The Gibraltar Magazine - December 2013

19 # 02 December 2013

dining guide • business & finance • sport & leisure • history • property • community

the gibraltar magazine

gibraltar the

Our Wonderful Weather

Live Action in the Pits Knight Time Stories

Happy Christmas!

Our New Governor

December 2013 Vol. 19 # 02 FREE

Deliver your business to the world with the International Specialists. ∙∙∙∙∙∙∙ That‘s the Speed of Yellow www.dhl.co.uk/express Matrix Logistics Solutions Ltd (Sole DHL Gibraltar Representative) Unit 36 Harbours Deck, New Harbours, Gibraltar Tel: 200 72210 Fax: 200 78874 Email: GIBSN@dhl.com Opening hours Mon-Fri 08.30-18.00

With global know-how, With global it’s easier toknow-how, cut through. it’s easier to cut through.

When you have access to global expertise, navigating complexity becomes much simpler. At Barclays, the focal point is your dedicated When you have access to global expertise, navigating complexity Relationship Manager, who will channel the knowledge and skills of becomes much simpler. At Barclays, the focal point is your dedicated the entire Barclays Group on your behalf. They will diagnose needs Relationship Manager, who will channel the knowledge and skills of and relevant solutions for behalf. your business. they needs will the identify entire Barclays Group on your They willAlso, diagnose guide you towards opportunities for enhanced and help and identify relevant solutions for your business. returns Also, they will to mitigate against risk. guide you towards opportunities for enhanced returns and help to find mitigate againstcall risk.

To out more, our Gibraltar office on +350 200 41222* or Tovisit findbarclays.com/wealth out more, call our Gibraltar office on +350 200 41222* or visit barclays.com/wealth

Wealthand andInvestment InvestmentManagement Management Wealth

Barclays offers banking, wealth andinvestment investmentmanagement management products products and and services PLC and itsits subsidiaries.

Barclays Bank PLCPLC is registered in England and and Barclays offers banking, wealth and services to toits itsclients clientsthrough throughBarclays BarclaysBank Bank PLC and subsidiaries.

Barclays Bank is registered in England authorised and regulated theFinancial FinancialServices ServicesAuthority.

Authority. Registered Registered No. No. 1026167.

Place, London E14 5HP. Barclays Bank PLCPLC is authorised by the Financial authorised and regulated byby the 1026167.Registered RegisteredOffi Office: ce:11Churchill Churchill Place, London E14 5HP. Barclays Bank is authorised

by Gibraltar the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission conductbanking bankingand andinvestment investmentbusiness business in in Gibraltar.

Gibraltar. *Calls inin the UK. Local rate applied.

Lines are are open 8am8am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday UK UK Services Commission toto conduct *Callsdivert divertto toour ourServicing ServicingCentre Centre the UK. Local rate applied.

Lines open to 5.30pm Monday to Friday time, except on UK bank holidays. Calls may be recorded for training and security purposes. time, except on UK bank holidays. Calls may be recorded for training and security purposes.

Shine_GibMag_Gimme5.pdf

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

1

9/18/13

1:00 PM

finance

We know your world doesn’t revolve around banking!

Helpful banking, making things easier But we also know that you may need access to your money at any time of the day or night, and wherever you are. That’s why we have developed a range of apps for your smartphone or tablet, so you really can bank when it suits you, not when it suits us!

We’re making banking easier... ask us how!

Call in to any branch natwestinternational.com/helpfulbanking Follow us on Twitter @NatWestGib

The Royal Bank of Scotland International Limited trading as NatWest (NatWest). Registered Office: P.O. Box 64, Royal Bank House, 71 Bath Street, St. Helier, Jersey JE4 8PJ. Regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission. NatWest is the registered business name of The Royal Bank of Scotland International Limited under the Business Names Registration Act. Gibraltar business address: National Westminster House, PO Box 707, 57 Line Wall Road, Gibraltar. Regulated and authorised by the Financial Services Commission, Gibraltar to undertake Banking and Investment Business from 57 and 55 Line Wall Road and 1 Corral Road, Gibraltar. Calls may be recorded. Network charges may apply.

19 # 02 December 2013

dining guide • business & finance • sport & leisure • history • property • community

the gibraltar magazine

raltar

g

ibraltar the

December 2013 Vol. 19 # 02 FREE

contents Business & Finance 8 Business & Finance Guide 9 Mrs Rock on a Trip

Our Wonderful Weather

Live Action in the Pits

Knight Time Stories

Happy Christmas!

Our New Governor

19 # 02 December 2013 Cover: The Christmas lights on Main Street

The Gibraltar Magazine is published monthly by Guide Line Promotions Ltd PO Box 1124, La Bayuca, 21 Turnbull’s Lane, Gibraltar Tel/Fax: (+350) 200 77748

info@thegibraltarmagazine.com

Publisher/Editor: Andrea Morton Forde Copyright © 2013 Guide Line Promotions Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written consent of The Gibraltar Magazine.

www.TheGibraltarMagazine.com Magazine & website archived by the British Library @gibmag

14 16

28 30

to Tangier Top Talent: What’s the Fuss?

Former UK PM Launches GPA Live Action in the Grand Pits Diwali at Sovereign

Past Revisited 62 Christmas Past 74 Gibraltar Through the Lens 77 Dragon of Luck

Trovadores

19 # 02

Arts & Leisure 32 Tribute to Team 54 Wins

34 44 52

56

60

64

73

International Christmas Gala Sporting Heroes Children’s Book: A Little Bird Told Me Exhibition: Jennifer’s Rainbow Strings Books: Joe Caruana’s Knight Time Stories Art: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow Red Cross at the Convent

Health & Well-being 48 Health Directory 49 Does Being Bilingual

Regulars 76 Puzzle Page 80 Image of the Month 82 Question: What’s the Best

48

94

Protect Your Mind?

New Therapists at Sport On

Information 66 What’s On December 68 City Centre Map 96 Clubs & Activities 98 Gibraltar Information

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

16

features 16 23 36

Who is Our New Governor?

Our Wonderful Weather The King’s Gold

home file 38 40 41 42

Home Help with Meme Property Directory Property Quotes Ask The Agent

Gift You’ve Received?

Around Town

Appetite 70 Chocolate from Venezuela 85 Winter Warmers 88 Food & Drink Directory 92 Cheers to Christmas

42

business

directory

financial services

accountants

business services

2013 Gibraltar

33 Main Street Gibraltar

business services

Tel: +350 200 76173 E-mail: gib@SovereignGroup.com

Specialists in Document Imaging and Filing Systems, Microfilm Bureau Services, Information Management and Consultancy, CD-ROM Titles, Computer Hardware & Software

9A Cooperage Lane 200 77386 sales@bsgcomp.com

Dealers for 1st Floor, Unit F4, Europa Business Centre Tel: 200 42723 Fax: 200 40612

Computer / network giving you a headache?

Call us for a swift, reliable cure.

17 Convent Place Tel: 200 4-999-1 Fax: 200 4-999-2 www.pc-clinic-gib.com Email: info@pc-clinic-gib.com • Support Contracts • Network Installation & Troubleshooting • Web Design • PC Repairs, Upgrades & Construction • PC Maintenance

186 Main Street, PO Box 453, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 61053 Fax: + 350 200 60953 www.corinthian.gi

legal services Hassans Tel: 200 79000 www.gibraltarlaw.com ISOLAS Tel: 200 78363 www.gibraltarlawyers.com

Micro Business Systems Ltd

PO Box 661, Unit 102, New Harbours Walk, New Harbours, Gibraltar Tel: (+350) 200 42723 Fax: 200 40612 Email: sales@mbs.gi www.mbs.gi Providers of Records Management Services, Systems & Solutions since 1989

Did you know, we have a Gibraltar messenger service too?

We collect, deliver... and wait and return if required.

Save yourself time and money, call us

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

finance

Mrs Rock struggles with her finances on a trip to Tangier

business

words | Ian Le Breton

Mrs Rock had to admit to being rather excited. An envelope had just been delivered written in her son Sheridan’s hand and he had told her to expect an early Christmas present. “I thought you both deserve something a little different this year,” he had said mysteriously, “so I’ve arranged a special treat.” Mrs Rock could hardly wait for her husband to come back from town. Finally he returned and the envelope was ripped opened.

“A Luxury Day Out In Tangier For Two,” announced the card inside. Mrs Rock didn’t approve of using superfluous upper case characters, still less the mangy looking camel and beaten up fez that adorned the card but she ignored her feelings and waited for Mr Rock to react. “Oh Gawd,” he finally muttered. “Tangier? Why couldn’t the boy have just sent us up the coast to Benalmádena like he did a couple of years back?” Mrs Rock thought she’d better stop him there. “Calm down dear,” she said, as she was wont to do ever since she heard that nice David Cameron

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

using the phrase. Or was it Michael Winner?

She got easily confused.

In fact Mrs Rock quite liked the idea of going to Tangier although she was sure it used to be called Tangiers with an “s”. Or was that Algiers? Perhaps it was one of those austerity measures. She had been reading those never-ending finance articles by that nice but rather odd chap in the Gibraltar Magazine for years. She prided herself on knowing that the Gross Domestic Product in Morocco was going up. She didn’t really know what gross meant although her grandson said that lots of

things were gross. And domestic product, she thought, was something best used to clean the house. But she knew that all countries had such a thing and if Morocco’s was on the rise then the place couldn’t be all that bad.

She phoned Sheridan who explained that he would be coming along for the ride as well.

And that during their visit he had arranged for the Rocks to look at a couple of apartments overlooking the new harbour development in Tangier. The city, he pointed out, was just 30 miles or so from Gibraltar. “That’s closer to Gib than Marbella, mother,” he said. Mrs Rock was

business

finance

a little discomfited by this. “At our age, what do your father and I want to be doing looking at an apartment in Tangier, dear?” she asked, rather enjoying the resultant rhyme. Rock junior went on to explain that the Rocks should maybe consider selling their home in Gibraltar — after all the property market was very buoyant at present. They could buy a smaller place in Tangier and enjoy spending the difference.

And he said it was an up and coming destination in its own right and a great investment for the next generation — “him” in other words, Mrs Rock thought to herself.

And so it was with some reluctance — but trying to be enthusiastic so as not to hurt Sheridan’s feelings — that a couple of weeks before Christmas, he drove them around Algeciras and on to Tarifa. Mr Rock had to admit that the area had changed a lot since he was last there, but that was a long time ago. They boarded the fast ferry and the vessel set out across the Strait of Gibraltar. The tourist brochures made much of this world famous stretch of water but the image of dolphins, sunshine, clear azure sky and glorious Mediterranean looked rather different in December with the boat pitching and rolling and more than a hint of rain in the wind. But he kept quiet and smiled weakly every time Mrs Rock started speaking; the result was a semi-permanent grin that made him look rather strange.

Mrs Rock hadn’t been to Tangier for around 40 years when she went with an elderly aunt who had been evacuated there during the war, as had so many of her Gibraltar relatives. And for Mr Rock it was “his first time in Africa” as he had pompously told his drinking pals at the club the night before.

The Rocks were in for a shock. True they could see the historic old town with its narrow alleyways and tiny hidden passages from the boat. But dominating the scene in front of them were dozens of buildings, mainly apartment blocks, stretching right around the Bay of Tangier. Sheridan said excitedly to his parents that it was mainly Spaniards who were buying these apartments and it was time to buy before it became “over developed”. Mr Rock pointed out that there didn’t seem to be space for any more development but otherwise kept quiet.

After clearing immigration the family changed some money into Moroccan dirham.

Mr Rock started singing “dirham dirham” over and over to the Pink Panther theme until his wife glared at him. Mrs Rock didn’t like the

10

idea of multiplying the pound sterling by 13 to get to a dirham equivalent. She hadn’t done well at maths and had certainly never got as far as her 13-times table.

They set out in a dubious looking taxi for a non-stop day that included a free “tourist lunch with authentic touches”, some shopping in the souk and, of course, the apartment viewings that were Sheridan’s main objective.

Mr and Mrs Rock had to admit that the apartments they were shown were very nice but they were also amazed at how expensive they were — and how much they all seemed strangely similar. In fact other than the sight of lots of people in Arab dress from the windows, Mrs Rock felt she could be anywhere in Europe. But here she was grappling with an incomprehensible language, unfamiliar money, and that strange feeling of “why has Sheridan brought us here?”

The rather persuasive estate agent kept talking. He pointed out that the service charges weren’t too high “comparatively” and then started jabbering about tax. He pointed out that there is Capital Gains Tax in Morocco — unlike Gibraltar of course — but that this could be reduced or even eliminated. Mrs Rock was getting concerned. Then he started explaining the “impôt général sur le revenu”, the “fiscalité des collectivites locales” and worse still, Moroccan VAT — again something not found in Gibraltar.

She soon glazed over.

After the agent departed, Sheridan took his parents for mint tea in the “petit socco” made famous in countless spy stories and other tales of derring-do. “So, what do you think?” he asked plaintively, suspecting he already knew the answer. When his mother made it clear there was more chance of her winning the Gibraltar Christmas lottery than there was of her buying property abroad, let alone in Africa (as Mr Rock continued to insist on calling it), Sheridan knew he was beaten.

Mrs Rock had to admit that the apartments they were shown were very nice but they were also amazed at how expensive they were — and how much they all seemed strangely similar

“At least you have bought a lottery ticket,” he implored. “Hundreds of Gibraltarians already own property in Spain and are now buying here in Tangier. It’s sure to be the next property hotspot.” He continued that with professional advice, the issues about local property law, including the taxes, could be dealt with easily. And think about all the exciting things they could do every day — go to the market, drink mint tea and make new friends.

Mrs Rock waited until he had finished. Then without stopping to take a breath she launched into why she had no intention of leaving her homeland, thank you very much. There was a perfectly good market in Gibraltar, she could have mint tea if she chose — and for that matter she could drink as much Earl Grey as she wanted too. And at her age, what did she want to make new friends for? Sheridan defeated, the Rocks made their way back to the port and embarked on the return journey.

As she mused over her little adventure the next day, Mrs Rock decided that, if it was all the same to you, she would really rather leave the delights of Tangier to someone else. True, it had been an interesting day out but all that “culture” left her a bit cold. It might be fine for some people, but she much preferred “her Gibraltar”. He would just have to try harder next year. Perhaps she’d leave a travel brochure open at the page on Hawaii — but she didn’t suppose he’d take the hint.

For some light relief, she opened her copy of her favourite magazine, and turned to this month’s finance column. There it was, as usual, but this time with a seasonal message at the end.

On behalf of all the staff at Sovereign, a very Merry Christmas to the Gibraltar Magazine readers everywhere.

That was more like it! n

Ian Le Breton

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

isolas-house-gibmag:Layout 1 8/9/13 10:41 AM Page 1

www.gibraltarlawyers.com

Moving House?

We’ll take care of all the legal matters to help make your move as easy as possible Contact Sarah Miles at sarah.miles@isolas.gi Portland House Glacis Road PO Box 204 Gibraltar Tel +350 2000 1892 www.gibraltarlawyers.com

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2013

11

Do you have a problem with your

)?

(dell logo

Big or small, we can fix it for FREE* Live chat with a Dell agent? Give us a call!

gibraltar the

n ADVERTISE

The quality of a magazine reflects on the businesses that advertise within it. The Gibraltar Magazine is Gibraltar’s quality magazine — packed with great, readable content.

We don’t have pushy sales people, so get in touch if you have a business or strategy to promote in Gibraltar. We will explain your options within your budget and help you with artwork if you need us to. We are passionate about what we do and about our home, Gibraltar.

n GET INVOLVED

If you are an artist with an exhibition, or a club or charity with an event coming up, we’d love to hear from you.

This is a community magazine and there is no VIP area.

Everyone is welcome to contribute so drop a line, send an email or phone us.

9A Cooperage Lane 200 77386 sales@bsgcomp.com * Hardware must be under warranty.

Even expired warranties can be extended by us.

Call/email for more info.

12

n GET IN TOUCH

We’d love to hear from you. Sometimes we get a bit lonely in our office, and we like to get letters, phone calls and emails with your feedback and photos. We might even publish the best so keep them coming. This is your magazine so get involved.

Email: info@thegibraltarmagazine.com Tel: 200 77748

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

shorts

business

Training with the Gibraltar HR Forum The Gibraltar HR Forum hosted training events at the offices of Isolas, Portland House, over two days at the end of November. The events were delivered by the Chartered Institute of Personal Development (CIPD) and covered aspects of Employment Law. A networking

lunch provided an ideal time for delegates to meet people attending as well as members of the HR Forum Committee.

The Gibraltar HR Forum was founded in 2000 to provide an open forum for HR practitioners and to enable opportunities for an exchange

of information, support newcomers, promote goods and services that would be of use to HR functions and form a professional body to represent HR interests and best practice.

Visit www.hrform.gi for further information and training opportunities. n

Micro Business Systems Ltd

PO Box 661, Unit 102, New Harbours Walk, New Harbours, Gibraltar Tel: (+350) 200 42723 Fax: (+350) 200 40612 Email: sales@mbs.gi www.mbs.gi

Providers of Records Management Services, Systems & Solutions since 1989 Digital Document Scanning Any document size up to A0, network and standalone access/retrival Document Microfilming Any document size up to A0, network and standalone access/ retrival. Long term retention over 100 years File Colour Coding & Barcode Tracking Software Eliminates misplaced files for ever!

High Density Filing Systems Huge range of filing supplies and consumables Archival Storage Services Long term and secure. Includes retrieval and collection of records.

Gibraltar’s Leading Data and Records Management

Main Dealers

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

13

HR issues

Are you out there?

Top Talent – what’s all the fuss?

Q

I am told that top

talent is scarce in Gibraltar for a number of reasons and yet I hear that to make my business successful I must attract and retain top talent. So how do I do that, and is it really that important?

Some would say that top talent is overrated. Others would say that top talent is what differentiates outstanding services and products from those that are mediocre.

Here are ten tips on how to make the best of talent:

14

1

organisation. Ask yourself, “Is tion. You do this by identifying this person good enough for us?” strengths and developing them. before you make a job offer. If you Top talent comes in a variety of find the answer isn’t “yes” then shapes and sizes. That’s why it’s continue to search until the answer Making training more important to define what top talent is a confident “yes”. than a one-off event looks like to you and your compaMost companies use training as ny first. For example, an employee a one-time event to tick a box or who can work independently may Build on strengths “fix” people. Imagine if that really be great for a law firm. However There is no way you are going to worked, there would be no need they fail miserably where teamstrengthen the structure of a build- for ongoing training. Define the work is most important. ing by adding additional materials outcomes you want to achieve and to the top floor; nor are you go- then determine what training will ing to take an average employee get you there. And remember to Be choosy and make him or her into a great consider mentoring or coaching Be extremely selective when re- employee without taking time to enhance classroom or online cruiting people to work in your to strengthen his or her founda- learning.

Define what top talent is for you

4

3

2

Define the outcomes you want to achieve and then determine what training will get you there

Beware when promoting

5

Promoting your best sales person to sales manager or your top

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

HR issues engineer to head of engineering is a mistake that gets made on a regular basis. Doing the actual work and inspiring others to do so are two very different skill sets.

Remember this the next time you think about promoting a great performer into a management role.

6

Be visible Your company or department may work well without you, but that doesn’t mean it will always to do so. Make the effort to be there to support and provide guidance to those who need it.

Deal with poor performance

7

Nothing brings down the energy in a workplace faster than allowing non-performers to continue without anyone taking action. Deal with poor performance before top talent decides to go elsewhere.

Recognise your strong performers

8

Pay attention to those who are going above and beyond the call of duty in a way that demonstrates to everyone that good performance is important. Then others will act

this way because they understand that great performance gets the right attention, and in many cases the rewards.

Share the good times

9

If you are experiencing tough times, like a lot of businesses today, and have asked employees to take pay cuts or to do more with less, then when your situation changes and your business improves, share the wealth with those who have worked with you through the bad times.

Let people move on

10

Sometimes the people you hired to build your company are not the best suited to maintain your company. Should the time come when one of your best employees no longer seems fully committed to the work at hand, let them go to move on to bigger and better things while you do the same. n The HR Dept can give you the support you need, when you need it, and at the level of experience it takes to keep you on track to meet your business objectives. www.thehrdept.gi

OECD & Council of Europe Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters extended to Gibraltar Coinciding with the signing of the Gibraltar-UK Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) to improve international tax compliance on 21st November, the OECD announced that the UK had deposited declarations extending the territorial scope of the OECD and Council of Europe Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters to cover Gibraltar.

This follows the Chief Minister ’s announcement on 7th June 2013 that he had written to Prime Minister David Cameron to request that the Convention be

extended to Gibraltar.

Such an extension forms an integral part of the HM Government of Gibraltar’s ongoing policy of having Gibraltar recognised as being at the forefront of jurisdictions seeking to eradicate tax evasion.

The extension of the Convention to Gibraltar significantly expands Gibraltar’s information exchange agreement network.

The full list of countries and territories covered by the Convention is available via the OECD and Council of Europe websites - www.oecd.org and conventions.coe.int. n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

15

Lieutenant General Sir James Dutton arrives on 6th December to succeed Vice Admiral Sir Adrian Johns as Governor and Commander in Chief of Gibraltar

Who is Our New Governor?

Lieutenant General Sir James Dutton KCB, CBE

Sir James spent 37 years in the Royal Marines, ending his military career as Deputy Commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. He followed this with a highly successful career in commerce with Bechtel where his last position was Director General of Agence Nationale des Grands Travaux (ANGT) in Libreville, Gabon. Probably he is the only Governor to have moved on from a full military career to a senior position in business. Sir James, known universally as Jim, would be happy to answer to Sir Jim or Sir James!

interview | Mike Brufal

his wife, Elizabeth (nee Waddell) who was on the same course. They have a daughter, Sally, (married with a 9 month old son) and a son, James, a Captain in the Royal Marines, who has just returned from a tour in Afghanistan.

Although his family had no connections with the military outside wartime service, Jim decided from an early age that he wished to pursue a military career. A notable coincidence is that Rob Fulton (Governor of Gibraltar 2006 - 2009) was in the same 1972 intake as Jim: he was a few years older having already gained a degree and pursued civilian employment.

Jim had a standard early career and following university he trained as a signals (communications) officer. Every battalion has such an officer whose job is to ensure all communications work within the unit and to higher James Dutton, 59, was educated at the King’s HQs. It was in that role in 40 Commando that School, Chester and then as a Royal Marine of- he deployed to the Falklands Islands in 1982: ficer went up to City University, London where 40 Commando saw little direct action as a unit, he read for a Bachelor of Science degree in being kept to defend the San Carlos area to Systems and Management. It was there he met deter any Argentine assault on the rear.

16

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

key people On return, he went to the second of the four communications jobs he would hold (instructing at the training school) and then the third — as the communications staff officer in HQ 3 Commando Brigade. This was at the height of the Cold War, when the Brigade was still training for operational roles in North Norway and other parts of northern Europe, training regularly with US marines. In 1987 Jim attended the Army Staff College at Camberley and then instructed for two years at the Army’s Junior Staff College at Warminster. After a brief period at the Admiralty Interview Board interviewing prospective Royal Marine and Royal Naval officers he was appointed to the Ministry of Defence for his 4th and last communications job as the Royal Marines Chief Signals Officer, also responsible for procurement of communications and electronic warfare equipment.

He was in the MOD for the First Gulf War in 1991 but shortly afterwards he was appointed as Chief of Staff 3 Commando Brigade and again, spent much time exercising in Northern Europe, Norway and Schleswig Holstein. The Berlin Wall had fallen and the Westminster politicians had started to debate ‘Options for Change’ — a euphemism for a severe pruning of the Defence budget.

His next job was to command RM Officer training, arriving in that post 21 years to the day after he had entered as a Second Lieutenant. The greatest difference was that the average age of each intake was nearer 23 than 18 and the vast majority were graduates, which on balance meant better officers — stronger, fitter, and more worldly-wise.

The RM rank system had always been out of line with the other Services, which meant many officers spent much of their time in the rank of Captain, Major and Lieutenant Colonel, filling posts in the higher rank and wearing acting rank. This anomaly was resolved some years ago but Jim spent much of the time as a Captain wearing the rank of Major. On promotion from Major to Lieutenant Colonel he went to Acting full Colonel in a mere three weeks and then, two years later, back to Lt Col to command 40 Commando. Following command he went to Brigadier without reverting to full Colonel. The main beneficiaries were the military tailors who kept having to alter the uniforms!

Command of a Commando unit (a battalion in effect) is the principal ambition of any officer and in 1996 Dutton took command of 40 Commando. The first year was filled with a seven month amphibious deployment of a RN Task Group to South East Asia. Amongst the RN ships was the Landing Platform Dock (LPD) HMS Fearless. (On an historical note, this ship sailed to Gibraltar in 1968 to act as the venue for the talks between Prime Minister Harold Wilson and Ian Smith to discuss the future of Rhodesia.)

By the end of June 1997 the Task Group took up station over the horizon off Hong Kong as it was handed to China by the Prince of Wales on the 1st July. The following day, the force formed two lines in rough seas: HMY Britannia passed down between the assembled ships.

Each ship had the crews and embarked force lining the upper decks to salute the Prince of Wales, doffing head dress and shouting ‘Hip Hip Hurrah’.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

In another pair of coincidences, the UK set up a small HQ in neighbouring Gabon, commanded by the (then) Brigadier Rob Fulton. Little did Jim realise that he would later live and work there for two years!

40 Commando then flew to South Africa for the first joint exercises since the end of Apartheid. Returning to UK in August, after some leave and a rapid turnaround, the unit went to Jordan to conduct live firing and mountain training with the Jordanian forces — they were visited by (the then Crown) Prince Hassan and by the Head of Special Forces, now King Abdullah II. 1998 saw 40 Commando deployed to Brazzaville as there was fighting across the Congo River in Kinshasa and a possible need to extract UK civilians. In another pair of coincidences, the UK set up a small HQ in neighbouring Gabon, commanded by the (then) Brigadier Rob Fulton. Little did Jim realise that he would later live and work there for two years!

Dutton’s next job was as a Brigadier in the Ministry of Defence as Director, NATO policy.

This was the period of the initial expansion of

NATO with Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic joining. In 2001 he attended the Royal College of Defence Studies but following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, was pulled off the course and seconded to The Pentagon in Washington DC to act as liaison between the Chief of Defence Staff and the US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. When Jim attended his first joint staff meeting he was met with strange looks — the first ‘foreigner’ ever to be admitted. But the Director of the Joint Staff, Lt General John Abizaid, welcomed him as a full member. This was the period of initial operations in Afghanistan — as well as providing the link to London, Jim was able to meet and work with many of the US generals that subsequently became household names.

Jim took command of 3 Commando Brigade in 2002 after its return from a short initial deployment to Afghanistan: the next twelve

17

key people months were dominated by invasion of Iraq in 2003. With a 2000 strong US Marine Corps unit under command, he became the first British officer since the Second World War to take operational command of American troops.

Dutton’s calmness during the invasion was described by the journalist Tim Butcher: ‘a lean, thinking man with none of the tub-thumping machismo of some officers and coldly professional in his job’.

