Exploring

The beautifully deccorated turn-off to another small town
"witch" we did not explore.  Everything was witch related...it
would have been interesting to find out why...

Sadly our vacation's ended and even Bela's got post-vacational blues!  We had a fabulous and very relaxing week.  We got up early every morning let Bela do her business, had breakfast and then set out to explore; then it was tapas time, home for lunch and a little siesta, a dip in the pool around five, relax until later in the evening to take Bela out quickly, then dinner, a movie and bed. :)  The perfect vacation routine, right?

Bela checks our the community laundry facilities.
Pretty sure no one actually washes here any more,
but this was definitely the center of the rumor mill
back about 70 years ago. ;)

The first few days we decided to explore other small towns in the area: Pampaneira, Bubión, Capileira and Trevélez.  They're all beautiful.  I especially wish we'd had more time to explore around Trevélez.  It's one of the highest towns in the Alpujarra and just on the edge of the declared Natural Park.  Unfortunately, the windy roads meant it was a little over an hour from Lanjarón and so we didn't have time for much hiking once we arrived and had a look around town.  Some day we'll go back for sure though because the town is also famous for its jamón serrano which because it isn't cooked, but rather salt cured, I cannot eat in my current state.  There were all kinds of places offering free samples... Angelines has promised that when I can eat whatever I want again, we'll go back.  I will stuff myself on free samples like a true American! ;)

Pampaneira, Bubión and Capileira are three lovely little towns tucked into the mountainside and just over a kilometer away from eachother.  There is a popular trail that leads from one to the next so you can easily walk between the three towns.  Perhaps "easily" isn't the best word for it since there is a very steep climb between Pampaneira and Bubión.  It's about 250m of elevation in that one km--basically all straight uphill.  It was slow going for us, but thankfully we got an early start and the trail was shaded throughout the morning.  The bit from Bubión to Capileira was more level, but less shaded and we actually ended up losing the trail at one point!

This was before getting lost...a tired me after a rest stop between
Pampaneira and Bubión.

Angelines was about to have a heartattack thinking about being lost in the Alpujarra with her eight-month pregnant wife...but I am a fearless Somes Bar-barian to the core (aside from also being quarter Okie as my Whoa Whoa loved to point out) and I really wasn't phased; even though at one point we were basically scrambling straight up the mountain on all fours!  The frustrating thing was we could see the town the whole time (most of why I wasn't really scared), but we just didn't have any clear way to get up to it!  And the annoying thing is that in losing the trail we also lost elevation and so had to climb much more to get up to the town than if we had been on the real trail.

Like I say, Angelines was pretty freaked out and every five seconds or so would ask if I was okay... but once we made it into Capileira and we had our cold beers (well, I had aquarius) and tapas, the frantic scrambling on the trail was all but forgotten.  On the walk back we were able to follow the trail and as it turns out we had been very, very close to NOT getting lost but the trail passed through a marshy area with zig-zaging sheep trails cutting all helter skelter and there was no clear sign marking the way.  All's well that ends well, though and now we have a great story to tell about Emily's first adventures in the Alpujarra.  She had better be an outdoors girl! ;)

Bela and I in the lower end of the parque Salao in Lanjarón

Sunday we drove into Granada capital and visited my host family.  Although the original plan was to visit in the morning and be "home" in Lanjarón for lunch, Isa convinced us to stay for lunch.  So the nine of us (they already have two Americans living with them for the semester) squeezed around their tiny dinning room table to enjoy Isa's "arroz amarillo", she never calls it paella for whatever reason.  It was a great visit, and they were very happy to get to see me with my big belly!

The rest of our vacation we spent just hiking around Lanjarón.  I was plesantly surprised to find that there were so many hiking opportunities right out the front door.  There is a beautiful park in town with a stream running through it--the highlight as far as Bela was concerned.  From the park we found a trail leading to the old moorish castle of Lanjarón.  We also completed about 6km or so of the trail that completely encircles the town on another day's adventure.  Needless to say we got our exercise in!

But now we're home and getting back into the routine.  A week was the perfect ammount of time to be gone.  We are well rested and slowly getting back into our "real" life activites.

Picture from the Castle in Lanjarón.

