Puntos de vista - a personal Spain blog

La alcaldesa de Ronda, Maria de la Paz Fernandez Lobato (PP), has been indicted on five criminal charges and faces a prison sentence and a huge fine.

    La Alcaldesa de Ronda faces the Press last Friday [SUR]

The news broke this weekend that the mayoress has been charged with prevaricacion, malversacion, fraude and falsedad documental (prevarication, embezzlement, fraud and falsification of documents) in connection with the town's cleaning and rubbish collection company, SOLIARSA.

Fiscalia (Public prosecutor's office) has demanded a prison sentence of five years, an eight-year ban on holding public office and a fine of 42,000 euros for both Fernandez and her pre-decessor as council leader, the PSOE (socialist) Maria Teresa Valdenebro. 

A Soliarsa refuse lorry [Diario Ronda]    

Reaction in Ronda

Fernandez has vigorously denied the charges and has vowed to defend herself. 

The mother of three children has significant health problems. The births of her three children have all been complicated.

Maripaz and me

I have known Maripaz Fernandez for 20 years. I like her as a person, but our politics do not coincide.

If she is found guilty, she must pay the price.

Whether Maripaz is found guilty or not, I would still question many of her recent decisions. She prefers vanity projects over more fundamental issues.

The mayoress poses on the Puente Nuevo in Ronda [Diario Ronda]    

There is a long list of questionable decisions taken by Ronda Council under her leadership:

• The construction of a new open-air swimming pool that only opens for three months a year!

     "White elephant" swimming pool [Photo: Ronda Today]

• The creation of a concrete park on Avenida de Malaga with no shade and no grass!

     Concrete park [Diario Ronda] 

• The construction of a a massive car park on a burial site to the south of the city.

• The building of a new road through virgin countryside to the west of Ronda.

• New "coloured pavements" in the Poligono Industrial.

I could go on …..

My opinion

Fernandez' time is up and so is that of the Partido Popular (PP). The People's Party is right of centre and like the Tories in the UK, is only interested in looking after the better-off in society.

Ronda is a wealthy town, yet it has areas of deprivation and the policies of the PP do nothing to improve the lot of the people living in these parts of town.

Building on fire in Ronda [101TV]    

© Pablo de Ronda

Acknowledgements (Photos):

101TV, Diario Ronda, Diario Sur, Ronda Today

Tags:

101TV, alcadesa de Ronda, ban on holding public office, car park on a burial site, cleaning and rubbish collection company, coloured pavements, concrete recreational park on Avenida de Malaga, council leader, criminal charges, Diario Ronda, Diario Sur, embezzlement, falsedad documental, falsification of documents, Fiscalia, fraud, fraude, malversacion, Maria de la Paz Fernandez Lobato, Maria Teresa Valdenebro, new road through virgin countryside, open-air swimming pool, PP, Partido Popular, PSOE, People's Party, Ronda, Pablo de Ronda, Paul Whitelock, prevaricacion, prevarication, prison sentence, Public prosecutor's office, Ronda Today, socialist mayor, SOLIARSA

"Space", the final frontier? The "Space Race"? "2001 A Space Odyssey"?

Nope! I'm talking about "outside space".

[Netflix]    

My "Space" History

Since I became an adult, the outside space available to me has fluctuated.

As a student

I lived in a Hall of Residence in Salford, in a grotty flat in Upper Kersal, Manchester, two flats with no outside space in San Sebastian (Guipuzkoa), a "Wohnheim" (a workers' hostel in Stuttgart, Germany), a bedsit in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, and a tower block with no balcony in Salford.

    Davy Hall, Salford [Flickr]                                              Briarhill Court, Salford [Reddit]

As a married working man

After I got married and started work, Jeryl and I got a mortgage to buy a semi-detached house in Walkden, Greater Manchester, which had tiny gardens front and rear.

Then in 1980 we bought a detached house on a corner plot in Thelwall, Cheshire. That had gardens all round the house. I could at last start gardening.

We stayed in that house for a quarter of a century until my wife and I split up and divorced.

For a while I lived in Bryn-Y-Maen, North Wales with my new girlfriend, Maude, in her cottage with a massive garden and a field.

