One of the hotel staff was very friendly and spoke good English and was interested in our travels around Spain and intrigued that we picked out of the way places like Pedro Bernardo instead of the well known tourist towns and we assured him that we liked it this way.
We told him that we were driving to Cáceres and he became quite insistent that we should take a short detour from our route and visit the Cuevas El Aguila, the Eagle Caves, in the foothills of the Gredos mountains but we had a long way to go and were not sure if we liked caves enough to go to the trouble. When we checked out a few minutes later he reminded us again to make the visit and assured us that we would not be disappointed so it seemed rude not to go so we set off in the direction that he carefully marked on our map.
Have Bag, Will Travel 
Andrew … you are clearly a man to go into the jungle with, and I very much admire your writing style. So let me get that down on the record at the outset.
And let me also say that I defend to the death your right to go where you want. And also add that I have made so many dumb choices in MY life that I sometimes have seriously wondered about my SANITY.
And then let me top that lot up with me stating the obvious: that one man’s floor is another man’s CEILING.
So … preamble over, let me say it out loud without fear of my motives being misunderstood.
What DRUGS were you on when you wrote this sentence:
‘…
It meant that our original timings now had to be reworked so we decided to miss Trujillo and drive the two hundred kilometres straight to Cáceres instead.
…’
Oh my God. People have been writing on their travels since Pausanius (and before indeed!), and often have the guts to admit to a missed opportunity. And I have to tell you that never in the history of mankind’s journeying, has a dummer decision ever been made.
Okay, so I have not been to those caves, that you describe so very well. And no doubt, I would have enjoyed them. But nothing like I enjoyed Trujillo.
I was with two Spanish companions when we drove into town in 1998, en route from Madrid to Lisbon. I already knew all about it because for some years I’d had a Mexican girlfriend and had read everything about Francisco
Pizarro and his brothers and Trujillano pals who became “The Conquistadors” who invaded and “civilised” (!!) parts of the New World.
And the amazing thing was that all these guys came from the same little place! Trujillo.
And guess what, Andrew? You can still FEEL their presence there today.
I loved the atmosphere in the Plaza Mayor, with its splendid statue to Francisco.
The restaurants were full-to-bursting in the town centre (it was packed with tourists despite being early October) and so we were forced to push the boat out and eat in the Parador de Trujillo. Memorable. As was the price though, and I have never been in such places since. (And it was not as though I was picking up the tab even! I just have a resistance to being fleeced, irrespective of the quality. If I won the Lottery, I still could not swallow the food – however fine – at those prices!)
So to sum up then: I have been to lots of caves. Some were deeper, some were older, some were more off the beaten track, etc., but I have to say that I always ended up comparing the caves to ours in Cheddar, and ALL were found wanting.
So, my dear fellow, take it on the chin from me. Take it like the brave soul I am sure you are: TO TRAVEL TO CÁCERES AND NOT VISIT TRUJILLO, IS LIKE TRAVELLING FROM SPALDING TO SCUNTHORPE AND NOT VISITING LINCOLN.
Kindest,
Dai Woosnam, Grimsby.
LikeLike
Thanks Dai
Luckily we didn’t miss Trujillo because we squeezed it into our itinerary three days later when we left Merida and drove back to Castilla-La Mancha – I will write about that later but I can tell you in advance that I agree with everything that you say and Trujillo has jumped into my top 5 of Spanish cities!
Andrew
LikeLike
Thanks for printing my text in full Andrew.
If this was a video-link, you would now see me red-faced at my spelling of “dumber” in the 7th para !
I ought to use a spell checker, but never do.
Please amend and delete this entry.
Stay safe.
Kindest,
Dai
daigress@hotmail.com
LikeLike
Pingback: Sorrento, Boat Trip to Capri « Have Bag, Will Travel
I´m going to go there Andrew,-this year! if i can, but is that Ruta or Gruta de Aguillar?,i only ask ´cos Google maps is a little fickle!
LikeLike
Not sure – I only know that it was near Talavera de la Rena on the way to Caceres and that it was well worth the visit and if you like caves also this place: https://apetcher.wordpress.com/2011/06/21/spain-2011-the-cueva-el-aguila/
LikeLike
Pingback: Entrance Tickets, Malta and the Mellieha WW2 Shelters | Have Bag, Will Travel
Pingback: Travels in Spain, Boat Trips | Have Bag, Will Travel