Gibraltor

The Ships going through the Straight (from the Atlantic to the Mediteranian), with Morocco in the distance

(The Moorish Castle)



The view of the Rock of Gibraltor, driving from Spain

One of the Cannons outside of the many miles of tunnels within the rock.

Gibraltor is perhaps one of the coolest countries in the world. It is an extremely small country (basically it is a big rock - "the Rock of Gibraltor") based at the southern most tip of Europe, with England being its Mother country. When you cross the Spanish Border, English is the main language. In order to get into the country, you must leave Spain, and go through passport control into Gibraltor. Immediately, you walk/drive across the middle of an airplane strip, that closes up to 10 times a day when it is necessary for the air traffic to pass. From the top of the mountain you stand in between; the Mediteranian Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, Spain, and then you can also see Morocco in Africa, which is right across the Straight. The Straight of Gibraltor and the Suez Canal are the only possible ways to get into the Mediteranian Sea. The ferry boat to Morroco is only about a 45 minute ride - You can see Tangier, Morocco from a distance. We came here with my parents 6 years ago, and fell in love with it, and returned this time with Mia (last time we were here, we were in the process of our paperwork to travel to get her). We just studied this site in school, and learned that a North African General named Tarik, who Gibraltor is named after, landed here with his Army (per request from the sons of a former Spanish King), and brought with him the Islamic culture, until the reconquest by the Christians hundreds of years later. On the Rock is; a famous Moorish Castle, many miles of tunnels within the rock - where cannons could hide safely and shoot upon their enemy, caves with Stalagtites and Stalagmites, and of course the most famous (and our favorite by far) the Barbarian Apes that call Gibraltor home. Supposedly when the land between Africa and Europe split thousands of years ago, the Apes were left on the European side. We LOVE Gibraltor!!!!