DAY 28 WEDNESDAY ŌRGIVA in LA ALPUJARRA 8 June 16

A gorgeous morning to wake up to with the mountains practically on the door step, bougainvilleas cascading over the wall and the birds singing their hearts out! Heaven! Breakfast was good but we had places to go and mountains to climb!......in the car of course!  By the time we got our act together it was almost 11.30 and we headed up the mountain toward Trevelez which is the highest village in Spain. These white towns were populated by the Moors after they were driven out of their beloved Al Andaluz which they had occupied for over 800 years!

The villages are very pretty and cling precariously; it seems, to the side of the mountain. They cater to the tourists now, which is really good for them but my, I hate to see these big buses disgorge their contents which swarm in babbling groups over everything! The roads are very narrow and windy and I would hate to meet one of these buses on a curve. We stopped at our favorite ham place before the hordes descended luckily! A lot of hand woven blankets and rugs are made here and I am sure life is better for the locals now. The ham was delicious by the way with a lovely Bitter Kas! What no alcohol you ask? I told you the roads were twisty and Paul was taking no chances! We came back the by the other side of the mountain which is narrower and even more twisty but there is less traffic and the drive is stunning. As we had eaten the ham at 12:00ish we stopped in Orgivia for a snack to qualify for lunchtime, calamares and salad made a meal and then back to Taray Botanico for siesta, followed by a dip in the swimming pools and a look see at the goats and horses in the field next door. Supper consisted of staying in and eating earlier than yesterday.

And so the 28^th day was complete and bed beckoned to the two tired travelers.

DAY 27 TUESDAY TRAVEL GRANADA to ORGIVIA in the ALPUJARRIA Mountains 6-7-16

Well day 26 was a long enjoyable day packed with action and adventure, knocked us both out to the point that we slept in later than usual and said what the heck this is vacation time. As most the tables had not yet been cleaned nor re-set, we chose to eat outside on the patio deck a pleasant and cool 75 degrees at 1000 AM. We got the cases

re-organized and Paul brought the trolley cart from the lobby and so we were ready to checkout and depart Granada. Between two GPSs we ended up the narrow street alongside the cathedral trying to find our way to the outskirts. Eventually we did but along the way there were many people staring at the car in the narrow passage ways not normally associated with traffic!! Actually there was a white car in front of us going the same way. I want to point out that we were not lost, just off the beaten track a little! I know we want to stay off the big highways but this was ridiculous! Finally found the A-92 major highway leading to

the coast and into the Alpujarra Mountains and ultimately to Orgiva and our beloved Hotel Taray Botanico run by Eladio. We ate lunch in the upper white village of Pampaneira (Paul finally had is Rabbit meal for this trip) before going to check in at the Taray with Eladio’s daughter Elena who is expecting her first on 4 Nov. She is a gorgeous woman tall and elegant with a beautiful smile and obviously gets her looks from her lovely Mom! Elena is on maternity leave from Iberia where she is a team leader and purser for the past 8

years. Her husband is from Bilbao and they normally live in Madrid but the heat is too much for her in her current condition and she wants to work so she prefers the cool mountain and the relaxed atmosphere in Orgiva. Baby Daddy comes at the weekend. I am sure that Eladio also enjoys her help. He is so excited to have his first grandchild in Nov and it is a girl the name shall be Valentina. Eladio came to see us and gave us a big welcome we chatted for a while and then he had to go feed the goats! Turning into quite a menagerie here, with Nanny Goat and all her little kids! I guess we will see them tomorrow.

 So here we are in room 6 again with the upper terrace upon which we sat with the gang during Driving Over Lemons trip to the south with Ron, Sandy, and Cheryl plus Dave & Joyce, too. Siesta was followed by drinkies in the bar and writing the blog before dinner at the hotel. It was a slow meal finishing up at 11:00 before turning in for the night with a night cap under the stars from the roof top terrace! So endeth the 27^th day of fun!

DAY 26 JUNE 6th GRANADA a full MONDAY in TOWN

Monday morning and we decided to have breakfast around 0900 because of the huge busload of French tourists mingling around the lobby  Sunday evening. However, hardly anyone was present and the buffet line was not stripped as we had expected. D

Refreshed and full we decided to tackle Granada. We needed cash and Paul remembered where an ATM was located just a short walk from the hotel lobby. Back we went and had the chap call a radio taxi direct to the front door and we set off to see the Carmen de Los Martires high above the city. There were a couple of young girls and a mom checking out the building and grounds for an upcoming wedding. After touring the manicured grounds, there was a chap with a leaf blower also blowing dust about as he tried to make the grounds presentable, we covered our faces and scurried off to walk down the entrance hill where we were able to catch the small Alhambra bus to the town center well below our elevation.

