Gibraltar & Tangier, Morocco
Named after the Moorish General Tearig Ibn Sayeed who is responsible for bringing Islam to Spain in 711 AD, Gibraltar is a massive chunk of Jurassic limestone towering above the azure waters of the Mediterranean.
Light gray in color, it is formed of a lime-rich sediment, consisting of the remains of countless shelled sea creatures, accumulated on an ancient seabed some 200 million years ago. Over a long period of time these sediments were compacted and cemented together to form layers or strata which were later forced upwards by massive tectonic forces, thus becoming dry land. Gibraltar has been inhabited for a considerable period.
In 1848 a skull was discovered in a quarry at the base of the north face, which was later identified as belonging to a Neanderthal. This was eight years before the finding of the specimen in the Neander valley, near Dusseldorf in Germany, which gave its name to this particular branch of early hominoids.
Our tour this morning included a visit to Saint Michael’s cave. Over 140 caves have so far been found and are the result of solution of the limestone by percolating rainwater, which is a weak carbonic acid. Prehistoric remains have been found here. The cave is adorned with magnificent calcite formations. Such is its scale that an auditorium has been constructed to facilitate subterranean concerts. Another highlight was time spent with the troop of Barbary Apes, which were playful, entertaining, and photogenic. These are really a species of tail-less monkey, with the scientific name Macaca sylvanus.
As we cruised towards Tangier in the afternoon we encountered some groups of dolphins and black-wing flying fish. On arrival we took a short coach drive to the American Legation Museum. It was from here Morocco recognized the new nation of the United States in the year 1777. Here we were warmly welcomed by its director, Thor Kuniholm and his charming wife Elizabeth, who showed us the rich array of memorabilia from American diplomatic life in Morocco. The Expedition Leader on behalf of Lindblad Expeditions presented a donation towards the upkeep of the museum.
Named after the Moorish General Tearig Ibn Sayeed who is responsible for bringing Islam to Spain in 711 AD, Gibraltar is a massive chunk of Jurassic limestone towering above the azure waters of the Mediterranean.
Light gray in color, it is formed of a lime-rich sediment, consisting of the remains of countless shelled sea creatures, accumulated on an ancient seabed some 200 million years ago. Over a long period of time these sediments were compacted and cemented together to form layers or strata which were later forced upwards by massive tectonic forces, thus becoming dry land. Gibraltar has been inhabited for a considerable period.
In 1848 a skull was discovered in a quarry at the base of the north face, which was later identified as belonging to a Neanderthal. This was eight years before the finding of the specimen in the Neander valley, near Dusseldorf in Germany, which gave its name to this particular branch of early hominoids.
Our tour this morning included a visit to Saint Michael’s cave. Over 140 caves have so far been found and are the result of solution of the limestone by percolating rainwater, which is a weak carbonic acid. Prehistoric remains have been found here. The cave is adorned with magnificent calcite formations. Such is its scale that an auditorium has been constructed to facilitate subterranean concerts. Another highlight was time spent with the troop of Barbary Apes, which were playful, entertaining, and photogenic. These are really a species of tail-less monkey, with the scientific name Macaca sylvanus.
As we cruised towards Tangier in the afternoon we encountered some groups of dolphins and black-wing flying fish. On arrival we took a short coach drive to the American Legation Museum. It was from here Morocco recognized the new nation of the United States in the year 1777. Here we were warmly welcomed by its director, Thor Kuniholm and his charming wife Elizabeth, who showed us the rich array of memorabilia from American diplomatic life in Morocco. The Expedition Leader on behalf of Lindblad Expeditions presented a donation towards the upkeep of the museum.
