The infamous scene of The Accident. Or, is it the scene of The Infamous Accident?
Whatever. Dear readers of more than two years may remember the fifteen-day stay in hospital due to the Broken Ankle. (Oh dear, caps fetish setting in.)
And readers of roughseas of even more yore, or more years, may even remember I suggested the government Do Something with our beautiful city walls. Like York and Chester, for example.
Whereupon, said government produced plans to do something with city walls. And nothing happened. Until, The Accident. Shortly after, work started on doing something. Coincidental, I’m sure.
So here we have the beautiful revamped Wellington Front. I have fuck all good to say about this government when they continue to employ cross-border workers at the expense of Gibraltarians and turn a blind eye to every black worker under the sun, but this is a nice job. Carried out by a firm that employs … Spaniards.
Gone is the tat kiddy play park. Instead we have a nice ramp, which people in wheelchairs and old crocks like me can use.
Then, we have a beautiful promenade with various stairway exit points for those of a more legworthy disposition.
It’s nice. It’s near, and apart from a few lairy kids at nighttime on the weekend, it’s a tranquil walk.
Now. A few points
- Why are there no bags in the rubbish bins for ease of cleaning? Are we saving on plastic to be environmentally friendly or saving on costs?
- I don’t know how often it’s cleaned, but I haven’t seen MasterService (local main Gib street cleaners) up there.
- There is no information. At all. No boards telling us about the history of Wellington Front or Line Wall road which it abuts. Hell’s teeth. It would take only slightly longer than this blog post to write it up. Easy. Sure, I know the history, but tourists won’t. Maybe locals don’t.
- It’s not cycle friendly as a through route mainly because it isn’t a through route. The mosque is in the way of linking to the rest of the wall. Bit of a problem there. But cycles were on the original designs.
Still, it’s nice. The spooky open gaps are glassed in and the drop over the wall has been railed off.
I love Gibraltar’s history and heritage and it is good to see it being made attractive without being ruined. We just need information boards please.
Also, because people are stupid, a sign to say, please clean up after your dogs. We do. Why can’t you?
And, … best books of 2016
Series: The Solar Wind series by Lyz Russo
Favourite books within the series, probably The Assassin and Nix Romipen, but they are all hellish good. Pirates. Futuristic. Adventure. Relationships. Morals. Fun.
Memoir: An Honest House by Cynthia Reyes
Contemporary/Literary fiction: The Lost Baggage of Silvia Guzmán by Mike Robbins
Travel: My Camino Walk by Timothy L Phillips
I know. I’m biased. It’s Spain!
Erotic/Dystopian: The Heat by Jon Zelig
Incidentally what makes this book erotic isn’t the sex, it’s the relationship that is so well described. Plus Jon has done a superb self-editing job. Admirable. I have to mention that.
Short stories: Caboodle & The Whole Kit by Kevin Cooper
Photo/Animal: The Tiger Fierce by Chris and Timmy
I am a sucker for lovely photos and Chris has always been the photoblogger I actually enjoy visiting because there is nothing pretentious on there and she adds interesting text. Her rescued cat Timmy is often the subject of her discerning lens.
Many thanks to Susan M Toy for asking me to read Mike’s and Tim’s books. The others are personal internet connections.
Best book of the year: An Honest House for its sincere personal emotion, its polished prose, and like the house, its sheer honesty. Very well written Cynthia.
Runner-up: The Solar Wind series for its imagination, originality, adventure, pacing, plot, you name it, Lyz has it down to a T. If you like action, plus thoughtful reflectiveness and great dialogue plus superb characters then, read this series. Actually, if you like great writing, read this series.
And, there we have it. A mixed and motley crew. Rather like the pirates on the Solar Wind.
OK, I will read solar wind. ;-)
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It’s good. Honestly. She creates great characters like you do. We invest in them. We want to know what happens to Ruth, The Pan, Big Merv, and … LV. In Lyz’s case, we have Federi, Paean, Radomir, and those are just the goodies.
Tells you, I read her books hellish fast and they are long. Well, maybe not as long as yours. Don’t know. Just a great read.
