Out of Madrid – into the countryside

Well, we’re out of Madrid. It is a great city, and we both liked it a lot. The Metro works great, the food is super and the graffiti brightens up all the newer buildings, the old ones need no such help.

Huge mural by a city square where we had dinner. I love how the ladies chat away beside it.

 
Once we left Madrid, we started to head north. We went via Segovia as Sarah had not seen it, and I think it’s one of the best sights in Spain. So I got to go there again.

I'm not sure what he asked her, but I'm pretty sure of the answer.

wet and cold people reflecting on wearing shorts and bikinis. (cheers for the idea Podge)

The Lady in blue was dressed in a local costume, and I think was talking her way into photos with the tourists.

We moved on north, and did a bit of market shopping for veggies on the way in a little village called Valderas, near Leon.

Sarah getting a few spuds. All is back to normal.

We grabbed a coffee in “La Casita”, and it was great as they give out free buns with each coffee, so I had 2 and Sarah had none 🙂 For a small country village, this was a real treat.

This is Carlos, who is rightly proud of the best coffee shop we have been in.

We spotted this explorer on our way to see an old ruins, and we were impressed by the number of countries they had been to, and by the shape of the bike on the roof. We waited about for an hour to see who might surface, but saw no one. Their shoes we on the front seat, so they had not gone too far.

We think they had slept there, and we presume that they is singular as it's hard to picture a crowd in that.

The little lane to the ruins (which was closed that day and we never saw…) was spectacular.

loads of poppies at the side of the lane

That’s the last shot of the Mog at a castle as it’s getting tired of parking near Cathedrals, Castles and Monasteries. And to be honest, we’re getting tired of them too, and are looking forward to our Spanish classes which are now booked and sorted!. The number of castles in Spain is incredible, and there is something to see in each town, but I’m afraid we have been overloaded and need to learn to Habla en Espanol!

Mog posing outside the castle in Valencia de Don Juan