Puntos de vista - a personal Spain blog

In two days time I shall be "de Rogriguez" again. I'm looking forward to it, not that I'm planning any "hanky-panky".

10 days "home alone" will be just fine.

I have things to do.

[El Mundo]    

What's on the horizon?

After I drop Rita off at Sevilla airport, I shall be heading for the El Puerto de Santa Maria area on the Cadiz coast. I only recently discovered this part of the world and I love it there.

I'm also going on a press trip to the Axarquia! This area to the east of Malaga City is the home of wine, olives and the writer Chris Stewart, although he is not on the programme for the day.

Our English friends Ian and Christine will be spending their customary fortnight in Nerja at the start of September, so a visit to see them is also on the cards.

    [Ayuntamiento de El Puerto de Sta. Maria]        [www.absoluteaxarqui.com]           Nerja [La Sexta]

At home

I plan to finish off work in the garden, including the newly pergola-ed terrace outside our bedroom, completing the renovation work to the side of the house, and putting the finishing touches to my "man-cave" at the back of the garden.

    [BBC Gardeners World]

And tidying up before my period "de Rodriguez" comes to an end on September 8th.

Links:

... de Rodríguez? - Secret Serrania de Ronda

My week “de Rodríguez” is over

© Pablo de Ronda

Bibliography:

Selected books by Chris Stewart:

Driving Over Lemons (1999),

A Parrot in the Pepper Tree (2000),

The Almond Blossom Appreciation Society (2006)

Three Ways to Capsize a Boat (2009)

Last Days of the Bus Club (2014)

Chris Stewart [Diario Sur]    

Pictures:

Ayuntamiento de El Puerto de Santa Maria, BBC Gardeners World, Diario Sur, El Mundo, La Sexta, www.absoluteaxarqui.com

Tags:

A Parrot in the Pepper Tree, Axarquia, Ayuntamiento de El Puerto de Santa Maria, BBC Gardeners World, Cadiz coast, Chris Stewart, "de Rogriguez", Diario Sur, Driving Over Lemons, El Mundo, El Puerto de Santa Maria area, "hanky-panky", "home alone", Ian and Christine, La Sexta, Malaga City,"man-cave", pergola, Rita, Sevilla airport, The Almond Blossom Appreciation Society, www.absoluteaxarqui.com

Somebody posted recently on Facebook that Ronda (Malaga) is boring and there's nothing to do there!

I think this chap was in the town for a couple of hours on a day trip. But, even so, he must have seen the potential of the place, arguably the most stunning place in Andalucia, if not in the whole of Spain.

Ronda's Puente Nuevo [Photo: Fenix]    

Me and Ronda

As far as I am concerned Ronda is the best place in Spain. After 50-odd years of travelling throughout the country, I chose the City of Dreams (Ciudad Soñada) as a place to settle, when I retired.

Balloon flight over Ronda [Karl Smallman]    

Other places that stood out during this half-century odyssey were, in alphabetical order, Arcos de la Frontera (Cadiz), Baeza (Jaen), Barcelona (Catalunya), Cadiz (Cadiz), Cordoba (Cordoba), Cuenca (Castilla La Mancha), Granada (Granada), Jaca (Aragon), Olot (Girona), Salamanca (Castilla-Leon), San Sebastian (Guipuzkoa), and Santander (Santander), but Ronda was the one for me, so that's where I went.

Arcos de la Fra. [Turismo de Cadiz]             Cadiz [ABC de Sevilla]                          San Sebastian [Civitatis]

Other places I discovered since emigrating to Ronda

During the time I've lived in the Serrania de Ronda, first in Barrio San Francisco (Ronda) and Barrio Padre Jesus (Ronda), then in Montejaque (Malaga) and finally in the campo just outside the City of Dreams (a total of some 20 years), I have also discovered the delights of lots of other places, mainly in the south.

Montejaque Square [Karl Smallman]    

These are Almuñecar (Granada); Bolonia, Caños de Meca and Chipiona (all Cadiz); Competa (Malaga); Conil de la Frontera (Cadiz); Frigiliana (Malaga); Jerez de la Frontera (Cadiz); and Nerja (both Malaga); Salobreña (Granada); Torrox (Malaga); Ubeda (Jaen); Velez-Malaga (Malaga); Zahara de los Atunes (Cadiz).

           Bolonia [Wikipedia]                              Frigiliana [Malaga Hoy]                                   Nerja [La Sexta]

We must not forget the two Spanish island groups.

Places we liked were Formentera, Ibiza, Mallorca and Menorca (Balearic Islands) and Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, La Gomera, Lanzarote and Tenerife (Canary Islands).

But only for holidays.

Mount Teide, Tenerife [Wikipedia]    

Most of the mainland places are on or near the coast but not all. Great for day-trips or short holidays, but not to live.

I shall continue to reside in Ronda until I die and my body will be laid to rest here in Spain. I've already reserved my "niche" at the cemetery in Montejaque.

Montejaque cemetery [CharryTV.com]    

Links:

Features I - Serrania de ronda - SERRANIA DE RONDA - Help me, Ronda

Features II - costa del sol - COSTA DEL SOL - Help me, Ronda

Features III - costa de la luz - COSTA DE LA LUZ - Help me, Ronda

Features IV - REST OF SPAIN / THE WORLD - REST OF SPAIN / THE WORLD - Help me, Ronda

My Top 10 places in Ronda - Secret Serrania de Ronda

Ronda - City of Dreams - Olive Press News Spain

The Story of El Rincón in Ronda 2005 - 2010
 

© Pablo de Ronda (Paul Whitelock)

With thanks to:

ABC de Sevilla, CharryTV.com, Civitatis, Fenix, Karl Smallman, La Sexta, Malaga Hoy, Turismo de Cadiz, Wikipedia

Tags:

ABC de Sevilla, Almuñecar, Aragon, Arcos de la Frontera, Baeza, Balearic Islands, Barcelona, Barrio Padre Jesus, Barrio San Francisco, Bolonia, Cadiz, Canary Islands, Caños de Meca, Castilla La Mancha, Castilla-Leon, Catalunya, CharryTV.com, Chipiona, City of Dreams, Ciudad Soñada, Civitatis, Competa, Conil de la Frontera, Cordoba, Cuenca, Fenix, Frigiliana, Fuerteventura, and Tenerife Girona, Granada, Gran Canaria, Guipuzkoa, Ibiza, Jaca, Jaen, Jerez de la Frontera, Karl Smallman, La Gomera, Lanzarote, La Sexta, Malaga Hoy, Mallorca, Menorca, Montejaque, Formentera, Nerja, Olot, Pablo de Ronda, Paul Whitelock, Ronda, Salamanca, Salobreña, San Sebastian, Santander, Serrania de Ronda, Torrox, Turismo de Cadiz, Ubeda, Velez-Malaga, Wikipedia, Zahara de los Atunes

Continuing my series of "kilometro" articles, today it's the turn of kilometro 18.

This exit on the A374 between Jerez de la Frontera and Ronda leads us into a world of wonderful white villages and stunning scenery.

