Sunday, 19th July, 2020
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| On the St. Peter's coastal path in Llanes on Monday afternoon. |
Good morning all.
How has your week been? Ours has been marvelous. Last Sunday was our last day of the first part of our holiday in Asturias, in the Cudillero region before we moved further east to Llanes where we spent 3 nights until our return home on Thursday. I can't believe I am home again now but what a lovely fortnight we have had on holiday in Montrondo and in Asturias. Last Sunday we were still in Cudillero, that pretty little fishing village akin to Robin Hood's Bay in Yorkshire in my mind as is a lot of the coastline in Asturias.
Our last day was again packed with activity. That morning we took Pippa to a beach where dogs are allowed, hurray. We had been told there was one quite near Cudillero called El Sablón. It turned out to be a very large and clean beach with lots of people with their dogs but loads of space. It was a natural beach with no buildings in sight and set against a backdrop of green hills. We were lucky it was a sunny day. I bathed by the way, despite the very cold Cantabrian sea of the Atlantic.
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| El Sablón, a beach where dogs are allowed |
There were dogs of all types, ranging from the tiny Yorkshire terrier to the noble Borzoi. Some swam with their owners, others sniffed around or went on walks enjoying the company of other dogs. For a dog lover I adored this beach. Pippa, I'm afraid, did not behave very well. She can be quite aggressive with big dogs although she is fine with those of her size or smaller.
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| Our space on the dog beach last Sunday |
As the beach was so long and large, there was no problem at all keeping social distance. We went on a walk to as far as we could go; some rocks we could not pass until the tide had gone in and all in all walked 6km, half of what we would walk that day. This has been quite the walking holiday.
At around 1 pm we left the dog beach for the coastal town of Salinas, considered a pearl of the Cantabrian sea. I had booked a table for lunch at the Royal Spa restaurant located right on the beach and famous for its first patron, the ex King of Spain, Alfonso XIII. We got there early so strolled along the sea front enjoying the views of the beach.
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| Walking along the sea front in Salinas |
Salinas being a town beach reminded us of similar town beaches in Spain such as Santander, San Sebastian or Gijón; quite marvelous. On our stroll we came upon a small market. Most street markets sell rubbish but this area of Spain is famed for its well dressed women and the clothes on sale looked enticing. I spied two beautiful dresses; a white one with butterflies and a coloured striped one. I was worried about trying them on because of Covid but the Argentinian stall owner seemed very unworried and only made me put hand sanitiser on. I tried the dresses on. They were a perfect fit and so I bought them both. I think if I had had time I would have bought more garments. Eladio liked me in the butterfly dress and suggested I wore it there and then. Like a little girl with new red shoes, I wore it to the restaurant. Here I am strolling on the sea front with the new dress on. Lovely isn't it?
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| Wearing my new dress last Sunday by the beach in Salinas |
By then it was time for lunch and we headed to the Real Balneario. I had chosen it from a list I found from the Michelin Guide. It turned out to be very fancy and very expensive. Maybe I should rely on The Fork or TripAdvisor rather than the Michelin Guide I thought when we were served miniscule portions, hahahhaa. I think, more than anything we paid for the name and the place; right on the beach.
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| Eladio at the swanky Real Balneario restaurant in Salinas last Sunday |
What was not minisucle was the glass of Rioja (Ramón Bilbao) I had which would give me a headache later. I went for lamb while Eladio chose a fish called "Virrey" which comes from these parts. He got a tiny tiny portion for 38 euros which was daylight robbery. My husband never usually complains about anything but he did that day. The staff were very apologetic and did all they could to placate us, offering us a free dessert we didn't want and even giving us a (boring) book about the establishment hahaha. What placated us most was that they charged us half price for the fish.
I wasn't impressed with the desserts on offer and preferred to go out and buy an ice cream to eat on the sea front before we headed home. Both the ice cream and the wine made me sleepy and once back in our apartment I slept a 2 hour siesta!!!!
The day didn't end there. At around 6.30 we took off again, this time heading to a beautiful spot we knew from other stays here; Cabo Vidio or Cape Vidio about 15km from Cudillero. It is a spectacular location with the most amazing views. We were lucky with the weather too as the sun shone until late that day.
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| The view from the Cape |
We admired the views which are fantastic and then took the coastal path to admire even them more and to enjoy the area.
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| Eladio on the coastal path by Cabo Vidio |
We then took the path down to the beach below the cliffs, the beach of Peña Doria which means golden rock. It's a very steep walk down and up I can tell you but worth the walk just to sit on that lovely and dramatic beach.
