Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin April 21

FEATURE ARTICLES: "Tourists go ‘all out’ for top 10 nudist beaches in Spain" and "Search continues for Scottish tourist missing in Lanzarote"

As we prepare to celebrate World Book Day and St. George’s Day this weekend, there is less-than-festive news for the family of one Scotsman who remains missing in Spain for more than a month. There have also been other deaths and arrests involving foreign nationals in Spain, and the rate of accidents involving falls off balconies and rockfaces sadly begins its usual ascent as we get closer to the summer months.

It’s not all bad news, though, as there is plenty coming up worth celebrating, from Wine Horses and a Beer Festival to the Feria de Abril and a Love Fiesta…

Search continues for Scottish tourist missing in Lanzarote

The sad search continues for tourist Gary Watson, who disappeared just hours after arriving on the Spanish island of Lanzarote a little over a month ago. The Scot had travelled to Spain to celebrate St Patrick’s Day and was last spotted leaving Celtic pub Bar 67 at 11.30pm on Thursday March 16 before vanishing without a trace.

A huge search operation was launched on March 31 by Bar 67 and neighbouring Paddy’s Point Emerald Isle, but no trace of the 53-year-old tourist has been found. Gary’s mother and his sister Michelle travelled to Lanzarote to participate but have since returned to the UK.

The Scottish man’s mum is adamant that she will travel back to Spain soon to resume the search, which is made all the more urgent by the fact that her son suffers from epilepsy and Type 2 diabetes.

Gary also walks with a distinctive limp. Anyone with information regarding Gary’s whereabouts has been asked to phone the Guardia Civil on 062 or to email gc-epjtias@guardiacivil.org

Top 10 most popular nudist beaches in Spain

It’s about that time when we all turn our minds to the summer holidays, endless days laying by the pool or basking ocean-side. For those looking for a more risqué vacation, Spain has no end of nudist beaches where bather can bare all for a perfectly even tan.

This week, we took a look at the top 10 most famous beaches in the country that embrace visitors going au natural, and many are truly authentic paradises of white sand and crystalline waters.

The best picks range from the well-known Maspalomas in Gran Canaria and Cala Macaralleta in Menorca to the hidden coves of Barronal beach in Nijar, but what they all have in common is golden sand and turquoise water that have been drawing visitors for decades.

Check out the full list of the 10 best nudist beaches in Spain here.

Return of the Monk?

Irish gangster Gerry Hutch, better known by his nickname ‘The Monk’, was sensationally cleared earlier this week of orchestrating the Regency Hotel attack that claimed the life of David Byrne in February 2016. The attack was the culmination of an ongoing feud with the Kinahan cartel and just three days later, The Monk’s brother Eddie was murdered in retaliation.

With a price on his head, Hutch fled to Spain and drastically changed his appearance. He settled in the Costa del Sol beachside resort of Fuengirola and tried to live life under the radar. It was here that he was arrested by Spanish police in September 2021 and shipped back to Ireland to await trial.

While he was locked up, Irish prison guards reported that Hutch planned to move back to Spain if found not guilty.

“He does not seem to be too bothered by the threats on his life by the Kinahan cartel and their cronies.

“The only thing he says is he will head back to Spain once he clears his name. He said that he loved life there and the good weather,” a source revealed.

And it seems that he will be welcomed back with open arms, at least at one dining establishment: Limoncello restaurant in Fuengirola.

Back in 2021, officers from the Guardia Civil swooped into the pizzeria just as the gang leader was ordering an early dinner and dragged him away in cuffs.

Now, waiters at the eatery in the seaside resort’s old town remember the 60-year-old fondly and look forward seeing him soon.

“Oh yes, Gerry, how could I forget? We remember this night very well. Of course, we welcome him back,” staff member Marlena Pelarea said.

There was nothing low-key about The Monk’s arrest, and in the restaurant Hutch famously quipped to a Guardia Civil officer: “The jacket, you must be roastin’ in that.”

Read all about it!

It’s World Book Day this Sunday, April 23. It’s celebrated on that precise day because it’s the date in 1616 when two of history’s greatest writers – William Shakespeare and Spain’s Miguel de Cervantes, who wrote the epic Don Quixote – died, just hours apart.

(Speaking of which, if you’ve never read Don Quixote it’s highly recommended as a classic of Spanish literature which is studied by all schoolchildren and is a backbone to Spanish culture in the same way Macbeth and Romeo & Juliet are in the UK. Oh, and it helps that Don Quixote is actually more readable than any of Shakespeare’s works, and quite funny.)

Anyway, around the country, there are loads of events and activities going on to celebrate World Book Day, which may last not just for the day itself but for up to a week in some cases.

In Jumilla, for instance, the local Public Library has organised an Antique and Second-hand Book Fair which will be open until May 9, where shoppers can pick up quality antique copies and bargains of classic works of fiction, non-fiction and modern literature too, some of which are in English.

