Hello and welcome to the first entry of
this blog! The idea of keeping a “pet travel” blog first occurred to me when I
realized how frequently we bop around Spain with Pipa (almost every weekend)
and how often I am asked by other pet owners for advice and information on
making it work. Here, I´ll be recounting our trips, reviewing the places where
we spend time, and suggesting pet-friendly destinations and itineraries. Whether you´re interested in learning some tips about traveling with a pet or reading up on various tourist destinations in Spain, I hope I´m able to help. So
let´s begin!
This past Friday, carrying only a suitcase,
Pipa´s bag, and P´s fishing gear, we prepared to lose ourselves in the
breathtaking scenery and farm-to-table gastronomy of Extremadura. The ambience of this region is exactly
what we look for on our weekend excursions – lots of vibrant landscape colors, tiny, friendly towns, and a large body of water where P can
fish while Pipa and I soak in our surroundings. The drive
from Madrid is a bit long – – but once you arrive, the stunning views and clean
mountain air make the haul entirely worth it. In retrospect, it actually wasn´t
so bad – we pulled out of the garage at 4:30pm, hit a bit of Friday-afternoon
gridlock while leaving Madrid, stopped once at a gas station to pee, fill up,
and feed Pipa, and pulled into our accommodation around 9pm, just in time for
(Spanish) dinner.
We stayed (for the second time) at www.caminobeturia.es, a charming,
pet-friendly, family-run “casa rural” nestled deep in the mountains of Badajoz.
Hidden off of a winding dirt road, 4 kilometers from the nearest town, the
property is surrounded by open skies, gently sloping hills, and sprawling
groves of oak, chestnut, and olive trees. The main building is a traditional
rural inn with individual en-suite bedrooms, but we rented a small guesthouse
at the foot of the property -- very simple, rustic, and bursting with
character. The setting is perfect because we can leave the front door open,
letting in the sunshine and fresh air while Pipa is free to come and go as she
pleases (she became fascinated by our two donkey neighbors, trying constantly
to play with them through the chain-link fence.) On Friday evening, weary after the long
drive, we were content to stay in, light a fire in the wood-burning stove, and unwind with a light dinner of tortilla and tomato salad.
Little House on the Hillside 😊
On Saturday morning we awoke to the sound
of two burros (donkeys) braying outside of our window. Good morning, fellas!
With Pipa
in tow, we ascended up to the main house for a simple breakfast of Greek yogurt,
homemade molasses, melon, and toast with fig jam.
We were attended by a pair of middle-aged women from Sevilla, and enjoyed a long and animated post-breakfast chat
with them about government policies, the merits of an architecture career, and
study-abroad options for Spanish college students. Pipa, meanwhile, who often believes herself to
be the size of a horse, had brazenly marched right up to the donkey in an
attempt to play, and I had to swiftly rescue her before ending up flat as a puppy
pancake 😏.
Although the weather forecast had been calling
for afternoon thunderstorms, the morning remained clear and sunny, and so we
were able to follow through with our plan to spend some time at the lake (after
an impromptu emergency detour into a nearby village to stock up on local fruit, wine,
bread, and, for P, enough ham and chorizo to feed an army. Remember, folks, shops in small-town Spain close at 2:00pm on Saturday! ☝) The Embalse de Tentudia,
largely unknown outside of Extremadura, is a hidden gem of a place where one
can pass the day fishing, picnicking, BBQing, and lazing in the shade of the plentiful
oak trees. Often when P fly-fishes, Pipa and I accompany him on walks
around the lake, but this time I was so engrossed in my book that I preferred
to stay at the picnic table and read while Pipa had a ball running, chasing
sticks, and wading in the shallow water.
We finally left around 5pm, just as
gray clouds were starting to set in and thunder could be heard in the distance.
Our next stop was the Monasterio de Tentudia, a historic church and fortress built in the 13th century and considered one of Spain´s best examples of Mujedar architecture. While Pipa waited in the car, P and I took a brief walk up to the monastery´s entrance, having just enough time to soak in the views and have a little reverent fun before the rain started to pour in earnest.
Saturday night was rainy and chilly, essentially cancelling our plans for tapas and wine in the tiny and thoroughly adorable town of Cabeza la Vaca (population 1,300!)
Instead, we once again built a fire and huddled inside our casita with our books and our little dog, feasting on Extremadura-grown watermelon, oranges, tomatoes, and bread, washed down by a local red wine. After another luxurious sleep in the mountain air and a leisurely breakfast, and a second trip to the embalse (this time quickly thwarted by increasingly-heavy thunderstorms), all 3 of us were ready to head back to Madrid, well-rested and serene. Another wonderful weekend excursion with my favorite homies! 😊
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