The Gibraltar Magazine March 2021 by Rock Publishing Ltd

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE March 2021 | Vol.26 #05

THE

Brian Blessed EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

BEAUTY ADDICT

MISSING WOMEN

LUXE VS BUDGET

THE PHENOMENON

SECLUDED DESTINATIONS

FOODIE FROM GIB

DISTANCED VACATIONS

MARCHING INTO SPRING TRENDS FASHION FOR A NEW SEASON

UNMISSABLE EATERIES

TO SELL OR NOT TO SELL? THAT IS THE QUESTION

ISOLAS LLP have once again retained their Chambers & Partners Global ‘Band 1’ leading law firm ranking, further strengthening their world-class reputation. The Guide ranks the leading lawyers and law firms in over 200 jurisdictions worldwide, across a spectrum of categories spanning client service, commercial vision and business understanding, diligence, value for money and the depth of the team. Described by Chambers and Partners as an “outstanding fullservice firm”, ISOLAS has again demonstrated a commitment to maintaining a high standard of business as the firm consistently achieves the top ranking, year on year.

This position is preceded by the Chambers and Partners FinTech 2021 rankings, classing ISOLAS as 'Band 1'. FinTech 2021 includes 995 firm rankings, featuring the top professional advisors worldwide. Chambers described ISOLAS as "a top-tier firm highly regarded for its expertise in advising on regulatory matters" and "an attractive choice for international players looking to establish themselves in the country by obtaining a Gibraltar DLT licence." These rankings follow on from Chambers and Partners High Net Worth Guide 2020, in which ISOLAS LLP achieved 'Band 1' practitioner status for Senior Partner Peter Isola, further cementing ISOLAS' standard as a leading law firm.

Portland House, Glacis Road, Gibraltar www.gibraltarlawyers.com | +350 200 01892 | info@isolas.gi

from the editor

MARCH ISSUE EDITOR'S NOTE As we approach the one-year mark of what has been nothing short of a rollercoaster in a house of horrors. I just wanted to take a pause to say: Well done. We made it. How are you?

BEHIND EVERY SUCCESSFUL WOMAN IS HERSELF.

With restrictions easing by the time you read this note, we’re well on our way to a new normal. Churros in the sunshine, dinner with friends, and the much sought-after trip to Carrefour lay just within reach. With International Women’s Day falling on the 8th of March, and Mother’s Day just in front on the 9th, in this issue we celebrate leading ladies. In this month’s Hello There, we asked: Does the glass ceiling exist for women in the workplace? Your answers were varied, and empowering (p. 8). Feisty females rule the roost in many factions of the animal kingdom, too, as we learn in this month’s Zookeeper’s Diary (p. 37). Over in Art Club, we celebrate the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale. Learn to draw the ‘Lady with the Lamp’ in just seven easy steps (p. 51). Where we’re born can play a significant factor in our rights and freedom, which is something the Missing Women of Asia know all too well. We explore this phenomenon, and learn of the harrowing infanticides of those considered to be an ‘expensive burden’ (p. 22). March is also host to World Book Day, and to celebrate, Westside School students are publishing a book: Writer of the Week 2016-2018. The anthology is made up of stories, poems and essays from talented students under the school’s Writer of the Week initiative, run by the English department since 2016 (p. 44). And saving the best for last, we have a familiar face gracing our cover this month: Brian Blessed. If you don’t recognise him by his impressive beard and bushy eyebrows, you certainly will by his iconic roar. Brian has graced our screens and airways for almost six decades, and we had the absolute delight of interviewing him all about it (p. 40). See you in April, churro in hand! facebook.com/gibmag twitter.com/gibmag instagram.com/thegibraltarmagazine

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

A DEFENDER, BUT ELECTRIC. THE NEW DEFENDER PLUG-IN HYBRID

The New Land Rover Defender Plug-in Hybrid. The most powerful and fuel-efficient Defender yet. It can run solely on electric power for up to 43 kilometres. It goes from 0-100km/h in 5.6 seconds. And with 404PS it provides the same power as a 3.0 litre petrol engine, only with better fuel consumption and more torque for those tricky ascents. With high and low-range gears available in electric mode, zero tailpipe emissions comes with zero compromises off-road. Land Rover Defender. Capable of great things. Build yours today at capurro.gi

Official WLTP Fuel Consumption for the 21MY Land Rover Defender Plug-in Hybrid in I/100km: Combined 3.3 - 3.9. Official WLTP CO2 Emissions 74-89 g/km. The figures provided are as a result of official manufacturer’s tests in accordance with EU legislation with a fully charged battery. For comparison purposes only. Real world figures may differ. CO2, fuel economy, energy consumption and range figures may vary according to factors such as driving styles, environmental conditions, load, wheel fitment and accessories fitted. EV range figures are based upon production vehicle over a standardised route. Range achieved will vary dependent on vehicle and battery condition, actual route and environment and driving style. Off-roading and low range use will substantially affect EV range.

EDITOR: Sophie Clifton-Tucker editor@thegibraltarmagazine.com DESIGN: Justin Bautista design@thegibraltarmagazine.com

SPORTS REPORTER: Georgios Tontos SALES: Advertising Team sales@thegibraltarmagazine.com DISTRIBUTION: DHL martin@matrix.gi ACCOUNTS: Paul Cox paul@thegibraltarmagazine.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Alex Orfila Andrew Licudi Bea Garcia Carmen Anderson Chris Hedley Christina Marie Giuffré Claire Spencer Eran and Ayelet Mamo Shay Georgios Tontos Gianna Stanley Isobel Ellul Joel Francis Jorge v.Rein Parlade Julia Coelho Penelope Bielckus Pete Wolstencroft Reg Reynolds

Richard Cartwright Sophie Clifton-Tucker Tara Coumbe Views and opinions within articles are contributor's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the magazine. The Gibraltar Magazine is published monthly by Rock Publishing Ltd Portland House, Glacis Road, Gibraltar, PO Box 1114 T: (+350) 20077748 E: editor@thegibraltarmagazine.com © 2019 Rock Publishing Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written consent of The Gibraltar Magazine. www.TheGibraltarMagazine.com Magazine & website archived by the British Library 6

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

content 08 Hello There: Does The Glass Ceiling Exist For Women? 10 News

BUSINESS 16 To Sell or Not to Sell?

56 The Real Spain 60 Foodie From Gib: 4 Unmissable Eateries from Jerez to Malaga

20 Business School: The USA & Europe

63 A Traveller’s Diary: Beijing to Vietnam

LIFE

69 The Scoreboard

66 Become a Wine Expert in 60 Minutes

22 The Missing Women of Asia: The Phenomenon

71 Secluded Destinations for a Socially Distanced Vacation

24 An Overland Adventure to Gibraltar

77 Confessions of a Beauty Addict: Luxe vs Budget

26 ‘People Transporters’ Then and Now

80 Marching Into Spring Trends

30 Let’s Talk Real: Spring and Spiritual Renewal

REGULARS

32 Life on a Boat in Gibraltar

LEISURE

37 A Zookeeper’s Diary: Female Animal Bosses 40 Blessed Be Brian

SCENE 44 Westside School’s Writer of the Week

86 Recipes: Vegan Baked Feta Pasta and Chocolate, Avocado & Peanut Butter Mousse Pots 88 Information 93 #GibsGems 94 Kids Korner 95 Coffee Time

47 Singer, Dancer, Spy: The Odyssey of a Black Star 51 Art Club: ‘Lady With the Lamp’ in 7 Steps 54 Bookish: Our Monthly Book Club

71 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

Don't forget to find the Hungry Monkey!

Cover Star: Brian Blessed 7

hello there

DOES THE GLASS CEILING EXIST FOR WOMEN?

Denise Matthews, 45 Founder of One Media & Events "Without a doubt. There have been plenty of situations throughout my career where running a business single handedly has not played to any advantage, but in Gibraltar there is a positive resolve to address this. The main reason I decided to start a business was that I needed the flexibility to be able to work and look after my young son so that has given me the determination to never back down. Women need to play a part in raising awareness and providing opportunities for other women."

Emma Lejeune, 38 Barrister at Law at ISOLAS LLP "In my view, a glass ceiling is only as high as you set it, and that is if you decide to set a glass ceiling at all. Hard work, determination and a clear vision are all the tools you need in order to establish and achieve your goals. If you believe you can realise your dreams and know that only you have the power to make them a reality, then by having faith in your ability and in the greater good you can apply your full energy to make them happen. This goes for everyone, not just women."

Want to see yourself or your team featured here? Get in touch at editor@thegibraltarmagazine.com and we'll send you our monthly question! 8

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

hello there

Angelique Pearson Managing Director at SRGEurope "It is fair to say that recruitment used to be a male-dominated industry and had a stereotype of male domination with what was deemed acceptable ‘office banter’. However, now you see many successful women who are recruitment business owners/ Directors dominating the sector. It’s a cliché but I believe it to be true, women have the advantage of being able to multi-task, emotions are generally highly tuned and therefore seem to be able to build good rapport with clients/candidates. If you are strong minded, ambitious and appreciate that nothing is personal you bounce back quickly in this industry. I think recruitment is changing, more companies are now focusing on work-life balance and wanting to create a healthy mind-set and environment, SRG has worked on the premise of flexible working for more than 6 years. I believe no matter what gender you are, if you have the hunger and determination to run through a solid brick wall at full speed, success will be yours. The trouble is, people think being successful happens overnight, but in fact, you need to be a little obsessive, go above and beyond the normal working day to be the best in anything. Everything in life needs to be earned, starting out in recruitment is the hardest, but then with practice and commitment 2 years later, you will be flying and I assure you the rewards are there and it will be worth it."

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

Lorraine van Kleef Founder and Head Coach at LVK Personal Training "The short answer to this question is - “it did!” I have been in the fitness industry for over 25 years and a Personal Trainer for over 11 years and I remember things were very different back then. Gyms were seen as masculine institutions, decorated with photos of men with big muscles and heavy weights. Although female coaches have been around for years, it is true that senior management positions in the sports and fitness sector have been dominated by men for many years. Having said this, I do believe this has been an issue of work hours, commitments and not enough support for mothers as opposed to an issue specific to the fitness world; a case of having to choose between family life, or a career. Today tells a different story though. Attitudes to fitness have shifted from wanting to be slim and look good to wanting to feel great and be strong. Women lifting weights is a common scene at most gyms and social media is flooded with female influencers promoting this. The latter, paired with the recent boom in online platforms being used for training, has meant that women can be more in control of their work/life balance. I expect we will be seeing a lot more of women in this line of work during the near future: the glass ceiling has shown its cracks and I have no doubt it shall be smashed before we know it!"

news GIBRALTAR’S MARINE ENVIRONMENT SHOWCASED IN NEW BOOK The University of Gibraltar’s Director of Academic Programmes & Research, Dr Darren Fa has contributed to a new book published by Redfern Natural History Productions. The book titled ‘Britain’s Distant Seas: the waters of the UK Overseas Territories’, has been authored by Stewart McPherson and includes a chapter on Gibraltar. Aimed at a predominantly younger audience, it hopes to raise awareness of the incredible and often threatened marine biodiversity of the waters surrounding the UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs).

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Talking about his involvement in the project, Dr Fa said, “I met Stewart several years ago whilst he was out on the Rock working on a documentary on the UK’s Overseas Territories - subsequently screened on the BBC - and an accompanying book which were released as ‘Britain’s Treasure Islands’. In discussions, it was evident that he felt that the marine world of the UKOTs deserved its own publication. In due course, Stewart approached me as well as other locally-based marine researchers and photographers to contribute to a chapter on Gibraltar’s waters.” The book includes stunning colour photographs that exemplify and illustrate the variety of marine life found across the diverse locations of the OTs, including here in our own waters. Since its publication, 20,000 copies of the book have been donated to schools across the UK and the OTs. Speaking about this initiative Dr Fa adds, “I feel the true value of this project lies in donating copies of it to libraries and schools. It has the potential to open the minds of readers to the richness of not

just marine life in Gibraltar, but also those of other Overseas Territories across the globe in all seven major oceans and seas. I hope that the book encourages positive action to protect these areas by raising awareness, shining a spotlight on the issues threatening the survival of these ecosystems and help to protect them for the benefit of future generations.” Cetacean expert Rocio Espada also co-authored the chapter, and Nicky Martinez, Steve Warren, Daren Cassano and Danny Kessler contributed photographs. Stephen Warr and Clive Crisp from the DoECCH also contributed. The University of Gibraltar holds a reference copy.

The Gibraltar Cat Welfare Society is looking for volunteers to help feed and care for their cats. If you’re genuinely interested and are able to spare around 2-3 hours a week, please contact them on Facebook: Gibraltar Cat Welfare Society. Thank you.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

news YANTAR - THE NEW NAME FOR GIBRALTAR’S BRONZE AGE MAN Minister for the Environment, Sustainability, Climate Change, Heritage and Culture, Professor John Cortes unveiled a reconstruction of the head of a Bronze Age man from Gibraltar on Tuesday 24th November, 2020. The reconstruction was of a man whose cranium was excavated from Bray’s Cave on the Upper Rock by a team from the Gibraltar National Museum in the course of excavations carried out between 1999 and 2006. He was one of nine individuals (including adults, a five year-old, a 9/10- year old, a 15/20-year old, and a neonate) buried on site. The burials were dated to between 1,496 and 1,900 BCE, that is approximately 3.5 to 4 thousand

YOUTH ARTS JAMBOREE 2021 The Youth Arts Jamboree, organised by Gibraltar Cultural Services, on behalf of the Ministry of Culture, will this year take on a different focus, offering a variety of online opportunities. The Youth Arts Jamboree will run from the 23rd of February to 6th March 2021, commencing with the Young Art Exhibition at the John Mackintosh Hall. The online content will run from 1st6th March and will include the celebration of World Book Day. There will be a variety of online activities to include art/heritage, movement, writing and illustrationbased workshops. Other content will focus on promoting books GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

years ago. This individual was subsequently sampled for ancient DNA as part of a collaboration with the Harvard Medical School, a project which also revealed part of Calpeia’s (a Neolithic woman from Europa Point) DNA. The results were published in 2019 in the journal science (https://science.sciencemag. org/content/363/6432/1230). The skin, eye and hair colour were derived from the genetic information obtained from a sample of Iberian individuals from that period (which included Bray’s Cave Man) used in the published study.

the Russian steppe. This is also one of the main sources of amber. When Yantar was excavated, archaeologists were intrigued when they found an amber bead as part of the burial, as there are no sources of amber in the western Mediterranean. The closest sources are in the eastern Mediterranean, where the bead was assumed to have originated, but the genetic information of the origin of Yantar opened up the possibility that the source of the amber was instead the Russian steppe. Yantar is expected to go on permanent exhibition in the spring.

Following the presentation of the reconstruction, the Gibraltar National Museum put out a call to the public for suggested names that could be given to this individual. The winning name was Yantar with 179 votes. Yantar means amber in Russian. The individual is known to have had his origins in what is today and reading, with book reviews featured in the Gibraltar Chronicle, author interviews on Radio Gibraltar, author profiles on social media and book recommendations from a cross section of the community. Other activities and workshops are being planned and will be delivered as soon as restrictions are lifted, and public health advice allows for this. GCS is working with the Youth Service to deliver a variety of workshops, including ballroom dancing, yoga and mindfulness, movement/music, drama, social media (how to build a profile), jewellery workshops and art-based activities. The Christopher Lloyd Britannica Online Quiz has now been

rescheduled to May. Renowned international historian and author Christopher Lloyd will be teaming up with Gibraltar Cultural Services as part of a new development and educational initiative that will be delivered virtually in schools. Full details on can be found on the YouTube video in the following link: www.books.britannica.com/ virtual-quiz-show . The sessions promise to be a fun and immersive way to learn about the world. The competition will be aimed at children and young people aged between 8 and 14 years old. There will be 8 school heats culminating with a grand final. For any enquiries, please contact 20079750 or email: info@culture.gi. 11

news THE CARE AGENCY: ADULT PROTECTION AND SAFEGUARDING

THE IMA SURVEY FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN THE UK & GIBRALTAR

The Care Agency has represented Gibraltar in the Five Nations Conference on Adult Support, Protection and Safeguarding. The Care Agency’s CEO, Mr Carlos Banderas was joined by Senior Crown Counsel Damian Conroy and the Head of Adult Services, Ms Jennifer Poole in the first online conference of the five nations which is composed of England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland and have now also been joined by others such as the Channel Islands and Gibraltar.

The Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements (IMA) is seeking the views of European nationals in its first survey to understand their level of concern about living in the UK and Gibraltar after Brexit.

This platform will entail a series of online seminars during the course of 2021 dealing with adult protection and safeguarding activity across the nations. This enables Gibraltar care providing professionals to build a network between practitioners, researchers and policy drivers in these jurisdictions. It offers an excellent opportunity to share and draw from published research and reports as well as a stage to debate on wider aspects of adult protection and safeguarding frameworks.

The IMA monitors public bodies to make sure they are upholding the rights of citizens from the EU and EEA EFTA states (Norway, Lichtenstein and Iceland). It can also receive complaints and has powers to launch inquiries and take legal action. The survey, launched as the IMA marks its first month in operation, asks about life after Brexit including awareness of the EU Settlement Scheme and confidence that public bodies will uphold rights and ensure equal treatment. It also tests initial awareness of the IMA to help us ensure EU citizens can access our services. The IMA will work closely with advocate organisations including the3million as well as with the Delegation of the European Union to the United Kingdom in order to promote the survey and ensure it reaches as many EU nationals as possible. The survey launches on the 1 February. It takes around 5-10 minutes to complete and does not request any personally identifiable information. To complete the survey, visit: survey.imacitizensrights.org.uk/323389.

GOVERNMENT CONFIRMS INCREASED BUSINESS SUPPORT FOR FEBRUARY HM Government of Gibraltar is pleased to confirm that the BEAT support measures will continue for the month of February as announced by the Chief Minister in his press conference last week. The BEAT measures will comprise of the following measures; 1. Businesses that have remained closed for the month of February by Government order (for example restaurant businesses that remain closed) 2. Businesses that have been able to open in February but as a result of the ongoing restrictions on movement continue to require increased support (for example retail businesses) 3. Businesses that have been open and are trading but require continuing support (all other participating businesses) All other businesses participating in the BEAT scheme that have not been ordered to close by Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar shall receive a BEAT grant payment that is calculated on a 30% basis, These businesses will require to settle their PAYE and Social Insurance payments for February payroll in full, as normal. Any queries in connection with the BEAT grant scheme can be directed to beatcovidgrants@gibraltar. gov.gi. Any queries in connection with the self-isolation pay scheme can be directed to selfisolationpay@gibraltar. gov.gi. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

50 wines by the glass 40 small dishes of Mediterranean cuisine 30 John Mackintosh Square GX11 1AA Gibraltar. Tel: 200 70201 info@vinopolisgastrobar.gi www.vinopolisgastrobar.gi

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

news DILLIAN WHYTE'S VS ALEXANDER POVETKIN: GIBRALTAR, 27TH MARCH Promoter Eddie Hearn has now confirmed Povetkin vs Whyte 2 will take place in Gibraltar, with the Brixton man attempting to avenge his shock knockout defeat last summer. "In the current environment we are always having to think on our feet," said Hearn. "We did everything to try and make March 6 happen, but with the new travel restrictions it was impossible. "Now we have something outside the box, compelling, and a unique setting for one of the heavyweight fights of the year - roll on the Rumble on the Rock!" Whyte had floored the Russian twice in the fourth round, only to suffer a dramatic one-punch defeat in the fifth at Fight Camp last August. But a revenge victory will propel Whyte back into world title contention after he endured a lengthy wait for a shot at the WBC belt (skysports.com).

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

news ARCHBISHOPELECT MARK MILES Monsignor Mark Miles has been appointed APOSTOLIC NUNCIO by His Holiness the Pope to the Republic of Benin in West Africa. His appointment as NUNCIO comes also with his elevation to

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

the rank of Archbishop. Monsignor Miles is already the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the Organisation of American States, a post he has held since September 2019.

very much hope that, if possible, Gibraltar can host the ceremony for his elevation”.

Mark is likely the first Gibraltarian to be appointed Archbishop, and the second to be appointed an Ambassador. The Chief Minister Fabian Picardo voiced that “we

business

TO SELL, OR NOT TO SELL?

