E IV US CL EX
Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to all our readers... ...our Christmas present to you; a 5 page skiing special
12 2022-2023
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Sierra Nevada
Sierra Nevada
Peak of good dining A
CREATIVE: Stevie at Ci Vediamo
Significant lead for Levi
Odd
“We have a number of leads but one could be really significant we are following up,” Burrows, who has also worked with Elton John, told the Olive Press. “This is an odd case. He must have spoken to somebody when he came to Barcelona or arranged to meet somebody but that person has never come forward.” The 24-year-old Brit, who played rugby union for Bath, went missing on October 29 and has not been heard from since.
Silva produces chef Esteban twist Michelin trained dishes with a modern style classic Italian week Open 7 days a 20.00-24.00 12.00-16.00 & Monday to Sunday Pradollano Edf. Salvia s/n, Plaza Andalucía, civediamosn@gmail.com tel: 958 480 856 degree view Maps with 360° FInd us on Google
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Designer ALICE IN WONDERLAND: Nestor have brought nia and husband some magic to Confusion
brother Luciano can He and hisMuralla Burger, see it in action (it up with ular to up to 250 people in also run next door, which the kitchen coming serve sure almost best qualsome great ideas.vegetarian one sitting), so make specialises in the slopes. on the There are lots of is rare for you book in high season. piz- ity burgers disagree trying some of the best hard to options, which a great Expect which generally It’s ‘gourmet’ burger, skiing resorts, and dishes, zas in the resort, fare, while hisactually made from oxtail section of sharing splendid Italian is out dish is easily ‘rabo de toro’ with a thin salads and soups. with Harira a stand mayonsquid-ink spaghetti I really liked their slice of cheese and Rif moun- the in its own soup, from the of chick- prawns. a naise and cooked for something tains, a rich broth juice. and Looking creative and infor- The pair also run popular peas, lamb, harina run the other in- bit more off the apricots, among mal, the pair alsoTapas a Las Gondalas just Tito excellent for gredients. was hipper jointup, while a third slopes and ski light bites, The tostada section a lovely few doors is up in the mid- some apresor a beer. also enticing, with a hot drink num- restaurant Then you avocado and anchovy and dle of the resort. Fancy Mexican? to be full ev- are now spoilt for choice in ber, with watercress from the Guaranteed the wines by the cherry tomatoes (vege- ery night, excellent and the Pradollano. really worth couple’s own huerta glass are Somewhere a table garden). established tapas change regularly.make checking out is Canalla set up by Easily the most Sierra Ne- If meat is your thing brand new place try out La Muralla, Raul, fresh from six yearsa restaurant in the run by sure to Gonzaand with vada is Tito Luigi,Luis and run by Argentinian living in London whose steaks sit really good sense of taste. two long term pals runs lo Funes, window with an Xavi, whose brotheroff the pride of place in the best in A good use of space below the just Tia Maria cafe just and are among excellent terrace hotel, the slopes. the Kenia Nevada least two the resort. are also great staff are dressed in utilitarThey can claim at here The ‘tostas’ guises, music come in various boiler outfits andgrime. kings of Spain eating tribute to and milhoja of ian and the walls pay clientele, while I loved the courgette is distinctly London list of and a the decent their esteemed sauce I loved and burritos, an interna- foie gras including various bullfight- carpaccio with fig tacos coming tional film stars, and the melt-in-the-mouth amazing ribs tacodelicious stunalso ers and politicians. for any bulls cheek is out steaming and An absolute must in partic- ning. sweet sauce. stay in the resort,
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2022-2023
ed with queues for the lifts, although Christmas Day can often be relatively quiet, while on the day of the Reyes (January 6), almost all of the Spanish will be at home opening presents. Don’t forget to try and avoid Semana Blanca (literally ‘white week’) – or half term at the end of February – when school children learn to ski, and, of course, bank holidays can also be very busy. The main tip is to go up early at 8am to 9am before the Spanish get going or waiting till midday.
Sierra Nevad
Apres-ski
While a modern resort, the main base at Pradollano is a nice spot to take in the air or a spot of lunch, and there are things for the kids to do, with entertainers and Disney figures wandering around, particularly
958 70 80 90
THRILLSEEKERS: Get their kit off every year
A COLLECTION thrill seekersof Sierra Nevada’s bravest rush down the and silliest for the last day mountain in swimsuits Next year, the of the season. at Borreguiles unusual downhill event clothes to takewhere participants hand will start in their where drinks to the slopes into Pradollano and hedonism
WHERE TO
a
STAY
Snow dreams
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sierranevada.es
2022-2023
AUTHENTIC: Kenia Nevada
The Sierra Nevada of reliable hotels, only has a handful writes Jon Clarke
I
T is hard to dollano as describe Pra- clean, well an authentic run mountain village. one of the bestand serves up breakfasts in But, with a Spain. on the ground metre of snow It also has a gym and and the sun finally out, it certainly spa, with has its and an in-house masseur, charms. plenty of communal There are lots eas, filled arstay but easily of places to furniture. with charming old most charming one of the You could be the authentic has got to and splurgealso go upmarket Nevada, which Hotel Kenia wonderful on one of the two near the centreis well located in the heartMelia hotels, right of town and of open most of The rooms at the resort. the year. Run by the friendly Nevada have the Melia Sierra been recently Don Pedro – who used to ski for the renovated and the New country as a Premium rooms youngster - it is on floors 7 have been built and 8.
