October 1st - 15th 2006
Written by Geoff Forster
The last day of the feria and it's always special when the horses and their beautifully dressed riders are in the village.
Pete and Jackie attended the mass in the church whilst Jane and I went to Café Bar Guayacán to wait for the arrival of the caballeros.
There were many more horses and riders than in previous years. An excellent turnout. Everyone looked very smart.
We followed the horsemen and women down to Calle Pósito.
These ladies looked stunning in their traditional dresses.
Francisco Barroso.
We went into Bar Andrés Sánchez where we met up with Jackie and Pete after mass.
Jackie and Jane.
Peter Nash.
This lady runs the Nanta animal feed store in Gaucín.
Her husband was pictured earlier in the beige/brown outfit on the white horse. It's always good to see them both in Benarrabá.
We were invited by Francisco Barroso to join the caballeros at a barbecue in Calle Bajo.
On the way down we passed the Mayor of Algatocín.
He's a professional photographer.
It was an honour to be invited and we were well looked after.
Our neighbour Antonio was cooking some wonderful marinated pork on a barbecue.
We took a lot of photographs. Here are a few.
This is Almudena. Francisco Barroso's wife.
The building looked like a garage but there was a fireplace, sink and cooker. Plenty of chairs and a dining table. The ladies were in there chatting.
Pete, Jane and Jackie.
José.
The children were enjoying rides on this placid white pony.
Andrés Ramos.
This man was sitting on a step. He took a shine to Jane.
He gave her a big kiss on the cheek.
There are some wonderful old buildings in this area of Benarrabá.
Alphonso runs a bar in Gaucín near the animal feed store.
We were well looked after with huge pieces of pork and cans of beer.
We walked up to Café Bar Guayacán the caballeros were due to have a competition in the old wood yard at 18:00h.
Here's Ron, Pam, John and Chris. It was good to se them again.
This is Lina and Nick Chadwick. Lina and Nick live in a finca near Jubrique. Lina has e-mailed us a few times starting over a year ago. She reads the blog. She took some persuading to let me take a photograph. It was great to finally meet her.
This is the Sierra Bermeja as we walked up to watch the caballeros.
I'm not 100% sure how this sport works. Ribbons are wrapped around a rope hung across the area from two poles, at such a height a horseman has to stretch up out of the saddle to touch them.
The ribbons have small rings on the end of them. The horseman has a small stick like a pencil and has to put this through the ring and take the ribbon from the rope.
I assume the rider with the most ribbons wins.
The riders took turns to charge across the yard and try to get a ribbon.
This is our friend Jenine from Benarrabá.
It took great horsemanship and balance to ride this fast and stretch to get the ribbon.
I think Francisco Barroso had organised the event and he was scoring.
Congratulations to him for a great days entertainment.
There were a lot more misses than hits. Here's a successful charge.
The winner.
We headed home to change.
We went to the plaza to see 'Malacai' which is Juan Jesús our neighbour and his friend Iván playing and singing.
Whilst I was taking the photographs of 'Malacai' Jane, Jackie and Pete had sat down on a bench at the side of the plaza. Lots of the village kids were pointing and laughing. A man started gesturing to them.
They weren't sure what he was trying to tell them. He came across and pointed to what looked like a string of lights that wound backwards and forwards across the plaza and were wrapped round the bench. It was only when he started making explosion noises and hand signals that they realised they'd sat on a fireworks display that was about to be lit!
One end of the cord was lit and a series of huge bangs and cracks rang out around the plaza. Two huge charges left us all deaf. These were the loudest bangers that I've ever heard. We laughed all the way to Café Bar Guayacán.
We had some beautiful tapas. Pete and I both love the garlic prawns, we had quite a few!
I'm up at 06:00h. trying to catch up with the blog and sort out the hundreds of photo's we've taken over the last few days. It has been a really busy time. I haven't started on the pages for www.benarraba.com which could take all next week to complete!
