The Gibraltar Magazine December 2007/January 2008

Lightweight and compact Automatic airflow director ensures uniform airflow and temperature distribution Air purification filter; - deodorises the air - helps prevent bacterial and viral propagation

Powerful mode can be selected for rapid cooling or heating

Washable front panel

Extremely quiet in operation, both indoors and outdoors

The outdoor unit can easily be mounted on a roof or terrace or placed against an outside wall

Up to 5 indoor units can be connected to 1 Multi outdoor unit. All indoor units are individually controllable with remote control and do not need to be installed In the same room. They operate simultane ously within the same cooling or heating mode.

a turbulent, fast changing world, there's a rock-solid offshore location that is costeffective, well regulated and accessible. And with the unique advantage of being in the European Union. This potent place is Gibraltar.

As a leading law firm, Hassans has steered many clients to the benefits Gibraltar offers, whether they are global corporations or private individuals of means. They find us expert, innovative, commercially-minded and client-focused.

Easy to deal with, too. There may be many miles of ocean between us but we're only a mouse-click away. Visit our website at www.gibraltarlaw.com or email us at info@hassans.gi.

0 1 u /4

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BespokExecutive is a search & selection company offering discreet and confidential recruitment services in Gibraltar and other offshore jurisdictions.

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Al-Andalus: book launGhed in Gibraltar

Anew book telling the story oial-Andalus,the territory now covering the entire Iberian Pen insula, was launched at the end of November at the Garrison Library. The book is the story of how nature has shaped history and it is written by local author Professor Clive Finlayson and lavishly illustrated by his photographs.

Of interest to anyone who wants to know more about the ecology and history of the Ibe rian Peninsula, Gibraltar features prominently within the book. Aimed at a general readership with a broad interest in history, geography and nature, the book is divided into 18 chapters which describe places and events interpreted from the personal perspective of the author.The foreword from the distinguished Professor Jose Carrion of the University of Murcia describes the book as "a masterpiece... immensely read able."

Publisher Santana Bookssays:"Some 15 years have passed since eminent biologist and anthro pologist Clive Finlayson graced the Santana list with his striking ornithological studies in the classic best-seller Birds ofIberia. He now returns with an evocative,wonderfully illustrated, per sonal tribute to the Iberian Peninsula,embracing history, geography and ecology,which he mod estly sums up as"the story of olives, tuna, cork forests, vultures, wolves and humans".

The historical element spans five million years, from the opening of the Strait of Gibral tar to the present day; its geographical breadth takes in the old territory of al-Andalus, from Tarifa and Gibraltar in the south to the Cantabrian Mountains and then Pvrenees in the

Gibteiecom supports Convent Christmas Fair

Gibteiecom has donated £3,000 to this year's Convent Christmas Fair in support of three charities in place of issuing a Christmas card locally. The Gibraltar charities being supported by the 2007 fair are Breast Cancer Support, Childline and 'Tomorrow It Could Be You'. Each charity will receive £1,000.

At a reception in its Customer Services Cen tre at Europort in mid-November Gibteiecom CEO,Tim Bristow,announced to Lady Fulton, the Fair's patron, that the donation had been transferred to the Convent Fair bank account. Lady Fulton expressed her sincere thanks to Gibteiecom and commented "the charities are extremely grateful for Gibtelecom's generous contribution. This gets the fund raising 2007 Fair offto a wonderful start". The Fair was held at The Convent on 29th November 2007.

"Last year the Company announced that it would be looking into doing something dif ferent in the loc^ community for Christmas 2007," said Tim Bristow. "Consequently, the Company has decided not to issue a Christ mas card locally this year," he continued,"but instead use that money to make a substantial donation to the Convent Fair. For the previous three years Gibteiecom held a Christmas card competition amongst students of various age

north; and its ecological scope extends from the coastal marshes of Dohana to the peaks of the Sierra Nevada.

This is also the story of the countless indi viduals who had an impact on the land and its surrounding waters — from the earliest fishermen through the Romans to the tuna industry controllers of today — and it vividly relates the medieval struggle between Islam and Christianity and the role of the landscape in that struggle.

From a loving appreciation of the richness of the peninsula's wildlife to an intriguing account of the last Neanderthal, this book will strike a chord of interest in everyone who has made alAndalus their home or devotes a good deal of time to being here.

It has truly been worth the 15-year wait...

Anti-Money Laundering a Terrorist Financing Guidance

The Financial Services Commission (FSC) has issued a major revision to the Anti-Money

Laundering and Terrorist Financing

Guidance

Notes issued to the financial sector.

The publication of the notes marks the end of a major revision to the systems of controls required to be put into place in order to further strengthen the mitigation of the risks of money laundering or terrorist financing taking effect through the finance industry and takes on board the 3rd Money Laundering Directive as well as recommendations made in the this year's IMF review.

The revised Notes have been produced after extensive consultation and discussion with the finance industry and other stakeholders.

Commenting on the publication of the notes, the Chief Executive of the FSC Marcus Killick stated:

"These revised requirements will further strengthen Gibraltar's already world class systems of control to keep abreast of international best practice. The engagement with industry in producing these revised requirements will ensure a high level of acceptability and compliance which makes the regulator's job much easier and the money launderer's that much more difficult."

groups, with the winning schools receiving IT equipment. This year the Company will be embracing another facet of the community by choosing to support three important local charities through one single event".

Mr Adrian Ochello, Gibteiecom Sales & Marketing Manager, added "This donation complements other support given to the community by Gibteiecom through numer ous donations to various local charities and bodies,educational groups,sports and cultural societies and the Duke of Edinburgh Award, amongst others".

Amongst the major revisions to come about as a result of these notes is a move away from prescriptive, fixed requirements towards a process which is commensurate with the risks that a particular customer or relationship poses to the firm. This should result in easier process requirements for account opening and the like whilst at the same time strengthening defences against real money laundering or terrorist financing risks.

The revised guidance notes can be viewed on-line at www.fsc.gi/amlgn. The new requirements will come into effect on 15th December 2007 to coincide with the transposition date for the EU Directive.

Pictured from left to right Barbara Sailors IChildline Gibraltar), Jane h/lacDonald I'Tomorrow it could be you' Mental Health Support Group). Tim Bristow {Gibteiecom CEO), Isobel Ellul Hammond (Breast Cancer Support Gibraltar), Lady Fulton and Adrian Ochello(Gibteiecom Sales b Marketing Manager).

■solas Embraces Change

Gibraltar's oldest law firm has a new corporate image which forms just a small part of a lengthy process of change which is not just cosmetic but goes to the heart of the firm, bringing it firmly into the 21st Century and looking towards a future as solid as its past.

Managing Partner of Isolas (formerly Isola and Isola) Chris tian Rocca explains the motivation for the change: "We are no longer predominantly a family firm — we have more partners, and more lawyers and the new image better reflects what we are. Retaining the firm's foundation date, 1892, under the word Isolas works well to show we are a modem company with a solid tradition."

And it is indeed a solid tradi tion -— the Isola family arrived in Gibraltar from Genoa during the 1770s and at the end of the 19th

century married into the Parody family, which itselfhad stronglegal traditions. Horace Parody began his own practice in Gibraltar in

1892 and continued until his death in 1921 while brother Ernest had a distinguished career in the Colonial legal service which culminated in his appointment as Chief Justice of Sierra Leone in the early 1930s. Horace's nephew, Albert Isola QC, practiced with him setting up the practice that still bears the Isola family name in 1921, The practice was restructured as a partnership in 1947, when Albert's son, William, joined him.

Togetherwith Fiduciary Manage ment Limited and Fiduciary Trust Limited, the corporate manage ment and trust services companies, Isolas now employs over 100 mem bers of staff in the Gibraltar offices. In addition Isolas has a lawyer operating in Zurich, plus offices in Sotogrande under the title Isolas Pozo, where threeSpanish lawyers are employed.

"The sad loss of Senior Part ner, Peter J. Isola, last year was a catalyst for the changes," Christian explains. "The firm went through a period ofmourning, buttherecame a time to sit down and take stock and to say 'Lefs move onwards and upwards from here'."

From that decision to move forwards, and the new logo which evolved, grew the new website and brochure, and many new and excit ing ideas. The image change coin cided with thewhole ofthe ground floor at one side of Portland House being taken over by the firm as its swish new reception area which will be launched in style, along with the new look, on 4th Decem ber 2007, however the changes are anything but just cosmetic.

When Christian Rocca took over as Managing Partner four months ago, he embarked on a consultation process with clients and friends to find out what the firm was consid ered to be doing well and what it was not doing so well.

"The things we were doing well we have improved, and the things we weren't doing well we are im proving."

As a consequence the firm has increased funding for staff train ing, including on-going training for lawyers. The extra fundinghas also motivated support staff into taking part in programmes such as Embracing Change and the ILEX qualifications. As a result, Chris tian says, staff are happier.

"We have lots of other things in the pipeline, this is not just an im age change it is an ongoing project of improvement. We have some really good ideas to improve the wholeexperience forall the people we have with us—clients, staffand the lawyers themselves."

"We pride ourselves, upon a remarkable degree of personal.

Managing nnner, tnnstian noccs, is excireo oy ma cnangoa being made at Gibraltar's oldest law firm, Isolas

"We have seme really good ideas to Improve the whole experience for all the people we have with us—clients, staff and the lawyers themselves."

individual and friendly service," the firm's website states. "It is for these reasons that we enjoy con tinuous relationships with the great majority of our clients and attract a high level of new business through personal recommendation."

The website is state-of-the-art and IT and software has been upgraded to include a 'client por tal' where clients can log-in to a dedicated confidential area. It is completely secure and gives chronilogical updates on the case or cases at a glance. The portal also includes an area for queries to be asked and answered relating to individual cases.The areas are fully tailored to the needs of individual clients and complies with the data protection act. "It has gone down very well with clients," Christian enthuses, "particularly those who may have several cases ongoing."

"Isolas is an experienced Gi braltar firm" the website (www, gibraltarlawyers.com)understates, going on to explain that Isolas pro-

legal services

vides professional legal services covering all areas of Gibraltar law including admiralty and shipping law, fi nancial services, insurance, banking, property development and commercial litigation.

Isolas' successful legal services are based on a solid foundation of professional,experienced and per sonal advice. Fields ofexpertise in clude gaming,telecommunications, banking and financial services, and property construction, Isolas also provides assistance and legal advice to those interested in acquir ing Gibraltar residency or matters relating to immigration.

It is good to know that while Isolas rests.solidly on firm founda tions it is also looking towards an exciting future, embracing change, investing in staff and growing alongside Gibraltar.

Isolas, Portland House, Glacis Road Tel: +350 200 78363 toxinu.gihraltarlawyers.com

RecruitGibraltar opens offices

RecruitSpain is a well estab lished recruitment agency based in Fuengirola, which for the past 2.5 years has seen an ever increasing demand from clients and candi dates in, or looking to move to, Gibraltar. This increased demand has led Director of Recruitment Ian Hancock to open a second of fice in Gibraltar (Cloisters House, 1 Fountain Ramp - behind the

Police Station) under the banner of RecruitGibraltar, "The demand from clients and candidates meant that in order to meet the level of service required we needed a base in Gibraltar," Ian explains from his first floor office overlooking Line Wall Road. "It also shows our commitment to Gibraltar," he adds.

Tel: 200 77900 RecruifCibraltar

"We pride ourselves,upon a remarKable degree of personal, individual and frieudiy service'

Kim Rebecchi, Chairman of Leeds Financial Services Overseas Ltd

Leeds Building Seciety: A new player in the Spanish market

Leeds Financial Services Overseas Ltd (LFSO), a new subsidiary of Leeds Building Society has teamed up with the Tenet Group under an exclusive agreement to expand the Society's services to existing and new clients in Southern Spain.

The office of National Statistics recently confirmed that around 198,000 Britons left for foreign shores over the last year with Spain being the second most popular des tination. As more and more people in the UK have emigrated abroad, there is a growing population of expats who would value and prefer to receive financial advice from UK registered advisers, who are widely viewed as operating within one of the world's strictest, but most respected regulatory regimes.

Kim Rebecchi, Chairman of Leeds Financial Services Overseas Ltd says; "Leeds Building Society

has had a branch in Gibraltar since 2002 and, in that time, has built up a significant investor base through its branch based products. We also offer Sterling and Euro mortgages to UK residents, UK expatriates and Gibraltarians looking to purchase a holiday home, a second home

for retirement or a permanent residence and last year, follow ing customer demand, extended our lending operation to include the Costa Del Sol, Costa Brava, Costa Blanca, Canary and Balearic Islands.

"This service was launched to

meet the demand for a UK standard Financial Planning service, which is regulated by the FSA in the UK and FSC in Gibraltar. We have a fully qualified Financial Planning Man ager, Ian Hodge, to give financial advise on a full range of products including investment, protection and savings based at our Gibraltar branch. Ian has been servicing ex-pats in Spain for a number of years and the society are pleased to welcome him to run the new Spanish operation."

About Leeds Building Society

Leeds Building Society has assets of over £8.1bn and 70 branches throughout the UK and Gibraltar. The Society has operated from the centre of Leeds since 1886.

The Society won the title of Best Building Society in Mortgage Magazine's 2006 awards. This award is judged by an independent panel and takes into account long term value, customer service, how easy products are to understand and commitment to mutuality, as well as competitive interest rates.

The Society received the Gold Award in the Lending Excellence Awards from Lending Strategy Magazine, in relation to an independent national consumer survey of 7,800 customers who have recently taken out a mortgage. The awards measure customers' opinion of their mortgage providers by asking them to define their expectation of service in the key areas of the process and to comment on their actual experience.

The Tenet group is the largest independently owned UK adviser support Group specialising in the provision of high quality services to in excess of 5,500 advisers. In addition to two traditional IFA networks(M&E and Interdependence}, the Group includes LIME (a mortgage and insurance solution), IFA Professional, Mortgage Professional and Insurance Professional (bespoke support services for directly regulated IFAs) and Premier Partnerships Ltd (a protection solution for Principal and DA firms).

As more and more people In the UK have emigrated ahroad,there is a growing popniation of expats who would value and prefer to receive financial advice from UK registered advisers

European Financial Planning Group provides financial advice to thousands of clients who live in Gibraltar and Spain or who are considering moving to the area. At EFPG, we have adopted a tight regulatory and compliance stance equal to that practised by our UKbased associate company Yorkshire Investment Group; the largest privately owned firm of Independent Financial Advisers in Yorkshire.

Our (UK Qualified) advisers take the time to learn about each client's current financial situation and future objectives and applying their indepth knowledge of available financial products and providers and the relevant tax regime, offer bespoke financial planning solutions in a clear and easy to understand manner.

We are able to recommend solutions to a wide variety of financial planning needs ranging from straightforward financial protection and mortgage-related needs to complex tax-efficient offshore investment requirements.

Check out www.efpg.net for more information.

New Appointments at ABN Amre

Last month saw three new ap pointments at ABN Amro Bank Gibraltar:

Alessandro Sagwanijoined the bank as an Investment Advisor after working for several compa nies as an investment analyst. He has a Master degree in Economics and five years experience in the financial sector, after migrating from a successful career as a scientist.

He bringsexperiencefrom con structing portfolios with a wide range of assets that include equi ties, bonds and commodities,and has developed a large number of investment products thatinclude offshore funds that are listed on recognised stock exchanges as well asIPOs ofenergy companies n Lorenzo and Nadine Bensusan

in the CIS countries.

Nadine Bensusan has been employed with the bank since 1999 when shejoined as a tempo rary Clerk. From then her career excelled gaining experience in several other departments with positions of head cashier, assis tant relationship manager and compliance officer, in October this year she was appointed as the new country compliance representative in Gibraltar. Na dine is a graduate of Business Administration from UWE Bristol and is a member of the Chartered ManagementInstitute with which she has recently completed a Di ploma in Management.

Finally, Eva Lorenzo has been appointed as Compliance of ficer and began employment in November of this year. Eva has substantial experience in compli ance having worked for several company management firms and banl« both in Gibraltar and the UK.Eva is a graduate in Hispanic studies from the Victoria Univer sity of Manchester.

Far further information con tact: ABN AMRO Bank. +350 200 74474.

Marrache & Co Innovation

Marrache & Co is the first international Gibraitarian law firm to produce personal postage stamps. Marrache now have their own branded stamps appearing on all their post both to Gibraltar and overseas.

"It is great informing clients right away where a letter is from in a really innovative way. Marrache & Co is always trying to lead the field with new, innovative, exciting ideas, like the famous umbrellas and the free informative seminars," a spokesperson for Marrache & Co said. "Always remember our clever marketing is reflected in the way we look after our clients. Forward thinking, professional, international leaders."

Appointment of District Grand Master for Gibraltar

The Most Worshipful Grand Master of The United Grand Lodge of Antient, Free and Accepted Masons of England, His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent, KG, GCMG, GCVO,ADC, has been pleased to appoint Worshipful Brother Alfred Henry Ryan PAGDC,as District Grand Master for Gibraltar in succession to the late Stanley A Ward.

WBro. Alfred Ryan was Initiated into Freemasonry on 21 st April 1973. He was appointed a Past Grand Officer of the United Grand Lodge of England in 2000, and in consequence of the death of the late District Grand Master, he was appointed Deputy District Grand Master in Charge in April 2007.

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Barclays Wealth Sponsorship

As part of their ongoing com mitment to Gibraltar, Barclays Wealth recently held a Sports Sponsors evening at the Rock Hotel.

Joining Government Minister

Edwin Reyes, rep resentatives of the sporting organi sations currently enjoying sponsor ship from Barclays Wealth, heard first hand about Franco Cassar's vision and strategy in involv ing Barclays Wealth with junior, grass roots level sports in Gibraltar. From football to hockey, hand ball to gymnastics, rowing to squash Barclays Wealth is commit ted to assisting these and other or ganisations in shaping our youth into athletes of tomorrow.

MiFID implemented in Gibraltar

MiFID

The Markets in Financial Instniments Directive(MiFID)came into effect last month, when it replaced the Investment Services Directive (ISD). MiFID extends the coverage of the ISD and introduces new and more extensive requirements that firms will have to comply with,in particular for their conductof busi ness and internal organisation.

MiFID has been implemented in Gibraltar via the Financial Services (Markets in Financial Instruments) Act, 2006 ("the Act") and the Financial Services (Markets in Fi nancial Instruments)Regulations, 2007("the Regulations").

Scope of MiFID

MiFID widens the range of'core' investment services and activities that firms can passport. A full description of these can be found under Schedule 1 of the Act.

In addition to the services cov ered by the ISD, MiFID seeks to improve the following; advice that involves a personal recom mendation to a core investment service that can be passported on

a stand-alone basis; it introduces operating a multilateral trading facility (MTF)as a new core in vestment service covered by the passport;and it extends the scope of the passport to cover commod ity derivatives, credit derivatives and financial contracts for differ-

Greater Degree of Harmonisation

MiFID sets out more detailed requirements governing the or ganisation and conduct of busi ness of investment firms, and how regulated markets and MTFs operate. MiFID also includes: new pre- and post-trade transparency requirements for equity markets; and the creation of a new regime for 'systematic internalisers' of retail order flow in liquid equities. It also has more extensive transac tion reporting requirements.

The FSC has published guidance notes to help firms understand what it is they need to be aware of in order to be MiFID compliant.

Visit www.fsc.gi

Colin Barlow presents a cheque for £350 raised locally for Downs Syndrome Support Group. Colin raised the money doing the Lap of Ireland on a motorbike. Becieving the cheque Annette Zammit and Charlie. Colin thanks all who contributed, and especially the Cannon Bar Tuesday Night Quizzers.

those days like they are today so Allan had to learn his profession through experience. And so at 18 he got his first broadcasting job on a cable network station called the United Biscuits Network, as a music presenter.

This stint on radio saw him be ing invited to judge a local musical talent contest at around the same time as he discovered Indian music which enchanted him. During the contest a group played this kind of music and he founded his own company in 1973 called Allan King Productions purely to make an EP record for them. Unfortunately not many others shared his taste and the EP lost money. Candidly he says the music business has proven very hard to break into. In 1974 he formed a second company to 'sell' himself as a presenter, personality and journalist/ writer.

During this period, from the early '70s until the late '80s, he worked with BFBS radio, SSVC television, London Weekend Television(LWT) and had a stint in Vienna on an English speaking radio station called Blue Danube Radio. Each of these positions of fered new challenges,as well as dif ferent aspects of broadcasting from news,to script writing,production, voice over work, continuity and sometimes children's programmes in the case of SSVC,the forerunner of BFBS television.

I was at the airport about 18 months ago heading out for a few days when I saw a familiar face in the cafeteria. I had this really nagging feeling I knew him but couldn't for the life of me think where from. He was Allan King, news anchor and the face of Sky News. A face familiar to literally millions of television viewers the world over. Most of us in Gibraltar listen to what he has to say almost daily; in fact we base a lot of our opinions on what he tells us.

It wasn't until about three months ago I found out that Allan spends a lot of his'leisure' time in Gibraltar. Allan was able to buy a place here back in 2003 following many trips to Gibraltar having fallen under its gentle spell in 1996 when he first sighted it during a cruise holiday on the Oriana.

"It's a pity 1 don't get as much time off as I'd like but that is the way work is," he said. "The kind of work I do means London is the centre of the universe so while these days I can pick and choose my work 1 still need to be away from Gibraltar to do it."

"What made you come here?"

1 asked.

"Well several holidays after that first one in'961 discovered 1 really liked the place. It has that kind of vibe I like. That British touch but

with a Mediterranean twist. So rather than stay in a hotel all the time 1 decided it might be best to buy a place. I was fortunate enough in 2003 to find my flat and haven't looked back since."

Allan King was born in Fulham, West London and believes he was lucky to live where he did because opportunity was always around the corner. His mother was a make-up artist for the BBC and even spent some time as a Tiller Girl, yes those ones you saw on television with the feathers, finery and legs.

Allan admits to loathing school

but spending so much time around the entertainment industry he quickly got to know many 'faces' and picked up his first job as a trainee recording engineer. Eventu ally, his love of music lead to him receiving a radio as a gift one year and he started tuning in to pirate radio stations — they tended to be anti-establishment or trendy — which also cemented his desire for some kind of broadcasting/mu sical career.

Although he considers educa tion very important, courses in media studies weren't available in

He carried on in the same vein until around 1989 when LBC de cided to split into two stations,LBC Crown FM and London Talkback Radio on AM. This split had the side effect of the station doubling its output particularly for news.

At this time IRN had the contract to provide news services including presenters and up to the minute scripts but when it went out to ten der Allan took the somewhatballsy step of bidding for it, undercutting IRN — and on winning the bid buying his first Porsche.

1 was aghast at this revelation. "So how did you expect to gather news for a station 24 hours a day and read it as well as keeping up your other commitments?" 1 asked.

"To be honest I didn't even think about it until I'd got the contract. Luckily 1 knew a few presenters around London and contracted them to do some freelance reading and went from there. Sometimes 1 had to get up and read the news myself then go on to another job elsewhere. It was hard work, long hours but extremely rewarding. Around this time I was also work ing on BFBS television, which the forces have in Gibraltar, doing continuity work. I started to get tired of the presenting at the radio

"I discovered i really liked the place. It has that kind of vihe I like. That British touch hut with a Medlterraueau twlsf

station and was promoted to Pro gramme Director which gave me a better oversight on things and more time to do other jobs like writing, updating the news and interview ing people."

It seemed like all work to me so I asked Allan what he does for enjoyment?

"Not so much now but I do have a private pilot's licence. In fact I can confess now but didn't at the time I almost killed Paul McKenna the hypnotist."

I looked a little surprised as you can imagine.

"Well before Paul became the hypnotist, he was into radio and I offered to take him out on a plane to see the Radio Caroline boat which was off the UK coast broadcasting its pirate music. The problem on the day was the weather, it was a little bad and by the time we were in the air it wasturning filthy. I then lost my altinieter(this tells him how high he is] and with visibility bad I needed to lower my height to get a look at the ground. Anyway as we came down the aircraft started buffeting and bumping around and I thought I'd better climb again above the problem which I did.

"Eventually, and I have no idea how,we got back through that aw

ful weather to the airfield. It was then I realised the buffeting was in fact the waves from the sea hitting our undercarriage and had I gone perhaps inches lower we would have crashed. I never mentioned it to Paul but that was the day I nearly killed him,and me of course."

Allan's career kept growing from strength to strength. From the late '80s he ventured into weather and travel on the Channel Four Daily, in 1990 he got onto B5B (British Satellite Broadcasting, which soon merged with Sky) as a presenter, duty editor and trainer. By now he was branching more into the training world as his experience and profile made him a market able commodity particularly his experience with interviewing and presenting both financial and news items.

He was then invited to join Mel ody FM a highly popular radio sta tion, particularly for businessmen, and he continued his presenting role as well as being head of news.

Well-established, he worked in a freelance capacity with both radio and television as well as news writ ing and presenting.

Then in 1993 he took a position on Sky News as a programme pre senter where he has broken many' important stories including the death of the Queen Mother — he and his co-presenter were highly praised in the press for their 're spectful' coverage of the event.

Award winning and an obvious workaholic Allan is still one of the faces of Sky News but, as he says, these days he can pick and choose his working hours.

"I tend to concentrate more on the training side of the business. I have my own media training com pany where we advise and train professionals who may one day be thrust into the public spotlight. Often people with no inkling by virtue ofsome kind of newsworthy item come into the viewfinder and find television crews camped on their doorstep. We are able to train

Award winning and an obvious workaholic

managing directors,owners,politi cians and the like to deal with this pressure and come out of the other side without too much trouble. We have a website called www.allanking.com that will explain it all.

"Finally Allan," I asked, "you dipped once into the music busi ness, did you ever try it again?"

"Actually, yes. I can honestly say I was the man who put Barry McGuigan in the charts."

"Barry McGuigan? The boxer?"

"Yes. I started a second music company called Yellow Brick Road in 1986. This was a production company and without going into detail I produced and released a single called Somebody to call my girl sung by Barry McGuigan. It got into the charts, made me some money but wasn't a major hit. Some time later I let the company go dormant and it still is."

Allan King can often be seen on Sky television or if you look careful ly, around Main Street from time to time. I actually feell only scratched the service of this enterprising and confident gentleman who could teach many of us about going for it in a world where opportunity always seems to happen to others. I've already booked a table for my next lesson.

Allan is still one of the faces of Sky News hot, as he says,these days he can pick and cheese his working hours.

A non-Static Electrical Engineering Company

An electrical and mechanical company that was founded

In England in 1845? It's now established in Gibraltar, too.

When I expressed surprise that a mechanical and electrical engineering company had set up so long ago, Michael Harvey of Warners explained that the company's first ventures were into the brand new science of electric motors which were starting to come into use at that time. But their expertise spread further than that

Originally, Henry Warner commenced trading in the centre of Ipswich as whitesmiths, workers in tin, so called because the fitters wore white hats to distinguish them from hot-work black smiths. Warners also carried out bell hanging in private house.

