca.

Police suspect that Yana Rose, 40, was beaten to death by her husband during a festive row on the Costa del Sol. Detectives worked closely with Cadiz and Italian police located her body buried in woods, just outside Alzira, near Gandia.

An international arrest warrant has been issued for husband, Michael Martin H, who is believed to have returned to the US, where the FBI has launched a manhunt.

The couple’s rental car was located at Milan airport on January 11, when he is understood to have flown back to

By Elena Goçmen Rueda

Denver.

Police have revealed that the 55-yearold appears to have driven his wife’s body six hours across Spain from their rented holiday home in Sotogrande just after Christmas.

They managed to locate the body in woodland, near Alzira hospital, at the weekend.

The couple had flown from America for a festive break touring around Europe, visiting Italy, France and Spain.

It is not known exactly where they stayed, but they certainly made it to a luxury apartment in Sotogrande for Christmas when Yana’s mother Nata-

HUNT: FBI is on trail of Michael Martin H, pictured with Yana lia spoke to her from America. ly woman called her son-in-law he But subsequent attempts to reach her claimed the couple had rowed and daughter failed and when the elder- Yana had gone off to visit a friend in Valencia.

He added that her phone was broken.

Open every day “My daughter, Yana, hasn’t been in touch with me or Closed Monday anyone we know since December 27,” Natalia wrote in an online appeal.

“She left after an argument with husband and has not come back since.”

The friend, who she had allegedly gone to visit near Valencia, reported her missing at Abastos police station, on January 9.

She told police that her friend, who is Russian, but has American citizenship, had never arrived to stay.

When police began to probe her whereabouts they found CCTV footage from the urbanization in Sotogrande showing Martin carrying something ‘very large and reservas@palaciodelabellota.com lumpy’ to his car, at 10pm, www.palaciodelabellota.com

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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

2

CRIME

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NEWS IN BRIEF Limit smasher A MOTORIST aged 55 failed an alcohol test after being pulled over for driving at 213 kph in a 120 kph zone on the AP-7 in Alicante.

Boss jailed JESUS GER, owner of the Marina d’Or hotel in Oropesa del Mar, has been jailed for two years after a 16-year-old girl drowned when her arm was sucked into a swimming pool water circulation pump inlet.

Bad taste DOG owners face a fine of €150 for letting their pets off the leash on Valencia’s huerta (market gardens), with the regional government saying dog poo is unhygienic in food growing areas.

Toll rises SOME 42 people died from COVID in the seven days up to Tuesday, with a total of 30,585 new cases confirmed in just 24 hours.

January 27th - February 9th 2022

Squatting battle leads to jail threat A LANDLORD faces criminal charges after hiring professionals to evict illegal squatters to reclaim his own properties in Valencia.

Charges include illegal occupation, coercion and assault after kicking the squatters out of two apartments in the middle of the night.

The property owner faces a

€7,200 fine while three men from a professional eviction firm face 12 years prison and €3,500 fines for minor injuries caused.

The owner, reportedly an estate agent, contracted the services of a Madrid-based company specialising in evictions of illegal squatters.

They are accused of breaking

By Joshua Parfitt

into two apartments in the Benicalap neighbourhood, wearing balaclavas and brandishing ‘knives’ and ‘steel bars’.

They threatened to ‘cut the heads off’ the squatters, two couples, who were forced to

Collared

sign a document agreeing to terms of their exit.

The company dedicated to evicting squatters denied the accusations.

“If there were laws that allowed for the rapid eviction of someone illegally occupying your home, there would be no need for companies like ours,” said the director. It comes as

Manhunt From Front page

Police snare one of Britain’s most wanted fugitives while he’s 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 track-

BELGIAN BAGGED

A BELGIAN man wanted for child sex abuse and pornography charges has been arrested in Alicante Province.

The 78-year-old fugitive was detained in Gran Alacant. He is accused of sexually assaulting a child aged under 13 on various occasions at his home in Begijnendijk, Belgium.

He is accused of corrupting minors and faces 20 years jail.

suit, 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 being 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.

He was one of the scheming masterminds behind a big drugs conspiracy to send €1.5 million of drugs to Grimsby.

Of the 11 felons left, two of them are believed to have

Spain faces ever-increasing complaints of illegal squatters with 13,389 records of occupations between January to September 2021.

