April 11, 2019

 

Gibraltar:

The Rock crouches over the sea like an ancient stone beast, looking Sphinx-like to Africa. Beneath the white cliffs of this natural fortress grows a profusion of palm, pine, and cypress. No fewer than 600 varieties of flowers thrive here, some not found anywhere else on Earth. Gibraltar's stunning setting is matched by its history - five countries have battled for 13 centuries to control the passage between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. The result made for a cultural melting pot. Veiled Moroccan women in caftans and vacationing Englishmen and Spaniards stroll along the narrow, steep lanes. The locals revert to a liquid Spanish when talking among themselves. And visitors to a 15th-century cathedral pass through a blue-tiled courtyard, once part of a 13th-century mosque. Helmeted bobbies, pillar-boxes and pubs make for a bit of Britain in the Mediterranean. Gibraltar is a fascinating place, from its caves and batteries to the Barbary apes gamboling on the slopes of the Rock.

 

Tour: Cable Car & Great Siege Tunnels
Lou and Carol rode  through the city streets of Gibraltar in our tour bus and then boarded the cable car which goes up to the Rock of Gibraltar.   It was our lucky day, shortie Carol got a front row seat during the cable car ride and was able to clearly see everything.  We stopped halfway and got our first look at the Barbary Apes.   These nearly tailless monkeys have been entertaining visitors to Gibraltar with their playful antics for years and have mysteriously inhabited the area for centuries. The apes are well cared for by the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society and are given fresh food and water every day to supplement what can be found in the wild.  We were warned not to feed the apes and not to have food or anything loose on our bodies that they could steal.  We then reboarded the cable car for the ride to the top of Gibraltar.  The views were truly breathtaking!   During our ride to the top, we could see Africa, Spain and the sparkling Mediterranean Sea.
 

We then went to the Great Siege Tunnels but decided not to go inside.  Lou had been before and Carol was not up for the huge climb. 
 

 

City view	The view from the cable car
The view from the cable car	Our first view of the Barbary Apes at their feeding station
Nice shot!
The apes run free on the island. Here is a picture of one on top of the roof of a nearby home	The flag of Gibraltar
The sheer east side of the Rock of Gibraltar. You may recognize it as the logo of Prudential Insurance
Who is that photo-bombing Lou with the Rock?
	Our cruise ship as seen from the Rock of Gibraltar.
	The lovely Mediterranean Sea
	The trip down
The Europa Point Lighthouse

 

Gibraltar 2004
 

 

Europe 2019

 

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