To finish
with the reporting on our Andalusian holidays…. We went south, first to Jerez de
la Frontera. Jerez, Xeres… the name has some Arabic origins, شريش , Sherrish … which in English has become Sherry. The city is full of
bodegas, with famous names. I really enjoy a glass of “fino”, which is the driest
and palest of the sherries. Of course, sherry wine may be more known in its
darker, heavier, sweeter versions.
Jerez is
also known for its horses and is the home of the "Royal Andalusian School of
Equestrian Art". The origins are related to the Domecq family - sherry wine,
horses, bulls…. I’m not a bullfight fan, but I once watched bullfighting on
horses, where two brothers of the Domecq family performed. It’s amazing in its
art. You are not allowed to take photos during the horse show, “How the
Andalusian horses dance”, but here are some pictures from the school surroundings.
Jerez also claims to be the capital of the flamenco. I was once taken to a shady looking place in the suburbs of Jerez by a local friend. At 3 in the morning,
the place was full of the locals, dancing, playing, singing… my best flamenco experience
so far - tears of joy!
Here are
some pictures of the cathedral, the alcazar…
We then continued to Cadiz. Passing by Trocadero we entered the city via the
two year old Pepa Bridge (see top picture), a bit longer and higher than the Golden
Gate Bridge. There is hardly anything left of the Trocadero fortress which used
to provide defense for Cadiz and where the French won a battle in 1823,
which gave the name to the Paris Trocadéro.
Cadiz was
founded already some 1100 years BC and is considered to be the most ancient
city still standing in western Europe. Cadiz has of course been an important
port during centuries – Columbus used the port for his second and fourth
voyages - and the city and its port became, especially for its trade with the
Americas, a target for Spain’s enemies, particularly the British.
Posts
