Calentita

A few weeks ago Gibraltar held one of its most popular festivals which is called Calentitia. Calentita is an expression of Gibraltar’s people and culture through food. The festival is held every June in Casemates square and it gives everyone the chance to try different foods from around the world – and it is all provided by local restaurants and organisations.

This year we decided to get there early and eat there. In previous years we always ate at home or out in a local restaurant and then just nibble on a bit of food later on at the festival. There were 23 different stalls in this year’s festival and 2 were for drinks only. There were foods from around the world, some closer to home than others, such as Moroccan food, and some from far away – e.g. Filipino food (which I did not get the chance to try)

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The 1^st stall we visited was the Dim Sum one (from China) which was quite a nice snack to start off the night; this was closely followed by a Malaysian soup which was very tasty but a bit too spicy. As I said earlier, there was two drinks stalls one for wine and the other for beer. I tired the beer stall first as it was a closer to where we were eating.

The beer on offer was from a small brewery just 10 mins away from Gibraltar called Ketall and they were offering 4 different kinds of beer and since we were out to try and taste as many different things as we could beer was not going to be an exception to the rule, so I bought all 4 of them. The red and IPA beers were the better ones as I am not a big fan of black beer.

During the whole festival there are usually performances happening and the highlight in past years has been the firework display. This year this was changed and instead of a massive fireworks, a show was performed.

The show this year wanted to show some local talents as well as foreign which I thought was a nice change. The music was quite interesting and apart from some backing tracks the rest was being performed with instruments made from everyday items such as bins, pots, pans and even the kitchen sink. The climax of this performance was a small firework display as well a small mention to the UEFA which Gibraltar is now a proud member of.

Overall the night turned out to be a great night out for all and the changes to the format made it even better.

1st of the Summer BBQ’s

Last Friday Nadia and I decided to throw a little BBQ on our roof terrace. Since it was a long weekend thanks to the Queen’s Birthday, we decided to give our BBQ a bit of a British flare.

Nadia being the more artistic one started looking at home to make the decorations and other party favours. After a few days some of the decorations started to take shape, such as the crowns for everyone and also a poster with everyone’s face on it but on the head of the Queen (this also included the men and also a dog). She also had the Union Jack flying everywhere (including the cups and plates). Some fairy lights really contributed to a very cosy atmosphere.

On the day of the BBQ the heat on the terrace was unbearable so we did not start setting it up until late in the afternoon, about 1 hour before our guests started arriving. The evening started rather slowly as some of our guests arrived a bit late but I was not worried about it because as soon as everyone was there things really picked up.

I, of course, was cooking the food on a makeshift BBQ as I thought if we had the Morrisons disposable BBQ it would be easier towards the end of the night to clean up later. We didn’t have a spare table so we popped the BBQs on a spare clothes dryer rack – it was quite the sight! It is true what they say that “time flies when you are having fun” and that night was no exception - no one realised how late it was, it was 2:30 am when we looked at our watches and it dawned on most people how late it was.

I had a great time that night up on our roof and I hope this is the 1^st of many more to come.

Queen’s Birthday

Last week the Queen’s Birthday was celebrated and like the UK, Gibraltar marks the occasion with a parade in Casemates Square.

I have always attended the as I was growing up in Gibraltar, many times as a spectator but in recent years I have been taking part in it with the Royal Gibraltar Regiment Band. Since this parade is the biggest one we do during the year, rehearsals start about a month before it, even though the format is more or less the same every year.

The parade itself is always well attended by locals and tourists alike, also from a large number of VIP guests; last year was a special one as HRH Prince Edward was in attendance as part of his short visit to Gibraltar.

This year I managed to get my mum, dad and Nadia invitations to the VIP section and also to the Garden Party after the parade - more on that a bit later.

Last week the temperature in Gibraltar went up quite drastically and on the day of the parade it did go up to 30 degrees Celsius, which was going to make the parade quite a hot affair. I was with the band in one of the side streets close to Casemates just waiting to start, and also drinking plenty of water so I would pass out on parade.

The call to form up was heard and it was followed shortly by the order to march off into Casemates. The band was leading the parade being followed by the troops of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment. Once there, we awaited the arrival of the Governor of Gibraltar. After his arrival, he is given the keys to the fortress. As the parade is nearing the end a 21 gun salute is given in honour to the Queen on her birthday.     

