Gibraltar Magazine January 2012

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

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ibraltar the

January 2012 Vol. 17 No. 03 FREE

Welcome 2012!

The Appliance of Science

Top 6 Predictions for 2012

From the Bleeding River Joe’s Nuclear Heritage Family Fun, Frocks & Frolics

Winter Warmers & much more

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JUNE 2007

tax planning • corporate & commercial • FINANCIAL SERVICES • funds • litigation • PROPERTY • trusts

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what’s inside

features 40 52 60

arts & lifestyle Lindsay Serves You Right...

Arturo Bonich: Beats fo my Life Calendar Girls € Sport On The Three Kings’ Calavcade Smart Moves at the Chess Tournament A Year in the Life of Gibraltar

business & finance

property files 26 27 28 30 32 34

Property Directory The Belilos Fellows Return of Global Decor Top 6 Predictions for 2012 Understated Colour The Rent Debate €

health & beauty 44 48 49

44-49

history & heritage 38

A Natural Choice Health Directory Arthritis: What’s the Difference?

food & drink 78

26-35

56

76-85

Recipe Pages: Winter

Warmers 80-83 Restaurant & Bar Guide 84 Wine Column — 2012

Resolutions

Good Queen Anne our Brandy Nann Fairfax Captivates the Rock

regulars 66 Puzzle Page 86-87Around Town

information 62-63 90

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

City Centre Map Gibraltar Information

8 9 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 dining guide • business & finance • sport & leisure • property • history • community

50 58 65 67 68 70 72

DAOR: From the Bleeding River € Joe’s Nuclear Heritage Panto Time: Fun, Frock & Frolics

Business & Finance Guide A New Year and Review of the Old One Business Column: Finishing touches BSG Team to the Rescue Hassans Recruits Recruitment: Social Networks Partnership for Stephen Career File: Appliance of Science € Business Updates

gibraltar the

January 2012 Vol. 17 No. 03 FREE

Welcome 2012!

The Appliance of Science

Top 6 Predictions for 2012

From the Bleeding River Joe’s Nuclear Heritage Family Fun, Frocks & Frolics Winter Warmers & much more

Photo: The Tower of Homage

by David M Parody

Vol. 17 No. 03 January 2012

The Gibraltar Magazine is published monthly by

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business & finance

another New Year... and a review of the one just gone

by Ian Le Breton

As you read this column, another year has just turned the corner — and probably not one that many people will be sad to leave behind; so perhaps it’s a hearty goodbye to 2011 from most of us, and a warm hello to 2012.

Although 2011 was in all manner of ways a difficult year, it was also a momentous one. With general elections behind us in both Gibraltar and Spain, together with several new governments in other European countries, we are all going to have to get used to the new order. And that is not to mention the ongoing convolutions of the “Arab Spring” which rumbled inexorably into an Arab summer, autumn and winter as it moved from Tunisia and Egypt, through Libya, the Yemen and Syria. And not just in political terms; there will be economic consequences too.

And talking of economics, 2011 was certainly a year to remember — or, I guess, forget depending on your point of view. In several respects I believe history may record it was the most challenging year from a financial perspective since the world went into economic crisis in 2008.

And it would not be surprising if 2012 doesn’t continue along a similar track.

So what happened in 2011 that turned life on its head for so many countries? Simply put, the fact there was too much unaffordable debt around started to dawn on the markets, the

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

speculators and eventually the people. Several countries in Europe came close to defaulting; others, specifically Greece, avoided a formal default only through a clever form of words and the necessity for the rest of the Eurozone to start bailing out before the ship sunk.

The underlying incentive was that by helping out, the other European governments were acting to prevent the “contagion” spreading to other states, including their own. As it hap-

I believe history may record it was the most challenging year from a financial perspective since the world went into economic crisis in 2008

pened, the EU’s inability to move quickly enough meant that this contagion occurred anyway, so we ended the year with several countries at risk of a Greek-style crisis. At the same time various ratings’ agencies chose to reassess the economic prospects of a number of sovereign states with the result that the debt rating of several was downgraded.

Nor was this limited to Europe — even the national debt of the US, the largest economy of them all, was downgraded during the past year as their politicians indulged in a ruinous “Mexican stand-off”.

Across the world, but particularly in the Eurozone, banks continued to struggle. They were simultaneously expected to repair their balance sheets and pressured to increase their lending book. Time and again over the last year we have seen this same contradiction: state sponsored bailouts of banks across Europe whilst those same institutions were being “encouraged” to bolster economic recovery by lending to domestic customers. It is no wonder that little forward progress was achieved.

Economic growth rates in Europe are very

business & finance low at best and in several cases, they ended the year in negative territory. For countries such as Greece, negative growth — or recession — appears to be an almost permanent feature of their economy. It is difficult to see how recovery is going to come any time soon to such countries.

Commodity prices have risen — and in the case of energy in particular, this has had a dramatic effect for domestic and business consumers as they have suffered enormous increases in costs. Taken with the resulting increases in food bills as well as fuel, many consumers struggle to understand how the official — and relatively low — inflation rate is calculated.

As investors will know only too well, 2011 saw many of the world’s major stock markets languish. Currency exchange rates have also been in the news during the year just past. For those of us here in Gibraltar who generally earn pounds but also spend euro over the border in Spain, we have seen the exchange rate locked in a tight range during most of the year. Despite all its problems, the euro has remained stubbornly strong against certain currencies, including sterling. Looking at the same issue from a global perspective, exchange rate “pairs” such as the US dollar/ Chinese yuan have become far more significant as the US struggles to work its way out of recession and China seeks to maintain high rates of growth.

It is also interesting to see the spectre of the Europeans approaching countries such as China and Brazil for assistance by buying Eurozone bonds. It’s an example of the new world, or at least a couple of the emerging BRIC economies, coming to the rescue of the old. Who would have thought it?

So what does 2012 hold? As regular readers will know, I am wary of making detailed predictions. You won’t be reading my guesstimates of the exchange rate or the price of gold in these columns. Still less will I get involved in politics and you certainly won’t catch me predicting a royal baby in the year ahead!

But as I write this at the end of 2011, there are some areas in the financial world in which I can

predict developments in the year to come with some confidence.

First of all, what lies in store for us here in Gibraltar? For some time, I have been writing that although we are in no way immune to the financial crisis engulfing Europe, overall we have proved to be fairly resilient given the modest size of our economy. I don’t see any reason why this should change in the year to come although we may experience a greater impact from developments in Spain. A new Spanish government was elected last November and how Spain deals with its economic woes is going to be critically important.

In Europe as a whole, it’s clear that the national leaders will have to continue fire fighting across the continent. With some exceptions, most countries are in a similar position. Staggering levels of national debt combined with low or negative growth rates are likely to dominate the headlines in 2012 as they have in the year just past. As a result interest rates are likely to remain low for the foreseeable future although, should the spectre of inflation return, increasing rates cannot be ruled out.

In Gibraltar our other main concern is the state of the UK economy, for that is what determines important issues for us — interest rates and the crucial exchange rate with the euro, and

Although we are in no way immune to the financial crisis engulfing Europe, overall we have proved to be fairly resilient given the modest size of our economy. I don’t see any reason why this should change in the year to come

indeed other currencies. In Britain, as elsewhere in Europe, the government will continue its efforts to reduce the burden of national debt whilst seeking to inject some much needed growth into the economy. It will be a difficult juggling act.

Once the winter months are behind us, the Diamond Jubilee should cheer everyone up across the Commonwealth. Later in the summer, the London Olympics should provide an enormous boost to the economy and hopefully to Britain’s standing around the world. Early reports are very favourable; the infrastructure appears to be ahead of schedule. We must all hope for a decent haul of medals and records too.

And speaking of records, your diligent scribe is due to hit a significant personal milestone in the coming year that no amount of denial can do anything to alleviate. One wonders where the last 50 years have gone!

So as we all recover from the excesses of Christmas and New Year, welcome back to Gibraltar in January. Let’s all hope that the winter — and indeed the economic freeze — will be short and sweet. From the viewpoint of the financial world it must be goodbye, and good riddance to 2011. Hello and welcome to 2012; please be kinder to us all.

Whatever 2012 brings, I hope sincerely that it proves to be a good one for you. On behalf of all my colleagues at Sovereign Trust here in Gibraltar, I wish you and your families a very happy and indeed prosperous New Year. n

Students Receive CMI Awards Students received their Certificates and Diplomas in Management, organised by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).

The photo (left) shows the latest intake of students to complete their Certificates and Diplomas in Management, together with previous Minister for Education and Training, the Hon. Clive Beltran, who presented them with their awards, at Bleak House. n

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

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Getting Down to Business:

Finishing Touches In last month’s article we started to consider what a good business plan should look like, not only for your benefit, but also for the benefit of potential investors or lenders who may support your business.

We looked at the importance of having an executive summary at the start of your plan. As I said last month, it’s all about creating good first impressions, so make sure it’s easy to read, interesting and that you convince the reader your plan is a winner in a maximum of two pages!

The next step was to take into account your aims and objectives, for example, the reason you are going into business, and why it is important to clearly articulate exactly what your business will do. You would be surprised just how many business plans I have read that haven’t clearly stated early on just what the business was going to do.

So now let’s move on and look at some other areas you need to consider and comment on in your business plan.

Legal status and licences What legal status will your busi-

12

ness have? Are you intending to be a sole trader, a partnership or a limited company?

These decisions will affect your tax liability and investors may also be concerned about the legal status of the business and its impact on liability. They will want to know you have chosen the most appropriate legal status to meet your future needs. My suggestion to you here is to talk to your lawyer and/or accountant.

Do you need licences before you can start trading, for example? A good place to start is the Government website http://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/trade-licence, where you will find some really useful information.

Management Process & Training How will you manage your business? Getting organised will make running your business more efficient and ultimately, more en-

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

finance column joyable. Even if you are the only person involved, it is still worth looking at key skills, responsibilities and management processes at this stage.

It is important you include details of any relevant training courses you have attended. And don’t forget to mention any training requirements you or your employees have, because this will help you identify any skills gaps.

Marketing Strategy We have discussed this briefly in the past, but this time we need to drill down and really understand just how we are going to sell this product or service in sufficient quantities to make you money. I guess at this stage you will have a clear understanding of who your customers are going to be, how large the market is in Gibraltar at this time and potential market size. Maybe you are looking to see your product within the EU and take advantage of Gibraltar’s passporting rights?

So the things that you need to consider are: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Who are your initial marketing targets?

What product and or service will you offer them?

What is your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)? What makes you different to the competition?

Is there a specific volume or value, or market share which you hope to achieve?

When do you hope to achieve these targets by?

Why are you choosing these markets?

Who will your next target be in, say, six months or a year’s time?

Once you have answered all of the above and formed a strategy, now is the time to be clear about how you are going to make this happen. And you can do this by making a marketing plan.

Marketing Plan At this stage, you will obviously

have a lot of exciting ideas in your mind, and so it’s important to give this section some structure. Therefore, you might want to consider implementing the following areas into your plan.

You will need to think about the marketing methods you will use to reach your target market.

Adverting in magazines, distributing leaflets by hand around Gibraltar, radio advertising and face to face meetings are just a few examples of how this can be done. Just make sure you have an appropriate strategy for each segment or market.

Think about timescales: what do you want to accomplish in a specific period of time and who is best to carry out this activity?

Don’t forget to look at the estimated costs of undertaking particular marketing activities and make sure you manage and monitor the plan and review you created. This means making sure you don’t spend your entire budget too early and you monitor results, adjust the plan and introduce new tactics as you go along.

Sales Targets and Objectives When implemented, your marketing plan needs to be converted into what I think is the most important part of the overall plan: your sales revenue target.

You should set out your sales forecasts in terms of the: 1.

2.

3.

Sales of different product or service types by volume and value Sales from different customer groups or territories Sales from the different distribution or advertising channels

I always find this useful because when your business is up and running, it will show you what is working and what isn’t. n Paul Wharton is writing this in his own capacity and none of the above is intended to express the views or opinions of Barclays Bank PLC

This means making sure you don’t spend your entire budget too early and you monitor results, adjust the plan and introduce new tactics as you go along

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

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company focus There are many services which are unique in catering for the needs of businesses in Gibraltar, but BSG Computer Systems is one business that is more established than most. Around since 1979, the company has been helping both individuals and businesses in the area of IT solutions for over 30 years, and the team has plenty of experience to say the least.

BSG are partnered with many UK companies and work on behalf of them to offer support in Gibraltar. These companies include the likes of Cisco, Getronics ICT Solutions and Services, BT, and NCR. The team of engineers talks enthusiastically about the services offered including IT support, supplying and supporting credit card machines to shops and restaurants, cabling offices, admin support, and many other useful services. They also make sure the work they do is affordable and accessible.

The team is made up of five people, Engineers and Despatch, but they are all used to multi-tasking and pool together to get through the workload. Technical Support Manager, Albert Pizzarello, says of his day “While the team are out and about I try and solve any issues remotely, which helps speed up response

“

We offer solutions not everyone would think of

BSG’s Nick Acris works on a Dell

BSG tech team to the rescue...

The team at BSG is expert in providing IT solutions for Gibraltar — and strives to supply a wide range of products and services to help answer IT related questions, whether this involves ongoing support for a business or providing products or helping with day to day needs.

14

”

time to customers.” He also speaks very highly of Dawn, who handles their accounts and despatch, as not only does she make a great cup of tea, she is “the oil that keeps BSG running smoothly.”

The bulk of BSG’s work is IT support, but the company is also a registered partner of Dell and acts as the sole Dell Warranty Agent in Gibraltar. The team services the entire Dell product range from notebooks to servers and BSG can order any Dell product available on its website. If a local Dell product is under warranty — regardless of if it was bought outside Gibraltar — it is handy to know the BSG team can help with any problems that may arise.

Mike Edinburgh, Managing Director, is clearly very proud of the business, which includes an IT support service offering a diverse range of network and system management options ensuring a client’s IT infrastructure potential is maximized. This service includes everything from network planning to server configuration for small and medium business networks. Network design is a speciality of the company, and the team stick to the method of keeping it simple, yet secure, when looking at wireless and high speed connections — making it easy to understand for those who are not as technically savvy.

Albert says the team is special because it “offers solutions not everyone would think of” and the staff at BSG is confident there are no problems that are unfixable. BSG is focused on support and working hard to deliver a reliable and efficient service in Gibraltar.

Never a organisation to remain static, Albert also spends time researching new technologies and “any new developments to filter down to customers and the BSG team,” Albert says.

“Customers are my highest priority,” he emphasises.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

company focus

One of the company’s other unique services is digital surveillance and it specialises in highdefinition cameras and recording systems Customers who appreciate this ethos include banks, shops and restaurants who have been benefiting from the services BSG provides for years. Both Barclays and Natwest use the support and technology on offer — BSG’s document sorting technology offers the ability to sort 1000 cheques in under a minute, making the process so much easier. BSG also supplies credit card machines to many businesses across town.

One of the company’s other unique services is digital surveillance and it specialises in highdefinition cameras and recording systems. The HD cameras are demonstrated via a live feed on their website, looking out of their offices onto passers-by. It is an impressive piece of kit.

It is reassuring to know help is on hand for any businesses needing it and this friendly team is right here in Gibraltar to help. n To find out more about the service BSG has to offer, visit www.bsgcomp.com or call 200 77386.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

Paul works on a NatWest cash machine

The technical team at BSG - Nick Acris, Albert Pizzarello and Paul Edinburgh

15

career moves

From left to right; Isaac Levy, Chloe Oppenheimer, Andrew Montegriffo, Caroline Sullivan and Jason Corbett (Darren Martinez, Ralph Bossino and Tito Garro were abroad when photo taken)

New Recruits Join Hassans Eight new recruits have been welcomed into leading law firm, Hassans, underpinning its continued growth in spite of the difficult economic situation worldwide.

Five barristers, Isaac Levy, Andrew Montegriffo, Ralph Bossino, Tito Garro, and Darren Martinez, and three trainee solicitors, Jason Corbett, Chloe Oppenheimer and Caroline Sullivan, will work in various departments of the firm, including commercial, tax, litigation, financial services and funds.

Isaac Levy, the son of James Levy QC, Senior Partner at the firm, will work in the Corporate and Private Client team. Prior to qualifying as a barrister, Isaac was ordained as a Rabbi by the Central Israeli

16

Rabbinical Court. In addition, for a number of years Isaac headed a research institute in Talmudic Law in Jerusalem comprising 70 students. He attained first class honours in his undergraduate degree and outstanding in the Bar Professional Training Course. Following in the footsteps of his father, Isaac was called to the bar in the Middle Temple. He has experience working for well-known city legal firms and barristers’ chambers in London. In addition he has had experience in the financial world

working for a number of family offices and investment managers.

Andrew Montegriffo, the son of Peter Montegriffo, one of the senior partners at the firm, completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Nottingham before going on to achieve a Masters in

Commercial Law. He subsequently undertook the Bar Professional Training Course and is a member of Middle Temple. Andrew has joined the Corporate and Commercial team at Hassans.

Jason Corbett is from Cardiff, Wales and converted to a career in law from being a quantity surveyor. He obtained a master of laws at Cardiff University where he also undertook the legal practice course.

Caroline Sullivan was born and brought up in Dundee, Scotland.

She graduated from the University of Dundee as one of the first students to complete a dually qualifying Scots and English Law LLB (Hons) degree there. She then went on to complete her Legal Practice Course at BPP Law School in Leeds. Caroline has been coming to Gibraltar for the past six years and has been involved in the student programme at Hassans.

Darren Martinez currently forms part of the Corporate and Commercial Department. An LLB Honours Graduate from the University of Leeds, Darren completed the Bar Practitioners Training Course at BPP Leeds in 2011. Darren is a member of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple and was called to the Bar of England and Wales on 13th October 2011.

Chloe Oppenheimer was born in Gibraltar and raised in Marbella until the age of 14. She has had the benefit of an international education, having attended Leysin American School, an American boarding school in Switzerland, Northeastern University in Boston and the London School of Economics, where she achieved a BA Hons degree in International Affairs in 2009. Chloe successfully completed

Hassans was the first law firm outside the UK to be accredited by the Law Society of England and Wales to offer training contracts to aspiring solicitors

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

events her Graduate Diploma in Law in 2010 and her Legal Practice Course at the College of Law in London where she achieved a LLB Hons.

Tito Garro currently forms part of the Corporate and Commercial Department. He holds a 2:1 LLB Honours degree from the University of The West of England, he further completed the Bar Practitioners Training Course at the Bristol Institute of Legal Practice in 2011. He also recently attained accreditation as a mediator with the ADR Group, and is currently in the process of completing a Masters in Legal Practice within the area of Clinical Negligence.

Ralph Bossino studied at Eton College in UK, before going on to study law at King’s College London where he attained a 2:1 in law. Ralph is a keen sportsman having represented his university at football for three years. Ralph is a member of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple and joins the Tax and Overseas Property department as a Barrister.

expansion by tapping into the talent available both locally and abroad with this year’s intake deriving from Gibraltar, Scotland and Wales.

Most of the recruits have also spent time in the firm’s highly popular and successful ‘Summer Placement Programme’ and both Jason and Andrew have achieved exceptional academic qualifications with a Masters Degree in Law. Hassans was the first law firm outside the UK to be accredited by the Law Society of England and Wales to offer training contracts to aspiring solicitors, putting Hassans firmly at the forefront of legal training in Gibraltar.

Managing Partner, Javier Chincotta commented, “At Hassans we are committed to continual professional development and training. Our goal is to recruit exceptionally talented people who will stay with us and who want to become partners in our continuing success story. The new recruits have varied backgrounds and each will bring new skills and experiences to the firm, which all our clients can Hassans remains committed to benefit from.” n

“

Our goal is to recruit exceptionally talented people who will stay with us and who want to become partners in our continuing success story

”

Congratulations to Fabian Picardo, who has been

elected as the new Chief Minister of Gibraltar, at the general elections held on Thursday 8th December 2011.

Leading the GSLP/Liberal Alliance to victory, Mr. Picardo will now commence his first term as Chief Minister.n

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

17

business & finance

by Sarah Espinares, Community Manager at SRGEurope

Top 5 Social Networks for finding a job in ’11 Recruitment like many is an extremely dynamic industry. Whether you are working in an agency or part of a company´s HR team, it is a highly social profession and you need to know where you are going to connect with the necessary people. Given its wide reach of potential candidates, Social Media has become a staple working tool for recruitment professionals worldwide. Over 80% of companies now use social networks in their recruitment process whether it is to find the right candidate or simply to verify a candidates experience.

There are so many social networks to choose from today. So the question is which ones do you join as a job seeker in order to connect with the right people? While every region of the world has different social networks to choose from, there are five main ones that stood out in 2011 across the globe.

Facebook With over 800 million users Facebook is certainly the most active social network. Over 50% of companies and agencies are now using it as a recruitment tool. Many

18

have company pages or groups dedicated to staying in touch with their audience. The great thing about groups and pages is they allow job seekers to stay current with a company’s recruitment activity.

Aside from pages and groups, Marketplace is a Facebook feature that works like the classified section of a newspaper where you can view job ads by location. While the number of professionals using Facebook for recruitment has stayed steady from last year, it is still widely regarded as one of the main networks for recruitment professionals.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

business & finance highlights. It is still a clear choice for candidates and recruitment professionals. On top of this, 95% of those who have used LinkedIn to recruit report that they have successfully filled jobs through the network.

Blogs Blogs are becoming more popular as a recruitment tool for the simple fact that they are easy to post a full job description and really sell the opportunity. Blogs also allow job seekers to subscribe making it easy to see when a new job has been blogged. Blogs can also be a great way for candidates to promote their personal brand. Posts can highlight your expertise in your field to potential employers and offer some insight into your experience that might not be possible to get across in a two to three page CV.

Twitter While recruitment on twitter has decreased slightly from last year (from 47% to 45%), it is still used by many consultants and large brand names such as Microsoft and PwC. The great thing about twitter is it encourages short, catchy “tweets” ensuring that job posters get right to the point and ideally a link with more details. Twitter is also a great way to spread the word with “retweeting” being a simple and very effective feature. With smart phones becoming mainstream Twitter is proving popular with job hunters on the go allowing them to flip through tweets while on their way to work or on a lunch break.

