Group dynamics was tested in our first day of walking... covering some 10 klms... and going up and down a few ridges. Fortunately, there are no stragglers in our walking group... everyone can maintain a reasonable pace... we all arrived at our destination at about the same time. The seven lady walking group who make up the majority of our party are fit... some are older than us... some younger (I'm just saving this 'younger' constraint in case one of the ladies reads this blog). Most of them had husbands in the UK foreign office... or had overseas postings with corporations. Only a few of them are close friends... but they all have been expatriates living in various communities around the world. These walking holidays are an opportunity for them to update their news on the status of members in the expatriate communities. All enjoyed a good chat and included the others (non - expatriates... such as us) in conversation.
Joye and I have had a great day catching up on the news from Joan and Johnny and the Hexham crowd. Children, spouses, grandchildren and friends were all psychoanalysed again... the results being unchanged from the previous psychoanalysis... we listened to Johnny's 2013 report on salmon fishing the river Tyne... and the prospects for the year ahead... he wanted to hear about the Ashes cricket from the Australian perspective... so he could gloat. We had a great time.
Today, we walked from Cómpeta to Canillas de Albaida... the closest 'white village' from here. We heard of activity in the Roman period... but their agricultural works have crumbled to dust long ago. We were able to see irrigation channels built by the Moorish civilisation. These have been recently cleared out and are used to carry plastic pipes for irrigation water. Canillas de Albaida was a Muslim farming community from the 13th century. Albaida is a Moorish word meaning 'white'... not from the colour of the houses... but from the field flowers abounding in the area at that time.
Our walking took 4 hours to complete... and the next 3 hours were occupied with a luncheon on a terrace in the village. We may have felt pleased with ourselves having completed a vigorous walk... but the meal more than replenished the calories burned off. Most people stopped eating after the first 3 courses... but 3 more were wheeled out... and 2 more offered without any takers. Alcohol flowed freely... starting with watered wine... but becoming progressively stronger as the meal progressed. At the end, the ladies were knocking back straight liquor until they realised they had a 2 klm uphill walk to get home. Our host was extravagant in his generosity... goodness knows how the billing worked out... goodness knows what the point of over-eating half way through a walk. I suspect that Peter... our guide for the day and host... enjoys a good meal... and he chose the menu.
Tomorrow, we will head to higher parts of the Sierra de Almijara. We have been told tomorrow's walk has the same degree of difficulty as today's walk. We are taking a cut-lunch... so it may not last 3 hours.
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