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PS can you tell us the story, I don’t know it either. Reminds me of Montraille Sur Mare … it’s a walled town. And it has anything from 30 to 100 foot walls, sheer drop, no railings at all, just grass that … stops. We took McMini there and I have to confess I still consider it miraculous that he didn’t go cavorting off the edge without noticing and that I didn’t die of fright as we walked him round. Although we only did about 300 yards on the top, neither of us had the nerve to do more with McMini.
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In a reply, no I can’t. But, I suppose I can do a gib history post later. Much later 😈
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Great photos
Happy new year
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Cheers Mak. Will try and catch up …
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Do you cringe every time you look at these photos? :(
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No, but every time I walk up the revamped front I do remember the fall. It was evil, I tell you. I took one look at my foot, at a not good angle, and thought, oh shit, this ain’t going to work out well. And when I tried to stand! Ha. Fucking. Ha. You don’t stand on a dislocated bimalleolar fracture.
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Well, like someone else commented – it’s good you have it behind you! Sounds terribly painful and just a complete piss-off. . .
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Hey positive thinking. Two weeks accomodation in a three bed room with vegan food (well not for breakfast, saved my fruit for that), nice views, books from red cross, could be worse. I say in retrospect. Truth is, I WANTED TO BE OUT.
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I think the late DDI Pip and and co had something to do with getting that ramp done as a result of their thorough investigation and incident reports. 😉
Great recap. Thanks for the mention. I’m liking Lyz Russo right now. 😉
Have a great 2017 Kate. 🙂
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Absolutely. We loved DDI Pip. Thank you for adding to his talents.
Lyz is good. Although the SW series is my fave of her writing. As you said, Federi is fantastic but I think she has characterisation absolutely nailed. And as we’ve said, the imagination is brilliant. Top marks for all that, hence my (new category) of series of the year. Although she’d have got it for futuristic/adventure/pirates/sci-fi/great read category anyway :D
Igualmente Precioso ;)
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Muy bien. 🙂
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They seem to have done a super job…apart from lack of info for visitors…and if they can keep cyclists off then all the better.
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Hoy, don’t be nasty to cyclists! When properly trained we … er, they … are a most considerate bunch.
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In Spain there is a two metre rule, came in some years ago, but motorists must give that to cyclists. Because we live on the coast there are a lot of clubs use our road.
I was doing my usual dismal cycling when a club steamed by.
‘Venga con nosotros!’ (Come with us)
Ojala, I said. (If only.)
It was still nice though, great cycling friendship around, for punctures, accidents, anything. And then, we cycled with Sean whatshisname (kelly?) from Ireland (tour de france person) and he said, something on the lines of, cycling has no barriers, no boundaries, no ages.
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People who cycle…fine. Cyclists…not.
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Could say better to keep motorists off the roads?
Skateboarders are a pain. There is a perfectly good skateboard park ten minutes skateboard away, but no, the idle toerags are using the ramps on the walk. C’est la vie.
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Cyclists on cycle paths in built up areas, please….
Experience of cyclists in a university town in England was enough to sicken me of the breed…ignoring red lights, turning across cars at junctions – combined with the po faced self righteousness…
Then France. Swarms of the buggers occupying the whole lane on country roads where passing safely was a problem at the best of times…
As i said in reply to colonialist, people on bikes by all means…cyclist, no.
Skateboarders? You could just shoot them.
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Reassuring that the accident waiting to happen happened and is now in the past. Not sure how the kiddies will feel about the ‘improvements’, but as long as they have alternatives …
I do admire the way owners, Councils, National Trust and English Heritage do provide signs and illustrations of most of the interesting places in the UK.
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Quite. What happened happened. Can’t change it. Need to live with the consequences.
Hope you have enjoyed your English trip. I do love our history whether in the uk or gib.
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I shall have to pick up the series. I’ve been needing a good book or two to read lately.
Also, the picture with the blisters is quite unsettling. How are things going this far out from the accident? Improvements to the location are important, but I think your health should take a higher priority. Are you able to get access to any therapy for it?
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I think it’s technically YA. I really don’t care what books are billed as if they are good. And Lyz’s SW are good.
