Puntos de vista - a personal Spain blog

By Paul Whitelock

Netflix shoots “Seven Dials” in Ronda, a mystery series based on an Agatha Christie novel, in various locations around the stunning Málaga province mountain town.

The series is based on Christie's novel “The Seven Dials Mystery” and stars “Game of Thrones” actor Iain Glen, Oscar-winner Helena Bonham-Carter, up-and-coming star Mia McKenna-Bruce and Martin Freeman of the films “Love Actually” and “The Hobbit”, as well as television series “Fargo”.

Filming in Ronda

Helena Bonham-Carter, Martin Freeman and Iain Glen          Mia McKenna-Bruce

[Photo: Cordon Press]                                                           [Photo: Wikipedia]

Filming by the production company 72 Films took place this week from Monday 16 September to Wednesday 18 September in iconic locations in Ronda such as the Puente Nuevo (new bridge) over the gorge, the area around the Fuente de los Ocho Caños drinking fountain, the Duquesa de Parcent square, the Arab Baths, the Alameda del Tajo park, the Ermita and the Plaza de Toros.

Ronda town councillor Jorge Fernández said: “There will be some minor short-term traffic interruptions for the filming. We aim to reduce the possible inconvenience that may be caused to local people".

Ronda mayor María de la Paz Fernández stated: "This international filming by a company that has created products such as the latest 007 film brings a team of around 120 people to Ronda for the shooting, which gives an idea of the magnitude of this production."

The Local Police have contemplated various traffic cuts with the intention of alternating the passage of pedestrians and vehicles, so long as the filming allows it.

Mari-Paz Fernández [Photo courtesy Diario Ronda]

Mayor Fernández added: “Ronda has here a new platform for international promotion at no cost, since the filming of an international series in English of this calibre means that millions of people from all over the world can contemplate the many charms that our city offers."

“The city has already been the scene of other international creations such as 'The Warrior Nun', and 'Feria'.

Other celebrity visitors

And, in recent years, a number of music videos by, for example Madonna and Daniel Bedingfield, as well as TV documentaries by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, and Michael Portillo for his series Great Railway Journeys.

Madonna at bullfight in Ronda [La Razon]            Michael Portillo at the Puente Nuevo [CharryTV]

Jamie Oliver making a giant paella in Benaojan [Paul Whitelock]

In the more distant past celebrities such as the Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke, the American writer Ernest Hemingway and the American actor and film director Orson Welles fell in love with Ronda’s charms.

In fact, Welles is buried here and all three have streets named after them. Rilke also a car park and a driving school

    Ernest Hemingway [Acento]                                Orson Welles [IMDb]                      Rainer Maria Rilke [El Mundo]

Access denied

Despite having my Press pass, I was denied access to the filming and to the actors. Head of production Guillermo explained that the production company wanted to keep tight control of the rights and the publicity for the series.

Head of security Miguel forbade me from taking photos of the actors when they emerged from the filming, despite being on the public highway.

Then I had an idea: I went to the terrace cafe on the fourth floor of the Hotel Catalonia which is opposite the bullring. This is a great vantage point for looking down on proceedings in the arena. There was nobody there apart from a couple of British hotel guests. I managed to take a few shots of scenes involving Martin Freeman.

Martin Freeman filming in Ronda's bullring for the series "Seven Dials" [Photos: Paul Whitelock]

I had learned that the production company would be filming in the bullring all day, so in the early evening I returned to the Hotel Catalonia roof terrace. The cafe was heaving with guests now. But, you won't believe this, Miguel, the aforementioned security man, was patrolling up and down the terrace STOPPING PEOPLE FROM TAKING PHOTOS!

What? This was outrageous! This was a hotel terrace - nothing to do with the filming!

I recall similar over-the-top secrecy surrounding the filming of chef Jamie Oliver back in 2009.

Wednesday - same story of secrecy

They started filming at the Puente Nuevo before the sun was fully up, but there were no actors present. Despite the heavy security I managed to get a couple of shots.

