Divine Destinations:

Jerez is Sherry, Horses and Flamenco

Located inland, 20 km from Sanlúcar, Jerez holds worldwide acclaim for its sherry and brandy production. The word Jerez is derived from Arabic and has now become synonymous with the English word ‘sherry’. The city is equally famous for its fine horses as well as Flamenco music and dance.

The town dates back to Moorish times and possesses a charming old town, casco antiguo, with beautiful palm-lined squares. The 11th century Moorish fortress, or Alcazaba, has been partially restored. Of special interest is its church, originally built by the Arabs as a mosque. The Sacristy of the Cathedral del Salvador is home to a lovely painting by Zurbaran, The Sleeping Girl. Today the city of Jerez has a remarkably aristocratic air with wide streets, squares and magnificent rows of jacaranda trees during spring.

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Ronda’s Magical Feria Goyesca

By Owen Thomas

Ronda is an ancient mountain town of scenic vistas, romantic plazas, and historic treasures. Once a year, Ronda also sees a return to tradition with its annual Feria Goyesca. A fairly recent festival, at least in Andalucian terms, it has become an event that has captured the imagination of Spain with its traditional dress, important bullfights, and its ageless glamour.

The Feria Goyesca (properly called the Feria de Pedro Romero) stems from the inter-relationship of three main personae which spanned over three centuries, all with strong connections to Ronda. They are the famous 18th century bullfighter, Pedro Romero; the extremely influential 18th century Spanish painter, Francisco de la Goya; and finally, the great 20th century bullfighter, Antoñio Ordóñez, to whom the vision of the Ronda’s modern Feria Goyesca can be attributed.

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Andalucia.com 2008-2009 Calendar:

Some Interesting Facts

As you may know, the 5th Limited Edition of the Andalucia.com 2008-2009 calendar is about to go to press. However, what you might not know is some of the more interesting facts and figures that go into putting together such a monumental effort.

• Although it is a labour of love, making such a calendar takes a great deal of work and planning. Photographer Michelle Chaplow tells us that during its creation, she recorded over 50 gigabytes of raw photographic files. Hundreds of images were collated for the pre-selection, yet only 25 images will make their way into the finished product.
• Up until now the calendar has always been shot on traditional transparency but for the first time in this edition, 90% of the photographs have been digitally created.
• During its inception, over 4000 travel kilometres were logged scouting for and shooting in locations that best epitomise the depth and the breadth of the region of Andalucia. The calendar depicts some strikingly beautiful scenes that would grace any home or office.
• A support crew of eight joined forces to make the calendar. It was comprised of the photographer and her assistant, stylists, production assistants, art direction, and make-up artists. Cheryl Gatward and her team at New Image are responsible for the vibrant graphic design of the Andalucia.com calendar. In addition, over 50 individual models posed for the 2008-2009 calendars with two models returning from the 4th edition.
• The Andalucia.com calendar has also fostered romance. A few years ago, a German tourist saw the 2004 edition and became especially enamoured with the young woman that was featured for the month of September. He came to Andalucia with the aim of seeking her out and after some time, he managed to locate her. They fell in love and are still together today.

The end result of all of this time, patience, and preparation is a beautiful, one-of-a-kind two-year calendar that explodes with colour, light, and motion. There are still a few months available for sponsorship so don’t let your company miss this wonderful opportunity. Make sure you are part of it by contacting us at sales@andalucia.com.