Criminal and civil cases against illegal squatters can take months for courts to process and determine the property was occupied illegally.

strong links to the Costa Blanca with Calum Allan and James Stevenson linked to Alicante and Asim Naveed to ‘mainland Spain’.

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 public, sharing intelligence or deploying specialist capabilities, UK law enforcement and our Spanish partners are working as one to trace and arrest the other 11 fugitives.

If you know any of these men email newsdesk@theolivepress.es or call 951 273 575

on December 27.

Remarkably, they were able to locate the hire car company at Milan airport, which had kept GPS data for the couple’s entire holiday.

This, in turn, showed that the husband had spent long periods, over several nights, parked up by the patch of woodland in the grounds of a derelict mansion near Alzira.

Police quickly discovered the body buried in a shallow grave hidden under branches on Friday, January 21. It was naked and showed signs of bruising.

A post mortem is expected to show she had been badly beaten about the head and face.

Last night her mother Natalia told the Olive Press, she was ‘devastated’ with the death.

She confirmed the photo of Michael and added: “I can’t comment as the investigation is live, but thanks for your sympathy.”

NEWS

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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

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

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.

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.

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

January 27th - February 9th 2022

3

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.”

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4

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Carehome tragedy EIGHT residents died after a fire broke out at an elderly care home in Moncada, a town just north of Valencia city.

The devastating blaze killed six people as it ravaged the building late in the evening on January 17 while two others later died in hospital from their injuries.

Dozens of other residents and emergency workers were treated for burns and smoke inhalation after firefighters carried out 25 of the home’s 70 residents.

Sparked

www.thinkSPAIN.com

Investigators believe the fire was sparked by an electrical overload in a multiple plug socket in a second-floor bedroom where two of the residents died.

Fire chief José Basset said when his colleagues arrived, ‘there was a large number of people asking for help who were trapped by the smoke’.

A Guardia Civil civil spokesman praised the bravery of officers who ‘prioritised the lives of the elderly over their own’.

NEWS

January 27th February 9th 2022

LAST ROAR

ONE overweight lion and two suffering tigers have arrived in Valencia after escaping a life in a Portuguese travelling circus.

They are some of Portugal’s ‘last remaining’ exotic wild animals forced to perform for the public.

They had been shut away in cages measuring just six metres by six metres until finally rescued.

The creatures will now enjoy a life of retirement in a move that follows a strict prohibition on circus animals, which will become effective in Portugal from 2025.

“I do not believe this is a life for animals,” said animal sanctuary AAP Primadomus’ big cat specialist Pablo Delgado.

He drove with the three big cats to their new home in Villena.

The older tiger, Brine, showed signs of kidney failure and serious stress – but Delgado said his team is ‘proud’ to give these

Sanctuary at last for Portuguese circus tigers and lion

animals the ‘retirement’ they deserve. A 19-year old lion, Ilaria and a younger tiger called Foz

Lonely end

(11) accompanied 16-year-old Brine on the trip.

These are not the first Portuguese animals rescued by the sanctuary.

Elephants

THE body of a British man was found in his Murcia home after UK relatives could not contact him for three days.

The 68-year-old was found lying in his house on the Camposol urbanisation in Mazarron.

Worried family members decided to call a friend in the area to see if he could check up on him. The friend arrived at the house and saw the motionless resident through a window.

Firefighters forced open the front door and attending paramedics could only confirm death.

Last year it transferred three crocodiles, a boa constrictor and three pythons to Karpin Abentura in the Basque Country and a reptile sanctuary in Germany.

Currently there remain just two elephants, one lion and one tiger yet to be handed over to Portuguese authorities.

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NEWS

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Speedy route A NEW high-speed ‘lowcost’ rail service between Valencia and Madrid will begin on February 21.

Tickets are now on sale for the Avlo service, which is run by state operator Renfe, which already has the more delux AVE fast trains on the same route.

Services will depart from Valencia at 09.28, 16:15 and 21:10 hours and from Madrid at 06:30, 12.40 and 18.40 hours. Up to 2,200 seats will be available on the daily services with ticket prices starting from €7 oneway in some promotional offers.

Discounts

The average price for a oneway fare will come in at around €40 to €50. Reductions for children and family discounts will be available.

Prices also include a free cabin suitcase and a bag.

Additional charges are made for extra cases and designated seating.

Only one service each-way will be non-stop.