  

As mentioned earlier, we also got invited to the Queen’s Birthday Garden Party which is hosted by the Governor of Gibraltar in his residence at the Convent. When you arrive you must leave your hat at the entrance and hope that no one leaves with it at the end by mistake, as all the military hats are all the same. The garden at the convent is a beautiful setting for any party or award ceremony with its big lawn and neatly kept flower beds. To end the party in true military fashion, the band had a small parade for the guests before the governor retired from the party. It was all in all a very enjoyable evening which we will all remember.

Adventure in Morocco

After staying with is for a week, Nadia’s mum went back to Bulgaria and her sister stayed for an extra week so we planned to cross the strait and go to Morocco. Nadia’s sister had never been to Morocco so this was going to be an experience of a lifetime for her.

We took the midday ferry and it takes about 30 minutes to get to Tangiers. Luckily, Morocco is 2 hours behind Gibraltar so we gained an hour. Unfortunately for us there was a small storm and the sea was quite rough so the crossing was not the best one.  I spent most of the time outside on one of the covered decks making sure that my breakfast did not come up.

We arrived in our Hotel in Tangiers which was close to the old town and beach so we could really explore Tangier on foot rather than having to haggle with taxi drivers. If you have never been to Morocco, you should definitely go - it is an experience which everyone should have, even if it is just once, because the sights, smell and colours of the country are just magical.

After we freshened up, we set off to explore the souk (the market) and the Medina and before we knew it we were being hassled to buy some handicrafts or leather goods. But having gone to Morocco before, I had some experience in dealing with the traders in the souk. You do not have to be rude or cross, just be polite and firm and most importantly stick to your guns when it comes down to haggling.

The next day we were picked up from our hotel to spend the day up in the mountains in the town of Chefchaouen, or otherwise known as the Blue City. The ride up to this mountain village was hair raising most of the way - I was sitting on the front seat of our minivan watching the driver speed on small country roads and overtake all sorts of car and trucks, and lets not forget the odd donkey or two.

Thankfully, we got to the town in one piece where we were introduced to our guide for the day, Ahmed, who welcomed us to Chefchaouen before we set off into the Medina. The Medina is the old part of any town in Morocco and in this town it is also the main attraction due to its old world charm and its blue walls (which are only found in this town).

We walked into the Medina through one of its gates and it was like stepping into history since there nothing has changed for the last few hundred years and everything is painted blue - it is really stunning. We walked through the narrow streets trying to take in as much as possible from our guide, as well as look at all the small spice shops and carpet shops.

Lunch was in a beautiful old building which used to be one big house but now has been converted into a restaurant. The menu was a typical Moroccan lunch – we had Harira (chick-pea soup), tagine and couscous and for dessert some lovely mint tea. After lunch we had some free time to do a bit of shopping before heading back down to Tangiers.

On the last day we headed to the souk to do some last minute shopping, such as souvenirs, slippers, spices and olives, as well as the all-important saffron which is quite expensive in Gibraltar but in Morroco we got a few grams for only about 30p.

We boarded the ferry back to Spain in the late afternoon and as the Moroccan coast line grew smaller and smaller, we looked back at it thinking what an interesting and beautiful country Morocco is.  

The Alhambra

On the last day of our visit to Granada we had tickets for the Alhambra which was going to be the highlight of our time in Granada. If you love history, art and if you want some of the most spectacular views over Granada then the Alhambra is the place to go and visit.

I had pre -booked the tickets as getting in was not going to be easy during this time of the year as they only sell a certain number of tickets each day, but when I had booked them Nadia’s dad was coming over and due to unforeseen circumstances he could not come over to Gibraltar, so we had an extra ticket.

Nadia being so kind thought to give the ticket away to one lucky person in the queue, which I think would have made their day as the queue was huge that day for the ticket office. Nadia went round the queue offering the ticket but it was surprising how few people jumped at the idea, maybe they thought it was a fake or something. 10 minutes passed and she comes back saying she gave the ticket to a Japanese tourist who happily took it and went in free of charge.

The Alhambra complex is quite big and covers the whole of a hill top and part of the hill next to it and the visit is split over various areas. There is the Generalife (the summer palace), the Alcazaba (the Castle) and the Nasrid palace. We first headed to the Generalife as it is the closest to the entrance of the complex. We walked through the gardens that lead up to it and admired the rest of the Alhambra on the opposite hill. We entered the palace to be greeted by one of the few gardens which are inside, each one as impressive as the last with it’s beautiful flower beds and it’s ancient fountains.

