La Pedriza

After a couple days sitting in a hostel in Madrid, I was happy when my good friend Stefan arrived to pick me up. He had picked me up in Spain before for a similar trip (if you don't count the detour down to Morocco). One big difference this time was that we had a bit more time to stop and see the sights.



Stefan had come prepared with the perfect European camping device - the hammock. I've read several forums on the subject of "wild" camping in Europe; many of which do not cast a positive light on the subject. It seems that the Europeans don't take too kindly to people going off the beaten path in order to get away from it all... AKA actual camping. No, the European way is to spend 30 bucks on a small section of someone else's backyard in the middle of about a hundred other "campers". Yeah, thanks, but no thanks. Unfortunately for people like myself, the laws tend to reflect the attitude that Europeans have toward "wild" camping. So, the only way to get away with the dastardly deed of roughing it in the woods for a night or two, is to be aware of what in particular the local authorities are most concerned about.

It's not really so much that they hate people setting up camp in their beloved forests (though I'm sure some would find a reason to get upset about that, e.g., it's not safe, it doesn't belong to you, etc.) but, rather, it's the fact that campers haven't always shown the most respect while doing so. Some campers litter, others try to set up more permanent dwellings for long-term habitation, and still others just don't have the sense to stay out of the public eye. With these things in mind, it's really not that hard to come up with a few strategies for keeping everyone happy... more or less. First of all, don't camp in places where you're likely to be found! That should be obvious, as should not littering. As the old saying goes, "take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints."

The last thing to consider, especially if you're not really that far from civilization (a likely scenario in the relatively crowded landscape of Europe), is keeping a low profile. This is why the hammocks were so useful. Setting up a tent not only draws more attention, but a tent also looks more "permanent". That's why one of the few pieces of actually useful advice that I was able to find regarding wild camping in Europe that one take a tarp, lay down, and cover up with it! Well, I'm not above doing that, but hammocks are a bit more comfortable and are just about as likely to be perceived as a temporary sleeping situation. In any case, I use google maps to find places that are generally tucked away enough that I don't have to worry about being stumbled upon by some hiker or forest ranger.



On Tuesday, the 3rd of October, Stefan showed up with his friend Patrick and we set off from my hostel for our first stop - La Pedriza. La Pedriza has been on my list of places to see for a while. I spent a whole year living in Spain, even drove around most of the country, but never got around to seeing it. Well, since we had a few days, we made a slight detour to a "campsite" nearby so we could get an early start on our hike the next morning. Okay, so we broke the first rule of wild camping - we camped in a public place. But, we made it work by getting there after dark, and leaving before the first joggers showed up. Spain has a lot of areas where there's really no place to hide, so sometimes you just gotta make do.

After hiking La Pedriza, with all of it's boulders and beautiful views, we rode back down on the mountain bikes with our friend Patrick following us in the van. We then drove to Guadalajara for lunch, and continued to the small mountain pueblo of Montanejos for another shot at the hot pools there. I had been there before during my trip around Spain with Preston, but I hadn't gone in because it just didn't seem worth it at the time... winter was only just coming to an end. Following our refreshing dip, and a nice dinner at a local restaurant, we decided not to stay at my tried and trusted camping spot there in the hills. Instead, we pushed on for a couple more hours toward our next destination: Morella. We ended up camping on a random mountain road up in the clouds which, yet again, turned out to be a rule breaker... we would wake up the next morning to the sound of the owner of the house just up around the bend driving down and stopping at our "campsite". Fortunately, he didn't seem to have much to say - probably saw the Swiss plates and put two and two together. In any case, I had chosen this place based on its remoteness (google maps is clutch), so chances are they don't get a lot of unwanted visitors hanging out on their premises.

ALL PHOTOS

Mis Amigos

When it comes to travel, momentum tends to be a decisive factor. Though, it doesn't always seem like it when you're on the road. In fact, it's easy to get tired and start looking for excuses to drag your feet. Nevertheless, momentum comes into play when you consider three things: one-way trips are cheaper than round-trip tickets, you don't have to worry about paying rent in one place once you've moved to another and, because you don't have anything keeping you in one spot, it's easy to just keep moving! Once you have a job, and finally find a place to rent, it's hard to imagine spending more than a few days on the road. This leads us to a sort of contradiction: while you're traveling, work, and the security that comes with it, sounds pretty good. But, after you start working, it doesn't take long to realize that having a job doesn't leave much room for travel!

