Farewell, Portugal; Back to Spain; and Hello, Gibraltar

Friday, February 28, 2020

We said farewell to Rick and Trish and were on the road toward Albufeira by about 10 am. 

Once more the sun shone brightly in the blue sky. It was a great day for travelling. As we made our way west along the Algarve coast, we passed through the now familiar agricultural lands – orange orchards, olive groves, many, many market gardens. Something that we did notice was how much spring has sprung in this region. A week ago we noticed occasional spring flowers that added colour to the landscape. Now, in just a few days, there were trees in blossom, mainly yellow and white, as well as an array of flowers of many colours along the roadside. Some small yellow blossoms on tall green stems reminded us of buttercups at home. These had spread across the landscape, almost as if a crop had been planted.

We travelled through several small villages, predictable in their sameness – a restaurant or two, a café, sometimes a gas station, often a small supermarket and various other local businesses. Occasionally a larger industry would have developed just outside the town – quarries, fruit packing and processing facilities, farm equipment repair and sales. In one town, we even found a John Deere outlet.

Something was different about this journey though, and that was the proliferation of roadside stands selling several varieties of oranges. Bags and bags and bags bursting with bright orange fruit dotted the road on both sides. I am not sure how one would choose which location to buy your fruit. There were too many and clearly, we do not know enough about oranges to distinguish between the many varieties – only large and small.

We paused for a short while at the tiny village of Sao Lourenco to take a look at a particularly well known church. It is beautifully painted white on the outside with bright yellow/gold trim. But on the inside it is festooned with blue and white ceramic tiles – walls, ceiling, floor – all areas except the altar which is gilded. Sadly, no photos were allowed on the inside so we cannot share the beauty of this place through pictures.

We arrived in Albufeira about lunch time and enjoyed our initial drive through the city. It is a tourist town to say the least, the streets bustling with people who all appeared to be about our age. Shops, services, restaurants all seemed to be geared to the tourist crowd. There was an abundance of cafes and restaurants to choose from. By the time, we felt able to choose a restaurant, we were already at our hotel, the Muthu Hotel, a British-Indian chain which offers a full range of facilities and services.

I waited in the car while Jim went in to register at the hotel. I must have been a bit fatigued because I fell fast asleep sitting in the driver’s seat. I was awakened by the sound of tapping on the window. When I opened my eyes, a total stranger was trying to talk to me through the glass. He said, “Your husband is sitting in the hotel lobby and he asked me to come and get you.” I recognized at that point that this man was an employee of the hotel and my first thought was that this was a very nice service he was providing. But, clarity came soon enough. As we walked up the broad staircase to the hotel entrance, the man said, “Your husband ran into the glass door at the front of the hotel and he is bleeding.” Yikes!!

Bleeding did not even begin to describe the scene – Jim sitting on a stool near the door with a blood-soaked towel over his nose, the floor beneath his feet covered with paper towels to mop up the blood that had dripped. There was no sign of the blood stopping and the hotel staff wanted advice about calling an ambulance. Jim was able to think and to talk and he decided at that time he would rather remain at the hotel and wait to see what happened in the next several minutes. The staff brought us both water, found me a stool and there we sat and waited. Thankfully, the bleeding slowed to something that resembled a regular nose bleed but when Jim stood up to walk, once again the bleeding returned in earnest.

At this point, the very attentive hotel staff moved us to a more discrete area and offered more ice, a fresh towel, more water and lunch. Predictably, Jim did not feel like eating but I ordered a pizza. By the time the pizza arrived, Jim was in much better condition. We again reviewed whether a doctor’s visit was necessary but he declined because he was feeling stronger and the bleeding had substantially reduced. He even ate half the pizza which was solid evidence that things were improving.

Soon our room was ready and the hotel staff escorted us there. They were kind enough to even get the luggage from our car and deliver it to the room. Jim and I spent the rest of the afternoon in the room, resting and healing.