Lol. The blisters. Seems like a world ago. Basically, I have become a couch potato, not being able to walk does that for you, lost the weight I put on, and hate walking around people in case they knock me over. Therapy. Ha! We have an NHS. Physio is bottom of the list and pretty much fucking useless. A neighbour of ours paid for his daughter to go privately because he thought the physio was so bad. Sadly, what they want to do is get you off their books. Walk (ie stagger dangerously) up and down stairs. Not walk properly.
I walk up and down stairs for exercise. Going down is still horrific.
https://everypicturetellsone.wordpress.com/2016/01/12/stairway-to-heaven/
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Your accident – ouch! Two years hence, hope you are walking easily now.
Thanks for your best reading list – always looking for something new to read, you’ve suggested many opportunities. Happy reading to you in 2017 – and safe walking too!
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Hey Sharon, thanks. The ankle is, well, ok. No more, no less. I can limp.
I like to publicise independent authors and especially when I enjoyed them. Plus, I like to recommend a variety. Should be at least one for everyone?
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Lovely photos of Wellington Front. Haven’t been to the upper section yet, I was hoping to take a stroll down there before too long.
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Not even five mins walk for me, so easy peasy. Posted the pix years ago when they redid the archway.
It’s beautiful. Hope people don’t visit!
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Haha! It’s looked very quiet when I’ve gone past on the bus!
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Good :) Let’s hope it stays that way. We like our peaceful Gib idylls. It was always quiet before. Just a nicer safer walk now. Still needs signboards. What do you know about Wf?
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I know very little to be honest. Just that it’s part of the old sea walls and part of the defences which loop around the west coast of Gib. I was hoping to get around to doing a post about it and finding out some of the history in the process. It’s certainly on the model of Gib in the museum and was built around the time King’s Bastion was constructed.
The renovation is such a great improvement. I’ve nearly fallen on the lower section in years gone by, it was full of holes, drains, rubbish and parked cars. It’s a really pleasant place to be now rather than a grim cut through. I agree, the Government are normally quite hot on Heritage signs and noticeboards especially if they’ve just spent a load of cash on doing something up.
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I well remember your accident. The telling of the broken ankle was a ghosting or should that be ghastly experience? So well written that I could feel your pain. I don’t think I even commented- I was having some health issues also. But, maybe I did. My memory does not serve me well on some days. I have yet to figure that out.
I like how the city or the country- what ever the case, has fixed the stairs. Very nice job except for the omission of the trash containers.
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My memory is dubious too. Oddly the ankle wasn’t painful apart from when I tried to stand on it. The nurse in triage was stunned when I wasn’t wimping about it, think I have a reasonable pain threshhold though.
City and um, British overseas territory to be correct.
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Oh I remember that you have a high tolerance for pain. I do not and don’t tolerate strong “stuff” very well.
Thanks for the clarification, I should have remembered that Gib is a British territory (overseas).
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Impressive recall there. No idea why I can handle pain. Kidney stones were dire though. I resorted to ibuprofen.
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Nsaid for kidney stones? You have an incredible tolerance.
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Went at least 24 hrs before caving in. It was painful. Sort of like period pains, but back and front.
The second time I got them, the ibu was pretty useless. A neighbour recommended gin. Worked a treat. So instead of stones I’ll end up with dysfunctional kidneys …
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Hee hee. Too funny. You’ll be just fine. Not problem with using alcohol now and then. I know you are just joking though about “dizzy kids.”
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I only use vodka as a mouthwash, but I did swallow the gin. I’m sounding like Bill Clinton now so I’ll shut up.
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You just made me laugh and I sure needed that. Seems I have a software or hard drive issue with this HP. I can’t get any sound. Just got off the phone with Costco tech( over an hour of uninstalling and installing the sound drive and it still does not work). I think I still have warranty since I paid extra. It’s a bit over one year old computer.
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your photos are just excellent to five one a good impression what it looks like at ‘The Wall’. Yikes1 Did you tumble down those stairs? And are you fully mobile now?
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Thanks fletch. Nah. Fell on the flat. Just stretchered down the stairs! Fully mobile? Not really. A life-changing experience …
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So often life can change in a second I have realized in my ‘old age’. But I suppose that is life.
