Spain, Day 3

There is nothing like confronting one’s fears.  And losing.  In theory, I can drive a car with a manual transmission.  I have done it before.  If my life depended on it, or someone else’s did, I’m sure I would figure it out.  But today, after stalling twice trying to get out of the parking spot, I panicked and surrendered.  I could pretend that none of that happened and say that I just decided it would be more fun to rent a bike instead, but that would be cheating.

Actually, it probably was more fun.  I rode about 60 km round trip from Olmedo to the castle in Coca:

In retrospect, I probably should have bought a Coke at the gas station and taken a photo of a Coca in Coca.  Oh well.  Next time.  The castle is quite lovely.  Much of it is no longer original, I think.  There was a large display of various tile patterns with what look to be original, damaged tiles in places on top to show what the restorers were working from.

I saw all the usual castle things:  chapel, armory, sentry walk, halls, dungeon, moat.  The very nice men at the ticket booth watched the bike while I roamed around, although they seemed to think I was slightly nutty for biking at all.  The very nice lady at the hotel, actually, thought I was slightly nutty for biking all the way to Coca, too.

The town of Coca also boasts a section of medieval wall.  Naturally, I climbed it:

I haven’t quite figured out how towns here are organized.  It was a challenge to find something for lunch.  I eventually stumbled around town long enough to find a butcher shop/deli sort of place where I bought some empanada filled with ham and pineapple.  I ate it in the park, defiantly sitting on the bench next to the sign that said that dogs, bikes, and playing on the grass were not allowed.