This was another brilliant day, hot but not humid, and like the days before it offered many panoramic views – views overlooking the Sierra Nevada in the north but also fabulous views overlooking the Mediterranean Sea in the south. It is said that when the air is really clear you can see Africa from the edge of the mountain.
Sierra Nevada
But that day also contained exciting passages up and down the edges of a wide valley and I ended up for the night in the village of Lanjarón.
Lanjaron
Lanjarón is situated in the western extreme of an area called the Alpujarras. This area is famous for its beautiful and dramatic nature with high mountains, mighty pine forests, and deep valleys, speckled with white villages.
Lanjaron
Lanjarón is a bit different from a normal Andalusian village in that it has a relatively open village plan with wider streets in average than other villages I have visited. Another impressive thing is that Lanjarón must have at least ten hotels and with a population of 4000 that tells me that it must attract many tourists. One explanation is probably that it is a spa town and another that its surroundings offer excellent hiking, mountain biking, and climbing. Lanjarón is also famous for its bottled spring water that can be bought all over Spain.
This was to become a tough day that went a bit wrong almost from the beginning. I lost the track and when I realized that I had to retrace for quite a bit, losing time and energy in the steep slopes. The terrain was really very difficult and almost involved climbing at times but as always in the Alpujarras the astounding views were there all day long and rapidly made me forget my difficulties and put a big smile on my face.
Alpujarras
When I stepped over the village limit and into Pitres it was after six in the evening. At the village square I was met by a strange sight: a horse and a big dog chasing one another, running back and forth all over the place. I asked a couple of ladies that I went past where to find Hotel San Roque and immediately I was offered to stay at their house! You never know what could happen if you let yourself be seduced by sweet talk from pretty women so I lied and told them that I already had made a reservation with the hotel 🙂
Pitres
Even if it had been a long day I wouldn’t set aside my daily run of things, so when I had got access to my room at the hotel I went out again to make some shopping for the next day. Even in a small place likePitres there is a Covíran supermarket and even if it doesn’t look much from the outside it really has an excellent selection. It even has a manual meat counter. After coming back to the hotel I had a shower and made my laundry as I did every second or third day.
Entrecote
Then it was well past supper time and I had a large entrecote and a large salad accompanied with a glass of Rioja and later on followed by a bowl of vanilla ice cream and a glass of sweet Málaga wine. I certainly don’t back down when serious and hard work is required of me, but on the other hand, whenever there is an opportunity I try to make myself as comfortable as my circumstances will allow.