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| Eladio at the end of the steep path down to the Peña Doria beach |
Like the Silent beach we visited the day before, Peña Doria was just as dramatic and silent too, the only sound being the waves crashing onto the sand. We sat there mesmerised enjoying the atmosphere and views. I took another video which you can see here. This was where I was sitting with Pippa, as always, on my lap. As we were leaving I chose a few stones to take with me and put on my desk at home to remind me always of this beautiful little beach. As the Silent beach we did the same. Eladio chose one for me and I chose one for him.
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| Sitting on the beach Peña Doria on Sunday |
Most tourists who come to Spain visit the Costas; meaning the beaches in the South of Spain. Well the beaches in the north of the country are very different with their rugged coastline and are much, much more beautiful. In a way I am glad that there is no mass tourism in this area. Perhaps that adds to why it is so special.
If we were enjoying the beaches in Asturias that day, Suzy was at home with her friends Chati and Mónica and had the pool to themselves when the weekend guests left that morning. Suzy told me she sang for her friends on her newly acquired ukelele and that they took videos. Unfortunately I only saw a photo but my daughter looks lovely and I am very proud of her.
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| Suzy playing the ukelele and singing for her friends by the pool on Sunday |
Suzy shared a photo of the three of them and it seems they had a grand day.
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| Suzy and her friends enjoying the privacy of our pool at home last Sunday |
Who didn't have a grand day was my poor dear father. I was very alarmed to hear that morning that he had fallen out of bed while trying to get on his wheelchair, something he should not do alone but for some reason he did last Sunday. He ended up on the floor where he lay for 10 minutes until Zena found him and between Zena and Suzy they got him up again. Thankfully he only had a tiny cut on his hand and no broken bones. He's amazingly strong for 101. I felt so bad for not being there for him. Poor Daddy. It must have been a huge shock.
I felt a little guilty enjoying my holiday while he had fallen in our absence. I always dread a fall but he has fallen countless times over the years and he must have strong bones as nothing has ever happened. That's not quite true as one of these falls, quite a few years ago now, resulted in a broken hip. Oh do be careful Daddy and please don't try to move from the bed to your chair without help.
Back to our holiday now. After about half an hour sitting on the lovely and dramatic Peña Doria beach, we walked slowly up the very steep hill to the top which is about 1km but a hard climb. We returned to our car to drive "home" to our apartment at the Casona de la Paca, for our last night there. I made a simple supper of tuna fish salad. While Eladio was watching the news on the outcome of local elections in Galicia and the Basque Country, I rang my girls. Oli told me she was starting back in the news room at TVE the next day and was feeling anxious about leaving Elliot for so long with Miguel on his own. It would be the first time since he was born that she would be leaving her baby for such a long time. I told her not to worry and to enjoy her new freedom as the baby is now nearly 10 months old and that all would be fine. She would be returning to being in front of the camera and I looked forward to seeing her on TV again. Her new role is as the presenter of the most important section of the programme; about coronavirus. Oli has nearly always been a reporter and this new job means she is a presenter in the studio so a great new opportunity for her and also a challenge. She told me yesterday that the head of programmes for TVE had congratulated her on how well she had adapted and that she had known Oli would do a good job as a presenter.
We crashed out at about midnight and I slept fitfully but overall not too badly as I woke up a bit later than usual on Monday morning at 7 am. We had our leisurely breakfast and slowly started packing to leave for Llanes. We left at around 10.45 and it's about a 150km drive to La Pereda where we would be staying. We were going to the eastern part of Asturias, near Santander and very near the area of the Peaks of Europe (Picos de Europa). We had never been to Llanes before and when we saw the pretty seaside town we were over bowled by its beauty. It was Olivia who led me to find El Choco, the lovely Airbnb we stayed at. She found an article about the top 10 most desired Airbnb places in Spain which included El Choco and when I booked over a month ago there were still vacancies. Now it is fully booked until the second half of September and I am not surprised. The owner, Zila, from Costa Rica, calls it "a small place in paradise" and she is right. It is just beautiful. Located in her own garden but with total privacy, it is the most divine stone house and also very lovingly decorated. It is a self contained holiday apartment for two which is fully equipped. Let me show you some photos.
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El Choco from outside and a partial view of the house inside.  |
One of the unique features of this house and garden is the outside shower. That might sound like a thing from the past, but this shower is very special. I couldn't wait to go inside.
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| The outdoor shower |
After Zila had shown us around and we had unpacked and settled in, we left La Pereda for Llanes to have lunch at a restaurant by the yachting port she had recommended. Called Marisquería La Marina it didn't disappoint.
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| The yacht port in front of our restaurant |
Here is Eladio at our table.
