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The Wild Asparagus Hunters are Out and About

It´s that time of year. Cars parked in odd places, the solitary person - usually a man, popping up above a bank or from behind an olive tree. The hunters of the wild aparagus are here. The plentiful rain scattered with a day or two of sunshine has brought them out in droves. Some have their route, others instinctively know where to go. They appear, walking back to their cars, with a huge bundle of foot long green spears of asparagus. And off they go, probably not to be seen for another year - or another week if the rain continues. No matter how hard the shoots try and hide the older men hunt them down with stick in hand, to fob off the spiky old growth, and uncover the tender new stems of wild asparagus. Everyone has their favourite way of cooking them but the most common seems to be in a Tortilla - the thick Spanish potato omelette to which you can add anything that comes to hand - or is hunted down. My one or two shorter stem finds don´t come close to the experienced hunters catch. I...

Windmills and Castles in Spain

Spanish windmills aren't all found in Quixote country, here's one from a day trip to Baños de Encina in Jaén province.

Built in true La Mancha style it stood all alone at the highest point of the town. Baños de Encina is a great town to exlore with an enormous castle visible from the main south-north Madrid drag.

Having looked from afar for years I booked in a birthday treat. Got a coat of paint slapped on my bedroom in the morning then trip out castle hunting and home via a garden centre to choose my presents. (They can't refuse my birthday wishes can they?) Got some planning to do for this years, The Alhambra (again) I think.








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