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JEREZ 2022

February - March 2022
A 28-day adventure by Tim Lynette Read more
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  • TravelerJEREZ 2022

    Arrival

    February 6, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 8 °C

    We arrived yesterday after a long but uneventful journey. Flight from Heathrow to Madrid at 10.30 was not too early and easy. Madrid airport, as always, was dreadful. We had allowed 2 hours connection time between flights and needed every minute of it. A 40 minute queue for passport control, then a health form check, then a vaccination record check before we could get the transit - which was packed like sardines, just like the London underground used to be - to the other terminal. We arrived at the gate for our flight to Jerez as it was boarding so no time to buy lunch!
    Landed in Jerez at 5pm and miraculously our suitcases made it with us! They often go walkabout at Madrid airport. Our apartment is on the top (3rd) floor of a more modern building and has a beautiful terrace. It's nicely furnished in a Moroccan style. We slept really well - the beds are comfy and its so quiet, which was the main reason for moving from our previous apartment. We had a quick meal of sherry and tapas at the nearest bar which was tasty and reminded us of why we so enjoy coming here.    Read more

  • TravelerJEREZ 2022

    First day

    February 6, 2022 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    We went down the road to get chorros and chocolate for breakfast and then a bit of basic shopping, and spent some time in the sun on our terrace. Wonderful! In the afternoon we went out for some lunch but everywhere was completely packed, Sunday is a big family and friends lunch day and we could only get a table in the shade. Nice to be out and among lots of people again. Afterwards we walked around the streets seeing places we knew, and arrived at the little square where we lived the first time we were here, and picked a bagful of seville oranges from the trees there for marmalade when get home.Read more

  • TravelerJEREZ 2022

    Resting in the sunshine

    February 7, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    After a bit more shopping this morning, I had lunch out on the terrace in the sun. Its 21 degrees today and clear blue skies. Next door is a music college and over lunch someone was playing beautiful piano, and this afternoon seems to be woodwind. A very pleasant bonus!

    Tonight we plan to go to a tapas bar that is in the Plaza just round the corner so if it's OK it will very convenient. Then tomorrow a trip to the market and maybe buy some fish for dinner tomorrow.    Read more

  • TravelerJEREZ 2022
    Day 3

    Day trip to Sanlucar

    February 10, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    We took the bus this morning from Jerez to Sanlucar de Barrameda. The buses in andalucia are brilliant, always on time and this 45 minute journey cost just 2 euros each. Sanlucar is a small city at the mouth where the river Quadalquivir joins the Atlantic ocean. Its famous for its sherry, manzanilla, its seafood, especially prawns, and horse races on the beach.

    It was well-off in the times of the Spanish exploration of the new world, and Colombus and Magellan sailed from here. It's the 500th anniversary of Magellans first voyage around the world so there are posters everywhere about it.

    We had a look at the spectacular beach where the horse racing takes place, then walked through the old town to visit the cathedral, built in 1360, where Colombus and Magellan prayed for safe journeys. Had a look in the central market, which is full of many, many, types of shellfish, and lots of fish we'd never heard of , stopped at our favourite manzanilla bodega, had lunch in the sun in the Square and got the bus home. A great day out!    Read more

  • TravelerJEREZ 2022
    Day 4

    Jerez cathedral

    February 11, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    It's still sunny every day although today there is high hazy cloud all over, and tomorrow we could get some showers. This morning before it got too hot I walked across town to the alcazar (castle) and then to the cathedral. Its one of my favourite places to visit, its horrendously over decorated (the Spanish seem incapable of leaving a square inch of wall without carving something on it), but it's wonderfully light and airy and peaceful. I discovered some bits I hadn't seen before, and outside workmen were harvesting the last seville oranges from the park outside the castle so the air was full of the smell of oranges. They have to pick them before they all fall off otherwise the roads and pavements are covered with squashed slippery oranges.Read more

  • TravelerJEREZ 2022
    Day 5

    Covid and technology

    February 12, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    When we arrived it was a legal requirement in Spain to wear a face mask not only indoors public places but outdoors as well - and virtually 100% complied. People on the streets all wore masks all the time, only taking them off once sat down in a bar or restaurant. On Thursday this was relaxed to only being required in indoor spaces but over half are continuing to wear them in the street.
    Yesterday was the first time we were required to show our covid pass to enter a restaurant, previously we have sat indoors and no-one checked. We carry them everywhere and it was a relief to find that the Spanish phone app that scans our UK issued QR code recognised it and gave us a big green tick. In Greece in September it didn't work and we were turned away.
    A much less welcome use of technology is that many restaurants have dispensed with printed menus and expect you to scan a QR code on the table to view the menu on your phone. We had never done this before so at first pretended we didn't have our phones with us so the waiter lent us his phone to see the menu. We have since worked out how to do it but really hate it. It is difficult to read on small phone screens and difficult to discuss what to have and share when looking at separate screens across a table. I fear when covid is no longer an excuse, they will continue this malign technology to save printing costs.    Read more

  • TravelerJEREZ 2022
    Day 5

    The cloisters next door

    February 12, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    There used be a monastery attached to the church in the next square and a few years ago the cloisters were in bad state of repair. They were taken over by the city council, refurbished and are now a really beautiful event venue for concerts weddings etc. And it is just next door - we can even see the roof of the refectory from our terrace. And until yesterday we didn't know it was there. After a visit there we walked across town to stock up sherry from our favourite bodega in Jerez. I think we've got enough now to keep us going till christmas!Read more

  • TravelerJEREZ 2022
    Day 7

    A football day

    February 14, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    First I went to the lunchtime match at Jerez Industrial , the third team in Jerez, came back for lunch and to get the bus across the city to the stadium which is shared by the other two teams, Xerex DFC and Xerex CD. When we first moved here years ago Xerex CD were bankrupt and DFC were their replacement so DFC (deportivo football club) became my club to support in Jerez and its nice to be able to see them again.

    Industrial lost 0-1 and DFC drew 1-1 having played with 10 men most of the match. Still a good days fun and a pleasant walk home into the setting sun.

    (The less said about Barnet the better!)    Read more

  • TravelerJEREZ 2022
    Day 8

    Alcazar

    February 15, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    I spent some time walking through the alcazar (castle). It's a place I enjoy, and I wanted to check it before the kids arrive next weekend. Mostly it's only the walls that remain but they can walk along some of them and there are big open spaces to run around in.

    Council workmen are busy this week putting up stands for people to use at Easter. Its a while off yet, but Easter here is a really REALLY big thing. There are processions every day in Easter week as every church in the city (and there are a lot!) brings out its huge floats, first of Jesus then of Mary. They are huge, and heavy enough that can take up to 100 men to carry them through the narrows streets. The local papers give maps every day and times of which procession is going where and the streets are completely packed with crowds watching them well in the early hours of the morning    Read more

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