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| Lunch in Llanes on Monday |
I had seafood (clams and scallops) and Eladio had his favourite fish; sardines. Later we ventured into the centre of this most beautiful town to have an ice cream after which we drove back to El Choco for a rest and to enjoy our lovely accommodation. I sat outside on the little terrace with Pippa at my side. I also had my daily cup of tea.
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| Time for a cup of tea on the terrace - Pippa by my side |
At around 7 pm when it was still very warm, we drove again to Llanes this time for our afternoon constitutional. I had heard that Llanes was famous for a coastal walk called St. Peter's Way (Paseo San Pedro) and I had heard right. It is both famous and stunning; really stunning. I have chosen a photo Eladio took of me on that walk for this week's feature photo. By the way I was wearing the second dress I had bought at the market stall in Salinas last Sunday. I am delighted with the dresses I bought in Asturias. . We loved the walk so much we will be back. The views of the sea, the cliffs and the town were magnificent. I took lots of photos and felt ecstatic to be in such a beautiful place.
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| Eladio and Pippa on our walk along the coastal path of St Peter in Llanes on Monday |
That day, Monday, Olivia was returning to TVE, no longer working from home but once again in front of the camera. She had been asked to be the presenter of a section in her programme, España Directo, about the latest on coronavirus which of course is the hot topic. It was on the walk when I suddenly remembered she would probably be on live so we stopped in our tracks and sat on a bench to see her. And we saw her almost immediately. It was her first time as as studio presenter and it was obvious her hair had been done and possibly her wardrobe came from the TV station. Eladio took a photo of her which you can see below.
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| Olivia back on TV on Monday |
Our younger daughter was a little stressed. Not only was it her first day back at work physically, but it was the first time she would spend a whole day without her baby, She felt divided but also pleased to be back in the newsroom after nearly 4 months of working from home and behind the scenes. We saw her that once direct on TV but she was on multiple times during the programme. She later sent us one clip - all about the use of masks - which I uploaded to my You Tube channel and which you can see here. We are extremely proud of her. We spoke to her later that night and she told us she had never been so busy and that it had been a huge challenge to be a presenter but she was satisfied she had done it well. She was amazing. I was even more impressed when she told me she had her own dressing room and not only that but a stylist, a hairdresser and even a make up artist. Wow I wouldn't mind that for myself!
After watching our daughter live again on TV, we continued our walk feeling elated because of her success and of course because of where we were, in the sun on a beautiful coastal walk. We got to the end which is right next to the Llanes town beach of "El Sablón" where people were still bathing. If I had brought my costume with me, I would have gone in the water without hesitation.
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| View of the town beach, El Sablón, the town of Llanes and the mountatins in the background - at the end of the St. Peter's walk way. |
The walk there and back is about 8km and we were back in our car by about 8.30 and driving "home" to enjoy the rest of the evening. I made a simple dinner of prawn, avocado and mango salad which we ate on the terrace outside. We later video called Suzy and then Oli to touch base with our daughters. It was quite late when we got into the very comfortable bed from where we watched a bit of TV before falling asleep.
I was awake at 6 in the morning on Tuesday, our first full day in the Llanes area. It was to be another sunny day. Asturias is the wettest region in Spain so you never know here how the day will be. It can start with lots of cloud and then suddenly the sun comes out. I suppose that is why the region, like England, is so green. On Tuesday we decided to visit the pretty coastal town of Ribadasella, one of Asturias best known towns and most wanted vacation areas for Spaniards. It is smaller than Llanes with a population just over 5k compared to the former's 13k or so. We had only ever passed through the town and never visited it, so Tuesday was the day. We found very few people as was the case throughout our holiday. Possibly people are staying at home because of Covid. Until that day, Asturias was the only region in Spain with 0 cases and no new outbreaks. However, everyone, literally everyone was wearing masks and not only indoors which is obligatory, but outside too. On the day we left they would become obligatory everywhere.
Ribadasella is about 25km from Llanes and a short drive from La Pereda. We were there by about 10.30 and the day was ours. Our only commitment was lunch at the Michelin star restaurant El Arbidel, at 2 pm, but more about that further down. The town is dominated by its river, the Sella and gets its name from it. The river becomes a sort of fjord and the town is split in two by a great big bridge. It is a stunning location and the town is very well kept and clean with not a bit of litter in sight.
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| A view of Ribadasella |
On one side is the Grua walkway, an extension of the sea front (paseo marítimo) and on the other side the magnificent town beach called Santa Marina which was practically empty. We were keen to walk along La Grua which takes you to the top of a hill with some amazing views of the town and surrounding areas. Like Llanes, Ribadasella sits at the foothills of the Picos de Europa which, combined with the sea, make for a spectacular sight.
