Gibraltar

December 10, 2024

To get to the Mediterranean from the Atlantic, cruise ships must pass through the Strait of Gibraltar, which is 3,000 feet at its narrows, and 7.7 nautical miles wide.  Passengers can walk the promenade deck of their cruise ship, and view the Rock of Gibraltar and Spain on one side and Africa on the other.  Tangier, Morocco is only a 15 minute flight away from Gibraltar.

When most of us think of the Rock of Gibraltar, and when peering at it at dawn through the morning mists, we think of it as that big rock in the old Prudential Insurance TV ads — solid, unmovable, consistent, timeless, strong.  There is something exciting about just spotting it.  The Romans considered the Rock the end of civilization and of the known world.  One of the first Neanderthal-type skulls was found in Gibraltar's caves.

We view this 1398 foot rock of Jurassic limestone, lifted above the sea with the movement of Earth’s tectonic plates over 20 million years ago, and shaped since by sea and weather, and might not even realize that it is home to a dense population of over 30,000 people, most of whom speak both English and Spanish.  A British territory, Gibraltar has a fascinating history, and it has served as a symbol of British Naval strength since the 18th century.

Although prior civilizations such as the Phoenicians and Carthaginians knew about the Rock, they never settled there. It was once occupied by the Romans, but the first known settlers were the Moors in the Middle Ages. Later, it was ruled by Spain, then ceded to Britain in 1713.  Spain would still like to get Gibraltar back.

Gibraltar has no natural fresh water sources — no rivers or springs.  Desalinization plants are essential, making fresh water a precious resource.  The summers are hot, humid and dry; winters are mild, bringing welcome rain.  Of course, the Easterly winds can be strong throughout the year. Only two miles long and not quite a mile wide, the Rock has over 500 species of flowering plants, and wild olive and pine trees grow on the upper Rock.  However, the town itself and the sprawling resort-like homes along the water are dense, leaving very little room for trees or green spaces.

Many visitors to The Rock seek out St. Michael’s Cave to see the fabulous stalactites, stalagmites and the concert hall inside the cave, as well as check out the almost 300 monkeys around the Upper Rock (which can be reached by cable car).  From what we hear, the monkeys seem to be waiting for the tourists so that they can steal their glasses and hats, or unzip purses to steal whatever tempting objects lie within. Referred to as Rock Apes, they live all around the rocks and sometimes even can be seen around town.  From what we read and as explained by the guides, although the primates have no tail, they are not really apes.  They are tail-less monkeys, the Macaca Sylvanas, originally from Morocco.  It is thought that they were either brought to the Rock by the Moors, or brought by the British as pets and allowed to go wild.

We decided take the “Easy Gibraltar with Elegant Tea” tour instead of checking out the Barbary macaques.  We were surprised by the tiny buses that greeted us a little after 4:00 PM, but soon realized that anything larger would go through the narrow tunnels.  Trucks and cars in Gibraltar are all small.

The bus traveled north through the town, which has almost a British countryside town feel to it, with its little pubs, to the border between Gibraltar and Spain and headed towards Catalan Bay, which overlooks a Genoese-style fishing village and is a perfect spot to view Spain and North Africa.  On the outskirts of town, we passed the American War Memorial and the Trafalgar Cemetery, arriving at Europa Point. 

From this spot, Africa is just 12 miles across the Strait.  Behind us was a Mosque, completed in 1997, a gift from King Fahad Al-Saud of Saudia Arabia. 

We also saw the Europa Point Lighthouse, completed in 1841.  Prior to that, ships were guided by the Shrine of our Lade of Europa, at the Southern end of the Rock.  It was originally a mosque, but the Spaniards converted it to a church.

The weather in Gibraltar is usually temperate year round, so although it was chilly, the sun felt good on our faces. When we saw the sign, “Kiss Me Here - The Last Point in Europe,” I just had to hand Joan my phone while I snuck a kiss from Cliff.

During this excursion, we drove by the “Fence of Gibraltar,” which is the border between Gibraltar and Spain, running east-west -- a land bridge of .75 of a mile. Then we headed to the five-star luxury yacht-hotel, Sunborn, for afternoon tea, with sandwiches, scones and “cakes.” 

While the yacht is as large as a cruise ship, and we actually thought it was a refurbished cruise ship, it is actually a floating hotel secured to the dock with stabilizers.  It has no engine and doesn’t move.  Everything about it, from the atrium to the stairs to the toilets, looked exactly like a cruise ship,  The gorgeous Yacht Hotel concept was first conceived in 1998 by a Finnish entrepreneur, Hans Niemi.  There is also one in London’s Dockyards.

So -- the Yacht hotel is actually a 142-meter luxury cruise liner which never moves. It is located in the Ocean Village Marina in Gibraltar, a short walk from Old Town.  The hotel has 187 rooms, a spa, and a stunning decor.  Most of the important sites are a short walk or drive away — Casemates Square, Europa Point Lighthouse, St. Michael’s Cave, and the Moorish Castle.

If we were ever to return to Gibraltar, we would like to see the World War II Tunnels. They were expanded by the British from the original Great Siege Tunnels (1779 to 1783).  Royal Engineers were brought in first and then the Royal Canadian Tunneller Engineers, who were mostly ex-miners — workers in coal, iron and quarry mines.  They worked day and night throughout the war, carving out a half of a mile a month.  By 1941, 4 miles of honeycombs were turned into 10 miles of tunnels, and by the end of the war, there were 24 miles.

Inside the tunnels were barracks, hospitals with operating rooms and X-ray machines, power stations (power was 100% electric), washrooms, cookhouses (one of which served 1,000 at the same time), and oil and water storage tanks.  Inside the tunnels is the world’s longest all-concrete steps — 531 steps.  There are embrasures for guns and searchlights, and a large turnaround for trucks and ambulances.  The complex of tunnels was vital in “Operation Torch,” which was the 1943 invasion of North Africa in 1943, defeating Rommel’s German forces, and paving the way for the victory of the Allied Forces.

Although Gibraltar is tiny, it is a giant in its strategic location and the richness of its history.