That is the question.

s the COVID-19 pandemic swept the world, business owners who were planning on selling their business were bracing themselves for the very worst. Similarly, owners of businesses that were negatively impacted by the pandemic are facing the dilemma of whether to keep a loss-making business, or sell it off and try and salvage some of the capital they invested into the business. Would anyone really want to buy or sell a business during the COVID-19 crisis? Recessions come and go, but the pandemic brought about an economic tsunami. There are a number of issues to be considered and questions to be answered to help business owners determine when the time is right to sell. With the right answers, avoiding a bad decision may be the key for getting the deal done.

WHY WERE YOU THINKING ABOUT SELLING IN THE FIRST PLACE? Consider what is driving your 16

decision to sell. Are you ready to retire? Is a health situation affecting your ability to work? Is a new competitor bringing a product or service to market that will upend your business? Some of these factors are more time-critical than others. A health issue may require an immediate sale regardless of current market conditions, while a personal

retirement plan can be more flexible. Perhaps your competitors are struggling, leaving better opportunities for your business?

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THE VALUE OF YOUR BUSINESS? Normally, the greater the uncertainty, the greater the risk, GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

business Recessions come and go, but the pandemic brought about an economic tsunami. the less buyers are willing to pay. As in any slowdown, valuations on most businesses are likely to move lower in the near to medium term. Even businesses which are booming as a result of the pandemic (such as those producing sanitation products), may be affected negatively because buyers may expect the current uplift in business to be only temporary. Further, the impact of COVID-19 and related shut-downs will cause more uncertainty regarding how past performance connects to future results, which may lead to a wide range of valuations. Given these factors, many postCOVID-19 transactions will likely include an ‘earn-out’ to cover a portion (possibly a significant portion) of the ultimate purchase price. With an earn-out, a portion of the purchase price is deferred and paid to the seller only as the business meets agreed upon postclose targets.

WOULD A DELAY IN SELLING HURT, OR HELP, YOUR BUSINESS? If your business is able to remain solvent and maintain a positive cashflow, you should consider delaying selling it off and use the time to stabilise the business and prepare it for sale. Business owners who are able to update their financial forecast and present GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

a strong case for why their business will not be significantly impacted by COVID-19 over the next several years will have a better chance of differentiating themselves with buyers. These sellers may still want to consider moving forward with a sale process once the current market

volatility subsides. We also believe sellers who adjust their mindset, show a willingness to be more flexible on deal terms, and who recognise that the transaction process is going to take longer in this new environment are likely to be at a competitive advantage. 17

business WOULD TRANSACTIONS BE CONDUCTED DIFFERENTLY? We expect the due diligence process to include questions that help buyers better understand the specific impact of COVID-19 on the business, and its general level of preparedness for a global pandemic. For example, does the company have a business continuity plan, and has that plan been stress tested? Do employees have the ability to work remotely, and what technology systems are in place to allow them to do so? Purchase agreements may also include proposed language that gives buyers the right to walk away from the deal if there has been a ‘materially adverse effect’ on the business as a result of a pandemic, including

Eran Shay,

Managing Director &

Ayelet Mamo Shay,

Business Development Director of Benefit Business Solutions Ltd. (+350) 200 73669 general@benefitgibraltar.com

COVID-19. Buyers and sellers will likely end up reaching a compromise where the buyer can call off the deal only if it is determined that the pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on the business as compared to other businesses in the same industry or geography.

ARE THERE ANY POTENTIAL BUYERS OUT THERE? Data from the UK suggests that there is a sudden emergence of an aggressive buyer’s market. Buyers have cash and they are moving in to make quick gains. Indeed, over the last few months we have seen

a spike in enquiries in Gibraltar particularly for businesses that have managed to operate both on-site and remotely. In conclusion, while the impact of COVID-19 may present new challenges to business owners currently considering selling their business, it also presents an opportunity for buyers to get their hands on interesting businesses. There are many tasks to be performed in order to effectively prepare a business to be marketed for sale, and it is important to engage advisors to understand what you can do now to prepare your business for sale when the time is right for you. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

THE SMALL TO BUILDING BUSINESS AN ONLINE GUIDE PRESENCE Hi, I’m Dylan Trenado, CEO of The Bulb and Mint on The Rock, two of Gibraltar’s leading marketing and communication agencies. I’m aware of the challenges that small businesses are facing due to the Covid-19 pandemic, so I’d like to share some tips about how you can support and grow your business by going online. Even traditionally ‘bricks and mortar’ businesses, such as cafes, bakeries, restaurants and shops, are realising that without an online presence right now their potential customers may not even be aware of their services. The basics of building an online presence A business website needn’t be expensive or complicated, nor does it need to include online sales. Your website can simply provide essential information about your business, such as the products and services you offer, where to find you and how to contact you. It is very easy to set up a small business website on platforms which are readily available online. These also tend to be user friendly and you will be able to upload information yourself. Set up Google my Business Search engines are the modern day equivalent of printed directories. It is where most people go first for information, so it is vital to set

up a ‘Google my Business’ profile for Google search and maps. It allows you to connect with your customers, post information, updates and allows customers to leave reviews – plus it’s completely FREE!

in Gibraltar (Dec 2020) it is an effective way to reach your local customers. Even if you don’t have a budget for adverts right now, you can still grow your presence through regular and informative organic content, and there is even an option to add e-commerce features. Instagram for Business

Social media: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter Pinterest, TikTok With so many social media channels available now, it is best to be selective and stick to the ones that are favourites with your target audience. For example, if your clients are primarily business professionals, then LinkedIn would be your first choice. Whereas, if you are targeting a younger demographic, then Instagram and TikTok would be your platforms of choice. Manage multiple social media accounts with tools such as Hootsuite, Planoly and Sked, and Facebook and Instagram accounts with Facebook Business Suite. Facebook Love it or hate it, businesses can’t ignore it. With 25,400 users

With 10,600 users in Gibraltar (Dec 2020), and 200 million users visiting at least one business profile each day, having an Instagram business account is sensible. Furthermore, you can turn your IG feed into a shop front with shopping cart. Email marketing Email marketing remains one of the most powerful marketing tools for small businesses or start-ups, and offers a high ROI. It helps to build brand awareness, launch campaigns and gather a customer database. All together now For the strongest online presence, you should use these platforms together, so they bring in new customers and secure customer loyalty, 24/7, 365 days a year. To find out more, please feel free to contact us and let’s sit down for a coffee.

Mail us on info@thebub.gi | Call us on +350 20044022 www.thebulb.gi Instagram: @the_bulb_gibraltar Facebook: TheBulbGibraltar LinkedIn: the-bulb-media-hub GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

business

BUSINESS SCHOOL: THE USA & EUROPE

Will they provide good business opportunities and highly paid jobs after graduation?

BY JORGE V REIN PARLADE

his is not an easy question to answer, and it all depends on a considerable number of factors that can play a major role in the outcome of finding a top management role or successful business idea to develop after graduation. First and foremost, a business school master’s degree is not a guarantee of success. It will surely help you like any good educational programme you receive prior to setting up in business or working for a large company, but there will be a large number of factors that will play a major role in your professional future. Let us look into the present MBA degrees in the market and decide what the secret of these business schools is, if there is one. We should know that competition is fierce out there and today there is a large choice of business schools in Europe and the USA which offer some very interesting programmes. Most of them however use the ‘case study method’ for their master degrees. If you look at some of the rankings of the top business schools, you 20

will certainly see some wellestablished names including Harvard, Stanford, Wharton - all in the USA. In Europe you will probably see names like INSEAD in France, IESE in Spain, LBS and Cambridge (Judge) in the UK, Bocconi in Italy and a large number of smaller schools which are offering excellent programmes for both graduates and undergraduates. The prices can go from €15,000 for a one-year course in a boutique business school in Europe, to a figure close to €200,000 for a top USA Business school ranked within the top five by the Wall Street Journal or the Financial Times. The truth is, their programmes are fairly similar because globalisation and modern technology has made their subjects and study methods very accessible to the entire world. These methods and cases are very often shared amongst top business schools. Naturally, at a certain cost. Let us take a look at Harvard Business School. Rated number

Where is the difference then? Networking. one in the world ranking. There is no question it is a highly regarded and desirable degree to which only a few privileged people can have access. But you can get excellent programmes, similar to the ones offered at a prime institution, at a much lower cost. Where is the difference then? Networking. The contacts you make. If you are bright enough to make it to the top institutions there is no reason why you should not liaise and work out solid professional links with the future movers and shakers of the global business world. This is in reality what you pay for. Being together with the top people. The crême de la crême of business. Their educational programmes are the best money can buy as and their tutors the top elite. But this is somehow accessible in other business school choices. In any decent and wellestablished business school you GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

business And this is just the start. And most probably the future. programmes for a very reasonable cost. A client of mine mentioned the London School of Economics had offered him an excellent programme in International Property for £1,750, over in a few weeks. And this is just the start. And most probably the future.

This is perhaps the beauty of the new future reality. will most likely be going through dozens of different cases from Microsoft to Pret in the hospitality business or Revolut in the financial services industry. You shall certainly study cases well known in your country such as Calze Gallo and Pasta Barilla of Italy, Zara and Mercadona in Spain or Revolut and Pret in the UK, Loreal and LVMH in France. The list is endless. The business darkness of 2020 - and it looks like a good part of 2021 too - will follow suit. The pandemic has increased, or rather has made it quite common practice to do, online courses of any kind from a choice of universities. This means that any entrepreneur can if he so desires, pick up a programme of his choice from any top business school in the world and do a ten-week business or management course GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

from the comfort of his or her own home. This is perhaps the beauty of the new future reality. There is no question that an MBA undertaken in the normal way is second to none. I personally did this kind of programme some three years ago from a small boutique business school founded by the IESE based in Sevilla and Malaga. I would spend an entire Thursday and Friday of the last week of each month at the school, for nine months starting in October and ending in June of the following year. I had plenty of work to do at home. About two hours each day of very enjoyable business cases and strategies. The networking and contacts available there were unparalleled. One thing is for certain: there is no real substitute for a physical lecture. ‘Live’, as the rock stars call it. How could it be the same as an online version? However, during the pandemic it has been the only way forward. The good news is that you can access excellent

The truth is many of these business schools offer some very sophisticated programmes, and they will surely help you achieve your future business goals to some extent. But ultimately, as it often happens, it is what you personally make out of it. It will be rather interesting to show readers a different choice of cases following the case method, which can certainly help up in our future ventures. But this is a horse of a different colour and the subject of a future collection of articles.

Jorge V Rein Parlade Mba Business Consultant +350 54045282 jorgeparlade@aol.com

life

THE MISSING WOMEN OF ASIA The phenomenon.

BY GIANNA STANLEY

“W

hy should I suffer to give birth to another girl?” This is the feeling of a mother who experiences the burden of not bringing a son to the earth - a legacy for the family name. Cultural, economic, and religious preferences for sons, along with the misuse of medical practices, have led to uneven sex ratios at birth - with India seeing around 44 million more men than women inhabiting their country. Ironically, the womb has become one of the most unsafe places for a female fetus in Asia. This phenomenon began during the 1980s with the introduction of sonograms. They were used to detect the future sex of the fetuses, and this was met with the idea that parents wanted fewer children than past generations, and having a son would create better outcomes for the family. Despite their prosperity by having one of the largest economies in the world, tradition, beliefs, and family are at the core of everyday life. 22

Girls are seen as being an expensive burden - with parents having to pay a costly dowry for marriage, along with not being able to carry on the family name. Stereotypically, the boys are the care-givers, the breadwinners, and the symbol of power for the family. Sons are also needed for some Hindu tradition to perform funeral rituals for his parents. It is the persistence of these sexist, outdated, and dangerous beliefs that perpetuate the normality behind women being overlooked, and sometimes this neglect unfortunately starts as early as conception. Every week in India, thousands of baby girls are killed by abortions or infanticides purely because of their sex, with many being abandoned in hopes of death or passing the ‘burden’ on to someone else. Due to this extreme imbalance in gender, the Indian government has attempted to overcome this through legal action. In 1994, a law came into place that prohibited pre-natal sex determination due to the fear that new ultrasound technologies

Ironically, the womb has become one of the most unsafe places for a female fetus in Asia. would consequentially decrease female births. In 2003, this law was extended to ban preconception sex selection in order to prohibit doctors from influencing the sex of the fetus through various methods like specific sperm selection. Despite their attempts, these practices continue to happen underground, although the happenings of it are widely known. Furthermore, abortions are legal in India, as they should be. However, it saddens me to know that women in India feel subjugated to give up their daughters because of societies harsh view that women are burdens and inferior to sons in the family dynamic. Although GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

life Girls are seen as being an expensive burden. a woman increases your chances of being a survivor of abuse - can women really win?

it is their rightful choice to have an abortion, the sad truth is that many of them have no alternate option. It is interesting to see how in the less affluent areas, the ratio of men to women appear to be normal, but in more middle-class areas, men dominate the ratios. Why is this? Wealthy people have better access to underground GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

sex-determinators and easier access to abortions. Scholars have suggested that violence and crime may be more prevalent in these wealthier areas where there is a surplus of men, with there being a significant correlation between the excess of men and an increase in rape, domestic violence and child marriage. So, being conceived a female decreases your chances of birth, and living as

Following on from that question women can only win once society, politics, and the media changes their view about us. International Women’s day celebrates achievements of women, but also serves as a call for action to accelerate gender parity. We may appear to be levelling the grounds, but in a world where families are indoctrinated to believe that birthing a daughter will cause them a great burden, we still have a very long way to go. It may be most practically seen in India and around Asia, but the very ideas that causes this gender preference remains engrained in the Western thought. The preference for a son is a very real, and dangerous thing. You often hear comments from disappointed fathers about their daughters not continuing their name, or witness the frustration of an expectant father when finding out he will have a daughter. Remember that these ideas are indeed prevalent in the Western world, and just because we do not have an imbalance in gender ratios does not mean these thoughts can continue. Today, we remember all of the women that could have been had it not been for gender preference. 23

life

OVERLAND ADVENTURE TO THE ROCK

I’d been meaning to return to Gibraltar for some weeks to follow up on my review of live music on the Rock during and after lockdown, but due to BA cancelling my flight and my own indecisiveness, I’d never got around to it. Then, as if to give me release from my vacillations a friend said that I could have a lift down in a campervan that he was delivering for a client up the coast, and as I fancied a bit of adventure, we met up in time to catch the night ferry to France.

BY CLAIRE SPENCER

he journey was completed in just two days of solid driving in an American RV with coffee and rest breaks, stopping in a hotel in Miranda de Ebro in Northern Spain overnight with fabulous views of the river from the balcony. The journey wouldn’t have been an adventure had there not been incidents; one of the rear four wheels went flat causing the van to vibrate. In an effort to put air in the tyre the valve blew out, and with no neumaticos open, we completed the journey the very same day, with the words to “Three Wheels On My Wagon” going through my sleep deprived mind until the reassuring view of The Rock hove into view as we approached San Roque in the dead of night. Everything in Gibraltar was pretty much as I’d left it back in August; 24

Steve James I could still have a drink in the bars, though La Linea called me seductively from over the runway with promises of café y churros and beers with friends in the bars of the Boulevard that I’d not seen since I’d last flown away back to Blighty. I’d found a delightful billet through Airbnb in a room in a historic house on Prince Edward’s Road, where, upon entering a hidden world behind a seemingly ordinary doorway, I was rewarded with breathtaking views across the town and straits. Relaxing on the roof terrace of an evening, with the lights of Morocco twinkling across a glassy sea like a thousand stars, I was also afforded a once in a lifetime view of the widely publicised close conjunction of the planets Jupiter and Saturn.

I was curious as to the fortunes of The Two Steves aka ‘The Night Watchmen.’ These were two musicians I’d written about in my last visit who’d entertained us all in those sultry summer evenings at The Cabana beach bar in Camp Bay. I subsequently met up with one half of the duo soon after my arrival, Staffordshire Steve, real name Steve James, who told GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

life

me that Scottish Steve had left Gibraltar shortly after I’d written my review of their gigs for The Gibraltar Magazine in July. Steve informed me that he was still playing his music where and when he could in view of the current restrictions, and gave me his card which proudly announced that he was available for live performances and functions. Of course, there was no live music in Gibraltar; this had been stopped completely some weeks previously, though some wellknown faces on the Rock were streaming live performances, with The Musicians Association of Gibraltar among others promoting these on social media sites. With no music to write about, and with the weather still being pleasantly warm, I indulged myself in the delights of the Upper Rock and ‘El Jungle’, also managing a stroll on the Playa de Levante in La Linea, with its exhilarating views of the planes seemingly leaping for the clouds as they GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

took off from Gibraltar airport Shortly afterwards, in light of the rapidly rising Covid cases on the Rock, The Chief Minister introduced more stringent restrictions, and at this point I realised that my visit was going to be short lived this time round. On Christmas Day I wandered over to Camp Bay to watch the sun set across the bay, and gazed reminiscently at the skeletal remains of the Cabana Bar as if in hibernation until the first summer rays inevitably wake it from its slumbers. Sadly, further restrictions were announced straight after Christmas including a 10pm curfew, and soon afterwards it was with much soul searching and a very heavy heart that I

found myself sitting with a friend on a wall outside the airport in the warm winter sunshine before checking into my flight to Heathrow. I was to have a grandstand view of the Rock from my seat as we jetted off into the clear blue yonder as the sun was setting, but the heavens offered solace to my parting with the sight of a rare celestial phenomenon known as the green flash as the sun lowered its tired head below the horizon. Claire has donated her fee for this article to Charles Trico’s appeal to help disadvantaged children in Morocco. 25

life

‘PEOPLE TRANSPORTERS’ THEN AND NOW We’ve had a variety of buses on our roads over the years. I remember in the 50s and 60s the Spanish vehicles that plied their trade between Market Place and La Linea. Also during those years, Francis Motorways and Whitelock provided the community with a bus service to most other points around the Rock until, surprisingly, not that long ago!

BY RICHARD CARTWRIGHT

uring that time, 5060 years ago, it was perhaps understandable to a point - health and safety regulations not being the constant reminder they are now - that vehicles were rickety and belched out black smoke that no doubt did your lungs not a lot of good! That was the view as you watched a lopsided second or third hand bus struggling to leave the bust stop and with great effort slowly moving along like an elderly person laden with shopping. I never used them much but I do recall using the brown and yellow or blue and yellow Spanish buses to go to La Linea. I would also jump on a local one when I sometimes went to the beach during the summer months. On those, you would be advised to hold on tightly so as not to slide off your seat, there was that much shuddering and trembling! Then other companies took over the routes and things improved somewhat. The problem was always one of maintenance and 26

replacement of vehicles. Many would agree, our bus service deteriorated to Third World standards. Again, the vision of watching a hardly road worthy bus slowly and painfully climbing up Europa Road at two miles an hour spewing out thick, black smoke, was not a rare one and adding to that pleasing view was the ‘EUROPA POINT 40p’ tariff, written in felt pen on a piece of cardboard stuck between the back seat and rear window of the vehicle…what a sight!

Our bus service deteriorated to Third World standards. Anywhere in the Western World even then, a decent bus service must have been a priority. Well, it was during this lockdown of hours watching so much television, especially news and documentary

programmes seeing those well overladen buses in Africa and India moving along - sometimes not so slowly - with passengers hanging onto any part of the bus they can grab, including sitting on the roof of those way passed their sell-by-date-vehicles being weighed down even further with the passengers’ possessions. Hence my thoughts took me back to yesteryear and our bus service on the Rock. Of course, it was never anything like the above but the state and performance of the vehicles in many cases left a great deal to be desired. Well, eventually the penny dropped somewhere and someone took notice - not a second too soon I would say - as the blatant need for addressing the issue was well overdue regarding what could only be described as a joke of a bus service and an embarrassment for Gibraltar. Today thankfully, we can be proud of our bus service. The Gibraltar Bus Company began operating GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

life Photo by Luis Photos - www.luisphotosgibraltar.com

a smart fleet of buses fit for purpose in January 2004. The existing route operators were duly compensated and Government took over the bus service for the whole of Gib, except for the border to town route which is shared with buses run by Calypso Transport. Some of the regulations required when joining The Gibraltar Bus Company’s fleet included drivers needing to hold a ‘D’ licence allowing them to drive a Public Service Vehicle or a ‘white licence’ to handle one of the expensive buses on our narrow roads with would-be drivers also having to go through a thorough training programme; GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

there’s a need to learn how to work the ticket machine amongst other things and go through a vehicle familiarisation course and understand there is no room for complacency and sloppiness. For instance, the old practice of stopping anywhere to let passengers off is now out of the question. They must only stop at designated bus stops - certainly a different culture! I would imagine negotiating the small arches at Southport Gates entering Main Street and turning that long vehicle into Governor’s Lane just past the King’s Chapel must take some practice and a quite a chore to get just right. Seniors, school children and some

other categories travel for free. During these Covid times, however, masks are compulsory on board, although at the time of writing and for obvious reasons, you won’t see too many of those smart red people carriers on our roads. Also, these days, you can track the bus you’re hoping to get on and make your way to your bus stop on time, by following it on route via your mobile or other clever gadget. The company provides a Night Service when needed and hopefully, things will be back to normal soon. From time to time there have been complaints about the service not being adequate for Upper 27

life Town residents – many of whom are elderly – with buses being smaller for that route needing to negotiate the narrower roads and streets of that area. Consequently, the bus is invariably full when individuals are waiting at a stop in town wanting to return home in the upper district. And also from time to time, there have been other issues to do with pram and wheelchair access and space. I’ve heard would be passengers

They must only stop at designated bus stops - certainly a different culture! sometimes complain about ‘no room on the bus’ in the mornings when children take up all the seats on their way to school.

