Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin March 22

FEATURED ARTICLES: "Entire Spanish town goes on sale for just €180,000" and "Discover the weirdest and wackiest Semana Santa processions in Spain!"

Past and present come together as Spain prepares its Holy Week celebrations – tradition comes to life with the processions full of hooded nazarenos marching through the Spanish streets, and some of them have some quite colourful and crazy additions (more about which below).

If you fancy a step further back into the past, why not buy your own town in rural Spain, complete with its own 15th-century castle? This ‘Name of the Rose’-style castillo can be yours today for less than you would pay for most houses.

At the same time, Spain is taking a step into the future with robotic police ‘officers’ now patrolling the streets, soon to be controlled by Artificial Intelligence. Minority Report meets Robocop!

Plus, the weather and more weekly news in this edition of the bulletin. Let’s go!

Dream big

Most people at one time or another have dreamed of owning their own little pocket of paradise in Spain, but a real-life fairytale opportunity has just come on the market. A picturesque Spanish hamlet, complete with a mediaeval castle, is currently on sale for a steal.

Located in the charming countryside of Prádena, just an hour and a half outside of Madrid, the township of Matandrino boasts nearly 5,000 square metres of land, 17 properties and a historic castle dating back to the 15th century. And the best part? This entire kingdom could all yours for a mere 180,000 euros.

Once a thriving community, Matandrino was sadly abandoned in 1963, leaving behind a trail of crumbling structures, but the castle is without doubt the crown jewel of the town, offering endless possibilities for a unique and enchanting living space.

Although the buildings may be in disrepair, the town’s affordability has captured the attention of potential buyers in the past. And, with the price having increased by 80% since 2022, when it was last sold for a mere 100,000 euros, this truly is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a savvy investor.

If you remember, this isn’t the first time that whole villages in Spain have been put on the market for less than the price of a single house, but the devil is often in the detail. These tend to be abandoned, isolated villages that are decidedly rundown, and while you could buy the whole place for just a few thousand euros, you’d probably have to put up somewhere in the millions to make it habitable and restore the important historical patrimony.

RoboDog

The streets of Málaga have just become a whole lot safer (maybe) thanks to the arrival of a brand-new, high-tech robot dog. This futuristic furry friend is the latest addition to the Local Police force and is already making waves in the community.

Weighing in at 35 kilos, the dog made his debut appearance on Calle Larios earlier this week and caused quite a stir among locals and tourists alike. And it’s no wonder – this pup is packed with cutting-edge technology that allows him to detect electric scooter riders who are breaking the rules.

The ‘robo dog’ has been developed as a support element for the Local Police and has a range of impressive functions. He can record and analyse video footage in real time, detect traffic jams or problems on city roads, and even raise the alarm in case of an emergency. Plus, he can deliver recorded messages, making him a true multi-tasking marvel.

Initially, he’ll be accompanying the Local Police in various tasks and will be controlled by an operator. But with the help of artificial intelligence, he’ll eventually be able to make tours autonomously.

If you’re excited to meet the Costa del Sol’s newest guardian in person, you won’t have to wait long. He’s scheduled to make appearances in the centre of Malaga in mid-June and again in September at the old prison facilities.

Is it fog? Is it mist? No, it’s calima!

It was pretty cloudy earlier this week. Or was it? It just seemed like it was cloudy, but in reality, it was calima (cue dramatic dun-dun-dun music).

As we lurched from winter into spring this week, the calima came drifting up from the Sahara Desert, over the Canary Islands on Monday and towards mainland Spain by the middle of the week. But this calima wasn’t the apocalyptic, red-sky, leave everything looking like a pigsty kind of calima that had everyone going crazy this time two years ago.

Rather, it was a sort of greyish colour, like a normal cloudy day. Calima – the Spanish word for Saharan dust – has actually been around forever. It was only when we had that really dramatic, martian-like episode in March 2022 that we all started worrying about it.

So why worry? Fog, clouds, mist, calima… it all amounts to the same thing doesn’t it?

