Mérida to Madrid

Got up early-ish: a bit later than usual as we have lost an hour crossing into Spain and our biological clocks have not adjusted. Overcast but we have so far avoided the predicted rain, so we got our walk in (a ‘tad’ over 6 kms).

Before bed last night I had mapped out a circuit of all the major sights; my plan was to avoid lots of people and we were out with just the early morning walkers and joggers which was good.

Mérida was an important centre of Roman power in the region after being founded by Emperor Augustus in 25 BC.

So: Arco de Trajano (a 14 m high Roman arch under which one of the regular streets passes);

the Acueducto de los Milagros (a mix of brick, stonework, masonry and natural rock dating back to the 1st century - spectacular! - and the storks have made themselves at home along the tops of the arches …);

the Puente Romano across the very wide Guadiana River (wonderfully preserved and still in use);

the Alcazaba àrabe (a 9th century Muslim fortification which we didn’t go into);

the Plaza de España (we had a coffee here and enjoyed the chiming of the church bells and the lovely buildings);

the 1st century Templo de Diana with its 8 m high granite Corinthian columns (which incongruously is set amongst the neighbourhood’s modern buildings - you never know what’s around the corner!);

and the Teatro Romano (constructed between the years 16 and 15 BC and still used for performances - we didn’t go in but it is apparently quite spectacular).

We checked out where the train station is and returned for breakfast and packed ready to go again. An amusing touch at a roundabout:

I had set my heart on churros before we go, so enroute to the station we stopped at a place where I had seen a woman kneading the dough earlier - and we were so lucky because while we were eating them with our cup of yummy hot chocolate, I realised we had got the last ones and they were about to close (it being nearly midday on a Sunday!).

A light drizzle accompanied us to the station. We have a bit under 4.5 hours to Madrid; there is a bit of rain on and off along the way and the countryside and roads are quite wet. Countryside along the way:

In Madrid our hotel is wonderfully positioned right opposite the main Atocha Cercanías station (once known as Estación del Mediodía) and we are staying at the Mediodía Hotel (which dates back to the mid-17th century) as recommended by The Man in Seat 61, my 'go-to guy' for everything you need to know about rail travel.

We just had a hamburger down the road (nothing flash, but expensive - this is afterall the capital of Spain), bought some groceries for breakfast, an Irish Whiskey to fortify the soul (as it was a bit cold!), and an early night (as it is wet, although clearing).

Walked 9.6 kms.