Tag Archives: fish

Jordan: Beneath the Red Sea surface…

January 23, 2014 Johanna Leave a comment

Dascyllus trimaculatus, the Three Spot Domino fish, is actually quite neat though it is territorial and a bit aggressive. Dascyllus is a genus of fish in the family Pomacentridae. It is quite a small fish as it grows only up to 13 cm in length. You recognize the fish for the three white spots, of which one can though sometimes be absent.

ps. to enlarge the photos, click on them 🙂

The Halfmoon or Flagtail triggerfish, Sufflamen chrysopterus, is very beautiful with its black velvet like colour. The tail is white and yellow, as you can see in the picture above. It can grow up to 30 cm in length. This triggerfish feeds on a variety of invertebrates and the occasional small fish.

A small Lionfish, Pterois Volitans, swims above the triggerfish (in the above picture). Can you see it? It is just a baby and the colouring is white, beige and brown. The Lionfish is part of the Scorpionfish (Scorpaenidae) species, which take their name from the venomous spines positioned on the dorsal fin.

Above is a funny photo of the Halfmoon triggerfish. Look at those lips. Can you see the small rainbow on the sand

Ostracion cyanurus, the Arabian boxfish, is only 15 cm as an adult. It likes to swim close to the bottom We suddenly saw one below us and took this photo. The Arabian boxfish inhabits areas of moderate coral growth and is usually found close to shelter.

Ostracion meleagris, the Black or Spotted boxfish, explores the bottom of the Red Sea on the bottom of this photo. The male is more colourful than the female. The colouring can be blue to black and the dots can be white or black. The female is dark with white spots. This boxfish does not grow past 25 cm. The one we saw was only about 20 cm in size.

The Black sea urchins at the top of the photo are fabulous. But remember to keep your distance from them. Keep your feet off the bottom.

The Red Sea Clownfish, also known as the Twobar anemonefish, Amphiprion bicinctus, is one funny and beautiful fish. It is one of the most common Clownfish in the Red Sea. It can grow up to 14 cm, but is usually smaller.

Jordan, The Red Sea

Jordan: Tala Bay and Aqaba

January 2, 2014 Johanna Leave a comment

Apollomatkat writes on their website that Aqaba offers fabulous sandy beaches and great snorkelling and diving possibilities for those interested in corals, fish and fascinating sea life. This is true.

The best beaches for snorkeling is found around Tala Bay. If you walk 10 minutes along the beach towards north, you find the most amazing sea life. The area is not far from Aqaba city – just drive 15 minutes south by car. Some like to go for a boat ride, in order to dive far away from the beach, but if you do not fancy that, choose a Tala Bay Resort hotel. The hotels have their own private beaches, where it is quite easy to dive in the Red Sea and snorkel among the fascinating fish.

You can also enter the water from the public beaches and experience some fabulous snorkelling moments.

We like to order a car from the hotel to pick us up from the airport. We recommend this if you are tired of waiting for the “one last passenger” to show up on the charter bus and then driving to many hotels before your own. You save time and win in comfort utilizing the good car services of the hotels. The prices are not much, if at all, higher than taking the crowded and slow charter bus.

A super nice and friendly chaffeur Mohammed told us about Jordan and Aqaba while driving us to our hotel in a comfortable luxury car with A/C.

Tala Bay situates right next to the Red Sea. The area is clean and silent. No traffic noise, like in Aqaba and other cities. The view around you is so spectacular. You are in Jordan and see the magnificent Gulf of Aqaba and the beautiful mountains, but you also see Israel and Egypt and almost Saudi Arabia, which starts just five kilometers south from Tala Bay.

Apollomatkat gives Radisson Blu Tala Bay Resort hotel 4.5 stars. We chose this hotel. The hotel has 5 stars according to other sources. After spending an awesome week at the hotel, we give it 5 stars.

The hotel is now nominated for the 2014 Hotel Luxury Hotel Award.

The swimming pools are just amazing. This is the biggest one.

The water was cool and refreshing. And the size of the pool allows one to swim and exercise. You can see a funny thing on the left side. The Dugout Bar serves drinks and snacks poolside, allowing guests to fully relax in the sun. Located at the resort’s main pool, the bar conveniently juts out to the pool’s edge allowing guests to swim up and order drinks without ever leaving the water.

If you like culture and history, fly to Jordan right away. Located two hours drive from Tala Bay, Petra in Jordan is one of the world’s greatest cultural and historical landmarks. Built by the Nabataeans over 2,000 years ago, it attracts thousands of tourists from across the world every year.

