DAY TRIPS TO CORDOBA AND RONDA

TRAVEL WITHOUT CONTEXT

Traveling correctly

Given the opportunity to see this world, one should seize it with both hands. Never let it slip away. You may not have another chance to return to your destination. Once there make sure you relish where you’ve alighted; savor its sights and sounds and smells and flavors, her people and their customs. Sit quietly and take it all in and realize how lucky you are, how adventurous you are to want to look beyond your picket fence.

It's a big world out there and there is a lot to see. Readers of this blog already know my take on this. “LIVE TRAVEL LOVE” isn’t simply a motto, but a way of life.  

You must travel correctly though; no mad dash helter-skelter “If It’s Tuesday This Must Be Belgium” shenanigans. That is travel without context. That is collecting pictures.   

LESS IS MORE

La Casa Andalusí

That was how we planned our recent trip to Seville. We spent nearly our entire week in Seville and had plenty of opportunity to linger and enjoy, but against our principles we did take two single day trips in the middle of it. One day we took a train to Cordoba and the next day we rented a car and drove to Ronda.

We did “see” these Andalusian cities, each a worthwhile visit, but both days felt rushed.

Cordoba

Train schedules had us in Cordoba for less than 8 hours and after our private tour with Isabel Martinez Richter (+34 669 645, isabmr@gmail.com) through the Jewish Quarter and the magnificent Mosque-Cathedral it was a brisk walk back to the station to catch our reserved seat on the return train.

La Casa Andalusí

We arranged to meet Isabel in the afternoon (she was booked in the morning) and our 3-hour tour blossomed into nearly 4 hours. We spent the late morning (as per Isabel’s recommendation) visiting a patio in one of the homes in the Jewish quarter and getting a late breakfast (lunch time started in Cordoba after our tour began).

Patios are a little oasis meant to offer respite from the Andalusian sun and the people of Cordoba take great pride in their slice of paradise. In fact, there is a fierce competition held in May as patio owners vie for the being selected as the most picturesque patio. Decorated with plants and fountains, these quiet places are open to tourists, and some are free. Click the link below to get a list.

We visited La Casa Andalusí on Calle Judíos, 12, right next to the synagogue.

PATIOS OF CORDOBA

Mosque-Cathedral

Enthusiastic, knowledgeable and witty, Isabel walked us all through the quarter and pointed out several other patios and then we toured the majestic Mosque-Cathedral.

Rather than tearing down the mosque when Cordoba was captured during the “Reconquista” a Cathedral was erected in the middle of it, perhaps saying to the Moors that Christianity is more powerful. The arches of the mosque suddenly give way to a resplendent cathedral. It’s a striking juxtaposition. Isabel also pointed out stonemason marks on many of the pillars of the mosque, as a type of signature for their work.

The whole visit was fascinating, but sadly our quick trip to Cordoba left me wanting more.

MOSQUE-CATHEDRAL OF CORDOBA  

Ronda

The next day the 124 km drive through Andalusia to Ronda was wonderful, but not wanting to drive at night our time was limited in the cliffside town. Diversions, albeit minor, were almost impossible if we wanted to spend any time in Ronda. We did manage to stop at Oleum Viride, to buy olive oil, and somehow survived the steep narrow streets of Zahara de la Sierra before reaching Ronda.

Zahara is one of the Pueblos Blancos or White Villages of Andalusia. I’m glad we did it, but we basically held our breath and drove through the impossibly narrow and steep streets of this historic town.

Zahara de la Sierra

OLEUM VIRDIE, ZAHARA DE LA SIERRA

Long ago in another lifetime I had been to Ronda with my young children and this town had made a lasting impression and I wanted to return.

During that first visit my children tussled in the Real Maestranza de Caballeria de Ronda bullring, the oldest and the birthplace of modern bullfighting. My daughter repeatedly pirouetted with her jacket as my son lunged at her with fingers as horns, to the applause from people in the stands, before finally bashing her younger brother to the sandy pitch. 

Bullring, Ronda

I wanted to see the bullring again. I wanted to gape again like all the other countless tourists at El Tajo, the ravine 300 feet deep and 200 feet wide, that is Ronda’s main attraction and feel the great, unsettling expanse of air. And, I wanted to have a drink at the city’s parador, Ronda’s former town hall, that somehow clings to the very edge of the cliff.

PARADOR OF RONDA 

We did not take a tour, but we did all three! We also had a great late lunch at Meson el Sacristan located in the older section of town. The parador and bullring are across the bridge in the newer section of Ronda.

Parador, Ronda

Meson el Sacristan specializes in grilled meats, and we ordered a lot of tapas, but had to limit our drinking because of the drive home.

MESON EL SACRISTAN

Both days we were rushed, but we managed to see and experience a lot. We did not try to do too much. Having a tour in Cordoba and context in Ronda was very helpful. 

