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Jerez 2023
  • Tim Lynette Wilkins
Feb – Mar 2023

Jerez 2023

A 34-day adventure by Tim Lynette Read more
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  • Trip start
    February 1, 2023
    Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2023Traveler

    Arrival

    February 1, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    All the arrangements worked well and we arrived at the apartment in time to go out and get milk and bread for morning and went out for dinner later. Jerez is much as it last year but inevitably some of our favourite places are closed and empty, but I'm sure there will others yet be discovered.Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2023Traveler

    Sunshine!

    February 2, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Yesterday we came via Barcelona. There don't seem to be any direct flight to jerez anymore and in the past we've come via madrid but madrid airport is huge and busy and chaotic - the London flights come in at one end of a very long terminal and the jerez ones at the very far other end so we always seemed to running through the crowds to get from one to the other. This time we flew with vueling and their terminal at Barcelona is new, quiet and very efficient. Much better! Even the bags turned up without going on their own holiday in Barcelona.

    Today is sunny and warm, 17 degrees during the day, although a chilly 1 or 2 degrees at night. Breakfast was churros and chocolate, followed by a trip to the shops and round the market - as fascinating as usual. Lunch in the sun in our local square.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2023Traveler

    Friday

    February 3, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    Another trip to the market to get fish for dinner tonight. We bought a big slice of marrajo (mako shark) and another of tuna. This coast is famous for its tuna, every year since time memorial the tuna have come out of the med and up along the coast of cadiz. The towns on the coast show this in their names ... Zahara de los atunes, Barbara de Los atunes ...

    Afternoon in the sun .... I don't know how long that will last - Pete is coming for a few days next week from Zurich and at the moment the forecast is cloudy and showers.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2023Traveler
    When we gave up about 9.30
    Restaurant when we arrived at 8.15

    First few days

    February 4, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 10 °C

    It's been a busy first few days. As the temperature is still low until about 11.00am we have spent the mornings shopping to stock up on all the essentials including visits to the great market. The supermarket we used most last year - just 5 mins away has closed down, bought by Carrefour, so we have been to the other 3 all 10 minutes away. None is perfect. It is irritating to have to go to different ones depending on what you need. However, these are minor irritations as we have, so far, been able to spend each afternoon on our beautiful terrace in the sun. We are so lucky to be able to relax in this lovely place. For some reason we are also sleeping incredibly well - don't know why.

    This evening we went to one of our favourite restaurants that we have been to every year we have been here - Almacen. It is in an ancient grocers shop with beautiful carved beams and tiles. The food is pretty good too and tonight we couldn't finish what we ordered. Must try not to be tempted to order too much.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2023Traveler

    Sunday - church and football

    February 5, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    Gentle day today. Lynette went to mass in the cathedral and coming out there was a procession and brass band. I went to see jerez third football club play a local Derby (which ended up 1-1). Not great football but sitting in the sun, blue sky, why not ! We met up for lunch in the sun in one of the little squares in the centre.Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2023Traveler
    1

    Pete arrives

    February 6, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    From our terrace we get wonderful sunsets, and this morning a full moon moonset! This morning Pete arrived for a few days from Zurich and we got back into Jerez in time for lunch in our local square.

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2023Traveler

    Watching the rain!

    February 7, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Yes - rain!

    We went this morning to go a electronics shop to get a charger lead for Petes laptop. It turns out the Swiss plugs are completely different to anyone else, not like standard European ones or UK ones. Luckily the first shop we tried had the exact one , so we could go to chorros and chocolate breakfast happy. Then the clouds started to build up and this afternoon we had thunder and lightning and heavy rain. I hope it stops soon, we are supposed to be going out to eat tonight. It should rain all day tomorrow too, and clear up Thursday and be nice again after that.Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2023Traveler

    Visit the castle

    February 9, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Pete wanted to visit the castle this morning so we walked across town to it, its only maybe 20 minutes walk . Its not much of a castle really but it's one of my favourite places to wander round. It's just the walls of the moorish city and some towers, with a small mosque and Arab bathhouse but its quiet and peaceful in the sunshine, and surrounded by a park full of orange trees.Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2023Traveler

    Pete gone. Armstrongs in spain.

    February 11, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

    We put Pete in a taxi yesterday to go to the airport, and he emailed us last night to say he was home again in Zurich. He seemed to really enjoy being here, even though the weather was poor.

    Today Natalie, Andy, finlay and Emily flew from Luton to Malaga, picked up a hire car and drove to granada. They will stay there till Tuesday and then drive across Andulucia to us. At least the weather is now warm and sunny again.Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2023Traveler

    Museum and flamenco

    February 11, 2023 in Spain

    This morning I went to the museum. I've been many times before but its nice to see my favourite pieces and find more.

