Spain: Day 11

June 20th, 2012

The Rock of Gibraltar is located in Gibraltar, off the southwestern tip of Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The Rock is Crown property of the United Kingdom, and borders Spain.  Most of the Rock's upper area is covered by a nature reserve, which is home to around 250 Barbary macaques.

The Rock of Gibraltar was one of the Pillars of Hercules. In ancient times the two points marked the limit to the known world.

The Great Siege Tunnels were created during Gibraltar’s 14th Siege, known as The Great Siege, which lasted from 1779-1783, when France and Spain attempted to recapture the Rock of Gibraltar from the British. They were created as a means to get cannons onto the steep north face of the rock.

When World War II broke out in 1939, the authorities evacuated the civilian population to Morocco, the United Kingdom, Jamaica, and Madeira so that the military could fortify Gibraltar against a possible German attack. By 1942 there were over 30,000 British soldiers, sailors, and airmen on the Rock. They expanded the tunnel system and made the Rock a keystone in the defence of shipping routes to the Mediterranean.

View from one of the tunnels

Aerial view - we had to walk across the runway to get into town.

Pillar of Hercules

This ape took this ice cream cone away from a young girl.  The girl was about 12 or so and was running around screaming while the ape chased her.  Finally she just chucked it on the ground and the ape got what it wanted.  Although the apes are quite friendly, our tour guide warned us to stay away from them. Their presence is documented on the Rock before it was captured by the British in 1704. The original introduction of the macaques was most likely orchestrated by the Moors who occupied the area between 711 and 1492, who kept them as pets.

A popular belief holds that as long as Gibraltar Barbary macaques exist on Gibraltar, the territory will remain under British rule. In 1942 (during World War II), after the population dwindled to just a handful of individuals (just seven monkeys), British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill ordered their numbers be replenished immediately from forest fragments in both Morocco and Algeria because of this traditional belief.

Ape Den where the apes are fed daily.

Supposedly the best fish and chips Britain has to offer (according to our tour guide).  They were pretty good!  The British menu was almost as hard to decipher as the Spanish menu!