Day 404: Finding some Rock Art

Still very windy today, but not quite as bad. Headed out around 9:30am, heading inland for today's WHS, the Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin. Although we've seen several rock art sites, this one is specific to Spain. It's quite interesting since the art discovered is only really in the eastern half of Spain, and covers an enormous span of time - from 8000 BC right through until around 3500 BC. So it covers the time when humans were shifting from hunter-gatherer societies, into settled agricultural societies. Interesting!

Most of the main areas require permits and guided tours and the like, and since today is Palm Sunday we didn't like our chances all that much. But we headed for Monte Arabi, where we knew there were several spots rock art could be seen without a tour.

It required a several kilometre hike, and we ended up leaving Schnitzel in the car since it would've been tough going for his little legs. After a long climb, we managed to find a fenced-off cave (well, really more of an overhang) that had several distinct figures painted in a reddish-purple ochre colour. Nice to see!

We filmed some stuff here, and at another spot further down the trail but weren't able to see any paintings here.

Closing out the hiking loop, we came across an area of petroglyphs (symbolic rock carvings) which were also part of the listing, but nowhere near as old - only a couple of thousand years.

Back to the car where we had a picnic lunch of bread and cheese we'd bought earlier from a petrol station (supermarkets are closed today, naturally) then headed for home. Even though it was only mid afternoon when we got back, I ended up having a nap while Shandos took Schnitzel for a walk.

Finally the wind largely subsided and we went out for dinner at one of the beach restaurants where Shandos had a salad and I had a burger. Nice food, but overpriced for what it was.

Last day in Spain tomorrow!Read more