Now, if you're wondering about the "If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium" reference at the beginning of this blog entry, it is to a 1969 film about a bunch of Americans on an 18 day, 9 country tour of Europe. Other than the reference to frenetic traveling the largely forgettable film starred this shy scribe's first heartthrob, Suzanne Pleshette, and the original Mr. Roper in the television show Three's Company, Norman Fell.

If you're so inclined here's the film on YouTube.

Ronda 2023

Mosque-Cathedral Cordoba

Mosque-Cathedral, Cordoba

Stonemason mark
Mosque-Cathedral, Cordoba

Ama siempre!

Janet and greg

© 2023 by Gregory Dunaj

SEVILLE AERIES

BARS - TOWERS - MUSHROOMS

Las Setas, Seville

There are several options to get a bird’s eye view of Seville. Each of these tourist sites offer visitors sweeping views of this beautiful and historical city. Some are up close and centered within the city, and a few have vantages located on the edges, a few offer drinks! And all are worthy of your time.

LAS SETAS OF SEVILLE

Located at La Encarnacion Square, this mostly wooden structure has on its rooftop a path with a panoramic view of the old city area. Las Setas is now the official name of the structure that was originally called the Metropol Parasol, but everyone thought it looked like mushrooms. “Setas” is mushroom in Spanish.

There’s a fee to get to the rooftop, but the rest of the elevated grounds beneath the “parasols” are free. Las Setas of Seville is very impressive! Follow this link for the official website and to see views of Las Setas from above!

LAS SETAS, SEVILLE 

Torre Sevilla

BTW...In the immediate neighborhood we found a lovely little bookshop where we purchased Spanish language versions of "Good Night Moon" and "Where The Wild Things Are" for our grandsons.

TORRE SEVILLA

Across the Guadalquivir River on grounds of the Sevilla Expo’92 is the 40 story Torre Sevilla. This office skyscraper was built after the expo and is the tallest building in Seville with the Eurostars Torre Sevilla hotel at the top. Their Atalaya Terrace isn’t just for guests of the hotel though, and for a small fee you can have a drink and look out onto Seville. 

BTW…The theme of Sevilla Expo’92 was “the Age of Discovery” which commemorated the 500-year anniversary of Christopher Columbus discovering the new world.  He sailed from a port on the Guadalquivir River.

TERRAZA ATALAYA - TORRE SEVILLA

TORRE SCHINDLER 

Torre Schindler

Another observation tower that was built for Sevilla Expo’92 is the Torre Schindler. It is about 18 stories and right on the edge of the Guadalquivir River and from the observation deck all of Seville can be seen.

Torre Schindler is located on the grounds of Navigation Pavilion which features a museum and interactive games about jobs of a sailor during the time of Columbus.

PABELLON DE LA NAVEGACION 

TORRE DE ORO

Torre de Oro

Also along the Guadalquivir River is a guardhouse created by the Moors in the 12^th Century and was meant to control shipping. A heavy chain ran from the tower across the river preventing enemy ships from going further. Torre de Oro was part of the city wall and today for a nominal fee you can climb to the small Naval Museum and from there get a nice view of the river. 

TORRE DE ORO 

THE SEVILLE CATHEDRAL

The Giralda

We took a guided tour of the Cathedral, the world’s largest gothic church, and the Alcazar Palace. Part of the tour was to climb the Giralda belltower. Rather than steps the interior is ramped, which evidently allowed horses to climb the tower. After a climb of over 300 feet the panoramic view is worth the effort.

view from the Giralda

Entry combo tickets for the Cathedral and the tower are €11(€12 online) with an available audio guide for €5, if you want to do it on your own.

Rooftop Tour of the Cathedral

They call it a “visit to the covers” and the guided tour of the Cathedral rooftop is not only a unique way to see all of Seville, but to learn the whole process of the construction of this massive church.

They are small group tours, and you need to select your time and arrive 15 minutes early. They recommend purchasing online: €21. The entry fee gives you access to the Cathedral and the Giralda. 

Cathedral rooftop tour

  VISITING THE SEVILLE CATHEDRAL

 

LA TERRAZA BAR at EME CATHEDRAL MERCER

Never underestimate serendipity. 

After a long day of Tapas touring and Flamenco shows we decided to stroll over to the Cathedral to see it as the sun set. Activity on a rooftop across Calle Alemanes caught our attention and we decided to investigate. We entered a sedate hotel lobby where the staff pointed us to the elevator, and we went right up to the most charming rooftop bar. The Cathedral was aglow in the waning sunlight and we managed to find a seat, ordered some drinks and giggled at our luck.

It was the perfect end to our day and perhaps this was the best view of all in Seville.

BTW... I had an oloroso.

LA TERRAZA BAR SEVILLE 

Thanks for reading.

