Olive Press Newspaper - Issue 173 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

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the Consul: Beware of moving to Spain BRITAIN’S new consul for Andalucia has warned people to ‘think carefully’ before moving to Spain. In her first interview in Spain, Charmaine Arbouin told the Olive Press that it was definitely ‘more challenging’ living in Spain today than a decade ago. She confirmed that work for expats had ‘really fallen away’ and that quite a number of them now needed assistance. She said she was also hugely ‘sympathetic’ for the owners of the recently demolished homes in Almeria and said she and her team were working hard to try and prevent any more demolitions. My full circle to Malaga, page 8

PRINCESS PROBED

EMBATTLED Princess Cristina (above) is to have her affairs once more put under the microscope. Spanish courts have decided to go through every bank transaction she made over the last decade. As part of the ongoing Noos investigation, Judge Castro has ordered that all her outgoings and income needs to be inspected, particularly in relation to the company Aizoon, for which she and her husband the Duke of Palma worked. Investigators have accused her husband and his business partner of embezzling millions of euros by submitting inflated bills for events organised. The news is the latest in a long line of embarrassments that have sullied the reputation of Spain’s Royal Family. See our special feature The Disgraced Dozen on page 6.

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CHANGED MAN: before Clinton hours today. attack and (top) In hospital (left)

three his right eye, despite face. operations on his released the Incredibly policeafter. attacker the day his email “They just took he said. and mobile number” a statement “They didn’t get get one from him and didn’t they claim from me either as me – but I they couldn’t find night.” that hospital in was to appear in Clinton is due on October Marbella court for a 2 with three witnesses committal hearing. hearing is But, he insists the the two set to go ahead minus assailants.

Dangers

told me that “My lawyer has unable to police have beenalthough we trace them and and a busihave one name Tangier we ness address in will turn don’t think either up,” he said. the at“After reading about Zanlith in tack on Nicole I wanted to the Olive Press tell my stocome forward to need to be ry. Young people dangers in the about warned the Port. really care“They need to be talking to ful who they start because you on nights out could hapnever know what pen, as I have discovered. emotional “It’s been a hugely for me, and traumatic yearit on anyand I wouldn’t wish one.”

A BENEFIT fraudster exposed by the Olive Press while on the run in Spain has been arrested. Norman Brennan, 70, fled Britain in 2008 after pleading guilty to embezzling almost £120,000 in false benefit claims. He spent five years on the Costa del Sol, until he was tracked down in Mijas by the Olive Press in 2011. We had stepped in to inves-

with a change in the case number, Clinton’s lawyer Juan Domingo was unable to find the correct paperwork and it took nine months before the case randomly reappeared. Outside the court, Domingo told the Olive Press: “I am shocked at what has happened. The authorities have bungled the case and it has taken nine months for us to get to this stage. It’s shocking. “I really hope the police are able to track down Yassine El Afif, who failed to appear.” Clinton added: “I just hope they can find him. It’s been a traumatic nine months for both me and my family.”

MAIMED: Clinton at court and (left) our front page front story

GOTCHA! tigate after the Junta, police and government failed to act on tip-offs from his neighbours. We drew attention to the case and spoke to Scotland Yard, but incredibly nothing was done. That was until earlier this

Souter guilty COSTA DEL SOL journalist Mike Souter is due to be sentenced this Thursday after being found guilty of a string of child sex offences. The 60-year-old, who worked for BBC Norfolk and Sur in English is facing a long custodial sentence, according to the Judge. He was also convicted of making and possessing indecent images of children. In total, Souter was found guilty of 26 charges. During the trial Souter was dubbed a “sexual deviant”, who was obsessed with young boys in shorts. Police are now investigating further cases, including some which allegedly took place abroad.

month when Work and Pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith intervened in the case, after our story was picked up by Sky News. Merseyside Police announced the Liverpudlian pensioner had been arrested.

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HEATWAVE FORECAST FOR DECEMBER! IT will be the heart of the winter, but a heatwave is coming to Marbella. Yes, one of the most popular soul bands of the 70s, Heatwave are set to play a sell out show at the Hotel Don Carlos on December 14. The band, who had a string of hits including Always and Forever and Boogie Nights, are also

Shakira plays ball COLOMBIAN songstress Shakira was spotted playing basketball during a recent stay in Spain. The 36-year-old beauty, who recently gave birth to her first child, shunned the latest celebrity workout trends in favour of a sweaty session on the basketball court in Barcelona. Shakira and her boyfriend, footballer Gerard Pique, have a house in the city´s Esplugues de Llobregat district.

PAM SEES RED

Romp inspired Rascal

Baywatch beauty joins petition to fight bullfighting bill By Claire Wilson BAYWATCH star Pamela Anderson has joined the growing anti-bullfighting movement. The Hollywood pin-up claims the sport is ‘cruel’ and ‘perverse’. Following a recent trip to Spain, the star penned a letter to the government asking it to reject a bill to protect the popular pastime and make it eligible for state subsidies. Parliament is set to vote on the new law next month, which would give it official protection status under culture rules.

Hair-brained Javier JAVIER BARDEM has attributed his acting success to his different haircuts. The Spanish actor, who is married to actress Penelope Cruz, said his hairstyles really help him to get into character. The 44-year-old added the way his locks look adds to the portrayal of a screen personality. Bardem, whose roles have included baddie Raoul Silva in Bond film Skyfall, told Total Film: “As an actor, I’m always attracted to people I can relate to, and people who have very specific things to say about themselves, whether flaws or virtues. The hair is part of that.”

playing at the Clock House in San Pedro, Alicante on December 16. Heatwave are currently touring with Alexander O’Neal, and opened for Earth, Wind and Fire on tour in the UK last year. Tickets are on sale now from the hotline 966792595 or at www.heatwavepromotions.com.

UK RAPPER Dizzee Rascal has attributed his chart success to a one-night stand in Spain. The chart-topper said his hit single My Something Really Bad was about a night of passion in Ibiza. Dizzee said women have been a constant source of inspiration to him throughout his 10-year career, but added it wasn’t always easy to charm the ladies. He said: “Sometimes girls come to punish you. They say ‘I bet you get this all the time’ so they lead you on then say ‘well not me’!”

Romantic rollercoaster

Dark Ages

RUNNING TO THE RESCUE: Pam

She wrote: “There is nothing remotely entertaining about stabbing bulls to death in bullfighting arenas.” “Tormenting bulls for entertainment belongs to the Dark Ages not the 21st century.” The star had been visiting Spain to surprise her ‘biggest fan’ Mario Vaquerizo, husband of pop star Alaska, for a popular TV show. Pamela Anderson is a keen animal rights activist, and has worked on behalf of charity PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). She has joined a list of Hollywood and British actors who have protested over the sport. It was banned in Catalunya and the Canary Islands last year.

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S And P

Mobo gets his gong! COLOURFUL iTalk boss Maurice Boland was honoured by the Red Cross Malaga with the Bronze Medal for his continued support of the charity. ‘Mobo’ became the first expat to receive the award, which he accepted on behalf of all charity volunteers.

EVA LONGORIA and ex Eduardo Cruz have been spotted holding hands, sparking rumours their relationship is back on. Spaniard Cruz, brother of actress Penelope, and Longoria enjoyed lunch in New York,

before heading off for a romantic stroll around the city. The pair first split in March 2012, and got back together only to split again in June 2012. They were also spotted together in January this year.

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NEWS

IT WAS NOT A STAGED PHOTO, CLAIMS CAPA FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE FINAL SHOT. Fallen Soldier by Robert Capa (above)

IT is one of the most iconic war photographs of all time. But, the image by Robert Capa taken during the Spanish Civil War has been shrouded in controversy for years, with critics claiming it was nothing more than staged propaganda. Now the famous photographer has been heard talking publicly for the first time in decades, insisting that the picture Fallen Soldier is entirely authentic. In a sensational recently rediscovered radio interview from 1947, Capa actually explained the chronology of the events that led up to the death. The interview – which is the only known recording of the photographer’s voice - was bought on eBay by his biographer Richard Whelan. Discovered in an estate sale, it has now been released by New York’s the International Centre of Photography. In the remarkable recording, Capa explains how he had taken it from a trench with 20 young Republicans, near the town of Cerro Muriano, above Cordoba.

By Liam Kirkaldy “My milicianos had been shooting in the direction of the machine gun for five minutes, then stood up, said ‘vamanos’ , got out the trench and began to go after the machine gun. “Sure enough, the gun opened up and mowed them down. “This happened three or four times, so the fourth time I just kind of held my camera above my head, didn’t look, and clicked a picture. “I stayed in Spain for three months and when I came back I was a very famous photographer, because the camera caught a man at the moment he was shot. “That was probably the best photo I ever took.” He added: “The war was kind of romantic. It was in Andalucia and those people were very green – they were not soldiers – and they were dying every minute. “I figured it was for liberty, and the right kind of fight.”

Outrage over ‘Safari’ plan THE government is preparing to sell off one of Andalucia’s most valuable public estates to create a hunting, polo and golf macroproject. Plans are well advanced for the €200m auction of the enormous La Almoraima estate, near Sotogrande. The government envisages ‘a Ritz-style’ grand resort, replete with two golf courses, private airport and a hunting zone for the estate, in Castellar de la Frontera. Despite united opposition the development and critics arguing that it would endanger the important environmental values of Almoraima, the sale is scheduled before the end of the year. Bids are expected between €180 and €250 million for the 141km square estate - one of Spain’s largest - which sits largely (90%) inside the Alcor-

Critics slam development for the super rich planned for valuable hunting estate - one of Spain’s largest - inside the Alcornocales Natural Park nocales Natural Park. “Here I see a Ritz, a Four Seasons or a Mandarin Oriental, a great resort,” said Isabel Ugalde, manager of the resort. “There would be no resort in Europe as big as this.” The plan to sell the estate first had lift off under the government of Jose Luis Zapatero in 2010. An initial proposal envisages a five star hotel, at least two golf courses, a polo pitch, horse riding and an air strip. An existing dozen buildings inside the protected area of the estate would be turned into exclusive lodges for tourists, which could be used for hunting. The estate, which was ex-

Manilva Mayor Back in Court MANILVA’S controversial mayor Antonia Munoz has been ordered back to court. Judge Mariana Peregrina has informed Munoz, who still heads up the council – that she must answer allegations that she gave jobs to friends and family via the town hall. Her own IU party have already withdrawn their support over the case and have urged her to resign.

UNSPOILT: Almoraima propriated from disgraced tycoon Jose Maria Ruiz-Mateos in 1983, has long hosted hunts of deer and wild boar. “It will be nothing more than an exclusive hunting estate” said current mayor of Castellar Juan Casanova Correa (IU). “They want to offer the concept of safaris in Europe. That clients arrive by private jet and head off hunting. “It is a model that we are fundamentally opposed to. We intend to block it every step of the way.” Critics will also draw parallels with the infamous Los Merinos project, near Ronda, built in a Unesco protected area alongside the Sierra de las Nieves natural park. While currently on hold, it would have seen 1000 houses and three luxury hotels built in an area of virgin woodland.

the olive press - October 30 - November 13 2013

OPINION Not a gas “IF I see you again there’ll be trouble!” is something you’d expect a policeman to say to a youngster. Not a pair of fraudsters preparing to rip off an unsuspecting pensioner to the tune of €300. Surely the police cannot have more important things to do than prosecute fake gasmen with fake IDs and fake uniforms? But then again perhaps they were en route to pick up speeding fines, or maybe they were late for their breakfast. Luckily, at least, the conmen got a nasty lesson from gutsy expat Rose Marie, who refused to let them get away with it. And it is our pleasure to parade their mugs on the front page of our paper this issue, in the hope it will prevent others losing out.

Let’s not get carried away With signs of green shoots emerging in the Spanish economy it is easy to feel optimistic in the south of Spain. But despite reported quarterly growth of 0.1%, it is important to keep in mind that the people living in the shadow of these figures are still struggling. The heartbreaking story of a woman who felt compelled to offer her kidney to keep up with her mortgage payments should act as a warning to any politician preparing to celebrate the reported recovery. A new soup kitchen opening up in the emblematic town of Ronda further sums up how things feel on the ground. Claims of growth mean little to families struggling with the effects of the eurozone crisis, or to young people confronted by the still staggeringly high levels of youth unemployment. Andalucia is home to 3.5 million people living in poverty and – unlike in the recent past – any upcoming economic growth must be driven with the human consequences in mind.

FEATURE

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The damaged dozen

It has been a definite annus horribilis for the Spanish Royal Family with a continuing corruption enquiry and a recent poll showing that 41% of Spaniards no longer support the monarchy. With the House of Borbon under closer scrutiny than ever before, the Olive Press takes a closer look at a dozen of Spain’s key royals

PUBLIC FACE: Recent official photos allude to happier times

Spoiling the broth

King Juan Carlos

Queen Sofia

The sight of cookery students having to take their classes in the car park at La Consula, Andalucia’s most famous catering college is a depressing one. Once a private villa where Hemingway and Lawrence Olivier liked to unwind, in more recent years it has become one of Spain’s leading cooking schools, counting a number of Michelin stars on its roster. Yes, of course, the economic crisis has been hitting businesses and state-run facilities hard, but should the authorities really be punishing students? Particularly, given that some of these pupils are highly likely to go on and represent Andalucia in the world of catering. In an era when tourism and food has been one rare shining light for the region, it is about as short sighted as allowing fast food chains to run school kitchens

Only a few years ago King Juan Carlos seemed beyond reproach. One of Europe’s most popular monarchs, he even won the admiration of republicans for his role in Spain’s peaceful transition to democracy in the 1970s after four decades of dictatorship. Putting paid to a military coup attempt in 1981 only added to his popularity. But since then there has been a series of public relations disasters. It all began with an otherwise innocuous fall during a big game trip in Africa.

