The Olive Press Issue 136

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Vol. 6 Issue 136

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LOCATED UNDERNEATH LA SALA

May 31 - June 13, 2012

CALLE BELMONTE, NUEVA ANDALUCIA

Neighbours and victims overjoyed as Timeshare Toni arrested over a €6 million money-laundering fraud

A stain on paradise

Pictures by JANE JEWSON

EXCLUSIVE By James Bryce and Jon Clarke

In a classic case of Dunkirk Spirit, a fourball played through a raging fire in Manilva this week even when firemen ruined their line. See full story on page 5

PORN films and wife-swapping parties.

These are just some of the unsavoury events that neighbours insist took place at the palatial home of Toni Muldoon.

So they were decidedly over the moon this week, when they heard the dramatic news that he had been arrested in connection with a multi-million euro fraud.

Now awaiting extradition to the UK, the Olive Press can reveal that Antony Michael Muldoon, 65, was picked up after a two-week manhunt on the Costa del Sol. Ordered by Interpol, he was located at the low key Miramar Hotel in Fuengirola.

According to a police report, he had checked in with his Kenyan girlfriend Nyambura Jane Wangari, who is in her 20s.

Geraldine French, 59, from Scotland and 29-year-old South African Bradley Rogers have also been arrested.

At least 11 arrests have been made over the last year on instruction from UK authorities for similar offences.

Muldoon is currently being held in Madrid, awaiting extradition.

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A number of luxury cars and a yacht have been seized, while police also scoured various properties.

Brought by Suffolk Trading Standards, Muldoon (above) is charged with numerous counts of fraud and money laundering totalling well over €6 million.

A spokesman for Britain’s Serious Or-

ganised Crime Agency (SOCA) confirmed the arrest to the Olive Press.

A spokesman for the British Embassy also confirmed that it ‘was aware’ of the arrest of a British national, but no consular assistance had been sought.

Neighbours meanwhile, at his upmarket Turn to Page 2

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NEWS

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The Olive Press - Number One for crime

Olive Press can reveal that businessmen once linked to the Mijas race track are behind Casares Town Hall scandal

Shady Russians in Majestic error

By Wendy Williams A PAIR of shady businessmen linked to the Russian mafia are behind the current scandal engulfing Casares Town Hall.

Police are now hunting for Robert Gaspar and Robert Mani, ringleaders of the ‘Kremlyoskaya’ gang, who allegedly bribed the former IU mayor and current housing boss Juan Sanchez Garcia.

The pair, who have ties to a web of 25 companies on the Costa del Sol, vanished following the arrest of Sanchez.

As reported in the Olive Press, police swooped on Casares Town Hall a fortnight ago to investigate irregularities in the Majestic property development.

It has since emerged that this is connected to an alleged network dedicated to money laundering.

Previous businesses with which the pair have been linked include Majestic TV, as well as the Mijas Hipodromo.

A total of 236 properties, 19 vehicles and 165 bank accounts are being probed as part of the so-called ‘Operacion Majestic’.

Police arrested two of Gaspar’s staff including South African Debray Patricia Muirhead and German Martina Maria Fritzsche.

Gaspar’s mother Ukranian Anne Chah-

Singing star faces the music

SPAIN’S most popular female singer has struck a plea bargain to avoid going to jail.

Isabel Pantoja (right) - who has sold more than four million albums in a career spanning almost four decades - has pleaded guilty to laundering €1.84 million in the Malaya case.

The flamboyant songstress became embroiled in the scandal due to her relationship with former Marbella mayor Julian Munoz.

Pantoja – who was married to famous bullfighter Paquirri, father of Fran and Cayetano Rivera - was facing three years behind bars and a €3.68 million fine.

But thanks to a deal with the Prosecutor’s Office she will now accept a €1.5 million fine and a two-year suspended sentence.

However the deal threatens to make life even more difficult for Munoz, who had previously spoken of the singer’s innocence.

The former mayor, and his ex wife Maite Zaldiver, will face the court next month.

The trial, which has already been going on for over a year, is likely to continue for many more months.

INVESTIGATION: Mayor Sanchez, balding Mani and Majestic estate bazian, 76, has also been taken into custody.

The case dates back to 2004 when the town hall allegedly approved contracts for the development.

Police believe Gaspar, a French national of Ukrainian origin is the mastermind behind the scandal.

His number two is Mani, the boss of the Carrera Entertainment Corporation, which previously invested in the Mijas Hipodromo.

As revealed by the Olive Press four years ago, in 2005 the company was caught up in a scandal involving concerts by Jamiroquai and Bryan Adams which never happened, leaving thousands out of pocket.

Meanwhile, Sanchez, who denies the allegations, has now been released from Alhaurin prison after more than a hundred people contributed money to cover his €200,000 bail.

Fraud trial for ‘Tony Baloney’ From Page 1

urbanisation in the hills above Mijas, were overjoyed with the arrest.

“We hadn’t seen Tony Baloney for a while and wondered where he had gone.

“We have had to put up with years of late night parties, screening SPOILS: Yacht seized and (right) Rogers porn films and wife-swapping events.

“He is like a chameleon and didn’t ex“He even renamed his house Casa actly hide what he did. I think he has Maxi three years ago and some this sort of God-like quality, where he thought he had opened it as a brothel. can make his own rules and does not care about anyone else.”

A Spanish pensioner added: “It has always been a lovely TONI Muldoon has been arrested on seven charges place to live, but relating to defrauding customers in the UK through that house was a real Spanish-based companies, including Investment stain on paradise.”

Marketing Management, Megacall S.L and Phoenix Solutions S.L. Confronted The alleged offences took place over a period of three years, between July 2007 and November 2010.

When the Olive Various UK companies he used include Park Lane Press confronted Services International Ltd, First Debt Elimination Muldoon at the Ltd, Evolution Business Associates BA Ltd, Blue Meproperty last year, dia Ltd, Mayfair Marketing Services Ltd, Select Marhe told us: “I’ve been keting Ltd, Real Promotions Ltd, IFEC Ltd (Import here 26 years I am Food Export Consultants), Express Media Ltd, Grenot going anywhere. enway Marketing, Direct Media Ltd, Anvil Media Ltd. Does it look like I’m in a rush to leave?”

Muldoon charge sheet

NEWS

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Heartthrob Joaquin Cortes facing 10 years in fraud case

By Wendy Williams TOP flamenco dancer Joaquin Cortes could face 10 years in prison over fraud allegations.

The Spaniard, who once dated British supermodel Naomi Camp-

Flamenco star faces prison

bell, is accused of taking €700,000 from three investors in 1998.

Alongside his sister and former agent, he allegedly took the money to launch a Madrid flamenco centre that never opened.

The prosecution, representing Ar-

ANYTHING BUT DESPERATE

DESPERATE Housewives star Eva Longoria has paraded her famous Spanish beau Eduardo Cruz, 27, on the Costa del Sol. The 37-year-old American actress spent a long weekend in Marbella hanging out with her boyfriend from the famous Cruz clan.

They arrived via the Cannes film festival, before heading off on the AVE fast train to meet Cruz’s famous sisters Penelope and Monica in Madrid.

But not before a station worker insisted on getting a picture of herself with Longoria (above).

The star was in Marbella for a press conference promoting a charity walk-a-thon on August 18. Proceeds from the event will go to the Eva Longoria Foundation, which helps disadvantaged Latin American women.

MUTE: Aussie Thor will need to learn the lingo

gentine investors G.Export S.A, is calling for a 10 year custodial sentence for the dancer.

His sister Mariana is facing eight years and his agent 11 years.

But the public prosecutors office has now called for their acquittal.

“It is so surreal it seems like a film,” said Cortes who maintains he had ‘nothing to do’ with the society created to launch the centre.

He reiterated his innocence after the commital hearing in Madrid on Thursday.

THE creator of Super Mario has scooped this year’s Prince of Asturias award.

59-year-old Shigeru Miyamoto (above) – considered the Walt Disney of video games - was finally named the winner of the Communication and Humanities category after having made the shortlist on two previous occasions.

The Japanese creator, who has worked for Nintendo since 1977, is the brain behind games including Super Mario, Donkey Kong, Wii Fit, and Brain Training.

Paltrow: The ‘adopted daughter’ returns IT is one of her favourite destinations.

So it is fitting that Gwyneth Paltrow is returning to Spain to play the role of Picasso’s long-time lover Dora Maar.

The fluent Spanish speaker will star opposite Antonio Banderas in the film 33 Days, which hinges on the making of masterpiece Guernica.

Directed by Carlos Saura, the couple will be filming in the Basque region in September, before heading to Paris.

Picasso’s most important muse Maar, who posed for nearly 200 paintings, moved with him to Paris.

The French photographer/ artist was famous in her own right before meeting the celebrated Malaga artist, who she dated for nine years.

Super Mario wins top Spanish prize

PIZZA POLITICS It will be a happy return to Spain for Paltrow – married to British rock star Chris Martin from Coldplay.

She spent over a month with the Lazaro-Ruiz family in Talavera de la Reina, near Toledo, when she was 14 and has been back various times.

“She was very warm from the first day and ever since we have maintained a good relationship,” Julia Ruiz recently told El Mundo about her ‘adopted daughter’.

LIKENESS: Paltrow (top) looks like Maar

A PIZZA chain is being accused of discrimination over a controversial promotion giving away free pizzas to customers who order in Spanish.

Pizza Padron, based in the US, expects to hand out 80,000 large pepperoni pizzas during the give away on June 5.

The chain has 104 restaurants across the states and claims 70 per cent of its customers are Spanishspeaking.

“Maybe they thought it was a cute thing to do, but I think it’s discrimination against those that can’t speak Spanish,” said one customer.

Could Avengers’ Thor get floored by Spanish?

NEW mum Elsa Pataky has told her Australian husband to brush up on his Spanish language skills.

The Madrid-born model/actress, who gave birth in London this month to daughter India Rose, has insisted she is only going to speak Spanish to the baby.

This could leave Chris Hemsworth, who plays Thor in huge hit The Avengers, out of the loop.

“I already told my husband, ‘Get ready fast with Spanish because, if not, you’re not going to be able to understand what we say’,” she said.

Coldplay singer Chris Martin has been in the same predicament with wife Gwyneth Paltrow who insisted on having a Spanish nanny for their children.

He is the only one in the family not to speak Spanish, with Gwyneth having spent various holidays here, having had a language exchange near Toledo as a teenager (see story above).

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NEWS

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Golf course crackdown THE Junta is finally cracking down on housing schemes linked to golf courses.

Andalucia has rejected plans to build nine new courses insisting the projects do not meet environmental and town planning demands.

New regulations, brought in in February 2008, state that golf projects must be in the interests of tourism and cannot be used as a way to

Planners finally get tough as nine rural golf projects are rejected by the Junta get round planning regulations.

However this latest batch of proposed schemes - six of which are inland with the other three on the coast - all have housing included.

According to Rafael Ro-

Tidal power turn up A SPANISH company has moved Scotland a step closer to becoming the ‘Saudi Arabia of renewable energy’.

It comes after energy company Iberdrola teamed up with Scottish Power to place an underwater propeller off the Orkneys.

Astoundingly the turbine, 45 metres under the surface, produces enough energy to power 500 homes.

Scotland has now agreed to install 10 more turbines in the area, in the biggest project of its kind in the world.

As Iberdrola’s Alvaro Martinez explained, wave power is more predictable than wind power.

“You don’t know when the wind is going to blow, nor at what speed – whereas with tides, you can predict what they are going to be like,” he said.

driguez, the Minister for Tourism, the decree ensures such schemes must have a ‘clear touristic purpose’.

They cannot be used ‘to build predominately residential projects and circumvent the planning regulations’.

Since the new measures were introduced only one project (El Seguesal in Barbate) has actually qualified as a ‘tourist attraction’.

Meanwhile a further two in Cadiz province - one in Jimena and the other in Castellar - are still pending approval.

The rejected courses include Finca Corvite in Almogia, Las Lomas in Casarabonela and Las Lomas del Duque in Lucena. Other courses turned down were Castillo de Tajarja, Hoya Altica in Almeria, Las Palmares in Granada, and La Joyita in Barbate.

NEWS

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FORE! Or should that be ‘Fire’?

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Pensioner faces prison over blaze It comes despite Endesa insisting the 81-yearold Briton was NOT to blame for fire

Words and pics by Jane Jewson TOTALLY unperturbed by the drama unfolding around them, a group of golfers played through a fire that caused 200 families to be evacuated from their homes.

The four-ball stuck defiantly to the job in hand as dark black smoke engulfed the sixth fairway of Duquesa Golf.

Carried by strong winds, in a short time flames were leaping high into the air just metres behind homes in the Monte Duquesa urbanisation (above) near Manilva.

Oddly though, the nearby golfers hardly took a glance in the fire’s direction. That was until a large helicopter picked its landing spot on the fairway and 11 firemen decamped with equipment to fight the blaze running right across their line. In total, eight fire crews were needed to bring the blaze under control.

No one was hurt and no property damaged, but the huge, once white sign of Golf Duquesa, now dangles blackened and reduced to a few sorry-looking letters.

A BRITISH pensioner is facing six months in prison after being blamed for a fire that led to a helicopter and aeroplane being scrambled.

Coral Wenham, 81, from Castell de Ferro, near Motril, has been ordered to pay a fine of €5,113 for the blaze, despite a report from electricity firm Endesa clearing her of any wrongdoing.

The grandmother from Reading, must now pay €220 a month to avoid prison, despite surviving on a meagre monthly income of €350.

Failure to comply will

EXCLUSIVE

by James Bryce

lead to an automatic prison sentence and an increased fine of €7,800.

The court in Motril heard the fire was started by an electrical fault caused by a water pump on her property.

But it refused to consider the official Endesa report, or eyewitness accounts suggesting it was actually caused by a neighbour’s bonfire, after legal papers weren’t filed in time.

“To say my mother is devastated is an under-

statement, she would not survive prison,” her daughter Debbie White told the Olive Press.

“She is very confused about the whole situation and is extremely worried.

Desperate “She is desperate to leave Spain,” added the mother-of-two.

“She was bullied into admitting guilt and was found guilty before she stepped into the court building.

“Guilty until proven innocent seems the way of the Spanish court system.”

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the olive press - May 31 - June 13, 2012

OPINION OPINION

Lies and statistics AS the saying goes, there are lies, damned lies, and statistics.

And so it seems with the sudden deluge of stories appearing in the British press suggesting that a third of expats are rushing to return home.

In the absence of any hard facts to support this claim, it is not clear how the reports came to that conclusion.

But if a straw poll conducted by the Olive Press is anything to go by, the number is a gross exaggeration which doesn’t tell the whole story.

While no one is doubting that the economic situation is extremely bleak for many, it seems the vultures are circling in the hope that Spain will implode.

While statistics can be skewed to support almost any argument, the true story often comes from the man on the ground.

Ban the brutality IN May last year a peaceful protest against austerity cuts, political corruption and a lack of economic opportunity saw a outbreak of violence that left 121 people injured.

What was so shocking about the 15M ‘clash’ was how incredibly one sided it was with videos showing police wielding full-armour, batons, pepper spray and rubber bullet shotguns against unarmed protesters.

In the world of new-age technology this behaviour does not go unnoticed and it quite rightly caused outrage around the country.

Now this outrage has reached the US. Spain has come under fire in the latest Country Report on Human Rights issued by the US State Department.

And quite frankly Spain should be ashamed.

There is no excuse for this behaviour. Freedom of speech is one of the most important things we have in Europe.

Citizens should not be punished for speaking the truth, however ugly it may be.

Wrong judgement IT would take a saint not to wonder why top Spanish judge Carlos Divar took 20 trips to a sunny seaside resort – at the taxpayer’s expense.

So when he fails to reveal why he was going to Marbella, what he was doing and with whom, things start to look distinctly fishy.

But under Spanish law, Justice Divar does not have to disclose anything – which shows why Spain still has transparency issues.

Especially when you consider that another judge, Baltasar Garzon, has been banned from the bench for 11 years despite his role as a beacon of justice throughout the world.

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The original and only English-language investigative newspaper in Andalucía

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Telephone: 951 166 060 or 691 831 399

A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in southern Spain - 192,000 copies distributed monthly (130,000 digitally) with an estimated readership, including the website, of more than 500,000 people a month.