We moved towards the castle and as we made over we all stopped to take pictures of the snow-capped mountains of Sierra Nevada. Inside the castle again the views were fantastic with the whole of Granada laid out in front of us at our feet. At this point my dad called me over to view a small procession going through on of the narrow streets just below the Alhambra. At the end of the castle stands the largest tower of the Alhambra (La Torre de La Vela), my parents and Nadia’s mum were a bit tired and decided not to go up the tower to view the valley below us. So Nadia, her sister and I slowly made our way up the tower, once at the top we were just a little out of breath and we were greeted by the most awe inspiring sight there is on offer which is a 360 degree view of Granada and it’s country side.

After having some photos taken at the top of the tower we went back down to join our parents and move towards the 3^rd and final bit of the tour, the Nasrid Palace. The palace consists of rooms and courtyards where the Moorish rulers of Granada used to live and also this was their seat of power. The first thing we all noticed was that there were a lot less tourists walking about which made the whole tour of this area more pleasant. Out of all the courts and halls the most famous and Nadia’s favourite is the Court of Lions. Nadia like this court because of the lions which hold up the fountain, because they all seem to be smiling at anyone who looks at them.

After the visit as we drove away from Granada after an intensive weekend of walking culture exchanges and the more important part - family bonding.

Beautiful Granada

One of the plans during the time Nadia’s family was visiting Gibraltar was to spend a part of Easter weekend in Granada (with a visit to the Alhambra). We left Gibraltar early to make our way slowly up to Granada with some stops along the way. One of those stops was for breakfast at an old venta (a restaurant by the road) called La Butibamba.

This venta for me has become a mandatory stop on the road to Granada and the rest of the area. Not only is their breakfast quite big and cheap but the best part of it is the red butter spread for your toast, which is made from pig fat, paprika and pork chunks. 

Under a heavy cloud and with a slight chance of rain we arrived at Granada and we had booked an apartment through airbnb. I strongly recommend this website for bookings. The apartment was in a quiet little street, about 10 mins walk from the centre of Granada and it was very well fitted out - it even had coffee tea, and fresh milk for when we arrived.  

We took the first day easy, and we walked around the city centre to get out bearings and also to try and find out where the Easter processions were going to take place. We had a great time as Granada is one of the most magical cities that Southern Spain has on offer -Moorish influence can be seen everywhere and every little corner holds a little piece of history. 

That night the Easter processions were happening but Nadia and her mum were not feeling too well so they decided to stay in the flat while my parents, Nadia’s sister and myself went out to see the processions. I had done some research beforehand and I really wanted to see the last one for the night - which they say is the most moving of the whole week. The last float is called El Silencio (The Silence) and, unlike the all the other floats which are grand with their ornate floats and large bands playing behind them, this one comes under candle light and is only accompanied by a single drum. 

As we waited for the procession to come past us in a small square packed with hundreds of people, the solitary drum could be heard coming up the dark street marking its arrival and a big hush fell over the crowd – it was only broken by the odd child crying somewhere in the square. As the drumming grew louder the small twinkling of candles could be seen making its way slowly and silently towards us. As the plain wooden float made its way across the square, we saw hooded men behind the float who had volunteered to walk with for hours with chains around their feet as a penance. It was both beautiful and a little scary, but a procession we will all remember.  

The In-Laws arrive

Sorry I have not posted this sooner but having the family over has not given me a lot of free time to sit down and write anything. I think I mentioned it in my previous post that we were going to be hosting Nadia’s family over the last two weeks. 

They arrived the Tuesday before Easter and we went to pick them up from Malaga airport, and even though the weather was not nice and sunny, at least it was warmer than in Bulgaria. As I stood there waiting for them to come out of the arrival lounge the realization of their visit finally set in and even made me practice a bit of my welcome to them in Bulgarian (which by the way I speak very little of).

So after a few minutes we saw them slowly making their way out and Nadia held up a sign saying welcome. I tried in my best Bulgarian to also welcome them which in turn gave them a big smile and they commented that my Bulgarian had improved since I last saw them. 

So we made our way back to Gibraltar via the scenic route which in this case was the motorway by the sea as Nadia was catching up with them.

The next day my parents had invited us all to dinner - my mum had spent all day cooking and like in true Llanito fashion there was a lot of food and plenty of wine to wash it down with. My mum had made some local dishes like torta de acelga and calentita. After dinner Nadia’s mum gave my parents and the rest of the family gifts which went down a treat before the port was served.

 

We visited a few places while they were here - Granada, Ronda, Tarifa and also a short break in Morocco, and these are only to mention a few things we had planned about but more about in the following posts

Earthquake!

