How is your day, your Sunday or your holiday going? Mine is quiet in Montrondo. We shall be going home today after a wonderful fortnight here.. I look forward to seeing my Father, the other dogs and mostly sleeping in my own bed but I shall miss the peaceful life here in our lovely little house we are so proud of. Building it was one of the best decisions we ever took.
Well done Mireia. That may sound easy or so what, it's just a bronze medal but no one can have any idea what regime she has to follow to have achieved it. I read that she has to burn 6000 calories a day with hours and hours of training.
Spain didn't do so well at one of their top sports, Basketball, losing to Croatia. Neither did the tennis star Novak Djokovic, losing in the first round very surprisingly to Argentina's Del Potro. Let's hope Rafa Nadal gets further.
Sunday in Montrondo was very warm and a quiet day. I spent the morning on small domestic tasks but mostly reading my kindle. As I hung out the washing on Dolores' very efficient and well thought out washing line I marveled at the view. The little church that morning looked beautiful with the sun on its roof and mountain backdrop.
Eladio went off to León with Toño to pick up the latter's daughter and baby. It would be full house that afternoon at Toño and Dolores house when their youngest son arrived too with his partner and child. They were late back and lunch didn't start until nearly 4 o'clock.
Late too was their eldest son Miguel who had set off early that morning together with a group of mountaineers to climb El Tambarón mountain, the highest in the area. When he got home his Mother put his feet in cold water with salt. He also came back with a very sunburned neck and a voracious appetite. He may not have burned 6000 calories like Mireia Belmonte but not many less I think.
It was very hot on Sunday and we all had a late siesta. There was no way we could venture out for a walk until 8 p.m. This time it was Dolores and I and our 2 dogs. We went to Senra and back and didn't get home till past 9.30. Eladio was waiting for me with a nice surprise. I had ordered this year's Santa Marta Montrondo t-shirs, one for each of the family and they had arrived! I shall proudly wear my blue one; Eladio his red one and the girls their white ones.
That night the internet signal was weak and we were not able to watch much of House of Cards. Never mind we would catch up later.
Monday was another relaxing day in Montrondo. Each year the organisers of the Santa Marta fiestas make special t-shirts for the occasion. Eladio and I wanted to wear ours immediately so this was how we were clad that morning.
I really liked Eladio's red polo shirt but wasn't so keen on mine which was a tight fitting blue t-shirt. I said it was too small but maybe I should have said I was too big for it (must go on Suzy's diet soon).
I carried on taking photos and as usual Pippa features in most of them like in this one below of Eladio and our eternal puppy enjoying the village
We spent the morning reading on the terrace at the back of the house accompanied by José Antonio and Dolores our faithful companions here in Montrondo. Eladio and the second brother down are very close as they were both sent off to the Seminary in León when they were very small which must have united them from early on. Here in Montrondo they are never apart.
I stopped my reading to make coffee and tea for everyone; "elevenses", although our time for it is actually at 12. I did not tell my companions around the table what I was reading and left off to prepare the tray. Here are Eladio and Toño having their coffee. They were both reading about a famous Spanish philosopher, Gustavo Bueno, who had died aged 91 the day before.
I made "cocido" that morning. It had been bubbling since before breakfast and is a favourite meal to have here. Then we had a short siesta. In the afternoon we had planned to go with Primo for him to show us the right path where we had got lost the other day, the one in Murias called "El Camino Valle". There was a misunderstanding. The men wanted to take us high up into the mountains but what Dolores and I wanted was to walk on the flat and find an alternative route to Murias or Senra where cars pass and I can't let Pippa off the lead. That afternoon we finally found one which I know I will be going on many times from now on. Again we got lost going down that path and returned to the road. Luckily we bumped into Eulogio; a man who walks to Montrondo from Murias twice a day. He was the one to tell us the right route to take. So we walked on into Murias and in the middle of the village took a right turn down towards the river by the old "lechería" (dairy farm). Here we made a couple of wrong decisions until we stumbled onto to the right route, through a field. However our wrong decision took us to a natural pool and small beach where apparently the people from Murias bathe. It was a lovely spot.
We turned back on our heels and eventually found the right path over an ancient looking stone bridge.
From then on it was plain sailing and all flat through a birch tree forest. There were spectacular views of Murias from the forest which I just had to capture on camera.
The walk took about 1.5 hours, the perfect length. Finally I have a new walk to go on without having to go on the road or up steep mountains.
