Today it`s raining here in the sunny Spain so we can take a look to the history of the Hotel Reina Cristina.

The Hotel Reina Cristina was founded due to the construction of the railway between Bobadilla and Algeciras in 1890. It was named after Queen Maria Cristina, mother of Alfonso XIII.  It is the oldest hotel on the Costa del Sol and it is one of the most reknown in Spain.

The Government comissioned the construction of the railway by the British company “Henderson Administration”. Sir Alexander Henderson, a wellknown philanthropist who was later granted the title of Lord Faringdon by Edward VII stayed in Algeciras and liked the region so much that he decided to build a hotel next to the railway station. The British architect followed the British style with some Spanish details similar to the Hotel Reina Victoria in Ronda.

The Hotel was inaugurated in 1901 and subsequently started a long history of distinguished clientele including Spanish and international aristocracy and personalities. In 1928 the Hotel Reina Cristina was almost entirely burnt down. Two years later it was reopened with more rooms and with an interior patio enclosed with glass. In those days it had four suites all named after the illustrious  visitors who stayed in them: “Maria Cristina”, “Alfonso XIII”, “Juan Carlos” and “Reina Sofia”. Nowadays it has two suites.

During the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War the hotel remained open and housed many German and Italian spies who controlled the movement in the Straits of Gibraltar. Many bathrooms were converted into dark rooms to develop films brought from Gibraltar.

Among many historical events which have taken place at the Hotel Reina Cristina was the International Conference of Morroco 1906, attended by representatives from France, Germany, USA, Great Britain, Italy, Russia, Spain and Morocco to negotiate the division of the latter into Spanish and French Protectorates. This Conference was atended by a young journalist called Winston Churchill!

Today ,the signatures of the famous guests are reproduced from the Golden Book on two plaques, one of either side of the reception. The King Alfonso XIII, the Sultan of Johore, Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Mariscal Petain, the Queen Elizabeth of Belgium, Maria Jose of Italy, Orson Wells, Lord Halifax, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Rock Hudson, Ava Gardner, these are some of the famous guests who stayed in the Hotel Reina Cristina.

What a hotel! But now it`s time for me to start working again.

Another trip for me invited from The Saga Group. This time to the beach of Atlantic Ocean. There we also visited an old Roman town. Most interesting was the repaired Roman Theater where they use to keep concerts during The Full Moon. The guide said they are always fully booked.  It would be dazzling to sit there at the theatre, listen to music in the dark night with The Full Moon shining. In front of your eyes only the beach and the Atlantic Ocean! At that same beach there can also be a possibility to see wild horses running! I haven`t even known there were wild horses in Spain any more. What amazing!

When we drove back to the hotel, we stopped at a place you can see Africa if it´s not cloudy. And we saw, Morocco, so near!

Today, before working, my daily walk took me to the market. There is so much to wonder and enjoy the atmosphere! Huge strawberries they have here, 1,50 / kg. But I must say, they are big and they look very tasty but they are not nearly as sweet as the Finnish ones!

One little shop was very interesting and it has a very clever business idea; in the same shop they sold paints and other building supplies and on the other wall perfumes and other cosmetics! If a man works hard and too long days it helps him not to forget her wife`s or girlfriend`s birthday. He can also save his time when he can buy the present from the same shop where he maybe has to go during his working day, clever, isn`t it!

More to see here in Spain. An English tour operator, Saga Group  makes voyages to Reina Cristina. Their group leader invited me to their trip to Tarifa last saturday when I had my second day off.

It was an interesting half day tour, where we followed the coastline of the “Costa de La Luz”to reach the enchanting town of Tarifa. Situated on the southernmost tip of the Spanish peninsula it is the only place in Spain where you can enjoy both the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the most attractive destinations for historians and windsurfers alike.

Tarifa was founded by the Arabs who converted the city into a giant fortress in the year 710, and, being in a strategic position of defense, from there they controlled the Strait of Gibraltar. In 1295, Alonso Perez de Guzman, the mayor of the fortress city, built a castle and strolling around the historical part of the town. There you could see the Arab influence of fortress walls and towers.

Very interesting place and a very warm and nice Spanish day!

More of my journey to Ronda.

Maybe the greatest thing in Ronda was Puente Nuevo, an old bridge over a little river, 150 meters down makes  an incredible sight! Look yourself and notice that the foto can´t show it as you can see it there yourself. I recommend this place to everybody who visits this area of Spain. I also found there a nice restaurant where I could admire the fantastic landscape!

Today was my first day off and I made a train journey to Ronda.

First little history: In the 1890`s, a railway was built by the Algeciras Railway Company Ltd between Algeciras and Ronda. It was masterminded by British engineer John Morrison and his friend Alexander Henderson. The line connected with the main network to Madrid and acted as a gateway to the rest of Europe. The train journey was very interesting. It tooks you through stunning scenery and historic sites to Ronda. The route runs on a single track down the Guadiaro valley and passes the beautiful Genal valley too, a place where there is limited road access, pretty villages and quaint railway stations that cannot be seen from the road.

There  was really  a lot to see in Ronda. I had a map with me and there were nearly 30 tourist attraction to see in this small town. I had good luck, i found CRISTOVAL and his horse PAVAROTI. They gave me a lift around the town, he told me what places we saw and give me time to take fotos.

“Ronda is, indeed, one of those places which stands alone. I know of nothing to which it can be compared” Lady Tenison (1850)

After that I spent some more time in Palacio de Congresos,  beautiful paintings are from there..

Casa Palacio  museo Lara was also very interesting place. There were many halls and rooms with different themes: Hall of clocks, Weapon Hall, Sala Romantica and The Inquisition Exposition! Here some fotos of them.