On the fifth evening of our cruise, we arrived in Gibraltar. In order to escape some bad weather, the Captain increased speed to outrun a storm, and we arrived early at 11pm instead of early the next morning. We had crossed the notorious Bay of Biscay with hardly a ripple. It was lovely to go on deck after dinner and watch the ship approach the port of Gibraltar, with the town lights shining and the rock looming high over the harbour. We were due to leave at 5pm later that day, so we had quite a few hours to explore the small town and large rock, which I had never visited before. Tim had been a few times previously, but well over 40 years ago, when he used to pick up boats and sail them back to the uk as part of his job as a delivery skipper.
It's sometimes pleasant to go somewhere as a couple when one of you has been before and knows something about the place, as it can save you time deciding where to go, and what to avoid. On the other hand, it can be slightly annoying when all they say when you are walking round, is -
..... "that block of flats wasn't there when I last came"
or - "it's so much busier along this road than when I was last here",
or - "I picked up a boat that was moored just to the left of that yellow bollard",
or - "that shop looks different somehow, compared to when I was here 40 years ago",
or - "I can't believe how its changed so much...."
Yes, of course everything's changed! That's progress for you! No need to keep stating the obvious! Then of course we had to go and track down the bars and restaurants that used to be Tim's local haunts in 1972, so we trek endlessly round the back streets in the 25 degree heat, looking for the Bull and Bush, apparently the most famous and oldest pub in Gibraltar. Eventually he gives up and asks someone, and as I suspected, it closed down ten years ago...... Similarly with some old restaurant - he was convinced it was going to be just the same as when he last visited, with the same old men sitting at the same tables, same tablecloths, the same menu, but sadly it had turned into an estate agents....
It's sometimes pleasant to go somewhere as a couple when one of you has been before and knows something about the place, as it can save you time deciding where to go, and what to avoid. On the other hand, it can be slightly annoying when all they say when you are walking round, is -
..... "that block of flats wasn't there when I last came"
or - "it's so much busier along this road than when I was last here",
or - "I picked up a boat that was moored just to the left of that yellow bollard",
or - "that shop looks different somehow, compared to when I was here 40 years ago",
or - "I can't believe how its changed so much...."
Yes, of course everything's changed! That's progress for you! No need to keep stating the obvious! Then of course we had to go and track down the bars and restaurants that used to be Tim's local haunts in 1972, so we trek endlessly round the back streets in the 25 degree heat, looking for the Bull and Bush, apparently the most famous and oldest pub in Gibraltar. Eventually he gives up and asks someone, and as I suspected, it closed down ten years ago...... Similarly with some old restaurant - he was convinced it was going to be just the same as when he last visited, with the same old men sitting at the same tables, same tablecloths, the same menu, but sadly it had turned into an estate agents....
No comments:
Post a Comment