Queen Sofia is probably Spain’s most popular royal. But it wasn’t always that way. Until a series of articles exposed the king’s philandering last year, the consensus was that Sofía was cold and distant, and too Germanic like her mother, Queen Frederica, the granddaughter of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Prussia. “She hates bullfighting, she hates soccer, she hates flamenco,” one well known socialite once said. But these days, the Spanish have come to admire her for stoically enduring her husband’s affairs, some allegedly having lasted for years. For all intents and purposes, the King and Queen now lead separate lives. Sofia is said to spend weeks at a time in London, visiting Greek royals King Constan-

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A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in southern Spain - 200,000 copies distributed monthly (130,000 digitally) with an estimated readership, including the website, of more than 500,000 people a month. Luke Stewart Media S.L - CIF: B91664029 Urb Casares del Sol, bloque 21, portal 70, bajo b, Casares 29690, Malaga Printed by Corporación de Medios de Andalucía S.A. Editor: Jon Clarke jon@theolivepress.es Reporters: Newsdesk Newsdesk@theolivepress.es Liam Kirkaldy Liam@theolivepress.es Claire Wilson Claire@theolivepress.es

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After being led back to the country on crutches, it led the press to question what exactly he had been doing during Spain’s worst economic crisis in decades. Big game hunting in Africa wasn’t exactly the answer Spaniards were looking for and it led to a series of articles and polls suggesting the king was becoming out of touch with the population And just when he hoped the fuss had died down a photo (above) emerged of him on an earlier trip posing with his rifle and a dead elephant. It couldn’t get much worse. But then again, Juan Carlos has long had a tragic affinity to guns, going back to 1954 when the 18-year-old had accidentally killed his 14-yearold brother Alfonso while living in exile in Estoril, Portugal. According to an official statement he had been ‘cleaning a revolver with his brother’

when a shot went off which hit him in the forehead and killed him within minutes. But it is not just his closeness to guns that has had the press talking for the last two years: His proximity to a string of attractive women has come under increasing scrutiny with claims that he has had a number of affairs despite his marriage to Queen Sofia, who has borne him three children. As well as a singer, Paloma San Basilio, a dancer, Barbara Rey, the well known ladies’ man has allegedly been dating a businesswoman friend Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, a German, who has carried out consultancy work for the government. As well as a further claim that he made a pass at Lady Diana in the 1980s, the string of articles has prompted huge public sympathy for Queen Sofia. Not helped by an American dating site Ashley Madison that put a photo of her on a billboard suggesting she should have an affair and ‘not spend the whole night alone’. So unpopular has the king become that there are even whispers that he may step down, allowing Felipe to take the throne.

tine and Queen Anne-Marie, and she frequently flies to Paris to see her favorite cousin, Princess Tatiana Radziwill. Close friends claim the King has grown tired of playing host to the former Greek royals for two months every summer in Mallorca. It is not a healthy state of affairs. But then again Sofia’s spinster sister, Princess Irene, has lived in the royal palace since the death of their mother, in 1981.

Duchess of Lugo The oldest of the Royal children, Princess Elena has led a comparatively quiet life. But, Elena has certainly inherited the Borbon trait of picking questionable husbands, after her divorce from Jaime de Marichalar in 2007. Banker Jaime had a reputation for being a playboy with rumours of cocaine use, and didn’t endear himself when he told the media “Poor kid, he looks like her”

(referring to his wife) after the birth of their first child. Princess Elena shares King Juan Carlos’ love of bullfighting which doesn’t win her many fans with animal rights groups. Earlier this month she was spotted watching a bullfight in Madrid with her eldest son Felipe Juan Froilán. The prensa rosa also noted that Princess Elena eclipsed Princess Leticia in the style stakes in the recent Dia de Hispanidad celebrations at the Royal Palace.

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Prince Felipe First in line to the throne, Prince Felipe was once the most eligible bachelor in Europe and played up to his playboy image with a succession of stunning girlfriends. Born in Madrid, he studied history at university in America (a rare academic royal) and became a professional sailor, flying the flag for Spain at the Olympics in Barcelona in 1992. His marriage to Letizia, a

divorced TV newsreader, in May 2004, surprised many and broke the mould among the royals in Spain. They have since had two daughters and marriage seemed to have calmed his wilder ways and began to prepare him well for his future role. But that was until some recent cracks started to appear in his marriage this summer, when his wife returned to Madrid alone, leaving her family in Mallorca. Some say it came amid rum o u r s he has followed in his father’s footsteps and is having affairs, oth-

Duchess of Palma

Princess Cristina, the youngest daughter of the King and Queen, is currently involved in a high profile financial scandal which has gravely, some would say mortally, damaged the monarchy. A vivacious and outgoing young woman who studied in New York, the fairy tale seemed complete when Cristina married the tall and handsome Olympic handball player Inaki Urdangarin in 1997. With their four children and luxurious mansion in Barcelona Cristina lived a priviledged live. All that began to unravel however, when her husband was implicated in the Noos case, in which he is alleged to have embezzled public funds to the tune of several million euros. Many in the media and the public believe that as a board member of the Noos Institut, Cristina herself must have had some idea of what Urdangarin was up to, and even that she

was complicit in the crimes. So far, Cristina has narrowly avoided being indicted in the case, however this could still change. To escape the glare of the media Cristina and the her four children recently moved into a luxurious, aristocratic six-room penthouse in Switzerland. The rent of the home, paid by La Caixa Foundation, is over €7,000 per month. Her four children attend the exclusive Ecole Internationale de la Route de Chêne, which costs a r o u n d €30,000 a year. Although Cristina earned an image as a modern princess when she started working for the Caixa foundation in 1993, the Duchess of Palma and her husband are, not unsurprisingly, the most unpopular royals at present.

Princess Letizia

Once seen as a breathe of fresh air down the dusty aristocratic halls of Moncloa Palace, Princess Letizia, 40, is another royal to have cone under close public scrutiny in the past few months. The prensa rosa (tabloid TV and magazines) is full of reports about plastic surgery treatments, and she raised eyebrows this summer when she left husband Prince Felipe and her daughters on the traditional royal holiday in

ers say she was merely outraged over the situation regarding her sister-inlaw Cristina and her husband Inaki currently embroiled in the biggest scandal to have hit the royal f a m ily for decades.

Duchess of Alba

Inaki Urdangarin comes from a wealthy, although not aristocratic, family in the Basque country, but has lived for most of his life in Barcelona. A professional sportsman, Urdangarin played handball for FC Barcelona as well as representing Spain at the 1992, 1996 and 2000 Olympics, winning two bronze medals and captaining the side in 2000. He met Princess Cristina at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 and the couple were married the following year. After his retirement in 2000, Urdangarin set up the Noos Institute, a non-profit making body, with partner Diego Torres. It became well known around the country, but the wheels came off spectacularly in 2011 when the Duke was accused of diverting public funds for his own benefit in the ‘Palma Arena’ case. It is alleged that he persuaded various Spanish public administrations (mostly regional governments) to sign agreements with his company for both work that

No look at Spanish nobility would be complete without a mention of the Duchess of Alba. With over 40 official titles, she is recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as having more titles recognised by an existing government than any other noble in the world. Indeed it is often said the British Queen has to curtsey to her when they meet. A colourful figure, The 87-yearold married her 61-year-old toyboy a few years ago and is the darling of Spains’ gossip columns. The party loving Duchess has a fortune estimated at £3billion and is said to be able to cross Spain from north to south without leaving her estates. She counts Tom Cruise among her friends and an Olive Press source recently claimed she had lunch with Brad Pitt in Casares last month. Oh and she is the only Spanish royal to give an interview to a British newspaper. Yes, you guessed it, the Olive Press three years ago, in which she told of her love of London and British manners.

was never done and work that was dramatically overbudgeted. Much of this money went to tax havens including Belize and the Isle of Man. The Duke has been indicted for misappropriation of public funds, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud and falsification of official documents. Unsurprisingly Urdangarin has become a persona non grata at family gatherings as the King sought to distance himself from the suggestion that he knew of, or even supported, his son-in-law’s activities. “Justice is the same for everyone” Juan Carlos said in his 2011 Christmas message, and the biography of the Duke has been removed from the Royal Household’s website. Urdangarin, who maintains his innocence, has already been questioned by a judge several times, and the case seems set to rumble on in 2014.

pany to make a land purchase raised eyebrows, especially as it came at a time of tense relations between Spain and Gibraltar. A foundation that Dona Pilar is honorary president of Nuevo Futoro, also hit the headlines recently when it emerged that Isabelita Peron, first wife of Argentinean dictator General Peron, had made a substantial donation.

Duchess of Medina Sidonia One classic aistocratic soap opera involves the feuding Dukes of Medina Sidonia. The controversial late Duchess of Medina Sidonia, known as the ‘Red Duchess’ due to her left wing views, kept her decades-long lesbian relationship with her secretary a secret. Long a defender of the poor, and opponent of the dictator General Franco, she married Liliane Dahlmann in a civil ceremony on her deathbed to stop her children inheriting the family’s palace and taking control of its precious collection of medieval documents and archives. The family has been in

Mallorca, flying back to Madrid as she wanted time on her own. “She is nervous, worried, uptight and intense.” recently claimed one royal observer, adding that the only time she lets her hair down is when she is with her Madrid girl friends Las Chicas - who she was spotted with at Benicassim Music Festival earlier this year. Brought up by a journalist father in Navarra, she forged a career as a newsreader w i t h Spanish national television before marrying a teacher Alfonso

Duke of Palma

Pilar de Borbon It’s not just the younger royals who can get caught out by their financial affairs. During the Malaya case last month it emerged that Pilar de Borbon, elder sister of Spain’s King Juan Carlos owned a plot of land in Spain through a Gibraltar company. Athough there was no suggestion that Dona Pilar had been involved in any wrongdoing, the fact that a member of the Spanish Royal family was using a Gibraltarian com-

Margarita de Borbon If you are looking for a member of the Spanish Royal Family who stays out of the limelight, then look no further than the younger sister of Juan Carlos, Princess Margarita. The Duchess, who has been blind since birth, and her husband the Duke of Soria recently celebrated their 41st wedding anniversary and have been praised in the Spanish media for their discreet lifestyle. The Duchess,

who has been a frequent v i s i tor with Queen Sofia to King Juan Carlos as he recovers from his latest operation, devotes most of her time to charity work, especially UNICEF and the Spanish Heart Foundation.

Alfonso de Borbon

the headlines again recently with the revelation that the Duchess’s husband Leoncio may have fathered a second illegitimate child. Once again the family has been plunged into a fresh round of good old fashioned feuding.

LESBIAN: Duchess with Liliane Dahlmann

Guerrero. She got divorced before marrying Felipe in 2004, but not before a once-trusted cousin David Rocasolano, claimed in a book Adios Princessa, that she had an abortion before meeting the heir to the throne and had the paperwork destroyed just weeks before their engagement was announced.

MIFFED: Her son, Gabriel Gonzalez de Gregorio

Son of King Juan Carlos’ sister Princess Margarita, young Alfonso de Borbon is very much your rock n roll aristocrat. Looking more like DJ David Guetta than a distant member of the Spanish Royal family, Alfonso, with his shaggy beard and trendy hippy beads is more often to be seen hanging out in Marbella or Mallorca than Moncloa Palace. He has, however, been known to shave and scrub up well when summoned to Madrid for royal events. Alfonso

dates the sunning Colombian supermodel Eugenia Silva, who has put her career in New York on hold while waiting for the birth of their first child.

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FEATURE

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In her first interview as Britain’s Consul to Andalucia, Charmaine Arbouin tells Olive Press editor Jon Clarke about her fondness for the region and how she plans to best serve its many expats

T was during a summer road trip with her family through Spain at the age of 16 that she fell in love with the country. ¨Going to the Alhambra and the Mezquita in Cordoba was incredible, really inspirational,¨ explains Charmaine Arbouin, Britain’s new (wo)man in southern Spain. A particularly cultural holiday, it started on the ferry from Dover and went through France, down into Spain, to Madrid, Segovia and finally Andalucia and Malaga. ¨The influence of the Moors and the closeness to Africa really struck a chord. It really opened my eyes,¨ continues Arbouin, who landed the plum job as British Consul to Andalucia earlier this year. She certainly appreciates the irony of coming full circle back to Malaga, where she is now overseeing the busiest British consulate in the world, handling some 500 enquiries a month. Neck and neck with Alicante for work load, her remit is to cover the whole of Andalucia, as well as Ceuta and Mellilla and the Canary Islands. ¨It is a big area and we are certainly very busy,¨ explains the mother-of-three, in her first interview in the role. Over lunch at Malaga’s traditional Meson Astorga restaurant (the British Embassy’s Head of Media having flown from Madrid to be at her side), she seems happy and relaxed in the new job. Radiating warmth, she demonstrates a good command of Spanish as she orders a series of mixed starters and a big bottle of mineral water. She is certainly well qualified for the role, having already become well integrated in the region since moving to the Serrania de Ronda to live eight years ago. The hispanophile - whose

ROAD TRIP: As a teen Charmaine (top) visited the Alhambra and Cordoba’s Mezquita

My full circle to Malaga

The new British Consul and mother-of-three has both the work challenges and local culture very much in mind children (15, 14 and 12) all attended a small village school for seven years unAs we got older we thought about looking for a different quality of life and Spain was ideal.

til they moved to the coast earlier this year - Arbouin

studied Spanish at school and went on to read Spanish Studies at Hull University. Working for many years in local government, and before that Oxfam on the Caribbean desk, her family chose to relocate to Andalucia because it had so much to offer. ¨It had something for everyone,” she explains. ¨A rich culture with its fasci-

nating Moorish heritage, world-class monuments, friendly welcoming people, great cuisine, amazing climate, beaches, mountains, snow, something for everyone. “Need I say more,¨ she adds. ¨It didn’t cross my mind to move here in my 20s and 30s, but as we got older we thought about looking for a different quality of life and

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the olive press - October 30 - November 13 2013

My warning for all new expat hopefuls BRITAIN’S Consul to Andalucia insists it is vital for anyone considering moving to Spain to ‘do their homework’ before setting off. “It is very important for people thinking of moving to Spain to do their homework. It is not a holiday moving here and people are definitely finding it more challenging here today.

Spain was ideal, being close to Britain... and even Morocco.¨ Indeed, Arbouin and her husband James Coventry (a social development consultant) like nothing more than spending a long weekend in the African nation across the pond. It was actually from a supplement in the Olive Press that they came across their favourite town Chefchaouen a few years ago. ¨We followed the guide to the letter, going to Chefchaouen and staying in Casa Hassan. It’s such a great, The consulate knows of at least 4,000 Britons with properties with legality issues.

laid back place, quite different to the big cities like Tangier,¨ she says. Like many people, their search for an appropriate home to buy in 2005 had been complicated as the property bubble grew so quickly. They eventually settled in the charming Genal Valley, between Ronda and the coast, after initially looking in the Montes de Malaga area. ¨It was so hard to find places to buy back then. As soon as you saw something it was sold,¨ she recalls. But they eventually found

“We don’t have any reliable numbers on people who need assistance here, but expats who could previously find work in the hospitality trade or building sector cannot find so much today. It has really fallen away. “We don’t want to put people off or to come over as greedy, people need to be realistic. “It is not impossible to

Charmaine’s CV Born in Nottingham of Jamaican heritage, her parents (an RAF mechanic and a teacher and schools inspector) had arrived in the UK from the West Indies in the 1950s. She studied at a comprehensive in Nottinghamshire, before studying at Hull University, going on to work at Oxfam and later Nottinghamshire County Council.

the perfect house to renovate in the charming village of Alpandeire and the children went to the local school, supposedly billingual, “where they made up about half the pupils,” she recalls. Brushing up on her Spanish, she and her husband became well integrated into the Genal Valley area and kept a close eye on local politics and developments, including the infamous Los Merinos golf course development, near Ronda. In particular, she shows considerable sympathy for the expat trio, including the former Lord Kilmarnoch, Alastair Boyd, who took on the developers and found themselves sued for €21 million. It is issues like this that she hopes her consulate can help with as much as possible. One of the main problems involving expats at present is the issue of illegal homes, and the consulate knows of at least 4,000

settle here but it is vital that anyone thinking of coming should get an independent legal advisor and ask themselves how far is their money going to go? “The days of getting 1.40 to 1.45 euros to the pound are well over and they also need to think: ‘can I get into the Spanish healthcare system or will I need private healthcare?”