Promoted to Major General on 4 May 2004, he was appointed Commandant General Royal Marines and Commander UK Amphibious Forces. In 2005 he took his HQ to Basra in command of the Multi-National Division South East (Iraq): he had 12,000 troops under his command, with forces from ten nations, including a Japanese reconstruction battalion of engineers – one of the best equipped battalions he had ever come across.

Following command of the RM he spent a brief period at the Fleet HQ and then became Deputy Chief of Joint Operations at the Joint HQ at Northwood. This was a period of intense activity: continuing operations in Iraq, the start of much wider operations in Afghanistan It also included the incident when the Iranians captured some Royal Naval sailors, allegedly in Iran’s territorial waters and the initial (secret) deployment of Prince Harry to Afghanistan.

In October 2008 Dutton was promoted to Lieutenant General and became the Deputy Commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, where he served two commanders, General David McKiernan and General Stanley McChrystal, leaving in November 2009. This was the period when a large, mainly US, troop uplift occurred and the military strategy was redesigned. He was awarded the American Legion of Merit and subsequently knighted by HM the Queen in the 2010 Birthday Honours List, the latter being a particular surprise, not least because he had already left the Service.

Retiring from the Royal Marines in May 2010, Jim shortly afterwards joined Bechtel as a principal vice president. He found the transition from military to business life remarkably easy. He went initially to a project in Abu Dhabi to learn about Bechtel. He then worked briefly out of the London office, where one of the projects for which he was responsible was Gabon. It soon became apparent that the Gabon project needed assistance and he moved there permanently in April 2011.

Although a very large country, extremely well endowed with natural resources (oil, manganese, iron ore, timber, palm oil, rare earth) Gabon has a population of only 1.5 million. After 40 years of suppressive post-Colonial rule the President has a vision — Le Gabon Emergent — to develop the infrastructure of the country to benefit the people. Bechtel was to develop a national infrastructure master plan and to establish an inter-governmental agency to execute the resulting major infrastructure projects. This involves raising standards, particularly in the realms of safety, quality and project implementation. The national infrastructure plan will prioritise investment and development needs whilst balancing Gabon’s commitment to sustainable development.

He established and then led the Agence Nationale des Grands Travaux (ANGT). By

18

the time he left it had 450 employees of which 250 are Gabonese. The objective is to spend $ 20 billion of public and private money in the next 8 years on roads, railways, ports, schools, houses, stadia, hotels, hospitals, fresh water, power generation and a centralised sewerage system. He swiftly found that the key to success was the ability to step back from immediate day to day issues, to be able to see things in context and then apply pressure and money at the areas of greatest need. A stricter programme of management and controls had to be implemented. The Agency became a key

Government institution, advising on how to improve Government financing and resource allocation — a most unusual project for Bechtel or any other engineering and construction company. If successful it will establish Gabon as a model in sub Saharan Africa.

Next year the Royal Marines will celebrate the 350th anniversary of its formation. This took place when the Duke of York and Albany’s Maritime Regiment of Foot was formed in the grounds of the Honourable Artillery Company, London on 28th October, 1664.

Sir Jim is hugely looking forward to his

A Little Bit About Lady Suzie words | Frankie Hatton

Lady Suzie (she always says “Call me Suzie”) has probably been one of the most open Governor’s Ladies we’ve had in a while. I first met her on a familiarisation visit when I was plying my trade at BFBS in HMS Rooke and she hasn’t forgotten me nor probably anyone else she has met since. Her warm smile and tactile nature really brought her and husband Adrian (His Excellency, Sir Adrian Johns) into the heart of Gibraltarians.

Suzie was actually born in India — her father was a mining engineer and spent most of his working life in India until he finally retired back to Cornwall. Suzie cannot remember too much of her early childhood there; her mother educated the children until Suzie, along with her siblings,

completed her schooling in the UK. “We could all speak Hindi and my elder sister still does but for me it is just a distant memory. A word here and there but largely gone I’m sad to say.”

Hailing out of St Agnes with Cornish mining in the blood it was thought that Suzie might follow in her father’s footsteps. As she says “See a hole and you’ll find a Cornishman at the bottom of it.” Gibraltar’s history has its own links — Sergeant Major Ince was himself a Cornish tin miner which led to his idea of creating the Great Siege Tunnels. But Suzie had other career ideas and chose the Royal Navy, working first as a Weapons Analyst. It was a complex business and she enjoyed it although it was a job that never took her to sea. “I did visit Gibraltar once as a child,” she said. “On our way to India the ship stopped off here one night and my brother and I crept out of the cabin to peer through the darkness at the Rock. Then we got caught by a steward and taken back to bed with a ticking off.”

Her career progression as an Administrative and Secretarial Officer in the WRNS came to an end in the old fashioned days of very different attitudes towards women in the military when starting a family meant ending your career. It seems archaic nowadays but

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

new appointment and together with Lady Dutton (Liz), arrives later this month. On the announcement of the appointment he said “I am delighted and honoured to be going to Gibraltar, especially given its historical connections with the Royal Marines. I hope that my many years of military experience combined now with three years of commercial experience will equip me well to deliver the Governor’s role and responsibilities toward Gibraltar and the United Kingdom. My wife and I are looking forward to meeting the people of Gibraltar.” n

Sir John Major, former UK Prime Minister and Senior Advisor to Credit Suisse, spoke about the role of private philanthropy in the 21st Century, at a dinner held at Gibraltar International Airport’s Wessex Lounge

it was a fact up until relatively recent times that a WREN, WRAC or WRAF could not have children and stay in the service.

She had met Adrian when they were both at the same unit together in Portsmouth and it seems they might possibly have met before but neither knew of each other. He had attended the same school in Cornwall as her cousin who was actually brought up a couple of streets away from him in Newquay. As her husband and father of her children he continued his naval career while Suzie continued hers as mother and homemaker. That role, challenging at the best of times was made more difficult by long periods when Adrian was away at sea.

When he finally retired in 2008, he was approached about taking up the appointment as Governor of Gibraltar. He was interviewed and successful. Their arrival and time here is well documented as is their obvious love of the place. “A normal tour is of three years length but we knew right away we were going to feel at home here and quickly exercised our option for a fourth year,” said Suzie. She is very proud of having made the Convent more open and accessible during her time there. “We have to take account of security restrictions but over the past couple of years we started with coffee mornings and afternoon teas as well as having various children’s groups into the gardens for many activities like guides and such.” She has also really enjoyed getting involved in charity work becoming Patron of several and freely giving her time and ideas, but always with a light touch, getting involved only when needed. All have benefitted from her experience and engaging nature as I can vouch as cofounder of Wobbles, one local charity of which she is Patron.

“It will be a sad day for us when we leave Gibraltar and head in another direction but there is still a lot to look forward to. We have a house and home to put together after so many years of moving and I’m relishing it in some ways.” Will she ever come back to see us? “It is an unwritten rule that you do not visit too soon during the tenure of those that replace you but I am sure in a year or so Adrian and I will be back; we love the place and the people so a holiday is always on the cards.”

The Gibraltar Magazine team wishes Sir Adrian and Lady Suzie well in the future and, if you do miss the Rock, take a peek online to keep up to date with everything! n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

Former UK PM Launches GPA The Gibraltar Philanthropy Forum (GPF) — founded by Credit Suisse, EY, Hassans and Isolas earlier this year — held an inaugural conference in November promoting the benefits, issues and challenges of philanthropic giving.

The GPF will act as a facilitator, promoting and sharing knowledge and best practice around the topic, highlighting the need for philanthropy and how to make an effective and informed contribution.

The forum and conference were officially launched by keynote speaker, The Rt Hon Sir John Major, KG, CH, former UK Prime Minister and Senior Advisor to Credit Suisse, who spoke about the role of private philanthropy in the 21st Century, at a dinner held at Gibraltar International Airport’s Wessex Lounge attended by around 70 guests. The event was also attended by Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, and Minister for Education and Justice, Gilbert Licudi.

Among the topics covered by the conference, which took place the following day at the Convent, were responsible long-term investment strategies, sustainable returns from ethical investments and the Forbes report on alleviating global poverty. The

conference was attended by around 60 invited delegates.

Credit Suisse Director, Trino Cruz, said the group believes private philanthropy has an increasingly important role to play in society.

“The Forum will seek to bring together entrepreneurs, philanthropists and philanthropy specialists, particularly from Gibraltar and the UK, to encourage them to share their valuable insight and experience.”

Peter Montegriffo from Hassans said he was delighted to form part of the initiative and help profile Gibraltar as a location promoting such values and progammes. “We hope this will grow into an annual event at which matters of philanthropic and charitable concerns are debated.”

Both Joey Garcia from Isolas and Jose Julio Pisharello from EY, expressed their sincere thanks to all who had made this ambitious initiative possible, particularly The Kusuma Trust and to the Governor and staff for supporting the conference. Joey added, “Charitable giving is something that resonates loudly in our community and it is our hope that with events of this kind we are able to capture the imagination of those in a position to give of their wealth, both corporate and individual, by talking about the powerful impact of philanthropic giving around the world.” n Further details on the Forum can be found at www.gibraltarphilanthropyforum.com

“

Charitable giving is something that resonates loudly in our community

”

- Joey Garcia, Isolas The conference at the Convent was attended by around 60 invited delegates

19

resources

employees

Hassans Funds team – May 2013

Hassans funds team grows Hassans, Gibraltar’s largest law firm, has recently strengthened the size of its Funds team. With over 20 years of experience, Richard Bowry has joined Hassans as a senior associate. Richard brings to Hassans experience gained in firms such as Maples & Calder and Carey Olsen in multiple jurisdictions, including Hong Kong and the Cayman Islands. Felicity Cole, an experienced funds lawyer having previously worked for leading London law firms, Linklaters and Hogan Lovells as well as off-shore firm Conyers Dill & Pearman is the teams latest new member.

Felicity joins Hassans as ‘Of Counsel’ and is also a former member of the London Education Committee 100 Women in Hedge Funds. The Funds team, under partner James Lasry, now comprises 15 members which includes two London based consultants and is dedicated to fund related business. n

20

Rotary Donates to ShelterBox Following the recent typhoon in the Philippines, the Rotary Club of Gibraltar has made a £2000 donation to ShelterBox, an international disaster relief charity specialising in emergency shelter provision for people in times of crisis.

The first families move into ShelterBox tents following the typhoon

This humanitarian aid is delivered in iconic green ShelterBoxes. Each one contains a disaster relief tent for up to 10 people, a stove, blankets and other items essential for survival. ShelterBox responds to disaster as quickly as possible with the aim of helping the people who are most in need.

Rotary Club’s President, Lyana Armstrong-Emery said “The Rotary Club of Gibraltar is primarily a charitable organisation and therefore we always consider it our duty to help people who need help, whether locally or internationally... Therefore the Rotary Club of Gibraltar is pleased to purchase ShelterBoxes to help the Filipino people survive this present dreadful disaster.” n If you would like to make your own donation visit Shelterbox.com.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

G

finance

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JUNE 2007

The Rock reflected in the Sunshine Recorder

22 22

photo: Steph Ball

training

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MAGAZINE •• DECEMBER DECEMBER 2013 2013 GIBRALTAR

photo: Steph Ball

careers

Storm clouds gather on 16th November 2013

Our Wonderful Weather In one day in mid-November we had a day of glorious sunshine followed by a hail storm and the talk on Social Media was of the freak weather... indeed we experienced a fabulously hot October and first half of November which saw people swimming in the sea until the storm that brought a cooler chill to the air. We thought we would speak to one of our Weather Forecasters, Steph Ball, FRMetS, to find out a bit more about the role, and about our unique weather here on the Rock.

What is your role and how long have you been forecasting Gibraltar’s weather?

My role at Met Office Gibraltar is as one of a team of Weather Forecasters, perhaps most importantly producing weather forecasts for the airport and local waters, also issuing any warnings of severe weather for Gibraltar.

We also have a team of observers who keep us on the ball with all the changes in the weather as they happen.

I’ve been forecasting Gibraltar’s weather now for almost five years, before that I was based at the BBC Weather Centre in London where some of your UK readers might recognise my name from my time broadcasting the national weather

on BBC Radio 5 Live or one of their local BBC Radio stations.

Myself and my colleagues can now be heard broadcasting the weekend weather for Gibraltar every Friday afternoon on Radio Gibraltar.

be a similar answer — that it was an interest in the more exciting weather types — particularly snow or thunderstorms.

From an early age I’d always loved thunderstorms and watching lightning, but my work colleagues will tell you that since I’ve been in Gibraltar I’ve developed a Tell us how you got interested new love affair with the Levanter in Meteorology?

I think if you were to ask most too, and I’m often seen on the roof forecasters how they got interested of the Tower snapping away with in Meteorology, it would probably my camera.

“

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

Gibraltar’s weather is quite unique, mainly because of the Rock itself and where it sits in the Strait with high mountains to the north and south

”

What is special about Gibraltar’s weather?

Gibraltar ’s weather is quite unique, mainly because of the Rock itself and where it sits in the Strait with high mountains to the north and south.

Compared to our neighbours, we rarely get so hot in the summer though we do suffer the humidity, which we certainly felt this summer. In winter at least though, it means that we stay milder with frosts being extremely rare.

As we know, the Rock also leads to some unusual winds, and I mean what could be more iconic than the Rock, but the Levanter itself — I think many a tourist are left in awe when they see it and the way it constantly changes shape.

23

What do you think we can look forward to for future weather patterns in the short and long terms?

It’s very difficult to determine future weather patterns, both in the short and long term, even more so for Gibraltar when you consider that we’re forecasting for an area of less than three square miles.

However, on a global scale, it is considered that the main effects of climate change for the future will include higher temperatures with more heatwaves experienced, rising sea levels and seeing more extreme weather events — such as heavy rainfall.

Finally, if someone wanted to become a Weather Forecaster what would they need?

Well ideally they’d need to have some background in maths and science, preferably a degree in maths or physics to qualify for a How do our temperatures and forecaster training course with the other statistics compare with say Met Office. Of course, a genuine 100 years ago? interest in the weather is also “nice Studies of Gibraltar’s tempera- to have” although not essential. ture statistics have shown that it’s very much in line with what has Follow the Gibraltar Met Office or been happening on a global scale Steph Ball on Twitter @metoffice @ with climate change, with annual MeteoGib

Our Levanter

24

photo: DM Parody

This month we may not be looking forward to a white Christmas, but have we ever had snow on the Rock?

Most people don’t know this, but Gibraltar has one of the oldest weather records in Europe with actual rainfall records running from 1790 when they were first started by the Royal Engineers.

There are gaps in some of the records as you’d expect over such a long period, but in that time there is only one reference of snow that I’ve come across. This was found in Drinkwater’s famous account of the Great Siege where he mentions that “snow falls, but seldom” and in fact there has only ever been one frost recorded at low level and that was on 7th December 1870, so certainly I don’t think they’re something you’d take a bet on for Christmas!

temperatures slowly rising over recent years.

As we know with the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change held in September, it concluded that there was evidence to show that climate change is partly due to man made influences.

Studies of other statistics for Gibraltar such as rainfall, however, hasn’t thrown up any particular change in rainfall patterns to those experienced 100 years ago.

Lightning 16th November

“

Weather forecaster, Steph Ball, in the clouds

Most people don’t know this, but Gibraltar has one of the oldest weather records in Europe

”

photos: Steph Ball

We have a very special visitor flying in on 25th December — what should he look out for when landing? Do you think he might be diverted to Malaga?

Ha ha, well there’s always that possibility, if we consider what weather we’d normally expect in December it would be for it to be generally wet and windy. I think Santa might be more in need of some wheels for his Sleigh when he comes in for landing in Gibraltar.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

DHL Express is the global market leader in the international express business, so you probably already know that we can deliver your documents and parcels from Gibraltar to virtually every country in the world.

What you might not know is that we can also take care of all your importing requirements.

For further information please contact: DHL Gibraltar Unit 36 Harbours Deck, New Harbours, Gibraltar Tel: 200 72210 Email: GIBSN@dhl.com

past revisted

Jean Genet the Gibraltar Hooker words | Reg Reynolds

No this isn’t a story about a French rugby forward, it is the tale of a famous novelist, playwright and poet who survived his childhood and youth through begging, stealing and prostitution.

Jean Genet died in 1986 famous, sometimes infamous, and wealthy but it could have ended so differently for his early life was extremely tough and hazardous. Born 19th December, 1910 to a Parisian prostitute he was given up for adoption aged just seven months. He was raised in the French countryside by a carpenter and his wife who were said to be loving and caring. Young Genet did well at school but was accused of committing petty thievery. First arrested when at just ten years of age he always claimed he was innocent. He frequently ran away from home and aged thirteen he was made a ward of the state. It was around this time that he determined to become a professional thief.

“Thus,” wrote Genet, “I decisively repudiated a world that had repudiated me.”

From the age of 15 to 18 he survived life in the tough Mettray penitentiary. This was a prison of hard labour where a code of honour was enforced by the inmates.

In 1928 Genet joined the French Foreign Legion, enlisting for five years in exchange for a signing bonus. “After a few days I deserted, taking with me some valises belonging to negro officers.”

Genet then joined the French army and served from 1929 to 1933 being stationed in Damascus, Casablanca and Marseille. He was given a dishonourable discharge for performing ‘lewd acts’. Genet was a confirmed homosexual. He never tried to hide his sexuality and indeed it would become a key component of his writing.

After leaving the army Genet set off on a tour of Europe financed by begging, thieving and prostitution. Eventually he made his way to Gibraltar, which it seems from his writing, was a popular haunt for beggars at the time. In his fictionalised autobiography, The Thief’s Journal he wrote of his Gibraltar experience: “However, I did not wander along the roads

26

at random. My path was that of all beggars, and like them I would know Gibraltar. At night, the erotic mass of the rock, filled, thronged with soldiers and sleeping cannons, drove me wild.

I lived in the village of La Linea, and there I began the period of tin cans. All the beggars in the world — I’ve seen the like in Central Europe and France — have one or more tin cans to which they add a wire handle.”

Genet had availed himself of a white tin out of a garbage can in La Linea and would hang about the Gibraltar gates begging for food.

He considered this quite a come down from begging for money “In that way I abased myself further, I no longer begged for money but for scraps of food.

To which was added the shame of begging them from soldiers.”

During the night Genet, sometimes dressed as a woman, would lurk in the streets of Gibraltar selling himself to some of the very same soldiers.

“At night I tried to sell myself to them, and I succeeded, thanks to the darkness of the narrow streets.”

This was a lonely existence and Genet returned to wandering about Europe. In 1940 he found himself in Hitler’s Germany.

“I had a feeling of being in a camp of organised bandits. This is a nation of thieves, I felt. If I steal here, I accomplish no special act that could help me to realise myself. I merely

During the night Genet, sometimes dressed as a woman, would lurk in the streets of Gibraltar selling himself to some of the very same soldiers

obey the habitual order of things. I do not destroy it.”

Eventually Genet made his way back to Paris where he was sent to prison frequently for various crimes including theft, using false papers, vagabondage, and lewd acts. It was in prison that he wrote his first novel, Our Lady of the Flowers. The original manuscript was discovered and destroyed but he re-wrote it from memory and the second manuscript was successfully smuggled out of the prison.

It came to the attention of Jean Cocteau and Jean-Paul Sartre. Sartre used his influence to get the book published.

In 1949 when Genet was under threat of a life sentence, Cocteau, Sartre and Pablo Picasso successfully petitioned the French President to grant Genet his freedom. He never went to prison again.

By that time, Genet had completed five novels, three plays, and numerous poems.

Sartre wrote a long analysis of Genet’s development from vagrant to writer entitled, Saint Genet comédien et martyr. It was published anomalously as the first volume of Genet’s complete works. Genet was strongly affected

by Sartre’s analysis and did not write any books for the following five years. He did, however, write plays including The Maids, The Balcony and The Blacks. During this time he suffered depression and once attempted suicide.

One of his best plays is considered The Screens (1963) an epic account of the Algerian War of Independence.

Later in life Genet used his fame to back controversial groups such as Yasser Arafat’s Palestinian army and the Black Panthers. His final work, Prisoner of Love, is a record of his years spent with these two groups. Genet developed throat cancer and was found dead on 15th April 1986 in a hotel room in Paris. He is buried in the Spanish Cemetery in Larache, Morocco. n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

regulation

finance

The Grand, Ho Tram Strip, Vietnam has a Gibraltar connection

Tony Hurtado’s

Tony Hurtado supporting team 54 in Vietnam

Live Action in the Grand Pits Opened earlier this year and described as “the most exciting development Vietnam’s hospitality industry has ever seen” The Grand Ho Tram Strip, Vietnam has a Gibraltar connection in the form of Casino Pit Manager, Anthony Hurtado — a Gibraltarian who cut his teeth in the old casino above the Rock Hotel on Europa Road.

28

The Grand – Ho Tram Strip, is an impressive project which includes 541 rooms, extensive entertainment space, and one of the largest function centres in Vietnam.

Its 2000-strong team, has been recruited and trained under the direction of MGM Resorts International, and Pit Manager Anthony Hurtado has been in Vietnam for over a year recruiting the casino team during the build process, readying the casino for opening in July this year.

Located around two hours from Ho Chi Minh City, the casino resort is part of the first phase of an ambitious $4.2 billion complex called the Ho Tram Strip in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province.

The first phase of the Grand

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

Ho Tram Strip includes the 541room hotel, gaming facilities, meeting and convention space, bars, restaurants and luxury retail shops — all set on a 2.2 km beach surrounded by protected forest.

The second phase is to include a second tower of 559-rooms and additional leisure facilities.

It is no accident that Anthony was so heavily involved in the recruitment process and management of the casino pits at this prestigious resort. Anthony has over 25 years’ experience in the Casino industry working in countries such as Gibraltar, London, Spain, Venezuela, Cameroon and Morocco.

Tony is married to Jolly, who he met in Venezuela when he was managing a casino there between ’95-’98. Jolly loves Gibraltar and has settled here while Tony travels the world in search of the next opportunity. Tony’s chosen career means he has spent most of his working life away from Gibraltar.

Tony’s dad, Hector Hurtado who passed away in December last year, worked for a casino in London and taught Tony his trade.

“When I was 18 I started work in the International Casino in Gibraltar, then secured roles in Venezuela, followed by Cameroon.”

He returned closer to home to become table games supervisor at the Casino San Roque, just across the frontier in Spain until 2010.

His next role was a hop across the Strait in Morocco.

Speaking from a long way from home in Vietnam’s wowwow-factor leisure resort, Tony lamented the loss of our old-style casino when it was relocated to its new convenient location on Ocean Village’s Leisure Island.

“I wish Gibraltar had another casino. The old casino used to be somewhere you would dress up to visit. People in black ties played the tables and it is a shame that Gibraltar lost this type of more glamorous venue. Perhaps there is room for both styles of casino and I would love to be involved in opening a luxury resort style casino in Gibraltar — it would be something different to what we currently have.”

Despite the phenomenal rise of

“

the e-gaming industry in Gibraltar, Tony’s options for returning to his homeland are limited as he explains there is no comparison between the remote gaming industry and the thrill of being a Pit Manager presiding over live action. “That has nothing to do with what I do,” he says, “that’s all done by the touch of a button.

Nothing beats a completely live table with a live dealer.”

As Pit Manager, Tony is the person who looks after all the employees working in the casino pit — he watches the floormen, who are the supervisors for table games dealers. The floormen correct minor mistakes but if a serious gaming discrepancy arises, it is the job of the pit manager to sort it out.

“I manage five pits at any one time with 500 staff — roulette, black jack, baccarat, poker — it is all happening live in front of me and we are open 24 hours a day and managing three split shifts.”

Tony’s role during the pre-opening of The Grand included eight month of staff training in preparation for welcoming the first clients to the pits.

Tony’s role changes from project to project “In one role I may be at the top, then in the next job I may be in a lower position and that is just the nature of the work. I have done everything from General Manager to Gaming Manager to dealer in all positions.”

Tony is currently at the end of his two year contract. The Ho Tram Strip has not been a bad place to have hung out for a few years but Tony is returning to the Rock in December and will be looking for his next challenge after a well earned Christmas break.

“Hopefully something will one day come up in Gibraltar. It would be a chance for me to prove what I have done and achieved, and return home permanently,” he says.

While in Vietnam Tony has regularly returned for extended visits to his family — including wife Jolly, and his daughter Samai.

Perhaps one day he will return not just to visit, but to manage a casino with all the old school glamour and action of a James Bond film, right here on the Rock. n

I manage five pits at any one time with 500 staff — roulette, black jack, baccarat, poker — it is all happening live in front of me and we are open 24 hours a day and managing three split shifts

”

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

29

events

Diwali reception at Sovereign Sovereign Trust (Gibraltar) Limited’s Ravi Viroomal held a Diwali reception at Sovereign’s offices, Suite 2B, 143 Main Street, last month. Invited guests enjoyed Cobra beer, and traditional canapes to celebrate the start of this five day Hindu Festival of Lights. n

Gibraltar signs IGA with UK to improve international tax compliance (FATCA) The Hon. Albert Isola MP, Minister with responsibility for Financial Services, signed an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between Gibraltar and the UK to improve international tax compliance on 21st November.

The signing took place during the Minister ’s attendance at the annual meeting of the OECD Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Informa-

30

tion for Tax Purposes, held this year in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The Agreement will effect when the Parties notify each other in writing that their necessary internal procedures for entry into force have been completed.

The signing of the IGA follows consultation with the industry in Gibraltar and the views of a Working Group specifically set up to consider FATCA and its impact on the financial services sector.

Mr Isola commented that “In particular, we should keep in mind our shared objective of the promotion of a single global standard for the automatic exchange of information, which the international community considers to be the most effective way to tackle tax evasion while minimising costs for governments and business.” n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

PREOWNED

PREOWNED

G RO U P Avai lableat:

100% Certi fi ed Authenti c PreOwned RolexWatches.

Each recondi ti oned Rolexhasbeen carefully restored backto an ‘ asnew’condi ti on Allti mepi ecescomewi th thei rori gi naldocuments and pres entati on box.

J ustDi amonds 15Mai n Street,Gi bral tar E:j ustdi amonds@essardasgroup . com w:www. essardasgroup . com Gi bral tarPreowned RolexWatches

art file

words | Elena Scialtiel

Joseph Scores in Art International A surprise for artists perhaps, yet for sportspeople a due tribute to Gibraltar Team 54, Joseph Soleci’s winning entry at the 40th International Art Exhibition seems to have scored a hat-trick with public opinion.

Surely this unconventional life-size sculp- expressed in a “contemporary idiom”, and she ture of a footballer and a ball couldn’t be described it as “a poignant and ambitious piece ignored, as it cast a long shadow in the John which can be contemplated for a long time”, Mackintosh Hall Gallery, where it was exhibited alongside other 245 entries, crammed floor Joseph Soleci appears to ceiling on the walls or perched on plinths almost uneasy in the sudden sprouting around in the dedicated rooms.