Nevertheless, there is a way to balance the equation - do as much travel as possible before and after starting work. After my visit to England I continued my whirlwind tour of Europe. On Sunday, the 24th of September, I landed in Madrid and picked up my rental car. After just catching the church meeting, I went to a Chinese buffet with some of the brothers that I hadn't seen since a year before. I then grabbed a sim card and went to the weekly couchsurfing meeting. Finally, after making some new friends, I made my way to a hostel for my first night back in Spain.

The next morning I picked up a motorcycle helmet and battery for my bike up in Switzerland (cheaper to buy in Spain) before heading down to my old stomping grounds in Castilla-La Mancha. There I saw my former colleague Cristina after paying a visit to my mechanic friend Luis. Cristina and I went to the local cafe to catch up - she had actually moved to another pueblo, but we met there in beautiful Belmonte for old-times' sake. That evening I found my way back to Julio's in Pedro Muñoz then joined him and the others for a walk.



Over the next four days I went back to Las Mesas as a guest teacher, visited with more colleagues, met with my former employer from the academy in Las Pedroñeras, and joined Maria Jose and her family for a basement fireplace barbecue similar to the one I had been to with Luis and the guys at the racing circuit the year before.



The next weekend, Julio took me to Tomelloso to see the Museo del carro y aperos de labranza. We saw a lot of cool historical farming artifacts as well as a old-timey dwelling called a Bombo. A Bombo is a traditional structure specially designed to house shepherds and farmers, along with their farm animals and their farming tools - no joke, they slept alongside the smelly animals! This old-school barn was reconstructed with more than two million stones, cleverly arranged one above the other without any mortar between them.



The next day I drove back to Madrid to return my rental, then spent the next two days hanging out at the hostel waiting for Stefan to arrive for another trip up through France and back to Switzerland. Thankfully, this time we would not be doing it in a 41-hour straight shot!

ALL PHOTOS

Despedida

On Sunday, May 22nd, I went to el Buen Parto with Julio and friends for a festival. It would also be my last time with them before leaving a few days later. This was essentially my despedida or "farewell".



We ate lots of paella and watched the different events unfold (marching band, people on horses, lots of vendors, etc.)... but mostly we ate paella :)

ALL PHOTOS

Castilla-La Mancha

On Friday, May 6th, I rode to Ciudad Real for the Conferencia de Jovenes (young people's conference) - a gathering of young people in the church. The last time I was in Spain (back in 2010) I went to one in Cordoba.



As before, we enjoyed a lot of time together eating and enjoying and I got a chance to talk with a friend who, like me, is also planning on moving to Germany in the next year.



About a week later my good friend Steve arrived from the UK and we spent the afternoon at the castle in my pueblo. The next day we went to Restaurante Castilla for a solid Spanish breakfast of Chorizo, pigs ear and other rich, oily meats. We then headed over to las Lagunas de Ruidera (the lagoons of Ruidera) - a group of lakes famously depicted in the story of Don Quixote.



Next we had lunch at a nice roadside restaurant on the way over to the waterfalls of el Nacimiento del Rio Mundo (the birth of the world river) - one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Spain.



Finally, after wandering in the forest for hours trying to find the entrance to the cave at the top of the waterfall, we had a nice lamb dinner in a restaurant near our campsite. We made sure to leave a "propina" (tip) even though the custom is really not that big in Spain as of yet.



The next day we had another fantastic roadside food experience (lots of oily, meaty goodness!) on our way to Cuenca. Upon our arrival we first had a look at the Casas Colgadas (hanging houses) and Casco Antiguo (old quarter) before making our way over to the trail head at the other side of the valley.



It was a reasonably brief hike (about 30-40 minutes) up to a rather large statue at the top then we hurried back to Casco Antiguo to meet up with Laura and Jonathan at a cafe. Finally, we went to Museo Antonio Perez to see some artwork.



We were both particularly fond of the works of Bosco Sodi (above). He glues sawdust to canvases and pours paint down them to get images that often resemble forests or sometimes something more elemental like lava or water.



Back in Belmonte we had another very nice meal, this time at at La Muralla (one of the main restaurants in town), and, the next day, Steve headed off to the airport for his flight home to jolly old England. Overall, the trip was a complete success and, aside from a bit of rainy weather and slightly inadequate sleeping arrangements at the campground, we couldn't have asked for better conditions. Okay, some signs pointing us to the cave might have been nice but, then again, getting lost is part of the fun!

