DAY FOUR 14th Sept 2012

SEPTEMBER 14^th  DAY FOUR:

After an evenly balanced Parador buffet breakfast (eggs, fruit, toast, cereal,  yogurt, and cheese) we set our sights on Valdepenas where great tinto is made. The short trip of only 20 kilometers was over in no time with great roads newly painted and paved. We drove the city looking for the center and found it clean and well laid out. We  ventured back to the edge of town and entered the Cheese and Wine Musuem. The Bodega had closed in 1975 by halting production. The owners failed to keep the repairs of the main building up to snuff and recently during a nasty thunderstorm the main thrashing building partly caved in. It made an interesting photo but illustrated the power of nature even with just a thunderstorm. The museum had all of the tools used in the wine making trade. We were led down the stairs where massive tinajas capable of holding a 1.000,0000 liters of wine and there were 42 of them in this subterranean room. The long plank table was all set for the scheduled wedding party this weekend. What a great place for the reception --a bodega. There were lots of tools displayed showing the old and new next to each other. Jesus our guide offered wine and cheese of the region which we both enjoyed immensely. Next stop would be Daimiel and the tablas fed by the underground aquifer .

Now that was an interesting place. These are high plains, it is very dry, hot on the summer and very cold in the winter. They grow grapes and olives and there had obviously been a harvest of something because vast fields were bare and yellow, but there we were in the middle of some lakes all joined by wooden bridges with high grasses (almost like our Florida sawgrass ) with all sorts of birds. Ducks, egrets etc. and lots of little fish in the water. It was about a two Kilometer walk and it was quite warm (not like Florida, but warm)  It was so unexpected in that high, dry, landscape)

We had stopped to have refreshment at a small bar/restaurant and the little tapas they brought us were berengenas (sp) which are little eggplants stuffed with olives! Hmmm! The jury is still out on that, though we did sample them.

Happy hour in the evening was celebrated in Almagro Plaza Major with beer and white wine. We chewed over our options to have something nice and light for dinner and we settled on our new friends resturante Mauri at the Valdalpenas roundabout, so we walked the 4 blocks from the Parador. We ended up with 7.8 miles walked on Friday. Paulo’s wife was sitting outside enjoying the coolness of the evening and while enjoying some light refreshment Paulo and his son, Paulito returned from parts elsewhere?

Jane asked for a light soup and scrambled eggs. Paul had a combination plate of eggs , potatoes and lomo. All in all our “light” supper was more than ample and came to just 23 euros.  A short walk back to the Parador for a night cap and to crash for the day.