Essential Gibraltar May/June 2015

N º13 - MAY/JUNE 2015

COMPLIMENTARY EDITION

I S S U E 1 3 • M AY/ J U N E 2 0 1 5

Gibraltar Then & Now History

TITO VALLEJO

WITH

essential essential magazine® gibraltar

ESSENTIAL FOR LUXURIOUS LIVING

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GIBRALTAR

Midtown Marvel WARTIME EVACUATIONS THE GARRISON

Library & Dr. Jennifer

PERERA

La Dolce VITA

Expo Milan

2015

Alfa Romeo

4C SPORTS COUPÉ

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 13 • May / June 2015

S T A F F PUBLISHER AND DIRECTOR

YEARS

GENERAL MANAGER

ANDREA BÖJTI sales@essentialmagazine.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

MARISA CUTILLAS editorial@essentialmagazine.com

GIBRALTAR EDITORIAL

U ANNIVERSARY U

IAIN BLACKWELL director@essentialmagazine.com

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contents The Trend Cinema 14 Home Viewing 16 Music News 18 Books 20 The New Alfa Romeo 4C Sports CoupĂŠ 22 Technology: Smart Watches 24

The Local Wartime Evacuation in Gibraltar 26 Gibraltar: Then and Now 32 The Gibraltar Garrison Library 38 Dr. Jennifer Ballantine Perera 42 Tito Vallejo Smith 44

The Focus La Dolce Vita 46 Leonardo Da Vinci 50

The Style 52 Fashion: Riani 58 Fashion News 60 Beauty: Superfoods

The Pro 62 Enterprise 68 Property: BMI Property Update 70 Business Profile: Midtown: Ăœber-chic Urban Living with a Trans-Atlantic Twist 71 Business Profile: Sunborn Gibraltar Opens New Casino

The Leisure 72 World Expo Milan 2015

The Gourmet 78 Bay View Lounge 80 Wine Pairings 82 Restaurant Guide

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WORDS BY IAIN BLACKWELL

publisher’s letter

HISTORY in the Making

W

elcome to our commemorative edition of Gibraltar in which we turn back the hands of time and relive the Gibraltar Evacuations, which took place 75 years ago this summer, in 1940. In the related photographic feature, Then and Now, we show how some of the Rock’s most recognisable landmarks have changed over the years. We also visit the Gibraltar Garrison Library and interview its Director, Dr. Jennifer Ballantine Perera, and we talk with acknowledged local history expert, Tito Vallejo Smith.

As an accompanying theme, we invite you to visit Iconic Italy; indeed, few countries can match it for the refinement of its architecture and design, the sophistication of its style and culture and the diversity of its food, and we pay homage

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to La Bella Italia, the land of love, inspired by Milan Expo 2015, commencing its six month run from 1st May. In this issue, you will also be able to read the latest on Gibraltar’s new Casino onboard the Sunborn, savour the delicacies on offer at the new Bay View Bistro at the Caleta Hotel, read about local property developments, and catch up on Gibraltar business news, courtesy of our regular section, Local Enterprise.

Elsewhere, don’t miss our revealing preview on Smart Watches, as you consider the exciting shape of things to come.

Arrivederci!

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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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There is Something for Everyone...

Bringing Music to Your Ears & Gibraltar to your Screen

GBC Television available on Gibraltar Freeview and gbc.gi EURO 2016 Qualifiers Live The Sports Locker Gibraltar International Song Festival Project Choir Rock Chef Calentita Food Festival Profiles The Hub The Powder Room Viewpoint Full schedule at gbc.gi

Radio Gibraltar

GBC Online

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

available 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 Player Radio Gibraltar Live Radio Gibraltar On Demand Latest Local News

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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

We spice up your life with a little bit of Italian flavour this month, with top reads on Italy and the stunning Alfa Romeo 4C Sports Coupé. Check out what’s new in film and home viewing releases and don’t miss our preview on the new phenomenon that will change the way we live: Smart Watches.

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14 Cinema 16

Home Viewing

18

Music News

20 Books 22

The New Alfa Romeo 4C Sports Coupé

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Technology: Smart Watches

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THE TREND cinema WORDS MARISA CUTIL

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Science Fiction

» DIRECTOR

Brad Bird (Ratatouille)

» ACTORS

George Clooney, Britt Robertson, Hugh Laurie

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» GENRE Comedy » DIRECTOR Jeremy Garelick

(Is This Your Mother?) » ACTORS Kevin Hart, Josh Gad, Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting

The Wedding Ringer

Doug is about to marry the love of his life, but there is only one thing standing in the way of a perfect wedding: he doesn’t have any friends and cannot find a best man. Luckily, he meets Jimmy, Director of The Wedding Ringer: a company dedicated to converting the dullest, gloomiest grooms in town into ‘men of the moment’. Doug and a hired group of friends embark upon a fun adventure to impress the bride and her family, unwittingly discovering that the best things in life are actually free.

» GENRE Musical » DIRECTOR Max Giwa

» GENRE Comedy » DIRECTOR Anne Fletcher

» ACTORS Hannah Arterton,

» ACTORS Reese

(StreetDance 3D)

Annabel Scholey, Greg Wise

Walking on Sunshine

After a torrid encounter with gorgeous gentleman, Raf, Maddie (who has just broken off with her boyfriend) decides to marry him in the romantic isle of Apulia in Italy. What she doesn’t know is that her sister, Taylor, lived a beautiful summer romance with Raf, whom she still considers to be the love of her life.

Worst of all, this is just one of many obstacles the young couple will have to overcome before getting hitched.

(27 Dresses)

Witherspoon, Sofia Vergara, John Carroll Lynch

Hot Pursuit

Oscar-winning actress, Reese Witherspoon, plays an inept police officer whose new assignment is to protect the widow of a drug dealer, who is about to testify against the mafia. The pint-sized policewoman may be simple, but she is resilient and her adversaries are forced to pay every time they make the mistake of underestimating her capabilities and dogged determination.

» GENRE Fantasy/Adventure » DIRECTOR Joss Whedon (Avengers) » ACTORS Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr.

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Tony Stark, the millionaire erstwhile known as Ironman, creates Ultron: an artificially intelligent machine whose job is to watch out for and solve any threats to World peace. Things go awry, however, when the robot decides that the greatest threat to the Planet, is Man, and that the species should be eradicated…

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GIBRALTAR

Buena Vista Park Villas

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LUXURY LIVING IN A EUROPEAN LOCATION WITH OVER 300 DAYS OF SUNSHINE PER YEAR

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Phase three includes 3 exclusive townhouses and 8 unique villas, with extensive customisation options, in terms of internal layouts and finishes.

All properties will have amazing sea views across the bay of Gibraltar towards Spain and across the Straits of Gibraltar to North Africa. One of the few places in the world that offers views of two continents.

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For more information contact

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THE TREND home viewing

Marisa Cutillas brings us a few of the season’s top DVD releases. »» Genre Drama/Biopic »» Director Craig Gillespie (Lars and the Real Girl) »» actors Jon Hamm, Suraj Sharma, Madhur Mittal »» IMDB Rating 7.1/10

Million Dollar Arm

The Judge

This film is based on the real-life story of JB Bernstein, a sports agent who realises that business has changed since he first started and his career is going nowhere. In a last-ditch effort to make a killing, he heads to India to find the best baseball player of the next generation. He launches a competition called The Million Dollar Arm and discovers Dinesh and Rinku, two players who don’t have the slightest idea of how to play baseball, but who do know how to throw a ball at breakneck speed.

»» Genre Drama »» Director David Dobkin (Wedding Crashers)

»» ACTORS Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall, Vera Farmiga

»» IMDB Rating 7.5/10

D RELEASE e FEATURED DV »» Genre

Thriller

»» Director

David Fincher (Fight Club)

»» Actors

Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris

»» IMDB Rating 8.2/10

Gone Girl

OF THE MONTH

mund Pike Ben Affleck and Rosa st Actress Oscar for (nominated for a Be play a young couple ) film s her role in thi it all’: good looks, a who seemingly ‘have mising careers. All pro d an beautiful home recession hits, and that changes when the uggle financially. str to s the couple begin h anniversary, On the day of their fift hands point to all d an Amy disappears bable assassin. her husband as the pro surprising and d, ce The film is quick-pa great performances excellently scripted; make it one of the and an original story year. the of s must-see film

»» Genre Comedy »» Director Luke Greenfield

(The Girl Next Door) »» Actors Damon Wayans Jr., Jake Johnson, Rob Riggle »» IMDB Rating 6.5/10

Let’s Be Cops

Talented comedic actor, Jake Johnson, plays Ryan, an unemployed ex-football player who convinces his best friend, Justin, to don a police uniform, buy a counterfeit police car online, and pretend that they are police officers, to pull the most beautiful girls in town and get in on a little real-life police action while they’re at it. It all seems like adrenalin-charge fun at first, until they get on the wrong side of the mafia and realise they are in way too deep to escape.

Robert Downey plays a hot shot lawyer who returns to his hometown and takes on the most important case of his life: defending his father, a respected Judge, who is accused of manslaughter. Duvall and Downey give spectacular performances as the father and son who adore yet fail to understand each other, precisely because they are so much alike. Both the Judge and his counsel are forced to face difficult issues from the past, including one dramatic event that has been the albatross of their relationship.

The Equalizer »» Genre Thriller »» Director Antoine Fuqua

(Training Day) »» actors Denzel Washington, Chloë Grace Moretz, Marton Csokas »» IMDB Rating 7.2/10

Denzel Washington plays Robert McCall, a mysterious man who has put his past behind him, but who is drawn to a young Russian woman who is being abused by Russian gangsters.

McCall plans the vendetta of his lifetime, putting the skills he learned as a young man to use and discovering that protecting the weak is always a cause worth fighting for.

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THE TREND music

¿QUÉ PASA? Words Rik foxx

With summer just around the corner the concert season kicks-off this month (see below) with a couple of gigs but more could be announced after our deadline, so for any late arranged gigs, check your local press by the week. At the time of writing all info on this page was correct.

And RIHANNA has been accused of plagiarism on the recent single Bitch Better Have My Money by Texas MC JUST BRITTANY who claims it “borrowed heavily” from her similarly named 2014 track Betta Have My Money. Meanwhile the Bajan beaut is putting the finishing touches to her forthcoming eighth studio LP (so that’s why she hasn’t been in trouble recently) which features FourFiveSeconds, a collaboration with producer KANYE WEST and PAUL McCARTNEY. The former BEATLE has also joined the ranks of super group the HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES to record their debut album. As we told you last month, the band includes ALICE COOPER, JOE PERRY (AEROSMITH) and JOHNNY DEPP.

Blur

Bob Dylan Mystery surrounds the slightly publicised 2015 Málaga Festival which takes place in La Cala on May 29/30. According to their site, two of the top acts, RAZORLIGHT and ALABAMA 3, are no longer playing and they are replaced by lesser known acts like Liverpool indie rockers THE ARKANES, who now top the bill on the 29th with HURRICANE #1 in support. Up and coming Liverpool mod outfit, THE UNIVERSAL, move from the 29th to the 30th along with THE CHRISTIANS. The question on many lips is will this actually take place? For more info: www.malagamusicfestival.com Also on the 30th, legendary indie rockers PLACEBO are at Málaga’s Palacio de Ferias y Congresos; and on July 8, the iconic BOB DYLAN will strum his six-string at the Palacio Municipal de Deportes in Granada. Tickets available at: www.ticketmaster.es Benicàssim (July 16 -19) update: BLUR, who released a new album, The Magic Whip, on April 27 have taken the headline act title off THE PRODIGY, more names will be added next month.

Ticket info: www.fiberfib.com FAT BOY SLIM will be spinning the wheels of steel at the Dreambeach festival on the Playa de Villaricos, Almeria on August 7/8.

Ticket info: www.dreambeach.es

KANYE WEST

Fat boy Slim

Eurovision, a competition which many European countries take seriously, will torture eardrums in Austria on May 23. Rumours circulating that guest nation Australia would be represented by KYLIE were false and their entry is the 2003 Australian Idol winner GUY SEBASTIAN with Tonight Again. Duo ELECTRO VELVET will try their luck with Still in Love with You for the UK and EDURNE GARCIA will represent Spain with Amanecer. It can be seen live on TVE1 (Spain) or BBC 1 (UK) at 21.00 CET. The Blurred Lines saga will not lie down – the lawyer for ROBIN THICKE and PHARRELL WILLIAMS intends to appeal the order.

Meanwhile the family of MARVIN GAYE are trying to milk this cash cow dry seeking to halt further sales of the song until an agreement on “how future monies that are received will be shared” and they also want the record label to cough up. His daughter has also brought to attention that the WILLIAMS’ 2013 megahit Happy sounds like her father’s 1965 classic Ain’t That Peculiar. The fined artist reckons everyone had better keep an eye on what chords they write after the court verdict: “Everything that's around you in a room was inspired by something or someone. If you kill that, there’s no creativity.”

KURT COBAIN

The ROLLING STONES are taking their strolling bones on the road in the US this month playing their classic 1971 album Sticky Fingers which has recently been re-released.

KEITH RICHARDS agrees with MICK JAGGER that the band should make a new album; the guitarist has already been laying down tracks for a third solo LP due out in September.

The much talked about KURT COBAIN documentary Montage Of Heck will be eligible for the 2016 Oscars following its cinema release and it moves from movie theatres to the small screen getting its US HBO TV premiere on May 4. Also on that date, MUMFORD & SONS release their third album, Wilder Mind, and they have ditched the banjos, an instrument they have become synonymous with.

Former members of GIRLS ALOUD are in the news, while CHERYL what’s her face moans about this, that and the other, NICOLA ROBERTS is recording a second album, as is NADINE COYLE. Meanwhile SARAH HARDING is making an appearance on UK TV soap Coronation Street.

Also heading in that direction is ED SHEERAN, who is guesting on Australia’s Home and Away. He will also be on TV at the Billboard Music Awards on May 17 where he is up for the Top Male Artist award against SAM SMITH, DRAKE, PHARRELL WILLIAMS and JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE. The ginger one recently said he has written many tunes while on the loo – so that’s why some of his songs are…

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THE TREND books

5 Books Inspired by Italy

Italy is one of the world’s most visited countries, owing to its blend of stunning architecture and stylish design, as well as its knockout gastronomy. This month, Marisa Cutillas brings readers a collection of books inspired by this sunny Mediterranean nation.

AS GOD COMMANDS BY NICCOLÒ AMMANITI

This dark, gritty, yet mesmerising novel tells the story of Rino, an unemployed alcoholic filled with prejudice, whose one redeeming quality is his great love for his 13-year-old son, Cristiano, whom he raises with a mixture of rough affection and violence. Rino hatches a plan to steal a cash machine alongside two dubious friends, but the plan goes terribly wrong and Cristiano’s hopes for a better life are crushed in one moment of violence and desperation.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ANCIENT ROME BY

ALBERTO ANGELA

This is the ideal book for those who wish to envisage the magic of the eternal city. Angela invites the reader to relive a typical day in the Rome of 115AD, ruled over by the Emperor, Trajan. The book commences in an aristocratic home, inviting us into its inner workings, from its hook-up to the nearest aqueduct, to the role played by slaves in domestic work. Out in the streets, we learn more about Roman construction and the slave trade, before being invited to witness a violent scene at the Coliseum, featuring fierce lions and doomed gladiators.

We also visit taverns, take a tour of bedrooms and salons and do a little shopping in the busy markets, teeming with life and excitement.

THE NEAPOLITAN SERIES

BY ELENA FERRANTE

Italian novelist, Elena Ferrante is often hailed as one of the best novelists of our time. Focusing on ‘small’ yet profound matters such as domestic life, family and friendship, her Neapolitan series of books (comprising My Brilliant Friend, The Story of a New Name and Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay), tracks the lives of two women born in Naples near the end of the Second World War. Elena is the obedient girl, studious and responsible, while Lila is rebellious and incorrigible. In their adulthood, Elena becomes a respectable intellectual and marries a fellow academic; Lila marries a wealthy mafia lord and gets divorced, leaving her son with ignorant, brutish neighbours while she works most of the day at a nearby factory. The novel delves into the connection between politics and domestic life, postulating that crime strikes at family, which is the root of all happiness and stability.

