Ruta Day Two – Ategua Ruins to Castro del Rio
Ategua to Espejo to Castro del Rio – 15 miles
Madrid
Madrid is the capitol of Spain, the third largest city in Europe and the financial center of Southern Europe. As with many other places in Spain it was initially a Roman city that fell to the Visigoths, the Moors then was ultimately incorporated into Christian Castille in 1085. We are staying at the Hostal Oriente; a lovely spot in the center of the city. We awoke at 5:30 the first…
Cordoba
Córdoba is a city in Andalusia. It was a major Roman city, a center for Jewish learning and a vital Islamic center in the Middle Ages. The most famous monument is La Mezquita, an enormous mosque built in 784 A.D. In 1236 it became a Catholic Church. Córdoba reminds me of Arizona with orange trees everywhere and sunny skies.
Route of the Caliphate
Who can resist a route with a name like this? We’re landing in Madrid, spending a few days there, then taking a train to Toledo and Cordoba where the walking will start. (I am posting the outline of the trip then will fill in with more photos and details as we go.) La Ruta del Califato runs from Cordoba to Granada and is also known as the Camino Mozarabe de…
Walks Toward Mt. Baker Beach
Once the sun has risen I like to take a morning walk going west along the Lake Washington shore path; catching the light coming through the trees and reflecting off the water.
Walks Toward Seward Park
Walking before dawn is like opening a geode; you never know whether the sky will burst into glowing color or a steel grey sky will simply slowly change to a lighter hue. Time permitting, my favorite thing to do is head east along the Lake Washington path towards Seward Park and catch the sun rising over Mt. Rainier and a glowing lake. Here are some morning walk photos.
Spain Trip Photo Gear
In keeping with our goal to do this Spain trip as light as possible I am just taking my iPhone for photos and leaving the bigger camera home. The hama tripod is great for uneven surfaces and the legs can be wrapped around things for greater stability. The jellyfish clamps easily and tightly around most external phone cases then screws on to the tripod. The leef is for external memory…
Spain
Alfred and I are heading to Spain mid-January. Leo, our elderly dog, is holding down the fort and sleeping in front of the fire. Our plan is to fly into Madrid then take a train to Toledo then Cordoba. Once there we start walking along the Route of the Caliphate until we get to Granada. After Granada it’s a bus to Tarifa, the southernmost point of Spain, where we pick…