Last leg of the tour

[happy daze john in oz]

MARSEILLE AND BEYOND


Home to Greek sailors since around600Bc Marseille is the largest port city of France and also holds thetitle of largest Mediterranean port .
The former medieval capital of Provenceboasts the 12^th century cathedral Saint Sauveur anarchbishop palace and clock tower.
Since the end of WW2 when this city waslittle more than a major fishing port much has changed. It is nolonger the fishing port it was and has transformed into a mostbeautiful modern city that combines so well the old with the new. Thecenter harbor is now home to hundreds of yachts all types and size.
Standing high above the town center isthe Notre-Dame de la Garde to reach the top requiring the climbing ofsome 167 steps. From the top the view over the city is stunning.Sitting in the bay a fortress
built some 400 years ago as a prison.It is this prison that features in the novel ' Count of Monte Cristo'and is the Chateau d'if.


Avignon is home to the palace of thePopes which was the resident of 7 Popes from 1309 to 1378.


There is the Pont de Gard a worldfamous three tired Roman aqueduct dating back to 40 A.D. And wascapable of carrying some 44 million gallons of water a day.


Aries purported to have beenestablished in 46 B.C. By Julius Caesar, this picture perfect townwas also the home of Van Gogh who painted more than 300 canvaseswhilst living there from 1888 to 1889.


Along the harbor front on Sunday one ofthe best local markets in Europe selling all manner of goods andfoods.


A city that has over time been the homeof many nations and individuals all whom have left their mark in oneway or another. A city transformed over time from a fishing villageto the magnificent city it is today.
It is also the home of the currentFrench national anthem. Prior to the revolution many of the residentsof Provence had begun a march to Paris, they were in effect makingtheir way to join. On the way they were joined by many from otherdistricts and the originators of the march had written a song tomarch with. During and after the revolution the people of France wereso taken with it they adopted it as the national anthem. Called theMarseille as that was the town of origin of the song.



GIBRALTAR LAST PORT OF CALL


One of the oldest inhabited places inEurope it is believed during prehistoric times may have been one ofthe last Neanderthal settlements. The recorded history began in950B.C. With the Phoenicians.


It was the ancient Greeks who were thefirst to lay claim to this rock fewer than three square miles insize. The rock juts out separating Africa from Europe and it wasnamed as 'The Pillars of Hercules' by the ancient Greeks. By 711 A.D.A Moorish army had infiltrated the rock in their quest to conquerSpain, it lasted until 1462 when the Spanish regained control of theland. The name Gibraltar is derived from 'Gebel-Tarik' which isTurkish for Tariq's Rock, named after the Moorish leader Tariq IbnZeyad who crossed over from North Africa to begin the conquest ofSpain for *****.


Modern history began in 1704 when theBritish Naval forces captured the fortress during the war with Spain.It has remained in British control ever since.
The most dramatic effort put up againstthe British by Spain during the war was the great siege of 1779 to1783., with both sides shooting as many as 40,000 canon rounds in asingle day. This bombardment forced the British to tunnel into therock for safety. There are now more than 30 miles of tunnels in therock. They still exist today and are a major tourist attraction.


Today it is a strange mixture ofEnglish, Spanish and French living side by side in a place oftencalled 'Merry old England'. There are shops much in the style ofLondon shops of the 60's, London buses and British 'Bobbies' on duty.


There is a cemetery on the rock thatmany visitors may not be aware of, tucked away at a road junction itis easily missed. It is in here than many of the victims of theBattle of Trafalgar are interred. Officers who survived the originalbattle but later died on the rock as a result of injuries sustained.Many from the battle were brought here but died from injury, diseaseand general poor condition. There is no clear evidence of graves forgeneral seamen though. Among the graves are those of Tomas Norman,Will Graves, Worth and Buckland who both died from the same gunshot.The cemetery was used by British forces from 1708 to 1835 and hassome clients from action not only at Trafalgar but also Algecerias,Cadiz 1810 and Malaga 1812.


A cable car takes visitors to the topof the rock where a spectacular view of Africa and Europe may beseen. From here entrance to some tunnels ans St. Michael's cave wheredisplays of the caves history may be found.


