Wednesday 24th October - Ronda
After the usual breakfast, we set off for the smallish city of Ronda which is to the north and slightly east of Manilva. The best way to get there is to take the motorway along the coast some way and then turn north on another motorway which winds up through the hills to the north of the coast. This motorway is the epitome of a switchback with almost constant turns and ascents. It is, however extremely beautiful with wonderful vistas at almost every turn. Hills are alternately wooded and green and bare and brownish. Overhead, griffon vultures and other birds circle, waiting for the unwary motorist???!!
We stopped at a view point to get some shots of the landscape before proceeding on to our destination of the city of Ronda.
On arrival we parked the car in an underground car park and set off down a main pedestrianized shopping street towards the gorge which is a feature of the city. On the way, we stopped to get a few things at a shop which sold strange art including old model cars filled with weird characters and other miscellaneous fun contents.
Finding a nice open square off the shopping area we stopped for coffee and some cheesecake at Restaurant Ortega. Then we visited the large church/cathedral which dominated the square before moving on down the street to the bullring at the end. The bullring at Ronda is one of the oldest in the country and had attracted such luminaries as Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles to write about it. It was possible to visit the still-active bull ring but we chose not to.
A short distance away is a viewing platform which affords views of the valley below the city and amazing countryside which is below the level of the city. The rocks fall away almost vertically down to the valet below which is cultivated and neatly farmed and sub-divided.
The gorge which contains a small rushing river (which must become a raging torrent in rainstorms such as we have had over the last few days), is spectacular to say the least. The place was quite crowded with tourists including a number of Chinese or Japanese tour groups. A pergola close to the viewing platform contained a small duo of musicians consisting of a lady playing the harp and a gentleman playing alternately the pan pipes or a guitar. this made for a very pleasing a delightful ambiance to the wonderful sunlit vista from the platform.
Following the ledge around the famous bridge across the gorge came into view and we walked round to and across the bridge to more viewing platforms which showed the other side of the gorge as well as being able to see right down to the river below which was quite low at this point but as aforementioned, must be quite a sight when in spate. Below the higher 'new' bridge (which must be very old despite its name), there are lower and much older bridges crossing the river and gorge.
We pressed on down the cobbled street, leaving the tourist throngs behind into a quiet and peaceful part of the city. We crossed a large square dominated by another cathedral which we entered and which was very richly decorated. We also ascended to the 'platforms' which had been constructed high above the nave and which afforded great views over the city and countryside as well as internal views of the church. This was a very well constructed endeavor which not only allowed great views but also seats to rest and contemplate. The impressive church had been constructed on the site of a former mosque which mirrors the country's Moorish past and transition to Christianity.
Pressing on further down the street we came to our destination by the Almocabar Gate at the old Arabic wall, 'De Locos Tapas' a very small restaurant of four tables which in good weather are on the small plaza outside, or in poor weather upstairs in the tiny dining room. our host Guillermo, (below, courtesy of his website the link for which is the first of the links below) is a very jolly guy who with his wife who is a chef runs the place, greeted us warmly and as he and Bill share the same name in their respective languages seemed extra friendly.
http://de-locos-tapas.com/
https://vimeo.com/139271582
The lunch we had was nothing short of outstanding. A series of wonderful tasting tapas which we all shared. Tuna with a wasabi ice cream, shrimp, grilled and fired vegetables with tasty and piquant sauces, wonderful wild mushrooms, a concoction of sardines which was called the Guggenheim (NOT the NYC one but the San Sebastian one!! - Guillermo is a proud Basque). The tastes were just the 'exploding in the mouth type, each one with just enough food to convey the unique tastes without over-filling. We ordered round after round of tapas until we finally relented and shred a dessert between us. Not over-full but nicely replete we were pretty much the last to leave the restaurant well into late afternoon. Guillermo kindly gave us a digestif to complete our meal. Maybe this is how eating should be. I would recommend following the Vimeo link above (thanks Vimeo) link above for a really enjoyable video of Ronda and also the troy of Guillermo. If you are in Ronda, don't miss this place, whatever you do.
After a really great experience we wended our way back, up and down, cobbled alleyways and streets, eventually crossing the lower and older bridge across the gorge. Eventually we found our way back to the main shopping street we had first walked down and thence to the car park and the car. MAC drove back to Manilva.
We stopped at a view point to get some shots of the landscape before proceeding on to our destination of the city of Ronda.
On arrival we parked the car in an underground car park and set off down a main pedestrianized shopping street towards the gorge which is a feature of the city. On the way, we stopped to get a few things at a shop which sold strange art including old model cars filled with weird characters and other miscellaneous fun contents.
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| The square and church at Ronda center. |
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| The bull ring (Plaza del Toros) in Ronda dating from 1785 |
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| Plaza del Toros, Ronda |
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| The bust of Orson Welles |
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| The bust of Ernest Hemingway |
A short distance away is a viewing platform which affords views of the valley below the city and amazing countryside which is below the level of the city. The rocks fall away almost vertically down to the valet below which is cultivated and neatly farmed and sub-divided.
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| The views from the ridge in Ronda. |
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| Views of the gorge at Ronda |
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| The lower bridge, over which we returned back to the town. |
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| The river running through the gorge which looks tranquil but a few days earlier had been a raging torrent. |
We pressed on down the cobbled street, leaving the tourist throngs behind into a quiet and peaceful part of the city. We crossed a large square dominated by another cathedral which we entered and which was very richly decorated. We also ascended to the 'platforms' which had been constructed high above the nave and which afforded great views over the city and countryside as well as internal views of the church. This was a very well constructed endeavor which not only allowed great views but also seats to rest and contemplate. The impressive church had been constructed on the site of a former mosque which mirrors the country's Moorish past and transition to Christianity.
Pressing on further down the street we came to our destination by the Almocabar Gate at the old Arabic wall, 'De Locos Tapas' a very small restaurant of four tables which in good weather are on the small plaza outside, or in poor weather upstairs in the tiny dining room. our host Guillermo, (below, courtesy of his website the link for which is the first of the links below) is a very jolly guy who with his wife who is a chef runs the place, greeted us warmly and as he and Bill share the same name in their respective languages seemed extra friendly.
 |
| Guillermo at work in the tiny kitchen. |
http://de-locos-tapas.com/
https://vimeo.com/139271582
The lunch we had was nothing short of outstanding. A series of wonderful tasting tapas which we all shared. Tuna with a wasabi ice cream, shrimp, grilled and fired vegetables with tasty and piquant sauces, wonderful wild mushrooms, a concoction of sardines which was called the Guggenheim (NOT the NYC one but the San Sebastian one!! - Guillermo is a proud Basque). The tastes were just the 'exploding in the mouth type, each one with just enough food to convey the unique tastes without over-filling. We ordered round after round of tapas until we finally relented and shred a dessert between us. Not over-full but nicely replete we were pretty much the last to leave the restaurant well into late afternoon. Guillermo kindly gave us a digestif to complete our meal. Maybe this is how eating should be. I would recommend following the Vimeo link above (thanks Vimeo) link above for a really enjoyable video of Ronda and also the troy of Guillermo. If you are in Ronda, don't miss this place, whatever you do.
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| Specials!!!! |
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| Almocabar Gate and Arabian Wall beside Loco de Tacos. |
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| The Guggenheim!! (Bilbao) |
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| Various photos of De Loco Tapas and the wonderful lunch we had there. |
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| The bijou upstairs dining room at De Loco Tapas which was not being used as the weather mandated out door dining |
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