Olive Press Andalucia Issue 444

Spellbinding!

Bordering on the beautiful

LORD OF THE RING

A BRITISH couple have been arrested for allegedly running a prostitution ring in Spain - after being prosecuted for the SAME crime in the UK.

Lord Neil Lock and Natalie Lock, both 43, are awaiting extradition accused of human trafficking and money laundering, the Olive Press can reveal.

The pair, who have four children all living in Spain, are currently being held in separate Madrid prisons. Sources told this paper the Scottish couple are accused of operating the sex ring from Madrid and previously Alicante and Granada.

It comes 14 years after they raked in almost half a million pounds from their illegal escort business in Brit-

ain, for which they were convicted.

The family moved to Spain after Neil was discharged from prison.

The couple quickly launched various businesses around the country, managing phone lines for prostitutes offering sex.

It is understood they did the same for punters in the UK, where they are now facing extradition.

The pair are understood to have been operating the businesses since moving to Baza, in inland Granada, in 2015, after Lock got out of prison.

EXCLUSIVE

As missing Madeleine McCann would have reached 21 this week - and it’s 17 years since she was abducted in Portugal - the Olive Press painstakingly traces the movements of her likely German expat abductor around southern Spain and the Algarve in May 2007

A local Spaniard told the Olive Press: “They had a huge house encircled by mafia-style walls and a big steel gate. “There were also several outbuildings which they converted into offices for the business, where they would be answering phones on behalf of the call girls.

By Laurence Dollimore

They were effectively their agents or pimps.”

He claimed they employed various expats and locals to man the phones. He added: “When things got too hot in Baza, they moved to Madrid, via Alicante, I believe.

“They now have a huge home on the outskirts of the capital, near the mountains.”

Photos from social media show the family enjoying Madrid life, supporting Atletico and wining and dining in top restaurants - plus luxury holidays abroad.

They are said to have moved from Baza after ‘upsetting the locals by flashing their cash and showing off their lavish lifestyle’, including ‘pool parties, hog roasts and magicians’.

The local added: “Too many people started asking questions about how they made their money.”

The husband and wife hit the headlines in 2010 after it emerged they had hired a police officer as a call girl.

WPC Victoria Thorne was rumbled after she was found being advertised as ‘Kelly’ on the couple’s ‘Notorious Girls’ website.

Neil also recruited her as an informant to supply inside information on his competitors and circle of

prostitutes.

At trial, Newcastle Crown Court heard the Locks had made £447,804 (€520,274) from the prostitution ring but not all of it could be recouped because much of it had been spent.

Under the Proceeds of Crime Act, Neil was ordered to return just £43,826 (€50,921) while his wife, due to a lack of assets, had to pay a token £1.

The pair admitted conspiracy to control prostitution for gain and conspiracy to manage brothels while Thorne pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office. Neil also pleaded guilty to possess-

ing a shotgun without a certificate and possession of liquid ecstasy. Neil was jailed for four years while Natalie received a suspended sentence.

A spokesperson from Spain’s prison service said it was unable to comment on specific inmates due to ‘data protection laws’.

Let us swim!

MALAGA has confirmed that it will allow people to fill up their pools this summer ‘due to the high tourism demand’.

The Junta has backed the decision despite the reservoir levels staying perilously low.

Cadiz, Almeria and the other provinces will have to wait for the same agreement.

Following a meeting of the Drought Committee, a spokesman confirmed: “The province faced a specific problem

The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) confirmed the case and referred us to West Midlands police, who were handling the investigation.

A spokesperson for the force said: “As the two arrested in Spain have not yet been charged, we cannot confirm names. We are awaiting extradition.”

due to the amount of visitors it welcomes in summer, so the filling of pools takes on a special importance.”

Some 75,000 pools will now be filled, despite reservoirs in the province being around 40% emptier than a year ago. The seven reservoirs run by Hidrosur are down to just 170.79 cubic hectometres from 208.65 last year, a 37.86% decrease.

The worst hit is Guadalteba, which has fallen from 75.11 cubic hectometres to 38.04, or just 25% of its capacity.

The Guadalhorce reservoir is just 19% full and el Limonero is at 21% capacity. There is good news at least in the Axarquia where La Viñuela has doubled from 16.14 to 31.60 hectolitres and now sits at 19.2% of its capacity.

CHEERS: Natalie and Neil Lock enjoyed pool parties, hog roasts and magical entertainment as they splashed the cash

Rainbow nation

THE latest international narco empire to be busted in Marbella employed Colombian hitmen, worked with German Hell’s Angels, and operated out of a restaurant in Puerto Banus.

Small relief

A BRITISH man has been awarded €55,000 in compensation after he was wrongfully jailed for two years in Tenerife on attempted murder charges.

Body found

A DEAD body was discovered in a ditch near the five-star Kempinski hotel resort in Estepona. Police have so far been unable to identify the man nor the cause of death.

Drug heists

POLICE claim to have solved two of the recent drug-related shootings in Marbella, one on April 2 and another April 18, with six arrests in total.

CLEAN GETAWAY

Shocking delay sees arrest warrant for Dutch mafia boss 'Taxi' issued THREE WEEKS after he escaped authorities in Marbella

THE Marbella courts which allowed one of Europe’s most wanted mafia leaders to skip bail did not issue an arrest warrant for him till three weeks later.

The arrest of Karim Bouyakhrichan, the leader of Holland’s feared ‘Mocro mafia’, in January was seen as a major coup for Spanish law enforcement.

But a sequence of blunders has seen him not only escape, but given a three week head start on cops trying to bring him back in.

The Dutch-Moroccan was

By Walter Finch

released on provisional bail on March 19, eight weeks after his arrest on January 25, with orders to regularly sign on at a Marbella court.

He initially signed in at Fuengirola and

then made just one trip to the court in Rincon de la Victoria on April 1. On his next ex-

Passport blunder

A PAIR of expats who reportedly skipped bail after shooting up a popular Marbella restaurant have handed themselves in.

Identified only as Darren and Gerrard, the duo failed to show up at a police station to surrender their passports the day after their dramatic arrest in late April.

Warrants were issued for the Brit and Irishman, who showed up voluntarily the next day.

They claimed that they hadn’t

GONE: Judicial errors let Bouyakhrichan escape, despites threats to Amalia of Orange

pected appearance on April 15 he failed to show.

Yet the shockingly inert Mar-

appeared at the police station to hand over their passports because the police already held them - an assertion that was later proved to be true.

Despite the confusion, they were permitted to keep their liberty on the proviso that they show up in court twice a week.

The pair are accused of driving up to the restaurant on a motorbike and firing at least 15 shots into the establishment in broad daylight.

bella court only issued arrest warrants for him on May 7, over three weeks after his escape was known to them. They issued a European Arrest Warrant, and also put out an International Arrest Warrant in case he has fled to Morocco.

Dutch authorities had put in an extradition request for their public enemy number one at the time of his arrest, urging the Spanish courts to remand him in custody in the meantime.

As well as being an alleged cocaine kingpin, Bouyakhrichan made death threats towards the Netherlands’ Crown Princess, Amalia of Orange, when she was just 18.

Ironically, Amalia was taking refuge from the threats in Madrid until just a few months ago. She has since returned to Amsterdam.

Opinion Page 6

A BRITISH man has been arrested for an alleged sexual assault against a woman, also British, in Marbella.

The 27-year-old is accused of attacking the alleged victim, 26, in a luxury hotel in Puerto Banus.

Sources said the pair met at a beach club in Marbella before moving the party to a hotel. The investigation continues.

Brit sex attack QUICK ESCAPE

The 38-year-old victim is in hospital with very serious injuries.

His alleged attacker was arrested soon after and is being investigated for attempted murder.

An Ayuntamiento de Torremolinos employee found the victim bleeding profusely from the neck and attempted to prevent further bleeding.

The 43-year-old man arrested had suffered wounds to his back and head.

It is believed the men had been involved in a fight near a bar in the La Nogalera area before they bumped into each other again on Calle Marques de Salamanca, where the stabbing took place.

A MAN was stabbed in the neck in Torremolinos before his attacker jumped in a taxi to flee the scene.

BECK’S VINTAGE CELEBRATION

TWO celebrity couples enjoyed a special birthday wine trip to a Valladolid vineyard to celebrate ex-footballer, and now club owner, David Beckham turning 49. He travelled with his wife Victoria and close friends Gordon and Tana Ramsay on a private jet for some top notch wining and dining.

And David did not return empty handed - he was spotted

Expat family in Marbella are ‘so proud’ after their young daughter wows judges on The Voice Kids in Spain

A YOUNG British expat from Marbella has wowed judges on The Voice Kids Spain, making her family ‘so proud’. Carmen Holden was just 11 when she stepped out onto the La Voz Kids stage.

The British expat moved to Marbella when she was a toddler and her home has always been full of music.

“Don’t let my name fool you, I’m Scottish” she proudly said in the episode:

“We like to listen to music a lot at home,” she continued.

EXCLUSIVE

By Yzabelle Bostyn

Carmen claims many people have told her she has ‘a special voice’.

She was often encouraged to sign up to The Voice but ‘never thought she’d actually be able to do it’.

However, Carmen, now 12, fought back her ‘nerves’, saying: “I’m nervous but excited to go out and sing.

me, next time, no nerves, calm, with me by your side we’ll go forward and just enjoy it.”

clutching a €1,000 bottle of Dominio de Pingus.

A source close to the group said: “David and Victoria have for many years enjoyed days out to vineyards with Gordon and Tana. It is kind of their thing.”

Meanwhile Victoria, who turned 50 last month, was seen without crutches for the first time after she broke her foot on Valentine’s Day.

AUSTRALIAN actor Nicole

in

A star is born SPECIAL DELIVERY

went Spanish to dazzle visitors to the annual Met

went retro in a dress created by the Balenciaga luxury fashion house founded 105 years ago in San Sebastian. The theme of the Met evening was The Garden of Time with floral pieces worn by many of the visitors.

But Balenciaga designer, Demna, was more interested in exploiting the ‘time’ element. Every guest dressed in Balenciaga wore something inspired by the past - like Nicole Kidman’s gown. It was inspired by a Cristobal Balenciaga Haute Couture piece from 1951, with tiers of feathered details.

“My dad sings and my brother plays guitar. We’ve tried to make a band and we’ve written songs. It’s great.”

With music in her blood,

“For me, The Voice Kids is just a game, whatever happens, the most important thing is to enjoy it.”

