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#66 A day trip to Great Britain

Publicados: 11.02.2022

February 5, 2022: Gibraltar


F. The excitement is building. Do we have everything ready for our day trip? Food, drink, mask, phone, wallet - everything is there... wait, something is missing! Our passport! You're wondering why do we need a passport? They are only traveling within the EU. Not quite. Today we went to the United Kingdom of Great Britain - or rather to Gibraltar. Since we didn't know how strict the border controls would be, we decided to bring our passport just in case. We obediently stood in line with the other waiting people and passed by the border officer who checked our IDs. He just took a quick look at our passports and waved his finger to the left. We were allowed to pass. Clearly, we had worried too much in advance. Everyone around us only showed their ID card. So apparently it works without a passport too.

Welcome to Great Britain
Welcome to Great Britain

Shortly after the passport control, we encountered the first highlight of Gibraltar. To reach the peninsula, you have to cross the runway of the airport. Not only pedestrians have to cross the runway, but also cars. The runway is only separated from pedestrians and cars by a barrier during air traffic. Fortunately, the air traffic in Gibraltar is not that busy, so only two or three planes land or take off per day.

'Airfield ahead. No stopping.'
Pedestrians on the runway of Gibraltar airport
Pedestrians on the runway of Gibraltar airport
View of the runway on the Rock of Gibraltar
View of the runway on the Rock of Gibraltar

After crossing the runway, we walked through the city. We quickly noticed that apparently the coronavirus was left behind at the border or at least the Spanish measures. Not a single person in the crowded shopping street or in the stores was wearing a mask. It became particularly British when a British military brigade marched through the city with bagpipes and drums to symbolically hand over the keys of the city to the governor.

Military brigade with bagpipes, drum, and key bearer
Military brigade with bagpipes, drum, and key bearer (rear) and flag bearer (front)
On the other hand, the first music group we encountered in traditional costumes sounded more Spanish than British.
On the other hand, the first music group we encountered in traditional costumes sounded more Spanish than British.

Gibraltar has an area of 6.5 square kilometers, nearly 35,000 inhabitants, and most of the island is occupied by a more than 400-meter-high rock. On the rock, there lives one of the last wild Barbary macaque colonies in Europe. It is not quite clear whether the monkeys have always lived there or whether they were once settled there. In any case, the saying goes that as long as the monkeys live here, the British will rule Gibraltar. The monkeys besiege paths, walls, and other areas where they see a chance to steal food from tourists.

The monkeys sit on walls and lie on garbage cans.
The monkeys sit on walls and lie on garbage cans.
On the narrow staircase, there can easily be encounters between monkeys and humans.
On the narrow staircase, there can easily be encounters between monkeys and humans, so the baby prefers to hide under mom's belly.
Who finds whom more interesting here?

After passing the monkeys, we climbed the 400 meters up the mountain and at the top, there was a spectacular view of Spain and Morocco. So we not only saw two more countries but also two different continents. You don't see that every day...

From above, Gibraltar looks like a toy city.
From above, Gibraltar looks like a toy city.
On the horizon: Morocco
On the horizon: Morocco
There was also a suspension bridge on the mountain.
There was also a suspension bridge on the mountain.
Front: Gibraltar, back: Spain
Front: Gibraltar, back: Spain
The runway of the airport is located in the sea. Spain begins directly behind it.
The runway of the airport is located in the sea. Spain begins directly behind it.
Done, arrived at the top!
Done, arrived at the top!
View down the other side of the rock

On the way back to the city, we made a short stop at the tunnel system from World War II. This nearly 50 km long tunnel system was carved into the rock by the British during World War II and served as a hospital, storage facility, residential area, and much more...

Tunnel system from World War II
Tunnel system from World War II
Recreated hospital scene in the tunnel system from World War II
Recreated hospital scene in the tunnel system from World War II

To make the British excursion complete, we had a portion of fish and chips in the evening.

a brightly blooming bush on the way up the mountain
a brightly blooming bush on the way up the mountain


Day 113 - Total tour: 7,221 km


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Email: querfeld2@gmail.com

Responder (2)

Willi
Vielen Dank! Da wollen wir am Freitag hin … 🤗

Querfeldein
Gerngeschehen und viel Spaß euch...

Gibraltar
Relatórios de viagem Gibraltar