Youtube You might be surprised to find out that Youtube is in the top 5 social media tools for recruitment and that it has grown in popularity over the year. Youtube offers the visual impression which Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter can´t. More recruitment professionals are turning to the network to promote both individual jobs and company work environments. For candidates, it can again be used as a first impression to potential employers through a short video of yourself.

Google+ : Honourable Mention Google+ is the new kid on the block and deserves an honourable mention. It has come out of testing this year and is now available for everyone to join. They have added the company profile feature which is great for those looking to promote their brand. The great thing about Google+ is that it allows you to segregate your network into different “circles”. Candidates like it because it means they are only going to receive information on new jobs relevant to them.

LinkedIn Spending on Social Media for LinkedIn has 120 million users recruitment increased by more than compared to Facebook´s 800 mil- 50% over the year which reflects lion, but is still the #1 network used that this is where companies and refor the job search. Nearly 90% of cruitment professionals are looking social media savvy recruitment for their candidates. Social Media managers use LinkedIn compared budgets are expected to increase to 55% on Facebook. in 2012 as more candidates will LinkedIn boasts itself as the be searched and found through Professional network and rightfully social networks. So the question so with personal profiles focussed now is where will you be found around work experience and career in 2012? n

With smart phones becoming mainstream Twitter is proving popular with job hunters on the go allowing them to flip through tweets while on their way to work or on a lunch break GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

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career file

Steven Caetano:

A New Partner at Isolas Steven Caetano recently became the eighth partner at Gibraltar’s longest established law firm, Isolas. We spoke to him to find out more about his role and how it feels to be a partner.

Congratulations on your new appointment!

How does it feel to be partner?

It feels great! It’s always been my ambition to join the partnership at Isolas ever since I was a trainee lawyer here. My entire family has been very supportive, particularly my wife who has been so patient and my dad who always encouraged me to pursue this career since I was at school.

How has Isolas developed over the nine years you have been there?

We have grown in a sustainable and steady manner during my time here. We are always busy and always growing so we must be getting it right! We have a personal approach and this has been, to our clients, the biggest difference to others and I hope this philosophy continues for years to come.

You don’t have to be the largest to be the best and as a firm we always seem to punch above our weight in almost every department.

How do you find working within the Isolas framework and what changes have you see in the industry?

I am very happy here. I have seen some major changes in the last nine years. When I started emails where relatively new and lawyers still received a lot of correspondence by fax and letter. Now almost everything is communicated by email and many of us have iPads, Blackberries and iPhones etc and are expected to respond almost immediately to emails.

Like doctors and other vocational profession-

20

als, lawyers are now almost expected to work on a 24/7 basis. This was certainly not the case when I started in 2002.

Client expectations have also dramatically increased during this time in terms of service levels, turnaround time and fees (particularly in this economic climate). Competition is fierce and client loyalty is not something you can ever take for granted nowadays.

There is also an ever increasing number of lawyers in Gibraltar providing a wealth of choice for firms looking to recruit which can only mean that higher and higher standards will continue to be achieved in the years to come across the “home-grown” sector, which can only be a good thing for the Gibraltar legal profession.

We have also seen a marked increase in legal and financial services professionals coming to work and live in Gibraltar from the UK and beyond.

It’s hard to actually encapsulate e-commerce law as a subject as it is becoming ever increasingly relevant in commerce as a whole

Tell us how you came to specialise in the e-commerce sector.

I started working with Peter Isola in the field of online gaming in 2004 or so. The firm represented a good number of the operators and the demand was very high for a personal and attentive legal support service to match the dynamic nature of online business (gaming companies being the principal drivers). I also started working with online affiliates and online gaming affiliates who were witnessing the biggest level of growth in the sector in its short history.

In my case working with online affiliates, online businesses who service the e-gaming sector as well as the e-gaming operators themselves provided a crash course in this relatively new field which also led to a natural expansion into Intellectual Property law and related topics.

How does Gibraltar’s legal system differ from the UK model regarding e-commerce?

The principles are very similar. Gibraltar has the Electronic Commerce Act 2001 which transposes into local law the provisions of Directive 2000/31/EC. It’s hard to actually encapsulate e-commerce law as a subject as it is becoming ever increasingly relevant in commerce as a whole. To give you an example, it would have been unheard of having notices under a contract served by email when I started in 2002, now it is pretty common.

Another difference that comes to mind between Gibraltar governed e-contracts and

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

career file those in the UK is that in Gibraltar we have not adopted the Rights of Third Parties Act. Notwithstanding I do believe that Gibraltar implemented the E-commerce directive before the UK, so it goes without saying that Gibraltar has positioned itself rather well for this type of business. Hopefully we will see a decrease in bandwidth costs at some point, which should go a long way to assist our jurisdiction in attracting greater foreign investment in the near future.

What does your work as legal adviser with The Fiduciary Group involve?

The Fiduciary Group is a long-standing client as well as being closely affiliated with Isolas.

Fiduciary is the leading corporate and trustee services provider so you can well imagine that there is a fair bit of legal work to be done, some of which actually serves to underpin their policies/procedures, outsourcing arrangements and compliance with legal/regulatory obligations, as well as all sorts of commercial legal support on an ongoing basis.

I have been working with the Fiduciary Group and their clients for over five years now and I have been fortunate to gain a very detailed insight into how corporate service providers function as well as making very good contacts beyond Gibraltar.

For this role you have to be very flexible and accommodating, respond quickly and be prepared to deal with a wide variety of legal issues on an ongoing basis. This unique situation lends itself to the way in which Gibraltar has grown and developed as a leading finance

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

centre with law firms working alongside com- Tell us about your team. pany management/trustees firms, which in I work primarily with Peter Isola and our turn leads to mutual business opportunities team includes Christian Caetano, Adrian Pilcher, for all involved.

Joey Garcia and Jonathan Garcia.

We are made up of flexible teams so we play What do you enjoy most about your roles? to each other’s strengths to ensure we deliver The areas I work in are constantly develop- the work on time and on budget using the best ing so you always have to be at the cutting suited lawyers for each aspect. I am often edge. This is both challenging and exciting and brought in to other teams to assist in areas working for a medium sized international law where I specialise which is also very enjoyable firm such as Isolas gives you the opportunity and satisfying. to diversify into various areas of the law which I can’t think of a better group of professionals can lead to interesting opportunities both within to work alongside than my present colleagues. and outside your legal career.

Gibraltar is a place where a lot is happening at What unique aspects are there to working a very fast rate. These are exciting times indeed, in Gibraltar in this sector? not only in the online sector but also in relation The industry is enormous but the world is to our companies and insolvency laws which are small. Working with decision makers is both due to change soon and which will also require exciting and challenging. From locally based some getting used to. accountancy firms to banks to other legal colleagues as well as with local and international businesses, we have the best here in Gibraltar.

The exposure to such a wide variety of commercial enterprises has helped me greatly in developing my practice in a relatively short space of time.

Gibraltar is a place where a lot is happening at a very fast rate. These are exciting times indeed, not only in the online sector but also in relation to our companies and insolvency laws

Finally, what do you like to do in your spare time?

I tend to spend most of my spare time with my family. However, when the kids (two boys of three- and four-years-old) allow me to I like to follow sports and current affairs. I support Man U so I try to watch most of their games on TV (except local derbies). n

21

Inside Look

The Appliance of Science

by Kate Bird

Audrey Smith, Gibraltar Health Authority Quality Manager and Deputy Pathology Services Manager at St. Bernard’s Hospital has always been fascinated by science, medicine and microscopes. With 25 years’ experience in the department, her expert knowledge is fascinating and informed.

Audrey explains how she and her team take on great things every day.

Audrey Smith of St. Bernard’s Hospital

The Department of Pathology at St. Bernard’s Hospital is a busy, bustling place — an everevolving environment for science and technology. Audrey Smith, who for the last 25 years has been manning the Histology and Cytology sections, describes it as a ‘multi disciplinary’ department stretching across many specialist subjects such as microbiology, biochemistry, haematology, transfusion science, histology, and cytology and also includes a laboratory of the Public Analyst. A huge spectrum of specialist practices.

Audrey’s role involves dealing with speci-

A closer look under the microscope

22

mens, which arrive mainly from operating theatres and clinics. The team process, section and prepare the tissue which ends on a microscopical slide for examination by the Consultant Pathologist, amongst other specialist tests.

This section primarily diagnoses cancer and other diseases.

Audrey also mentions the cervical cytology-screening programme, which is clearly an important part of the Gibraltar health system. This has been running since 1994. Here, Audrey and her team screen cervical smears for pre-malignancy and recommend patient

management follow-up.

The cytology side of the section involves the examination of surgical cytology samples such as bodily fluids including urine, cyst fluids, peritoneal fluids and sputums to mention a few, for the diagnosis of malignant cells that might be present.

To become part of the Pathology department clearly takes a real thirst for science as well as a BSc in Biomedical Sciences. This would be followed by a one year placement in a chosen discipline in an IBMS (Institute of Biomedical Science) accredited laboratory under supervision to complete a Portfolio of Evidence. After this one would undertake an External Portfolio Verification Examination, in order to attain the IBMS Certificate of Competence, then would need to apply to the Health Professions Council (HPC) to obtain State Registration. This process requires real commitment and passion from anyone thinking about getting into this profession.

Audrey has continued her training over the years and was the first Gibraltarian female biomedical scientist employed in the GHA in 1990. She is the Chairperson of the Gibraltar Institute of Biomedical Science Branch and also International Liaision of The American Society for Cytotechnology (ASCT).

“Knowing that I am helping the community in the fight for cancer and other diseases,” is Audrey’s favourite part of the job. “I also work with a lovely bunch of people. We have a great team,” says Audrey. And indeed they are.

They know the importance of the services they offer. “Patient-care does not end at your visit to

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

career file the doctor’s. We are a core department and we provide tests and interpretations that are vital to both patient and patient-care management,” Audrey adds.

The department developed an in-house Continuous Professional Development programme which organises series of lectures and a ‘Journal Club’ where research papers are discussed from various leading Journals in Biomedical Science. Audrey was appointed Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Officer in 2006 and she activity promotes CPD. There are many ways the public can find out more about the fascinating work that Audrey and her team do. They also organised two National Pathology Week events and two very successful International Conferences which were open to the general public and were very well-attended.

St. Bernard’s Hospital is an important place in Gibraltar and the services offered there are constantly improving our way of life. But what makes Gibraltar special to Audrey? “It’s my home, it’s where my roots are, and where I have my family and friends. I like the many different cultures that can be found living sideby-side in this small community, but there is still room for the individual to express themselves without fear or intimidation.”

Not only is Gibraltar home to Audrey, Gibraltar is also home to this great service. n To find out more about The Institute of Biomedical Science visit www.ibms.org To find out more about The American Society for Cytotechnology visit www.asct.com

Members of the team carry out their day to day tasks

Biomedical Assistants in the department GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

23

business & finance

Whitmill’s involvement in VisionPro Sports Institute Whitmill Trust Company Limited, which has offices in Gibraltar (955 Europort), Jersey and Geneva, announced last month its involvement in the VisionPro Sports Institute (VSI) following a press conference in Florida. During the conference VSI announced it has entered into a number of franchise agreements with United Soccer Leagues (USL) in the USA. The agreements between VSI and USL will enable VSI to enter teams, based in Tampa, Florida, into a number of USL Leagues including the USL PRO, USL Premier Development League, USL W-League and USL Super-20 League.

Joining the VSI team at the conference was its International Ambassador Ian Wright the exEngland and Arsenal player who has an active interest in the business. Nobody knows better than Ian about the values that VSI stands for as he himself was nearly 23 years old when he was plucked from obscurity by Crystal Palace and went on to win every domestic honour in the English professional game.

Football, or Soccer as it is known in the US, continues to grow at a significant rate and now has a larger participation of youngsters than any other sport in the country. This growth is also reflected by the number of players from the US now competing in the Premiership and currently includes Tim Howard (Everton), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Brad Friedel (Spurs) and Stuart Holden (Bolton).

Neil Caisley a Director of VSI commented “I am delighted that our VSI soccer business now extends across the Atlantic and embraces North America through our Tampa franchises. It has been a major part of our plans for growing the business and we look forward to exciting times ahead and becoming part of the USL family”.

Frederick Deacon Director of Whitmill Trust Company (Gibraltar) Limited, Whitmill Trust Company Jersey and Executive Director of VSI went on to say; “We are thrilled to be involved with VSI and whole heartedly support its aims and objectives. Along with the launch of the Tampa academy we are also working with VSI in relation to their first European academy based in Spain, also with regard to the launch of an academy in Portugal in the near future.

Longer term plans include further development into the Middle East and Asia. This is a new and unique structure which now stretches across continents, and which is exciting for us to be involved with.” n

Football, or Soccer as it is known in the US, continues to grow at a significant rate and now has a larger participation of youngsters than any other sport in the country

Investors in People:

Gold Award for Bassadone Frederick Deacon, Director of Whitmill Trust Company (Gibraltar) Limited, Whitmill Trust Company Jersey and Executive Director of VSI

Commenting on the agreement USL CEO Alec Papadakis said “This is a great day for the Tampa soccer community, most notably youth players and fans. Not only will an elite academy be established so top young talent can pursue their professional dreams, but Tampa will have new professional and elite men’s and women’s amateur teams to support for years to come. Backed by some of the top names in world soccer, VisionPro Sports Institute will make a difference for Tampa soccer.”

VSI uses the support and backing of some of football’s leading professionals including current and ex English Premiership players and managers to establish and operate elite academies for young talent.

The US franchise agreement is another milestone for VSI as it continues to develop its international academy business, for the elite development coaching of young players.

24

After three days of intensive and rigorous interviews by two assessors from the Investors in People Quality Centre, the Bassadone Automotive Group attained the Gold standard, and have also been awarded Champion status, which means they will be used as a benchmark for companies who would like to attain the Gold award in the future! Well done to the team. The IiP Gold Award is awarded to organisations demonstrating best practice in people management and development. Of the approximate 25,000 organisations accredited by IiP, only 205 (0.8%) have achieved the Gold award to date.

The Investors in People programme recognises employers which have boosted the performance of their organisation through the way they manage excellence, their innovation and how they develop their employees.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

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Maggie, Adrian & Heather from BFA, with Chris & Stacey from Montarik Serviced Offices team.

BFA launches Montarik Serviced Offices Exclusive to Brian Francis and Associates Estate Agents, the well-appointed Montarik Serviced Offices, offer professionals fully serviced offices right in the heart of town.

Services available include an office, hot desk or suite, fully furnished with executive desks, chairs and filing cabinets, dedicated receptionist, mineral water, service charges and rates, telephone and high speed broadband connec-

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

tivity, mail handling services, fully fitted kitchen, 24 hour access, and air conditioning.

Montarik’s team also offers great services and support, as and when required, at an additional cost — eg boardroom and meeting

room facilities, and assistance with arranging IT upgrades etc — leaving businesspeople free to concentrate on their core business. n For more information, please contact BFA Estate Agents on Tel: 200 71131.

25

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property file

Mesod Belilo and Michael Millgate are honoured

The Belilos Fellows Two local Engineers have recently been honoured by their respective institutions and been accepted as Fellows. They are both directors of Belilos Ltd, civil and structural consulting engineers (previously ME Belilo & Partners), a company at the forefront of construction engineering locally for over 25 years.

Mesod Belilo is now a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), and Michael Millgate is now a Fellow of the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE).

According to the ICE, Fellow is the highest grade of membership of the institution and may be awarded if you are, or have been, engaged in a position of responsibility in the promotion, planning, design, construction, maintenance or management of important engineering work. It also requires experience in a position of significant responsibility; the demonstration of leadership skills; and an understanding of the wider social, economic, environmental and political pressures affecting the industry.

Mesod spent some of his career in the private sector where he became the General Manager of Guncrete Engineering, a locally based construction company. He then started ME Belilo & Partners, a much needed local consultancy following the full opening of the border with Spain, taking advan-

tage of the boom Gibraltar experienced in the ensuing years.

He has seen the partnership grow from humble beginnings, to a thriving and professional company with nearly 20 employees.

Mesod is also Chairman of the Gibraltar Magistrates, and the Registrar of the Jewish Community, for which he was honoured by Her Majesty with the MBE. Michael joined the engineering practice in 1987. The past 25 years have given him a vast experience and he now has a multitude of projects under his belt, many of them well-known buildings and structures all around the community.

Building structures, foundations and ground works, piling, and marine works are typical of a normal day’s work at Belilos Ltd. Projects include King’s Wharf, Rock Gardens, new facilities for the MOD at Gun Wharf, Government Rental Housing foundations, and remedial works to properties in Spain suffering from the consequences of land slip and subsidence. n

He has seen the partnership grow from humble beginnings, to a thriving and professional company with nearly 20 employees GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

27

property file

The Return of Global Décor It’s not unusual to see trends return in interior design. A few years ago, the global style was in everyone’s homes, but the following year it was taboo, and became outdated. For 2012, global décor is making a come-back in the interior design world. Global influences on various home décor items are going to be extremely trendy this coming spring and summer, so be sure to put them on your wish list!

From African to Australian influences, the décor in your home should be a happy collision of international cultures. Designers all over the world mix global finds like mid-century modern Italian lighting with Afghan carpets and a Georgian English bookcase with an inlaid trunk from India.

Although the bathroom is an unexpected room in your home to decorate using the global décor trend, it is a small room and with basic, versatile styled fixtures, and can have a regularly updated theme or décor style, without having to remodel the entire bathroom.

Bathroom decorating ideas that incorporate global flavours could include items such as African pottery. Wooden sculptures or handmade wall art are all great accessory options for this style of interior design.

When it comes to the bedroom, your op-

tions are a bit more versatile. Consider items such as a large carved headboard, which can make a dramatic decorating statement in your bedroom. Look for styles that are Moroccan or Asian, which can be unique and unusual. Other global styles include Parisian, Aboriginal, Southwestern, Hispanic or Latin, or Caribbean to name a few — and you can mix them all.

In furniture, you may see more oriental or global influences. The lines may be reminiscent of Oriental architecture, such as the Japanese temples. It is not unusual for interior design elements to take their cue from architecture, especially influential architecture.

Furniture that features an Oriental or other global influence can work in a number of different designs, especially in bedrooms and living rooms.

Carved side tables and trendy lamps with woven shades are perfect for the global décor look. Don’t be afraid of metallic shades either: gold, brass, bronze and silver are all completely acceptable when it comes to décorating with a global influence.

Don’t be afraid to mix and match cultures in your international décor. Just because you enjoy a set of tribal chairs from Africa doesn’t mean you can’t mix those chairs with a nice Moroccan coffee table. When it comes to global décor, let the ideas flow.

Another popular furniture trend will be the continued use of reclaimed materials: metals, glass and wood. Look for pieces made from reclaimed beams, barn wood and even old flooring. Reclaimed materials are versatile because you can make nearly any piece of furniture from them, such as tables, chairs, headboards, desks, console tables, media stands and so forth, and all have a place in the global design style. It looks perfectly at-home when paired with other global elements, such as woven baskets, carved wooden statues or imported wall art.

Glass recycled pieces are also easy to come by and still relatively inexpensive. In interior design, saving money is always a plus and it will allow you to save up for more expensive pieces. n

Don’t be afraid to mix and match cultures in your international décor 28

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

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6

Top Predictions for

2012

Traditionally, January is the month for making predictions for the year ahead. Never one to miss out, here’s my effort. Writing these midst Eurozone turmoil and before the result of the Gibraltar election is known adds a twist or two, but let’s see, the verdict will follow in 12 month’s time.

1. Residential property

Nothing is being built, and no new residential developments of any scale are in the pipeline.

Yet new jobs are being created and there remains a steady flow of new entrants into Gibraltar for tax planning purposes. Although there are cheap properties attracting many into Spain, there are an increasing number of individuals now seeking to move out of Spain into Gibraltar for tax reasons or purely because they want to move away from euro denominated assets. So the demand is there for local residential property, but the supply remains static. Bank finance is available for owner occupiers and properties are being purchased.

Prediction: Continued small but upward pressure on property prices at the lower to mid market, static on properties above £500,000.

2. Commercial property

This time last year, many commentators were suggesting that Gibraltar could run out of office space unless more was built. That has not happened. Chesterton has been able to offer over 5,000m2 of office space continuously throughout 2011. What has happened is that property investors have acquired older stock in town to refurbish into office space, and that this has met much of the demand so prices have

30

remained quite static as solid demand has been met by new supply.

What remains missing is new grade A office space, to attract new companies into Gibraltar rather than appease the local demand. This will not change in 2012 as none of Midtown, World Trade Center and West One have even started, so completion is a minimum of two years away.

Prediction: Supply will continue to meet demand from existing businesses, and rents will not move much at all.

need very deep pockets or a willingness to pay a premium to attract additional private equity.

Holiday Inn, Hilton and Ibis have been mooted for some time in respect of new hotels. Gibraltar does not need all of these but most would agree that we do need a new hotel. Whoever is in power needs to play its part in bringing at least one each of these schemes to fruition.

Prediction: Lester Hotel to lead the pack and start construction first.

3. Hotel development

I believe 2012 will be the hardest challenge for many years for Gibraltar PLC. I don’t think anyone can accurately predict the long term impact of the malaise in the Eurozone economies.

It was easy to get married. Divorce is proving to be much much tougher. No pre-nuptial was written for countries joining the euro.

Consumer spending within Gibraltar and from visitors to Gibraltar will be under pressure as individuals tighten purse strings. Controlling inflation is very difficult for Gibraltar as virtually all goods and services are imported so we have no control. Bank lending is unlikely to ease whilst we rely on foreign banks. So we will need to rely on attracting new companies into Gibraltar and collect new PAYE and corporation tax receipts.

Projects are lined up, and there is real intent by both developers and planners to see one or more hotels built. However, with no bank funding available for property development, developers

It was easy to get married.

