50 days of war in Ukraine, last days in Asturias, Playa de Toró, reading again, a day in Cantabria with Gerardo and family, RIP Xavier des Horts, and so to Montrondo, joined by Olivia and family and other tales of the week.

Montrondo, Easter Sunday, 17th April, 2022

Feeling on top of the world - by the Toró beach last Sunday with Pippa - always with Pippa

Good morning all and Happy Easter.

Here we are in Montrondo, all the family, except Suzy who is in Santa Pola.  For Juliet it is the first time and for Elliot it is a discovery; a new place, a village in the mountains, family members to get to know and so many cousins his age. He has loved it and I have loved to watch him. As to Juliet she made her debut in the family and has been the centre of attention.  She is everybody's real live doll. Everything is peace and harmony here unlike in Ukraine where families' lives have been interrupted for more than 50 days since Russia invaded its neighbour on 24th February. The war looks like it will continue for a long time. The war has claimed thousands of victims, many of them civilians and the war is affecting the rest of the world with prices going up everywhere bringing inflation. We have all noticed how much more it costs to fill our shopping baskets and our tanks and I wonder how long this will go on. We always say if the worst comes to the worst there is always Montrondo to escape to although I don't think it will come to that.

Threats from Putin have escalated as has the war. Putin is livid that countries are supplying Ukraine with armament and warns of "unpredictable consequences". Does he mean nuclear weapons? He has also warned both Finland and Sweden again that there will be repercussions if they join Nato, something which is very much on the cards. Putin is furious too that the Ukraine army has destroyed its flagship Moskva warship and has retaliated by bombing a missile plant outside Kyiv. Hundreds or thousands are feared dead not only in Bucha but in other towns and as to Mariupol it is  still under siege. It is said 4.7 million Ukrainians have fled the country. Some are heading back to Kyiv but God knows what they will find. Just imagine their plight. Yet still the West is hesitant to hurt Russia with the worst sanction of all; a stop to the purchase of gas and oil. 

During our time both in Asturias and in Montrondo we have followed the news and I have often thought just how lucky we are to live our lives in peace. 

Last Sunday we were still in beautiful Asturias, often referred to in Spain as Asturias, a natural paradise. It is indeed that. That morning we decided on Llanes again where we would take a coastal walk towards the Toró beach which we had only ever seen from a distance. It's just outside Llanes, one of the posher coastal towns in Asturias. But first for a coffee at Plaza Sobrino Parres. There were far more tourists than the week before. It was a glorious sunny day, the warmest of our stay in Asturias. 

To reach the Toró beach you have to go towards the port and then the lighthouse. I always admire the beautiful houses at the end of Llanes where there are two small beaches easily reachable from the gardens of these houses. I would love to own one of them but would have to sell our house in Madrid to do so and that is not on the cards. We love Asturias but we don't like the winters there where it can rain a lot. 

Beautiful houses at the end of Llanes and near the Toró beach.I wold love to own one of them. 

From the houses and two small beaches we walked up to the coastal road and took a path we thought led to the Toró beach. We admired the views as always and the craggy cliffs with their limestone rock.

Eladio by some rocks near the Toró beach last Sunday with Pippa again

We were impressed by the Toró beach which was quite full. I hate to imagine it today. 

The pretty beach of Toró which we discovered during our stay this time. 

We walked across it and up the paths on a green hill to enjoy more views which were as good as most on this rugged coast with its mountain backdrop. That is the pull for me there. I just can't get enough of the views. 

There were a couple of enticing restaurants where I know we will go to one day but we had lunch at home - the beef stew cooked by the butcher's wife from Posada hahahhaa. On our walk back into the town I was surprised to see an outdoor chess tournament going on and played by children. It looked exciting.

The open air children's chess tournament last Sunday in Llanes

I wondered if any of them had been inspired by the film The Queen's gambit.  A girl was being interviewed just before the game began and was asked how many women or girls play chess compared to boys or men. I was saddened to hear that only 10%. Maybe that popular film will help increase the number of girls. I remember being taught to play chess at school during the lunch breaks and quite enjoyed the game. Today I think I have forgotten nearly everything. Anyway, back to our day. 

Before heading back to our car, I couldn't resist the temptation to go into El Fito, a wonderful patisserie in Llanes, as good as any in France. Eladio is not into cakes but I am and  indulged myself too much during our time in Asturias.

