Herc's Other Pillar

---

Geo: 36.14, -5.35

We backtracked a bit in order to visit Gibraltar. As compensation we will provide a nice picture similar to an earlier one.

Sorry, but now for a humorous, and very enjoyable interaction with a couple of Brits. On the return from Tangier, we sat next to a couple from England, and engaged in a lively and enjoyable conversation. This began when the husband looked across at us on the ferry and offered, "so you are going to Seville"? Apparently, he had overheard an earlier conversation with another person about our next city. We then spent the next hour or so discussing England, the Brexit, Gibraltar, the U.S., and of course, Donald.

The couple laments the Brexit. As everyone knows, if there was another vote, England would not leave the European Union, the decline in the Pound since the vote is proof. Yet, what is done, cannot be undone. They must exit, which will occur within two years. England's standard of living will decline a bit.

Now for the really interesting part. The husband has been an international business traveler. A company, with which he has been associated, had a factory in Coffee County Georgia! He vividly describes landing in Atlanta and driving I-85 to Coffee county. We inquired if he was paid extra to visit south Georgia, south of the gnat line. He laughed, knowingly. At this point he wondered why middle and lower middle class whites vote Republican, offering they are voting "against their economic interest' based upon his experiences in south Georgia. We have previously heard an identical comment from a German.

The couple, especially he, states Gibraltar "is an embarrassment". The only reason we understood was, "it's dirty". Well, we can certainly inform you Gibraltar is less littered than the U.S., although perhaps a bit more than England. But it's not bad! We later wondered if the "embarrassment" is that England continues to occupy a portion of Spain, but this was not discussed.

As the journey continued, HP left the conversation to obtain a glass of wine for Bird (HP as well). Upon returning, Bird informed him that out of the blue one Brit inquired, "what do you think of Donald?" The method of inquiry she recalls was, "are Americans serious?" We have encountered several such inquiries in Europe. Like other Europeans, these folks are amazed Trump is actually a viable candidate. We had little in rebuttal, except perhaps, that the Brits encouraged this with Brexit. They question what will happen to the U.S., and the world, should he win?

The Brit humor is wonderful!

After all this, we spent the next day in Gibraltar. Our Brits had informed us, "it isn't worth it, but you need to go once". He was largely correct, but we enjoyed it more than was apparently the case for them. An exception to our enjoyment was we again partook "fish and chips". In London they were greasy. Guess what, at Gibraltar, they were the same.

Have we told you that reviewing our travels with you is fun.

---