Essential Gibraltar July 2014

COMPLIMENTARY EDITION

N º09 -JULY/AUGUST 2014

essential essential magazine® gibraltar I S S U E 0 9 • J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 4

ESSENTIAL FOR LUXURIOUS LIVING

a

GIBRALTAR

Shyanne Azzopardi

NEW MISS GIBRALTAR

Trips

OF A LIFETIME

SUMPTUOUS

Sunborn Sir James Dutton

GOVERNOR OF GIBRALTAR

Cruise STOPOVERS

SUMMER

LaFerrari

Sensation

FAST FANTASY

N E W S I C U LT U R E I P E O P L E I T R E N D I S T Y L E I S PA I P R O I L E I S U R E I G O U R M E T & M O R E

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Issue 09 • July / August 2014

S T A F F PUBLISHER AND DIRECTOR

IAIN BLACKWELL director@essentialmagazine.com

GENERAL MANAGER

ANDREA BÖJTI sales@essentialmagazine.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

MARISA CUTILLAS editorial@essentialmagazine.com

GIBRALTAR EDITORIAL PRODUCTION MANAGER ACCOUNTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR

CREATIVE DIRECTOR DESIGN & LAYOUT STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER GIBRALTAR PHOTOGRAPHY CONTRIBUTING WRITERS COVER MODEL COVER PHOTOGRAPHY MAKEUP SWIMWEAR ART DIRECTION PRINTING DEPÓSITO LEGAL

BELINDA BECKETT belinda@essentialmagazine-gibraltar.com SUSANNE WHITAKER design@essentialmagazine.com MARIANO JEVA cuentas@essentialmagazine.com MONIKA BÖJTI info@essentialmagazine.com

ANDREA BÖJTI INMA AURIOLES MELINDA SZARVAS KEVIN HORN JAYDEN FA IAIN BLACKWELL, ROCIO CORRALES, MICHEL CRUZ, RIK FOXX, CARLOS READ, TONY WHITNEY SHYANNE AZZOPARDI, MISS GIBRALTAR 2014 JAYDEN FA, www.facebook.com/jaydenfaphotography NYREE CHIPOLINA MLE SWIMWEAR (www.mleswimwear.com) GUY BAGLIETTO JIMÉNEZ GODOY A. GRÁFICAS, MURCIA D.L. MA-512-99

EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING OFFICES COMPLEJO LA PÓVEDA, BLQ. 3, 1º A, CN 340, KM 178, 29600 MARBELLA, MÁLAGA. TEL: 952 766 344 FAX: 952 766 343

ESSENTIAL GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE

@GIBMAGAZINE

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The publishers make every effort to ensure that the magazine’s contents are correct, but cannot accept Marbella Magazine cannot accept responsibility for the effects of errors or omissions. responsibility for the claims, goods or services of advertisers.

Marbella Magazine. © Publicaciones Independientes Costa del Sol S.L. for No part of this magazine, including texts, photographs, illustrations, maps or any other graphics may be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of Publicaciones Independientes Costa del Sol S.L. Printed on recyclable paper, produced without wood and bleached without chlorine.

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SOCIETE GENERALE PRIVATE BANKING HAMBROS

WE MANAGE YOUR WEALTH

SO YOU CAN ENJOY IT Y O U R P R I VAT E B A N KE R W O RKS C LO SE LY W I T H A D E D I C AT E D T E A M O F I N D U S T R Y E X PE R T S. SO C I E T E G E N E RA LE P RI VAT E BA N KI N G O F F E RS Y O U H I G H Q U A L I T Y SO LU T I O N S T O M A N A G E Y O U R WE A LT H I N A C O M P L E X E N V I R O N M E N T. SO Y O U H AV E T I M E F O R T H E I M P O RTA N T T H I N G S I N L I F E . privatebanking.societegenerale.com/hambros

P a s t p e r f o r m a n c e s h o u l d n o t b e s e e n a s a n i n d i c a t i o n o f f u t u r e p e r f o r m a n c e. P l e a s e n o t e t h a t investments may be subject to market fluctuations and the price and value of investments and the i n c o m e d e r i v e d f r o m t h e m c a n g o d o w n a s w e l l a s u p. A S S U C H Y O U R C A P I TA L M AY B E AT R I S K .

Issued by SG Hambros Bank (Gibraltar) Limited, which is regulated and authorised by the Financial Services Commission, Gibraltar. © 2014 Societe Generale Group and its affiliates. © Hugo Stenson - FRED & FARID

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contents g The Style The Trend Cinema 14 Home Viewing 16 Books 18 Music 20 The New LaFerrari 22 Gadgets 24

The Local The Sunborn Hotel 26 Cruise Stopovers 30 Water in Gibraltar 36 The Gibraltar Music Festival 40 Sir James Dutton, Governor 42 Miss Gibraltar 2014 46

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52 Fashion: Swimwear by Andrés Sardá 58 Fashion News 60 Health: Skin Care & Protection this Summer

The Pro 62 Local Enterprise 66 Tax Free Shopping in Gibraltar

The Leisure 68 Trips of a Lifetime

The Gourmet 76 The Sky Lounge 78 Wonderful Albariño Wines 80 Excellens Rosé 82 Restaurant Guide

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Winner of the Gibraltar’s Leading Hotel Award since 2009 The AA’s highest rated hotel in Gibraltar

...the other side of Gibraltar

SIR HERBERT MILES ROAD, CATALAN BAY, PO BOX 73, GIBRALTAR. TEL: +350 20076501 Gibraltar's leading hotel since 2009

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AA’s highest rated hotel in Gibraltar

Two AA Rosettes for Culinary Excellence

www.caletahotel.com - reservations@caletahotel.gi

3/1/13 12:37 PM

WORDS BY IAIN BLACKWELL

publisher’s letter H

aving spent a night aboard Sunborn, I can attest to its grandeur and geniality.

Find out how, meanwhile moored to the quay in Ocean Village, Sunborn is making waves in Gibraltar with its capacity for hosting events, parties and corporate hospitality and as a fine dining venue, courtesy of the Sky Lounge.

On a related theme, we investigate the increasingly popular phenomenon of cruise visits to Gibraltar, and take a look at water on the rock, from ancient times until modern.

Don’t miss our feature on the Miss Gibraltar pageant and our exclusive interview with this year’s winner, Shyanne Azzopardi, who also graces our summer cover, and learn why Sir James Dutton is fitter than most men to be the new Governor of Gibraltar.

Elsewhere, put the pedal to the metal with the fantastic new LaFerrari, keep your pulse throbbing with sexy swimwear from Andrés Sárda, and join us on a journey of exotic trips of a lifetime.

It’s summer and it’s supreme! We hope you enjoy our scorching new issue, as searing as the temperature itself.

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Summer

SUBLIME

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All you need is GBC

Bringing Music to Your Ears & Gibraltar to your Screen

GBC Television

Radio Gibraltar

GBC Online

available on Gibraltar Freeview and gbc.gi

91.3, 92.6 & 100.5FM, 1458AM, DAB+, gbc.gi and Gibraltar Freeview

available at gbc.gi

Gib Darts Trophy ‘14 Newswatch Live at the Fair The Powder Room The Hub Sessions The Commonwealth Games Gib Kids Inspired by Morocco New Lives Full schedule at gbc.gi

Weekdays: 7am – Ben Lynch 10am – Ros Astengo 1pm – James Neish 2pm – Paul Grant (English) 2pm – Teresa Goncalves (Spanish) 6pm – Claire Hernandez Overnight: Non-Stop Music… through the night

GBC TV Live GBC TV Watch Again Radio Gibraltar Live Radio Gibraltar Listen Again Latest Local News

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© ultradesign

Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation Broadcasting House, 18 South Barrack Road, Gibraltar Tel: (+350) 200 79760 (all departments) I Fax: (+350) 200 78673 I E-mail: info@gbc.gi

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trend READING / MUSIC / FILMS / GADGETS / MOTORING / TRENDS

If temperatures rise to sizzling this summer and a bit of shade appeals, enjoy the coolness of home life while checking out the latest cinema, home viewing and book releases. Take your adrenalin to extreme levels aboard the new LaFerrari or catch up on some zzz’s with our list of trendy gadgets for sleeping.

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Cinema

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Home Viewing

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Books

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Music

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Cars: LaFerrari

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Gadgets

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trend CINEMA

WORDS MARISA CUTILL

AS

e BLOCKBUSTER » GENRE

Romance

» DIRECTOR

John Carney (Once)

» ACTORS

Keira Knightley, Adam Levine, Mark Ruffalo

OF THE MONTH

y) and Dave Gretta (Keira Knightle ine) are a Lev am Ad s (Maroon 5’ madly in are o wh ple cou ng you en to be pp ha th bo o love and wh to New York ve mo y The s. ser po com a lucrative when Dave is offered r begins to contract, but as his sta l neglected. fee to ins beg rise, Gretta by an ed When she is approach ording rec exed ect dej , attractive work to ) alo Producer (Mark Ruff ts ep acc she , him alongside pose a and, together, they com to shape ins beg ich wh ck soundtra ways. en ese their future in unfor

Begin Again

» GENRE Romance » DIRECTOR Shana Feste (Country Strong)

» ACTORS Alex Pettyfer,

Gabriella Wilde

Endless Love

Endless Love, starring Alex Pettyfer (of Magic Mike fame) and Gabriella Wilde (of The Three Musketeers), tells the tale of a wealthy girl and a charismatic but poor boy who fall hopelessly in love and refuse to part, despite the opposition of her parents.

» GENRE Science Fiction » DIRECTOR Andy Wachowski, Lana » GENRE Crime/ Drama » DIRECTOR Atom Egoyan (Ararat) » ACTORS Reese Witherspoon, Dane

DeHaan, Colin Firth

Devil’s Knot

The brutal murder of three young children leads to the controversial trial of three adolescents suspected of committing the crime as part of a satanic ritual. The film is based on a book by Mara Leveritt about the group of teens known as the West Memphis Three, two of whom were sentenced to life imprisonment, while the third was sentenced to death. Colin Firth plays Private Investigator, Ron Lax, Reese Witherspoon plays the mother of one of the boys and talented young actor, Dane DeHaan, plays one of the suspects.

Wachowski (The Matrix)

» ACTORS Channing Tatum, Mila Kunis

Jupiter Ascending

Jupiter Ascending, written, produced and directed

by The Wachowskis (of Matrix fame), centres on a beautiful young woman called Jupiter, born beneath a starry night’s sky and destined to save the world. Jupiter is holding a job as a caretaker of other people’s homes but, soon, it is revealed that her genetic signature has signalled her as the heir of Planet Earth. She meets a handsome, genetically engineered interplanetary warrior who protects her from an alien ruler of one of the most powerful royal dynasties in the Universe.

» GENRE Romance » DIRECTOR Josh Boone (Stuck in Love) » ACTORS Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort,

Nat Wolff

The Fault in Our Stars

Hazel and Gus are two teenagers who share an acerbic sense of humour, an interest in all things unique and a love that will take them on an unforgettable journey. Their love story is made even more special by the fact that Hazel is fighting cancer and Gus is a survivor of this disease.

Gus gives Hazel the strength she needs to keep fighting, but it soon becomes apparent that he isn’t being as honest as he should be. The emotionpacked film is based on the best-selling novel by Josh Green and boasts an 8.8/10 rating on IMDB.

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Out of the ordinary

Most people don’t expect much from a visit to a bank.

We think they should.

At Jyske Bank, your own relationship manager will offer you tailor-made, hassle-free solutions… and a certain something that’s hard to describe – something out of the ordinary.

Follow us on facebook: Jyskebankgibraltar

Jyske Bank (Gibraltar) Ltd. • Tel. +350 200 59205 • www.jyskebank.gi Jyske Bank (Gibraltar) Ltd. is licensed by the Financial Services Commission, Licence No. FSC 001 00B. Services and products are not available to everybody, for instance not to residents of the US.

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trend HOME VIEWING

Marisa Cutillas brings us a few of the season’s top DVD releases.

» GENRE Thriller » DIRECTOR Eugenio Mira (The Birthday)

» ACTORS Elijah Wood, John Cusack, Kerry Bishé » IMDB RATING 5.9/10

Futbolín

Grand Piano

» GENRE Animation » DIRECTOR Juan José Campanella

Elijah Wood plays Tom Selznick, an immensely talented pianist who stops performing in public owing to his debilitating stage fright. Years after giving his last concert, he reappears for a special concert in Chicago. With a full theatre and an expectant public, Tom finds a message written on the musical score he is about to play: “If you miss one single note, you will die”. Tom must discover the reasons he is being targeted and play the concert of his lifetime, before an unsuspecting audience…

(Underdogs)

» VOICES Michelle Jenner, Arturo

Valls, Pablo Rago

» IMDB RATING Not yet rated

ASE OF THE MONTH LE RE D DV ED UR AT e FE » GENRE

Comedy/Drama

» DIRECTOR

David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook)

» ACTORS

Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Christian Bale, Amy Adams

» IMDB RATING 7,4/10

the glamourous 1970s, American Hustle, set in enfeld (Christian is the story of Irving Ros who is forced to ist Bale), a brilliant con art nt, Richie DiMaso Age FBI for r ove work underc of his schemes is e on (Bradley Cooper) when ves into the intricate uncovered. The film del r, it also reveals the world of trickery; howeve and his girlfriend and ng Irvi by deep love shared sser (Amy Adams), fellow hustler, Sydney Pro is married to a highly ng Irvi t despite the fact tha ifer Lawrence), who unstable woman (Jenn undercover plot to the his threatens to expose local mafia.

Amadeo is a teenager who is mad about two things: his friend, Laura, and the popular Spanish game known as futbolín. Amadeo’s happy existence is threatened when ‘The Crack’, a young footballer from the local village who is now one of the most famous football players in the world, returns to his hometown to avenge the only failure in his life: his loss to Amadeo at a game of futbolín many years before. Just when everything is looking at its lowest for Amadeo, he discovers that the toy football players contained within the futbolín begin to move and speak, in an attempt to help the young hero win the game and the heart of the woman he loves.

e l t s u H n a Americ » GENRE Thriller » DIRECTOR Camille Delamarre (Colombiana) » ACTORS Paul Walker, Robert Maillet, Carlo Rota, David Belle

» IMDB RATING 6.1/10

Brick Mansions

Brick Mansions is set in a dystopic Detroit, where the former brick mansions of the wealthy are now the headquarters of some of the most dangerous delinquents in the city. In a desperate attempt to protect the rest of society, the policy build a wall to contain the criminal gangs within this area. Secret Agent, Damian Coller (Paul Walker, in one of his last screen appearances) aims to put an end to corruption in the enclosure, while Lino (David Belle), an ex-convict, fights to lead an honest life. When Lino’s girlfriend is abducted, Damian enlists his help to put an end to a sinister plot that is threatening to destroy life in this already violent city.

» GENRE Drama » DIRECTOR :Neil Jordan (The Crying Game)

» ACTORS Saoirse Ronan, Gemma Arterton, Sam Riley

» IMDB RATING 6.5/10

Byzantium

Perched on a desolate coastal town, a Hotel called Byzantium is about to reopen after being shut for years. The owners, a mysterious woman and her shy daughter, have been sharing a secret for the last 200 years and they decide that now is the time to let their terrible truth be known.

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n

Want to enjoy your

boat this summer in

Superyacht Academy

Gibraltar & Spain?

Want to drive Motor Boats up to 10 meters?

You need: Powerboat Level 2 plus ICC

£295 2 day course, plus £43 for licence Dates: Saturday 19th July & Sunday 20th July 2014 Monday 21st July & Tuesday 22nd July 2014 Thursday 24th July & Friday 25th July 2014 Thursday 31st July & Friday 1st August 2014 Thursday 7th August & Friday 8th August 2014 Saturday 16th August & Sunday 17th August 2014 Thursday 21st August & Friday 22nd August 2014

Want to drive Motor Boats up to 24 meters?

You need: ICC 24 meters power

£ 695 5 day course, plus £43 for licence Dates: Monday 14th July – Friday 18th July 2014 Monday 11th August – Friday 15th August 2014

ICC is available for Gibraltar residents and all British Nationals and is the acceptable document for using your boat in Spanish waters.

ma k e summer

Fun

Allabroad Sailing Academy 7 The Square, Marina Bay, Ocean Village, Gibraltar

+350 200 50202 info@sailing.gi

www.allabroad-sailing-academy.co.uk

trend BOOKS

WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS

BEND, NOT BREAK BY PING FU

The title of this book refers to the words uttered by Author, Ping Fu’s father, who used to say that in tough times, one should do as a reed and bend, not break. Ping was a little girl who was taken from her mother and father during the Cultural Revolution in China in the late 1960s. She was left with the responsibility of fending for herself and her four-year-old sister and forced to live in a small room with no food, electricity or heating. She also had to face torture at the hand of the Red Guards, who fed her ‘bitter meals’ comprising mold and other dangerous substances. Despite her challenging circumstances, Ping managed to not only survive, but to make her way to the United States, where she pursued a degree in Computer Science and helped invent the world’s first web browser. Her story highlights the importance of finding a belief system to rely upon, to emerge victorious from the storm.

I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS

BY MAYA ANGELOU

ODDLY NORMAL

BY JOHN SCHWARTZ

Oddly Normal is the story of a father, John Schwartz, who arrived home one afternoon to find that his 13-year-old son, Joe, had attempted to take his own life using a bottle of pills and a paring knife. The book is a moving account of John’s attempts to encourage his son to embrace his sexuality and to shield him from the vicissitudes faced by young men in a school system that does little to prevent segregation or bullying. It is also testimony to the importance of supportive parenting and relentless advocacy for one’s children.

