EXCURSION TO PLASENCIA AND LA VERA – 1 hour 15 minutes drive from Finca al-manzil
A gorgeous day in the middle of September, Thursday…..market day in Plasencia.
The outskirts of Plasencia are not pre-possessing, a town to whizz through on the way to the delights of Salamanca. However, there are many interesting corners in the old part of town including TWO Cathedrals and the market square. I am always delighted by any sort of market, all the hustle and bustle, the outrageously LOUD cries of the stall holders hoping to draw ones attention to their pile of produce which looks identical to all the others. September is the peak time of the red pepper harvest for which the La Vera region is famous, it even has a quality controlled standard for the very best pimenton in the whole of Spain. Pimenton is the lusciously coloured powder made from smoked and ground red peppers, first produced by the monks of Yuste from the first red peppers grown in Europe, cultivated from the seeds brought back by Columbus from the West Indies in the 15th century. Besides huge mounds of the long twisty red peppers there were beautifully ripe fruit and vegetables grown in the rich, well watered soil of the La Vera. I bought a kilo of garlic with really fat cloves, well dried and tinged with lilac, a large wedge of local cheese and some scrumptious bumpy bread with seeds and nuts, this baker also sold slices from a huge tuna, red pepper and tomato pie, I bought some of that too for our picnic which seemed to be getting more and more gargantuan as I went from stall to stall. There was also a stall selling some really archaic looking agricultural implements all in shiny new steel, some lovely wood and steel pocket knifes.
It was getting hot by now so we had a cool drink in one of the cafés around the square and then, somewhat loaded down, took the long way back to the car past the cathedrals.
From Plasencia we headed out into the pretty countryside in the direction of Garganta da Olla which is a delightful small gorge with natural rock pools. In September there were still a few people swimming and lying around on the rocks but just a few and we found a good spot for our picnic besides a deep pool with smooth warm rocks, Roxy was in heaven slithering in and out of the water, we were less adventurous and merely dipped out toes in as we ate. A really special place with huge frondy water plants and shady trees amongst the rocks. Easy walking by the stream with many little detours.
Next stop the Monastery at Yuste. I love this place buried in deep quiet woods, surrounded by a high wall and a most romantic aspect with its lofty open porch at the front overlooking the fish pond and gardens.
It was here that the Emperor Charles V came to retire from the world, to rest his gouty foot from a specially designed chair, still to be seen today, or to lie in his bed directly next to the high alter participating in the many masses said for his eternal soul. For such a mighty emperor this was a simple hermitage where he wished to end his days but it seems a magical place to me, I do wish I could visit the cool cloisters and secret rooms but these are still in use by the monks and one only has a little glimpse.
The gout chair
We continued on to the little village of Cuacos de Yuste where the future Philip II stayed whilst visiting his father. Some charming corners and interesting local architecture all festooned with hanging bunches of drying peppers. A few bars on the main square, of course we ordered Yuste beer which was originally brewed by the monks, really rich and malty. From here we drove slowly back to the autovia and headed back to Finca al-manzil. An interesting and certainly fruitful day out.