These days however, we’re being encouraged to leave our cars at home and walk, cycle or - when things get back to normal - jump on a bus! I think most people find the service reliable; buses are generally on time, bar traffic holdups, they’re kept clean and are comfortable. Soon, we’re informed, we’ll be treated to the electric version as we’ve already witnessed with the smart Royal Post Office vans now in service. Bus stops too are comfortable and kept clean.

Photo by Luis Photos - www.luisphotosgibraltar.com

So all is well by and large as far as our bus service is concerned, but thinking back, I clearly still remember the old folk decades ago, who had no cars and couldn’t afford taxis, having to rely on rapidly, ageing, uncomfortable vehicles that provided us with a so-called bus service. When out in town shopping and were ready to return home, they would say: “Voy a cojer el charabanc - el que va parriva pa’l Castillo,” ("Going to get the bus, the one going up to the Upper Town area"). Yes, thankfully, things have very much improved but I still ponder over the reasons why we ran those ancient, lopsided vehicles for so long well into the very late 90s and into the 2000s. I’m sure for many, that still remains a mystery! In the meantime, if you’re a bus user, look on the bright side and ahead to a Covid-free atmosphere when you won’t have to jump on an old, rickety, rust bucket... and enjoy your bus ride! 28

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

THINK PENSIONS, THINK SOVEREIGN Local, Overseas and Corporate Pensions tailored to your requirements. Tel: + 350 200 41054 Email: SW@SovereignGroup.com Sovereign Wealth is a trading name of Sovereign Asset Management Limited, Sovereign Place, 117 Main Street, Gibraltar, PO Box No 564 “SAM”. SAM is regulated by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission as a pension advisor permission number 5992. January 2021

life

s ’ t e L lk... Ta Spring and spiritual renewal.

Real

BY ISOBEL ELLUL

arch ushers in a new season, spring, and with it comes restoration and regeneration. A time of new beginnings. A time of hope, renewed faith in the wonders of our world and awe for our resilience, ability to survive, adapt and change during harsh times. Let’s Talk Real (Instagram @ letstalkrealgib) has been privileged to speak to many about personal renewal and realignment during COVID challenging times, which has enabled self-care and selflove. This journey within has for many brought about a shift of energy, an elevation, for some, to a higher level of consciousness. The purging of all that is negative in your life, in order to make room to focus on self-preservation and positivity, has been part of the process: often the necessity to lose others in order to find 30

yourself, made easier through lockdowns, confinement, restrictions and isolation. COVID has stripped away, for many of us, who we thought we were and what made us happy. And this is what Anne Marie Morello (Instagram @anne. marie.morello), a ‘Quantum Transformation Coach’, so eloquently spoke to us about; how realisation, acceptance, selfreflection, positive affirmation, attraction and manifestation can help us get through a metaphorical dark winter towards rebirth in a new spring; through meditation, yoga, visualisation, tapping and journaling. Changing behaviour through the way we use language to speak to ourselves, and unlocking the mental lock in order to flick the inspirational switch, re-coding your trauma. Her work involves empowering you to use your

Shine so bright it offends them. energy for yourself, to guide you through your blocks, deepen your connection to source and step into your soul purpose. Simon and Isobel had two chats with Anne Marie for Let’s Talk Real: WHAT SHE DOES: getting people in touch with what’s getting in their way to progress as a person and then getting them back in touch with who they really are. Her work is very spiritual, integrating it with the mental, physical and emotional. Understanding and feeling that we are all part of a unified energy that is the Universe. There are many ways to access this: spiritually, through religion, through nature, GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

life meditation, yoga, the arts… find whatever works for you to lose yourself in order to find yourself. SPIRITUALITY: How to tap into ourselves and connect our energy field with the all. That our beliefs are the filter to our external realities and how we perceive them. Aligning our thoughts, emotions and actions in order to find peace. And the process is: to first feel it, then heal it, then transmute/change it, and then birth your idea (of whatever it is you want to achieve spiritually) and nurture it. Putting it bluntly, Anne Marie and Simon said: “Spirituality is facing your sh*t!” There is no coincidence that online are many resources and inspirational Wellness and Transformational coaches and speakers giving guidance, especially this last year or so. Something I read from a friend, which resonated with me, I share now: “Having a daily spiritual practice really helps you make space for all of your deliciousness. Detoxing and diplomatically handing over what is not yours helps build a more solid core of creativity, so take time out and explore. You are made up of the same particles as stars, so by default you were born to shine. You can illuminate your whole world just by seeing how beautiful you are. All of that darkness and heavy energy from years of negativity can be extinguished by the acceptance of who you really, truly are. …Your job is to illuminate every place you go, be it in your thoughts, by your physical presence, or through the conversations you have. We spend so much of our time GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

absorbing other people’s problems, but that’s just wasted energy. Look in the mirror and open your eyes at your personal phenomenon. Don’t let others’ actions towards you break your star. Shine so bright it offends them.” So embrace your spring: cleanse, heal, energise, nourish and renew yourself. Remind yourself every day of how lucky you are; how grateful you are for your blessings. Positively affirm and believe “I am enough”, “I love myself”, “I choose myself first in order to help others”, “X, Y, Z… it’s going to happen”. This is so empowering, taps into the essence of who you truly are, changes your level of consciousness and moves you towards a place of positivity and

regeneration… like the spring. #letstalkreal #spring #renewal #spirituality #journeywithin #iamenough #selflove #itsgoingtohappen #motherandson positivityisasuperpower #ilovemyself #gibchats #regeneration 31

LIFE ON A BOAT IN GIBRALTAR

If you have never lived on a boat, you may wonder what it is like. I spoke to a few Marina Bay locals, embracing boat life. Framed by the iconic Yacht hotel, Marina Bay is full of life and good food; it is where the Dolphin Safari boats start their adventures, while overhead seabirds soar, and planes orbit Gibraltar’s unique runway.

BY CHRISTINA MARIE GIUFFRÉ

Nathalie at The Waves

spoke to married couple; Paul Shannon, a Naval Architect, and Nathalie Lallemand, who runs The Waves (a shop, café, and vital hub for boat services), on what it is like living on a boat. Nathalie reflects on the first night on her boat: “Paul was away so it was just me and my 8-year-old. Then the unthinkable happened; a cable snapped, and we were in trouble! Within moments, people came to help, and I realised how special it is to belong here,” shared Nathalie Their antique boat the ‘Tzarina’ (synonymous with the title of a ruler or wife of a Tsar) is 45 tonnes, 75 sqm and was built for sailing to Antarctica. Living on the 3-bedroom boat with the couple are their children, Julia and Erwann. 32

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

life (Above: Nathalie Lallemand at The Waves, Marina Bay) “Several of the boats here are also homes. We used to live in an apartment and hardly knew anyone but now we know around 30 people,” Paul explained.

PAUL & NATHALIE’S PROS & CONS OF BOAT LIFE:

+ A bigger terrace than most

+ The dream is finding the time to

+ People are always willing to

lie in a hammock on the hull after a long day, watching the sunset with wine.

+ Freedom and less restrictions. Marina Bay

apartments.

lend a hand.

+ Increasing fitness and flexibility from dodging cables!

- It is a full-time job with the maintenance.

- You need to become ‘handy’. - Uneven surfaces and cables

mean trip hazards are everywhere.

- Storms can cause damage and changing tides can stop you getting home.

In addition, I spoke to Ken Williamson; a 72-year-old retired roofing contractor from Cumbria, who used to serve in the army. “I’ve seen a few interesting things over the years, while in the army. I experienced firsthand the Gibraltar border closure in 1969, and I also met Colonel Gaddafi when I was stationed in Libya, loading ships!” Passionate and proud of his boat; ‘Dream Weaver’ from Chichester, Ken spoke fondly of the peaceful boat lifestyle he has enjoyed for 6 years and showed off his pristine deck and cosy living quarters. “I always loved Gibraltar, so decided to move and live on my boat. With a crew, I started the voyage from the UK in May 2014, and arrived 47 days later (due to bad weather) and settled into the community.” The ‘Dream Weaver’ is 10.8 metres long, licensed to hold 10 people and has a main cabin, two berths, a toilet/shower and fully GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

life

Ken Williamson on Dream Weaver with a friend

Marina Bay Sunset

WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE DURING COVID-19?

functional galley. Sometimes, there is a different flag flying, depending on the occasion, and maybe you will even see a pirate flag! KEN’S PROS & CONS OF BOAT LIFE

+ The Freedom! + Stunning sunrises and sunsets. + Nature is everywhere... “While

sailing, flying fish landed all over the deck, and another time off Wales I encountered a basking shark bigger than the boat!” ~Ken

+ There is always something to do. 34

+ Good people and friends nearby.

- “I fell in twice! One time was

serious as I banged my head. The second time, the tide was low, and it was hard to get out. Luckily, a young lad heard my screams and helped me.” ~Ken

- In lighter boats it can be hard to sleep during storms.

- Wi-Fi and electricity issues are common.

- Bad seas can be tricky,

especially Anglesey, Wales.

- There is squeaking, and a rope snapping sounds like a gunshot.

There is a solidarity and heartwarming spirit amongst the boat community, and reassurance of knowing that there is always someone ready to help. However, there is an emptiness without visitors and risk of loneliness and isolation. “One day a wealthy guy I knew came past during lockdown, and gave me a shopping trolley full of groceries, which was incredible and very kind! I’m getting looked after but I miss going to the pub for a pint with friends,” admits Ken. Over a year ago, I moved to Gibraltar from Perth, Western Australia with my husband, Mark. We love living in vibrant Marina Bay, and it was a pleasure meeting the warm characters of our local community, who we can wave to from our apartment. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

CONSULTANTS EXPERIENCED IN MATURE INDUSTRIES, PASSIONATE ABOUT INNOVATION.

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news

Efatra in all her glory 36

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

life

A ZOOKEEPERS DIARY Our monthly spotlight on the superstars at the Alameda Wildlife Conservation Park… and their keepers!

hat do lemurs, elephants and cotton-top tamarins have in common? They’re all members of an exclusive club, where female bosses are the norm. With International Women’s Day and Mother’s Day both around the corner, it’s the ideal time to celebrate the feisty females that pack a punch at the AWCP. One of the first animals to be fed every day at the AWCP is the cotton-top tamarin. Situated at the very top of the park, they usually receive their breakfast first. The cotton-top tamarin is a highly social primate

11 12 1 10 2 9 3 8 4 7 6 5

that typically lives in groups of two to nine individuals, but may reach up to 13 members. These small familial groups tend to fluctuate in size and in composition of individuals and a clear dominance hierarchy is always present. At the head of the group is the breeding pair. Dominant pairs are the only breeding pair and the female generally has authority over the breeding male and over the other females of the group. The females actually hormonally suppress the other females of the group. At the AWCP it is Catalina that often has the upper hand over Kenco in our Cotton top pairing. The sad reality here is that due to Brexit and other delays, these animals were unable to fulfil their breeding potential as part of the European Breeding Programme

ed lemurs Ring-tail Leaper (c ) Jess

for endangered species. Instead, they live in two pairs of nonbreeding siblings. After years of trying to import a female for Kenco and to export Catalina to a zoo in Italy, their older age (10 & 11) means they probably won’t get to fulfil this important role for the conservation of their critically endangered species. A huge blow for the AWCP and for the conservation of this enigmatic primate. There are two species of lemurs at the AWCP: brown and ring-tailed lemurs. In lemur society it is often the females who rule the roost but this is not a rule for all. Brown

11 12 1 10 2 9 3 8 4 7 6 5

life lemurs are not generally female dominated but the small family group at the park is ruled very much by the mother and daughter duo, Mama and Bouclette. A female lemur is called a ‘princess’, but given their reputation, perhaps they should more appropriately be called ‘queens’.

For more than 20 species of 107 species of lemurs, including ringtailed lemurs, female rule is the rule, not the exception. The mothers of the group are important in the multi female, multi male social groups of the macaque. Although the larger males are more dominant, in groups where there are fewer females, the females hold more clout than they usually would as they are more precious to the survival of the group. The AWCP’s group of long-tailed macaques is heavily male-biased, with just 2 females to 6 males, the two

11 12 1 10 2 9 3 8 4 7 6 5

females may not rule the roost but they do get their way much of the time, through wily female charm. The old matriarch, La Vieja certainly always finds a way, through cunning and experience, to get the best pickings at feeding time. Elephants are famously matriarchal but their prowess comes in the form or experience. Female elephants can live into their 80s in matrilineal societies, comprising up to four generations of mothers and offspring. With the most accumulated wisdom about local resources and dangers, female elders lead group movement and food pursuits. These are long-lived females with greater experience, it makes sense that they are the leaders. ‘La Vieja’ long-tailed macaque (c) Alma Leaper

Female dominance in lemur species has been a bit of a puzzle to researchers over the years. Female lemurs are no bigger than males, and they don't have antlers or bigger fangs to give them a physical edge over their mates. ... But when six lemur species were compared, it was found that females of some species have higher testosterone levels than others, this explains their dominance over the males. Efatra (aka ‘Fatty’) is the dominant female in the AWCP group. Mahomby (her male) is a relaxed and popular male. Being the only male of the group, he suffers relatively little grief from the ladies, but Efatra still regularly slaps food from his hand and reminds him of his place. Most of the time the two are very much the ‘happy couple’. A far cry from wild lemur groups, where each breeding season will see one or two males violently ousted, often never to return.

Head Keeper, Steve Bryant.

“Females do tend to beat up the males,” says Primate Keeper Nicola Campbell. To avoid smacks to the face and bites, males call out submissively when females approach — a submissive ‘chi chi chi chi’ vocalisation. At feeding time, it is almost always ladies first: If a male jumps ahead, the feasting female may aggressively lunge or glare, and he’ll often retreat to the ground. “In our training sessions, Efatra is very much in charge, always first in line to perform for her treats”, says 38

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

life 'Bou' the brown lemur (c) Karin Tièche

In lemur society it is often the females who rule the roost. Humans are part of the mammal majority; our leaders are mostly male. Less than 7% of Fortune 500 CEOs are female. In zoos, only 21% of Directors and Managers are female, despite a majority of around 70% female zookeepers. Worldwide, fewer than two dozen women are heads of state or government, including Germany’s Angela Merkel and New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern. In about 90 percent of nonindustrial societies studied by anthropologists, only men hold political posts. An important aspect to gender inequality is its clear impact on the environment. International Women’s Day is held on March 8, and this year’s theme is “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality.” So, what does gender equality have to do with the environment? Mounting evidence shows that advancements in gender equality could have a profoundly positive impact on social and environmental well-being. But if not managed properly, environment projects can actually spur gender inequality. when gender inequality is high, forest depletion, air pollution and other measures of environmental degradation are also high. The AWCP has been headed by females for over 16 years. Park Manager, Jess Leaper has been at the helm since 2008, taking GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

the role over from previous Manager, Charley Walker, after. A strong believer in equality, fairness and opportunity for all, Jess encourages all staff to strive for self-development, regardless of their gender or background. “The majority of our interns, volunteers and staff do seem to be female and that is definitely reflected in the applications we receive. We now have two male and two female keepers, I guess that makes it more of a macaque society! But seriously, equality is not about favouring women over men, quite the contrary, it is about bringing balance and fairness to the workplace, allowing individual strengths to shine through,

regardless of gender. Although, if we are to progress and create a sustainable balance, it is crucial that equal opportunities are afforded to all and that the imbalances and prejudices of the past are addressed and put behind us”. Why not treat that special female in your life this Mother’s Day, with a gift of a lemur experience or an animal Sponsorship at the AWCP? Visit the website for more information: awcp.gi/ adopt-an-animal. Each experience and sponsorship package from March onwards will plant a tree in a conservation hotspot, with JustOneTree. 39

life

BLESSED BE BRIAN He needs no introduction.

BY SOPHIE CLIFTON TUCKER

been to Gibraltar before. It lived up to expectation – but what a dramatic entrance! The aeroplane couldn’t land; it made three attempts because of the wind. Eventually we did, and it was all very exciting. It’s a wonderful

Gibraltar lived up to expectation – what a dramatic entrance! Brian Blessed playing his lesser-known role of Father Christmas. Valley End First School, Windlesham, circa 1990.

hen Brian Blessed lived in Windlesham, he visited Gib Mag’s travel writer Chris’ school dressed as Father Christmas, and to this day, that’s Brian’s most significant role as far as Chris is concerned. But to the rest of us, he’s bestknown for his booming voice and prestigious film roles, including Prince Vultan in Flash Gordon, and Richard IV in Blackadder. This month we have the pleasure of interviewing this larger-than-life actor, operatic singer, adventurer, animal lover, and raconteur extraordinaire. I sat patiently by the phone for our interview, as is the way in these Covid times, anticipating a conversation brimming with outlandish stories and punctuated by classic catchphrases – and Brian did not disappoint. “Is it a nice day in Gibraltar? I came last year, and it was wonderful!” came the familiar, bold voice. I knew we’d get along just fine. What brought you to Gibraltar, and was it your first visit? 50% of my life is exploration, I’ve been all over the world, but I had never 40

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life place. It reminded me of what England was like years ago when I was a teenager. Very unspoiled, very cheerful. A lot of people remembered me from my role as PC ‘Fancy’ Smith in Z-Cars (1960) when I was just 23 years old. What did you think of our little Rock, and what did you get up to? Did our furry residents behave? Being a mountaineer, I of course went straight up the Rock and sat with all the monkeys. With my big beard and physique, I look a bit like gorilla – I get along very well with gorillas and baboons. In the Himalayas, people consider me a yeti. So there I was, up the Rock, and the monkeys were leaving everybody and gathering around me; they must’ve thought “bloody hell, this is a big monkey!”. You have played many prolific roles. We have to ask; which has been your favourite, and why? When I was a child in Yorkshire, the son of a coalminer, we had two local cinemas after the war: the local picture house and the cinema. Every weekend they played Flash Gordon in black and white. At the end of each episode when Flash was in trouble, we’d leave the cinema awaiting the next episode the following week. We’d run down the railway embankment, and I would pretend I was Vultan. I sprained my ankle jumping off a bridge, thinking I could fly. I never ever dreamt that one day I’d actually be Vultan in the film. Of course I’ve had more demanding roles, but I think this was my most enjoyable one.

