Historic Hiking in Gibraltar

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View of Gibraltar

On the surface, Gibraltar appears to be little more than a boozy, sun kissed British overseas territory.  Best known for its status as a tax haven, the tiny 2 square mile town consists of a myriad of crumbling housing estates and cobbled roads lined with shops hawking duty-free alcohol sprinkled in with a few British high street brands.  However, few of us tourists make the trek down here for just the town.  The towering Rock of Gibraltar is the territory’s main attraction and in addition to some of the best hiking I’ve ever experienced, it’s home to (in my opinion) a treasure trove of grossly underappreciated historic artifacts and features.

From a geographic perspective, Gibraltar sits at the southern tip of the European subcontinent and it is separated from Africa by the 9-mile wide Strait of Gibraltar.  In antiquity, this was considered (more or less) the end of the known world.  Providing access between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, Gibraltar has long been a sought after spot for both strategic military and trade reasons.  Over millennia, a wide range of peoples and civilizations have made their mark on the rock.  An avid fan of ancient history, I made it my mission to take a gander at some of its older sites starting from 40,000 BCE and ending in the 1400s.

St. Michael’s Cave
St. Michael’s Cave has a very unassuming tunnel entrance that opens up into a dazzling display of limestone stalactites and stalagmites carved by rainwater over countless years.  This is the first significant cave I had ever visited and I was floored by how organic and beautiful it was.  The cave has received several mentions throughout history and is also known to have provided shelter to Neolithic peoples (approx. 20,000 years ago) and Neanderthals (approx. 40,000 years ago) as evidenced by the skulls, cave painting and bowls that they left behind.

St. Michael’s Cave

The Mediterranean Steps
Originally carved in the 18th century by the British as a means of traveling from one major defense point to another, the Mediterranean Steps scale nearly 200 meters of sheer limestone rock face.  The steps make up a popular hiking path today and offer absolutely stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea and Spain’s Costa del Sol in the distance.  It also passes by several structures and tunnels made by soldiers both in the 18th century and during WWII.  The hike, however, is pretty challenging.  While most tourist choose to climb up (from Jew’s Gate to O’hara’s Battery), it’s probably easier to take them down in the opposite direction.

Well worth the hike: View of the Med Sea from the Med Steps

The Pillars of Hercules
In classical antiquity, the Pillars of Hercules consisted of the Rock of Gibraltar and a neighboring peak across the strait in Africa (the exact peak is up for debate).  At the crossroads between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, this was a crucial spot in the ancient world. It was mentioned by Plato and was settled by the Phoenicians, Romans, Carthaginians, and even the Vandals .  Standing on Gibraltar’s peak and staring across the strait towards Africa put me through a bit of a time warp.  As the geographic features have not really changed since ancient times, I could have easily been standing on the same spot and sharing the same view as an early Phoenician did settler 3,000 years ago.

Pillars of Hercules — View of Africa

Moorish Castle
The Moors conquered the Iberian Peninsula around 700 AD, which subsequently led to a centuries-long power struggle for Gibraltar.  The origins of Gibraltar’s Moorish Castle date back to the 700s, but what stands today is a reconstruction from the Moors second time at Gibraltar’s helm in the 1400s.  Today, there is unfortunately not a whole lot left to the structure, but it still provides a glimpse into the region’s rocky past.

Moorish Castle with Barbary Ape in the Foreground

Hiking Review
As an added bonus to all this history, the scenery from Gibraltar’s hiking trails are second to none.  There are also plenty of barbary apes (macaques) and high-flying seagulls to keep you company during your walk.  The entire rock can be viewed in 1-day if you’re up to the challenge.  My boyfriend and I were able to get through most of it in 5-6 hours, though my legs are still feeling the effects of all that walking.
Trails crossing the rock are well paved and shared with vehicles.  The exception to this is the Mediterranean Steps.  They are incredibly steep, slippery and I would consider them to be dangerous if you aren’t in great shape. I would not recommend them for the elderly or younger children.

 

Though Gibraltar is a popular summertime destination, if you’re here to hike and see the historic sites on the rock I suggest coming in the cooler months.  The weather was perfect for hiking during my 2-day visit (early Feb) and I imagine the weather will stay cool for another few months or so.

Barbary Ape Taking in the View

Pertinent Information:
Getting to Gibraltar — 4 daily flights operate from London to Gibraltar (2x British Airways, 1x Easy Jet, 1x Monarch)
Getting to the Rock — Hike either towards Jew’s Gate or the Moorish Castle; Take the Cable Car (my recommendation); Take a Taxi

 

Singapore as a Budget-Friendly Luxury Travel Destination

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View from Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay

Luxury travel is not something the majority of us can indulge in too often, and when we do, it can deal a pretty big blow to our savings accounts. That being said, I’m always on the hunt for great travel destinations where you can get a lot of bang for your buck. Southeast Asia is a well-known destination for travelers hoping to stretch their budget, but Singapore never seems to make anyone’s travel list. Perhaps it’s its image as a stiff, strict society or the fact that it doesn’t advertise its tourism industry much abroad, but Singapore does not get its due as a holiday destination.

Having just returned from a 1-week trip to the Southeast Asian city-state, I found it to be well suited to what I call “budget-luxury” travel. What is a “budget-luxury” destination? Well, I just made it up, but what I’m essentially shooting for is a place where the average working couple can enjoy a few of the finer things in life without making a significant dent in their savings.

