#26- JEREZ - A GLASS OF SHERRY

#26

JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA

SPAIN

From:           Marbella 

To:                Jerez

Distance:       141km / 80 miles

Time:            1.5 hours

Climate:        27C -80F

JEREZ - A GLASS OF SHERRY

Hello!! Welcome back!! I hope you missed my blog for the past few weeks? Ah... I got a big lazy but I have had many requests so... here I am again. Thanks for everyone who has followed along. There's plenty of room in the back seat. I am stopping to pick everyone up again so hop in... This time I am picking you up to go to....

JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA 

and you may be asking - "Why Jerez, Jasmine?"

Well... a few weeks ago it was my birthday and Bob asked the famous question - "Jasmine where would you like to go?" Well I didn't want to go to the beach since it was just in front of us.

and...

I didn't want to go to the mountain since it was just behind us.

so instead I said for something different... let's go to a flat place

and in Spain flat is not always easy to find...

so I picked a place in-between the Mediterranean and the mountains

somewhere flat....

JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA 

a few facts.....

1. Only 1.5 hour drive from where we live

2. known for it's Sherry production ( more about this later for you Sherry lovers)

3. is a municipality in the Provence of Cadiz in autonomous community of Andalusia

4. Fifth largest city in Andalusia with over 200,000 people

5. One of the largest horse breeding and show areas in the country

6. Of course - wine growing area....

7. It is THE largest exporter of Sherry

8. Ruins which prove the existence of the Phoenicians

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Here, follow along to see old and modern Jerez......

LOCAL DAILY MARKET:

Freshly caught fish... a Spanish food staple

LOCAL VEGETABLE MARKET:
Such delicious fruits and vegetables.... my daily addiction!!!

Take a close look at the FRESH FIGS and the every so plump juicy huge cherries! Yes we bought both and ate them before we left the stand!! Price was about $3.00/pound

LOCAL BEER PRICES:

Bob and I stopped to have his daily 5pm beer. This local cafe offered a draft beer for .50 euro cents ($.75cents). Well needless to say he didn't have one at those prices! Prices in this town were less than the beachside resort town we live in! 

LOCAL SHERRY & HISTORY:

Sherry is a fortified wine made from white grapes from Jerez. In Spanish it is called Vino de Jerez. Jerez has a wine culture since wine making was introduced by the Phoenicians in 11BC. The practice continued by the Romans when they took control of Iberia in 200BC. The Moors conquered the  in 711AD and introduced distillation which led to the development of brandy and fortified wine which is Sherry. Thus Jerez became the center of Sherry due to the Arabs (Moors) and still continues to this day - five centuries later!

Christopher Columbus brought Sherry to the New World on his voyage and introduced it to the West. Because Sherry was a major wine export to the UK, many of todays Jerez Bodegas were founded by British families and still continue to be owned by them instead of the Spanish. 

LOCAL ARCHITECTURE :

Most of the interesting Architecture in Jerez dates back to the birth of the Renaissance from the 15th-17th Century including Gothic & Baroque designs.  Prior to that, little is left of the Moors 800 year reign in this region except the amazing and well preserved Alcazar of Jerez. ( below)

Many of the styles host Arab style entrances 

LOCAL VEGETATION:

Fresh fig tree - yummy

Oh course - there isn't a place in Spain where you can't find a fresh Olive Tree - their staple for Virgin Olive Oil - 

Lettuce!

FRESH BEANS!

HERB - MELISA - great tea for tummy ache

LOCAL WEDDING STYLES:

beautiful simple yet elegant style for a outside summer wedding

THE ALCAZAR OF JEREZ

12th-18th Century
Entry fee E3.00/$4.50

The Alcazar of Jerez is one of the most important and well preserved monuments in the city.  It was built in the 12th century and one of the few examples left on the Iberian Peninsula of the Almohade architecture. Alcazar comes from the Arab word - al-qasr which means a group of buildings - surrounded by walls - encompassing both a palace and a fortress.

