Gibraltar

It is always fun to learn some history and culture of the places we visit.  You might find it interesting too.

• Gibraltar is a peninsula in the south west of Spain.  The Strait of Gibraltar is where the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea meet.
• Gibraltar has been a British territory since 1713.
• The Rock of Gibraltar, one of the most famous rocks in the world, is nearly 1,400 ft high.
• The official language is English, although most people are bilingual also speaking Andalusian Spanish (the dialect of southern Spain).
• The population of Gibraltar is about 30,000, in an area of about 2.25 square miles.   Add to that the many tourists, and it is a busy place.
• Gibraltar is a self -governing territory with an independent economy.
• The major industries are shipping, trading, finance, offshore banking, and tourism.
• They do not use euros, they use pounds (₤), and although the exchange rate is the same as the British pound sterling, Gibraltar has its own currency, called the Gibraltar pound.
• In the 1950’s Spain began trying to claim Gibraltar.  Then in the 1967 referendum, the citizens of Gibraltar voted to remain part of the U.K.  This caused Spain to close its border and end relations with Gibraltar until 1985.  In 2002, there was another referendum to share control of Gibraltar between Spain and the U.K., but again, the citizens voted to remain a British territory.

 

Our first view of the Rock of Gibraltar.  It is quite impressive, even from this distance.

 

 

Once you cross the border, you then need to walk/drive across the airport runway, to get to the city.

 

 

2013 is a new year full of possibility.  We have made many plans for our health and wellness, business, personal growth, and family time.  We are looking forward to spending some time here working on our goals before we begin the next leg of our journey.