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28 June Friday. Salamanca to La Peral.
A good night's sleep, then a lovely breakfast down in the cellars. A short walk before leaving at 10:30. The mist gradually lifted and we drove in bright sunshine until within 3 km of La Peral, when we were enveloped in mist.
After a chat with Jimina and Alfredo, I did some unpacking before lunch which in future is to be the lesser meal of the day,. We thoroughly enjoyed this side of course (eating with the teachers) and found that we could still understand Spanish but a lot of my vocabulary was missing, We had till 6 o’clock in the new schedule before a class. More unpacking ensued and we went out for a walk at 4:30 but it rained on us and there was lots of thunder.
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First lesson with Alfredo at 6 o’clock where he suggested various podcasts and truckos to read things more easily. Then dinner at 7:10: this being a new regime and we were just going to have a picnic at lunchtimes and the main meal in the evenings, but an hour and a half earlier than we had had before, this will restrict the times of our visit to the bar which used to be 6 o’clock.
29 June Saturday.
Breakfast at 8:15 and then a class at 9:15. I felt that my Spanish was gradually coming back to me a little
We went out in their new MG electric car at 10:45 , past Pola de Somiedo for a walk past the hydroelectric plant to Castro. They decided that it was not a day for a picnic so we were able to come back to a civilised lunch here.
I had a quick siesta before this and another one later on in the afternoon . At 4:30, we went out for a walk past the pub for a while and then back for a glass of red wine before our lesson at 6 pm. Here we learnt about the situation in El Salvador and later on an evening I followed this up on YouTube. The sun had come out by this time and we had a pleasant dinner with a sunny aspect from the dining room, but this was over by 8.15 so we then walked up to the viewing platform, with its magnificent views and great light. Then back to the room for a couple of hours reading
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30 Jun Sunday
Most of the forecast was for rain well before noon , so we went out for a walk shortly after breakfast. This was to the valley of Babia which was a nice easy walk for me with some ascent, but on a good path . On the way back we stopped in the Museum of Babia, which was very modern and well done, although the video was somewhat incomprehensible with the local accent.
Once back at base we had our morning lesson at 12.30 followed very pleasant lunch inside. Then a long afternoon but some sunshine and we went out for a walk about 4.30 towards the Mirador and then down to the pub and a pleasant drink there even though it’s spotted with rain.
Back to a 6 pm lesson and then supper at the precise hour of 7.10. During this England was playing Slovakia and seemingly losing but then surprisingly scored a goal and won in the end. We went out for a short walk to aid the digestion. Then 2 1/2 hours before bedtime.
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1 July Monday
Jimena was suffering from hayfever badly at breakfast.
After our normal lesson we set off at 11 o’clock to Puerto de Somiedo, from where we walked to the cliffs overlooking La Peral. It was a fairly easy walk for me but Alfredo was going far too fast and I really felt all in by the time we got back to the car. At the halfway point, we sat down and had a picnic overlooking La Peral. On the return walk we had to avoid a bull and make our way through some thicker bushes then otherwiseWe were back at the house by 2 o’clock and then had to wait till 7:10 for our next bit of food. After a shower and a siesta we sat outside in the sun for a while before walking to the pub for a glass of wine and fizzy water .
Back again by six and we showed Alfredo our photo book on Saudi Arabia during the lesson. Then a very pleasant and filling supper long awaited , after this another short walk past the pub and back.
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2 July. Tuesday
A sunny day today. During the lesson we showed Alfredo the photo book on our journey from Saudi Arabia to Lisbon.
We had told him the previous day that Chris could not keep up with his pace on walks and today we went on a walk with Jimena from Puerto Somiedo to Ceuta . Alfredo dropping us off at the former and picking us up 2+ hours later at the latter. It was very pleasant and not taxing at all for Chris.
We stopped at the highest point for the picnic , for which Jimena had forgotten the plates, but that was not a problem . But eating at 12:30 was really a bit too early for us Along the whole route with wondrous views, we only saw one other person, a cyclist , and no animals until we were almost in the destination village.Back at the house Chris had a siesta and then we sat in the garden and gorgeous sunshine until 5 o’clock when we went to the pub and once again enjoyed a wine and the view just from there
During dinner once again the television with the Euro competition was on in the background. After this we had a 20 minute walk before retiring to listen or read for the remaining two hours of the day.
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3 July Wednesday
A trip to Oviedo. We left with Alfredo at 9:15 and Reached the outskirts of The town before 11. We drove straight to the pantheon of Santa Maria de Naranca and then had a 20 minute walk from the car. This was a ninth century building thought to have been used as a tomb, very impressive It was in beautiful surroundings with great views over Oviedo city.