I could have been a millionaire, but spent all my money looking after animals. say it…” and so I have to shout, GORDON’S ALIVE! Even the Queen of England said, [cue Brian’s entertaining impression of Her Majesty] “You know the grandchildren and I love Flash Gordon, would you mind saying it?” GORDON’S ALIVE! “Ew, thank you so much.” What was it like working with Timothy Dalton [who was the only Bond to visit Gibraltar on film] on Flash Gordon? Oh! Great fun. I teased him all the time, and he teased me. He’s a wonderful, natural guy. We just laughed and laughed. Everybody was fantastic, from the direction, to the music, and the cast. Casting Flash is difficult. Say you get someone like Tom Cruise (who I love – lovely smile); you can have the camera at a certain angle and he can look sinister. Now, with Sam Jones you could put the

camera anywhere and he’d look pure, and that was necessary for the role of Flash. I’m not sure whether you’re aware, but a recently unearthed video of you speaking fondly about cats in 1981 became a bit of a viral sensation. Do you still have cats today? Did this love of cats come about as a result of your portrayal as one on the Broadway musical, Cats? Oh yes. I live in a country cottage on about ten acres, it’s a real menagerie. My wife and I are crazy about animals. I could have been a millionaire, but spent all my money looking after animals. [Brian works a great deal for the WWF, the Born Free foundation, and has been to Sri Lanka to assist with the protection of elephants.] I put a great deal of my life into saving the planet. In the original London production, you played both Old Deuteronomy and Bustopher Jones in Cats. Tell us a little about it. Did you get to keep your leotard? The cast was made up of the Royal Ballet and the Opera House, and brilliant actors. It

I can climb Mount Everest, up Kilimanjaro, and go to the North Pole, and even the Eskimos will greet me with the words: “Please GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

life was Webber’s first solo musical. I played Old Deteronomy, who the musical really is about. He comes along to choose a cat to go to the cat heaven - all lines from TS Elliot. People thought it wouldn’t be a success, but it was. With people like Elaine Page, Paul Nicholas, and Wayne Sleep, how could it not be? Opening night was absolutely astonishing. I remember when I was approaching the North Pole I came across an Inuit in his igloo, and he was playing Memory from Cats. On a banjo. I was thrilled. You’re well-loved for your incredible roles on-screen, but you also have a fantastic operatic voice. Will we be hearing more of it in the future?

not surprised.] When you’re not busy entertaining our eyes and ears, you’re quite the adventurer. How did you get on with your Everest expeditions? [Brian is the oldest person to climb Mt Everest, and has done so no less than 3 times… reportedly unsuccessfully, but after reaching heights of 28,000ft we would argue otherwise!] The first time was in 1991, when I was filming Galahad of Everest, following in George Mallory’s footsteps, who disappeared near the summit in 1924. We don’t know to this day whether

I came across an Inuit in his igloo, playing Memory from Cats. On a banjo. I was thrilled. he successfully climbed it or not. With the BBC crew and no oxygen, aged 55, I got to 28,000ft, where Mallory disappeared. I returned in 1993, and about 500ft from the summit, I had to rescue a man who was dying. The third time I went, the weather was simply too bad. I’m now 84; once the pandemic is

When I was at theatre school in 1955, I considered myself a non-singer, but my singing teacher was quite convinced I could sing. She said, “Look, Brian, you’re a Yorkshireman. Pretend someone’s stealing your sheep; now shout OYYYY! Now, sing it.” Within six weeks I was singing Wagnerian opera. When I was on Celebrity Stars in Their Eyes they asked me to be Pavarotti. I’m not afraid of going up mountains, space training… but Pavarotti is known as the ‘maestro’. As I came through the mist on stage, I saw myself on the big screen and thought, my goodness! Pavarotti is here! But it was me. The audience stood up and cheered, and then they stopped. You could see on their faces that they thought, “Well, he looks like Pavarotti, but he’ll never sound like him.” [At this point, Brian’s rendition of “O Sole Mio” threw me about three metres across my living room.] The audience went off their heads. [I’m 42

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life over, I’m going to go and finally climb it.

We need to get out there, and let the earth rest. These days, you say your biggest love is Space [Brian is a fullytrained cosmonaut], could you tell us about your training with NASA, and helping with the space programme? I’ve trained with Nasa, in Star City in Moscow, and tested prototype suits on Reunion Island, helping to promote space and going to Mars and beyond. We are children of stardust; we need to get out there, and let the earth rest. Every second we travel 57,000 miles. Every time you wake up in morning, you’re in a different part of the universe, I find it fascinating.

50 others. He looked at me and thought, “Christ, I’m not going to fight him.” Female monkeys like me though. Oh, and female gorillas find me incredibly sexy. They quietly move towards me to feel me up. You often have some very funny and unbelievably ridiculous stories to recount. Could you verify some of these? Punching a polar bear in the face: I went to the North Pole for an expedition, and of course polar bears are all over the place. We had guns, but I said “I don’t want anyone shooting the bloody polar bears!” It’s their country. One night, a polar bear ripped through the tent with his claws and poked his head through. I ROARED, and hit him straight on the nose. He retreated, and we never saw it again. But at least I saved it from being shot.

I shampoo it a lot! It’s rather soft, my beard, but it grows so quick. I’m very hairy. The Sherpas on Mount Everest all called me ‘grandfather Yeti’. In South America, when I went to the Lost World in Venezuela, I came to a village where no white man had been. They looked at me and screamed.

Surviving a plane crash in Venezuela: Yes, our plane crashed in the Lost World in Venezuela. We took this tiny Czechoslovakian plane from Horsha falls, and as soon as the journey started, I noticed one of the propellers had stopped, and the others were beginning to. The pilot turned around and headed for the forest, and belly flopped the plane into a lagoon. It didn’t blow up, thank God. We managed to swim across the lagoon, and through the forest make our way back to Caracas.

I was climbing in South Africa, in Cape Town, I could hear someone grunting. I had a rope with me and I thought someone needed rescuing, so I climbed about three quarters of the way up the steep part of the mountain, turned around a corner, and there was a great big male baboon, flanked by

Throwing away a £50m painting gifted by Picasso: When I was a little boy, in Yorkshire, after the war there was a great world peace congress in Sheffield. Thousands of people gathered to sing songs and celebrate. In the corner by the Town Hall, someone said “Picasso is signing things over there!”

How do you tend to your magnificent beard?

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I pushed through the crowds and stood in front of him. I said, “You’re not Picasso. You sound like Carmen Miranda.” So he drew me a dove of peace, on piece of paper. In my Yorkshire lilt, I said “That doesn’t look like a dohv!” and I proceeded to draw him a dove in return.. He said to the audience, “You see, ladeez and gentlemen, eet ees the first time I have a critic.” About five months later I think it was sold for £57 million. My father wouldn’t talk to me for days.

Female gorillas find me incredibly sexy. Delivering a baby under a tree, before chewing through the umbilical cord: I was running across Richmond Park early in the morning when I heard a woman shouting for help. There was nobody around, so I went over and helped her to breathe calmly. I took my shirt off, got the baby out, cleaned it down with my shirt, bit through the cord and tied it in a knot. It was quite simple really. The little boy was fine! As we wound up our interview, I told Brian we'd be thrilled to have him return to the Rock. “I’ve got to come back,” Brian expressed. Pandemic permitting, he might just get his wish… after all, I never did find out whether he got to keep that leotard. Catch Brian as Red Ivan in Evil Genius 2: World Domination, or subscribe to the ‘Brian Blessed’s Bedtime Stories’ podcast. 43

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WESTSIDE’S WRITER OF THE WEEK

Despite delays caused by the pandemic, this year’s World Book Day, 4th March, will celebrate the launch of Gibraltar’s latest anthology: Writer of the Week 2016-2018. BY CARMEN ANDERSON

n inspirational initiative by Westside School, Writer of the Week 2016 – 2018 is an anthology of exciting new writing from among Gibraltar’s talented young creatives. Each story, poem or essay was written under the school’s Writer of the Week initiative run by the English Department since 2016. Most of the students featured in this anthology were nominated as writer of the week by their teacher, while some pieces were also winning entries from various local competitions. The initiative was open to all students, encouraging them to develop storytelling skills. Teacher, Zinah Porter, explains; “Writer of the Week has provided students of different ages and abilities the opportunity to have their creativity and skill celebrated.” Storytelling is innate in humans; it is how we explore our world and our emotions, and how we 44

develop our thinking. It forms a fundamental feature in the way humans communicate. Storytelling is vital to learning empathy and the creative skills that lead to the problem solving and innovation that society constantly needs. In recent years, the English curriculum has become more narrowly academic so that creativity, and in particular storytelling, has been in danger of being squeezed into its margins. Writer of the Week provided students with an opportunity to explore their creativity through writing. Students engaged in the project with a great deal of enthusiasm. While those who achieved the writer of the week accolade were rewarded with positive feedback and a sense of achievement, all students that took part felt inspired to explore their thoughts and experiences, and to tell their stories in their individual ways. As teacher, Joanna Montegriffo, explains, “It is particularly special because

Storytelling is innate in humans. behind every story, poem and writing piece that has been chosen for this book, there are many other stories of enthusiasm, determination and perseverance.” The school’s wave of original creative writing was to gather a momentum that led to publication of this book. Students’ interest was engaged by support and prompts from teachers and they inspired each other, strengthening the community bonds within the school: “Students have been rewarded for their efforts and achievements in a way that has helped them to feel part of the Westside community,” says Head of Year 12/13, Claire Trinidad. The stories in Writer of the Week are varied, covering a wide range of topics including the plight of refugees, personal identity and GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

literature global concerns, demonstrating young people’s genuine ability to think deeply and understand complex issues. Also finding a place in the anthology are the many facets of love, a constant theme in human storytelling across the ages. In addition to the writing of the book, the cover was designed by Abigael Bellingan, winner of the school’s book cover competition. Westside’s students found themselves enthusiastically reading and writing outside of school in their bid to take part, a particularly favourable outcome. As teacher, Natalie Massetti, comments; “One of my favourite things about this initiative is that it has inspired students to write independently at home, outside the restrictions of the curriculum. As a result, a number of students have found writing to be something enjoyable and even an outlet for their emotions.”

another achievement by Westside School of which both staff and students can be proud, a book of stories to enhance the school’s continuing unfolding story. Head Teacher, Michelle Barabich, tells students in the book’s foreword: “Consider what you have accomplished and continue to believe in yourself and your ability

It inspires every student to put 100% into each and every piece.

to develop your talent and skills further.” If the book signifies a success for the school and for the individual young writers, it possibly carries even greater significance for future students. Head of English, Melissa Bossano, says of the Writers of the Week: ‘Each and every one of them is an inspiration to other students and the English department at Westside is very proud of their achievements’. Writer of the Week 2016-2018 retails at £10 and can be purchased through Westside School.

We spoke to some of the students involved in the project who felt that they had benefited greatly from taking part. Sheridan Povedano, who contributed ‘Nostalgia’, said “I’m so happy to be part of this initiative because it inspires every student to put 100% into each and every piece of their work. It also inspires them to get into the world of literature.” Meanwhile, Destiny Baglietto, who contributed ‘The Woman I Admire’ inspired by International Woman’s Day, said: “Writer of the Week has allowed teachers to recognize the inspiration and motivation they set out in students, and has also allowed the students to identify their talents and creativity within when writing.” Writer of the week 2016-2018 is GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

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SINGER, DANCER, SPY The odyssey of a black star. BY REG REYNOLDS

ow does a poor African American girl rise to become the darling of Paris and ultimately a spy for French Military Intelligence in World War II? Josephine Baker was that girl, who disillusioned with segregated America, moved to France and through her bubbly personality, unusual dancing and singing styles, a beguiling mixture of comedy and erotica, captured the imagination of fans throughout the world. It was that very fame that convinced the leaders of the Free French that she was in a perfect position to gather information through the many contacts she had made through her cabaret and movie career and due to her ability to travel without facing the restrictions and suspicions facing lesser known figures. In her service to the Resistance, Josephine would perform throughout Europe and North Africa, with a brief stop in Gibraltar. Much of this is covered in the many books and internet articles about Josephine’s life, but there is no mention of her being in Gibraltar. It was only through an old newspaper item that I found evidence that Josephine GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

had indeed performed for troops in Gibraltar. The item is an interview with comedian Wee Georgie Wood and was in a Northern Ireland newspaper called the Northern Whig and dated February 22, 1944. George Wood Bamlett OBE was an English comedian and actor born in Sunderland on December 17, 1894. He was an actor and writer best known for Two Little Drummer Boys (1928). Regarding Josephine and Gibraltar, Wood, who had just returned from a 15,000-mile tour of North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Malta and Iraq, told the Whig reporter:

A beguiling mixture of comedy and erotica. “In Gibraltar I did seven shows in 28 hours. The troops were the greatest audience in the world. Most of the men prefer the songs of 1936-37 vintage to the new ones; they like sentimental songs and of all the artists who have visited I think they like Josephine Baker the most.”

Wood and Baker would have been performing under the auspices of ENSA (Entertainment National Services Association). Tatler Magazine of August 1943 features a picture of Josephine in Cairo meeting with the founder and wartime leader of ENSA, Basil Dean. That is likely when arrangements were made for her to appear in Gibraltar. Josephine Baker was born Freda Josephine McDonald on June 3, 1906 in St. Louis, Missouri. Her mother, Carrie, had been adopted by Richard and Elvira, both of whom were of African American and Native American descent. Josephine’s estate lists drummer Eddie Carson as her biological father, but some biographers believe that her father was white, a member of a wealthy family that Carrie worked for. It is interesting to note that Carrie gave birth in an exclusively white female hospital and was there for six weeks. In those days most black women gave birth at home with the aid of a mid-wife. Carrie never revealed the name of the natural father. Carrie married and had three more children, but her new husband had trouble holding down jobs, so she took in laundry 47

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Josephine Baker performed at a night concert in the City Theater of Amsterdam (12-11) and in the Building for Arts & Sciences in The Hague.

Her costume consisted of only a short skirt of artificial bananas and a beaded necklace.

to survive while Josephine toiled as a domestic for white families. Josephine dropped out of school aged 12 and often slept rough, dancing on street corners for change. When she 13 she married foundry worker Willie Wells, but they divorced soon after. In 1921, at 15, she married train porter Willie Baker. She left him when

the vaudeville troupe she had signed with was booked into a New York City venue and they divorced in 1925. Though Baker traveled, she would return with gifts and money for her mother and younger half-sister, but turmoil with her mother pushed her to make a trip to France. This was when Paris’ famous left bank was the artistic and cultural centre of Europe. Baker soon became renowned as a singer and dancer, and was among the most celebrated performers to headline the revues of the Folies Bergère. Her performance in the revue Un vent de folie in 1927 caused a sensation in the city. Her costume, consisting of only a short skirt of artificial bananas and a beaded necklace, became an iconic image

Notes were written in invisible ink pinned to her underwear. and a symbol both of the Jazz Age and the Roaring Twenties. Baker was celebrated by artists and intellectuals of the era, who variously dubbed her the ‘Black Pearl’, the ‘Bronze Venus’, and the ‘Creole Goddess’. After a disappointing series of appearances and experiencing more discrimination in New York, she gave up her American citizenship and returned France and became a French national. When the Germans occupied Paris in May 1940 Josephine left the city and moved to the Château des Milandes; a castlelike mansion in the in the south

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scene composer Jo Bouillon, in 1947 and together they adopted 11 children of different races and religions. Josephine called them her Rainbow Tribe. When Boullon left her in 1961 Josephine struggled financially but she continued to work and remained adored by her fans, including now even in America. She was active in the Civil Rights movement in the U.S. and marched with Martin Luther King Jr.

She was active in the Civil Rights and marched with Martin Luther King Jr. de Folie' t n e V n 'U on. illustrati

of France. As an entertainer, she had an excuse for moving around Europe and South America. Attending embassies and ministries she charmed her hosts garnered information for transmission to England, about airfields, harbours, and German troop concentrations. Notes were written in invisible ink on sheet music which she pinned to her underwear believing correctly that her celebrity would prevent her from being strip searched. Later in 1941, she and her entourage went to the French colonies in North Africa. The stated reason was Josephine’s health, but the real reason was to continue helping the Resistance. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

From Marrakesh, she made tours of Spain. After a miscarriage, she developed an infection so severe it required a hysterectomy. The infection spread and she developed peritonitis and then sepsis. Josephine was out of action for more than a year and there were some reports that she had died. After her recovery she started touring again to entertain British, French, and American troops. After the war, Baker received the Croix de guerre and the Rosette de la Résistance. She was made a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur by General de Gaulle. Josephine married her fourth and last husband, director and

On 8 April 1975, Josephine starred in a revue at the Bobino in Paris celebrating her 50 years in show business. The revue, financed by Prince Rainier, Princess Grace, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, opened to rave reviews. The opening night audience included Sophia Loren, Mick Jagger, Shirley Bassey, Diana Ross, and Liza Minnelli. Four days later Josephine was found lying peacefully in her bed surrounded by newspapers with glowing reviews of her performance. She was in a coma after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage. Josephine was taken to hospital, where she died, aged 68, on 12 April 1975. She received a full Roman Catholic funeral and is the only American-born woman to receive full French military honors including a 21-gun salute. 49

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

art WHAT YOU WILL NEED: PAPER PENCIL ERASER RULER

RT CLUB

COLOURING PENCILS, CRAYONS OR PAINT (OPTIONAL)

How to draw the ‘Lady with the Lamp’ in 7 easy steps. BY BEA GARCIA

or this month’s draw we are celebrating the founder of modern nursing: Florence Nightingale. Her experiences as a nurse during the Crimean War in the 1850s as well as her statistical prowess helped transform healthcare practices with her influence still felt today. At the age of 90, she was also the first ever female to receive the Order of Merit for her work. The drawing is based on the statue of Florence Nightingale which stands in Waterloo Place, London and was put up in 1914, 4 years after her death.

STEP 1 Draw a rectangle which is 13.5cm wide by 14cm high. Your drawing will fit inside this grid. Use dashed, light lines as you will want to rub this grid out later. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

art to help get the alignment of the shoulders correct but feel free to omit.

Draw in a straight line with a slight hook on the end for the nose. Below the base of her nose draw in some slightly wiggly lines to suggest lips. Add in her eyebrows. Frame her face by drawing in her hair with a centre parting. Finally, draw in her nursing cap.

STEP 2 To help with the drawing of Florence we will split our rectangle into 3 equal, horizontal parts. Each part should be 4.5cm high. See the image for reference. To draw in Florence’s head, draw in an egg shape in the top third. The head should be just slightly off centre.

STEP 4 Now to draw Florence’s iconic lamp. Using the image for reference draw in a hand which sits in the bottom third of the rectangle you originally drew. Atop that hand draw in her oil lamp with a flame.

STEP 6 Now to draw in the dress details. Using the image for reference, draw in a collar for her dress, as well as some buttons. Finish it off by marking out her waist and the V-shaped lines which are part of the details of her dress.

STEP 7 Rub out any excess lines. As a final touch why not add a splash of colour? Be as creative as you like. I used purples to highlight the sheen on the metallic sculpture.

STEP 3 Now to draw in the neck and shoulders. The shoulders will sit within your middle third. See the image for reference. Your right shoulder will be in the top half of your third whilst the left shoulder will be in the bottom half of this third. I drew a diagonal line 52

STEP 5 Let’s draw in the details of the face. For the eyes measure halfway down your face and draw in two oblong shapes. The distance between your two eyes should be the same width as one eye.

We would love to see your finished entries! Tag @thegibraltarmagazine and @b_garcia_art on Instagram for a chance to be featured. #GibMagArtClubTag @ thegibraltarmagazine and @b_garcia_ art on Instagram for a chance to be featured. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

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BOOKISH... Join us for our monthly book club!

BY JOEL FRANCIS

elcome back to our monthly book club! I struggled to pick just three books for March because I have read so many great ones this year, but here are three of my favourites so far. If you like my recommendations, consider joining my book club on Facebook: The Bookmarkers Bookclub.

BLACKWATERTOWN Paul Waters Genre: Fiction/Crime For Fans Of: Val McDermid What’s in the pages? Jolly Macken has been exiled from his hometown to the border village of Blackwatertown. When he arrives, he is faced with the murder of his brother and vows to avenge him at any cost. But a lot can happen in a week. Over a long seven days, he manages to fall in love, uncover his family's dark history and even start a war. When Blackwatertown erupts into violence and chaos. Who can he trust, and who is out to get him? Why should you read it? If you are looking for an exciting rollercoaster of a murder mystery, then I highly recommend Blackwatertown. This book is a no holds barred look at Nothern Ireland in the 1950s during the troubles and the effects it had on ordinary people at the time. Although it slows down considerably in the middle part of the book, the ending is absolutely incredible and a great twist. Blackwatertown is full of excellent character development and great set pieces of a bygone era that somehow still seems relevant in today's political climate.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

THE GLOAMING Kirsty Logan Genre: Magical Realism For Fans Of: Natalie Haynes What’s in the pages? Mara's island is one of the fables. She spends her days on it worshipping the sea and the wind, knowing that one day she will end her days atop the cliff gazing out at the horizon. Her whole family will be there too, even her brother Bee and her sister Islay. But when the island and sea claim one of her own, Mara's world changes forever. As years pass and Mara grows into herself and her scars, a chance meeting with the magnetic Pearl brings magic to life once more in ways that Mara never thought possible, in a story that she never would have dreamed for herself before. Why should you read it? When most people think of fairytales, they think of children's stories with princes and dragons. However, The Gloaming shows that fairytales can be written for adults. From the first page, you are transported into an alternate reality where the mundane every day is written like the most extraordinary fable ever told. Logan's aptitude for transforming the ordinary into the magical is a skill that very few writers have. It is one aspect of the story that stays with you long after you've finished. This novel is a unique, heartbreaking and hilarious look at growing up and dealing with loss that I would recommend to anyone. It is sure to become a modern classic.