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME BY ANDRÉ ACIMAN

This immensely beautiful story of the nature of love and sensual desire is also one of teenage sexual awakening, set in the bejeweled Italian Riviera of the mid-1980s. Elio is a curious 17-year-old son of a renowned academic, who falls in love with Oliver, a young Professor who is visiting the family mansion to edit his manuscript. Oliver is confident, laidback and seductive, while Elio is insecure, nervous and innocent. Elio has always believed himself to be heterosexual, until, 15 minutes after meeting Oliver, he enters into a state he calls “the swoon,” and his idea of desire is irremediably changed.

IN SEARCH OF VENICE

Published by Pushkin Press, this beautifully designed box set features six works on Venice, told by the contrasting voices of Paul Morand, Régis Debray, Henry James, Arthur Schnitzler and Petr Král. The differing views on the floating city will seduce or repel you; altogether, they will provide you with many compelling reasons to visit the most romantic of cities.

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THE TREND motoring

ALFA ROMEO 4C SPORTS COUPÉ Alfa Romeo’s new 4C is the latest in a long line of sports cars that goes all the way back to 1910, when the company was just plain ‘A.L.F.A’ and entered into a partnership with the French car builder Darracq. So although the cars have always been regarded as quintessentially Italian, they actually have their roots in France. Alfa Romeo’s racing history began in Italy in 1911 when two of its cars competed in the legendary Targa Florio race in Sicily. The company became Alfa Romeo in 1920 when Nicola Romeo took charge of A.L.F.A. WORDS TONY WHITNEY PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF ALFA ROMEO

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here have been some iconic cars built by Alfa Romeo over the years, most of them with a sporting flavour. Highly successful in the world of motor racing, Alfa Romeo cars have competed in just about every formula worth the name and the accolades they’ve garnered makes for a very long list. Unknown even to many Formula One fans, Enzo Ferrari raced Alfa Romeos before he decided to build racers of his own. Classic Alfa

Romeos are highly prized by collectors and fetch very high prices at auction around the world.

With a history like that, buyers always expect a lot from Alfa Romeo products and the company usually delivers. Although today, Alfa Romeo is part of the giant Fiat empire and builds some fairly mundane family cars, it’s never quite let go of its performance background and an envied reputation for technical innovation. Even the

nomenclature of the 4C has a historic element to it since, over the decades, there have been 6Cs and 8Cs of various configurations. The number refers to the number of cylinders and thus the 4C has four pistons toiling away inside the engine block.

Don’t be put off by the fact that this car has ‘just’ four cylinders. Todays four-bangers can be highly sophisticated from an engineering standpoint and amazingly powerful.

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Z ENGINE: 1.75-litre all-aluminum four cylinder turbo.

Z TRANSMISSION: 6-speed dual clutch automatic with steering wheel shifters.

Z ACCELERATION: Zero to 100 km/h in 4.5-seconds.

Z TOP SPEED: 300 km/h, estimated.

Z I LIKED: Great looks, which, though very Although many Alfas over the years have been styled by big name Italian designers like Pininfarina and Giugiaro, the 4C was an in-house exercise. It certainly looks as good as anything the big design houses could have come up with and has very fluid lines and a combination of traditional and contemporary elements. It’s a wonderful looking sports car from just about every angle and perhaps many years from now, it will attain the fame and collectability of more historic models from the marque.

Naturally, the 4C boasts the highly distinctive nose job which might be among the most recognised in the industry. In recent years, Alfa Romeo has returned to a more traditional look for its grilles, after a period when they almost disappeared after bouts of ‘modernisation’. Atop the central grille sits the wonderful Alfa Romeo badge, again, one of the best-known car identity features anywhere. The badge is related to the arms of the city of Milan, spiritual home of the company. The symbolism of the badge goes all the way back to the Crusades of the Middle Ages.

It’s quite a small car and uses a lot of carbon fibre and aluminium to keep the weight down.

Built at the Maserati plant in Modena, the 4C was originally intended to be a limited production model, but strong European sales and a launch in the North American market have prompted Alfa Romeo to look more towards volume production. Recently, a 4C Spider was added to please buyers who prefer open cars. This is more a ‘Targa’ than a full open car as it just involves a detachable roof panel.

The engine, which drives the rear wheels in classic form, is a 1.75-litre unit developing an impressive 240-horsepower. Given this car’s lightweight, those horses are more than adequate in getting the 4C off the mark very quickly indeed and the top speed is exhilarating too. The power is easy to control with the 4C’s set of dynamic vented disc brakes, produced, of course, by Brembo, which has a storied background almost as fascinating as Alfa Romeo’s. Brembo builds brakes for F-1 cars and even for the big NASCAR series in the US. The transmission is one of the increasingly common semi-automatics which you can either leave in auto mode or shift with steering wheel mounted paddles.

The cockpit is one you ‘wear’ rather than sit in.

Once in the driver’s seat, it’s snug and comfortable and you feel part of the car. The layout is pretty businesslike and the steering wheel, with its big Milanese crest at centre, is flattened at the bottom to create more thigh space. It also looks super-cool!

The fit and finish is excellent and there’s certainly a luxurious feel about this Alfa. Of course, the fun starts when you drive off and experience the car’s agility and response. It was good to find a proper centrally located handbrake and not one of those indecisive electronic buttons so many upscale sports cars have these days. Cockpit oddment space is fair, though not too generous.

The 4C is bound to attract large numbers of buyers over the years and its styling promises to stand the test of time. For a sports car with such an illustrious name, it’s one of the most affordable out there and very few buyers will be disappointed.

modernistic, still draw something from Alfas of the past. Very light and responsive and certainly follows the company’s tradition of nimble handling and responsive acceleration.

Nicely done interior which, while not quite in the luxury class of a Ferrari or Jaguar, is nonetheless practical, reasonably roomy and easy on the eye.

Z I DIDN’T LIKE: Not much not to like here, but the car’s small dimensions mean that two people getting away for a few days will have to be creative when it comes to packing their gear. Some prospective buyers may consider the 2-seat layout to be restrictive. It’s a little costly for a 4-cylinder sporty car, but carbon fibre and sophisticated drivetrain technology doesn’t come cheaply.

Z MARKET ALTERNATIVES: The 4C sits in an interesting market niche and most of the models people will compare it with are more expensive. Possibly 6-cylinder models of the Jaguar F-Type will contend, plus products like the Audi TT, Mercedes-Benz SLK, Lotus Evora and BMW Z4. The Mazda Miata (MX-5) is a tempting lower cost solution.

Z WHO DRIVES ONE? Drivers who love the panache of Alfa Romeo and have long been waiting for a new sports car. Enthusiasts who perhaps own more mundane Alfas and are ready to move up to something more interesting. Buyers who like the idea of a classic badge Italian sportster but find most of the others far too expensive.

Z PRICE AND AVAILABILITY: Available now starting from €53.990.

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THE TREND technology

WORDS Ali Parandeh

A Brain

Strapped to your Wrist J

ust over a year ago, in the March 2014 issue, a bunch of wearables were covered. However, just one year later, there are ten times as many new versions in the market and even more to come. At the time of writing this article, the Apple Smart Watch is yet to hit the market, but there is a select list of major players: Sony, Samsung, Motorola (Google), LG and Pebble.

They all have their own limitations, come with their specific software and are only compatible with certain phones. So, before you buy one, you might want to check its compatibility and functionality. However, there is one thing that they all have in common, the word ‘Smart’. This is certainly the most recent hype word after ‘cloud’, but it is not just hype and even the Swiss luxury watch makers are taking it seriously.

Will you be removing your Patek or Rolex for the next dinner party and replacing it with a smart watch?

I for one have made the change after 15 years of not wearing a watch.

Actually, I had given away two of my valued watches and I have two others that have been sitting in a box, gathering dust. Apple reckons you will be doing just that, as they will also be rolling out a €9.000, 18 karat gold version of their Smart watch. In fact, it is very possible that you may soon be ditching your mobile phone in favour of a ‘Smart Watch’ in the very near future.

So what is it that makes them smart? What can you expect from them now and what will you

be expecting from them soon?

Currently, most smart watches are a combination of several simplistic functions apart from their basic one of telling you the time, featuring, for example, Communication, Fitness and most importantly an information centre. You may be familiar with the Apple Siri voice activated personal assistant and knowledge navigator.

At the centre of the Sony and Motorola smart watches are similar audio activated functions that can help you do just that and much more.

However, this is just the beginning of yet another change to come and the future of the smart watch can be very different to how you see them now, involving applications that have not yet been created and functionalities that might still sound like Sci Fi today. The future Smart Watch will be equipped with a built-in camera & projector and possibly even a series of biometric and diagnostic devices. Apart from the basic functions of receiving video calls portrayed into the air, interaction with files and information, the future smart watches will also be monitoring your heart rate, calories, fitness levels, sleep patterns and much more. Their artificial intelligence will connect your location, activity, calendar and other information to things that you could not have even considered before.

The possibility of connecting such live data to the vast amount of information available on the net, and with your own personal data that has been fed into it, will make the watch inseparable from your wrist. Your digital chip, identity or companion,

whatever you want to call it, is here and will soon be sleeping next to you at night. Why should you be worried about a tiny device that will help you live better, healthier and prevent you from making mistakes? From taking the wrong route, decision, purchase, to much more, it is simply going to be another device that can process information faster than you and other machines today. Imagine scanning a product at a shop to get a price comparison, product reviews and even a notification that you had already ordered this or a similar product online!

Of course, there are always skeptics, like the ones who predicted computers would replace the secretary and those who are afraid of robots. Artificial Intelligence is not about computers taking over our lives, but simply the new era in computing, where the machines move on from being just calculators to devices that can learn from their environment and connect the data and information at hand to provide feedback that will otherwise take us longer to digest, analyse or react to. Look at how Google searching has changed the way we look for information and how the Internet has enabled us to source

vast amounts of information that a decade ago was limited by access.

Our issue today is having the time to read, analyse and also verify the information available, whereas AI will be able to do this in seconds. That is where your Smart Watch can turn into your second brain and valued companion.

So your future wrist band will not just be telling you the time, but possibly it will be the device that will make you sound smart and support you at your next interview or sales pitch. It can certainly help you avoid a heart attack and even possible accidents. In short, everything that you can and cannot imagine will soon be accessible from your next ‘Smart/Intelligent Watch’, but for the moment, you may just want to get used to the, let’s say, less ‘Smarter’ ones available on the market today. ç g Ali Parandeh, is the Founder of PC Doctor & Urbytus. He has written five books in the fields of Internet and Biotechnology. He is currently an independent mentor at the Founder Institute and helps entrepreneurs with getting their ideas and work off the ground. parandeh@urbytus.com

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local

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

Our focus takes on a commemorative aspect as we travel back in time to the Gibraltar Evacuations, which took place 75 years ago this summer, in 1940. We delight history lovers with a pictorial feature of Gibraltar, Then and Now, and turn back the hands of time with a visit to the Garrison Library, where we interview its Director, Dr. Jennifer Ballantine Perera. We also hone our knowledge about the past with renowned local history expert, Tito Vallejo Smith.

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Wartime Evacuation in Gibraltar

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Gibraltar: Then and Now

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The Gibraltar Garrison Library

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Dr. Jennifer Ballantine Perera

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Tito Vallejo Smith

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THE FOCUS gibraltar

“T

During the summer and autumn of 1940, some 15,000 Gibraltarians packed treasured possessions into suitcases, hugged farewell to husbands, brothers, sons and lovers and sailed from their beloved Rock into exile, some not to return for over a decade. This month, as Gibraltar marks the 75th anniversary of the WW2 evacuations, Belinda Beckett looks back on a period in history that changed the lives of a nation and its people forever.

THE GREAT

to the Rock A Gibraltar evacuee concert broadcastChronicle on BBC radio, repor ted in the Gibraltar

EVACUATION

The Alvarez family reunited in Gibraltar after four long years. Photo courtesy of the Gibraltar Chronicle

he officer said, ‘Here take this before it gets cold’ and handed me a plate with a fried egg, surrounded by chips. I could not believe my eyes and hurried to our cabin. There my parents and we five sisters each took one chip and dunked it into the yolk. This we repeated several times round, while we tried to make it last as long as possible. It was a wonderful meal! We shared it equally and later felt a bit guilty that the other people below were not so lucky.”

This touching anecdote is among many stories of hardship, courage and self-sacrifice remembered by Gibraltar’s wartime evacuees.

Told by Lourdes Galliano in her memoir, A Rocky Passage to Exile, she was 13 when she and her family embarked on the SS City of Evansville for the perilous voyage to England across waters patrolled by German U-boats and Messerschmitt bombers.

She writes of eating nothing but rice infested with weevils for 12 days, after the food stores went rotten, and a handful of toilets serving hundreds that were little more than a row of holes suspended above the turbulent waves. Three weeks of confinement in fetid ships’ holds overrun by rats and cockroaches was an additional ordeal faced by those unable to climb up the ladders to reach fresh air.

Lourdes’ distant relative, Gibraltar Archivist Anthony Pitaluga, has recorded some of the evacuees’ experiences orally on the government website archives@gibraltar.gov.gi Many of the cargo ships that carried 11,500 of the evacuees to Britain had no lifeboats or doctors on board. Miraculously, there were only six deaths during these voyages, while 12 healthy babies were delivered at sea! But the relief felt on sighting land was short-lived.

There was far worse to come.

A great irony is that the evacuations put most people in greater peril than had they remained on the Rock. Only 500 bombs fell there during the entire war, landing mostly in the sea, while in Britain the skies rained ordinance almost daily. However, with the great threat to civilian lives posed by the German advance, and fears of a blockade in the Strait with Italy and Spain’s assistance, it was probably the only decision the authorities could make.

As it was, the evacuees arrived at the height of the Battle of Britain and the start of the Blitz. Some 40,000 civilians lost their lives during the German Luftwaffe’s relentless aerial bombardment but Gibraltarians seem to have come off lightly. “Londoners were heard to say it was lucky to live near the Gibraltarians as they seemed to have charmed lives,” writes evacuee Joe Gingell, author of We Thank God and England, a fascinating illustrated memoir you can buy today.

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Search lights during an air raid, 1940. Photo courtesy of Lourdes Galliano

Testament of Youth

Evacuation ship SS City of Evansville. Photo courtesy of Old Ship Gallery

Lourdes Galliano, in the uniform of St. John’s Ambulance Brigade.

Photo courtesy of Lourdes Galliano

From Pillar to Post But the voyage to Blighty wasn’t the start of the Gibraltarians’ evacuation ordeal.

Some six months after Britain first declared war on Germany, intelligence was gleaned of a German plot to capture Gibraltar, with Spain’s assistance. Although that never happened, it set in motion a massive operation that saw 100,000 troops billeted in Gibraltar. The horse racing track on the isthmus was transformed into an airfield and miles of new tunnels were blasted inside the Rock for hospital wards, ammunition stores and what became the operational headquarters for the allied invasion of north Africa, planned by General Eisenhower from a desk in one of these limestone chambers.

On a tiny Rock braced for war, there was no room for non-essential civilians, and the decision was made to send them to Casablanca.

That evacuation, which began on May 22 1940, couldn’t have been more badly timed. The following

month, French Morocco became ‘enemy territory’ when it fell to the Germans and every man, woman and child had to ship out to avoid the great risk that they would be held as prisoners of war.

The vessels they returned in were in a disgusting state, having just been vacated by French troops.

Nor was Gibraltar keen to take them back. When informed of the plan to return them, a telegram was despatched from naval command in Gibraltar stating: “For heaven’s sake don’t, we have had enough trouble getting them out.”