After that relationship ended I had nowhere to live, so my mum took me in at the ripe old age of 57! She had a semi-detached bungalow on the south bank of the Manchester Ship Canal in Thelwall (qv).

The bungalow had gardens front and year, plus I "annexed" a chunk of MSC land, in common with most neighbours. I had an allotment there.

Then I bought a detached house on a large plot on the other side of the Ship Canal in Latchford, Warrington. I was retired by now, so had time to continue with my gardening activities. It was 2008.   

100 Wash Lane, Latchford [PW]

Spain

Pre-dating this my first wife, Jeryl, and I owned two properties in Ronda, Andalusia, Spain.

The first was a flat with a small terrace on the first floor, which we bought in 2001. The second was an end terrace house 50 metres away. We bought this in 2003 as a project, a "do-er up-per". That had a large private terrace with great views to the rear.

    Piso Blanco, Ronda [Photo: PW]

After our divorce I was left with the two Ronda properties.

Maude, the girlfriend from North Wales, also bought a little house in Ronda centre with a long garden to the rear. Since I was retired I was able to spend lengthy periods in the City of Dreams, finishing off my house in the barrio and doing up Maude's house and garden.

Then, in 2008 my life changed for ever - and for the better. I met Rita in Ronda. In fact last weekend was the 17th anniversary of that fateful meeting.

I emigrated at the end of 2008, to "live in sin" with my new German girlfriend in her house in Montejaque, near Ronda. From the outside space point of view we had a huge roof terrace and an internal patio and a small sitting area in front of the house.

After marriage in 2010, we also decided to move to a larger property with easy access and lots of land. That's what we got - a 3000 m2 plot laid to lawns and a 10,000 m2 field.

I let a neighbour, Juan Antonio use most of the field to grow hay for his horse to graze in the summer. My gardener Rafael has a sizeable huerta where he grows vegetables, and another neighbour, Mercedes, uses a small plot, also as a huerta.

Both "pay me" in fruit and veg, Merche also gives us eggs laid by her free-range chickens.

Managing the "space"

I undertook a major project this year to create more allotment space for fruit trees and vegetables. Also to furbish a "man cave" and to re-organise terraces and seating areas.

The expansion of my huerta is complete, and the terraces are ready. The "man cave", in a wooden shed at the bottom of the garden, still needs tidying up.

    Above photos by Paul Whitelock, except top left, by Karl Smallman

Links:

© Pablo de Ronda

Images:

Flickr, Karl Smallman, Netflix, Paul Whitelock, Reddit

Tags:

barrio, Casa Blanca, Flickr, Jeryl, Karl Smallman, Maude, Montejaque, Netflix, Pablo de Ronda, Paul Whitelock, Piso Blanco, Reddit, Rita, Ronda, Villa Indiana, www.help-me-ronda.com

This Saturday journalists, writers and media professionals from the Costa Press Club (Club de Prensa de la Costa del Sol) took part in a very enjoyable Press Trip to the Axarquia area of inland Malaga province. The day was organised by club member and journalist Jennie Rhodes together with APTA, the Association for the Promotion of Tourism in Axarquía.

[Map courtesy of absolute axarquia]

The Press outing centred on the towns/villages of Almáchar and El Borge and focused on the history of the Axarquía region through its traditions and the cultivation of muscat grapes, recognized by the FAO as an Important Agricultural Heritage System (SIPAM).

Visit 1

First stop was a visit to a lagar, Tunante de Arriba, to learn how the moscatel grapes are processed before being turned into the distinctive Moscatel dessert wine.

This was fascinating, as we learned from the owner Jose Luis that the harvested grapes still in bunches are laid on the ground to "bake" in the sun. Periodically they have to be turned by hand. When they are sufficiently "done", they are taken inside where they are snipped from the stalks and peeled.

   L to R: Mangoes ripening; Moscatel grapes drying; Cutting the "pasas" (sultanas) from the stalks; De-skinning the sultanas

   [Photographs by Paul Whitelock]

Nowadays, further processing takes place at a cooperativa, where the harvest is turned into the sweet Moscatel wine.

Visit 2

Back on the coach for the short drive to Almáchar. Our visit coincided with the village feria, so the place was packed. And the atmosphere was great.

We walked around, passing by stalls selling everything imaginable, and visiting places on the way. 