Joined bv one of his two sons,Alfred William, at the age of 14, the business expanded into the supply and installation of the new invention,the internal combustion engine — a strong interest of the young Alfred.

Later developments saw the company estab lished as heating, water and general engineers who specialised in church and greenhouse heating and, later on, drilling wells and the irrigation of golf courses in Suffolk. They also

became experts in installing and maintaining printing presses.

In 1831, Michael Faraday had succeeded in building the first direct current electric motor and Joseph Henr)' was also working with mo tors at that time. They are both credited with building the first experimental electric motors. In 1837, Charles Grafton Page worked on im proving the electric motor and created a model of his own.This quickly developed into another

offshoot of Warners.

So the pioneering company was quick off the mark in seeing the possibilities in many new en gineering fields, and is still going strong today with a £10 million annual turnover.

Michael Harvey is Operations Manager of Warners M&E (Gibraltar) Ltd, and since Au gust has been running the local branch of that far-sighted long-established company which opened here in October last year.

How did it come to be here? Michael told me that Warners had been encouraged to set up on the Rock by Haymills, who are now the parent company of Warners and who wanted to work with them on various projects. Haymills themselves are no newcomers to the world of construction — they were founded sometime in the 1890s and have been in Gibraltar for 19 years.

Coming from Battersea in London, Michael himself has been in Gibraltar for five years, and before joining Warners on the Rock ho was part ofa team that was responsible for all of the mechanical and electrical installations for the new hospital at Europort.

With Warners, he now oversees mechanical and electrical installations for Sharrock Shand as well as Haymills, and is looking to expand further, although his friendly professional ap proach has already made good progress in a short time.

Much of the work involves the design and installation of lighting,(both internal and ex ternal) and power systems including back-up generators. Projects include the south district housing projects at Cumberland Terrace, Nelson's View and Bay View as well as lighting installations for car parks at New Harbours and Willis's Road.A similar project wassuccessfully completed at Sandpits tennis courts and the company is responsible for mechanical and electrical installations at Clifftop House for Sharrock Shand.

Michael is assisted by two qualified electrical engineers and one mechanical engineer who design the systems according to each client's requirements and budget, whilst the work itself is carried out by a team of up to 30 operatives.

At the moment,the steady expansion means that Michael i.s looking for another qualified mechanical engineer.

All of the work is covered by 12 months' defect and warranty; and the company is also actively seeking pure maintenance contracts for existing installations where a combination of competence and 24/7 response is essential.

It's not all big contracts — Warners will happily undertake domestic as well as com mercial work, giving smaller customers the same attentive service as they do to their major employers.

All in all, the list of work the company covers includes heating and ventilation, air condition ing, plumbing, gas and compressed air lines, electrical power and control installations,emer gency lighting,fire alarms and security systems — just about something for everyone.

The company is based in WaterGardens, in suite 19 on the first floor of Block 6 — that's the one nearest the Coach Park. Their phone number is 200 48774,fax 200 45249; or you can email any enquiry to mike.han>ey@hwarner.com. For thefuller' picture you can also check out their xvebsitc, urww. warners-ltd.co.uk.

Michael Harvey, Operations Manager. Warners MOE(Gibraltar} Ltd

it's not ail big contracts —Warners will happily undertake domestic as well as commercial work,giving smaller customers the same attentive service asthey do to their major employers

Tibbets Enioyed Breakfast atthe Rock Hotel

Think what you like about Paul Tibbets but he could fly. The American who piloted the B-29 that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima died last month aged 92.

During World War II Tibbets flew into Gibraltar on several occasions and because he wassuch an accom plished pilot he was entrusted with the safety of two of the mostimpor tant soldiers of the war — General Mark Clark and General Dwight D. Eisenhower — when they were flown to Gibraltar in preparation for the invasion of North Africa.

Constructed hurriedly specially for the war effort, Gibraltar airport in 1942 had a short runway and was plagued by tricky winds.

A pilot from 210 Squadron who flew Catalina flying boats and was stationed at Gibraltar for two years wrote of the experience of trying to land at Gibraltar after returning from submarine patrol:

"More important, perhaps we learned a lot about operating conditions at Gibraltar, not least to develop a healthy respect for the diabolical swell which sometimes reigns in Algeciras Bay,and for the extraordinary turbulence of wind eddies around the Rock."

When Tibbets flew to Gibraltar he was piloting a B-17 and so didn't have to deal with the swells in the harbour but his Flying Fortress and the others in the flight would be the biggest planes to attempt a landing on die Rock runway.

Tibbets first flight took place in

October of 1942 when he ferried General Clark out from England to meet with French officials from occupied Morocco and Algeria. The flight is recorded in his book

Calculated Risk:

"My ship,the Red Gremlin,piloted by Major Tibbets, broke above the clouds and flew out of sight of the earth for three hours. By the time the clouds broke there was nothing below but open sea. We sighted only one ship, a small sailing ves sel somewhere off Portugal. Even before we had identified Gibraltar, Spitfires were shooting up to look us over. The Boomerang, went in first and we were all relieved to see the big bomber make the safe land ing on Gibraltar's limited strip."

A few weeks later Tibbets would again make the flight from England to Gibraltar in more harrowing conditions and with even more important cargo, Eisenhower, the Commanding General of Allied Forces.

D-Day for 'Operation Torch',

the invasion of North Africa, was November 8th and early in the morning two days earlier a flight of six B-17s prepared for take-off from a runway near Bournemouth. Captain Harry Butcher, aide-de camp to Eiseiihower, recorded in his journal:

"Ike had to make a command decision at the English airdrome whether we would risk the flight, as the weather was abominable — rain, fog and practically ceiling zero. Major Tibbets, piloting our Red Gremlin,was wary,butIke said we had to go."

The pilots flew low to avoid detection and were forced to wave hop in the bad weather. They reached Gibraltar at 4:20pm.

"We circled for an hour then landed. Cross-currents around the Rock and congestion around the runway imperiled landing. While we circled three other for tresses landed. There were three Spitfires around. The fifth Fortress landed too but we learned later

by Reg Reynolds

that the sixth plane had not taken off because of some technical dif ficulty."

A years few back I contacted Tib bets to ask him about his Gibraltar experience. It turned out that his abiding memory wasn't the diffi cult landing or his first view of the Rock but of the good sleep he had at the Rock Hotel and the fantastic breakfast that he was served the next morning.

After the successful landing of troops at Oran *(See Author's note) Tibbetsflew Clark to Algiers where the General took command of the invasion forces. For the next month Tibbets, under the direct control of the RAF,led bombing missions over German and Italian defences. Tibbets continued to fly missions over North Africa until March 1943 when he returned to the United States to take part in test flying the new B-29 bombers at Boeing Field in Washington State.

Tibbets proved so capable that in September 1944 he was assigned to the Atomic Bomb Project as the Air Force officer in charge of 509th Squadron. After completing training, the 509th deployed to the islandofTiniantoawaitorders. On 6th August 1945, Tibbets flew the B-29 Enola Gay from Tinian to strike Hiroshima, Japan, on the world's first atomic bombing mission. An estimated 70,000 people were killed in the resulting blast.

Born in Quincy, Illinois in 1915, Tibbets graduated from Western Military Academy in 1933 and later attended the University of Florida and the University of Cincirmati where he majored in chemistry. He joined the Air Force (then part of the army and known as the Army Air Corp) in 1937 and graduated from flying school in February 1938. He spent the first few years of the war in America but in June 1942 he arrived in England and was sent immediately into combat operations. He flew 25 combat missions in B-17s, including the first American Flying Fortress raid against occupied Europe.

Tibbets reached the rank of Gen eral before retiring in September 1966. He wasinterviewed often af ter the war and always maintained that he had no regretsfor dropping the Atom Bomb as he felt it was his patriotic duty and that the act shortened the war and saved many lives both Japanese and American.

Paul Tibbets died on 1st Novem ber 2007 — AH Saints Day.

*Author's note: Myfather, a sailor in the Royal Canadian Navy, was a gunner on an assault landing craft thatferried soldiers to the beaches at Oran.

Ills abiding memory wasn't the difficnit landing or hisfirst view of the Rock hnt of the good sleep he had atthe Rock HoteL

Fate Lends a Hand

Few are touched by the hand of God or finger of destiny but one such person is the evergreen 84 year old Maurice Featherstone. Who would have thought that Maurice, who was born in Brixton, South London would have come to Gibraltar where he was instructed in counter sabotage by Lionel 'Buster' Crabb, married a Gibraltarian girl and became journalist, politician, Minister and Gibraltarian.

Bounds Green in North London. Mauri'ce, The16 divers weuld descend

cradle Catholic, passed the 11+ , was educated ftfl DVQItlillD tho Chill'C hllll at Trinity Grammar School, Wood Green, ma- CJIdllllllC IIIC 5III|I 5 IIUII, triculated in seven subjects and joined ICI. The eSPeClaily the hlige Keel,!0 Second World War started and as tie was in a reserved occupation but wanted to do his bit OnSUfB HO HlliPCt 1111116$ llflll to defeat Hitler he volunteered to join the Mer- ■ j chant Navy in 1941. Alas fate decided otherwise 06611 6181110611 Oil and after sailing to Mauritius without incident

his next journey while returning from India resulted in his ship being torpedoed between the Azores and Madeira.

After seven days in a lifeboat he and his com rades were picked up by a Portuguese warship and taken to Madeira where they remained for five weeks. Maurice says that no one in the life boat had any doubt that they would not make the coast and thought at some point the boat would hit Africa.They had a sixth sense that the current and wind were moving the boat in the right direction and not out into the Atlantic. In fact they did better by being rescued and taken to Madeira rather than a point unknown on the African coast.

One day the 19 year old Featherstone was invited to a tea party at which were present some Gibraltarian evacuees: one of whom was Irene de Torres. It was love at first sight but soon he had to leave Madeira for England and this posed the question — would he ever see Irene again?

Fate intervened and from Lisbon he was taken to Gibraltar to be sent home. Maurice realised that he would be in Irene's home town and decided to volunteer for work on the Rock so that when the war wasover and the Gibraltarians returned from their evacuation he would be reunited with his girlfriend.In the meantime the romance was continued by letter.

As Featherstone was a strong swimmer, a job was found as a counter sabotage agent diver and he was trained for this role by the legendary 'Buster' Crabb. He considered the experienced Royal Navy frogman, with his bright ginger beard, who looked like the old man of the sea when he came up from diving,a good leader and excellent teacher.

Maurice left the Merchant Navy and became a War department employee. There were 32 counter sabotage agents of whom 16 were div ers. The other 16 used to accompany the ships to ensure that when in Spanish ports no one, in particular stevedores, would come on board and leave behind bombs and mines to detonate when inside Gibraltar harbour. The 16 divers would descend to examine the ship's hull, especially the bilge keel, to ensure no limpet mines had been clamped on.

The ships used to sail from Gibraltar to Se ville, Barcelona, Huelva and Melilla and then return to the Rock. The squad had absolutely nothing to do with Buster Crabb's sterling work in removing Italian limpet mines which enemy divers had attached to ships while in Gibraltar harbour.

The counter sabotage agents were divided into teams enabling many cargo ships to be monitored, preventing them from being sabo taged and so enabling them to return to the Rock with their vital cargoes. They were the unsung heroes of the War. There were no Gibraltarians as the squad consisted of English men who had arrived on the Rock in similar circumstance to Maurice but no one else has such a valid reason for staying in what might have been a very dangerous location had Operation Felix come about.

Despite being a close knitsquad its members, did not keep in touch with each other or Buster Crabb after the war. It is not known whether Buster ever returned to the Rock but he was awarded an QBE for his work in clearing mines from the ports of Livorno and Venice.

Irene returned to her Rock at the end of

Maurice Featherstone:

hostilities and the couple were married on the Rock in 1945 and havejust celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary.

The newly married Featherstone needed a job. He decided to become a journalist and Esmond Ryan appointed him a sub-editor at the Gibraltar Chronicle where he remained for five years. Now a fully fledged man of the press he started up his own paper, the Gibraltar Tele<;;raph, which was printed on the El Calpeuse presses. It turned out that Sir Joshua Hassan, Johnny Alcantara, Aurelio Montegriffo and the other founder members of the AACR political party would drop in for discussions about their ambitions to achieve basic civil rights for the returning Gibraltarians.

Eventually the Gibraltar Telegraph became the Gibraltar Post which together with Aurelio Montegriffo and Manolo Mascarenhas,Maurice ran for a decade.

Up to this point Maurice had not shown any inclination towards politics but was swayed by all the ideas being bandied around and it was suggested he should join the party, which he did in 1952.

In 1956 he stood for election to the City Council where the AACR had a majority. He remembers the formidable Dorothy Ellicot who was the first female elected politician and she was a member of the Opposition.

In 1969 he was elected to the House of As sembly as a member of the Opposition, but the AACR won the 1972 election and he was appointed Minister of Education. During this period he took the decision to do away with the Grammar School and introduce single sex comprehensive education. The Christian Broth ers had decided to leave Gibraltar before this decision had been taken and indeed provided all possible help to get the new system up and running. Compared to the system in the UK, comprehensive education on the Rock has been an outstanding success. The Gibraltarian teachers ran a successful campaign which led to parity of salaries with those in England. The university scheme wasstarted in 1973,allowing any Gibraltarian who secured a university place to be given a generous allowance which even paid for airfares. In the past there had only been two scholarships: one Government, the other provided by the John Mackintosh Trust. In his time the number averaged about 40 a year.

Maurice is delighted that his Education Ordinance remains in force today; no mean

achievement.

A change is as good as a tonic and in 1976 he became Minister of Public Works where he remained for seven years. During this time he was responsible for the building of the Girls' Comprehensive, St Paul's School, St Martin's School and the bridge across Winston Churchill avenue. His successor was Frank Dellipiani.

Another changefollowed;this time four years as Minister of Health, which was a total contrast to his previous portfolios.

What is incredible is that until 1970 Maurice was a registered English man and despite being married to a Gibraltarian, and being a Minister, the rules did not permit him to become a Gibral tarian. There were absolutely no exceptions to the regulation — anyone applying to be a reg istered Gibraltarian had to reside on the Rock for 25 years. Even then it was not automatic and the potential Gibraltarian had to go before a committee where the applicant had to show ties with Gibraltar. So it was not until 1970 that he became a Gibraltarian which also bestowed Gibraltarian identity onto his children. He is delighted that Peter Caruana's government has changed the rules which also means that the children of a Gibraltarian mother married to a non-Gibraltarian have the right to register as Gibraltarians.

Featherslone retired from politics in 1996 after serving as an elected representative for 40 years. "I missed being in the House of As sembly and for the last four years as a member of the Opposition. I missed being a Minister as

What Is Incredible Is

with the responsibility came the satisfaction that I could get things done;this is not possible when on the Opposition benches. My 40 years coincided with the evolution of the Gibraltarian and the creation of the modem city of Gibraltar and 1 am proud of what has been carried on by the neyt generation of politicians. Strangely I do not miss politics," Maurice reflected on his political experiences.

He commented that the Services representa tives on the City Council more than pulled their weight and made a substantial contribution towards the political objectives of more civil rights for the Gibraltarians. Darrell Bates was a good Colonial Secretary who perhaps went native after so many years on the Rock. Alistair MacKay,Charlie Gomezand Howard Daviesall in their different ways made valuable contribu tions. The Cordoba Agreement appears to be working smoothly. Housing seems to be under control and there is a building programme to build sufficient affordable housing to equal demand. The position has changed over the decades and today Gibraltarians wish to own their own houses whereas before they lived with their in-laws until a Government flat became available. He feels it is not satisfactory thatsome Gibraltarians are forced to live across the border in La Linea but it seems in due course there will be enough local housing stock to ensure no one has to live in Spain if they wish for affordable housing on the Rock. This has been an ongo ing problem since the end of the Second World War but should be finally resolved in a couple of years. He also feels, as the Moroccans have made such an invaluable contribution to the local economy, any who have worked on the Rock for 25 years should be granted the right to apply for British citizenship. It is to their credit that the majority have fitted in so well with life in Gibraltar.

Featherstone has enjoyed a life which has always been interesting and he is delighted Gibraltar remains a happy place in which to live. He is proud that today Gibraltarians enjoy a Parliament, virtual autonomy and have been decolonised. These were but aspirations when he joined the AACR all those vears ago.

It is fascinating that this amazing story only happened because of a successful torpedo hit which resulted in him meeting Irene De Torres at a tea party in Madeira.Without this intervention Maurice would never have reached the Rock and Gibraltar would be that much poorer.

that until 1970 Maurice was a registered English man and despite being married to a Glhraltarlan, and being a Minister,the rules did not permit him to become a Glhraltarlan

or received a licence under that act.

As a result of this, the public has no statutory protection in its dealing with estate agents and it remains to be seen whether the passage of the Consumer Protection (EU Co operation) Bill 2007 will be found to have affected the situation one way or another.

What rules govern the relation ship between the consumer seek ing to purchase a property and the estate agent with an authority to advertise properties on behalf of a developer? The answer is, this will vary from situation to situation.

An Intermediary Estate ef Mind

There has been a phenomenal rise in the local property market in the last seven years or so. This has been fuelled not only by the growth in certain sectors of the local economy but also and critically by the enhanced perception of the long-term value of Gibraltar real estate in the mind of the investor based outside of Gibraltar with an eye to capital growth in the relatively secure bricks and mortar (or metal and glass, as appears more the case in certain recent developments) in a tax favourable environment.

Inevitably, such a splurge of de velopment as we have witnessed in this time has brought with it a rash of intermediaries, all seeking to profit from the commissions that buying or selling in such a fluid market inevitably yields. Witness the growth in estate agencies. Walking down Main Street ten years ago one was aware of two or three estate agents in the area which is now pedestrianised. Not only has the number significantly increased, the proportion of that sector given over to window space advertising new build and resale properties has never been greater.

There are almost twice as many estate agents advertising in the Gibtelecom Business Listings for 2007/2008 as in the 1999/2000 edi tion. The latter contained listings for 17 Estate Agents, of which six had advertisements. In the current

edition there are 28 listings, with 11 advertisements in the Estate Agents category. Clearly this is a sector enjoying a boom.

The government response to the situation has not, to date, been characterised by any proposal to regulate the sector. In the United Kingdom the Estate Agents Act 1979 governs the conduct of estate agents. In Gibraltar there is no legislation governing estate agents other than (debatably) the Licens ing & Fees Act.

The department of government

currently charged with policing the latter {the office of the Financial and Development Secretary) does not appear to take its role under that statute to include policing of the estate agency sector — small wonder when one considers the level of fees payable for licences under the Act.

When I consulted a senior local figure synonymous with auction eering and estate agency in the earlier part of this year he con firmed my suspicion that few if any estate agents had applied for

The terms of the note signed between the consumer and the es tate agent are not necessarily valid or enforceable, for any number of reasons. The note itself may be contrary to public policy, may be made without consideration — to name but two examples. But generally where the consumer feels he has not received fair treatment from his estate agent he is at a dis advantage because the estate agent is only doing business in one sector, real estate — and is likely to have learned a fair deal about the legal environment within which he oper ates. He probably has a lawyer on hand if not to assist in the creation of the contract then at least in such contentious situations as may arise where a purchase falls through for one reason or another.

Good practice will dictate that most estate agents will refund most booking deposits in most situa tions. But there is no guarantee this will occur.

The prospective buyer will do well to remember never to sign anything without reading it and to obtain legal advice at the earliest possible juncture when proposing to purchase a property. It is likely that whatever reasonable fees are payable for engaging a lawyer to protect your interest will be seen as modest when measured againstthe peace of mind to be had from ensur ing that your deposit is safeguarded and you are not contracting for more(or less) than you realise.

Good practice will dictate that most estate agents will refund most booking deposits In most situations. Butthere is no guarantee this will occur

Stephen ffrench Davis

Gifts with Sterling Qualities

"In Gibraltar people buy an average of 42 Christmas presents — in the UK it's 17.'

That's a daunting number of presents to hunt for on the Rock, but The Silver Shop has been a life-saver for many. The beauty,the variety and the prices of the items appeal to most people, and there is no need to worry about sizes in most cases.

As owner Barbara Staunton summed it up, "In Horse Barrack Court we provide beautiful silver gifts for less than £5."

Parts of Horse Barrack Court date back to 1789, and The Silver Shop has been sparkling there for ten years now,although the popularity of the products has led Barbara and her husband Neil to open another two branches in recent vears—one in Casemates Arcade and the other bv the Supreme Court at 275 Main Street. The latter is different in that it specialises in unusual jewellery rather than gifts.

Barbara comes from Toronto but spent seventeen years running a similar silver jeweller's shop in Lancaster, north west England. Like Gibraltar, Lancaster is a small town with a lot of history,but there the similarity ends."We came here for the weather," she admitted, "but we have since found that ev erything here is better — the people

in particular but also the general feeling of safety and relaxation."

And, in particular, Barbara loves the cosy quaintness of the historic Horse Barrack Court, just a few yards off Main Street.

But they did bring with them their extensive list of contacts for silver jewellery which spans Mexico,Indonesia, Pakistan and all of Europe, and the immediate im pression when you enter the shop is of the sort of quality that comes from 27 years of experience.

And the advantage of jewellery, as Barbara put it, is that being small it travels well. In other words you can buy from anywhere in the world without too many logistical headaches.

The range is as startling as the brilliance and delicacy of the pieces themselves. It would be impossible to include the full list in this report, but the display cabinets show ev erything from silver-coloured key rings for £4 up to necklaces and sets for around £200.

In between, there are perfume bottles, baby bangles, elegant birthday cards with silver-plated designs, and plenty of Gibraltar specialities such as playful dol phins and a series based on the

Gibraltar campion, one of the Rock's indigenous wild flowers. Everything is either silver, silver coloured or silver plated.

"Our aim with locally made designs has been to find things that were suitable souvenirs for visi tors and which were also of a high quality that made them suitable for local people to give as appreciated presents," she explained. Another intriguing local range is based on replicas of the first ever coin or token to bear the word 'Gibraltar': known as a quart, the original coin dates from 1802.

There is no doubt at all about the quality of the silver goods in this shop (and at the other branches); there is nothing crude or chunky about the designs or the workman ship,every piece is finished to per fection and the designs are delicate —even those of heavier i terns such as bookmarks-

There is plenty of jewellery such

as rings and hoops and earrings to choose from, and Barbara told me that her customers' ages go from young children right up to people in their 80s, although the main age group are the 20s and 30s. And it's quite normal for people to come in to buy a gift for someone else and end up being unable to resist getting a present for themselves as well. She also told me that over half of the shop's customers are local people. "I'm really pleased about this," she said,"we're always delighted to welcome holidaymakers but I feel that having local cus tomers confirms we offer a good service."

When I asked her if she had many regular customers who kept coming back, she said that there were a lot but that they weren't all local people. "We get regulars who visit the Costa every vear and always come in here, but we also have a lot of repeat business from cruise passengers who make the same voyage about once a year,on the Oriana say, and who always make a point of coming into our shops to stock up on their silver jewellery and ornaments. They love the combination of price and quality."

Each shop is brilliantly laid out with everything clearly priced so that customers can browse without having to keep engaging the help of Barbara or her efficient cosmopoli tan assistants Kim, Anne, Lorna, Jasmine, Candice, Elli, Laetitia and Kathrin who cover the three branches and represent, between them,England,Scotland,Germany, Switzerland and France. "We like people to feel they can look around without any hassle or obligation," Barbara told me,adding,"All in all we are very conscious of the need to serve people well in a quick,helpful and friendly way."

She also explained that gift buy ing is covered by their exchange policy — if it's not suitable they will exchange it after Christmas,so you can buy without any worries.

The shops with their dazzling displays are open 10 to 7 Mondays to Fridays and 10 to 5 Saturdays and between them they are certain to solve your gift problems.

Anne, friendly face at the Silver Shop

There's nothing crude or chunky ahouttho designs or workmanship,every piece isfinished le perfectien and the designs are delicate

SIIVFK

piano teachers listed in the Yellow Pages,so mother's who want their children to learn to play a keyboard instrument have to ask around and find out who and what is available by word of mouth, yet our young musicians of the future deserve better than that," he says with the patent sincerity that pervades his approach to his music.

And he speaks from personal experience, for although he was "fortunate in the teachers 1 had in Gibraltar when I was beginning to become a musician," in Britain where he went to study, he had to explain to the colleges "I come from a Rock where we have no conservatoire."

"Don't get me wrong," his long pianist's fingers drum nervously on the coffee table in front of him as though plying chords, "1 love this place. 1 am a concert pianist who longs to teach and would like nothing better than to open a school of music here — then there would be no need for parents to thumb futilely through the Yelloxo Pages, looking around to try to find somewhere their children can be taught.

"I would be delighted to run a conservatoire if we had one, but equally 1 would be just as happy merely to teach."

Monteverde's Magical Music

Hailed locally as a "child prodigy" — a description which he dislikes — Aaron Monteverde's career as a successful concert pianist was sparked by an aunt's Christmas gift of a miniature electronic keyboard when he was four. He proved, even then to have an exceptional musical 'ear' and quickly picked out on the keyboard tunes he heard on the radio or in the street in what could be described as an early form of improvisation. And this, too, has shaped a significant part of the pianist's musical make-up.

Aaron's verve and improvisation of popular tunes and songs drew a tremendous response from the audience at this year's Gibraltar Song Festival where he worked with the National Choir, drew a huge reaction with the audience clamouring for more and led, in turn, to a concert later in October — his first major recent exposure to audiences on the Rock.

The Gibraltar-born pianist and composer, who today is probably better known in international mu sical circles than he is in Gibraltar, is currently working closely with local musicians to stage a musical Tango for which he has written the

music and libretto. And though he is keeping the story-line secret "for the time being", the title and the close influence ofsome Spanish music on his playing and composi tion points to an Iberian link.

The musical and its staging early in 2008 will be, in part, a gift from Monteverde to Gibraltar and its

people and an attempt on his part "to prevent music going further down the hill" as it is replaced in people's interest, both here and elsewhere, by what the pianists describes as "Big Brother type pro grammes."

"We have no conservatoire of music here... We don't even have

He stresses the fault for our lack doesn't rest solely on the shoulders of Government, pointing out that at one stage funds were provided for the church to arrange better musical facilities for students and others,but these had been "frittered away with nothing to show and, understandably, the Government lost interest",

Monteverde's musical ear was obvious from those first days of tinkling on the Christmas-present keyboard and he soon amazed — as well as entertained — family members and their friends with his ability to play "things I had heard on the radio"... popular songs and others such as Fur Elise with classical pretensions. By the fol lowing Christmas he had added a range of carols to his repertoire and soon afterwards, at the age of five, began to take formal piano lessons — though not before a traumatic upset might have ended his concert career before it had even begun.

"New to school, 1 went to my first music class and though the other children sat down patiently to wait for the teacher, I went to the front of the classroom to look at the upright piano. It was the first piano 1 has ever seen and,after the miniature on which I had learned to play,the keyboard seemed huge.