Divorce is proving to be much much tougher. No pre-nuptial was written for countries joining the euro

4. Gibraltar economy

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

property file Prediction: positive but much reduced economic growth.

5. New initiatives

A new government will have been elected by the time this article is read. Whoever has won, my prediction is that there will be a drive towards a more open style of government, initiatives on how to improve the Gibraltar tourism product, lower income tax to reduce the imbalance between corporate and income taxes, and a ban on smoking in public places.

6. Football

Now the important one, Big Sam will bring Championship glory to Upton Park, and West Ham will return to the Premier League prompting a party in east London that will begin in May and not finish until three months later, ie after the London 2012 Olympics being hosted just down the road in Stratford. West Ham will then move into the Olympic Stadium, which will prove the catalyst for further success, achieving the Premier League top spot in 2016, just in time for my 50th birthday. The script has been written.

Best wishes for a successful year in tough times. Better to be in Gibraltar than anywhere else. n

2011 Predictions: The Results

1

And here’s the results from my 2011 predictions, published January last year.

Residential property sales prices prediction: Verdict: November. I was close!

Properties below £400k to slowly increase and those £400k - £700k to remain static.

Gibraltar economy prediction. Another Verdict. About right solid year.

Verdict: About right.

Residential property rental prices prediction: Rents to edge up on lower value properExchange rate prediction: Year-end ties. Verdict: About right exchange rate £1 to €1.32.

Verdict: Wrong.

Commercial property prices prediction: Prices to increase.

Verdict: Prices at the quality end have Result of Spain’s EU tax appeal to annul increased, but a new supply of refurbished old Gibraltar’s fiscal independence prediction: EU to buildings into offices has maintained current reject the appeal. rental rates elsewhere.

Verdict: EU dodged it. Wimps.

2 3 Mike Nicholls is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a member of the Gibraltar Society of Accountants. Mike operates the Chesterton estate agency in Gibraltar (www.chesterton.gi) and owns MN Associates Limited, a local company specialising in Gibraltar property, funding and relocation. See www. mn-associates.gi.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

4

Property development prediction: World Trade Center and Lester Hotel to start construction in 2011.

Verdict: Absolutely wrong. I blame the banks!

5

Airport terminal opening date prediction: October 2011.

6 7 8

9 10

Election date prediction: October 2011.

Verdict: Wrong, it was December.

Football prediction: West Ham to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

Verdict. Sadly, very very wrong, they finished last!!

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Understated Colour property file

“The latest look for your home favours the totally natural look, using a pallet of white and pale colours, with white walls and natural flooring, and stone tiles or washed wood,” Meme explains.

Having returned from the heart of fashion and design, London’s design week, Meme from Denville Designs shares what she saw at this spectacular event.

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Soft upholstery in linen, and soft natural colours, such as beiges and soft greys, makes everything very flowing. The furniture, heavily distressed and painted, with some old pieces as well as some very modern ones, all come together in a very easy way.

“We first fell in love with this look in August, when we stayed in France at an old chateau which had become a hotel. It had wonderful decoration, inspired by the classical design of Provence and Italy. The walls — painted in a parchment colour — made the white-painted ornaments and furniture stand out so crisp and clear.

The sofas were all in natural linen, however white leather can also be used for the more Elle look. The bedrooms were light and airy with a contrast of white, and with slate grey throws and cushions. The combination made the whole ho-

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

property file tel feel elegant and comfortable,” Meme confirms.

So the team at Denville Designs was pleased to find their new love of décor echoed by the decoration exhibitors at the shows as the latest fashion — room set after room set was totally neutral, cool and calm.

“Textures are a very important factor to this whole look. 3D is still very strong — wall panels, wallpaper and fabrics, which help the room become more interesting.

Even Tricia Guild of Designers Guild, who loves her bold colours, had subdued all her patterns and colours, using a lot of white with a splash of blue,” Meme says.

Do not be scared to only use white, taupe and shades of stone, as these colours love each other, and enhance the look. Add colour with flowers, scatter cushions or a one-off piece of artwork, but remember the most important rule to create this look is texture and good lighting.

The look is lived-in, easy and cosy — cool in summer, but soft and warm in winter. Perfect for every home. n

Do not be scared to only use white, taupe and shades of stone, as these colours love each other, and enhance this look

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

33

photo: Kevin Fitzmaurice-Brown

Gary chose to rent at King’s Wharf due to price, facilities and convenience

Gibraltar Wins The Rent Debate Gary Bird came to Gibraltar to work and found himself with a dilemma that many others have — where will I live? He tells us about his experience of how he first moved into Spain, but ended up living in Gibraltar.

What made you decide to move abroad?

Well, I’ve lived abroad before and really enjoyed the experience. I’m interested in other cultures and after working in London almost all my life, I was looking for a change. I got offered a great opportunity to work at one of the betting companies based in Gibraltar. Obviously the weather was a massive advantage too after spending many freezing winters in the UK! What were your first impressions of Gibraltar?

I thought it had a lot to offer — I was a little shocked at how small the airport was on arrival when I came to view some properties (obviously this was prior to the brand new airport opening) but as I walked around I thought it felt really homely. Gibraltar is compact enough to get a really good feel for it without having to travel too much. I also thought it was a really friendly place — and even though I was going to be working for a

34

large international company, I really liked that looking over the border. However, I was also it had a local feel. I was really impressed with aware that living in Gibraltar would make the the tourist element too, the Rock is amazing. commute to work much easier.

Tell us about your property search?

Myself and my partner came out one weekend to view some properties — both in Gibraltar and in Spain. We’d had different feedback from many people we’d spoken to about the advantages of both, but we approached it with an open mind and viewed a selection of both flats and houses to bigger villas.

I was very impressed with the property in Gibraltar. We looked at flats in Ocean Village, Anchorage and the Sails. They were all very bright and homely, and furnished to a high spec. I loved the apartment in the Sails — the sun streamed through the windows and it was very roomy.

The only problem was that the flats I loved all came with a chunky price tag, and I’d been told we could get more value for money by

So what did you think when you looked at properties in Spain?

I was truly amazed at what you could get for your money. We looked at several villas in Spain including Alcadeisa, Sotogrande and Manilva, all of which had private pools and were similar rent to the flats we saw in Gibraltar. It was really easy to be lured into and magic of renting somewhere incredible for the same price we were paying for our tiny flat back in London. The Costa Del Sol is also very beautiful — there are some beautiful beaches.

There are very English parts, but also more Spanish parts so I felt like it was the best of both worlds.

So what take you take in the end?

We took a three bedroom villa in Manilva.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

property file We fell in love with the place and although it was quite isolated, there were several things about Spain which swayed our decision.

Firstly, value for money.

Secondly, that we could feel like we were away from work — I was initially worried Gibraltar may feel a bit claustrophobic if we both worked and lived there. Plus, the commute was still reasonable as the villa is just 25 minutes from the border (nothing compared to my London commute!).

Thirdly, I really wanted to soak up the Spanish culture and I thought it would be too easy not to do that saying in Gibraltar.

What made you decide to then move into Gibraltar?

Although the house was great for lots of reasons, it began to feel very isolated as we tried to settle. As we were new to the area we wanted to be able to go out and meet people, but we were on the top of a very large hill, which meant a walk down to the pub would be impossible. As we moved in the winter, the pool we thought we’d benefit from became less of an advantage too. We’d also had lots of problems with the electricity in the house, which meant we’d get home from work and on several occasions be in total darkness.

All this combined was making settling into a new country quite difficult, and as we walked across the border each day I started to feel that living in Gibraltar would be much more convenient for both my social life and for work but with Spain still on my doorstep.

Where did you decide on in Gibraltar?

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

Apartment living in Gibraltar is the choice of Gary Bird after initially plumping for a villa in Spain

We decided on an apartment in Kings Wharf, which is a 10 minute walk to work. And it’s quite interesting, but my original concerns about the cost of renting a flat in Gibraltar were soon diminished as I didn’t have to rent a car anymore, or pay for petrol to commute every day. It saved me a fortune!

I also didn’t realise how much I’d miss being able to walk to the supermarket or to the high street. Gibraltar has a lot to offer in that sense.

Myself and my partner now have access to shops, a social scene in walking distance, and also use of a gym. And although my

opportunity to enjoy Spanish culture is not as great living in Gibraltar, Spain is still just a short walk away.

And finally, what is the piece of advice you’d give anyone who is moving?

Do your research. Spain and Gibraltar both have their advantages and suit different people for different reasons. Obviously if you have children for example, a place in Spain with plenty of space and a garden may suit your needs better. For me and my partner Gibraltar suits us perfectly. We are very happy here! n

35

history uncovered

Achmet’s Free Run of the Rock

by Reg Reynolds

He swept into town like a man on a flying carpet and he soon had everyone in Gibraltar catering to his every need. Everyone that is but the Governor.

Nadir Achmet Bey claimed to be the son of the late Mustapha IV, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and he certainly looked and played the part with his colourful robes, aristocratic bearing and impeccable manners.

Mustapha had been overthrown and assassinated in1808, less than a year after coming to power. His wives, his only child, an infant daughter, and all the women of the harem were also slain. But Achmet insisted that his mother had survived the massacre and given birth to him thus making him Mustapha’s heir.

Whether the citizens and soldiers believed his story or not they certainly treated Achmet like royalty. A traveller who was in Gibraltar at the time (1842) wrote that the handsome Muslim was “…popular with the whole garrison; had the entrée of all the best houses except that of the Governor who would never receive him and eventually forced him out of Gibraltar as a spy”.

The Governor of Gibraltar at the time was Sir Alexander Woodford a no-nonsense, 60-year-old Field Marshall. Despite his rejection of Achmet the garrison carried on as if there was nothing to worry about and continued to entertain their amusing guest at mess.

Achmet remained on best terms with military and society of the Rock, dining at the messes of the regiments and he was even made an honorary member of some of them. Achmet’s

Was Nadir Achmet Bey the son of Mustapha IV, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire?

favourite tipple was champagne but he called it ‘sherbet’ and never called it wine in order to reconcile the drinking of alcohol with his religious beliefs.

Before being banished from Gibraltar Achmet travelled to Morocco to meet with the Emperor, Hassan I. Hassan obviously believed Achmet’s story for he greeted him warmly and laid on an enormous retinue to serve him and a harem for other requirements.

Achmet stayed for a fortnight and on his departure was presented with a bounty of 1,000 eggs, 30 bullocks and an Arabian horse. He used the eggs to pay his hotel bill at Gibraltar. He presented one bullock to his favourite mess, that of the 7th Fusiliers, and sold the others. A young nobleman purchased the horse and shipped it to Ireland to help improve the breed there.

Hundreds of Gibraltarians waved goodbye as Nadir Achmet Bey sailed away but they would learn later that the old Governor had been correct all along.

Although Achmet wasn’t a spy he was a very successful imposter. As a correspondent for a London newspaper in Constantinople reported that the ‘clever’ man with the ‘distinguished manners’ was actually an Egyptian who had successfully passed himself off in a variety of guises including an Egyptian Officer, Ottoman General, Greek Prince and even as a Polish Colonel. n

Hundreds of Gibraltarians waved goodbye as Nadir Achmet Bey sailed away but they would learn later that the old Governor had been correct all along

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Fundraiser As part of the Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, a tea party was held by the ‘Eve Appeal’ local representative Pouneh Veen, whose mother is being treated for ovarian cancer.

The fundraising was held in Chilton Court Community Centre at the end of November, with the help of friends, Laura Leishman Jacobs who made 160 beautifully decorated cupcakes free of charge, Sonja Arthofer for providing children’s entertainment, Ramin Khalilian for providing music, and many more who helped with ticket sales.

Every year around 6,600 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the UK and 4,400 die from the disease. While treatment for ovarian cancer has advanced over the last 20 years, long-term survival rates have improved very little. The Eve Appeal funds ground breaking gynaecological cancer research focused on developing effective methods of prediction, detection, treatment and care that will help woman throughout the world. (Visit www. eveappeal.org.uk for more info.)

Thanks to Specialist Medical Clinic for the generous donation, Hallmark Gibraltar for gifts for auction and Morrison for vouchers. n

36

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

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history file

by Reg Reynolds Known as ‘Good Queen Anne’ by her subjects Queen Anne reigned from 1702 to 1714 and during that time Britain defeated France and Spain in the War of the Spanish Succession and continued to develop as the world’s greatest seapower. There were also considerable developments in science through Isaac Newton (gravity and mathematics), politics through John Locke (liberalism) and architecture through Christopher Wren (St. Paul’s Cathedral). Fine works of literature were also being written by the likes of Jonathon Swift (Gulliver’s Travels), Joseph Addison (founder of Spectator magazine) and Alexander Pope (An Essay on Criticism).

All of the above mentioned were Tory’s and were able to further their careers because Queen Anne favoured the Tory’s over the Whigs, who for most of her reign held the majority in Parliament.

Sir George Rooke, commander of the forces that captured Gibraltar in 1704 was also a Tory but in his case it worked against him. Jealous Whig ministers voted that the taking of Gibraltar was “unworthy of public gratitude”. This statement was made despite the fact the Royal Navy had for years been anxious to establish

Jealous Whig ministers voted that the taking of Gibraltar was “unworthy of public gratitude”

Good Queen Anne Our Brandy Nann In light of the announcement that first-born daughters will now succeed to the British throne ahead of younger brothers, newspaper articles pointed out that three of the best monarchs in British history were women — Elizabeth I, Victoria and Elizabeth II. But there was a fourth woman who deserves some recognition for the great achievements during her reign, not the least of which was the capture of Gibraltar.

38

a base at the entrance to the Mediterranean.

After this abuse from his countrymen, a sad and disillusioned Rooke, the hero of Gibraltar, went into retirement and died in 1709 aged just 58. By contrast the Duke of Marlborough (John Churchill), who led a British Army to victory at Blenheim, also in 1704, was granted a huge tract of land and had a castle built which remains in the Churchill family.

Queen Anne was born of catholic parents but due to the influence of prominent Anglicans she was raised as a protestant and even though she would be the last of the Scottish Stuarts to sit on the throne she declared that herself to be English and protestant.

When King Charles II died in 1686 Anne’s father became King James II. But he was a Roman Catholic *[see note] and wanted to rule without a parliament. This caused Parliament to call on William of Orange and Mary (Anne’s sister) to take the throne in 1688 in what was called the ‘Glorious Revolution’.

William and Mary had no children and so after their deaths — Mary in 1694 and William in 1702 — the crown passed to Anne. The only other pretender was her half-brother James a Roman Catholic living in exile in France.

During her rule Anne pushed for the Act of Union which would unite England and Scotland and this finally came into being in 1707. It was also near the end of her reign that the Treaty of Utrecht was signed giving Gibraltar to Britain in perpetuity.

Anne had married Prince George of Denmark and although she gave birth 17 times only one child, William, Duke of Gloucester, survived infancy, and he died aged just eleven. Both Anne and her husband were known to be fond of the drink. She was nicknamed ‘Brandy Nann’ and suffered terribly from gout. On the day of

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

community file her coronation her gout was so severe that she had to be carried to the throne in a specially designed sedan chair that allowed her train to flow through the back.

In the last years of her life Anne was extremely ill and mainly bedridden. Doctors treated her with bleeding and hot irons which undoubtedly

In the last years of her life Anne was extremely ill and mainly bedridden. Doctors treated her with bleeding and hot irons which undoubtedly contributed to her painful and early death at age 49 contributed to her painful and early death at age 49 on July 31st, 1714. Following are the first lines of a poem that recall her reign.

In seventeen hundred and two Queen Anne the

British realm directed, And ‘Semper Eadem’ the words for motto she

selected; In seventeen hundred and four by Rooke Gibraltar

was bombarded.

And Queen Anne’s bounty to the Church most

gen’rously awarded;

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • January 2012

Mo Bros Raise Money for Prostate Cancer Support Wayne Acris, Steven Garcia, Joe Pickering and Lawerence Stagnetto from the Department of Pathology at St. Bernard’s Hospital took part in Movember in November 2011 and raised around £500 for the Prostate Cancer Support Group. Well done to them for helping raise awareness for this very important charity.

* Note: On 28 October 2011, during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth, Australia, it was unanimously agreed that succession laws in the UK and in other Commonwealth realms would be changed, so that sons of any future monarch would no longer be preferred over daughters. This

change will not apply retroactively, only affecting the descendants of Charles, Prince of Wales. It was also agreed that the ban on the monarch being married to a Roman Catholic would be lifted, although the monarch would still need to be in communion with the Church of England.

39

Daor

From the Bleeding River...

10 years ago, Andy Crawford, Mark Byrne, and Liam Perez, left Gibraltar with their respective guitars and double bass pedals, a suitcase full of metal music and ideas, and the hope of establishing themselves within Nottingham’s developing music scene. After recruiting guitarist Paul Doughty and vocalist Tom Walker a couple of years ago, DAOR have built an extensive portfolio of appearances in the UK, and maintained a substantial East Midlands fan base.

Creating a sound of their own, and with the release of their EP, From The Bleeding River, the band has recently recorded a video for The Truth, The Way, The Gun, which has aired on Sky channel MetalTuune, and is working towards its second video from the EP.

Although DAOR has only existed for just over two years with the current line-up, the band has been around for nine years. “We started off as a bunch of spotty teenagers playing ’90s covers, and ended up playing in a metal band,” recalls Andy (bass player).

Going through an array of band names, they finally settled for DAOR (pronounced Day-Ore), which is “life without the belief in superstition, the supernatural or religion. It is a realisation that there are no ethereal forces influencing our existence, and that life is merely an aggregation of the chemicals that give rise to it,” explains Mark (guitarist).

Mark and Liam (drummer) have known each other since the age of four, and Andy age 12. “Growing up together in Gibraltar, we each played with different bands, making our first appearances at the GASA club aged 16, where we played a few songs by Nirvana, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Pearl Jam

“

to name a few,” says Liam.

“I guess our inspiration came from listening to the bands we grew up with. Personally, I didn’t pick up a guitar until the age of 15, which is relatively late. I remember listening to Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana, lying on my bed, and it just hit me. The buzz and excitement I felt there and then was indescribable, and I knew I wanted to play in a band, and make other people feel that rush,” Mark explains.

They decided to take their music a bit more seriously, and moved to the UK aged 18 in the hope of doing something with their music, recruiting guitarist Paul Doughty after bumping into him on a night

We started off as a bunch of spotty teenagers playing ’90s covers, and ended up playing in a metal band Liam Perez

40

”

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

show time

by Jolene Gomez out. After their original vocalist Shaun Neale left the UK, the band were in need of a new vocalist, and started advertising for auditions around Nottingham.

“Tom Walker applied for the vacant vocalist position a couple of years back. We had been looking for a new vocalist for a long time, and it was the band’s biggest challenge to date. I think Tom was the 78th applicant! We were almost ready to throw in the towel at that point, but as soon as we heard this guy’s voice we all looked at each other and knew we were on to something good,” Liam explains.

Listening to The Haunted, At The Gates and Lamb of God, and more recently newer bands like The Black Dahlia Murder and All Shall Perish, one can find elements of these bands in their style.

However, DAOR was not always a metal band, and in fact thew musicians listen to a whole load of other genres. “That does surprise some people — that someone in an extreme, heavy band would also listen to more popular music, but to us it seems perfectly normal.

“Most of modern music is based on the major-minor tonalities developed by Bach over 300 years ago, so for anyone to restrict themselves to a particular genre seems rather illogical to me. I try to keep myself listening to many different bands on a daily basis. If you were to look at my iPod right now you would find anything from Jamiroquai, Slayer, Paco de Lucía or JayZ,” Mark admits.

DAOR strives to create a unique sound, which cannot be classified under a particular genre. “I think the easier it is to apply a genre label to an artist, then the more boring that artist tends to be, whereas the artists who are impossible to pigeonhole tend to be the more

Mark Byrne

“

We are never going to get rich doing what we do.

You have to be in this because you love it. In that respect, it is music in its purest form exciting, innovative and progressive ones. Take bands like System Of A Down, Tool, Meshuggah and Breed 77 as examples. They don’t sound like anyone else and have their own fresh and unique style, which is unlike anything else out there. This is what we are working towards,” Andy confirms.

All members are involved in the song writing process at some point. As Tom explains, “It usually starts with one of the guitarists or the bassist laying down some riffs that go well together, and people start bouncing ideas off each other, which then grow into a full song. I handle the lyrical

Andy Crawford GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

”

content ­— most of it pretty angry, as you’d expect.”

DAOR has kept busy recently, playing all over the UK in Chester, Rhyl (north Wales), Liverpool, Brighton, Nottingham, London and Peterborough. “We’ve had the privilege to have shared the stage with a lot of great bands, some of whom we grew up listening to, such as Napalm Death and Raging Speedhorn, and bands that are making major waves in the industry right now, such as TesseracT, Architects, Devil Sold His Soul and The Red Chord. Our biggest achievement has been playing with Napalm Death, as modern metal

would be nothing like it is today, if it weren’t for these pioneers. We are quietly confident that our biggest achievements are yet to come though,” Liam says.

“Our focus is on playing as many shows as possible, and getting as many people to listen to our music. We are never going to get rich doing what we do. You have to be in this because you love it. In that respect, it is music in its purest form,” Andy explains.

The band has been busy filming its latest video, for The Truth, The Way, The Gun, which proved to be daunting experience. It was filmed at RAF Upwood, which was used during both World Wars and the Cold War era, closed down by the MoD in 1995, and is now a derelict wasteland.

“We did it inside one of the buildings that had been burned down recently, so it looked great, but we were breathing in ash and fumes for over 10 hours whilst filming. Absolute hell. I had to shower three times after, and we were all coughing up black stuff for days. Horrible. The video looks very good though, so I guess it was worth it,” says Paul smiling.

With regards to the talent in Gibraltar, the band believes record label people would do well to head here, and see it for themselves, “because we are lucky enough to have a disproportionate amount of talent in our little town.

There is an amazing pool of talent in Gibraltar — phenomenal, pas-

41

music file sionate and dedicated musicians.