It was a very warm day again on Monday and that night Eladio and I had dinner once again alfresco on the front terrace of our house. We managed to watch about 50 minutes of House of Cards and then the smart TV froze and we switched to watching some of the Olympic Games. It was amazing to see the men's gymnastics. The Chinese are apparently the best but I was equally impressed with the Japanese and the Americans. I could not begin to imagine the routine these men have had to go through most of their lives to get to that level. I just don't know how they can make those incredible movements with their bodies. It was fascinating to watch.
Tuesday was to be a very special day. It was Claudia and Miguel's second wedding or rather a wedding celebration for the family from León. There was to be a lunch in a village called Sosas de Laciana, quite near Villablino. The restaurant chosen was
El Campillo described by many on Trip Advisor as the very best in the area and it was.
We had never been to Sosas even though it's very near Montrondo - about a 20 minute drive - but it's a very pretty place. It belongs to the area called Laciana where the architecture is different from Omaña which Montrondo belongs to. You just have to see the houses to understand that.
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| Houses in Sosas de Lacaiana |
The restaurant it lived up to its reputation.
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| Outside El Campillo restaurant in Sosas de Laciana on Tuesday |
We were 27 around the table but quite a few were missing, like our daughters for instance. There were all the ages, from 4 months to 94 years old and 4 generations at the lunch on Tuesday. The dishes were delicious, especially the "cecina" (dried and smoked or salted beef thinly cut) and the calamares.
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| The "cecina" at El Campillo restaurant in Sosas de Laciana |
Apart from the family, Miguel had invited Teresa, the mother of our friend Ludi and mother-in-law of the cycling legend Pedro Delgado. Here she is with the bride and groom. You would never think she was from the area with her blue and green eyes that all three of her children have inherited.
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| Miguel and Claudia with their special guest at the family lunch on Tuesday |
The celebration didn't end until 5.30 (so Spanish hahah) when we said our goodbyes and left in all our cars. There was to be no siesta or walk that day.
That day the Olympic Games continued. I didn't actually see anything on the television but was very intrigued and pleased to see a photo that began circulating on social media. It was of 2 girls gymnasts, one from South Korea and the other from North Korea taking a selfie together. That for me summed up the spirit of the Games and probably did more for diplomacy between the 2 arch rival countries than anything the politicians from their countries could do. I do hope the North Korean girl doesn't get into trouble for fraternising with the enemy when she returns to Pyongyang.
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| The best symbol of the spirit of the Games in Rio. 2 gymnasts from North and South Korea take a selfie together. |
Wednesday was the perfect day for a climb up the mountains; sunny but not too hot. We decided there and then that morning that this was the perfect day to try and climb up El Tambarón mountain, the highest peak in the area. It stands at 2.150 metres high, twice the height of England's highest mountain Mount Snowden. It has always been my objective to attempt it at least once in my life and that day we were going to try. Eladio has been up it many times but the last time would have been at least 30 or more years ago. He was to be my guide but he got lost at times. I have to admit that without him I would never have done it. When we were climbing sheer perpendicular rock, I had to cling to his trouser belt or to his walking stick.
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| The Tambarón peak - left in the middle. It looks near but is very very far. The top is actually a plain. |
If someone had told me when we left at 09.30 in the morning that we would walk 24 kilometres and not be home until past 7.30 pm with a very difficult climb up and perhaps an even worse climb down, maybe I wouldn't have set off.
But set off we did. Our first spy of the peak was at El Abedular (birch tree forest). Here I am with Pippa who followed us all the way. She was so valiant and I am amazed she made it with her tiny little body. She only needed help at certain obstacles such as deep heather or big rocks we had to cross.
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| Our first view of the mountain from El Abedular |
We walked up familar landmarks I had seen on many walks up the mountains, past El Abedular, La Canalilla fountain, el Charcón and then on to Solopeña where there is a mountain cabin for people to rest. Here people write their names with charcoal and we were inspired to follow suit.
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| In La Solopeña cabin where we wrote our names to immortalise our trek. |
From there we walked up past the big rock (la peñona) until we got to El Mular - a field high up in the mountains. Here we rested whilst Eladio tried to make his mind up as to which was the best point to tackle the climb up.
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| Eladio on the way up. |
For a while we followed a river bed. Then the trek got more and more difficult. We entered terrain which I thought was more suited to goats. We crossed rivers, walked through thick heather, past impossible bracken bushes and on slippery rock and stones.
