Today we excursioned (I know that's not a word, but I'm using it anyway) to Mérida, the capital of Extremadura and an old Roman city. What I mean by old Roman city is, picture Rome, then downsize by about a hundred: bam. Mérida.
Before the Iberian Peninsula was Spain and Portugal it was Lusitania, Gallaecia, Celtiberia, Baetica, and Cantabria. Lusitania was what is now Portugal, Extremadura, and part of Andalucia. When the Romans took over shortly after the birth of Christ, they created a city that was intended for veterans of a recent war (forgive my vagueness, it's hard to catch the details sometimes). It became the capital of Lusitania and was called Emerita Augusta, after, of course, the emperor of the time, Caesar Augustus. The word Emerita later evolved into Mérida.
Enough with the history! So we went and saw the three major attractions: the coliseum, the Roman style theater, and the chariot race track. It was quite incredible to know that we were standing where the Romans once stood! What amazing history. Ojo: My camera was almost dead when I got there, so I didn't get as many/the best pics but still... mira--
Inside the coliseum
between the coliseum and the theater
the theater "stage" area
An original of Augustus' head
The temple
The ORIGINAL bridge. Can you believe this? It was breathtaking, and incredible to think about.
The chariot race track
Our whole program in the theater!
It was beautiful, but smaller than we had anticipated, so half a day was quite enough there. Teresa packed us TONS of food!
In the afternoon, I bought myself a book on my kindle called The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I cannot remember the last time I was so taken, so enchanted by a book! It was a lovely way to pass a day.
Dinner was divine tonight. Teresa made some kind of fish covered in salsa rubia, "blonde sauce" that was composed of lots of garlic, onions, parsley, chopped almonds, and some leaf that I got which means good luck. It also contained something inside clamshells (mussels?) which I also ate because they too were covered in that sauce of the gods. My good gracious me, it was SO GOOD. So good. Additionally we had bread, as always, and the best salad yet: lettuce, tomatoes, onions (oh the onions here!), avacado, and carrots covered in, as usual, salt, olive oil, and vinegar. A banana for dessert complemented the meal perfectly. Oh goodness me it was so yummy.
I'm tired! So I'm going to go to bed.
Praises to God for:
-warm beds
-home cooked meals
-conserved and restored history
-books
-words
-the internet
-siestas
-our sweet family here
-my sweet family at home
-His generosity
-Cáceres: I just can't get enough of it :)
Hablamos pronto!
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