Rock of Gibraltar Monkeys, Gardens and Airport Runway

Barbary Rhesus Macaque (Gibraltar monkey) at Alameda Gibraltar Botanic Gardens

Although the Gibraltar monkeys are not apes like some people think, they are well known in Gibraltar. Unlike the international airport at Gibraltar, which is also often ranked in the top most dangerous airports in the world, nor its beautiful lonely gardens, plethora of unknown tourist attractions and trendy brand-name shopping venues — not to mention the people are very friendly — yet, the reason many visitors come to this Iberian peninsula is strictly to see the Gibraltar monkeys known as the macaques.

We did not make it to the top of the Rock of Gibraltar where most of the other Gibraltar monkeys run wild because the day in August we were there was way too windy to allow a safe journey via the cable cars. Other people on our tour were pretty angry and upset about this unexpected turn of events and took it out on our poor Hungarian guide by loudly whining. They demanded to know if they could take a taxi (no) hire a private service (no) or walk up the rock themselves (no). People who behave like this should be shoved off the Rock into the sea. Make more room for the Gibraltar monkeys.

Elizabeth Weintraub next to golden barrel cacti at Alameda Gibraltar Botanic Gardens.

The day we visited the Alameda Gibraltar Botanic Gardens just below the Rock was cloudy, a bit overcast and breezy. Our guide mentioned that residents don’t often come to the Alameda Gardens, even though they are historical, beautiful and open to the public. Established in 1816, they fell into ruins in the mid ’70s and volunteers stepped in to rehab the area, making it into the Botanic Garden in the early 1990s.

Garden path at Alameda Gibraltar Botanic Gardens in August.

General Sir George Don, lieutenant governor of Gibraltar, created the green space in 1816 as the Grand Parade, later dubbed the Alameda Botanic Gardens. He brought in native plants and plants from other British territories. We saw many succulents, cacti, fan palms, desert scrub, olive trees, turpentine trees, nettle trees and honeysuckle, including fish ponds with turtles. Its Mediterranean climate is much like Sacramento without the sea: dry, hot in the summer, wet in the winter, hard soil.

Light purple, almost lavender-pink, flowers native to Gibraltar

My main regret was that we did not visit the Gibraltar monkeys or the gardens all by ourselves. But sometimes we have to share the world with other people. Spittooey. We were with a tour group, and they kept moving along, getting way ahead of us, as we lagged behind taking photographs, admiring the flowers and native plants. I shot many photos of flowers, in particular, and I wish I could recall the name of this but I do not. It seems a bit like pelargoniums. Our guide said it was native.

Green Iguana at Alameda Gibraltar Botanic Gardens is very colorful.

Part of the gardens is dedicated to the Alameda Wildlife Conservation Park, and it is here that you can see rabbits, monkeys, iguanas like this colorful guy above, and a wide variety of birds, among other critters. Again, we were ushered along and could not linger as long as we might have wanted. Still, I gotta say, this is one of the best photographs I’ve ever been lucky enough to shoot of a green iguana.

Cotton top tamarin monkeys are on loan to the Alameda Gibraltar Botanic Garden.

Shooting photos of Gibraltar monkeys through glass and wire cages is fairly difficult due to glare and obscureness. This cotton top-tamarin monkey is one of a few on loan from an international zoo, to build an awareness of endangered species. He looks like a tobacco-spitting’ grandpa. Would not mess with him. If this guy could talk, he’d probably say he was dreaming of going home where he could get a good shampoo and conditioner.

Rock of Gibraltar from the Crystal Symphony Penthouse Verandah.

Try as I may, it was difficult to shoot a good photograph of the Rock of Gibraltar, especially without going to the top. Now I sound like those whining tourists I wanted to throw off the Rock. This was probably the best view I managed, and I shot it in the afternoon from our verandah that came with the Crystal Symphony penthouse suites. All of my morning shots were foggy, and not in an interesting way.

Quaint cobblestone streets lined with shops off Main Street in Gibraltar (UK)

Most of the shops were closed on Sunday, so thank goodness we weren’t tempted to blow any large sums of money on useless trinkets. There were a few places open because the shop owners knew that Crystal Cruises had arrived, and they advertised “specials” — diamonds, crystals and gold jewelry to the tourists. Instead, I opted for a small shop of souvenirs and bought a thimble souvenir, the smallest thing I could find for my husband and me, along with a few handmade items for my team members, just tiny things; while my husband harassed the kids outside playing with stuffed monkeys. Kids are so much fun to pick on. They are always game for whatever you say because you are an adult. Supposedly.

A road runs across the Gibraltar airport runway field in this photograph.

The road I shot this photo from, the perpendicular road to the Gibraltar runway, is called Winston Churchill Road. Popular Mechanics put Gibraltar International Airport as its first most dangerous airport in the world, although it says the rankings are in no particular order, Gibraltar is still named first. Winston Churchill Road runs directly across the runway, so when planes land, they close the road. I bet you didn’t get very many Gibraltarians running yellow lights. At least not more than once.

I think I would add the Catalina Airport on Avalon as one of the most dangerous airports in the world. I’ve landed on that Catalina hilltop in a twin-engine that took the pilot 4 or 5 tries to get right before landing. First time he swooped in to the short airstrip, I spied the drop-off into the ocean close at hand, and next thing I knew he lifted up and came around for another try. This went on and on. I was ready to parachute.

To the immediate north of this airport lies Spain. Gibraltar, if you may not realize, is a British territory. It was utilized heavily by the military during World War II due to its advantageous position at the Straight of Gibraltar. Tunnels and military weapons remain today.