Our plan to meet Liz and Ken Bell for dinner morphed into a plan to go to their apartment and share a meal in house. Jim was well enough and stable enough to enjoy dinner and the company of friends. WE made it an early night so he could rest and recuperate in comfort in our room.

Thanks to Liz and Ken for their flexibility.

Saturday, February 29, 2020

As a preamble to this  day, it is interesting to note that four years ago on the last Leap Year Day, we were also with Liz and Ken Bell at their apartment in Alabama, a longtime favourite place of theirs. It is great when friends can find one another in new places.

We arranged for Liz and Ken to pick us up at 9 am on Saturday morning. Jim had slept fitfully during the night and there was still a bit of leakage from his nose. So he decided to stay ‘home’ for the morning and I went off with Ken and Liz to Loule where there was a large Saturday market. Loule was a busy town, very clean and well maintained. The cobblestone streets were in good repair and sculptures had been installed in the middle of most of the roundabouts.

Ken dropped Liz and I off at the market and we began to explore the various products available. Stalls offered a wide array of goods – seasonal fruit, lovely fresh vegetables, a wide variety of cheeses, crusty Portuguese bread (there is none better), an array of fresh fish, some identifiable, some not, butcher and chicken shops … and that does not begin to describe the handicrafts available – everything from local pottery to table cloths to knitted children’s clothing.

This market was amazing and filled with people speaking a myriad of languages. Outside there were cafes that abounded with people. Liz, Ken and I found seats at one of them and indulged in a morning beverage. It was a bit chilly today so a warm coffee felt very good.

I thoroughly enjoyed the ride to and from Loule, travelling along roads I had not previously been on. It was nice to be in the passenger seat and be able to watch the landscape and the people without thinking about the traffic.

We returned to Albufeira in time for lunch at a restaurant close to the hotel. I texted Jim and invited him to join us if he felt well enough. Soon, he arrived at the restaurant and we all enjoyed lunch together.

After lunch we took a short drive around some of the main areas of Albufeira and then returned to the hotel. It was raining by that time and it seemed a perfect afternoon to rest and relax. Jim and I both had naps.

Late in the afternoon, we went over to Liz and Ken’s again and enjoyed an evening of conversation, a light dinner and playing bridge. It felt good to have Jim feeling good enough to participate. We all had a good time. We left Liz and Ken’s early so that we would not overtax Jim.

And now we are back in our hotel room again. On the way into the hotel, the gentleman at the reception desk asked Jim how his nose is feeling. They may not remember Jim by name but they will certainly remember his nose. We were glad to see that they have now put warning signs on the plate glass doors to help people see them before they collide with them.

And, especially glad that Jim is gradually getting back to normal.

Sunday, March 1, 2020

In Portugal, March came in like a lamb. The sky was overcast but the rain did not materialize where we ventured. The weather was warm enough that even a sweater was unnecessary and the sun streamed through the clouds at various times throughout the day, a reminder that there is a blue sky up there.

Today we travelled west from Albufeira to Cabo de Sao Vicente (Cape Saint Vincent), a distance of 94 kilometres. We followed the new toll road, N22, to reach Cabo as early as possible. We chose to follow N125, a more local highway on our way back. Both routes were very pleasant and scenic.

Cabo de Sao Vicente is the furthest point west on the European mainland. From there the Atlantic Ocean stretches forever in all directions. There is a lot of water out there. It was a bit misty so we were not able to see Newfoundland!!

We stopped in the town of Sagras near the Cape for coffee. As usual, we had not trouble finding a lovely café with a broad menu. Refreshed, it was time to continue to the cape. It was not hard to find as a tall lighthouse marked the spot. There was also a small fortress there that had been built to protect the headland from invaders. The high cliffs along the shores in this area made it quite different from the wide beaches of the eastern part of the Algarve.  Waves slapped against the base of the cliffs. There were very few patches of sandy beach.