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| The terrain with stone and heather got steeper and steeper and more and more difficult to climb. |
At times I had to hold on to Eladio, especially when the climb got steeper and steeper. The summit looked so near but it was deceiving. It would take until 15.15 to make it to the top. At 14.20 we stopped for our lunch and to gather strength; ham sandwiches (thanks Javier and Ana for the ham) and a piece of fruit each. Pippa got most of the bread as she also needed fortifying too if we were to make it up to the top.
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| The spot where we had lunch on our way up. |
After lunch we took another hour to reach the top. The last few metres I had to climb on all fours. No way was I giving up and I knew I would never be able to climb down the way we had ascended. I was very careful not to slip as I knew a fall could be fatal; after all I have a tendency to do so and not so long ago broke my leg on these same mountains.
We crowned El Tambarón at 15.15. This is the moment we were about to reach the miradors at the top
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| The moment we reached the top. To get to the miradors we had to wade through more slippery stones. |
The first one to climb to the top of one of the miradors was Eladio. He knew exactly what to do to stand on it as of course he has done it before when he was younger. Here is happy to have fulfilled our objective of the day.
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| Eladio at the top. |
The views were to die for. You could just spot Senra and a tiny bit of Murias.
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| The view from the top where you can just see Senra |
Eladio warned me it would be windy and freezing once we got there but actually it wasn't. Most of the year round the peak is covered in snow but not in August.
There was mobile coverage at the top and believe it or not at that moment I got a message from my boss with a problem I had to solve with our Twitter Wall in the cafeteria in the office. I had to make several phone calls to sort it out. So we stayed at the top for quite a bit. Apart from the miradors there is formation of rocks to sit by which is a lovely resting place.
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| Sitting at the top of the mountain with Pippa. |
Being at the summit felt like being at the top of the world. For me this was my Everest. Of course the latter is 4 times higher but for my level it was probably as difficult and as satisfying for someone trying to climb the highest mountain in the world. 2.150 metres is 7.000 feet approximately and the equivalent to double the height of England's biggest mountain Mount Snowden. So Wednesday's achievement was a huge one for me. It was a once in a lifetime thing.
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| A selfie at the top of El Tambarón with Pippa. |
Coming down was no easy feat. Some say it is more difficult than climbing up and it was to take us 4.5 hours, just one less than coming up. We went down a different route as it would have been impossible to climb down the way we ascended. The descent was practically sheer. Eladio walked but I decided to go down on my bum sliding down the heather. Eladio thought it was hilarious. I thought it was just plain practical although I was a little worried I'd get a hole in my M+S jeans hahaha.
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| Sliding down the mountain on my bum. |
The way down felt endless. We got lost at times. Part of the route thankfully had confirmation points in rock formations like these but they weren't always apparent.
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| Formations made of stone to confirm the route down. |
We came down via the lagoon El Pozo Llao which was actually empty.
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| El Pozo Llao lagoon on our way down. |
Walking down or rather balancing my way down, if you looked up you got a great view of the Tambarón mountain which once again looked so deceivingly near. But oh my how far away and how inaccessible it is.
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| The view of El Tambarón (left peak) on our way down. |
As I said it would take us 4.5 hours to walk down to the village. Our immediate need was water. We had run out of it and were only able to drink when we got to the fountain called "la fuente del cuadro". The walk down was never ending so I nearly cried with joy when finally we got off the mountains and reached the path just below El Mular. It was quite a few more kilometres more to walk down to the village and our feet were dragging and we felt exhausted. The only obstacle on the path on the descent was a herd of cows. Eladio, once having been a shepherd boy and guarder of cows knew exactly how to deal with them. He had no fear at all.
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| Cows in our way on the path down towards the village. |
We continued down as best we could, resting at times and it was past 7.30 when we crossed the old Roman bridge at the entrance to the village from the mountains. You see Montrondo is at the end of the road where the mountains start.
The family were anxious to see us. They thought we had been away for too long a time. Maybe we were the slowest trekkers in history to reach the summit but we didn't care. Our aim was also to enjoy the scenery on the way, drink water from the springs, have our lunch and take lots of photos. All our aims that day were accomplished but crowing the peak was something I will never forget. You can see more photos of our trek up the mountains and to the peak of El Tambarón
here.
Once home we were in dire need of a shower and change of clothes. Once showered and in our pyjamas we could rest. Dinner was a small affair, chicken noodle soup and a piece of meat and vegetable pie. We were in bed by 10 pm, happy but exhausted. It would take a few days to recover completely. The sense of self satisfaction was enormous and maybe on Wednesday I began to understand what drives mountaineers. My fitbit was also pleased. That day I surpassed myself by walking 36.000 steps and received 2 tropies!