Royal Academician adjudicator Anne Deslimelight of what is considered met picked UEFA, We Finally Made It out of an our most prestigious accolade abundant crop of high-standard artwork, because it reminded her of Pompeian lava casts, in figurative arts

32

as well as “a strange but successful take on the world of football”.

Joseph Soleci is a shy and retiring person who, despite having painted and sculpted all his life and entered several previous editions of this competition, appears almost uneasy in the sudden limelight of what is considered the most prestigious accolade in figurative arts for Gibraltarians and overseas entrants.

While he stands proud and smiling from ear to ear next to his artwork, his unassuming

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

retail

and almost self-deprecating account of how the concept came about and was practically realised nearly detracts from its originality and downgrades its artistic afflatus from fine art to ‘lesser sibling’ arts and crafts.

Thus he explains the genesis of his work: “At last year’s opening, the Minister wished there were more pictures ‘coming out of the frame’, so I decided to take his advice literally and create a sculpture popping out from a three-dimensional mount. I made this in my patio and had to dismantle it to drive it to the gallery, and put it together again once there.”

Yet, the composition oozes the disconcerting feel of unfinishedness, crudeness even, in its stark white stance that to the untrained eye begs and screams for a lick of paint, a couple of dots or lines to the least, to shred the amateur look of blank canvas.

Or, as veteran artist Mario Finlayson put it, making a good old bronze casting of it would turn it into the ideal monument to greet visitors to the new UEFA compliant stadium.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

Joseph’s wife advised him to paint it as if it was made of bronze but he felt that colour would have detracted from the fluid movement he believes the sculpture enjoys.

A splash of red to symbolise Gibraltar’s football team official T-shirt would have been in order too.

He actually cherished the ‘mummy’ finish the mannequin donned once dried and removed from his son, who was the actual model posing for it... or better said in it, since he volunteered to be plastered all over in gypsum of Paris and bandage, and crack out of it right on time before turning into a statue himself.

This explains why the footballer’s body is just sketched into a scarecrow bulk, instead of tracing out the tension of his muscles or the flowing of his shirt or hair, resulting somehow chubby and inert to dramatic action, while its face is voided of the strained expression we would expect to show on a running pro.

The wooden frame, painted in white as well, suggests a goalpost, and adds dynamism with its angular onset. It is part of the artwork, so don’t mistake it for functional support, like the control bar of a heavy marionette, to which the cast is secured by clear strings.

Joseph likes to get his hands dirty with plaster and clay — and even with flour, sugar and icing, because he is an accomplished cake decorator! He isn’t new to sculpting, although his production so far was in much smaller scale.

His chess set won a Gibraltar theme prize a few years ago: “No, it didn’t find room in a Museum and I still have it at home,” he shrugs. “The chess pieces are made of fired and painted clay, and are inspired by the Great Siege, the knight represented by the Depression Gun, General George Eliott on one side, and like Spanish escopeteros de Getares and Duc de Crillon the other, just to give some examples. Yes, you can indeed play a chess game with it, but it is quite delicate so I keep it safe in a glass case.”

As much as he likes sculpting with clay, he is not much of a pot thrower, he admits, and as much as he likes painting still lives, he is not much of a portraitist. This genre, he happily leaves to his son Aaron, with whom he hopes to hold a joint exhibition soon.

A motorbike dealer by profession, Joseph has been an art lover all his life, although he couldn’t afford to go overseas to further his passion academically like his son was lucky enough to do.

He is glad to see more and more sculptures entered in the biannual competitions and believes that the local artistic scene has improved considerably since the old times when “there was too much abstract and anybody could be a painter”. n

The wooden frame, painted in white as well, suggests a goalpost, and adds dynamism with its angular onset

There are many popular and prestigious watch brands, but one stands above all others in terms of prestige, quality and popularity. That brand is Rolex and it is synonymous with luxury and success. Owning a Rolex is as much an investment as it is a fashion statement.

Purchasing a Rolex does not mean ‘breaking the bank’. Essardas Group carries a wide selection of pre-owned Rolex watches at their Just Diamonds shop, making it much more affordable to purchase a Rolex. All their watches have been polished and serviced to a like-new condition and come accompanied with a comprehensive guarantee as well as all original Rolex documentation.

Rolex designs do not change too often, therefore owning a mint condition preowned timepiece is as good as a new one — no one will know the watch was purchased pre-owned, unless you tell them!

With the proper care and maintenance, a Rolex will last forever and may even become a family heirloom to pass on to the next generation.

Visit Just Diamonds to view the extensive selection of pre-owned Rolex watches in stock. Additionally through their vast network of contacts in the industry they are confident they can fulfil most orders on request.

Follow them on Facebook ‘Gibraltar Pre-Owned Rolex Watches’ for the latest news and information about the watches in stock. n

33

Gala Festival on 25th Get ready for the Gibraltar Christmas Gala Festival which will take place on 25th December 2013 at the Tercentenary Hall, Victoria Stadium — a mix of gala dance and festival this is an exciting addition to the festivities for the 18-30 age group.

“It’s going to be a massive night with a massive stage and top of the range lighting and laser shows,” head event organiser Giovanni Bagu promises. “Basically it is a mix of an old tradition gala dance with a festival, featuring a well known DJ as Ministry of Sound and four local DJs.” The dress code for this event keeps it sophisticated with formal dress specified — suits and long dresses — and the age is strictly 18+.

“Gibraltar’s youth needed and wanted a event like this,” explains Giovanni. “People from the age

of 18 to 30 have already bought tickets. It’s not even December and we have sold all the VIP tickets and more than half of our normal tickets have gone,” he added.

You can can still buy your tickets from Anglo Hispano on Main Street. Priced £55 (all the higher priced VIP tickets were sold out at the time of going to press) the evening includes an open bar.

The event, organised by GSLP Youth Section is sponsored by Ministry of Sound, Bigstage, Anglo Hispano, and the GSLP Youth Section. Tel: Giovanni on 54037755 for more info. n

Alderton, and Defence Attaché, Lt Col Simon Barnett.

Lt Col Barnett said: “The Royal Gibraltar Regiment understands how the Moroccan military work, which is why their input is central to negotiations for any exercise

planning in the region.”

The Chief Minister of Gibraltar, Fabian Picardo, also visited the exercise (pictured) as did the Commander British Forces Gibraltar, Commodore John Clink.

Pte Karim Atto, 18, has only been with the Regiment a couple of months and is straight out of Infantry Training at ITC Catterick.

Pte Atto was born and raised in Gibraltar and both his parents are Moroccan so he not only speaks fluent Arabic but understands the culture well and can translate between junior soldiers.

“It’s great to be in Morocco for this exercise and having always wanted to join the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, the training has exceeded my expectations. It has been exciting, especially the live firing, and I’ve enjoyed working with the Moroccan Army.” n

RG Strengthens Ties with Morocco Britain has a longstanding diplomatic relationship with Morocco which the Royal Gibraltar Regiment (RG) are strengthening through Exercise Jebel Sahara, a joint training exercise with the Moroccan Deuxieme Brigade d’Infanterie Parachutiste (2BIP).

Now in its 13th year, the monthlong exercise is based a few miles north of Marrakech and involves 161 members of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, including 49 augmented from the UK, and 200 soldiers from 2BIP. The Embassy in Rabat recently

34

celebrated the 800th Anniversary of diplomatic contacts between the UK and Morocco, and the importance of the relationship was underlined with a visit to the exercise by the HM Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco, Clive

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

35

marmalade minister

The original batch was light and orangey

The Christmas batch is dark and rich

The King’s Gold Mark Jackson, Chaplain of Gibraltar’s King’s Chapel has started a Do It Yourself project of lovingly making his own marmalade from the organic oranges which grown in the gardens of the Convent.

Not only is the marmalade delicious, but by buying a jar, you can help people in Uganda gain access to drinking water. The Gibraltar Magazine spoke to Mark Jackson to find out more.

“Seville oranges make the best marmalade in the world,” he explains. “Throughout Spain, Seville oranges are just used for decoration on the streets, but they are not used to make marmalade. We used the oranges grown in the Governor’s gardens at the Convent for the Christingle service and then I had this idea of making marmalade for raising money for the Busoga Trust (www.busogatrust.co.uk - a very small charity operating in Uganda in Africa) and it all started from there. The oranges are donated by His Excellency the Governor and we do the rest.

“I am now on my fourth batch. So far, I have made 70 jars, by Christmas I will have made 100 and I will be making more for Easter. It has really gone very well. The first batch I made, was very orangey and light, and made with whiskey — it sold for £15 per jar at a wedding.

It was very good and we were able to send off a lot of money to the charity.

36

“This latest batch is the Christmas marmalade and the difference between this and the others is, this one has a lot more molasses in it, making it dark, and it has a 23 carat edible gold leaf, so when you open a jar, it sparkles with a really Christmassy effect. It is a beautiful thick marmalade with a wonderful flavour. We have practically sold out.”

The Chaplain certainly is an enthusiastic marmalade fan as well as a skilled marmalade maker.

“I love marmalade, it is beautiful!” he says.

“Unlike jam, marmalade has a very sharp edge to it, and because of that it is fantastic on a hot toast with butter. And I love marmalade in puddings. I’ve got an obsession with marmalade puddings, and marmalade cheesecake is just amazing!”

But there is more to this delicious marmalade than just a hobby for the Chaplain. Each jar of orangey goodness raises money towards

building wells for people who don’t have access to fresh water.

“With £3,500 we can buy a well to supply water to a village of 500 people and change their lives.”

The Busoga Trust was set up by a small church in the East End of London to provide sustainable access to safe water, improved sanitation and comprehensive hygiene and health education to the communities in rural Uganda.

“People normally walk up to seven kilometers to collect water, and they have to collect it from dirty streams filled with bacteria. By providing pumps the water comes from the ground and it is fresh,” he explains. “We are hoping to have a couple of new wells by the end of the year. It is changing lives.

“Here we take water for granted, because it comes out of the tap. And they can now have fresh water from the pump. Because the char-

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

marmalade minister

“

Unlike jam, marmalade has a very sharp edge to it, and because of that it is fantastic on a hot toast with butter

”

ity is run by a very small community, there are very stringent checks, so the money doesn’t get taken away from the people who need it, but is only used for the project itself.

“As soon as they have fresh water, people become healthier, and if the kids are not collecting water for half of their day, they can be in school instead. The more water you have, the more crops you can produce, and the more sustainable things become. They can create little markets to sell their produce. So everybody wins. £3,500 is nothing, is it? People spend more on a wedding!”

Which leads us neatly on back the matrimonial process of marmalade making.

“It is good ceremony material,” he smiles.

“As we have talked about, taking the ingredients and bringing them together, with hard work it turns into something special. And that should be like people’s marriages. Bring something different, put them together — hard work makes good marriages.”

Does the Chaplain have to be in the mood to make marmalade and enjoy the ritual?

“I do. I take all the ingredients, the oranges and the juice and I freeze it up, so I don’t have a huge mess when I am cooking it. I can’t cope with that. When it comes to making the marmalade I have to set aside at least 3 to 4 hours.”

What mistakes do people usually make, when cooking marmalade?

“I think the problem is, they don’t allow enough time and you have to get the temperature right. You have to have a very fierce heat. It doesn’t work unless you get to a jam temperature, and it is helpful to use a jam thermometer. You have to create a test and put it on a cold plate and see if it settles. If not, you have to do it again, and again. It takes a long time and you need patience. A lot of patience and a daft idea!” he chuckles.

“You know, it started off as a bit of a joke really and it has just gone from strength to strength. So, we make all this stuff and people seem to want to buy it. People on board cruise ships who come to visit the church buy it as fast as they can see it, because they don’t have marmalade on board. It is amazing and it’s great fun really!

“It is amazing how from the small things and free gifts — courtesy of the Governor — we now make marmalade that goes all over the world. But the most important thing is, of course, that this money goes towards wells in Africa where whole communities benefit,” he concludes. n You can buy The King’s Chapel marmalade from the King’s Chapel Secretary’s Office, or after service on a Sunday.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

37

Home Help Your decorating dilemmas answered

by Meme Fairbank of Denville Designs

ASK MEME email your interior design questions to meme@denvilledesigns.com or write to her at 62 Engineer Lane, Gibraltar

Is your home in decorating crisis?

Do you need help to tame the interior chaos?

Meme is here to tackle all your decorating, furnishing and style problems.... One room at a time.

bedroom and a little home office at times but I can’t fit much in. Any ideas?

You could put a sofa bed in it. There are some very compact beds /sofa chairs on the market now which would be suitable for the smallest rooms. I would also go for a small desk with draws to use for clothes when you have guests over. Shelves also save floor space and double up as storage. Hope that helps. n

to break up plain walls try a darker colour on one wall and large canvases

Q

I would really like to put wallpaper which can cost from £18 a metre upwards for

up in our house, but my husband good quality upholstery material. n

hates it. Are there any other wall ideas I could use? I hate boring paint all over the house.

You could have one wall in a darker paint.

For example, if all your walls are cream try one chocolate brown wall if this compliments your furniture, or for girls room as another example, pale pink and a dark pink for a feature wall.

Alternatively, a big canvas could also work to satisfy both your tastes. n

Q

I would like to have my dining

chairs recovered for Christmas

to make them look smarter.

What is the best approach?

Q

I have had my sofa for over 12

years and it is really looking tatty.

Is it cheaper to get it recovered or buy a new one?

It all depends on the quality of the frame of your sofa. If it cost you a lot of money, is comfortable and the frame is still in good condition, it is always worth recovering it. The cost of this will depend on the fabric you choose. To cover an average two-seater sofa costs around £250 and then you need to add the cost of the fabric

38

a sofa bed and clever furnishing can make the best use of a small bedroom

Q

I have a guest room in my

apartment which is very small

so I am limited in what I can do with it. I would like to use it as a spare

Regarding style, this will depend on your chairs but try covers that pull on and off so they can be washed. There are some really nice styles which include features like pleats on the side. These cost a lot less than buying new chairs. With reference to colour, it will depend on the colour scheme in your house, but I would stay clear of Christmas colours so you can use them throughout the year when you have guests. Hope that helps. n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

home ideas

Q

I am going to have a new

bathroom fitted in my home

and I could really do with some good tips before I go out and buy all my things. What do you suggest?

I think one of the most important items to consider in any interior design is lighting, and this is especially true in a bathroom as you need good light to put on makeup and shave. However you don’t want lighting so bright that you cannot enjoy the bathroom as a relaxing place for a bath. Fixed spots are best as they cause less shadows but need to be placed correctly.

Ideally talk to a lighting designer who can give you advice.

My next rule in interior design for bathrooms is the use of textures — mixing tiles, mirrors and mosaic boarders break up the bathroom.

Then comes storage — this is especially true in Gibraltar where we all need more storage! Try to balance storage out over the bathroom, with fitted cupboards and shelves that blend with the colour scheme and don’t overpower the room.

The bath and basins are the wow part of the final design. There are so many styles

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

on the market and they come with very different price tags!

Make sure your bath is comfortable — some baths can look great but are horrible to take a bath in.

I could write a whole list of pro and cons on basins! Choose one which will be most practical for you. I love bowls (see photo) — these do

need cleaning a lot but look great on a marble top. I also love taps that are wall fixed off the work surface, they look very stylish but fitting them will depend on your walls .

The last bit of advice is to take lots of time to design your space carefully before rushing out and buying anything.

I hope the above helps. n

39

Yacht Scene 2014

Order your copy now!

y

ACHT SCENE ltar Gibra

Order Yacht Scene Sailors’ Guide: £5.00 + p&p (£8.00 total)

SAILORS’ GUIDE • 2012

£5.00

Yacht Scene • • Sailors’ Guide 20 2

40

Lo

las l At s da Ti Table e n• ns tio stanc Pla ma ur for s • Di rbo l In ble Ha Ta a & de Ti Marin

ca

Please send a cheque made payable to Yacht Scene to

Yacht Scene Sailors’ Guide, PO Box 555, Gibraltar

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

home words

Property quotes In this last month of the year, I should write about how 2013 has been such a fantastic year for Gibraltar property with growing demand at all price levels. I could mention the fantastic feedback we have had from the recent launch of the Sanctuary, happy clients etc etc.

However, it’s Christmas and time to start easing into yet another festive season. So this month I have gone for a number of thought provoking, and less thought provoking quotes through the ages about property, the sector about which most people have something to say and this regular feature is about.

Enjoy pondering the merits of some of these quite random quotes over a mince pie.

Happy Christmas!

“

pull down the house of another; but let him labour diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built.

”

Abraham Lincoln

The theory of Communism may “ be summed up in one sentence: Abolish all private property.

”

Karl Marx

“

Buy land, they’re not making it anymore.

”

Mark Twain

Gambling promises the poor what property performs for the As soon as the land of any rich — something for nothing. country has all become private George Bernard Shaw property, the landlords, like all other men, love to reap where they The answer is not to try to never sowed, and demand a rent persecute rich foreign investors even for its natural produce.

Adam Smith with new mansion taxes, or complicated and unenforceable taxes on the tiny proportion of The best investment on earth is homes they leave empty. The earth. answer to house-price inflation Louis Glickman is to build more homes.

Boris Johnson Land monopoly is not only monopoly, but it is by far the Whenever there is a conflict greatest of monopolies; it is a b e t w e e n h u m a n r i g h t s a n d perpetual monopoly, and it is property rights, human rights must the mother of all other forms of prevail. monopoly.

”

“

“

”

“

”

“

”

”

“

”

Abraham Lincoln

Winston Churchill

The life of a single human Thou shall not “ being is worth a million times “ neighbour’s house. ” more than all the property of the richest man on earth.

”

Che Guevara

“ Let not him who is houseless

covet thy God

With the abolition of private “ property, then, we shall have true,

beautiful, healthy Individualism.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

Nobody will waste his life in reasonable care, it is about the accumulating things, and the safest investment in the world. symbols for things. One will live.

Franklin D. Roosevelt To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is That sort of fundamentalism which all. treats possession of private property not Oscar Wilde as a desirable economic and personal asset but as a condition of liberty is a If a Tory does not believe that form of primitive religion. private property is one of the main Neil Kinnock bulwarks of individual freedom, then he had better become a socialist and 90% of all millionaires become have done with it. so through owning real estate.

”

“

”

“

”

”

Margaret Thatcher

“

”

Andrew Carnegie

Real estate cannot be lost or Our industry is full of all sorts “stolen, nor can it be carried away. “ of eccentricities and one of them is

Purchased with common sense, owning property. paid for in full, and managed with Sir Cliff Richard

”

Mike Nicholls is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, a member of the Gibraltar Society of Accountants, a member of the Gibraltar Funds and Investment Association and a board member of the Gibraltar Chamber of Commerce. Mike operates the Chesterton estate agency in Gibraltar and runs a real estate investment solutions consultancy.

41

Ask the Agent

Ask Maggie email your property purchase questions to info@bfagib.com

Your property purchase questions answered by Maggie Mifsud of BFA Estate Agents www.bfafib.com

Looking to purchase a home or office? Need advice? Want to know what you can and can’t do? BFA’s Maggie Mifsud is here to answer your property purchase questions.

Q

Q

What is the best time

of year to buy/sell in

Gibraltar? Are there seasonal peaks when you might get the best price / best deal?

How long does the

average property take

to sell in Gibraltar?

Is there anything which helps it to sell faster against similar properties?

The Gibraltar market can in fact boast of an all year round activity. I suppose if you need to chose a peak time I would say it is between April to July being the time of year that we receive extra interest from aboard. The best deals are reflected by the market conditions.

An average time would be between 3 to 6 months, but of course this would depend greatly on the market trend at the time. Good clean presentation of the property would certainly be necessary, remember that first impression DO count.

I viewed a property

recently which had

the electricity and water turned off for some time. I was put off putting in an offer for it as I was worried there may be problems such as leaks etc which weren’t obvious. What can you do in a situation like this if you do want to put in an offer?

Q

Fortunately this is not a common situation in Gibraltar as most of the properties would be owner occupied hence have all utilities connected. On the rare occasion as you mention, we would recommend that once an offer is accepted, that this offer be made subject to you being able to test utilities. It would form part of the negotiations as to who would pay for the connection.

42

past about splitting into two as the layout would work well.

The flat is now on the market and we wondered if the extra bedroom would be worth adding to increase the value or should we just leave the plans with the estate agent?

Difficult one! Values are dictated by size, location, condition and number of bedrooms, size being the main consideration. In our experience we would recommend that you provide the approved plans to the estate agent which would assist on the marketing by way of adding this information in the property details. Should you decide to carry out the works, this may assist in the sale but you may just cover costs and not necessarily make a larger profit.

Q

I own a property in

one of the new I have a flat with one

blocks and the flat very large bedroom below is for sale. I would buy that we thought in the it if it is possible to create a

Q

Perhaps the best solution is to carry out the works. Though this may not increase the price greatly, it will certainly attract potential buyers

duplex, but how do I find out quickly if this is even possible so I can put in an offer?

Advice please!

Firstly, you would need to find out if this is in fact psychically possible. The developer would be the right person to enquire to.

If possible, you would then need to go through the process of submitting your request together with drawings to the Town Planning for their approval or otherwise.

Q

Are there ombudsman schemes in Gibraltar?

Yes, however this is a Public Services ombudsman e.g., this would relate to any Government Departments, Statutory Bodies and Public Services (as listed in the schedule to the Public Services Ombudsman Act). Unfortunately, Estate Agents in Gibraltar are not regulated.

Q

Who sets the price

of a property and is

there any point in putting in an offer below asking in Gibraltar?

Guideline prices are normally set by estate agents when appraising the property; of course this is guided by present similar sales evidence. There is however always the danger of over pricing which could then place your property away from the “real value” and prospective purchasers for being too high. It is always best to get a number of appraisals before placing your property on the market and discussing the price with your agents. Generally vendors have a good idea of prices within their area

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

advice

property

Q

My friend has had an

apartment on the

market for some time and her neighbour put a similar flat up for sale and it sold straight away. The only difference was that my friend’s is unfurnished and the neighbour’s was furnished (though the furniture not included). Does this really make a difference when selling or was the neighbour just lucky?

I would have to say that they may have been lucky! However, again we go back to presentation and first impressions! It is so important how the property is shown, though buyers may say they can see beyond the unsightly, the truth of the matter is that 99% of the time the client’s first thoughts will recall the negative points.

reduced the price a bit but it seems people have plenty of My bathroom options with new fittings and

and kitchen are really don’t want to take on the work.

old fashioned, ugly What should I do? Do I really and need replacing. It has put need to have building works a couple of buyers off. I have done to sell?

Q

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

Never an easy decision, however perhaps the best solution is to carry out the works. Though this may not increase the price greatly, it will certainly attract potential buyers, you yourself have seen their reaction as we would agree that generally buyers do not want

to take this on. Leaving the kitchen and bathroom in its present condition will only encourage potential buyers to either look elsewhere or make very low offers.

You would not necessarily have to refurbish to a high standard, but just make it presentable. n

43

photo: Ian Martinez (email: ian.photos@gmail.com twitter:@sharpsnapper)

The line-up for the match at the Estadio Algarve

Gibraltar Kicks it

Congratulations to the Gibraltar Football Association on its inaugural international performance as UEFA’s Team 54 in November. Gibraltar held Slovakia — contenders at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa — to a 0-0 draw in the friendly played in the Estádio Algarve in southern Portugal. Gibraltar’s coach Allen Bula said his side gave “so much more than 100%”. The Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, added ‘‘This has been a tremendous start to the GFA’s membership of UEFA which has done the whole of Gibraltar proud.”

44

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

Chad Thompson - GRFU Secretary; Fergus Slattery - ex-British Lions and Irish Captain; Craig Sacarello - GRFU Vice Chairman; Steven Linares - Minister for Sport, Culture, Heritage & Youth; Gareth Edwards - ex-British Lions and Wales; Maurice Stagnetto - GRFU Chairman

Dinner Raises Funds for GRFU Youth A charity black tie dinner was held at Grand Bastion Hall to raise funds for the Gibraltar Rugby Football Union - Youth Rugby Development, on 20th November 2013.

photos: John Shephard

The sold out three course dinner was hosted by two international rugby playing legends — Wales’

great scrum-half Gareth Edwards, and ex-Ireland Captain Fergus Slattery, both of who also gained caps for the British Lions teams in the 1970s. The men talked about their rugby playing days to enthralled guests.

Additional funds were added to the coffers through a charity auction of rugby memorabilia and a raffle. n

Maurice Stagnetto, Minister Steven Linares and Gibraltar Cricket President Christian Rocca

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

Fergus Slattery, Maurice Stagnetto and Gareth Edwards

Dick Barton puts in the winning bid for the “Invincibles” 1974 Lions signed photo

45

health& fitness Bell Pharmacy

Your Family Chemists

Here to help you by answering all your pharmaceutical questions Consult us at 27 Bell Lane Tel: 200 77289 Fax: 200 42989

McTimoney Chiropractor Gentle holistic treatment for all back or muscular problems and sports injuries Gillian Schirmer MA, DC, MMCA Clinic (Claudia’s), 1st Floor, 58 Main Street Tel: 200 41733 or after hours: 200 40026

STEINER CHIROPRACTIC CLINICS

Chiropractic Health Clinic

Dr Carsten Rudolf Steiner BSc DC

Dr Steven J. Crump B.Sc, DC, MCC Open: Mon - Fri 9.30am - 6.30pm

Member of the British Chiropractic Association

Back to better health with Chiropractic for headaches, dizziness, neck and lower back pain, sciatica, osteoathritis and sports injuries.

College Clinic, Regal Hse. Tel: 200 77777

health & medical directory CHEMISTS

Bell Pharmacy 27 Bell Lane Tel: 200 77289 Fax: 200 42989

PASSANO OPTICIANS LTD British Registered Optometrists

38 Main St Tel: 200 76544 Fax: 200 76541 Email: passano@sapphirenet.gi

Louis’ Pharmacy Unit F12, International Commercial Centre, Casemates.

Tel: 200 44797

ChiropraCtors

Dr Steven J. Crump BSc, DC, MCC ICC F5C 1st Flr, Casemates.

Tel: 200 44226 Gillian Schirmer MA, DC, MMCA McTimoney Chiropractor, Clinic (Claudia’s), 1st Flr, 58 Main St Tel: 200 41733 After hours: 200 40026

Treatment of Back Pain, Neck Pain, Headaches, Limb Pain & Sports Injuries

Dr Carsten Rudolf Steiner BSc, DC Steiner Chiropractic Clinics, College Clinic, Regal House Tel: 200 77777

Tel: 200 44226

ICC Suite F5C 1st Floor, Casemates, Gibraltar Member of British Chiropractic Association

Hypnotherapy

Rose Favell Central Clinic, Horse Barrack Lane.

