SANLUCAR DE BARRAMEDA.

Friday 23rd.May.

We set off early to Sanlucar de Barrameda with Mano to catch the market as we had to buy the freshest and best Seafood,Hams and Vegetables for the birthday buffet on Saturday of the owner of the Aparthotel where the Guerrero family work and us occasionally ! Mano was born in Sanlucar along with his five brothers and four sisters ! and had told us over the years all about it but when we got there we were totally surprised as it is a vibrant city just past Jerez and Cadiz situated at the entrance to the Guadalquivir River on the coast with the Atlantic on one side and the Mediterraneo on the other; we were expecting a small fishing village as it was when Mano left it with his family nearly fifty years ago to go to Barcelona !It is also in the heart of the sherry making region and has many famous Bodegas in the city and in the country around,we sampled some of the local Manzanilla and were introduced to the Viruta aged sherry for the first time from the casks on display in the pictures.As we walked to the market we passed all the grand house’s with open patio’s at their entrance’s. The market is open six days a week and is on the narrow streets and in a large and noisy market hall in the centre of the city.We looked around and checked the price’s as we found the largest and best Gambas,Langustines and Prawns on a fish stall in the heart of the market and which the owner turned out to know Mano from when he was a child ! Just opposite we also found the best and most expensive cured hams and Chorizo on the butchers stall and just down the on the other side of the market we found all the Lettuce,Tomatoes and so on for the salads as well as some home made Spanish sweet Peppers stuffed with a savory Chicken filling. We also bought a special carving knife for the ham as it has to be sliced very thin and I had a lot of local experts to show me how they carve it !We then called into the oldest and best Hotel in the city, “Tartaneros Hotel” which happens to be one of Mano and Anna’s favorite’s as well.They have been promising to take us to it for years and we are planning to return soon,as you can see in the pictures it has loads of character and atmosphere and it is also the Bullfighters Hotel when the “ Corrida de Toros ” is on, as it was whilst we were there as you can see in the pictures of The Plaza de Toros.If you click on the photo you can read the details and on the casks also.This part of Spain is also the most religious and as you can see it has many church’s in the city,over twenty and just on our short walk to the market we passed five including Santa Domingo where Mano was christened ! The green awnings over the street are to protect the walkers in the processions in the narrow streets where the sun gets through.The Plaza de Cabildo is the main square in the city and is where everybody parades in their finest in the evening as the café’s become alive and they then walk down to the seafront to the many fish restaurants, some of which are the finest in Spain.On our way to Sanlucar we passed “Venta Antonio” which has its own landing strip for private jets to land bringing the cutomers from Madrid and all over Spain.The Guadalquivir River,one of the longest in Spain,has on the opposite bank the largest wild life reserve in Europe.The famous and large Seafood comes from where the fresh water meets the Atlantic and Mediterraneo sea water and they taste so sweet and fresh.Over the weekend in Sanlucar it was also the time for the Feria de la Manzanilla which is a celebration of all things Spanish including dressing up in the national costume,eating and drinking,dancing, and also the bullfights as well as Carriage driving and Horse Racing on the beach .Sanlucar de Barrameda – we shall return !!