Thursday 26 September 2013

The Rock

Gibraltar was not on our original cruise itinerary.....but was added just 4 weeks before we traveled.....apparently Royal Caribbean had discovered that the other large ship booked in this day was leaving at 2pm......so they booked a 3-9pm slot.
Shortly before our holiday some 'sabre rattling' broke out between Spain and the UK over Gibraltar.....and we did wonder if we'd actually get there.....but all was fine......though we were lectured told in no uncertain terms by our Gibraltar born shuttle bus driver that Spain had ceded Gibraltar to Britain 'in perpetuum' at the Treaty of Utrecht and had no right to be asking for it back!!
Gibraltar certainly has a feel of Britain about it.....albeit a much hotter feel......and OH was well pleased to relax with a pint of real ale.
We've visited the Rock before and I had no inclination to renew my aquaintance with the apes....
[picture taken by OH in 2007.....I declined to get anywhere near this close]
and while the Tunnels are amazing and well worth visiting we didn't feel the need to see them again......so we just visited the Trafalgar Cemetary......which even though it's in the town....has a very quiet,peaceful,almost eerie feel to it.

We then indulged in some duty free shopping......with some real duty free prices....unlike the very 'unreal' ones on the ship. I was really pleased to be able to get some of my favourite perfume for less than half the price of the UK.......and a lovely Pandora charm for DD1.
Some randomness......
1. We were told by crew members that Gibraltar was the only port that virtually every passenger disembarked at......the informal dining room was normally packed early evening and on this day not a single person entered it between 6.30 and 7.30pm.....the lure of duty free perhaps!!
2. Two entire families were removed from the ship at Gibraltar and left to make their own way home.....apparently for fighting!!! We certainly never saw any fighting!! And I hope they weren't Americans....because that would have been a very long way home!!!!

12 comments:

Sian said...

it's interesting to be there and here the story of what is going on from a local perspective. It's a bit like what happens when people come here!

Kathyk said...

We were supposed to make a stop there on our honeymoon but the port authority staff were on strike so I still haven't been!

Lovely pix, like you, I find myself wondering how those families made their way home!!!

Kathyk

Karen said...

Goodness! It must have been quite a disturbance to be left to find your way home from a cruise. I've only been on one cruise, and I can't quite imagine it.

Kirsty.A said...

Oh how salacious - wish we knew what they were fighting about! I've always fancied visiting GIb.

Barbara Eads said...

I love everything about this post. I felt like I was on the journey with you. Love the post box. I enjoy old cemeteries and this one looks good. I like sitting in a pub or cafe---although I'd pass on the ale opting for a glass of wine. Then the duty-free shopping sounds like fun too. And, I'm just nosy enough to wish I'd witnessed the fighting!! You must be having a grand time!

furrypig said...

thanks Jackie for an informative post... obviously the Rock is the place to visit on the cruise! Maybe I will make it there one day!

Melissa said...

What an interesting stop this sounds like - sabre rattling, lectures, duty free stuff & removals from the ship! Very interesting! :>)

pinky said...

Lovely photos Jacky. We visited there for a day trip on one of our holidays. Yes it certainly is very British but I loved it.

Becky said...

Great photos! Loving reading about your trip.

Sheena said...

WE did a cruise a few years ago & the boat left people in Rome as they didn't return back in time to sail!!

We crossed from Spain on our trip to Gibraltar & we loved the English feel of the place :)

Maria Ontiveros said...

What a great take on Gibraltar!
Rinda

Jimjams said...

Great photos - I was meant to cruise there with school, but my boat got pulled out of service between booking and sailing :( One day perhaps!