Map of Andalucia courtesy of TripSavvy     

Preamble

I first travelled this route in 2000 when I was on a silver wedding anniversary tour of Andalucía with my wife at the time (we sadly divorced five years later).

Back then we were knocked out by what we saw! We knew Spain well, but had never been to Andalucia before.

Grazalema

After travelling through forests of cork oaks, we turned right for Grazalema, the town which clocks up most rainfall in the whole of Spain.

If we had turned left we would have had another marvellous experience, but that's for another day.

Grazalema [Turismo de Cadiz]     

Grazalema is a fabulous town with stupendous views, a choice of fantastic restaurants an interesting church and  lots of souvenir shops selling local cheeses, wines from the region and locally made cloth.

There are lots of tourists, but that's what makes the town an exciting place to visit.

Las Palomas

Taking the road up around Grazalema, there is another choice to be made.

In 2000 we turned right and climbed up to the pass of Las Palomas.

The views from here are to die for, including the Zahara de la Sierra reservoir. Absolutely unbelievable.

     View of Zahara reservoir [Minube]

Zahara de la Sierra

From above the road serpentines its way down to Zahara.

It's worth driving up to the top of the village. With luck you can park and then you have a choice of restaurants, the Tourist Office and the Church.

Further up is the Castillo,  which provides the best views of the lot.

     Zahara de la Sierra [Ronda Today]

Arcos de la Frontera

Back down the hill you can take the road to Arcos de la Frontera, one of the most amazing towns in Cadiz province.

Perched on a mountain top with one of the best paradores I know (and I've since been to around 45 of the 90 dotted around Spain).

We spent two nights there and enjoyed Arcos immensely. We visited several times since.

     Arcos de la Frontera [Turismo de Cadiz]

Continuing our Tour

On our anniversary trip in 2000 we continued on to Cadiz, Sevilla, Carmona, Cordoba and Antequera.

     Cadiz  [ABC de Sevilla]                                                    Plaza de Europa, Sevilla [Diario de Sevilla]                        Carmona [unattributed]

     La Mezquita de Cordoba [Lonely Planet]                        Antequera [RENFE]

We flew back to the UK with fond memories and a plan …..

Our Plan?

The following year (2001) we bought an apartment with a shared pool in Ronda and two years later a house nearby to do up.

     Piso Blanco, Ronda [Paul Whitelock]                                                        Puente Nuevo, Ronda [Karl Smallman]

Then after 30 years of marriage which produced two kids, I was made redundant, I suffered a nervous breakdown and Jeryl and I divorced.

***

What happened next is for another day and another article …..

© Pablo de Ronda

Acknowledgements:

ABC de Sevilla, Diario de Sevilla, Karl Smallman, Lonely Planet, Paul Whitelock, RENFE, Turismo de Cadiz, Wikipedia

Tags:

ABC de Sevilla, Antequera, Arcos de la Frontera, Cadiz, Carmona, Cordoba, Diario de Sevilla, Jeryl, Karl Smallman, Lonely Planet, Montejaque, Pablo de Ronda, parador, Paul Whitelock, RENFE, Ronda, Ronda Today, Sevilla, Turismo de Cadiz, Wikipedia

Ozzy Osbourne, "The Prince of Darkness", is dead.

He passed away with his family at his side on July 22, 2025, just two weeks after his final stage performance.

The heavy metal legend and reality TV star said a poignant farewell at Villa Park in Aston, Birmingham, seated on a throne, together with other legends of the genre.

[Photo courtesy of Wikipedia]     

The Heavy Metal Period

Black Sabbath hit the world of music with a blast of loud uncompromising music in 1974. This was heavy metal!

I was in my early 20s and suffering from post-Beatles blues, as well as the abandonment of traditional "blues" music by the likes of Fleetwood Mac, Eric Clapton and others.

     Black Sabbath in the 1970s [Rolling Stone]     

As a result, I was seeking a new kind of music to latch onto. Alas, heavy metal was not it!

Alcohol and Substance Abuse

Heavy Metal didn't seem to do it for Ozzy Osbourne either. He abused drugs and alcohol and after a drunken attempt to strangle Sharon he went into rehab in Los Angeles where the Osbourne family were living.

TV Reality Star

Then, out of the blue, Ozzy re-appeared in our lives as the star of a warts-and-all TV reality series called "The Osbournes".

Largely driven by Ozzy's wife Sharon, she became a star in her own right, as did two of their kids, Jack and Kelly.

    [Photo courtesy of Xataca]     

Ozzy cut a sad figure, clearly still an addict. He became increasingly bumbling and incoherent. It was revealed that he was suffering from Parkinson's disease.

Farewell Concert

Two weeks ago a one-off farewell concert was arranged at the Aston Villa Football stadium, a stone's throw from where John Michael Osbourne was born and brought up.

Black Sabbath were the lead act, but also present were other heavy metal bands and guests, including Metallica, Guns 'n Roses, Slayer, Pantera and Steve Tyler from Aerosmith.

     Osbourne's farewell performance [Telemundo]

Osbourne performed seated on a kind of throne, as he was unable to stand for long.

Farewell

Two weeks later it really was farewell. Ozzy Osbourne was dead.

He was clearly in worse health than we had been led to believe .....

RIP Ozzy Osbourne!

© Pablo de Ronda

Links:

Así fue el último concierto de OZZY OSBOURNE con BLACK SABBATH hace dos semanas | EL PAÍS

Photos:

Fox News, Telemundo, The Objective, Wikipedia, Xataca

Tags:

Aerosmith, Aston Villa, Black Sabbath, Fox News, Guns 'n Roses, heavy metal, HOLA, Jack, John Michael Osbourne, Kelly, Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Pablo de Ronda, Pantera, Paul Whitelock, Ruta 66, Sharon Osbourne, Slayer, Steve Tyler, Telemundo, The Objective, "The Osbournes", Wikipedia, Xataca

Carmen is the heroine of a tale of tragedy by the French writer Prosper Merimee (1875) who was a huge fan of Andalucía and a frequent visitor. The plot concerns a cigarrera (cigar roller) in a Seville cigar factory, who falls in love with a soldier from the north of Spain.

The story formed the basis of an opera by French composer Georges Bizet which premiered in 1984.

In 1983 a film of Bizet's opera was shot partly in Ronda, in the barrio Padre Jesus.

It starred a relatively young and slim Placido Domingo, who went on to become one of "The Three Tenors" alongside Jose Carreras and Luciano Pavarotti in 1990.

[Facebook]     

Another film, "Bizet's Carmen" (2003), also starred Domingo. This film premiered in

"Carmen Jones" (1954) updated the story to be set in a World War II, African-American setting. With book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, "Carmen Jones" was directed by Otto Preminger and starred Dorothy Dandridge and a young Harry Belafonte.

     [Film poster courtesy of IMDb]                                                [Film poster courtesy of Wikipedia]

In 1990, Placido Domingo began singing with fellow tenors Luciano Pavarotti and José Carreras as part of "The Three Tenors". The first recording by the trio became the best-selling classical album of all time.

Carmen 2025

I met Carmen a few nights ago in my local, Hotel Ronda Valley, just outside Ronda. A very well-preserved specimen, Carmen was dark-haired, sultry, tanned, with a voluptuous figure despite having given birth to two children. At 59 she looked way younger.