We're going to Ubrique later this morning (09:00h.) to let Jackie and Pete check out the leather goods shops. We'll probably drive back through the Alcornocales.
We got to Ubrique at around 10:30h.
Jackie and Jane started shopping in the many leather goods shops here.
Pete and I strolled up the main street.
We sat at a table of a street Café and waited for the ladies ...
They finally arrived and we enjoyed a good cup of coffee.
Onwards around more shops.
This dog was cute, it sat on a stool shivering. Either it was very nervous or very cold.
Ubrique is quite a large town. It is set in beautiful mountains which tower above it. The old town is pretty, there are lots of new houses being built and the town is rapidly expanding. Instead of being a pretty jewel of a village nestling in the mountains it is becoming an urban sprawl. The leather goods industry offers lots of employment and people have to live somewhere, you can't halt progress.
The shopping areas of Ubrique however are very pretty with avenues of Orange trees in the pedestrianised parts, and pollarded Plane trees along the busy road by the shops.
A crucifix sits on top of one of the limestone outcrops.
Jackie bought a lovely leather jacket and we all enjoyed lunch in Bar Cristina.
Walking back to the car we bumped into Alan and Sue who have a holiday home in Cortes de la Frontera. They stayed with us in January whilst completing the paperwork on their house.
He still reads the blog and kindly sends friends to visit our website.
We drove to the Pista Forestal through the Alcornocales National Parque.
Just before the turn off we watched this deer.
We drove through the beautiful forest.
Not many animals but there was no water in running anywhere.
We did get a wonderful surprise when we came across five donkeys running free. The first time we've come across donkeys in the Alcornocales.
We parked. Two males came to see us.
I soon made friends with the dominant male.
He thinks Jane's toes are carrots.
Further on we passed two bulls. We don't usually see bulls in the forest.
We didn't get out for photo's!
Next we saw a herd of goats.
We called into Mesón Las Flores a favourite bar in Estación Gaucín / El Colmenar.
We stopped to watch this Lark, I'll have to get the book out to check whether it's a Crested Lark or Thekla Lark. Both are very similar and found in the area.
Back home we had a quick siesta.
Fed, watered, exercised the animals.
Then went to Café Bar Guayacán for tapas and some good Rioja.
These fellows with Jackie, Jane and Yolanda work for INFOCA.
They work preventing forest fires, maintaining firebreaks etc.
If fires do break out they are highly trained in how to fight the fires.
Jackie, Yolanda and Peter.
I'm up before dawn, working on websites.
We're off to the coast with Jackie and Pete.
We drove down to San Luis de Sabinillas.
We parked, then paddled along the beach towards Puerto de la Duquesa. We stopped at a Chiringuita (Beach Bar) Cubanga for a drink.
Refreshed we walked around the marina at Puerto de la Duquesa.
An unusual angle of the port office at Puerto de la Duquesa.
Jackie and Peter Nash
Jane.
This small fishing boat chugged into port, probably to refuel.
There are some pretty big fish in the marina. They come to the edge to get bread. They are popular with young children. You are not allowed to fish for them. There are a few different types. We think this spotted one may be a Sea Trout?
We walked back to San Luis de Sabinillas.
Another great photograph by Jane.
Jackie and Pete braved the chilly waters to have a swim.
We had lunch in Burger King.
They had a special offer on.
A Big King meal for 5 Euros / £3.50 plus a second Big King burger free.
We had a meal each.
Jane couldn't manage her second burger so I had close to three Big Kings!
They are the best burgers I've ever tasted.
We shopped in LIDL's. Gran Reserva Rioja wine for 3.49 Euros a bottle.
We drove back up to the mountains.
This is Gaucín.
We were all stuffed from the burgers.
It was Pete and Jackie's last night, so we have an early start tomorrow to the airport. We had a night in with a bottle of Cava and a bottle of the Rioja.
Carmen our neighbour brought a plateful of Kakis (Sharon fruit) across for us. They are so kind.
