Gibraltar

Gibraltar is different than anything I’ve experienced. It was nice to be somewhere that used English everywhere, but it was so removed from anything that I had ever experienced that I kept finding myself SURPRISED when I encountered English.

My number one travel advice for anyone visiting is DO NOT- and I cannot stress this enough- DO NOT believe any maps that you find or are given. Evidently, Gibraltans use this as a form of defense. There are massive maps posted at intervals around town with “You are here” marked….

in the WRONG place.

We wandered a bit trying to figure out why we were getting farther from our intended target before realizing that at least three of them were wrong. Google maps would not build because, evidently, cell signal on a rock between two continents is spotty when the clouds are really low and it’s pouring rain…

Oh, wait did I mention the rain?

It started raining right after we got off the boat.

I questioned whether it was worth going to the top of the rock, LITERALLY, until we got to the top of the rock, but I had bought the cable car tickets in advance and dangit, I was going to use them!

And then the sky cleared and the view made everything worth it.

It was worth riding that scarily full-of-people cable car up. It was worth walking in the rain. It was worth feeling lost and frustrated. We saw some amazing caves and views that stretched to Africa. The ocean looked like blue glass that someone had just set little boats on for a diorama.

Unfortunately, the walk back was just as convoluted. The map of the park that the window attendant gave us was also horribly inadequate, with only some of the paths marked and minimal signage or labelling to help us know which ones. Rob and I decided that we really didn’t want to get back on the cable car and wanted to hike down. The kids took the return ride from the halfway point and we took the most convoluted path that I have ever hiked. It ended in about 4000 stairs into town. It was an amazing view, though, and an insight into what living on the side of that rock must be like.

Seeing the barbary apes was the experience of a lifetime and I doubt any of us will ever forget Gibraltar. I am happy to say that no monkeys and no Wickers were hurt in the making of this experience but we witnessed one visitor get pounced on by a zealous monkey who smelled the food in her bag and we heard stories from other passengers who got clawed or bit once we returned to the boat. Rob had one scamper across his hand when he was using a railing but it was just a surprise and the little guy didn’t even slow down.

I would absolutely do it again, but I’d definitely find more reliable maps!