Love Janet and greg

© 2023 by Gregory Dunaj

TRIANA, SEVILLE

 NO8DO

BELMONTE STATUE 

On our first day in Seville, we went on a tour of the two major attractions of the city, the Cathedral where we saw Christopher Columbus’ tomb and climbed the Giralda belltower, and the Alcazar Palace, where we cowered appropriately in the Hall of the Ambassadors, whose grandeur was meant to inspire angst in anyone visiting the royalty of Spain. The next day we went on a tapas bar tour where we learned not only what was on the menu, but what to drink. An aged sherry called Oloroso became our favored drink. Then later that evening we went to a Flamenco show, one of many such “tablaos” in the city.

We had experienced already quite a bit in Seville in these two days, and we had nearly three full days left to explore this Andalusian city. Yet, by the end of our time here, we wished we had more time!

Sadly we discovered Triana, a section of Seville too late. Here’s a quick recap of our time there. 

TRIANA

From Auto-da-fés to Espinacas Con Garbanzos

Triana is across the Guadalquivir River and is less touristed than the rest of Seville. More residential than Santa Cruz, the tourist-central barrio where our apartment was located. Nevertheless Triana has a history that is compelling and worth a visit.

Sadly, we didn’t trek over the river until our Saturday cooking class with the Taller Andaluz de Cocina cooking school located in the Mercado de Triana just over Puente de Isabel II. 

Part of the “class” was a tour of the market and her myriad of food stalls. We learned about the ingredients of the meals we were going to prepare in our class, as well as olives and Jamon and cheeses and vegetables and fruits. We also learned that the market was once the site of the notorious Castle of San Jorge, where the Spanish Inquisition was headquartered and had its prison.  

Auto-da-fés means “act of faith” a requirement of public penance meant to test the piety of heretics and apostates. These “acts of faith” didn’t usually end well for the accused, but we were able to walk away unscathed down the ominously named Callejon de la Inquisicion, an alley that led the poor souls from the river to their accusers. 

It is possible to view the ruins of the Inquisitor castle at one end of the market.

COOKING CLASS w/ TALLER ANDALUZ de CONCINA

Cooking class

The cooking school offers several options to learn Spanish cuisine and it is a fun activity. There were 12 of us in their kitchen located a short walk down the paseo along the river.

We made Gazpacho, a spinach and chickpeas tapas (Espinacas con Garbanzos), Paella Valenciana and for dessert a lemon sorbet with cava (Spanish version of champagne). We were given a choice of beer, soft drinks or freshly made sangria.

TALLER ANDALUZ DE COCINA

HIDDEN GEM at THE MERCARDO de TRIANA

It is possible to have a meal or drinks at several stalls in the Mercado de Triana, and after our class we purchased some olives and saffron to take home.

Flamenco is an artform that is closely associated with the Romani people and Triana has a large population of Romani. There are several Flamenco bars in this section of town. Here's a list: FLAMENCO BARS

In the Mercardo there is a small theater with seating available for less than 30 patrons, which holds Flamenco shows. At the Casa Le Teatro, located at stalls 11 and 12, they hold “Intima Triana” Flamenco shows roughly twice a week. For a chance to experience Flamenco up close and personal go here for tickets: INTIMA TRIANA FLAMENCO

AZULEJO, TAPAS AND MATADORS…and BOATS

Tapas

Our Tapas tour guide, Shawn, recommended several places in Triana, and we returned the next day on Sunday to have drinks and we ordered every tapa she suggested at Antiqua Casa Diego, although Janet only ate the Ensaladilla de Pulpo (Octopus).

Here is Shawn's review of Antiqua Casa Diego: ANTIGUA CASA DIEGO

Located on Alfareria 5 just off the main street of Triana that was closed to traffic and families strolled in the afternoon sun. There were several merchants displaying their wares on blankets.

BELMONTE

Matador

Juan Belmonte is considered by many as the greatest matador. He revolutionized bullfighting by not jumping out of the way of a bull when it charged but would stand motionless and “guide” the bull around him, dangerously close to the horns. He was gored several times, but he did fight 109 bulls in 1919, a record at the time.

He is from Triana and was a friend of Ernest Hemingway, who wrote about him in two novels: Death in the Afternoon and The Sun Also Rises.

Just as you come into Triana just over the Puente Isabel II there is a statue of Belmonte in the Plaza del Altozano, just across the street from the market.

Azulejo

Tin-glazed ceramic tiles are popular in Spain and Portugal and decorate everything from exteriors of homes to churches and restaurants. Triana became the center of this ornamental tiling in the 13^th Century and today you can visit a museum of Azulejo tiling in Triana.

