Blog

A hazy morning greeted us, but pleasant breezes kept away the mugginess. Loaded up the Leon, squeezed out of the Plaza, and left Arcos for greener pastures. Curvy country roads became regional roads and finally a big autovia to whisk us to Sevilla.

We made great time, and decided to take a short drive to charming Carmona less than 30 minutes outside Sevilla. (Jeff had learned of this "must see" town from his neighbor on the plane.) We didn't have time to take in the town, but we walked around the main plaza and snapped pictures of churches decorated with blue ceramics. Colorful banners hung across the streets in advance of Corpus Cristi. A town to return and absorb on out next visit.

Emily guided us back to Sevilla, and into the Santa Justa train station. I will give Emily credit…she butchered pronunciations and was unaware of some recent road construction, but in the end she always got us where we needed to be…muchas gracias, Emily! The Avis return was confusing, but a friendly woman patiently guided us…adios, Leon!
For our AVE train to Madrid, we decided to upgrade to get a more peaceful three-hour ride. Certainly worth it for this leg. A quiet coach. Facing window seats to ourselves. As we left the station, we were served a sherry from Jerez…which wasn't our favorite…but something we had to sample. A simple lunch was included with fruit, salad, and a hot pasta. And afterwards, they brought around small glasses of Gecko caramel liquor…perfect for dessert! With no intermediate stops, we arrived faster than we expected. A smooth ride in peace.

Arrived at the Madrid Atocha station (again)…grabbed an easy cab…and we were suddenly plopped in the middle of bustling Madrid. A simple lime-green room at the hip Oscar RoomMate hotel.

Spent the afternoon trying to get acquainted with our new surroundings. Cities are the hardest to appreciate at first glance. Sun beating on us. Cars barrelling down every street and alley…and even in the pedestrian plazas. At first, its all just harsh and irritating. But as we crossed a few landmark plazas (Plaza del Sol and Plaza Mayor), grabbed a sweet nutty treat at a foodie market, and entered the gardens behind the Royal Palace…we began to appreciate the surroundings. The gardens (Jardines del Campo del Moro) were cool and refreshing, and the Palacio Real loomed overhead brightly lit by the late sun. The Jardines de Sabatini provided another "well lit" view of the palace.

Dinner at Umami on the Gran Via. (We can't tell is this is related to the Umami in LA…someone will have to verify.) In any case, our meal was a nice change from trasitional tapas. Our two shared burgers were inventive and flavorful. Two rice dishes were delightful with Asian flavors. And everything is more awesome with mojitios. Drinks at trendy Liquid.

Awoke to a cool, breezy morning for a long driving day along a grand loop to the southern coast. Exiting the Plaza Cabildo was a tight sqeeze. Pastries in nearby Medina-Sidonia on its town square. South to the coastal town of Vejer de la Frontera… yet-another hilltown with a harrowing climb to the top.

Hooray…the Altantic Ocean!

Visited the expansive archeological complex at Balio Claudia…the ancient Roman city that is being uncovered and reclaimed from sand, earth, and time. Ruins from the time around 1 B.C. Roman wall and gates. An ampitheatre. The ancient forum. Foundations of temples. And buildings along the shore for salt-curing fish.

Continued on through the beach-town of Tarifa at the southern-most tip of Spain, Got our glimpses of Africa. (Tarifa is one of the main points to catch a ferry to Morocco…not this trip.) Leaving Tarifa, a road-side mirador provided a better view of Africa…so close across the Staights of Gilbraltar. Grabbed a sandwich with an African vista.

Through the busy, hectic port city of Algeciras. Got our first (and fleeting) glimpses of Gibraltar. Again…something for another trip. Hooray…a glimpse of the Mediterranean.

Time for the second half of our circle-route back to Arcos. Hit another white hilltown…Jimena de la Frontera. Plotted a course back…only discover a road closed. Ugh! The new, less-certain route was an hour longer. Up and over the mountain…through the national park (again)…this time up a rough park road. Up and up and up. Faith that the route would not be blocked along the way. The occasional biker or runner gave confidence that something was on the other side. Yay!…cozy Ubrique and a smoother (and wider) drive on to El Bosque and Arcos. Whew! 🙂

After a long drive, nothing better than cervezas! Meson Don Fernando for more tapas…patatas bravas, croquetas de espinicha, brocheta de solomillo. Muy excelente! And a delcious tarta de limon for dessert. An excellent way to end an excellent day full of firsts. A quiet evening before tomorrow…back to the big city…Madrid.