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Old age brings a whole new perspective …
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The very happiest of New Years to you both.
I think you should sue the beggars over the accident then you can use some of the money to donate an information board for the walls.You should write i too
xxx Massive Hugs to you xxx
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Nah. I’d have to sue myself for not watching my dog running up behind me and knocking me over! I’d like to write the boards though.
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Has it really been two years? Where does the time go?
It looks like a nice place, except for the lack of bins. I’ve never understood that. People hate litter, but they need a place to bin it.
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Two and a half, nearly three. They have bins but no bags inside unlike bins everywhere else. Odd. And on weekend mornings the amount of bottles …
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Thank you so much for including me in your list of books to read for 2016. That is much appreciated. Acknowledging your admitted bias for Spain, I’m planning to walk the beginning of April from Sevilla to Santiago de Compostela. Who knows, the makings of another book! That will be another thousand kilometer voyage of introspection. I suppose the process of reflection might as well be measured in kilometers rather than gigs or megabytes.
Wishing you swift recovery with your ankle and return to full range of motion.
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I thought it was an interesting read. Personal, thoughtful, honest, and well edited. Sevilla to Santiago?!
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Very nice tidied up walk way. Makes it look much more Mediterranean. But…missing a trick. Agree wholeheartedly about information boards. Good grief, we’ve even got them in Portsmouth. And I’ve seen very good ones on various foreign travels. The French are especially good at them . Time for you to present to the local council, I feel😉
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Oh, I think it looks colonial British. Whatever, it looks better. Present to the council? Government actually. No. I think. Not.
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The new walls do look very nice. As for the lack of information, if someone were to let a government official or two know that tourism revenue would increase if more visitors knew about the area’s history, it’s quite possible the signs would go up rather quickly. Money tends to motivate government types like nothing else.
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Money does indeed motivate govt types. Govt types are not good on publicising heritage. Gib govts have got rid of loads of it :( So seeing something upgraded is quite the shock.
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The scene of the infamous incident sounds better.
A bit like the curious incident of the dog at midnight. :)
Why does English work so well with long titles?
I hope your ankle has healed 110%.
(Feliz año!)
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I think it’s the strange way we use words.
Hmm. 110% my foot. So to write.
Y, igualmente.
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Shall I understand “my foot” as in “my foot”? A shame. It will recover slowly. Cheers.
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has it already been two years since that nasty fracture? that was quite an uphill battle for you. glad it’s now behind you.
the new promenade looks lovely. i personally quite appreciate signs that provide some background and history whenever i find them. i’ve made a number of unexpected discoveries in my travels that way, and find that it adds much to a place. hopefully this is still a project in process, and that the signs will eventually put in an appearance.
and there was a surprise for me in this post that i did not see coming when i started to read it. Timmy made it to your top photo/animal category! he is almost blushing and sends you many grateful purrs. very kind of you! much appreciated. :)
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and congrats to everyone else who made this auspicious list!
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i should also mention, the news of the selection of Timmy’s book for the photo/animal category has stirred up some activity on Timmy’s Facebook page, as you can see on your Facebook icon above :)
thanks again K! such a lovely surprise.
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I read anything and everything so I’m disappointed there is no info up there, even though I know the history.
I do like photo books, something of a luxury, but lovely to look at, so purr away Timmy.
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Nice pictures. When similar work was done near where I am now, it was colonised by skate-boarders – who make a helluva noise there for hours at a time. Do you have skate-boarders, I wonder?
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Sadly we do. We have a skateboard park down the other end of town, so natch, people up this end are now using this to skateboard on, save going down town 👿
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I remember how much I empathized with you when I learned about your broken ankle and the long, painful recovery. And so I have read the top part of your post three times, but this is the only time I’ve been able to continue. A flood of painful memories came each time.
I’m so glad that you have healed well enough to continue your good work and now to be able to write this post, K. And again, I’m so sorry at everything you went through.
It’s also only now that I’m seeing the great honour that you bestowed upon An Honest House. Wow, K! Wow. Knowing your very high standards for books, I can only say THANK YOU — and there’s a lump in my throat right now as I write. Gee whiz.
