INTROSPECTION 2

 

« Environmental Changes «  referred to Estepona’s Fairy God-person. Well my researcher / dresser/general factotum,  has been on the case . I can now report that it is not someone with a magic wand , but one of those incredible , almost geniuses , that the human race throws up from time to time . Thinking of him ( it is a him ) , triggered an introspection of others throughout recorded human history . To name but a few:

As an engineer ( retired ) , and British ( not sure with the Westminster farce I am exactly proud of that fact ) , I have to start with Isambard Kingdom Brunel .Although both parents had spent time in jail , his father in a debtors prison , he had an education that set him on track. He was always challenging assumptions and pushing boundaries. He carried on despite , or perhaps because of , failures . The result : Thames tunnel , Clifton suspension bridge , Great Western railway , SS Great Britain fame . Oh and he designed a prefabricated hospital for the Crimean War ..   Phew  ; and no computers to help him . 

Another of those I admire :Sir Norman Foster . From poverty , he managed grammar school until 16 , then a series non related jobs until his drafting skills were discovered . Architectural studies were funded by part time jobs . Starting his own practice , it is now the largest in UK ; and works overseas. His ability to blend cutting edge technology with a human dimension has led to award wining results such as HSBC Hong Kong , Stansted Airport , Apple Park , …and my favourite ( because we repeatedly cross it ), Millau Bridge .

Oh and I have to mention the now Chief Twit (his words not mine ) .Elon Musk . Founding  Pay Pal ,Space X, Tesla, Tunnel Boring …and others !! Running just one would be a challenge to ordinary mortals. But is he now falling for that trait of those at the top …one of invincibility? ‘Twit “ will tell !

But back to earth , and Estapona , and its mayor : José María García Urbano is in possession of three professional titles: State Attorney, Property Registrar and Notary. Furthermore, he has a Diploma in German. Between 1985 and 1994, he held various positions in the Ministry of Justice, the last being that of Deputy Director-General for Nationality and Civil Status…..oh and mayor .( for which he has waived his salary , preferring it used for the municipality.)

García Urbano took on the position in 2011 with an inherited debt of €300,000,000 from the former government. The financial status of the town hall was in dire straits. Police cars couldn’t patrol because there was no money to fuel the cars, children took toilet paper to school because the City Council couldn’t provide it and even the deceased had to be transported out of the area because the crematorium no longer worked.

Fast forward to now and all those flowers , refurbishment of old city and sea front ; plus a new hospital , sports centre , town hall , costal footpath ..the list goes on : ..and a reduction in local taxes and car park fees . The man is a genius. I wonder if he speaks English , we need the help !

A GARDEN FLOWER!

Environmental Changes

 The Koel’s strident call echoed through this jungle environment , reminiscent to us of Asian sojourns . The atmosphere was appropriately damp, enhanced by a crashing waterfall . Every visible surface was covered in a green profusion of ferns and orchids .  A king palm stretched majestically skywards . This was no mental aberration , I was still in southern Spain , but In Estapona’s very own orchidarium ; a unique environment , not only to Spain but Europe . 1000 square metres housing 5000 plants  including 1500 species of orchids from  all over the world . 

Orchids  love growing on cork , so every spare surface was covered ; with cork bark used to construct artificial trees and branches. A newly constructed one exposed its reformed truck comprising expanding polyurethane foam. Still , shortly even this would vanish into the greenery .  A 15,000 cu m  temple to a ubiquitous , yet unique plant. To match the drama of this special flower , the temple’s architect had let his imagination run riot . It was though a space ship had landed in the middle of an Andalusian village . ….all for an entry fee of 3 euros . 

Someone,  somewhere must be Estapona’s financial fairy god-mother ( or for correctness should I say god-person ). The provision and maintenance of the profusion of flowers in the old town does not come cheap , neither did or does the orchidarium. The promenade is being completely refurbished as a flower strewn pedestrian walkway . At its' southern end, a partly completed hotel has been demolished  and (amazingly for Spain ) not rebuilt , but replaced with a 10 storey “ multipurpose space “ clad in a semi transparent facade . ( all for the quoted price of 14m euro ) .  You may think , well those of a cynical disposition , that this would be the mayor’s new office …it having  the best views all along the coast . You would be wrong; because the council’s new offices are already under construction . A 14.000 m2 futuristic cube , abutting the historic old town .  Certainly not one that would gain the approval of our new king ; but in his newly acquired role , not a view he could share . 