Current statistics show that many young gay and lesbian youths have taken their lives following bouts of bullying, which makes this book crucial reading for all parents of teens.

The recent loss of poet, Maya Angelou, was lamented by avid readers around the world. Her best-selling autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, recounts a youth filled with neglect, disappointment and a marked lack of affection. Maya had always felt that she was ugly and unworthy of love, her negativity sparked in no small sense by the abuse she faced at the hands of her mother’s boyfriend. Thankfully, she was sent to live with her grandmother in Arkansas, where she took her cue from the tightly-knit black community there. What she learned during this time would help her face the toughest moments in her life, including an unwanted pregnancy and the kind of injustice that could have defeated a less resilient spirit.

E-BOOK: THE LAST LORRY BY KELVIN HUGHES

Kelvin Hughes’ The Last Lorry is a captivating read which takes place during the final hours of the Spanish Republic. As the doomed Spanish capital prepares to surrender after two years of stubborn resistance, one final mission remains. A lorry, disguised as an ambulance, must leave the city and head south to the port of Alicante, where a ship is waiting to take its valuable secret cargo to South America.

The lorry’s cargo is so important that the victorious rebels will stop at nothing to capture it. The person given this unenviable task is a young Captain, Daniel Miller Gonzalez, a man who has proved his loyalty to the legitimate Government of Spain on battlefields across the Iberian Peninsula. Together with his lifelong friend Fernando, an English nurse, and the driver of the lorry, Dani tries to outwit the advancing forces of General Franco in a dangerous game of cat and mouse along the last remaining route south out of Madrid.

Available on the Amazon Kindle Store.

A CHILD CALLED “IT”: ONE CHILD’S COURAGE TO SURVIVE BY DAVE PELZER This book chronicles the childhood of Dave Pelzer, one of the most serious victims of child abuse recorded in the US. Dave was ‘brought up’ by a mentally unstable mother who beat and tortured him, subjecting him to the kind of treatment that no human being should have to undergo. Dave had no bed or clothing and worst of all, he had no-one to turn to. Yet his dreams of being loved kept him alive and today, he shares his story, in an effort to awaken society to the many cases of child abuse that people need to watch out for. “If I’ve learned one thing,” says Dave, “it’s that nothing can conquer or dominate the human spirit.” Today, Dave is an inspirational speaker whose greatest aim is to ensure that his much-loved son graduates from University.

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trend MUSIC

¿QUÉ PASA? WORDS RIK FOXX

Fuengirola’s Castillo Sohail has two concerts this month with US 1970s AOR outfit CHICAGO on July 3 and vintage UK rockers JETHRO TULL (July 10) scheduled to play within the walls of the historic castle. Ticket info: www.riffmusic.es UK indie rock ‘o’ pop band FRANZ FERNINAND headline Málaga’s three day (July 11 – 13) 101 Sun Festival at the Estadio de Atletismo Ciudad on the first night. Ticket info: www.101sunfestival.com Estepona’s Recinto Ferial will play host to the Miami Soulfrito Music Festival’s first European gig on July 26 with UK drum and bass band RUDIMENTAL headlining plus RUTH LORENZO, who represented Spain in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Ticket info: www.ticketmaster.es

On August 1, French DJ/producer DAVID GUETTA is scheduled at the San Pedro Alcántara Municipal Stadium and will no doubt be pushing his latest single, Blast Off. Ticket info: www.ticketbis.com

The Starlite Festival is taking place this month and next but the real action is up at Spain’s biggest event, the Benicàssim Festival near Valencia (July 17 - 20), the reformed LIBERTINES top the bill with support from KASABIAN, LILY ALLEN, EXAMPLE, PAUL WELLER, the MANIC STREET PREACHERS, ELLIE GOULDING, JAKE BUGG and the revitalised KLAXONS. MTV Spain will no doubt be showing some of the action there.

Talking of the KLAXONS, while the hologram revolution is mesmerising many, they will perform the world’s first 3D Printed Tour. The band will gig around Britain in October and November with everything seen on stage including guitars, amps and lights created by using the latest technology in 3D printing. Well it’s one way of pushing their June released Love Frequency album which hasn’t sold as well as expected.

After hearing several tracks from their June 30 released album, how can Aussie outfit 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER be classed as rockers – they sound like a second class BUSTED – let’s hope they only last 5 seconds this summer!

While the BUSTED/MCFLY collaboration has been happening recently, former BUSTED main man CHARLIE SIMPSON has been in the studio and releases his second solo album, Long Road Home, on July 14.

And, talking of holograms, the MICHAEL JACKSON one at the Billboard Music Awards has brought mixed emotions. The digital image performed Slave to the Rhythm, a track from his new posthumous album Xscape (which has eight ‘contemporised’ demos from the vaults) and included the famed moon walk. Oldest brother JACKIE gave it the family seal of approval while sister JANET ‘wishes’ she’d been there but had to decline due to her busy schedule (possibly out spending her hubbie’s cash?). While his old pal LIONEL RICHIE was ‘freaked out’ saying, “It's a little bit over the top for me”. Personally, watching it was weird, but memories came flooding back of his concert at the Marbella football ground in 1988, which, would you believe, did not sell out?

As mentioned elsewhere, the LIBERTINES have reformed: main men PETE D’OH!-ERTY and CARL BARÂT have once again settled their differences (for the time being). They teamed up in Barcelona recently and were phone filmed strumming in a street. The legendary band will play Hyde Park, London on July 5 to a sell-out crowd – 45 years to the day since the ROLLING STONES played that famous gig in 1969. The day before, BLACK SABBATH play the same venue and guitarist TONY IOMMI says it could be their last ever gig due to his ill health.

Also back on talking terms are RAY and DAVE DAVIES, the two siblings that fronted the 1960s/70s legends THE KINKS and they have sorted out their long time feud and have decided to tour the band to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

The esteemed long time music journalist (and mentor of mine) TONY PARSONS shot the GALLAGHER brothers down in flames recently regarding their lack of respect for a well known musician when he was doing a set at the height of their career at the Mercury Music Prize Awards in the late 1990s. Made me think of the night of Sunday June 16 2002 when ‘The Man’ in question let down a sell-out crowd at Málaga’s Cervantes Theatre – no reason given – but the Spain vs Republic of Ireland World Cup match had gone to extra time, then penalties (by the way Ireland lost).

A cat may have nine lives but how many does mad MARIAH CAREY have left? She once again upset her label bosses after delaying the World Music Awards ceremony in Monaco by four hours then having no excuse when asked why she was late.

The whole evening’s schedule had to be rearranged at short notice to accommodate for Lady Nut Nut’s punctuality. An insider said if her recently released album, Me. I Am Mariah...

The Elusive Chanteuse, does not cut the mustard sales-wise, she could find herself on the mat. e

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trend MOTORING

LA FERRARI

TWO-SEATER ‘MILD HYBRID’ SPORTS CAR I suppose we’ll get used to the rather odd name sooner or later. Ferrari wants us to call it’s ultradesirable new model ‘LaFerrari’ and not ‘Ferrari LaFerrari.’ Having got that right, we can move on to the car which is, as always from the famed Maranello manufacturer, spectacular to say the least.

WORDS TONY WHITNEY PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF FERRARI

T

he LaFerrari sits at the pinnacle of the company’s model range and those who are ready to shell out something like a million euros will have no less than 950-horsepower at their disposal plus an exceptionally fast and exotic sports car. Wouldbe buyers should move quickly because Ferrari is only going to build 499 or them. The word is that Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo was an early customer and no doubt many other sports and entertainment celebrities will be lining up too, at least the more prosperous ones.

Like so many Ferraris that went before, this one is stunning to behold with its suave shape, big air ducts seemingly everywhere and a nose that looks as though it was inspired by a Formula One car. I suppose the pickiest of critics will find a discordant line or two to complain about, but nothing stands out that’s grating to the eye. Ugly Ferraris have appeared now and again over the decades, but they can

be counted on one hand and this isn’t one of them.

Lightweight was one of the prime targets of the design team and as a result, the curvaceous monocoque bodywork is fabricated from carbon fibre. This is an expensive material to work with in large amounts and this feature is probably a major contributor to the LaFerrari’s price tag. The bodywork is even stiffer than other carbon fibre shells from Ferrari and other supercar makers.

Incidentally, there’s another unusual fact about this car. It’s the first Ferrari for over 40 years that wasn’t designed by Italian master styling studio Pininfarina. The body is hand built in the same shop that produces Ferrari’s Formula One cars.

One significant ‘breakthrough’ is that the LaFerrari is the first from this maker to feature any kind of hybrid powertrain, though we mustn’t get too excited about this. Don’t expect it to deliver Toyota Prius-like fuel efficiency because it’s what some engineering people describe as

a ‘mild hybrid.’ Rather than offer a ‘full hybrid’ vehicle, Ferrari has opted to include what competition car builders call a KERS system, which stands for ‘kinetic energy recovery system’.

The main source of power in the car is a 6.3-litre V-12, but this is supplemented by a 708 kW electric motor. It provides short bursts of extra power while reducing fuel consumption, according to Ferrari, by 40 per cent. While few people who pay a million euros for a car will be too worried about saving money at the pumps, they do get the kudos that come with contributing something to environmental protection. Power reaches the rear wheels using a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. The booster electric motor is located at the end of the gearbox housing and there’s a second one that’s used to power accessories. It will be interesting to see whether Ferrari applies hybrid technology to other less costly models in the years to come.

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Like most of its rivals, the LaFerrari has a full complement of electronic safety and stability aids including a highly sophisticated anti-lock braking system developed by long-time Ferrari supplier Brembo of Bergamo. The carbon-ceramic brakes must have helped when the LaFerrari proved to be the fastest ever road-going production model to be tested on its Fiorano private track. I’ve driven this track and it has plenty of tight corners which can only be tamed by exceptional brakes. The LaFerrari was five seconds per lap faster than the company’s last limited-edition exotic model, the Enzo.

The cockpit, and that’s an appropriate term for the cabin of this car, is a joy to behold and, of course, to operate in. The owner can choose one of two digital displays. One is much like the traditional Ferrari combination of round dials and the other provides a competition car digital array of information. The steering wheel is a nice chunky affair, flattened at the bottom to enhance thigh room for the driver when getting in and out and when driving the car.

Rather than build seats separately and bolt them into the car, Ferrari chose to incorporate them into

the rear bulkhead which separates the interior from the engine compartment. Instead of having the driver’s seat slide back and forth in the usual manner, the pedals and steering adjust within certain limits.

Ferrari owners come in all shapes and sizes and the company is sure to have considered this when laying out the interior arrangement.

The LaFerrari is an astonishing piece of styling and engineering with all kinds of innovative features that promise to place the car at or close to the top of the exoticar market for a long time to come. The price is high, but there’s no question that this car is an ‘instant collectible’ that will ultimately gain in value over time. It’s hard to believe right now, but given the international currency market and the usual inflationary pressures on the cost of luxury goods, there may be a time 20 years from now when envious enthusiasts will be musing that the car was ‘only’ a million euros when it first appeared! Hopefully, most fortunate owners will drive the car frequently and not lock it in a bank vault simply for investment. Like all Ferraris over the years, it’s a car that needs to be driven to appreciate its real value. e

Z ENGINE 6.3-litre, 950-horsepower V-12 with KERS electric motor boost.

Z TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic with steering wheel paddles for manual gear selection.

Z ACCELERATION Zero to 100 km/h in approximately 3 seconds.

Z TOP SPEED Close to 350 km/h.

Z I LIKED A truly impressive supercar that’s right at the front of the current pack. Ferrari never fails to deliver something very special when it tackles a limited-edition sports car. There are some very fast cars on the market, but very few, if any, that can match the LaFerrari’s all-round performance. As always, the styling is at the same time spectacular and tasteful – not an easy combination to achieve for any carmaker.

Z I DIDN’T LIKE What’s not to like? It’s certainly very expensive and beyond the reach even of many very wealthy people but, more than likely, it represents good value in its class and may even appreciate over the years.

Z MARKET ALTERNATIVES Lamborghini Veneno and Reventon, Bugatti Veyron, Porsche 918 Spyder, McLaren P1.

Z WHO DRIVES ONE? Ferrari owners who want something really special from Maranello and are willing to spend lots of money. Well-heeled collectors who will always line up for a limited edition Ferrari. Wealthy buyers who want to upstage every other car that gets a parking spot in front of the Casino in Monte Carlo.

Z PRICE AND AVAILABILITY Available soon in limited numbers for around €1 million.

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trend ELECTRONICS

Getting a good night’s sleep is about much more than feeling sprightly and energetic the next day; it is also linked to a host of health benefits – everything from keeping obesity at bay to preventing anxiety attacks and other mental conditions. If sleep has been your hardest goal to pursue of late, it might be worth stocking up on one of these cool gadgets, sourced by Marisa Cutillas

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Gadgets to Boost your

ZZZ FACTOR 1 - FITBIT ONE This fitness tracker not only measures

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the calories you burn while you’re exercising, it additionally creates detailed graphs which indicate how long you sleep and how many times you wake up. This is also an ideal gadget for those who want measurable evidence of the link between exercise and improved sleeping patterns. i www.fitbit.com 2 - NIGHT WAVE SLEEP ASSISTANT This device emits a blue light that shines onto the ceiling. Match your breathing to the light’s pulses, which slow down over a half-hour period, easing the transition from being awake to enjoying the deepest of sleeps. i www.nightwave.com 3 - SOUND + SLEEP NOMAD Imagine hitting the sack with beautiful natural sounds playing in the background (the sea hitting the shore, white noise, trees swaying in the wind…). This compact gadget does just that, masking annoying noises from outside your home and automatically shutting down after a set time period. i www.soundoflseep.com 4 - ZEO SLEEP MANAGER PRO This device is even more complex than the Fitbit One, since it records how much REM (‘dream stage’) sleep and deep sleep you are enjoying. You simply wear a lightweight headband across your forehead while you snooze, and the machine will connect to your iPhone, recording your sleeping patterns.

The Zeo website, meanwhile, provides advice on foods, anti-stress ideas and more, to ensure your sleep improves in a qualitative as well as a quantitative sense. i www.digifit.com/Zeo 5 - GLO TO SLEEP MASK One of the biggest obstacles to falling asleep is worry and stress; this cool mask will help you forget the day’s problems, by emitting blinking blue lines that will lull you into a meditative state. The soft foam mask also blocks out the sunlight, which will ensure you sleep longer and better. i www.glotosleep.com 6 - PZIZZ SLEEP APP This cool app for iPhone and Android phones plays new relaxing sounds every time your head hits the pillow, making relaxation anything but a boring process. i www.pzizz.com

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local

CULTURE / HISTORY / FEATURES / FAMOUS PEOPLE / INTERVIEWS / HUMOUR

Summer is a unique time on The Rock, owing to a myriad of exciting events, launches and competitions. Discover Sunborn: Gibraltar’s first luxury floating hotel, read up on cruise visits to Gibraltar, and plunge into our special report on water.

We hope you enjoy our exclusive interview with the Governor, Sir James Dutton, and our coverage of the Miss Gibraltar pageant.

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The Sunborn Hotel

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Cruise Stopovers

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Water in Gibrlatar

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The Gibraltar Music Festival

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Sir James Dutton, Governor

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Miss Gibraltar 2014

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THE LOCAL hotels

SUNBORN GIBRALTAR: The Rock’s Ship Has Come In!

She sailed into the Bay on a tide of speculation last year but Sunborn Gibraltar is spectacularly ship-shape and already making waves in conference and tourism circles. Belinda Beckett reports from the top deck of the world’s first five-star super-yacht hotel.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF SUNBORN

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n times gone by, nations relied on their treasure ships crossing the Atlantic from the New World to fill their coffers with gold. Sunborn Gibraltar made an equally long voyage from the opposite side of the world in Indonesia, and she brings riches too: valuable conference business and VIP bookings of the calibre The Rock has rarely seen, plus an occupancy rate that tipped 70 per cent during her best week since her soft opening in March.

Gibraltar’s ship has come in!

The American Chamber of Commerce has enjoyed the super-yacht hotel’s magnificent Aurora ballroom and banqueting hall on their first Trade Mission to Gibraltar. The KPMG eGaming summit has convened in the Atlas Conference Suite – six rooms with interchangeable walls and every kind of audio-visual gizmo. A delegation from PricewaterhouseCoopers has luxuriated in the yacht-hotel’s 320-threadcount Egyptian cotton sheets.

“We’ve received enquiries from a number of top 10 UK events agencies and multinationals, including a leading car manufacturer and one of the world’s biggest white goods companies, several worth six figures…” says Sunborn’s Marketing Director Andrew Shaw, hinting at a “major international event” booked for 2015. “…VIP enquiries too, on behalf of heads of state, international royal families and a top European national football team.”

That’s business any city in the world would love to have but Sunborn chose Gibraltar for the launch of its flagship – the first of a global fleet of floating hotels to be positioned in iconic locations, a ground-breaking new concept for the hospitality industry. “The fact that Sunborn selected Gibraltar over other much busier European destinations shows our level of investment and commitment,” says Andrew.

Having seen her in situ at Ocean Village, most locals are upbeat too. Super-yachts are the world’s ultimate symbol of wealth and status and Sunborn

“The biggest impact we can have is by being a successful hotel in attracting international guests” Gibraltar is not solely for the use of high-end guests.

Gibraltarians can experience the same super-yacht lifestyle and five-star service for the price of a drink, a meal or a Day Spa treatment. Everyone’s welcome!

Several big local celebrations have been booked, including the first wedding at sea, and every weekend in December is sold out for office Christmas parties. One resident has reserved the top floor restaurant and rooms for a birthday party.