Here I am at the top of the hill which was quite a steep climb.
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| At the top of the coastal walk La Grua in Ribadasella with some great views of the town and mountains |
We carried on walking along the lovely coastal pathway admiring the many beautiful houses. We fleetingly thought about buying one in this region, to rent on Airbnb and have as another holiday home. The thought lodged itself in our minds as the days went by. Oh how we love the region and there are some spectacular houses, the type of which you never see in Madrid.
The walkway took us down to a square in the old town. We were keen to explore it but, first things first, we had a coffee in a sunny bar outside, enjoying the atmosphere. Here I am feeling happy with life.
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| Coffee time in Ribadasella |
We found ourselves on one of the main streets in the old town which had some enticing boutiques. I went into a few of them and came out with a lovely simple long green summer dress which I would wear later in the afternoon. We also got clothes for Eladio - he is always reluctant - a pair of Jack Jones beige shorts and two smart polo shirts. He is always dressed in shorts and polo shirts in the summer but his wardrobe was becoming a bit old and he needed new clothes although he argued that he didn't.
After our pleasant shopping experience, there was still time to explore the town before lunch. So we walked on the other side of the fjord, towards the town beach, Santa Marina. And what a town beach it is, long, clean and beautiful. It also had some remarkable houses. They could only be dream houses for me though as they must cost a fortune.
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| Some of the beautiful houses on the beach in Ribadasella |
I would have loved to spend the rest of the day on the beach as it was practically empty but we had a lunch appointment. A friend from the past, Ramón P, had recommended El Arbidel, the best restaurant in the area and run by a famous Spanish chef, Jaime Uz. I knew it would be haute cuisine with very creative and fancy dishes. That's not Eladio's style but it is mine. El Arbidel with a Michelin star is in the old town so we walked back from the beach and across the fjord to find it. It was a jewel located in a beautiful corner of the old town surrounded by flowers and beautiful decor - just how I like restaurants. The waiter took a photo of us just as we were about to start on the most mouth watering hors d'oeuvres.
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| At El Arbidel in Ribadasella on Tuesday |
The tasting menu was wonderful and we went for the smaller of the two on offer. We kept being served tiny delicacies. Eladio joked that they were fine but maybe we should go to a proper restaurant afterwards hahahaha. I once took him to the world famous Arzak with 3 Michelin stars in San Sebastian and he told me he preferred traditional restaurants hahahhaa. The bill was steep but to hell, we were on holiday and I didn't care.
We drove home later and were back at El Choco to spend the rest of the afternoon. We wanted to enjoy this little place in paradise and were tired from so many trips out and about. We were able to watch Oli's programne on the TV at the house. I should be used to seeing her by now but I still get excited. She looked so professional and elegant. I loved the clothes she was wearing, her hair and the high heeled shoes. She was explaining the new outbreaks of coronavirus in Spain of which there are some 150, an awful lot and lots of new infections. The good news though, which we learned from her, is that the virus must have mutated as it is not killing people any more. Oli told her public that it now affects men aged 40 and women aged 50 and that 70% of those infected do not have any symptoms. It was good to hear that it is no longer as lethal although it seems to be more contagious.
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| Watching Oli on TV still gives me a kick |
We did venture out later again for a little walk to explore the little village of La Pereda. We found it charming with lots of beautiful houses, lush green fields full of cows and of course the backdrop of the mountains. Once again hydrangeas were in abundance and we came across a house which was literally drowning in them. I had to have a picture. I am wearing the long green dress I had bought in the morning which is so comfortable. It is the only long dress I own and as I am short (I was 5ft 4 inches) I don't usually look good in them, but this one is so comfortable and summery it feels like wearing a nightie hahahah. It probably looks like one too.
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| Exploring La Pereda - new dress - hydrangeas |
We came back undecided about dinner, whether to have any or what to eat. I suggested we have some wine and a few pistachios on the terrace and maybe some fruit. It was one of those simple pleasures in life and I do so like simple pleasures. As we consumed the delicious Bornos Rueda wine, with Pippa at our side begging for some pistachios, we spoke about our life together, how we progressed in our jobs, how we formed a family and all our ups and downs. We both concluded we haven't done badly.
