Cold River, wider than a few metres

 We are off to Riofrio.  What! I hear you cry. You mean the Palace built for Elizabeth Farnese, off 1980s A level question fame.  No, the other one. The pueblo which seems to major in somewhere people go to eat.




Riofrio is the home of about 250 people. It is in the great commonwealth of Loja, and wiki tells me, has 1.2% of the people of that municipality. It is one of those places where the road and rail links go. Think of it of the Watford Gap of Southern Spain.



Riofrio has many places to eat. It does well with trout but goes to town with a fish farm producing beluga caviar.  We will cross the elderly Puente Califal.  Jose got lyrical two years ago.  ‘A beautiful bridge steeped in history. It's located at the entrance to the village. Bathed by the waters of the river itself, and home to local trout, ducks, and trees, it's a lovely spot for a stroll, a place to sit and enjoy the fresh air, and more. The area offers benches, swings, a restaurant, and both free and paid parking. The only drawback is its state of disrepair and overgrown vegetation; it's a shame that, given its popularity, it isn't better maintained and more accessible.’   Pablompsy noted at the same time ‘Masonry bridge built in 1534.



The bridge was built by Bartolomé Sánchez de Aguila to connect the town with the "Venta de la Alcaldesa de Priego" (Mayor's Inn). Today, the bridge is more of a tourist attraction, as a modern bridge performs its function. It is very well preserved and offers good views of the picnic area, which is always surrounded by ducks, a beautiful historical element that Riofrio has managed to preserve.’



The Meson Riofrio gets 4.4 stars from almost 4000 reviews - which is a lot.  http://www.riofriorestauracion.es/meson.html  It looks like fun. They [translated] top word with sturgeon, migas, coals, smoked trout and genoise - with porridge coming in 6th.  Three hours ago Carlos said ‘Quality, tradition, service... the trout were excellent... the raw materials were handled very well…’    Joa tested the laws of mathematics with this ‘I can only say that it's been ages since I've eaten so well!!! The crabs in their sauce were spectacular, and the grilled sturgeon was unique—it melted in your mouth and was simply the most delicious thing I've ever eaten! I highly, highly recommend eating there! Thank you so much for the incredibly delicious, wonderful food!!! I'll be back 10000000000…%’  All this five days ago.



We are on the way out and we will pop in to Meson Pelaez.  I estimate there is one eatery per fifty people.  It only has 79 reviews, but still makes 4.3.  It goes for trout, products, price, chimney and father as top review words.   CZEkki said three weeks ago ‘Cute place away from hassle of Riofrio. They cook from their own produce. The place has a cosy fireplace that we cuddled to as it was a bit chilly otherwise.’  Reader, it is about 100m from the thriving central business district.




Out we go, over the hills, across the motorway and into Cuesta Blanca.  It has accommodation, a church and what every community needs, a preserved and neatened Lavadero publico de Cuesta Blanca.  Six people have been and thought, I need to review this. https://www.lavaderospublicos.net/  Tomas was very fulsome.  ‘This public washhouse is neat and close to the road. It has blue-painted sinks and a tap instead of a spout. It's located in the elevated area of ​​this small town, which, as its name suggests, is a hill lined with white houses.’




As we walk out of town we may wonder what is a five star experience. Tomas gave 4.  That seems fair for the experience. I mean, it is all very neat and tidy but how much fun can a chap have in a non-functional launderette?  Is it to be measured on its own terms - in which case, why not five.  I am proposed, for a huge consideration, to come up with an answer to this.















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