Let the Sun Shine

The bus dropped us off in the pouring evening rain just outside the old town of Caceres, our first stop in Spain.  Trundling our bags along and dodging streams of sludgy water down tiled streets, we rushed in the most ungainly manner to our quaint hotel in the centre of town.  Then promptly separated from each other and disappeared. 

The "carrot" dangling in front of us, so to speak, was one free day in the middle of the study trip.  Or as we phrased it, the break betwen the stages.  6 days in Portugal, 1 day off, 6 days in Spain.  Somehow it seemed more manageable when broken down into distinct phases.  We'd already experienced a mass breakdown of shrieks, giddiness and debauchery that took our tutors aback - we will never be able to think of Lindsy's cork oil and vinegar set without sniggering - so clearly a rest was in order.  Just ask the face mask crew whose loud antics fuelled by Portugese amphorae wine brought the desk clerk into frightened contact with their hardened green faces. 

Wendy and I opted instead for drinks to celebrate Casey's birthday, amazing tapas, a long lie-in, wine in the afternoon and lazy wanders around town in the sun, creating one of those perfect days.  And made us almost ready to face each other again as a group bright and early on the Monday morning.

Storks roost on every spare high surface in Extremadura