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| Simple pleasures in life - here some white wine and pistachios |
We didn't stop at the pistachios as later Eladio brought out a plate of ham and lomo which were followed by some fruit. Later I had time to video call my girls. Suzy told me the French family had arrived and seemed nice. They will be staying until 25th August. I hoped we would get on and when I met them on Thursday I knew we would. . Oli was exhausted but happy with how her presenting went. She was even happier to be reunited with Elliot and told me how that day he had found some new friends. It was at their communal swimming pool that he met them. It turns out that the family lives on the same floor as Oli and Miguel. Their two kids aged 5 and 3 rushed into Elliot's flat to see his toys and they spent a long time together playing. Finally Elliot has some company nearer his age, even if they are a bit older. Since that day he has made new friends at the pool and seems to be the main attraction with the kids who all want to feed him, hahahahaa. I was happy to hear that and also dying to see our little grandson again. I would have to wait until Saturday.
Wednesday was the last full day of our Asturian holiday and it would be another wonderful day. The weather looked a bit iffy for our choice that day - a visit to Cangas de Onis and Covadonga in the Picos de Europa mountain range. Rain was forecast but in the end it didn't rain. Cangas de Onis, once the capital of Asturias or what was Northern Spain, is the sort of gateway to the Peaks and is a beautiful little town snuggled under the mountains. We had been once years ago but my husband fell ill and we had to go home so I had no memory at all of Cangas. Similar to the rest of Asturias, this town is very well kept and obviously lives off tourism.
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| Cangas de Onis is a very well kept and pretty town |
There weren't many people around in this post Covid lockdown world which was nice for us but probably not for business. We parked next to one of the landmarks, the Santa Cruz pre-romanesque chapel. It was originally built by the King Favila, the son of "Don Pelayo" who was the artifice of the reconquering of the Moors from Spain in the 8th century. This whole area in fact is the cradle of what Spain is today thanks to Don Pelayo and what is known here as "la reconquista". There's a bit of history for you. The other landmark is the Roman bridge or supposed Roman bridge as I read it was built in the 8th century too. This bridge which was probably the site of the original Roman road from Oviedo to Santander, dominates the town of Cangas and is its main landmark. We loved it.
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| The Roman bridge in Cangas |
We made our way to the bridge and spied a lovely cafe underneath it where we installed ourselves with Pippa to enjoy the views and our coffee.Later we walked along the top of the bridge and down again and I took more photos like the one below of Eladio wearing his new yellow polo shirt, the one we bought in Ribadasella.
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| Eladio next to the Roman bridge |
From Cangas we drove to our main destination, Covadonga, the real cradle of the "Reconquista". Here Don Pelayo, the leader of the resistance to the Moors and who would become the first King of Asturias, fought in the historic battle of Covadonga in 722. It was the first place where the Moorish invasion was resisted and a turning part in their 700 year rule of Spain. Pelayo and his troops used the caves of Covadonga as their base. I read that during the battle Don Pelayo went into one of the caves and prayed for victory to the Virgin Mary where a hermit had placed a statue of her. When victory was the outcome, Pelayo attributed his success to her. King Alfonso I of Spain ordered a chapel to be built in that very cave, as well as a huge "basilica" or semi cathedral, both to be dedicated to Our Lady of Covadonga. The cave is still there today and pilgrims and tourists visit it daily. The cathedral was burnt down but was rebuilt and is magnificent. The whole area is a sort of shrine to the virgin and to the beginnings of the history of Spain as it is today.
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| The cathedral as seen from the shrine |
We took turns to go inside the cave as one of us had to stay with Pippa. It is most known as "La Santina" (the little Saint) but is really a shrine. Spaniards love all their different virgins. For me there is only one but they seem to have hundreds. The shrine to the Virgin of Covadonga is built deep inside the cave and is a very special place. Silence is asked for and silence is given. It is, as the Americans would say, quite "awesome" although I hate that word.
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| La Santina - the shrine in the cave to the Virgin of Covadonga |
From the cave we walked to the cathedral and again took it in turns to go in while one of us waited outside with Pippa. It annoys me that not all God's creatures are allowed in churches. I'm sure both God and San Francis would agree with me.
Next tothe cathedral of Covadonga, very rightly so, there is a huge statue of Don Pelayo. I took a photo of Eladio next to it, him being the Spaniard.
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| Eladio (and Pippa) in front of the statue of Don Pelayo in Covadonga. |
My husband's first parish when he became a priest was in a small town called Valdeon in the Peaks of Europe area but in the province of León. He was only 23. Imagine! He told me he always remembered officiating a wedding at the Cathedral of Covadonga for a young couple from his parish who wanted to get married there as a lot of people do in Spain. 50 years later or so Eladio returned to that same site. I find that rather haunting.
