Gecko Towers
There are very few reasons, to drive past Tarifa on the coast road, the N340, and not stop to take in the wonderful, sand, wind and spray that comes from the Atlantic Ocean. Hitting the beach at Tarifa and its neighbours with a combination of force and majesty raising fabulous rolling waves. Eliciting cries of sheer fear and delight from the kite surfers that race inshore, tack and back out again, often rising meters in the air while negotiating breaking waves and fellow surfers.
The ribbon of light brown fine grain sand and deep blue sea makes your heart sing and enriches the spirit. It truly is one of the World’s last unspoiled places.
On a clear day, this happens to be a Sunday, the view across to Africa as seen from the road that climbs several kilometers away from Algeciras, is breathtaking. You feel that you can virtually touch Africa, the Spanish enclave, Ceuta, to the left and Tangiers to the right. The stacked cargo ships, the hydrofoil ferries and the smaller tuna fishing boats plough this busy seaway.
Here are the opening pages of The Alchemist. The young shepherd, familiar with the coast of Andalucia, bravely takes his first steps aboard a boat from Tarifa to capture his destiny and satisfy his search for the life’s truths.
We’re not stopping today as we are heading further along the coast towards Vejer de la Frontera, past Valdevaqueros, Bolonia, Zahara de Los Atunes and Barbate – they are all very different and each deserves a separate visit.
A couple of kilometers before Vejer is a shrine to all things Equestrian, Montemedio.
A finca of some 500 hectares which features a myriad of formal competition, practice, warm up, flat work and schooling arenas or pistas, carriage driving ranges, 15 km of hacking and an ocean of suppliers of horse related equipment, feedstuffs and horse health specialists including a DNA cloning service.
Montemedio is currently home to the Andalucia Sunshine Tour. Unlike any sporting event you have ever attended your role in this panoply of sporting excellence is just to turn up. There are no paid for car parks, no ticketed seating, no promotion and the quietest of marketing.
I understand that the founder, Snr. Blazquez, a local gentleman now in his late 90’s, who only a couple of years ago gave up carriage driving, has an unshakable belief that those who come to Montemedio should be asked to bring nothing more than their enthusiasm for all manner of horse sports. A hugely refreshing approach to attending any sporting event where passion for the sport is everything. It makes for an exceptionally enjoyable day out.
The experience, though not crowded is tremendous. Early qualifying rounds are taken in the other arenas and final competitors are routined for a 14.00 start of the knock out phase. I am told there is €56,000 in prize money at the ClipMyHorse.TV sponsored Grand Prix as twenty five of the World’s best show jumpers compete to deliver clear rounds (with no time or other penalty points). Those who successfully gain clear rounds are then pitted against a total of nine riders who jump a shortened course to assess who can complete a clear round in the fastest possible time.
Riders from Spain, Ireland, USA, UK, France, Germany, Portugal, Turkey and Columbia ride perfectly proportioned and beautifully groomed, gleaming horses. Some have the tell-tale red ribbon on their tail to suggest that they are kickers as they demonstrate their talents kicking out behind as they successfully clear 1.50m fences.
Today our winner was a 25 year old Irish rider, Michael Pender.
If you like horses and all things horse related, as many in my family do, you will adore the vibe at Montemedio. Just another one of the many enjoyable spectacles of this unique corner of Spain.
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