10 Things I Love About Gibraltar

These days, what I now call home is a mile wide, nearly three mile long isthmus with a total land area of only two and a quarter square miles.  Slightly bigger than an average farm and definitely smaller than a typical sleepy town from where I came from, this makes Gibraltar one of the most densely populated territories in the world.

(The Rock as seen from the Paseo Maritimo in Estepona, Spain)

Most of the 30,000 population living on the lower western side of the Rock are a mix of Genovese, Maltese, Portuguese, British, Spanish and Jewish.  Although, when I walk down Main Street, I see a sprinkling of Indians, Moroccans, Eastern Europeans, Asians, as well as countless other nationalities from all over the world. Gibraltar is an eclectic mixture of people.

As I approach my third year of living here, I have grown to love this tiny nation.  But what is it really that made Gibraltar grow on me?  Being a “list-a-holic”, here are my top ten reasons, in descending order, why I love Gib:

10. the caves -  the Rock is a formidable fortress made of Jurassic

limestone and inside its bowels are caves that are impressively formed by rainwater turned carbonic acid.  The most popular of these is the St. Michael’s Cave, named after a similar cave or grotto in Monte Gargano, Apulia, Italy where the Archangel Gabriel was said to have shown himself.

Inside St. Michael’s Cave is an even more impressive cave called Cathedral Cave, so called because of the mineral formations around the walls resembling the pipes of a cathedral organ. 

Whenever I go and visit, the only sound I would hear is the melodic drip of water from the ceiling.  Last year I attended a Christmas concert in this cave and the acoustics were incomparable.  Definitely something worth experiencing.

(a christmas charity concert in St. Michael's Cave featuring the Band and Corps of Drums of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, the Gibraltar National Choir with guests)

9. the tunnels – Inside the Rock is a labyrinth of man-made tunnels first used in the war against Spain and France when they tried to recapture Gibraltar from the British in the early 1700’s.  The passageways were then extended during World War II to house 5,000 military personnel!  

When I descended into the depths of this marvel, it was dark and damp and I was told that the passageways were unchanged since WWII. And to my surprise after walking through the seemingly endless paths, we came to a secret balcony named Jock’s balcony cut into the Rock itself looking outside into the runway and to brilliant sunshine!

I haven’t explored the whole 30-mile tunnel system yet but I’ve been told its even longer than all the streets in Gib combined!

8. the runway – the first thing that I saw when I first came here and when the plane was just descending into Gibraltar was actually not the Rock but the runway!  Ranked as the fifth most dangerous airport in the world, you know you have arrived when they stop the traffic for you.

7. the harbours – Gibraltar has a very strategic position and holds one of the most important ports in Europe.  Over the last 3,000 years, the ports have been used by merchant ships trading in this area.

Gib is about almost surrounded by water so the harbours offer a  magnificent view of everything.  In the height of summer, one of my favorite pastimes would be sitting at a nearby café in Ocean Village (the new, hip place to-be) or Queensway Quay (quiet and even more laid-back), sipping cafe con leche and basically just watching the ships sail by.

(view of the harbour from Marina Bay at sunset)

(view of the Strait of Gibraltar as seen from Little Beach)

(view of the Strait of Gibraltar as seen from up the Rock)

6. the lighthouse – Europa Point is the last point in Europe and is only 15 and a half miles from Africa.  Here you can see the only lighthouse maintained by the Trinity House Lighthouses outside the UK.

(the Lighthouse as seen from the Strait of Gibraltar, photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

Whenever boredom strikes, I head out to Europa Point and eat soft ice cream on a cone and contemplate how insignificant I and my problems are compared to how vast the Universe is.  I love how windy it is there and that I can actually see the Rif Mountains in Africa and the bright villages in sunny Spain. 

Now, it has a big playground for kids and an open space for rollerblading, kite-flying and every other activity you can think of.

5. the square – the warmest, sunniest part of the Rock!  Casemates Square is also the people-watching heart of Gibraltar.  In the warmer days, just sitting in one of the cafes here sipping your strawberry milkshake and watching all the tourists pour into the square is an event in itself (IMO).

(Casemates Square, photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

Probably the liveliest place in all of Gibraltar, this is the perfect place to sit and watch the world go by.

4. the people – The Gibraltarians are a proud, patriotic and resilient people.  As Spain lay claim to the territory, the people unanimously rejected the proposal TWICE!  They are only few but they are united in their stand.  I admire their steadfastness to be true to who they are and what they represent. 

I am luckily married to a “Gibbo” as a local is fondly called here and by the looks of things, I will probably be living here for the rest of my life, but I would never fit in and be considered one of them for they are closely-knit and with an incredible passion about their country.

Just swing by on National Day, September 10^th, and you will know what I mean.

3. the weather – Gibraltar enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate.  Which means it doesn’t snow here!  Although the winters can be very rainy and gusty, it is manageable by my standards.  There are two weather extremes here though that is a phenomenon unique to the Rock; one is the Levanter, a warm breeze full of moisture that strikes the eastern face of the Rock, condenses in the sky above it and causes a coldness hanging over the whole western side.  The other is the Poniente, local winds that blow through the strait from the east or west and bring hot and mostly dry weather.

(summer in the Alameda Gardens)

I love spring, summer and autumn here.  It is warm but not too warm and there’s a nice cool-ish breeze all around.  Sunshine last about 10.5 hours a day, perfect for a barbecue on the beach!

2. the history and heritage – everywhere you look in Gib there is a reminder of a war or a siege.  Everywhere there is a piece of its rich military history.  Be it a cannon, a memorial erected in the memory of fallen soldiers, a name of an influential general in one of the buildings, a ruin that used to hold ammunitions, etc.

But Gib is not just about military history.  If you look at the old buildings, you will discover a rich heritage of architecture from Spanish-style buildings, to Moorish-style churches, and even Mid-Century Modern houses.

A little known fact about Gib: the first Neanderthal skull was actually discovered in one of the caves here before the published “original” discovery was made in the Neander Valley in Germany!

Also, the Gibraltar Food Festival, Calentita! is not to be missed! This street party/food fest every summer is where everyone comes together to celebrate the Rock’s cultural diversity through the most simple, most effective bridge-builder and ice-breaker known to man: FOOD!

(photo courtesy of My Mediterranean Diet)

1. the Rock – of course my no. 1 is the Rock itself.  It is very imposing and dominates this whole country.  I often, often, often wonder; if the Rock could talk, what secrets does it hold?  How many conversations and plots and whispers did it listen to?  How many ghosts does it have?  How many souls does it offer solace to?

(photo courtesy of the mister on night shift)

How many wars did it witness?  How many people did it protect?  How many storms did it survive?  How many generations of Gibraltarians did it outlive?

My questions are never-ending.  And that I believe is part of its charm.  It is multi-faceted, bewitching and unconquerable… just like its people.