[Photo to follow]

Later they blocked access roads for traffic to the Ocho Caños and the Baños Arabes. By the time I parked and walked down, they'd been and gone.

On a hunch I drove to the Ermita Virgen de la Cabeza. One crew member, Pedro from Sevilla, was blocking the road to the Hermitage.

"They've all gone off for lunch", he told me.

I set off to try to find where they were dining, but drew a blank.

***

I returned to the Ermita in the evening. Seguridad prevented me from approaching the film set (surprise, surprise!) but I met a couple of special effects people (artists) who were preparing props for later filming. I chatted to Isi from La Mancha, Antonio from Almagro (Ciudad Real) and security guard Miguel from Málaga for ages and found out a lot. They didn't appear to be bound by any secrecy clause.

I learned where some of the 120 cast and crew were staying, and that filming had been extended by a few days. They were happy for me to take a photograph of them.

[Photo to follow]

Conclusion

I hope the series is a success. The writer - Agatha Christie - and the actors - Iain Glen, Helena Bonham-Carter, Mia McKenna-Bruce and Martin Freeman -  are great actors and the director, Chris Sweeney, also has pedigree. I just feel the secrecy was totally unnecessary.

I look forward to watching it later in the year.

STOP PRESS:

Three new links:

Exclusive: Martin Freeman is spotted filming for Agatha Christie Netflix series in Spain's Ronda - Olive Press News Spain (theolivepress.es)

Netflix grabará en Ronda una serie de misterio con Iain Glen, de Juego de Tronos | Diario Sur

'Seven Dials', la nueva serie de Netflix que están grabando en Ronda y se basa en una novela de Agatha Christie (malagahoy.es)

Notes:

72 Films is an independent production company founded by David Glover and Mark Raphael.

Their aim is to make programmes that inspire, entertain, and make a positive contribution to the cultural landscape.

72 Films have won major commissions with the BBC, National Geographic, Channel 4, Sky, Paramount, Netflix, Apple and Amazon.

©  Paul Whitelock

Links:

El día que prohibieron a Madonna torear en Ronda (larazon.es)

In Ronda a street bears his name and there is a statue in his honour in the grounds of a hotel - but who was Rilke? (secretserrania.com)

Michael Portillo and Andalucía - Help me, Ronda (help-me-ronda.com)

VIDEO: Three Jamies - including celebrity TV chef Jamie Oliver - in one day! (secretserrania.com)

Acknowledgements:

Diario Sur

Francisco Griñán

Javier Amellones

Laura Plaza Rodríguez

Ronda Semanal

SUR in English

Vanessa Melgar

Photos:

Acento

CharryTV.com

Cordon Press

Diario Ronda

El Mundo

Fuente de los Ocho Caños

IMDb

Javier Flores

La Razon

Malaga Hoy

Paul Whitelock

SUR in English

The Olive Press

Tags:

72 Films, Agatha Christie, Alameda del Tajo, Amazon, Apple, Arab Baths, Baños árabes, BBC, Channel 4, Chris Sweeney, Daniel Bedingfield, Diario Sur, Duquesa de Parcent, Ermita Virgen de la Cabeza, Ernest Hemingway, “Fargo”, Francisco Griñán, Fuente de los Ocho Caños, “Game of Thrones”, Helena Bonham-Carter, Hotel Catalonia, Iain Glen, Jamie Oliver, Javier Amellones, Jorge Fernández, “Love Actually”, Madonna, Málaga, María de la Paz Fernández, Martin Freeman, Michael Portillo, National Geographic, Netflix, Orson Welles, Paramount, Paul Whitelock, Plaza de Toros, Puente Nuevo, Rainer Maria Rilke, Ronda, Ronda mayor,  Ronda Semanal, “Seven Dials”, Sky, SUR in English, “The Hobbit”, “The Seven Dials Mystery”, Vanessa Melgar

Pablo de Ronda has been “de Rodríguez” since last Wednesday, when his wife jetted off to Germany to look after her older sister, who has just come out of hospital after major surgery.

