A silver wedding anniversary is a landmark event for any couple. Twenty-five years of commitment. Of deeply loving that one person. Twenty-five years spent accommodating each other. Years spent understanding each other and loving each other despite our short comings. Having said that, the biggest perk of marriage was that I would not have to ask permission to see her for an evening and would not have to drop her home every time we went out. Remember it was India at the end of the eighties. And her parents were rather conservative.
In any case, it was now twenty-five years that we were married, and we wanted it to be special and memorable. After much debate and considering it was the second half of January, we zeroed in on Spain as our destination. My better half was never fully convinced about Spain or any other destination. It was either too hot, or too cold, or too expensive. So, after much wrangling and much crossing out of options, she caved. A bit reluctantly she went along with my choice.
There are no direct flights from Mumbai to Spain, so we travelled to Madrid via Abu Dhabi. We landed early in the morning, exhausted from our long travel and yet excited about what lay ahead. A journey made longer than necessary by the five hour lay-over.
Unable to get a local sim at the airport (those days that was the best option), we left the airport for Ronda with a route map programmed on our Google Maps application using the airport wifi. Of course, we got lost within minutes of driving out. I am completely dependent on Google Maps when I travel and now even at home.
Somewhat rattled by both, the changed driving side and getting lost, I pulled into the first Macdonalds that I spotted. Biting into that familiar burger and french fries not only satisfied the hunger pangs but also calmed us down. More me than her. Even though in our regular lives a Mac is a complete no no. Using some sign language, we were able to get an associate there to guide us to a nearby mall. There along with a sim card we got some wine and snacks from the supermarket. With data activated I was king of the roads again, now that I had access to the maps.
The drive to Ronda was very scenic but of course very long. Being super tired from the flight it was a huge challenge for me. It took us over 6 hours as I had to take numerous coffee breaks and nap breaks. You may think you will get good coffee everywhere in Europe, but that is not true. I cannot remember a single espresso shot that I actually liked. Lucky for my gorgeous wife, since she does not drive outside India, she was able to catch up on her sleep through most of the ride. She even slept through most of my coffee breaks. Coffee is not really her thing.
As we pulled into the parking lot at Hotel La Fuente de la Higuera, we saw the most breath-taking evening scene. It was 6 pm in the middle of January, when I drove onto the elevated hotel grounds. The sun was behind the clouds in the far distance, the sky was the perfect hue of blue and all we could see for miles were rolling green hills with a few houses dotted around. Right below us were rows and rows of olive trees. We were thrilled.
My wife had discovered this most amazing boutique hotel on the outskirts of the town of Ronda through some extensive crawling on the internet. An eleven-room property tucked away in an olive grove. Christina and her family were extremely warm and gracious hosts. We felt so blessed. Pablo, their son, had trained at a Michelin star restaurant and now handled their kitchen. The meals were exquisite. The lamb chops he made for us are still fresh in my memory. From the reception to our room we had to go through the kitchen, and we often saw him in action there. And Gina, her daughter, was a star at the front office.
Our one-bedroom suite was intricately and perfectly decorated and immaculately maintained. On our arrival we were greeted with a walkway of rose petals and a bed strewn with red hearts. They made every effort to make our landmark celebrations even more special.
The Spanish mountain town of Ronda was our first stop for this celebratory trip. Set on an Andalusian mountain plateau, Ronda is just about an hour from the fabled South Coast resort towns of Marbella and Torremolinos. The drive through the hills, as you head towards the coast, can be treacherous due to the dense fog. The town’s precariously perched hanging white houses, deceptively cling to the edge of a steep cliff. From its vantage point it means that you can get expansive views of the surrounding rolling hills and Andalusia’s many white villages. This entire region offers you the classic Spanish experience, with its white washed homes, orange trees and olive groves.
As the sun sets, wrought iron lamps light the narrow streets and the local restaurants lay out their tables onto the pavements. The entire experience is surreal and truly magical.
Ronda is the home of modern bullfighting and has one of Spain’s oldest bullrings. This grand building was built in 1779 and is now a museum about the sport. Only one fight is held every year now in September, as part of the Feria de Pedro Romero festival.
The town is divided in two by the El Tajo gorge, a deep ravine over 100 metres down to the Guadalevín River. Old and new have a very different meaning in this part of the world. So, on one side you have the new town from the 15th Century — El Mercadillo and on the other is the old Moorish town. The newest of the three bridges that connect the two sides was built in 1783, taking nearly 40 years to build — Puente Nuevo. A giant triple arch with columns stretching 120 metres down into the depths of the El Tajo gorge. This bridge has done well considering that there was a bridge there earlier that collapsed within six years of being built.
The oldest and smallest of the bridges is the Moorish Roman Bridge. Then there is the 16th century Puente Viejo or the old bridge.
For us at Ronda there was a lot of discovery and some very local experiences. We attended a beginners Spanish language class and took a flamenco dancing class at Escuela Entrelenguas. Run by the dashing Javier this learning space is most charming. Paqui, our dance teacher, managed to make me, with two left feet, also dance a few of the basic steps. I could only get that far and by now have even forgotten whatever little I learnt.
Alima, of Indian and British descent, at our language class was most helpful. As it turned out she had done her entire schooling in Goa. We got along famously and as if by some divine intervention, for a while, we went on to become colleagues for a project that I was working on then. She is an amazing spirit and we still keep in touch.
We only had a few days in Ronda, and we did not want to pack in too much. We ate a lot in the hotel. Spent a few mornings with fruits and wine on our little terrace. Soaking in the sunshine and the orange and lemon trees around us. The free-standing copper tub in our bathroom was stunning. Sadly, could only fit in a bath once during our trip.
Their honesty bar in the central foyer was a winner for us. A new experience for us. All the liquor kept unlocked. We had to pour our own drinks and simply note it in the book so that Gina could bill us on check out.
Our local drives took us through the towns of Setenil, Olvera and Zahara. At Setenil we had a scary moment as we drove through the centre of the town. The town is pretty much set in the rocks, with many buildings almost embedded in the rock face. The old town roads are also very narrow. At one point I had to close my side view mirrors and then, could only drive through guided by the locals. I probably had a couple of inches to spare on both sides. I did get a bit nervous but managed to drive through unscathed. Had to use all my driving prowess for this one.
We met a few locals introduced by Christina, our host. This helped us understand the local landscape even better. We were introduced to ventas — family run eateries, mom and pop really, like our Indian dhabas. Reasonably priced, good quality quickly served local food. Easiest to order the set meals. We had a meal at Venta Pilistre. Not gourmet in any sense but great food and very local atmosphere.
The thick green beans and egg soup at El Morabito is still a very distinct memory, even four years on. Our tea experience, accompanied by an English expat in Ronda, at the Catalonia Reina Victoria Wellness and Spa was very proper. Later she even helped us shop.
We were also able to visit the olive farm nearby — La Marilla and came back loaded with some great quality olive oils.
There was a tug of sadness as we drove away from Ronda and headed to Estepona on the coast.
Written By Mohit Gupta
Week 18, April ’19
