The Man of La Mancha

Friday. We drove to Consuegra, state of La Mancha, and saw 11 of 13 original windmills. This is the country Cervantes had in mind when he wrote of Don Quixote in the early 17th century. Next to the windmills was a 12th century castle, now under restoration. Climbed in and around many of the rooms, down through a tower with three round floors and narrow, winding steps. A group of school children (1st and 2nd graders) were visiting the windmills at the same time. Their teachers were dressed in mideival costumes, like Merlin and a maiden. It was fun!

Saturday. We left Toledo and our country inn and drove around Madrid (we´ll save it for a separate trip) to the Valley of the Fallen, a basilica built into the side of a mountain to honor the 200,000 killed during the Spanish Civil War of 1936 to 1939. The basilica sits high up in the mountains in a beautiful forest. A granite cross tops a hill, and beneath it is the basilica. In 1940, Franco had prisoners dig 220,000 tons of granite from this mountain and they used this granite to build the cross. The cross can be seen for miles away. We saw it through mist and fog, as it was raining the day we drove up there. The basilica is a tunnel 300 yards long and is pretty awesome. Granite carvings line the enormous hall, an arched tunnel. Mass was underway when we arrived, so the altar area was closed off to tourists. Franco was buried here in 1975, after his long fascist reign over Spain. 50,000 others are entombed here as well.

On to Segovia, a world heritage site, where we viewed the Roman aquaduct, 100 feet high and 2500 feet long. Had lunch at Meson de Candido, and we were welcomed and had photos taken with the owner. What a showman! There are photos here of heads of state (Carter, Juan Carlos, etc.) Watched Candido give a toast, cut a roast suckling pig with the edge of a plate and then smash the plate on the stone floor. More fun!

We are now in Sitges, Spain. Kathy will know this as where Jose from Fifth Ave. Travel owns a condo. Will tell about it in our next blog. Tomorrow . . . Barcelona!