La Mancha

South of Toledo is La Mancha, an area of high dry plains, not much on the beaten tourist path. I read Don Quixote when I was 58--same age as the Knight--and found it to be one of the most engrossing and impressive books I have ever read. More recently, I read Stephen Marlowe's fictionalized biography of Cervantes (good where it sticks to what is known, not so good where Marlowe is filling in the considerable gaps in Cervantes' life; but he certainly got the character and voice right, by my lights). Anyhow, I had to see a windmill and some little bit of La Mancha. So we drove south as far as Consuegra, the beginning of Quixote country, and a major collection of windmills and other things.

Door curtain in Consuegra, with Quixotic

figures

Square in Consuegra

I wonder whether they serve horse flesh?

Windmills on a hill...no tilting allowed

Hilltop fortress in Consuegra, probably being renovated as

visitor center for Quixote World

The countryside around Consuegra...lots of vineyards (and those

strange jugs) and olive groves; despite recent rain, it still looks

appropriately dry and barren

More countryside and another bullboard

Contemporary windmills; the dots on the hill top are ruins of old

windmills...some indication of the scale of the new devices