Britons with properties with legality issues. ¨Those are the ones we know of and it is tragic what happened to the Priors,¨ she says, adding that they didn’t actually have the owners of the recently demolished homes in Cantoria, Almeria, on their radar. ¨We are lobbying with the Junta and the town halls to try to work through the properties we know about but we don´t have the resources to help them all. ¨These demolitions could happen to many of us and we are doing our best, but of course we cannot interfere with the local judicial system...¨ Under a new British embassy drive, Arbouin is also keen to prioritise help the consulate can give to expats and tourists in southern Spain. ¨We want to spend our time with the really vulnerable people. Those people hospitalised, deaths, people imprisoned, those with mental health issues. ¨Of course in serious incidents we can provide support but we want residents here to learn about which appropriate authorities to go to if they are in trouble. ¨They need to report things to the police before coming to us and, of course, we can help with a list of English-speaking lawyers.¨

...And introducing our latest man in Madrid WITH more than 20 years experience of diplomacy – and a Spanish wife – our new man in Madrid is more than qualified for the job. Oxford educated Simon Manley has begun his new role by stressing the economic interdependence between the UK and Spain. Manley, who has a degree in International Relations, said: “I am delighted to be here in Spain and look forward to strengthening our broad and deep bilateral relationship. “Spain is a key ally within the European Union and NATO and is one of our most important trading partners.” He continued: “Creating sustainable growth is a priority for both the UK and Spain. I am delighted that some 400 Spanish companies are registered in the UK and investors such as Santander, Telefónica, Iberdrola and Ferrovial have made Spain our sixth largest inward investor”. Manley also pointed to the importance of the UK to the Spanish economy.

He said: “More than 13 million Britons visit Spain every year, generating 1 per cent of Spain’s GDP. Some 800,000 have made Spain their home permanently or for part of the year, and the UK remains the largest foreign investor in Spain’s property market.” Prior to his appointment Manley was Director Europe at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) from 2011 to 2013. He is married to Maria Isabel Fernandez Utges Manley, an intellectual property, competition and regulatory lawyer. They have three daughters aged 13, 12 and 5.

News IN BRIEF

Marvellous Marbella MARBELLA has been ranked third in the Spanish luxury tourism market, after Barcelona and Madrid, according to Luxury Goods Worldwide Market.

Voodoo shoo THREE Nigerian women who were forced to become prostitutes through threats of violence and voodoo magic, have been freed by police.

Lost spark ELECTRICAL appliance manufacturer Fagor has filed for bankruptcy protection after running up debts of around €1 billion.

Let’s dance BENALMADENA will expect to receive around €400,000 from hosting the Spanish 10-Dance Championship in February, which will feature around 1,000 dancers.

CONCERN. For demolitions

the olive press - October 30 - November 13 2013

News IN BRIEF

Speeding DGT, the Spanish Traffic Authority, will purchase 16 new radar systems at a cost of €1.1 million to help combat speeding.

Aquittal A DEFENDANT has been acquitted by a Spanish court after developing Alzheimer’s during the 13 year wait for his trial to begin.

Peace out BENALDAMENA has been named a ‘peace town’ - following a ceremony attended by 200 people at the town’s House of Culture.

Taxing culture THE Spanish cultural sector has been given a boost following the announcement that ‘IVA’, or value added tax, will be reduced on cultural activities. The new rate has yet to be announced.

Did they take Maddie? Dangerous UK paedophiles roamed Spain for years, were in Gran Canaria when Yeremi vanished, and detectives now believe they may have been in the Algarve when Maddie disappeared

A PAIR of dangerous paedophiles who once roamed Spain in a London bus have become two prime suspects in the new Maddie McCann investigation. Oddballs Charles O’Neill, 50, and William Lauchlan, 36, are believed to have been in Portugal at the time of the toddlers disappearance in 2007.

unemployment since 2005. The number of unemployed people fell by 72,800 in the thirdquarter, to reach 5.9m.

New soup kitchen A NEW soup kitchen is being planned in Ronda as part of efforts to help the town’s most vulnerable people cope with the effects of the recession. The kitchen, which will be based in an old school, will provide 24,000 meals a year at a cost of between two or three euros each. Funded by the Town Hall, it will cost around €28,000 and will help families who are struggling to feed themselves.

www.theolivepress.es MISSING: Yeremi and Maddie

EYE ON Job boon has registered THE CRISIS SPAIN the biggest drop in So are we really coming out of recession? The Olive Press keeps an eye on the real situation out on the streets...

NEWS

SICK: Lauchlan

PERVERT: O’Neill

The gay lovers had absconded to Spain on false passports in 2006, despite being the prime suspects in the murder of a Scottish woman in 1997. They have now been quizzed over their movements that year, along with a pal Ewan Wilson, who put them up a number of times around that period.

Police believe the pair - who were eventually jailed for life in 2010 for the murder of Allison McGarrigle, in Glasgow - could have committed numerous offences in Spain and Portugal from 2003 to 2007. Shockingly, it has just emerged, they were living in the town of Vecindario, in

Gran Canaria, at the time that seven-year-old schoolboy Yeremi Vargas vanished in March 2007. He is still missing despite a huge manhunt and a long public appeal. His mother is convinced that the Scottish pair are responsible for his disappearance.

SPAIN’S economic growth is likely to remain at too low a level to create jobs for a long time to come. The warning comes despite the Bank of Spain announcing the country had finally pulled out of the recession,

with GDP rising by 0.1% in the third quarter of the year. But while analysts welcomed the news, following nine consecutive quarters of declining output, they warned the country was still in bad shape. Economist Federico Stein-

berg said the marginal growth was nowhere near enough to ease the country’s 26% unemployment rate. Steinberg, from Madrid think tank Real Instituto Elcano, said: “This is good news. But we should not be enthusiastic because we still have much to do on the reform front. “We still need to increase our competitiveness, we need to ensure that credit starts flowing again, we need further adjustments in the labour market and we have to improve education research and development and regulation.” Quarterly jobs data is due from the Office of National Statistics in the next few days. Many worry that the recent improvements in monthly jobs data are the result of seasonal hiring in the tourism industry, which drops off at the end of September.

The pain in Spain is set to remain

Kidney sale withdrawal

Despite recent economic growth of 0.1% nationally, Andalucia has a 33% unemployment rate, with many families forced to rely on state support.

A DESPERATE mother-of-two has withdrawn her offer to sell one of her kidneys, after becoming aware of Spanish organ trafficking law. The woman – named on the internet as Remedios – felt compelled to ‘offer’ her kidney for money in order to meet her mortgage payments, which were in arrears by €5,000. The advert on popular small ads website www.milanuncios.com described her as a ‘healthy girl’ with ‘serious economic problems’. The National Organisation for Organ Transplants recently announced that it had found no less than 10 people in Spain offering the sale of their organs on the website, which is normally used to advertise flats, cars and jobs. Under Spanish law, both donor and buyer can be prosecuted for an illegal organ transplant.

Now it emerges that they had also been in Spain in 2003 after being released from prison for other sex offences and spent time living in a number of resorts, including Albir, near Benidorm. In 2004 the pair were arrested in the Costa Blanca town for abducting an English boy, 14, for three nights and sexually assaulting him. A year before they had lived on a red single decker bus in the nearby town of L’Albir. According to one expat mother, who befriended them in There, they were forced to flee the town after one angry father accused them of being paedophiles. The Irish man had smashed a number of windows after finding out they had lured his son on to the bus. “One day they told me they had to leave in a hurry as they were getting threats,” said the expat. “People were calling them paedophiles. They sold the bus for 2000 euros, bought a car and left. “Anyone can be anyone out here. No one knew about the child abuse. Will told people he was an accountant who’d taken time off to travel. They said Charlie had done a runner from Australia after knocking someone out. No one knew the real story.” Did you come across the pair? Please contact newsdesk@theolivepress.es or call 951127006

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the olive press - October 30 - November 13 2013

GIB NEWS

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Border Watch The Olive Press is introducing a new section to keep watch on the Frontier

S the misery continues on the border between Spain and Gibraltar the Spanish authorities continuing in their overzealous checks leading to long delays - the Olive Press decided to keep tabs on what is going on. Asking for your comments, photos and stories, we will be running the best each fortnight in the paper, and online more frequently. The idea came as editor Jon Clarke watched a dozenstrong meeting of Spanish bigwigs and police huddled together on the border on October 22 clearly planning a campaign of action. Moments after being told not to take any pictures, one of the group, at the wave of a hand, turned the queue from a slow grind into a nightmare with every car being stopped. In the clearly orchestrated move, designed to hit just before rush hour, every other vehicle was then stopped and searched.

Smiles

With smiles on their faces and with plenty of nudges and winks, the customs officers and police indiscriminately searched the cars of businessmen and mothers with boot sfull of Morrisons shopping. Clearly not doing it for real, they would bang down one side of the vehicle with a screwdriver, the one nearest them, but not the other. It was enfuriating and designed merely to frustrate. What should have taken 15 to 20 minutes ended up taking well over an hour to get out. On Thursday October 24, Olive Press reader PJ Lopez, reported that the authorities had suddenly decided to search the bags of all pedestrians leaving Gibraltar, resulting in a wait of up to an hour. Two days later on Saturday October 26, action by the Span-

All change MORE than 100 soldiers from the 10 Signal Regiment have arrived as replacement for the Royal Gibraltar Regiment.

Jail for theft SHEELAGH Welsh, 55, who stole £ 56,300 in just over a year from her employer NP Estates because she wanted to match her friends’ lifestyle, has been jailed for 20 months.

Proud defeat GIBRALTAR Under 19s football manager Terrence lley was “proud of his side” despite them losing 3-0 to the Czech Republic.

FROM ART TO ANGER: Wendy Crispen’s arty shot (above), the huddle of bigwigs spotted by Jon Clarke (right) and bottom an hour long queue of pedestrians taken by PJ Lopez (bottom)

ish authorities resulted in a three hour traffic queue in bad weather, hampering many who had visited the Rock to do a little early Christmas shopping. “I was stuck in the bloody queue for three hours with the rain peeing down and the windows got all steamy!” Wendy

Crispen told the Olive Press, also sending in a photo (top) “It was a good thing I had been to Morrisons and had some mince pies in the boot!”. If you have any Borderwatch stories email newsdesk@theolivepress.es

ON the Rock

Olive Press guide to the best of What’s On in Gibraltar over the next two weeks

October 30 - Novem- November 6 – 7 Zarzuela – La Rosa del ber 1 Bang Bang Beirut – Comedy Play Organised by the Gibraltar Amateur Drama Association 8.30 pm, Ince’s Hall Theatre For further info. contact Howard Danino on email: howard@gibraltar.gi

Azafran 8pm, John Mackintosh Hall Theatre Tickets £5 from the John Mackintosh Hall Ticket Office

November 8

International Art Exhibition Official Opening & Prize Giving 6.30pm, John Mackintosh Hall

World Show Dance Championships Presentation 7.30pm, Tercentenary Sports Hall Organised by the Gibraltar National Dance Organisation Free Entrance

November 6

November 8-9

November 1

Art Exhibition by Maiju Tiri 10am to 6pm, Fine Arts Gallery, Casemates Square For further info.contact the Fine Arts Gallery on 20052126 or email: finearts@gibtelecom.net

Comedy Rocks 1st Gibraltar Comedy Festival Featuring Ian Montford, Abandoman and Frisky & Mannish 8pm, John Mackintosh Hall Theatre. Organised by Gibraltar Entertainments Network www.comedyrocks.gi

GIBRALTAR NEWS

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the olive press - October 30 - November 13 2013

Special name for new police boat THE biggest vessel in the Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP) fleet is to be named after Sir Adrian Johns, the outgoing governor who leaves in December. Due to arrive for service next year, the 26-meter outboard-engine powered vessel will have the capability to remain at sea for up to four days with its crew of up to six officers. A copy of the vessel name plaque was presented to Vice-Admiral Sir Adrian Johns by the First Minister at a lunch of senior RGP officers. The officers also presented the Governor with a crystal glass timepiece as a farewell gift. The new vessel “will be yet another of this Government’s enhancements to the RGP’s marine capability and it follows the purchase of the two interceptor vessels and jet-skis,” said Mr Picardo. “But on this special occasion, I am also delighted that Sir Adrian’s name will live on Gibraltar: it is fitting that Sir Adrian Johns will continue to be a major player in British Gibraltar’s Territorial Waters for many years to come.”

Picardo spells out positives in key London speech

KEY SPEECH: Picardo addressed London lunch

The bets are paying off

Marine named new governor

THE next Governor of Gibraltar has been named as Lieutenant General Sir James Benjamin Dutton. He will take over from Vice-Admiral Sir Adrian Johns, who is due to leave

at the end of December. Sir James has enjoyed a varied career, including 37 years service in the Royal Marines, the last ten spent in Iraq and Afghanistan. “I am delighted and

honoured to be going to Gibraltar, especially given its historical connections with the Royal Marines,” said Sir James.” My wife and I are looking forward to meeting the people of Gibraltar.”