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The ‘recovery’ is the worst part. The accident, the hospital, the op, were relatively quick, but I’m still struggling to go down steps and unsteady. I guess you know what I mean and more.
Good book, you’re welcome. I’m not the only one with high standards :)
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I do know what you mean. I do it very carefully.
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Up is fine, but I have visions of catapulting head over heels, and pesky ankle. Will. Not. Flex. Jeez, do I feel old before my time? :(
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Exactly how I feel. About 20 years older some days!!
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And I hear or know about people who are far more sick, or die, and I think, shut up. Life could be much worse. Difficult balance. Literally!
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Nah, I never think “shut up”, not any more. I always feel everyone is struggling with something and not talking about it doesn’t help anyone. Today I read a newspaper story by the wife of a former journalist colleague of mine – his struggle with PTSD has traumatized the family. And I wanted to say to her: I wish you’d called and spoken to my husband. He might have been able to help, if only to say “I understand what you’re going through.” (He has more years of experience of living with me and PTSD. Her husband’s experience is more recent.)
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Yeah, but it’s not the done thing to moan. And, it is true, there is always someone worse off than us. I do wonder if any health problems in later life bring on some sort of depression. Maybe a realisation our youth is well and truly gone and our days are numbered? She writes cheerfully :)
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The lighting of the first picture is quite dramatic and beautiful. Really nice they spiffied up the place – should bring more tourists to the area. Historical notes would be helpful. (Or maybe you could write a tour guide HA HA – it would have all sorts of tidbits of information, facts and history many writers wouldn’t know…and it would be humor and witty. In that vast amount of spare time…insert snort here.)
Maybe they left out some ramps to discourage the skateboards? Quite a nuisance here – one poor guy repairing a flood damaged house keep having to chase off skateboarder (young adult age – not kids) who break through the 8 foot fence, drain his swimming pool and skate squat there until someone shows up. The owner is about to lose his wits over it.
Our little town is n process of adding a bike route with 2 bridges through the town and wetlands to a park…they must be paying the contractors by the hour as its taking them so long….almost a year by now…and we noticed this last week they keep surveying and surveying….the last broad high bridge span hasn’t been trucked in yet and we fear they messed up and it won’t fit. Sigh. (We will not discuss the old narrow 2 lane bridge they could have used instead of building a new fancy one. The old one is less than half a mile away. It could have been nostalgic and quaint – and done!
Always love your pictures and stories. Glad you came ramp it up now.
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It’s great it is lit up at night. Nice place to walk. I know you want me to write a local guide. One day, one day …
You can’t discourage skateboarders, they go where they will.
Got a few old bridges near us in Spain. One is mostly pedestrian as the main road runs parallel, but the best one is the old train route, slightly further up the river. We could originally drive over it in the Landy, but there is so much erosion now it’s impossible. Or impassable.
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Street cleaning is always an early victim of government cost cutting. No one notices for a week or two and it doesn’t make the newspapers!
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Even worse, it’s already not directly govt owned but rumours are it is out to tender :( No idea if they have TUPE here either. MS provide a good service but there are some sad looking faces this week.
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Privatisation will not help unless client contract officers are strong. Too often in my experience they were junior officers who struggled to stand their ground against bully contractors. Good luck!
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Well, it’s sort of privatised anyway but with decent T&Cs. Think the govt is just on a cost-cutting roll.
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Gladdens the heart to think of you romping(slowly :) ) along that shiny new front, Kate! ‘The lost baggage’ title intrigues. I wish I read faster. Happy weekend and stay well! (redirected here from Cynthia’s blog)
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Romping! Ha.
I read fast for pleasure, but slowly for work.
You too Jo :)
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Looks like a big improvement (despite still room for more) and good that they thought about accessibility!
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I agree about the access, that is an excellent point, especially looking at the steep steps. It is a nice place to walk, and mostly tranquil, so yes, huge improvement.
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Historical markers do offer the inquisitive a reference point for why some place has been memorialized with a lovely promenade. For the unobservant or no-inquistive, they can have a nice stroll.
Oscar
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