We stopped for some wine and a bit of fruit at Puente Nuevo, a tiny little place with a shop, bar and tobacconist - our nearest bar and shop, where people were enjoying their "aperitif" in the sun. It looked enticing. 

Our beef stew was not so enticing but would have to do. Just as we were finishing there was a knock on the door. Who could it be? Our neighbour Loli bringing us eggs maybe? We don't know anyone else there so were amazed to see the familiar faces of Gerardo and his wife Vicky and 2 of his 5 children, Irene and Gerardo. They are very good friends from the family I lived with in Madrid when I was a student many moons again. They have a house about 45 minutes from ours and we were to see them on Monday so were surprised to see them drop in. But it was a lovely surprise. They came because they were meeting friends for lunch at the tiny village of Mazuco, a village not far at all from  El Cuetu. It was great to see them and we showed them our humble abode. Their kids Gerardo and Irene though were probably more interested in meeting Margarita, our neighbour's adopted baby lamb who is adorable.

Irene and Gerardo with Margarita the baby lamb last Sunday

They couldn't stay long or they would be late for their lunch appointment and left soon. It was a very warm afternoon, the warmest of our stay. I decided to sit outside but the sun was strong and we needed the parasol. I think it was the first time we have used it. I felt so relaxed I decided to read. That sounds normal right? But not for me. I have been an avid book reader since I first picked up an Enid Blyton book aged 7 but that all stopped during our ordeal with FT, our horrible squatter. Last Sunday morning, my friend Andy recommended me a book. I replied that I no longer read, that I had lost my concentration powers. But with the sun out and the terrace looking so inviting I decided to try. I had not brought my kindle so didn't have much choice. There was either my father's book or Leon Uris' Exodus, about the birth of Israel made famous by the film with Paul Newman with the same name. It's not classical literature but is a fascinating story so I went for it. I was soon engrossed and marveled to Eladio that I was reading again. He joined me with his PC and we spent the best afternoon of our stay just relaxing and enjoying the weather in peace and harmony.

Eladio relaxing on our little terrace on Sunday afternoon when it was so warm. 

Eladio remarked we needed more flowers for the terrace; hydrangeas and geraniums and we decided to visit the garden centre in Cue next to Llanes on Monday morning.

That morning I was happy to read that this year's Sunday Time's best town to live in England was Ilkley in West Yorkshire. It is a town I know well. It is well known for its moor due to the song On Ilkley Moor Ba'tat and my father was never happier than climbing the moor and enjoying the heather. As  children he would take George and me there many a Sunday and he called me his "little moors' girl". I liked him saying that but did not feel the same affinity as although I love walking I do not particularly like walking uphill. I never have. What I did love was the fact that he bought us sweets there and when he took us to that lovely cafe Betty's for tea and cakes. 

Ilkley town center

I have loved it ever since and have been back many times. Ilkley is one of those beautiful Yorkshire towns with I suppose a lot of class about it, a bit like Harrogate, Skipton or York although it is smaller. It is definitely considered "posh", a word I hate by the way. I shall be taking the girls to Betty's when we are in England next month. A visit to Yorkshire without going to Ilkley is never the same. Good old Ilkley. Love it and proud it made the top of the list. 

Monday was the day we had been invited by Gerardo for lunch at their house in the village of Lamadrid which is actually in the next province of Cantabria, Santander. We were looking forward to that. 

We were to meet at the Playa de Rosal in the beautiful seaside town of San Vicente de la Barquera in the next province, Cantabria (Santander). It is a 45 minute drive, so not far at all. First though we stopped in Posada de Llanes for more provisions and then to Cue a little village on the coast next to Llanes where there is a magnificent garden centre. We needed more hydrangeas and geraniums for our little terrace to spruce it up. Thus we were a bit late and arrived a little after 12 when we had arranged to meet at 11.45. I do hate being late for things but our friends didn't seem to mind. They took us for a walk on the lovely beach which is bigger than many in Asturias. The Cantabrian coast is less rugged than Asturias but the backdrop just as green. That makes for longer beaches like Playa de Rosal. 

With our dear friends Gerardo and Vicky on the Rosal beach near San Vicente de la Barquera

Vicky's family were originally from this area and she has been coming here since she was a child with all her sisters and enlarged family. After many years of renting a place to stay our friends finally decided to buy a house in the area and we were to see it. I knew it would be beautiful but not quite as stunning as I had imagined. Our place in El Cuetu looks like a shack in comparison. Theirs was brand new when they bought it and was beautifully decorated, plus it has a garden including lemon trees. We loved it immediately. The architecture and style is very typical of the Cantabrian region, a style I love too. 