GIBRALTAR now handles 60% of all online betting, it has been revealed. In a keynote speech to the London financial markets, First Minister Fabian Picardo also revealed that the enclave currently handles around 16 per cent of the UK insurance market. During the prestigious speech at the Guildhall he also noted that in terms of GDP per capita, Gibraltar was now fourth in the world. “Gibraltar has a prosperous and stable economy within the EU single market,” he told the Gibraltar in London lunch, attended by hundreds of key figures from the city. “The Government has placed and places a huge amount of store by our reputation and has worked and will work tirelessly to ensure that this is protected above all else.” Above all, he was keen to stress the Rock’s strength and credentials as a base for the finance sector. “I am pleased to say that financial services has never been a politically divisive subject in Gibraltar. Successive administrations have supported the sector without reservation,” he said. He went on to explain how the enclave was welcoming 12 million tourists a year and was now one of the Mediterranean’s most important bunkering and shipping centres. He also took time to consider the reasons that Gibraltar is attractive to companies relocating there, with taxation an important issue, but in addition the commitment to strict adherence to internaAPPOINTED: tional laws. Sir James “Let me put it this way. Giwho takes braltar has complied with over at its obligations to transthe end of pose all EU directives and December other rules into law ahead of schedule. Very few other European jurisdictions can make that boast,” he said. “We are therefore ideally placed as a point of access to the European single market in services.”

the olive press - October 30 - November 13 2013

News IN BRIEF

Bird Land OVER 1400 birds were on display recently during the 17th Almunecar Ornithology Congress. Prizes were awarded in a range of categories including exotic, European and most colourful.

Bat Girl 16-YEAR-OLD Cristina Torrecillas from Almunecar will represent Spain in the World Youth Padel Championships in Argentina this month. Cristina will compete in the doubles with Lucía Comino from Madrid.

Brit Band TEM, The Emigrated Movement, is the name of a new cultural group for young British people in Nerja. The group, which focuses on Dance and Cinema, meets in the H2O cafe.

AXARQUIA NEWS

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On the hoof

Fishermen see red

SALOBRENA resident Helen McCormack and four sure-footed friends – one a donkey - recently completed a three-day trek over mountain paths from Orgiva to Niguelas. Their mini adventure raised €100 for Acompalia, the Granada-based hospice and palliative care charity. The team, led by Helen, comprised her Dutch friend Cecelia and Cecilia’s twin daughters, 15 year old Anna Loula and Antonia Rosa. The fourth member, Pepita, is a 10-year old donkey. Helen described some of the highs and lows during the walk, “At one stage, trudging uphill in hot sunshine from Orgiva, Pepita’s legs folded and she just went down. We rested her for an hour or so and she was fine!” Helen embarked on the walk to highlight the importance of recently set up organisation Acompalia, whose patron is Driving Over Lemons writer Chris Stewart.

FISHERMEN in Caleta de Velez have complained over ‘excessive’ restrictions on shellfish catches in imposed by the EU. It comes in response to the appearance of the so-called ‘red tide’ in fishing grounds. The ‘red tide’, or algal bloom, is caused by large concentrations of micro-organisms gathering on the surface of the water, creating a reddish tinge and generating harmful toxins in wildlife. The bloom has been blamed for the death of two people in Malaysia in January. The fleet of 80 boats – which is the third most productive in Andalucia – is unlikely to receive any compensation for its loss of income.

KEEP ON TREKKING: Helen and Pepita

Attempted abduction in playground A JUDGE in Motril has ordered that a 52-year-old man should be held in custody for attempting to abduct a four-year-old girl. The man, who has Spanish nationality but is originally from Morocco, has been charged with abduction, assault and wounding. The incident happened last week when the children at the Ave Maria de Varadero school in Motril were outside waiting to go into class.

Islamist fanatic grabs girl, 4, in rant against lack of religious teaching in school By Giles Brown According to witnesses the man suddenly ran into the playground shouting “We are going to take over! We will educate your children! We will teach Islam in Al– Andalus!” As he ran past, he grabbed the little girl by the arm

and started to drag her away. The father of the child who was standing by the school gates, freed his daughter after a brief scuffle. He and a member of staff then restrained the man until the police arrived. The father had to attend

hospital having been hit a number of times in the face. The attacker, who had already been denounced a few days earlier for a robbery, has now been remanded in custody awaiting charge. Andalucia was an islamic region from 711 to 1492 under the Moors, leading to former terrorist Osama Bin Laden to threaten to recapture it for the Muslim world.

Super Spa Day

SUPER SPA:Therapists at the Tao Centre

HOLISTIC therapists from the Axarquia have given their expertise, free of charge, in order to raise money for the hungry and homeless in Malaga. Eleven therapists offered treatments as diverse as acupuncture, reflexology, laser liposuction and massage at the Tao Centre near Lake Vinuela, and raised €485 for the Food for Change project. The next Spa Day is scheduled for November 16, at Paco’s Bar, in Puente don Manuel. Treatments are available only by booking in advance to maggieculver77@yahoo. com.

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GREEN NEWS

the olive press - October 30 - November 13 2013

Snow more problems

GREEN: Testing the new cannons in Borriguiles

SIERRA Nevada ski resort is hoping a new artificial snow system will help it counter the effects of late summers and warmer winters, as well as becoem more environmentally-friendly. It is currently conducting the first round of safety tests on three snow cannons and 20 hydrants, which it hopes will help it maintain optimal conditions throughout the season.

If successful, the system will be rolled out across its ski tracks, including Sulayr Snowpark and the Prado de las Monjas. A spokesperson said: “Sometimes we don’t have enough snowfall. Last season it almost didn’t snow at all, so we were forced to arrange this system to ensure that everything goes smoothly.”

Look out! A people friendly vulture A VULTURE with an apparent liking for built-up and residential areas - rather than the wild - has been sighted several times recently on the Costa del Sol. Reports indicate the large bird is roaming around the La Duquesa area, with several sightings reported near the N-340 coastal road beween Marbella and Sotogrande. Jenny Bristow, a resident of Aldea Hills in La Duquesa, said she was surprised, ¨to see a vision of a bird with a three metre wing span¨ as she was leaving her urbanisation one night

recently.“The vulture flew down the road, passed through a sidewalk full of people and landed in the middle of the roundabout,” said Ms. Bristow. Hayley Garratt-Day, from La Duquesa, also alerted the Olive Press that the vulture ¨was right in front of the house.¨ Although vultures are neither dangerous or aggressive, they are an endangered species. Anyone seeing this particular vulture should call Seprona, the nature protection service of the Guardia Civil on (Tel: 900 10 10 62.)

RARELY SIGHTED: The Imperial Eagle

Flying high! Endangered Eagles now breeding in Andalucia

MORE THAN 400 pairs of Imperial Eagles, one of the world’s rarest birds of prey, are breeding in the Iberian Peninsular, including 91 in Andalucia. The overall number has tripled in the last 14 years in the main due to a partnership between Spain and Portugal to protect the species made in 2001. Found only in this part of the world, the Impe-

rial Eagle is characterised by a bright white across the top of its body and rare sightings, despite a wing span of up to two metres. Research by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Alimentation and Environment (MAGRAMA), indicates that following the joint efforts by Spain and Portugal, the annual increase in Imperial Eagles in Spain in recent times has been 10%. At this

time of year until February, sightings are more common as newly-born chicks prepare to seek independence, with sightings in various parts of Andalucia, including the Doñana National Park in Huelva. Despite the increasing number of breeding Imperial Eagles, conservationists estimate that more than 50% of deaths are from electrocution after flying into power lines.

Loggers floored by pine fines ILLEGAL loggers face fines of over €800,000 after cutting down more than 250 protected pine trees in Mijas. A total of 271 trees were found floored by environmental agents during a routine inspection of a field in Rancho de La Luz. The owner of the field has admitted responsibility for cutting down the pines, which are protected under a planning order imposed by Mijas council. The guilty party claims not to have been aware of the protection order, under which anyone caught chopping down protected trees can be fined between €1,500 and €3,000 per tree. Environmental councillor Jose Fontalba said: “Being unaware of the law does not exempt anyone from their actions.”

Squid’s in A GIANT squid weighing 180kg has washed up on a Spanish beach. More than 10 metres long and found on La Arena Beach, Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, specialists at the Maritime Museum of Cantabria in Santander are now trying to save it. The museum is already home to two similar though much smaller specimens.

LETTERS

the olive press - October 30 - November 13 2013

POTTED POINTERS ANDALUCIA RESERVOIR LEVELS This week: 77.59% full Same week last year: 54.43% Same week in 2003: 48.02% AIRPORTS Gibraltar 00350 22073026 Granada-Jaen 958 245 200 Jerez - 956 150 000 Malaga - 952 048 844* *For English press 9 Sevilla - 954 449 000 EMERGENCIES Police 091 Guardia Civil 062 Medical service 061 Fire 080 EURO EXCHANGE RATES 1 euro is worth 1.38 American Dollars 0.85 British Pounds 1.44 Canadian Dollars 7.45 Danish Kroner 10.70 H Kong Dollars 8.10 Norwegian Kroner 1.70 Singapore Dollars

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Some British a disgrace

lawyers that represented the owners in this article didn’t do a proper job and have questions to answer.

Dear OP, I LIVED in Spain for most of my teenage years and also frequently travel back to the house we still own there. Over the years I made many Spanish friends, though many do not like the ‘English’, and with good reason. Now when they talk about the ‘English’ they are talking about the likes of the yobs who go to Benidorm and other similar places who don’t integrate with Spanish culture or even attempt to speak basic Spanish when in a bar, they are the people they hate. Can you blame them? Some of the British who go to Spain are a disgrace.

Steve Gerrard, Casares

Luke Berridge, London

Telly trauma I’ve been reading the news about the launch of the Russian rocket with great interest, and the resulting loss of British satellite televison channels in some parts of Spain. I was wondering if you have any independent news from the guys who send the rockets up as to where we are going to be up to by Christmas? Ernest Bultitude, Malaga Ed: The newsroom is keeping a close eye on this, but official BBC sources have said they will no longer be beaming

Mayor is right I do not agree with the Out of Tune article written by Claire Wilson (Issue 172) regarding Fuengirola Feria . The mayor is not out of touch regarding playing Spanish music at the feria which I have visited on many occasions and am at last hearing Spanish music and not pop music. People go there to get the local atmosphere and the mayor banning all other types of music is the best thing that could have happened.

TRAFFIC STOPPER: Part of the old bridge which is now a village monument

All round eyesore!

A GREEN bridge near Alora railway station that made headline news last winter when it was swept away in heavy flooding is making news again...in a roundabout way. Last weekend I noted that a section of the bridge - clearly not repairable - has now been placed as a monument on a local traffic island. their satelite to southern Spain, which means we will have to watch via IPTV internet connections.

Broken rules The residents around Nueva Kaskada (Food fight, OP issue 172) have every reason to be troubled by the noise levels, loud music and parking problems that impact on their lives. Carol Hewitt has all the facts and figures, so surely the restrictions regarding capacity, access and noise pollution, especially late at night, should be in place and adhered to – ‘someone’ is obviously flouting the rules. Ellie Anne, Marbella

political class – 80 percent of which should be behind bars. Of course the royal family should be in jail as well but what are the odds of that happening? Living in Spain means living with and accepting endemic corruption at every level. It’ll be interesting to see if the license to steal will ever be revoked but again I have little faith.

Annie Coanki, Mijas

Kory Lillian, Torremolinos

Talent exodus It is the duty of every government to look after ALL the people, not just a few. I see no plans being made for the future generations here in Spain. It is obvious that the young will leave Spain having received their education here. Not much future planning in that. We live in Olvera and there is no evidence of the government caring at all about the situation they are creating here.

The Olive Press report earlier this month

Little faith

Great place

I have little faith the former Marbella mayor caught up in corruption will end up in jail. This is because it sets a dangerous precedent for Spain’s

Adam Palmer, Estepona

Top notch I have just returned home Letters should be emailed to letters@ theolivepress.es. The writer’s name and address should be provided. Published opinions are not necessarily those of the Editor.

Jackie Etheridge, Cartama

from hospital having had an operation and I can wholeheartedly agree that the health service in Andalucia is top notch. The attention I have received from the local doctor, consultant, nurses and all the hospital staff has been 100 per cent. I know where I would rather receive health treatment and that is in Spain!

Stanley Haldane, Olvera

As far as I can remember this restaurant has / had a trout farm at the rear… and also has been there since the 80′s at least…Its a great place and the owner is a very gentle person. Its always unfortunate to have trouble with neighbours.

D.E., By e-mail

Hardly my choice of a landmark,but if it is to remain there, then hopefully the Alora powers-that-be who decided on the plan will erect a small board advising non-local residents what it is. At present it merely looks like a dumped load of old scrap!

The Page 1 report in the last Olive Press issue

Many queries x

Although the houses were unofficially signed off (Nightmare returns, OP issue 172), they were still built without a licence. It makes me wonder what these peoples lawyer did when they bought the house. When we were looking at houses, checking building licences was one of the first things she did and, on several occasions found either faults with licences or no licence at all. It seems to me that the

A bug’s life I’m fascinated by insects and other invertebrates and like to search for centipedes by looking under rocks. The second I disturb one it dives for cover — usually down a hole. The European centipede averages 10 cm., 14 maximum. Its bite is no worse than a bee sting. Why can’t people at least respect creatures’ right to live — even if they dislike them? Pete Jack, San Pedro

Prioritise plea Spain still bitching about Gibraltar, haven’t they got better things to do now autumn is here like sorting out the bankrupt country and finding work for the 27% unemployed and rooting out the fascist still running what is supposed to be a western democracy? Peter Johnson, Malaga

Hanging up x

Thank you, National Court (Data Dilemma, OP issue 172). I find having cellphones in the classroom so disruptive and hearing the horrid stories from other colleagues makes me want to scream. Thank goodness my students(so far) are too young to have them. Christine Howlett, Mijas

CROSSMOT 18 Across 1 Fábulas (6) * 4 Caliente (6) * 9 Lograr (7) * 10 Herramientas (5) * 11 Swan (5) * 12 Convertir (7) * 13 Limitation (11) * 18 Químico (7) * 20 Acted (5) * 22 Desatar (5) * 23 Violet (7) * 24 Silky (6) * 25 Rough (6). Down 1 Francia (6) * 2 Owls (5) * 3 Elemento (7) * 5 Comido (5) * 6 Stumbled (7) * 7 Unties (6) * 8 Descriptivo (11) * 14 Elegido (7) * 15 Lápices De Colores (7) * 16 Se Produce (6) * 17 Basement (6) * 19 Artículos (5) * 21 Holds (5).

