The Way to Go

The cleverness of cats should never be underestimated. As the old joke goes, the ancient Egyptians worships cats, and cats have never forgotten it. I’m not sure what other animal can make this claim to fame. There I was in Cuenca, Spain, looking for a little place to eat, when I spotted this cat. I figured he was on his way to a snack or a nap. (Two things I also happen to enjoy, usually in that order.)

My gray and white short haired friend got to the top of the stairs, hung a left, and leaped into an open window! Brilliant for him but I was clearly not invited. As for me, well, I was on my own. Luckily, just down the lane was a narrow restaurant I might never have found. (You see, that was the cat’s plan, to show me the way and leave the bill to my account.) It turned out to be a good place to practice Spanish for this native English speaker. The waiter asked me a dozen questions, everything from where I was from to why had I come to Cuenca to where I was going next. He was an affable fellow. Like so many Spaniards I meet in my travels, he was intensely proud of his culture and immediate family.

After the meal I was back on the streets, looking for more interesting things, keeping a sharp eye for cats and other sneaky creatures.

Published in: on June 27, 2008 at 11:54 am  Comments (1)  
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A Mission

While traveling about Spain, I invariably encounter pairs of older women out and about. Usually they give the appearance that they’re on a mission of great importance. Arm in arm, up the streets they go, toting oversized handbags and parcels to their critical destination. For all I know, they’re simply going home or to visit friends. Ah, but it’s fun to spin a little story. Maybe they’re delivering critical supplies needed for clandestine research that will save the world. Like these two in Cuenca:

I was on the easy part of this street. That is on the way down. Looking over the wall, I saw them coming up the lower part, before the corner at the right of the frame. They chugged up, one foot after the other, undeterred by the steep grade. I managed to snap this picture before they saw me, then quickly turned the camera away so as not to be offensive. But there was no foul. I touched my hat, they smiled, and went inside to complete their mission, whatever it happened to be.

Published in: on June 20, 2008 at 6:58 pm  Comments (2)  
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Cuenca’s Gorge

No doubt you’ve seen many great photos of the “hanging houses” of Cuenca, Spain. Here is a look into the gorge above which those famous houses hang.

It’s a long way down; that’s for sure. What’s interesting is the way the land on that narrow valley floor is being used. Not one square inch is wasted. After touring about town, we went down there. The patchwork fields were more like large gardens, the soil black and lush. No crops were in season, but you can bet that whatever was planted was sure to yield a bountiful harvest. There was also the church on the bluff to the right side of the frame. It was another imposing structure, standing out to the very edge, it’s walls rising up from the rock below.

Landscapes and structures like these are one of the things I like about Spain. Each one is a series of surprises and unexpected revelations. At times it is hard to grasp all of them. It takes practice to seek them out and not be overwhelmed by the major attractions. We were driving from Cuenca to Granada and along the way came to a small town. After filling the tank at a gas station, I noticed a series of walls about five or six blocks away. I motored over only to discover the remains of what must have been a small cathedral. No one was around, not even a stray dog. We walked among the ruins, undisturbed for the better part of an hour. There was no roof and several walls appeared to be only half their original height. And yet the feeling of what had been there remained.

I imagine there are many such places not only in Spain but around the world. There are too many for all of them to be restored or even preserved as they are. I was thrilled to take my own little tour through the past, now wishing I had taken some photos to have for the future. Given the very good digital cameras today and the low prices of memory cards, I won’t make that mistake again.

Published in: on June 19, 2008 at 9:47 am  Comments (2)  
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