Sayonara Sayalonga (or How I Hiked the Countryside)

Apparently there was an ancient cistern at this location

One month gone and I feel unready to leave this place. We visited so many towns, cities and historic sites yet we just scratched the surface.

And this mountaintop location! Bad because the long, dangerous road allowed for no more than one trip per day. Good because the mountains offer extraordinary scenery with working farms and orchards interspersed with beautiful homes mostly housing retired expat Germans and Brits. All of whom seem to own a dog or two that they must walk up and down the roadways.

This region soaring over the little village of Sayalonga is called Carraspite. The mountains here are crisscrossed with miles of roads and trails allowing access to mountainside terraces. Many seem to be ancient trails. The beauty is that one can hike these roads, though it is challenging! And hiking seems to be a good alternative to the painful process of running here.

I have a great deal of admiration for the people that work these mountainside farms. At this time of year they are doing some major clearing and burning of brush. During the summer it gets very hot here so they are out early, resting mid-day and back at it late in the afternoon. Very difficult work!

Hard at work clearing land on the mountainside

At the bottom of my 3+mile hike, almost 1000 feet below my starting point (!) I cross a small stream that seems to irrigate many farms just 100 meters down the road.

Low point, stream crossed

Small farm just downstream. Heading back up the mountain, I pass olive groves, nut trees, orange trees, avocados and more. Check out the following photos.

Olives...

Nuts...

Oranges...

Avacados (I think...

Lots of cactus...

and these cisterns collect water piped in from a distant
reservoir

A walk is a good way to meet the neighbors...

Back uphill...

I'm losing sunlight...!

Okay, I can make it!

Up the hill to the right!

This photo has nothing to do with my hike. Just thought you'd like to see the sites at the one of the many Chiringuitos (beach bars). They all have fires going to cook the local seafood. Lots of sardines, calamari, pulpo (I won't tell what that is)...