Ronda, Spain

While Elisabeth, Kate and I napped in the car, Rich drove to Ronda, one of the most visited towns in Andalucia. Ronda captured our imagination sitting on a massive rock cliff. It was one of the last Moorish towns to fall to the monarchs in 1485. We parked the car and visited the Plaza de Toros first, one of Spain's oldest bullrings in Ronda. Elisabeth and Kate enjoyed running around the ring and visiting the bull pens. They especially enjoyed the museum and the colorful clothes of the matadors.

After leaving the Plaza de Toros, we walked along the Parador de Ronda atop the rocky outcrop and enjoyed marvelous vistas of the valley below. We walked across the Puente Nuevo bridge and the gorge of Guadalevin. The bridge links the old Moorish town to the newer town. We ate dinner at a local restaurant in the newer town in the Mercadillo quarter. After dinner we crossed the Puente Nuevo bridge again for an evening stroll through the La Ciudad, the old quarter. The ironworks, the patios overflowing with flowers and the Moorish mosaics were lovely in the evening with the sun setting in the west. We were sad to leave, but we had to drive back to Almunecar in order to pack and catch our flight in the morning back to Brussels.