Paris1972-Versailles2003

And again revising updating these wonderful travel places so dear to my family. They deserve more views and Cuenca is sentimental to us!! Castilla La Mancha region that is!

And on our second weekend to keep it low and relax we stuck around our area where we rented a rural house in Las Majadas (casa Pitu) in the Serrania de Cuenca mountains at about 36 kms to Cuenca where we descended several times. See previous posts on Cuenca and Las Majadas.

Now we came down early and we saw a nice spectacle on the road down the mountains; we have seen goats, wild pigs, cerfs, and cows on the side. This time there were two cows right on the road blocking our access!!! So how to get them to move lol!!! When I klaxon they just look at me like we are here and you wait ::) finally after some minutes that seems like an eternity one of the cows moved to the edge of the road and we were able to pass by the other one that just stood there on the road looking at us wow!!! It was very funny could be worse…. We move on.

We went down to city center by the now repeated trip on the road into city center.  We came into the stream of the river Jùcar that passes by the city and the Church of Virgen de la Luz, dating from the 16C .  This Church is famous for housing the Black Virgin.

There is a curiosity that we did not took the bait for it but maybe interested for others, the Tuneles Alfonso VIII. These are underground passages showing life as it was in the time ,and serve as refuge during the Spanish Civil War. It has 90 meters long by 250 square meters of space with three entry points; the main at the street of same name Calle Alfonso VIII.  On this street you can ,also, admire great architecture as on the houses or casa de los Clemente Aróstegui from the 17C,with a facade adapted to the curve of the street; casa del Corregidor, with a palace like facade and on the back gives way to the neighborhood of (Barrio) de San Marín; and the casa de los Mendoza, that now houses the museum Museo de las Ciencias de Castilla-La Mancha.

The rio Jùcar passing thru the city and the life of promenades in the shade very nice. It goes around the town up to the mountains and where we stayed.

We came looking for the Torre Mangana tower and we did! This is a huge tower on the upper part of the city.  The tower is from 1565 and the clock and Cross were added in 1532. This clock mark the official time of Cuenca even today! There is ongoing excavations below it closed to the public, as  the base of the tower on the plaza de Mangana,was where the neighoborhood of Arabs and later the Jewish quarter in medieval times and finally the Christian area of  Santa María(Saint Mary).

Of course, we cannot go down to the town for the whole day and don’t eat. So lunch we had at Bar Cafe Martina on the pedestrian nice city center street of Calle Carreteria. This is a local joint very friendly nice and the price right. We had our usual beers Under a umbrella canopy in the middle of the street,and had our omelettes, chorizos, and croquettes all good for about 8€ per person. It is unique the Spanish version of the name of my dear late wife Martine. We had lots of beautiful memories here even in next year together.

Nice town, Cuenca Unesco historical site, and easy in and out on the road A40 of Castilla La Mancha!.

The tourist office of Cuenca: https://turismo.cuenca.es/Default.aspx?lang=en&tabid=9376

Again, Cuenca is special and so is Castilla La Mancha been the last vacations we spent together as a family with my dear late wife Martine. We came back last in 2017 as a family together. Hope you enjoy the post as I do writing it.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!

Again working right along updating, revising my older post from 2016. We finally arrive in our home base of Las Majadas ,in the Serrania de Cuenca mountains on a house 1400 meters or 6600 feet high in the mountain, name Casa Pitu. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship!!

Just to say it has been our best vacation ever to this point, but came back again and again! Not only because the location was great, the house fanstastic with all the trimming ,and the price right, but the host Luis and Ma Isabel were fantastic beyond the call of duty to make our stay a wonderful one full of great memories and even friendship. You will do well to rent from them in the future as we will definitively look forward to another opportunity.