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| The statistics my fitbit showed on the evening after our trek up El Tambarón. 24km in one day was a record for me! |
The best news on Thursday morning was reading that Mireia Belmonte had won a
gold medal for Spain in the Olympics.
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| A gold medal for Spain thanks to Mireia Belmonte who won the 200 metre butterfly swimming race on Thursday morning |
It was great news for Spain.
That morning I was up at 5.50 by mistake. When I woke up I looked sleepily at my clock and thought it was 6.50 but only realised it was one hour earlier when I was in the kitchen making my morning cup of coffee and looked at the clock on the microwave!
By midday there was another gold for Spain, again from a woman and from a water sport too; slalom canoeing. Spain was delighted when the 32 year old Mother from the Basque Country with the impossible name of Maialen Chourraut won the slalom. I always find it intensely emotional when a Spanish sports figure stands on the podium and the national anthem is played. If it gives me goose pimples I can only begin to imagine what it must mean to the athlete. Well done Spain for its second gold.
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| Maialen Chourrau celebrating her win with her 3 year old daughter on Thursday |
On Thursday I was tired all day and my legs and arms ached after the previous day's exertions. I went around feeling a bit like a zombie, doing my domestic tasks very slowly. I slept a long siesta and didn't wake up until 6 when my sister-in-law Pili called me to tell me the fishmonger Susana had arrived.
By 7 p.m. I was revived and ready to go on another walk. I went with Eladio, Toño, Dolores and the dogs and we took the route via El Vao to the Murias road then down El Camino Valle and on to Murias on an old path through a birch tree forest. I could only imagine just how beautiful it would be in the autumn.
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| On our new walk on Thursday evening |
This time we ventured a little further getting slightly lost in the process. We walked about 7 or 8 kilometres according to my fitbit! It's great to discover new routes.
Every time we come home from our walks the first task is to bathe Pippa as she gets so dirty on the dusty summer paths. Here she is in our bath tub which was designed for me but only she gets to use haha.
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| Pippa in the bath hahaha |
That night netflix or should I say the internet connection, worked well and we were able to watch a whole episode of Season 2. We are really hooked.
I was up slightly later on Friday morning at 7.10 and had had a restful sleep thankfully. That morning Eladio went off to Villablino very early to get the washing line poles he had bought to be cut shorter. The old ones were tied to the apple trees right in the middle of the field making for an unsightly view from our new house. The new ones have been tied to special poles to the left of the field and are much more discreet. He also bought green paint for them to blend more into the countryside. He and José Antonio would spend the morning putting them up and this is what they look like now. They had to add cement as part of the ground was rock. Thus I would have to wait to hang up our washing until the next day.
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| Thanks to Eladio and his brother José Antonio we now have a much sturdier and more discreet washing line on the lawn (la era) behind our houses now. |
When he was back I took the car and drove to Villablino with Dolores to do the weekly shopping. Unfortunately the open market was closed that day due to a big alpine skateboard competition. Many streets were cut off because of it and it made driving and parking especially difficult. Shopping in Villablino is unlike shopping in Madrid. No one is in a hurry here and the queues are long. We didn't get back until 2.15. We came home to a big family barbecue organised by Dolores' sons Miguel and Juan and their partners. They had done a great job uniting the family and we spent a long time around the table afterwards. Remember that word "sobremesa?"
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| The "sobremesa" after Friday's family barbecue |
We spent a relaxing afternoon. I read for a while and as usual Pippa was my shadow.
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| Pippa waits for me everywhere I go |
Our numbers had increased on Friday and there were 18 of us including the children. Some of us had fun playing with them. Our first game was Mölkky (Finnish bowls) and then a hilarious hide and seek session which took me back to my childhood.
There was no walk on Friday. I think I needed a day off.
In Villablino I had bought some "
cecina" (salted beef a bit like Italian braseola). It was of the very best variety "laciana" and comes from the area. Cecina is probably Leon's most famous culinary product. I made it in a salad with Primo's homegrown lettuce, walnuts and olive oil and it was mouth watering.
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| Cecina salad for dinner on Friday |
Dinner was alfresco that night as the weather was so good. In fact it has not rained once and the sun has been present every single day. Thankfully though, because of the mountain air the temperatures are cooler than in Madrid.
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| Dinner alfresco on Friday night |
On Saturday I woke up to the news of another gold medal for Spain at the Rio Olympics. This time it was for tennis.
