Dia 3: Road Trip

Tuesday morning we checked out and hit a breakfast of cafe con leche and toast at a place in a shopping center. The rest of the team was surprised to see breakfast be so casual (aka unfilling) so they grabbed some pastries and more coffees as we went back to the car. En route to Granada, we were set on stopping in Ronda and Antequera. Both places are out of the way, but came highly recommended by friends and people in the know.

The drive to Ronda was spectacular. We passed through endless plains, rolling hills, and beautiful mountains. The Alfa Romeo was eating up the terrain and we discovered (to our delight) that kilometers pass much more quickly than miles, and that 150kph seems to be the common highway speed. The 160 kilometers to Ronda were a pleasure to behold, and April even stayed awake the whole time!

So we got to Ronda and were immediately enchanted. We saw its small-town charm and the excellent Christmas decorations which lined their streets as we drove in. We parked the car and went exploring. We encountered the Bullring, which stands as the center of the city. Ronda is the official home of the modern bullfight, and its Plaza de Toros sits magnificently at the edge of a large cliff.

The whole town sits hundreds of feet above a valley

Apes and I in front of the Plaza de Toros

Ronda did not take very long to become one of my favorite spots in the whole country. I have been around to nearly every part and its charm is altogether unique. It boasts of an incredible bridge uniting the towns two sides, which lie on opposite sides of a vast ravine. Take a look at this thing...

Despite its many charms and its friendly people, Ronda could not hold us back. Further adventure called. Off we were to Antequera, and equally isolated pueblo, which we were told was a tremendous example of authentic Spanish life. The road to Antequera was equally beautiful but infinitely more curvy. Dad really let loose and let the Alfa Romeo prove its valor. Mom and I enjoyed the ride, but April got sick and willed herself back to sleep to avoid the agony.

Our Antequera arrival came just minutes after sundown, but we had enough time to drive to the top of town and survey its beauty. It was very impressive and very authentic (something which is increasingly difficult to find here). We really only had time for a quick walking tour and then one last drive the town to see the Christmas lights. Here are some photos.














Now, ideally I would write that we left and Antequera and simply cruised into Granada for the night. Ideally. What really happened was that we found the general area of our hotel, but then spent two hours trying to get the car there (with no success). As fate would have it our hotel was located in the Albaicin, a district of town designed to not allow cars on its streets. Its a fun idea, I admit, but when you are trying to unload luggage and find parking this is a nightmare. Much like our Rastro experience in Madrid, we gave up and found a different place. After all that frustration and anxiety it was hard to remember the fun that the day provided. But life went on, and so did the trip.........