Dawn Ponders: Gorging in Ronda

Wednesday, 8 May 2024

Gorging in Ronda

I have discovered a truism about Spain.

The entire country goes uphill. In both directions. Flat walks are nearly non-existent and there is no such thing as a paved road outside the major metropolises. Everything is cobblestoned. My Apple Watch is wondering where all the elevation points are coming from. The thing is, to fully experience the wondrous encounters this beautiful country has to offer, you must get out of the cities and into La Frontera.

We left The Rock behind us and ventured into the mountainous regions of España. Now here's the thing. I'd been suffering from a nightmarish cold ever since some boor hacked on me during one of our train trips. The last thing I needed was a twisting and turning journey up into the hill country of Málaga province. Unfortunately, that is exactly what I got. We have been on planes, trains, metros, cable cars, and buses during this trip and believe it or not, it was a car ride that finally triggered my motion sickness. We had to pull over twice, prop me up in the front seat, and pray to all that is holy that I wouldn't puke in the rental car.

We pulled into the town of Ronda and I was literally seeing stars. I refused to allow this f***ing cold to slow me down, so I insisted we do some initial scouting of the sites. This is one magnificent village. Known for its cliffside location and a deep gorge that divides the town, Ronda was historically a rest stop along the Arab trade routes that started in Granada and ventured forward to Córdoba. The former Islamic dominance is still quite visible throughout the town, even though the Inquisition ended all Muslim observance. The Arab baths, which were a travellers' weigh station have been lovingly uncovered and were a highlight of our first day here. The old Roman bridge provided beautiful picturesque views of the gorge and a magnificent vista of the many farms and haciendas in the valley below. This area is well known for its olive and orange groves and the pomegranate trees are just beginning to blossom. Day one in Ronda ended for me with a fever and an early bedtime while my fellow travellers found dinner. Between the cold and the motion sickness, I was cooked. The beauty of Ronda would have to reveal itself to me on another day.

And reveal it did. Spain's oldest bullfighting ring and museum are located in the centre of town. I have very mixed feelings about sports which involve animals and this one is always deadly to either the matador or the bull. There are many reasons to abhor bullfighting, but I must admit that learning about the special military history and its importance to the Spanish heritage did give me pause. I still don't like it, but I understand it better. We got a chance to stand in the centre of the ring. This place is enormous, but it probably feels quite small if an angry bull is stampeding towards you. The old costumes were a lovely revelation and the great matadors are national heroes. I will never attend a fight, and I still think Hemingway was an overrated misogynist who romanticized this sport for the masses, but I can at least see some merit.

The absolute highlight of Ronda is the trip into the gorge. We thought it would be a quick jaunt down and back. This was a real hike! The paths held grades of at least 40 degrees straight down and we knew that we needed to climb back up. We aren't in terrible condition, but I was still recovering my breath control from a cold. We didn't rush it and we are so glad we didn't. What a glorious experience and a necessary excursion if you find yourself here. I only hope the photos do it justice.

Some random thoughts:

The wildflowers of Spain are magnificent. The poppies are in bloom everywhere. Simply lovely.
The Spanish seem to distain Kleenex. It took us days to find a box for my aching sinuses.
I think my favourite thing so far is just sitting on a patio at a cafe in the late afternoon and chatting. What a civilized way to live.
There are spice shops everywhere. I might have to buy some Spanish saffron and smoked paprika.
I could live here. The language is becoming easier for me and the weather is perfect.
I am fascinated by the doors of Spain. I will try to put together some photos for a later post.

All photos today are from The Husband. His eye is perfect.