Former Huddersfield gymnast and pub landlord Brian Hayhurst and his wife Elaine are ex-pats who have lived just outside Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol for 20 years. He writes every fortnight for Huddersfield Hub.
The heatwave crisis with excessive temperatures which has swamped Europe with Greece, Italy and – of course – Spain is hitting record levels.
Here is a brief look at how we are coping. It really is brutal and uncomfortable and it’s incredible seeing families, some with children, heading for the blistering beaches.
I hope they have factor 50+ trowelled on their bodies! I feel for those who do not have air conditioning, especially through the night, as sleeping would not be possible.
It’s a relief, at last, to learn that several Costa regions and towns are now considering several methods to save what little water remains in the parched reservoirs.
Benalmadina and Fuengirola have cut off water at beach showers and more restrictions are being considered – like, turning off water through the night in Fuengirola.
What will that mean? People will use this vital commodity before it’s turned off, of course! Filling pools direct from the municipal system could be prohibited. There are 77k open air pools in Malaga province!
The use of water tankers is being recommended, although costs have rocketed (€180 for 12,000 litres). And waiting time for a tanker is 15 days now!
A lot of communities with a pool may find the cost prohibitive, and we think soon there will be no water for garden irrigation, car wash outlets etc.
The spectacular Caminito del Rey (The King’s Walkway, above) cliffside walk was forced to close temporarily for the first time due to temperatures over 40C. They couldn’t risk someone having a medical issue on the narrow pathway as emergency crews would have difficulty reaching them.
And with the whole of southern Europe now enduring the Cerberus heatwave, authorities are insisting tourists take sensible precautions.
There are several Costa beaches which, for only the second time ever, have attracted Loggerhead Turtles to make nests and lay eggs.
A turtle has laid 69 eggs on a Fuengirola beach and was guarded day and night. Eventually the eggs were carefully taken to the Biopark for monitoring and the baby turtles will then be released into the Med after hatching.
Experts say this rare phenomenon is due to climate change, although the turtles usually return to the beach where they themselves hatched.
And now for a couple of good news items:
- The Marbella desalination plant is being doubled in capacity at a cost of €3.5 million and will be ready for 2024 to prepare for the anticipated tourist influx. Why it has taken so long is a mystery. Let’s face it, without water the entire Costa could collapse!
- “With an increase in street vendors throughout Spain and, in particular, the Costa del Sol, Benalmadena has taken the lead in tackling the problem by getting these ‘looky looky men’ off the streets, offering them training in a trade, and placing them in the hospitality sector which is facing a drastic shortage.” This was the view of the president, Rosa Maria Gonzalez, for the Banalmadena traders and business owners.
READ MORE: Catch up on Brian’s previous blogs HERE
A rather pessimistic view for Gibraltar to conclude.
With the Conservative party likely to return to power in the national elections at the month end, it may be the Prime Minister may take a hard line on the border crossing and cut the Gibraltar territory from mainland Spain. This is something they have threatened for decades.
We used to visit the Rock frequently to shop and, like others, take advantage of the duty-free items. But it’s a much more serious problem for the 30,000 people who cross the border daily, mainly to work there.
A tunnel beneath the airport landing strip has made getting in much easier with no queuing awaiting planes on and off the Rock.
