Rubén the magnificent disseminator!

 We have a town. A town on a hill.  A place with winding streets and narrow bits. It is called Benalup-Casas Viejas. Let us find out about it.

7236 people live in Benalup-Casas Viejas - well, they did on 1st January 2025 - I think it was jolly decent of someone to get around and about and count everyone that day.  There are a large amount of megaliths and rock art but the town website and wiki pages make light of this.  Mostly they move on to the tragic events of 1933.

The events at Casas Viejas were an episode in the long history of conflict between absentee landlords - and their unholy trinity, the land agent, the priest and the corporal of the Guardia Civil - and the landless labourers in a place where employment was scarce.  On 11th January 1933 a group of Anarchists deposed the mayor and attempted to seize the Guardia barracks.  The Republican authorities sent Guardia and Assaultos sent in, people were killed and Captain Rojas opted for a little extrajudicial repression, executing some detainees. In the end three Guardia, 21 adults and a child died.

A Parliamentary Commission was held. The Director General of Security was dismissed, Captain Rojas was sentenced to 21 years in prison for 14 homicides.The Supreme Court then reduced the sentence to two years.  Rojas was the son of a wealthy Granadian landowner, Manuel Rojas Cortes and Fernanda Feigenspan.  He joined the military rebels in 1936, served several assignments with the Falagane Militia and ended up in the Heavy Artillery. He seems to disappeared towards the end of the war.

Time for food. Restaurante Bar El Tato.  cacabel was very impressed. ‘I regret not going sooner. I definitely recommend it.

The staff were very friendly. The menu has something for everyone, and the desserts are spectacular.’  Micu was also enjoyed. ‘Everything we ate was exquisite, the free-range chicken and the toasts were so good we'd order them again, the croquettes and all the other dishes were fantastic. The service was also excellent; Tato and his wife were top-notch. We'll definitely be back many times and can't wait to return.’

Maybe a pizza instead.  Nearby is the Pizzeria Nueva San Juan. It gets 2.7 stars.  I am always reluctant to share bad reviews because, well, I can’t confirm them and people can be deeply honest or very tetchy.  2.7 is a fairly spectacular low. Let's do a timeline of these.

Two years ago - 5 stars

A year ago -2 x five stars, 1x four stars, 1 x  three stars, , 1 x one star.

11 months 3 x 1 star

10 months 1 x 5 star

8 months 1 x 1 star

7 months 3 x 5 stars

6 months 1 x 1 star

3 months 1 x 4 stars

2 months 4 x1 star

A month ago  1 x 1 star

My advice, go seven months ago.



Shall we get a taxi.  David Flor has 16, five star reviews. M. Angeles gave five stars and this ‘Very polite and friendly taxi driver. Very comfortable car, the trip was pleasant. 100% recommended.’




Nearby is the Centro de Interpretacion ‘Cadiz Prehistorico’.  https://www.centroprehistoricobenalup.com/  Caroline said ‘Our expectations  were not high. Our bad!’  Yoja reckoned ‘I loved it, very interesting and interactive although with the current situation we couldn't use some touch screens. I would have liked to see the evolution of the female body, something that I have not yet found anywhere... In everything else, a 10 including Rubén, a magnificent disseminator!



Out of town we go and so, like Drake, we will head towards Medina-Sidonia.









Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

In which a Roman Bridge and a Funeral Parlour are reviewed.

Image
  We are rising again. We are rising 20 of your earth metres today. We will be 818m above the level sea. We are about at the highest point in the Cheviot Hills. We cross the Rio Porma and into Villarente and Puente Villarente. Both these twin settlements, lurking along the roadside, have generally grown in size since 2000.   https://www.turismocastillayleon.com/en/art-culture-heritage/great-routes/way-saint-james/puente-villarente First we must cross the Roman Bridge. Coyotuco is back with a five star review: A beautiful BRIDGE with a lot of history but it is not PEDESTRIAN. For pedestrians they have made a PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY right next to it. We are passing by the Artesanias Luyma so let us gaze at their ceramic goodness. Let us wonder  https://www.artesaniasluyma.com/categorias/pereruela/ While we are here and we are passing the Tanatorio Camino de Santiago let us visit this 39 reviewed funeral home. It gets an average of 4.9 stars.  https://www.antamontalvo.es/esq...
Read more

Mini Pieces of Supposed tuna

Image
  Pina de Ebro has something for everyone who enjoys the architecture of Spanish pueblos.  It has the tiny lanes, on which houses have been rebuilt for generations without a care for the needs of the modern motorist.  We have the pathways which have been tiled over but once were dirt tracks.  We have the modern suburban developments of low rise houses and 80s hopefully aspiring shacks.  First all, however, we have a park. One thing we noticed, especially with a small boy in tow, was the number of parks with interesting play equipment.  This is because, in Spain, people seem to like children.  This does make them a semi-public property and people feel free to indulge them with sweetmeats and pass comments. ‘I think sucking thumbs makes children look ugly’ said one elderly woman.’ My Spanish for ‘well desiccated prune face, no one asked you’ deserted me.  The play equipment is in the Plaza Pilarin Artigas.  Honestly I’ve looked and was giving u...
Read more

Much a do about something

Image
  In North Lincolnshire there is an OS square which is all but empty,  In a single corner stretches a few metres of power cables to spoil the virgin whiteness.  Today’s walk is not so blessed with flat calm.  We will see trees.  We will see ups.  Views are compulsory.  Houses aren’t.  Let's talk about Asturias in the years from 718 to 757. In 711 the full force of the Islamic tide swept from North Africa into Visigothic Spain. At the Battle of Guadalete King Roderic and much of the nobility were killed and the Iberian Peninsula collapsed before the all conquering crescent.  The thing is, Asturias is a long way from the main body of Spain. It is a bit wet and more to the point lacking the plunder which was the way of paying the Army of the Conquest.  The Caliphate’s hold on Asturias was tenuous to say the least.  Enter  Pelagius. Pelagius has many myths swirling around him and a very butch Victorian statue in Gijon.  Accord...
Read more