(With Carol in Commonwealth Park, May 2016)

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To think I could slither back into our room (late) without Carol noticing was a bit of a tall order (needless to say I couldn’t) and after being duly rollocked for cutting my timing so fine I jumped into the shower, scrubbed up, jumped out, got dressed and shot downstairs to meet the gang in the foyer. Because that’s how I roll.

Looking at the faces of the ‘gang in the foyer’ I decided the best way forward was to seriously ingratiate and slimily compliment everyone on their sun tans and how relaxed they all looked (as I took their photo) though something told me (looking back at their photo) they were neither impressed of convinced. Carol suggesting we needed to get moving or we’d end up ordering breakfast instead of dinner reaffirmed my suspicions and so we set off to choose a restaurant down at Queensway Quay.

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(The gang in the foyer)

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Turning right (on leaving the Bristol) we crossed the road, walked through an arch and within a few minutes were stood on the balcony of Commonwealth Park looking down on the incredible image it was. During previous walkabouts I had already discovered (and fallen in love with) this amazing outdoor space (see 3:21) but my travelling companions hadn’t and so I was loving watching their reactions, particularly Carols (as in that one instant she had totally forgotten she was annoyed with me). Love it. Although there was a lift to take us down to the park everyone chose to use the steps to enjoy a continuing view of the park which (with the warm evening sun shining down on it) looked beautiful.

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(Through the arch onto the balcony showing the lift and steps down to the park)

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Taking the long way around and then doing something of a figure of eight we all spent a good half hour just walking around, stopping to admire and soaking up the ambience of what could only be described as yet another Jewel in Gibraltar’s crown. Where outdoor spaces were concerned this was right up there with the Med Steps and Alameda Gardens although the latter would always have the strongest of emotional attachments for me. Having said that the design of the Commonwealth Park really was a masterstroke boasting a gorgeous bandstand, turtle pools, manicured gardens and wide open lawns where students could study, children could play and old dudes like me could sit and reflect.

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As we paused to take a few photos I knew by the look on everyone’s faces that they were loving the park and would very probably have liked to have spent longer in there just sitting and chatting in the sunshine but I didn’t bring that up; (if I hadn’t been late back from walkabout they probably could have). Eventually, thankfully, everyone just sort of got up and continued on to the Quayside for dinner and I just toddled on behind them 🙂

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(Carol, Joe and Sheila in Commonwealth Park).

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I’ve no doubt I’ve already used some of these photos previously but (forgive me) I love them that much I’d rather see them twice than not at all.

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