At various times during the day I managed find time to do a webpage of photo's from Thursday's feria for www.benarraba.com
We're up early before dawn.
We set off for Gibraltar just before 09:00h.
Jackie and Pete don't want to leave. We've had a great week.
Jane's parent's Bob and Esther arrive on the incoming flight from Heathrow.
Jackie and Pete depart on the same plane after a forty minute turn around, it then flies into Gatwick. Great planning!
The Rif mountains of Africa from La Linea looking across the port of Gibraltar.
A tearful parting. Jackie and Jane worked together at BT in Margate for thirteen years, they've enjoyed seeing each other again. Pete and I got on really well and we look forward to meeting up with them both again, hopefully next Easter.
Bob and Esther's flight was a few minutes early.
This young Sparrow was flying around the viewing point. I think it gets fed scraps from the nearby café.
Bob and Esther spotted us as soon as they came off the plane.
We passed the White Storks near Estación de San Roque.
There were thirty or forty wheeling around.
We stopped for a coffee at a venta.
I tested the zoom lens across the table.
This is Jane's father, Bob Armit.
We got home safely.
Bob and Esther wanted to see Rosie and Domingo.
Sophie the Siamese was also introduced.
The other pets got a fuss as well.
I'm cooking a special Murghi Aur Aloo curry tonight.
A rich creamy curry with chicken and potato originating from Persia.
I've got a sore throat and head cold (rare for me), I'll put extra garlic, ginger and chilli in!
I'm up early working on websites.
Bob and Esther hadn't had much sleep the night before so we left them to recover from their journey.
We went to one of the village shops for lemons. For cold relief.
We called into Bar Andrés Sánchez for coffee. Lots of people are recognising Esther and Bob who are making their fourth visit to beautiful Benarrabá.
Only Andrés bar was open. Yolanda has closed Cafe Bar Guayacán until Monday. Taking a well deserved rest. The bars were very busy during the Feria and staff only had a couple of hours sleep a day, which catches up on you over a four day period.
I got back to work on the computer.
Later I cooked chicken and peppers with mashed potato covered in a rich homemade black pepper cream sauce.
I went on the sun terrace to look at the sky.
The new camera has settings for night photography so I took this of the near full moon.
I'm up early again, working on websites.
I can see light at the end of the tunnel!
I'm uploading hundreds of Feria photo's onto www.benarraba.com
I took quite a lot of the horsemen and women on Sunday.
The horses were charging up and down the old wood yard, I got some good action shots but most needed cropping to centre the horse. Long and tedious work. It was worth it because I'm really pleased with the results.
By early evening I've completed the Benarrabá Feria de San Miguel Section.
Benarrabá Feria de San Miguel Arcángel
The link above opens in a new window.
The feria menu is on the top right.
Apologies to people with Dial Up connections, there are hundreds of photographs.
Jane has been to the nearby Costa del Sol. A lovely day out in San Luis de Sabinillas with her parents.
Here are some photographs that Jane took whilst down there.
It's a tough life lounging around under parasols by the Mediterranean.
It looks like they had good day ...
Back in Benarrabá, Jane cooked a lovely roast chicken dinner, with lots of roast vegetables.
I went on the sun terrace to try some more night shots.
There was some thin high cloud and the moon was rising behind it making some interesting lighting.
This is a long exposure with maximum zoom.
Genalguacil from the sun terrace of the apartment.
Jane and I watched Coyote Ugly. a quite funny romantic comedy.
A really hot day. Hard to believe its October.
I'm up early working on websites.
We drove to Gaucín, there's a small market there on Saturdays, I'm not sure if it is on alternate Saturdays, I'll try to find out.
Jane and Esther wandered around the stalls. They were all clothing stalls. The football bra stall was there, this always amuses us. huge hemispheres of padding and wires.
Ten minutes later they're out of the depressing building, of course they bought nothing, which is typical. I said to Bob as they went in, 'They won't buy anything'. Apparently the pleasure is in looking ... and you never know ...?