OIL MILL - Growing of Olive Tress was very important in Jerez until the 19th century when vineyards took over in importance versus olive groves. The oil mill dates back to the middle of the 18th century. It was owned by the Villavicencio family.

The olives were milled here until they became a paste. The olives were cleaned, poured into the wooden box which was called the hopper, then it would fall on a round stone on a base - the bed stone. A mule would walk around the bed stone which then moved the stone around to grind it. The grindstone as it was called crushed the olives to make the paste.
The work was done in the winter and the fireplace was lit during the entire day. The paste was put between a grass mat and then pressed by a block. A beam was lowered and pressed thus pressing liquid which ran along a channel into a tank in the floor.
The pure oil with the lower density remained on the top while the impurities sank to the bottom thus separating the oils.

During the 12th Century Jerez became one of the most important cities in Lower Andalusia because of the grandiosity of the Alcazar. It covered 4 kilometers (2.5miles) with over 46 hectares (115 acres) and a population of 16000 people. 

Remaining today -
Two ages - Mosque - Arab Baths - Tower - Palace - Part of the Mill- Grounds

This courtyard dates back to the Al- Andalus period.

TOWER 
Buit in 1471.
It was originally surrounded by a moat. It was the last defensive. It has a semi basement and three floors.From the 2nd floor there is access to the chamber of the islamic tower.

The mosque is one of the only mosques that still exists from the 18 mosques of the Islamic city. It dates back to the 12th century and has a typical element of the religious building. King Alfonso who conquered the city in 1264 consecrated this mosque to Christian worship and dedicated it to the Virgin Mary.
HAMMAN

The Arab baths (Hamman) were for private use. They were also constituted for religious obligations as well as pleasures. They had three rooms according to temperatures. 

- A cold room - a transit area before entering the wet area

- A warm room- the largest area - Here people were given massages and had their bodies soaped. 

- The hot room. This is where steam baths were taken. The temperature in this room was very high because it was close to the boiler and because of the underground heating system. 

Pharmacy -

LOCAL CATHEDRAL:
17th Century
Architecture: Baroque - Gothic- Neoclassical

Spa - moorish modern day spa's

LOCAL AND MOST FAMOUS SHERRY:

TIO PEPE:

So let me know - do you like Sherry? Have you ever tasted Tio Pepe? Or any other Spanish Sherry? Well for those of you who know me, you know I really don't like to drink and the taste of Sherry is certainly not my taste.

But Sherry from Jerez is very well known and well liked. And that is what makes a trip to Jerez so well worth it - the tours, the free Sherry tasting ... all the Bodegas - all the Sherry - everywhere you turn - makes Jerez a Sherry of a town!!
-------
Oh I do have to tell you something fun which happened to us on our way back. You know Bob - my birthday driver - the same guy who drove 1500 kilometers in one day without blinking - well! For some reason on our way back this time from Jerez - only 1.5 hours away I decided to let him drive. I was kinda tired ( probably from the Sherry tasting) decided to put my head to rest. All of a sudden I felt the car jerk to the side. I jumped up and only to see that Bob was sleeping while driving on the highway. What a fright! It was broad daylight. Only 6 o'clock in the afternoon! 


Well - can you imagine?!?!?! I think it was that cheap beer or the Sherry or the fact that we really have gotten a bit lazy lately and can't seem to do all that running around like we were doing... so.. I took over driving and Bob took a siesta in the passengers seat. 


Stayed tuned to see where we went next and especially who was behind the wheel..
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Thanks for joining me again... I hope I haven't lost my touch and you stayed in the back seat.. let me know... I can't turn my head and look in the back seat while I am driving so scream and let me know if you are back there.. post post post comments... tell me what you like, what  you don't like or even if you want me to stop sending you these blogs... I won't be offended. I promise.
Comments.. comments... comments.. they are so fun to read..

night night....
Happy 4th of July to those in the USA!!

