Chapter 4 - Days 4-5: San Sebastian to Granada (470 Miles)

Day 4:  San Sebastian to Madrid 

(250 miles)

We left San Sebastian, the following morning, a little worse for wear for our weather-related ordeal of the previous 24 hours. And I slept through half of Spain before recovering from our night of fear banishment via liquor, rafter hugs and raucous laughter.

Spanish liquor is a lot more potent than one might imagine!  And copious amounts of it can quickly befuddle the brain as well as the stomach.

Somewhere on the northern Spanish plain, our drivers stopped the Love Bus so that we could pose for a group photo beneath this enormous statue of a shepherd, holding his rescued sheep. 

[I have ONE tiny photo of that group shot, 

that will be posted here, when I find it]

photo by kind courtesy of ephotozine.com/forums/topic/day-16-september-2010--statues-and-monuments-84874

The image of Christ as the Good Shepherd had been a recurrent theme in Spanish culture till 6th Century, and since then it remains a theme for paintings, sculptures and cathedrals.

Owing to my somewhat fragile state at the time, I have no idea of its exact location except that it was in the middle of nowhere. 

After the soggy events of the previous day, we were delighted that, on this day, the rain in Spain had not fallen on the plain.  The weather here was not only drier but suddenly much warmer than we had previously experienced.

 
Our journey resumed, without incident, and we reached our campsite on the outskirts of Madrid in plenty of time to set up our tents and then enjoy a leisurely supper in a bona fide Spanish restaurant.  We all needed to feel human again, and were looking forward to a civilized dinner party that night.

That was when I learned that, whilst I had been dozing on the bus, some of our more alert travellers had decided that I would be the group's official interpreter in Spain. Although none of us actually spoke Spanish, I had visited Spain before and, some said, looked Spanish!  

Such is the peculiar logic of 20-somethings! 

Luckily a previous vacation experience in Majorca came to my rescue.  A solicitous restaurant owner there had suggested I try Paella. One taste and I was smitten!  So now I confidently ordered Seafood Paella for 13, washed down with liberal amounts of Sangria. Luckily none of us had seafood allergies.

Photo by kind courtesy of: http://cowtownchow.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/sangria380.jpg

But good food takes time to prepare.  So while waiting, our itinerant group relaxed over jugs of ice cold Sangria,  a potent and fruity wine punch.

Photo by kind courtesy of: whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com

This Valencian rice dish tastes as good as it looks!

Cooked over an open flame, in an enormous flat pan, it is brought to the table in the same pan so that each person may help themselves. My choice of meal was a great hit, judging by the alacrity with which that pan became empty!

Body and soul restored, we all gradually made our way back to our tents to collect bathroom gear and prepare for a gloriously comfortable night in our sleeping bags.

photo courtesy of: jackassjoe.com

But upon visiting the campsite bathroom, we discovered that, south of Madrid, there were no European toilets in campsites!   

There was no 'throne' upon which to perch,  just a flush chain and a place for feet astride a hole in a shower-like base inside each private cubicle.   

 Oh my Great Aunt Fanny!  

Ever the practical one, I changed out of my blue jeans and into the tie-dyed skirt that I had happily remembered to pack. If doing my business meant I needed to squat, then I would do so like a lady!  Thank heavens the weather had improved so that I did not to miss the warmth of my Levi's!

Mundane ablutions accomplished, we headed to our tents, where I silently gave thanks for all the opportunities this trip was offering - regardless of how very bizarre they might be!

Day 5 Madrid to Toledo 
(40 miles)

Late to join the tour, I missed the 'mandatory' orientation that had preceded our departure.  My fellow passengers were all aware of our itinerary.  I, alone, experienced our journey as a complete surprise, which seemed only fitting, since my trip had definitely begun that way.

We had now travelled together, for 4 days and nights and were quite comfortable being around each other, sharing new foods, new ideas, new countries, new experiences and even some new friendships. But while I loved the camaraderie, my hermit soul craved some alone time.

The following morning, we languished in the exquisite luxury of hot showers - our first  since Bordeaux.  After hot coffee, a leisurely breakfast and packing up our camping gear, our drivers announced that they had a real treat in store for all of us.  We were going to visit the ancient city of Toledo, a city known for its extensive and monumental heritage.

 Right ON! 

The city of Toledo

Toledo was deemed a 'safe' place for unescorted women to roam, so we were each free to explore it in our own way.  Our Love Bus parked in the centre of the city near the Cathedral of St Mary.
 
As long as we remembered to return to our bus by the prescribed hour, we were each free to explore the steep labyrinth of cobbled streets that were meant to be rambled and enjoyed.

photo by kind courtesy of www.turingmachine.org

Those cobbles felt SO familiar to me that I wondered if I had, perhaps, walked upon them in some previous life?

Needing space after too much togetherness, I chose to "do my own thing". The other camera buffs, including Anton, fiddled with F-stops and clicked their cameras at every turn. But I wanted to soak up the atmosphere of this venerable place unimpeded. 

It was a truly glorious morning to be alone, strolling around the steep streets of this medieval city.  All my senses were on high alert here, but in a good way.  The air seemed to echo with ancient voices, speaking in tongues that were tantalizingly almost intelligible to me.

