PAGE 8 SEPTEMBER 2011

OUR COMMITTEE IN 2011

Chair: Kevin Waterfall Vice Chair: Moira Western NEWSLETTER AUTUMN 2011

Secretary: Mary Clothier Treasurer: Cliff Jelbert 20 YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP Education Chair: Clare Brignall When the Douzelage was inaugurated Presentation of the gifts

in 1991, who would have thought that Newsletter Editor: Michael Morrell Publicity: Sheila Philippson 20 years later there would be 27 mem-

ber . And what opportunities has Twinning Representative: Scilla Copper this fantastic organisation brought in terms of travel, youth exchanges, learn- Other Members: Marcus Ainley, Lin Ashby, Mike Balfour, Jeremy Barker, ing other peoples views and cultures Lin Bygrave, Jonathan Dolbear, Monica Havard, Michael Morton, and above all making friendships. Sarah Whittick, I joined the Douzelage when I moved to Sherborne in 2000. .Someone gave me FUTURE EVENTS the tip “Ring Jeremy Barker; he has been around a long time; he will open 1968, but to me the whole Douzelage the door for you. He is the Interna- experience has been a revelation. I tional President”. The advice was good have travelled to towns and countries Maltese Archaeology - talk by David Trump – 20th October at the Senior and it is nice to see that he is still very I never thought I would see and Lunch Club, Digby Road much involved as well as Karel Majoor made contacts and learnt new skills and several other distinguished indi- outside my previous experience. VolunTEAMing Project Adult Event - 4th to 6th November viduals, who joined at the beginning or shortly afterwards. We celebrated the 20th Anniversary Sherborne Douzelage AGM - 19th November followed by a talk on Unknown I have been involved in Twinning since in Granville, where the Douzelage and by Michael Morrell first began, by welcoming 3 new

Jeremy and Adriana take to the floor countries and running a fantastic Christmas Party and Dinner - Jointly with Sherborne Committee market, with the stalls from many and Sherborne Twinning - 25th November nations filled with their local pro- duce. Now we must broaden our ap- VolunTEAMing Project Civic Event - 4th to 6th May 2012 peal, so that people of all ages can share our dreams outside of politics 37th Douzelage AGM in - 17th to 20th May 2012 of a Europe, where people can imme- diately feel they are among friends with whom they can discuss and plan a rewarding future. Michael Morrell PAGE 2 SHERBORNE DOUZELAGE SEPTEMBER 2011 PAGE 7 SHERBORNE DOUZELAGE SEPTEMBER 2011

OUR VOLUNTEAMING PROJECT THE PEARL OF The European Commission theme of week in August, gave all the im- was born and grew under the protec- the year is Volunteering and that is pressions of success. 33 Young peo- lar with holiday-makers and has a tive shadow of Fort St Thomas. To- one reason why Sherborne Douzelage ple and their leaders came from bay, called of St Thomas, which is gether with its sister fortress of St decided to organise three events for countries as far apart as really unique in its scenic beauty Lucian they dominated the large Youth, Adults and Civic Leaders. and . They were joined by and natural setting as well as a Marsaxlokk port system built by the around 10 young people mainly magnificent coastline. Knights Hospitallers to guard the Being the theme of the year means from the Gryphon School in Sher- southern approaches of Valletta and that we have been awarded a grant of borne and some 30 voluntary or- The Municipality is working cease- Cottonera. Fortress Mamo was also € 81,000 of which half has been paid ganisations. The enthusiasm at lessly to protect and enhance the built to safeguard the farmers from in advance with the rest following in meeting new friends from overseas environmental splendour of these being abducted by the sea pirates. Up November 2012 , if we have managed and discussing with many Volun- natural gems with nearby Smart to the late 1950s Marsaskala re- the Project successfully. teering organisations from Sher- City, a total new complex, housing mained a tiny fishing hamlet and a borne and other parts of Dorset how not only five star hotels, yacht ma- small farming centre. We will in fact produce a separate we look after less fortunate people rinas and first class restaurants but also a miniature IT centre. The VolunTEAMing Newsletter early in or the environment was inspiring. 2012, when we will evaluate our pro- Municipality comprehends fully gress to date and look forward to the The extent and commitment to that Marsaskala`s future requires Civic Leaders event in early May. volunteering shows that without constant efforts to improve its fa- Volunteers, the would grind to cilities and enhance its beauty. So far the Youth Event, which took a halt. Members of Douzelage can all place over what seemed a very long benefit, if we plan and develop similar schemes in the student exchange catering sector. Such 20 YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP- HANNAH’S VIEW schemes and policies are helped by the fact that Malta has one of the The Youth Workshop was based on finest Catering and Hotel Colleges how the young in every town get in Europe. involved within their communities. Mario Calleja During the two days we each told one another about what opportuni- However, during the seventies, it ties there were for young people to grew into a residential area and a do in our home towns. We got a summer resort. There are many three general idea that we all partake in star hotels, self catering apartments similar social, cultural and sporting and many food outlets and restau- activities , scouts being the most rants for tourists and the many for- common activity. However, there eign students who enrol in English were a few obstacles for the young Language schools. There are also to get involved, for example, living around 700 expats mostly from Eng- too far and problems of transport, a land. Marsaskala is very popu- PAGE 6 SHERBORNE DOUZELAGE SEPTEMBER 2011 PAGE 3 SHERBORNE DOUZELAGE SEPTEMBER 2011