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the olive press - October 30 - November 13 2013 17 17

Really bad in Almeria Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul on the hunt for whiskey while shooting new Ridley Scott movie in Almeria

HE has certainly been living up to his bad boy image while filming a Hollywood blockbuster in southern Spain. Aaron Paul, who plays the role of a junkie drug dealer in American TV hit Breaking Bad, has been on the hunt for his favourite whiskey while filming in Ridley Scott’s The Book of Exodus in Almeria. Having rented a house in the city, he became frustrated trying to find his favourite tipple and sent out a tweet to his Spanish fans asking simply where could he find a bottle of ‘Bushmills’ whiskey. Paul, who is living in the heart of the old town with

friends, has been seen out being filmed near Tabernas. partying in the capital since According to Olive Press flying in a week ago. sources, the movie – which His behavalso stars iour is in Sigourney complete Weaver – feacontrast to tures some his co-star massive fight Christian scenes. Bale, who As well as elhas opted to ephants and stay with his hundreds of family in a chariots, that luxury hotel have been in nearby carefully handCabo de painted for Gata. months, carThe Batman penters have actor has made a series been staying LOW KEY: Bale and family of enormous low key, and ‘war machines’. rising early at 7am to shoot “They are huge and very in the Biblical masterpiece daunting,” said one employ-

AMBITIOUS: War scene with chariots and (inset) one of the sets

Gibraltar’s got culture

BOOKWORMS flocked to the inaugu- and book sales taking place throughout ral Gibraltar Literary Festival to enjoy a the three day festival. Neil Costa, minister for tourrange of lectures from some of ism, said: “It was a triumph.” the world´s top authors. The event follows on from the The Gibunco Gibraltar Internasuccess the previous weekend tional Literary festival attractof the second International ed speakers including Anthony Jazz Festival, where Jools HolBeevor (above), who delivered land and Spice Girl Melanie C a talk on the Spanish Civil War, performed to a sell out crowd, former BBC war correspondent bringing the three-day event to Kate Adie, and chef Ken Hom. There were also numerous book signings a close with two standing ovations.

ee from the set. “I cannot wait to see what they look like during filming.” Producers meanwhile were pleased to have found a big pool of appropriate extras, having drafted in hundreds of local Moroccans to play the roles of the marauding Arabic armies. In total, the production represents 500 job contracts for the Almeria province and €43 million is being invested by the production company in the region. The Hollywood team comprises 400 technicians who will stay in Almeria until the beginning of December. The new 20th Century Fox production is based on the life of Moses. The epic portrays the relation between the prophet and the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses I. The scenes will mostly be filmed around Tabernas, in Sierra Alhamilla and other desert landscapes in Almeria.

Paella of a good time

A SPANISH band surprisingly more famous for an advert about paella than their outrageous name are to play in Sevilla. Love of Lesbian are to play the venue Sala Custom in the city on November 16. The five-piece shot to fame when one of their songs was featured on a controversial advert for Catalan beer Estrella Damm. The commercial caused outrage among viewers when onions were included in the paella it showed being prepared. The band´s song Fantastic Shine provides the soundtrack to the advert, which was screened over the summer.

CONCERT: Love of Lesbian

BAD BOY: Aaron Paul (top) with fan in Almeria and (here) in Breaking Bad

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the olive press - October 30 - November 13 2013 18 18

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Panorama de Malaga 1860

A journey through history A

DEDICATED collector of photos has seen his collection of 42,000 images put online. The remarkable series of photographs, collated by Fernandez Rivero, 57, mostly portrays life in 19th century Andalucia. The researcher from Malaga started his collection as a child with old stamps and postcards, before moving onto photographs 25

Young trader. 1910

years ago. He first started with pictures of Malaga, his home city, but soon expanded to the whole region of Andalucia. Explaining the reasons behind his passion for the XIX century, the collector said that in the first four decades of the century people had a revolutionary way to fake reality. See the remarkable images at www.cfrivero. com

Malaga bandit. 1880

Ship launch in Puerto Real, Cadiz, 1927

Beach vendor. 1880

Old style motor. 1903

Farm work. 1880

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Very alive

LIVE Music Spain has announced a host of new acts to light up the coming winter. November will kick off with performances from Abba tribute band ‘Voulez Vous’ and Elvis tribute ‘Stelvis’ on November 3, followed by D and Co Showband – a new act featuring Matt and Lisa from Southern Impact – on November 10 and The Four Tops Tribute on November 17. The Rat Pack Live will appear on December 1, with D and Co Showband appearing again on December 8 Eight-piece cover band, Biagra will play a Christmas show on December 15, while on December 22. The Beatles tribute ‘The Silver Beats’ will perform with The Rolling Stones tribute ‘Honky Tonk Cats’. All shows cost 15 euros for tickets, except Four Tops and Silver Beats, which are priced at 20€.

LIVE: ABBA

HE has recently bought and renovated a stunning new home in Andalucia. So it seems fitting that former government minister Michael Portillo should be filming an entire series of a new railway programme on the region. Portillo, who is spending much of the year at the period property, near Sevilla, has based all five episodes of his new BBC series ‘Great Continental Railway Journeys’ in southern Spain. Launching this week, the former Defence Secretary makes a triumphant return to the home of his parents, who were forced to flee the country when right wing dictator Franco won the civil war. Armed with a dusty old 1913 railway guide, the programme retells the journey of the ‘intrepid tourists of the Belle Epoque’ as they travelled through ‘the fading Spanish Empire.’ Along the route - which features a number of popular local restaurants including Molino del Santo in Benaojan and Caserio Ananda in Gaucin - he retells the stories of grim assassination attempts, stops to dance at a feria in

what’s on V R A M A G C T J T

era, Almeria, November 3 . Pre-Christmas fair. Av Ciudad de Castelon. Entrance is €1 and it is open 11-3.

onda, October 31. Educational Film Club, The Nightmare Before Christmas. Institute Martin Rivero, Calle Fernando de Los Rios. Free Entrance, starts at 5pm. lmeria, October 31. Clasijazz. Liric Cicle (Belcanto). Calle Maestro Serrano. Entrance is €3 and it starts at 9pm.

alaga, October 31. Eva Jecklin, Painting Exhibition. Ateneo de Malaga, Plaza de la Constituicion. Entrance is free, open from 6pm to 10pm. lmeria, November 1. Frankenstein, Musical. Auditorio Maestro Padilla, Plaza de Alfredo Kraus. Tickets from €28 to €35, show at 10pm. ranada, November 1. Pharaoh’s court, Opera. Teatro Isabel La Catolica, Calle Almona del Campilo. Tickets from €14 to €32, show at 7pm. adiz, November 1 and 2. Serie Z Festival. Rock Festival with Pat Travers and Manitoba, among others. Sala Paul Jerez. Entrance for both days is €50.

orremolinos, until November 3. Fantastic Film Festival. Third edition of movie festival. Conference Centre, Calle Mexico. Entrance is free. aen, November 2. Night of fear. The legends of horror in a theatre spectacle. Plaza Santa Luzia de Marillac. Entrance is €7, show starts at 7pm.

rebujena, November 3. Gastronomic Day. Gastronomic experience and art market. Plaza de Espana, Entrance is free, open from noon to 6pm.

the olive press - October 30 - November 13 2013

Full steam ahead

New Andaluz homeowner Michael Portillo traces a journey around Andalucia for the BBC with an old 1913 guidebook Cordoba and passes through his new home city of Sevilla. After having a taste of Jerez, Portillo moves forward to trace Winston Churchill’s tense diplomatic mission to Algeciras, has a look at espionage in Gibraltar and even visits the Costa del Sol. Portillo’s father was a staunch Republican supporter from Avila who taught law at Salamanca University. Portillo, whose parents didn’t return to Spain until 1977 after Franco’s death, now has a strong new connection for the region. The Olive Press can reveal that the former MP bought the stunning four bedroom home in a historic town, near Sevilla and has spent a year renovating it.

Celebrating Andalucian audiovisual A TOTAL of 56 films will be on display at Sevilla’s IX Audiovisual Festival until March 25. The ninth edition of the festival is being held at the University of Sevilla, where a series of short films, cartoons and other audiovisual art is being held every Sunday from 6pm onwards. The festival is described as being a “unique opportunity to get to know the latest and brightest productions from the Andalucian community.”

Foodie fun

LONDONERS will be treated to a taste of Andalucia at a 10-day food festival organised by the region’s tourist board. Foodies in the British capital can indulge in a range of products from the region at discount prices thanks to a partnership between the Andalucia Tourist Board and Brindisa, which has a chain of Spanish restaurants, and stalls at top food markets. The event runs from November 1 to 10, at venues across the capital.

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20 20 the olive press - October 30 - November 13 2013

Country cool

T was certainly a safari with a difference when graffiti artist Parsec wanted to put his village on the map. Looking for something original to do, he put out the word that he was organising a ‘graffiti safari’ to tiny Castrogonzalo, in Zamora, which has a population of 519 inhabitants. Using a well known Madrid blog Escrito en la Pared, he ended up with no less than 30 artists from around Spain arriving in the vil-

lage last month. Between them, the group undertook the most amazing collection of paintings on the village’s walls over a long weekend and more than put the place on the map. And, best of all, the only brush with the law was when a local Guardia Civil agent turned up to ask Parsac if he wouldn’t mind turning up at his house the following weekend to paint his patio.

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Top Dollar

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41 the olive press - October 30 - November 13 201321 21 The Olive Press fortnightly business section taking a look at the Spanish economy and offering tips on how to save AND make money

Eastern promise as Air China scouts Malaga AIR CHINA is considering adding Malaga to its routes as part of its expansion into Spain. The airline´s chief exec-

utive Zhaoqui Bi said he believed the route would be popular among the increasing number of Chinese tourists head-

ing to the country on holiday. The announcement follows extensive market research undertaken by

the airline to establish where it would be best expanding its network, both in Spain and globally.

Not costa lotta

Holidays to southern Spain are now cheaper than its six main European rivals THE COSTA DEL SOL is the most budget-friendly holiday destination this autumn, according to a British survey. The area topped the list of six popular short break destinations surveyed by the Post Office. According to the report, the average cost of a week-long package holiday plus food and drink for two adults and children adds up to around £1,108. The Costa del Sol has both the cheapest pack-

By Claire Wilson age costs, and food and drink prices, although meals were also cheap in the Algarve and Tenerife. The other resorts included in the study were Marmaris, Turkey; Ayia Napa, Cyprus; and Mallorca. It will be welcome news for visitors to the coast who will be hit by a poor sterling-euro exchange rate.

CHINESE TAKE-OFF: Malaga is a prime route

In discussions with the Junta, Bi stressed tourism chiefs must do all they can to show Chinese tourists what Andalucia has to offer if the route is to be successful. According to data provided by airport officials, just 15,000 of more than 20 million tourists that pass through Malaga airport a year are Chinese.

Facebook folly BUSINESSES on the Costa del Sol are missing out on free social media marketing, a survey has found. Out of a 200 enterprise sample, just 36% were found to have a Facebook page, and of those firms just 22% were deemed to be

exploiting the social network´s full potential. Other issues highlighted by marketing firm Pepita Bos inlcuded sporadic updates, copyright infringement, and irrelevant content being posted on the page.

22 30 22 the olive press - October 30 - November 13 2013

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Top Dollar advertorial

Helping people retain their independence

MAGGIE Howard and Alison Eastgate are both experienced carers who have regularly returned to the UK to provide live-in care in people’s homes. When they realised that the kind of service they were providing didn’t exist here in Spain, they decided to set up CaringCarers.

The idea is to enable people to remain in the comfort of their own homes for longer, by offering support at all levels. This support can include light housework, laundry, meal preparation, help with washing, dressing or getting ready for bed, as well as dog walking, shopping or full live-in care. “Many people reluctantly de-

CARING: Maggie and Alison

cide to move into a residential home in the UK when they need some level of care,” says Maggie, “but with our services they don’t have to do that. “Our clients benefit from one to one attention from experienced, competent and trustworthy carers. They can continue with their normal lifestyle, and keep their pets with them. With CaringCarers, people do not have to try to manage on their own.” She continues: “We have a team of dedicated carers ready to give people the help they need. All are personally selected and matched to meet our clients’ needs.” For more information phone 633391529 or visit www. caring-carers.com

Masmovil satisfaction THE majority of customers of a mobile phone network would recommend it to a friend, a new customer satisfaction survey has found. Masmovil which has just a launched it’s latest bargain package, said 95% of users are satisfied with the service they receive. Barcelona-based Masmovil is a virtual operator, that is one which uses the airwaves of a larger provider. It services the mainland, Canary and Balearic islands.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF

CaixaBank new Leader WITH a 164% increase in profits this year, CaixaBank is now the leader of the Spanish banking market. In the first nine months of 2013, the institution registered €458 million in net profit.

Nine fold rise Banco Santander has registered a surge in third-quarter profits. Total net profits rose a massive nine-fold from €122m last year to €1.06bn this year.

Roaming remains X

Extra charges for mobiles abroad will remain. The EU voted in favour of the reform of the telecommunications sector, but failed to regulate in this area.

Electronic cigarettes Profits of e-cigs are expected to explode to €2,000m this year in Europe.

STERLING STUFF

Sterling struggle

The GBP/EUR exchange rate has been relatively stable over the past seven days, struggling to break significantly higher or lower either side of 1.18. It did push lower last week to 1.1688, its lowest level since the beginning of September, but it has since recovered slightly. In a month when we are comparatively light on key data from the eurozone, the move lower seems to be linked to the move in GBP/USD rather than any UK or European fundamentals….which goes to prove just how erratic and unpredictable currency markets can be. As we have seen so often, the market can seem benign and relatively dormant and then explode into life with extreme volatility without any obvious warning, so it´s best not to rest on our laurels. The Bank of England minutes no doubt helped GBP recover from its lows, as policy makers indicated growing confidence in the UK recovery. The minutes made special mention of the fact that recent GBP strength would help lower inflation and therefore lessen the need for any further monetary easing policies. Over the pond in the U.S, the day before the deadline, congress voted to re-open the govern-

ment. The resolution is still only temporary, with current spending levels to continue through until January 15 and the debt ceiling extended until February 7. USD became stronger before heading back in the other direction, and its safe-haven status may still limit any further moves higher. The non-farm payrolls figure was delayed due to the government shutdown, but when released proved worse than expected - +148k versus an expected +180k. This raises concerns over the US recovery, and if the shutdown has hit US growth then this could lead to a delay in the much-talked-about tapering of the Fed monetary stimulus programme. We have been saying for some time that GBP looked a little overvalued and the rate could start to head lower. Recent GBP losses may well continue in the coming weeks, with moves ultimately towards the 1.1500 area before running out of steam. The move lower should however, be interspersed with sporadic rallies; but attempts to move higher could be unsustainable as heavy levels of resistance around the 1.18/1.1900 should be able to contain the currency.

Keith Spitalnick is head of European Sales at HiFX. To contact HiFX and find out how the team can help you with your international transactions, call in at Centro Plaza, call 951 203 986 or email olivepress@hifx.co.uk

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Top Dollar

Gates invests €113.5 in FCC BILL GATES has invested €113.5 million in Spanish construction firm Fomento de Constucciones y Contratas (FCC). He is now the secondlargest shareholder in the firm, with a 6% stake. The firm made €11.15 billion in 2012. However it wasn’t immune from the impact of the financial crisis, and earlier in the year it was forced to restructure $2 billion of debt. It has operations in 56 countries, and is currently building the new Riyadh metro, which will be the world’s longest metro at 176 km, and Central America’s first subway in Panama. Microsoft founder Gates recently reclaimed his crown as the world’s richest man with an estimated net worth of $73 billion.

