My cousin and I got up very early to hike down into the El Tajo Gorge so that we could have a view from below of the town's most famous landmark, the Puente Nuevo ( "New Bridge"). Yesterday we walked across Puente Nuevo, and even stood on it for a while and looked down in the gorge to survey where we'd go hiking. Even if you don't hike down into the gorge, standing on the bridge and taking in the setting is pretty amazing. But on this morning, for my cousin and me, it was about the hiking. We had a plan, and off we went. Soon, we had some "hiccups." A few of the trails were closed due to falling rocks or regular trail maintenance. We just kept walking through the town to find an accessible trail, and we started down it. Luckily, we saw this German traveler hiking on his own, and he confirmed that we were heading in the right direction. We tagged along for bit until we all reached a viewing area. There was another trail that could have taken us closer to the bridge, but it too was blocked. Still, it was very nice to observe Puente Nuevo from where we did. I talked with a Korean couple, and took a photo of them. Then we talked with some Asian-Americans (from San Fran). And on our hike back out, we talked with a couple from Washington state. When I mentioned Asheville, NC (my hometown), they knew all about it. The best advice about hiking the gorge is to study your alternative trail options, and not just give up if somebody says a trail is closed. Maybe there's another way down. Also, always take water, especially in the early morning, and have it in your backpack before you set out. Stores may not be open, and it gets warm pretty quickly.
After hiking, we toured the Plaza de Toros (bullring). Bullfighting either originated in Ronda, or it was the place where it really gained prominence due to a family of famous bullfighters. Also, there's an Ernest Hemingway connection. He spent summers in Ronda, and he wrote Death in the Afternoon, which is about the bullfighting tradition in Spain. Now the arena is only used for bullfights once a year. The museum was interesting, and walking out into the ring for some cool photos is a must. We got there pretty much when it opened, which is smart. And, rather than do the museum first with other tourists, we went the opposite way, straight into the arena. Doing it this way, we had it almost to ourselves.
This is a place I had looked at before - weeks before when I was doing my trip planning. Had we had another night, Maruja Limon would have a perfect place for cocktails, tapas and a sunset. It was a big surprise when we walked past it, and it was nice looking up at the gorge rim (as we hiked) and spotting Maruja Limon's back patio.
This is just one of the small pedestrian roads (or alleys) in Ronda. And at lunch and dinner, those tables are set up and spread out, and people are everywhere.
The Church of La Merced
After fueling up at a delightful coffee shop/bakery we tried yesterday, we walked back to the church, where we ended up taking communion.
Southern Spain (Andalucia) and Southern Portugal (Algarve) are to Northern Europeans what Florida is to New Englanders.
This seafood meal at one of the little restaurants near our Airbnb was very good. When I find the name of the restaurant, I will put it here. Supposedly is very popular with locals and smart travelers. We just happened upon it. At the table next to us were two gentlemen from Houston, Texas. They told us that the best views in Ronda were at the Hotel Catalonia Rooftop Bar. We didn't have time to go there, but after seeing this photo, I regret it.
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