Chronicles of Spain, 1966 “American Passport”

Chronicles of Spain, 1966 “American Passport”

(bodhisattva connotes a being who is ‘bound for enlightenment’; a person whose aim is to become fully enlightened.)

American Passport

By Kate Chamberlin

Aloud tap on the Citreon’s driver’s window woke the four of us up from a sound sleep. We’d driven south until our eyes drooped, but, there was no inn or hostel in sight. We’d pulled over into, what was probably a scenic look-out spot, put our heads back, and slept.

La Guardia tapping on my window said we couldn’t spend the night there. An inn was about two miles ahead of us. We left and found clean beds to sleep in. The morning’s sunny view of a harbor, little boats, and greenery was picture postcard perfect.

I drove our little Estropizio  the rest of the way to the border of Gibraltar. We spent a few minutes atop the rock, posing with the little monkeys, who made their home there.

We boarded a boat and sailed through the Straights of Gibraltar to Algeciras, Morocco. The totally foreign sights of the garb people wore, smells of the exotic food, and crowds were intimidating. Adding to our fear was the dire warning to not take any photos of anything.

Once back on the mainland of Gibraltar, we relaxed in Estropizio and headed for the Spanish border. We happened to be behind a car of four British girls we’d met in Gibraltar. At the border, the gardarmes had them pull over to the side of the road and they all got out.

When we pulled up to the stop spot, he asked for our passports, looked at them, and waved us onward.  Apparently, relations between Spain and England over the ownership of “the rock”, was still a festering sore.

I was very appreciative of the positive influence of my American passport. My Mother, however, would have paled at any descriptions of my Arabian tales. So, I didn’t tell her.

I’m still on my journey toward bodhisattva and when I’ve achieved full enlightenment,

I will tell my Mother.