Christmas illuminations in Gibraltar

The Christmas lights look so pretty in Gib! They were switched on on Friday evening but I was still busy with things at Radio Gibraltar, so I missed the switch-on ceremony. I've had a full and fun day today though and managed to get a snap of Southport Gates for this blip.

Southport Gates are among the most impressive of the fortifications of Gibraltar, and my personal favourite. They are part of what was once a series of walls and fortifications that were part of Gibraltar's defences for literally hundreds of years. Built originally in the 1500s, they were renewed or rebuilt, according to who one asks, in the mid 1800s.

Gibraltar was an area that was prone to sieges, wars, neighbour accosting neighbour, and when that wasn't taking place, piracy was rampant in the area.

When you remember that nine sieges of MAJOR proportions took place here, you can undertand the need for walls, gates, tunnels and fortresses, and the evidence of their existence is part of the charm of a visit to Gibraltar.

They're also reminding you of times when things were a bit more barbaric than today. Evidence of a time when the Moors landed on the shores of Gibraltar, the Spaniards driving them out, only to be themselves ousted by a British invasion!

British since 1704, and to this day Gibraltarians are adamant they want Gibraltar to remain British, the Spanish goverment will be out of luck trying to win it back, certainly during my lifetime in my opinion...