What the area does offer is some amazing surfing. Today was not one of the lucky days for the surfers as the water was quite calm. Nonetheless, about 30 hearty souls, dressed in wetsuits, were in the water awaiting a change in temperament in the ocean. Ever hopeful!!

Between the Cape and Sagras was a large and beautiful pottery store. The outside of the building was decorated with pottery pieces, hundreds of them, attached to the walls. It was like a preview of what was inside the store. A huge range of dishes and ornaments in bright and bold colours were on display. It was fun to look at them all but the last thing we need is another piece of pottery. It was with great reluctance that we left the store with nothing for ourselves.

In Sagras, as well, are the remains of a huge fort that was constructed in the 1400’s.  The fort was constructed on a narrow spit of land with high walls on all sides at the edges of the high cliffs. Across the front of the fort originally there was a moat so that no one could approach from the front. Of course, the purpose of the fort was to protect the residents of the area from invaders.

Travelling along the local highway took us through more agricultural land. But there were significantly different activities in the west. We saw herds of animals – cattle, sheep, goats and chickens in various fields. Much of the land was rugged, few trees and laden with rocks throughout the fields. There was also considerable market gardening underway in more fertile areas but we did not see orchards of orange trees, olive groves or vineyards which dominated the landscape further east.

Spring was really coming to life in this region and wild flowers were appearing along the road allowances and in the fields. Yellow, pink, white and purple dazzled our eyes, still in small number but with the promise of much more to come in the next few days.

Further along the highway, we came to the town of Lagos. Adjacent to Lagos is a high promontory known as Ponte da Piedade. We were fortunate that the sky was quite clear when we were there as the views are amazing. In one direction, you could see from Lagos all the way back to Sagras (about 50 km) and in the other direction, the view extended from Lagos to Faro (about 75 km).

And speaking of bridges, back on highway N125, we encountered a beautifully constructed cantilever bridge which crosses the Arad River near Portimau. It was a stunning piece of engineering and architecture and caused us to slow down and take several photos.

From this point, heading east, the landscape changed again and we began to see oranges, olive groves and vineyards. Along the side of the road were numerous fruit stands, mainly selling a wide range of orange varieties. Bags and bags of oranges awaited travellers who might stop and purchase. Of course, we did so and ended up with a large bag of large clementines in the backseat. Yum!!

As we had not had lunch (too many photos to take), when we arrived back in Albufeira, we looked for a restaurant that was open and still serving meals. We landed at one that was almost next door to our hotel. The menu featured many traditional Portuguese dishes which really appealed to us. We each chose soup to start (tomato and potato) followed by two main dishes to share – roasted octopus with potatoes and tomatoes and a codfish and corn bread dish served with potatoes and turnip greens. While the two mains were quite different from one another, they were both absolutely delicious. As always, bread with oil for dipping and a dish of olives accompanied the meal. And a gift from the restaurant … a small glass of port to complete the meal.

After our early dinner, we boarded the yellow and blue tourist train which runs every 20 minutes and makes a 40 minute loop around the town.

This trip provided a good overview of the many things this community has to offer. So many apartments available as rentals. So many parks and play areas for children. Large hotels and sandy beaches. So many shops offering traditional Portuguese merchandise. So many restaurants, cafes and bars. Many people from Britain frequent the Algarve so English is a common language. But we were surprised by how many different languages we heard among the numerous tourists. This is just the beginning of busy season. It is hard to imagine how crowded it must be here in the summer.

We spent another lovely evening at Liz and Ken Bell’s, playing bridge, chatting and laughing. They were kind enough to lend us their washing machine so that we can leave here on Tuesday with fresh and clean clothes. Thanks, Liz and Ken.

We are looking forward to our final day in Albufeira tomorrow when Bells will be or tour guides and take us to some of their favourite places. They have been coming to this area for a few years and have developed quite a list.

Monday, March 2, 2020

Since Liz and Ken Bell have been coming to Albufeira for a few years, they have taken the opportunity to explore the territory outside the city. Today, we had the treat of a road trip which took us to many of their favourite places.