She sang a heart wrenching rendition of Always Remember Us This Way, by Lady Gaga.

Impressive

The song was featured in the acclaimed film, A Star is Born and includes some impressive notes.

It was one of these that made Spanish pop star, Lola Indigo, push her big red button and sign Carmen up to her team.

After congratulating Carmen and giving her a hug, Lola shared her surprise at seeing someone so young.

She said: “You did really well, there were little things to improve, but to me it’s not important because you’re still so young.

“When I turned and saw you, so small, I thought ‘this can’t be right’..but now you’re with

The pair broke

out in ‘happy’ tears, according to Lola: “I was very happy when I saw her because she is so cute, sweet and excited.”

Meanwhile, Pop Flamenco artist Rosario Flores praised Carmen, saying: “You don’t know how good your voice is! I was about to turn around but when Lola turned, I knew I couldn’t steal you from her!”

In between many ‘thank yous’, Carmen managed to say: “I’ve seen you all on TV so to see you now is incredible.”

Singer David Bisbal then asked Carmen where she was from.

Upon hearing she was from Marbella, he exclaimed: “Enjoying Andalucia, you’ve chosen a spectacular place to live.”

Her new coach, Lola, inaugurated Carmen into her team, giving her an Equipo Lola bracelet.

Carmen is a great fit for

the singer and dancer, also known as Miriam Doblas Muñoz.

The expat loves Hip Hop dancing and is part of a troupe at Fuego Dance, Fuengirola.

Speaking to the Olive Press, Carmen’s mum Angela Lafferty, said: “We are so, so proud of her for being so brave.

Seeing her walk out on that stage alone was so nerve-wracking for us, but she is a brave little girl and she has always loved singing, so she was determined to do it.

“It’s also great for her as an expat to be part of something Spanish, to feel like she belongs to this country.”

TWO giant pandas have arrived on a flight from China, and are settling into their new home at Madrid Zoo. Jin Xi and Zhu Yu travelled in specially-prepared transport cag-

public will have to wait before meeting the new arrivals, with this month set aside to ensure the couple are in good health. They replace Hua Zui Ba, 20, and Bing Xing, 23, who left Madrid to return to Chengdu in late February, having been there since 2007. In the past decade, they have had three offspring: Chulina, 7, and twins You You and Jiu Jiu, 2, who have also gone to China. Spain has been part of China’s conservation programme for more than 40 years, hosting Chu Lin, the first panda born in captivity in Europe, for 14 years at Madrid Zoo in the 80s and 90s.

LUXURY HAIRSTYLIST, QUALIFIED IN ALL ASPECTS OF HAIR

Kidman

Gala

New York. Kidman

IN THE BLOOD: Carmen Holden’s dad and brother are also musicians

HUG: Lola

Indigo chose Carmen for her team

PAIR OF PANDAS: Jin and Zhu from China

Killer attack

THE orca pod known as ‘Gladys’ (named after its leader) struck again on the weekend, sinking another yacht in the Strait of Gibraltar.

It marks the first shipwreck of the year at the fins of the whales after an apparent lull in their destructive behaviour which began in May 2020 and seen seven yachts sunk.

The Spanish Coast Guard reported that two crew members of the sailboat Alboran Cognac sent out an SOS distress call on Sunday.

The sailors reported the killer whales ramming the hull of their vessel in Moroccan waters near Tangier.

The pod of orcas targeted the boat’s rudder, leaving the crew increasingly stranded.

But it was not until one blow ruptured the hull of the 15-metre vessel that the situation grew more serious.

A coast guard helicopter was scrambled and a nearby tanker, MT Lascaux, was requested to divert to aid the stricken sailboat.

Great Spot

TREK FOR GOOD

A CHARITY dedicated to improving the lives of impoverished communities in Morocco is organising a trek through the Atlas Mountains in a mammoth fundraising effort. Rifcom, in its 15th year, is looking for ad-

venture seekers to sign up to the 100km hike, which finishes in the Sahara. The trek, taking place in November, costs €750 per person, with at least €450 going to impoverished communities, mostly in the Rif mountains.

Animal Crackers

Billionaire Spotify founder seals deal on €30m villa near Marbella Club

DANIEL Ek has officially snapped up a €30 million villa on the Costa del Sol, the Olive Press can reveal.

The Spotify billionaire, 41, bought the amazing home just yards from Marbella’s best

EXCLUSIVE

By Laurence Dollimore

beach from a British owner.

The Swedish tycoon made the decision after spending months shopping for homes

SMALL GAINS

A NEW high-speed train from Malaga to Alicante is being rolled out.

But it doesn’t go directly in a straight line, or along the coast as the same journey by car would.

Instead, the AVE service will take a detour

via Madrid, and take half an hour longer than the car. However it will no longer be necessary to change trains in the Spanish capital. The route will leave once a day in each direction, starting on Saturday May 18.

between Benahavis and Marbella.

The sprawling property in the exclusive Santa Margarita urbanisation is just metres from the iconic Marbella Club on the celebrated ‘Golden Mile’.

A source close to the public notary told the Olive Press:

“He put down 5% last month and completed last week.

“It’s a great deal for an amazing and unique home on Marbella’s famous Golden Mile.

“I can’t tell you exactly how much it went for but it was over €30 million.”

He added: “He’s a great addition to Marbella and there are plenty of other big fish circling around to buy this summer.”

The home was owned by a British businessman from the north of England. It sits on a plot of more than 4,000sqm and boasts incredible sea views.

The house itself is spread over 1,500sqm and has two floors and a basement level, plus a heated outdoor swimming pool and cinema room. There is also a bar, eight bedrooms and bathrooms and an impressive garden.

EXPATS in Estepona have demanded action after the bodies of four dead lambs which were found beside floral wreaths and candles in a local river.

They claim the ghoulish discovery suggests a bizarre ritual may have taken place. Described as ‘satanic-style’, the group, which has asked not to be named, tipped off the Guardia Civil’s environmental arm to investigate. It was found alongside eggs and fruit by a local resident during a morning walk along El Padron river, near Laguna Village.

The discovery sent social media into a tailspin with expats posting on Estepona Info and Chat that lambs and fruit are linked to Spring rituals.

“Lamb represents innocence, eggs represents fertility, flowers represent memorial/celebration and candles represent light and guidance.”

Contact newsdesk@theolivepress.es if you have any ideas

FIT FOR A BILLIONAIRE:

The home bought by Spotify founder Daniel Ek (left)

Voted top expat paper in Spain

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

OPINION

Laughing stock

THE justice system in Andalucia risks becoming a laughing stock after the latest succession of headline-grabbing failures (Clean getaway, p2).

First, a highly dangerous boss of the Dutch mafia is released on bail - despite requests from the Netherlands to keep him locked up ahead of extradition.

Then - shock horror - he fails to turn up to his mandated court appearance and is officially declared on the run.

But the humiliation doesn’t end there, after it emerged this week that an official arrest warrant was not issued until three weeks later.

Either someone is being paid to be conveniently useless, or the incompetence is genuine - and we are not sure which is worse!

The Netherlands were rightly furious, particularly given that Karim Bouyakhrichan’s gang had made several threats against the life of the Dutch crown princess.

As if the authorities were not red faced enough, another embarrassing episode was waiting around the corner.

Police caused somewhat of a media frenzy when they announced that the British and Irish gangsters accused of shooting up a restaurant in Marbella had also failed to turn up to a mandated appointment at a police station.

However, there had been yet another lapse in communication.

The appointment was for them to hand over their passports - which was made rather difficult given that the police already had them!

The lads handed themselves in the next day after seeing the widespread media reports suggesting they had done a runner.

It’s a rather worrying litany of errors that leaves residents wondering who - if anyone - is in charge at police HQ.

Let’s hope they get their act together as the summer season approaches, because lord knows they’re going to be kept busy.

PUBLISHER / EDITOR

Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es

Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es

Walter Finch walter@theolivepress.es

Yzabelle Bostyn yzabelle@theolivepress.es

Humenyuk

Makarova (+34) 951 154 841 admin@theolivepress.es

Simon Hunter simon@theolivepress.es

Alex Trelinski alex@theolivepress.es

Ben Pawlowski ben@theolivepress.es

Héctor Santaella (+34) 658 750 424 accounts@ theolivepress.es

ENQUIRIES (+34) 951 154 841 distribution@ theolivepress.es

NEWSDESK: 0034 951 154 841

THE DRIFTER

As the trial of Maddie suspect Christian Brueckner starts again in Germany this week, JON CLARKE traces his suspicious movements through Spain and Portugal in May 2007

MADELEINE McCann suspect Christian Brueckner stayed in at least half a dozen places around the Algarve and Spain in the month before the British toddler went missing.

The dangerous drifter had at least one trip to Andalucia in May 2007, as well as many nights spent on three beaches near Praia da Luz, where Maddie vanished this month, 17 years ago.

In an in-depth investigation, the Olive Press has established the German sex offender also parked his distinctive white and yellow VW camper van (below) at a 'hippy travellers camp', an isolated lake and two inland villages on the Algarve.

Talking to a series of close friends and contacts, who spent time with the German pae-

dophile, 47, that Spring, we pieced together a forensic picture of his movements.

Above all, we have established Bruecknerwho is currently on trial for five other sex offences committed in Portugal - was 'constantly on the move'.

"He was bobbing around here, there and everywhere and was completely up to no good, in particular selling drugs," revealed Ken Ralphs, a British traveller, who was living on various beaches near Praia da Luz at the time.

"I was also moving around up and down the coast doing satellite TV installations for van-lifers and kept seeing his yellow and white van.

"He never stayed anywhere for long and always parked up away from the main groups, usually out of sight of the police.

"He was a shady guy, who we all knew to keep at arm's length."

We can reveal how he stayed at a trio of beaches West of the popular Algarve resort,

DON’T PANIC!

Marbella, the ‘Global HQ for organised crime’ is still safe despite the recent shootings - UNLESS you want to become a drug lord, writes long time resident Laurence Dollimore

IF you happened to pick up the Sunday Times last week, you may have spotted an article declaring Marbella the epicentre of the ‘Costa del Globalised Crime’.

The piece by senior journalist Matthew Campbell brands the tourism hotspot as the ‘global headquarters’ for a ‘multinational array of organised criminal gangs.’

He cites the more than 100 mafia gangs from 59 different countries that operate there, and he’s not wrong; it would be foolish to deny the existence of these criminal gangs.

