Getting Lucky

After getting rather wet on a short walk yesterday, and a wild night of wind and rain, today dawned with dramatic skies but with the promise of better weather. An itinerary was planned to visit Frigiliana and take a hike into the mountains from there. After a wander around the streets, a bit of reading over a coffee in the square, and then a beer and tapas, it was actually mid-afternoon before we hit the trail. That took us down to the Rio Higueron before climbing up to a ridge which the path followed for a good way, looking down to the Rio Chillar on the far side. The cloud never quite cleared from the tops but I was reminded of how dramatic and beautiful these mountains are. 

As we descended the ridge, wilderness to the east and civilisation to the west, we enjoyed the strange experience of being accompanied by the sound of drumming, carried across the valley from the town. It was remarkably loud considering the distance involved. That stayed with us all the way back, giving the walk a bit of a tempo, especially as we could see more rain on its way. Just as we reached the end of the trail, where it emerges into the centre of the town, we discovered the source. It was the head of the carnival procession. Our timing couldn't have been more perfect. It's certainly the first time I've ever finished a hike to be greeted by scantily clad exotic dancers! I could get used to that!

After watching the procession for a while the thought suddenly struck home that the car was parked on route just up the road and would soon be consumed by all the festivity. We avoided the crowds by walking through the narrow streets above the main road, picked a stepped route back down, to emerge at the car about ten seconds before the carnival procession arrived. It wouldn't have been too much of a hardship to have been stranded but it still felt good to be able to escape to our home from home before it got too late.