Jálama

Yesterday I went on a hike. A Hike. We climbed the highest peak in the province (1492 km), Jálama. It was, hmmm, phenomenal. Stupendous. I went with a hiking club, and they do this same route every year, and bring a nativity scene in a boot to the top. Yeah, I know. It was incredibly beautiful and incredibly cold at the top. I could have been in Washington, except for the turrón (typical Spanish dulce at Christmas time), the wine in skins being passed around, and the bocadillos filled with jamón ibérico at the top. I have a new respect for the people on the hike. These people have an intensity for hiking that I haven't seen since I left Bellingham. (How I miss Bellingham!!) And they did it like it was nothing (comparatively, as I am quite out of shape). Anyway, it was amazing. So, I guess there is beauty nearby, you just need a car or a chartered bus to get there. However, I have never hiked with people who smoke on the ascent (is that possible), descent, short rests, etc.

Madrid, Segovia, Toledo, Cuenca

Pues.. It was excellent to get out of Extremadura and see something new! Madrid was packed with people. I have never seen so many people in one place! It was difficult to move down the sidewalk, made worse by the Spanish pace (SLOW and wandering). The daytrip to Segovia was refreshing. It brought back so many memories, good and bad, and I can't even begin to understand how much I've grown since then. Three years... It was foggy and very cold, which seems like it would be bad but was such a welcome to change to the piercing sun of Extremadura (never thought I'd feel that way). The weather reminded me of Washington and there are many more trees and green than in Extremadura. I had forgotten how similar parts around Segovia are to home, but now I realize why I'm having a more difficult time with the lack of beauty in Coria than I did before in Segovia.

Toledo is beautiful. It is surrounded by a river with streets full of hills and and mazes. I wish that I had more time there and had felt better. We had gotten drunk (those cañas sneak up) and lost without a map the night before in Madrid so the constant subiendo y bajando took its toll towards the end of the day. In addition to the exquisite catedral there are also synagogues and mosques; it is nice to be reminded that there are other religions besides Catholicism in Spain. Apparently Toledo is the home of perfect Spain Spanish. Also a nice contrast to Extremadura (yes, there is an "s" at the end of that word, and that one, and that one...).

Cuenca is perched on a cliffside carved by a river. The casas colgadas seem to grow out of the cliffside. The countryside is also beautiful and green. We woke up early to see the houses in the sunrise but it was cloudy. Thus, we had risen early, walked up a huge hill, and waited in the dark and cold for a cloudy nothing. Of course. By this time we were getting fed up with Spanish food (fried and greasy unless you spend a lot of money). I'm getting increasingly more excited for the trip to Portugal and Italy!

Spanish lesson #1: false cognates. We learned about false cognates on the second day of Spanish class freshman year of high school. And they still get me! "Escalope" does not mean scallop, as I had thought when I ordered it. It was a slab of meat (pig or cow, can't be sure) FRIED to death. Ugh. So, be careful with that one.

If you can't tell, my English is getting worse... I apologize.

Plasencia

First, I can't believe it's snowing in Olympia (and elsewhere?)! I guess it's like last year, and it's December (which I can't believe either) but it's so different than the weather here and it's hard to imagine anything else than what I see. There is no second.

We moved into the new apartment, which is a marked improvement. The warmth makes such a difference and it's amazing to be able to use the oven, stove, and another appliance (or lights?) at the same time while being warm. Our old landlord didn't seem to care at all that we were leaving and said, "Ah, sí, hace frío aquí" when he came to collect for utilities. Of course it's cold!

We went to Plasencia this Saturday. It's a beautiful walled city near Coria. There's a huge park with bird exhibits and lots of different trees. Strange to see a pine next to a cactus.. But the most "nature" I've seen in a long time! It was absolutely freezing there because it's at a higher elevation, so it gave us a taste of what we're in for in Segovia, Madrid, Toledo and Cuenca in a few days. I can't wait!