But they are hardly anything new.

As told in the recently released popular crime drama Marbella on Movistar+ gangsters have roamed the Costa del Sol and nearby Costa Blanca for decades.

The fact is the strategic location of the Spanish costas means they will always be a major entry point for drugs, particularly cocaine from South America and hashish from Morocco.

The sheer amount of product being sent via containers to the port of Algeciras and via ‘narco’ speed boats up and down the coastline has never ceased.

And the only place which has seen a big increase over recent years is on the Algarve of Portugal, and that’s our next door neighbour. Drug traffickers have long been able to pay off police and border officials - who have some of the lowest salaries in Europe. Meanwhile the constantly high volume of contraband being transported makes it impossible to make a meaningful dent in their

where the McCanns were holidaying with friends.

They included Praia da Boca do Rio, Praia Amado, in Carrapateira, and Praia de Barranco, where German police released a photo of his distinctive VW Westfalia van parked up, in June 2020, when they announced he was the ‘prime suspect’ in the abduction.

In particular, Brueckner liked staying up on the ‘ledges’ at Boca do Rio, which sat on cliffs between the stunning pristine beach and nearby village of Zalema, reached via a steep dirt track. German police are certain he was here on April 7, 2007, the day a young girl, 10, was groped by a man with blonde scruffy hair and blue eyes on Zalema Beach.

Joana E, now 27, and her parents will tell Braunschweig court this month that the attacker was Brueckner and he was naked apart

operations - with just 10 containers filled with cocaine seized in Algeciras port in 2022.

For reference, the port manages around four million containers per year.

The story is repeated across Spain, with just 2% of containers being searched in Barcelona and a similar amount in Valencia and Bilbao.

While the recent shootings - officially five, although we can reveal there may have been be as many as a dozen this year - can be worrying, it’s important to stress the gangsters are not targeting innocent civilians. Indeed, almost every time it happens, it is either a direct attack on a rival gang or just sending a message.

No one innocent has been seriously hurt in any of the reported incidents so far this year. And they are a far cry from the days of the Kinahans in the early 2000s - which saw deadly shootouts on the streets of the Costa del Sol.

start trafficking drugs.

A secret, plain-clothed police force hides in plain sight

But even then, very few innocent bystanders were killed.

Or even six years ago, when Colombians assassinated a man outside a church in Marbella’s San Pedro.

Even then, it was understood that the victim had become involved in organised crime and had amassed a huge debt with a mafia.

So no, you are not going to be shot if you visit or move to Marbella - unless you want to

I certainly feel more safe here than I did when I lived in London. And neither my News Editor colleague, Dilip, or the editor Jon Clarke, who’s lived in or around Marbella for two decades, has ever seen a violent incident or been attacked. Even robbed. When comparing, say Manchester or Stockholm to Marbella, I certainly feel far safer walking home alone late at night. You never get the feeling of being attacked or stabbed in a dodgy area, nor be worried of something kicking off on the bus or at a bar. And that’s even on second line Puerto Banus late on a Friday night. Meanwhile, authorities are fighting back by putting more officers on the streets and increasing their surveillance via drones and canines.

This week alone, we have seen five men lying on the ground outside Aldi at police gunpoint, roadblocks at more than half a dozen places and a raid with a helicopter at a padel club. The country’s best trained detectives are also now starting to tackle the scourge of police corruption.

On the Costa del Sol, a secret, plain-clothed

HEADLINES: Recent arrests hit the news, but the reality is not so grim

VANLIFERS: Ken Ralphs (far right) with hippies on Barranco beach and (right) his van on the same beach

from a rucksack during the broad daylight attack. They will also reveal that after sexually assaulting her while masterbating, the German-speaking man ran away up a steep path towards Boca do Río (above).

Despite the family giving a detailed police report the following day, the chief of Villa do Bispo police station didn't rule the crime serious enough to investigate and it was archived.

No detective ever went out to investigate and the report was not even deemed worthwhile to send to cops probing missing Madeleine four weeks later. It was during these next few weeks that a number of holidaymakers reported seeing an ugly-looking spotty man hanging around watching tourist apartments, in Praia da Luz.

One told police (and later a Netflix documentary) that the man had acted 'creepily' in front of her young daughter, while a local expat schoolgirl told cops she saw a man fixedly watching the Ocean Club apartment, where Maddie was snatched, two days in a row.

And the Olive Press can reveal that in the last week of April there was an attempted snatch of another toddler in the resort.

The girl - who was just four and on holiday with her parents - looked ‘very similar to Madeleine’. Sensationally, the family - whose identity we are not revealing - told this paper they believed they were 'being watched' in the days before their four-year-old was nearly grabbed by a man on a motorbike.

"We were walking home from the beach when this man whizzed past and tried to scoop her up," the mother told the Olive Press, last week "Luckily I spotted it and screamed really loudly forcing the man to wobble and drop her down," she continued.

police force hides in plain sight, keeping a constant eye on the biggest mafia players - and are ready to move in and arrest at the drop of a hat.

The 30-strong force, called GRECO, works on rotation around the country, with officers switched out once a month to four distinct bases around the country.

This is so they cannot form unhealthy relationships with gangsters and be exposed to bribes and corruption.

The Olive Press has reported alongside them a number of times over recent years and they have been behind many dramatic arrests and literally know all the key gangsters.

“We work out at their gyms, we play padel at their clubs, we drink in their bars,” one told us last year. “We know exactly who they are and we keep close tabs on them.”

He added: “Trust me, they don’t want to get into wars. They want to keep below the radar and get on with their business. Headlines and high-profile policing only makes their lives more difficult.”

With this honest, open appraisal, it seems certain they and their uniformed colleagues at both the National Police and Guardia Civil will help to keep the coast safe this summer.

So do not fret, residents and visitors to Marbella, alike, keep your nose clean and you’ll be perfectly safe.

"He then drove up the road and up a ramp into a white van that drove off at top speed."

When shown a photo of Brueckner from the time she said it 'could easily be' the man who was watching their apartment for days before the snatch attempt.

Despite reporting the incident, Portuguese police never contacted the family for more information.

Indeed, it was only in the last couple of years that a detective from Scotland Yard - acting alongside the German BKAcontacted them.

"I really don't understand why more hasn't been done and why

no one took interest at the time."

The alarming amount of similar incidents before Maddie was taken on May 3, has never been fully recorded until now.

German police told the Olive Press they are now probing 'a number of incidents around Praia da Luz in the months before Madeleine went missing'.

In an interview with the Olive Press in June 2020, friend of Brueckner Michael Tatschl catalogued how he had become fixated on how much money he could make from snatching and selling children.

The Austrian carpenter had lived in Brueckner's rental home in Praia da Luz in early 2006 before sharing a cell with him in Portimao prison for eight months when found guilty of fuel theft.

He told the Olive Press he stayed in touch with Brueckner after getting out of prison in December 2006, when he moved to Orgiva, near Granada.

“Christian had lost the house (in Praia da Luz) but he was still enjoying living in the area,” he revealed.

“I think that confused the police a little as they were not sure where he was living exactly when Maddie vanished.

“Basically he had his VW and was living free, going to raves and selling drugs to the local party crowd.”

He said Brueckner turned up in Orgiva around February or March 2007 and again out of the blue in 'late May or early June' in a huge Tiffin Allegro motorhome.

Neither he, nor their mutual friends, could understand where he had suddenly got the money to buy the giant American vehicle.

He added he was 'convinced' Brueckner had made this money snatching Maddie and was 'obsessed about making a million'

“He was always bragging about money and making money, particularly from burglaries. He even talked about selling kids, maybe to Morocco,” he revealed.

Another friend, meanwhile, told the Olive Press, she believed he spent at least ‘a few nights’ at his favourite inland lake in April 2007.

The German mother-of-two (pictured below at Arade lake amp) knew him since he first moved to the Algarve in the mid 1990s with his then girlfriend Silke.

She said he loved the ‘silence and peace’ of the inland barragems – reservoirs that supply water to the Algarve – which are frequented by dozens of hippy travellers.

In particular he loved the Arade lake, where he made a camp and where he frequently went back

for periods of time for years.

The seamstress, whose mechanic husband fixed various cars and vans of Brueckner, visited the camp with him on a number of occasions.

“We went to pick up some rocks to build a wall around my swimming pool,” she told the Olive Press “He loved it there and had a specific spot he liked to park his VW and a place he slept nearby in the trees

“He carved a path through the trees and sculpted a big stone circle down near the water’s edge.

“I think this is where he was sleeping in the days Maddie went missing and I fear this is where he buried her body,” she added this week.

Last year German and Portuguese Police spent a week probing the lake and surrounding area, and according to sources found at least one ‘relevant’ clue.

Spookily, a makeshift shrine pointing at his camp was erected on the other side of the lake in the months after she vanished.

Finally, it’s known he was on the move inland on the night of April 3 when Maddie vanished.

His girlfriend at the time, Nicole F, revealed he parked up outside her house (above) in the village of Foral 45 minutes from Praia da Luz on the night.

She said he phoned her at one point that evening and arrived in the early hours of the morning.

She told the Mail On Sunday he told her he was ‘coming from Tomar’ a university town five hours north of the Algarve.

Oddly, he was not there when she woke up in the morning and she said she didn’t remember when

she saw him again. The university town has been the focus of various investigations and convic tions into child abuse networks over recent years, involving a number of figures, including a priest and a lawyer. Brueckner had a friend studying at the university at the time, it can be revealed.

Jon Clarke’s book, My Search for Madeleine, is the definitive guide to what happened to the toddler, published by OP Books and available on Amazon

BEACHSIDE: Brueckner camped on the ‘ledges’ between Boca do Rio and Zalema

ON THE MOVE: Between hippy camp in Carrapateira and Forel (below)

LAKE CAMP: Brueckner stayed at Arade lake around the time Maddie vanished

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A NATIONWIDE battle has been launched against three ‘dangerous breeds’ of mosquitoes threatening southern Spain.

Malaga port is to become the epicentre of the multi-location fight against them.

Some €640,000 has been sanctioned for a new research project, set to open this July. The study will look into the

By Yzabelle Bostyn

increasingly large numbers of dangerous breeds landing on the Costa del Sol.