1 was curious and tapped the keys to hear the sound and, as 1 did,the music teacher came in.

The musical and its staging early in 2008 will be,in part,a giltfrom Monteverde to Cibraltar and its people

"He was offended by my be haviour, obviously thought 1 was being naughty,and swore there and then that he would never teach me music. As a five-year-old that was pretty awful and it nearly put me off," Monteverde recalls his sense of aggrieved bitterness still apparent. "My mother, though sympathetic couldn't understand what had happened and thought I must have been doing something wrong to have provoked such a punitive reaction from an adult.

"Yet, in a sense. 1 owe my career to that man and what he did, for even as a five-year-old if someone tried to stop me doing something 1 had set my heart on doing, I went ahead and did it. But it cost me.. I lost two years when I could have been learning piano for 1 had to persuade my parents to find a teacher."

He still couldn't do a 'C seven' (the stretch of fingers that reaches from the middle C note on the piano across the seven notes above it on the keyboard) and believes he was lucky in the teachers his mother found for him — these he recalls, and lists, with affection:Joy Burton,Helen Chiappe and Charles Chiappe. His musical education progressed,and within a few years he was performing regularly at

the youth concerts held twice a year at the Caleta Hotel — public appearances (though to an audi ence mainly of parents and family friends of the young musicians) thatearned him the "child prodigy" label which he so dislikes.

He was 12 when, in 1995, he entered a Gibraltar talent contest organised by Sonia Colt and won the first prize ("I couldn't believe it")and this in turn led to an invita tion from Albert Hammond to ap pear with the already-established Gibraltar musician at that year's Miss Gibraltar finals. The "child prodigy" label was now firmly in place.

But while Aaron's musical edu cation was rising in a glissando of success, his progress at Bayside was flat, he admits. When he sat his GCSEs he passed only Spanish and music and for the next two years struggled to gain the passes

in English, mathematics, science and other subjects that would give his access to tertiary education and colleges of music in Britain. There were pressures to join his father's transport business instead, but "with a lot of help from Mr Gajpay [Joshua Cabay, the former teacher and Minister] I eventually man aged to pass everything," he says, with a rueful smile and a shake of the head at those past academic inadequacies.

He was accepted to study music at the Bognor arm of Chichester University where soon after he started he was called before the panel of the teaching staff in the college of music where the pro fessors told him he was "a very special student." He had already reached the musical performance level of many of his teachers and it would be best for his career if he were to study "with a professor in

London."

That professor was the brilliant South African concert pianistJonty Solomon and for the next four years Monteverde made the two-hour train journey to London where Solomon taught at his home — a distinct hallmark of the teacher's respect for his pupil's talents.

"He taught me my inspiration of music... and also made me play blindfolded," he says."And when I moved from Chichester to Trinity College at Greenwich,Jonty contin ued to teach me. He is brilliant and I owe him so much..."

Aaron insists that he is "still learning", but as a fully-fledged concert pianist he has already performed professionally in Spain and at other concerts in Europe — including a concert in France at Disneyland, where he played his own compositions as well as im provisations."People can get a dif ferent taste of your skills and your music from your compositions, if you can improvise," he stresses.

His compositions, influenced by the Spanish composer Felipe Camposano, who is one of Monteverde's musical 'heroes', and improvisa tions were enthusiastically received at a concert he gave to an audience of several thousand at the National Museum in Taipei last year.

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The Wine Club 1stPort of Callfor Wine Lovers

There is nothing more sensuous than opening a bottle of wine, penetrating the cork, and releasing the aromas that come to life!

I have always enjoyed and con sidered that there are few pleasures more fulfilling than sipping a glass of wine, if you feel this is the case too then you will most certainly want to belong to the local Wine Club.

Researchers have as yet not been able to decipher which culture was the first to make wine, but we do indeed know that over the centu ries there have been many people around the world worshipping this liquid! One of them was King Edward Vll who was heard to say that not only did he drink wine; he inhaled it, looked and admired it, tasted it and swallowed it, to later talk about it! There are many others like King Edward who love to drink wine on a daily basis,especially ac companied by a delicious meal.

Some expect and want the proper shaped glass to really enjoy the drinking. Connoisseurs say that the best shaped glass is the one with a long stem and holding a big bowl that is bigger at the bottom and tapers to a smaller opening. They consider this is the best way to ensure the aromas and bouquets are kept concentrated in the gla.ss whilst drinking and they remain a thrill to the sense of smell every time you take it to your mouth.

There is a whole ritual to wine tasting, to some people this is an essential part of wine drinking as they ascertain if the wine is to their

liking, even before they sip it — it is best to first swirl the wine within the glass,then hold it up to the light and see and admire the colour,then raise the wine glass to your nose to inhale the smell and essence before finally tasting it and swallowing it. Most wine lovers enjoy this ritual and it is obvious that Bella Ostheider, who runs the local wine club, is one of those who finds this process blissful.

Bella is a very enthusiastic lady whose ability to organise functions both locally or in Spain have proved verv successful for the two-third male members and one third female members who meet at least once a month. It is at these events that they get full information on the latest wines in the market, special offers not to be missed, as well as suggestions on what to buy for special events, dinner parties or Christmas with a large selection of wines to choose from.

If you have not yet heard about the local wine club then it must be because you are not a wine lover as it has been functioning for the

last eight years. The £40 annual membership fee encompasses a series of benefits, discounts, trips and get-togethers for wine tasting. These functions take place once a month either at the Anglo Hispano Tasting Vaults or at one of the local hotels. Special events also take place in nearby Spain. At the Vaults proceeding generally take the form of a blind tasting game and when the event is held in a hotel it is presented by a particular winery so only their wines are on display.

The fascinating world of wine is something members soon learn about in a relaxed and informal way by tasting and finding inter esting aspects of winesfrom Spain, Portugal,Germany,Italy, Australia, New Zealand,South Africa, USA, Chile and Argentina, Sometimes experts come to give talks on the matter and it is ama/ing how much information they can impart!

If you wish to become a member you can contact Bella by email shop(i?'anglo.gi and once you fill in your form and pay your sub-

scription for the year you will be presented with a complimentary bottle of wine to 'exercise' your taste buds. Agreat and pleasurable experience.

Special celebrations deserve special wines, only the best. Some people prefer to drink white and others red, but forget the myth that you only drink white with fish and red with meat,it is entirely up to the individual to drink and eat what ever combination they prefer.

To mention but a few interesting wines not be missed, 1 spoke to Bella, but 1 do want to mention my favourite too,it is the South African Merlot that mesmerised me when I first tasted it on a very special dinner date, unless I was mistaken and it was the eyes of my date that actually mesmerised me and not the wine at all! Bella proposed j Bouchard Pere et Fils Pouilly-Fuisse 1 from Burgundy (white) and Casa Lapostolle Tanao from Chile (red) so next time you are out trying to impress someone with the wine you order study these names so as not to forget thenr — 1 can tell you they are not easy to remember and instead ofimpressing you may find yourself lost for words!

Christmas is around the comer and good wine on the table is a must. 1 have really enjoyed writ ing this article because 1 have done so with a glass of Merlot at hand. Cheers!

The fascinating worid of wine is something membersseen iearn ahout in a reiaxed and informai way hy tasting

The Darwin Awards

This article is dedicated to the honour of Wendy Northcott. You have probably never heard of her, she is an American scientist who recently turned 44. To the best of my knowledge she has not won a Nobel Prize, nor indeed discovered a major cure of anything, but hopefully, by the end of this article you will appreciate her contribution to mankind.

If this was an isolated incident, one could still cling on to the faith of the basic intelligence of mankind. Regretfully that is far from true.

One fateful afternoon in 2005, 55-year-old Marko retreated to his semi-detached workshop to make himself a tool for chimney clean ing. The chimney was too high for a simple broom to work, but if he could attach a brush to a chain and then weigh it down with some thing, that would do the trick. But what could he use as a weight?

He happened to have the perfect object. It was heavy, yet compact. And best of all, it was made of metal, so he could weld it to the chain. He must have somehow overlooked the fact that it was also a hand grenade.

Marko turned on his welding apparatus and began to create an arc between the chain and the grenade. As the metal heated up, the grenade exploded.The force of the explosion killed poor Marko in stantly, blasting shrapnel through the walls of the shed and shatter ing the windshield of a Mercedes parked outside. Marko's chimney was untouched,however.

Surprisingly (or not, depending on ones view point) many of the stories come from the USA. For instance in 1998 Matthew and his friends were sliding down a Mam moth Mountain ski run on a foam pad at 3am, when he crashed into a lift tower and died. His makeshift sledge of yellow foam had been stolen from the legs of a lift tower on Stump Alley. The cushion is meant to protect skiers who hit the tower and the tower Matthew ran into was the onefrom which he had created his sledge. There's a moral in there somewhere.

Ms Northcott created the Dar win Awards. Named in honour of Charles Darwin, the "father" of evolution, the Darwin Awards commemorate those who improve our gene pool by removing them selves from it. Over the past few yearsshe has collected and verified stories of human demise, ranging from the unusual to the bizarre.

Her website is www.darwinawards.com. Whilst it is black

set out to dismantle a dilapidated bam one bracing winter afternoon. Raising a new bam is an endeavour that brings a community together in a working celebration. Demol ishing a barn, on the other hand, is a more solitary pursuit. There was wood to be cut, so it seemed sensible for one industrious friend to fire up his chainsaw. It was less sensible for him to set about sever ing crucial support posts. Carrying humour (after all it is generally about death) it does not belittle death,merely observes the ultimate impact of certain acts of stupidity. The following are, at least accord ing to Darwin,true.

For instance, in January this year a trio offriends from West Virginia

the weight ofa full barn roof,those wooden beams were all that stood between the demolition workers and structural collapse.

With minimal forethought, this ill-fated lumberjack could have anticipated his soon-to-be deadly problem. It was all fun and games until the roofsuccumbed to the pull of gravity. As a consolation prize, the deceased was indeed successful at demolishing the barn.

Two years later a Houston man earned a succinct lesson in gun safety when he played Russian roulette with a .45-calibre semiau tomatic pistol. Rashaad, nineteen, was visiting friends when he an nounced his intention to play the deadly game. He apparently did not realize that a semiautomatic pistol, unlike a revolver, automati cally inserts a cartridge into the firing chamber when the gun is cocked. His chance of winning a round of Russian roulette waszero, as he quickly discovered.

It appears thatsome men will go to extraordinary lengths to prove how macho they are. Frenchman Pierre Pumpille shunted a station ary car two feet by headbutting it. "Women thought I was a god," he explained from his hospital bed.

Deity or not, however,Pumpille is a veritable girl's blouse com-, pared to Polish farmer Krystof Azninski, who staked a strong

Raising a new barn is an endeavonr that brings a community together in a working ceiebration. Demolishing a barn,on the other band,is a more solitary pursuit

claim to being Europe's most ma cho in 1995. Azninski,30. had been drinking with friends when it was suggested they strip naked and play some "men's games". Initially they hit each other over the head with frozen turnips, but then one man upped the ante by seizing a chainsaw and cutting off the end of his foot. Not to be outdone, Azninski grabbed the saw and, shouting "Watch this then," he swung at his own head and chopped it off.

"It'sfunny," said one companion, "when he was young he put on his sister's underwear. But he died like a man."

Sometime coitus interuptus takes on a new twist. In South Carolina, June this year, an hour before sun rise, a 21 year-old couple were found naked in the road by a pass ing cabbie. The unconscious, in jured pair was taken to the nearest hospital where, despite treatment, they died without regaining con sciousness. Authorities were at a loss to explain what had happened. There were no witnesses, no trace of clothing,and no wrecked cars or motorcycles.

Investigators eventually found a clue high on the roof of a nearby building: two sets of neatly folded clothes, and nothing else. There was no indication offoul play,only of foreplay. "It appears as if the two individuals have accidentally fallen off the roof," Sgt. Florence McCants said.

Safe sex takes on a whole new meaning when you are perched on the edgeofa pyramid-shaped metal roof! This is a true Darwin Award, two people died WHILE in the act of procreation,due to an amazingly poor decision. Bottom line: If you put yourself in a precarious "posi tion" at the edge of the roof, you may well find yourself coming and going at the same time.

The awards are not there simply for the deceased but also those who have,by their action removed themselves from the gene pool in other ways. For example in 2004, Constantin, an elderly Rumanian, was living in a formerly peaceful village near Galati. Constantin hadn't been able to get any sleep, all because of a single noisv chicken. Night after night he dreamed of wringing its neck, or even better, chopping its head off and eating it. One night, he finally had enough. He roused himself from bed and

headed out to the yard in his under wear, determined to bring silence to his home.

The sleep-deprived villager grabbed that chicken by the neck and chopped its head right off. Only then did he realise he had confused his own penis for the chicken's neck. While Constantin stood stunned by his folly, his dog rushed over and gobbled up the treat.

He was rushed to the hospital, bleeding heavily. Doctors sewed up the wound and pronounced him out of danger. He is also in no danger of reproducing.

Whilst Darwin sought to verfiy all submissions there are some, which regretfully remain urban myths. One such was reported in the paper thus:

"This whole story has been blown out of proportion," said a spokes woman for the Over & Sons Ga rage. "It is true that a man walked onto our forecourt in the Market Place with a fox under his arm last week, pushed the compressed air nozzle into its rectum, popped 20p in the slot, and pumped it until it exploded. But what the reports fail to mention is that the animal was already dead.

"All that really happened was that an amateur taxidermist had brought the dead fox in and asked if he could pump some air between the fur and the skin to loosen the pelt. He just overdid it a bit, then fled in embarrassment." There were animal parts scattercd all over the forecourt, and a cluster of shocked and horrified people.

"The garage has been under siege for several days following a report calling the act sick and disgusting." Animal rights activists have been calling the station and threatening reprisals. "Nobody will work here alone anymore."

Its hard enough to hold a living fox,let alone insert an airline up its rectum, I should imagine.

Police confirmed that they had identified the taxidermist, and are convinced that no criminal act has taken place. I-Iowever, they did warn the fox-stuffor about the advisability of inflating animals in public places."

Urban or otherwise the annual awards have been going since 1995. I commend them to you. Read them,buy the books. Lest one day you are in them.

The awards are notthere simply for the deceased hut also those who have,hy their action removed themselvesfrom the gene pool in other ways

In Praise of Small Dogs

A toy dog as a gift during the festive season may last a little longer than most Christmas gifts, and should of course be forever — Jon Leweo discovers why a chihuahua can be the perfect companion in Gibraltar

Favourite toy, or teacup, dogs internationally include the Shih Tzu, the Yorkshire Terrier (Yorkie) and the Miniature Poodle, but, although in Gibraltar the most popular of these tiny dogs is the Yorkshire Terrier according to the Gibraltar SFCA,the Chihuaha,the Chi, may be the world's favourite amongst the tiny dog breeds and a close-run second in Gibraltar.

All dogs, regardless of breed or pedigree, measuring 17 inches or less when at least 12 months of age are termed,if not officially by UK's Kennel Club, TeaCup dogs as well as being called Pocket Size, Tiny Toy,Miniature and Lapdogs. They are also referred to as Sleeve Dogs because the Oriental Emperors and courtiers carried them around in their copious sleeves. The size of these small dogs is a result of selective breeding — developed originally to act as companions and provide pleasure to their wealthy high-status owners, they are often now viewed as status symbols; a luxury item with little apparent purpose while dogsin other groups had specific working roles, playing a major part in providing food for the table and therefore justifying the cost of their upkeep and care.

While bigger dogs are often thought of as real dogs and teacup dogs are only status symbols, the tiny chi has had its uses other than its original use as a sacrificial of fering by the Aztecs in Chihuahua, the state in Mexico after which the breed is named.

In the days before central heat ing, in the cold castles of the great, the chi, along with the other min iature breeds, was in great de mand as a bed-warmer — with the invention of central heating the warming duties of the teacup dog have diminished but they are still greatly valued for their other characteristics.

These days,the chi and the other tiny dog breeds, provide comfort and companionship to a wide va riety of types of owner, especially those who have restricted living space to offer their little friend — they continue to have celebrity status nevertheless.

Dogs that are overall winners at the international dog shows, and also popular in Gibraltar, are dogsize dogs like the Mexican Hairless Chak Tepal,Golden Retriever, Bull

dog,Afghan Hound and the Basset Hound but they require a constant exercise regime in wide open spaces to keep them fit and healthy, not always easy in Gibraltar.

When, for reasons of space, among others,dog-loversin Gibral tar wish to select as a tiny compan ion what is truly the smallest of the tiny dog breeds,it would have to be the chi, which starts at a height of six inches compared to the massive nine inches or more of the other types of miniature dog.

At one time Britain's royal fam ily owned Yorkshire Terriers and although the Yorkie as a breed has been immortalised on an issue of Gibraltar commemorative coins the chihuahua has not yet made it on to the coin sets — maybe next time, given the chi's growing popularity.

From 1995 to 2002 the Guinness Book of Records listed a Yorkshire Terrier named Big Boss, 4.7 inches tall,as the smallest dog in the world and a Yorkie named Thumbelina,

at 5.5 inches tall and 8 inches long, held the record for smallest living dog prior to 1995. Now, however, the World's Smallest Living Dog, is a chihuahua named Ducky, succeeding Danka Kordak of Slo vakia.

Chihuahua lovers were able to see their favourite breed showing off at the Gibraltar Kennel Club An nual Dog Show in September and at the British Chihuahua Club 2007 Championship Show in November following after the well-attended British Chihuahua Club Summer Open Show held in August in Hatfield.

Of the 2,000 dogs registered in Gibraltar, about 100 or so, maybe 101, are chihuahuas, but they are seldom seen on the streets as most of them have one owner, a very successful breeder.

Chihuahuas seldom end up as strays, not surprising given the price of several hundred pounds at which they are sold, and given that Gibraltar does not have a

problem with strays. According to the Gibraltar SPCA, the only stray dogs are the ones that find themselves straying across from outside Gibraltar.., anyway, a chi huahua escaping on to the streets of Gibraltar may be more likely to be snapped up as a tasty morsel by a marauding ape quicker than the dog-catcher could impound it.

The firstdog ever to have dined in the House of Commons is believed to have been a Chi, Mrs Thelma Gray's Rozave! Miguel. He wore a green jersey and a "diamond" collar, and the occasion was the an nual dinner of the British Mexican Society in December 1954.

Sad to say, despite acceptance in the dining room of the House of Commons, despite their size, and despite being no longer carried up the sleeve of their owner's jacket but in special secure carry-cases, chihuahuas are still treated as or dinary dogs. Fortunately,specialist hotels, such as the one in Marbella, exist to give the chi's warm and car ing attention should they need to be separated from their owner(www. tingdoghotel.com).

The public's interest in the chi huahua has grown since their discovery in 1850 in the state of Chihuahua in Mexico. Believed to be descended from Chinese hairless dogs — which may have crossed over from Asia to Alaska on a land bridge before continental separation created the Bering Strait — the modern-day chihuahua results from cross-breeding of the ancient Toltec and Aztec Techichi dog and now has a life-expectancy of 14 -18 years.

The distinguishing features of the chihuahua is its small size, large eyes, and large, erect ears and two varieties of chihuahua are recognized: the long-coat and the smooth-coat. The smooth-hair ehihuahua does not shed as much as its longer-haired brethren and the term, smooth-hair, does not mean that the texture or look of the hair is smooth as the hair can range from having a velvety touch to a whiskery feeling. In long-haired chihuahuas, a full long-hair coat might not even be present for up to two and a half years.

Chihuahuas have a tendency to tremble but this is not a health issue, rather it takes place when the dog is stressed or excited, one

According to the Gibraltar SPCA, the only stray dogs are the ones that find themselves straying across from outside Gihraitar

reason for which may bo because small dogs have a higher metabo lism than larger dogs and therefore dissipate heat faster. The devotion and personality of the chuihuahua means that they become outstand ing companions, with a natural curiosity, but without the correct training and socialization they are often stereotyped as being highlystrung. This may be because chi huahuas seem to have no concept oftheir own sizeand may fearlessly confront larger animals, which can result in injury — to the chihuahua mostly, but they have been known to see off larger aggressors in de fence of their owner.

Many chis not only focus their devotion on one person, becoming overly jealous of that person's hu man relationships, but also tend to have a "clannish" nature often preferring the companionship of other chihuahuas to other dogs... certainly it must help them avoid getting a permanent crick in the neck if they keep to dogs thei r own

•mall dogs make great companions, H 'Specially where exercise space is anH

tiny size,but it seems unlikely that packs of chis will band together to maraud through the streets of Gibraltar.

The first dog ever to have dined in the House of Commons is heiieved to have heen a chi... he wore a green jersey and a"diamond"coiiar

"The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner,""Lonesome Rine," "Only The Lonely," "It'll be Lonely This Christmas." There are thousands of literary references to loneliness and even more songs about the subject. The wistful, desolate, grey and white land with the constant howling wind whipping up the dust of long dead relationships, the tumbleweed of missed opportunities aimlessly rolling towards the distant greyness with no horizon whilst the muted tones of a lone bell tolls out the anguish of unrequited feelings to anyone who will listen. There you sit, your mind awash with the "whys? what ifs?" and "if only," usually ending up with "all

Loneliness is a very subjective state creating deep feelings of anguish and tearfulness, but it needn't be so. The big mystery to the individual is the reason for the loneliness. Self questioning is a constant companion to the lonely but self answering Is always away on holiday.

For some people living in rural settings — the changing seasons, the swaying trees, the cornfields undulating like an ocean swell and the cheerful birdsong — are bore dom in a box. Constant reminders that everyone else is living a 24hour party.

For some of those who live in bustling cities that never sleep, they see them as cold,anonymous, unforgiving, brutal and intrusive, and would trade an arm and a leg to sit on a grassy knoll surveying vast areas of empty space.

Coastal dwellers that crave mountains,mountain dwellers that idealise sun, sea and sand. Lone children that yearn for a brother or sister. Members of large families that long for privacy and recogni tion. Is the grass really greener on the other side?

One can be lonely in a crowd if that crowd does not share your interests, pleasures and concerns. How many times do we compro mise our values,do things we don't particularly enjoy, how many lame jokes and unresearched platitudes do we find ourselves smiling and nodding at so that we can feel part of the group?

A big, contributory factor to loneliness is self awareness. To become self-aware you need to spend time alone,find out who you are and whether you are happy to be you. If you aren't, then make a list of all your positive and nega tive attributes. Don't be concerned with other people's perception of you — deal with your own truths and you will have a fairly acurate picture.Look in your mental mirror — do you like what you see? Are you comfortable with the image you portray? What impact do you have on others and why? How does your behaviour, your personality, the things you say and do, affect other people?

It might seem a bit self indulgent to spend time looking at who we are, but there's a big difference between being self absorbed and self aware. The process can take quite a while and none of us want to deal with the negative side of ourselves.

Getting to know the real you will not happen overnight, but over time you begin a journey of self discovery and find you are not a bad person to know and spend time with, and you will become very comfortable with your own company.

Then re-evaluate your relation ships — friends, family,colleagues — are they bourne outof duty,habit or have you neglected someofthem and they need revitalising?

Engage in activities that nour ish the soul and bring that inward

I want."

Re-evaluate year reiationslilps —friends,family,colleagues—

are they bourue out of duty,habit or have you ueglected some oftbem and tbey need revltallslngP

smile of pleasure, and chances are that other like-minded souls will enjoy the same activities.

Examine what inputs to your life style are missing, that lead you to desire the external supply of them. Only you can answer whether any external input will fill the void, but also look at why the void needs to be filled.People often say they need another person to care for in order to feel whole without finding out why they felt like half a person in the first place.

There isn't much point in engag ing in relationships or friendships with people you don't particularly like or don't particularly like you. What peace will you find in rela tionships that are abusive, without respect and without love, or drain the life blood out of you with negativity?

Don't get me wrong — give support and encouragement when it's needed, but, to coin a phrase I learned from a very dear friend, know when to "stop, check and let go!" because unfortunately there are those who will take, lake, take from us — mentally, emotionally, never mind material things.

How much we give of ourselves is up to us. Life, love, intellect and social interaction are transactional comodities, not bargain basement give-away items. To share yourself with others is a special gift, but first you must share it with yourself.

How can you expect other people to want your company when you don't like it yourself?

Your memories can cause you to laugh, cry, cringe with embar rassment or simply smile, all in the comfort and privacy of your own sitting room,but it is your life and no-one else's, in all its glory — warts and all.

We all live on a spinning globe suspended in time and space,there are billions of us — all alone and yet all together.One person's loneliness is another person's blissful solitude. One person's mindless din is some one else's comfort.

People scour the world and its mysticism to find the answers to personal fulfilment, but in my ex perience many of the answers are already within ourselves. At any rate, the self is a dam good place to start the search.

Next time you look in the mir ror, stand a while, look yourself in the eye and say hello. The answer to loneliness could be staring you right in the face.

I would like to thank youfor reading my humble ojferings and wish you a very merry Christmas and Happy Nav Year as we do our small part in giving the gift oflove, peace and toler ance to all. Happy Holidays — fenny Ndiweni

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Tel: 200 77777

CHIROPRACTORS

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

Tel: 200 44226

Gillian Schirmer MA. DC, MMCA McTimoney Chiropractor, Clinic (Claudia's), 1st Fir, 58 Main St

Tel; 200 41733 After hours: 200 40026

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

COUMSFLLORS

Jenny Ndiweni Life Line Counselling Services

Tel: 00 34 653 216 136 email: jennyndiw0ni@hotmail.com

DENTAL SUROFOMS

Daniel N. Borge BDS MSc MFDS RCS(Eng| Borge Dental/Medical Centre 7-9 Cornwall's Lane Tel: 200 75790

Mike Clark BDS

The Dental Practice, Baudelaire House, 15D-1 Town Range Tel/Fax: 200 52882

Keith J Vinnicombe

BDS(Wales) LOS RCS(Eng) MF6DP(UK) Unit F5B ICC, 2a Main Street Tel/Fax: 200 40747 Emergency: 200 78756

PHYSICIANS

Dr Norbert V Borge FRCP(London) 7-9 Cornwall's Lane Tel/Fax; 200 75790

HEALTH STORES

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

OPTICIANS / OPTOMETRISTS

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

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

PERSONAL TRAINERS

Simon Caldwell

Complete Fitness

Unit G3. Eliott Hotel Tel: 200 51113

Isabella Jimenez BSc(hons) 216 Main Street Tel: 54002226 email: jimenez.isabella@gmail.com

Working for Families

A Working Group on Family Law Reform has been established by government. As well as includ ing four lawyers who habitually practice in the area of family law and officials from both Ministries, it includes representatives from Child Line, the Women's Associa tion, Women in Need,the Parental Support Group and the Citizen's Advice Bureau.

The purpose of the working group is to put forward proposals for law reform,which are intended to help those undergoing parental separation better to resolve dis putes so that children's needs are better met and proposals will focus strongly on whatchildren need and how parents can be assisted better to meet those needs during and after relationship breakdown. This work will form part of the complete overhaul of child protection legisla tion upon which the Government is working.

