Andalucia Days 25 and 26 A rest and then back to Sanlúcar

Sunday is spent in rest and reflection on what we've done so far and to plan the next days. We also go to church. The priest is enthusiastic, there's a group singing with guitars, people of all ages in church.

In the afternoon we get out the maps. It takes a surprisingly long time to plan a journey, decide exactly where to go and when, choose accommodation. Next weekend is Puente de Pilar which means people will be about pretty much everywhere for the long weekend, but the weather Thursday and Friday doesn't look too good, maybe there's a risk of rain. We factor all this in together with the need for some sort of safe parking for the car, and the limit that on such a long holiday the budget per night is low.

After the 'quiet' day we set off early to return to Sanlúcar. This time there's quite a bit of 'early' morning traffic but once we get out of El Puerto the road is clear and we drive through fields of cotton, not a sherry-producing vine in site. In Sanlúcar we walk along the sea or rather river front to the fishermen's village part, now full of restaurants.

Then, by car we go to Bodegas Delgado where there should be a guided visit and wine-tasting at 11 in English. The visit has been cancelled for a special event but the guide kindly shows us the cellar and explains production of the typical local wine called Manzanilla, which is produced only in that area because of the special combination of humidity and wind created by the meeting of the Guadalquivir river with the sea. This produces the right conditions for the growth of the 'flor' a layer of yeast which protects the wine from oxidation. Manzanilla wine is always 15% alcohol because the 'flor' only grows in those conditions. 

After the visit we go to Plaza de Toros. Totally different from those in Baeza and El Puerto, it is open, there are lots of advertising banners, perhaps a little shabby but with old men sitting and chatting and others watching some young men practising bullfighting in the middle.

They are training in pairs, the bullfighter and the 'bull', in this case the other guy who, holding a pair of horns, follows the cape. 

We watch for a while and it makes us realize perhaps more than watching a bullfight itself, how much bullfighting is part of the local tradition, not just folklore.

The morning is passing rapidly but must be used in full because in the less touristy places everything seems to be open just between 11 and 2pm at the most. Lunch has to be delayed. We have a quick look at a magnificent building which is the town hall and the gardens behind.

Next stop the Bodegas Barbadillo Manzanilla Museum, which shows us more in detail what our guide explained earlier on. Most of the high part of Sanlúcar near the castle seems to be taken up with the big Bodegas or warehouses and there's a strong smell of wine in many of the surrounding streets.

Lunch becomes imperative and after careful investigation of TripAdvisor recommendations the day before we instead stop somewhere completely different just because it's handy, Casa Bar El Gallego. No problem, tortillitas de camarones, cabo de toro, patatas ali-oli with bits of real tuna and prawns, choco frito, are all delicious and Andrea tries 3 different types of Manzanilla, all for a total of €17.50.

We adjourn just across the square to Palacio Ducal de Medina Sidonia, a Renaissance palace built over the ancient Moorish Alcazar and now a hotel. There is what is demurely called a cafeteria, actually a beautiful courtyard garden and lounge area with antiques, comfortable sofas and old-fashioned chairs with enormous cushions. A dilemma ensues about which to choose but we settle for a sofa, order a coffee and relax. Well, actually we almost fall asleep, the few customers prefer the garden, the whole place is perfectly silent, nobody is interested in how long we stay. Two coffees in such splendid surroundings cost a total of just €2.60. Definitely the the best 'cafeteria' I've ever visited.

Back in the car we drive to Costa Ballena, and after walking a bit and jumping in the waves (Tina) we settle down on the sand to wait for the sunset (also fortified by a piece of cake I had forgotten to mention between the 'cafeteria' and the car).

There are just a few people on the beach, two who have just come out of the water shivering and drying each other with towels, another couple - she's dancing in front of the sea and the sunset and he's filming her while their dog watches from a distance where they've left their beach stuff like a disapproving chaperone, a family with some kids jumping up and down and waving at the sun. The sun merges into the sea and suddenly the dog sets off like a rocket towards them, dark shapes before a silver sea.

Kilometres by car: 75

Kilometres on foot: 14