1. real estate
2. apartments

MARBELLA
March & April 2015
La ZAGALETA
...as it was
The Difference between
Active and Passive
Investors
The
MICHELIN CURSE
MACHU PICCHU
and Hiram Bingham
If Exercise is so
GOOD for US....
SOFIA VERGARA
on Modern Family and Women
being Proud of their Bodies
2
MARBELLA
MARBELLA
3
Pure private banking
Contents
Machu Picchu and Hiram Bingham
The publisher, authors and contributors reserve their rights in regards to
copyright of their work. No part of this work covered by copyright may be
reproduced or copied in any form or by any means without the written
consent of the publisher. Totally Marbella S.L. takes no responsibility for
claims made in advertisements in this magazine
©Totally Marbella S.L. Depósito Legal: MA 2277-2013
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6
How to Arrive on Time
10
The Difference between an Active and a Passive Investor
12
Adnan Khashoggi
14
La Zagaleta - As it Was
16
Life Codes with Heidi Sawyer
24
A Haunted House
26
Letting your Property
30
Restaurants that won’t Disappoint
34
If Exercise is so Good for Us...
36
The Michelin Curse
38
Protecting our most Valuable Asset
40
A Stroke of Luck
42
How to Choose an Investment Bank
44
The Book Review
48
How Verde is my Vinho?
50
Being a Guest
52
Should we be Looking Up our Symptoms on the Internet?
54
Tipping Around the World
56
Lord Deliver Us... from Ego
58
An Interview withy Sofia Vergara
60
The Truth about Lying
64
Publisher Totally Marbella SL
Editor Sara Soto Obando
Email: sales@totallymarbella.com
Marbella Sales Office 951 190 489
Totally Marbella Magazine SL
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MACHU PICCHU
&
HIRAM BINGHAM
by Peter Jackson
Machu Picchu in Peru was brought to the attention of the world in
1911 by the explorer Hiram Bingham. However, his discovery didn’t
happen quite as he would have had people believe. Machu Picchu is
an extraordinary well-preserved estate built by the Incas around 1450,
but within a century of being built it lay abandoned and nobody quite
knows why; some historians believe the inhabitants may all have died
from smallpox, brought to the region by travellers.
I
n 1533, the Spanish arrived in South
America to acquire more territory and
to convert the natives to Christianity. The
Spanish armies were far superior to those
of the Incas, and the Inca empire was soon
overwhelmed and ceased to exist (although
today there are still descendants of the
Incas who practice the Incan culture and
speak Quechua, the official Incan language).
However, there is no evidence that the
Spanish ever discovered Machu Picchu; the
sacred rocks, which were typically defaced
or destroyed by the Spanish in other cases ,
remained intact.
Hiram Bingham was born in Hawaii in 1875.
His parents were missionaries, and always
assumed that he would follow them into
missionary work, but he had quite different
ideas; he was much happier playing American
football. He went to Yale University in 1894
planning on an academic career given his
strong interest in Latin American history.
However, this never materialised because in
1900 he met and married Alfreda Mitchell,
an heiress to the Tiffany jewellery fortune.
He had been appointed a lecturer at Yale,
but armed with his newfound wealth he
was able to pursue his two main pastimes:
exploring and womanising.
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MARBELLA
O
ne such expedition was in 1906, when Bingham traced Simon
Bolivar’s routes through Venezuela and Columbia. Other
expeditions followed, and in 1911 he led a small group to Peru in
search of the “lost city” of Vilcabamba, where the Inca Manco Capac
fought against the Spanish during the 1530s. After taking a long
and roundabout route, Bingham stumbled across Machu Picchu,
although he actually thought he had discovered Vilcabamba.
It was nevertheless an extraordinary find; few people from the
outside world had seen it before Bingham. The site is now visited by
so many tourists that there are concerns about preserving it. It is a
fascinating place, and is thought to have been the mountain retreat
of the Inca emperor Pachacutec. Vilcabamba, for which Bingham
had been searching, was discovered much later, in 1964 by an
American explorer, Gene Savoy.
Bingham, if nothing else, was a showman, as later revealed by
his son Alfred on discovering a collection of letters that his father
had sent his mother and which revealed Bingham had glorified his
discovery. He had described his journey as long and dangerous,
and explained that he had eventually found the site after trekking
through a hazardous tropical jungle.
Bingham was seen as a swashbuckling figure and was not highly
regarded by scholars. He went onto have seven children with
Alfreda, but by 1937 she had tired of his persistent infidelity and
divorced him. In the 1950s, a time when the Americans saw “reds
under the bed” everywhere, Bingham was very controversially
appointed to head President Truman’s new Loyalty Review Board,
essentially set up to dismiss civil servants who were thought to have
Communist sympathies.
Apart from the fact that Machu Picchu was not his chief objective,
he had also been led to the site within 48 hours of starting his
search. Whilst Bingham had described the road to Machu Picchu as
a “treacherous wilderness”, the letter showed that the journey took
just one-and-a-half hours. Bingham had also claimed that all of the
ruins were covered in dense vegetation, but photographs he took
show the ruins as being in a clear open space.
There are no images of Hiram Bingham available of sufficient quality
for us to reproduce, but he cut quite a dashing figure. He died in
Washington D.C. at the age of 80 in 1956. Seemingly he was not a
very good husband or even a very good explorer, but apparently he
thoroughly enjoyed his life.
Marbella Golden Mile - Sierra Blanca
How to Arrive
on Time
A
fter years of arriving late for meetings and engagements I came
to the conclusion that I must be doing something wrong. I
would allow twenty minutes to get ready, say half an hour to drive
to wherever I was going and ten minutes to spare. It seemed like a
sensible plan, but I never arrived on time.
The problem with what I was doing was that nothing ever does go
to plan. First, twenty minutes to get ready would never be twenty
minutes because things I thought were ironed had been overlooked,
or one shoe or my keys would mysteriously disappear. Generally,
as I hurriedly tried to iron something, some sort of steaming foam
would come out of the iron and stain the garment; just the one
thing I really wanted to wear.
Then twenty minutes was probably the required amount of driving
time, but what about getting to the car and then parking at the other
end? None of this was taken into account. The fact is that if you are
in a rush, everything and everyone conspires against you. If it’s a
longer journey you will during the course of it encounter at least one
learner driver; and the driver who urgently pulls out of a side turning
just in front of you and then drives at 15 mph until they pull off at
the next turning; and the lady who will sit at the roundabout for an
10
MARBELLA
Ref. 161-01989
€1,190,000
by Lisa Parsons
eternity whilst its clear, and then pull out with just enough time to
get out herself while making sure you can’t.
If you are in a hurry in the countryside, it will be a combine harvestertype vehicle or a tractor that will suddenly exit from a field in front
of you. In the towns, here in Spain you will be behind the driver
who suddenly sees his long-lost friend and family walking down the
street and therefore stops in the middle of the road to catch up on
the lost years.
When it comes to parking, it is quite extraordinary how you can
drive round in circles unable to find a space, whilst everyone else
is parking in spaces that weren’t free a moment earlier when you
drove past.
Eventually I realised that I had to set a time to leave and be ready
an hour earlier, even to the point of having my keys to hand, and
then finish off any work I had to do until it was time to leave. For
the journey time, I started doubling it, and mysteriously most of the
obstacles that I experienced when I was in a rush were no longer
there, or they were there but I just didn’t notice them.
Beds: 3
Baths: 2
Built: 329
Terrace: 157
This luxurious 3 bedroom apartment-villa is situated in one of the most exclusive residential complex of Marbella Sierra Blanca, which borders the natural parkland and protected
pine forests of Nagüeles and only a few minutes drive from the centre of Marbella, Puerto Banus and superb golf courses.
The complex designed in a contemporary style with hints of the Orient enjoys a privileged elevated location at Sierra Blanca with breathtaking sea and mountain views. The 58
luxurious properties ranging in size from 350 to 850 square metres comprise two, three or four bedrooms, each with its own ensuite bathroom, complete with whirlpool tub,
private garage space for two or three cars and the majority with two or three basement storage areas which can easily be converted into a gym, media suite or wine cellar.
Depending on type, many boast a solarium of up to 182 square metres as well as private swimming pool and private lift. The magnificent on site facilities meanwhile include two
outdoor swimming pools illuminated at night, three fitness areas featuring gym, indoor pool, saunas, Turkish baths, showers and changing rooms, verdant landscaped gardens
with ambient lighting and 24 hour security.
WWW.CROWNMARBELLA.COM
•
INFO@CROWNMARBELLA.COM
•
+34 952 765 620
Main and Sales Office: Hotel Puente Romano - Sales and Rental Office: Guadalpin Banus Hotel
The Difference Between an
ACTIVE and a PASSIVE
Investor
by James Dunbar
It is not necessarily the case that passive
investors are boring and active investors more
interesting, although that is in my experience
often the case, but of course a passive
investor may be retired and therefore not in
a position to take risks, or simply someone
who would worry about being in an active
fund. Passive investors and the funds they
choose are not trying to beat the market;
their aim is to match the market, whereas
an active investor aims to beat the market.
So if a passive investor has kept pace with
the FTSE All Share, they are happy, while an
active investor is not.
So what is the reality of the situation; do active
investors beat the market? Well they do, but
only 24% of active funds beat the benchmark
stock market, so looking at it another way, if
you are in an active fund you have a 76%
chance of not beating the markets. It has long
been said that you have as much chance of
success if you stick a pin in the appropriate
page of the Financial Times than by using the
services of an “expert”.
So why is this, and why do we pay people
large sums of money to look after a fund that
often can’t even keep pace with the markets?
Well you have two things that can potentially
work against you in a managed fund; first,
some of the fund managers are useless,
as of course are a proportion of doctors,
dentists, accountants, architects and, rather
more scarily, surgeons. The other factor is
costs; with an actively managed fund you
can expect to pay between 0.85% and 1%,
whereas a passive fund will typically charge
0.1%. So the manager of an active fund
needs to return somewhere approaching 1%
just to get the charges back.
This of course tends to grate when your loss
of 2% becomes 3% because you have to
pay the fees. So what’s the answer? The
answer is to use one of the funds that refund
their fee if they underperform. If you have
looked for such a fund and been unable to
find one, that is because to the best of my
knowledge there are none. Win or lose, they
want your fee.
The fact is though looking after your own
investments is hassle and usually results
in the portfolio being neglected and under
performing. So how do you find a bank that
will successfully make your money work for
you? Look for those banks that have won
awards for their performance. And of course
make sure you are dealing with a qualified
investment advisor rather than a salesman.
Your lawyer,
your accountant.
Working together
for you.
Your business is in good hands at marbella’s leading spanish
property lawyers, accountants and tax consultants.
