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February 2021
Slide away Vol. 14 Issue 363
COSTA BLANCA
The FREE
A Sierra Nevada
to You can finally slope off Andalucia’s skiing heaven, writes Charlie Smith
Your
expat
voice in Spain
S
ILENCE. There is not a single peep as I climb upwards through the valley to meet my maker. of the I poke my head out the cable car window and alSierra Nevada’s fresh pine air hits my lungs. Then I hear it – a sweeping white crunch down the crisp piste, as a snowboarder whizzes past below. and Another tears through, then a third, all weaving at down the mountainside blistering speed. terriI’m definitely more fied than the three Spanish guys sharing the carriage with me. the We have left behind cosy bars and restaurants main in Pradollano, the ski town of Andalucia’s only resort. We step out at Borreguiles, mewhich sits some 2,700 tres above sea level. for This is the basecampruns, many of the Sierra’s the which range from facil’ green-coloured ‘muy lapistes to those in black, belled ‘muy dificil’. Continues overleaf
Hit the slopes See page 11
Vol. 2 Issue 50 www.theolivepress.es February 25th - March 10th 2021
You’ve got no mail! BATTLING: Mike wants his crisps and spices, and (below) our previous front page
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A BRITISH expat has branded post-Brexit rules ‘his worst nightmare’ after a birthday present of his favourite treats from the UK was banned from entering the country. Mike Battle, 41, was left stumped when he heard his package of goodies had been held up by customs in Madrid for over TEN days. The gift, sent from his family, via courier company Fedex, contained crisps and 834 Tel: 952 147 spice mixes - but Mike never got to unwrap them. The parcel, valued at around €20, was deemed unacceptable by customs chiefs and returned to Mike’s mother in Leeds. ry es Janua
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SALES & RENTALS SPECIALISTS Moriara•Calpe•Jalon•Javea•Denia•Altea
96 649 1883 www.moraira-hamiltons.net
“It was confirmation of my worst nightmare when it comes to receiving anything from the UK,” Mike told the Olive Press. “Before Brexit it was the same as receiving deliveries from around Continues on Page 5
CELEBRATION: Peggy received her COVID jab (left) and happy days at her 100th birthday
A POPULAR well-known expat centenarian has had her first COVID jab as she approaches her 101st birthday. Peggy Bloomfield, based in Moraira, got her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at Teulada Medical Centre. And she’s now raring to go, according to her neighbour Shirley Young. “She is amazing! Thrilled to bits to get
the jab and feeling great!” she told the Olive Press. “Lockdown permitting I’m hoping to get the Mayor to visit on her birthday this year.” Her second jab is booked in two weeks’ time and Peggy will be celebrating her 101st birthday in April. Our photograph shows nurse Juanjo administering the first dose of the vac-
Sky high hopes Back in business as Boris plans to lift travel ban
SPAIN could be gearing up for an avalanche of tourists to its shores in May. Airlines and travel agents have seen the number of Brits booking holidays abroad soar this week after the UK announced its roadmap out of lockdown. UK tourists could finally be able to leave the country for holidays from May 17, the government announced on Monday. Costa Blanca hoteliers have welcomed the announcement from Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, who revealed the move as part of his four-step plan for gradually lifting restrictions in England. “It opens the door for our members to start to prepare
By Kirsty McKenzie
to reopen their hotels. We just need to hope that the planned date happens,” said Hosbec hotel association boss Nuria Montes. Only 20% of the area’s hotels are currently open with occupancy rates of around 10%. The surge in optimism comes as airlines said bookings for the summer season were more than four times higher compared with the same period last week. Alicante, Malaga and Palma were among the most popular destinations, according to the budget holiday giant easyjet, with August its busiest month. The announcement was
Jávea / Altea yorkshirelinencostablanca.com
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cine to Mrs Bloomfield, while the second pic shows her receiving a visit with balloons, champagne and cake from Olive Press reporters when she hit the big 100 last year. Is she the most elderly expat in Spain to get the COVID jab? If you know anyone older, please contact us at newsdesk@ theolivepress.es and tell us about it!
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described by chief executive, Johan Lundgren, as a ‘much-needed boost in confidence’. “We have consistently seen a pent-up demand for travel and this surge in bookings shows that this signal has been what UK consumers have been waiting for,” he said. Holiday bookings were up by 630% and flights by 337%. “While the summer may be a little while off, we will be working around the clock to ensure we will be ready to ramp up our flights to reconnect friends and family or take them on a long-awaited holiday to remember,” he added. Travel firm Thomas Cook said traffic to its website doubled in the day after the Prime Minister’s statement, while Ryanair confirmed there had been a ‘large surge’ in bookings. However, Health Secretary Matt Hancock urged caution warning that the effectiveness of vaccines will dictate whether international travel can go ahead. He said: “We have to protect against these new variants, and that is a big challenge.” Hancock added that ‘we can be much more relaxed about international travel’ if vaccines work well against the South Africa and Brazil strains.
“If the vaccine doesn’t work against them, then that will be much, much more difficult,” he said. It comes as the government confirmed they are looking at the idea of vaccine passports to allow travel abroad. At the moment Brits are only permitted to travel for essential work purposes. No one is allowed to enter Spain from South Africa, Brazil or the UK via air or sea until 6pm on March 2 under the current restrictions.
Restrictions
The ban was first introduced in December when scientists first detected a more-transmissible variant of the virus in the UK. Tight restrictions were originally supposed to end on January 19 but the ban has now been extended multiple times, with restrictions currently in place until March 2. This ban comes after Spain confirmed its first case of the Brazilian variant on Friday, with two cases of the South African variant and 479 cases of the British variant of the virus. Anyone flying into Spain must also proof of a negative Covid test, which should be taken up to 72 hours before departure.