Nor did Britain have room for the sum total of 16,300 evacuees, although the plan to divert them to Blighty that summer was only intended as a temporary measure.

Jamaica had been mooted as an alternative to Casablanca and hurried plans were made to set up two purpose-built camps on the island. Only 1,500 evacuees ever went. That September, 77 British children evacuating to Canada

lost their lives when their ship was torpedoed. After that, crossing the Atlantic was deemed too dangerous.

Some Gibraltarian families with private means opted to relocate to Madeira, while those who had friends and family in Spain and Tangier went there. But the vast majority spent their war in the UK. Lourdes Galliano recalls docking in Swansea and being given a loaf of bread, a tomato and a raw egg which the hungry passengers devoured with relish. After a medical and tea, they were put on a train to Paddington “where a crowd of women and children boarded the train we had just left”, she writes.

“What we didn’t realise then was that they were being taken out of London to a place of safety in the country, while we Gibraltarian evacuees were being brought into the city that was to be one of the most important targets of the German Luftwaffe in the ensuing, unexpected and horrific Blitz.”

Joe Gingell’s evocative memoir of the WW2 evacuations, We Thank God and England, is a book to treasure. A testament to the human experiences of Gibraltarians during the war years, it contains many emotive images donated from private collections.

Told through Joe’s eyes as a child evacuee in London, there is also a second, touchingly personal story behind the book, a labour of love borne out of the tragic loss of his daughter Michelle to breast cancer, and to whom the book is dedicated. While in remission at London’s Royal Marsden Hospital, Michelle was able to visit Whitelands College with her father to see where the family spent the war years. At her suggestion, all profits from sales of the book have been donated to cancer charities although, sadly, she didn’t live to see the project completed.

Says Joe: “Almost all the information and images contained in the book were donated by historical institutions, newspapers and families of evacuees. With their help I have been able to donate more £35,000 to cancer charities after paying for all publication costs.”

Joe Gingell’s evacuation memoirs

g The fundraising continues through sales of the book today.

Hard copies can be purchased for £20 at the Gibraltar Fine Arts Gallery, the Gibraltar Heritage Trust or directly from Joe at joegingell@gibtelecom.net

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Wartime London The evacuees were billeted at 40 centres in boroughs across the capital. Lourdes was among 750 Gibraltarians accommodated at the Empress Hall skating rink in Earl’s Court, sleeping in camp beds laid between the rows of folded seats. A month later, the building was damaged in a bomb explosion. There were no casualties but everyone had to move.

Other evacuees were more fortunate. Some were put up at one of London’s best hotels, the Royal Palace in High Street Kensington, which was graced by HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, on a wartime visit; some found themselves in centrally-heated luxury flats with en suite bathrooms at Highlands Heath. The Empire Pool, Wembley, Dr Barnardo’s in Barkingside and Whitelands Training College in Putney were other evacuation centres that became home-away-from home for the next four years.

The first year was a baptism of fire, with air raid sirens going off almost nightly and everyone having to pile into bomb shelters, basements or down to the nearest tube station, their ears pricked for the dreaded silence of the ‘doodlebugs’ – the flying bombs which exploded when their engines stopped.

“I can remember the all-prevailing smell of dust and powdered brickwork, the crunch of broken glass underfoot,” recalls one evacuee. “Sometimes you could see a house sliced in half, as though cut with a knife, or a bath hanging out of the window by its plumbing works.”

Everyone was exhausted from lack of sleep and worry. “Many, like my mother, never really recovered from the trauma,” writes Joe Gingell in his memoir. ‘The Germans dropped many parachute mines, which would hang, caught up in trees for days before exploding their massive charges. These were deliberately intended to inflict terror and kill civilians in large numbers. There were also thousands of incendiary bombs that would punch through slate roofs with a noise like pebbles.

The chemicals and oils contained in these bombs would burn very fast and intensely to set roofs on fire in seconds.’

Taking refuge in the London Underground. Photo courtesy of London Illustrated News Gibraltar evacuees meet Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, at the Royal Palace Hotel, 1940.

Photo courtesy of Gibraltar Heritage Trust

Culture Shock in Jamaica Mangoes, scorpions, earth tremors, hurricanes and torrential rainstorms were disconcerting ‘firsts’ for the evacuees sent to Jamaica.

They were confined throughout the war to a camp outside Kingston – a simple barracks design with bungalow-style huts, a hospital, three large entertainment halls for concerts, plays, dances and film screenings, and even a pub.

Evacuees were not allowed to compete in the local jobs market although there was paid

work in the camps (baking, laundry, carpentry) or weekly unemployment benefit of 2s.6d (12.5p). The food wasn’t always something to write home about. One evacuee recalls a sardine pie riot in camp after this dubious dish was served four days on the trot!

Lack of privacy was another complaint. The dividing walls between huts were thin plywood and stopped short of the ceiling. Even so, as time hung heavily, it’s not surprising that some 100 evacuee babies were born in Jamaica!

Evacuees in Jamaica. Photo courtesy of Mr Zammitt

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Graffiti on a Nissen hut reflects the frustration of evacuees in Northern Ireland. Photo courtesy of Mrs Beniso Compulsory notice of evacuation to the UK. Photo courtesy of the Gibraltar Chronicle

Gibraltar evacuees take shelter in a tube station.

Photo courtesy of Mr A Traverso

Gibraltar evacuees arriving in London. Photo courtesy of Mr A Rovegno

Joseph and Richard Evans taking part in a fancy dress competition at the Kensington Palace Mansion. Photo courtesy of the Evans brothers

Everyone hated the cramped living conditions, lack of privacy and British food. The Gibraltarians missed their chorizos, garlic and rosto and looked forward to food parcels from home. Meals were provided on a mass-catering basis by Lyons of Corner Shop fame. Requests by the evacuees to cater for themselves with their own ration books were initially refused. Some smuggled electric rings in their rooms and begged bones to make soup. But there was plenty of work in London which many took advantage of. A few evacuees who could afford it even left the evacuation scheme to rent private accommodation and regain their independence.

With many schools closed and teachers at a premium, it was over a year before the 3,000 school-age Gibraltarians received anything like an education. Mothers were reluctant to send their offspring far from base, so schools were set up at evacuation centres but rarely taught more than the ‘three Rs’.

After the Blitz, life lapsed into something more akin to normality. Evacuation centres competed against each other in sports and, in 1941, the London Gibraltarian Football Association was founded under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Health. On Saturdays, the London clubs played ‘friendlies’ and many Gibraltarians became lifelong Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs supporters.

Scout and Girl Guides associations were set up, variety shows staged and musical bands formed. Harry and His Victory Rascals’ Band played at 219 dances during the four years of exile. Radio and cinema newsreels were sources of information while Hollywood stars provided the entertainment: Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca, Tyrone Power in Blood and Sand, Errol Flynn in Robin Hood – all for around 1s.6d (7.5 pence) an adult ticket. Outings were arranged to Hampton Court and Windsor Castle, and there were boats trips along the Thames. The evacuees coughed through London’s ‘pea souper’ smogs and were filled with wonder to see snow for the first time.

A Sunnier War in Madeira Evacuees who could afford it had the best war of all in Madeira.

Some 2,000 Gibraltarians opted to evacuate to the Portuguese island and pay for the privilege. They were divided into three categories: A and B, those who could pay their upkeep either entirely or partially, and were put up in posh hotels like The Savoy and The Victoria; and C, those who were funded by relatives back in Gibraltar, who lived in the Lazareto, an apartment block adapted for communal living, with its own school and stunning sea views.

Posh billet at The Savoy Hotel, Madeira (L - R: H.Chichon, Luis Pereira. In front: Joseph Warne, Desmond Baker) Photo courtesy of Mr L Pereira

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A British school was set up in a magnificent mansion in Funchal for the children of Category A and B families.

The evacuees were frustrated by the lack of employment opportunities and enforced separation from loved ones. For reasons of national security, visits from relatives were not allowed and mail took months to arrive via Britain or Portugal.

Even so, the Madeira evacuees enjoyed a climate and lifestyle not too far removed from their own, and the locals were especially welcoming. For an island dependent on tourism, the Gibraltarians were escudos from heaven!

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Number Crunching (figures approximate)

ZZ The evacuees were 70% women, 20% children and 10% infirm/elderly men ZZ 4,000 Gibraltarians involved in essential war work stayed behind on the Rock ZZ 11,500 evacuees went to London and 7,000 were re-evacuated to Northern Ireland ZZ 2,000 went to Madeira and 1,500 to Jamaica ZZ 700 stayed with friends and relatives in Spain, and 100 in Tangier

© Jayden Fa

Home sweet home... Nissen huts at Devil’s Tower Road, 1954, provided makeshift accommodation for returning evacuees. Photo courtesy of Mr L Young

Fire fighters battle as London goes to blazes. Photo courtesy of The History Place

Harry And His Victory Rascals at Whitelands College.(L-R George Holzen, Salvador Sciacaluga, Pepe Roman, Harry Fernandez, Manuel Gonzalez and Alfredo Balban on drums. Photo courtesy of Mr Golt

Road to Repatriation By autumn 1943, Gibraltar was no longer considered vulnerable to enemy attacks and, with London again under heavy bombardment, the British Government urged repatriation. But Gibraltar, packed to the gunnels with troops, had a major housing shortage and no means of meeting the needs of a civilian population. Even basic commodities were costly and hard to come by.

A Resettlement Board was set up to crunch numbers. Selected evacuees were transferred to transit camps to wait it out and the first two sailings brought 1,367 back home in April 1944. But for 7,000 others, Gibraltar remained a distant memory. They were shipped out of bomb-ravaged London to camps in northern Ireland.

The camps were isolated in the countryside and very basic, with concrete floors, corrugated iron walls, bunk beds, inefficient stoves and communal toilets which let

in the wind and rain. The winters were particularly harsh. Although there was fresh local farm produce aplenty, and every evacuee received a weekly allowance, there was little paid work. Some evacuees spent four Christmases in Ulster before making it home, the last in August 1951. No wonder so many felt bitter and betrayed.

They also missed the joyous VE Day celebrations back home although life was no party there.

Many, returning to find their homes trashed, were forced to live first in transit centres and then in Nissen huts. Post-war reconstruction was a slow process. Some 2,000 evacuees, mainly those in the Fulham Road area, never returned, deciding they’d be better off in Britain.

If the repatriation process took seven years, Gibraltar’s economic recovery took five times longer.

There were families living in

overcrowded tenements without proper bathrooms or a fresh water supply until the late 1980s.

But every cloud has its silver lining. As a result of mixing with other cultures, the evacuees inevitably widened their horizons.

They brought home new ideas, along with a greater sense of Britishness, and acquired that famous Gibraltarian steadfastness that has given them courage to demand a greater say in their future.

Historian and Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Joseph Garcia has described the wartime evacuation as “a landmark in the history of Gibraltar and in the development of our identity as a people. That sense of identity strengthened among both the persons who were evacuated and among those who stayed behind to help man the fortress. It was fundamental to the demands for greater self-government that followed the war.” e

75 Years On

The evocative Evacuation Monument on Waterport Road, designed by British sculptor Jill Cowie Saunders, will take centre stage at an open air memorial service on May 23 to mark the 75th anniversary of the first sailings to French Morocco. A short film will also be shown. An exhibition of evacuation photographs opens at John Mackintosh Hall that same weekend and a commemorative booklet will be distributed. The Gibraltar National Archives website has made details of the vessels and names of the evacuees who sailed on them available online, together with photographs and the recorded memories of evacuees. i www.nationalarchives.gi

Least we forget

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Direct access It’s is important to us that our clients have direct access to their relationship managers. Therefore we have no call centers. Instead, each of our clients has their own personal relationship manager who they can contact anytime - to quickly make good decisions.

There are no obstacles or barriers between us.

Welcome to a bank out of the ordinary.

Jyske Bank (Gibraltar) Ltd. Tel. +350 200 72782 Follow us on facebook jyskebankgibraltar 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.

THE FOCUS then & now

Rock of Ages Then & Now As thoughts in Gibraltar turn to the past this month, for the 75th anniversary of the wartime evacuations, we take a pictorial look at what else has changed over time. What a difference half a century makes!

WORDS BELINDA Beckett Historic photographs courtesy of Gibraltar National Archives (GARC), with special thanks to Archivist Anthony Pitaluga Current photographs courtesy of Gerard Wood (GARC)

LIVING OFF THE WALL

A flower seller touts his wares in Main Street beneath a wall of posters showing that post-war Gibraltar was well-served for entertainment. The 1950s musical comedy, At War with the Army, starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, was showing at the old Theatre Royal (now Theatre Royal Park, opened last year). Today the wall encloses M&S. Lipton Ltd, opposite, was Gibraltar’s first supermarket.

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BORDERLINE VIEWS

© Jayden Fa

All’s quiet at the Gibraltar frontier in this 1960 shot. Nine years later, the gates would be closed by Spain, cutting the Rock and its people off from Europe for 16 years. Today the frontier feud continues, with Spain carrying out upgrades to its checkpoint, adding to the delays.

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SMELL THE DIFFERENCE Apart from the addition of the clock tower above the kiosk in the recent photograph, the scene outside Grand Casemates Gates appears relatively unchanged. However, folks in the 1950s would not have enjoyed the aroma of charcoal-grilled Argentinean steaks wafting from Gaucho’s restaurant (right), enclosed within the fortress walls. The fountain didn’t change colour, back then, either!

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SIGN OF THE TIMES

Proof positive that Rolex luxury watches are timeless! More than half a century on, only the sign has changed, the shop is still there. The 1960s photograph shows a down-at-heel Main Street open to traffic. Today it’s pedestrianised and poshed up with black and gold signposts, bins and shrubs in tubs.

SNAP!

Bomb House Lane (named after the residence of Gibraltar’s Chief Ordnance Keeper), and St Mary’s Cathedral remain little altered since the 1960s but Main Street has since acquired ornamental lamp posts and hanging baskets.

The flags in the modern picture hang outside the new offices of the Gibraltar Savings Bank, opened in 2012.

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BEAST OF BURDEN

Evidence that donkeys were still used to transport goods well into the 1960s. The Old Police Barracks at the end of the road, built in 1901, is a shadow of its former glory although at least one developer has come up with a rescue plan. Watch this space.

MARKET FORCES

The Charcoal Shed circa 1910, one of the attractions of the daily fruit and veg market at Market Place, inaugurated by Edward Prince of Wales in 1876. Most 19th century households used charcoal (imported from Spain) for cooking and heating, and street vendors would deliver it to the door by donkey. The market hall, opened in 1929, is all that remains today.

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HOWZAT! British servicemen have played cricket in Gibraltar since the 18th century and the MOD’s sports grounds, known as the Old Naval Grounds, used to host informal matches between civilian and military teams most weekends. Today the land is used as a car park and the sound of wood on willow is a memory.

ONE-TRICK PONIES Horse-drawn hackney carriages used to

ply their trade from the bottom of Main Street. Today, people carriers are more practical for ferrying the tourist hoards to the Upper Rock. In summer, several thousand visitors arrive daily by cruise ship and tour bus. e

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THE FOCUS library

Elegant entrance © Belinda Beckett

Crumbling volumes of the Gibraltar Chronicle, soon be digitised

NOT JUST FOR BOOKWORMS!

Whether you’re digging into your ancestry, indulging your passion for historic buildings or simply grabbing a few precious moments of peace in its beautiful walled gardens, the Gibraltar Garrison Library can be enjoyed by all. But it wasn’t always that way, as Belinda Beckett reports.

PHOTOGRAPHY JAYDEN FA AND COURTESY OF THE GIBRALTAR GARRISON LIBRARY

THE GIBRALTAR GARRISON LIBRARY ‘D

ogs Not Admitted’ reads a weather-beaten sign outside the entrance to the Garrison Library. There’s nothing unreasonable in that.