I like getting souvenirs of the places I visit, so I ended up with a fridge magnet (iman), a key ring (llavero), a book by Isabel Allende, as well as a fig loaf.

We also got some free ajoblanco, a cold soup made from almonds and garlic. Delish!

    My souvenirs [PW]                                                 Ajoblanco [Andaluciamia]

Apartamentos Turísticos La Lipa

A new concept. The owners - Juan from Almachar and his wife Carmen from Santander, northern Spain - bought an old village building and "reformed" it into a luxury aparthotel with modern furnishings and decor.

    Outside the Lipa suites [PW]                           Yours truly on the roof terrace [K. Ogilvy]                                                                                                                                                     

The views from each of the seven rooms and the roof terrace are to die for.

Museo de la Pasa

Then a couple of us got detached from the group, so we headed back to the coach. We were the first to arrive. The others were at another visit, to a bodega, which we missed.

Visit 3 - Bodega Fabio Coullet

We missed it!

But our fellow group members assured us we had missed an enjoyable experience.

Visit 4 - Centro de Interpretación Galería del Bandolero

This was a very enjoyable visit. We learned that the El Borge centre had purchased most of the artefacts and exhibits from the Ronda Museo del Bandolero, when it closed in 2020. 

    The former Bandit Museum in Ronda [Wikipedia]       The Bandit Museum in El Borje [PW]

It was a scandal that the Ronda Bandit Museum was closed five years ago. Ronda Council should have stepped in to support it, instead of wasting money on "vanity projects".

But at least the contents have survived.

After the visit and an amusing interlude when we were "attacked" by bandits, we adjourned to the projection room.

    Bandits! [Photos by Paul Whitelock]

Antonio Yuste, the mayor of Moclinejo, another local village, welcomed us and outlined the collaborative work between the three councils in Almáchar, El Borge, and Moclinejo, to promote the area as a tourist destination.

We each received a "goodie bag", with promotional gifts, leaflets and maps, as well as a bottle of Moscatel.

There was also a fridge magnet to add to my collection! Yippee!

"Goodie Bag" [PW]    

Visit 5 - "almuerzo tradicional" en el Restaurante Hotel Posada Del Bandolero

We were hungry by now. We were quite a large group, around 27 including our hosts, and the restaurant was busy anyway, being feria and a Saturday, so the service was rather slow.

Nevertheless, when the meal came it was worth the wait. It was a traditional lunch with a leitmotiv of pasas.

I had chosen ajoblanco con pasas, followed by solomillo de cerdo en medallones con pasas y papas fritas. The accompanying complimentary wines were from the bodega we missed out on, Fabio Couillet!

    My choices: ajoblanco and solomillo de cerdo [PW]

Then, all of a sudden, it was home time. The coach took us back to the centre of Malaga where I picked up my car and headed for home, very satisfied ..... and looking forward to the next CPC meeting on September 30th.

©  Pablo de Ronda

With thanks to:

andaluciamia, Antonio Muñoz, Elisa Páez, Ezequiel, Fabio Couillet, Jennie Rhodes, Neil Hesketh, Raquel (coach driver)

Tags:

absolute axarquia, Agricultural Heritage System, ajoblanco con pasas, Almáchar, "almuerzo tradicional", andaluciamia, Antonio Muñoz, APTA, Association for the Promotion of Tourism in Axarquía, Axarquia, bodega, Club de Prensa de la Costa del Sol, Costa Press Club, El Borge, Elisa Páez, Ezequiel, Fabio Couillet, FAO, Jennie Rhodes, Malaga province, Moclinejo, muscat grapes, Neil Hesketh, Pablo de Ronda, papas fritas, Paul Whitelock Press Trip, Raquel, Restaurante Hotel Posada Del Bandolero, Ronda Museo del Bandolero, SIPAM, solomillo de cerdo en medallones con pasas

Today is the 17th anniversary of the day I met Rita, who became my wife two years later.

Yes, it was the Friday evening of the Feria y Fiestas de Pedro Romero. The year was 2008.

I had flown in from Frankfurt Hahn airport and had arrived that morning at Malaga airport.