Design and page layout: Luke Stewart Media S.L - CIF: Jackie McAngus B91664029 jackie@theolivepress.es Urb Cayetano Arroyo, Buzon Admin/advertising sales: 13, Arriate 29350 Malaga Pauline Olivera Printed by Corporación de admin@theolivepress.es Medios de Andalucía S.A. Editor: Jon Clarke jon@theolivepress.es News Editor: Wendy Williams 689646049 wendy@theolivepress.es Reporters: James Bryce james@theolivepress.es and Eloise Horsfield eloise@theolivepress.es Distribution: 951 166 060

SALES TEAM: West Costa del Sol Jane Jewson 673958858 Axarquia Charlie Bamber 661452180 Cadiz Elizabeth Gould 620 532 672 Ronda/San Pedro/Marbella Jon Clarke 691 831 399

I

COMMENT

WAS just 21 when I first arrived in Spain, hitchhiking over the Pyrenees into this strange, seemingly African land. In the company of a washing-machine repairman, I took my first tentative steps in the language, as his little van bucketed down the narrow road to Lérida. I had come to Spain to learn the guitar. As we crossed the river bridge into the town of Lérida, I looked down to where there were women washing clothes in the slow-moving water. I had recently learnt a piece

by Gaspar Sanz, the “Dance of the Washerwomen”, and there was a part of me that wondered if they might not stop what they were doing and dance, if I were to play that piece. Fortunately, I did not put this half-witted notion to the test.

It was autumn and the olives were hard green berries on the silvery trees. The next day, as I walked west through olive groves towards Tarragona, I picked one from the tree. It was bitter and dry and I wondered what on earth it was, and why anyone would want to cultivate such a thing.

That night I stayed in a commercial hotel in Tárrega – 50 pesetas for supper and a bed in a room with three others.

Francisco Tárrega was a great composer and teacher of guitar. Among other things, he wrote Lágrimas, a pretty piece that I played in a fast and jolly fashion in the mistaken belief that lágrimas meant “happiness”. It doesn’t; it means “tears”. I searched the little town for signs of the master, but there were none, as he had never actually been there.

By the time I got to Valencia, the oranges were ripe and I found work on the harvest.

It was not as easy as you’d think; it takes a particular twist of the wrist to free the orange from the tree.

At the end of a week it was made clear to me that I was not an asset in the orange fields. I remember the scent of oranges, and that the ground was carpeted, unaccountably, with spring onions, as if they were grass. I would pick handfuls to add to my lunchtime chorizo bocadillo.

Why I am still in love with Spain

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Chris Stewart on why, despite the current recession and tough times for expats, he has no intentions of picking up sticks and going back to the UK Finally, I arrived in Sevilla, the self-proclaimed Queen of Andalucia, and the only place for a romantically inclined young man to learn the guitar.

There, in Triana and the Barrio Santa Cruz, the spell was finally cast, and yet another Englishman was caught by the enchantment of Spain.

Twenty years later, I finally made it back, having bought a farm with its own olives and oranges, and now that my wife and I have lived here for 20 years and more, well, there’s no turning back. Our daughter was born in the Clinica Inmaculada in Granada, and as she passed through the school system and lived and played with the families of her friends in the village, she brought us deeper into

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the world that surrounds us.

Bible in Spain: “I will say for We were unmistakably differ- the Spaniards, that in their ent, though. One day she took social intercourse no people us to task over this. “Why in the world exhibit a juster can’t you be like everybody feeling of what is due to the else?” she asked. “Well, we dignity of human nature, or do what we can…” we replied. better understand the behav“But what about these clothes iour which it behoves a man pegs? None of my friends’ to adopt towards his fellow families have clothes pegs human beings. It is one of like ours.” the few counIt was true: tries in Europe whereas evpoverty It is one of few where erybody else is not treated had colour- countries where with contempt, ful plastic and, I may poverty is not clothes-pegs, add, where we had woodthe wealthy treated with en ones, one are not blindly piece only and idolised.” contempt traditionally Well that’s made by gipwhat our sies. The readaughter got son behind this was that we from the village school. It had a parrot, and the parrot didn’t cost a lot, but we figwould destroy plastic clothes- ured it was the right stuff. pegs in no time flat. But that However, you may say, things was neither here nor there; are not what they might be in the wooden pegs marked us Spain at the moment… And as ineluctably different. We you wouldn’t be far from the spoke good Spanish, though, mark. “Nobody would want but with funny accents, and to be like Spain,” said Robert our child, who was obviously Boucher, the US ambassador fluent in the local dialect, felt to the EU, recently. “It’s good humiliated yet more by our for nothing but flamenco and differentness. red wine.”

Chloé has left home now, The king has just been caught passed through the school red-handed killing elephants, system and on to univer- and his son-in-law, the Duke sity in Granada, where she’s of Palma, has allegedly been studying languages. I can- caught with his fingers in not think of anywhere in the the public pot. He denies it. world where I would have The judiciary has wrecked rather seen her grow up than its credibility by imposing a in this little Spanish town. It witch-hunt against Baltasar gave her, among other things, Garzón, who inspired the adconfidence, ease and social miration of the world by bringmobility. ing to justice dictators, drugGeorge Borrow, the 19th- runners and terrorists, and century author, wrote in The investigating, as well as the

www.theolivepress.es morass of corruption in the country, the crimes against humanity perpetrated during the Civil War and dictatorship. And the jobless figures are by far the worst in Europe, not helped by a national debt to make your eyes water. The chips in Spain are good and down.

So, is it time to get out? Not likely. It’s just too good here, and after 20 years, I cannot imagine living anywhere else.

I still love my native Britain, but, as somebody remarked, it’s a nice place to get a letter from… you wouldn’t want to live there.

Here we have space, solitary wilderness to walk the dogs; we have our own oranges and olive oil; we pick lemons, almonds and apricots from our trees. To keep us warm in winter the rivers bring us driftwood, and there are prunings of olive and almond that burn hot as coal. The sunshine provides our electricity; we have spring water piped into the house. True, we don’t have the benefits of rubbish collection, postal delivery or streetlighting… but you can’t have everything.

Admittedly, it’s country life that brings us all these delights. Other more urban expatriates might see things differently. It’s in the nature of the expat to grumble and criticise the host country, and lord knows there’s enough to moan about… as there is in whatever land you choose to make your stand. If you don’t like it, you can always leave… but I can’t imagine how bad things would have to be to get us to leave.

For even after all these years, I still have a crazy romantic illusion about Spain. As I speed home along the motorway, I cannot suppress a frisson of delight as I pass the sign that says Seville, Cordoba, Granada. Everywhere there remain the traces of Spain’s richly textured history, the caliphate of Cordoba that, when the rest of Europe was still in the Dark Ages, was “the Ornament of the World”. The kingdom of Granada, with its incomparable palace, the Alhambra. Beautiful riverside Seville, where all the gold and silver stolen from the Americas was landed and swiftly squandered by Church, monarchy and nobility.

The magic of Spain is there in the language, with its copious admixture of Arabic, which for 800 years was spoken by everybody in the peninsula. It’s in the fruit and the trees – the pomegranate from Persia, the oranges from China, and almonds, saffron and aubergines.

COMMENT

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I’d rather sleep on the beach than go home!

Claims that a third of British expats want to go home appear to be inaccurate, discovers James Bryce

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SPATE of stories in the British press suggesting a third of expats are desperate to move home appear to be wide of the mark.

A number of newspapers and an ITN documentary have claimed over the last week that hundreds of thousands are throwing in the towel, tired of mounting financial difficulties.

While bank repossessions are up and some have the feeling of being trapped by an inability to sell homes, it is easy to understand why some may want to jump ship.

What’s more, it is statistically true that last year the number of immigrants leaving Spain outnumbered those arriving for the first time in a decade.

But, according to the National Institute for Statistics, the majority leaving were Latin American and Eastern European.

And many locals are far from convinced that there is such a British exodus.

Aside from celebrated Driving Over Lemons writer Chris Stewart (see article left), in a straw poll of calls made last night to expats on the Costa del Sol, nobody could believe that figure.

“I would be amazed if it is even near 10 per cent,” said Paul O’Connell, who has lived in Mijas for over a decade.

“I am talking to loads of people every day and practically no-one says they are desperate to go.”

Estepona-based Keith Lippingwell confirmed that while some people he knew had gone back, a similar number had moved over.

Estate agent Adam Neale, from Terra Meridiana, meanwhile, insisted that it is ‘absolute rubbish’ and the figure was probably ‘less than five per cent’.

Marketing executive Charles Bamber, based in Torre del Mar, agreed: “It’s a massive exaggeration. The majority of people I know are insisting on making it work and have no intentions of going back.”

The figures are backed up coincidentally by Paul Rodwell, the British Consul in Alicante, who told the Observer earlier this year: “There is no statistical evidence of people returning home. The vast majority of them are enjoying life. People do really pursue the dream and it’s admirable that they have that get up and go.”

Expat Jo Morrison exemplifies the case. Despite falling on hard times after a proposed gym business in Nerja failed when the crisis hit in 2008, she said: “Sometimes we’ve gone without food and I still can’t believe that I don’t have my house or any savings any more,” says the 49-year-old, who now works as a cleaner and rents a one-bedroom house in Frigiliana.

“But Spain is my home now. I’d rather sleep on the beach than go back to the UK.”

The place is an inspiration, and had I not come to live in this Arcadian valley within this extraordinary country, I never would have found myself, nor the words to describe it.

Ay, Spain and your Spaniards… you’ve been through hard times before, but you’ve come through right side up in the end. Let’s just keep our fingers crossed and hope that the forces of reaction and stagnation – the Church and

the fascism even now creeping out of the woodwork – will be confronted and subjugated, before things reach the pretty pass they got to last time.

Driving Over Lemons by Chris Stewart, and his El Valero titles are available on Kindle, and in bookshops. Visit www. drivingoverlemons.co.uk for more information.

Rajoy takes bull by the horns SPANISH Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy insists the country’s banking sector will not need a bailout, despite rising borrowing costs.

However, he admitted the government had no choice but to bail out lender Bankia, which is struggling with €32 billion of loans linked to the troubled property market. “We took the bull by the horns because the alternative was collapse,” he said.

Lending rates soared to 6.4 per cent on Monday amid concerns over how the government intended to fund a €19 billion bailout of Bankia.

Shares in the bank dropped 28 per cent on what was the first day since trading was suspended on Friday.

The bank is expected to sell off holdings, including a majority stake in British Airways.

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News IN BRIEF

Dress to impress

A CRACKDOWN on police uniforms is set to prohibit all piercings in visible areas and ban ‘bizarre or extravagant’ hairstyles, make-up or accessories.

NEWS

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Resurrección resurrected Teacher sacked for marrying a divorcee is reinstated

By Wendy Williams

Church in property tax row

Delta Air Lines has launched a new flight between Malaga and New York’s JFK airport starting on June 3.

A RELIGIOUS education teacher who was sacked after marrying a divorcee has won an 11-year battle to be reinstated.

Resurreccion Galera, 47, was dismissed in 2001 after the diocese of Almeria decided her civil marriage to German Johannes Romes presented a conflict with the religious beliefs of the Catholic Church.

But after an 11-year battle the courts have ruled the diocese was in breach of labour laws and have ordered Galera to be reinstated until August 31.

She was also awarded €199,000 for loss of earnings during the period.

Fish fail

HAPPY AT LA HAZA

Olympic bid Madrid is down to the last three cities competing to host the 2020 Olympic Games, along with Istanbul and Tokyo.

Go US

Eleven fishing boats have been decommissioned in Torre del Mar after being caught catching protected fish stocks.

BACK TO WORK: Galera and husband Both parties have since appealed the decision on different grounds, with Galera fighting to have the reinstatement made indefinite.

The teacher, from Nijar, met her husband in 1999.

EXPAT-run Cortijo La Haza has been voted among the 25 best B&Bs in Spain.

The stunning spot, set in a beautifully restored 250-year old farm in Iznajar, got the award from Dutch website Zoover.

“It’s the culmination of years of hard work to turn our place into the romantic hideaway that it is,” said owner Patriek Defauw.

SPAIN’S Socialist party is calling for the Catholic Church to pay property tax on any buildings not used for worship.

It comes after it emerged the church is avoiding paying the so called IBI tax on its buildings due to a royal decree from the 1970s.

“If all citizens are making an effort, why not the church?” asked Oscar Lopez, secretary of PSOE. However Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has opposed the scheme saying it is ‘irresponsible’ to change the law.

He added the church plays ‘a very important social function’.

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NEWS

Holy cow! It’s a Picasso REAL DEAL: Picasso poster

Where’s Don Quixote?

By Emily Turley A PAINTING of the most famous character in Spanish literary history has been stolen from outside the artist’s home.

Don Quixote, painted by Italian expat Valerio Arduino Gentile, had been fixed to a wall outside the artist’s studio in Malaga.

The two metre by one metre painting was held up by fishing line.

“I am delighted that they liked the painting so much that they felt they had to have it,” he said.

“I only wish I’d had a chance to give it the necessary finishing touches.

“I would love the painting to be returned so I can fin-

News IN BRIEF

Everest death

SPANISH mountaineer Juan Jose Polo Carbayo, 43, reached the summit of Mount Everest last weekend but sadly died from exhaustion on the way down.

A MAN has sold a Picasso ‘reproduction’ for 500 times what he paid for it.

Zachary Brodish handed over just $14 (€11) for the poster at a charity shop in the United States before discovering it was an original.

When he got home, he began to inspect some faded red writing in the corner – which to his surprise turned out to be a signature scrawled by the man himself.

Profit

MISSING: Painting

by Arduino Gentile ish it off – and after that they are quite welcome to it,” he added.

CAPTION:

“I got a stronger magnifying glass out and determined that, ‘Holy cow! It’s really a Picasso,’”, the unemployed 46-year-old said.

Brodish later sold the poster, a linocut advertising a 1958 ceramics exhibition, to a collector for $7,000 (€5,500).

Castle fix

Repairs will soon start on Alora’s 16th century castle following the town hall’s approval of modifications to the project.

Only way

The cast of The Only Way is Essex will hit Marbella this weekend to film their ‘sexiest ever’ episode.

Cave lift

A study has been launched to investigate whether plans to install a 30m deep elevator in Nerja’s caves should go ahead.

the olive press - May 31 - June 13, 2012

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NEWS

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Don’t shout

By Eloise Horsfield

Sexist Alfa Romeo car ad is suspended for ‘encouraging violence against women’

ITALIAN car giant Alfa Romeo has withdrawn a ‘sexist’ TV advert following criticism from Spain’s Women’s Institute.

The ad, for new car Giulietta, features Hollywood star Uma Thurman caressing a car – and herself – with a female voice throughout saying ‘I am Giulietta. Look at me, touch me, take me, control me’.

The Institute said the two commands ‘control me’ and

POLICE VIOLENCE SLAMMED VIOLENT and abusive police in Spain have been flagged up in a new human rights study.

The annual US State Department’s report highlighted mistreatment and excessive force used by police at demonstrations.

In particular the report mentioned a 15M protest in Barcelona last May when ‘videos showed police hitting men and women with batons while they were sitting on the ground with their hands in the air.’

The Olive Press reported how a football riot broke out at a football game between Sevilla and Tottenham three years ago, after a riot policeman struck a female supporter in the face.

The report also highlighted other protests against health and education cuts.

The report drew attention to the problem of gender-based domestic violence and immigration issues.

It also criticised how police used ‘ethnic and racial profiling’ to meet arrest quotas.

The main focus of the report however was China, where conditions were said to remain ‘extremely poor’.

EXCESSIVE: Police force

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NEWS

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at me, respect me! ‘shout at me’ were particularly offensive.

“These words contribute to gender violence and give the message that it’s normal to control and shout at a woman,” it claimed, adding it had received a barrage of complaints from disgruntled viewers.

Alfa Romeo said it respected the comments and that it had not intended to create controversy.

In the UK, coincidentally the advert had not featured the same words, but was more subtle.

Meanwhile a leading Spanish surgeon has had to apologise for an offensive remark suggesting doctors only join the medical profession for a chance to ‘screw nurses’.

Dr Pedro Cavadas, who performed Spain’s first full face transplant in 2009, called the comments ‘unfortunate’ and ‘a mistake’, and apologised.

DEBT-RIDDEN Estepona Town Hall is set to cut 190 jobs in a bid to save €6 million.

PP mayor Jose Maria Garcia Urbano insists he has been forced to act due to new rules set out by central government for town hall funding.

Under the so-called ‘adjustment plan’ town halls are being forced to settle up their bills, before getting any further grants.

As Estepona is currently over €60 million in debt,

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CONTROL ME: Blonde bombshell Uma Thurman sets a bad example

Estepona set to lay off 190 workers the mayor claims he has been left little choice but to cut staff.

The town hall has an urgent need to be more streamlined, with ‘too many employees for

too few tasks’, insisted local expatriates.

“There are way too many gardeners and pen-pushers,” said one local businesman, who asked not to be named.

Talks on who could lose their jobs will start next week, and the mayor says it will be decided using objective criteria.

He insisted it would ‘not take into account party affiliation or family ties’.

“The town hall is obliged to reduce its workforce,” insisted Garcia.

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NEWS

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Get ‘super judge’ back to work!

European magistrates want Garzon back on bench

THE BEST HOME ON THE COSTAS? ARE you a proud Costa homeowner dying to show off your home?

Now is your chance with ITV looking for English-speaking contestants for its successful reality show, May The Best House Win. The show, now in its fifth series, pits homes against each other, with contestants judging one other.

For this series though producers have decided to head to Spain and France, with anyone in either country entitled to enter.

