Crossing the straights of Gibraltar

We caught a ferry from Algeciras to Tanger in Morocco at 4.00pm this afternoon. It takes 90 minutes from one port to the others. Both ports are huge trading centres for Europe and Africa.

It was amazing to be on the boat crossing one of the most famous waterways in the world. The Phoenicians were some of the first traders to control this area of the world, the ancient Romans also conquered it, followed by the Visigoths, the Spaniards, the Jews, the Muslims, the French and the British. The was also an important theatre of war in the world wars.

To be in the middle of the straight and easily look from one side to the other demonstrated how narrow the straight is as how easily it could be blocked by a malevolent power. The German U boats tried in World War Two and succeeded for a while.

Sam and I felt the significance of first setting foot in Africa. Neither of us have been to this continent. It is very special.Read more