There are wonderful Azulejo tiling all throughout the Plaza de Espana. The plaza was built for the Ibero-American Exhibition of 1929 and features 52 azulejo decorated benches representing each of the provinces of Spain. Located in Maria-Luisa Park it is possible to rent a boat to sail on the canal or hire a horse drawn carriage for a ride around the park, although it is free to stroll the grounds of both the park and the plaza. 

AZULEJO IN TRIANA 

Cruise the Guadalquivir

There are tour boats along the river that separates Triana from Seville. This one-hour leisurely diversion leaves from the Golden Tower, a defensive edifice erected by the Muslims which is not far from the Alcazar Palace and returns there. There is audio commentary on board and you get to see Triana from the river. The trip costs about $22.00.

PLAZA de ESPANA TILING

GUADALQUIVIR RIVER TOURS

So, it is easy to limit your destinations in Seville to the main areas, but if you have the time, explore Triana. 

Thanks for reading.

Love Janet and greg

© 2023 by Gregory Dunaj 

FLAMENCO DANCING IN SEVILLE

PRIMAL MOVES 

Think of the stereotypes of Spain, apart from conquistadors and cruel religious inquisitors and tilting at windmills ala Don Quixote. There are plenty of tapas, and siestas and Spanish guitars and fluttering fans. There are matadors in their colorful regalia testing their bravery in the bullfighting rings and, there is Flamenco dancing.

Think of Spain and invariably there are visions of the swirl of a Flamenco dancer, accompanied by a guitarist and men polyrhythmically handclapping and finger-snapping while singing “Cante Jondo” or deep song of this Andalusian art form. Lots of foot stomping too, with a kind of “hellraising” gusto, a show of machismo and strength. Yes, Flamenco can be considered the cultural identity of Spain, but it wasn’t always appreciated by the Spaniards.

IT'S COMPLICATED

Flamenco dancing today may be the most iconic image of Spain, but its roots began in the south in Andalusia an area often derided by the rest of the country and the much-ostracized ethnic minority of Gypsies. Flamenco was considered by the church to be immoral, leading to the breakdown of family values. Intellectuals thought Flamenco and bullfighting kept Spain in a backwards mentality, unable to move forward into the modern world, and the working-class reformers and revolutionaries thought Flamenco took advantage of the poverty of masses.

SHOW ME THE PESETAS

A funny thing happened on the way to pursuing these high-minded ideals, albeit worthy, tourism! After years of international isolation, the dictatorship of Francisco Franco realized tourism would bring in the money they sorely needed. Embracing the stereotypes of Spain, and especially the Flamenco, the government began to promote Flamenco dancing, allowing clubs that featured Flamenco to operate, and pictures of exotic Flamenco dancers covered the travel advertising brochures. The strategy worked and millions of tourists flocked to Spain. 

Today Flamenco isn’t simply a ploy to lure foreigners to Spain but a good way to make money. In Seville there are a lot of Flamenco bars and show venues, called tablaos, that feature the ubiquitous dance form. Sometimes the bars are free, and some consider this more authentic than attending a show, but usually the talent is better at the show venue.

¡BAILAS BIEN! (You dance well)

We saw Flamenco twice during our stay in Seville. We attended a show at the Tablao Flamenco Los Gallos which was literally just around the corner from our apartment on Plaza Alfaro. The 75-minute show features all three parts of a Flamenco performance: the Baile (dance), the Cante (song) and the Toque (guitar). Though familiar with the idea of Flamenco we were unsure of the meaning of Flamenco. There was no accompanying literature and no “educational” explanation as to what was going on, especially for the Cante portion of the show where the men sang with such unnerving passion. Still the spectacle was well worth the 35€. Drinks were extra. Since this was a tourist stop and less local, there were no shouts of ole or ¡Bailas bien!, which would be normally shouted out by the aficionados attending a show, but we did drink Olorosso sherry.

Tablao Los Gallos

TABLAO LOS GALLOS SEVILLE

The next day we stumbled upon a Flamenco show in the middle of the Plaza de Espana, the majestic space that was originally created for the Ibero-American exhibition of 1929. The plaza is a vast curving building with a curving moat before it and in the center a fountain. With horse drawn carriages and paddle boats for hire the Plaza de Espana is a must-see tourist destination in Seville. It has also been used as a set for several movies, including Lawrence of Arabia and Star Wars, Attack of the Clones.

Attack of the Cones at Plaza de Espana

Evidently set up by Seville government for the pleasure of her visitors was a dance platform under the central arches of the Plaza and people gathered all around for the performance. Not sure if there’s a set schedule for the musicians and dancers to perform, so it might be hit or miss in seeing a show, although I feel it is a frequent occurrence. Just another reason to visit the Plaza.

Go here to see a list of Flamenco bars in Seville:

SEVILLE FLAMENCO

Thanks for reading.

Amor a todos!

Janet and greg

Plaza de Espana, Seville

© 2023 by Gregory Dunaj