Trekking Diaries – Sierra Nevada (Mountaineering)

Day 17th

We reached Granada in 17 of August and after a stop in the commercial zone to a supermarket to search for condensed milk in a tube (Antonio’s ideas), we head off to the center of the city hopping to find some information about any trekking routes and topographic maps of the mountain. Quickly we both discovered that in Granada we wouldn’t find anything so we set off for the mountain following the indications to Sierra Nevada that would lead us to Pradollanos. After ascending by car around 1000 m we found a information center, there we could find a topographic map with suggested trekking routes graded by technical difficulty, time spend, physical difficulty. We had been successful with our goal but since we were there, we decided to proceed ascending to Pradollanos at 2075 m of altitude and afterwards to the highest point you are allowed to go by car 2500m of altitude. There were some coffee shops/restaurants where we took an ice cream moment. After carefully considering we decided to do a 2 days route Trevelez – Poqueira – Mullacén – Trevelez. Afterwards we set off for Trevelez its took us about almost 2h to get there, taking a mountain road from the exit of A44 to Lanjarón until Trevelez.

Trevelez is a small village located in the base of the mountain, the highest altitude village in Spain located around 1550m. The village is very beautiful when seen from far, all the houses are painted white, I can only imagine due to the same reason that in Portugal houses in the south are painted white (in the summer its hot, hot and hot…)and its shape ascends in the mountain. We stayed for the night in a camping park close to the village.

http://www.campingtrevelez.net/

Comments: There are several route possibilities according to the time you want to spend in the mountain, maybe the most famous one is the Integral 3000m that is a route that takes you from one side of the mountain to the other side crossing all the peaks with altitude superior to 3000m of altitude, a very interesting route in my opinion I would have liked to do it, but unfortunately this route takes a minimum of 4 to 5 days trip and we only had two. The most emblematic peaks Veleta, Alcazaba and Mullacén as well as the lagoons at the base of Mullacén (siete lagunas) are must go places, other than that it’s a little up to your own preferences. Veleta can be easily reached starting from Pradollanos, there is even a mini-bus service that takes almost to the peak. For Mullacén there are several possibilities coming from Veleta, Siete Lagunas among others, the technical difficulty of the trails is not very high, therefore any person with a minimum experience on mountain can do it. For Alcazaba I would say the best option is take the trail of the Siete Lagunas and from there proceed to Alcazaba. Although we first decide to spend the night in Poqueira following the locals advice we end up doing the siete Laguna trail and staying over on close to the biggest lagoon.

http://www.nevasport.com/sierranevada/montana/05integral.php (in spanish)

Trekking Diaries – Sierra Nevada (Why choose Sierra Nevada)

Sierra Nevada is mainly known in the winter because it’s big ski village (Pradollanos), the biggest in the surroundings meaning south of Spain (the biggest I’ve seen, although I’m not exactly very experience when comes to ski, on the contrary).

So why go to Sierra Nevada in the summer, for once is low season so there are less people in the mountain, the temperature in the mountain is very nice of around 20-27ºC at 2500m of altitude during daytime, its a very interesting with a good scenic view mountain, and above that, it has the third highest peak in Europe (after the Mont Blanc and Mt Etna) Mullacén with 3482m of altitude (impressive) and finally is always a good opportunity to get into the mountains again!
Although when comparing to others mountains in Spain like Picos da Europa, this last one wins due to its truly magical scenery, Sierra Nevada is still worth of a visit!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Nevada_(Spain)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulhacén

And besides the mountain Granada is a beautifull city with an Unesco classified World Heritige Site, Alhambra that deserves a visit, the tickets are bought in the day you visit, but be carefull, altough 7000 people are allowed to visit the place each day, these 7000 tickets fly....Have to be there early to get tickets (rumour says around 4 a.m.).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alhambra

Big birds

One of the things of being on the other side of the world is that everytime I want get back to Portugal have to sustain around 10 to 12 hours inside a airplane! The first time I have to confess it was horrible, i didn't felt much sleepy and find what to do in this (seems like non-ending) period of time can be sometimes a big challenge! I don't feel like reading, get tired of watching the movies, specking with the neighbor in the next seat is not always an option, it can be very boring... All I can say, after enduring 5 trips like this, you get to used to it :) although everytime is a pain! Already tried 3 different airlines to do the Japan (Kansai) - Portugal (Lisbon) conection, and I have to admit the best is the last company with which I flew. The Dutch airline KLM has good points in everything, good food, frequent meals, good entertaiment with an interactive panel on your seat that allows to select from movies to tv series, documentaries and games, and somehow helps to spend time, and very kind treatment from the staff! grade 10

The other two Luftansa and Air France, if you can choose, between these 2, air france is without a dought the better one, with aceptable food, and interactive panel similar to the one in KLM. Have safe trip...

