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Artisan mountain cheese
It was a good workout hiking up a mountain. Heartbeat up, layers off. I was down to my T-shirt when I caught a glimpse of an elderly gentleman coming up behind us. He was dressed in a navy knit sweater, collared shirt and hiking pants. No backpack, no water bottle. His only accessory a palo, the wooden staff of shepherds. His stride soon matched ours and he started chatting with Julián like old friends. Luciano, or Lucio for short, was 75 years young. An ankle injury was forcing him to walk a slower than usual pace. In a deep gravelly voice he tells us he’s going to check on his…
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The peaks of Picos de Europa
“Un mar de nubes,” remarked Julián, my exuberant guide. A sea of clouds. The fluffy white clouds hung around us. It was my first day in the national park Picos de Europa. Were were surrounded by peaks, we just couldn’t see them. The starting point for our walk, Sotres, was the highest village in Asturias at over 1000 metres. The car ride to this village nestled in the mountains was one of those steep hairpin roads where you are glad you’re not driving so you can gawk at the views. From Sotres we hiked steadily up. As much as the clouds added to the mountain mystique, they were blocking our…
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Un paseo, un poema y la sidra in Llanes
“Llanes es preciosa,” my Santander host Maria Rosa told me. I hadn’t planned to visit, but based on her enthusiasm for the Asturian city I decided to change my plans. It was good advice. Llanes was indeed preciosa. Absolutely lovely. My stay started with a very warm welcome. As I checked in to my hotel the host immediately pulled out a map to show me around his hometown. Pointing to Paseo San Pedro he said “You must go there.” So that’s where I started my tour of Llanes. Paseo San Pedro is a grassy promenade atop a cliff overlooking the sea. Stunning views were accompanied by the soothing sound of…
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Pretty towns and sweeping beaches in Cantabria
From Santander I headed west into Cantabria. I travelled by bus except for the last day. I very happily walked, and it was my favourite day of all. Santillana del Mar is a pretty little medieval town. Despite it’s name (del Mar) it is not on the sea. The first building I encountered was a convent. If a convent gate is open I always like to peak in. Why? To see if there are nuns cookies for sale. Sure enough I was rewarded with a tempting assortment of baked goods displayed on glass shelves. I debated the options with the help of a couple from Prague who came off the…
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La Bahía Santander
When I say I am going back to Spain it’s sometimes met with this response: “Don’t you want to go somewhere else?” Well, yes. Yet I am drawn back to Spain. There are 17 comunidades autónomas (similar to provinces) and each offers up its own traditions, landscape, climate, food, drink, and in some cases its own language. For me, returning is a nice combination of familiar Spanish traditions I happily anticipate (like vermut and fresh squeezed orange juice) and new customs to discover. Each trip I pick somewhere new to visit. On this latest trip I headed north. If you trace your way on a map from Madrid directly north,…
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Pilgrim statues on the Camino
Besides the yellow arrows and scallop shells connecting the days on the Camino, another familiar feature dotting the Way are pilgrim statues. These statues pop up all along the Camino. You may find one as you enter a village or take a pause in a plaza. They may greet you high atop a summit or next to a water fountain as you fill your bottle. I stopped to admire these works when I happened upon them. Some were whimsical, crafted from metal or reclaimed objects (such as those above from Santo Domingo de la Calzada and Sahagún). The bronze cast sculptures (such as those below) were particularly expressive. It was easy…
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Granada anytime
“Have you been to Granada before?” I was asked this question several times. It’s true I had visited Granada in 1992, but it was so long ago I always hesitated with my response, as if there was a statute of limitations on my memories. I have some recollection of my host but not of the city itself. It felt easier and more realistic to provide the same response as my husband who was travelling with me: “No, first time.” On arrival, the train station certainly didn’t feel familiar. Nor did any of the plazas or streets. I could see the Alhambra from many stunning viewpoints, but had I truly seen…
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Camino de Santiago: Arrived at Santiago de Compostela
There is a lovely fluidity to days on the Camino. This was the case right up to my last walking day. O’Pedrouzo to Santiago de Compostela – 20.1 km I met new people (Irish and Italian), hopscotched along to the same café breaks as my Japanese friend (as if there was a homing device in our bracelets) and the gathering of pilgrim friends in Plaza del Obradoiro was absolutely delightful as we discovered connections between us that we did not realize. But of course, we were all connected. I had a smile on my face all day. Thrilled, happy, and grateful to have arrived at Santiago de Compostela.
