The Rock of Gibralter

1:25:00 PM Out And About Global 2 Comments

Back in April we traveled to Spain to participate in the Easter pageants. We drove a big loop around Andalusia visiting cities and towns big and small. On our way back to Malaga we stopped in Gibraltar for an afternoon.

Situated at the tip of what should be Spain, sits a sliver of Great Britain. This piece of rock has been fought over for the last three centuries and while it makes geographical sense that Spain would govern it, they do not and in the most recent referendum, citizens voted to remain loyal to the Queen.

Valued for its strategic position, we were more interested in the view and the colony of Barbary macaques who have made the top of the Rock their home. To see both, you have a couple of options... Walk up the road to the top. It will only take about an hour and it's free. There are a few short cuts along the way for those who don't mind a more vertical and difficult route. The other option is to take the cable car. If you don't have time or the inclination to hike, the cable car will whisk you to the top in 6 minutes. There are a couple of different ticket options, click here for pricing and more information.

We could not have asked for better weather, the views were spectacular and the monkeys, well they were awesome! You are reminded to not feed the animals, but people don't really listen and the animals are aggressive--if they see you pull out a bag of snacks they are quick to snatch it out of your hands. You are also reminded to not touch the animals--this too is surprisingly ignored advice. I watched as one monkey walked over to a man and tried getting into his pockets. He also tried getting into my backpack. Then a toddler approached a monkey and gave him a hug. I almost freaked out, but thankfully nothing happened and the parents pulled her away.

The macaques are fascinating to watch and are very social, but you still have to exercise caution then approaching them. They make great subjects to photograph and are clearly used to the attention.