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(wind howling)
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(lively music)
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- [Narrator] Our journey
begins at Seville,
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the capital of the Andalusia region.
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We then head south towards the coast
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and the ancient harbor city of Cadiz.
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From there, it's east to the
rocky peninsula of Gibraltar,
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before turning north up the Costa del Sol
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to the resort towns of
Marbella and then Fuengirola.
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Inland from the coast is the
hilltop village of Alora,
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with its whitewashed houses standing out
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against the arid landscape.
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From there, it's just a short disance
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to the spectacular rock
formations in the El Torcal Park.
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Seville is the artistic, cultural,
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and financial capital of southern Spain,
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and the country's fourth-largest city.
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It's also the capital of Andalusia,
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one of the 17 autonomous regions of Spain.
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Seville stands on a flat plain
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alongside the Guadalquivir River,
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and is only seven meters above sea level.
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The city is more than 2,000 years old,
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and its style has been influenced by
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the cultural legacy of its
conquering civilizations,
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from the Romans, who
called the place Hispalis,
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followed by the Moors, who
changed the name to Ishbiliyya,
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which in turn became Seville when the city
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was reconquered by Christian
forces during the 13th century.
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As a result, Seville retains
a distinct personality,
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and a large and well-preserved
historical center.
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And towering over the city is the Giralda,
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a bell tower converted
from a former minaret
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that stood by the mosque
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from the time of the Moors' occupation.
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It's one of the city's
most famous symbols.
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In 1401, the Seville cathedral was begun,
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and by the time of its
completion 150 years later
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was the largest Gothic
cathedral in the world.
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It was build to demonstrate
the city's new wealth,
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as Seville had become
a major trading center
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by the 14th century.
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According to oral tradition,
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the decision of the cathedral chapter was,
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"Let a church so beautiful and so great
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"that those who see it built
will think we were mad."
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Some of the elements
from the original mosque
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were utilized in the new cathedral,
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and it is the final
resting place of perhaps
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the best-known explorer
the world has ever known,
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Christopher Columbus.
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(choir singing in foreign language)
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To the south of the city
is the Maria Luisa Park,
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created for a type of
world fair in the 1920s.
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The park has boulevards and
gardens, palms and orange trees,
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rows of flowerbeds and hidden bowers,
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along with ponds and pavilions.
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It's a cool place to be on a hot day.
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At the same time as the
gardens were created,
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the Plaza de Espana was built
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as a centerpiece of the exhibition.
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It is now mainly government offices.
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The design is a landmark example
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of the Spanish Renaissance Revival style.
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The building is also
featured in many films,
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most notably "Lawrence of Arabia"
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and "Star Wars: Episode II."
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(mellow music)
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20 years earlier, the
Alcazar Gardens were created
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alongside the old palace, which was begun
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back in the 10th century
and largely rebuilt
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in the 14th century by King Pedro I.
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An Islamic arched door stands
in the English gardens,
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which were inspired by
naturalistic designs
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from the 18th century.
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There is also a Garden of
the Poets, amongst others.
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All these gardens offer
the people of Seville
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and all those that visit them
a haven of peace and quiet
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as well as some welcome shade.
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There is not much shade
at the Rio Tinto Mines,
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30 miles north of the city.
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The landscape looks like an alien world,
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as copper, silver,
gold, and other minerals
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have been extracted here
for over 5,000 years.
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The ancient mines were
rediscovered in the 16th century,
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and then, in 1873, sold
to a British consortium,
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who founded the Rio Tinto Company.
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(haunting music)
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The Quarter Italia was once the largest
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open-pit mine in Europe,
and over 350 meters deep.
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At its peak, 2,000 workers were employed,
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and the mine operated until 1992.
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Today, the hole is flooded
up to the 16th ring.
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One of the problems with
mining on this scale
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is the landscape which is
left scarred and barren.
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Due to environmental pressure,
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many mining companies
around the world today
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are obliged to leave the
site as it was found.
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In contrast to the Rio Tinto mines
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is a large power complex which simply
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uses the power of the sun
to create electricity.
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It makes a dramatic sight
across the flat landscape.
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(haunting music)
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This is the new PS20 solar power plant,
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a solar thermal energy unit
near Sanlucar la Mayor,
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15 miles west of Seville.
