Feliz cumpleaños a mí
Written by Geoff Forster
Has it been a year already since the big 50?
Well it has and I'm now the grand old age of 51.
So we're off celebrating.
In true birthday tradition I get to choose the destinations and route of our trip.
So we're off to Ronda along the A369. Later we plan to drive along the MA561 from Ronda to Cortes de la Frontera and then through the Alcornocales forest.
This is a familiar view of Benarrabá from the apartment sun terrace.
Here's Jane squinting in the bright November sunshine.
We set off around 11:00 we drove passed Atajate. Here are a couple of shots of the village from the car. Followed by a photo of the rocky sierras as we climbed out of the Genal valley.
We parked in the Barrio de San Francisco just outside the old walled city.
We walked across the plaza and took these of the fountain with the statue of San Francisco. Then walked through the stone gateway into Ronda.
Near the Cathedral bunting was being put up and stalls erected. On November 13-15th there is a Mercardo Goyesca.
This is a minaret.
We walked across the puente nuevo stopping to look into the gorge from both sides. It is always breathtaking. Even after the 100th time ... (or so).
We walked up Calle Espinel Ronda's main pedestrianised shopping street.
Lots of changes since the last time we were here. New shops and a few new facades.
Jane is starting an online clothing store. We needed a mannequin to dress with stock and photograph. We've being trying to find one for ages. A very difficult thing to buy and have shipped to Spain.
We spotted a shop having a closing down sale. There was a mannequin in the window.
So we asked.
To cut a long story short we got it. Thank you Jesús, the shop owner.
His menswear store "Speed Limit" was also having a sale. Check it out if you are in Ronda.
We were going to go for a pizza.
We always go to and recommend Da Vinci's pizzaria.
The restaurant then had an identity crisis and changed names to "Son Arte" but the owners and menu were the same.
Now it has changed again. It now serves a typical Spanish menu of pork, ham and more pork.
I crossed the road to go for a much needed beer in a wonderful tradition bar called Faustinos.
Shock, horror ... it has been gutted and is undergoing a major renovation. No doubt it will become a restaurant/wine bar. I'm not happy!
A cold beer elsewhere soon revives my spirits. Lucky my birthday isn't on the 15th ...
So plan 'B' we go to Pizzaria Vesubio in Calle Sevilla. We've eaten here before and it is excellent. Looks like we'll be coming here more often.
Stuffed with pizza we walked back down to the gorge. We called in Café Capri to see Miguel. Then we carried Deidre (the dummy now has a name) back to the car.
We did some shopping then headed to Cortes. We passed the cuevo del gato. The cat cave. I have no idea who named the cave but they must have had a lot more alcohol or LSD in their system than I do, because I just don't see the cat.
We drove passed Benaoján. There are some great limestone outcrops around this area.
On and through Cortes de la Frontera. Major roadworks here saw us take a detour through some back streets.
On and into the Alcornocales forest.
Not many animals ... two goats, two donkeys one cow and five horses. Sometimes we see deer and once we saw two families of wild boar but not today.
It was still warm in the sun. Late afternoon is a wonderful time to be in the forest, as the sun drops and shafts of sunlights shine through the trees.
Okay no more Angel of the North impressions until my next birthday.
We stopped for refreshment outside Bar España in El Colmenar.
A superb day out. Thanks to Jane for the good company and all the driving.
We called in Bar La Zambra for a vino tinto. They do a large glass of good rioja for 1€.
Back home we sorted out the animals and were going to cook a special birthday dinner of organic Benarrabá pork tenderloin ... but we were still stuffed from the pizza ... so we'll have the pork tomorrow.
You can click on the photos to enlarge. Then click the right or left side of the enlargement for next & previous.
Well it has and I'm now the grand old age of 51.
So we're off celebrating.
In true birthday tradition I get to choose the destinations and route of our trip.
So we're off to Ronda along the A369. Later we plan to drive along the MA561 from Ronda to Cortes de la Frontera and then through the Alcornocales forest.
