Gibraltar!

A day trip to Gibraltar was an optional extra which I really wanted to do because "it's worth seeing at least once" apparently! It is a self-governing British Overseas Territory which was ceded to the British forever under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. Because of its strategic importance the forever bit hasn't stopped Spain from repeatedly trying (and failing) to claim it - much to the relief of its citizens who voted overwhelmingly (over 99% each time) in referendums in 1967 and 2002 to remain British. More on that later!

The distance between Gibraltar and
Morocco is around 22 km at the
narrowest point.

A google image!

Of course, being the only day we were "going to Britain" it had to start raining, much to the mirth of our tour guide. It didn't rain much but it did make our trip hot and humid, unfortunately! As our guide was calling our names to board the bus she asked me if I was English (because of my name) and when I said yes, she then asked if I was okay with the visit being in French - to which I replied no problem, obviously. So on the way there we got a brief summary of how the trip would play out and what we would be visiting. When she mentioned our visit to see the apes she also said that legend had it that if the apes ever disappeared completely from Gibraltar, British sovereignty would fall! And naturally Monique had something to say about that because of course the guide was just being rude to me because I was English and making fun of Gibraltar's apes running away! I tell you, this is what I was dealing with every bloody day. They have an expression in French which basically states that "she sees insult or bad intent everywhere" and that is so very true in Monique's case. Honestly I would hate to be inside her head! So I explained to her that it was just folklore but that during WWII, when Churchill learned that only seven apes remained, he had another 20 or so shipped out to The Rock in order for Gibraltar to remain British!!!!

To be honest, you don't go to Gib for the scenery, but (to my mind at least) its history is fascinating. I watched a couple of documentaries on it before going to Spain and will probably read up on it some more when I get the chance. In the meantime, this article gives a brief overview!

In 711 AD Berber general Jebel Tariq captured Gibraltar (Jebel Tariq means Tariq's mountain) and ultimately Jebel Tariq became Gibraltar! (I love this stuff, but skip ahead if you don't)! Between 1779 and 1783 the French and Spanish laid siege to Gibraltar but were unable to capture it, in part thanks to the tunnels that the Gibraltans dug through the rock from where they were able to rain cannonballs down on the attacking fleet. These tunnels were also used during WWII apparently, but I'd have to look up more on that another time. As I mentioned above, in two referendums (referenda?) in 1967 and 2002 the population voted by over 99% to remain British, which so pissed off Franco that he closed the land border completely in 1969, only reopening it in 1985. In fact, only this July the actual border was done away with completely, thus allowing around 13,000 Spanish workers to cross every day to work on The Rock and greatly helping lower local unemployment rates!

One of the tidbits our guide told us (and which I really loved) is that legend has it that Hercules, after completing his 12 labours, dropped to his knees and fell forward onto his elbows with such a bang that he split the land into two - thereby creating the continents of Europe and Africa!

Anyhoo, apart from all this history stuff, it is also a great place to buy ciggies!!! I kid you not. I'm not sure if it's VAT-free or totally duty free, but I bought a couple of cartons of cigarettes for Jen for around €45 each in Gib, and another carton for a lady at club for around €61 in Spain - as opposed to approximately €140 in France!!! Not that I like encouraging people to smoke but since they're going to smoke anyway, it made sense to pick up a few cartons while I was there!

We had about an hour to wander round main street and get some lunch, and it was just like being back home in England for me, what with Marks and Spencer's on the street corner and local pubs serving fish and chips - a real treat! After lunch we were taken by minibus to visit the Upper Rock Nature Reserve and St. Michael's Cave (grotto). Our bus driver was a hoot but didn't speak any French so I volunteered to translate for him. When he asked me how come my French was so good I told him I'd been offered a five month contract in Geneva in 1980 and 46 years later ......! So then I asked him how he'd come to be working in Gib and he told me he'd "been on a plane going to watch Manchester United play when the guy sitting next to him ...."! We were both cracking up and again it was so nice to just banter with another Brit!

Hercules splitting the continents!

The Barbary Macaques roam free
but you obviously need
to keep your distance!

They hold concerts inside St. Michael's Cave
on occasion because of the
wonderful accoustics!

Let me in, let me in - or I could just
hop over the fence!

This is an artificial waterfall -
they flush their toilets with sea water!

A mosque paid for by the Saudis!

The port of Algeciras - the port
most often used by North Africans
living in Europe when going home!

Morocco in the distance!

As we were leaving the minibus, I walked over to the driver to hand him a tip. I was loaded up with all my gear when I suddenly realized I didn't have my phone, so he said not to worry he'd go back and have a look. When he didn't find it he looked down at me and went "darlin' it's in your left hand"! I burst out laughing and apologized to him - and of course Monique had to take offence on my behalf because "how rude of him to call you darling, that is just not done"! I swear if I'd had a free hand I would have taken a swing at her by this point, but I patiently explained to her that it's perfectly normal in England for someone to call you "darling" or "love" - especially an older woman. You hear it in the markets all the time and is no more offensive than when the Italians say ciao bella! Damn, I wish she'd get off her high horse just for once, but it wasn't to be - more on that tomorrow!