Reference libraries are places for quiet contemplation and dogs have a tendency to bark. But it’s also a sign of huge progress. Two centuries ago, women and locals – even Gibraltar’s well-to-do merchant class – were just as unwelcome as Fido!

The Library was founded for the exclusive use of officers and high-ranking civil servants, 90 per cent of whom were nonGibraltarian British, barring 11,000

Merchants were once as unwelcome in the Library as dogs

civilians at a stroke! Officers’ wives and daughters were tolerated in a decorative capacity at regimental dinners and balls (records attest that the daughter of the Chief Librarian was particularly ravishing). But with the exception of one or two wealthy gents for whom concessions were made later on, the Library was for the use of an elite few.

For a glimpse into prevailing inequalities at that time, look no further than the library shelves.

In Voyages and Travels, written in 1812, Scottish novelist and social commentator John Galt writes: “The families of the local merchants were never admitted to the balls given by the military, an unpleasant line of separation drawn in consequence of the great number of low and vulgar mercantile adventurers who have settled in Gibraltar.” In the same chapter, he likens Gibraltar’s merchant traders to “the odious

race of the Orang-utan” and he wouldn’t have been alone in that viewpoint.

This attitude clearly rankled the mercantile classes, who retaliated by building the Exchange and Commercial Library. That building, too, has a colourful history as a business hub. Today it houses the Gibraltar Parliament.

All this adds to the character of one of Gibraltar’s best-loved institutions. Although garrison libraries would have been established in other parts of the British Empire very few, if any, remain as intact as Gibraltar’s. Its beautiful Georgian home today is a key tourist attraction with many claims to fame. Funding for its construction was granted by a British Prime Minister, it was opened by Queen Victoria’s father when he was Governor of Gibraltar and Princess Anne unveiled a plaque to mark its 2004 bicentenary.

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Chesterfield sofas and British racing green leather armchairs Time spent in the Library’s cool, quiet rooms is mental Lorazepam!

Upper Reading Room, by J. M. Carter, 1846

A private subscription library until 2011, when the Library Committee handed it over to the Gibraltar Government, since then funds have been invested in restoring the elegant building so that everyone and anyone can enjoy its Gibraltar Room, Map Room, reading rooms and ballroom without fear or favour; and not only for its impressive collection of 43,000 books and 100,000 historic documents in total.

The library appeals on many levels, whether for its handsome architectural design, which could compete with some of the finest homes of the day; for its sheltered gardens, resplendent with wisteria and two magnificent centenary dragon trees; or for its elegant interiors, wood-panelled walls and towering glass-fronted bookcases, 12 shelves tall, polished to a shine and smelling of beeswax. If ever there was an antidote to the stresses and strains of modern life, it is the Garrison Library. Time spent in its cool, quiet rooms is mental Lorazepam!

For bookworms (and woodworm), it’s paradise!

Researchers and historians come to Gibraltar from all over the world for a chance to pore over rare

tomes in situ, turning over the fragile, time-yellowed pages with respectful, white-gloved hands and inhaling the musty smell of ages like junkies. Tourists book cruises and coach tours for a chance to uncover the forgotten military history of family members who served in the garrison. Best-selling novelists who set their plots in Gibraltar, students working on their thesis and journalists writing articles on The Rock all check their facts with the Garrison Library.

Replies, whether in person or by email, are always prompt and helpful.

“One man came to Gibraltar on a cruise to find the grave of his great grandfather who was taken off his ship and died in hospital here in the late 1800s,” recalls Garrison Library Director, Dr Jennifer Ballantine Perera. “He had no idea where he might have been buried and it was incredibly rewarding to see how moved he was when we were able to locate the site at North Front Cemetery in around 10 minutes.”

Books of all sizes – some leather-bound and embossed with the Garrison Library name – cover everything from British military history and travel narratives on the outposts of Empire to

compendiums of Punch magazine, classical French literature, Icelandic sagas and manuals on the rules of chess.

Even if you’re not a fan of history or the classics, it can be fun just scanning the titles. Five Years with the Congo Cannibal, Jungle Beasts I Have Captured and Modern Pig Sticking all sound intriguing; Power and Personality by Margaret Thatcher, maybe less so. There’s even a copy of Lady Chatterley’s Lover, although the Library Committee was no exception in banning it from its small lending library when the book was first published in 1928.

As well as a place of education and recreation, the Library had a role to play in officers’ military and personal development. “A great many of the officers were fresh out of Sandhurst and Gibraltar was a first posting where they would continue their military training before being sent further afield,” explains Dr Ballantine. “They were also inexperienced in the ways of the world so, as well as military training manuals and scholarly volumes on maths and the sciences, there are books giving advice on sex and contraception for the newly-married man,

unwanted pregnancies, venereal disease and other social problems of the day.”

Pride of place goes to the book written by the young British officer credited with starting the library, whose portrait hangs in the Upper Reading Room. Captain (afterwards Colonel) John Drinkwater was barely 18 and in his first overseas posting when he began writing a daily diary. A History of the Siege of Gibraltar (1779-83), his eyewitness account of the longest blockade in the Rock’s history (three years and seven months) became a military classic.

Sieges and battles aside, life in the garrison must have seemed tedious and claustrophobic to hotblooded young officers who were wont to gravitate to the taverns and brothels. So, when Drinkwater lamented the lack of a library to save officers from “having their minds enervated and vitiated by dissipation”, his idea received enthusiastic approval from the top. The Governor himself, General Sir Robert Boyd, started off the subscription list with a personal gift of £100, and the first reading rooms opened opposite the Governor’s residence in 1793, with an initial catalogue of 460 volumes.

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Treaty of Utrecht, the document that made Gibraltar British

Did You Know?

The Gibraltar Garrison Library in the early days

A paradise for bookworms

By 1799 the collection had outgrown the premises but no adequate substitute existed.

Thanks to Frederick, Duke of York (the second, military-inclined son of George III) the project to build one reached the ears of British Prime Minister William Pitt (the Younger). It must have been perfect timing – historians suggest somewhere between the 3rd and 4th bottle of port – but Pitt decided the Library was in keeping with the liberal spirit of the age and underwrote the entire project, also refunding contributions paid by the original subscribers!

The site was donated from the Governor’s pastures. It’s hard to imagine that his cows once grazed here, in what is today the centre of town facing the Elliot Hotel, just off Main Street!

Captain Fyers (afterwards Major-General) of the Royal Engineers, became the first Chief Librarian and was clearly a man of many talents, drawing up the design and projectmanaging the work. He too is honoured with a portrait in the Library.

The limestone for the façade was quarried from Gibraltar’s east face; the terracotta floors and cork lining (to absorb noise in the silent reading rooms) came from Spain; everything else – the wrought iron railings and balconies, Welsh roof slates, angled reading desks, Chesterfield sofas, British racing green leather armchairs, chandeliers and cast iron fire

baskets – was shipped over from England.

The new Library was officially opened in 1804. Later embellishments included a racquet court, a billiards room and a terrace where bands entertained members while they enjoyed lunchtime drinks and afternoon tea in the garden, served by liveried waiters, a practice that continued into the 1970s.

Over the years, portraits, prints and lithographs have been acquired, along with relics from the Gibraltar Jockey Club and archives of the Royal Calpe Hunt. You can see the hour glass used to prevent readers from hogging The Times for too long, and a blackball ballot box of the kind used by Masonic lodges and English gentlemen’s clubs to block membership bids by unsuitable applicants.

Dogs aside, everyone is welcome at the Library today and there’s no charge to use it. Even the Friday morning tours are free, although donations are always welcome. At one time – although no longer – you could even get married in the Library! The Library Committee would have been utterly horrified!

g The Garrison Library, 2 Library Ramp,

is open weekdays from 9am-5pm.

Further information, Tel: +350 200 77418. www.gibraltargarrisonlibrary.gi

ZZ The Gibraltar Chronicle owes its existence to the Library Committee, which brought over the first printing press from England in 1801 and appointed the first editor. The paper went on to scoop the world with news of Nelson’s death at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Now the world’s second oldest English language newspaper in continuous print, it’s fitting that the Garrison Library is again playing a role in the Chronicle’s future by creating a searchable database of its archives.

ZZ Captain Fyers and his Library Committee were strict about what books were ‘suitable reading’. In 1799 they ordered the burning of the three most popular bodice-rippers of the day, despite a protest letter from the members. One of the books, The Monk

by Matthew Lewis, is regarded today as one of the most important Gothic novels of its time.

ZZ The empty niche in the front wall of the library was designed to contain the head of British Prime Minister, William Pitt! The Library Committee planned to commission a bust of him in gratitude for his contribution but, for unknown reasons, it never materialised and the niche remains empty to this day.

ZZ The largest tomes in the library are the bound volumes of the London Times, at 62 cm x 47cm. Each volume contains six months-worth of news.

ZZ The Carter Prints, much sought-after in the art world, are the work of a Garrison Library member.

In 1846, while stationed in Gibraltar, Captain J.M. Carter published a book called Select Views of the Rock and Fortress of Gibraltar, containing landscape studies and a drawing of the Garrison Library Upper Reading Room, engraved by the lithographer Thomas Coleman Dibdin. Carter later exhibited his work at the Royal Academy. A beautiful wooden stand in The Gibraltar Room showcases some of his work today.

ZZ The three most-consulted reference books at the library are Drinkwater’s History of Gibraltar, Anja Kellerman’s When Gibraltarians Speak we are Quite Unique and The Fortress Came First, by Thomas Finlayson.

ZZ Before he became Prime Minister of Britain, Benjamin Disraeli visited the Garrison and Commercial Exchange Libraries. Both held copies of his first novel, Vivian Grey, which was not highly rated, and Disraeli was far from complimentary about locals who professed to like it. In letters to his father, he wrote that it was “looked upon at Gibraltar as one of the masterpieces of the 19th century. You may feel their intellectual pulse from this. At first I apologised and talked of youthful blunders and all that, really being ashamed; but finding them, to my astonishment, sincere, and fearing they were stupid enough, to adopt my last opinion, I shifted my position just in time, looked very grand, and passed myself off for a child of the Sun, like the Spaniard in Peru.”

ZZ Although books may not be removed from the library, a good tip is to bring a camera with you as some are too big or too old to be photocopied. Check your settings as flash is not permitted.

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THE LOCAL people

Dr Jennifer Ballantine Perera A head for hats

Dr Jennifer Ballantine Perera wears three hats and they all indulge her passion for history and literature. Belinda Beckett meets the Director of the Gibraltar Garrison Library, aka founder of Calpe Press and Editor of the Gibraltar Heritage Journal.

Photography Jayden Fa

H

ans Christian Anderson and the Brothers Grimm weren’t top of Dr. Jennifer Ballantine Perera’s list of favourite childhood books but her appointment as Director of the Gibraltar Garrison Library is the stuff of fairytales.

Having spent many happy hours in the library as a child, and later as a volunteer, it has always had a special place in her heart, and sometimes she dared to dream... But the job wasn’t on the table when she returned to the Rock in 2007 from a research post at Lancaster University, after 13 years away from home. And with few other local openings so tailor-made for a woman with a PhD, a Masters in post-Colonial history and a passion for history and literature, she had to create her own opportunity.

Aware that Gibraltar had very little in the way of home-grown literature or a platform where authors could seek editorial support and guidance, she founded the bespoke publishing house, Calpe Press.

But while she was busy with that, fate had other plans.

In 2011, the Gibraltar Government took over the Library and were in need of a new Director. Jennifer was the obvious choice – a fairytale ending all round.

Today she wears three hats (she’s also Editor of the Gibraltar Heritage Journal). It never rains but it pours!

“I feel very privileged to work in such a special place, and especially lucky to have found a job in my native Gibraltar that fits so perfectly with my academic background,” says Jennifer. “I was able to hit the ground running from day one, although I haven’t really stopped since,” she laughs.

Jennifer’s new ‘family’ of 43,000 books is pretty demanding. Precious volumes like The Doomsday Book and the Treaty of Utrecht, require careful handling. “The collection is my baby but also a monster, all-consuming, a massive undertaking,” she

says. “The old Garrison Library Committee worked wonders to keep it intact for over two centuries.”

The beautiful old Georgian building also requires constant cosseting to keep woodworm, leaks and draughts at bay and ensure winter heating bills don’t rise as correspondingly high as its soaring ceilings.

Under Jennifer’s auspices, three rooms have been restored so far, including the ballroom which had been condemned and used for storage. Then there are the flowers and plants to look after, hence her team of six includes a gardener and a handyman – although not, as yet, a qualified librarian!

Bookish from an early age, Jennifer was able to borrow from the Garrison’s Library’s children’s collection thanks to her father’s status as an officer in the Royal Naval Reserves. She lapped up C.S. Lewis and read everything Jean Plaidy has ever written. “I’m a major fan of historical novels, fantasy and science fiction,” she says, mentioning Huxley’s Brave New World and Orwell’s 1984. Somerset Maugham is another favourite. “I love that heady post-war period when there was so much creativity and invention.”

Although you won’t find Jennifer on Facebook or Twitter, she’s taking the Library into the electronic age with a project to digitise the vast photographic and newspaper archive, including every issue of the Gibraltar Chronicle since 1801. Supported by the Kusuma Trust and the Government of Gibraltar, the world will soon have access to these treasures through subscription.

Jennifer is also up to her ears in Bordering on Britishness, a major research project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council to record the life stories of 400 local people of all ages and ethnic backgrounds for a searchable database on 20th-century Gibraltar. A book and two conferences will be other outcomes of the four-year study, co-

directed by University of Essex anthropologist, Professor Andrew Canessa. Interviews are being conducted in English, Spanish, Arabic and the local patois Yanito, and it’s no surprise that the WW2 evacuations and 18 years of border closure have been among the hot topics.

Jennifer has been surprised at how much perspectives vary through the generations. “Those who were children during the evacuation saw it as an opportunity to widen their horizons and learn English, like my own father who thought it was fun. Teenagers grew up very quickly, like my older uncle who worked for the fire-fighting services at night. He won’t even talk about the war. For my grandmother it was a terrible time too, losing her home and having to use her children as interpreters because she couldn’t speak English. These multiple interpretations of the same event make the oral histories so remarkable.”

The Library also plays an active role in the local community, hosting lectures, concerts, readings, recitals and an annual symposium. GBC TV is currently using it as a backdrop for its A Question of Faith series. As a book publisher, Jennifer is also thrilled that the Library becomes a hub during the Gibraltar Literary Festival, and can barely contain her excitement about her latest ‘discovery’: local poet Kailash Noguera, whose anthology will be the fifth book published under the Calpe Press imprint later this month (May).

“It’s not what most people expect poetry to be as it deals with taboo subjects like taking drugs, getting into trouble with the police, unemployment and rejection,” she says. “The vocabulary is wonderfully raw, written from the perspective of his own struggles with an honesty and vulnerability that’s rare in today’s macho society. I’m sure many young people will identify with this book.”

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Wearing her Editor’s hat at the Gibraltar Heritage Journal, Jennifer has penned numerous scholarly articles and one of her pet subjects is the Royal Calpe Hunt. The dogs were kennelled in Gibraltar, yet the hunt took place in Spain and King Edward VII of England and King Alfonso XIII of Spain were joint patrons, something that seems unfathomable today!

“I don’t support blood sports but I’m fascinated by the cross-border networking that allowed officers on horseback, armed and in full regalia, to go crashing through Spanish farmland with their loud horns and

barking hounds,” she says with an amused smile. “They even brought over the foxes from England and secreted them around the Campo, as the local population had been exterminated. Their arrogance and audacity was truly amazing! Farmers were compensated for damages and the hunt became part of the local economy but the Spanish didn’t get it at all. They regarded foxes as vermin so why all the fuss, why not just shoot them?”

As a writer, publisher and Library director, Jennifer works in a profession that’s tipped

to go the way of the dinosaurs. Will reference libraries remain relevant for much longer, or could her dream job have a finite future?

