Gibraltar is like Marmite.

We spent three days in Gibralter after a road trip through Spain and Portugal. We had such a difficult time trying to get in! We drove up and down three times, felt forced into an illegal u turn and promptly got stopped and fined by the Spanish police who gladly took our last 63 euros from us.

The relief we felt at arriving in a place akin to Portsmouth circa 1980 was enormous. We traipsed around trying to find an affordable hotel for us and I was shocked at some of the dated, grimy rooms we were shown. We ended up at the Bristol Hotel where we were given a reduced rate for a family room after I told the manager about our fine at the border.

We went out for a meal later and it was a bit seedy along Main Street but the young man who served us was beautifully polite and chatty. The hotel receptionist (looks like Miss World's older sister) was totally charming. Being of the poor unwashed masses, we took our laundry down to a launderette at the marina and again, helpful, polite, informative.

We then discovered a photo/postcard shop which had copies of old ships photos and the owner helped us locate a copy of HMS Calpe coming into Gib during WWII on which my partner's (now deceased) father had been stationed at the time. Again another lovely interaction. We couldn't really afford to do much in the way of tours but we walked around as much as we could and loved it.

When people ask me what I think about Gibralter I do say I loved it but I am a little apologetic because I can see why someone would be put off by those first impressions of Main Street.

VO5 - I think you are absolutely not a gentleman, I have an image of you and your wife guffawing away, totally unbecoming. So glad I didn't come across you. It would have spoiled our impression of Gibralter.

Nice one, can this be put to bed now Alberto is getting on my tripe
 
Have been watching and having a laugh, I learned to sail with Jack Peate in the late 90s. I loved Gib, swmbo hated it.
We went on a bareboat charter there, went to Soto Grande and back. Went to clear back in, the woman that checked us in would seem to be the same one referred to! Miserable ****, ex navy by the look and sound of her!
Stu

I have made enquiries for you. He is not here. It has been suggested to me he may have moved to Alcudia. If I find out more I will let you know.
 
I have made enquiries for you. He is not here. It has been suggested to me he may have moved to Alcudia. If I find out more I will let you know.
I much appreciate your kind searchings, I used to see his wife at the Southampton boat show but since the falling out by certain loud forumites it seems his business didnt go so well and she doesnt attend any more.
He was a gentleman of the old school, he was in his 70s when we were there, he still had a big Suzuki and used to tell the story of getting caught by the police doing 150 mph and getting away with it!
Stu
 
Tony Harris might know. He now lives in Banus from the last I heard. I bumped into him on Main Street 2 years ago. We went for for lunch and a chat.

He gave me his email address and mobile number and his landline in Puerto Jose Banus but I have mislaid it somehow.

Katie, the A.Gen. might know. I will pop round to see her at the first opportunity and report back.

I will do my best to find him for you, I promise.
 
Tony Harris might know. He now lives in Banus from the last I heard. I bumped into him on Main Street 2 years ago. We went for for lunch and a chat.

He gave me his email address and mobile number and his landline in Puerto Jose Banus but I have mislaid it somehow.

Katie, the A.Gen. might know. I will pop round to see her at the first opportunity and report back.

I will do my best to find him for you, I promise.

I'd like to find out about Jack too. I did dayskipper with him when he was in his 70's. He took us into Banus for a night and was the last one off the dance floor. A real character.
 
VO 5

I can confirm VO5 exists !! I have met him.

Whilst on holiday we met up for a very pleasant drink at the Royal Gibraltar Yacht Club, he has a wicked sense of humour - one of Gib's characters !

I look forward to many more 'battles' re the Marmite thread.

' Gibraltar is like Marmite - I love them both '

Happy New Year to all our readers !


David.


PS

He does have a Corniche with white walls tyres - he gave ne a lift in it - complete with wrap around sound !!!
 
I am pleased you enjoyed the visit.

The Club Secretary, who joined us at the bar, sends his regards.

You are welcome for another session at your next visit.