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It is one of the world's most
powerful solar complexes,
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producing 20 megawatts of electricity.
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1255 mirrored heliostats
reflect the solar radiation
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onto the receiver at the top
of the 165-meter-high tower.
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The massive heat generated
by the concentration of light
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creates steam, which drives turbines,
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which in turn creates electricity.
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When the whole plant is finally completed,
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it will produce around
300 megawatts of power,
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which is enough for the city of Seville.
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This solar power station will prevent
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harmful emissions of
more than 600,000 tons
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of CO2 a year had it
been from a conventional
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fossil fuel-based power plant.
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On the south coast is the oldest city
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on the Iberian Peninsula,
which was probably founded
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over 300,000 years ago by the Phoenicians
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as a small trading post, Cadiz.
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(gentle music)
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In its time, the city has been occupied
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by the Greeks, Carthaginians,
Romans, Visigoths,
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Moors, and Spanish, who
finally reclaimed it
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once and for all back in the 13th century.
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Cadiz Bay forms a vast natural harbor,
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and for centuries it has
been a major naval port.
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It was also a starting point for Spain's
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great Age of Exploration
during the 15th century,
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and Christopher Columbus set out from here
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on two of his voyages.
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The city became the main port
for Spain's treasure fleet,
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which brought back
gold, silver, and jewels
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from the New World.
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This also brought danger, and in 1587,
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an English fleet, under the
command of Sir Francis Drake,
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occupied the harbor for three days
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and destroyed over 30 ships.
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The raid became known as The Singeing of
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the King of Spain's Beard,
and for the next 100 years,
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Cadiz suffered several
more attacks by the English
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in their fight with Spain.
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As a result, the city was fortified
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with a new gateway and city walls.
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Tourism has been an important part
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of the city's economy for over 100 years,
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and situated between two old forts
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is the city's most famous
beach, La Playa de la Caleta.
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The 19th-century esplanade
and beach pavilion
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make it a popular place for
visitors and residents alike.
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The few squares in Cadiz
offer the only open spaces,
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as the narrow streets and houses
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fill all the available space.
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And from high above the city,
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there is an interesting mosaic pattern
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between the red and white roofs
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and the straight lines of the streets.
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The most prominent
building is the cathedral,
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which was built in the 18th century,
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replacing a predecessor
which had burnt down.
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(upbeat music)
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Another peninsula can be
found 50 miles to the east,
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and one that has been a source of friction
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between Spain and Britain for
over 300 years, Gibraltar.
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(mellow music)
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In 1704, Britain captured the rock
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during the War of the Spanish Succession.
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It ended with the Treaty
of Utrecht in 1713,
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when Spain granted Gibraltar
to the British in perpetuity.
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Since then, Spain has
twice tried to take it back
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with force, in 1727 and 1779, and failed.
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In more recent times, Spain
and Britain have tried
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to solve the issue by
suggesting joint sovereignty,
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but in a 2002 poll,
99% of the local people
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rejected the proposal, voting
to remain part of Britain.
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Over the years, Spain has
tried several different tactics
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to force the issue.
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In 1969, Spain completely
closed the border
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and severed all communication.
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Spanish airspace was restricted,
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so airplanes had to make a
very tight turn when landing.
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In the 1980s, the border
and airspace was reopened
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as part of Spain's entry
into the European Union.
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For the Spanish, the issue of sovereignty
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is a major obstacle in their
relations with Britain.
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For Britain, the importance of Gibraltar
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lay in its strategic position as a port
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for its Mediterranean fleet.
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It has been a key naval
base for 300 years,
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and in that time, the population has risen
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to roughly 30,000 people.
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And most of the population
live in the town area
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on the west side of the peninsula.
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25 years ago, 60% of Gibraltar's economy
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was dominated by the naval dockyard,
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but today it's only 7%.
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Instead, tourism, shipping,
financial services,
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and internet gambling have taken over.
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Low taxes have helped attract business
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to this British dependency.
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Gibraltar is also one of
the most densely populated
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territories in the world,
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with around 4,000 people
per square kilometer.
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The growing demand for space
has led to land reclamation,
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which now accounts for about
1/10 of the total area.
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Dominating everything is the rock itself,
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a massive, monolithic promontory.
