Friday, January 8, 2010

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

























































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