Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin May 3

FEATURED ARTICLES: "Visit the San Javier Air Show this weekend!" and "Tenerife reels from gruesome expat murder mystery"

Happy May, everybody! This weekend, the first of the new month, we’re excited for a very special event in Spain, the grand return of the Festival Aéreo de San Javier, the San Javier Air Show, featuring incredible aviation acrobatics and loads more besides.

We’ve also got stories for you about another new international plane journey coming out of the Region of Murcia Airport, a horrendous occurrence that befell a Belgian couple in Tenerife and a new law being passed by the Spanish government.

But first…

Politics (briefly)

Remember that whole thing about Pedro Sánchez being about to resign in a humph? Well, he didn’t. Storm in a teacup. If anything, he just tried to use the whole situation of his wife being the subject of a right-wing attack to shore up support and pity for himself.

So it’s back to business as usual on that front, with the opposition parties still looking for a way to bring down (even if it’s just by a few pegs) the man who seems invincible in Spanish politics right now.

Talking of which, there is an update on the ex-politician and one of the founders of the Vox party, Alejo Vidal-Quadras, who survived being shot in the face in broad daylight on a street in Madrid back in November.

A fifth person involved in the attempted assassination plot on Vidal-Quadras has been arrested in the Netherlands. The Dutch woman, in her 30s and originally from Morocco, was arrested by Dutch police for allegedly financing the plot.

A British woman, a French man and a Spaniard have all previously been detained in Spain for their parts in the sordid affair, as has a Venezuelan man in Colombia. A Moroccan man is still wanted for his role in the plot, which Vidal-Quadras himself, once he woke up from his surgery after being shot, placed at the feet of the Iranian government, of which he has been a vociferous critic.

Belgian expat murdered in Tenerife

The grim discovery of a badly decomposed and dismembered corpse was made off the coast of Tenerife on Saturday April 27. The head of the body, which was found by fishermen off the coast of Adeje, had been wrapped in a yellow plastic bag, and both legs and one of the hands had been chopped off.

The body was later identified as belonging to 66-year-old Belgian expat Laura Trappeniers who had been missing for several days, and the preliminary post-mortem confirmed that the unfortunate victim had indeed suffered a very violent death.

Her lifeless corpse was pulled from the water on a beach in the municipality of Arico, between the neighbourhoods of La Jaca and Las Listadas.

Laura was last seen in her adopted home town on April 22. Her husband, 71-year-old Marc Olbrechts, is still missing, as is their blue Opel Mokka.

The tiny town where the expats lived has been rocked by this shocking murder, and it’s a mystery as to why this happened and who could have been behind the couple’s disappearance.

Close friends told investigating authorities that the couple “seemed happy” and that everything seemed to be “going well in their lives”. Belgian and Spanish police are working together closely to shed some light on the mystery.

It comes shortly after the murder of Singaporean tourist Audrey Fang, 39, who was found dead in a field near Abanilla in Murcia last month.

Up, up and away!

If you can at all get yourself over to Murcia’s Mar Menor area this weekend, do. Something’s going down that you won’t want to miss.

That’s right, this weekend is the biggest event on the Murcia social calendar – the world-famous San Javier International Air Festival which runs between Friday May 3 and Sunday May 5.

Picture this: aerobatic stunts, pilot training, bustling markets, toe-tapping tunes – you name it, they’ve got it! The town is closing down the road next to Barnuevo esplanade to traffic, and several other streets besides, to accommodate the thronging crowds that are expected to turn out for the return of the Air Show.

Two flying squadrons, PAPEA and Águila, are set to kick off and wrap up the jaw-dropping aerial extravaganza. With over 50 aircraft soaring through the skies, expect everything from sports planes to historical relics to steal the show. There will also be a parachute showcase by the Air Force and the vintage beauties on display from the Valencian Air Foundation.

There is also pilot training happening, and all of these aerial acrobatics you can watch for free from the beaches of Santiago de la Ribera. Over the course of the weekend, the epicentre of the action will be at El Pescador beach, but spectators will have a great view of all the demonstrations along the two kilometres of coastline from the AGA to the Ciudad del Aire.

There’s also plenty of fun to be had on the ground, with the Barnuevo esplanade and the promenade playing host to a smorgasbord of free activities. From aerial simulators to VR adventures to drone demos, there’s no shortage of thrills for the whole family, and there is also live music and food trucks.

