Close your eyes and think of Spain. What do you see? Chances are that you see endless sunshine, paella, bull fighting, flamenco, sangria, a shimmering Mediterranean sea, El Cid and Don Quixote. That is not Asturias. Asturias is Espana Verde or Green Spain. Asturias is mixed weather, fabada, pipe music, cider and a hissing Atlantic ocean. Asturias is not the Spain that the tourist board have painted but it is the Spain to where I headed.
 |
| Bilbao from above |
Crossing the border into Spain is seamless, the road signs become Spanish, that's about the only difference. Picking up the Autovia del Cantabrico we were soon passing signs for cities familiar from previous trips, San Sebastian, Vitoria Gasteiz, Gernika. Soon we were driving over Bilbao trying to get an aerial view of the Guggenheim.
 |
| Mountain tunnels |
This part of northern Spain is hemmed in between soaring mountains and a continuously charging ocean. The motorway meanders around mountains when it can but sometimes you have to take a more direct route. Mountain tunnels are frequent and up to 3km long. The weather can differ at either end. The scenery is stunning and it s hard to resist the oohs and aahs brought on by the views.
Leaving the Basque Country behind we entered Cantabria. Traffic was heavy around here as the major city and ferryport of Santander is close by but the excellent road system bypasses the city and sets you straight for more rural areas. Signs for Laredo led to spontaneous verses of the Marty Robbins song, guess you had to be there. Cantabria is a relatively small region and were soon in Asturias and exiting the motorway for Llanes, our destination and home for the next four nights.
 |
| Camino de Santiago |
Llanes is a small coastal town with narrow streets, a port and a beach. The streets were busy when we arrived and the one way traffic snailed its way through the town. The town is also a popular stop for pilgrims walking the C
amino de Santiago
We found parking and went to
Aapartamentos Touristicos Verdemar to check in. Nobody was at home, a sign on the door said to come back after 5pm. We had passed a little bar on the around the corner that did food so we decided to go there for lunch.
El Bar de Tito is most definitely a local bar for local people.
We were the only non Spanish speaking people in there. The welcome was warm and the service was good. Between pidgin English and Spanish we managed to order the menu del dia. 2 x 3 courses, with a bottle of wine, bottle of water and a basket of bread came to €24. The food was excellent and plentiful. This being Spain it was nearly 4pm before we finished so we took a stroll to the nearby beach to try and digest our lunch.
 |
| Playa de Sablon |
Playa de Sablon a lovely little horse shoe shaped beach in a sheltered cove with soft white sand. Well maintained with toilets, showers and lifeguards. Popular with families and sun bathers and a great place for some down time. The surrounding cliff tops were used a watch out point for ships and whales in days gone by.
 |
| Pimientos de Padron |
 |
| Pouring cider |
That evening we strolled into town for a mosey about. The streets were packed with people and we discovered that the feast of the
Virgen de la Guia was being celebrated. There was a great atmosphere around and the
sidrerias and restaurants were doing great business. Like the nearby Basque Country this is cider territory and the Asturian people take it very seriously. It is served cold and poured from above head height to get aerate it. It's knocked back in one go and you wait for the waiter to return to top up your glass. People tend not to linger in bars, the idea seems to be to have a drink and move onto the next bar. So we duly followed suit and visited 3 - 4 sidrerias on a mini crawl. The cider was excellent in all. There isn't a tapas or pintxos culture here but small plates or
raciones are available in every bar. From
percebes (goose barnacles) to
pulpo (octopus) to
pimientos de padron (deep fried peppers, sprinkled in rock salt, very addictive) there is something for everyone and you won't go hungry. Not being the party animal I once was we called it a night and left the party continue in our absence.
The next day broke bright and sunny with a chorus of church bells peeling through the morning air. It was September 8th,
The Day of Asturias. This commemorates victory over the
Moors at the
Battle of Covadonga in 722. The troops attributed their victory to the Virgin Mary, hence the church bells. People strolled through the streets, many in traditional costume and again the sidrerias did a lively trade as people celebrated the holiday with family and friends.
After an early swim I joined the throngs at Sidreria El Antoju to watch the Virgin being carried through the busy streets. There was a great convivial atmosphere in the town and it was a pleasure to witness and partake in the festivities.
 |
| Ribadesella |
I took a couple of side trips down the coast to the city of
Gijon and the bustling resort town of
Ribadesella. The coastline in Asturias is reminiscent of Ireland with similar deserted beaches. The weather is slightly better! The back drop of the
Picos de Europa are also stunning.
 |
| Asturian Beach |
 |
| Picos de Europa |
Asturias is a fantastic place to visit. From beaches to cities to mountains it has many attractions. Other Spanish people particularly those from Madrid escaping the heat seem to be the main tourist market. Certainly hearing English was a rarity. No budget airlines delivering masses for two weeks in the sun helps preserve the culture of the region. The food in the region is simple yet very good. Excellent seafood and fish and the cheeses from the pastures and mountains are stunning.
Fabada is the ubiquitous regional dish, a stew of beans, morcilla, chorizo and pork and is generally very good. In short an excellent area to visit and a glimpse at a Spain not seen in the holiday brochures. I'd go back in a heart beat.
Next stop Pamplona.
That evening we strolled into town for a mosey about. The streets were packed with people and we discovered that the feast of the Virgen de la Guia was being celebrated. There was a great atmosphere around and the sidrerias and restaurants were doing great business. Like the nearby Basque Country this is cider territory and the Asturian people take it very seriously. It is served cold and poured from above head height to get aerate it. It's knocked back in one go and you wait for the waiter to return to top up your glass. People tend not to linger in bars, the idea seems to be to have a drink and move onto the next bar. So we duly followed suit and visited 3 - 4 sidrerias on a mini crawl. The cider was excellent in all. There isn't a tapas or pintxos culture here but small plates or raciones are available in every bar. From percebes (goose barnacles) to pulpo (octopus) to pimientos de padron (deep fried peppers, sprinkled in rock salt, very addictive) there is something for everyone and you won't go hungry. Not being the party animal I once was we called it a night and left the party continue in our absence.
The next day broke bright and sunny with a chorus of church bells peeling through the morning air. It was September 8th, The Day of Asturias. This commemorates victory over the Moors at the Battle of Covadonga in 722. The troops attributed their victory to the Virgin Mary, hence the church bells. People strolled through the streets, many in traditional costume and again the sidrerias did a lively trade as people celebrated the holiday with family and friends. After an early swim I joined the throngs at Sidreria El Antoju to watch the Virgin being carried through the busy streets. There was a great convivial atmosphere in the town and it was a pleasure to witness and partake in the festivities. 
Comments
Post a Comment