Ronda

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After grabbing some fresh pastries for breakfast and a little more walking around in Granada, we loaded up the Volvo and headed for Ronda. I found it to be a nice drive.

Ronda is a beautiful small town mostly up on a big hill. Our hotel (apartment) is the nicest and most spacious yet. Windows overlook a beautiful square with a park in the middle. After checking in it was time for lunch; it just so happened that we found ourselves in the area of Tripadvisor's #2 restaurant, but we had no idea what to expect when we walked through the nondescript doors.
It was a well decorated fancy place with wood paneling and jazz music quietly playing. This is a fixed price, chefs discretion, multiple course meal. First course: Cheese blintz with goat cheese inside and strawberry compote on top - perfectly crispy outside; Asparagus with olive oil. Second course: Fresh cod with tomato, onion and fresh pimento- the thickest piece of cod I've ever seen. Third course:Steak with potatoes and some sort of wonderful (maybe curry and saffron) sauce. Fourth course: Gooey goodness- Some sort of cake, crispy on the outside soft on the inside with a cinnamon flavor, topped with ice cream and caramel.

After lunch went to the ancient Arab baths, by the time we got there that had closed already because it was a bank holiday. Next we went to the bull ring, which is the oldest in Spain, only one matador has been killed in this ring in the 1800s. They still have bullfights at this areana in September. Following the bullring, we went to the "new bridge" that spans a gorge connecting the new and old sides of town. We walked down a paved path for a little way and then saw a foot trail that went down to the base of the bridge where there was a waterfall and amazing views of the town up above. We also found another trail the went down to some old abandoned water works stuff at the base of the bridge, that was awesome! Next it was over to the "old bridge", we went down a path to that seemed to have the ruins of the old city wall and fort. We were able to climb these ruins for yet more great views. We could look down on the Atab baths from earlier in the day. We then walked by Mondragon palace, but did not go in. 26,000 steps and 60 floors of stairs.

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