Day 89, 1 October 2012, Arcos de la Frontera. The Chimney. The Apartment. St James, the patron saint of Spanish birds - Aside from leaving the house periodically for fresh air and to use the computer at the tourist office, another very peaceful day. We sat and enjoyed the sun and breezes coming up off the lake and eventually had a siesta. I was woken somewhat rudely by the sound of someone in the apartment. Which is pretty impressive given we're 3 floors up and there are 3 locked doors to get through. Not to mention it being broad daylight. Nevertheless there was movement and scratching and tapping. I eventually opened my eyes and couldn't see anything. Initially. Then I saw ash and dust in the vicinity of the glass door of the covered fireplace/woodburner. Oh no... our visitor was a bird who had obviously been enjoying the fresh air and sunshine a bit too much at the top of the chimney and had fallen in. Never having been faced with this before I woke James and while he launched into super hero mode and went to find a towel, I launched into bird whisperer mode and made soothing whistle-y noises and calming chit chat to the little fellow so he didn´t hurt himself trying to break out. Oddly enough it worked and he sat quietly in the corner of the fireplace until we opened the door and James gently picked him up in the towel, his little heart pounding fit to burst - and then we released him out the balcony door and he flew away. Quite possibly to head towards today´s picture of the Castle of Arcos de la Frontera. Whereupon he could tell his little bird friends of his near miss. The castle is unfortunately in private hands, so outside viewing is the only option. It dates back to the 11th century and was built by the Moors as a military fortress. It´s a full moon at the moment and legend has it that the ghost of a Moorish woman still walks along the castle walls in search of her lover. Renovations occurred in the 14th and 15th centuries once the Christians had taken over and it was then that the first Dukes of Arcos lived there. The Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella spent time in the castle with the Dukes then travelled to Granada for the surrender of the Moors to the Christians in Nanuary 1492... the very same year Columbus set sail from Seville to the Americas. Speaking of setting sail, the Hardies will be venturing from Arcos to Granada in just a couple of days.