Plaza de España, Sevilla [Diario de Sevilla]     

She was accompanied by her husband Fran (Francisco), a mere youngster aged 58.

This Carmen did not roll cigars on her nubile thighs like the heroine of Bizet's opera. Instead she works for a charity supporting older people.

Fran is a funcionario who runs his own company.

Carmen and Fran plan to retire in four years time when they intend to leave Sevilla, the city of their birth, for somewhere smaller, rural and cooler, where they would be able to afford a house with land, a finca.

They have pets and Carmen wants a huerta to grow her own vegetables.

     Una huerta tipica [ManoMano]

Dinner Date

Carmen, Fran and I got on very well. Carmen asked about my wife.

I told them about Rita, that she was German, that I met her at the Feria de Pedro Romero in Ronda in September 2008. Rita was already living here, in nearby Montejaque. We fell for each other straightaway. She and I were both single (divorced).

At that time Rita had three children and two grandchildren. I had two children and no grandchildren.

Rita and I married in 2010 in Maulbronn Monastery (Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany) and the following year bought the house where we still live just outside Ronda.

17 years later our respective families have expanded. Rita now has four grandchildren, three girls and a boy. I have four, all boys.

Rita and Paul get married [HMR]     

Carmen was intrigued by our history and suggested we meet for dinner the next night at their hotel, Molino del Puente, just down the road from our house.

We did that and had a fine old time, until it was time to go home .....

..... but the least said about that, the better. 

Hotel Molino del Puente, Ronda [Kayak]     

© Pablo de Ronda

Photos:

Carly Love, Diario de Sevilla, Facebook, HMR, IMDb, Journal amusant, Kayak, ManoMano, Wikipedia

Tags:

"Bizet's Carmen", cigarrera, cigar roller, Carmen, Carmen Jones, Diario de Sevilla, Dorothy Dandridge, Facebook, finca, Fran, Harry Belafonte, Hotel Molino del Puente, HMR, Hotel Ronda Valley, huerto, IMDb, Journal amusant, Kayak, ManoMano, Oscar Hammerstein Jr., Otto Preminger, Wikipedia

[Photo courtesy of Spain.info]

Foreigners, or "guiris", who move permanently to live in Spain often experience a kind of "culture shock". Anna, a young Briton who moved recently to live in Madrid, explained her situation to the newspaper AS this week.
 

I too was a young Briton when I first came to Spain 50-odd years ago. I knew that Spain would be my destiny, and, although it took me nearly 40 years to make the permanent move, I have now clocked up some 17 years as a resident.

Anna aged young

AS, the Spanish daily newspaper more known for its sports coverage, published this story this week:

"Una británica que vive en Madrid revela las costumbres españolas que niega aceptar: “Tengo que luchar bastante”

Historia de Marta Tejedor, AS 

"Mudarse a un nuevo país requiere muchas veces conocer nuevas culturas, aprender idiomas desconocidos e incluso aceptar ciertas costumbres que no sabías ni que existían.

"España es un país que recibe a millones de turistas al año y algunos de ellos deciden quedarse para poder disfrutar de más tiempo del clima y la gastronomía del país. Anna, una tiktoker que sube contenido en su cuenta en la red social de Tik Tok, annainespana, ha hablado sobre tres cosas que no soporta de España.

annainespana, tiktoker [Photo: Diario AS]      

Tres costumbres que no acepta

El calor
Las altas temperaturas en verano son el pan de cada día en España, sobre todo en Madrid, una ciudad con más asfalto que zonas verdes. En los meses de junio, julio y agosto, las temperaturas pueden llegar hasta los 40 grados. Anna confiesa que el sol de Madrid no lo tienen en Inglaterra y es algo duro de acostumbrarse.

[Image courtesy of Freepik]      

La burocracia
Venir de turismo a España es relativamente fácil, el problema reside cuando un inmigrante decide venir a vivir al país. En ese momento comienza una serie de papeleo y permisos que muchas veces parece que no va a acabar. Anna explica que tuvo muchos problemas para conseguir su visa, no porque no cumpliera con los requisitos que se buscaban en ella, sino porque el proceso en España es lento y requiere de permisos que muchas veces parecen casi imposible de conseguir.

[Cartoon courtesy of Freepik]      

Las salidas
En Inglaterra, la gente cena y se acuesta mucho antes que los españoles. El horario español es más nocturno que el británico. Salir a las nueve o diez de la noche de fiesta y recogerse a las tres de la mañana es algo a lo que Anna está acostumbrada, pero que en España resulta bastante extraño.

"En el país, Anna ha podido comprobar que la gente suele salir de fiesta a los clubes a partir de las doce o una de la madrugada para recogerse a las siete u ocho de la noche. “Me gusta dormir”, confiesa la tiktoker."

[Photo courtesy of Cosmopolitan]     

Paul aged 20

I was shipped off to Spain on my year abroad (I was studying for a degree in Spanish and German) in 1970.

Our group was sent to San Sebastian to do a course for three months, followed by "doing our own thing" for a further three. In Spain of course.

[San Sebastian]     

I loved it and there and then began my dream to live in Spain one day.

Paul aged 58

After marriage, two children, a 30-year career in education, redundancy and divorce, I finally made it when I met a German lady living in Spain.

We got married in 2010.

I've been here ever since.

[Photo courtesy of HMR]   

Paul aged 75

This year I reached the grand old age of 75 and I'm in my 17th year as a resident.

I intend to stay put. I shall die here. I've already reserved my nicho at the cemetery. I've also tidied up my affairs and written a new Will, in Spanish and English, which is valid in Spain, yet takes into account my current status as a British citizen.

The issues that still bother me are bureaucracy, litter, noise and the police (especially Guardia Civil Trafico).

But I shall continue to be patient, go through their processes and speak to officials cara a cara.

Conclusion

Back to the inspiration for this article, Anna, in Madrid.

"Don't give up, Anna. Persevere and adapt. I hope you have a lifetime of happiness here in Spain."

Links:

Anna in España (@annainespana) | TikTok

From North Devon to South Spain in seven decades... Epilogue: ¡La carne de burro no es transparente! (You’re blocking the sunlight!)

What I hate about Spain! - Secret Serrania de Ronda

Why I love living in Spain's Serranía de Ronda - Secret Serrania de Ronda

©  Pablo de Ronda

Pictures:

annainespana, Diario AS, Freepik, Spain.info, TikTok

Thanks:

Anna, AS, Eye on Spain, Karl Smallman, Marta Tejedor, Secret Serrania

Tags:

Anna, annainespana, AS, Cosmopolitan, Diario AS, Eye on Spain, Freepik, Karl Smallman, Marta Tejedor, Pablo de Ronda, Paul Whitelock, Secret Serrania, Spain.info, TikTok, tiktoker

Ronda is in the news at the moment!

The town where I chose to live 17 years ago is hitting the news a lot lately. Hardly surprising. After four decades spent discovering Spain, it's the place I decided to emigrate to. I should clarify that I mean the Serrania de Ronda. On arrival in 2008 I lived in Montejaque for three years, before my new second wife and I decided we needed more space, a garden and a pool. 

