"It's awful cold!"

I didn't find much critical information in chapter eleven; yet, there were two things I found particularly interesting and relevant to my own life. On page 113, Jake has a conversation with an old man he meets in a posada. I love this scene in the book because one thing I find more entertaining than anything else in the world, is conversing with an elder. They are always so wise and experienced; they have seen the world and know how it works. Whenever I am traveling, whether it be on a ski lift or an airplane, I love to strike conversation with the old man sitting next to me, which is very much what Jake does in this chapter.

Another part that sparked my interest was when Jake and Bill realize how they underestimated what the weather would be like. When I was on Summer Field Studies these past couple of weeks, I completely underestimated how cold the weather would be during the evening, similar to the men in the story. "We washed, put on sweaters, and came down-stairs into the dining room," (page 115). I love this quote because it is completely relevant to the field studies trip. Every night before dinner, my tentmates and I would dress in warmer clothes that were fitting for the evening, and then head to the pavilion for a meal. It's funny how such a small detail of the story can seem so utterly timeless.