This is an extract from some of the transcripts from a BBC program called Spain Inside-out, in which one of the Television presenters Inka Marti (Barcelona � Catalunya) travels south to visit various places in Andalusia, e.g. Ronda, Antequera, Guadix, Granada, Malaga, Sanlucar de Barrameda, and el Puerto de Santa Maria,Cadiz. In this section of the program, she boards the famous Al-Andalus express heading south, and stops off in Ronda, to take in some of the most fantastic features of southern Spain. In this section she is speaking to Patricia Ll�n, (the onboard manager of the Al-Andalus express), and in between the breaks in conversation, there is an ongoing Narration provided.
RONDA
Narrator
The express train 'Al-Andalus' is an original way to visit the most important spots in Andalusia. The journey lasts 8 days. Inka Mart� is breakfasting with the person in charge of the service, Patricia Il�n.
Inka Mart�
Hey Patricia, tell me the history of this train.
Patricia
Let me see, the history is as long and old as the train is itself. Some of the carriages were found in England and France, but most of them are Spanish and they were all brought to Bilbao in 1929. They were rebuilt, the marquetry was restored, much as the train stands today. From 1929 onwards, once the restoration work was finished, the train was used by the government that was then in power... it was this train that Franco used to travel to Hendaya and meet Hitler.
Inka Mart�
Really?
Patricia
Yes - it's funny how may people are interested in that.
Inka Mart�
When did it become Al-Andalus?
Patricia
It was in 1986 that it became known as Al-Andalus, which as you know is the most representative name of the Moorish culture of Southern Spain.
Narrator
Ronda is a long-time tourist favourite, as it enjoys a privileged position on the summit of mountain range. The Tajo gorge is 130m deep and the bridge over it was built in the 18th century to link the old town to the new.
Inka Mart�
How fantastic!
Narrator
To slip away from the crowd in Ronda, the best thing to do is head away from the tourist attractions and wander down some narrow alleys and lanes. Mondragon House was probably originally the Moorish kings' castle in Ronda. It has been restored and there can now be seen there fine examples of plaster and tile work. It functions both as a museum and as part of the University. The 13th century Moorish baths are the most beautiful in Spain.
Narrator
But old buildings are not all there is to Ronda. The state Inn (El Parador) is one of the town's most modern buildings. In every corner of Ronda there are interesting discoveries to be made. A guide is not necessary: all you need is a strong spirit of adventure.
And here is the same script again in Castellano...
RONDA
Narrator
El tren expreso Al-Andalus es una manera original�sima de visitar los lugares m�s significativos de Andaluc�a. El viaje dura ocho d�as. Inka desayuna con la jefa del tren, Patricia Ill�n.
Inka Mart�
Oye Patricia, �qu� historia tiene este tren?
Patricia Ill�n
Bueno, pues vamos a ver, la historia es tan larga como antigua y largo es el tren. Vamos a ver, el tren eh� se buscaron en los diferentes pa�ses en Inglaterra y en Francia, pero la mayor�a son espa�oles, en 1929 y se trajeron a Bilbao que fue donde se reconstruyeron, se arreglaron todas las marqueter�as, bueno, tal y como puedes ver el tren ahora. Entonces, en 1929, una vez reconstruidos, el tren empez� a funcionar para las grandes�las autoridades de ese momento en el pa�s... Franco, que fue en este tren en el que viaj� a Hendaya para encontrarse con Hitler.
Inka Mart�
�Ah, s�?
Patricia Ill�n
S�, s�. Es supercurioso. Mucha gente est� muy interesada en el tema.
Inka Mart�
�Y cu�ndo se le puso el nombre del Al-Andalus?
Patricia Ill�n
Bueno pues todo esto ya fue en el 86. Pues fue cuando se le puso el nombre de Al-Andalus, que, como sabr�s, pues es el nombre m�s representativo de lo que es la cultura �rabe del sur de Espa�a.
Narrator
Ronda es un lugar favorito de los turistas ya que goza de una situaci�n privilegiada en lo alto de una cordillera monta�osa. La garganta de El Tajo tiene 130 metros de profundidad y en el siglo XVIII se construy� este puente para unir la vieja ciudad con la nueva.
Inka Mart�
�Qu� alucinante!