COMPANY HQ: FCC offices in Madrid. Gates (inset)

Bonds at 2-year low SPANISH government bond yields have fallen to their lowest level for three weeks following the announcement that the country is officially out of recession. The extra yield offered by Spanish bonds over German bonds dropped to a two-year low, as the central bank revealed GDP had expanded by an estimated 0.1% between the second and third quarters.

Pension alert for expats EXPATS could miss out on their pension due to new EU regulations, the UK Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has warned. From January 31 the DWP will need an International Bank Account Number (IBAN) and a Bank Identification Code (BIC) to make payments to expats across the eurozone. The new rules are being introduced to make payments between EU countries faster and more secure. The DWP already holds IBAN and BIC details for most customers, but those that need to provide the details will soon be contacted by letter.

Essential

A spokesperson for the British Embassy in Madrid said it is essential customers return their details as soon as possible to ensure their payments are not stopped. Those affected can get their IBAN and BIC from their bank, or a bank statement. They are being advised not to hand over passwords, or any other details relating to their bank account. Ex-pats who have their pension paid into a UK account are not affected by the legislation.

Golden chance

BOND investors purchasing more than €2 million in Spanish government debt will be granted Spanish residency as part of the golden visa scheme that has recently been approved.

the olive press - October 30 - November 13 2013

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the olive press - October 30 - November 13 2013

Top Dollar

Road to Riches, by Richard Alexander

Richard Alexander explains the attractions of annuities

Annuity – time to buy?

HILE I always recommend a cautious approach to annuities they can be the right solution for those seeking a guaranteed income, either on a temporary or permanent

basis. Annuities are often considered in relation to pension funds but they are also available to buy direct. What is an annuity and how does it work? The annuity is an investment contract of sorts and is typically

available from insurance companies or specialist providers. In exchange for a capital sum, they guarantee to provide an income on whatever basis is agreed with them. This could be for a fixed term or for your lifetime. It may provide a level income, or it may escalate at a fixed rate or in line with inflation, and it could just be for one person or be on a joint life basis. The main benefit is that the income is guaranteed, regardless of changes in the financial markets. The strength of the guarantee is therefore reliant on the annuity provider being able to meet

those guarantees. The way that they do this is to invest heavily in long term gilts, effectively ‘backing up’ the annuity guarantees. This is why long term gilt yields will have an influence over the rates of annuity that are available. The annuity provider is in business to make a profit, after all, and if they have agreed to provide an income for your lifetime they will do their sums, a bit like a bookmaker, to determine their risk and to add a margin for profit. This effectively means they are assessing how long the annuitant will live and on average they expect to ‘win’. They ‘win’ when more people live for a shorter period than expected than live for a longer period than expect-

ed. The actuary determines a projected lifespan, and one of the reasons annuity rates have fallen so far over the past 20 years is that people are generally living much longer. This fact, coupled with the financial world changing so drastically over the same period is why the income level from these contracts is so much lower than it once was. Having said that, 2013 has seen a reversal in the downward trend, with long term gilt yields increasing steadily, and consequently annuity rates have been increasing too; some long

term rates are up as much as 9% this year. However, as we know, markets are fickle and tend to be cyclical in nature; what goes up has a habit of coming down again. This could well be the case with annuity rates, because we are seeing a slow-down in the long term gilt yields and some commentators are predicting that the ‘bull run’ for them is just about over. If this is the case and an annuity is the right contract for you, then perhaps, now is indeed the right time to buy.

Richard Alexander Financial Planning Limited is an appointed representative of L J Financial Planning Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority in the UK. Contact him at Richard@ra-fp.com

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the olive press - October 30 - November 13 2013

AGONY ANT

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the olive press - October 30 - November 13 2013

YOUR LEGAL PROBLEMS ADDRESSED

Legal eagle Antonio Flores explains residency issues

Court notifications in Spain

PANISH courts are responsible for serving documents, communicating procedural writs and notifying parties of their decisions. This is how this is typically done:

1. By post - ensuring that there is certification of content and acknowledgment of receipt (typically called “burofax”.) 2. In court – directly to the defendant by the court secretary or through the appointed procurator. 3. At the address of the recipient – direct issuance to the defendant or, if he refuses to receive the court decision or sign acknowledgment of the summons, he will be warned that a copy of the document is at his disposal, in court, and he is now understood to be legally notified. 4. Via an employee, family member, flat mate over 14 or a porter - If the recipient is not present, it can be given to one of the above warning that the notification or summons is to be given to the recipient. 5. On the notice board this is a special communication system that is used where all the above fail. The court officer reads the content of the summons which is then published on the court’s notice board. 6. In the Official Gazette – the summons is published on the notice board, and in the Provincial Official Gazette, and where the court deems it necessary, in the

Autonomous Region Official Gazette. 7. When the recipient or defendant is not located - the civil procedure can go ahead and the ruling will be formally noted. When this is not possible, it will be published on the notice board, as above. 8. An adverse ruling (most of them will be) against a defendant that has disappeared can be challenged when a defendant was not able to collect the summons due uninterrupted force majeure. This applies when he knew of the proceedings, or when he was unaware of the proceedings and the notification was made by judicial summons, or when he was unaware of the proceedings, or when the notification was made by publication in the notice board but he was in a different place from where he was living. 9. In criminal procedures - a defendant has more protection as a trial cannot take place when the commission of the crime car-

ries a penalty of more than two years imprisonment, or six years of another nature. But the most notable difference is that generally, depending on the seriousness of the charge, the defendant will be arrested and brought before the Judge, to be formally notified of the charges. 10. Private party communication – This can be done in serveral ways: Burofax, as explained in point one: - BuroTex , that allows notifications between private individuals to be carried out by mobile device text message (SMS). - Certimail, which is made by email sent by a Public Notary. - Fax, in spite of its evident weaknesses, it was deemed by the Constitutional Tribunal to be valid in administrative proceedings where the defendant did not prove that the fax machine was not working well, that there was power cut-off or generally, any other provable excuse of non-delivery of the content. Contact Antonio at aflores@ lawbird.com

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advertorial

How Wincham helped save our family holiday home from the Spanish Tax man

ur clients were aware of the problem that would face their family upon their deaths and that they may have to pay Inheritance Tax both in their country of domicile and in Spain. Spanish law dictates the beneficiary of your estate must pay tax on the amount that they inherit. The level of tax payable is not a fixed rate and is determined by the relationship to the deceased, their residency status and their existing wealth in Spain. The married couple owned a holiday home in Spain with an approximate value of €256,000, each with children from previous relationships. We provided a free illustration highlighting the potential Inheritance Tax, €78,424, due to be paid by their beneficiaries. Beneficiaries are unable to sell or mortgage the property to find the tax payable which has to be settled within 6 months before additional fines and interest are added.

David Rogers Tel. 0034 622 345 558

How to minimise the liability? – The Wincham Solution. We assisted our clients to invest their Spanish property into their own UK Company (which Wincham can supply) of which they were the Directors and shareholders retaining total control. Contrary to popular belief there was no 7-10% Property Transfer Tax payable. Unlike an offshore company that has a 3% annual tax a UK Company is not required to pay this. Client Satisfaction “My wife and I wanted to say how efficient, business-like and friendly we have found Wincham. We sought advice on the best way of holding our Spanish property principally with a view to protecting us from Spanish death taxes. Wincham fully explained the steps that needed to be taken and also very clearly set out the costs. We continue to be impressed!” Mr and Mrs O, Costa de la Luz

Mark Bailey Tel. 0077 02 192 797

Inclusive Title Deed Insurance All Clients who use our services to purchase or invest a property are covered by Title Deed Insurance affording cover for 20 years including Demolition Order, Fraud and Compulsory Purchase plus up to 20 other areas and a maximum of €360,000 compensation. To hear more about our solution and receive your ‘complimentary’ illustration visit www.winchamiht.com or scan the QR code below. Alternatively contact one of our advisers on +44 (0)1260 299 700 (UK) or 0034 965 830 991 (Spain).

the olive press - October 30 - November 13 2013

Property

28 28 the olive press - October 30 - November 13 2013

Golden ticket for investors NON-EU investors can now apply for Spanish residency after the government approved a move to establish a ‘golden visa’. Those investing a minimum of €500,000 in property will be entitled to residency in Spain, along with their husband or wife, and any children under 21. The visa has no minimum stay requirement, but needs to be renewed every two years. Data from the country’s Council of Notaries shows there was a 22% increase in the number of homes purchased by foreign investors in the second quarter of 2013 compared to the same period a year later. It is hoped the golden visa will provide a further boost the property market.

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The Property Insider Bob Callan looks at how the Gib border dispute has affected one property market

ast month l reported that a Gibraltar company which owned a luxury property in Estepona had dropped the asking price from €2 million to €750,000 in the hope of a quick sale. Did ongoing tension between Spain and Gibraltar have any baring on this decision? Plans by the Spanish tax office to investigate the financial affairs of Gibraltarians, including chief minister Fabian Picardo, has undoubtedly caused a lot of anxiety among property owners. Gibraltarians and expats l have spoken to agree that if somebody spends more than six months in Spain it is right that they pay Spanish tax. No argument on that subject at all. They are therefore happy to keep their Spanish holiday homes, in which they live for less than six months a year, and have no intention of selling, and why should they?

‘Border effect’ continues Prices rises in 20 towns

Gibraltar’s booming housing market Since March, 50 properties have been sold, including luxury homes to high worth individuals who have chosen to invest in Gibraltar rather than Spain. Queensway Quay is one of the most sought after areas; here a two-bedroomed apartment of 120 square meters, overlooking the yachts in the marina, sells for around £450,000-plus. Rental properties are scarce on the Rock. Josiane Richardson, a director at Richardsons Estate Agents Gibraltar, said: “We have nothing to rent. You will find it neigh on impossible to get a decent rental property in Gibraltar at the moment. It’s not just us, you will find that most agents in Gibraltar have the same shortage of rental properties!” Maybe the Border Effect is starting to swing in favour of Gibraltar?

There appears to be a small sign of light amid the Spanish property market collapse. Prices and sales have been rising since the start of the year in 20 municipalities, according to Solvia, the real estate arm of Banco Sabadell

‘BARGAIN OF THE MONTH’ LUXURY VILLA NOW FOR SALE AT €1 MILLION - BOUGHT FOR €2 MILLION. PANORAMIC AND STUNNING SEA MOUNTAIN AND GOLF VIEWS An exclusive four-bedroomed luxury villa. This exclusive property with a Moorish contemporary style boasts an elevated southerly position above, with panoramic views over La Quinta Golf Course, the mountains and the sea. The property was originally bought by the owner for €2 million in a company structure, and has been advertised at €1.49m. It can now be bought exclusively for a fixed price of €1 million. Contact www.BobCallan.com for further details 616 004 771

Property

the olive press - October 30 - November 13 201329 29 29

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Prank over park life

Fraud-case expat boss in court A BRITISH man accused of defrauding investors in a luxury Estepona development has appeared in court in Madrid. Colin Thomas, of Town Hill, Yoxall, is suspected of two counts of fraud, the first relating to a company he set up called Ocean View Properties (OVP), and the second through urban corruption case Operation Malaya. Lawyers for OVP claimants suspect a link between the €2.1 billion Operation Malaya and lost money paid as deposits, which average €88,000 for apartments at the planned luxury Estepona Beach and Country Club.

Complaints

OVP sold off-plan apartments at the proposed site for Spanish development company Sun Golf, despite the land never being owned by the Sun Golf, and building never beginning. The complaint is being investigated alongside the Operation Malaya lawsuit filed by Marbella-based Lawbird, which was lodged in February 2011 in a bid to recover deposits paid by investors to OVP. More than 1,000 British investors have lost an average of €49,000 for off-plan overseas property developments have lost their money after the firm was formally dissolved in 2009. OVP bosses, including Thomas, have denied wrong doing.

SPANISH property rental portal Idealista has taken down a prank advert for a Madrid park bench priced at €750. The advertiser acted following the introduction of a bylaw in the city which will see beggars fined €750 if they are caught asking for money. Prankster Iñigo Andiarena told the Spanish version of the Huffington

Post: “If you get a €750 fine for begging, sleeping rough on the street bench is just as expensive as a luxury flat in the city. “We´ll carry on posting the ad on different rental sites to show that right now the highest rental costs in Madrid are for people sleeping rough on street benches: €750 for two square meters.

Living the fly life Commuting to London from Barca would save €400 a month

IT’S cheaper to rent a three bedroom apartment in Barcelona and commute to London every day than to live in the British capital, a study found. Sam Cookney, a businessman in London and author of the blog Best Burger in North West London recently posted about the extreme disparity between the cost of living in the two cities. The average price for a onebed flat in West Hampstead is £1505 (€1767). Add to that council tax (another €88) and the monthly travel card to get around the city (€137), and the total cost is €1979 per month without even thinking about eating. For Barcelona, in a similar up market residential district, a three bedroom apartment should cost an average €680 a month, with

CITY LIFE: Barcelona, where life is a lot cheaper for residents than in London.

no council tax involved. Now to look at the transport. Booked in advance, daily round trips from Barcelona to Stansted cost in average €34, plus an extra

€57 a day in other commuting costs. Based on Cookney’s four day working week, he calculates monthly travel expediture to be €912.

Add this to rent, and the final cost of living in Barcelona and working in London is €1,592, exactly €387 cheaper than actually living in London.

Another price fall and rents also drop ANDALUCIAN property valuations registered the largest drop in the country during the third quarter of the year. The average property in the region is now worth 10% less than during the same period last year, compared with the national average of 9.3%.

THE Andalucian government has taken temporary ownership of four apartments to save the inhabitants from eviction. The owners of the properties, in Granada and Almeria, have been served eviction notices by their banks after falling behind on their mortgage payments. The council said it is acting in line with Spanish law, which states it can intervene in cases where families are at risk of social exclusion and they are registered with the social security services of the Town Hall.

December tax deadline THE deadline for the Non Resident Tax is approaching for anyone that owns property in Spain. Non-residents have until December to submit tax returns relating to holiday homes, or other eligible assets. Documentation must be completed regardless of whether the property is rented out. Sellers are also being advised capital gains made on property sold must be reported within three months.