Well, not exactly. Aside from the fact that it’s a much more exotic kind of weather system, calima makes the air quality substantially worse than, say, clouds do. It’s not the same to be breathing in moisture droplets as dust, sand and assorted detritus.

When the calima comes, anyone who is deemed ‘at risk’, that is the elderly and those with respiratory problems, are advised to avoid undertaking any strenuous physical activity, especially outdoors. If those vulnerable people do have to go outside, the use of an FPP2 facemask is recommended as a protective measure.

And as if it weren’t hot enough, calima serves to trap the warm air down by the ground, bringing up the already high temperatures.

That said, it’s going to get a lot cooler and wetter for the beginning of next week, with temperatures in some parts of southern Spain dropping by a full ten degrees Celsius overnight between Sunday and Monday! Just in time for the Easter hols…

Murcia

One of the things we love about living in Spain is the country’s absolute dedication to tradition, the wealth of cultural activities always taking place, from the fantastical fiestas that involve throwing food around to the sometimes downright bizarre.

At no time is this unique culture more evident than at Semana Santa – the Holy Week of Easter – which has as little to do with chocolate eggs and bunny rabbits as it’s possible to imagine. Here are a few of the more eye-popping examples of Easter celebrations in the Region of Murcia that you can visit for a flavour of real Spanish culture.

Jumilla, that fairly small wine-producing town in the north of the Region, has an unusually sombre and ethereal Semana Santa tradition, even by Spanish standards!

On Holy Tuesday (March 26 this year), Jumilla hosts the ‘Procession of Silence’, a tradition that dates back to 1845 and which involves participants dressed in black tunics tied with rope, many barefoot, dragging chains behind them in a Vía Crucis of austerity and penitence. All the lights in the town are switched off and the only illumination is provided by the moon, the flaming torches and the bonfires in the streets. A truly spooky, reverential sort of evening out!

Lorca’s Maundy Thursday and Good Friday processions are decidedly more colourful and gay, with dazzling displays of horsemanship and equally dazzling embroidered costumes somehow coming together to represent a series of events from the Old Testament and the Passion of Christ.

In Cabo de Palos, the Maundy Thursday ‘Procesión del Cristo de los Pescadores’ fishermen’s procession is another sight to behold, featuring the town’s sailors and seafarers dressed in their typical yellow waterproof garb, while in Yecla there’s a guy dressed up as a devil who runs around on Easter Sunday trying to escape the triumph of Life over Death and Good over Evil!

Of course, this is just a very small selection of the processions in the Region of Murcia from March 22 to 31 this year, and you can check out the agenda in your local town to find out what to see and when.

And even after that’s all done, the good news and fun don’t stop as a new bar is opening on Las Terrazas de la Torre golf resort in early April. This is Spanglish, whose popular premises in Balsicas is closing down to move over to Las Terrazas, where they will be taking over the bar at the clubhouse.

Work has been underway recently at the clubhouse and speculation has been rife, but now Dan and Manu, the double team behind Spanglish, have confirmed they will be moving in and residents and visitors to Las Terrazas are delighted.

Spanglish in Balsicas was already popular with people living at Las Terrazas, and when the newer, larger premises opens on April 6 it will be even more convenient for them to have the ‘bilingual’ bar so close at hand, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and tapas seven days a week, as well as hosting themed evenings with live music, quiz nights, roast lunches on Sundays and more.

Elsewhere, other resorts are being cleaned up and the old trash taken out. On Camposol, a 72-year-old Belgian man faces eight and a half years in prison on charges of downloading and distributing child pornography. The suspect, a resident of the Camposol urbanisation, was arrested almost exactly three years ago on suspicion of possessing and sharing sexual photos and videos of girls under the age of 11 back in 2015 and 2016.

Now, just nine short years later, the defendant – referred to by the regional press as Andrew L.H. – is facing not only jailtime, but also a ban on any activity with minors for the next decade, once he is released on parole, to be expelled from the country, barring him from returning for ten years.