ACID FOR THE CHILDREN Flea Genre: Biography

For Fans Of: The Red Hot Chili Peppers

What’s in the pages? Everyone thinks they know who Flea is; the incredibly talented, eccentric bassist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. But who is he really? Acid for the Children is the story of Michael Peter Balzary before he became Flea, from his childhood up until he joins the Chilis. It paints a picture of America in the '70s through street kids' eyes. Drinking, drugging, smoking and getting into trouble. It's a coming-of-age story like no other, told by one of the most unique figures in the music business today. Why should you read it? Let me preface this review with: If you are looking for the story of the Chilis, this is not your book. Go and read Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis. But if you are looking for a hilarious story about the first 20 years of an awkward kid’s life, then you should most definitely read this book. What makes this memoir work is the juxtaposition of wild and crazy tales alongside an insecure child's deeply touching narrative. Flea does not shy away from self-examination and is highly critical of his actions when he needs to be. This book reads like a conversation with the author, he isn't talking at you, but rather talking to you and with you. This sometimes leads to the narrative being slightly disjointed. However, it is also insightful, enlightened and highly entertaining.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

leisure

THE REAL SPAIN

Back in the mid 1980’s I would regularly come across a very specific phrase in magazines and the travel sections of newspapers: ‘The Real Spain’. It sounded like a fascinating place: somewhere I would certainly love to visit. But where was it? BY PETE WOLSTENCROFT

t might be easier to describe where you would not find this legendary land. It was not to be found in Benidorm, or down that long strip of tourist development that runs from Málaga to Gibraltar in a largely unbroken swathe of concrete. Most of the Canary and Balearic Islands were similarly denied this mythical title. Having read the Spanish escapades of both Ernest Hemingway and Laurie Lee, I developed something of an obsession with sharing their adventures. At the time my quest began, I somehow forgot that the Spain they wrote about was out of bounds to me. Forty years of history created an impenetrable barrier. Nonetheless, I embarked upon my quest. My first port of call was Córdoba, which I had naively 56

imagined to be a one-horse town peopled by amusingly rustic yokels hanging around street corners and picking their teeth with straw. What I got was the classic model of almost any Spanish provincial capital, where the new town of modern offices and shopping arcades sits cheek by jowl with the old town – the

This must be thrown on the floor in order to appease the gods of cider. casco histórico – full of ancient architecture, attractively narrow streets and a story that reflects the struggle to gain control of the Iberian Peninsula.

Córdoba is a marvel. The Mezquita alone is worth the trip. A Christian Cathedral built on the site of a Mosque is a fairly unsubtle way of letting visitors know who won that particular struggle. But here is a thing. The Moors invaded in 711 and were finally expelled from Iberia in 1492. At the time of their arrival, there was no country called Spain, but rather a series of warring fiefdoms under Visigothic control. Spain has still been Islamic for longer than it has been (nominally) Christian. Islamic culture left an indelible mark on Spain. Architecture, irrigation, the use of water to temper heat, and a style of cuisine that likes to marry meat and fruit all bear the imprimatur of the great Muslim empires of the past. They are, however, no less Spanish for all that. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

travel intake before a visit to Oviedo. The portions are not massive; they are gargantuan. Hundreds of years ago, hard, manual labour in the fields and farmyards needed to be fuelled. Beans, lentils and other pulses were bulked out by the fattier cuts of meat (unwanted by those who owned the land), chorizo and blood pudding. Fabada asturiana is the most typical dish of the region – featuring varying combinations of the aforementioned ingredients. I will wager that few could finish a full portion.

Bilbao, Spain

Those in the far north of Spain, those tough Asturians and their ilk, will tell you that anywhere that was ever conquered by the Moors can never consider itself to be truly Spanish. So perhaps I could find the real Spain to the north of its central meseta.

And for greenery you need rain. Don’t forget that if ever you visit. Not that the weather will have a negative impact upon a trip to a typical local cider house, although you may well get wet.

The next time I chased this chimera was in the city of Oviedo (which featured very photogenically in the film, Vicky Cristina Barcelona). In lieu of hectares of land under vines, here I would find apple orchards and cider. The sun, when it makes an appearance, is not the brutal blowtorch of the south, but a more benign deity, whose gentle warmth is pleasant rather than fearsome.

Cider houses have rules. You must not pour your own drink: that is a job for the roving waiters. The waiter should pour the cider from a great height, so that it arrives in the glass full of effervescent life. Two inches at most will be dispensed. The drinker should then down their drink in one go, saving just the merest smidgen in the bottom of the glass. This must be thrown on the floor (hence my prior warning about getting wet) in order to appease the gods of cider.

Oviedo is part of Green Spain.

I suggest limiting your calorific

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

Next door in the Basque country, the Moors made uneasy alliances with these fierce, independent people. The Basques are linguistically, culturally and even physically different from other European peoples. They celebrate this otherness. Now that separatist violence is thankfully in the past, the visitor to this ancient land will find a warm welcome: providing they don’t think they are in Spain. Bilbao is as good a place as any to dip one’s toes into Basque culture. Here too there is cider a plenty, although the Rioja alavesa wine region is just a stone’s throw away, so those whose tastebuds are more accustomed to wine will find no shortage of vino. In this part of the world, tapas are known as pintxos and whilst even in the Real Spain you might occasionally have to put up with tired slices of tortilla or some rather less than imaginative Russian salad, here Basque chefs have taken it upon themselves to re-invent tapas. So don’t be surprised if you are offered foie gras with sea urchin or carpaccio of sea bream with kiwi fruit. 57

travel Plaza la Reina Victoria Eugenia, Segovia, Spain

If the new wave of culinary expression is not for you, you could always go to a traditional steak house. In such establishments, vast hunks of meat are grilled over glowing coals and served to an enthusiastically carnivorous clientele. You wine will be red and served in the sawn-off tumblers known locally as chatos. As with Asturias, you will need to have an exceptional appetite to finish your meal. The arrival of the Guggenheim Museum in 1997, put Bilbao firmly on the map as far as tourism from outside Spain was concerned. I have been to Bilbao on a number of occasions but never visited its most famous edifice, preferring instead to slake my thirst and 58

sate my hunger in any of the beautifully tiled cafés and bars in the old quarter of the city. If you only go to one, make sure it is the Bar Iruña. The idea of Real Spain is at odds with fairy tale castles and the whims of royalty. Yet our next destination: Segovia, has a castle that served as a model for the one used by Disney and also Mad King Ludwig of Bavaria. It also has a replica of Versailles – the Palacio Real de La Granja en San Ildefonso – ordered built by a Spanish King who was foolish enough to ask what his young French bride missed most about home. I have an idea in my mind of a

perfect Spanish city. It should be a provincial capital – to guarantee a certain infrastructure. It should be home to around 60,000 inhabitants: this means you will be able to walk everywhere. And it should be famous for: history, architecture and gastronomy. Segovia is well nigh perfect. If there is a better place to spend a summer evening than the main square in Segovia, then I confess that I am unaware of it. As the sun goes down over the cathedral and illuminates the fairy tale castle with its last golden rays, the local storks fly home to their nests on the rooftops of some of the most spectacular architecture imaginable. A cool glass of local white wine and some tapas finish GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

travel Madrid, Spain

Torremolinos, Spain

off the idyll. Readers will know by now that the Real Spain is anywhere that real Spanish people go about their daily life. If a person were to suggest to a busy waiter in Torremolinos going out to work every day to feed their family, that they were not a part of the true Spain, I am sure they would be pretty upset. Similarly, a banker working for some international finance corporation in a tower block in Madrid is not any less an authentic ingredient in the mix. The beaches of Magalluf and Palma Nova – strewn with pink flesh as they are – are no less real than that authentic venta just 15 km down the road where the same family has been serving roasted goat since time immemorial. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

Today, Spain is a modern country – a democracy and a full member of the EU since 1986. Old timers might fondly reminisce about little hostels where the sinks were plugged with freshly cut straw and you could eat and drink your fill for 10 Pesetas. But that was also the era of rickets, post civil war destruction, famine and some

pretty hard repression of those groups who had fallen out of favour with the Caudillo. Real Spain is anywhere you see the red and gold Spanish flag flying. From the mountains to the coasts and from tiny villages to elegant cities: it all looks real to me. 59

food

FOODIE FROM GIB Four unmissable eateries from Jerez to Malaga.

BY TARA COUMBE

his month we introduce Tara, the face behind the @foodiefromgib Instagram account. “Although admittedly all recommendations are my husband’s finds!” quips Tara. “We have put together a list of four of our best eats in the area worth exploring in the coming months once we start returning to some post-COVID normality.” LA COSMOPOLITA – MALAGA La Cosmopolita in the centre of Malaga is owned by Chef Dani Carnero and serves traditional Andalusian dishes with a modern twist. It is popular with locals and tourists alike, and it can be quite challenging to get a table during peak times. We recommend booking a couple of weeks in advance. Some of their signature dishes and must tries are their tomates alinado (with unique varieties of locally grown tomatoes), prawn tartare with bone marrow (our favourite dish), tortilla encebollada con changurro, and probably the best ensaladilla rusa we have ever had! They 60

La Cosmopolita have a good and focussed wine list with plenty of local selections, and also offer al fresco dining. La Cosmopolita is a hub for food lovers bang in the city centre. It is also worth noting that the chef has recently opened Kaleja, a more formal tasting menu affair,

just a couple of streets away. TAKUMI – MARBELLA Takumi is, in our opinion, one of the best Japanese restaurants on the coast. Regularly frequented by Michelin-starred chefs and local GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

food LU COCINA Y ALMA - JEREZ

Takumi, Marbella foodies, this restaurant is on its way to receiving a star of its own. It is located in Marbella old town and has recently been refurbished with a more modern interior. A refined but unpretentious dining experience, Takumi is mainly about sashimi and nigiris; raw (or sometimes blow torched) fish on a bed of sushi rice. Don’t miss the butterfish with truffle nigiri! A sign of a top sushi restaurant is often a wide variety of seafood, and Takumi always has more on offer more than your usual sushi staples. A perfect spot for an indulgent Saturday lunch, and only 10 minutes’ drive from La Cañada. Reservations can be made over the phone.

fried tortillas paired with a glass of local manzanilla. There is no table service at Balbino and no reservations; first come first served. There are usually people waiting to grab a table as soon as it opens, so get there early unless you are happy to wait.

Lu Cocina y Alma is a one-star Michelin restaurant situated in the heart of Jerez, run by Juan Luis Fernandez and his team. Perhaps rather oddly for the area, the restaurant focuses primarily on French cuisine albeit with Spanish/Andalusian influences. Whilst you have three different sizes of menu to choose from, the menu progresses as a largely blind tasting; you won’t know what you’re going to be served until the plate is on the table in front of you. This is a good choice for those looking to mix it up from your usual local specialties or tapas bars. Bear in mind that, in classic French fashion, the dishes are fairly rich and indulgent; this isn’t a good choice for a light meal!

CASA BALBINO – SANLUCAR DE BARRAMEDA Casa Balbino is located in the main plaza of Sanlucar de Barrameda and is a laid-back tapas bar serving impeccable versions of traditional seafood tapas. They are particularly famous for their tortillas de camarones which are, hands down, the best we have ever tasted. Foodies travel from far and wide to taste their perfectly formed, deep GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

Casa Balbino, Sanlucar De Barrameda

travel

A TRAVELLER’S DIARY Part III: Beijing to Vietnam.

BY CHRIS HEDLEY

he light snowfall and minus -5°C weather of Beijing felt like summer on the beach compared to whence we came. Most of the tour group Andy and I had been travelling with caught flights back home immediately, but Chas stayed on another day to visit the Forbidden City with us – a palace in the heart of Beijing. The ‘forbidden’ part of the name is misleading, referring to a time where no one could enter the palace without the emperor's permission. Presumably, somewhere along the way the emperor decided that the place should be unrelentingly packed full of people as frequently as possible. Comprising of nearly a thousand rooms, the ‘city’ part of the name is quite accurate though. We decided to stop short at about a hundred or so rooms to grab some food.

For those of you who don’t already know, Chinese food is wildly different to what we call Chinese food in the West. I found this out when I ordered a ‘chicken noodle’ dish feeling I’d made a safe choice. ‘Bone and skin in spicy water’ would have been a more appropriate name for the meal. I don’t really eat chicken anymore.

She then spat it out with a long dribble of nonchalance. Another prevailing memory of China was the noise. On the streets, barely five or six seconds would pass between each hock, as a nearby pedestrian announced to

everyone within a fifty-mile radius that they were loosening phlegm from their throat in preparation to discharge it unceremoniously onto the pavement/train carriage/post office floor. I actually got used to it after a while. We visited Tiananmen Square. There were no protests, so it was just a large flattened area with huge screens stretching round the edges and little else to do, so we went to the train station to try to buy tickets to part of The Great Wall. We queued inside behind a mother trying to deafen the infant strapped to her front by bringing as much sputum from her throat into her mouth as possible. She then spat it out with a long dribble of nonchalance, giving it a cursory wipe with her shoe before stepping forward to the clerk. When we were called forward, we managed to find out through much pointing and a few diagrams 63

travel that the train was the next day. We visited the night markets where all manner of strange animals were being fried up in a melting pot of vegan nightmares. ‘When in Rome,’ I thought, and began munching on a coiled goat’s penis. It was chewy. We now only really cared about seeing The Great Wall before leaving Beijing and heading further south to continue our journey, so we booked an overnight train to Xian the next morning before temporarily heading north to look at some bricks. When we arrived, we were unable to find a way onto the wall, and wondered around a small town for a while, before finally figuring out that the wall had been closed for the day due to ice. Unable to discern when it would reopen, we abandoned tourism for the day and headed back to Beijing to pack our stuff.

The night markets were a melting pot of vegan nightmares. warriors, chariots, horses, and other non-military figures in varying condition. One of those hotspots where, unless you have specific historical or archaeological interest, you spend five minutes walking around, then everything blurs into one and you feel like you’ve seen it all. Then you spend another hour there because you feel like you have to

before going back to the hostel to shoot some pool. Everyone knows what I’m talking about. Right? We had come a considerable distance without taking a flight, but English-speaking tourists were few and far between, so we had little chance to brag about it. The evening we were due to leave, a man from Kent strolled into the hostel bar and ordered a beer. Andy and I exchanged glances and seized the opportunity, immediately feigning interest in friendship in order to gloat about our Odyssean adventure. This guy, as luck would have it, had spent the last ten months cycling from

In Xian, as far as I was able to tell, there were three things to do, the first and easiest of which was to visit the market. It was good. Eclectic. Full of strange food and useless bric-a-brac. The kind of place that’s fun to walk around for a while as a tourist, but ultimately useless unless you know what you are looking for and where to find it. The second thing on the list was to rent bikes and ride around on top of the city walls. We didn’t do this, but it looked like great fun, so if you’ve done it before, I don’t want to know. The final thing to do in Xian is to go and look at some old clay. The Terracotta Army is part of a massive necropolis covering almost a hundred square kilometres. In the tourist area, there are four pits to visit with 64

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

travel

the Garden of England through Europe and central Asia, arriving in Xian just in time to make me feel like a fool. A damned lazy fool. We’d learnt enough Chinese to buy train tickets by now, so we left that conceited traveller behind and headed south in search of someone who would find our story impressive. We arrived in Yangshou, where, we were told, the Chinese go for their vacations. This was a different China: a karst landscape with hiking trails and river cruises. The weather was also a blistering eleven degrees, so we chucked out the gloves and boots and bought some canvas shoes, then rented a bamboo boat and drifted down the river in T-shirts. I’d recommend this place to anyone visiting China. A tourist town, but foreign and beautiful enough to make you GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

This bus was particularly unpleasant; a smoke-filled tin can, riding along a battered and beaten road. feel like you’re exploring. From here we hopped on a bus to the nearby town of Xingping, a smaller version of Yangshou with an easily accessible mountain to climb. In truth there was nothing in Xingping, but it was an opportunity to walk around some genuine Chinese countryside past paddy fields and orchards. By now it was Christmas Eve so we hopped on a bus back to Yangshou to get drunk. Everyone

smokes in China, so this bus was particularly unpleasant; a smoke-filled tin can, riding along a battered and beaten road for a few hours. We celebrated Christmas Eve with a few beverages and proceeded to have the least Christmassy Christmas Day ever, not leaving the hostel room except once to buy some food. It was kind of refreshing. We spent another day or two relaxing before deciding it was time to move on. We really wanted to go to Chengdu to look at pandas, but it was a little too far out of our way, so with an overnight stop in Nanning, we ventured into Vietnam… Pick up next month’s issue of The Gibraltar Magazine for part 4 of A Traveller’s Diary, or head to issuu. com/thegibraltarmagazine for parts 1 & 2. 65

wine

BECOME A WINE EXPERT …in 60 minutes (Part 1)

BY ANDREW LICUDI DIPWSET A survey, by Californian wine giant E&J Gallo’s Dark Horse brand, found that almost 75% of British wine drinkers found restaurant wine lists intimidating. It also suggested that 58% felt they had insufficient knowledge to order with confidence. If the survey by Gallo is correct, and I offer no evidence to suggest otherwise, it may explain why so many prefer to shop for wines in supermarkets rather than buying from wine merchants or restaurants where some form of interaction, however minimal, will be required. Let’s face it, no one wants to appear foolish. Armed with a basic knowledge of wine, which is surprisingly easy to acquire, one should never again feel any sort of intimidation either at a wine merchants or faced with a haughty sommelier in some upper-class establishment. A little trick I use when faced with a snotty sommelier or wine merchant would go something like this: Sommelier: “Would sir like to have a look at the wine list?” (Unfriendly sommelier handing me a seriously heavy, leather bound tome.) Me: “Thank you. Have you selected 66

Let’s face it, no one wants to appear foolish. the wines on the list yourself?” (This is highly unlikely, though whether he or she has or hasn’t is irrelevant.) Sommelier clearing his throat: “No sir, I haven’t. It’s done by our inhouse buyer.” Or “Yes I have.” Me not bothering to open heavy tome: “That’s a pity. I am sure they/ you have selected a good house red/ white. What is it?” Now the poor sommelier is under a bit of pressure with their amour propre on the line. After all, who would choose a crappy house wine and all without having any chance of selling you some overpriced red or white at four times what it’s worth! Of course, most sommeliers and wine merchants are friendly and keen wine enthusiasts (or they should be) and eager to please, so here I try and engage with them and ask them what their favourite wines are and so on. I always tell them what my budget is as I am a strong believer fine winery is best

practiced at home not restaurants. That’s just my personal opinion of course. Sometimes with all the cultural and social norms around wine its sometimes easy to forget wine is simply fermented grape juice. SO, WHAT IS WINE? For our purposes, wine is only made from fermented grape juice. (Orange wine is not made from oranges. More on that later.) HOW IS WINE MADE? Vines are planted (of course). It might be a Chardonnay Vine or Sauvignon Vine or one of ten thousand grape known varieties. After three years (considered the minimum) grapes will be harvested after they reach the optimum maturity (flavour) hopefully with the optimum sugar level as well, though not always the case. The sugar will be converted to alcohol during fermentation. Note: With global warming sugar levels may be too high when grapes reach full flavour levels, hence increasing and unwanted alcohol levels.) GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

wine I am a strong believer fine winery is best practiced at home. HARVEST AND FERMENTATION Come September (usually), grapes will be harvested by hand or machine. Expensive wines tend to favour hand harvesting and even ploughing the land using horses, which doesn’t compact the earth. Sometimes the grapes are harvested at night to keep freshness. Better and more expensive producers may have a rigorous selection of grapes. This is time consuming and expensive. Other less so. The grapes are then crushed and fermented. For white wines, only juice is fermented. Red wines fermented with skins to extract tannins and flavours. Once fermented (up to three weeks), wine is filtered and may go through a second process called malolactic fermentation (or MLF) to turn malic acid to lactic acid. This will make the wines taste smoother. The wine is then filtered and matured either in stainless steel or barrels. New barrels are very expensive so reserved for more expensive wine. Barrels will impart flavour to the wine such as woody flavours or vanilla. Most wine may use a mixture of new and old barrels. After a year or more maturing the wines are bottled and sold. TERROIR This is an essential term to understand as the whole wine world now uses the term. It very simple. Terroir describes the GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

whole concept of soil, climate, orientation and even hand of man. So, for example the terroir of Burgundy allows fine white Chardonnay wines to be made whilst the terroir of Morocco may not, i.e. the terroir of Morocco is clearly different from that of Burgundy. Terroir is becoming increasingly important as producers try to differentiate the terroir of even small parcels of land within designated vineyard areas. Fine wine producers try to make wine which reflect the terroir.

make great glasses.

