Our first day in Gibraltar was beautifully sunny with a view of the Rock and so we set off to look round the shops and see if we could buy some of the items that we needed. First of all a new laptop so that we could take it ashore to internet cafes when there was no marina wifi connection.  Fortunately at least this was achievable although the duty free prices weren’t all they were cracked up to be! Secondly we need a new dinghy as ours is literally falling apart at the seams.  No luck there, the only chandlery (currently located in the middle of a building site) wasn’t able to help nor could they supply a new GPS which is also on the shopping list.  However the Morrisons supermarket did have our favourite olives and some cheap books!

The following day one of our tasks was for both of us to have our hair cut.  Well it was achieved and Richards is fine, mine however is another story and I may not need to have it cut again until next year! I assumed (incorrectly) that as Gibraltar was British that everyone would speak English…

  Haircut lost in translation!

All our tasks done, more or less, including the purchase of two 12v fans (hooray!) and the permacloud over the Rock having lifted, we set off in about 90% humidity to see the sights. The day before we had walked round the west side of the island, to the end of the road, where previously there had been water catchment areas. I remembered these from my first visit about 40 years ago.  What a change they are now disused and overgrown and water now is supplied via desalination.

 Old catchment areas

We took the cable car to the top of the rock which has stunning views all around.  The only problem is the cloud which keeps coming and going.

 Just before it disappeared in the cloud

We could see the marina and the airport runway right beside it. Fortunately there aren’t too many flights and none at night.

 Akibbon is on the second pontoon from the right

 Close to the runway or what?

The highlight of Gibraltar is definitely the monkeys, or more correctly the Barbary Apes.

  Is this my best side?

  Oh do hurry up we can’t pose like this forever!

 I’m sure he has a birthmark here somewhere?

 Sweet!

 Even sweeter!

 Brand new – this one was only a few hours old

We also did try to see some of the other sights in Gibraltar but unfortunately not all were open however we did manage a couple of photos.

Was this Pooey the pigeon having followed us to Gib?

 Casemates Square