Our hotel room (courtesy of stayfareast.com)

What I loved about Singapore was that is was as clean and ultra-modern as a city could be, but was amazingly affordable. For instance, I booked a modern 4* hotel (with pool, gym, concierge, the works) connected to the city’s efficient subway system (MRT) for just over $100 USD/night on fairly short notice. Speaking of the MRT, one week of traversing Singapore’s subway network cost us a cool $20/person (approx. $15 USD/10 GPB). The prices for taxi rides were even more amazing with 30-40 minute rides across town coming out to just $17 Singapore dollars (approx. $13 USD/8 GBP).

Lao Pa Sat at night.

The great deals didn’t stop at transportation either. Though Singapore enjoys a futuristic infrastructure and all the amenities of a fully industrialized city, most of its restaurants offered great meals at the same prices you’d find on the streets of Bangkok. Newton Food Centre (MRT Newton) and Lao Pa Sat (MRT Raffles Place) are two indoor/outdoor food stall halls that feature every type of SE Asian cuisine imaginable. Most dishes were at or under $5 Singapore dollars (approx. $3.50 USD/2.50 GBP) and were of excellent quality.

I never could quite get Asian desserts, but this one was worth a try!

Understandably, outdoor dining under the Singapore sun is not for everyone. Luckily, Singapore, much like Bangkok, is teeming with mall containing vast food halls. A trip to the shopping mall at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel and Casino garnered us authentic Singaporean cuisine for two (and a coke!), for under $20 Singapore dollars. If SE Asian cuisine is not for you, then no problem. These malls are full of Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French and Italian restaurants.

Night out at Clarke Quay.

Lively Clarke Quay is located conveniently in central Singapore and proved to be a great place to dip our feet into the city’s nightlife.  Splurging on a night out, we enjoyed Spanish tapas for two with drinks followed up by a German restaurant for more cocktails and a beer.  While alcohol was admittedly a bit prices (due to import and/or vice tax, I’m assuming), our night out was still well under $100 Singapore dollars (approx. $80 USD/50 GBP).

Sipping a blue lagoon – one of many cocktails I sampled. :)

Taking a break from the city, we took a taxi to Sentosa Island, which is connected via a bridge to Singapore.  Branded as “Asia’s Playground”, the island is home to luxury resorts, Universal Studios, two beaches and various other rides and attractions.

Our first stop on Sentosa was Silosa Beach.  While it certainly wasn’t Waikiki, the water was warm and calm, and we were just a 10 minute drive from Singapore.  The beach was a nice place to relax and kick back with a mango margarita.  When we visited on a Tuesday afternoon, there weren’t too many beach-goers on hand, leaving me with an Olympic pool worth of beach to myself.  I worked on the tan that I lost from living in England, while my boyfriend worked on a sunburn.  After enough time by the water and a sufficient tequila buzz had been attained, we headed up to the top of the island via a scenic chairlift below luging down a purpose-built track.

Enjoying an empty Silosa Beach.

With 4* and 5* hotels within reach, transportation and fine dining for pennies on the dollar and easy access to an island filled with beaches and bars, I personally think Singapore is one of the best places in the world to indulge on a budget.  As a real added bonus, English one of the official languages here, which makes it a lot more convenient than similarly-priced destinations in the area.  Singapore’s proximity to the equator also ensures stable (albeit HOT) temperatures, making it pool and beach season all year round.

Easy Tips to Make Long Distance Flights More Comfortable

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1. Pack Strategically

Before boarding, take all your in-flight essentials (smartphone, tablet, toothbrush, medication, lotions, etc.) and place them in your personal carry on – the one that goes under the seat. This way you won’t have to grapple with the overhead bins to access the things you need. This is especially handy if you don’t have an aisle seat or you’re on a bumpy flight.

2. Dress for Comfort
The airplane is not a runway and there’s no reason to dress to impress here, unless you happen to be Victoria Beckham. It’s a lot easier to fall asleep in comfier attire than tight jeans and a button-up blouse. To keep things casual-yet-presentable, opt for tights or jogging pants with a sweatshirt. For added comfort, take off your shoes in flight and add an extra pair of socks to stay cozy.

3. Have Teeth Cleaning Gum on Hand
I try and brush my teeth during longer flights, but admittedly, sometimes I’m grossed out by the bathroom on the plane and I just can’t bring myself to do it. Luckily, teeth cleaning gum (e.g. Orbit) acts as a stopgap between trips to hygienic bathrooms and if you can just pop one in after a meal instead of getting up to brush your teeth.

4. Keep a Bottle of Water with You
Either purchase a bottle of water before you board (after you get through security, of course), or ask the flight attendant for a bottle before they dim the cabin lights. Once it’s “lights out”, you won’t have to worry about waking anyone to get a drink.

5. Hydrate – Inside and Out
The dry air on flights can be almost unbearable for some. Unfortunately there’s no quick solution to this other than to keep drinking fluids throughout the flights. Some of us also suffer from dry skin in the air and this is where tip #1 comes in handy. If you’ve packed your lotion(s) into the carry on under your seat, you can moisturize as often as you like, which can mean the difference between tolerance and misery.

6. Avoid Static and Braid your Hair
This probably isn’t an issue for most men, but those of us who suffer from static-charged tangled messes of hair on long flights can avoid this whole fiasco by just braiding it. Braiding your hair keeps it neat and completely out of the way so you won’t have to fight during the whole flight.

7. Nervous Flyer? Sit Closer to the Wing
If turbulence keeps you on edge during long flights, sit closer to the aircraft’s wings. When a plane is in the air, it acts like a fulcrum (not something I want to fully visualize), with the front and back experiencing the most movement. The center of the plane tends to remain the most stable throughout the flight.