Budding nudists awaits. around Christmas. often ski pass as The Sierra Nevada has also got ed a reputation be- signget a discountif they up to the official page. ing fun, with the apres ski being some of the best However, in Europe, once you know where to find space it (tip: is it’snormally 500 people limited mostly uphill). best and mostand prizes are given to to the outrageous The resort started to develop from 1995 with Onerapidly outfits. regular to inthe World Skiing Championship. “Sincevisitor then the the slopes, King lipe, is not Fefrastructure changes were huge it expected is now a big to take part. merand years In forhe normally resort,” explains resort marketing boss Santiago Se- drops Christmas time with friends in around villa, who has worked there forright). nearly two decades. (pictured
The ticket office in Plaza Andalucia is fully digital and now has dozens of machines installed for credit cars and phone payments. A day’s skiing costs €33 to €57 at peak time, but normally about €45, while those in their 70s get Quick Crossword free passes.
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Across: 1 Sierra, 5 Hasten, Move, 10 Solo, 12 Idaho, 13 8 Flagship, 9 16 Dose, Learn,
14 Peal, 17 Hosni, 18 Edits, 20 Volt, and Food from five23continents -26Vegan veggie dishes - Great for families! Legality, 25 Stares, 22 Seen, Exempt Down: 2 Igloo, 3 Rag doll, 4 Aah, 6 Samoa, 7 Envious, 5 11 Bath salts, Happiness, 16 Divulge, 19 Inner, 21 Let up, 15 Element, 24 Gee
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hotel
And now for something completely different!
English Ski & Snowboard Instructors
Atmosphere
a Nearby, is Calambrito, an equallovely space, with faly good mix of Mexicanliked vourites. I particularly the staff the tacos, while were really attentive. focussing Another place La Calle, just on burgers, opened up last season.joint, Another great simplecooked kings MAGICAL: Three but with great home Burger. trudge up the slopes food, is Telesilla 1960s. on January 5 first hostals in the add to places to be in of the most festiveas they arrive in The historic photos while the he resort is one know it, the atmosphere,soul food Year. Spain, and the Spaniards Christmas and New heart-warming their droves for Christmas eve, when the Spaand infais always excellent, ‘Nochebuena’ orfestive season with a huge lentils. the a sell out. cludes stews and place niards celebrate of turron, is usually masAnother excellent mily meal and lashings or New Year’s Eve, whereiconic slopes is overlooking the in Madrid’s Meanwhile ‘nochevieja’, has a the countdown the eve Tia Maria, which and is sive screens show grapes galore, is a riot. For on skis. good mix of dishes duly arrive Puerta del Sol, with breakfast. Jan 5 the three kings a great place for of the Reyes on for Continues on next
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眀眀眀⸀琀椀琀漀氀甀椀最椀⸀挀漀洀 PLAZA DE ANDALUCÍA, EDIF MONTEBAJO 2, SIERRA NEVADA
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Vol. 4 Issue 96 www.theolivepress.es December 15th 2022 - January 12th 2023
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Festive fun
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A But would he approve?
