TORRE DEL MAR/VELEZ MALAGA

Buenos Dias,
We were a little sad to leave El Puerto if only because our small enclave of German, Belgian and Brits got on well. It's quite unusual to chat such a lot to our neighbours on site as most seem to keep themselves to themselves or only chat to the same nationality.
Anyway, onwards it was and we are now on the Med at Torre del Mar. We are in a small site with a swimming pool (open!) and just a few minutes walk into town. This is an international resort and the first time this trip we have seen British and German newspapers for sale.
Over our first five weeks we have seen the usual high numbers of German, British and Dutch but this year there have been loads more Belgians and, rather surprisingly, French. This may be because as was suggested a couple of weeks ago, France (and probably Belgium) have become so expensive. There have also been sightings of vans from Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Luxembourg, Ireland and Austria. There are still Spanish tourists but regulars tell us, a lot less than last year. Times are hard for many in Spain and this is most noticeable now we have reached the Med.   Competition is huge. You can buy fresh bread in the supermarket for 1euro for 800 grams. In bars they are really competing to stay afloat. 1 beer of 25 or 33cl & a meaningful tapa (not just crisps or olives) for as little as 1 euro. This is less than 10 years ago!
Just up the hill from Torre is Velez-Malaga, a pretty town with winding, hilly streets as well as a modern administrative centre for the area.

The castle below is being rebuilt and will open soon.

but still offers great views down to Torre and the sea.

These are the old walls and the restaurant where we had a good lunch. We thought 2 o'clock would not be an unreasonable time to dine but we were still too early and the owner had to phone the waiter to get there to serve us.

We will do a bit more exploring over the next few days before we are away again. Also first time for a long time that I've not had to worry about Crystal Palace going up or going down or getting into the play-offs. Thanks to Jude & Andy for their comments who must also be pleased that their respective teams, Wolves and Burnley have secured promotion. More from us next week, maybe midweek if I have enough photos.

Luego,

J&P

EASTER IN EL PUERTO & A TRIP TO CADIZ

Hola,
& Happy Easter.
We have, of course, done some sherry sampling. Below at Osborne's.

I think you can see that this snap was taken after the (very generous) tasting!

Attractive setting for the bodega.

Our little enclave, below, includes English, Belgian, German and Spanish/French. We are not sure of the last. The man turned up in his van, which you may just make out in the background, in the 90's. The van can no longer move. The occupant has no electricity, no means of cooking and it appears, no change of clothes. He is 76 but looks about 90. Some say he was a fighter in the French Foreign Legion and that he survives by gnawing on his own body parts. All we know etc, etc.

The castle below now houses the Bodega Caballero. It has previously been a mosque, prison and sometime home to Columbus.

Despite our previous rudeness about Cadiz, we decided to take the ferry across for one more visit. A bit of yacht racing was seen en route.

Cruise ships regularly moor in the harbour.

The streets were empty after lunch. We've had some good meals, including another inadvertent sea anenome dish but not as toxic green as our previous encounter. There seems to be more upmarket restaurants around this year, chefs using good, seasonal ingredients and adding a modern touch. They are not expensive by UK standards.

There is some interesting architecture

including this chap with the Mohican

So a few more days and we will be off to Torre del Mar. More next weekend. Thanks for following the blog. Any comments would be very welcome.

Luego (as the local yoof would have it)

J&P

SEMANA SANTA

Buenos Dias,

Just a quick midweek photo post to show that the Semana Santa processions are in full swing in El Puerto de Santa Maria. The different churches have different coloured costumes and different floats which they carry.

They carry the float into the Cathedral to be blessed and then out and return to their own church.

As you might imagine the floats are flipping heavy. Each weighs about 550 kilos and is carried by about 45 men all with weightlifter belts on. If you imagine in the gym carrying 100 kilos on your shoulders is hard enough; to then move it several hundred metres is another thing altogether.

Below is Christ's entry into Jerusalem.

Followed by the Ntra Sra. De la Entrega.

And a different church held the Cristo de la Flagelacion.

More at the weekend, adios amigos,

J&P

EL PUERTO DE SANTA MARIA

Buenos Tardes,

A move to the coast and the town of El Puerto de Santa Maria. Part port, part resort it largely caters for the Spanish as a lot of these towns tend to in Western Spain. We were aiming to spend a week here but as the weather is now very warm, 30c, and the location is great - train to Jerez, ferry to Cadiz, a good few sherry bodegas on our doorstep and Semana Santa coming up we will probably stay till after Easter.
The site is large with a bar/restaurant open and a very big swimming pool (closed of course!)
We are in the bay of Cadiz with views across to the city and the aforementioned ferries crossing between the two - as shown below.

