When we managed to tear ourselves away from
the beach near Estepona in Spain, we stopped in the town of Ronda
en route to Granada. So what makes Ronda special? For a start,
the city is divided in two by a massive gorge. A "new" bridge was
built in the 18th century to connect the two areas. Ronda is also
home to modern bullfighting, and we checked out the local
bullring (but didn't see any bulls or matadors. Fights are only
held in September). Legendary Rondeño
bullfighter Pedro Romero created modern bullfighting when he
broke away from the prevailing Jerez school of horseback
bullfighting in the 18th century, and created a style of
bullfighting where matadors stood their ground against the bull
on foot. Romero was immortalised in a portrait by Goya (and often
alluded to by Hemingway in The Sun Also Rises, one of my
favourite novels). I would love to come back in September,
when Ronda hosts the Goyesque Fair, where
matadors are dressed in traditional 18th century costumes.