We spent the next 5 days mostly visiting relatives and strolling around town. It was getting close to the major influx of vacationers from Seville and other towns wanting to spend some time on Chipiona's beaches. Already, weekends doubled the size of the town with folks spending the weekend here. Besides the visits to my wife's aunts, uncles, and numerous cousins, we also spend one day in Las Cabezas visiting Consuelo's (my brother-in-law's wife) parents there. Over time, they have used funds from their farm to build a large, very beautiful house with a garage big enough for 4 full-sized buses. Another day was spent in Jerez de la Frontera visiting Consuelo's sister and spendiing a good bit of time sightseeing and then having a very decent lunch. Friday, the night before we left Chipiona, my ... read more

AFTER A PRETTY GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP, CONSIDERING HOW TIRED WE WERE, WE DIDN'T WAKE UP UNTIL A LITTLE AFTER 8AM, BUT WE WERE STILL THE FIRST ONES UP IN OUR ROOM, OUT OF SIX TRAVELERS. SOME QUICK ABLUTIONS, AND WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO THE ALHAMBRA (THE H IS SILENT) TO GET OUR ACTUAL TICKETS AND MEET UP WITH THE GUIDE BY 10AM. ALTHOUGH IT LOOKS LIKE QUITE A WAYS ON THE MAP, IT REALLY WASN'T ALL THAT FAR, JUST A BIT STEEP NEAR THE END. WE WALKED ALONG THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE COMPLEX, PASS THE TICKET WINDOW/ENTRANCE, AND LOCATED THE SIGN BY THE PARKING LOT FOR GANAVISION, THE AGENCY THAT ISSUED OUR TICKETS. THE LADY THERE EXPLAINED THAT OUR GROUP WOULD LEAVE FROM PARKING AREA 1 AT 10:15, GIVE US TOUR STICKERS TO ... read more

WE GOT UP THIS MORNING NOT SURE WHERE WE WERE GOING TO GO. MANOLI WANTED TO HANG AROUND TOWN MOSTLY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE HIGH CHANCE OF RAIN. WE DECIDED WE NEEDED GAS AND MONEY ANYWAYS, AND NEITHER WERE AVAILABLE IN MONSANTO OR ALL THAT CLOSE. WE ASKED THE TOURIST LADY AND SHE SAID THE NEAREST PLACE FOR BOTH WAS IN PENHA GARCIA, A LARGER TOWN DOWN THE 'HILL' FROM MONSANTO AND ABOUT ABOUT 20 KMs ON THE MAIN ROAD. ALTHOUGH I HADN'T MADE A WEB PAGE FOR IT, I DID REMEMBER THERE BEING SOME FOSSIL STUFF THERE, AND AFTER LOOKING ON THE INTERNET, REALIZED THAT ALSO HAD A SMALL CASTLE. THIS WILL MAKE OUR 10TH CASTLE SO FAR. WE WALKED DOWN TO OUR CAR AND HEADED DOWN THE HILL, PASSING THE LITTLE TOWN OF RELVA AT ... read more

WE LEFT VILA NOVA DA FOZ COA SOON AFTER BREAKFAST, AND JUST BEFORE A GROUP OF BIKERS, AND HEADED TOWARDS MONSANTO. EVEN THE MAIN HIGHWAYS IN THIS REGION GOES UP AND DOWN, A LOT! WE STOPPED AT BELMONTE, SINCE IT WAS ALONG THE WAY, AND ALSO HAD ITS OWN CASTLE, PLUS ONE OF THE LARGEST JEWISH COMMUNITIES FROM NEAR MEDIEVAL TIMES. WE CLIMBED A LITTLE UP INTO TOWN AND FOUND A PARKING SPOT PRETTY CLOSE TO THE CASTLE, ALTHOUGH STILL BELOW IT A BIT. WE WOUND OUR WAY UP TO IT AND ENTERED THE MAIN PORTAL TO DISCOVER TWO THINGS. FIRST OF ALL, THERE WAS NO ENTRY FEE, AND SECONDLY, APPARENTLY THEY WERE SETTING UP FOR A FESTIVAL, POSSIBLY ANOTHER MEDIEVAL ONE. UNFORTUNATELY, THEY WERE JUST STARTING TO SET UP, SO THE FESTIVAL WAS EITHER GOING ... read more

WE ATE THE STANDARD BREAKFAST, THEN GRABBED OUR GEAR AND DROVE TO THE COA MUSEUM FOR OUR 4-WHEEL TOUR. THE BUILDING IS WELL OUT OF TOWN, LIKE 2 KILOMETERS AND VERY STRANGE IN DESIGN. THEY DID HAVE A CAFE/RESTAURANT, BUT IT WAS EMPTY IN THE MORNING AND WE'D JUST HAD COFFEE, SO WE CHECKED IN FOR OUR TOUR. WE ENDED UP GETTING A PRIVATE TOUR OF JUST MANOLI AND I, WITH AN ENGLISH-SPEAKING FEMALE GUIDE. SHE DROVE OUT OF TOWN IN OUR 4-WHEEL VEHICLE, THEN TURNED OFF ONTO THE ROAD FROM HELL. WE ARRIVED AT THE SECURITY CHECKPOINT AND PARKED THE JEEP. AFTER CHECKING IN, OUR GUIDE TOOK US TO THREE DIFFERENT ROCK PAINTING SITES. THE GUIDE EXPLAINED THERE WERE THREE WAYS THEY 'CARVED' IN THE ROCK, SOMETHING LIKE GOUGING, CHIPPING, AND SCRATCHING. ALL BUT THE ... read more