Wed-Fri May 16-18 Setting off

5-16 We set off at 3:30 PM leaving a sad Jane behind. Drove the coast route south and reached Arnie and Anita’s by 5:45. Got in the mode for European travel with a delicious dinner at a Sardinian restaurant in Santa Monica.

5-17 Up at 4:15 AM, which certainly beats getting up at 2:15 in Santa Barbara, but not by much! Made record time to LAX driving down the deserted coastal streets, checked in and went through Security by 5:45. While waiting for our flight, we munched almond pastries that Anita had kindly packed for us, and, then finding out that our upgrades had gone through, boarded, took our first class seats, and sat back drinking mimosas and eating a second breakfast! After an awful Diane Keaton movie and warm CC cookies, we arrived in Miami, took the half hour walk from Concourse A to E and got onto our jet to Madrid, this time back in steerage. Popped a sleeping pill.

Woke up over endless miles of Spanish patchwork fields. We landed in Madrid at 8 AM and breezed through Immigration. After several tries, finally got an ATM to disgorge some Euros, and picked up our spiffy bright red VW Golf diesel and set off. We drove north about 20 km and turned off the freeway onto small back roads in hope of spotting a Greater or Lesser Bustard, an ostrich-like bird that roams the plowed fields in search of insects. We saw amazing displays of RED poppies and other yellow and purple flowers, but no bustard. Maybe later when we’re not quite so jet-lagged… We drove on some 65 km more and started climbing into the mountains. The passes went up to 4500’ and we could see some snow and passed several ski resorts. Stopped in a pine woodland and got our first life bird, the Wood Lark, singing beautifully. Lunched on OJ and chocolate and staggered into Segovia at 3:30. Actually we’re outside Segovia in a Parador, the government-run chain of hotels that are usually in old monasteries or castles. This Parador is a modern building which overlooks a valley and the old city of Segovia. On our first day traveling we didn’t feel we could contend with trying to find a B&B in the rabbit* warren of winding and extremely narrow streets that make up old Spanish city centers! RR collapsed and I showered and set up house since we’re going to be here for three days. Made rum and cokes from the Servi-Bar and watched the sun set against the cathedral which towers over the small city and sits on a large stone ridge projecting up in the middle of a wide agricultural plain. The Alcazar, the castle on which Disneyland’s Fantasyland is modeled, sits below the cathedral and is somewhat obscured from our room. Went down to dinner at nine and I confidently asked for Spanish menus only to be confronted with all sorts of local specialties that even RRZ couldn’t translate. Had garlic soup with ham and a poached egg in it and Molletija which I think was sweetbreads with chili peppers. Tomorrow I’ll get the English menu and see what I actually had! Perfect bottle of light red Palacio de Sada wine for 13 euros! We could see the cathedral and castle which are both beautifully illuminated at night. Bed at midnight.