Jackie in pictures: Stewed pork cheeks and Dupont's Lark

Today was mostly a travelling day, through mostly horrid landscape. In my experience, all countries have it. We're re-visiting a national park - Parque Natural Hoces Del Rio Duraton. Last time we stayed in a hotel in the very middle of the town of Sepulveda with tight-fit parking and a closed for re-furbishment restaurant. This time we're on the edge of town in Hotel Puerta Sepulveda with easy parking and a restaurant.

It was really difficult to find food last time and I haven't forgotten that it wasn't the best (that's a non-meat eating optimist speaking). I'm taking in some evening sun by half hanging out of our slim balcony with a great town view, translating this evening's menu.

The Spanish love their meat and in my experience have little or no concept of others who don't share this passion. I was served with a vegetable soup at the Parador which was half ham and half veg. The fish course was carefully decorated with a pile of bits of meat - you get the drift. So let's get translating on Segundos (main courses).

Carrilleras de cerdo guisadas - Stewed pork cheeks
Escalopin de ternera al oporto - Port wine veal steaks
Lomo adobado al roquefort - Pork loin marinated with roquefort
Chuletillas de cordero - Lamb chops
1/4 Cordero asado - 1/4 a roast lamb

There is wine I suppose, although the restaurant doesn't open until 9.00pm which doesn't allow for too much pacing time afterwards in preparation for a reasonable night's sleep.

We visited the tenth century Iglesia y Monasterio de San Frutos on the way here this evening. I managed to photograph three special birds within the space of twenty minutes just after we left at 6.00pm. Bird pictures first and there's no time left for the monastery as it's time for dinner (!)