Views from km65

On the way back from collecting water this morning, I stopped off on the main road and took a few pictures looking up to Olvera.

Another beautiful day, a little wispy cloud with a slight breeze and temperatures at about 28°C.

The Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación.

The zoom on my camera couldn't quite get close enough to show the spanish flag, one of many in town, still fluttering proudly on our house in the centre of the picture, supporting Spain towards their inevitable destiny in winning the World Cup on the 11th July.

Calle Bellavista

New signage has recently appeared on Bellavista, replacing one that was there last year and then taken down, indicating once again that plots of land are available for sale. The potential buyers will have great views towards Pruna and beyond.

The sales office for potential buyers. Not sure whether it's open yet but office furniture and fittings are in place.

We stopped off at Bodeguita Juanito Gómez, one of our favourite places, sitting outside for a coffee and coke in temperatures again reaching 30°C.











The view up Calle Bellavista.

Phew......

......it's certainly warming up, 30°C at three thirty this afternoon as we took Calcetines for a walk, trying to keep to what little shade there was on our route.
Here looking down Calle Pañolillas and the view up to the castle.

Looking to the west.

The house in the centre of the picture has always had an attraction for me. It's set in a lovely location, just outside of town, surrounded by olive groves and with spectacular views all around.

Now, where did I put that lottery ticket !!.

Sunny Sunday

The lovely sunny weather continues, 23°C and a near cloudless sky, so a short walk this morning to the Parque Entrecaminos at the opposite end of town.

The Bar El Parque within the park is a very friendly place and serves some of the best tapas in town.

I sat for a while under the shade of a tree before heading back home.

Nobody can be in any doubt that the Magic Travels of Mickey Mouse and his friends is being performed today in the Casa de la Cultura......posters seem to be on every lampost in town.

I spotted a small fledgeling bird on the street, this is the time of year when many fall out of their nests, so I diverted up to the Peñón del Cerretillo to hopefully give it a place of safety until it could fly.
The steps leading up to the park.

The views across Olvera from the peñón.

La Casa del Rey Moro (House of the Moorish King)

A trip to nearby Ronda today, a lovely town about 45 minutes drive south of Olvera.

We parked the car in the underground car park at the top of Calle Espinel, also known as "La Bola", and walked down the main shopping street to the bullring at the bottom, turning towards the Puente Nueva (New Bridge) that spans the famous Tajo gorge.

Anne took the opportunity to do a little shopping at her favourite craft shop. Another pretty painted plate is going on the wall at home by the looks of it!.

The views from the bridge. We decided to visit the 14th century moorish Water Mine in the House of the Moorish King that overlooks the gorge and is pictured here on the right hand side of the photo.

A ceramic wall plaque on the outside of the palace.


Sadly, the palace has fallen into a state of disrepair after long standing disputes between the owner and the local and regional authorities. Click here for more information.

The gardens however are in pristine condition with many terraces and water features

A well signposted path leads to the steps that wind down through the rock to the base of the gorge below.
The mine has a steep staircase carved out of the rock, dark and wet in places, and passes through several rooms before eventually emerging at the bottom of the gorge. Water was originally extracted by a long gone waterwheel.























The exit at the bottom where we emerged into the bright sunlight and the peace and quiet of the gorge.

The water in the river was crystal clear.

The only way out of the mine is back up the way that you came so after climbing the steps, well earned refreshments were definitely required.
We sat for a while in the Plaza Duquesa de Parcent before heading home.