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So much to tell you and our time in Spain and Portugal is almost up. Spent the day in Albufeira on the southernmost part of Portugal. Aimee took us to visit her great aunt and uncle who have a place here. I guess this is Europe's Arizona. Theresa offered to do the census of young well tanned young men on the beach and at the ocean side cafes. We all enjoyed walking on the beach and getting sand between our toes. Here's a short video to show you a bit of what we saw.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE49nlS4YeM&feature=related
After this we headed east and south. We cheated again and went out of the country to Gibraltar. Though you would think it is a part of Spain, it is a British overseas territory. It is located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean on the southern most tip of Spain. On a clear day you can see across to Morroco. We got a bit of the history from the local museum: An Anglo-Dutch force captured Gibraltar in 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession. The territory was subsequently ceded to Britain by Spain under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. It was an important base for the British Royal Navy; today its economy is based largely on tourism, financial services, and shipping.
The sovereignty of Gibraltar is a major point of contention in Anglo-Spanish relations as Spain asserts a claim to the territory. Gibraltarians resoundingly rejected proposals for Spanish sovereignty in referenda held in 1967 and 2002. Under its 2006 constitution Gibraltar governs its own affairs, though some powers, such as defence and foreign relations, remain the responsibility of the UK Government.
I never knew. What an interesting place! But we can't stay long ...we head east to........the next blog. Talk to you then.
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