To Cuenca and Back again

 We took 2 high speed trains to Cuenca, an area of fantastic rocky cliffs where houses cling to the sides of dramatic rocks.  The town was founded by the Moors long before it was taken by the Spanish.  There are structures over 1,000 years old.

There are hiking paths all over, the town hosts a museum of paleontology.  The geology of this area preserved an abundance of fossils.

This time spent exploring with friends & family in Rioja and beyond was what we had hoped for.  The spirit of wandering continues, whether at home or abroad.  In this changing world, the challenges are greater than ever to understand our connections with the wider world.

Bustling Barcelona

 We arrived by train to this cosmopolitan city.  Although they say the crowds are light compared to summer, it’s a whirlwind of people from everywhere.  After an evening with cousins Mike & Cindy, we have toured the Sagrada Familia, took a class to make paella and today have hopped on & off double decked buses to see the sights.

Our class went to the fish market before diving into making a seafood paella, which was too delicious for words 🥘

It took all of us to make a pan of paella, a fun group from 3 countries and a keen sense of humor.

After eating we strolled to the cathedral to see the weekly performance of the sardana, the beloved folk dance of Catalonia.  All are welcome to join in, but we stayed on the sidelines hoping to understand how the light-footed steps went with the music 🎶 

The chicken in the cathedral

 During a day trip to Santo Domingo, we stumbled upon the only cathedral in the world to host resident chickens 🐓🐓 thanks to the miracle of the chickens.  True!  It was quite the thing back in the day!  

https://caminotravelcenter.com/blog/legends-on-the-camino-frances-the-rooster-in-santo-domingo-de-la-calzada-did-you-know-it/ 

This town is Pilgrim Central, and a good place to wander and spy on those walking the Camino.

Covid on the road

 I write this as I complete 5 days of isolation here in Logrono.  Covid is still with us in this supposedly post-pandemic world.  Feeling lucky to have had vaccines, boosters and that Glenn remains clear of infection so far. 

Below are photos from around Logrono before I ducked inside to protect fellow travelers.

Hiking the hills

 We jumped on an early morning bus to get to Ezcaray, in the foothills of nearby mountains.  It’s a pretty town with alpine style buildings and lots of trails.  And a cow.

Paths leading to Logrono

 We continue to walk paths leading to and from this town.  Yesterday we went to Viana for second breakfast and a chance to walk along the Camino back into town.  

Viana is a lovely town with the notable distinction of being the burial place of Cesar Borgia, son of a pope and a ruthless soldier of fortune.  Hard to imagine these hillsides of grapes and olives 🫒 during those times.

We walked back alongside pilgrims, under hot skies with roadside attractions to pique our curiosity.