Costa Blanca Olive Press - Issue 26

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YOUR ONLINE PORTAL TO TRUST

voice in Spain

It has been the fastest moving story in our 14 years of publishing... and we have hardly stopped to draw breath.

March 19th - April 1, 2020

Over a MILLION people have visited our site over the last few days thanks to our coverage of the coronavirus online with hourly updates throughout globally the weekend.

7,726

It is, of # 171 course, a horrorshow for all of # 239 us with businesses in tourism, retail or catering. But we are all in the same boat and now you are all stuck at home, trying to stay healthy, we are working even harder to ensure we keep you up to date on the latest news from around the country.

SIMPLE MESSAGE: Sunbed orders to tourists in Benidorm to stay indoors for two weeks and (right) British expats taking precautions with rubber gloves EMPTY streets, trucks of soldiers and border closures.

This past week has left Spain looking like the set of a post-apocalyptic thriller.

With the country’s coronavirus cases nearing 15,000, it is at least comforting to know decisive action is being taken by the government.

Amid the lockdown, acts of heart-warming humanity have also shone through, with residents coming out on their balconies and erupting in applause to show appreciation for doctors working around the clock to battle the virus.

Others meanwhile prepared food for the most vulnerable, while Chinese residents in Cordoba donated thousands of masks and medicines.

Elsewhere, people walked fake dogs and rented others out, while one man risked the wrath of the police taking out the rubbish in a T-rex costume.

Meanwhile, a raft of famous faces, including Antonio Banderas, Messi and Ricky Martin, joined an urgent nationwide appeal for residents to stay at home.

And it seems to have worked as streets nationwide have stayed empty with around 99% of non-urgent journeys and outings curtailed.

Incredibly, between Tuesday and yesterday evening, Alicante province registered no new cases of Coronavirus.

The total cases in the Valencian Community remain 541, with 13 deaths so far, with the lockdown seemingly having an effect.

The massive clampdown on free movement, not seen since the Spanish Civil War, is already thought to be helping in the vital effort to stop the rapid infection rate of the COVID-19 virus.

With all restaurants, cinemas, shops and most

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Civil war Expats join locals in huge (and good humoured) battle to beat covid-19 pandemic

other businesses shut, there is - to be fair almost nowhere to go.

Unless of course you’re on holiday in Benidorm, where police arrested tourists drinking on terraces outside closed bars with drinks bought from supermarkets.

This message of civil responsibility was driven home by Benidorm’s local police, who spelt out the words ‘stay at home’ on Playa Levante using sunbeds.

The calm however is concealing economic damage that could last for a long time still.

The British owner of the Costa Blanca’s largest transport firm, Alicante Transfers, told the Olive Press the industry is in ‘meltdown’.

“We’ve lost tens of thousands in cancellations, while trying to keep everyone calm and giving the right information to those stuck here – it’s a nightmare,” Dave McQueen added.

The virus will be contained. But how far the infection spreads into society awaits to be seen.

Crisis special, p2-7

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News on the spread of the virus, what you can and cannot do, and plenty of ideas on how to get by at home.

Remember with the Olive Press online you are not alone. It is not for nothing we are now in the world’s top 10,000 most visited websites (see above) and in the top 250 in the UK and Spain. Our team of over a dozen writers are out and about making sure you are abreast of everything you need to know... visit:

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CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL

Catch these scammers

March 19th - April 1st 2020

With coronavirus fear taking a grip, the Olive Press exposes a Spanish firm cashing in on people’s fear and paranoia

A COMPANY in Madrid is conning nervous people and cashing in on the coronavirus pandemic that has taken over the globe.

Ecomerzpro is charging a

Marching orders THE army has been drafted into the major Spanish cities as the country’s fight against coronavirus ramps up.

So far Madrid, Sevilla, Valencia, Las Palmas, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Leon and Zaragoza have seen troops from the Military Emergency Unit (UME) deployed.

Soldiers were dispatched to

EXCLUSIVE

By Dimitris Kouimtsidis

staggering €49.95 for a face mask, which can usually be found on sites such as aliex-

press.com for around €3.40 (per pair).

The Spanish company which also distributes across the globe is audacious enough to label the masks ‘discount-

ed’ from an original price of €99.90.

They’ve named this product SafeMask and claim it’s ‘the best protection against viruses,’ taking advantage of des-

clean up swathes of the capital, which officials feared may have been infected by large crowds.

All units are being commanded by General Miguel Angel Villarroya.

The move comes as military personnel were granted the authority to issue orders to the public after Spain entered a state of emergency.

The military will have the power to control the streets and limit freedom of movement, in a boost to back the police.

Walkies anyone? Fido for rent

FACING FINES: Group of women smoking on a street in Marbella

OFFERS to rent pets for a walk have emerged to get around the strict coronavirus quarantine measures.

Adverts seen on website MilAnuncios include a podenco in Valencia, charging €25 for a ‘walk’.

“Podenco for walking or running during the quarantine to avoid fines,” the offer reads. It comes as a royal decree ordered a strict stop on the

freedom of movement around Spain.

Anyone breaking the rules can be fined anything from €100 to €600,000 depending on the category of their disobedience.

One way around the rules to leave the house is taking a pet for a walk, although it is one person per dog and walkers must observe social distancing measures.

perate people.

To make matters worse, the name SafeMask has already been trademarked by Canadian company Medicom – stealing intellectual property.

This week, the Olive Press found another company, Origo International, based in South Africa, selling the same FFP2 quality masks – with all the relative certificates – for just €2.94.

The company’s spokesperson, Nicholas Tsaperas told the Olive Press: “We’re sitting on 60,000 units here and just want to help in any way that we can.

“We know there’s a shortage in Europe but we’re selling them at normal prices, not inflated.

“We are not looking to make a profit at the expense of desperate people.”

Ecomerzpro, which trades in other items apart from face masks as well, is not known for its trustworthiness or good quality service.

It has an abysmal rating of 1.5 stars on Google reviews, 1.2 stars on Trustpilot and 1.3 stars on Facebook.

Ecomerzpro was approached for comment but failed to respond before we went to print.

TOURIST BACKLASH: A visitor to Ronda crosses its famous bridge with a mask on this week

www.theolivepress.es

CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL

Eurovision OFF THE Eurovision Song Contest planned for May 16, has been cancelled due to coronavirus.

This year’s edition was to be held in Rotterdam, following the Netherland’s win last year in Tel Aviv.

But after 64 straight years of the contest bringing Europe together, Covid-19 has now ended that streak.

Spain last won the contest in 1969.

Euros OFF

EURO 2020 has been postponed due to coronavirus.

The European football tournament has been pushed back a year.

It comes after a high level UEFA meeting also agreed to push back the Champions League and Europa League back by a month.

Jobs in peril TENS of thousands of workers are facing redundancy in Spain as the coronavirus takes hold.

At least 30,000 workers are to lose their jobs in the hotel sector on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol alone, while a similar number could be out of work from restaurant closures.

Thousands more are set to lose their jobs at the airports, in car hire businesses and in the entertainment industry.

But the biggest losers are in the hotel sector, with over 90% of tourists cancelling holidays in March and April, with May and June also looking vulnerable.

A total of 240 hotels have shut in the Valencian Community,

Tens of thousands laid off in scything of tourist jobs just before Easter putting 16,000 people out of work.

A spokesman for local hotel federation HOSBEC said that 95% of hotels were already shut and the process had been ‘incredibly straight forward and smooth, considering the situation we are in’.

Checkpoint Carlos Barking mad

A SPANISH joker is facing a big fine after being stopped walking a toy dog during the coronavirus lock-down.

The man was stopped by police in Palencia with the stuffed dog, which he hoped would get him around the restrictions of going out. Police confirmed he faces ‘a huge fine’ in the ‘very serious situation.’ “He didn’t fool us and he will be punished... It is a question of public health,” said a spokesman.

POLICE are demanding to see food, petrol and pharmacy receipts throughout the coronavirus lockdown.

The Guardia Civil are inspecting anyone out during the current two week lockdown period.

They are being joined by local police in many towns to enforce the state of alarm rules, with many fines already having been handed out.

People are only allowed out for eight reasons, which can be found on our website.

People travelling for work-related reasons will also need special certificates confirming the necessity of their job, with a maximum of two people allowed per car.

Everyone else must travel alone.

It comes as a Royal Decree was published on Saturday night, centralising control of the police and health system during an unprecedented 15-day quarantine period.

The closure of bars, restaurants, businesses, hotels, museums, venues and events has also been enforced across the country. Residents are still allowed to walk DOCTORS in Madrid have said their dogs, one person 'thank you' as Spaniards under at a time. coronavirus lockdown have or- The Guardia Civil said ganised nightly applause. crime reports would Under the hashtag #aplausosan- have to be made online itario, videos have gone viral on during this period. social media with empty streets The loss of any ID or beacross Spain filled with the longings, theft, burglarsound of clapping.

See more videos here: www.you- ies and damages must be reported through tube.com/c/olivepressnews this channel.

Rounds of applause

This week, some 44 hotels already confirmed they are to close on the Costa del Sol. Dozens more, including British-run Molino del Santo, near Ronda, has confirmed it will not open this Spring.

The numbers are set to be considerably higher around Andalucia with industry bosses already confirming that nearly 250 hotels are set to close around the region.

Hundreds more could shut over the next few weeks, confirmed the Federation of Andalucia Hotel Owners.

Its president Luis Callejon revealed it was just the tip of the iceberg and, he believes, it is only a matter of weeks before all 500 main hotels in the region are closed.

The rush of tourists to airports to get home amid fears of travel bans has only hurried the closures, he explained.

He believes most won’t consider opening until June, many later than that.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez estimated the amount of temporary jobs lost around Spain due to the virus will easily go over 100,000 in a speech last night.

Most airlines are warning of big job losses, with BA’s Chief Executive, Alex Cruz, describing the situation as, ‘a crisis of global proportions like no other we have known’.

Iberia has also slashed its flight capacity by 75% in the midst of border closures and a lack of bookings.

Rental cars and taxis are feeling the pinch also, while Phil Carr of Alpha Parking said: “I had four cancellations on Sunday morning from parking clients who have changed plans to leave. It has been the same every day.”

The Spanish government has now pledged up to €200 billion to buffer the economy and boost unemployment benefits and aid workers.

March 19th - April 1st 2020

3

In good company

LEADER: PM Sanchez and Begona Gomez

W

ITH coronavirus sweeping Spain and 145 other countries, it appears that nobody is safe from the viral infection.

Covid-19 is not picky about who it chooses to infect, with politicians, actors and athletes among those to have tested positive.

In Spain, Vox leader Santiago Abascal and his number two Javier Ortega Smith have both succumbed to the virus.

So too has the wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Begona Gomez, along with MaVOX: Abascal drid Mayor Isabel Diaz and the President of Catalunya Quim Torra.

Best-selling 70-year-old Chilean author Luis Sepulveda also tested positive in Oviedo, while Arsenal’s Spanish manager Mikel Arteta has succumbed.

Football’s other confirmed victims here also include various Valencia players, while in the UK Chelsea winger Callum Hudon-Odoi PRESIDENT: Torra has it.

Hollywood meanwhile, has not remained untouched with hunk Idris Elba, from London, getting infected, as well as Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wil-

STARS: Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson son.

The pair tested positive while shooting Baz Luhrmann’s untitled Elvis Presley movie in Australia, and are now isolating.

Other silver screen heavyweights, like Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Hudson, have posted pictures online of themselves donning masks.

And even the Terminator himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger, is worried, and warning people to stay at home and to ‘listen to the experts, ignore the morons.’

HUNK: Idris Elba

4

www.theolivepress.es

CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL

Death line

A PENSIONER could face a heavy fine after catching the virus and still travelling down to Murcia from Madrid to his second home.

The 88-year-old man had begun falling ill in the capital, but still decided to travel to his villa in the Mar Menor. He travelled by train despite the ad-

Reporters Simon Wade and Joshua Parfitt

Your reporters, here to help on the Costa Blanca Contact them with any stories or news on 951 273 575 or email newsdesk@theolivepress.es (Personal contacts on page 6)

A BRITISH woman has been dragged from a swimming pool in handcuffs after ignoring strict coronavirus lockdown rules.

The British tourist was arrested in Tenerife yesterday to jubilant cheering from onlooking guests.

It came after she was ordered to get out of the pool at Paradise Park hotel in Los Cristianos by staff. Footage captured the rebel holidaymaker jumping into the closed pool and then yelling at a police officer who asked her to leave.

When she refused to leave, the officer was forced to strip down to his boxers and jump in to drag her out. A second officer then pinned her down and handcuffed her before she was escorted away.

vice of doctors and even went round a shopping centre before being admitted to Hospital Los Arcos, claimed a doctor. “There is a long list of people who think self-isolation means a holiday to Murcia,” said president of the Murcia region Fernando Lopez. Lopez insisted any travellers from Madrid must self-isolate for 14 days.

Kicking and screaming

Please stop stockpiling!

THE president of the Valencian Community has urged the public to ‘stop stockpiling’ as supermarket shelves go empty over fears of a coronavirus fallout. Following a meeting with food distributors and consumer associations on Friday afternoon, Ximo Puig there was ‘no reason’ for the stockpiling of products because he could ‘guarantee’ supply. He insisted Valencians would ‘get out of this difficult situation’ that has seen coronavirus cases skyrocket to 724 with 22 deaths, as of most recent updates. Toilet paper, bottled water, beans, rice and pasta stocks are the most hit in the region.

March 19th - April 1st 2020

Father and sons split up by Spanish police on Gibraltar border, as coronavirus lockdown kicks in

Torn apart EXCLUSIVE

By John Culatto

Booking giant outrage GLOBAL booking site Booking.com has sparked outrage among its many hotel clients in Spain when it advised travellers to cancel their bookings over virus fears.

The site worsened an already awful situation for most hotel and apartment owners when it sent out a warning text message this week to anyone travelling over the next few weeks.

Despite the small print apparently protecting struggling owners, Booking.com overruled them and gave most travellers’ entire deposits back.

“It is a shocking decision as many businesses are attempting to stay open to save jobs and their livelihoods and in any case the forced closure ends in under two weeks,” said one hotel owner in Marbella.

THE human cost of the coronavirus pandemic has been laid bare, with the tragic separation of a dad and his kids in Gibraltar.

In scenes reminiscent of 1969, when General Franco closed the frontier with Spain, Glenn Cunningham was stopped from picking up his sons, 11 and 12, from La Linea on the Spanish side.

The trio remained apart for hours after Spanish police prevented Cunningham from picking them up.

Sleepover

The two brothers had been enjoying a sleepover at their friend’s house.

“The frontier police didn’t let me go over even to pick the kids up even though I was coming into Gibraltar straightaway,” Cunningham told the Olive Press.

“To get out of Gibraltar into Spain, they’re asking for documents to prove that you live or work in Spain.