The other four journeys involve stops at Cuenca in Castilla-La Mancha and the Requena-Utiel station in the Valencia region. Non-stop services between Madrid and Valencia will be just under 1 hour and 40 minutes.

January 27th - February 9th 2022

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.

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 humour,

CHALLENGE: Stewart family approaching el Valero farm miscommunication, inspira- audiences will fall for its charm, tion, challenges, and gratitude. as much as we have.”

And all set against the gorgeous He added it would make for Andalucian backdrop. I think ‘captivating television’.

No details have yet been released on who might be given the role of Chris, Ana or their daughter Chloe but filming will take place on location in the Alpujarras during 2022. day cumulative rate falling by 91 The Olive Press has frequentpoints to 3,306 cases per 100,000 ly visited (and stayed) at the people. amazing farm, el Valero, hidden There are currently 18,918 COVID in a fold of the foothills of the Sipatients hospitalised, representerra Nevada and only reachable ing a 15% occupation of hospital on foot. beds in Spain.

Stewart, a keen environmentalist, has also written a number of Of those, 2,243 are in intensive hard-hitting pieces on sustaincare occupying 23.7% of ICU beds. ability and corruption in Spain.

PEAKING AT LAST 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-

5

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.

Holy Hyena 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.

6

www.theolivepress.es Voted top expat paper in Spain

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

OPINION 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.

T

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

I

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

L

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

B

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 27th - February 9th 2022

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7

FORGING AHEAD

T

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

E

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!

Y

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

C

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.

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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

January 27th - February 9th 2022

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

8

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)

All solutions are on page 22

10

GREEN

www.theolivepress.es

January 27th - February 9th 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.

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

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Matters

By Martin Tye

LA CULTURA A turnip for the books

January 27th February 9th 2022

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

11

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

12

T

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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January 27th - February 9th 2022

Laying down the Law How a black American became the first to lead an integrated battalion during the 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 VISIT ONLINE or IN PERSON that it was an historic moment Email: info@thebedcentre.com – a black man was placed in www.thebedcentre.com charge of a largely white unit for Tel: 965 836 814 the first time in U.S. history. We want the world to share in the FREE DELIVERY pride that we feel’.

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LA CULTURA

T

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

1. What were 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.

die for their ideological beliefs.

Those on the left wing of the spectrum viewed it as an opportunity to fight Fascism.

2. Who organised the International Brigades?

T

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.

January 27th - February 9th 2022

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.

13

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?

P

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?

Y

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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January 27th February 9th 2022

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.

PSG star Lionel Messi snaps up hotel in Sotograne, but runs into trouble with town mayor

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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.

“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.”

Messi’s hotel empire, man-

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BOUGHT: Messi has acquired the Hotel Club Maritimo in Sotogrande aged by Majestic Hotel Group since 2017, already has up-market establishments in Ibiza, Mallorca, Sitges and Andorra.

This is the sixth hotel acHOME 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.

quired 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.

Prefab haven

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 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.

MANSION FOR A SONG - SORT OF 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.

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16

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 27th - February 9th 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

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

Best burger

A VALENCIAN restaurant has won the title of Spain’s best hamburger for the second year running.

The chain of two restaurants in Valencia city only started up during the COVID pandemic, but won a sensational following with its home deliveries.

Now at premises on Micer Masco Masco, 22, and in the gastronomic market at Mercabanyal, on calle Eugenia Viñes, HUNDRED has again won the award for Spain’s best hamburger.

HUNDRED also recently won the regional VLC Burger Showdown with a hamburger consisting of 200gr dry-aged beef, cherry-smoked cheddar, caramelised bacon, salted caramel peanut butter and homemade BBQ sauce.

HUNDRED bake their burger buns each morning and prepare the burger meat fresh each day.

January 27th - February 9th 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.

Want an escape from the busy costas? A weekend in romantic Ronda will revive your senses.

Ronda Romantic Apartments is the answer

run to the hills

Visit amazing Ronda Romantica apartments - ranked 9.7 on Booking.com and 5* on airbnb - via www.alcantarilla.co.uk or call 654 152 122

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.

17

Orange anger ORANGE farmers say crop prices have collapsed because of cheap imports from South Africa and supermarkets getting rock-bottom deals.

The Alicante Young Farmers group, Asaja, says that a kilo of locally-grown Navelina oranges is now sold at a wholesale price of just seven cents per kilo, compared to 20 cents in previous years.

