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 More than 235 riders make up the 2023 Agricultural Cavalcade. Several dozen horsemen dressed in shorts traveled with the procession into Tarifa. Photo by Miguel Temprano |  A tradition which dates back to 1914 this agricultural parade takes their patron saint and perpetual mayor, the Virgin of Light, from her hermitage in Caheruelas to the main temple of San Mateo in the city of Tarifa. Photo by Miguel Temprano |  Photo by Manuel Temprano |
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 The jacket, nickname of the Virgin, was taken by its devotees who traveled the eight kilometers on foot to the urban center accompanied by several dozen horsemen. The devotees and faithful come from all over the Campo de Gibraltar. Photo by Manuel Temprano |  Photo by Manuel Temprano |  Photo by Manuel Temprano |
 Photo by Manuel Temprano |  It takes several people working together to support the weight of the float the Virgin rides on. This year for the parade on September 10th, for the very first time in history, the statue's weight was carried by all women volunteers. Photo by Manuel Temprano |  Photo by Manuel Temprano |
 Photo by Manuel Temprano |  Photo by Manuel Temprano |  Photo by Manuel Temprano |
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 Photo by Manuel Temprano |  Photo by Manuel Temprano |  The Civil Guard accompany the procession for safety and an orderly procession. Photo by Manuel Temprano |
 Photo by Manuel Temprano |  Photo by Manuel Temprano |  Photo by Manuel Temprano |
 Photo by Manuel Temprano |  Photo by Manuel Temprano |  Photo by Manuel Temprano |
 Photo by Manuel Temprano |  Photo by Manuel Temprano |  Photo by Manuel Temprano |
 Photo by Manuel Temprano |
 So many anchors in one place. Do you think this is an anchor boneyard? |
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 Here we can look across the beach and the ocean water to the shores of Africa |
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 The Atlantic Ocean |  The Mediterranean Sea in Tarifa |
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 Beautiful places to walk |
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 A breakfast of salmon, whole wheat toast, avocado, cottage cheese, fresh peppers and tomatos. |  Breakfast with Charm |
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 Cabalgata of the Virgin of Light |  Carrying the Virgin into town |  A mantilla is a traditional Spanish and Latin American lace or silk veil or shawl worn over the head and shoulders, often over a high comb called a peineta, particularly popular with women in Spain. |
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 Built in the 17th century, the castle has an Italian-style star shaped floor plan and served as a military prison. |
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The Castle of Tarifa also known as the Castle of Guzman El Bueno was originally built as a Moorish fortress in 960 AD on the orders of Caliph Abderraman lll of Cordoba, to protect Tarifa against raids from Africa and the North (Vikings). The castle is now named after Alonso Perez de Guzman who famously defended it from the Moors in the siege of 1294, when he sacrificed his son's life to save the town, and was given the title Duke of Medina Sidonia by the Kine ( and named El Bueno, which means the Righteous rather than the Good) as a reward. Afterwards it was used as a garrison for Spanish troops over many centuries.
 Diagram of the strait of Gibraltar |  |
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The name Gibraltar originates from Arabic and means "Mountain of Tarique". The mountain is a militarily strategic promontory at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea and guards the oceanic strait that separates Africa from the European continent. It was formerly called by the Phoenicians Calpe, one of the pillars of Hercules.The Gibraltar region has its first signs of human occupation dated between 128 and 38 thousand years before Christ, including the presence of extinct Neanderthals. Gibraltar is one of the British overseas territories.
 Delicious Shrimp and Mussels |
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 Guillermo Perez Vallalta |
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 You cannot find fresher seafood than what you will see in the restaurants of Tarifa. Any fresher and it would still be swimming. |
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 Locally the square is known as the Plaza de la Ranita or Little Frog Square, thanks to its unusual star-shaped fountain featuring eight ceramic frogs, one on each point, and a very Moroccan shade of turquoise. |
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 This church was supposed to have been built in 1506 on the remains of an old mosque. |  Inside the Church |
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The Almadraba is a traditional method of fishing for tuna during their migration towards the Mediterranean and in their return towards the Atlantic Ocean dating back to the time of the Phoenicians. In the province os Cadiz there are six almadrabas: four to catch the tuna on their way to the Mediterranean and two for their return trip to the Atlantic. The almadraba is made up of fixed nets that take longer than a month and a half to set up, using approximately 600 anchors weighing more than 400Kg. It is one of the main sources of income in the area. Even so they stopped fishing for tuna for a time when they felt that the tuna was being over fished,
 The grocery stores in Tarifa have a very large section of Jamon Serrano |
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 Mom has two grandsons and a great grandson that happen to live in Tarifa. Here she was teaching Jeffrey how to make the chocolate chip cookies that he made with her when he was a little boy. |
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 |  World Reknowned Wind Surfing Capital |
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Tarifa is Europe's capital of wind. Tarifa owes its name to Tarif ibn Malik, the 18th century Muslim/Berber commander responsible for exploring the southernmose shores of the Iberian Peninsula. Today, it's a dream place for kiteboarders and windsurfers, who can ride the entire length of the bay , depending on wind direction and the time of year. The Levante is one of the world's most famous winds. It blows across the shore and offshore from the east or northeast. It can quickly reach speeds of 40 - 50 knots. The Poniente is a cooling cross-onshore wind from the west. It's generally light to moderate in strength, fairly constant, and can generate a lot of wind swell. The Poniente is everyone's favorite wind and can be found in most Tarifa kitesurfing spots.
 Fresh Linguado |
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 Looking over at Africa from our deck |
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 Mom visits with another grandson , Kevin, who also lives in Tarifa |
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 Statue of General Francisco de Copons in Tarifa center. |  Sancho lV "the Brave", 1257 to 1295, was a king of Castile and Leon from 1284 - 1295. |
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 Many of the cobblestone strets in Tarifa are narrow but as you can see here a car will fit! |  I am calling this a hurling machine. My thinking is that they hurled large rocks. What do you think? |  The Puerta de Jerez is one of the most emblematic monuments of Tarifa and the last preserved gate of the four that the great wall had. It is a beautiful door sandwiched between two towers formed by three successive arches. This gave access from the north to the walled enclosure and was built in the 13th century. |
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 Reasonably priced quarters for the kite surfers. |  Small stores and eateries line the streets |  Strolling the streets in early morning |
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 In this plaza they built a façade of a building and a ship just for the Feria of the Virgin of Light. It looks quite realistic don't you think? |  The Mayors Residence |  The Old and the New |
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 The Streets of Tarifa |  View of Tarifa from the Beach |
 Virgin of Light Tarifa |
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