Now foreign firms look to Santander

The largest

Properties are on average 38.1% cheaper than they were in 2007, according to Tasaciones Inmobiliarias. Rents also dropped 1.4% in the three months to September 2013. Current valuations are a far cry from the record highs seen in 2007 of €8.41 per square meter per month. Despite the general downward trend, properties in 10 Andalucian towns did increase in value over the period. The largest increase was seen in Armila (3.9%), followed by Ogijares (2.9%) and Fuengirola (1.2%).

Andalucia stops four evictions

Four new offices Technocasa is to open four new offices in Andalucia as part of a nation-wide expansion programme. The real estate franchise, which already has 55 offices in the region, plans to open a total 19 offices

across Spain in the coming year following a 20% revenue surge over the past 12 months. The new offices will create 70 new jobs for young people, who will all receive extensive training.

Villa fit for a prince

AN Ibiza villa owned by Kate Middleton’s uncle has gone on the market for a cool €8 million. The four bedroomed Maison Bang Bang, near Cala Jondal, has played host to the Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge and neighbours including Kate Moss, George Michael and Naomi Campbell.

CHEAPER LIVING: Estepona residents paying less

Real fall in taxes IBI in Estepona is going down 8% this year as the town’s council looks to attract more people to the area. The fall in the property tax is part of a wider 12step programme unveiled recently by the council’s economic minister, Manuel Aguilar. Other measures include the removal of the rubbish collection charge and a 50% reduction in the plusvalia for inheritance. The Town Hall states its austerity plan has already led to a 15% cut in spending expenses and a 20% reduction in management costs.

FOREIGN invesment companies are hoping to buy into the property arm of Spanish bank Santander. Three US groups are planning to make a joint bid on Altamira Real Estate as they look to break into the country´s recovering property market. If successful, the deal would give the consortium a team of managers and a contract to handle Santander´s property sales, but would not include real estate assets on the bank’s books. The consortium is following in the footsteps of rival firms, which have been entering into similar agreements with competitors. Spanish real estate insiders have welcomed the news, which is a sign that foreign investors are looking to commit to the country for the longer term.

C E ................ ................ ................. ................. 51 38 the olive press - October 30 - November 13 2013 30 30

n Buen

amino

Driving savings

A PROGRAMME which has saved thousands of jobs in the motor sector is to receive a financial boost to the tune of €70 million, the government has announced. The Federation of Automotive Dealers, Facunauto, has revealed that the Efficient Vehicle Incentive Programme (PIVE) has preserved 13,200 motor industry jobs and saved the government over €142 million in unemployment subsidies in the past year. Finance minister Cristobal Montoro announced that more €70 million will be allocated for the next round of PIVE, following the success of the previous round in the summer.

MINISTER: Finance boost according to Montoro

He told the press he was ‘surprised. by the popularity of the programme,

www.theolivepress.es 35

which enables drivers to trade in old vehicles for heavily discounted new, more efficient models, but explained that the motor sector ‘needs continued support from the Government.’ “The automobile sector is one of the key motors for the growth of our economy. These incentives are inversing the downward trend of the Spanish economy and strengthening the market,” he said. So far, PIVE has received €220 million. Although the sales sign still figures slightly negative (-1,6%), the various stimulus plans already reversed the downward trend, with car sales jumping to an increase of 28.5% in just one year. The new incentives are due to be approved on November 1, and should be running until the end of the year.

Is it (hy)brid? SALES of hybrid cars in Spain have risen 24% in the first nine months of 2013, according to an industry body. A total 1,089 hybrid vehicles have been sold in Andalucia alone since the start of the year, the Spanish association of car and truck manufacturers (ANFAC) has revealed. A further 38 electric cars have also been registered in the region, a 216% increase on the same period last year. A hybrid car is classified as one using two or more distinctive power sources.

Controvesy in rally season finale

THE penultimate round of the Spanish Rally Competition finished with not one but two surprises. Juan Luis Garcia Pernia steered to his second straight win for RMC Motorsport, an all-time record for the team. He finished the 31 Rally Sierra Morena well positioned to win the over all competition. But elsewhere MOTORS: RMC Motorsport swept the competition controversy reigned supreme, as the were penalised in the The pair, who are brothrally favourites ended final stage, resulting in ers, then announced up finishing last. The 20 minutes being added their retirement from professional racing. two drivers for Vallejo to their times.

Tolls take their toll

LOWER tolls have driven the A-46, to profitability. The road, which runs through Puerto de Las Pedrizas down to Malaga, was built to divert traffic from the freeway. It shortens the journey to the Costa del Sol by around 8km. The AP-7, however, has seen a drop in traffic volumes due in large part to the high cost of using the road. Traffic on the Malaga-Guardiaro route has fallen 3% over the past 12 months as budget-conscious drivers opt for the A7.

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the olive press - October 30 - November 13 2013

31 31

Belinda Beckett, aka Mistress of Sizzle, enjoys a furtive look at outdoor sex... and it’s not dogging!

The stag party with no males

W The only stag we saw was the stone one on the roundabout at nearby Jimena de la Frontera

E were six consenting adults who’d come to the woods around Jimena de la Frontera to see a sex show! A once-a-year opportunity to watch the local babes shaking their booties in front of the ‘horniest’ males. More precisely, we’d booked on an excursion to witness the berrea, the awesome autumnal forest ritual that goes on, for the most part unseen by humans, as summer mellows into autumn in Spain. ‘Nocturnal Observation of Deer on Heat,’ read the publicity poster that lured us into the wilds of the Spanish countryside on a nothing-better-to-do Saturday night with a group of people we’d never met before. Yes, it does sound mildly pornographic. As a former townie from Fuengirola, I had no idea this kind of thing went on in the countryside. Not the deer rut, of course, the or-

Season of confusion

HE middle of October always seems to bring a confusing jumble of celebrations in supermarkets throughout Spain. It strikes me that there must be some type of competition being waged between Opencor, Supersol, Carrefour and the rest about who can get Christmas decorations up first. I froze this week when I saw a display of the unedible turrons, those rock hard cakes I am always being given for Christmas and that I save to give as presents for the following year. Worse was seeing huge decorations hanging from the ceiling at my local shopping centre. What is more surreal at this time of the year is that they have to jostle for space on the shelves with Halloween decorations. This never used to be a huge affair in Spain, with the focus more on All Saints Day (I never knew that the all girl band were that big over here, never mind had their own public holiday). But over the past decade or so there has been an explosion of the little and not-solittle trick or treaters banging on doors and generally causing havoc. Living remotely I don’t get many trick or treaters, but I’ve got the laxatives coated in chocolate just in case...

ganised excursions to see it. The densly cork-forested Los Alcornocales Natural Park which surrounds the Campo de Gibraltar is home to some 35,000 roe, fallow and red deer – perfect for indulging in a spot of voyeurism. Several local companies run organised trips at dawn, dusk or all-night, along ‘safe’ routes, and it’s best to go with one of them if you don’t want lead shot up your derrière… The cazadores furtivos (poachers) are also out in force during the rutting season. It gives them more of an unsporting chance to bag a nice piece of venison and a wall trophy when the deer are off their guard. I had great expectations from my trip: foreplay, perhaps, accompanied by a chorus of baritone bellowing; a thrilling trial of strength (antlers away!) and, if we were extremely lucky, the grand finale – with trans-

Rock n (Bread) Roll!!

The bare truth of nude calendars

A WORRYING trend at this time of year are charity calendars. It seems that merely having a picture of a cute kitten is no longer enough. Firemen, policemen, housewives and every other group seem to want to get their kit off for charity. A group of British women made more than a million pounds and worldwide headlines when they came up with the idea of a discreet nude calendar for 2000 to raise money for leukemia research. Their story was made into a hit movie, Calendar Girls, and since then members of various clubs, societies and associations have been flashing their bits. A few years ago, however, seven Spanish mothers who posed for a tongue-in-cheek nude calendar — a fundraiser for their children’s rural school — were saddled with €16,000 debt and 5,000 unwanted copies. That sad tale has disuaded the Olive Press editor from publishing our own nude charity calender. And I was so looking forward to being Miss April. (Hmmm. Then again. Ed)

YOU know, you should never ever underestimate the latent silliness and unbounded invention of your average ex-pat radio audience. I was getting a few bits and bobs before my Saturday night show at Opencor ( 10 x Red Bull, 15 x Twix, etc) and saw, for the first time, AD DC lager in the drinks section. Which got me thinking about other Rock n Pop Food/Drink combinations. I mentioned it on air, thinking it would fill ten minutes... An hour and a half later I ran out of time on what was one of the funniest shows I have ever done. Highlights were White SnakeBite, Thin Based Pizza Lizzy, Bon Appetit Jovi, Buns and Roses, Alice Cooper’s Marmalade, Black Pudding Sabbath, Joe Cockerleekie Soup, Arctic Roll Monkies, Fleetwood Big Mac and my favourite, ZZ Lager Top!

port, guides and a picnic thrown in. But if snooping on Mr Stag getting his leg over Bambi’s mother sounds more than a tad voyeuristic I can only say, ‘if only’. There we were, six strangers in the fading light, hung about with telephoto lenses and staring through binoculars better designed for the theatre at a small brown speck on the fringes of the tree line, at least a kilometre away. It was a doe (a deer, a female deer). The stags? They were at some other party. And, by the noise they were making, it was a wild gig! It reminded me of the time we saw a grey speck in Tarifa, on a whale watching trip … But that’s another story. No one’s to blame. (At least we heard the stags and saw more does, and the tour company offered to take us on another trip, free of charge.) But when you book a ticket to one of Mother Nature’s shows, there are no guarantees. Just ask Sir David Attenborough. And, ok, you can see everything bigger and better on TV. But there’s something about the adventure, the anticipation, the craziness of doing something you can laugh about with friends afterwards, that makes it all worthwhile, with the following provisos: • Forget binoculars – bring the Hubble telescope. • Check the itinerary before you don uncomfortable camouflage gear. Expecting we’d be crawling through undergrowth, and not wanting to scare the deer off, I wore a forest green jacket made for English mid-winter, not this year’s Indian summer, and was hotter under the collar than the stags… • If you’re planning some nocturnal camping this autumn make sure you know what the mating call of a sexed-up stag sounds like or you’ll be quaking in your climbing boots. The terrifying roars are more akin to a carnivore (think mountain lion) than a ruminant!

A final PS

LIVING in a cottage by a lake, my main power source comes from a generator located at the far end of the garden as it makes a hell of a racket. This, however, does have its drawbacks. Stumbling around the kitchen recently, I couldn’t be bothered to tramp down the path to turn the thing on, so blindly reached for my breakfast cereal, poured the milk, and hungrily tucked in. I really must remember not to store the dry cat food next to the muesli in the future...

PHWOOR: Invitation to a stag

OP Columnists

32 32 the olive press - October 30 - November 13 2013

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Relationship Troubles? How to Fight Fair E

ven the happiest of partnerships can hit a few bumps in the road on occasion. In other words, we all have fights. Don’t you wonder why some relationships flourish over decades, while others blow up in just a few years? The truth is that every relationship has trouble spots, but the difference in hitting the bumps and moving on with minimum damage is found in the ability to ‘fight fair’. What does this involve? Respecting your partner enough to allow him or her to have opinions and values different from yours. Understanding that we’re all broken in one way or another and allowing room for flaws and failures. Valuing the

Granny Quote

“Do not regret getting older…. it is a privilege denied to many”

Conflict can sometimes be healthy explains Juliet Hambro

relationship above all others and making room for listening, setting new goals and offering forgiveness when it’s called for. We all know that relationships are hard work. Marriages, longterm friendships, whatever the partnership you may be committed to, you’ll have times when the entire bond can be broken if not for some well-chosen and agreed to ‘rules.’ Here are some tips for fighting fair rules you might agree on with your partner. Feel free to add some of your own. What has worked for you? Agree that conflict is natural and healthy when handled with love, respect and a degree of humour. Don’t ignore problems or trouble spots. Be brave enough and honest enough to speak out when something is bothering you. Never bring in third parties. It’s a problem for just the two of you. Third parties tip the balance of power and make one partner feel ‘ganged up on.’ Don’t argue in public or in front of children. Working out

Granny Fact

“Respect the OLD when you are young, help the WEAK when you are strong, confess the fault when you are WRONG, because one day in life you will be OLD, WEAK and WRONG!” difficulties in a relationship is hard work and deserves privacy to maximise the chances of reaching a solution that honours both partners. Don’t interrupt, don’t blame, don’t name call, don’t attack. Use your manners. Be clear about the issue. Define your feelings and attach them to certain behaviours. Vague language makes it difficult for the partner to understand the problem and minimizes the chances of reaching a solution. Use ‘I’ sentences, not ‘You’ ones. “I feel … when” is better than “You always…” When your partner is speaking, do your best to listen and follow the line of reasoning. Don’t use the time to plan your next response. Allow for “cooling off” periods of time before sitting down to discuss an issue. There is a greater chance that the discussion will be profitable if anger has had a chance to blow over. Seek a solution, but don’t continue a discussion for hours. Nothing is gained when both parties become exhausted. End a discussion with both partners retaining their dignity. You may need to “agree to disagree” for the time being. Never underestimate the

power of humour. Life situations can be filled with strong feelings and a lot of angst, but a touch of humour takes the edge off. Try it. Conflict is part of life. Even the nicest, most patient people in the world will need to vent sometimes. Let’s be willing to listen, validate, support and honour our partners. And when all else fails, don’t forget those three little words: Let it go. That’s right, let it go. The Earth won’t crumble if you don’t reach agreement on all of the trouble spots in your relationship. Let it go and just care for your partner.

Granny Quote

A police officer stops a woman who appears to be in her 80s, for running a stop sign. After getting her license, registration and insurance, he says ‘This may seem unnecessary but it’s standard procedure to ask if you have any weapons’. The elderly lady pulls out a shotgun, a set of brass knuckles and a 357 magnum, The police officer is shocked, and asks, ‘Madam, just what are you afraid of?’ The old lady responds, ‘Not a goddamn thing!’

www.askgranny.com is a unique website and resource for grandparents and senior citizens worldwide created by Granny Juliet and provides useful information on a number of topics

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GOLF In the swing of it

the olive press - October 30 - November 13 201333 33

Costa del Golf

GOLF: Valderrama, the number one course in Spain The Costa del Sol is still the most attractive golf tourism destination among European golfers, a recent survey has revealed. More than 12 percent of golfers from the UK, France and Scandinavia have visited the region in the past 12 months, according to Reed Travel Exhibitions. In total, 28 percent of participants have played golf in Spain over the past year.

