Blogs from Ronda, Andalusia, Spain, Europe - page 6

Visiting Ronda was one of the reasons for choosing Fuengirola as a base for these three days. Ronda is situated inland so this meant a drive up and through the range of mountains that act as a backdrop to this picture postcard coastline. The drive in itself was spectacular with views around every corner but unfortunately it was punctuated by groups of oncoming motor cyclists “practising” for the next Moto-GP. The tourists heading our way were more sedate in the way they tackled the task. Added to the mix a local cycle team chose this day and this route for a practice ride. The drive into the town is like any other town, quite unspectacular with the usual industrial and commercial centres. Once the car was parked up for the afternoon in an underground car park ... read more

Arcos is a pretty small place, not that it isn't worth a few days, but we get itchy feet. So yesterday, after breakfast we pointed the car east and did a loop through the beautiful country in Andalucia's interior. The landscape is covered in velvety green right now as the winter wheat comes up and cows and windmills dot the rolling hills. There are some beautiful mountains so we stopped in Bosque, a mountain town where the permits for hiking are distributed, and grabbed a map. We decided on a trail that goes straight up a mountain called Torreon, about 1700 meters high and it was awesome, a great little butt-kicker of a hill. We made it up the 5km in about an hour and a half, through a pygmy forest of some unknown tree that ... read more

Geo: 36.742, -5.16641This morning I caught a bus to Ronda.... read more

Best news of the trip - Dr. Grunbaum!!!! Gali got into medical school.... read more

Arabic Bridge Funny, both travel books called the oldest bridge the Arabic bridge, but the TI map calls it the Roman Bridge and the signage states it is likely Arabic. It was a lovely walk down some very twisty-turney roads, and I was amazed to see a car rumbling up the cobblestones toward me. It was followed by several scooters, which I did not find at all surprising. New Bridge hike I then went looking for a way to get underneath the New Bridge. I found a way to get *inside* the bridge, where I found an interpretive center. I could see the trail from the bridge, but could not tell where it started from. The town is arrayed along either side of a chasm, with bridges between. I finally found it clear at the other ... read more