One of Jerez’s most
iconic buildings, the Gallo Azul has been sold by its owner, Carmelo López, to a Málaga businessman who is big
in the tourism and leisure business in Bali, where he has numerous restaurants,
bars and discotheques. This is Gonzalo Assiego’s first such venture in Spain,
but he is also indulging his passion for pure bred Spanish horses in a stud he
has created near the road to Trebujena. The building’s façade is protected, but
Assiego is allowed to spruce up the interior, for which he has already
commissioned new furnishings from Bali, and he plans to spruce up and modernise
the services offered as well. The Gallo Azul should reopen in the spring after
renovations are completed.
Jerez is ringing to
the sound of zambombas this month and this week in particular with two holidays: Día de la
Constitución on Tuesday and Inmaculada Concepción on Thursday. The town’s
hotels are at least 90% full as a result. The atmosphere is fantastic with
villancicos or Spanish Christmas carols ringing out to the thrum of the
zambombas and the rattle of tambourines. There is a certain clinking of bottles
too. While zambombas are not unique to Jerez, many travel here to see them,
especially since they were declared to be of Cultural Interest last year.
Luckily the disastrous recent rainfall had stopped and the sun shone.
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| I was at this event in San Miguel by the statue of Lola Flores (zambombas beside chairs) (foto: C Garcia, diario jerez) |
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