54 Days on the Moon

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For all of Holy Week the cities of Spain have processions of religious items. The Parades start at 5pm and finish at 5am. All schools are on holidays. Certainly affecting our excursions.They have stands along the parade route for the spectators.





















Fairly quickly out of the City.






Lots of citrus orchards at first.

 

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The mountains provide a scenic back drop.




Visual pollution abounds.






Then we get into Olive country.

 

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Loved the countryside.



























And after 90 minutes we are at Ronda.

 

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And now a walk through the Modern city.

 

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Rondo is the birthplace of modern Spanish bullfighting. Statues and mentions of the first Bullfighter. Pedro Romero are everywhere,













The statues outside the bullring are modern day bullfighters.

 

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The Rondo bullring is we're told not only the oldest in Spain but the largest. Not in capacity but in the area of the ring. There is a law that prohibits other bullrings from having a larger area. Around the side they have a statue for the bulls.

 

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And an ancient bull skull found near town which they estimate would have weighed 1400 Kg.

 

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Only one bullfighter has been killed by a bull in this ring and he is buried in the centre of the ring. Only one event is held here in early September and only the best bullfighters are invited.






















And where the bullfighter stands when the bull is released.







The King's box.

 

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Where the bulls are kept the night before the fight. Seven stalls but only 6 bulls fight. A spare in case there is a problem with one ofthe bulls.



Now we are walking towards the Old Town.







The Parador and attached restaurant.






A large gorge separates the old and new towns. It is actually called the Puente Nuevo and was completed in 1793.

 

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We are now in the old town. It was under the rule of various Islamic regimes. At least 3 different Islamic groups ruled Rondo. When retaken by the Christians the complete population was killed.









Some repairs.

 

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Some good views from here.

 

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Now at the square that has the cathedral.












The former stables for the Army.






And now into the cathedral as usual built over a mosque a bit of which survives.

 

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Because it is holy week some of the relics are missing to be used in the nightly parades.

 

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Truly amazing. The main body of the church is divided into half so that 2 different services can be held simultaneously.

 

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And we finally leave the cathedral.

 

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