Most teachers would agree that travel, in addition to being fun and intellectually stimulating, is one of the most meaningful learning experiences available for both themselves and their students. And Spring Break is a great opportunity for travel! Recently, I returned from a vacation to Spain, Portugal, and Gibraltar. Although I was in Gibraltar for only a few hours, I could see many ways to incorporate the travel experiences I gained there into classroom curriculum.

Author Terry Lee Marzell and her husband, Hal, contemplate the Strait of Gibraltar on a recent visit to the tiny British territory. Photo Credit: Terry Lee Marzell

Geography teachers would probably point out that Gibraltar, which is officially designated a British Overseas Territory, is located at the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula, just south of Spain, and is dominated by a huge limestone outcrop known as Calpe Mons—also known as the Rock of Gibraltar. History teachers would note that Calpe Mons is dotted by many caves which were inhabited by humans in prehistoric times. The territory was first settled by Moors in the Middle Ages and was later ruled by Spain. Spain ceded possession of the area to the British by the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. This tiny territory is only 2.25 square miles, but it is called home by approximately 32,000 residents, and that’s not counting a robust population of Barbary apes! Through the narrow Strait of Gibraltar, the territory furnishes a connection between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

If you are exploring a unit on mythology with your students, you might want to share some information about the influence of Gibraltar in Greek mythology. In ancient times, Gibraltar was a source of great mystery and legend. In fact, the ancient Greeks and Romans believed the area to be the location of one of the Pillars of Hercules. Greek legend advanced the notion that, while completing his twelve labors, the mighty strongman created the Strait of Gibraltar by smashing through nearby Atlas mountain. In antiquity, sailors were warned not to sail beyond the landmark, as to do so would surely result in falling off the flat edge of the earth and result in death.

A spectacular display of stalactites and stalagmites brilliantly lit by colored lights can be seen during a visit of Gibraltar’s Saint Michael’s Cave. Photo Credit: Terry Lee Marzell

When taking a tour of Gibraltar, travelers almost invariably include a visit Saint Michael’s Cave. The name of this cavern derives from a similar grotto located in Italy where legend has it that the archangel Michael appeared. Saint Michael’s Cave was created through the gradual seeping of rainwater through the limestone rock, which turned the water into a weak carbonic acid that gradually dissolved the rock. The result is that, over thousands of years, the original geological fault grew into long passages and more than 150 large caverns that feature vaulted ceilings. In addition, a spectacular display of stalactites and stalagmites were formed during this process, and which today have been brilliantly lit by a stunning display of colored lights. A study of all of these natural formations would make a wonderful unit for science teachers who are leading their students, both elementary and secondary, in a study of geological formations.

Any visit to Saint Michael’s Cave will invariably put the traveler in contact with the territory’s Barbary apes. Science teachers will enjoy helping students learn all about why these so-called apes are not apes at all! In actual fact, they belong to a species of monkey called macaques. Learning activities can involved discovering the differences between apes and monkeys, and the habitat, diet, and history of the particular species that live on Gibraltar.

A species of macaques live on Gibraltar, and a study of these primates would make a great science lesson for students. Photo Credit: Terry Lee Marzell

Part of the mythology surrounding these primates posits that if the macaques ever disappear from Gibraltar, then the British will also leave the territory. In response to this myth, British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill became concerned with the diminishing numbers of Gibraltar’s macaques during World War II. To increase their numbers, he arranged for additional macaques to be imported into Gibraltar from Morocco and Algeria. Gibraltar’s macaques are provided with food and medical care by Britain’s Department of the Environment, but still the gluttonous primates will look for something to eat from curious tourists. Sometimes the monkeys become a little bit overly aggressive!

Naturally, only a very small number of teachers are able to take their students on a field trip to Gibraltar, although many would love to organize such a wonderful field trip! Nevertheless, students can still study many aspects of this tourist attraction online. To share more information about the geography and history of Gibraltar with your students, click on this link to the Encyclopedia Britannica. Additional information about the territory of Gibraltar can be found at Visit Gibraltar. More information about the Barbary macaques can be found at Animalia Biography. Enjoy!

Spring break is prime time for teachers—and students—to incorporate travel into their vacation plans. Many people, both young and mature, know that travel, in addition to being fun and intellectually stimulating, is one of the most meaningful learning opportunities available. Last month, I was able to enjoy the fun, stimulation, and learning opportunities to be gained from a tour of Spain, Portugal, and Gibraltar.

Terry Lee Marzell contemplates the monument dedicated to Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes located in the Plaza de Espana in Madrid, Spain. Photo credit: Hal Marzell

While touring the Iberian peninsula, I was able to reflect on the numerous contributions of Spanish authors to the canon of world literature. For example, Don Quixote, written by celebrated author Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra and published in the early 17th century, has always been one of my favorite works of literature. I’m not alone in my appreciation, as this novel is one of the most-often translated books in the world, and it’s one of the best-selling novels of all time.

While in Madrid, we stumbled across a monument dedicated to Cervantes and his epic novel which has been erected in the city’s Plaza de Espana. The monument is comprised of several figures. Prominently displayed near the base of the memorial is the author himself. Beneath his seated figure are the mounted figures of his two most famous characters, the appealingly delusional Don Quixote de La Mancha, and his trusted sidekick, the humble farmer Sancho Panza. The fictional peasant girl Dulcinea is also represented. In addition, the memorial offers a personified depiction of the entire collection of Spanish literature, dressed in 17th-century clothing and holding a book in his right hand. And finally, the monument also displays the five major continents, all of them reading the works of Cervantes. This depiction is intended to represent the universality of the author’s novels. This monument is a memorial that any teacher of English, World Literature, or Spanish language courses would surely appreciate.

Statue of Spain’s most celebrated national hero Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, also known as El Cid, located in Seville, Spain. Photo Credit: Wikipedia Commons

But Don Quixote is not the only Spanish character that came to mind in my travels through Spain. While visiting the city of Seville in the region of Valencia, I was reminded of the legendary tales of the 12th-century knight known as El Cid. This historical figure, whose real name was Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, became well known during his lifetime for his military service in the armies of both Christian and Muslim rulers. Today, he is recognized as Spain’s most celebrated national hero. El Cid is the protagonist of the most significant medieval epic poem written in the Spanish language, El Cantar de Mio Cid. In this work, Rodrigo de Vivar is portrayed as embodying all the qualities of the ideal medieval knight: strength, courage, generosity, loyalty, chivalry, and piety. The poem is read all over the world, in versions for both adults and children. Before I retired from the teaching profession, I enjoyed sharing these entertaining tales with my World Literature students for many years.

You and  your students can examine a free ebook version of Don Quixote at this link: Project Gutenberg. Biographical information about Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar can be viewed online at Encyclopedia Britannica. To read El Cantar de Mio Cid in English, click on noorbook.com. To read the book in modern Spanish, click on caminodelcid.org.