Photo: View of caves (abrigos)
Day 1
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We started the day 'early' (by Spanish standards) with an 8:30 a.m. departure on a closed-top, double-decker bus set for a two-hour tour through the pre-Pyrenees with a stop only for the must-have morning decanso (coffee break and snack).
After hiking down the mountainside to the caves, tour guides provided us with archaeological and historical lessons about the area and the pre-historic drawings inside the caves.
Photo: Chases on the cave hike
Caused by natural erosion over thousands of years, the extensive caves are embedded into the mountainside. Even though the tour was entirely in Spanish, we were able to garner the gist. Archaeologists and tourists alike speculate on the significance of the drawings but Parker thought that restless children painted them as a rainy day activity. Unfortunately, we were prohibited from photographing the cave drawings.
Photo: View of caves
Photo: Colin and Kelsey in pre-historic cave
Photo: Alvaro (SYA Art History teacher) giving instructions to students on hike
Photo: Chi Chi Davis and Chanel Branch (SPS students) in cave
After the caves, we headed for our next stop, Alquézar. Sitting on a hilltop, Alquézar is a charming maize of streets dominated by castle-like church. First named Alcázar when built by the Moors in the late 11th and early 12th century, Sancho Ramírez, King of Aragón later captured the town. The Colegiata or church was rebuilt as a church in 1530.
Once there, we filled our empty bellies with lunch. At SPS or probably any boarding school, the faculty would be required to be present at all meals on such a trip, and they wouldn't dare have a glass of wine with the students nearby. However, in Spain, it's much more relaxed and los adultos can have and did have a relaxed meal separate from the students where wine was also openly served.
Photo: SYA lunch at students' hostel
Photo: At Alquézar. Students listening to Marta (SYA Spanish teacher) giving instructions and 'No Pasa Nada'
As the SYA faculty gave the students guidelines for the trip and an overview of the remainder of our time, a few of the students were misbehaving in the background. The SYA faculty started to scold the students when Ethan, the 4 year old son of the Pauline, the SYA college adviser, spontaneously chimed in with, 'no pasa nada' (roughly translated in this instance as 'but I didn't do anything'). The entire SYA crew, faculty, families and students, all fell apart in laughter as Ethan's innocent comment quickly defused the slight tension. Now, we have a family joke about 'no pasa nada' anytime we're trying to figure out who is a guilty party.
Photo: Meeting with Parker's advisees at an outdoor cafe after lunch. The rain put a slight damper on the outdoor venue
After lunch, we headed to the Alquézar castle. Alquezar was established by the Moors. It name derives from the Arabic al-qasr meaning “the fortress”. The castle was built in Alquézar in the 9th century by Jalaf ibn-Rasid.
Photo: Castle in the distance
Photo: Chelsea and Kelsey walking up to the castle. Chelsea also has a hearing loss and is one of Parker's advisees
Photo: View of the Alquézar village from the Castle
Photo: View of surrounding area on our way to the castle
Photo: Courtyard inside castle
The four of us bunked (literally) in a hostel room with two bunk beds. While not luxury, the room was clean and comfortable with stunning views of the surrounding area.
Photo: Our hostel
Photo: View from our hostel window
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