Sunday, May 4, 2014

May 4th - Gibraltar, British Territory

After arriving in Gibraltar this morning I headed up to Europa Point, where
the Mediterranean Sea mingles with the Atlantic Ocean. On a clear day from
this point one can see the Straits of Gibraltar, the African coastline and
Spanish Costa del Sol.

Then visited St. Michael's Cave that was "known to the Romans and long
believed to be bottomless." The upper hall is now a concert venue.

Of course, a visit to Gibraltar would not be complete without a visit to see
the Barbary apes. We were warned about how "cheeky" they can be and how they
love to steal anything shiny or loose they can get ahold of. We were also
told stories about how they will sometimes jump on a backpack or person, so
when I turned around and one was within inches of me, I was done.

There are numerous monuments and statues here, but my favorite was the
second photo which was erected to commemorate the return of the women and
children to Gibraltar. They were evacuated during WWII for safety and it was
seven years before they came home. The original statue had the woman
carrying a baby, which the locals did not think appropriate since they were
separated from their husbands for seven years.

Spent a couple of hours walking around the town, but since it was Sunday,
most businesses were closed.