We would love to play in Gibraltar sooner rather than later, so watch this space,” Mark confirms.

To anyone in a band or thinking of getting into a band, the guys offer some advice. “Firstly, get a good manager, to take care of the admin side of being in a band, so you can concentrate on playing the music you love. Secondly, you will probably be familiar with the type of people who will say to you

“

There is an amazing pool of talent in Gibraltar — phenomenal, passionate and dedicated musicians

”

you will never make it or get anywhere playing that music. Who cares? People make music no one hears all the time, like singing in the shower, whistling whilst walking the dog, and drumming fingers on the desk at the office. We do this because it’s fun to make noise. Every time you hear someone tell you you’ll never amount

Paul Doughty & Tom Walker

to anything, smile, pick up your instrument, and be glad you’re not one of them.” n For more information on DAOR,

check out their website www.daor. co.uk, and their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/DAOR667.

Their EP From The Bleeding River is

available to order from their website, Rock on The Rock Club, or digitally on iTunes, Amazon, Play.com, 7Digital, HMV and Spotify.

Sibanda’s Return to Gibraltar...

Gibraltar is part of the setting for a new science fiction novel, written by South African-American writer and film director Ken Sibanda.

The novel takes place in four important places — the United States, Spain, Gibraltar and Africa, and the protagonist, Horace Bates, a young African-American, travels back in time, to help an ethnic group in trouble.

The founders of the Moorish empire were led by Al Tariq, who named the Rock, Jabil al Tariq. Horace returns to the time of Al Tariq, thus providing the title of the novel, The Return To Gibraltar.

Although Ken has not visited Gibraltar yet, he says he would love to embrace the history and culture Gibraltar has to offer, and promote

Horace Bates, a young African American, travels back in time, to help an ethnic group in trouble 42

the book here as well.

The book is already available to everyone via Kindle and Nook, and hard copies will slowly find themselves into Gibraltar’s book shops.

They can also be requested from the distributor Baker and Taylor. A local release is in the pipeline for 2012. Watch this space. n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

fashion

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GIBRALTAR GIBRALTAR MAGAziNE MAGAZINE •• JANUARY JANUARY 2012 2012

43 43

health & well-being The Mummy and Me Breastfeeding Support Group was established last February, after group founder, Tamsin Suarez — who has trained with La Leche League since having her fifth child Cassielle in 2008 — came up with the idea of setting up a La Leche League group in Gibraltar.

“I had been chatting to a midwife about the lack of peer support in Gibraltar with regards to breast-feeding, as I was often stopped by strangers in the street and asked for breastfeeding advice,” Tamsin explains.

The group’s purpose is to inform mums and mums-to-be, and their partners and families, about breast-feeding facts, as well as addressing any questions and problems that come up whilst breast-feeding.

Breast-feeding contributes to the health of mother and child in the short- and long-term, and provides all the nutrients a baby needs.

Current UK policy is to promote exclusive

“

At the moment around 10 to 15 mums turn up to the meetings. It is also a great place to get to know other mums whose babies are the same age as yours

Mummy& Me

Breastfeeding Support Group:

A Natural Choice 44

”

breast-feeding (feeding only breast milk) for the first six months, continuing for as long as the mother and baby wish while gradually introducing a more varied diet.

Peer support is very important to mums new to breast-feeding, as it gives them a base where they can talk to other mums who may be going through the same experiences as them, and can offer support and advice.

“At the moment we have more than 100 members on our Facebook group, which is growing everyday and is very active. Around 10 to 15 mums turn up to the meetings. It is also a great place to get to know other mums whose babies are the same age as yours,” Tamsin adds. The hall is well-equipped with toys and mats and these are put out for the babies and toddlers to enjoy while mums can chat.

Mothers come and chat over coffee or tea, about all aspects of breast-feeding and child care. Guest speakers, such as midwives and health visitors, are invited to chat about different topics, and at the most recent meeting Belinda Mortell, a qualified dietician, gave a talk about weaning in the first year and beyond, which was open to breast-feeders and non breast-feeders alike.

“This was done as we felt there was a lot of

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

health & well being

by Jolene Gomez

conflicting information being offered, and unfortunately the booklets offered at the health centre are old, outdated, and offer advice no longer recommended by the NHS in UK,” Tamsin confirms.

Breast-feeding is very much a personal decision, and according to Tamsin, more needs to be done to promote the health aspects of breast-feeding, to both mums and babies and to encourage them to breast-feed.

Breast-feeding mums need to follow a healthy diet, and most importantly, enjoy their babies by relaxing and letting nature take care of the baby’s nutrients. It is the healthiest way to feed, and there is less chance the baby will suffer from infections, constipation, eczema and other conditions. Instant formula doesn’t give your baby the same ingredients or provide the same protection, whereas breast milk adapts to meet the child’s changing needs.

Mothers can also benefit from breast-feeding their baby, at it lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, naturally uses up to 500 calories a day, and can help build a strong physical and emotional bond between mother and baby. It’s free — infant formula, the sterilising equipment and feeding equipment can be costly — and is available whenever and wherever your baby needs a feed. It can also provide the mother with a great sense of achievement.

“The local midwives are great, and give a great deal of time to help a mum to breast-feed her baby. The problem is when the mums go home, they have no one to turn to. I would personally like to see a breast-feeding clinic run by trained midwives, in addition to the peer support that is provided by Mummy and Me. The majority of the population encourage breastfeeding, but it needs to be practised more in public to become more acceptable,” Tamsin explains.

“I would also like to see information and education being given to children in the schools, as there is no information in Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) on healthy lifestyles or breast-feeding, and many mums are unaware of the benefits or even how to breastfeed and babies go straight to bottles. This could also be discussed with midwives, whilst the mother is pregnant, in an information programme for expectant mothers. I also think the local health authority need to give breast-feeding a push and put it out to the community.”

Although Gibraltar has a bottle feeding culture, due to previous generations being told to bottle feed their children, the benefits of breastfeeding are coming back into the limelight, and the response to the new support group has been great. Many mums need reassurance and support when they may not have the support at home, as their mothers or mothers-in-law have not experienced this aspect of parenthood. n The group meets on the first Wednesday of the month at Chilton Court Community Hall, at 1.30pm. Other meetings and locations are arranged via their Facebook group. For more information, check out the Mummy and Me Facebook group, or contact Tamsin directly on mobile: 54014517. She is willing to answer any breast-feeding questions, and offer support and reassurance to mums who need it, and is also available to attend local parent and child playgroups, and chat to the attendees.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

“

The majority of the population encourage breastfeeding, but it needs to be practised more in public to become more acceptable

”

Myth Busters: Common Misconceptions Many myths and stories about breastfeeding have been passed down through family and friends, but some are inaccurate or out-of-date. See how many you’ve heard, and separate fact from fiction: Myth 1: “It’s not that popular, only a few women do it” FACT:

78% of women in England start breastfeeding.

Myth 2: “Breastfeeding will make my breasts saggy” FACT:

Breastfeeding doesn’t cause your breasts to sag, but the ageing process and losing or putting on weight can all have an effect.

Myth 3: “Infant formula is basically the same as breast milk” FACT:

Infant formula isn’t the same as breast milk. It’s not a living product so it doesn’t have the antibodies, living cells, enzymes or hormones that protect your baby from infections and diseases later in life.

Myth 4: “People don’t like women breastfeeding in public” FACT: Surveys actually show that the majority of people don’t mind women breast feeding in public at all. The more it’s done, the more normal it will become.

Myth 5: “Breastfeeding is easy for some women, but some don’t produce enough milk” FACT:

Almost all women are physically able to breastfeed. It’s a skill every woman needs to learn and practise before it becomes easy. It happens more quickly for some women than others, but nearly all women can produce the amount of milk their baby needs.

45

Dr. Marco Vricella, HC Marbella Hospital

8FMDPNF XJUI $POGJEFODF

5IJT TIPVME CF ZPVS ZFBS PG XFMM CFJOH CPEZ DPOGJEFODF BOE MPPLJOH HSFBU 4FUUJOH HPBMT BU UIF CFHJOOJOH PG UIF /FX :FBS JT BO FGGFDUJWF XBZ UP BDIJFWF SFOFXFE EJSFDUJPO BOE NPUJWBUJPO JO MJGF 5ZQJDBMMZ UIFZ GPDVT BSPVOE IFBMUI XFMM CFJOH BOE DPOGJEFODF *OFWJUBCMZ NVDI PG PVS DPOGJEFODF JT MJOLFE UP PVS TFMG JNBHF BOE TP BU UIJT UJNF PG ZFBS UIFSF JT JODSFBTFE NBSLFUJOH BOE TQFDJBM PGGFST GSPN CVTJOFTTFT TVDI BT HZNT CFBVUZ TBMPOT BOE DPTNFUJD TVSHFPOT 2VBMJUZ BOE TFSWJDF Aria Medical Group has always differentiated itself through its service and dedication to clients in Gibraltar; and its focus on maintaining the highest levels of excellence in cosmetic surgery and safety.

The firm does not treat cosmetic procedures as a commodity, differentiated only by price. “For me, this is a question of beauty and helping people realise their personal beauty. My cosmetic surgery can fundamentally change the way someone feels about themselves, and how they enjoy their lives� comments Dr. Marco Vricella, founder of Aria Medical Group.

He continues, “We will always try to be competitive on price, but more importantly we want to offer the best possible result with a caring, personalised service. So for example, if a client comes to me for a breast augmentation, one of our most popular procedures, we will always propose the very best quality implants available, ensuring the client can enjoy their new look, completely confident that they have a natural, safe and high quality implant. We always invest in the best medical care, and have a team of the best people in their field, including Louise Truelove, our chief Patient Care Coordinator, and Damien Moore, my clinical director. All our prices are inclusive without hidden extras and aftercare is free. We are dedicated to great results, in a friendly, professional environment.

That is more important to our clients than saving a few euro with a supermarket-style clinic, where clients can feel nervous, and without professional care.�

Aria Medical Group offers free, private, no obligation consultations in Gibraltar, where you

have the opportunity to speak directly with Dr. Marco Vricella. Also, Louise Truelove will also be able to put you in touch with other clients who have had cosmetic procedures, so you can hear about their experiences and get a realistic view on how it might not only improve the way you look but also your self confidence.

'SFF $POTVMUBUJPOT So, if one of your New Year goals is for a New You, why not book a confidential consultation and find out more about cosmetic surgery from the company that always puts its clients first.

Dr. Vricella holds free consultations at College Clinic, Regal House, Gibraltar every 2 weeks – for dates and to book an appointment please call:

+ 34 952 895 088 or email:

info@ariamedicalgroup.com

www.ariamedicalgroup.com

Cosmetic Surgery | Non Surgical Procedures | Cosmetic Dentistry

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Book your consultation By phone: (+34) 952 895 088 in English (+34) 662 936 058 en Espa単ol Or online: info@ariamedicalgroup.com

Dr. Marco Vricella Director of the Aesthetic Surgery unit at HC Marbella Hospital

FREE Consultations | Gibraltar |

Marbella

|

Madrid

health & medical directory

health& fitness Bell Pharmacy

McTimoney Chiropractor

Your Family Chemists

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

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

CHEMISTS

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

PASSANO OPTICIANS LTD

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

Tel: 200 44797

British Registered Optometrists

Chiropodists

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

John W Miles BSc (Podiatry), MChS College Clinic, Regal House Tel: 200 77777

ChiropraCtors 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

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 Tel: 200 44226

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

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

The Health Store

5 City Mill Lane, Gibraltar. Tel: 20073765

Health Stores The Health Store 5 City Mill Lane. Tel: 200 73765

Suppliers of Glucosamine, Ginkgo Biloba and all vitamins.

Body Building Products (Creatine etc) Open: 9am - 1pm & 3pm - 6pm

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

JOHN W. MILES

HEARING CENTRE

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

Opticians / Optometrists

BSc (Podiatry), M.Ch.S

Gache & Co Limited 266 Main Street. Tel: 200 75757

STATE REGISTERED CHIROPODIST

L. M. Passano Optometrist 38 Main Street. Tel: 200 76544

Treatment of all Foot Problems • Ingrown Toe-nails including Surgical Removal

OSTEOPATHS

• Biomechanical Analysis for Insoles / Orthotics including Children

Joma Ormrod (BOst.) (female) Atlantic Suites Health Club & Spa Europort Tel: 200 48147 www.atlanticosteopathy.com

• Wart (Verruca) Clinic • Diabetics

PERSONAL TRAINERS

Tel: 200 77777

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

College Clinic, Regal House, Queensway TEL: 54029587 FOR HOME VISITS

Need somebody to talk to?

Isabella Jimenez BSc (hons) 3/8 Turnbull’s Lane Tel: 54002226 email: jimenez.isabella@gmail.com

Physicians

Dr Norbert V Borge FRCP (London) 7-9 Cornwall’s Lane Tel/Fax: 200 75790 Specialist Medical Centre Unit F7 ICC Casemates Square Tel: 200 49999 Fax: 200 49999 Email: info@smg.gi

Psychologist

7 days a week 6-10pm

48 what a page turner! www.thegibraltarmagazine.com

Clinical Psychologist Tel: +34 661 007 261 Email: vivianabot3007@yahoo.es

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

?

health & well-being

l

Osteo-Arthritis & Rheumatoid Arthritis:

What’s the difference

by Joma Ormrod (BOst.) Registered Osteopath, Atlantic Suites Health Spa

As part of an osteopathic consultation I ask my patients about any family history of medical problems. Often they mention their parents or grandparents have suffered from arthritis but when asked if they know which type of arthritis it is/was they usually don’t, so I thought it would be good to clear things up!

There are two main types of our joints become restricted in movement, the capsules that surarthritis: round them stop producing as much synovial fluid as they are not Osteoarthritis (OA) Also known as ‘wear & tear’, being stimulated. Synovial fluid is this is the most common form of to the body what engine oil is to a arthritis and can occur in people car, and by articulating the joints of any age although it is most we can keep them ‘well-oiled’ frequently seen in the older gen- giving more freedom of movement and less stiffness. eration.

The condition is characterised by a breakdown of the cartilage, Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) This type of arthritis is unforcausing pain, stiffness, inflammation and swelling. Symptoms can tunately very common, affecting be worse first thing in the morn- women more than men. This ing and also after “over-doing it” develops as a result of a problem with activities such as gardening, known as an ‘autoimmune’ condidecorating and playing with the tion where the immune system grandchildren!

The aim of osteopathic treatment for osteoarthritis is to gently take the affected joints through their range of movement, known as articulation, while also easing muscle tension and improving blood supply to the area. When

attacks the body.

Joints will become very painful, swollen and stiff and can leave the person feeling unwell and this type of arthritis can be triggered by a preceding period of illness.

It most commonly affects joints in a bilateral nature, meaning that both hands, both feet, both shoulders, etc, are usually affected, however, it can develop in any joints of the body.

Rheumatoid arthritis can also be worse first thing in the morning however it takes much longer, a few hours, to ease compared to approximately 30 minutes for osteoarthritis. It can be distinguished from

The objective of treatment is to gently increase joint range of movement, promote circulation and ease muscular tension

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

osteoarthritis with a simple blood test looking at the ‘ESR’, which will be higher in rheumatoid arthritis.

There are many medications available and prognosis can be positive if caught early enough.

Similarly to osteoarthritis, the objective of treatment is to gently increase joint range of movement, promote circulation and ease muscular tension. Treatment is recommended on a 4-6 weekly basis to maintain good quality of movement and prevent symptoms due to compensation from restricted joint movement.

For both types of arthritis Osteopaths can advise on gentle exercises and stretches to continue the effects of treatment and improve quality of life. Keeping active will keep your circulatory system in good working order and prevent the onset of osteoporosis, a weakening of the bone which can lead to fractures. n

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sports file

tennis talent

Lindsay Serves You Right!

Driven, determined, ambitious and self-confessed ‘addict’, Lindsay De Haro is the doyenne of Gibraltar tennis at the peak of an intense career spanning over a decade.

Lindsay will be a hard act to follow when she eventually retires.

Which she has no intention of doing any time soon, feeling at her strongest, most agile, skilled and focused as she grows in her sporting maturity.

In fact, after her success at this year ’s Island Games in the Isle of Wight, she is already looking forward to her participation in Bermuda’s 2013 games, both with training and... fundraising exercises.

With a medal tally so heavy she cannot list off the top of her head her every victory since her debut in 1998, Lindsay is a sports machine whose life revolves around a well organised tight schedule where work and play are well balanced to set aside some quality time.

50

“Sunday lunch with the family is sacred,” she says, adding that they support her fully in her endeavour to proudly represent Gibraltar internationally.

Fortunately, Lindsay’s husband is a squash player, so he understands her waking up at six o’clock three times a week to go for a 30minute jog and then again dash to the tennis court after work for an extra hour or two.

At 33, an athlete may be considered ‘old’, but Lindsay feels fit enough to keep up with younger players, thanks to her versatility, experience, resilience, fortitude and stamina — despite having suffered from torn ligament in her right shoulder, which didn’t prevent her from entering the 2007 Island Games, where she was serving underhand, before undergoing surgery in the UK.

With a medal tally so heavy she cannot list off the top of her head her every victory since her debut in 1998, Lindsay is a sports machine

Intense physical activity is her way to ‘sweat off’ the stress from her demanding job as a Department of Social Security manager, which deals with people facing financial hardship and very sensitive and emotional family situations.

So much so that being an international tennis star isn’t enough for Lindsay, who is an accomplished hockey left mid-fielder with the local Eagles, too. Right now she is concentrating more on the latter, training for the forthcoming European Cup to be held next spring.

She likes the social aspect of hockey, the team effort that allows for weaving solid friendships, while tennis is a technical and solitary sport. Unless of course she’s playing doubles with good friend Amanda Carreras!

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

sports file

by Elena Scialtiel A bit of a perfectionist who aims at excelling at everything she does, she would pick tennis any time over any other sport, because she feels she was born for the racket and the thrill of owning the court.

At this point in her life, she regrets however she didn’t get the chance — or the courage — in her teens to move to America for a scholarship in a prestigious tennis academy.

Although she laments there was no such bursary available then, money wasn’t the only object.

Lindsay was a timid family-oriented girl, understandably not ready to leave her homeland behind and take a leap of faith into the big unknown.

Indeed, she started playing tennis quite late, at the age of 13, and as a means to ‘cure’ her shyness.

Soon she realised she loved it, she was good at it, and fast became addicted to competition.

Not willing to stake her future on the pursuit of a pro career, she made the sensible choice of studying for a secure job, relegating her dream to the comfort zone of a hobby she takes more seriously than a vocation, because she knows it is her path and purpose in life.

She would have also liked to be a professional coach, and join the Spanish federation to play tournaments on a weekly basis, and attain international ranking for herself and her prospective students.

Perhaps Gibraltar will be represented one day at Wimbledon or Roland Garros — for which a top 200 ranking is needed, she sighs.

It’s a ‘Catch 22’ situation — to make it in international tournaments, players need a decent ranking, but to climb the ranking ladder they must compete in virtually every tournament, which is expensive and time-consuming.

She feels there is a lot of potential in Gibraltar tennis. It has a glorious international reputation, and raises quite an interest with young girls, in whose midst Lindsay has

already spotted some heirs to her crown, provided they work on their eagerness, speed and drive to go for every ball.

Unfortunately, money, or lack thereof, comes again in the equation. Lindsay believes if potential champions weren’t sidelined by the distraction of securing their livelihood, they would channel their energy towards flying the Gibraltar flag at higher levels.

This is a minor hiccup which shouldn’t put off anyone dreaming of emulating her. Any sport you pick, you must do it for the personal satisfaction you draw from it, and the pride of being your country’s ambassador. And for the sightseeing and experiences you get as a bonus when you travel to exotic countries... n

To make it in international tournaments, players need a decent ranking, but to climb the ranking ladder they must compete in virtually every tournament

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

51

profile

Joe Desoisa

the man with a nuclear heritage

by Mike Brufal

Joe Desoisa, 78, is a nuclear physicist who, after a glittering career in the UK, returned to the Rock to retire. His proposed tranquil retirement was interrupted by the arrival of nuclear submarine, HMS Tireless. He was asked by the Chief Minister to watch over the repairs to ensure there was no danger of nuclear fall out. Later he was appointed Chairman of the Gibraltar Heritage Trust where he spent seven memorable years.

But let’s go back to the beginning. When the Second World War order was issued for non-essential Gibraltarians to be evacuated from the Rock, Joe, aged six, went with his pregnant mother, grandfather and younger brother and sister to Casablanca. His mother gave birth to a daughter there and when the evacuees were ordered to return to the Rock, they brought the days old baby with them.

Tragically his sister died a month later on the night the French bombed the Rock. Incredibly, the family were evacuated by ship to the UK the very next day.

The family were housed in King’s College, Kensington and some time later his grandfather was fatally wounded during an air raid — one of the few Gibraltarians to be killed during the evacuation. Tragedy intervened again when Joe was diagnosed with TB of the spine, contracted during the first five years of his life living in the bad conditions prevalent in Gibraltar’s Old Town. In those days there were no drugs to deal with the condition and during the first phase of the cure he was strapped to a contraption for two years and not allowed to move. The only

52

exercise was when a flap was opened under his legs, which could be moved ever so slightly.

The treatment took place at the Queen Mary’s Hospital for Children in Carshalton, Surrey and meant separation from his family and living with some 40 child patients. Phase two was to be encased in plaster for 18 months, and finally in a light-weight removable cast — as there was some mobility the patient became an ‘up case’.

Education was limited at the hospital with teachers arriving on an irregular basis; however despite the handicap Joe learned to read and count.

In 1944 the V bombs raids started and the Desoisa family was sent to Northern Ireland while the hospital patients were evacuated to

During the first phase of the cure he was strapped to a contraption for two years and not allowed to move

a hospital near Durham. Joe was on his own with no visitors.

Incredibly the family returned to Gibraltar in 1944 with Joe remaining at the hospital until 1946. However, life was not without its excitements. One young patient fell in love, so he thought, with a nurse and asked Joe to help organise a breakout. Another four were recruited and clothes borrowed from patients with the plan that after leaving the hospital the escapees would hide in the nearby woods. As Joe did not wish to stumble around in the dark, it was decided to break out during twilight.