In Orihuela, they are having public readings of classic Shakespeare works in English this weekend, as well as street theatre of such other Spanish classics as ‘La Celestina’ and a chance for people to do some book swapping and pick up some free reading material.

And curiously, in Barcelona, it’s also the celebration of the patron saint of the autonomous community of Catalonia, Saint George, which is intimately tied up with books, literature and… love!

Saint George is the patron saint of many places, including England, but in Barcelona, Aragón and other surrounding areas in northeast Spain his patron saint day, April 23, is celebrated as the Feast Day of Sant Jordi, and it’s marked by the unique tradition of giving gifts of books and roses.

The custom has its origins in the legend of St. George, who slew a dragon to save a princess from being devoured. When the dragon died, a rosebush grew up in the place where it had bled out.

Because of that, on this day every year men in Barcelona present their true love (or, in this day and age, basically any friend or their mothers) with a red rose. In return, the women would traditionally give the men a book.

For that reason, St. George’s Day in Barcelona is a big deal and it’s basically their equivalent of Valentine’s Day. It’s even known variously as ‘Lovers’ Day’ (‘El Día de los Amantes’) or ‘Rose Day’ (‘El día de la Rosa’).

There are huge open-air book markets all around Spain’s second city, which also sell roses, of course. And while it is a somewhat romantic affair, there’s no reason to limit the gifting of books and roses to a love interest, nor to only give books to the men. Nowadays, women are also given books as presents and the men roses.

You can also buy special food to eat for the Santi Jordi celebrations from the Barcelona bakeries and pastry shops, such as the Coques de Sant Jordi – a kind of red and yellow striped cakes.

So why not try celebrating a different kind of St. George’s Day this year? Do as the Spanish and the Catalan people do, and give the gift of a rose or a book to celebrate love!

Murcia

Part of the charm of Murcia as a destination for vacations and expats moving out to live in Spain is its coastline, though there have been allegations from several quarters that, with just 10 weeks to go until the tourist high season officially starts, some of the beaches aren’t quite up to scratch.

While the Region has many first-class beaches as certified by their Blue Flags, the Residents’ Association of Los Nietos have slammed the local council for failing to clear up their beach, which it claimed is flea- and tick-ridden, and that the water isn’t fit to swim in.

The removal of biomass along the Mar Menor beach of Los Nietos has been delayed, meaning that seaweed and grimy marine grass have become an eyesore on the shoreline, particularly near the Club Náutico. Not only is this a problem in the run-up to summer, when Los Nietos’s population swells with tourists, but it was also off-putting for visitors during this Easter just gone and for people who live there year-round.

It should be down to Cartagena City Council to clear up the mess, but they are apparently dragging their heels, which has some Los Nietos locals sick of being ignored and saying it’s high time they had their own Ayuntamiento and became a town in their own right…

Meanwhile, the Costas Demarcation, who handle all affairs relating to the legal and beautification development of the coastline, has stated that the stretch of land between Playa Honda and the Villas Caravaning campsite in La Manga, also on the shores of the Mar Menor, is in a deplorable state, full of rubbish and rubble and not fit for purpose.

To that end, they have proposed the building of a new ‘natural ecological promenade’ that will provide a path for pedestrians and cyclists to travel this 600-metre stretch of coastline without the current dangers and dirt, and without having to go all the way up to the main road.

The project, which will cost nearly 250,000 euros, will include the construction of a paved pathway, a retaining wall and a wooden handrail, all using environmentally friendly building materials, apparently. It’s still in the consultation phase though, so it probably won’t appear any time soon.

Further down the coast, towards Mazarrón, Lorca and Águilas, word has been released that two new motorhome parking and campsites are planned for construction by the end of summer.

The first is the much-anticipated camping ground on the stretch of coastline between Calnegre, Lorca and Percheles, Mazarrón, facing onto the Playa de Parazuelos beach. A new campsite with 600 places for motorhomes to park and tents to pitch up is set to open there this summer, near the existing Taray Camper Park.

The second new Murcia campsite is planned for construction by the Torre Cope tower in Águilas, though it has become the target of well-known environmental groups as the proposed site is located inside the Regional Park of Calnegre and Cabo Cope, areas which still do not have legally binding environmental protection despite their unique natural value.

Ecological campaign groups are holding a “March in Defence of Calnegre and Cabo Cope” this weekend to protest against the new camping resort and to call for the creation of an action plan to protect the Regional Park.

Coming up soon in the Region of Murcia, the annual Running of the Wine Horses event returns to the town of Caravaca de la Cruz at the beginning of May, when thousands of people flock to the municipality to watch the horses running through the streets. The Running of the Wine Horses, while being questionable in its use of animals as a ‘fiesta’ attraction, is nonetheless an event of Intangible Cultural heritage as declared by UNESCO and can be enjoyed with lunch and live music for just 20 euros per person.

