Day 20 typically British!!!

No breakfast, at Emile's hostel so a shower and kit wash started my day, the weather had been reported as raining am which it wasn't and dryer pm which it definitely wasn't!!!

The morning was actually ok broken clouds with blue sky between and I decided now was right for the lift up the rock! Picking up a packed lunch I'm heading off to the cable car, a tiny graveyard to the survivors of the battle of Trafalgar those who survived but later died of there wounds were laid to rest here I paid respects to some long dead British heros

equally dead were my chances with the cable car, yet another thing shut down for refurbishment! 

A brief attempt at finding a walking route up was aborted and I headed back, perfect timing there was a taxi tour heading off with another 5 passengers, so I joined them, with the precipitous drop down the cliff I was very happy to not be driving up here! 

Reaching the pillars of Hercules Gibraltar actually being one of the pillars! The rather threatening view was still clear enough of rain to see Africa again the Mediterranean

with the rain getting closer I'm glad I got to see the monkeys it would have been a shame to have gone out of my way to get to Gibraltar and not see them! 

around and down past a square old fortification built by the Berbers as they invaded Spain the rock itself was named Jebal Taric meaning Jebals mountain!

Finishing the tour not bad for £25 when the cable car would have been £45!!

I find a pub for dinner Swordfish steak and chips with a pint a proper pub!

Right next to Governors residence where saw the changing of the guard while I ate, then met an old boy called Bill Wormald taking a pick of the new guard who had actually stood that post in the 60's 

great timing!!!

Even better timing was being at the end of town nearest the hostel when the skies opened! British weather at its best! 😁

This gave me time to catch up on the blog today and yesterday and to plan tomorrow's journey back up north to Barcelona!!

day 19 closest to home

Slightly grey skies as i leave the hostel which match my feelings, I'm going to miss Seville! The best stop so far! 

This morning's planned time killing wander as I head towards the Bus estacion met the usual Seville standards.... ie beyond expectations! 

Initially I wandered past the spot the flamenco dancer had performed, picked up a coffee, then headed into Parque Maria de Luisa  

always nicely laid out and even in their winters the trees are verdant and birds are singing! 

The people certainly make the most of them dig walkers socialising, joggers going past today I walk a small market being assembled, then out and into the breathtaking plaza de Espana!

Beautiful towers pools, tiled bridges and around the semicircle of buildings each Spanish district had tiled displays

wandering through and offering to take photos for struggling couples always gets the offer reciprocated 

away and around the left hand tower in the last image and I'm on the roads to the Bus estacion with time to spare stilted conversations with the women waiting got me friendly with a couple of Moroccan girls both recommending a visit to Tangier's! That's two offers to visit now .... Perhaps I will on the return trip! 

the road calls and the country is soon blurring past a mixture of open plains with cattle grazing, more of those broccoli looking forests oddly no orange plantations! 

Into some mountains and along a coast and for the first in my life I see Africa! Grey and distant but Africa without a doubt

soon the road loops around a bay with Gibraltar sitting defiantly and determinedly British! 

Off the bus at La Linea de la concepcion and short walk takes me to the border and country 3! I think Gibraltar qualifies! 

It's nice to see the union flag in it's own territory along with the Gibraltar flag and also for the first time I see the flag of the commonwealth flapping in the breeze!

over the runway

and into the still fortified town, I drop my kit off at the hostel and head off exploring, getting lost in the docks on the outbound walk but back through the town centre which is actually ok! 

I'm not sure any town would get a wow this place is great straight after Seville so consider my description quite a complement for the place!

Picking up a quick takeaway and a mango cider(bloody lovely!!) I'm back the hostel to kip for the night.

Now about the hostel.... Honestly it's a bit crap! The most expensive couple of nights so far,no breakfast but it does have WiFi.... And it's clean enough! 

It's kind of the level I expected hostels to be at before I started! 

So I'm ok with it