IN RONDA

We visited the historic town of Ronda on Tuesday. Dating back to before the time Christ, the town of 35,000 lies on an elevated plain that sits 750 meters above sea level and about 40 kms inland from the Mediterranean.

The two and a half hour drive to Ronda from our hotel was in part a harrowing one as our bus snaked along a narrow road up the side of some very steep mountains....not a ride for the faint hearted. I can't begin to imagine how the early inhabitants of the area made the trek by mule.

Our tour guide explained that the Romans initially came to Ronda for its gold and silver, carting away 200,000 kgs of these valuable natural resources to help finance the growth of their empire. The Moors took over in the 8th century and held the area until the Spaniards reclaimed it in the 1500's.

Interestingly, Ronda also seems to have been a magnet for literary giants such as Ernest Hemingway, Orson Welles, Washington Irving, James Joyce and John Steinbeck.

Once in Ronda, we were amazed to observe that the south side of the town is perched on sheer outcrop that is split by a precipitous cleft between the old town with the new. The stone bridge connecting the two towns was actually built in 1793.

The original town still has many of the architectural remnants from Roman times as well as the remains of a Moorish palace. A local museum was replete with a wide variety historical artifacts including archaic time pieces and scientific devices, period clothing, a beautifully restored caleche and swords of all descriptions. As well, a dudgeon with numerous instruments of torture reminded us of the dark side of the these early civilizations.

After a few tapas for lunch at an outdoor restaurant, I went off to see Ronda's bullfighting ring while Terry and her friend Betty did a bit of shopping. The stadium, a two tiered arena made of limestone in 1785, is the most famous of all such rings in Spain, sort of the Montreal Forum of bullfighting. It was a surreal feeling to stand in the centre of the ring with the smell of bulls lingering in the air. 

All in all, our time in Ronda was a delight, not only because of its natural beauty but also because it gave us a glimpse into a world whose culture and customs continues to shape our world.