The rock is also famous for the BarbaryApes that abound atop the rock. Though called Barbary they are infact Macaques thought to have first been brought to the rock byBritish soldiers in the 1700's. It is said as long as they remain theBritish will remain, during WW2 Churchill had additional ones broughtin to reinforce the concept. These apes differ from others by thefact that it is the males, not the females, who rear the young.


Though the rock is British territorythey drive on the right but accept the Pound and Euro alike. Thepatron saint is St. Bernard brought about by the fact that theSpanish recovered control from the Moors in 1462 on the feast dayof August 2^nd.


The saying,' Solid as a rock' comesfrom Gibraltar signifying that although attacked on numerousoccasions whilst under British rule no one has been able to defeatthem.


This was the end of our tour, returningto UK before traveling to Ireland and London.


I hope this travelog has been bothentertaining and informative to all.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi John.
I was there in 1949 at that time it was a hotspot of criminals, was told to be very careful when going ashore. Despite that it was the most interesting medieval place I have ever been to, some of the old building were staggering in their size; despite all the foreboding talk never had any trouble there, and would love to go back.
Cheers Des

[j.sabourn]

Got as far as Gib. during the Falklands war before being turned back as the RN had no vessel capable of rescuing survivors from a bottomed sub on the West Coast of Scotland. Had a night ashore with one of the ex matelots who had been transferred to a minehunter as coxswain, he finished up being arrested by the jaunties ( naval police) and lost his rating. His fellow shipmates reckoned it brought him back to earth and was back to the normal way of life after trying to impose the Queens regs on his own whilst coxn of the ship. HMS Reclaim which was the navies official ship for such facilities was way out of date, and used to put the Diving Bell into the sea by means of a derrick, believe she was also the last commissioned ship to have a sail. Gibralter was not a bad run ashore, a long period of time there though would to me be a bit claustophobiac. The beer ok though. JS

[John Arton]

We lived in Gibraltar for two years 50-52, whilst my father was Master of a salvage tug operated by Blands of Gibraltar. My brother was actually born there. We went out on the Uganda but had to fly home as we were thrown off the Rock as dad in a hissy fit refused to sign the new contract Blands offered him so he was out of work and the regulations meant that only people in work could live on the Rock. Did a spell out there on a bunker mother ship some years ago but only saw the place for a few hours when joining and leaving.
rgds
JA

[cappy]

was in gib a few times ..the most memorable when i believe it was the HMS LION could be wrong on that was carrying i believe the rhodesian leader smith ...and i think wilson the PM......for talks on the crisis in rhodesia......i think the outcome was the start of folk like mugabe getting power in africa .....and things changing for the worse for all rhodesians black and white .....apart from the leaders with there private jets and swiss bank accounts......while they and there ilk lead to day after day of adverts showing africans from all parts of the continent in states of hunger and thirst ......well i give to our own .....thankyou very much.....regards cappy

[cappy]

was in gib a few times ........well i give to our own .....thankyou very much.....regards cappy

#####sorry just googled tht and it was HMS TIGER not LION......cappy

[happy daze john in oz]

Gibraltar had a special meaning to me, my father had been stationed there during the war as a Captain in the transport division. Had been there in 64 but did not get the chance to look around.

It was there he became involved with the matron of the field hospital resulting in him divorcing my mother.

War does terrible thins to people, so I do not blame him, but will never forgive him.

[Doc Vernon]

My late Uncle was also there during the War with the RAF.
He was then only a Pilot.later becoming Squadron leader ,and the finishing as Wing Commander!
Really proud of him I was!
Cheers

Have a pic of a group of them in Gib,I must look for it!

[John Callon]

When serving on the Bibby Line Troopship Gibraltar was a regular port of call. The voyages lasted 3 weeks - Southampton/Gibraltar/Malta/Cyprus and then the same on the homeward voyage embarking and disembarking troops who were serving in our fading empire. The night before we sailed from Southampton we would all go the The Globe pub, have lock in and get totally rat arsed. What great days they were. If you are reading this Bill, in Surprise, Arizona you know what I mean.
Regards
John C

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi John.
Stopped over in Gib on the RFA Wave Baron, had a great time in a big pub or hall, there were a lot of squaddies there, there was an all girl band playing dance music; I think they were from the Spanish side, the flamenco dancing was something to see. I fell in love with the young girl trumpeter who was I think about fifteen, but couldn't get passed the chaperone.
Cheers Des