Also, to make your legal and financial matters easier for you
to understand, at arcos & lamers asociados we speak
several languages including spanish, english,
dutch, German and french.
¨civil legal and extrajudicial proceedings
¨purchase and sale of real estate
¨tax law: tax and accounting advice
¨corporate law, trade companies
¨inheritance, wills and succession
¨spanish employment advice
¨trademarks and patents
¨criminal law
¨bankruptcy proceedings
¨legal and fiscal advice in general
maite arcos & wim lamers
avda. ricardo soriano, 12 · edif marqués de salamanca, 10 -3 · 29601 marbella · tel: +(34) 952 775 010 · fax: +(34) 952 900 577
www.arcos-lamersasociados.com | email: info@arcos-lamersasociados.com
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MARBELLA
Adnan
Khashoggi
The La Zagaleta Golf and Country Club is a mountain
estate set in 900 hectares of Andalucian countryside
above San Pedro, Marbella, where you will find some of
the most beautiful and prestigious homes in the world.
The estate, previously called La Baraka, was formerly
owned by billionaire Adnan Khashoggi, at one time
alleged to be the world’s richest man.
K
hashoggi was born in 1935 in the
Saudi city of Mecca. His father
had close links to the royal family
as the personal physician of King
Abdulaziz al Saud. His father sent
him to Alexandria in Egypt, where
he was educated at Victoria College.
One of his classmates later became
King Hussein of Jordan. Following
this, Khashoggi attended California
State University and Stanford, but the
draw of money and the good life was
too strong and he didn’t complete
his studies.
Some have challenged the claim that
he was the richest man in the world;
nevertheless, the sums he earned
during the seventies and eighties were
quite extraordinary. Even as far back
as 1956, he earned a commission
of $150,000 for supplying $3 million
dollars’ worth of trucks to Egypt,
which they used in their campaign
against Israel; the commission was
the equivalent of $3,434,000 in
today’s money.
Shields and Sean Connery. Apart from
Marbella, he had numerous other residences
such as, Madrid, the Canary Islands, Beirut,
Riyadh, Jeddah, Paris, Cannes, Rome, New
York, Monte Carlo, and Kenya. He was
alleged to own 100 luxury cars and a DC-8
jet, while he also owned a huge luxury yacht,
which was later purchased by Donald Trump.
Ronald Kessler, the journalist and author of
an unauthorised biography of Khashoggi’s
life, claims that he gave a $60,000 bracelet
to one of Richard Nixon’s daughters, in return
for we don’t know what.
Khashoggi was addicted to women, and his
marriages didn’t last. In 1961, he married
British teenager Sandra Daly, who changed
her name to Soraya. They separated in 1974
and in 1979 Soraya sued him, seeking a
divorce settlement of $2.54 billion. It was
settled out of court for an alleged $874
million, and Soraya went on to have an affair
with the disgraced Tory MP Jonathan Aitken,
with whom she had a child. Khashoggi then
married 17-year-old Italian Laura
Biancolini, who also changed her
name, to Lamia, but this marriage
didn’t last either.
Whilst Khashoggi gathered friends
drawn from some of the most
influential people in the world, he
was also gathering enemies at the
same rate as his dealing became
increasingly controversial. Eventually,
like all good things, it had to come to
an end, and Khashoggi fell from grace.
He was implicated in the Iran-Contra
affair, involving the sale of arms to
Iran in violation of an existing arms
embargo, and subsequently moved to
Switzerland. There were allegations of
racketeering, and the US government
subpoenaed him twice and sought
his extradition, but he was eventually
acquitted of these charges.
Khashoggi’s holding company in the
US collapsed with liabilities in the
order of $197 million. At the same
time, he was indicted on a charge of
assisting the Filipino dictator Ferdinand
Marcos and his wife Emelda – who
was famous for her extravagant shoe
In 1970, he earned $184 million
purchases – to divert assets and
of commission – an extraordinary Adnan Khashoggi pictured with the late Jesus Gil, then obscure their ownership of real estate
$2,643,840,800 in today’s terms – Mayor of Marbella.
and fine art through one of his many
square metres of pure luxury. The 900
for arranging a deal enabling the US
front companies. His Marbella estate
aircraft manufacturer Northrop to sell $4.2 hectares surrounding it were where he would was eventually confiscated.
billion dollars’ worth of warplanes to Saudi hunt game. Throughout the seventies and
eighties, the parties held at his home were Now living quietly in Monaco, Khashoggi, who
Arabia.
legendary. For his 50th birthday, he invited will be 80 in July, still works as a consultant.
Khashoggi’s house in Marbella, which is now 400 guests to Marbella; every celebrity you As for his current wealth? Nobody will ever
La Zagaleta’s clubhouse, was over 5,000 could think of attended, including Brooke know.
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MARBELLA
15
La ZAGALETA
In June 1991, Wayne Chasan, an American photographer
based in Marbella, was given a rare opportunity, to
photograph La Baraka - as La Zagaleta was formerly known
- after the property had been seized, and to see it exactly
as Khashoggi had left it clearly expecting to return.
View of Khashoggi’s mansion from his heliport; now
transformed into the Zagaleta clubhouse and golf course.
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MARBELLA
Terraces now corresponding to the clubhouse restaurant, and the pool area
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Dining and living room areas, eerily silent and empty in the interim between Kashoggi’s residence and its future transformation.
MARBELLA
19
Monte Mayor Golf - Benahavís
Ref. 161-02463
La Zagaleta - Benahavís
Ref. 161-02422
€2,435,000
Beds: 4
Baths: 4
Built: 481
€4,500,000
Plot: 2,700
Beds: 4
A great located rustic villa nicely settled within the Monte Mayor Golf & Country Club. Spectacular views to the coast and the Mediterranean. Fully private and south facing, a
hidden treasure ! Main floor (186 m2) Large living area with fireplace, separate dining area, fully fitted kitchen, office, guest toilet, master bedroom suite.First floor (64 m2) 2
guest bedrooms suite. Lower floor (154 m2) Separate guest apartment with living room, fitted kitchen and bedroom/bathroom, garage for 2 cars, storage, wine cellar and room
suited for gym, another bedroom, cinema etc.
Mature garden with a heated and salted swimming pool (50 m2). Gazebo, BBQ area for lounging and relaxation with outdoor kitchen. Airco with heating, underfloor heating
(oil), marble floors, alarm system, B&O system, automatic irrigation system, sat.tv. Gated community with 24hrs security. About 8 km (12 minutes drive) from the Coast and all
amenities (shopping, bars & restaurants).
Baths: 4
Built: 456
Plot: 4,958
Beautiful, rustic style, quality, south facing villa with nice sea, mountain and golf views located in La Zagaleta.
La Zagaleta Country Club is one of the most prestigious and exclusive residential area in Europe. It offers First Class private facilities. This spectacular hill top mansion in La
Zagaleta enjoys breath-taking 360 degree panoramic views of the Mountain ranges, and full clear Spanish coastline views of the Mediterranean Sea across to coast of Africa.
Specifications : 4 Bedrooms all en-suite ,Large fully equipped kitchen including a walk-in fridge and a breakfast dining area, Large Dining Room, Addition Reception rooms, Office,
Snooker Room ,Gym, Sauna, Steam room etc ... Temperature controlled Wine Cellar, Large integral Cortijo style courtyard, Grand Entrance Hall .
Monte Mayor is located next to Marbella Club Golf Resort and the famous Los Flamingos Golf with the 5* hotel Villa Padierna.
WWW.CROWNMARBELLA.COM
•
INFO@CROWNMARBELLA.COM
•
+34 952 765 620
Main and Sales Office: Hotel Puente Romano - Sales and Rental Office: Guadalpin Banus Hotel
WWW.CROWNMARBELLA.COM
•
INFO@CROWNMARBELLA.COM
•
+34 952 765 620
Main and Sales Office: Hotel Puente Romano - Sales and Rental Office: Guadalpin Banus Hotel
A dining terrace now offering choice views for club members.
Deer and other
wildlife abound
and still roam
freely around
this magnificent
estate.
Evening view of the surrounding Sierras.
The empty ballroom
with its glittering
tinsel cupola, a
sharp contrast to the
extravagant parties
that once filled this
space.
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MARBELLA
A hallway to private chambers.
MARBELLA
23
Life Codes
March 2015
Life Codes are a combination of numerology and the tree of life. The tree of life is an ancient wisdom, when
combined with numerology it unlocks the secrets of your psyche to reveal new ways of discovering your
deepest potential.
To work our your Life Code add all the numbers in your birthdate until you return to a single figure. A
person born on the 25th July 1982 becomes 2+5+7+1+9+8+2=34. The end figure you add together until
it reaches a single figure. The example figure of 34 becomes 3+4=7 Life Code 7.
For the Life Codes calculator visit www.HeidiSawyer.com/LC
by Heidi Sawyer
Relationships are the main focus for your month ahead. If you’ve stubborn and unmoveable now is the time to ease off and see where
things can change. If you’re in the wrong it’s time to admit it. The energy of the year ahead makes it difficult to accept when you’re overly
obstructive but sometimes it’s appropriate to swallow your pride and apologise. Money wise it’s a great time for a new start. If you’ve been
overspending you’ll continue to do so unless you consciously now stop yourself. Temptation is huge but it’s time to decide your priorities.
If you’re waiting this month for events to move along to their final conclusion, you might have to wait a little longer. The energy of this
month is slower than usual so take your time if it feels right to you to sleep on something decision wise. Relationships have a chance to
develop over time this month. You’ll be able to take things at a better pace that’s in keeping with getting to know someone. Relationships
with females have a strong focus this month. Friendships built now are on solid foundations. Enjoy yourself this month as you’ll have
more time than usual. Spend time enjoying the outdoors as it will work wonders with stress relief.
You’ll find this month you’re the centre of attention in a good way. Your conversation is lively, your sense of humour on fire. You’re in
the mood to play this month. Let your hair down and enjoy yourself. Your new attitude will attract different opportunities and people you
wouldn’t normally meet. This month you may find yourself inspired to start something new. A course you took a fancy to a few years
ago could become a strong opportunity this month. Perhaps it’s time to dip your toes in and try something completely outside out your
comfort zone.
This is a month of balance and polar opposites. If you are in conflict with someone at the moment, stop being so stubborn and come to
a middle ground. If relationships are good, this month they’ll become stronger and more partnership orientated. This is a great time for
you to plan your free time. You’ll start to feel a balance in life is extremely important to you. You’ll evaluate what your life really means
and where you’re placing your energy. If you’ve neglected your nearest and dearest in recent times, it’s time to adjust your focus. Finances
have the opportunity to be especially good this month.
