How often these days do we go anywhere or do anything where we don’t know exactly what to expect? You read blogs, watch reels, or just do a quick google search to make sure where you are going will be interesting.
I’m trying to do less of that on this trip, with the idea that the best place is the one you are experiencing. And what a delight to experience the unexpected. Peñíscola, as it turns out, is one of three papal seats (Vatican, Avignon, and Peñíscola). During the”Western Schism” there were two competing popes and one of them (Papa Luna) refused to resign and fled to the castle in Peñíscola-the drama! As we toured the castle it was fascinating to learn about a time period I had very little knowledge of, but that was clearly so influential for this town. The castle windows look out over the Mediterranean, a view that hasn’t changed much since the Pope looked out the same windows in the 1400’s.
