Pyrenees Trip 09/21-09/24

Monday: There was a 6.5 hour bus ride from Valencia to Jaca, pronounced Haca, where we were staying. Due to a scheduling conflict my friends were all on the other bus. I sat with Emily, a senior who is studying Spanish, I traveled with her for most of our day excursions in the Pyrenees. 

The first night we were given a tour of a castle that was close to our hotel. The castle had a moat surrounding it, but it has never been filled with water and currently it is the home to about 20 deer. There were rocks and ruins and whatnot...very history based, gross. Afterwards we were given time to explore. This was the first real place that reminded me of home. It was much cooler than Valencia, about 63 degrees Fahrenheit, so I had to wear jeans and a jacket all week. There were less people than in Valencia, it had parks and grass and the leaves on the trees were already changing colors.

Tuesday: This day we hiked 1% of the Camino de Santiago. This path is a 800 km journey from the border of France and Spain and ends at the Cathedral of Santiago. We went from the border to the next town over, about 10 km. We walked on stones, over rocks, on dirt, through water...it was definitely a hike and not some convenient path hundreds of miles long. It was gorgeous. We headed back to Jaca for a quick lunch. Then we went to a monastery that was carved into a boulder. A very, very large boulder. Again, I was not very impressed. I couldn't hear or understand the tour guide, as there were 50 of us and other people walking around. We did get to go to the observation point of the Pyrenees though, which made for some amazing photos.

I got back to the hotel before my friends and I set out in search of food...dessert. I passed this bakery with an elderly woman working behind the counter. I got a pastry that was filled with chocolate but had candied almonds thrown on top. It was one of the best tasting desserts I've had in Spain.

Wednesday: First activity Wednesday was white water rafting on the river that runs through the mountains. I never fell in. I didn't have a camera or go-pro with me, but I wish I had. I closed my eyes going through most of the rapids and I have only my memory from the views and sounds of the birds and the streaming water. We wore wet suits so it wasn't too cold and my shoes were only completely soaked by the end.

We ate lunch together then split into groups again. The afternoon was spent at another castle, but this one was up in the mountains and was much cooler. 

My friends and I went to dinner at the hotel's restaurant, because it took our cheques and it was well worth it. I got a huge salad and pizza. We then went into the "retirement home" of the hotel to start planning for our Paris trip. Printing off tickets, finding out how to get place to place, we did it all and I was super tired. It was an interesting night.