Jealousy could easily infect your surroundings this month. There may be someone on the scene who you don’t want, but at the same
time you don’t want someone else to want them. This is a sticky dilemma only you can solve. Perhaps what you feel is the truth. You
have more feelings for the person / situation than you care to admit. If this is the case, try not to be so stubborn and admit you’re more
attached than you’re comfortable with. Jobs get done in your house this month. You’re using them as a powerful distraction method.
Whilst that’s useful now, don’t sacrifice your happiness in the long-term.
This is a great month for Life Code 3. You’ll feel more in control and calm about life moving forward. You’re expressive, your sense of
humour is on fire and your popularity is soaring. You’ll have invitations to interesting social engagements and the opportunity to make
new connections. It’s a great time for you to take a look in your wardrobe. Throw out what’s now old and washed out and replace with
items you feel great in. This will improve your sense of self and confidence tenfold. Careful of over indulgence this month as you’ll have
plenty of temptations. Your fingers will creep towards anything overly sweet and calorific. You’ll not be able to help yourself.
Partnership works well for you as a Life Code 4. If a relationship has been cooking for a while, this month it could start to get serious. If
you’re sitting down for the conversation to shape your future, hold a clear interaction so nothing is missed. As a Life Code 4 you’re often
shy in coming forward, but once someone gives you ‘permission’ to be yourself, you’ll chatter away to them for hours. This month you’ll
chat to someone in a casual way that shows in the longer term to offer you an opportunity you weren’t expecting. Enjoy it.
Relationships feature strongly for Life Code 4 this month. If you’re single and ready to meet someone, now is the time to dust off your
party dress. You have the ability right now to step out of any shyness and begin to engage with people you’re attracted to. If you think
smartening up your appearance will help your confidence, do it. You’ll find yourself better able to chat to people. Money is slower than
you’d like. You’re better able this month for restraint and budgeting. Keeping this up with make sure you’re financially buoyant in no time.
Life at times for a Life Code 5 can feel like an endless struggle for self-acceptance. This month you have the opportunity to acknowledge
some of your challenges from the past digest them and let them go. If you can let things go, you’ll feel much lighter and more carefree.
Feeling care free is important right now for your health. Careful of foot problems, if you have one, it might be time to visit a doctor to get it
solved. Finances improve as work situations begin to come in for later into the year. If you’ve been feeling low about something personal,
it’s time to dust yourself off and make the very best of the situation. You’ll then find your world magically brightens.
This month you’re overtired and aching. It’s time to address your lifestyle habits, make sure they are a reflection of how things should be
for a healthier outcome. You’ve perhaps been winging it and ignoring health niggles. Your persona is softer than usual as you relax into
feeling you can take your time over things. As a Life Code 5 you don’t like to be rushed, but you don’t like to show being rushed impacts
you. You see it as weakness. This month you’re more accepting of your naturally chilled approach.
Relationships for you as a Life Code 6 are important to you yet at times you choose to distance yourself. You do this to avoid overwhelm.
This month you’re more able to see perspective and get the balance right between connection and distance. Now is a great time for you
to plan your summer getaway as your choice will be where you want to go rather than where you end up. Financially you can be mean
with yourself, you’re inclined to be generous one moment then feel guilty for enjoying the fruits of your labour. This month you’ll spot
how you do that and will seek to correct it once and for all.
24
April 2015
Always at the centre of things, Life Code 6 take opportunities as they present themselves. This month though things are a little slower
than you’re used to. Rather than see a slow down as a reflection of you, see it as an opportunity to determine what you’d really like to
include in your life. Reading books, seeing films this month will help you with creative ideas if you’re in business for yourself. Slowing
down often releases our greatest creativity and opens a renewed inspiration. Holidays right now will be extremely appealing. Perhaps it’s
time for a break.
As a Life Code 7 you like your freedom whilst feeling people are there for you. This month someone may feel too close for comfort. You’ll
feel controlled rather than supported. It’s time to speak your mind kindly before you feel cornered and end up barking your fury. You’re
more perceptive than normal this month. You’ll have insight into what you can expect from others without having to lift a finger to find
out. You’ll find this both relaxing and engaging. Expect dreams to be more vivid and insightful. Use this capability wisely.
In your working life this month people will like to chat. They’ll do a lot of chatting before they’re able to commit to anything. This might be
extremely frustrating. Often you like to get to the point and on with things. If you’re expecting confirmation around a business decision,
you’ll need to ask for the business and help them make the decision, rather than assume they’ll come to you when they’re ready. Others
are currently muddled while you have more clarity. Relationships started now will develop in a healthy way over time. Don’t expect love
at first sight, others will want to take their time, don’t rush them on the romantic front.
You’re used to having your feet on the ground and overanalysing situations as a Life Code 8. This month though you’re more relaxed with
how you approach things. You’re not worrying nearly as much as usual. Your actions and decisions are much faster than normal. This will
get you noticed in the workplace. Finances, you have an eye this month for picking better investments. You’ll see both from the numbers
perspective and your intuition combined. This means anything you’re choosing this month to do for your future moving forward, is likely
to be a good decision.
You’re beginning to feel more comfortable with yourself after a period of feeling very out of sorts. Now is the time to take on new hobbies
and interests rather than just focussing on work. You’ll start to feel brighter this month as everything starts to fall into place. Confusion
happens a lot for Life Code 8. This month you’re feeling much less confused and more able to see clearly. You know what you want and
what you like. If it’s time for a relationship to come to an end, this month you’ll make your decision. This time your severance will be short
and sharp. You know when you’ve had enough.
You’ll be waiting to see if a long awaited wrong is about to be made right. People haven’t always been respectful of you in the past. Part of
that reason has been due to reaching for other people’s opinion rather than creating your own. Now is your time to develop relationships
based in partnership. Let downs in the past have made you suspicious, now you have a better idea of what you want you’re more able
to trust your decisions and connections with other people. They’re less likely to let you down. Money is in a better position as you start
to map your future rather than leave it to the Gods.
In recent months you’ve had a lot of emotional upheaval and changes. You’re used to trotting along quite happily but of recent times
you’ve had more responsibility than you’re used to. This month you’ll start to see the kindness of others really come into play. They’ll
help you out where you need it, you’ve only to ask. Socially you’re more interactive than you’ve been previously. You now realise your
engagement with others is important, you’re no longer the lone wolf. Finances improve as your inner world improves. A stronger selfworth means you get to keep more than what goes out. After a tough time, like feels lighter.
MARBELLA
MARBELLA
25
A Haunted
House
by Peter Jackson
Many years ago, my girlfriend and I, together with another couple, went to spend a
week in Mojacar, Almeria. The boss of one of the other couple had kindly offered to
let us spend our holiday in his villa, which he had recently purchased. However, we
were to discover that the gesture wasn’t as kindly as we first thought.
W
e arrived at Almeria airport late one
May evening, and hired a car to take
us to Mojacar. Almeria can be quite dusty
and desolate in places, sometimes prone
to severe droughts. The Tabernas area in
the region is actually classed as a semi
desert, and became famous as a location
for shooting Spaghetti Westerns.
When we arrived in Mojacar the streets that
took us up to the villa were the narrowest I
had ever seen, and it wasn’t long before I
scraped one side of the car. It was decided
by majority that this was a result of my
poor driving; someone else took over and
proceeded to scrape all the paint off the
other side of the car. Mojacar’s history
26
MARBELLA
stretches back 4000 years, and the streets
were clearly made for donkeys rather than
cars.
Eventually we arrived at a beautiful villa,
built into the side of the mountain with
spectacular views over the town of Mojacar
and the Mediterranean. The sitting room,
kitchen and terrace were upstairs and the
bedrooms were on the floor below; it was
wonderful. We had a good night’s sleep and
lazed around on the enormous terrace in
the sun the next day, eating, drinking and
sleeping. The next night, our sleep was
disrupted somewhat by an awful lot of
banging. The next morning we concluded
that this was caused by the wooden shutters
on the windows banging in the wind. We
had hoped that one of the other couple
would get up and close them, but learned
that they had hoped the same.
Having spent the next day on the beach
and dining out we arrived back to the villa
late. As I walked from the front door and
up the stairs – for which the mountain rock,
which was varnished, formed the wall – I
noticed all the hairs on my arms standing
on end. I have since been told this was
of significance, but I thought nothing of it,
other than perhaps it was something to do
with the mountain, maybe humidity.
We went around all the shutters – it was
MARBELLA
27
a very large property – with the intention
of firmly closing them, but strangely many
were wired shut, with a strange symbol
incorporated in the wire; we learned later
that it was the sign of the Andalo Man, which
is thought to date back some 4500 years.
Its origin has been lost over time, but many
believe that the Andalo depicts a prehistoric
god holding the rainbow in his open arms in
order to offer protection. Locally, the Andalo
became a good luck charm believed to give
protection against bad luck and the “evil
eye”. In fact, if you look at the lorries from
the Almeria region that deliver in this area,
you will see that they usually have, along
with their details, the sign of the Andalo.
We went off to bed, but were woken
around 2 am by very loud banging noises,
which sounded remarkably like the window
shutters; of course, they were all closed, but
perhaps high winds were responsible. We
then heard a noise like a heavy piece of
metal being dropped on the upstairs floor. As
we made our way upstairs to investigate, the
other couple called out and asked whether I
was making the noise upstairs. This stopped
us in our tracks, and we requested that they
accompany us upstairs; safety in numbers.
We went up and checked everything;
nothing had moved, and all the shutters were
closed. We looked out and not only were
there no high winds, everything was eerily
still; we looked at the washing on the roofs
of the houses below us, and there was no
movement whatsoever. We rather uneasily
went back down to bed. Nobody slept, the
banging continued intermittently all night
and what made it even more disturbing was
that we knew when the bangs were coming
because all – and I mean all – the dogs
locally would start to bark and howl about
15 seconds beforehand. Just before it got
light, two things happened that became the
final straw for us. The first was a noise like
a suitcase sliding up the passageway and
28
MARBELLA
hitting our bedroom door, and the second
was the last bang, in our en-suite bathroom.
We got up in the morning and all our nerves
were in shreds; we looked like we had been
dragged through a hedge backwards. We
agreed that this wasn’t fun, and that we
would book into a hotel. We went off and
found one, and then went back to the villa
to spend the day, which we did for the rest
of our stay. It was great during the day, but
as dusk came the atmosphere seemed to
change; perhaps that was our imagination, I
don’t know, but as soon as the sun started
to go down we were off like a shot.
As I spoke Spanish, I asked the Spanish lady
in the next property if the villa had a history
and indeed it did; there was a possibility that
it had been built on an old burial ground.
