Ronda reccy

Next month we've got our OUGS President's Trip, Jan AJ organising, and the first five nights are based in and around Ronda. This seemed an excellent excuse to spend a night in the hotel there to check it out, see what the parking was like etc,, so after arriving in Malaga airport on Tuesday morning we headed west. 

No expense spared, we went down the peaje which cost us some €4, and had a look at the service area at the end of the Mijas mountain. Tapas (albondigas) had an "interesting" flavour and were insufficiently warmed up but after an early start any food was welcome! We checked the local rock as well and found plenty of exposure of nice white, coarsely crystalline marble in the back wall of the cutting.

The drive up to Ronda, along the "tourist road" built in the 1970s, was accomplished in very thick hill mist. Still not sure we worked out the fog lights correctly. Anyway, finally arrived and, after an unexpected detour through the old town, cross the bridge over the gorge, and found the hotel "Don Javier"... on a very narrow street.... but turning left past a 'no entry' sign, found its parking/unloading area. Nice, as the rain had set in and we weren't keen on walking too far and getting soaked.

Went back to where we had seen the hotel on the main street and found that was actually the restaurant but got taken through to reception, checked in, then parked under the hotel Plaza de Toros opposite (actually all the same hotel - the similarity of the signs is a give away).

Looking down the calle between the two hotels

Hotel Don Javier on the right, Plaza de Toros on the left.

Ronda's historic bull ring is in the background at the end of the street. 

View from the hotel room - the concertina effect is the sun shading over the cafe area in the street - but currently keeping some of the rain off it.

After an enjoyable and very filling dinner "Menu del Dia" (with added 'aperitivo' making 4 courses...), a night's sleep - well, we had been up since 3 -, and a desayuno of croissant, cheese, ham, coffee and juice, we felt able to continue the reccy. Most important was parking since the cellars of the Plaza de Toros are pretty tight under the armpits. However there is a good underground parking area only about 100 m away in the Plaza del Socorro so that was that problem solved. 

Church in Plaza del Socorro

With the "work" done for the day, we headed down for a quick look at the tajo as the rain was getting a bit gentler.

On the way we came across a display of photos of Ronda in the past.

The gorge was impressive in the spring mist - though I hope it is better weather when we get back here next month!