ALL PHOTOS

Los Mayos

On Saturday, April 30th, the festival of Los Mayos began. Los Mayos - a festival celebrating the start of Spring - is basically a chance for locals to walk around eating and singing for a couple of days. After visiting with some locals in my pueblo, I headed off to Pedro Munoz to join Julio and the others for the main event.



We have the 30th                             I will paint your legs
of April finished                               your tiny feet
tomorrow May begins                      with many charms
beautiful and flowery.                      you are a sorceress.

Waiting we are                                 Sorceress you are
the light of the morning                   here's the lady
to see the sky open                           that (the name of the lady) is called
the sun on your face.                        from this aurora house.

Beautiful face painting                     Goodbye wallflower
a number to do                                  goodbye lily
to paint                                              farewell fleur de lis ("flower of the lily" - French royalty)          
don't bring brushes.                           goodbye beautiful rose.

Brushes or feathers                           We say goodbye
and one of yours                                but we're not leaving
you have to give to the beautiful       our hearts here we leave.
Imperial Eagle.

Imperial Eagle                                   If you are not satisfied
in sleep you rest                                 with this May you have been given
wake up if you sleep                          take the bottle... (original: "and have a drink")
and hear the couplet.                          and the Jamón serrano (cured Spanish ham)

... yeah, translating this was not easy! The singers in the video sang a different version but, if you listen real closely, you may be able to hear the crowds singing this version. By reading the lyrics you can actually get a feel for some of the major themes in Spanish festival culture: excitement, singing, community involvement, nostalgia and, maybe the most important, food!

 
It was a big night out with lots of chanting in the streets and eating tapas everywhere we went. Still, we got back at 3 am - which is pretty early by Spanish standards. The next day we went to a big show where dancers from all over Spain came to show off their local cultures' dancing styles. The dance styles were very lively and the clothing very colorful. It all makes for a rather entertaining atmosphere to say the least!

ALL PHOTOS

Parque de Attracciones

On Friday, April 8th, I rode up to Madrid again to stay at Preston's and the next day a bunch of us went to the local amusement park - el Parque de Attraciones. We spent a bit of time at the gates there trying to get a group discount and, after convincing a few random strangers to join our group, we got in for a few dollars less. We then went straight to the biggest roller coaster and waited in line. Well, it wasn't a super long line but I wasn't overly impressed with the thrill factor either. After having a go at the main attraction, we went on a few other rides - all of which had much shorter lines. All in all, I'd say that none of the rides really got me all that excited but, nevertheless, it was a nice, fun day and the wait times were pretty reasonable.



Over the next few weeks I went back and forth between Madrid and Belmonte a couple times for the meetings and some board game nights with friends in another neighborhood. Back in Belmonte I started swimming at the local pool in Las Pedroneras and spent some time getting to know my locality a bit better... and maybe too well - some local jokers put a dead bird in my bike!

ALL PHOTOS

POP!

On Sunday, March 27th, the journey home continued from Madrid. It had been a reasonably safe journey with a low rate of serious problems... until now. I was about 13 kilometers from home when I heard a loud "POP!" and came to a stop. Not surprisingly, the sound had come from the back tire popping - I guess it was a good thing we decided to turn back when we did!

I continued riding along on the straightaway, and was even able to get up to 70 kph without any problems... until the last two kilometers. I had to make one turn before the final stretch into town and the flat tire didn't handle it well. For the last few minutes I found myself swerving all over the road... but still making progress at 50 kph! As I pulled into town some guys sitting out front of one of the bars started laughing and then stood up in surprise pointing excitedly at my back tire. I nodded in response, shrugged and continued on my way to my mechanic amigo - Luis. Luis took one look at the tire and shook his head disapprovingly - it was, of course, completely bald.



Over the next couple weeks I worked and recovered from the predominately successful journey around Spain while Luis worked on replacing the tire.

ALL PHOTOS

Logroño!

On Friday, March 25th, we made our way over to Logroño - the wine capital of Spain. It just so happened that a friend of Preston's, who he knew from Texas but hadn't seen for a while, was visiting that very same day and we ran into him in the street! That friend had a local friend in Logroño who was happy to show us his favorite areas including one in particular that locals tend to frequent:



We had some good tapas and ice cream then tried to find a mechanic so we could salvage the rest of our trip... no luck. Well, that did it - we decided to cancel our travels through the Basque country in the north of Spain which, as it later turned out, would prove to be a very, very good call! Thankfully what happened next didn't change our new plan: we were heading back to Arnedillo for the night when I realized something very interesting - both of the brakes were working again! I later learned that the problem had likely been caused by overheating and that the fluids had simply had to re-condense. After the fluids regained pressure it was just a matter of applying the breaks and 'voilà' - back in action!