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mass arrival Kids will love it. 6-14, also sees a snow-sport contests. Carnival, from February competition and the fancy dress
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around Spain (or fly to Malaga, Granada or Gibraltar). The snow-capped peaks of Veleta and Mulhacen (mainland Spain’s highest mountain) can be seen for miles around sierranevada.es and winding up 2022-2023 the steep, scenic road to the top is as exhilarating as any drive in Spain, SURPRISES: View approaching slopes while (right) a dog goes for a slide particularly on the sharp curves with steep drops. There will be up to 110 kms of pistes sea level. Run by an offshoot of the Junta de An- open at the peak, including the amazing Its highest peak, Muldalucia, Cetursa has upped its game Laguna valley, for expert skiers, where hacen, is named after considerably in recent years, getting the Netflix series about the infamous Moorish king Muley increasingly automated in both parking 1972 plane crash in the Andes was Hacen (Abdul Hassan Ali), who is said to and buying the ski passes (forfeits). filmed earlier this year (see Page 6) It’s easy to park right under the two main For snowboarders or jump-lovers make have been buried at ski-lifts to the top and it costs around 20 your way to Superpark Sulayr, in the the top. euros a day. Loma de Dilar area, Europe’s largest The views from the highest ski lift, at Most places to rent skis and boots, or freestyle park, with its giant 165 metre 3,300 metres, are among the best in Europe, with the views across the Meditersnowboards, can be found within 200m ‘half pipe’. of the car park. And then there is the famous ‘Rio’ run ranean to the Rif mountains of Morocco Slopes-wide, new pistes are added most that leads right down to the resort of Pra- making the ocean look like a small pond. From here, decent skiers access the years, while the latest version of snow dollano, which sits at 2,100 metres. amazing runs of the Laguna de las cannons have been installed guaranteeYeguas valley, including the celebrated ing snow until, normally, early May. Olympic run with its many twists and The season often kicks off in late November, but is normally getting properly going The geography of the area is simply stag- turns. by the ‘puente’ weekend of the Immacu- gering given it is on the same latitude as The sheer nature and landscape here Cyprus and just 30 miles from the beach- is stunning and you will sometimes find late Conception on December 8. yourself skiing alone here midweek if you While this year the snow has arrived es of the Costa del Sol. late, frequently 40,000 skiers can rock Getting so much snow here is all to do time your trip well. up around this time, so better to come a with its altitude, which goes up to a stag- It definitely pays to pick your days with gering 3,482 metres (11,423 feet) above Easter and Christmas frequently saturatweek later. So-
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PROPERTIES WANTED
SALES & RENTALS SPECIALISTS
Sierra Nevada
The Sierra Nevada’s restaurant most elegant
By Anthony Piovesan
A PRIVATE investigator who worked with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle is chasing ‘a significant lead’ in the missing Levi Davis case. Investigator Gavin Burrows volunteered to help track down the former X-Factor star and sent a team of detectives from his firm, Line of Inquiry, to Barcelona. His 12 agents have been working on rotation around the clock scouring the streets.
the provement who swapped and around Europe) and sesame seeds. pro Stevie Silva,a set of sharp the Far East really focussing Another couple are Nestor and tasting new dishes.places to try his board for ago now. best on creative food knives, over a decadeon standing One of the favourites is their just opened Sonia, who have ConfuA man never content restaurants their current named after their first restaurant,after runstill (and with three days), his new joint, Makalu, in the highest mountain Nepal. sion, in Pradollano for five in Pradollano these is still the fifth China and ning holiday apartments world, bordering feels like a main joint Ci Vediamo years. This hip spot hard to beat. literally going to be difpop-up, ‘rebel food’ and You can tell it’s floral decor outWhile he dubs it creativity here, Shoreditch a wall in the heart ferent from the it has a sense there is plenty ofare just as likely carved out of side, while inside the resort. the truth is you thanks to and three crab tempu- of of Alice in Wonderland, Set up by Stevie ‘futo eat a simple soft of pasta. design skills it is focusing on the creative interior ra or a superb bowl is quality partners, mix of Asiatic, of artist Sonia. is able to match sion cooking’, a What he guarantees European dishes, nice twists. Luckily, the food and always a few his deep-fried Basque and total. “We’ve got its feet, it and, while just finding team in This year I lovedbacon and leeks around 12 in cuchalike Ramen, some has a real international and ‘parcels’ of egg, in the mouth stuff spoon) dishes (below) that melted an amazing ra (literally in one bite, while
Ci Vediamo
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sierranevada.es 958 70 80 90
WINTER WONDERLAND