We considered Gaucin, Algatocin and Cortes de la Frontera before settling on the pedania of Fuente de la Higuera, a rural spot 10 minutes from Ronda. And more importantly for people of our age, just 15 minutes from a good hospital.

Gaucin, El Balcon de la Serrania     

Ronda cut off!

The main road from Ronda to the coast was severed during the heavy storms earlier this year. Teams of constructors have worked flat out to get the route open again.

One lane was re-opened yesterday, 14 July, way ahead of schedule.

In another month the road should be fully open again.

Disaster on the A397 [unattributed]     

More here:

Ronda cut off! - Eye on Spain

Ronda cut off! - Help me, Ronda

Stop Press:

Relief at reopening of Ronda-San Pedro road: 'After four months of two-hour detours, it is heaven' | Sur in English

Ronda-San Pedro road reopens after four months of intense work following major landslide | Sur in English

Ronda's desfiladero

This is the council-backed project to create a walkway along the base of the Tajo, the gorge which cuts through the huge rocky plateau on which Ronda sits, dividing the Arab Old Part from the more modern part of town. The final phase is now underway.

This is a crucial element in the tourism strategy for the City of Dreams (Ciudad Soñada).

More here:

Callejero de Ronda.net - Camino del Desfiladero del Tajo de Ronda

Caminito del Tajo de Ronda, pasarela por el desfiladero del Tajo

The Camino del Desfiladero del Tajo Gorge Walk in Ronda - Ronda Today

Visitors delighted as Ronda opens first stage of new gorge walk tourist attraction to the public | Sur in English

Ronda and los toros

Ronda is synonymous with bullfighting. It has the oldest bullring in Spain and is the home of several dynasties of bullfighters. Some of the top toreros were from here: Antonio Ordoñez, Paquirri, Fran Rivera, Cayetano.

Fans such as Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles were often here. Indeed, Welles' ashes are interred at a finca near the town. Hemingway was famously here with Ava Gardner.

More here:

La alcaldesa anuncia que se cancela la Feria y Fiestas de Pedro Romero

Pedro Romero Fair and Festival: 3rd to 8th September 2024 - Ronda Today

Ronda Wines

We are fortunate to live slap bang in the middle of several top bodegas.

Our next-door neighbour is Badman Wines, and not far away are Joaquin Fernandez, Gonzalo Beltran, Friedrich Schatz, Descalzos Viejos, and Bodega Kieninger.

     Friedrich Schatz, Jr 

More here:

Days of (Ronda) Wine… and Roses - Secret Serrania de Ronda

Put a cork in it! - Olive Press News Spain

Ronda Olives

Olives are an important industry in the Serrania de Ronda - olives as well as olive oil.

In 2024 a new visitor centre, designed by Philippe Starck, opened its doors to the public, adding a further tourist attraction to Ronda's tourism strategy.

     La Almazara [Photo: Sierra de las Nieves]

More here:

La Almazara: Oleoturismo y Aceites Ecológicos

LA Almazara Olive Oil Mill, Ronda - by Philippe Starck | Andalucia.com

Philippe Starck's organic olive oil mill experience in Ronda is now a reality | Sur in English

Ronda Olive Oil Experience - Days Out Andalucia

Ronda's Puente Nuevo

After a delay from the original January launch date, Ronda’s controversial Puente Nuevo vehicle restrictions will officially take effect on August 1, 2025.

As of that date only owners of cars registered in Ronda will be allowed to drive across the Puente Nuevo, the emblematic 19th century bridge which links the Arab Quarter (Casco Antiguo) to the Ciudad Moderna, the newer part of town.

This has thrown up a number of questions:

• What about residents, like me, whose cars are not registered in Ronda?
• What about residents of nearby villages who work in Ronda or do their shopping there?
• What about tourists who are staying in hotels in the Old Part?

As with politicians the world over, they didn't bother about the detail.

More here:

Ronda cerrará el Puente Nuevo a vehículos no residentes en 2025

Tráfico aclara varias cuestiones sobre la nueva regulación del tráfico en el eje Armiñán-Puente Nuevo – Ayuntamiento de Ronda

When will strict new traffic restrictions come into effect on Ronda's historic Puente Nuevo bridge? | Sur in English

Ronda bus station

Construction of the new bus station in Ronda started in early 2021 and was scheduled to be completed and opened to the public in February of 2023. However, the project has been affected by many delays due to lack of funding, corruption scandals and opposition at various political levels.

[SUR in English]     

Ronda Council's decision to move the bus station to a new site on the Poligono Industrial has met with fierce opposition from all quarters. 

"A waste of money!"

"Too cramped!"

"Yet another mayoral vanity project!"

Most people feel that the present site is better. All the current estacion de autobuses needs is sprucing up at much less cost.

Too late now, the new bus station is nearing completion.

More here:

Ronda's new bus station 'will be ready in 18 months' | Sur in English

The new bus station in Ronda - Ronda Today

Última fase de construcción de la nueva estación de autobuses | Diario Ronda
 

Ronda swimming

The construction of a new open air swimming pool near the LIDL store in Ronda and the demolition of the existing indoor pool on Avenida de Malaga have caused more headaches for Maripaz Fernandez, mayor of Ronda, and her team.

     La nueva piscina [Ronda Today]

Accused of being a vanity project, the new pool makes little sense, as it only opens from mid-June to mid-September, coinciding with the long school summer holiday.

That means it is SHUT FOR NINE MONTHS OF THE YEAR!

Un elefante blanco.

[Photo courtesy of Wikipedia]     

Ronda Housing

A major housebuilding project which will provide 365 new homes, is well under way on the northern outskirts of the "Ciudad del Tajo".

The sloping site, derelict and abandoned, is being prepared. The services are in place, streets have been delineated and foundations prepared ready for the pre-fabricated units to be delivered and installed in situ.

More here:

La Junta retoma el proyecto de las 365 viviendas de protección oficial de La Dehesa tras llevar 14 años paralizado | Diario Ronda

Ronda Tourism

Ronda attracts tourists from all over the world, as well as from other parts of Spain.

The problem is that a good proportion of visitors are day-trippers who are herded round the streets of the centre and leave very little money behind.

For decades, no council, of whatever polical hue, has been able to "crack" the problem.

Nevertheless, there's loads to do in the City of Dreams.

More here:

Everything you should know about Ronda - Discoolver

My Top 10 places in Ronda - Secret Serrania de Ronda

One Day in Ronda: The Ultimate Itinerary for First-Time Visitors

Ronda: The Andalucian city that stole Hemingway’s heart — and might just steal yours - Olive Press News Spain

Top 10 places to visit in Ronda During Your Stay - Ronda Today

Ronda Culture

The guy who wrote on Facebook, that he didn't like Ronda because of the lack of culture, must be nuts!

There is loads going on here, so much so that it's difficult to keep up.

There is drama, classical music, musicals, flamenco, rock, pubs with live music, not to mention the various local fiestas when they do not hesitate to get the Virgin out and do a desfile.