[Poster courtesy of Portal Tematico de la Serrania]

I had just broken up with my girlfriend in Luxembourg, where I had spent the summer helping out with DIY and house renovation. She said it was just a summer romance. I thought it was more than that and I was devastated. So, I decided to fly to Spain and spend a long weekend in Ronda (I had property there).

I met up with my pal Michael who had moved to Ronda from North Wales a few years before.

His brother was visiting from North Wales with his girlfriend, so after an early dinner we all headed off to the Recinto Ferial. I was not keen - I was tired - but they talked me in to it.

On arrival we entered a caseta, a sort of beer tent, which was full of guiris (what the Spanish call us northern European immigrants). I already knew a handful of those present, as I'd been coming to Ronda frequently for some eight years. As I went round the group, at least 20, I was introduced to each one in turn.

The rather lovely lady who appeared to be on her own, ie not with a bloke, and who had a funny accent, was a German divorcee who was living in Montejaque, 20 minutes from Ronda. I'm a fluent German speaker, so she was delighted to chat with me. When I found out that her name was Rita, I immediately christened her the "Meter Maid" (The Beatles, 1964 - geddit?).

[Rolling Stone]    

We saw each other again that weekend and agreed to keep in touch. We were both smitten with each other. Over the next four months we courted in England, Germany and Spain and then, just before Christmas of 2008, I emigrated to be with her.

Two years later we got married in Maulbronn Abbey in Germany, the school there having educated Hermann Hesse, who would later be the author of "Steppenwolf".

Now, 15 years later, we're still together living in Ronda.

Maulbronn Abbey [Minube]    

Endword

We have never been to the Feria since. Rita doesn't enjoy such things, and I'm hardly going to go on my own (I might meet someone else -¡Ojala!)

Links:

A1 HOLIDAYS

MY SPECIAL PLACES IN SPAIN - Help me, Ronda

Ronda Romántica: Falling in Love in the ‘City of Dreams’ - Help me, Ronda

©  Pablo de Ronda

Pictures:

Minube, Portal Tematico de la Serrania, Rolling Stone 

Tags:

caseta, Frankfurt Hahn, guiri, Maulbronn Abbey, Minube, Hermann Hesse, "Meter Maid", Montejaque, Pedro Romero, Portal Tematico de la Serrania, recinto ferial, Rita, Rolling Stone, Ronda, "Steppenwolf", The Beatles,

I don't think there is a general rule.

Most "guiris" speak little Spanish, but they have purchasing power.

So are we liked or just tolerated for our dinero?

A stereotypical "guiri" [source unknown]    

I am a guiri - a Northern European immigrant to Spain - but I do not fit the stereotype of a sunburnt person who wears sandals with socks, a "kiss-me-quick" hat, and totally inappropriate clothing, who speaks only English (or German) ever more loudly, in order to be understood.

"Guiris" have a well-deserved bad reputation, in my opinion.

And .....- ?

I am different, I hope.

I speak fluent Spanish and I didn't immigrate to Spain for the sun, sand and sangria.

I moved to this country because I loved the people, the lifestyle, the relative lack of stress and the low cost of living.

[Photo courtesy of Secret Serrania]    

My story

I first came to Spain aged 20 to spend my year abroad, a compulsory part of a university languages degree. I was sent to San Sebastian (Guipuzkoa) in 1970. Franco was still alive (BTW a worse war criminal than Adolf Hitler) so it wasn't looking promising.

    Bay of La Concha, San Sebastian [Civitatis]

But I was fascinated with this slightly backward country with no video shops, with chaperones, little western influence and no contraception.

When my girlfriend from university visited me she spotted straightaway that I felt at home in the Spanish environment.

We later married, by the way, had two children, travelled extensively in Spain and bought two properties in Ronda (Malaga).

After 30 years together, however, it all unravelled. I had a nervous breakdown, was made redundant from my job as a schools adviser/inspector and got divorced. It was 2005 and I was not in a good place. 

    Puente Nuevo, Ronda [Fenix]

But, Spain, in particular Ronda, rescued me.

Now 20 years later, I am a Spanish resident, I am re-married, have a great house and a vibrant social life.

Franco has been dead for 50 years and is a disgraced figure.

Spain is one of the most advanced and sophisticated democracies in Europe and the economy is booming under the socialist government of Pedro Sanchez, a formidable, likeable, and English-speaking politician prominent on the European and world stage.

