Our usual breakfast chap delivered our cereal, pastries, donuts, juice and tea for the final time this trip. Despite being docked quite early we ate breakfast late and having a good signal indulged in email and the internet! We ended up disembarking just before midday. It was really nice out. Much warmer than we had anticipated. There were no taxis around but one of the first things we saw was a British Bobby. After a minute or so a taxi turned up to pick up a guy who was alone. It was a mini van and the driver asked us where we want to go. He also asked another couple and ended up taking us all. He dropped us off in the main square in town for 2 euros each. Gibraltar accepts euros and pounds.
The Square was an odd mix of British and Mediterranean. It had a WH Smith, a fish and chips restaurant and Red phone boxes that everyone was taking picture of. There were cafes with lots of outside seating and it was very quaint. We walked up Main Street (which is as it sounds the high street through town). We saw BHS, Marks and Spencer, Next and Peacocks. It was all a little weird, it was a beautiful, quaint place with stunning weather then there was a Morrisons supermarket! The strange mix of very British and not very British at all is further highlighted by the fact that they drive on the right.
We went in a few shops and I bought a tailless monkey Pandora charm and a cool monkey ring holder. Paul managed to get the fisheye camera lens he had been after for a while. He got a reasonable price. I couldn’t find the tink Thomas Sabo charm, apparently it is discontinued.
As we reached the end of Main Street toward the cable cars to the top of the rock we didn’t really have time to stop and eat so grabbed some crisps and oasis from a shop. We would need to have eaten them before we reached the monkeys otherwise we would be in trouble.
We got to the cable car station and bought tickets. We ended up waiting 45 minutes before finally boarding. There were 2 cars but one was for organised tours only. Each fitted about 20 people in it (all standing room) and it took 6 minutes each way plus loading and unloading time. Paul was a little uneasy about the journey and the height but still managed to take pictures and film. There was a little jolt in the middle as you go through the halfway stop (which is closed) but it was generally a smooth ride.
As we got off at the top of the rock saw the monkeys, lots of monkeys with not a care in the world. Whilst they are called Barbary Apes they are in fact a tailless monkey. I also read why they are so “brave” and dominant of humans. Because humans have in the past given them food so willingly they see us as submissive (every other species would defend its food to the death). Feeding them is now forbidden and carries a £500 fine. As soon as we got out of the cable car there was a monkey perched on the wall so we started taking photos. As Paul stood between a monkey and a higher vantage point it decided to use him as a stepping stone, jumping onto his shoulder them off again. I think it made him jump as he didn’t see it coming but he didn’t swear thankfully. There were great views from the top of the rock, of the ship, across to Africa, and the airport; the 4th most dangerous airport in the world (because of the cross winds) We saw one plane approach then abandon it’s landing. We got loads of pics and also bought some gifts in the gift shop. I also bought a souvenir monkey. We must have stayed about 45 mins to an hour before heading back down. There was no wait for the cable car back down, we got straight on. To begin with a monkey got into the car as well but was chased out by the attendant.
It was a short walk back to the edge of town and then we got a Taxi back to port, it was about 4pm. We had decided to switched dinner to the late sitting and join Jacqui and Joe. This meant we would need to watch the 6:30 pre dinner show so we got ready and decided to get more character photos taken. We’ve built up a good selection now so haven decided to splash out on all of them on CD. My mission is then to compile a book with them and Paul’s pics.
The show was called Dreams. It was really good; similar to Believe. It’s about a teenage girl who wishes on a star then goes on a magical fantasy journey with Peter Pan to fulfil her dream of flying. It had loaded of other characters and songs worked into it, including a balcony box appearance from Lumiere, Cogsworth and Mrs Potts.
Dinner was not only with Jacquie and Joe but Noel and John. Steve the Scotsman was at the table but had a Palo reservation this night. Finally there was Karen (from painting who’s name we’d not known – small world). Dinner was good, I remember the main course was sliced beef and lots of it. Too much to eat to be honest but it was really succulent. We didn’t get out of dinner until after 10pm so then went to Studio Sea for a tune trivia. It was full of rowdy teens and we didn’t win. Alphabet soup won who is a a young group of 18 to 21’s including some Aussies. We had a drink each then headed to bed.