I needed a beer so I left the ladies and Bob to go to the Post Office. I went to Venta El Socorro then to Manolo's bar.
We met up again and went back to Venta El Socorro and sat outside in the sunshine.
We'd been there a few minutes when a chap walked up to us and introduced himself. He enjoys reading the blog and had traveled from Yunquera (around 2 hrs away) with his friend to see Benarrabá, they'd been to the house but luckily we were sitting outside the venta by the main road and they'd spotted us.
This is John and John.
John on the left lives in Yunquera, John on the right has a holiday home there and works in Canterbury, Kent.
Apparently a few people from the office where he works read the blog.
Strangely both of our friends Jackie and Pete who stayed with us last week also work in Canterbury.
Jane and I lived in Ramsgate before moving to Spain and often went into Canterbury, we both have a strange feeling that we've met both John's before but can't say where ...
We said goodbye to them and hope to meet up with them again.
We went back to Benarrabá.
Our neighbour Juan has asked me to translate for him, he has to prepare an estimate for a building project for an English family in Gaucín. I'm flattered he thinks my Spanish is up to it. On reflection he hasn't much choice!
We went to Gaucín and it went surprisingly well. I hope he gets the job, he's a fine builder and Benarrabá builders charge less than those in Gaucín.
We called into Venta El Socorro for a beer. It was my third time in this bar today.
Back in Benarrabá I watched England draw 0-0 with Macedonia. A typical England performance.
We went down to Bar Andrés Sánchez for tapas.
Spain were playing Sweden.
We had a some excellent wine from a vineyard near Ronda, 'Chinchilla', it is 10€ a bottle which is very reasonable for such a high quality wine.
Sweden beat Spain 2-0.
Blog reader Christine has just sent an e-mail with more information on ''Chinchilla' wine. The vineyard is on the hillsides on the road to Setenil. You can visit the vineyard, if you buy a case it is 6€ a bottle.
Christine says " It is one of the nicest wines we have ever had – yet another reason why we love the area so much!!! "
We have to agree with her. It is well worth trying.
Here's Bob Armit enjoying his wine and tapas.
Some young people from the village were also enjoying a bottle of 'Chinchilla' on the table behind us.
These are our neighbours children. The young girl took our photograph.
Which everyone thought was amusing.
Apart from the football it has been a really good day.
I'm up early again, working on websites.
Jane's caught the cold bug and isn't very well.
We have a quiet day around the house.
Jane improves by the afternoon and sits with Bob and Esther on the sun terrace.
Here are some photo's Jane took.
Bob & Esther Armit.
Esther Armit.
Horse and pony in the afternoon sun.
Great sunburst.
The first Black Redstart arrives in Benarrabá.
I love the small passerines that are winter residents in Andalucía.
We get some lovely little birds in the hedgerows. I prefer bird watching during the winter months.
In the evening we cooked a turkey and lentil curry.
I'm up early again, working on websites. A cloudy start but the sun breaks through during the morning and we have another really hot day.
We spent some time on the sun terrace enjoying the view.
We went to Café Bar Guayacán for tapas. Esther has to have gluten free bread so can't eat some tapas. Flora kindly sent Pepina, the waitress to her house, where she had some which she'd bought for her granddaughter. She then made a pork sandwich for Esther on the house!
Flora is such a kind and thoughtful lady as well as being a great cook!
In the afternoon we walked the donkeys down to the spring at El Chorruelo. They enjoyed the walk and we found some green grass for them.
In the evening we went to Pub Bar Dami's for tapas.
Back home we enjoyed a bottle of Gran Reserva Rioja whilst watching Jane's favourite program, 'Hells Kitchen'.
Our friend Stu from Stoke is about to have a heart bypass operation.
We're thinking of him, hoping that the operation goes well and that we'll see him again really soon.
A cloudier day today, but still very mild.
Jane and I go to Gaucín to meet Alison and Maurice.