All this construction needs tower cranes, lots of them . Approaching Estapona  we passed one development of apartments that required 7 of the beasties . Our top floor apartment had a great view , especially of four more cranes. Nowadays these apparently need no intermediate support, defying the laws of physics , certainly that of the lever principal . They don’t look remotely stable . But there they are , swaying only slightly when transporting loads to the end of those impossibly long jibs . So I research why ; but only could really ascertain that they are anchored to massive blocks of concrete ; the weights they are sloughing are small in comparison to the weight of jib and counterbalance blocks …and they don't fall over very often!

So how to dismantle one of these creatures. In our own eyrie , we had a grandstand view of deconstruction. First you need an even bigger mobile crane and an employee without fear of heights ‘ whilst perched atop undoing connecting bolts . The various bits of the crane were then dismantled in strict sequence so as to maintain throughout vertical stability. No doubt that employee was relieved to be back at ground level, surrounded by a now horizontal crane . 

Nature’s magnificence

Housed in this!

mayoral splendeur?

 

 A modern look out tower

 Did we take out the right bolt?

YEP

Similarities and Differences

 Where else can you lie in bed all day long , determine your own dress code (or lack of)  and not feel conspicuous. ..The Sea side !  Living close , for some inverse reasoning , we tend not to do it enough . Well that’s my current thinking since I’am actually away from home ; on holiday . I suppose at home , if I lie around the pool the list of outstanding tasks swamps my serenity . 

Encouraged by family , we did spend a whole four days actually on the beach  ; and thoroughly enjoyed the tranquility it brings . With eyes closed listening to the lapping of the waves and children's excited laughter is just good for the soul . New Years resolution ( in August ? ) ; will do this more often . (Avoiding too much exposure to the sun and threat of skim cancer. )

So to extend the possibility of meeting that resolution , we have travelled down to southern Spain to increase the chances compliance. Here the weather is ( now ) sunny , the wind just a breeze ..oh and the alcohol abundant . Perfect for enjoying that bed by the sea.  Liberal doses of Cuba Libre ( Rum and coke ) aid the ambiance . Being October and close to Atlantic currents, the sea is somewhat cooler than  August in Argeles . Still after the oppressive heat of this summer , it is wonderful to have a chill in the air . Even a dip in a sea at 17/18 C is a joy . ( really ) 

Another difference is the Estapona  approach to beach cleaning : which is to send the gigantic tractors stirring up the sand in the middle of the day …just when the few us summer stragglers are trying to enjoy a pre midday siesta. A frankly absurd timing . 

Argeles tries , somewhat vainly , to present itself with a veneer of floral beauty . It has manage to increase its flower award from two to three rosettes . I’am not sure the visitors have noticed the floral improvement . They will have experienced a shock in the withdrawal of beach showers . These were eliminated as an eco step ; whist ignoring the vast quantities of water added to struggling grassed areas. They ( the Mayor that is ) should visit Estapona old town . Every street , wall and spare space has been given over to a profusion of trees and flowers . All ( I mean incredible all ) house wall have flower pots affixed complete with bursting floral abundance . It is worth a visit just to admire this competitor  to Chelsea flower show . If that’s not enough , there is the rivalry to paint the buildings with murals of the first order . Banksy, eat your heart out !!

Why is that religious institutes have to compete on size and opulence of the places of worship . Cathedrals represent a phenomenal consumption of economic resource , especially considering most are centuries old , and built at a time when parishioners were lucky to have more that one room accommodation .  On the journey south we stopped at Valencia and dutifully visited the increasing ornate monuments to religious opulence . The interiors are a riot of gothic extravagance . At the start of the civil war , the poor , fed up with the power of the church , proceeded to try and burn down these temples to wealth ( of the church that is ) . One had repeated visitations from fire bombers . The civil war was won by the wealth acquirers; so the temples have been rebuilt with restoration still proceeding . It would seem that the fundamental purpose of religion has still not been recognised . 

This musing is getting far too deep . So back to that bed ! 

Gothic extravagance 

Flowers everywhere

The height of street art 

Historic Steps

The first to step this way was Neanderthal man ,conveniently  leaving a skeleton behind . Then followed the full panoply of Mediterranean civilisations . The Greeks thought the rock marked the edge of the world , beyond which was a waterfall ; so needless to say they never ventured that way . The occupiers then oscillated between Moors  and Spanish. ; until that is Admiral Sir George Rouke arrived in 1704  with his own fleet . 15,000 rounds of naval shot persuaded the city fathers that they were better off as the newest acquisition of the British Empire .

 I wonder how a  Security Council , if it had existed , would have viewed the legality of the move . Pax Britannia was the”  law  “ then , so Gibraltar became British . Viewed from Spain it is indeed an impressive ,  an incongruous piece of rock emerging from  the sea; a perpetual irritant  .  Not surprisingly they want it back . Nowadays the owners ( UK inc ) insist that any decision must be taken democratically by the current ( British ) residents . A tax free environment , oh and that warship anchored  in the bay , are the determining factors. 

