HMS Exter

HMS Exeter leave for home. After being in Gib for the Trafaglar celebrations, HMS Exeter steams home.

A sign of the times?

This statue of Jesus was spotted "dumped" outside a rubbish collection point. I am not religious but surely this is shows total lack of respect? Is this the age we live intoday where effigies can be disposed of in the same manner as commodities?

King's Bastion - Update

As promised last week, the King’s Bastion generating station would be no more by the end of this weekend. And true to form, it no longer is. Here are some pics showing the results of yesterday’s demolition work.

Stand by for a new vista from this spot.....surprisingly, the palm tree withstood the demolition going on around it!

This site will have a completely new look in a couple of years time. A lawned garden on the left, open restaurants where the building presently sits an a much needed roundabout to handle traffic at this busy junction.

Kids playing amongst the old houses find old coins, think it's a treasure and ask my wife for a valuation.... total treasure... a few pence worth of discontinued Spanish Peseta coins!

Kids play on the abandoned houses built on top of the Bastion. the top storey of this building is to be demolished and this ground level converted into shops and cafes.

No longer with us. The front of the building has now been demolished beyond recognition whilst the Bastion's original shape comes to light.

Hurricane Wilma and the Yucatan Peninsular

As I keep seeing the damage caused by hurricane Wilma on the Mexican coasts and Yucatan peninsular, I dug out some photographs that I took on a recent holiday to the area.

Tulum coastline. Mexico

La Guagua (Bus). Mexico

Cozumel. Mexico.

Tulum, Mayan Ruins. Mexico

Autumn evening

It’s been a beautiful autumn’s day.  With clear blue skies and a beautiful quality to the evening light.  Some photographs of buildings around town.

As more and more developments go up in Gibraltar someone needs to give some thought to the needs of children. EuroPlaza. Gibraltar

St Bernard's Hospital. Gibraltar

Golden Arches

Old town and Moorish Castle Estate. Gibraltar

Ocean Heights. Gibraltar

Watergardens. Gibraltar

The Cliftons. Gibraltar

Island Project Update

As the King’s Bastion Generating Station (below) is about to be pulled down, the Island Project is taking off with tons and tons of sand being poured into the caissons that had been brought in only weeks earlier.

Sand and rock is now put into place by an army of diggers and bulldozers. In the background is Europlaza which is also fast coming to completion.

The concrete caissons have been filled with sand dedged from the east side of the Rock.

King's Bastion Generating Station, a farewell.

Farewell.  You have served us well.  

No one will forget your engine Number 13 nor the problems that it caused us.  

This is the last week that this fine art-deco building will grace us with her presence.  In her place should see much needed leisure amenities and a restoration of the historical King’s Bastion to give her back some of her dignity.

This sight which has dominated Queensway should no longer be there by the end of next weekend.

Stairs now too unsafe to climb at the front of the building.

The roof goes.

Old control equipment, now no longer needed.

As the Bastion get redeveloped it is anticipated that an Ice Skating Rink and 14 lane bowling alley will make an appearance here.

The Generating Station was built on the site of 18 ton gun battery. Five of these guns are still to be found within the battery. Hopefully the restoration of the Bastion will make the most use of these assets.

Old fuel tanks may still still present an envirnmental hazard as this spilt diesel fuel testifies.

Close up of orange rose.

Dead Rose. Having said I am not a plant person in so far as my photography is concerned, here is another plant photo!

Catus Garden (Lanzarote, Spain)

I am not much of plant person but I could not but help going nuts over this cactus botanical garden in Lanzarote (Canary Islands, Spain).

On location

Through the window

Purple Plants

Angels. OK so you have to use your imagination....

Orange Cacti

Round Cacti

London, October 2005

Some shots taken on my pocket digital camera on a very short visit to London.

The new skybridge at Gatwick Airport.

Water feature, King's Road, London

Retail therapy, Selfridges, London.

Pedestrians

Harley waits for no flight!

The unusual but ever more frequent situation at Gibraltar airport where traffic lights and a barrier control traffic across the runway. If Gibraltar airport is to be used more regularly, this will need to be the first thing that has to be addressed.

graffitti

Was taken aback by this graffitti as this is about the only instance, that I know of, of graffitti in Gibraltar.

25th Anniversary of the Anglican Dioceses of Gibraltar and Europe

Today marked the 25th Anniversary of the Anglican Dioceses of Gibraltar and Europe.  A procession from Europa Point to the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe was held to commemorate this.

The procession makes its way to the Shrine of our Lady of Europe. Gibraltar.

The procession goes past the Trinity Lighthouse. Europa Point, Gibraltar.

The Bishop and the Mosque.

Getting ready for the start.

Prcession walks past the mosque. This is what makes Gibraltar so unique. An Anglican celebration in a Roman Catholic Church which passes by a Muslim Mosque and the only shooting is that of my camera!

Procession entering the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe, Gibraltar. Dean of Gibraltar (Anglican) and Bishop of Gibraltar (RC)

On the road to the Shrine