On Tuesday, November 20th, we checked out of our hotel about 8:30 am. We were lucky that the rain stopped for an hour or so while we walked 15 minutes to the Prado de San Sebastián bus station. We were wearing our shells (and fleeces underneath for the cold) and we had our umbrellas handy. We were in plenty of time for our 9:30 bus. The only place to sit was outside under the roof where the buses pull in so it was good to be warmly dressed.
For the first half of the trip to Ronda, south of Sevilla, we saw mostly olive and orange orchards. Then the landscape gradually changed from fairly flat farmland to rolling hills. Finally we were travelling in valleys between steep hills. We must have dropped quite a bit in elevation.
By 11:15 we were in Ronda. The first thing we did was find the right bus company for tickets to the coast on Thursday. We had to wait 20 minutes for the office to open but at least we knew that we wouldn’t have to come back to the bus station for reservations or perhaps get there on Thursday and find that the bus was sold out. Our next stop is Estepona but we could only get tickets to San Pedro. From there, we’ll have to find another bus to Estepona. Luckily, the distances aren’t great.
As we left the bus station, it was about 10C with howling wind and driving rain - the worst weather we’ve hit so far. We got a taxi for 6 euros to the Hotel Ronda, just across the “New Bridge”, where we’d be staying for 2 nights.
Once we’d settled into our room and cranked up the heat, there was a brief stop in the rain so we went out to see the gorge and the New Bridge. The wind was still howling and it was cold but at least we weren’t getting wet. We managed to take a few pictures.
We walked into the “new town” on the north side of the gorge, to find Faustino’s bar/restaurant that was recommended in the guide books. We found it but it was closed. As we wandered around, we saw a restaurant advertising the menu del dia for 11 euros. That sounded good so we went in. The meal was good and as is usually the case, there was a first course, a second course, dessert, wine or beer and bread included.
Once we were filled up, we walked around a bit more but eventually went back to our room where it was warm and dry. We could hear the rain pounding down again through the night.
For the first half of the trip to Ronda, south of Sevilla, we saw mostly olive and orange orchards. Then the landscape gradually changed from fairly flat farmland to rolling hills. Finally we were travelling in valleys between steep hills. We must have dropped quite a bit in elevation.
By 11:15 we were in Ronda. The first thing we did was find the right bus company for tickets to the coast on Thursday. We had to wait 20 minutes for the office to open but at least we knew that we wouldn’t have to come back to the bus station for reservations or perhaps get there on Thursday and find that the bus was sold out. Our next stop is Estepona but we could only get tickets to San Pedro. From there, we’ll have to find another bus to Estepona. Luckily, the distances aren’t great.
As we left the bus station, it was about 10C with howling wind and driving rain - the worst weather we’ve hit so far. We got a taxi for 6 euros to the Hotel Ronda, just across the “New Bridge”, where we’d be staying for 2 nights.
Once we’d settled into our room and cranked up the heat, there was a brief stop in the rain so we went out to see the gorge and the New Bridge. The wind was still howling and it was cold but at least we weren’t getting wet. We managed to take a few pictures.
We walked into the “new town” on the north side of the gorge, to find Faustino’s bar/restaurant that was recommended in the guide books. We found it but it was closed. As we wandered around, we saw a restaurant advertising the menu del dia for 11 euros. That sounded good so we went in. The meal was good and as is usually the case, there was a first course, a second course, dessert, wine or beer and bread included.
Once we were filled up, we walked around a bit more but eventually went back to our room where it was warm and dry. We could hear the rain pounding down again through the night.
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