More here:

Conciertos de La Muralla - Portal Temático Serranía de Ronda

Cultura – Ayuntamiento de Ronda

Entre Bambalinas Ronda

PROYECTO PLATEA - Marcos Marcell

Ronda Flamenca – Tablaos flamencos en el centro de Ronda

Ronda International Guitar Festival 2025

© Pablo de Ronda

Photos:

Diario Ronda, Entre Bambolinas, Karl Smallman, Proyecto Platea, Ronda Today, Secret Serrania, Sierra de las Nieves, SUR in English, www.andalucia.com

Acknowledgements:

Ayuntamiento de Montejaque, Ayuntamiento de Ronda, Diario de Ronda, Diario Sur, Karl Smallman, La Almazara, LA Organic, Pablo de Ronda, Paul Whitelock, Ronda Today, Secret Serrania, Sierra de las Nieves, SUR in English, Wikipedia, www.andalucia.com, www.help-me-ronda.com, www.rondatoday.com, www.theolivepress.es

Tags:

Antonio Ordoñez, Ayuntamiento de Montejaque, Ayuntamiento de Ronda, Cayetano, Diario de Ronda, Diario Ronda, Diario Sur, Entre Bambalinas, Fran Rivera, Karl Smallman, La Almazara, LA Organic, Pablo de Ronda, Paquirri, Paul Whitelock, Proyecto Platea, Ronda Today, Secret Serrania, SUR in English, Wikipedia, www.andalucia.com, www.help-me-ronda.com, www.rondatoday.com, www.theolivepress.es

On most Sunday mornings a hot air balloon floats gently above my house in a valley just outside Ronda. I love watching them while I water my garden. The occasional firing up of the flame to keep it flying is the only sound at this early hour.

Last Sunday a globo bearing the name JOY caught my attention. It immediately reminded me of a former girlfriend with the same rather unusual name. All of a sudden the  balloon disappeared. It appeared to have gone to ground up the hill to the north. I jumped in my car and went to investigate. Sure enough, it was on the ground in a farmer's field. Then they deflated it, packed it in the company trailer and that was it.

                                                 Photos of "Joy" and her crash landing [Paul Whitelock]

Joy

This balloon flight was rather like my relationship with JOY all those years ago - short and sweet and over in no time.

This event set off an idea in my mind. A hook for a retrospective article about other girlfriends whose names have cropped up again in later life: Andrea; Anne; Bev; Brenda; Jac/Jaque/Jacqui; Jayne/Jane; Jeryl/Cheryl; Julia; Liz; Maria/Mary; Michelle; Paula;  Rita; and Trish.

Andrea

Andrea was my first proper girlfriend. We met at the Assemblies of God (Pentecostal) church in Exeter. I was in the Sixth Form doing my A-Levels and Andrea was a dental nurse.

Andrea was very pretty and I was thrilled when I asked her out and she accepted. We saw each other every Sunday and frequently in the week. 

[Photo: Skills for Health]     

It wasn't long before our holding hands and kissing turned into heavy petting and ultimately we made love.

My first ever time, aged 18.

I was at university by this time and Andrea visited me and stayed in my room in the Hall of Residence for a week. Strictly forbidden back in the late 1960s.

Ultimately, me being in Salford and she back in Exeter, meant that we didn't last. But I fondly remember the pretty dental nurse who "stole" my virginity.

[Sign courtesy of Spotify]      

It was over 50 years before I came across another Andrea, and then two came along in quick succession, like buses.

The first of these two Andreas was the lovely Uruguayan who came to work in my local near Ronda. She and her fellah, from Argentina, had decided their future was in Europe, so they asked me to help them get Spanish nationality and Spanish passports. Which I did, and they are now fully-fledged "Spaniards".

I like Andrea a lot and given different circumstances, I'd have "chased" her. But we're both married and I'm much more mature these days, so extra-marital affairs are no longer a wise option.

Hotel Ronda Valley [Hotel RV]     

The third Andrea was a German guest at the hotel. She was there with her husband Uwe. They are motor-bikers and had come all the way from Cologne to do a tour of Spain and Portugal. They were having a great time riding the bendy roads of rural Spain.

Anne

Anne F and I met at the annual conference of NALA (National Association of Language Advisers) in July 1997.

We had a lot in common professionally, and kept in touch. In the autumn we attended a conference on Primary Languages in Bristol, and the rest is history.

We agreed to collaborate on a bid for EU funding to run a project on developing language teaching in primary schools and we took the first tentative steps in forging a romantic attachment.

I was fascinated by Anne. She was pretty, very bright, unmarried and younger than I was. She owned a house in France. Wow! How sophisticated! I was smitten.

We ended up spending time together at conferences, culminating in a two week Spanish Refresher Course held in Jaca (Aragon). We had a great time, before heading off across the Pyrenees to stay a week in her house in France.

That experience made me want to do something similar, ie own a bolt-hole in Spain, which I achieved three years later. By this time Anne and I were no longer seeing each other, but we had enjoyed our time together.

The course participants in Jaca [photo: source unknown]    

Anne P

In 1992 I set up an educational link between St Helens (Merseyside) and Chalon-sur-Saone (Burgundy, France).

The two glass towns had long been "twinned" but there were few, if any, educational activities taking place.

I got the go-ahead to try and set up a work experience programme, something I'd developed with St Helens' German Partnerstadt Stuttgart (Baden-Wuerrtemberg) some years earlier.

First I managed to arrange a meeting with key French personnel, including Anne P, during a civic visit by Chalon dignitaries to St Helens in November 1992.

In March 1993, using a grant from the EU for an International Study Visit, I made a preliminary visit to Chalon, where I was welcomed by M. le Maire, "Guite" L, the educational links person, and the gorgeous Anne P, who was a leading teacher from the town.

I was royally wined and dined and we made good progress on the development of the work experience programme.

    The mayor and Anne P at a reception in St Helens [PW]

Later in the year a delegation from Chalon descended on St Helens and I ended up being the host (St Helen's mayor and councillors showed scant interest in the project. When it became a success and there was favourable press and media coverage, they came out of the woodwork to try and gain some kudos).

Moving on, Anne P was as enchanting as ever. I planned to proposition her, but "chickened out". Our paths crossed several times after that, in the UK and in France, but nothing ever came of it.

   "Guite", le Maire and Anne by the "cut" in Lymm, Cheshire [PW]

Then I got a job in another borough and so I was no longer involved in the town twinning link in St Helens, so we never saw each other again.

Brenda

Brenda B was in my Spanish class at university. She was petite, bubbly and very attractive. But she had a boyfriend doing engineering.

Then, when we got sent on our "year abroad", she "got off with me"!

We flew to Barcelona en route to San Sebastian, where we were due to spend six months. There were seven of us.

We enjoyed  a couple of days in the Catalan capital before continuing in a hire car (a big hire car!) across northern Spain to the elegant Victorian resort which was to be our "home" for the next six months.

Anyway the night before we left a few of us went to a disco in Barcelona where BB made her pitch.

On arrival in Donostia (as San Seb is now officially known) we found beds for the night in a pension at the fishing port, before going "out on the town". The least said about that night and the following day the better!

Anyway, hangovers over we set about looking for long-term accommodation. Three of us ended up at Maria Nieves huge apartment/lodgings - we nicknamed her Snow White.