Reform to Family Law and sup port systems will be guided by the following principles:

• the interests of the child are paramount;

• in most cases it is in the interests of the child to have an on-going relationship witln both parents (if safe) — it's hoped through reforming the law and improv ing the system, both parents will enjoy quality on-going re lationships with their children, in more cases;

• minimising conflict and sup porting good outcomes for children and parents, where possible without recourse to the courts;

• state funding, such as legal assistance should be used to encourage dispute resolution in

the interests of the child rather than facilitate unnecessarily hostile, lengthy and expensive court battles;

• improving parental access to those services (including new ones) which will enable them to reach agreements;

• improving legal processes and access to the court to ensure speedy resolution and subse quent compliance with orders.

The Minister for Justice, Daniel Feetham, said "There were 121 divorces in Gibraltar in 2006. These are significant numbers for a small community. The reality however is that whilst a marriage may end, the family continues. The relation ship as husband and wife ends with divorce, but the relationship as mother and father continues a lifetime. The biggest single factor in the children's adjustment to their parents' divorce is how well the parents restructure their relation ship to continue to meet the needs of the child.

Where the process of separa tion is handled well, the adverse impact on children is minimised. Where separation goes badly and, in particular, where children are drawn into parental conflict, the effects can be profoundly damaging for children. Evidence shows that children in this situation are likely to do less well in life. They are more likely to do less well in school or to play truant.

The Government also intends to consult widely with the key stake holders, including parents'groups, voluntary organisatioas,and those involved in providing current services, such as the judiciary and legal professionals."

Spoons+Triangles

Releasing a debut album is every young bands dream, and one which is about to come true for local band The Spoons.

The Spoons — original line-up Giles Ramirez (vocals), Christian Hook(guitars), andChristianGerada (drums) — treat their audience to an extravaganza of funk, rock, catchyandmelodicheart felt songs which deliver very special mes sages toall kindsofpeoplebecause they are written from personal experiences and true encounters. Apart from the musical bond the band shares, they havealsobecome veryclosefriends and at timeshave met at the rehearsal room just to air their problems and mutually help each other "just like a psychologist would do in a therapy session," as they describe it.

The formation of the band was sparked two years ago by a con versation in which the musicians all said they missed playing in a band and decided to get together to try out some ideas for songs. A few days later they found themselves rehearsing inarehearsal room with

a host of ideas which in no time evolved into songs, some of which have made it onto their soon to be released debut album Triangles.

A lack ofbass players, forced the band to write material for a whole year on acoustic guitar, until an old friend, Victor Calderon, went to see the band rehearse and im mediately fell in love with their sound and decided to play bass for them. Ironically, Victor is a drummerbut hisgreatbass playing talent suited the band fine and he decided to stay.

While the name The Spoons was chosen simply because they found

it "fresh and modem and it some how fitted in with the sound of the band", the name of the CD, Triangles, does have significance and is based upon love triangles, infidelities, and all the stuff which goes wrong in many relationships — not that the whole content of the album is about this but some of the more poignant tracks are.

No newcomer to the hand scene, vocalist Giles Ramirez has been in volved in nine or ten band projects to date, but he states "1 am very confident this band will strike a note with the local audience due to the quality and nature of the songs

and the professionalism in which this project has come to fruition."

Giles adds that "Due to a clash of influences, the band has concocted a very fresh style promising to deliver something new to the local music scene."

Amazingly enough, considering theband only formed aftera casud encounter atthe 2005 NationalDay concert, major European record labels have already shown aninter est, although the musicians have pledged to keep all offers on hold until their commitment to raise money for local cancer funds has been fulfilled.

The band recorded Triangles during the summer of this yearat Double M Studios which belongs to Steven Mclaren who has been instrumental in the production and engineering of the album. A video for the song Everything is Eiferything has also been produced by Gold Productions S.L. in Spain

"Due to a clash of Influences, the hand has concocted a very fresh style promising to deliver something new to the local music scene."

and will air for the first time on 19th December at the GBC Open Day, once again to raise money for their worthy cause.

With performances planned both for Christmas and the coming year (dates to be confirmed at the time of going to press) the band also plan something big in support of their album release and were working in conjunction with I'lanet Projects to organise the event when the Gibriil-

tnr Magazine spoke to them.

The main aim of the release of this, their debut album, is to raise funds from sales for Cancer Relief, as the members of the band feel there's a lot more to be done lo cally.

The Spoon's album Triangles will be available in all music stores locally from 29th November. All profits from sales will go to cancer funds locally.

With performances planned both for Christmas and the coming year the hand also plan something hig in support of their album release Bntldi

Playing Your Cards Right

or Poker Etiquette on the Rock

'You slowrolled me?' ... 'Are you two coffeehousing?'

'His trash talk got me on tilt' — all this may sound like elaborate rhyming slang but in fact these terms are central to understanding one of the most important tenets of poker; Table Etiquette.

It can be an intimidating experience when one first waltzes into a casino to sit at a poker table, confident that the success experienced at the home game and the skill gleaned from hours of online play will be more than enough to compete with the regulars sat at the local casino games.It is a common mistake, and one that often takes the aspiring player down a few pegs and drags them grudgingly back to the drawing board. This is not due to any extraordinary gulf in skill levels or understanding of percentages, it all comes down to a fundamental grasp of how to behave at the table and this only comes with experience. If you can sit down comfortably knowing all the ins and outs and subtleties of the game you'll also find that you'll enjoy the experi ence that much more,and more importantly you will be welcomed back.Below I have cited a few examples from local games of incidents where a player has either not known any better or has had no regard for manners at the table.

Recently I played a game at Billy's bar over the border in La Linea, where a regular 50c/1 Euro cash game takes place daily at around 10pm. It was quiet on this particular night and only four players were sat around the table, only one of which was a stranger to me.Throughout the game 1 observed that the unknown player was not only making some very unorthodox bets but was also oblivious of how to act at the table. He had exposed his cards whilst a pot was still active half a dozen times and was constantly betting out of turn (betting when others still have the option to bet first). While all of this was fairly innocuous and common to the amateur I could see that sooner or later this player would be on the wrong end of another player's losing temper. About an hour into the game 1 got involved in a fairly large pot with another regular player, Paul 'Maximus'. I was certain I had been outdrawn on the last card, fifth-street. But having invested a large amount on the previous streets I felt that 1 had no choice but to reluctantly call for the value.

I called and my opponent showed me a win ning full house, beating my nut flush. At this point it is my prerogative whether 1 muck my hand or show it, but to my dismay the unknown

player on the table promptly flipped my cards over and exposed them to the rest of the table. Here is an example of exactly what not to do at the table. Touching another person's chips or cards is the ultimate taboo. To most players touching another player's chips or cards with out the player's permission is akin to someone probing their grisly finger in your pie at a restaurant simply because they want to know how hot it is inside.

Some misdeeds at the table are worse than others, and the following example is probably the mostsevere. This is called 'slow rolling'. The following example occurred some time back at the weekly £25 Rebuy event at the Gibraltar Casino. Two regular players were locked in a pot that would determine the eventual winner of the tournament, so essentially the outcome of this one pot decided the difference of £450. The last card, the river, came down and the first player to act immediately checked — giving player 2 a chance to act. He quickly moved all of his chips into the middle. Player 1 has two options at this point: Call or Fold. He looked down at his chips pensively, took several deep wheezy breaths,sipped his beer, drummed the

table with his finger tipsfor maybe three or four minutes staring all the time at his opponent intensely through his big drunk bloodshot eyes.Heslowly stood up,and then pronounced 'call' with a wry grin. The 5 cards on the board showed 3,4,4,A,K: Player 1 confidently turned over KK for a full house, FGngs full of Fours - moving his hands over the chips expectantly. Player 1, who had hesitated for so long, who had been painfully deliberating for nearly ten minutes,casually flipped over two 4s.This gave him four of a kind and an unbeatable hand.This would have been excusable if he had misread his hand or was inexperienced enough not to know the value of his hand;however,this player works for an online poker site and has nearly twenty years of play under his belt.

Another thing that you will find surprising is that even players who are well versed in the intricacies of poker etiquette will also know how to worm around them.

The last three months in Gibraltar has seen the usual faces at the regular event at the Gibraltar Casino. 'Tiger' Timmy Baybutt has been his usual self — talking tourists out of pots and outplaying the rest of us,Stuart'Omaha Legend' Lobb has been on an excellent run — turn ing up with the nuts on the tables again and again, Christopher Hirst made a mentionable performance at Billy's bar when he managed to build his measly 2 Euro stack into 200 Euros in a hour and half and Italian Diego Tiozzo has been consistently making final tables wherever he plays. The poker crowd is still thriving and growing.

The last poker event at the Gibraltar Casino before Christmas was held on 28th November, and will continue again some time in January. This last tournament drew a motley mob of local players and created that unique dynamic which occurs when certain players clash and fuse at the tables. When all local legends and new blood compete in the same event,the result is inevitably volcanic.

The last tournament drew a motley mob of local players and created that unlqne dynamic which occurs when certain piayersciashand fnse at the tables

Home Fashionsfor 2008

Wallpaper is back, that's the good news. Five years ago I threw all our wallpaper samples out, no one wanted wallpaper, it was all clever paint effects on the walls, but 2007 has brought back wall paper as the fashion statement for your home in a big way. We now have hundreds of wallpapers to choose from compared to nil at the beginning of the year.

The designs are bigger and funkier than ever before, fea turing a lot of pink and gold, wallpaper is really making a statement; most designs are so bold,that they are reaUy effective on only one wall, with a gentler coordinating colour way for the other walls. Wallpaper generally comes in a ten metre roll, just under half a metre wide, and it is best to bring in the measure ments of the wall you want to cover and let the shop calculate how much you need to order. Older walls and uneven walls will need lining paper;also very heavy wallpapers also need a lining paper.

Also making a huge comeback is the retro period, very square chunky looking leather sofas and interesting retro furniture, some with a colour lacquered finish gives a home an up to the minute look. Manufacturers have now realised that couples do not buy furniture to last a life time any more and we are selling a very reasonable priced product, that is good quality but does not bust the bank and can be replaced without guilt when the fashion moves on.

Colours for the New Year, bright and beautiful, orange and brown, bright puce with black. Black and white is still in, giving a very retro look. The fashion for curtains is very plain, letting the fabric tell the story. Curtains on eyelet heading, using the mini mum of fabric,so the pattern and designs can be more clearly seen, these are hung on unpolished metal poles.

So go on,be bold for 2008,let the colours and designs shout out at you and enjoy living in a wonderful surroundings.

school bag or someone's bed. For the nicer children, the shop also supplies Santa letters.

The story behind the shop is that Donna and her family were all devotees of dressing up,and when she and Paul moved to Gibraltar just 18 months ago she was disap pointed to find there was nowhere she could go to get the disguisesshe loves. So, as sometimes happens, she persuaded Paul (not that he needed much persuasion) to open a fancy dress shop themselves. Paul's other passions are darts and his membership of the RAOB — the Buffs.

Some other local shops do keep a few items in stock, but as Paul explained,"Our customers will find exactly what they want here, they just choose it and in two weeks or less it's in the shop." He asked me to remind readers to bear in mind the two-week rule if they are plan ning on ordering for Christmas.

He said that the prices are very sensible (even Darth Vader is su perb value)and that the catalogue price is exactly what you pay — no extras such as duty or postage and packing.And you don't have to buy a full costume — Paul told me that the range of masks is simply huge, and there are discounts on every thing for large party orders.

Disguise the limit

Havin' A Laugh is a proper joke shop with a good choice of practical humour, but more than that it has literally thousands of fancy dress costumes available, with delivery in two weeks — and sometimes quicker.

In stock are all the well-known favourite jokes, the most popular still being fake cigarettes, smoke pellets and stink bombs. Paul told me that stink bombs sell out as scxm as a batch arrives. And we've been blaming the refinery.

Paul's own favourite is the ex ploding cigarette lighter-but don't be too alarmed, he and his wife Donna assured me that everything they sell is completely harmless. 'Even policemen buy them,' she said, to prove her point.

Donna was serving a group of Westside girls who were buying sheriff badges for a party while Paul happened to be telling me that party paraphernalia are part of the shop's supplies, along with children's gifts and toys.

The big draw though,the unique selling point, are the catalogues containing every type of fancy dress imaginable. This is what has

caused Paul and Donna — both from Northampton — to become quickly established in their new business, opened only six months ago. "Father Christmas, Dracula, ghouls, witches, politicians, Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein..." he began but luckily he didn't name every one of the disguises avail able. He did, however show me the Darth Vader page in one of the catalogues,and I could imagine the panic it could cause in Main Street in the dusk. Fully metallic and to tally realistic, it is, as is every other one they supply, fully authentic and licensed. You can get an idea of the superb quality when I tell you the buying price; £800; but that is the top of the range - others start at £10.

The variety is such that it even encompasses fancy dress for dogs — some very suitable for National

Day — and for babies: Batman,for instance is very popular.

What about pirates? "We have toads of pirates, all types and for all ages," was Paul's immediate reply. Pirates are still a regular favourite, all the more so with the popular ity of the Pirates of the Caribbean films.

There is also a hire service for the more sought-after costumes, and Paul and Donna only hire each one a few times to ensure it is in good condition. They take their humour very seriously in terms of quality, efficiency and customer service.

Toys are cheaper,of course, with stocking fillers from 25 pence.They include devil's forks, miniature cleaning kits (dustpan and brush et cetera) fairy wings and wand sets, hippy kit.s, bubbles, whoopee putty and, horror of horrors, fake cockroaches — just the thing for a

It wouldn't be funny if I forgot to tell you where the shop is: it's in a corner in the Ocean Heights Gallery, just in from Queensway. The gallery is small, so you will easily find it — unless they have discovered a new line in invisible paint.

Havin' A Laugh is open from 10 to 5, Monday to Friday,but they can meet you after hours by arrange ment. The phone number is 200 41333, or Paul's mobile, 54005265. The only website they have is the one that comes with the Spider Man outfits.

"If you've thought of it then we'll almost certainly get it for you," said Paul of Havin' A Laugh.

"Our customers will flud exactly what they want here,they lust cheese It and In two weeks or less It's In the shop"

MAIN ST:ITS THE HUBI

Main Street; The thoroughfare that's much, much more trodden on than a two left footed, slow learning Strict/y Come Dancing rookie. It's the centre of Gibraltar's social action!

Since retirement I've frequented Main Street almost daily,especially as I live on it. It's the place where you meet for coffee, keep appoint ments, do your shopping, transit through for a dental or doctor's appointment or use just to getfrom A to B — and by the time all of that is over you will easily have said "hello" a thousand times or more by the time you exit at the other end. It can become your second home where you meet friends and family.

In my case, as a TV and Radio presenter, it becomes a bit of a long haul reaching the other end. It's either, "You know what you can bring up on your programme?"(a possible inclusion for Talk About Town on TV), or,"How about play ing such-and-such for me on the radio?" (for Yesterdai/ When I Wirs

It's all very welcome you know — it's nice to see there are people out there still watching and listening.

On the subject of saying "hello," I'm sometimes caught on the hop when I'm greeted on Main Street. Many say hello because of fa miliarity — "here comes a well known face," sort of thing — and I'm sorry if, on occasions, I'm a bit slow to respond. In other instances it's just that I'm deep in thought perhaps. There are other instances, and 1 think we're all guilty of this, when you're just not in the mood.

Even worse is when you purposely avoid someone, not because you owe them money or anything, no, because'es un pesao'— heor she'is a pain'! Come on own up,we've all done that at some time or other.

The alternative, if you want none of that and want to avoid our beloved Main Street and make a quick getaway, is to use Line Wall Road and Irish Town on the one side, or Town Range, Governor's Street and Engineer Lane on the other. But that's cheating!

When you eventually arrive at your place of choice in our main

by Richard Cartwright

walkway or down one of the side streets(cafd society has taken a grip in our city centre) you take a sip or two of your favourite brew mumble through a few more"momins"and get stuck into a serious browse through the Chronicle or the Gibral tar Magazine. In between that, it's interesting to see the same people walk past on their way to work or wherever each day.

I'm a people watcher, so always look smart and be on your best be haviour — Richard's watching!

There's always the poser. He or she will target the same shop window each day, where they can have a quick glance at themselves to see how they're looking on a new day! And it has got to be said that shops and shop windows come in very handy also, if you spot com ing towards you, your ex-mother in law who is no longer on your favourite persons list(perhaps she never was.) A quick dive into the shop, wait for a minute... and... she's gone.

In the Main Street 1 also watch an individual who avoids walking in front of the catholic cathedral,or so it seems. He bears right towards Latino's Diner,wiggles through the tables and chairs, round the back of the palm trees and then slides back into Main Street-proper past Princess Silks, The things you see in Main Street!

When there is a couple of cruise ships in, it's a Spanish holiday, or both, and you add to that a wed ding or a funeral, the poor road bursts at the seams—the buildings really need to be pushed back a bit on those occasions.

You hear complaints also, justi fied 1 reckon. Delivery trucks ga lore join the throng of those in the morning rush to work and school, making it very difficult sometimes for the elderly and mothers with prams. Drivers are extra careful I've noticed, but the ten o'clock deadline to complete deliveries is ignored somewhat because the job is not yet over,and the exerdse stretches way past10am. I've heard it said that shops don't open early enough and that's why vans and trucks are still hanging around delivering after ten.

So now it is Christmas time.Dec orations are everywhere confirming the fact. You don't need to lookata calendar.Anyway the mad rush all around my coffee cup is evidence of this — all is not well!

"I've left it all too late this year. 1 just don't know how it has hap pened." "I've got most of my presents, but 1 can't for the life of me think of what to get my husband's brother, or his dog or parrot, even."

Yesshoppers areeverywhere and the Christmas buzz is all around.

I'm a people watcher,so always look smart and bo on your host bohaviour —Richard's watching!

Fashions may have changed since this 1930s picture was taken, but the essence of Main Street remains the same

Hey,let's not forget the pigeons and bicycles. They don't take a break during the festive season.

The powers that be went about 'shrinking' their numbers a while back — the flying things not the cyclists — but there is a lady who is determined to keep them wellfed in the hope that they're able to multiply. She draws scores to her person by showering them with seed and bits of bread.

The young cyclists produce a chorus of, "Oh! Why is it, there's never a policeman around when you need one." Poor RGP bobbies, always getting lots ofstick. But,one day someone is going to get heavily bruised or worse with the speed those kids twist and turn around us as if we were traffic cones.

As the shadows begin to grow the street begins to empty and by around 7.30 or 8 it is quietening down a bit. The power hoses are turned on and the cleaning task begins. They do a good job, espe cially the two guys that I see down my end of Main Street.

By ten o'clock Main Street is sleeping. There's almost no one around, nothing like our neigh bouring town of La Linea. Seven o'clock is when the town springs to life there — nothing could be more

Icontrasting.

What's missing then? Trees? We have those, but some people think they look a bit skimpy. Maybe the fear is that they'll start crashing into buildings if they get too big, or maybe they just need more time to grow bigger and bigger. The lollipop ones down the southern end of our Main Street are nice aren't they?

Time waits for no one, not even in Main Street and another year is out and now we have to prepare for a new one.Come 2008 you have to get yourself ready nice and early and set off towards your coffee rendezvous in our most important thoroughfare.The stops on the way will probably go something like this..."Good morning,Happy New Year," says you. "Same to you," says the other. "We'll see what this year brings," responds you...(here, there's a short pause)... "Well," says he or she, as if they've just invented the perfect reply for such an occasion, "as long as we're in good health, that's the mostimpor tant thing."

Next year and the year after that, and the one after that one,the same conversation will take place right there in our, Main Street. So,I'll see you there...

A Christmas Carol called "Gibraltar"

Charles Wesley, along with his more famous brother John, was the co-founder of the Methodist Church and a prolific writer of hymns and carols including Hark the Herald Angeis Sing and one titled Gibraltar.

why he called this particular car ol Gibraltar is lost to time. There is no mention of the Rock in the lyrics, which celebrate the birth of Christ. Perhaps he was moved to write the carol while he wasstopping over in Gibraltar one Christmas.

GIBRALTAR

To us a Child of royal birth, Heir of the promises, is given, The Invisible appears on earth. The Son of the God of heaven.

A Saviour born, in love supreme

He comes our fallen souls to raise, He comes His people to redeem With all his plentitude of grace.

The Christ, by captured seers foretold, Filled with the eternal Spirit's power. Prophet, and Priest, and King behold. And Lord of all the worlds adore.

The Lord of hosts, the Gods most high. Who quits His throne on earth to live. With the joy we welcome from the sky, With faith into our hearts receive.

Charles and John first visited Gibraltar in 1735 on their way to Georgia, then a new colony in America.

The brothers went to preach and spread their message but Charles also worked as secretary to the Governor James Oglethorpe.

Charles didn't fare well in the hu mid Georgia climate and returned to England in 1736,again travelling via Gibraltar. Hi.s first selection.s of hymns(he would write more than 5,500) was published in 1739 and proved immensely popular.

In his journal he writes of a trip to London and being robbed by a highwayman before being sent to Gibraltar.

"Tues, October 11th, I set out for London. After a mile's riding my horse fell lame. 1 sung the 91st psalm, and put myself under the divine protection. I had scarce ended,and turned the hut,on Shotover-Hill, when a man came up to me and demanded my money, showing,but not presenting,a pis tol. 1 gave him my purse. He asked how much there was.

'About thirty shillings' 'Have you more?'

'I will see.'

1 put my hands in my pocket, and gave him some halfpence. He repeated the question.

'Have you no more?'

1 had thirty pounds in a private

pocket, bade him search, which he did not choose. He ordered me to dismount, which I did,but 1 begged hard for my horse, promising not to pursue him. He took my word,and restored him to me. I rode gently on, praising God. My bag, and watch, and gold, the robber was

forced to leave me. By the evening I reached Westminster.

Fri, October 14th, I was informed at the office that I was to go in three weeks with the Lieutenant-Colonel by way of Gibraltar."

At Gibraltar Charles was im pressed by the number of believers he encountered and maybe that was what inspired him pen the carol. He wrote,"It seems provident that we should spend a little time at Gibraltar, where both citizens and solders, high and low, young and old, acknowledged their day of visitation."

The year 2007 marked the 300th anniversary of Charles Wesley's birth (18th December,1707)and for most of those 300 years worshipers have been singing Wesley hymns and carols all over the world.Some of his best-known hymns, besides Hark the Herald, are: Christ the Lord Is Riseu Today; Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise; O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing; And Can It Be; 0 For A Trumpet Voice.

Charles and John were born at Epworth, Lincolnshire and both at tended Westminster School and lat er Christ Church, Oxford. Charles formed the Oxford Methodists in 1727, the name arising from what fellow students called his'Methodi cal' study habits. John joined the movement soon after and became its leader in 1729.

Charles died in 1788 and John (born 1703)in 1791.

Methodism has been part of Gibraltar since 1769 when soldier Henry Ince held a Methodist meet ing in his home.

The Methodist Church of Gibral tar is located at 297 Main Street and is home to the Carpenter's Arms a cafd where onlv non-alcoholic beverages are served. There is also a Christian bookshop with a video lending library.

Methodism is a group of his torically related denominations of Protestant Christianity and an estimated 75 million people worldwide belong to the Methodist community.The United Methodist Church is the largest Methodist denomination. In the US it is the second largest Protestant church.

Charles Wesley wrote many hymns anil a Christmas carol curiously named 'Gibrattar"

In hisjournal he writes of a trip to London and heing rohhed hy a highwayman hefore heing senttoGihraitar

17th-20th, 24th-26th January 2008:

Oh yesitIs!it's Pantotime

As much as mince pies and turkey, pantomime is a solid Christmas tradition in Britain, successfully brought to British Gibraltar by the Trafalgar Theatre Group, the amateur drama club started by military personnel, but enrolling in its ranks more Gibraltarians at every production.

And in Gibraltar their pantomime has also be come synonymous with producer and director Margaret Seed, besides being January's cultural highlight, since it is usually staged between the Three Kings'Cavalcade and Carnival, when fun activities for children are a little slower than during the holiday season.

Unlike London's pantos which nibble at politics and bask in kinky innuendos for adult audiences, Margaret's version is aimed at chil dren — although grown-ups are guaranteed to enjoy their fair share of chuckles — making it the only event in the drama calendar to cater for very young families. It is actually a valuable introduction to theatre, and often kids are so im pressed they go on to audition for the following

year's production!

After bringing down the house with Little Miss Miiffet, Smnv White, The Wizard of Oz and Sleeping Beauty, Margaret Seed is all set to do it again with Aladdin, ambitiously featuring her largest cast ever; over 40 actors, singers and dancers, half of which are pre-teens.

Amateur pantomime is a family affair for actors and spectators alike, with daughter Harriet cast in the title role, and son Tim as Pee Cee Wung Ttx), one of the stupid policemen."I couldn't do it without Harriet," Margaret con fesses, and in fact, despite her young age, Har riet has all the numbers to take up professional acting, as she has proven in her many previous stage appearances — besides a penchant for panto she has undertaken some challenging roles, like Gwendolen in The Importance of Being Earnest last April.

Frankie Hatton, having accustomed panto fans to applauding his Dame gags, is for a change giving face and voice to the evil magi cian Abanazer, which promises to be'absolutely terrifying'. One of the mostserious and coveted roles in light theatre, washerwoman Widow Twar\key, is played by Kavron Pozo — ward robe master Peter Scott, is already designing some outrageously ridiculous costumes to fit the part.

Contrary to popular belief, reinforced by animated versions, the story isn't set in Arabia, but in China, quintessence of the fabulous Far East, where Abanazer tricks young Aladdin into searching a cave for the magic lamp that will give him unlimited powers. Finders keepers, Aladdin recovers and rubs it, releasing the Genie (Tony Jurado)who turns him into a rich prince, able to win the favours of Princess Jasmine (Becki Wylie),daughter of China's emperor King Chewy Sucy(Dave Smith)and empress Queen Farmee Annee(Lindsay Jennings). But Jasmine is unaware of the lamp's powers and candidly surrenders it to Abanazer, who is disguised as a merchant trading new lamps for old.

So Aladdin, his cheeky brother Wishee Washee (Denica Shute) and their mum Widow Twankey begin their quest, helped or perhaps hindered by a posse of hilarious characters like inept policemen Pee Cee Wung (Nadine Gonzalez)and Pee Cee Wung Too (Tim Seed), the Vizier(Rachel Shovclton),Sing Song(Karen Oliveira), Prince Dung Pong (Anthony Loddo jr), the Executioner (Mario Prescotl) and two Mystical Slaves of the Ring (sisters Laura and Anna Felices).

A colourful chorus of adults, teenagers and children, too many to name them individuaUy, will vocally commentate their misadventures, with live music directed by Kate Madden and dances choreographed by Angelique Acolina, on the backdrop of sets designed and man aged by Steve Morley, who already proved his architectural skills with the ingenious decor for the group's entry to the 2007 Royal Navy Drama Festival.

