Discover Gibraltar's Hidden Treasures Before the World Wakes Up!

Hello, this is Renee and Tom and I are on the Ultimate World Cruise and we just docked in Gibraltar, United Kingdom. We arrived in Gibraltar at the break of dawn, uncovering some of the most breathtaking and historical sights. The sunrise was absolutely beautiful. The rock was shrouded in clouds later on in the morning. We disembarked and then we hopped into a group taxi to start our adventure. First stop, the legendary Pillars of Hercules. The wall you see on the left was called the Lion Wall. The sea level was just up to the wall here. Land reclamation began in the 1800s and the first big project was the new mole started in 1840. They have continued to reclaim land and expand the space for buildings and infrastructure. It's really hard to imagine that we are driving where the ocean once was. The Pillars of Hercules marks the entrance to the Mediterranean from the Atlantic, a gateway known since ancient times. According to Greek mythology, Hercules placed these pillars here to signify the edge of the known world and also warning sailors of the dangers beyond. Morocco, Spain, England. These rings along the pathway were served as anchor points to help manage the load and ensure animals and goods could be safely transported up and down the rugged terrain. These monkeys are called Barbary and they are the only wild monkey population in Europe. We almost make it to the top of the rock to the Awakening Entrance, to the Awakening Caves. During World War II, they were used as an emergency hospital, making them a site of both natural beauty and historical significance. We didn't see it at first, but wait for it when they do the light show. Do you see it? It's an angel. As we were nearing the exit of the cave, there was another light show. We left there and continued up the rock. Next stop, the Skywalk. Standing 340 meters above sea level, this glass-floored walkway offers unparalleled views of the Straits of Gibraltar. Built in 2018, it's a modern marvel that lets you feel like you're walking on air. And the views were just spectacular. We then explored the rest of the rock at the top. These plants are at the top and it looks like a marigold on stairways with thorns, but it is actually called a golden thistle. We finally made it up to the top to the Observation Post. These steps were built in the 1540s, and there's approximately 1,400 steps to the top of the rock. From the heights to the depths, we are now exploring the World War II tunnels. These tunnels, excavated during World War II, provided a secure location for the Allied forces to plan and launch operations. Carved out of solid limestone in 1779 during the Great Siege, these tunnels stand as a remarkable feat of military engineering and ingenuity. An Anglo-Dutch force under the command of Admiral Sir George Rook captured Gibraltar in 1704 as part of the War of Spanish Succession. After the war ended, the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 ceded Gibraltar to Great Britain in perpetuity. Towards the end of the 18th century, Britain's military power had become severely weakened through fighting the American War of Independence. Realizing this, Spain declared war on Britain in June 1779 with the main intention of regaining Gibraltar. Thirteen men began work on 25th of May, 1782, and it took them five weeks to drive an eight-foot square tunnel 82 feet into the rock. At the end of six weeks, a hole to the outside was made. Whether this was for ventilation, for the easy disposal of the excavated rock, or simply an accident is not known for certain, but it was immediately obvious that this would make an excellent place to position a cannon. By the 14th of January, 1783, four guns were mounted in the tunnel, although the original destination of the notch was not reached until four months after the siege ended. From this view, we're looking at Spain, and the airport belongs to the United Kingdom, and there's a road that goes across the airport that is no longer open to get across to Spain. This is due to airplane traffic. On our way back to town, we drove past the Moorish Castle, which was built in the 8th century. As the driver takes us back into town to the local market, it has a Burger King, so we sampled the local cuisine. History and modern life blending seamlessly together here. We took a quick 15-minute walk back to the ship. The evening's entertainment was a magician. This was actually an empty can of soda when he started this. But it'll be more of an audible illusion. You will hear it. You will hear it. It's me making the sound. It's coming back. Make sure to like, subscribe, and ring that bell for more adventures from every corner of the globe. See you at the next port!