    This evening we took in some flamenco in our favourite flamenco bar, last year it was disappointing - because of the covid changes but now it seems to be back again. I think the kids will love it next week!Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2023Traveler

    Sunday and the storks arrived

    February 12, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    Sunday today so a quick walk to buy a newspaper. There used be one place where I could get English papers but it seems to be closed so I have to put up with the diario de jerez.

    Then a stroll around the cathedral, which is pleasant, without being grossly OTT as many Spanish churches are. And in late evening a football match at my favourite local team, xerez deportivo. When we first came here they were newly formed and played in the bottom local league, but since then they have been promoted five times, and now playing in league 2, the fourth level of Spanish football. But now they are fixed in the relegation zone so not so good! They scored in 20 seconds, and held out till the 75th minute, and ended up 1 -1, which doesn't really help much.

    While I was watching the game, the sky was filled with storks flying in from Africa, there must have been thousands of them!    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2023Traveler

    Strange weather

    February 13, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Last year we were here for 4 weeks and we didn't see any rain. The weather was mostly warm and sunny and predictable- you could rely on the forecasts.

    This year it has been totally unpredictable. We had a few lovely days when we arrived but as soon as Pete was here we had rain, heavy clouds and cold. Poor Pete - he came to escape the cold in Zurich.

    Since he left we have had some warm sunny spells each day but also much cloud and also it has been really windy - orange warning winds.

    The weather forecasts have differed depending who you look at - we usually use BBC and Accuweather and they are usually reliable - but they also change each day so it's impossible to plan ahead. We just hope that Natalie, Andy and the grandchildren get some good weather whilst they are here - but some are forecasting rain on Wednesday 😣    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2023Traveler
    Castle walls
    In the castle courtyardIt has its own sherry bodega!The mihrab of the mosqueNo comment necessary !

    El puerto de santa maria

    February 13, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Today we took a 10 minute train ride to El Puerto de Santa Maria, just down the river from Jerez and on the coast. Its where Christopher Colombus was supposed to sail to America from, but the port wasn't owned by the king who wanted to take credit for the trip so he made them sail from Sanlucar, a bit further along the coast. The Duke of el puerto funded one ship, the Santa Maria, and filled it full of produce from the area, including barrels of sherry!

    There is a small castle in el Puerto which was a moorish castle and mosque and is now a private castle. In all the years we've been we have never seen it open for visits - but today it was so we managed to get a look around. It's only small, but it's been done up really well, so worth the wait. Then lunch in a favourite tapas place just along the river, owned and run by the daughter of the family that owns one of our favourite sherry bedegas Gutierrez Colosia.

    In the meantime, Natalie, Andy, Finlay and Emily had a guided visit around the alhambra in Grenada. They come to us tomorrow afternoon.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2023Traveler

    Beach day at Rota

    February 16, 2023 in Spain

    After breakfast Andy and Natalie picked up Emily and Finlay and drove out of Jerez to spend the day at the fantastic beach at Rota, about 30 mins drive away. Lynette and I walked across Jerez and went to Rota in the bus and met them on the beach. The buses here are marvelous, although they less frequent than they used to be, the bus to Rota was only 2 euros each!

    Lunch in the sun on the prom in time for Andy to give us a lift back to the bus station for the afternoon bus back to Jerez.

    In addition to a huge wonderful beach, Rota has a huge US navy and marine base so you can sit on the beach and watch the ships going in to the base, or over the bay to the port at Cadiz.

    Tonight Andy and Natalie have a dinner out at one of Jerez's best restaurants, which they have been to before and absolutely love.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2023Traveler

    Last day with the armstrongs

    February 18, 2023 in Spain

    For their last day here, Natalie and Andy thought they would go to the beach again, but although they went and spent a couple of hours there, it was very windy so they came home again. In the evening we took Finlay to a book shop where he had seen a book he liked (in Spanish - he's learning at school!) And then on for a last meal together. While we were there a float went past with maybe 20 men underneath. They were practising for the easter parades when they carry huge silver statues of the virgin mary around the city, which are immensely heavy!Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2023Traveler
    Bishop in the cathedral
    The bandProcession going through the square where we had dinner last night

    Sunday on our own

    February 19, 2023 in Spain

    The Armstrong's left at 6.30 this morning to catch the plane home from Malaga 2.5 hrs drive away. Not without drama - the exit barrier from the car park wouldn't rise so the remote assistance told us to lift it manually which with some effort we did and they escaped.

    I went to mass at the cathedral today as usual but the place was packed, with plastic chairs in all the aisles and chapels and only standing room in the remaining spaces. I don't know what the special occasion was but there were 5 bishops and over 50 priests there. After mass there was a procession through the streets of Jerez with groups carrying hundreds of banners and a band! They seemed to be from parishes all over this part of Andalucia - I heard groups from Chipiona and El Bosque. I think they were the confraternities that take part in Semana Santa but there were none of the big heavy statues today.