A prize of €1,000 is handed over to the winner.

“It’s a light-hearted look at the varying views people have on interior design and what makes a home a home,” producer Robert Fullerton Batten told the Olive Press.

Contact him at Robert.Fullerton-Batten@ITV. com to take part.

JUDGES from 11 European countries are demanding the reinstatement of Baltasar Garzon.

It comes after the controversial ‘superjudge’ was banned for 11 years after being found guilty of illegal phone-tapping by the Madrid court.

Now the Association of European Magistrates for Democracy and Freedom (Medel) has presented a petition to the Spanish Ministry of Justice.

Indiscriminate

It claims the ruling was ‘extraordinary, indiscriminate and completely disproportionate’.

Representing 15,000 lawyers, the association highlighted 56-year-old Garzon’s ‘overwhelming’ service in tackling terrorism, drug trafficking and crimes against humanity’.

“Garzon is not just a Spanish judge but a European symbol, a worldwide symbol,” said Antonio Cluny, Medel’s president.

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NEWS

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Party judge faces axe Chief Justice accused of making 20 mystery trips to Puerto Banus at taxpayer’s expense

SPAIN’S top judge is facing calls to resign over allegations he put 20 trips to Marbella on expenses.

Carlos Divar (left) charged €13,000 for the lavish jaunts to Marbella, which often included up to seven bodyguards.

The Chief Justice is accused of spending up to four days at a time in Puerto Banus between 2008 and March of this year.

He has not yet been forced to reveal the nature of the trips, which remain a mystery.

Among the costs alleged to have been incurred were meals for two at luxury restaurants and nights at top hotels including the Marbella Club and Puente Romano.

So far a panel of 20 judges had been unable to decide on his fate, with only half asking for his resignation.

Divar has refused to step MIJAS is planning to legalise 2,800 illegal homes. down from his post, mainThe town hall has compiled a list of all the properties taining he has done nothbuilt on ‘non-urban’ land in the municipality, marking ing wrong and that the the first step towards regularising the buildings. jaunts were all for ‘official This still leaves a staggering 1,215 properties classified business’. as illegal.

Under Spanish rules he The town hall believes many can be legalised particudoes not have to justify or larly if they are more than four years old. reveal who he was meeting.

Each case will be considered on an individual basis.

Legal minefield

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the olive press - May 31 - June 13, 2012

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NEWS EXTRA

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Eurovision delight as Spain... loses!

SPAIN was certainly not a sore loser at the Eurovision Song Contest.

The cash-strapped country was reportedly delighted Pastora Soler (right) lost to Sweden after urging her not to win.

It came after the government allegedly gave orders that Soler should not win... as the country could not afford to hold the event next year.

Bosses of state-run broadcaster TVE reportedly told the 33-year-old singer ‘to throw’ her entry as the country struggles to make ends meet.

“If we won, I think it would have been impossible to stage next year’s event because it costs so much money,” insisted the singer later.

“It is not the moment, neither for Spain nor for Spanish public, to win Eurovision,” she added.

Meanwhile the UK’s entry from 76-year-old crooner Engelbert Humperdinck finished second last in the competition.

It led to calls that the UK should quit the event.

As good as new

THERE is something unique about the smell of a new car.

But now Ford Spain has succeeded in bottling it.

The scent Olor a Nuevo is part of the manufacturer’s new ‘olfactory campaign’ to promote a new line of used cars.

The fragrance is sprayed inside all used cars to make them smell showroom fresh on the promise these are ‘the only used cars that smell new’.

Last chance to star

THERE’S still just enough time to enter the Search for a Star talent show in aid of Cudeca – if you’re quick!

This weekend is your last chance to compete with these artistic hopefuls, who showed all the necessary razzmatazz in previous heats.

“It’s going very well indeed,” said organiser Jayne Melville from Marbella Stage School.

“Marbella really does have talent!”

The third and final audition will take place at QI Sport in Puerto Banus from 3pm Saturday.

For an e n t r y form, go to www. marbellastageschool. com

BUDDING STARS: Some recent contestants

You lucky lot CONGRATULATIONS to all those who won prizes in last issue’s competitions.

With the first entries coming in swiftly on the Wednesday of publication, readers raced to get their hands on the seventh edition of the Rough Guide to Andalucia or a Viabtor fuel-saving device.

The first three to win a Rough Guide were David Shaw, Karen MacDougall and Janet Stevens.

Meanwhile Martin Creed, Nicola Thornton and Kate Carroll were the first three to win Viabtor fuel-saving devices for their cars.

FYI, the answers were: Viabtor: 1. Danger: Fighting Bulls 2. 26. - Rough Guide: 1. Kofi Annan 2. 9

Tatt’s a good idea!

SCENTED: The TATs SPANISH fashion label Paco Rabanne has teamed up with a British artist to launch one of the first ever scented, spray-on tattoos.

The revolutionary designs are intended to give temporary airbrush tattoos, known as TATs, a more sophisticated image.

According to Londonborn artist Julie Proctor, 49, creating the tattoo was easier than expected.

“I didn’t know if it had been done before but I just thought there must be a way of doing it, so I put some perfume into the ink and that was it it just worked,” she explained. “The tattoo ink when dry locks in the scent even after washing. It is truly amazing.”

The tattoos, which last up to 10 days, are now being launched in the UK as part of a rock ‘n’ roll Debenhams campaign fronted by Iggy Pop.

GIBRALTAR NEWS

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Navy steps into Gibraltar fishing row More drama as patrol boat scrambled to ‘defend’ waters as Spaniards attempt to fish off Gibraltar again THE Royal Navy has been forced to intervene in the deepening fishing row between Gibraltar and Spain following a tense standoff lasting several hours.

HMS Sabre was scrambled to intercept a number of Spanish boats attempting to fish in disputed waters close to the Rock, escorted by the Guardia Civil and a helicopter.

Repeated warnings to leave the area were ignored by the Spaniards, in an incident condemned by the British Government as an ‘illegal incursion’.

“We call on all parties to the fishing dispute to show restraint and work towards a swift and peaceful resolution,” a government spokesman said.

“We welcome the constructive approach adopted by the La Linea fishermen and the Government of Gibraltar.”

It added: “The UK protests about all illegal Spanish incursions and will do so in this case.”

Gibraltar’s government slammed officials in Madrid for what it described as a ‘carefully premeditat-

ed challenge to our indisputable sovereignty’.

“Those who are orchestrating these dangerous confrontations need to come to their senses and accept the challenge. They should not put people’s safety and security at risk trying to advance their position out at sea as if in the 18th century,” a statement said.

Sovereignty Spanish environment minister Miguel Arias Canete supported the Spanish fishermen’s right to fish in Gibraltar waters.

“The government has told the fishermen that they can fish because the waters are not Gibraltar’s and that therefore they have the full backing of the government,” he said.

The row comes just days before Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo is set to meet British Foreign Secretary William Hague in London.

Margallo is expected to urge his British counter-

TROUBLED WATERS: HMS Sabre assisted Royal Gibraltar Police boats during the tense stand-off part to return to the 1999 fishing agreement, which allowed a set quota of Spanish fishermen to work in Gibraltar waters.

He also confirmed he would raise the issue of bilateral sovereignty talks, although Hague is expected to reaffirm the British stance that there will be no agreement without the consent of Gibraltarians.

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GIBRALTAR NEWS

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Six vehicles – and a canoe – seized in cigarette smuggling crackdown

Smoking them out A CRACKDOWN on cigarette smuggling has seen 16 people arrested and more than 186,000 cigarettes seized.

Officers raided a property

By James Bryce

and confiscated six vehicles and a canoe in a string of separate stings aimed at

Liverpool route fails to take off EASYJET has announced it is to end its Liverpool to Gibraltar service after just 18 months.

The budget airline only launched its three-times a week flight in March 2011, but will stop the service in October following a review of under-performing routes.

The announcement is the latest piece of bad news for the Rock’s airport after fellow low-cost carrier Bmibaby confirmed it is to fold in September, as reported in the Olive Press.

EasyJet’s commercial manager, Ali Gayward, confirmed the news, but added: “EasyJet remains committed to serving Gibraltar and has recently increased its summer frequency on the London Gatwick route.”

Rival airline Monarch has responded meanwhile by increasing flights on its Manchester to Gibraltar route, which will operate four flights per week throughout winter 2012.

The government has confirmed that Prince Edward will officially open Gibraltar’s new air terminal during his three-day visit to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in two weeks. .

tackling the problem.

A number of the incidents occurred at Eastern Beach, resulting in the arrest of eight Spaniards as they attempted to return to Spain with the contraband.

A 36-year-old was arrested after 7,200 cigarettes were found in his car, while two others were stopped with 18,000.

A fourth Spaniard, 18, was caught carrying 5,400 cigarettes after being chased by police on a routine patrol.

A 21-year-old was arrested at Waterport basin after 33,600 cigarettes were found in his canoe, while two Spaniards, aged 45 and 46, were picked up in Fish Market Road with 10,000 cigarettes in their car.

Stash

A search of an abandoned car uncovered 18,000 cigarettes and a 33-year-old Spaniard was apprehended in Europa Road after a search of his car uncovered a stash of 7,000.

Two Spaniards were also arrested after being found with 15,000 cigarettes in a lock-up garage in Vineyards estate.

In a separate incident, four men have been arrested for attempting to smuggle cannabis onto the Rock.

The Spaniards, from Asturias, received sentences of between two and six months after they were found to have ingested a total of 1.4kg of the drug.

www.theolivepress.es

A SLAP ON THE WRIST

Pension rules must change after revenue makes new demand GIBRALTAR is being forced to change its income tax rules after being accused by the taxman of flouting the rules.

The amendment is being pushed through parliament to allow the Rock to begin offering overseas pensions again, following a threeyear gap.

The government put a stop to its Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme (QROPS) after HM Revenue & Customs took issue with its policy of taxing residents over 60 at zero per cent.

When the new legislation is passed, Gibraltar will allow benefits paid by pension funds transferred to the Rock

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GIBRALTAR NEWS

and administered there to be taxed at 2.5 per cent.

The law will also allow for a maximum tax-free lump sum withdrawal of 30 per cent and a minimum retirement age of 55, although existing schemes will be unaffected.

Transfer

Under QROPS rules, those leaving the UK on a permanent basis can transfer their pensions to an overseas scheme and retain their UK tax benefits after five years.

But the new scheme must demonstrate that at least 70 per cent of the fund will be used to provide a pension for retirement.

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Gib IN BRIEF Royal approval

PC Jared McIntosh has received a Royal Humane Society Bronze medal from Princess Alexandra for his bravery during last year’s oil tank explosion in Gibraltar.

Laptop lags

Two men have pleaded guilty to the theft of several items including a laptop belonging to Minister for Labour Joe Bossano from offices in Town Range last week.

Cave approval

Gorham’s Cave is one of only two UK sites to be put forward for consideration as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015, alongside Scotland’s Forth Bridge.

Coke let off

Prosecutors have dropped all charges against two men accused of supplying cocaine after admitting their was little chance of a conviction.

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the olive press - May 31 - June 13, 2012

POTTED POINTERS ANDALUCIA RESERVOIR LEVELS This week: 73.23 per cent full - Same week last year: 89.98 per cent - Same week in 2002: 62.26 per cent 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 Guardia Civil Medical service Fire

091 062 061 080

EURO EXCHANGE RATES 1 euro is worth 1.2546 American Dollars 0.8003 British Pounds 1.2890 Canadian Dollars 7.4309 Danish Kroner 9.7395 H Kong Dollars 7.5510 Norwegian Kroner 1.6039 Singapore Dollars

Dear Olive Press THE Spanish seem keen to make themselves a laughing stock, i.e. sending six men from Periana council to investigate a pensioner’s garden because he planted prickly pear cacti (issue 136).

This plant is not invasive, does not seed itself, but spreads very slowly through ground contact, is ideal in preventing soil erosion and as stock fencing.

The ‘big brother’ syndrome is obviously very active in Spain, allowing a vindictive neighbour to dictate the plants foreigners can grow.

It’s also probably racist as if the tables were turned, the council (and courts) would totally ignore a similar complaint from a foreigner about his Spanish neighbour.

Readers will no doubt be very aware of similar events and know that little can be done until this primitive attitude changes.

Tony Randall, Alcaucin

Invasive Cactus can actually be a highly invasive and fast growing plant. I have a neighbour who also had to go to the local town hall for assistance, having found her property, and indeed, herself, and her animals, being invaded by cacti.

Adjoining her small patio is

LETTERS

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Very prickly issue a forest of cacti on a neighbour’s property.

This cactus is huge, the trunks themselves the size of full grown trees, and is so tall it leans over her patio.

The patio is full of thorns which grow on the leaves and fruit, and in turn my friend’s laundry is also full of them.

As the situation became untenable, she went to the town hall which promptly gave her permission to cut back the cacti, regardless of the fact it was not on her property.

The Kays need to accept that this is indeed, a highly invasive plant which can cause a great deal of misery to both animals and humans, and that they are not being unfairly targeted.

The camposinos admittedly do grow cacti in places where they cannot plant other more indigenous shrubs, but the day will come when it is prohibited due to its habit of taking over.

Jenny Vorwerk, Algatocin

Getting silly Regarding the article ‘Fears grow for Spain as banks

downgraded’ (issue 135).

There is no doubt at all that the Spanish banks have a big problem, but so do all the other banks in the Eurozone.

I am convinced these rating agencies are just making the situation worse.

I believe a lot of the crisis is being made worse by speculation and scare mongering.

We will all suffer more hardship once Greece leaves the euro, but come on, it’s all getting a bit silly now.

Lori, via the Olive Press website

Be consistent A year or so ago, I remember reading that you, quite correctly, defended your decision to spell Spanish towns in Spanish.

I have yet to find ‘Marbs’ (sic), in any Spanish dictionary.

This use of estuary English is not only tacky, but contradicts your stated policies. Please be consistent.

Roland Howells, Casabermeja ED: Hi Roland, You’re obviously not a fan of TV programme TOWIE,

Mix up Thank you for the good write up about my painting in issue 135.

Unfortunately to my horror I have realised I sent you the wrong painting.

This is one of my paintings, but not the one that was stolen. I am both very embarrassed and annoyed that I have missed the opportunity by sending you the wrong copy. I am so sorry and can’t think of a way around this but want to thank you for your effort to get the story out there and to highlight the theft. This is the correct painting. Thank you and please forgive me this error.

Juliette Robb, Coin whose cast call Marbella ‘Marbs’.

Help save our cats For the past three years 15 to 20 abandoned cats have been living in an area near El Faro lighthouse in Estepona.

Due to a lack of accommodation at ADANA they have remained at El Faro.

In the circumstances the best ADANA could do was to neuter them all which has been achieved with the help of volunteers who care for them.

The cats are all in very good health and semi-tame.

They are not destructive and lead a peaceful existence.

But very recently it was announced work will begin to extend the paseo up to El Faro and create gardens.

Machines will be arriving shortly to clear the area and the future of the cats is threatened. An urgent solution is needed.

If you know of anyone who could home any of the cats – on a short or long term basis - please contact 952 804 630 678 806 829.

Sonia & Hermione Longman, Estepona (founders of ADANA)

Health care conundrums Misinformed There seems to be a lot misinformation floating about about access to the Spanish health system.

My understanding is that if you are resident in Spain with a residencia but you are not working, nor a pensioner, you have to take out private medical insurance.

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is for tourists in an emergency.

Meanwhile British residents in receipt of the state pension, should receive the form S1 (formerly the E121) from the Department for Works and Pensions in Newcastle.

The form is already completed and should be taken to the appropriate Spanish Social Security Office together with the residencia.

This will lead to a letter in the post in Spanish which should be presented to your local health centre. The health centre will then issue your social security card.

For each of these legitimate pensioners, the British Government pays some €2,000 per month to the Spanish Treasury. To suggest that becoming a fiscal resident in Spain will entitle you to free health care is incorrect.

Alan Kerslake, Torremolinos

S1 situation Regarding the situation with healthcare, there are many problems with the S1 form and I am now lobbying for a change of process. It says on the form you take it to the health authority who stamp it and you can then register at the health centre, but this isn’t the case. A new directive means that the INSS cannot stamp the form on the spot.

Instead they send it away for processing, which takes months, meaning you do not get immediate cover.

If you need medical treatment in the meantime, what are you supposed to do?

HMRC say that we should get any costs back from DWP, and DWP say we should get them back from INSS. The whole process is very complex and needs to be changed. I would love to hear from other readers with an S1 as we must get the long winded process shortened as a matter of urgency. The more support we have, the better.

Debbie Ryder, Rincon de la Victoria

Letters should be posted to Urb. Cayetano Arroyo, Buzon 13, Arriate 29350, Malaga or emailed to letters@ theolivepress.es The writer’s name and address should be provided.

Published opinions are not necessarily those of the Editor.

PLE WR ASE ITE

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monthly youth and education section the olive press - May 31 - June 13, 2012 21

treme

WE ARE NOT SARDINES!