The day started out a bit dull and overcast but as the hours passed the sky brightened and we ended up enjoying a perfectly splendid day, just chilly enough to make us want to eat our meals indoors but not chilly enough to deter us from exploring the places we visited.

We started early this morning … 9 am in the car. We headed to the A22, the new toll road that Jim and I had travelled on the other day. We turned west but did not go very far as our first destination was a tiny place called Vale da Telha where we stopped for a morning coffee. The coffee was excellent. It was warm enough to sit outside in the sun. But the best part was the custard tarts that were available, freshly made here. Of course, we all indulged and enjoyed them thoroughly.

Montezierigo was next, a tiny place at the top of a high hill from which steep cliffs plunged into the Atlantic. Montezierigo is on the west coast of Portugal, an area we have not visited previously. To date we have mainly been along the south coast Atlantic.

As it was a bit windy, the ocean was foaming as the waves arrived on shore. At the base of the cliffs was a surprisingly beautiful beach with a wide swath of sand leading out to the water’s edge. At some times of the year, this is a favoured spot for surfers but, alas, there were none there this morning even though the waves were inviting. At the top of the cliffs, the vegetation was low to the ground, many colourful spring wild flowers but also a range of succulents nestled in between. There were no trees at all within sight. The battle with the wind probably made it very difficult for trees to grow here.

We left the beach and the cliffs and headed toward Aljezur, an old town which featured a market, some shops, lots of cafés and restaurants and, of course, homes for the residents as well as tourist accommodation. It is always surprising to me how close the buildings are to the edge of the road. It is hard to imagine opening your front door and having to check for traffic before you step outside.

A visit to the market featured fish mongers cleaning and selling eels, seabream, red tuna, salmon, squid and other varieties of fish, all caught in local waters. Fruit was also readily available – oranges freshly picked, local strawberries and several vegetables freshly harvested from local gardens. A colourful and noisy place.

Continuing on our tour, we turned the car to the east and drove to Monchique, a lovely market town, very appealing to visitors because of its proximity to interesting landmarks and lookouts. In the town itself there is a 17^th century Franciscan monastery, now in ruins, as well as a 16^th century church, Igreja Matriz. The vegetation in the area includes tall pine and eucalyptus trees which produce a lovely scent the pervades the town.

Nestled in these hills, the colours of every town were white and red – white structures and red tile roofs. In the sun, the villages stood out against the backdrop of forest and crops. I wonder how often the buildings need to be painted to glow so brightly and beckon visitors to come.

Close to Monchique is the peak of Foia, fully 902 m (2,959 ft), the highest point in the Algarve. On a clear day the views from this peak must be amazing. There was a haze in the sky today that limited our view but it was still breathtaking. The road up to the peak was also breathtaking as it twisted and turned without benefit of guard rails along most of its length. As we climbed the landscape became more and more rugged and the vegetation smaller and smaller. At the very top, there was only the hardiest of plantlife. Even on this sunny day, the temperature was quite chilly and the wind blew with some force. Happily, there was a gift shop that offered refuge from the elements and no one left empty-handed. There were also several communication transmission towers that dotted the highest points. Hiking trails were evident and Liz and Ken have conquered some of them. But today was singularly a car trip.

Back down the mountain we went, feeling confident with Ken at the wheel. Valleys plunged below us; dry river beds awaited the next rainfall; sheep, cattle, goats and chickens populated the fields and the blackened trees reminded us of previous forest fires in the region.

By this time, we were hungry and lunch became the focus. We headed to Foz de Bonho, Liz and Ken’s favourite restaurant, only to find that it was closed on Mondays. Such a disappointment. But that did not last for long. We travelled along the road and came upon a modest, local restaurant that was still serving lunch (it was almost 2 pm). We stepped inside and quickly perused the menu. Jim chose lamb; I chose tuna; Liz selected chicken and Ken requested quail. Bread and olives, always a starter, arrived at our table, soon followed by a creamy potato/spinach soup for Jim and Ken. And then came our main courses, every one delicious and accompanied by crispy fries and a delightful garden fresh salad. What a find this place was!! We enjoyed every bite of food.