It will look into the evolution of each species and behaviour, as well as detecting viruses and insecticide resistance. The monitoring will particularly look into the prevalence of

Health chaos

THE health system in Andalucia was plunged into chaos when its IT system crashed for more than four hours. Between 3.30pm and 7.45pm on Monday, the computer network that manages the Andalucian Health Service (SAS) suffered a major breakdown, affecting all hospitals, health centres and pharmacies.

The system, called Diraya, centralises all patient medical records, appointment management, lab tests and more. The collapse had a serious impact on the health service, with countless patients waiting for care, results or medication.

the Zika Virus, Chikungunya Virus and the West Nile Virus, as well as dengue fever.

Led by the Ministry of Health, the research will follow the spread of tiger and yellow fever mosquitoes.

These types are annoying because they bite during the day and are hard to detect due to their low flight and lack of noise.

Although not invasive, it will also follow culex erraticus and native mosquitoes, which can still carry diseases.

The research is part of a national strategy to combat the critters, the most common of which are culex pipiens, or ‘com mon house mosquitoes’.

These are the typical bugs which make a buzzing sound, wake you up in the night and can carry West Nile Vi rus.

Professor of Zo-

ology at Malaga University, Raimundo Real (pictured below), explained: “Species able to transfer viral diseases to humans are appearing in areas where they weren’t before. “This is due to a number of factors including the rise of average temperatures, the growth of international trade and ecosystem change related to the increase of suburban areas. “It’s also down to the movement of people around the world.”

He warned though that simply attempting to eliminate the new mosquitos with chemicals, could mean we only get rid of the weakest specimens. “It would mean only the strongest remain, so we could actually be making the species more resistant,” he explained.

See Mozzie warning page 27

LA CULTURA

ITALIAN artist Ercole Pignatelli has been recreating Picasso's famous Spanish Civil War painting Guernica in front of a live audience in only 12 days. Picasso’s work - done in black and white - is regarded as one of the greatest pieces of con -

November 29thDecember 12th 2023

Masterpiece tribute

temporary anti-war art. The piece travelled around the world including Milan before returning to its permanent home of the Reina Sofia muse-

um in Madrid. Ercole Pignatelli was so inspired by seeing it in his home city as a teenager, that now aged 89, he's recreating and reinterpreting Guernica

as a live performance piece. Pignatelli has been doing the lifesize reproduction in Milan’s Caryatids Hall which is planned to be concluded on thursday. “In 1953 I stayed for days and days looking at Picasso's masterpiecesit was total admiration, “ he said.

SPAIN’S Culture Ministry

has cancelled a national bullfighting prize and is to start the process of eliminating the award for good.

The National Bullfighting Prize was created in 2011, and awards a prize of €30,000 to the winning matador.

While events involving bulls remain popular at local fiestas in Spain, enthusiasm for bullfights themselves has been waning. There were 3,651 bullfighting events held in Spain in 2007, falling to 1,546 in 2022. Of these just 412 were actual bullfights, while the rest were variations such as rejoneos , which are performed on horseback.

THERE was disappointment for Spain at the Eurovision Song Contest as Nebulossa’s Zorra could only muster 30 points for 22nd place. Switzerland was crowned the winner with a massive 591 points with Nemo clinched the title after son The Code proved a hit with the jury vote.

LOST AND FOUND

Masterpiece Ecce Homo by Italian master Caravaggio to go on show at Madrid’s Prado museum

A LONG-LOST painting by Italian master Caravaggio that was on the verge of being sold for just €1,500 before an expert stepped in has gone on display at Madrid’s Prado museum.

While Croatia’s Baby Lasagna won the most amount of votes from the public, giving them a total score of 547, they were pipped to the post by Switzerland. Meanwhile the UK’s Olly Alexander finished in 18th place after receiving 46 points from the jury and zero from the public.

By Dilip Kuner

The work’s owners had put it up for sale at a Madrid auction house in April 2021, but experts felt something did not

EURO LETDOWN

No bull Blooming lovely

THOUSANDS flocked to Cordoba last weekend to enjoy the final days of the famous patio festival.

quite ring true about the picture’s provenance.

The painting, identified as Ecce Homo, had been attributed to an unnamed artist within the studio of 17th century Spanish painter Jose de Ribera, but there was hope it could turn out to be an original Caravaggio and therefore worth upwards of €50 million.

Incredible

The sale was put on hold while specialists from Spain and Italy examined it - and the incredible truth came out.

The Spanish government then gave the picture protected status, meaning it had to be kept

in Spain. The painting was later sold to an undisclosed buyer, who worked with the Prado to have it restored.

Spain’s Culture Ministry described the painting as ‘an example of the excellence and pictorial mastery of Italian naturalism’ that had a great influence on the Madrid school of painting in the 17th century.

The artwork had reportedly been hanging on the wall of a Madrid collector, Antonio Perez de Castro, founder of Madrid’s IADE design school, who had acquired it in the 70s before being put up for sale by his heirs.

It will go on display in the Prado from May 28 until October.

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From May 2 to 12, 817,829 people visited the city to marvel at its emblematic patios. Some 52 battled it out for one of the competition’s titles and the hefty cash prizes. Each was judged by the Town Hall in many categories including ‘old architecture’, ‘modern architecture’ and ‘singular patio’. This year, Tinte 9, Pastora 2 and Marroquies 6 respectively triumphed in these categories.

The over 100-year-old tradition began in 1921 to celebrate the start of spring. At the beginning of May each year, the locals decorate their houses, filling them with as many colourful flower pots as possible.

It was declared a festival of UNESCO Intangible Heritage in 2012, cementing Cordoba’s image as a cultural hub in Andalucia

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ON SHOW: Ecce Homo by Caravaggio

S the sun begins to set and the shadows lengthen behind the yardarm, those-in-the-know start to emerge.

The perfect time to visit Mijas, it’s when the classic white-washed village converts back to type.

•

• Hams

• Cheeses

village or, even better, clamber up above it, into the nearby countryside and you will look down on one of Andalucia’s most privileged places to live.

High up above the Mediterranean, the sea shimmering in the distance, you quickly get the vivid sense of what life was like a century ago.

Out come the locals, in come the sea breezes, and all around are the wonderful green hills of the Sierra de Mijas, which abuts the Sierra de Las Nieves National Park. Take a walk around the Continues on next page It’s as the sun sets when the magic of Mijas

• Olive oil

• Wines

• Preserves

Culture vulture’s dream

Mijas is certainly at its best after 6pm in spring or summer when the tourist coaches have gone and the ambience of the place becomes all apparent.

As you wander around, doors start to open and the locals come out with a chair and sit and watch the world go by, while children play in the street.

Charming black and white photos posted on walls take you back at least half a century, to a quieter time when there were no mobile

phones, no emails and no social media.

Each square offers a new photo opportunity, while the numerous nooks and crannies number into the dozens.

Even better, as you stroll around you’ll keep finding countless bars, many with terraces outside, serving Malaga’s finest Victoria lager, or a chilled Manzanilla.

Back in the main square, next to the town hall, is the best place to start.

It is here where you can get the perfect holiday snap, sitting on the bronze donkey statue, with its views down to the sea.

Most tourists arrive in the multi storey car park below, a mere 15 minute drive up from the coast.

From here you are mostly in shanks pony mode as you enjoy the pedestrian friendly village. Start in the big leafy square, Plaza Virgen de la Pena, which has a big playground for the kids and where you can

HISTORY TOUR: Virgin of the Rock, while (left) two street scenes and (right) an artisan shop

take a donkey taxi or horsedrawn cart, if you don’t fancy walking.

Each will take you on a fun, whistle-stop tour of the pueblo, taking a peek at its authenticity, history and charm.

The pueblo, as it’s known in Spanish, spreads out like a ribbon along the southern fringes of the pine-clad Sierra de Mijas.

Looking to really stretch your legs at each end of the village you can start a hike taking between two to three hours, the best known being to the Puerto del Pino or the Ruta de los Duendes.

For those short of time - or puff - the short 30-minute stroll to the former Cantera El Puerto quarry still offers up excellent views and a good place for a picnic.

At this time of year the proliferation of wild flowers is only bettered by the fresh smell of pine and lavender as you head uphill.

European

while you’re also

and

or

Back in town, the municipal museum offers a brilliant hike back through history with some fabulous photos, to boot. There are various routes through town with maps avail-

Short-towed

Booted eagles swoop around, often alongside Griffon vultures,

likely to spot Bee-eaters

Hoopoes.

able from the townhall and tourist office. The walking-tours are well signposted, with excellent translations in English and each is colour coded making them easy to follow.

One must visit is the Virgin of the Rock, half-cave, half-chapel carved out of the mountainside with the village’s patron saint statue at a viewpoint. The panoramic views stretch all along the Costa del Sol and over to Africa and the shade here is particularly good during the heat of summer. Also make sure to visit the historic bullring, built in 1900, which is unusual due to its oval shape, as well as boasting

charming gardens. The great and the good of bullfighting have brought death in the afternoon, from Paquirri to Paco Ojeda and even the colourful faenas of British bullfighter Frank Evans, aka El In-

gles, who famously fought in the ring at 71 years old. Bullfights are pretty unheard of these days, but you might catch a horse-show if you’re lucky. Alternatively head off at a tangent into the backstreets as getting lost in the maze of alleyways is one of the best things about the pueblo.

You’ll be amazed by what you might find, from sleepy chapels to a hidden fountain and from random caves to one amazing vaulted ceiling spit-and-sawdust joint, with a bank of ancient radios on the wall.

Life was anything but easy in the previous few centuries

One of them could have been the ancient transistor that the former mayor, the famous Mole of Mijas, listened to when he hid for five years during and after the Spanish Civil War. You can learn more about him at the municipal museum, as well as about the area’s traditional form of making money selling esparto products (a kind of wild mountain grass).

Traditionally collected from the nearby hills, it

was weaved into a huge array of items including shoes, hats and bags, many sold to tourists over the years. There is a statue of an espartero worker in the main square and the museum explains well how it became an invaluable source of income during the tough times after the civil war and during the Franco dictatorship. Beside an evocative photo of a grandmother (left) stitching it together in the street, is a touching elegy to the trade. “One has to be born to work in the mountains. Collecting esparto sounds easy, but it isn’t. The mountain changes every year. It is full of cracks and holes that are covered with weeds, one must know how to walk there.

“I have travelled as far as Granada and Cordoba to collect it. On these trips, you had to sleep under trees, even at Christmas when it was far too cold. In the end we managed to save around 300 to 400 pesetas. We were used to living with so little in those times.”