“Without any proof that you

REUNITED: Glenn with his boys at last either live or have a work contract in Spain they’re not letting anyone cross the frontier.”

In the end, the father asked his friend to bring the boys to the frontier.

“The problem was my friend didn’t have his passport so he had to persuade the Spanish police to help,” Cunningham added. “They then arranged with the Gibraltarian border guards to authorise them to come through on their own.”

In the end, it all worked out fine and Cunningham was happily reunited with his kids.

However, according to other residents it hasn’t been as easy for other Gibraltarians.

Covid-19 and your investments So here we are living in what is beginning to feel like some bizarre dystopian future, a world that feels like it has ground to a halt. But in reality, as best we can, the world continues to spin, many businesses are open with staff working from home, and the financial markets remain open.

I’m sure as you all read this, you’ll be sat in the safety of your homes, the cleanest they’ve ever been, surrounded by toilet roll and hand sanitizer!

But what does this mean for investors? Well, there’s no sugar-coating it.

If you are currently invested, whether via a personal investment or through your pension, you will have inevitably suffered losses over the last few weeks. In fact, this is the quickest market sell-off we’ve seen in history.

I put the speed of the sell-off mostly down to globalisation and technology. We have never lived in an era where people have had such instant access to information, trading technology etc so decisions are being made much quicker than we have seen before.

Myself and Senior Partner Tracy Storer have been personally reaching out to our clients for the last couple of weeks, ensuring everyone is kept up to date, and I think also importantly, ensuring our clients know that we are taking this very seriously and not forgetting about them.

Our overriding message is to ride

By Sam Kelly Providing multi-award winning advice for your pensions, investments & tax planning.

DipPFS, EFA, BA (Hons). tter opportunity to invest. Global markets have reduced in value beManaging Partner, tween 25-35% in a matter of weeks, Chorus Financial and we’re already being contacted by

people who want to understand how to take advantage of these discounts.

One thing I would add is that if you are planning a new investment, yes indeed, you will be buying into the markets at a substantial discount, but you also have to consider the real possibility that these markets could fall lower in the short term.

through. Chorus use incredibly well diversified portfolios, and our client portfolios are managed by the top fund managers in the world. History has always proven that no matter how dramatically a market falls, high quality, low cost portfolios will not only shelter you from the worst of the fall, as our portfolios very much have, but also take great advantage when the markets recover.

We would expect a high-quality por-

tfolio not only to recover, but to recover to a higher place than before the sell-off due to the opportunities these markets are creating.

It’s a fool’s errand to attempt to trade through, to guess the bottom, time the recovery. You’re more likely to end up cementing losses and mistiming your re-entry into the markets.

But what about new investors? Well, arguably there has never been a be-

Chorus remain open and fully able to help new and existing clients, although we are working from home, so meetings will be via telephone, video call or email. You can contact me direct on 664 398 702 or s.kelly@ chorusfinancial.es.

Most importantly I want to wish you all well. Try not to go too mad during the confinement! Read a book, use the opportunity to finally learn Spanish, or take up meditation! Keep yourselves fit and healthy, and I look forward to seeing you all on the other side!

Investment contracts are intended as medium to long term investments, and all investments have some level of risk. Figures in our articles are examples of what can be achieved and cannot be guaranteed; the value of your investments can go down as well as up. Fees and charges can vary and will be fully explained to you before any advice can take place. This article should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular product.

Chorus Financial is a trading style of Tourbillon Limited, authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Commission (Gibraltar), Licence Number FSC1118B, registered with the UK FCA reference 539348, registered with the Spanish DGS and CNMV Nº Registro Oficial 3214.

965 641 163

www.chorusfinancial.es info@chorusfinancial.es

6

www.theolivepress.es Voted top expat paper in Spain

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

OPINION

Different strokes COMPARING Spain and the UK’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic is like comparing chalk and cheese.

While Spain seems to have the people’s health as a first priority, for the UK it seems to be about the economy.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday told people in Britain to avoid pubs, clubs and restaurants.

Unlike in Spain, he refused to make closures mandatory, which would have allowed the affected businesses to claim compensation.

Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez has been quick to react to the coronavirus crisis. He refused to outlaw large public gatherings and then imposed heavy fines on anyone leaving home.

Johnson explained last week he would not be shutting schools, while telling people with symptoms to self-isolate for just a week - no mention of social distancing or other suggested measures.

Not much had changed as the number of cases in the UK surpassed 1,500 yesterday. By contrast, Spain began closing schools on March 9 when it had just over 1,000 cases. It has now brought in a total clampdown, which while horrific for the tourist industry, will hopefully slow down the spread of the virus.

Thank God we live in Spain, where the government has vowed to do everything it can to cushion the blow for small and medium businesses and workers. This week it brought in an unprecedented package of payments to companies and individuals who are set to suffer and ruled that mortgage payments will be suspended in April and this could be extended. A total of €200 billion has been set aside to try to help. It is also set to approve a bill that will allow SMEs and freelancers (autonomos) to delay their tax payments by six months.

While London, the economic engine of Britain, is seeing the fastest spread of coronavirus in the UK with over 400 cases, the real numbers are hard to know because health authorities there have stopped testing people who do not need hospitalisation.

Yet no businesses had been ordered to close as we went to press while people have only been ‘advised’ to not attend events like the St Patrick’s Day celebrations tonight.

A former director of the World Health Organisation revealed: “You test the population like crazy, find out where the cases are, immediately quarantine them and do contact tracing and get them out of the community. This deals with family clusters. That’s the key bedrock of getting this under control.”

That was the approach by Spain, which worked tirelessly to trace the origin of each of its infections as it began to spread across the territory. And despite these measures, it now has over 11,000 cases.

The whole country is therefore on lockdown for at least two weeks, with all businesses closed - apart from a few essential stores - and people ordered to remain in their homes.

It is a horrible business, particularly for most expat businesses, which are going to really suffer. But there’s a comfort in knowing that the government is taking a decisive approach to this unprecedented crisis. And the virus will finally abate.

Then we can all work out how to pick up the pieces.

CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL

Cabin fever

The Olive Press presents a Survival guide for parents at home with their children during quarantine. By Cristina Hodgson

D

OES it feel like a crowded house?

Are you crawling the walls? Got cabin fever already?

With schools, parks and playgrounds off limits, the answer is almost certainly a unified cry of YES! In fact, for many, the fortnight ahead may feel somewhat daunting.

Energetic children locked indoors with their parents, working remotely or simply because they have no choice.

It is a potentially explosive combination.

Being stuck indoors with no school or social contact with friends to break the daily routine may trigger some rebellion and frustrated behaviour from the kids (and perhaps not just the little ones).

Take my advice, the first thing is to establish is a new daily routine.

Routines are essential for children, as they give them security and peace of mind.

Establishing routines at home to encourage their autonomy, making them participate in the preparation of meals, in the cleaning of the house, setting play schedules, homework and daily exercise will make them find an order in all this uncertainty.

Here we select 20 easy activities to help keep children entertained - and parents sane - during lockdown:

Laurence Dollimore laurence@theolivepress.es

John Culatto johnc@theolivepress.es

Dimitris Kouimtsidis dimitris@theolivepress.es

Gillian Keller gillian@theolivepress.es

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Simon Wade simon@theolivepress.es

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2. Foot drawings: Are you able to write your name with your foot or draw a house? You may find you surprise yourself, but you’re guaranteed a giggle in attempting to master the pen with your toes 3. Plant a seed: Take a lentil or chickpea and plant it in some wet cotton.

Watch it grow

12. Catwalk: Anything goes. Open the wardrobe and play with impossible combinations.

13. Family tree: Outline your own family tree, see how far back you can go.

14. Create bookmarks: With paper, cardboard, stickers, magazine cutouts... design your best bookmark!

15. Hot and cold: Hide an object. The only clues you can give for someone else to find it is ‘cold’ for far and ‘hot’ for near. The more difficult the hiding place, the better 16. Chinese whispers: Think of a strange phrase. Now pass it to whoever is on your right, but say it very quickly.

What comes out in the end? Perhaps you could try it in Spanish and put your language skills to test

4. Homemade Puppets: Find some old socks, sew some buttons on them as eyes, and make your own puppet show

17. Homemade Tent: Collect fabrics and blankets and set up your own tent, where you can tell stories and have a titbit

5. Hide messages around the house: Take some post-its and hide surprise messages around the house; you’re sure to get a smile out of the person who finds them

7. Play volleyball with a balloon: If you have a balloon, blow it up and play a game of volleyball in the living room

Publisher / Editor

Joshua Parfitt joshua@theolivepress.es

1. Spider’s web: Turn the hall into a spider’s web: with tape or wool... you have to go through it but without touching it!

6. Pillow fight: Nothing like a pillow fight to release tension and laugh out loud

Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es Charlie Smith charlie@theolivepress.es

March 19th - April 1st 2020

8. Equilibrist: With a ribbon or wool, walk over it as if it were a tightrope walker’s cable. It’s not as easy as it looks!

The Must Do’s for kids at home Make sure to include in the new daily routine: 1. Normal chores, (meals, bath, breaks, homework), 2. Housework (helping to make the bed, setting the table, removing dishes from the table) will help children feel useful and positive about themselves.

3. Daily exercise: Lack of physical exercise can increase a child’s irritability and stress that can affect his or her emotional state. Add music and dance to the daily routine. Jumping competitions on who can jump higher or jump over obstacles. If you live in a house with stairs, run up and down them a few times. However, make sure the exercises are done before 6pm to avoid activating your children too much before going to bed.

9. Treasure map: Hide an object and then draw a treasure map of your house, marking the spot with an X. Who can find it?

10. Collective drawing: Make any scribble on a piece of paper and then someone else has to complete the drawing and try to make it into a clearcut picture of something 11. Basketball: Use a bucket or a bin... Each time you move the ‘basket’ further away. Do you have a ‘Michael Jordan’ in the house?

18. Write a diary: Write down what you’ve done every day. It may not seem like much now, but it will become very, very special with time 19. Stranger for dinner: Have dinner with your family but pretend you don’t know each other. What would you talk about, how would you introduce yourself? Have fun!

20. Talk Nonsense: You say something, the next person answers with something that has nothing to do with what’s been said and so on. Let’s see who can go the longest without laughing.

Print out or write down the above list, cut out each idea and put them into a draw, pick one out and go have some fun!

Don’t forget the typical card and board games like UNO, snakes and ladders etc. Have a movie night (with popcorn), camp night, where everybody sleeps in the living room. Have fun with a bit of karaoke, musical statues, bake a cake.

The list is endless.

March 19th - April 1st 2020

7

Capital punishment Dispatch from Heather Galloway in Madrid

I

In scenes reminiscent of the civil war, the army is on the streets of Madrid and the locals are going mad at home. The Olive Press sent a reporter out onto the streets to take their temperature

T’S not exactly the Civil War or a scene from the 1936 Battle of Madrid when the Republican icon, La Pasionaria famously declared ‘No Pasarán!’, but there is a definite siege mentality in Madrid.

While Thursday March 12 saw a number of people trying to maintain some semblance of normality with people still eating out on terraces, by Friday 13, the streets were all but stripped bare of life with the chairs and tables of the street cafes and restaurants DESERTED: The Prado Museum was closed for first time in years piled and chained.

By Monday the army was on A state of emergency has And while chemists are stickeasily grasped in these parts, the streets! though there are some who Following Prime Minister been declared. Licenses for ing sold out signs for masks are clearly getting to grips Pedro Sanchez’s announce- restaurants, gyms and clubs and hand wash in their shop with it. ment that Spain will have have been suspended, and windows, on Thursday the “My wife and I had to stop 10,000 recorded cases of the the city’s dwellers were or- tactile Spaniards were still people from shaking our virus any time now, it seemed dered to retire to their homes. wrestling with restraint when hands at a meeting last like the Madrilenos finally “All the bars closing is the last it came to their customary week,” says journalist Anthohad no choice but to sit up straw in Spain,” laughs local greetings.

Luis Perez.

Distance is not a concept ny Luke. and take note.

“But then we went to a government office to ask for a document that was delivered by a man behind glass wearing a mask and gloves and were told it was uncivil of us to be there.”

The streets are now empty of people and also traffic. Like August, but without the tourists.

This is bad news for taxi vorce rates rising significantly contagion which depicts a bat- drivers, and as one driver

By Joanne Oakley since couples have been hav- tle against a mystery disease Julio tells me: “I’m not woring to spend more time togeth- are experiencing sales spikes ried about getting the virus er in self containment and increased viewing because I’m not getting any THERE are always winners clients!” and losers in any major global · Online dating sites are ex- Across the pond however, the Tourist numbers dropped by event like the coronavirus. periencing a surge in activity trend is slightly different but 45% in the capital, last week, And while many businesses, as more people are staying at maybe unsurprising, with guns while this week it is almost such as hotels, airlines and home due to social distancing and body armour sales shoot- down to none. stock markets, are reeling with the likes of Tinder using ing up.

They don’t exactly have anyfrom the shocking lockdown safety pop ups for those who However, coronavirus is of where to go as everything is and spread of Covid-19, some may be tempted to meet course having a detrimental are doing well. effect on entire business sec- shut, museums, restaurants Of course toilet roll, face · Netflix and other digital tors resulting in redundancies and bars. masks and hand sanitiser subscription services are of and businesses going into ad- Chinese shops, meanwhile, have had their shutters down brands are booming, as are course benefitting as people ministration. naturally supermarkets. will be sitting at home watch- Here in Spain, restaurants and for longer than most. “The But as the Olive Press has dis- ing a lot more television hotels are closing and some general feeling among the covered, here are 10 other in12,000 workers on the Costa Chinese,” says Luke, “is that the Spaniards are not takteresting businesses that are · Amazon is also surfing the del Sol are losing their jobs. doing well: coronavirus wave as it is re- A fleet of rental cars on the ing the whole thing seriously portedly taking on more staff Costa remain almost entirely enough and they are afraid of · Pornhub, the adult content as orders have spiked unused with thousands of can- being infected or re-infected.” company is offering a free cellations.

