The visit to Gibraltar

The plan for today was to visit Gibraltar.   Waking up at 5.00am with an aweful ache at the top of my right leg did not bode well for a long drive.   Eventually, after some treatment it settled down and some measure of comfort returned.   We rose at 8.00am and soon began making breakfast and the pain was not as bad as it had been.   During breakfast I said we should go to Gibraltar and eventually we set off.   As we approached we found the weather had become like Gib - very British.   It was raining!   After queuing for quite some time we crossed the border.

In Gib the traffic follows the same rule as in Spain - drive on the right.   We headed across the airport runway - no aircraft to be seen.   Then we entered what can only be described as the town of Gibraltar.   It is a very small cramped place and mostly pretty grubby.   We drove around various streets several times, passing the sentry on guard at the Governor's house at least 3 times.   Twice I noticed that we were passing the methodist Church - they get everywhere.   We even passed through a Jewish quarter where the children were being collected from school.   Try as we may, we could not find the way to the bottom of the rock where there is a cable car terminus.   After a long and frustrating drive round streets which possess the absolute minimum of direction signs and the world's largest population of scooters and their riders we called the visit off.   But not before filling up with petrol at £1.049 per litre!

So as not to spoil a day out, Pauline opted to return to Colmenar via the ancient town of Ronda.   Last year we were fined for illegal parking in Ronda.   This year we parked legally!   We found that the walk to the hotel where we had been last year was much longer than we remembered and Pauline was suffering as she tried to walk the distance.   She was really in pain.   Then disaster struck - the hotel was closed and up for sale.   Where could we eat?   We made it across the famous Puento Nuevo and found a side street with tables.   We sat down at about 5.00pm to eat for the first time since breakfast.

To backtrack, we found the route which we had designated went through some of the most beautiful and staggering scenery.   Ronda was a long time coming as we went along up and down hills and around a world record number of bends, but the views were sensational.   Along the way we found a number of Miradors where we could pull off the road and take in the scenery.   How those white villages cling to their hillsides is baffling.   The town of Gaucin is pictured at the top of this posting.   There is a recomended circular drive which includes the road we took.   It is called the land of bandits!

In a few minutes I shall be cooking our dinner.   We are having barbecued lamb chops with salad.   Tomorrow will be a day of rest!!!!!