(p.s. feel free to send my posts to anyone you want - the more the better)


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#25 -GRANADA- Alhambra, Moors & A Revolution

#25

GRANADA 

SPAIN

#25

From:           Marbella 

To:                Granada 

Distance:       186km / 115 miles

Time:            2 hours

Climate:        28C -82F

Altitude:       738meters/ 7900 feet

Coast :          1 hour drive

*Please note: This blog does not cover the Alhambra Castle. It deserves it's own blog apart from the rest and will be covered at a later point.

GRANADA 

Alhambra - Moors  and a  Revolution

Bob and I decided for our 7th year wedding anniversary ( May 29th) to spend a couple days in the romantic lovely city of Granada; about a 2 hour drive from where we live. IT is so full of history and helped carve what is Spain today.

TOP TEN GRANADA FACTS:

1. Capital of the Provence of Granada in the Community of Andalusia
2. Population - @500,000
3. Third largest urban city in Spain
4. Elevation - 738meters / 2421 feet
5. Where three Rivers meet - Beiro, Darro, Genil
6. Famous Islamic Moorish heritage
7. Moors occupation for over  800 years
8. One of the top three Universities in Spain
9. The Origin of the pomegranate fruit - hence Grenadine ( granada in Spanish)
10. Famous Sierra Nevada Mountain range
11. Most mosques converted to Churches.

THE DRIVE TO GRANADA FROM THE COSTA DEL SOL:

OLIVE TREES AS FAR AS YOU CAN SEE

The drive throughout Andalusia (South of Spain community) usually consists of either Olive, Almond or Orange Trees.

During the 2 hour trip trip to Granada we were surrounded by Olive Tress on both sides for as far as you can see.....

Although we have both been to Granada many many times either to visit the famous Moorish Alhambra Castle or to go skiing in the Sierra Nevada's, neither of us really knew the town.

HOTEL - MONASTARIO DE LOS BASILOS

We booked a room in the lovely 16th Century Monastery: Monastario de los Basilos located directly on the river by the center of town.

Part of the Charming Hotels Chain, the hotel was quite lovely. The price was extremely reasonable at only 49E including breakfast.  The courtyard was filled with fresh lemon and orange trees and a beautiful 16th Century church located on the grounds. 

The room was quite new and clean with Marble bathroom.

No, no, no... we didn't take a tour this time. But if you are in Granada, a tour serves you well because there is so much to cover and a lot of walking.

Granada as we discovered is so much more than skiing, Moors and castles. The town is quite manageable, clean and with tremendous history. Tapa bars are everywhere... as well as a Gypsy and Moorish quarter.

MARBLE & STONE

Most of the pedestrian walk ways in Spain are built from stone and marble as shown.
In fact, it's hard not to make your way around Spain without seeing either Marble or Natural Stone being used everywhere; a walkway, wall or floor covering, park benches...or even as the tarmac of a beach side boardwalk.
Marble is everywhere!!!!

Note: While Marble is a high end luxury in America it is quite common in Spain.

HISTORY and the MOORS

The Moors occupied Spain for over 800 years - 

711 AD to 1492 AD

The Moorish influence can be seen throughout the entire city. 

• The Arab Baths
• Court yard homes
• Castles
• Arabic Architecture

Right and Below:

Basilica de Nuestra Senora de las Angustias

                                             CHRISTIANS

Granada dates back around 5BC when the Greeks settled in the region. Followed then by the Romans and Visigoths, the history of the region is rich in culture.  Following the conquering of the Moors in the 15the Century the Christians then gained and currently maintain control of the region.

 LEFT: look closely to see the hundreds of small photos of people for their prayers.

A strong Christian influence developed with Churches being built almost on every street  - literally. You hardly have to walk around the corner to find another Basilica, Church, Monastery or the monumental Cathedral. 

Nuns - a rare sighting these days, no?

ABANICOS
Hand fans

These beautiful hand painted fans are not only used for Flamenco dances as a more practical use today to keep everyone cool. You will see women all over Spain fanning themselves with these beautiful Abanicos.

