Today was…an adventure. We took a day trip to a small town called Chulilla, which is the site of the hanging bridges. A one hour drive into the mountains followed by a 3.5 mile hike into a canyon that resembles the Grand Canyon. The hike runs along a beautiful crystal clear creek that seems to call to you as the temperature rises in the afternoon. And once again, I had the opportunity to embrace my inner Indiana Jones. Trekking through the canyon requires two bridge crossings that look very similar to the bridges depicted in the classic Temple of Doom scene. Good for us, we didn’t run into any henchmen with swords!!
After our hike we enjoyed a picnic lunch in a small park in the town of Chulilla. Bocadillo sandwiches were on the menu. These are similar to sub sandwiches but the bread is a bit wider and comes with a small amount of crunch. I ordered the Chivito which is the signature sandwich of València and it didn’t disappoint. A thin chicken breast topped with bacon, aioli, tomato, lettuce and a fried egg. Money. As we have bonded over the past few weeks, meals with the group are very enjoyable. As I mentioned tomorrow being our last day of class, I could sense a bit of collective sadness.
After lunch, we hiked to the local castle. Because you know, every town has to have a castle! (Actually most do here.) A hold over from the 14th century, this partial castle is perched on top of the town like a crown. While much of the remains have deteriorated, the beauty is unmistakable.
Now the fun part. The plan was to end our day with a swim in the clear, cool pools of water that graced the canyon we had just hiked. Mother Nature, however, had other plans. “It never rains in València!” they say. Well today…it rained. Hard. And these rain drops felt different. Like an actual shower. I was very proud of the team for trudging through what can only be described as a biblical rain storm back to our bus. While cold, wet, and a little terrifying…it’s an experience none of us will soon forget.
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