The best duck, the eldest cod, the youngest pork

 It is a bit of a day. Google says we can walk down the A-7.  Generally I would advise against it. It is a day for the straight road but I will get lost at one point and end up on a strip development and nip across the road to look at a fort.


First things first, the Restaurante Venta La Choza. https://www.ventalachoza.com/  From the website you will see it is one of those places which is bare wood, tiles and elaborate chairs.  It is closed on Tuesdays and on all other days opens from 12.30am to midnight.  4.5 stars from over 1200 reviews suggests it has something going for it.  The biggest review word hit was oxtails - followed by paella.  So, we will go there.

Helen gave such a review we will stick with hers.  ‘Just had  a fantastic meal  only thing but totally important if you like us, goats cheese is a no, no the oven cheese with honey is baked goats cheese with honey drizzle. The asparagus with parma ham and a cheese sauce is delicious very big portion, I thoroughly enjoyed the oxtail, grumps had the  duck in orange he said it was the best duck he'd ever had, eldest had cod delicious, the youngest pork with pepper sauce, and steak with truffle onions went down a treat. Now then puddings, yummy in our tummies, cheese cake, rice pudding, chocolate mousse and creme caramel with egg yolk (now don't be put off its actually in too set it firmer than creme caramel) was way too a sweet for my taste but grumpy having a sweet tooth loved it. The staff were lovely, the place is had a warm welcome feeling, dress up dressed down anything goes. Enjoy



On we go to the fleshpots of the Puerto de la Duquesa.  According to andalucia.com  ‘Puerto de la Duquesa is one of the Costa del Sol's marinas that is enjoyed by sailors and tourists alike. Located one hour's drive from the airport of Malaga and 45 minutes form Gibraltar airport. La Duquesa seems like a thousand miles away from the throng of the holiday resorts. It is relatively quiet during most of the year. The restaurants come alive in July and August. ‘    The marina looks marinaish and the blocks of apartments crowd round the roads.

The Wiki page is brief and in Spanish.   https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_de_la_Duquesa 

The Marina has over 3500 wiki reviews and 4.5 stars.  Two days ago JA Benitez said ‘Gran Puerto enjoys a prime location. It boasts a supermarket, pharmacy, and a wide range of leisure and dining options, with nearby beaches and excellent beach bars just steps away. While quite busy in the summer, it also has a lively atmosphere in the winter, primarily attracting tourists.’

Let is away to the Castillo de la Duquesa.  It opens week days from 9am to 2pm and 4pm -8.  Andrei gives a decent overview - and five stars.  ‘Amazing castle, with nice views and rich historical and cultural heritage. Built in 1767 by Francisco Paulino of Seville during the rule of king Carlos III and represents one of the best examples of an 18th century fort. The fortress was actually built upon the remaining metre high ancient Roman walls. Nowadays, the location is used by municipality organizing workshops, hosting expositions. You can pass by the gate and enter a nice inner square which leads up to the outer platform with a stunning view on the seaside, la Duquesa beach and area around. Get your camera ready!’

Right near it is the Banos Romanos de Sabinillas.   Pablompsy seems to have hit it on the nail ‘Equipped with a thermal baths area, a furnace, and some simple decorative mosaics, the Roman baths of Sabinillas were part of a small Roman society responsible for the adjacent sites.  Their development by the city council is almost nonexistent. A fence with holes surrounds the site, which has yet to be fully unearthed. A small viewing platform in the adjacent park allows for a better view of the ruins. Let's hope that Manilva's city council does a better job in the future to preserve it, as it has done with the nearby salting factor.’

Almost in Gib.









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