The house was golden stone with great insulation could hardly feel hot inside without AC. It was fully stock with cleaning materials, and cooking utensils pans etc; some goodies like butter available and the owners brought sweets and a bottle of wine! The Casa Pitu webpage: http://www.casapitu.es/

We arrive on an earlier Saturday so the first thing after the great welcome by the owner hosts, we headed for the big town of Cuenca, UNESCO historical town, in search of………….food! groceries to stock our house. We found our favorite French chain Auchan which in Spain are call AlCampo (literal translation) on a shopping center right in town outskirst. webpage: https://www.alcampo.es/empresa/tienda/cuenca

There we did our groceries and found upon recommendation by the house owners a wonderful bakery call Pasteleria Ruiz which we stock up on sweets, goodies! Later, they had another store in city center ! We could not confirm still there now, but still at Calle Carreteria in city center. webpage: https://www.confiteriaruiz.com/?v=04c19fa1e772

Once well stock we took a walk in the town, passing to get some fresh bread Sunday morning at bakery Los Gemelos (twins) Calle  Atanasio Lasso,7 , next year we came in they were no longer open unfortunately; with friendly local flavor. Took a walk around the Iglesia Senora del Sagrario (Church notre dame of the Tabernacle) ;webpage from Castilla La Mancha tourist board: http://en.www.turismocastillalamancha.es/patrimonio/iglesia-de-nuestra-senora-del-sagrario-en-las-majadas-90164/descripcion/

The small park by the avenida de la constitucion where we came in and out each day, and there is the bus stop for connection with Cuenca.  Just for info. the Rubiocar bus company does the run get schedules here: https://www.rubiocar.com/es/comprar-billete-bus

We pay a visit to the local bar cafe in plaza Mayor, and had our first cold beer Mahou Cinco Estrellas (five stars) real Madrid beer for you; serve with sardines in olive oïl as a tapa. The name Restaurant Los Callejones.Webpage: http://www.hostalloscallejones.com/index.htm

And we rest ready to hit for the first day , my Madrid. Stay tune for more lol!!!A super vacation with the family always to be remembered and now as my dear late wife Martine, the memories will run forever! Of course, we took some pictures of our home base house for the souvenirs that will last a long time. Indeed ,it was a wonderful mountain experience unique owners,and great all around family vacation, the best so far!!!

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers!!!

In my continuing quest to update my older posts in my blog with fresh text, some new photos and revise links I bring you August 2016 and my going to our final summer vacation destination Las Majadas.

This town has been a memorable town for us, and came back again again, friendly owners and the family really enjoyed it. We should be back when possible.

I finally made it to Spain over the Col du Portalet (see post) mountain peak to my final home base in the Serrania de Cuenca (mountain range) in the town of Las Majadas (elevation 1400 meters).

We left the tunnel under the Pyrénées and follow the road N330 towards Jaca and then Huesca on the A23 which here is the N330 passing the viaduc of Monrépos and mountain of same name; right into a smaller tunnel . We passed by the lake this is Monrépos lake reservoir on the other side of the tunnel.

We hit the road hard until the outskirst of Zaragoza where from the A23 we took the beltway Z40 direction the airport of Zaragoza and Madrid.  We continue on this A23  direction Teruel/Cariñena wine country.  This is already on the road A1512 off the A23, and you see the mountains of Albarracin.

Follow up on the road DE 9111 mountain route we pass by the mountain town of Calomarde which is at 1584 meters high.  We didn’t not have time to see as was not our destination but here there is a great canyon or Barranco de la Hoz webpage: http://esenciadepueblo.com/ruta-barranco-de-la-hoz-calomarde/

By here we pass by a statue in metal call the guia del cobo, Sierra de Albarracin at the birth of the river Tajo on the CU901 road, until we finally saw the panel for Cuenca/Tragecete on the CU2119 heading our home base. Glorious mountains of the Serrania de Cuenca that can go to almost 1900 meters high, and the panel signaling Las Majadas 24 kms or about 12 miles!!

You will see from the road high up and the mountain then the town down under just arriving to final home base. More of the home base of Las Majadas on later posts. We arrive, we are at home base up 1400 meters and plenty of mountain animals here such as deers, goats, sheeps, wild pigs, and cows and bulls. Spain is ON!

The Province of Cuenca page on Las Majadas: https://www.descubrecuenca.com/es/enclaves-y-poblaciones/la-serrania/las-majadas-las-majadas-25

And the national park of serrania de Cuenca where the town of Las Majadas is located from the Tourist office of Castilla La Mancha autonomous region: http://www.turismocastillalamancha.es/naturaleza/parque-natural-serrania-de-cuenca-57472/descripcion/

There you go a magical place for us, always remembered and always wishing to be back. Hope you try this wonderful pure air wonderful views, countryback area of my beloved Spain.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!