Hoyos del Espino

The Goat

Barcelona has Sagrada Familia, London has Big Ben, New York has the Statue of Liberty and, not to be outdone by these illustrious cities, Hoyos del Espino has a goat as its primary monument. And what a goat it is too. To discover where, why and how you only need to speak to a local. The fact that I didn't bother to do so probably explains why you won't find the answer in this blog.

I did, however, manage to catch up with Maria de la Verdad, who would prefer to remain anonymous, but I have taken the liberty to name and shame. She recently moved here from Madrid. Not by choice, though. No, she left the fiesta, the tapas and the dizzy heights of the nation's capital to teach English here at the local school due to enforced circumstances. She makes the 180 kilometers journey home to Madrid every weekend as she goes in search of life.

Speaking to the children is a challenge in itself as their homes are more like zoos than places in which to live, given the long lists of animals they possess.

I wonder if this place should be twinned, somehow, with Swafield.

Sandwiched between Avila and Plasencia like an unwanted sundried tomato, Hoyos del Espino lives up to all expectations as I didn't have any before I arrived.

I did go for a hike in the nearby mountains which was nice.

Then I got the bus to Madrid.