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As we walked along, the weather got wetter and wetter, and the atmosphere became foggier and foggier. Sometimes, we could look out between the clouds and see terrain that was enjoying clear weather and sunlight, as in the top two pictures (upper left: small image, large; top right: small image, large).
The fog got thicker, though, and the world shrank in around us, looking more and more as if it belonged in a Japanese painting, as you see in the center picture in the right column (small image, large), but especially the lower picture on the left, where Mark is walking ahead of me into an unknown future (small image; large), and the bottom one on the right, where the tired travelers trudge on doughtily, hoping to find an inn before nightfall overtakes them. Actually, you can probably just make out in the large image that it's really Nick, Mark, and Oakley coming out of the mists (small image).
The last of the pictures to the right was taken just before noon; by half an hour later, we had descended into the forest again, where the air was just as moist, but the atmosphere was a little more transparent. The rain was still an intermittent annoyance, which meant that much of the time I had my camera under my hooded blue rain jacket. At one place in the forest, we passed a wonderful hollow tree, its trunk swollen around the immense cavity. I pulled my camera out in order to take the best picture of the day and realized that the lens was completely fogged over from condensation within my rain gear. It would have been possible to take a picture only if I had been willing to pause for several minutes to allow the condensation to evaporate, not a fast process in this moist air. So that’s one picture that got away.
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At top left, Bruno takes advantage of a rest along the trail to distribute his special chocolate. The travelers, being for the most part docile, wait patiently. (Small image, large)
Deeper into the silent woods only fifteen minutes later (top right, small image; large), we’ve gotten rather spread out. Somewhere around here, Mark asked me why I was going so slowly, and I told him that I didn’t want to get too far ahead of the people behind us. Giving me a slightly exasperated look, he patiently explained to me that we were in the rear of the whole group. I then started pushing on a little faster.
These woods really were dark, the heavy overcast giving very little light. But when we could see any great distance, there were hints of sunlight to be seen, as in the middle left picture. (Small image, large.)
Mark may correct me, but in spite of the rain, I don’t recall that we had to deal with mud this day. The roads here seemed plenty well-enough drained. This kind of scene, in the middle right picture (small image, large) with the craggy cliffs above us, and the rather dense vegetation, was not at all what I would have predicted of Spain.
Again, a glimpse of far fields in sunlight, but from within the dark forest. (Bottom left: small image, large.)
And a portent of good weather ahead. (Bottom right: small image, large.)
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By 2:45PM, we were well into the sunlight, and it was even getting a little hot. The road wound around and down ahead of us, and we could see the tiny figures of the others in the group looking up and waving at us. I picked up my speed yet again. (Lefthand picture, small image; large.)
At 3:25PM, we were walking into Benamahoma, a small town with a more than acceptable bar, in which we relaxed and waited for our bus to come by and pick us up. We had lots of good food that Nick and Bruno had actually brought along with us, and supplemented it all with beer and coffee from the bar. Just what was needed for relaxation. (Upper righthand picture, small image, large; lower righthand picture taken in the bar, small image, large.)
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At nine o’clock, we went for supper at a pleasant restaurant in Grazalema, sitting with all of us displayed the length of a long banquet table. My journal says that I had a very nice sole in lemon sauce, and Mark and I split a flan for dessert. (Upper left: small image, large; upper right: small image, large; bottom: small image, large.)
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