Dropped down from our hilltop perch in Ronda as the warm morning sun woke up the fields before us. Entered the rocky mountains of the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park. The craggy limestone, low vegetation hills, fields of purple wildfowers, and short stubby trees were all so reminiscent of the California Sierra Nevadas. Winding narrow roads with very few cars. Sleepy towns…some merely a roundabout. A tiny, dusty bullring along the road.

Along the route of the Pueblos Blancos…the white hilltowns…arrived in Zahara de la Sierra…with the tower-ruins of its Moorish castle watching from above. The hot sun surprised us as we climbed to the tower along a dusty footpath flanked with short olive trees and dense bunches of cactus. The tower provided a welcomed break from the heat…cool and moist…narrow windows channeling strong breezes. On top…a 360 degree view of the world…the white buildings of Zahara, its belltower-topped church, the enormous man-made reservoir, and the the rolling expanse of the Sierra de Grazalema park.

Leaving Zahara, we wound further up into the mountains. Dozens of switchbacks…each one seemingly the last. Short oak trees. Steep cliffs. More limestone outcroppings. Stopped for the view as we crossed the pass…the Puerto de las Palomas (1357 meters). On the other side of the pass, Grazalema… another hilltown of white buildings spilling down the hillside. On through the park…until we were stopped by dozens of goats crossing through a break in the fence. Making a beeline for a fresh picnic area, they were soon sitting on soccer fields, standing on tables, and lounging on a terrace like it was built just for them. Two goats paused for some goat lovin'.

Arrived in our hilltown for evening…Arcos de la Frontera…at one time on the frontier, now simply a pitstop in the midst of the agricutural interior of southern Spain. Once again entrusting Emily with our fates, we traced a winding path up into the old town, through narrow streets and blind curves…sometimes with mere inches on either side….uphill…with a stick shift. But Emily was right, and we reached the Parador hotel in the main plaza…the Plaza Cabildo…atop the hill adjacent to the town's main church. Our room was worth the nerve-racking climb…a cliff-side balcony with a strong, refreshing breeze.

Tackled Arcos's two main churches: Santa Maria and St. Peter's. Both fine churches built after the reconquest in the 13th century. Lots of artifacts from the centuries, but we found more amusement reading the spotty translations on various interpretive signs.
By 9pm we were ready for an "early" dinner outdoors. Frenzied swallows above…occasionally diving down to street level. We sat entertained, nibbling on so-so tapas…improved by a few frosty cervezas. A slow stroll around the quiet old town eased us towards our beds.

Its hurtfull when you lose my posts 🙁

We did a bit of morning shopping before departing Granada. Ornate boxes crafted by local woodworkers. An architectural volume from the Alhambra bookstore. And (finally) a small pomegranite momento to remind us of the symbol of Granada…we had made a game out of spotting the fruit on doors, in decorative tiles, and city infrastructure..

A swift return to the train station to Avis. Picked up our little red Seat Leon. Remembering manual transmission is like riding a bike. Navigated through the sleepy towns outside Granada and on through rolling fields. Snack and soda at a gas station where the two attendants (women) looked genuinely surprised to see us.

Emily (our GPS) did an admirable job directing us into Ronda…the white hilltown where we would spend the next two nights. With blind faith, we followed Emily's course up into the historic center…across an old bridge, up narrow cobblestone streets with steep grades and tight turns. Ronda is perched on a hilltop with a river cutting a narrow gorge through the middle. A picturesque bridge (the New Bridge) atop three stone arches spans the gorge. Our hotel sat along the cliff edge with a wonderful view of the bridge…not to mention the sweeping landscape below. Our room was aptly named Granada.

Walked the winding white-walled streets of Ronda's Moorish Quarter. The picturesque Colegiata Santa Maria la Mayor beckoned us in with its Moorish belltower. Learned that William Randolph Hearst fell in love with this belltower and replicated them at Hearst Castle at San Simeon (California)…now we know why it looks familiar. The church's most notable resident, the statue of Santa Maria was missing…she gets paraded through town early in May to her summer home in a cave on the edge of town…she knows how to stay cool in the summer!

Walked along the cliff top in the hot afternoon sun. Crossed the New Bridge and walked along the pedestrian way snaking above the cliff edge to take some late afternoon pictures. Watched the sun dip below the mountains directly to the west of us from the balcony in our room.

Dinner at El Sampillo as the dark blue sky turned pitch black. Wonderful food and our first sangria. Potatoes with peppers. A creamy Spanish omlette. Meatballs in a lovely sauce. Ice cream for dessert. And a friendly, persistent cat…who entertained us as she hid from passing dogs. Couldn't resist giving her a few nibbles of our food. Wandered the (very) quiet streets after dark. White walls and yellow trim glowed under street lamps. This is a cozy town that closes down early…if midnight is early.