After six years away, the return of the Air Festival to San Javier feels like a big deal on a local, regional and national level. Absolutely unmissable!

Murcia

There are probably plenty of well-known places you’ve visited in the Region of Murcia – the coastal gun batteries in Cartagena, the Fortress of the Wolf King just outside Murcia capital, the castles in Águilas, Lorca and Alhama de Murcia – but this week we’re highlighting a hidden gem of a place to visit, the Ethnic Music Museum and Carlos Blanco Fadol Collection in Barranda.

Barranda is a tiny village in the uplands of northwest Murcia, within the municipality of Caravaca. At the Ethnic Music Museum, the remarkable journey of Carlos Blanco Fadol unfolds. Carlos is a passionate ethnomusicologist who has amassed an unparalleled collection of over 4,000 ethnic instruments from around the globe. A Burmese gong-dragon, glittering with 24 carat gold; a giant ‘tan tan’ from the palace of the King of Madura, Indonesia; simple stringed instruments from Murcia which used to accompany fiestas, celebrations and religious events in the past… almost three quarters of the ethnic instruments on display are now no longer played in the communities from which they came!

Through his tireless efforts, Carlos not only preserves disappearing musical heritage but also fosters cultural exchange and understanding. His dedication extends beyond mere collection, as seen in his profound mission to return ceremonial instruments to the Yaguas tribe in the heart of the Amazon rainforest, safeguarding their legacy amidst environmental threats. Only a fraction of his collection on display at the museum, but it is still enough to make for an absolutely fascinating visit that celebrates diverse musical traditions.

In a tale of resilience and renewal, the Las Dunas Shopping Centre in Cabo de Palos is finally emerging from a tumultuous past with a transformative facelift. Cartagena City Council was forced to partially shut down Las Dunas three years ago, fearing structural collapse caused by the crumbling infrastructure. Crowds of youngsters were also gathering to drink on the abandoned floors, where only the bars remained open.

Since then, almost 1 million euros has been pumped into the place and now the authorities have finally given the green light to the businesses which were forced to shut in 2021 to reapply for their licences, with the view to opening for business before the summer. Eventually, Las Dunas will also house a Mercadona supermarket, which will be one of the largest in Spain, as well as up to 250 shops and a petrol station.

The nearby RM-12 road which leads almost to the door of the shopping centre has been slated for repairs this autumn, as the Region of Murcia government greenlighted a contract to reinforce the road surface of what is commonly known as the autovía de La Manga, the entrance road to La Manga del Mar Menor.

That’s a 1.8-million-euro, three-month project set to start after the busy summer season, but before the summer is out, Cartagena City Council has promised to build a new public access road to the Playa del Barco Perdido, one of La Manga’s most popular beaches.

They have been handed a plot of land by the Community of Owners of the Babilonia urbanisation has so they can guarantee public access to the beach from the Gran Vía de La Manga, which is their legal responsibility and something that has been lacking for years now.

There is a new flight on the way at Corvera airport for this summer, but it’s not a regular flight path that will be running on a weekly basis. Rather, tour operator Soltour has organised a one-off flight to Albania in July for an all-inclusive package holiday. The trip includes visits to Tirana, the capital of Albania, as well as other historic cities and the jaw-dropping beaches of the Adriatic Sea.

It’s probably not the destination most people wanted or needed from Corvera airport, but it does show that slowly but surely travel agencies, tour operators and airlines are willing to trust a little more in Murcia as both a travel destination and a jumping-off point for people wanting to go abroad.

Finally, there were thousands of jellyfish washed up on the beaches of Mazarrón and Lorca recently which, although they looked similar to the highly dangerous Portuguese Man o’ War, were really harmless ‘sea raft’ or ‘by-the-wind sailor’ jellyfish. Emergency services in Mazarrón even reported having found some “very striking” albino jellyfish. Cleaning services were there lickety-split to clear the animals off the beach.

As well as the San Javier Air Show this weekend, there’s plenty more going on around the Region of Murcia as always. Have a look!

Spain

Housing market experts are expecting a slight increase in property prices in Spain this coming summer, driven by an overall shortage of quality builds in tourist hotspots and heightened demand from overseas buyers. But just how much are foreigners paying for a bolthole in Spain, and which nationalities are putting their money where their mouth is?

