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The Welcome to Rota Book

It has been 2 years since the Welcome to Rota paperback book was first published, and I am so proud to announce that it has received nothing...

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Semana Santa (Holy Week)



Semana Santa
(Thursday and Friday are National Holidays)
            The opposite of Carnaval, this is the somber celebration of the Holy Week before Easter. The date changes each year, depending on Easter, but is usually in April. The celebration begins on Palm Sunday (the week before Easter) with parades that go from the churches throughout the town. On Holy Thursday and Good Friday, there are solemn, silent processions that begin and end at the church. During these processions, groups of men called brotherhoods carry enormous platforms on their shoulders, bearing the weight of the church’s treasured statures of Jesus and Mary. It is a huge honor to carry the platforms, and brotherhoods train together for the event. The penitents wear tall pointed caps, which to  Americans look like the Ku Klux Klan outfit. However, in Spain, they date to the Inquisition period, and designate someone who is doing penance to earn forgiveness for his or her sins. Crowds from the town will turn out for these processions and carry candles. Children collect balls of wax from the candles as souvenirs. Schools are closed all week, and businesses are closed Thursday and Friday.
(This is an excerpt from the Book 'Welcome to Rota').

There are Semana Santa activities in every local town. As with many events, the activities in a smaller town (like Rota) will be smaller and quieter than in a larger town, like Sevilla. The processional traditions originated in Sevilla, (so a native assured me), so if you really want to see some bells and whistles, plan to attend their events. However, be warned that they come with huge crowds.
For information about Rota's activities, go HERE and click on the "Activities and Events" pdf, which is updated weekly.
For information about other towns, including Sevilla, Google their "Turismo" site (Tourist information) and Semana Santa.

Penitents on Palm Sunday in Rota
Wooden platform in Rota
Huge wooden platform in Sevilla

Rainy Day Ideas

We are nearing the end of the rainy season, (thank goodness!) but March and April can both be fickle months, with a week of warm sunshine followed by a week of wind and rain. When you want to shake off that winter cabin fever, but the rain spoils your outdoor plans, here are some ideas!

Without kids:

Bodega Tour: There are lots of local bodegas where the world-famous sherry wine is produced. Whether you visit a large one like Tio Peppe in Jerez (pictured here) or Osbourne in Puerto, or a small one like Bodega Tradicion in Jerez, (which has the largest private art collection in this area), a tour will take you through the area where the sherry is processed and stored, explain the process, and give you tastings afterwards. You can learn more about the sherry-making process on my blog post HERE. And it's all indoors! :-)



Museums: You have to drive a little to get to a good museum, but the history museum in Cadiz is wonderful. It walks you through the city's 3,000 years of history, from the time of the Phoenecians to the Romans to the Moors. And it includes a floor of medieval art  and giant paintings upstairs! Sevilla has many good museums, from history, to art, to fashion. The history museums has all the statues and artifacts from the Roman ruins of Italica and Baelo Claudia. More about them HERE.






Drive inland for shopping: Escape the rain and get some wonderful souvenirs! It's a win/win! The town of Ubrique (about 1.5 hours away) is famous for its leather-working, so you can find everything from leather clothes to purses to belt and accessories. 
If you are seeking Spanish pottery, a great place to go is the town of Las Ramblas, about 2 hours away in the direction of Cordoba. This is the center of Spanish pottery creation and design, so you will be overwhelmed by the many beautiful options, and want to buy them all! You can visit multiple shops in a small area, see demonstration, watch artists hand-paint the designs, and purchase a souvenir. 


Watch Horses Dance: The Royal Academy of Equestrians in Jerez has a show called "How the
Andalusian Horses Dance."It showcases the amazing abilities of these highly-trained horses. The local white Andalusian horses are world-renowned for their graceful look, high step, and their skills at hopping, walking backwards, and performing in perfect synchronization. The arena is completely indoors, but parking is off-site, so be prepared to walk a few blocks with an umbrella. Tickets and info are on their website,
HERE.

