Gibraltar - Spain


We left Malaga in the morning and headed for Gibraltar.  Three main reasons for wanting to visit that famous place.  Firstly; to get to the top of the rock and watch the African continent from Europe.  The weather unfortunately decided otherwise.  It was a cloudy and foggy day when we arrived, making it impossible to see anything.

Going up the Rock

The foggy view.

Gibraltar and the Harbour - view from the Top of the Rock

We still went up for the second reason: to see the apes who live there.  Most of the Rock's upper area is covered by a nature reserve which is home to around 250 or so Barbary Macaques; the famous apes of Gibraltar.  These are the only wild monkeys found in Europe.  This species is listed as endangered and is declining.  They were all there in force and waiting to grab anything from the plastic bags that any unsuspecting tourist might be carrying. 



Babies Playing



Posing for the Camera



Mum and Child



Dad Supervising


Lastly and for sentimental reasons, I wanted to see where John Lennon and Yoko Ono were married.  I have always been a John Lennon fan and I simply couldn’t miss being so close and not visiting the place where they tied the knot.

John and Yoko in Gibraltar on their Wedding day - Google Image

When you first see the Rock of Gibraltar from the road, this 426-metre-high peak of limestone is an impressive stature, towering above the surrounding countryside.  The Rock signals the position of the Strait of Gibraltar, which separates Europe from Africa and provides the only link between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.



The Rock Before Passing the Border

British Overseas Territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula  Gibraltar covers an area of 6.7km².  It shares its northern border with the Province of Cádiz in Andalusia, Spain.  At its foot lives a population of over 30,000 Gibraltarians and other nationalities. 



Gibraltar



One of the Squares at Gibraltar

An Anglo-Dutch force captured Gibraltar from Spain in 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession.  The territory was subsequently ceded to Britain "in perpetuity" under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713.  During World War Two it was an enormously important base for the Royal Navy as it controlled the entrance and exit to the Mediterranean Sea, which is only eight miles wide at this point.  Today Gibraltar's economy is based largely on tourism, financial services, and shipping.

Shopping Area in Gibraltar

 

Gibraltar Architecture

The sovereignty of Gibraltar is a major point of contention in Anglo-Spanish relations as Spain asserts a claim to the territory.  Gibraltar governs its own affairs, though some powers, such as Defence and Foreign Relations, remain the responsibility of the Government of the United Kingdom.  On the Rock of Gibraltar, the past is a living reality.  A colourful ceremonial event such as the Changing of the Guard is performed exactly as they have been for centuries.

The Guard

Gibraltar’s history begins at the Stone Age.  Evidence of Neanderthal habitation in Gibraltar between 28,000 and 24,000 BC was confirmed when the first Neanderthal skull ever was discovered in 1848.  This discovery made Gibraltar the last known holdout of the Neanderthals.  Among the first inhabitants, were the Phoenicians, around 950 BC.  The Carthaginians and Romans also established semi-permanent settlements there.  After the collapse of the Roman Empire, Gibraltar came briefly under the control of the Vandals until the Islamic conquest of Iberia in 711 AD.

Since falling into British control, the Rock became a key base for the British Royal Navy.  It has played a major role in some of the most famous episodes of History.  The body of Nelson, preserved in a barrel of rum, was brought to Gibraltar after his magnificent victory at Trafalgar.

A Reminder of Gibraltar's Past



Gibraltar's Trafalgar Cemetery

In the 1950s, Franco renewed Spain's claim to sovereignty over Gibraltar and restricted movement between Gibraltar and Spain.  Spain completely closed the border with Gibraltar and severed all communication links.  The border with Spain reopened in 1985 prior to Spain's accession to the European Community.

One notices a rapid change of lifestyle once in Gibraltar.  Within a few hundred metres, you leave lively and noisy Spain and are dropped straight into a much quieter and very reserved British environment.  Unlike its Spanish neighbours who go out until all hours of the night, I was quite surprised when we went out for a meal around 9.00 PM and found practically everything shut and hardly anyone in the streets.  We finally found a general store and purchased a few items to take back to the hotel.  My idea of a nice dinner in a restaurant became a few snacks evening in front of the television

Gibraltar Bobby

Traditional English Letter Box

 During the day, after our visit to the rock, we went and explored a crystal shop/museum which displayed the most exquisite pieces.


Gibraltar Crystal

Some of the Pieces on Display

Gibraltar Crystal Vases

The currency of Gibraltar is the Gibraltar pound.  These banknotes are legal tender in Gibraltar alongside Bank of England banknotes.  Most retail outlets in Gibraltar accept the Euro, though some payphones and the Royal Gibraltar Post Office, along with all other Government Offices do not.