What was interesting was that she told us
an American gentleman had lived there
for seven years and had never mentioned
anything at all, but others who had rented
the property for a holiday had been
frightened out of their lives; but curiously
not all of them. She told us that a Spanish
couple had stayed there for a week and on
their last day they had barbequed together
and at the end of the evening had bid
them farewell. However, at 1 am she said
they were knocking on her door absolutely
terrified, asking if they could sleep on her
floor. We also learned that our experience
seemed to be unusual in that most reported
lying in bed and the experience was as if
someone was leaning over them, close to
their face and talking to them in a language
they didn’t understand. Well I would opt for
the banging any day of the week.
More out of interest than anything else, we
thought whilst we were there we would look
at property prices in Mojacar. We spoke to
a British estate agent and mentioned our
experience to her, and she said it was very
common in the village. She said she had
something in her house for about eight
years and then it suddenly went away. In
fact, she was quite matter of fact about it,
explaining she would lie in bed and feel like
someone was pressing on her chest. She
added, “I couldn’t care less, it didn’t bother
me, but none of my friends wanted to come
and stay with me”. Well there’s a surprise.
When we got back to the UK and mentioned
our experience to the person who had
so “generously” loaned us the property,
his response was “Oh God no”. We then
discovered what his ulterior motive had
been in making the villa available to us;
he had bought it, spent a week there and
had an equally disturbing time, but couldn’t
quite decide if it had actually happened or
if he was going mad. Safe in the knowledge
that he wasn’t going mad, he quickly put the
property on the market. Interestingly, if you
sell a house in the UK knowing that it has
whatever that was, and don’t mention it, you
can be sued.
Something else fascinating was that many
of my clients – I worked in financial services
at the time – knew I was going on holiday
and when I came back asked me how it had
been. So I told them, and I was astounded
that perhaps getting on for 50% of those
that I told – mainly very down to earth
people – said, “Well we never tell anybody,
but as you have told us that we will tell you
our experience………..”.
Whether you believe in these things or
not – and it’s always more comfortable
not believing in them – the fact is there
has never been a single case of anyone
coming to any harm during these goings
on, although I suppose realistically there
must have been the odd heart attack over
the years; I really thought I was having one
myself at the time.
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LETTING
YOUR
PROPERTY
DES0708
Increased Protection
For Landlords
T
here are many advantages in renting
rather than buying a property. It allows
those who do so a lot more flexibility in
meeting their changing needs, particularly
those who frequently need to relocate
because of their work. There are then those
who cannot afford to buy or just do not
want the responsibility of owning a property
and all the associated ongoing costs.
However, renting has never been particularly
popular in Spain. In fact in this country
lettings represent just 17% of the overall
property market compared with the average
for Europe as a whole which is 30%.
The main reason for this is the past property
booms here in Spain, not seen in other
European countries and very attractive
financial conditions; low interest rates and
the favourable tax treatment of property
purchase.
The problem for landlords here in Spain
has always been the time it takes to evict
The main aim of the new regulations passed
in November 2009 and July 2013 is to
stimulate the letting market, improve the
rights of both the landlord and the tenant,
and to speed up the eviction process.
Compulsory Term
A letting contract for a property that is to be
used as permanent dwelling must by law
be for a minimum term of 3 years (prior to
the change in the law it was 5 years) even if
the contract states a shorter term. There are
however exceptions where the term can be
shortened; if the landlord needs the property
as a permanent home for themselves or a
member of their family. This has now been
extended to include any of the landlord’s
next of kin (parents and children) or adopted
children of the landlord. It also applies to
the landlord’s husband or wife in case of
divorce or separation.
If the property is sold and the letting contract
has not been registered at the Land Registry,
the purchaser can demand the termination
of the tenancy but will have to allow the
tenant a further three months occupation
from receipt of notice of termination. If the
contract is registered in the land registry the
purchaser of a property will be bound by the
compulsory term of three year.
Permanent home for the tenant
a tenant through the courts, in the event of
non-payment of the rent. In current market
condition selling a property can be difficult,
and letting is a very useful alternative in
order to generate income.
30
MARBELLA
Some landlords are incorrectly advised
to put a term of 11 months in a letting
contract under the belief that it will be
considered a seasonal contract as opposed
to a to being the tenant’s permanent home;
or stirred…
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hoping to avoid the minimum 3 year
term. The courts however will always rely
on the intention of the parties concerned
regardless of the wording in the contract. If
the courts conclude that it was intended to
be the permanent home of the tenant, the
minimum term of three years will apply.
If the court case is designed to collect the
outstanding rent and evict the tenant, or
terminate a rental contract where the term
has expired, the landlord can if they wish
offer to waive part of the debt and legal
costs, providing the tenant voluntarily leaves
the property within a given term ( which
cannot be less than fifteen days)
will also set the date of eviction, which will
be within 30 of the hearing. The Court will
also warn the tenant that if the judgement
goes against them, and an appeal is not
lodged, the eviction will proceed on the due
date without further notification.
reviewing the case and prior to the hearing
will offer the tenant the option that they can
- within the following 10 days – either leave
the property, pay the outstanding sum, or
in order to stop the eviction pay into the
court the sum claimed or appear in Court to
oppose to the claim. Also at this stage the
secretary will set the date of the hearing if
the case is to be defended, or if there is to
be no defence, the eviction date. This will
automatically terminate the rental contract
and no hearing is required.
Personally I am sceptical -with the court
system here in a virtual state of collapse
– that this will do much to speed up the
process.
The new laws are intended to speed up
the whole court process, whether this will
Notice of non-renewal of a
Nowadays, the court secretary when be achieved in practice is another matter.
letting contract
At the end of the three year term if neither
party has served notice of non- renewal one
month prior to the end of the contract, the
tenancy will automatically be extended for
another year, under previous legislation it
could run for a further 3 years.
Eviction Proceedings
Previously a tenant could stop eviction
proceedings, by depositing the unpaid rent
with the court. However now under the
new legislation, the tenant now can only do
this once, but only providing the tenant
had not received, by recorded delivery, a
demand for payment thirty days prior to
the proceedings. If the landlord has done
so, the tenant can still be evicted even if he
has lodged with court a sum equal to the
outstanding rent.
The court will advise the tenant that if
they fail to attend the hearing, they will be
evicted. After judgement has been made, it
will not be served on the tenant, it is the
tenant’s responsibility to collect it from the
court within six days from the hearing. If
they do not do so it will in any event be
deemed to have been collected. The Court
An agreement needs to be reached in
parliament by the main political parties to
change the present status of the judicial
system. Otherwise a plaintiff will find
themselves waiting for court hearing date.
This will most probably mean the case will
be heard, long after the time frame and
deadlines, set by the new legislation.
Written by Rafael Berdaguer,
lawyer from the firm Rafael
Berdaguer Abogados based in
Marbella, Spain
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MARBELLA
MARBELLA
33
Restaurants that
Won’t Disappoint
There are some wonderful restaurants in Marbella; below
are those that we have managed to review so far – and
can highly recommend.
Café de Ronda
La Trattoria
The best coffee in Marbella and some
very un-café like high-quality food. Their
solomillo con salsa bearnesa, which is really
tender beef served with a béarnaise sauce,
is definitely worth trying.
A real Italian restaurant with great authentic
Italian food and wine. The menu is very
varied and they serve a wonderful selection
of Italian cheeses you won’t find anywhere
else. The service is impeccable.
Ramón Gomez de la Serna 23. (two minutes
walk from Marbella’s Palacio de Congresos)
Calle Las Malvas Edificio Online. (Next to
the Marbella casino and hotel Andalucia
Plaza, with easy parking)
Tel: 952 90 08 99
by Daniella
Tel: 952 81 75 91
C’est la Vie
Bar d’o
Wonderful food and excellent service. Don’t
think about going into Marbella to dine if you
live in San Pedro, but do consider travelling
in the other direction.
Bar d’o boasts one of the best chefs in
Marbella, Tim de Helt. Lobster is a speciality
and their Belgian stew is mouth-watering.
Avd. las Palmeras, 15, San Pedro (near San
Pedro’s 24-hour pharmacy).
Avd. Principe de Hohenlohe, Edf. Milla de
Oro (on the Golden Mile opposite Hotel
Guadalpin).
Tel: 952 78 33 94
Tel: 952 82 12 29
Restaurante d’Maria
Villa Tiberio
This is a very basic Spanish venta that is
always packed – and with good reason. If it’s
luxury you are looking for then Restaurante
d’Maria is not for you; however, if you want
some of the best-value food in Marbella
then you will love this establishment. The
set menu including wine is 8.50 Euros.
Luxury at it it’s best, a beautiful restaurant set
6,000 square metres of gardens, with high
quality food and service, run by its hands on
and charismatic owner Sandro Morelli.
Bulevar Principe Alfonso Hohenlohe Km
179, Marbella (just off the Golden Mile
opposite Marbella Club Hotel).
Carretera N-340, Km 178.5 (The Golden
Mile) It’s on the same side of the road and
very close to the Marbella Club hotel
Tel: 952 77 17 99
Tel: 952 77 18 22
34
MARBELLA
MARBELLA
35
If exercise is
so good for
us, why aren’t
more of us
doing it?
by Lisa Parsons
T
he World Health Organisation has
said that physical inactivity causes 1.9
million deaths a year throughout the world,
representing 10% to 16% of breast and
colon cancer cases, a similar amount of
diabetes cases and about 22% of coronary
heart disease cases. Good enough reason to
exercise you may think, but apparently not; a
University of Bristol study found that 80% of
participants failed to meet the government
target of taking moderate exercise at least
three times a week. The researchers also
said that 90% of those surveyed didn’t
use a gym, 88% didn’t swim and 80% of
people over the age of 16 only took part in
minimal physical activity.
I exercise, but I also fully understand why
people don’t; there are so many more
pleasant and enjoyable things one could
be doing, such as having a glass of wine
or eating a chocolate éclair. When you are
sitting enjoying a glass of wine, twenty
minutes pass as though it was one minute;
when you are running, one minute seems
like twenty.
I get up at 5.30 am to run; at 6 am, one
of the bars I run past is open, and the men
(mainly in the 50-plus age group) are sitting
outside. As I run past, one of them calls out
“Guapa” in a very croaky voice; he clearly
has impaired vision as well as vocal chords.
They all have their coffee, their cigarette
and a large glass of something, mostly
Cognac it seems, and I always think, “Great,
that’s what I would like to be doing”. It is
much easier to get out of bed and head for
the bar than to look forward to running in
36
MARBELLA
the cold, and sometimes
the cold and rain.
So why do I do it when
I would rather be doing
what the locals in the
bar are doing? Well whilst I
am aware that there are people
who smoke 60 cigarettes and drink
a bottle of whisky a day and live to
be 95, the real problem is that you
don’t know if you can get away with it
until you discover you can’t, and then
it’s too late.
