Ronda Part 1!

Hola! So, the summer heat is definitely setting in... 99 degrees Fahrenheit today with no AC and no fans! The heat of RA training in August is nothing compared to this!  Anyway, this past weekend I went to Ronda, Spain, which was absolutely amazing with beautiful views! It was also nice to travel somewhere that Spaniards like to travel to, rather than just the American touristy cities! Prior to coming to Granada, I had never heard of Ronda, but I am so happy I went! Also, it was just Kelley, Elle, and I, so some great practice for our five city extravaganza after our program is done!  We took the train to Ronda, which was a very smooth and beautiful ride!

 Upon our arrival at our hostel, Babia Backpackers, we were amazed by the view. This was literally the view from our hostel!!! If you don't believe us, here we are on the terrace.  There were lots of chairs and tables and a hammock which we certainly enjoyed later that night when it cooled off. I suppose I should explain that the amazing bridge behind us is called the Puente Nueva, and connects the old and new part of Ronda over the gorge.

 Part of the beautiful white pueblo!

The gorge was really tall! This is the view most people get to see of the bridge. I think our view is a little better!

 I also love all of the open countryside! There was a beautiful walkway along the edge of the gorge that looked out onto the open land and mountains. And of course there was a stone safety fence, so we were very safe!

 Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles spent a lot of time in Ronda, and used it as a foundation for some of their works.

Our next stop was a visit to the bull ring in Ronda, which I believe is one of the oldest in Spain! It was huge!!

 Kelley and Elle being awesome!

This is one of my favorite pics of Kelley's sunglasses being super reflective!

 Titanic pose!

 Thought this was an epic birdhouse.

 Not a real cow...

 The translation of this: Spain = very hot!!

 I loved all of the horses I saw in the landscape.

 Part of Ronda's old town!

 We also decided to watch the sunset, although it was hard to get the right angle. I do love how the sun's golden rays almost seem to caress the mountains.  To me, it looks like something out of a movie!

 We had a peaceful evening on the terrace! There were lights that illuminated the bridge at night... so gorgeous! It definitely cooled down a bit, so Elle and I were cuddled up in blankets! Day one in Ronda was fantastic!

As always, thank you for reading!