“On the contrary, digitisation is our friend,” she says. “It will revolutionise access to rare books while helping to conserve the originals as historic artefacts. Products can be showcased globally instead of being left to gather dust in filing cabinets, and then people want to see for themselves. The National Archives reports more people coming through their doors than ever since they went digital.

We expect the same for the Garrison Library.” e

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THE LOCAL people

Tito Vallejo Smith is the go-to guy for anything you ever wanted to know about Gibraltar, a wise and witty raconteur and guide who brings the Rock’s history to life with his colourful, well-researched stories. And, as he tells Belinda Beckett, the new book he’s writing is “even jucier” than Fifty Shades of Grey!

Photography Jayden Fa and courtesy of Tito Vallejo Smith

Serruya’s Ramp, Gibraltar’s old red light district

Tito’s Tours

I

’m having a history lesson with Tito Vallejo Smith in his ‘office’.

It is, in fact, a café and some of his many friends are sitting around the table, listening in. There’s barely room for my voice recorder among the coffee cups and copitas of brandy. “Would you like a refill?” asks Tito, but there’s no need. In the company of Gibraltar’s jolliest tour guide, the glass is always half full.

Growing up surrounded by chorus girls at his grandma’s honky-tonk cabaret bar explains his happy-golucky nature!

Every weekday morning (except Mondays when he looks after four of his eight grandchildren) Tito holds court on the terrace

of the Piazza Cafe, outside the parliament building. At 66 and long retired, he’s one of Gibraltar’s many charismatic characters. Locals often pop by to ask some obscure question. Tourists recognise him too, from the popular Channel 5 documentary, Gibraltar: Britain in the Sun. They all want a ‘selfie’ with the guy they’ve seen on telly assisting buxom ladies through tight underground tunnels, firing a cannon from the top of the Rock and marching down Main Street in a tricorn hat!

He’s taken part in the Gibraltar Re-enactment Association’s Ceremony of the Keys every week for 14 years with barely a break

until his recent knee operation.

It’s not everyone who’s willing to surrender their Saturday morning lie-in to struggle into full 18th century military uniform (his idea, to make it more colourful for tourists). But this act of patriotic showmanship is no sweat for Tito, except perhaps in summer when wearing the scratchy woollen outfit becomes a form of torture.

His most overused phrase, “OK, I’ll do it”, keeps him busy but he mostly does it for love, rather than money. He might be giving a talk at a local school, writing an article for the Gibraltar Heritage Journal, talking on Spanish radio about the latest frontier crisis or showing

off his beloved Rock to visitors.

He’s taken Prince Andrew and Princess Anne on tunnel tours, and executives from Disney, when they were looking into the logistics of opening an underground attraction.

After a career desk job with the Ministry of Defence and 30 years in the Royal Gibraltar Regiment Reserves, what he doesn’t know about Gibraltar’s military history could be written on the barrel of his ceremonial musket. Some of the tunnels are still stocked with ammo to resupply passing NATO ships, he tells me. “The torpedo that sank the General Belgrano during the Falklands War came from our stores in Gibraltar,” he adds.

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Tito in his Re-enactment uniform

He’s not one of those guides who send you comatose with endless lists of dates and battles. He has the common touch, a wicked sense of humour and a gift for story-telling, and can transfix an audience for hours with his witty anecdotes, illustrated with his library of iPhone images. He doesn’t just tell you about the ordeal of religious orders during the Spanish Civil War, or Franco’s affinity with the Nazis. He shows you pictures of gun-toting nuns, and a bullfighting poster stamped with a swastika.

“There are two things I’ve learned from guiding,” says Tito, who trained many of the Tourist Board’s taxi guides. “Never talk about stuff you don’t know because there’s always someone in the audience who does, and back up everything you say with evidence!”

He owes his skills at oratory to a pay strike by his union at the MoD during the 1970s. As Vice Chairman of the Civil and Public Services Association, he was required to go on speaking tours around Britain. “I used to panic and have sleepless nights before a talk so they sent me to a summer school on public speaking.

After that I could stand up in front of millions without feeling shy,” he says.

He must have been good at it, as his union’s action lead to MoD salaries being increased to British rates of pay.

“You see the Horseshoe Pub across the road,” he says, returning to our history tour. “At one time it was a base for the Spanish Inquisition.

And up there in New Passage, once called Serruya’s Ramp, the ladies of the night used to ply their trade, sitting in the windows like they do in Amsterdam, before they were expelled to La Linea. You can still see the armour plating on the bottom of the doors, put there to prevent drunken soldiers and sailors from

kicking them in.”

He shows me a prostitute’s Spanish work permit from the 1930s detailing eye and hair colour, shoe size – every vital statistic! These will go into his new ‘blockbuster’ if he finds a publisher, as the many illustrations will make it costly to print. “If I win the lottery, I might publish it myself.”

As well as a book on the history of Catalan Bay he has authored a dictionary of Gibraltar’s Yanito patois. The Spanish version, sponsored by San Roque Town Hall, sold out in three weeks. But Red Light Gibraltar could be the biggie.

It traces the history of the world’s oldest profession from 18th century Gibraltar to the ‘puticlubs’ you see along the Spanish coast road today, and former Governors names will be mentioned!

“I’ve seen the film of Fifty Shades of Grey and this will be a lot juicier,” he promises. “I’ve already given talks on the subject and they’re very popular, particularly with the ladies who always want to know more!”

Tito had a pretty racy upbringing himself. He points out the Health Centre in City Mill Lane which used to be The Winter Gardens, his grandmother’s hotel where he was born. During WW2 it had a thriving cabaret bar, the Windmill Theatre of its day! British officers and squaddies flocked to see the scantily-clad showgirls who would dance with the clientele when not performing ostrich feather fan routines on stage. Little ‘Ernestito’ was their darling, “although I used to get embarrassed when the girls took me for walks, all dolled up, attracting wolf whistles and saucy piropos from all the Spanish workmen.”

By his own account, Tito and his four brothers had a privileged upbringing. Their clothes were tailored at El Corte Inglés and the

family car was a Humber Pullman limousine. “There was only one other car like it in Gibraltar and that was the Governor’s, which gave us certain advantages” he recalls. “We were often asked to give lifts to VIP visitors, so we could jump the border queue and avoid the checkpoints in Spain too.”

Military service soon knocked the silver spoon from his mouth, however. In October 1970, a date the UN had recommended for the decolonisation of Gibraltar, Franco was all set to move in with troops and tanks and 20-year-old Tito was among the soldiers guarding the border. “We were expecting fireworks as The Black Watch had been called in and we were armed to the teeth,” he recalls. “Luckily no shot was fired but I was scared, I don’t mind telling you.”

Tito has many other eye-watering stories but he has to go home and

walk the dogs – a pair of Chihuahuas called Dolly and Dora, not the kind of pets you’d associate with a tough old soldier! He doesn’t like football either... a man of surprises!

Before he leaves, he tests me with one of his ‘hundred dollar questions’: “What does Gibraltar’s motto, Montis Insignia Calpe, mean?”

Like most people, I have no idea and I’ve forgotten all my Latin.

“Mountain called the hollow pitcher,” he tells me. “Calpe derives from the Phoenician kalph, for ‘hollow pitcher, which is how they used to compare Gibraltar, from the many caves within it. Gibraltar deserves a better motto.”

Perhaps he should make that his next project...

g To book a tour with Tito, contact

the Gibraltar Tourist Office, www.visitgibraltar.gi

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THE FOCUS dolce vita

Fellini’s classic La Dolce Vita captured an era

The Fiat 500 in its natural environment

W Italian style and ‘Dolce Vita’ on a Lambretta

e strive for permanence in everything we do, from installing new regimes to chasing the ultimate form of style, not realising that success, happiness and ideals are but fleeting moments. With the horrors of the Second World War and the sparseness of the immediate post war years behind it, Europe awoke like a flower in spring to a whole new world of possibilities. With Marshall Aid, the continent was rebuilding itself upon the pillars of prosperity and democracy as a tide of youthful liberalism and creativity swept through the once dusty streets.

Bright colours invaded those spaces, driving out dark shadows amid new sights and sounds. It is at the confluence of these two worlds, old and new, that a very special moment in time was created. Of course, an era whose spirit was born of innocence and purity could never survive.

Alfa Romeo Spider © Fabio Alcini / Shutterstock.com

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La Dolce Vita SPIRIT OF AN ER A

While Britain and America were in the grip of the Swinging Sixties, Italy made its own unique contribution – La Dolce Vita. Literally translated as ‘the sweet life’, it embodies the sense of freedom, open possibilities and joie de vivre of the post war era. WORDS MICHEL CRUZ

Cruising through Tuscany in an Alfa Romeo Spider

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An icon of sixties Italy: the Fiat 500

Eternal Spring The spirit of youth is embodied in spring, that time of birth and rejuvenation but, like spring, youth can only flower thanks to the seasons that came before. The young generations who saw the world through different eyes could only do so because of the prosperity and order created by their elders, who had worked and suffered to create the conditions that led directly to the Dolce Vita. Their humanistic rebellion resonated well within a gentle post war period in which many of the elements of the ancien régime were still in place. By the time these new generations had replaced the old system with their own, it no longer looked anywhere near as appealing.

But in the period between the late 1950s and 60s it seemed that the western world had found Nirvana, an era of eternal spring in which each year would be better than the one before. A fresh breeze blew old cobwebs away and invaded the world with colour and bright, sunny light. Fashions grew lighter, music tingled on the senses, art in all its forms entered a phase of intense creativity and experimentation, cinema was transformed and the world of design discovered a new language of geometry and form.

The world became lighter, literally. Instead of being built inwardly, to keep everything out, homes were now designed to let in light and views, while the dark fabrics and tones that

once covered almost the whole body grew thinner, lighter, more colourful and, gradually, downright skimpy. The bikini, maxi and mini followed one another in quick succession as women were liberated and young people broke down old social barriers, aided in this by the technological advances of their parents’ generation.

Music became the voice of this new movement, cinema a means through which to express itself, and in so doing we see a rapid succession from the quaint through the euphoric to the destructivist era that followed the Dolce Vita – and was ultimately its product. Though leading on from it, this negative, anti-aesthetic vision of the world seems so wholly opposite to the life-loving expression of just ten years earlier. It is within the positivist environment where people believed as never before in the future that we see not only the futuristic architecture of Eero Saarinen and a veritable explosion of industrial design, but also the popularity of television programmes like The Jetsons and Thunderbirds.

© BMCL / Shutterstock.com

The Jetsons

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Back to the future: Eero Saarinen’s Egg Chair

Made famous by The Graduate: The Alfa Romeo Spider

A New Expression of Style From Scandinavia and Italy burst forth a cascade of new looks, materials and shapes, be it the latest Olivetti calculator, Arne Jacobsen’s Egg Chair or any of the other wonders visible at the hugely popular World Fairs. But perhaps cars embody the era best of all, creating a sense of palpable nostalgia that transmits one back to a time of soft pastel colours and creamily rounded bonnets, boots and roof panels. Iconic in this regard was the Fiat 500, the little bubble car that motorised Italy – and as the Seat 600, Spain. Entire families squeezed into this quaint little sweetheart of a car, or its Multipla derivative.

The latter also dominated the street scene of Rome, Naples and Milan as the taxi of choice, bustling through the, shall we say, lively Italian traffic with typical aplomb. To alight from one of these and find yourself in the Rome of the early sixties would be to inhale the essence of an epoch that has gone in history as one of the most special flights of moment. Darting around the Cinquecentos would be the evergreen Vespa scooters, symbol of the era. Indeed, with all the honking in the air blending with the sounds of Perez Prado’s Patricia and the fragrance of Italian cuisine drifting along, you could find yourself in a scene from La Dolce Vita.

But this cinematic masterpiece, while visually embodying the era, also lays bare the underlying currents of a modern, consumerist world that would eventually lead to our own. In

it, the freshness of the age is already tainted with jaded hedonism, lack of purpose and a sense of lost opportunities. The period that started with the gentle glamour of an older era – as represented by the beautiful Aquariva speedboats – would close with the sporty, youthful chic of the Alfa Romeo Spider, another icon of this bohemian time.

Already iconic in Italy and large parts of Europe, the Spider was introduced to a global audience through the film, The Graduate. In an unwitting American sequel, The Graduate picks up the theme as the decade nears its end. Yet much of the aura remains, and the scenes once again provide iconic mementos of a period that is lost to us now, but which continues to return in retro-filled slices. In it, the Alfa Romeo Spider epitomises the leisurely abandon of the Dolce Vita, a time that may not have been quite as idyllic and carefree as we now perceive it to have been, but still one that we look back upon with nostalgia and yearning as we head into the future.

Today, it is still possible to recapture fleeting moments of this youthful age; by driving through Rome in an original Fiat 500, dodging along its narrow streets on a Vespa or rolling through the hills of Tuscany with the Spider’s top down, it is possible to be Marcello Mastroianni or Anita Ekberg for a while. Get retro stylish, with the wind in your hair, and let the spirit and positive energy of those times fill you with Dolce Vita. e The Aquariva on Lake Como

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THE FOCUS people

W

e think of Italy as a land of hedonists capable of appreciating and creating the beautiful things in life. Connoisseurs of art, beauty, fashion and fine cars, it is a nation where the inquisitive mind of the engineer melds into the intuitive passion of the artist.

But for all this Italy has also produced its fair share of great thinkers. People like Dante, Guglielmo Marconi, Alessandro Volta and Galileo Galilei, not to mention all those great architects, painters and mathematicians. Even among such famed personages, however, there is one man who stands head and shoulders above the rest; one man who embodies the saying ‘Renaissance Man’, describing a person whose mental and creative abilities combined with an insatiable quest for knowledge are such that he is a master of many disciplines at once.

To define such a person would be to conjure the name Leonardo da Vinci, an inventor, artist, mathematician, architect, engineer, anatomist, botanist and geologist who, for good measure, also wrote and played music. Both intellectually and creatively he was a true genius, and one of the greatest minds of all time. But da Vinci wasn’t only a thinker, he was also a doer. His ability to connect the theoretical with the practical has left us with a rich catalogue of inventions, mathematical models, scientific observations and artwork.

The Renaissance Man

RENAISSANCE GENIUS

LEONARDO

DA VINCI

One of the greatest minds of all time, Leonardo da Vinci was a true genius whose proficiency and output in many fields made him one of the engines of the Renaissance. The results of his uniquely creative mind are still felt to this day. WORDS MICHEL CRUZ

To delve into the life story of Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci is to come away with the impression of a superhuman being. Imagine if Stephen Hawking could paint like Picasso, design buildings like Mies van der Rohe, understand nature like David Attenborough and create amazing new inventions that were far ahead of their time. Oh yes, and write like a novelist while reciting classical concertos.

It seems too much for one person to be capable of and yet this is what the Renaissance ideal was all about – and when it is comes to the multidisciplinary Renaissance Man, the ultimate incarnation is Leonardo da Vinci.

Born the illegitimate son of a reasonably prominent man in 1452, the young Florentine had access to a good, and diverse, education.

Though officially trained as a painter who worked for noblemen, kings and popes, his hunger for knowledge was such that he studied everything from mathematical problems and scientific questions to biology, botany and anatomy. Added to his rational, logical mind was the unusual abundance of creative and artistic talent, and this was again given yet another dimension by the inventive drive of the engineer, the problem-solving artistry of the architect and the humanistic pondering of a man who also wished to understand the world of people and their society.

Leonardo da Vinci Self-Portrait, 1512

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The Last Supper, one of his most inspired works

The inventor… engineering drawings

It seems hard to imagine that the man we know as the creator of the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper would also be solving complex numerical problems and designing machines of war, lenses and anything from an early glider and helicopter to a mechanical calculator and the theoretical basis for the harnessing of solar power.

