Day 4 May 28th Alcala la Real to Alcaudete - 22kms
Holy, it is hot!!!!!!!!. Spanish heat is not something you can train
for in Tasmania. Today’s journey was
hard, not because there was a lot of uphill or anything like that, but because
this is the first time we have ever walked more than 3 consecutive days. Plus the days are getting hotter. I’m sure it
was over 33 degrees today. Fortunately
Spencer is feeling better, I think the antibiotics have kicked in. We managed
to leave early, 6:30am and arrive in Alcaudete by 12:15.
We’ve been to
Alcaudete before, many years ago. Back in the day when we lived in Spain and
Max (our oldest son) was an amateur mountain biker, we came here for one of his
races. We actually were able to visit a
lot of villages in southern Spain by taking Max to bike races. Biking is such a
big sport here. Last night we went to a bar and were able to watch Canadian, Ryder
Hesjedal, win the “Giro de Italia”. It is the first time a Canadian has won the
prestigious race and it was cool to be in a country where the sport is so
revered.
Speaking of Max, whilst we were in Sydney, Australia last
week, we were able to watch him live on TV, in a World Cup race in France. It
was so exciting to watch it live. (Thanks Donna and Mick) He started 33rd and finished 9th
place over all. This is looking good
because this will give him a better starting position for the next World Cup in
Canada. We are very proud of that boy!!!!
Day 5 May
29th Alcaudete to Baena
– 24 kms
27 years ago today, I embarked on a brand new adventure. 27
years ago, I became a mother for the first time, and what a great adventure it
has been and continues to be.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAX!! I never thought that 27
years later I would be on another great adventure.
 |
| Alcaudete to Baena |
Today was another beautiful walk.
We left this morning at 6
am. It was still dark but Spencer scoped out the road the night before. We
needed to leave early because the mercury was supposed to go up to 33 degrees
again today. The road led through olive field after olive field. We had a "Beatle" moment and started singing "Olive fields forever." We stopped to admire the view, when Spencer noticed some rustling
in the grass alongside the path, he poked his walking pole in to see what it was, and suddenly a huge snake jumped out at him. The snake actually tried to bite him
on the leg. Fortunately it wasn’t successful and slithered away. Turns out it
was the largest and most common venomous snake in Spain , the Montpellier.
It’s funny, because all the time we lived in
Tasmania we were very snake aware and we never had one incident. The other day
we were commenting on nice it was to put our packs down and not worry about
snakes, spiders or jack jumping ants. Never in a million years did we think
about venomous snakes here.
Baena also has some significance for us as a family. About 12 years ago we stopped here for refreshment break on the way to visit the city of Cordova. We were sitting in the plaza near the church when Aram, (our youngest son), out of the blue said " I helped build that church." We asked him what he meant and he said he remembered working with stones on the right side of the church.
Aram was about 7 or 8 years old and it was said so assuredly, and so randomly, that it made both Spencer and I wonder about "past lives."
I wonder too if I haven't had past lives here, as I feel like being in Spain is like being home.
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