After lunch, we drove to the town of Silves where there is a beautiful castle high on a hilltop. Very impressive. We were at a much lower altitude now so the agriculture had transformed again to orange groves and market gardening. And a myriad of colourful wildflowers were dancing in the wind.

The afternoon was waning and we began to head back toward Albufeira. We passed through the town of Porches, travelled along a beach road and eventually entered Albufeira near the port. What a large and diverse community it is.

We arrived at our hotel and decided to share one last beverage before parting ways. The Piccadilly Bar was open but quiet. We enjoyed a prolonged conversation as we sipped our drinks. It has been such fun to share this experience in Portugal. How lucky are we to have other friends who love to explore different places.

Thanks, Liz and Ken, for a great day.

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Today was a driving day for us. We are on our way to Gibraltar next and had to retrace our steps back across the Algarve and into Spain. Happily the weather was good and the traffic was light.

We left our hotel in Albufeira around 10 o’clock. We had a couple of errands to do but we finally made it out to the main highway just before 11 am. At first we were travelling on a highway we had not been on before. We arrived in Albufeira via a secondary highway so the A22 going east was all new territory for us. Of course, we saw familiar surroundings – orange groves, strawberry farms, rock quarries and vineyards.

After about an hour we drove past the exit to Tavira where we had stayed for our first few days in Portugal. Not far east of Tavira is a beautiful bridge that crosses the Gaudiana River, the border between Portugal and Spain. We felt sad about leaving Portugal. We had enjoyed it thoroughly and knew there was so much more we could have done with more time.

But alas, Gibraltar is calling our names so we must continue our journey there. The landscape in Spain is very similar to Portugal but not quite as rugged. As we travelled further east and south, the hills became a bit smaller and the crop fields became a lot larger. We continued to see orange groves for a while but soon other crops such as olives, potatoes, grain, and grapes seemed to change the balance in agriculture. We saw more herds of cattle, goats, sheep and fewer tethered horses tied under trees.

Farmers were out working their land, ploughing, cultivating, planting and even harvesting early crops. With a temperate climate throughout most of the year, some crops can be planted and harvested much earlier than is possible at home.

We stopped for lunch at a highway service centre. Even there, the main menu was a three course meal. That certainly does enforce taking a break from driving which is a good thing. The quality of the food here … not so wonderful. And on we went.

I am fighting a cold at the moment and after another hour at the wheel, I began to feel a bit sluggish. Jim and I know ourselves well and we have implemented a ‘twenty minute nap’ into our travel pattern. So we pulled off the road and settled in for about 20 minutes. It is amazing how refreshed we both feel having taken just a short break.

As we approached Seville, the traffic intensified. Several major highways were merging and vehicles were switching lanes a lot, sometimes several at a time. I have been impressed with the drivers we have encountered in both Portugal and Spain. Generally courteous, observant, safety-conscious, and they use their signals for every turn. All of these habits make the roads much safer than would otherwise be possible.

The speed limit on divided highways is almost always 120 kph. Cars stay in the right lane unless they are passing. The cars that are passing are generally travelling far fast than 120. It is safer to be in the right lane, to say the least!

Once past Seville, it was smooth sailing again. This part of the highway had high bushes planted in the centre median and mature trees all along the edges of the road. It certainly made it difficult to see anything except the road. No photos or even commentary from this part of the trip.

It was about 5 o’clock when we reached our destination, Cadiz. Cadiz is a major Spanish port and the waterfront reflected that. Once again we crossed a spectacular bridge from which we could see the port and all the equipment they need to load and unload ships efficiently.

