Trapped in the Province of Jaén (December 2017-January 2018)

Baños de la Encina

Baños de la Encina is a small but stupendous city in the province of Jaén in Andalucía. It features the 10th-century, Umayyad Caliphate Burgalimar Castle that was harshly disputed between Muslims and Christians, changing hands several times. Its beautiful, terse allure fit for a Muslim garrison is flanked by a Christian addition since it surrendered definitely in 1225. It also sits by the embalse del Rumblar, that you reach by foot from the city, which was handy in our condition. There you will be amazed to encounter a well-maintained, although partially flooded, archeological site: Peñalosa. Remains of houses made of slate and erected on artificial terraces reconstruct this once industrious place, 4000 years ago, now left to itself and to the waters.

We got there by taxi as our car got stranded near la Guardia de Jaén. We had booked an hotel and extended our stay until the new year caught up with us and sent us back to Tres Cantos (again by taxi).

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  Greetings from the window of our hotel.
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  The orange trees makeit insuperably Andalusian.
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  The eternal Burgalimar scorning the temporal dwellings of the city.
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  Baños de la Encina is, nevertheless, a jewel White Town.
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  Julia inside the Burgalimar.
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  With whom's forgotten amphorae?
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  San Mateo from Burgalimar.
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  The inside of the castle as seen from its torre del homenaje.
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  Inside the church.
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  Julia making a point.
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  The altarpiece, badly damaged during the civil war.
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  Contemplation.
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  Now in the Ermita del Cristo del Llano.
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  With lavish interior decorations that contrast with its sober exterior.
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  En el Camarin, which shocks one with beauty and magnificence.
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  Back in the streets.
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  And in our hotel.
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  Exploring the city.
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  A favourite spot.
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  The embalse del Rumblar.
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  In one of its corners lies the settlement (yacimiento) of Peñalosa.
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  It's a 4000y old archeological site where people were mining and working copper.
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  It is noted for peculiar square houses, in surprisingly still good condition.
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  Much of it is under the waters and you only get to see the highly perched fraction.
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  We felt trapped in both space and time in this now desolated place, once a forefront of metalurgy.
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  Back to civilization and to Julia's favourite spot.
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  Although our car was broken, we found a way to visit nearby Linares.
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  Christmas time decorations.
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  The night falling on the year itself waning.
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  With the unavoidable orange trees, even at night.

Baeza

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Ubeda

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La Guardia de Jaén

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Valdepeñas

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