Described by T.E. Lawrence as “vast, echoing and god-like”, Wadi Rum in Jordan is one of the Middle East’s most impressive natural attractions. Also known as the Valley of the Moon, this imposing rock-scape reaches heights of 1750 metres. Wadi Rum has historical significance to Jordan too as it marks the location of T.E. Lawrence and Prince Faisal Bin Hussein’s headquarters against the Ottomans in World War 1. You can hire 4×4 vehicles to explore the area, together with a driver and a guide. Alternatively, you can choose the old-fashioned option and explore Wadi Rum by camel, staying overnight in a Bedouin tent.

The Arabic language sounds beautiful. We tried to learn the basics before our vacation. The task was not an easy one. In two months we learned words and phrases, but already during the first day in Jordan we noticed that the Arabic language is different in different countries. So we spoke mostly English during our stay in Jordan.

The weather was awesome during our week in Tala Bay. The tempereature was 23-29° C, the sun was shining from a clear sky every day and even the evenings were warm.

We also liked the new experience of meeting local people and tourists mixed with international tourists. During our stay we met people from Finland, Sweden, Belgium, Asia, Africa, German and The U.S. but also people from Jordan and other Middle East countries.

Most Muslim women wore at least a scarf. Many had a hijab. Also at the beach. The beach wear could not have been more colorful and diverse. The Europeans uses swimsuits and bikinis, the local people cover the whole body. And it was totally OK, for everyone. This kind of acceptance and harmony is unique.

I exchanged smiles with a few Muslim women and two of them were happy to be photographed. I wish I could speak Arabic and be able to exchange a few words with the locals.

The staff of the hotel were mostly super friendly. The people from Asia and Africa were always smiling and helpful. We talked and laughed and shared some nice moments. Just one or two of the hotel’s (main desk) staff surprised me with being less friendly. One was even a bit rude. I guess nothing can be perfect, but Radisson Tala Bay comes very close.

Even though the area is in the middle of the desert, within the hotel area you can find colourful flowers and palm trees.

Tala Bay Port welcomes the boat owners. The Port was so quiet the morning we visited it, I wondered were everyone was. Maybe it was too early for the shops to be open and for the boats to take tourist out on the sea. The marina is full of nice boats.

If you like water sports, this is the place for you. You can rent a jet ski or diving gear, try parasailing and windsurfing, rent a yacht, try the banana boats or water skiing or just enjoy the speed of a speed boat.

Tala Bay has a lot to offer. Even if you do not fancy snorkelling, diving or other water sports, you will love the pool area and the relaxed atmosphere of Radisson Blu Tala Bay. You can visit Petra, Aqaba or the Dead Sea one day, and relax in the sun the next day. A vacation doesn’t get much better than that.

Jordan, The Red Sea

Jordan: The magnificent Red Sea

December 13, 2013 Johanna 7 Comments

There is a long and great beach between Hotel Radisson Blu Tala Bay and the Red Sea. Beach chairs are available and they are not too close to each other. This way you have space and peace, also at the beach. This is a positive rarity.

The magnificent Red Sea offers something for each and everyone. You can see small, big, colourful, dangerous and poisonous fish in the sea. The corals and plants vary depending on where you are, but they all offer a beautiful and colourful show. You can also see small crabs, lizardfish and fabulous sea urchins on the sandy bottom close to the shore.

The difference in the sea life between Egypt and Jordan is the amount of venomous fish we saw in Jordan. It was quite exciting to see and photograph new fish species and venomous fish. In Egypt the sea life is more colourful than in Jordan.

Here are some of the fish we saw and photographed, and a few photos from other divers:

The Lionfish (Pterois Volitans) is part of the Scorpionfish (Scorpaenidae) species, which take their name from the venomous spines positioned on the dorsal fin. They are also voracious predators.

The Red Lionfish:

The Black Lionfish (Pterois Miles) is extremely beautiful.

ps. to enlarge the photos, click on them 😉

We also saw a Lionfish which was a bit brown and beige. You find it on the left of the brain coral:

The Scorpionfish (Scorpaenopsis oxycephala), for example the Tassled Scorpionfish, is also part of the Scorpionfish (Scorpaenidae) species. It is quite a venomous fish. It is sometimes called “false stonefish” as the resemblance to the Stonefish is remarkable. The mouth of the Scorpionfish is more hiorizontal than the one of the Stonefish.