For more events like this coming up soon in the Region of Murcia, check out our EVENTS DIARY:

Spain

A 55-year-old Scottish man Eric Forrest has been given a lifetime ban from flying with Jet2 and faces a hefty fine after urinating on a flight from Glasgow to Tenerife. The pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in Portugal where the other passengers faced a lengthy delay as the plane was cleaned up.

To make matters worse, travellers waiting on the Spanish Island to return to Glasgow had their flight cancelled, and Jet2 had no option but to fork out for accommodation, food and drinks. The bill came to several thousand euros, and the airline is determined to recoup the cost from Mr Forrest.

A spokesperson for Jet2 accused him of “aggression, illicit consumption of alcohol, intimidation towards other customers and even children, suspected handling of illegal substances, and urinating inside the cabin”.

Portuguese police were waiting for Forrest on the tarmac when the plane touched down. It’s understood that he wasn’t arrested, but spent two days in Faro Airport before catching a Ryanair flight back to the UK.

In Madrid, the Criminal Court sentenced reality TV star José María López to 15 months in prison for sexually abusing fellow Big Brother Revolution contestant Carlota Prado during filming of the hit show in November 2017.

According to the courts, when the reality show was being recorded, Carlota Prado became intoxicated and passed out in her bed, where she was quickly joined by her abuser. José María López took off his pants and began to male sexual movements under the duvet, despite the victim weakly muttering “I can’t.”

The sentencing document explained that, “despite the fact that the defendant asked her on several occasions to open her eyes, Carlota remained immobile, and when he asked how she was, she only managed to reply that he should get out, at which point she turned over and fell into unconsciousness.”

The perpetrator has also been slapped with a four-year restraining order from his victim and been ordered to pay her 6,000 euros in compensation.

On to more pleasant topics and bargain shoppers were delighted to learn that Primark in Spain has launched a brand new and improved website, which is modelled on the super successful version already in use in the UK.

The new Spanish website features thousands of items from Primark’s best-selling ranges and for the first time ever, customers in Spain will be able to check stock availability, as well as sizes, at their nearest store.

Furthermore, bargain hunters who create an online account will have exclusive access to the new Wish List feature, which "will allow consumers to select and save their favourite products for later.

It’s been a little while since we’ve received some pearls of wisdom from the folks over at the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) but they’re back on form for April, reminding motorists about the dangers of reversing their cars.

Reversing is considered extremely risky business by the traffic authorities and is only authorised in a few very specific circumstances.

Essentially, motorists can drive in reverse in order to make a stop, park or join traffic, once the backing-up distance doesn’t exceed 15 metres or involve driving over a crossroads. In addition, the traffic authorities specify that reversing must be carried out slowly with correct signalling. And, of course, motorists should never drive backwards if the manoeuvre will put other road users at risk.

On motorways and dual carriageways, high-capacity roads on which cars travel much faster, reversing is strictly prohibited. It’s considered a serious offence and flouters will face hefty fines and have several points removed from their licences. On these busier thoroughfares, only drivers of priority vehicles such as the police, Guardia Civil, firefighters and ambulances are allowed to back up and even then, only in exceptional circumstances where it can’t be avoided.

Don’t forget to join our Driving in Spain Facebook group for all the latest motoring and travel updates

Alicante

While going over the beach essentials, those of us with dogs will want to include our four-legged friend, but it can be hard to find coastline suitable for pooches.

Don’t despair! While dogs are not allowed on all of Alicante province’s 100km of beautiful coastline, there are nine pet-friendly stretches of sand in the province.

Several owners have already paid the price for letting their dogs loose ‘'non-pet-friendly’ playas and been hit with fines. So it’s a good idea to be aware of exactly where you can enjoy a day at the sea with your pooch before setting off.

But remember, pet owners must comply with rules and regulations which are clearly signposted, including picking up any mess, carrying an up-to-date pet vaccination card and keeping dog breeds considered ‘potentially dangerous’ on a leash with a muzzle.

So why not add a water bowl and leash to your bag of essentials and head to any one of these dog playgrounds by the sea.

You can select from: Agua Amarga beach in Alicante city; Punta del Riu or El Barranc d'Aigües beaches in El Campello; La Caleta dels Gossets, Santa Pola; Xarco cove, Villajoyosa; Mar y Montaña, Altea; Escollera Norte, Denia; Rocío cove, Torrevieja; La Mosca or Cabo Peñas cove, Orihuela.

A day at the beach could prove a perfect way to take your mind off money woes, albeit briefly, with the cost of living rising at a worrying rate.

Shockingly, the price of the average weekly shop has skyrocketed in the last 12 months and, despite the Spanish Government cutting VAT on basic food essentials in January, households are paying 16.6% more for groceries than last year, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE).

