Jerez
We might be quite fit for biking, but make us do a day’s sightseeing on two feet and we really feel our age. The forecast was for a lot of rain and the Spanish seem to be rather accurate with their forecasting, which I suppose is good in some ways! It rained on and off all day (more on than off) so we sploshed about through the streets. Jerez is very attractive and quite small so everywhere is within walking distance.
We started by visiting the Spanish Riding School which I had been trying to get to for some time. There are no shows at the moment but it didn’t matter as we have seen them perform in the past in the U.K. Instead we had a fascinating 2 hours with a guide (in English) who took us around the Palace, designed by a French architect in the late 1700s and it looked very much like some of the chateaux we had visited in France. It was extremely ornate but at some time in the 1800’s had been abandoned and left empty and has only been restored quite recently. Unfortunately it looked as if it had been done ‘on the cheap’ as all the huge gilded mirrors, pictures and furniture had been gone over with gold paint.
We watched the horses training in the show ring for a few minutes and then went on to the Museum of horsemanship - fascinating details about the various breeds and how it all evolved from working with the bulls - it was the rogue ones who started the ‘bull fighting’ theme. Then on to the carriages which were very elegant and largely presented by the King and the Royal family. Unfortunately we were not allowed to take photos in the Palace or the museum so nothing interesting to show here. Afterwards we spent some time in the stables which were immaculate and so were the horses. They start training the horse from the age of 2 and it seemed rather hard on the youngsters to spend their entire lives in stalls of about 4 meters square. They never retire and we met their top horse, who has won several Olympic medals, (sorry, can’t remember his name something like Ambassador or Impressor) but who is now 20 and still does a bit every day. Apparently they never get a rest period as they would seize up, get fat, lazy and forget what they are about – bit like humans! They are all stallions, except the carriage driving ones, and the mares and foals are kept elsewhere. It looked a wonderful place to study for 4 years, as they can specialize in saddlery, veterinary skills as well as riding, and they even have a British student.
We watched the horses training in the show ring for a few minutes and then went on to the Museum of horsemanship - fascinating details about the various breeds and how it all evolved from working with the bulls - it was the rogue ones who started the ‘bull fighting’ theme. Then on to the carriages which were very elegant and largely presented by the King and the Royal family. Unfortunately we were not allowed to take photos in the Palace or the museum so nothing interesting to show here. Afterwards we spent some time in the stables which were immaculate and so were the horses. They start training the horse from the age of 2 and it seemed rather hard on the youngsters to spend their entire lives in stalls of about 4 meters square. They never retire and we met their top horse, who has won several Olympic medals, (sorry, can’t remember his name something like Ambassador or Impressor) but who is now 20 and still does a bit every day. Apparently they never get a rest period as they would seize up, get fat, lazy and forget what they are about – bit like humans! They are all stallions, except the carriage driving ones, and the mares and foals are kept elsewhere. It looked a wonderful place to study for 4 years, as they can specialize in saddlery, veterinary skills as well as riding, and they even have a British student.
Anyway enough horse, Alec was very good natured about spending his morning there. We then went on a mission to find a special bottle of 30 year old (V.O.R.S) sherry which we had been asked to get. This took most of the afternoon and we saw a lot of town. We had imagined that Jerez would be like Sanlucar de Barrameda and have Bodegas and Sherry barrels everywhere, but you really wouldn’t know that this city is the centre of the sherry trade at all.
Harvey's Bristol Cream Bodega - we all know who the real owner is!!
Tio Pepe - an old favourite!
On our travels through town we met someone even older than us, who was taking a short break outside a Bodega before his busiest time of year next week. He invited us to join him and the three of us would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and New Year.
Tio Pepe - an old favourite!
On our travels through town we met someone even older than us, who was taking a short break outside a Bodega before his busiest time of year next week. He invited us to join him and the three of us would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and New Year.
Later that evening we caught up with him again but he was too busy to stop and chat!
We had every intention of finding a Spanish party but a monsoon struck and we found the closest possible bar to where we were staying and hid in there for our supper. Luckily it was very good and full of atmosphere with a noisy family in charge – ages ranging from a much adored 6 y.o girl to boys who were waiting at tables. The walls were covered in pictures of bulls/fighting and horses. They voted on abolishing bull fighting in Catalonia today, and I think the anti bull fighting lot won the vote but even with the dictionary we couldn’t quite work out which way the vote went. Last week our very opinionated waiter said there was a plot to stop it, as the land taken up with breeding and fighting could be put to better use as building land. We fell in to bed at 11, having passed the locals just leaving to go out to have supper. 
Every bar, restaurant and supermarket is festooned with Jamon Serrano - and our restaurant was no exception. With all the fag smoke in all the bars we're surprised they don't just hang them up raw, the effect ultimately would be the same!
On the way home we couldn’t help but notice Jesus has been born here in Jerez too, so Julia’s concern that he might have been born in Seville but not yet in Rota paah!!
On the way home we couldn’t help but notice Jesus has been born here in Jerez too, so Julia’s concern that he might have been born in Seville but not yet in Rota paah!!
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