“Footloose and fancy-free” is the best “translation” Pablo can muster for “de Rodríguez”. For a more in-depth discussion of the topic, click here: ... de Rodríguez? - Secret Serrania de Ronda

Anyway, if you’ve now read the article, you’ll be expecting Pablo to give a “nudge-nudge-wink-wink” account of what he’s been up to while the missus has been away. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Here’s what has happened so far:

Where can I get a coffee?

I dropped the “Meter Maid”, Rita (geddit?), at Málaga Costa del Sol airport at just before 5.30 am. Her flight to Paderborn (North Rhine Westfalia) was due to take off at 7.00 am.

I’d already decided to spend a few hours down on the coast, to do a bit of shopping in stores not available in Ronda, and then to have a swim in the Med and have a snooze on the beach.

First things first, I needed a coffee. So, I toddled off to Torremolinos to look for a café or chiringuito overlooking the beach. What better than seeing dawn break on the beach with maybe a chance for a skinny-dip?

Well, I drove the entire length of the coast, some three kilometres, and nowhere was open.

I was driving so slowly that I appeared to arouse interest by a local police patrol – probably thought I was a kerb-crawler.

What to do? The shops don’t open till 10.00 and it’s only 6.00 am?  I followed a sign for the centro urbano and almost immediately found a 24-hour bar.

“In for a penny, in for a pound,” I thought, so I entered.

The clientele was a fascinating mixture of workers on their way to work, topping up with a coffee and a chupito of anís or coñac; people who’d clearly been up all night clubbing; alcoholics; whores; and a transvestite. And that was just inside.

The terrace outside was also full: with smokers (I caught a whiff of wacky-baccy); other “alternative types”; and a guy drinking pints of lager.

“Must be British,” I thought.

Oh, well, each to his own – we all have our little quirks, idiosyncrasies and addictions, don’t we? I’m not normal either!

Oh, he was British, by the way, as I discovered later.

So, I sat at a table and got my work out. I had some press cuttings to read and some writing to do and had brought my laptop with me.

I had two coffees, mainly to keep me awake, but was surprised that you had to pay en seguida, ie at the moment of ordering. With hindsight, probably a good idea with the dodgy clients the bar attracts.

I more or less finished what I wanted to do, and it was getting hotter inside by the minute, so I decamped outside.

What happened next?

“Lager man” was at the next table. He seemed to know everybody, local and guiri alike, but he was definitely English. From his accent I reckoned he was from the North West.

And so he was. When I engaged him in conversation, it emerged that he was from Bury, Greater Manchester. Not far from the second school I taught at in Middleton, in fact. He now lives in Bolton, another of my old stomping grounds.

He was here in Torremolinos for the umpteenth time – that’s why he seemed to know everyone – but he still works in the UK.

As he ordered his third pint of lager while I’d been in the bar, he told me he never drinks in England.

“I more than make up for it when I’m out here, though!” he remarked straight-faced.

“So I’m not an alcoholic,” he added.

Sorting things out

After leaving Torremolinos, I headed for Málaga City. I noticed that Leroy Merlin was already open, so I popped in for a coffee and breakfast in their cafetería, before going into the store to buy the stuff I needed.

Then I headed for Carrefour in Málaga. This enormous French-owned hypermarket has everything. I was there for ages.

But I got what I went for: cat food for kittens, plus a few other things that are hard to come by in Ronda.

A quick trip to Aldi and LIDL to see if they had certain things they don’t have in Ronda -they didn’t!

By this time, it was mid-day. Should I go to the beach for a swim, which was what I had intended?

No, I needed to head back home, see to the kitten and so on and so forth…..

Back in Ronda

Paulinchen was fine. I fed her then popped to my local, Hotel Ronda Valley, for a “quickie” before preparing some dinner at home.