A Scorpionfish next to a black Sea Urchin inside a small rock:

Whilst I photographed a small Scorpionfish, it suddenly moved, which is rare, and “flew” away. I am glad it “flew” away from me, not towards me.

The Stonefish (Synanceia Verrucosa), is the most venomous fish in the world!

You better not step on one of these. You can be paralyzed and you can die. Stonefish use incredible camouflage to ambush their prey. They blend into their environment very well. They live in shallow waters and are a danger to bathers who may step on them.

It is not always easy to see if you are looking at, or photographing, a small Stonefish or a Scorpionfish. The sea sways you a bit and you cannot swim too close. We are yet not sure if we saw a Stonefish or not. I show you a few pictures taken by other divers:

Sea Urchins

We were lucky. A nice man from Lappeenranta, Finland, warned us about the hundreds of Sea Urchins (Echinoidea) just minutes before we stepped into the Red Sea.

We moved carefully step by step until the water was about 30 cm deep. Then we dove carefully into the Red Sea, sliding above the Sea Urchins and other dangerous species. I saw hundreds of black Sea Urchins. First I was a bit “scared” how all this will end, but then I relaxed and focused on the superb views around me, took photographs and remembered to keep my feet at least 60 cm above the bottom.

The Sea Urchin’s body, closed in a compact shell, is covered with spines which are mobile. The mouth is surrounded by strong teeth and opens underneath. This allows this echinoderm to crop algae.

We had invested in a new waterproof camera. Not a too expensive one, but a good one for amateurs like us. We took hundreds of pictures and also some videos. We spent half of the days in the Red Sea. I can warmly recommend this hobby.

During the 4th day something odd happened. I was stung in the sea. I wondered if I only imagined it. I could not see anything and no more stungs were felt. The next day I was stung maybe a hundred times. Small burning stings hit me everywhere. I got worried and a bit scared. My husband appeared next to me and when I got my ears above the water, he told me we were in the middle of a cloud of Jellyfish. I took some pictures quickly and swam to the shore.

I spoke with the life guard to check if he knew about these Jellyfish. He did. He said they should not be dangerous, but it could be a good idea to wait and see if I would feel sick or get red arms and legs. Then it would be good to see the doctor at the hotel.

No strange feelings or red skin! I was so happy. What an exciting experience, though I cannot recommend to try how many small electric stings feel.

In Egypt we fell in love with the Picasso Triggerfish, which is part of the Balistidae species. There are some 40 different Balistidae fish. Here is a Picasso Triggerfish, which we saw at Port Ghalib, Egypt some years ago:

In Jordan we saw a a black Triggerfish (Sufflamen Chrysopterus), which was very beautiful. It was a Halfmoon Triggerfish. Here is a picture of it with a small Lionfish:

You can see more pictures on my Pinterest page. Welcome to follow my Pinterest boards.

We love the Red Sea:

I admire Jacques-Yves Cousteau. His incredible adventures in the sea have affected many of us. I think Cousteau has something to do with my interest to take some PADI Open Water diving courses 20 years ago and that I am now a great fan of the Red Sea. My husband shares my passion to explore the shores of the Red Sea and photograph the beautiful sea life.

Jordan, The Red Sea

Waiting to fly to Jordan

December 3, 2013 Johanna 1 Comment

Where is Jordan?

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is in The Middle East, on the East Bank of the Jordan River. Jordan borders Saudi Arabia to the south and east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and Israel to the west.

Where is Aqaba and Tala Bay?

Aqaba is situated in the southern part of Jordan and is the largest city on the Gulf of Aqaba. It is Jordan’s only coastal city. Tala Bay is a holiday resort 15 minutes south of Aqaba and very close to the border of Saudi Arabia.

Why Jordan?

We have travelled during the summer in countries around the Mediterranean Sea for more than 10 years. During winter time it is a bit cold in Europe, so we decided 5 years ago to visit Africa. We thought Egypt could be something interesting, mysterious and fun.

We love the sun, warm days on the beach, diving into the sea and photographing fish and corals. It is also wonderful to experience new cultures and countries, meet local people.

We have visited Egypt 5 times. We are in love with the Red Sea.

In September 2013 the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland recommended to not travel to Egypt due to the unstable situation in the country. As a result of this all Finnish travel agencies cancelled all reservations to Egypt until April 2014.

