THE ROCK OF GIBRALTAR

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I was in Malaga, Spain and took a day trip down to Gibraltar. I didn’t have time to see the WW2 Tunnels, which was annoying but I hope to get back there some time. A small place with a fascinating history. The British have been here for over three hundred years. The rock of Gibraltar has around 34 miles (55 km) of tunnels, nearly twice the length of its entire road network, most built during WW2 when Gibraltar was the key to the Mediterranean. Operation Torch was planned here, and there are commemorative coins showing the operation planners with General Eisenhower, I got one in my change at the supermarket. Going up the rock we pass the British Hospital dedicated to caring for the Barbary Apes, the only wild monkey population in Europe. During the war Churchill was told there was a saying that the British would be in Gibraltar as long as the Apes were there. Churchill responded “Well we’d better look after them then”.

Gibraltar Sign
Welcome to Gibraltar
Gibraltar Rock Apes
Well looked after Barbary Apes