Yzabelle Bostyn

Here you can find all my published writing. Check out the 'About Me' section to learn more about me and the 'Contact Me' to contact me directly. 

The Olive Press •

‘My family is missing after their village was flooded in Valencia - I’m so scared after losing contact with them following terrifying last phone call’ - Olive Press News Spain

A VALENCIA resident who cannot contact her family trapped by floods tells of her ‘deep worry’.“I just want to know they’re ok,” Maleni Vidal, 50, told the Olive Press from her safe haven in Ibiza. Her brother, his wife and their seven-year-old son cannot leave their Catarroja flat due to extreme flooding battering the region. “I’m extremely scared, they’re up on the first floor, 15 metres high, and the last I heard, the water was very close to reaching them but I’ve since lost contact,” she s...
The Olive Press •

The curious history of Halloween in Spain: How today’s traditions come from ancient Celtic rituals - Olive Press News Spain

Did you know the curious history of spooky Spain? Learn all about the origins of Halloween’s Celtic origins.Though most souls associate Halloween with glowing jack o’ lanterns and slasher films, the true origins of this haunting holiday are not rooted in America but go farther back to the Celtic tradition. READ MORE: These are the ten most haunted houses around SpainIn fact, the eerie roots of Spanish Halloween can be traced back to Galicia, where ancient Celtic rituals still echo through the...
The Olive Press •

Outrage as pharmaceutical giant in Spain signs exclusive deal to produce Nolotil in Europe - despite drug’s main ingredient being linked to British deaths - Olive Press News Spain

A SPANISH pharmaceutical giant has sparked outrage after signing a deal to produce Nolotil in the country despite being linked to the deaths of many Brits. The production of Metamizole, the main ingredient in the painkiller Nolotil, will be transferred exclusively from Germany to Spain as part of a new deal.  Despite being linked to the deaths of dozens of Brits in Spain, Catalan pharmaceutical giant Moehs will now take charge of the production of the drug in Europe.It will bring an investment...
The Olive Press •

Brits and locals in Marbella fume after waiting more than six weeks for refunds following string of cancelled concerts: Fiesta Live apologises and insists money will be returned - Olive Press News Spa

BRITS and locals are demanding answers after waiting more than six weeks for a refund following a string of cancelled concerts in Marbella. Many expats and tourists had been looking forward to events from international stars like Blue, Pete Tong and Nancy Ajram.  However, just a week before they were set to start, promoters Fiesta Live cancelled all but one of the star-studded events. Just Pete Tong’s Ibiza Classics concert on August 10 was left standing, with ticket holders for other events...
The Olive Press •

Exclusive: British relatives of Nolotil 'victims' blast the EU's health agency for ruling in favour of the painkiller - Olive Press News Spain

BRITISH relatives of people who died after taking Nolotil have blasted a ruling in favour of the painkiller by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The families have spoken out after the EMA revealed they would not be banning the ‘deadly’ medication despite campaigners’ repeated calls for action.  Nolotil, and other products containing the active ingredient metamizole, have been linked to over 40 deaths of British and Irish people alone in Spain. READ MORE: Anti-Nolotil campaigner blasts EU h...
The Olive Press •

Review: The Little Wooden House is a charming hidden gem nestled in an olive grove in inland Malaga - and offers the perfect autumn escape - Olive Press News Spain

LOTS of hotels, Airbnbs and campsites promise an ‘escape from it all’ but few achieve it quite like this extraordinary gem hidden in the hills just inland from the Costa del Sol. The Little Wooden House was built by expat Elizabeth Wynn as a ‘refuge’ surrounded by nature, near the charming inland town of Monda.
Mail Online •

My Spanish neighbour said I'm 'English w**re' and tried to attack me

By Yzabelle Bostyn Published: 16:57, 13 September 2024 | Updated: 13:17, 17 September 2024 A British expat who was attacked by her Spanish neighbour is in disbelief after cops 'rejected' her claims and accused her of making a 'false report'.Serena Coronado, an English teacher from London, claims the Guardia Civil refused to even hear her complaint, which alleged weeks of 'xenophobic' verbal abuse and threats of violence.Serena alleges her male neighbour branded her an 'English wh**e' and...
The Olive Press •

