The little village of Beniardá was quieter than ever.
Usually, at least a few cars pass through its narrow streets, but that day there were none. Not because people decided to protect nature and air from pollution...
It would be a great reason actually to have a car-free village. However, there was an even more marvellous reason to breathe just pure air between the stone walls in the streets of this place: some workers were painting the church so it was impossible to pass there with a car. There was a prohibition sign before you enter the narrow streets so those who wanted to drive through the village for whatever reason (you live there or just want to reach the path to the lake) weren't able to do that.
Once again it was proved that if one door (or in this case street) closes you can opt for a different solution. Take a different path or leave the car at the entrance of the village and use your body. Your feet can also be grateful later, you made a physical exercise and enjoyed the feeling.
So, this was the reason why we walked there, almost two weeks ago. The church needed maintenance and the technicians put there a scissor lift to reach the bell tower and paint it. The street was blocked. They already finished the tower part when we arrived there, we can see the difference in the colour.
The wall around the main entrance was still waiting for the new colour.
I have just this photo of the church in the process of getting its new, nicer look as it was forbidden to park there... probably ourselves, as if already cars were not allowed to pass there, what we would park in the front of the church? Myself, I guess. 😂
This is a funny inscription here. It says:
Seriously? Until X? 😂
They didn't know when the work would finish, so that sign was a good one. I haven't visited the village since then, maybe it is still forbidden to pass and park there, who knows 😁
Anyway, it was a good reason to take our feet instead of the car to pass the village as we were heading to the lake that is in the valley. I am leaving the link to that post just for those who didn't see the place, but if you already saw that post with the lake, just please skip clicking on this. The village is small, and it has just a few narrow streets. It also has a school, with two classrooms, which is this building:
Also, it has a town hall (Ajuntament) which looks like a regular house and a tiny square in front of it. Well, don't imagine a big square, it gives space just to park two cars.
The streets are narrow, as is the case with the majority of small, old Spanish villages. Just pedestrians and donkeys were supposed to pass here, I guess.
Maybe we were supposed to walk here to step into the past in our minds and feel how life was a century ago. We should carry the things on our shoulders or back, bags of flour, corn, and other foodstuffs... or a piano... hmm, would I need it at all while living in a tiny village like this, a hundred years ago? 😆
Passing through the village I saw that the windows were nicely decorated with plants and other decorative items, like empty, antique glass bottles. For sure, this is not a village in an abandoned state, although it is small. Seems that there are still people who like to choose to live in rural places. It has its pros and cons, but there are some beautiful views from the edge of the last street, toward the lake.
You also saw from my photos, there were no people on the streets, but one cute living creature was found! Guess what I found?
A cat 😍
A cat with ginger and white fur was sitting there, by a bench. I took my time and waited for it to come closer.
Here we go, a few cuddles to the shy kitty that made me like the prohibition sign we faced at the beginning even more. Can be there something better to see?
Maybe yes. Maybe the views from the end of the village are winning here, the views toward the turquoise lake where we went down after this walk through the streets of Beniardá.
