Only Apes and Horses

The bus to La Linea, just across the border from Gibraltar, takes four hours and goes by way of Jerez, Puerto Santa Maria, Chiclana, Conil, Barbate, Zahara, Tarifa and Algeciras. It is an interesting trip with scenery varying from fields of cotton and vineyards, old and working saltpans in which we notice Flamingos, massive windfarms and 400m high hills near Tarifa with views over North Africa. Our first sight of the ‘Rock’, where we were to spend two days, was thrilling. Gibraltar is a busy and noisy place. Miggy had expected it to be like Guernsey but is disappointed to find that not to be the case. The place has changed since I was there 25 years ago. There is massive redevelopment on reclaimed land with apartments selling for up to £2m. Who was buying them we asked? Rich Americans, Brits and all nationalities other than Gibraltarian we were told - they can no longer afford accommodation on the Rock. Main Street is now pedestrianised, lined with many more large shops and filled with a huge number of tourists. The waterfront has also altered extensively with many Marina berths being swallowed up by the redevelopment. We will have to book our space next April to have any chance of staying there.
We shopped at Marks and Spencer for some Christmas goodies and quality tinned meals for the reserves. I noticed a clock in the store saying 1750 and we were meant to meet Neal’s stepmother Beryl and her partner Gerry in the Rock Hotel at 1800. I had mistakenly put our clocks back to BST! We made it only twenty minutes late having rushed back to the hotel, changed and splashed on some deodorant and catching a bus to the Hotel. After extending our sincere apologies we had a very pleasant evening of good food and wine in grand company and surroundings. At the other end of the scale we indulged ourselves with fish and chips and good old English Ale. We set off to the top of the Rock on the cable car with great expectations of fine views over North Africa and the Mediterranean. These were dashed by cloud although we were thrilled to see a Peregrine Falcon hover near to us and then dive out of sight. The interactive facility is excellent and we vow to return in the spring. The Barbary Apes enchanted us. They are by no means timid and are always on the lookout to steal one’s bag in the hope that it may contain food. There is a saying that as long as the apes remain on the Rock so will the British. When Winston Churchill was told that only three apes remained he imported some from Morocco. The half hour bus ride to Jerez takes us through rolling hills covered first with cotton plants and then with vines on which grow the grapes that make the sherry but more about this later.
Our expectations of Jerez were not great having seen the outskirts, which comprise industrial estates and run down buildings, from the bus on our way to Gibraltar. We were pleasantly surprised though and spent one of the best days of the trip. Our walk through the cobbled and citrus tree lined streets and squares of the old town was all done in the pouring rain although the temperature was around 25ºC. The locals were in shirtsleeve order under their umbrellas and there seemed to be a ‘battle of brollies’ going on with no one giving way or raising their weapons to clear others. We came across no casualties however!
We found the most spectacular of all the sights to be seen to be the Alcazar of Jerez. This is basically the remains of the 12th century Moorish defence system a group of buildings surrounded by castellated walls and towers. The Alcazar was a fortress and a palace and constituted the seat of political and military power for the city of around 16,000 inhabitants.
This beautifully renovated and restored monument comprises the 12th century City Gate, Mosque and Arab Baths and a 15th to 19th century palace built on the site of the original Arab Palace and its Oil Mill. A good section of the walls and towers around the perimeter remain to be seen, albeit substantially restored, together with the Parade Ground and stunning gardens planted with Olive and citrus trees around the cool running water of fountains and ponds.
Amongst other attractions is the Cathedral and a superb pedestrianised shopping area.
The City is, of course, renowned as being the home of sherry and takes its name from the drink. The town is littered with ‘Bodegas’ where the sherry is made and stored. As you look at the City from on high you can pick out familiar names on the Bodegas such as Sandeman, Harvey’s, Gonzalez Byass along with many, many others. We had intended to visit the Sandeman Bodegas but the last tour had been and gone when we arrived. The girl in the Tourist Information office had misinformed us. Never mind we will go to Jerez again nearer Christmas – it is only a half an hour away and the return bus trip costs all of 2.25 euros each.
The performance of the ‘Como Bailan los Caballos Andaluces’ at the Fundacion Real Escuela Andaluza Del Arte Equestre; The School of Andalucian Equestrian Art, will be an everlasting memory. This equestrian ballet to Andalucian music is based on choreography taken from classical and country eighteenth century dressage. We have seen dressage on television but we were unprepared for what we witnessed which was extraordinarily beautiful with horse and man in perfect harmony moving with stunning grace and beauty. The elegant Andalucian stallions performed leg movement that one would have thought impossible if one had not witnessed it.
We are sad that, because photography is naturally not permitted during the performance, we cannot post a photo of this incredible event. We can however show you the ‘siring’ of another fine animal! To make the day complete we had lunch at an Argentinean restaurant. We had excellent meat at such a restaurant in Amsterdam and we were not disappointed here, anything but.
Life here in Rota goes on as ever with yet another fiesta. This time it was like our Harvest Festival but without the ‘we plough the fields and scatter’ bit!
The weather has definitely turned and we have had strong to gale force winds, first from the west, ‘The Poniente’ and then from the east, ‘The Levanter’. The myths, legends and facts about these winds and those of the Mediterranean are so very interesting but are best recounted in writings more informed than this.