Back in B Town

Back in Belmonte.
When I was planning this trip, I kind of wondered what it would be like to be back at the same location again, after having just been here last year.  I didn't know if it would still seem new, or if it would be boring, or what.  I am happy to say that it is really nice to be back here.  A few little things have changed, but not much - and it was good to know the location of the hallway restroom when we came in from the bus.  The four of us who were here last year have been filling the others in on where things are, where they serve breakfast, where they post the assignments, etc.

My room is on the second floor (well, the Spanish first floor), overlooking the center courtyard.  Instead of overlooking the village, my room overlooks the side of the cemetery.  Actually, it doesn't overlook anything - I am looking directly at the fence of the cemetery.

The interior view from my room.

Tomorrow is once again market day!  I'm looking forward to scouting out some bargains. I would actually like to find a windbreaker, but we will see.  The Spaniards seem excited about it, but they don't know what they are in for, just like us last year.  :)

Our group this time is 16 Anglos and 12 Spaniards.  As a whole, the Spaniards are a younger group that we have had before.  I have only talked to three of them so far, one on the bus, and two one-to-ones today.  The Anglos are all from the UK and US, with the exception of one couple from Australia.  There is a woman from WI who nows lives in TX, a woman from "northwestern IN", two from Atlanta, a couple from OR, one from WA, and several others whose homes I haven't heard yet.  But this should be interesting because we have a Carol, a Carolyn, a Coral, and a Karen (all Anglos).  Every Spaniard has a different name this time, too, which is unusual.  All but three Anglos have done Vaughantowns repeatedly.  One woman has been about 20 times, one 9 times, and several of us 4 times.

A model, not to scale or totally accurate placement, of Belmonte.  Our hotel is at the top left.

We had an extended siesta today, and they urged anyone who wanted to go to the castle to do so then because their schedule and our schedule won't make it easy to go any other time.  I didn't elect to go because I took way too many pictures there last year and didn't really want to spend 9 euros to take more. Our group excursion this time will be to a winery about 30 minutes away from here, which should be fun.

One of our idioms today was "to move heaven and earth".  Turns out there is a Spanish expression which has the same meaning, but it is "to move Rome to Santiago".  OK, time to "hit the hay".

Happy Mother's Day!