Skip to main content

Sorbet in the shade

 

You know it’s been a busy day when you get home at 11pm and go straight to sleep! Today I’ll be talking about yesterday and our drive from Córdoba to Ronda.

Driving through the countryside of Southern Spain, or Andalusia, two big things strike me in contrast to driving through the countryside of Scotland. First, it is so nice to be back on the “right” side of the road. Secondly, just as Scotland seems to be the land of the sheep, Andalusia is the land of the olives. 

Olive trees stretching on into the distance

It seems like immense olive groves stretch on for miles and miles, as far as the eye can see.

Our first stop was quick, it was a museum of archeology focussing on the city of Madinat Al-Zahra, just outside of Córdoba. Madinat Al-Zahra  does not exist anymore, so the museum just showcases some of its ruins and history. 

A fun little pitcher from the city’s ruins

Our second stop however was absolutely amazing. We spent a few hours at the Castillo de Almodóvar, a castle of Arab-Muslim origin which was also extensively used in the Middle Ages… and which was used in Game of Thrones! For any GOT fans, this castle was used in season 7 as the set of Highgarden, home of the Tyrell’s.

Walking up to Almodóvar Castle

Even if you’re not a GOT fan, this castle is still worth a visit. There were many towers to climb, lot’s of beautiful views, and fun medieval displays that you could interact with. 

Feeling regal on the balcony

Is Liam the future king of England?

View of castle turrets

Walking the castle walls

Our third stop was one of the most unique places I have ever been to: the village of Setenil de las Bodegas. This village’s claim-to-fame are its white-washed houses built right into the cliffside! It feels almost like a movie set when you look at it, and then you realize that the rocks are indeed real and a part of most of the buildings.

First views of Setenil

And the houses are not just resting against the rock, no, the cliffside is incorporated into the house as a part of the roof and the back wall as well! Being in the cliffs, the was quite a bit of shade which was wonderful in the hot weather!

Exploring Setenil

Wandering the cliff-covered streets

The rock actually covers over this whole street!

To beat the heat a little more, we got some delicious ice cream! I had a scoop of lemon-cream and a scoop of mango.

Some refreshing ice cream in the shade

We wandered around the beautiful Setenil streets for a while before heading back to the car for our evening destination, Ronda. 

Now, by this point it was 8pm any I was feeling a little carsick and unwell, but I’m so glad my family convinced me to go out for the evening. This was one of my favourite evenings yet. 

You may have heard about, or seen pictures of Ronda’s Puente Nuevo (or “New Bridge”), but nothing compares to seeing it in person. The scenery is truly plucked right out of a fantasy novel. 

Sunset from Puente Nuevo (photo creds to my mother)

The city of Ronda it built on two cliff sides, separated by the huge El Tajo Gorge, which is spanned by the bridge. The Puente Nuevo took 34 years to build and was finished in the mid-18th century, at almost100m tall it used to be one of the worlds tallest bridges.         

Looking out onto the Puente Nuevo
Looking down into the El Tajo Gorge from the bridge

After enjoying the views from the bridge, we spent some time enjoying the nightlife of Spain as there was a festival on, just by our apartment! We got sangria and fries and many samples of cheese. There was also wonderful flamenco guitar performances to listen to and plenty of stalls to get knickknacks. 

Stalls in the festival market

Lots of yummy food!

This was our first late evening in Spain, and it was such a wonderful experience. The city and the people really come alive after 10pm, and the hustle and bustle make the city seem vibrant, despite the surrounding darkness. 

We got home early for Spanish standards, around 11pm, and went to bed, excited to explore the gorge more the next morning!

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Pastel De Nata

We had an absolutely stunning day today! Although we spent about 3 hours driving from Lagos to Sintra on Portuguese tolled highways, our time in both those cities was incredible. We had a fantastic breakfast spread in our hotel today, and we we spent about 45 minutes tasting Portuguese delicacies, including tomato and pumpkin jams, honey fresh from the comb, and many breads and baked goods. Delicious breakfast We were now fueled to take a walk on the beautiful boardwalk in Lagos. We walked along the Atlantic towards the Ponta da Piedade, a rocky outcrop where a small lighthouse stands. The water was a gorgeous blue, the sandstone cliffs a calm beige, and the weather was on our side gracing us with a nice cool breeze.  Gorgeous cliffside Made it to the end of the boardwalk! This is definitely a place we’ll have to return to…I would love to do a kayak trip along the coastline and explore the beautiful rock formations from below. Steps down to the water Going down the stairs Turquoise...
Post a Comment
Read more

Francesinhas & Port Wine

 Today was our first full day in the city of Porto! The name Portugal actually originates from the name of this city. We arrived here yesterday afternoon after a pretty miserable travel day, but the taste of port wine helped us forget about late busses, lost things, and exorbitant ATM fees. Port wine originates in Porto, but was actually invented by the British as a way to help wine survive the journey from Portugal to England. This fortified wine comes in several varieties. The main two are “Ruby” and “Tawny”. Ruby is generally more fruity and has a more vibrant colour, whereas tawny is aged in oak barrels and is more nutty and honey tasting. We both enjoyed the tawny more than the ruby. Sampling white, ruby, tawny, and reserve port wines This morning we took a “free” walking tour through the old city of Porto. Our guide told us many interesting tidbits about Portuguese history and society.  The city has many beautiful buildings, but also lots of construction everywhere ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Home cooked meals

 Our time in Cockermouth was spent relaxing and recuperating from a busy few weeks. We were able to stay with the grandmother of one of my friends so we were wonderfully taken care of :) On our first day we slept in and then did a little walk up to Watch Hill, a local walking route. This path takes you right through sheep grazing fields! It was quite fun to see all the sheep up close as you walk through their home. Generally they’re very calm, although a few did stare us down as we walked by.  Walking through the fields Relaxing sheep Mama and her babies Views from our walk In the afternoon, we explored a bit of the town centre. Most shops were closed as it was a Sunday, but we could still appreciate the lovely architecture. It was still warm today so there were quite a few people bathing in the River Cocker, enjoying their time off. Interestingly, the River Cocker’s name comes from a Celtic word which means “the crooked one”. The River Cocker Cute little houses Kirk in the ce...
Post a Comment
Read more