Gibraltar was hot. Crack an egg on the asphalt and watch it sizzle, hot. Unfortunately, our tour included a great deal of outdoor walking in the direct sun. Ocean vistas are hard to appreciate, when sweat clouds your vision. Although the walk was long, it was mercifully downhill.
The walk ended at St. Michael's Caves.
The cool of the limestone caves was a huge treat after our walk. It was a little tricky to navigate the slippery cave floor, as I was jittery from the heat. Sensible walking shoes is a must!
Our tour of the cave was brief, about twenty minutes. The main entrance of the cave has been turned into a performance space for concerts and theatrical events. I would love to have seen a show here, it's so unusual. We learned that people have gotten lost in the cave and were never found. How very Goonies!
Our tour came to an end after the St. Michael's Caves. We didn't have to walk back up the hill to meet our bus, it came down to the caves and we made our return to the ship. We snapped this flag picture as we left "the rock".
The bus made a quick stop at Grand Casemates Square, the center of town and a shopping area. The kids had enough of Gibraltar, so Dan took them back to the ship, while I hopped off to explore the town.
I was giddy. The only other time that I've explored a foreign city alone, was two years ago, in London. Being alone, in a foreign city without my phone or passport, was probably stupid, but it was also exciting. The ship was leaving in less than an hour and it was a mile walk back, so I raced around, soaking in the atmosphere and snapping pictures.
It was the late afternoon and Grand Casemates Square was winding down for the day. The network of alleys behind the square are filled with clothing, jewelry and perfume shops, many with staff beckoning passerbys to come inside. There are dozens of cafes and bars. I can imagine taking my notebook, writing and drinking a latte at an outdoor cafe, as I observed life in the square. Grand Casemates Square is filled with so much action, energy and life.
I power-walked back to the ship, wishing that I had more time to explore Gibraltar.
And lastly, I think Dwayne Johnson needs to come here for a photo-op.