Gibraltar, May,2018

Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula. It has an area of 6.7 km2 (2.6 sq mi) and is bordered to the north by Spain. The landscape is dominated by the Rock of Gibraltar at the foot of which is a densely populated town area, home to over 30,000 people, primarily  Gibraltarians.In 1704, Anglo-Dutch forces captured Gibraltar from Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession on behalf of the Habsburg claim to the Spanish throne. The territory was ceded to Great Britain in perpetuity under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. During World War II it was an important base for the Royal Navy as it controlled the entrance and exit to the Mediterranean Sea, the Strait of Gibraltar, which is only 14.3 km (8.9 mi) wide at this naval choke point. It remains strategically important, with half the world's seaborne trade passing through the strait. Today Gibraltar's economy is based largely on tourism, online gambling, financial services and cargo ship refueling.
The sovereignty of Gibraltar is a point of contention in Anglo-Spanish relations because Spain asserts a claim to the territory. Gibraltarians rejected proposals for Spanish sovereignty in a 1967 referendum and, in a 2002 referendum, the idea of shared sovereignty was also rejected.
Military control of the Strait of Gibraltar has historically been the most important use of Gibraltar, allowing Britain to defend its trade lanes to the East. The British admiral Lord Fisher stated that Gibraltar was one of the five keys that locked the world, together with Dover, Alexandria, Cape of Good Hope and Singapore, all of which were once controlled by Britain.
Its military relevance has reduced with the construction in 1953 of the US Naval Station Rota (the biggest Allied base in the area) and with the end of the Cold War, but it is still an important position as more than one quarter of the global maritime traffic transits through the strait every year. Controlling the strait is of vital importance to NATO. The task of controlling the strait has been traditionally assigned by NATO to the UK, but the recent advances that Spain has made in its armed forces and the bases Spain has in the zone have made NATO reconsider this. However, the tense relations that Spain had with the American administration under George W. Bush and the special friendship of the US with the UK have caused NATO to take a more favorable position towards the UK and Morocco for control of the strait.
Tri  us- Me Stan, Vasil and Vasko took the lift to the top, walked around the paths, enjoyed the views both sides and took a lot of photos, presented here. We met more monkeys, than people on the way. Next BlogSpot.presents our monkey company around Gibraltar rock and state. One motor biker droved his bike to the top. There were elegant ladies on the way too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

PLAZA DE TOROS IN SEVILLE 3, SPAIN, MAY 2018

Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza is the largest bullfighting arena in Spain. Located in the impressive 18th-century bullfighting arena Plaza de Toros is the 'Museo Taurino', a museum on the history of Bullfighting Plaza de Toros.
Bullfighting Plaza de Toros de Sevilla is the largest and most important arena for bullfighting in Spain. For example, the largest bullfighting festival in the world is held during the festival week Feria de Abril. The full name is "La Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla". The oval arena is located in the El Arenal harbour district, was built in the 18th century and can accommodate 13,000 spectators. The Plaza de Toros has a unique Baroque façade, dating from 1762-1881.
In the Plaza de Toros, there is also the 'Museum of bullfighting' with, among other things, a hall with paintings about bullfighting. The museum displays all kinds of objects that show the history and evolution of bullfighting and toreros in Spain.
Located near the bullfighting arena are several statues of people who were significant in the history of bullfighting, like the toreador's Curro Romero, Manolo Vázquez and Maria de las Mercedes from Bourbon-Sicily, the mother of King Juan Carlos
We, The Tree AMIGOS Travelers - me Stan  and two Vasko’s visited both of them. It was in May and there was no any Bullfighting, but we enjoyied the reach collection of the Museum and the large view in the Placa del Toros. I  took a lot of photos, the best of them are   posted in this blogpost of Plaza de Toros.