Visit a Cathedral: The main church in Puerto has recently been dubbed a Cathedral. It is nice, and worth a visit, but a tour will not take you very long. It's better to visit on a clear day when you can walk to the bullring, or buy a croissant from the new French bakery just outside the church and stroll through the streets. A better rainy-day destination is the Cathedral in Sevilla. It is the largest in Spain, and I think the 3rd largest in the world! Inside is the tomb of Columbus, numerous chapels, and some wonderful artwork. You can climb the ramps inside the Giralda (bell tower) for some wonderful views. Read about our visit HERE. Plus, the streets around the Sevilla cathedral are filled with restaurants and tapas bars, so there are many warm, dry places to get out of the rain and enjoy some great food for an hour or more.

Take a cooking class: These may not always be available on a rainy day, but it's worthwhile to check! There is a new cooking class program offered at El Tragaluz restaurant in Rota. The owner, Chef Paco, puts together a new 4-course menu every time. Participants spend the day learning about the ingredients, preparing the dishes, sampling plenty of wine, and of course enjoying a meal and discussion together! These classes are for Americans, and taught in English, and you get to take home the recipes. Cost is 80 Euro per person for a class that lasts from 9:30 AM until about 4 PM.The classes are offered twice a month, and info is available on their Facebook page.

Go to a sports bar: It seems there is always a good futbal or rugby match on TV, and it's fun to watch the matches surrounded by passionate Spaniards. One bar we enjoy is the Shamrock Bar & Eatery. The owner, Stevie, is a former rugby player from Manchester, England. He is always happy to explain rules to us, or answer our questions about Spanish teams. He speaks English and Spanish fluently. And the food is delicious Irish comfort food, with great burgers and curry, too! Special events are listed on his Facebook page HERE.

With kids:

Divertilandia in Rota: This is an indoor play area for little ones, ages 1-6 I would estimate. There is a large climbing area, ball pit,and baby play area. The adults can sit at nearby tables and enjoy some snacks. This is also a popular birthday party location for winter birthdays in that age group. IT is located in Rota, in the industrial park, on Calle Madrigal de las Altas Torres. They don't open until 4 PM on weekdays, but are open most of the day on weekends. They have a Facebook page, Divertilandia Rota, without any contact info. Here is their phone number: 653 845 023 or  605 893 997.

Next Level: This is a very cool indoor play area, with bowling, bounce houses, and mini golf, located in BahiaMar mall in Puerto. It's great for school-aged kids, and has a variety of activities for everyone! They are open in the afternoons and evenings (opening at 3 PM on weekends, 5 PM on weekdays). Snack food like pizza and tortilla is sold on site. More info on their Facebook page HERE



Ikea: Did you know that Ikea offers 1 hour of free childcare for customers? You don't even have to shop in the store, you can always just go to the cafe! Children ages 5 and under can play for 1 hour in the supervised child play area. You can enjoy lunch with them before you check them in, if you want to shop in peace. Or just sit and enjoy a quiet coffee while they play. Think about it-- Food, Shopping, Childcare, all in one place! Just remember you have to carry out and fit in your car anything you purchase!The closest Ikea is in Jerez, in the Luz Shopping Center.
 
Lunch at Muerde la Pasta in Jerez: This is a huge buffet restaurant in the Luz shopping center (near Ikea) with a giant indoor play area for kids. There are big slides, a ball pit, and a climbing area. Prices are fixed per person: 11 Euro per adult on weekdays, 13 Euro per adult on weekends. Kids shorter than a 3-year-old are free, most other kids are 8 Euro. The price includes the play area, and unlimited buffet of pasta, pizza, salads, fish, and meats. There are also desserts. Also-- beer, wine, and sangria on tap on the buffet line! Yep, you can spend the whole afternoon there! They open for lunch at 1, and get busy quickly. More info is HERE.

Laser tag or Go Karting in Jerez: This is also in the Luz shopping area. They are two separate attractions, but listed together because they are both for older kids. The Go-Karting is indoors, in an area called Karting, which is prominent in the Luz shopping center (next to Bricor, I believe). They are open daily from 11-11, later on weekends. Prices are from 12-19 Euros, depending on your track and Kart. Their website is Here. Laser Tag is in the same shopping center, but in a different, smaller store called LaserSpace. Prices vary, depending on number of people and type of game. More info is available HERE.

