God Save The Queen

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I wasn't going to do a separate blog for Gibraltar, I thought I would just include it with Spain. Then I realised that would be playing into the hands of the Spanish so here it is stuck out on its own.

I felt that I had to visit Gibraltar while in the area, seeing as it is one of the last remnants of the British Empire. As I walked from La Linea, across the runway and into Gibraltar, I wondered why I had bothered. It is like the worst of southern Spain. Construction sites everywhere, ugly tower blocks, busy roads. This all changes when you get up on the rock. The view is fantastic. You are surrounded on three sides by the vivid blue sea and across the busy straits, the mountains of Morocco are clearly visible. The rock itself is bright white limestone with forested green slopes leading down to a mix of Moorish castles, British colonial buildings then concrete eyesores.

So why is it British anyway? Well, in 1704 during the War of Spanish Succession, the British captured Gibraltar on behalf of the Austrian Archduke Charles VI. Then we kind of forgot to hand it over to him and the Union Jack has remained there ever since. There have been numerous attempts by the Spanish to recapture Gibraltar. The impressive fortifications and tunnels filled with cannons and supplies rendered any attacks and siege attempts unsuccesful. It is still quite a sore point with Spain and the border only reopened as recently as 1985.

Strategically Gibraltar has been vitally important during the Battle of Trafalgar, the opening of the Suez Canal and World War Two but why hang on to it still? I am sure there are some old fashioned military types in government who still hark on about its strategic worth but surely this is no longer valid. So surely it should be up to the population; a mix of British, Spanish and Genoese (hired by the Royal Navy, they were excellent ship builders back in the day) who have now been living there for many generations? Well, a referendum was held giving the population the decision of whether to retain British sovereignity or become part of Spain. Votes in favour of remaining British: 12138. Votes in favour of ceding to Spain: 44. Quite conclusive then. The 44 were later locked up and made to watch "The Bridge Over The River Kwai" over and over then force fed fish and chips until they realised where their allegiance lie.

I think the main reason that we keep the rock is the same reason we fought over the Falkland Islands and keep hold of Montserrat and the Pitcairns. The reason is so that there are still a few places dotted around an atlas that still have (UK) after the name. We cling on to the past. Britain once had the biggest empire in the world and we won't let anyone forget it.

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Photos

View From The Top
The monkeys were much friendlier than I had been led to believe. They get regular vetinary check ups and you can even hold some of them.

The Rock of Gibraltar
It was much bigger than I expected.

The Berbery Apes
Winston Churchill said "when the apes leave Gibraltar, so will the British". Thats why a few new ones are brought in from Africa every now and then.

The Pillar of Hercules Monument and the Hills of Morocco in the Background
The Romans believed that this was the edge of the world.

The Border
Thats La Linea in Spain and the road in to Gibraltar across the runway.

The Old and the New
The thirteenth century Moorish castle looking down disapprovingly on the recent concrete tower blocks.

Comments

[MN_]

gibraltar
hi david, as spanish, for me the british rule of gibraltar produce me shame, but i understand that we have not to negociate now a status that brits won with effort. So we have to accept the british rule and i congratulate yours for your desire to keep the glorious pages of your national history