Roger and I shared a large double room and Brenda had a single to herself.

Brenda and I had an enjoyable time, spending several nights together, although we never made love. Then, all of a sudden, she dumped me for a well-to-do local Spaniard. And, that was that. I was bereft.

    Me, Trish, Dave, Joan and Vince                          Brenda and yours truly on La Concha beach              Brenda as Ursula Andress (Bond girl in "Dr. No")

The next two Brendas to turn up, two at once, were Brenda M and Brenda W.

This was around 2009, some four decades later.

Brenda M was a former primary school teacher turned financial advisor who had her own company with her husband, Laurie, in south-east England. They owned a house in Montejaque, where I was living with my new love, the Meter Maid (see below).

They also had another house near Madrid, I found out later.

Brenda W was a retired secondary school science teacher. Married to Jeremy, a retired university academic, they had owned, and still do, a house in Montejaque. They were pioneers, amongst the first "guiris" to buy in the village back in the 1980s.

Also non-residents, they come over several times a year, for two weeks at a time.

Both these Brendas and their husbands became good friends.

Jeryl/Cheryl

Jeryl was my "groupie". She and her flatmates at university used to come to the Star Inn, Salford, where my pal Mel and I were the resident folk singers on Thursday nights.

"Hobson's Choice", as we were called, entertained  mainly students who lived in the area.

It wasn't long before we got it together and started dating. 

Two years later, in 1975, we got married, a liason that lasted 30 years.

In 2005, my "annus horribilis", we parted.

I think we enjoyed a good marriage, did loads of things together, travelled, had two great children, had a lovely detached house in Thelwall, Warrington, and also bought property together in Spain.

We went through a lot together, most of it positive. We lost all four of our parents: my dad first, then her dad, her mum and finally my mum.

Then, all of a sudden, we outgrew each other.

Jeryl on her 20th birthday [PW]     

Jeryl was a university professor, and a brilliant linguist (Russian, French, German and Spanish) took early retirement, retrained and became a professional actress. 

She has appeared in some great theatre productions and is often a featured actress on TV in "Casualty", "Doctors" and "Emmerdale".

    Jeryl Burgess, professional actor [IMDb]

Cheryl was a vivacious and fantastically interesting lady that I met in a bar in Ronda.

On that first night, we went to a concert together, dined in a restaurant overlooking the Tajo, and then spent the night in her flat. 

No sex, however, which was a shame as I really fancied her to bits. 

We spent a few weeks together, touring around, talking a lot, skinny-dipping and eating nice food, but the relationship wasn't going anywhere. 

Skinny-dipping [Photo: Adobe Stock]    

Liz

Or, as our Spanish co-workers called her, Leeds, was from Dublin. We coincided in San Sebastian where I was on the first part of my year abroad (see above). We both worked for DORFE as tour guides.

    Liz, me, Marisa, AN Other and Michelle at work                                  Liz, me and "our little boy" (joke!)

Liz and I got on like a house on fire.

When I left San Sebastian after my six months and went to Germany in September for the next half a year, we kept in touch by letter, and when I returned to SS to work the summer season in 1971, Liz was still there. Our platonic friendship continued, but it never developed into a romantic or physical relationship.

Liz K was my equivalent in another Merseyside LEA in the 2000s.

We had a lot to do with each other professionally during that time and often popped up at the same conferences. 

We got on really well, and I sensed there was always a frisson of something between us.

When I propositioned her one time, she said: "Paul, we should have f**ked years ago, but now the time has passed!"

Oh, well!

[Image courtesy of Shutterstock]     

Liz P from Chester, and Rob, from Salford, moved to the Serrania de Ronda (La Indiana) some five years ago.

I bumped into them in the Venta opposite their house the day they moved.

Liz is gorgeously attractive. Voluptuous is the word, I think. I liked her. 

"In your dreams, pal!". That was Rob talking!

Let's be realistic, Liz is younger than my daughter!

    Liz, Rob and Libby [selfie]

Michelle

"Michelle, ma belle …..", the plaintive Paul McCartney ballad sung in French, was the first lady with this exotic French name that I remember.

I was a teenager and I loved to sing along to this song which was mostly in French.

Paul McCartney "Michelle" - Live @ AccorHotels Arena, Paris - 30/05/2016 [HD]

    [Image courtesy of eil.com]

Then a few years later, in my early twenties, there was another French Michelle.

She was a tourist guide I got to know when I too was working as a guide/rep in San Sebastian in the early 1970s.

Michelle was a stunner, tanned and very vivacious.

"Way out of my league", I thought at the time, so nothing happened.

What a wimp!

[Photo: Alberto]    

The next Michelle was a pupil of mine at the first school I taught at near Northwich in Cheshire.

I taught her Spanish for some five years. She was bubbly, attractive and delightful to teach.

Then, when she was in the sixth form, they suddenly discovered she had an aggressive form of cancer and she was dead at 18!

Michelle's death at such a young age hit me and my faith in God really hard.

Michelle No. 4 was my "taxi driver". I had ruptured my right Achilles tendon playing squash in the summer of 1989, and when I returned to work I was still in plaster and couldn't drive.

Michelle, whom I knew only slightly - she worked in St Helens Town Hall and I was based in the nearby Education Centre - offered to take me back and forth to work.

She lived near me.

Michelle reminded me of Joanne Whalley in "The Singing Detective", starring alongside Michael Gambon, and Michelle was very sexy in an understated way.

Well, I fell for her, hook, line and sinker, although we were both married. It wasn't long before we started a relationship, although we never slept together, regrettably, as far as I was concerned.

Our "summer romance" petered out when it became clear that we couldn't just abandon our respective marriages.

Gambon and Whalley in "The Singing Detective" [Daily Mail]    

Paula

I met Paula from The Netherlands in Oviedo (Asturias, Spain) in 2004 when we were both participants in a European Union Socrates Study Visit.

We were there to look at good practice in teaching foreign languages to Early Years pupils. The law in Spain says that children must start learning a foreign language at the age of three, in this case English.

There were delegates from a number of EU countries and the study visit was excellent and very well organised.

Oviedo [Turismo Asturias]     

Paula, a Dutch headteacher, and I, an English LEA Languages Adviser, hit it off straightaway.

Long story short, we had a fling, which was very enjoyable.

Paula no. 2 is a stunning Spanish girl from Montejaque (Malaga), my second home.

Classically dark and beautiful she crosses my path to this day. She is not only gorgeous, but simpatica.

Problem is, she is 28 and I'm 75.

And she has a boyfriend ..... who is bigger than me!

[Photo of Montejaque by Paul Whitelock]     

Rita

My first Rita was Russian. She was my first wife's "official friend" when Jeryl went on a heavily chaperoned visit to the Soviet Union in 1970.

But they became good real friends and stayed in regular touch for years.

Then in 1989 when Mikhail Gorbachev was president of the USSR and basically tore down the iron curtain with his policies of glasnost and perestroika, we got a message that Rita, husband Sascha and daughter Elena were coming to stay with us in a week's time!

That turned out to be a great couple of weeks, despite me being in a wheelchair (ruptured Achilles) and having no Russian!