On Friday, Luke laughed month of premium content in · Deliveroo and other food A number of airlines are strug- when asked to draw parallels a bid to ‘help to pass the time takeaway agencies are thriv- gling with the likes of Jet2 can- with a wartime scenario but and keep ourselves enter- ing as restaurants have closed celling all flights and demand by this week he was having tained’. The porn site offered for many others plummeting second thoughts: “I thought this service in Italy initially, · Whatsapp, Skype and oth- due to restrictions on travel, last week that this is hardly rolling the deal out to Spain er digital connection services leading British Airways to conthe walking dead but now…” following lockdown at the have all registered an increase sider redundancies. weekend in use with people calling up High streets will feel the hit as For such a noisy and lively their loved ones instead of vis- they are shut down as non es- metropolis, the veil of silence that has fallen on Madrid · Sex toys company Womaniz- iting in a bid to fight isolation sential businesses. er has reported an increase in Those in the automotive indus- is nothing short of freakish. sales across Europe since the · Online gaming has seen a try have been asked to stay at Unlike the Brits, Spaniards are not ones to stay indoors spread of the virus. Perhaps boost as people are finding all home with factories closing. by those isolated from their sorts of ways to fight lonliness And also, those who are self or keep themselves to thempartners employed will also potential- selves. · Dean Koontz’s book, ly be at huge risk with calls It’s not in their nature. Which · Divorce lawyers are doing thought to have predicted the to cease the autonomo pay- is undoubtedly why Covid-19 well, with China reporting di- virus, along with a 2011 film, ments. has proved so virulent here.

Not getting stung! The winners in the Covid stakes

Olive Press online ‘Spain’s best English news website’

Users

1.9M

3.5 M 5.2 M

ON TOP: Olive Press website traffic for last four weeks

TOP 200

THE march of the coronavirus has helped the Olive Press website enter the highest echelons of the world’s top publishers.

Our online portal www.theolivepress.es is entering uncharted territory as it soars up into the world’s top 8000 sites.

The most trusted English website in Spain at 239th position, we are also making huge in-roads in both the UK and Ireland, where we also sit comfortably inside the Top 200 sites for each country, according to Alexa.com, owned by Amazon.

We put this down to consitently updated, relevent and well researched content.

Our hard-working team of over a dozen journalists and writers around Spain are first to the news that matters, on a daily and, even hourly, basis.

We also stick to the key stories that matter around the peninsula and its islands.

We are not interested in Eamonn Holmes’ tax bill, a shooting in a Manila shopping mall and, particularly, the death of the Monkees singer some 12 months late!

And nor are the 3.5 million visitors who came to our site over the last four weeks.

According to Google analytics (see above) they were treated to 5.2 million ‘hits’ (or pages read) on everything from the spread of the virus, to things to do at home and ways to avoid it.

The site has become the only resource expats interested in Spain need to use, not to mention tourists arriving here in their millions each month.

7,726

Visit www.theolivepress.es and see how much content we have... and if you’ve got a business just how much exposure we can give you.

# 171 # 239

Here are the top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are: EXCLUSIVE: Tourist season in Spain’s Mallorca by coronavirus as major events cancelled 1and-crippled scared tourists cancel summer holidays (127,367 visitors)

Spain puts ENTIRE COUNTRY in lockdown citizens to their homes except for these 8 2-confining reasons (112,539) HAVE TOILET ROLL AND GIN’: Jet2 Briti3ying- ‘WE sh holidaymakers on Spain’s Costa del Sol enjobeach despite coronavirus lockdown (110,413) CORONAVIRUS: Spain’s Costa del Sol, Malaga and Guadalhorce declared ‘special containment 4- areas’ as cases in Andalucia top 100 (105,582) - EXCLUSIVE: Coronavirus ‘worries’ Costa del Sol and Andalucia hotels and restaurants as 5 holiday bookings plummet in Spain with 35 now dead (82,461)

Get in touch today at sales@theolivepress.es or call us at 00 34 951273575 for a special quote

8

NEWS

www.theolivepress.es

WHERE ARE THEY? ANDALUCIA is the region with the most active cases of missing persons in Spain, with a total of 2,234.

A study by the Annual Report of Missing People in Spain 2020 registered a total of 202,259 reports from 2010 to 2019.

Of this total, 5,529 are still active cases with nearly half in Andalucia.

Cadiz has the most cases with 864, Granada 321, Malaga 292 and Almeria 262.

Valencia has the second highest number of missing people with 488 in total.

The

OLIVE PRESS COSTA BLANCA SOUTH

Your expat

voice in Spain

Time’s nearly up

March 19th - April 1st 2020

THE net is tightening on one of the UK’s Most Wanted criminals. That is, if you believe former Scotland Yard detective Peter Bleksley, who has been on the trail of Liverpool fugitive Kevin Parle, 39, for years.

The ex-cop (left) is currently presenting a ten part podcast on the BBC called Manhunt - Finding Kevin Parle, where he details his movements around Europe.

Parle, who vanished in 2005, is believed to have been regularly on the Costa Blanca.

He was initially living in Torrevieja, where at six foot, six inches tall he was hard to miss.

The Olive Press believed it had spotted him visiting a museum in Madrid during the Champions League final between Liverpool and Tottenham last year.

Bleksley, who worked on Channel 4’s hit show Hunted, is ‘obsessed’ with finding Parle.

“I will not rest until I find him, I want him to know that, I will never stop,” he told the Olive Press.

See full story online at www.olivepress.es

bridging the gap A HUGE number of train tracks, tunnels and bridges need urgent repair around Spain. Network chiefs at Adif have found 25 bridges, 59 tunnels and 135 embankments needing structural repair where damage is deemed ‘high risk’.

In particular four viaducts on the Cordoba to Malaga AVE line need to be repaired.

KEEP YOUR DIRTY MONEY!

Spanish king rejects suspect inheritance from dad and reveals his state salary is to be scrapped

For all your local advertising needs please contact our Sales Manager Charles Bamber 0034 661 452 180 charles@theolivepress.es

SPAIN’S king has sought to distance himself from his disgraced father Juan Carlos by rejecting any inheritance from him.

Felipe, 52, also announced the former monarch, 82, would no longer be funded by the state.

It comes after Juan Carlos, who last year netted a €194,232 state salary, left

the royals red-faced, following the Telegraph’s revelations of his secret link to offshore funds.

The UK newspaper revealed that Felipe was the ‘second beneficiary’ of a fund in Panama that was founded on a €65 million cash sum from Saudi Arabia.

It was also revealed that €5 million from the account

Treasure hunt

Lawyers can salvage money sunken in off-plan house deposits lost after the financial crisis, write Sun Lawyers

I

t was a common scenario...

People would fall in love with an off-plan property (not built yet). Beautiful drawings. Maybe some good property scale models involved. A paid trip to Spain (including accommodation). A gorgeous area with more than 300 days a year of sunshine.

All this combined with a powerful dream: moving to Spain one day and living a much happier life here.

Then the inevitable happened...

Buyers were asked for an initial deposit. Why not pay it? After all, it’s the usual way to secure a home. Then it hit: the financial crisis.

Many property developers and building companies went bankrupt.

People’s deposits sank into the ocean, forgotten on the seabed. All that money paid in good faith disappeared… well, not completely.

Did you lose money on an off-plan deposit?

Please keep reading.

But there’s good news...

A Spanish Supreme Court ruling from 2015 obliges banks to repay the money that investors put down on off-plan properties that were sold.

In other words, if you paid a deposit for an offplan property and the developer went bankrupt, it’s the bank’s responsibility to pay it back to you.

However, despite the Supreme Court ruling, the majority of banks will not pay your deposit without court proceedings.

And here is where a reputable law firm, with

the professional knowledge on this kind of procedure, should enter the scene.

How to salvage your sunken money...

Unlike other legal services, in order to recover your money from the bank, we won’t charge you any upfront fees; only a success fee.

Yes. This means: ‘no win no fee’. No surprises.

No unexpected charges during the deposit recovery process. No court fees.

We are so confident we can help you that we can offer you getting your money back at ‘zero risk’.

This way you won’t feel you’re putting more money on an apparently ‘lost cause’. So, let us ask you, is there anything to lose from your side?

No. Nothing. You won’t lose a single cent of Euro in this procedure. We will recover your money, as mentioned in the previous paragraph, on a ‘no win no fee’ basis.

What is required...?

Only one thing: that you provide us with all the information you have, such as contracts, bank statements showing deposit transfers, or any receipts if the payment channels were different to bank transfers.

We will go through a preliminary study to make sure we have enough documentation to start the legal process. But before the preliminary study we would love to speak with you.

Would you like us to salvage your sunken money from the seabed?

If so, please send us an email at admin@ sun-lawyers.com. We will get back to you shortly.

was spent on private flights for the former king, who abdicated the throne in 2014.

Meanwhile, a Swiss probe has been launched into a fund named Foundation Zagatka, which also listed Felipe as a potential recipient.

The Spanish Royal Family has denied Felipe’s knowledge of this, but said ‘if it were true’ then Felipe

FALL OUT: Between current and former king

would not receive any of the money.

Juan Carlos added to the royal statement that his son had no knowledge of the two funds.

Carles Puigdemont, the former President of the Generalitat, poured scorn on the

ex-king, claiming he was using the coronavirus pandemic ‘as a cover’ to get out the news.

“They have chosen this time to release it when everyone is obsessed by the pandemic,” the former Catalan leader said.

LA CULTURA

Olé to gypsies

9

March 5th - March 18th 2020

Saving Spain’s ‘Stonehenge’

Junta de Andalucia finally backs law recognising their contribution to Spain’s iconic flamenco culture GYPSIES are at last to receive official recognition from Andalucia’s Junta

for their historic role in the creation of flamenco.

Officials in the region have

proposed a law to recognise, protect and support their contributions to the

genre.

The move, backed by all five of Andalucia’s parliamentary groups, would also see flamenco included as an official subject on the curriculum in Andalucian schools, a commitment already made to UNESCO.

UNESCO

Cheap as chips YOU can now snap up a Picasso for as little as €6,300.

The Malaga-born maestro’s ceramics will go on sale at a charity exhi-

bition at London’s Huxley-Parlour Gallery in Mayfair later this month.

Among the 24 pieces going for a song is a €6,300 ashtray called Bird with Worm, while the priciest is the Woman’s Face dish at €80,000.

The works are part of a 600-piece collection Picasso created in the 1950s during a 25-year collaboration with the Madoura Pottery workshop in Vallauris, France.

Raffle tickets are available for €99.

This would mean the preparation of new academic text books and a collaboration with gypsy artists to impart their knowledge in class.

Andalucia is the heartland of flamenco, a traditional artistic expression fusing song, dance and musicianship.

Flamenco is the badge of identity of numerous communities and groups, in particular the Gitano (Roma) ethnic community which has played an essential role in its development.

It has been recognised by Unesco as a universal art form since 2010.

last summer caused water levels to drop in the Valdecanas Reservoir, in Extremadura.

Known as the Dolmen of Guadalperal, the megalithic monument consists of more than 100 standing stones with some standing OVER 8,000 people have signed a signaalmost two ture demanding that street names are not metres tall. changed back to supposedly fascist names The Junin Cordoba. ta de ExThe petition is demanding that the city hall tremadura doesn’t change the new Avenida del Flais studying a menco back to its old name of Cruz Conde. plan to have Meanwhile the town hall also wants to rethe rocks vert the so-called Calle Foro Romano to m o v e d Calle Vallellano, who was also related to the to higher old Franco regime. The Conde de Vallellano ground. was a minister in Franco’s government in

A PETITION to save Spain’s long lost ‘Stonehenge’ has reached almost 50,000 signatures.

The incredible stone circle appeared after record temperatures

Back to old ways

the 1950s.

10

March 5th - March 18th 2020

Stuck at home and not sure what to do with yourself? Beat the coronavirus lockdown with these virtual museum tours from home, writes Cristina Hodgson

A

LA CULTURA

See the Prado in your PJs

S coronavirus continues to dominate our daily lives, with Spain’s state of alarm in force and measures to limit freedom of movement, avoiding public spaces doesn’t mean you have to miss out on a dose of culture.

You can now experience the world’s best museums from Madrid to New York in the comfort of your own home.

Many institutions across Spain have joined the viral hashtags #YoMeQuedoEnCasa and #QuedateEnCasa, offering the possibility of online art collections, which can be viewed virtually along with their corresponding information.

This Olive Press guide will keep the boredom at bay, and proffer a little culture and education while you’re at it.

Three Top Spanish museums which offer online tours:

1. Prado

2. Thyssen

3. Picasso

Spanish museums aren’t the only ones offering virtual tours where you can learn about art, history, and science. There are literally hundreds more places to choose from.

famous works from French artists who worked and lived between 1848 and 1914. Enjoy the virtual tour and get a peek at artworks from Monet, Edgar Degas, and Gauguin, among others.

including: Ambrogio Lorenzetti’s masterpiece Madonna and Child dating from the first half of the 14th century.

Here is the Olive Press Top Ten: (In no particular order)

4. National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul: Google Arts & Culture makes it possible to visit one of Korea’s popular museums from anywhere around the world. Google’s virtual tour offers the best stories and featured content curated by experts from the museum and takes you through six floors of Contemporary art from Korea.

Madrid’s Museo del Prado opened to the public on November 19, 1819 as a Royal Museum of Painting and Sculpture.

The Prado has been described as a museum of painters not of paintings, given that some of its artists, such as Bosch, El Greco and Goya are represented with more than 100 works.

The Prado does a live show on Instagram, also visible on Facebook, every morning at 10:00 am. The live tour lasts one hour. museodelprado.es

GET COMFY: And virtually stroll through Malaga’s Picasso Museum

At the end of February, the Thyssen in Malaga opened one of its star exhibitions, dedicated to Rembrandt and his portrait art in Amsterdam. At the moment it cannot be visited in person, but it can be viewed digitally thanks to the magnificent virtual tour of all the rooms. You can view 80 paintings, never before seen in Europe, directly on your screen. museothyssen.org

1. British Museum, London: This iconic museum located in the heart of the city allows virtual visitors to tour the History of Time exhibition and discover the ancient Queen of Sheba and Egyptian mummies. Don’t miss out on the British Museum’s fantastic virtual tour.

2. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C: This distinguished American art museum features two online exhibits. The first ‘Fashioning a Nation’ is an exploration of American fashion from 1740 to 1895, including the portrayal of clothes from the colonial and Revolutionary eras. The second is a collection of works from Verme and the Masters of Genre Painting.

3. Musée d’Orsay, Paris: In the centre of Paris on the banks of the Seine, installed in the former Orsay railway station, you can find this iconic Parisian museum which houses dozens of

5. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam: This gem has the largest collection of artworks

by Vincent van Gogh, including over 200 paintings, 500 drawings, and over 750 personal letters. By virtually visiting this museum, you can easily appreciate the talent of this ingenious self-taught painter.

6. Museo Archeologico – Athens: The National Archaeological Museum is the largest museum in Greece and one of the most important in the world. With three types of exhibitions: ‘Temporary’, ‘Permanent’ and ‘Unseen’, the museum offers numerous online videos to follow and learn more about the Predynatic period, the Ancient Kingdom and the Middle Kingdom.

