Seniors in Spain 2018: 8/3/2018-Ronda-Almocabar Gate and Carlos V Gate, driving to Jerez, Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art, Sandeman Sherry tour, Hotel Sherry Park, pool, dinner at Mamalupe

We decided not to have breakfast at San Gabriel or anywhere as the horse show in Jerez is at 12:00 PM. Given that we've not been so lucky finding our destination once we get to the town we've decided to drive straight to Jerez hoping to make the horse show performance. We will not drive to our hotel in Jerez first. But first we will drive to the Almocabar Gate, Carlos V Gate, and old city walls. Built to protect Ronda from attack. Almocabar Gate was built by the Moors in the 13th c. Main entrance to the city. Another gate built during the 16th c. Carlos V Gate which bears his coat of arms. The Almocabar Gate-where Ferdinand and Isabel entered the city on their triumphal march after the reconquest. We drive past the gas station where we stopped for gas when we first arrived to Ronda. Then I realize we're going the wrong way. We have to turn around, back past the gates, city walls, back through the Jewish quarter, over the Puente Nuevo into the new town, viewing the Convento de la Merced, and on our way to Jerez via the A-374.

Ready to leave

Old city walls

Almocabar Gate on the right; Carlos V Gate on the left

Almocabar Gate

Carlos V Gate with horse watering trough to the left

Barrio San Francisco

Gas station where we bought gas when we first arrived to Ronda and when we realize we're going to wrong way to get to Jerez!

We've turned around and are now going the right way to leave Ronda and drive to Jerez

Approaching Puente Nuevo

Driving over the Puente Nuevo

Convento de la Merced

Lots of nice scenery and great roads with good signage. From the A-374 we get on the A-384, then the A-382. However, once we're in Jerez we can't find the horse show school! Good thing we skipped breakfast and left so early. We make a few stops and with new directions we manage to make our way to the horse show venue. It has taken us 2 1/2 hours to drive from Ronda to the horse show venue in Jerez.

Jerez de la Frontera or simply Jerez. Province of Cadiz. Andalusia. World capital of sherry wine. Carthusian breed of horses. Where flamenco singing began. Grand Prix motorcycle racing.

Despite all the problems we arrive to the horse show school in Jerez almost an hour before the start time of 12:00 PM for the show! There is supposed to be designated parking behind the school but it appears to be full. We drive up a side street where there is parking but a guy is saying we have to pay him to park?? I don't understand this. I ask if he stays with the cars to ensure their safety and he nods yes but I don't know if I believe him. I'm frustrated but I pay him the €3. I still to this day think it was a rip off. As we're walking up the street to the school there are some other empty spaces and no one is paying to park in them. Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art. Tickets with assigned seats for 2 seniors $39.48. We have some time before the start of the show "How the Andalusian Horses Dance" so we decide to watch some students training on horseback outside near the show arena. It's interesting but soon it's time to enter the arena and find our seats for the show. Our seats are opposite windows which are letting in a lot of blinding light. No video or pictures allowed and there are staff positioned to make sure this rule is followed. The show is quite something to see. The way the horses move is like ballet. Spanish music and traditional 18th c. costumes. Loved it. There's a short intermission of around 10-15 minutes. From our seats we can see that the horses are really feeling the heat. Some foaming at the mouth which is disturbing to us. I feel bad for the horses. The program has horses pulling carriages, solo rider and horse, several riders and horses. Finally done around 1:30 PM. The pictures I've posted here which show scenes from the show are from the Royal Andalusian School's website but are a good representation of what we saw. We have a bit of time to look around as the Sandeman tour doesn't start until 2:15 PM. I buy a postcard. We check out the Saddlery which has saddles, bridles, and much more. Right next to it is a open air round building with a wheel where the horses are attached and walk around in a circle. Not sure what the purpose of this is. There's a lot more to see here but unfortunately we are out of time. Have to head over to Sandeman. We can see the building from here so figure it's just a short walk.

Can see Sandeman from the grounds here

Entrance for our seats for the show

All these pictures are from the website

After the show we went to the Saddlery

Sandeman. The English tour starts at 2:15 PM. Looks are deceiving and the walk is longer than I thought. It wouldn't be so bad but it is scorching hot right now. Hottest we've experienced since arriving in Spain! We arrive a bit early. Tickets for the 2 of us $8.58. I look at some of the exhibits of sherry on display. There are others joining us for this tour. Our guide is Alicia and she was great about educating us about the entire process of making sherry and the history of Sandeman. Sherry is made by blending wines from different grapes and vintages-all aged together. We watched a short video on the history of how Sandeman started and how the logo of the iconic Don figure on the bottles-a black cloak for Port and the hat/sombrero for Andalusia/Jerez/sherry-was developed. We see the casks of sherry and learn about the markings and what the markings mean. We see some tools used in the process from many, many years ago. We learn about the family tree of sorts of sherry. Fino is the most popular type of sherry and the most different from America's conception of sherry. It's white, dry, and chilled. I always thought of sherry as being sweet but that's not all sherry is. We learned about the dry, the medium, and the sweet and all the variations in between. Very informative. When our tour is over Alicia has all of us sit at a table where we will taste 3 kinds of sherry-dry, medium, and sweet. Bowl of olives and potato chips. Richard likes the medium best so I asked Alicia to get me a bottle of what we tasted. Cost of 1 bottle of medium dry $7.55. We walk back to our car which is all by itself on the side street , thankful that our luggage is all still inside. Drive to our hotel was not easy as we had to stop and ask for help.

Hotel Sherry Park. We enter and see the parking lot for cars right in front of the hotel's entrance. I made our reservation through booking.com on 3/15/18 for 1 night for $125.42. Parking and breakfast included. We'll stay here 8/3-8/4/18. Check in goes smoothly and we have room #107. The room is very spacious with a view of the hotel grounds. It has 2 beds, a chair, desk, flat screen TV, mini fridge, safe. Bathroom has a tub/shower combo, toiletries, hair dryer. We have a table and 2 chairs on the balcony. It's a nice room. The hotel has a lovely, large pool and that's where we head to right now hoping to relax. The pool has several loungers with umbrellas. Richard and I both enjoy a few hours cooling off and relaxing from the heat. The hotel itself is quite big and offers ample seating areas, a bar/lounge. I think we'll enjoy our stay here.

Finally-our hotel

Reception area

Tub/shower

View from our room

Pool

Richard relaxing

I'm relaxing too

One of the hotel's seating areas

Bar/lounge

Parking area

Dinner-Mamalupe. Mexican restaurant. We're getting used to eating late. Most restaurants don't start serving dinner until 8:30 PM. We take a taxi and arrive 8:45 PM. Get a table for 2 inside. There's outside seating also. Only a few tables occupied at this early for Spain hour. The menu is only in Spanish but there are a few pictures. We manage to order a pitcher of margaritas. What else at a Mexican place! Tototpas/nachos to start. OMG they were amazing. I get the chicken burrito which comes with rice, beans, salad. Yummy and so much food. Richard orders the tacos and gets 3-one each of beef, pork, and chicken. We share so I end up with his chicken taco and he has half of my meal. Our server Adrian has some English and notices from our last name on the reservation that the hotel made for us that we are Polish which we confirm when he asks. He tells us he's also of Polish heritage. His grandmother was from Warsaw who came to Spain with her parents before WWI. He's very nice and it is a small world indeed. Complimentary after dinner drinks. Tequila for Richard and limoncello for me. Cost of dinner without tip $38.32. What a great ending to our day. Tomorrow it's Sevilla and flamenco!