Refreshed we bought tickets for the tour bus trolley train which travels over an hour for a full circuit but because it is not a double decker bus there are times that the

trolley puts the spectators below the wall tops and the potential view is full obscured. We did a full circuit decided the best stopping point for us was stop nine for lunch and to stretch our legs.

Besides Paul is still not walking long distances and the hills are very steep. Granada is a magical city. The history is fascinating, the Alhambra a Moorish citadel and palace, is a miracle of Moorish architecture. Of course once the Moors were ousted it fell into disrepair and Carlos V built his own palace within the walls. Now it is one of the most visited tourist places on earth! Paul and I first visited in 1980 before it became popular. It was nearly closing time, the sun was going down and the porter said “ you only have about 45 minutes to an hour”. I was pregnant with Ian, Alison was nearly 8 and it had been very hot but we went in and were the only ones there. It was so magnificent and heart stopping I could not believe it! No one else in the place, the sky a bit pink

from the setting sun and only the sound of the birds. Magic! I have never forgotten it, obviously, and when we went back with Ron and Sandy and had to pick a 2 hour block and line up to get in it was a bit of a shock! I wish they could have seen as we did. It is still wonderful but that first experience was awesome. I remember Paul pointing out the caves where the gypsies lived in Sacromonte and sold trinkets, told fortunes and danced flamenco.

Anyway back to the present day, the train ride is still good and you can cover a lot of ground, hop on, hop off and get the flavor. We hopped off and had a great lunch and were serenaded by a singer/guitar player who was accompanied by his howling dog! Seriously! It was hilarious and very entertaining! Paul decided to opt out of the Cathedral vist. He swears we went there before but I do not remember it so I went by myself. It is huge and magnificent. Interestingly enough it has a small plaza in front but the surrounding buildings are really quite close. I am always fascinated by these buildings and the skill that went into the building. I know they were usually a sop to someone’s ego but nonetheless they are worth visiting. I am not religious or catholic but I often light a candle for a friend in distress.

We met up again and bought a few trinkets before heading back to the hotel for a siesta. Paul went up and soaked his foot for a while. Apparently the water was so cold it numbed his foot! Then we got ready to go out to the Flamenco Show!! whooo!

The bus finally picked us up, 15 minutes late, and we were riding with 44 French tourists! The place was packed and the show was late because we were late but no biggie, we got nothing but time!

What can I say about Flamenco? It is passionate, wanton, seductive, tender and thrilling! These people work hard at a craft they train years for. It was hot and sweaty and the air was electric. The guitar, the flute and the synchronized clapping of hands really gets you into the mood. We yelled Ole and applauded enthusiastically for an hour and fifteen minutes! After the show we all headed out side to take pictures of the Alhambra at night. As I said before it truly is a magical city with a fascinating history. I am typing as fast as I can but Paul is whining that he is hungry! So I gotta go. More of the Beskow’s adventures tomorrow!

DAY 25 JUNE 5th LEAVING ALMEDINILLA and HEADING TO GRANADA

Always an interesting healthy and unique breakfast with Davina and Raul. The organic foods are displayed on the first place in the manner of a clown face with slices of banana or watermelon below Kiwi eyes or strawberries and both days the eyebrows were very thin slices of pears. Second coarse consists of homemade organic yogurt with honey. The bread is organic crunchie and delicious with the scrambled eggs and homemade jams. Coffee finishes off the meal and you full without being stuffed ready to tackle the day’s challenges ahead. Today we must travel again and so we were off to arrange the cases and luggage so that Raul could get his exercises too humping them down two flights of stairs. The drive to Granada just over 115Km was uneventful and no stops were made not even for photos. Between the two GPSs were tracked directly to the front door of the hotel.

