The creative muse is on holiday. Clarity, who is normally in residence, disappeared when Horrid Head Cold arrived.
So rather than writing some muzzy thoughts - here are some pictures of Gib.
In no particular order..............
Mesembryanthemums providing spring time colour in Gibraltar
Royal gun salute
This was for the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II on 21 April. The Royal Gibraltar Regiment was inspected by Peter Caruana.
I was a little disappointed. There were an awful lot of suits around and a shortage of handsome men in uniforms. By which I mean there were no dark blue ones.
Speaking of the Royal Navy - HMS Chatham stopped over in Gib to refuel. Chatham is a type 22 batch 3 frigate, built on the Tyne by Swan Hunter and launched in 1988. She is en route to the Gulf where she will be helping to protect Iraqi oil platforms and territorial waters in support of the United Nations Security Council Regulations and the Government of Iraq. Chatham will also be helping maintain maritime security in the area.
While they were in Gib, the ship's football team lost against a Combined Services team (2-0), and 42 of the crew ran from the dockyard to the top of the Rock. The fastest runner achieved a new record time for the ship of 26 minutes and 6 seconds. Good grief. Well done Petty Officer Dan Bartlett and everyone else taking part in the Rock Run. How amazingly fit. I feel ill thinking about it.
HMS Chatham
Finally to finish off, some views from a trip to Gib waterworks..
A view from the Moorish Castle at the top of town, just at the entrance to the Upper Rock nature reserve
A now unused valve chamber with an amazing interior
And on the other side of the Rock, views from the old water catchment area down towards Catalan Bay. Virtually all the corrugated sheeting has been removed and the 34 acres previously used for catchment is grassland again. Gib's water now comes from a desalination plant.
Sources: Royal Navy website for info about HMS Chatham