Tel: + 34 655 699 841 www.hypnotherapygibraltar.com

Health Clubs Now at Unit F5, 1st Floor, ICC Isabella Jimenez, Sports Therapist (BSc Hons) Tel: 54002226 Email: sportongib@gmail.com

Atlantic Suites Health Club & Spa Tel: 200 48147 Ocean Village Health Club Tel: 200 44242

Health Stores The Health Store 5 City Mill Lane. Tel: 200 73765 Holland & Barrett 160 Main Street

HEARING CENTRE

Oigamas Hearing Centre Unit S3h 2nd Floor, ICC Casemates Square Tel: 200 63644 Email: info@oigamas.com

Opticians / Optometrists Gache & Co Limited 266 Main Street. Tel: 200 75757 L. M. Passano Optometrist 38 Main Street. Tel: 200 76544

Primary Care Centre

PERSONAL TRAINERS

Need somebody to talk to?

Simon Coldwell Complete Fitness Unit G3, Eliott Hotel Tel: 200 51113

2nd Floor International Commercial Centre Casemates

Isabella Jimenez BSc (hons) Unit 5, 1st Floor, ICC Tel: 54002226 email: jimenez.isabella@gmail.com

Weekend & Public Holiday Opening Hours (use Irish Town entrance) Saturday: 9am - 11am, 5pm - 6pm Sunday & Public Holidays: 10am - 11am, 5pm - 6pm

46

SPECIALISTS

Specialist Medical Clinic 1st Floor International Commercial Centre, Casemates. Tel: 200 49999

7 days a week 5pm-9pm

Dr Vricella, Cosmetic Surgeon College Clinic, Regal House Tel: + 34 951 276 748

GIBRALTAR GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MAGAZINE •• DECEMBER DECEMBER 2013 2013

well-being health

l

Does Being Bilingual Protect Your Mind?

“Speaking a second language may delay dementia,” BBC News reported last month. Great news it would seem for the average Gibraltarian, but what does the study actually say and can we draw any conclusions from it?

The study which prompted the conclusion reported by the BBC and other news channels took place in the multi-lingual Indian city of Hyderabad. It found that those people with dementia who spoke two or more languages had a delayed onset of symptoms of dementia of around four and half years.

The city of Hyderabad provided a unique test bed for research as, due to historical and cultural reasons, many residents speak at least two languages much like Gibraltar. This differs from other locations where bilingualism is linked to either being an immigrant or education level — both potential confounders in the field of dementia research.

The study involved 648 Indian people with dementia who were assessed at a specialist dementia clinic. Just over half of them were bilingual, and the researchers compared age of onset of symptoms between bilingual and monolingual people. Bilingual people developed dementia around 4.5 years later.

An important limitation of the study, says the NHS, is that the population referred to this specialist clinic may not be representative of the general population with dementia. Their average age of disease onset (66 years) was very young compared to most people who develop dementia in Western populations, and there was also a relatively low prevalence of Alzheimer’s while a higher prevalence of rarer dementia types, such as fronto-temporal dementia.

The study was carried out by researchers from Nizam’s Insti-

tute of Medical Sciences, Osmania University, Yashoda Hospitals and the University of Hyderabad, India, and University of Edinburgh. Funding was provided by the Department of Science and Technology, Cognitive Science Research Initiative, Government

of India.

News stories report the possible biological mechanisms by which increased brain activity may be protective which is certainly plausible. This study does not prove that knowing a second language will delay or prevent the onset of dementia, but keeping the brain active, learning about new cultures, and meeting new people should at least improve your mental wellbeing.

The researchers say recent studies have suggested that speaking two languages may delay the age at onset of dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease by up to five years, a possible mechanism being that the need to ‘juggle’ two or more languages in the one brain could enhance cognitive ability and delay symptoms of the disease.

However, many questions remain, and this study doesn’t show whether being bilingual is associated with a reduced risk of developing dementia, it only characterises differences within a group of people who all developed dementia.

A prospective cohort study collecting medical, cognitive, linguistic and social information is required to see if being bilingual is a protective factor against dementia.

Perhaps bilingual Gibraltar would be the place for this new research to be carried out.

In the meantime, other ways you may reduce your dementia risk are: • eat a healthy diet • maintain a healthy weight • exercise regularly • do not drink too much alcohol • stop smoking (if you smoke) • ensure you keep your blood pressure at a healthy level

The city of Hyderabad provided a unique test bed for research as, due to historical and cultural reasons, many residents speak at least two languages much like Gibraltar

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

47

Zaneta, Isabella and James at Sport On

New Therapists at Sport On Skin Tag & Thread Vein Removal Laser Clinic Permanent Hair removal Pigmentation and anti-aging Visiting Surgeon varicose veins, sebaceous cysts, innovative haemorrhoid surgery Cosmetic Surgeon Breast implants and augmentation, face-lifts, tummy tucks

48

Sport On Sports Therapy & Fitness Training, on the first floor of the ICC, has expanded and is now offering services from four therapists — Zaneta Kwiecien and James Alvarez join Isabella and Luke as part of the team.

Originally from Poland, Zaneta studied in the UK and graduated with a Bsc (Hons) degree in Sports Rehabilitation. James graduated in the same university as Isabella, University of Kent also with BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy & Fitness Training.

The four offer Sports Massage, Sports Injury Rehabilitation, tap-

ing, strapping, electrotherapy and more.

For further information on services offered at Sport On visit the website www.sportongib. com. Sport On is open from 8.30am - 7.30pm Monday - Friday and Saturday mornings.

Appointments with all four are now available:

Isabella mobile: 54002226 email: sportongib@gmail.com Luke mobile: 54010504 email: luke@sportongib.com James mobile: 54003389 email: james@sportongib.com Zaneta mobile: + 34 650 62 96 17 34 email: zaneta@sportongib.com

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

health & well being

Janice Raises £4886 for Help For Heroes Janice Zarb (25) presented £4,886 to Help for Heroes Co-ordinator WO1 Gary Mitchell following three charity events she organised.

Janice held a Quiz Night at the Kiki Lounge, a Poker Night at the Three Owls and then arranged a Group Sky Dive for 21 people in Seville to raise the staggering amount.

WO1 Mitchell said: “Janice has made an outstanding contribution to the charity, we can’t thank her enough, I really appreciate the effort she has put in; this amount will make a big difference.” n

Are You in Pain?

If you suffer from chronic neck pain and headaches or migraines that are stopping you in your tracks there is an answer — Litecure Level IV laser.

strong evidence for pain relief”.

Become pain free without drugs or surgery.

Will this therapy help you?

For people dealing with the torturous symptoms of neck pain and headaches it’s time to find out if this therapy could help This laser is used in the USA you. to relieve pressure on nerves and reduce muscle tension. It is Our limited time offer includes: EU and FDA approved and we • Complete neuromuscular and have the only one of its type in orthopaedic exam Gibraltar. The treatment is pain- • Explanation of your exam. less — you just feel a warmth.

• One laser session so you can The IASP (International Assee how effective it is in sociation for the Study of Pain) relieving your pain.

— the world’s largest multidisciplinary organisation — stat- Offer expires 20th December. To book ed that ”Laser therapy shows an appointment please call 200 44226 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

49

IT’S THE FESTIVE SEASON ... …SO GIFT YOURSELF A

‘NEW YOU’!

December is the month of festive fun; office parties, family gatherings and plenty of Christmas merriment.

Yet, what’s really at the top of your Christmas Wish List? Do you wish to look younger and feel more confident and positive? If so, then it might be worthwhile finding out more about how cosmetic surgery can help.

This is always the time of year when we dress up and make ourselves look our very best.

It’s great fun, but sometimes our thoughts turn to how we might like to improve the way we look and feel.

New You Starts Now So December could be your month to start making these dreams a reality.

The Christmas holidays are a good time to discreetly have a procedure, with time for a relaxing recovery whilst you are away from normal commitments. That’s why this month is popular for tummy tucks and liposuction, allowing you to start the New Year looking and feeling like a New You. If on the other hand you are planning an active party season, then why not consider a

50

private consultation with Dr. Marco Vricella of Aria Medical Group this month, and schedule you procedure in the New Year?

New Year, New Confidence After all, at Aria Medical Group we know that cosmetic surgery can really transform lives, creating a more confident you. Face lifts, tummy tucks, liposuction and breast reductions & enhancements for example are all procedures which will make you look and feel your best, renewing your appearance, as if taking years off you.

To find out more please feel free to book a consultation. All consultations are private and free and it is your opportunity to find out more, and to understand your suitability for a procedure so you are able to make an informed decision.

Free Aftercare Remember, Aria Medical Group also offers free aftercare, with post operative visits in Gibraltar and free revision surgery if necessary.

Free Consultations If you want to find out more, then Dr. Vricella holds free consultations at College Clinic, Regal House, Gibraltar every 2 weeks – for dates and to book an appointment please call:

+ 34 951 276 748 or email: info@ariamedicalgroup.com

www.ariamedicalgroup.com Find us on: Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn too.

Some of our most popular procedures: + Breast Augmentation + Breast Uplift (Mastopexy) + Breast Reduction + Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) + Liposuction + Face Lifts + Eyebag Removal (Blepharoplasty) + Rhinoplasty (Nose Surgery) + Cosmetic Dentistry

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JUNE 2013

a , s t

.

Because You’re Beautiful! + Breast Augmentation + Breast Uplift + Breast Reduction + Tummy Tuck + Liposuction + Facial Injections + Face Lifts + Eyebag Removal + Rhinoplasty + Cosmetic Dentistry

Book your FREE consultation

(+34) 951 276 748 in English (+34) 671 639 353 in English (+34) 662 936 058 en Español e: info@ariamedicalgroup.com When choosing your surgeon check their credentials.

They should be registered with the UK General Medical Council (GMC), the Spanish CGM and also on the UK Specialist Register of Plastic Surgeons (SRPC).

/kAÄ ½ÄÌ ÀlÎ Äw And best wishes for 2013 to all our valued clients!

re a c r e t f A E E R F

mas ‘Merry Christ ts’ ien to all our Pat

www.ariamedicalgroup.com GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JUNE 2013

51

A little bird told me

words | Elena Scialtiel

A trip to France inspires heart-warming children’s bedtime story by feelgood news blogger Kate Larkinson and photographer husband Steve.

Everyone knows that a trip in South-West France is always eventful, but Steve Larkinson didn’t expect to find food for thought the day he spotted a small crowd standing outside a bakery in a little village north of Bordeaux, their faces upturned, spellbound by something peeping and something swooping under the eaves.

As soon as he realised the objects of interest were birds, he drew out his hi-tech hi-res super-zoom camera and shot away a sort of stop-motion movie, curious to view the event from closer.

Little did he know until he uploaded the photos to a large screen, that the busy birds were swallows feeding their chicks, and some ‘family drama’ was unfolding under his and the villagers’ very eyes.

Steve and his wife Kate counted three little birds at first, their beaks agape longing for their foraging parents to regurgitate food into

their throats, but soon a smaller chick peek-a-booed from behind them, trying to attain its fair share of lunch.

And so they followed, shot by shot, how the elder siblings pushed the little one away, how the parents seem to chastise them about it and how the chicks eventually allowed the baby of the brood to attain a bite or two.

In the end, parents and young reconciled, everybody enjoyed a nap, putting their differences aside and moving on.

This short documentary impressed Steve a great deal, because in his view the parents’ behaviour seemed to contradict the popular ‘survival of the fittest’ theory, according to which the smallest chick would have been sacrificed to the welfare of the others, and would have been left starving aside not to waste time and effort on it, if the parents deemed it not to enjoy the same survival chances as the

“

others.

Here, both parents seem to care for the entire brood, possibly because they could comfortably provide for them all and so the heartless law of ‘wickedest versus weakest’ is upturned.

This concept inspired a life lesson to the Larkinsons, who started envisaging a parable in the casual encounter with those soaring examples of good parenting that emigrate to their brick-andmortar under-roof nests, spring in spring out.

It took a while for the project to take shape, but eventually they selected 18 photos from the sequence and laid them out to create a bedtime story, titled Little Bird Lost, a romanticised account of what Steve’s camera had captured.

He bestowed upon Kate, the family’s artist, computer wizard and writer, the task of writing rhyming couplets to caption every single photo and thus whisking up

a little poem targeting toddlers in need of learning how to deal with baby brothers and sisters, and how to share material possessions with them, as much as parental love, and of course understand their need for extra care and protection.

Kate did a jolly good job in designing a paperback booklet with glossy sky-blue cover and white chunky script title, an informative back cover, and 20 inside pages featuring a picture and a couplet each.

“And I did it all in Paint! I had no other sophisticated graphic program at the time!” she giggles.

The booklet is dedicated to the Larkinsons’ four children and the children of their children, both born and on their way.

Kate first published the book on Kindle and arranged a promo so that friends, family and some 300 other people who spotted it on Amazon were able to download it

What I love about Gibraltar now is the fact it is a village, a capital and a country at the same time

52

”

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

children’s story free of charge, and it is currently available online and downloadable on Amazon for Kindle for just 75p.

“My grandchildren are the right age to enjoy this story, that’s why I wanted to have it published as soon as possible, before they grew out of it.” She is expecting to hold a book launch in Gibraltar this spring, with hard copies in full colour selling for £4.99.

It is indeed value for money, considering the high quality of the shots and the extraordinary insight that they afford into an ordinary event which, for its own nature is meant to usually unfold discreetly tucked away from our prying eyes.

Not only children will stand agape in awe at the rhombusshaped yellowish beaks of the little fluffy black and white chicks, but adults too will enjoy a quick revision of high school biology notions.

Kate is a former librarian who worked in public libraries with children at first, and in further education later, so she is no new-

comer to the wonderful world of books. Long time consumer, this is her first time as a producer of literature, and she enjoyed the rollercoaster ride so much she is already planning a second instalment soon, family commitments permitting.

Kate is also the mastermind behind Good News Week Blog, where she posts world good news to balance the negativity that makes headlines nowadays in the international media.

“I was told once that it makes more noise a single tree falling than an entire forest growing, and so we often forgot to focus on positive events. But being bombarded with bad news just triggers more negativity and people may become either withdrawn or unsympathetic.”

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

“

The idea came about just after the Mayan prophecy frenzy in 2012, when Kate’s young daughter-in-law pointed out how much unnecessary violence we’re fed daily by the news.

Kate realised that newspapers must marry objective information with a sprinkle of sensationalism if they want to keep ahead of the competition and sell more copies.

That’s why doomsday headlines catch the eye more than refreshing stories about the decrease of acute poverty in developing countries, benefactor millionaires, octogenarians conquering the Everest or cheese-made electricity!

Steve and Kate moved to Gibraltar in spring 2010 after they fell in love with the Rock during a trip down to memory lane for Kate who spent part of her childhood

I was told once that it makes more noise a single tree falling than an entire forest growing, and so we often forgot to focus on positive events

”

here, when her father was posted with the Navy.

“It was before the frontier closure and I have good memories of my time here. One of my sisters was born here. What I love about Gibraltar now is the fact it is a village, a capital and a country at the same time, and there is so much to do and enjoy, but everything is still within walking distance.”

They are staunch Jools Holland’s fans, so they return every year to their last hometown Brighton to attend his concerts. They were over the moon last October, when Jools Holland performed in Gibraltar for the International Jazz Festival.

She recalls, her eyes sparkling: “The band got the audience on their feet, dancing and clapping.

The feel-good factor was palpable.

Even the guitarist was smiling at the good vibe emanating from the audience. It truly was a magical night.” n To order your copy of Little Bird Lost, check out the website www.littlebirdlost. co.uk and Kate’s blog http://goodnewsweekblog.wordpress.com.

53

On 17th December 2013 Jamielee Randall will represent Gibraltar at Miss International 2013 in Tokyo, Japan.

There is a voting facility which allows people to vote for a contestant once a day. It is free to vote. As we went to press Jamielee was second on the Leader Board with over 28,000 votes.

The voting link is on Facebook: TheBeautiesConcept - “Miss International 2013 People’s Choice”. Voting continues until 16th December 2013. n

54

Photo: Jayden Fa (www.facebook.com/jaydenfaphotography) Makeup: Nyree Chipolina Hair: Kyle Gonzalez Art Direction: Guy Baglietto.

Jamielee’s in Japan...

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MAGAZINE • • DECEMBER DECEMBER 2013 2013 GIBRALTAR

Rock’s Youth Activities In mid-November 20 young people and three Youth Workers took part in a residential course which formed the last part of the Youth Centre’s ‘Feel Good’ project.

The project focused on raising confidence and self-esteem in participants by providing opportunities to reflect on themselves and develop in a mixed interest group and setting.

Throughout the November weekend young people took part in various workshops involving goal planning, vision boards,

T-shirt design and a photo session. Those who took part also developed their group work skills by cooking and cleaning over the two days.

Nyree Chipolina delivered a makeup workshop and Paul Perez held the T-shirt design workshop.

A group of 11 members of

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

Plater Youth Club, aged between 11 and 14, went on a residential course earlier in the month to the Europa Retreat Centre. The group wanted a ‘sleepover’ experience and to continue building on the relationships between the group and the workers.

The Plater Youth Club, Dolphins Youth Club and the Youth

Centre are now focussing on building a float for the fabulous Three Kings’ Cavalcade which takes place on 5th January from 7pm. n For information or on how to become a Youth Volunteer please contact the Youth Office on 20075020 or email gibyouth@ gibtelecom.net.

55

art focus

Jennifer Watson’s

Rainbow Strings This month the John Mackintosh Hall will play host to an exhibition of work by Jennifer Watson titled Document: Gibraltar as Subject.

Jennifer, known to most by her married name Jennifer Munton, arrived in Gibraltar in 2010 with her husband and young family and once settled began to make a

56

name for herself on the Gibraltar art scene. In May 2012 she was awarded the Heritage Trust Prize for her on site painting of Catalan Bay. In November of the same year

she received a high commendation at the Autumn International for ‘Castle Road’, an intricately measured painting of airbricks which form a pattern on an unassuming

wall opposite Sacred Heart, and she is now a member of the newly reformed Fine Arts Group Committee.

Despite being an accomplished painter, Jennifer has since put her paintbrushes aside, the result of which has been truly liberating for her. In the months leading up to the 2013 Spring Art Fair Jennifer perfected her technique building what she refers to as her ‘Pin Maps’.

To create a ‘pin map’ Jennifer records all the movements of an individual over the course of a day.

The resulting route is then plotted onto a map and laid over a white foam-board background. Pins are pushed through the map to anchor any change in direction taken by the individual and a length of cotton is then led around the route held in place by each pin. Once the cotton is secured, the now redundant map is painstakingly cut away leaving only a plain white background, the web of cotton and the pins.

Initially focussing on autobiographical routes, Jennifer then expanded her system to map whole families. Using different coloured cotton to represent each family member, the lines emanate from one point only to reconvene at the same point at the end of the day.

The resulting patterns are beautiful, intricate and subtly packed with information for those who choose to look a little closer.

The pinning technique now honed, Jennifer could embark on what she considers to be her best work to date A Day in Gibraltar, which maps the movements of 19 individuals about the Rock on a typical day. The resulting network of cottons traces out an unmistakable image of the Rock and its many intricate roads.

Entered into the Spring Art Fair, the work was highly commended and the positive feedback received prompted Jennifer to embrace the new direction in her work and commit to an exhibition at the end of the year — hence the concept of Document was born.

Document is the culmination of the last eight months’ work. The theme running throughout is one of data collection and representation (although Jennifer points out it ‘is not analysis’). The work grasps hold of the detail of day-today life and re-presents it in pleasingly ordered packages cleared of distracting ‘noise’. The resulting artworks are clean and verging on the clinical.

White is dominant and every mark, line and colour has a distinct purpose. Attention to

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

Despite being an accomplished painter, Jennifer has put her paintbrushes aside, the result of which has been truly liberating for her detail, verging on obsession is an underlying theme, the hours put into gathering data and, again, in methodically laying out the results are intentionally evident and presented as an invitation to question the sense in such an act, or indeed to question its validity.

However, the work can be equally enjoyed as attractive pieces of art as well as on this deeper level. Catalan Umbrellas a day long diary-come-map which records the appearance and disappearance of beach umbrellas, is playful and aesthetic.

Jennifer has commented how touched she was to hear a report from a mum that her five year old son had run up to A Day in Gibraltar and exclaimed “Look Mummy — rainbow strings”. “I am not here to tell my audience what to think, but to offer ideas. The rest is up to them. If they choose to feed their interpretations back to me, or even to challenge me on the subject, then I consider that interaction to become an extension to the work itself.”

Jennifer went on to say, “I think this is perhaps the reason I prefer social networking sites to showcase my work in favour of outward facing web pages. As with any artist, I’m sure, without the opportunity for discussion and debate, inspiration can be extremely elusive.”

It’s true to say Jennifer has a child like sense of wonder in the new, and seeing Gibraltar with the fresh eyes of a newcomer she fell in love with the aspects which make Gibraltar so unique. The way we move around and interact as a tight community; the way the social and family influenced sprawl of umbrellas unfolds across the beaches on a hot summer’s day; and the ever changing flow of the levanter — these are the details which capture Jennifer’s imagination and are just some of the details she looks forward to sharing with us in her exhibition.

Jennifer’s work will be on show in the gallery at the John Mackintosh Hall from Monday 9th to Friday 13th December 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 7pm. n You can follow Jennifer on her Facebook Page “Jennifer Watson - Artworks” or visit her website www.jenniferwatsonartworks.com.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

57

seasonal something

Chocolate Santas & Advent Calendars for Charity It really wouldn’t be Christmas in Gibraltar without the traditional chocolate Santas and advent calendars. For just £2 each they are a great price, a great taste and great cause! Place your orders urgently to avoid disappointment, as stocks are limited this year. All proceeds go towards Action4schools — Sierra Leone a registered Gibraltar charity (No. 246). Visit www.action4schools.gi for link to Facebook page. The more Santas and advent calendars get sold the more schools get fixed.

Small Business Saturday Get your Christmas shopping done early and pick up a bargain on Small Business Saturday, 7th December 2013, when there will be a fun- filled atmosphere in town and later opening hours to ease the pre-Christmas rush.

58

“The idea is to encourage traders to participate and offer an array of vouchers, bargain buys, gifts and special discounts to shoppers. Businesses offering discounts will get posters/stickers to place on their premises, confirming that they are taking part,” said a Government statement.

Stalls will be set up in the Piazza to provide all manner of goodies including jewellery and handicrafts.

Local musicians and dancers will provided entertainment throughout the morning (entertainment is funded by the Government’s Small Business Support Unit).

The Gibraltar Federation of Small Business and trader Raju Purswani of Marble Arc on Main Street came up with the original concept of Small Business Saturday, and the Minister for Commercial Affairs, Neil Costa explained that the hope was to achieve an atmosphere similar to large shopping malls where music and entertainment is often provided.

Minister Costa added “It will be an early opportunity for the public to get into the swing of Christmas with the many interesting buying opportunities that will be available.”

The event coincides with the popular Classic Car Rally, further enhancing the atmosphere on the day.

The Chamber of Commerce and Gibraltar Federation of Small Businesses are encouraging their clients to participate n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2013

53

Joe Caruana’s Knight Time Stories words | Elena Scialtiel

Taking the commonplace of knight-in-shining-armour to the letter, author Joe Caruana MBE delivers a compelling work of historical fiction where romance and Mediterranean landscapes are the background to war, piracy and clash of faiths.

If it was a film, it would be a ‘biopic’: The Iron Knight of Malta explores the biography of 49th Grand Master of the order of the Hospitallers, “Shield of Europe and Scourge of Africa and Asia,” and eponymous hero of Malta’s capital La Valletta, Jean Parisot de Valette, who lived an adventurous yet little chronicled life from his native Provence to his resting place on the island of honey.

Surprisingly enough, Joe could find scarce bibliography about the man who averted the growing shadows of Islam over Europe in the mid-late 16th Century, even after scouring Maltese libraries and bookshops, except for the precious first account of Valette’s contemporary Francisco Balbi di Correggio.

Reports from the 1565 Great Siege of Malta speak of the indomitable valour of the civil population, without which the Knights would have been disadvantaged, despite Valette’s

60

strategist capability: not only young men, but also the elderly, women and children contributed to the fight, which confused the Ottoman army, unwilling to strike civilians.

Piecing together the puzzle, the author discovered that in the late 16th Century a baby was baptised in a Maltese church with the surname Valette — a French name, not present

Surprisingly enough, Joe could find scarce bibliography about the man who averted the growing shadows of Islam over Europe in the mid-late 16th Century

on the island before Jean arrived.

This was the perfect opportunity to romanticise and spice up Jean’s legacy, so Joe attributed to him a son conceived in Rhodes with a local woman and later taken to Malta as a squire, posing as Jean’s nephew, to stifle the scandal which could have ensued, since the Knights were bound to chastity.

But of course Jean was a young and dashing nobleman, and Ann Celeste was a vision in a lush garden rich in fruit, flowers and fountains.

With some Biblical echoes, the author describes their encounter and love story that continues into discreet common-law marriage, until his beloved is killed in the Rhodes siege that ended the Order of St. John’s 200 year settlement on the island.

Joe elaborates on the 1520 capture of Rhodes, basing his facts on French historian Guillaume Caoursin, who relates the apparition of an army

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

of warriors on horseback in the sky prior to the decisive battle, which prompted the Sultan to order a withdrawal of the Ottoman troops.

The scenery quickly shifts to Malta where the Order of St. John was relocated — and their cross was soon identified with the island.

While the spiky even-armed Maltese cross is designed to represent the four virtues of humanity as well as the eight beatitudes, the Knights were also the custodians of the True Holy Cross, or what was salvaged of it during the crusades.

Indeed, Joe capitalises on this feat and describes septuagenarian Jean on his deathbed, clasping the piece of holy wood he managed to spare from desecration in Rhodes, as he confesses his sins and reveals to his ‘nephew’ the truth of his birth.

“Valette didn’t die in battle, neither did he die during the siege. He died of sunstroke,” Joe explains. “He was a keen falconer, but hunting in the midday sun proved too much for him. However, two years earlier he had laid the foundation stone to the city that was to be named after him.”

Adding to the poetic license of the dying knight spilling the beans, the author flicks in further swashbuckling coup-de-theatre when he makes Jean escape a Barbary galley after a year as a slave, instead of being ransomed like it actually happened.

Of course, a Montecristo-style break-out is more palatable for the reader who would otherwise have to endure historical accounts of heroism and barbaric battles: “Piracy and

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

slavery were a plague at the time, to the point Joe claims that his book is mostly a novel and that the religious Spanish order of Redemtores has no pretensions of being accurate — actually was dedicated to deliver Christian slaves he weighs in a good 20% of fiction or embellishment, and he fends off the potential criticism from it.” of being an amateur historian by asserting he incorporated what was unwritten but highly plausible.

The genesis of this opus magnum, which took almost two years from project to bookshelves, is Joe’s interest in the Crusades and the Knights of St. John, who are still represent in Gibraltar today, albeit known as St. John’s Ambulance, successors of the Warrior Monks.

Furthermore, the Caruanas originate from Malta, so the marriage of the two concepts was arranged, and turned into true love when it had to overtake the hurdles of sparse documentation found during his visit to Malta, where a book launch is expected to be staged soon.