The latest data tells us that last year the average price paid for property reached 1,712 euros per square metres but non-residents spent a whole lot more, averaging 2,715 euros. This is largely because foreigners typically choose more expensive areas, like bustling urban hubs or beachside retreats.

It should come as no surprise then that the Valencian Community leads the way in foreign investment, accounting for nearly 30% of total transactions. Over the past few months, the Levante region has dominated the real estate scene, attracting both local and foreign clientele alike due to affordability, strong returns, convenient transportation options and the Mediterranean lifestyle.

Other regions that saw an increase in foreign property purchases last year include Asturias (11.5%), Cantabria (4.0%), La Rioja (3.4%), Murcia (1.8%) and Castile-La Mancha (1.1%).

Again, no surprises here, but home buyers from the UK still comprise the majority of foreign investors in Spain, accounting for 9.7% of the total, but Morocco isn’t far behind at 7.14%.

Interestingly, Ukrainian and Russian buyers grew steadily last year, increasing their sales by 9% and 4.7% respectively.

When examining foreign buyer behaviour across various regions, a distinct pattern surfaced. Barring a few exceptions, Moroccan and Romanian nationals constituted the bulk of foreign buyers. Within Galicia, Portuguese buyers held the lion’s share of purchases, while the British, German and Italian demographics showed stronger representation in Valencia and the archipelagos of the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands.

Love it or hate it, social media is very much part of the fabric of our modern world, and while it can help keep us connected, provide information and generally be a bit of light entertainment, plenty of people fall prey to scams and false advertising.

We all have our favourite social media personalities, and when the ones we trust promote a product or recommend something, many individuals take this at face value and rush out to buy it. But the biggest influencers are paid by sponsors to market their goods, and these posts often don’t reflect real opinions or feelings at all.

Inspired by other countries like France, Spain is on the cusp of introducing new legislation aimed at regulating influencer advertisement tactics and safeguarding audiences from misleading claims.

When it comes into force during the summer, the Influencer Law will initially target influencers with more than 2 million followers who make 300,000 euros per year from their online activity. These personalities will be prohibited from using covert or subliminal marketing strategies, and the government will stringently monitor any posts that explicitly promote specific products or brands.

Certain items, namely tobacco, e-cigarettes, herbal products and related accessories, will be categorically excluded from sponsored posts.

Promotion of medication, health products violating advertising regulations and alcoholic beverages will also be tightly constrained.

Betting and gaming advertisements by influencers will also be restricted to airtime slots between 1am and 5am.

While the legislation doesn’t yet cover all social media personalities, it is a step in the right direction, according to Minister for Digital Transformation, José Luis Escrivá.

“The important thing is that for the first time they are going to be subject to the same rules and limitations that television stations have now,” he stressed.

Alicante

The Vega Baja area of Alicante, which encompasses the golden shores of the Costa Blanca, is one of the most densely populated parts of the province, but its waste management facilities are woefully inadequate.

Each year, the government is forced to pay a small fortune to have the region’s rubbish and recyclables transferred to landfills in Alicante proper, and even as far afield as Cañada Hermosa in Murcia.

To save money and ensure a better overall service for residents, plans are in the works to build a new recycling plant in the vicinity of Torremendo, a small town close to San Miguel de Salinas and situated between the La Pedrera reservoir and the Region of Murcia border.

Similar initiatives have been thwarted by locals in the past but the regional government has been at pains to point out that the site will only deal with recyclable products like plastic and glass, so it will in no way be a traditional landfill or dump. If the project goes ahead, it could manage 200,000 metric tonnes of recyclable waste per year.

The area being studied for the new recycling plant is located between Sierra Escalona and the Sierras del Cristo and Pujálvarez, right on the Murcian boundary line. It’s the perfect spot, according to developers, for two simple reasons. Firstly, the land isn’t particularly valuable, since its dryness means it’s only suitable for growing crops like carob, almond and olive trees. Secondly, this plot, together with the high areas of La Murada and Barbarroja, makes up the least densely populated site in the area and the one that is furthest from built-up urban areas.

The deal is by no means sealed, though, as the plans still have to go through rigorous environmental evaluations where the landscape itself, along with the aesthetic and acoustic impact of the potential treatment plant will be assessed.