If this is during Regatta Week and I am the Race Officer again this year you can join me. I can do the clocks etc., our Boatman can do the flags and you might like to do the Guns.:D...There's another treat for you.

The Corniche is asleep in the garage at the moment under lock and key.:cool:

You can understand that pedestrians waiting at crossings are reluctant to take advantage of their right to cross and instead choose to forego the priviledge just to be able to see it go past and wave.:D

And the relationship with other motorists is equally charming and unusual as you have experienced.:)

Then on occasion, at traffic lights, one of these huge TIR trucks may stop alongside in the next lane....

The drivers of these vehicles invairably lean out of their windows to ogle the Corniche.:p

I am always very polite to them too.

I always make the comment "That's a nice lorry you have there too".

They always smile and give a thumbs up sign.:D

It is what proper motoring should be like everywhere isn't it ?:eek:
 
Interesting to see a reference to 60s Gibraltar and Smokey Joe's cafe, I seem to remember that the food was decanted onto the plate straight from the fryingpan complete with oil! As a young man I found Gib incredibly welcoming and caring. The thing that has long exercised my curiosity was the fate of some metal hulled ex MTBs that I worked on while I was there. They were Swedish built copies of WW2 Italian boats, re engined with 12 cyl Packards. They were the same class as T26 which appears to be the only survivor.
http://www.navyradio.se/4d3de19c-0712-48e0-99ce-1b48fe7e3155-9.html
I believe that they were named Lucky Lady and Lucky Lizzie. they were berthed in a small yard down beside the runway in the marina. Does anybody remember these boats? does anybody know of any images of them? My memory (poor) seems to suggest to me that there was very little superstructure left on them, probably just the wheelhouse. I would be delighted to see any image of these boats and hear anything of their history.
Thanks,
Phill.
 
Tony Harris might know. He now lives in Banus from the last I heard. I bumped into him on Main Street 2 years ago. We went for for lunch and a chat.

He gave me his email address and mobile number and his landline in Puerto Jose Banus but I have mislaid it somehow.

Katie, the A.Gen. might know. I will pop round to see her at the first opportunity and report back.

I will do my best to find him for you, I promise.
Just resurrecting this marvellous old thread. Will probably be in Gib the back end of June or more likely early July.
Get the Corniche burnished and we will have a catch up?
Stu
 
Blinked when I saw it!!

Gib has changed even more since. New buildings everywhere.

Recommend booking a berth at that time of year, marinas will be full. Alternative over the border.

We are on pier 3 Marina Bay, do PM if you got any questions :encouragement:
 
Blinked when I saw it!!

Gib has changed even more since. New buildings everywhere.

Recommend booking a berth at that time of year, marinas will be full. Alternative over the border.

We are on pier 3 Marina Bay, do PM if you got any questions :encouragement:

May be coming down in next few weeks.
Do they still take euros?
 
(I haven't gone through the thread.)

This said I have only sailed into Gibraltar once about 25 yrs ago. What I retain from that visit was the Englishness of the town but also its scruffiness.

It may well have improved since.
 
Look forward to it.
Which marina is most likely to be available?
Will be leaving boat there for owner maybe, or somewhere nearby.

Both marinas are getting busier now and its worth booking ahead. Personally, I prefer Marina Bay.

However if its just a drop off, the marina over the border in La Linea has lots of room. Alcaidesa marina. Both are about the same 10 minute walk to the airport. Lots of destinations in the UK now.

Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester. For south coast I prefer Monarch or Eazyjet to Gatwick.

Safe trip!
 
We got a place in Queensway last night, no problems. I prefer the bars in marina bay, but we needed laundry done and the one in Queensway offers a quick turnaround
 
We got a place in Queensway last night, no problems. I prefer the bars in marina bay, but we needed laundry done and the one in Queensway offers a quick turnaround

Dunno if its any use but Suds at Ocean Heights do a same day service with pick up and delivery. Whilst you relax in a bar or two!
 
(I haven't gone through the thread.)

This said I have only sailed into Gibraltar once about 25 yrs ago. What I retain from that visit was the Englishness of the town but also its scruffiness.