The Iron Knight of Malta is Joe Caruana’s third editorial venture, but it is the very first really expanding into fiction: his other two books, When the Hangman Came and The Spirit of the Phoenician are pure research — the first about executions in Gibraltar, and the second an autobiography that spans generations to trace his lineage virtually back to the civilisation that invented the alphabet — and what good use is Joe attributed to him a son, Joe making of its legacy indeed! n

later taken to Malta posing as Jean’s nephew, to stifle the scandal which could have ensued, since the Knights were bound to chastity

Copies can be purchased from all local bookstores, the author, or from Amazon. It is also available in Kindle e-book form from Amazon. Contact details from official website: www.ironknightof maltajcaruana.com.

61

s a m t s i r h � . . . t s a � words | Richard Cartwright

Regular readers may recall I sought the opinions of 8 to 15 year olds about Christmas and all that surrounds it in last year’s December issue. Most of them were family members chatting at home. This year I went out on the streets, to cafes and institutions, to find out more, but the difference with this investigation is I spoke to senior citizens in their mid- to late-70s, and 80s... and even in their 90s! Reminiscing to their hearts content they merrily recalled those bygone days with relish and even, in some cases, elation.

“My father used to have our leg of lamb or pork cooked at work because we didn’t have an oven,” Alice remembers. “But we never received any presents because we couldn’t afford them and I also remember some people fattening up live, skinny turkeys and stocking up on foodstuffs like flour and sugar, nuts and dried fruit in preparation for the big day.”

Irma told me how, at home on Christmas Day, no one could come out of the bedroom until her dad said so. “He would get up first and call us in. One year I got a doll, that was it, but we were happy, it was very exciting with

62

all of the family together.”

Eileen says she received a blackboard and paints one year and that they’d play Lotto and Monopoly in the afternoon with family and friends. “I spent a number of Christmases in Madeira as a child during the war and those were happy times too.”

Loti was very excited once because she was given a scarf and a doll!

On a sadder note Juani told me that Christmas is a time to remember those who have passed on. Her husband died a while back and the festive season reminded her of the many

happy times they shared together... Sharing, caring and loving is what some of our seniors felt was more important at yuletide than offering gifts. “I’ve been married to Violet for 68 years,” 90 year old Ruggi tells me, “and although I’ve never even made myself a cup of tea, I’m very happy to always be by her side and at Christmas I think about the other 67 others we’ve spent together!”

Christmas is, of course, to be enjoyed by all whether poor, moderately well off or wealthy.

Julie is Jewish and of years gone by when

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

there was more integration she says “Oh yes, we would join in and go to homes where Father Devlin, the Governor, and other friends would be and have a great time. On other Christmas occasions we’d go for lunch to the Rock Hotel or go over to the Hotel Cristina in Algeciras and stay on for the Te Dansant in the afternoon. Our Christmases were great. I also remember going to La Linea for lunch where walking down the side streets, patios and homes would be open with people singing and drinking having a good time and you would be invited in, there was a wonderful atmosphere.”

Christmas dances were also held at the Calpe Rowing Club, which I remember having played at with the band. A little before my time Eileen particularly recalls dancing the Paul Jones where the ladies formed an inner circle, the men an outer one and went in opposite directions until the music stopped.

“And that was the interesting part,” Eileen cheekily recollects. “You hoped to stop in front of the fellow you liked because then you would dance with him for a few minutes until you were directed to form the circles and start going round again.”

Maruja, too, says she had a somewhat privileged upbringing getting great presents like a rocking horse, pretty dolls and even money gifts for Christmas... “But then,” she says, “Christmas now can be a bit sad because our parents are no longer here.”

By way of contrast, Josephine, who was less fortunate, recalls having to sleep on the kitchen floor with brothers and sisters. “It was a small house,” she says, “but still, Christmases were lovely!”

Another English lady recounted how she daringly eloped to Gretna Green, Scotland round about this time to marry her sweetheart, and kept on recalling it!

I spoke to many more seniors who reminisced about wonderful events which had absolutely nothing to do with expensive toys or other gifts but simply the joy of families coming together which so many of our elders missed.

John, nearing a century, expressed the view that too much was spent and wasted at Christmas and that even today there are still many who don’t have much and it was about time we started to look after our under privileged.

John was very adamant about life’s inequalities and the unfairness so many are subjected to and maintained that was what was important to think about at this time.

“Lack lustre and uninspiring affairs,” declares Jose about present day Christmases.

He claims the ‘patio ambience’ of old where

“

We never received any presents because we couldn’t afford them and I also remember some people fattening up live, skinny turkeys and stocking up on foodstuffs like flour and sugar, nuts...

”

neighbours lived so closely with neighbours is no more and that’s meant the wonderful event that was Christmas is very much lacking. “Of course, that’s not to say children and youngsters today don’t enjoy the festivities and look forward to dozens of presents and going out with friends and having a good time, but they’re missing out a little on the true family occasion that Christmas is meant to be.”

Jose remembers very poor Christmases after returning from the WW2 evacuation; “Yes we were very poor and Christmas dinner mainly consisted of a plate full of vegetables and we may have got a toy walking stick or something similar as a present but we always managed to have some polvorones on the table.”

Jose too, points to peoples’ values as the most important factor that has changed especially at times like Christmas. “It’s not the same anymore and I treasure great memories of past Christmases which I will never forget!”

Well, we now look forward to another festive event, a bumper one for many, especially the children and the fuss and fun is already underway. When listening to the seniors’ stories some youngsters will exclaim, “oh here we go again, the oldies going on about past Christmases.” Well, as one of our senior citizens concluded “Look, having very little didn’t matter. It was a very humble and modest way of life and not having very much wasn’t really a great concern especially because most people at the time didn’t have much. We were very lucky and very happy enjoying Christmas with family and friends and what was important, we always had... a very happy Christmas!” n

Christmas

Octet

Photo: Kourosh Khalilian

Christmas Carols with InCantus A new octet called InCantus will perform its first concert on 11th December at St. Andrew’s Church. Fittingly this Christmas concert will get you in the mood for the festive season with well-know and not so well-known carols.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

The octet comprises sopranos Samantha Bowling and Lucy Hart, altos Cindy Ellis and Anthony Roper, tenors Phillip Borge and Paul Pitaluga, basses Wayne Smith and Damian Moore plus pianist Elizabeth Heath.

The concert starts at 7.30pm at St Andrews Church.

For ticket information contact 54518000.

63

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow Pictures taken by Mike Brufal at the opening night of the exhibition of fine art paintings and drawings at the Gibraltar Art Gallery last month — opened by The Hon Steven Linares, Minister for Culture. The Gibraltar Art Gallery always has an interesting selection of artwork on show. The Gibraltar Art Gallery, 14a Cannon Lane, Gibraltar Heights. n

64

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

fashion

leisure & sport

Retail& Activities

shopping & gifts

hair & beauty

Ali’s Make Up Plan

Make Up Artist Face painting for children’s parties M 5800 9284 E ali@makeupplan.com W makeupplan.com

Sacha’s

lessons & tuition

GACHE & CO LTD EST. 1830

• Giftware • Jewellery • Sports Trophies • Awards & Engravers 266 Main St, Gibraltar Tel: 200 75757

travel & hotels

DUTY FREE WINES, SPIRITS & TOBACCO

Health & Beauty Salon

open 7 days 79 Main Street

newsagents/books

HORTICULTURAL CONTRACTORS Tel: 200 43134 Fax: 200 50648 Convent Gardens, Convent Garden Ramp

Queen’s Hotel Gibraltar

• Aromatherapy • Sugar Waxing • Facials • Manicures • Pedicures • Reflexology • Luxury Organic 2hr face & body treatment Open: Mon-Fri 9.30-9 Sat 10-3

Excellent Prices • Centrally Located • Easy Access • Parking • Bar • Restaurant

Don House Arcade Tel: 20077311

Tel: (+350) 20074000 Fax: 20040030

FROST LANGUAGE CENTRE (registered in Gibraltar)

Professional Spanish Teacher All levels, singles, groups or Skype

pets & accessories

Tel: 200 73786

Protect Your Dog Against Fatal Summer Diseases Heartworm, Leishmaniosis, Tickborne Diseases Phone Gibraltar Veterinary Clinic for details 200 77334 Emergency: 8977

Call Margaret Tel: 0034956173384 Mobile: 0034609717296 Email: margaretjf13@gmail.com

photography

Archive editions of The Gibraltar Magazine now available online at www.thegibraltarmagazine.com

GIBRALTAR MAGAziNE MAGAZINE •• DECEMBER DECEMBER 2013 2013 GIBRALTAR

65 65

What’s On December ’13 Sunday 1st December Gibraltar Classic Vehicle Association, Casemates Square 11am - 2pm Thursday 5th to 21st December Santa’s Grotto - Thursday & Friday 4.30pm to 6pm, Saturday 11am to 12.30pm at King’s Bastion Leisure Centre. Tickets £5.00 include a gifts and digital photo. For further information Tel: 20044777 Email: info@kingsbastion.gov.gi www.kingsbastion.gov.gi

Masters of Illusion Shows from 12th - 15th December at Ince’s Hall Theatre. Matinees on 14th and 15th at 3pm & evening shows from 12th - 14th at 7pm.

Tickets are £10 and £12 — on sale at Chique Boutique, Ocean Village

Don Gates (at the south end of Grand Parade) 10.30am. No fee but donations are welcome For further information Tel: 200 72639 Email: alameda@wildlife.gib.gi

Trinity Cathedral. Please come along, have a rumage through all the great stuff which has been donated and bring some food for the cats if you can.

Saturday 7th December Gibraltar Botanic Gardens Tour — meet George

Jumble Sale — to raise funds for the Cat Welfare society — from 10am at the Holy

Wednesday 11th December Art Exhibition by Amaparo Cruz Herrera, Fine

photos: Jayden Fa

Thursday 5th and Friday 6th December Student Zone fundraising concert by the choir and all students from Santos Productions Academy. Funds raised go towards their trip to the World Choir Games in Riga, Latvia in July. Organised by Santos Productions. John Mackintosh Hall Theatre 7.30pm. For further info email: info@santos-productions.com

Runway Select...

this one night which also included locals from all facets of the fashion industry and put them together to create a melting pot of glamour and elegance.

Local designer Christel Mifsud and her sports/street wear label Shorji opened the night followed by a group retailer show presenting some of the biggest retail labels in Gibraltar including Boux Avenue, Oasis, Marks & Spencer and Next. The Fuse played pop/rock songs while main sponsors Tattinger served up a storm of champagne.

Models, photographers, designers, stylists The first of the international designers was and producers were flown into Gibraltar for London’s Arjan B. Maltese born London-based

To keep the passion for fashion alive between Runway fashion shows and satisfy the calls for more, from both the public and industry labels and retailers, Runway Select was held at Grand Battery House last month to a discerning crowd of professionals, fashionistas and local celebrities.

66

Visit www.runwaygibraltar.com

singer/songwriter Carrie Haber then sang and played piano for an incredible half hour set. Select’s finale spot belonged to Canadian designer Edeline Lee whose incredibly tailored garments were definitely a hit on the catwalk.

The night ended on a high with beatboxer Dana McKeon, who is currently ranked 5th in the world of beatbox globally.

Runway Gibraltar will be returning on the 3rd May 2014 for a full fashion festival day.

Calls will go out for the New Designer Competition at the start of the year and aspiring designers are urged to apply by email shortly after. n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

Arts Gallery, Casemates Square 10am to 6pm.

Entrance free. For further info contact the Fine Arts Gallery on 20052126 or email: finearts@ gibtelecom.net Tuesday 10th to Friday 13th December Exhibition on Conceptual work looking at Gibraltar by Jennifer Watson, John Mackintosh Hall 10am to 10pm. For info contact Jennifer Mutton on 20062722.

Wednesday 10th & 11th December Tiny Tots Christmas Show, John Mackintosh Hall Theatre “Tiny Tots Travel the World” 6pm.

For information Tel: 20045895.

Wednesday 11th December Art Lecture – Charles Rennie Mackintosh presented by Eric Knowles organised by the Gibraltar Decorative and Fine Arts Society at O’Callaghan Eliott Hotel 7.30pm. For information contact Claus Olesen on 20002024.

Thursday 12th December Carols By Candlelight — concert by The Gibraltar National Choir, Cathedral of the Holy Trinity 8pm. Tickets priced £12. For info contact mobile 54831000 or email: liliolivero@msn.com Thursday 12th to Sunday 15th December Masters of Illusion 2013 – Magic and Illusion Show, Ince’s Hall Theatre. 7pm evening performances (except Sunday 15th December) Matinee performances on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th December at 5.30pm. Tickets priced at £10 and £12. For further information email: info@gibmedia.gi

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

On 7th December there will be a jumble sale in aid of the Cat Welfare Society at the Holy Trinity Cathedral from 10am

Wednesday 18th December GBC Open Day, John Mackintosh Square 9am to 6pm. For further info contact James Neish on 20079760 GBC Open Day — John Mackintosh Hall Theatre 9pm. For further info contact Paula Latin on 20079760 Thursday 26th December Traditional Boxing Day Polar Bear Swim at Catalan Bay. For info contact the Caleta Hotel Tel: 20076501 email: sales@caletahotel.gi Gibraltar Amateur Swimming Association Polar Bear Swim at GASA swimming pool – 10 Europort Avenue 10am. For info Tel: 20072869

Tuesday 31st December New Year’s Dance at the Catholic Community Centre in aid of local charity. The dance starts at 12.30 till the early hours of the morning, with music from the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s and ’80s with the band THE X-IT. Price: £80 per person includes cotillon, canapes, free bar all night and English breakfast. For further information contact one of these mobile numbers 54031625, 54013591 or 54033794.

New Year’s Concert – 31st December 2013 and 1st January 2014 — organised by Gib Media for the Ministry of Culture. For further information contact the Ministry of Culture – Events Team on 20067241 or email: culture.info@culture. gov.gi.

67

That Nail Place Nail Extensions DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERA DIGITAL CAMERA - MOBILE PHONES - GPS - PDA ACCESSORIES

No. 4 Watergardens - Block 1, PO Box 882 Tel/Fax: +350 200 78600

Gel - Acrylic - Fibreglass

I4

Airbrushing Nail Art Body Jewellery

Unit F22A 1st Floor, ICC. Tel: 200 73211

E6

GACHE & CO LTD EST. 1830

T5

• Giftware • Jewellery • Sports Trophies • Awards & Engravers

L4

266 Main St, Gibraltar Tel: 200 75757

H4

Q4 BUDDIES pasta casa

Come and enjoy real Italian meals in Gibraltar’s leading pasta house

R4

H4

15 Cannon Lane Tel: 200 40627 for reservations

Gibraltar Taxi Association

Gibibikes Stations

D8

GUIDED ROCK TOURS 19 Waterport Wharf Main Office Tel: 20070052 Fax: 20076986 Radio service: 20070027

K4 I4

Sacha’s

DUTY FREE WINES, SPIRITS & TOBACCO open 7 days 79 Main Street

THE TASTY BITE 59A Irish Town Tel: 200 78220 Fax: 200 74321

Quality Kitchen Ware Gibraltar’s Best Stocked Cook Shop K5

The Takeway with a difference.

Homecooking . our speciality .

Open Monday

M5 to Saturday

46 Irish Town Tel: 200 75188 Fax: 200 72653

K5

J4

M5

D5 68

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

X7

Z6

take-away or reserve a table

Tel: 200 46993 7 days 11am - 3pm, 6pm - late

Queensway Quay (next to Waterfront)

S3 Accountants Durante Carboni Jardim..............X3 ESV Hassan & Co........................ I4 Business/Financial Services AI Couriers..................................K3 Barclays...................................... M4 Jyske Bank.................................. L4 Sovereign Trust...........................N4 ITMS............................................ J9 Business Services Waste Management......................a6 Business Supplies Beacon Press...............................N6 Image Graphics...........................N3 Stitch Design................................P3

X7

Motoring & Car Sales A. M. Capurro & Sons Ltd ........ N6 Computers & Cableing Image Graphics........................... N3 Newton Systems.........................M5 PC Clinic..................................... U3 Fashion/Clothing Marble Arc....................................J4 Food & Drink Amin’s The Office....................... K5 Bridge Bar . ................................ B5 Buddies Pasta Casa..................... Q4 Cafe Rojo.................................... K5 Café Solo..................................... G3 Casa Pepe.....................................Z6

TASTY INDIAN CUISINE Get Stuffed................................... A3 House of Sacarello........................L5 Just Desserts...................................I4 Lord Nelson................................. H2 The Lounge ..................................Z6 O’Reilly’s Irish Pub......................B5 Picadilly Gardens.......................... b4 Pick-a-Bite.....................................J6 Saccone & Speed...........................J4 Solo Express................................ H4 Star Bar........................................ K5 Verdi Verdi................................... H4 Waterfront.................................... Y7

Roots.............................................T4

Hair & Beauty Salons Claudia’s Clinic............................ K4 Joya’s Gents Hairdressers............ N2 Renaissance Beauty.......................J4

Legal Services Hassans.............................................

Isolas.............................................E4

U4

Jewellery Sales/Repair Essardas.........................................L4 Jewellery Repairs..........................L4 Matthew’s Jewellery......................I3 Radhika.........................................L4 Leisure Complete Fitness.......................... R3 Dolphin Safari.............................. A3 Ocean Village Gym . ................... C4 Atlantic Suites Gym & Spa...........J9

Queensway Quay Marina, Tel: 200 61118

Medical / Health Bell Pharmacy..............................N3 Claudia’s Clinic............................K4 Dr. Crump, Steven, Chiropractor I4 Health Food Store........................O4 Louis Pharmacy...........................H4 McTimoney chiropractor.............L4 Sport-On - Sports Therapy...........K3 Steiner Chiropractor.....................K7 Pet Services / Supplies Gibraltar Veterinary Clinic..........H4 Property Sales / Estate Agents BFA..............................................G4 Chesterton....................................D5 Savills............................................J5 Solomon Levy . ...........................U3

General Services Balloqui . ....................................P4 LP Borge.................................... X3 Denville Designs........................M3 Greenarc..................................... X5 Larbi upholstery......................... R3 Shopping — General Image...........................................E6 Originarta ....................................)2 Recruitment RecruitGibraltar......................... O6 SRG Europe.................................I3 Transport / Marine Services Gib Cargo................................... B8 Tarik Oil..................................... C8

O2

184 Main Street Tel: 200 72133 open: from 8am (10am on Sun)

J7

g GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

J3

ibraltar the

69

food

h�c�lat� � words | Reg Reynolds

GIBRALTAR CHOCOLATE FROM VENEZUELA Anyone planning on baking up special treats this festive season might like to whip up something using Gibraltar Chocolate.

Yes there really is a brand of chocolate named Gibraltar. It is described as “A true bittersweet that is ideal when a very rich, chocolate flavour is desired.”

Gibraltar Chocolate is 60% cocoa solids and according to various websites is an excellent accompaniment with sweeter elements. It is popularly used as a centre for truffles and as a coating for mints.

One internet site explains: “This is ‘Real’ chocolate which must be tempered (controlling temperature at cooling) for dipping, moulding and barks.”

What is chocolate bark? It’s a sheet of chocolate that is mixed with options of nuts, dried fruits and other candies. The chocolate is broken into rough pieces and resembles tree bark.

Gibraltar Chocolate is actually named after the town of Gibraltar, Venezuela which is known for its quality cocoa beans. That Gibraltar was founded and named as San Antonio de Gibraltar in February 1592 by Gonzalo Pina Liduena who was born on our famous Rock Liduena, born 1545, was a Spanish conquistador who was one of the first Spanish residents of the town of Merida in Western Venezuela.

Early in the 1590s he established several other towns including Pedraza in the state of Barinas and Gibraltar in the state of Zulia.

In 1597 Luduena was appointed Governor of the province of Venezuela by King Phillip II of Spain and he remained in that office until his death on 28th March, 1600.

Gibraltar became wealthy through the ex-

70

portation of cocoa and unfortunately, because of this and its accessible harbour, the town and its people became the target of pirates. It twice suffered bloodthirsty sackings; in 1667 by the French pirate Francois l’Olonnais and in 1669 by the Welsh buccaneer (later Sir) Henry Morgan.

As for the quality of Venezuela’s cocoa the website Cocoa Symposium reports: “Venezuela did, at one time, claim the title of the world’s biggest cocoa producer but that was way back in the seventeenth century and a lot has changed since then. The beans grown are the Criollo variety and these are said to be the finest in the world. *[see note] This makes Venezuelan cocoa extremely sought after by prestigious chocolatiers creating fine chocolate products. It is the South American countries generally that specialise in growing this variety and, as it is not so easy to cultivate as other varieties it tends to be

grown with less abundance. As there is a finite stock of beans in Venezuela, producers will often sell an entire harvest to one chocolaiter directly, saving the hassle and price of going through a middle man. There doesn’t seem to be any shortage of buyers, as the quality tends to speak for itself.

“There has also been something of an organic revolution in Venezuela of late with a number of farmers opting to grow their trees organically. These beans can command a far higher price and this appeals to the more high-end chocolatiers with an up-market clientele.” n *Note: Gibraltar Chocolate is available via the internet at just under £5 for a pound block and just under £150 for a 50-pound block.

Gibraltar Chocolate is actually named after the town of Gibraltar, Venezuela which is known for its quality cocoa beans

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

f of mas 0 rist £4 Ch

r fo

Luigi Lavazza first created the concept of blending coffees in 1895.

Over 117 years later Lavazza is recognised throughout the world as the symbol of Italian espresso and has mastered the choice of coffee for any occasion.

LavAzza ‘A Modo Mio’ coffee system The perfect coffee shop experience in the comfort of your own home - now available in Gibraltar Okay... so you have seen the adverts for the new coffee system from LavAzza? Could this be what you are waiting for? That is, a real Italian Coffee delivered in the comfort of your own home or office. The new system from LavAzza aims to take on the Nespresso’s of this world in offering a coffee system with an Italian pedigree. LavAzza — pronounced with a ‘T’ in it, if you want to sound Italian — is fast becoming Gibraltar’s favourite coffee. For those who know about coffee, LavAzza is synonymous with good coffee and it is sold the world over at fine restaurants and cafés. There is something about LavAzza’s smoothness one simply cannot find in other coffees.

What is it?

Pod based LavAzza coffee

The Italian LavAzza ‘A Modo Mio’ based system uses capsules of coffee. Each type of coffee capsule has its own colour representing a flavour/blend and there are plenty to choose from. In terms of selection there is everything from a decaf option to mocha.

For those of you who don’t know, an espresso forms the basis of all coffees including cappuccino, latte, and Americano. In the ‘A Modo Mio’ range there are eight espresso blends to choose from each with unmistakable aroma and attention to quality that one would expect from LavAzza.

The shape and style of the LavAzza capsule is different from other systems and better because the capsules can be more easily stacked and stored than other brands on the market.

The Blend — each ‘A Modo Mio’ capsule contains 7-8g of LavAzza Coffee, carefully

selected and expertly blended. It is a product of over 117 years of the Lavazza family’s dedication to coffee. Importantly there is a decaf option which is very important for all those who don’t take caffeine.

The Grinding — a laser measures the dimension of each coffee particle guaranteeing a consistent grind thus ensuring the perfect espresso every time.

The Cost — the cost per capsule ranges from 25p to 31p depending on the blend.

There are five blends that retail at £3.99 and a further three that retail at £4.99, for 16 capsules. Available at Carlos, 87-89 Main Street and Galaxy, 175 Main Street, Gibraltar

The Machine — Easy Italian Coffee with LavAzza

The new ‘A Modo Mio’ Favola (Italian for “fairy tale”), designed in cooperation with AEG, joins together the LavAzza Coffee expertise with the technology of one of the best known and appreciated brands in the field of household appliances. With its innovative performance, compact design and stylish colours, the new Favola home coffee machine will be a much loved addition to any kitchen.

The fabulous ‘A Modo Mio’ strictly adheres to the parameters of a professional coffee shop espresso machine: temperature (79° - 83° degrees), pressure (15 bar) and extraction time (20 - 25 seconds).

If you’re looking to add a wow factor to your kitchen the ‘A Modo Mio’ Favola Plus could be just what you’ve been looking for.

This machine has all the features of a Favola with the addition of a programmable pre-measured dose and free-flow and an

illuminated cup area and stainless steel cup rack. The ‘A Modo Mio’ Favola Plus has also received Plus X Awards for High Quality, Design and Ease of Use. Creamy, velvety cappuccino and latte are the most beloved symbols of the Italian Café tradition. Now you can enjoy them in the comfort of your own home thanks to the new ‘A Modo Mio’ Favola Cappuccino, the newest addition to the Favola family. The New Favola Cappuccino is equipped with an intuitive user interface providing one touch milk preparation. Choose from perfectly prepared latte, cappuccino or milkshake, hot or cold!

“The actual heart of the system is you, the user. It only takes one touch for a perfect espresso and the pleasure is all yours,” says Charles Isola of Anglo Hispano, LavAzza’s Gibraltar distributors.

The retail price for the entry model, known as the AEG Favola ‘A Modo Mio’ is £129.99, the Favola Plus retails at £159.99 and the top of the range model, the Favola Cappuccino retails at £199.99. All models including a wide range of capsules are available at Carlos, 8789 Main Street and at Galaxy, 175 Main Street and are currently on Christmas offer with £40 off each model.

Discover the new A Modo Mio Favola and get ready to taste the real Italian espresso, cappuccino and latte every day in the comfort of your own home.

“It’s got a good look and a good feel to it and I like the fact there is Italian pedigree running right the way through,” says Charles.

Available at Carlos, 87-89 Main Street and Galaxy, 175 Main Street, Gibraltar

Photos: House for an Art Lover – built 1989 - 1996

The Gibraltar Decorative & Fine Arts Society:

Charles Rennie Mackintosh & the Glasgow Style A talk by Eric Knowles, on Wednesday, 11th December, at the O’Callaghan Eliott Hotel, Roof Top Suite, at 7.30pm after drinks at 6.30pm Charles Rennie Mackintosh is arguably the most important Scottish architect and designer of a period that spanned the years 1885-1915. This talk examines not only his architectural masterworks and interiors, but also the all-important contribution of other contemporaries from the Glasgow School of Art and of his wife and soul mate Margaret McDonald Mackintosh, whose flowing, floral style complemented his more formal, rectilinear work.

Mackintosh was given prominence and permanence in the Musee d’Orsay when it opened in 1986 in Paris, after its re-design from Art Nouveau railway station. In the Spanish

work was shown at the Secession Exhibition there in 1900 and also in Budapest, Munich, Dresden, Venice and Moscow.

Elsewhere, another surprising comment refers to a List of his Unbuilt Architectural Designs such as a Concert Hall and a Railway Terminus, which is ironic in the light of his rediscovery due to the designation of Glasgow as European City of Culture in 1990.

It is hardly surprising that the couple became disillusioned, inpecunious and escaped at one stage to live in the South of France!

The speaker on Wednesday 11th December is Eric Knowles, a well known broadcaster

He is mentioned as being barely recognised in the UK but much appreciated on the Continent...