To try to cushion the impact of soaring costs on low-income households, the Valencia Government is offering 90-euro shopping vouchers to the most vulnerable families with the launch of its annual ‘Bono Cesta de la Compra’ campaign this week.

A whopping 48 million euros have been allocated specifically for this aid, which is open to households with an income of less than 21,000 euros and is provided in the form of a prepaid card.

The card can be used in any food establishment in the Valencia Region, including supermarket and hypermarket chains, as well as smaller shops, and it’s estimated that 500,000 low-income households will benefit.

Applicants must be registered in the Valencia Region, and the aid is compatible with the 200-euro cost of living subsidy from the Spanish Government and other subsidies, such as the Minimum Vital Income.

Applications can be made now via the ‘Bono’ website and the card must be used between April 20 and July 14, 2023.

Lidl is one of those stores where the bono card could be used, though for those living in Benidorm, they will have to travel out of town to find one of the low-cost supermarkets.

But not for long. The German chain is continuing its expansion on the Costa Blanca with plans to open its first store in the hugely popular coastal resort of Benidorm.

The company has been given the green light to demolish two buildings in Avenida Doctor Severo Ochoa, in Benidorm's Rincón de Loix neighbourhood – the former Día and El Corte Chino – so they can build a Lidl supermarket with car park on the site.

As yet, no opening date or planned investment has been revealed, but Benidorm Council’s technical reports give the company a period of three months to complete the demolition.

Andalucía

There was a strange and tragic tale on the Costa del Sol this week involving a club bouncer, a former reality TV star from Britain and a fugitive on the run.

It all started when a fight broke out during the early hours of the morning last Sunday outside the bar-restaurant Olivia in La Cala, Malaga which is owned by former TOWIE star Elliott Wright.

The Venezuelan-born doorman, 55-year-old Jose Rafael Pisani Pardo, tried to break up the brawl and was apparently pushed and punched during the altercation.

Pisani, who was also a bodybuilder and personal trainer, suffered severe head injuries and was rushed to the ICU in Malaga, but he was declared brain dead and his life machine was switched off.

After the death, a 32-British man was arrested in connection with the lethal assault. The Guardia Civil described him as “a British national who had been on the run since the incident”, but he has since been released provisionally. He was charged with reckless homicide and a crime against public health after drugs were found during a search of his home, and he must now appear in court on the first of each month while investigations continue.

Another death, this one in Almeria province, has shocked the expat community after a British cyclist, aged 69, was killed in a hit-and-run accident while riding his bike along the AL-6113 near the town of Turre.

In that case, too, the driver who caused the death and who drove off without stopping was later located and taken into custody, but released on bail pending further investigation.

This weekend in Seville is the start of the Feria de Abril – that traditional celebration in the Andalucía capital which brings together flamenco, great local wines, customary costumes, horses and, of course, lots of food.

According to Airbnb, the majority of bookings on their site for tourist accommodation during last year’s fair came from French, US and British visitors, in that order. This year’s fair, which runs from April 23 to 29, is expected to see more of the same, with perhaps even greater numbers visiting the city for the iconic Spanish festival.

Also beginning this weekend is the annual Granada Beer Festival in the town of La Zubia, just 10 miles from Granada capital city, which will feature 150 of the top beers from Spain and around the world. There are food stalls, live music, family-oriented activities and even a Viking reenactment. Not to be missed if you’re around the Granada area this weekend…

Bottoms up!

You may have missed…

Spain was a lawless state for about 20 minutes this week.
Spain’s Official State Gazette accidentally repealed the Spanish Constitution and several other basic laws for about 20 minutes yesterday morning due to a computer glitch.
Residents outraged over green light for demolition work at San Anton prison in Cartagena.
The ongoing San Anton prison saga in Cartagena has reached a pivotal point with the Region of Murcia's Superior Court of Justice dismissing an appeal against demolishing part of the old prison and giving the owners the go-ahead to knock it down.
French woman, 22, dies after falling from rockface in Malaga.
A 22-year-old French woman who was visiting Spain’s Costa del Sol on vacation has died after falling around 40 metres while rock climbing in El Chorro.
Packed Madrid train bursts into flames minutes into journey.
Horrified passengers aboard a Renfe medium-distance Madrid-Extremadura train were evacuated minutes into their journey after the engine burst into flames, unleashing thick black smoke into the carriages.
How to save the Mar Menor with a return to traditional farming.
A new study commissioned for the Ministry for Ecological Transition has proposed a radical reshaping of the food industry in Murcia’s Campo de Cartagena to create a system of sustainable production, in contrast to the current “unsustainable” model.

Well, that’s your lot for yet another week. Thanks as ever for reading and we’ll see you again next week.

See ya!

Global Relocation Property section Banners