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Published: September 11th 2010
Busquistar
On our hike from FerreirolaWe have been in Spain since Wednesday. The flights over were uneventful and we liked going through Washington D.C. Basically we flew for 4 hours, relaxed and walked around for 4 hours and then flew for 6 ½ hours - much better than the Portland to Frankfurt flight that took 12 or more hours without a break!
Our first night was in Valdepenas, which is known as the “city of wine.” We stayed at a bodega - surrounded by grapes. After naps and showers we drove to Almagro, a small city about 30 kms away. The drive there went through miles of grapes and olives and windmills. We parked on a cobblestone side street and made our way to the Plaza Mayor. It was so interesting - shops, bars and cafes, surround the plaza and up above are two stories of rooms with windows with small panes and green shutters. Almagro has the oldest theatre in Spain, but we were not able to see it. We had cerveza and manchego cheese and watched the many families and older people and teens and small children play and visit in the plaza. This time each evening when everyone gathers in the streets
and the plazas, is such a pleasant tradition and unlike anything we have in the US.
The next morning we were invited to tour the family winery. The winery was the first organic winery in Spain and the grapes they use grow on low vines that look like bushes rather than strung up like the vines we are used to in Oregon. We learned that growing the grapes this way requires less water and, although they must be harvested by hand, the grapes experience less trauma and there is no juice lost before they arrive at the winery. The winery is on the first floor of the family home and the family lives on the second floor. Under all this is an extensive cave, which is where the wine ages, first in clay vats, and then in oak barrels. The cave was dug/chipped out by hand generations ago and it was really amazing to see. We tasted wine and purchased several bottles. We were the only guests while we were there and the owners offered the tour as a gracious gesture.
We said our good-byes to our hosts and started south towards Granada. South of Valdepenas we entered
the heart of olive growing country. For miles all there is to see in any direction are olive trees. They spread up the sides of mountains and cover the plains and canyons as well. Soon we were climbing into the mountains and entered a different landscape entirely with pine trees and a landscape much like we have seen in Utah or southern Oregon. Before long we crossed into Andalusia and passed through Granada. About 30 minutes south of Granada we turned off the Auto via and onto the winding road that takes us to Ferreirola. We both had memories of a terrifying ride and perhaps the strength of our memories made the reality not quite so bad. Sam thinks there is a guardrail that was not there 2 years ago - I thought the traffic was lighter and saner. Either way it was less stressful than remembered. The record-setting rains of last winter had washed away parts of the road, and some hillsides, and there was caution tape and single lane sections of road (although much of the road already seemed like it was single-laned), and repairs are still needed to make the road complete again, but even those sections were not too frightening.
We arrived in Ferreirola about 5:00 and Inger was just inside the blue door that opens into the complex of rooms and houses that make up Sierra y Mar. Inger was welcoming and we told her how happy we are to be back - a moment later we said hello to Sepp - they both look great. We decided that spending 6 months in Ferreirola and 6 months in Crete, as they do, is good for combating the aging process!
After settling in we walked the 3 kms to Mecina, the next town and the closest restaurants. We went to the Piano Bar - owned by a man from Argentina, and he looked just as we remembered from two years ago. We shared a salad and an anchovy pizza and it was lovely.
We walked back to our room without a flashlight and no moon. The stars and planets are bright, but in the shadows of the mountain it was difficult to know where we were walking. We felt the crunch of gravel underfoot as we passed the section where half the road had fallen down the mountainside and we were reminded to walk slowly and carefully! When we came around the final bend the lights on the church in Ferreirola brightened the sky. The town was silent as we made our way back to our room.
Yesterday morning started with breakfast at 8:30. For the past two years we have thought back on the breakfasts that Sepp prepares each morning - they were the best we had in Spain the last time we were here and today confirmed those memories. Homemade bread, yogurt, cheese, fresh tomato slices, the most wonderful marmalade and raspberry jam, melon, fresh orange juice and strong coffee. I joked that we had flown across the U. S. and the Atlantic Ocean just to eat these breakfasts again!
We decided on an easy hike for our first day. We climbed up to Atelbeiter, the village just above Ferreirola. (By “above” I actually mean above - it is as if the villages are stacked on top of each other going up the mountainside. There is a path to Atelbeiter and it is a short hike - then the path to Pitres crosses a stream that was affected by the winter rains. The bridge was washed out, but rocks had been placed so that we could cross with dry feet. We arrived in Pitres in time for the weekly market. The town was busy with produce trucks, other vendors and the cars of shoppers who came to stock up for the week. We purchased plums and grapes and then went to the market for cheese and paper towels. We loaded our packs and climbed back down to Mecina and then home to Ferreirola. The hike took about 3 hours total.
Today we opted for a longer hike. We left after breakfast (fabulous again) and walked towards the Trevelez river, which forms the gorge, that we look out on from our room. We were fortunate to start early enough that our climb up the other side of the river was done in the shade. The sun comes up behind the mountain on the far side of the gorge and today was warm. It is a steep climb on paths that were made by the Moors centuries ago and were used by donkeys carrying wares to markets in distant towns. We made the climb more quickly than we expected and then walked along the top of the mountain for about an hour before descending back to the river. We crossed the river on a bridge that is at least 500 years old and just after crossing we detoured to a waterfall that forms numerous pools as it tumbles down the wall of the gorge to join the Trevelez river. There was evidence of the torrent that clearly rushed down the side of the valley during the winter rains. There were trees that had washed down and were now caught high in stronger trees, and much debris and destruction. But today it was a cool, clear stream and we enjoyed soaking our very tired feet in the refreshing pools.
Climbing back up from the river gorge towards Ferreirola was challenging. The path had been washed out in places and those who hiked before us had improvised and established new routes. We came to a bridge that we remembered from before - the photos from two years ago showed it bending from age, but it was built centuries ago and at the time we had assured ourselves of its strength. It clearly succumbed to the force of the rushing water and there has been an attempt to re-build it. Everywhere there is evidence of the record rainfall that they experienced last winter.
We came upon a herd of goats all grazing and reaching to eat leaves off of trees - their heavy bells clanged and they scuttled away as we approached. After a bit we passed the goat herder and his two dogs. He looked bored with his job.
We have been fortunate to arrive when the weather is at its best. The terribly hot days have passed and we are enjoying days in the 80s, with nights in the 50s, and not a cloud in the sky.
As I write this Sam is napping and tonight we will walk back into Mecina and have dinner at the vegetarian restaurant owned by an eccentric French chef - Jean Claude. He makes amazing food with an Arabic influence, but he is very particular about the behavior of his customers and last time we were scolded for arriving without a reservation (even though he had room for us.) This time we made a reservation!
I have realized that we may not have an internet connection after we leave Ferreirola next Thursday, so my blog may be heavy on this part of the trip and then empty until I get home and can post a summary. Thanks for reading!
The best photos are from our big camera but for some reason I can't upload them here. I'll put a few on Facebook if anyone is interested and then try to add them when I get home, or when Andrew tells me how to shrink them!
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Jeanne
non-member comment
Lovely
Laura and Sam, It all sounds so lovely! You are truly making the best of your travels - wish we were there. Thanks for writing this blog - it is so fun to read. Breath it all in - I hope each day feels like 48 hours! Love, Jeanne