Some people are very busy and
find it difficult to exercise. I have
heard people say you can always
make time, but I do sympathise
with those who are under pressure
because often they fully intend to
exercise but as the day wears on and
the stress and time pressures increase,
the desire to exercise gradually wains.
That is why I train first thing in the
morning, because it does, for many
of us, become more difficult to do so
later in the day.
There is one thing however; when
you have had one of those days
where you have taken one step
forward and two back – or in my
case ten back – but then train or
go for a run, you at least feel you
have achieved something in the
day, and that you deserve that
glass of wine.
MARBELLA
37
The
MICHELIN CURSE
Y
our dreams have come true. After years
of work and sacrifice, the Michelin
Guide has awarded your restaurant a star.
Everything has finally been worthwhile; the
16-hour days, the cash flow problems, the
foregoing of holidays. From now on, your life
will change. You are about to be famous,
and even wealthy.
But what’s this? The new customers are
much more demanding. They take hours to
order and then inspect everything minutely
as if trying to find fault. Having previously
had fun with your regular customers, many
of whom became friends, this new breed
is difficult to get on with. And although
38
MARBELLA
by AJ Linn
business is wonderful, life is not the same.
One thing is clear – no more stars please!
The stress is 24/7, and time out to relax is a
distant memory. One slip would mean the
end of a short era.
can deliberately lose it by being sloppy or
insulting the inspector (yes, anonymity is
relative), the chances are that no chef is
so lacking in pride that he or she would
cheerfully take this route.
If there are two anachronisms that have
outlived their usefulness in the gastronomic
world, these have to be Robert Parker’s wine
points and Michelin stars. Neither has stood
the test of time and neither guarantees
happiness, perhaps even the reverse. The
difference is that while Parker awards points
to already-made wines, which nothing can
change, the gaining of a Michelin star is just
the beginning of the saga. Although you
Skye Gyngell earned a star for her Petersham
Nurseries Café in London, but soon realised
the nightmare was just starting. More
customers, but more stress and less fun.
Even deleting any mention of Michelin on
the restaurant’s website did not relieve the
pressure. She left to start a new restaurant,
hoping fervently that no Michelin inspector
would drop by. The Nimes (France)
restaurant, La Lisita, got a star in 2006, but
after a year symbolically handed it back, as
Michelin refuses to delete ratings from the
Guide. Bernard Loiseau, owner-chef of the
Cote d’Or, won his third star in 1991, but
eventually the stress reached a level where
he could not think about anything else but
what would happen if he lost a precious star.
He committed suicide at 52 years of age.
Marco Pierre White was the youngest chef
ever to get three stars, in this case for
his Oak Room in London. After five years
of often-unjustified disparagement from
difficult customers, he decided to get out of
the business, although he returned later.
The Suen Cheung-yu in Hong Kong was
awarded a star last year, but the place is full
for every meal anyway. The landlord heard
about it and immediately tried to put up the
rent, even though there was no additional
income being produced that would cover
the increase.
Nor does the Michelin magic always work in
Spain. C’an Fabes, Arola, Koldo Royo, Toñi
Vicente, El Bulli, Jockey and Koldo Royo
were all starred restaurants that have since
closed.
Bear in mind that the origins of the little
red book were based on providing drivers
of motor vehicles with guidance as to
where to find the best eating-places on the
main routes, back when driving around the
country was an adventure. When it was first
published in 1900 there were only 3,000
cars in France, but 35,000 copies were
printed for the purpose of being used as
free publicity for the tyres made by the
Michelin brothers. The Guide has come a
long way since then, and has made and
broken hundreds of restaurant businesses.
Now it is time to take the old show off the
road.
MARBELLA
39
Protecting
Our Most
Valuable
Asset
M A R B E L L A
Our children are, for most of us, what
we value most. Our instinct is to keep
them safe and healthy, and there is no
better place for them to be than in your
own care. However, for many reasons,
such as work and other responsibilities,
this is not always possible, and one
needs to choose a suitable nursery.
T
here are of course some very positive
aspects of a child going to a nursery;
children delight in the company of other
children, and this interaction is an important
part of their development.
ability to interact with them and to make
sure the children are interacting with each
other. Playing is essential to meeting a child’s
needs, but they should also be learning in
order to help with their future development.
There are various things one needs to
consider when choosing a nursery, with the
most important of course being security;
ensuring that the setting is safe and secure
and also that the value system is in line with
your own.
Needless to say, the environment needs
to be clean and the nursery must have a
healthy food policy. Convenience foods often
contain ingredients that can have a negative
impact on your child’s health and behaviour.
If the food is not prepared on the premises,
an important consideration is how fresh it is
when it arrives on your child’s plate.
Also, it is important to ensure that the staff
are warm and friendly and have been chosen
because of their love for children and their
40
MARBELLA
The staff-to-pupil ratio is another important
by
consideration if your child is to get the
attention they need. All children are different,
so a nursery should be prepared to be flexible
to meet the needs of your child.
If you really want to ensure the nursery you
are considering is somewhere your child will
be happy, talk to the parents of the children
who attend or who have attended the
establishment. This will give you a very good
idea as to whether it is somewhere you can
leave your child and have complete peace
of mind.
Ramón Gómez de la Serna, 23 Marbella Spain
Tel: +34 95290 08 99 www.cafederonda.es
Written by Ana Sánchez of
Wendy Marbella First School
MARBELLA
41
A Stroke of Luck
by Peter Jackson
E
very now and again, something will
happen that reminds me how lucky
we are to be living in this wonderful
environment. I don’t so much mean
Marbella, but the atmosphere around us
created by the Spaniards.
Just imagine if that were the UK, how cruelly
he would have been teased; and not just
at the time, but for weeks, maybe months,
afterwards. When my daughter came home
she told me about it and said, “The poor
little boy”.
One of the things that reminded me recently
of their natural kindness was something my
youngest daughter told me. She goes to
a state school in Marbella – unlike in the
UK, you can safely send your children to a
state school without having to move into the
“right” area. One day, there was a terrible
thunderstorm, and a little Columbian boy
who had just joined the school was for some
reason terrified of thunder. He started to cry
and got on his knees to pray, with all the
children in the class trying to console him.
Something similar happened recently on a
flight from Malaga to Barcelona. There were
two small children on the flight alone –
obviously in the care of airline staff – one a
little boy of about four and his sister who was
about six. The little boy cried uncontrollably
throughout the whole flight. For an hour or
so, I think virtually every passenger on the
plane went to try to console him, without
success.
For anyone to complain or even be bothered
by a crying child was unthinkable.
Some weeks later, at 6.30 am one morning
I was taking my eldest daughter to catch her
bus to the university in Malaga. As we turned
into an empty side street, we encountered a
group of very drunk, loud and unruly Spanish
youths. If it were the UK, you would prepare
yourself for the insults and the inevitable
fight that would follow. As we walked past,
two of them did say something. And what
did they say? “Buenos dias”.
Business Consulting since 1980
Tel (+34) 952 771 837 • fideso.com • info@fideso.com
42
MARBELLA
MARBELLA
43
How to Choose an
INVESTMENT BANK
S
ome years ago banks were clamouring
to attract new clients with special rates
and offers, attempting to lure customers
away from their competitors. Many people
changed banks upon the maturity of one
offer in order to take advantage of another
offer.
The present historically low interest rates
have caused people who hadn’t previously
done so to consider investing their money in
the financial markets; those who previously
had invested were led to invest larger sums.
The downside of this activity—switching
capital from one bank to another—is that it
prevents people from establishing a longterm relationship with a bank.
Many people are now in search of a safe and
secure investment bank to look after their
capital but are unsure what exactly to look
for; the past financial crisis has taught them
that just because a bank is big it doesn’t
necessarily mean it is safe.
So what should one look for? A very important
consideration should be a bank’s “solvency
ratio”. The average solvency rate in Spain is
12.10 percent. The solvency ratio of most
Spanish banks is very close to this figure, but
there are banks that have solvency rates that
are double and triple the average figure. The
higher that figure, the greater your peace of
mind.
One of the things that many investors don’t
understand is the difference between onand off-balance sheet investments, and it
is very important to know the difference.
If you have your money on deposit with a
bank, your money forms part of that bank’s
balance sheet, so in other words it has gone
from your balance sheet to theirs—or from
your pocket into their pocket. That is why
solvency rates are so important, because in
extreme circumstances if that bank should
fail, your funds could be at risk. This can be of
particular relevance for those who hold large
sums on deposit, because although there is
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MARBELLA
a bank guarantee provided by the Bank of
Spain, it only covers up to 100,000 euros per
account holder.
However, when you enter into an investment
product—for example, a fund that tracks the
stock market, or an investment bond where
the risk may be higher, but with higher
potential rewards—this is off the balance
When we look for a doctor
for our children we take
great care in choosing
those who have the most
expertise and who are
going to take the greatest
care, and yet many
don’t take the same care
when choosing those who
are to look after their
investments.
bank that has high solvency ratios but that
has unqualified investment advisors.
In many countries it is a requirement that
investment advisors need to be legally
qualified, but unfortunately it is not as yet a
legal requirement in Spain. If your investment
advisor is qualified you will normally see that
highlighted on his or her business card. The
letters to look out for are EFA (European
Financial Advisor), EFP (European Financial
Planner), CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) or
CEFA (Certified European Financial Analyst).
If you want to know how well the investment
management team that supports your advisor
is performing, there is the national ranking
called “La liga de las estrellas” produced
by Morningstar, which is a completely
independent organisation.
In summary, when choosing a bank the vital
ingredients are good performance, expert
investment advice and a high solvency
ratio; this is the ideal combination in order
to achieve optimum growth whilst sleeping
easy at night.
Sánchez & Beck Abogados es un despacho especializado en todo tipo de
procedimientos judiciales de materia civil, penal, administrativa, mercantil
e inmobiliario, así como asesoramiento extrajudical, emisión de dictámenes
e informes jurídicos e intervención en compraventas y otros contratos.
Nuestra filosofía es la del trabajo serio y profesional, prestando a nuestros
clientes un servicio directo y personalizado.
Sánchez & Beck Abogados is a law firm that specialises in all kinds of court
proceedings of civil, criminal, administrative, company and real estate
nature as well as in delivery of legal opinions, advice, legal reports and
intervention in sale/purchase operations and other contracts.
Our philosophy is that of responsible and professional work and rendering
a direct and one-to-one service to our clients.
Sánchez & Beck Avocats est un cabinet d’avocats spécialisés dans
les procédures judiciaires de tous types; en matière civile, pénale,
administrative, commerciale et dans l’immobilier, ainsi que dans le conseil
sheet and not part of the bank’s balance
sheet. No matter what may happen to that
bank in the future, your money remains
unaffected by any solvency issues. It is
effectively still in your pocket.