Money being no object, Sunborn’s General Manager, Olivier Six, personally sourced the required French Champagne directly from the vineyard.

GAME CHANGER Chief Minister Fabian Picardo wasn’t wrong when he described the €150-million super-yacht hotel as “a game-changer for Gibraltar”. “I think people want the hotel to succeed and are largely very supportive,” says Andrew. “They realise it’s an important development for Gibraltar and there’s a lot of local pride attached to the new 5-star hotel.”

Sunborn Gibraltar is aiming to bond with the local community by contributing sponsorship and razzmatazz to local events, and jazzing up the social calendar with its own celebrations. Wait until you see her lit up in red and white for National Day! “We’re working with local charities, such as GBC Open Day, and sponsoring a new local football team and PFA-funded charity, Europa Point FC, with the aim of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League,” says Andrew. “But the biggest impact we can have is by being a successful hotel in attracting

international guests – people who would not previously have considered coming to Gibraltar.”

Local businesses will benefit from the windfall of wealthy and expense-account customers splurging on high-end gifts, duty free shopping, sight-seeing and services. Local providers will earn revenue from yacht charter, water toy hire, sunset cruises and whale-watching trips.

MICE ONBOARD Sunborn Gibraltar didn’t exactly pop up overnight.

But it’s a matter of record that on February 28 the Rock had no five star hotel and, the next day, it did!

After her facelift in Gibdock, the 142-metre yacht hotel slipped into her berth in Marina Bay with the bare minimum of noise, dust and disruption, solving at least two problems for the tiny British territory at the drop of an anchor. Gibraltar was losing bed night revenue to Spain year-on-year through lack of a five-star hotel and has little spare land to build one.

Currently, less than 60,000 tourists a year overnight in a Gibraltar hotel – a paltry 0.5% of its 12 million annual visitors. Local establishments were looking tired, their average annual occupancy barely half-full, despite very low rates. Sunborn’s arrival has galvanised them into action, with both The Rock and Caleta hotels working on major revamps. They too will stand to benefit from the substantial titbits that fall from Sunborn Gibraltar’s table. The British territory isn’t on the map yet as an international destination for UK MICE clients (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions) but it will be. The yacht hotel has the two single biggest conference and events venues in Gibraltar in its top floor Sky Restaurant and Aurora Ballroom, and total meeting space for 1,200 delegates, but her 189 bedrooms and suites won’t accommodate them all.

“When the hotel is fully established we estimate that up to 65 per cent of room revenue will come from international MICE clients with the UK

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mainland being a very important feeder market for the hotel,” says Andrew. “We have excellent direct connection with airports throughout the UK, and opportunities for conference charter flights, while international clients can take a connecting flight via Heathrow with British Airways from anywhere in the world.”

She’s more hotel than ship. She has an engine and wheelhouse but no wheel, and a Captain and First Officer who maintain her but don’t sail her.

She’s fixed to the dockside by permanent mooring arms and hooked up to The Rock for sewage, water and power. But no expense has been spared to give her oceans of appeal. There are nautical nods in the genuine teak decks, stainless steel ship rails, feature windows and authentic marine-watertight glass and stainless steel terrace doors in the suites.

TOTAL ECLIPSE The double-height lobby with its acres of polished inlaid marble would eclipse anything on Roman Abramovich’s super-yacht. The opulent glitter ball chandelier and the wall behind reception are composed of hundreds of thousands of handcut crystals. A marble staircase sweeps up to the Sapphire cocktail bar, thickly carpeted and studded with twinkling lights. The ballroom and conference suites are downstairs, below the plimsoll line. The Day Spa, with Finnish sauna, treatment rooms and fitness centre, opens on the third floor this month.

Further plans under consideration include a VIP casino to add that extra Riviera touch.

Two scenic glass elevators whizz you seven floors up to the infinity pool, sunbathing decks

Gibraltarians are already taking advantage of the reasonably-priced business lunches and the Sunday brunch is the talk of the town! and Sky Restaurant with its indoor and outdoor bars. (Read our review further on in this issue.)

Gibraltarians are already taking advantage of the reasonably-priced business lunches (£25/£28 for two or three courses) and the Sunday brunch is the talk of the town!

Most curious locals will have scoped out the public areas already but maybe not the rooms and suites. They’re bigger than most cabins on a cruise ship. The beds alone, topped with cloud-light white feather duvets and pillows, could accommodate Bob and Carol, Ted and Alice and the family dog and 90 per cent of the rooms have Juliet balconies or sun terraces with marina or airport runway views.

With wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors you can sunbathe inside! Big teak-decked terraces in the glamorous penthouse suites face southwest to catch the spectacular sunsets over Africa’s Riff mountains.

Techies will love the high level of automation. The merest waft of your room card opens the door like sesame and the Do Not Disturb sign is digital. The Guestroom Control System, pre-programmed to

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open the curtains and activate the AC as you enter (and switch it off if you step outside) does everything bar rustle up lunch and there’s 24-hour room service for that. Blonde woods, neutral fabrics and wine red leather upholstery create a contemporary executive look. The marble bathrooms (with rainforest and power showers) are stacked with free goodies, white Cyprus cotton bathrobes hang in the wardrobe and there’s even an ironing board if you don’t want to call Housekeeping.

SO SOLID CREW

summer, and sister super-yacht hotels projected for Barcelona, North America, SE Asia, the Middle East and Russia, there will be many future employment opportunities within the Sunborn Group.

Meantime, Gibraltarians can be proud that their homeland has been chosen to begin the Sunborn story, one that could change perceptions of luxury travel forever. As Hans Niemi, Executive Director of Sunborn says: “The Rock is a small place, so it has to shout louder to make itself heard. I am certain that our investment will help Gibraltar on its path to becoming a leading destination in the world.” e

The Sunborn team has been drawn from top players in the global hotel industry. General Manager Olivier Six has years of experience in conference and banqueting. He comes to Gibraltar from the exclusive Selsdon Park Hotel and Golf Club in Surrey and London’s 5-star Grand Connaught Rooms event venue before that. Executive Housekeeper at London’s Ritz Hotel, and now at Sunborn, Sylvie Tsiampis has been involved in 25 international openings, including Mandarin Oriental’s fabled One Hyde Park. Food and Beverage Director David Lecumberri arrived from the Majestic Hotel Group in Barcelona and Executive Chef Johan Rox was at the Waldorf Hilton during the London Olympics. Johan could be the man to win Gibraltar its first Michelin star when the fine dining restaurant opens next year.

Although fewer jobs than hoped have been filled by Gibraltarians, Sunborn Gibraltar will give youngsters something to aim for. And, with the opening of Sunborn London on the Thames this

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THE LOCAL cruise stopovers

Cruising Ahead PHOTOGRAPHY BELINDA BECKETT AND COURTESY OF GIBRALTAR TOURIST BOARD

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Eclipse dwarfs the quayside

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Gibraltar has been schmoozing the cruising companies to bring 179 of the world’s sexiest ocean liners to its doorstep this year. Belinda Beckett visited the port to take a closer look.

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Tour buses line up

he hoves-to at the quayside like a floating Manhattan apartment block: 1,000 feet of ship towering 13 passenger decks high. The people leaning over the rails look like matchstick men and the Cruise Terminal is reduced to Dinky Toy proportions in her shadow. This is Celebrity Eclipse, calling into Gibraltar on her return from the Western Mediterranean to Southampton. At full complement she carries 2,850 passengers and, at any moment, they will pour off her like a flash flood to surge up Main Street and spill into the Rock’s caves, tunnels and attractions in a human river.

Eclipse isn’t the largest ship to visit Gibraltar. Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas can carry 3,600 passengers; on the same day this Leviathan docked last month, P&O’s Arcadia and Pullmantur’s Zenith were also in port, delivering some 7,000 tourists to the doorstep – an instant 23 per cent population boost!

I’ve been awaiting Eclipse’s arrival for an hour in an eerily deserted terminal building, which only comes to life when a ship is in port. That’s most days, between April and October. Joelle Baglietto is one of two Supervisors who alternate between here and the Coach Terminal, which welcomes 2,000 passengers daily from all corners of Europe in summer. Joelle liaises with 30 different departments to ensure a smooth transit for all.

Cruise tourism contributed £10.5 million to the Rock’s economy in 2012, arrivals have increased by

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150 per cent over the previous decade and 291,638 cruise passengers will make Gibraltar a port of call this year. Operators are attracted by the one-stopshop port, where they can get low-cost bunkering, VAT-free provisions and emergency repairs. Since the government has allowed ships to start their casinos and duty free shops after 6pm local time they no longer have to head out to international waters to open their revenue-earning outlets. The ships save fuel, passengers and off-duty crew get more shore time and local traders benefit too – a win-win situation.

The ships earn commission from selling tours so the port’s proximity to the sights is another advantage.

It’s a 10-minute walk into town or a 2-minute taxi ride.

Taxis and Rock Tour buses are already forming an orderly line, awaiting their human cargo.

The terminal occupies an old warehouse smartened up with sea blue marble floors and a fountain topped with a sculpture of the Rock of Gibraltar. For the moment, the water’s switched off and the kiosks in the arrivals hall, signposted Gibraltar Tourist Board, Gibraltar Arts & Crafts and Britannia Bar, are locked and shuttered. Beneath a sign indicating Way Out, Shuttle, Buses and Taxis, a video screen flashes up pictures of Kaiane Aldorino, Gibraltar’s Deputy Mayor, wearing her Miss World crown and endearing shots of Barbary macaques. Paintings of glorious moments in Gibraltar’s history hang on the walls and expectation hovers in the air like dust motes in sunshine.

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Stylish dining aboard Celebrity Eclipse

Schmoozing Cruising The terminal was refurbished in 2009, a stellar year when 238 vessels made Gibraltar a port-of-call. In 2010 only 174 dropped anchor. Numbers are on the up again, with 190 calls already scheduled for next year, thanks to a concerted effort by Tourism and Port Minister Neil Costa and Tourist Board CEO Nicky Guerrero to court some of the sexiest ocean liners in the world: among them, Royal Caribbean’s 4,905-passenger Anthem of the Seas, the world’s third-largest cruise ship. She’ll be a regular visitor to Gibraltar waters during her inaugural season next summer.

“As a British territory at the Mediterranean gateway, Gibraltar has incredible cruise appeal but ships have got bigger and our infrastructure was not up to coping with such large numbers of people arriving simultaneously,” says Costa, explaining the temporary glitch. “We’re working with ground operators on an efficient transport system to ease congestion on the Upper Rock at peak times and we’ve attended a blitzkrieg of meetings with cruise companies in the UK and Miami to assure them their clients will get the red carpet treatment.”

Competition from neighbouring ports like Málaga and Sevilla is cut-throat. To give Gibraltar a leading edge, the government recently

Tour buses line up

A tide of cruise passengers rolls in

introduced an additional discount for ships on the £2-per-passenger entry and exit dues, based on numbers, while those repositioning from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean and vice-versa will pay zero. Neil Costa understands the value of a couple of thousand crew flying in and out and overnighting in hotels during change-overs. But turnarounds are not yet routine and the Tourism Ministry and the GTB do not lose an opportunity to push the possibility at their meetings. Currently, due to logistical considerations, very few operators offer the option of joining a ship mid-cruise in Gibraltar.

The focus on event-led tourism, which has added the annual Gibunco Gibraltar International Literary Festival and the Gibraltar Music Festival (to name just two events) has also boosted the British Territory’s cruise kudos. “We’ve stolen ships from other Spanish ports just by getting on the phone and promoting our big events,” says Costa. “The discount scheme and our VAT-free status will make us the most competitive cruise port in the Mediterranean and we’re confident of continuing growth.”

Ship Ahoy!

Royal Caribbean Cruises is a major player (Carnival owns 67% of the world’s cruise fleet).

Eclipse, now approaching the port like a drifting

iceberg, is one of theirs. Even from a distance she’s vast, dwarfing the tankers and tugboats in the bay. The rubber Yokohama fenders put out for her as she comes alongside are the size of dinghies.

At close quarters, she’s no less impressive.

You have to tilt your head back a neck-cricking 45 degrees to see her Sky Observation Lounge, hiding behind tinted windows at the top. One of her many USPs is the Lawn Club turfed with real grass, mown bowling-green smooth almost daily. She carries a crew of 1,000 and most of her 1,425 cabins have sweeping veranda views. Gazing up from ground level at her tiers of balconies, she really does look like a mobile block of flats and I’m worried that she’ll overshoot the jetty but she slots into place like a missing piece in a jigsaw. The 940-metre quay allows two large ships or four smaller ones to berth alongside simultaneously. The port can handle ships at anchor too, such as Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, when passengers come ashore by tender.

Back in the terminal building, kiosk shutters are half open like bleary eyes and the fountain is functioning. Gibraltar Arts & Crafts is setting out its stall. There are candles, calendars and gift cards, jars of home-made jams and chutneys and cute Barbary macaques made

The Rock sculpture fountain

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The Solarium aboard Celebrity Eclipse

out of socks. “The hand-made jewellery is very popular,” says Treasurer Irene Hook, one of 19 members who take turns to run the kiosk on a voluntary basis. “Everything’s made by local people and we open whenever a ship’s in port, even on bank holidays and Christmas Day!” The Britannia Bar is taking a delivery of today’s British newspapers. Here comes The Sun with one of its characteristically sensational headlines: ‘60 guests in orgy at Gogglebox mansion’. “Some ships print British daily papers on board but they’re more expensive,” says Marion Wood who has managed the bar for 16 years for the Hunter Brothers, a publican duo who own a number of establishments in town.

The chairs and tables are plastic but there’s

a nice view of the water outside. Marion has wallpapered the kiosk with photos of every ship that’s docked here. Does she have any funny stories?

“There were the Japanese passengers who came on The Peace Boat. They were lovely but I couldn’t get them to understand that you don’t need to lick self-adhesive stamps!” Celebrities?

“The actor who played nasty Nick Cotton in East Enders came on a cruise with his Mum and was very nice! Jimmy Savile used to be a regular. Before the smoking ban he’d sit down here with his bottle of water and light up a big fat cigar. I thought he was dodgy then… a woman’s intuition.”

BATTLE STATIONS! The first wave of passengers are coming through the terminal. It starts as a trickle and turns into a tsunami. I hear French and German but most are British and there’s a profusion of walking sticks, zimmers and mobility scooters. “Not as many as there used to be, there are more young families,

especially on the French ships, and they come from every country you can think of and some you can’t”, says Marion, turning to attend a customer in a Texan hat.

Over at the Gibraltar Tourist Board kiosk, young Aaron Franco is handing out street maps.

“We do get some funny comments,” he tells me during a lull. “‘How far is it to walk up the hill? ’ – meaning the Rock – is one. I tell them straight: it’s eight kilometres or a three-and-a-half-hour walk there and back and it’s quite steep! More than a few people think Gibraltar’s an island and since Channel 5’s Gibraltar: Britain in the Sun programme we get lots of requests for dolphin tours with the Jolly Boys.”

Outside, passengers are funnelling off in different directions: right for pre-booked excursions, left for taxis which offer a shuttle service into town for £1.50/€2. The taxi queue is snaking back to the terminal building and the drivers in their multiple-seater white cabs are working overtime shifting it.

Two silver-rinsed Scottish ladies with walking frames rave about the Eclipse. “You can hardly tell you’re on a ship, it’s more like a 5-star holiday resort,” says one. “But we’re looking forward to seeing Gibraltar,” says the other. “We hear it’s the best place in the world outside Britain to get a proper cup of tea!”

I’d like to see round the ship myself and various attempts have been made to get me on board. But Royal Caribbean requires 48-hours notice and, security being paramount, rules can’t be broken even for journalists.

Later, on the walk back to town, I swim against a tide of hundreds of returning cruisers carrying Marks & Spencer bags and bottles of duty-free.

They walk together in one continuous crocodile, like kids on a school outing, which can be frustrating for motorists waiting at zebra crossings.

Never mind; think of the benefits they bring and smile – they’ll soon be gone. Next stop Lisbon!

Gibraltar Port Authority’s fascinating website features annual cruise ship schedules and a live map of the Strait where you can follow shipping movements via the Vessel Tracking System. i See www.gibraltarport.com

Eclipse dwarfs the Cruise Terminal

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Gibraltar’s monkeys rock with cruise passengers

Ship to Shore

Panoramic view from the Upper Rock

The traditional Rock Tour still rocks with cruise passengers visiting Gibraltar. The combination of St Michael’s Cave, the Cable Car, monkeys and shopping has been the most popular shore excursion since Calypso Tours started tailoring packages for cruise ship operators 17 years ago.

But cruising trends are changing at a rate of knots and excursions have to keep pace, quite literally in the case of the Walking Tour and Mediterranean Steps Tour which appeal to the fitness fraternity.

A novel ‘first’ next year will be cocktails and canapés in the Mayor’s Parlour. It’s guaranteed to be a best-seller with the guys when Deputy Mayor Kaiane Aldorino assumes the chain of office. She’s a former Miss World!

Calypso Tours is the ‘offspring’ of MH Bland & Co Ltd, a family firm established in Gibraltar in 1810 as a port agency which now has interests in both the marine and

tourism sectors. It owns and operates the Cable Car and top station which includes the café, souvenir shop and spectacular Mons Calpe Suite event venue, as well as MH Bland Travel Services, specialising in cruising – a symbiotic relationship.

Calypso Tours handles the logistics of moving hundreds of cruise visitors daily around the tiny territory in its fleet of driver-guided tour buses. “Our record in Gibraltar was 1,400 passengers in a day,” says Director Henry Catania, who can look forward to setting a new one when the 5,000-passenger Anthem of the Seas arrives next year.

