Our time in Capileira flew by! On our first day, we took a hike behind our hotel nestled into the mountains in the Alpujarra region of Andalucía. The views were spectacular, and it was nice to take in the fresh mountain air again. The contrast between these mountains and those we saw in the north was striking: yellows, grays, and matte greens instead of the lush, verdant mountains of Asturias and Cantabria.
View from our first hike in Capileira.
Later that day, our Spanish lesson required us to recycle persuasive language to make commercials for some of our most-used products of the trip: sunscreen, corn nuts (ask Jared and Blake!), and granola bars. The commercials ended up being very creative and funny!
On Thursday, we spent the first part of the day by the pool. After lunch at a wonderful restaurant known for its asados, we walked to downtown Capileira and interviewed the townspeople about life in the Alpujarra — it was great using our Spanish to learn more about the town and its inhabitants. While some groups interviewed, the rest took flamenco lessons from our incredibly talented (and patient!) instructor, Nani. Everyone had a blast, and some even learned some new moves!
Flamenco lessons with Nani!
Flamenco class in Capileira!
Our final day in Capileira, we hiked the tallest peak on the Iberian peninsula: Mulhacén. It was a challenging hike, but the views from the top were well worth it! Though we weren’t able to see the coast of Morocco–estaba nublado!–the summit offered breathtaking panoramas of the surrounding mountains in the Sierra Nevada National Park.
The group at the summit of Mulhacén, the tallest mountain in continental Spain.
Views from the summit of Mulhacén.
We can’t believe our time in Spain has gone by so quickly! We’ll update you soon on our adventures in Almuñécar!
Stay tuned,
Tasha y Nick