MARSASKALA THE PEARL OF MALTA 20 YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP- HANNAH’S VIEW heavy school schedule which made it Malta, the smallest member of the 27 fered in each country and on the difficult to get involved in activities out- EU states, is a little island with a last day we all went on various side of school and the young leaving the population of around 400,000. De- trips. Some people went to the towns for higher education and better spite its small size, the island has a Dior house and gardens, but the jobs. distinctive history and culture of its majority went to the Mont-St- Overall, we concluded that despite the own. After the crusading Norman Michel, which is a small town on certain obstacles and financial prob- warriors invaded Malta from their a mount surrounded by water. lems young people can still get involved Sicilian bases to end the long Arab I thought it was a wonderful and even help set up activities. period, they established a cultural, trip and thoroughly enjoyed it. Outside of the meeting , BBQ’s and political, military, economic, trade It was nice to see friends again drinks at the local casino and trips to and religious link with the Italian the were held for the young to get and a great way to meet new maritime states and the Aragonese to know each other in a more social people. Kingdom, which completely changed way. We also visited the local secon- the fortunes of the tiny islands. dary school to see how our school dif- Hannah Phillipson effective bulwark against the The succeeding Feudal Lords of expanding Ottoman Power in the Malta gradually built the islands of Mediterranean, completely THRILLS OF AN AUSTRIAN ENVIRONMENT Malta and Gozo into a military and changed the characteristics of naval base over against the Islamic our country. The Hospitallers After the lonely airports, after the Never before has such a condensed, powers of North Africa. When the found a barren island, devoid of throbbing masses, after the choking of rewarding and aesthetically delicious Emperor Charles the V passed on the walled cities and defensive the melancholy engines, we came to schedule been engineered. The Aus- Maltese Islands to the Order of St coastal fortifications. When they the mountains. And so our eyes were trian organisers, Mike, Martin, Nina John of Jerusalem, their role as an were ousted by the `s glued to the windows when we finally and Connie had crafted together a fu- French forces in 1798, Malta not left Graz and began the steep climb to sion of the social, the didactic, the cul- only boasted one of the finest . tural and the good plain fun. It was as capitals of Europe, Valletta, but if they had kidnapped the standard 24 also splendid palaces, imposing -hour day, thrown it on the rack, and baroque churches, the finest for- then stretched it until it screamed. T tifications protecting its famous ports and country manors which There was even time in the evenings today are its main tourist attrac- to step out into the warm night and tions. sip beer with Slovaks, Austrians, Swedes, everyone, until the fatigue The origins and development of kicked in once again and we crashed Marsaskala can only be under- face-first on our hotel beds with silly stood in its context of centuries grins on our faces, wallowing in pleas old battle against marauding ant dreams of a pleasant day. corsairs and constant Moslem invasions. A tiny fishing village PAGE 4 SHERBORNE DOUZELAGE SEPTEMBER 2011 PAGE 5 SHERBORNE DOUZELAGE SEPTEMBER 2011