From one slimy, slippery creature to another, a Horseshoe whip snake was recently found in the Plaza del Convento in the centre of Mazarrón. The animal, of a species that is native to this part of the world, was spotted in the Mazarrón square and witnesses quickly called the police, who were able to capture it without too much trouble and, following instructions from the El Valle Wildlife Recovery Centre, return it to its natural habitat.

Horseshoe whip snakes are not venomous and tend to shy away from humans, but this is not the first time that they have been spotted in amongst human populations in Murcia, drawn out by the warmer weather and the promise of increased food supplies. In 2021, one such specimen was found slinking around a family home in Totana, while just last year one was discovered in a children’s kindergarten in Los Dolores!

Check out our EVENTS DIARY for events and activities coming up in the Region of Murcia:

Spain

With the 18th round of negotiations between the UK and the EU on the Treaty of Gibraltar just around the corner, yet another border mishap in Spain has soured relations even further.

Last week, four British soldiers were expelled from the southern Spanish municipality of Cádiz for apparently entering the country illegally. According to local police, the men arrived in Gibraltar on a civilian flight and had return tickets via the Rock, allowing them to pose as tourists and enter Spain undetected.

Two of the soldiers were caught trying to cross back into Gibraltar in the dead of night and the others were tracked down to a four-star hotel in La Línea de la Concepción before the entire group was unceremoniously shipped back.

The latest incident highlights the ongoing issues surrounding the disputed territory of the Rock, and it will do little to smooth the way for the upcoming talks.

The EU and UK are negotiating the role of Gibraltar in the Schengen area, aiming to create a seamless travel zone while addressing security concerns. A key issue is the border fence, which Spain wants removed without necessarily settling the sovereignty dispute.

Most of the country turned out to celebrate St Patrick’s Day on Sunday March 17 and tourist hotspots and popular expat areas were literally turned green in honour of Ireland’s patron saint. But the celebrations in Gran Canaria took a sinister turn when a cleaner working at an apart-hotel in Puerto Rico discovered the bloodied body of a dead Irishman the following morning.

According to police who responded at the scene, the victim was a tourist and appeared to have suffered a severe head injury, although it’s not yet clear whether his death was a result of a fall or a violent attack.

Another man was present in the hotel room but he was completely incoherent when questioned, claiming that he and his dead friend had been on a two-day drinking binge and that he remembered nothing about the previous evening.

Former Brazil and Barcelona soccer player Dani Alves could be freed from jail in Spain after the courts accepted 1 million euros in bail pending an appeal of his rape conviction and 4.5-year prison sentence.

His temporary possible release has sparked outrage and indignation up and down the country, with many people slamming the Spanish justice system for unfairly favouring the famous and powerful.

“This is justice for the rich,” exclaimed the victim’s lawyer, who condemned the bail agreement as unfair and too lenient. The lawyer argued that Alves’ wealth and influence had secured him special treatment, allowing him to avoid serving his full sentence.

Alves’ attorneys quickly appealed following his conviction last month for assaulting a woman at a Barcelona club in December 2022.

As part of his bail agreement, the former international footballer has relinquished his passports and will not be allowed to leave Spain. He must not come within 1,000 metres of his victim or her family, her home, workplace or anywhere else she may be present.

The case has reignited debate about the treatment of sexual assault suspects and the role of money and privilege in the justice system. Critics argue that Alves’ wealth and fame have enabled him to secure preferential treatment, casting doubts on the impartiality of the legal system. Money can’t buy you love, but in Spain, it seems, it can buy you freedom if you’re a convicted rapist.

Alicante

In a strange case this week, a 44-year-old French woman was arrested in a hotel room in Denia for reportedly kidnapping her own son. Authorities in France had issued a European Arrest and Extradition Warrant when it was discovered that the 11-year-old boy had repeatedly missed school and been moved to four different addresses in a few months, without his father being made aware.

The child is currently being taken care of at a juvenile centre in Alicante and extradition proceedings are underway for his mother, who faces three years behind bars in France if convicted.

With the Easter break just around the corner, the beautiful beaches of Benidorm are ready to welcome throngs of tourists for the first major holiday event of the year. To ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for tourists and locals, the City Council has put in place comprehensive plans for cleanliness, safety and first aid services.

