Postcard from Spain 2012

ROAD TO JEREZ

       We stopped at one of the frequent roadside restaurants for brunch – huge plate of eggs, bacon and chips all swimming in olive oil and far too much again, but couldn’t identify anything else on the menu. A trucker’s delight!

The spectacular nature area of Desfiladero de Despeñaperro appeared without warning as we rounded a bend. Craggy cliffs which had been thrust into a perpendicular position lined a very deep gorge, with our side of the road crossing an immense viaduct and the road going in the opposite direction through a tunnel at the bottom of the gorge. It is a place of great beauty and apparently an area for sport hunting. Because we were unaware of exactly what type of scenery we would be driving through – difficult to tell from a map – we missed the only view site and regrettably were unable to take photographs of the awe-inspiring scenery. I would love to go back there some day, but off the main highway and into the park itself.

       We arrived at Jerez airport with no difficulty – road signs very good – to drop off the car and get the next one from a different car hire (the first one wasn’t represented at Malaga, which is where we would be handing it back). There was the same routine of ‘driver must be the one with the credit card’, but at least this time we knew the drill. Then we were sent off to the garage to fill up the tank so they could charge for the diesel – 35 litres and I had driven 650km in two days – no wonder I hadn’t seen much of the countryside.

       The new car was a Renault Megane – almost like an estate, very spacious and plenty of luggage room – started with a card that you put in the slot – never driven anything so technical or so big! We settled Mom in the back and set the GPS which we had to hire because we would have this car for ten days and be travelling through large towns. It turned out that the cigarette lighter in the car was faulty and so the GPS wouldn’t work. So back inside the airport – it is very hot again today – only to be told that we will have to change cars (because the lighter is faulty) and take a smaller model. I couldn’t face the thought of unpacking all that luggage again and also telling Mom that she wouldn’t be travelling in the style to which she had already become accustomed, so gave back the GPS rather than go through all that. We bought a good old-fashioned map and set off for our next stop, a four-day layover at the jewel of the hilltop towns, Arcos de la Frontera.