We searched the web for other countries (to which Finnish travel agencies offer flight + hotel packages) around the Red Sea, which we hoped to visit again. We found Jordan and Israel. They both have some coral beaches on the shores of the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea.

We compared Israels’ Eilat with Jordan’s Aqaba. Aqaba sounded more exciting and mysterious. Then we found Tala Bay, a sunny vacation resort 15 minutes south from Aqaba. No noise of a hectic town or traffic, great hotels, long beaches and promise of corals and exciting fish … that is all we needed to make our choice. Apollomatkat is the only one in Finland offering vacation packages to Tala Bay (and Jordan for that matter). If you want to go to Eilat you can choose between Aurinkomatkat and Apollomatkat. Both fly with Finnair.

The temperature in November in the southern part of Jordan was said to be quite warm. Forecasts promised 23-30° C during the day and 19° C or less in the night. This sounded very good.

Apollomatkat, which we had never before used, handled everything very well from the beginning. The website works well, the customer service is friendly and helpful and the list of hotels in Aqaba was surprisingly long. In Tala Bay you can choose between 3 nice hotels.

We chose Radisson Blu Tala Bay, as the pictures of it on the website of Apollomatkat were great, we were promised corals and fish very close to the beach, the hotel had a private beach and the website of the hotel gave a great overall feeling of the resort.

The hotel gave us great service already before our trip. We have a wish list regarding the room and the car service. I contacted the hotel, as Apollomatkat, just like all other travel agencies in Finland, cannot confirm if you get a balcony or terrace, if you are on low floor or high floor etc. We got all our wishes fulfilled with the kind help of the executive assistant manager at the hotel. To offer this kind of service is definitely a competitive advantage.

It takes 5 hours to fly from Helsinki to Aqaba. Most tourist take the travel agency’s bus. But as it usually takes a long time to wait for all people to come to the bus, and the bus drives to many hotels before ours, we started to use the hotels’ car service a couple of years ago. One more reason was a sad experience with Finnmatkat (which otherwise works quite well). The bus did not pick us up from our hotel in Egypt some years ago. (The guide did not answer her phones and no one knew what was going on. The hotel finally drove us to the airport. When checking up on this matter, we were told “the phone lines do not always work in Egypt, the bus was late and the guide forgot to inform the hotel and the customers about this.”)

Most hotels offer car service. It is smooth and fast. It does not cost more (or much more) than the bus service.

This was an introduction to my future stories about Jordan. I will write about Tala Bay, the history of Jordan, the corals and the fish in the Red Sea as well as a review of Radisson Blu Tala Bay Resort.

Our passion since a few years back is to photograph in the Red Sea. I have hundreds of pictures from the land, the air and the sea. I’ll share the best with you.

Ma`a as-salāma!

Greece

Greece: Megara, Nea Peramos and Pachi

November 21, 2013 Johanna Leave a comment

Some years ago we decided to check for vacation houses in Greece. There were so many to choose from. We wanted to spend our time among the Greek and outside the tourist areas. We chose finally Megara, a town some 70 kilometers west from Athens. We had never heard of Megara, which added excitement to our new journey.

MEGARA

With our small budget we managed to find a very nice house with a pool, an olive tree yard and a great view from the top of a hill. I was surprised. We had luck finding such a house. It was a bit above our budget, but after seeing pictures of the place, we just had to book it. The hills outside Megara (population 23 000) are mostly occupied by sheep and goats, so to find a vacation house there, was quite a surprise.

The house was though only available for 9 days. We wanted to stay 14 days in Greece. The owner of the Megara house was very kind and arranged another house for us for the remaining 5 days. It was not actually a house, it was a terraced house, but that did not matter. This second place situated in Kato Alepochori, some 20 kilometers north from Megara. It was actually nice, to get to see two different places. Kato Alepochori is a small, nice town by the Gulf of Corinth.

After landing at the International Airport of Athens, we rented a car and drove towards west. The highway took us almost all the way to Megara. During the drive we saw Athens and the historical sites up on the hills. The sites are lit at night so you can enjoy them also when it is dark. The highway took us via Elefsina and Mandra to Nea Peramos and finally to Megara, which is located very close to the sea. Megara is part of the Attica region, which starts near Athens. After Megara, towards west, the next region starts. It is called Peloponnese and is a peninsula and a geographic region at the same time.