We entered the main part of town and found the tourist office which was still open. We picked up some brochures and maps and now have a plan for tomorrow morning. Our time here is short but we do want to see some of the city.

Our hotel tonight is a refurbished older building right on the main street. Check-in was easy and the room is well appointed. Thanks, Jim, for finding this place. Once again, there was underground parking so when Jim offered to park the car, I had no objection. Thanks to Jim for that as well.

We are in our room enjoying some down time and soon off to bed. Tomorrow will be another new and full day.

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Our hotel in Cadiz was quite amazing. A beautiful, comfortable well supplied room, excellent internet availability, very helpful desk staff and an outstanding breakfast. What a great way to start the day.

Oh, and this is a good time also to report that Jim’s nose is feeling much better and he has less bruising than I would have predicted. And my cold is finally on the mend. No, I do not have Covid-19 virus although there were times I debated seeing a doctor to get checked out.

So today we will confidently move on to Gibraltar but we have a couple of stops to make on the way.

Our first stop was at the main square in Cadiz where we caught the Hop On Hop Off bus for a one hour circuit through the city. Cadiz is an ancient walled city with much of the original wall still standing. It is also located on the shore of the Mediterranean and has developed the shoreline so that it is integrated with a large portion of the city. A beautiful street, bike path and pedestrian promenade parallels the gorgeous beach for miles. Parks, benches, cafes and beachside restaurants all entice those travelling along to stop for a while. It is wonderful to see how effectively and cooperatively motor vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians can share a space and all enjoy it thoroughly.

Other highlights of the tour included a cathedral, the enormous cargo and cruise port, an ancient prison and fort, city gates which are still in use and the spectacular and modern bridge which crosses the bay around which Cadiz is built. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour and the sunshine. Sadly, we did not have enough time in this city. But we had places to go and other places to see.

We travelled south along a seaside highway which eventually turned inward and we were surrounded by agricultural land again. But this time it was different …. This was cattle country. There were herds of cattle everywhere, beautiful looking beasts, cows, heifers, steer and especially large and powerful bulls. They were grazing on grass in enormous fields. We came upon one field lot where the animals were destined to be shipped to market. There were also occasional herds of goats and several fields with horses. Very few sheep today.

Vast fields were planted with what appeared to be grain crops but we could not identify the varieties. The land varied between rugged and rock-strewn acreage and other vast areas of fertile soil. The topography was also quite different from what we have previously seen as there were very large hills, almost mountains in places with lush valleys in between. Under the sunshine, it was a gorgeous drive.

The hilltops in areas where we were near the ocean were covered with wind generators … not in the 10’s but in the 100’s in number. It was amazing sight to see, all turning with the wind to produce electricity and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Spain had a very ambitious Green Energy Program wherein one goal is to produce all electricity from renewables by 2050 and cut emissions by 90%.  The land under the wind generators was used for animal grazing and some crop production.

As we were paralleling the shore of the Mediterranean, we took the opportunity to visit three seaside towns. They were all very different in nature. The first was Barbate, a small town that was clearly geared to servicing the agricultural area surrounding it. There were many shops, mechanical places, grocery stores and other service providers to ensure that the working community had its needs met. The streets were narrow and crowded; the homes and shops a bit dishevelled. Commercial vehicles dominated the streets and roads and the main part of town was very busy. On this beautiful day, outdoor cafes were filled with people pausing for a coffee or a meal. It was a lively place to pass through.

The second town we visited was quite different. Zahara de los Atunes was clearly a tourist town, built along a spectacular stretch of beach. But this is not tourist season so the town was very quiet, quite like a ghost town. Condos and whole apartment buildings were shuttered and empty; restaurants were closed (dusty tables and chairs were visible through the windows). Construction was underway for more tourist accommodation. And no one was on the beach! It was actually kind of eery. We had need of a washroom and we found a service station that was open. Inside the shop, the lights were not even turned on and the merchandise looked like it was leftover from last year. But they did have a functional bathroom.

