Help Me Ronda

Thursday morning, San Geraldo, Judyshannonstreetwhat (click here), and I took the train up to the mountain city of Ronda (population about 35,000... not counting tourists). It's less than two hours by train. A beautiful trip to a breathtaking destination. We stayed in the city and walked up and down the winding cobblestone streets all day Thursday and most of Friday.

The Guadelevin River splits the city, whose two sections are connected by three bridges:

• Puente Viejo (Old Bridge, also known as Arab Bridge, 14th century)
• Puente San Miguel (Saint Michael Bridge, 9th-century)
• Puente Nuevo (New Bridge, completed in 1793)

I've got a lot more to share about Ronda in the coming days — where we stayed, where we ate, where we shopped, where we wandered.

If you're interested in the more than 8,000 years of history in Ronda, click here to check out the Wikipedia info. Otherwise, let's go for a walk together. (Click any image to be amazed.)

WALKING ACROSS PUENTE SAN MIGUEL, ALSO KNOWN AS THE ROMAN BRIDGE,
ALTHOUGH IT WAS BUILT BY THE MOORS IN THE 9TH CENTURY.

LOOKING DOWN FROM PUENTE SAN MIGUEL TO THE OLD BRIDGE.
(AND THE 13TH-CENTURY ARAB BATHS)

SAN GERALDO (LEFT) HEADING UP ANOTHER HILL
AFTER CROSSING THE "ROMAN" BRIDGE.

THE MINARET OF SAN SEBASTIAN (14TH CENTURY)

AFTER TOPPING OUT. A LONG WALK DOWN
(AND BACK UP AGAIN AFTER LUNCH).

ESPIRITU SANTO (HOLY SPIRIT CHURCH).
COMPLETED IN 1505.

GATE AND WALLS OF ALMOCABAR:
DURING MOORISH RULE, THE MOST HEAVILY DEFENDED PART OF THE CITY WALL.

RUINS OF THE ALCAZABA, PRE-11TH-CENTURY.

So much more to come from Ronda, but I'll only include this song once...