Oasis

Note: this happened maybe a month ago?  I wrote it up for my writer's group :)                           

It had been a while since my last adventure so I was feeling the need to wander. The problem is, I had already hit about everywhere within walking distance of my piso. Time for a change in tactics. Since the Cercanias (train) is only about a block away, I decided to jump on and let the rails do the walking for a bit. I got of on the second stop, Torreblanca, and headed for the beach.

 To tell the truth it wasn't much different than the stretch I walk along most nights now, but it did have a little rockway extending out into the Mediterranean. I found a rock to sit on a ways out on it, and watched the sardines swimming around  in the beautiful clear water for a while. It was quite peaceful, even though there were a lot of people there also enjoying the day.                                                                                  

A view of the Mosque we had explored previously.

View of the dryness and Med.

At that point the hills come almost all the way down to the water, but of coarse where there's water there HAS to be hotel , so they had cut away some of the hillside to make room for them. And right behind them was the railway (but higher up). So when I decided to head inland it took a while to find a road that headed that way. Finally there was one that tunneled under the railroad, then headed up a steep road towards yet another development.  At the top were some fantastic views... and a closed road that of coarse begged to be explored. That led to another road that led down to yet another hotel, but there was a hill on the other side that I hoped would lead to somewhere interesting. I scrambled up the hillside, but when I got to the top, there wasn't much of any place to go except along the top.

Yup, ended going down - AND up this again!

I did spy some greenery a little ways away, though. It hasn't rained much here in recent years - I think only twice in the 3 1/2 months I've been here - so almost everything is pretty brown where it isn't stone and cement. That greenery enticed me onward and I ended up scrambling down the hill fairly near the hotel I was trying to avoid, and then taking a dirt road that soon became a path. There the sounds of civilization were very muted and the song of insects and water and the scent of flowers and greenery permeated the air. I found a tree to sit under and was in heaven!  Peace and nature - rich food for the soul for me. 

Bamboo, flowering bushes - a real mix

 Finally it was time to go though, so I continued to make my way along the gully my oasis was in, hoping to find a way to the beach. No such luck. It ended up beside the hotel, cut off by the train tracks. There was a trail leading upward, but it petered out in behind the hotel, with fences blocking the path. Fortunately (I thought) one was low enough to climb, and it looked like it led to the hotel's common area which I hoped would lead to the road by the tracks, but it turned out to be the common "back yard" of several room suites, and I got chastized by the neighbor who was enjoying a swim. Not only that but it was totally enclosed by a fence and all the gates were locked - inside and out!  So it was back to fence hopping.  That was okay though - I got to re-enjoy my little paradise, although I did have to climb the hill (this time via the road) to make my way back to the beach. Boy was it worth it though - I had a GREAT time, and feel very very grateful for being able to enjoy the beauty I found - safely no less :)  Didn't even get arrested! ;)  I took the train back home from the stop that turned out to be right next to the underpass I had used (Carvajal) because I was too tired by that time to walk all the way back to Torreblanco. A definite blessing finding that!  All together I feel very blessed at being able to be here in beautiful Southern Spain - able to enjoy both the "touristy" stuff, and also the more out-of-the-way treasures. Missions are awesome!

View from the top of the hill, Med in the distance.
The green spot in the middle is my "oasis" :)