School strikes over plans to see class sizes increased to up to 42 pupils

SPAIN has been rocked by strikes over austerity cuts that could see some class sizes going up to 42 pupils.

Thousands of teachers and pupils took to the streets to protest against the €3 billion cuts, that could also see teachers losing their jobs.

In the major cost-cutting exercise Minister for Education Ignacio Wert announced last week that he wanted to see a 20 per cent increase in class sizes.

This will mean primary school classes being raised to a maximum of 30 students, while secondary schools could see as many as 36 children per class.

The highest increases however will be in the last two years of school, the Bachillerato, where pupil limits will be set at 42 students per class.

During the strikes, last week, one teacher in Valencia held his classes outdoors, on the basis that this is the only way he will be able to fit so many students in his classroom.

Meanwhile, protestors held TOO TIGHT: Protests against class size changes up signs advertising ‘Wert’s CAPTION:

By Wendy Andersen and Wendy Williams sardines’, at ‘36-42 per tin’.

Other signs stated that education is not a cost but an investment and that education should be defended at all costs.

The unions have been angered not only by the increases in class size but also the way in which the government has tried to rush through the cuts without debate.

They have promised to continue with further strikes in June and September.

The recently formed Andalucia coalition government of Jose Grinan has announced that it will not apply the measures to increase the numbers of students per class.

The autonomous region has been locked in a battle with the central government over the number of hours in the school day as well.

It argues that education should be controlled by the autonomous regions.

That many pupils just won’t fit OPX editor – and mother-of-three Wendy Andersen - on why Spain should not be cutting the education budget

N

O one can deny that cutting expenditure is a foultasting, but necessary medicine.

But the last thing the Rajoy government should be considering is cutting the country’s education budget.

According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), of its 30 member countries, Spain is already hovering at the bottom of the international league tables.

Shockingly it ranks 25 out of 30 for reading standards and 27 for science and maths.

Moreover only 74 per cent of Spanish students complete secondary education compared with an average of 85 percent in other EU countries.

There has also been a steady decline in the number of secondary pupils attending Spanish universities, and if the cuts come to pass, the situation will only get worse.

When it comes to class sizes – 36 pupils in secondary for

example – keep in mind that these maximums are a bit like speed limits and often get passed.

These increases simply won’t work. A classroom of 20 square metres, designed for 20 students cannot fit 36 desks. Fact.

The new regulations go against health and safety regulations; doors that open inward will not be able to open and in an emergency students safety could be jeopardized as they struggled to get out of a crowded classroom.

Already the Spanish educational system is complex and particularly baffling for an outsider, without adding further problems to the list.

While nobody is suggesting throwing money at the existing system, neglecting the educational needs of the young will come at a price.

It is high time Spain took a look at the reasons it is coming bottom of the class in education.

O rmo rmo, were4 art thou rmo

A STUDENT who translated the iconic balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet into text speak has won a gold medal in the Roses Student Award.

Alexander James Edwards from Northumbria University, wanted to highlight how SMS texting is impacting on young people’s ability to spell correctly as well as read and write.

The book presents Act 2 Scene 2 of Shakespeare’s tome in text speak.

At the end, the reader is asked to flip the book over, to find the full original text.

“By flipping the book the reader fixes the problem,” explained Edwards, adding: “Hopefully it highlights the shortcomings of text speak.”

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Eat your greens or T-Rex comes to visit!

Ashley Bolton on a school topic 65 million years in the making

C

HILDREN heading down to the British School of Marbella this week had a prehistoric surprise.

For lurking in place of the usual gym equipment was a collection of Jurassic Park beasties created for the lower school’s latest topic on dinosaurs.

Teachers dimmed the lights as different classes tip-toed around models of enormous reptilians including the fearsome meat eater T-Rex and a terrifying pterodactyl.

Nerves were calmed when the rumour was passed around that T-Rex can’t see you if you don’t move.

This later evolved into T-Rex can’t see you if you eat all of your meals and line up in an orderly fashion.

Created by Reception, Nursery and Pre Nursery classes, a series of models were made out of cardboard boxes,

NOT PETRIFIED: Getting up close with dinosaurs straws and more duct tape than you need to shut up your little brother.

Of course there’s nothing like seeing a real-life dinosaur skeleton so around 40 children were whisked off to Malaga to see a dinosaur exhibition at the Trade and Exhibitions Hall.

Here they saw gigantic skeletons, fossils and a small part of an asteroid that is said to have wiped out the dinosaurs.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the school, youngsters are gearing up to celebrate the Dia-

mond Jubilee Celebrations.

Pupils have been making bunting, British flags and Cheshire cats ahead of a special day of celebration at the school on June 5.

Not only that, but they have also been preparing a number of shows to perform in front of parents, pupils and staff.

So in the unlikely event that the Queen should turn up next week there will be bunting, entertainment and a school dinosaur exhibition to give the Royal seal of approval to.

Private education is ‘corrosive’ to society THE dominance of private school pupils is ‘corrosive’ to UK society claims Nick Clegg (right).

The Deputy Prime Minister has warned that the massive gap in standards between state schools and private schools is holding back social mobility and damaging the economy.

The former pupil of London’s leading private school Westminster – who is married to a Spaniard - said: “Right now there is a great rift in our education system between our best schools, most of which are private, and the schools ordinary families rely on.

“That is corrosive for our society and damaging to our economy,” he said.

In the UK children educated in the private sector are three times more likely to achieve two As and a B at ALevel than pupils in state schools making the gap wider in Britain than almost any other developed country.

Clegg has so far refused to confirm where his children, born to wife Miriam, are going to attend school.

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Butterfly event at Aloha SPANISH golfer Miguel Angel Jimenez is starring in the 10th edition of the Butterfly Children charity golf tournament at Aloha Golf this weekend.

Over the past 10 years the event, which raises money for sufferers of the rare and incurable Butterfly condition, has relied on the support of celebrated golfers.

The condition leaves skin as delicate as a butterfly wing.

“We all have the responsibility to help,” insisted Jimenez.

The tournament is set to take place at the prestigious Aloha Golf Club course on June 2.

There will also be a charity dinner and ball in the evening with all funds going towards the charity, which falls under DEBRA Spain.

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Child care costs crippling UK families

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WHILE times might be hard for expat parents in Spain they can at least be grateful they are saving on child care costs.

Figures show that the UK has the highest childcare costs in in the world, with the exception of Switzerland.

The report by think tank CentreForum, shows that British parents pay almost twice the international average making it beyond the reach of many middle class families.

The total cost of child care amounts to 26.6 per cent of a family’s income and a staggering 41 per cent of the average UK wage.

In contrast, Spanish child care costs make up just 4.7 per cent of family income, well below the OECD average of 11.8 per cent.

HELP FOR THE ‘RECESSION BABIES’ A BRITISH expat has penned his first children’s book and embarked on a crusade to get Spanish children interested in English.

Sanj Saigal, 43, a fully qualified TEFL teacher, is now set to tour a series of schools with his new book Dreamstones, which was published this month.

“It is not about promoting my book, it is about helping children to become interested in English,” explained the father-of-two, based in Murcia.

“At the moment with the crisis the issue is particularly topical as most children have no inter-

est in learning English, when they should want to in order to get on.

“The recession babies in Spain are going to grow up and they won’t be able to communicate with the rest of Europe,” added Saigal, a former head hunter who moved to Spain from London over 10 years ago.

“Learning English can change lives and it gives a tremendous buzz.”

Dreamstones is now available from Amazon as a paperbook and e-book

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This month’s recipe:

Father’s Day Blueberry Muffin Surprise

Herald the dawn of the ‘dive-bomb’ wasp

A June 17 is Father’s Day – just in time for blueberries to come into season in Andalucia. So why not surprise your dad with home-made blueberry muffins for breakfast?.

Ingredients: 60g soft butter 175g sugar 1 egg, beaten 350g pastry flour 1 grated lemon, rind of ½ tsp salt 1 tsp baking powder 120 ml milk 250g wild blueberries Optional topping: 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 4 teaspoons sugar 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces, softened Pinch of salt 120g pecan halves (prepare topping first and set aside) Directions: 1. If you want to make the optional topping, it’s best to prepare this first. Mix flour, sugar, brown sugar, butter and salt in food processor until mixture resembles coarse sand (four to five pulses). Add pecans and mix until pecans are coarsely chopped (four pulses). Transfer to small bowl and set aside.

2. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add egg and mix well. In a separate bowl, sift dry ingredients together. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with milk.

(Begin and end with flour for the best texture. Not sure why, but this works.) Toss blueberries with lemon rind and gently fold into batter. Do not over-mix.

3. Fill 12-cup muffin tray with paper cups or grease with butter.

Fill to two thirds full, then sprinkle topping over muffins, gently pressing into batter to adhere.

4. Bake in preheated 190C oven for 15-20 minutes. Remove from tray and cool on rack.

TINY ‘dive-bombing’ Spanish wasp is among the top 10 new animal and plant species identified in the last year.

The 2mm-long parasite – known as Kollasmosoma Sentum in Latin - was picked from an incredible list of over 200 new species.

Found living in an area near Madrid, it has been selected

by The International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University, which aims to promote wildlife and its conservation. What most impressed the judges was its fascinating tactics to target its prey, worker ants.

In a fascinating film shot by ant expert Jose Maria Gomez Duran, the female wasp hov-

LISTEN UP:

Spain provides the world with a rare new species, writes Eloise Horsfield

ers just one centimetre from the ground, waiting for the ant to be slowed down by a heavy load.

It then swoops, planting an egg into her prey’s back or head – all in just a 20th of a second!

It is not yet known what hap-

pens when the eggs hatch, but it is thought the ant eventually dies and is deposited outside the nest, allowing the young dive-bombing wasp to fly off.

Also in the top 10 is the Burmese snub-nosed monkey, whose snout is so upturned it gets an attack of the sneezes when it rains.

Then there’s the devil’s worm, a tiny organism thought to be the deepest living creature on the planet, which was discovered a mile underground in

South Africa.

A new mushroom, known as Spongiforma squarepantsii, was found during a forest expedition in Indonesia.

And yes, you did read that right – researchers at San Francisco University decided to name the fungus after the cartoon character SpongeBob Squarepants because it looks just like a sea sponge.

See footage of the ‘divebomb’ wasp at: http:// www.youtube.com/ watch?v=bpMGhGMWaTA

TEENY: The miniscule wasp (top right) heads for the an

...and how to keep the pests off your lunch Want a good way to stop wasps from ruining your lunch? Try this, writes Wendy Andersen

‘T

IS the season for all things buzzy.

While we want to encourage wildlife in the garden, wasps are one irritant it is hard to put up with.

Well, here’s a solution to ‘encourage’ the pests to nest away from those areas of the garden that you want to reserve for non-winged creatures.

The solution is to install a fake wasps’ nest.

The idea is based on the fact that wasps are very territorial and will aggressively defend their nests against wasps from other colonies.

When a foraging wasp sees another wasps nest, especially a large one, it will rapidly leave the area for fear of being attacked by the nest’s defenders.

Wasps have a very long range of vision and don’t realise the false nest is not real because they don’t get close enough to find out.

This ‘technology’ has been tried and tested for years, dating back to methods employed in the Middle Ages.

Why not try making your own wasps nest? These eco-friendly solutions are available online to buy, but rather than parting with €20 plus post and packaging you can have fun getting your hands dirty.

Instructions 1 Blow up the balloon to a decent size and tie it closed (photo 1).

2 Tie a string between the knot and the inflated section of the balloon. I used an old hanger to hang the balloon above the sink.

3 Mix a thick papier-mache paste – flour and water. If you make it too runny it will be very messy!

4 Cut newspaper into 3-4 cm strips approximately 5 Dip a newspaper strip into the bucket of the paste, and shake it loosely over the bucket.

6 Place the strip on the balloon so that it lays flat (photo 2)

7 Continue adding strips, ensuring you cover the entire balloon, and leave the long end of the string poking out of the newspaper. Thick covering takes longer to dry but becomes more durable.

8 Let it dry overnight.

9 Paint the balloon grey and let the paint dry.

This may need to be done in sections to cover the entire balloon.

10 Puncture the balloon inside the newspaper with a straight pin and tie the fake nest to your house, or wherever you don’t want wasps.

p nt

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CALLING ALL ARTISTS! If you would like to enter this month’s competition, take the squiggle in the box below, turn it in any direction you like and, using your imagination, make a drawing from it.

Entrants must be 12 years or under to apply. The best drawing will be printed in next month’s paper and the winner will receive a token for art supplies worth €10.

Entries should be scanned and emailed to newsdesk@ theolivepress.es or sent to normal postal address WE are proud to announce the winner of last month’s squiggle competition: Michelle Schmid Marchesini - Eight years old from Benalmadena Costa

Fancy a movie?

If you want to head to the cinema this weekend, but your Spanish is not up to scratch, check out the VO/ VOSE films (Original Version) available in your area Dark Shadows • Plaza Mayor (Malaga) 17:50 20:05 22:30 00:50 (weekdays) 22:40 (weekends) • Cinesur, Miramar Fuengirola, 16:00 18:05 20:10 22:20 (daily)

Hunger Games • Plaza Mayor (Malaga) 12:15 (weekends) • Cinesur, Miramar Fuengirola, 20:20 (daily)

Men in Black III • Plaza Mayor (Malaga) 3D 12:45 18:00 00:45 (weekends) 2D 15:45 20:15 22:30 (weekends) 3D 18:00 00:45 (weekdays) 2D 20:15 22:30 (weekdays)

Gibraltar: King Bastion, Leisure Ctr. Cinema Bel Ami 18:00 (daily)

American Reunion • Plaza Mayor (Malaga) 16:10 (weekdays) 01:00 (weekends) • Cinesur, Miramar Fuengirola, 16:00 18:10 (daily) The Avengers • Plaza Mayor (Malaga) 3D 21:00 2D 18:00 00:00 (weekdays) 3D 22:10 2D 14:30 (weekends) • Cinesur, Miramar Fuengirola, 16:00 18:45 (daily)

American Reunion 18:30 (daily) Titanic 20:15 (daily) Tintin 15:30 (weekends) The Avengers 22:00 (daily) The Pirates 16:00 (weekends)

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By Wendy Andersen

H

AVING a child with learning difficulties can be demanding and heartbreaking.

Basically it boils down to wanting to help as much as you can, while paining to see your child struggle with things that come so easily to others.

Being in a foreign school system can make the process seem even more daunting.

But there are loads of things you can do at home to help your dyslexic child.

They include:

Building self esteem

TALENTED: Goldberg, Branson and Einstein

The first hurdle is explaining to your child what it means to be dyslexic. Frequently remind your child that dyslexic students are as intelligent as their peers.

Their primary difficulty is often with linear thought, although gaining information from text and structuring their writing can be major factors.

They also usually have strengths in other areas such as lateral thinking and spoken communication... and they tend to prefer mind maps to lists.

Encourage your child by find-

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It didn’t stop Einstein ing ways to help them utilise their strengths.

Use analogies to help understand dyslexia

Some parents use the ‘operating system analogy’ that some kids use PC software, while others use Apple.

Ultimately however, both do the same things, albeit with slightly different ways of going about it.

This will help them to see that they are as good as everyone else – and they just simply tackle tasks differently.

How to help your child deal with dyslexia... and be as successful as Richard Branson, Whoopi Goldberg or genius Albert Einstein

As clever as Einstein?

Another way to boost self esteem is by listing all the successful famous people with dyslexia – showing your child that this is not something that will limit their future.

By doing this they will quickly see how many stars and notaries – including Whoopi Goldberg, Orlando Bloom and Richard Branson – did well inspite of it. Check out http:// www.dyslexia.com/famous. html Finally there are loads of games, activities and tools to try at home. Here are some: 1. Avoid shiny white paper with black text. Many specialists now recommend using pale coloured rather than white paper, and dark coloured pens instead of black or red. Opt for creamy yellow or pale coloured paper for school notebooks, and pens with blue ink. This applies to

using computers too. Change the screen colours on PCs by going to: Start/Settings/Control Panel/Display/Appearance/ and click ‘Advanced’ and then under ‘Item’ select ‘Window’ and change to whichever colour you prefer.

Click ‘Other’ to see the whole palette. Then click ‘Apply’ and you’re all set. For Macs, you need a free add-on: try either nocturne or screen shades.

2. Use texture to make writing fun. Texture can help your child understand letters that are difficult on paper. Have your child write with anything other than pen and paper: use crayon, or a tray filled with sand or rice, write with glitter glue, foam, or food. Go over the word spelling it aloud as they write.

3. Letter hopscotch: draw a traditional hopscotch board with chalk, but replace the

Can the teacher help?

OF E EE RG FR A CH

Speak to your child’s teacher about incorporating the following when making handouts. It doesn’t cost anything extra, and most teachers are open to anything that helps their students do well.