That evening we had another look at the hot pools (though they were a bit... nasty, so I don't think we went in) and then, the next day, we headed on to Madrid!

ALL PHOTOS

Girona!

On Wednesday, March 23rd, we got the new battery in and continued on our way to Girona - the northernmost point of Catalonia - on the French border. We arrived at the home of Jose Félix and his family and he gave us the grand tour of Girona!


We had some pizza, visited with the church in Girona and climbed the wall overlooking the city. Then we went to some really unique shops and ate at a nice restaurant in the Jewish quarter or "Juderia" with some visiting ones from churches in other cities.


The next day we rode for over 10 hours to get to Arnedillo... it was quite dark when we arrived. Of course, we still had to find our camping spot so we rode around a bit until we found a mountain road. Unfortunately, this road was not for maxi scooters - it was rough. Moreover, it didn't have any areas tucked away and appeared to be a scenic walk that people would be up on early in the morning. So we headed back down the mountain and that's when my brakes went out. Well, one did but then other kept working long enough for us to get to the bottom.

We then took a track along the river (turned out it was more of a footpath) and ended up in a tunnel under the pueblo - this was pretty cool. Nevertheless, we were super tired and just wanted to find a spot to camp before the other brake went out. We went to the edge of town where we found a promising bushy area on a river but, alas, it was not satisfactory. We then went up another mountain, paved this time, but no dice. Finally, we got back on the main road heading out of town and, just like that, we found it. A pull off had a small path heading down to the river and, in the trees - under the cover of a cliff side - was a campsite previously used by other freedom campers - a beautiful and welcome sight to behold!


We quickly set up camp and went back into town to find the hot pools or "aguas termales". We talked to some locals at a bar where a friendly local gave us some advice and history on the pools - apparently they can get quite hot! Fortunately we were there when it hadn't rained too much (or too little?) so the water was a pretty comfortable temperature... if only a little crowded.

ALL PHOTOS

Barcelona!

On Sunday, March 20th, Preston and I hit the road on my little maxi scooter loaded down with all of our gear. We soon made our way up into the mountains and arrived at a small pueblo nestled in the hills called Montanejos. The steep drive was probably not the best thing for my little recently rebuilt moto but still well worth it.... hot springs.



Not ordinary springs - these are the "eternal youth" variety... or, at least, that's what the Arabic king Abu-Ceit thought. In the 13th century he built the springs for his favorite wives so that they could “forever maintain their youth and beauty” by way of the nutrients in the waters. The water was a bit cold unlike the hot pool we would later visit.



That night we camped out up the hill on one of the many random side roads that branch off into the hillside. This was Preston's first acampada libre or "wild camping" experience and it turned out to be a good one - open enough for setting up a good campsite yet hidden enough by the landscape and trees to insure that we wouldn't be stumbled upon by random passersby. The next day we had another go at the springs then got back on the bike for a ride up to Peniscola (pronounced "penny-scola").



That night we camped out in at another random spot up in the hills. Preston made a magnificent stew with our camping stove and I fashioned a trip cam  mount on the bike windscreen using duct tape!



We continued up to Barcelona where we ate some good Botifarra and then saw the Sagrada Familia and Park Güell - both designed by one of my favorite architects: Antoni Gaudí.



That evening we hit a bit of a snag... our battery died. At first the bike wouldn't start but we managed to roll charge / start it and get on our way out of the city center... at which point the lights started to dim and brighten. Just happy to be on our way, we didn't think much of it until the speedometer started jumping all over the place. Still, it was getting late and I wasn't about to risk what daylight we had left on a potentially complex problem... then it happened. As we were pulling into a small pueblo we lost power and the bike was dead. Now, as incredible as it may sound, we were just a block away from the only bike shop in, not just that pueblo, but any pueblo within 50 kilometers! Unfortunately, they were closing, but they were friendly (and they liked my custom cardboard "Acerbis" hand guards and trip cam mount) and, after showing us around town a bit, they directed us to a campground for the night.

ALL PHOTOS

Las Falles

On Friday, March 18th, I rode over to Valencia to meet with Preston for our big trip around Spain - starting with Las Falles! We stayed the night at Oscar's and, the next day, we spent some time at the beach.