7. Pinacoteca di Brera – Milan: The palazzo was built on the remains of a 14th century monastery of the Umiliati order which was subsequently given to the Jesuits. In the early 17th century it was turned into the solidly austere building that can be seen today. Its online collection hosts 669 records

The Palacio de Buenavista houses the Collection of Museo Picasso Malaga. It is located in the heart of the old city, and the building is a magnificent example of 16th-century Andalucian architecture. The ground beneath the Museo Picasso Malaga preserves important evidence of the city’s roots in the past. Exceptional Roman and Moorish remains show visitors the fragments of the city’s history, dating back to the seventh century BC. museopicassomalaga.org

8. Musei Vaticani – Rome: ‘The Vatican, the Museum of Museums,’ not only houses the extensive collections of art, archaeology and ethno-anthropology gathered by the Popes over the centuries, but also contains some of the Apostolic Palace’s most extraordinary and artistically significant rooms. You can take a virtual tour through these richly detailed spaces.

9. The Musée du LouvreParis: The Louvre is one of Paris’ most visited attractions, hosting a collection of 35,000 priceless masterpieces and antiques. The museum was once a fortress, built in 1190. In the 16th century, it was turned from a fortress into a royal palace.

Visit the museum’s exhibition rooms and galleries, thanks to a virtual tour sponsored by Shiseido.

10. Galleria degli Uffizi – Florence: The Uffizi Gallery is a prominent art museum located adjacent to the Piazza della Signoria in the Historic Centre of Florence.

It’s one of the world’s top art museums - housing some of the most important works of the Renaissance, including works by Leonardo da Vinci as well as its outstanding collections of ancient sculptures and paintings (from the Middle Ages to the Modern period). Discover the masterpieces of its collections and history, travelling through captivating descriptions and HD pictures

Property

go S -to pa se pr in’s ct op io er n ty

www.theolivepress.es

March 2020

Self-isolating this month?

Our top Covid-19 Spanish hideaways include castles and country estates See page 14

Nice one, Ron! Harry Potter helps inspire cool Madrid studio with elevated bed A MADRID architect has used Ron Weasley’s fictional home as inspiration for her latest project.

Pia Mendaro was given the brief by her friend and artist Clara Cebrian, who said she wanted her 10m2 studio to resemble the home of the much-loved Harry Potter character.

“Clara is an artist and does not like overly designed things,” she told Designboom.

“She wanted something like Ron Weasley’s house; something that could adapt to the needs that appear over time.”

The highlight of the makeover is the elevated bed, which Mendaro designed with Manuel Ocana and is capable of holding up to five people while giving the studio much

Mortgage freeze SPAIN’S government has announced plans to freeze mortgage payments for families affected by the coronavirus crisis.

The measures, part of a €200 billion package approved this week, will force banks to put a moratorium on mortgage payments from workers who have lost income, or are out of work, during the 15day state of alarm.

The moratorium applies to the principal residence of affected workers, and includes the self-employed (‘autonomos’) suffering a lack of income caused by the outbreak.

Details emerged this week after a never-before-seen virtual Council of Ministers meeting led by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in the bunker of La Moncloa palace.

The royal decree, the second of Spain’s coronavirus crisis, also includes a ban on cutting basic supplies (water, electricity and gas) to vulnerable people. The Council of Ministers has debated whether to extend the moratorium on rents – but currently there is no agreement, claimed El Pais. Ministers will also help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by deferring or reducing their tax

more floorspace.

It also connected to a long balcony on the roof of the property.

Meanwhile, the terracotta bathroom, hidden behind a wall, gives a splash of colour.

Homeowners given a break amid coronavirus crisis but tenants left wanting

contributions for six months, without interest.

In addition, €400 million will be set aside for companies and the self-employed in the tourism, transport and hospitality sectors.

The State will pay unemployment benefits to all people who are left without work, even if they do not meet the requirements for it.

Companies will be obliged to make workers work from home, where technically possible. In business where it is not possible to work remotely, the government will encourage reductions in hours and flexibility.

PROPERTY

12

March 19 - April 1 2020

Mark Stucklin

www.spanishpropertyinsight.com

Hammer blow

THE coronavirus situation in Spain has become ex- Spain’s property market in 2020 tremely serious with one of the fastest rising conta- is looking like a ‘total writegion rates in the world, prompting the Government off’ due to the coronavirus to decree a countrywide lockdown lasting 15 days.

This is the beginning of a major shock that I expect pandemic, writes Mark Stucklin will paralyse the housing market, in particular the second home market, for at least the next three don sanitaire. months.

All tourism and leisure businesses will cloAccording to an article in the New se. I doubt this will be over in 15 days. This York Times this weekend, Spain has is going to hammer the Spanish economy, Shock to the become the latest epicentre of cowhich relies heavily on tourism and servironavirus after a faltering response. market will ces.

Personally, I think the USA is going I worry the politics will get even uglier. probably create to be the biggest problem before is all terrible news for the Spanish houan opportunity This long, and that should worry us all. sing market, especially the second-home A particular blunder by the Spanish for buyers market, which relies so heavily on tourism. government was allowing massive I expect sales activity will be paralysed for rallies like the International Women’s three months at least, possibly longer. It Day rally in Madrid on March 8, at a time when colooks like 2020 could be a write-off. ronavirus was raging in Italy, and there were already 589 confirmed cases in Spain. Partly as a result, This coronavirus shock to the market will probably create an opportunity for buyers when the dust secontagions in Madrid exploded.

Just over a week ago, the left wing coalition part- ttles, but it’s obviously bad news for sellers. ners of the Spanish government were bickering Anyone not in a hurry to sell should consider taking over who was more feminist, and posturing as lea- their property off the market until buyers and confidence come back. Any buyers in the market today ders of the fight against the patriarchy.

These are the kind of people who think that ‘ecofe- will be bottom-fishers. minism’ is the answer to the world’s problems. Let’s Finally, I’ve seen some scenes of people panic busee how they learn from contact with reality, if at all. ying loo roll and other basic items in the UK, but So the government has declared a ‘State of Alarm’ in my local supermarket in Barcelona, though very (or State of Alert, depending on translation) lasting busy all day Friday, there was no sense of panic, 15 days, with people expected to stay at home and and the staff did a heroic job of keeping all the shelself-isolate as the whole country gets put in a cor- ves stocked.

Life in a box THEY are 1.2 metres in height by 2.5 metres in length and, believe it or not, they are ‘living accommodation’.

When finished, they will rent out for €215 a month… and they also come with rules - no smoking and no sex between residents (as if there was room)!

No wonder these ‘hive floors’, as they’re being called, are causing such a buzz of controversy in Madrid.

Developer Haibu 4.0 plans to build ten of these blocks in the city containing an incredible 579 rooms.

Relatively-speaking, they provide no more space for humans than hives for bees.

And Madrid city council claims it is trying to stop these new developments which are illegal in the capital because they ‘flout urban

planning regulations’.

A spokesman insisted that the ‘homes’ did not yet have the correct permits.

Dubbed ‘coffin homes’ in Hong Kong, they’re stacked on top of each other next to the common spaces available to all the residents.

This has stopped plans to present them publicly next month, according to company sources.

Haibu 4.0 points out that it takes just 15 days to build each housing development and has expressed its intention to build them on both private and public land.

In addition, only workers and students with work can rent, residents who have already lived in the city have priority and the age range is between 22 and 63.

Babies and children are welcome, as well as couples, who will sleep on different floors so as not to disturb the neighbours.

Guaranteed eviction aid SPAIN is set to bring in new measures to protect people from eviction.

The new government is to offer aid to anyone struggling with their mortgage or rent.

The announcement is part of a move to guarantee the right to decent housing, which was agreed by Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez in his pact with Podemos, his partners in government.

It comes after rents across Spain increased by more than 54% since 2014.

Even the UN has highlighted how Spain faces housing problems of ‘stunning proportions’, affecting those struggling without work or sufficient benefits.

The current moratorium on evictions was due to expire on May 15 but will now be prolonged by up to four years.

“The government is also going to stop some evictions for non-payment of rent in high-tension markets where there are vulture funds involved,” insisted leader of Podemos Pablo Iglesias.

A vulture fund is a hedge fund, private equity fund or distressed debt fund, that invests in debt considered to be very weak or in default.

The measures are expected to focus on cities such as Madrid and Barcelona.

13

March 19 - April 1 2020

Au natural Stunning new Ibiza home of the future is almost 100% self-sufficient This picturesque home is the picture of simplicity.

The work of local architect Maria Castello Martinez, Ca l’Amo is spread over 42,385m2 at the north end of San Mateo in Ibiza.

Its stone walls have been erected in an increasingly wild forest area filled with pine and juniper trees.

The house is separated into five distinct areas and has been designed to allow for natural ventilation during the hot summer months - helped by the use of stone, wood and marble materials and natural shading from the surrounding trees.

Meanwhile, all interior pavements, wetland coverings, pool and terraces are made of natural limestone.

The property also relies almost entirely on rainwater which it collects and stores in a cistern capable of holding more than 200 litres.

&

SOLD!

+34 965 270 636 info@coastandcountry.properties www.coastandcountry.properties

When it comes to selling your property, choose people who care. List your property with us...

14

March 5th - March 18th 2020

PROPERTY

These mansions, castles and country estates provide the perfect hideout from the coronavirus epidemic, writes Laurence Dollimore

Asturias Castle, 14 million euros Where better to self-isolate than in a fortified castle?

This 15-bedroom, 14-bathroom estate was the mastermind of King Alfonso III who built it on a previous settlement in a bid to protect the coast and estuary from Norman invasion.

The property spreads over 43,485 m2 and is enclosed by a high crenelated wall.

On the highest part of the land sits a quadrangular tower of 119.57 m2 while the new construction of 1,227 m2 with a featured balcony sits adjacent to the tower wall.

The Italian-style gardens feature fruit trees and shrubs and species which have been growing there for over a century.

Escape to Hunting Estate, Madrid, (Price on request)

WE TRANSPORT: YACHTS, CARS, MOTORBIKES, POWER BOATS, WORK BOATS, BARGES, MOTORHOMES, STATIC CARAVANS, MOBILE HOMES, TOURERS, AND ALL TYPES OF GENERAL HAULAGE. SPECIAL TYPE VEHICLES FOR WIDE, HIGH, LONG LOADS.

* Goods are accepted for carriage under HHA conditions of carriage. A copy is available free on request. All International work is carried under CMR conditions of carriage.

FOR A FREE QUOTE CALL: +44 1522 702 443

This sweeping estate could get you through the apocalypse, nevermind the pesky coronavirus.

With 15 bedrooms and 15 bathrooms, your family and friends will be more than comfortable.

Set among sloping hills and valleys, its 10 artificial ponds collect enough rain water to provide a fresh supply throughout the year.

Meanwhile, the hunting grounds include mouflon, wild boar and roe deer and the surrounding lands are extensive enough to keep livestock.

The estate is located to the west of Madrid and 74 km from Avila and 67 km from Toledo, allowing easy access to visit any of these cities in a day.

Its vast forests also feature centuries’ old Holm oaks and meadows nestled between the Sierra de San Vicente and Sierra de la Higuera.

15

March 5th - March 18th 2020

the country Mallorca estate, 17.5 million euro This 15th century property in the hills of Calvia provides the ultimate escape from civilisation while being just 30 minutes from Palma Airport.

The main house is complimented by a guest house, providing 15 bedrooms in total.

But it’s the extra features that make this property special, with the old oil

press now a home cinema.

There is also a swimming pool, library, wine cellar, abundant olive groves, water well, fruit and vegetable garden, tennis court, several garages and more.

And of course the ever essential living quarters for the staff.

Segovia Castle, 15 million euros This 20-bedroom castle will transport you back to the medieval era while allowing you to live off the grid.

Declared a National Heritage site, the Gothic-Mudejar estate also features Arab and neoclassical details, with historians believe it could date back to the eighth century.

No relics from that era remain but its arches (left) do date back to the 1100s, while it was home to the King of Aragon in the 14th century. The large estate, sprawling over 780,000 acres, also features a traditional mill, campsite, crypt and several warehouses.

16

March 19th - April 1st Check out our issues online at www.theolivepress.es

A threat in my own town

Mallorca Issue 75 G IN AT BR LE CE TWO SPANISH HEROINES: One who escaped Franco to another whose infamous name has been adopted by a train station

OLIVE PRESS Crippling The

MALLORCA

Your expat

voice in Spain

UK PRIME Minister Boris Johnson is set to grill Spain over the tragic, in ‘preventable’ death of a teenager

Mallorca.

He will demand answers over how to Tom Channon, 18, was able to fall his death in Magaluf.

The Welsh lad, who had just comat pleted his A-levels, fell seven floors the Eden Roc complex in July 2018.

Disgracefully the only barrier keeping people safe was a knee-high wall, and another British holidaymaker had fallen to his death in the same spot just weeks before.

At an inquest last year, UK coroner ruled the teenager’s death could havea been easily prevented by putting up fence. But, despite now finally putting a fence up, the authorities in Spain have been slow to come forward with damages for Channon’s family. demanding also are His parents prosecution for gross negligence manslaughter and are taking civil proceedings.

By Isha Sesay

by THE tourism sector has been crippled Mallorca the spread of the coronavirus in for the with ministers fearing the worst economy. to deA series of hotel chains have decided confirmed lay opening at Easter, as the sixth island. case of COVID-19 emerged on the bookings It comes after a significant drop in and a number of flight cancellations. Hotels Mallorca-based Barcelo and Be Live of the confirmed they’re feeling the effectsfor the epidemic and room reservations had fallen Holy Week and in the summer badly. who had Alarmingly, a number of tourists already booked villas for the summer have cancelled, the Olive Press can reveal. it had Expat-run Look Mallorca confirmed June alone seen FIVE bookings cancelled in over fears the health crisis will worsen. all five “All five were for luxury villas and scared have been cancelled by familiesholiday” about catching the virus while on revealed a spokesman. will be “We are deeply worried that there core busimore which will really affect our ness this year,” she added.

Preventable

After the family’s Welsh MP Alun Cairns stepped in to demand action in Parliament this week, Johnson waded in to help. “I’m sure the house will join with me in expressing our deepest sympathies with Tom’s family and friends,” he said during Prime he Minister’s Questions. He added would help to ‘seek justice for Tom’ in and would call in the foreign office the first instance. an MP Cairns added: “Tom died in accident that was totally preventable and avoidable.”

It was exactly five weeks after Tom his Hughes from Wrexham fell to death at the same site in similar cirYet cumstances. nothing had been done to make the area safe.

Bandits, Moors and goats... the perfect holiday escape?

Find out on page 18

expat

voice in Spain

Vol. 3 Issue 57 www.theolivepress.es June 21st - July 4th 2019

AN overwhelming majority of our readers are not offended by the term ‘expat’.

That’s the initial result of our online poll which asked ‘Do you find the use of the word 'expat' to describe British and foreign nationals living in Spain offensive?’

The vote came after a barrage of emails to the newsdesk complained of the Olive Press’ use of the word, requesting that it be switched out for ‘resident’ or ‘immigrant’.

