So, the past few days have been pretty laid back, outside of finding out that Luke is allergic to almonds. We didn't spend too much time working this weekend. On Saturday morning we spent several hours picking almonds. I spent most of my time up in the tree with my almond beating stick like that baboon from the Lion King, while Luke knocked the almonds out of lower branches. Fabian and Javier, from up the road, helped us gather loose almonds and put them into the net. Later that afternoon we met another local organic Farmer, a German guy named Mathias. His farm is in a very different ecosystem from Tara's, and his land is a lot more lush. He grows almonds, figs, pears, and plums. His pears and plums were delicious, but I cannot judge his almonds and figs, since they all taste the same to me. Luke and I may work at his farm at some point in the upcoming weeks to get a different experience. That night was largely uneventful, outside of an inch-long moth lodging itself into Stuart's ear canal. One minute he was telling us a story having something to do with a bathtub, next minute Luke and I are holding a bug repellent incense coil up to his ear trying to "smoke out" the moth. Since our methods didn't work, Tara took Stuart to the local medical center, where they blasted out the moth with a hose.
Today was an off day, so we didn't get much work done. Luke and I sat down for a little bit cracking open almonds with rocks, looking like the apes from Space Odyssey: 2001 (I'll try to relax with the primate allusions). Later, we met up with Stu and his roommate, Ray, drove into Cadiar to get some dinner. We ate at this nice tapas place called Anitas, and were thoroughly entertained by Stu and Ray's dry humor. Ray actually came to Cadiar for inspiration for his novel, which he just finished.
Tomorrow, weather depending, Luke and I are planning on doing an overnight hike up Mulhacen, the tallest mountain in continental Spain. We are very excited for the hike, and hopefully will return with tales to tell.

Love,
Jack


Dedicated to Bug