    It has been very quiet in our apartment this afternoon and we are already missing our visitors.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2023Traveler

    Going on holiday!

    February 21, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Just for a couple of days.

    Tomorrow morning we will catch the bus to Sanlucar de Barrameda, a journey of maybe 45 minutes. Sanlucar is a town and port on the estuary where the river Quadalquivir meets the ocean, and is famous for its manzanilla, a type of dry sherry like fino, which is supposed to get the tangy taste of the sea in it. The town is also famous for it's seafood.

    We should arrive in time for lunch, then a doze in the sun, before going out again to one of the restaurants along the river front. On thursday morning we have booked a tour and tasting at one of the manzanilla bodegas before lunch and our bus back to jerez. I'm going to need a good diet when we get home!

    Friday sees the start of the Flamenco festival. Its a big thing and the city is already filling up. Last year we took the kids to one of the early shows, but the best ones are only on very late, starting at 10 or 11 pm. I don't think we will be going to any this year.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2023Traveler
    Hotel courtyard
    Hotel tilingThe manzanilla bodega next doorNo time to taste!Sanlucar beachGetting ready for carnivalThe hotel terrace at nightMoon and two planets

    Sanlucar

    February 22, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    The bus trip worked just fine - and again just 2 euros each. We checked into our hotel which is right in the middle of the old town and has a beautiful moorish courtyard and tiling. Right next door is a manzanilla bodega which don't know, set in an antique moorish house . It was tempting to go and try the wines but we were on our way down to the river side for lunch!

    Great lunch at the side of the river, then back to a quiet laze in the sun. Yesterday, today and tomorrow are sunny and warm but all the time our guests, Pete and the Armstrongs, were here it was cloudy, cold and windy. I think next week when we go to Saville it's going to rain everyday. We've never had weather like this here!    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2023Traveler
    Courtyard of La Gitana
    Inside La GitanaPouring sherryLunch at La Cigarrera

    Brilliant day in Sanlucar

    February 23, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Breakfast in the cafe next to the hotel, just coffee, orange juice, toast and jam, but for some reason really tasty and buzzing with local people. Then a tasting and tour at the best known bodega in town, La Gitana. Probably the best tour we have ever had - and we've had lots. It was just us, and the lady doing it was so informative , we learned lots of things we didn't know. And the sherries were really good too.

    She said that there are over 20 bodegas in Sanlucar, and we've only been to two of them - we'll just have to come back.

    After that, lunch in the tapas restaurant of the other bodega we know, La Cigarrera, with fantastic food, and more manzanilla, before getting the bus back to Jerez.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2023Traveler

    Carnival weekend

    February 26, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    This weekend has been carnival in Jerez. Its not a big spectacular like the one in cadiz, but there are bands playing and processions, especially ones for kids. One of the kids processions came through the pedestrian precinct next to our apartment with the kids dressed in fancy dress , lots of superheroes!

    I managed to get to the football today for the last time before we move on to seville. Xerez won 3-2 against Sanlucar, which is where we were earlier in the week. Still leaves xerez in the relegation zone tho!

    The weather is still strange. The forecast for yesterday and today was rain, but it's been quite sunny even though there's a biting cold wind. At least we managed to have lunch out in the sun.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2023Traveler

    Leaving jerez

    February 28, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    As always I can't believe our time here has gone so quickly. Tomorrow morning we leave and get the train to Seville to spend a few days there before flying home. The city is packed this week - as well being the Flamenco festival I guess its the start of the tourist season. A month ago there were almost no tourists here but now the streets are full of English, American, French and German voices, and as usual in the festival week, lots of Japanese! I think it must be time to leave!

    It's still only February but the sun is now really strong, although the air is still cold, and it was down to 0 degrees last night and forecast -2 tonight. Frost! Really?

    The weather has not been as good as usual and very unpredictable - we have never been able to rely on the forecasts. This weekend was due to be rainy and all this week in Seville. But we have had none this weekend - we watched the black clouds going across just south of Jerez. The forecast now for Seville is sunshine but a bit chilly. Indeed the only rain we have had during the day was when Pete was here! We are not complaining - there have been many sunny days and on most of them it is warm enough to sit on the terrace sheltered from the chilly wind. This evening we had our last glass of sherry as the sun went down - one of the real joys of being here.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2023Traveler

    Arrived in sevilla

    March 1, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Again all the travel went OK and we arrived in sevilla in the afternoon. The apartment is a decent size and set up nicely. A trip to the supermarket just 2 minutes away and an hour on the roof terrace watching the sun go down, and the parakeets flying around. I remember that there were lots of parakeets in almeria when were there a few years ago but I haven't seen any in Jerez.Read more

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