• Use Comic Sans font, which many dyslexic people like (especially for A and G) • Align text on the left only (to keep word spacing even) • Use plenty of bullet points • Keep blocks of text short • Use boxes and diagrams • Avoid sentences or headings in capitals (capitalisation removes word patterns, which makes it easier for children to recognise) • Avoid using underlining for more than one word (as this can make text run together) • Consider using two columns of text (short lines can be easier to read) • Use wide spacing between characters and lines • Avoid black text on white paper: cream paper reduces ‘glare’ and eyestrain

numbers with letters. Call out the sound (not the name of the letter) they have to jump to. Play until the all of the letters are done and rewards the child each time he or she jumps into the correct box 4. Left and right: easy, have your child look at the back of his/her left hand with thumb out. The left hand forms the letter L and the right hand doesn’t. A simple way for all kids with and without dyslexia for getting shoes on the correct foot is to simply draw arrows on the inner sole of the shoes. When the shoes are lined up correctly, the arrows will point towards each other, ready to be put on. Use tippex for shoes with black soles.

For dancing classes, put a blue bow on the left foot, pink on the right. Teachers can then shout instructions such as ‘left foot, blue foot forward’.

5. B and D: an easy way to remember B and D is to look at the word bed. Have your child hold up his hands the left hand looks like a B the right hand a D.

Another trick is to use the word order in the alphabet.

C comes before D. So when you want to write a D, say the aphabet, start writing a C, then carry on into a D.

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My mate27 Matisse

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Here, Casilda Dopico shows off some of her elaborate bridge designs

Building bridges Is this idea a runner?

Year 5 at Swans School have been spanning the age gap researching and designing bridges. After a lot of paint and glue they unveiled their design for a brand new suspension bridge... any takers?

Meanwhile, Year 2 children have been looking at all things alive, everything from the life cycle of poppies to growth and ageing. The children have also been looking at the rate at which runner beans grow, with some interesting results.

Some Year 2 artwork, inspired by the artist Matisse.

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Dramatic times at Sotogrande T

HERE is a strong tradition of music and theatre at Sotogrande School and last week saw a stage presentation of One Man, Two Guvnors – a play that is coincidentally being performed in London’s West End at the moment.

This is a new comedy based on a traditional Commedia del Arte piece.

The Diploma students rose to the occasion and delivered a very punchy, witty script, mixed with slapstick, clowning, physical theatre and outrageous remarks.

In this short play, delivered to a select audience, they showed the true variety of genres that students tackle in their theatre presentations.

The audience was also treated to music from The Beatles, a band made up of two teachers and two students (left).

And ‘Jimi Hendrix’, played by another student, made a cameo appearance.

If you would like to catch a flavour of what goes on at Sotogrande International School excerpts from this play and songs from The Beatles will be performed at the Marbella Arts Festival on June 22 in the Alameda Gardens.

DATE FOR THE DIARY: The cast of One Man, Two Guvnors will be performing at the Marbella Arts Festival on June 22

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May 31, 2012

Sharp shooters

A NOVEL depicting the romance between two famous war photographers who spent time in Andalucia during the Spanish Civil War is to be made into a film.

Waiting for Robert Capa

by Susana Fortes will be brought to life by Michael Mann, the award-winning director of films including Heat and Public Enemies.

The book focuses on the relationship between Capa and Gerda Taro, who spent time on the Cordoba front during the conflict.

Fleeing

The pair photographed crowds of villagers in Cerro Muriano fleeing their homes as the fascists rained down shells on the village.

The relationship ended in tragedy when Taro died from injuries sustained while embedded with Republican troops near Brunete, at the age of 26.

A three-day event in Gaucin will allow artists to share the creative process with others

Painting the pueblo LOCAL artists in Gaucin are once again putting down their brushes and inviting the public into their studios.

Marking the eighth Open Studio event a total of 13 artists – that range from professional to selftaught - are opening their doors to those looking to buy and those who are simply looking.

“The creative process is often a lonely one and the artists look forward to the culmination of a year’s work when they are able to display their creations and receive your opinions and, hopefully, appreciation,” explains Irish artist Anna

McGrane.

“Be it painting, photography or ceramics there will be something to inspire and interest everyone.”

The open studio event will take place in Gaucin from May 31 to June 3.

Gaucin’s first ever Artisan Market will also be held in conjunction with Art Gaucin on June 2 to 3 at the Convento, with stalls selling a variety of clothes, wine and crafts from local craftsmen.

For more information visit www.artgaucin.com

what’s on

T

urre. June 3, Turre Music Fest, day of Live Music at the Hostal Rural. For more information call 697 302 129 or 617 577 615.

M

ijas. June 8-10, International Festival of Mijas celebrating food, drink, music and culture of over 20 countries.

Includes British stand showcasing best of British humour and your favourites including Pimms, Old Speckled Hen and fish and chips.

J

imera de Libar.

June 23 - 13:00h, Camping Jimera de Libar, Mini Woodstock of the Guadiaro Valley. Artists include Markus, Biagra, The Beerbellys, The Silverbeats and more.

Tickets 5€. Tel: 671 501 054

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Tricky tactics

And Getaria get it A SPANISH town has scooped first prize in a worldwide competition with an impressive 3D video model showing off its best sites.

Getaria, a port town in the Basque Country, won €20,000 in the Google Earth Model Your Town competition, where contestants used cutting-edge modelling software to make the minute-long clips.

Other finalists included Leominster, in the UK, Lowell in Massachusetts, US, and Torun in Poland.

But it was the charm of Getaria, with its old quarter, fishing port, beach and lighthouse which most impressed voters.

Winning team Josetxo Perez Fernandez, 36, and Pedro Domecq Aguirre, 45, who both work in computers, landed the top prize in aid of a local school.

“This year’s models were truly amazing,” said Google’s Allyson McDuffie.

Watch the winning clip here: http://tinyurl.com/d4p38lc

INVITING your fans up on stage is definitely a novel way to get them on your side. But that is what Tricky did on his first outing in Andalucia for a decade, when he headlined the Territorios festival in Sevilla last week.

While risky, his stunt paid off when - in the end - only around two dozen people managed to clamber up.

It was certainly an edgy performance, which improved as the set went on.

Another huge crowd pleaser was UK reggae star, Mad Professor, who got the crowd going with a fine selection of tunes from the likes of Damien Marley and Dawn Penn.

Another act over from the UK were Basement Jaxx, while Iggy Pop arrived from the US.

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SPORTING CHANCE

With a bumper summer of sport to look forward to, James Bryce takes a closer look at the British and Spanish contenders to see who is likely to have the bragging rights by the end

I

T IS set to be one of the most exciting summers of sport, with several major international events competing for space on a crowded calendar.

And with Britain and Spain boasting some of the best athletes in the world across a number of sports, the rivalry looks set to reach a new level of intensity in the coming months.

The Olympics will see the two nations clash across a wide range of disciplines, with the European Championships in football and Wimbledon adding to the excitement. Here the Olive Press predicts who will come out on top.

FORMULA ONE

For the first time in nearly 20 years there have been six different winners in the first six races of the season, leaving the Formula One drivers championship wide open. Among the winners so far this season are Briton Jenson Button (right) and Spaniard Fernando Alonso, while Lewis Hamilton has taken pole position in three of the races.

All three drivers are former world champions and are expected to compete for the title this year, along with current world champion Sebastian Vettel and Australian Mark Webber of Red Bull.

Briton Paul Di Resta has scored 15 points this season but the only other Spaniard on the grid, Pedro de la Rosa has failed to score a single point so far.

With British teams McLaren, Lotus and Williams among those battling it out for the Constructors Championship, it promises to be one of the most exciting seasons yet.

Event: European Grand Prix / British Grand Prix When: June 24 / July 8 Where: Valencia / Silverstone PREDICTION: Great Britain in both

GOLF

TENNIS

World number one Rory Mcllroy (left) will lead the charge at this summer’s key championships, with the Northern Irishman joined in the top three by English duo Luke Donald and Lee Westwood.

Justin Rose is also currently ranked in the world’s top 10, meaning British golfers are likely to feature prominently at the top of the leader boards in the coming months.

Spain’s biggest challenge comes from former world number two Sergio Garcia, as well as Alvaro Quiros and Rafael Cabrera-Bello.

The great sporting institution that is Wimbledon gets under way next month, with all British hopes once again pinned on Andy Murray.

The Scot goes in search of his elusive first Grand Slam title but faces stiff competition, not least from Spaniard Rafael Nadal (bottom left).

The 10-time grand slam champion and world number two knocked Murray out of Wimbledon in 2008, 2010, 2011 and has won the tournament twice.

While Murray remains the only realistic hope for British tennis fans, Spain is well represented in the world rankings, with Fernando Verdasco, David Ferrer, Nicolas Almagro and Feliciano Lopez all currently in the top 20 and another four in the top 50.

In the women’s draw Spain has three players in the top 50, while Britain’s best hope rests with world-number 67 Elena Baltacha and Anne Keothavong (76), with Heather Watson and Laura Robson also hoping to cause an upset.

Event: US Open Championship / The Open Championship When: June 14-17 / July 19-2 Where: San Francisco / Lancashire PREDICTION: Great Britain

Event: Wimbledon When: June 25 - July 8 Where: London PREDICTION: Spain

FOOTBALL

England head into the European Championships in Poland and Ukraine with the usual mix of hope and misplaced optimism.

The Three Lions can take confidence from Chelsea’s heroics in Europe this season, not least in their matches against Barcelona, which saw the likes of John Terry, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole get the better of a team full of Spanish internationals.

But new manager Roy Hodgson (right) has had little time to prepare his squad before the tournament and was forced to cancel a training camp at La Cala in Malaga due to a depleted team.

Hodgson is missing a string of key players including Jack Wilshere through injury, while Wayne Rooney is suspended for the first two matches.

In contrast, World and European Champions Spain come into the tournament with a squad packed full of quality and experience, and are favourites to retain their title.

Event: European Championships When: June 8 - July 1 Where: Poland and Ukraine PREDICTION: Spain

OLYMPICS

CYCLING

London will become the first city to host the Olympics for a third time when it welcomes athletes from around the world in July, having previously held the Games in 1908 and 1948.

British athletes will be hoping to maximise home advantage to build on what was one of their strongest ever performances at the Beijing Games in 2008.

Team GB won an impressive 19 gold, 13 silver and 15 bronze, compared to 5 gold, 10 silver and 3 bronze for Spain.

Great Britain has won 715 medals since the Olympics began in 1896, and is the only team to have won at least one gold medal at every summer games.

Spain has won a total of 113 medals in the 22 summer games in which it has competed, including 1992 when it hosted the games in Barcelona.

Both nations are traditionally strong in the sailing competitions, while Britain will hope to dominate in the rowing and cycling events.

With Spaniard Alberto Contador banned from competing at this year’s Tour de France after failing a drug test, 2012 could finally be the year that sees a British rider win the world’s most prestigious road race.

One of the leading British contenders in the three-week endurance test is Bradley Wiggins, who finished fourth in 2009 - the joint highest finish by a British rider in Tour history.

Fellow Briton Mark Cavendish is also in with a chance after finishing second in last year’s race, and has won 20 Tour de France stages in his career, putting him sixth on the all-time list.

Spanish riders have dominated the race in recent times, winning four years in a row between 2006-2009, while Contador was stripped of his 2010 title.

But with Contador banned and recent winners Oscar Pereiro (2006) and Carlos Sastre (2008) now retired, Britain’s time could finally have arrived.

Event: Olympics When: July 27 - August 12 Where: London PREDICTION: Great Britain

Event: Tour de France When: June 30 / July 22 Where: France PREDICTION: Great Britain

FINAL SCORE: 4-2 TO TEAM GB

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Hole in the head

OUCH: One of the skulls unearthed TWO trepanned medieval skulls, whose owners had holes drilled through their heads probably while they were still alive, have been unearthed in Spain.

The 13th and 14th century skulls were found in a medieval cemetery in Soria, in Castile and Leon.

Trepanation was a prehistoric surgical technique used to treat migraines, to remove debris from skull fractures or to free the individual from evil spirits.

It involved scraping or drilling a hole through the head with a sharp object – often while the patient was still alive.

Particularly surprising is that one of the skulls found is from a female, aged between 45 and 50.

“In Spain, only 10 per cent of those trepanned skulls found belonged to women,” said an expert.

P

ROVISIONS arrived daily in small white vans which wended their way down to our

village.

They announced their arrival to the villagers by hooting furiously during their entire descent into the valley, ceasing only when they reached the square.

Bethina, starched apron crackling, marched me along to introduce me to the delights of buying from the back of these vans.

Bread, fish, vegetables and fruit, all fresh, all local. On Sundays, delicious cakes came with the bread.

One afternoon we were taking a siesta when we were woken by urgent loudspeaker announcements. Joe leaped out of bed in terror.

“It’s an earthquake warning!” he gasped.

An earthquake?

We knew earthquakes had occurred in this area in the past; we had that ugly, jagged crack in our living room as evidence.

I sat up in alarm. Personally, I never thought about earthquakes, but Joe had often voiced his worries.

“Quick, get the valuables, we may have to move fast!” he ordered, pulling on his shorts (inside out).

He crashed out of the house and raced towards the square and the source of the commo-

False alarm

Continuing in our series of extracts from Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools, Victoria Twead grabs her Great Aunt Elsa and prepares for an earthquake….

PRECIOUS: Save that portrait of Aunt Elsa tion.

Valuables? What valuables?

Fuzzy from sleep, I couldn’t think clearly.

What did one do in an earthquake? Drive away from it?

Head for high ground? I didn’t know. This was not a problem we ever encountered in West Sussex.

I dressed quickly, grabbed

my precious portrait of Great Aunt Elsa, and was heading for the front door when Joe returned.

He was looking rueful and carrying a crate.

“What was it?” I asked, still clutching Great Aunt Elsa.

“A van. Selling peaches.”

“Not an earthquake warning?”

“No.”

“Oh. What’s in the crate?”

“Peaches.”

“Peaches? A whole crate? How ever many did you get?”

“Four euros’ worth. That’s all I had in my pocket.”

“But there must be 40 peaches in there! How are we going to eat so many peaches?”

“Don’t know. But when I ran into the square, all the ladies thought I was desperate for peaches. They all stood aside in the queue and let me go first. So I had to buy some.”

“But why buy a whole crate?”

“I showed him my four euros, and that’s what he gave me.”

We feasted on peaches for days, but couldn’t finish them. The fruit flies soon attacked, and we had to throw the rest away.

Last chance for Lucas AN 80-year-old expat is launching her last ever art exhibition.

London-born painter Patricia Lucas, who moved to Spain in 1972, is unveiling her latest work in Jimena.

But according to her sister Jean Sassoon it will probably be the last chance for the public to get a glimpse of her work VIVID: Lucas’ art which has been shown around the world.

“She is a superb painter of Spanish landscapes and this will probably be her last exhibition as she is now 80,” she said.

Meanwhile Lucas, who lives in Marchenilla, added: “When I first came to Andalucia I was amazed by the fields full of colours.

“After 40 years living in the south of Spain my aim is still to reflect the light of spring.”

The exhibition will take place in Agaden, Jimena, from June 1 until June 10.

Bitch proof A SCOTTISH author has stormed the Amazon Romance charts in Spain.

De-ann Black’s bestselling romantic comedy, The Bitch-Proof Suit, has taken Spain by storm and beaten well-known classics including Fifty Shades of Grey and Jane Austen to the top spot.

“It’s a real continental assortment of a success.

I’ve always felt an affinity to Spain, so I’m particularly delighted the book is appealing to readers here,” said Black.

la cultura

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Costa crooners

TALENTED young musicians are set to perform a range of hits from the 50s to the present day at a charity gala on the Costa Tropical. The Nash Music Academy will showcase singer-songwriters playing everything from classical to folk at Almunecar’s culture centre on June 6 at 8pm.

The youngsters will be backed by a house band, while a choir will also be performing. Tickets just €2. For further information call 958 883 295 or 693 722 659.

Making English easy A BRITISH expat has published a book to help people get to grips with the English language.

English Expects by Bob Yareham (left), an English teacher who has lived in Valencia since 1981, is a series of essays on the origin of words, phrases, idioms.

“It is not often that a book comes along that not only changes your life but which also makes you

laugh. This isn’t such a book, but it’s worth buying,” jokes Yareham.

“It is a series of essays about the etymology, grammar and teaching of English, mixed up with my futile attempts to make sense of wine, women and students.

“For those who enjoy the English language, this is the book for you.”

English Expects is available as an e-book from www.amazon.com

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the olive press - May 31 - June 13, 2012

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British expat Brian Flude has been left miserable after waiting for almost a year for a hip replacement despite Junta decree stating you should not wait more than 180 days…

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The waiting game

By Eloise Horsfield A BRITISH pensioner who inadvertently signed away his right to a hip replacement within 180 days is warning other expats not to make the same mistake.

Brian Flude, 68, was told in January 2011 he needed the operation for his ‘bone on bone’ left hip, and in June was put on the waiting list at Malaga’s Virgen de la Victoria Hospital.

