Gaudix #2

Day 24. Monday 31 March.

First thing, around 1000, drove into town to get D’s prescription sunglasses fixed (a lens had popped out). After a bit of shopping, two very good espressos and two not so good pastries, dropped into the Tourist Information. Spent some time with a very helpful lady who had very good English – she provided lots of advice, and chuckles – and explained the religious procession from yesterday. In the weeks leading up to Easter (or rather Palm Sunday), huge statues & floats are carried to key locations. What we saw yesterday would have been one such. She also described the processions that happen daily thru’ Semana Santa, starting Friday 11 April – Resurrection on 20 April & that the tradition is very strong in the south (Castille & Andalucia).

What’s a day touring without visiting a castle and a church? No castles here (well, maybe a little one), but an impressive cathedral and bell tower. Note the repair van parked at church steps

Marveled at the cathedral first, especially the sculpture of Mary holding a crucified Jesus, a copy of Michelangelo’s original (no, not David), which is preserved in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. Every thirty minutes there is a 5 minute light display over the statue – also impressive.

Then it was the ascent of the bell tower: 154 narrow spiral steps up….and the same number down. A good aerobic work out. Great 360 degrees views over town, farmland and mesas stretching to the sierras. Very glad that the bells only ring for the Angelus at 1200.

And then, a visit to Aldi for some more supplies, mostly essential. T searching for Twinings tea…fail) with David racing to the checkout with a bottle of something that looks like Uisce beatha (staff waiting, rather breathless).

Going native, we retired to our cueva for siesta time, but instead of sitting around drinking beer or wine we started trying to put together a plan for the next few weeks – which cover Easter. That starts in earnest here on 11 April, so we don’t have much time. Managed to book a place at Ronda for four nights, but hit a brick wall west of there (Cadiz is very serious about Easter, hence so is accommodation). The research goes on.

Late afternoon, around beer time, T suggested a drive to check out the local scenery/geography/agriculture, so off we went. Our first primary destination was a bit of a fizz – just a suburb essentially, but we ventured on. We then drove through a range of landscapes: flat agriculture land, almond plantations (on the high mesa)….then dropped down the plateau into a deep valley, pink & yellow desert canyons & cliffs before heading up again to view the same magnificent natural sculptures. Drove into Goroffe, a little village, that seemed to be the stop point for quite a lot of very tired cyclists we had passed in the last few kilometers. We had a couple of deep envy moments as we passed solo campervans that had secured spots overlooking the valleys, away from all civilization. Views were again spectacular.