As I keep mentioning, one of Spain's comforts is having park benches everywhere. PARK BENCHES EVERYWHERE

LUNCH 

We decided to stop at a Tapa Bar for lunch. Taberna Las Copas in the main pedestrian walkway was our choice.            
  If you are interested in trying a variety of Tapas in Granada the Albaicin, Elvira Street or Campo Principe are the places to go for a taste of Granada.  

ba

Don't ask me what this Tapa is below... I asked. The waiter explained it is a common "gratis" Tapa offered as a flavor of Granada. It tasted like loose flour.

11 Euros total:
Fried baby Squid
Fried Sardines
These were so delicate and delicious. Squeeze a bit of lemon to add zest.

SUMMER WEDDING INSPIRATIONS

Ah... for the romantics and wedding planners, Granada offers beautiful gowns. E200

REFRESHING SUMMER DELIGHTS

OK, this had to be one of the best ice creams I have had in years.... Italian Ice Cream, hand made, smooth creamy and a summer delight.

LOCATION: Golosita Italiana, Zacatin 20 - Located close by the Albaicin market.

CATHEDRAL OF GRANADA

16th Century

(Unfortunately the video tape I took of the inside was accidentally deleted)

The cathedral was built in 1505 by the request of the Catholic Kings. During the birth of the Renaissance this Cathedral has Baroque and Neo -Classical architecture. 

• Ferdinand and Isabelle are buried here.
• 115 meters long x 65 meter wide x 45 meters high (@500 ft high)
• center aisle 32 meters long

Located just on the side of the Cathedral you will find an inside market of souvenirs. Along side there are street vendors selling their crafts.
The guy on the left is selling a plaque of your name written in Arabic for 1 Euro.

NON EDIBLE ORANGES

Orange trees which are used to line the streets for shade are NOT the kind of oranges you can eat. Rather they are the kind of oranges which  are used in Liqueurs, Marmalades etc.. so don't pick and eat one. They are quite distasteful. 

Many of the Tapa bars in Spain are lined above with Pork Legs hanging and beautiful tile lining the walls.

Albaicin Market Place: 
The Gypsy Quarter

Nothing in Granada compares to the artistic Gypsy Quarter. It takes you back in time to when the Moors were settlers. It is a lovely area and not one to be missed in Granada.

Enjoy the sights below and just imagine yourself walking along the narrow cobblestone roads with merchants selling their handmade goods. As you stroll along imagine smelling the scents of incense burning mixed with the aroma of Arabic coffee brewing.

MONASTERIO DE SAN JERONIMO

 FACTS:

1. Founded in 1504
2. First monastery built after the conquest from the Moors
3. First temple in the west devoted to the immaculate conception
4. Occupied in 1551
5. Present day nuns still there
6. 500 memorial stones placed for the monks who lived there 

Cloisters:

Present day nuns living at the Monastery

Ok. Are you wondering what I am from a Monastery courtyard tree? ah... Let's see if you can guess.. It is orangish..small.. big brown pits... a passion fruit.. and only available in May/June for about 4 weeks. Go ahead.. guess.....soooooo yummmy

LOQUAT - originally from SE China and introduced to Japan over 1000 years ago and mentioned in ancient Chinese literature and dating back before the Age of Discovery in Western Europe. It  is also called a Chinese plum and labeled a Passion Fruit. It is used medically for sore throats. One of my favorite fruits!!

STREET SIGHTS

CHeck out the guy playing the rope and  garbage bucket!! The music was great and he was actually able to produce nice music from the garbage can!!!

A religious street procession. Thousands of people dressed in religious attire, bands, walking for hours across the center of town. 

Cultural dresses...flamenco style

MAY 29th was our 7th year Anniversary
By chance while visiting a local church we witnessed a wedding ceremony. It was beautiful and quite touching to see a wedding on our wedding anniversary.

LOCAL SIGHTS

Public transportation. Easy quick and comfortable..... 

