Journey to the Alcarria: Stage 2

This eloquent passage is from the second stage of the book "Journey to the Alcarria," in a project that combines the themes of literature and life.

"The next day, when the traveler is already on the road, he thinks of the days that are no more; he closes his eyes for a moment to feel the beat of his heart."

For the second stage—Torija to Brihuega—we'll need an early, hearty breakfast. But don't worry, there's no rush. Relax, free your mind, and enjoy the journey. Enjoy yourself, the walk, and the journey…

For a few moments of the day, the sky is filled with pure, ephemeral colors. As we walk, we will see how the sun rises from the horizon, and how the colors change with every step.

Our walk continues, and there will always be something to enjoy, admire, and remember on either side of the road.

Our travel companions on the road to Brihuega will be a lark, a magpie, a corn bunting, a stock dove, a few hares, and some partridges

In "Journey to the Alcarria," the traveler writes, "A tall, slim Japanese pine rises out of the brambles; it has a graceful and aristocratic air and seems like an old ruined nobleman, formerly proud but today the debtor of those who used to serve him."

This tree, located in the old Palace of Don Luis, is actually a Lebanon cedar. It is still tall and slender, with presence, grace, and majesty.

The writer Francisco García Marquina paints this simple picture of the valley of the Ungría River: "A pleasant, beautiful, and deep valley with intense shadows and a fast, meandering river called the Ungría, which is not very deep."

At the eastern end of the town is the sign showing the way down to the valley and on to Brihuega.

At the beginning of summer, the fields surrounding Brihuega erupt with colors, contrasts, and scents in an explosion of sensations.

Reaching the destination at the end of the second stage on the Journey to the Alcarria is just as Camilo José Cela described it: "From the path, Brihuega has a very fine appearance, with its walls and its old cloth-factory as big and round as a bullring.Behind the town flows the river Tajuña, with its leafy banks and its green meadows. Brihuega has a bluish-gray color almost like that of cigar smoke. It has the look of an old city, with a great many stone buildings, well-constructed houses, and big stout trees. The scenery has changed all of a sudden, as though someone had thrown back a curtain."

The town of Brihuega had a wall running all the way around it. Today, the town is enormous, stretching almost 1.2 miles, and it is possible to walk right around it. But the best place to see Brihuega's walls is from the northwestern side where, despite having been restored and some of the battlements reconstructed, you can really get a sense of what they looked like when they were first built.

We come to one of Brihuega's jewels: the Versailles-esque garden of the Royal Factory. With flowerbeds and cypress trees, the garden is adorned with lamps, viewing points, arbors, and fountains. The buildings used for administration and accommodation by the staff who manage the gardens are one of the town's dominating features.

Camilo José Cela described it with these profound words: "The garden of the factory is a romantic garden, a garden to die in when one is very young, of love or desperation, of consumption and nostalgia."

A stop along the way for a bite of cheese—whether soft, semi-cured, or cured, it's the perfect accompaniment to Alcarrian honey.

From the viewing point at the square next to the church of Santa María de la Peña, you can see the beautiful fertile plain that is nurtured by the Tajuña River, giving us a sneak preview of the next stage.

A visit to the fascinating Museum of Miniatures in the same square is highly recommended.

Brihuega's cemetery is located inside the castle. This is the town's oldest building, dating back to the Caliphate period. It was built between the 9th and 11th centuries.