Before you even enter Gibraltar, you can see its trademark landmark; the Rock of Gibraltar. Also referred to as one of the pillars of Hercules, its mate is across the Strait of Gibraltar. Both the Jebel Musa in Morocco and Mount Hacho in Ceuta have been mentioned as the other peak of the fabled pillars.
According to legend, one of Hercules’ 12 labors involved traveling westward to capture cattle from Geryon, a three bodied giant. On his way, Hercules came to a mountain, directly in his path. Rather than climbing the mountain, he split it in half to get through. These two halves of the mountain peak make up the fabled pillars of Hercules.
Crossing the border into Gibraltar on foot, you go through two immigration stations, back to back. You exit Spain and Spain’s immigration building, and walk through a sort of no man’s land, arriving at the immigration entry station for Gibraltar.
Officially on Gibraltarian soil, one of my many stops on the itinerary for the day was St Michael’s Cave.
St Michael’s Cave, located within the Rock of Gibraltar, was thought to have been endlessly deep in ancient times. It was once believed that the cave led down to a passageway connecting Europe with Africa.
Passageways aside, getting up to the caves is an adventure in itself. The road leading up the mountain is barely wide enough to accommodate the two way traffic. Add in a couple dozen backpackers along the edge of a tightly winding road, our driver expertly delivered us to the entrance of the caves.
Once inside, the view from the top platform is quite awe inspiring. The depths of the cave are amazing and I can see why it is such a renowned place. The front portion of the cave is also available for concerts. Due to the spectacular acoustics, the cave makes an ideal, and unusual, venue. Mood lighting intermittently strobes from the classic warm white, to red, to purple, blue, and green. It definitely feels like a concert could start at any moment.
During World War II, the cave was setup so that it could be used as a hospital. Tunnels, known as the Great Siege Tunnels, which were started in 1782 to aid defense in The Great Siege, were also advanced further into the sides of the Rock for strategic military posts.
Outside the cave, and along some of the lower terraced levels, the Barbary macaques can be found.
Commonly referred to as Barbary apes, the Barbary macaques, like the ravens of the Tower of London, share a similar legend about the animals leaving a specific location. In the Gibraltar specific legend, if the macaques were to ever leave the Rock of Gibraltar, Britain would fall. So, the macaques live a rather posh life, with a cozy habitat and regular, park sponsored feedings.
Signs are posted around the area, warning tourists against feeding the macaques, or attempting to pet them. My tour guide went a step further, and advised the group not to wear or hold anything shiny. Shiny objects will attract their attention, and they may remove it from your possession. So, car keys, watches, food items, even bags are better left in your vehicle, if possible.
Based on the macaque activity, our group must have arrived after lunch, as there were only two around, and one was napping under a tree. One did come out to the railing to say hello though. I think it knew I didn’t want to be too close to it, because as I moved away, it also moved along the railing towards me. I took a step back, it took a step forward. It was probably trying to get away from all the flashing cameras; I just happened to be trying to get away from it.
In addition to the barbary macaques, several permanent residences are perched along the mountain side. And while the tourists who visit find the macaques’ presence whimsical, the locals will tell you another tale. Apparently, the macaques will wander in to residences, taking food and rummaging through items left out. Due to the legend surrounding the macaques, they are protected, and there is not much the harassed locals can do to get rid of them.