European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 14, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Although Rocky Gibraltar jutting out of the Mediterranean has lost much of its strategic significance the British Aren t ready to give it up. Fil Britain continues to cling to Gibraltar by Cheryl Blackerby Cox news service too huk h Sun and no enough min Are he first indications that the tiny chunk of real estate called Gibraltar in t in the United kingdom. Otherwise the 3-Square-mile Limestone Promontory abutting the Southern coast of Spain is quite British. At least for the moment. Gibraltar is Europe s last Colony. A British dependency since it was coded by Spain in 1713, it is a startling anachronism in the Independent climate of the new europe1. Two countries Are engaged in a diplomatic tug of War Over it an act Many europeans View As More appropriate for the Middle Ages than the 1990s, great Britain still claims it. Spain wants it Back. Anri the 30,000 permanent residents would like things to remain pretty much As they Are a in political limbo. Legend says the future ultimately will be decided by the 20 or so Barbary apes that live near the top of the Rock of Gibraltar. As Long As they survive the Story goes Britain will control the Peninsula. When the Colony of apes died Down to seven during world War ii Winston Churchill quit Kly ordered 28 apes brought Over from Morocco Britain still is taking no chances. Its commanding officer of the Gibraltar regiment also has the title of officer in charge of the apes. His Job is to make sure they Are led twice a Day and Are Safe in their Dens each night. With Europe moving toward a single Market and weakening other Border restrictions Many europeans View the outdated British military Post As something of ,1 1 embarrassment. At first Glaive a Gib As the people who live Here Call it seems As British As Plymouth with roughly the same concentration of pubs fish and chips places anti tattooed British sailors. Drivers entering Gibraltar from Spain pay attention to the Light 100 Yards from passport control. If it s red it usually Means they have to give right of Way to a Royal air Force Hercules transport plane about to take off on the Street cum runway in front of them. Land at the sea level circumference of the towering 1,398-foot High Rock of Gibraltar is scarce. The changing of the guard lakes place promptly at 10 20 in front of the governor s House on tuesday mornings. Roundabouts not Stop signs direct bumper to bumper traffic on Winston Churchill Avenue. Judges Wear wigs and the police dress like bobbies. Bui on closer inspection things Are not quite what they seem. A sentence beginning in the Queen s English often ends in andalusian Spanish or moroccan arabic. African businessmen in Long Djel Bas or Robes Are As common As sunburned British tourists. And the mood these Days is not Sliff upper lip but olten tense and emotional. A loud argument that erupted at the bus station at la Linea de la Concepcion the Spanish City that begins at the Gibraltar Border seemed to symbolize the division of loyalties. An Irish tourist accused the Spanish ticket seller of deliberately giving him wrong information about the bus schedule. The ticket Salesman told him he should learn Spanish so he could understand Spanish bus schedules. Hie irishman said the Salesman should improve his English since Many customers Are English speaking British visitors from Gibraltar. The argument degenerated into a bilingual screaming match. But English speaking visitors have no language problems in the Colony. And they have plenty to do for such a Small area. They can shop in Marks amp Spencer on main Street and dozens of duty free shops in the commercial District and enjoy the Sandy Mediterranean Beach at catalan one of the Tew beaches on the Rocky Peninsula. They will want to visit the magnificent 1 2th-Century moorish Castle the Gibraltar museum and of course the ape s Den near the top of the Queen s Road. Most of the visitors come Here As part of a trip to Southern Spain and Morocco. Day trips to Tangier Morocco and Cadiz and Granada Spain can be easily arranged by most of the Gibraltar hotels. But visitors can expect some controversy. They should do their Best to avoid the topic of Gibraltar s future. As Ramon Cercos spokesman for the consulate of Spain explained Quot it is a very sentimental the land would be insignificant he said except that Quot it is Spanish. It s not important for any other reason. It has lost its military and what about those Barbary apes Quot hmm Well there Are Only about Only 20 left Quot he said and laughed.travelers1 tips a getting there airlines flying to Gibraltar from Gatwick Airport near London Are go airways and air Europe which also flies from other european cities. Girair offers twice daily service from Tangier Morocco. The halt Day bus trip from Seville Spain is a Scenic ride through the Sierra nevadas and the bus trip from Cadiz Spain offers an even More spectacular Scenic route Al it gang the Mediterranean coast. A hotels Caleta Palace a luxury hotel next to catalan Beach is great for sunbathers but is a 30-minute walk to the commercial District. Don t count on getting a seat on the Little Gibraltar buses going Between the Beach and town. Rooms Start at about $100. Modest Small hotels in town include the Queen s hotel double rooms Start at about $50 and the Bristol hotel about $80. Other hotels include the luxurious Rock the Holiday inn and the modest Montario. A currency stores and hotels accept Gibraltar pounds or British pounds Sterling they Are equivalent and Spanish pesetas although prices generally Are slightly better in pounds. For More information write the Gibraltar tourist Tolice Piazza John Mackintosh main Street Gibraltar. A Cox news service 24 stripes Magazine november 14, 1991 a
