A bad day for authors but better news for the lovers of cow milk

 We are wandering along the road, between two railway lines, a bit distant from us, with rivers and drainage ditches.  There is not enough for a full day and too much for five things - so we will have three and some reviews.

We are going to La Mancha and we will do Don Quixote in depth but let’s do Cervantes other book - Novelas ejemplares. Exemplary Novels was written between 1590 and 1612 and published in Madrid in 1613.  The author begins with a modest little foreword ‘My genius and my inclination prompt me to this kind of writing; the more so as I consider (and with truth) that I am the first who has written novels in the Spanish language, though many have hitherto appeared among us, all of them translated from foreign authors. But these are my own, neither imitated nor stolen from anyone; my genius has engendered them, my pen has brought them forth, and they are growing up in the arms of the press ‘

I will quote wiki and move on ‘The novellas are usually grouped into two series: those characterized by an idealized nature and those of a realistic nature. Those idealized in nature, which are the closest to the Italian models, are characterized by plots dealing with amorous entanglements, by improbable plots, by the presence of idealized characters and psychological development, and the low reflection of reality. ‘

Los Monos is a roadside cafe attached at the hip to a petrol station, the like of which is a common feature to this nation of people who eat.  It gets 4.1 stars, which is what you would wish.  More than that would be showy and unbecoming. A month ago IP Voces opined ‘It's very good, they give generous portions at breakfast, the price is reasonable, and the service is very good. ‘

1616 was a bad year for wordsmiths.  I intend to avoid it like the plague.  Cervantes was buried on 23rd April 1616. This was once thought to be his death date but now that is felt to be when he was buried - so he probably was buried the day before.  Meanwhile Bill Shakespeare is also thought to have died on the 23rd - it being World Book Day and all.

Just up the road is El Priorato - and oblong sort of a settlement.  Its regular appearance is due to the fact the Institute of Agrarian Reform and Development provide land for this model community in the late 1960s and 70s.  It has a bar, football pitch and supermarket as well as a restaurant.  The Primary School is not reviewed but the church of San Isidro Labrador is.  Six people gave 4.5 stars.  Most of these were from seven years ago. Rafael felt ‘For a village church, it's very good. ‘

A final thing before we head off into the wide blue yonder.    By weight, Spain’s greatest crop is cow milk. It produces 7,45,44970 tons of the stuff.  Barley comes next, with 7,029,729 and then wheat - 6,508,800.  The comes pig meat.olives tomatoes, maize, oranges and sugar beet.  The stats are for 2022 from FAO Statistical Corporate Database.

Well, with that we will push on to Cordoba.