One of the great chroniclers of Alcarria, the writer Camilo José Cela, said that everyone talks about Alcarria, but, however, no one comes to Alcarria. This happened, approximately, in the sixties of the last 20th century, when, among the restless youth of the time, it was customary, as in ancient myths, to provide yourself with good boots and a backpack on your shoulder, to hit the roads of a Spain. still very attached to its old traditions.
Despite the objections of our distinguished writer and despite, also, the fact that many places in Alcarria do not appear in the main tourist packages of the large travel companies, the truth is that there are more and more curious people, who, attracted by Its beautiful singularities are dropped one day by any of the picturesque little towns that make up this special demarcation of the Community and land of Guadalajara.
Beyond the excellence of its famous honey or the magnificence of those fields that beautify the landscapes with the indigo tones of a labanda that has, as its main importer, the famous French perfume brands, there are small towns, which, due to their notable idiosyncrasy, they deserve the honor of visiting, at least once in their life, as another prodigal writer, lover, also of our rural Spain, such as Juan Eslava Galán, would say.
So, since today is such a special day, Christmas Eve, the occasion is ideal to visit one of these little towns and also admire one of the most fantastic handcrafted Nativity scenes of the few, which, unfortunately, are remaining. already.
The place to which I invite you to accompany me is called Trillo and is approximately twenty-nine kilometers from that capital of Alcarria, which, without a doubt, is the important town of Brihuega, which, crossing, we leave behind, to continue a regional road, which, winding like a metaphorical anaconda, on the edge of mountains and forests, where it is easy to meet the fawn in the morning, leads us, with alternating landscapes, to another no less unique town, called Cifuentes.
From Cifuentes to Trillo, we are separated by just under six kilometers, which are easy to travel, in which we will soon see the octagonal towers of one of the few nuclear power plants that are barely surviving in Spain.
Leaving aside the problems that have always existed and recognizing that, thanks to his impulse, at least some Spanish towns have not disappeared, benefiting, among other things, from investments and jobs, Trillo is a town with a pleasant appearance and equipped with a very special picturesqueness, which, in no way, detracts from a careful visit.
Furthermore, located at the confluence of two important river accidents, such as the Tajo and Cifuentes rivers, it had, in the past, an important industrial activity, where there was no shortage of traditional mills and factories, especially weaving, which gave it a certain prosperity.
And it is, precisely, on the banks of these two rivers, where the most beautiful and spectacular of Trillo takes place: the Tajo River, which slides with old calm, on the banks of a bank of poplars very similar to that of the Duero. his passage through Soria, where the poet Antonio Machado located the Lovers Walk, while he leaves the town behind, passing through the cyclopean eyes of the old 16th century bridge and the Cifuentes river, perhaps younger and, above all, more joyful and singing, which, sliding on the right, joins the Tagus, jumping between beautiful waterfalls, while being contemplated by the old church with an octagonal apse and an architecture that unites the traditional with the new.
Between waterfalls and taking advantage of a small riverbank, the inhabitants of Trillo have, every Christmas, a spectacular open-air Nativity scene, whose pieces, undoubtedly majestic, bring to mind the old and handcrafted nativity scenes, which, following the ancient traditions, marked a fascinating era in countless generations.
In the Nativity scene, nothing is missing: everything is calculated down to the last detail, including the traditional presence of the washerwoman washing her clothes in the river and even, not far from her, the imposing figure of the fox, which, for a change, in Instead of a chicken, he carries, in his jaws, a small baby cat, while the fisherman ignores him, the shepherd takes care of his sheep and the Three Wise Men head, dismounted from their camels, to pay their respects and their gifts, to the Child, who, smiling, awaits them at the Portal, located not far from King Herod's castle.
But Trillo is also an unbeatable starting point to continue exploring the mysteries of Alcarria, since, in its vicinity, there is a natural accident, whose shape and singular beauty is called Las Tetas de Viana. , a place that can be accessed by a regional road, which, starting from the center of Trillo, takes the traveler to Saint Mary of Ovila, a place whose name is inherited from the wonderful Cistercian monastery, which, in the first years of the last century XX, was bought by the North American press magnate, Randolph Hearst - a character on whom the great classic by Orson Welles, titled 'Citizen Kane', was based - and moved, stone by stone, to his private estate in the United States.
In short: a splendid place, where you can relax to the sound of an impressive aquatic nature, to continue exploring a territory, whose mysteries and singularities are well worth discovering.
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NOTICE: Both the text, the accompanying photographs, as well as the video that illustrates it, are my exclusive intellectual property and are therefore subject to my Copyright.
