The picture filled version of my trip

I have already given the quick version of my trip in my Actifit report. Unfortunately I have to write that on my phone and it takes forever to write everything.

So... That is why I'm writing a little more complete version here so I can add more pictures and commentary. Of course I don't really know if anyone is paying attention but I like having a personal record :)

On the second day we had to walk back to the Castillo Santa Barbara and had to go back over the beachfront promenade area.

My wife really wanted a picture by the Mariposa statue.

Then we continued on and once again marvelled at just how large some of those really old trees are.

On this day we actually travelled up a side road through the town rather than continue on the tourist path. Stilll, I picked a road with a huge central walkway. Very pretty and very open, great for walking. Wish we had stuff like this in Canada.

Of course then we looked at the side streets and they were really really tiny. Those were the narrow streets of the old town.

and as I was walking I saw a bitcoin buy and sell location. As I'm a crypto enthusiast I am always happy to find places like that :)

Now to get to the Castle we had to travel through the old town and we found a funny little road with mushrooms on the street ... weird but cute.

There lots of cool places walking along the old narrow roads and one led us to an opening with some cold trees. Kind of nice.

Now I really wanted to just get to the Castle but we found the Central Market so we had to stop in and take a look. I also wanted to look inside because I read it was a good place for a public washroom and knowing where those are in a foreign town is usually a pretty good idea.

Now there were multiple levels but we mostly hung out on the second level. That is where my wife found a washroom and we both marvelled at just how much meat and cheese there was along the aisles. It was kind of awe inspiring... plus the cheese was reasonably priced...something I'm not used to in Canada.

Then we finally got going and made it to where we could see the castle. It was still in the distance but at least we knew we were going the right way.

Then the walk began. Castles are typically built on hills to make it tough for attackers and this one was no exception. Except that means lots of stairs. Lots and lots of stairs.

Of course from the hill you can get a pretty good view of the city.

After getting about halfway up the hill we got to a "Y" in the path. We decided to go to the right and it was absolutely the wrong way to go. It seems that there are three ways up to the castle and we took the wrong way and it led to the way off the mountain. Haha. Oops. However we did get to see part of the barrier wall and it was way thicker than we would have thought. Here is my wife compared to the wall.

Walked along the wall for just a little way and found a great spot for a city view

and then another for a castle view.

Backtrack along the path and then what do we get to do?

More travel uphill but this time along a road that has big signs on it "Busses and Taxis Only". Makes sense as here is very very little parking at the top of the hill (it's mostly castle) and when we got near the top they were doing repair work on the road. Guess the castle isn't 100 percent authentic. We actually found out later that much of it has been completely destroyed by time so it was rebuilt bit by bit over a long period of time.

Now I could have taken pictures just after the entry gate but... well, it was just a stone pathway to a person telling everyone which was to go in and that there was no entry fee.

No Entry Fee

Horray! My wife kept saying that they could charge an entrance fee. They actually sort of do. There is an easy way to the castle but it involves using an elevator that you get on to from the beach / tourist area. I'm quite certain that any tourists just use that to get to the top :) Smart people and locals get some steps in and do the hike :)

They do however force everyone thought the souvenir shop before you get into the castle. They may not charge you but they do tempt you!

But there is a lot more to the day....

.... and I think I've used up my quota of images for this post so
.... tomorrow I'll post more photo's from the trip.

That way I can keep all of the Castle Pictures together :)