Gibraltar – Just a British Colony or Somewhere Exotic?
Gibraltarians are celebrating the fact that, despite the fact that the British have been there for 300 years, Gibraltar has gone from being a British colony with a military enclave to a financial center full of luxury.
As you get closer to the Rock, the views from the plane are fantastic. Ground level views can be just as exciting with the Mediterranean on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other and the familiar lines of limestone rock dominating the horizon.
Just two and a half hours from London Gatwick Airport, with sterling as its currency and VAT and duty-free shopping, Gibraltar is a great place for a weekend getaway. If you’ve been there in the past and thought, “It’s just tired old pubs and lots of nasty fish and chip shops,” think again. Gib is gone all the cocktails and cappuccinos.
Gibraltar has the smallest airport in the world and I love the story of a plane full of visitors, on their approach to land, and their pilot told them, “Don’t worry, but it looks like we have a ship in the way of our approach to Airstrip! I’ve asked the Gibraltar Police to move it out of the way so we can land shortly.
Although most people there speak English and Spanish and English is the official language, you will hear a mixture of Spanish and English called “Llanito” spoken throughout the Rock. The Rock’s population of approximately 29,000 is a unique mix of Portuguese, Indian, British, Genoese, Jewish, Maltese, Moroccan and, of course, Spanish. They have combined a quick wit with a dry British sense of humor and a zest for life from Andalusia, which is only a few miles away.
Book one of several good hotels, such as Hotel Caleta, located in Catalan Bay, once a small fishing village. Once there, you can enjoy its location on the Mediterranean side to watch the waves or see a stunning sunrise if you manage to wake up early enough. The beach is lined with little bars and a few restaurants, including La Mamela, at the southern end, which serves excellent seafood alongside Andalusian paella, fish stews and pepper steaks.
After a very civilized lunch, get up from your chair and head into the pedestrianized city center to pick up some of the bargains Gib is famous for. While in town, steer clear of the shops and head up the narrow lanes that will remind you of the charming towns and villages of Spain, just a few miles to the north. If you are lucky, you may catch, floating in the air, the wonderful aroma of Moroccan, Indian or Chinese spices combined with the fried garlic used in so many recipes.