Villa Indiana, Ronda [A1]

Links:

"Guiris" galore - Eye on Spain

What is a guiri? It's what the Spanish call us foreigners - but is it good or bad? - Secret Serrania

© Pablo de Ronda (Paul Whitelock)

Pictures:

A1, Civitatis, Fenix, Secret Serrania

Acknowledgements:

Pablo de Ronda, Paul Whitelock

Tags:

A1, Civitatis, Eye on Spain, Fenix, Franco, Guipuzkoa, guiri, Pablo de Ronda, Paul Whitelock, Pedro Sanchez, Plaza de toros, Puente Nuevo, Ronda, San Sebastian, Secret Serrania, Spain, Villa Indiana

In two days time I shall be "de Rogriguez" again. I'm looking forward to it, not that I'm planning any "hanky-panky".

10 days "home alone" will be just fine.

I have things to do.

[El Mundo]    

What's on the horizon?

After I drop Rita off at Sevilla airport, I shall be heading for the El Puerto de Santa Maria area on the Cadiz coast. I only recently discovered this part of the world and I love it there.

I'm also going on a press trip to the Axarquia! This area to the east of Malaga City is the home of wine, olives and the writer Chris Stewart, although he is not on the programme for the day.

Our English friends Ian and Christine will be spending their customary fortnight in Nerja at the start of September, so a visit to see them is also on the cards.

    [Ayuntamiento de El Puerto de Sta. Maria]        [www.absoluteaxarqui.com]           Nerja [La Sexta]

At home

I plan to finish off work in the garden, including the newly pergola-ed terrace outside our bedroom, completing the renovation work to the side of the house, and putting the finishing touches to my "man-cave" at the back of the garden.

    [BBC Gardeners World]

And tidying up before my period "de Rodriguez" comes to an end on September 8th.

Links:

... de Rodríguez? - Secret Serrania de Ronda

My week “de Rodríguez” is over

© Pablo de Ronda

Bibliography:

Selected books by Chris Stewart:

Driving Over Lemons (1999),

A Parrot in the Pepper Tree (2000),

The Almond Blossom Appreciation Society (2006)

Three Ways to Capsize a Boat (2009)

Last Days of the Bus Club (2014)

Chris Stewart [Diario Sur]    

Pictures:

Ayuntamiento de El Puerto de Santa Maria, BBC Gardeners World, Diario Sur, El Mundo, La Sexta, www.absoluteaxarqui.com

Tags:

A Parrot in the Pepper Tree, Axarquia, Ayuntamiento de El Puerto de Santa Maria, BBC Gardeners World, Cadiz coast, Chris Stewart, "de Rogriguez", Diario Sur, Driving Over Lemons, El Mundo, El Puerto de Santa Maria area, "hanky-panky", "home alone", Ian and Christine, La Sexta, Malaga City,"man-cave", pergola, Rita, Sevilla airport, The Almond Blossom Appreciation Society, www.absoluteaxarqui.com

Somebody posted recently on Facebook that Ronda (Malaga) is boring and there's nothing to do there!

I think this chap was in the town for a couple of hours on a day trip. But, even so, he must have seen the potential of the place, arguably the most stunning place in Andalucia, if not in the whole of Spain.

Ronda's Puente Nuevo [Photo: Fenix]    

Me and Ronda

As far as I am concerned Ronda is the best place in Spain. After 50-odd years of travelling throughout the country, I chose the City of Dreams (Ciudad Soñada) as a place to settle, when I retired.

Balloon flight over Ronda [Karl Smallman]    

Other places that stood out during this half-century odyssey were, in alphabetical order, Arcos de la Frontera (Cadiz), Baeza (Jaen), Barcelona (Catalunya), Cadiz (Cadiz), Cordoba (Cordoba), Cuenca (Castilla La Mancha), Granada (Granada), Jaca (Aragon), Olot (Girona), Salamanca (Castilla-Leon), San Sebastian (Guipuzkoa), and Santander (Santander), but Ronda was the one for me, so that's where I went.

