Mountains and Hills Everywhere

Walking Excursions & Training Hikes

Thursday was my first full day in town. It was also an opportunity to start those elusive Camino training hikes. The day started out as I imagined, but it didn't go exactly as planned. 

The plan was, get up and out early. In my head, I said, "Get your walking done and see the area, at the same time." I did get up early and headed out the door. Using the Map My Walk app, I head up the walkway, that crosses in front of the apartment. 

The road zigged and zagged, but never stopped going up. I followed its hairpin turns, changes in surface and widths, but it never stopped going up. Up steps, roads and stone pathways, the elevation kept increasing. I stopped many times, along the  way to the top. By the time I reached the top, I was dripping wet and exhausted. I had only walked a 1/2 mile.

Walkways go up and up

After recovering from the climb, I went back to the apartment and worked on a better walking plan. After much research, the devised route was Canillas (pronounced: ca knee us) to Competa  (pronounced: com´pe da) to Archez    (pronounced: arches) to Canillas. A nice long loop. That was the plan. 

Starting the planned route, required walking up several hills in town. While huffing and puffing my way up another challenging hill, I hear this tap, tap, tap, behind me. I turn and look behind.  There's this old guy (he looked to be 85 or so), coming up the hill (cane assisted), and he's gaining on me.  

I said aloud, "Awh, hell no!" and gathered up as much energy as I could, to put some distance between us. NOTE: The people who have lived here, are accustomed to the hills. A lifetime of the up and down, has kept them in good physical condition. 

The two lane road to Competa, is an easy walk, until the turn off the highway and up the hill. The trek up was no fun, but it had to be done. Since I  had no luck finding croissants in Canillas, my thinking was, I might have better luck in Competa. 

Once up the hill, I began spotting cafes and many people sitting outside. What I heard and saw (peoplewise), was surprising.  99% of the cafe patrons appeared to be from "across the pond". The Brits were everywhere. 

After walking the shopping area end-to-end, it was also pretty obvious, this Spanish town's cafes had revised their menus, to the tastes of the English. Not a croissant in sight, but lots of "English Breakfast" signs. Finally, I asked a local, if she was aware of a place, where I could get a croissant. After a bit of thought, she suggested the ice cream shop. With a quick turn on my heel, I was ice cream shop bound.

Street Through Competa

Enjoyed a croissant and café con leche, at the ice cream shop. Realized I'd brought the wrong phone charge cable and needed to make a quick purchase of one, to ensure the phone stayed charged and able to show the navigation app. 

Next stop, Archez. Left Competa and following the navigation, made my way back up the highway, towards Canillas, but a left turn was imminent. Then, it wasn't. I kept walking, but then, the navigation showed I was off course. I turned around, headed back down the highway and made a right turn. This road went past a winery. I didn't stop. I know, for some, that may be hard to believe. My mind was set on getting to Archez. I never made it to Archez.

Turns out, my GPS app wasn't getting enough of a signal and it stopped working properly. I walked up and down the same hills multiple times. It would show I was going in the right direction and then, I wasn't. Exhausted and hot, I gave up and headed back to the winery. Still, I had no intention of tasting any wine. I sat on their outside bench, recovered and asked the owner to call me a taxi. It was a wrap. 

See the down and up paths

Well, the taxi took longer than expected and since they were kind enough to let me use their bench and call me a taxi, I felt I should spend a little money with them. So, I  tasted a couple of wines.  They only had rosé and moscatel (sweet). I didn't like any of the wines. Instead, I purchased one of the wines they were selling, from other Spanish wineries. A nice bottle of rioja tinto.  The taxi came and I returned to the apartment. 

Here's a link, to learn more about Canillas de Albaida
http://www.andalucia.com/province/malaga/canillasdealbaida/home.htm

Here is a video created from pictures I took, of the area hills and mountains. The music is about Mexican mountains, but thought the lyrics were appropriate. The video ends a bit abruptly, but it's the best I can do, with no computer. 

Song:  The Mountains of Nuevo Leon

Paul Eason