Last night we went out to eat at a celebrated seafront restaurant. We sat at long tables. Olives and crusty bread were on the table when we arrived along with pitchers of sangria, bottles of red wine, white wine, and water. Soon platters of very small clams (smaller than a dime),and pepper salad (canned pimentos, onions, olive oil) arrived. Then plates of fried squid and fried halibut sticks. At last the sea bass. The waiters brought out the pan with the sea bass buried in salt. The waiters then 'dug up' the bass and plated it with potatoes and vegetables. Very Good. Ice cream and coffee followed.
We rose early today and started back to Gibraltar. For the most part we drove the same road that we came in on yesterday --for two hours. Did divert through Marbelle which is known as the place where all the celebrities live. Michelle Obama vacationed there recently. Julio Inglasias (sp) lives there, too. Of course, this was all an illusion of greatness because we didn't actually see any celebrities or know which house was theirs. This whole part of the coast (all two hours of it) has actually just developed into tourism spots in the last fifty years. Some areas are mostly British so there is quite a bit of English spoken. Also drove by the golf course where the Ryder Cup was played 8 years ago.
Gibraltar has been a British colony since 1704. It is the only British colony where you drive on the right side of the road. When we arrived at the border, a Spanish Border patrol boarded the bus in the front, glanced at our passports and walked out the back door. We drove a bit further and the British Border patrol did the same thing: we sat there each holding our passport turned to the picture page, he walked in the front door and out the back --30 seconds at the most. Drove down the road and there was a traffic signal. Holy Smokes we were in the middle of the Airport's runway. If there are no planes on the runway, the light is green. If there is a plane on the runway, the light is red. Crazy. Gibraltar is only six square miles. We changed to a smaller van and a local driver/guide. For about 10 minutes it rained, then cleared up. Drove up the Rock (Prudential Insurance's trademark) which is honeycombed with natural and manmade caves. We went through St. Michael's Cave --beautiful with a theater inside where concerts are held. Came out to see monkeys all around. We had been warned not to touch them --especially young ones because their mothers can become very nasty. However, our bus driver was feeding them peanuts (illegal) and so they were gathering round. One jumped on Beth's head--scared her. Then another jumped on Chuck. We escaped into the bus. A little more touring around and we were left in the city square to find lunch. The local guide recommended a Fish and Chips place. We thought it was quite reasonable until the bill came and we discovered that the price was in British pounds ($1.00 = l.67 pounds). We thought the prices were in Euros ($1.00 = 1.30Euro). Met our guide and walked back to the bus. Now to get out of Gibraltar, we all had to get off the bus, walk pass a guard and show our passport. Then they went over the bus with a fine tooth comb and we could re-board a half hour later. Two hours back to Torremolinos.
Chuck and I walked on the beautiful beach and then we found a tapas bar. Enjoyed white wine, shrimp cooked in olive oil and garlic, pepper salad, olives and crusty bread. Perfect. The weather has been so pleasant that we have had the balconey door open, listening to the waves of the Mediterranean crashing on the beach.
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