It is hardly surprising that the Mackintoshes became disillusioned, inpecunious and escaped at one stage to live in the South of France...

with the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, who has over 25 years experience lecturing to audiences in museums and galleries around the world, including the Victoria & Albert Museum, the British Museum, and the Art Deco Society of New York, as well as to countless antique societies in the UK. n For GibDFAS Membership and further details contact Claus Olesen or Ian Le Breton on 200 02024 / 200 76173 or visit wwwnadfas.org/Gibraltar.

Please note : This event is earlier than usual – second Wednesday of the month 11th December.

The Charitable Face of Lilly Gomez Congratulations to Lilly Gomez who entered a modelling competition called the Face of Europe / World competition in Disneyland Paris and was awarded the title of Miss Charity World for fund raising in Gibraltar (she raised an incredible sum of £5,432).

Lilly also won 6th princess in this international competition in which around 100 girls competed.

Lilly raised the funds for breast cancer support and Headway East Kent (a charity helping people living with serious head injuries). Well done Lilly. n

version of the comprehensive guidebook he is mentioned as being barely recognised in the UK but much appreciated on the Continent for his fresh and original style, which considerably influenced Modernism in Vienna. The Mackintoshes received acclaim when their Czarina Josef Images

72

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

Red Cross at the Convent

The Gibraltar Red Cross held its AGM last month at the Convent (photos by Mike Brufal). If you would like to get involved with the Red Cross or make a donation to any of its appeals, contact Gibraltar Red Cross, c/o The Convent, Main Street Tel: 200 74452

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

73

past

revisited

Gibraltar Through The Lens Many books on different aspects of Gibraltar have been published over the last few years, but until now none has been a compendium of old views. This is what distinguishes Richard Garcia’s latest book which will be launched in the first week of December.

It is the wealth and variety of pictures of old Gibraltar that make it such an interesting book and text is kept to a minimum. A few lines accompany each of the postcard views, and there is a brief introduction to each section.

The old saying was clearly at the forefront of the author’s mind — a picture says more than a thousand words. The pictures, indeed, speak for themselves.

The book is divided into 11 sections. They cover Street Types and Street Scenes; the Old City within the walls; the South District; North Gibraltar, including the Frontier; the Commercial Port; the Royal Navy and the Dockyard; Fortress Gibraltar; places of worship; Royalty at Gibraltar; Leisure and Sports; and the Alameda Gardens.

All told, there are 270 postcards illustrated in the book, and over 200 of these are in colour.

“When choosing which cards to include, I favoured colour pictures over black and white or sepia views, as they are exceedingly attractive,” explained Richard. “The irony, of course, is that practically all the photographs were originally monochrome and the colour was added during the process of printing the postcards. At the end of the day, what matters

74

most is the image, and not whether it is in colour or black and white. The book needs to be considered as a whole. It is this holistic view that gives a good impression of what Gibraltar looked like in days gone by.”

Most of the postcards illustrated in the book date from what is termed the “Golden Age” of the picture postcard, the 1890s to the 1930s. A few later postcards are included, but none is later than the cards issued at the time of the visit to Gibraltar of Queen Elizabeth II

in 1954.

Some of the cards depict a Gibraltar that is similar in many ways to today. Close examination will nevertheless reveal important differences. Main Street is sometimes shown

The short descriptions of the cards are packed with interesting facts. The text invites the reader to look more closely at familiar places and to see them in a new light

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

before the advent of the motor car, when it was a two-way street along its entire length.

Indeed, it was not even called Main Street at the time that the oldest postcards were issued: Waterport Street was the section of the street from Casemates to just beyond John Mackintosh Square — the old “Calle Real” of Spanish times; Church Street was the centre section of the street; and Southport Street was the stretch from the Convent to Southport Gates.

The short descriptions of the cards are packed with interesting facts: the date of the last horse race in 1940 before the race course was converted into part of the airfield; when and why the Boulevard at Line Wall Road was built; where the Red Light district was situated in the early 20th century; the original location of the Calpe and Med rowing clubs; and so on. The text invites the reader to look more closely at familiar places and to see them in a new light.

The most attractive element of the book is undoubtedly the postcards themselves. The hustle and bustle of the streets; the colourful characters — selling calentita, hawking fruit and vegetables, the fishmongers, King George V riding on a horse in Gibraltar in 1912 at the entrance to Grand Parade, the Governor of Gibraltar together with the Military Governor of Algeciras riding together to preside at the Parade in honour of Queen Victoria’s Birthday in 1897, a Zeppelin flying over the Rock in the 1930s. The list could go on and on. Some of the buildings have gone: New Mole House, the red brick block at New Mole Parade, and Tower Buildings next door to it; the Edward VII Memorial Bandstand at Kingsway, in the Alameda Gardens; the Treasury Buildings at Grand Casemates Square; the Theatre Royal; the Connaught Fountain and the Jews Market at John Mackintosh Square.

It is a trip down memory lane for the older generation, and a marvellous way of showing the young what Gibraltar was like. It is also a valuable pictorial record of the changing face of Gibraltar, particularly from Victorian Gibraltar in the 1890s up to World War II. It is a book that rewards dipping into time and again, as different aspects of the images stand out on each re-reading. n

It is a book that rewards dipping into time and again, as different aspects of the images stand out

Gibraltar Through The Lens will be launched at Sacarello’s, Irish Town on Thursday 5th December at 7.30pm, and on sale at bookshops and the Gibraltar Museum from Friday 6th December priced £15.

Adopt Don’t Buy

Yacht Scene 2014

Give a Dog a Home If you are interested in adopting call the GSPCA on 540 19968 or 540 29927 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

75

puzzle page

by Alan Gravett

SUDOKU Just for fun!

1

3

2

4

7

5

6

8

10

9

12

11

13

15

16 17

18

19

21

20

22

23

Jotting Pad Send completed crossword to: The Clipper, Irish Town

FIRST PRIZE: Lunch for 2 at The Clipper

One entry per person.

Closing date: 16th December ’13 Last month’s winner: Ferdinand Monteverde Portland House LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS: Across: Accurst, Amphora, Idiotic, Terrier, Scour, Necklaces, Capricorn, Gecko, Blocked, Leisure, Legatee, Stephen.

Down: Aries, Chico, Return Tickets, Tactic, Sparkling Wine, Zodiac, Taurus, Cava, Erik, Cobble, Plough, Oodles, Crush, Odeon.

76

Across 1. Forename of old film stars such as

Ryan and Mitchum (6) 4. Elephants external teeth (5) 7. & 18. Plant of the Knifophia or Tritoma

family (3-3, 5) 8. Matched; consented (6) 9. Liverpool, for example (4) 10. Collapsible headgear (5,3) 12. Adjusting to a new class etc. (11) 17. Type of methane (5,3) 19. Not frequent (4) 20. What is eaten; group of new

students (6) 21. Feet are divided into them (6) 22. Stratum; hen (5) 23. Niche; break (6) Down 1. Small type of ungulate (3,4) 2. Former country over which Wenceslas

ruled (7) 3. System of doling out commodities out

during, for example, WWII (9) 4. Large cat (5) 5. Feast day on which Wenceslas looked

out (7) 6. Calm (6) 11. Girl’s name (9) 13. Without error or digression (7) 14. Otic pain (7) 15. Fowl who find Christmas foul! (7) 16. Noticing (6) 18. see 7.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

Dragon of Luck Winter is creeping in, and there is a light chill in the air; yet the young lady seems impervious to the cold, as she glances impatiently at her watch. It’s an awkward moment for me, as I wait patiently for twilight and darkness to fall, to photograph Ocean Village’s famous sentinel.

words & photos | Chris White

Another of Gibraltar’s hidden legends

Sitting comfortably in its little grotto “Vencejo” (the Swift) is a Spanish, bronze, cannon originally named after the fabulous migratory bird; the fleet of wing insectivores that swarm so elegantly across our skies every summer, keeping us safe from pestilent mosquitoes, flies, and spiders.

This bronze 24-pounder, long known as the Chinese Cannon, has been in Gibraltar as long as anyone alive can remember. Probably salvaged from the floating batteries it has become, not just a landmark, but a life-mark.

In the last seven years alone it has been the spot for untold numbers of rendezvous, first dates, brief encounters, arguments, reconciliations and intrigue similar to the one I’m witnessing tonight. Not to mention the hundreds of children and families that have sat across it’s dragon like neck, for ephemeral moments of fun, and holiday photographs.

A handsome young man arrives, and apologises effusively to the girl. She smiles, kisses him gently, and forgives him; and then together they wander off towards the lights of one of the bars and restaurants of the marina.

My attention returns to the cannon, and I wonder how much action this scarred and almost forgotten observer of history must have witnessed. It has obviously sat in the rain under a veritable waterfall for decades. It is eroded, scored and wounded from years of neglect, yet one little patch of shiny bronze lays testament to the multitude of wishes that have been offered to, what was once, the pinnacle of mechanical warfare.

A monster of mass death and destruction, of pride and hubris, that has been redeemed through the torment of time and the elements, to become the focal point of modern romance and human drama.

“Vencejo” the swift, has become our Chinese dragon of luck, and a symbol of hope. Once a proud and arrogant statement of dominance, it is now the guardian of a new generation of lovers.

I take my photographs, and two ladies approach me to ask what I’m doing. We talk for a while and realise we have similar backgrounds, introductions are made, and after they have gone I am aware that a new, random, connection has been made with another set of human beings.

If the cannon could speak, it would have so many more tales to tell. This one was mine, this time. What’s yours? n GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

77

Dictionaries define Paragon as ‘model of excellence’, or ‘someone of exceptional merit’, or even ‘large round pearl’: surely it is a word most people don’t get to use in their everyday conversation.

Paragon:

words | Elena Scialtiel

rocking hip-hop with a soul 78

Until last September, when it donned the whole new meaning of ‘awesome hip-hop fusion duo taking Gibraltar by storm with intelligent lyrics and inventive musical arrangements’, after guitarist Paul Santos and rapper James Ablitt aka J Gusto joined forces to produce their much anticipated Burn the Ego EP. Paul actually came up with this name for the band, after months of discarding one after another as not catchy enough. At the end, they settled for this educated guess and somehow pretentious name to contrast the album’s title song Burn the Ego, a deliberate profession of humility in front of the creative process that turns personal hard work into universal artwork.

Paragon is also one of the songs featured in the EP, together with Elevators, My Song, Road Weary Traveller and Silence Is Loud, penned by poet J Gusto and composed by Paul Santos.

To record these tracks, they were helped by the undisputed master of digital recording Charlie Moore, a drummer of international repute who also joins the duo in their live gigs together with bassist Anthony Martinez, when Paul has to drop his one-man-band act and concentrate solely on his guitar.

“Charlie recorded all drums for our album and Anthony, being an accomplished musician, surely will have a bigger say in the band in the future, helping us with com-

GIBRA GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

music position and arrangements.”

Paragon aced the Rock on the Rock’s Battle of the Bands last August during Fair Week and was fast-tracked to the Radio Gibraltar stage at the Music Festival in early September, before officially launching their EP on 13th September at Sunset Avenue nightclub, attracting a mixed audience of all ages.

Both Gibraltarians, and treading the same music circles, he and Paul weren’t formally acquainted until they met at a jamming session in Tarifa (“James is a couple of school years younger than me,” Paul explains). Self-confessed naturalborn rocker with a track record as a guitarist in rock bands during his UK student years, Paul was quickly impressed by James’ talent and the elegant way he handles the spoken word, so he joined his vision of songs that could encompass many genres, focusing on ‘spitting’ but allowing plenty of scope for wicked guitar solos or thundering drums.

James’ messages are always

quite positive, for those old-fashioned parents who identify rap and hip hop with foul-mouthed exhortation to violence — that’s why the demographics of Paragon’s fans are diverse and quite fluid, comfortably embracing and bringing together generations.

There is a lot of pain in his thoughts and lot of wisdom in his attitude, talking about his musical journey and aspirations, and how there are no easy rides to the top: Elevators, for instance, warns that the lift to success is out of order and everyone will have to take the stairs. Its hammering rhythm made me visualise myself looking up at the Eiffel Tower from the pavement and starting my slow climb, ever pace clanging on the metal steps,

urged by the hectic enunciation of the anthem ‘sky’s the limit / we have some stories to build / [...] / I am one lyric away from finding what the secret is / this here will push my buttons, until the highest peak / a game of hide and seek / until I find my feet...’

Paul says: “Our philosophy is total commitment to our artistic creation, no matter how hard we have to work without economic reward: yes, we’re definitely taking the stairs at the moment!”

‘My song, my life, my time to decide what’s right from wrong, my eyes, my pen, my thoughts, my mic, my friend...’ raps James in that congenial, firm and clear voice of his, without phony American inflection, that has already landed

A breath of fresh air in a vibrant music scene where hard rock and reggae still rule, Paragon’s hip-hop/funk/progressive fusion with a difference is buzzing and stirring

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

scene

him, at the fresh age of 25, undisputed and well deserved fame in Gibraltar and abroad.

A breath of fresh air in a vibrant music scene where hard rock and reggae still rule, Paragon’s hiphop/funk/progressive fusion with a difference is buzzing and stirring, slowly breaking through a tiny market and its Andalusian overflow.

And it is of course looking for sponsors and air time with radio stations promoting unsigned artists: so the inevitable waltz of demos submitting and music blogs lobbing has started, with the hope of getting some international live gigs lined up for next summer, with the help of local music guru James Culatto who is designing Paragon’s advertising campaign — photos and promo videos to show the world this darting duo is really something else! n Like their Facebook page www.facebook.com/weareparagon or contact James and Paul at weareparagon@ gmail.com to book your gig.

79

photo

call

W

to

image of the month

We loved this fabulous wedding photo by Gary Tapp taken of happy couple Gavin and Nikki on 11th October 2013. The photo has a great retro southern American feel though you can still clearly see the Rock. Visit http://yourweddingmoments.com/ for more of Gary’s Gibraltar wedding photos.

Craft & Collectors Christmas Fair St Andrews Christmas Craft & Collectors Fair will take place on Saturday 7th December from 10am to 2pm Whether you are looking for unusual and unique Christmas gifts, or just a seasonal bargain, there is a good chance you will find what you are looking for here.

The fair offers silver, glass, jewellery, pictures and prints, as well as a variety of arts and crafts.

There are toy soldiers, dolls house items, coins, stamps, books and other collectables, as well as warming drinks, snacks and cakes. Entrance just £1.

Originarta’s New Location Customers were offered a drink and nibbles to celebrate the opening of Sue Orfila’s Originarta at the new location of 29 Governor‘s Street, not too far away from her original place. This delightful little shop is full of Sue’s original artwork, plus recycled and repurposed items creating a browser’s dream. Sue also holds craft and flower arranging classes at her new shop. Pop in to see her or give her a call on 56750000 to find out more.

80

Stalls are available at £10 including table and cloth.

For further information call 54023166. n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

T

Now Open Our new Lounge Gastro Bar On Queensway Quay.

Serving a wide range of high quality beers, wines and bar food.

We are now serving food every day. Why not join us for Sunday Lunch this weekend?

Celebrate Christmas in style this year.

Whether you are planning the Christmas Lunch for your office or a festive get together with friends, we have the ideal venue & menu for your function...

Christmas Canapé Menu £9.95 Per Person Choose Any Six Options

Christmas Lunch Menu £29.95 Per Person • Bubbly Served on Arrival Starters: Veloute of Parsnip and Chestnut Soup, Croutons, Freshly Baked Bread Pressing of Ham Hock, Cumberland Chutney Purée, Salad of Celery, Cucumber and Walnut Treacle Cured Salmon, Lime and Vodka Mascarpone, Grapefruit, Rocket Coulis Goats Cheese Tartlet, Tomato and Basil, Almond, Balsamic

Smoked Salmon and Prawn Maris Rose

Mains:

Mini Caesar

Traditional Roast Turkey, With All The Trimmings

Ploughman’s on a Stick

Ballontine of Chicken, Parma Ham and Mushroom, Parsnip Puree, Sage Jus

Shots of Festive Soup Calamari Rings

Pan Roast Salmon Fillet, Crushed Baby Potatoes, Asparagus, Prawn and Cockle Champagne Cream

Goats Cheese and Tomato Tartlet

Bouche with Roasted Sweet Potato, Pine Nut and Courgette, Tomato Reduction

Beer Battered Catch of The Day, Tartare Pil Pil Prawn

Desserts:

Tempura Prawn

Chefs Christmas Pudding, Navy Rum Custard, Boozy Flambé Fruit

Marinated Meat Kebabs Chicken Liver Parfait En Croute ‘Tiny English Classics’ (If Chosen Only Choose Two Others)

Christmas Hot Buffet Menu

Techniques in Chocolate and Coffee Raspberry and Strawberry Meringue, Tarragon Yoghurt Selection of Choice Cheeses, Biscuits and Chutney

Christmas Cold Buffet and Finger Food Menu

£14.95 Per Person • Bubbly Served on Arrival

£14.95 Per Person • Bubbly Served on Arrival

Choose Three of The Main Course Options

Choose Five of The Main Course Options

Shepherd’s Pie • Thai Green Chicken Curry

Smoked Salmon and Prawn Maris Rose

Chilli Con Carne • Fish Pie

Sliced Meat Platters • Ploughman’s Selection

Slow Braised Beef Casserole, Home Made Dumplings

Home Made Quiche • Chef Sausage Rolls

Cassoulet of Pork, Mushrooms and Mixed Beans

Beer Battered Catch of The Day, Tartare

Vegetable and Sweet Chilli Stir Fry

Pil Pil Prawns • Meat Kebabs

Lasagne of Tomato and Aubergine , Goats Cheese Gratin

Meat Balls with Provencal Sauce

Choose Three Sides Selection of Rice • Hand Cut Chips Potato Salad • Coleslaw Waldolf Salad • Tomato and Balsamic Garlic Baguettes • Buttered Seasonal Vegetables

Selection of Stone Baked Pizza Choose Four Finger Foods Smoked Salmon and Prawn Maris Rose • Hand Cut Chips Potato Salad • Coleslaw • Waldorf Salad Tomato and Balsamic • Garlic Baguettes

The Lounge Gastro Bar • Queensway Quay • Call +350 20061118

S TELL Ubest gift

’s the eived? what ec ver r you e mail: i e ltar.g gibra @ g a gibm

What’s the best gift you ever received?

compiled by Pennie Gwilt

December is the time for goodwill and giving.

Choosing the perfect gift can be the most enjoyable part of the season, so here are some best gift ideas from the great Gibraltar public.

Adam Rojek Software Engineer As a teenager I received a large illuminated globe. I spent hours planning where I would travel when I was older.

Clare-Beth Allen PA at Hassans When I was 22 my friends bought me a budgie called Zizi. I wanted a pet of my own though I hate most animals, but as a child my family had a budgie which I liked. Zizi is a great pet.

Louise Ann Woollas Maths Tutor The best gift I ever received was my first flying lesson in a piper Cherokee light plane. It was amazing.

82

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

Michelle Rugeroni Sales Executive, DHL Gibraltar & Presenter, Radio Gibraltar An iPad. A year ago I happened to be visiting a customer whose accounts person had just left. They were desperate to find someone, so I put them in touch with Loles my great friend and a year later she’s still there and very happy.

To say thank you, with her first wages, she splashed out on two iPads one for me and one for her! It was the best gift ever.

Damian Azopardi Postal Worker My best gift was the VW Golf car that I bought for myself for my 18th birthday. It enabled me to cruise the streets looking for girls!

Howard Danino Retired Contractor

Rosemary Burrows Proprietor, Just Desserts My best gift received was a trip to San Francisco to attend my son’s wedding.

My best gift was one I bought for myself — a Jaguar XJS Special Edition. It was one of only three made by Guy Salmon to mark the XJS Jubilee.

Heidi Devlin Recruitment Consultant My parents bought me a piano when I was 11 years old.

Unfortunately the piano was delivered in a horse box, so I though I was getting a pony, I was so gutted. The piano was brilliant though.

Anna Blanco Sales Assistant, Jewellery Shop The bump in my tummy, it’s a girl expected to be born February 2014

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

83

photo

call

Lola Boys sing up a storm DHL Gibraltar and friends enjoyed a night out with the Lola Boys at the Waterfront Restaurant in November. The Waterfront always puts on a great dinner show and this was no exception with the Boys entertaining a packed house through the hail storm and lightning while dinner was served.

Raj’s Curry House for Christmas?

Raj’s Curry House, the fully licensed restaurant now serving up delicious Indian cuisine in Queensway Quay, is open throughout Christmas including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. So if you get tired of turkey with all the trimmings, or it’s just not your thing, Raju and the team offer the solution. But don’t just take yourself along, Raj’s Curry House can accommodate parties of up to 20 on their fully enclosed terrace, so is an ideal venue for Christmas get togethers.

Raj’s Curry House, Queensway Quay Marina. Please phone to reserve a table or order a take-away - Tel: 200 46993. Open from 12.30 to 3pm and 6pm to 11pm daily. n

84

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

recipe season

Winter Warmer The ancient Romans loved it, and now it has become a traditional warming treat associated with this festive time of year. A delicious mix of wine, fruit and spices which got its name from the Old English for “muddled”, Mulled Wine tastes and smells of Christmas.

It was novelist Charles Dickens who elevated mulled wine into a Christmas tradition when it featured in the classic A Christmas Carol. Since then it has become a warming highlight of festive gatherings and is the perfect partner to a mince pie.

Mulled wine is enjoyed throughout Europe under various names such as Glogg (Sweden), Vin Chaud (France), or Glühwein (Germany).

Most recipes begin with red wine and may have one or more other liquors added. A rich, fruity Spanish red wine is a great base for this aromatic treat.

Make Some!

2 bottles red wine 4 cinnamon sticks

2 oranges, peel and juice 1 lemon, peel of 8 star anise 8 cloves 200g brown sugar Place the sugar, cinnamon, cloves, peel and enough of the wine to cover into a pan. Heat gently to disolve the sugar then boil to create a syrup. Reduce the heat to low and add the rest of the ingredients and simmer gently for 8 minutes.

To serve, pour the mulled wine into heatproof glasses.

Keep it on a very low heat and serve to guests as they arrive.

That’s it — so simple it would be silly not to make some, and it is sure to warm the heart of Scrooge himself. n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

85

So this is Christmas… and what have I done…?

Woohoo... it is Christmas time again, so bring on the Christmas parties.

While getting ready for the Christmas party, I may start off the night with an alcoholic drink to set the mood. My friends or family are probably doing the same. It is all part of the Christmas spirit of goodwill.

Will I pick up my friends or family or meet them there? Either way my moped or car is my preferred option, after all I’ve only had one drink. I won’t get a taxi as it will cost me.

When I arrive at the party I’ll have another pre-meal alcoholic drink it’s almost a must as I will be welcomed with a drink. It’s either bought for me or I will chip in and form part of a syndicate and I will put my money in a pool.

When sat at the table, nothing tastes better with the Christmas meal than another alcoholic drink.

Maybe two, three or four glasses, who’s counting, it is a party after all.

There is still money in the pool!

Perhaps I could have another?

Nobody will notice how much I have drunk. Anyway, it’s all about the laughs, having a good time and letting our hair down with friends, work colleagues or family... it’s Christmas!

Will someone really take responsibility if I’ve had too much to drink?

What if one of my friends or family has drunk too much, and chooses to drive or ride home?

They may think that they are fine to drive; that they have only had a few and that they are not drunk.

Do I seriously believe that? Why should I bother? I have also had a few drinks and shouldn’t be held responsible. What kind of friend or family would I be to allow them to drive? How will I ever forgive myself if they have an accident?”

Let’s not forget our moral and civic responsibility. We have a moral obligation to care for others. Preventing a friend or family member from drink driving may save their life or someone else’s.

This year the Royal Gibraltar Police continue to focus on raising awareness on the consequences of drinking and driving. We are appealing to all members of the public to prevent friends, colleagues and family members from drinking and driving.

This year’s campaign motto is “I should’ve stopped my friend from drink driving… but I didn’t.” n

Preventing a friend or family member from drink driving may save their life or someone else’s 86

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

Relax My Dog, Please I always dread this time of year. My neurotic chihuahua hates loud bangs, fireworks, thunder, and electronic beeps of a certain frequency (perhaps reminiscent of her veterinary hospital visits).

She runs under the sofa for cover during a thunderstorm and the TV programme Border Control’s drug scanner makes her pant with fear. The other night some unexpected beeping during a sci-fi film sent her into a frenzy of shaking and panting and removing her to the safety of the duvet upstairs could not calm her fluttering heart.

In desperation I searched the internet for soothing sounds and stumbled upon www.relaxmydog.com. A click of the mouse and five minutes later the soothing sounds had my chihuahua snoring away.

I am yet to try relaxmydog. com with thunderstorms and fireworks but at least once they are over these relaxing sounds to “relieve stress, anxiety and loneliness” should have her peacefully sleeping again.

Visit www.relaxmydog.com soothing music designed for dogs — also available from iTunes. n

Birthday Girl...

Michelle Stafford celebrated her birthday in style last month at the Lounge Gastro Bar, owned by her and her sister Sonia (pictured above).

Lovely cupcakes from Crafty Cupcake (right) completed the evening. n

Contemporary Mediterranean Dining

Grand Casemates Square Tel: 200 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

44449 for reservations 87

appetite

e to wher drink eat & the on k Roc

Café Solo Modern Italian eatery set in lively Casemates square. Everything from chicory and crispy pancetta salad with walnuts, pears and blue cheese dressing, or king prawn, mozzarella and mango salad to pastas(eg: linguine with serrano ham, king prawns and rocket; smoked salmon and crayfish ravioli with saffron and spinach cream) to salads (eg: Vesuvio spicy beef, cherry tomatoes, roasted peppers and red onions; and Romana

Cafe Rojo

restaurants

Sleek modern comfort in this relaxing little restaurant. Brunch (10am12pm) includes ciabatta, granary, foccacia sandwiches with fillings such as pear and blue cheese, smoked bacon and brie, cheese and honey roast ham, delicious desserts.

Lunch 12-3pm, dinner 7-10pm; dishes such as Marinated Tuna Steak & Sesame Crust; Roasted Lamb Shoulder; pastas or risottos such as Roast Pumpkin, Mushroom, & Spinach Curry, Langoustine, Lime & Coconut; Pear, Walnut & Blue Cheese; and Creamy Mixed Seafood; and salads such as Warm Goats’ Cheese, Fresh Spinach & Chargrilled Aubergine; and Roast Duck, Chorizo & Pancetta Salad.

Open: 10am. Closed Sundays and Saturday lunchtime.

Nunos Italian

Nunos Italian Restaurant, overlooking the Mediterranean, is popular with hotel guests, tourists and local residents. This 2 rosette rated, AA restaurant is renowned for its eclectic interior, intimate atmosphere and fine cuisine. Savour a wide selection of freshly prepared Italian delicacies, including bread, pasta, meat and fish, followed by delicious desserts. In the summer months, the hotel offers alfresco dining for private parties in the Garden Grill. Sitting nestled in the colonial garden you can enjoy a mouth-watering menu of charcoal-grilled meats and freshly prepared salads in candlelit surroundings.

