Thoughts on Spain

Photo by Patrick Jones. Tile map at Alcázar de Segovia.

We are now back from the trip to Spain, adjusting slowly to the time difference and change of pace after eight days over there. My previous trip to Madrid had been on a layover in March 2016. Madrid has a great vibe and I felt very much at home. I wish I could trace my Hispanic branches of the tree back to their original locations in Spain.

Driving north of Madrid to Segovia and Ribera del Duero reminded me a lot of driving in Santa Barbara County and other parts of Southern California. The land has a similar feel, much of the area between Segovia and Ribera is farmland, small old villages and castles. An example of one such place is below. Moraleja de Cuéllar is a tiny village of 38 people on SG-V-2231 that we passed through on the way to Quintanilla de Onésimo. There really was no reason for us to have driven through the village, but that was the route we were given by Google Maps. Perhaps it was another example of Google knowing what I wanted to see, as many of the homes in the village have walls that were painted by local artist Marcelino Garciá Arranz. We were surprised to see these in the village and it made for a nice stop on the way to Ribera del Duero.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Mural by Marcelino Garciá Arranz.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Murals in Moraleja de Cuéllar, Spain. 15 May 2017.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Mural by Marcelino Garciá Arranz.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Murals in Moraleja de Cuéllar, 15 May 2017.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Leaving Olivares de Duero to Quintanilla de Onésimo.

I will have more posts on the visit to wine country, Segovia and murals in Madrid. We had a lovely time in Spain. Great food and wine, friendly people, historic sites, it really had so much to offer. Spain is very affordable too. Wine was cheaper than Coca-Cola.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Segovia, Spain. 15 May 2017.

After seeing Madrid and parts of Castile and León, I definitely want to go back at see other regions. I have a meeting in Barcelona next year. I will have to look for another opportunity to go back so that I can work in a visit to Basque Country and Galicia in the north and Southern Spain as well.