Our friends' beautiful house in Cantabria

Gerardo made us a paella which was challenging as it was very windy. He had to go to the back of the house between two walls to get the fire going on this gas heated paella grill. He was even wearing an apron with his name and the words "paella maker". 

Gerardo making our paella on Monday

We had lunch with our friends and 4 of their 5 children; Vicky who is to be married soon, Lucia, Gerardo and Irene. Only Ana was missing as she is studying in Texas. It was too windy outside so we went indoors after  2 glasses had smashed. It was an unusually windy day although sunny. 

We sat around talking after lunch in their beautiful lounge. Gerardo started asking my husband who is a philosopher and studied theology when becoming a priest, some very existential questions. I could only look on and enjoy the conversation, admiring my very cultured and erudite husband who at the same time I still find physically very attractive. No one would believe his age. Gerardo says he has made a pact with the devil. Hopefully not the devil.

Gerardo and Eladio having a very existential conversation

I looked on, listening in awe as I always do when Eladio talks "philosophy". What a cultured man he is but doesn't think so himself. That itself is part of the attraction.

Time with our friends ended with a short visit to the beautiful seaside town of Comillas, famous in the past for its Catholic Church university where Eladio's brother studied. We had been before but I think you can never get enough of Comillas, especially its architecture. Beautiful buildings are everywhere and it is not spoiled. I love the town hall square where we forayed into a bits and bobs semi antique store looking for furniture for the entrance to our house in El Cuetu. The prices put us off hahaha. 

In Comillas on Monday with Vicky and Gerardo

It was getting late and time to go home before it got dark - it gets dark in El Cuetu at around 9 pm . but before picking up our car, our friends wanted us to see the sunset on a view point over the Gerra beach from where you can see San Vicente de la Barquera and the snow capped Picos de Europa. What a place. It was divine and my photo doesn't pay justice to what my eyes saw but I have to show it to you. What a beautiful place. I vowed we would be back.

The view point from Gerra of San Vicente de la Barquera

Soon it was time for parting and we left with a large bag of large lemons from our friends tree. What a treat and how lovely they smelled. We were home around 9.30 and after unpacking our shopping and all the plants sat down to a salad dinner. 

That night I slept better than most. Suddenly it was Tuesday and we had been in El Cuetu for a week relaxing and winding down after all our troubles with FT (damn the man). 

It was another warm day and we spent the morning at the house. Eladio planted all the new flowers while I sat reading again. It felt like heaven. 

Reading on our terrace surrounded by plants

 We had lunch out that day and chose El Roxin where our friend Gerardo and his family had been on Sunday and highly recommended. El Roxin is in the tiny village of El Mazuco - famous in the Spanish Civil War. 

The entrance to the pretty village of El Mazuco

El Mazuco is about 4km from our house and we had no idea there was a famous restaurant there. What a find. I made a reservation and got the last table. El Roxin is not fancy in a gourmet sense. It's all plain cooking but most of the ingredients are sourced by the owners. We went for the goat stew and huge rib eye steak. We could only eat half each and would take the rest in Montrondo. Oh what portions! Far too big.  

I asked for a small steak and this is what I got. 

We were impressed and will be going again no doubt. We came home to rest and maybe because of all the food I slept a siesta until 6 pm. I woke up to calls from Alicante about a new washing machine being installed at our flat and of course I was late for my weekly call with Amanda. I am not at my best when I wake up either in the morning or after a siesta. But once I had a cup of tea in my hand and was sitting outside on the terrace I was more or less ready for our weekly chat. There was lots to talk about; mostly of our upcoming visit to Yorkshire. It will be great to see Amanda again in the flesh so to speak as we haven't seen each other since 2019. It will be great too to see Phil and Kathy. Roll on 29th April I thought. 

 Believe it or not we had dinner after the huge lunch and then plumped on the sofa by the TV and watched something on Netflix - can't remember what. It was our last night in Asturias and I slept quite well.