Spain is Europe's biggest exporter of oranges but in recent years has been hit by importers across the EU from South Africa which has taken advantage of a trade deal struck with Asaja says the unfair competition means that supermarket chains are profiteering with 1,900% margins.

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

18

January 27th - February 9th 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

I

THE DELIGHTFUL DOZEN!

1

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.

2

BAGA - Jaen

I

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

4

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

5

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.

6

7 BALUARTE - Soria

T

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 27th - February 9th 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

9I

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.

10

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

19

12

VORO Canyamel (Mallorca)

Y

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

• SO BR ETAB LA S, Se vi lla • CA NA BO TA , Sevi lla • DI VE RXO, M ad rid • DS TAGE , M ad rid • M ON TE SA N FE LI Z, Ov ie do • AZ UR M EN DI . Bi lb ao • CA SA M AR CI AL , As tu ria s • DR OM O, Ba da jo z • AR RE LS , Sa gu nt o • ATAL AYA, Al co ss eb re • O CA M IN O DO IN GL ES , Fe rr ol

20

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

January 27th - February 9th 2022

MAJESTIC

W

HEN the UN names an obscure town in the coldest corner of Valencia as one of the top 44 tourism villages in the world – during a ceremony attended by the Spanish president – it’s time to take note.

During a glitzy ceremony in Madrid, the UN’s World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) unveiled

Morella (population 200) among its 44 top picks (from 32 countries) worth visiting this year.

Each of the 44 villages – Spain only has two – stand out for their beauty and have the key things that ensure a future for your children.

Things like ‘conservation of cultural resources’, ‘economic sustainability’, ‘environmental

sustainability’ and something called ‘Tourism Potential and Development and Value Chain Integration’.

“Tourism can be a driver of social cohesion and inclusion by promoting a fairer distribution of benefits throughout the territory and empowering local communities,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili

ORNATE: The entrance to Morella’s church

Big team effort behind five-star relaunch of the Villa Magna in in Madrid’s ritzy Barrio Salamanca, writes Jon Clarke

Style and substance A

THREE Michelin-star Navarran chef, a Spanish architect and an Australian design team have united to create the most exciting ho-

Luxury

HOTEL AND RESTAURANT

T

heir smart, casual uniforms stretch to Peaky Blinder hats for the kitchen staff, who are visible at all times, particularly in the excellent main restaurant, Las Brasas de Castellana, which also doubled as our breakfast venue.

A lovely dining room with three large divisions, it skillfully uses mirrors and shiny olive marble partitions to create both space and intimacy. In warm weather the main doors lead out onto a terrace that sits in the shade of the gardens.

I loved watching the legion of chefs at work, their frequent flashes of flame and trio of roaring ovens, their copper pans making up the scene.

The menu was comprehensive and Spanish in flavour, starting with a decent Tapas section with the likes of Razor clams and Russian salad, as well as a spicy Galician Beef Tartare, with pickles and capers and served with whole grain toast. As well as a real kick, it also came with a generous serving of excellent French Fries.

The fact that the provenance of the restaurant’s partners are displayed clearly on the menu is important to note. The

tel opening in Madrid this winter.

Sprinkle in an Italian mixologist, an English art firm and an American sense of individualism, and you’ve

L

uxury is very much the tenet of its 154 rooms and suites, which have slept numerous royals and celebrities in the past, including Brad Pitt, Justin Timberlake and Madonna.

Well appointed with a contemporary feel, each has a series of upholstered chairs and sofas, plus, in some, desks and two widescreen TVs. Our fifth-floor suite was particularly spacious, helped by a series of distressed mirrors and wall to wall windows looking out onto the treetops and skyline. It also featured a Marshall amp radio, a coffee machine and a legion of teas, plus fresh milk handily at the ready.

Among other original touches was a gin and tonic table, set up ready to go. Tempting and dangerous in equal measures, as many attempt Dry January.

Peaky Blinders of Las Brasas

butter from Cantabria and the eggs from Avicola Redondo, in Avila, stood out for their quality, in particular.

While the puddings were disappointing as they so often are in Spain, a good value three course set lunch at €38 will inevitably bring in the locals from around the barrio, particularly when it features such great specials as Confit Duck Risotto.

got the perfect ingredients for a magical stay in the capital.

