Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Day 16 & 18: New Friends and Day Trip to Ronda


El Sur lo Hace Su Gente, translation: The People Make the South
(Click to enlarge)
        There are some really great people that have found themselves to be students at UPO and I’m glad to say that we’re all getting along just fine. Walking around our little international student corner of the campus means that I run into many of the same people everyday. We have an eclectic mix of students at UPO, there are a lot of Americans (including fellow Mountaineers), but there are also students from Norway, France, Germany, England, Croatia, Florida, Canada, and numerous other countries.
        A few of us Appalachian 
Schneider Weisse- yum.
students (as well as a handful of lovely, non-App students) got together this past Thursday at the Cerveceria Internacional to try out beers from around the world. Prices were a bit high, but in the end they were worth it. Cruzcampo (the local beer) isn’t much to speak of as far as taste goes (blasphemy- i know!), and so I have been looking for a place to enjoy a decent beer. Despite the cost, the cerveceria is a great place for any of you beer lovers out there who might find yourself in Sevilla. 
Good friends, good times
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        I enjoyed a wonderful wheat ale from Germany to start out the night, it wasn’t too heavy and it had this amazing citrus taste to it; the size/taste to price ratio definitely worked out in my favor.  After a stop at another bar I decided to call it a night fairly early (because 2:00am is early here....). There are many more nights to be shared with these people, I’m glad to find myself surrounded by such a great crowd.


One of the many great views to be seen in Ronda
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        Saturday marked my first day trip from Sevilla. About 15 of us met at the bus stop at 10am to take the direct route to Ronda. The ticket cost 22 euro round-trip and the town is only 2 hours away, a trip that I HIGHLY recommend. Ronda is in a more elevated region, something that I hear is really nice when you’re trying to escape the summer heat, but it’s a negative thing in the winter. Taking pictures without gloves on was a torturous experience. It was cold but the views, museums, and company made the day totally worth losing feeling in my toes and fingers.
View from the top of the bridge
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The five of us broke off from the main group early on in our trip, it consisted of myself, Erin (ASU), Joni (ASU), Sabrina (Florida), and Anna (Germany), we started our day with a cup of café and a map. 
Top: View of the bridge during hike, Bottom: like I said...
a not-so-well beaten path (Click to enlarge)
        Huddled around the cafetería table we chose our top two museum choices, proposed sights to see, and sketched a rough itinerary that would have us back to the bus stop in time for our departure at 7:00pm. Joni was our tour guide first, she had noticed on the map (or heard of, or something...still not sure how we found it) a little trail that led down to the bottom of the beautiful old bridge that Ronda tends to be known for. We followed a not-so-well beaten path that wound down a rocky cliff side to a seemingly-abandoned watermill kind of place at the foot of the bridge. Though weary at first of the very sketchy location, our curiosity paid off in the end as these adventures tend to do. For the adventurous, this is a hike that is well worth it.


    Left: Water wheel and gears, not too sure what the place was for, but it was interesting and probably the perfect setting for a horror film. Right: The view at the very end of the trail/mill, worth the hike, check out the beautiful blue water! (Click to enlarge)

      After our hike back up the hillside we found our way to art museum called Museo Joaquín Peinado, a showcase of the Ronda-born artist Joaquín Peinado, an early 20th century cubism painter and friend of Picasso. Not only was the art lovely, it was also a great chance to escape the bitter cold. While the museum wasn’t exactly toasty, it was definitely warmer than the windy cliff side that we had just climbed up.

Erin checking out some of Joaquín Peinado's works
(Click the flickr link on the left for more photos of our trip)
I have started a list, one that is being added on to everyday, of things that I want to do in Spain, and after lunch I had my first chance to mark something off: go to a tasting of Spanish wine. The Centro Interpretación del Vino de Ronda where for 4 euro we could tour the museum and have a tasting of wines from Ronda. 

Top: Sabrina, Erin, and Anna taste the wine,
Middle: Wine cask Bottom: the dangers of the smell room
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        This little museum wasn’t extremely exciting, if you’re a wine drinker this isn't the best place for a true wine tasting, but we had a great time anyways (and plus the wine comes out of fountains that stick out from the wall.....). The 'museum' wasn't much to speak of, there were a few examples of the ways wine has been stored, as well as a little room full of the different “scents of wine”. (Careful with that room though, not all the smells were good, the bad ones can sneak up on you without warning). The museum was freezing though, when we reached the point where we couldn’t feel our toes and fingers we decided to march on. Anna led us this time with promises of a tetería that she had heard of in her guide book.
        She took us to the tea house by way of the Arch de Philipe V, a beautiful stone arch built in 1742 that frames the picturesque white buildings on the other side, a view that not even the cold could keep us from appreciating. We all stopped for photos and to take in the panorama, then hurried on our way to the tetería. This little tea shop was the perfect finale to a wonderful day, we chose a table next to the very hot gas stove and enjoyed coffee, tea, and crêpes. 

       
















 We eventually found our way back to the bus and, still warm and full from the tea shop, grabbed some seats in the back and napped the whole way home.


    Ronda was absolutely gorgeous, it is touristy but the views of the surrounding mountains, high bridges, cobbled streets, and blue sky make this a day trip that I would highly recommend to anyone that has the time. If you find yourself with some extra time, good company, a map, and willingness to lose the feeling in your toes, head over to Ronda- a town that is wonderful even in the freezing cold.    

 (Left: Sunset makes this place look deceptively warm. Don't be fooled. Right: Fun times with great people, pictured: Me, Erin, Sabrina, Joni, Anna)

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If you find yourself with some free time and want more information on the wonderful town that is Ronda please read this story by Leigh Ann Henion, a former professor of mine and an amazingly talented writer/photographer: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/20/AR2009032001650.html
For more of her work visit www.leighannhenion.com

1 comment:

  1. Damn fine account of an obviously wonderful experience. We will definitely make that trek when we make our Spanish debut.

    The photos do not suck, either.

    Keep it up, little girl. I'm living vicariously through your eyes and words and enjoying the ride.

    ReplyDelete