Life: Idiotropic

Chinchilla is only 10 minutes from Albacete.  There, a castle looms high on a hill with the village cascading down from it sort of like an overfrosted cake in the sun.  It's pretty, impressive at first glance, but then, these "castle on a hill" villages are almost getting common place here. 

Like all things in my life with 4 girls, plans are fluid.  We planned on going to Chinchilla, then they were hot and tired and hungry, so we were going to skip it, but then I didn't want to stop at a gas station for food and Kirk was at the gym and the cafeteria on base was closed until 1930, so we found ourselves needing to eat and also kill a bit of time.  Chinchilla was the perfect plan.

I honestly was pulling into Chinchilla from the freeway following a gas station sign.  Really.  But then I didn't find the gas station and did find a convenient parking spot.   So we walked up a slight incline through a street lined with colorful banners very much in the style of the Bayeaux tapestry - very Norman, to the Plaza de la Mancha where the old Cathedral and several other nice buildings stand.  Usually Spanish plazas are empty or lined with trees and benches.  This one, sadly, is lines with cars.   Still, each building was draped with banners indicating that we'd just missed or were about to miss something special going on.

We wandered through the steep streets packed with homes and reached the top where an old man sat with his dog.  The girls pet the three year old dog who was blinded when a careless neighbor poured boiling water from their window, or so the story goes.  The old man was friendly.  He has a son in Valencia.  Doesn't everyone?

The castle is undergoing renovations, so we didn't walk right up to it, but enjoyed it from the distance of a shade tree.  It was a hot day.

Time for a cool drink.  We headed down to the plaza again this time passing an old Arab bath house that was sadly closed.  Those are really beautiful.

Found a cafe in the plaza where groups of ladies sat.  This must be the ladies cafe.  Groups of men sat outside at other cafes.  Groups of men sat inside at this one.  But only ladies outside.  We got three lemon fantas, an iced coffee (one shot espress + 2 ice cubes), and two bag of chips to share.

Wandered back to our car a different way and saw even more of what is really a charming town.  From the highway you see houses leading up to the castle on the hill, but that's it.  There are some really amazing things hidden inside this town that you'd never notice until you're there. 

Folks were pulling up lawn chairs and kitchen chairs onto the sidewalk as we walked by.  There's going to be a play, they said.  Hmmm... sounds wonderful.  We saw two men walk by with heavy costumes.  1930 and everyone was ready, but we had to go. 

Next time, Chinchilla.   Dinner awaits in Albacete.