Wednesday came, the day we were leaving for Montrondo. We had to leave as guests were checking in the next day. I was up early and as usual read the headlines and checked my Facebook and Instagram. That's when I learned that my dear colleague Xavier Des Horts had died aged 54 of cancer. Xavier and I both worked for Nokia. He was head of Communications for Nokia France while I had the same job, heading up communications in Spain. We met countless times at long meetings in wonderful far away places. Those were our golden days and  Xavier was one of the best. He was a Frenchman with lots of joie de vivre. He was a family man and wonderful colleague who was dedicated and good at his jobs, always full of new ideas he was happy to pass on to us. I remember one night our team, the European Communications team were invited to have dinner in Copenhagen  at no less than the American Embassy!! I sat with him and our Italian colleague and we all laughed at the American wine saying it was not a patch on wine from Spain, France and Italy. I always sat with him as I was guaranteed to have a good time.  When I left Nokia I missed him. Later the Finnish giant was bought up by Microsoft where he went to work. We last met in August 2019 on the beautiful French island of Île de Ré where his family have a house. I was there for a cousinade and we agreed to meet. I wrote about our reunion in my blog post which you can read here. I had no idea then that that would be the last time we would meet and I feel devastated.  Life is so cruel. Xavier leaves a big family with lots of children and he will be sorely missed. The photo below was taken by his teenage daughter Priscille. I well remember her taking this photo and my heart goes out to her and her family. 

With Xavier in August 2019.

I can't quite get over the loss of Xavier. When I posted the news yesterday on FB, tributes poured in as Xavier was such a popular colleague, one of those special ones you want to keep in contact with always. I also wrote a short article about my dear colleague yesterday on LinkedIn which you can read here. He will always be missed. He left this life too early. Oh how cruel life can be. There is now one less perfect French gentleman in this world and that was Xavier des Horts. RIP my friend and colleague. 

With a heavy heart I left our little village of El Cuetu in beautiful sunshine. We had had a very relaxing time and had been lucky with the weather. We stopped on the way in Posada to replenish provisions for our stay in Montrondo. It's a 2.5h drive but we went slowly and enjoyed some of the scenery. We could probably have arrived in our village on time for lunch but decided to stop somewhere. That somewhere turned out to be a great choice. Google helped me find the restaurant, El Reundu in the small Asturian town of Campomanes. It was a real hidden jewel or so I thought until we got there and it was full with just 1 table left and that table was for us. 

El Reundu restaurant a great find on our way from El Cuetu to Montrondo

Lunch at El Reundu on Wednesday on our way to Montrondo

We ordered the menu of the day at just 13 euros each. The portions were so enormous we asked for a doggy bag. That would be enough food to last us 2 days or so in Montrondo. We both chose the "fabada" and couldn't stomach a pudding. Our meal was washed down by local cider, a must in Asturias.

We were in Montrondo just after 4 pm. It was sunny but a lot colder than El Cuetu. That's because our village in León is very high up and El Cuetu is near the sea. The difference was notable. Eladio had brought a box of cider for each of his siblings and after we had greeted some members of the family we soon settled in. We love our century old house in Asturias but the house in Montrondo was built to spec and is much more luxurious and with far better decor. The house in Asturias is nice enough but needs a lot of changes which we will do one day. For the moment it stays as it is. The house in Montrondo is far warmer and it has to be to stand the cold temperatures in this area.

We spent time with José Antonio and Dolores inspecting work on their houses here of which there is a lot. Many of our great nephews and nieces were here and I wished Elliot could be here to join them. That was not to be, or so I thought,  as Olivia was working this week and only had Friday off.

Dinner was leftover soup from El Reundu and some supermarket pie which was nice enough. We then slumped in front of the TV and by 10 or so had both fallen asleep. I think I slept well and woke up on Maunday Thursday at 6.30 am. I thought it was going to be a quiet day when I got a sudden message from Olivia to say they were coming to join us for Easter as her programme that day had been cancelled. Oh what joy. I was so happy they would be with us here in Montrondo. 

I was happy too that Elliot would get to meet nearly all of his cousins; most of them around his age. There are 11 and soon there will be 12.  Oli later sent us an audio of her asking where they were going. He answered "Montondo" without the  "r" and added "Booboo house"  Booboo is what he calls his grandfather. That meant I had an excuse to go with my sister-in-law Dolores to the nearest town, Villablino, to do some shopping as I would need more provisions now.

We had a grand time in Villablino which included coffee time. It was a sunny day and was to be sunny throughout our stay. Oh what good luck.