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From the top, it is possible
to see the coast of Africa,
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13 miles away.
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And on the summit is the O'Hara Battery,
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named after one of
Gibraltar's governor-generals.
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The original gun was a
six-inch breech loader,
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which was replaced by
a 9.2-inch one in 1901.
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This one gun effectively
closed the entrance
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to the Mediterranean for any enemy ship.
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In today's more friendly times,
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the rock provides shelter
for passing ships,
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and a place to take on
provisions and fuel.
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The only drama takes place
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when one vessel collides with another.
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This happened in 2007, when a
Panamanian bulk carrier ship,
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New Flame, ran into the
stern of a passing vessel
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and began to take on water.
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Cargo and fuel oil were salvaged,
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and the ship will slowly
be broken up for scrap.
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Gibraltar has given its name to the saying
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"solid as the rock of Gibraltar,"
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meaning something which is immovable.
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The saying also refers to
the rock's invincibility,
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as it has resisted sieges and
attacks throughout the ages,
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and in the Second World
War, this tiny peninsula
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on the southern tip of
western Europe remained
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under Allied control
throughout the whole war,
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and played a vital part
in defeating Nazi Germany.
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Heading north up the coast is one of
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the most popular holiday parts of Spain
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for hundreds of thousands
of people across Europe,
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the Costa del Sol,
meaning coast of the sun.
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One of the largest private resorts
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in the area is Sotogrande,
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which encompasses roughly
20 square kilometers,
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including a large marina
and hundreds of apartments.
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(mellow music)
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The resort is also well-known
as an architectural showcase
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on the Costa del Sol for
all the differing styles
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of luxury villas, from
traditional Andalusian
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to more modern designs.
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Sotogrande is famous for
its four golf courses.
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This one is the Club Real de Golf,
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which was founded in 1964 and voted fifth
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in the top 10 courses of Europe,
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and in the top 100 in the world.
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"Golf Magazine" voted the
course's seventh and 12th holes
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two of the best in the world.
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00:16:34,697 --> 00:16:37,857
Due to its popularity,
this part of the coastline
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is also one of the most developed,
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00:16:39,980 --> 00:16:42,240
with apartment blocks, hotels, and villas
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of all shapes and sizes.
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00:16:45,310 --> 00:16:47,340
Prices range from millions of dollars
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00:16:47,341 --> 00:16:52,051
for a luxurious beachside
house to around $60,000
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00:16:52,050 --> 00:16:55,250
for a one-bedroom apartment
inland from the sea.
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00:16:59,070 --> 00:17:02,930
The area is a popular place for
people to retire to as well,
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because the weather is
still warm in the winter,
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00:17:05,364 --> 00:17:07,374
and many of the apartment blocks
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are resort centers in their own right,
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with private swimming pools and gardens
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for the residents to enjoy.
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One of the best-known
resorts is Puerto Banus.
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It was built in the 1970s
by a local developer
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as a luxury marina and shopping
complex for the super-rich,
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00:17:30,450 --> 00:17:33,340
with hotels and apartments
behind the harbor.
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00:17:36,110 --> 00:17:38,600
The marina can hold over 900 boats,
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including the large private motor yachts
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00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:44,230
of some of the world's
richest individuals,
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00:17:44,225 --> 00:17:47,075
including the members of
several royal households
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as well as world-famous
actors and rock stars.
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00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:54,930
For those without a large yacht,
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people can get out into the Mediterranean
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to have fun by hiring speedboats,
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00:17:59,720 --> 00:18:02,410
or perhaps paying for a
trip on a larger yacht
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00:18:02,410 --> 00:18:05,710
for a great day out cruising
up and down the coast.
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00:18:08,112 --> 00:18:10,852
(mellow music)
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00:18:10,850 --> 00:18:13,160
Marbella is one of the most important
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as well as popular resorts
on the Costa del Sol.
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00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:19,930
Although the town appears
to be very modern,
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it actually dates back to the Romans,
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00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:25,990
and the name Marbella derives
from the time of the Moors,
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00:18:25,990 --> 00:18:28,120
when it was called Marbil-la.
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00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:33,590
In the center of the
town is the old village,
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and in the late 1940s, it was discovered
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by a wealthy German prince.