Open: Mon-Sun 1-3pm lunch, 7–11pm dinner

Cafe Rojo 54 Irish Town. Tel: 200 51738

Nunos Italian Restaurant and Terrace Caleta Hotel, Catalan Bay Tel: 200 76501 Email: reservations@caletahotel.gi

Casa Pepe

The Waterfront

A delightful terrace, bar, restaurant on the prestigious Queensway Quay Marina. Wonderful location for business meetings, weddings, anniversaries and other special occasions. Specialising in fresh fish caught locally with daily specials including seabass, dorada, sole, and bream, plus a very comprehensive a la carte menu. Also available are tapas and raciones (double size tapas) to share (or not!) prior to a main course. Mixed paellas also available, as well as fish cooked in rock salt, whole suckling pig and baby lamb to order.

Open: Tues-Sat lunch & evening, Sunday lunch only, closed Mondays.

Right on the quayside at Queensway Quay Marina, this restaurant offers everything from coffee through to 3-course meals with champagne! A bar snack menu is available all day from 10.15am; the a la carte menu from midday to 10.30pm, featuring daily specials. The barbecue grill from 7pm offers sumptuous steaks aged in-house, and fab fish including dorada and sea bass. A delicious array of desserts/ice creams. Extensive terraces provide ideal location for summer dining and drinks with stunning sunsets. Caters for large parties - weddings, holy communions, birthdays etc. Est. over 16 years.

Open: 7 days a week 9am-late

Casa Pepe, 18 Queensway Quay Marina, Tel/Fax: 200 46967 Email: casa.pepe@gmail.com.

Visit: www.gibtour.com/casapepe.

The Waterfront Queensway Quay Marina. Tel: 200 45666 Visit: www.gibwaterfront.com

88

chorizo, black pudding, egg and pancetta) and pizzas (eg: Quatto Stagioni topped with mozzarella, ham, chicken, pepperoni and mushroom) and specialities such as salmon fishcakes, beef medallions and duck. Daily specials on blackboard. No smoking.

Café Solo Grand Casemates Square. Tel: 200 44449

Solo Bar & Grill

Solo Bar and Grill is a stylish and modern eatery — perfect for business functions or lunches — and part of the popular Cafe Solo stable. Serving everything from Goats’ Cheese Salad, Mediterranean Pâté and Cajun Langoustines to Beer Battered John Dory, or Harissa Chicken, and Chargrilled Sirloin Steak. This is a delightful venue in Europort with a cosy mezzanine level and terrace seating. Well worth a visit, or two! Available for private functions and corporate events — call 200 62828 to book your function or event.

Open: 12-8pm.

Solo Bar & Grill Eurotowers Tel: 200 62828

Get Listed!

Do you own a restaurant, café, or bar in Gibraltar?

Get your business listed here

CALL 200 77748 for details GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

Do you own a restaurant, café, or bar in Gibraltar?

Get your business listed here

CALL 200 77748 for details Amin’s Office Sit down, informal and friendly bar with informal eating. Amin is well known in Gibraltar for his Moroccan, Spanish and international cuisine. Open early for breakfast at 7am right through the day. Try the Moroccan soups, couscous, lamb tagines and kebabs. Terrace, just off Main Street (turn left at Trafalgar Pharmacy coming from Casemates).

Open: 7am to midnight.

Amin's The Office 30 Parliament Lane. Tel: 200 40932

Buddies Pasta Casa Italian specials in pleasant ambience. Large selection of starters from garlic bread to calamari. Main courses include spinach caneloni, spaghetti alla carbonara, fusilli al salmone, and peppered steak to name a few. Tasty desserts and variety of wines.

Outside seating too.

Open: Monday - Thursday 11am - 5pm, Friday 11am-3pm and 7pm-11pm, Sat 11am-4.30pm Buddies Pasta Casa 15 Cannon Lane. Tel: 200 40627

Get Stuffed Very popular takeaway, sandwich bar and hot food.

Serving all fresh and homemade sandwiches, salads, soups, pasta, pies, cup cakes, plus hot/cold drinks and smoothies and a different special every day. Outside catering for corporate parties.

Open: 8am - 4pm Mon-Fri, 8am-3pm Sat. Get Stuffed Marina Bay. Tel: 200 42006

Just Desserts

food & drink

directory Mumbai Curry House Indian cuisine, eat-in/take-away, from snacks (samosas, bhajias, pakoras) to lamb, chicken and fish dishes such as korma, tikka masala, do piaza. Large vegetarian selection. Halal food. Outside catering for parties/meetings. Sunday Mumbai favourites such as Dosa & Choley Bhature.

Open: 7 days a week 11am - 3pm, 6pm -late.

Mumbai Curry House Unit 1.0.02 Ground Floor, Block 1 Eurotowers Tel: 200 73711 Home delivery: 200 50022/33

Oasis Eatery

Located in Governor’s Parade, just across from the Elliot Hotel, and offers hot/cold drinks plus a delicious homemade selection of baked items such as cakes and quiches, also sandwiches and wraps, bagels and cupcakes. Vegan/vegetarian items. Oasis is on Facebook and Twitter and you can pre-order online which is handy for a quick lunch.

Special orders taken for a range of bakery goods.

Fully licensed for beers and wine. Terrace seating.

Open: 8am to 3pm

Oasis Eatery Govenor’s Parade Tel: 200 65544 www.oasiseatery.com

Pick a Bite Morning coffee and daily lunch specials, one of largest selections of traditional home made food, to eat in or takeaway. All the old favourites — spinach pie, croquettes, quiche, spanish omelette, shepherd’s pie and more. Delicious sandwiches, baguettes, ciabatta melts and wraps, with a variety of fillings. Salads, snacks and soups. Cakes and muffins for those with a sweet tooth. Friendly, cheerful and very reasonal prices. Terrace seating.

Open: Monday to Friday 8am - 3pm.

Pick A Bite 10 Chatham Counterguard Tel: 200 64211

Picadilly Gardens

e to wher drink eat & the on k Roc

Sacarello Coffee Co Converted coffee warehouse, great coffee, homemade cakes/ afternoon tea, plus menu and excellent salad bar with quiche selection, specials of the day and dishes such as lasagne, steak and mushroom Guinness pie, hot chicken salad, toasties, club sandwich and baked potatoes. Art exhibitions. Available for parties and functions in the evenings.

Open: 9am-7.30pm Mon-Fri. 9am-3pm Sat Sacarello Coffee Co. 57 Irish Town. Tel: 200 70625

Raj’s Curry House Raj’s tasty Indian cuisine is now available to eat in or take away, from his new fully refurbished premises in Queensway Quay next to the Waterfront. Serving authentic dishes such as Creamy Butter Chicken, Bhuna King Prawn or Chana Masala, and so much more. There is something available to suit all tastes. Pop in or telephone for food orders or table reservations.

Open: food served 7 days 11am- 3pm, 6pm-late Raj’s Curry House Queensway Quay. Tel: 200 46993

Solo Express Located next to Pizza Hut in Casemates and in Eurotowers, serves a variety of salads/baguettes (white, brown, ciabatta) filled with a deli selection such as roast chicken; smoked salmon & mascapone; ham, cheese and coleslaw; or humous, avocado & roast red pepper. Salads fresh and tasty (Greek, Waldorf, cous cous, tuna pasta etc), great value. Jackets, quiches, coffee plus cakes (flapjacks, muffins) available all day. Eat-in area. Soups in winter.

Solo Express Grnd Flr, ICC, Casemates & Eurotowers

The Tasty Bite

B r i g h t a n d a i r y, recently redecorated cafe on the first floor of the ICC. All homemade food including daily specials, vegetarian options, desserts and small cakes. Eat in or takeaway. Try their daily roast with everything on, or their all-day breakfast. Pensioner’s lunch - 2 course meal for £5.25. Friendly, cheerful and fully licensed.

Open: from 7.30am Monday to Friday

Relaxed bar restaurant located near to the Queen’s Hotel and Cable car, it has a cosy garden terrace, which is great for drinks, tapas and food al fresco.

English breakfast, tapas, hamburgers, fresh fish, paella by pre-order, prawns, squid, clams and a variety of meat dishes. Eat in or takeaway. Open: 6:30am till late.

Tasty Bite has one of the biggest take-away menus around with home cooked meats, filled baguettes, burgers, chicken and everything else you can think of! Try the quiches, tortillas and jackets spuds with all kinds of fillings. This little place gets busy with those popping out from the offices for lunch so get there early.

Open: Monday - Saturday.

Just Desserts 1st Floor ICC. Tel: 200 48014

Piccadilly Gardens Rosia Road, Tel: 20075758

The Tasty Bite 59a Irish Town. Tel: 200 78220 Fax: 200 74321

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

informal food

Get Listed!

89

food & drink informal food

directory Verdi Verdi All day coffee plus all homemade and delicious vegetarian and vegan dishes, fresh baked bread and desserts.

A selection of bagels (try the smoked salmon and cream cheese) and baguettes to eat in or take away. Try the light homemade pizzas, or the falafels and humous. Daily special soups are fabulous and filling. Ask for Idan's hot homemade chilli relish — sweet and scrummy.

Open: Mon/Thurs: 7.30-6, Fri 7.30-5, Sun 10-3.

Verdi Verdi ICC, Casemates Tel: 200 60733

Get Listed!

Do you own a restaurant, café, or bar in Gibraltar?

Get your business listed here

CALL 200 77748 for details All’s Well

Traditional pub in fashionable Casemates area. Named for the 18th century practise of locking gates to the city at night when the guard called ‘All’s Well’. All’s Well serves Bass beers, wine and spirits plus pub fare. English breakfast all day, hot meals such as pork in mushroom sauce, sausage & mash, cod & chips and steak & ale pie plus a range of salads and jacket potatoes. Large terrace.

Karaoke Mondays and Wednesdays until late. Free tapas on a Friday 7pm.

All’s Well Casemates Square. Tel: 200 72987

bars & pubs

Bridge Bar & Grill

Located on the water’s edge, Ocean Village, just across the bridge from O’Reilly’s.

This bar & grill is a fusion of an American themed menu with Tarifa chill out style. Open for breakfast from 9am serving healthy options, freshly squeezed orange juice and Italian Lavazza coffee. Try the spicy Caribbean rum ribs, southern fried chicken bucket, the popular Texas burger or a selection of tasty salads and homemade desserts. London Pride, San Miguel & Carling beer on draught, live sports.

Bridge Bar & Grill Ocean Village Tel: 200 66446

90

Cannon Bar

Jane is still there and still packed out with tourists and regulars!

Word has it that she nearly managed to escape, but wasn’t allowed to. The famous fish and chips, the odd French speciality, there’s always something happening in the Cannon! Located between Marks & Spencer and the Cathedral just off Main Street.

Cannon Bar

Gibraltar Arms On Main Street opposite the cathedral, enjoy a meal, coffee or a cool beer on the terrace and watch the world go by!

Bar decorated with rare military plaques from regiments and navy ships visiting Gibraltar. Full breakfast menu served from 7am, draught beers on tap include Old Speckled Hen bitter, Murphys Irish stout, Heineken lager and Strongbow cider.

Gibraltar Arms 184 Main Street. Tel: 200 72133

Jury’s Café-Wine Bar

Next to the Law Courts, with a terrace seating area, Jury’s has a selection of Ciabattas, paninis, baguettes and wraps, plus popular sharing dishes, such as Your Honour’s platter. Jacket potatoes, main courses, pasta and some innocent salads too.

For those with a sweet tooth, there are tantalising homemade desserts, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, as well as Lavazza coffees and frappes.

Open: 7am-midnight Mon-Sat, 9am-midnight Sun. Jury’s Café & Wine Bar 275 Main Street. Tel: 200 67898

Lord Nelson

Bar/brasserie in Casemates.

Done out like Nelson’s ship.

Starters & snacks include fresh mussels, blue cheese and rocket bruschetta, potato skins, spicy chicken wings and calamares. Main courses from chilli con carne and chicken & mushroom pie, to crispy duck burrito and fish & chips.

Jackets, burgers and kid’s menu. Live music on stage nightly. Spacious terrace.

Open: 10am till very late.

Lord Nelson Bar Brasserie 10 Casemates Tel: 200 50009 Visit: www.lordnelson.gi

e to wher drink & eat the on k Roc

The Lounge Stylish lounge and gastro bar on the quayside at Queensway Quay with very reasonable prices and food from 10am until late. Popular quiz on Sundays (from 7.30pm) and a relaxed friendly atmosphere... always plenty of people / yachties to chat to. Events (matches etc) covered on large TV. Great place to chill out. Pool table.

Open: 10am Mon - Sat until late and from 12pm on Sun (get there early for a seat for the quiz).

The Lounge Queensway Quay Marina Tel: 200 61118

O’Reilly’s Traditional Irish bar with full HD sports coverage and Irish breakfast from 7am (Sunday from 9am). Guinness on draught. Food includes salads, jackets, beef & Guinness pie, Molly’s mussels, drunken swine, Boxty dishes (potato pancake wrapped around delicioius fillings), sandwiches, rolls, Kildare chicken and much much more. And just like in Ireland there’s no smoking inside, so a great atmosphere for all.

O’Reilly’s Ocean Village. Tel: 200 67888

Star Bar

Gibraltar’s oldest bar, just off Main St. Small cosy and famous for its full English breakfast from 7am (9am on Sunday). A full menu including fish & chips, until 10pm. The home of Star Coffee, draught beers include Heineken, Old Speckled Hen, Murphys and Strongbow cider. Managed by Hunter Twins from Stafford, England, also home to Med Golf & Tottenham Hotspur supporters club.

Star Bar Parliament Lane. Tel: 200 75924 Visit: www.starbargibraltar.com

The Three Owls The Three Owls is a traditional bar serving best of English beers.

Three separate bars/floors: ground floor — big screen TV, pool table, poker machines, bar — open from 10.30am daily. First floor ‘Hoots’ bar, two match pool tables, poker machines, dartboard, bar, open from 5pm daily. Second Floor the ‘Nest’ — American pool table, poker machine, card table, bar — open from 7pm daily and also at weekends for the Rugby Union matches. If you are looking for a sociable game of pool or darts this is the place to be.

The Three Owls Irish Town. Tel: 200 77446 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

Traditional Pub Serving Traditional Pub Fare, Bass Beers, Wines & Spirits

Visit us and step back in history

Casemates Square Tel: 200 72987

Full menu served inside or on our terrace including British Fish & Chips, Jackets, Salads, Burritos, Homemade Pizzas, our special Fresh Local Mussels and much more.

Visit us and buy yourself a souvenir, T-shirts, beer glasses, lighters etc Live music every evening, join our Jam Sessions on Wednesday or Sunday.

GLMS Music Venue of the Year.

Official Home to Gibraltar Rugby Club Free WiFi

10 Casemates www.lordnelson.gi Tel: 200 50009

• Pizza • Pasta • Salads • Fresh Juices • Cappuccino • Ice Creams

DAILY SPECIALS Grand Casemates Sq Tel: 20044449 take-away or reserve a table

Tel: 200 46993 7 days 11am - 3pm, 6pm - late

Queensway Quay (next to Waterfront) Queensway Quay Marina, Tel: 200 61118

184 Main Street Tel: 200 72133 open: from 8am (10am on Sun)

restaurant bar guide &

TASTY INDIAN CUISINE

Get Stuffed!

Marina Bay Tel: 200 42006 Take-Away, Sandwiches & Hot Food Different Special Every Day salads, soups, pastas, pies, cupcakes, all home made Open 8am-4pm Mon-Fri, 8am-3pm Sat

Indian Cuisine to Eat In or Take Away Unit 1.0.02 Grnd Flr, Block 1 Eurotowers Tel: 200 73711

Casa Pepe Open: Mon-Sat 11am-late 18 Queensway Quay Marina Tel/Fax: 200 46967

BUDDIES pasta casa

Come and enjoy real Italian meals in Gibraltar’s leading pasta house 15 Cannon Lane Tel: 200 40627 for reservations

Award winning breakfasts from 7.30am Great meals & snacks all day Evening Steak House menu Med Golf Clubhouse Tottenham Hotspur HQ Parliament Lane Tel: 200 75924 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MAGAZINE •• DECEMBER DECEMBER 2013 2013 GIBRALTAR

91 91

Christmas Cheers words | Peter Rodney

While shepherds washed their socks by night All seated round the tub A bar of sunlight soap came down And they began to scrub.

Olden but golden. Christmas seems to come with relentless regularity, so one has to remind oneself that it can sometimes be fun — even when that ghastly song by Slade is permanently played as muzak in every shop, pub and restaurant.

It is only by reminding myself that this is the season of goodwill to all men (and, occasionally, women) that I am restrained from taking a large hammer to the loudspeakers.

The essential rules for enjoying Christmas remain immutable.

Keep a fixed grin, however false, on the face so that you are unable to say rude words to the mothers with enormous baby buggies who block every passageway and doorway, apparently unaware that others might wish to pass; think charitable thoughts, even about the lady in front of you in the supermarket check out queue who appears to be surprised that she has to pay for the items in her

92

trolley and who therefore takes about an hour to investigate her handbag to find her purse and her card — which won’t work; suffer the little children (of whatever age); and count off the days until you can return to normality.

Wine is an essential part of Christmas and will help bring out your inner goodness. It will also provide solace as you contemplate the chaos around you.

With luck, at least one of your presents will be a decent bottle and of course you will have had the foresight to lay in some decent bottles anyway.

At present Morrison’s have Hardy’s Nottage Hill on offer at £4.70. This Australian cabernet is splendid stuff — unobtrusive, warming and reasonable value.

I am never quite sure about how special a special offer is and this one is supposed to be one third off the original price. If the original price was £7.20, I am not sure that I would be recommending

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

it. But perhaps that ‘original price’ was for three weeks while it languished unseen at the back of a shelf in a lonely corner. What appears to be a bargain may need investigation.

Romanée Conti is one of the names of Burgundy. Like Gevrey Chambertin it sounds almost as good as it tastes. Both are generally wildly above my (and probably your) budget and if a bottle were to be bought it might be more as an investment than with a view to drinking. So I suppose it should come as no surprise that a recent scam was uncovered where bottles of commonplace plonk were being relabelled and sold as the real thing. Considerable care was taken to make the bottles and labels look aged and numerous bottles were bought at about £400 a go. If only they had been kept as an investment, no-one might have caught on. But the moment a knowledgeable buyer opened one of the fake bottles he realised that there was something wrong and reported it, so the whole affair was discovered. Interestingly, quite a few bottles had actually been opened and drunk by others — but no defect had been noticed.

I am not sure what this says for the other buyers.

This reveals the danger of relying on the label (or the special offer). I am sure no retailer in Gibraltar would be caught out in this way (and I haven’t noticed any bottles of Romanée Conti in Gibraltar). It shows, however, how we rely on the retailer to provide us with the real thing. Only rarely have I had occasion to return a wine bought in Gibraltar: each time the complaint was immediately accepted and a replacement bottle provided. No retailer can

guarantee that every bottle is perfect — after all, they rely on their own suppliers. But we should be grateful that in Gibraltar they all appear to behave properly.

My Wines continue to impress with their selection of middle to upper-middle class wines: The Arrogant Frog selection remaining very good value. Tony is still selling his ‘chocolate wine’. This abomination may perhaps go down well with a maiden aunt at Christmas. You should nevertheless ensure that she finishes the bottle. Otherwise you may have to polish it off.

The important point is to ensure that you enjoy what you are drinking, especially at Christmas. If this means spending a few extra pounds then so be it.

The amount of money spent on frankly unnecessary presents for others (did you really want more handkerchieves? Did your sister really appreciate the arty pottery bowl?) means that you can justify a bit of money spent on upgrading the wine. Better still, come to an arrangement with your family and friends. Instead of buying unnecessary handkerchieves and pottery bowls you should club together for a Puligny Montrachet (about £80) for the first course and a Chateau Talbot (about £100) for the main course. This will provide a more lasting memory and bring great joy to all.

Finally, Father Christmas does like his glass of cognac which you leave for him by the fireplace/ window (along with carrots for the reindeer). He has asked me to request that you make it a Hine or Remy Martin, not a Spanish one.

While he understands that Spanish brandies are acceptable, he really does prefer the real thing. n

The amount of money spent on frankly unnecessary presents for others means that you can justify a bit of money spent on upgrading the wine

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

wine

column

Please note: From January 2014 Cafe Rojo will be open Tuesdays-Fridays 10am - late Saturdays Lunch 12pm-3pm Afternoon drinks & desserts Dinner 7pm-10pm Closed Sundays & Mondays

93

d n u o r � ow� � Well here it is! The festivities are starting for the end of another year. Bars and restaurants are full of Christmas parties and Christmas cheer, the Christmas lights are lit (doesn’t the John Mackintosh Square look lovely this year?) and silly Santa hats are being donned by happy shoppers on Main Street.

There is loads to keep you entertained in December from the magical Masters of Illusion shows from 12th - 15th December to Carols by Candlelight with the Gibraltar National Choir at the Holy Trinity Cathedral on 12th December.

If you are feeling especially hardy on Boxing Day you might like to go for a Polar Bear swim to burn off all those excess calories gained on Christmas Day. They take place at Catalan Bay and the GASA swimming pool in the morning.

You can then round off the year with the charity New Year’s Eve dance at the Catholic Community Centre — music from the ’40s-’80s will keep everyone up and dancing until the wee hours. There is a free bar all night and English breakfast (call 54031625 for information).

Last month, his Worship the Mayor Anthony Lima invited committee members, dancers and choreographers from the Gibraltar National Dance Team 2013 to his splendid parlour, to wish them well at the World Dance Championships they attended in Germany for Showdance and Poland for Modern and Jazz (see photos on the right). President of the Gibraltar National Dance Organisation, Seamus Byrne, presented His Worship with a photo of the team to thank him for his hospitality, and for inviting the team to the City Hall.

This page: phtots taken at the switching on of the Christmas Lights

94

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

If you feel like having a pre-Christmas rummage there are two things which will interest you - the Craft and Collector’s Fair on at St Andrew’s Church on Saturday 7th December from 10am - 2pm and on the same day also from 10am the Cat Welfare Society is holding a jumble sale at the Holy Trinity Cathedral. There is plenty of time to spot the bargains and bag a few Christmas items at both. That day is also Small Business Saturday, when stalls will be set up in the Piazza and people will be encouraged to shop until later than usual with music and later opening hours for the shops. It should be a great atmosphere and a good time to get your Christmas shopping in before the last minute rush.

The Gibraltar Christmas Gala Festival which takes place at Tercentenary Hall on Christmas Day will provide some welcome entertainment for the 18-30 age group with the sophisticated twist of formal dress - long dresses and lounge suits. A great way to let your hair down after the traditional Christmas lunch.

Don’t forget Santa will be in his Grotto at the King’s Bastion Leisure Centre from 5th - 21st December on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Call the KBLC for info 200 44777. Ho ho ho!

It is the GBC Open day on Wednesday 18th December with live action at the John Mackintosh Square from 9am until 6pmn and at the John Mackintosh Hall Theatre from 9pm. This is sure to be a cracking year for them for fund raising so let’s help make it extra special by joining in and adding to the coffers.

Keep each other safe this Christmas, and if you are drinking leave the car / scooter behind.

All that remains is for the team at the Gibraltar Magazine to wish everyone a very very happy Christmas time - see you in 2014 for another exciting year!

The Systech Christmas Party at Cafe Rojo GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

This photo and above: The Mayor’s coffee morning for the Gibraltar National Dance Organisation

95

clubs&activities Arts & Crafts The Arts Centre, Prince Edward’s Rd. Art classes for children (5-6pm Mon, 5-6.30pm Tues, 5-7pm Thurs), adults (Mon - Tues 6.30pm8pm, Wed 6.30pm-8.30pm, life painting Wed 7pm-9pm). Tel: 200 79788.

The Fine Arts Association Gallery 1st Floor above Gibraltar Crystal, Casemates. Open 11am-2pm, 4-6pm Mon - Fri, Sat 11am - 2pm.

Arts & Crafts Gallery (next door) opens Mon - Fri 9.30am - 5pm (summer) -6pm (winter), Sat 9.30am - 3pm.

Exhibition Vin’s Gallery at the Rock, The Rock Hotel. Original paintings, prints, and souvenirs

by Vin Mifsud and her pupils. Monday - Saturday 9.30-11am and 8-10pm.

The Gibraltar Decorative and Fine Arts Society Affiliated to the UK NADFAS organisation meets third Wednesday of the month at 6.30pm at Eliott Hotel - lecturers & experts from the UK to talk on Art etc. Contact: ChairmanClaus Olesen: 200 02024 claus.olesen@sghambros. com. Membership Ian leBreton: 200 76173 ilebreton@SovereignGroup.com Knit and Natter Group: Tuesdays from 11am3pm, at Arts & Crafts Shop, Casemates balconyFree to join and refreshments provided. Tel: 20073865 for more information.

Board Games Chess Club meets in Studio 1, John Mackintosh Hall 8-10.30pm Tues.

The Gibraltar Scrabble Club meet at the Rock Hotel on Mondays at 3pm. For further information please ring Vin at 20073660 or Roy at 20075995. All welcome.

The Subbuteo Club meets Charles Hunt Room, John Mackintosh Hall 7.30 - 11pm.

Dance Adult Dance Classes Wednesday evenings at the Youth Disco Room, Kings Bastion Leisure Centre from 7-8.30pm. Cha-Cha, Salsa and Merengue. Lessons £5 and all proceeds to GibMissionAfrica Charity. Contact Dilip on 200 78714 or dance@trainingtm.net Bellydance classes. Beginners level on Tuesday from 7-8pm at Danza Academy or 8-9pm at Ocean Village fitness centre. Tel 54005593.

Salsa Gibraltar Salsa classes held Tuesdays at Laguna Social Club, Laguna Estate. Beginners 7-8.30pm, £5 per lesson. Intermediates 8.30-10pm, £6 per lesson (all profits going to the charity Help Us To Help Them). Contact: Mike 54472000 Email: info@salsagibraltar.com website: www.salsagibraltar.com Modern & Latin American Sequence Dancing Mondays Catholic Community Centre 8.30pm (beginners 7.30). Over 15s welcome.

Old & Modern Sequence Dancing sessions at the Catholic Community Centre at 8pm, beginners at 7.30pm, Wednesday.

The DSA Old & Modern Sequence Dancing sessions at Central Hall Fridays 8pm, beginners 7.30pm. Tel: 200 78282 or e-mail manvio@ gibraltar.gi Everybody welcome.

Modern, Contemporary, Lyrical, Flexibility, Hip Hop & Dance Theatre classes weekly at Urban Dance Studio, 2 Jumpers Bastion. Tel: Yalta (54012212) or Jolene (54015125).

Ballet, Modern Theatre, Jazz, Contemporary & Hip Hop classes held weekly at Danza Academy, 68/2 Prince Edward’s Road. Training from 2.5 years to Adult Advanced. Royal Academy of Dancing and Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing exams taken. Competing opportunity with IDF European & World Championships. Tel: Anne-Marie 54027111 or Zulieka 54003973.