Or was I, perhaps, merely reliving the memory of last night's Sangria?  

photo by kind courtesy of: http://cache.virtualtourist.com/15/4128312-The_cobblestone_streets_of_Toledo_Toledo.jpg

Toledo simply oozes history. Originally conquered by Romans, Jews, Visigoths and Muslims, Toledo was reclaimed by Christians as the home of Spanish royalty

For 500 years, it remained the vibrant, cosmopolitan capital of the most powerful country in the whole of Europe. And Toledo's medieval architecture continues to exude a distinctive royal air.

Sturdy edifices, built by 15th Century engineers, still flank Toledo's steeply, cobbled streets, some climbing 45 degree inclines. 

What awesome skills 

those engineers possessed!

Toledo's social history matched its impressive architectural elegance.   Successive invading cultures left their unique stamp upon the city, enhancing opportunities for growth and interaction, rather than obliterating the proud magnificence that already existed there.

Moors lived amicably with their Christian and Jewish neighbours, and everyone worked together to improve Toledo's commerce. Together, they created economic stability in which education, art, ethics and architecture flourished. 

this Steve Ricks YouTube gives an overview of Toledo

Everyone got along for 500 years, till Toledo grew to its limits.  Then the Royal court moved to Madrid, leaving Toledo a forgotten city, aging gracefully until 19th Century "Grand Tour" travellers re-discovered and advertised its ageless beauty. Today, Toledo as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is both protected and promoted by tourism.

Can you dig it!?

I spent an intense hour or three traversing the worn cobbles of this hilly city totally revelling in Toledo's rich historical and architectural tapestry. My eyes then began to ache from trying to absorb every detail of the many treasures upon which I gazed. 

Desperately needing to rest both mind and feet for a while, I followed the always enticing aroma of good coffee, to an establishment that served a miniscule yet powerful demi-tasse of thick Turkish coffee.    

Turkish coffee photo by kind courtesy of: http://www.vivevitam.com

This interior of this awesomely ancient 'coffee shop' was as hushed as any library. 

Because of the steepness of the outer street, it had been constructed partly below the level of the street, with lofty ceilings and tall windows that let in natural light. 

But the room itself remained shaded and cool because direct sunshine was obscured by the three-storey stone building that lay across the narrow, cobbled street.

Several men occupied small round tables, some wearing Western dress, others in Muslim robes.  I imagined that  the dark, cool, understated atmosphere would facilitate the mutual exchange of all kinds of information.

But for myself, there were no women here. Indeed it seemed to be a place for men only. 

Watching these men negotiating deals, or conversing with friends, I felt myself invisibly slipping back in time.

This room had existed as a gathering place for Toledo's merchants and citizens long before "Philip the Prudent", son of the Holy Roman Emperor, King Charles of Spain, had married the Catholic Mary 1 of England, first daughter of Henry VIII. 

I later discovered that Philip had been responsible for expanding Spanish Territories to Asia where he gave his name and religion to the "Philippine Islands"  

mandala by kind courtesy of: http://www.goddessofthegypsymoon.com/the-goddess-adorned.html

Since none of the men in that cafe had even noticed me, I revelled in a few moments of silence and the relative peace it afforded in an otherwise odd and `freakishly' hectic week. 

OOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM

Refreshed in body and soul, I was soon
 ready to return to the Love Bus
and my travelling companions!

I smiled to myself and quietly noted that my latest hangover had completely vanished!  That was welcome news, since we had a long journey to Granada ahead of us. 

Never before had I imbibed as much
alcohol, as often as I had on this trip!

Photo by kind courtesy of: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/spain/images/toledo/cathedral/westfront-c-paradox-350.jpg

Retracing my steps, I returned to our meeting point, the Spanish Gothic Cathedral of St Mary in the city centre. Sadly, I was able to see only the outside of this magnificent structure.  

But I made a promise to visit Toledo again - this time in the company of someone I knew and loved. Whoever - or wherever - he was, he'd definitely need share, or at least tolerate,  my keen appreciation of art in its traditional form of architecture.  

Toledo to Granada (180 miles)
Before long, the others drifted into view and we boarded our Love Bus for an afternoon drive across the Sierra Morena Mountains to the southern province of Andalusia and the city of Granada.  

About an hour into our trip, in the middle of the central Spanish plain, we stopped for a picnic lunch beside an olive grove.  
by kind courtesy of http://www.workaway.info4882812784c3-en.html

We had been travelling through Castile la Mancha, known internationally via the Spanish novel Don Quixote, by Cervantes.  

But I, personally, remember the warm wind that blew incessantly across the plateau, peppering our picnic with pulverized local minerals, whether or not we wanted them! 

Our journey took us through the majestic Sierra Nevada mountain range towards Andalusia and our destination of Granada.  We arrived towards evening and set up camp in a site just to the south of town. 

The next morning, we were scheduled to visit 
the exquisite Palaces of the Alhambra.

Coming Soon! 

Section 3 - Chapter 5

From Granada to Estepona

from the Alhambra to an Andalusian beach camp in : 

 My Road to Morocco - Day 6