We moved on to the third town, Tarifa, which is the town from which we will take the ferry to Morocco. As we will not have time on Friday to explore Tarifa, we decided to do so today. Tarifa is a very old town, dominated by an ancient castle atop a high hill and a large fort at the end of a peninsula. It is a very busy port for ferries and cargo. It has a unique geographic position being at the meeting point of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The channel through this area is very narrow and the ships that ply the water are many – cargo vessels, cruise ships, ferries and pleasure craft all share the water. Tarifa is also one of the places from which you can see the coastline of Africa, Morocco to be exact.

It is quite mountainous from what we could see. Tarifa was filled with people wandering every which way on every street. Streets were narrow and hills were steep, making it challenging to drive. We toured the town by car, stopping at a few beautiful lookout points. And then we headed on our way once again.

By now, we were getting close to Algerciras where we had stayed following our train trip south. This is also where we had rented our car and where we need to buy tickets for the ferry to Morocco. We stopped at the port to be sure we knew where to drop the car off, where to buy the tickets and where to catch the bus that would take us to the ferry. Those tasks accomplished, it was time to head to Gibraltar!!

We could see Gibraltar from the port and Jim, with his GPS, knew how to get from the port to the ‘rock’. So off we went. We were actually very excited about venturing onto this iconic island. From the highway, around the roundabout, follow the road to the right and suddenly, you are there!!

“May I see your passports, please?” said the man at the border. He seemed to approve just by looking at the cover. Then, “Have you been to any of the countries affected by this virus?” “No!!” we replied. “Then go on through.” And that was it …. We were in Gibraltar!!

There was one more obstacle to conquer … the airport runway. As you drive into Gibraltar, the only way to enter the city is to drive across the airport runway. Half the runway is on the left and the other half is on the right. And the road crosses right in the middle. It is quite bizarre! They is a traffic signal that controls the flow of traffic and big warning signs that tell you not to stop once you have started across. Whew!! We made it!!

We easily located our hotel quite close to the airport and quickly made our way to our room. (I have to pause here to give Jim great credit for finding lovely hotels in each location we visit. This hotel in Gibraltar is again convenient, clean, well equipped and comfortable. Bravo, Jim!) We are on the 6^th floor and have an amazing view from our window. We do have to look up but we are facing the ‘rock’ and can see the very top from our hotel room window as well as the large rock face that faces the mainland of Spain. It is very exciting and gives a great perspective on how large this ‘rock’ actually is.

We settled into our room and chose a British pub for dinner. It was great to have an English menu with familiar foods on it and to be able to speak English without feeling bad about not speaking Spanish or Portuguese. Jim had lamb chops and I had pasta arrabiata. We both enjoyed our meals and Jim enjoyed his English beer. A great way to end another day of learning and exploring.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Today we had the whole day to explore Gibraltar. We had three priorities: first, to drive around the entire country; second, to take the cable car to the top of the rock; and, three, to find a place for me to get a manicure.

After a leisurely start to our day and a somewhat late breakfast, we headed off in the car to explore the perimeter of Gibraltar. We headed east first and travelled in a clockwise direction around the sea road. It is a very circuitous road as it follows the base of the rock. There are very few places to pull over or park on this route so taking photos was a bit tricky. I would slow down when I could and Jim would take a photo from his seat in the car. Some turned out well; others not so much.

Soon after leaving our hotel, we were along the seacoast. The sun was shining and Morocco was visible just across the strait. This is the place where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic. It is very narrow here and all the ships that are in the water must pass through this narrow passage. There were certainly a lot of ships on the move today – freighters, cruise ships, ferries, private yachts, etc. There are two fishing villages along the north shoreline and it is possible to drive down into one of them.