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He was so impressed with the place
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that he decided to buy up land
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and market Marbella as
a tourist destination.
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It was soon to prove a
highly successful venture,
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00:18:49,420 --> 00:18:51,880
as Marbella attracted the rich and famous
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from across Europe, and in the 1980s,
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00:18:55,700 --> 00:18:58,050
a vast building program began,
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00:18:58,050 --> 00:19:01,250
with new apartment blocks
spreading along the coast.
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00:19:02,950 --> 00:19:06,690
And much of the coastline
has now been built on
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00:19:06,690 --> 00:19:07,540
with new resorts.
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00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:19,100
The lighthouse on the
point at Faro de Calaburra
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00:19:19,100 --> 00:19:22,530
overlooks the large town
of Fuengirola to the north.
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00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:26,130
It was only in the 1960s that the town
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expanded into the resort seen today.
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00:19:30,610 --> 00:19:33,890
Before that, Fuengirola was for centuries
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a small fishing and trading harbor.
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00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:39,240
The town's early history may stretch back
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00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:43,350
to the Phoenicians, who were
here even before the Romans.
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00:19:43,350 --> 00:19:45,200
In the Middle Ages, when the small town
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00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:48,200
was under Moorish occupation
and known as Suel,
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the whole place was set on
fire and burnt to the ground.
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The population was moved out,
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00:19:54,350 --> 00:19:56,860
and the town became a mound of ruins.
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00:19:57,772 --> 00:20:00,862
Only the castle was left standing,
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00:20:00,860 --> 00:20:03,130
which had been built
back in the 10th century,
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00:20:03,130 --> 00:20:05,240
when the Moors had invaded Spain.
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00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:10,980
In 1485, the settlement was
reconquered by Christian forces,
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00:20:10,978 --> 00:20:14,848
and an attempt to repopulate it failed.
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00:20:14,846 --> 00:20:18,696
It was 300 years later that
a small village and harbor
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00:20:18,700 --> 00:20:21,430
began to emerge in the
shadow of the castle
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00:20:21,428 --> 00:20:24,688
and would form the
beginning of Fuengirola.
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Heading inland, the landscape becomes
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00:20:31,900 --> 00:20:34,680
more mountainous and more arid.
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It appears almost barren in comparison
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00:20:37,300 --> 00:20:39,850
to the nearby populated coast.
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00:20:39,850 --> 00:20:44,230
Small whitewashed villages stand
out in the dry countryside.
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00:20:45,373 --> 00:20:48,813
This is Alora, which has a history
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00:20:48,810 --> 00:20:50,610
stretching back to the Phoenicians,
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00:20:50,610 --> 00:20:52,440
who probably built the first castle
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00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:54,530
on the hill overlooking the village.
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00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:59,320
It was rebuilt by the Romans,
destroyed by the Visigoths,
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00:20:59,320 --> 00:21:02,610
and then rebuilt again by the Moors.
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00:21:02,606 --> 00:21:07,606
It was finally recaptured
by Spanish forces in 1485.
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00:21:10,690 --> 00:21:14,420
In the late 17th century,
Alora was home for five years
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00:21:14,420 --> 00:21:18,280
to Migeul de Cervantes, the
writer of "Don Quixote,"
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00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:22,000
which many experts consider
the first modern novel
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00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:24,230
and a classic of Western literature.
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00:21:29,533 --> 00:21:33,063
10 miles to the north
is one of Andalusia's
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00:21:33,060 --> 00:21:36,830
geographical wonders,
the gorges at El Chorro.
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00:21:38,420 --> 00:21:42,290
These immense chasma are
about 200 meters deep,
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00:21:42,290 --> 00:21:45,210
and in places only 30 meters wide.
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00:21:45,207 --> 00:21:47,677
(haunting music)
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Alongside the railway line is a walkway
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00:21:50,140 --> 00:21:52,700
with a bridge across the first gorge.
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00:21:52,700 --> 00:21:54,920
It was built in the early 1900s,
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00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:58,790
and is now closed, as several
sections have collapsed.
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00:22:01,220 --> 00:22:06,220
In between the gorges is an
open area named La Jolla.
