Gibraltar 14TH July
Now we finally know why it is unequivocally described as the ‘rock’ of Gibraltar. An impressive sight from the mainland, for the Ancient Greeks and Romans, it was one of the two Pillars of Hercules, marking the edge of the ancient world.
We cross the border in to Gibraltar and receive a very British welcome from a police officer-“ No passports needed here Sir” in a very strong British accent. It’s the sort of accent you hear in old 80’s TV programmes!
Walking down the main high street in the evening, passing Marks and Spencer and Next, for a split second feel like we are back home!
We go to an outdoor restaurant with a live Spanish band playing and waiters also with very pronounced English accents! Fish and chips is the order of the night to fit in with being in Gibraltar and also just because we missed fish and chips!
In the morning decide to tour the island our first stop is the 100 Ton Gun.
We head towards the top of the rock to visit St Michaels cave. As we ascend we have breath-taking views over the bay. St Michaels cave, known to prehistoric man and once thought to have been the gateway to the underworld; probably attributed to its amazing interior of huge stalactites and sheer beauty.
Highlight of the trip are the cute Barbary monkeys who seem to enjoy sitting on Martin’s shoulder! With a closed hand, they run and try to unearth what is hidden underneath, the clever little things! Beware, don’t try this on the dominant males as they are likely to scratch and bite you. A tourist refused to feed the male, only feeding the female and her young, next thing the dominant male leapt towards him and chased him down the street, lol.
Next stop on the itinerary are the Great Siege tunnels; built in 1700 as a defence against the attacking Spanish armies. The tunnels were painstakingly constructed using basic manpower, hand-tools and limited amount of gunpowder over several months. Looking out from the gun holes in the rock overlooking the border, you could imagine the siege taking place.
We stop at a small Moorish Castle, which over the centuries has seen battle after battle, whether it was the English, Spaniards or Moorish armies.
All in all, lots of history and an interesting and curious place to visit.
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Martin & Nicole