Staying with the Costa Blanca and the salt lakes of Torrevieja have turned into a flurry of pink with the return of more than 2,500 breeding pairs of flamingos. For the past five years, these stunning birds have returned to the protected wetlands to build their strange, volcano-shaped nests and raise their young on the pink-tinged water.

The first feathered couple landed in Torrevieja around April 10, which means that the first baby flamingos – known as flaminglets – could hatch as early as May 20.

Built in the 90s to protect salt production, the Torrevieja salt lakes are now home to one of the main flamenco breeding colonies in Spain.

Not only is the place attractive for bringing new common flamingo chicks into the world, some specimens of the lesser flamingo that nested for the first time in the natural area of Torrevieja last year have also been sighted in recent weeks.

Some sad news emerged from San Miguel de Salinas this week when an elderly man and his beloved dog perished in a house fire on Calle Los Rosales on the Mirador del Mediterraneo urbanisation.

When firefighters arrived at the bungalow at around noon on Tuesday April 30, the property was completely engulfed in flames and rescue workers could only carry the two lifeless bodies from the house.

The victim, a 57-year-old man with an intellectual disability, lived in the bungalow with his brother, who was not at home at the time the fire broke out in the kitchen/living room.

Moving along the coast, Benidorm’s famous Terra Mitica theme park is preparing to open its doors to thrill seekers on Friday May 17. The park is like a mini Disneyland, complete with hair-raising rollercoasters, tamer rides for the kiddies, spectacular shows and themed areas.

A theme park spokesperson has promised that “Terra Mítica will once again vibrate with the fun of its more than thirty attractions that range from those with the highest adrenaline, such as Syncope or Titanide, to family ones such as Icaros or Puerto de Alejandría.”

The park will remain open until November 3. More information can be found at www.terramiticapark.com.

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

Andalucía

Eva Longoria, the iconic star of ‘Desperate Housewives’, is trading in the glitz and glam of Hollywood for the sun-drenched shores of the Costa del Sol.

Alongside her husband José Bastón, they’re bidding farewell to the hustle and bustle of LA to give their son Santiago a taste of life away from the Hollywood hullabaloo. With their palatial Beverly Hills estate now on the market for a cool $19.8 million, they’re settling into their newly renovated Marbella villa, courtesy of renowned architect Nicolás Escanez. Boasting six bedrooms, seven bathrooms, an indoor pool, sauna, and a state-of-the-art gym, it’s the epitome of luxury living.

And why the move? According to a close friend, they’re keen to raise Santiago in a place where he can soak up nature’s beauty without getting caught up in the Hollywood hoopla. Plus, Longoria’s ties to Spain run deep, with her longstanding involvement in the Global Gift Foundation, a non-profit aimed at making a positive impact on children, women, and families in need.

Meanwhile, over in Granada, the city is gearing up for its annual extravaganza this weekend, the Cruces de Mayo festival. On May 3 and 4, expect a whirlwind of festivities filling the streets and squares with joyous celebrations. Crosses adorned with intricate decorations will pop up in schools, patios, and shop windows, transforming the city into a vibrant tapestry of colours.

But it’s not all about the visuals – there’s plenty of entertainment to keep you enthralled, from traditional dances to flamenco shows. A cracking, traditional Spanish celebration if ever there was one!

Finally, over in Córdoba, the city is set to burst into bloom with the arrival of the Patios de Córdoba festival, which runs from May 2 to 12. As if the city of Córdoba weren’t already beautiful enough as it is, the Patios de Córdoba festival consists of locals decking out the patios and courtyards of their historical city centre homes with hundreds of thousands of fragrant, colourful flowers. It is a major draw for tourists from all over Spain and the world.

In total, there are 52 stunning displays which showcase the architectural diversity of the region. From modern marvels to beautifully restored courtyards, each patio is a testament to the city’s rich heritage. You can even go and visit them on any one of six specially prepared routes, giving you plenty of opportunities to soak up the sights and sounds of the floral wonderland that Córdoba becomes at this time every year.

It’s not just flowers, either. With free admission across all 11 days of the fiesta and a packed program of flamenco and traditional music performances, the Córdoba Patios fest is an event not to be missed. Just be prepared for the crowds – this floral fiesta is one of Andalucía’s most popular springtime events, so expect queues and plan accordingly!

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