Short day to Alcala la Real

I knew it would be a short day so I left after 8– almost unheard of for me. It was cloudy most of the day but the views were still good. As I left the castle behind I passed three or four atalayas (watch towers) on nearby hills, all from the same ancient time of the Arab castle.

Today’s walk wasn’t spectacular but it was very pleasant. Off road a lot of the tine, either through olive groves or other agricultural operations. I had seen people out and all bent over and seeming to pick something and put it in a bag they carried. But the fields seemed to not have much growing. Finally I saw a man leaving the fields and loading up the car, so I stopped. Turns out they were picking asparagus. Very hard work and not very remunerative. They sell theirs to a coop and get 2€ for the bunch.

I also had a nice long chat with a young male cyclist who must have told me a hundred times how valiente I am. He just couldn’t imagine how I was doing this. But by the end of our conversation, he was starting to think he might like it!

Alcala has a big Moorish fortress up on the hill, a great post-prandial destination. The restaurant attached to my pension makes paella on Sundays, and it was a treat.

So here I am after two hours walking around the castle, with more excavations of the city inside the walls than I’ve ever seen. Really a nice way to walk off the paella. Sleep is about all that’s in my future today. Tomorrow is another short day.Read more