Down is the operative word as the road into the village is very steep and narrow. Toward the bottom, there is a sign reminding drivers that no cars are allowed into the village between May and September. A bit further along is another sign stating clearly that there is no parking anywhere in the village at any time. By this time, the road had narrowed to one lane which was lined on both sides with small fishing boats. Hmmm … we could back all the way out to the main road or we could try a three (or maybe 6) point turn on this narrow path. A group of villagers had gathered on a deck for a morning chat and turned to watch us (the tourists) with interest as we tried to maneuver the car into a totally different direction. I have come to appreciate the interest people take in us and our driving dilemmas. They are always kind and offer suggestions. I am sure they roll their eyes and laugh later when we are out of sight. I have also come to appreciate the screen that shows the position of the car when we are backing up. The beeping sound when you get to close to something is particularly helpful. With Jim and the screen’s assistance and in the presence of an appreciative audience, I did manage to get the car turned around and we were on our way again. No more village visits for us!!

A bit further along the road, there is quite a long and dark tunnel. It probably extends for about a kilometer with two major curves along the way. As with the rest of the road, it is very narrow, a bit intimidating to drive through. We were glad to be at the other end and back in the daylight.

We arrived at Europa Point soon after, a major stopping point for tourists. First, there is a very large lighthouse that protects ships from calamities with Gibraltar. At this point there is also a large and beautiful mosque, built in a setting with the sea as a backdrop.

In another location at Europa Point, there stands a large church, The Shrine of our Lady of Europe, again built with the sea as a backdrop. Another beautiful building. There is a small residential village here as well and, of course, we set out to explore it. So much for our vow not to drive into any other villages. This one was particularly interesting because it is home to the University of Gibraltor and the sports complex for the Special Olympics. Both of these institutions surprised us. It had not occurred to us that country as small as Gibraltor would have such institutions and facilities. How wrong we were.

We had completed about two thirds of the circuit around Gibraltar and were getting very close to the entrance to the cable car to the top of the mountain. We were also in busy traffic on unfamiliar streets at lunch time and there was a lot of traffic on the roads. One way systems, a myriad of roundabouts and traffic all contributed to our confusion and pretty soon we were totally lost. We had a map but could not figure out how to use the roads to reach our destination. We did two circuits around the main part of the city and then made a great decision. Let’s head back to the hotel and take a taxi. Bingo!!! It worked the first time.

We arrived at the base of the rock along with a large tour group who had also not pre-purchased their tickets. I was impressed by how quickly the line moved. Before long, we were on board and travelling up a very steep slope, 412 metres in 6 minutes. The weather had changed by this time and clouds had rolled in. The views from the top were a bit misty but one could see for miles and miles. Morocco was quite visible as was Spain and, of course, Gibraltar just below us. It was cold and windy at the top so we did not stay long.

On the way down, the cable car was swaying in the wind. At each junction with a support structure, we slowed down to a crawl and bumped our way through the metal brackets as we passed by. When we reached the bottom, the operators made a decision to suspend operation of the cable car until the wind subsided. We thought about all the people who were still at the top and were very happy that we had decided to come down early. (The wind was still ferocious at 6 pm but we learned that there is a service road that busses can travel on to get to the top if necessary. So everyone would have been rescued in due course.)

We took a taxi back to the hotel to warm up and have a bit of lunch. Jim enjoyed a thick pea soup and saltimbocca and I loved my calzone. Delicious!  We then spent some time in our room as I wanted to work on our photo book to get it up to date. Again at about 5:30, we headed out by taxi to Montanna’s Nail Salon! I was excited to be getting a fresh manicure.

Jim spent the time I was busy exploring the narrow passageways in the old town. He was deliberately looking for all things British here in Gibraltar. He found several fish and chip shops, some stores like Debenhams and Mothercare, some military installations and monuments that reflected British connections.

We met when I was finished and we were both happy with how we had spent our time. We have been in our room since, catching up on the blog, packing to leave tomorrow and watching a bit of news on television. The Coronavirus is certainly dominating the airwaves. As well as American and British politics.

And now it is time for bed. A big day tomorrow as we leave Europe and travel across the Mediterranean to Morocco.