Stepping Into History

Today is a rest day in Merida. Colleen and I are having foot problems, although mine are a lot better now. Colleens shoes are causing trouble. 

I’m sitting in a beautiful park , the scent of rosemary filling my lungs,and my thoughts are flitting from here to home. It is Grand Final Day and I’m wondering who has won. No one has written to me so far and I would love you all to send me news of home. I feel so cut off from the other side of the world. 

We are in the council albergue which is really nice. It looks like an old mill or something and is right on the rivers edge. Ducks are floating serenely by and the trees are showing autumnal signs of gold and orange leaves. It is very peaceful here. The best thing here is the sight of green grass and trees. It is unseasonably hot and everything has been so bare and brown.

We had a fabulous day wandering the streets of Merida. We had lunch in the town square and watched it come to life as children ran around and played. There was a wedding at the Parador and we enviously watched the guests arriving in their finery….Men in suits, and women looking so elegant. What a contrast to our pilgrim attire of bandaged feet and hiking clothes. We gorged on eggs and chips, small empanadas, artichokes and coke. My poor body is screaming for vegetables!!!​

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After lunch we went to see the Roman ruins….the aqueduct and the amphitheatre, which is really breathtaking.

 I could feel the energy coming up through my feet and imagined the sound of gladiators thundering along the hallways beneath. It is so well preserved and it is absolutely enormous. I took heaps of photos and it’s hard to choose which ones to post. Standing there amid the history is something I will never forget.​

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We then moved on to the Alcazabar ruins (9th century Muslim fort) equally as impressive and the view from the top of the wall was beautiful!

We have met up again with familiar faces and are about to go into town to find a shop to get something for breakfast. Being Sunday tomorrow, nothing will be open early enough. Ready to hit the road again now. It is still stinking hot!!!!