Alas the best laid schemes go awry and the sextet walked straight into the arms of the duty night sister. Joe and some others made it back to their beds, tried and failed to change into pyjamas before the nurses arrived and pulled back the bedcovers to find the miscreants. Joe, as a ringleader, was punished by being placed in a screened-off corner of the ward for a month which was the nearest the ward sister could get to solitary confinement.

In March 1946 Joe returned to Gibraltar only able to hobble, with a minimum of education,

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

profile

Undergraduates (Joe is centre)

speaking English with a cockney accent and not a word of Spanish. Brother Fearon was his headmaster at the Sacred Heart School and Joe’s main objective was to catch up with his education.

His headmaster doubted his ability to get into the grammar school but agreed to put him into the top class and hope for the best. By hard work, and the help of his father teaching him maths, he passed the 12 plus. He is proud that his illness was not taken into consideration.

He says it was a joy to be taught by the Christian Brothers and he gained the required number of O levels for entry into the Sixth Form.

He found a natural ability to master chemistry and told the headmaster that science would be his chosen A level subjects. Unfortunately there were no teachers available as the highest level taught was O level chemistry. The headmaster said if that was his wish, he would have to teach himself. O level physics was achieved in one year from scratch and A level physics and chemistry were passed with the highest grade, but Maths had to be retaken.

He was also appointed head of house and head boy. He was the second Grammar School head boy succeeding Alex Dellipiani. In those far off days the head boy sported two stripes on the blazer with prefects confined to a single stripe.

He was awarded the single Gibraltar Government scholarship of the year and, through the Colonial Office, took up a place at St Andrew’s University to read physics with maths as the subsidiary subject.

St Andrew’s University, which celebrates the 600th anniversary of its foundation this year, has a reputation of a high rate of marriage

Leading Nelson House on school sports day

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

between its undergraduates as evidenced by the recent marriage of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Joe did exactly that, met Muriel in his first year (she was also reading physics), and some years later they married. Today they have two children.

In those days there was no difficulty getting a job, especially with a good science degree. He decided on a career in nuclear fusion or nuclear fission. The first is the process in which hydrogen atoms are fused together at incredibly high temperatures and is how the sun produces the energy to sustain life on earth. Nuclear fission produces energy by splitting heavy element atoms such as uranium and plutonium, but it also produces highly radioactive and long-lived waste products, he explains.

In mid-1959 the Harwell Atomic Energy Research Establishment announced success had been reached in creating controlled nuclear fusion which would have led to the provision of inexhaustible energy supplies. Joe had already

Joe accepted a job with the Atomic Energy Authority working with nuclear fission reactors — a higher grade and a move to the remotest part of Scotland

Bleak northern Scotland

been offered a job at Harwell, but on the strength of this announcement English Electric decided to set up a research group and recruited Joe as junior member of a quartet at a salary of £825.

Joe, although just a raw graduate, was doubtful of the Harwell claims. Later that year Harwell admitted the research results had been misinterpreted and withdrew the claim. Joe remarks that today, despite billions of pounds spent on research, humanity is no closer to achieving the Holy Grail of controlled nuclear fusion.

Joe accepted a job with the Atomic Energy Authority working with nuclear fission reactors — a reduction in salary but a higher grade and a move to the Dounreay nuclear establishment near Thurso, Caithness, the site of the fast nuclear reactor, in the remotest, most barren and windiest part of Scotland. The only compensation was striking views of the Northern Lights.

At Dounreay he spent three years working in the experimental criticality department where the team worked with nuclear materials and explored the configuration of critical systems.

Relaxing in hospital

53

profile When Joe had learned the basics of nuclear power physics, he decided to find a job down South. He moved to the Central Electricity Generating Board’s nuclear research facilities at Berkeley — the site of the first civil nuclear power station opened by the Queen in 1956.

The CEGB built a research laboratory alongside the power station. At the time the CEGB was responsible for every aspect of electricity generation and distribution which covered coal, gas, nuclear and hydro.

Joe’s responsibilities included reactor design, reactor safety and reactor economics. The highlight of his time at Berkeley was a joint project carried out with the Atomic Energy Authority in 1981. The Windscale nuclear reactor was about to be de-commissioned so it was thought to be a heaven sent opportunity to test research-based theoretical predictions. The task was to carry out 100 experiments during which the reactor was taken way past its operating limits. Joe had the responsibility of doing all the mathematical calculations. This was a huge laborious task which took 18 months to complete. The amazing fact is his calculations were never checked by anyone else, the view being the figures looked reasonable.

One experiment that stands out was when the reactor cooling system was deliberately shut down while the reactor was operating at full power, resulting in temperatures within the reactor increasing until emergency circulating pumps kicked in to provide 15% of normal reactor cooling power. Joe’s calculations were spot on, proving the safety mechanism worked properly and validating the design theoretical models then in use, which gave the team confidence to press on with the programme of future nuclear power.

The recent Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan occurred when the gigantic tsunami wave swept away all the emergency cooling plant, necessitating cooling with sea water even though some degree of fuel meltdown occured.

The Chernobyl disaster of 1986 was larger scale and for very different reasons. It delivered a huge blow to the public support the nuclear industry had enjoyed and undermined the selfconfidence of the workers within the industry.

Joe saw the end of his career approaching and by 1990 staff were being offered redundancy.

He was fortunate to be granted early retirement with a full pension. However, his own confidence in nuclear power remains.

In 1999, following an operation the previous year, Muriel and Joe decided to retire to Gibraltar. Shortly after their arrival, HMS Tireless, a nuclear submarine limped into Gibraltar harbour with what turned out to be a crack in a cooling pipe near the reactor. At first it was thought the presence of the damaged nuclear submarine might endanger the health of those living on the Rock and neighbouring Campo de Gibraltar. The Chief Minister, on learning there was a distinguished nuclear physicist on the Rock, called on Joe for help.

Joe’s brief was to contact experts he knew in the UK and elsewhere and set up a committee to oversee the work alongside the MOD experts. He was given a three day deadline which meant he was on the telephone continuously for

72 hours.

Joe was invited on board and allowed to go anywhere he wanted on the submarine and ask whatever questions he thought appropriate. He quickly formed the opinion there was no possibility of a release of radioactivity — it was no more than an engineering fault; an important pipe near the reactor springing a leak. It still took a year to repair but there was never the slightest chance of a radiation leak.

He wrote a couple of articles about his experiences for The Gibraltar Chronicle. The Tireless incident showed him how Gibraltar still fulfils a

Unveiling of Rooke statue — Joe (right) with Minister Beltran

The amazing fact is his calculations were never checked by anyone else, the view being the figures looked reasonable

Windscale Atomic Research Centre

54

vital service for the Royal Navy as it did in 1805 enabling Nelson’s great victory at Trafalgar.

There was no be respite to his workload as he was soon drafted in as Chairman of the Gibraltar Heritage Trust where he found a wonderful board of trustees and the incomparable Brenda Soisa. Excellent relations were established with Governor Sir Derek Reffell and the Friends of Gibraltar Heritage Society and a host of projects completed which included the Marshman murals, the Garrison Library gardens, the Bedenham memorial, and the Rooke and Nelson statues. After five years he became the longest serving Chairman and, after handing the baton to Joe Ballantine, stayed on for another year as a Government nominated trustee.

One of his most memorable achievements was the restoration of the Council Chamber in the City Hall, a project started by Alexis Almeda and completed during Joe’s term of office.

His parting contribution to heritage was when the Chief Minister, Peter Caruana, asked him to prepare plans for the restoration of the Main Guard in John Mackintosh Square — the office of the Gibraltar Heritage Trust. John Langdon drew up a splendid plan which was handed to then Minister for Heritage, Fabian Vinet. So far so good until the Chief Minister decided to lower the square to its original design. An alternative site for the public toilets had to be found and Mr Caruana decided they should be relocated to the ground floor of the Main Guard.

Joe went into battle, writing to each member of the Trust asking for lobbying to begin and to the Chief Minister complaining about the decision.

Joe was eventually able to convince the Chief Minister to place the toilets underground in the square.

Another success story he remembers was the successful intervention preventing the funicular, up the north end of the Rock, from being built.

“This would have defaced the Rock and would amounted to a cultural Chernobyl,” says Joe. Throughout this time Joe has been an active member of the Gibraltar Masonic Institute. He was Worshipful Master on three separate occasions, twice in one lodge, once in another. Masonry is unique on the Rock as there are lodges under the English Constitution, the Scottish Constitution and the Irish Inspectorate — all meet in the same building, Prince Edward’s Road, at different times.

Surprisingly Joe has never been asked by anyone on the Rock, except for Chief Minister Peter Caruana, to talk about his life as a nuclear physicist.

Joe concluded with some comments about Gibraltar’s heritage: “Heritage management has changed over the years and not for the better. I think UNESCO full heritage status should have been applied for. Heritage policy is never consistent; either you allow development which smothers heritage or you restrict the concrete and concentrate on preserving heritage. It was clearly much more beneficial for the commercial prosperity of Gibraltar to go down the former route. There has been massive development over the past decade and I think this will continue, but Gibraltarians must be vigilant and on their guard to take action whenever a particular harmful project is mooted.” n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

events

Isolas & Fiduciary Reception Isolas & Fiduciary hosted their annual Christmas reception for clients last month, at 14 on the Quay. The hosts were pleased to see a large number of clients join them for drinks and canapĂŠs, to celebrate the Christmas season.

The event was enjoyed by all those who attended, and Isolas & Fiduciary look forward to welcoming their guests to future events. n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

55

events

by Dave Wood

Defeat of the Floating Battery

by John Singleton Copley

Robert Fairfax & the Capture of the Rock 1666 was an eventful year in England. In London, “the great plague” (which had not been as severe as the Black Death, but which was quite serious enough) was finally snuffed out by “the great fire”. Happily, for future historians, Samuel Pepys was on hand to meticulously record both events in his justly celebrated diary. One event which forgivably escaped his pen was the birth in Yorkshire of one, Robert Fairfax. His birth was a joyous occasion for his father, William (a second son), and no doubt the chest of his grandfather, the celebrated soldier Sir William Fairfax, would have swelled with equal pride had he not been dead for more than 20 years.

Sir William had died fighting in 1644, aged 45, but no doubt young Robert heard many a stirring tale of his courage at his mother’s knee.

Robert took full account of the family’s army tradition, and then perversely went to sea. But, hey, he was 15 years old, and we all know how rebellious teenagers are. His first voyages were on merchant vessels, but in 1687 he donned a uniform and joined the navy.

In May 1689, he was present at the Battle of Bantry Bay — a particularly pointless scuffle with the French (their first serious naval encounter for a century and a half). The French were attempting to assist King James II to regain the English throne, the British were trying to stop him, and the Battle of Bantry Bay did nothing to further either cause. A goalless draw that sent fans home long-faced on both sides.

The replay was at Beachy Head the following year. Once again, Robert was fielded by the English, but the French romped to victory, 11 – nil.

11 English ships went to the bottom while every French vessel stayed proudly afloat. The French

56

sang and danced so much in celebration that they drunkenly allowed the remnants of the English fleet (including a disheartened but unscathed Robert Fairfax) to scuttle off to safety up the Thames. The French manager, Admiral Tourville, was promptly sacked. His English counterpart, Admiral Torrington, was court-martialled for his spectacular incompetence, and though acquitted,

Life was good. He was 28 years old, and he had money to burn, which was just as well, since that very same year the Bank of England issued its first paper notes

was sacked anyway. The fans would be satisfied with nothing less.

Nobody on the English team came out of the battle with any glory, but Fairfax had not fumbled the ball too badly, and was consequently given command of his own ship, spending the next two years thwarting the ambitions of French privateers around the American port of Boston.

On 20th January 1694, Robert’s elder brother, William, died, and he inherited the family estates at Steeton and Newton Kyme. Life was good.

He was 28 years old, and he had money to burn, which was just as well, since that very same year the Bank of England issued its first paper notes.

With his prospects set fair, he decided it was time to marry, and for Robert there could only be one choice as a wife.

He had been infatuated with Esther Bushell for years. She was 10 years his senior, and the sister of one of his old captains. Inconveniently, she had

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

history file

by Dave Wood married a certain Charles Tomlinson of Whitby but by the greatest of good fortune (I imply nothing sinister), Tomlinson had died, leaving Esther as a most eligible widow. She and Robert married on 20th November. She bore him four children (only two of whom survived) and despite being a decade older, outlived her husband by that same margin, dying at the age of 80 in 1735.

These were good years for Fairfax. The British and the French, as regular readers of this column will know, were constantly at each other’s throats, which gave young military men, soldiers as well as sailors, endless opportunities to shine and to win a variety of medals. After two years of French privateer whacking off the coast of Boston, Fairfax returned home, but only to continue in the same vein off the coast of Ireland.

But it wasn’t all sweetness and light. Like a baying crowd in the Glasgow Empire on a Saturday night, his government employers were quick to sniff the scent of failure and to howl their disapproval. In the spring of 1703, Fairfax was in command of the Berwick, one of a fleet of six ships in the overall charge of Sir George Rooke, which chased, but did not catch and sink, a similar squadron of French vessels close to Cape Palos. Well, you can’t win ‘em all; but that wasn’t how the British government saw it.

“Not killing a Frenchman” was a serious offence, and Fairfax and the other five captains were duly court-martialled. True, they were acquitted, but the point was made. They had got away with it this time, but it was not to happen again.

It is now that Fairfax’s destiny and that of Gibraltar come together. Today, the British seizure of Gibraltar is synonymous with the name of Admiral George Rooke, and it is easy to forget his ship was one of a fleet of 20 commanded, ultimately, by Rear Admiral George Byng. The Berwick was part of that fleet, and Fairfax consequently played his part in the capture of the Rock. And no small part, either.

Shortly before the battle he wrote a farewell letter to Esther, for delivery in the event of his death.

He didn’t die, and not being one to waste paper, he scribbled on the back, “My deare spouse, this will acquaint you that I with about 20 saile of ships commanded by Rear Admiral Byng went against the Fort of Gibraltar on Sunday last and had so good success in Battaring them that now the town is surrendered.” [sic] In fact, his contribution to the capture was acknowledged by Queen Anne, who presented him with an inscribed silver cup. Alas, open-air double-decker buses had yet to be invented, so he was not able to parade it appropriately through the streets of London to the cheers of the mob, but given the chance he would surely have done so.

The cup remains among the proudest possessions of Fairfax’s descendants.

Shortly after the capture of Gibraltar, Fairfax and his men played a prominent role in the largest naval battle of the War of the Spanish Succession — the Battle of Málaga. Rooke learned that a flotilla of French warships was sailing towards Gibraltar, presumably to oust its British conquerors. He decided to sail north to stop them. The resulting battle was a typically pointless fracas.

Neither side managed to sink a ship, despite knocking each other senseless (Fairfax lost 69 men and most of his rigging). On 26th August, they called the whole thing off. As the British fleet sailed away, the French shouted insults and returned to Toulon whistling the Marseillaise, but in reality the Battle of Málaga (or Vélez-Málaga as the pedantic will otherwise remind me) was their

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

Mediterranean swan-song. Never again did they seriously trouble the British in the region.

Comic writers struggle mightily to invent ludicrously improbable names for their characters. In this field, the late J. B. Morton (“Beachcomber”) was probably unsurpassed, but surely even he could not have come up with anything quite so silly as the real-life name of Fairfax’s next commander, Sir Cloudesley Shovell. When such men walk the Earth, or in his case sail the sea, the satirist is redundant.

Pythonesque name or not, Shovell was a distinguished Admiral of the Fleet whose untimely death in 1707 along with hundreds of others in a quadruple shipwreck off the Isles of Scilly led directly to the search for a reliable method of accurately measuring longitude at sea. (The government offered a prize of £20,000.) The winner was a self-taught watchmaker, John Harrison, but predictably the government wriggled out of paying him the money. (This fascinating story is told in Dava Sobel’s unwieldily titled book, Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved The Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time.)

Shovell’s death was a tragedy, but as we all know, it is an ill wind indeed that blows nobody any good, and one man who benefited from the Admiral’s demise was Robert Fairfax. At least, that was the way it briefly appeared, for hardly had Sir Cloudesley and his ship gone to the bottom before Fairfax’s promotion to Vice Admiral of the Blue was announced. If he opened a bottle of champagne and drank it from a lady’s shoe, he

Shovell’s untimely death, along with hundreds of others, in a quadruple shipwreck off the Isles of Scilly led to the search for a reliable method of measuring longitude at sea

was premature, for almost as soon as the promotion was announced it was revoked and given instead to one Lord Dursley. Dursley was very much Fairfax’s junior, but his family held greater political clout and then, as now, who you know was infinitely more important than what.

Fairfax did not take this affront lying down. He sent petitions and letters of protest to just about everybody, including Queen Anne, but with little success. Anne’s husband, Prince George, tried to placate him by getting him appointed as a Rear Admiral with a salary roughly half of that he would have received had the promised promotion stood. Alas, the prince inconveniently died in October 1708, and even that job went with him. Rightly disillusioned, Fairfax threw his toys out of the porthole and retired from the navy in high dudgeon.

For five years he kicked his heels and sulked, but finally, deciding that he had to do something or risk going mad from sheer boredom, he turned to politics. There was a by-election coming up in York, where he was already a part-time alderman, and he fancied his chances. He was duly elected, but it didn’t last long. Less than a year later, Queen Anne died, and since all of her available relatives were Roman Catholics, and thus barred from succeeding her, the throne went to her nearest Protestant relative, George of Hanover.

His arrival was followed by a general election, in which the people of York (that elite portion who were then permitted to vote) decided Robert Fairfax was not their man after all. But they were a capricious lot, and another 12 months down the line, they elected him mayor.

He probably didn’t care much either way. It was, after all, not a choice between Mayor of York or starving to death in the gutter. He had wealth, property, and a silver cup from Queen Anne.

The mayorship of York was merely something to keep him busy. Which it did as he dreamed of his seafaring adventures and the capture of Gibraltar for the remainder of his days, which ended on 17th October 1725. n

Marriage Celebrations Once again, the Christian Family Movement has organised 25th, 40th, 50th and 60th wedding anniversary celebrations, for couples who celebrated those milestone anniversaries of their marriage during 2011.

This event will be a truly memorable day for those involved, and their family members. The celebration will take place on 3rd February, 2012, at the Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned at 7.30pm. The closing date for registration is 14th January 2012, so if you would like to take part in this special day, forms are available at the Cathedral Bookshop, or by emailing duos@gibtelecom.net. n

This will be a truly memorable day for those involved, and their family members 57

music file

Arturo Bonich:

Beats of my Life...

by Karim Corby

Is good music the product of talent or training? Does the man who trained classically

for years inherently have an advantage over the one who spent his days in his room teaching himself to play?

The fundamental thing most forget is education is a small part of creating a competent musician — Frank Zappa, Danny Elfman and David Bowie were all self-taught.

Really great musicians aren’t simply naturally talented, nor does it come from strict training; at the heart of it is a love of music itself.

For all the competent performers in Gibraltar, nobody exemplifies this fact more than Arturo Bonich.

Arturo was performing internationally by 1966, at the age of 17, in a band called The Odds, along with brothers Denis and Henry Valerga, Douglas McMahon and Rosana Valverde. They did the rounds of Gibraltar, performing in a number of venues, including the Barnacle and St Michaels Cave, and the 007

“

Club in Tangiers as well as appearing fortnightly on GBC’s Beat Time.

Arturo unfolds a clipping from the Gibraltar Chronicle of the time which reviews one of their shows, and cites the group’s “Remarkable originality and vitality,” going on to say, “The Odds will certainly leave for the UK if offered a good opportunity. The local beat scene would certainly feel their departure.”

Arturo did in fact leave for the UK, not for a music career, however, but for his studies. Meanwhile,

members of The Odds continued playing, later merging with The Treks another Gibraltar band. They continued their work but found themselves in need of a drummer and approached Arturo, now back in Gibraltar, to fill in.

During this time he recalls one memorable flight from the UK, during which they were forced to land at Paris airport. While spending time waiting for their connecting flight to board, one of his band mates unpacked his guitar and be-

I didn’t play for a particular band, I always wanted to learn new things, and felt it would be limiting if I stuck to just one band or one technique 58

”

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

music file Foot pedals can also be utilised, freeing up a hand to add further dimension to the beat.

It’s clear his style of music and choice of instruments reflects his strong connection to South American and Cuban music, and he mentions the Buena Vista Social Club album, from 1997, by Cuban musician Juan De Marcos Gonzalez and American guitarist Ry Cooder, which is widely held as responsible for the revival and popularity of the 1950s Havana music scene.

“For a long time I wanted to visit these countries, to learn and experience the instrument in its culture, but I needed time which I didn’t have. Lately, I’ve found it doesn’t seem as necessary, with the internet and YouTube. I’m always educating myself with videos and all sorts of online resources.”

Arturo’s ambition is “To build up a roster of talented students, so I can teach them what I’ve learned.

Not just technique, but to help those who, like me, grew up with an interest in something that there was no local teacher for. It will also force me to continue learning as well,” he smiles. n

The Treks at Paris airport - Arturo on the left

gan playing. “Suddenly,” he says, “people had gathered to watch and a long wait turned into a gig,” he chuckles.

Arturo remains modest about the start of his music career. “In those days I didn’t study, I just played. I did it well, but I only performed when we practised and when we were on stage. In my eyes, I was still an amateur.”.

For 31 years he stopped performing with groups, but did not lose his interest in music. He’d often be seen tapping his hands to rhythms, or playing at friend’s houses using the side of a guitar.

One day a friend noticed this habit and suggested he take up the bongos.

Arturo eventually decided on Conga drums instead and in his words; “I was thrown into the deep end from there!”

Drummer Francis Pecino, who would later become a good friend and musical colleague, got Arturo involved in the National Day rock concert. From there came gigs with a number of Gibraltarian bands, performances in Casemates and even for the National Day concert, he also featured in one track of local reggae artist Sista Dee’s Wise Up album, and Arturo performed the first live performance of Peter Martinez’s Levanter Breeze.

