To Gibraltar

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The Romans built watchtowers like this one all over the peninsula when Iberia was part of the Roman Empire. The watchtowers are all at high places and are within sight of each other. Their soldiers would watch for intruders or other trouble and could speedily signal the situation to each other.

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This is a view of the Rock of Gibraltar from Spain. It was slightly overcast while we were here, enough that we could only make out the Moroccan mountains, not the coast.

In the sheer cliff on the left are the siege tunnels, built for the Siege of 1779 - 1783. The Spanish, with French assistance, at this time attempted unsuccessfully to win back Gibraltar. We walked through the tunnels while on the Rock.

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This monument welcomes you to Gibraltar. The skull refers to the Gibraltar Woman, of the same species as Neandertal Man. She was discovered in a cave on Gibraltar several years before Neandertal Man but recognized as such after Neandertal. Therefore the species is named Neandertal.

The road onto Gibraltar enters across the airport runway - the first example of how space is at a premium. More of this in a later panorama.

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Our first stop on Gibraltar was at Safeway. Finally, I found a place that uses correct Enlgish form in the Express Lane!

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Our first warning about the dreaded clamps. Safeway had a roomy parking lot - hence the warning.

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Here are Lynne and Dick at the wall to the fortress. On Gibraltar you are never far from a reminder that this is a military asset.

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This time the British and the Americans are allies. Never mentioned where we could see it is the fact that during the Great Siege of 1779 - 1783 the Americans were fighting for their independence - from the British. The Spanish and the French were our allies then, or at least we were the enemies of their enemy.

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Recycling in wartime - cannons and shot!

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Despite the sign above, there was no artillery here. A good thing, too, as you can see how close the houses have been built in the last 200 years.
Notice the angle in the openings in the wall. The angle allows the cannons to be pivoted about when they are aimed horizontially.

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There is shopping for tourists in Gibraltar along this street. Dick bought two pairs of shorts here - paid with VISA in pounds sterling to a Moroccan merchant. We also got the best gelato on the trip.
The background tile on this web page is from the entryway to a building along here.
Exercize for the viewer - where's Waldo?

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There is room for trees on the sidewalk on Gibraltar - as long as they stay in their place. Notice the curb in the upper left - it is only a two inch slope from the sidewalk to the street. There is a narrow grate for the gutter.

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This is the control for the pedestrian signal - explicit so there will be no misunderstanding.
The street here, as with most the streets on Gibraltar, is single lane and although it may be tempting to jaywalk, it really isn't safe because the drivers zoom very fast and emerge from around hidden corners.

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The lower part of Gibraltar is teeming with high rises. Here is one example.