So, we’ve been a little slack in the blog department. The last few days were perfect for spending time on the computer, but they were also perfect for NOT doing anything else. It has been a cold, wet, and windy week here in Ronda and Jerez. The temperature is 10 to 12 degrees below normal so instead of 25 it’s 13. And wet. But change that to was. Today, Saturday, is a balmy 20 with brilliant sunshine and endless blue sky. It’s not that we didn’t do anything, but we had to pick our battles between the downpours. It was reminding us of the wet coast but I think the weather is getting back to normal. Just in time for WWIII to break out.
We hopped a ride here to Jerez with Carlos, the son of Charo, our airBNB host in Ronda. Beautiful countryside, rolling green hills, small mountains, and pretty little villages along the way. It took a little over an hour as opposed to a 3-1/2 hour milk run bus trip. It was a short 30 minute walk to our new digs and since, we’ve poked around town off and on when the rains eased up.
People here have been very nice to us and Jerez has a nice easy feel to it. It’s a smaller city but not too small, feels very working class, not a lot of tourist activity as far as we can see, and yet it has a good energy to it. Especially when the sun comes out. We checked out the markets as we need to buy groceries and people seem happy, to the point of almost breaking out into song. We went to buy a couple of artichokes today; the market was packed but a couple of women let us into the line when they realized we were visitors. We gave the merchant a euro for 2 large artichokes which apparently was too much so instead of change, he gave us another artichoke with a big smile. Three large alcachofas for $1.60. We also snagged a ½ kilo of fresh strawberries for one euro. We love this place!
There are lots of old relics here like everywhere else and it even has a mini Alhambra but the main attraction seems to be alcohol. Hence the name sherry. An entire region built on one of the worlds oldest wines and while Teresa is not a huge fan, I can attest that sherry is pretty darn tasty. Even the British wanted this stuff badly. They sent Francis Drake into Cadiz in 1587 where he swiped a few thousand barrels for Queen Elizabeth I. The Spanish King apparently wasn’t amused. And besides the wine, Jerez is known as the city of flamenco, horses (the Royal Andalusian Equestrian School is here), tabancos, which is a tapas joint with sherry of course, and motorcycles, which I did not know. In 2014 it became the worlds first motorbike capital.
So, we tried the tabanco thing at one of the local favorites, Las Banderillas, a corner joint dedicated to bull fights, where the Salmorejo (tomato based gazpacho) was a big hit and the beer and sherry are 1/3 the price of the actual food. We wandered by a local winery, Bodegas Diez Merito, which just happened to be open and celebrating…something, so we walked in, got a free tasting (well, I did anyway) and bought a small bottle of Oloroso. The locals were lined up at the counter with plastic jugs and were filling up with their favourite (Fino, Amontillado, Oloroso, Viejo) for about €6 for 2 liters. And some of them did break out into song. We love this place!
We still have to get to Cadiz for a day trip, the equestrian school of course, and some more tapas places. The improved weather is very welcome, and we’ve even found a French bakery close by with great baguette, pan chocolate, and waaaay too many pastries. Someone please give the Donald some sherry and tell him to chill.
This sounds like a really nice place and we are happy to hear the weather has improved. Maybe we will have to reserve an RR place for you when you get home if you decide to come home. x
Yes, Jerez was very nice. We especially enjoyed the laid back atmosphere. I think Gary will be writing more about it in Jerez – part 2, including a bit about our tour of the equestrian school with its fabulous Andalusian horses! . . . it is really tempting to stay here! 🙂