53 days since selling up, David Jones recording.
We are coming to the end of our brief tour of Extremadura. It is an area of Spain pushed up against the borders of Portugal. It is a sun-baked landscape of rolling plains and looming mountain ranges. Travelling on the motorways you have the road to yourself apart from the occasional speeding car.
We explored two towns here. The first, Caceres, is a beautiful old town perched on a hill. The birth place of the Conquistadors who stole the Inca gold which helped build the town. We spent a lovely couple of days wondering the old town along the narrow streets finding conquistador palaces and searching for ancient gold. Alas we didn't find any. But we did have a wonderful time.
In the evening we experienced, certainly for Paul, something better than gold. Jamon Iberico y Torta de Oveja (ham and big dippy cheese) which is served with country-style garlic bread. We enjoyed this with a bottle of chilled rose in a wonderful square listening to the storks Rat-a-tat-tating: the noise they make with their beaks whilst nesting on top of the church towers.
In Merida however, the storks have found another suitable nesting place: on top of the roman aqueduct, which is one of the famous sights of the city. We walked pass this spectacle everyday when we walked into the centre from our hostal on the edge of town. The other delights of Merida are the famous and possibly the best Roman ruins in the whole of Spain. The theatre is particularly good, but there are also fantastic villas with mosaic floors and the museum helps to complete the whole experience. Just a quick plug for the Restaurante Meson Museo Iberico: it's the best. If in Merida eat here (Calle Sagasta, just along from the roman forum). Good food, friendly staff and value for money. Here are some pictures of Merida.
Unfortunately the internet connection here isn't the best so will down load more albums when I can.
Its quite strange to think that we are actually here doing this round the world trip and that I have actually stood on that stage (left, no that's not me in the picture). There will be proof in the album.
Travelling is odd, you arrive with excitement and leave with memories, and when Paul's around lots and lots of photographs.
We are off to Sevilla tomorrow to stay for 7 nights in an apartment that has a private roof terrace with jacuzzi tub. It sounds wonderful. Unfortunately it does not have wifi so I may not be able to keep up with the blog. We will try to experience falmenco and tapas andalucian style. We then move on to Chiclana de la Frontera to hang out with all the wind surfer dudes. This is again another wifi free zone. So our next blog will be in a couple of weeks.
Adios for now and I will leave with you the storks.
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