Shore excursions are pitched several years in advance and planned in meticulous detail to cater for every age and inclination. Henry recently returned from presenting the 2015/16 programme at the big cruise ship HQs in Miami, Seattle and Los Angeles. “Tours can’t be too

arduous for the physically challenged but they must have wow factor because every other Mediterranean port is competing for cruise business,” he says. “The scene has changed drastically in the last 15 years with bigger ships and higher passenger volumes but clients are better-travelled and expect new experiences.”

Henry is meeting changing demands with more exclusive small group visits, such as a wine tasting and lecture tour at the 18th century Garrison Library, and a Lower Rock tour with afternoon tea on the Wisteria Terrace of the Rock Hotel.

“Surprisingly, given the all-day dining

opportunities on cruise ships, the High Tea Tour is our third most popular excursion.”

Calypso Tours’ sister company handles excursions from 27 ports in the Iberian peninsula and Morocco – everything from cocktails around the piano at Rick’s Café in Casablanca to taking passengers from a ship in Valencia all the way to Madrid, now only 80 minutes away by AVE. Henry’s job is made more ‘interesting’ by unforeseen events, the most memorable during his first year with Calypso Tours in 2003: an outbreak of the highly-contagious Norovirus on P&O’s Aurora. The ship had been turned away from scheduled ports-of-call and was heading for Gibraltar. “We let them in and the healthy passengers were able to go on an excursion, with suitable hygiene precautions,” Henry recalls. “Spain’s reaction was to close the border but it was worth it to see the look of relief on passengers’ faces.”

That was a call only a company as well-connected as MH Bland could make. If anyone’s able to change a ship’s schedule in an emergency, it’s the operators of Gibraltar’s largest port agency – added reassurance for passengers who will never miss the boat on a Calypso Tour! i www.mhbland.com

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THE FOCUS water Wreck of the M482 Royal Navy Mooring Vessel sunk in the 1990s as part of the Camp © simplydiving.com

Water World Water – as a marine habitat, a liquid asset or the politically choppy territorial kind – plays a fascinating role in the Gibraltar story.

WORDS BELINDA BECKETT PHOTOGRAPHY AS CREDITED

W

hen Coleridge wrote in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, ‘Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink’, he could have been describing Gibraltar. For a peninsula bordered by sea on three sides, it’s surprisingly short of fresh liquid assets. It has no rivers or streams, its reservoirs are man-made and its stunning underground freshwater lake is a recent discovery. The first water pipes weren’t laid until 1863. For centuries the population got by with an ancient aqueduct and rain from the sky.

Yet, paradoxically, its waters have been famous through history. Ancient mariners believed the earth was flat and ended at the Pillars of Hercules (the Rock and Morocco’s Jebel Musa on the opposite side of the Gibraltar Strait). No one sailed further west for fear of falling off the edge. This strategic crossroads where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic became a battleground where buccaneers and naval powers clashed over the right to rule the waves. Today, the narrow sea channel between Africa and Spain is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, a convenient conduit for traffickers and illegal immigrants and a Valhalla of sunken treasure ships whose barnacle-encrusted skeletons support a rich biodiversity of marine life.

Where to start? Six million years ago seems like a good place.

Cow bream © simplydiving.com

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Excess desalinated water, Europa Point © David Cussen

Water, water everywhere © Gibraltar Tourist Board

Gibraltar’s twin Pillar of Hercules, Jebel Musa, in the distance © David Cussen

Drinking Water: A Lack Of Liquid Assets

H2O Hiatus

The Rock’s chronic water shortage would make a good plot for a disaster movie with pestilence and plague playing starring roles.

The Moors built wells during their occupation of Gibraltar (Nun’s Well at Europa Point survives) and an aqueduct that channelled water from what’s now the Botanical Gardens to the 14th century bath house you can visit in the basement of the Gibraltar Museum today. After the Reconquest, the Spanish extended the aqueduct into town and added a fountain (where you find Fountain Ramp today).

In the first 150 years of British rule, the populace expanded but the public water supply did not: many made do with as little as four litres a day for washing, cooking, sanitation and drinking. Many of the locals

Aka the Messinian Salinity Crisis, when the continents of Africa and Europe closed up. The Mediterranean became a salty lake which evaporated over just 1,000 years, leaving a dry basin 5km below the world ocean level in parts. There were no humans around to see it, that we know of, until long after the mythological Hercules (or, less romantically, a series of earthquakes), pulled the Pillars apart and the Atlantic rushed back in, creating the world’s largest waterfall. Experts say the Strait will close up again ‘in the near geological future’ but that’s eons in human terms.

had to fetch their water from brackish wells on the isthmus or buy it from aguadores (Spanish water pedlars) at exorbitant prices.

One day’s supply of imported water cost as much as a year’s supply in England.

People put out barrels on their patios to collect rainwater but it was all highly unsanitary. Most dwellings were shared by two or three extended families and water was stored uncovered next to privies, stables and hen houses where it was visited by itinerant Barbary macaques and clouds of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes spread yellow fever.

With ships regularly calling in from Africa, where the disease originated, Gibraltar suffered five major outbreaks, the first seeing off 5,733 civilians and soldiers – 32 per cent of the population.

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Gruesome stories abound. In 1771, Thomas James of the Royal Artillery wrote in his History of the Herculean Straits that Nun’s Well was infested with leeches which attached themselves to the tongues of those who drunk it and, ‘sucking for sustenance, caused the discharge of blood, which frightened some of the men not a little’.

Cholera was prevalent, not helped by a botched sewage system built in 1815 at the wrong degree of incline. It merely took sewage from the upper town to pile up under the streets of the lower town, its stench rising up through the drains until winter rains flushed it into the bay where it washed back up onto the shoreline in a stinking slick of effluent.

While Gibraltar had no distribution network, water was delivered in barrels by donkey cart.

In 1863 a Parliamentary Commission reported: “The inhabitants owe nothing to the British Government for the small supply of water they have had for 150 years”.

It wasn’t until the start of the 20th century that the first Sanitary Commission laid the foundations for the system used today.

Underground reservoirs were amplified from four to 12 and a vast rainwater catchment system created on the sheer east face of the Rock, employed until the 1990s. In times of drought, supplies were topped up with imported water, mainly brought in by tanker from Britain.

Today 90 per cent of the Rock’s drinking water comes from the sea. A potable cocktail of distilled rain and sea water comes entirely from desalination and is metered and billed on a monthly basis. Seawater is used for firefighting, street cleaning and sanitation and every household gets a supply on the rates.

Salt water corrodes plumbing but you can’t have everything! Aquagib operates Gibraltar’s unusual dual supply and distribution system which cuts the need for drinking water by over 50 per cent.

Battle stations – the fishing dispute last summer © Chris Gamble

Striped dolphins © Dolphin Adventure

Gibraltar Bay during WW2 by Gustavo Bacarisas

Territorial Waters & Reef Wars Call it the Bay of Algeciras or the Bay of Gibraltar, Spain and the British Territory haven’t seen eye to eye over who rules the waves since The Rock was ceded to Britain under the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht.

The waters are churned daily by high-speed police and military launches from Spain and Gibraltar on the look-out for suspected illegal immigrants, tobacco and drug smugglers and fishermen casting their nets where they shouldn’t. Royal Navy ships call in to Gibraltar to refuel and fly the flag when they’re passing.

Often referred to as ‘the fishing dispute’, locals like Brian Reyes, News Editor at the Gibraltar Chronicle, know there’s more to it than that. “Britain claims three miles of water around the rock, and Spain says Gibraltar has no waters,” he said recently. “That’s the key to this issue. It’s not about fishing – it’s about jurisdiction.”

Chief Minister Fabian Picardo has stated that “hell will freeze over” before Gibraltar removes the 72 spiked concrete blocks laid in Gibraltar waters last summer to promote the return of marine life. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel García-Margallo is adamant that it was laid “to stop us fishing”. Spain retaliated with rigorous immigration checks at the

border, resulting in epic queues.

The artificial reef was started in 1973 by Dr Eric Shaw of The Helping Hand conservation charity and a team of volunteers, and it’s made mostly of scuttled vessels. “There was no life before. Now bream and, in season, tuna spawn there, as well as invertebrates,” says Dr Shaw, describing the concrete additions as “like we’ve put in a block of flats and marine life has moved in. It’s purely for conservation.

There’s no commercial fishing in Gibraltar waters any more.”

The Gibraltar Squadron, although recently strengthened, has a ‘Fleet’ of just five vessels: two Scimitar class patrol boats armed with machine guns and three Pacific 24 RHIBs but it’s about speed and manoeuvrability, not size. They control maritime defence and provide protection for British, NATO and allied warships passing through the Strait. They’re backed up by the marine units of the Gibraltar Defence Police and Royal Gibraltar Police which recently added faster boats and jet skis to its fleet to keep up with the traffickers.

The dockyard is wholly commercial although still an important NATO base, with Z berths, to accommodate visiting British and American nuclear submarines.

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Golden cup coral © simplydiving.com

The Waters Of The Strait The 14.3 kilometres of water separating Europe and Africa at its narrowest point is one of the busiest shipping corridors in the world, transited by 70,000 ships a year. Gibraltar, the Mediterranean’s most popular filling station, handles 15 per cent of that business as well as being a regular port of call for super liners.

The Strait extends from Europa Point to Cape Trafalgar in Cádiz, named after the famous 1805 sea battle where Nelson trounced the combined French and Spanish fleets. An important trading crossroads since man learned how to build and sail a boat, the sea bed is a maritime graveyard where ancient anchors and cannons from old galleons can still be found.

One buried treasure yet to be unearthed is

the 80-gun British warship HMS Sussex, lost in 1694 during a severe storm while carrying 10 tons of gold possibly worth $500 million, making it one of the most valuable wrecks ever. The Captain was washed up on Gibraltar wearing only his nightshirt. During the 1990s, US company Odyssey Marine Exploration found what they believe to be the Sussex but a wrangle over the treasure trove has put the project on hold.

The remains of a Bristol bomber and a British gunboat testify that the Strait saw plenty of action during WWll. Their submerged skeletons have been adopted by corals, sponges and gorgonians to form a wreck-diving wonderland, teeming with colourful fish.

The Strait is over 900 metres at its deepest, and the cocktail of ice cold Atlantic and warmer, mineral-rich Mediterranean has created a diverse ecosystem. Some 1,900 species of flora and fauna have been documented, many endangered elsewhere such as red coral, green sea turtles, fan and date mussels and the largest limpet in Europe. Since 2003, marine life has been protected as El Estrecho, Europe’s most southerly natural park. You can find the exotic (sunfish, flying fish,) the edible (swordfish, grouper, skate, sole) and the scary (scorpion fish, stringrays, conger and moray eels and Portuguese Man O’ War jellyfish), as well as species of dolphin and whale and giant tuna who come to spawn in late spring.

Water Underground The 45,000-gallon freshwater lake in New St Michael’s Cave was discovered by WWll sappers in 1942 while tunnelling in Old St. Michael’s Cave. Both caves showcase the spellbinding effects water can produce, percolating through limestone over thousands of years to create a petrified forest of stalagmites and stalactites. Hire a guide and you can circumnavigate the lake along its narrow 20cm-rim, sculpted naturally by calcium deposits over millennia.

The underground lake © Gibraltar Tourist Board

Gibraltar’s signature levanter cloud © Chris Gamble

Water Vapour We can’t end an article on water in Gibraltar without mentioning the levanter cloud that often shrouds the Rock while Spain is basking in glorious sunshine. It appears when the warm, moist easterly levante wind strikes the sheer eastern face of the Rock and condenses.

GBC Radio recently held a contest to name the levanter. Lorraine was a contender (as in the song, ‘I can see clearly now Lorraine has gone’)! Most locals call it annoying. The Spanish might say that if Gibraltarians insist on being British, then they have to put up with some British weather too! e

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THE FOCUS

RITA ORA TO PLAY GIBRALTAR MUSIC FESTIVAL One of the most successful British hit-makers of all time will be performing at the Gibraltar Music Festival this September! Rita Ora recently scored her fourth No 1 single with I Will Never Let You Down and she is the biggest name to be added to the bill for September 6 since The Script were confirmed as the event’s headliner.

2014 is shaping up to be the year of Rita Ora. Having dominated the UK charts with the release of her Number One certified platinum debut album ORA, she topped the charts again with her newest single. Produced by chart-topping producer Calvin Harris, I Will Never Let You Down is a fitting introduction to her sophomore album (scheduled for international release later this year).

Rita had a phenomenal rise in 2012, which continued in 2013. She was the only artist to have three Number One singles in a row and proved herself as a force to be reckoned with on the stage, touring with Coldplay, supporting Drake and playing across the UK with her own headline Radioactive tour.

Gibraltar Music Festival Update LOCAL BANDS HEADWIRES & ORFILA TO JOIN THE STARS Headwires are a young Indie Rock band founded in late 2011. The trio work hard on their original music: a combination of sounds influenced by the musical tastes and personalities of Evan Torrente, Patrick Murphy and Daryl Payas. Hot on the heels of the release of their debut EP, Organs, in early June, the band is excited at the prospect of performing for the largest audience in Gibraltar.

Orfila are an acoustic folk trio consisting of siblings Abi, Louise and Matt Orfila from a local family based in Kent. They have their own distinctive sound blending three part harmonies with a folk/pop feel. The band is regularly featured on BBC Radio Kent and have played with The Wanted, Alexandra Burke, and Eliza Doolittle.

CLEAN BANDIT & MAXI PRIEST ALSO CONFIRMED FOR SEPT 6th Clean Bandit is a quartet combining classical strings with modern electronic dance music. The four Cambridge University graduates have caused quite a stir in recent months. The band’s single, Rather Be, skyrocketed to Number One in January and is the UK’s second best selling single of 2014 so far.

Maxi Priest has earned his place among other reggae greats such as Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff in spreading reggae far and wide. His joyous brand of reggae and lovers’ rock, have brought him a level of success no other British reggae singer can match.

His hit, Close To You, topped the US charts in 1990, making him one of only two reggae acts to have a Number One hit in America.

On Saturday September 6, this chilled-out star will have fans swaying along at the Gibraltar Music Festival.

JUST TWO MONTHS TO GO FOR THE SCRIPT, ROGER HODGSON & JOHN NEWMAN

There’s now only two months to go for the Rock’s biggest musical event of the year. The Script will headline the 2014 edition of the Gibraltar Music Festival. The band will play all their hits live at the Victoria Stadium.

Rita Ora, Clean Bandit and Maxi Priest join a world class bill also featuring Roger Hodgson (formerly of Supertramp), chart sensation John Newman, Spandau Ballet’s Tony Hadley and X-Factor winner James Arthur. Some of the many local performers who will join the international stars in front of a home crowd are Adrian Pisarello and the EC Band and Georgia Thursting.

VIP SOLD OUT, GENERAL ENTRY TICKETS & RESERVED SEATS ON SALE VIP tickets are now sold out. However, General Entry and Reserved Seating tickets are still on sale. You can get yours at Vijay and Music Corner on Main Street, as well as at Gib Oil petrol stations, the Alameda, Ocean Village Express shops and online via the Festival’s website: www.gibraltarmusicfestival.com In the coming weeks, further international artists will be announced.

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’ve always wanted to see The Convent’s ‘secret garden’. It’s the most photographed building in Gibraltar with its po-faced guardsman pacing up and down in boots polished to a mirror shine.

Few foreigners ever see beyond the front door of the building that’s been the Governor’s official residence since 1728. But here I am, admiring the view in the company of His Excellency himself, the Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Gibraltar, to give Lieutenant-General Sir James Dutton, KCB, CBE, his full title.

The fabled gardens, lush with flame-coloured hibiscus lit up in May sunshine, are even lovelier than their reputation. We’re sitting in one of The Convent’s elegant function rooms, its high ceilings, brocade fabrics, antiques and oil paintings suitably regal, as befitting the Queen’s representative in Gibraltar, so I’m surprised to hear Sir James telling me he wasn’t head-hunted for the office. “Any British citizen can apply,” he says. “I heard the job was coming up so I Googled the application form and downloaded it on the internet.”

The selection process must have been a no-brainer! There could be few more qualified for the role than this former Royal Marines Commandant General who has chalked up 37 years of distinguished service, both at the sharp end and as a strategist moving troops around the board. His military career spans The Falklands War, ‘The Troubles’ in Northern Ireland, the Iraq War and Afghanistan. In Iraq he was the first British officer to command American troops since WW2. In Afghanistan he was Deputy Commander of 90,000 troops. In addition, he was the MoD’s Director of NATO policy in London and Senior British Liaison Officer to The Pentagon in the aftermath of 9/11, planning the ‘War on Terror’ alongside America’s top brass. He’s also the first Gibraltar Governor with commercial expertise, having handled budgets worth billions for one of the world’s largest construction and engineering companies.

This is a man who has worked on the politicalmilitary borders with the world’s movers and shakers and understands both the nuances of political diplomacy and the vagaries of global economies – just what Gibraltar needs! He’s also a Royal Marine so he’s practically Gibraltarian by default (even though he hails from Chester). “I hadn’t realised that the Gibraltarians feel so strongly that the Royal Marines is their organisation, along with the Royal Gibraltar Regiment and the Royal Engineers who made all those tunnels,” says the Governor.

most significant battle in the Rock’s history when British and Dutch Marines captured Gibraltar and defended the territory during a nine-month siege.