This production,Steve and his team of artists will have to measure up to several quick set changes without stopping the action flowing from the Chinese market to the laundry,from the gardens to the notorious cave,and even manage a little deus ex machina, making a flying paiaa appear and disappear!

There are no excuses to miss this pantomime because,after premiering on 17th January,it will run for six soirees Oanuary I8th,19th,20th,24th, 25th, and 26th) and three matinees (19th, 20th and 26th) and tickets are affordable indeed:£6 and £5,from the Ince's Hall box office,310Main Street. Concessions are available for both Thurs days' performances: groups of ten or over will be charged a mere £3 per seat and receive one free ticket for every five purchased, Book yours from Margaret on telephone 200 50355.

Pnakia Hatton stnits his stuffas a dame in last year's panto productioa

Wardrobe master Peter Scett, is already designing some eutrageousiy ridiculous costumes to fit the part

All Christian Santos wantsfor Christmas

Having in just a few months established a reputation as the full-time impresario on the Rock with strong connections abroad, Christian Santos and his company Santos Productions is committed to delivering a string of quality entertainment events for local consumption, from last summer's young talent contest to National Week's exploit El Susto, from the forthcoming All I Want For Christmas, to future fresh ideas bubbling in the pipeline.

Back to his native Gibraltar after a meteoric six-year career on Dis ney cruise liners and Disneyworld in Japan, Christian has put his impressive curriculum to good use to dive head first into professional showbiz.

As the season almost commands, All I Want For Christmas is a heart warming story with a moral and a message of togetherness. However, this variety show starring Chris tian Santos, Felicity Sardena, Star Search winner Jesse McLaren and runner-up Coriarme Brooks, isn't sugary or tatty, but actually jovial, lively and targeted at children, the real protagonists of the Christmas season.

Playwright and actor Christian doesn't rule out the audience leav ing the auditorium with teary eyes, though, because the moving plot is about many different characters introduced in brief cameos telling their life stories to the distraught teenager who kicks offthe action by wishing her divorced parents were back together for Christmas.

Toss in some quality dance num bers by Danza Academy, Pointes, Urban Dance and the Gibraltar Academy of Dance and the vocal accompaniment of St. Anne's and

Santos Productions choirs and you have the perfect recipe for a true treat under the tree!

If that isn't enough, expect also the traditional visit from Santa,

straight from the North Pole to the John Mackintosh Theatre's stage — if he can find suitable parking for his reindeer outside, that is...

Christian wrote the script to this

fantastic musical comedy while working in Japan, where Christmas Day is just any other working day, but the atmosphere is made eerie by the heavy commercialisation of the holiest holiday in the Western calendar, completely voided of its religious significance. Hence, homesick Christian dedicated his nostalgic efforts to rescue the true spirit of Gibraltarian Christmas which was drowning in the Tokyo bright lights and gargantuan sushi banquets. His oeuvre was ready at the end of 2006 and what better opportunity for him than to stage it on its first birthday and his first Christmas spent in Gibraltar after such a long absence?

In the new year, Santos Pro ductions won't rest on its laurels — while munching on mince pie leftovers, the team will be well ahead with rehearsals for their grand opus Elegiesfor Angels,Punk and Raging Queens by Bill Russell and jane Hood,involving a cast of over 30actors and singers perform ing monologues on the sensitive subject of AIDS.

Expect

The 90-minute interval-less com edy-drama is meant to take the audience on an emotional voyage through very personal experiences

also the traditional visitfrom Santa, straightfrom the North Poio to the John Mackintosh Theatre's stage

Severalfresh talents have been given a chance to dehnt in this amhitious spring production

ever\'one can relate to, that are still regarded more like taboo topics with stigmas attached rather than a late 20th Century pandemic caus ing so much grief to sufferers and their families.

Several fresh talents have been given a chance to debut in this ambitiousspring production which may prove controversial and haz ardous in a community accustomed to light plays,but Christian believes this is both a wonderful break for up-and-coming artists to make themselves known and for specta tors to face the uncomfortable truth in a poetic manner, able to draw smiles, tears, anger and guaran teeing that nobody will come out untouched.

Expect something totally differ ent from El Susfo... Ai/ Qiie Miedo! the divertissement Christian Santos and Richard Mor wrote exclusively for Yanito audiences,set in a surreal spooky castle that has much more in common with any of our Cibraltarian estates than we care to admit! In fact, Santos Productions doesn't want to be pigeon-holed as just a revivalist of'patio culture' theatre, but wants to explore many avenues of dance, music and drama,fluidly fusing them in colourful fast-paced extravaganzas.

Santos Productions is also in volved with experimental educa tional schemes witli a social impact, to introduce youngsters to visual and performing arts through selfexpression. Incooperation with the Youth Service,Christian will launch a ten-week pilot project next spring, to help teenagers to creatively chan nel their emotions and concerns and freely convey their issues in a safe environment.

Not enough? Polyhedral Chris tian is the musical director of a performing choir of over 20 chil dren — new choristers are always welcome — looking into ways of staging High School Musical next summer. All this while co-writing with Richard Mor their new mas terpiece, expected to be unveiled in 2009.

All I Want For Christmas will be staged on 13th and 14th December, at the John Mackintosh Theatre. Tickets on sale at £10 from 1st December.

Tamarin Twins at the Alameda Wildlife Park

Last month the Alameda Wildlife Park welcomed the birth of a pair of Cotton-topped Tamarin twins. The cotton-top tamarin is a small monkey about the size of a squirrel. It weighs less than 0.5 kg (1 lb). The proud parents. Itchy and Scratchy, were brought to the park in 2006 as part of a Breeding programme with Newquay Zoo, UK.

Cotton-top tamarins are one of three Amazonian species of tamarin and are found in a small area of northwest Colombia. They are listed as endangered. It is estimated that there are only between 300and 1000 cotton-top tamarins left in the wild and there are 1800 in captivity. Un like humans,it is quite the norm

for Tamarins to give birth to twins. To cope with this responsibility, both parents will take an active role in rearing the young. After the first week riding on mum,the babies will be passed over to the male, who will take over much of the hard work, very much a new age dad!

When the youngsters grow up, they will remain with their parents

and help to raise their siblings, this ensures they have experi ence in rearing o^pring for their future reproduction. Parental behaviour is not instinctual but learned, and both males and females that are inexperienced are unsuccessful caregivers.Ob viously this pair of tamarins has this valuable experience as they have settled into their parental roles with ease.

Cotton-lop tamarins live for an average of 13.5 years, up to 24 years in captivity.

In the wild,cotton-top tamarin eat insects,fruit, plant exudates, and nectar. At the Wildlife Park, staff aim to follow the animals natural diet as closely as pos sible, feeding the tamarins,fresh fruit, mealworms, crickets and arabic gum.

Visit the Alameda Wildlife Park to see the tiny new arrivals, or visit the website to see more, pictures and information www. gibraltargardens.gi

Whenihe youngsters grow up.they will remaiu with their parents aud help to raise their siblings, this ensures they have experience in rearing offspring for theirlnture reproduction

Nathan Hale and the iNan from Gihraitar

John Montresor wasborn m Gibraltar on 22nd April 1736 to British military engineer James Montresor and his first wife Mary Haswell. In his teens the young Montresor worked as an assistant engineer at Gibraltar and in 1754 he accompanied his father to America to fight the French in the Seven Years War.He was wounded in a battle near Detroit but went on to take part in the successful siege of Louisburg and the defeat of the French at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham,Quebec.

Following the defeat of the French Mon tresor remained in America where,speaking in Huguenot, he elicited oaths of allegiance from the French peasants left behind. He also took part in expeditions to survey the countryside and made maps of the Atlantic region and the St. Lawrence River. He designed and built forts on the Niagara River as well as a series of blockhouses and a gravity railroad along the Niagara Portage.

When the American Golorues rebelled in 1776 Montresor remained loyal to Britain and took part in battles in New Jersey and New York, He was present at the Battle of Long Island and was at the execution of Hale.

Hale was a Lieutenant in the Continental Army and had volunteered to be a spy,infiltrate behind British tines and report back on troop movements. He was captured and taken to Brit ish headquartersin New York City where he was questioned by General William Howe.

Montresor was present and is reported to have been very kind to Hale allowing him the use of his office and giving him pen and paper to write letters to his family. Under the rules of war at the time spies were hanged as illegal combatants. On 22nd September 1776 Hale, just 21, was marched to an artillery post next to a public house called the Dove Tavern (today 66th St and Third Ave)and hanged.

Montresor was deeply moved by Hale's brav ery and received permission, under a white-flag of truce, to cross lines and tell Captain William Hull about Hale's death.

It was Hull who subsequently widely pub licised Hale's last words. Because Hull didn't witness the execution some historians question the reliability of his account. But in his memoirs

Hull quotes Montresor:

"On the morning of his execution my sta tion was near the fatal spot, and I requested the Provost Marshal to permit the prisoner to sit in my marquee, while he was making the necessary preparations. Captain Hale entered: he was calm, and bore himself with gentle dignity, in the consciousness of rectitude and high intentions. He asked for writing materials, which 1 furnished him;he wrote two letters, one

to his mother and one to a brother officer. He was shortly after summoned to the gallows. But a few persons were around him, yet his characteristic dying words were remembered. He said, "I only regret, that I have but one life to lose for my country."

With those words, passed on to posterity by a Gibraltar-born soldier, Nathan Hale became a national hero.

There were conflicting versions of his speech reported by newspapers including,from the Es sex Journal of 13th February 1777"...and that if he had ten thousand lives, he would lay them all down,if called to it, in defence of his injured, bleeding Country." And in the Independent Chronicle of 17th May 1871: "I am so satisfied with the cause in which I have engaged,that my only regret is, that I have not more lives than one to offer in service."

But whichever one is correct the essence is the same and the one reported by Montresor is the more eloquent.

Hale's body was never found but statues abound and his family erected a cenotaph in Nathan Hale Cemetery in South Coventry, Connecticut.

When the war was over Montresor sailed to England and was called on to testify on the con duct of the war. He resigned from the army in 1779 and purchased an estate at Belmont,Kent and had a residence in Portland Place,Londoa^ He died in 1799.

Nathan Hale is a revered American patriot who, when he was about to be hanged, declared,"I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." The reason we know Hale spoke this famous line is because of John Montresor a Gibraltarian who fought against the Americans in the Revolutionary War.

Montresor was deeply moved by Hale's bravery and received permission, under a wbite-flag of truce, to cross lines and tell Captain William Hull about Hale's deatb

IZ-^GATE, computers

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Tel: 200 50612

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Gibraltar Dyslexia Support Group

P.O.Box 1359 Tel: 78509

Mobile: 54007924

Email: info@gdsg.co.uk

Send completed crossword to: The Cannon Bar, Cannon Lane. Gibraltar. One entry per person.

first PRIZE: Lunch for 2 at The Cannon Bar

Winner notified in next issue of The Gibraltar Magazine.

Closing date:24th January 2008

LAST MONTH'S ANSWERS: Across 1. Vermicelli, 8. Skein, 9. Visitor, 10. Railcar, 11. Marat, 12. Raisin, 14. Answer, 17. Topee,19. Termini, 21. Environ, 22. Batty, 23. Tortellini. Down:

Across

5) London thoroughfare where the Great Fire is thought to have started (7,4)

7)

9)

Small bird (4)

Where boats are tied up(8)

Joining together (7)

11) Dreamer Walter's surname(5)

13) Obsolete English coin worth about four pennies(5)

14) Founder of famous waxworks museum (7)

16) Discipline(8)

17) Cubes with numbered sides used in gambling (4)

18) Often these were the source of schoolchildren's first earnings!(5,6)

Down

2)

1) Old British military base, now in Yemen (4) Precious stone - one of a suit in a deck of cards(7)

Ice house(5)

Tom Wolfe wrote Bonfire of the (8)

Marriage-or business arrangement(11)

Haifa pound (5,6)

10) Part of a church at right angles to the nave(8)

12) Seasonal cake- you might put it on the fire in the same season!(4,3)

I15) Passionate(5)

17) Citizen of Copenhagen, perhaps(4)

After a 25-year long career in fine arts, including exhibitions in Glasgow,Lloyd's talent waseventu ally put in his homeland,Gibraltar's spotlight, with his first compre hensive solo exhibition hosted by restaurateur Patrick Sacarello.

The popular coffee shop,intellec tual rendezvous in the heart of town, was for three weeks decorated with a selection of Lloyd's landscapes, figures and still lifes, so diverse in style that very few art connoisseurs would at first glance realise they had sprung from one palette.

Lloyd is full of surprises and the most astonishing is perhaps the iiber-modern, stylised Nude in Mesh with subtle fetishist un dertones, clashing with the rest of 'politically correct' artwork on dis play, but just baring Lloyd's genial versatility — he dares to experiment with the possibilities offered by the fusion of paint,painted and painter. The outcome is a graphic depiction of jet-black netting clinging to the woman's every curve.

Miles apart is Lloyd's artistic view of the Rock from La Linea's western waterfront — viewing the large picture from afar, the onlooker is struck by contrasts between ethereal clouds and tactile, rock-solid Rock, the play oflights and shades and the blase connection with perspective. Getting closer, one can appreciate the detail that makes this grand picture... grand. Most unusual for a landscape, yet so typically Gibraltarian,is the exquisite feature of the brightly coloured cars queuing at the frontier.

Quaint views of Gibraltar's old town make up a large slice of Lloyd's production, from the Piaz-

zella to nostalgic recollections of how Market Place looked when tall palm trees where sculpting its sky line;from day and night-time views ofthe Horseshoe Bar and The Candy Shop, Town Range, to Casemates and St. Mary's Cathedral, almost compulsory in any Gibraltarian artist's portfolio.

Another stroke of creative bril liance is the picture titled hicinerator, singled out for the courageous subject matter. Even the technique is bold, with thick blobs of oil paint applied to the canvas like embroi dered beads. The 'full frontal' view of the incinerator's chimneys with the Rock slopes in the background, in a fashion we are accustomed to seeing in paintings of the Europa Point's Mosque,but with the twist of bestowing the title role on an 'ugly' object, audaciously proves beauty can be everywhere if the beholder knows how to recognise it.

Tlte Strait ofGibraltar is a congenial theme to Lloyd, and his thus titled entry to the 6th Spring Art Exhibi tion earned him the Alwani Foun dation Prize in 2004 — the picture is still on the market and would beautifully open a trompe-l'oeil window on any blank wall.

Inspiration spans the Strait for this ambience-capturer who has found his match in busy Moroccan markets, where the buzz is sug gested by nervous yet vivid brush strokes,and figures are just sketched

like anonymous ghosts engrossed in their routine {Kayseria).On the other hand, Goiri^ to the Market, Tetouaii which landed Lloyd Chapman a high commendation in the 2006 Spring Festival, is a soft fantasy in neutrals which well captures the demure mood of any hazy day at this mountainous city.

Lloyd moves easily through the tricky world of still natures, too — although cliche bottles, pots and fruit don't seem to be his forte or tickle his fancy, flowers and leaves take centre stage with a modern, fresh Vase of Roses that acrylics transform into a soft, spontaneous, explosion of colour. The oils used for V/7SCS of Flowers allow more energetic and defined interactions, layering the composition as if it was flowing out of the canvas. Lloyd seems to let his colours break loose and conquer the blank space.

Colour at its finest, handled with a technique that borrows from Im pressionism and flirts with abstract, is the protagonist of Romen'a, where the layout follows the procession like in a Greek temple's frieze — the captivated spectator can almost hear the Sevillana figure in the fore shout "ole!"

Lloyd Chapman's interest in balance, detail within the bigger picture, and colour harmony comes from the fact he studied photog raphy in College, and became acquainted with history of art, and

In College

rules of perspective and composi tion. However, he is a self-taught painter who has never been afraid of experimenting — capitalising on those poetic licenses photography limits.

Seeing through his eyes rather than the camera lens and manually crafting his artwork relatively slow ly, instead of the instant mechanical snapshot,also allows him to explore his inner emotions,since the creative process stirs in him varied feelings, which he hopesshow in the finished product.

He doesn't restrict himself to any particular style and lets the hand follow the heart, drawing — or sketching — in situ as much as pos sible (curiously, he doesn't paint from photographs) and trying to complete every work without inter ruptions or distractions.

Theoretically, artists could spend all their life on one painting, re touching and improving until they believe it has achieved perfection, or they die trying, but Lloyd be lieves that excellence cannot exist in practice, so when he's satisfied with something, he just moves on to a new project. He casts aside whatever isn't up to his standards for later, or in the worst case scenario for the reject pile, without torment ing himself with ifs and buts which just hinder new ideas.

In fact,learning by one's mistakes means progressing, while inspira tion from history of art's most glori ous movements, from Renaissance to impressionism, facilitates the discovery of his own path.

Lloyd can he contacted at the Ham mer Art Gallery,87 Governor's Street, lelcjibone 200 75900.

A quiet gentleman, Lloyd Chapman speaks volumes through his paintings through which a vibrant world is unleashed in often fluid, often thick and nearly bas-relief use of oils and acrylics, and cheeky dips in gouache.

Lloyd Chapman's Interest in balance, detail within the bigger plctnre,and colonr harmony comesfrom the fact he studied photography

Student Bares allfar Charity

"I consider myself to be high on life and I have a strong desire to experience and learn about other cultures and customs,"says James Clinton who is undertaking a degree in animation and is currently in Gibraltar taking a year out from his studies.

James, who is seriouslv into swimming,surf ing, horse riding, running and roller biading,is depicted as a lifeguard for the month of July in Breast Cancer Support Gibraltar's 2008 Men at Work calendar.

"My hobbies allow me to escape from the pressures of society and 1 feel most at home when surrounded by nature" he explains. "Through some of my life experiences I have developed a strong awareness and the selfconfidence which enables me to do whatever I want to do and not to worry about what people could say."

When James finished school, barely 18 years of age, he decided he wanted to go away and support communities in Africa as part of a team of charity volunteers with Project Trust. He spent a total of eight months in Knysna, South Africa, living and working in a school helping people of all ages and diverse backgrounds to have the opportunity to learn, experience and appreciate the importance ofsports and outdoor activities.

"just after leaving school 1 entered a model ling competition which 1 won, and although I had entered to experience something very

new and different to what 1 was used to 1 was quite overwhelmed by the experience. Mount Productions and the JM Memorial Foundation were very supportive after that and they as sisted with funding to enable me to take part in the project.

"The help 1 received from virtual strangers whosaw my potential opened my eyes in many ways. The voluntary work was organised by ProjectTrust,an educational charity located and founded on the Isle of Coll. They have been or ganising voluntary work since 1967and are well known in the UK with different programmes in 24 countries.

"I learned a lot about myself and developed a more positive outlook during my time there. I survived living in the mountains and learned to appreciate everything I have in Gibraltar. I

realised how unique Gibraltar is without seri ous crimes, discrimination or hunger. People are fighting and dying around the world just to have what we take for granted. In these places one man's rubbish is another one's treasure."

Despite volunteering to take his clothes of for the Breast Cancer Support Gibraltar's 2008 Men at Wo/k calendar, James has not had close contact with women affected by breast cancer and claims to be a little unaware of the hardship and suffering that cancer causes to families.

"1 haveonly read and watched documentaries about cancer and these tend to be more of a scientific nature. However that does not mean that 1 am ignorant and can't begin to imagine how scary and frightening the whole experience can be. Many people think that it is not going to affect them and they have nothing to worry about but 1 think in this day and age when we are exposed to so many unnatural processes and so much pollution we really need to take stock and be aware that our lifestyles need to be checked.

"We need to realise how fragile we all really are and that any day could be our last even if we are not affected by cancer and that awareness really creates a very spiritual and philosophical way of living.

"During the launch of the calendar on 15th November I realised how much those women affected bv cancer appreciated the effort that we had made to raise funds and awareness aiid I am really happy that I was asked to take part in this project. We need to help each other in order to ease the pain and share the love. And that is the best way to live...

"If taking my clothes off for the Meti at Work calendar can help raise money for those in need and creates more awareness in the process that gives me great satisfaction. I hope that all the photographs bring smiles and lots ofexcitement to all the ladies going through a rough patch. I dedicate my participation to all the women diagnosed with breast cancer. Keep on going and don't worry about what the doctors say: Life is full of surprises!"

"The help I received from virtual strangers who saw my potential opened my eyes in many ways"

James as he appears on July in the Men atWorkchartty^ calendar

t: V./'-wxt photos bV LeslWUpaifle^

The habitats found around Gibraltar's coasts are quite varied: there are the sea cliffs, the sand slopes of the east side, the rocky foreshore at Europa Point, and the artificial rocky shoreline provided by reclamation works. They all have one thing in common: they are exposed to extreme weather conditions which include lack of fresh water, exposure to the full blast of the sun and, last but by no means least, exposure to sea salt.

Plants growing in these habitats are well adapted to these condi tions. They are usually covered in fine hairs that reflect sunlight and reduce water loss, or else have a waxy coating with the same results. These coverings usually give coastal plants a grey-green appearance.One such species is the sea medick(Medicago marina), This member of the pea family is quite

rare locally, at present only being found on Western Beach and on the rockssurrounding Harbour Views. It used to be fairly common on the

East Side before being obliterated by all the dumping occurring in the area in the early 90s. The flowers are about 7 mm long, and the seed

pods are coiled up tightly to form hairy spheres. The whole plant is covered in soft grey hairs.

A plant that has only recently been added to the local flora list is the Moroccan mallow (Lavatera mauritanica subsp. davaei). This is 'quite common all round our coast line, but because of its similarity to the tree mallow {Lavafera arborea), it has escaped being noticed. The plants are up to 1 metre tall, and the flowers 2 to 4cm across. Many plants can be seen on the mound at Europa Point.

The cineraria or silver ragwort {Senccio cineraria) is a shrubby perennial up to Im tall, with greygreen leaves and yellow flowers about 1.5 cm across. It is common on southern parts of the Rock from Hole in the Wall to Camp Bay.These showy and attractive plants are popular as ornamental in gardens and parks.

An unusual and rare plant is the shrubby glasswort or marsh sam phire {Arfhroctiemum fruticosum). This is a plant that commonly grows in salt marshes and river estuaries. These habitats are today absent from Gibraltar, but condi tions are right for them to have established themselves on a sunken barge by the slipway at Western Beach, where there is a small popu lation. The spreading shrubs can be up to 1 metre tall. The stems are fleshy and segmented.The flowers are yellowish, insignificant, grow ing from the stem segment joints. Developments earmarked for the area will signal the obliteration of this species from Gibraltar.

The wild carrot(Daucus carola)is a common and well-known coastal plant that is found all round our coastline. The hundreds of tiny white flowersform large umbrella like heads, which can be from 10 to 20 cm across. Although the flowers are white, the central one is purple and looks as if some sort of fly has landed on it.This may be an evolu tionary adaptation to attract insects for pollination.

The sand reichardia {Reichardia gaditana)is found on sandy soil,and

The tinyflowers are usually grouped together to form rounded heads of manyflowers

marsh samphire

so is common on the East Side. It is also found on North Front Cem etery and on the rockssurrounding reclamation areas.The flowers are 4 to 6 cm across, and the yellow flo rets have a purple base. The leaves are thick and tough, with a waxy coating to protect the plant from

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Scientist of the Music Haii

As the commanding voice of the magnificently bewhiskered singer rose to a climax with the stirring words,"They never shall have Gibraltar", and he emphasised them with a salute and a thunderous "NOI",the audience, patriotic hearts stirred to the score, rose as one and saluted him in return. The applause rolled like a volley of cannon fire around the room. Someone at the back shouted,"God save the Queen!" And here and there a lady dabbed a suddenly moistened eye with her handkerchief. No need to ask, of course, who "they" were.

Bu" MacMeill wasa brilliant

pupils FootRule,his powerhil rant against g leng

was destined to the metric system was also pretty ^ popular,butin Victorian Britain the OlitSllinC Ulfilll 3ll idea that pints, pounds, shillings

by Dave Wood

and pence could be under serious threat was really too daft to laugh at,so The]/ Neivr Shall Have Gibraltar had the edge.

With his gift for the telling phrase and his engaging way with a rous ing tune, there is little doubt that pilly Rankine, had he chosen to take that route,could have become a music hall star to rival the likes of Marie Lloyd, Vesta Tilley and Little Tich. But "Billy" was merely a party piece;a character pulled out of the cupboard occasionally to en tertain his friends. Most ofthe time, William John Macqorn Rankine, deep in whose soul "Billy Rankine" lived, was a far more serious fellow, and a brainy one to boot.

in any case, an announcement that he planned to seek a career on the music hall stage would have broken his poor mother's heart and almost certainly resulted in his father cutting him off without a penny, so it was perhaps wiser to let "Billy" live in the attic of his dreams and allow him out only on high days and holidays and under strict supervision.

Names tell more about us than we know,and the moment we hear the name"William John Macquom Rankine"we are aware, before a single snippet of biographical information is laid before us, that we are not dealing with the sickly offspring of a lowly crofter. No; William John Macquorn Rankine, bom in Edinburgh on 5th July 1820, was the son of David Rankine,scion of one of Ayr's most prominent and well respected families. His grandfather, Macquorn Rankine of Drumdow,was the source of his cu rious,butimpressive middle name. His mother,Barbara(maiden name Grahame), was the daughter of a Glasgow banker,and both branches of the family tree were heavy with the fruit ofold Scottish prestige,no bility and money. Members ofsuch families did not. Heaven forbid, go onto the stage."Billy" Rankine never had a chance.

William fared much better. The recordssay he was educated at Ayr College,the Glasgow High School, and the University of Edinburgh, but most of his early learning came in private tuition from his father. He was, it seems, an insatiable pupil who pursued knowledge with boundless energy. He had a particular affinity for mathemat ics. Not the simple maths of one plus one equals two,but the higher maths that leave most of us bewil dered. William was one of those lucky little brainboxes for whom it was all ridiculously simple; the kind of swot who gets mercilessly scragged at school by the normal boys. Maybe it was better after all that he did most of his lessons at home.

teacher,and the soon-to-he distinguished

one.Rankine

His precocious genius was soon rewarded. In 1836, when he was a mere 16 years old, he was awarded a gold medal for an essay on the "Unduiatory Theory of Light" that he wrote without any help from his dad, honest. But musing on the unduiatory theory of light was merely the lazy relaxation of his idle hours. In the daytime he studied botany, natural history and chemistry — practical and theo retical. And,fearful that the world might consider him a sluggard, he simultaneously developed a formi dable passion for and knowledge of French and German literature.

But he was getting on. He was now 18 and it was time to stop faff ing about and decide exactly what he wanted to do with his life.

What he really wanted to do, of course, was to don a striped waistcoat and a bowler hat and strut his stuff in the limelight, but his brainpower was not equalled by his courage, and that yearning was relegated with a sigh to the daydream drawer. Instead he chose to become a civil engineer, and to that end became a student of Sir John MacNeill. MacNeill was a brilliant teacher, and the list of his soon-to-be distinguished pupils is a long one. Rankine was destined to outshine them all.