Nea Peramos, which we saw on our way to the house, locates at the bay of Eleftherai (Gulf of Kavala). The blue sea, the beautiful beaches and the fantastic white houses with red roofs are certainly views to enjoy. The area is also well-liked by archaeologists, as many ancient discoveries have been made here. During high-season Nea Peramos attracts many tourists. Otherwise it is a nice, peaceful town.

A DELIGHTFUL SURPRISE

We arrived at our vacation house late in the evening. It was very dark. We had taken the evening flight from Helsinki to Athens. In the darkness we did not see how the house really look liked or how big the yard was.

The next morning we decided to swim before breakfast. What a fabulous surprise it was to see that the house was big, white and beautiful. The design of it was awesome. A big terrace at the top floor and another one next to the swimming area. The pool was large and fabulous, just like the view down the hill.

The yard had about 100 olive trees and many fruit trees and rosebushes. The view was amazing.

The pool area had a nice terrace and patio, with a big dining table, chairs, a huge white sofa with cushions and some nice well chosen decoration. Outside there was a big barbeque.

Almost everything was white and beige. And as the sun was shining brightly, the colours shimmered even more.

We also noticed that the heat from last night had not settled. It was 39°C outside. That is hot for a Finn!

After breakfast we walked in the yard and enjoyed the great views from the terrace and the pool area. The countryside in Greece is awesome, with all the green hills, olive trees, the tractors, the sheep and the sheep dogs.

RENOWNED PACHI

After visiting a few restaurants in Megara, we decided to drive to the nearby beach village Pachi. It is a small town by the sea. It is renowned for the beautiful sea view and the many great fish restaurants. Local people drive to Pachi often. And many drive an hour to visit this awesome village.

Only 3 000 people live here. It took us just 10 minutes to drive from the house down to Pachi. This is one of the most beautiful places I have seen in the evening and enjoyed dinner at.

You drive into Pachi along its only main road. Best to park the car some hundred meters from the first fish taverns, as the small center of the village fills up with cars of the locals quite quickly after eight in the evening. And you might not reach your car, if you do not know who has parked behind it, beside it and in front of it.

The fish taverns and restaurants are fabulous. We tried the one our house owner had recommended. (I think it was a friend who owned the place). No one else was at this restaurant but we decided to try it anyway. The owner did not speak English, so he took us to the kitchen where we could pick our own fish and sea food. This is excellent service – not experienced back home in Finland.

The dinner was quite good but the price was too high compared to the food and the prices in some nearby restaurants. Next time we ate at another place and the food was excellent. The prices were not very high. We had some tasty grilled fish, big grilled prawns and some squid and cuttlefish with tasty Greek salad (Horiatiki in Greek).

It was quite a thrill to sit at the terrace by the sea, watching small fish swim and dance in the sea, enjoying the magnificent sunset and the different colours in the sky and sun rays glitter on the sea.

It was hot, above 35°C, though it was past nine in the evening. The cool breeze from the sea was welcome.

THE GREEK LANGUAGE

The Greek language is an Indo-European language. I have not studied it. I tried to learn a little before our vacation, but compared to Finnish, Swedish, English, Italian and French, I found the Greek language to bit a bit hard to learn in one month. I learned a little though. Perhaps you might find this helpful on your next visit to Greece:

Kalimera (Good day), Kalispera (Good evening), Poso kani afto (How much does this cost), Kalo (Good), Efharisto (Thank you), Ena trapezi ja dhio (A table for two), Bira (Beer), Horjatiki salata (Greek salad), Metaliko nero (Mineral water) and Aspro krasi (White wine).

Also these you might find helpful: vodhino (beef), hirino (pork), arni (sheep), arnaki ghalaktos (lamb), psari (fish), kavuri (crab), midhia (clam), gharides (shrimp), annguri (cucumber), kremidhia (onion), domata (tomato), portokali (orange), fraula (strawberry) and psomi (bread). Tha ithela na pliroso brings you the bill.

One day I decided to go shopping in Megara. I had seen a Miu Miu store and was sure to find something nice in there. As the store had a summer sale, I knew I might afford a few dresses or shirts. My husband took pictures of the city. One photo was just awesome. It shows you what Greece is. A scooter, an SUV and an old tractor in the same picture, in the city.

Spain

Spain: Gibraltar, Ronda, El Tajo and Puente Nuevo

October 17, 2013 Johanna 1 Comment

HOTEL DIANA PARK

My husband had visited Spain and Costa Del Sol many times as his parents had a house in Torremolinos. I myself had only visited Mallorca and the Canary Islands, so the mainland was still on my wish list. This was the reason we chose Spain as our spring break target some years ago.