Aerobics, Step, Dancercise & Zumba classes for women held weekly at Danza Academy, 68/2 Prince Edward’s Rd. Tel: 54027111.

Zumba Classes at Urban Dance, Jumpers Bastion, with certified instructor Tyron Walker. Mon & Weds 8-9pm. Tel: 20063959 or 54012212.

History & Heritage The Gibraltar Heritage Trust Main Guard, 13 John Mackintosh Sq. Tel: 200 42844.

The Gibraltar Classic Vehicle Association Dedicated to preservation of Rock’s transport/motoring heritage. Assists members in restoration / maintenance of classic vehicles.

Members/vehicles meet 1st Sunday of month, Morrison’s car park from 10am. New members welcome. Tel: 200 44643.

Music Gibraltar National Choir and Gibraltar Junior National Choir rehearse on Tuesday & Thursday

96

Don’t be bored... do something fun!

7.30 - 9pm at the Holy Trinity Cathedral. New singers always welcome. Tel: 54831000.

St Andrew’s Music Academy Musical Monsters Club, workshops. Group musical activities for kids 3-7 years. Singing, rhythmic games etc.

Tel: 200 42690 email: samagib@hotmail.com The Calpe Band Mondays & Wednesdays. For musicians of brass/woodwind instruments of all standards/ages/abilities 7-9pm, 35a Town Range (behind the Senior Citizens Club) Tel: Claire 54017070 email: thecalpebnd@gmail.com Outdoor Activities The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award - exciting selfdevelopment programme for all young people worldwide equipping them with life skills to make a difference to themselves, their communities and the world. 5 million young people from 100+ countries have been motivated to undertake a variety of challenging activities.

Contact Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Montagu Bastion, Line Wall Road. Tel: 200 59818 Quizzes The Lounge friendly quiz on Sundays from 8pm right on the quayside at Queensway Quay.

Social Clubs Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes (Gibraltar Province) meets RAOB Club, Jumpers Bastion on these days: Provincial Grand Lodge, 1st Monday/month, 8pm. Executive Meeting, last Mon/month 7pm. Knights Chapter, 2nd Mon/month 7.30pm. Examining Council, 3rd Mon/month 7pm. William Tilley 2371, Thurs 8pm. Buena Vista 9975, Weds (fortnightly) 7pm. Por Favor 9444, Weds (fortnightly) 7pm.

Farewell 10001, Tues 8.30pm. Goldacre 10475 (social) last Fri/month 8pm.

Special Interest Clubs & Societies Gibraltar Horticultural Society meets 1st Thurs of month 6pm, John Mac Hall. Spring Flower Show, slide shows, flower arrangement demos, outings to garden centres, annual Alameda Gardens tour. All welcome.

Gibraltar Philosophical Society devoted to intellectually stimulating debate. Frequent lectures and seminars on a range of topics. Contact 54008426 (after 6pm) or email gibphilosophy@ live.co.uk for further information.

Gibraltar Photographic Society meets on Mon at 7.30pm, Wellington Front. Basic courses, competitions etc.

Harley Davidson Owners’ Club www.hdcgib. com The Royal British Legion (Gibraltar Branch). For info/membership contact the Branch Secretary 20074604 or write to PO Box 332, Gibraltar.

UN Association of Gibraltar PO Box 599, 22a Main Street. Tel: 200 52108.

Creative Writers Group meet Tuesdays at Eliott Hotel bar at 8pm, aimed at learning to write fiction/non-fiction, for pleasure or publication.

Session is £5. Contact Carla Tel: 54006696 Sports Supporters Clubs Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Club meet at the Star Bar, Parliament Lane, when Spurs games are televised - call prior to matches to check the game is televised. Great food for a lunch if the KO is early or an early supper if the game is later. For info call Mario on 56280000.

Gibraltar Arsenal Supporters Club meet on match days at the Casino Calpe (Ground Floor).

Gooners of all ages welcome. Tel: Bill 54010681 or Dion 56619000. Website: www.clubwebsite. co.uk/ArsenalGibraltarSC/.

Gibraltar Hammers meet on match days at the Victoria Stadium Bar, Bayside Road. All league games are shown live. All West Ham supporters and their families are welcome. For details visit www.gibraltarhammers.com or e-mail gibraltarhammers@hotmail.com Sports & Fitness Artistic Gymnastics: Gibraltar Artistic Gymnastics Association. Tel: 200 Angela 200 70611 or Sally 200 74661.

Athletics: Gibraltar Amateur Athletics Association holds competitions throughout year for juniors, adults and veterans. Two main clubs (Calpeans 200 71807, Lourdians 200 75180) training sessions at Victoria Stadium.

Badminton: Recreational badminton weekdays at Victoria Stadium (Tel: 200 78409 for allocations). Gibraltar Badminton Association (affiliated to IBA & EBA) has leagues and training

for adults and secondary school. Tel: Ivan 200 44045 or Linda 200 74753.

Basketball: Gibraltar Amateur Basketball Association (affiliated FIBA) leagues/ training for minis, passarelle, cadets, seniors and adults at a variety of levels. Tel: John 200 77253, Randy 200 40727 or Kirsty (minis) 200 49441.

Boxing: Gibraltar Amateur Boxing Association (member IABA) gym on Rosia Rd. Over 13s welcome to join. Tuition with ex-pro boxer Ernest Victory (200 75513 w, 200 42788 h).

Cheerleading: Gibraltar Cheerleading Association, girls/boys all ages. Chearleading and street cheer/hip hop at Victoria Stadium. Recreational / competitive levels. Contact Gina: 58008338.

Canoeing: Gibraltar Canoeing Association. Tel: Nigel 200 52917 or Eugene 58014000.

Cricket: Gibraltar Cricket, National Governing Body & Associate Member of ICC. Governs men’s, women’s, boys’ & girls’ cricket - league & cup competitions and in-schools coaching. www.gibraltarcricket.com email: info@gibcricket.com Twitter: @Gibraltar_Crick Cycling: Gibraltar Cycling Association various cycling tours. Tel: Uriel 200 79359.

Darts: Gibraltar Darts Association (member WDF) mens/ladies/youth leagues/competitions.

Tel: Darren 54027171 “Secretary”, Dyson “Youth Rep” 54024149, Justin “President” 54022622 Email: info@gibraltardarts.com Football: Gibraltar Football Association leagues/competitions for all ages October-May. Futsal in summer, Victoria Stadium. Tel: 200 42941 www.gfa.gi. Senior Tel: Albert 200 41515, Junior Tel: Richard 58654000, Women’s Tel: Brian 200 52299. Recreational football for over 35s Tel: Richard 200 70320.

Gaelic Football Club (Irish sport): males of any age welcome. Get fit, play sport, meet new friends, travel around Spain/Europe and play an exciting and competitve sport. Training every Wednesday in La Linea 7-a-side pitches at 8.30pm. Andalucia League with Seville and Marbella to play matches home and away monthly. Email team@gibraltargaels.com or visit www.gibraltargaels.com.

Golf: Med Golf tournaments held monthly. Tel: 200 79575 for tournament venues/dates. Gibraltar Golf Union has competitions through year, EGU handicaps. Tel: Bernie 200 78844.

Hockey: Gibraltar Hockey Association (members FIH & EHF) high standard competitions/ training for adults/juniors. Tel: Eric 200 74156 Peter 200 72730.

Iaido Gibraltar - teaches the Japanese sword (Katana), classes every week, visit www.iaidogibraltar.com Iwa Dojo, Kendo & Jujitsu, classes every week, for kids/adults, visit www.iwadojo.com email: dbocarisa@iwadojo.com Tel: 54529000 Judo: Gibraltar Judo Association UKMAF recognised instructors for all ages and levels at Budokai Martial Arts Centre, Wellington Front.

Tel: Charlie 200 73116 or Peter 200 73225.

Ju-jitsu: Gibraltar Ju-jitsu Academy training and grading for juniors/seniors held during evening at 4 North Jumpers Bastion (Rosia Rd). Tel: Tony 200 79855 or club 200 47259.

Karate-do Shotokai: Gibraltar Karate-do Shotokai Association sessions for junior/seniors, gradings and demos at Karate Clubhouse, 41H Town Range Tel: Andrew 200 48908.

Motorboat Racing: Gibraltar Motorboat Racing Association Tel: Wayne 200 75211.

Netball: Gibraltar Netball Association (affiliated FENA & IFNA) competitions through year, senior / junior leagues. Tel: 200 41795 or 200 41874.

Petanque: Gibraltar Petanque Association plays at Giralda Gardens, Smith Dorrien Ave. New members welcome. Tel: 200 70929.

Pilates: Monday & Wednesday 11-12am for beginners, and intermediate classes Monday & Wednesday 9:30-10:45am, at Shotokai Karate Centre. Contact Chantal: 60618882.

Pool: Gibraltar Pool Association (member EUKPF) home and away league played on Thurs through season. Tel: Linda 200 74753.

Rhythmic Gymnastics: Gibraltar Rhythmic Gymnastics Association runs sessions for 4 years of age and upwards, weekday evenings.

For information contact Sally Tel: 200 74661.

Rugby: Gibraltar Rugby Football Union training for Colts (14+), seniors and veterans. Play in Andalusia 1st Division Oct-April. Tel: 200 72185 Sailing: Gibraltar Yachting Association junior/ senior competitive programme (April - Oct) Tel: RGYC 200 48847.

Sea Angling: Gibraltar Federation of Sea An-

what a page turner! www.thegibraltarmagazine.com

glers (members FIPS-M & CIPS) Superb calendar of events with four clubs participating. Tel: Mario 200 72622 or Charlie 200 74337.

Shooting: Gibraltar Shooting Federation (over 14s). Rifle, Europa Point range (Joe 200 74973); clay pigeon, East Side (Harry 200 74354); Pistol, near Royal Naval Hospital (Fidel 200 71990).

Skating: Gibraltar Skating and Xtreme Sports Association. State of art ramps for Xtreme/aggressive roller blading /skate boarding. Leisure skating facilities provided within excellent rink (when not used for roller hockey training). Tel: Eric 200 70710 (after 5).

Snooker: Members of European Billiards & Snooker Association - facilities at Jumpers Bastion with 3 tables. Professional coaching for juniors/seniors. Organised leagues/tournaments and participation in international competitions.

Tel: Sean Galligan 56262000 or Lee Prickman 54000068, email info@gibraltarsnooker.com Snorkelling & Spear Fishing: Over 14s for snorkelling, over 16s for spear fishing. Tel: Joseph 200 75020.

Squash: Gibraltar Squash Association, Squash Centre, South Pavilion Road (members WSF & ESF). Adult/junior tournaments/coaching. Tel: 200 44922 or 200 73260.

Sub-Aqua: Gibraltar Sub-Aqua Association taster dives for over 14s, tuition from local clubs.

Voluntary sports clubs: Tel: Phil 200 44606, Noah’s Dive Club Tel: Leslie 200 79601, 888s Dive Club Tel: Martin 200 70944. Commercial sports diving schools also available.

Swimming: Gibraltar Amateur Swimming Association (member FINA & LEN) opens its pool for leisure swimming Mon - Fri 7-8.45am, 12- 4pm, 8- 9pm. Junior lessons, squad for committed swimmers, water polo (Rebecca 200 72869).

Table Tennis: Gibraltar Table Tennis Association (members ITTA) training / playing sessions, Victoria Stadium, Tues 6-10pm and Thurs 8-11pm with coaching and league competition. Lizanne 200 45071/54020477 or Eugene 58014000.

Taekwondo: Gibraltar Taekwondo Association classes/gradings Tel: 200 Mari 44142.

Tai Chi: Children’s fun Tai Chi at the Yoga Centre, 33 Town Range, Saturdays 11-12am. Beginners Tuesdays & Thursdays at Kings Bastion Leisure Centre. 6.30-8pm. Adults £5, Children £2, all proceeds to GibMissionAfrica Charity. Contact Dilip on 200 78714 or rocktaichi@traningtm.net Tennis: Gibraltar Tennis Association, Sandpits Tennis Club, excellent junior development programme. Courses for adults, leagues / competitions. Tel: Frank 200 77035.

Ten-Pin Bowling: Ten-Pin Bowling takes place at King’s Bowl in the King’s Bastion Leisure Centre every day. To have a go call 200 77338 to reserve your lane. Gibraltar Ten Pin Bowling (members FIQ & WTBA) leagues, training for juniors and squad. Contact Charly on 56014000 or Paul on 54029749.

Triathlon: Gibraltar Triathlon Union (members ITU) Chris 200 75857 or Harvey 200 55847.

Volleyball: Gibraltar Volleyball Association (members W & EVF) training, leagues, competitions for juniors/seniors. Tony 200 40478 or Elizabeth 58306000.

Yoga: Integral Yoga Centre runs a full programme of classes from Mon-Fri at 33 Town Range. Tel: 200 41389. All welcome.

Theatrical Groups Gibraltar Amateur Drama Association Ince’s Hall Theatre Complex, 310 Main Street Email:gibdrama@yahoo.co.uk Tel: 200 42237 www.geocities.com/gibdrama Trafalgar Theatre Group meets 2nd Wed of month, Garrison Library 8pm.

All welcome.

Theatrix: Contact Trevor and Iris on Tel: 54006176 or email theatrixgib@yahoo.co.uk

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

events update

Support Groups

Med Golf Society News The November Med Golf Barclays Trophy took place at San Roque, New Course.

Weather conditions were perfect and scores were good but this championship quality course demanded lots of respect from the players.

The Barclays Trophy winner was Chris Warren with 36 points. Best gross score was John Groszec with a 2 over par 74.

The longest drive was by guest Emerson Apap. Best gross score on the par 3s was Geoff Slade at 1 over par. Best pairing was Alan Molloy and Mike Harvey. Best senior was guest John Groszec.

Category 1 (0-12 handicap) Runner up Steve Munns 36pts; winner Steve McEwan 36pts.

Category 2 (13-22) Runner up Mike Harvey 35pts; winner Tim O’Toole 36pts. Category 3 (23 and above) Chris O’Connor

The updated Top 10: 1.

Mike Harvey 2.

Tim O’Toole 3.

Javi Hunter 4.

Chris Warren 5.

Ian McNee 6.

Warren Peter 7.

Tim Mitchell 8.

Steve McEwan 9.

John Hunter 10. Jon Tricker 11. Mike Cowburn 12. Alan Molloy 13. Russell Blessett 14. Steve Munns 15. Geoff Slade 31pts runner up; winner Tim Mitchell 34pts.

The December event is at Dona Julia Golf Club on the 1st with a 9am shotgun start. You can enter the event by contacting Paul at

paul@medgolfsecure.com For details on Med Golf ’s schedule and the benefits of joining, visit www.medgolfgroup. com or e-mail paul@medgolfsecure.com n

Rock Masters Ten Pin Bowling championship The Rock Masters, an exciting Tournament for Senior Bowlers, was held last month at the King’s Bastion Leisure Complex.

Promoted by the Gibraltar Sports & Leisure Authority and sanctioned by both the ETBF and the Gibraltar Tenpin Bowling Association, The Rock Masters is a must do opportunity for International Senior Bowlers with a minimum guaranteed Prize Fund of £15,000. www.rockmasters.eu

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

Part of the Gibraltar team taking part in the Rock Masters Ten Pin Bowling championship at the King’as Bastion Leisure centre - Rogan Williams - Adam Shrubb - John Sheppard Junior - Dave Fothergill - Matthew Coles

photo: Mike Brufal

Alcoholics Anonymous meet 7pm Tues & Thurs at Nazareth Hse Tel: 200 73774.

A Step Forward support for single, separated, divorced/widowed people, meet 8pm Mon at St Andrew’s Church.

Mummy and Me Breastfeeding Support Group for mums who are pregnant, breastfeeding or have breastfed to get together for coffee, chat and support.

Partners and older children welcome.

Meets first Wednesday of every month at Chilton Court Community Hall at 1.30pm.

Enquiries and support 54014517.

Childline Gibraltar confidential phone line for children in need. Freephone 8008 - 7 days a week 6pm - 10pm.

Citizens’ Advice Bureau Open Mon-Fri 9.30-4pm. Tel: 200 40006 Email: info@ cab.gi or visit 10 Governor’s Lane. No appointment necessary, no charge.

Gibraltar CAB outreach clinics at St Bernard’s Hospital every Tuesday. Advisors available at 1st floor reception, Zone 4, 9am-3pm. Info and advice is free, confidential and impartial.

COPE Support group for people with Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia or Rheumatoid Arthritis. Formed to ease day-to-day challenges of individuals, families and care partner. Meetings at Catholic Community Centre Book Shop at 7.30pm first Thursday of each month.

Contact Sue Reyes Tel: 200 51469 Email: copeadsupport@hotmail.com Dignity At Work Now. Confidential support and advice for those who are being bullied at work. Tel: 57799000 Mon - Thur 8pm-9pm Families Anonymous Support group for relatives and friends who are concerned about the use of drugs or related behavioural problems. Meet alternate Thursdays at 9pm at Nazareth House. For info Tel: 200 70047 or 200 73465.

Gibraltar Cardiac Rehabilitation and Support Group meets on the first Tuesday of every month at 8.30pm at the John Mac Hall, except for July and August.

Gibraltar Dyslexia Support Group 3/8 Serfaty’s Passage Tel: 200 78509 Mobile: 54007924 website: www.gdsg.co.uk Gibraltar Marriage Care. Free relationship counselling, including pre-marriage education (under auspices of Catholic Church, but open to all). Tel: 200 71717.

Gibraltar Society for the Visually Impaired. Tel: 200 50111 (24hr answering service).

Hope. miscarriage support Tel: 200 41817.

Narcotics Anonymous Tel: 200 70720 Overeaters Anonymous support group for compulsive overeating problems. Tel: helpline for meetings info 200 42581.

Parental Support Group, helping parents and grandparents with restrictive access to their children and granchildren. Tel: Richard 200 46536, Jason 200 76618, Dominic 54019602.

Psychological Support Group, PO Box 161, Nazareth House. Meet Tuesdays at 7pm, Fridays 8pm. Tel: 200 51623.

SSAFA Forces Help Gibraltar, is a national charity, to assist serving and exService personnel and their families. Tel: (5)5481. Email: Susan GIB-CST-JSWPA@ mod.uk With Dignity Gibraltar support for separated, divorced/widowed or single people. Meet Weds 9pm, Catholic Community Centre, Line Wall Rd. Outings/activities. Tel: 54007181 or 200 79957.

Women in Need. Voluntary organisation for all victims of domestic violence. Refuge available. Tel: 200 42581 (24 hrs).

97

sapphir

information

T

he flora and fauna on the Upper Rock are considered of great conservational value. It’s the perfect place for birdwatchers, as migratory species use Gibraltar as the shortest crossing between Europe and Africa. Botanists will also be interested to see over 600 species of flowering plants, including some unique to Gibraltar. Watch out for colourful lizards, non-venemous Horseshoe Whipsnakes, butterflies and pipistrelle bats. Info on flora and fauna at the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society’s information centre at Jews Gate.

St. Michael’s Cave: The cave comprises an upper hall with five connecting passages and drops of 40-150ft to a smaller hall. A further succession of chambers, some at 250ft below the entrance, is reached through narrow holes. The Cathedral Cave is open to visitors and is used as an auditorium for concerts and theatre. The cave was prepared as a hospital in WWII, but never used.

A further series of chambers ending in a mini lake is called Lower St. Michael’s Cave and can be visited with a guide.

The Monkeys’ Den: There are around 160 monkeys in the Park and around 30 can be seen at the Monkey’s Den. Often called apes, they are tail-less Barbary macaques and Europe’s only free living monkeys. £500 fine for feeding the monkeys - don’t do it!

The Great Siege Tunnels: Tunnelling in the Rock began during the Great Siege (1779-1783) when France and Spain made an attempt to recapture the Rock while Britain was busy with the American War of Independence. Governor General Elliot offered a reward to anyone who could tell him how to mount a gun on the north face of the Rock. Sgt. Major Ince suggested tunnelling and there are over 30 miles of tunnels inside the Rock with various exhibitions inside.

The Military Heritage Centre: Housed in one of the Rock’s many historic batteries, the Military Heritage Centre displays information on the development of Gibraltar’s military defences through the ages.

A City Under Siege Exhibition: Exhibits depicting the lives of civilian population during the many sieges, are housed in one of the earliest British building on the Rock. Original graffiti, drawn by duty soldiers to stop themselves falling asleep, is still visible, the earliest dating back to 1726.

The Moorish Castle: actually just part of a Moorish town and castle which was built up during the Moorish occupation of the Iberian Peninsula, spearheaded from Gibraltar in 711AD by Tarik-ibnZeyad (“Gibraltar” is a corruption of the Arabic words “Jebel Tarik” - Tarik’s mountain). The part we see today, The Tower of Homage, dates back to 1333AD, when Abu’l Hassan recaptured the Rock from Spain.

Natural History & Heritage Park Walks: Med Steps is a stunning walk with the steep climb at the end rewarded with spectacular views of the Rock and Spain. Another recommended walk is St Michael’s Cave through to Charles V Wall but walkers should be relatively fit for both. It

98

is also pleasant walking along the upper rock roads. Brochures available free from all Tourist Board offices.

Botanical Gardens: Opened in 1816, the Alameda Botanical Gardens fell into disrepair but are being restored to their former glory. Visitors can enjoy a stroll beneath pines, dragon trees and palms, and see many of Gibraltar’s native plants as well as exotic species. The shop sells environmentally friendly gifts, plants and seeds. Tel: 200 72639/200 74022. Parking.

Nelson’s Anchorage: Rosia Road 9.30am - 5.15pm Monday to Saturday (last entry at 5pm). Closed on Sunday. Admission: £1.00 (free with Nature Reserve ticket. Tickets for the nature reserve can also be bought at this attraction).

Parson’s Lodge: Rosia Road. Narrow limestone outcrop with a labyrinth of tunnels surmounted by an impressive battery, which has witnessed the development of coast artillery over 300 years.

Housed three 18 ton 10-inch rifled muzzle loaders positioned behind a unique sandwich of armour plate/teak, known as ‘Gibraltar Shields’.

Flat Bastion Magazine Flat Bastion Road, Geological Research Station and Lithology of Gibraltar. To visit contact: F. Gomez Tel. 200 44460, P. Hodkinson Tel. 200 43910.

Shrine of Our Lady of Europe (Museum within premises) Europa Road. 10am-7pm Monday to Friday, 11am-7pm Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays.

Closed 1pm - 2pm.

Trafalgar Cemetery: Trafalgar Rd, 9am - 7pm daily (free).

Business Information Financial Serv. Commission Tel: 200 40283/4 Chamber of Commerce Tel: 200 78376 Federation Small Business Tel: 200 47722 Company Registry . . . . . . . . . . . Tel: 200 78193 Useful Numbers Airport (general info.). . . . . . . . . Tel: 200 73026 Hospital, St Bernards. . . . . . . . . Tel: 200 79700 Weather information. . . . . . . . . . . . . Tel: 5-3416 Frontier Queue Update Tel: 200 42777 Gibraltar Museum Tel: 200 74289 18/20 Bomb House Lane open 10am-6pm (Sat. 10am-2pm).

Closed on Sunday. Admission: Adults £2/Children under 12 years £1. Exhibitions also at Casemates gallery.

Registry Office Tel: 200 72289 It is possible to get married on the Rock within 48 hours. A fact taken advantage of by stars such as Sean Connery and John Lennon.

Rock Tours by Taxi Tel: 200 70052 As well as

History Alive Every Saturday morning the

Rock’s past is brought alive by a troop of soldiers in 18th century period uniform. The soldiers march from Bomb House Lane at 12 noon to Casemates. At Casemates they carry out a “Ceremony of the Keys” and then march back up Main Street to the Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned.

offering normal fares, taxis provide Rock Tours taking in the Upper Rock, Europa Point and other sites of interest. It is the best way to see the Rock’s major features in a short time.

John Mackintosh Hall Tel: 200 75669 Includes cafeteria, theatre, exhibition rooms and library.

308 Main Street 9.30am - 11pm Monday to Friday. Closed weekends.

Bicycle Racks Bicycle parking is provided at the following locations: Europort Road, Casemates Tunnel, Land Port Ditch, Fish Market Road, Commonwealth Car Park, Reclamation Road (by English Steps) + Line Wall Road.

Gibibikes is a scheme for public use of bikes taken from stations around the Rock. Visit www.gibibikes.gi for info.

Public Holidays 2013 Gibraltar & United Kingdom New Year’s Day Tuesday 1 January Commonwealth Day Monday 11 March* Good Friday Friday 29 March Easter Monday Monday 1 April Worker’s Memorial Day Friday 26 April* May Day Wednesday 1 May Spring Bank Holiday Monday 27 May Queen’s Birthday Monday 17 June Late Summer Bank Holiday Monday 26 August Gibraltar National Day Tuesday 10 September* Christmas Day Wednesday 25 December Boxing Day Thursday 26 December *Gibraltar only

Gibraltar Postcode - GX11 1AA

Emergency Services

Emergency calls only: Fire/Ambulance................................... Tel: 190 Police............................................ Tel: 199/112 Emergency Number Tel: 112 Non-urgent calls: Ambulance Station Tel: 200 75728 Police........................................ Tel: 200 72500 os Emergency N : .............Tel: (5) 5026 / (5) 3598

GibiBikes Locations • Frontier • Victoria Stadium • Waterport Road (Watergardens) • Waterport Road (Waterport Terraces) • Eurotowers • Reclamation Road (Leisure Centre) • Commonwealth Parade Car Park • Rosia Road (Jumpers building) • Rosia Road (Bayview Terraces) • Grand Parade Car Park (Cable Car) • Southport Gates (Ince’s Hall) • Line Wall Road (City Hall) • Line Wall Road (Orange Bastion) • Market Place • Eastern Beach Road (coming soon) • Catalan Bay (viewing platform) • St Joseph’s School • Europa Point • Rosia Parade Visit www.gibibikes.gi to find out more about how you can benefit from GibiBikes

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2013

The Gibraltar Magazine is published and produced by Guide Line Promotions Ltd, La Bayuca, 21 Turnbull’s Lane, Gibraltar. Tel/Fax: (+350) 200 77748

N

atural History & Heritage Park admission 9.30am to 7pm by tickets (includes entrance to sites - St. Michael’s Cave, Monkey’s Den, Great Siege Tunnels, Military Heritage Centre, ‘A City Under Siege’ Exhibition and Moorish Castle). Facilities closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Adults £10, children 5-12 years: £5, children age under 4 free, vehicles £2.

Private vehicles may be restricted at certain times, tours available by taxi/mini bus. Also reached by cable car (leaves Grand Parade 9.30am-5.15pm Mon-Sun. Last cable down: 5.45pm). 50p per person to walk with no entrance tickets.

sapphire-gibmag-tree:Layout 1 9/18/13 11:53 AM Page 1

Life has moved on...line

The Gibraltar Magazine is published and produced by Guide Line Promotions Ltd, La Bayuca, 21 Turnbull’s Lane, Gibraltar. Tel/Fax: (+350) 200 77748

Sapphire Networks, growing with your needs

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