It may well have improved since.

What Rip Van Winkle experienced is nothing compared to what you will when you get here, LOL.
 
He was doing alright till this one

Ha Ha ...Let's see....

This is exactly the sort of post that I enjoy responding to...:D

Lets start with the first paragraph and work our way down, shall we ?

Your comments are not unusual. They are not unusual either in viewpoint or in content. But they are not unusual because you represent an outside view, which is an uninformed view. It is not exactly what one would call an incisively informed view as all you have been able to observe is a cursory fleeting impression. This small window is the window that fleeting visitors hastily look through, with mixed results. It does not present a broader spectrum, it is rather like a series of hasty snapshots.

You and I differ for several reasons....ahem...but the main reason is that you cannot have an intimate knowledge of a place by just visiting. It is even more difficult if you are an uninvited visitor left to your own devices in which you go about...exploring...without a clue asto what it is you are really looking at and why, you understand.

Other posters on this thread imply that Gib is "grotty". This tickles me pink. I think it is so funny. The reason why I think so is because, like any firmly established society that has occupied an enclave for generations, it develops its own internal life of which the visitor is unaware and is not privy to. I have not experienced what you are recounting but there again, there is a factor you overlook.

What you overlook is that the people you encountered are very experienced at dealing with non residents. These include the ex pats who cannot afford to live here and live across the border in Spain but come here to work. It also includes Spanish workers, including chars, nannies, cooks, messenger girls and boys, cleaners, washerwomen, seamstresses, carpenters, construction workers, plumbers, waiters, crane drivers and scaffolders.

There is a place for everyone and everyone in his place.

These people can immediately identify who's who in the zoo by the way they dress, the way they speak, and the way they behave, immediately. They are very skilled at detecting bad grammar, rude language, poor pronounciation, and in general, being able to recognise bad taste. Then their responses are tailored according to how they are approached and by whom.

They know not to upset the ruling classes.

The ruling classes are easily identified (anywhere you wish to go in the world) not necessarily by visible wealth or ostentation, but by manners. I never have any problems of any sort with any of the categories of persons you mention, but there again I do not create fertile ground for them to disrespect me or act uncivilly.

Now let us examine each of the experiences you have had, and I will give you my views.

You were able to get a berth, were you not ?
You recieved attentive help at the quayside, did you not ?
The lady at reception whom you accuse of being Hitler's sister....have you considered what it mifght mean to have to deal constantly with the public ? Do you realise that the public can try the patience of a statue ? Do you not consider she may have just encountered an upstart of an uneducated and brash visitor and has had time to recover from it, and has had her day spoilt ?

The use of the loo by the other chap may have a simple explanation of which you are not aware. The loo in his own premises may have been blocked, for example. It is not correct to jump to conclusions on the basis of unsupportable evidence.

The public loos by the Trafalgar Cemetry are always a problem. They are not used by peoiple who livew in Gibraltar. They are used by visitors. It is the visitors who make a mess in there. Therefore because of a few visitors' misconduct, all other visitors may have to suffer. You cannot expect someone to devote their entire day to cleaniung up after mucky inconsiderate visitors.

That the price of the coffee was changed that day and that you have taken umbrage at it because it was not announced is trivial, really petty. A few pennies will not bankrupt anyone.

JP Morgan. the famous American financier had two sayings:~

"If you have to discuss what yachting costs, then you cannot afford it"

"You can do business with anyone, but you can only sail with a gentleman".

I believe these two statements to be as valid today as when they were first uttered.

If the tunnels were closed they were closed. The problem lay with the publisher of the flyer, and not the staff at the site.

The amount of traffic is huge, because also there are many visitors who are unfamiliar with the roads, sometimes causing traffic jams. But I have never experienced danger as you imply. In fact, I have experienced courtesy, particularly from the police on point duty who do their best to keep the traffic flowing at difficult times.

I would respectfully suggest you continue with your love affair with Marmite, and resist becoming infatuated with any other interest, including a repeat visit, so that you should not be dissappointed yet again.:D
 
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