Another very hot day
in Badajoz of 104F and so we plan to enjoy AC even if only in the car. We
headed out for Olivenza which is not very far away but we can experience a nice
drive and see some different countryside. Olivenza is another town very close
to the border and thus changed back and forth between Portugal and Spain. We once again chose not to tour the religious
monuments. There are so many here and so many battles fought about disputed
territory besides, a beer in the shade and people watching was all we were up
to.
It is a very nice town and all down the sides of the Plaza are stone
benches each with the story of the history of the town. I so love these plazas
and parks which give a respite from the heat as they are always shaded by trees
usually with a fountain or some statuary. Here it was a monument to all those
who were victims of terrorism. A lovely sentiment and something we have seen before
in other towns. Last year it was in Cartagena, which had this enormous figure
of a man sitting with his head on his knees. Very powerful and thought
provoking.
We returned to Badajoz by a different route. A lot of hot
cattle, olive trees, a few grape vines, trees and hay being harvested. On top
of every electricity pylon there is a stork’s nest! Some have more than one and
look like stork condominiums. They make this odd clattering with their bills,
hard to say if they are warning others off or just passing the time of day!
Usually there are at least 3 in the nest, I assume it is Mom, Dad and a young ‘un
ready to take flight. I love them!
We returned to have lunch at 100 Montaditos, not really
hungry so this fit the bill perfectly before siesta. This heat is unrelenting.
Most of Spain is experiencing really high temperatures. Our friend Guillermo is
cycling in Andorra in the Pyrenees and he is really feeling it! Other friends
in Elizondo offered him their much cooler temps! He was not amused.
We returned to the same area where had dinner before and
realized we were in a different restaurant! No problem, we were inside in the
A/C and the food was awesome. Our one handed waiter made great recommendations
of, clams, stuffed mushrooms and salad. You can spend a lot of time having dinner
in Spain, it is not just putting food in your belly but having an experience
and socializing. No one rushes you , you eat, you enjoy and you leave feeling
very relaxed!
We really do have to catch up on this blog. My memories are
fading from just a few days ago.
No comments:
Post a Comment