VIEW OF ALHAMBRA  CASTLE
FROM PLAZA MIRADOR DE SAN NICOLAS


* Because of the depth and importance of the Alhambra Moorish Castle - a separate post will be made to cover it...included here is a view from afar...

ALHAMBRA CASTLE with Sierra Nevadas in the background

Yes that is still snow in the background.. over 3000 ft high.

SACAMONTE DISTRICT
Gypsy district

This lady not only serves you cold drinks on a hot day but at night dances Flamenco. Her small narrow restaurant is actually quite famous. She has been dancing she childhood and even met and danced for the King and Queen of Spain amongst other famous people. She is outgoing, friendly, happy smiling woman!!

OTHER STREET SIGHTS
Political viewpoint

Free spirited opinions

A Solitary Man

The lovely Bougainvillea plant which is abundant in Spain

Typical Courtyard settings....

Fresh water from Sierra Nevada.. so delicious

My favorite band

Lovely corners

Typical Spanish police - on duty having a beer in a bar!! True!!See the policeman inside with the drink in his hand??

5 star hotel in Granada...
PALACIO DE SANTA PAULA

 5 star hotel chef

ARCHITECTURE IN GRANADA

MOSIAC & CERAMICS

Granada Style

For those who know me, you know that I had a business importing and selling Spanish ceramics nationwide in the USA. So my love and affiliation with the ceramic ware goes beyond these couple of photos. Spanish ceramics are usually hand made, bright and cheerful while being price to market well.

Common to the Granada region is the Mosaic decorative boxes below. Each little piece is hand laid with a variety of woods used.Each little piece is hand laid with a variety of woods used. Above is a typical green/blue Granada ceramic with Moorish influence.

DECORATIVE DOOR ENTRY
Typical Andalusian. Throughout the South of Spain it is quite common to see decorative door entry. Tiled scenes with moorish design are abundant and pretty to the eye.

Surprise - another real mural. Such artistic flair!!

FLAMENCO DRESSES
Flamenco dancing is plentiful which makes the dresses available everywhere. Older women to infants all have at least one Flamenco dress to wear at the Festivals.

LUNCH

Menu del dia  11E ( fixed menu)

Appetizer, Main Course, Dessert

El Deseo ( The Dream)

Plaza La Romanilla 4 

www.restauranteeldeseo.com

Perfect location directly next to the Cathedral with a beautiful view of it from the plaza.

Appetizer: Mixed salad & Fritura ( fried Squid & vegetables)

Main Course: Paella & Veal Roman Style

Dessert: Home made flan (custard) & Lemon Sorbet with Prosecco (Champagne). Absolutely mouthwatering 

Owner of Deseo: Christian Greco (right)

He opened this successful restaurant 2 years ago. Italian origin with a father who is also a restauranteur,  not only good looking face but an ideal host with a delicious restaurant. Christian is  gregarious, friendly and an attentive owner, who in my opinion, has just seen the beginning of a very long successful career. 

His restaurant offered excellent value/quality as well as quick service.  

While in Granada, please visit El Deseo , a perfectly located and tasty restaurant.

*eating outside has a 10% surcharge

FYI: Do you know the different names  and origins for Sparkling Wine?

1. Champagne  is French

2. Prosecco  is Italian

3. Cava  is Spanish

Click the short clip  below I taped for you of a Protestor explaining in English why there is a Spanish Revolution taking place.

For more on the Spanish Revolution please click and read the separate blog I made specially about it.CLICK BELOW

Spanish Revolution Blog by Jasmine

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Although this post may seem a bit on the long side.. it is only a sneak preview of the beauty, culture, history and sights of rich Granada. 

During a visit to Andalusia (Southern Spain) you should not miss the beautiful city of Granada. You will fall in love with it, the food, the history and the richness in culture.

I hope you enjoyed a taste of Moorish Granada. Don't get out of the car yet... we have one more stop to make. 

Please post comments and send this to your friends to enjoy a virtual trip.

Hope you are still with us in the back seat? Let me know...

night night... 

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