Indeed, many of his inventions were theoretical – destined never to be made or seen by him because they were too far ahead of their time. How else could it be for someone who spoke of hydrodynamics and plate tectonics in the 15th century, at a time when the western world was only just emerging from the darkness of the Middle Ages?

During peacetime he painted works commissioned by the rich and powerful of the day, while pondering – and uncovering – the mysteries of the world. In times of war, meanwhile, he turned his hand to bolstering defences and creating new types of weaponry, giving little insight into a brain capable both of conjuring

Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, La Gioconda

A futuristic concept for a 15th century helicopter

beauty and designing destruction.

Actually, apart from the fact that he was brilliant and inquisitive we don’t know a lot about the famous Leonardo da Vinci. His relationship with the also famous Michelangelo was known to be tense at times, probably as a result of professional pride and competition.

And yet, beyond the realm of art Michelangelo was not his equal.

They both worked for kings, princes, noblemen and popes – among them the De Medicis and the Borgias – and were privy to many of the era’s momentous occasions and intrigues, but while Michelangelo was also a Renaissance Man (a skilled engineer and architect as well as an artist), his range of abilities did not stretch anywhere near as wide as that of the incomparable Leonardo da Vinci. After meanderings through Florence, Milan, Bologna and Rome, it was in France that da Vinci spent his final years. Having entered the service of King Francis I in 1516, he was given a lavish pension and

the run of the Clos Lucé manor house near the king’s royal Château d’Amboise.

It was here that he was buried and remains to this day, beloved by a king who regarded him as the most knowledgeable person in the world, a superlative artist and a great philosopher. As a man he is marked forever by his intellect and the creations that sprang forth from it, but as a person we are told in subsequent writing that he was handsome, a vegetarian, a humanist and very popular among the rich crop of academics and creative minds of his time. There has been much speculation about the possibility that he was gay, but for someone who left 13,000 pages of drawings and writing, we know precious little about the nature of the man himself.

Most attempts to describe him date from well after his death, so it is to his work that we look to understand this unique genius a little better. The huge body of work he left behind covering everything from

anatomically correct depictions of people, animals and internal organs, to detailed and functional plans for advanced buildings, flying machines, parachutes, dams, hydraulic pumps and entire towns. In fact, a bridge built in Norway in 2001 was based on a hypothetical design by da Vinci for the spanning of the Bosporus in Constantinople. What began with the illustration of De divina proportione, a seminal book on mathematics and the golden ratio, led to the creation of the Vitruvian Man, a combined work of art, maths and science that sums up – and symbolises – this unique individual more than even the Mona Lisa.

In the words of his 16th century biographer, Giorgio Vasari: “In the normal course of events many men and women are born with remarkable talents; but occasionally, in a way that transcends nature, a single person is marvellously endowed by Heaven with beauty, grace and talent in such abundance that he leaves other men far behind…” e

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THE STYLE fashion

Italian Fabric at its Finest

Marisa Cutillas brings us the latest collection from Riani, a high-fashion brand blending the very best of Italian fabrics with German production techniques. Shine, transparency and original prints are just some of the many highlights of this new line, which is already being seen at many of the world’s top red carpet events.

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Purple Perfection

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Blue

Perfection

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Leather & Shine

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Glittering Goddess

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i www.riani.de

Golden Grace

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Dancing to the Rhythm of

Spring Marisa Cutillas brings you a colourful array of items to celebrate the glory of Spring!

tio bag al Collec

Trib

by Louis

ACCESSORIZE: www.accessorize.es ARARAT JOYAS: www.araratjoyas.com CHOPARD: www.chopard.com JUICY COUTURE: www.juicycouture.com LOUIS VUITTON: www.louisvuitton.com MONSOON: www.monsoon.co.uk STEVE MADDEN: www.stevemadden.com

Necklac e by Acc essorize

THE STYLE fashion

Vuitton

Bag by

Monso

on

Bag by M

onsoon

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Skirt by Juicy Couture

Sexy sandal by Steve Madden

Watch by Chopard

Ring by Ararat Joyas

Ne

ck

lac

eb yA

rar

at

Jo yas

Sunglasses by Louis Vuitton

Short set by Juicy Couture

Shorts by Accessorize

Earrings by Accessorize

Bag by Louis Vuitton

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THE SPA beauty

SUPERFOODS for Beauty ADVICE

The skin is the largest organ in the body and consuming the right foods can go a long way towards increasing its elasticity, firmness and youthfulness. This month, Marisa Cutillas brings us a selection of health foods that will turn back the hands of time, keeping blemishes, tightness and wrinkles at bay.

Z COOKED TOMATOES AS A NATURAL SUNSCREEN: Cooked tomatoes and tomato sauce are rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant thought to help prevent cancer and heart disease and protect the skin against the sun. Lycopene attacks free radicals caused by exposure to ultraviolet rays, firming skin and aiding cells in their important task of collagen formation. Lycopene lends various foods their orange/red hue. In addition to tomatoes, it can also be found in guava, watermelon, grapefruit and papaya. Just one of these fruits a week will give you much needed protection against the sun’s rays.

Z RED PEPPER FOR FIRMING SKIN: Vitamin C protects skin cells against inflammation, permitting new collagen to form and skin to appear firm and wrinkle-free. Source the Vitamin you need from red pepper (just one cup of pepper contains 280mg of Vitamin C, compared to one medium sized orange, which only has 75mg of Vitamin C).

Z SWEET POTATOES FOR FIGHTING BLEMISHES AND CLOGGED PORES: Our oil glands exist to help skin exfoliate (i.e. rid itself of dead cells). However, when these glands are overactive, they can become blocked with oil, bacteria and dirt, leading to the development of pimples. Sweet potatoes are rich in Vitamin A, which helps regularise oil gland activity and promotes more efficient exfoliation. Other foods which are rich in Vitamin A are dark leafy greens, bell peppers, lettuce and dried apricots.

Z MILLET FOR SKIN FIRMNESS: Those who consider millet to be a food for birds may be surprised to know that it has been used for centuries in India to enhance the health of hair, skin and nails. This yellow grain is high in protein and balances acidity in the body. It also houses a secret ingredient that makes it such a powerful ally for greater beauty: silicon, a necessary ingredient to help cells build collagen. Millet is easy to cook; just simmer it in water or stock as

you would with rice; mix it with grilled vegetables for a yummy meat-free lunch or dinner. Other silicon-rich foods include bell peppers (which seem to be the ultimate anti-ageing vegetable), soybeans, oats, brown rice, apples, oranges and cucumber.

Z OILY FISH FOR MOISTURE: Oily fish like wild salmon and freshly caught red tuna are rich in Omega-3 essential fatty acids (which the body cannot produce itself). Consume fish three times a week or more and watch dry, itchy skin turn smooth and supple. Remember that dry skin doesn’t just look unsightly; it also leads to the destruction of the ceramide barrier, which prevents moisture loss.

Z CAPERS FOR INFLAMMATION: Many of us suffer from inflamed, red skin, which can arise from a number of conditions, including perimenopause, seasonal changes, allergies, etc. Capers are rich in quercetin, a flavonoid that has been proven in various studies to lower inflammation and fight free radicals. Just one tablespoon of

capers contains a whopping 190mg of quercetin. Add them to a stew or grilled chicken dish for a flavourful touch of saltiness.

Z DARK GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES FOR DETOXIFICATION: For skin cells to work at their maximum potential, they cannot be burdened by toxins.

Support your liver in its important role of detoxification by eating dark, leafy greans such as spinach and broccoli. If you detest greens, ‘hide’ them in juice.

One of my favorite recipes contains a blend of oranges, bananas and spinach leaves… trust me, you won’t taste the spinach at all! e

PUMPKIN SEEDS FOR FIRMNESS AND ELASTICITY: The humble pumpkin seed is rich in Vitamin E, selenium, essential fatty acids and zinc. This potent blend maintains collagen levels, enhances skin elasticity, stimulates skin cell growth, repairs damage, controls sebum production and protects skin against the sun.

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Gibraltar l a r u t a n % 0 0 1 s l i o Our t u n o c o c n i g r i , v d e w r u ra o v a fl y l e t a c i l e d . . . e e t ar s a t s u o i c i l e d a h t i w

& , s e y ... oh ! o o t k c in sto 160 Main Street, Gibraltar 路 Tel. +350 200 49504 facebook.com/HollandandBarrettGibraltar @HBGibraltar

Gibraltar

local World Music

Next month’s World Music Festival, titled Khamsa after the hand-shaped Arabic amulet, is going out into the streets to celebrate the cultures of the Maghreb and Morocco. Le Souk street party showcasing the flavours of north Africa through music and dance, workshops and a Meeting Morocco Conference at The Garrison Library, attended by top north African representatives, will be the prelude to the main musical feast at St Michael’s Cave on June 18. The concert will open with Convivencia, a one-hour production uniting artists from both sides of the Strait: Andalusian band Jazz Oil, represented by Nidhal Jaoua; Moroccan rising star, Abir El Abed; Jerusalem artist Neta Elkayam; Spanish flamenco dancer David Morales; and FrenchMoroccan singer Françoise Atlan, this year’s Festival Director. The second act stars admired Tunisian vocalist, composer and Oud player Dhafer Youssef (pictured). g Tickets, £30 (£25 for senior citizens & students) from Gibraltar

Productions, 92 Irish Town, Tel: + 350 200 68899. www.gibraltarproductions.com

Song Festival

This year’s Gibraltar International Song Festival (GISF) has broken all records, with close to 700 entries from 30 countries including India, Indonesia, Malawi, Vietnam and the U.A.E. The winning songs will be performed during a gala evening at the Tercentenary Sports Hall on May 9, and live-streamed via partners in Latin America, Europe, Russia and on the GISF website to a potential worldwide audience of over 100 million. There are 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes of a trophy plus £4,000, £2,000 and £1,000 respectively, and a Special Award for Best Interpreter.

Since its revival in 2007, GISF has been attracting more entries and ever-wider international audiences, “living proof that music knows no frontiers.” said Daniel Guerrero from the Ministry of Culture. “Each edition also acts as an important shop window for the authors and composers.” g Tç ickets, £10.00, from the Gibraltar Tourist

Office, Casemates Square. www.gibraltarsongfestival.com

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Miss Gibraltar 2015

The luscious line-up for this year’s Miss Gibraltar pageant is complete, with seven local girls vying for the crown and the chance to go forward to Miss World.

The lucky winner also takes home a £2,000 cash prize and a £3,500 clothing allowance. The contestants drew their official numbers at a reception hosted

by Gibraltar Mayor, Adolfo Canepa, also picking up some tips from reigning Miss Gibraltar, Shyanne Azzopardi, and her two Princesses. This year’s contest on July 4 will be an al fresco event at the Alameda Open Air Theatre, produced by Santos Productions for the Ministry of Culture.

1951 MG Y-Type

Morris Bulldog on GVCA outing

Vintage Wheels

This year’s International Festival of Classic and Vintage Vehicles on Saturday, May 16, promises to be bigger and better than ever. The Gibraltar Classic Vehicle Association recently joined forces with FIVA (International Federation of Ancient Vehicles) which represents more than 1.5 million enthusiasts from 62 countries. The Festival starts at 9.30am with the arrival of cars at Casemates, where visitors can chat to their owners. The procession moves off at 1.20pm, with Miss Gibraltar in the lead car. The convoy will travel along Main Street, via Queen's Way, to Waterport and Morrisons, then on to Devil's Tower Road and Europa Point, returning to Casemates for lunch and a second opportunity to view the cars. If you miss them there, catch them next day at Puerto Sotogrande, from 10.30am. i www.gibraltarclassiccar.com

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Royal Date

Tourism Minister Samantha Sacramento was in good company when she attended the christening of P&O Cruises’ new cruise ship, Britannia, by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh at Southampton Docks. A name HRH will be familiar with – it was also the name of the former Royal Yacht – the new Britannia can accommodate 3,600-plus passengers, the largest cruise ship ever constructed for P&O and the British market. She has 13 bars, 13 dining venues, the line's largest Oasis Spa, a sports arena, a cinema, four swimming pools and 1,837 cabins. “Britannia will be one of the 216 vessels scheduled to visit Gibraltar in 2015,” commented Minister Sacramento. “This sees an increase in calls over last year, which will be welcomed by Gibraltar's tourism, hospitality, transport and retail industry?

Rocking Brussels

The new Gibraltar House in Brussels will be officially opened this month (May), increasing the Rock’s foothold in the EU’s de facto capital. Gibraltar’s ‘man in Brussels’, former Gibraltar MEP Sir Graham Watson, will head up a beefed-up team to include lawyer Daniel D'Amato, who has been seconded from the European Union and International Department, and three locally recruited staff. Raising the Rock’s profile in Europe is important in the continuing ‘cold war’ with Spain and would be crucial if Britain ever left the EU by in-out referendum, a prospect that could be on the cards if the Conservatives win this month’s General Election.

The border, aviation and taxation were all top of the agenda during a recent two-day, 17-engagement visit to Brussels by Deputy Chief Minister Dr. Joseph Garcia. "It is very important to step up our presence in Brussels and to put across the Gibraltar point of view to as many people as possible,” he said.

Campus Chief

Gibraltar’s university moves a step closer to reality with the appointment of Professor Daniella Tilbury as Vice Chancellor designate. Currently a senior manager at the University of Gloucestershire, Daniella is the first female Gibraltarian to hold the full university title of Professor. She has over 25 years’ experience as a higher education professional in posts at the universities of Cambridge, Hong Kong and Sydney. She has contributed to over 100 books and reference articles and has given keynote addresses at high profile conferences across the globe. She takes up her appointment in August, ready for the opening of the university in September.

“I am excited by the multiple benefits the university will bring to our community,” said Professor Tilbury.

“Through professional and international partnerships, this new institution can also strengthen core economic activity and engage us in the global knowledge economy.”

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Business Nurturing

Budding entrepreneurs are to get a helping hand from the Gibraltar Government through a new business nurturing scheme. A pot of £250,000 has been set aside to help both start-ups and small business expansions.

Applications for funding will be assessed on a points-based system by a committee of three, drawn from the Gibraltar Chamber of Commerce, the Gibraltar Federation of Small Businesses and the Ministry of Business and Employment. “It may be challenging for individuals without access to finance to start their own business,” said Minister for Business and Employment, Neil Costa. “Some may have very good commercial ideas but, without funding, they would not even be able to take the very first step.” g Contact the Business Support Unit on Tel: 200 65396 or business.support@gibraltar.gov.gi STOP PRESS: Meanwhile, university students on state scholarships can earn while they learn on a summer job in the Gibraltar Government’s corridors of power. Last year the most popular departments were Health, the Care Agency and Sports and Leisure. With working hours from 10am to 2pm, Monday to Friday, paid at £123 per week (£6.15 per hour), students will not only gain invaluable workplace experience; they’ll also have time for the beach and money for the sun lotion! Application forms can be downloaded from www.gibraltar.gov.gi

Man from Marillion

Steve Hogarth, front man of legendary neo-progressive rock band Marillion, is back in concert on the Rock on May 30 as you’ve never seen him before. Hogarth started a solo project in 2006 with his intimate h Natural shows – just the artist and a piano. But in a departure from the usual format, he will be joined on stage by his son Nial, playing cajon – a career first – as well as former XTC guitarist Dave Gregory, all in the incomparable setting of St. Michael’s Cave. Hogarth’s fourth performance in Gibraltar, he says: “Last year’s Literary Festival gig in the King’s Chapel was truly special for me and I came home with that rare feeling that I had ‘nailed it’. Must be something in the water…

The chance to play once again in St. Michael’s Cave is icing on the cake.” g Tickets, £20 including coach

transfer, from Music Corner or www.buytickets.gi. Further information www.gibmedia.gi

Grassroots Diplomat

Tunnel Vision

Exploring the 55-kilometre labyrinth of siege and WW2 tunnels inside the Rock will be even more thrilling and evocative this year, thanks to recent improvements by the Gibraltar Tourist Board. O’Hara’s Battery now boasts a new interactive information panel and screens with live commentary about the firing of the 9.2 inch gun. Life-sized mannequins in 18th century military uniform and gun barrels mounted on replica carriages have been introduced in St. George’s Hall. Other innovations include the opening of a new tunnel, Cornwallis Chamber, accessed via a spiral staircase, as well as picnic areas and other exhibits recreating life inside the Rock over more than two centuries. i Further information www.visitgibraltar.gi

Albert Poggio, OBE, Gibraltar's ‘man in London’ since 1988, has received a Commendation at the city’s prestigious annual Grassroot Diplomat Initiatives Awards. The awards ‘applaud heroes and heroines who have fought in the name of justice, peace and good governance’. Mr Poggio’s citation notes that he has "spent over 20 years strengthening political and business ties for Gibraltarians and British citizens alike." He received the award at a ceremony attended by Ambassadors, High Commissioners and members of both Houses of Parliament. “It is hugely gratifying that, through this award, Gibraltar and its people have been recognised at this level,” he said.