My day out? I enjoyed it immensely.

© Pablo de Ronda

Tags:

Alcoholics, Aldi, alternative types, Bolton, Bury, Carrefour, chupito, “de Rodríguez”, “footloose and fancy-free”, Germany, Greater Manchester, Leroy Merlin, Lidl, Málaga, Málaga City, Málaga Costa del Sol airport, “Meter Maid”,  Middleton, North Rhine Westfalia, Pablo de Ronda, Paderborn, Paulinchen, Paul Whitelock, people who’d clearly been up all night, pints of lager, Rita, skinny-dip, smokers, Torremolinos, transvestite, wacky-baccy, whores

It’s officially Autumn in Spain. In Andalucia pupils start school on 15 September, public swimming pools close and the temperature starts to drop. Parents are back at work after the August holiday and life gets back to normal, with shops opening for more hours and businesses and companies working longer hours. On 27 October the clocks go back one hour.

Autumn in the Serranía de Ronda

It’s now an ideal time for those who are retired, have no children in school and who enjoy walking, cycling, bird-watching and other country pursuits.

So, why not come to Montejaque?

There is lots of accommodation available: some small for two people, others larger sleeping six or more; some at the top of the village where no car can reach, others well-located; some pretty basic, others well-renovated and well-equipped; some without adequate heating, some with pellet stoves and open fires; some accommodation is cheap, other places are more expensive; some with no outside space, others with patios and terraces; some noisy, others peaceful and quiet.

Casa Real

This recently completed village house meets the second of all the above criteria.

Casa Real sleeps six plus a child in three double bedrooms.

Casa Real is well-located, half a minute from the village square, yet with stunning views all round.

Casa Real has been renovated and equipped to a high standard, with all new beds, new towels and bedding, etc. The kitchen and laundry room have all new appliances.

Casa Real has a new pellet burner plus several oil-filled electric radiators.

Casa Real’s prices reflect what is offered and the quality of the accommodation. HOWEVER, autumn discounts are available if you book directly with the owner (see below).

Casa Real has an internal patio and a huge roof terrace. There is also a sitting area to the side of the house.

Casa Real is very tranquil. There is no noisy bar nearby and the main house is double-glazed.

Guest Reviews

Casa Real has proved popular with guests from many countries and nationalities.

To date guests from Albania, Britain, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Paraguay, South Africa, Ukraine, USA and from various parts of Spain, including Alicante, Bilbao, Extremadura, Jimera de Libar, Madrid and Ubrique.

***

Our first guests at Casa Real back in September 2021 are good friends. I invited them to “test” Casa Real free-of-charge once Phase 1 was complete.

“This is our 13^th visit to one of Paul and Rita’s properties. This time we had the honour of being the first guests in newly renovated Casa Real.

“Having seen the photos [beforehand] it was everything we had expected with a well-equipped kitchen and two excellent super modern bathrooms. A bonus was the delightful patio area downstairs and the roof terrace with lovely views.”

"Hovis" and Jacqui (Sheffield) and Richard (Belfast)

***

Joe King stayed in December 2021.

“Just checked out Casa Real for winter warmth as a favour to my pal Paul, the owner. The weather was really cold [at this time of year]. Nevertheless, this old house with its super-thick external walls proved easy to warm up. A gas heater was sufficient to take the chill off the L-shaped lounge, dining room and kitchen. The bedrooms just needed an electric oil-filled radiator to make them comfortable for sleeping and the wall heater in the bathroom warmed the room up quickly while you took a bath or a shower. Recommended.”

***

Oliver, Lily, Leyla, Amy, Alice and Cailan (Germany)

A family of two parents and four children from Montejaque’s twin town Knittlingen in Germany stayed rent-free in Casa Real for two months in the early part of 2022. In lieu of rent Oliver, a member of the Guild of Joiners, and mentor and friend of Johannes, my wife Rita’s elder son, also a joiner, carried out a number of carpentry and other jobs on Casa Real and in our other two houses in Montejaque and Ronda.