Rafa Nadal and Marc López had beaten the Romanians Florin Mergea and Horia Tecau 6-2 3-6 6-4 in the men's doubles final. For these men it was like winning a double gold medal all in one. I'm so happy for them, especially Rafa who is such a splendid ambassador of this country.
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| It was gold for Nadal and López in the men's doubles at the Olympics on Friday night |
An interesting piece of news that came out of the Olympics this week was about the Saudi Arabian delegation. It turned out that a woman (Spanish by the way) would be leading the Saudi and other teams on a tricycle in the opening ceremony. Why would they mind you might ask? Well that's because women are worse than second class citizens in their strictly religious Kingdom and because they don't allow them to drive. I particularly love the picture. If they protest about a bare armed woman driving a vehicle at the Olympic ceremony then they shouldn't have come should they? Or maybe they should try to join the 21st century.
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| A bare armed Spanish woman leading the Saudi delegation at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. Touché I would say! |
Saturday came and it was to be our last full day here. For the record that day, the Cuban dictator and revolutionary, Fidel Castro turned 90. There's no happy birthday to him from me as there was for Barack Obama; not until repression is lifted in that beautiful island. But by then he will probably not be alive! When and if it does, no doubt he will turn in his grave. I can imagine our Cuban cousin enjoying his leader's birthday. But not me, no way.
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| The Communist dictator Fidel Castro turned 90 on Saturday |
Finally I was able to use the new washing line that morning and I can't think of anywhere more beautiful to hang out the laundry as the surrounding scenery is so spectacular. Once again thanks Eladio and Toño for your efforts.
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| Hanging out the laundry for the first time on the new washing line. |
There was time for everything that morning, I joined Eladio and Toño when they went to get fresh drinking water from La Fleita spring. Everyone here says it's better than the treated water. It comes from the nearby mountains of course.
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| Getting drinking water from La Fleita spring in the village. |
After the water it was time to get the bread. The arrival of the bread van from either the Murias or Senra bakeries is always a social occasion. I find it very quirky but it is also one of the day's most social events when you always engage with your neighbours. I should add that the bread is delicious. I don't know what they do to make it taste so good as I can only imagine it is made from flour, yeast, water and salt like bread all over the world.
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| The local bread is delicious |
There was to be a lot of social engagement on Saturday as it was the day of the annual village lunch to take place in El Campo (the village common) under a huge marquee. There were preparations for the event all morning.
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| Preparations for the annual village lunch on Saturday morning |
All of Eladio's family would attend as did most of the village. We were some 130 people around the tables and seating was on the pews brought from the church for the occasion. The meal was served by a restaurant called La Villa from Bembibre. They did a better job than last year although for 20 euros a head I was not particularly impressed. The best thing was to see the village united on this special day.
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| The annual village lunch |
But there was plenty to drink and I think I had a little too much wine with pop (tinto de verano) and was in need of a long siesta. I didn't wake up until 6.15 p.m.when all I wanted was a cup of tea. My sister-in-law Pili wanted to try it and nearly spat it out asking how I could possibly like it. I understood her and found it difficult to explain that most of the population in the UK has up to 5 or more cups like mine a day. Spaniards do not like tea made the English way; far preferring coffee or lukewarm teas of various kinds and hardly ever Indian tea like the cup of PG Tips I had yesterday.
After my "cuppa" it was time for a walk. Eladio, Dolores, the dogs and I set off on our lovely new route. On the way a calf came out of a field and both Nuba and Pippa chased after it. There was nothing to stop them. We were worried the mother cow would be near and the dogs could be in danger but thankfully that didn't happen.
The village gathered last night for pies and chocolate drink but Eladio and I were tired and had planned another romantic alfresco dinner on our terrace. After all it was to be our last night here.
Today is Sunday and our last day here. We shall be leaving this evening. I don't really want to go as we've had such a special time. The next stage in our holiday plans is a few days at our beach apartment in Santa Pola where we will be joined by Toño and Dolores. Then of course I have a trip to London planned on 25th August. But we shall be back in a month for a long weekend we have planned here with our friends Gerardo, Vicky, Irene and Tomás. I hope the weather holds.
It is early in the morning and I have been writing this week's blog on and off during the last few days. So now I will leave you, wishing you all a great week ahead, me included. I hope you have enjoyed my "ramblings".
Cheers till next time,
Masha
PS You can see the full set of photos of our stay in Montrondo
here.
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