Between 1839 and 1841, under MacNeill's masterly supervision, he worked largely in Ireland, on projects for harbours, water works, and railways, for which he showed a particular flair. In 1842 he produced a pamphlet that must have had would-be readers fight ing in the streets to be first at the bookstall. Its title was. An Experi mental hupiiry Info The Advantages of Cylindrical Wheels on Railways, and the controversy that its daring conclusions provoked in pubs and bars across the land can only be imagined.

In the same year. Queen Victoria visited Edinburgh and it was decid ed to light a bonfire in her honour. Naturally, the lighting of a bonfire

in honour of her majesty could not be left to any available serf with a pile of rubbish and a match, and William John Macquorn Rankine was summoned to oversee this demanding project. He designed a magnificent fire with radiating air passages beneath the fuel, and why he wasn't immediately re warded with a knighthood remains a mystery. He was,however, made a member of the Royal Scottish Society of Arts, and a year later he became an Associate of the Institute of Civil Engineers.

He rose rapidly to the top of his chosen profession, but given his in tellect and the freedom with which it had been allowed to develop, that is hardly surprising. While still in his 20s, he worked on the construc tion of the Clydesdale Junction Railway and other schemes far too numerous to mention in a short article.And with each year the hon ours that were bestowed upon him grew.Fellow ofthe Royal Society of Edinburgh (1849), Member of the Philosophical Society of Glasgow (1852), Fellow of the Royal Society of London (1853).

In 1854 he pocketed the Keith Medal of the Royal Society of Edinburgh for his work on ther modynamics, and a year later he became Regius Professor of Civil Engineering and Mechanics at the University of Glasgow. To carry this off successfully, he needed a beard, and true to form he grew a magnificent specimen that made the wispy efforts ofother men seem like the down on a peach.

Genius never sleeps. At all hours of the day and night, and in every

circumstance, however trivial, it prods and goads and twists its niggling knife in the brain. In 1856 William Rankine was caught in a storm. While most of us would simply have run for cover and sheltered until the rain stopped, Rankine took to wondering about the stability of chimneys. And, needless to say, his concentration on this challenging problem led to many practical and worthwhile innovations.

He got an honorary degree from Trinity College in Dublin, but by that time had probably become so blasd about such things that he hardly bothered to mention it in his CV. He was writing books (Applied Mechanics, Manual of the Steam Engine and Other Prime Mov ers, Manual of Civil Engineering), he was giving lectures, he was working on projects and doing important research. Who can forget his groundbreaking paper. On The Thermodynamic Theory of Waves of Finite Longitudinal Disturbance? Try setting THAT to music!

But through it all, down deep inside, "Billy" Rankine, the music hall star, still stirred. Even as the distinguished, serious, and emi nently sensible William Rankine pored over the problems of ships rolling at sea and trains rushing safely around bends, or delivered scholarly lectures to learned soci eties the length and breadth of the country, somewhere in a frivolous corner of his imagination, "Billy" Rankine was wowing them down at the old Bull and Bush.

This inner voice was not entirely silent. "Billy" wrote poems and

j songs, and made regular appear ances at dinner parties and conviv ial social gatherings of friends to perform such fruits of his whimsy as The Coachman of the Skylark, The Engine Drwer To His Engine, and Ode In Praise ofthe City ofMullingar. ■But it was undoubtedly They Never Shall Have Gibraltar that made the biggest impression. He had hit a chord, and he played it with the skill of a master.

WilliamJohn Macquorn Rankine achieved great fame in his lifetime. His work, though it frequently seems arcane and even dull to the man in the street, was truly revo lutionary and of major practical importance, not least to those of us who find it incomprehensible.

"Billy" Rankine was to remain relatively unknown until his outer shell, William, died in Glasgow on Christmas Eve, 1872. Any death on Christmas Eve is poignant, but there is added poignancy in the fact that though he died at the comparatively early age of 52, both his parents and his only brother predeceased him. Rankine never married, so in effect, the family died with him.

His scientific work was more than enough to ensure William's enduring fame, but it took a certain Mr MacLehose and Mrs Blackburn to earn at least a little of the same for "Billy". MacLehose published a collection of Rankine's songs and humorous pieces under the title Songs and Fables, for which Mrs Blackburn, an old friend, provided illustrations.

There can be little doubt that William Rankine went to his grave a proud man, acknowledged as the primary founder of the science of thermodynamics. But given a chance, would he have surrendered it all for just one night on the stage in Drury Lane? Probably not. It was enough that the restless soul of "Billy" Rankine should leave behind a handfuI ofsongs, and fond memories in those few who were privileged to know him.

William Rankine wentto his grave a prond man,acknowledged as the primaryfounder of the science of thermodynamics.But given a chance,would he have surrendered It all for Just one night on the stage In Drury LaneP

Charlie's Collectihles, Horse Banack Lane Tel; 7D411

IDccano^

Saturday 1st December

Gibraltar Breast Cancer Support Group — an awareness morning plus sale of Christmas Cards & Breast Can cer Support Group at The Piazza. For info email: breastcancergib@gibtelecom.net

Wednesday 5th & 6th December

Trafalgar Theatre Group Christmas Charity Concert "Holly & Hooch" at the Garrison Library 8pm. Tickets: £6.00 (includes mince pies & mulled wine) available from the Garrison Li brary. For info Tel: 200 77418

Thursday 6th b 7th December

Tiny Tots Nursery Christmas Show

"Santa's Bedtime Stories" at John Mackintosh Hall Theatre 6pm. Tick ets £5 available from Tiny Tots Nurs ery, Grand Parade. For info Tel: 200 45895

Thursday 6th December

Horticultural Society Christmas Exhi bition at John Mackintosh Hall Lower Exhibition Room. Entrance free. For info contact John Mackintosh Hall Tel: 200 75669

Friday 7th December

Bash X (GBC Open Day Concert) at Rock On The Rock Club

Saturday 8th December

Bash X Acoustic Concert(GBC OpenDay) at Rock On The Rock Club

Monday 10th December

The Gibraltar Philharmonic Society Christmas Gala Concert - The Euro pean Sinfonietta. Conductor: Karel

Mark Chichon. At Sacred Heart Church 8.30pm. Tickets available from Solomon Levy Estate Agent - Convent Place & Sacarello's Coffee Shop, Irish Town. For info and credit/ debit card purchase contact Angelo Tel: 200 72134 Email: tgpsoclety® gibtelecom.net

Thursday 13th £r 14th December

Santos Productions Christmas Show

"All I want for Christmas" at John Mackintosh Hall Theatre at 7.30pm. Tickets £10 available from John Mack intosh Hall ticket office. For info con tact Christian Santos Tel: 58008448

Friday 14th December

Overdry + Agnus Dei at Rock On The Rock Club

Saturday 15th December

Gibraltar Botanic Garden Tour. Meet at George Don Gates (at the south end of Grand Parade) 3pm. There Is no fee but donations are welcome.

For info Tel: 200 72639 or Email: a!ameda@wildlife.gib.gi

Tuesday 18th December

Ft The Gibraltar National Choir Christ-

mas Concert"Carol by Candlelight" at Cathedral of the Holy Trinity 8.30pm.

Tickets: £10 available from House Sacarello's, Irish Town. Children un der 5 years free. For info contact Lili OliveroTel: 54831000

Wednesday 19th December

GBC Open Day (in aid of Local chari ties) 9.30am to 6pm - Radio road show at the Piazza followed by TV va riety show from 9pm. For further info contact GBC Tel: 200 79760 or email: openday@gbc.gi

Wednesday 19th & 20th December

Gibraltar Academy of Dance"A Christ mas Cracker" at John Mackintosh Hall Theatre. Tickets available from The Art Centre - Prince Edward's Road. For info contact Paulette 57292000

Tuesday 25th December

Gala Casino Christmas Day. Entrance £15 per person available from the Slots Cash Desk. These tickets will give the ticket holder access to the bar only. For info contact Tel: 200 76666

Wednesday 26th December

Traditional Boxing Day Polar Bear Swim at Catalan Bay Beach 11.30am

Friday 28th December

Christmas Party - All The Answers

-f Sugar Plum Fairies + Neuman at Rock On The Rock Club

Monday 31st December

Gala Casino "New Year's Eve" Gala Dinner Dance b Breakfast at Gala Ca sino. Tickets £55 pp available from the slots cash desk. For info Tel: 200 76666

Gala Casino New Year's Eve. En trance £10 per person available from the Slots Cash Desk. These tickets will give the ticket holder access to the Bar and Gaming Room areas only. For info Tel: 200 76666

New Year's Eve Celebrations Farwell to 2007 - Welcome 2008 at Case mates Square. For info contact Minis try for Culture Tel: 200 48063

17th-20th, 24th-26th January

Pantomime - Aladdin - Trafalgar The atre Group at Ince's Hall. Tickets £6 and £5 from the Ince's Hall ticket of fice (groups of 10 or more £3). Mati nee and evening performances. Tel: 200 50355 for info.

MRS GIBRALTAR 2008

1st Annual Mrs Gibraltar contest, Mrs Gibraltar 2008 will take place on Fri day 15th August at the Alameda Open Air Theatre. For further Information and application form contact Glam our Creations 54000377 or e-mail:

fresh tomatu and iiio//.ari'lla saiiid anil crlsiiv iioialu wedges

Chicken & Mushroom Pie £5.50

ClitTs Innnnnade i riisi> iii|ii)cd pie .served with homeroade chips

Admirals Prime FTliet Steak £11.50 Served wilii Mnshrooni. Pepper. Braiidv »r Biinrhon saure. homenuide chips saiad ganilsti

Fillet Of John Dory £7.25

I'rrsh flilrl of Jiilm llorv i.ioked In n green peslosuuee and tupped wHti cheese au gradn

Chilli Con Came £5.75

llonieimide i lillll served nn a hed nfriee

Spaghetti Bologiiaise £5.25

l\pk'iil Itslian pasta aish witt I'ypk'iil Italian pasta ^ish with minced in^al Qt luniato sauci*

Lasagne ,£5.50

T'Ik- iliman rnviiiiiite.layers nf pasla and mliHt'd tieei: wrv^ will]homemade rliips

11 MS Breakfast £5.00

2 egg. 2 vinsages.2 rashers or barnii, luasi, miisltmums,Inmalues. twked beans, and rliips

Vegetarian Pasta Baked £5.25

Siaigtieill iviikisl in a rirli iiimiiUi snnre.Iniqied wllJi cheese and halved in the riven

Steak & Ale Pie £ 5.50

Our civvii steak & ale pie served with Inniiemade chips

Swordflsh X7.75

Sciveii ellher pinlti grilled, with gartie butler or with a tomato and basil sancE the choice is yours.

Chicken curry (ni) X5.50 tliniieinade rliicken cnrry served nn a bed of rice. aiHitheriit'our cheT.s specials fnini liieStar Har.

Breaded Scampi X6.75

Sui'cnirnl scaiii|>i needs nii Inlnxlucijun.served vvilii our lioniL-made chips and a .salad garnish

The chefs special of the day please ask your waiter

We iilso serve a range of Home made Pizzas, Btirritos, Jacket Potatoes, Burgers & Sizzlers

Gibraltar Live Music Societv

Venue of the Year fe All Matches Live Home to tlio Gilymllw kugliy Ctiili

GIBM

c;SeMAT«a» A R M Tar

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FREE Win giBRMTar i GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2007/JANUARY 2008 69

Frost

Dolls Down Under...

Donna Montegriffo speaks to Christine Mandleberg about her participation in the latest Heirloom Doll Artisans Competition Held in Australia recently.

I've just comeback to earth from the magical world of fairytales. There were fairies galore as were witches, Cinderellas,Snow Whites, little red riding hoods, big bad wolves, etc. and I saw them all in real life — they really do exist! I've also seen them doll-sized, the most exquisite fairytale porcelain look-alikes in the world and they were down under in Australia. The venue was in the outskirts of Mel bourne near the tallest mountain in Oz, Mount Dandenong which has commanding views of the city of Melbourne. It was the biggest Doll Convention for two-years in Australia and the theme was Fairy Tales.

The Doll Artisan Guild, whose base is in New York, holds large doll conventions every two years in America, Japan, Germany, Aus tralia and England. Porcelain doll artisans from all over the world are invited to participate and have the chance to meet the best doll makers in the world, attend lectures, enter competitions and find outabout the latest doll making products.

The venue, Dorset Gardens, brought together a few hundred doll makers and friends of the doll world with exquisite one-of-a-kind dolls. These aren't just everyday dolls, they are so realistic and so human-like they seem to talk to you with their eyes.

I took three of my own creations

which were all highly admired and obtained ribbons.One was a repro duction of an antique 'Jumeau', playing a harp which was entered into the Automata section. The most difficult thing to do when creating an antique doll is getting the face painting exactly to replicate the original, the eyebrow shaping, the colouring of the eye shadow, lips and cheeks—this is what gives the antique dolls their'look'. Lady Olympia, as I had named her, has glass eyes,just like the antique and they have to be the exact colouring as the original would have been 150 years ago, for example green eyes were never used.

I worked my Jumeau entry, Lady Olympia's costume, in exactly the way they used to make them in the 1860s, with the boned corset, long petticoat worked in shadow

embroidery and an abundance of authentic lace, the bustle, a purple silk skirt, trimmed with ecru antique lace and a rich purple velvet overcoat. When the key on the back of her skirt is turned she plays Edehveiss on her white and golden harp (1 cannot take credit for this, it was my husband's clever craftsmanship).

My second entry was a modem doll dressed as a young flower girl. With a modem doll one can use all of your creative talents. 1 chose to paint her eyesin the DDP technique (dimensional doll painting). They look so real that she seems to tell me that she's enjoying picking flowers and putting them into her basket. Her petticoat is finished with insertion lace and pleats. Her long blonde wig is made from the softest purest mohair and,just like

the antique doll, it is soft and silky like a young girl's hair would be. On her feet she has a pair of tra ditional 'Clarks' style ecru leather sandals, which I've replicated from a real pair. Next to her feet she has a galvanised watering can decorated with some pirrk flower motifs and some assimilated water dripping from the spout from where she laid it on the ground (a technique worked by my friend Donna Mon tegriffo the Dolls' House Builder & Miniaturist).

Also accompanying me to Aus tralia was'Momy' V2,as my third entry to the original dolls category. He was greatly admired by all who saw him,especially as he was one of the few male dolls. Don't tell the real Momy but he was'pulling' the Australian ladies like a magnet.

We spent three days attending lectures and workshops. What a surprise 1 got when one of the top dollmakers from America, Carla Snells, was giving a lecture about making expressive dolls and as an outstanding example she used my doll 'Mr Cellophane' (based on the character in the film Chicago and which became my pride and joy when it won Best in Show in Chicago in 2005). After the lecture I received numerous comments from people who had either been in Chicago at the time or had seen my 'Mr Cellophane' in prominent doll magazines.

1 made lots of new friends, met some old ones and had the golden opportunity to improve my doll making skills. Like all crafts, there is always the opportunity to learn more.

One thing that can be said about the Australians — they do like to party! At the end of the five day seminar they staged a fancy dress dinner dance. Everyone was transformed into a magical fairy tale or fable character. 1 dressed as Maid Marion whilst my husband Eddie was Robin Hood and my brother Richard Friar Tuck(he just changed into his old habit). From the minute the doors opened the different fairy tale characters of elves, fairies, witches, wolves etc. danced the night away.

IffAt this dinner 1 was presented with the most prestigious title that a Doll Artisan could ever wish for, the highest title in the doll world 'The Triple Crown of Dollmaking'. So highly acclaimed is this title that there were only about20'Master of Dollmaking' titles awarded,about 7 'Grandmaster of Dollmaking' (a title which I had previously received in Chicago) and only 2 'Triple Crowns'awarded.

Feeling highly elated, but sad to say goodbye to all my doll friends I proudly returned home to Gibraltar until the next Convention.

Don't tell the real Momy but he was'pulling' the Australian ladies like a magnet

At the leading edge of contemporary dining in Gibraltar

5 Cornwall's Lane, Gibraltar

Reservations: 49199

Email: thyme9ib@h0tmall.com

www.dineatthvmG.com

A Spooky Night Out

A Halloween theme party orgised by Party4kidz was held on 31sl October at The Mount. The highlight of the event was by far the presence of an assortment of SPOOKY costume characters roaming around the grounds. The area around the main hall was con verted into a labyrinth of horror.

The kids, of course, loved the interaction with all the characters, ranging from ghosts to zombies and the event was well attended and thoroughly enjoyed by all.

The Gaucho is a South American Cowboy,a wan derer who lives on horseback and calls the vast open plains of The Pampas home.

Gauchos are fiercely protec tive of their culture. They are poetic and proud,and as tough they are romantic.

mSeabreeze Launderette Party 4 Kidz

Wastiing,

Cleaning bv Professional Trained StafT Tel: 2(K) 475S9!54023397

Religious Services

Bahia Tel: 200 43637 for meetings.

Bethel Christian Fellowship Tel: 200 52002. 47 Qocutiswav Sunday service at Ham.

We look forward to sharing this rich culture with you in Wateiport Casemates. This will be a new experience for you to savour.

Call 59700 to reserve your table.

Church of England Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. Tel 200 78377 Sung Eucharist.

Sunday 10.30am Sunday SchoolChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Suite 21a Don House.30-38 Main Street. Tel: 200 50433. Sundays 10am.

Church of Scotland St Andrew's, Gov ernor's Pde, Tei: 200 77040. Worship 6

Sunday School 10,30am. Bible Study

lues 7 30pm, Evangelical Bretheren Assembly,QueenswayQuay. Sun 11am,Tues Bible Study

6pm,Thurs Prayer Meeting 6pm.

Hindu Engineer's Lane Tel: 20042515.

72606.

Methodist 297 Main Street Gibraiiar Tel/ Fax 200 40870 email min(Ster@meiho(list.org.gi Minister: Revd Rdel Patron.Sun day 1 lam Morning Worship,8pm Evening Service. Prayer meetings Monday and| Wednesday to Friday 7pm and Tue 8pm. Communion celebrated on 2nd( 4th Sunday mornings of the month,i other special occasions. Alpha held Thursdays8pm.House Groupsr for Christian fellowship, prayer and t on a regular basis Monday, Tuesdayi Wednesday evenings. Sunday Sch meets Sunday mornings alongsidef ing worship.

Roman Catholic Cathedral of St Maiyl Crowned, 215 Main St Tei: 2001

The Cityline Church 13 Castle : Tei: 200 75755 email; citylinegiblj hoo.com. Meeting: Tues 8pm,:

David's Back at Birdies

David, very well-known after many years at the Hong Kong Restaurant in Market Lane, is back with a new venture, this time in Watergardens, and this time called Birdies Cafe Restaurant. A keen golfer (hence the name of the cafe), David is pleased to welcome clients old and new for Chinese food, tapas and British fare. Call in and say hello.

Some Christmas cards carry the inscription 'Season's Greetings'. This is apparently in order not to offend the sensibilities of those belonging to a religion which does not recognise Christmas as a festival. The logic of this argument always escapes me, since the greetings of the season are 'Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year'. So the card is still about Christmas. But the euphemism does no harm and if it keeps people happy then so much the better.

There are of course euphemisms designed to cause trouble: using 'bathroom' when you mean 'toilet' (or equivalent word) can lead to an unfortunate accident if there is not a bowl of the right sort in the bathroom to which you are shown. US motorway signs refer to 'comfort stations'. And this is before we have got into political correctness, let alone titles — with dustmen becoming'refuse disposal operatives',shop assistants turning into'sales executives'and vinegary table wine being 'a marvellous ac companiment to all meat dishes'.

Use of the word 'democratic'im mediately puts you on the side of the angels — and suggesting that another person's words or actions are undemocratic is the equivalent of assigning that person to eternal darkness. Even though democracy has nothing to do with wine(except that the political systems usually associated, however loosely, with people power generally tend to al low for freeish trade and therefore you can savour wines from outside your immediate neighbourhood), the wine trade has nevertheless got in on using this soon to be meaning less word.

The wine may be produced in a democratic way; it may com memorate a democratic milestone; it may even be a democratic wine. (In which case an undemocratic wine may be preferable.) Demo cratic'rights' are regularly invoked, whether of free speech, the right to strike or being able to park a car. None of these rights (which would more correctly be called liberties or privileges since none of them involves a corresponding duty on anyone else) has anything to do with democracy. So next time you see a democratic right being claimed, examine the claim closely.

Apologies for that diatribe, but the language needs a certain amount of looking after. Losing a useful adjective like 'democratic' so that it becomes a label of praise without any thought behind it

would be a pity.

On to the democratic right to enjoy the festive season. This must involve some fizz, although, like the Ritz hotel, it is available to all provided they have democratically earned enough to afford it.

Starting at the top,inspect Anglo Hispano's range of vintages. Atthe rather aristocratic price of some £200, you can pick up a Krug Cristal. Leaving aside the enjoyment of the contents(on which I am sadly unable to report), the bottle itself is a thing of beauty and will be a joy on your corner table forever, provided you avoid the temptation to stick a candle in it.

Moving to more democratic lev els, the Widow (Veuve Clicquot), Moet and Louis Roederer, all at about£25,are splendid. 1 know not why, but 1 have never particularly liked Mumm Cordon Rouge, but that would not stop me accepting a glass if offered.

At the more proletarian end (re membering we are still in the Ritz, but now sleeping in a broom cup board)do not ignore lesser names at some £12 upwards, including Morrison's own label which should not be sneered at. It is the real thing at a (comparably) very reasonable price.

For those who cannot do better than sleep on the pavement under the hot air vents just outside the Ritz there are fizzes galore. Lindauer, from New Zealand, is probably the most reliable and can safely be adulterated to make a'champagne' cocktail or a Kir Royale.

On to the reds. If you are having a tasteless turkey then no wine can improve it. Recently,one of the es teemed publishers of this magazine kindly presented me with a bottle of red he had picked up in Spain for 60 cents. Go for that with a turkey—it was actually better than it might have been. But under no circumstances spend good money on a stupid bird (one of the best pieces of advice ever given to me by my father).

Nothing beats a decent claret with your beef(or possibly goose). The aristocratic ones require an aristocratic wallet unless you have your own cellar. Democratic clarets require careful thought. A cru bour geois from one of the great houses will be good, of course, but keep a look-out for the second labels. These are the wines which are not considered quite good enough to be called Lafite (or whatever) but which are still very good. Cha teau St Georges (£28 from Anglo Hispano), a 'junior' Medoc, is an example.

Proles will have to rely on good old Morrison's claret at £3.39. I do not dismiss Spanish,Italian or New World wines with the Christmas meal but 1 am an old fogey(with a decent cellar). If you want a good Rioja, there are plenty about in the £10-£20 range.

For pudding it is likely to be champagne again or,if you must,a sweet white. This could be where the local Malaga white comes into its own. Sauternes, Muscat de Beaumes de Venise and other supposedly wonderful names are over-priced cough medicine.

Having doubtless exceeded your budget over Christmas, you still need to celebrate the New Year. Keep back one bottle ofchampagne but enjoy the rest of the time at the cheaper end. Morrison's have a Chilean Cabernet at £4.89 which is most enjoyable. And Barbadillo always goes down well if the sun "1 is shining.

Democratic greetings of the season to all.

Lanson Rose Brut Champagne from fVlorrisons

CHAMPAGNE LANSON F**f set.

I know not why, but I have never particularly liked Mumm Cordon Rouge, but that wouid not stop me accepting a glass if offered

The Boatyard

Queensway Quay Tel: 200 50540

Stylish dining right on the ijuaysideat Queenway Quay. Lunch and dinner served including appetisers of honey roasted figs, blue cheese & walnut stuffing, or warm tiger prawns,avocado & n:d onion salsa, lime ginger & palm sugar vinaigrette;salads.such as Thai poached chicken breast, Asian herb slaw, toasted coconut'nuoc cham' dressing, and mains to tempt you including crab crusted seabass fillet, sweetcom and chive mash, steamed asparagus,fennel & watercresssalad,or grilled rack of New Zealand lamb, cumin roasted chorizo & potato,steamed green beans,flamed peppers,rosemary & red wine jus. Sharing plates for 2 people include Australasian, Thai/Asian and Modern European (ie: spiced lamb cutlets,chorizo & beefskewers, warm tiger prawns with avocado salsa, chicken and mushroom risotto balls.

Open; 12 noon to 12 midnight.

Cafe Solo

Grand Casemates Square. Tel:200 44449

Modern Italian eatery set in the lively Casemates square. Everything from chicory and crispy pancetta salad with walnuts, pears and blue cheese dressing,or king prawn,mozzarella and mango salad to pastas(eg: linguine with serrano ham, king prawns and rocket; smoked salmon and crayfish ravioli with saffron and spinach cream)to pizzas(eg: Vesuvio spicy beef,cherry tomatoes,roasted peppersand red onions;and Romana chorizo, black pudding, egg and pancetta)and pizzas (eg: Quatto Stagioni lopped with mozzarella, ham, chicken, pepperoni and mushrocim) and specialities such as salmon fishcakes, beef medallions and duck. Gwd daily specials menu on blackboard.

Cafe Rojo

54 Irish Town.Tel: 200 51738

Sleek modern comfort in this relaxing little restaurant. Red comfy arm chairs in separate area for a relaxing drink or coffee. Brunch menu (10am-I2pm) includes cidbatla, granary foccacia sandwiches with fillings such as pear and blue cheese,smoked bacon and brie, cheese and honey roast ham,delicious desserts(choco late mousse in a must). Lunch 12 - 3pm and dinner

7-lOpm includes salads of coconut coaled langostines (deep fried in a coconut batter, sweet chilli and ginger dressing); and warm goats cheese & fresh spinach with sautt^d mushrooms, croutons, basil & balsamic dressing; pasta dishes such as langostine pil pil;saut^ chorizo, chicken and langostines; and fresh salmon & spinach; and main courses including chargrilled fillet steak; wrapped chicken; lamb shoulder; and fresh salmon fillet with sesame crust. Open: from 10am. Closed all day Sundays, and Sat urday lunch.

Casa Pepe

18 Queensway Quay Marina. Tel/Fax; 20046967

Situated right on the water front at Queensway Quay, Casa Pepe has a comprehensive a la carte menu whidi includes dishes such as melon & Serrano ham,stuffed piquillo peppers and filled mushrooms to start, fol-

lowed by a choice of salads, rice and noodles and fish, poultry and meat dishes which include King Prawns Macarena(cooked with fresh ginger, tomatoes, mangos and bananas served with basmati rice, fried bread and bananas). Medallions of monkfish cooked with white wine and lobster sauce, duck breast Armanac-style (with Cognac, mushrooms and pine nuts). Medallions of pork loin cooked with Serrano ham and dry Jerez sherry and fillet steak Malaguefta cooked in creamy garlic mushnxims and sweet sherry sauce topped with prawns. Wide range of tapas/ raciones also available. Open: Monday to Saturday 11am till late.

