{"id":6282,"date":"2014-08-21T10:00:26","date_gmt":"2014-08-21T14:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/?p=6282"},"modified":"2024-06-19T07:23:04","modified_gmt":"2024-06-19T11:23:04","slug":"gibraltar-life-rock","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/gibraltar-life-rock\/","title":{"rendered":"Gibraltar: Life on the Rock"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I walked into this country on foot from Spain, on a day-trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Passing through customs was as simple as merely slowing my pace while flashing my passport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To get into the country (by foot or car), you have to walk through the main airport and across their massive runway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can circumnavigate this entire country on foot in a day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s not an island, but it almost is. And like so many island nations, there is more to it than meets the eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh yes, and to be correct, this place isn’t a country \u2013 it’s a British Territory. (Just like Hawaii is another US State, Puerto Rico is a territory, and Corsica<\/a> is really just France. Ask the residents, and I suspect they’ll tell you just how unique they are).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Welcome to Gibraltar.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t

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This article was originally published in 2014, and has since been updated for accuracy of links and formatting. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While staying in the south of Spain, I could see the rock of Gibraltar and the hills of Morocco from my terrace. So, being less than an hour from the border, it was worth a day trip to The Rock to see what it’s all about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gibraltar is…interesting. Here’s what I saw, and learned:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t

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Standing in the middle of an airport runway is a unique experience<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\n


Gibraltar is Packed.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Not only was Gibraltar packed with tourists when I visited, but it’s also consistently packed with residents\/citizens, who number about 30,000 in this teensy weensy country (territory) \u2013 known as one of the most densely packed territories in the world. Thus, most of the population is squished into apartment buildings in varying states of disrepair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’m told these apartments aren’t cheap either, so some people (including a friend who I chatted with) live instead in Spain and walk across to Gibraltar to work. She did this in the age of the Spanish paseta, so earning money in Gibraltarian currency (tied to the British Pound), and spending it in paseta-land was a very favourable currency play for her and many others. Even now with the Euro, it’s a favourable exchange for people living in Spain and working in Gibraltar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t

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The Rock of Gibraltar looms over the whole island-like country (er…territory)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\n


Gibraltar’s Currency isn’t British, but it is.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Gibraltar is a \u201cBritish Overseas Territory\u201d, so although you can use British Pounds currency in Gibraltar, you’ll also find that they have their own currency \u2013 the Gibraltar Pound. But don’t get stuck with their currency and think that you can spend it (or even exchange it at some banks) in Britain; Gibraltarian pounds aren’t even recognized by some major British banks.

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