That night we went out to see more of the burning effigies at one of the most famous festivals in Spain - Las Falles! The crowds were massive and the air filled with various kinds of smoke... most from blowing up the giant artworks around the city. Getting around wasn't easy but we managed to park up just down from the biggest "falla" of them all. In fact, it was the biggest one they'd ever made! The next day we got on the bike to start our journey - destination: SPAIN!

ALL PHOTOS

Moto X!

On Monday, March 7th, I taught a class with Isidro (our principal) and then had lunch on Wednesday at Anna's bodega (winery) with the rest of the faculty. It was a really cool place with a historical feel and lots of nice food and people.



After we ate they gave us a little tour around the silos and then I had to run in order to get to work over in Las Pedroneras on time. I missed out though because they went shooting afterward - something I'd like to have seen considering that everyone had had a few...

On Thursday I went to a cultural museum that my school had on. It showcased the local history and culture which was, as you often see in Spain, quite unique!



Later I had to fight Caja Rural again... this time it was because they blocked my account... I don't know why - probably just to show me how much of a valued client I was. Anyway, I called them up and asked why they were blocking my account and they hung up on me. Sure, I said "block-ay-ado" and I should have said "bl-O-ck-ay-ado" but I still feel it was an attempt by them to avoid doing their job... an experience that is more common in Spain than you'd believe. Also in Hong Kong.

I got the moto back from the shop that evening and, the next day, I took it over to the circuit to check out the local motocross scene... which was really just too cool. Now, I would have liked to have ridden my bike on the circuit but, seeing as I only had a maxi scooter, that wasn't gonna happen. Still, there's never a dull moment with Spanish people. I had a good time watching the stunts, meeting the other riders (and wannabe riders) and, of course, there's always some good food!


The next day we all did a fundraiser for a kid who needed a prosthetic. It was also a fun opportunity to ride - this time over to the next pueblo and back.



The next couple of days, I worked and planned the next big trip! Also, I watched the fruit vendors wake up the whole pueblo for the thousandth time...

ALL PHOTOS

Mascletás

On Friday, March 4th, I dropped my bike off in Pedroneras and met with Maribel for another trip to Valencia. This time - Mascletas! Maribel introduced me to genuine Gallego bread (my new favorite) and we walked around looking at the city gates, festivities and more of the crazy Spanish murals that I've come to expect.

The next day I wandered around Valencia while Maribel was in classes and then, back at the apartment, she made me an awesome chicken lunch with the Gallego bread from the day before.

Finally, on day three, we went to check out the Mascletas! The following is a description of the event:

A mascletá usually consists of four parts:

• Start: The show begins with both sound and visual effects.
• Body: During the central part of the mascletà the intensity and volume goes up.
• Terratrèmol (earthquake): The stronger fireworks, called masclets, burst in unison.
• Air show: Intense aerial fireworks. They are always visible for spectators and are accompanied by colours.

Well, believe it or not, the description above doesn't really do justice to the intensity of the "earthquake". Rather, I would use the term "shock wave" to describe the sensation seeing as the impact of the pressure waves could literally be felt in the very core of ones being - no exaggeration. It was the most intense fireworks display I have ever seen in my life. 

ALL PHOTOS

Spanishness

On Thursday, the 18th of February, I went on another excursion with my students. This time we went to Madrid to visit Santiago Bernabéu Stadium where the football (soccer) team Real Madrid plays their home games. This was a big deal for my students seeing as soccer is the center of their lives.



After seeing the stadium, my students and I went ice skating and then they went back home. Meanwhile, I stayed in Madrid and spent the next few days with friends from the church. On Sunday Preston and I were on our way to the train station when we stopped at the park. We saw some real authentic looking Spanish dancing and then Preston put on his own show with the swing musicians. After enjoying this unusual meeting of Spanish and American cultures, I got on a train to Guadalajara and met up with Cristina. A couple of days later I was back in Las Mesas watching my students giggle nervously and recoil in fear during an animal workshop with turtles, snakes and scorpions.



The following Thursday I rode over to Cuenca to talk to the Extranjeria about a potential work permit for the summer. Unfortunately, the visit was a waste of time... they had me drive for over an hour to talk to a guy who didn't know anything and he sent me to a lady who promptly sent me back to the guy and, in the end, they told me that they couldn't help me. Still, they had me set up an appointment so that I could come back and be disappointed again at a later date. I later found that they wanted to look at renewing my student visa even though I had been clear that my purpose was solely work related... Nevertheless, the trip wasn't a complete waste of time as I was able to meet up with some friends for a walk around the city and dinner at El Coto - a local favorite.

ALL PHOTOS