Our first free day started out by exiting the hotel just as the sky was starting to glow in the east. You need to do that if you want to catch the dawn properly. Back across the new old bridge, through the deserted cobblestoned streets of the old town and down the famous trail into the gorge. Under non-bloggers lead we commando style slipped under the chain, slid around the exit turnstile and slunk down the stairs to the lower platform. Normally you'd pay 4 euros for the privilege but they we not open this early. Set up the gopro and spent the next 90 mins capturing the day break with the majestic bridge looming large over the impressive waterfall below. Just us and the plethora of birds calling to each other as they wheeled around in the slight breezes wafting along the valley.
The light was muted somewhat by mist over the distant mountains, so there wasn't the expected razzle dazzle, however it was worth the adventure. As we wrapped up the guy that ran the place arrived and started yelling at us to get out. He even started blowing a whistle which sure did change the ambiance and give him a certain amount of authority. Offered to pay but he just furiously waved us away and said "go". So we did. Mission successful (with a slight guilt feeling). Back up to the same place as yesterday for bagels, fresh juice and coffee we had a chat to a delightful lady from India who explained that today is the first day of the local festival and her girls (~20x14yo) will be in the parade this evening. Dressed in their finery with actual fires on their heads. The cultural significance of Indian girls extruding hot air from thier cranuims whilst in the hills of southern Spain during a feastival who's main focus is the systematic destruction of proud beasts is somewhat perplexing. How we managed to be here at this specific time of the year and staying in the hotel in the middle of all this action is beyond this bloggers comprehension. Not complaining though.
Back to the hotel for a siesta (getting into the groove of it all now) and then out for a quick bite at probs the most expensive place around. Very nice under their umbrellas and matching white linen table cloths but way OTT for this cheapskate Aussie duo. Then we ran out of things to do...so came up with the idea of doing the laundry. Being a fair way away that filled in the time before dinner. Truly stiffling hot with everything shut at that time of the day. When traveling one of the most boring and unitersting times can be sitting in a laundromat watching your dirty linen slowly become sociable. Better airing it there than on the internet (ha ha .. joke) however it's a task that one either takes on oneself or pass it over to unknowns in yhe hotel who can pass judgment on your stains which could lead to unknown consequences. The wash cycle was spent reconiotering the bus depot for next days departure. The dry cycle this blogger had sussed out an establishment that we could cool our thirsts at whilst the cycle completed, keeping an eye on the frontage of the laundry just to make sure no one was inclined to take off with our (now stain free) undergarments. There was a continuous stream of walking tour peeps streaming past the square that comprised of the bus stop, our covered veranda and the laundromat.
Possibly the most boring and uninteresting place in all of Europe to walk through. and they kept coming. Hundreds of them. Some observations just have to go by without an explanation. Back to the clothes though, never air your dirty laundry is the mantra. In some way I think I just did. However, with our now cleaned kit held in quality plastic shopping bags we headed back down to the hotel, through the swarming tourists throngs with not one mention from anyone about the laundry we were carrying. I reckon therefore we got away with it.
So then the evening unfolded...we had positioned ourselves perfectly to sit at a recommended restaurant to watch the parade pass us by until we were informed that all the tables outside (which we were on) had to come in to cater for the event. No problem. We just kept the trickle of orders going so as to sort of own our right to be there, in that spot. Worked perfectly. By the time the parade came through this here blogger was totally at home capturing the passing event whist non-blogger kept our ties with the establishment and thus securing our spot.
The parade was quite simply an amazing experience. So much joy, fun, talent with people from all different cultures showing to us all what matters to them. Colourfull, noisy, happy (some participants tierd..understandable) all the whilst this here blogger trying to capture it all on the gopro. The kids on the floats loved the idea of throwing confetti at the camera (looking forward to the visuals when we get home). Eventually though they all moved on up the road and we had the long arduous treck of about 10 steps back to the hotel in which we could deconstruct and fall asleep whilst the town below continous to party on.
1 comment:
Fantastic!
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