Isn’t Spanish difficult? We went in to this shop (tienda, f.) hoping to buy some ferrets and it turns out to be an ironmongers! Those of a scientific bent may be able to see the clue in the name.
We drove to Los Albaricoques, inland village, then on along a dirt track, through humungous fields of lettuce,
to Cortijo del Fraile. This is an old farmstead, built by Monks in the eighteenth century. This picture is of the chapel, and famous for a crime of passion that took place here in the early 1900’s, when a young bride to be eloped on the day of her wedding, and her lover was shot by the grooms brother, later that day. The left wing poet Federico Lorca (disappeared in the 30’s, presumed killed by Franco’s nationalists) later lived here, and wrote a play “Blood Wedding” about the event.
The farmstead, now falling in to disrepair, was used as a set for scenes in several Spaghetti Westerns, including ‘the Good the Bad and the Ugly’, and ‘For a few Dollars More’. The chapel is where Blondie/Angel eyes (Clint Eastwood) was taken after the desert walk in the Good the bad and the Ugly, and where he finds the loot.
We moved on, again dirt track road, to Rodalquilar. This was the goldmining town we visited a few days ago, and we wanted to return to see the gardens, which were well worth the visit.
A quick (wet) walk in the mines before we went to the gardens. The buildings here were also used as a film set…for ‘Solar Babies’, not as well known as the westerns.
The Gardens.
We carried on down to El Castillo de la Bateria. This is the oldest fortification in the Cabo de Gata National park, built in the 16th century to protect the Rodalquilar valley against the Berber pirates.
Further down the valley is El Playazo beach, guarded at one end by the Castillo de San Ramon.
Notice the shapes on the roof?
As we got closer it turned out to be guarded by the Hounds of the Baskervilles.
Penny wasn’t bothered.
Travels with Mavis 