Tarifa is awaiting its Duke, with a German accent

Marcos de Hohenlohe-Langenburg,
one of the heirs

TARIFA (Cádiz) -- Following the death on August 18 of the Duchess of Medinaceli, Victoria Eugenia Fernández de Córdoba y Fernández de Henestrosa, Grandee of Spain and Duchess of Tarifa (plus a host of other titles), there is now a vacancy at the head of the Duchy, according to the official State Bulletin (Boletín Oficial del Estado, better known as BOE). The title, which was created in 1882 by King Alfonso XII, has been requested, as required by constitutional law, by her grandsons, Pablo and Marco de Hohenlohe y Medina. The official announcement gives thirty days for them, and anyone else, to apply for the title and show why it should be granted to one or the other. Doña Victoria Eugenia (named after her godmother Queen Victoria Eugenia, wife of King Alfonso XIII, who was her godfather) at various times inherited 9 titles of Duchess, she was 19 times a Marquise, 19 times a Countess and 4 times a Viscountess, all in her own right as women can, and do, inherit titles directly. She was also 14 times a Grandee of Spain, thanks to many of her titles.

Tarifa re-enacts siege of 1812

TARIFA (Cádiz) – Tarifa was under siege last weekend. Well, it might have given that impression to a wandering tourist. In fact, the town was really under siege by French forces on June 1812, during what in Spain is known as the War of Independence, and the Peninsular War in the UK’s history books. Napoleon’s troops were mostly in Cádiz towards the end of the blockade. The fun and games was presented by an association from Bailén that specialises in re-enactments all over the country – usually in themes related to the French occupation of the peninsula. On Saturday, they re-enacted the battle at La Caleta, which saw the breach of the old town walls (faithfully reproduced by municipal workers during the week) at what was once known as Puerta del Retiro and is now called Plaza de Calzadilla de Téllez. The siege itself lasted for twenty long days, seven of which the people of Tarifa had the scarred wall to defend heroically.

The possibility of Ebola in Algeciras and Tarifa

An immigration centre in the Campo
de Gibraltar (AFP)

(Date: Wednesday, Oct 08) ALGECIRAS – Last night, Wednesday, there were rumours flying about that there were several cases under suspicion of immigrants from Sub-Saharan Africa carrying the feared Ebola virus. A survey among the various places the immigrants that come over on flimsy boats are given refuge in Algeciras and Tarifa, as well as local and national media, confirmed that there had been some suspicion but no confirmed cases. It isn’t surprising that suspicion would arise in the two towns, where these centres are overwhelmed at this time of year – summer is the preferred time of year to risk your life crossing the straits in what often amounts to nothing more than