Autumn 2024

Facinas & Jerez De La Frontera - 29 & 30 September 2024

29.09 - Fascinas, Andalusia

Slow, lazy kind of day!

After breakfast, went and serviced Dave, then paid our €30 for two nights before exiting the carpark. I was driving today. Should have been about an hour - but delays on the dual carriageway due to a little white dog running around and evading the Guardia Civil for quite a while…

We’re parked up in Fascinas. When we arrived the three moho spaces were taken, plus there were lots of cars. We parked where it specifically said no motorhomes or caravans, had a cuppa, a chat with Jamie and Jack, then had lunch. Didn’t know where to try next, all parking seemed quite a long drive away - and no guarantees of space! Luckily, before we made any decisions, Tintin went to have a look and some cars had moved - so we parked up - technically not where we should. Another lady said the police won’t mind where we’re parked…

The washing we’d put in to soak this morning had a lot of agitation whilst driving! Rinsed it all, but hung inside as it’s been so windy and gusty today - but hot too.

The carpark filled up this evening, as there was a football match going on.

Had a chat with Sarah who should have been flying from London home this evening - but due to weather is hoping to be home by Tuesday morning 🤞

30.09 - Jerez de la Frontera

Despite the strong gusts of wind - all night and into this morning - we slept ok.

Tintin in the driving seat today - about 1-1/4 hours - was a very easy drive - think one road, with only a couple of roundabouts.

So many wind turbines! Always lovely to see cattle outside.

The scenery has changed again to lots of white washed hill side towns.

Today’s target was Jerez de la Frontera - population 191,550. Apparently Jerez is - Andalucia! It’s capital of the Andalucian horse culture, in the famed Sherry Triangle and the cradle of Spanish flamenco. Shock horror - yet again we’re paying to park! - €15 per night including all services.

Had a very good welcome - were given two glasses of sherry - one dry and one sweet, plus a map and information about Jerez. We’re on the outskirts, so literally off a roundabout and straight here. Downside is that although there are only 30 places (!) - think it’s used as a lock up facility for lots more. Good job it’s not packed, as very little space between mohos. We had to park so we could get out the bikes, but that’s means our main door looks out onto the moho next door instead of us all having the main door on the same side!

Quick lunch, downed the sherry - bikes out and off we went. Cycle path most of the way in - only did just over 8 miles today.

The friendly man on reception said if we stood and bought a drink we could see a free flamenco show at 2pm. We were a little early, so rode to the beautiful cathedral. Admission was €7 each - so we decided we’d prefer to pay to see the Alcázar later instead.

Rode back to the Tabanco el Pasate to see our live show at 14.00. Whilst trying to find the place, a man gave us an impromptu flamenco dance - but was really asking for money - gave him €2 and scurried away!

The place was really busy - and we weren’t sure what to expect. There were the three of them. It was the male who did the dancing, the female singing and the other guy on guitar.

The place was really busy - felt authentic - despite having live shows, three times a day - every day!

They were loud, she had a very deep voice. He looked very passionate about his dancing. Good to have experienced it! (drinks €3.80).

Onto the Alcázar. Tintin’s entrance fee was only €1.80, whereas mine was €5 - only time it pays to be older!

What a serene pleasant place to be! The fortress is from the 11/12th century and well preserved. Notably the octagonal tower. The mosque was transformed into a chapel in 1264 - the only remaining one of 18 mosques which once stood in Jerez.

The Arabic baths had star shaped shafts of light.

We’ve never seen such a big olive oil press!

Gardens well maintained and good views from the towers.

Quite random, in the palace there were old pharmacies…

Next our main event of the day. We’d booked to do a sherry tour with Tio Pepe (Gonzalez Byass) at 16.30 - for €49.80 - which included 4 different tastings.

Lasted about 90 minutes. Started off on a ‘petit train’ to take us around. Our guide said that in summer it can be 45° on the train - we’re ‘lucky’ it was only about 30° today!

Gustave Eiffel designed this place - shows the flags of some 130 countries they do business with.

What hits you is the smell!

I didn’t glean that much - he was speaking English - but required concentration! However, most wines - you know what year it was produced - here they never know the maximum age. The standard American oak casks contain about 600 litres (each cask lasts about 70 years). They’re stacked in 4 layers. They take about a third from the bottom twice per year and the ‘wine’ from the casks above then gets moved down. I still don’t know how the wine becomes sherry! The grapes used are white - palomino fino - grown in a very chalky soil. The darker red sherry is due to different grapes being dehydrated from the sun, (hence sweeter) which are added to produce ‘cream’.

The large cask was produced for their Queen, and holds 17,000 litres - there are 6 smaller either side, called the ‘disciples’.

Throughout the years, famous people have signed casks, or been dedicated to someone famous.

The little ladder and the glass of dark sherry had a story about a mouse being offered different sherries to try - and it choose the sweetest one.

From there we had our actual tasting. The first one, the Tio Pepe en Rama (unrefined) was like rocket fuel - not pleasant at all - in my humble opinion!

The Alfonso was nice enough - the Fino Spritz was lovely - but maybe because it was like a cocktail with ice - good on a hot day! My favourite was the Solera cream. Surprise, surprise - the sweetest! Also had a taster of the whiskey - Macallen. The Scottish company mature their whiskey in oak casks seasoned with sherry wine from Jerez.