Arcos de la Fra. [Turismo de Cadiz]             Cadiz [ABC de Sevilla]                          San Sebastian [Civitatis]

Other places I discovered since emigrating to Ronda

During the time I've lived in the Serrania de Ronda, first in Barrio San Francisco (Ronda) and Barrio Padre Jesus (Ronda), then in Montejaque (Malaga) and finally in the campo just outside the City of Dreams (a total of some 20 years), I have also discovered the delights of lots of other places, mainly in the south.

Montejaque Square [Karl Smallman]    

These are Almuñecar (Granada); Bolonia, Caños de Meca and Chipiona (all Cadiz); Competa (Malaga); Conil de la Frontera (Cadiz); Frigiliana (Malaga); Jerez de la Frontera (Cadiz); and Nerja (both Malaga); Salobreña (Granada); Torrox (Malaga); Ubeda (Jaen); Velez-Malaga (Malaga); Zahara de los Atunes (Cadiz).

           Bolonia [Wikipedia]                              Frigiliana [Malaga Hoy]                                   Nerja [La Sexta]

We must not forget the two Spanish island groups.

Places we liked were Formentera, Ibiza, Mallorca and Menorca (Balearic Islands) and Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, La Gomera, Lanzarote and Tenerife (Canary Islands).

But only for holidays.

Mount Teide, Tenerife [Wikipedia]    

Most of the mainland places are on or near the coast but not all. Great for day-trips or short holidays, but not to live.

I shall continue to reside in Ronda until I die and my body will be laid to rest here in Spain. I've already reserved my "niche" at the cemetery in Montejaque.

Montejaque cemetery [CharryTV.com]    

Links:

Features I - Serrania de ronda - SERRANIA DE RONDA - Help me, Ronda

Features II - costa del sol - COSTA DEL SOL - Help me, Ronda

Features III - costa de la luz - COSTA DE LA LUZ - Help me, Ronda

Features IV - REST OF SPAIN / THE WORLD - REST OF SPAIN / THE WORLD - Help me, Ronda

My Top 10 places in Ronda - Secret Serrania de Ronda

Ronda - City of Dreams - Olive Press News Spain

The Story of El Rincón in Ronda 2005 - 2010
 

© Pablo de Ronda (Paul Whitelock)

With thanks to:

ABC de Sevilla, CharryTV.com, Civitatis, Fenix, Karl Smallman, La Sexta, Malaga Hoy, Turismo de Cadiz, Wikipedia

Tags:

ABC de Sevilla, Almuñecar, Aragon, Arcos de la Frontera, Baeza, Balearic Islands, Barcelona, Barrio Padre Jesus, Barrio San Francisco, Bolonia, Cadiz, Canary Islands, Caños de Meca, Castilla La Mancha, Castilla-Leon, Catalunya, CharryTV.com, Chipiona, City of Dreams, Ciudad Soñada, Civitatis, Competa, Conil de la Frontera, Cordoba, Cuenca, Fenix, Frigiliana, Fuerteventura, and Tenerife Girona, Granada, Gran Canaria, Guipuzkoa, Ibiza, Jaca, Jaen, Jerez de la Frontera, Karl Smallman, La Gomera, Lanzarote, La Sexta, Malaga Hoy, Mallorca, Menorca, Montejaque, Formentera, Nerja, Olot, Pablo de Ronda, Paul Whitelock, Ronda, Salamanca, Salobreña, San Sebastian, Santander, Serrania de Ronda, Torrox, Turismo de Cadiz, Ubeda, Velez-Malaga, Wikipedia, Zahara de los Atunes

Continuing my series of "kilometro" articles, today it's the turn of kilometro 18.

This exit on the A374 between Jerez de la Frontera and Ronda leads us into a world of wonderful white villages and stunning scenery.

Map of Andalucia courtesy of TripSavvy     

Preamble

I first travelled this route in 2000 when I was on a silver wedding anniversary tour of Andalucía with my wife at the time (we sadly divorced five years later).

Back then we were knocked out by what we saw! We knew Spain well, but had never been to Andalucia before.

Grazalema

After travelling through forests of cork oaks, we turned right for Grazalema, the town which clocks up most rainfall in the whole of Spain.

If we had turned left we would have had another marvellous experience, but that's for another day.

Grazalema [Turismo de Cadiz]     

Grazalema is a fabulous town with stupendous views, a choice of fantastic restaurants an interesting church and  lots of souvenir shops selling local cheeses, wines from the region and locally made cloth.

