Ronda

The weather has gone off since we reached the seaside bit of our trip – just our luck. Yesterday there was quite a lot of cloud and a cold wind, so we lounged around very happily, out of the wind. I think we were both glad not to have anything to do. I did have a couple of swims, and really enjoyed them, in spite of the fact that the sea is uncharacteristically choppy.

Today, the wind has dropped a bit, and most of the Spanish families have left. We decided to go to Ronda. Again, we went years ago with our sons, in February, when it was quite deserted and nothing much was open. In fact, all that was open was the bull fighting museum. It was brilliant – even better than a good reliquary. Bulls that have killed toreros are “honoured” by having their heads stuffed and mounted on the walls; there are ears and tails of lesser bulls, and photos of toreros being gored, and later, in their coffins. In glass cases you can see their suits of lights, often with holes in alarming places.  The two older boys and I loved it, though youngest son and Phil thought it was awful. Having written all this, I have to admit that they were right.

The drive to Ronda is up and up and up a twisty road, and the peculiarities of the hire car made it fraught. I’ve already mentioned the dreadful transmission, and it corners like an American car – perfect for this journey. I haven’t driven such a pig of a car since the Jeep Cherokee in Kentucky.

But when we got there, it was all worthwhile. It is on the most spectacular site. It must have been dreadfully isolated until the road was built, and goodness knows what people do for a living, although it’s quite a big town, so there must be employment.

Ronda

There is the remains of the Moorish citadel, nothing much to see except La Mina. This is a system of cisterns going all the way down through the rock to the river. There are stairs in a tunnel and slaves used to haul water up in skin bags if the cisterns ran dry. It was a bit like going down Mortimer’s Hole at Nottingham Castle, only a lot wetter and drippier. Eventually you find yourself at water level in the gorge. The birds are brilliant – there are choughs, turtle doves, swallows, swift, goldfinches, greenfinches and even serins. I had to look that one up. Thank  heavens for the RSPB app on my phone; I could play its song and it exactly matched the bird in front of me.

At the bottom of La Mina

Climbing back up was hard work, as the steps are really high for a short person. Not to be put off, we went down to the Moorish baths, which are well preserved, and then back up again.

The Gorge

I was surprised to learn that during the Civil War, fascists were beaten in the main square and then thrown into the gorge. It seems that Spain is beginning to acknowledge some of the atrocities committed during the Civil War. There was a memorial in Jerez  to the victims of Francoism killed there. It looked pretty new.

We had a delightful light lunch in a café with terrific views, 

The view from the walls of Ronda

then set off on the drive down. We stopped at a viewpoint to admire the mountains, and under some pines found huge pine cones. I can’t tell you how thrilled I am, in spite of having badly scratched legs form scrambling around to find the best ones. The reason for this is that I brought four huge pine cones back from Sierra de Gredos  two years ago, and made them into Christmas ornaments. Ever since my younger grandson, every time we go away, has asked me to bring him some pine cones “as big as my head”. Now at last I have them. The only problem may be getting them back on Ryanair………………………….