Arturo’s repertoire grew from the Afro-Cuban Congo beats to Baroque performances. He also took up more rigorous training, travelling to Spain once a week

“

for tutoring in Cuban music.

Arturo is considered something of a freelance musician. “I didn’t play for a particular band,” he says.

“I always wanted to learn new things, and felt it would be limiting if I stuck to just one band or one technique.”

He occasionally featured in acts with Stephen Ffrench-Davies in The Ffrench Connection, a band noted for its eclectic mix of different styles of music. They toured a number of established venues in Spain and Gibraltar, as well as public and private events from Fuengirola to Chiclana and all points in between.

“I was hungry to learn new things,” says Arturo, “and Stephen’s group was always new.

We didn’t rehearse, everything was ad-lib, it was always different.”

Arturo always found time for music alongside his regular work and his percussion repertoire is always being updated. “Percussion isn’t just about keeping the beat or timing, there is a method to every sound you create,” he explains adding that just a single drum has a totally different sound depending on the position of the palm when it is struck, whether it is struck in the centre of the skin or nearer the edge. There is also a sheer arsenal of equipment, bare and padded sticks and brushes.

Percussion isn’t just about keeping the beat or timing, there is a method to every sound you create

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

”

The Odds waiting to perform at St Michael’s Cave (Arturo at the back)

59

pure theatre

The Panto Dame is traditionally played by a man... and who are we to argue with tradition?

The Trafalgar Theatre Pantomime:

by Karim Corby

Family Fun, Frocks & Frolics There are rare moments in the course of day-to-day life in Gibraltar, where we are reminded of our British roots, no more so than in the winter season. A stroll through town is punctuated by the smell of roasted chestnuts under the twinkling lights and tinsel. An idyllic image, contrasted somewhat by the last minute rush for gifts, the temperamental weather and the endless consumption of food. The New Year is greeted by a cheer and a quiet sigh of relief. Soon there are no gaudy lights shielding you from the grey skies overhead. Do not despair, because the Trafalgar Theatre Group has one more British tradition up its sleeve that promises to be just the tonic for the January lull.

We’re talking, of course, about the pantomime; a festive tradition with roots traced right back to the 1st century. Panto as we know it fuses the brightness and intensity of early theatre with the risqué humour of burlesque.

The Trafalgar Theatre Group is the authority, having produced an annual pantomime for many years. This year’s production is directed by Margaret Seed who has successfully lead a number of these unique theatrical spectacles since 2003, making this her ninth time at the helm. The performance will transport audiences to sunny shores and exotic locales with Robinson Crusoe and the Pirates.

The young Crusoe sets sail for adventure, accompanied by his mother and Doctor Defoe — along the way expect to meet pirates, sailors, captains and cannibals.

This adventure was created by the writers at Limelight Scripts, a company of perform-

60

ers and drama groups which had noticed how pantomime scripts were years old and had never been updated. They decided to set up a company that would keep the scripts up-to-date, keep the jokes fresh and the lines snappy.

The Trafalgar Theatre Group’s rendition will ensure a mixture of old and new, and perhaps even a little hint of the unexpected.

Without giving anything away, Margaret tells us “Expect something a little different,

“

Expect something a little different, though of course, there’s still plenty of traditional panto to go around

”

though of course, there’s still plenty of traditional panto to go around.”

Trafalgar Theatre Group has always had a strong connection to the MOD, so we will see to see some of our men and women in uniform donning something a little more unconventional. Lynn McCartin will be taking the lead as Crusoe, her Scottish roots providing a nod to Daniel Defoe’s original Crusoe, who was based on a Scottish castaway. Local talents will also be taking the stage with Daniel Strain-Webber and Harriet Seed performing the roles of Swash and Buckle. Not to mention the 50 strong cast including MOD officers, locals and youths, a sizeable minority of who are under 12. Margaret is particularly impressed with our young cast members, “taking time to attend every possible rehearsal, it really shows dedication as well as how much they’re enjoying themselves.”

With so many people taking part, it seems

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

pure theatre

The fun is infectious, be it on stage or backstage

necessary to have equally large and intricate sets, with hints at locations ranging from docks to desert islands to under the sea. The task of co-ordinating all these elements is no mean feat, between a mammoth cast and a similarly growing list of sets, it’s all hands on deck at the moment.

Luckily Margaret is not alone; many of the younger performers are taking weekend acting workshops either under the Trafalgar Theatre’s tutelage or through Julian Felice’s Bayside and Westside Drama group workshops. Wendy Reynolds is handling the choreography, and the appropriately named Chris Music will be taking on the role of musical director. Yet even with all this help, Margaret admits, “Pantomime is a huge undertaking. I promise every year that it’ll be my last.”

Rather then being held during Christmas, the performance is scheduled for the second half of January, a little after season but there is method to this madness, as Margaret explains: “After Christmas is over, everybody needs a little cheering up when everything winds down, what better time to liven up a cold January with a couple of hours of fun, laughter and entertainment.”

A lot to promise, but be reminded this is not Margaret’s first time directing a show, and with classics like Alice in Wonderland, Little Miss Muffit, The Wizard of Oz and Aladdin under her belt, she speaks from experience.

Though the above titles are known as children’s stories, do not fall into the trap of thinking panto is ‘just for kids’. Nowadays, people may try to tell you pantomime just that, they’ll attempt to emasculate the script, they’ll comment on how bad guys are frightening, witches are unchristian and that the jokes are too risqué. Well, pantomime has never been politically correct; the men and women are in drag, the dialogue is loaded with innuendo

and double-entendres, which, carefully sail over the young audience’s heads. Pantomime brings us face-to-face with our greed, prejudice, cowardice and dishonesty and forces us to laugh at ourselves. n Robinson Crusoe and the Pirates will be staged in Ince’s Hall from 19th-28th January. Tickets available from Ince’s Hall box office.

“

After Christmas, everybody needs a little cheering up what better time to liven up a cold January with a couple of hours of fun, laughter and entertainment

”

There is nothing like a Panto Dame... no really, there isn’t!

The Trafalgar theatre cast in Alice in Wonderland January 2010 Photos provided by Margaret Seed

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

61

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63

competition

The Gibraltar Magazine Competition

Are you the Face of Gibraltar 2011?

We’ve seen lots of entries for our Face of Gibraltar competition which was launched last month but keep them coming! So far the men have been shier than the girls, so come on chaps — whatever your age or style, you can enter too!

Anybody can enter, (and you don’t have to be a model!) Send us your photo and you’ll get the chance to see your — or your loved one’s — face in the magazine over the coming months with our winners to be announced in March 2012.

Our panel will select one winner from several categories including men, women and children.

To enter, please email a photograph, (head shot only) with your name, age, and address to info@thegibraltarmagazine.com or post it to us at The Gibraltar Magazine, 17 Turnbull’s Lane, PO Box 1124, Gibraltar. All entries must be received by February 1st 2012.

We look forward to seeing more of your pictures! n Terms and conditions: One entry per person. Deadline for entries 1st February 2012.

64

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

arts file

Miss Gibraltar Calender 2012

January

sult. They would like to thank Jade Federico, for an incredible job with the hair creations, and give a special thank you to General Support Services Ltd, Gibraltar, for

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

“

allowing the team to rummage through their recycle bins to get the props for the shoots, as well as their sponsor for this month, HSE Consulting. n

We chose to do a futuristic theme, representing the mechanical and technological...but still maintaining a glamourous look

”

Photo by Gabriella Martinez

Three of our past Miss Gibraltar winners took part in this striking photo, starting off the calendar with the month of January.

Melanie Soiza (Miss Gibraltar 1998), Ornella Serra (Miss Gibraltar 1991) and Rosanna Brier (Miss Gibraltar 1997) participated in this shoot, with photography by Jayden Fa, make-up by Deepak Ramchandani and hair by Jade Federico, and art direction by Guy Baglietto.

“It was very important from the onset, that every month should have a completely different theme.

For this particular shoot we chose three Miss Gibraltars to start the calendar with a greater impact,” Jayden explains.

“We chose to do a futuristic theme, representing the mechanical and technological, and used coloured cables and compact discs as props, but still maintaining a glamourous look by using metallic colours for the makeup,” says Deepak.

The girls managed to fill the brief incredibly well, and the team are extremely happy with the re-

Photo by Jayden Fa

Each month, we will be bringing you one of the outstanding shots, from the latest project by Deepak Ramchandani and Jayden Fa, the Official Limited Edition Miss Gibraltar Calendar 2012 - Celebrating 50 years of Beauty.

Gabriella Martinez has also given us some great behind the scenes shots, which will also be included each month.

65

puzzle page

by Alan Gravett

SUDOKU

1

Win a lunch for two at

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The Cannon Bar

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One entry per person.

Closing date: 20th January 2012 Last month’s winner: Yvonne Nuza 11 Oak Tree Lodge, Montagu Gardens

21

23

24

Send completed suduko to: The Cannon Bar, 27 Cannon Lane, Gibraltar.

Across 1. Scottish food item addressed by 13) across in a

poem (6) 4. Middleman (6) 9. Line for hauling a car or other vehicle (7) 10. Leave ones bed (3,2) or an outfit (3-2) 11. Silent Marx brother (5) 12. Fielder facing pitcher in baseball; J D Salinger’s

was in the Rye (7) 13. Poet whose birthday is celebrated 25

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7

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meaning “jumping flea) (7) 16. see 1down 17. Wild drinking session (6) 19. Start or first stage of a disease (5) 21. Descriptive of a v-shaped indentation, on the chin

for example (5)

25

Send completed crossword to: The Clipper, Irish Town, Gibraltar.

FIRST PRIZE: Lunch for 2 at The Clipper

One entry per person.

Closing date: 20th January 2012 Winner notified in next issue of The Gibraltar Magazine.

Last month’s winner: M Martinez, 26 Pimlico Close, Montagu Crescent

Jotting Pad ...

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS: Across: Royrogers, Heard, Norwich, Openeyed, Halo, Drones, Museum, Ours, Draughts, Painter, Bonce, Eggbeater. Down: Theoddcouple, Harecoursing, Reddened, Stye, Yonder, Ararat, Okra, Cucumber, Elizabethans, Schoolmaster.

Tel: 200 70047 or 200 73465 email: gibfamanon@yahoo.com

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

sporting heroes

by Kirsten Openshaw

Fit to Sport On Isabella Jimenez and Luke Henshaw were part of the Sports Therapy team for Gibraltar’s athletes at last year’s Island Games hosted by the Isle of Wight, along with osteopaths Paul Knight and Jorge Espada. They explained the benefits of Sports Therapy to us and how they support Gibraltar’s athletes at sporting events.

Sport On was opened by Isabella in 2007 as a Sports Therapy and fitness training centre and has recently moved to the ICC next to Casemates Square. Luke, the new member of the Sport On team, is a keen sportsman and a tennis and badminton player with a passion for motorbikes, and works there on Saturdays.

Between them, Isabella and Luke have extensive sports therapy knowledge through their degrees and years of sporting experience.

Isabella’s first love was gymnastics; “I joined Gibraltar Rhythmic Gymnastics when I was 11 and competed locally and around Andalusia. When I was 16 I dedicated myself more to schoolwork and competed less, this is when I started coaching,” says Isabella of her appreciation and dedication to sport.

A career highlight so far for Isabella was supporting the Gibraltar team as sports therapist at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India. “It was amazing and I loved every moment of it. It was such an honour to be there and represent Gibraltar, I hope to do it again,” she smiled.

Sports Therapy involves healthpromoting treatments, exercise recommendations and specific lifestyle advice, and Isabella and Luke treat all types of injuries, sporting and non-sporting, with the help of remedial soft tissue massage and other techniques. Treatment for aches and pains often combines many of the practical techniques utilised by physiotherapists and

Jorge Espada and Isabella Jimenez

osteopaths.

They say ‘Kinesiotaping’ is a popular therapy as it eliminates lymphatic fluid beneath the skin and reconditions abnormal tension. This treatment was used extensively at the Island Games.

The taping treats common sporting conditions like tennis elbow, shin splints, hamstring strains, and back pain.

Another typical sports injury they see is tightness from lactic acid build up which causes fatigue and soreness in the muscles that can be loosened by massage before and after competing.

Isabella has learned through experience to understand the body

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

“

and the little complaints and pains which can sometimes be hard to explain.

A good Isabella Jimenez Sports Therand Luke Henshaw apist can actually help an athlete to extend their sporting career. “Intense sport means your muscles and joints are under an abnormal pressure and hyper extension. By helping keep the muscles healthy and flexible you will extend your sporting life but if you do not look

One of the main non-sporting complaints we have is back pain and knots, which is mostly caused from stress in everyday life

Isabella Jimenez, Jorge Espada, and Luke Henshaw at the Island Games 2011

”

after your muscles and joints your sporting lifespan will be shortened dramatically,” explained Isabella.

There are also great benefits for non-athletes. “One of the main non-sporting complaints we have is back pain and knots, which is mostly caused from stress in everyday life,” Luke explains. “In offices people sit in front of computers and slouch, this is a simple but common cause of problems. Sports massages will help relieve tension and remove the knots.”

Luke often visits people’s homes so clients don’t even need to leave the comfort of their own home for therapy. “This is a great benefit for busy clients and it is more personal too,” he adds.

“Prevention is often better than cure. Listen to your body. If you have a twinge or a pain have it looked at and don’t ignore it.

Warm up before the game and cool down after you have played,” Isabella concludes. n For a massage, injury treatment or sports advice, visit Sport On, Unit 55, ICC, email: sportongib@gmail.com or phone Isabella on tel: 54002226 or Luke tel: 54010504.

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seasonal events

Fairies, Christmas trees and snowmen in 2011

Hurray for the 3 Kings’ Cavalcade The traditional Three Kings Cavalcade is the first date in the 2012 social calendar after the New Year’s festivities, and year after year is enjoyed by adults, children, locals and visitors to the Rock.

The 56th edition of the Three Kings Cavalcade, like previous years, will reflect the scope our artistic community with a great display of talent and creativity. Work has been in progress for some time to ensure the cavalcade is another spectacular success, with a variety of floats starting from Casemates Square and parading along Main Street, on the evening of Wednesday 5th January.

As is now traditional, Gibraltar gathers en masse (and a few lines deep!) for this popular event, with everyone’s expectations high with

One of the spectacular floats from 2011

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excitement.

The cavalcade recalls the story of the three wise men (kings), who brought gifts to baby Jesus, known in the Christian calendar as Epiphany, and takes place on the eve of Epiphany.

Each of the wise men or Magi represent a different continent — Melchoir for Asia, Caspar for Europe and Balthasar for Africa.

For many children across the world, this is a celebration as they wait impatiently for the kings to visit them in the night, leaving them gifts for the morning, or if they’ve been bad they may find just a lump of coal.

During the kings’ visit to the Rock, they start their rounds at 5pm, attending a party at the Catholic Community Centre for deprived children. They later make their way to the hospital, where they visit the maternity ward and give gifts to the newborn babies. Next they head to the children’s ward to hand out presents to sick youngsters, and later are themselves treated to some refreshments at the Piccadilly Bar, before they head down to Casemates for their journey through Main Street to Referendum Gate, beginning at 7.30pm.

For the event to take place like clockwork, Eric Abudarham, president of the Three Kings Cavalcade Committee, and his team started preparation for the event back in October 2011.

At the time of going to press, there were six

As is now traditional, Gibraltar gathers en masse (and a few lines deep!), for this popular event

floats booked for the procession from various entities, but Eric stressed they were hoping to increasing that number and actually there is no deadline to enter the event — so if you’re reading this before 5th January, you might not be too late to take part!

Eric is very grateful to those organisations, which keep supporting the cavalcade every year, as well as all the bands, performers, transport companies, and many other people, who make this event a success. With the support of many sectors of the community, the Cavalcade looks like it’s going to be a fun and successful event once again. n If you would like to be involved, or even participate with a float this year or next, Eric can be contacted on 57586000,semail eabudarham@gibtelecom.net.

Last year’s Balthasar GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

history file

Charles Dix:

A Morning at Gibraltar Charles Temple Dix was a maritime painter who found Gibraltar the ideal environment to practise his art.

Dix was only 19 years old in 1859 when he decided to sail from his home in New York to Gibraltar and today his paintings from that excursion, including Morning at Gibraltar, adorn galleries and stately homes around the world.

At Gibraltar Dix made sketches that he would later turn into brilliant works in oil, but these would have to wait as the American Civil War intervened in April 1861. Dix was born at Albany to a military family, his father being a General and wasted no time in enlisting in the Union army.

An early reviewer of Dix’ work, of that fortress and its adjacent Henry Tuckerman, wrote: waters; his talent for this com“Among the many students of paratively neglected but highly art called from that peaceful pursuit to the field by the exigencies of war for the Union, is one of rare promise and no inconsiderable performance in the sphere of marine landscape. Charles Temple Dix, son of General John A. Dix, himself a discriminating patron of native art, executed several admirable sea pieces: of the various craft to be found on our seaboard, he had made a careful study; a voyage to Gibraltar gave a fine delineation

popular branch of landscape art was too decidedly manifested and recognised to allow of any but a temporary cessation of his graceful and progressive labours.”

During the war Dix continued to sketch and paint, concentrating on naval battle scenes. The Civil War ended in 1865 and Dix left the army with the rank of Major. He resumed his painting and travelled to Europe. Included in his destinations were the Channel Islands and his paintings from there were exhibited at the Royal Academy, London in 1866-67.

Dix also painted in Barcelona and Rome and divided the time remaining in his short life — he died in 1873 at Rome aged just 33 — between the island of Capri and London.

While Morning at Gibraltar portrays Gibraltar on a calm bright day, Dix painted many other views of the Rock and its environs including one simply titled Gibraltar which shows Gibraltar from the south with vessels seeking the shelter of her harbour being buffeted by the wind.

Dix prints are available via the internet and you can even order oil on canvas copies with prices in the hundreds of dollars depending on size. n

While Morning at Gibraltar portrays Gibraltar on a calm bright day, Dix painted many other views of the Rock and its environs

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

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community events

Ivan Chuck in the final round at last year’s event

Smart Moves at the Chess Tournament After 10 years of chess on the Rock we will see the largest and highest top level international chess tournament ever. With over 300 players expected to participate in the tenth edition of the Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival in 2012 the line up will see more than 39 Grand Masters, 13 International Masters, and nine of the top ten women in the world. The long list of established names is impressive establishing the tournament as the strongest open event in the world.

Amongst the favourites for this tenth anniversary edition is the greatest woman chess player of all time Judit Polgar from Hungary.

At the time of going to press the Gibraltar Masters was on schedule to include eight to ten players rated over 2700 in the world. Polgar with a rating of 2701 is in this ‘2700 club’ as are Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan) 2746, Peter Svidler (Russia) 2740, Michael Adams (England) 2733, Le Quang Liem (Vietnam) 2717, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (France) 2715, Alexey Shirov (Spain) 2713, and Zoltan Almasi (Hungary) 2710.

Stuart Conquest, director of the 2012 Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, on an upbeat note assures they are all definitely coming to play on the Rock but with the international rating list updated every two months we must wait until the end of this month to know with certainty which players are classified at this level.

Other players, such as England’s Nigel Short, are just a couple of rating points shy

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of this list.

“Of course,” he adds confidently, “there is still time for other top-ranked players to enter.

The Gibraltar Masters is an open event, and anyone may play.”

So the tenth anniversary edition of the tournament may yet reach a higher level.

Establishing chess and an international festival on the Rock was the dream of organiser Brian Callaghan, who as anyone in the world of chess will tell you, has made the Caleta Hotel

Establishing chess and an international festival on the Rock was the dream of organiser Brian Callaghan

for 10 days in the middle of winter the place to be and the home of chess.

In just nine years, with the help of sponsors, his staff at the hotel, and a top chess organising team, he has assured the growth of the tournament which has undoubtedly become the strongest Open chess event in the world.

For the tenth edition the Prize money as been increased to an amazing £155,000.

Make a note in your diary...

Masters (open to all): Tuesday 24th January - Thursday 2nd February (10-round Swiss, FIDE rated) Challengers A (Under 2250): Monday 23rd January - Friday 27th January (5 rounds, FIDE rated) Challengers B (Under 2250): Saturday 28th January - Wednesday 1st February (5 rounds, FIDE rated) Amateurs A (Under 1800): Mon 23rd January - Friday 27th January (5 rounds, FIDE rated) Amateurs B (Under 1800): Saturday 28th January - Wednesday 1st February (5 rounds, FIDE rated). Play starts every morning at 9am. The Masters start every afternoon at 3pm. n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

celebrations

photos: Tessa Imossi

80th Birthday Celebrations ~ Carmen Xerri

Adopt Don’t Buy The GSPCA has many lovely dogs looking for homes.

Before you buy a dog please visit us and give a dog a home.

Give a Dog a Home If you are interested in adopting call the GSPCA on 540 19968 or 540 29927 Note: dogs that have been kennelled for a while may need patience with house training when first in their new home (as do puppies from pet shops!)

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

71

A Year in the Life of Gibraltar

Dennis Gonzalez

The much anticipated book by the Gibraltar Heritage Trust called A Year in the Life of Gibraltar is on sale priced at £15, from the Trust’s offices in John Mackintosh Square.

The hardback coffee table book, containing over 700 photographs shot between 1st July 2010 and 31st June 2011, is the collaborative work of a group of 12 local photographers.

Their task was to record a whole year’s worth of life in Gibraltar covering its many facets ranging from scenes of crime to births at the labour ward, families enjoying the beach to workplaces, sporting events and cultural shows. All of these scenes make the book a fascinating document and it is the first time a specific work has commissioned for this purposes.

Commenting on the publication of the book, the Trust’s Chief Executive, Claire Montado, commented; “When people talk about heritage there is usually some notion that it has to do with things way back in our past and may have little relevance to our everyday lives. But today’s events are tomorrow’s heritage and the Trust wanted to take this opportunity to record life as it stands in Gibraltar today. I think readers will agree it succeeds in this.”