11 000 m of Altitude

Being in high places has been always of great fascination to me, this time flying KLM the Dutch airline company from Japan to Portugal, I got to see amazing landscape at 11 000m high above in the clouds. The sky was clear and the picture is quite nice, although during the flight there were some periods of heavy turbulence that made me wonder how fragile our live is, any given mistake/misfortune could lead to an accident and the outcome could be not the most desirable one.

Delicious Water

For those who understand Japanese watch closely this picture...This was taken in a mountain and it refers to the distance where we can find water! For those who dont understand japanese, here it goes a brief explanation: the signal to the right says that there is water at 400m (no big deal) but the funy thing is in the sign to the left "delicious" water at 200m! Now I wonder...isn't the water suppose to be tasteless, odorless, colourless...how can it be delicious....After drinking it, I realize maybe why delicious was wrote in the sign, it wasn't delicious but very refreshing after almost a whole day hike in the mountains.

Brand Apples

This wouldn't be that interesting picture if the apples were not marked! At first when i found them in a local market i thought, they to the trouble of painting the apples (these japanese are crazy i thought) but it turns out, after a closer look that in fact they are not painted, but marked when they are still small a grow with a mark on it! at least like this you can be sure where the apple came from...
Enjoy

Tanuki

This picture was taken in a station of Torokko romantic train in Sagano (North of Arashiyama). I would love to ride this train all the way from Arashiyama to Kameoka, its one of my must do things while in Kyoto! (Just missing company... :)

Personally I like the little animals statues (in english can be translated as racoon dog). They are found not only in the mountains, but most commonly outside of shops, guess to bring good fortune (although I'm not sure).

For more information....you know where....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanuki

Let's have some Serendipity in our lives

Got across this very interesting word when doing a report. That report lead me to investigate a little on this matter, although on a chemist point of view. Neverthess it was worth it.

By defenition Serendipity is the effect by which one accidentally discovers something fortunate, especially while looking for something else entirely or “the faculty of making fortunate and unexpected discoveries by accident”. Serendipity has contributed with extensively discoveries among the several scientific disciplines. Pharmacology and chemistry are probably the fields where serendipity is more common. Like Pasteur said "in the field of observation, chance favors only the prepared mind." and Brian Eno "Luck is being ready."

Some examples of serendipitious discoveries: chemical elements, Velcro, polyethene, teflon, cellophane, rayon (synthetic silk), penicillin, viagra, the contraceptive pill...among other.

How do you capture serendipity in a picture? I found this poster on the web, hope you enjoy it!

Japanese mist

For once I felt like I was in Avalon...though I didn't saw prince Arthur or even Lancelot (a pity)

I wonder if Marion Zimmer Bradley has ever visited Japan....Maybe Japan could have been the Avalon of the East !! :)

This picture was taken last week in a mountain in Nara prefecture. I like it specially because of its mysterious atmosphere. Enjoy

Perfect Blue Sky

This picture doesn't need comments I think! How often do we get to see a blue sky like that... This one was taken in a mountain not very far from Kyoto called Hirasan.

Diferent faiths

This is a picture taken in a Jinja near by my new home. The wooden things are sold blank and then you can write your desires/wishes perhaps on it, and hope it will come true. I like them, it kind of like finding a 4 leaf clover, see a rainbow and ask a wish ...every time i go to a jinja I always take a picture, this one was especially good...

White montains

Is there anything more beautiful than montains covered by snow?...
This picture was taken in 27th of February in Shiga Ken in a Ski station. Although i dont have very good memories of that day (suck big time on skiing-im from a country with little snow after all) wanted to share with you the wonderfull landscape.

Other way of cook

This a picture taken in me and Yuwa`s first experience cooking one of my favorite japanese dishes: Okonomiaki... It doesnt look that nice (we mess up the flour quantity) but it surelly tasted good...

The weathering of time

This is a picture that can tell a lot of stories. Those stones were already once rocks and stood proudly in the Montains, with time every one of them got detach and began its journey until they reached their final purpose: to lay down in some place and serve as decoration... Like us, everthing in the World has its journey...

Other than that is a good photo to use as Wallpaper... :)

Right Moment

This a very special picture for me, one of the few times I was able to capture the perfect moment... If there is a way to describe Nature, in my opinion, this is it.
The picture is of one flower which I don't know the name (sorry) and it was taken somewhere near Shichijo (Kyoto). Hope you enjoy.

Sakura`s Magic

Newlly arrived in Japan...We look so happy...A big kiss to all of you.

By favorite place

This is hoppefully the first of many posts in my newest blog...Since I really like to take pictures, I guess its because they became your memories reminders, what better way to it...I will start with a picture of my favorite place here in Kyoto, the Imperial Palace.

I cannot really explain why, but this place, among all the places I have been here in Kyoto is the "one", my favorite...I think it contains some magic a glimpse of perfection and ultimate harmony hidden on it. I could spend hours looking at it, and still enjoy it.

Hope you enjoy as well