He also had time to carry out several paid commissions for local residents.

Lily, half-Scottish and a physiotherapist, earned a bit on the side treating locals with ailments, in between breast-feeding baby Cailan.

The three girls, Leyla, Amy and Alice, enrolled at the local primary school and loved it!

Leyla (10) wrote: “We loved going to school here….. Everybody was very friendly, we even called the teachers by their first names, which was strange for us ….. because in Germany the teachers are always Herr “This” and Frau “That”!”

***

Semana Santa (April) 2022

Juanjo, María and Juan from Mérida (Extremadura) wrote that they had had a great experience staying in Casa Real:

“Nos ha gustado mucho la casa, es muy típica, y muy cómoda. Nos hemos sentido como en casa. Todos los detalles están muy cuidados, limpia y confortable.”

***

May 2022

Marta and Juanma from Alicante

“[Nuestra visita] ha coincidido con las fiestas del pueblo y había mucho ambiente. Hemos estado muy a gusto. La casa es fresca para el calor que ha hecho estos días.

“Además tiene todos los servicios necesarios.”

***

July 2022

Hazel and Peter Terry from Derbyshire (England): “Fabulous location, so close to the main square. Very spacious house, with excellent outdoor terraces.”

Kevin and Carolyn Emmett from Montejaque, via England, Canada, Botswana and South Africa: “A fun, quirky house! Very spacious double bedrooms, two fabulous bathrooms, and a secluded patio and a roof terrace. Highly recommended as rental accommodation.”

***

September 2022

Tom, Su and Wilbur from Hastings (East Sussex)

“We stayed here with our 3-year-old son. No problems – the house was perfectly safe for a toddler.

“We coincided with La Batalla de La Puente, which was great fun. Wilbur was fascinated!”

[Author's note: Tom is Paul Whitelock's son and a chip-off-the-old-block. He is currently finishing off the renovation of their home, a large Victorian terraced house in Hastings.]

***

November 2022

Miguel, Silvia, Curro and Jessica (from Ubrique):

“Querida Casa Real:

….. podíamos imaginar que eras una casa con mucho encanto. Entre tus paredes existen tantos detalles singulares que nuestras primeras horas dentro de ti fueron de total recreación y ensimismamiento.

“Tus muchos relojes marcaron segundos, minutos y horas llenos de momentos vividos que no podremos olvidar. Sin duda, una casa impregnada de la personalidad de su dueño y creador, una mezcla especial anglosajona y especial de la Serranía de Ronda.”

***

Semana Santa (April 2023)

“Hemos estado alojados en Casa Real en Semana Santa mi marido (Alfredo), mis tres hijos (Iker, Alicia y Nicolás) y yo (Beatriz) y ha sido estupendo.

“….. La situación del pueblo es ideal para visitar el parque natural con comodidad.

“En cuanto a la casa, todo perfecto. Tiene todo lo que puedas necesitar en cualquier momento, cualquier cosa. Nos ha gustado mucho ojear por las noches la gran biblioteca de Paul, [quien, como anfitrión] atento en todo momento, muy simpatico y amable.”

***

8 August 2023

La Familia Sánchez spent 4 nights in Casa Real:

“La casa es espectacular, con muchos detalles y habitaciones amplias, los baños grandes y limpios.

“La casa está equipada con muchas referencias a Andalucía (detalles que nos gustó mucho).”

Cristián, Gumersindo, Iker y Silvia Sánchez

***

15 August 2023

“La familia Lorenzo Sintoiu está muy satisfecha con la estancia en “Casa Real” y sobre todo con el trato del anfitrión “Paul”, un inglés que ama Andalucía y España.

“Y lo refleja en su casa donde hemos disfrutado mucho de la estancia. Su trato hacia nosotros ha sido espectacular.”

***

Visitors from France on 25 August 2023 were also very happy.