THRILLS OF AN AUSTRIAN ENVIRONMENT SESIMBRA BOUNTY OF THE SEAS

As a highlight of our trip, the co- Located about 40 km. from Lisbon, lossal Dachstein glacier would Sesimbra is situated in the south lurk near the top of the list. Three west of the Setúbal Peninsula. The thousand meters high, the moun- 40.000 inhabitants are divided into tains’ corpulence and incredible three civil parishes: Castelo, Santi- height necessitated a cable car ago and Quinta do Conde. ride to the mountain chalet. The heat is intense. Imagine, if you Full of contrasting colours and unique will, wading through soft, dense in its beauty, the municipality has an snow with the blinding heat of the outstanding natural heritage includ- sun striking hard against the ing the cliffs from Cabo Espichel, the ground and illuminating every- sandy beaches on the West Coast and thing in sight. It was another the Lake of Albufeira. The cultural strange juxtaposition, accentu- heritage is also remarkable. High- Marisco (made with bread, eggs, olive oil, ated by a visit to the wonderfully lights are the castle, from 12th c., the garlic and shellfish), Choquinhos à pé quirky Eispalast, complete with a architectonic assemblage of the Cabo descalço (small cuttlefish cooked on white enjoyment and cultural discovery were novelty throne and elegant stat- Espichel Sanctuary, from the 15th / wine, garlic and onion), Frogfish Rice and punctuated by short, intense workshops ues. 18th c., to Santiago Fortress from the Espadarte de cebolada (swordfish in fried about the havoc that the human animal 17th c. The Chapel of the Holy Spirit of onion sauce), among others, that delight was wreaking on its own turf. We learnt There is no doubt that the Plane- the Seafarers displays a Religious Art the most exquisite gourmands. about the rising sea levels, the melting of tarium stuck in the minds of Exhibition, with painting and sculp- the glaciers, the destructive carbon emis- many, as did the Winterleitenhu- ture works from the 15th to the 18th c., sions and, to lighten the mood somewhat, Everywhere one can feel the presence of ette, the dazzling sun in the morn- as well as the structures of the primi- our own impending doom. the sea, reflected in the religious tradi- ings and the majestic forked light- tive Hospital of the Holy Spirit Con- tion. The Festivities of Senhor Jesus das ing in the evening. fraternity from the 15th c. And Martin et al. skilfully kept our fingers Chagas (Our Lord of the Hounds), patron

on the pulse, and the central theme of cli- saint of the fishermen, celebrated 4th One day, climbing down from a This seaside town, has made fishing mate change was never forgotten, despite May, and, at the last weekend of Septem- deviously steep mountain near its main economic resource. The natu- all the fantastic excursions which clam- ber, to Nª Sª do Cabo Espichel (Our Lady the Tuepl-S camp, we came to an ral tourist attractions of the munici- oured for attention and threatened to blot it of Cape Espichel) are examples. But Se- enormous lake, a perfect reflec- pality are chosen by many persons for out. On the flight back I tried to thread to- simbra offers much more than these. Car- tion of the mountains dancing their holidays, attracted to the quality gether an epitaph for the whole experience. nival, Popular Saints Festivities or Mu- across its surface. Nearly every- of its beaches and the possibility of Anything which mingled vividly the de- sic, Dance and Theatre in Summer one stripped down to their under- practising nautical and adventure struction of the environment with the warm Nights are just a few of the yearly treats. wear and swam, the water cool sports as well as golf. satisfaction of discovering a new culture. and crisp and refreshing. These The same words kept floating back to me, Rich in traditions, Sesimbra offers to the unexpected and slightly eccentric The proximity to the sea can be found those of Arthur Miller’s tragic, dreamy eager visitor the possibility to discover blips were what truly defined the in the tastes and flavours of the gas- salesman: The woods are burning...I can’t the past, but mostly to enjoy the present. experience. tronomy. Reference should be made to drive a car! several dishes like the grilled fish, James Rothwell Cristina Conçeiao These long periods of frivolous Caldeirada (fish stew), Açorda de