"The boss" and his struggle

DAY 7: I was right: The sea is causing headaches for people at the Costa de Valencia. It is taking their land. Meter by meter. Month by month. When we set off for a walk this afternoon, we met Wolfgang Kopp, the owner of the Malvarrosa de Corinto campsite. He is originally from Cologne and came here over half a century ago, met his great love Pepa, stayed, and built this campsite and a small empire around it. In our visits over the past years, we have come to know him as a friendly, open-minded person who takes time for questions.

When we told him that we had been here five months ago and were shocked to see yesterday that the beach has become significantly narrower. “Aren’t you afraid that one day the campsite will be gone?” Icke asked directly. Mr. Kopp frowned. He thought about it. “No,” he said then. “There are ways to stop that.” The problem, however, is that the beach would belong to the province, not to him. There are talks, proposals, and even applications – but nothing happens.

The required measures are not even that expensive. “We could build a breakwater,” explains the qualified merchant. This would prevent the north wind from carrying the sand into the sea. “Even more,” says Mr. Kopp, “the shorelines would even regain width. You gain land.” Another option would be to sink a number of three or four-meter-wide concrete blocks that have a specific shape along the coast. That would have the same effect. But: No one is taking action. More and more land is disappearing along the entire coast. “But you don’t have to worry about us,” he said to Icke as we said our goodbyes. “You will always find a place here as our guests – the sea won’t take us.”

Strong words. But those who know "El jefe" – the boss, as everyone calls him here – know that these are not empty promises.