After visiting Covadonga we would have liked to visit the famous lakes of the same name. They are the site of many a cycling Tour of Spain and where my ex Tour de France and Spain winner and friend, Pedro Delgado, made people clap from the sides of the road or rise from their couches watching him on TV. However today private car access is not allowed in the summer and there are either buses or taxis that take you up. We decided not to go and preferred to have lunch at a nice restaurant. I had contacted a friend I know, Miguel R., who is from Cangas and he recommended we go to Casa Pedro just 2km outside Cangas in the village of San Juan de Parres where the chef, Christian, is his friend. We didn't doubt his recommendation and booked a table at 2 pm. We were not disappointed.
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| Casa Pedro where we had lunch on Wednesday |
We went for the very tempting "menu del día" at 15 euros each - a lot less than at the Michelin star restaurant in Ribadasella the day before hahaha and a lot better according to Eladio hahahaha again! We had the traditional Asturian bean soup or stew accompanied by natural cider which is poured in a very peculiar way. If you have been in this area you will know that the method to conserve the sparkle is called "escanciar" which is really only pouring it into a glass from very high up. Waiters are very good at it but these days there are little devices like the one in the photo below that do it automatically. It tasted just as good.
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| Local cider and bean stew - so typical and delicious in Asturias. Doesn't taste the same anywhere else. |
All good things come to an end and our trip to Cangas and Covadonga did too. We drove the 35 km or so home to El Choco to sleep off our lunch. All in all it had been a good day. Earlier in the day I got a new Airbnb reservation I hadn't expected and I also got to see the outcome of an interview I did recently with the Spanish national newspaper ABC. It was about Swimmy, the platform for hiring swimming pools whiere you know I have advertised ours. But I also got a chance in the interview to mention that our house is listed on Airbnb. It was great publicity for my little business.
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| The article in ABC where our house and pool are featured |
The article was great as the photo of our house and pool were the feature photo and it also said our pool was one of the most in demand on the Swimmy platform. This is it if you are interested - in Spanish I am afraid. My dear friend Julio had seen it in the printed edition and rang me to comment on it. We had quite a laugh. We also caught up on our lives a bit and promised to meet soon. I am very proud of him as he has passed the stiff exam to become a public teacher at the UNED University which is like being a civil servant for life. Fátima, our common friend, would have been equally proud.
The day ended with a rest at El Choco which I kept calling "home" and we also got the chance to see Olivia on the TV again reporting on the new outbreaks of Coronavirus. She was looking great, the numbers aren't but there is no great alarm we suspect because it seems the virus is mutating and is a lot less lethal than it was as I wrote above. Even so, everyone is getting nervous this could turn out to be a second wave. In Barcelona and in Catalonia in general it is very widespread and the local government has advised people to go into voluntary lockdown!
Thursday came, the day of our departure from Asturias. Instead of driving straight home, we decided to visit Potes, the heart of the Picos de Europa mountain range and even go further up to Fuente Dé. It meant taking mountain roads although the amount of kilometres to reach home was about the same; just over 500km. I had never been to the Picos apart from the area of Cangas and Covadonga and Eladio was keen for me to see the area. We regretted not having added an extra night to our holiday to spend more time in this fantastic place. I remarked to Eladio that it was funny it's called the Peaks of Europe when the real peaks are the Alps and then the Pyrenees. However, I later read that The Peaks of Europe got its name as they were the first thing ships from the Americas saw as they approached the northern coast of Spain.
After an early breakfast at El Choco, it took a while for me to pack all our stuff but we were ready to go by about 9.45. It took an hour to drive to Potes and I saw a sign as we entered saying it was one of the prettiest towns in Spain. It certainly is but a bit too commercial for me. Thankfully for us it wasn't packed with tourists as it normally would be at this time of year. A policeman stopped us in the street to tell us that from the day before it was obligatory to wear a mask in the Cantabria region where Potes is located, not only inside and outside if you are unable to keep your distance socially but at all times. Gosh I thought, has it come to this? Well, yes, because there are now as I think I said above about 150 outbreaks all over Spain. It would be the same when we left Cantabria and entered Castilla León but not Madrid although no doubt it will come and soon a face mask will be obligatory inside and out all over the country. We found Potes beautiful, explored its stone streets and admired its old houses and before we left had our picture taken at a popular photo place - the one below. For the occasion we broke the rule and took the damned masks off.
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| Photo of us in Potes |
There were lots of shops selling souvenirs which we were not interested in. Neither was I interested in the famous cheese from that area which is on sale everywhere in Potes. You probably know I am not keen on cheese. Also on sale was the local cider and Santoña anchovies. We like the cider but it doesn't travel well and are not particularly keen on anchovies.
