Sherry
Puerto de Santa Maria is a major sherry producing region in Spain. Real Sherry is only made in this region.

Karen and Maria (our tour guide at Terry)

Sherry imported into the US is always sweet. But most Sherry consumed in Spain is dry. When settlers from the UK arrived in the area back in 18th century they made invented the process of making a wine that would not go bad on long sea voyages. This process involves the aging of the wine in huge barrels. Five percent of the wine evaporates annually, leaving the cellars with with black stains on the walls.

At the end of the tour we tried to drink some sherry, but it was tough since it was only noon (6am EDT).

Terry (the bodega we visited) is also known for its pure bred horses.

After the tour, we decided to explore the downtown of Puerto de Santa Maria. Of course, by the time we got there, the tourist office was closed for siesta.

A quick word about siesta. We were warned that trying to find food or shops open in Italy during siesta (about 1-4pm, depending) would be difficult. However, Italy has adjusted to the American workday (to Italy's detriment, in my opinion) and you can easily find places open during the traditional siesta hours, especially in the big cities. Spain is another story altogether. Almost all stores and offices close down for the siesta. After 4 or 5, most open back up until 8 or so. The reason for this is the extreme heat during the summer in Spain. You don't want to be anywhere except in a cool bar or at home during the sizzling midday heat. Spain holds to this schedule religiously and if you happen to need something besides food during these hours, you are out of luck.

Karen and I wandered Puerto de Santa Maria and saw the bull ring, the downtown river walk and lots of clothes hanging out to dry.

Statue outside the bull ring (I'm rooting for the bull)

Hungry, we started to look for a place to eat. Crowded with Brits looking for fish and chips, Romerijo is the most popular restaurant downtown. Next to is was a little hole in the wall called Teleshawarma. We read about this place in our Lonely Planet guidebook as a great vegetarian restaurant. The proprietor is from Greece and did not speak English. No worries, there are pictures on the menu. We tried to order some felafel, but no way. The owner told us (I think) our order was wrong and brought out what she thought we should be eating. "Soya vegatariano" I protested. She dismissed me with a smile and a wave of her hand. We shouldn't have worried. She brought out the felafel and a bunch of other dishes including some eggplant that was the best I have ever had outside of our own kitchen. One of our best meals in Spain.

Keep reaching for the stars with your feet on the ground

After lunch we went to sit on the beach for a couple of hours before dinner (what a life!). Karen had to point out to me, otherwise I would have never noticed, but most of the women on the beach were topless. That fact is not advertised or flaunted, it just is. Anyway, I made sure my eyes stayed on my book, assuring that every part of me that went to Spain came back to Rhode Island.

We had another late dinner at Pizzeria Blanco. This time Karen and I were introduced to the Spanish drink Tinto. Tinto means red wine in Spanish, but it also means this drink, which is a very hearty red wine with a sweet soda (like 7Up) added. I compare it to a wine cooler, only good. I can see myself drinking a few dozen of those this summer, Very refreshing. One more word about Spanish dining. No one in Spain eats before 9pm. They say if you go to a restaurant to 7 or even 8, you will dine with tourists and it is true. Even at 11:30pm, hungry diners were streaming into the restaurant to get meals. And these aren't gaggles of kids out for a night on the town. Young families with infants, couples and adults with ederly parents were some of the groups still lingering over their meals with us well past midnight.