When we look for a doctor for our children
we take great care in choosing those who
have the most expertise and who are going
to take the greatest care, and yet many don’t
take the same care when choosing those
who are to look after their investments. The
quality of the advice and the level of expertise
of those who provide investment advice is
vitally important; it is no good being with a
juridique, dans l’émission de rapports et d’expertises juridiques et dans le
contrat de vente et d’achat et autres contrats.
Notre philosophie est celle d’un travail sérieux, professionnel, assurant à
nos clients un service directe et personnalisé.
C/ Notario Luis Oliver 6, 6º - 29600 Marbella, Málaga
Tel. +34 952 903 306 • Fax +34 952 902 608
by Mari Carmen Ampiée Vigil
Director of Private Banking,
Banco Madrid.
sanchez-beck@abogadosmarbella.net
www. abogadosmarbella.net
MARBELLA
45
Nueva Andalucia - Price on Application
Ref: 102885
Close to Puerto Banus this stunning, newly built, ultra-modern villa is
located in the heart of Golf Valley.There are almost too many features
to describe... the large entrance hall with double height ceiling,
spacious lounge and dining rooms; fully fitted kitchen with centre island
and breakfast bar, master suite with his & hers bathrooms and guest
bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and dressing rooms, all of which
have direct access to large terraces.
The lower level has a heated indoor swimming pool, Turkish bath,
Sauna, fully equipped gym, 12 seat cinema room, lounge area with
piano, further chill out lounge, climate controlled Bodega, laundry
room, 6 car garage. A staff apartment with 2 bedrooms, en-suite
bathroom and kitchen. The landscaped garden has an infinity, heated
swimming pool with changing rooms and a chiringuito with chill out
area, dining area, bar, bbq and fully equipped kitchen.
The roof top terrace has seating and sunbathing areas and beautiful
open views to Marbella, the Mediterranean Sea and La Concha
mountain. There is also a separate office building for those who
would wish to work from home.
Build: 1.500m2 Plot: 3.200m2 Beds: 7 Baths: 7
La Zagaleta - 8.500.000€
Ref: 106176
This newly built, streamlined, contemporary property offers fantastic
southerly views to the mountains and is situated on a sizeable plot in the
exclusive, members only La Zagaleta Golf & Country Club.
Such is the size of this incredible designer villa and the facilities that it
offers that it is more like a resort in itself, with a cinema, gymnasium,
sauna, three swimming pools and a casita with bar making this the
perfect property for those who love entertaining.
The expansive reception rooms have double height ceilings and large
expanses of glass which allow the beautiful Andalusian light to flood in
and enable optimum enjoyment of the views. Built throughout with the
high quality of fixtures and fittings, this stunning property must be seen to
be fully appreciated.
A garage for fifteen cars ensures plenty of parking for your car collection
or for guests and having 2 private golf courses, tennis and an equestrian
centre as well as magnificent walks or hikes through the 700 hectare
La Zagaleta Estate ensures there is always plenty to do for the sports or
keep fit enthusiast.
Build: 2.400m2 Plot: 7.000m2 Beds: 6 Baths: 7
46
MARBELLA
MARBELLA
47
The Book Review
Sophia:
Princess, Suffragette, Revolutionary
Connect Premium Listing Service
The most effective way to quickly and efficiently sell your property
Our service includes:
• A professional valuation
• Professional photographs, video and a floor plan
by Anita Anand
• A lawyer to review the documentation
• Assistance in obtaining the important energy certificate
T
• A unique service called staging – designed to improve a property’s appeal
his book details the fascinating life of
Sophia Duleep Singh, who was born
into royalty in 1876 but chose to sacrifice
her life of great privilege to fight for the
rights of women and India, and was thus
instrumental in changing British Indian
history. Her father, Maharajah Duleep Singh,
was heir to the Kingdom of the Sikhs, a vast
area that stretched from the Kashmir Valley
to the foothills of the Khyber Pass and which
included Lahore and Peshawar.
English, Dutch, German,
and Spanish spoken.
Phone: 951 204 286
Mobile: 686 931 876
Email: info@connectpremium.eu
web: www.connectpremium.eu
However, the British had other ideas and
plundered everything; it is easy to forget
just how unjust and brutal these years of
colonisation were. Of course, Britain wasn’t
the only culprit; Spain, France and Portugal
also took control of and plundered countries
with absolutely no legal right to do so.
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MARBELLA
• Just one set of keys, regardless of the number of agents listing the property
• At the time of viewings, a director of Connect is always personally present, we
open up the property before the potential client and agent arrive everything is
put in order for a perfect presentation.
• We take full responsibility for the property leaving it locked up and fully secure
after the viewing.
“
I know you
better than you
know yourself
This enthralling story
introduces a unique
individual and her part
in the defining moments
of recent British and
Indian history.
Exiled in England, the dispossessed
Maharajah transformed his estate at Elveden
in Suffolk into a Moghul palace, its grounds
stocked with leopards, monkeys and exotic
birds. Sophia was the goddaughter of Queen
Victoria and raised as a genteel aristocratic
Englishwoman: presented at court, afforded
grace-and-favour lodgings at Hampton Court
Palace and photographed wearing the latest
fashions for the society pages.
• One point of contact, we place the property with the agent or agents most
likely to have success with your type of property.
Book your Life Plan Reading with
leading Psychic, Heidi Sawyer
”
• Do you wish there was an owner’s manual
for your life?
• Do you ever wonder why you are here and
what you are supposed to be doing?
However, Sophia secretly loathed the
British government and the way they had
unjustly treated India; she chose to forgo her
privileged lifestyle and embark on a crusade
to battle against injustice and inequality.
She fought for Indian independence, the
welfare of Indian soldiers in the First World
War and, above all, female suffrage. She was
bold and fearless, attacking politicians who
came to fear her and putting herself in the
front line, swapping her expensive silk gowns
for a nurse’s uniform to tend wounded
soldiers evacuated from the battlefields.
This enthralling story introduces a unique
individual and her role in the defining
moments of recent British and Indian history.
It is the first biography written about this
extraordinary woman, and coincides with the
release of the film Suffragette, starring Meryl
Streep, Carey Mulligan and Helena Bonham
Carter.
You’re truly interested in growing and changing,
but you’d like to handle those changes better.
You welcome and follow self-knowledge and
understanding, but life throws curve balls at
you - sometimes big ones.
Book a LIFE PLAN Reading
Could there really be an owner’s
manual just for you?
There is - Life Plan Readings are Heidi’s most
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Her sessions are known throughout the world and
regularly featured in the press from the BBC to
the Daily Telegraph.
Your Life Plan Reading
Part 1: Archetypes - The goal and mission of your
life. What you are here to do.
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way and stop sabotaging yourself.
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talents that are uniquely yours, that others
can see but you don’t notice.
All sections cover your LIFE including work,
relationships, money, and those curve balls.
In addition: You receive the recorded session and
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plus report and preparation.
Telephone consultations available.
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To book pay your deposit here: www.HeidiSawyer.com/marbella
today or phone the office on +44(0)1992 531 284
“Amazing”
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MARBELLA
49
How VERDE
is my VINHO?
by AJ Linn
P
resident de Gaulle would have said
“Non”, but Winston Churchill would have
loved it. Churchill consumed a large part of
the output of Pol Roger during his long life,
so the thought that his favourite champagne
could one day be produced in England
would have had him chuckling all the way
to the humidor.
Laugh you may, but it’s true. Representatives
of champagne houses have been hopping
across the Channel to study the possibility
of buying land in Kent for planting vineyards.
Why? Two reasons: the price of land (the cost
per square metre around Epernay, the centre
of the champagne region, is much more than
for agricultural land on the South Downs)
and the potential effects of global warning.
But would the great champagne houses
(Möet & Chandon is also thought to be
considering the possibility) have considered
this step on economic grounds alone?
In spite of the fact that some of the larger
houses have set up in California, credence
must be given to the likelihood that, with
some experts predicting a 10ºC temperature
rise by the end of the century, it is a distinct
possibility that champagne will be produced
in England in future.
50
MARBELLA
Millions of years ago, England’s South Downs
and the rolling French countryside around
Epernay were part of one landmass, so both
have the chalky-clay soil needed to make
quality sparkling wines. The wild card is the
frequency of frosty nights in Kent, but over
the last fifty years these have reduced notably,
and as summers have become warmer, that
bane of every English winegrower’s life,
mildew, has decreased.
Previously, it was not feasible to think about
producing quality methode champenoise
wines in the UK, but climate change has
altered all that. In France’s Loire region, just
south of Champagne, the grape harvest
begins ten days earlier than it did twenty years
ago. In Burgundy, they are even considering
supressing the traditional grape varieties to
combat the effects.
Generally speaking, a warmer climate favours
white wine and castigates red. Assuming
the trend continues, the effect on Australian
wines could be serious, as hotter summer
temperatures produce grapes with more
alcohol, and too much alcohol makes wine
unpleasantly strong. Countries struggling to
produce red wine in borderline conditions,
such as Morocco and Algeria, will undoubtedly
feel the heat, and there is nothing they can
do about it except move production to higher
altitudes or north-facing slopes.
These thoughts were running through my
head as I uncorked another bottle of vinho
verde from Portugal. The region that produces
this slightly fizzy wine is the north-west corner
of Portugal, between two great rivers referred
to as Entre-Douro-e-Minho. If they have to
move production northwards, it will transfer
vinho verde production to Spain’s Galicia,
home of albariño and ribeiro wines.
What the Portuguese refer to as vinho verde
(green wine) is known as Perlwein in Germany,
pétillant in France, frizzente in Italy and vino
de aguja (literally “needle wine”) in Spain.
They all undergo a secondary fermentation
in the bottle, giving the finished product that
agreeable, nose-tickling, sensation which for
some reason has prevented it from being
taken seriously.
However, the locals prefer their tipple bone
dry and almost still. These cost more and are
most in demand; the young wine of the year
can disappear quickly. Sweeter varieties have
usually been sugared-up by unscrupulous
producers for the export market, so read the
back label on each bottle for an accurate
description of when the wine was made and
when it was bottled.
MARBELLA
51
Being a
Guest
by Lisa Parsons
I
recently went to stay with friends in the UK,
in their house in the country. The problem
with staying with friends is that whilst you
can break and spill things in your own
house, it is just not the done thing when
you are a guest; one has to be extra careful,
but of course sometimes being extra careful
is what causes mishaps.
My friends gave me a glass of red wine
whilst I sat on their Laura Ashley sofa. The
glass was rather nicer than I would have
liked; I am quite happy with a tumbler, as
they are more stable and if anything does
happen you haven’t ruined one of the six
irreplaceable glasses left to them by their
late great-grandmother.
