Gibraltar

El Most Interesante Place 

Gibraltar amazed me. This weekend I ventured into British territory at the very last tip of the Iberian Peninsula. Bordering Spain, surround by the Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean and only a quick fairy boat ride away from Morocco is The Rock of Gibraltar. It was amazing to me to walk across the boarder and find at the bottom of Spain a small two square mile area of land completely British. Gib was nothing short of what I expect when I go to London or any other city in the UK from the buses to the phone booths and even more intriguing was the gibraltairian people. They all spoke a complete mix of English and Spanish with a heavy British accent and all! Their sentences would be a combination of english and spanish words. It seemed to be that they spoke using whatever words would get their point out the fastest.

The town was charming and quaint and the science beauty of the hike up to the top of the rock was breath taking. Hands down the most beautiful hike I have ever been on in my life. When I arrived in La Linea (the Spanish city that boarders gib, also where I was staying) I walked straight over to Gibraltar and had a wonderful cup of spinach soup and garlic bread at Clippers- oddly enough a charming pub/restaurant in the Irish district of Gibraltar haha. After lunch, wondering, and a little shopping (finally purchased a NorthFace jacket!) I headed back to La Linea to met Angie, my coworker from home, and her friend Kassi, who was nothing short of an amazing host for the weekend. 

Friday night we went out for a few tapas, drinks and Spanish nightlife. 

Saturday the three of us had a wonderful lazy afternoon in Gibraltar at an English style restaurant with delicious food and the friendliest/blunt/comical staff haha. Still a little hung-over from the night with rainy day weather I was perfectly content sipping on my coffee and doing a little walking through the town with my new waterproof jacket :) and good company. Later that night Kassi's local friends invited us into their home for a feast of delicious food, good vibes :) With such a diverse mix of people from age to ethnicities I had a ball conversing, laughing, eating and drinking. It reminded me of the importance of good company. 

I have been learning more and more that where you are and what you are doing is not nearly as important as who you are with. 

When I think back to the funniest times I have had what made them so wonderful it was who they were spent with. Not that I didn't appreciate it before but being here has made me that much more grateful for my Mission Manor family. I try not to brag but I find myself... Well bragging about all the fun times we have had together. Thanksgiving dinner and supper bowl with Paul and Chris's living room out by the pool, getting stoned and sprawling out on the floor of Evan and Tim's apartment for a movie, game nights, family dinners with pits and peaks, sunsets on the bay, beach cruises with the biker gang through PB, tearing up the floor and Gator Clappin at Open Bar, Paper airplane races down Haines Street, and so many other great times. 

But back to Spain (My. Life. Is. A. Dream.) So Saturday night was amazing, not only because of where I was or how delicious the food was, but because I was with so many genuine, fun, and friendly strangers/ new friends. 

And for the grand finally we woke up early(ish) Sunday morning to beautiful blue skies, perfect for hiking, and bagels!!! After having my dearly missed bagel and tea on the balcony overlooking the city if La Linea, the rock of Gibraltar, and even Africa In the distance, Angie, Kassi and I went back to Gibraltar to hike the Mediterranean steps to the top of the rock and play with the monkeys. 

I need find another word to describe my experiences butttt... As I said earlier the hike was the most amazing and beautiful hike I have ever been on!