My peregrinations took me to Gibraltar today, raising my country and territories count to 171, or 64% of the world’s total (based on the ‘been’ app). The views from the top of Gibraltar’s Rock are quite impressive, but apart from that Gibraltar feels rather claustrophobic and strangely lacking in soul, even purpose.
Gibraltar does not seem to have much of an identity of its own, so it tries really hard to be England away from England. It is almost as if it Gibraltar is trying to will away Spain with its Englishness. Take this little example: a warning about the dangers posed by the Barbary Macaques - a species of monkey abundant in Gibraltar - is read to tourists in the cable car up to the Rock. About 90% of the tourists are Spanish, but the warning is only in English! Contrast this with Spain’s welcoming attitude to tourists, including Brits. Most cities and almost all tourist attractions in Spain offer advice in multiple languages, including English. Is this small-mindedness a peculiarity of Gibraltar, or it is just another expression of English angst amidst decline?
The other weird thing about Gibraltar is its obsession with its military history. Think about that for a second! Gibraltar is a conquest. Gibraltar’s military history is basically Britain’s annexation of a territory, which can only truly be regarded as Spanish. The glorification of Gibraltar's gun batteries and other military installations leaves you with a sense of disgust, much like a polished turd would. Of course, British military history in general celebrates invasions of other countries and subjugation of their peoples for the simple reason that no other country has invaded more countries and subjugated more peoples than Britain. In my humble opinion, this is not something to be proud of.
Brexit has been a slap in the face for Gibraltar. Unsurprisingly, the good people of Gibraltar voted overwhelmingly to remain in the European Union (EU) in the referendum of 2016. Upwards of 15,000 people live in La Linea in Spain but work in Gibraltar. Prior to Brexit, Gibraltar was neither in Schengen nor part of the Single Market, so there were checks on both people and goods crossing the border. On 31 December 2020, Britain agreed in principle with Spain and the EU that Gibraltar should join Schengen. This makes tons of sense, but it is not half ironic that Gibraltar is moving closer to EU just as the mothership distances itself. Unfortunately, as of May 2023, Britain and Spain have still not reconciled their differences about how to make the Schengen arrangement work in Gibraltar. This is partly due to virulent anti-EU sentiment on the part of the British government, partly due to the latter’s endless political crises. For the foreseeable future, checks will continue at the border and the queues will remain.
Finally, a piece of news that broke in autumn last year, which perfectly illustrates the lunacy of Gibraltar’s continuing status as a British territory. In September, a cargo ship collided with a liquified natural gas tanker within Gibraltar waters. The cargo ship broke in two and spilled 400 tons of oil into the waters around Gibraltar. Gibraltar’s beaches and marina had to be closed, but Gibraltar, it turned out, had neither manpower nor expertise nor indeed the tools required to contain the spill. Result: the oil spread and the Spanish coastline also became badly affected. The incident immediately drew ire from Spain. Algeciras Mayor Jose Ignacio Landaluce complained about the Gibraltar authorities: “Their attitude of not letting anyone into the waters they say are theirs is negligent because the environmental damage affects everyone”. He is right, of course. Gibraltar is not a viable nation if it cannot manage major problems on its territory, such as environmental disasters; Gibraltar is free-riding on its neighbour. The wreck is still visible from the Rock.
End
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