The organisation turns 350 this year and nowhere will the anniversary be celebrated with more gusto than Gibraltar. Block off the weekend of 24-27 October in your diary. The Royal Marines Band from Scotland will be there, a concert is planned in St Michael’s Cave, the Governor is hosting a concert and cocktails in that stunning garden and there’ll be Royal Marines sporting challenges throughout the year. One much-anticipated highlight is the charity Rock Run, when Superman Henry Cavill will swap his tights and leotard for running kit, joined by Sir James and Lady Dutton and half of Gibraltar. My money’s on the Governor and his wife who are in good shape. He’s a keen runner and sailor and the couple tackle Gibraltar’s vertiginous Med Steps together at least twice a month.

You’ve probably seen them out and about – who hasn’t? Photographs of Sir James and Lady Dutton presenting awards, opening art exhibitions, meeting government Ministers, attending official dinners and getting to know the Rock and its citizens have dominated the local press. One picture especially caught my eye: the two of them sitting down on the roadside, cheek by jowl with some of the Rock’s famous monkeys on a macaque familiarisation tour with Brian Gomila. “It was a fantastic experience,” enthuses Sir James.

“Brian is an absolute expert and knows all about the macaques’ social organisation and habits, how they view humans and how we can co-exist.”

Sir James enjoys all of it, the dressing up in full regalia complete with ceremonial sword and medals, as well as the dressing down in polo shirt and chinos for a stroll along Main Street. “We say yes to every invitation unless we’re away or we’ve already said yes to another. lt’s an absolute requirement, you couldn’t do this job if you were a recluse,” he laughs, pouring coffee from a silver pot. “Coming here was, in many ways, a lifestyle choice. It’s an extremely nice place to work and we both enjoy socialising. Liz was particularly keen as there’s a real role for the Governor’s wife here, not least as patron of Gibraltar’s many charities. I don’t think I’ve ever lived in a community where so many people are raising money for so many good causes.”

That’s the ‘ceremonial’ side to his duties. More pertinent for Gibraltarians, what can he do in his official capacity as guardian of Britain’s sovereign rights?

Rock Solid Britishness If his stirring opening address in December is anything to go by, quite a bit. He hadn’t been in the British Territory five minutes when he was talking up Gibraltar’s ‘Britishness’ as “rock solid, indisputable and non-negotiable”.

As the representative of Britain’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Governor’s voice carries weight at the MoD and Whitehall. He has the credentials and the contacts. He looks the part too, the square jaw and steel blue eyes suggesting he’d brook no nonsense. Since his arrival, the crew of the Gibraltar Squadron has been strengthened to counter increased incursions by Guardia Civil boats in territorial waters. Plus, it’s now policy for as many Royal Navy ships as possible to call in to Gibraltar to refuel and fly the flag when they’re passing.

This is not to appear aggressive. “People read more into these things than what’s actually intended though that’s not surprising,” says Sir James. “The sovereignty issue has been rumbling on for 310 years and although there are very entrenched views on both sides, especially in Spain, neither would want a military solution so it’s largely down to politics and the political flavour of the party in power in Madrid,” he says.

Although the Governorship is apolitical and ambassadorial – “I interpret Gibraltar to the UK and vice-versa,” is how Sir James succinctly puts it – he usually meets Chief Minister Fabian Picardo over lunch on a Wednesday (and, in practice, more often) and monthly with the Opposition team. Gibraltar is in daily communication with the UK Foreign Office but there’s nothing like having a Governor in situ and, as Commander-in-Chief, Sir James can parlay with Defence Ministers on the same terms as Foreign Office Ministers.

Presidents too! After retirement from the military in 2010, Sir James was Programme Director in Gabon for Bechtel (the company that engineered the Hoover Dam and the Channel Tunnel). He worked directly for President Ali Bongo, writing a new infrastructure masterplan for this vast West

Time to Party Gibraltar is the only battle honour Royal Marines wear on their caps and berets, harking back to the

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WORDS BELINDA BECKETT PHOTOGRAPHY JAYDEN FA AND BELINDA BECKETT

This year marks the 350th anniversary of the Royal Marines – the Royal Navy’s elite fighting force whose commando skills have put them at the frontline of almost every British military operation since WWII. What better occasion to interview the new Governor of Gibraltar, a former Royal Marine Commandant General who has worn the celebrated green beret with its solitary Gibraltar crest during a glittering 37-year military career.

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Sir James has been out and about in Gibraltar – here, he’s pictured appointing Cadet Sgt. James Aguilera Governor’s Cadet

”He worked directly for President Ali Bongo, writing a new infrastructure masterplan for this vast West African country and putting it into effect with a tidy budget of 20 billion dollars”

The Governor in Service dress uniform

African country and putting it into effect with a tidy budget of 20 billion dollars. “It was a fascinating job which gave me some understanding of how macro economics work and a thirst to know more, although Gibraltar is very different to Gabon.” It also cemented a firm friendship with the President – “a most educated and delightful man who speaks perfect English” – that could be particularly strategic. The King of Morocco (the country where Gibraltar gets its rocks and sand for landfill now Spain has refused to supply them), has a beach holiday complex in Gabon, and the King and the President are on close terms.

President Ali has an open invitation to visit Gibraltar and Sir James will make an excellent guide. He did his homework in London, talking to former Governors, in particular his long-time friend Sir Robert Fulton. But how does The Rock look on land rather than viewed from a passing ship? “There’s the popular view of Gibraltar from Britain in the Sun – has anybody ever got beyond the first half of one episode – but there’s so much

more. Gibraltar is very small but very complicated, a territory that’s reinvented itself entirely by its own endeavours. Since the Royal Navy withdrew in the early 1980s it has built a thriving economy which has continued to grow while the rest of the world has been in recession, so there’s huge enterprise here.

It’s contradictory too, in some ways comparable to 1950s England in social structure but with gaming and financial services industries that are right up there in Silicon Valley country. There’s also the extraordinary sporting ability, musical ability, literary ability… there can’t be another community of 30,000 people that does so much to such a high level.”

The Field of Battle Perhaps I shouldn’t mention the war but as a journalist I’m curious to know about Sir James’ experiences in the field of battle. He’s a Marine after all. The ‘green berets’ undergo the most arduous commando course in the world, training in arctic, desert and jungle topography.

Sir James prefers not to dwell on bivouacking in trenches and tundra although more than half his career was spent “training for an eventuality that never happened – the Cold War.” His time in Washington after 9/11 kick-started the operational side to his career but did he agree with much of the British press that America over-reacted?

“The Daily Mail view of Iraq,” he quips. “A lot of people laughed at the idea of a ‘global war on terror’ but it was an extraordinary thing to try and do and I’m absolutely convinced that everyone involved did what they believed to be right at the time. Journalists have written about sledgehammers and nuts with the benefit of hindsight but I could tell you stories about how frightened those same journalists were when they sat in our camp in Kuwait the day before the invasion!”

We go out into the garden for photographs and I trip over a toy lorry lying on the gravel path.

“That belongs to my first grandson Freddie, my daughter Sally and her husband are here visiting,” says Sir James proudly. He has a son too, another Royal Marine! Whatever your own hopes of the Governor – iron fist, velvet glove – Sir James is a safe pair of hands and the Gov’s gloves are a perfect fit! e

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We all know who won – but it wasn’t only glamorous 23-yearold teaching assistant Shyanne Azzopardi who stole the show. Belinda Beckett joined the live audience at the Queen’s Cinema for her very first Miss Gibraltar pageant to discover what makes it such an annual highlight.

PHOTOGRAPHY STEPHEN IGNACIO

f you thought there was no place for beauty pageants in the PC 21st century, the Miss Gibraltar Variety Show will change your mind. It should be called Mass Gibraltar, as half the British Territory and the wife and kids turn out in their gladrags year-on-year to support this entertainment extravaganza, now in its 52nd edition.

But black tie? To sit in a disused cinema for two hours?

The dress code confused me at first and when I spotted the show’s producer dressed in sweatpants and a T-shirt I thought I’d got it horribly wrong…

But I was early and James Neish was working up to the wire. The penny dropped as the lights dimmed and the contestants kicked off the show with their own spellbinding routine. (Miss Gibraltar’s not just about fabulous figures and pretty faces. Nifty footwork is called for too.) They sashayed on stage against a backdrop of 1950s paparazzi armed with vintage cameras and popping flashbulbs. In clinging flame-red tops and denim skirts cinched hour-glass tight they looked like extras from Grease. You’re the one that I want, and you, and you… All eight girls looked stunning!

This is no ordinary beauty pageant. And if the slick, fastpaced show I saw is anything to judge by, no wonder it’s a crowd-puller. It reminded me of Sunday Night at the London Palladium, that iconic variety show of yesteryear – filmed live

for ITV as Miss Gibraltar is for GBC TV – and the audience got tuxed-up for that, too.

The annual election of The Rock’s ambassadress is a serious business. You wouldn’t catch David Cameron at a Miss England contest but Gibraltar’s Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, was there. And the reigning Miss England, Kirsty Heslewood, was one of the judges. With some of Gibraltar’s finest singers belting out all the old favourites, and cheekysmiley Liverpudlian singer, ice dancer, actor and all-rounder Ray Quinn flying us to the moon with a medley of up-tempo Rat Pack numbers, it was easy to forget the real purpose of the evening: to choose Miss Gibraltar 2014 from a glamorous eight-girl line-up.

There’s always an international guest star but the home-grown acts are star-turns too. For a wee limestone rock, Gibraltar has prodigious talent in the performing arts department.

Teenage vocalist Simon Dumas gave us a blazing Beatles tribute, jazzed up by students from the Gibraltar Academy of Dance twisting and jitterbugging in Op Art mini-dresses. Andrea Simpson, who holds the record for more than 12 guest performances at the pageant, showed her range with a medley of Albert Hammond numbers (of course, he’s Gibraltarian too). Guy Valarino, now making a name for himself on London’s music circuit, took us Back to Black on guitar. Corinne Cooper held the audience spellbound

with her powerful rendition of Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You. A drum roll, too, for live band After Hours who kept the beat going for the full two hours. Stunning lighting and visuals and an extended catwalk added to the drama. The evening was nothing short of a triumph for the team at Stage One Productions and Producer James Neish (now booted and suited) must also take a bow for his seamless compering.

“Come on guys admit it – you’ve all kissed in the back row here at some point I’m sure,” he quipped as the show went on air. The retro-theme was a fitting finale for the Queen’s Cinema which has been entertaining Gibraltarians since 1956 and has hosted many Miss Gibraltars in its heyday.

The 860-seater auditorium with its stalls, dress circle and patriotic red and blue décor will be demolished along with the neighbouring Queen’s Hotel to make way for a swish new performing arts centre.

So has James ever been caught out in the rear stalls by the porter with his trusted torch? “Haha… nice try guys – everyone has!” His eighth Miss Gibraltar but his first Queen’s Cinema production, he adds: “It was an amazing night! We set ourselves a huge challenge and I believe the team delivered.

The contestants have been a joy to work with through long hours of rehearsals. I never cease to be impressed by the enthusiasm and commitment of our young people.”

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s ’ t a h T ! t n e m n i a t Enter

SWIMWEAR SENSATION! Forget coy one-pieces at Miss Gibraltar. It might be called the ‘swimwear section’ but the itsy-bitsy teeny-weeny hot pink bikinis these girls wore didn’t seem substantial enough for anything as energetic as swimming (although, let’s face it, pop stars these days wear just as little). A Rock debut for cheeky Mr Quinn (or El Ray, his new pseudonym in Yanito-speaking Gibraltar), he was especially chuffed to find “bairds in bikinis backstage… It’s ok, I got the grace from the Missus to be here,” he joked in his broad Liverpudlian before launching into Mack the Knife.

The entertainment continued outside during the interval, where passing motorists were entertained to see so many pavement-sweeping ball gowns and monkey suits (but, thankfully, no monkeys) nipping across the road for refreshments. It was the hottest day of the year, outside and in, but we were eager to be back in our seats to watch the girls razzle-dazzle in their eveningwear before the grand finale.

Whatever your opinion of beauty pageants, and Gibraltar is unashamedly proud of its own, this contest doesn’t dwell on dress size. Vital statistics

weren’t even mentioned. The ambassadorial aspect of the role is more important. It adds up to a nice, expenses-paid gap year for the lucky winner, with a generous £2,000 cash prize, £3,500 clothing allowance and a passport to Miss World 2014 in London in December. It could even be a stepping stone to a brilliant career, as Miss World 2009 Kaiane Aldorino knows. Her trajectory to Deputy Mayor all began with Miss Gibraltar!

Like Miss World, there’s a Beauty with a Purpose aspect. Every contestant adopted a charity before the contest and had a minute to talk about it. Although some found it nerve-wracking – the audience as well as the girls – there was no outbreak of foot-in-mouth and (hurrah!) no talk of world peace either! Shyanne Azoppardi made a particularly touching appeal on behalf of the Alzheimers & Dementia Society: “My granny was recently diagnosed with Alzheimers and this has greatly affected my family,” she told the audience. “The hardest part has been to accept her condition in order to help her.”

As outgoing Miss Gibraltar Maroua Kharbouch,

wearing a slinky gold number, placed the crown on her successor’s head, Shyanne was “ecstatic and speechless”. (She has more to say in our interview overleaf). “Honestly, you told us to prepare a speech but I thought, I’m not going to prepare anything so as not to get my hopes up,” she confessed in her lilting Gibraltarian accent, thanking the judges and her fellow contestants before taking her walk of honour down the catwalk in a show-stopping teal gown.

Miss Gibaltar wasn’t the only prize. Studentteacher Kristy Torres, voted 1st Princess and runnerup, Miss Photogenic and Best Catwalk, was festooned with trophies and flowers. Secondary school teacher Claire Nuñez won 2nd Princess and Best Interview.

Megan Bonavia was voted Miss Friendship by the contestants themselves. Seven trophies and £8,000 in prize money were given away that night, and a good deal more in the run-up from the girls’ individual sponsors who subsidised their expenses.

The closing music was still playing in my head long after the show: Happy by Pharell Williams. We all were.

That’s entertainment!

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Photographer Jayden Fa Model Shyanne Azzopardi, Miss Gibraltar 2014 Makeup Liza Mayne Art Direction Guy Baglietto Make Up Nyree Chipolina. Swimwear Mle Swimwear

She’s already on top of the world in a new top job as The Rock’s official ambassadress. But Shyanne Azzopardi, the new Miss Gibraltar, has her sights set still higher. Come September, she’s planning a charity sky dive in Seville from 15,000 feet! That’s not quite twice as high as her last sky fall in Las Vegas!

T

Shyanne Azzopardi GIRL AT THE TOP!

his determined young lady seems to make a habit of setting herself lofty challenges and there’s no sign of her coming back down to earth any time soon!

‘I am doing this jump to raise money for my chosen charity for Miss Gibraltar 2014, the Gibraltar Alzheimer’s & Dementia Society’ she writes on her Facebook page. ‘My aim is to raise £5,000 to fund one of the rooms in the new Day Care Centre.’

Shyanne has a very personal reason for supporting that charity. Her own grandmother was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, a sadness she shared with the audience at the pageant. A measure of her own ‘inner beauty’, the day after she was crowned she turned her own victory party into a double celebration to mark her gran’s 86th birthday! Sharing is caring.

And, given the size of the Azzopardi clan in Gibraltar, it must have been a riot!

With her smouldering Cleopatra eyes, hourglass figure and flawless skin, Shyanne is not short on ‘outer beauty’ either. Super-photogenic, she wowed the crowd in that stunning teal satin and lace evening gown, a one-off created

by Gibraltarian fashion designer Priscilla Sacramento.

Her pupils certainly think so. When she popped in to see them at Loreto Convent where she works as a teaching assistant she was presented with a touching hand-drawn portrait of herself in her crown, sash and gown, drawn from pictures the children saw on TV and in the press. That too got posted on Facebook. ‘The look on the children’s faces was unexplainable, what an unforgettable day! This is one of my aims as a Miss Gibraltar – being a role model for the younger generations. May you all follow your dreams!’ Clearly her class is proud as punch of their teacher, ‘Miss Azzopardi’!

Shyanne loves children and is very familyoriented – ideal teaching qualifications – but she’ll be putting her career plans on hold to throw herself into her new civic role… although

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not her Zumba classes. When she’s not keeping others on their toes as an instructor of the dance fitness programme based on Latin sounds, Shyanne likes to end a perfect day working out with a few Zumba numbers herself. She certainly looked Zumbalicious in that hot pink bikini. (Sorry guys, she already has a boyfriend and he’s a policeman!)

Entering Miss Gibraltar was a childhood ambition – she was the first girl to put her name forward for this year’s pageant – and she’s thrilled at being given the chance to promote Gibraltar at Miss World

WHAT DID YOU DO ON YOUR FIRST DAY AS MISS GIBRALTAR? It was my granny’s birthday and my family and I held a party for her at La Parilla. It was a wonderful evening as we celebrated her birthday together with my success in being crowned Miss Gibraltar 2014.

DID YOUR GRANDMOTHER HAVE ANY WORDS OF WISDOM FOR YOU? Sadly, by Sunday my granny had forgotten I was the new Miss Gibraltar. We had to remind her at the party. But she gave me a massive hug and said she was very proud of me. She told me, “Que guapa es mi niña”.

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE MORE ABOUT YOUR FAMILY LIFE? I have a very large family, 16 cousins! I am very close to them, they mean a lot to me, especially my little sister, Lyniah, who is only 10 years old. I hope to be a great role model for her. My family originally comes from Malta (on my Father’s side). I can trace four generations of Gibraltarians in my family.

IS MISS GIBRALTAR MORE THAN A BEAUTY PAGEANT? Much more. The winner has to perform the additional role of being an ambassador for Gibraltar abroad. I believe that beauty comes from within and if your inner beauty can shine through, others

in London in December.