We got our bearings and wandered to the Granada bullring for refreshment and to choice a location for lunch too. We shared a House Salad according to the waiter it has more ingredients than a mixta salad or so he said. Jane stopped there but Paul had a piece of swordfish that f

illed his 12 plate and then a tad more off the edge(s). Back for a siesta and then a dip in the rooftop pool. We say dip but really it was just a soak of Paul’s ankle because the pool is NOT heated and it only opened or was filled 5 days ago. Chilly is not descriptive enough for that temp of water.!! We found towels at the pool and had to pay a 10 euro per towel deposit at the front desk. Supposedly past guests had been swiping them so they began a deposit scheme to reduce the thefts. This short break in the routine meant it was time to search out opportunities for the evening round of tapas etc. We started across the street with the Big Tapas Place where locals, dogs, and kids enjoyed the warm pleasant evening. A beer with a tapa is 1.80€ and a large draft beer with tapa will set you back a complete 2.00€. Jane tired of this crowd and so we went down towards the bullring where Paul ordered a grilled ham and cheese better known as a mixto sandwich. Back to the hotel by 1030 and Sunday was history.

DAY 24 ALMEDINILLA and Surrounding AREAS

The two of us thoroughly enjoyed the organic breakfast(s) with a smiley face of watermelon, kiwi, and pear slices. Toast, jam and yogurt with apricot jam and toasted oat flakes. The last course was cheeses, homemade sausage slices. Coffee with

unrefined sugar rounded out the servings. It was decided to stay local and explore the roman ruins before trekking into the city of Alcala La Real and the cheese fiesta later. So after our nourishment we ventured to the Roman ruins office to redeem our Las Era discount along with being old age pensioners, too. We paid and were given instructions on how to find the Roman Museo and where to park. The instructions were fine but finding the location was a bit more difficult. We joined up with another Spanish couple who had bought tickets just in front of us. Our host or guide was Emilio who enjoyed his job and thoroughly enjoyed the Roman heritage that abounded in this region. We went through each of the 3 floors of the museo with Emilio gladly responding to the questions

posed to him. The Spanish couple from Malaga, Javier and Paloma (she was a lawyer) were asking questions which extended the tour on each floor but Emilio pressed on without hesitation. He explained how the  Iberians were here first and then the Romans who pushed everyone aside as they took over. The landlord of the vineyards had a home at the entrance to the village which we would tour last.

Emilio explained the sequence and the heritage obtained from the previous settlers who had build adobe style huts very similar to the Indians of Colorado and Arizona in the US. Same construction

techniques and materials were used by both. He explained the habits and cultures of the past civilizations with great emphasis on the food consumed and cherished by each. It amused me because Spanish friends always judge places on how well you can eat there! We ultimately left the Museo and Emilio bummed a ride with the Spanish couple with Jane and Paul in their car bringing up the rear. We climbed up out of the valley floor to the upper hills high above Almedinilla where the museo curators had cordoned off a sector of land upon which they had reconstructed replicas of the Roman hill top huts and

also preserved several actual ancient huts as well. It was interesting and I was struck how similar the building styles were to the Pueblo Indians in the US. Logs for strength, rock and adobe for the walls. Very similar. Paul kind of begged off for a while as his ankle was bothering him. This did not stop Emilio! This man is passionate about his work, history archeology and above all….food!  Off back down the mountain to the Villa and more instruction from Emilio. Lots of information on mosaic floors, painted

walls and underfloor heating systems! It is pushing 3 hours now and we are really flagging, we have to eat lunch and visit a Cheese Fiesta in the next town! Not gonna happen is it? You got that right! Javier, Paloma, Paul and I ducked and ran! It was not wholly successful as Emilio nailed us sitting outside having a beer and waiting for lunch. We had to reassure him that it was all fabulous and fascinating and that we did enjoy it! The drawbacks of being in a really small town!

Anyway we ate and after a short siesta (rest for older people) headed off to Alcala La Real to seek out the cheese fiesta unfortunately, as most of the day was taken up with historical stuff we were too late. Now what to do? Alcala was very quiet, I guess people were worn out from eating cheese, so we headed to Priego de Cordoba to see what was cooking there. It is only a few kilometers so no problem it was cooling down beautifully and turning into a lovely

evening. As luck would have it they had laid on a lovely procession for us with lots of small children beating drums and marching carrying religious floats. (child size) The little girls were very cute in their ruffled dresses and combs draped with lace mantillas. We had a drink, which always comes with something to eat, and watched life go by. We headed back to Almedinilla for a light supper and bed. It had been a very long busy day. According to Vivo fit I covered over 51/2 miles that day! No wonder we were tired. Though to be fair Paul kind of duck out on a good portion of that which was fine.