The scenic drive from Seville to Ronda included lovely fields of sunflowers and a huge lake.
The whitewashed village near the lake is reminiscent of the hill towns of France and Italy here, but here the uniform white dazzles.
To break up the journey we had a tour of a ranch where Andulusian horses were raised and trained I didn’t have many photos because the heat was oppressive and I didn’t feel too well. We had lunch there after our tour.
We arrived in Ronda and are again staying at another parador, the Parador de Ronda, which was originally the City Hall. This is a building from the twentieth century, so its history is a young one, compared to others in which we’ve stayed. The building is ultra modern with the room is huge with all the modern conveniences, including our own balcony with a view of the gorge!
We did an orientation walk after arrival and Susana gave us an interesting cultural adventure. We went into a small enclosure where cloistered Carmelite nuns live and sell their wares to the public in an ingenious way: one enters a small room, rings the bell and asks for whatever goods are displayed in the cabinet – knitted baby articles, religious tracts, desserts, and other hand made items. The cloistered nun comes to the other side of the door but does not show her face; the exchange of money is handled discretely.
Our walks during the last two days took us through some spectacular scenery.
We attended a home hosted dinner our last night here. Juan and Ima are veterinarians and work for the government visiting the farms, making sure that the livestock are inoculated and cared for. They have three sons, ages 13, 15, and 17. The oldest boy will be attending high school in the U S in the fall, his younger brother is a budding cartoonists and the youngest is a scholar. The house is filled with animals: a cat, a Spanish water dog named Katy, a rabbit named Greta, a love bird and fish. They also have a large terrace with magnificent views of the city. It was a delight to sound time with this warm and welcoming family.
We are now in Úbeda, at another fantastic parador. Tomorrow we explore an olive mill and discover this delightful town.
To be continued..