Glaus on the Rock Bistro Unit 14 Queensway Quay. Tel: 200 48686 www.clausontherock.gi

Bistro, grill and lounge with international menu served on the quayside for lunch and dinner. Try Lebanese mezza plate (humous, eggplant, tomato, onion and pita bread),Scottish smoked salmon with toast,capers and onion, or sashimi as a selection from the starters, or from the grill how about fillet of beef, entrecote, brochette of salmon or king prawns, or mains of Thai red chicken curry, Mauritian chow mein or Indonesian chicken sate. Delicious desserts include French creme brulee and baked banana flamb^ with ice-cream. Defi nitely a pleasant place to dine.

Open:Lunch & Dinner. Closed Sundays.

Gauchos

Walerport Casemates Tel: 200 59700

Nestled just next to Walerport roundabout within the city walls. Recently opened by renowned local restaurateur Andr^ of the Tunnel fame, Gauchos of fers some interesting dishes with a tempting South American Gaucho theme. Try the Chorizo Criolla de Argentina(spicy sausage grilled over coal and wood), or the Mariscos del Rio Plata or Empanada de Queso Azul (blue cheese oven baked in a black pepper pasty) to start, or for main course perhaps the FUlet

AwcirJ winning breakfastsfrom 7.30am

Great meals & snacks all day

Evening Steak House menu

Med Golf Clubhouse

Tottenham Hotspur HQ

Parliament Lane Tel: 200 75924

de Salmon Chimichurri(salmon with grilled banana, mango and avocado sauce),or Crepe Argenteuil(with grilled asparagus and wild mushrooms), or one of the steaks (lots from Lomo de Alto, Solomillo, and T-bone to Corazon de Cuadril - tender heart of rump, well matured). There is lots more too — Parrillada de Guacho (for two - steak, sausages, chicken, pork and lamb),salads(try the Remolacha Tostada con Queso de Cabra - t«ty goat's cheese salad) — and the desserts are to die for too! Now also open lunchtime Monday - Friday 12.3()-3.30pm- They say "this is a great experi ence for you to savour".... give it a try! Call 59700 to reserve vour table.

The Rib Room Restaurant, Rock Hotel Europa Road Tel: 200 73000 E-mail: rockhotel@rgibtelecom.net

www.rockhotelgibraltar.com

With stunning views over the bay,the restaurant at the Rock Hotel has gained two coveted A A Rosettes forit.s food. High standards of service and cuisine but you won't need an arm and a leg to be waited on hand and foot! A glass of Manzanilla and an appetiser welcomes diners and the 'house' and la carte menus offer a range of dishes that reflect Gibraltar's British heritage, as well as her location betwixt Spain and north Africa.

Currenttemptations include Gibraltar Bay Sea Bass on a Chorizo Ragout with Pickled Lemons and Baby Clams; Lamb Loin with Slow Braised Shoulder and Aubergine 'Caviar'with Ras el Hanout or how about Argentine

Beef Fillet with Potato and Rosemary Rosti with Pan Seared Pole Gras and Madeira Jus? Vegetarians will enjoy Wild Mushroom and Maris Piper Pithivier on a Leek and Black Olive Fondue or for pudding why not consider Lime Leaf Cr^;me Brul^' with a Salad of Blackberry and Moroccan Oranges? There is also a 'house' menu which changes daily and during the cooler months traditonal Sunday lunch. The wine list amusingly written, makes no excuses for majoring on Spain and the house wine is excellent. Fully air-condi tioned, non-smoking policy, children welcome, high chairs. Restaurant Manager, Mohamed Youznassi. Head Chef, Alfred Rodriguez. For large parties and celebrations call Toby or Nina or e-mail.

Open:Dinner only - 7pm-10pm daily (Sunday lunch from mid October until early April)

Credit Cards: All major cmdil and debit cards

Simon's Restaurant

44 Cornwall's Lane. Tel: 200 47515

Excellent food in a sophisticated,intimate atmosphere. Hosts Suzanne and Simon ensure everyone receives personal attention. Start with Simon's own pat^ with red onion jam and hot toast,or king prawns themudof with tarragon mustard, white wine and cheese cream sauce or perhaps baked New Zealand mussels wiA garlic butter and melted camembert. Main courses include kebab of swordfish and king prawns witfi creamy dill sauce, breast of chicken with mushrooov bacon, rosemary stuffing and masala sauce, and roast tenderloin of pork wrapped in bacon with apple,sage and calvados sauce. Or try the roast rack oflamb with mint,redcurrantand red wine sauce or the grilled fillet of mere with avocado and prawns. There is sometliing to delight every palate. Fully air-conditioned. Open:evenings(bcmkings recommended).

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Thyme Restaurant

5 Cornwall's Lane. Tel: 200 49199

Email: thymegib$''hotmaU.com

Open for 5 years, this modem wine bar serves refresh ing cocktails and a wide range of New World and European wines in a cool lively atmosphere,and on the 1st floor above is the restaurant serving bistro cuisine with a menu featuring dishes from all over the world. Tr}' one of these dishes from the wide selection: start ers include Buffalo Mozzarella, Plum Tomato, Grilled Chilli & Landcress Salad,Basil Oil & Balsamic: Crab & Coriander Spring Roll, String Hopper Noodle Salad, Cucumber & Chilli Salsa;Steamed Mussels flavoured with ginger. Lemon Grass, Chilli & Coconut Milk; try main courses such as Grilled Salmon Darne,Crisp Pancetta. Thai Spiced Lentils,Cool Mint Yoghurt Dressing; Confit of Lamb Shoulder Shank, Warm CouscousSalad, Chickpea & Coriander Salsa,Onion & Sultana Chutney; or Open Ravioli ofSlow Roast Squash, Basil & Ricotta, Roast Garlic Cream Sauce. Everything made on the premises using only the best, fresh ingredients. Two seperate dining rooms - smoking and non smoking. Menu changed seasonally, daily specialsOpen 7 days a week. Closed Saturday lunchtimes.

informaleating

A1 Andalus Bar Restaurant

3 College Lane. Tel; 200 49184

Small eatery in the centre of town serving lots of tasty food from sandwiches and baguettes to barbecues (lamb chops, fillet steak, mixed grill etc) and tajines. Try the cous-cous (beef, veggie, chicken or lamb) or the tapas - £1 (eg: Spanish omelette, boiled crab legs, garlic chicken, cuttlefish stew).

Open:8am -late evening. Breakfast from Sam.

Birdie Cafe/Restaurant

No 16 Watergardens II. Tel; 200 72885

Owned by David, previously of the Hong Kong restaurant, this golf themed cafe/restaurant combines snacks and tapas such as chicken spring rolls, stewed spare ribs in black bean .sauce,octopus salad,and fried chicken wings with main courses of pork balls with sweet and sour .sauce; chicken curry; bacon, baked beans,egg,chips and tomato for examples. Takeaways are available as are special office packed lunches which include slewed beef in ginger with boiled rice;salt and pepper ribsand chips;and chicken balls with sweet and sour sauce and chips.

Buddies Pasta Casa

15 Cannon Lane. Tel: 200 40627

Tasty Italian specials in pleasant ambience. Large selection of starters from garlic bread localamari. Main courses include feltuccine de formaggio,spaghetti alia carbonara,fusilli al salmone,and entrecote al whisky to name a few. Tasty desserts and variety of wines.

Open: Monday - Wednesday 10am - 5pm, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10am-4pm and 7pm-midnight.

The Comer House Restaurant

Continental Hotel,1 Engineer's Lane

Tel:200 76900 Email: contiho^gibraltar.gi

Ideal for a rest afler shopping as it is centrally located on

Main Street, this cafe serves breakfasts(all day),lunches and afternoon teas. Try the homemade mushrcwm soup or the roast leg of lamb demi glaze,or perhaps the fish and chips or homemade steak mince burger in pepper sauce. Kiddies menu available.

Open:7am to 7pm (lunches from 12.30)

Get Joost

248 Main Street & Casemates. Tel/Fax: 200 76699 Smoothies are vitamin packed super-food and increasingly popular for the health concious. Get Joost makes delicious fresh fruit juices and smoothies made from natural ingredients which are a meal in a cup. The lop five smoothies they sell are wild strawberry;breakie on the run; energy blast; raspberry ice; and tropical surrender. Tel/Fax; 200 76699 for delivery.

Open:8-7 Mon -Friday, 10-7 Saturday, 10-6 Sunday.

Get Stuffed Marina Bay. Tel: 200 42006

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

Open:Sam - 6pm Mon-Fri,8am-4pm Sat.

Just A Nibble

1st Fir International Commercial Ctr. Tel: 200 78052

Full blown licensed cafeteria serving English breakfast, vast range of toasties, rolls, and other snacks. Meals include, Bob's famous chicken curry/chilli con carne, and a great new range of pies — from Bob's chicken and leek to steak and kidney plus a whole range of tasty alternatives — plus all the old favourites;jacket spuds, burgers, hot dogs, fish and chips, and daily specials. Ideal meeting place.

Open;Monday - Saturday from 9am.

Just Desserts

Ist Floor ICC Tel: 200 48014

Comfortable bright, airy cafe serving vegetarian and non-vegetarinn cuisine from breakfast and lunch to afternoon tea. Homemade desserts a speciality. Eat-in or takeaway at sensible prices. Outside catering. Open:8am - 4.30pm Monday to Friday.

Munchies Cafe

24 Main Street. Tel: 200 43840 Fax:200 42390

A great sandwich bar/cafe offering an unusual range of sandwiches on white or granary bread, plus salads, baguettes, soups, desserts, homemade ice-cream and hot/cold drinks. Business lunches, parties and kids parties also catered for (for party and office platters phone or fax order by 5.30pm day before - minium orders for delivery £12).

Open: Monday - Friday 8.30-7,Sat 9 - 4, Closed Sun.

Roy's Cod Plaice

Casemates Square

Located below the clock on Casemates Square, Roy's Cod Plaice serves all kinds of traditional chip shop fare, including battered plaice,cod, haddock and hake with chips, breaded fishcakes, and scampi, jumbo pork sausages, mushy f>ease etc to eat in or take away. Roy's also offers full meals such as pork chops,grilled mushrooms, tomatoes and mashed potatoes; mixed grill; or meat pie with mash and gravy.

Open:9am-10pm Monday-Saturday. Closed Sun.

Sacarello Coffee Co.

57 Irish Town.Tel: 200 70625

Converted coffee warehouse, ideal for coffee, homemade cakes/afternoon tea, plus menu including excellent salad bar, specials of the day and dishes such as lasagne, steak and mushroom Guinness pie, hot chicken salad, toasties, club sandwich and baked potatoes. Art exhibitions. Available for parties and functions in the evenings.

Open:9am-7.30pm Mon-Fri.9am-3pm Saturdays

Smith's Fish & Chips

295 Main Street. Tel: 200 74254

Traditional Briti.sh fish and chipshop with tables/seating available or take-away wrapped in newspaper.

Menu:Ctxl, haddock or plaice in batter, Cornish pasties, mushy peas etc. Also curries, omlettes, burgers, Open:8am-6pm Mon-Fri. Breakfasts from Sam. Located: Main Street opposite the Convent.

Solly's

Salt Beef Parlour & Delicatessen

8 Cannon Lane. Tel: 200 78511

On Cannon Lane this carvery, charcuterie and deli offers delicious food to take away eat in or for delivery. Try the carvery (from Ham), hot or cold baguettes with fillings such as curried chicken breast, Merguez sausages,schnitzel, pastrami,smoked turkey and pres-sed beef. There are also salads and platters including bangers & mash, lamb chops, beef burgers

and hot dogs. (Glatt Kosher)

Open: 12pm-late,Sunday 6pm-late. Closed Sat.

Solo Express

Ground Floor, International Commercial Centre

Solo Express, located right next to Pizza Hut, serves a good variety of salads and baguettes(white, brown & ciabatta) filled with a wide deli selection of things such as roast chicken; smoked salmon & mascapone; ham,cheese and coleslaw; or hummous,avocado and roasted red pepper. The salads are fresh and tasty and include Greek, Waldorf,cous cou.s,tuna pasta,etc and are great value. Jacket potatoes, quiches, tea, coffee etc plus cakes(such as flapjacks and muffins)are also available throughout the day. Eat-in available. Soups in winter months.

The Tasty Bile

59a Irish Town.Tel: 200 78220 Fax:200 74321

Tasty Bite has one of the biggest take-away menus around with home cooked meats, filled baguettes, burgers, chicken, kebabs and everything else you can think of!

Open: Monday - Saturday.

Time Out Cafe Bar

106 Eurotowers, Europort Rd Tel:200 76044

Delicious food from ^11 English breakfast to wraps, jackets, baguettes and sandwiches, plus main courses from fish and chips to banger & mash. Take-away service. Private functions. Full sports coverage on 3 screens.

bars&pubs

All Sports Bar

4 Cornwall's Lane Tel: 200 59997

This pub is geared up to televised sporting events with free tapas when top sports are on TV. It's not just for the football fans either, and there are even Scaletrix Tournaments for those who want to participate. Gaming machines. Terrace seating available.

Open: Ilam-midnight Sun-Thurs, 11am -lam Fri/Sat.

All's Well

Grand Casemates Square. Tel:200 72987

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

The Angry Friar

278 Main Street. Tel: 200 71570

The Angry Friar is everything you'd expect from a Brit ish pub, but with a large terrace. Food 9.30 - 4,6 - 9.15 inc. ba'akfasts. (Sunday roasts 11 - 4,6 - 9.15pm).

Open:9.3l)am-midnight(Sun.from 11am)

Located: Opposite The Convent.

Aragon Bar

15 Bell Lane. Tel: 200 78855

A friendly traditional bar serving good homemade food. Outside tables available.

Open:7 days, 10-late, food 10 -10.

The Cannon Bar

27 Cannon Lane. Tel: 200 77288

Now run by Amin, the friendly face from the kitchen for over 18 years! Good pub food served all day plus Amin makes cous cous or tajine to order.

Located: off Main St at Marks & Spencer.

Da Vinci's

Queensway Quay Marina Tel:20050859

Located right on the waterfront Da Vinci's is under the management of Sam who welcomes you to enjoy the large quayside terrace and comfortable interior. Sunday

is sports day so go along to watch whatever's on. Hot pies and sandwiches available.

Open:9am to late 7 days a week

The Gibraltar Arms

184 Main St. Tel: 200 72133 www.gibraltararms.gi

Good food served all day at this typical pub right on Main Street. Everything from all day breakfast to Irish fillet steak roll, burritos, and the popular fresh local mussels. Draught lager, bitter,cider and Murphys plus free WiFi. Terrace seating right on Main Street to watch the world go by.

Open:from Sam (10am Sundays) until late.

The Horseshoe

193 Main Street. Tel: 200 77444

Right in the centre of town,the Horseshoe is a popular, busy bar. Gwd menu from full English breakfast, to burgers and mixed grills. Curry and chilli specials on Sunday.

Open:9am to late, Sunday 10am - late.

Facilities: Main Street terrace.

Lord Nelson Bar Brasserie

10 Casemates Sq. Tel:200 50009 www.lordnelson.gi

E-mail: reservationsC'lordnelson.gi

Attractive bar/brasserie in historic Casemates building. Done out to respresent Nelson's.ship with cloud and sky ceiling crossed with beams and sails. Spacious terrace Menu:Starter & snacks include fresh local mussels,blue chee.se and rocket bruschetta,Lordy's potato skins,spicy chicken wings and calamares. Main courses cover a range from chilli con came and chicken and mushroom pie,to crispy aromatic duckburrito and British fish and chips. Try one of the salads or Nelson's platters. Jacket potatoes, burgers and children's menu. Credit cards accepted. Live music Venue of the Year, with live music on stage every night. FreeWifi.

Open:from 10am till very late.

Pickwicks

Governor's Parade. Tel: 200 76488

Run by well-known friendly face, Mandy,thissmall pub with a large terrace is situated in Governor's Parade away from the traffic and safe for all the family. Good food available including the best freshly made sand wiches and jacket potatoes,salads and burgers.

Open: Mon - Fri from 9.30am

Location: turn off Main St at Marks & Spencer, go up steps to Governor's Parade, Pickwicks is opposite the Elliot Hotel.

The Pig and Whistle Unitl8, Walergardens. Tel: 200 76167

A comfortable pleasant little pub with pool table and terrace on the quayside. Big screen television for all sporting events.

Open: 10-midnight (Fri-Sat ITlam)

Red Lion Pub

Watergardens. Tel:200 44392

The Red Lion is a cosy pub in Watergardens serving fresh homemade food every day for lunch and "possibly the best breakfast on the Rock". Terrace seating.

Open:Sam - late Mon-Fri, 12 midday to late Saturday.

Royal Oak Bar

59c Irish Town. Tel: 200 71708

Informal good local pub, popular for its pool table and sports talk. Outd(X)r seating.

Located: Irish Town, the street which runs parallel to Main St.

The Star Bar

Parliament Lane. Tel: 200 75924

Reputedly the oldest bar in Gib, this small cosy bar opens early tor breakfast (English or toast & cereal).

Lunch/evening menu includes fillet steak, fish and chips and salads. Home of Med Golf and Tottenham Hotspur FC supporters club.

Facilities: Outside seating.

Open:from 7am every day.

Located: first right off Main Street (walking from N to S).

The Three Owls

Irish Town

The Three Owls is a traditional bar serving best of English beers.Three separate bars/floors: ground floor — big screen tv, pool table, poker machines, games machines, bar — open from 10.30am daily. First floor 'Hoots' — 2 match pool tables, poker machines, darts ' board, games machine, bar — open from 1pm daily. Second Floor 'Nest' — American pool table, poker machine, games machine,card table,bar — open from i 5pm daily.

The Three Roses , Governor's Street. Tel: 200 51614 ^

Ann from Plymouth and Stuart from Scotland run this bar, known as The Scottish Embassy. Fully airconditioned with 3 plasma TVs and pool table. Happy hours Mon-Fri 5-6pm. Home of the Esleporkers Golf Society.

Open:every day. Mon-Sat from 11am,Sun from mid day.

The Venture Inn

Lynch's Lane. Tel: 200 75776

A good centra! meeting place right at the beginning of Main Street, this bar serves home-cooked food all day. Terrace seating on the edge of Main Street — perfect place to watch the world go by.

Open:from 10am

Located: Main St near Casemates Sq,opp. the ICC.

Wembley Bar

10 South Barrack Ramp. Tel: 200 78004

Popular bar for hot and cold bar snacks, function room, in south district. Fridays 10am for breakfast. Air conditioned. The home of the Real Madrid Sup porter's Club.

Open:11am - midnightSunday - Thursday,10am -lam Friday, 11am - lam Saturdays.

acrosstheborder

The Taste Indian Restaurant Avda. del Ejercito,esq. Calle Gibraltar, La Linea

Tel: 00 34 856 12 29 18 / DO 34 626 88 40 38

Very good Indian restaurant convenient walk from the frontier. All the favourites from chicken Madras to lamb channa,and king prawn vindaloo. Specialities include Chicken Tikka Krahi (chicken tikka topped with fresh chillies, herbs and spices), Bhindi Ghost (lamb with okra in a spicy sauce), and Special Mixed Balti. Lots of vegetable dishes, bread and rices. Pleasant service.

Open:every day 5pm-late,Friday,Saturday &Sunc^r Ipm-late

Located: On the comer of Plaza de la Corutitudov j which is about 400m straight across from the froftfj tier.

A snow-white delight...

The d^cor and the furnishings are all sparkling immaculate white, only set off by the gleaming wine glasses on the flawlessly laid tables. And behind,in the cocktail lounge, the sofas and covers are also pure white.

This all sets the tone for the food and the service, which owner/ man ager Gary Pigot describes as'Mod ern Australasian', a sort of Pacific Rim but with more imagination.

This Queensway Quay restau rant has made an exceptional impact on Gibraltar's dining scene since Gary and wifeSharon opened it in August. Previously they had been on the Rock for ten years, with gourmet Gary in theinsurance business.

So why did he change to be coming a restaurateur? "That's simple," he said with a smile. "In a way I did it for myself — and to give more choice to other lovers of fine food."

He makes no bones about the fact that this is not a cheap eatery."This is the upper range of fine dining," he said, although the menu prices, whilst not low are certainly not breathtakingly expensive either. "There is a moderate entry level," he agreed;"then you can take it as

high as vou like."

The people who have discovered The Boatyard in the last few months are mainly successful professionals and business people, along with government ministers and mem bers of the Gibraltar parliament. They come for the finest of food, or just to sit around a low table on the sumptuous white sofas whilst having a drink.

The restaurant/cocktail lounge was an immediate hit from Day One. "We provided the catering for a bank function right at the beginning, and this led to literally dozens of orders from people who were at the function or who had been told about it," Gary told me. "I must admit we were taken by surprise."

The Boatyard has also proved popular for weddings,the excellent cuisine being complemented by the snowy white d^cor which looks as if it had been designed for brides

and bridesmaids.

Most people who dine there make a point of telling Gary that the food is fantastic, and they all love the unusual yet simple d^cor, which Gary and Sharon designed themselves as they knew exactly what effect they were after. Even the bar stools are totally comfort able — to the extent you forget all about them, which is a rarity in itself. No fidgeting required with these hand-picked seats.

As top chefs and food critics will tell you,an overlarge menu is to be treated with suspicion as it tends to mean either long waits or a lot of food that is pre-cooked so the kitchen can cope.

The Boatyard's menu, which builds entirely on 100% fresh produce — locally bought and, in the case of the fish, locally caught — seems to have followed that piece of wisdom, but still leaving a good choice.

So there are seven starters and seven main courses, prepared with great devotion by Australasian chef Scott Casey. "Australasian" because he was bom in New Zea land but moved to Australia when he was five. Before discovering Gibraltar,and staying,he worked at many top restaurants in Australia, and now looks thoroughly happy working with Gary and Sharon.

Examples... where to begin, what to leave out... The two most expensive main course are £20 and £11; the higher price being earned by grilled Argentinean entrecote with roast garlic mash,flamed pep pers, artichoke pat^ and shiraz jus. At just over half the price, you can enjoy an open fillet steak sandwich with caramelised onions, slow roasted tomatoes, rocket leaves, basil mayonnaise and Cajun spiced potato wedges.

There are fishcakes made with wild salmon, sea bass, John Dory and exciting vegetables; New Zea land lamb like you've never had it before;and others—even pork and leek sausages or swordfish steak, again with the distinctive Boatyard brushstroke to make the flavours memorable.

The starters and puddings are just as good and just as varied,but 1 think I have given the flavour of the place without going into more de tail. As its fame spreads you might well discover the food at a function in some other venue as the team are becoming increasingly sought after for outside catering

The Boatyard seats 60 diners, and has two eighl-seater tables for groups to be together in comfort. "Every night we get parties of six, eight,ten people," said Gary."That was another surprise."

Christmas bookings have al ready been made, but there were some tables available at the time of writing. Gary also intends to open the plush bar on Christmas morning, for drinks only. He will also be holding a New Year's Eve canap^ party; that's a ticket-only affair to keep the numbers under control. Tickets are available from the restaurant.

Open from midday to midnight except Sundays when it is midday to 4pm, the Boatyard is closed on Mondays. Situated on Queensway Quay where Raffles used to be, the telephone number for bookings or catering enquiries is 200 50540 or email theboatyard@gibtelecom. net.

Boatyard Restaurant owner/manager Gary Pigot

The instant you walk into The Boatyard restaurant you know it is built on quality.

He makes no bones abouttbe fact tbat tbis is not a cboap eatery."Tbis is tbe upper range offine dining.. t9

It's hard to believe but it's that time of the year again, Christmas I mean and the start of another year it seems to creep up on you without you really noticing it. One day it's still summer or at least autumn and then before you know it's winter and Christmas, and the weather has been pretty good up to now so we can't complain about that, in fact except fof a day or two when it rained it has been a really nice autumn this year but I better not say too much because sooner or later the real winter will start and then we will all be moaning.

I don't know if it is my imagination but the weather does seem to be changing, it's probably something to do with global warming but I better not go on about that too much as it is a very seri ous matter these days, but I do think we would be silly to ignore it.

Lights,Camera,Action!

Back to Christmas, I knew the sea.son of goodwill had started when 1 walked down Main Street in the first week of November and the Christmas lights had mysteriously appeared overnight,and then on the same day I saw two young "Jack the Lads" dressed up as Father Christmases who had obviously made a very early start on their Christmas celebrations because by the time bumped into the pair of them they could hardly stand up, what sort of stale they could be in by New Year's Eve is anyone's guess!

Carry On Cruising

Regular readers will recall that last month I told you how Debbie of Biancas was going to celebrate her big 4-0 by going on a Caribbean cruise with four of her mates, most of who I know. And 1 alsosaid when these girls party, they party, and I was sure that when they got hack you could be absolutely certain there would be plenty of stories to tell and I was right. Even before they left things started to go not quite as planned, because Angie one of the "infamous five" held their departure up for a while because of some sort of trouble with bright orange hair. But they eventually got to the ship and off they went. After four hours of sailing it was time for dinner and as they looked out to sea they were a bit surprised to see they wereback where they started from. It would appear some poor lady had taken a tumble and broken her hip and had to be taken back, but then they set off again. This time they were heading for the Bahamas but when they got there they couldn't land because of a hurricane so it was off again, this time to Puerto Rico. When they arrived there once again they couldn't land, this time because of floods. However,after three days at sea{which Debbie the birthday girl had spent being sea-sick)the sun came out and things got better and they all began to enjoy themselves. But if any of the girls were thinking about Caribbean romances they were sadly disappointed because although there was a large group of over 400 single men on the cruise known as the "Blue Label" boys none of them were interested in the girls because they were all gay. Still, the girls all had a great time and said that the "boys" were good company anyway.

Legging it

The"Bad Leg" club has two new members this month,first new member is Rosina the vet who somehow or other managed to fall over a table leg... don't ask me how she did it, she did start to tell me but it was such a farfetched story that I can't remember it all. 1 did see the result of the fall and I can tell you she was suffering and her ankle and foot had turned all colours with the bruises and what have you. But she was a brave little soldier and carried on working just the same.

When it comes to brave little soldiers the second new member must be in a class of his own and 1 am reliably told the following sad tale is a true story. Freddy the chippy was suffering with a painful leg so his wife Sarah, who, by the way, is the new Bar Manager at the E.F.S.A. club, told him to go and get it sorted out and he did and for the next four weeks he was treated for gout. However it didn't seem to be getting any better so eventually poor old Freddy decided to get his leg X-rayed. It was a good job he did because when he got the results it turned out the problem with his leg had nothing to do with gout at all — what he had, in fact, done was broken his leg and for four weeks he had carried on without knowing. What a hero and now the latest member of the "Bad Leg"club.

Main Street again recently and he v^a '^^in'oi™ ^he ^ '*' » once agarnlte faila in l^s questfor ™Zrs®h!p """"""-'"S"-P > have ever seen

Many Happies

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clubs activities

>Jrrs b Crafts

The Arts Centre, Prince Edward's Rd. Art classes for children (5^pm Mon, 5-6.30pm

Tues, 5-7pm Thurs), adults (Mon • Tues 6.30pm-8pm,Wed 6.30pm-8-30pm,life paint ing Wed 7pm-9pm]. Tel: 200 79788.

