7DAYS´ INTERVIEW: Ana Lydia Armstrong

WELL TRAVELLED AUTHOR

By Sonia Golt

The experience of living abroad and the opportunity to travel widely are undoubtedly great assets for someone who wishes to write a book and this is what has happened to the author of "The snake and the tiger" Ana Lydia Armstrong.

"A long time ago I started writing this book, then entitled 'Three Trunks and Eleven Suitcases,' but I could not publish it because it was libelous. But since what I had written was true and I had proof I would not change it, would not change it. I was young and headstrong! Now the book has grown and it to covers a brief introduction of my ancestors, mostly those I met and got to know during my childhood."

Ana Lydia's character is sprightly, vivacious, positive, young, and it is no doubt that all these qualities put together make her look and feel young at any age.

"I have neither felt old nor thought old. There are many young people with whom I would not change places with as they act older than me! I do, however feel that since being older years makes me tolerate fools less easily and I cannot be bothered to waste my time being with or doing anything with people I do not have an affinity with. I had to do plenty of that when my husband Jack was active and I had to entertain lots of people socially that I didn't even like. So, I reckon I have earned this privilege of choosing who I want to spend time with now. I have never bothered about what people might think or say about me, I care what my family and good friends think and I am blessed with their wonderful friendship so why bother with the rest!"

Ana Lydia was born in Gibraltar of mixed Mediterranean parentage, and a middle class merchant family. It was here on the Rock that she met and married Englishman Jack, who was working for a British Company in Gibraltar. Jack as an officer was part of the British elite so liaisons with the natives were discouraged, it being considered they created complications. So Ana felt that the quick posting away from the Rock for Jack was to break all emotional ties with her but this did not deter their relationship and so the couple were soon married and being shuffled around the world into lands with very contrasting cultures.

"I lived in a variety of Spanish speaking countries, such as the Philippines, Peru, Puerto Rico and Spain itself and I was able to break from the pretentious restrictions of the Company club culture to mix with the locals. This was frowned upon but it gave me increasing scope for teaching professional standard Spanish dancing and developing my teachings on exercise routines. The social life which developed with these activities took both me and Jack into all strata of the many different cultures."

HAVING LIVED SO LONG AWAY FROM GIBRALTAR HOW DOE YOU SEE IT NOW?

"Gibraltar has changed a lot from earlier days and there are things that I think should have prevailed:- just look at the way the school children act outside school and in town, the way the dress and so forth they have little or no social graces, You can't generalize but the majority are like this. Too much sex going on and not enough love or self respect. I am no saint but even when committing 'pecadillos' women should behave like ladies and do things with style and elegance. I would like to see more of those trends coming back."

Ana Lydia's life has been very full in a variety of aspect, having been living away from Gibraltar for so long not many know that she wrote during many years for a series of magazines and newspapers so she is no new comer to the world of writing…

"This is my first long book, the next one deals with my life from 1982 onwards and is much stronger. In life you have to learn and the most important lesson I have had is 'that nothing belongs to me and I belong to no one.' My pain or happiness is mine and mine alone' and somehow this has changed my mind on many issues. You cannot be too possessive in life, so I am not."

As I said initially being with Ana Lydia is a laugh so when I said I wanted to take a picture of her for the article her answer was "Not until I have the proper make up and hairdo for I maybe a recycled teenager but I still am vain!"

Ana Lydia has given me the authority to read and use the following piece from her book for all to see. She has this very week launched the book that could be an ideal Christmas gift for someone on your list!

ABOUT THE BOOK THE SNAKE AND THE TIGER

Ana Lydia relates her adventures and experiences, sometimes sad but always interesting and mainly funny, encountered in the many countries where she accompanied her husband, first in Nairobi, during the Mau Mau uprising and where, after recuperating from polio, she found herself entertaining the troops under the command of General Sir George Erskine. In Rio de Janeiro where life was dangerously exciting and Macumba abounded, she discovered her potential as a woman and dancer appearing on TV-Tupi. She was presented to visiting President Sukarno of Indonesia but refused to dance for him! In San Juan, Puerto Rico she introduced President. Kennedy's Physical Education Programme. In mysterious and enticing Lima, Peru, she taught society girls at a convent school in a country under military dictatorship. After two years in London, Ana arrived in Manila just before President Marcos declared martial law. Then finally she went to Hong Kong where she hosted 'Keep Fit with Ana Lydia' on RTV-HK. In fact Ana tells how different cultures and traditions influence her personal life and marriage.

EXCERPTS

This is just for starters………

……..Justin was our new cook/houseboy. He was not a Kikuyu from the tribe that was predominant in the Mau Mau so we felt more at ease with him. Justin was an excellent cook; he could read and was therefore able to follow some of our Gibraltarian recipes. We had a very good Gibraltarian friend Alberto who was stationed there as the Attorney General. We loved having him visit us as he always had great stories to tell and would entertain us and the other guests. Alberto's favourite meal, kidneys with sherry, was Justin's piece-de-resistance so one night we had it prepared for the main course. I wanted everything to be welcoming and nice so I told Justin that a bwana mkubwa sana (a big man, meaning important) was our main guest for dinner. When the door bell rang and Justin answered, he opened but quickly shut the door. As no one came in I asked what had happened. Justin replied "Memsahib, hapana bwana mkubwa sana, bwana kidogo sana!" (Ma'am it was not a big man but a very small man!) When I opened the door there was Alberto in all his official regalia, pin striped trousers, dark jacket, bowler hat and rolled umbrella on his arm. Alberto is not a tall man; he is lovely and chubby with a marvellous sense of humour and an electric personality. He was the first one to laugh at why our houseboy had closed the door in his face…….

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