However a snapshot of our readers’ opinions revealed that two thirds were not bothered by the term.

On our Facebook poll, there have so far been 881 votes.

Out of those, 656 said ‘no’, while 223 said ‘yes’.

The results were repeated on Twitter, of 80 votes said they did not find the term offensive.

16/06/2017 where15:36 68%

British teen’s death after plunging from Magaluf apartment wall ‘was preventable’ coroner says

celebrated finishing their Alevels.

The tragedy, in July 2018, saw the new graduate fall 15 metres, before being found dead in the courtyard at the Eden Roc com-

TYPICAL EXPATS: Brits and (top) Dutch

plex.

Channon’s death came around a month after Tom Hughes, 20, from Wrexham, also fell to his death at the apartment block.

An inquest in Pontypridd found that Channon may have been ‘intoxicated and fatigued’ after he returned from a night out and fell seven floors.

Coroner Graeme Hughes did however add: “I do not find Tom was ridiculously drunk or out of control.”

A post-mortem revealed the young lad was twice the legal drink-drive limit, after he had been watching Croatia beat England in the World Cup. The student of St David’s College in Cardiff was found to have died from blunt force injuries to the trunk,including pelvic fractures.

Hughes added: “It is absolutely tragic that simple steps of erecting the temporary fence were not instigated following Thomas Hughes’ death in June 2018.

“These simple steps would have, in all probability, prevented Thomas Channon from meeting his death on July 12 2018.

“For reasons unknown, he has travelled beyond the wall and

RIP: Channon died on holiday

fallen some distance. He has sustained catastrophic injuries.”

Channon’s mum Ceri said at the inquest she was glad that there had been ‘recognition’ that her son’s death could have been prevented.

The inquest heard that ‘steel bollards’ are now in place at the complex.

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A special four-page pullout

March 2020

www.theolivepress.es

N equal world is an enabled world.

This is the theme of International Women's Day 2020. On March 8 the spotlight turns to women throughout the world who are striving for gender parity in the workplace, in their businesses, in sports, in culture and arts, and in their communities.

The movement started in

Over a century after International Women’s Day first started, Karen Livermore asks, are things really any better in 2020?

1911, so now in a new century and a new decade are we making a difference?

At first glance, it’s easy to say yes. There’s something in the air that feels like real change. The #metoo and #timesup movements were a palpable moment where women were not only being heard, but their voices were powerful. They were calling out previously untouchable

media giants, companies, politicians and stars. Being male, rich and powerful was suddenly no longer a shield. Out of it has come a real effort to shift, not only

unpalatable men from their positions, but the views they represent, from public acceptance.

Things that matter to and affect women, are finally

Women on the frontline in Spain

N

Let’s raise a glass to celebrate International Women’s Day 2020 or, as we say in Spain, Día Internacional de la Mujer. Ten women in Spain from all walks of life share their views and inspirational stories

features inside

See series of special Womens Day

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OLIVE PRESS

Manilva, A and From Sabinilla Duquesa s stunning Manilva to lively Duquesa, WORLDS check out COLLIDE our free supplement T inside ll about

Vol. 13

Issue 338

www.theolivepress.es

The Rock’s ONLY free local paper

HISTORY:

The Castillo

de la Duquesa

takes pride

of place,

keeping

watch over

the unspoilt

Mediterranean

coves and

beaches

that stretch

all the way

March 2020

from Sabinillas

to Cadiz

province

Breathtaking Parfitt finds coastline meets expats in bags of Spanish inland adventure.

Manilva, Sabinillas tradition and plenty Joshua and Duquesa of

UCKED Irish Pubdown a side local pub. was always street in Sabinillas, a cosy, However welcoming, McGuinness’ further its stellar FUN IN if unassuming EU. THE SUN: reputation sode of afield, until it For local It is no families And its Channel 4’s Awas launched was relatively surprise into patrons, and McGuinness New Life unknown age of Brits as Manilva get-up-and-go expat in The TV stardom in on the padron officially patrons an epi- Brits in the 12,000-strong Just around spirit of couple Micheal Sun. Micheal in Spain. has the highest And it isn’t and Danielle, the cornerSabinillas, Duquesa and Danielle Duquesa There are percent- from all walks just those municipality. typify the make up 42% is Kinsale in Sabinillas some 4,000 washed port, where and Manilva. up of from restaurant you can Shelton, of Likea newspaper life and occupations BRUNOSof Manilva’s Blighty. Other This localdown with a Guinness. order a population, Manilva’s here!) they settled on the Manilva local, fantastic in the heart favourite (Ed: Some too, as and one first health all have something according expats help the Roman homemade of Most Costa del Sol. recently ITV News have even of the only in these baths around to Dean tourist, pie Duquesa, descended had its moment in common.set parts inhabit Tyler here for Julius British for Brexit politicians fed by thea temperate life 60BC, it seemsCaesar, who either night as in the spotlight San Luis which sits at visited Walking fruits of the beneath the that de Sabinillas the end the coral-white the UK sea. jaw-droppingpeople come left the itself.

Jackson, around the yacht-dotted or up on of the mile-long marina of Though mountains, a 74-year-old the hilltop beachfront La lows, the Brits lookout of ish watching them Scotsman, marina I meet and the of Manilva baguette.

180-odd eat crumbs counting expat “It’s a really other nationalities from his the fish in the John well maintained pan flauta, shalcome former business or Spanconsultant port, friendly told the and Olive Press, safe too,” which is the also MÁLAGA Continues

Vol. 5, Issue 117 www.theolivepress.es March 4th - March 17th, 2020

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‘Trust women’

By John Culatto

‘WE need to trust women’ was the message from the wife of Chief Minister as she gave an the impassioned speech at Casemates Square.

Justine Picardo (above), herself a lawyer, was one of a number of top speakers who spoke in favour of a Yes vote at the March 19 referendum.

The marchers walked from the Piazza to Casemates Square brandishing banners and chanting, ‘Home, safe, legal’.

“We have the opportunity to vote for something meaningful that will improve the lives of women to come,” said Picardo.

“Being pro-choice doesn’t mean we are pro-abortion or anti-life.

“It is not something we ever wish to have to choose but it can be a necessity for a number of women who find themselves in unfortunate choices.”

“This referendum is about whether we should trust a woman about when to have a baby to choose for herself what to do with her body and her life.”

Extreme

She told the crowds of when she had a miscarriage which could have needed an abortion so as ‘not to risk death’ for herself.

Picardo scoped that even in scenarios of rape or casual the sex the Pro-life group would suggest these babies were given for adoption.

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TRAVELLERS from coronavirus risk areas will have a ‘legal duty’ to report to the Gibraltar authorities.

A raft of new measures have been brought in to tackle COVID-19 in Gibraltar where the threat level is still ‘low’.

A number of possible arrivals from the Far East have been put into self-isolation for 14 days but no case has been reported to date.

The government has revealed it is checking people coming to the

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Simulations and battleplans being drawn up to prepare for coronavirus on the Rock

SPOTTED: Medical staff in hazmat ment.

“They will be contacted by a Public Health professional who will advise on the best way to protect themselves and others.”

“The anti-choice group does not lawyer. realise the mental and psycholog“Women would be accused ical trauma of carrying a baby of nine months only to give it up for claiming false cases of rape in orfor der to have an abortion. adoption,” she said.

“How can we as a society believe “No-one has been able to produce a law only for rape and incest, that it is acceptable to force bepregnancy on women against theira cause they know no such law is possible.” will?

“We need to be able to trust women.”

Compassion She said that passing a law just for Picardo concluded that the March incest or rape was a non-starter.

19 referendum was an opportuni“Such a law would take us to ty that the other extreme,” continued the modernise people should take to the the law.

“Gibraltar now needs to step into the 21st Century,” she continued.

“We need to have a choice law, not because we are pro-abortion but because we are pro-women.

“We want our sisters, daughters and grand-

952 147 834 TheOlivePress-256x170-HOME02.indd

| Puerto

Rock after having been in the hardest hit countries, mainly in the Far East and northern Italy or Iran.

In February, the Government set up the Coronavirus Co-ordinating Group to ramp up its response to the global crisis with the Gibraltar Health Authority.

“These active measures include the publication of regulations imposing a legal duty for travellers arriving in Gibraltar within two weeks of travel to an at-risk country to report to authorities on arrival,” said the Gibraltar Govern-

Both sides Page 5

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Proud

“All travellers returning from an at-risk country within two weeks of arriving back in Gibraltar have a legal duty to report.”

For his part, Paul Balban, Minister for Health and Care, said: “I am extremely proud of the GHA for their work in preparedness and planning, and I am happy with the progress to date.

“It is up to all of us to do everything that we can to protect ourselves and others by keeping our hands clean and fulfilling our duty to report any travel to at-risk areas.”

Opinion Page 6

Andalucia Issue 339 See page 24

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c u s t o m e r s

1

suits have been seen assisting members of the public in Gib A couple of simulations have al- staff are thoroughly prepared ready been held to practice for the the procedure is streamlined, and discovery of a coronavirus case and on ready in case it is ever needed,” the Rock. said the GHA. “Repeat practices ensure that all “The global spread of COVID-19 is being constantly monitored and is under continuous review.

“The risk to Gibraltar currently remains low.”

Minister for Public Health John Cortes said everything was being done to protect the public.

“In the meantime, it is always good practice to keep good hand hygiene and use tissues to catch coughs and sneezes, and throw them away as soon as possible,” he added.

“Anyone travelling outside of Gibraltar is asked to pay close attention to the changing situation worldwide, and contact Gibraltar authorities as soon as possible if they are in an at-risk area.

daughters to have access to safe medical treatment to have safe medical treatment under any circumstances.

“Voting no is telling society that we are not to be trusted by having free will over our own bodies and do what is right for ourselves.

“I don’t understand how any women has any right to vote against this law or how any man has any right to vote no. Vote yes because you have empathy,because you are compassionate, because you can sense her fear, because you can walk in her shoes.”

Together Gibraltar said she was concerned that the ‘social bonds’ could stop people from voting in the referendum.

“The referendum is here and we need to vote,” said Marlene Hassan Nahon.

“We need to make people understand what is at stake here.

“We need to trust women, get out and vote for Yes.”

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The Mijas Costa FREE

Your expat

voice in Spain

Vol. 13 Issue 339 www.theolivepress.es March 18 - March 31, 2020

Olive Press online YOUR ONLINE PORTAL TO TRUST It has been the fastest moving story in our 14 years of publishing... and we have hardly stopped to draw breath.

Over a MILLION people have visited our site over the last few days thanks to our coverage of the coronavirus online with hourly updates throughout the weekend.

7,960

SIMPLE MESSAGE: Sunbed orders to tourists in Benidorm expats on the Costa del Sol taking to stay indoors and (right) British precautions

The civil war

Expats join 99% of Spaniards in huge (and good humoured) battle to beat spread of covid-19 virus

EMPTY streets, trucks of soldiers and border closures.

This past week has left Spain like the set of a post-apocalypticlooking thriller.

With the country’s coronavirus nearing 12,000 as of Tuesday, cases it is at least comforting to know decisive action is being taken by the government.

Amid the lockdown, acts of heart-warming humanity have also shone through, with residents coming out on their balconies and erupting in applause to show appreciation for doctors working around the clock to battle the virus.

Others meanwhile prepared food for the most vulnerable, while residents in Cordoba donatedChinese sands of masks and medicines. thouElsewhere, people walking fake dogs, a man taking out the rubbish nosaur costume and Pornhubin a diits paywall have provided some lifting much needed comic relief.

Meanwhile, a raft of famous faces joined an urgent appeal for residents to stay at home - including Malaga Antonio Banderas and Flamenco icon star Sara Baras.

And the appeal seems to have helped as streets nationwide have stayed with around 99% of non-urgentempty neys and outings were curtailed. jourThe massive clampdown on free movement, not seen since the Spanish Civ-

il War, is already thought to be helping in the vital effort to stop the rapid infection rate of the COVID-19 virus.

With all restaurants, cinemas, and most other businesses shut, shops is - to be fair - almost nowhere there for locals to go.

While the Olive Press pictured three women sitting on a bench smoking Marbella and two runners jogging in together near Estepona, the vast majority of streets were empty.

At 6pm on Monday evening there nobody on Sabinillas’ normally was beach, nor more than a handful busy on the main N-340 motorway. of cars A garage attendant in Casares told the Olive Press it was quiet on Monday, but ‘even quieter’ yesterday.

“We have had so few people coming today. It is quite a surprise. People in ally are staying at home,” he said. reHe added that the majority of clients were buying gas bottles or loaves of bread.

This message of public responsibility was driven home by police in Benidorm, who spelt out the words ‘stay at home’ on a beach using sunbeds.

Crisis special, p2-7

women is still alarming. Last year was a dark 12 months in Spain with 55 women killed either by partners or ex partners. The highest figure since 2015. It's not the only country where these figures are rising. However, in a disturbing move the Vox party is lobbying for cuts in funding to combat genContinues overleaf

that we needed to change the work culture and in doing so society if we wanted to see advances in the field of equality.

“Since then these ideas have been reflected in the equal opportunity policies that we first pushed for in Banesto, then in Santander in the UK and more recently in the Santander group as a whole,” she continued. “In that speech I emphasised the beot only was Ana Botín made an honorary nefits of diversity in the company. And with data dame by Queen Elizabeth II for services to the from different studies, I explained that having Financial sector in 2015, she was also awarded more women in managerial positions, apart from the first Award for Responsible Capitalism after being fair, was good for business. Besides talent, taking the helm the year before. women bring skills to business that complement Ana, 59, is also a pioneer. The first woman to run those of men – better interpersonal communicaa major European bank, she’s been ranked eigth tion, cooperation, horizontal thinking and a capaon the Forbes’ list of World’s Most Powerful Wo- city to really listen as well as more empathy and men. Within her corporation, this financial whizz the ability to prioritise.” has made a point of boosting female direction, ai- Botín has also introduced a life-work balance ming for 30% of its CEOs to be women by 2025 scheme because, ‘one of the keys to equal oppor(they currently account for 20%). Beyond 2025, tunities lies in domestic work.’ the aim is technical equality, which means a 60%- She said: “For men to increase their share of this 40% ratio, irrespective of gender. responsibility, we need public policies that allow In an article she published on her LinkedIn page for greater flexibility in the workplace.” in response to a debate over her feminist creden- Ana is adamant there will be no discrepancy in tials, she wrote, “I have spent years as an execu- salaries between male and female staff members tive; years in which I have seen enough to know taking on equal responsibility in a banking instituthat in general women don’t get a fair deal… In a tion that is ranked 16th in the world. speech delivered to a room full of men in Bilbao Forbes magazine also notes that Botín has a poin 2008, I talked about the importance of women licy of ‘backing small companies and companies acting with more confidence in ourselves and owned by women’.