From Potes we could have continued our journey to Madrid on a mountain road leading us to Palencia and Valladolid but Eladio wanted us to go further up into the spectacular mountains to Fuente Dé where there is a cable car which takes you right to the top of one of them. The cable car takes you 1.1km above sea level to over 1.8 km in a question of minutes and is something very special to experience. I am a bit wary of heights though so was not sure I would like it. I went along with my husband's plans but they were thwarted when we were told that we would have to wait for 2 hours for the next free cable car. Thus we decided to turn back and hopefully one day we will return. There were plenty of enticing places to stay and I only really got a glimpse of the famous Picos.
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| The cable car at Fuente Dé. |
From Potes to Madrid we took the route via Palencia and Valladolid. The road from Potes to Palencia, an area I am not familiar with, is very mountainous for a while and commands great views of the Picos. We just had to stop and get a better look when we came to a Mirador called Piedrasluengas at the top of a mountain pass of the same name. We were, according to the sign there, in the National Park of the Carrionas springs, an area I had never heard of. Here is Eladio at the viewing point.
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| Eladio at the Mrador on Thursday |
As we continued our journey down the steep mountain road and after having entered the Palencia region belonging to Castille and León, it was about 2 pm, our lunch time and we spied a sign for a Parador in nearby Cervera de Pisuerga. That was the obvious choice for our meal and we were not disappointed. We set off again at about 3 and were home at around 7 pm. As our journey progressed the temperature went from about 20 c that morning in Asturias to 36 c in Madrid. We found that so so hot, almost unbearable. During our long car drive we both came to the conclusion that we want to buy a house in Asturias for ourselves but also to rent on Airbnb. I searched online while Eladio drove and we are now looking to buy an old house in a village near the coast in need of restoration. The idea is to buy a typical house of the area made of stone and wood on a plot of land and do it up to our own specs. So watch this space. This could be a very exciting project.
I was excited too to be home and wanted to see my father desperately. I knew he had missed us and I had missed him. Not often very expressive, he was delighted to see me and told me so. That warmed my heart. I also had to greet the dogs, Elsa our lab and Norah our beagle. Elsa is limping at the moment and we are afraid she has hip dysplasia which is typical in labradors. She has an appointment with the vet on Tuesday so cross your fingers please. I was, of course, over the moon to see Suzy. She has been keeping the house going along with Lucy, our housekeeper. I was keen too to meet our French guests and their children. They aren't completely French although they live in Paris. Jeremy, aged only 36, is half French and half English and his wife, Pili, is Spanish and from Madrid. They have two perfectly behaved children, David aged 3 and Eva aged 7, both of whom already speak good Spanish, French and English. I knew as soon as I met the family that we would get on as it seems we have a lot in common. It turns out too that Jeremy's father went to Clifton College school like my father; quite a coincidence.
After unpacking in our room with the air con blasting cool air into our hot bedroom, we were able to watch Olivia on TV again. She presents twice every day in the programme at about 19.40 and then about 15 minutes later, after which she rushes home to her baby and partner. She was great again I thought. I also loved the content she had created. Not so great was her news of the spread of the virus, although I take some comfort from it being less lethal now.
Later we had dinner on the kitchen terrace with Suzy until it got dark at around 10 pm. I spent time with her on the balcony of Oli's room where she is now sleeping and at around 11 pm went to bed. I watched a bit more of Season 3 of The Sinner but it disappoints. It was lovely to sleep in our bed again.
On Friday morning I was up at 6.15. Soon I was joined by Eva and David. They go to bed early, at around 7.30, in sharp contrast to Spanish kids, and get up early. Eladio and I decided to go out to find a small fridge for our kitchen specifically for guests. We went to El Corte Inglés and Media Markt but in the end bought one online.
While we were out, exciting things were happening in the UK to do with the Royal family. That day and in secret, the Queen's granddaughter, Princess Beatrice, and daughter of the now infamous Prince Andrew, got married to an Italian hot shot. Much more interesting was the news of Capt Tom Moore's knighthood that same day.
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| The Queen knighting Capt Tom Moore, now a "Sir" |
This centenarian and WW2 hero raised over 40 million pounds for the NHS walking on his zimmer frame around his garden and lifted everyone's spirits during lockdown. It was the Queen's first face-to-face engagement since then and she was delighted to honour this extraordinary man in his own personal ceremony at Windsor Castle. He was equally delighted as was probably most of the UK.