There are lots of tourists, but that's what makes the town an exciting place to visit.

Las Palomas

Taking the road up around Grazalema, there is another choice to be made.

In 2000 we turned right and climbed up to the pass of Las Palomas.

The views from here are to die for, including the Zahara de la Sierra reservoir. Absolutely unbelievable.

     View of Zahara reservoir [Minube]

Zahara de la Sierra

From above the road serpentines its way down to Zahara.

It's worth driving up to the top of the village. With luck you can park and then you have a choice of restaurants, the Tourist Office and the Church.

Further up is the Castillo,  which provides the best views of the lot.

     Zahara de la Sierra [Ronda Today]

Arcos de la Frontera

Back down the hill you can take the road to Arcos de la Frontera, one of the most amazing towns in Cadiz province.

Perched on a mountain top with one of the best paradores I know (and I've since been to around 45 of the 90 dotted around Spain).

We spent two nights there and enjoyed Arcos immensely. We visited several times since.

     Arcos de la Frontera [Turismo de Cadiz]

Continuing our Tour

On our anniversary trip in 2000 we continued on to Cadiz, Sevilla, Carmona, Cordoba and Antequera.

     Cadiz  [ABC de Sevilla]                                                    Plaza de Europa, Sevilla [Diario de Sevilla]                        Carmona [unattributed]

     La Mezquita de Cordoba [Lonely Planet]                        Antequera [RENFE]

We flew back to the UK with fond memories and a plan …..

Our Plan?

The following year (2001) we bought an apartment with a shared pool in Ronda and two years later a house nearby to do up.

     Piso Blanco, Ronda [Paul Whitelock]                                                        Puente Nuevo, Ronda [Karl Smallman]

Then after 30 years of marriage which produced two kids, I was made redundant, I suffered a nervous breakdown and Jeryl and I divorced.

***

What happened next is for another day and another article …..

© Pablo de Ronda

Acknowledgements:

ABC de Sevilla, Diario de Sevilla, Karl Smallman, Lonely Planet, Paul Whitelock, RENFE, Turismo de Cadiz, Wikipedia

Tags:

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Ozzy Osbourne, "The Prince of Darkness", is dead.

He passed away with his family at his side on July 22, 2025, just two weeks after his final stage performance.

The heavy metal legend and reality TV star said a poignant farewell at Villa Park in Aston, Birmingham, seated on a throne, together with other legends of the genre.

[Photo courtesy of Wikipedia]     

The Heavy Metal Period

Black Sabbath hit the world of music with a blast of loud uncompromising music in 1974. This was heavy metal!

I was in my early 20s and suffering from post-Beatles blues, as well as the abandonment of traditional "blues" music by the likes of Fleetwood Mac, Eric Clapton and others.

     Black Sabbath in the 1970s [Rolling Stone]     

As a result, I was seeking a new kind of music to latch onto. Alas, heavy metal was not it!

Alcohol and Substance Abuse

Heavy Metal didn't seem to do it for Ozzy Osbourne either. He abused drugs and alcohol and after a drunken attempt to strangle Sharon he went into rehab in Los Angeles where the Osbourne family were living.

TV Reality Star

Then, out of the blue, Ozzy re-appeared in our lives as the star of a warts-and-all TV reality series called "The Osbournes".

Largely driven by Ozzy's wife Sharon, she became a star in her own right, as did two of their kids, Jack and Kelly.

    [Photo courtesy of Xataca]     

Ozzy cut a sad figure, clearly still an addict. He became increasingly bumbling and incoherent. It was revealed that he was suffering from Parkinson's disease.

Farewell Concert

Two weeks ago a one-off farewell concert was arranged at the Aston Villa Football stadium, a stone's throw from where John Michael Osbourne was born and brought up.

Black Sabbath were the lead act, but also present were other heavy metal bands and guests, including Metallica, Guns 'n Roses, Slayer, Pantera and Steve Tyler from Aerosmith.

     Osbourne's farewell performance [Telemundo]

Osbourne performed seated on a kind of throne, as he was unable to stand for long.

Farewell

Two weeks later it really was farewell. Ozzy Osbourne was dead.

He was clearly in worse health than we had been led to believe .....