Bowling alley or Movie theater on base: Let's be honest, sometimes we're super lazy, but we still just need to get out of the house. The base bowling alley and movie theater can be fun on those days. The bowling alley is open daily at 11 AM, and offers Family specials on Sunday afternoon form 2-7 PM. $30 for 1 lane, up to 5 people, including shoe rental, for 2 hours. There are other weekly specials, too. The bowling alley serves Pizza Villa's menu and some sandwiches and snacks on site. Their website is HERE. The FLIX movie theater is the only indoor theater on base, and the only English cinema in the area. On weekdays there is only 1 showing, and weekends there are 3. During spring break and summer vacation they have children movie matinees at 1 PM. Tickets are $3 for adults, $2 for youth, and kids under 5 are free. Slightly more for 3-D movies. The schedule is listed HERE. Click on the calendar option in the upper right hand of the page.

So there you have it! Now there is no excuse for those rainy day blues! No worries, just keep these handy and impress everyone with your creative ideas. I won't mind. :-)


Thursday, March 19, 2015

Zoos near Rota

Jerez Zoo


The Jerez zoo is a good sized location, with a variety of exotic animals like lions, tigers, giraffes, monkeys, elephants, and zebra, as well as plenty of birds and reptiles. It is not a world-famous zoo, but is the perfect size for young children, since they can see almost everything within a few hours, have lunch, go on a train ride, and still make it home for an afternoon nap. The website is: http://www.zoobotanicojerez.com/. In summer they are open daily from 10 am- 7 pm. From September to May, they are closed Mondays, and close early other days at 6 pm. Adult admission is about 9 Euros, child admission is 6 Euros, and children 2 and under are free. There is also a tourist train that takes you through the zoo and costs an additional 2 Euros per person. You can purchase annual passes for individuals or families that are a good discount if you plan to make multiple visits (family pass for parents and all children is 43 Euros). The zoo entrance is located on Calle Madreselva in Jerez, and has a large parking lot. GPS coordinates: 36°41'20.8"N 6°09'00.8"W. There is a gift shop, snack bars, and a restaurant on site, but packing a picnic lunch is recommended.
(This is an excerpt from the Welcome to Rota book.) 


Zoo Castellar

This is a relatively new 'zoo' near the town of Castellar de la Frontera, about 2 hours from base. It is a unique location where exotic animals and pets that were illegally transported through the Black Market in Spain have been sheltered and rescued. Because most of the animals have been domesticated, you have the amazing opportunity to pet tigers, handle snakes, and even feed some of the animals! Their website is: http://www.zoodecastellar.es/english/. Address is Cerro del Moro s/n 11350 Castellar de la Frontera. The zoo is open daily from 10 AM - 8 PM. Prices are 15 Euro for adults, 9 Euros for children.

The town of Castellar itself is worth a short visit, perhaps for lunch after you go to the zoo. The town is famous for its castle, shown here, and has some quiet walking streets. As with many white villages in Andalusia, be prepared for narrow streets and limited parking!







Safari Park, Selwo Aventura
If you are interested in a larger zoo, the Selwo Aventura near Estepona and Malaga is a Safari park. It is about 2 hours from base. You can ride on a safari train throughout the park to see many of the animals. There are 2,000 animals, and lots of activities, including camel rides, ziplines, and jumping trampolines.  You can even do an Obama VIP visit, since the First Family visited the park in 2010. The park is open daily from 10 AM- 6 PM, later on weekends and through the summer. Tickets are about 24 Euro per adult, 17 Euro for children ages 4-9 (kids under 3 are free). There is a discount if you order in advance online. There is also a hotel and camping areas at the park.  Their website is: http://www.selwo.es/en. Address is Avenue Selwo, A7 Highway km 162.5 29680 Estepona.
36º 27’ 46.19”N -5º 05’ 08.43” O


36º 27’ 46.19”N -5º 05’ 08.43” O
Avenue Selwo s/n
A7 highway km 162,5
29680 Estepona - Málaga - See more at: http://selwo.es/en/how-to-get-there#sthash.ezTCETiO.dpuf
Avenue Selwo s/n
A7 highway km 162,5
29680 Estepona - Málaga

36º 27’ 46.19”N -5º 05’ 08.43” O
- See more at: http://selwo.es/en/how-to-get-there#sthash.ezTCETiO.dpuf
Avenue Selwo s/n
A7 highway km 162,5
29680 Estepona - Málaga

36º 27’ 46.19”N -5º 05’ 08.43” O
- See more at: http://selwo.es/en/how-to-get-there#sthash.ezTCETiO.dpuf