Winter 2001

THE SOCIETY & UNITED STATES EMBASSY

We at the Wellington Society in Madrid send our very best wishes to our President, His Grace the 8th Duke of Wellington, Life Members, new card carrying members who joined this year and of course to our Brownie Point of the Month Winners!

This year has been one of laughter and sorrow as we remember so many fun times and then the attacks on September 11th which caused so much grief for all. It was also sad that so many members had their holidays cancelled and could not enjoy the walks and excursions that we had booked for so, so many.

It was, therefore, with pride and comfort that the Society had the honor of taking twenty of the US Embassy staff on a delightful tapa tour through Old Madrid recently. Now we sincerely look forward to offering more special historical walks, tapas hops and excursions in 2002.

THE CHAIRMAN & THE BBC

Our dear Chairman was very full of himself (which is hard to imagine!) this last August when he flew back from the Portuguese capital, Lisbon. The BBC have finished making a very dramatic three part documentary on the First Duke of Wellington, titled IRON DUKE, which will be broadcast in Great Britain and else where this coming February.

Wellington was the Allied Commander-in-Chief in the Iberian Peninsula from 1808 until the termination of the war against Napoleon's forces in 1814. The BBC contacted The Chairman and offered him the position of 'Historical Adviser' for the program and he accepted with glee!

An eight day campaign took place with the Producer, Mary, Co-Producer, Laura, and the never-say-no Fixer, Callum. It was an exhausting but very rewarding time driving from tiny village to town to city and on to another tiny village where Wellington conducted the five year campaign know as the Peninsular War.

Still in the TV lime-light, one of the Society's famed Bloody Madrid, walks through Old Madrid was filmed by a camera crew for the Discovery Channel and that too will be screened in the new year. The dates will be featured in our next Newsletter.

CONGRATULATIONS 3.000th & 3001st SOCIETY MEMBERS!!!

It really did finally happen.......our 3.000th Member joined on the evening of 28th December as did our 3001st. That evening tour did last much longer than the normal two hours but as it was a special time our lovely Chairman was urged to carry on. Further celebrations were in order the following day when the whole group went off to the nearby medieval town of Chinchon to dine in a 400 year old tavern and to also sample the local village wine...lucky members!

LOOKING FORWARD TO 2002

We have now (through brilliant brain storming and hard work) perfected a new series of walks & excursions for 2002;

-Hemingways' Watering-Holes in Downtown Madrid

-From Patron Saint to the Spanish Inquisition

-Royal Tapa Tour Through Old Madrid

-800 years of Ghosts & Murder Most Foul!

-Sherry, Fine Wine & Spanish Cheese tour of Old Madrid

-Tour of Segovia's Jewish Quarter

-A Veggy tapa tour through Old Madrid

RULES FOR ALL CARD CARRYING WELLINGTONIANS

So many members have emailed begging us to print out the six Rules that our Chairman relates on the walks/excursions. We have double checked with him and here they are;

Rule 1. No bitching while on the walking tour
Rule 2. If Members don't like some of the tapas, then don't eat them
Rule 3. Never say 'Thank you' to the Chairman. It is his duty to look after all members.
Rule 4. Members taking photos on the walking tours should remember to include The Chairman in them.
Rule 5. When The Chairman is telling his delightful anecdotes, do not contribute.
Rule 6. The Chairman has lived half his life in Madrid......he knows best!

Thanks to all you members who have kept our editor so busy with your wonderful comments that appear on our web site.

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR MEMBERS