Trish and I decided to stay on in Gibraltar and use the time to see more of Andalucia.

We hired a car and traveled along the SW coast of Spain past Tarifa and on to Cadiz.

A historic city with a long maritime history. Columbus, the Armada, etc, etc.

From there we went on to Jerez, the centre of Spain’s sherry industry and stayed over a couple of nights.

This is a famous landmark in the centre of town and a great spot for seeing and being seen where sherry and tapas in all its forms is the speciality of the house.

It is a really nice small city with a very long history, predating Roman times through the Moorish period and the reconquistadors of Isabella and Ferdinand.

The Alcazar is the oldest part of time and was really developed in Moorish times as a fortress and palace.

Like cities, towns and villages throughout this part of Spain it comes alive at night as families come out into the cooler evenings to eat drink and meet friends and family.

Trish and I suspect that there were a series of power cuts 10 to 12 months ago as we have never seen so many young babies in one place.

Throughout Andalucia there are dozens of whitewashed  walled towns and villages, many perched  high on hills or ridges and all with the influences of the various periods of rule. From Jerez we went on to Arcos a typical example and wandered through the narrow streets and alleyways.

Arcos sits high on a narrow ridge above a river and rolling farmland.

Its defensive strengths are best seen from a distance.

Our time here has now come to an end and we are preparing the boat for the next leg down the Atlantic coast of Morocco and on to the Canaries.