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| Gibraltar, one side of the Pillars of Hercules |
Just a few weeks ago I visited the Barbary Apes on the
summit of the Rock of Gibraltar. This time around I took a commuter bus (1.60
Euro return) to Europa Point at the very tip of Gibraltar. On a clear day, one
can see forever, that means at least to the African Coast. However, the wind
was blowing and a mist hung over the sea between Africa and Europe.
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| Trinity Lighthouse |
Trinity Lighthouse marks the outermost point. It is
surrounded by old battlements and fortifications which are standing surrounded
by fields of wildflowers at this time of the year. A couple of war monuments,
such as the Harding Battery and a Memorial to a Polish Air force Fighter,
remind one of the violent contests surrounding this part of real estate where
Atlantic and Mediterranean meet.
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| Harding's Battery |
The Greeks called the Strait Pillars of Hercules, where
Hercules pushed to Continents aside to permit passage. However, ancient belief
considered this the end of the world, and passage beyond would lead straight to
the Underworld. Hence the move of the smart Phoenicians to build forts on the
Atlantic side, full well knowing, that the enemy (Greeks) would not venture out
there and find them.
Science maintains that the Mediterranean was an ancient
inland sea, which was formed by earthquakes and tectonic plate movements
blocking access to the open oceans. Eons later evaporation dried the vast area
forming salty deposits, something like Death Valley in the USA.
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| The Bird like it here.... |
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| It must have been SPECTACULAR |
More plate movement and quakes ruptured the land bridge
between the continents of Africa and Europe, and formed the largest waterfall
in Earth history when the Atlantic poured with unstoppable gigantic force
eastwards to fill the Mediterranean basin. The Gap is the Strait of Gibraltar,
with a relatively shallow bar between Sea and Ocean, some wicked currents and
spectacular geological formations on either side. The Mediterranean is still
much saltier than the Ocean, even after millions of years of ‘mingling’.
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| Unidentified wild flower on Europa Point |
Back in the town of Gibraltar one may stroll around, eat
English pub style Fish and Chips, and watch some errant apes climbing the
historic city walls, and say Hello to the statue of one armed Admiral Nelson.
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| Downtown Gibraltar resident |
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| Nelson |
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| one of Nelson's soldiers - with friend |
There are fish in the sea….upon returning to Prinsendam,
large schools of fish looking like sizeable carps crowded into the space
between dock and ship to the entertainment of crew and passengers. Sunset saw
us leaving westwards to leave the Mediterranean to head north towards Cadiz,
our next port of call.
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| Carps and Prinsendam |
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| Nightfall over the Rock |
However, midnight saw 65 knot winds from the ‘wrong’
direction, which would have made navigating into Cadiz harbour and docking the
large ship rather hazardous even with the aid of a number of tugs. So we just
kept on trucking – as they say – north into calmer waters heading for Lisbon,
Portugal.