Life for Mijas folk was anything but easy in the previous

and

‘El Ingles’ Frank Evens last flight few centuries, particularly for women, who often worked the land, while their husbands went off to find esparto or went off to work abroad, particularly during the Franco dictatorship from 1940 to 1975. People were so poor they had only one outfit for work and one for holidays. “It was a life of miseries a thousand times

worse than I can explain,” explains one old timer. It’s testament to Mijas that the memories, even tough ones, have not been forgotten and today, the town has struck an impressive balance between encouraging its thriving tourist industry and maintaining its authenticity. Now I’m off for one of those cold Victoria beers.

INDUSTRY: But the esparto grass made only 400 pesetas a month

CURVES: From the vaulted ceiling bar (left) to the unusual bullring

(inset)

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MEMORY LANE

MIJAS workers created an industry around the weaving of esparto grass, men picking it in the high mountains and women folk creating a range of baskets, hats and even shoes. Everything was tranported by donkey and men always wore hats, while on the hardly developed coast fishing made much more money than tourism.

LITTLE CHANGE: At Mijas Pueblo’s main church

SKIP THAT: Apart from the rubbish container, what else has changed in Plaza los Siete Caños since 1960?

A STAR IS REBORN

Princess Diana’s favourite Costa hotel has made a glittering comeback as La Zambra

THE iconic Byblos hotel has been welcoming a new A-list crowd as it approaches its second summer reborn as La Zambra Resort.

The erstwhile holiday hideaway of royalty and rock gods had been closed for years until reopening after a massive multi-million euro refurbishment.

The iconic blue and white tiled palace, which attracted the world’s elite from its 1986 opening, has been refurbished in a way that stays true to its original character.

Lady Diana, the Princess of Wales,

stayed no less than three times at this leafy enclave set amid the lush fairways of Mijas Golf.

It was the first place she spent the night during her debut visit to the Costa del Sol in 1993, the same year she announced her withdrawal from public life following the revelations of her relationship with playboy James Hewitt.

And Diana wasn’t the only blue-blooded guest. The Saudi royal family repeatedly chose the Byblos as their preferred retreat.

The Rolling Stones, too, found satisfaction in its peace and se-

clusion.

Massive fans of Spain, the Stones were the first foreign band to perform in the country in 1976, following the fall of Franco. And on subsequent tours they went on to perform 21 sell-out concerts across the country, choosing to wind down at the Byblos when performing in the south. The hotel was also a firm favourite with Spanish household names, including Malagueño star Antonio Banderas and singing legend Julio Iglesias.

La Zambra is managed by Maru-

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In this first edition, 97 hotel establishments in Spain have been honoured with this distinction. Among the most notable is La Zambra Resort in Mijas, which has received its first Michelin Key.

The resort offers a wide range of wellness and entertainment services for its visitors, including the Mood Spa, one of the largest wellness centres on the Costa del Sol.

Its wellness offerings are complemented with indoor and outdoor sports facilities. For racquet sports enthusiasts, La Zambra has two tennis courts and a paddle tennis court.

And just a short buggy ride from the hotel, you’ll find two world-class golf courses.

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portfolio includes Cap Rocat in Mallorca; Gecko Hotel & Beach Club in Formentera and Torralbenc in Menorca, and is part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt. “We’ve kept the heritage of the old Byblos Hotel – a place where people came together to savour the freedom of enjoying themselves, however they want to, by retreating or by letting loose,” Pablo Carrington, CEO of Marugal explained. “The difference is that La Zambra has a fresher and slightly rebellious approach. The service, the gastronomy, the décor, the ethos. La Zambra is a new iconic luxury hotel. It is Andalucia - but conceived in a more relaxed and broader way.”

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ROLL CALL OF FAME: Byblos

La Zambra) put up Julio Iglesias, Princess Diana, a young Antonio Banderas

in the 1970s the Rolling Stones, as well as the Saudi royals and many more

SUPER LUXURY: After its multi-million renovation

I PULLED MY OWN TEETH OUT

The remarkable story of the Mole of Mijas who hid underground during the Franco dictatorship has now been turned into an ‘escape room’ experience… with a twist!

IT is one of the most remarkable stories to emerge from the Franco era.

Now best known as ‘The Mole of Mijas’, Manuel Cortes Quero was the last Republican mayor of the pueblo, from March to November of 1936. However, when the town fell to dictator Franco’s nationalist troops during the Spanish Civil War he was forced to abandon his wife and newborn daughter and flee the town under the cover of darkness.

However he returned in 1939, willing to sacrifice his freedom in exchange for living under the same roof as his family, making himself a prisoner in his own home.

soon as I got an ache,” Cortes said later. “I would work at the tooth until it was loose and then I would yank it out with my fingers, without any pliers or tongs. I pulled out nine or ten teeth this way.”

In 1960, after 21 years of hiding, Cortes’ daughter Maria got married.

“I had to make do with watching her come out of church through a little hole above,” he said.

The tyranny of the dictatorship could not last forever

For 30 years - YES you read that correctly, THIRTY years - the Mole stayed hidden, tucked in a cramped space under the stairs behind a false wall.

“I pulled out my own teeth, as

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“The wedding procession left the house and after the ceremony Maria scurried away to come to my room and kiss me, just as we had planned.”

Listening to the radio on March 28, 1969, with his ear pressed to the wall, Cortes heard the news that he had been waiting 30 years to hear.

The government had granted amnesty to those people who had committed crimes from July 18 1936 to April 1 1939.

“I got a lump in my throat because of the emotion of the moment,” said Cortes. “I couldn’t think straight.”

The then mayor of Mijas, Miguel Gonzalez, accompanied Cortes

to the headquarters of the Guardia Civil in Malaga, where the world’s press waited to hear the confirmation that he was finally free.

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“Was it worth it?” asked Cortes. “I never lost faith in democracy. The tyranny of the dictatorship could not last forever.”

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HIDEOUT: The Mole’s room in the heart of Mijas

KEEPING AN EAR TO THE UNDERGROUND: Manuel Cortes

A calendar of colourful fiestas ramps up the movida in Mijas village year-round

HARDLY a month goes by without some kind of party animating the flower-pot strewn streets of Mijas Pueblo. And the residents have every reason to celebrate life in this quintessential Andalusian white village. Ingrained with southern Spanish traditions from a young age, the people of the pueblo celebrate with gusto

International People’s Feria - May

Mijas celebrates world cultures on this day every year by inviting local folk from more than 20 countries to set out their stalls with traditional food, drink, handicrafts and clothing. Many countries also stage traditional music and dance performances from as far as Brazil and India. Unfortunately it has just happened so you will have to wait for next year to enjoy the spectacle.

La Noche de San Juan

June

23

La Noche de San Juan sees coastal towns all over Spain lit up with beach bonfires to celebrate the longest night of the year. But landlocked Mijas Pueblo also gets in on the act, with a firework display and the burning of effigies held in Sebastian Street after sundown. For the full beach experience head

PARTY PUEBLO

on down the mountain to Mijas Costa where more informal celebrations are held in La Cala de Mijas and all along the coast.

Flamenco Festival - July

This typically Andalucian art form is celebrated by Mijeños in July with a programme of flamenco guitar, singing and dancing by top local and national performers. It always popular and attracts crowds to take in the evocative sounds and sights that are still very much a living tradition in all parts of Andalucia.

Mijas Feria - September

Held around the first week of September, this is one of the highlights of Mijas’ packed cultural calendar. Held in honour of the town’s patron saint with most of the action taking place in her eponymous square, Virgen de la Pena Plaza - the ladies get glammed up in flamenco dresses, Andalucian thoroughbred horses strut their carefully-choreographed stuff and the sherry flows into la madrugada

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DID YOU KNOW?

If you thought you knew all there was to know about Mijas, these 10 fascinating facts could make you think twice

MARBLE-OUS MIJAS

Who would guess there are pieces of Mijas all over Spain. Marble was its main export during the XVII and XVIII centuries when it was used to embellish many important places of worship, includ ing the cathedrals of Malaga and Sevilla, San Pedro Church in Granada and Santa Tecla in Burgos.

BURIED TREASURE

Traces of Punic-Phoenician temples have been found in only eight locations throughout the Iberian Peninsula and Mijas is one. During excavations in 2013 two bronze pieces representing the Eyes of Astarte the goddess were found within the old city walls, suggesting that the site was once a sanctuary to a healing cult.

During the 1960s Mijas was a much sought-after backdrop for movie makers for its the typical Andalucian charm.

Brigitte Bardot (above), Raquel Welch and the Spanish actress and singer Marisol respectively strolled its romantic streets in Les Bijoutiers du clair de lune (1958) Fathom (1967)” and Solos los dos (1968).

WAR HEROES

In 1810 during the Napoleonic Wars not even the distinguished British General Blayney and his 2,000 soldiers were able to conquer Mijas. Under ferocious attack by sea and

land, the defenders routed British and Spanish forces, captured Blayney and sent the troops scuttling north. It’s known as the Battle of Fuengirola but it was really Mijas as you’ll see below.

your way MIJAS,

Immerse yourself in a sensory experience

Indulge in exquisite gastronomy, breathe in the refreshing sea air as you wander through our whitewashed streets, explore our majestic mountains, and engage in outdoor activities at our renowned golf courses

AYUNTAMIENTO DE MIJAS

SHAPE-SHIFTING

Most bullrings are round but Mijas has one of the few oval plazas de toros in Spain. Built in 1900 by popular demand, it’s not easy to pick out, so well is it camouflaged among the white village houses.

SIAMESE TWIN

Once upon a time Fuengirola didn’t exist - it was all part of Mijas, including the castle on the coast. In 1841 the two towns were separated although one still merges into the other so that the difference is almost imperceptible, like identical twins.

The Professor Max Museum of Miniatures is a dinky-sized delight. Inside what may be Spain’s quirkiest attraction you’ll find curiosities

like a shrunken head, the seven world wonders sculpted from a toothpick and Abraham Lincoln’s portrait painted on a pinhead.

SIZE MATTERS

Although the pueblo is petite, the tourist slogan ‘Mijas Inmensa’ is no lie. With an 89,000 population and an area of 148km2 it’s the third biggest municipality in the province of Malaga, after Malaga City and Marbella.

One of the treasures of Mijas is the Virgen de la Peña sanctuary where, according to legend, the Madonna appeared to two shepherds. As a tribute, a hermitage was hollowed out in stone which has become a point of pilgrimage.