This is a familiar view of Benarrabá from the apartment sun terrace.
Here's Jane squinting in the bright November sunshine.
We set off around 11:00 we drove passed Atajate. Here are a couple of shots of the village from the car. Followed by a photo of the rocky sierras as we climbed out of the Genal valley.
We parked in the Barrio de San Francisco just outside the old walled city.
We walked across the plaza and took these of the fountain with the statue of San Francisco. Then walked through the stone gateway into Ronda.
Near the Cathedral bunting was being put up and stalls erected. On November 13-15th there is a Mercardo Goyesca.
This is a minaret.
We walked across the puente nuevo stopping to look into the gorge from both sides. It is always breathtaking. Even after the 100th time ... (or so).
We walked up Calle Espinel Ronda's main pedestrianised shopping street.
Lots of changes since the last time we were here. New shops and a few new facades.
Jane is starting an online clothing store. We needed a mannequin to dress with stock and photograph. We've being trying to find one for ages. A very difficult thing to buy and have shipped to Spain.
We spotted a shop having a closing down sale. There was a mannequin in the window.
So we asked.
To cut a long story short we got it. Thank you Jesús, the shop owner.
His menswear store "Speed Limit" was also having a sale. Check it out if you are in Ronda.
We were going to go for a pizza.
We always go to and recommend Da Vinci's pizzaria.
The restaurant then had an identity crisis and changed names to "Son Arte" but the owners and menu were the same.
Now it has changed again. It now serves a typical Spanish menu of pork, ham and more pork.
I crossed the road to go for a much needed beer in a wonderful tradition bar called Faustinos.
Shock, horror ... it has been gutted and is undergoing a major renovation. No doubt it will become a restaurant/wine bar. I'm not happy!
A cold beer elsewhere soon revives my spirits. Lucky my birthday isn't on the 15th ...
So plan 'B' we go to Pizzaria Vesubio in Calle Sevilla. We've eaten here before and it is excellent. Looks like we'll be coming here more often.
Stuffed with pizza we walked back down to the gorge. We called in Café Capri to see Miguel. Then we carried Deidre (the dummy now has a name) back to the car.
We did some shopping then headed to Cortes. We passed the cuevo del gato. The cat cave. I have no idea who named the cave but they must have had a lot more alcohol or LSD in their system than I do, because I just don't see the cat.
We drove passed Benaoján. There are some great limestone outcrops around this area.
On and through Cortes de la Frontera. Major roadworks here saw us take a detour through some back streets.
On and into the Alcornocales forest.
Not many animals ... two goats, two donkeys one cow and five horses. Sometimes we see deer and once we saw two families of wild boar but not today.
It was still warm in the sun. Late afternoon is a wonderful time to be in the forest, as the sun drops and shafts of sunlights shine through the trees.
Okay no more Angel of the North impressions until my next birthday.
We stopped for refreshment outside Bar España in El Colmenar.
A superb day out. Thanks to Jane for the good company and all the driving.
We called in Bar La Zambra for a vino tinto. They do a large glass of good rioja for 1€.
Back home we sorted out the animals and were going to cook a special birthday dinner of organic Benarrabá pork tenderloin ... but we were still stuffed from the pizza ... so we'll have the pork tomorrow.
You can click on the photos to enlarge. Then click the right or left side of the enlargement for next & previous.
Great pics as usual, weather looks good too hope it lasts a bit
longer as we are out there in a weeks time.
Stu and Chris
The weather has been fantastic. No sign of it breaking yet.
We’ll have to revisit Benadalid in the next week or two … it’s been a while.
Give me a call or text on my mobile if you are coming over to Benadalid between 24th 30th it would be nice to meet up for a chat.
All looking nice in the Campo, 70 degrees, better than Manchester, When I get better, we must have a beer, any idea what the weather can be like Feb, March and April, with luck I should either be re-couping from ops or getting ready for some, so need to rest up in Cortes.