Due to the late start, I chalked Monday up as a throwaway day and decided to save most of Malaga for the end of the trip. I caught the 2:00 bus to La Linea, and checked into a hotel a quarter mile from the frontier with Gibraltar.

Crossing over to Gibraltar is an interesting experience. When leaving and entering Spain, all Europeans must scan their passports through self-service machines. I showed a U.S. Passport, and they just waved me in. Security on the Gibraltar side was even more relaxed – barely looking at ID. Granted, I have walked in with just a camera. The lines several blocks long gave the impression cars are a different story.

Once you enter Gibraltar, the first thing you see is a red phone booth. They try to make the peninsula look and feel like England with familiar litter bins, public restrooms, and road markings. There was one noticeable difference though – cars drove on my the right side. 

When you cross back to Spain, the first thing you see is a statue to the Spanish laborers in Gibraltar, making such an tourist destination possible. The second and third things you see are a Burger King and McDonald’s, respectively.

Maybe the most surreal part of the crossing is the “frontier” itself. All pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles entering and exiting Gibraltar cross over the airfield. Yes, walking or riding across a runway! They close the border for 15 minutes when a plane is taking off or landing.

I crossed over in the evening for an overpriced dinner along the marina, and walked around town a little last night. 

I went back after breakfast today, and walked all the way to the top of The Rock! There were several steep hills as well as a long, narrow stairway extending about 600 feet up. There were several monkeys lounging on the stairs I had to walk around.

I also toured the original tunnels the British army installed for fortifications. 

The Spanish have never liked the British holding this pivotal point in the Iberian Peninsula, but they saw an opportunity to seize it back in 1779 as the British fought the American Revolution. The British suffered throughout the three year siege, but survived in part because of the 100 yard tunnel they built into the south face of The Rock. These tunnels were expanded during World War II.

After taking the cable car down, I picked up my bag from the hotel and boarded a bus for Seville. While it would take 2.5 hours in a car, it was a 4 hour bus ride. Still, I’d rather not worry about driving.

Seville is nice so far, but I have not seen much yet. I checked into a hostel to save some money and have some social interaction. Strangely though, nobody else booked a bed in the six bed room I’m staying in. Pleasant surprises!

Anyway, the hostel offers a free city tour in the morning, so I hope to have more to report back on Seville soon.