Visitors are often curious to know why there are two sculptures of the Roman God Hercules flanking the entrance to Mijas Ethnological Museum of Mijas.

They were put there to symbolise the burden of responsibility of the old Mijas political leaders. Clearly they had a Herculean task.

• Offices in Calahonda, Torrequebrada and La Cala de Mijas.

• All sales agents and valuers are Certified Estate Agents by GIPE.

• Multilingual, 12 languages spoken!

• Qualified property valuers with years of experience.

• Professional valuation report based on confirmed sales prices for the last 15 years of similar properties in the immediate area.

• 21 years established = Client list of more than 15.000 potential buyers!

• Professional presentation: Quality photos, Virtual Tour and Floorplans

• No sale - No fee! Call us for a free valuation!

Contact our property valuers Daniel Holmquist or David Hemmings to value your property!

• Your property will be published: on our web page in 4 languages, videos on social media, ads on national and international property portals all over Europe as well as on major MLS platforms. No one gives better coverage!

CALAHONDA

TORREQUEBRADA LA CALA DE MIJAS

Three beaches in Andalucia awarded the prestigious blue flag for the first time

By Yzabelle Bostyn

THREE beaches in Andalucia have been awarded prestigious blue flag status for the first time.

The sought-after award is only given to beaches with clean water, great services and plenty of safety measures.

In the 2024 list, Spain has 638 beaches recognised, reaffirming its place as the country with the most blue flags. The country has been at the top

Life’s a beach

El

of the charts for 30 years and Valencia leads the way, with 159 beaches on the list. It is closely followed by Anda-

lucia, with 156 flags, eight of which were gained this year.

For three of the local beaches, it was the first time they have

GREEN ACCELERATION

SALES have surged for green alternatives in Spain’s motor industry.

Between January and March this year, 244,879 new cars have been sold in Spain, some 3.1% more than the same period last year.

The first months of 2024 have seen hybrids explode in popularity, with 89,675 sold so far.

This represents a 22.59% growth compared to 2023, showing a growing preference for hybrid vehicles.

Plug-in hybrids were also sought-after, with 15,843 units sold in the first three months of the year, a 5.92% increase compared to 2023. They now account for 5.41% of the cars in Spain.

In comparison, sales of electric cars have not fared so well.

Some 13,420 electric cars have been sold, a 3.3% increase compared to 2023.

Now, electric cars represent 4.58% of Spain’s total vehicles.

So far this year, the most popular motors are: Dacia Sandero, Toyota Corolla, Nissan Qashqai, Hyundai Tucson and Seat Arona.

been recognised by the Foundation for Environmental Education’s

programme. These were: El Toyo (Almeria), Cambriles (Gualchos-Granada) and lakeside beach El Encinarejo (Andujar-Jaen).

In Spain, the project is led by the Environmental Education and Consumer Association (Adeac). It published the new flag

awards this month, revealing the country had gained 18 more flags compared to 2023. Some 11 of these were given to beaches, while five were for ports and two for tourist boats. Just behind Spain for blue flags are Greece and Turkey. Together with Portugal, the Iberian peninsula is home

to 23% of the world’s blue flags.

In her first act as Minister for Tourism, Rosario Sanchez Grau emphasised the importance of protecting Spain’s coast, saying: “We are a world leader in tourism and we should also lead the way for sustainability.”

Going for hydrogen

GERMANY’S Thyssenkrupp Nucera has been chosen as the preferred supplier of electrolysers for the first phase of a 1GW green hydrogen plant at oil giant Cepsa’s La Rabida refinery.

The company will initially come up with an engineering package for the plant, using up to 15 of its 20MW alkaline electrolysers.

The decision was announced at the World Hydrogen Summit in Rotterdam on Monday. Cepsa plans to spend €3 billion on 1GW of green hydrogen production capacity in Huelva, plus another 1GW at its San Roque refinery in Cadiz.

The aim is to ship its renewable hydrogen as ammonia to ports in Northern Europe, with it being converted back to hydrogen once delivered. Green hydrogen is seen as a potential game-changer in decarbonising the heavy vehicle and shipping sectors, as well as a way of ‘storing’ renewable energy.

FLAGGED:

Toyo beach in Almeria, Granada’s Playa Cambriles (right) and El Encinarejo in Jaen (below)

Costa Angels are ‘Assisted Living’ professionals who provide the best client centered care for our Clients while enabling them to maintain their all-important independence in their own home.

We offer a flexible approach to 24hr Live In Care, Hourly Visits, Respite and Palliative Care to Clients living on the Costa del Sol and some inland areas. Our services include help with personal care, dressing, washing & grooming. Medication prompting, light housework, shopping & meal preparation. Accompanying to social & medical appointments.

Whether you are a Client in need of our services or a Carer interested in working with us to provide first class care, please contact us on +34 952 709 933, +34 611 289 381 or email us on info@costaangels.com Visit our website at www.costaangels.com

BE SECURE!

Did you know thieves can steal your car in under a minute?

THE Costa del Sol is a hotspot for car theft due to the abundance of luxury vehicles available for organised crime rings to target.

However, at SecureStart, we are one step ahead with our range of top qual

WORK BOOST

THE number of people registering as jobless in Spain fell by 2.22% in April from a month earlier according to the Labour Ministry.

Figures showed a total of 2.67 million people out of work - a fall of 60,503 - the lowest number since September 2008.

Compared with the same month last year, unemployment decreased by 4.4%.

The bulk of new jobs came in the services sector including hospitality and tourism, with unemployment falling by 42,067.

The number of jobless under 25 years of age fell by 8.26% in April compared to March, by 16,925 to a total of 188,082 people.

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Bank wars

THE Spanish government has moved to kibosh a proposed €12.2 billion hostile takeover of Banco Sabadell by BBVA. It was reasoned that such a merger could create uncertainty in the financial market.

BBVA had decided to bypass Sabadell’s board and woo its shareholders directly after its initial takeover bid was rejected.

While the Basque bank claimed the deal would save €850 million annually and allow the new entity to compete better in Europe, the government did not agree.

AHEAD IN THE CLOUD

Microsoft reported by host of start-ups over restrictive practices

TECH giant Microsoft has been hit with a complaint filed by Spanish start-up companies about its dominance in the increasing cloud computing sector. The complaint has been filed with the CNMC monopoly watchdog.

The Spanish Startup Association, which rep resents more than 700 start-ups, has produced a list of al legedly anti-competi tive practices by Mic rosoft in recent years. Microsoft is second in the cloud computing sector - behind Amazon - but

By Alex Trelinski

is expected to close the gap rapidly as a clutch of generative AI features powered by OpenAI’s technology attract business users.

“Microsoft has not only taken advantage of the dominant position in the markets of Operating Systems (Windows) and traditional productivity software like Microsoft Office to force the use of its Azure cloud, but they have also imposed artificial barriers that limit the

Taking its toll

BARRIERS: Start-ups can’t complain

ability of start-ups to compete fairly and competitively,” the Spanish complaint says. “These practices include barriers to data portability or contractual conditions that restrict competition in software licenses, preventing the free choice of providers of these services, reducing the capacity for choice

For more information and to find the perfect security solution for your needs, call (WhatsApp) on +34 610 283 435 or visit www.securestart.es

CALLS for the AP-7 toll road on the Costa del Sol to be made free have been rejected.

The main opposition Partido Popular (PP), had asked for charges to be removed on the two paid-for stretches between Fuengirola and Estepona, and Estepona and Guadiaro, due to heavy congestion on the free A-7. But the Ministry of Transport responded that none of the contractual reasons for the tolls to be lifted, such as a state of war or the destruction of

part of the road, were in effect.

The president of the PP in Malaga, Patricia Navarro, said that it was ‘unfair and discriminatory’ that Malaga has only one motorway, as well as the AP-7 being the most expensive per kilometre in Spain.

and flexibility that startups need to be able to be resilient, innovate and grow,” the document added. The association has called on the CNMC to launch an investigation and to take urgent measures to

A SECOND case against Colombian singer Shakira has been shelved six months after she reached a deal with prosecutors over a tax fraud.

In November she agreed to pay a fine of €7.8 million after reaching a deal with the prosecutor in Barcelona as well as the Tax Agency for having evaded €14.5 million tax between 2012 and 2014.

Having long denied the allegations, she agreed to the sanction in order to avoid any possibility of jail time. But her tax woes were not over, with prosecutors launching a second case claiming she had avoided another €6.6 million in tax in 2018. Now the prosecutor has found that there is insufficient evidence against her for criminal action.

ensure a competitive market.

Start-up association president, Carlos Mateo, said: “We believe that all companies should be able to compete in an environment of equality so as not to be left behind either as customers or as companies providing this technology.”

The European Commission and the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority are also probing the cloud computing sector and Microsoft’s position within it.

SPAIN’S gambling regulator has dished out fines totalling over €81 million to 17 online betting websites in the second half of 2023. The DGOJ said the sites committed serious or very serious infractions, with 10 of them ordered to shut down.

The biggest penalty of €35 million and a four-year closure was given to the National Organisation of the Spanish and European Disabled (ONDEE). They had been accused of unfair competition by the ONCE charity by selling lottery tickets and even masquerading as it.

TAKING CARE OF THE VULNERABLE

UK foundation that protects the finances of the elderly expands to Spain

BARELY a week passes by without a horrific report of an elderly person in Spain being deceived by a trusted carer or a supposedly-close friend.

Stories of bank accounts being cleared out are far too common, and non-Spanish speaking people living on their own are especially prone to be conned.

Now that is set to change with the news that a UK foundation that manages money for vulnerable people is expanding to Spain.

The Manchester-based Money Carer Foundation is a national social enterprise founded in 2009. The organisation provides money management services for elderly and vulnerable people, their carers, and the families who support them.

In Britain, hundreds of law firms, local authorities, and care providers use the Money Carer technology engine and banking platform to assist them in better managing the finances of their clients.

Money Carer CEO Sean Tyrer (pictured inset) said: “We, in effect, act as the Corporate Appointee, authorised by the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) to help thousands of people in

the UK manage their welfare benefit entitlements.”

“Our service provides security and convenience, with access to

real-time transaction information.”

Money Carer works hand-in-hand with carers, family members, social workers and other professionals to serve their clients in the best way possible and, crucially- in their best interest.

The foundation is now set to launch in Spain, aiming to end some cases of vulnerable people being ripped off - often without even knowing it.