The view from the back of our house here

Lunch was leftovers from our meal at El Roxin in El Mazuco and then a rest until Oli and family arrived. Meanwhile, in Santa Pola dear Suzy had got the apartment ready for our guests who arrived just before lunch. Suzy also sent me a video to prove the flat was clean. Thank you Suzy. Many kilometres further north in El Cuetu, a new set of guests arrived too and Loli my neighbour wrote to keep me in the loop. This was the welcome pack they would receive: flowers, lemons, eggs and a bottle of cider. I hoped they would like it. 

Later I heard from both Suzy and Loli that all our guests were happy with their accommodation. I was very glad.

At about 6.30 or so Oli and family arrived. Elliot looked a little dazed and startled when he got out of the car and saw so many children, many of them his age, all his little cousins. He didn't remember them as he was so little when he was last here in August. He spent a lovely time with them and was a delight to watch. He was curious too to see all the houses belonging to Eladio's siblings and walked into each of them wanting to see all the rooms and asking who slept where. Funny little boy. 

We had to drag him inside when it was time for dinner. He had brought his box of toys; all the little figures from cartoons he watches and was soon playing by himself happily while we got dinner together.

Elliot playing in our house in Montrondo

I think everyone slept quite well that night. I always say it has something to do with the mountain air. I was up at 7.30 on Good Friday. I only wished I had brought the hot cross buns and Easter eggs that were at home and never brought as coming to Montrondo after Asturias was not in our plans. Instead I had toast and jam instead of my usual porridge.

The children had a fabulous day. For us it was a joyful family day and the sun shone. Juliet was shown to everyone and was happy to be picked up by strange hands and passed around like the little human doll she is as she behaves so well. Here she is with her mother and dear Manolita, the most loved villager here.

Juliet with Manolita and Olivia

We had coffee at one of Eladio's sisters houses where Elliot was keen to see the rooms too. He has a thing about houses hahahaha. His father then took him off on a tour of the village which included the church and the belfry. Here he is happy in his grandfather's village. One day he will inherit our house and will come here with his children. 

Happy little Elliot in Montrondo

He must have missed one of the highlights of the day, buying bread from the local bakery in Murias that Alberto delivers to all the villages in the area. Here is Oli getting 2 loaves for our consumption. She loves the local bread and so do I.

Buying bread in Montrondo

Lunch was fabada again followed by lots of different desserts. I ate too much.I always say that there is something about the mountain air here that increases the appetite hahaha. We should have gone on a walk in the afternoon. It was our intention but all the children were playing with their parents all around and we just stayed by the house all afternoon. At one stage a lorry arrived with fire wood. It was unloaded but had to be stacked. Everyone lent a helping hand and all the children including Elliot were keen to join in.

Elliot lending a helping hand to stack firewood. 

The mountain air and all the activity made Elliot flake out on the sofa. Thus we had a peaceful dinner. It was everyone's favourite; egg and chips. Later when my grandson woke up, he had a bath in my clawfoot bathtub which I thought he would enjoy but he was so tired and miserable he cried throughout. poor mite. 

I went to bed before the children did as I too was tired. I was awake on Saturday morning at 6.30. Again I was the first person up and had time for my first coffee and to write a bit of this blog. That morning we insisted we needed a walk and off we went; Oli, Miguel, Elliot, Juliet and I. We walked all the way to Senra which is about 4 km, quite a long walk when you have babies with you.

On our walk yesterday

The prize when you reach Senra is coffee in the sun served by the grumpy bar owner. We got Eladio to pick us up as walking back 4km would have been too much for the babies.

We came home to make a barbecue which was quite a treat. Besides, the weather was marvelous. Here is Eladio, as always, in charge of the fire which fascinated little Elliot.

Eladio in charge of yesterday's barbecue

In the afternoon an egg hunt had been organised by two of our neighbours, Elena and Brunella. It was very exciting and well organised. I contributed 4 bags of mini eggs as I myself had brought  for the children. Elena and Brunella's organisation skills were wonderful and the kids had a great time.

Yesterday's egg hunt for the children

Elliot showing me one of the Easter eggs he found

Yesterday was our last day in Montrondo. We have been away for nearly 2 weeks and now it is time to go home. Lucy has been holding the fort and no doubt provisions are running out. So today is our last morning in the village but we will be back.

Today of course is Easter Day so let me wish you all a very happy Easter.

Cheers till next Sunday,

Masha