“To be Miss Gibraltar means so much to me, and I’m ready to take on the role,” she said in her first interview for GBC TV’s youth programme. “It’s not just about being a perfect 10, everyone’s beautiful in their own way. I want to be a good ambassador and raise Gibraltar’s profile. We may be a small community but the size of our hearts overcomes the size we are on a map.” had a few more questions for the new Miss Gibraltar:

will see this. Being intelligent, elegant, a good role model, approachable, giving back to the community and having a good personality are the qualities which make a good Miss Gibraltar, something I’m keen to achieve!

YOUR TWITTER MOTTO IS: NEVER GIVE UP IN LIFE – TRY AND YOU WILL SUCCEED? I believe if you want something, you will not succeed unless you persevere. You might not achieve the goal on the first attempt but you should never give up.

WHAT GOALS ARE YOU SETTING YOURSELF DURING YOUR REIGN? Firstly, I would wish to remain true to myself. Secondly, not to change as a person. Thirdly, I would like to give back to our community as much as possible, to recognise how much Gibraltar has done for me and my fellow Gibraltarians. Lastly, to make Gibraltar proud at the Miss World pageant and to raise our profile as a nation as much as possible.

HOW WILL YOU BE ABLE TO CONTINUE YOUR TEACHING CAREER AND ZUMBA CLASSES? I am hoping to resume my Zumba classes as soon as possible, I can’t leave all my ladies without their Zumba Fitness!

In terms of my Post-Graduate Certificate in Education, I am going to commence this course after my reign.

BUT YOUR CHARITY SKY DIVE WILL STILL GO AHEAD? I had to ask the Ministry of Culture for permission as to whether I could go ahead with it and the answer was yes!

HAVE YOU TRAVELLED MUCH AND WHERE WAS YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE? I have had the privilege to travel to many places around the world. My favourite holiday would be when my Dad took me to Las Vegas for my 21st birthday and my graduation present. We had a fantastic time, watched breathtaking shows, went to the Grand Canyon, did a lot of shopping (thank goodness my Dad has patience) and had a whole day of sight-seeing in Vegas where I was brave enough to do a sky jump off the Stratosphere Tower, from a height of 855ft.

Seeing the panoramic view of the city was unforgettable!

If YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOURSELF WHAT WOULD IT BE? If I could change one thing about Shyanne Azzopardi it would be not to be so hard on myself. I should have more self-confidence and belief in all I have achieved in life so far.

No one is perfect, for, if we were, we would not be human.

WHAT IS YOUR DREAM? To complete my PGCE and qualify in the area of Special Needs. And do the best I can in life. I can’t wait to see what life brings my way! e

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style

INTERIORS / ARCHITECTURE / ART / FASHION

Style it up beachside in swimwear from Andrés Sardá’s latest collection, be inspired by our summer fashion suggestions and stay safe with our feature on skin health and protection.

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Health: Skin Care & Protection this Summer

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sapphire 230x300mm-tree:Layout 1 8/27/13 3:42 PM Page 1

Life has moved on...line Sapphire Networks, growing with your needs

www.sapphire.gi +350 200 47 200 - info@sapphire.gi Suite 3.0.3 Eurotowers, PO Box 797, Gibraltar

THE STYLE fashion

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COMPILED BY MARISA CUTILLAS

For swimwear that is elegant and sexy all at once, few designers quite make the grade like Andrés Sardá. We present his vision for Summer 2014.

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d r a w r o F t e s h t o t k Fa r a h s sign

e d s ’ á d r a re S u f t u f e h t f Some o o n o i t c e f r e p k slee

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, s r e w o ямВ o t s e m o c When it ake them purple m i w w w.andr

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THE STYLE fashion

Aztec embroidered bandeau bikini by Accessorize

Bali frilly bikini by Boux Avenue

Paris stripe triangle bikini

by Boux Avenue

Metallic and black bikini

by Miss Selfridge

Rainbow coloured bikini

by Missguided

Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny BIKINI TIME! Take your pick from these cute bikinis and turn those heads on the beach, by the pool or at the coolest summer parties.

COMPILED BY MARISA CUTILLAS

Raspberry ruffled bikini

by Dorothy Perkins

Black and yellow bikini

by Top Shop

CONTACTS: ACCESSORIZE: www.accessorize.com, BOUX AVENUE: www.bouxavenue.com, DOROTHY PERKINS: www.dorothyperkins.com, MISSGUIDED: www.missguided.co.uk, MISS SELFRIDGE: www.missselfridge.com, TOP SHOP: www.topshop.com

Tribal inspired bikini

by Accessorize

Frilly bandeau bikini

by Accessorize

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Available now in Gibraltar! Valmont Suite, Susan’s Aesthetic Service, Specialist Medical Clinic, 1st Floor, ICC Building, Casemates Square, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 49999 • info@smg.gi www.valmonteurope.com

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THE STYLE health

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TIPS FOR HEALTHY, SAFE AND GLOWING SKIN

SUMMER IS HERE:

ADVICE

ALOE VERA GEL: Holland & Barrett’s Aloe Vera Gel Bio Active Skin Treatment contains 100 per cent pure aloe gel, certified by the International Aloe Science Council as wielding the maximum activity of the Aloe Vera Barbadensis plant. Aloe Vera is an ideal after-sun treatment, since it is a powerful moisturiser that seals off skin against moisture loss. The transparent gel is also a powerful antioxidant, capable of boosting cell renewal functions. Apply to sunburned skin for an immediate cooling effect.

Without sound nutrition, a good sunscreen and the required dose of sleep, even the most expensive skincare products can do little to combat the ravages of ageing and environmental stressors. This summer, we present a selection of supplements, skincare products and herbs that aim to restore equilibrium, detoxify the body and provide you with the nutrients you need to fight off free radicals and retain your skin’s moisture and firmness. Many of these super products encourage skin regeneration at a cellular level, paying homage to the adage that beauty is always more than skin deep.

Z JASON SUNBRELLAS NATURAL SUNBLOCK: There are two types of sunscreen: chemical and physical ones. Chemical sunscreens absorb UV rays, while physical blocks repel them. For ultimate safety, natural physical blocks work best, since the interplay between the chemicals contained in sunscreen and the absorbed UV rays can cause everything from allergies to inflammation.

An excellent way to highlight your tan without suntanning to excess is Holland & Barret’s Tan Tablets, which contain a blend of PABA, L-Tyrosine and Copper. These intensify your golden glow, but also protect skin against the sun’s harmful rays.

Z COLLAGEN: The key to smooth, firm, youthful looking skin lies in one of the building blocks of skin: collagen. Collagen supplements are taken for more than their cell renewal functions, though; they are used to promote heart and bone health, as well as nail strength. Collagen is often taken alongside calcium to strengthen bones and increase flexibility.

Z BIOTIN: Also known as B7 or Vitamin H, Biotin occurs naturally in the body and is necessary for many functions and properties, including energy processing, nerve tissue, bone marrow strength, blood sugar level regulation, hair and nail growth and much more. Those who take this vitamin regularly often report improved energy levels.

Z HORSETAIL: This popular herbal remedy has traditionally been used as both a diuretic and a treatment for osteoporosis. It is also used for minor wounds and burns and to strengthen nails. Despite being a herb, it is often taken in liquid form or as a herbal tea. Horsetail is a common ingredient in many anti-ageing creams, owing to its high silica content.

It boasts anti-inflammatory properties and is able to calm rashes and other skin allergies.

Z EVENING PRIMROSE OIL: This gentle supplement contains a wealth of essential fatty acids, including GLA, which is helpful in combatting skin dryness and ageing. It is also used to counter the negative effects of hormone imbalance, which can include weight gain, an altered sex drive, urinary tract infections, hair loss, depression and even osteoporosis.

Z BETA-CAROTENE: One of the greatest causes of wrinkles in skin is the cross-linkage of collagen, which results from an excessive exposure to ultraviolet light, heavy metals and free radicals.

Beta-carotene is a powerful free radical fighter which helps stave off the negative effects of environmental pollutants and other causes of collagen cross-linkage. It is also commonly used to strengthen the immune system.

Z HYALURONIC ACID: This polymer occurs naturally in skin and wields a host of useful benefits. It helps skin retain moisture, aids in tissue repair, supports collagen and elastin and protects the skin against harmful microorganisms. As we grow older, our hyaluronic acid levels decrease, leading to the appearance of wrinkles and deep lines. Hyaluronic acid is normally taken in supplement form, often in combination with Vitamin C. Z BURDOCK: Taken in capsule form, this traditional herbal medicine is used to detoxify the body and skin cells, enabling skin cells to carry out their vital functions more efficiently.

Z NATURAL SKINCARE PRODUCTS: Commercial skincare products may be beautifully packaged and feel and smell luscious but, often, they do more harm than good, owing to the wealth of synthetic components they contain, including parabens, synthetic colours (derived from petroleum or coal tar sources) and phthalates (known endocrine disruptors found in countless perfumes, deodorants, hair products, creams and lotions). Invest in your family’s health and opt for natural skincare companies like Burt’s Bees or Dr. Organic. Top choices include Dr. Organic’s wonderful Manuka Honey Rescue Cream, Tea Tree face and body washes, Aloe Vera Soap, therapeutic bath crystals, lip glosses, and mild soaps for babies. These products are testimony to the fact that Mother Nature has always known what is best for us.

Food supplements must not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking any medications or under medical supervision, please consult a doctor or healthcare professional before use.

g All items can be found at Holland & Barrett in Gibraltar. 160 Main Street, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 49504. www.hollandandbarrett.com 6/26/14 4:00 PM

Gibraltar

r u o f o l l A s t c u d o r p y t u a e b S L S , l a r u t a n e ar .

E E R F n e b a r a p d n a

160 Main Street, Gibraltar 路 Tel. +350 200 49504 FIND US ON FACEBOOK TWEET US

www.facebook.com/HollandandBarrettGibraltar @HBGibraltar

Gibraltar

local

Gibraltar’s a SuperBreak!

Gibraltar has been rated alongside Europe’s capital cities as a top British mini-break destination by leading UK short break operator SuperBreak. The company aims to sell up to 11,000 bed nights this year in Gibraltar – more than for many established destinations like Prague. “For us, Gibraltar is effectively in the same market as Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona and Rome,” said Chris Hagan, Head of Overseas, Transport and Ancillary Product and Contracting for SuperBreak. “Since the Britain in the Sun programme, National Day has become a must-see event for British tourists. It was basically an hour-long TV advert for Gibraltar.” Gibraltar hotels, UK-based tour operators and airlines have all reported growth on growth in visitors to the Rock this year. Air arrivals from the UK for the first quarter of 2014 are up 20 per cent on the same period last year. Carnival UK, Britain’s leading cruise operator of P&O Cruises and Cunard, says Gibraltar will be their third most visited port-of-call in 2015, after Southampton – their home base – and the Portuguese port of Lisbon. g www.superbreak.com

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LEST WE FORGET From the Spanish Civil War and the rise of Fascism to the evacuation of The Rock and its crucial role during WW2, half a century of Gibraltar’s history has been recorded for posterity. The Oral History Archive is the product of more than two years of interviews with 90 Gibraltarians and ex-servicemen and contains never-seen-before photographs and documents covering the period from 1930 to 1970. Commissioned by the Friends of Gibraltar and funded by a grant of £12,000, the project captures the memories of those who lived through one of the most tumultuous periods in Gibraltar’s history. The interviews, conducted by teams in Gibraltar and the UK, include emotional testimony from Gibraltarian evacuees, many in their 80s and 90s, some of whom have since died. The archive will be added to and will reside at Gibraltar’s Garrison Library as a valuable resource for students, researchers and future generations of Gibraltarians. London’s Imperial War Museum, a major contributor, will also keep a copy.

Chief Minister Fabian Picardo with contributor, Lieutenant Commander Fred Davonport

g www.friendsofgibraltar.org.uk/www.gibraltargarrisonlibrary.gi

LITTLE GREEN APP If you want to check out the quality of the air or sea, report an environmental complaint or find out what you can recycle where, Gibraltar has a smartphone app for it and now it’s been extended to run on Android as well as iOS devices.

Developed by the Environmental Agency and Gibraltar’s Department of the Environment, GibEnviro is free to download and provides useful information about the Agency's services at users’ fingertips. The app consists of four main pages, all user-friendly interactive platforms, headed Info, Report-It, Recycle and News. The Report-It page allows users to email the Agency and attach photographic evidence on any of the available subjects (fly tipping, pollution, pests, drainage housing defects, etc.). The Recycle page comes with a map of all Gibraltar’s recycling points. g Simply key GibEnviro into your browser.

E-GOVERNMENT GOES LIVE E-Government has become a reality in Gibraltar, allowing locals to accomplish tiresome tasks online instead of queueing at government offices. The groundbreaking website, set up by the Government’s internal IT and Logistics Department, can be used to pay government rents, check the Housing List, book or cancel driving tests and MOT tests and even check lottery numbers. More on-line services will go live when the new chip-and-pin ID card is issued. “This is a landmark development in this Government’s term of office,” said Chief Minister Fabian Picardo. “It is the start of the roll-out of a huge initiative which will eventually revolutionise the way in which we provide services across all the Ministries and it will have major benefits for the community at large.” g www.eGov.gi

GREEN PARK

Gibraltarians have a new cool green oasis in the city centre to escape to this summer: Commonwealth Park. British in character but with a distinct Mediterranean feel, over 130 trees imported from Italy provide shady walkways between expansive grass lawns, ornamental gardens, water features and a bandstand.

Completed in just over a year, the park has strong ‘green’ credentials. Local waste products were used to manufacture its 3,000m³ of topsoil, the extensive lighting uses low-cost LED technologies and the complex irrigation systems are supplied by rainwater collected and stored in underground tanks. The £5.6million cost to build the park was offset by grants from the EU and the Kusuma Trust totalling £2.2 million. “The creation of this green area in the centre of our city is one of the flagship manifesto commitments of the Government,” said Chief Minister Fabian Picardo. “It is fabulous to see it become a reality.”

Jon Segui of Heart Starterz

A FIRST IN FIRST AID Heart Starterz First Aid Training has been accepted as a Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Registered Centre. By using the training methods and global resources of the CIEH, Heart Starterz will ensure delivery of the latest industry techniques. It is the only training provider in Gibraltar using UK-qualified Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics, ensuring an unrivalled learning experience. “We have joined one of the most respected and renowned governing bodies for First Aid, Health and Safety and ancillary training,” says Educational Development Manager Jon Segui. “Our new websites will be active soon and, along with our sister company First Aid Locker, we offer the very latest in First Aid training and supplies.” Clients choosing Heart Starterz receive a 10 per cent discount on First Aid Locker catalogue prices. As advertised courses are filling up quickly, the company has released a number of advance dates that can be booked now.

g Tel: +350 5402 1289/training@heartstarterz.com ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM JULY/AUGUST 2014 / 63

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The Amber Law team

Holistic Legal Representation Monkeys on TV A cute hand-drawn commercial airing on GBC TV is the latest bid in the campaign to keep marauding monkeys out of town. Produced for the Department of the Environment in conjunction with the ongoing macaque management programme, the ad raises awareness of the links between human behaviour and macaque behaviour. It shows how monkeys respond to the availability of food found in refuse and encourages all citizens to behave responsibly and to dispose of their household rubbish correctly. It’s hoped that the campaign will help to foster a better understanding of human-macaque interactions and the message is clear: ‘Stop the monkeys invading your space, put your rubbish in its place’. Watch the commercial at

Amber Law, which opened its doors at 85 Main Street last year and recently launched an innovative new website, offers a new model for a Gibraltar Law Firm. It takes a holistic approach, caring for its clients’ legal and personal needs. Practice areas include employment, personal injury, family, wills and probate, professional negligence and others. Where necessary, a signposting service is offered, providing clients with emotional support and guidance in life management. The team’s lawyers create a safe space where clients of all ages and backgrounds can receive professional legal and family advice in the strictest confidence. “We aim to empower our clients to gain positive results which will lead to an improved quality of life both throughout and after the legal process,” says founder Amber Turner. “By working through the root cause of the legal problem, we help prevent recurrence and offer cure”. g Tel: 200 67585. www.amberlaw.gi

g www.thinkinggreen.gov.gi

Eastern Promise The Gibraltar Government is looking east for new business with the recent opening of an office in Hong Kong. Gibraltarian Jason Cruz, who has lived in Hong Kong for over 20 years, has been appointed Director. The new office will be a stepping stone into the burgeoning Chinese market and a shop window for Gibraltar’s financial services industry and many other sectors of its economy. Equally, it is expected to encourage the Chinese to use Gibraltar for both direct investment on The Rock and as an entry-point into the European market. g www.gibraltar.gov.gi

Medal-winning Dancing Dance students from Gibraltar scooped an impressive 27 medals at the hotly-contested International Dance Federation World Dance Championships in Croatia. The mixed team of 30 boys and girls aged six to 17+ represented Gibraltar International Dance Association in 70 choreographies, collecting a medal tally of 14 Golds, six Silvers and seven Bronzes. More than 2,000 dancers from over 30 countries competed on three stages in a range of disciplines including Disco, Belly Dancing, Hip Hop and Bachata (Dirty Dancing Caribbean-style). The Gibraltar team shone in the solos, duets, couples, groups and formations. "It takes hard work and dedication from everyone involved to achieve these amazing results,” commented GIDA President Anne-Marie Gomez who was an I.D.F. Official International Judge. “We were so proud to see the Gibraltar flag make it to the podium 27 times.”

g For further information/future auditions, see GIDA’s Facebook page.