Anti-Nolotil campaigner blasts EU health chiefs after they ruled in favour of the controversial painkiller - despite its links to British deaths  - Olive Press News Spain

THE EMA’s decision to rule out banning Nolotil has been blasted by patient advocate and campaigner Cristina del Campo. She has called the decision ‘unbelievable’ and implied that the ruling has ‘financial motives’.  Cristina told the Olive Press: “As far as I’m concerned, what they’re saying is that the benefits to the pharmaceutical company outweigh the risks to patients.READ MORE: Nolotil latest: ‘Benefits’ of painkiller ‘outweigh the risks’, say European health chiefs – despite scores of B...
Mail Online •

Irish expat 'lost £1.5m after Spain blocked hotel reopening'

By Yzabelle Bostyn and James Reynolds Published: 11:12, 9 September 2024 | Updated: 15:33, 9 September 2024 An Irish expat claims he has lost £1.5million after Spanish officials blocked his refurbished countryside hotel from reopening.Michael Walsh, 40, bought the iconic Malaga business to run alongside his wife and three children, who moved to the southern city four years ago.He had hoped to re-open the charming Finca La Mota, in Alhaurin El Grande, at the end of May.But just a week be...
The Olive Press •

‘I visited Tenerife’s little-known UNESCO World Heritage city and was taken aback by its charm - here’s how to see it in a day’  - Olive Press News Spain

HERE’S how to visit Tenerife’s UNESCO World Heritage city in just a day. When most people think of Tenerife, they picture tacky tourist shops, fake sand beaches and the Teide volcano.  What many don’t know is that the north of the island is home to a UNESCO World Heritage city well worth a visit. San Cristobal de la Laguna is a colonial city full of fascinating history and architecture.  A small university city, it is easily walkable and made even more pleasant by the fact the casco histori...
The Olive Press •

Exclusive: ‘I explored the real Tenerife and was blown away by its beauty - these are my top tips’  - Olive Press News Spain

THESE are my top tips for exploring Tenerife’s best beauty spots by car. Before I visited Tenerife, I thought of the island as just another holiday hotspot replete with souvenir shops but devoid of culture.  Although I have nothing against those places – I myself have visited such resorts for sun, sea and sandy getaways – I was eager to discover what Tenerife was really like, beyond the tourist meccas of Playa de Las Americas and Los Cristianos. So, following the recommendations of a Canary I...
The Olive Press •

Exclusive: PETA enters Mijas donkey taxi row: Global animal rights group offers mayor an electric tuk-tuk 'in exchange for banning the trade' - Olive Press News Spain

ANIMAL rights group PETA has urged the mayor of Mijas to ban donkey taxis in exchange for an electric tuk-tuk. Last week, over 100 expats and Spaniards gathered in Mijas to urge the town hall to put an end to the ‘brutal’ donkey taxi trade.  It came after a donkey driver attacked an activist who tried to film the animals made to haul heavy carriages during a recent heatwave.READ MORE: Brits clash with locals in Spain’s Mijas as their demonstration against donkey taxis is met with a counterpro...
The Olive Press •

Exclusive: Controversial new luxury beach club in Spain’s Estepona is forced to close following complaints from British expats and locals - Olive Press News Spain

A STRING of complaints over noise and strobe lights have forced a new luxury beach club in Estepona, Malaga to close until further notice. The neighbours of Eva, Playa del Cristo began hearing ‘deafening’ music before the club’s opening date, August 23.  It is thought the ‘ramped up’ volume was an attempt to test their sound system and neighbourhood tolerance before the grand opening. READ MORE: British expat fury over ‘mad’ prices at ‘luxury’ new beach club in Estepona: €200 sunbeds and €10...
The Olive Press •

