A little place from home.

 Yesterday we went into, not so much my Mind Palace, as my Attic of Historical Artifacts viz Algreciras. Why stop there.  As today we will be mainly trooping round a very well tended suburbia, lets have a Gib preface.  Enter Tangiers.



When France and Spain were carving up Protectorates in Morocco in the early 20th century Tangiers was not quite dealt with. Eventually it became an International Zone and so it remained till 14th June 1940, when Franco  took advantage of a distracted world to occupy the place. Given Blighty hadn’t caved in to the Nazi Menace, in November 1940 it was agreed that the city could be occupied if Spain didn’t fortify the place and British rights were respected. It is believed that the general shenanigans  in Tangiers was the model for the film Casablanca.  In October 1945 Tangiers reverted to being an International City until Morocco gained independence in the 1950s. But this isn’t the point of today's lecture.

By the 1660s England was becoming an Atlantic Power. It would have jolly handy to have some sort of port on the entrance of the Med. To be honest the Portuguese had thought as much and tried several times in the 1400s and finally succeeded in taking Tangier in 1471. Fast forward to 1661. Charles II has married Catherine of Braganza and the newly restored Portuguese were short of a bob or two to pay for a wedding present so Tangier was gifted wrapped and presented to the Crown of England.

The defences of Tangiers were improved. A garrison was sent, including the future Royal Scots regiment. Admittedly at one point the garrison was 27 months in arrears as far as pay was concerned and attacked by angry locals on a regular basis but it was still flying the cross of St George.  Eventually the cost of the place proved far more than the benefits and in 1684 it was handed over to the Sultan of Morocco.  Gib turned up a few years later as a very useful, neighbourly and more defensible place.

We are doing a big arch around a golf course. Shops are not to be found.  If we crossed the motorway we might find Casa, not not. It is a DVD shop which ‘might be closed.’

Nearby is Home Massage Sotogrande - Full Vitality. It has 5, 5 stars reviews.  Two weeks ago Javier said ‘A fantastic in-home massage experience! Discreet and allows you to disconnect and relax beautifully. I'll definitely be back!’



Sotogrande itself owes its origins to several Philippine industrialists, Jose McMicking and Mecedes Zobel. They wanted to build a Palm Springs type resort and in 1964 they did.  According to wiki, among the almost 3000 residents are some very rich Spanish, Russian and British families, including Tony Blair. 

Well, on we go - without even hope of seeing Prince Louis Alphonse, Duke of Anjou and King of France wannabe.





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