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Yesterday I was planning on a regroup day. I wasn't expecting that to mean sleeping till 11am. I guess I was a bit more exhausted than I expected. I caught up on emails, Skyped with friends, and split wood to get out some frustration- I mean to be helpful... Then Arturo, Elisa, and their friend (from the first lunch in the Pyrenees) Bernardo came home. I made hamburgers for everyone. Then afterwards we sat around a warm fire eating Whiskey Cake (an ice cream cake soaked in whiskey...), listened to jazz music, and drank the best gin and tonics in the world made by Arturo. I taught Bernardo how to pronounce things in English as he did the same for Spanish. We talked about politics, music, airplanes, and just in general enjoyed the company. It was a great evening.
This morning Elisa and I went on an adventure. As the clouds collected on the mountain tops, we drove straight to the clouds. Luckily the rain held off till we were done. Our destination was the Castle of Peracense. We parked in the town below and walked up. We walked past tall red rock formations until we saw the castle. This castle was built in the 10th century. What's amazing is the fact it is built into the rocks. When you're looking up the valley towards the castle, it would be easy to assume the rocks are just rocks, without a castle. It's not until you get closer that you see the castle's structure begin to emerge. It's quite amazing.
When we walked closer, we couldn't tell if it was open or not. So we hesitantly walked up to the gate. Sure enough it had been open for ten whole minutes. We bought our three euro tickets and went inside. The courtyard was full of medieval weapons. There was also a room of paintings from local artists. Impressive to say the least. We continued to explore. Amazing designs from top to bottom. The way they incorporated the strong red rocks into water ducts, housing, ovens, graves and everything else was inspiring. I climbed all over the rocks, up the walls (sometimes literally) around the rooms, through hallways and much more. I loved it. Absolutely spectacular. It led to amazing views of the valley as well. On the trip back down, we got some amazing views of the castle as well. Every view was a new angle and a new aspect of beauty to this original castle.
When we got home, Arturo and Bernardo were waiting with three other pilots. They had their heads in the engine of a plane. I laughed because I knew that sight well. The seven of us went to lunch. I've thus far in Spain been able to understand the conversation around me. Maybe not join in, but mostly understand what's going on. This lunch was the exception. It spat me out as fast as they spoke. I could tell they were talking about aviation, which was not covered in my Spanish classes. I got lost quickly. We all went home for the evening. The pilots went back to the planes while Elisa and I cooked. Dinner was a bit different as Diego, on of the pilots, wanted to practice his English with me. But the conversation circled back around to airplanes, as it always does with pilots.
But I smiled because I didn't have to know the words they were saying to recognize the conversation. I've seen pilots sit over meals and discuss regulations, new airplanes, and tell stories my whole life. I felt right at home. I had to message my parents and let them know how amazing it was that conversations are the same no matter where you are in the world. My mom immediately said, "Pilots transcend cultures." I couldn't say it better. But for me, that means a part of home- a part of me- transcends cultures.
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