We have a good chat at their house and then go to the 'Argentinean Bar', a bar with no name that is run now by Argentinean family hence the unofficial name.
Mick and Richard.
We enjoyed a few hours in Gaucín before returning to Benarrabá.
Jane, Esther and Bob went to Café Bar Guayacán.
I joined them a little later.
This is Cheryl, Geoff, Linda and Mike they are on holiday in Duquesa.
We helped them with maps and parking directions to Ronda, where they are heading tomorrow.
Jane's up before me! She's off to La Linea market with Esther and Bob. They also plan to cross into Gibraltar for a few hours.
It's a huge market with hundreds of stalls. You need to allow at least a couple of hours to walk around. (nightmare)
Two hours later and they bought ... absolutely nothing.
Across the border into Gibraltar.
Casemates Square always busy with many street cafes and bars.
Main Street.
Again a busy shopping street, a little like a British high street but warmer and friendlier.
There were some what look like North American indians playing South American music on pipes.
They seemed to be selling plenty of CD's.
Jane likes these breathy pipes, I'm not a big fan and usually manage to steer her quickly passed.
I now have a fear that I'm going to put the CD on in the car and find Geronimo's Greatest Hits Volume 1 wheezing out of the speakers.
Bob looks like he's found a good spot to have a pint.
Apparently it was too hot to sit in the sun.
There is a glass blowing workshop at one corner of Casemates Square.
Back across the border and Jane, Bob and Esther go exploring.
This is the beach at Santa Bárbara looking across the runway towards the rock.
The beach looks long, clean and worth visiting. The hills behind Sotogrande and Torreguadiaro are in the distance.
We usually pay to park and display in La Linea, but if you drive further on passed the large roundabout towards this beach parking is free.
A bit of a walk back to the border but the saving pays for a pan pipe version of the Mull of Kintyre.
Jane, Bob and Esther got safely home.
There is an exhibition over the next few days in the school in Benarrabá.
It opened tonight at 18:00h.
Jane and I received an e-mail invitation to the opening.
We got there a couple of minutes late to find it wasn't quite ready.
We went to the nearby Restaurante Kábilas for refreshment.
This is the view South.
The view East across the Genal Valley.
We've had no real rain for months and yet the Genal valley remains very green. The scrub beneath the trees is dry and in desperate need of a good downpour.
Sunburst.
The exhibition opened without any ceremony.
Nobody from the town hall was there to officially open it and say to a few words.
The exhibition is by a school/workshop based in Estación de Cortes although the girls are all from Benarrabá.
The exhibition is on until Sunday morning.
11:00 - 14:00h. and 18:00 - 21:00h.
Exposición de la escuela taller Poblado Nazarí.
There are examples of tools and ironwork used in the area hundreds of years ago. Both in houses and in the fields.
Susanna and her friend Lucy near a display about native and non indigenous seeds in Spain. There is also a model of an old aquifer for watering fields. They have actually built a working example in Estación de Cortes.
The school have been recreating ancient tools from old drawings and writings. This is a pedal driven lathe that they have made.
Auxi demonstrates for us.
Sandra has been recreating pottery from photographs and drawings of ancient pots. The detail she has on this pots is incredible. The size, shape and decoration is identical to the ones in the book. She is extremely talented. It's worth a visit just to see this section.
Macarena doesn't like her photograph being taken, but she kindly posed for us near some examples of their wood working skills, which have been made using similar tools to those used centuries ago.
This chap seemed to be the group leader/teacher and was happy to explain the aims of the workshop and what they were trying to recreate.
If you live in the area, please take the time to come and visit the exhibition. These workshops offer employment, are educational and create a pride in the colourful history of this part of Spain.
We went to the carnicería to buy some of Benarrabá's famous pork.
On the way we called in to see Dami.
Dami's wife, Susanna is on the right, her friend is visiting with her baby, Brian.
Later we cooked, pork tenderloin medals in a creamy pepper sauce, with mashed potato, green peppers, onions and setas (a fan shaped mushroom). It was beautiful.