My friends both went off to work the
following morning, leaving me in the house
on my own. As they said goodbye, I thought
I noticed a slight look of fear on their faces,
presumably wondering if I was going to burn
the house down in their absence.
they keep the tea and sugar. I always start
by looking near the kettle, which would
seem to me to be the logical place, and
end up looking in the broom cupboard. Not
that I expect to find them there, but having
exhausted every other option I thought it
was worth a try.
I found the breakfast cereals quite easily and
took out the container with Rice Krispies in
it; but they didn’t taste like Rice Krispies as
I know them, so I opted for the cornflakes
instead. However, as I put the container
back where it was – on its side – I had
overlooked closing the lid, and Rice Krispies
poured out and in amongst the collection of
bottles on the shelf below. As I removed all
the bottles from the cupboard, I imagined
one of my friends coming back because
they had forgotten something and the look
of dismay on their faces on finding me
I had a bit of a lie in, but the heating
was on so high I couldn’t sleep,
and as the chances of
me finding the
Being extra careful, I decided to set the glass
down on the nest of tables next to the sofa.
However, the nest of tables was on the
other side of the sofa, and my glass went
crashing down onto the Laura Ashley
on my knees amongst
a sea of Rice Krispies.
carpet,
the
only little bonus being that the glass
didn’t break. There was a bit of a scrabble
as they both made a dash for the kitchen
to get the Vanish, probably purchased in
anticipation of my visit.
Trying to look on the bright side, I said, “At
least it hasn’t gone on the sofa”. In response
they pointed out a large red stain down the
side of the sofa. Of course they said it was
OK, but what else could they say? Eventually
the stains did come out, so all’s well that
ends well; well sort of.
52
MARBELLA
central
heating
controls and being able to operate
them were virtually nil, I thought I would
open a window instead. Both were locked,
so where would you keep the key for
the windows? Somewhere nearby? Well
apparently not, and having searched the
room from top to bottom I gave up.
I went down to the kitchen to make myself
breakfast, but it wasn’t as easy as that, and
this highlights the problem with staying in
a strange house; it’s impossible to make
anything work or to find anything, even
something as simple as trying to find where
I searched the house for a dustpan
and brush without any luck; is it possible
that a house could have no dustpan and
brush? I had no better luck with kitchen roll,
so ended up using one hand as a dustpan
and the other as a brush. Part way through
doing this the doorbell rang, and I panicked.
To my relief it was window fitters, who had
come to fit a new window. After some
measuring and re-measuring they informed
me that the new window was smaller than
the opening, which would lead to there
being a gap, perhaps designed to allow
room for a cill or a soffit. Did I want the gap
at the top or the bottom? they asked. But
I wasn’t going down that road; I had done
more than enough damage.
For the rest of the day, as I carefully moved
about the house, I was thinking how much
easier it is to stay in a hotel; at least you can
break things there.
MARBELLA
53
Should we be Looking Up
our Symptoms on the
Internet?
by Lucia Stephens de La Rosa
A
s a general rule I don’t think it’s a
particularly good idea to start searching
the internet when we think we have a
certain condition, because we are never
going to find what we are looking for, which
is reassurance. Obviously, what we would
like is to click into a page and for it to say,
“Those symptoms are absolutely nothing to
worry about, it will go away in a few days”.
But that is never going to happen; even if
there are a few possible benign causes,
they will be followed by a list of all the lifethreating possibilities.
ignore the rest, but of course they were
never there. Just as a matter of interest, I
have Googled the mildest thing I could think
of; pain in the elbow. Tennis elbow was
suggested, but one site still managed to
come up with bone cancer.
I have been to my doctor so many times
to explain my current life-threatening –
internet-sourced – condition, and whilst he
would never do anything as unprofessional
as laugh, I often think I can see a hint of
amusement in his eyes. It has actually come
to the point where he will look at my notes
on the screen and say something like, “You
actually thought you had this condition five
years ago”. So I have been through so many
illnesses that I am now on repeats; I’m the
medical equivalent of UK Gold.
Of course, we also have to take into
account the fact that there is an awful lot
of misinformation on the internet, and as
laymen we are not equipped to separate
the good from the bad, or even interpret the
good. I must be one of the worst culprits
when it comes to looking on the internet,
even though each time I do it I frighten the
life out of myself and vow never to do it
again.
There are occasions when I suppose we
have to recognise that looking on the
internet can have its benefits. In my case,
one weekend I woke with a strong pain in
my temple and my neck on the same side.
I decided to ignore it, but as the pain got
worse I once again broke my rule, searched
the internet and really didn’t like what I
found. I phoned my doctor, who said he
would call back in two minutes; he did, and
told me to come immediately to the surgery
for a blood test and that he would drive the
blood sample straight to the laboratory. As
it turned out it wasn’t what we feared, but
had it been it would have needed treatment
urgently.
Nevertheless, if you keep looking on the
internet you will end up like me; I got to the
stage where I would Google the pain in my
big toe or whatever it was and then screw
up my eyes so I could only see the “don’t
worry about these symptoms” heading and
54
MARBELLA
Tel. 633 464 077
bdc@ascari.net
TIPPING
Around the World
Marbella - Puerto Banus - Ventura del Mar
Ref. 161-03474
by Daniela
€3,300,000
R
estaurants in Spain generally
welcome British customers because
compared with some other nationalities
we tip quite generously. Not as welcome of
course as the Americans, who are significant
tippers, but there aren’t so many Americans
visiting Spain as there were at one time.
Spaniards are not great tippers; whilst some
do tip, it is not unusual for them to receive
a bill of around 100 euros and leave a few
cents on the plate. If I am a guest on such
occasions, I sometimes feel bad for the
waiter or waitress, particularly if they have
provided really good service. If I can get
away with it, I try to leave an extra 10 euros
as I am leaving, but it’s important not to be
caught; you could very easily offend your
host.
Every country’s tipping habits are different;
some visitors don’t appear to be very
generous tippers, but that is because they
come from countries where it is customary
to have a service charge already included in
56
MARBELLA
the bill, such as Austria, France
and Germany.
You could just work on the basis that if you
tip more rather than less it will always be
welcome, but even that is not without its
risks as in some countries tipping is not
required. Indeed, in Japan it can be viewed
as rude, particularly if you try to hand money
over to someone directly. It is acceptable to
tip tour guides in Japan for example, but
even then it should only be handed to them
in an envelope.
In the United States, tipping appears
way over the top to us, but we only have
ourselves to blame as we passed on the
custom; it was in Tudor England in the 16th
century that tipping really developed. Now it
is not uncommon to see 18% included in
the bill, regardless
of the quality of the service.
In the Caribbean, they have become
accustomed to the system favoured by
Americans, as they make up the majority
of visitors to that region. In the Mexican
Caribbean, having enjoyed the Americans
and their big tipping during the winter
season, when the summer comes the
Spaniards and Italians arrive and the waiters
and waitresses get quite offended when
they leave only a few pesos as a gratuity.
I think on balance I prefer the Spanish
system to the American one. I remember
once leaving an overpriced restaurant
in New York having paid the bill with an
18% service charge included. The waiter,
who was standing at the door, asked us if
everything was alright; when we said it was,
he said, “Oh I thought there was something
wrong, because you didn’t leave anything”.
Beds: 5
Baths: 5
Built: 560
Terrace: 150
5 bedroom duplex penthouse located in Marbella
The Penthouse Boasts 560 m2 over two floors, 410 m2 inside and terraces totaling 150 m2 in idyllic surroundings that stretch to the sea. Consisting of five bedrooms with en-suite
bathrooms, a large living area of 130 m2 and four terraces from which to enjoy stunning coastal views.
The Penthouse is very well laid out with a spacious and airy living room and large terrace, a fully fitted kitchen, wine room, gym, storage room and three underground parking
spaces. The large master en-suite bedroom is situated on the top floor with a high vaulted wooden ceiling and spectacular views from its own terrace. A further 4 bedrooms and
4 bathrooms are available, fitted out to a luxury specification. 3 underground parking spaces. Separate storage room of 30m2, 24 hour security, alarm system and CCTV Wine
cellar, bar and 25 m2 gym. Just 20 metres from the sea!
WWW.CROWNMARBELLA.COM
•
INFO@CROWNMARBELLA.COM
•
+34 952 765 620
Main and Sales Office: Hotel Puente Romano - Sales and Rental Office: Guadalpin Banus Hotel
LORD, Deliver Us...
by Lesley Freeman
We all have an ego. Many of us live by it
every single day. But what is ego? Most
of us would have a stereotypical idea of
someone who is egotistical as boastful,
self-centred and generally obnoxious, and
probably referred to as being on an “ego
trip”.
“Not me though,” you might say; you
wouldn’t want to admit to any of that! But
ego has been described as something that
is always with us, controlling our daily lives,
and although we are all victims it is widely
thought that we can do little to change.
The many interpretations of the word
ego include the unconscious part of our
selves primarily involved with hate, malice
and destruction; in fact, anything that is
negative. Most of us have an ego that
needs to be tamed, and many women are
guilty of having gossipy coffee mornings
with friends and pulling celebrities apart.
Our egos have developed over our
lifetimes, influenced by peers, parents
and teachers’ attitudes towards us and by
our experience of others. The ego is an
idea you have of yourself, your identity.
58
MARBELLA
...from EGO
It is an illusion, but a powerful one that
can prevent you from knowing yourself.
Your mind attempts to present you as you
would like to be, rather than as you actually
are, and it makes you judgemental towards
others.
When we go on our many shopping
trips for more and more “stuff”, we are
feeding our egos, our idea of how we see
ourselves. For a short while, it really can
give us the lift we are craving, but then we
have to go and do it all again for the “high”
of feeling good.
If you are living with inner turmoil,
continually quarrelling with yourself and
feeling anxious, guilty and fearful, then you
are allowing ego to dominate your life.
Even though the ego is profoundly insane,
it need not be conquered, defeated or
despised; it is part of you, but taming the
ego is a way of inviting the higher aspects
of yourself to function in a natural and
loving way in order to gain peace of mind.
So how do we tame the ego? How do we
stop feeling guilty every time we buy a new
item of clothing or pair of shoes? Well, to
reduce or eliminate the effects of the ego
you need to be conscious of your thoughts
about yourself or others, either negative
or positive. It may take practise to change
the way you think, but if you can tame the
ego (negative thoughts and behaviour) you
will reap the benefits in your relationships,
health, wealth, career and happiness, or
whatever you wish to improve. In order to
do this, as a first step you must be aware
of your thoughts. The second step would
be to change those thoughts, and then to
retire those negative thoughts with a full
pension.