Narrator
Para escabullirse de la muchedumbre en Ronda, lo mejor es apartarse de las atracciones para los turistas y dar un paseo por callejuelas y callejones. La Casa de Mondrag�n fue probablemente el palacio de los reyes moros de Ronda. Ha sido restaurada y se ven ahora excelentes muestras de escayola y teja trabajadas. Es un museo y tambi�n forma parte de la Universidad. Los ba�os �rabes del siglo XIII son los m�s bonitos de Espa�a.
Narrator
Pero Ronda no se resume tan s�lo a edificios antiguos. El Parador es uno de los edificios m�s modernos de la ciudad. En cada rinc�n de Ronda se encuentran cosas interesantes para ver. No es necesario ir con gu�a. Un fuerte sentido de la aventura es suficiente.
Here are some links.....
Al Andalus Expreso Ronda Well, I don�t know about you but, after having seen this program back in around 98/99, and having seen how amazing that place seems to be, I have had the strongest desire to go to Ronda one day, and perhaps ride on the Al-Andalus Express train, and perhaps if I can afford it, to actually stay at the Parador, or perhaps one of the others mentioned by Nige. Now lets face it, there is so much down there in Andalusia, and it would take a whole lot of time & money in particular to stand any chance of seeing even half of it, and I think that you would have to be pretty well off, and either be retired, or have a lot of spare time to play with for other reasons, to be able to go down there and really take in & appreciate what is there, I mean away from the Costas & the tourist traps, there are so just so many places packed full of amazing history & culture, fine foods, fantastic scenery, great entertainment.
Why on earth do we waste our time in the city, with all it�s nauseating pollution, crime, poverty, unemployment, and fast food joints in which you have to queue up for almost 20 minutes sometimes just to get a Coffee, (dish wash water that is), when we could be out there, where the air is fresh, the landscape outside your window is green, with many lakes & rivers nearby, wonderful cultural events all year round.
Ahhh, how I crave the Spanish country side, both north & south, with all it�s amazing festivals and natural way of life. I am often reminded of a program that I have, in which one of the presenters goes to see a well known architect & sculptor by the name of Jesus Otero, in Santillana del Mar in Cantabria, in the year 1987, in which during the discussion about his younger years, he was asked if he ever had the desire to go and live any big cities, like Madrid for example, and he was quite taken back by the idea of it, and stated quite firmly that he would never have done that, not for anything, and I quote his exact words, he said; �En los grandes ciudades, habitan, pero no viven� what he meant is, in big cities, people exist, but they don�t live, and that�s exactly how I felt after having lived in London for four and a half decades, I existed, but I didn�t live, there was no life there, just constant traffic pollution, way too many people, overcrowding, extra long queues, concrete tower blocks all over the place, full of mostly unemployed people, bored out of there tiny minds, with nothing to do, and no particular interest in anything, the rest of them, workers, eating & drinking stress all day everyday, drinking alcohol all weekend, eating convenience foods at every possible opportunity, what a waste, what a waste of life.
There�s nothing in the uk, just alcoholism, vandalism, drug addiction, and those who just live on medications, in a desperate attempt to try to escape from the misery that they live in, to get out of their heads in some way, because they cannot cope with the confinement of the life that they are trapped in.
Of course that is not to say that similar problems do not exist in some parts of Spain, predominantly in the big cities though I think, and on the whole it is clear to me that Spain has got so much more to offer than many other European countries, you�ve only got to travel to just 4 places in the south and already you will see how much difference there is, Sevilla, Granada, Cordoba, Malaga, and so many other places just within Andalusia alone, it is jam packed with historical gems, the Moorish, Jewish & Christian architecture alone would keep you busy studying the history of it for many years, and then there�s Catalunya, an amazing place, Castilla Leon, Asturias, Galicia.
I would love to be able to afford to visit every single place in Espa�a. Well Spain is the place to be for me, language deficient or not, (linguistically challenged that is) it�s still a better place to be, than in a big western city, and although it still has to be said that no matter where you are/go, you still need to have enough money to live on (sadly) and employment seems to be the main inhibitor in most peoples lives these days, in other words, you have to work wherever you go, or win the national lottery.
I think I�ll keep buying as many tickets as I can afford each week, and until I win, I�ll just have to continue suffering in silence, like the rest of us!!
Anyway, I hope that you too make it to Ronda one day, as I know you will be over the moon with what you find.
Saludos
Last month, I took the regular train from Granada to Sevilla for about �18 one way. It takes 3 hours and is a comfortable journey and plenty to see from the window. Far better to spend the �s on decent hotels and enjoy the normal train journies between cities. 