Welcome to the fivestar Rosewood Villa Magna, which has just

I

t’s a coup to sign Spain’s most recent three Michelin star chef Jesus Sanchez, for his first Madrid restaurant. And Amos, as it is called, mirroring his Cantabrian temple of gourmet Cenador de Amos, is currently excellent value.

A nine-course menu degustation comes in at just €87, while a three course lunch is €67. Make the most of it, as it certainly won’t be long before Sanchez’ team of talented chefs win their first star going on the quality at play after only eight weeks.

Forget chemistry and food fads, Amos is about beautiful ingredients treated with respect.

Hence we ate a wonderful oxtail stew inside a tempura stalk of chard and a clever deconstructed tortilla Espano. A ‘perfecto de pato’ (right) was delicious, while

As with any five star hotels, you’d expect there to be a cocktail bar… but not a mixologist perhaps, like Carlo Proverbio (right).

Not just a great name, this former Chemistry graduate from northern Italy (Alba to be exact, the home of truffles and Barolo wine) could be a better signing for Madrid than Paolo Dybala (Juventus).

For starters, he has completely created the bar menu, drinks, meals and snacks… and he has made it fun, to

been through a stunning 15-month refurbishment, befitting the famous hotel that first opened in 1972 out of a 19th century palace.

Amazing Amos

a sirloin steak in a Picon Bejes-Tresviso cheese sauce was mountain marvellous.

Mixmaking magic

boot.

In particular, this well-travelled Italian has invented a tasting of Negronis, where you try three of six versions, based around his globetrotting… each paired with a dish. Without spoiling it, you’ve got everything from Indonesia to Brazil in the mix. And it works.

But forget the pomp and grandeur of its more famous five-star neighbours up the road, the Villa Magna is a celebration of style coupled with the very best of Iberian substance.

Cool lines, contemporary interventions and a duet of colour and light, you know you are in for something different as you ascend the sweeping stone staircase from the treelined Paseo Castellana, which gets even more dramatic at night.

A stylemeister’s dream, Spanish architect Ramon de Arana has combined perfectly with local landscape designer Gregorio Marañon to create a harmonious arrival, with a pair of angular pools accentuating its century-old cedar pine and carob trees. The high bar is maintained through the reception with its beautiful backdrop inspired by Basque fashion designer Balenciaga, while the other half dozen curated spaces of the ground floor add to the magic.

Each communicating cleverly, via a series of openings and passageways, they include a pair of restaurants, a central outdoor atrium and a vanguard bar, while a spa and gym take up the basement.

Lighting is key, in particular a collection of hanging pendants, while two giant Art Deco lamps luminate the dining area. All thanks to Australian team BAR Studio, who recently set up in Madrid.

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

MORELLA

January 27th - February 9th 2022

21

Why visiting Morella lets you bask in Spain’s entire history while doing your bit for the planet

Route 99 during the General Assembly.

“This initiative recognises those villages committed to making tourism a strong driver of their development and wellbeing”.

SO WHY VISIT MORELLA?

Morella – a history dating back to the dinosaurs Morella has featured in every major epoch of Spanish history: including 19th century battles over who gets to be king,

the Reconquest of Spain from the Moors, the Visigothic era, cave paintings and dinosaurs.

There’s a dinosaur museum right next to the Sant Miquel church and a dinosaur-themed Escape Room for the children (and adult-children) among us.

This means you can get your fix of Spain’s entire history neatly tucked within 2,500m of medieval-era walls.

Of particular interest for history buffs is the Battle of Morella of 1084 where the Spanish legend El Cid fought in the service

of Yusuf al-Mu’taman ibn Hud (a Muslim!) against Sancho Ramírez of Aragon.

The incredible fortress atop Morella’s main 1000m-high hill changed hands a few times before Valencia’s main conqueror-hero – Rei Jaume I – established a royal garrison in the city in 1239.

Some time later Morella decided Don Carlos María Isidro Benito de Bourbon (try saying that after a sherry) should be king.

Baby Queen Isabella II didn’t

like that, apparently, so her mother ordered troops to fling ‘19,000 projectiles’ against the walls of Morella and crack it open.

That the fortress is still standing is a miracle.

