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The Rock of Gibraltar, as seen looking north from the top of the observation deck.
   
The rock as seen from the airfield.

This is roughly the view that the Spanish would have seen as they lay siege to Gibraltar. The British carved miles and miles of tunnels through the rock in their efforts to keep the Spanish at bay.

Years of siege for what? A sweaty rock that eventually turned out to be an other-worldly pit of a demi-country.

   
The packed city of Gibraltar. The Spanish city of La Línea is just across the harbor.

Unfortunately this shot doesn't show how crowded, dirty, noisy, and downright nasty the city really is. It's really just a grimy old port town with an almost comically misplaced British motif.

   
Looking down the east face of the rock.

The concrete area is a cistern for drinking water. The territory was made as self-sufficient as possible.

   
The Straight of Gibraltar as seen from the top of the rock.

That's Morocco in the haze on the left side of the frame. Spain is on the right side, and slightly less hazy.

All of the foreground is, of course, Gibraltar.

   
Before we left the States, we were warned: "Beware the Rock Apes of Gibraltar."

This warning was with good reason-- these are some wild, mean and tourist-preying monkeys.

   
While they may be mean, they can be pretty familial and cute when a little one is around.

(I shot this with a 300mm lens, and then cropped the scan heavily. I didn't see any reason to get any closer.)

   
The Gibraltar airport separates Spain from the city. If you don't arrive by boat, you will cross the airport's only runway.

And if you arrive on foot you get to walk across the active runway. Pretty cool, all things considered.

A few more pictures of Gibraltar.

   


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