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Gibraltar is also another place we have visited for which we have been unable to locate a digital map. We first visited Gibraltar during New Years 2000-2001.
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The best part about entering Gibraltar is that motos don’t wait in line! OK, so we pulled around and passed all the traffic, pulling into traffic at the head of the line - what a deal! At the border they want to check your passports, so we pulled over to get them out and show them to the border guard. We put them away and drove 30 feet only to be stopped again for another check - the first was Spain, the second, Gibraltar. So don’t be too quick putting those passports away!
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Once in Gibraltar, the first thing you notice is that there is no place to park! The area is 5 km long and 1 km wide and only a small portion of that space is available for parking. We selected our hotel by finding the first one to offer parking. When Verna asked where we could park, the clerk told us to park right in front of the hotel’s front door so they could keep an eye on them! You can drive around the peninsula and there is parking along the outer roads. The main roads through town are closed to traffic which is great for walking and shopping.
One bike we noticed on our walks around town is shown here with some interesting jerry cans mounted up front. Now this chap is definitely prepared to go off road. It’s a Honda 600 dirt bike with specially made racks to which the Jerry Cans are mounted - one on each side. It also has Touratec Aluminum Luggage. Note the knobby tires for off road use.
And shopping was the number two pastime for tourists, second only to touring the rock. The shopping was a surprise to us, but a pleasant one as there is no VAT or IVA tax. Jim was able to find the phone he was looking for at a great price and without the need to purchase a plan. So we now have a phone that can be used both in the US, Asia and Europe. Finally!
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We wanted to take the cable car to the top of the rock, but it was closed one day due to high winds, and we found it was closed on Sundays (so plan ahead). This was to be a recurring theme as we returned to Gibraltar in February with Verna’s parents and high winds again kept us off the cable car. While at the cable car station, we were propositioned by an enterprising taxi driver, offering to take us up to the rock. Since we didn’t have much choice at that time, we accepted his offer. It was a bit expensive, but very nice. It was early Sunday morning, so we were just about the only ones on the rock. We visited the limestone caves (complete with a theater for concerts, plays, etc.), the tunnels, pictured at left, used during the great siege, and of course, we saw the Gibraltar apes. What do you think of Verna’s new found friend?
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The view from the top gives you a good perspective on the peninsula. At left is a view from inside the tunnels, toward the Spanish city of La Linea. You can just see the water’s edge on both sides so you can see how narrow the strip of land really is. That mass of asphalt running across the center of the picture is the airport runway. And yes, all vehicle and foot traffic in/out of Gibraltar is stopped each time a plane takes off or lands as the main road runs across the runway.
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The picture at right is taken from the same place as the one at left with Jim and his friend looking to the East. Just below this is a large expanse of rock that was used for hundreds of years to capture rain water and funnel it into huge cisterns which are still in use today for potable water in Gibraltar. The only difference is that today desalinization plants are generating the fresh water and rain water is no longer used.
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We were surprised to find a beautiful botanic garden in the middle of the area, pictured at left.
We also took the opportunity to jump across the straights to Tangiers. Unfortunately, we didn’t choose the best day for the trip. The ferry was running, but it was a rough trip as the wind was howling! On a good day, the trip on this jet boat would take a little over a hour. For us, it was almost two! And by the end, the majority were wrenching - luckily we were in the minority!
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