GOLF: Chinese golfers swing into Sevilla

Chinese golfers vow to return

The survey also revealed the average golfer holidays for seven days, and spends and average €200 per day. Those visiting from Britain spend €10, below average, while the Scandinavians splash out a hefty €230 per day. Other popular destination for European Golfers include Portugal (17 percent), Great Britain (16,1 percent) and Turkey (7,1 per-

Journalists get their swing on Advertise here for as little as 40 € per issue

Andalucia’s courses seduced Chinese golfers on a recent visit to the province By Pedro Rodrigues

GOLF: Hole in one kick

Footgolf will be the new craze

SPAIN’S first ever footgolf tournament is to take place in Anterquera next month. Four teams will be taking part in Circuito Torneo de Lanzamiento Futgolf para Todos, at the Hotel Antequera Golf, with the objective of expanding the new sport to other golf courses all across Andalucia. A total 72 participants will take part in the tournament, including Real Madrid star Pepe Salguero. Footgolf is a hybrid sport that combines football playing with golf rules. Players are required to kick a ball into a number of 52cm holes, and to complete the whole course with the fewest kicks possible. The next matches are scheduled for November 3 and 23.

A GROUP of Chinese golf fanatics were so impressed with Andalucia’s facilities during a recent visit that they have already vowed to return. The round trip was organised by the Spanish Tourism Office (OET) in Beijing in a bid to boost the region’s popularity as a golf tourism destination. The 14 visitors are part of the Spanish Golf Circuit in China, an event that takes in the Far Eastern country’s key cities, and included the OET’s president. They were also treated to a lecture on the technical characteristics of the Andalucian courses by Dolores Bravo, Sevilla’s deputy minister of employment and innovation. Bravo hopes these types of incentives will attract tourists with a higher purchasing power to the region; golf tourists spend considerably more per person per day than other types of tourists - €171, versus €107.

The SECOND Golf Championship for Sports Journalists of Andalucia will be held in Club Zaudin Golf de Sevilla, on November 5. Cadiz-based journalist Juan Jesus Quiros will be defending his title, after swinging to victory in the last tournament with five ‘birdies’.

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To place your classified, please call 951 127 006 or email admin@theolivepress.es 83 cents per word. Minimum charge based on 10 words per issue and a minimum of 2 issues. IVA not included All ads include the first 2 words in bold. For all text in bold add 25%

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SUNSHINE TOLDOS

All types of awning and blinds

Installed or fixed Manual/electric Will travel inland No deposit/cash on delivery Call John on 952467783 680323969

COTTAGE IN THE DORDOGNE This delightful project was abandoned about six years ago due to ill health. A stone-built cottage in a quiet cul-de-sac approx one mile south of Champagne. Mains electric, water, telephone line, flush WC & septic tank. Partly restored and habitable. Ground level.Living room approx 24 sq m. Good concrete floor. Beamed ceiling with termite-resistant chestnut boarding. Traditional stone fireplace accommodates a Godin wood-burning stove.Sink in corner with cold water tap. Upper level.New floor (2007) with 18mm chip board on 9â&#x20AC;? x 2â&#x20AC;? joists. Treated with Xylophene insect repellent.Bedroom approx 12 sq m. Small bathroom with WC & hip bath. Rear space for small kitchen. Internal partitions insitu & fitted with new doors (2007). Further work is required including provision of stairway down to living room. Lower level.Garage approx 21 sq m with up-andover door. Rear Garden. South facing approx 430 sq m. 15m x 28m roughly grassed in 2007. Tel: 606 849 692 - (0034) 952 937 756. Tax Fonciere: 117 Euros PA. Site plan & location plan available on request.Price: 44,950 Euros ono.

Full name and passport or NIE number must be provided when advertisements are placed. All ads must be paid prior to publication

APEX CHIMNEY SERVICES Professional chimney sweep, NACS qualified, clean & reliable Tel. 696320202 AIR CONDITIONING installations repairs and servicing. Airflow 952443222 > airflowspain@live.com DOG & CAT sitting. Care of your animal in its own house. Spanish, English and German spoken. Maria 699 621 202

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Car park classes!

Students at Malaga’s celebrated La Consula cookery academy forced to take classes in the car park after school fails to open STUDENTS at Malaga’s famous cookery school La Consula have held classes in its car park in protest that their classes have still not begun. A FORMER UN ambassador has established himself as a ‘cheese master’ after launching a personalised cheese service. Valladolid-based Ruben Valbuena (pictured left), 32, launched his online store, Farm Cantagrullas, a year ago and now supplies some of the country’s top restaurants. He also offers a custom service, enabling cheese connoiseurs to order cheese to taste, priced at between €25 and €35 a kilo. Valbuena said his success was thanks to the originality of the idea. He said: “The market was filled by homogeneity. Nobody had made possible the interaction between the producer and the client. We did.”

La Consula was threatened with closure earlier this year for not paying its suppliers, but a last minute deal at the beginning of summer had

apparently ensured that the new school year would start as normal. But the deal fell through, meaning that the 42 students

SAY CHEESE!

By Giles Brown who were due to start their courses at the being of October have yet to have a single proper class. And when students were told by the school that they could not even use the classrooms to revise from last year’s course, they decided to use the car park as a protest. “We feel cheated,” said student spokesman Javier Mahedero. “Many of the students don’t know what is going to happen and they are still having to pay for accommodation in Malaga.

Paperwork

“We haven’t been told anything by the board, except that the courses would start in October. “That clearly has not happened.” The action comes despite the Junta commenting that they would make funds available to pay off 75% of La Consula’s outstanding debts, once the school had submitted the correct paperwork. La Consula is one of Malaga’s most emblematic buildings. Previously a private residence, owned by a wealthy American, Ernest Hemingway celebrated his 60th birthday at the villa and David Niven, Vivienne Leigh and Lawrence Olivier were also frequent guests.

Taste of Spain HOTELIERS in Madrid have launched a new campaign to attract international foodies to Spain. Tasting Spain will promote local gastronomy to tourists across the globe, offering insight into regional specialities and how these dishes are linked to the country’s history. As part of the campaign, hospitality professionals, Spanish people and tourists will be asked which flavours and dishes define the country.

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It’s the time of the year for the chestnut harvest and families will be out roasting them on the Dia del Toston this week, writes Giles Brown IT’S one of the sure signs that autumn has arrived. Take a walk through any town in southern Spain at this time of year and you are bound to see street vendors, known as castañeras, roasting chestnuts on their mobile stoves. Wrapped in paper they keep your hands warm as you walk and eat and have an earthy and slightly sweet flavour. Eating roast chestnuts – and drinking copious amounts of red wine – is all part of the traditional holiday of the Dia del Toston. This takes place every year on November 1,

That old chestnut! AUTUMNAL ARRIVAL. Chestnuts are one of the signs of the season and families normally drive into the coun- seriously. The magosto is a celebration that tryside to celebrate. takes place on November 11 and is an imThe chestnut tree, originally from the East- portant holiday, especially in Orense, that ern Mediterranean, was introduced into also celebrates the town’s patron saint, Spain by the Romans and became a staple San Martin, on the same day. of the Galician diet. Families head into the countryside to roast Up in Galicia they take their chestnut eating chestnuts and chorizos over open fires, and once again drink copious amounts of wine! There are several areas in Andalucía where chestnuts are cultivated, but in particular they can be found in the Genal Valley villages of Igualeja, Pujerra and Cartajima, just 30 minutes inland from Marbella. An important point to note if you are thinking of throwing your own Toston party is that you are only allowed to light bonfires in designated barbecue areas. Most Town Halls have municipal barbecues in their parks. Lighting an open fire in the campo not only carries a high risk of starting a forest fire, but could also land you with a hefty fine. Also, make sure that you don’t confuse the sweet chestnuts with the more poisonous horse chestnuts. They are only good for conkers!

the olive press - October 30 - November 13 2013

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Horrific Treats

Halloween is upon us, and what better way to spook your friends than with some creepy-looking food and spooky drinks! Witches’ Brew Jack Skellington’s Cupcakes It looks like a cauldron full of werewolf’s guts and frog spawn but this is actually a tasty pea and bacon soup. Ingredients 1 tsp olive oil 650g frozen peas 750ml vegetable stock 1 onion crushed clove of garlic 750ml vegetable stock 6 rashers of bacon Method After heating the oil, add the onion and cook on a medium

heat for 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and drop in three-quarters of peas then pour in the vegetable stock. Bring to the boil for 10 minutes, and grill the bacon. After it’s cooked, let the mixture cool and whizz until it’s smooth. Return the soup to the pan and add the remaining pees. Bring to the boil for two minutes until the peas are tender. Break the crispy bacon into pieces and sprinkle it over the soup, half drowning it.

Christmas was everything that Jack ever wanted, but unfortunately he will always be known as the king of Halloween town. Ingredients Chocolate cupcakes White butter cream frosting

Tube of black decorator’s icing. You will also need two toothpicks Method Frost the cupcakes with the butter cream. Using the tip of the toothpick, scratch the outline of Jack’s eyes. Slowly pour the black icing onto the eyes and fill them. Use the other toothpick to spread the icing. Use the pipe to draw two short lines for a nose. Next, draw the mouth. For a last touch, top the mouth with short icing barbs.

Spooky Halloween Drinks Up for a night of horrific debauchery this Halloween? The Olive Press brings you the ultimate guide to spooky drinks.

Health and Mana Potions

Fancy drinking a movie or video game-esque potion? Then why not try one of these red or blue concoctions. They´re guaranteed to keep your strength up but be careful: don’t drink too much or you may become a monster! Health Potion: Half a cup of Tequilla, half of Rum, gooseberry and red pepper flakes to taste Mana Potion: Half a cup of vodka, half of rum, blueberry juice and blue colourant to taste. Don’t forget to add ice for improved flavour.

Drunken Spider

A fake spider on the floor is old hat, so why not put that spider into a friend´s drink to really cause a stir? Add two spoons of cassis, three of vodka and one spoon each of triple sec, lemon juice, pomegranate juice and liquorice strings to a cocktail shaker. Shake and pour, then dangle the liquorice like the legs of a drowned spider.

Poison Apple Punch

This delight would enable Snow White to throw the best revenge party for the wicked witch! First, make the spiced apple juice. Much like mulled cider, add three cinnamon sticks and about a teaspoon of whole cloves per half a litre of apple juice. Adjust the quantities according to how spicy you want it to be. Then bring to the boil. Add two parts spiced apple juice, one part of ginger beer and half a part of raspberry syrup to a cocktail mixer. Shake, then pour in to a punch ball and stir, being sure to say some magic

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Horsing around

FINAL WORDS

Ship sails in THE ‘Oasis of the Seas’ – the world’s largest cruise ship –will visit Malaga in 2014, during its maiden voyage to Spain.

Poor Andalucia Three and a half million people in Andalucia are living in poverty according to a report from the Andalucía Network for the fight against Poverty and Social Exclusion.

Pet tax

PHOTO JACK LONGMAN

MIJAS mayor Angel Nozal has sparked a public debate over the possible introduction of a tax on pet ownership - to cover the cost of cleaning up dog mess - after floating the idea on his Facebook page.

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Bit under the feather

(brought to you by the OlivePress)

POLICE arrested a Jaén man on suspicion of killing 12 of his own horses and then burying the bodies in his estate. Police found a further 12 undernourished and dehydrated horses on the same premises.

November 13, 2013

MOTHER HEN: Head Sian Kirkham joins in the fun

THE Headmistress of the British School of Marbella has led her pupils in a celebration of United Nations Day, by dressing up as a chicken. Mother hen Sian Kirkham gave a special assembly to a hall filled with children dressed up as different countries of the world. Pupils and parents took part in a number of activities including dancing, singing, and cookery before watching a visiting flamenco group. UN Day has been held every year on October 24 since 1948, to celebrate the UN Charter coming into force.

Our right to take off (our clothes)

Ryanair denies sexism as it vows to back staff rights to strip for their annual calender RYANAIR has released a charity calendar, once again featuring scantily-clad cabin crew despite legal action brought against it by a Spanish consumer association. The airline drew further anger from the Malaga group, which took Ryanair to court earlier this year claiming the annual calender was ‘sexist’. A judge is set to rule on the case next month, after the organisation Adecua described the calendar as ‘a breeding ground for attitudes that foster discrimination against women and workers.’ Over 400 staff volunteered to take part and 13 were selected. None were men.

Grounded!

PHOTOSHOOT: The Ryanair staff were flown out to Crete for the new ‘sexist’ shoot Ryanair has released the calendar every year since 2008, despite accusations of sexism and malpractice from campaign groups.

Turtle power

TWO turtles have been released into the waters at La Herradura in the hope they will spark a population increase in the area. The reptiles were freed as part of the area’s first-ever Sea Festival, a three day event celebrating marine life. Loggerhead turtles have not been seen in La Herradura, near Nerja, for decades.

A crowd of children gathered at the beach to wave them off. The turtles had to be retrained in sea swimming prior to their release into the wild, after spending time in captivity. Local expat photographer Jack Longman went out with the boat to record their release.

The company responded to previous accusations of sexism, saying “we will continue to support the right of our staff to take their clothes off.” Ryanair hopes to raise up to €100,000 for The Teenage Cancer Trust. The news follows an order from a Spanish court to remove eight ‘abusive’ clauses from its terms and conditions. The Madrid court ruled that the charges - including a €40 fine for customers who forget to print their boarding pass - violated Spanish consumer protection law. The case was brought by consumer group OCU, which pointed out the fine for failing to print-off a boarding a pass was often more expensive than the actual flight. The airline is appealing the ruling and also insisted, last night, that its calender was not sexist. A spokesman told the Olive Press: “It is voluntary and charitable, not sexist.”He added: “We don’t feature male crew as this won’t sell many calenders.”

POLICE have arrested a man in Madrid for setting up a false airline. The Spaniard, whose name was given as Alberto QP, 43, claimed to be offering flight tickets to destinations in Paraguay over the Christmas period at prices well below the market value In all, 67 people were defrauded of a total of €50,000. Alberto sold the tickets – all for cash - from two offices in Madrid, and through a website. He even printed flyers and ran radio adverts for the fake airline.

Granada gran’s Grenada pitstop A GRANADA-BOUND granny found herself on a flight to the Caribbean following a ticket booking error. Lamenda Kingdon, 62, only realised the mistake two hours into the flight, when she said to a fellow passenger that she was looking forward to the Alhambra. She was then told the flight was headed for the Caribbean island of Grenada instead. Sympathetic British Airways crew upgraded Mrs Kingdon (top) to first class and gave her champagne. She got off the plane at a scheduled stop in St Lucia, and was flown back to London Gatwick. She set off for Granada the next day. Kingdon had booked the flight over the telephone using her late husband’s air miles and did not notice when the ticket arrived that the destination was one letter different from the place she wanted to go.