Wet Andalucia
Mac
came, but people keep telling me it is so, and I only find it
astonishing that Grazalema is in Andalucia, and not somewhere in the
northwest.
This absolutely typical pueblo blanco is tucked into an east-facing
cleft in the sierra between Ronda and Jerez, and for the past couple
of days certainly seems to be living up to its reputation. Every path
is a stream, and every flat area a shallow laguna; water is pouring
down the streets, the wind is rattling the windows, and the
electricity supply is fragile. To be fair, this storm is battering the
whole of Europe, which can only exacerbate the floods still affectung
the north of Spain from the deluge there a few days ago. Spoiled by
three days of warm sunshine, I wasn't expecting this, and didn't bring
my Blimey boots, so even a brief venture up the hill behind the town
means soaking feet (again). In the village of Benalcoaz, the public
fuente is emerging with such force that it shoots right across the
street - an instant car wash as we drive past. For good measure, a
firece shower of large hailstones flattens the clumps of little blue
irises studding the verges of the Roman road running down into
Ubrique, the largest town of the area. Meteoroloically, Ubrique is
supposed to have a 10deg C advantage over Grazalema, but today
everywhere is equal. There are people about, determined to enjoy
their weekend, but the bars and cafes are crowded and the hills are
not,
We venture out to the villages around, but we're really just dodging
the weather: in Zahara, brief rainbows colouring the waters of the
embalse below are quickly obliterated by sheets of driving rain.
So here we are, in front of a log fire in the Casa de las Piedras,
Schubert on the radio, and a good book.
Como en nuestra casa.
Mac
Roger Warwick
Webmaster - Conference Coordinator Spain
Pete Clark
Conference Coordinator Spain <webm...@conference-coordinator.com>
writes
> Im not sure you can actually do those walks anymore. It was closed
> off last time I went through there.
The Camino el Rey at El Chorro is quite close to us. It has been closed
ever since we arrived here, in 2001, but it hasn't stopped people from
passing along it.
The safest way is to go along the railway track, which was used in the
closing sequence of the film Von Ryans Express. But the tunnel that you
use still carries the Talgo, various long distance expresses, and goods
trains. The 360 kilometre per hour AVE train goes up the other side of
the Guadalhorce valley on a newly built line.
Notice the line that the walker was using in the video. It's not a flip-
flop walk, whether you use the tunnel or the Camino.
I understand that money has been set aside for renovation of the Camino,
but if/when/whether it will happen remains to be seen - this is Spain,
after all.
The whole area, and the lake district just to the north, are really
spectacular, and in the summer, the beaches around the lake are packed
with locals avoiding the Costa beaches, and avoiding the visitors from
Madrid.
I wouldn't consider it to be close to Grazalema, but I suppose distance
is relative.
--
Pete Clark
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Mac
We stayed in El Chorro a few years ago - I described it in this forum,
and also the Camino del Rey, which I ventured on to. But I read in
the local (Andalucia) local government paper just yesterday that
€300,000 is to be spent restoring the Camino. I'' believe that when
it happens.
Mac