The images, shot exclusively for the project, are laid out in a variety of formats together with their accompanying captions which makes for a stimulating and interesting read particularly as many of the photographs relate to areas of

“

David Parody

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Today’s events are tomorrow’s heritage and the Trust wanted to take this opportunity to record life as it stands in Gibraltar today

”

life not everyone in Gibraltar has had a chance to see for themselves.

The project was the brainchild of local photographer David Parody, who also acted as the project leader throughout the year, up to the book’s layout and design. The book has been on his mind for quite some time, ever since he showed a one-man photographic exhibition on Gibraltar 20 years ago.

“It was shortly after the frontier opened and I wanted to make sure I captured life in Gibraltar before it changed. There were about 60 photographs then, but since that time I’ve wanted to do something bigger and better, but it was too big for one man alone,” David explains.

His trawl for photographers for the project was easy, as he knew most of them already, but there were a few who he only knew their work from Flickr and Facebook. “I liked their approach and style. I was also looking for variety, people who would bring something different to the table. I think we achieved this in the end. Most photographers were around from the very beginning and some others joined it half way through,” he says.

“The only criteria was that they would be prepared to commit for the duration of the project, and contribute as many photographs as possible. There were no limits as to maximum or minimum number of photographs to be submitted to the project. It all depended on individual photographer’s time and availability.”

He also purposely did not give out project

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

by Jolene Gomez

Aimie Desoisa

briefing to photographers, as to what to cover and what not to cover. Each photographer was asked to interpret the title in whatever way they felt best and the monthly selection panel, chose whether or not to include a photograph.

Photographers were free to interpret the subject matter — some photographers had very strong views as to what should be in the book while others had a more liberal approach to the subject. At the end of the project some 7,000 images were submitted for consideration by a panel of peers and a representative of the Trust which met on a monthly basis. 1 in 10 of the photos submitted made it to the book.

Wherever possible the selection panel stuck to the general rule ‘one subject, one photo’ in order to have the greatest possible variety of subjects in the book.

“I think I speak for all the photographers who took part in the project when I say this has been one of the most rewarding photographic

Neville Zammit

“

I think I speak for all the photographers who took part in the project when I say this has been one of the most rewarding photographic assignments we could have been engaged on

”

Sophie Triay

assignments we could have been engaged on. Throughout the project we have been invited into people’s homes and workplaces and shared their lives. Now those experiences are shared with the readers of this book.”

When asked if he would repeat the project any time soon, David said; “It took a year and half out of my life, neither my wife or my newborn daughter would forgive me if I went out on assignment again. But maybe it is worth repeating in 10 years time to see how much life has changed. Going back to my original photographic exhibition 20 years ago, some of the faces and the buildings may have changed but life in Gibraltar looks very much the same today as it did then. I am pleased with that.” n The project photographers were Aimie Desoisa, Brian Reyes, Danny Gabay, David Parody, David Rodriguez, Dennis Gonzalez, Eric Rowbottom, Mabelle Imossi, Sal Fox, Sophie Triay. Neville Zammit, and Tyson Lee Holmes. Books are priced £15, and available from Gibraltar Heritage Trust.

Tyson Lee Holmes GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

Mabelle Imossi

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new year lifestyle

Getting

Back to Nature

by Mark Montovio

“Daddy I miss my friend horse, the doggies and wolf. I think no-one is giving them any food and they miss me too.

We have to go back to check because now it’s not so hot and you said we had to wait for summer to be over.” It is often difficult to explain to preschoolers why it is not possible to be on holiday forever or why adults need to do so many of the things we have become accustomed to doing even if we derive no pleasure from them. But the promise that we would return to see our friends in Alcala de los Gazules, after staying for a few days last spring at the beautifully peaceful Hacienda del Agua, settled my son’s conscience that horse, doggies and wolf would be fed again, and it also gave me some hope that not all was lost to Nintendos and PSPs! I admit… I am biased. Given a choice between nature and electronics, electronics stand no chance and I will argue that nature plays a very crucial role in the development of a child both at emotional and intellectual level during its early years and that early exposure to technology is detrimental in a variety of ways.

I suppose I was very lucky. As a child my parents were happy for me to spend time enjoying the natural world and I remember empty matchboxes were wonderful temporary homes for beetles, ants, slugs, snails, crickets and anything else that happened to come our way. Interacting with our natural surroundings was normal and I have no recollection of any of us being stopped from doing so. In fact even as a child, growing up with a closed frontier, our Sunday treat would involve going up the Rock, and I still have vague recollections 30 years on of a ‘pig farm’ we would often visit.

Humans have lived in intimate contact with nature for almost their entire 120,000 year history and it was not until recently that most people began to live in cities. But even until very recent history, children still grew up with intimate contact with nature and when children were free to play, their first choice was often to disappear to the nearest ‘wild place’. In my case, growing up in Varyl Begg Estate, this was usu-

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ally the shoreline or some of the natural areas which were still undeveloped. How wonderful all that was…

The lives of children today are rather different with fewer opportunities for outdoor free play and regular contact with the natural world. In Gibraltar, and much of the world, children’s physical boundaries have shrunk due to a number of factors not least the ‘culture of fear’ which has parents afraid for their children’s safety. Increasingly, children’s lives have become structured and scheduled by adults, who hold the belief, mistaken as I think that is, that a particular sport or particular lesson will make their young children more successful as adults.

Play is the primary medium through which children engage and connect with the world,

Sadly, so many children develop phobias that range from discomfort and fear in natural places to a prejudice against nature and disgust for whatever is not man-made

and natural environments are particularly attractive, inspiring and satisfying for kids.

Something really magical occurs when children and wild spaces mix and to be a witness to that is a rare privilege these days.

Children need regular contact with nature so they do not see themselves separate from the natural environment and see nature as something to be loved and preserved rather than be controlled and dominated. I believe developing children’s empathy with the natural world should be the main objective for children aged four through to seven. It is during early childhood when children’s experiences give form to the values, attitudes, and basic orientation towards the world they will carry with them throughout their lives. Engaging positively with nature helps children develop respect and a caring attitude for the environment. Sadly however, so many children develop phobias that range from discomfort and fear in natural places to a prejudice against nature and disgust for whatever is not man-made, managed or air-conditioned.

So back to the Hacienda del Agua we go. It is winter, of course with a whole new set of experiences and challenges and we’ve heard with a new litter of puppies. Hopefully horse, doggies and wolf will all be there and they will

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

performing arts accompany us on the long walks which will once again be full of wonder. No radio, no television and no shops! Just an opportunity to slow down, go back to where I feel we should be and enjoy the vast meadows and the many animals around the finca. One of the best ways to foster empathy during early childhood is to cultivate children’s relationships with animals. Young children feel a natural kinship with them and they are drawn to animals, in particular their young, interacting instinctively and naturally with them, talking to them, and investing in them emotionally, fostering a caring attitude and sense of responsibility towards living things.

Sir David Attenborough recently said, “It is my belief that there is barely a child born into this world who is not initially interested in nature and other creatures. Keeping an eye on children is all very well but it has left a whole generation more ignorant of what goes on in the natural world and out of the habit of exploring and discovering. This has consequences for them personally including much higher rates of obesity, suffering from attention disorders and more likely to experience depression. In a bigger-picture way, though, it will surely have enormous consequences for their attitude towards nature when they grow up — if they haven’t experienced the miracles of the world around them they will be less likely to make sacrifices to preserve woodlands and wild spaces.”

We don’t have to go far to enjoy nature and experience the wonders of our world. Spending a few minutes at the beach, a park, the Alameda Gardens, up the rock or any patch of grass will reveal what we miss every time we rush everywhere, and in Gibraltar I feel we are privileged in many ways. But to escape for a few days and indulge in what the undeveloped world has to offer is a welcome break. n

Cora Ramirez

Gibraltar’s Success at World Show Dance Championships The Gibraltar National Dance Team returned to the Rock in December after successfully representing Gibraltar at the World Show Dance Championships. The event was staged in Riesa, Germany and over 2,300 dancers from 31 nations took part.

In the Adult Solo Female section, Gibraltar was represented by Chantal Santos and Cora Ramirez. Cora qualified for the semi-finals where she achieved an extraordinary 9th place overall — the first time, in the 30 year history of the GNDO, that a Gibraltarian adult female has qualified for a semi-final in this division.

The GNDO thanked the Gibraltar Government, team’s sponsors and everyone who made Gibraltar’s participation at the World Championships a reality! n

In the Adult Solo Male, Gibraltar was represented by Steven Pardo who finished in 7th place in the semi-final.

The Adult Formation routine ‘The Emperor’s Army’ was placed 15th. In the Adult Duets section, Tyrone Walker and Kayleigh Halmshaw ended in 19th place. Steven Pardo and Chantal Santos secured a place in the semi-final and were placed 9th. In the Adult Groups, Gibraltar’s ‘Sea of the Undead’, qualified for the grand final, and accomplished 4th place.

The team’s choreographers were Jade Federico, Anne Marie Gomez and Zuleika Green.

Seamus Byrne who led the National Team said: “Gibraltar has an excellent show and performance value that makes us a strong opposition and a great dancing nation. This was proved once again this year, allowing us to perform in three semi-finals and a grand final.

The GNDO is delighted with the results.”

Chantal Santos & Steven Pardo

Gibraltar Team GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

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food & drink

GGCA Christmas Party

Photos: Gold Productions Studios (Gibraltar) Ltd

The Gibraltar General & Clerical Association (GGCA) Christmas bash was held at Boyds, King’s Bastion Leisure Centre in December. A great night was had by everyone who attended this packed event and it was a great way to round up the year with a bit of festive cheer. More pictures of this event on page 87. n

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

food & drink

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

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food & drink

Winter warmers

by Fifty-Five Chef Scott Casey

Keep warm with this month’s hearty dishes. This great mix will help to keep you going through the colder months and add a colourful touch to the winter.

Detoxifying Baby Carrot and Ginger Soup Serves 4-6 1 kg

2 2 2 4cm

1

1 ltr

baby carrots, peeled and roughly chopped brown onions, peeled and sliced cloves of garlic, crushed fresh bay leaves piece of ginger, peeled and finely sliced small bunch of coriander, finely chopped, stalks and all vegetable or chicken stock

Saute the sliced onion, ginger and garlic over a medium heat with 4 tablespoons of olive oil for 2-3 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Then add the chopped carrots and mix well. Add the vegetable or chicken stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the carrot is

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tender. Add the chopped coriander and simmer for a further 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and blend with a hand held stick blender until smooth. Season to taste and serve with some nice crusty bread and a dollop of crème fraiche or natural yoghurt. n

Pheasant Breasts Braised in Cider, Caramelised Onions and Smoked Bacon Serves 4 4

4 large 2 large 5 small 4 tbs

Pheasant breasts (try and get young hen breasts if possible as these are generally more tender rashers of lightly smoked bacon brown onions, sliced nice and fine golden shallots, also sliced finely salted butter

500ml 1 tsp 30g 100ml

dry cider caster sugar plain flour crème fraiche

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Butter the pheasant breasts and individually wrap them in the smoked bacon. Place them into an oven proof dish, making sure they aren’t too cramped and roast for 25 minutes.

After 25 minutes reduce the oven temperature to 170 degrees Celsius and cover the breasts with half of the cider, cover the dish with a lid or some aluminium foil and return to the oven for another hour. When the breasts are nearly cooked add the rest of the cider to a separate pan and reduce by half. Cook the onions and shallots in the remaining butter and caster sugar until soft, translucent and beginning to stick to the bottom of the pan. If you think the pheasant breasts are looking a little dry whilst cooking you can add some more cider. To finish the sauce add the flour to the onions and cook for 1 minute, then add the

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

food & drink reduced cider and check seasoning.

Let the breasts sit and rest for 2 minutes before slicing each one on a 45 degree angle into 5 pieces, serve with some mash potatoes, vegetables and finish by pouring over the caramelised onion and cider sauce. n

Turkey and Ham Pie with Candied Shallots Serves 6-8 30g 1 1 280ml 100ml 450g 2 tbs 600g

salted butter large brown onion, finely chopped stalk of leek, finely chopped single cream chicken or turkey stock finely chopped chestnut mushrooms finely chopped fresh tarragon cooked turkey and ham, cut into 2 centimetre chunks

For the mash: 1.2kg potatoes, peeled and cut into 2

centimetre chunks Small knob of butter 1 egg yolk 100ml single cream Salt and pepper to taste For the candied shallots: 16 small shallots, peeled and sliced finely 40g salted butter 4tbs caster sugar 250ml good quality red wine

For the candied shallots, sautĂŠ the sliced shallots in 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil until soft. Then add the butter and red wine. Cook down on a low heat for 15 minutes or until sticky and sweet. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. In a large heavy based pot melt the butter and then add the onion and leek. Cook over a medium heat until the onion becomes translucent (about 3-4 minutes) Add the mushrooms and cook until soft. Then add the cream and stock. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat. Add the turkey and ham chunks and mix well. Then add the chopped tarragon and season well to taste.

Chef Scott Casey GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

Pheasant Breasts Braised in Cider, Caramelised Onions and Smoked Bacon

Transfer the mix to a glass or heat proof oven dish. For the mash, bring the potatoes to the boil in well salted water. Cook until tender enough to mash. Drain and mash well.

Bring the cream and butter to the boil then mix into the potato. Mix in the egg yolk and

then season well to taste.

Top the pie with mash potato and then bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until the top is nice and golden brown. Serve a generous spoon of the pie with a nice tablespoon of the shallots. n

Detoxifying Baby Carrot and Ginger Soup

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restaurants l Café Solo Grand Casemates Square. Tel: 200 44449 Modern Italian eatery set in the 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 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. Good daily specials menu on blackboard. No smoking inside.

Free WiFi. l Cafe Rojo 54 Irish Town. Tel: 200 51738 Sleek modern comfort in this relaxing little restaurant. Red comfy arm chairs in separate area for a relaxing drink or coffee.

Brunch menu (10am-12pm) includes ciabatta, granary, foccacia sandwiches with fillings such as pear and blue cheese, smoked bacon and brie, cheese and honey roast ham, delicious desserts (chocolate mousse in a must).

Lunch 12 - 3pm and dinner 7-10pm includes Roast Pumpkin, Mushroom, & Spinach Curry; Marinated Tuna Steak & Sesame Crust; Roasted Lamb Shoulder; pasta dishes such as 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: from 10am. Closed all day Sundays, and Saturday lunch.

Casa Pepe 18 Queensway Quay Marina.

Tel/Fax: 200 46967 Email: casa.pepe.gib@gmail.com Casa Pepe is a delightful bar/ restaurant in the prestigious Queensway Quay Marina. A wonderful location for business meetings, engagements, weddings, anniversaries etc. Specialising in a broad range of raciones (plates to share) with a very comprehensive a la carte menu. Daily specials may include fresh fish caught locally and a selection of Argentinean beef. With a menu including dishes such as Caracoles a la Llauna Snails, Rabo de Toro Oxtail, Carrillada de Cerro Iberico Iberico pork cheeks, large rib steaks from Avila and special to order whole suckling pig.

Open: Monday-Friday: lunch and evening meal, Saturday: evenings only, Sunday: lunch only.

Fifty-Five Private Member’s Club 267 Main Street Tel: 200 79655

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Savannah Lounge 27 Heart Island, Ocean Village Tel: 200 66666 www.savannah.gi Aimed at Gibraltar’s dining and night-life scene, Savannah has been created with fun and style in mind. Offering contemporary European cuisine a wide selection of drinks, cool decor and good music. The venue hosts regular events with invited DJs and shows from abroad.

Open: Sunday-Thurs midday-midnight, Friday and Saturday midday-5am.

Solo Bar & Grill Eurotowers Tel: 200 62828 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!

Open: 12-8pm. Available for private functions and corporate events — call 200 62828 Gibraltar’s premier Private Member’s Club to book your function or event. where members can enjoy fine dining and impeccable service in luxurious surroundThe Waterfront ings. Open for lunch and dinner Monday to Queensway Quay Marina Saturday also offering a daily Business Lunch Tel: 200 45666 menu. Once a month 55 opens for traditional www.gibwaterfront.com Sunday lunch and holds a variety of culinary The Waterfront, established for over 16 years, themed evenings i.e. Thai/Japanese Fusion. is situated on the quayside at Queensway The main bar offers a full bar snack menu Quay Marina; the epitome of peace and and is the perfect place after a long day at tranquillity. Open seven days a week from work. On Thursday and Fridays you can 9am until late the restaurant offers everything relax to the mix of Soul & ’80s music by 55’s from a cup of tea or coffee right through resident DJ, take advantage of Happy Hour to three course meals with Champagne! A and enjoy the sushi menu from 6pm. Special comprehensive bar snack menu is available occasions or important business clients can all day from 10.15am; the a la carte menu be entertained in the Private Dining Room from midday through to 10.30pm, featuring (up to 10 people). Afternoon tea Thursday to daily specials. The barbecue grill is open Saturday -6pm. For info on membership or to daily from 7pm offering sumptuous steaks, make a reservation for lunch or dinner so you aged in-house, and fabulous fish including can enjoy the 55 experience contact Louise by dorada and sea bass. A delicious array of phone or email louise@fifty-five.gi desserts and ice creams are also available.

Boasting extensive terraces the restaurant Nunos Italian Restaurant and Terrace provides the ideal location for summer ‘al Caleta Hotel, Catalan Bay fresco’ dining and drinking with stunning For a reservations Tel: 200 76501 sunsets. Also catering for large party bookE-mail reservations@caletahotel.gi ings including weddings, holy communions, Overlooking the Mediterranean from Catalan birthdays etc the Waterfront is the ideal venue Bay, Nunos’ Spanish chef with Three Star for any occasion.

Michellin experience offers a variety of Italian cuisine. The restaurant has now moved from its location on the lower floors and can now be found at the reception level of the hotel. informaleating A quick peak at the menu reveals the chef’s celebrated Salmorejo is on the menu, as are his baby squid burgers (Insalata di Calamari). Amin's The Office From the main dishes you can choose from a 30 Parliament Lane. Tel: 200 40932 variety of fresh fish and meat dishes. Or you Sit down, informal and friendly restaurant. could go for the house speciality of fresh, Amin is well known in Gibraltar for his home-made pasta where you can choose from Moroccan, Spanish and international cuisine. a wide range of options. Open: Monday to Open early for breakfast at 7am right through Saturday 19.30 to 22.30 and lunchtimes for the day. Try the Moroccan soups, couscous, lamb tagines and kebabs. group bookings.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

Open: 7.00am to midnight.

homemade cakes/afternoon tea, plus menu including excellent salad bar, 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

Buddies Pasta Casa 15 Cannon Lane. Tel: 200 40627 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.

Open: Monday - Thursday 11am - 5pm, Friday 11am-3pm and 7pm-11pm, Sat 11am4.30pm FusionDeli 11 Cooperage Lane (by BHS) Tel: 200 63940 FusionDeli is a great little takeaway which specialises in delicious and freshly cooked Malaysian food plus some old farvourites.

It is innovative, tasty and affordable and all served in the iconic noodle box. Breakfast of giant toast, bagels or croissant. Lunches of Malaysian curries, noodles with various sauces and veg, chicken, beef or prawns. Old favs of salads, egg fried rice, wanton chips, and chippy curry sauce. Plus a variety of wraps, pitta breads and baps (with curry, barbecue pork or chicken, or beef steak).

And don't forget the cakes and pudding plus coffees and soft drinks. Well worth a visit.

Open: 11am-4.30pm Get Stuffed Marina Bay. Tel: 200 42006 Take-away, sandwich bar and hot food.

Serving all homemade sandwiches, salads, quiches, pasta, pies, muffins, plus hot and cold drinks and smoothies and a different special every day. Outside catering for corporate parties.

Open: 8am - 6pm Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm Sat. Just A Nibble 1st Flr ICC Tel: 200 78052 Full licensed cafe serving English breakfast, vast range of toasties, rolls, and snacks. Meals include, Bob’s famous chicken curry/chilli con carne, and a great new range of pies (from Bob’s chicken and leek to steak and kidney plus a whole range of tasty alternatives) plus all the old favourites; jacket spuds, burgers, hot dogs, fish and chips, and daily specials.

Ideal meeting place.

Open: Monday - Saturday from 9am.

Just Desserts 1st Floor ICC. Tel: 200 48014 Bright and airy, recently redecorated cafe on the first floor of the ICC. All home-made food including daily specials, vegetarian options and desserts. Eat in or take-away. Try their daily roast with everything on or their allday breakfast. Non-smoking restaurant with terrace smoking area. Friendly, cheerful and fully licensed with sensible prices.

Open: 8am - 4.30pm Monday to Friday.

Mumbai Curry House Unit 1.0.02 Ground Floor, Block 1

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

Smith’s Fish & Chips 295 Main Street. Tel: 200 74254 Traditional well-stablished British fish and chip shop, located on Main Street opposite the Convent, with tables/seating available or take-away wrapped in newspaper. The menu includes old favourites cod, haddock or plaice in batter, Cornish pasties, mushy peas etc. Also curries, omlettes, burgers.

Open: 8am-6pm Mon-Fri. Breakfast from 8.

Solo Express Grnd Flr, International Commercial Centre & Eurotowers Solo Express, located right next to Pizza Hut in Casemates and in Eurotowers, serves a good variety of salads and baguettes (white, brown & ciabatta) filled with a wide deli selection of things such as roast chicken; smoked salmon & mascapone; ham, cheese and coleslaw; or hummous, avocado and roasted red pepper. The salads are fresh and tasty and include Greek, Waldorf, cous cous, tuna pasta, etc and are great value.

Jacket potatoes, quiches, tea, coffee etc plus cakes (such as flapjacks and muffins) are also available throughout the day. Eat-in available.

Soups in winter. Free Wifi.

Eurotowers Tel: 200 73711 Home delivery: 50022/33 Good Indian cuisine for eating in or taking away, from snacks such as samosas, bhajias, and pakoras to lamb, chicken and fish dishes with sauces such as korma, tikka masala, bhuna, do piaza... in fact all you would expect from an Indian cuisine take-away.