of fun and excellent culinary fare, not to mention usually clement weather. Something of a rite of passage since a school trip to the Alps as a teenager, my itchy feet to strap on skis get more and more apparent as the month of December inches closer to Christmas. By mid-December the first heavy snows of the year have normally fallen and the slopes are usually warm during the day and with a fair few regulars actually skiing in t-shirts. Yes, while most winter sports fanatics will be shivering in the Alps at Christmas or struggling to see through fog 90 in the Pyr958 70 80 enees, visitors to the Sierra Nevada will be sinking canas in the sunshine… and best of all at little over €2 a throw (or well under half the price of the Alps). “This is the nicest place in the world to ski,” explains Luis Casanove, of Telemark ski school, who has been wintering here for 35 years. “We offer the best weather and the prices have hardly gone up in years.” And if you’re looking for something else to do en route, the magical architecture is going Nevada Sierramost in the of Spain’s visited monument, the a The quality of food Clarkeaway, while writes Alhambra, is justJon 30 minutes PIPING hot raclette, and a as the resort, burger and chips to be up as rapidly with the fascinating region of the Alpujarras is tortilla Spanish an amazing few tasty tapas usedin the the other side of the mountain. Stevie. crayfish with white truffle,” adds restaurant, the basic offering ago. spaghetti of giant was unbeatThe well of being able to ‘ski decades Japanese other claim His worn Sierra Nevada twoHarira soup, ra- pecorino cheesemorning on the now in itsin fourth in theShimbuya, morning, sunbathe the afterToday a Moroccan a spicy red tuna able after a hard strength to goes from noon’year, is perfectly possible… but that’s chef, men and gyozas or the juices flow to be on the slopes. adding a new “I arrange it so all claws into the making not forstrength, me. I like getting up there for a few burrito are more likely grazing. ‘spent 25 years the head and menu for your evening’s in Japan’.scenery, nights,who’s enjoying the mountain of food has from he explains, as he personsushi, many years dish,” it is well Just as the quality theofhill pecorino on top. food and air,up plus course a bit of Spain over refurther A bitfresh expect gone up around same has hap- ally shaved theto the flavour”. seeking out and noodles adds mountain sport. worth cent times, the gyozas, most fa- “It really Stevie and his delicious One ofsome the real joys though is seeing the A tight ship run by Luna, their pened in the country’s vibe. girlfriend a cool mous ski resort. snowy and peaks first appeartheonCalifornia the skyline in this im- Maitre’d takes them around My top tip, go forprawn, salmon wanderlust (to then One of the trailblazers APRES SKI: Chilling in the snowboard king as you drive from summer time and a front in resort with in is former world Rollloom
Photos by Telemark
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2022-2023
T was two decades ago that I looked out from a hillside near Ronda and spotted the distant snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada over 150 kilometres away. Like a giant white magnet I was immediately pulled in, seduced by the thrills of winter sports, right here on our doorstep. None of the hassle of flying to Geneva and a four-hour coach trip, or braving the big freeze in Glencoe, in Scotland, most of us on the costas are under a threehour drive to the winter wonderland of the Sierra Nevada. While entirely possible to do in a day trip from the Costa del Sol, take it from me you are missing out half of the fun if you don’t stay at least one night. This is rightly dubbed ‘southern Europe’s top skiing resort’ and naturally - it being WHERE TO EAT Spain - with it comes the usual dollop
Photos by Jon Clarke
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The Sierra Nevada is the true icing on the cake of living in southern Spain, writes Jon Clarke
I
Javea - Denia La Sella Golf Area tel: +34 966 424 505 mob: +34 647 575 152 INFO@VACATIONVILLAS.ES
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Brit gives lifeline to homeless septuagenarian expat and his dog
A BRITISH Good Samaritan may have saved the life of an elderly homeless man living with his dog in a freezing Civil War bunker. Retired policeman Derek Hepple, 80, came to the rescue of the Czech man, known as George, and his dog, Boba, a month ago. Derek, who lives by Santa Pola’s Tamarit beach, came across the 71-year-old on one of his daily coastline walks. Concerned about his safety as the weather deteriorated, he explored ways to help within the community. Now, after an urgent two-week search, he has managed to get George a bed at Elche Hospital, while his Portuguese Waterdog pet is being cared for by mem-
EXCLUSIVE By Alex Trelinski
bers of the Barkingside charity. “Nobody this old should be living like this, especially with the cold nights drawing in,” Derek told the Olive Press. “I hope he can find himself a permanent home in the new year.” Derek, who has a background of animal charity fundraising in his native North-East England, had been helping a group of abandoned cats close to George’s shelter for five years. It was on one of his regular 5am feeding visits so as not to attract the wrath of neighbours, that he came across the Czech man. He explained how he got a
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shock when a head suddenly peeked out from underneath some blankets in the concrete bunker, which is like an igloo around 12 feet in diam- SAFE: Derek (left) hands Boba to charity eter. helpers While the language was quite a barrier, with sandwiches and coffee for he got talking to him and dis- George, plus some dog food for covered how he had been liv- Boba,” he explained. ing in the area for some time, “Since then I made sure to although police occasionally make daily visits to feed both of them,” added Derek. moved him on. “I went straight back to my Meanwhile, Another former nearby apartment and returned policeman, Richard Sparrow, provided a sleeping bag, while a Spaniard named Paco brought in some extra food. Despite living off just an old age pension, Derek’s generosity stretched to bringing new socks, a scarf, a hoodie, and a hat. “I had to do something because what he was wearing was soiled ALL YOUR LEGAL and wet,” he explained. But he also knew providing help ISSUES DEALT WITH! was not going to solve the problem and he contacted Santa PoHere to help with your la’s social services. life in Spain including Finally, council worker Marga Salmeron met with Derek to wills, residency, check out George’s living contax returns, buying ditions. “She was appalled and phoned and selling property a doctor before an ambulance We speak your language! arrived to take him to hospital,” Derek said. Centro Comercial Arenal, Boba had apparently vanished Avenida del Pla 126, Office 217, but thankfully was found on the Javea 03730 tel: 966 943 219 www.mylawyerinspain.com
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