Day 20: Segovia, Spain

Today is our last day in Spain and for the first time since arriving we woke up to SUN in Spain. It's still a little cool, but it isn't raining and it is sunny. Throughout the trip, we have alternated roomies. It has helped keep things on an even keel since you don't really have enough time to get tired of anyone. Shirley and I are back together in room 212 while Peggy and Clarita are in 216. We rose at 7:30 and were ready for breakfast by 8; Peggy and Clarita opted to sleep in a little so Shirley and I went down for coffee. Sadly, I didn't check out the breakfast area before dragging Shirley down a short flight and up another so we went too far and had to backtrack up again. Not good for her knee at all. I have learned one important thing this trip – European hotels are not conducive to anyone with a handicap, regardless of how minor it might be. The rooms are not handicap friendly at all – no handrails, no easily accessible ramps, walk-in showers, etc. The one good thing is that most towns have an aging population and you can get medical equipment at the local farmacia.

After breakfast in the hotel, Shirley decided to rest in the room while Peggy, Clarita, and I went to look at the Alcazar. Construction began in the 12^th century and was continued throughout the late 16^th century. When the Spanish court moved to Madrid, the Alcazar ceased being used as a Royal Residence and became a state prison for two centuries. The rooms have been maintained and most have been restored to their original beauty. Part of the tour included a climb up the 184 steps of the tower which, of course, I felt obligated to walk. After huffing and puffing my way up the narrow, one person circular staircase, I was rewarded at the top with a spectacular panoramic view of the city. Coming down was a little more intimidating than going up, but I took my time and luckily met no one going up. I met up with Peggy and Clarita and we went in search of coffee/tea. Sometime between the time we left our hotel and finished our tour, the Japanese arrived. I'm guessing there must have been at least 3 busloads of them. Anyway, coffee/tea was out of the question – every place was full so we went back to the hotel to check on Shirley and rest before our afternoon meal.

For lunch today, we decided we needed to have the Roast Suckling Pig, a specialty in Segovia. We weren't exactly sure what we would get so we each decided to order something different and then share it all. We had a plate of grilled veggies, two salads, and the Roast Suckling Pig "Segovia Style" or its back leg served with french fries. It was plenty of food for us to share. Porky was tender and succulent, but a little on the greasy side. I would have hated to come to Segovia and not had the local specialty.

Since we were on that side of the plaza, we decided to visit the new Cathedral of Segovia, originally called Santa Maria. Santa Maria was destroyed in 1521 and the "new" cathedral was begun in 1525. The edifice is a great example of a Gothic cathedral although it has many features associated with Renaissance aesthetics. In case many of you are thinking that I am an expert on the periods of architecture, let me assure you that I am not – I read this in the pamphlet I got in the Cathedral for my 3€ entrance fee. We did find out that Saint Frutos is the patron saint of Segovia which might explain the "fruit rule".

Clarita and Peggy dropped by our room a little while ago and we sat around talking about the trip. We each identified the highlight of the trip – for Clarita it was the beach town of Nazare; Shirley liked O Ceibrio, the little Irish Portuguese town in the mountains near the Iron Cross; Peggy liked Bilbao one of our first towns in Spain; and I liked Tomar the town with the Knights Templar. Throughout the trip, we have lit enough candles to start a small bonfire, we've counted Pilgrims, consumed a lot of tea, coffee, and other beverages; visited numerous cathedrals, and had a lot of laughs as well as tense driving conditions. We've maintained our sanity (if we ever had that to begin with) in spite of the rain and cold. Our little Spanish made Peugot has been a dream car – serving as our chariot through muddy, off road lanes; up treacherous mountain passes; through narrow city streets; and down highways that aren't open to the public yet.

Eventually, we sent Clarita and Peggy out to scrounge up a meal for the evening. We thought about oranges from our new favorite fruiteria, but she was closed for Labor Day. Instead, they brought back a variety of pastries and coke light. A perfect light meal after our heavy greased pig lunch.

We're ordered our car for 8 in the morning and will set off for the Madrid airport as soon as we load up. Clarity, Peggy, and Shirley have a noon flight to Texas via Philly. I have a 8 pm flight to Germany where I'll stay with friends for a week. All in all, this has been a wonderful trip. As Shirley remarked earlier, we have done our own type of Pilgrimage and each faced obstacles or challenges along the way. Perhaps not the same type we might encounter if we had walked the Camino de Santiago. This experience will make our lives richer and more meaningful in some way – even if we don't know the outcome yet.