FOUNDED BY AND named for Julius Caesar*, Casares (the name evolved when the Romans left) is one of the most beautiful of the Pueblos Blancos. It’s about an hour from us mostly west and we drove there Friday with Judy. Caesar hailed (groan) the sulfuric waters of the spring with curing his liver complaints.
*NOTE: It turns out that’s not true. The original name of the town in Arabic was al-Casr, meaning fortress or castle. Don’t believe everything you read!
In the 12th century the Moors built a castle, remnants of which still stand. In 1485, the town surrendered to Catholic forces. Even with modern roads, Casares still feels unapproachable. It was one of only two towns (the other was Cádiz) that Napoleon’s forces could never take. What a prize.
Today we have some scenic views with more of the town, including the nail-biting drive down on another mountain road, still to come.
I bought a new camera today. My old one didn’t like being dropped (three times in the past 6 months) on the pavement. After the second drop, I noticed a light leak. The third drop (in Casares) was the charm. Light leaks, blur, and difficult to focus in general. San Geraldo thinks I do it on purpose (that’s how I got my first Spanish camera; this is my third). I’m shocked.
*NOTE: Resulta que eso no es verdad. El nombre original de la ciudad en árabe era al-Casr, que significa fortaleza o castillo. ¡No creas todo lo que lees!
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THE HIGH ROAD AT LEFT IS THE ONE WE TOOK HOME. EL CAMINO ALTO A LA IZQUIERDA ES EL QUE CONDUCIMOS A CASA. |
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THE 18TH-CENTURY CHURCH AND THE 12TH-CENTURY CASTLE (WITH MY DAMAGED CAMERA). LA IGLESIA DEL SIGLO XVIII Y EL CASTILLO DEL SIGLO XII. |
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A VIEW FROM THE CASTLE. UNA VISTA DEL CASTILLO. |