You will reap the benefits immediately
without dwelling in the negative, and you
will start to feel happier. By seeing things
from a more positive perspective, you will
turn your life around. You may not have
even thought about the ego and its effects
on you, but if this negative entity is a big
part of your life it needs to be tamed
and controlled if you are to change those
aspects to work for you for the better.
Give it a try; everyone’s life could probably
benefit from some improvement.
There is no stopping Sofia Vergara. The highest-paid
actress in TV history is not only enjoying her romance with
Joe Manganiello (True Blood, How I Met Your Mother)
but is now engaged to be married to the hunkish actor.
The news broke while the happy couple was vacationing
in Hawaii and Vergara, as is her habit, posted Instagram
photos of herself and her beloved, describing Joe as her
“love and best friend...the one that makes me laugh like
crazy!”
Their engagement comes after a year-long courtship
that began shortly after last January’s White House
Correspondents’ dinner and has been gathering
momentum ever since.
In the meantime, Vergara’s massively popular
Modern Family TV series (Sky TV) is in the
middle of its sixth season and continues
to earn kudos for its cast and supremely
popular star. In late August, the series won
its fifth consecutive Emmy as Outstanding
Comedy Series and recently collected a
Screen Actors’ Guild nomination for best
comedy cast ensemble. Though Vergara
herself is still waiting to collect an individual
trophy despite several nominations, there
is no doubt that the massive popularity
of Modern Family is in large part due to
Sofia’s effervescent comic presence as
Gloria. Interestingly, Vergara insists that the
character is based not on her, but on how
she sees her mother and aunt.
“I can understand that people like to
think that I’m just playing myself when I
play Gloria, but that’s not true,” Vergara
says. “I see her as a version of my mom
and my aunts who are very passionate and
voluptuous women. They’re kind of overthe-top and some people think that they’re
stereotypes of Latin women - but what can
I say?
Interview
SOFIA
VERGARA
60
MARBELLA
There are many types of Latin women but
that’s how they are and I’m proud to play
Gloria. I wish I could have as much energy
as she has!”
by Fred Allen
Vergara will also be seen returning to the big
screen in Wild Card, the new Jason Statham
action thriller written by Oscar-winning
screenwriter William Goldman and directed
by Simon West. Statham plays a gambler
who runs afoul of the mob and hooks up
with Sofia’s glamorous character “DD” (no
explanation necessary) in Las Vegas while
being pursued by a variety of villains.
Wild Card, released in the U.S. on January
30 and in the U.K. in April, offers Vergara yet
another minor but flashy film role following
Q: Sofia, how did you and Joe first get
together?
VERGARA: We met very briefly at the
White House Correspondents’ dinner. I
thought he was very handsome, almost too
handsome. But then we met again a month
later after being introduced by a friend and
we start seeing each other after that.
“Women should be
proud of their bodies
and I’m very grateful
for what God has
given me”
Q: Has it been hard to keep your romance
under wraps?
supporting parts in last year’s Chef and
Fading Gigolo.
VERGARA: It’s incredible. I never
expected the kind of recognition Gloria
would bring to me even though I knew it
was a great character and I worked with the
writers to bring out different aspects of her
Latino culture. I wanted to show people how
full of life and passionate she was and I am
very proud of being a Latino woman. The
women in my family are all very charismatic
and funny and temperamental. I think
of Gloria has a symbol of the powerful
character that Latino women have even
though she’s one particular kind of example
and obviously there are many different
types of (Latino) women.
In person, Sofia Vergara is even more
beautiful than she appears on screen.
She speaks excitedly and in her distinctive
Colombian Spanish-accented English that
she has “long ago stopped trying to fix...It
seems to work, so why change now?”
With respect to how she feels about her
new fiancé, Manganiello, Vergara says
simply: “It’s a special time in my life.”
It is estimated that Vergara earns upwards
of $30 million annually from her Modern
Family salary as well as various endorsement
contracts.
VERGARA: We’re not trying to hide,
really...But the paparazzi have been going
crazy ever since I met my hot new boyfriend!
(Laughs)
Q: Modern Family seems to be as popular
as ever and your character Gloria remains
one of the most beloved women in TV?
Q:
What’s ironic is that when you first
MARBELLA
61
started trying to find work in Hollywood you
weren’t regarded as being Latino enough?
VERGARA: I know! (Laughs) It was
crazy. My natural hair is dark blonde and
casting directors kept complaining that I
didn’t look “Latina enough.” That’s because
there exists this image of how Latino people
are supposed to look even though we’re all
very different and we come in all colours
and shapes and flavours. So I decided to
dye my hair black and it was only then that I
started finding work.
Later I realised that having a good figure was
an advantage on TV and getting attention
and publicity. But it also means you can’t do
other things and play more normal kinds of
roles. I can’t just play an ordinary girl. So I try
to find roles which will let me capitalize on
my looks and my personality and advance
my career that way.
Q: Do you worry at all about aging?
VERGARA: No. I think if a woman stays
VERGARA:
No. I work
pretty hard on Modern Family
and it’s only when you’re at
home and not as busy as
you normally are that you eat
more. I love having my family
over and cooking together
and that’s when I have to be
a little more conscious of not
overdoing it.
VERGARA:
Women
should be proud of their
bodies
and
I’m
very
grateful for what God has
given me. I’m aware that
being
voluptuous
and
being considered attractive
has opened up so many
opportunities for me and
that it’s not just because of
whatever talent I have as an
actress. But I understood that
I could make people laugh
and that people appreciated
my personality and I just tried
to make that work for me in
addition to everything else.
Q: You seem to be a very
happy woman, yet you’ve
had to face up to some
difficult times in your life
including the death of your
brother and dealing with
thyroid cancer?
VERGARA:
I’m not going
to complain about it but
sometimes I would rather
hear people talk about my
eyes. I’m prouder of my
eyes because they’re pretty
big and I can always use
makeup to highlight them. I
also think I have a great ass!
(Laughs) But the boobs get
all the attention!
MARBELLA
DAVID: +34 619 07 82 04
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Salon: +34 952 92 91 01
Urb. La Alzambra, Edif. Vasari Center • Puerto Banús 29660
VERGARA:
(Sighs)
There have been many tough
things that have happened to
me and to my family. Those
are the moments that teach
you to be grateful for the
good things in life and to try
to make the most of your life.
The tough times give you a
lot of time to think and for
me I’ve just tried to deal with
them the best way I can and
move forward. What else can
you do?
Q: Do you get tired of all
the attention and talk about
your boobs?
62
HAIRDRESSER - HAUTE COIFFURE
Do you worry about
weight?
Even though Hollywood
still seems to prefer skinny
women, you’ve made it
very fashionable to be
voluptuous?
VERGARA: Yes. (Laughs) When I was
a teenager I was skinny but with big boobs.
Everybody stares at you and of course every
man is after you. It was a relief for me when
I met my (first) husband and then I didn’t
have to deal with being chased as much.
I think my parents were relieved as well.
david & Co
Q:
Q:
Q: Your fabulous figure is part of your
image. But was it hard for you to embrace
your figure when you were a teenager?
VERGARA: More than ever! (Laughs)
I l know I need to look after my body even
though I hate going to the gym but I do it
to maintain my figure and stay toned, which
is really the most important thing. I have
to keep telling myself that working out two
or three times a week is part of my job
description otherwise I would never go to
the gym. (Laughs) But I have to admit
that after I finish (a training session) I have
so much more energy and I know that my
body looks better afterwards.
fit and lives a healthy lifestyle then she can
project beauty no matter what her age. I am
much more successful now than I ever was
in my twenties. I am very comfortable with
my appearance and I am not worrying about
wrinkles or anything like that. I eat well, no
bread, no pasta, mainly white rather than
red meat, I sleep well, and I don’t smoke
or drink.
Q:
Q: You have a new film
coming out with Jason
Statham. Are you excited
about that?
VERGARA: Jason is a lot of fun to be
around. He works very hard and he has a
very natural and good-hearted spirit. He’s
also a real gentleman.
Q: Is you character very glamorous?
VERGARA: Oh, of course! (Laughs)
Do you still hate working out?
MARBELLA
63
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The TRUTH
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A
disturbing number of people lie; some
surveys reveal that 40% of those
questioned had told a lie in the previous 24
hours. Obviously, one should have some
doubt about the reliability of the answers
provided when asking a liar if they have
lied. If you work on the basis that a liar is
probably going to claim they don’t lie, the
figures could be far worse than surveys have
shown.
There have nevertheless been some
very interesting studies carried out. One
comprehensive study was conducted by
Bella DePaulo, Ph.D., a psychologist at the
University of Virginia, which revealed that
most people lie once or twice a day, and
that men and women alike are lying during
the course of 20% of their social exchanges.
What made these finding rather more
depressing was that they exclude what
has become known as the white lie, such
as “no, that dress doesn’t make you look
fat”. When it came to parents and teenagers,
the figures were far worse; it appears that
students lie to their mothers in one out of
every two conversations.
64
MARBELLA
There are ways of detecting when people
are most likely to be lying, other than using a
lie detector, which is considered by many to
be a flawed system; Geoffrey C. Bunn, Ph.D.,
a psychologist and polygraph historian at
Canada’s York University, says the problem
with the lie detector is that it detects fear,
not lying.
Before trying to detect if someone is lying
it is worth recognising whether you are
perhaps one of those people who suspects
you are being lied to but don’t really want
to know; sometimes ignorance is bliss and
it can save you getting hurt. In which case,
it may be better not to read about some of
these tell-tale signs, many of which are used
by the police and forensic psychologists
during the course of investigations.
It is important to remember that the various
ways of phrasing things, and the different
types of body language often used by
people who are being economical with the
truth, are simply indications that the person
is likely to be lying, not that they definitely
are. This knowledge can be particularly
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16/02/2015 19:34
useful for an employer or for anyone who
wants to avoid being the victim of a fraud.
Often when someone is lying, their physical
expression will be very stiff, with few arm
and hand movements and generally limited
to their own body; they say liars take up less
space around them. An exception to this
would be someone who purposely uses
quite exaggerated hand and arm movements
because they feel it makes them appear
genuine. The person that springs to mind
is Tony Blair when he was prime minister;
many doubted his exaggerated expressions
of sincerity.
One obvious clue is eye contact, as it is very
difficult for someone who is lying to make
eye contact, and if they do they tend to
overdo it; it’s almost as if they don’t dare take
their eyes off you, so it feels uncomfortable.
Often at the point of the lie they will touch
their face, throat, mouth, nose or ear; it’s
quite unconscious, so they generally have
no idea they are doing it.
MARBELLA
65
66
MARBELLA
MARBELLA
67
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