We have tickets to see the Andalucian horse show but it does not start till midday. All the same we want to make sure we are there in time so we leave in that general direction allowing minutes. In fact, it only takes us fifteen minutes and for once we find the place straight away.
OK so we are about an hour early but no matter we are allowed into the grounds. Our ticket allows us entry to the palace and the saddlery. Plus we can go to see the horses training. This gives us ample time to see everything before the show.
We walk through the shady gardens, behind the palace and on to the saddlery. A string aroma of leather enters our nostrils as we move through the workshop where all the saddles are being made by hand.
Outside again we go to watch the horses training. There are a few different skills being practiced here.
gardens are starting to fill up nowthe coach tour brigade have arrived. It might be best to make our way to the show arena before huge queues start to form?
The arena is huge. I had my pick of seats when I booked months ago but now its pretty full. That includes the VIP seatswhose only advantage appears to be that they are coloured blue! Stingy me, I bought the standard seatsand not regretting it as we have a great view! Its just our luck that Ian gets a great tall chap in front of him, but it only affects photo taking so its ok!
Before the start of the performance we get a ‘trailer, ie a man on a tractor smoothing out the sand. He rides round in circles and S shapes and finally reverses out in a perfect straight line. The audience are delighted and theres loud applauseand this is before the show proper has even started!
Its ten past twelve and still we have idiots wandering in latewe cant quite work out how they manage to get the wrong place? They tickets are clearly marked stairway A, B, Cas are the stairwells! Finally
the last couple who should have entered by stairwell A clamber across us and the lights are dimmed. A on, and an explanation in Spanish, English, German and French as to how we should not smoke inside the building and to go outside if we feel the urge.
And now the music starts and there is husha single horse and rider enter the arena and the show begins! Its followed by a double act, a multi horse performance and another with three carriages. The performances are amazing. The immaculately groomed horses do appear to be dancing and the riders make it all look so effortless! Before we know it we have reached the half time fag break interval of, supposedly, ten minutes. I guess that really means twenty but we decide to stay put in any case. The second half appears to introduce even routines. The whole thing is very enjoyable.
Now its 6.30pm. We had a late lunch so nothing too heavy tonight. Actually we both fancy an ice cream and know just the place to get it from! But not
before we have investigated the route out of here tomorrow. Once more I am stressing about the narrow lanes. Ian is not but the; I know he will be once he is on them!
It may be evening but the humidity is very high. The blast hits us as soon as we leave the apartment block! We have worked out that we cannot return the way we came because its a one way street. We locate a very narrow road opposite - we dont think its one way but it does have a few wider pieces that will facilitate passing. There are a few dog legs and ninety degree turns but eventually we reach a wider road. This takes us back down to the city gate where we came in. We know the roads will be better after thisand the sooner we are out of town the better.
OK, escape route for tomorrow sorted, we now walk back to the square with the ice cream parlour. Its not difficult because its the other side of the huge cathedral - whi hill is I,possible to miss (though interestingly we did when we arrived heretoo busy concentrating in the route).
We have arrived at the ice cream parlour and I choose a decadent fruits of the forest sundae.