On holiday nearby , a visit is obligatory . Stepping into a tax free environment , with petrol less than 1.50 a litre a considerable draw. But first a visit to the top , aided by a cable car . However this one required the loss of an hour’ worth of shopping , such was the queue and ancient design . An adjacent queue ..e coughing and spluttering was the deciding factor  : the ladies went shopping , and I decided to walk up .

 First sustenance was required , so off to a British pub for Fish ( which was gigantic ) and chips …and a pint of  London Pride .  The pub , The Lord Nelson , harking but to an earlier visitor . Following Trafalgar, he was unfortunately encased in a barrel of brandy on his way to a state funeral in London . Following that pageant , the city fathers promptly forgot the debit they owned to the surviving mariners ; it fell to the ship’s captains to pay their crews out of their own pockets. As a postscript it is rumoured that not all the brandy reached the, UK . The crew enjoying a nip on the way home. This drink certainly having extra body ! It is still marketed today at 101% proof . 

Suitable reinforced I set off upwards , alcoholic haze overcoming a bloated torso . My destination was the 40Km of tunnels constructed during WW2 to provide a safe haven for the Rock’s garrison . The electronic guide advised that 16,000 could have withstood a 12 month siege within those tunnels . Not for the claustrophobic . Nissan huts provided for sleeping quarters , complete with windows to overcome accompanying neurosis.  A design promulgated by generals no doubt above ground elsewhere:  the huts still had several hundred feet of rock above them . I can’t help feeling a better investment was the millions in gold surreptitiously paid the Franco’s generals not to enter the war.

The tunnels featured “ Jocks “ balcony giving a spectacular , and strategic , view over the approach road to Gibraltar. Nowadays that road is crossed by a runway  ; or is it the road that crosses the runway . Anyway traffic lights warning of approaching planes . A surreal view of pedestrians and cars queuing for a gap in ( aviation ) traffic . My view timed for a takeoff of an executive jet . No doubt a resident of the Rock having spent millions on a flat , to avoid spending millions in tax elsewhere . There must be a big plus in that ; in my eyes the financial advantage would not compensate for Gibraltar’s ambiance : an ageing 50’s  high street. But then  I don't have those millions. 

An annoying rock

I hope that rock protection is never tested .. and the lights fail!

    

Hospital life below rock

This one didn’t get away…it is/was a fish

Le voyage / El camino?

 Every journey has an ending. The two pilots of the Boeing cargo plane did not anticipate there’s would be the Mediterranean. It overshot the runway in Montpellier, and ended with it’s nose in the sea. To retrieve it took two gigantic mobile cranes. Hopefully an army of technicians will ensure that it is fit to return to base . An ignominious ending for both plane  and crew.

We can only guess why. Was it pilot error, no doubt on their past record what Boeing will claim ; brake failure , then should we worry about the same problem with other Boeings? Or a freak tail wind , it was windy that night .   We will probably never find out.

For us , we decided not to enter the Mediterranean but sit by the beach with a glass of wine watching the Sun set over the hills next to the last British outpost in Europe : the rock of Gibraltar. The sky turned  vermilion whilst the sea seem to glow with reflecting light.  All was peaceful after 13 hours of driving, almost entirely motorway. They are such a boon to long distance driving , especially across Spain and France , where for us Brits the distances are huge and roads normally  half empty . 

Things are even better in Spain now where tolls have been abolished . So it was a shock to find as we approach Malaga , toll booths ; and expensive ones at that . Here there are two parallel motorways , one free ; the other not . Google maps having the option selected of the fastest route , caused us to pay . The road was very quiet and the scenery magnificent . Some days later we decided to take the other , older route . Now the definition of a motorway is somewhat flexible in this part of the world . This route had bus stops and no acceleration lanes for joining traffic .   We will pay next time, worth the extension to life expectancy !

Yes motorways can be a joy , but when things go wrong, then it can be spectacularly awful . On one journey we had passed a car literally half way up in a tree ; no indication how that astounding feat was achieved .The  police  had closed the M40 on a bank holiday Monday morning to traffic leaving London.  The resulting jam stretched back passed two exits ; we  sailed on in the other direction, mightily relieved  . The next time , we were in Spain heading south , and the jam continued forever ; luckily for us heading north . What appeared to be a lorry fire had closed the Autopista approaching Valencia . Lesson : always carry spare food , water and cloths ..and listen to options from Google Maps . 

Now we can forget all that unpleasantness , and concentrate on enjoying Estapona , and for a few short weeks , a Spanish lifestyle . But that’s another story . 

Ah , we have reached the end of the runway