You can visit Morella’s castle for €3.50 from Monday to Sunday at the following times: • •

11:00–17:00 (winter) 11:00–19:00 (summer)

See Morella’s official tourist website (in English) for more info: https://www.morella.net/ morellaturistica/en/

Morella – great outdoors and great food (if you like blood-spouting mushrooms) Since the UN declared Morella a sustainable place to visit, there’s plenty of outdoorsy activities to be had.

There are numerous walking, biking and hiking trails which Morella’s tourism office has prepared for you on the website (in English too).

There’s also a multi-adventure circuit called Saltapins just 4km out of town – including highlights like ‘hanging stirrups’, zip lines over 100m long and a Tibetan bridge.

Truffles

If you had walking a Tibetan bridge on your list of New Year’s Resolutions, then great, here is your chance.

If none of this is your thing, Morella is also a centre of traditional foods like jamon, cheese and black truffles.

Between January and March restaurants along the shaded medieval streets of Morella offer elaborate menus where you can taste black truffles with the traditional scrambled eggs, meat stews, homemade patés, liquors and even ice creams and cakes.

Morella is also a fantastic place to taste traditional wild game like boar and rabbit, and in autumn has piles of the Valencian delicacy of the ‘blood-spouting mushroom’ esclatasang (it tastes better than it sounds).

According to Morella’s tourism website the village ‘smells of sweets’ due to its pastries based on traditional Arabic recipes, such as the flaó.

This pastry is described as the ‘king of pastries’ and is a sweet pie stuffed with cheese curd and almonds.

GRAND: Morella has a wonderful casco historico

DESTINATION: Covetes dels Moros in Carricola

Ingenious travel plan to battle depopulation in Valencia’s interior, writes Josh Parfitt

VALENCIA has announced its very own ‘Camino de Santiago’ where travellers win stamps of recognition through 24 villages.

But rather than leading towards the bones of St James, in Galicia, the ‘Ruta 99’ trail leads travellers towards Valencian villages in critical danger of depopulation.

Each of the two dozen villages have fewer than 99 inhabitants and are suffering from rural poverty and low birth rates.

Under a campaign ‘Connect with your interior’ a new website maps out each location’s ‘value and attractions’ including top restaurants, hotels, historical sites and natural areas.

Highlights include the stunning Pozo Negro waterfall in Fuentes de Ayodar, the Moorish ‘hanging’ caves near Carricola and Matet, famous for its high-quality ‘liquid gold’ olive oil.

Pilgrimage-style stamps can be collected along the way at each village, with different awards issued depending on the type of journey.

The Valencian Community has 180 municipalities at risk of depopulation – 60% in Castellon have fewer than 200 inhabitants.

The Ruta 99 connects the smallest of these, starting in Castellon’s Els Ports region (Herbes, Palanques, Vallibona, Villores).

It then heads into the Baix Maestrat (Castell de Cabres) into Alto Palancia (Higueras, Matet, Pavias, Sacañet) and into Alto Mijares (Espadilla, Fuente la Reina, Fuentes de Ayodar, Torralba del Pinar, Torrechiva, Vallat, Villamalur, Villanueva de Viver).

In Valencia province the route continues through the Rincon de Ademuz (Puebla de San Miguel) and the Vall d’Albaida (Sempere, Carricola).

Villages in Alicante province include the Comptat region (Benillup, Benimassot, Famorca and Tollos).

Visit www.ruta99.gva.es for more information.

AMAZING INTERIOR: At Pozo Negro

22

HEALTH

January 27th - February 9th 2022

GET FIT IN YOUR LIVING ROOM 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 (https://www.insure4sport. c o . u k / b l o g / t h e - b e s t - yo u tube-fitness-channels/).

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

Wanna avoid COVID? There are so many online fitness options to help get your body in shape after the festive excesses, writes Jo Chipchase 10-minute HIIT classes for busy people.

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 cheap – the static bikes cost 1,195 euros, or 549 euros for the lower model, and a year’s subscription costs 400 euros.

Zwift (www.zwift.com) offers ‘200km of roads across five worlds’, and competitive online cycling challenges, for 14.99 euros 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.

Many exist, such as the Reggaeton-themed https:// www.youtube.com/

watch?v=fuaBlvesZO4. Most providers upload some free content, but you must buy membership to access the premium rides.

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.

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 Adriene’ – accompanied by her cute dog.

Adriene has recently uploaded a free 30day 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 10e 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 online training.

There’s just so much that can go wrong. I teach anatomy, so I am aware of potential issues.”