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00:22:06,350 --> 00:22:09,890
The region is home to some of
Spain's best-known raptors,
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00:22:09,890 --> 00:22:14,310
golden eagles, griffin
vultures, peregrine falcons,
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00:22:14,310 --> 00:22:15,900
and Monelli's eagles.
356
00:22:19,490 --> 00:22:22,220
The chasms have been created
over thousands of years
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00:22:22,220 --> 00:22:24,730
by water being forced between the rocks
358
00:22:24,730 --> 00:22:26,370
when the three rivers which flowed
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00:22:26,370 --> 00:22:28,330
through the gorges were in flood.
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00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:32,340
Today it is a more gentle place,
361
00:22:32,340 --> 00:22:36,310
as the Rio Guadalhorce has
been dammed in three places
362
00:22:36,310 --> 00:22:39,440
for hydroelectric power,
and so the flow of water
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00:22:39,436 --> 00:22:41,126
can now be regulated.
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00:22:44,990 --> 00:22:48,410
10 miles to the west is
our final destination,
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00:22:48,410 --> 00:22:51,350
and one of the most impressive
limestone landscapes
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00:22:51,350 --> 00:22:55,450
in Europe, the Torcal Park Nature Reserve.
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00:22:55,454 --> 00:22:58,044
(gentle music)
368
00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:08,750
100 million years ago, this
whole area was under the sea.
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00:23:08,750 --> 00:23:11,390
Violent movement of the Earth's crust then
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00:23:11,390 --> 00:23:14,300
gradually forced it up
into hills and mountains,
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00:23:14,301 --> 00:23:17,411
reaching 1300 meters.
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00:23:17,410 --> 00:23:19,480
During this geological process,
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00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:23,110
the limestone still kept its
layered horizontal formation,
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00:23:23,107 --> 00:23:25,517
and the rain, over billions of years,
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00:23:25,515 --> 00:23:27,675
has gradually chiseled away at it
376
00:23:27,676 --> 00:23:30,296
and created these incredible shapes.
377
00:23:32,450 --> 00:23:34,690
The process is known as karstification.
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00:23:36,850 --> 00:23:38,900
Many of the formations
have begun to resemble
379
00:23:38,900 --> 00:23:41,870
everyday objects, and
been named accordingly.
380
00:23:43,490 --> 00:23:48,060
There is a sphinx, jug, hat,
and a camel amongst them.
381
00:23:50,110 --> 00:23:53,700
In the spring there is an
impressive array of wild flowers,
382
00:23:53,700 --> 00:23:56,690
and the area also supports
a number of animal species,
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00:23:56,685 --> 00:24:00,775
including the Montpellier
snake and eyed lizard,
384
00:24:00,780 --> 00:24:02,250
as well as griffin vultures and
385
00:24:02,245 --> 00:24:04,825
the Andalusian mountain goat.
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00:24:07,961 --> 00:24:10,711
(sweeping music)
387
00:24:24,210 --> 00:24:26,660
During the millions of years of erosion,
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00:24:26,660 --> 00:24:28,560
cracks and faults appeared,
389
00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:31,510
producing the alleys
between the formations.
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00:24:32,460 --> 00:24:35,330
These make useful paths
for the many visitors
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00:24:35,330 --> 00:24:38,400
who come to walk amongst
these strange shapes.
392
00:24:56,810 --> 00:24:58,660
Care must be taken in the summer,
393
00:24:58,660 --> 00:25:00,560
when the heat in this harsh landscape
394
00:25:00,560 --> 00:25:03,090
can be extremely dangerous,
395
00:25:03,090 --> 00:25:05,710
and a good supply of water is essential.
396
00:25:08,570 --> 00:25:11,360
The new visitor center
is a good starting point,
397
00:25:11,360 --> 00:25:13,610
and people can choose
between three different
398
00:25:13,610 --> 00:25:15,810
color-coded walks of various lengths
399
00:25:15,807 --> 00:25:19,187
through the El Torcal Park.
400
00:25:19,193 --> 00:25:22,753
And attached to the center is a walkway,
401
00:25:22,750 --> 00:25:25,230
jutting out over the escarpment,
402
00:25:25,230 --> 00:25:27,670
for a dramatic view to the south.
403
00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:33,580
And a perfect place to end this journey.
404
00:25:37,741 --> 00:25:40,491
(stately music)
31006
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