Under Junta law, decree 209/2001 states that if patients are waiting over 180 days for this type of surgery they can arrange for private treatment, which will later be reimbursed.

After waiting almost a year, the former consultant engineer enquired about his right

MISERABLE: Brian Flude needs a new hip to claim under the decree.

But to his surprise, he was presented with a document from June 2011 bearing his

PEACE OF MIND IT could revolutionise caring for the elderly and put families’ minds at rest.

Two Malaga companies have united to invent a new monitoring system to keep check on vulnerable people.

Ingenia and Clock Technology have combined forces to develop a highly accurate system that can locate, identify and take pictures in real-time of people and objects in an enclosed space.

It has already been put to the test in a cerebral palsy centre and in the Sanysol retirement home in Torre del Mar with ‘excellent results’.

The system, developed as part of a research and development project funded by the Technological Corporation of Andalusia (CTA), is capable of remotely monitoring a person’s every move using radiofrequency signals and cameras to capture real time images, making it ideal for nursing homes, day care centres and even prisons.

Not fit to drive HAY fever sufferers are being urged not to get behind the wheel.

New research has shown that a third of sufferers have admitted to losing control while driving.

According to One Poll, sneezing and watering eyes will result in some 700,000 UK drivers shutting their eyes for 60 seconds out of every 45 minutes of driving time, running the risk of accidents.

Moreover taking medica-

tion - almost 90 per cent of sufferers use antihistamine-based drugs - can make things even worse.

More than 1.7 million (30 per cent) of drivers who have taken medication admit suffering drowsiness, blurry vision and slower reaction times.

And insurance firms estimate more than two million UK motorists have had an accident or momentarily lost control of their car as a result of sneezing.

signature, stating he had ‘refused’ a centre offered to him – and therefore lost his right to claim.

“I hardly recognised the document, but when I thought back I remembered signing it,” said Flude, who lives in Pizarra.

“At the time I thought they were giving me a choice of centre for my operation. I chose Virgen de la Victoria because it’s near my home.

“I didn’t realise that I was opting out of the right to be seen within 180 days. There is no way I’d have signed if I’d known.”

He continued: “My interpreter hadn’t turned up that day and my wife, who speaks better Spanish than me, was away. But I’m very angry and can’t help thinking it is a little underhand.

“I think even a Spaniard would have the same problem. It was all very confusing,” he added.

“If only I’d had the gumption to ask what I was signing. I would advise other expats never to go anywhere without an interpreter they can trust.

“My whole quality of life is miserable,” added Flude, who moved to Spain from Hampshire 10 years ago.

“I am taking above the recommended level of daily painkillers – which are now affecting my stomach.”

A hospital spokesman confirmed: “Mr Flude rejected the hospital offered to him therefore the degree does not apply.”

Top Salud!

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A walk in the park THERE is good news for people who live in the countryside.

Researchers in Canada have found that a nature walk can lift your spirits and help those suffering from depression.

The research also tested Attention Restoration Theory, which argues people concentrate better after spending time in peaceful settings as they are not bombarded with external distractions helping their brain to relax.

For the latest study, 20 people with clinical depression – 12 women and eight men – had to walk in a quiet nature setting and in a noisy urban setting.

After their walk they took part in a series of mental tests to measure their attention, and short-term and working memory.

The results showed sufferers had a 16 per cent better increase in attention and working memory after the nature walk compared with the urban walk.

“Walking in nature may act to supplement or enhance existing treatments for clinical depression,” insisted Dr Marc Berman who led the research.

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New research finds link between irregular breathing during sleep and cancer

Snoring warning SHOCKING: Snoring increases cancer risk NOT only are they keeping their partners awake at night, heavy snorers could be five times more likely to develop cancer.

New research shows that low blood oxygen levels – often caused by snoring and other types of irregular breathing during sleep - can trigger the development of

Be careful of butter WOMEN who enjoy butter on their bread should be careful.

Eating too much red meat, butter and other foods with high levels of saturated fats could increase the risk of Alzheimer’s.

Researchers from Harvard University found women over 65 who ate lots of food high in saturated fats had worse memories than those who ate more mono-unsaturated fats.

But this is good news for women living in Spain as monounsaturated fats are found in olive oil, nuts and avocados, which form a staple part of the Mediterranean diet.

“What we found is the total amount of fat intake did not really matter but the type of fat did,” insists Dr Olivia Okereke, who led the research

cancerous tumours.

Researchers in the US looked at cancer rates in more than 1,500 people, in a study of sleep problems that began 22 years ago.

They found those with severe sleep disordered breathing (SDB) were 4.8 times more likely to develop cancer than those who had no such problems.

“Ours is the first study to show an association between SDB and an elevated risk of cancer mortality in a population-based sample,” said Dr Javier Nieto, who led the study.

Moreover scientists now believe doctors could actually help people fight the disease by stopping them snoring.

It comes as researchers in Spain found the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask used to treat sleep apnea could reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure and the health risks associated with it.

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Top Salud!

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ADVERTORIAL

THE TRUE STORY OF A SMOKER

Richard & Judy could change your life too!

This is the true story of a female smoker who had been smoking more than thirty a day for thirty years. At the age of 45 she decided it was likely she would go to her grave as a smoker and that like most other smokers it was going to be prematurely. Particularly as her husband was also a smoker and worse still he was under the impression that he enjoyed smoking and so that was going to be that!

For your free information pack call Carol now on 952965261 or 649123238

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the olive press - May 31 - June 13, 2012

Hi Carol - Completely free of it in one treatment. It really is a miracle. I’ve been giving out your number to lots of colleagues and patients. I hope they book up. Thank you.

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Hi Carol - Yes all great have not smoked any cigs since I left you.

Thanks, no cravings and have changed my routine.

Anne (Spain)

The couple lived on the Costa and like most of us here they spent a certain amount of time watching English TV. On one particular day an article on the Richard & Judy Show reported on a new method of quitting the habit that instead of being a nicotine replacement method, such as Nicorette gum or patches, or some sort of chemical that one swallowed and possibly gave suicidal tendencies, or hypnotherapy that seems to have a very low success rate, this was medically proven and also a non invasive smoking cessation therapy that Richard and Judy said gave a 90% success rate! What was even more encouraging was the equally positive coverage that evening on the BBC 6 o’clock News which interviewed two sceptical journalists who had had the treatment themselves and agreed that they felt it actually removed the addiction instead of trying to replace it.

So, how does it compare with other smoking cessation treatments?

Richard and Judy quoted: 7% success rate with nicotine patches and gum Acupuncture and hypnosis have been known to produce a 30% success rate Smoking cessation clinics have shown a 15% success rate Going “cold turkey” has about a 3% success rate The couple noted the website address and made contact with the company in London that had treated these journalists. And after being told it was £350 each treatment, which meant it was going to work out at nearly £1,000 with flights, they decided that having tried every other method this was going to be their final attempt to quit. And so they agreed to go ahead.

On leaving the clinic, he felt less inclined to smoke than she, but to both their amazement, within 24 hours neither had any desire to smoke whatsoever. A month on and it did indeed seem that the addiction had truly been removed.

A further three months on and they began to feel that this was something that all smokers should at least try, although the cost of the therapy plus the flights was likely to make it less than inviting and so ‘Stop Smoking In Spain’ was born!

Carol the lady in this story and now the proprietor says: “it’s been six years now and low and behold I have successfully treated thousands of clients and even better, most are introduced by word of mouth, which is a lovely way for me to run a business particularly one that also unquestionably saves lives”.

As for the cost? Well the therapy has been available in places like Harley Street, London for some time but at a cost! Typically between £295 and £395. Stop Smoking In Spain have been providing the exact same therapy at a far more affordable €145 with a 10% discount for two or more.

And even better, for a short time they will even give you a FREE home visit.

Call Carol now on 952965261 or 649123238 or visit the very informative website www. stopsmokinginspain.com which has all the BBC News and Richard & Judy videos….plus a lot more!

Some things the tobacco companies would rather you didn’t know...

Modern cigarettes contain much more than tobacco leaf. They contain ‘fillers’ which are made from the stem and other bits of tobacco that would otherwise be waste products. These are mixed with water and various flavourings and additives. There are 600 permitted additives used to make cigarettes more palatable to the smoker. These include: * Sugars and sweeteners to mask the harsh taste of tobacco smoke * Menthol to numb your throat and make it easier to inhale * Cocoa to expand your airways so that more smoke can be inhaled * Moisturisers to stop cigarettes getting stale Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 different chemicals. At least 60 can cause cancer. There are poisons like arsenic and cyanide as well as substances more often found in floor cleaner, rocket fuel, embalming fluid, car batteries, exhaust fumes, mothballs and road surfaces.

Top Salud!

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37

Blow for Bee Gee

B

Raymond Prats highlights the importance of regular screening to detect and treat colon cancer‌

EE Gees singer Robin Gibb, 62, died last week after a harrowing battle with colon cancer that spread to his liver.

What makes his death especially tragic is that colon cancer is largely preventable with regular screening.

In fact, it’s the only form of cancer that can be both detected AND treated with a single screening test.

While there are several ways to check for colon cancer, the gold standard for early detection is a colonoscopy.

It’s the only cancer detection test that also prevents the disease by allowing doctors to find polyps and remove them, during the same test, before they turn into cancer.

To administer the test, a doctor uses a thin, flexible tube (called a colonoscope) with a small video camera attached to one end to examine the six-foot long colon.

If suspicious growths are found, they can be removed during the test for biopsy.

A similar test called sigmoidoscopy only checks one-third of the colon, so it can

miss precancerous growths or cancer in areas not examined.

Many people put off having this lifesaving test because they dread the preparation, which typically involves eating a diet of clear food and taking laxatives for two days to clean out the colon.

Yet this relatively minor inconvenience could save many lives.

Studies show that colonoscopy is 60 to 90 per cent effective at preventing a killer disease.

The test itself is painless because colonoscopy patients receive sedatives during the procedure.

Meanwhile simple changes in your daily habits are the best protection against this killer disease.

A recent study by World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research - one of the most comprehensive ever conducted - reported that if we ate more fibre, performed moderate exercise and stayed lean, about 45 per cent of colon cancer cases would be prevented.

For more information visit www.simplecarehealthplan.com

Booze blues

IT is official - too much alcohol can cause brain damage.

Scientists in Spain have found ethanol in alcohol destroys myelin, a substance in the brain that controls nervous function, causing delayed reactions.

Although it has long been known that excessive consumption of alcohol leads to a cognitive decline, the reason behind this was not known.

But sophisticated imaging following laboratory tests at the Prince Felipe Research Centre in Valencia has now shown a disintegration of the proteins that form the myelin sheath.

Support for ban THE vast majority of Spaniards are in favour of the smoking ban.

A new survey by the Family and Community Medicine Society found 78 per cent of Spaniards to be against smoking again in bars.

Moreover 82 per cent believe the ban on tobacco in public spaces is correct.

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ardin path

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Pioneering gardeners at the Chelsea Flower Show have designed a hay fever-free garden with intriguing results

NOT TO BE SNEEZED AT HAY fever sufferers looking to avoid sneezing while enjoying their garden have been presented with the ideal solution.

A group of pioneering gardeners has created an allergy-free plot using only plants pollinated by bees rather than by the wind.

The ‘low allergen’ garden - currently being displayed at Chelsea Flower Show - is good news for the estimated 15 million hay fever sufferers in the UK, and is also recommended for those with asthma.

It includes a range of plants pollinated by bees, including hostas, geraniums, periwinkles and alliums.

The display is being presented alongside a ‘bad’ garden, which features plants pollinated by the wind, including ferns, lavender, ornamental grasses and lilies.

Aware

“We’re trying to make people aware of what might cause them a problem in their garden and minimise risk by replacing them with equally attractive alternatives,” said Dr Tim Wreghitt from the Royal College of Pathologists.

Wind-pollinated plants are best avoided by hay faver sufferers because their pollen is loose in the air and therefore free to go up the nose.

UP THE NOSE: A bad and good garden for sufferers

HE KNOWS HIS ONIONS! Peter Langdale from Axarquia’s La Palma garden centre looks at what needs to be done as the temperatures gets warmer…

S

Hotting up in the garden

UMMER is nearly here and already we are seeing some areas with intense temperatures.

As the heat rises our plants, vegetables and fruit need more water so we must begin to increase our watering regimens.

Where possible a good mulch will always help to retain moisture - mulches can either be organic (e.g. bark or compost) or synthetic (e.g. polythene or woven plastic).

And always maintain a well functioning irrigation system with frequent checks for blocked dippers, microtubes and sprinklers.

In some instances new drippers etc may need to be installed.

As we move around the garden and arrive at our fruit and vegetable patch we are reminded that June is a great month to direct seed melons, water melons, cucumbers, courgettes and pumpkins.

At the same time we can be preparing seedlings of celery, broccoli, cauliflower, and leeks in trays or modules.

In Garden La Palma we already have a good selection of plants for planting now, including tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, chillies and much more.

Meanwhile, if we leave the veg plot behind and take another look at our flower garden and borders, now is a good time to sow or plant portulacas, camations, and petunias. There is also still time to plant some climbers.

And while busy admiring our outside plants we must not forget all our interior and patio plants.

With days of rapid growth these plants are going to need feeding.

A good liquid feed with regular watering will be well rewarded as your plants develop.

Some spring flowering shrubs and bushes may now benefit from a light pruning to encourage more vegetative growth and good flowering the next time around.

Most roses after the spring flowering can be pruned back and will give another great display of colour and perfume in the late summer.

Do not forget to keep a tab on the appearance of pests and diseases as early detection and prevention is far better than trying to cure a heavy infestation or pest attack.

June can be a particularly bad month for aphid and fruit fly.

Most garden centres can usually answer your pest and disease doubts and recommend possible treatments.

The summer being such a good time for outside dining and barbecues a small herb garden is also a must and as always a good selection of culinary herbs offer fantastic additions to any dish.

Basil grown outdoors at this time of the year will give an abundance of leaves for home made pesto, which added to salmorejo adds a little zest to this traditional Andalucian dish.

Up the jardin path

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A herbal adventure

I

MEET Sue Rodgers at the tourist office in Lanjaron, a pretty spa village in the Alpujarras – the starting point for my journey of herbaceous discovery.

This spot in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada is an ideal place to experience Andalucia’s rich and varied flora.

After all, it boasts a mammoth 2,000 plant species compared to a measly 1,500 in the whole of Britain.

Sue, a cheerful 57-year-old, has been running herb walks for three years, having moved to Spain from Surrey in 2005 with husband Pete, 61, an exRoyal Navy Chief Petty Officer.

The day begins with a gentle, 2km saunter up to the couple’s country house, where we will stay until we come back down a different way later on.

On the way Sue shows me several herbs on the side of the path, explaining their origin, benefits and many a fascinating anecdote.

There is lovage, placed in medieval travellers’ shoes to combat pongy feet, horsetail, whose high content of silica made it a great scouring pad during Roman times, and horehound, which the Egyptians used to fight coughs.

Then there’s ‘fat hen’, whose seeds were found in the stomach of the 4th century BC mummy Tollund Man, who probably ate them because of their high content of albumen – the same protein that is found in egg whites.

Because the walk is leisurely and mostly on tracks - with Sue regularly pausing to point out herbs on the way - it is ideal for families and people of all ages.

And the views are simply aweinspiring: “Every day I look out and it’s completely different,”

Eloise Horsfield spends the day with herb enthusiast Sue Rodgers, learning which plants combat pongy feet and what the Egyptians used to fight coughs

RETREAT: Sue’s mountain home in the Alpujarras says Sue. In a shady spot, we enjoy tiny cups of fresh herbal tea – the first of five I get to sample throughout the day – along with home-made cake flavoured with fresh lavender.

We believe that everyone can make a difference to improve the environment At the house I meet Pete, who takes me on a tour of house and garden, complete with composting toilets, solar panels and reed filter beds.

“We both believe passionately that everyone can make a difference to improve the environment,” says Pete, who built the house completely from scratch. “However, we don’t believe it has to be all hair-shirts, muck and manure – it can be fun.”

Over lunch – a healthy spread

HANDMADE: Under Sue’s watchful eye, Eloise makes a body scrub from scratch

of colourful dishes with, of course, many fresh ingredients from the vegetable patch – Sue explains a bit about her background.

“I was among the first intake of students on Plymouth University’s Environmental Science course in the 1970s,” she explains.

“Back then, the only agencies for change were the Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace – but I wanted to get involved in the industry side of things, to start making them think differently,” she adds.

Sue later worked as an environmental auditor, making sure big companies were complying with international regulations.

Through their walks and selfsufficiency courses, Sue and Pete hope to introduce elements of their lifestyle to the uninitiated in an enjoyable and interesting way.

“I try and do things people don’t usually get the opportunity to do,” explains Sue. After lunch, Sue gets out an inspiring selection of essential oils, herbs, pots and measuring jugs.

Using Sue’s clear instructions, I make a lavender and bergamot body scrub entirely from scratch.

