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| Lots of olive "forests"! |
I feel that today we have explored some off the beaten track
places, experiencing the real Spain which after being crowded with “Selfie
Stick Tourists” yesterday is very refreshing, and are places we feel very
comfortable in. This morning I found (courtesy of Google Maps) that there was a
bakery not too far away in the outer area of Ronda where we were camped for the
night. Enjoyed a walk, exploring the little streets, popped into the fruit and
vegie shop for some yummy grapes and outdoor tomatoes, with the lady being so
helpful realising our lack of Spanish. The outdoor tables at the bars were busy
with people catching up with friends over coffee…and a few beers! Found the
bakery in a small side street and such a delightful lady helped me out. I chose
a small loaf of bread and she then added a little bun…telling me it was “chia”
and I realised it was a gift! The Spanish people are so friendly and helpful,
we have been really impressed. Called into the local pharmacy to get some
dental cleaning brushes and although he didn’t speak English, with a bit of
sign language we got the right product.
Today we were heading to a camping spot in Dona Mencia beside
the Rail trail that is called the Olive Oil Route and Jilly worked out a good
route that saw us passing through some great country…and olive trees! We drove
150km and much of it was through the Olive “forests” as far as the eye could
see. This is the heart of the Spanish olive oil region and we saw large areas newly
planted along with vast acreage of very old trees. It seems to be an industry
that is doing very well. The scenery was spectacular with high mountains and
rocky outcrops and towns with whitewashed houses dotted throughout.
The local council of Dona Mencia have developed a free
parking area for motorhomes just off the highway and directly beside the trail,
and each parking bay is shaded by trees. There is a little traffic noise but it
is something that doesn’t worry us. Later in the afternoon we walked the
several kilometres into town and were really impressed, appears so clean and
well cared for. Stopped at the small local grocer’s store for some black
peppercorns that I had run out of and with a bit of help with Google translate
they showed me where they were. By the time we got back the sun was setting and
the air was feeling very fresh. Temperatures peaked at a very pleasant 27
degrees and tonight will be our coolest yet, a blissful overnight 13 degrees.
Not many photos today....lots of drive by ones!
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| Small whitewashed villages along the road. |
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| Magnificent scenery...reminds us of Arizona. |
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| Even some sheep and goats. |
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| Huge areas being developed with newly planted olives. |
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| We were really impressed with Dona Mencia |
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