Money Carer will look to help elderly expats, people with learning difficulties, and those who have had or still have substance abuse issues.

“We take on a legal role and take responsibility for a person’s finances by managing their finances via a single facility, which includes receiving funds and paying bills,” said Sean. It recently held an Open Day in Alicante to attract expats to work for it on a part-time or job-share basis.

It has already signed up an experienced carer and clinical administrator from the Denia area of Alicante province.

Sean Tyrer said: “We are looking for people with experience who perhaps have been carers or worked for social services to join our innovative money management team.

“It will be a unique opportunity to do some fascinating and caring work!”

Sean told the Olive Press that Money Carer will look to roll out across Spain towards the end of the year.

“We want to lay down the right foundations, and I hope to meet with organisations that work with the elderly and contact the British Embassy to see how we can support and collaborate.”

In the UK, Money Carer partners with the DWP and over 100 local authorities to provide money management services.

The first priority in Spain will be to introduce a secure, biometric fingerprint-activated card. This card would allow a carer to manage and pay for things such as shopping and sundry items for the vulnerable person they look after,

but it would be monitored to ensure that everything is above board.

The fact that the card can only be used by the person whose fingerprint is linked to it when paying at the checkout adds cut-

ting-edge protection to both the carer and their client.

“A card like this will bring extra security to its owner and peace of mind that it is being used responsibly by somebody they trust,” said Sean.

Extensive information on how Money Carer works in Britain is available via their website, www.moneycarer.org.uk and there’s also an informative podcast for you to enjoy.

IN SAFE HANDS

Costa Angels offer a flexible approach to care

COSTA Angels are ‘Assisted Living’ professionals who provide the best client centered care whilst enabling you to maintain your all-important independence.

The philosophy at Costa Angels is that every person has the right to independent living whilst remaining in the comfort and security of their own home.

Each and every one of their clients is treated as an individual, with their own specific, organic, care plan designed to meet their needs and requirements.

Costa Angels offer a flexible approach to 24hr Live In Care, Hourly Visits, Respite and Palliative Care to Clients living on the Costa del Sol and some inland areas.

Costa Angels provide practical and emotional support for the elderly, disabled and recuperating individuals who require assistance with day-to-day living.

Assistance

Whether you, a family member or loved one needs assistance with everyday living whilst recovering from an accident, operation or illness or are looking for an alternative to residential care, Costa Angel’s flexible approach enables them to find the best care package to suit all eventualities.

Costa Angels has been awarded World-Leading CPD Accreditation, Trusted By Industry, Institutes And Professionals. All health care professionals introduced to clients have successfully completed a thorough application process including a detailed interview, excellent references and a clear police check.

Not only do Costa Angels match clients with experienced carers, they also consider personalities and backgrounds, likes and dislikes.

For more information, please call +34 952 709 933 or +34 611 289 381 or email info@costaangels.com or visit www.costaangels.com

Nolotil toddler

Expat mother livid after her toddler is given ‘lethal’ Nolotil painkiller

A BRITISH expat has been left ‘livid’ after her toddler was given ‘lethal’ Nolotil painkiller.

When Hannah Pearson’s three-year-old daughter, Amalie (pictured with mum), experienced high temperatures, the 39-year-old and her husband, James, 38, took her to a private doctor in Golf del Sur in Tenerife, who diagnosed Amalie with Scarlet Fever. But when Hannah returned from work, she got a nasty surprise.

By Yzabelle Bostyn

Her daughter had been prescribed Nolotil.

As a former nurse and owner of a care business, Hannah knew of the risks this ‘deadly’ drug can have, including sepsis, organ failure and even death.

“It was absolutely terrifying,” she told the Olive Press.

“I was livid and shocked that she had been prescribed Nolotil when she was doing fine on Ibuprofen

I understand the issues many expats feel in Spain. Change through relocation abroad can really add to mental health pressures and these life changes are never easy. Counselling and therapy has changed the lives of many. Getting in touch is the first step. Recognising that there is an issue is the first step on the road to recovery.

and Calpol. It was gobsmacking.”

Luckily, James had not followed the doctor’s recommended dose and only gave his daughter a ‘drop’ to see if she responded well.

Amalie had been prescribed Metagial, a droplet form of Nolotil intended for children.

Aware of the danger of the

A SPANISH centenarian has gone viral after a news clip of him was shown working out at his local gym.

The slogan on Jose Luis Ortega’s t-shirt has proven to be apt - ‘100 years inspiring those around me’ after he was shared thousands of times on TikTok.

The former physiotherapist has been exercising in the gym daily since 1935, when he was 11.

The centenarian follows a regular routine of working out on the gym machines, before swimming in the pool for half-an-hour. And his advice to people who want to live a long, fit life is simple: “Do something, do exercise. Don’t smoke and have a little glass of red wine with lunch.”

OP QUICK CROSSWORD

drug, the couple did not administer any more doses, despite the doctor’s recommendation of a 0.4mg dose every eight hours for five days.

“I knew because I have medical knowledge, but if I didn’t it could have wiped her out,” said Hannah. That night, the couple ‘barely slept’, keeping a ‘close eye’ on Amalie over fears they had ‘done harm to their child’. Thankfully, the little girl has not presented any side effects.

Nolotil, whose active ingredient is metamizole, is known to provoke extreme adverse side effects in northern europeans, including low white blood cell count, sepsis, organ failure, gangrene and even death.

Clot peril

PHARMACEUTICAL com-

pany AstraZeneca has admitted for the first time that its Covid-19 vaccine can cause rare side effects such as thrombosis. The admission came in court documents that were submitted to the High Court in the United Kingdom as part of a class-action lawsuit.

Thrombosis

AstraZeneca accepted that its Covid vaccine ‘can, in very rare cases, cause TTS’, which stands for Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome. This causes people to have blood clots as well as a low blood platelet count.

If it loses the legal action, the company is facing paying out damages of up to £100 million to victims and relatives of people who had complications, with a total of 51 cases lodged at the High Court.

MOZZIE WARNING

Global warming could bring rise in malaria, dengue and other insectborne diseases

MORE than 100 cases of Malaria were detected in Andalucia last year, official figures have revealed.

The southernmost region is at risk of seeing a surge in such insect-borne diseases amid a rise in temperatures caused by global warming. This year, for example, has seen mosquitos arrive months earlier than usual due to the

A SPANISH health agency has warned that under-10s should not eat swordfish, bluefin tuna and dogfish.

Despite being a good source of protein, essential nutrients and Omega-3 fatty acids, these fish can be risky to the health of the under-10s and pregnant women given their high mercury content.

As predators, these fish are prone to high levels of the metal as it concentrates up the food chain.

The pollutant make its way into lakes, riv-

THROUGHOUT SPAIN AND THE UK

By Laurence Dollimore

ideal combination of humidity caused by recent rains and high temperatures. Figures from the Junta show there were a total of 101 registered malaria cases in 2023, plus 47 dengue fever infections and 76 cases of leishmaniasis. There were also multiple cas-

The fish blues

ers and seas, due to industrial activity. Once eaten by humans, it can affect the nervous system, which is a particular issue for the under-10s, as well as for unborn babies.

The Aesan health agency recommends that adults don’t exceed more than three or four servings of fish that can contain mercury a week. Children aged between 10 and 14 should be limited to 120 grams a month.

Devoted to health

Hospiten renovates its brand image. The network that holds us together

HOSPITEN is embarking on a new stage, one that reflects the company’s ongoing internal transformation. It’s a fresh discussion that lets us focus on the future while remaining true to our core.

The new discourse is based on the brand idea of ‘a lifetime devoted to the advancement of health’. Celebrating the over 50 years that we’ve spent ‘building ecosystems of wellbeing around people’, is our new purpose, where talent and technology join forces to serve a greater goal.

Hospiten’s vice-president and CEO Pedro Luis Cobiella Beauvais explains: “This new

image reflects our commitment to empower people and help them own their own health. Without forgetting our core and the family spirit that forged the company’s creation and that remains alive today. A culture and a way of doing things that responds to the values that steer the way for all of us here at Hospiten.”

“This strategy is reflected in a more mature identity that showcases the company’s technological profile, aligning the brand with the expansion and progress that we’re experiencing”, said Pedro Luis Cobiella Beauvais. The new identity and strategic positioning were developed together with FutureBrand, a brand-expert company belonging to the McCann Group—the same one that repositioned the Hospiten brand in 2011. At Hospiten over

es of West Nile virus last year - while at least two have been confirmed so far this year.

The diseases killed three people in 2023; A man, 81, who died of leishmanasis, a woman, 68, who died of malaria and an 84-year-old woman who died of West Nile fever.

In response, Andalucia has launched a special ‘surveillance and control’ team - dubbed PEVA - that will advise on how to stop such diseases from growing.

Head researcher at the Doñana Biological Station, Jordi Figuerola, said the diseases are growing.

He said: “In Catalunya there were two recent cases of dengue in people who had not travelled. “And right now, South America is experiencing a greater number of dengue cases and it is more than foreseeable that they will reach our country.”

• Over 40 years experience in the care industry

• Ex residential UK home owner

• We use UK care standards as a benchmark for our standard of care delivered

• All staff vetted and interviewed

• Continuous re assessments of all clients

• Ongoing support

• Re-assessment of clients

• Advice • All nationalities catered for

Mobile: +34 711 009 547

72 Avenida Ricardo Soriano, Portal B, 1st Floor, Marbella, Malaga, 29601 www.britishcareservices.com

5,000 professionals are hard at work every day in five countries, providing different perspectives on how to tackle health. All of them, plus the communities they impact on, are part of the medical, social and human fabric.

Under the concept of the ‘network that holds us together’, we at Hospiten want to emphasise the deep-reaching transformation we are currently undergoing.

This transformation will not only be reflected in an update of our visual identity; it will also involve a deeper remodelling, where we will reach for closer dialogue with people, teams and society.

The new identity symbolises the weaving of a fabric of wellbeing that leverages the company’s experience, maturity and seniority, a fabric where each person stands at the centre of their own stage.

For more information visit www.hospiten.com or email estepona@hospiten.com or call +34 952 76 06 00 to see how we can help you

ABOUT HOSPITEN

Hospiten is an interna- tional healthcare network committed to providing top-quality service. Hospiten has over 50 years’ experience and 20 private medical centres and hospi- tals in Spain, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Jamaica and Panama, plus over 150 outpatient treatment cen- tres under the Clinic Assist brand.