“Nous sommes très satisfaits d’avoir passé du temps à Montejaque qui est idealment place dans le secteur de Ronda. La maison <<Casa Real>> est de type andalouse et s’intègre bien.

“….. la  maison est très spacieuse et les equipements de la maison sont complets.”

***

October 2023

Richard and Penny Rice from Woodbridge, Suffolk, UK enjoyed their visit to Andalucia where they spent three weeks in total.

“We enjoyed staying in Casa Real ….. Paul was very welcoming and provided most helpful information.

“This very quirky rental home is ideally placed in this beautiful limestone mountain pueblo ….. The roof terrace is a great feature of the house.”

***

May 2024

Marta and Juanma from Alicante made their second visit to Casa Real. Juanma, a guardia civil likes to take part in the 101 km race, the bicycle/running/walking event, organised by the Spanish Foreign Legion, based in Ronda. This time he brought his friend Roberto.

“Es nuestra segunda vez en Casa Real de Montejaque.

“En las dos ocasiones con motivo de realizar la carrera de los 101 km de la Legión.

“Una casa muy acogedora y sobre todo un anfitrión muy atento.”

***

July 2024

Paul Darwent, originally from Yorkshire, is married to Synnove from Denmark. They live in the Serrania de Ronda. Together with a Scottish couple, Elaine and Martin, from Gibraltar, and another English friend, Bev, they stayed in Casa Real for the third year running, to coincide with The Pueblos Blancos Music Festival, where Paul is the Emcee.

“As always Casa Real is ideal for us. Near to the square where the stage is set up and big enough for our group,” said Paul.

***

August 2024

Klodiana, a police detective from North London, and of Albanian heritage, wrote:

“Our first time in Montejaque has been absolutely fantastic. Thank you, Paul, for being so accommodating and for letting us stay in this beautiful house.”

Marlene is from Paraguay but has lived in London for more than 25 years, and is married to Gustavo, also paraguayo. They have two children: Esteban and Emily. All four of them are fluent in three languages – Spanish, guarani and English. Marlene commented:

“Gracias Paul en especial por ayudarnos esa primera noche. Lo pasamos muy bien. Hasta la próxima.”

Klodiana Geci (Albanian) [Photo courtesy of Facebook]

[Footnote: Rumour has it that Gustavo and Marlene paid the deposit on a house in Montejaque during their stay. ¡Fantástico! ¡Bienvenidos!]

Autumn 2024

I am able to offer a generous discount of 10 per cent per night, if you book direct with me. With booking.com, AirBnb, VRBO and the rest you will pay even more than my normal price, to allow for the fees I have to pay them.

As of today my prices are as follows:

Up to 6 nights 90€ per night.

At least 7 nights, one night is free.

Over 14 nights, two nights free.

All prices are fully inclusive. There are no extra charges for electricity, gas, and water; pellets; cleaning; welcome pack.

Breakages are chargeable if significant.

Coming events:

5 – 8 September           Feria de Pedro Romero         Ronda

27 - 30 September       Batalla de la Puente              Montejaque

How to book:

By phone: (+34) 636 52 75 16

By email: paulwhitelock@hotmail.com

Via WhatsApp: (+34) 636 52 75 16

Further information:

www.help-me-ronda.com

www.simplyowners.net

Photos:

AirBnb

Ayuntamiento de Montejaque

Facebook

Paul Whitelock

Secret Serrania

thinkSPAIN

Tags:

Albania, Alicante, Ayuntamiento de Montejaque, Bilbao, Britain, Casa Real, Croatia, Denmark, Extremadura, Facebook, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Jimera de Libar, Joe  King, Karl Smallman, Madrid, Málaga, Montejaque, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Paraguay, Paul Darwent, Paul Whitelock, pueblos blancos, Secret Serrania, Serrania de Ronda, Simply Owners, South Africa, Spain, thinkSPAIN, Travelnest, Ubrique, Ukraine, USA, www.help-me-ronda.com, www.simplyowners.net