Dear Editor
It seemed like we were in a different world over the past few days. No, the tolls had not been banished and IVA is still far too high, but we were delighted to be part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebratory events which the Algarve Resident put on.
It was wonderful that we all had the opportunity to join in with something or other that interested us, and you, the sponsors and venues, should all be justifiably proud.
I was born in the year Queen Elizabeth was born and I am sure like many of your readers I can just remember watching the coronation on a very strange box sat in the corner of the living room of a neighbour (we could not afford one at that time).
My memories are of a day off school when I had not long started school, sandwiches, as much orange squash as we wanted and being given a pink copy of the coronation coach – this could have been later, but I think I had it on the day.
Watching events unfold on the television in 2012 was very different. How do members of the Royal Family stand for so many hours without some refreshment or dashing off to the loo?
And how did they put up with some of the far from perfect performances last night at the Jubilee Concert? Hats off to Gary Barlow and Sir Andrew Lloyd-Webber – but please can some of the oldies please be put out to graze now. And sorry Cheryl you were way off-key.
I chose to move to Portugal well over 20 years ago and have never regretted one day. Of course I and my family have encountered various difficulties over the years and we now tend to consider ourselves as European rather than British.
But, and it is a huge but, we were all so very proud to be British and to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, recognising a woman who was never born to be Queen, but who has shown us all (if we take the time to look) what commitment and responsibility means. Long may she continue to reign.
Jean Brand
By email