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getting heard, and action is being taken. But there is still so far to go. We may be celebrating the downfall of Harvey Weinstein, and the shaming of Placido Domingo over his admission of sexually harassed women, but in Saudi Arabia women are still high fiving their right to own a passport without the consent of a male guardian.

Gender violence against

We needed to change the work culture

Ana Botín, President of the Santander banking group

Gibraltar Issue 117

The

Avenida Rey more Jaime on 1, Santa Find out pagePonca XX 0034 871 510 277

PLUS: The opinions of eight leading ladies in Spain to WE CAN DO ANYTHING! celebrate A International Women’s Day

It is, of globally course, a horrorshow for all of us with businesses in tourism, retail or catering.

But we are all in the same boat and now you are all stuck at home, trying to stay healthy, we are working even harder to ensure we keep you up to date on the latest news from around the country.

# 177 # 245

News on the spread of the virus, what you can and cannot do, and plenty of ideas on how to get by at home.

Remember with the Olive Press online you are not alone. It is not for nothing we are now in the world’s top 10,000 most visited websites (see above) and in the top 250 in the UK and Spain. Our team of over a dozen writers are out and about making sure you are abreast of everything you need to know... visit:

www.theolivepress.es ...OH, AND 24 hours a day, 365 days a year!

Dear Olive Press, It took me roughly three months after my move from the Philippines until I slowly became more comfortable in Estepona. But why am I being seen as a threat? Ever since the Covid-19 epidemic began I have been called ‘coronavirus’ on the streets, not once but twice in one week. The first time, I was LEAVERS: Trio myself by shouting, ‘te entiendo!’, able to defend of to Brits in Spain of boys who pretended to cough and the group uttered ‘coronavirus’ under their breath. But by the second time, I felt helpless and frustrated as though I wouldn’t be able to survive Estepona any longer.

It was a normal Thursday night. I usually take the same route going home but this night I wanted to entire jourhistoric centre. Thepolitical discover more of theEU, a there were lly, asand essentia the Rose one does, as my phone, I was onsees ney Moore 7). The Issue 325, proud, hip (Leave saying dictators started who pg lit street poorly on a and three men states, sovereign 28 are There . opposite the mood in the is wasn’t I reality and corre!’ corre! irus, ‘coronav to become ly chose voluntari ng that I which pretendi thesoUK, at them, including stared I just to argue would g asthe UK thatmost upsettin Dunne d. Steve them. The nd believes associate understa could not to not going — regardNotn so. a Chinese for I’m mistake on WTO beingterms. better fairpect is not unjustly s to be and quoting chapter page bydeserve lettersnobody yourrace, of their lessdown weigh violence the in act of into Steveanlooks nd that cing but it is experien profiled but —I recomme verse, protect to means the Trump having That without knows. he place that public a industry any of specifics not mean I that does Asian UK should I amdeal Yes, an EU-free withbut a trade trying to .get is yourself your local in deals people do the neither virus, trade Trump’s to know: want all you you the tellhave during school a high work in As IFinally, store. for the Chino speaks Mahler Brent labels.

US-first have like themes discuss nityof to opportu the have I day, force armed EU an wary citizens UK of a number educate toideas I try while and students the with this are these , However and an ever closer union. school theam outside is a real racismpeople that them by policy. I aware not EU are andthing, specific floated of who yearsnot more people are many there of pro- this insidious 40-plus worried at the more a key role on how ignorance plays this issue and the h, c, by the EEC/EUtes. paganda of epidemi timesTelegrap In Mail, thinking prolifera way of against didbeen What They Sun. course, of and, Times Express, have should humanit for sion compas when so an- nt of why he asked he was say when judgeme Murdoch thewas clouds racism priority, the utmost into go I “When of: lines the along g it seems it, Somethin about ti-EU? denial in are everyone. Even if we EU.” The to the I goan whenthan c. what I say: epidemi they dospreads 10 racism No. faster that implication is that he had to ask for an appointment!

Get educated

Danielle Arcegono, Estepona

Pandemic proportions

Readers react to coronavirus, which has killed dozens in Spain and leaves tourism economy on brink

Total lack of care

I took a friend to the Virgen Del Rocio Hospital in Sevilla for a scheduled appointment. As the coronavirus outbreak is running riot in Spain, I expected to see hand sanitizer at the hospital entrance. There was none. On entering the hospital, there was none at the Reception desk either (this was not even staffed). When my appointee and I went two floors down to the waiting area for his appointment, there was no visible signs of hand washing or hand cleansing items. Do the Spanish medical authorities not care for the safety of their patients? I don’t think so. This could be worth following up in other Spanish Hospitals.

Alan J McGarva, Sevilla

Keep it up

I simply want to thank you for your excellent publication and especially for the vital work you are doing to keep us informed at this difficult time. Thank you.

John Oxborough-Russell, Murcia

Top job

My Acupuncturist sent me your video on the mandatory lockdown in Spain! I found it very helpful and wanted to thank you! I’m from California, visiting my mom here in Nueva Andalucia and all this is extremely confusing!

I really appreciate your detailed information, which is very easy to follow! Stay safe and again, thank you!

Sabrina Lafargue, Nueva Andalucia

Has anything piqued your interest in this week’s Olive Press? Have your say on the matter by emailing letters@ theolivepress.es or message us on at www.facebook.com/OlivePressNewspaper or Twitter @olivepress

Keep up the good work Dear Laurence Dollimore, I refer to your two excellent articles – Issues 337 (Victory! pg 1) and 338 (Rothschild reckoning, pg 4) – promoting the outcome of Barry and Marion Joyce’s successful legal action against Rothschild’s Equity Release scam. Very well done. I would be interested to know if there are similar successes against Llandsbanki, the other violator of equity release on the Costa del Sol. Keep up the good work at the Olive Press.

Castillo de la Duquesa

Gone through hell If anyone can help us please now come forward (Speak up! Issue 338, pg 2). We have gone through hell for over four years, worked tirelessly and continue to do so in hope that one day we can find Lisa and lay her to rest. She deserves a final resting place, her son deserves to know where his mummy is and we can finally have some closure, knowing the promise we made to our mum that we would continue to carry on.

Helen Jordan, Dumbarton

Fenced in I very much appreciate your arguments against the blocking of hiking paths (Trailblazers, Issue 339, pgs 6-7). I had often been affected by new fences too. I have stored all my hiking tours in Andalucia on wikiloc.com, where you may watch them and download the GPS trail by searching for ‘Wandalus’. A detailed description of the tours is given on http://www.andalusien360.de Wolfgang Zoellner, Torrox

Find out more on Page 7

Tel: 952 147 834

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OP QUICK Crossword Across 7 Ceded (7) 9 Wear away (5) 10 Creatures (7) 11 Scowl (5) 12 Remove dirt with a broom (5) 14 Cosmetic brand (7) 16 Permanently inactive (7) 18 Aegean island known for its sweet wine (5) 20 Gaiety (5) 22 --- Ffestiniog (7) 24 Form of address for a woman (5) 25 Late (7)

Down 1 Road around an obstruction (6) 2 Dregs (8) 3 Notion (4) 4 Acts (8) 5 Game played on horseback (4) 6 Minute (6) 8 Miller’s nickname (5) 13 Wide view of an extensive area (8)

OP Sudoku

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under threat DESERTED: Mallorca restaurants are canIt is hoped that no further events celled at the centre. huge impact Globally, the virus is set to have a Air Transon tourism, with the International of €26 bilport association estimating losses lion in 2020.

GlobalTravel analyst Ralph Hollister from having the Data, said: “If the virus is still cancellasame impact by the end of April, rapid rate as tions could start to increase at a health to be consumers deem the risk to their holiday.” a for need greater than their Commission Director of the European Travel impact on Eduardo Santander added: “The - we’re European tourism will be massive talking about big losses.”

Opinion Page 6

AssociaThe President of the Palma Hotel on the tion, Javier Vich, believes the impact is set to economy is unquestionable and busiworsen. “This situation directly affects he said. nesses in the whole of Mallorca,” FederaThe Mallorca Hotel Business be tion (FEHM) added that there wouldwith a knock-on effect on employment now the majority of temporary contracts postponed to start from April to the summer.

“We depend on tourism to exist and are being harmed by this epidemic on which will have a direct impact hiring workers,” said Maria Jose Aguilo. conferences and events of A number have already been cancelled, including the XV Congress of the Spanwas ish Society of Glaucoma, which Palacio scheduled to take place at the de Congresos this week.

More than 400 ophthalmologists from across the world were schedis uled to attend and its suspension said to have taken organisers completely by surprise. of It was ordered by the Ministrythey Health, with officials claiming wanted to avoid having a large number of medical personnel in one place at one time.

SIMPLE STEPS

THE death of a British teen who plunged from a Mallorca apartment wall ‘could have been prevented’, a coroner has said.

Holidaymaker Thomas Channon, 18, died from ‘catastrophic injuries’, the third fatality at the Magaluf resort in the same year.

The teen, from Rhoose, in the Vale of Glamorgan, fell over a knee-high wall during a holiday to Mallorca with pals, as they

Proud to be expats

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Mallorca’s tourist season at risk from spread of coronavirus as major events cancel and tourists scrap summer holidays

Impact

Your

FREE

ERASED: Controversial art

No more mural

A MURAL protesting tourism has been painted over with controversy in Soller.

In 2016, artist Soma painted the mural titled 'tourism engulfing Mallorca' – a large snake representing tourism, eating Mallorca and pooing out the trash that's left behind.

The mural has stood for the last three years, but just four days after the Popular Party took over the Soller government it was painted over with white.

The local PP, now headed by Carlos Simarro, has said that 'there is no special motive' for erasing the mural.

The town plans to paint a map of Soller on the wall instead.

Opinion Page 6

March 6th - March 19th, 2020 Vol. 3 Issue 75 www.theolivepress.es

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LETTERS

15 Fruit drink (8) 16 Bivouac (6) 17 Forbidden (5) 19 Shallow dish (6) 21 Whirlpool (4) 23 Peak (4)

All solutions are on page 22

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

17

March 19th - April 1st

By Joshua Parfitt

THE best torrezno in Spain has been revealed.

Last year Spaniards ate 13.5 million torreznos de Soria – a deep fried strip of bacon – similar to a pork crackling.

The snack, usually served as a side, has had a resurgence in recent years, with more and more chefs competing in the annual ‘best torrezno’ contest.

This year’s golden boy, chosen through a blind taste test, was Fernando Arranz, from Bar Restaurante Piscis in Soria, Castilla y Leon.

A torrenzo veteran of 45 years, Arranz scored 10 out of 10, for his recipe’s ‘golden crust, crunchy texture and perfect flavour’, which was inspired by his grandmother.

Guardia Civil trick to fashion homemade masks costing less than 5 cents each

ward off the coronavirus.

The cops insisted their homemade alternatives can do ‘a great job’ as mask stocks run dry around Spain.

The mask can be made using various brands of paper coffee filter – which cost just

BEAN THERE: Reporter Joshua demonstrates the grindingly good method online

€2.29 per 100 in supermarkets – and fastening them with elastic bands.

Bands with a barbed end can be inserted into two holes perforated at two opposite sides of the filter.

Elastic bands can also be stapled onto both sides and pulled back around the ears.

It comes as volunteers and residents visiting the sick or elderly have been advised to wash their hands and wear protective masks.

However, many are intended for single use, or can become moist.

Olive Press medical correspondent Jeremy Kenton said: “Remember that if a protective mask becomes moist you actually are at risk.

“You only need a mask if you are in close contact with people, or fear you may be infected.

“Washing your hands and avoiding touching your face may still be more effective than using a mask to prevent infection.”

Watch the video online: www.youtube.com/c/olivepressnews.

Sponsored posts on our website with to your site and with an average of links 50,000 visitors per day ur s to Yo ory d 00 er st ote 0,0 low 2 l om ly fo pr ar ok ne bo ce Fa

Pork of the town

POLICE in Valencia have shown Olive Press readers how to make a cheap alternative to protective masks.

In an exclusive video, Guardia Civil agents in Gandia, explained that coffee filters are as good as FFP2 masks to

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The Olive Press gives you more! contact sales@theolivepress.es or 951 27 35 75 for more information

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

18

March 19th - April 1st

Cristina Hodgson dives into the dark cellars of Andalucia’s oldest bodega where eight generations (right) have cultivated the prestigious wines of DO Montilla-Moriles which have even scooped 100 points from Parker

A vintage business S

IMMERING in the sierras of southern Córdoba, the white town of Montilla presides over the hottest and driest wine regions in Spain.

In summer the sun seems hot enough to shrivel the fruit on the vine. Yet the alchemy of the harsh climate and local soil combines to

produce perfect growing conditions for white Pedro Ximenez grapes which account for 95% of production here. So perfect that acclaimed American wine critic Robert Parker gave one of its wines his top score of 100.

That wine was a PX 2011 from Bodegas Alvear. Parker described it as ‘the most

amazing Pedro Ximenez I’ve ever tasted’.

History, tradition and innovation rule at this family winery now in the hands of the eighth generation.

Founded in 1729, it is the oldest in Andalucia and the second oldest in Spain.

A stroll through its cool, musty cellars gives fascinating insight into a world

of viticulture where ancient the education of workers’ tradition meets modern children. techniques.

Fernando Gimenez Alvear, Wine, and olive oil too, are the current Executive PresMontilla’s life blood, along ident, is continuing a tradiwith the tourists who come tion started by his ancestor to buy them and explore the Diego Alvear Escalera, a Ritown’s palaces, churches, ojan who came to Montilla hermitages, convents and to buy vineyards and set up castles. Most the winery. were built But it was between the Fernando’s Alvear studied 16th and 17th great grandengineering centuries, givfather who ing a glimpse replanted the but always of how things estates with were almost Pedro Ximenes knew his true 300 years ago grapes after vocation when this exthe phylloxeceptional winra plague that ery was born. devastated Throughout its long histo- Spain at the end of the ry, ownership has passed 19th century. down from parent to child, Now there are 500 acres each successive generation producing PX wines, the bringing their own ideas to jewels in the Alvear crown. the business as it strives to Fernando studied naval enkeep pace with new tech- gineering according to faminology while preserving its ly tradition but always knew long heritage. Most of the his vocation was winemakwinery’s 40 staff also fol- ing and he returned to the lowed their own fathers into winery over 30 years ago. the business, some starting When asked what makes Alas young as 14 in the days vear wine stand out, his forwhen the winery paid for mal demeanor gives way to

a broad smile and his eyes shine with pride.

“The Pedro Ximenez grape is the true gem behind the Alvear wines,” he tells me.

“The same grape variety becomes the sole basis of all our wines, from dry fino to fragrant amontillado and of course our acclaimed sweet Pedro Ximenez.”

But how can the same grape produce such different wines. “It’s all in the aging process” he says, pushing open a centuries-old oak door, and we step out of the glaring sunlight into the dark dank cellars.