The following year we were invited to stay with them in Krasnodar and again we had a great time. Rita was very pretty and I dreamt of a liaison, until I remembered that Sascha was 6'4" tall and "as fit as a butcher's dog"!

As an aside RITA is spelt PUMA in the Cyrillic alphabet - a source of much amusement.

Mikhail Gorbachev [BBC]    

28 years later I met another Rita in Ronda (Malaga).

This one was German and lovely, so she got the nickname "Meter Maid". (Geddit? "Lovely Rita, Meter Maid ....." - the famous song by The Beatles).

Lovely Rita (Remastered 2009)

After a whirlwind courtship, carried out in northwest England, North Wales, Yorkshire, South Gloucestershire, South Wales, London and Germany, we moved in together into her house in Montejaque (also Malaga) at the end of 2008.

18 months later we got married (in Germany at Maulbronn Monastery) and in 2011 we moved to where we still live in Fuente de la Higuera, in the campo just outside Ronda.

    Rita and Paul get married [photo unattributed]

Trish

Trish L, a big girl from Birmingham, was a good friend at university. We hung about together quite a lot, but it never turned into anything romantic.

She even bathed me a couple of times which was nice but not sexy.

I recall she once told me she loved fellatio!

Since she had a boyfriend, a Frenchman from Annecy, I thought nothing more of it.

It was only afterwards that I realised she had been making me an offer.

Too late!

Trish L up against the wall! [PW]    

Trish M was a neighbour and mobile hairdresser some 30 years later. She used to cut all our family's hair. She was very tactile and very sexy.

One day I plucked up the courage to tell her so and next thing we were an item. Her marriage was breaking up and she needed some tender loving care.

But she knew I would never leave my wife Jeryl, so our affaire came to a natural end. 

Trish M at work [Freepik]    

© Paul Whitelock

Links:

Lovely Rita (Remastered 2009)

Paul McCartney "Michelle" - Live @ AccorHotels Arena, Paris - 30/05/2016 [HD]

Thanks to:

Anon., BBC, Daily Mail, eil.com, Facebook, Freepik, Hotel Ronda Valley, IMDb, Paul Whitelock, Rita Whitelock, Ronda Today, Shutterstock, Skills for Health, Spotify, Wikipedia

Tags:

Andrea, Anne, Anon., Beatles, Bev, Brenda, BBC, Chalon-sur-Saone, Cheryl, Daily Mail, Donostia, eil.com, Facebook, fellatio, "Guite", Hotel Ronda Valley, IMDb, Jac, Jane, Jaque, Jacqui, Jayne, Jeryl, Joanne Whalley, Julia, Liz, Malaga, Maria, Mary, Michael Gambon, Michelle, Montejaque, Paula, Paul McCartney, Paul Whitelock, Rita, Ronda, Ronda Today, St Helens, Salford, San Sebastian, Shutterstock, Skills for Health, Spotify, Stuttgart, "The Singing Detective", Trish, work experience 

As we all know, in Spain exits from motorways and main roads correspond to the distance in kilometres from the start of that road. For example, all roads leading from Madrid start at kilómetro cero.

[Photo courtesy of Diario Sur]    

The Carretera de Sevilla (A374) in Andalucía starts at Algodonales (Cádiz) and continues to Ronda (Málaga) at kilómetro 34.

Kilometro 19 is the exit for Montejaque and Cortes de la Frontera and the start of the MA 8403 road. This fascinating route leads us past Venta La Vega, through a cork oak forest, past cornfields and olive groves to the entrance to the El Hundidero cave system, La Presa de los Caballeros, and then on to Montejaque and Benaojan.

Venta la Vega

This is a local landmark, really. Well located on the corner of the main road from Ronda to Sevilla, it's a popular spot for an early morning coffee or breakfast for Spaniards on their way to work.

Later in the day it's popular with visitors to the area, eg walkers, cyclists and motor cyclists.

[Photo courtesy of Trivago]   

Cork Oaks

This area of the Serrania de Ronda/Sierra de Grazalema is the home to the cork oak. It's an important industry around here.

The bark is harvested every seven years to a height of some two metres and turned into cork products.

[Photo courtesy of Be The Story]    

Wine bottle corks are still used in Spain, but in the UK, Germany and even France they have long since switched to plastic corks or screw-tops, even for top quality wines.

An abomination!

Hayfields

After the road climbs up past the cork oak forests, the land changes and there are flat fields where hay is grown as fodder for the animals that are also reared in the area: sheep, goats, cattle and pigs.

Then it's downhill again through a rocky area which is home to …..

    [Photo courtesy of Malaga Hoy]    

El Hundidero

An amazing cave system which takes water from up here down to Cueva del Gato, many hundreds of metres lower on the Benaojan Road.

One can only go through with a qualified guide.

Entrance to El Hundidero [Malaga Hoy]    

La Presa de los Caballeros

This a dam which was built in 1928 to form a reservoir but the architect got it wrong.

The rocks are sandstone and the water filtered away.

An expensive mistake, to say the least.

At least they've found a way to put it to good use for environmental tourism.

   [Photo courtesy of Diario Sur]

Heading uphill again we come to olive groves and pasteur for sheep and goats, and a number of smallholdings.

Olives

Olives grow well around here and produce a significant harvest for eating and also for processing into top quality olive oil.

You can buy "home-made" oil in Montejaque for much cheaper than at the supermarket.

[Photo courtesy of Carbonell]    
 

Montejaque

This village of less than 1000 inhabitants lies at the end of the road. It's a dead end for traffic. Yet it is the most charming of the pueblos blancos of Malaga and Cadiz.

So charming, in fact, that my wife and I each have a house there in the old Arabic part of the village.

   Casa Rita with Rita on the roof terrace [K Smallman]          Casa Real facade [K Smallman]

Benaojan

Going down the hill from Montejaque on the MA 7401 to Ronda, within minutes you come to Benaojan.

Less pretty than Montejaque, it is, however, a great place to stop for a coffee, breakfast, tapas or lunch.

Both Montejaque and Benaojan are twinned with Knittlingen in Baden-Wuerttemberg (Germany).

That link is what brought my German wife to Montejaque over 20 years ago. She used to work in Knittlingen.

[Photo courtesy of Paul Whitelock]    

I have visited Knittlingen a number of times. Indeed, Rita and I got married in nearby Maulbronn in 2010.

***

As you continue towards Ronda on the MA 7401 you come to the afore-mentioned Cueva del Gato.

A bit further on is Venta El Puente, another fine watering- and eating-hole.

And then it's back onto the Ronda-Sevilla road.

What a great exit Kilometro 19 turns out to be!