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Marathon Men Two British sportsmen completed a marathon 1,700-mile charity bike ride from Bradford to the top of the Rock in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care and the Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund. Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and Governor Sir James Dutton, a former Royal Marines officer, were there to welcome the dynamic duo. World record-holding paralympic cyclist Darren Kenny (OBE) and retired professional rugby player Paul Sampson were accompanied at various stages along the route by other para-cyclists, elite women cyclists and riders from the Armed Forces, predominantly the Royal Marines with whom Paul trained during a formative six days. “I learned more about myself and my inner strength in those few days than at any other time of my life and I’ve had to call upon that experience and those reserves a few times during this ride,” said Paul.

g Read the full story of their emotional journey at www.ride4care.com/#about VIP welcome for Darren Kenny (left) and Paul Sampson

© Jayden Fa

Sister Act, The Muscle Bakery

First Mrs & Mrs The Equality Rights Group’s rainbow flag for diversity flew from Number 6 to mark the first civil partnership ceremony in The Rock’s history. Tying the knot at Gibraltar Registry Office was a double celebration for Nadine and Alicia Muscat whose court battle for gay housing rights lead to a landmark ruling in 2009 that now recognises the rights of same-sex couples to a government tenancy. “I am truly delighted that people of the same sex finally have the opportunity to have their relationships recognised in the eyes of the law,” commented Samantha Sacramento, Minister for Equality and Social Services.

“It is also very fitting that our first couple are the same people who made history by challenging the establishment in asserting their rights to a joint Government tenancy. To take on such a challenge as individuals can't have been easy but it was important that they did.”

Sin-Free Treats If you like to eat healthily but still crave the sinful stuff, help is at hand.

Low-fat banoffee pie, low-carb triple chocolate layer cake and high protein Malteasers are just a taster of the sticky treats being conjured up by The Muscle Bakery. They’re made from healthy alternative ingredients so they're better for your well-being and (in moderation) your waistline too. Sisters Elke and Grettel Hurtado and Inger Cruz got cooking last year and their wide-ranging repertoire of sweet and savoury sin-free edibles are selling like hot cakes. Says Elke: “We started experimenting with healthy, high-protein recipes and using alternative like dates as sweeteners and there was such demand, we're taking orders for people with special dietary needs too.” The girls deliver throughout Gibraltar and selected local bakeries will be selling their goodies soon. To indulge with a clear conscience. g Check out The Muscle Bakery on Facebook/www.themusclebakery.com

Classic Vehicle Rally Sassy automobiles from today and yesteryear took part in the 12th International Gibraltar Classic Vehicle Rally at Casemates Square.

Sleek sports cars and veteran vehicles dating from the early days of motoring, including marques like Austin, Mercedes, Rolls Royce, Bentley, Jaguar and Mini, paraded Main Street before cheering spectators. The Gibraltar Classic Vehicle Association was born in 2001 from a group of classic car enthusiasts who meet up regularly for outings and rallies. The club numbers some 120 members and 90 vehicles. “We saw another great selection of cars and motorbikes this year and a spirit of camaraderie abounded,” said Association President Howard Danino.

“We welcome new members and anyone can join our Facebook group, whether to receive the latest updates or participate actively.”

g www.gibraltarclassiccar.com

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THE PRO business

Why Shopping in Gibraltar Rocks W

hen people talk about shopping in Gibraltar, they generally mean ‘duty free’. If they later discover they could have paid the same, or less, in Spain or Britain they feel cheated. Gibraltar is VAT-free, which should mean an instant 20/21 per cent saving respectively on prices in Spain or Britain but it’s not that straight-forward.

That said, there are bargains to be found if you shop around.

Most people are unaware of the infinite variety to be found in a British Territory smaller than East Grinstead! Traders cater for Gibraltar’s multicultural residents, as well as visitors from all over the world, so whether you’re looking for a rare perfume, an exclusive brand of gin, specialist wines, Havana cigars, authentic Indian spices or kosher ingredients, you’ll stand a good chance of finding them here.

“Shoppers coming to Gibraltar are sometimes surprised that prices of some goods are more expensive than the UK,” says Gibraltar Chamber of Commerce’s Chief Executive, Edward Macquisten. “Local shops don’t have the buying power of huge retail chains like Tesco or online retailers like Amazon. Also, there’s the cost of shipping goods. Many

products attract Import Duty which ranges from 3-12 per cent of the CIF value (cost of product + insurance + freight).

“On the plus side though, the range and availability of different lines is unrivalled.

Many traders have been in business for decades and carry a specialist stock to cater for regular international clients which you wouldn’t always find back home.

And of course, there are many goods and brands which are cheaper than both the UK and Spain.”

Bartering is still accepted practice in some shops. “The bazaar mentality still exists and you may be able to get an additional discount, especially on precious stones and jewellery as there are many shops competing,” says Macquisten.

Walking through Main Street is a cultural tour as well as a retail experience. History oozes from every Portuguese tile, Genoese window shutter and British wrought-iron balcony. Main Street is lined with quirky emporia and you pass at least nine historic monuments en route, including The Convent, the Governor’s official residence, where you might catch a Changing of the Guard ceremony.

There’s none of the sense of déjà vu you get in a typical British high street which look so alike, with a Smiths next to a Mango next to a Zara… the so-called Clone Towns. A 2010 report by the New Economics Foundation found that 41 per cent of British shopping centres had lost their individuality, with big chains outnumbering independent outlets. Cambridge was named the most cloned town in Britain with only nine types of shop in its high street!

Gibraltar is a British high street with knobs on: not only household names like M & S, BHS, Top Shop and Mango but added extras too. At Gibraltar Crystal in Casemates Square you can watch a demonstration of glass blowing and design your own wine glass as part of your shopping experience.

It’s a tourist attraction as well as a retail outlet with an online store exporting its hand-blown glassware all over the world.

The Rock also has its fair share of British pubs, trendy pavement cafés and leafy squares where you can rest your feet and your shopping bags. It’s Oxford Street with a Mediterranean twist but far less of a schlep!

www.gibraltarchamberofcommerce.com

If you’re contemplating some serious retail therapy, Gibraltar’s quirky shops and unrivalled product variety add spice to the VAT-free price savings, writes Belinda Beckett.

Shopping Tips Z BEST BUYS Perfumes, cosmetics, wines, spirits and tobacco. Import duty has been halved to 3% on sunglasses and mobile phones, reduced to 4.5% on jewellery and exempted on gemstones, sports equipment, educational items, bicycle spares, fishing tackle, binoculars, camera cases and marine fuel.

Z ALLOWANCES Gibraltar falls outside the Customs Union so you can bring in less to Spain or the UK than from another EU country. (Details in the Travellers Entering the EU section of ec.europa.eu). New rules to combat tobacco smuggling restrict people living within a 15km radius of Gibraltar to four packets monthly.

Z SPENDING MONEY Sterling or credit/debit card is best. Most shopkeepers will accept other currencies as a convenience. There’s no minimum or maximum exchange markup but shops incur bank charges too, so ask what their rate is first. It should be no more than 15% above the bank rate.

Z EXCHANGING GOODS Gibraltar’s ‘chain’ stores are franchises operating independently of their British counterparts so you’re unlikely to get a refund on Gibraltar purchases elsewhere. The rules for gift vouchers vary, so always ask.

Z OPENING TIMES Shops generally open from 9/10am to 6/7pm and don’t close for lunch. Morrisons (8am-10pm) is the only store open on Sundays (8am-8pm). Most chains open all day Saturday but some smaller shops close at 1pm.

Z AVOIDING THE QUEUE Go early, leave early! Or pay one euro to park on the waste land beside the frontier in Spain. Buses into town run on the hour and every 15 minutes. Check the queue status at www.frontierqueue.gi or the Royal Gibraltar Police Twitter account, @RG Police. e

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THE LEISURE travel

Walking the Great Wall of China

Known to many of us from iconic tourist posters and historic Sino-American diplomatic missions, the Great Wall of China is an astounding feat of human engineering that stretches for over 21,000 kilometres along the traditional northern frontier of China. Begun as far back as the seventh century BC, it originally consisted of a series of separate walls that were later joined together and fortified in order to create a cohesive defensive barrier against the marauding nomadic warriors that had plagued China for so long.

Standing on this magnificent structure, which passes a little north of Beijing, you will marvel not only at the dedication required to complete such an immense task as you follow the wall’s undulations eastwards into Manchuria and westwards towards the deserts north of the Himalayas, but also at the battles that must have been fought here. The Great Wall finally protected Han China, behind you as you face north, and allowed it to become a great expansive empire in its own right, while the fearsome Mongols who roamed the arid lands of Inner Mongolia were forced to turn their attention westwards.

As a result, they swept across much of the Eurasian landmass, laying waste not only to European cities but also to Baghdad, the Persian Empire and even India. It is believed that the mass movements of people this produced contributed to the fall of civilisations, among them the Roman Empire. Such thoughts may or may not cross your mind as you stand on a structure that can be seen from space, at the heart of a civilisation that remains exotic and exciting to us, and in a location close to China’s ancient capital Beijing.

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Trips of a

Lifetime

WORDS MICHEL CRUZ PHOTOGRAPHY © SHUTTERSTOCK

Diving in the Great Barrier Reef

The other ‘Great’ wonder of the world is the Great Barrier Reef, a system of tropical islands and coral reefs that stretches for 2,300 kilometres just off the east coast of Queensland, Australia. Unlike the Great Wall of China, this earthly wonder is entirely natural. Though also created by living organisms, in this case coral polyps, it forms part of a protected natural area known as the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Tourism is limited, yet this natural wonder of the world has become a paradise for divers, yachtsmen, fishermen and others drawn to its turquoise tropical waters and little islands. From the coastal resorts in central and northern Queensland, Cairns among them, it is a relatively short trip to the islands, where you can join fellow divers and marvel at some of the most awe-inspiring underwater beauty to be experienced anywhere in the world.

We all dream of making what we call trips of a lifetime, voyages that would see us roaming the earth’s latitudes, visiting exotic new places, meeting new people and exploring those wonders that will stay with us forever. While the choice and definition may vary from person to person, here is an enticing selection inspired by TripAdvisor.

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Ballooning in Cappadocia Most people may not know where this exotically named place is, much less why you’d want to fly over it in a balloon, but believe me, it’s well worth it. To say that Cappadocia is situated on the plains of Central Anatolia might not help that much, until you clarify that this is the heartland of Turkey, a little east of its capital city Ankara. The reason for this region’s popularity among tourists in the know is the fairytale nature of its highly eroded landscape, where such features as Fairy Chimneys appear to come straight out of the set of a Lord of the Rings movie.

In fact they are the result of chemical (water-based) erosion of the soft rock that underlies this plateau, a process that has created not only a fantastical and very beautiful landscape that can best be appreciated from the air, but also has enabled successive civilisations to hew entire villages and towns into the rock walls. Long at the crossroads of classic civilisations and empires, this peaceful rural region is rich in troglodyte settlements complete with imposing temples cut into the rock face.

Easily reached from the nearest large city of Kayseri, the area is also known for its pretty rural villages perched on the edge of rock formations and the thermal baths of Kozakli. The changing tonality of sunlight creates a mesmerising play of light on this rocky landscape that evolves from light grey to soft pink as you glide by soundlessly in the balloons that have become a popular addition to the local scenery, adding to mountain trekking, quad biking, horse riding, culinary tours and visiting ancient Christian fortress churches before retiring to the hamam for some Turkish bath pampering.

Journeying to the edge of the Niagara Falls Another iconic global image, but did you know that the Niagara Falls is actually made up of three waterfalls, not one?

Well, you would if you’ve been, in which case you’d also remember the exhilaration of standing or indeed heading out in a boat close to the thunderous roar and spray of this awe-inspiring curtain of water. The gorge into which all this water flows also marks the boundary between the USA and Canada, splitting as it does the town of Niagara Falls into an American and a Canadian side.

Though visiting this famous site alongside many North American and international tourists will hardly make you feel like an intrepid explorer, this won’t stop your heart from going into overdrive – especially as your boat gets within ear-deafening and spray-wetting proximity to the amazing cavalcade of water towering over 50 metres above you. And when it’s all over and you’ve visited the parks and sights of the area, then you can always hop across to nearby Toronto or New York for some big-city excitement.

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Viewing Venice from a Gondola Less of an adventure but every bit as much of an assault on the senses is Venice, that crystalline city of ephemeral beauty and romance reflected in the mirror of its watery avenues. Floating through these avenues on a traditional gondola is a time-honoured pleasure that relives the Grand Tour and floods your soul with an appreciation of art, history and yes, romance. Venice has a beauty that is enchanting, and if you can look past the tourists and the cruise ships gliding in from the Adriatic Sea then this is a place where you can lose yourself in solitary contemplation of the wonders of man and nature.

Venice is very much the product of both; a living, breathing open-air collection of mesmerising palaces, cathedrals, villas, squares, bridges and other architectural jewels set upon a crystal landscape of watery surrealism, where you can easily become a character in a painting by Renoir. For lovers of art, culture, the palpable presence of times past and the fleeting nature of beauty as personified by a city, Venice remains a unique proposition.

Triangles in the sand The Pyramids of Giza When you speak of famous ancient wonders of the world you simply cannot resist the pyramids of Giza. Situated a short distance from the sprawling metropolis of Cairo, near the city of El Giza, they represent the mysterious majesty of one of the world’s most captivating ancient civilisations. How the world must have fallen, for even today, with all our computers and technology, we cannot decipher all the mysteries and techniques that went into the building of these magnificent structures and their many hidden mechanisms over 4,500 years ago.

The proximity of a noisy Egyptian city detracts from the serenity of this incredible sight, but the three pyramids collected here continue to cast a spell that hits the very core as you stand at the base of a perfect geometric structure that is not only massive but ancient.

To think that the desert winds have chafed these very stone blocks since long before the Romans, soaring back to a time when civilisation was young and Pharaohs ruled the fertile banks of the mighty Nile cannot but make this a very special place and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

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Temples in the clouds Machu Picchu Set high in the Andes Mountains of Peru, on a grassy ridge almost 2,500 metres above sea level, Machu Picchu is another mysterious remnant of a lost civilisation.

The Incas who built this mountaintop town of sprawling stone houses and temples that almost seem to touch the clouds may have gone, but they live on in the faces of the local people. Lost after the conquest of the Inca Empire by the Spanish conquistadores, Machu Picchu was found by the American historian Hiram Bingham in 1911.

You can imagine his reaction as this majestic vision came into view, a town terraced on the very edge of a ridge surrounded by vertical peaks and valleys. In this vertiginous world of

mountainous isolation the condors fly overhead, the clouds envelop you and the atmosphere is profoundly spiritual – leaving none who make the trek up the Andes to see one of the planet’s greatest wonders entirely untouched. If you love exploration and mystery, Machu Picchu ticks many boxes and will imprint itself in your memory forever.

Taj Mahal An earthly paradise In building this mausoleum to his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the Moghul Emperor Shah Jahan not only created one of the greatest masterpieces of classical architecture, but also a veritable earthly paradise for the spirit of his beloved to dwell in. Completed in the 17th century, it is another of these edifices that seem to transcend the ordinary brick and mortar of man and appear to have been crafted by the gods themselves.

Small wonder, then, that it exercises such an attraction on millions of visitors, princesses included.

You needn’t be a student of architecture or art to be impressed by this manmade marvel, nor is a romantic predisposition a requirement, for seeing it reflected in the perspective pool of its water features or the Yamuna River is enough to take your breath away. For those who have travelled through India to come here it will also feel like a peaceful oasis surrounded by parks and the flowery fragrances of an earthly paradise far removed from the affairs of mortals.

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Visiting mountain gorillas in Ruhengeri

Well, you won’t see mountain gorillas in the town of Ruhengeri, but in the nearby Volcanoes National Park. Bordering similar protected areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, it lies between two large lakes in the northwest of Rwanda. Though most of us know this region for war and genocide, its natural highland setting endows it with rich volcanic soil, a moderate climate and abundant green vegetation. Just the place for mountain gorillas, who love the protection of forested areas within the protected nature reserve, where groups of scientists and conservationists jealously guard and study the small pockets of animals that remain in the wild.

High population growth, pollution and habitat loss are the main threats along with poaching and wars, but those who do have the gumption to visit, contribute greatly to the valiant conservation work done here. Moreover, they will find it a safe and hugely rewarding experience, with guided visits enabling tourists to get close up to these human-like apes with their beautiful eyes as they learn about their habits and quirks. Being this close to such intelligent and fascinating creatures within a beautiful natural environment must count as a lifetime experience that transcends mere tourism.

Lighting up the sky Aurora Borealis The last in our selection of oncein-a-lifetime trips also ranks as the most otherworldly, for the aurora borealis – or Northern Lights – are a natural phenomenon straight out of a science fiction movie. How they must have spooked our ancestors, because even though we now know that the eerie lightshow that plays out in the northern skies is made up of charged particles carried by solar wind into the upper layers of

the earth’s atmosphere, it still looks pretty scary.

Add the snapping noises that are sometimes said to accompany the strange green or occasionally red glow that colours the night sky, and this certainly is an occasion you won’t forget in a hurry. Best seen in places like northern Norway or Iceland during the spring and autumn equinoxes, the Northern Lights sometimes shimmer from

shape to shape while on other occasions glowing intact for hours on end. Taken with the expansive, empty landscapes of these boreal northern latitudes, it makes for an otherworldly mirage undiluted by a mass human presence, which highlights just how connected we are with the outer space our planet hurtles through all the time. In other words, it is a trip of a lifetime that puts it all into perspective. e

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RESTAURANTS / REVIEWS / NEWS / WINE / CHEFS / GUIDE

The Sky Lounge, Sunborn’s sophisticated new restaurant, offers a unique dining experience, seven decks above the water – we hope you enjoy our review of this sophisticated new culinary haven. Meanwhile, if you’re up for the perfect wine to watch the sunset with, why not try a cool Albariño from Rías Baixas or a glass or two of Excellens Rosé?

