Good morning from Cadiz, the westernmost port on this cruise.  After a very strenuous shore excursion to the top of teh Rock of Gibraltar, I enjoy the poolside barbecue dinner prepared by the Koningsdam chefs.  The meal can be enjoyed from 5:30 to 9;320pm, but when I arive at a few minutes after 6:00pm there is hardly a place to sit down 

Monday, 17 October 2016

Gibraltar, UK Crown Colony

After breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill, I spend a relaxing morning, since we don't land in Gibraltar until 1pm.  The ship takes a very slow ride into the harbor and we have wonderful views of the Rock and the town beneath it.  The captain has again opened the bow for pasengers, but I actually get a better view from my veranda on the starboard side of the ship.  It is quite warm today and the sun is shining brightly.

I join my shore excursion group in a minivan that takes us to the lower station of the cable car.  It's a 6-minute ride to the top of the peak where there are splendid views all around and as far as the mountains in Morocco across the Straits.  There are also dozens of monkeys (Barbary apes) waiting to pose for tourists.

From here it's a rather long walk to St Michael's cave, in which the underground sculpture is alit with colored fairy lights.  The central portion of the cave is often used for concerts and is set up with row upon row of seats.  Our van awaits us as we exit the caves to take us to the next stop:  the defensive batteries.  Since our van is too large to drive all the way, although smaller vehicles and SUVs can, I decide to forego the mile-long uphill climb and instead find a convenient bench to park myself until the group comes back down.  

The shore excursion van drops us off in the cernter of town, at Casemate Square, a large open space with cafes and street entertainers.  South of the Square, Main Street meanders through the town, filled with shoppers looking for tax-free bargains at stores representing the most coveted labels on the planet.

I do my dose of window-shopping and get a quick view of the three major religions in the colony, the Scottish Presbyterian Church, the Roman Catholic Cathedral, and the Jewish Synagogjue.  From here it is a long walk back to the port and the Koningsdam, but I take it slowly and enjoy the vista of the Rock to my right and reclaimed land with row upon row of high-rise apartments and condominiums on my left.

Tonight will be an early barbercue dinner and evening relaxation on my veranda. The Koningsdam sails at 11pm, but I am long gone into dreamland by then.