This involves crushing the dried flowers in a pestle and mortar, mixing them with salt and sweet almond oil, then adding my choice of essential oil.

The finished product smells divine and when I use it in the shower later, I realise it beats any manufactured version hands down – and not only because I made it all by myself.

This full-day walk costs €45 per person. Shorter walks at €15 are also available. See www.selfsufficiency4u.com

the olive press - May 31 - June 13, 2012

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Do not apply unless you are truly fluent in Spanish as well as English. If so, email in both languages to bob@sunov.sg

The Olive Press NOW has 31,000 papers delivered across EIGHT the provinces Andalucia olive press -of May 31 - June 13, 2012 41 www.theolivepress.es and Gibraltar every fortnight by our hard-working team of distributors

ALAMEDA Mobile Home Park • Posada Tempranillo • Petrol Station • Casa Benito ALCALA Conexions • Hotel Torrepalma • Library • Tourist Office • Optico Real • Hotel Zacatin • Estate Agent Andaluz • BP ALGATOCIN BP Service Station ALHAURIN el Grande Alhaurin Golf • La Boma Rest. • 1st and 2nd Tabacconist • Annas Butchers • Christinas Paper Shop • Arte Hair • Martins Paper Shop • British Supermarket • Posh Pets • Cudeca • ALHAURIN de la Torre BP • Las Brisas Restaurante • Montemar Restaurante • Lauro Golf ALMUNECAR Spar Supermercado • Tourist Office • El Faro Bar • Olivares Shop • Danny s Bar ALORA Harveys • Tropicana • Repsol Petrol Cudeca • Zalea Bar ALOZAINA Petrol Station ANTAS Frandi • The Full Swing • El Poligono • Costa Cars ANTEQUERA Lidl • La Veronica • Antequera Golf • Tourist Office • Hotel Plaza San Sebastian • BP • Hotel Las Villas de Antikaria ARCHIDONA Cepsa Garage • 3R Café /Bar • Mercadona Garage • Sunset Estates ARDALES Paco’s Bar ARRIATE Petrol Station ATAJATE Andalazar BEDAR Town Hall • Empalme • Cajamar Olive BENADALID Los Labros BENAHAVIS Canela Cafe /Bar • Amanhavis BENALAURIA La Molienda BENALMADENA COSTA Super Save • Hapenny Bridge Pub • Kiosko Puerto (Marina) • Tourist Office • Paloma Library • Irish Time Bar • Xanit Hospital • UK Foods BENAMARGOSA La Vaqueria BENAOJAN Meroil • Papeleria Ruiz • Hotel Molino del Santo• Cuatro Paradas BENAVISTA Bowls Club • Card Shop • Ibex Insurance • Grumbles • English Butcher • Costa Less Supermarket • Plaza Hotel • Dog House • Brubecks • El Paraiso Golf •Petrol Station • Kids Kingdom • Agro Jardin • Calpe School • Pegotty’s Fish & Chips • Experience Group BENAMACARRA Hotel Cortijo Bravo BUBION Supermercado Coviran CABOPINO Pina Pinaka • Cabo Pizza • Sportsmans Bar • Cabopino Camping • Garage • Shebeens Pub • Paper ShopSupermarket • Plaza Bar • Alberts Restaurant CABRA Tourist Office CADIAR Pagamenos CALAHONDA Age Care • Party Party • The Pit Shop • Sol Finders • GT Mc Kenna Butchers • Internet Café • Mercadona • Spikes Hairdressers • RBL • Club Naranja • Plaza next to Paper Shop CALYPSO MPA Estates (Bryce) • Inspirations Haidressers CAMPILLOS Kiosk • BP Petrol Station CAPILEIRE Supermercado Coviran • Bar CARTAMA ESTACION Aguamania • Topres CASABERMEJA Petrol Station CASARES Arroyo Honda • Venta Victoria • Venta Garcia • Villas and Fincas • La Tienda •Mi Cortijo • Muebles Gavira CHICLANA LHD • Monopoly • Oasis Bar • Tourist Office • Posthouse COIN Tourist Office • Cudeca • Guerreros • Insurance Office • Bohem Rest. • Internacional • La Trocha • Chain • Leslies • BP • Buyrite • Robertos COLMENAR CO2 • Bar Campesino COMPETA Todo Papel • Pavo Real and Restaurant • Sugar and spice • Alicats CORTES Camping el Salitre • El Gecko • Mary Becker • La Fuente CORTIJO CABRERA Restaurant

A WIDER REACH

Covering the costas and inland to eight provinces And here’s how our rivals fare:

CORDOBA Bodegas Campos • Hotel Casas de la Juderia • La Fragua CUEVAS DEL BECERRO Petrol Station DIANA Royal Nordic Club • Man Friday Supermarket • Super Market • Aud Dublin • Big BlueBox DUQUESA PORT Paparazzi Neswagents • Supermarket • Las Gallerias • English Butcher • Duquesa Golf Club • Marlows Restaurant • Souvenir Shop • Gaston Golf • Manilva Properties • Monte Duquesa Sq • La Bella Vista Camping • Clubhouse Bar • Duquesa Estates • Castillo Foreign Resident Centre • Macues Restaurant • Penguin Bar El CHORRO Olive Branch BB • El Kiosko • Hotel Posada el Conde • Rest. Boca Bella EL FARO El Faro Supermarket • Carlton Bar EL ROSARIO Bar • Bar • Town Hall ELVIRIA Martys Hairdressers • Bio Nature Shop • Town Hall • EIC School •Beach House Restaurant •Aventura Amazonia •El Lago Restaurant ESTEPA BP Garage ESTEPONA Hospiten • Best Coches • Arte Escuela Ecuestre Restaurant • Pointer Vets • Eden Bar • Laguna Village Entrance • Terra Sana Digi Print • Optica Machin • Carrefour • Longmans Bookshop • Fergussons Bar • Cudeca Bar • Dune Bar • Furniture World • Padel and Sports • Techo Aluminio • Lidls • Amapola • Tourist Centre • Estepona Golf • International Club of Estepona • Costa Nature • Albayat Resort • Muebles Gavira ESTEPONA MARINA Sailors Cafe • Business Centre EportBic Universal Estate Agents • The Irish Fiddler Marlow Chip Chop FRIGILIANA Hotel Almazara FUENGIROLA Iceland • Camping Fuengirola • Scotties

Butchers • Salon Varieties • BP • Specsavers • Cudeca • Dunnes Stores • Yorkshire Linen • Speedy s Garage • RMDC Glass • Euro Market • St. Anthony s College • Tamisa Golf Hotel FUENTE DE PIEDRA Bar Rebujito • Corner Bar • Diane’s • Donkey Sanctuary GARRUCHA Clinica Veterinaria GAUCIN Repsol Petrol Station • Hotel Caballo Andaluz • Pura Vida Health Shop • Benassim Deli • Fructosa • El Convento • Casa Antonia • La Fuente • El Puente GIBRALTAR Bray Properties • Café Fresco • Kristina Szekely • Laziz Rest. • Ipanema Rest. • O’Reileys • Ocean Village Express • Ibex Insurance • Morrisons • Savills • Rock Hotel • Elliot Hotel • Sacarellos • Icc Shoping Centre • Chamber of Commerce • Cafe Solo • Copywrite • Café Rojo • Colourworks • MH Bland • Sovereign • Rolex • Caleta Hotel • Ibex Insurance GRANADA Airport • Hotel Macia Plaza • La Romanilla • Hotel Fontecruz Granada • Metro Bookshop • Hannigans 1 • Hannigans 2 • Tourist Office • El Catrachod • Jardines de Zoraya • La Alacena de Andalucia • Hotel Palacio de Santa GUADALMINA Tricky Rickys • Bookworld GUARO Petrol Station IZNAJAR BP • The Yoga School • Sueños • Los Cuatro Vientos Bar JEREZ Los Jandalos • Tourist Office JIMENA DE LA FRONTERA Cepsa• Papeleria Los Garabatos • Bar Cuenca • La Tasca • Hostal Anon • Bar Oba • Estate Agents • Casa Henrietta JIMERA DE LIBAR ESTACION Bar Allioli LA CALA DE MIJAS Corner Café • Lions Charity Shop • Pensioners Bar • Internet Café • Papeleria

Quetzal • Captains Bar • Zurich Office • BP Garage LA CALETA Papeleria las Colonias LA HERRADURA The Hideaway Bar • Libreria Coral • La Tartana Hotel LA VINUELA Hotel Vinuela LANJARON Ambienza • Cafe Bar Health • Tourist Information • Los Llanos LAS BUGANVILLAS Victor’s • Cactus LECRIN VALLEY E.S Leman Gasolina LOJA Cafe Continental • Repsol garage LOS GALLARDOS Unicaja • Subministros Ridao • Gas station • Camping los Gallardos LOS ROMANES Camping Bar LUCENA Carrefour Pet Shop • Hotel Bronces • B.P near the fire stn.

MALAGA CITY British Consulate • Café Andino • Dunkin Coffee • Hotel Tribuna • Pizzeria el Laboratorio • Restaurante Vino Mio • Hotel EL Pintor • Calle Brusseles • Celtic Irish Bar • Café con Libro • Picasso • Robert Boyd • Hotel Don Curro • Hotel Molino Larios • Tourist Office • Hotel Vinci MALAGA AIRPORT Helle Hollis • Car Parking Malaga • Easy Park • Aena Information Desk • Monarch MANILVA Kwasi Cafe • Curtain & Bedding • English bookshop.Manilva Solicitors • Dr Santos Centro de Balud • Fathom’s Bar • Natura Garden Centre • Vets • Eden Gift Shop • Visage Hair Salon • Coast to Coast Properties.

MARBELLA La Cuisine • Casa del Te • Hotel Fuerte • Hotel Morada la Hermosa • Town House Hotel• Villa Marbella Hotel • Swans International School • Vergola • Puente Romano Hotel• Polo House • Absolute Café

• Deli next Door • Casa Mono • Casanis• Lawbird MIJAS PUEBLO Tourist Office • Town Hall • BP Garage MIJAS ROAD World of Furniture • Centro Idea Danish Centre MOJACAR Gas station • Masko • Habana Koi • Marina de la Torre Club • Costa Coches • Kasbah Romantic • Sal’s Diego Ortega • Pippas • La Collera Paco • El Olivo • Comptoir de la Crepe • Jolly Lemon • Total entertainment • Tomas • Mojacar Estates • Beachcomber • H Puntazo • Trufibar • Clinica Dental (Parque comercial) • Kimrick • Parador MOJACAR PUEBLO Centro de Arte Municipal • Thao • English Library • Bar Pavana MOLLINA Bar Margarita • And Estates • Brit Shop • Lazy Days Mobile Home Park •Saydo park MONDA Paper Shop • Petrol St. MONTEFRIO Alan Russell MONTE HALCONES One stop café (Ronda road) • Irish café MONTEJAQUE Hotel Montejaque • Las Casitas MOTRIL Aki • Café AL Campo • Tourist Office Los Moriscos Golf • Bar/ Rest Moriscos • Ideal Papeleria • Gran Elba Hotel NERJA Hotel Carabeo • English Book Shop • Supermercado Iranzo • Dancers Bar • Smiths Bookshop • Tourist Office • John the Barber • H2O Bar • Keyhomes Estates Agents • Team Estate Agents Mojito Bar NUEVA ANDALUCIA Aloha News • Garden Bar • Yanks • Wilsons • Alberts • La Sala restaurant • Mad Hatters • Terra Sana • N10 Hotel • RWK furniture OLVERA Petrol Station • Dynos • Olvera Properties • Via Verde • Rest. El Puerto

NEW DISTRIBUTION SPOTS ADDED EVERY ISSUE - LATEST INCLUDE CAFE KE IN SOTOGRANDE, EL LAGO IN ELVIRIA, TROCADERO IN TORRE REAL, ICE RESTAURANT IN EL ROSARIO AND TIKITANO IN ESTEPONA

ORGIVA Indoor Market • Camac • Internet Café • Alpujarra Supermercado • Baraka PAMPANEIRA Hotel • Gasolinera PERIANA Cantueso PITRES Camping • Bar • Bar PIZARRA Kiwi • Aliprox PRIEGO DE CORDOBA Tourist office • Kiosko maribel Cepsa garage x2 PUENTE DON MANUEL Petrol Station • Moreno’s • Petts Dentist • English Shop • Arkwrights • Bar Atilla PUERTO BANUS VIPS • Gift Shop (Port) • Moneycorp • Mumtaz • Jacks • Bookworld • Iceland • Cravings • Kristina Zekely • La Sala • Starz Cafe PUERTO REY (VERA) Club Deportivo • La Esquina RINCON DE LA VICTORIA Tourist Office • Hotel Rincon Sol Anoreta Golf RIO FRIO Hotel Almazara RIOGORDO Coviran RIVIERA DEL SOL Miraflores Bowls Club • La Terraza Supermarket • La Terraza Paper Shop RONDA Molino del Puente • BP • Almocabar • Bar San Francisco • Tourist Office • Siete de Copas • Atrium • Chocolate • Casa Ortega • Osaka • TragaTapas • Hotel Maestranza • Hotel Colon Hotel Polo • Hotel Don Miguel • Locutorio • Serrania Services • Libreria Dumas • Huskies RUTE Estanco SABINILLAS English Bookshop • Eden • Hairdresser • Coast to Coast • Bar • Lidls SALINAS Casa Monolo • Meson Estacion SALOBRENA Hotel Salobrena • Correos • Tourist Office • Café Goya • 1616 Books • Abyla Papeleria • Restaurante Flores • Café Emilio SAN PEDRO Tourist Office • Passion Café • TRE Radio Station • Staysure • Book Shop by N10 SAN ROQUE San Roque Golf Suites Reception area and golf clubhouse • Okay cafe • Supermarket SIERRA DE YEGUAS Kiosko SOTOGRANDE GUADIARO Newsagent • Corner Café • Lemon Tree Café • Estate Agent • English Butcher Shop • Sotofiesta • Terra Sana Business Centre NH Hotel • Abbeygate Insurance • Mara Rest. • Anglo Wines • Lidls • Videola • Irish Pub • Hairy Lemon •La Terrace •Cafe Ke TARIFA Tourist Office • lidl • cafe central • hurricane hotel •hotels in centre TEBA Meson de Diego TOLOX Cross Road Bar TORRE DEL MAR Papeleria el Faro • English Bookshop Pasatiempo • Expatriate Help Centre • Lukuma • Baviera Golf • Las Yucas • Cudeca TORREMOLINOS Tourist Offices x 3 • Cudeca Town Centre Baileys Pub • BP Garage (Towards Benalmadena) •others TORROX Russels English Shop • Sol y Sombra • Light of India • El Pino English Shop • Tourist Office TRIANA Bar Triana TURRE Fundraiser • Chili • Zambra • Super Turre • Casa Diego • Total entertainment • Tio Tomas UBEDA Golden Poppy English Center UGIJAR Juan’s Bar and Bookshop VEJER Bookend VELEZ MALAGA Garden Centre La Palma • Eroski Centre • Bar Jamaica • Dunnes VERA Iceland (Suzzanne) • Galasa • Terraza Carmona VILLANUEVA DE ALGAIDAS La Bodeguita VILLANUEVA DE ROSARIO Bar • Bar • Town hall VILLANUEVA DE TAPIA La Paloma Rest.

VILLANUEVA DE TRABUCO Ronnies • La Plaza • La Rubia • El Rincon de Teresa • Trabuco Books YUNQUERA Petrol St. ZAHARA DE LA SIERRA Al Lago

IF YOUR NORMAL DISTRIBUTION SPOT HAS CLOSED OR DOES NOT HAVE PAPERS THIS WEEK PLS EMAIL ADMIN@THEOLIVEPRESS.ES

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the olive press - May 31 - June 13, 2012

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Radio GaGa

M

ANY moons ago I mentioned the fact that, after a sudden rush of blood to her head, The Lady Bartie presented me with a digital radio.

I criticised the complexity of setting up the device and was widely excoriated for my views and accused of Luddite tendencies. Now, with the benefit of extensive experience I am able to revise my opinion of this technological marvel.

It used to be that, when one wished to listen to the wireless, one simply turned it on. Usually, this required little more than the press of a button or rotation of a knob. When one wanted

COLUMNS

to turn off the wireless, one simply pressed the button again or rotated the knob in the opposite direction and, ‘hey presto’, it was off.

For reasons best known to themselves, the designers of digital radios did not adhere to these simple protocols so now, when one wishes to turn the damn thing on, one must press the power button to get the message: ‘Tap OK to switch on’. Similarly, when turning off, one again presses the power button to get the message: ‘Do you want to turn off?’ Thus the first experience of this technological wizardry finds that what used to be achieved at

I

never-ending episode of The Waltons, albeit it a dark-skinned version where John-Boy rides a Vespa and Mary-Elen’s eyebrows meet in the middle.

Still, taking that plunge into parenthood would certainly perk up our ailing social life.

Face it, your 30s are a difficult age, a period I refer to as the ‘social leper stage’.