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Street Smart

Gibraltar’s oddly-named streets are to be jazzed up in a new tourism initiative. The Ministry for Transport is working with leading local historians and the Gibraltar Heritage Trust to produce triptych plaques for six curiouslynamed streets, with an explanation of their origins. If popular, more plaques will be added for a walking tour. Street names didn’t become official in Gibraltar until the 1970s, when signs in English were put up by the police. Until then, roads were referred to either for their function or after a landmark or famous resident.

Commented Transport Minister Paul Balban: “This part of our heritage was at risk of fading away, as new generations seem to know streets by their present names. It is only by way of conversation with older generations that we hear names like La Cuesta de Mr. Bourne or Calle Cordoneros.”

Schmoozing Cruising

Fair Exchange

Students from Gibraltar and Sweden recently got together for a cultural cook-off during an exchange visit by 16 pupils from the Falkenberg region in Halland to study social and working life on the Rock. As part of their itinerary the Gibraltar Youth Service organised a cultural food evening where both groups shared the preparation of the evening meal. Gibraltarian specialities calentita, torta patata and breaded chicken were on the menu, along with a traditional Swedish sandwich cake. Stuart Malcom, the Swedish school teacher leading the group, has links with the Gibraltar Youth Service dating back to an exchange between Gibraltar and Falkenberg in 1998, and has promised further exchange trips in the future.

Gibraltar has been chosen to host the 47th Medcruise General Assembly in 2016. The prestigious event will unite 73 member ports from 100 Mediterranean and neighbouring countries, attracting key cruise industry players, tourist boards and shipping agents.

The Assembly is part of the Rock’s continuing drive to attract luxury cruise ships to its waters. The Rock also flew the ensign at this spring’s 31st Annual Cruise Shipping Conference in Miami, one of the biggest events on the global maritime calendar. Gibraltar Tourist Board Chief Executive Nicky Guerrero and Albert Poggio, Head of the Gibraltar Government Office in London (pictured) were among 11,000 shipping and cruise representatives taking part, along with 900 companies from 125 countries.

Damp Camp

Hailstorms and torrential rain proved a greater challenge than the Obstacle Course for 30 teenage army cadets on annual camp at Holcombe Moor Training Centre, near Manchester. But a chance encounter with troops from one of the UK’s elite Special Forces units, also training at the Centre, made up for the bad weather as the awe-struck cadets received a demo of their high-performance vehicles and specialist equipment. The cadet unit, fully-funded by the Gibraltar Government, is an important part of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment family. In the past five years nearly 20 cadets have gone on to join the Regiment as regular soldiers. Captain Alan Montegriffo, the unit’s Officer Commanding, is on the lookout for new recruits. “We are always looking for more girls and instructors,” he said. A military background isn’t essential for instructors, although willingness to work in all weathers is!

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THE PRO business

PROPERTY

UPDATE RESIDENTIAL

2014 has proven to be a good year with the market showing no signs of slowing down. Stock levels remain low both on rentals and sales and this constitutes one of the drivers for an increase in prices across the board. WORDS LOUIS MONTEGRIFFO

It was always going to be unrealistic to expect property values to rise as sharply as they did previously, however the top end has maintained its momentum, albeit at a more sensible pace. We believe that high value sales are here to stay and that a new market, a fourth tier, has made its mark. The market at this level (by our estimations) has increased marginally by approximately 5%.

If one excludes high value properties, the pace and strength of sales has been sharper and more consistent than the previous year; we believe that this is principally due to higher volumes of sales within this category, and at this level we have seen an approximate increase of just under 10%.

begin works in early 2015 with 18 – 30 month programmes. The past few years have seen large increases in rates/sqm, which only 5 years ago averaged out at £230/sqm / annum and are now at an average of £290/ sqm / annum and highs of up to £400/sqm / annum.

Demand has clearly increased with the additional pressure of there being no new build in this sector for nearly a decade. Our views on whether there is real demand to meet the forecasted square meterage being proposed are met with an element of caution, given the substantial schemes in the pipeline.

We are optimistic on smaller projects being able to provide mixedusage concepts and easier-to-meet market expectations.

COMMERCIAL

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

2014 has seen the beginnings of ambitious proposals by various developers to push ahead in the construction of approximately 30,000sqm of office space. These developments were scheduled to

2014 saw the launch of Midtown and Ocean Village Phase 3. In brief, both developments pretty much sold out in no time. Although one would be tempted to mark this as a huge success on the part of the

developers, we will (and here’s the cautious advice for you) keep a watchful eye on where the demand for these units has originated from and who the buyers are. We have always maintained that a mix of owner occupiers, seasoned investors and a small measure of speculators is healthy, any overdose of the latter and you become exposed – to learn more about our thoughts on this, please feel free to call us.

ECONOMY Although we prefer to refrain from commenting on economic activity, we have found it useful to make reference to the GDP figures in order to indicate economic strength or weakness, which is a main driver in property values. We will review the impact that such a strong growth may or may not have on the market at the year end, but it would be fair to say that the first two months of 2015 have been encouraging.

The current climate in our view continues to be positive and likely to grow sensibly. Demand has

continued in line with the growth in the economy and we have seen property prices (particularly in the high value market) over the past four years increase by up to 40% in some areas. There is greater confidence in Gibraltar today, the quality of our business has increased and high value candidates are looking no further than Gibraltar as their choice for relocation; our applicants and clients are better briefed about the Rock and its potential.

There is no question that the positive message that we bring is, to a great degree, thanks to the efforts of the Finance Centre and the fact that the Rock delivers a first class, dynamic and well regulated locus that attracts quality applicants across a wide spectrum of services.

g Louis Montegriffo

is the Managing Director of BMI Group Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 51010. www.bmigroup.gi

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THE PRO business

MIDTOWN

Über-chic Urban Living with a Trans-Atlantic Twist

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nternational business players are rushing to put their names down for apartments in Arlington, boltholes in Burlington, loft-style penthouses in Lexington and offices in Madison with views over Gibraltar’s future Central Park.

It sounds like one hell of a commute! But, despite the American names, the latest aspirational addresses tempting executives to invest on the Rock are positioned slap bang in the centre of its booming business district. And, to continue the USA analogy, they’re selling like lunchtime bagels in Brooklyn!

But this is Midtown Gibraltar, not Massachusetts or Manhattan – an exclusive enclave of 120 super-spacious one- to four- bedroom apartments, penthouses and offices perched above a gallery of designer shops and cafes. Rising up on the old naval parade grounds, it bids farewell to the battleship-grey British military garrison of old and proclaims the Rock’s growing reputation as a global mover and shaker in brushed steel and gold cladding.

The trans-Atlantic nod is deliberate, emphasising the Stateside model of serviced city living that imbues every aspect of the project’s careful design, from dual high-speed elevators and stylish lobbies to metered, solar-powered electricity. Restful courtyards, roof gardens, social areas and a swimming pool will help busy executives relax away from the rat race, while a 24-hour concierge handles everything from mail collection to plant watering – ideal for executives who weekend away.

With on-the-spot parking too, removing the need to cruise Gibraltar’s narrow congested streets for a space, even late nights at the office will feel less stressful. The new multi-storey coach & car park providing 1,000 spaces on the Midtown site will ease Gibraltar’s town centre parking problems for

With its sleek high rise offices and new green parks, downtown Gibraltar is shedding its military mantle for a buzzy, big city vibe and the momentum continues with Midtown – a classy new address in the metropolis with nods to Stateside sophistication at the heart of its design. WORDS BELINDA BECKETT

the rest of the population too. You’ll even be able to park the Prius and top up the battery from one of the car park’s electric charging points.

“We wanted to move away from the usual well-used military and sea references and reflect on something of where we are now and our next evolution as a country and a community,” says Brand and Marketing Coordinator, Naomi Quigley.

“The New England town names not only make for great-sounding addresses but also reflect the strong synergy between the early pilgrim fathers and the people of Gibraltar. We too are a frontier community with a people determined to forge their own destiny and secure freedom of choice.”

Launched with the slogan, Modern Living with Traditional Values, and priced at £400,000 to £1.65 million, the groundbreaking project by Commercial Developments Investments Ltd targets top tax bracket buyers in the burgeoning financial, IT and legal services sectors. With many more international companies choosing Gibraltar as a business hub and property of any kind not in overabundance, it’s no surprise that the first phase has been snapped up almost overnight, with buyers queuing up for the imminent launch of phase two.

There’s also been a rush on car spaces, a result that has exceeded even the developers’ wildest dreams.

“We knew that there was demand but we didn’t anticipate selling 90 per cent of the first phase within two days, an astonishing response,” says Naomi Demand has been further stimulated by an extra ‘gold standard’ guarantee – the backing and direction of the prestigious Montagu Group of local investor-entrepreneurs who have delivered more than 2,000 homes in Gibraltar since the border re-opened. With an ethos of environmental sustainability at the group’s core, female directors

were particularly consulted on layouts with the objective of creating a healthy and desirable place to live long term. As well as extravagant amounts of space (some of the balconies are 40m2 in size) and beautiful fixtures and finishes – American walnut flooring and top spec designer kitchens – there are ‘proper’ broom cupboards and washing machines with separate tumble driers (because, as every woman knows, the combined sort just don’t work as well).

Built in blocks of different levels ranging from seven to 14 floors, linked by a garden rooftop bridge, owners and office tenants will be within strolling distance of Main Street and Gibraltar’s two marinas.

There’s even entertainment on the doorstep provided by the neighbouring Kings Bastion leisure centre’s cinemas, bowling alleys and ice rink. The leasing of the commercial units will be strictly controlled to provide a good mix of shops, cafes and restaurants, creating a new retail destination for Gibraltar.

“Having a multi-purpose development like this in the very heart of Gibraltar will be phenomenal,” enthuses Naomi. “With solid, spacious homes, highly-functional office space, new green areas, parking and a quality social, commercial and retail hub too, Midtown will be an asset for many generations to come.” i Further information, www.midtown.gi

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business THE PRO

Casino Sunborn

License Granted

Casino Sunborn and Paf (the casino operator) are delighted to announce that the international casino on board the five-star super yacht hotel, Sunborn Gibraltar, has been granted its licence by the Gibraltar Licensing Authority and is officially open!

B

oth Paf and Sunborn look forward to enhancing the array of entertainment available in Gibraltar for both those living locally and people residing in Spain. It is also hoped that the stylish, new casino will attract overseas visitors, which will further benefit Gibraltar and Spain’s economies in addition to the 75 new jobs the casino has already created for the local community.

Casino Sunborn will offer visitors a selection of classic card tables, roulette tables and slot machines. The new venue promises its guests the most exclusive and luxurious casino experience in the region. This is no casual gaming room: the casino’s smart dress code, it’s tableside drinks service, plus its membership programme, all ensure that the casino provides an experience equal to that of Monte Carlo or Las Vegas.

Guests can look forward to playing on all the latest slot machines, five roulette tables and five card tables dedicated to the classic card games Black Jack and Punto Banco, plus a unique Sunborn Stud Poker. Tables open daily from 4pm to 4am, while slot

machines operate 24 hours a day.

For players who would like more privacy, or companies looking for a stylish corporate entertainment venue, the VIP Private Gaming Suite lives up to every expectation, with a dedicated waitress service and luxury food and beverage packages to suit every palate.

The Suite also has a large open balcony and terrace where guests can enjoy a drink and stunning views across the marina with the imposing Rock as the back drop, a unique experience.

Other VIP services will also include private jet, yacht and limousine transfer and charters and Harley Davidson bike rental. Guests can also book the adjoining suites for a ‘Play & Stay’ experience.

Information about stakes and limits will be available on the website. For VIP Suite groups, table limits can be negotiated so that everyone can join in the games and experience the thrill of the moment. For suite groups and private clients contact info@casinosunborn. com for more information.

Dominick Stenson, Casino Manager said: “Everyone has worked so hard to get to

this point and to have finally opened our doors is a tribute to everyone involved. We hope the casino is going to add real star quality to Gibraltar’s entertainment attractions.”

Anders Ingves, CEO of Paf added: “The opening of the Casino Sunborn in Gibraltar with Sunborn signifies that Paf’s land-based activities are now taking a big and exciting step into Europe, just like Paf.com online. Our hope is that Paf’s nearly 50-year experience in the gaming industry combined with Sunborn’s knowledge of the international hotel industry will contribute to a unique casino experience” Hans Niemi, Executive Director of Sunborn, enthusiastically added: “We’re excited to be uniting our knowledge of the hotel industry with Paf’s casino expertise. We see this as an opportunity for further expansion of land-based casinos on super yacht hotels.”

i For further information,

www.casinosunborn.com www.sunborngibraltar.com info@casinosunborn.com

Boilerplate Sunborn is a privatelyowned Finnish company with over 40 years experience in the hotel and hospitality business.

Internationally, the Sunborn Group has just over 1,000 employees and an extensive property portfolio, which includes spa hotels, restaurants, yacht hotels and residential developments.

Sunborn pioneered the floating hotel concept and specialises in designing, constructing and managing hotel projects around the world.

Sunborn Gibraltar is a 142 metre-long sevenstorey high super yacht hotel, located in Ocean Village Marina in downtown Gibraltar. In addition to the newly opened casino, the hotel also offers 189 five-star hotel guest rooms and a range of high-class restaurants and bars, an exclusive spa, pool area and a modern conference centre.

Sunborn has also recently opened Sunborn London, a 138-room

yacht hotel situated in Royal Victoria Dock. This impressive 108 metre floating hotel offers firstclass dining and luxurious facilities and is also ideal for corporate guests due to its close proximity to the world-famous ExCel Exhibition Centre.

Paf was founded on Åland in 1966 with the clear purpose of creating profit to support public good. This purpose is still the principal reason for Paf’s existence. Today, Paf is an international company with nearly 400 employees and offices in Mariehamn, Helsinki, Stockholm, Tallinn, Madrid and Milano. Paf also maintains a large physical gaming operation on land and sea with about 1,300 slot machines and 40 gaming tables on 25 ships in the Baltic Sea and Paf Casino on Åland. Paf was recently named the gaming industry’s Most Socially Responsible Operator online by the international trade magazine eGaming Review.

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THE LEISURE travel

‘I

s it possible to ensure sufficient, good, healthy and sustainable food for all mankind?’ This is the question which thousands of participants from all over the world will attempt to answer in a matter of six months. As the force behind the transformation of the natural world, we are the problem but also the only solution. Is it too late to nourish ourselves and planet Earth, by amending our ways and embracing more equitable, sustainable solutions to find the right equilibrium between the world’s resources and our consumption?

The Rio+20 event and the United Nations Millenium Declaration set out a series of objectives and guidelines that Expo Milan seeks to uphold and develop. Some 900 million people suffer from malnutrition, while an equal number display the effects of overeating and obesity. Therefore, the theme of safe, healthy eating is one that affects practically the totality of the world’s population.

