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August 1st - August 14th 2018
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August 1st - August 14th 2018
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Lest we forget TO remember the 100th anniversary of the end of the first World War, Gibraltar has projected a poignant image a British soldier on to the Rock. Gibraltar, which served as a British naval base during the 1914-1918 war, paid homage with a 1,000ft soldier projection. Chief Minister of Gibraltar, Fabian Picardo, said: “Since the start of the 18th century, the Rock has been besieged on 14 occasions; the Corps of Royal Engineers was formed here and casualties from the Battle of Trafalgar are buried here.
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PICTURESQUE: La Reserva Beach
Huge Costa del Sol fire that saw 400 people evacuated may have been distraction for huge drug smuggling operation By Laurence Dollimore
“We lost local men in the trenches of the Somme during the First World War at a time when there were over 40 US Navy ships and 5,000 American naval personnel based here.“Gibraltarians are all very aware of the sacrifices made by our forebears – both military and civilian.”The campaign has been headed up by There But Not There, who raise money for armed forces charities. The projection on the Rock has followed commemorations in Edinburgh, Northern Ireland and New York.
TRIBUTE: On the Rock
The grey vehicle is typical of drug gangs and is believed to have been dumped in the sea after its engine failed. The fire started at around 1.30am on Sunday night, while the Manilva feria was celebrating its end with a fireworks display. According to reports, several 4x4s were seen racing at high speed from the beach while the hills of Manilva burned.
ESPLENDENT in its beauty, secluded exclusiveness, Sotogrande is one in its aire’s playground that doesn’t like millionto boast about it. If wealth and fame is spoken of at all, it’s in a whisper. In Sotogrande they like to keep it, appropriately, ‘sotto voce’. What it does have a right to brag about however, is its low-density living, its stunning mountain backdrops, plus its amazingbeaches and marina and golf courses.
Spain’s largest privately-owned residential ‘superstate’ is a second home for the cream of European high society. Its privileged views to the Rock of Gibraltar and the Rif mountains of Africa are enjoyed by the likes of ex-UK PM Tony Blair, family and countless European the British royal celebrities, who
don’t want to be spotted. Internationally renowned for its polo, golf and sailing, as well as burgeoning gastronomic scene, this ‘mini Monaco’ of high net worth residents has all the hallmarks of a cosmopolitan resort but without the brashness and bling, as we discover on a trip around the hotspots. “It’s a wonderful place for golfers, polo players, and people with boats,” explains Paul Martin, 74, who moved to the privileged enclave from Bristol in 1988. “After two dull summers in England in 1986 and 1987, I thought there must be than this! So it was chasing thea better climate brought me, but the character of sunshine that what made me stay, as I had plannedSotogrande is to begin here and venture out into the countryside.” But you would be mistaken for thinking that the residents are unapologetic in their privilege and wealth but on the contrary. Sotogrande is different to other ‘celebrity’ resorts: wealthy, yes but pretentious definitely not. Community is such a strong theme in Sotogrande it almost outshines the summer sun, as 63-year-old Jane Waterhouse from Ascot confirms. “What makes Sotogrande different from anywhere else is that it’s a community, rather than a holiday destination. Continues on next page
Vol. 3 Issue 76 www.gibraltarolivepress.com August 1st - August 14th 2018
DRUG trafficking gangs may have been behind a huge Costa del Sol fire which led to dozens of Gibraltarians being evacuated. Police have not yet ruled out the idea that brazen smugglers may have set ablaze to Manilva in a bid to divert attention from a huge marijuana haul. The theory comes after a grey 4x4 was dragged out of the sea on a nearby beach the very next morning. “It’s a well known tactic and has been done elsewhere before,” foreign British councillor for Manilva Dean Tyler Shelton told the Olive Press, “although it is just a line of inquiry for the moment.”
Sacrifices
It’s not a town or even a village, yet every summer this exclusive tree-lined urbanisation is a magnet for the global A-list set. Bradley Stokes and Olivia Burke set out to discover the attraction
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August 1st - August Don’t miss our 14th 2018 annual pull-out travel guide on Sotogrande, packed with features, restaurant tips plus an exclusive peek at Spain’s first inland private beach... SEE PAGE 17 LEAFY: The marina gardens and (above)
La Reserva
Smokescreen
Dumped
ABLAZE: Manilva burning while (inset left) recent drug haul and (top right) car pulled from sea
“If drug gangs were behind the blaze, then it’s possible a huge amount of drugs was brought to shore that night,” added Shelton. Some 400 residents had to
be evacuated as the fire began encroaching on nearby homes. It took emergency services until 8.30am to get the flames under control, pro-
viding the perfect smoke screen for the drug smugglers. Rumours had circulated that the fireworks may have been to blame for the blaze,
but these were quickly squashed given that the fire started around 6km away from the display. More than 40 firefighters tackled the fires in the area of Los Hidalgos, Hacienda Guadalupe and El Goleto residential developments and elephants or 340 people. campsites in the The tourist attraction which was Duquesa area. opened by Luke Skywalker actor, The mayor deMark Hamill and Fabian Picardo, scribed the event is believed to have been damaged as a ‘night of confuby a tool and the Government are sion’, and thanked not ruling out vandalism. the authorities for The Government clarified that ensuring no one other layers of the Skywalk remain was hurt or inintact but the replacement of the jured. damaged glass may take up to 1012 weeks. Guardia Civil told the Olive Press they could not confirm the cause of the fire and added that INFOCA fire investigators needed at least two more days before arriving to a conclusion. The investigation continues.
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THE Government has confirmed that Gibraltar’s latest tourist attraction has cracked just months after opening. The Skywalk, which is located 340 meters above sea-level and boasts views of the Mediterranean, will be closed to the public while repairs take place. It comes after the Government said in March that the Skywalk could hold the weight of five Asian