4/27/22 Gibraltar

We visited Gibraltar today, viewing a laser-lit cave and a series of tunnels built into the 'Rock' during WWII. I was a little iffy about the cave and the tunnels, but they were so well lit, that it wasn't a problem. Gibraltar also has the only wild colony of monkeys in Europe. The Barbary Macaques came from Morocco but nobody is sure how often and when they arrived, but they were here at least by the early 1700s. We were warned not to feed them or to freak out if they jumped on us. They ended up being more entertaining than annoying.

We  left the harbor and climbed up the south side of the rock to St. Michael's Cave, where these macaques were located. The cave is huge and the light show is impressive.

Above and below: this formation had a
moving display, like water running down..

Then we moved on to a series of tunnels built by the British in the run up to WWII. They provided a safe place for troops and storage deep under the rock. Although there is a map of some of the tunnels, much of the installation is still considered a military secret.

Mock up of barracks

Tunnel map

This is known as Jock's Balcony, and is visible (barely)
from the road

The airport, visible below, stretches across the whole
peninsula and into the ocean, It has a stop light and
anyone who needs to go north or south has to wait
for air traffic to clear to cross it.

This is a natural fissure in the rock. Other
than this, it was pretty solid rock.

Mock up of how the tunnels were drilled out.

View from the tunnel entrance.

Moorish Castle

From the south end of Gibraltar, looking across the
strait to Morocco

'The Rock' from the side you DON'T see in photos.

Lighthouse at the southern tip.

Morocco is in the distance

This is the side from the Prudential ads. Jock's Balcony
is barely visible in the full size version of this photo.It is
near the right side of the dark streak on the upper
portion.

Downtown Gibraltar. Island population
is 34,000.