The view of the far side of the valley - the terraced fields date back to the 1400s.
The next morning we had the usual European breakfast where Nick and Bruno had arranged to treat us to some freshly squeezed orange juice.
Tuesday had dawned with the threat of rain in the air, so I made sure I had my rain gear with me. Bubión is perched on the side of a steep mountain valley with Capileira further up the valley and Pampaneira below, sandwiching Bubión in both altitude and distance from the mouth of the valley. The trail dropped rapidly down the slope, also moving up the Poqueira valley, passing through poplar trees showing yellow autumn colors. They line the watercourses and streams as they flow to the valley floor to join the river flowing there. At the bottom of the valley, we paused at the bridge preparing ourselves for the ascent.
The climb upwards was very steep with few “level” stretches to help catch one’s breath. We did take a side trip to a farm on the hillside where Nick had arranged with the farmer, Enrique, to see his house. It was a one storey, low stone building with a few rooms – most of them dedicated to the business of farming. Enrique insisted on serenading us with his guitar (which was shaped like a lute), and he zeroed in on Rita to accompany him. Rita, who doesn’t know how to play, sat beside him while he played. Nick informed us that Enrique’s main goal was to be photographed with the ladies of the groups that visit him – indeed he had a wall full of these photos. At Nick’s request, I showed Enrique some of the shots I took to assure him that the proper proprieties had been observed.
The view of the far side of the valley - the terraced fields date back to the 1400s.
The sun put in a brief appearance in the morning before the clouds set in.
Jonathan walking by some colorful geraniums at our hotel.
The lowering clouds brought rain later in the day.
Setting off through Bubión for the trailhead.
A farmstead on the hillside.
Heading down the trail.
Looking down the valley towards Pampaneira.
Heading down into the valley.
Pausing at the bridge at the bottom of the valley.
Pausing at Enrique's farmstead for a musical interlude. Rita got drafted by Enrique to accompany him.
Enrique playing his lute-shaped guitar.
The duet.
Departing the farmstead.
Still departing.
Chestnut burrs carpeting the ground - a most uncomfortable place to fall.
We backtracked to our trail and resumed our climbed as the weather closed in and as it started to rain, I donned my rain jacket. The climbing was steep until we reached a dirt road, making a couple of turns, while more on a level – “contouring” to use Nick’s term – which allowed me to catch my breath.
We left the road again, climbing upward until we reached an ancient irrigation channel and followed that (literally walking in the channel) around the corner of the mountain until we reached the Buddhist retreat “O Sel Ling” – The Place of Clear Light. The rain had let up, but we had been walking in the low clouds and fog up until then. We reached our picnic site, a pavilion with a huge prayer wheel, where we set up for lunch (which had been sent up in a van).
Nick and Bruno had to remind us on several occasions to keep our voices down so as to not disturb the inhabitants of the retreat. While we were there, the clouds started to break up and the incredible vistas below opened up with the play of light and cloud. Afterwards, we adjourned to the kitchen of the facility where Isabel, a resident who knows Nick, invited us for tea and coffee.
Another view across the valley at the three villages.
More terraced farmland.
The clouds close in the valley.
Lowering clouds over a watercourse marked by the yellow poplars.
More fog.
Pausing on a threshing floor.
The Buddha overlooking the threshing floor.
Walking around the shrine seven times (clockwise) was supposed to increase one's karma.
But Jonathan didn't.
A close-up of the shrine.
A very big prayer wheel.
The pavillion with the prayer wheel is where we had our picnic lunch.
Walking around that shrine must've helped our karma, as the clouds started to lift while we ate lunch.
Another view - the retreat sits at the tip of the ridge at the end of the valley, so this view is the transverse valley.
Looking back across the valley at the villages - I'm guessing Pampaneira.
Heading back up the hill, now in sunlight.
A look southward.
The Buddha in the garden.
Sitting in Isabel's (more accurately, the retreat's) kitchen are Nadji, Deena, Jonathan, and Janet.
Also, Nick (behind the hot water thermos) Caroline, Isabel, and Rita (in red).
Everyone at the table - Oakley, Cindy, Harvey (I think), Shelton, Judy, Nadji, Deena, and Jonathan.
The kitchen cat was Siamese - somehow that seems appropriate.
Ralph (uphill) and Jonathan (downhill) leave the kitchen.
Some of the accommodations at the retread blend into the landscape.
Jonathan pauses to snap a shot of the village across the valley.
Walking down the hill on the way back to Bubión.
I think that's Joyce on the trail ahead, and Bubion in the distance.
I think this is Capileira sporting a halo of clouds.
There weren't many flowers, but these rosehips suggest that there were a lot of roses here in spring.
Resting back at the bridge , with a serious climb back to Bubión.
A curious plant, with its white markings on the leaves, we tentatively identified as a thistle.
Sunset over the valley with the Mediterranean visible in the distance.
After thanking Isabel for her hospitality, several (five) folks rode back in the van, while the rest of us began to retrace our path. One thing about hiking on slopes, going down is not necessarily easier than going up. There were several inclines where it was easier climbing than descending. In addition, going down jams your toes into the tip of your boots which can be a problem – fortunately, I didn’t have any.
There were numerous chestnut trees along our path, dropping their burrs to form a brown carpet. I commented to Jonathan that it would be a very uncomfortable place to trip and fall.
I was pretty well exhausted by the time we got back to the bridge over the river with the significant climb back up to Bubión still ahead. I managed to climb back up the trail in the company of Teague, Ralph, Cindy and Jonathan along with Nick who was the sweeper.
When we came back to the hotel, the sky was cloudless and the sun was setting on the opposite ridge where we had our lunch in the clouds earlier in the day. There was a large party of Germans on the patio who applauded us as we came dragging up the driveway.
Our room at the hotel was on two levels and we were moaning, groaning, and grunting as we mounted the stairs and descended them again (as the bathroom was on the lower level). We walked down into Bubión to the restaurant Estación 4 where we had a delightful dinner, which started with salads (baked goat cheese - really good!; potato and egg), cheese, baba ganouzh, and hummus. I had the minced lamb patties which were very nicely seasoned and quite tasty. Country Walkers lives up to its nickname “Country Eaters.”