Cortes de la Frontera

Around Cortes de la Frontera, 5 km - Casa Quercus

We had a great time exploring Cortes de la Frontera (so named because it was on the frontier between Arab Andalucia and Christian Spain) this morning. The visitors center for the two natural parks in the area (Sierra de Grazelema, which we walked through yesterday, and Alcornocales, one of the largest cork oak forests in Europe, which we will be in for the next several days) had good displays on the animals and plants of the park. Particularly interesting were the details of the cork industry, the lifeblood of this village. While looking for the mirador viewpoint, we stumbled instead into the cemetery and spent a moving hour there. The memorials to those who died in the Spanish Civil War are heartfelt.

We have a great apartment with lots of heat - super for this grey day, so we washed clothes as well. Off to El Colmenar tomorrow, in the predicted rain probably.Read more