CORK OR SCREWCAP?

Now the acidity. Do the same and rate it. 0- 10 (0 being no acidity, 10 searing acidity). Now think about the balance of sweetness to acidity. Which orange has the best balance? Which orange has the simplest flavour and which the most complex? Finally, which flavour lasts the most before disappearing? I.e. long or short finish. After all that decide which orange you prefer.

Either will do. £50+ bottles of wine with screwcaps are now common. Screwcaps will eliminate many wine faults such as ‘corked’ wines. Screwcaps are not inferior. HOW TO TASTE WINE. Glasses make a huge difference to wine perception. Invest in wellmade ones with thin walls. Riedel

TRY THIS EXERCISE: Buy three (or more) different types of oranges (this is easier than wine to start with). Smell the three oranges uncut. Then after cutting. Do they smell different? Which smells better and why? Take notes. Now taste the three. Note the sweetness in each. How do they compare? Rate the sweetness in each 0-10.

wine Price is no guarantee of quality - keep an open mind.

others. Hugely important in cooler climates like France and will dictate price. Almost irrelevant in warmer ones such as Spain. (I know I will be criticised for saying this but that’s what I’ve found.) Buy one of those little charts but

IT’S WHAT I LIKE

beware; some ‘poor’ vintages can

Remember you are the final arbiter if a wine is to your liking. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. It has to be said that when you start exploring wines, your preferences will change. That wine which may have tasted to sour or not fruity enough may at some point be preferable to an earlier preference. Remember, price is no guarantee of quality nor how the wine has matured and stored - keep an open mind.

decade in bottle.

turn out to be spectacular after a

It’s an intermingling of flavours much like an orchestra playing. AGEING WINES

COMPLEXITY

That’s wine tasting in a nutshell. Now you are ready to move on to wine. Carry out the same exercises. Practice, practice, practice. See if you can identify some aromas in wine. Common ones include:

Wine critics try and predict when a wine should be drunk by. Generally wine critics are wrong simply because they have so many young wines to taste they rarely follow up their own notes when wines are older. They always underestimate the ageing potential of wines. In my experience, most wines will improve with ageing. After coming

Go somewhere quiet and peaceful. Take a glass of chilled Fino and some olives. Immerse yourself in the flavours of both. How would that compare with Ribena? That’s complexity!

across very humble wine after

Wood

ABOUT VINTAGES

Next Month: Become a Wine

Cork (faulty)

Some years are better than

Expert in 60 minutes - Part 2.

•

Strawberries

•

Peaches

•

Lemons

•

Coconut

• • 68

Wine enthusiasts look for complexity in wines. For good reason. No fine wine was ever made that was simple. But what exactly is complexity? As the word suggests, it’s an intermingling of flavours much like an orchestra playing a complex piece of music. A non-complex wine may be fruity much like Ribena with alcohol. Pleasant enough. Here’s an exercise on complexity:

years forgotten in my cellar I’ve been amazed. Don’t forget, heat kills wines so unless you have temperature control best to forget about ageing your own wines.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

sports

THE SCOREBOARD The latest in sports on the Rock.

BY GEORGIOS TONTOS NEW CHALLENGES FOR THE NATIONAL TEAM Sports activities have been postponed since the beginning of last month, due to the spread of the virus, with football particularly affected as there is no activity in the country's championship, with athletes being left out of training. However, this month is expected to be very interesting, with restrictions lifting and our national team’s matches against Norway (24/3 home) and Montenegro (27/3 away) for the World Cup qualifiers. Julio Ribas’ team, who secured first place in their group in the Nations League, is gearing up to face Norway in a fight for fourth place. Liam Walker, Lee Casciaro and Scott Wiseman are among the most experienced players, who are expected to lead the national team to the best result possible. Continuous participation in major European matches over the last two years will surely aid them in this attempt. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

The other four opponents for Gibraltar are the Netherlands, Turkey, Montenegro and Latvia, proving the group's competitiveness.

This gives the national team the right to host big opponents, with Norway and the Netherlands first this month. NORWAY

VICTORIA STADIUM CONFIRMED TO HOST GIBRALTAR’S HOME WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS The Gibraltar FA have confirmed that UEFA have granted dispensation for Gibraltar to host their 2022 World Cup Qualifying home matches at the Victoria Stadium. The construction of a new national stadium, which was planned to start in 2020, was delayed understandably due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and with the current Victoria Stadium falling short of UEFA’s minimum requirements to host official international matches, the GFA had to apply to UEFA to extend their exemption which allowed Gibraltar to host the Nations League in 2020, to cover the upcoming home World Cup Qualifiers (footballgibraltar.com).

Without a doubt, the Vikings claim first place within the group together with the Netherlands, having the greatest market value (75 million). Erling Haaland is Borrusia Dortmund’s big star, and has had an amazing year, as has Alexander Sørloth of RB Leipzig. This is an attacking team, playing for the victory from the very first minute, relying on all its key players’ tactics in the offensive line. Gibraltar's last experience in the World Cup qualifiers was painful, with ten defeats, the last being from Greece (4-0, 2017). Let’s hope things are very different this time! To include your team’s latest sporting news in this segment, email editor@thegibraltarmagazine.com. 69

travel

SECLUDED DESTINATIONS… …for a socially distanced vacation.

BY PENELOPE BIELCKUS (THE FLYAWAY GIRL)

hile most travel (especially further afield) is still somewhat of a pipe dream for many of us, there's definitely no harm in being inspired by some spectacular destinations around the world. With the vaccine rollout ongoing, many countries are planning on opening up to tourists once again in the upcoming months. While travel might not be completely back to normal, we can always find incredible places to tick off our bucket list. The following destinations include some of the most secluded in the world, as well as some underrated gems that you might not have thought of as a place for your next holiday. From a remote volcanic island in the South Atlantic to the largest island in the world, here are four beautiful destinations ideal for a socially distanced vacation. FALKLAND ISLANDS Located 300 miles off the Argentinian coast, the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas in Spanish)

is an archipelago made up of more than 700 islands. East Falkland - home to the capital, Stanley and West Falkland are the two main islands in the archipelago, and other popular islands to visit include Pebble Island, Carcass Island, Sea Lion Island, Saunders Island and Bleaker Island. So, how can you reach the Falkland Islands? There are two main ways to reach the archipelago. The first option is to take one of the twice-weekly flights from RAF Brize Norton, which goes via Cape Verde for a refuelling stop. While the lengthy 18-hour flight is predominantly for members of the armed forces and their families, there are tickets available for civilians. The other main option is to fly from Chile or São Paulo with LATAM. The islands are also a popular stop on cruise ships travelling the region or going to Antarctica, but you will definitely want more than a day or two to experience everything this area has to offer. The Falkland Islands are ideal

for nature lovers, with incredible amounts of fauna abundant on the islands. From king penguins to seals and albatrosses to sea lions, there is no shortage of animal life here. Take a helicopter to Volunteer Point to see the largest king penguin colony in the Falklands or watch gentoo penguins on the beach on Bleaker Island.

King penguins, seals, albatrosses, and sea lions – there’s no shortage of animal life here. Of course, no visit to the Falklands would be complete without learning more about the history, in particular the Falklands War in 1982. A battlefields tour is the best way to learn more about the war and how it affected the people living on the islands at the time. 71

travel While a trip to the Falklands isn't a budget holiday, it will definitely be a trip you remember for years and years to come. Fly to Mount Pleasant from Santiago de Chile (from £700 return) or Punta Arenas (from £400 return), or fly from RAF Brize Norton for £2,222 return. ST HELENA If you're into hiking, history, and remote destinations that until recently required sailing for 5-6 days on a cargo vessel to access, then St Helena is an ideal destination for you. St Helena's airport only opened in 2016 and, previously, visitors and residents alike could only reach the island by a 5-6 journey on the RMS St Helena, a Royal Mail cargopassenger vessel, from the South African city of Cape Town. St Helena is relatively unknown to many people, unless you're a history buff or an avid traveller. This volcanic island is part of the British Overseas Territory of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan de Cunha, although the islands are spread far apart. Tristan de Cunha is almost 2,500km south of St Helena and Ascension is just shy of 1,300km north of St Helena. St Helena is best known for being where Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled after his escape from Elba, until his death in 1821. When in St Helena, you can visit Napoleon's tomb, which is empty

The distillery produces a spirit made from the local prickly pear. 72

after his body was repatriated to Paris in 1840. Aside from being important historically, St Helena also boasts spectacular nature, with dramatic cliffs, winding mountain roads and, of course, amazing marine life. On this remote island, you can go whalewatching, diving with dolphins or you can see if you can spot some endemic bird life, such as the Saint Helena plover, known locally as the 'wirebird'. For hikers, the 21 'Post Box Walks' on the island offer varying difficulties of hikes, from hilly and scenic to spectacular and challengingly mountainous.

In my personal opinion, the most interesting thing about this island is that it's home to the world's most remote coffee plantation. Now, that may be just because I'm a little addicted to the beverage, but it's also because St Helena coffee is considered some of the best in the world. The coffee here was brought to the island from Yemen in 1733 and has remained pure and unchanged since then. Tours of the plantation GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

travel are available, and visitors can enjoy a cup of coffee at St Helena Coffee Shop in the island's capital, Jamestown. Finally, if you prefer booze to a brew, the island is also home to the world's most remote distillery (yes, remote is the word for St Helena). The distillery produces a spirit made from the local prickly pear, known as tungi, as well as spiced rum, coffee liqueur, and gin made from the rare Bermuda Juniper.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

Flights to St Helena from Johannesburg with Airlink start at £700. TATEV, ARMENIA / ՏԱԹև, ՀԱՅԱՍՏԱՆ Armenia is one of my favourite not-so-secret secrets. This nation is sandwiched between Georgia,

Armenia is so much more than that. Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iran and is mostly known around the world for the war between them and Azerbaijan, as well as the Armenian Genocide committed by

travel the Ottoman Government starting in 1915.

deepest gorge in Armenia at a depth of over 800m.

GREENLAND/KALAALLIT NUNAAT

However, Armenia is so much more than that. Armenia is considered the first country to adopt Christianity, in the 4th century. Monasteries and churches can be found in Armenia dating back to the 4th century.

Armenia has many spectacular locations and indeed many impressive monasteries, and Tatev is a truly awe-inspiring destination in this hidden gem of a nation.

What do you think of when you think of Greenland? It is glaciers, dog sledding and Inuit culture? Or is it just a whole lot of ice and snow? Well, both assumptions are correct. Although, Greenland in summer is incredibly green, with blooming flowers, melting snow, and long days.

Tatev, written as Տաթև in Armenian, is located near the country's southern border with Iran. This village is home to Tatev Monastery, one of the oldest monastery complexes in Armenia, and Wings of Tatev, the world's longest nonstop cableway. The cable car was opened in 2010 and all profit from the project is invested into the restoration of the monastery and development of the local community. The cable car travels a length of more than 5km (5,752m to be precise) and the journey time takes 1215 minutes from Halidzor, the first station, and Tatev, the final station.

Fly to Yerevan from London, starting at £100. Alternatively, visit two countries together and fly to Tbilisi, Georgia and take the overnight train from Tbilisi to Yerevan.

The world's largest island (if you're wondering about Australia

Before the cable car, the only way to reach Tatev village the monastery complex was a 40-minute car journey along a steep and winding mountainous road. Tatev Monastery is 9thcentury monastic complex, which replaced a 4th-century church that was located here. The complex is heavily fortified, since this location was often attacked by Seljuk Turks and then later by the Timurid dynasty. The monastery was also damaged by earthquakes, most recently in 1931. The monastery complex at Tatev was added to the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1995. Tatev is an absolutely spectacular place, overlooking the massive Vorotan Gorge, the 74

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travel - it's classed as a continent, therefore not the world's largest island) receives fewer than 80,000 tourists annually and is generally overlooked by most people as a tourist destination. If you're visiting Greenland in summer, activities can include kayaking on fjords and amongst icebergs, hiking in the world's largest national park, as well as experiencing the phenomenon of midnight sun. In winter, dog sledding, sleeping in an igloo and seeing the northern lights are just some of the highlights. Summer is also prime whale watching season in Greenland. Up to 15 species visit the water around the island, including humpback whales, sperm whales and minke whales. Lesser common, but also possible to see (even in winter), are narwhals and

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

beluga whales. Greenland is also the perfect place to spy other fauna, including seals, walruses, reindeer, arctic foxes and even polar bears. The Inuit people play a large part in Greenland's culture and history. Inuit people crossed the Bering Strait from Arctic Canada and populated Greenland - groups including the Dorset Culture and the adaptable and nomadic Thule people. The Thule were whale and seal hunters who, according to legend, heard about iron and its use for tools, and that it could be found in meteorites in Northern Greenland. The Thule brought dogs to Greenland, thus introducing the mode of transport that is dog sledding. They also used boats that are similar to modern-day kayaks, and the kayak is the national symbol of Greenland.

Greenland has so much to do, including visiting the country's oldest church Bethelkirken and the museum in Sisimiut, seeing the Greenland National Museum and drinking strong coffee in Nuuk, and enjoying the hot springs in Uunartoq. Finally, don't miss out on seeing the spectacular and magical northern lights, which can be seen all across Greenland, but particularly in Kangerlussuaq, Ilulissat and Tasiilaq. Fly to Greenland either via Reykjavík from €279 one-way with Air Iceland Connect or via Copenhagen with Air Greenland. Whether you're looking for to watch the northern lights, see hundreds of penguins, or learn about Napoleon in exile, these stunning and secluded destination are ideal for your next holiday away from the crowds.

beauty

CONFESSIONS OF A BEAUTY ADDICT Hair care: luxe vs budget. BY ALEX ORFILA

he quest for beautiful hair is centuries old. From Cleopatra, who apparently used a mixture of honey and castor oil to repair her damaged hair, to the renaissance, where bigger was better and ornate wigs decorated the heads of most aristocrats. More recently female household names like Farah Fawcett and Grace Jones have earned themselves a place in pop culture history in part because of their iconic hairstyles. The desire for good hair, or more specifically ‘good hair days’ has only evolved further in today’s world where we are constantly bombarded with glossy-haired celebrities. We’ve all seen the shampoo ads that promise supermodel hair that shines with the brilliance of a Hollywood starlet’s teeth. However, much to GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

Real life is not like a Pantene advert. our disappointment, we usually find that purchasing said product does not tend to instantly deliver those Ariana Grande style luscious locks. Firstly – don’t be too hard on yourself, it’s a well-known fact that stars like Grande and the Kardashians rely on an array of extensions to mimic those sleek uber-long doll-like tresses. Secondly – real life is not like a Pantene advert where expertly styled hair is carelessly swished in front of a wind machine under perfect lighting. Unlike celebrities, we don’t all

have the time or resources (or patience) to spend our lives firmly glued to our hairdresser’s chair. We therefore have to rely on products to give our hair that extra TLC between salon visits. But even finding the perfect product (or combination of products) that work for us can be a bit of a mine field as every advertising campaign is quick to make equally lavish promises. I’ve tried and tested some luxury products and some budget options and the results have been quite mixed. I’m not going to for a moment pretend that I don’t love a luxury product. For me it’s about the whole experience, from packaging, to fragrance, to results. That said, I do equally enjoy the thrill of finding a bargain that ticks most of those boxes for a fraction of the price. 77

beauty My advice? Don’t be drawn in by the shiny campaigns, try to use samples where possible and when it comes to hair products remember that pricier doesn’t always mean more effective!

SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER Oribe Gold Lust Repair & Restore Shampoo, 250ml - £50 Conditioner, 200ml - £52 This Shampoo and Conditioner combo will set you back over £100 and for that kind of money I would expect some pretty miraculous results from my shampoo. Perhaps this is why Oribe describe themselves as ‘The Fountain of Youth for Hair’. I was fortunate enough to try a sample size of this which meant it wouldn’t be quite so painful 78

if I wasn’t blown away by the results. It was a lovely product but my favourite part was the fragrance, it smelt like an expensive perfume. My hair was smooth and shiny right after styling, but was it £100 worth of smooth and shiny? The jury is still out on that one.

Horse owners started using the products themselves.

Mane ‘n Tail Shampoo - £5.99 This budget-friendly buy describes itself as ‘The horse to human crossover shampoo’. It was originally formulated for the equestrian world to encourage fuller hair growth in horses. The results were so astounding that horse owners and groomers started using the products themselves and it has now developed a bit of a cult following. Its protein rich formula promises stronger, longer, healthier locks and it does not disappoint. For £5.99 per 350ml bottle who can complain? GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

beauty HAIR MASK Christophe Robin Regenerating Mask with Rare Pricky Seed Oil, 250ml - £54 This hair mask is something special; it’s a ritual designed to regenerate the driest and most lack lustre of locks. After a bit of a hair colouring faux pas, I can say this mask helped restore my locks back to their former glory. Prickly pear seed oil is honed for its restorative properties and the results did speak for themselves.

Maui Moisture Revive & Hydrate Shea Butter Mask, 340g - £8.99 Maui Moisture is a vegan-friendly, clean beauty brand and none of its products contain sulphates or silicones. The mask contains natural ingredients such as deeply nourishing shea butter to hydrate dry and tired hair, it also smells amazing. This brand is testament that products don’t have to cost the earth (literally) to be truly effective.

DRY SHAMPOO Ouai Super Dry Shampoo, 127g - £20 Ouai is probably the trendiest of hair brands at the moment, and with its sleek packing its easy to see why. Its formula claims to contain exotic ingredients like volcanic minerals which work to absorb excess oil. It boasts not leaving that white ‘chalkiness’ which is so characteristic of dry shampoo, but this in a way also makes it less effective in my opinion. Batiste, 400ml - £4.99 Despite the array of trendy, designer products dominating the dry shampoo market these days, I always go back to basics. In my

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

opinion none can quite rival the effectiveness of Batiste when it comes to giving hair that much needed ‘fresh’ feeling. At £4.99 a bottle with a wide selection of scents, what’s there not to love? ‘Blush’ is my go-to one! 79

fashion

MARCHING INTO SPRING TRENDS

Now that we’re experiencing some semblance of normality, and with our anticipation for spring ever-increasing, I must say that I’ve taken to indulging in the expansive sea of new-in sections amongst my favourite retailers as of late. The next few months of the year are probably my absolute favourites; no doubt due to the consistently perfect temperature, which lends itself to more interesting styling possibilities as opposed to the endless cycle of T-shirt/shorts combos I tend to churn out during the thick of summer. BY JULIA COELHO

hen considering this year’s upcoming trends, we should keep in mind the very unique circumstances in which they were created. Designers all around the world were working from home alongside the majority of us, separated physically from their teams and largely presenting their completed works via livestreams; a challenging feat all around, no doubt. As expected, there were two main approaches to their collections. On the one hand, we saw a continued shift towards classic, throw-on staples, driving our collective desire to disengage from the relentless trend cycle and make more conscious and considered purchases. With significantly more time spent at home for all of us, designers continued to explore utilitarian and comfortable dressing, which luckily translated into loads of simple yet effective pieces in a plethora of fabrics and silhouettes. 80

So yes, most created classic pieces that pretty much act as an extension to last year's aesthetic of comfort and practicality. Others, however, explored the theme of ‘escapism’, creating striking and eccentric collections with the intention of bringing the sheer joy back into fashion,

fade away, never to be seen again. Once in a blue moon, a “trend” may linger for a while, and manage to transition over to the other side. The best thing about this year’s styles is that they are all both timeless and trendy; the perfect combination.

