By David Eade – Costa del Sol News
Júzcar is one of the famous small white villages of the Serranía de Ronda. However all that changed earlier this year when Sony Pictures selected the hamlet as the Smurfs home. In Spanish Júzcar became the “Pueblo Pitufo” and was transformed with 9,000 litres of blue paint as part of a worldwide publicity campaign for the latest Smurfs movie.
The painting of the homes was meant to be a temporary measure but it has been such a success for the village that the residents are going to vote after the general election whether to stay blue or revert to white. The odds are on staying blue because whilst the hamlet has just 221 residents over 3,000 people now visit each weekend.
The world media descended on the Smurfs blue village and they were followed by thousands of people, of course including many children, who wanted to see where the Smurfs lived. This has resulted in an economic boom for Júzcar; the town hall has even had to recruit three local police officers to control the traffic.
A Merca Pitufo now opens at weekends and sells the products that Júzcar and the wider Valle del Genal have always been famous for. In addition there are souvenirs produced by Sony Pictures for the Smurfs movies and enterprising people have even organised Smurf tours of the locality.
Iván Sastre, owner of the Hotel El Bandolero, has welcomed the increase in trade both in staying guests but also to his restaurant. He said the large majority of juzcareños want the village to stay blue – after all he says all the Andalucía villages are white, so there is no problem if one is blue.
HAPPY ENDING TO SEARCH FOR 82-YEAR-OLD MAN
A search was held over the weekend in the area around Cortes de la Frontera after an 82-year-old man, Isidoro Vázquez Vega, went missing on Friday.
The alarm was raised at 15.45 when a family member called the 112 emergency number. The search over 100 strong was led by the Guardia Civil, Protección Civil plus Infoca fire teams and centred on the zones of La Perdiguera and La Retamar.
Isidoro was finally found at 17.30 on Sunday at Llanos de Líbar. He was disorientated, very thirsty and showed signs of dehydration but otherwise was in good health after his ordeal. He was taken to the local health centre for a check up and later discharged in a wheelchair to the care of a relieved family.
They described his discovery safe and well as a “miracle”. He had been found on a mountain side by a goat herder. Isidoro story is on Friday he had bought a small bottle of water and then set off on his walk but couldn’t find his way off the mountain and got lost.
TOURIST WELCOME
Last week two consortia presented plans for visitor reception centres to Ronda town hall. The first would see an investment of 17 million euros in the castle area involving an escalator to take tourists up into the historic town. The second of 37 million euros would be by the San Francisco quarter petrol station. Both would involve parking for cars and tourist coaches.
INSTALMENT PAYMENTS
Ronda’s former mayor, Antonio Marín, has now paid the 150,000 court bail fee in instalments including a charge on his own house. His two co-accused PSOE councillors Rafael Lara and María José Martín de Haro have also lodged their 50,000 and 80,000 bail monies. Marín and three councillors have resigned their seats and also from PSOE in the Acinipo town planning corruption case.
FEW LOANS
Ronda’s new PP – PA administration has been criticized for only seeking 2.4 million euros in loans since it took office. The coalition has complained the coffers are bare and the money borrowed will be used to pay off suppliers. However the regional government has made it clear it will only offer large scale finance if the town hall has an economic rescue plan.
I’M INNOCENT
The former police chief of the National Police in Ronda has protested his innocent in the corruption trial involving him, three fellow officers and a Guardia Civil. Between 2003 and 2007 they are alleged to have offered protection, indulged in sexual activity and taken drugs at three local brothels. The police chief says he was manipulated and the protected witnesses have framed him.
DEFENCE DEAL
Marípaz Fernández, Ronda’s new mayor, has opened contacts with the Ministry of Defence in an effort to acquire the lands of the now demolished La Concepción barracks which are being used as a car park. The ministry wants 3.6 million euros which Ronda says it cannot afford. The plans drawn up by the previous administration include underground parking, a plaza and cultural centre.
MILL HOSTEL
There are plans to convert the old mills of Ronda’s Tajo gorge into a tourism complex with a hostel for visitors which would be the second in the town as the youth hostel near El Fuerte will be finished next year. The mill buildings are being restored by various workshop schools. It’s hoped also to create a visitor’s centre, hotel plus country restaurant.