I missed England's woeful defeat in Croatia. We lost 2-0 and never looked like scoring according to the reports that I've read.
Another beautiful day, hot sun and blue skies.
I did a webpage or two before we all went to Gaucín.
On the way we watched this male Kestrel. He was quite a distance away sitting on a telegraph pole, the camera was on max zoom.
It was a day for Kestrels, not much else in the skies.
Not even one White Stork later near Estación de San Roque.
In Gaucín we wanted some donkey seed mix, but the Nanta shop was closed 13:20h. we thought it shut at 14:00h.
Also plan B of going to Alphonso's bar didn't work either as his doors were firmly bolted.
We were going to eat in El Pilar but changed our minds. Esther has to have a gluten free diet which makes eating out tricky as gluten is in more things than you realise.
We drove to Sabinillas, plan D was to buy some good wine, four large steaks, plus mushrooms etc for a huge meal tonight.
No steaks in Lidl's, SuperSol was closed, so Jane drove to Los Barrios and we bought some in Carrefours. We originally were only going to Gaucín.
(Later: It turns out we were very lucky to find any shops open as it was a Bank Holiday in Spain. Día Hispanidad)
We stopped off at a Venta for refreshments and to break the journey before Jane drove us back to Benarrabá.
We had a huge meal, starting with garlic mushrooms and a plateful of prawns each.
The steaks were huge and the wine excellent.
Later we watched 'Forest Gump' starring Tom Hanks, which was actually better the second time around. I'd seen it years ago and hadn't liked it too much.
A quiet day in with the animals.
We cleaned out the donkeys, feeding and spending some time with them.
This is our beautiful Border Collie, Jake.
Mota de Oro (Motty) had been out all night ...
Jane.
Jane and Sophie our Siamese.
We went out to sit in the evening sunshine on the terrace of the Restaurante Kábilas. We passed through the plaza, The marquee is halfway dismantled, not needed now until the Feria Gastronómica at the end of February.
Our neighbours daughter is back in the village from her college.
Clouds creep over the summit of Los Reales the highest point of the Sierra Bermeja.
Seconds later and the clouds have receded a little.
Bob and Esther. It was a lovely evening a perfect place to sit and enjoy the views across the Genal Valley.
Jane Forster.
We called back into the exhibition being held in the school.
Lots of people were showing an interest and their support for this school/workshop.
This is Eduardo. Eduardo is from Catalonia but now lives in the village.
It is San Eduardo's day. Eduardo's has had phone calls from friends and family wishing him well on his Saint's day.
We called into Café Bar Guayacán to see Flora,
We bought some beer and biscuits to give to Eduardo as he'd kindly invited us to his home to help him to celebrate San Eduardo's day.
We stayed for half an hour, thanked Eduardo for his hospitality, then went home to feed the donkeys and walk the dogs.
Later we cooked yet another curry.
Jane's up early again. She's going to Ronda with Bob and Esther.
I have a rare day alone. I play my favourite classical music, watch the football preview ... Robinson's air shot is still being replayed.
Jane's back from a good day out in Ronda.
They spent most of the day shopping.
Esther bought some roast chestnuts from this stall.
We were going to have a roast chicken dinner, but the chicken we'd bought in Carrefours smelled bad so we didn't risk it. The dates on the label were good but the chicken wasn't.
We had a large piece of pork lomo so we substituted that and had honey glazed roast carrots and roast potatoes. Mmmmmmmmmm.
Jane & Co are off to the Rastro market at San Luis de Sabinillas.
I have another morning playing classical music and working doing graphics for our new websites.
In fact I worked all day.
Esther came back from the market with a CD of panpipe music no doubt encouraged by Jane who thought it highly amusing.
I listened to another disastrous game at St James' Park Newcastle United lost 1-2 to Bolton.
We cooked in the apartment and watched Prime Suspect starring Helen Mirren..