Pigs!

It would be putting it mildly to say that between Las Mestas and Salamanca the road climbs steeply round hairpin bends with precipitous drops of several hundred metres... one of the most frightening things is that the authorities found it necessary to put "no overtaking" signs every few hundred metres - suggesting, as it does, that some Spanish truck driver might decide to come hurtling towards you and push you over the edge! Phil sneered with disdain at my protestations to drive more slowly, but the smile was on the other side of his face when we reached the top and he looked round to see the trembling puddle of sweat and tears that occupied his passenger seat. Fortunately, the descent is a more gentle coast downhill (obviously) - from my geography lessons I remember this geographical formation to be called an escarpment - if anyone is reading this I am sure they will correct me if I'm wrong, especially if it's one of my sisters.

North into Castilla y León, the hills once more give way to the flat plains of the dehesa - oak trees stretching out as far as the eye can see, and at any other time of year (except this week apparently,) bustling with porcine activity of the Iberian kind...

It is possible that Shareen, exhausted after the long climb, may have shut her eyes for a moment or two when suddenly a cry of "PIGS!" wakes up the entire province of Salamanca, who have just settled down for their siesta, and most of the northern half of Extramadura to boot. Screeching to a halt, the VW Polo is reversed at breakneck speed back up the SA205, (or an un-marked minor road, depending on wheher you go by the Michelin map or the road signs,) although thankfully not up the hill again, to reveal, miraculously, a small whitewashed stone pen where snuffle happily no less than several of the famed black Iberian pigs, and what's more, a few little cochinillos besides.

Look - pigs!

For several moments we toyed with the idea of rustling one of these cochinillos and buying one of those instant barbecues from the next garage, but sadly the discussion then moved on to whether we might just borrow one for a photo-opportunity in the dehesa (where it should have been) or whether it would be easier to photoshop it in later. We decide Florence can do the trick photography stuff, so here you are, Flo - put these two pictures together and see if you can come up with something better than this:

Mission accomplished, we head straight for Salamanca and lunch.