RIP Ozzy Osbourne!

© Pablo de Ronda

Links:

Así fue el último concierto de OZZY OSBOURNE con BLACK SABBATH hace dos semanas | EL PAÍS

Photos:

Fox News, Telemundo, The Objective, Wikipedia, Xataca

Tags:

Aerosmith, Aston Villa, Black Sabbath, Fox News, Guns 'n Roses, heavy metal, HOLA, Jack, John Michael Osbourne, Kelly, Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Pablo de Ronda, Pantera, Paul Whitelock, Ruta 66, Sharon Osbourne, Slayer, Steve Tyler, Telemundo, The Objective, "The Osbournes", Wikipedia, Xataca

Carmen is the heroine of a tale of tragedy by the French writer Prosper Merimee (1875) who was a huge fan of Andalucía and a frequent visitor. The plot concerns a cigarrera (cigar roller) in a Seville cigar factory, who falls in love with a soldier from the north of Spain.

The story formed the basis of an opera by French composer Georges Bizet which premiered in 1984.

In 1983 a film of Bizet's opera was shot partly in Ronda, in the barrio Padre Jesus.

It starred a relatively young and slim Placido Domingo, who went on to become one of "The Three Tenors" alongside Jose Carreras and Luciano Pavarotti in 1990.

[Facebook]     

Another film, "Bizet's Carmen" (2003), also starred Domingo. This film premiered in

"Carmen Jones" (1954) updated the story to be set in a World War II, African-American setting. With book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, "Carmen Jones" was directed by Otto Preminger and starred Dorothy Dandridge and a young Harry Belafonte.

     [Film poster courtesy of IMDb]                                                [Film poster courtesy of Wikipedia]

In 1990, Placido Domingo began singing with fellow tenors Luciano Pavarotti and José Carreras as part of "The Three Tenors". The first recording by the trio became the best-selling classical album of all time.

Carmen 2025

I met Carmen a few nights ago in my local, Hotel Ronda Valley, just outside Ronda. A very well-preserved specimen, Carmen was dark-haired, sultry, tanned, with a voluptuous figure despite having given birth to two children. At 59 she looked way younger.

Plaza de España, Sevilla [Diario de Sevilla]     

She was accompanied by her husband Fran (Francisco), a mere youngster aged 58.

This Carmen did not roll cigars on her nubile thighs like the heroine of Bizet's opera. Instead she works for a charity supporting older people.

Fran is a funcionario who runs his own company.

Carmen and Fran plan to retire in four years time when they intend to leave Sevilla, the city of their birth, for somewhere smaller, rural and cooler, where they would be able to afford a house with land, a finca.

They have pets and Carmen wants a huerta to grow her own vegetables.

     Una huerta tipica [ManoMano]

Dinner Date

Carmen, Fran and I got on very well. Carmen asked about my wife.

I told them about Rita, that she was German, that I met her at the Feria de Pedro Romero in Ronda in September 2008. Rita was already living here, in nearby Montejaque. We fell for each other straightaway. She and I were both single (divorced).

At that time Rita had three children and two grandchildren. I had two children and no grandchildren.

Rita and I married in 2010 in Maulbronn Monastery (Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany) and the following year bought the house where we still live just outside Ronda.

17 years later our respective families have expanded. Rita now has four grandchildren, three girls and a boy. I have four, all boys.

Rita and Paul get married [HMR]     

Carmen was intrigued by our history and suggested we meet for dinner the next night at their hotel, Molino del Puente, just down the road from our house.

We did that and had a fine old time, until it was time to go home .....

..... but the least said about that, the better. 

Hotel Molino del Puente, Ronda [Kayak]     

© Pablo de Ronda

Photos:

Carly Love, Diario de Sevilla, Facebook, HMR, IMDb, Journal amusant, Kayak, ManoMano, Wikipedia

Tags:

"Bizet's Carmen", cigarrera, cigar roller, Carmen, Carmen Jones, Diario de Sevilla, Dorothy Dandridge, Facebook, finca, Fran, Harry Belafonte, Hotel Molino del Puente, HMR, Hotel Ronda Valley, huerto, IMDb, Journal amusant, Kayak, ManoMano, Oscar Hammerstein Jr., Otto Preminger, Wikipedia