FEEDING THE PLANET ENERGY FOR LIFE MAY 1 TO OCTOBER 31, 2015

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The United Arab Emirates Pavilion

WORLD EXPO MILAN 2015 WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF WORLD EXPO MILAN 2015

Every year or two, citizens of the World are asked to pause, ponder and identify the pressing issues that preoccupy the human species. Thus far, some of the most fascinating expos have focused on ‘Leisure in the Age of Technology’ (Brisbane, 1988), ‘Dwellings and Surroundings’ (Japan, 1985) and ‘The Oceans: A Heritage for the Future’ (Portugal, 1998). This Milan World Expo 2015, however, focuses on the two most crucial themes facing humanity and the Planet as a whole: how to solve the food crisis and how to ensure the survival of Planet Earth. In essence, the themes are intertwined: the future availability of food is threatened by human actions and to ensure the continued supply of food, we need to give top priority to nurturing our Planet.

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Expo Milan seeks to achieve a series of concrete aims, including the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger; the reduction by 50 per cent of people who suffer owing to hunger; the reduction by two thirds of deaths owing to hunger of children aged under five; the improvement of maternal health and the reduction in the maternal mortality rate by three quarters; ensuring environmental sustainability; and developing a global partnership for development. The event will also invite each nation to present the very best of their gastronomy, utilising the most sustainable methods possible to source and prepare their delicacies.

The aim is for the 140 countries taking part in the Expo, to work together to actively find the answers to some of these questions; to share experiences, technologies and

practices so that we can avail, on a global scale, of new discoveries in the spheres of health, technology, gastronomy, etc.

The event looks to the future for inspiration, without forgetting the importance of the past: visitors will be invited to reflect on the history of food production and to see how time-honoured traditions can be used to make the best use of the Planet’s resources.

By turning to the past, we can also identify the problems our ancestors faced, and see if the solutions they utilised can be of use in this present age. Interestingly, it is very much our need to source food that has led to some of the biggest changes we have imposed on our Planet: ‘We are both a part of Nature and also its willing or unwitting transformer,’ so goes the saying.

The World may be facing some of the

most pressing issues in its history, but the organisers of the Expo remind us that “Expo Milan also aims to uphold the positive spirit of the faith in human progress that has characterised Universal Expositions throughout their history.” The event will be highlighting some of the most amazing things that food has brought to our lives.

Culinary traditions form an important role in our grandest celebrations; they represent our interest in rituals and allow us to share the very best things we have with others. The Expo will also be celebrating the wide variety of foods and traditions that make up life in the different corners of the globe. It will provide a rich opportunity to learn from each other, sample each other’s best products and learn culinary techniques that can change the way families around the world enjoy food.

The Future Food District

SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS EXPO MILAN WILL BE ADDRESSING INCLUDE:

Green is the colour of Expo Milan 2015

Z How can we ensure that all of us have an awareness of (and access to) a healthy diet?

Z What is the relationship between food and exercise, lifestyle and general wellbeing?

Z How can we utilise resources in an environmentally sustainable way?

Z How can our need for healthy food influence the choices we make regarding energy production?

Z Do we need to redefine our idea of nutrition, associating it not only with healthy food intake, but also with historical, cultural and ethno-social aspects?

Z Can healthy eating promote sustainable development?

SOME OF THE OVERRIDING THEMES, MEANWHILE, INCLUDE: Z Best practices in agriculture Z Livestock farming Z GMOS Z The conservation of biodiversity Z The conservation of natural sources, especially water

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Highlights to Watch Out for Include: Pavilion Zero This is the starting point for a visit to the Expo; it delves into the history of mankind through food, provoking questions and leading visitors to the areas that can answer them.

The Biodiversity Park This is a huge garden spread out over 14,000m2 and reproducing the variety of life in a wide range of habitats, each of which represents the numerous processes of natural selection which have taken place over the centuries. The Park will focus our interest on three areas in particular: Agriculture and Nutrition in Arid Zones – the Challenge of Water Scarcity and Climate Change; Islands, Sea and Food; and a ‘Bio-Mediterraneum’, displaying how health, beauty and harmony can work together.

This area will give visitors an idea of how the food chain will operate in the future, the evolution of traditional cuisine, and interesting inventions such as vertical farms, algae urban farms, etc. People will also see what it will be like to shop in a supermarket of the future, where store layouts will change depending on how customers move through them, and where products will be traceable and contain a host of information which can be accessed with new technology.

The Future Food District

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United Arab Emirates Austria

Italy

France

Top Pavilions

China

Some of the most eye-catching pavilions this year include the Chinese pavilion, which bears a stunning undulating roof, representing a cloud hovering over golden hued crops.

The United Arab Emirates pavilion, meanwhile, evokes the experience of strolling through a contemporary desert.

Elongated and curvy in structure, it includes features such as rainwater harvesting and the integration of photovoltaic cells. There are also a plethora of dining areas, to enlighten visitors on the wonders of UAE cuisine. The French pavilion is inspired by a covered market (central to the French foodie culture) and will contain land management and agricultural features, to show how technology and tradition go hand in hand during the production of some of the world’s most renowned delicacies. The Austrian pavilion is uniquely inspired on air, an essential requirement for the health of human beings and an indicator of ecological equilibrium.

The pavilion recreates a small-scale Austrian forest, which produces 62.5 kilograms of fresh Oxygen every hour, which is enough to satisfy the needs of 1,800 people.

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Children’s Park Kids learn so much through play and this area will invite them to give in to their wildest, most imaginative side through various features and activities that will keep them entertained for hours.

This thematic area focuses on how food has shaped our imagination, spirituality and artistic vision. Food has symbolic importance and has been an important subject in some of the world’s most iconic works of art.

Food and Art

The Mascot Visitors will delight in the colours of Expo Milan 2015’s mascot, Foody, comprising 11 different fruits and vegetables which combine to form a single face, representing the beautiful synergy between different countries. Ultimately, this connection is what World Expos are all about. e

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THE GOURMET restaurant

The Best of

All Worlds

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here are times when planning a sociable meal out seems way too much hassle.

You know the scenario: you have a yen for sushi, your partner could kill for a curry but your friends prefer Chinese or, no, they mean Thai!

Now there’s a new place in town where everyone can have their own way: the new Bay View Bistro at the Caleta Hotel. The fun and funky three-course menu features classic dishes from 16 countries – a gastronomic world tour! Russia (borscht), Greece (moussaka) and the Czech Republic (goulash) are just some of the countries your taste buds can visit!

The bistro and adjoining Bay View Lounge and Bar opened last Christmas – the first phase in a major project that will see the addition of a five-star hotel next door – and as a taste of what’s to come, it’s a great start. The Caleta is now the only hotel in Gibraltar offering three different styles of dining under one roof.

The bistro is gastro bar in style (you can get posh burgers too and you don’t have to dress up to the nines); but, being the Caleta, where they know a thing or two about presentation and service, it’s still a quality experience.

The lounge has been stylishly

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decorated to blend seamlessly with the adjoining lobby, and lives up to its name, hogging the best sea views in the hotel. From a stool at the trendy neon-lit bar, or from one of the sofas fronting a wall of windows, you can keep an eye on Gibraltar’s territorial waters all day; or, at dusk, watch the setting sun match Africa’s Rif mountains to the colour of your Bellini – one of a long list of pre- and post-dinner cocktails that invite you to experiment.

Meanwhile, beer drinkers can indulge in a game of ‘ale pairing’ from an international menu of brews. A Cobra with your curry or a London Pride with your steak and kidney pie just has to be tried!

As extra ‘travel insurance’ on this culinary tour for those allergic to certain ingredients, an information chart on the back of the menu covers 14 of the most common allergy-causing foods and indicates which dishes contain them.

With a jazz band on Wednesdays and a folk group on Fridays providing a laid-back tempo for dining, this is more than a meal out. Planning our transcontinental culinary cruise (from our oceanview seats, that’s just what it felt like) was an entertainment in itself!

On a chilly spring night, the Caribbean seemed like a good place

Belinda Beckett samples the Caleta Hotel’s new Bay View Bistro and a menu that’s, quite literally, going places! Photography jayden fa

to start. The whimsically-named ‘reggae reggae nachos’, one of several shareable starters, came piled high on a wooden platter, topped with melted Cheddar and Emmental, with spicy guacamole and cool sour cream on the side – finger-lickin’ good!

Our next port of call was Japan, represented by salmon and cucumber sushi rolls served with ginger, soy and wasabi. Made to order and fabulously fresh, chopsticks complete this authentic Asian experience.

We stayed out East for our three-centre main course: Chinese hoisin wraps (soft flour tortillas bursting with moist chicken and plum sauce); a creamy coconut chicken curry served in a miniature casserole; and teriyaki and chilli beef, a scrumptious combo of tender meat and sticky sauce that we voted the stand-out dish of the night.

The desserts aren’t listed by country of origin but you can’t get a more classic British sweet than apple pie. Served with vanilla ice cream and fresh whipped cream, this Brit highly recommends it.

However I’m not sure the Italians can lay claim to the bistro’s inspired nougat tiramisu, an inventive departure from the traditional recipe

that contains no coffee or alcohol, just the delicious flavour of turrón.

Top quality is only to be expected from a hotel with a proven track record in hospitality and high-end banqueting. The Caleta’s fine-dining Italian restaurant, Nunos, has held the AA’s only two rosette award in Gibraltar since 2006. There’s also the main buffet-style restaurant and a private dining room where Gibraltar’s Chief Minister was a guest on the night we visited.

The seamless progression of artfully-presented dishes is a tribute to the organisational skills of the entire team, recently joined

by Food and Beverage Manager Daniel Romero from Cordoba.

Daniel’s experience is as ‘global’ as the bistro’s menu, having worked in more than half a dozen countries before hitting the cultural melting pot of Gibraltar, where he feels “completely at home”.

Diners will feel equally at home at the Bay View Bistro. Co-incidentally just around the corner from the residential community of Both Worlds, here they can have the best of all worlds!

Open from 11am-1am, serving lunch from 12.30am-3pm, afternoon tea from 3.30pm and dinner from 6.30-10pm.

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THE GOURMET wine

FOOD AND WINE PAIRING

Of all the numerous delights that the Spanish have given the culinary world, perhaps the most enduring has been the concept of tapas. Different stories exist as to the exact origin but the idea of covering a glass with a slice of jamon or chorizo to protect the content embodies the belief, prevalent in Mediterranean culture, that food and wine should be served together. Northern countries like the UK were slower to embrace this and still saw food as a means to soaking up alcohol, rather than accompanying it as an equal.

WORDS PHILIP HARRIS PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF LA RIOJA ALTA AND BODEGAS DEL PALACIO DE FEFIÑANES

T

ime marches on and Tapas have become more refined, kitchens have become global and wine has become the drink of choice, even in countries with little or no viticulture.

The variety of spices and raw material that are now available to restaurants and the home enhances and challenges both cooks and sommelier alike to provide matches.

What makes for a successful pairing?

Firstly, stay away from generalisations: perceived wisdom was that fish and white wine go together as do reds with meat and cheese.

A Garnacha Blanca based white from the Costers del Siurana estate in Priorat has the body to cope with pork or veal. Similarly a red with low tannins, such as a Pinot Noir from Penedes or

a Tempranillo Joven from Rioja would match fish.

Highly aromatic whites such as Sauvignon Blanc do not cope with oily fish or brown crab meat. A recent revelation was a white wine with high residual sugar complementing a hard white cheese such as Manchego, the secret being the marriage of opposites: sugar and salt.

Given that much cheese is accompanied by membrillo, perhaps this is less of a surprise, but many would not consider a white at all.

Secondly, cast the net wider: the regional pride that exists throughout Spain can be witnessed on the wine lists, not always advantageously. Cava or Pansa Blanca may be the natural aperitif in Barcelona, with no Manzanilla to be seen, but the latter is a wonderful food pairing. The fuller bodied reds of Rioja or Ribera del Duero may match many items, but for a blue cheese such as Cabrales, the fulsome charms of Toro Albalá’s Pedro Ximénez (PX) from Montilla-Moriles are highly attractive. This wine also works well with chocolate, making it one of the few that can cope with both the sweet and the savoury at the end of a meal, be it the 1983 Don PX or the

simpler Dulce de Pasas.

Thirdly, decide with which part of the dish you really need to match the wine. This is arguably the most difficult step and one which brings the skill of the sommelier to the fore. The multitude of available ingredients and the ever-increasing ingenuity of chefs can mean at least 4 separate flavours on one plate. Nowhere else has matched Spain in recent years for expanding horizons, concepts and the way one considers food. A dish which contained among its components, foie gras and a star anise perfumed jus at a Michelin starred restaurant (in England) is an example of the pairing puzzle. The former, certainly on its own, would have a sweeter white, but would this suit the star anise? In the end it was the jus that necessitated the marriage. This was achieved with a slightly earthy and gamey red like the Garnacha tinged Viña Ardanza which had enough charm not to overwhelm the foie gras.

When considering pairing, Seamus Sharkey, Head Sommelier at the Michelin-starred Restaurant Story in London considers flavour profile, texture and sweetness. Then he looks for grape varieties that

show the same flavour profile as the dish. Texture is measured in either proteins or carbohydrates, so the next judgement is whether this requires mainly tannins or acidity from the wine.

Technology has made it possible for restaurants to serve many more wines by the glass. Instruments such as the Verre du Vin shut out the oxygen, even as the bottle is depleted, thus preserving the contents. Establishments can therefore present far better wines, as well as daring ones, on their lists. Being able to enjoy a glass of La Rioja Alta’s stunning and graceful 904 Gran Reserva, or the Tercer Año from Palacio de Fefiñanes enhances any meal and makes it possible to experiment with more wines. This in turn has led to the rise of the tasting menu. Here, the chef and the Sommelier work together creating marriages often with five, six, or even eight dishes on a menu. Anything can be considered, thus allowing the flamboyance or ingenuity of the former to be displayed, contrasting with the sagacity of the latter who takes the pain out of decision making for the dining guest. e

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restaurants All’s Well Bar & Restaurant

Gallo Nero

Mamma Mia

Taps Bar

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

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

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

5 Ocean Village Promenade, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 67575

bay view bistro

Gatsby’s

Mons calpe suite

The Caleta Hotel, Catalan Bay, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 76501

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

Top of The Rock, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 79478

Theatre Royal Bar & Restaurant

Mumbai curry house

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

gauchos

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

BEAN & gone cafe 20 Engineers Lane, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 65334

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

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

Fishmarket Street, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 59700

Gibraltar Arms 184 Main Street, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 72133

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

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

20 Watergardens III, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 42771

1008 Eurotowers, Europort Avenue, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 63868

La Mamela

Restaurante Nunos Italiano

The Landings Restaurant

Sir Herbert Miles Road, Catalan Bay, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 72373

15 Ragged Staff Wharf, Queensway Quay, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 66100

Latino’s Diner

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

Casa Pepe

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

Rooftop Bistro, O’Callaghan Eliott Hotel

17 Ragged Staff Wharf, Queensway Quay, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 61118

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

Latinos Music Bar and Restaurant

Governor’s Parade, Gibraltar +350 200 70500

the ocean

Champion’s Planet Bar & Grill

9 Casemates Square, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 47755

Roy’s Cod Place

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

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 faro Marina Bay, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 79241

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

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

El Pulpero

Little Rock Restaurant & Bar

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

Casemates Square, Gibraltar Tel +350 200 51977

4 Stagioni

Maharaja Indian Restaurant

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

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

2/2 Watergate House, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 76662

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

saffron 15a Parliament Lane, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 63009

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

sky restaurant & Bar Sunborn Gibraltar, Ocean Village.

Tel: +350 200 16000

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

Tel: +350 200 62828

solo express Casemates Square, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 62828

13a Ocean Village, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 68222

the lounge gastro bar

6 West Place of Arms, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 40651

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

Tel: +350 200 75890

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

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