Designers all around the world were working from home. serving almost as an antidote to last year’s situation. Think vibrant colours, dazzling prints and overthe-top dresses. Generally speaking, clothes can be divided into either 'trendy' or 'timeless' categories most of the time. Some styles manage to retain their longevity over the years, while others burst onto the scene for a while, and then GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

PINK

LEFT PAGE: BELTED LEATHER-EFFECT SHORTS, MANGO, £35.99 TOP LEFT: PLUNGE LONG SLEEVE MINI DRESS IN MULTI ZEBRA PRINT, ASOS DESIGN, £32.00 TOP MIDDLE: CURVE OVERSIZED LONG SLEEVE T-SHIRT DRESS IN DUSTY PINK BLACK AND WHITE STRIPE, ASOS DESIGN, £22.00 TOP RIGHT: HIGH NECK LONG SLEEVE TOP IN FLORAL MESH CO-ORD, FASHION UNION, £18.00 MIDDLE: COMBINED KNITTED CARDIGAN, MANGO, £49.99 BOTTOM: SUPER SOFT TIE WAIST DRESS WITH LONG SLEEVES IN DUSKY ROSE, ASOS DESIGN, £35.00

If a year in loungewear has taught us anything, it's that comfort is key! But comfort doesn’t mean that the concept of colour is out the window. It’s true that neutrals have reigned supreme for many seasons now, but this year, expect to see every shade of pink take centre stage. I have to say, pink isn’t usually my go-to, but I’ve actually indulged in a couple of new pieces recently, and I have a feeling I won’t be stopping there. From bright dresses and heels, to muted shackets to pair perfectly with jeans, 81

They are all both timeless and trendy; the perfect combination.

there are endless options available to us, and one that is sure to suit every aesthetic and personal style.

MOOD-BOOSTING PRINTS From rainbow stripes and tie-dye to tropical prints and even chequerboards, it's not too surprising that prints of all shapes and colourways were a 82

TOP LEFT: FITTED TOP WITH RUCHED SIDES IN TIE DYE, ASOS DESIGN, £14.00 TOP RIGHT: WIDE LEG HIGH WAIST JEANS, MANGO, £49.99 MIDDLE: RELAXED DUNGAREES WITH CHAIN IN BRIGHT RAINBOW CHECK, THE RAGGED PRIEST, £65.00 RIGHT: X014 EXTREME DAD JEANS IN VINTAGE BLUE WASH, COLLUSION, £25.00

major reference for designers when creating their spring collections, bringing a muchneeded injection of fun and vibrance to any outfit. Secondskin tops are all the rage this season too, and make for a perfect transitional piece with many styling possibilities. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

fashion TOP LEFT: OMBRÉ TWILL MOM TROUSERS, BERSHKA, £25.99 MIDDLE: BOYFRIEND JEANS IN BLEACH WASH, AMERICAN EAGLE, £64.95 BOTTOM: SATIN BUSTIER CORSET TOP IN LEOPARD PRINT, ASOS DESIGN, £25.00

BOYFRIEND JEANS The '90s denim look is gaining some serious momentum this year, and for every nostalgic dresser, much like myself, who'll relish the thought of slipping back into their old baggy jeans, we guarantee there'll be someone who shudders at the mere thought. But if the past has taught us anything, it's that most denim styles are considered somewhat questionable before becoming widely accepted, and eventually adored en masse. The key shift we saw was a move from slimmer silhouettes to a more relaxed, slouchy fit, hence the rise of the boyfriend/dad jean. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

fashion BUSTIER TOPS I think it’s safe to say that we can probably thank Netflix’s hit show Bridgerton for the recent explosion of corsets and bustiers featuring in our favourite high street shops. These styles make for a much more interesting addition to a pair of slouchy jeans than your average summery top, and if they aren’t quite your vibe, you can also opt for the equally trendy sweetheart necklines which are absolutely everywhere at the moment.

almost silly wearing a pair of heels any time soon. Never before has there been such a demand for flats, and with their classic charm

and minimalist versatility, loafers in all their iterations are the shoe of choice of the moment. I’m all about it!

FLAT SHOES If there was a prize for 2020's most irrelevant wardrobe item, it would undoubtedly be the stiletto. With almost all weddings and fancy functions either cancelled or postponed, it’s sad to say that the high heel was recently relegated to the dusty depths of our wardrobes, but if there’s a silver lining to the stiletto's nearextinction, it's the meteoric rise of the flat shoe. Honestly, I think it’s gotten to the point that I’d feel TOP: PETITE SWEETHEART TOP WITH RUCHED BUST WITH LONG SLEEVE IN SPOT, ASOS DESIGN, £18.00 LEFT: CHAIN LOAFERS, MANGO, £49.99 RIGHT: EXCLUSIVE FREYA CHUNKY LOAFERS IN BLACK LEATHER WITH GOLD TRIM, ASRA, £62.00

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

WELCOME TO OUR

virtual classroom* Continue your current course (or sign up for one if you haven't already!) from the comfort and of your own home. English, Spanish, and French lessons for all ages and levels, starting at just £10/hour! Email: info@littleenglish.gi / WhatsApp: +350 54076150

VEGAN BAKED FETA PASTA

If you haven’t seen the viral baked feta pasta on TikTok you surely have seen it on the news because quite simply it is everywhere. Massing over 50 millions tags on the popular app the dish is easy, tasty, and is still just as delicious cold. INGREDIENTS •

200g vegan feta (I used Sheese Greek Style)

•

400g mixture of cherry, baby plum and ‘black’ small tomatoes

•

1 garlic bulb

•

3 tbsp mixed dried Italian herbs

•

2 tbsp olive oil

•

350g dry pasta

•

1pinch salt and pepper

METHOD 1. Separate the garlic bulb cloves and trim both ends. 2. Place the vegan feta, tomatoes, garlic cloves (with skin still on), into an oven proof dish. 3. Sprinkle the dry herbs over the top and salt and pepper too.

Recipe by The Gibraltar Vegan, follow instagram.com/ thegibraltarvegan for updates

4. Drizzle the ingredients with the olive oil. 5. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees for 40-45 minutes. 6. Cook your pasta so that it is ready for when the food in the oven is baked. 7. Remove the dish from the oven and carefully remove the skins from the garlic. 8. Mix the vegan feta, tomatoes and garlic until it is creamy. 9. Add the pasta and serve. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

CHOCOLATE, AVOCADO & PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE POTS Avocados make a great base for this recipe as they don’t alter the taste of the chocolate and provide that fluffy whipped cream texture that make mousse so desirable. Finish it off with a little salty savouriness for a rich and indulgent dessert. INGREDIENTS: •

1.5 Bananas

•

2 Avocados

•

120g peanut butter

•

100g dark chocolate

•

1 Tbsp cocoa powder

•

200g maple syrup / treacle

•

100ml almond milk

•

Salt flakes

•

50ml coconut cream

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

METHOD: 1. Start with ripe avocados, cut them open in half, remove the stone and scoop out the insides into a bowl, you can throw away the skin. 2. Melt your chocolate until smooth and creamy and let it cool down a bit. Pass all the ingredients into a blender except for the salt flakes and coconut cream and blend together until creamy. Taste test the blend and adjust the sweetness if need be by adding more maple syrup until you are happy with it. 3. Transfer the mouse liquid into various pots and cover tightly with wax cloth or cling film to prevent a skin forming on top and allow to sit in the fridge for a few hours to fully set.

Recipe featured on MamaLotties.com

4. When ready to serve, mix together 50ml coconut cream with two tablespoons of peanut butter until combined, drizzle over your pots and sprinkle a crush of sea salt on top.

Sent in by @capanosandra One of our readers has had a go at a past Gib Mag recipe - what do you think? Send in your snaps to editor@thegibraltarmagazine.com for a chance to be featured! 87

information EMERGENCY SERVICES EMERGENCY CALLS ONLY: ALL EMERGENCIES................................. 112 FIRE...............................................................190 AMBULANCE.............................................190 POLICE.................................................................199

NON-URGENT CALLS: Ambulance Station 200 75728 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 12345 Hospital, St Bernards. . Tel: 200 79700 Weather information. . Tel: 5-3416 Frontier Queue Update Tel: 200 42777

The Gibraltar Magazine is published and produced by Rock Publishing Ltd, Gibraltar. Tel: (+350) 200 77748

Gibraltar Museum Tel: 200 74289 18/20 Bomb House Lane 10am-6pm (Sat 10am-2pm). Admission: Adults £2/Children under 12 - £1. Exhibitions also at Casemates gallery.

Police 200 72500

Gibraltar Garrison Library Tel: 200 77418 2 Library Ramp Mon-Fri: 9am-5pm. Free Library tour offered every Friday at 11am. chris.tavares@gibraltargarrisonlibrary.gi Registry Office Tel: 200 72289 It’s possible to get married within 48 hours. A fact taken advantage of by stars such as Sean Connery & 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 Point etc. John Mackintosh Hall Tel: 200 75669 Includes cafeteria, theatre, exhibition rooms and library. 308 Main Street 9.30am - 11pm Mon-Fri.

Gibraltar Services Police Emergency Nos: (5) 5026 / (5) 3598 Gibraltar Public Holidays 2020 New Year’s Day Commonwealth Day Good Friday Easter Monday

Monday 1st Jan Monday 09th Mar Friday 10th Apr Monday 13nd Apr

Workers Memorial Day Tuesday 28th Apr May Day

Friday 1st May

75th anniversary of VE Day Friday 8th May Spring Bank Holiday

Monday 25th May

Queen’s Birthday

Monday 15th June

Late Summer Bank Holiday

Monday 31st Aug

Gibraltar National Day Tuesday 10th Sept Christmas Day Boxing Day

Friday 25th Dec Thursday 28th Dec

SUPPORT GROUPS ADHD Gibraltar adhdgibraltar@gmail.com facebook.com/ADHDGibraltar/ Alcoholics Anonymous meet 7pm Tues & Thurs at Nazareth House Tel: 200 73774. A Step Forward support for single, separated, divorced/widowed people, meet 8pm Mon at St Andrew’s Church. Mummy & Me Breastfeeding Support Group those who are pregnant, breastfeeding or have breastfed to get together for coffee / support. Partners and older children welcome. Meets 1st Wed / 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 5pm - 9pm Citizens’ Advice Bureau Open Mon-Thur 9:30am-4:00pm, Fri 9:30am- 3:30pm. Tel: 200 40006 Email: info@cab.gi or visit at 10 Governor’s Lane. Free & confidential, impartial & independent advice and info. COPE Support group for people with Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia or Rheumatoid Arthritis. Meetings at Catholic Community Centre Book

Shop at 7.30pm first Thur of each month. 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. Families Anonymous Support group for relatives and friends concerned about the use of drugs or related behavioural problems. Meet weekly on Thurs at 9pm at Family and Community Centre, Mid Harbours Estate, Bishop Caruana Road. 54007676 or 54014484. Gamblers Anonymous Telephone: 54001520 Gibraltar Cardiac Rehabilitation and Support Group meets on the first Tues of every month at 8.30pm at John Mac Hall, except for Jul & Aug. Gibraltar Dyslexia Support Group 72 Prince Edwards Rd Tel: 200 78509 Mobile: 54007924 website: dyslexia.gi Gibraltar Hearing Issues & Tinnitus Association Voicemail: (+350) 200 66755, Text Message (SMS): (+350) 54066055, Correspondence Charity P.O. Box 90220, Gibraltar. Email: info@ ghita.gi, Facebook: Gibraltar Hearing Issues & Tinnitus Association (GHITA & BSL Club), Our support group meets the first Monday of every month at Suite 3, Kings Bastion Leisure Centre as from 5pm.

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. Mummy & Me Breastfeeding Support: Meets every Thursday 12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous Tel: 200 70720 Parental Support Group helping parents and grandparents with restrictive access to their children and grandchildren. Tel: 200 46536, 200 76618, or 54019602. Psychological Support Group, PO Box 161, Nazareth House. Meet Tuesdays at 7pm, Fridays 8pm. Tel: Yolanda 54015553 With Dignity Gibraltar support for separated, divorced/widowed or single people. Meet Weds 9pm, Catholic Community Centre, Line Wall Rd. Outings/activities. Women in Need Voluntary organisation for all victims of domestic violence. Refuge available. Tel: 200 42581 (24 hrs).

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

clubs & activities Arts & Crafts Cross Stitch Club: John Mackintosh Hall, 1st Floor, Mon 6-8pm, fee £1. Gibraltar Arts & Crafts Association: Children: Mon&Fri 12.30-2pm, Mon-Fri 3.45-5.15pm Adults: Wed 5.45-7.15, Sat 10.30 to 12.30, Tel: 20073865 email: gibartsandcrafts@hotmail.com Knit and Natter Group: Tues 11am-3pm, Thurs 5.30-7.30pm, at Arts & Crafts Shop, Casemates balcony. Free to join and refreshments provided. Tel: 20073865. The Arts Centre: Prince Edward’s Road, Art classes for children and adults. For more info call Tel: 200 79788. The Fine Arts Association Gallery: At Casemates. Open 10am-2pm, 3-6pm Mon-Fri, Sat 11am-1pm. The Arts Society Gibraltar: Monthly illustrated talks open to the public. Registration from 6:30pm every 3rd Wednesday of the month. Guest fee £12. We meet at The Garrison Library. Contact gibraltar@theartssociety.org or Claus Olesen on 54036666. Website with all informaiton is gibraltar.theartssociety.org Board Games Calpe Chess Club & Junior Club: meets in Studio 1, John Mackintosh Hall Thursday, Juniors: 5p.m. - 7 p.m. / Tuesday & Thursday 7p.m. - 10:30 The Gibraltar Scrabble Club: Meets on Tuesdays at 3pm. Tel: Vin 20073660 or Roy 20075995. All welcome. The Subbuteo Club: Meets in Charles Hunt Room, John Mackintosh Hall. Dance Adult Dance Classes: Wed evenings at Kings Bastion Leisure Centre from 7-8.30pm. Contact Dilip on 200 78714. Art in Movement Centre: Hip-hop/Break Dance, Contemporary Dance, Pilates, Capoeira, Acrobatics, Street Kids & Tods, Modern Dance. Performance and Film opportunities. Judo & Jujitsu Classes: Tue/ Thur with Sensei Conroy. All ages. Budokai Martial Arts Centre, Wellington Front. www. artinmovement.net FB: Art In Movement A.I.M, tel 54025041 or 54007457 Ballet, Modern Theatre, Contemporary & Hip-hop: weekly at Danza Academy. Training from 3 years to Adult Advanced. 68/2 Prince Edward’s Rd Tel: 54027111. Bellydance Classes, all levels, Tue 8-9pm at the Ocean Village Gym (non–members welcome). Contact 54005593. DSA Old & Modern Sequence Dancing: Sessions at Central Hall Fri 8.30pm, beginners 8pm. Tel: 200 78901 or tony@ gibraltar.gi Everybody welcome. Modern & Latin American Sequence Dancing: Mon at Catholic Community Centre 8pm. Tel. Andrew 200 78901. Modern, Contemporary, Lyrical, Flexibility, Hip Hop & Dance Theatre: Classes weekly at Urban Dance Studio, 2 Jumpers Bastion. Tel: Yalta 54012212 or Jolene 54015125. Rockkickers Linedance Club: Governor’s Meadow 1st School. www.rockkickers.com Salsa Gibraltar Salsa: Tues at Laguna Social Club, Laguna Estate. Beginners 7-8.30pm. Intermediates 8.30-10pm. Tel: Mike 54472000 or info@salsagibraltar.com Zumba Classes at Urban Dance: Jumpers Bastion, with certified instructor Tyron Walker. Tel: 20063959 or 54012212 or Twitter: @UrbanDanceGib History & Heritage The Gibraltar Heritage Trust: Main Guard, 13 John Mackintosh Sq. Tel: 200 42844. The Gibraltar Classic Vehicle Association: Dedicated to the preservation of Rock’s transport/motoring heritage. Assists members in restoration / maintenance of classic vehicles. New members welcome. Tel: 200 44643. Garrison Library Tours: at 11am on Fri, duration 1h 50mins. Tel: 20077418. History Alive: Historical re-enactment parade. Main Street up to Casemates Square every Sat at 12 noon. Music Gibraltar National Choir and Gibraltar Junior National Choir: Rehearses at the Holy Trinity Cathedral. Tel: 54831000. The Calpe Band: Mon & Wed. For musicians of brass/woodwind instruments of all standards/ages/abilities 7-9pm. Tel: 54017070 or thecalpeband@gmail.com

Jazz Nights: Thurs at 9pm at O’Callaghan Eliott Hotel. Tel: 200 70500. Outdoor Activities The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Gibraltar: Exciting self-development programme for young people worldwide equipping them with life skills to make a difference to themselves, their communities and the world. Contact: Award House, North Mole Road, PO Box: 1260. mjpizza@ gibtelecom.net, www.thedukes.gi. Social Clubs The Rotary Club of Gibraltar meets the Rock Hotel, 7pm Tuesday evenings. Guests welcome. For contact or info www.rotaryclubgibraltar.com Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes: (Gibraltar Province) meets RAOB Club, 72/9 Prince Edward’s Road - Provincial Grand Lodge, Thu/month, 7.30pm. William Tilley 2371, Thurs 8.30pm. Buena Vista 9975, monthly, Social Lodge. www.akearn1.wix. com/raob-gibraltar, william.tilley.lodge@ hotmail.co.uk, Clive, tel: 58008074 Special Interest Clubs & Societies Creative Writers Group: meets up on Tuesday mornings at 10.30 in O’Reilley’s Irish Bar and it is free to attend. Tel: Carla 54006696. Gibraltar Book Club: For info Tel: Parissa 54022808. Gibraltar Horticultural Society: meets 1st Thurs of month 6pm, J.M. Hall. Spring Flower Show, slide shows, flower arrangement demos, outings to garden centres, annual Alameda Gardens tour. All welcome. Gibraltar Photographic Society: Meets on Mondays at 7:00 p.m. Wellington Front. Induction courses, talks, discussions, competitions etc. For details contact the secretary on, leslinares@gibtelecom.net Harley Davidson Owners’ Club: www.hdcgib.com Lions Club of Gibraltar: Meets 2nd and 4th Wed of the month at 50 Line Wall Road. www.lionsclubofgibraltar.com St John’s Ambulance: Adult Volunteers Training Sessions from 8-10pm on Tues. Tel: 200 77390 or training@stjohn.gi The Royal British Legion: For info or membership contact the Branch Secretary 20074604 or write to PO Box 332. UN Association of Gibraltar: PO Box 599, 22a Main Street. Tel: 200 52108. Sports Supporters Clubs Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Club: Meets at Star Bar, Parliament Lane, when Spurs games are televised - call prior to matches to check game is televised. Great food for a lunch if KO is early or an early supper if the game is later. Gibraltar Arsenal Supporters Club: Meets match days upstairs at Time Out Café, Eurotowers. Gooners of all ages welcome. For info/news visit www.GibGooners.com Tel: 54010681 (Bill) or 54164000 (John). Gibraltar Hammers: Meets 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 gibraltarhammers@hotmail.com Leeds United Gibraltar Supporters Club. Meet at The Trafalgar Sports Bar 1 Rosia Road when live matches are on. All Leeds United supporters and their families are welcome. Join Leeds United Gibraltar Supporters club at: facebook.com/luscgib Sports & Fitness Artistic Gymnastics: Gibraltar Artistic Gymnastics Association. Tel: Angela 200 70611 or Sally 200 74661. Athletics: Gibraltar Amateur Athletics Association holds competitions through 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 BWF& BE) junior club/tournaments, senior leagues/ recreational. www.badmintongibraltar.com Ballet Barre Fitness: Adults on Wed 10am & Fri 6pm at The Arts Centre. Tel: 54033465 or pilatesgibraltar@hotmail.com Basketball: Gibraltar Amateur Basketball Association (affiliated FIBA) leagues/ training

