Sadly today marked the last trip we would be taking as a group. We went to Ronda. Our host mom warned us that it would be absolutely freezing there and we might need to bring 2 jackets. She even showed us pictures of previous students who have visited when it was cold. They sure did look freezing to me. Luckily we had some pretty fantastic weather. It was even better there than it was back home in Málaga. The sun was shining the whole day and there was a bit of a breeze but it was comfortable for the most part.
We arrived and met our tour guide Pepe and his grandson Julio. He was 7 and absolutely adorable. We all wanted to take him home with us. We then had a three hour walking tour through Ronda. There was so much to see. The bridges were beautiful. I loved the scenery, it was absolutely breathtaking. Ronda happens to be one of the oldest cities in Spain dating back to the Neolithic Age! Many people have had control of Ronda over the centuries. Much of the the buildings are in ruins due to the uneven terrain that the Phoenicians and Romans had to deal with .
The main attractions were of course the three famous bridges. Puente Romano (Roman Bridge) , Puente Viejo (Old Bridge), and Puente Nuevo (New Bridge). I have never seen bridges look like that before in my life. It was absolutely incredible. The way there were designed and the simple fact that they have been standing for so long. We also got to go into the Plaza de toros which happens to be the oldest bullring in Spain. I couldn’t get over how big it was. It was pretty cool to see a part of history like that. We also visited the Baños árabes (Arab baths) which date back to the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.
After our three hour walking tour we had about 2 hours for a lunch break. Some friends and I went and had tapas at this place in the square. I had patatas bravas which are spicy potatoes. To me, they are not as spicy as I’m used to back home. In Spain, they are not known for spicy food.
All in all this was a great excursion. I’m glad I was able to see another part of history. My mom and I plan on visiting when she comes to see me next week! My journey is almost complete.
Viva España 