You’re too old for alcopops and rock festivals, yet too young for ballroom dancing and Antiques Roadshow.

With kids however, comes entry to an exclusive world of birthday parties and barbecues, theme parks and football matches.

We’d be those civilized ‘grownups’ sucking on white-wine spritzers while the fruits-of-ourloins score penalties and passthe-parcel.

Nevertheless, extending our family would be risky in the current climate.

According to the Guardian, the average cost of raising a child in 2012 is €218,000. Not exactly loose change for a freelance hack constantly chasing-up €50 bills!

Sure, freelancing has its benefits: You stay up late, get up late, and answer to nobody.

But let me tell you, when the

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Debt?

What debt?

41

F

OR many years now the good people of NSGB have one stroke now requires two. been giving money, very large chunks of it, to InI could live with this inconvenience were it dia. This largess was originally inspired by India’s not for the fact that switching on doesn’t acpoverty and was intended to assist as it dragged tually mean what it implies because, rather itself from the physical and metaphorical gutter. than the dulcet tones of a racing commentator Unfortunately, nobody in government was keeping an eye announcing the winner of the three-thirty at on the real world and we now find an Indian economy Newbury, all one gets is another message that that is bounding along and the squillions we have been says ‘Resuming from low power donating are but a drop in its own rather extensive ocean. standby’. Then, in a further series It would appear that the numpties that work in the Overof messages, one is informed that seas Aid Department have close relatives elsewhere in the ‘IP is being configured’, it is the UK parliamentary system, otherwise we wouldn’t be ‘tuning’ and, finally, ‘buffering’ paying subsidies to wind farmers to produce extraordiwhich itself builds from 1 to 100% narily expensive electricity.

– as if I cared!

It is a fact that, in NSGB, the most inefficient wind farms Let’s ignore the fact that, like Radio cupboards are bare and you are being rewarded handsomely by a government that Luxemburg, the signal frequently develop ribs that Frank Zappa has little or no vision of future power requirements. disappears, usually at the most could play xylophone on, the These are just two examples of the profligacy that the critical moment as my nag is neck romanticism of the ‘starving last Labour administration initiated and that the current and neck with a rank outsider. artist’ soon wears thin. hotchpotch (also known as the Coalition) sustains.

In the months that have elapsed Indeed, I’ve been so hunIs it any wonder that the country is up to its armpits in since the installation debacle, I gry lately I can barely write a debt? It gave billions to India and, recently, paid around have revised my opinion of digicheque let alone a bestselling £1.3 million to produce electricity worth about half that tal radio. My initial thought that novel. amount. it complicated what was hitherto Did you know Edgar Allan Poe There is no doubt in my mind that, here in Spain, we are a simple procedure has been redied in abject poverty? The mabeing fleeced to a similar or greater extent. And what do placed by utter disdain for the jority of his short stories went we get for our compliance? Frankly, not very much at technologically-inspired imbeciles unpaid and The Raven – which all. If I were a younger man I would be marching in the who consider complexity as sometoday is regarded as a masterstreets to protest the canard that demands such wastething to be cherished. piece - earned him the measly ful investments. As it is, I simply can’t be bothered.

It is time for new batteries in my sum of $9. long wave transistor.

Other skint scholars include poet Emily Dickinson, and Franz Kafka (the MetamorphoDisgruntled of Andalucia (formerly of Royal Tunbridge Wells) sis author who actually died of starvation).

Look, I’m not trying to put my ramblings on a par with these literary greats, I’m merely stating that for every JK Rowling there’s a million other wordsmiths scavenging for survival.

Therefore, I think it’s time to forget about Hollywood, and find myself a ‘proper’ job!

As a fully-qualified teacher, the obvious choice would be a return to academia. Y’know, some bitter, alcoholic professor like Michael Caine in Educating Rita (only Rita would be Raquel – and from Madrid not Merseyside).

I also plan to run weekend workshops in journalism as well as continuing these Mad Dog articles.

But it won’t be easy. Increasing numbers of UK teachers are eying Spain’s British-curriculum schools as their escape routes out of Grey-t Britain.

Still, where there’s a will there’s a way (or in my case, where there’s a willy - there’s an egg that needs fertilising!).

So amigos, wish me buena suerte and I’ll bring you a fresh update in two weeks.

Whose uterus is it anyway?

S it just me or is nothing sacred anymore?

We’ve got orgies in the Vatican (allegedly), virginities sold on eBay, and pneumatic, hardcore porn available at the click of a mouse.

You can’t even log on to Facebook without someone’s fallopian tubes being thrust in your face.

Okay, maybe not fallopian tubes, but you know what I mean, those irksome pregnancy pics that constantly cram your newsfeed.

You’re excited, great! But is it really necessary to plaster scan photos all over your timeline, not to mention those regular updates on the size of your foetus, or how Sarah’s ‘still sore down below’. Too much information!

Don’t get me wrong, I’m no kidhating King Herod. I love little ‘uns and always envisaged having a houseful (a bit like Kurt Russell in Overboard minus the molesting of women with amnesia. He’d have gotten 15 years in real life!)

However, due to career commitments, financial restraints, and passion for living a spontaneous existence, we’ve yet to experience the pitter patter of tiny feet.

And yet here I am, fast-approaching my 32nd birthday, feeling broodier than Angelina Jolie watching a CAFOD commercial!

Christ, it’s impossible NOT to feel broody in Spain, where ninos are worshipped like some sort of knee-high, demi-Gods.

From family picnics at the beach, to doting dads in the park moulding their hijos into the next Fernando Torres, you can’t escape the joys of fatherhood.

In fact, it’s so family-orientated here I feel like I’m trapped in a

the olive press - May 31 - June 13, 2012

Thoughts of the fortnight • The older and uglier Mel Gibson gets the closer he resembles the real-life Braveheart William Wallace.

Method acting, at its very finest!

• If the film Cocoon happened in real life, you just know the government would be stopping those pensions. “Ah, you’ve found a fountain of youth and you’re 40 again? Good for you! Now get back to work.” It would be the Tories’ dream!

• I had to laugh at our latest takeaway menu. In the set meals you get a bottle of wine instead of Coke.

And for an extra 50 cents they’ll chuck a packet of fags in. They sure know how to party, these Spaniards! But can someone please tell me how the hell the average lifespan is 79?

• Last week, I saw a bird in a cage, in a garden, surrounded by dozens of wild, curious sparrows. It kind of reminded me of that David Blaine ‘glass box’ stunt – only a budgie version.

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the olive press - May 31 - June 13, 2012

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FOOD & DRINK www.theolivepress.es

Despite a €4 price tag, Spanish cheapie wins in international wine challenge

Mad Bull wins it

By Wendy Williams

A CHEAP Spanish red from budget supermarket Aldi has scooped a top international award.

Judges at the International Wine and Spirit Competition honoured the own-brand 2011 Toro Loco Tempranillo with a silver medal, describing it as ‘fruity, rounded and appealing’.

The wine – meaning ‘mad bull’ - won despite a price tag of just £3.59, or around €4.50.

Indeed the wine, from the Utiel-Requena region in Valencia, excelled in blind taste tests alongside reds costing nearly 10 times as much.

The wine from Bodegas Covinas also beat several

French Grand Crus.

In total Aldi took home an ‘unprecedented’ 18 medals in the competition including a 2010 Shiraz costing just over €4 and a Cava for €5.

Prestigious

“We work closely with some of the world’s leading wineries so we can deliver high-quality ownlabel wines to our customers,” said Tony Baines, from Aldi.

“It is fantastic that our commitment to quality has been recognised by this prestigious tasting panel.

“We’ve always known our wine range has got a lot of bottle and now it looks like the experts agree.”

All the fun of the fair

POLO HOUSE REOPENS

ANTEQUERA is gearing up for its annual May Fair.

Agrogant 2012, an Agricultural and Livestock Fair, is set to feature a range of events including culinary workshops, food tasting and a goat auction.

The biggest such event in southern Spain, there will also be talks, debates and dozens of exhibitions featuring all the latest agricultural machinery.

More than 300 professionals from the industry are set to take part in the event which takes place from May 31 to June 3.

MARBELLA restaurant Polo House is reopening its doors after a massive refit.

The popular eatery, which has been on the coast for three years, has undergone a complete refurbishment and is now back bigger and better.

It has a new contemporary image complete with a bigger bar area and new cocktail list.

Moreover, due to popular demand Polo House will once again be hosting a Backgammon tournament on June 5.

For more information call Yeyo on 626 82 93 77.

I declare myself to be greedy

A BOOK written by legendary Catalan chef Santi Santamaria just before he died has finally been published.

A presentation was held in his restaurant EVO in L’Hospital de Llobregat, celebrating the life and work of the chef who wrote in his final book ‘I declare myself to be greedy’.

In the tome, A vindication of good eating, the Michelin-starred chef, who died in Singapore last year, conveys his love of eating and shares some of his favourite recipes that best represent his life.

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DINING SECRETS of ANDALUCIA.com 45

Magical

I

Jon Clarke is treated to a spot of levitation at San Roque’s wonderful new restaurant Reina Zingara, a genuine Queen of the South

T should come as no surprise that restaurant Reina Zingara is one of the true magical spots on the coast.

For the new restaurant is the brainchild of Biagio Carroccea, 31, one of Andalucia’s most passionate chefs, who also doubles as a magician.

Half Italian, half gypsy, this dynamo of creativity is just as happy to demonstrate levitation as he is to talk about food.

After an exciting meal of 10 courses I was treated to a display of magic that included making my watch stop, as well as levitating a coin from my palm.

Heralding from one of Andalucia’s most mythical families, Reina Zingara is named after Biagio’s grandmother, the Queen Zingara – or Queen of the Gypsies.

Already running one of Malaga’s most popular restaurants, last month he opened his second eaterie at the stunning San Roque Suites golf hotel.

With a passion for top ingredients and wine – spending much of his year

travelling to find them – the menu is a riot of flavours and originality.

Described as Mediterranean ‘fusion food’, this is haute cuisine with a good mix of Italian, Spanish and local Andaluz.

However some of his best dishes come from France or Galicia, where he worked as a chef for three years.

A must try is the fantastic foie served with fruit bread and a puree of apple and vanilla, while the squid served with mashed potato with cream, truffle, pepper and olive oil was super rich.

The wonderful leg of lamb is cooked with 15 spices for 10 hours to take out the collagen. A solomillo steak on a bed of carrots with Catalan-style potatoes has a distinct sweet and sour flavour.

The puddings, dubbed the Seven Sins, are varied and include an amazing Belgian chocolate mousse with a touch of space dust. A torrija of coconut and caramel blew me away.

Biagio started cooking at the age of

KITCHEN WIZARD: Biagio 12 in his father’s restaurant, which was set up in the 1960s in Fuengirola.

While today he is busy buzzing between his two restaurants, he also doubles up as a motivational guru for sports stars and teams.

As well as helping Granada FC to get into Spain’s football elite he is also set to work for NBA basketball giants Cleveland.

“It is all mind control and willing you on to win,” he explains.

He certainly has a surefire winner with Reina Zingara, a true Queen of the South.

La Zingara restaurant, San Roque Suites, CN. 340 (A7) KM 127, San Roque Club, San Roque Tel: 956 613 311 - www.lareinazingara.com

the olive press - May 31 - June 13, 2012

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the olive press - May 31 - June 13, 2012

Very Bella

TEX ONE TO KNOW ONE! HAVING run a Tex Mex restaurant in Denmark for 25 years – and picked up a Texan wife as part of life’s rich journey – it seems natural that Johnny should open a Tex Mex joint in Andalucia.

He and wife Robin Wiatt (below) have opened Guadalupe in Ronda, which is doing a roaring trade serving up delicious burritos, tacos and fabulous ribs.

Robin, who worked for 15 years in media sales in Los Angeles, is convinced that this is the first ‘Texan-owned’ Tex Mex in Andalucia.

“We think we have got the balance just right, with a great range of fun and exciting dishes,” she said.

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PRIZE CROP: The giant mushroom

Will the ‘wolf’s fart’ make a good tortilla?

A MASSIVE mushroom weighing more than six kilos has been found in Spain.

Two men discovered the enormous fungi, alongside another weighing two kilos, while working in a field in Asturias.

The edible mushroom - known locally as wolf’s fart – belongs to the Lycoperdon Perlatum variety.

But its fate is undecided with finders Salvador and Ramon wanting to put it on show while the local bars are vying for a piece to serve as tapas.

“My first thought was what an amazing tortilla I am going to make!” said one resident.

HAVING cut his teeth working for hotel and catering entrepreneur Rocco Forte in the UK, Rudi Heer is just the man to make a new restaurant work in Spain.

At the helm of Bella Vista in Manilva, the 56-year-old Swiss chef also worked for the Sheraton hotel chain in Malawi and Kuwait.

“So while this is a challenge, it isn’t too tricky,” he explains.

Based at the new Bella Vista campsite next to the A7, the menu has a Meditteranean fusion slant with plenty of fresh fish.

Ingredients are bought each day and there is an excellent value three course lunch, with a good selection of vegetarian dishes, including tomato and Mozzarella salad.

Chestnuts

Thanks to Rudi’s good taste in wines there are also some chestnuts from Pouilly Fuisse and St.Emilion, in France, as well as a Malbec from Argentina.

And there is even a great Verdejo from Spain for under €10.

The campsite is owned by British businessman Phil Morgan, who owns the successful Lakeland Leisure company.

The modern campsite sits right by the sea, close to Duquesa Port, with good facilities.

EXCITING CHALLENGE: Rudi Heer welcomes new diners to Bella Vista

TM

TM

"purified pleasure"

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the FREE

48 the olive press - May 31 - June 13, 2012 Beach plan TORROX mayor Francisco Munoz has visited Madrid to discuss with the Environment Ministry a plan to tackle beach erosion on Ferrara Beach.

FINAL WORDS

No nut

The Spanish Health Ministry has banned the online sale of an Indian ‘slimming’ nut after it was found to cause tummy aches and diarrhoea.

Top clean

El Borge mayor Salvador Fernandez has taken to cleaning his own office in order to save money and avoid redundancies.

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Record for Rafa?

RAFA Nadal could be about to win a record seventh French Open title.

If he wins the tournament, which began this week, he will overtake Bjorn Borg’s record of six wins at Roland Garros.

Spaniard Nadal, 25, has only lost one match at the French Grand Slam in seven years, and has started well, beating Italian Simone Bolelli in the first round yesterday.

A MOTHER who gave birth in an unemployment office has named her baby Inem, the Spanish name for job centre.

Nigerian-born motherof-six Clarice gave her son the name ‘so he remembers where he was born’.

She hopes the unexpected birth will be ‘a sign’ that will find work ‘quickly’.

Bogus

The Red Cross has warned against fake charity collectors in Manilva, Sabinillas and Duquesa, with the only authorised campaigns carried out by the Estepona branch in August.

EMPLOYABLE: Clarice with Inem

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Sunny outlook for tourism Record 43 billion spent in Spain last year as holiday revenue almost doubles that of the UK

By James Bryce THE lure of year-round sunshine remains strong for visitors to Spain after it was revealed as the world’s second most popular holiday destination.

Tourism revenue for 2011 was up 8.6 per cent on the previous year, raking in a record 43 billion euros, according to the World Tourism Organisation (WTO).

The figures are a welcome boost to Spain’s struggling

SIZZLE PARADISE: Popular Spanish beach economy, which is currently in the midst of a doubledip recession.

The US claimed top spot with income of €83.5 billion, while France was third after generating revenue of €38.7 billion.

The UK - number seven on the list - enjoyed a 6.9 per cent rise in tourism, boosting the economy by €25.8 billion.

Other countries to make the top 10 were China, Italy, Germany, Australia, Macao and Hong Kong (both part of China).

Russia

Despite its failing economy Greece went up from 21st to 19th position, while Russia moved up from 30th to 24th.

Worldwide, the number of travellers visiting a foreign country rose 4.6 per cent to 982 million, according to the report.

Women ogling men and rows over resorts... is it any wonder couples fall out on holiday

PLANNING a trip away with your loved one?

Watch out – a massive two thirds of couples end up at each other’s throats during holidays, a survey has found.

The Ebookers poll revealed that much of the quarrelling actually starts before a trip has even begun, with over 50 per cent of couples failing to agree on where to go.

A further 37 per cent fall out during the booking process.

Once the tickets are bought, a quarter of couples are unable to make it to the third day without bickering and two thirds have fallen out by the end, the survey of 2,000 adults found.

Main points of contention are money and how much time is spent together – and surprisingly, WOMEN ogling men on the beach.

The upside is that despite all these rows, 56 per cent of couples came home after their holiday feeling their relationship was stronger.

No part of this publication may be used or reproduced without the explicit permission of the publisher. While efforts are made to ensure the authenticity of advertisements and articles appearing in The Olive Press, the publisher does not accept any responsibility for claims made, nor do contributors’ opinions necessarily represent his own. Copyright Luke Stewart Media S.L 2012