Vacation

The sun heats the pool all day and the water is absolutely
divine!  We were worried that this late in the summer it
would be too cold to swim, but it's been perfect.

Angelines's birthday was at the end of August and I decided I would surprise her with a vacation.  However, August is when EVERYONE is on vacation in Spain and so it was pretty tough to find anything available.  In any case, the last week in August as I mentioned in a previous post was pretty busy for me and I decided that earning the extra money in that last week would go a long way toward paying for this surprise.  

At the beginning of summer we had talked about taking two "mini-vacations" since our original plans of something more grand disappeared as the budget for the work around the house grew.  We went to Cazorla, Jaen for four days at the end of June and beginning of July...but with all the craziness of the tiling, etc. any relaxing we got in during those four days was quickly forgotten.  

For some time now we've wanted to visit the Alpujarra in Granada.  I have been before with my parents some 11 years ago when I was studying in Granada.  The Alpujarra is part of the Sierra Nevada mountains outside Granada capital full of tiny villages and lots of hiking opportunities.  This was the final refuge of the Moors after the fall of the Kingdom of Granada to the crusading Christians in 1492.  

Angelines and Bela next to one of the aqueducts that riddle
the mountainside.  These are all thanks to the Moorish
engineers of Al-Andalus.

I was able to find a great little house for two that offered a discount on the price per night if we stayed for a full week.  Of course, staying for a week means closing the bar...  That part of the surprise was something I was more than a little worried about.  In the end, I decided to tell her about the "surprise" about a week before we were supposed to leave.  It's a good thing I did because although she's happy to be here now, she had to adjust to the idea of having to close the bar, etc.  

So here we are in Lanjarón, Granada.  The house is up on the mountain above the town so we have great views.  The only downside is the steep path up or down from here to walk the dog!  We are getting our workouts for sure.  

The landscape is amazing because this time of year especially everything is quite arid, but there is still a good ammount of runoff from the high peaks.  You can see the house has got a great lawn and beautiful flowers; there are pear trees and persimmon trees, too.  And on our walks I snack the whole time: figs, blackberries, pommegranets, grapes and cherry tomatoes.  Today we even saw kiwis!  Walnut, almond and chesnut trees shade our walks along with the ubiquitous olive.  Every house has a stupendous garden and it seems like they all produce far more than any of the gardners are able to eat!  There are all manner of peaches, tomatoes, apples, figs, etc. fallen and rotting on the ground.

Tomorrow we're going to explore more of the nearby pueblos. It feels great to be away from home and on an adventure with Angelines and Bela. :)

The view of Lanjarón from the house.

Without Me...

I'm sure you'll all remember this is the time of year when we make our night-time pilgrimage to Corcoya to visit the Virgen de la Fuensanta.  It's a 12km (7.5 mi) walk and this year I stayed home.  I do walk every day with my puppy, and probably do between 2 and  4 miles daily...but Angelines was adament that this was too far for me in my "delicate" condition. ;)  Instead, I stayed home, watched a stupid movie and waited for her phone call that they were there to go run pick-up.

I'm glad Angelines went.  It's not often that she is able to go out and do much with anyone other than me.  I'm fine with that, of course, but a person needs time with friends.  Her work conflicts with virtually everyone's schedules to the point that at best we have a few beers with friends on a Saturday around mid-day.  I think she had a good time, so I didn't mind fighting off my sleepiness with a stupid romantic comedy (really stupid) and driving to pick her up.

Not a lot of other news to report.  August left with a flourish.  I had classes every day for the last two weeks--kids preparing to re-take their failed finals mostly.  It was nice to earn a bit of spending money, but we've decided that come October I'll be quitting definitively.  For a while I was thinking that I would try to teach a few of my less stressful conversation classes through the Fall...but monetarily it just wouldn't compensate for the stress; besides, once Emily Alejandra makes her entrance I know I won't want to be doing anything other than snuggling her.  What's the point in stressing over classes if I can put it off for a few months.  I will be starting up in January, but by then I hope to know my little one well enough that we'll be able to schedule, at least somewhat, according to her needs, too.  Working for myself is very nice in the flexibility aspect, but I will admit that a paid maternity leave would be great right about now!

Here's a picture of me and Miss Em at 32 weeks--8 months.