Last week there was an earthquake very near to Gibraltar, in my opinion a little too close for comfort. According to different websites and news sources the epicentre but I have chosen to look at the Spanish new website of Europa Sur which is a new paper for the Campo de Gibraltar.

They have reported a 4.3 earthquake just 50km north of Gibraltar, close to a town Called Jimena de la Frontera. I did not feel any movement when it happened (it was around 4am last Tuesday) and in the morning I went to check if the wine glasses in the sink had fallen over but they had not moved an inch. The rabbits might have felt it though as that same morning they woke us both very early – we could hear them nervously biting their cages and running and hopping around.

I went into work the next day and I was asking everyone if they had felt anything and no one seemed to have done so.

I know Gibraltar is in a high earthquake zone so little earthquakes come and go all the time, some we do not even get to know about, but this was a moderate one which people in Spain have felt. The last major earthquake felt in Gibraltar was the big earthquake in Morocco a few years back - a minor tremor was felt here.

I am just happy that in this latest movement of earth no got hurt and there are no reports of any damages.

The in-laws are coming.

Next week Nadia’s family will be arriving in Gibraltar for a week and her sister is going to stay for two weeks. Over the last few months I have been planning of what we are going to do and also where we are going to go. Now some of you out there might think it is not too hard as Gib is such a small place but it is harder than it looks.

One of the things we planned is a visit to Granada which will be doing over the Easter weekend. It is not the first time that I have gone to Granada for Easter but this time I am praying for good weather as last time we went, the weather was wet and cold and visiting the Alhambra in the rain was not the best experience. Most of the paths in the gardens and castle, if not all, were very slippery and we even saw some tourists have a nasty fall close to the water steps.

Also it is Semana Santa (Easter Week) in Spain so this year it will be a change of venue to watch the processions and in Granada they are magical to witness as it is stepping into the past in some sections of the city. The most beautiful to watch this would be the candle lit procession under the imposing building of the Alhambra as it goes past in silence, broken only by the passing river.

I have also planned a visit to Ronda but the details on that are still up in the air -it is not too far away from Gibraltar and for me Ronda is like a second home since I go up there so often. We will also do the normal tourist things in Gibraltar but I might be able to skip some things as my in-laws have been here before.

We invited Nadia’s sister to stay an extra week so we are going to be taking her over to Morocco for the weekend as she has always wanted to go. Even though it might just be Tangiers, it will give her a small insight into Morocco.

I am looking forward to the next few weeks but I am also a bit nervous of what they are going to take back from this trip - this is the 1^st time Nadia’s family are coming over to Gib since we met, even though we went over last year.  

Oh, I also think I should brush up my Bulgarian.

A new addition to the family (Pretzel the Bunny)

I went hiking with the scout two weeks ago and on the way back Nadia and me went into Carrefour for some much needed supplies for the house. On the way into the store there is a small pet shop and next to the door was a rabbit cage with all the little rabbits up for sale. There must have been 5 or 6 rabbits there but one of them made me laugh as it was the cheekiest little guy on display - it was sleeping on top of all the others and I fell in love with it, but we decided not to get itas we already have a rabbit at home, Mr Buttons.

This last weekend we went shopping and again we went to Carrefour and the same little guy was still in the shop. Again, he was being cheeky and mischievous to the other rabbits and after some talking while we did some shopping; we decided to go and buy him.

We took him home to meet Buttons (who is about five times bigger); at first the little one was a bit scared of the new place and of Buttons as he was trying to be the boss of the two. But yesterday we had a breakthrough as Buttons did not pick a fight with Pretzel and also Buttons started to lie down on the floor when the little guy was next to him which is a good sign - Buttons seems to be happy that Pretzel is in the house.

Nadia is also in love with little Pretzel as he stays perfectly still when you pick him up and also lies still when you give him a hug or a cuddle, unlike Buttons who tries to get away from you by kicking and scratching. Buttons is now a reformed rabbit too, though - he is much calmer around the little one, I am not sure if it is that he feels old around the newbunny, who knows.

Over the next few weeks I hope they both become the best of friends.

Rock Chef

Last week I saw an ad on Facebook about GBC’s new programme RockChef, and that there were tickets on offer for one of the dinner nights (I think it was the quarterfinal) where the contestants were going to try their menus out on the public.

Before I go into how the night went I am just going to mention what Rock Chef is all about. It is a programme similar to Master Chef & Hell’s Kitchen but with a local flare. The show will be shown on TV at the beginning of April.

The tickets for the dinner were only £20.00 and this was for a 3 course meal which to me sounded like a good deal and a fun night out and in April Nadia and me can say we have been on TV even if it is just in Gibraltar.