Diet If you’re on an exercise regime, controlling your diet is important. Remember: move more and eat less!

The ‘My Fitness Pal’ app provides a database of 14 million foods and features a QR code scanner for food labels.

The ‘Lose It!’ app is also popular. Or pay a visit to https://www.fooducate.com/

Is online exercise for you?

PROS s than 3 Usually costs les, with es ss cla l ica ys ph at membership starting nth mo r 3 euros pe 3 No Covid risk need to 3 Convenient – no st actibe ur yo in dress gym vewear or drive to a CONS on / 2 Lack of motivati a boeasy to abandon ring class e op2 The spinning bik ive ns pe ex tions are you do 2 Risk of injury if g. on wr s ise erc ex the

OP Puzzle solutions

Quick Crossword

Across: 7 Perish, 8 Houses, 9 Glam, 10 Torquay, 11 Pyjama, 13 Abode, 15 Pic, 17 Snare, 18 Opaque, 20 Circled, 21 Came, 22 Dorsal, 23 Shrunk.

Down: 1 Wesleyan, 2 Firm, 3 The Trap, 4 Chart, 5 Suburbia, 6 Very, 12 Airbrush, 14 Drummond, 16 Coldest, 19 Slyly, 20 Cool!, 21 Cert.

SUDOKU

W

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.

HEALTH

23

January 27th - February 9th 2022

AND BEND AND BREATHE...

CHAMPAGNE and Ferrero Rocher felt like sive way to practice yoga more and a usean excellent self care program for the first ful tool to ‘mix into the practice’. week of Christmas, but by the end of the Her core belief that yoga is about ‘celeReyes, while their appeal had not palled, brating our individuality and not about their effects certainly had. competition’ might also be embodied by Long hill walks had kept my step count sometimes practicing alone. up (essential in our intra-marital compeI have also certainly found that by being tition) and strengthened my legs, but they less self conscious at home and without had allowed my stomach and arms a comany need for competition, I both connect pletely free ride on what were increasingly more deeply to my feelings and respect tight and painful hips. my physical limits better.

So, on the morning of Jan 7 it was defiAnd if it were purely self practice, without nitely time to roll out the yoga mat. the structure of a teacher led sequence, I I have been propping up my phone to folwould stay far too comfortably within my range. low yoga videos online for four years.

The only issue I have had with online classInitially, it was to manage an old back injury that I had re-inflamed by es is my own inconsistency. wielding a hoe in my garden.

My motivation has waxed and Later it was to stay fit and in waned with great irregularity Very small shape. and even eventually paying a Free yoga videos online have changes to your yearly subscription to one of completely changed the landmy favourite teachers Cole scape, and become a lifeline Chance was not enough to routine bring to many people during the align my desire for action with remarkable two years of pandemic. the act itself.

It takes no more effort than A book I would recommend is results looking up yoga channels Atomic Habits by James Clear on YouTube and choosing a (available on Amazon) on 15-minute tutorial for a pain‘how to build good habits and ful lower back, or whatever is your afflicbreak bad ones’. tion.

The main tenet is that very small changObviously the enormous amount of free es to your routine, just a 1% improvement content online means that the choice can per day, bring remarkable results. He also be overwhelming, but it does give you the advises that you choose who you want to opportunity to experiment with different be, not what you want to achieve. teachers and explore yoga styles.

By implementing some of his strategies I Natalie Farrel, a yoga and wellness coach have finally managed to get on the mat based in Sotogrande agrees that they are four to five times a week throughout the a ‘great resource’ not only for beginners, pandemic. but also for more advanced yogis too.

The main changes I made were to put my She has also observed that many men yoga clothes on first thing every morning, start in this way because they feel less have my mat out, allocate the daily sesself conscious then in an open class. sion to a specific time and place and also And she adds that it is also an inexpento share the practice with a friend.

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, per-

sonal 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 fol-

low 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 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

Gabriella Chidgey checks out the best online yoga videos to get into the 2022 health groove

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New player

FINAL WORDS

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.

Top spot SPAIN produced the best football managers in the world over the past decade, with 10 European tournament wins, alongside eight league wins in foreign leagues, according to Sports Pub betting site.

Your expat

Digging deep

voice in Spain

VALENCIA / COSTA AZAHAR FREE Vol. 1 Issue 30 www.theolivepress.es January 27th - February 9th 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

PRESENTED BY

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.