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Local Restaurant Guide

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THE GOURMET restaurant

SKY RESTAURANT

A Taste of the High Life!

Sunborn Yacht Hotel’s Sky Restaurant is raising the gastronomic game in Gibraltar and it will float your boat, writes Belinda Beckett.

PHOTOGRAPHY JAYDEN FA

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ou haven’t tasted a margarita until you’ve tried one seven decks up over water, beneath a canopy of stars. My glass is filled to the brim and not a drop spilt. (The cocktail menu’s the only ‘list’ on this super-yacht which floats without the motion of the ocean!) The Sky Restaurant’s piquant cilantro and chilli version has to be sampled; preferably from a high stool beside the ship’s rails where you can look down on the Ocean Village landlubbers and channel your inner Abramovich. The service is stellar too. You feel like it’s your super-yacht and, in a way, for one night, it is.

This is not just ‘going out to dinner’ (or lunch); it’s the full-on super-yacht experience, all for the price of a meal (and not exorbitantly-priced, by five-star hotel standards). The wow factors pile on from the moment you set foot on the red-carpeted gangway. A dapper concierge accompanies you across the magnificent marble foyer with its crystal chandelier to the scenic glass lifts. Watch the other yachts shrink to the size of bathtub toys as you shoot up past Ocean Village Casino’s offices where a few weary executives are still hunched over their desks.

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Step out on Deck 3 for the sumptuous Sapphire cocktail lounge or take it to the top.

Sky Restaurant seats 137 diners and, with floorto-ceiling windows on two sides, everyone gets an ocean outlook. The big attraction – the retractable roof – is subject to the caprices of the weather but if it’s not too hot, cold or windy, you’ll also enjoy Planetarium views of the firmament. Silvery room dividers mimicking water bubbles create intimate dining areas in this large luminous space. Sink into a cosy bar sofa, grab a high stool by the ships rails or head aft to the infinity pool and terrace bar beneath the Rock’s emblematic limestone peak. At dusk, don’t miss the free show on the foredeck, when the sky turns Bellini cocktail peach as the sun dips behind Africa’s Riff mountains.

With 42-year-old Executive Chef Johan Rox from Holland at the helm, I’m expecting the cuisine to make waves. He’ll be shooting for a Michelin star when the fine dining restaurant opens next year.

Johan, a head chef at 23, has worked all over the world for Hilton Hotels, latterly at the Waldorf Hilton during the London Olympics. Sophisticated dishes like steak tartar with cornichons and crispy shallots, and beetroot carpaccio with pistachio-glazed goats cheese showcase his five-star creativity. Travelling down the menu, past pan-fried red mullet with black olive polenta and salmon with chorizo-spiced lentils, I spot beefburgers (100 per cent ground beef with all the trimmings, por supuesto).

There’s also a choice of grilled meats, vegetarian options and a children’s menu. “We’re catering to both the local and international market so you’ll find Andalusian dishes, British specialities and notes of north Africa,” says Johan, whose 23-chef brigade is

drawn from Latin America, Europe and north Africa.

We began our voyage of discovery with Spanish gazpacho, given a cosmopolitan twist with crème fraîche, croutons and micro herbs; and fresh green asparagus topped with a perfectly-poached free range egg and truffle oil Hollandaise, a dish that could hold its own in any top London restaurant. For mains we crossed to the Antipodes and Africa with tender rack of lamb in a rich red wine sauce and seared duck breast, served on a slate with apple chutney, spiced couscous and cucumber yogurt dip. The wine list is equally international with many recognisable names for under £20. Extra brownie points for including a cheese plate: a selection of Spain’s best, served with fig chutney and walnut bread, giving the perfect excuse to order a glass of port. The chocolate mousse with salted caramel and raspberry sorbet was also too tempting to resist.

The flavour combinations and presentation were spot on for every course. Even the sweet warm rolls and butter were delicious.

Menus change seasonally although sourcing fresh produce on a barren rock is a tough call (the fish is from Gibraltar but the lamb’s from New Zealand, the beef from Argentina, the mariscos from Madrid). Johan has managed to pull a rabbit out of a hat (and he can get that too). He’s found lavender growing on the Upper Rock. I can’t wait to see what he does with it!”

Sky Restaurant is fast becoming the new ‘in place’ for business lunches, English cream teas and Sunday brunch (carvery + all-you-can-eat starter and dessert buffets for £32) and it’s worth staying the night just for the magnificent buffet breakfast!

Sunborn Gibraltar may be at permanent anchor but this super-yacht’s going places. Johan and his team are taking the local dining experience into uncharted waters and the forecast’s set fair.

g Sky Restaurant at Sunborn Gibraltar, Ocean Village. Reservations, Tel: +350 200 165 00 6/26/14 2:53 PM

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Grapes, ready for the picking at Pazo de Señoráns

THE GOURMET wine

Wine making at Pazo de Señoráns

The Pazo de Señoráns bodega

BENCHMARKS

of the Rías

Baixas

WORDS CARLOS READ PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF FEFIÑANES, XURXO LOBATO, PAZO DE SEÑORÁNS AND TERRAS GAUDA

The beautiful vineyards at Terras Gauda

Beautiful and alluring Galicia, the logical extension of Portugal, is roughly the size of Belgium with picturesque coastlines west and north and a scenic, forested interior with breathtaking mountains and a network of major rivers that run through impressive gorges.

A bottle of Trisquel Albariño

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© Xurxo Lobato

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t rains a lot and there is little industry other than wood-based ones and of course fishing and its offshoots.

Galicians are consequently famous migrants: check out the popular song Hay un gallego en la luna; though they invariably return home – one famous exception being Fidel Castro’s dad Ángel.

Meanwhile, as well as playing the bagpipes, and speaking their own language (akin to Portuguese but with simpler grammar and more than the odd Celtic word thrown in), galegos drink three times more wine than they produce despite having 5 Denominations of Origin, and are particularly partial to the tart and astringent (red) Mencías produced inland which go very nicely super chilled with the often rather fatty home reared pork dishes.

The most famous region is Rías Baixas (the lower fjords), established in 1988 and now spanning five diverse areas.

This started life as a grape specific (Albariño) DO in 1980, with production almost entirely centred in the Salnés Valley where the average altitude is 300 metres and the thin, acidic soils lie over granite. Once thought to be Riesling – perhaps because of the monastic traffic from Northern Europe to Santiago de Compostela (and also perhaps because of the petrolly character it can take on when very mature) – it is now regarded as an indigenous grape variety in its own right and is so popular that the number of producers soared from 14 to 161 between 1987 and 2001.

PALACIO DE FEFIÑANES The central square of Cambados, capital of the Salnés Valley, is

A bottle of Albariño D Fefiñanes

dominated by the Palacio de Fefiñanes and inside you’ll find a modern winery tucked into its slightly cramped cloisters.

The first winery to bottle Albariño back in 1928, owner Juan Gil, Marqués de Figueroa, continues to source his grapes from some 66 historic local families and craft wines of notable delicacy. The straightforward Albariño de Fefiñanes is all white peach, white flower and salt flavours with a lime-like core when young together with delicate, pervasive apple overtones; 1583 (the year the Palace was re-built) is part barrel-fermented and aged for extra weight (the impression is not one of oak); and the pricy Tercer Año, lees-aged for about a year for complexity and depth, is essentially a single tank made from the fruit of his best half-dozen growers.

GERARDO MÉNDEZ Gerardo and his daughter Encarna run this tiny high quality operation from their 19th century traditional granite farmhouse or pazo, and their wines are called Do Ferreiro in homage to Gerardo’s father, who was a blacksmith.

Five hectares of vineyards surround the family house and a further seven or so, under contract, are spread around the municipality of Meaño, just 10 minutes inland from Cambados. It is appreciably warmer here in summer and the famous coastal fogs don’t get this far.

The ‘ordinary’ Albariño do Ferreiro is a vibrant minerally lemon offering with elements of white pepper, excellent acidity and a layered, appley core; whereas the limited production Cepas Vellas made not every year from a single hectare of centenary vines, is appreciably broader,

richer, and more substantial with a core of pure lemon and just a tang of salt.

PAZO DE SEÑORANS This truly spectacular 16th century estate with its immaculate eight hectares of vineyards and lavish gardens is a favourite wedding venue for those who can afford it. Some 18 kilometres inland from Cambados, it is owned and run by charming and determined mum Marisol (first president of the DO) and her daughter Vicky. The young style is a joy – lush and lemony with good energy and acidity – and often improves for up to three years.

TERRAS GAUDA One hour south, inland, and just north of Miño River – the natural Portuguese border – is the sub region of O Rosal.

Warm and therefore producing riper styles, the soil here is schist, and they also grow Loureiro (mega floral) and Caiño (high in acid; good for structure and mouth feel). This is the biggest producer and winemaker, and Technical Director, Emilio Rodríquez, passionately mollycoddles his 160 hectares of vineyards, which are often visited by petite marauding wild horses from the hills who also find his grapes tasty. Recommended here: Abadía de San Campio – sprightly mid weight Albariño with energetic floral/ honeysuckle and lime elements; Terras Gauda itself – all three varieties; richer, honeyed, but elegant with notes of lemon, tangerine, white fruits, some mineral tang and a hint of lavender; and La Mar – a pure, opulent Caiño of concentrated tangerine character with a slightly salty mineral tang. e

The stately Palacio de Fefiñanes

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THE GOURMET wine Excellens Rosé 2013 Tasting Notes

65% Garnacha, 20% Tempranillo, 15% Viura Vivid pale pink colour. Refined, fragrant bouquet with floral notes. Nicely balanced in the mouth where delicate flavours of red berries and raspberries delight the palate with pleasant and refreshing vivacity.

An ideal match for Mediterranean cuisine, barbecues and open-air parties, vegetables sautéed in olive oil, paella, pasta, and lightly spiced dishes (thyme, laurel, oregano, etc).

The perfect rosé for fish, pork and chicken. It will even brighten up your table in the winter season. Surprisingly fresh, this is a versatile rosé that marries superbly with all kinds of food. Serve at 8-10°C

Wine-making process

EXCELLENS ROSÉ

by Marqués de Cáceres

The wine is made from Garnacha, Tempranillo and Viura grapes. The main grape, Garnacha, comes from vines planted on the uplands where the climate is cooler. Then, some carefully selected Viura grapes are added to obtain a delicately-coloured must that ferments in stainless steel tanks at slightly lower temperatures than usual, between 15-17°C.

Light pale pink rosés are fast becoming a trend and Marqués de Cáceres has recently introduced its stylish new Excellens Rosé 2013!

WORDS ROCIO CORRALES, ANGLO HISPANO PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF BODEGAS MARQUÉS DE CÁCERES

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ast month, Anglo Hispano held a wine and tapas pairing evening at the Sunborn Hotel in conjunction with the well-known bodega Marqués de Cáceres and in the company of Anne Vallejo, PR and Marketing Manager. The recently launched new wines of this bodega were presented, including the outstanding new Excellens Rosé. This is a must have among the Rosés for its fresh taste, for its lovely design and for its excellent price. The Excellens range, which also includes a red, can also be found in many leading restaurants. Other interesting new wines tasted that evening included the new Marqués de Cáceres Verdejo from Rueda, the Deusa Nai Albariño from Rías Baixas and the Excellens Cuvée red wine, among others.

The Marqués de Cáceres brand, which is of international renown, was founded in 1970 by Enrique Forner, at Cenicero in the heart of Rioja Alta. Cenicero means ashtray in Spanish and it is interesting to think that such a wide range of wines is produced and exported worldwide from this region.

Enrique Forner retired in 2007, passing on the responsibility of the company to his daughter Cristina, who has the loyal support of a highly professional team that have participated in promoting the bodega from the outset. With this family heritage and having dedicated 28 years to working in exports and in other relevant areas of

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the company, Cristina works hard to spread their distribution beyond the 120 countries to which they already export, as well as their presence in the Spanish market.

Prestigious oenologists have supported and co-operated with the bodega. These include Emile Peynaud, who was Enrique Forner’s right-hand man from the creation of the bodega until 1992, and now, his successor, Michel Rolland. Both have contributed towards positioning the bodega within the wine sector as a leading company in innovation and wine technology.

Marqués de Cáceres is so successful that it has been recognised in various studies as both Spain’s and Rioja’s most international brand of quality wines. For example, the Forum of Renowned Spanish Brands ranks the bodega among the most renowned and well-known wine brands worldwide.

The wines are sold in Spain (approximately half of the production) and abroad with exports to numerous countries. The USA, UK, Norway, Mexico, France, Belgium, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland and Ireland represent the top ten markets (in volume). The distribution of exports is approximately 52 per cent to Europe, 30 per cent to North America, 15 per cent to Latin America and the Caribbean, two per cent to Asia Pacific and 1 per cent to the Middle East and Africa.

g Available at Anglo Hispano, 5/7 Main Street, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 77210, www.anglo.gi, www.marquesdecaceres.com 6/26/14 2:50 PM

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restaurants All’s Well Bar & Restaurant

Gallo Nero

Maharaja Indian Restaurant

solo express

Unit 4, Casemates Square, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 72987

56/58 Irish Town, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 77832

5 Tuckey’s Lane, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 50733

Casemates Square, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 62828

BEAN & gone cafe

Gatsby’s

Mamma Mia

Taps Bar

20 Engineers Lane, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 65334

1 /3 Watergardens 1, Waterport Ave, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 76291

Unit C, Boyd Street, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 64444

5 Ocean Village Promenade, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 67575

Mons calpe suite

Gibraltar Arms

Top of The Rock, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 79478

Theatre Royal Bar & Restaurant

Bianca’s 6/7 Admiral’s Walk, Marina Bay, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 73379

Bistro Madeleine 256 Main Street, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 65696

Bridge Bar & Grill Leisure Island, Ocean Village, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 66446

Bruno’s Unit 3, Trade Winds, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 68444

Cafe Rojo 54 Irish Town, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 51738

Cafe Solo Grand Casemates Square 3, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 44449

Cannon Bar 27 Cannon Lane, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 77288

184 Main Street, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 72133

Ipanema Unit 11, Ocean Village Promenade, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 216 48888

Jumpers Wheel Restaurant 20 Rosia Road, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 40052

Jury’s Cafe & Wine Bar 275 Main Street, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 67898

Khan’s 7/8 Watergardens, Waterport, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 50015

Kowloon Restaurant 20 Watergardens III, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 42771

La Mamela

Mumbai curry house

60 Governor’s Street, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 51614

Ground floor, Block 1 Eurotowers, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 73711

The Chargrill Restaurant at Gala Casino

Nunos

Gala Casino, Ocean Village, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 76666

The Caleta Hotel, Catalan Bay, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 76501

O’Reilly’s Leisure Island, Ocean Village, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 67888

Piccadilly Garden Bar

The Clipper 78 Irish Town, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 79791

The Cuban

3B Rosia Rd, Gibraltar Tel. +350 200 75758

21B The Promenade, Ocean Village, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 67889

Pizza Express

the island

Unit 17, Ocean Village, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 50050

27 Leisure Island, Ocean Village, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 66666

Pizzaghetti

the ivy sports bar & grill

Sir Herbert Miles Road, Catalan Bay, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 72373

1008 Eurotowers, Europort Avenue, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 63868

Latino’s Diner

Restaurante Nunos Italiano

The Landings Restaurant

Casa Pepe

194/196 Main Street, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 46660

15 Ragged Staff Wharf, Queensway Quay, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 66100

Unit 18, Queensway Quay Marina, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 46967

Latinos Music Bar and Restaurant

Caleta Hotel, Sir Herbert Miles Road, Catalan Bay, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 76501

Champion’s Planet Bar & Grill

9 Casemates Square, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 47755

Rooftop Bistro, O’Callaghan Eliott Hotel

Europa Road, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 73000x The Royal Calpe, 176 Main Street.

Tel: +350 200 75890

Casa Brachetto 9 Chatham Counterguard, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 48200

Unit 2B, The Tower, Marina Bay, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 46668

Charlie’s Steakhouse & Grill 4/5 Britannia House, Marina Bay, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 69993

Corks Wine Bar 79 Irish Town, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 75566

El Patio Unit 11, Casemates Square, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 40713

El Pulpero Unit 12A Watergardens, Waterport, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 44786

La Parrilla 17/18 Watergardens, Block 6, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 66555

Laziz Sail 2.2, Ocean Village Marina, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 40971

Le Bateau 14 Ragged Staff Wharf, Queensway Quay, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 66420

Lek Bangkok Unit 50 1/3, Block 5, Eurotowers, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 48881

4 Stagioni

Little Rock Restaurant & Bar

16/18 Saluting Battery, Rosia Road, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 79153

Casemates Square, Gibraltar Tel +350 200 51977

Governor’s Parade, Gibraltar +350 200 70500

Roy’s Cod Place 2/2 Watergate House, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 76662

Sacarello’s Cafe-Restaurant 57 Irish Town, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 70625

Seawave Bar 60 Catalan Bay Village, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 78739

Solo Bar & Grill Unit 15, 4 Eurotowers, Europort Avenue, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 62828

13a Ocean Village, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 68222

The Rock Hotel Restaurant

The Trafalgar Bar 1a Rosia Road, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 45370

The Waterfront 4/5 Ragged Staff Wharf, Queensway Quay, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 45666

Tunnel Bar Restaurant Casemates Square, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 44878

Verdi Verdi Unit G10, International Commercial Centre, Main Street, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 60733

82 / JULY/AUGUST 2014 ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM

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