As we left Agueda we admired some whimsical paintings on the walls of the Wine Museum that were not directly relevant to wine but perhaps suggested the misguided benefits of fine wine. T

The weather then changed and became quite challenging, not only because it entailed walking into 20 mph winds slapping your face with rain (we are prepared with good rain gear), but because it reduced opportunities for the casual encounter with surroundings.  For example, taking pictures is difficult because the wet phone face is not responsive. But we soldier on navigating mud and puddles that sometimes resemble small ponds, admiring the eucalyptus trees that seem happy swaying in the wind.

Met Josep along the way.  A brief conversation over the sound of splattering rain. He introduced himself in Spanish so we spoke to him in Spanish.

“Are you Spanish?”

“No, Catalan. Where are you from?”

“Washington DC”

“Ah, bad luck”

“Some of us aren’t happy with the situation.”

“Yes, but you voted for him. America will never be the same. We’ve been through periods like that in Europe.”

It wasn’t accusatory or intended as a reproach.  It was a plain and simple fact. 

We spoke briefly about the walk and the inclement weather.  “One must have patience”, Josep said.  Truer words could not have been spoken.