The wines - or what Brits know better as sherry are subject to the miracle known as ‘ageing under a ‘velo de flor’, Fernando explains, ‘a natural biological process where a cream coloured cap of yeast develops on the top of the wine’.

Rows and rows of wine casks line the dusty floor, kept damp in the summer by water sprays to maintain optimum temperature. Fernando’s words echo softly around the quiet cellar as

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

19

March 19th - April 1st

Alvear’s Top Three best selling wines

PRESIDENTS PICK: Fernando is a fan of PX and (above) old machinery

he continues to explain the via the distinctive aromas complex process. “Wine left by oak and time. casks or butts are filled to For the famed dessert wine about five sixths leaving Pedro Ximenez - my favouenough free space at the rite - the process is differtop for the flor to develop. ent again. This smooth, The action of the yeast sweet chocolate-coloured gives an extraordinary aro- wine is made by exposing ma and flavour to the wine.” the grapes to the sun once He shows me a cask in the harvested. The grapes are centre of the cellar which spread over plaited esparhas been especially de- to grass mats towards the signed with a glass side to end of August and are slowreveal this ally sun dried chemy. until they turn This initial ageinto raisins. A Ximenez wines dense must is ing process gives birth to then obtained have a place Alvear’s Fino from the in kitchens of crushed fruit C.B., Alvear’s signature wine. every michelin- to produce an Wherever Anauthentic raidalucians get sin juice. starred chef together, you’ll I was honoured find this ‘still during my visit wine’, meaning it has no to be given a preview of a added alcohol. new wine not yet released Wines subject to a longer on the market: 3 Miradas ageing process - usually Paraje de Riofrio Alto 2016. until the nutritional ca- It’s taken from the best pacity of the flor has been vines on the best plots, biexhausted - become Amon- ologically aged under its tillados, acquiring a deep yeast cap and blended in golden colour. a butt for three years. The For darker, richer Oloroso resulting wine is neither the flor is not allowed to filtered nor cold stabilised, develop at all. The process which means it is so good it is stopped by fortifying the doesn’t need to go through wine to an ABV (Alcohol by any other process. The volume) of 18% (flor needs first bottles will be winging around 15% to grow) and their way to wine shops this by completely filling the spring. wine casks to the top. The Bodegas Alvear has the caeffects of ageing in these pacity to age five million liwines can be appreciated tres of wine in butts distrib-

uted around its various wineries: La Sacristia and El Liceo where the oldest wines are stored; Las Mercedes, known widely as C.B.; and Las Higueras and Buganvillas where the Pedro Ximenex wines are aged.

A further bodega in the old town centre called de la Casa was Alvear’s very first property and is regarded as a site of historic and artistic interest. This 18th century former manor house hosts the regions oldest soleras which contain amontilalado wines that are two centuries old.

Award-winning

A walk through this vintage winery with a direct family descendant of the Alvear dynasty to guide me through a tasting of these exceptional wines was the ‘velo de flor’ on my own perfect day.

Alvear’s award-winning wines are the perfect complement to the gastronomy of the Montilla-Moriles region - both with it and in it. Local olives, grapes, cereal and garlic feature in dishes influenced by its Jewish, Moorish and Christian past. The result is a cuisine where wine plays an important role both for boosting flavours and as a key ingredient.

Today Pedro Ximenez wines have a place in the kitchens of every Michelin-starred chef as well as in the restaurant wine cellars and there’s one to go with anything, savoury or sweet.

Worth mentioning is the tapeo, an informal way of tasting a wide range of typical tapas of the area while enjoying Fino, Pale Cream or Amontillado served straight from the barrel by a traditional venenciador.

The 90 minute guided tour of Bodegas Alvear includes an introductory tasting for €12 per person.

Fino C.B.

PX de Sacristia 2005

Pedro Ximenez 1927

Variety: 100% Pedro Ximenez.

Produced from the best musts of the Pedro Ximenez grapes.

A typical product of that special process which takes place in the cask under a veil of yeast is the ‘crianza en flor’. C.B. stands for Carlos Billaneuva, the 19th century cellar master who marked the casks containing the best wines with his initials.

Colour: Subtle and delicate with a pale straw colour Nose: Floral tones and a fresh almondy, salty flavour Taste: Tangy with a refreshing finish and softness which makes it easy to drink Enjoy with: Any chilled aperitif - tapas, shellfish, fried fish, salads and even sushi

Variety: 100% Pedro Ximenez.

Since 1978 Alvear has been the only winery in the world to produce a full vertical range of Pedro Ximenez vintages. Since then the best Pedro Ximemenz vintages have nee statically aged in the Bodega de Pedro Ximenez de Scaristia Colour: Dark mahogany with reddish edges accentuated when the glass is rotated.

Nose: Intense, with notes of old oak, roasted coffee beans and a hint of toasted caramel.

Taste: Velvety and dense with hints of raisin, dried apricots, dates, baked apples and jam.

Enjoy with: Something sweet.

It goes well with chocolate, fruit of any kind, fresh or candied or, if you’re into bad habits, a good Havana cigar

Variety: 100% Pedro Ximenez. Made from sun dried grapes and aged in American oak barrels using the traditional system of criaderas and soleras. It is the bodega’s hallmark and a blend of the winemakers’ selection.

Colour: Bright mahogany with iodine tones Nose: Intense with notes of raisin, coffee, caramel chocolate Taste: Elegant and sweet with the taste of chocolate and raisins Enjoy with: The sweet course.

It brings out the flavour of dark chocolate desserts, fruit cake, fruit salad and even blue cheese. Or for total decadence, pour it liberally over vanilla ice cream

20

HEALTH APPOINTMENt

March 19th - April 1stBy Jeremy Kenton

HEALTH

www.weekender.news

Oldsexy Wives’ buff: Get your back Fails p everything you love HOTTER temperatures as a brake on the coronavirus is nothing more than, well, what it says: hot air.

A temperature raise has little or no effect on a virus, and countries with warmer climates are still suffering outbreaks of COVID-19.

But nevertheless, one of the many coronavirus myths has been that blasting heat from by aBPT hairdryer into the nose and throat can cure the onrunners enthusiasts set ofand the yoga disease. topping This the folklist. treatment will likely produce more According to damage board-to those certifi ed mucous plastic membranes surgeon and might actually encourWalter L. Bernacki, MD

r built thing. ff is a othing shorts - can ntuate ou are of Ohio Plastic Surgery in or way Central Ohio, “The newest non-surgical body contouring better system is Cutera’s truSculpt e. Far iD that uses radiofrequency people (RF) technology to target and g and permanently destroy fat in your e good trouble spots (think muffin tops finally and love handles) - in just 15 about comfortable minutes with no giving downtime. We have found that doing the treatment works on all skin having types, sizes and physiques, including individuals who y. of were previously not considered imally candidates for body contouring body procedures.”

What’s more, truSculpt look ing to iD produces an average fat en and reduction of 24 percent, and c. And visible improvements are seen gularly in 6 to 12 weeks following the ave a first treatment. Multiple areas , with can be treated in one session,

Hairdryers against coronavirus, and other mythical cures busted by expert osteopath 30 Jeremy Kenton

HELPlines

Health & Beauty

but additional treatments loving their truSculpt iD age a for further infection. results. socialInmedia. may befocus required for optimal a separate study Let’s bust a few more myths: sculpting results. of ·individuals who had the Antibiotics do not work against “TruSculptin iD a verytheprocedure, said on · Breathing andisholding viruses; 100 they percent only work exciting new were satisfi ed, would breath to seedevelopment if it produces in paintheybacterial infections.

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tion. This is why you should never take them if you are asthmatic. French doctors are seeing coronavirus sufferers made worse by using ibuprofen. Use paracetamol instead.

HELPLINES are available for elderly English-speaking expats in need of help during Spain’s coronavirus lockdown.

The numbers of volunteers, organised through charity Help of Denia and the The most common sympMarina Alta (DAMA), are toms of coronavirus for those in need of food (COVID-19) are recent onset immediately. Then wash your shopping and medicines of a new continuous cough hands or use a hand sanitiswho can’t get out as a state and/or high temperature. If ing gel. of alarm develops across you have these symptoms, Clean and disinfect regularly Spain Looking sexy, svelte or built but addition however mild, stay at home touched objects and surfaces

by BPT The assistance is intended in your clothing is one thing. may be requir and stay away from others using yourin regular cleaning in the Marina runnersforandexpats yoga enthusiasts Looking better the buff is a sculpting result for at least 7 days from products to reduce the risk Alta of Alicante on Spain’s the list. when your symptoms startwholeofother ballgame.

Clothingon topping “TruSculpt passing the infection to Costa Blanca. (In particued.

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By and lar minimum of 65% alcoholitif thatCentro “From the 14th of March that’s all you have access works on all skin up carbs and sweets, doing the treatment we are in a State of Alarm; Commercial, to. sizes and excessive crunches or having types, people will physiques, not be able to To reduce the spread invasive of Avenida del including who towns cosmetic surgery. moveindividuals about between germs when you cough or were previously without not a considered reason,” Help Fully one-third of Pla 126, Javea, sneeze, cover your mouth of DAMA for bodypresident contouringCandy opt for minimally Spain candidates and nose with a tissue, Americans or Alicante, Wright told the Olive Press. invasive fat reduction or body procedures.” your sleeve (not your hands) www.osteopath“We will be assisting What’s more,onlytruSculpt sculpting treatments to look if you don’t have a tissue, people who can’t get out an average and throw the tissue away betterkenton.co.uk in the buff, according to iD produces and people who arefat infirm.”

Look better in the buff: Get your without giving up everything COVID-19 - they are not. None of these have any effect and could be potentially harmful.

Garlic is a natural antiseptic but will have no effect to kill the virus. · Gargling with salt water is an effective way of easing a sore throat, but it is short lived and will have no effect on the virus itself. · Some of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, can impair lung func-

a new survey of 500 men and women from Cutera, Inc. And those who exercise regularly are most likely to have a body-sculpting treatment, with

reduction of 24 percent, and visible improvements are seen in 6 to 12 weeks following the first treatment. Multiple areas can be treated in one session,

Home, but not Alone Coronavirus tests can be conducted with 48 hours at Clinica Britannia on the Costa Blanca, writes Dr Vicente Mera A CORONAVIRUS is a type of virus. As a group, coronaviruses are common across the world.

Typical symptoms of coronavirus include fever and a cough that may progress to severe pneumonia causing shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.

Generally, coronaviruses can cause more severe symptoms in people with weakened immune systems, older people, and those with long-term conditions like diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease.

Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new strain of coronavirus first identified in Wuhan City, China.

If we suspect novel coronavirus (COVID-19), we will visit you at your home and take samples from the nose, throat and deeper respiratory samples, package and send to the laboratory for testing.

We can provide a laboratory result from this specific virus in 48H, with a simple test.

We can help you, if you think you might have coronavirus or you’ve been in close contact with someone who has it: Stay at home and avoid close contact with other people It is not necessary to go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital Use our emergency phone 607 255 755 24 h/ 365d Clinica Britannia Open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm

Come and visit us. We will inform you.

CLINICA BRITANNIA, 16 BIS (next to 16) FIRST (not Ground) Floor, Ejercitos Españoles Av Tel 965 837 553 - 24H 607 255 755

HEALTH Shoeless THE director of Spain’s Center for Coordination of Health Alerts and Emergencies has reminded the nation they don’t need to leave their shoes outside.

Epidemiologist Fernando Simon Soria, who took up his post at the Ministry of Health in 2012, spoke to the press after a meeting of the Coronavirus Technical Management Committee.

He busted the bizarre myth that shoes can transmit the coronavirus, while urging collaboration with the state of alarm measures announced last Saturday.

“It is not necessary to leave your shoes outside your house,” Simon said.

“It is not necessary to shop without gloves, apart from where supermarkets already advise you to do so.

“You don’t have to do anything exceptional. What you do have to do is avoid the transmission from person to person, wash your hands well, keep a good distance between other people, and respect the social distancing measures that have been imposed.

“You don’t have to worry anymore than this.”

21

The race is on

IN the midst of the coronavirus pandemic the question on everyone’s lips – well except ‘where are all the toilet rolls’ – is inevitably going to be ‘is there a cure?’

Covid-19 is sweeping across the world, with infections and deaths rising everyday.

Globally, 182,000 people have been infected with more then 7,000 dead.

Scientific teams across the world are scrambling to create a vaccine to prevent or cure the infection.

So far, there is no proven cure

Spain joins US, China and Australia in bid to find a cure against coronavirus

or treatment but some scientists are claiming they are closing in an end to the viral spread.

The first to create a vaccine was Chinese researchers in February and after further research, it is thought that human testing will begin in April.

The drug used is an antiviral and is believed to have been developed for Ebola.

Closer to home, Spain is now launching its own clinical trials into this vaccine and will test the drug on infected patients.

These trials will be carried out

Dr Karan Sud British dentist Calpe

BEFORE

AFTER

DREADED is the dentist – and dreaded still are dental implants.

The popular procedure to turn toothless grin into beaming smile is costly, lengthy and requires intensive surgery to screw a tooth into your gums. It’s not for the squeamish.

Dental implants can also create a risk of infection and pain, especially when pressing on unintended nerves.

Which is why K Sud Dental are offering a new, cost-effective procedure to replace missing teeth in just one visit to the dentist.

The fixed bridge can also replace dentures at an affordable price. The procedure is also low risk, reversible and doesn’t involve putting a screw in, well, anywhere.

“We’ve been able to convert someone’s existing removable denture, and it works really well,” Dr Karan Sud said.

“The fixed bridge looks the same, but feels amazing because you won’t have your palate covered anymore.

“There are no hidden surprises, and you’re no worse off than when you started should any complications arise.”

K Sud Dental is a British dental clinic based in Clinica Britannia in Calpe. We offer general and cosmetic dentistry along with facial rejuvenation treatments.

All work is carried out by British qualified clinicians in a cross infection quality controlled medical centre.

“I chipped my front tooth on Saturday, phoned Monday, and got a cancellation appointment for Wednesday afternoon. I thought my 30 minute slot was for Karan just to look, but he repaired there and then. Perfect. This is the best, most organised dentist I’ve ever been to. Great people, these are now my forever dentists.”

Mark Kirby

For more information visit www.ksuddental.com Tel: (+34) 965 837 553 - 24h emergency: (+34) 602 612 688 Clinica Britannia, Avda Ejercitos Españoles 16, first floor, Calpe

Bridge the gap

in three hospitals across Spain, in Madrid, Bilbao and Barcelona.

Meanwhile in the US, a human clinical trial has begun testing an experimental vaccine to protect against the virus.

The drug apparently uses genetic engineering to create bits of the virus, therefore being recognised by the immune system.

