Gibraltar again

21/11/16 

Unfortunately our run with good weather ended today with lots of rain, wind and fog. Hoping the weather might clear as the day progressed, we started at the museum, which was an interesting place. The exhibits ranged from Neanderthal remains found in caves here to displays about the Great Siege of 1779-83 to more modern history. There was also a Muslim bath house under the museum and some mummies that washed ashore from a ship wreck.

The weather refused to clear, the chair lift was closed and walking up was apparently unsafe (Gary must be in communication with Huey!) so a taxi tour was the only way to see the top of the Rock. We saw the 100 pound gun and Europa Point, the southernmost point, with views over the strait and to Morocco. St Michael’s Cave is enormous and has great acoustics so they hold concerts inside. It is beautiful with wonderful rock formations and stalactites. The Great Siege Tunnels were built during the siege and extended during WWII. There were some more big guns, some interesting history and great views of the land around. Last stop was a tower built by the Moors when they occupied the Rock. Couldn’t see much but fog from the top of the Rock and even the macaque monkeys looked cold and wet.

Gibraltar is an interesting mix. Very British with round red post boxes, red phone boxes, bobbies, Marks and Spencers and multiple places selling fish and chips but people speaking English, Spanish, French and German, often in the same conversation! 

Oh, look! A big rock outside our window!

Casemates Square and the Rock

Main Street, Gibraltar

Across the strait - that is Morocco.

Rock and mosque fro Europa Point (the south)

View of the city from half way up the Rock

Inside St Michael's Cave

Fog on the Rock

and macaques on the Rock

View from the end of the Siege Tunnel of the runway and border

Big gun at Europa Point

100 pound gun

And another big gun, this one designed to fire on the enemy below from the tunnels in the Rock.