Two to Gibraltar Part 6

Sunday, 08 June 2008
Jerez de la Frontera – Gibraltar (Return)
Starting Mileage: 8662
Daily Total: 147
Finishing Mileage: 8809

For me today was to be the high point of our trip. My return to Gibraltar (this time landside) after fifty years.

Brilliant weather and good riding roads, mainly the A-381, through the Parque Natural de los Alcornocales.

I haven't aged as well as The Rock

I have crossed many level crossings for trains but this was the first time I have made a crossing of a main aircraft runway. In fact we had to wait at crossing gates while a passenger aircraft made its takeoff. Then into the town centre of Gibraltar. I have never seen so many scooters of all shapes and sizes ridden by oversized matrons to skinny teenagers. They were buzzing around every road, avenue and cranny. Every street and car park had scooter parking bays. (Hardly saw a motorcycle). Must be the scooter capital of the world.

Next to the cablecar car park is a small snack bar, the “Barbary Ape”. Here John and I enjoyed our first bacon sarnie since leaving UK. Next stop the cable car to the top of the Rock. A trip on the cable car costs £8 or €13.80, booking is made at a retired cablecar. After a jocular meeting with an ex-RAF, Dave Beswick, didn’t know who could chat most Dave or John, especially as they had had parallel RAF careers but had never met. Dave had one of those cushy ex-serviceman’s jobs after retirement, a cablecar guide/conductor retired to sunny Gibraltar. The cable car ascended steeply and slowly, eight minutes to the cloudy summit. Unfortunately due to the cloud we were unable to see Africa but we were greeted by one of the famous Barbary Apes swinging on the cablecar.

A Barbary Welco

Climbing to the viewing deck we were met by fabulous views over Gibraltar and cool, cool air.

Further confrontations with more Barbary Apes led to photo sessions, there does not seem to be many apes left – are the British to lose Gibraltar? “Once the apes leave, the British will leave the Rock.”

Mother and baby

I was happy I had achieved a goal – a trip to Gibraltar after first seeing it fifty years ago!

After our descent, a lot quicker than the ascent, a quick farewell to Dave Beswick and crew, we made our way back to Spain. We rode straight through the plane crossing this time. Our return journey followed the same route, along the same good riding roads. I did notice lots of signs advertising “Tarifa to Tangiers Ferry Tickets”, errm, if we had had more time and did we need a visa, maybe next time.

Along the road back to Jerez we noticed specialised farms/ranchos, with ring shaped fields, off the main roads, not sure but I thought these were farms/ranchos for training bulls for Spain’s popular pastime of bullfighting.

By the road side

We spent our evening watching Euro 2008 with our meal of pork steaks with the standard chips and salad followed by nougat ice cream with raspberry coulis. Another good meal from the Ibis hotel set menu.