From March 23 to April 8, a special operation will be in effect, which includes the deployment of 20 additional Local Police officers every day. The extended operating hours from 10am to 7pm will provide ample coverage during peak periods, when lifeguards will be stationed at Poniente, Levante and Mal Pas beaches, ensuring the safety of swimmers and sunbathers.

To address accessibility concerns, three designated areas at Calle Murcia (Levante), Parque de Elche and La Cala will offer bathing facilities from 10.30am to 2.30pm, with two lifeguards stationed at each location. These areas will cater specifically to individuals with mobility issues, providing them with easy access to the beach and sea.

Meanwhile, a team of 25 individuals will be responsible for manual waste collection across three shifts, ensuring that the beaches remain clean and litter-free. Mechanical cleaning using tractors and sieves will take place overnight.

If you’re looking for a more active holiday, why not head a little further south to Torrevieja, where one of Spain’s most impressive urban parks has just been opened, offering facilities for every kind of sport imaginable.

Located between Calle Henri Matisse, Calle Ravel and Calle Gurid, La Siesta Park sprawls across an impressive 44,000 square metres and is the second largest park in the city. Catering to the demands of its visitors, the park has expanded its offerings to include 10 petanque courts, while those seeking a more leisurely experience can indulge in the park’s bio-healthy exercise zones.

An amphitheatre and spacious children’s play areas, complete with a climbing wall, offer entertainment for all ages, and a central plaza will soon have kiosk serving a variety of refreshments.

But the park’s crowning jewel is undoubtedly its magnificent Pump track, stretching over 4,000 square metres. This expansive, paved track caters to riders of all skill levels, making it the largest paved pump track in Spain.

Check out the Costa Blanca What’s On and Where to Go Facebook group to see more things to do around Alicante province!

Andalucía

In Andalucía, the ongoing drought concerns have prompted restrictions on filling private swimming pools with potable water. Exceptions include health, education and sports complexes, hotels and saltwater pools meeting specific criteria.

The decision, which was unanimously supported by the Junta de Andalucía, will be ratified soon, with ongoing evaluations of reservoirs planned after Easter and bi-weekly meetings to consider further measures.

As it is, reservoirs have been somewhat topped up by recent rains in Andalucía. It seems that spring is doing its thing and delivering the goods that winter couldn’t.

Meanwhile, tragedy struck early on Tuesday morning, March 19, when a devastating collision occurred on the AP-4 near Los Palacios in Sevilla. A truck failed to stop at a Guardia Civil checkpoint, resulting in a horrific chain reaction of events that claimed six lives. Two law enforcement officers and four other drivers lost their lives in the wake of the truck’s impact, which sent shockwaves through not only this community, but the whole of Spain.

According to eyewitness accounts and initial investigations, it appears that the driver of the truck may have nodded off at the wheel. However, authorities have not ruled out alternative explanations and are conducting a thorough probe to establish the precise circumstances surrounding the crash.

A team from the Guardia Civil’s traffic accident reconstruction unit in Mérida has been dispatched to the scene to painstakingly reconstruct the events. By examining the lorry’s tachograph data, experts hope to pinpoint the vehicle’s speed at the moment of impact.

In addition, the driver of the truck, who was transporting vegetables from La Línea de la Concepción in Cádiz, is cooperating fully with investigators and tested negative for alcohol and drugs.

Finally, a heartwarming story out of the Caser Residencial Málaga nursing home for the elderly, which recently hosted its first ever videogame tournament for over-70s, aiming to combat Alzheimer’s disease.

Elderly residents engaged in friendly competition, playing Mario Kart and other games on Playstation. The initiative promoted inclusivity and fun while stimulating mental faculties and hand-eye coordination.

At the end of the day, participants in the videogames tournament received certificates, highlighting the home’s commitment to innovative care for the elderly, and recognising the role of videogames as a potent tool in Alzheimer’s prevention.

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That’s all for this week. Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful Easter! We’ll be back with another edition of the Editor’s Roundup Weekly Bulletin for next week.

See you then!