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

for minis, passarelle, cadets, seniors and adults at a variety of levels. Tel: John 200 77253, Randy 200 40727. Boxing: Gibraltar Amateur Boxing Association (member IABA) gym on Rosia Rd. Over 13s welcome. Tuition with ex-pro boxer Ernest Victory. Tel: 56382000 or 20042788. Cheerleading: Gibraltar Cheerleading Association, girls and boys of all ages. Cheerleading and street cheer/hip-hop at Victoria Stadium. Recreational / competitive levels. Tel: 58008338. Canoeing: Gibraltar Canoeing Association. Tel: Nigel 200 52917 or Arturo 54025033. Cricket: Gibraltar Cricket, National Governing Body & Associate Member of ICC. Governs International & Domestic Men’s, Women’s, Boys’ & Girls’ cricket- league & cup competitions and in-school coaching. www.gibraltarcricket.com, info@gibcricket. com, Twitter: @Gibraltar_Crick Cycling: Gibraltar Cycling Association various cycling tours. Darts: Gibraltar Darts Association (full member of WDF & affiliate of BDO). We cater for men, ladies & youth who take part in leagues, competitions and a youth academy for the correct development of the sport. Tel: Darren 54027171 Secretary, Alex 54021672 Youth Rep, Justin 54022622 President. Email: info@ gibraltardarts.com Football: Gibraltar Football Association leagues/competitions for all ages OctoberMay. Futsal in summer, Victoria Stadium. Tel: 20042941 www.gibraltarfa.com Gaelic Football Club (Irish sport): Males any age welcome. Get fit, play sport, meet new friends, travel around Spain/Europe and play an exciting and competitive sport. Training every Wed on the MOD pitch on Devil’s Tower Road at 7pm. Andalucia League with Seville and Marbella to play matches home and away monthly. Visit www.gibraltargaels. com or secretary.gibraltar.europe@gaa.ie Hockey: Gibraltar Hockey Association (members FIH & EHF) high standard competitions/training for adults/juniors. Tel: Eric 200 74156 or Peter 200 72730 for info. Iaido: teaches the Japanese sword (Katana), classes every week. www.iaidogibraltar.com Ice Skating: Gibraltar Rock Stars Figure Skating Club lessons every Tuesday evening & Saturday morning, all levels including adults. Contact grsfsc@gmail.com or 58700000 Iwa Dojo, Kendo & Jujitsu: Classes every week, for kids/adults. Tel: 54529000 www. iwadojo.com or dbocarisa@iwadojo.com Judo and Ju-jitsu: Gibraltar Budokai Judo Association UKMAF recognised instructors for all ages and levels at Budokai Martial Arts Centre, Wellington Front. Tel: Charlie 20043319. Ju-jitsu: Gibraltar Ju-jitsu Academy training and grading for juniors/seniors held during the evening at 4 North Jumpers Bastion. Tel: 54011007. Karate-do Shotokai: Gibraltar Karate-do Shotokai Association - Karate training for junior & seniors at Clubhouse, Shotokai karate centre, 41H Town Range. Monday: 9:30 p.m. & Wednesday 9:45 p.m. Karate: Shotokan karate midday Mon beginners, other students 8.30pm. Thurs 8.30pm. In town at temporary dojo or privately by arrangement. Contact Frankie 54038127 or info@fhmedia.co.uk. Motorboat Racing: Gibraltar Motorboat Racing Association Tel: Wayne 200 75211. Muay Thai and Muay Boran Club: Tues & Thur at Boyd’s Kings Bastion Leisure Centre at 6:30pm, Tel: John – 54024707 FB: Gibraltar Muay Thai Netball: Gibraltar Netball Association (affiliated FENA & IFNA) competitions through year, senior/junior leagues. Tel: 20041874. Petanque: Gibraltar Petanque Association. New members welcome. Tel: 54002652. Pilates: Intermediate Pilates: Tues & Fri 9.30am, beginners Pilates: Fri 10.50am at the Shotokai Centre, 41H Town Range. Tel: 54033465 or pilatesgibraltar@hotmail.com Gibraltar Pool Association: (Member of the EBA) home and away league played on Thurs throughout the season, various tournaments played on a yearly basis both nationally and internationally, Tel: 56925000 gibpool@ gibtelecom.net, www.gib8ball.com

Rhythmic Gymnastics: Gibraltar Rhythmic Gymnastics Association runs sessions from 4 years of age, weekday evenings. Tel: 56000772 or Sally 200 74661. Rugby: Gibraltar Rugby caters for all ages from 4 years old to veterans (over 35’s). It organises competitions and sessions for Juniors; 4 x Senior Clubs; Veterans team; Touch Rugby and a Referees Society. Email admin@gibraltarrfu. com or visit www.gibraltarrfu.com Sailing: Gibraltar Yachting Association junior/ senior competitive programme (April - Oct) Tel: Royal Gibraltar Yacht Club at 200 78897. Shooting: Gibraltar Shooting Federation. Rifle, Europa Point Range (Stephanie 54020760); Clay pigeon, East Side (Harry 200 74354); Pistol, near Royal Naval Hospital (Louis 54095000). Snooker: Members of European Billiards & Snooker Association - facilities at Jumpers Bastion with 3 tables. Professional coaching for juniors/seniors. Organised leagues/ tournaments and participation in international competitions. Tel: 56262000 / 54000068, or info@gibraltarsnooker.com Squash: Gibraltar Squash Association, Squash Centre, South Pavilion Road (members WSF & ESF). Adult and junior tournaments and coaching. Tel: 200 44922. Sub-Aqua: Gibraltar Sub-Aqua Association taster dives for over 14s, tuition from local clubs. Voluntary sports clubs: Noah’s Dive Club and 888s Dive Club. Tel: 54991000. Commercial sports diving schools available. Time - Thursday 12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.. Telephone, Jenssen Ellul - 54027122 Swimming: Gibraltar Amateur Swimming Association (member FINA & LEN) opens its pool for leisure swimming. Junior lessons, squad for committed swimmers, water polo. Pool open Mon&Thurs: 7-10am, 12.30-4pm. Tue, Wed, Fri: 7-10am, 12:30-5pm. Sat: 3-5pm. Sun: closed. Mon to Fri from 5-6pm groups training. 6-7.30 squad training. Mon, Wed, Fri 7.30-8.30 swimming joggers, Tues & Thurs 7:30-8:30 junior Water polo. Mon, Tues & Thurs 8:30-10pm Adult water polo. Tel: 200 72869. Table Tennis: Gibraltar Table Tennis Association training and playing sessions, Victoria Stadium, Tues 6-10pm and Thurs 8-11pm with coaching and league competition. Tel: 56070000 or 20060720. Taekwondo: Gibraltar Taekwondo Association classes/gradings Tel: Mari 20044142 or www. gibraltartaekwondo.org Tai Chi: Tai Chi for children and adults. MonThur 6.30-8pm at Kings Bastion Leisure Centre and Sat 9am-1pm at the Yoga Centre, 33 Town Range. Tel: Dilip 200 78714. Tennis and Paddle Tennis: Sandpits Club. Junior and adult training available. info : www. sandpits.club. Tel (Louis) 20077035 Ten-Pin Bowling: At King’s Bowl in the King’s Bastion Leisure Centre every day. Gibraltar Ten Pin Bowling (members FIQ & WTBA) leagues, training for juniors and squad. Tel: 200 52442. Triathlon: Hercules Triathlon Club organises swimming, running and cycling training sessions and competes regularly in Andalucia and Internationally. Contact chris.walker@york.gi or Facebook “Hercules Triathlon Club” Volleyball: Gibraltar Volleyball Association training, indoor leagues, beach volleyball competition, 3 v 3 competition, juniors and seniors. Tel: 54001973 or 54885000. 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: Meet at Ince’s Hall Theatre Complex, 310 Main Street. Tel: 20042237. Trafalgar Theatre Group: Meets 2nd Wed of month, Garrison Library 8pm. All welcome.

R U N W A Y

Victoria Stadium

REFERENDUM HOUSE ←→ SOUTH BARRACKS

Market Place loop (Eastbound)

http://www.gibraltarbuscompany.gi

Routes operated by

BOTH WORLDS ←→ ROSIA

Rosia loop (Northbound)

MARKET PLACE ←→ EUROPA POINT

Midtown loop (Southbound) Midtown loop (Northbound)

Ocean Village

Glacis Kiosk

WILLIS’s ROAD

MOUNT ALVERNIA ←→ ORANGE BASTION

AIRPORT/FRONTIER ←→ TRAFALGAR

EUROTOWERS ←→ ROSIA

http://citibus.gi

Bishop Canilla House

PLACES OF INTEREST

Coach Park

Cable Car

Airport

Lighthouse

Cathedral

Museum

Taxis

Seaport

Castle

Beach

Stadium

Trafalgar Cemetery

QUEENSWAY

King’s Wharf

Queensway Quay

Referendum Gates

MAIN STREET

Commonwealth Park

Mid-Harbour Estate

Europort Building 8

A AN RU CA D OP A SH RO

Edinburgh House

PRINCE EDWARDS ROAD

Eliott’s Way

48 BOTH WORLDS

ROSIA ROAD

Alameda Governor’s House Meadow House Victoria House

H KS RO AD

BA RR AC

Mount Pleasant

New Harbours

Cumberland Jumpers Road Building

South Gates

New Mole House

Garrison Gym

ce ur So

Gibraltar Bus Network

rg p.o ma et tre ns pe O :

Rosia Plaza

North Gorge

Eliott’s Battery

March 2019 version : correct at time of going to print

Map of Gibraltar

University of Gibraltar

EUROPA POINT

Schematic Diagram of Bus Network (not to scale)

Buena Vista

Mosque

BUS NETWORK

GIBRALTAR

9 ROSIA ROSIA 4

Brympton

EUROPA ROAD

SOUTH BARRACKS

SOUTH PAVILION ROAD

St. Joseph’s School

MOUNT ALVERNIA

Schomberg

SO UT

Shorthorn Farm

R e s e r v e

Rock Old Hotel Casino

RED SANDS ROAD

Lower Flat Bastion Rd Wilson’s Gardiner’s Ramp Road

Morello’s Ramp

TRAFALGAR Convent Place

Blackstrap Cove

N a t u r e

FLAT BASTION ROAD

Sacred Heart Church

Flat Bastion Rd

R o c k

Caleta Hotel

RECLAMATION Cathedral ROAD Square

King’s Bastion

Arengo’s Palace

PORT St. Bernard’s EURO Hospital GASA Swimming Pool

ROAD

Varyl Begg Estate

MONTAGU GARDENS

British War Memorial

LINE WALL ROAD

BOTH WORLDS ←→ RECLAMATION ROAD

Artillery Arms

WILLIS’s ROAD

MAIN STREET MAIN STREET

Moorish Castle Estate

AIRPORT/FRONTIER ←→ RECLAMATION ROAD

Albert Risso House

Sir William Jackson Grove

Waterport Road

QUEENSWAY

Orange Bastion

Fishmarket Steps

William’s Way

U p p e r

SIR HERBERT MILES ROAD

1 2 MARKET PLACE

CASEMATES

Routes operated by

Notre Dame School

Faulknor House

Constitution House

REFERENDUM HOUSE

WINSTON CHURCHILL AVENUE

Park & Ride

MARKET PLACE ←→ WILLIS’S ROAD

R U N W A Y

BUS ROUTES

5 10

AIRPORT/ FRONTIER

DEVIL’S TOWER RO AD

St. Theresa’s Church

GLACIS ROAD

Eastern Beach

CORRAL ROAD

WATERPORT ROAD

C A R C A B L E

Catalan Bay

restaurants, bars & pubs

THE LOUNGE

SOLO BAR & GRILL

ALL’S WELL

Stylish Lounge Gastro Bar on Queensway Quay Marina serving best quality food prepared by passionate, qualified chefs. Popular quiz on Sundays from 7pm and a relaxed friendly atmosphere. A separate Lounge Bar Area serving a wide range of hot drinks, wines, beers, spirits and cocktails at reasonable prices, with large TV’s for sports and events coverage.

Solo Bar and Grill is a stylish and modern eatery — perfect for business functions or lunches — and part of the popular Cafe Solo stable. Serving everything from Goats’ Cheese Salad, Mediterranean Pâté and Cajun Langoustines to Beer Battered John Dory, or Harissa Chicken, and Chargrilled Sirloin Steak. This is a delightful venue in Europort with a cosy mezzanine level and terrace seating. Well worth a visit, or two! Available for private functions and corporate events — call 200 62828 to book your function or event.

In the fashionable Casemates square stands Gibraltar’s last historical themed pub, named for the 18th-century practice of locking gates to the city at night when the guard called ‘All’s Well’. Their food menu caters to all cravings; whether it’s fish and chips, a homemade pie, or maybe even a delicious sharing platter, they have it all. All’s Well have an amazing range of bottled beers as well as being the only pub in Gibraltar to offer craft beer on tap. Happy hour is daily from 7-9pm. Large terrace. Karaoke Mondays & Wednesdays until late.

Open: 10am-late Mon - Sun Be sure to arrive early to ensure a seat! The Lounge, 17 Ragged Staff Wharf, Queensway Quay Marina Tel: 200 61118 info@thelounge.gi

Open: 12-8pm. Solo Bar & Grill, Eurotowers Tel: 200 62828

23 Feb '21 to 01 Mar '21

02 Mar '21 to 08 Mar '21

DUTY PHARMACY OPENING HOURS

Monday to Friday (7pm to 9pm) Weekends & public holidays (11am to 1pm & 6pm to 8pm) For updates, check facebook.com/PharmaGuide

09 Mar '21 to 15 Mar '21

16 Mar '21 to 22 Mar '21

23 Mar '21 to 29 Mar '21

30 Mar '21 to 05 Apr '21

All’s Well, Casemates Square. Tel: 200 72987

Waterport Pharmacy

Unit 14, Crown Daisy House 200 68323

Calpe Pharmacy 93

93 Main Street 200 77230

Ocean Pharmacy

Unit 2 Ocean Village Avenue 200 76822

Wesley Pharmacy

299b Main Street 200 67567

Family Pharmacy

151 Main Street 200 68861

New Chemist

19 Main Street 200 45039

CHESS PUZZLE ANSWER: 26. Qxg6 when Black is left helpless.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

Show Us Your Mag!

SHOW US YOUR MAG! Send us a snap of with your copy of Gib Mag for a chance to win our next competition, and see your photo here! Email editor@thegibraltarmagazine.com or tag us on social media. #ShowUsYourMag

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Kid's Korner

MATTER MATH + ICE

= SUNLIGHT

+ WATER

Matter changes! Complete the math puzzles below by drawing the next phase.

+ WATER

= FIRE

= FRIDGE

+ STEAM

= CLOUDS

Muddle Maze

Can you help the girl find her way back to her stethoscope?

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

coffee time CROSSWORD 1

1. Sudden fright (5)

8. Mostly; in the core (2,5)

11. Greek holiday island (5)

10 2

1. Foodstuff consumed on 5 (7)

10. Poetic foot of two syllables (7)

DOWN

9. Goddess of retribution (7)

ACROSS

13. Californian rock music group (4,5)

14 14 17 18

15. Former Romanian dictator (9) 18. Live (5) 21. Ban; make impossible (7) 22. Parts of an animal used to cook riñones al Jerez (7)

23. Entertainer (7)

24. Baby’s set of clothing (7)

2. Capital of Wallonia in Belgium (5) 3. Arduous part of military training (7,6) 4. Festival bringing an end to Lent (6) 5. Day on which traditionally 1acs are eaten (6,7) 6. Girl’s name (6) 7. Strain; in linguistics accentuate (6) 12. Gold semi-domesticated fish (4) 14. Fateful day in March (4) 15. 14 was fateful for this man (6) 16. Types of bow ties (6) 17. Biblical and now current Israeli currency (6) 19. Unmoving; like some gases (5) 20. Sample; savour (5)

& YOU COULD WIN

SUDOKU

lunch for two at

Write your name and either SNAP and SEND your completed crossword to editor@thegibraltarmagazine.com or RETURN TO THE CLIPPER by 20 th April. 1

N N

A H

N E

R O

H A Y N 12

1 16

D O T C 2

O R

H E

F O U

F O

Y A

N 10

K H M A 13

A N

I N

Y U

N E S

Y E

S A

A M O U

T O O

E D U

1 8

Susan Hodgson

8 3 6

4 4 2

THE WINNER IS:

G C

N E

A T

E O R O N

U B

A C

P E

E N

N T

K O

S M S

O F

February 2021 Answers

E 7

9 1

2 5

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

RATING THE CHAMPIONS

BY GRANDMASTER RAY KEENE OBE Chess enthusiasts love statistics. This month I have attempted to ascertain who was the most effective World Champion by collecting all the results of games between the sixteen World Champions and working out the percentages between them. In other words, a league table of the best against the best.

2. Nc3 e5 3. Nf3 … Avoiding Keres’ favourite 3.g3 c6! – an example of Botvinnik’s ad hominem preparation. 3. … Nc6 4. g3 Bc5 4…Bb4 is generally considered more reliable. 5. Nxe5 … Taking a leaf from the great chess strategist Nimzowitsch , who liked 4.e4!? (the Dresden Variation) 4… Bc5; 5.Nxe5 Nxe5; 6.d4. 5. …Bxf2+ Displacing White’s king at the cost of the bishop pair. 6. Kxf2 Nxe5

7. e4 …

As Botvinnik notes, this Nimzowitschian move is designed to circumvent …d5. Keres now hastens to stop White constructing a mighty centre with d4. An alternative is the gambit 7d4 Nxc4 8e4 gaining time and space at the cost of a pawn. 7. … c5

Below is the Chart of World Champions’ results (in classical time limit games only) against other World Champions whom they have played. The scores are 1 point for a win; ½ a point for a draw; 0 points for a loss: It is interesting that Emanuel Lasker, the second champion , with a very long reign, comes out on top. The game I have chosen is a masterpiece by the sixth World Champion, while the puzzle shows a rare slip up by Lasker. White: Mikhail Botvinnik Black: Paul Keres USSR Team Championship, Moscow, Russia, 1966 English Opening 1. c4 Nf6 96

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

coffee time

An impressive strategic blow and evidence of Botvinnik’s breadth of strategic vision. If 15…cxb4 16 Nd5 regains the pawn whilst GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

fracturing Black’s structure. The point of 15.b4! is to discourage Black from playing …0-0-0. If Black is forced into …0-0 as a means of providing king safety , then the weakness created by Black’s ambitious ninth move will begin to tell. 15. … b6 16. Rab1 Bc6 17. Rhf1 Bb7 18. Kg1 … Sensibly removing the king from the diagonal of Black’s bishop. 18. … Nc6? Botvinnik states that the knight should stay on e5 rather than reroute to d4. 19. Nd5 … White’s mobilisation is perfect. The logical, systematic corollary, given the nature of the position, is a series of attacking moves on both flanks. 19. … Ncd4 20. Bd1 f6 21. Kh2 Bc6 22. a4 a5? The losing move. Keres wants to block White’s projected a5, but the gift of the b-file to Botvinnik turns out to be a lethal one. 23. bxa5 bxa5 24. Qf2 Ra7 25. g5 O-O At last Black is forced to commit his king. “The only move. If 25… fxg5 ; 26.Bxd4 cxd4; 27.Qf5, or 26…Nxd4; 27 Bh5+, and White wins in both cases.” (Botvinnik) 26. g6! f5? This overlooks a masked tactial stroke. The more stubborn line was 26…Be8; 27.Qg2 f5; 28.exf5

Nxf5; 29.Qe4! when Black would, however, still be lost” (Botvinnik) 27. Rb8!! 1-0

A shattering coup, which deflects Black’s queen from the defence of h4. After 27…Qxb8; 28.Qxh4, mate is forced, so Black resigned. A wonderful game, which highlights a clash of two quite distinct set of ideas.

Puzzle:

A titanic battle between World Champions. How did white administer the coup de grace? White: Alexander Alekhine Black: Emanuel Lasker Zurich, 1934 This is the position before White’s 26th move.

Answer on page 91

A further plus to Keres’ choice is the mechanical clamping of the centre which minimises the scope of White’s bishops. 8. d3 d6 9. h3 h5?! A seemingly logical thrust to negotiate outposts on the kingside dark squares for Black’s cavalry. It takes play of genius on Botvinnik’s part to refute this plausible concept. 10. Be2 … Botvinnik elects to fianchetto his king rather than the bishop, which had been seemingly destined for g2 ever since White’s fourth move. 10. … Nh7 11. Kg2 h4 12. g4 Ng5 13. Be3 Bd7 14. Qd2 … Later Botvinnik was to prefer 14.Qg1 and Qf2, but to me it would appear to make little difference. 14. … Ne6 15. b4! …

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