The Rock

My summer holiday started early in a way. The last weekend before school was out, I took off to the south of Spain for a long weekend. I had got permission to miss school on Friday so I could join my parents and aunt in Gibraltar. I flew, via Zurich, to Malaga. My parents had a rental car, so they picked me up at the airport and we drove back to La Linea, where we were staying just on the border of Gibraltar.

I have heard lots of stories about Gibraltar, seen pictures of when my Dad and Christie went there in 2008, yet somehow I still had completely the wrong image in my head. I knew it is called "The Rock" but I did not expect it to be to only rock. La Linea, on the Spanish side of the border, is basically flat, and then out in the water towards Africa is Gibraltar, a sudden mountain. I found it quite impressive. I think I enjoyed it so much partly because of this surprise and the wow factor involved.

On Friday we made it back to La Linea late afternoon. This gave us time to walk over the border in time for an early dinner on Casemates Square and then walk around Gib. We walked around to Sandy Bay. Here we managed to find the remains of one of the bunkers that my Grandpa Waltham had built during the war.

On Saturday, my only full day in Gibraltar, my Dad and I went caving. We took a tour of the Lower St. Michael's caves. This section of the caves was first discovered in 1943, and very shortly after my grandpa went down them, and even went swimming in the lake. It was tough going, even with many ropes and nets installed along the way. 

I loved it! Climbing up wet rock face with holes below leading to some underground abyss :)

The lake where grandpa swam. No swimming allowed any more, though I don't think I'd want to!

We made it!

After the climb we met back up with Mum and Auntie Pat. After some much needed food, we walked back down the Rock. Auntie Pat and I went into the tunnels. They go right through the rock, and have many 17th and 18th century cannons in them. I can't imagine trying to get a cannon up there! We also saw a bunch of the Barbary apes, including one with a very cute baby:

Last morning in Gibraltar before heading back to the airport. We took the bus to Europa Point, where we could look out over the water to Africa.