From Ronda to Marbella is 61.6 km then from Marbella to Gibraltar is 80.1km. The road ahead when new is a road to experience, often not predicted nor researched by us, but allowed to unwind like a large ball of wool/string/rope.
It was the pass through the Parque Nacional Sierra de las Nieves that had the most twists and turns of the A397 highway. It stayed high and allowed for long views of mountain slopes covered in that burnt orange underpinned by yellow and dark wood that says fire. There was no smoke, no clouds only blue skies with a dazzling sun catching the windscreen as direction changed with the uncurling of the rope road.
Roads like this make for tension in your back muscles and neck a beautiful environment that places adrenaline in front as road sides are limited and views intensify.
It stayed that way all the way to the crisscrossing of junctions and changes of direction near Marbella.
The golden mile of shops I am sure was great but it was the seaside, the greys of the sand and sunshine playing at its best at different times of day that we enjoyed. Bugzy was parked about 100m from a 27-mile cycle route all along the coast.
My two posts Sabbath Sunset and a Marbella Sunset record this time.
Marbella to the Rock of Gibraltar was the next experience.
Here in this photograph is the complete Rock and the first full view I captured from Bugzy as we drove into this unusual setting. This post will not cover the turmoil involved in its present and ‘near’ past instead I will focus on its ancient past only as far back as the Greeks.
Gibraltar was recognised by the ancient Greeks as one of the Pillars of Hercules the second one was on the opposite shore on the Africa side of the strait. It is described as a 842m/851m mountain that steeply rises from the sea with the name Jebel Musa. These two in the ancient world signified the Non Plus Ultra, the end of the known world, the entrance to hades with the pillars made as shrines by Hercules. The fable goes that Hercules after killing his wife and children was forced to do penance by setting these two pillars in place.
To see the strait and the monument to this time you need to pay €30 to go up into the reserve and then €20 each if you would like a guide and a taxi.
It is difficult to see but that land in the distance is Morocco. There is a distance of 8 miles at the narrowest part of the strait and it is the only link between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean sea.
The word Gibraltar is an English adaptation of the Arabic words Mount Tarik. Tarik ibn Ziuad, an Arabic commander in 711 AD named the mountain after himself after capturing it.
The mountain provides various experiences one is a glass viewing platform which allows views over most of the bay. Then there is also an ancient description of St Michael’s Cave which says: ‘ It is narrow at the entrance but wide within, like a pitcher.’
My preference was to see it in natural lighting but many enjoy seeing the colourful lights. It can seat 400 for concerts and plays. A well proportioned place.
Sunrise was at 8:15am and here is the mointain we explored.
And us near the top, Sandy and Roy.
Take care. We are travelling on.
My verse for today:
‘ And whatever you do, do it with your heart, just like you are doing it for the Lord, and not people. Because there is an inheritance from the Lord Jesus Christ when seving Him’ Sandy’s wording of Colossians 3: 23, 24.
What amazing memories you are collecting. Thank you for sharing 😊
My pleasure! May we have an ancient age with memory. I feel old already!🤣
😂🤣