23rd June

We had to move in off the patio last night because it started to rain, it was only gentle but later there was also thunder and lightning when we went to bed.  We played some hands of ‘Ricketty Kate’ but it is probably best left unmentioned....  The morning was overcast but good walking weather so we tried again to find the trail to abandoned Castatlenas.   With helpful gestures and commands of ‘directo’  from locals this time we found the right road and drove within about a half hr walk.  It was very pleasant to be cool while we walked and thrilled to spot partridge to add to our bird list.  The village is all ruins; looks like it was deserted 100 yrs ago but apparently the last 8 inhabitants left only in the 70s.  There is no evidence of power or town water supply here so life would have been pretty rustic by general standards of the day.  How quickly things fall to rack and ruin when not inhabited.  Spotted some lovely old tiles that would look good at Casa Arriba but thought better of bringing them back (one ladder is enough).  When we were at Barcelona looking at all the frescoes and painted altar pieces in the museum I was wondering where they were all from.  Why were they not in churches?  Now I think I know.  Every small village has at least one church, chapel or hermitage and once the village is abandoned the valuable relics would be desecrated or stolen.   This parish church was 16^th century. 

While we have been away Sandy has organised for her bags to be delivered to Madrid so she should be reunited with them on Sunday.  After watering the plants at Kees and Weips we drove to Barbastro  for lunch at our ‘local’ where the waiters know us.  Again we order something different from the menu and enjoyed it.  We drove to Alquezar which is built above a canyon with spectacular views from streets leading up to the imposing castle.   An Egyptian vulture (new sighting), was soaring over the canyon keeping an eye on everything that moves, including the boat-loads of tourists who were traipsing up the steps to the village from the floor of the canyon after white water rafting .  On the way home we called in to Barbastro to check out the shops, as they reopened about 5pm, but didn’t find them very inspiring.  A tasty potato and leek soup was all we needed for dinner.