Large vegetarian selection. Halal food is available, as is outside catering for parties and meetings. Sunday specials include all Mumbai favourites such as Dosa and Choley The Tasty Bite Bhature.

Open: 7 days a week 11am - 3pm, 6pm - 59a Irish Town.

Tel: 200 78220 Fax: 200 74321 late.

Tasty Bite has one of the biggest take-away menus around with home cooked meats, Munchies Cafe 24 Main Street. Tel: 200 43840 Fax: 200 filled baguettes, burgers, chicken, kebabs and everything else you can think of! Try the 42390 A great sandwich bar/cafe offering an quiches, tortillas and jackets spuds with all unusual range of sandwiches on white or kinds of fillings. This little place gets busy granary bread, plus salads, baguettes, soups, with those popping out from the offices for desserts, homemade ice-cream and hot/cold lunch so get there early. drinks. Business lunches, parties and kids Open: Monday - Saturday. parties also catered for (for party and office platters phone or fax order by 5.30pm day before - minimum orders for delivery £12).

Open: Mon - Fri 8.30-7, Sat 9 - 4, Closed Sun. Picadilly Gardens Rosia Road. Tel: 200 75758 Relaxed bar restaurant with cosy garden terrace just across the road from the cable car.

English breakfast, churros, tapas, hamburgers, fresh fish, prawns, squid, clams and a variety of meat dishes. Eat in or take away. Menu of the day only £6. Open: early to late. l Sacarello Coffee Co. 57 Irish Town. Tel: 200 70625 Converted coffee warehouse, ideal for coffee,

Verdi Verdi Unit G10, ICC, Casemates (behind taxis).

Tel: 200 60733 Verdi Verdi offers morning and afternoon coffee as well as all home-made and delicious vegetarian and vegan dishes, fresh homebaked bread and desserts. A wide selection of freshly made sandwiches and baguettes to eat in or take away. Try the light and fluffy homemade pizzas, or the falafels.

Daily specials soups are fabulous and filling. Delicious coffees. Ask for Idan's hot homemade chilli relish — sweet and scrummy. Free WiFi. Open: Mon & Thurs: 7.30am - 6pm, Friday 7.30am - 5pm, Sunday 10am - 3pm. Saturday closed.

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bars&pubs All’s Well Grand Casemates Square. Tel: 200 72987 Traditional pub in fashionable Casemates area.

Named for the 18th century practice of locking the Gates to the city at night when the guard announced ‘All’s Well’ before handing the keys to the watch. All’s Well serves Bass beers, wine and spirits plus pub fare. English breakfast served all day, hot meals such as pork in mushroom sauce, sausage & mash, cod and chips and steak & ale pie are complemented by a range of salads and filled jacket potatoes. Large terrace.

Karaoke every Monday and Wednesday until late. Free tapas on a Friday 7pm.

Cannon Bar 27 Cannon Lane. Tel: 200 77288 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.

Quiz night on Tuesdays, get there early as it is definitely the place to be on a normally quiet Gibraltar Tuesday.

Attractive bar/brasserie in historic Casemates building. Done out to represent Nelson’s ship with cloud and sky ceiling crossed with beams and sails. Spacious terrace Starter s& snacks include fresh local mussels, blue cheese and rocket bruschetta, Lordy’s potato skins, spicy chicken wings and calamares. Main courses cover a range from chilli con carne and chicken and mushroom pie, to crispy aromatic duck burrito and British fish and chips. Try one of the salads or Nelson’s platters. Jacket potatoes, The Final Whistle burgers and children’s menu. Credit cards ac4, Cornwall’s Parade Friendly sports bar with six screens. If it’s live, cepted. Live music Venue of the Year, with live it’s on, and often more than one game on at a music on stage every night. Free Wifi. Open: time for full sports coverage. Fun atmosphere from 10am till very late. with special offers during premier matches. All The Lounge sports fans welcome.

Queensway Quay Marina Tel: 200 61118 Open 10am until late, 7 days a week.

Stylish lounge bar right on the quayside at Queensway Quay with very reasonably priced The Gibraltar Arms drinks and light bites from 10am until late.

184 Main St. Tel: 200 72133 Free WiFi, popular quizzes on Sundays (from www.gibraltararms.gi Good food served all day at this typical pub 7.30pm) and a relaxed friendly atmosphere... right on Main Street. Everything from all day always plenty of people / yachties to chat to. breakfast to Irish fillet steak roll, burritos, and Events (matches etc) covered on large screen the popular fresh local mussels. Draught lager, TV. Great place to chill out. Open: 10am from bitter, cider and Murphys plus free WiFi. Ter- Monday to Saturday until late and from 12pm race seating right on Main Street to watch the on Sundays (get there early if you want a seat world go by. Open: from 8am (10am Sundays) for the quiz). until late.

O’Reilly’s Leisure Island, Ocean Village. Tel: 200 67888 Lord Nelson Bar Brasserie Traditional Irish bar with full HD sports cover10 Casemates Tel: 200 50009 age and Irish breakfast from 7am (Sunday from www.lordnelson.gi 9am). Guinness on draught. Food includes salE-mail: reservations@lordnelson.gi

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ads, jackets, beef and Guinness ale 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.

Savannah Lounge 27 Heart Island, Ocean Village Tel: 200 66666 Aimed at Gibraltar ’s dining and night-life scene, Savannah has been created with fun and style in mind. Offering contemporary European cuisine a wide selection of drinks, cool decor and good music. The venue hosts regular events with invited DJs and shows from abroad (see ad for details).

Open: Sunday-Thurs midday-midnight, Friday and Saturday midday-5am.

The Star Bar Parliament Lane. Tel: 200 75924 Reputedly the oldest bar in Gib, this small cosy bar opens early for breakfast (English or toast & cereal). Lunch/evening menu includes fillet steak, fish and chips and salads. Home of Med Golf and Tottenham Hotspur FC supporters club. Outside seating.

Open: from 7am every day. Located: first right off Main St (walking from N to S).

The Three Owls Irish Town. Tel: 200 77446 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.

Wembley Bar 10 South Barrack Ramp. Tel: 200 78004 Popular bar for hot and cold bar snacks, function room, in south district. Fridays 10am for breakfast. Air conditioned. The home of the Real Madrid Supporter’s Club.

Open: from 11am - midnight Sunday - Thursday, 10am - 1am Friday, and from 11am - 1am Saturdays.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

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

SMITH’S

U4 FISH & CHIPS HADDOCK W4 PLAICE • COD FRESH FRIED IN CRISPY BATTER

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

restaurant bar guide &

295 MAIN ST Tel: 200 74254

Get Stuffed!

Marina Bay Tel: 200 42006 Take-Away, Sandwiches & Hot Food Different Special EveryDay salads, quiches, pastas, pies, muffins, all home made Open 8am-6pm Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm Sat

Indian Cuisine to Eat In or Take Away Unit 1.0.02 Grnd Flr, Block 1 Eurotowers Tel: 200 73711

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 GIBRALTARMAGAZINE MAGAZINE••JANUARY JANUARY2012 2012 GIBRALTAR

Just A Nibble Licensed Cafeteria Let the ‘A’ Team serve you up a snack or a meal.

Daily Specials • Varied Menu

Open from 9am First Floor ICC, Main Street THE PLACE TO MEET

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2012 re-solutions Did anyone notice 2011 go by? I do not refer to the celebrations on 31st December, which may be understandably somewhat hazy, but rather the whole of the year.

It is now 12 years after the millennium. My computer did not disappear then and — apart from the usual glitches — has not disappeared since. But surely it was only yesterday that I bought the 1996 clarets. If only I had never drunk the 1982 ones I could retire tomorrow on the sale proceeds.

In order to assist you in avoiding the same mistakes I have made, I offer the following.

1

It does not take what is pretentiously named ‘a refined palate’ to tell the difference between a decent drop of wine and vinegar 84

Wine is for enjoyment, not for making money. I may — now — say that I regret drinking the 1982 clarets in my cellar but, in reality, I thoroughly enjoyed them. They were heaven, and made more so by being drunk in the company of like-minded souls who appreciated the silkiness with the concurrent explosion of taste. Getting a great vintage, and then keeping it until it provides that explosion requires an iron will. But it is worth the intervening pain of restraint. And what use would selling it be? A few extra pounds in the pocket and an inferior wine; no sense of achievement; no self-congratulation after resisting temptation for so long; and, above all, the knowledge that the buyer probably would not appreciate what he had bought.

The latter point is important.

It does not take what is pretentiously named ‘a refined palate’ to tell the difference between a

decent drop of wine and vinegar.

Likewise, anyone’s palate can differentiate between a deep, fruity Chateauneuf-du-Pape and a light Italian Barolo. (Incidentally, both are available from Saccone and Speed outlets at under £10 and both are worth it on different occasions.) But full appreciation of what you are getting does require a little effort.

2

The price of the wine is immaterial. I do not mean to imply that, in general, a more expensive wine will not be better. You usually get what you pay for. But most of us are wandering around in the between £5 and £10 range where the choice is enormous and the quality equally variable. How do you know what to buy?

That is where wine writers come in. Every respectable newspaper and magazine (including even this one) has a wine column. The column usually recommends whatever free bottle has been left on the doorstep of the writer that week.

Sadly, that is not the case with me — but then my recommendations, few as they are, come without incentives. Most writers drone on about new-mown hay, gooseberries, every other kind of fruit, a few farmyard analogies and then continue with other purple prose.

This does not work in the lower (below £10) price range.

In the past I have recommended

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s

Morrison’s Claret — about £3.00 — as being a super drop of stuff at a very reasonable price. This is no longer so; I wait to hear from Morrison’s that they have changed suppliers. Until then, one of the most reliable methods of getting something okay at a reasonable price is simply to take advantage of the special offers. Morrison’s have, on average, about five or six of these every week. The saving is usually between £2 and £3. The wines are mostly New World. Some are very good — Hardy’s (Australia) Cabernet at £5.50 springs to mind.

Some are not so: avoid the Frascati at £4.50. But for every bottle that you would not normally pay much, you get a couple that are very good value. And you have not wasted much money.

Other traders will also offer discounts if buying in reasonable bulk — say at least a case. This means, before you buy, that you need to be certain that the outlay will be worth it. Attend the regular wine tastings offered by Anglo Hispano, Saccone & Speed and so on. While they are often pushing a particular line, they

wine column nevertheless need to put a selection of wines out and one of the lesser bottles may be, as you taste it, a real find. An Argentine Malbec from Anglo Hispano (£7.80) really hit the spot — while they were promoting Chilean products.

3

Rely on yourself. No-one, least of all me, can tell you what you will enjoy. Sometimes you will be told what you ought to enjoy, whether because of price, reputation or recommendation. But if you do not enjoy it, you are not wrong.

Your taste just happens to be different. When you tasted a glass of wine for the very first time at, say, age 15, you probably did not think much of it. As the years went by, you slowly began to appreciate differences and learned a little about the different grapes and styles. You were also very impressed by the experts who could tell at a sniff that the wine was a particularly good example of the production from the southern slopes of the estate.

Slowly, you begin to trust your own taste and take the pronouncements of the experts with a pinch of salt. When you reach that stage, you do not need to read this or any other column on the subject. But please keep doing so. n

Contemporary Mediterranean Dining

Grand Casemates Square Tel: 200

44449 for reservations

Saturday Chill Out with DJ Eric from 7pm

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A ro u n d To w n

After all the excesses of Christmas, and all those extra calories it is time to make the New Year Resolutions and start getting fit for 2012. It’s the start of a new year, and with a newly elected government it promises to be another good year for Gibraltar.

The team at the Gibraltar Magazine are back from their holidays to far-flung places and raring to go with some great ideas for the coming 12 months... watch this space.

The social calendar of course kicks off with the Three Kings’ Cavalcade on 5th January.

Spectacular floats are promised this year, as ever, and there will be loads of fun to entertain everyone including the kiddies!

Birthdays this month include Chris Durante of Rock Adventures on 3rd, Janet Howitt of ESG on 6th, Spanish teacher Margaret Frost on 13th, John Bell of Image Graphics on 15th, Nicky Darby of DHL on 15th, photographer Sophie Triay on 23rd, theatre producer and director Howard Danino on 24th and Form-a-co director Jonathan Stagnetto on 25th. Also wishing many happy returns to policewoman Josie Guilling Savignon on the 5th, and little Madison Santini on the 9th. Dinner Lady of Notre Dame School Marie Gomez has her birthday on the 19th, and Michelle Martinez of St. Johns and Sangeeta Mahtani share a birthday on the 28th. Many happy returns to them all and to everyone else who celebrates a special event

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this month.

If you are up for some traditional pantomine fun and frolics, dame and all, Robinson Crusoe and the Pirates will be staged at the Inces Hall theatre from the 19th to 28th January. Tickets available from the Inces Hall box office, get them quick! Oh, yes you will. Oh, no you won’t!

For those of you looking for some more intellectual stimulus, the Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival is a must. This will be held at the Caleta Hotel, Catalan Bay, towards the end of January, and with many top names in chess having already confiormed attendance, it looks like it is going to be one of the strongest Open chess events in the world — and right here in Gibraltar.

This picture and above: GGCA Christmas party

photos: Gold Production Studios (Gibraltar) Ltd

Well that’s it for this month, all that remains is to wish everyone in Gibraltar a very very happy and prosperous 2012 indeed. Let’s hope it is our best year yet!

Welcome 2012.

Pictures this page and opposite: The launch party of Giles Ramirez ’s new album

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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 6.30pm-8pm, Wed 6.30pm-8.30pm, life painting Wed 7pm9pm). 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 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.

Classical Ballet classes for children 4+, Spanish dance and hip-hop at Liza School of Dance, 3rd floor, Methodist Church, 297/299 Main St. Classes Weds & Fri from 6pm at Chiltern Court (4Cs). Tel: 58111000.

Modern, Contemporary, Lyrical, Flexibility, Hip Hop & Dance Theatre classes held weekly at Urban Dance Studio for Performing Arts, No. 2 Jumpers Bastion. Contact Yalta (54012212) or Jolene (54015125).

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 The Gibraltar National Choir and Gibraltar Junior National Choir rehearse on Tuesday & Thursday 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 Outdoor Activities The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is an exciting

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Don’t be bored... do something fun! self-development Programme available to all young people worldwide equipping them with life skills to make a difference to themselves, their communities and the world. To date over 5 million young people from over 100 countries have been motivated to undertake a variety of voluntary and challenging activities. Contact Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Montagu Bastion, Line Wall Road. Tel: 200 59818 Quizzes Cannon Bar quizzes are held on Tuesdays starting with a warm up, then two other quizzes, including a theme quiz. Starts at 8.30pm, all welcome and prizes are given. Free entrance but a donation to charity is requested. Tapas served after the quiz.

The Lounge friendly quizzes take place on Sundays from 8pm right on the quayside at Queensway Quay.

Social Clubs Scots on the Rock: Any Scots visiting the Rock can contact Charles Polson (Tel: 200 78142) for assistance or information.

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.

The Gibraltar Photographic Society meets on Mon at 7.30pm, Wellington Front. Basic courses, competitions etc.

Harley Davidson Owners’ Club www.hdcgib. com UN Association of Gibraltar PO Box 599, 22a Main Street. Tel: 200 52108.

Creative Writers Group meet every Tuesday at the Eliott Hotel bar at 8pm. The workshop is run

by Carla, Tel: 54006696 and is aimed at learning to write fiction and non-fiction, for pleasure or publication. Each session is £5.00.

Sports Supporters Clubs The 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.

Billiards & Snooker: Gibraltar Billiards and Snooker Association (member IBSA) round leagues and competitions at various venues.

New members welcome. Tel: Eddie 200 72142 or Peter 200 77307.

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 Rockettes Cheerleading Club. Classes for girls aged 3+. Contact Gina: 58008338.

Canoeing: Gibraltar Canoeing Association. Tel: Nigel 200 52917 or Eugene 58014000.

Cricket: Gibraltar Cricket Association (member ICC) runs leagues/competitions at Europa Point/ Victoria Stadium. Junior/senior training. Tel: Tom 200 79461 or Adrian 200 44281.

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.

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 and juniors. Tel: Eric 200 74156 or Peter 200 72730.

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 or 60624275.

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 more information contact Sally Tel: 200 74661.

Rugby: Gibraltar Rugby Football Union training sessions for Colts (14+), seniors and veterans.

Play in Andalusia 1st Division Oct - April. Tel: James 200 72185 Sailing: Gibraltar Yachting Association junior/ senior competitive programme (April - Oct) Tel: RGYC 200 48847.

Sea Angling: Gibraltar Federation of Sea Anglers (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

what a page turner! www.thegibraltarmagazine.com

rink (when not used for roller hockey training).

Tel: Eric 200 70710 (after 5).

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 E-mail: gibdrama@yahoo.co.uk Tel: 200 42237 www. geocities.com/gibdrama Trafalgar Theatre Group meet 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 • JANUARY 2012

events Support Groups 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 ex-Service personnel and their families. Tel: (5)5481. E-mail olivero@sapphirenet.gi 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).

Religious Services Baha’i Faith Tel: 200 73287 www.gibnet. com/bahai email:bahai@gibraltar.gi Bethel Christian Fellowship Tel: 200 52002. Queensway. Sunday service 11am.

Church of England Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. Tel: 200 78377. Sung Eucharist, Sunday 10.30am. Sunday School.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day

Alex Trinidad at the event, pictured second from the left

Alexander’s Achievement!

Local martial arts sportsman, Alex Trinidad, participated at the 92nd BTCB Dan Grading and Workshop, held by the BTCB Technical Committee in Mansfield, UK, along with around 200 members from around the UK. Alex, who has been practising Taekwondo since the age of 7, achieved his 4th Dan thanks to his outstanding performance.

This year has been very rewarding for Alex, as he also won gold medal at the recent Southern Counties International Championships in the under 80kg category.

Masters Edward and Ernest Garcia, and all members of the Gibraltar Taekwondo Asso-

At the workshop, all areas of the art were covered in depth — patterns, basics, self-defence, breaking and WTF sparring

In December the Gibraltar Taekwondo Association held Junior & Senior Gradings for members to achieve a higher grade in their category. 21 members participated in the event which was conducted by Masters Edward and Ernest Garcia 5th Dan, with the assistance of Lorena Garcia 3rd Dan, Brandon Tosso 2nd Dan, Leon Garcia 1st Dan and Dana Garcia 1st Dan. JUNIORS Sebastian Brancato - Orange/Green Belt, Macy Cornelio - Orange Belt, Kelsey Cornelio - Orange Belt, Qasim Abbassi - Orange Belt, Stanley John Olivero - Orange Belt, Sheridan Jamie Povedano - Orange Belt, Craig Nicholas Gill - Yellow/Orange Belt, Luis Thoppil-Poyatos - Yellow/Orange Belt, Evan Dyer - Yellow Belt, Waqas Ahemed Abbassi - Yellow Belt, Kevin Torres - Yellow Belt, Tim Rodionov - Yellow Belt, Evan Dalmedo - Yellow Belt Jovani Lagomasino - White/Yellow Belt, Ryan Faraj - White/Yellow Belt SENIORS Wayne Estella - Blue Belt, Naill Francis - Green Belt, Ethan Brancato - Green/Blue Belt, Kelly Anne Cooper - Green/Blue Belt, Chris John Fortuna - Green Belt, Christian Fleming - Yellow Belt

Saints Suite 21a Don House, 30-38 Main Street. Tel: 200 50433. Sundays 10am.

Church of Scotland St Andrew’s, Governor’s Pde. Tel: 200 77040. Worship & Sunday School 10.30am. Bible Study Tues 7.30pm.

Evangelical Bretheren Assembly, Queensway Quay. Sun 11am, Tues Bible Study 6pm, Thurs Prayer Meeting 6pm.

Hindu Engineer’s Lane Tel: 200 42515.

Jehovah’s Witness 6 Europort Avenue

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012

ciation congratulated Alex and gave special thanks to Master Neil Guest for his support during the hard training sessions. n For information on Taekwondo Tel: 200 44142 or email tkdgarcia@hotmail.co.uk, or visit the website www.taekwondo.gi.2x

Tel: 200 50186.

Jewish 10 Bomb House Lane Tel: 200 72606.

Methodist 297 Main St Tel/Fax 200 40870 email minister@methodist.org.gi Minister: Revd Fidel Patron. Sunday 11am Morning Worship, 8pm Evening Service. Prayer meetings Monday+ Wednesday to Friday 7pm and Tuesdays 8pm. Communion celebrated on 2nd and 4th Sunday mornings of the month, and other special occasions.

Alpha Course: held Thursdays 8pm.

House Groups meet for Christian fellowship, prayer and study on a regular basis Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. Sunday School meets Sunday mornings alongside morning worship.

Roman Catholic Cathedral St Mary the Crowned, 215 Main St Tel: 200 76688.

The Cityline Church 13 Castle St Tel: 200 75755 email: citylinegib@yahoo. com. Meet: Tues 8pm, Sundays 11am.

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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-ibn-Zeyad (“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.

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 Emergency Nos: Tel: (5) 5026 / (5) 3598

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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 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).

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 2012

Gibraltar & United Kingdom *Gibraltar only New Year’s Day Monday 2nd January (in lieu of Sunday 1st January) Commonwealth Day Monday 12th March* Good Friday Friday 6th April Easter Monday Monday 9th April May Day Monday 7th May Spring Bank Holiday Monday 4th June Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Tuesday 5th June Queen’s Birthday Monday 18th June Late Summer BH Monday 27th August Gib National Day Monday 10th September* Christmas Day Tuesday 25th December Boxing Day Wednesday 26th December

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.

Bus Routes & Timetables

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.

The Gibraltar Magazine is published and produced by Guide Line Promotions Ltd, 1st Floor 113 Main Street, 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 MonSun. Last cable down: 5.45pm). 50p per person to walk with no entrance tickets.

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 offering normal fares, taxis provide Rock Tours taking in the Upper Rock, Europa

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 www.gibibikes.gi

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • January 2012

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