There is also a nice church and a defunct bullring with a bronze reminder outside.

We had always aimed to return to Jerez and it was different to arrive by train at the oldest station in Spain which was wonderfully tiled.

A good covered market in town specialising in fish has to be seen before 1pm. One thing we missed last time was the free guided walking tour. Strangely, as there were thousands of tourists, we were the only takers. Javier was very informative and told us a few things we didn't know. Jerez is the Spanish form of the Moorish 'Cere' which itself derived from the Roman goddess of wheat Ceres, also from which we get the name sherry. Lesson over. Statues of Ceres appear all over town and on cathedral walls. Pictured below is one of the narrow streets leading up to the church of St Michael which is both Gothic and Byzantine. The crowning glory is the altarpiece showing St Michael driving the evil into hell and St Peter receiving the good guys into heaven.

You will also have noticed one of the huge floats ready to be released during Semana Santa of which more next week. The cathedral below only got a bishop in 1980 after 400 years of petitioning popes.

We had an enjoyable day in Jerez but one moan is opening hours. The tourist office recommends Tio Pepe to visit (which we did last year) and all the other bodegas complain. But it is really quite simple.   Tio Pepe has tours in about 6 languages mornings and afternoons and some evenings 7 days a week. There is not one other bodega in town which opens in the afternoon. So it was lunch of tapas, excellent pork cheek and stuffed artichokes amongst others, a walk around town - this sign was on the main Cadiz to Seville highway until pedestrianisation in the 90's - before returning to the main square - what do you call a military dictator with a pigeon on his head? 

Ans. Alfonso X111. The last benign despot before Franco with Victory and Ceres to the front and rear. 

Thanks to Jude and Andy for their comments and glad you enjoyed your river cruise. Indeed France seems to get more expensive each year whereas Spain, certainly this year, seems a bit cheaper. Decent  4 course menu del Dias for around 20 Euros a head including wine and such delicacies for me at least  of Mollejas de Cordero. I'll save the translation to spare those of a more delicate nature.

Finally, tourist tip number 1 (of one). There is a new chain of cervecerias called 100 Montaditos. They are trying to be the Wetherspoons of Spain. They offer very cheap beer (sadly only the Cruzcampo range) for 1.50 euros per half litre and lots of snacks and Montaditos for about 1 euro each with various special offers on most days of the week. The bars attract a very mixed clientele (like Wetherspoons) but are a welcome cheap addition to the Spanish experience and are popping up all over Spain. Worth checking out if you are visiting this year.

More next week which is the truly massive Semana Santa.

Adios

J&P

CACERES

Buenos Dias,

Our journey south continues to the town of Caceres in Extremadura. We stay in a campsite a short bus journey from the town. It is always part of the experience to take local transport and see where and how people live not just the sights. Our site is next to the football stadium of the mighty Club Polideportivo Cacereno of the Spanish 3rd Division. They are a bit like the Rochdale of Spain as every time (few) they are promoted they are relegated the next season. A major difference is that their stadium contains as part of the stand's structure 6 stained glass windows. I doubt Rochdale or many other clubs can say that. They also have a Caceres Ultra following unlikely as it may seem. Their crowds would struggle to make four figures.
Caceres itself has a fascinating, rambling medieval centre one of the highlights being the Museum. The underground Arabian cistern was certainly impressive.

Views were great although the weather was bit hazy.

The museum shown below was housed on several floors in an old palace. It has an historical section, ethnographical and belles artes. All interesting although I'm sure a mathematician somewhere has calculated the number of flint axe heads you need to see before you reach saturation point. I'm pretty sure we reached it in about 1986! The ethnographic section was surprisingly good considering it displayed loads of costumes which are usually a bit of a turnoff and the modern art was eclectic containing some fine modern sculpture as well as paintings by 20th Century Spanish artists, including Joan Miro who is definitely not a favourite of mine.

,

A peacock was resident in one of the old buildings.

The streets were narrow but surprisingly open for traffic.

A view to the main square.

The cathedral was interesting but sadly, Nighy free.

And good views from the top of its tower. Weather still a bit ropy but promise of better to come.

A puzzle. The small bird below would not keep still but I cannot identify it. Jet black head, white collar, grey body and deep blue tail. Any ideas?

On our way next to El Puerto de Santa Maria on the Bay of Cadiz. More news at the weekend. 

Hasta La Vista,

J&P