Founded by Dr Pedro Luis Cobiella, Hospiten cares for more than two million patients around the world each year and has over 5,000 employees.

work in and around Alcaidesa, Sotogrande, Manilva, Estepona, Cancelada, San Pedro, Marbella, La Cala, Fuengirola and everywhere in between including inland areas.

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

TOLL FREE

PORTUGAL is on the verge of scrapping tolls on roads that connect the country to Spain where no ‘safe and high quality’ alternative route is available.

The government estimates that the initiative will cost around €157 million.

Among the roads that will become free is the A22 in the Algarve, which connects to Andalucia; the A4, which leads into Zamora province, as well as the A13, A23 and A24, which reache Ourense.

The draft law still has to go through several stages before coming into force, including its signing by the head of the parliament and the president, before it is sent to the prime minister.

November 29thDecember 12th 2023

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May 15th - May 28th

Social outrage

FLASHPOINTS between tourists and locals are emerging on social media after holidaymakers were accused of ‘taking all the seats’ of a bus in Andalucia.

A photo shared by the Albazyn_Habitable campaign group in Granada shows an elderly woman and other people standing in a packed out bus.

The caption reads: “The bus filled with sitting tourists and the old people from the neighbourhood standing.

“Unfortunately, this scene is

FROM THE ASHES

LAGUNA Village has risen from the ashes as a super-luxury beach club. The leisure complex was razed to the ground in August four years ago when sparks from a grass fire were blown across the A-7 main road and ignited flames on the complex’s thatched roof. It has been completely rebuilt at a cost

Campaigns against tourists stirring up conflicting feelings

By Laurence Dollimore

repeated almost daily and is complicated because the urban buses are full and the elderly people struggle to stay standing up.”

It comes as a separate anti-tourism campaign on the Canary Islands has been

RESURRECTED: From the smoking remains (left) to super luxury

of €25 million as Sublim Beach Club, part of the Grupo Pacha, best known as pioneers of Ibiza’s clubbing scene.

branded ‘xenophobic’ and ‘aggressive’ by locals who say leaders of the movement are becoming ‘more and more unbearable’.

A series of posters shared on Instagram show a string of expletive-laden messages

RUDE: Poster has been called ‘too agressive’

written in English on postcard-style backgrounds.

One poster reads: “It could be my house but it’s your f***ing Airbnb,” while another says, “the fact that you arrive forces us to leave.”

While many comments supported the designs for ‘saying what we are all feeling’, there were just as many criticising them.

One commenter said in

Spanish: “The message is too aggressive and badly directed. The tourists are not to blame, it’s a question of our politics.”

In one impassioned post, a local said: “The guiris are not to blame at all, the majority of them are normal people who come here to relax and they don’t buy homes to rent them out nor destroy the environment’.

PIMPI UP

EL Pimpi Marbella has opened its doors with help from Mask of Zorro star, Antonio Banderas. The famous Malaga bodega is spreading across the Costa del Sol, with a new restaurant inside Marbella’s Puente Romano Beach Resort Hotel. A chic rebirth of the original, the venue was inaugurated by Malaga native actor and director, Antonio Banderas. The Puss in Boots star is also part owner of the new bodega, alongside Elena Cobos and Pablo Gonzalo.

Guiris’ beach club

A MOOTED regional tourist tax has been dismissed by the President of Andalucia.

Juanma Moreno argued that his conservative Partido Popular (PP) is not in favour of ‘imposition’, and added that ‘there is no social backing’ for such a levy. Moreno was responding to a question from politician Jose Ignacio Garcia, of the Adelante Andalucia party.

He warned that there was a risk that the region was set to become a ‘beach club for guiris’, using the slang Spanish word for foreigners.

The PP leader responded by pointing to a study that showed 84% of Andalucians are against the idea of introducing new taxes on tourism. Currently three cities in Spain have a tourist tax: Barcelona, Girona and Palma de Mallorca.

Bordering on

THE border region where Portugal meets Spain is home to a host of charming pueblos boasting castles, white-washed homes and rolling green hills.

Portugal’s biggest region, Alentejo is a jigsaw of landscapes, nature and enchanting villages waiting to be explored.

If you venture into the area a great place

By Yzabelle Bostyn

of a mountain surrounded by a sea of green, which teems with animals including otters, vultures, eagles, wild boars and deer.

Visit the local chapels, churches, walls, synagogue and castle to immerse yourself in the town’s history with touches of the gothic, medieval and even megalithic past.

Nearby are dolmens and megaliths dating back thousands of years, including the Anta da Melriça dolmen.

At the mountain range’s highest point you will find a strategic defense point and old muslim bastion.

From the walls you can enjoy amazing views and ‘perfectly intact’ medieval architecture.

Not only this but the surrounding buildings are historic, with the old town hall, clock tower and cistern, one of the biggest in Portugal.

After wandering around the square to complete your trip, head south to the roman city of Ammaia.

The city is famous for its rich tapestries and cork factories as well as its medieval castle and walls.

INTACT. Casto do Vide’s medieval architecture

HISTORIC: The dolmens of Anta da Melrica

the beautiful

The charming pueblos of Portugal, boasting castles, white-washed homes and rolling green hills are a must visit

It is also known for its baroque architecture, captured in its cathedral, plazas, monasteries and churches.

At around the same height as Badajoz, Spain, is Elvas, a quiet Portuguese town with much history. The star shaped fortress and towering aqueduct will wow any visitor, who is bound to enjoy exploring the old town, churches and walls.

Going south, Alandroal is another magnificent example of Portugal’s well-preserved medieval and roman heritage. Filled with adelpha plants, the best time to admire them is Spring or Autumn. However, Alandroal is always a great destination to admire the sky without light pollution as it has been granted ‘Starlight Destination’ by UNESCO. At the nearby river beach,

The region is known for its clear night skys

Azenhas d’El Rei, you can also enjoy a kayak ride, swim or boat excursion to cool off on hot days. The lower area of the region also has many natural wonders, with the Valle del Guadiana National Park and the Alcaria Ruiva mountain range. It is a fantastic holiday for nature fans, with many hiking paths and opportunities to spot birdlife such as black storks, ospreys, griffon vultures and warblers.

Candela Marbella, a restaurant right in the heart of the charming old town.

Enjoy traditional local and national dishes with unique international touches and flavours thanks to our chefs

Andi Zillner and Mathias Theodosis.

tel: 646 88 84 31 candelamarbella.com Pl. Gral. Chinchilla, 2, 29601 Marbella, Málaga

OF

COURSES – €30

A COMPLIMENTARY

OR SPARKLING MONDAY - FRIDAY 13:00 - 16:00 RESERVATIONS: +34 951 74 47 77 / +34 627 12 14 43 clive@cotorestaurante.com www.cotorestaurante.com Ctra. de Ronda, A-397, Km. 44, 29679 Benahavís, Málaga

OP Puzzle solutions

Quick Crossword

Across: 6 Writ, 7 At large, 9 Adoption, 10 Find, 11 Inuit, 12 Medical, 14 Beggars, 16 Plush, 18 Trot, 20 Fair game, 21 Linseed, 22 Tall.

Down: 1 Credence, 2 Stepping stone, 3 Vapid, 4 Traffic lights, 5 Jean, 8 Lunge, 12 Mrs, 13 Assemble, 15 Rifle, 17 Wilde, 19 Roll.

And what about a dream day out with a gourmet lunch on Candela’s stunning new yacht?

“A choice of four distinct menus, one vegan, perfect for a fun - or romantic - day out on the high seas!”

STARGAZING:

Mass ejection

AT least 30 drunken passengers were kicked off an Easyjet flight from Bristol to Malaga after they threatened to ‘urinate on the floor’ if they couldn’t use the toilet during take-off.

Served cold

A NEIGHBOUR unhappy with a new swanky restaurant rooftop terrace across from her apartment in Sevilla has taken to playing loud porn noises to put diners off from eating there.

Skinny dip

BEACHGOERS at a popular Menorca resort were banned from swimming after a seven-foot blue shark was spotted cruising close to shore. The ban has since been lifted.

Southern lotharios

The most sexually active provinces in Spain - and where you’re most likely to be cheated on

diz is the top province for Latin lotharios.

Randy residents of the province are top of the Spanish charts when it comes to the number of times they have sex - an average of 9.64 times a month.

By Yzabelle Bostyn

On the other hand, people in passionless Palencia in Castilla y Leon are the least horny, doing the deed just six times a month. The study by sex toy company,

Diversual.com also revealed that residents of Murcia (8.76), Malaga (8.54), Almeria (8.40), Navarra (6.95) and Zaragoza (6.73) were all below average when it came to bonking.

Love takes flight

A SINGLE woman has found love by flying to Spain from London to meet a man she hooked up with on a dating app. Celeste Hartley, 28, said dating had become ‘so bad’ in the UK capital, that she decided to set her sights further. Celeste got an app hook-

up from Spain and the pair 'hit it off' immediately on the phone. She then got a €300 Malaga flight to meet the 28-year-old Spaniard for a first date. She said: “Regardless of whatever happens, it is worth it for how exciting it has been.”

and Granada (8.15) were all above average in the sex charts.

At the other end of the scale, big city life would appear not to be conducive to bedroom gymnastics. People in Barcelona (6.97), Madrid (6.96),

And for illicit sex, head to Tarragona, which was revealed as the most unfaithful area in Spain, with an incredible 40% of respondents admitting they had had ‘relations’ with someone who was not their normal partner.

But for those seeking a faithful other half, Palencia is the most up-standing region, with just 16% admitting to cheating. When it comes to finding the right partner, 65% said it is easier now than in years gone by, with 54% saying the best option is dating apps.

Ready to ruck

MADRID will be hosting a treat for Rugby Union sevens fans with the HSBC SVNS Series Grand Finals from May 31 to June 2. The top eight teams in the women’s and men’s league competitions have qualified for Series championship glory at the upcoming Grand Final event in Madrid from May 31 to June 2. Unfortunately for local fans both Spain’s Men and Women’s teams failed to reach the tournament. Argentina’s men will be eager to back up their SVNS Series league title on the Serie’ final stop, and the same goes for women’s league title-holders New Zealand. The All Blacks have also made it through alongside Great Britain, France, USA, Canada, Fiji and Ireland. Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia, France, the USA, Canada, Ireland and Fiji make up the eight for the female competition.