Riding in the Old Wild West

After spending a few relaxing days in our friends’ apartment in Islantilla, Huelva, we are approaching Doñana National Park. There are a few towns at the edge of the park where we can spend the night. Which one to choose? We went for El Rocio and we are so glad we did.

El Rocio is one of the most unusual place we have seen so far. It is mainly known for its ‘Romeria’, a feast of great tradition for which the locals claim to be known world wide, although Gary had never heard of it. The ‘Hermandades’ (pilgrims) from different parts of Spain, walk to El Rocio just after Pentecostes and they all meet here on the same day. The feast lasts for a week and I think it consists of different events and celebrations to worship the virgin of this place. Most of these ‘Hermandades’ are Spanish, but some others come from other parts of the world, such as Belgium.

Locals are very proud of this festivity. El Rocio is a small town but its ‘Romeria’ makes it big. In Spain, it is one of the major events held in Andalucia and it is as famous as the Easter celebrated in Sevilla.

Visiting El Rocio is certainly worth it, not so much for this religious feast, but for its uniqueness and quirkiness. Why were we so impressed with it?

Being in El Rocio was like being in an old wild west town.

Its roads, unpaved and  sandy;

horses are the primary means of transport;

timber frames have been built outside all houses to park the horses;

orange trees are scattered everywhere, the bright sunlight brings life and colour to the town;

the two-storey houses are normally white with accents of bright colour;

the virgin Rocio’s image is displayed proudly in the main square of the town (and everywhere else you care to tread);

Tourism is one of its primary source of income. The numerous tourist tat selling sevillana dresses at eye-watering prices (over €100!!). Maybe the brits may want to look like flamenco dancers .

Even a place like ‘El Rocio’ couldn’t get away with not having the kebab guy selling his fast food for €4.

Despite the usual touristic stuff, El Rocio has certainly a character which makes it different from other places we have seen.

El Rocio is constantly attracting tourists, even at this time of the year. But the limited traffic due to dusty roads infers tranquillity and solitude to this place. Only their people seem to disturb this relaxation, hanging around the bars with their ‘manzanilla’ wine in one hand and a tapa in the other, lively, loud, laughing, partying…

However, the sandy roads must be horrible in Summer. This part of Spain can well reach 40 degrees in the middle of July! This time of the year Dora enjoys playing in the sand, and didn’t even get stuck!

Also, imagine when it rains!! All muddy and boggy. Although the locals say that this sand absorbs the water well, so no problem at all.

Another reason to spend time in this town is its closeness to Doñana. Apparently the best time of the day to see birds is at dawn and dusk. We are lucky we have got here at 16.00 and lots of flamingos are already feeding happily in the marsh, which is right next to the main square.

Eventually we pop in the tourist information office.The officer, late back from lunch, is eating, quite relaxed, laying back in his chair. He gives us a few leaflets, one of them about horse-riding in Doñana. “The park has restricted access to visitors” he says. Horse-riding sounds like a good idea. A different way to see the park.

The guy is getting nervous. It is 17.45 and we are still here, asking questions. He eventually dares to speak up: “I am closing soon”. “You close at 18.00, still fifteen minutes away” I reply. It is just incredible. You can still find this attitude among workers within the public sector. We continued to ask a few more questions about the place until 17.55. We get up and go. I look at him, “now you can close” .

 

Two days later, we come back to El Rocio for three hours of horse-riding. It is 11.00 am, time we were told by the guide. The guide fetches the horses. “We have never ridden a horse before” We warn him. He gives us the calmest ones.

Gary is trying to make friends with his horse so that it treats him gently. I don’t think the animal is happy about having a 70 kilos person (or maybe 80??) on the top of it.

The guide is taking Curro for a ride, “a horse with a bit of a temper”, he says. Apparently, Curro has been indoors for the last couple of weeks due to a health problem. “It may misbehave, he can be a bit stubborn at times but he should really get out and do a bit of exercise”.

Before it goes out, Curro is having the manicure done. Its nails have grown fast during its quarantine period.

Only the front legs’ nails, so it can ride more comfortably.

There it is. Does it look happy? As long as it doesn’t mess around with my horse, I don’t care how it behaves.

The worst bit, getting on the horse. Should I fetch Dora’s ladder?. Hop! I am on, with the help of the guide and Gary, I must admit.

Quite happy but getting cold already and we have only been riding for twenty minutes. The day, very different from yesterday. The temperature has dropped at least five degrees and it is starting to drizzle. An uncomfortable chilly breeze blows our face. My nose is like a red pepper. I am starting to doubt whether a three hours horse is still such a good idea.

We go out of the town of El Rocio and then enter the park.

“What is the plan?” we ask our guide. The horse route will take us through the woods of pine trees and dunes. The animals to see: deers, wild pigs and ‘linces’. We are so hoping to see the three of them, but especially, the latter. “I will do my best to spot the ‘lince’” our guide says “but I won’t promise anything”. Although we have been told the best time to see them is at dawn and dusk, we don’t lose our hope.

Going through the woods and dunes is incredibly relaxing and peaceful. We are the only ones around. This is what we like about Doñana. It has so many different landscapes. Yesterday, we were birdwatching in the marshes. The landscape, lively and open; today, we are surrounded by tall trees and lots of plants, very few animals out. The landscape, isolated and lonely.

Also, being with our guide is very interesting. I was so looking forward to meet someone local to get to know more about the place. This is my biggest opportunity. So I keep asking him lots of questions about the economics of the park, plants life, animals life…. He must be so sick of me. I do my best to translate some stuff to Gary. As not many birds around today, he is looking through the woods trying to spot a ‘lince’.

So far, the horse is not as uncomfortable as the camel. We went camel riding in India last year. This animal moves around so much. Being on its top feels like being inside a washing machine (not like I’ve been in one, though but this is the best description I could come up with). The horse is more gentle.

The guide points out in the distance a wild pig and a deer. Great, we have seen two out of three species we were told we may see. No sign of a ‘lince’, though.

We have been two hours riding. Our feet are like ice cubes. I’d never realised how cold they could get when riding a horse. It may have something to do with the horses wading through large puddles of water.

However, having cold feet is not the worst when riding a horse. The ups and downs encourages fluids inside your body to descend much quicker. Our bladders have got twice as big. We can’t wait to finish so we can pop to the loo.

We are now heading back. Thanks god for that. However, the sign to El Rocio indicates still four kilometres away. Gary and I look at each other in despair. I don’t think we can make it. Should we ask the guide if we could stop and run behind a bush? We feel a bit embarrassed about that, we decide not to ask and suffer in silence.

My face reveals my pain.

Great, we now go through water. That won’t help.

I find a position that relieves my suffering. I lift myself up a bit, so that I don’t feel it that much when the horse trots. Although this is only a short term solution. The pain comes back after a while.

I gradually become quieter, I do not longer ask that many questions, I am concentrating on holding myself up.

My horse is getting slower, I am gradually left behind. This is delaying our return. Gary asks me to kick the beast to run faster so we get back sooner. “I don’t think making it to run would be a good idea”.

Finally, we see Dora. “Now we have to make sure that we don’t fall off the horse and if we do, we do it elegantly” Gary says. I can’t stop laughing.

We say good-bye to the guide. It has actually been an interesting and entertaining experience. Horse-riding: ticked, another thing done!

Would we do it again? Sure, maybe not three hours, and maybe next time, we do ask to stop

SM