Although health officials have said it may take up to 18 months to test any vaccine fully, it is thought that this drug could protect people in the

March 19th - April 1st

short term while a vaccine is properly tested.

There are also researchers in Australia who may be even closer to the goal, claiming that a HIV and anti-malaria drug has cured Covid-19 patients.

Professor David Paterson from the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research said: “It’s a potentially effective treatment. Patients would end up with no viable coronavirus in their system at all after the end of therapy.”

The professor is hoping to trial the vaccine on a large scale by the end of the month.

22

March 19th - April 1st

GetTING ConnectED By Loraine Gostling

COLUMNISTS

Meme, myself and I Rolling with the punches

Farm Flash

Loraine Gostling’s spirits are raised by the nightly aplausos and pranksters making covid-19 that little more bearable

After deadly floods and VAT crackdowns from the government, the Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre goes back into state of alarm

shouting” “Ojo de Kelly, numero uno” or “dos señoras gordas, ochenta y ocho.” (Ok ok… I taught that to them!)

But it is people like this who will get us all through what we hope will be just a few weeks. and this is the medicine we need.

In my opinion, a good chuckle will help boost our immunity far more than all the vitamin injections, pills and whatever the hell chemicals people are given to get them through a stressful time.

But now, my friends, I must return to my fold and try to keep them focused on what is and what isn’t true.

I, like many others I expect, have never read so many articles in my life in five days, but it is important to know the difference between fact and what the bloke in the pub had told them.

No more lectures from me this week, I just want to end by saying I am glad there is no shortage of kitchen roll… that would really piss me off.

SO MUCH has been thrown at us in the last year, from the devastating floods in September to the VAT crackdown from the government.

The craziest thing was that we were actually getting back to some sort of normality – and now coronavirus!

With the shops closed and everything we are facing another crisis.

We haven’t got any money coming in at all – yes it’s scary, but like it’s a situation completely out of our hands. We have to get on and do the best we can for animals in our care.

People out there have said many kind things, we thank everybody that follows us and everyone donating to keep us going without our main income.

Recent donations have enabled us to buy a load of forage that will hopefully last us three and a half weeks. Apart from that, we’ve used up all the money we’ve got.

We paid our local vet, Dorothea, and we still owe the hospital 3,000, but as far as we are concerned the horses come first.

At the end of the day, the Government are

doing the right thing.

We all have to do the best we can so this virus doesn’t spread.

We are getting on with like everyone else – the trouble is most people don’t have 121 horses, ponies and donkeys.

Following last week’s bad news on Rupert, Dorothea has been here to do an ultrasound on him.

He’s got an issue where he can’t pee naturally – last week’s infection was just a by-product of the main problem.

The problem is that Rupert is a farm pig, a meat pig, and these never live to his age normally.

It could be a common problem, be most farmers won’t come across it.

As ever, we will carry on like everyone else, giving animals like Rupert a second chance in life.

T? U O D N DO I STA

CT CONTAORE THIS FOR MMATION AL AS U R S R O I S F O V E N .

5 I UE 35 7 BE AS RESS OULD S €75 AN ISS 951 27@THEOLIVEP C S S E ITLE A BUSIN SA L E S YOUR FROM AS L

OP Puzzle solutions

Quick Crossword

Across: 7 Yielded, 9 Erode, 10 Animals, 11 Frown, 12 Sweep, 14 Yardley, 16 Extinct, 18 Samos, 20 Cheer, 22 Blaenau, 24 Madam, 25 Overdue.

Down: 1 Bypass, 2 Sediment, 3 Idea, 4 Performs, 5 Polo, 6 Teensy, 8 Dusty, 13 Panorama, 15 Lemonade, 16 Encamp, 17 Taboo, 19 Saucer, 21 Eddy, 23 Apex.

SUDOKU

FOLKS, there will be no bets taken on what I am pondering on this week.

Life is surreal. I feel I have been thrown into a 1950s fictional movie and – whilst I am used to sitting at a laptop for most of my life – this is a whole different roll of loo paper!

Actually, having looked at a squillion posts by Javea Connect members over the last week, I am totally Andrexed out.

When this lockdown is over, the first thing I will do is to call a plumber and get him to fix the bidet, which has never actually worked since I moved in 3 years ago.

Anyway! I have no intention of writing any doomy-gloomy stuff as I am sure people have read enough of that, so I am going to focus on the amusing – such as the guy who dressed up as batman and paraded through his deserted (but balcony filled) community, showing... as if it were the World Cup... a six-pack of Mercadona’s finest 4 ply tissue!

Then there was a guy dressed as a T-Rex going off to chuck his garbage in the bin, who got well busted meandering about the town next day by the chief of the Jurassic Park police squad!

But I just love that people keep their spirits up through this.

We have had the 8pm Balconiestas too, where the locals congregate on their balconies and gardens and bang drums, sing Viva España, and other cheesy-but-moody-stirring songs, all giving thanks to those who are out working for the community in these unknown times.

In my hometown, the Spanish have even arranging Bingo games.

So now, we often hear, at 8.30 pm, someone

By Susan Weeding

BUSINESS

By Joshua Parfitt

SPAIN has announced a €200 billion package to help business owners, the self-employed and laid-off workers from the coronavirus crisis.

The Prime Minister said the economic measures – equivalent to around 20% of Spain’s GDP – are the ‘largest’ mobilisation of public funds in modern Spanish history.

Pedro Sanchez promised that he would leave ‘no-one behind’ in a comforting press conference on Tuesday.

“We must protect our employment, our companies, our families…there will come hard times, but united we can resist the pandemic,” he promised.

The key moves were the freezing of mortgage payments for affected workers, and a special benefit for the self-employed and laid-off workers whose incomes have been affected.

Alarm

All self-employed (autonomo) workers with severe losses will be able to access a special benefit and will be exempt from paying social security contributions while the state of alarm is in place.

Companies who have salaried staff will be able to temporarily lay off workers without paying severance packages – and workers will likewise be able to access unemployment benefits.

Employers will not have to pay social security contributions for their laid-off workers while any temporary layoffs (ERTE) are in effect.

Once the temporary lay off period is over, the workers will resume work and employers resume paying social security

23

March 19th - April 1st

Dear Jennifer: Will my travel insurance cover me for Coronavirus?

AXED: Valencia’s Fallas cancellation could be a €500 million loss

Critical care Spain’s €200 billion plan to aid ‘autonomos’, employers and laid-off workers through the coronavirus crisis

contributions as before.

Sanchez has urged companies ‘not to fire any staff’ and plans for a second royal decree to stop a major blow to the economy.

This is in response to the over 100,000 workers, who are facing temporary layoffs as a result of economic stagnation following the lockdown.

Half of the €200 billion package is earmarked as ‘liquidity’ for at-risk businesses.

Semana Santa

A further €30 million is for

scientific research to develop a covid-19 vaccine and cure.

Another €17 million is to support the groups most likely to suffer from the effects of the pandemic. The International Monetary Fund has warned that the ongoing paralysis to Spain’s tourism industry is an unprecedented situation with growth forecasts impossible.

Meanwhile the European Central Bank has announced anti-crisis measures to help banks support the economy.

In a conference call to European leaders ECB leader Christine Lagarde said the

economic situation could become ‘as bad as 2008’ if governments are not decisive enough. The huge Fallas festival in Valencia, which usually injects around €500 million into the economy, has been cancelled alongside the key Semana Santa celebrations which are huge earners for the Andalucian economy in particular. The Feria de Sevilla, due to take place at the end of April has also been cancelled. It is the city’s largest festival after Semana Santa and has an economic impact of €800 million.

What a shock it was for all of us to read about the Coronavirus.

We watched on our television screens a total disaster happening in China.

At the time, it seemed so far away that you could look on with nothing but astonishment as whole cities were shut down and new hospitals built.

It didn’t take long to realise that we could all be affected.

All of us have different coping techniques – one is to panic, run around in circles, and rush to the supermarket and bulk buy.

The other is to read as much as possible, do everything in your power to keep yourself and your family safe and healthy, whilst living as normal a life as possible.

There is very little else you can do, except continually wash your hands.

It makes you realise how very vulnerable we all are and with so many nasty, evil people around, it is a wonder something like this hasn’t happened before.

If you feel a little like a sitting duck, you’re not the only one.

My company has put in place an emergency procedure, should one of the staff become infected and their particular office have to close for a while, to maintain as full a service as possible to all my clients.

I have always impressed on people to take out travel insurance when booking a holiday. And, sadly, there will be many holidays spoilt by current events.

However, if your holiday and insurance is booked before any particular area is restricted by the government, you will be covered by our travel insurance, and every case will be assessed on an individual basis.

With regards to private health, obviously the same situation applies regarding the emergency number, which in the Valencian region is 900 300 555.

Whatever you do, do not go to an emergency department or hospital, private or public, if you believe you have symptoms.

You will be assessed over the telephone and if necessary visited for tests and given advice.

If you need any more help or information, please call one of my offices.

To finish with better news, I have relocated two offices, one in Javea (so we now have locations in both the Port and the Arenal) and the other in Playa Flamenca, to provide a better service to my clients.

For help, advice and information, please contact one of my offices or visit my website www.jennifercunningham.net

Supporting You Through Market Uncertainty BY Christina Brady CURRENT market conditions are and have been challenging, to say the least, for both investment professionals and their clients over the last month.

Especially on Monday, first with the coronavirus and then the oil price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia, the latter being the reason for the big fall on Monday 9.

Then again on Thursday 12 when the US banned all flights from Europe, excluding the UK. Markets have now dropped in magnitudes not seen since 2008. Share price falls have been the largest amongst consumer-facing firms particularly within the leisure and tourist sectors as well as companies with higher debt relative to profits.

Governments and central banks are trying to help and will continue to do so. The Federal

COSTA BLANCA Christina Brady – Associate Director Tel: +34 658 892 330 Email: Christina.brady@blacktowerfm.com Address: Avinguda d’Ausiàs March 9, Local 7 (Esquina Joan Fuster) 03730 Javea Alicante

Market downturns may look scary, but sit tight and play the long game Reserve and the UK have already reduced interest rates with other central banks around the world likely to follow. Other forms of supportive monetary policy are also being rolled out into the financial system in order to ensure liquidity. Governments are planning to spend, using borrowed money, with even the Germans edging towards a bit of fiscal irresponsibility.

David Miller of Quilter Cheviot on March 12 said “Growth forecasts for this year have been revised but increasingly economists are forecasting weak activity beyond the current quarter, as quarantines and restrictions curtail activity.”

“The consensus remains for three to four months of depressed activity with a subsequent recovery but reduced activity will impact corporate profitability in the interim. Measures of stock market volatility are significantly higher than across 2019, as demonstrated with the main market movements reported widely across the media and press. This demonstrates the trouble markets are having in digesting news flow and assessing the risks ahead. The number of ‘unknowns’ means that assessing the direction of travel for markets from here is uncertain, but the continuing spread of

www.blacktowerfm.com cases and emerging stresses in the finan- have invested for the medium to long term, cial system would point towards continued which means the more likely you are to have the potential for healthy returns and achieve volatility. “ your financial goals, regardless of market downturns.

Emotional Blacktower have been advising clients for What does this means for investors? Well over 30 years now, through both the good we are all familiar with being told “The val- and bad times and our role is to utilise that ue of your investments can go down as well experience in dealing with different types of as up”, but it’s an emotive and indifferent market conditions, to make sense of the curstatement that entirely overlooks the stress- rent situation, to be there to reassure clients ful emotional roller coaster that both inves- and help take the emotion out of clients’ tors and advisers feel when there is a major decisions. Blacktower will be by your side sell-off. both now and in the future, we are here to What I want to say to all of those clients/ help you weather the stormy waters ahead. investors (myself included) is to sit tight, no matter how scary that is, any knee jerk re- The above information was correct at the time of prepaaction i.e. selling in a falling market would ration and does not constitute investment advice and you just mean consolidating a heavy loss and should seek advice from a professional adviser before missing the rebound, when it comes. You embarking on any financial planning activity.

Blacktower Financial Management Ltd is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority and is registered with both the DGS and CNMV. Blacktower Financial Management (Int) Ltd is licensed in Gibraltar by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and is registered with both the DGS and CNMV in Spain

A MAN dressed in a Batman suit has gone viral on social media as he was filmed distributing toilet paper along a street in Spain.

Teen spirit SPANISH

doctor

FINAL WORDS

and campaigner Jesus ‘Spiriman’ Candel has raged at ‘selfish kids’ entering hospitals with their mates and asking for coronavirus tests.

Madre mia A MAN in Vigo has asked police to arrest him as he is fed up of being confined at home with his mum.

The 44-year-old told local police he was ‘tired of being at home with his mother’ due to the state of alarm and coronavirus lockdown.

OLIVE PRESS

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COSTA BLANCA

Vol. 1 Issue 26 www.theolivepress.es

Your expat

voice in Spain

March 19th - April 1st, 2020

RAISING THE ROOF Legend helps community keep trim while coronavirus has them quarantined

AN out-going fitness trainer has given a free rooftop workout class making the most of the quarantine period.

The personal trainer gave the session after his gym Sano Sevilla was forced to shut due to the virus.

Adamant that he did not want to let the lockdown impact people’s health, Gonzalo took to the rooftops of the Mairena Del Aljarafe apartment complex and gathered residents on their balconies for a flash mob workout session.

Cheering

Budget battle RYANAIR has finally been forced to help its worried customers.

The global low cost airline is waiving the controversial flight change fee on all bookings in March and April.

INSPIRED: ‘Gonzalo’ holds fit session for neighbours

The impromptu workout is part of the latest in the latest growing trend sweeping across Europe. Videos have been circulating online of quarantined residents banding together and singing, playing music and pulling together to congratulate health workers on their work against the virus.

In Madrid, residents were filmed shouting ‘Viva los Medicos’ whilst cheering and applauding the medical workers on the front line of the coronavirus outbreak.

A NEWBORN baby has brought some welcome good news to the Olive Press team.

Elsa Hansen-Dollimore was born at the Costa del Sol hospital on Sunday as the coronavirus curfew came into full effect.

The niece of Olive Press digital editor Laurence Dollimore weighed in at 4kg (8.8lbs) and is at first glance fully healthy.

Proud parents, British expat Leanne Dollimore and her Norwegian partner Alex Hansen, based in Mijas, were kept in the hospital for a couple of days as a precaution against the virus. While the rest of the family have yet to meet the new arrival due to strict hospital regulations on COVID-19 contagion, the news is a welcome positive amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

Extinction rebellion POLICE in Murcia have had to take to social media reminding citizens that fancy dress costumes are not a valid way to avoid the lockdown.

National rules only allow people to leave home to walk their dog for as long as necessary.

It comes as one canny Murcian thought he could evade the rules by wandering the streets dressed as a Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur.

Despite being questioned by police, he was later seen (and filmed) by a neighbour taking his rubbish out.