The Fine Arts Association Gallery 1 st Floor above Gibraltar Crystal, Casemates. Open 11am-2pm,4-6pm Mon - Fri, Sat 11am-2pm. Arts6 Crafts Gallery(next door)opens Mon - Fri 9.30am - 5pm (summer)-6pm (winter). Sat 9 30am - 3pm.

The Poetry Society meets on 20th of each month Tel Audrey Batty on 200 44355

Board Games

Chess Club meets in Studio 1. John Mackin tosh Hall 8-10.30pm Tues.

The Gibraltar Scrabble Club meet John Mackintosh Hall Mondays. Bank holidays changed to Thursday same week,7pm-l 1 pm All welcome. Tel: 200 73660 or 200 75995,

The Subbuteo Club meets Charles Hunt Room, John Mackintosh Hall 7 30 - 11 pm.

Dance Modem & Latin American Sequence Danc ing Mondays Catholic Community Centre

8 30pm I beginners 7.30). Over 15s welcome

wwwgibnynex gi/inst/cccseqdance/

Old 6 Modern Sequence Dancing sessions at the Catholic Community Centre at 8pm, beginners at 7.30pm, Wednesday.

The DSA Old & Modern Sequence Danc ing sessions at Central Hall Fridays 8pm, beginners 7.30pm. Tel: 200 78282 or e-mail manvlo('a'>gibraliar.gi Everybody welcome.

Senior Citizens Teatime Dances at The Youth Centre, Line Wall Rd on Mondays 2• 5.30pm.

All senior citizens welcome for coffee, tea and biscuits. Entrance free-

Classical Ballet classes for children 4-I-, Spanish dance and hip-hop at Liza School of Dance, 3rd floor, Methodist Church,297/299

Mam St. Classes Weds & Fri from 6pm at Chiltern Court (4Cs). Tel 58111000

Latin Caribbean Dance Classes Salsa, Samba, Merengue, Cha-Cha. Wednesday 9pm-10pm £3 Instructor Pedro Vera, Urban Dance Studio, Jumpers Bastion, Rosia Road. For all levels, adults, singles and couples, no experience necessary, come and have fun, exercise and enjoy the rhythms.

History b Heritage

The Gibraltar Heritage Trust The Mam Guard, 13 John Mackintosh Sq Tel 200 42844.

The Gibraltar Classic Vehicle Association

Dedicated to preservation of Rock's trans port/motoring heritage. Assists members in restoration / maintenance of classic vehicles. Members/vehicles meet first Sunday of month, Morrison's car park from 10am, f^ew members welcome, Tel: 200 44643, Music

Ihe Gibraltar Music Centre Trust Complete spectrum of instrument learning strings drums etc. Theory lessons- Five days a week 4pm-9pm Tel 200 75558 for details

The Gibraltar National Choir and Gibraltar Junior National Choir rehearse on Monday 8 Thursday 7 30-9pm New singers of all ages welcome Tel Ltli 200 40035, 54006727

St Andrew's Music Academy Musical Monsters Club, musical workshops. Group musical activities for kids 3-7 years. Singing, rhythmic games etc, Tel: 200 42690 email: samagib@hotmail.com

Outdoor Activities

The Caipe Ramblers This group walks on last Sunday each month,except July and August, Meeting place is the Spanish side of the frontier 8am just to the right of and opposite the Aduana vehicle exit. For any information contact co-ordinators Ray Murphy 200 71956 or John Murphy 200 74645.

The Duke of Edinburgh's Award is an excit ing self-development Programme available to all young people worldwide equipping them with life skills to make a difference to themselves, their communities and the world. To date over 5 million young people from over 100 countries have been motivated to undertake a variety of voluntary and chal lenging activities. For further details contact The Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Montagu

Bastion. Line Wall Road, Gibraltar Tel; 200 59818 Reg Charity No: 61

Quizzes Cannon Bar quizzes are held on Tuesdays with at least three quizzes per night. Start ing with a warm up, then two other quizzes, including a theme quiz. Starts at 8.30pm, all welcome and prizes are given. Free entrance but a donation to charity is requested. Tapas served after the quiz.

The Edinburgh Arms. Naval Hospital Road, has a quiz night from 8,30pm every Monday with prizes and free tapas.

The Tunnel m Casemates has a pub quiz and entertainment on Sunday nights

Social Clubs

Scots on the Rock; Any Scots visiting the Rock can contact Charles Poison (Tel 200 78142) for assistance or information.

Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes (Gibraltar Province)meets RAOB Club, Jump ers Bastion on these days: Provincial Grand Lodge, 1st Monday/month, 8pm, Executive Meeting, last Mon/month '7pm Knights

Chapter,2nd Mon/month 7.30pm Examining

Council, 3rd Mon/month 7pm. William Tilley

2371. Thurs 8pm. Buena Vista 9975. Weds

(fortnightly)7pm,Por Favor 9444, Weds(fort

nightly) 7pm. Farewell 10001, Tues 8.30pm Goldacre 10475 (social) last Fri/month 8pm.

The Tuesday Ladles' Club meets 8pm, Queensway Club on first Tuesday each month. Open to all women in Gibraltar who enjoy making new friends. Non-profit making, proceeds donated to charity, Tel: Anne 200 43869, or Margaret 200 70816.

Special Interest Clubs b Societies

Gibraltar Horticultural Society meets first Thurs of month 6pm, John Mackintosh Hall

Annual Spring Flower Show. Also slide shows, demos on flower arrangements and outings to garden centres plus annual tour of Alameda Gardens All welcome.

The GibraKar Photographic Society meets on Mon at around 8pm, Wellington Front. Basic courses, compeiiiions etc.

Harley Davidson Owners' Club www. hdcgib.com

UN Association of Gibraltar PO Sox 599,22a Mam Street. Tel 200 52108

Sports Supporters Clubs

The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Club meet at the Royal CaIpe iTei 200 758901 when Spurs games are televised - call the Royal CaIpe prior to matches to check if the game is being televised. The pub does great food for a lunch if the KO is early or an early supper if the game is later. For more info on membership etc. call Mario on 56280000,

Sports b Fitness

Artistic Gymnastics: Gibraltar Artistic Gym nastics Association club for beginners,juniors and squad at Bayside School in evenings. Tel: 200 Angela 200 70611 or Sally 200 74661.

Athletics: Gibraltar Amateur Athletics As sociation holds competitions throughout year for juniors, adults and veterans. Two mam clubs (Calpeans 200 71807. Lourdians 200 75180) hold training sessions at Victoria Stadium.

Badminton: Recreational badminton is available weekdays at Victoria Stadium

(Tel: 200 78409 for allocations), Gibraltar Badminton Association (affiliated to ISA 6 EBA) has leagues and training for adults and secondary school. Tel: Ivan 200 44045 or Linda 200 74753.

Basketball; Gibraltar Amateur Basketball Association (affiliated FIBA)leagues/ training for minis, passarelle, cadets, seniors and adults at a variety of levels. Tel: John 200 77253, Randy 200 40727 or Kirsty (minis) 200 49441.

Billiards & Snooker: Gibraltar Billiards and Snooker Association (member IBSA) round leagues and competitions at various venues, New members welcome. Tel: Eddie 200 72142 or Peter 200 77307.

Boxing: Gibraltar Amateur Boxing Association (member IAEA) gym on Rosia Rd. Over 13s welcome to join. Tuition with ex-pro boxer Ernest Victory(200 75513 w,200 42788 h).

Canoeing: Gibraltar Canoeing Association, Tel: Nigel 200 52917 or Eugene 58014000,

Cricket: Gibraltar Cricket Association(mem ber ICCI runs leagues/competitions at Europa Point^Victoria Stadium.Junior/senior training. Tel. Tom 200 79461 or Adrian 200 44281.

Cycling: Gibraltar Cycling Association various cycling tours. Tel: Uriel 200 79359. Darts; Gibraltar Darts Association (member WDF) mens/ladies/youth leagues/competi tions.Tel: Darren 54027171 "Secretary", Dy son "Youth Rep" 54024149,Justin "President" B4022622 Email: info@gibraltardarts,com

Football: Gibraltar Football Association - leagues/competitions for all ages OctoberMay. Futsal in summer, Victoria Stadium. Tel: 200 42941 www.gfa.gi. Senior Tel: Albert 200 41515. Junior Tel: Richard 58654000. Women's Tel Brian 200 52299. Recreational football for over 35s Tel Richard 200 70320

GoH: Med Golf tournaments held monthly.

Tei: 200 79575 for tournament venues/dates.

Gibraltar Golf Union has competitions through year, EGU handicaps, Tel: Bernie 200 78844.

Hockey; Gibraltar Hockey Association(mem bers FIH & EHF) high standard competitions/ training for adults and juniors. Tel: Eric 200 74156 or Peier 200 72730.

Judo: Gibraltar Judo Association UKMAF rec ognised instructors for all ages and levels at Budokai Martial Arts Centre, Wellington Front. Tel: Charlie 200 73116 or Peter 200 73225. Ju-jitsu: Gibraltar Ju-jilsu Academy training and grading for juniors/seniors held during evening at 4 North Jumpers Bastion (Rosia Rd) Tel. Tony 200 79855 or club 200 47259. Karate-do Shotokai: Gibraltar Karate-do Shotokai Association sessions for junior/seniors, gradings and demos at Karate Clubhouse,41H Town Range Tel: Andrew 200 48908.

Motorboat Racing; Gibraltar Motorboat Rac ing Association Tel : Wayne 200 75211.

Netball: Gibraltar Netball Association (affili ated FENA 8 IFNA)competitions through year, senior / lunior leagues. Tel: Moira 200 41795 or Suzette 200 41874.

Petanque: Gibraltar Petanque Association plays at Giralda Gardens, Smith Dorrlen Ave, New members welcome. Tel: Francis 200 70929

Pool: Gibraltar Pool Association (member EUKPF) home and away league played on Thurs through season. Tel: Linda 200 74753.

Rhythmic Gymnastics: Gibraltar Rhythmic Gymnastics Association run training sessions for girls 5-18 years weekday evenings during school holidays. Tel: Richard 200 70320

Rugby: Gibraltar Rugby Football Union train ing sessions for Colts (14+), seniors and veterans Play in Andalusia 1st Division Oct -April Tel James 200 72185

Sailing: Gibraltar Yachting Association |unior/senior competitive programme through season (April • Oct) Tel: RGYC 200 48847.

Sea Angling; Gibraltar Federation of Sea Anglers (members FIPS-M & CIPS)

Superb calendar of events with four clubs participating. Tei: Mario 72622 or Charlie 74337.

Shooting: Gibraltar Shooting Fed eration over 14s only. Rifle, Europa Point range (Joe 200 74973): day pigeon. East Side(Harry 200 74354): Pistol, near Royal Naval Hospital(Rdel 200 719901.

Skating: Gibraltar Skating and Xtreme Sports Association opens its Skate Park, Coaling Island, Queensway, Monday. Tuesday & Wednesday, from 5pm til 8pm Saturday & Sunday,from 2pm til 5pm Thurs day & Friday, closedSat 26pm. Stateof art ramps for Xtreme/aggressive foliar blading /skate boarding. Leisure skating facilities provid ed within excel lent rink(when not used for roller hockey tra i n in 9 Tel: Eric 200 70710(after 5) or just turn up.

Snorkel ling 8 S p e a I

Fishing: Over 14s welcome

for snorkelling, over 16s for spear fishing. Tel: Joseph 200 75020.

Squash: Gibraltar Squash Association, The Squash Centre, South Pavilion Road (mem bers WSF & ESF). Adult/junior tournaments/ coaching. Tel 200 44922 or 200 73260.

Sub-Aqua: Gibraltar Sub-Aqua Association taster dives for over 14s, tuition from local clubs. Voluntary sports clubs: Tel: Phil 2O0 44606, Noah's Dive Club Tel: Leslie 200 79601, *888s Dive Club Tel: Martin 200 70944, Com mercial sports diving schools also available.

Swimming: Gibraltar Amateur Swimming Association (member FINA 5 LENI opens its pool for leisure swimming Mon-Fri 7-8.45am, 12-4pm, 8-9pm. Junior lessons.squad for committed swimmers, water polo(Rebecca 200 72869)

Table Tennis: Gibraltar Table Tennis As sociation (members ITTA) training / playing sessions, Victoria Stadium, Tues 6-10pm and Thurs 8-11pm with coaching and league competition. Lizanne 200 45071/54020477 or Eugene 58014000.

Teekwondo; Gibraltar Taekwondo Associa tion classes/gradings Tel: 200 Mari 44142.

Tennis: Gibraltar Tennis Association, Sandpits Tennis Club, excellent junior development programme. Courses for adults, leagues / competitions Tel : Frank 200 77035.

Ten-Pin Bowling; Gibraltar Ten Pin Bowling Association (members F(Q & WTBA)leagues at Ultra Bowl, training for juniors and squad. Tel. Gary 200 42447 or Charlie 200 71125, Triathlon: Gibraltar Triathlon Union(members ITU) Chris 200 75857 or Harvey 200 55847.

Volleyball: Gibraltar Volleyball Association (members W 6 EVF) training, leagues, com petitions for juniors/seniors. Tony 200 40478 or Elizabeth 58306000,

Yoga: Integral Yoga Centre runs a full pro gramme of classes from Mon-Fri at 33 Town Range. Tel, 20041389. All welcome.

Theatrical Groups

Gibraltar Amateur Drama Association Ince's Hall Theatre Complex,310 Mam Street E-mail: gibdramaCrj'yahoo.co ukTel: 20042237 wviw, geocities.com/gibdrama

Stage Musicals Group Trevor 200 73098. Trafalgar Theatre Group meet 2nd Wed of month, Garrison Library 8pm. All welcome.

support

Support Groups/ Associations

Alcoholics Anonymous meet 7pm Tues and Thurs at Nazareth Hs© Tel: 200 73774.

A Step Forward support group for single, separated, divorced or widowed people. Meet 8pm Mondays at St An drew's Church.

Childline Gibraltar confidential phone line for children in need. Freephone8008 - 7 days a week 7pm -11 pm.

Citizens' Advice Bureau Open Mon-Fri 9.30-4pm. Tel: 20040006 Email: info@ cab.gi or visit 10 Governor's Lane. No appointment necessary, no charge.

Gibraltar CAB outreach clinics at St Ber nard's Hospital every Tuesday. Advisors available at 1st floor reception, Zone 4. 9am-3pm. Info and advice is free, con fidential and impartial, COPE Support group for people with Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia or Rheumatoid Arthritis. Formed to ease day-to-day challenges of individuals, families and care partner. Meetings at Catholic Community Centre Book Shop at 7.30pm first Thursday of each month. Contact Sue Reyes Tel: 20051469 Email: copeadsupport@hotmail.com

Dignity At Work Now. Confidential support and advice for those who are being bullied at work. Tel: 57799000 Mon-Thur8pm-9pm

Families Anonymous Support group for relatives and friends who are concerned about the use of drugs or related be havioural problems. Meetings are held alternate Thursdays at 9pm at Nazareth House. For more details Tel , 200 70047 or 200 73465.

Gibraltar Cardiac Rehabilitation and Support Group meets on the first Tues day of every month at 8.30pm at the John Mac Hall, except for July and August.

Gibraltar Dyslexia Support Group 3/8

Serfaty's Passage Tel: 200 78509 Mobile: 54007924 website: www.gdsg.co.uk

Gibraltar Marriage Care. Free relation ship counselling, including pre-marriage education (under auspices of Catholic Church, but open to all). Tel: 200 71717.

Gibraltar Society for the N^suaily lm> paired. Tel: 200 50111 (24hr answering service).

Hope, miscarriage support Tel: 200 41817.

Narcotics Anonymous Tel: 200 70720

Overeaters Anonymous support group of those with compulsive overeating problem.Tel: helpline for details of meet ings 200 42581.

Parental Support Group, helping par ents and grandparents with restrictive access to their children and granchildren, Tel: Richard 200 46536, Jason 200 76618, Dominic 54019602.

Psychological Support Group, PO Box 161, Nazareth House. Weekly Meet ings Tuesdays at 7pm, Fridays 8pm. Tel: 200 51623.

SSAFA Forces Help Gibraltar, is a national charity, to assist serving and exService personnel and their families. Tel: (5)5481. E-mail olivero@sapphifenet.gi

With Dignity Gibraltar support group for separated, divorced, widowed or unat tached people. Meetings Weds 9pm. Catholic Community Centre, Line Wall Rd, Outings/activities. Tel: Flor54007181 or Marie 200 79957.

Women in Need. Voluntary organisa tion for all victims of domestic violence. Refuge available. Tel: 200 42581 (24 hours).

Med Coif;SG Hambros Trophy

Med Golf's latest competition at Dehessa Montenmedioon Sunday 14th October saw nearly 60 golfers compete for the SG Hambros Tro phy and winning here was Rodney Sheriff, closely followed by Kevin Castle and Alan Sene. Rodney not only won the sponsors crystal vase but a superb weekend for two at the Montecastillio Golf and Spa resort near Jerez. The top lady was Carolyn Jeffreys and the top senior was local "celebrity" Boyd Wood.Other prize winners on the day were George Desoisa,Claudio D'Ascenzi, Viv O'Reilly, Finbar Holland, Douglas Ca.sciaro, Kevin

Jones and Chris Warren. This competition saw some movement in the "player of the year" rankings, where the top ten for the 2007/08 "season" will compete for the Med Golf Masters at Valderrama in September 2008. Although until five scores have been recorded a true picture will not emerge, leading the way at present are: Kevin Castle, Steve Parry, Carolyn Jeffreys, Josh Jones, Rodney Sheriff, Alan Sene, Mike Welsh, Chris Warren, Frank Samways and Ian McNee. December's competition is at Alcaidesa on Sunday 16th where

Rosso International Estate Agents are sponsors. Once again, a week end for two at Montecastillo Golf and Spa Resort will go to the win ner,along with all the usual crystal trophies and prizes. As this is also a ranking tournament and a very popular venue, tee times should be booked as soon as possible by by ringing Johnathan Goodson on Spain(0034)639741886or e-mailing him at jg(S'medgolf.gi

The full tournament schedule, information on membership and green fee discounts are featured on the Med Golf website www. tootimcspain.com

Brian Moss:Top Accident investigator

mod's Command Environ- I mental and Safety Officer, Brian Moss, is the first Gibraitarian to have gained the prestigious Lead Accident Investigators Certificate from the Institute of Industrial Accident Investigators.

"Although I'm already a mem ber of two Health and Safety in stitutes, it was only last year that I heard about this top qualification," said Brian. "1 went back to Chertsey in UK to take the course and I've just heard that I've passed. Obviously, I'm delighted."

"The MOD in Gibraltar has a culture in which health and safety matters are seen as very impor tant. This culture helps to protect our employees."

Brian joined the MOD straight from school in 1969 as an ap

prentice with the PSA but he has since done a variety of civil and mechanical engineering jobs.

But his current job is notalways easy. "Sometimes 1 need to tell the commanders that they are doing things wrong and sometimes I have to tell the workforce that they are doing things wrong.

"By investigating the smallest of accidents we can put protec tion measures in place to prevent further, and possibly, bigger ac cidents from happening.

"Our philosophy is to investi gate accidents and to learn lessons from them. It's not my job to ap portion the blame."

With this new qualification behind him, Brian will be even quicker to spot any lessons that could be learned.

(H)HAYMILLS

Children & OAPs £1. Cafeteria on site.

Admission9.30amto7pm bytickets

Natural History & Heritage Park

(includes entrance to sites within the Park - St. Michael's Cave, Monkey's Den, Great Siege Tun nels, Military Heritage Centre,'A City Under Siege' Exhibition and Moorish Castle). (Facilities closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day.) Adults £7/Children 5-12 years: £4, Children age4 and under free, vehicles £1.50. Private vehicles may be restricted at certain times and it's advisable to take a Rock Tour by taxi/mini bus. The Natural His tory & Heritage Park is also reached by cable car (leaves Grand Parade 9.30am-5.15pm Mon-Sun. l^st cable down: 5.45pm).

ThefloraandfaunaontheUpperRock

are considered to be of great conservational value. It's a perfect place for birdwatchers, as migratory species use Gibraltar as the shortest crossing be tween Europe and Africa, but botanists will also be interested to see over 600 species offlowering plants, including some unique to Gibraltar. Watch out for colourful lizards, non-venemous Horseshoe Whipsnakes, butterflies and pipistrelle bats. Info on flora and fauna is found at the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society's information centre at Jews Gate.

St. Michael's Cave: The cave comprises an upper hall with five connecting passages and drops of 40-150ft to a smaller hall, A further succession of chambers, some at 250ft below the entrance, is reached through narrow holes. The Cathedral Cave is open to visitors and is used as an audito rium for concerts and theatre. The cave was prepared as a hospital in WWII, but never used. A further series of chambers ending in a mini lake is called Lower St. Michael's Cave and can be visited with a guide,

The Monkeys' Den: There are around 160 monkeys in the Park and around 30 can be seen at the Monkey's Den. Often called apes, they are tail-less Barbary Macaques and Europe's only free living monkeys.£500 fine for feeding the monkeys • don't do it!

The Great Siege Tunnels: Tunnelling in the Rock began during the Great Siege (1779-1783) when France and Spain made an attempt to recapture the Rock while Britain was busy with the American War of Independence. Governor General Elliot offered a reward to any man who could tell him howto mount a gun on the north face of the Rock. Itwasa Sgt. Major Ince who sug gested tunnelling and there are now over 30 miles of tunnels inside the Rock with various exhibitions inside the tunnels.

The Military Heritage Centre: Housed in one of the Rock's many historic batteries, the Military Heritage Centre displays infor mation on the development of Gibraltar's military defences through the ages.

A City Under Siege Exhibition: Exhibits depicting the lives of the civilian population during the many sieges, are housed in one i ; ■ ri 1 i , morning the Rock's past ^^%msrive by a troop of soldiers in ^Iti^tufY period uniform. The soldiers march from Bomb House Lane at 12 htJon to Casemates. At Casemates they carry out a "Ceremony of the Keys" and then march back up Main Street to the Cnthf^drnl nf St Ms"/ thn Crowned.

of the earliest British building on the Rock. Original graffiti, drawn by duty soldiers to stop themselves falling asleep, is still vis ible. the earliest dating back to 1726.

The Moorish Castle: actually just part of a Moorish town and castle which was built up during the Moorish occupation of the Iberian Peninsula,spearheaded from Gibral tar in 71 IAD by Tarik-ibn-Zeyad ("Gibraltar" is a corruption of the Arabic words 'Jebel Tarik" - Tarik's mountain). The part we see today, The Tower of Homage, dates back to 1333AD, when Abu'l Hassan recaptured the Rock from Spain.

Natural History 6 Heritage Park Walks: The recommended walk is St Michael's Cave through toCharles V Wall but walkers should be relatively fit. It is also pleasant walking along the upper rock roads. Fact Files and brochures are available free from all Tourist Board offices.

Botanical Gardens: Opened in 1816, the Alameda Botanical Gardens fell into dis repair but are currently being restored to their former glory. Visitors can enjoy a stroll beneath pines, dragon trees and palms,and see many of Gibraltar's native plants as well as exotic species. The shop sells environ mentally friendly gifts, plants and seeds.

Tel: 200 72639/200 74022. Parking.

Nelson's Anchorage: Rosia Road 9.30am - 5.15pm Monday to Saturday (last entry at 5pm). Closed on Sunday. Admission: £1.00 (free of charge with Nature Reserve ticket. Tickets for the nature reserve can also be bought at this attraction).

Parson's Lodge: Rosia Road. A narrow limestone outcrop with a labyrinth of underground tunnels surmounted by an impressive battery, which has witnessed the development of coast artillery over 300 years. Once housed three 18 ton 10-inch rifled muzzle loaders positioned behind a unique sandwich of armour plate and teak, known as 'Gibraltar Shields'. Open 10am to 6pm every day except Mondays. Adults £2/

Flat Bastion Magazine Plat Bastion Road.

Geological Research Station and Lithology of

Gibraltar. To visit contact: F. Gomez Tel. 200 44460, R HodkinsonTel. 200 43910.

Shrine of Our Lady of Europe (Museum within premises) Europa Road. 10am-7pm Monday to Friday, 11am-7pm Saturday, Sun day and Public Holidays. Closed 1pm -2pm.

Trafalgar Cemetery: Trafalgar Road, open 9am - 7pm daily (admission free).

Business information

Gibraltar Financial Services Commission

Tel: 200 40283/4 website: www.fsc.gi

Chamber of Commerce

Tel: 20078376

Federation Small Business.Tel: 200 47722

Company Registry. Tel: 200 78193

Useful Numbers

Airport(general info.) Tel: 200 73026

Hospital, St Bernards Tel: 200 79700

Weather information Tel: 5-3416

Frontier Queue Update Tef: 200 42777

General Information

Gibraltar Museum Tel: 200 74289 18/20 Bomb House Lane Open 10am -6pm (Sat. 10am - 2pm). Closed on Sunday. Ad mission: Adults £2/Children under 12 years £1. Special exhibitions also held at museum premises in Casemates gallery.

Registry Office Tel: 200 72289

It IS possible to get married on the Rock within 48 hours of arrival. A fact taken advantage of by stars such as Sean Connery and John Lennon.

Rock Tours by Taxi Tel: 200 70052

I'As well as offering normal fares, Gibraltar taxis provide Rock Tours taking in the Up

per Rock, Europa Point and other sites of interest. It is the best way to see the Rock's major features in a short time.

Tourist Board Tel: 200 74950

Gibraltar Tourist Board, Duke of Kent House, Cathedral Square, Gibraltar. UK Tel: 0207 836 0777 giblondon(®aol.com

John Mackintosh Hall Tel: 200 75669 Centre of Gib's cultural life. Includes a caf eteria, theatre, exhibition rooms and library. 308 Main Street 9.30am - 11pm Monday to Friday, Closed weekends.

Bicycle Racks

Bicycle parking is provided at the follow ing locations: Europort Road, Casemates Tunnel, Land Port Ditch, Rsh Market Road, Commonwealth Car Park, Reclamation Road (by English Steps) + Line Wall Road.

Public Holidays 2008

Gibraltar b UK

New Year's Day 1 January

Commonwealth Day 10 March

Good Friday 21 March

Easter Monday 24 March

May Day 5 May

Spring Bank Holiday 26 May

Queen's Birthday 16 June

Late Summer Bank Holiday 25 August

Gibraltar National Day 10 September

Christmas Day 25 December

Boxing Day 26 December

Spain Fixed: New Year's Day 1 January, Epiphany 6 January, St Joseph's Day 19 March, Labour Day 1 May, St John 24 June, St James 25 July, Assumption Day 15 August, National Day 12 October, All Saints 1 November, Immaculate Concep tion 8 December, Christmas 25 December

Moveable: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Corpus Christi

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