We flew to Malaga and rented a car. Driving late at night is always an experience, as you can see all the city lights glimmering in the dark. We drove to Estepona, which is about 70 kilometers west from the Malaga airport.

We passed Churriana, Benalmadena, Mijas, Fuengirola, Marbella and San Pedro. They are all cities worth seeing, depending on what you are looking for during your holiday.

Hotel Diana Park was our choice during this trip, as it situated very close to the A-7. We would drive around every day, so being close to a major highway was preferable. The hotel was actually quite nice though it had only three stars. This neat budget hotel, with an awesome pool, is situated at Carretera De Cadiz Km 168, Estepona, Spain.

GIBRALTAR

It was Easter weekend and the weather was great. After Finland’s cold and snowy winter, Spain’s 16-24 C was awesome weather for us. The sun was shining every day, though not every hour. The day we drove to Ronda, it was partly cloudy and some light rain occurred for one hour, but that did not matter at all.

We decided to visit Gibraltar and drove towards La Linea (de la Conception). It has a history of being the place where many illegal immigrants enter Spain. La Línea is a major supplier of fruit and vegetables to Gibraltar; other industries include the manufacture of cork, liquor, and fish paste. It also had an important military garrison with substantial fortifications and a port. La Línea has 14 kilometers of beaches, named La Alcaidesa, Santa Barbara, El Burgo Sobrevela, Portichuelos and Torrenueva. Some have been are awarded each year a blue flag by the Coastal European Authorities.

La Línea made headlines under Araujo’s Socialist predecessors in the 1980s and 1990s, when it was dubbed a “ciudad sin ley” or lawless city. At the time, drug dealers, smugglers and other criminals made their living in the Andalusian border town.

Gibraltar is seen from far away. But it is such a small place – only 6,8 square kilometers and a population of around 30 000. Half of the area is protected area.

Gibraltar is known for the Rock of Gibraltar, which is 426 meters high. The World War II tunnels, the Cable Cars, the Gibraltar Botanic Museum and the Gibraltar Museum are some interesting places to visit during your days in Gibraltar. The subtropical Mediterranean climate with mild winters and warm summers attracts tourists from all over the world. If museums are not what you look for, you can spend the day shopping and visiting different cafeterias, bars and restaurants.

The Official Gibraltar Tourist Board Website tells you in detail what to do and enjoy while staying in Gibraltar.

RONDA, EL TAJO AND PUENTE NUEVO

It took us about one hour to drive up the mountains from our hotel to Ronda. Huge green hills surrounded us during the drive and the views were fabulous. When we arrived in Ronda, I thought “what a marvellous town”. The town is situated 750 meters above the sea level.

Ronda is the biggest of the Pueblos Blancos in Andalusia. These “white towns” are small towns from Malaga and Sevilla to Algeciras which are characterised by whitewashed walls and red tiled roofs.

El Tajo canyon in Ronda is so amazing. Ronda was heavily affected by the Spanish Civil War. Chapter 10 of Hemingway’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls”, describing the 1936 execution of Fascist sympathisers in a fictional village who are thrown off a cliff, is considered to be modeled on actual events at the time in Ronda. It is also said that modern bullfighting started in Ronda.

We visited the restaurant of the Don Miguel Hotel. I can warmly recommend Don Miguel. Excellent food, kind service and awesome view towards El Tajo canyon. The prices are not as high as one would think. Soups start at 5.40€, fish at 12,50€ and the meat dishes at 11,50€.

Three bridges, Puente Romano, Puente Viejo and Puente Nuevo span the canyon. The 120 meter deep canyon split Ronda in two. Therefore the architect José Martin de Aldehuda and the construction manager Juan Antonio Diaz Machuca decided to build a beautiful and strong bridge. The building of Puente Nuevo, the tallest of these three bridges, commenced in 1751. It took 42 years to complete. 50 workers died building the bridge. Beauty has its price.

THE RED SEA AND EUROPE

Tag Archives: fish

Jordan: Beneath the Red Sea surface…

Jordan: Tala Bay and Aqaba

Jordan: The magnificent Red Sea

Waiting to fly to Jordan

Greece: Megara, Nea Peramos and Pachi

Spain: Gibraltar, Ronda, El Tajo and Puente Nuevo

Travel stories by Johanna Hurmerinta

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Travel stories by Johanna Hurmerinta