The dinner was being hosted by the Yellow House which is just down the road from where I live (quite convenient). There was a dress code for the dinner which made it a bit more fun and Nadia was able to try her new hair styling springs which we had bought from London 2 weeks earlier.

When we arrived at the Yellow House the TV crew was not quite ready to start the event so we were told to wait for a few minutes while they put their finishing touches. We were introduced to the presenter of the show where he explained how the event was going to work out and he also mentioned to ignore the camera – we were asked to ‘participate’ by sharing our opinion on the food. The menus on offer had been created by the two chefs working there on the night - one was fish and the other meat.

The food was good and even though that I knew that the chefs were not professionals, they still prepared a good meal. I had ordered the meat option but I enjoyed Nadia’s fish more, and the Gambas Pil-Pil she had as a starter were the best we have had in Gibraltar. There was a lot of tasting and swapping of food involved!

All in all it was a fun night out. We enjoyed the food and the wine that went it, even though that talking to the camera was a bit nerve-racking but the wine helped there. I am looking forward to seeing Nadia and me on TV and also I finding out who will win Rock Chef.

My Little Garden

It has been nearly a year since I talked about the garden at my flat (it is really the corridor leading up to our front door). It has gotten bigger and the plants have changed quite a few times - some plants were unfortunately killed off by the summer heat and other little mishaps. 

So I would like to update you all about what has happened in this last year. The first major fail were the mini roses I tried to grow. At first all seemed to go well and plant started to give out some lovely deep red roses but the summer heat had other plans for and soon burnt the roses. This was not the only bad news for this plant as a family of spiders made the drying rose plant their home. This meant soon they had to go before the spiders decided to move into other plants.

The next plant that was doing well but then had a sad end was the strawberries. When I first got the plant it started giving us a few fruits - Nadia ate one every time a new strawberry became ripe but again the summer heat killed the poor thing off. 

But after these two died I decided to have different plants such as chillies, peppers, rosemary (which is proving to be a big success). The little so called money plant is also doing very well, even though Buttons nearly killed it when he randomly escaped his cage one night and had a snack on everything he put his paws on..

The next project would be have strawberries again but this time in a special strawberry planter (which really is a big pot with lots of little holes in it so you plant them at different heights and areas of the pot and also you can put different plants around the pot).

So I hope this year I will be able to have some nice new fruit and spices growing outside my front door so we can all enjoy.

Happy Birthday

Last weekend it was my birthday and like every year I have one get together with friends and another one with my family. This year after some stress where to go and have a meal with the family I decided to book a new little Italian restaurant which is close to my flat in Gibraltar.

This restaurant is called Casa Brachetto and even though that it was new on the food scene in Gibraltar, it turned out to be one of the best places to have Italian in Gibraltar. I had my favourite starter Carpaccio de Manzo followed by pasta with mushrooms with prawns. Apart from the meal, the surroundings of the restaurant are also very nice as the it is built into one of Gibraltar’s old fortification walls.

The other best part of the night was the gifts which were all very nice. My sister, mother and father gave me matching jewellery and my brother gave me a nice shirt which. But the gift Nadia that gave me was the biggest surprise I have had - I also found out that everyone can keep a secret from me, even my work colleagues.

Nadia gave me a weekend in London with her (she will be working there the week before I get there as she travels with work). We have been talking about going over to visit London for a while but we have never found a time to go, so she decided to surprise me and she booked the hotel, the flight and even my leave from work.

The next day we had friends come over to our flat for some coffee and cake as the weather was supposed to be really bad but turned out to be a nice day after all.  

The Mediterranean Steps

Last Sunday was a lovely day here in Gib so Nadia and I decided to go up the Mediterranean Steps. They are a series of steps and paths that snake around the east side of the Rock offering the most fantastic views of the Strait, Morocco and the sea. 

We went after lunch and due to the formation of the Rock most parts of the path were in the shade which kept us cool as we climbed the steps. 

The Med Steps were created as a military installation and different lookouts and gun batteries are dotted along the way, which, if you are interested in history, makes the trek all the more worthwhile. The path way is not very easy to find but once you do find it, it is fairly easy to follow till the end. 

The trek normally takes between 1 and 2 hours depending how fit you and how many photos you take on the way up. There are a few places of interest along the way such as the Twin Goat caves and plenty of old military lookouts and gun emplacements.  I recommend it to everyone due to its stunning views.

We enjoyed the day very much – thanks to the lovely weather we have been experiencing in Gibraltar this winter, and we are looking forward to going again.