Ancient Spanish Paths

Grey skies and rain made leaving Barcelona, emotionally, a little bit easier. We were still high from Flamenco in a little joint the night before. It had more passion than can be legal in public. Music poured from the musicians souls and instruments like we have never seen before and the intensity of the dance was spellbinding. Even though we kept our front row seats our hearts and souls were onstage with the dancer just 5 feet away beating to the intense staccato of the her heels.

We woke early for a monday morning rush hour and slick streets made for some white knuckle driving for all of the drivers on the road. The Vespa's were still out in force, slipping and sliding while being ridden by women in skirts and high heels on their way to the office. One wonders if this kind of risk taking is more prevalent in a society with universal health care...

Heading northwest for a few hours brought us into the heart of the Spanish Pyrenees. We chose another random small town at the end of the road and were rewarded with one of the most incredible places of the trip. Torla is a tiny town of medieval heritage. Crooked narrow stone streets and old stone buildings with slate roofs set in a magnificent valley within Parc Nacional Ordessa make this a hikers heaven. Besides some longer more rugged hikes, we walk along stone paths between ancient pastures and think about what has gone on before us. The Black Plague was rough on areas like these and we wonder if that or New Spain, or modern life, or any one of a million other reasons are why they have fallen into decay. There are medieval ruins everywhere and the countryside seems older than some other parts of Europe. There were no battles here during WWI & WWII (that I am aware of) which decimated battlefields like in France and Germany. There were many battles between Moors and Catholics but they were before the time of explosive ordnance and machine guns.

I was tempted to write this entire blog entry on the beautiful campground we are ensconced in. The owner lives on site and his pride of ownership shows. We feel like guests in his families home. It is another excellent campground with spotless restrooms and showers, modern stainless steel dish and laundry sinks so clean they sparkle, a small grocery store with fresh bread and croissants in the morning, reliable wi-fi, large grassy pasture with shade trees, stars at night so bright they can be seen even with this glorious half moon we're having and quiet so still the only sound is the river in the distance or the breeze in the trees. If you're ever in the area it is "Camping Rio Ara".