Finding Gibraltar

 

I’m so excited to tell you about a last minute trip I was fortunate enough to take to Gibraltar! My crew and I had a longer than normal ground time in Spain so we put our heads together to plan a day trip. We didn’t have too many options, top of the list was Sevilla and Gibraltar. Before we went to bed we made a plan, lobby meet time and I quickly googled some fast facts so I knew what I was getting myself into. During ground times you have to be spontaneous. Rarely does a plan made stateside come to fruition at your crew rest location. Truthfully, that’s one of the many things I love about my job as a pilot. It keeps me on my toes, and this trip was no exception.

Our adventure started in Cadiz, Spain with a 1+45 minute drive to the rock. The drive was gorgeous as we wound through the Spaniard countryside and climbed up what I think was a mountain pass. (Colorado girl, go 14’er or go home) Being a pilot it was pretty cool to cross an active runway to enter Gibraltar. That’s something you don’t see everyday.  We found parking and the first order of business was food (obviously). Gibraltar is a hustling and bustling little city. Our previous research paid off in a big way when we walked down an alley and came out to a restaurant lined marina. As we enjoyed the shining sun and our waterfront meal we asked our waiter the best way to get up and down the rock. We heeded his advice and finished our meals.

Our hike up the mountain took about an hour I would say. The views, you just can’t beat the sweeping views of both the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Absolutely breathtaking. And then of course, there’s the monkeys. Our nice waiter forewarned us not to have any “crinkling sounding” objects or bags in our pockets because they would go for it. Again, point taken. I put my hair up and removed my earrings just in case. These guys were so CUTE. I especially loved the babies monkeying around in the trees. Sorry I couldn’t resist that awful joke. At the very top of the Rock of Gibraltar is O’Hara’s Battery, which is an old artillery battery used in WWII. And again I say, THE VIEWS. The best part about this whole experience was at the very end of the hike, when we were about to start making our trek back down, a man that was closing up the battery told us about an alternate route. He was speaking of the Mediterranean Steps and boy were they gorgeous. They were steep and some parts were jagged but it was such an amazing experience.

Gibraltar has never been a place I was dying to go, mostly because the top of my list includes larger cities like: Venice, Paris, Berlin, South Africa, and many many more. But I’m so glad we ventured out and discovered it! If it hadn’t been for the spontaneity of our group we would have missed out on this incredible opportunity all together. I think it just goes to show that you should never settle for your hotel room. You should always push yourself to learn and discover as much as you possibly can. If you’ve made it this far, thank you. I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to read about my story,

-Emily

O'Haras Battery at the Rock of GibraltarLooking up from the bottom of the Rock of GibraltarTableside view of the Gibraltar MarinaThe monkeys greet hikers on their way up GibraltarA peak of the port on the hike up Gibraltar

24 thoughts on “Finding Gibraltar

  1. Hi, lovely, Gibraltar looks like a lovely place to visit and find new discoveries. Wonderful photos! I’ve not been but perhaps it will be on my list soon! Thanks so much for your comment! xo/Madison

    1. thetraveler says:

      Hi Madison! It is such a wonderful place. Thanks for stopping by!

  2. This sounds like such a great trip! I love the photos!

    1. thetraveler says:

      It truly was. Thanks Emily!

  3. This sounds like such a great adventure!! We looked into going to Spain this year to visit family for the first time in Sevilla, and even though those plans didn’t turn out, visiting Gibraltar was going to take part of our trip. Thanks for sharing!! XO ~Anna http://www.pepperedinstyle.com

    1. thetraveler says:

      Hi Anna!
      I’m sorry your plans didn’t work out, hopefully soon. It is such a wonderful place. I’m also hoping to get to Sevilla soon, I’ve heard nothing but fabulous things! Thanks for reading 🙂

    1. thetraveler says:

      Thank you Krista, you’re too kind!
      xo -Emily

    1. thetraveler says:

      Thank you Debbie!

    1. thetraveler says:

      Thanks Laura! They were everywhere, and quite mischievous too. I appreciate you stopping by!

    1. thetraveler says:

      Hi Sam,

      You must go! Thanks so much for stopping by!

  4. What an awesome adventure! Monkeys are my favorite; I’m so jealous! Glad you were able to take advantage of your day off & do something fun!

    xox,
    Kristin
    http://www.amidwesternmix.com

    1. thetraveler says:

      Thanks Kristin! Those little monkeys were absolutely adorable!

  5. Looks stunning!! Way to go to find something a little off the beaten path- not many people are very familiar with Gibraltar- I have been once but have very few memories as I was much younger!

    1. thetraveler says:

      Thanks Amanda! It totally took me by surprise, but I’m so grateful we decided to adventure out. Thanks so much for stopping by!

    1. thetraveler says:

      Thank you Lou!

    1. thetraveler says:

      Hi, Liz! Thanks so much for reading my story.

    1. thetraveler says:

      Thank you kat!

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