Cueva del Gato [RF Natura]    

See also:

Kilómetro 26 - Help me, Ronda

Other Links:

A Stroll through Montejaque - Help me, Ronda

A Walk on the Wild Side – of Montejaque - Eye on Spain

Caminito de los Caballeros - Cueva del Hundidero: 99 fotos - Málaga, España | AllTrails

CASA REAL, Montejaque (Malaga) - Help me, Ronda

Casa Rita Holiday Rental Montejaque - Secret Serrania de Ronda

Early morning coffee in Spain - Secret Serrania de Ronda

La otra ruta de senderismo que compite con el Caminito del Rey como la más vertiginosa de Málaga - Malaga Hoy

Wir sprechen Deutsch in Montejaque! - Eye on Spain

© Pablo de Ronda

With thanks to:

Be The Story, Cadena SER, Diario Sur, Karl Smallman, Málaga Hoy, Paul Whitelock, RF Natura, Secret Serrania, Trivago, www.help-me-ronda.com

Tags:

A374, Algodonales, Andalucía, Be The Story, Benaojan, Cadena SER, Caminito de los Caballeros, Cádiz, Carretera de Sevilla, Cork Oaks, Cornfields, Cortes de la Frontera, Diario Sur, El Hundidero, Eye on Spain, Karl Smallman, Kilometro 19, kilómetro 26, kilómetro 34, kilómetro cero, Málaga, Málaga Hoy, Montejaque, Olives, Presa de los Caballeros, RF Natura, Ronda, Secret Serrania, Trivago, Venta la Vega, www.help-me-ronda.com

"Animal House" is a 1978 American comedy film directed by John Landis. It stars John Belushi, Tim Matheson, John Vernon, Verna Bloom, Thomas Hulce annd Donald Sutherland. 

The film is about a trouble-making fraternity whose members challenge the authority of the dean of the fictional Faber College. 

This hugely successful film, critically and financially, was the first in a series of movies under the National Lampoon name.

    [Film poster courtesy of Wikipedia]

During the 1970s and early 1980s, a few films were made as spin-offs from the original National Lampoon magazine, using some of the magazine's creative staff to put together the outline and script, and were cast using some of the same actors that performed in The National Lampoon Radio Hour.  

"Animal House" became one of the highest-grossing comedy films of all time.

This article has absolutely nothing to do with the film, by the way.

Me and my animals

There are certain animals that I really love.

These include elephants, sea-horses, geckoes, tortoises, dogs and cats.

Clearly, I've never had an elephant as a pet, nor a sea-horse, but geckoes are everywhere, and tortoises from time to time. And since I've lived in Spain I've had a dog and three cats.

    [Image courtesy of Freepik]

Elephants

I began collecting elephants in around 1980. I was living in Cheshire at the time and one of my neighbours, Mrs Williams, a widow, had a problem with her washing machine. I offered to take a look, did a bit of plumbing and fixed the problem. Her house was full of elephants that she had collected from all over the world.

I was impressed and started to assemble my own collection.

45 years later, now living in Spain, I still have a huge collection, which I still add to from time to time.

[Elephants by Easy Live Auction]    

Sea-horses

These fascinating creatures entered my consciousness around 1998. I started a "liaison" with Anne, a colleague from Twickenham. Since I lived in Cheshire our opportunities to meet were somewhat restricted. We were both languages advisers for our respective LEAs so we had chances to attend conferences.

A sea-horse [Beachcombing Magazine]    

Apart from introducing me to the groups Radio Tarifa and Buena Vista Social Club, she introduced me to a life I didn't know. On one occasion we were at a conference in Brighton and we visited an aquarium where we were fascinated by the sea-horses. Lo and behold, shortly afterwards I received a small plaster-cast of a sea-horse through the Post. I still have it. It hangs proudly on a wall on my roof terrace at Casa Real, Montejaque (Malaga).

I have others too, but Anne's little blue one remains my favourite.

Geckoes

We have loads of geckoes where we live in Andalucia (Spain). They're behind every light, picture, inside and outside of the house. I love 'em. They prey on mozzies. Yes!

Apart from these live pets, I have a number of ornaments and fridge magnets.

[photo of a gecko by Reddit]    

Tortoises

Occasionally we come across a live one, but most are ornaments.

Cats

When we lived in Montejaque in 2009/10, I got Rita a lovely kitten, Cleo. Sadly she was murdered by a beastly German lady neighbour.

Elke admitted it and boasted about it, but when I reported the poisoning to the guardia civil, they did nothing about it.

We've recently acquired two strays.

Pauline (Paulinchen) as we called her, came to us from the rubbish dump 200 metres away. She had seemingly been dumped there by her owner.

Paulinchen was so sweet, we decided to adopt her. We went to the vet to get her checked out. He-deloused her, got rid of her fleas and injected a chip into her neck. Later when she was old enough he sterilised her. When she got injured he fixed her too. Pets aren't cheap by the way!

Recently, another little cat got hit by a car outside our house. Three days later I found her hiding at the back of our garden. She was injured so we brought her into the house and fed her and set up a bed.

Fritzi having a cat-nap [Photo: Paul Whitelock]    

At the first available opportunity we took this second cat to the vet, where he examined her and concluded she had a dislocated hip. He thought it would re-set itself. He gave her a treatment for fleas and anti-biotics for the injury.

After two days living with us she "did a runner". Yet she constantly came looking for food. Fritzi, as we have named her, now sleeps in our house and eats there also.

So, she's basically ours now.

We've had her sterilised because she was getting a lot of attention from male cats. That's been done and the problem of visiting tomcats has disappeared.

Dogs

We've had one dog. A beautiful chocolate-coloured pointer called Berti. A rescue dog, and a total nut-case. Despite that she was a lovely affectionate animal. 

Berti was a difficult dog. We acquired her during the Covid pandemic, which presented other challenges. Rita was seriously ill in hospital with the Coronavirus and I was at the end of my tether. Kind friends took Berti from time to time to give me a break.

   Berti with friend Cocoa [Photo: Paul Whitelock]

Then, my friend Jose offered to take Berti off my hands. I agreed. Shortly afterwards Berti was run over and killed.

***

So, that's me and the animals in my "Animal House".

© Pablo de Ronda

Links:

Cat killer on the loose in Andalucian village - Olive Press News Spain

RIP Berti - Secret Serrania de Ronda

Covid-19 is a bastard! Don’t mess with it! A cautionary tale of our times

5 years of Covid-19 - The last post

Music by Radio Tarifa and articles about the band, sadly now defunct:

Radio Tarifa - Mañana (Official Audio)

Journey to the hard extreme – Extremadura – Part 1

Radio Tarifa - Wikipedia

Whatever happened to RADIO TARIFA? - Eye on Spain

Music and film by the Buena Vista Social Club:

Buena Vista Social Club - Chan Chan (Official HD Video)

Buena Vista Social Club - Chan Chan (Official Lyric Video)

Pictures:

Beachcombing Magazine, Easy Live Auction, Freepik, Paul Whitelock, Reddit, Wikipedia

Tags:

"Animal House", Anne, Berti, Buena  Vista Social Club. cat, Cleo, Cocoa, convalescence, Coronavirus, Covid, Cuba, Dana, dog, elephant, Elke, Eye on Spain, fridge magnet, Fritzi, gecko, Jojo, Jose, kitten, Montejaque, operation, Paulinchen, Pauline, Pablo de Ronda, Paul Whitelock, Puntos de vista, Radio Tarifa, RIP Berti, Rita, Ronda, sea-horse, Secret Serrania, tortoise, The Olive  Press, tumour, Wikipedia