Going vegan in Spain’s Barcelona? These are my top restaurant recommendations - Olive Press News Spain

Despite its carnivorous stereotypes, Spain’s big cities are actually full of amazing vegan restaurants serving up their take on local food. Nowhere is this more true than in Barcelona.  Long a hive of bohemian free spirits, it’s no wonder the city is teeming with vegans and everytime I go, I make up for time lost in the pueblos of Andalucia. So, where can you find the best Catalonian crumbs? Here’s our top suggestions.  READ MORE: Going vegan in Sevilla? These six restaurants are a must vi...
The Olive Press •

Exclusive: Norwegian expat who survived a horror axe attack on Spain’s Costa del Sol is suing doctors for ‘laughing off’ his pain and ‘shrugging him off with painkillers’ - Olive Press News Spain

A NORWEGIAN expat has been left traumatised after a horrific axe attack in Fuengirola left him with ‘unbearable’ back injuries.Marius J, 30, was drinking with friends in Queen Mary’s Bar on November 11, 2022, when he was struck in the back of the head by the butt of the weapon.  At around 5am, he left the bar for a cigarette, chatting with friends in a quiet street. Just minutes later, the barman rushed out, saying that he had been ‘hit in the chest with an axe’.  READ MORE: Exclusive: Fum...
The Olive Press •

Must-visit: This former modernist hospital near Barcelona's Sagrada Familia is now a stunning a museum - and you've probably never heard of it - Olive Press News Spain

JUST metres from Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia is a modernist masterpiece most tourists have never even heard of- here’s how to visit it. Every year, thousands of tourists flock to Barcelona to marvel at Gaudi’s modernist architecture.  While the master’s buildings are truly works of art, many visitors miss stunning examples of modernist architecture by focussing only on the famed architect.In fact, just a ten minute walk from the world famous Sagrada Familia is an undiscovered treasure few tou...
The Olive Press •

Exclusive: Fuming Dutch expat is ‘living in fear’ after the walls of her Estepona home detached from the floor - and is forced to call in lawyers over ‘lack of action from urbanisation bosses’  - Oliv

A DUTCH expat has called in lawyers after waiting more than a year for urgent repairs to her Estepona home – warning that the lack of action is ‘putting lives in danger’. Claudia Meekel, 58, claims she is being discriminated against after her urbanisation allegedly used funds designated to fix her property on beautifying other homes and grounds. The admin worker from Eindhoven, the Netherlands, bought the property in Aldea de la Luna with the aim of working remotely there for two weeks every...
The Olive Press •

Cycling Dutchman is travelling from the Netherlands to Spain’s Mijas in aid of donkey sanctuary - Olive Press News Spain

A DUTCHMAN is cycling from the Netherlands to Spain in aid of a donkey sanctuary in Mijas. From Heemskerk, a picturesque town in the north of Netherlands to Mijas, Spain, there is 2,500km of open road.  But that’s not stopped one brave Dutchman from taking on the challenge of cycling from the Netherlands to Spain in aid of a local donkey sanctuary. READ MORE: British tourist ‘is savagely attacked by a donkey taxi driver’ on Spain’s Costa del Sol while ‘trying to document animal abuse’ Ron T...
The Olive Press •

EXCLUSIVE: Donkey row erupts as daughter of ‘burro’ taxi driver who 'beat up British tourist' in Spain’s Mijas slams activist for 'harrassing her father and tourists' - Olive Press News Spain

THE daughter of a donkey taxi driver has spoken out after a British tourist was ‘beaten up’ in Mijas, Andalucia.A social media user claiming to be the daughter of a Mijas donkey driver has given her ‘side of the story’ after a British tourist was attacked for filming the donkeys on Sunday.   She commented on a local Instagram page, Fuengirolasequeja’s post showing a video of the attack.READ MORE: British tourist ‘is savagely attacked by a donkey taxi driver’ on Spain’s Costa del Sol while ‘tr...
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