We came home to have a simple lunch, our first with my father. We watched the news and had a siesta but I was soon woken up by a new booking for our apartment in Santa Pola and a phone call from Swimmy about a photo of our house and pool they wanted to publish on their social media sites. I decided it was so hot that I would be the guest of our pool that day. I had the place to myself for a while but was soon joined the dogs and Suzy. Eva came too and is very friendly. Suzy left not long afterwards. She was going to Oli and Miguel's place with her friend Elenita where they would be having dinner. Miguel later sent me this lovely photo. It was on Friday that Elliot turned 10 months old quite a milestone in a baby's life. We hadn't seen him for nearly 3 weeks and noticed on Saturday when we were reunited just how much he is progressing. He is more like a toddler than a baby and a delightful one at that.
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| Elenita, Elliot and Suzy (right) - wearing my new long green dress. |
Meanwhile, new guests arrived to occupy my only free room, the one Andy our Scottish guest from France rented for nearly 2 years. Gelia and Manel live in Barcelona and have come to visit their son who lives nearby. It is their 3rd stay now and they feel like friends. Just as they were leaving Barcelona, things were toughening up their because of the surge in new Covid cases and people were being urged to stay at home again. They got out just on time and arrived in masks. Of course we couldn't greet them with the traditional two kisses on both cheeks and had to bump our elbows; the new form of greeting which takes some getting used to. They left later to see their son. Oli's programme was just beginning and we got the chance to watch her on TV again. She looked spectacular in high heels and a pair of tight fitting white jeans.
Eladio was dealing with more leaks in the irrigation system in the garden and I got on with making a very simple dinner we had alone on the kitchen terrace. Later we sat on one of the benches and googled more houses in Asturias. We can't get the idea out of our head. Let's see where this leads to my friends.
We were in bed early, didn't find anything interesting to watch on Netflix and were soon asleep. Believe it nor not I was awake at 5.30 on Saturday morning.
Saturday turned out to be a wonderful family day. The morning wasn't so great though as I had to go out and do the shopping which meant going to the chemist, to Mercadona, to Carrefour and to BM. I came home with a car full of food which we found difficult to fit in the kitchen we are sharing with our guests. Thankfully we have a fridge in the pantry downstairs but are badly in need of a second fridge in the kitchen. Oli, Miguel and Elliot were coming for lunch which would be a barbecue. It was great to see them again and this time Elliot recognised us. He seemed happy to be back and to see the dogs too.
We spent the afternoon by the pool in the shade the whole time and I went in countless times. We all did, except for my husband, haha. Here are Oli, Miguel, Suzy and Elliot all in the pool and enjoying the various lilos we seem to have accumulated from guests. Only the boat is ours.
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| Family time in the pool yesterday |
It was lovely to be all together again after so much time away. It's not often we can enjoy the pool together and having Elliot makes these occasions even more special. It was so hot - 36ººc - that we were in and out of the pool all afternoon.
We had a family dinner too and were joined by the girls' friend Juli who I consider the surrogate son I never had. We all chipped in to make a lovely meal we had on the kitchen terrace. Being all together I had to have a photo and Juli obliged. When I posted the photo below on Facebook people commented we were very colour coordinated. I promise you it was just coincidental hahahahahaa.
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| Last night's family dinner |
Normally after dinner, Eladio and I retire to bed but last night we prolonged the evening to enjoy the company of our family and Elliot of course. Juli takes good photos and yesterday took loads, including this lovely one of my husband with his grandson who adore each other. The photo below proves it.
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| Eladio with Elliot yesterday |
I suddenly remembered I had to do a happy birthday video for a friend and had promised to send it by the close of Saturday. Thankfully I had my girls to help and Miguel to film it. We decided that the clip would open with Suzy playing and singing "happy birthday to you" and then we would all enter and continue singing. For the video I got out some of our wigs and I think we looked hilarious don't you?
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| Doing the birthday video clip yesterday |
Once she had her ukelele out, Suzy gave us an impromptu concert and Juli had brought some discotheque like lights to add to the atmosphere. Elliot was curious to see Suzy playing and Oli took this great photo of the two of them which I adore.
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| Elliot fascinated watching and listening to Suzy play and sing |
I love this one of Suzy too, singing away for us.
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| Suzy my musical daughter who gave us a private concert last night |
By popular demand, Oli joined Suzy and they sang together which made my heart soar. I love it when they sing together.
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| My two girlies singing together last night |
It was just a beautiful evening, one we shall remember for a long time. Like a mother goose, I am never happier than when I have all my family together so yesterday was a very special day.
Today, Sunday, will be quieter but not any cooler. Mercury will rise again to 36ºc so thank God for the pool.
And so my friends, I have now reached the end of the tales of this week and it's time to sign off, publish this and print a copy for my dear father who I know enjoyed yesterday too.
Cheers then till next Sunday,
Masha
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