From there we continued our walk to another church about 100 metres away, of the same period. San Miguel de Lillo is a Roman Catholic church built on the Naranco mount. It was completed in 842 and it was consecrated by Ramiro I of Asturias and his wife Paterna in the year 848.
Then back into the town of Oviedo, the capital of Asturias. We parked in a very modern car park with much more light than normal underground car parks in Spain.
From here we walked into town and had a coffee overlooking the cathedral which just has one tower . We do not know why we did not then go into the cathedral but proceeded around the old 19th and 20th century part of town. We recognised a statue of Botero, a mother and child. We has seen Botero's works in his native city of Medellin in Colombia some months previously.
Then to lunch at. El Corte Splayo, A period restaurant with waiters “por La Vida.”. I had a good salad as David had a potato dish which unfortunately got splashed on his best red jumper which now has a hole in it . Then we both had some lamb with very nice onions. I was to full to eat my pudding of a Marzipan cake so brought it away with me. All in all I have drunk far too much wine but it was a nice change from the usual picnic lunch.
We wandered back to the car and then drove to Bermiego, an isolated village with many horreos , tiny houses on stilts in which they store the summer harvest to keep it safe from rats. The village was situated at 1500 m. Most of the inhabitants were retired people and Alfredo thought it would eventually become abandoned. We passed a pretty church and then continued a kilometre to another church where there was a yew tree at least 1200 years old.
After this we drove to the crest of the mountains through fantastic gorges, where Asturias became Leon . Here we appreciated the fantastic view from here (called Ventana) and then drove back to La Peral through the valley of Babia.
We got back at 6:30 and had a very light supper of bread and cheese and fruit and we were back in the room by 7.40. Then we wandered out for a short walk in the evening sunshine
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4th July Thursday
After the excitement of Oviedo, today was the day for our walk up to the heights above La Peral. Alfredo was expecting the men to install his new charging point for the electric car, so after our morning class he stayed behind and Jimena took us on the walk.
Rather than following the road, we opted for the walk through the fields at the side of the valley. It was fairly steep and rocky underfoot, so when we reached a decision point, it was whether to go back the same way as we had come, or get back to the road via a steep, narrow path. We opted for that, and although it was precipitous at times , it was a much shorter descent than returning back down our original path. On reaching the road we had the short, brutal climb up the road to the spot where we have had our picnic many times in the past. It's that magical view down the valley to La Peral far below. Then back down to road to get back home
The rest of the day followed our regular pattern of shower, siesta, pub, evening less and dinner
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5th July Friday
After breakfast and the usual lesson today, I resumed with the book talking about our last African holiday
We went out with Alfredo and his old car (non electric) to Siliencia. On Thursday workmen had installed a special charger for his new electric car , but this needed adjusting and the workers were returning today so Jimena stayed behind to deal with them, it was about a half an hour's journey past Pola to reach Siliencia. Here we had a pleasant walk beside a river and through it little hamlet for about 45 minutes before reaching a very pleasant bar. And here we stopped for quite a long time with a beer. Alfredo warned that the cider came in too big a bottle and we would not manage it.
After this, it was time to return and we stopped after a while on a wall to eat the picnic . Once back at the house it was just passed 2 o’clock . We enjoyed a coffee and then read and had a siesta
We had our afternoon lesson at 5 o’clock rather than six since Spain was playing Germany in the Euros and Alfredo could not miss this . After the lesson at five, we went to the bar and enjoyed our normal water and wine.
Dinner was spent with the television on for the football match in which Spain eventually beat Germany by two goals to one. After this we had our usual evening walk, today up to the Mirador where there was a photographer trying vainly to spot a bear. We also saw the local farmer wrapping up his hay bales very efficient process
The forecast for the final day , tomorrow, is not good.
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6 July Saturday
We thought it was going to be a truly dreadful day weatherwise but this proved not to be the case. After breakfast and our class we left slightly earlier fore a 40 minute drive to Abelgas which was near the modern suspension bridge that we come over each year. We drove beside a dam before parking
Then it was an 8 km walk which was said to be fairly easy for the first 5 km. It proved to be so and we then had a very nice picnic sitting on a water trough with magnificent views. After this, there was a long descent through very rocky terrain, maybe once a riverbed, and this proved quite difficult for me. Having got to the end of this, there was then a very narrow footpath beside a pretty hedge and along this there had been horses when it had been muddy so the footing was very difficult , but eventually we got back to the car but it was almost 3 by then. Along the way Alfredo had been worried by messages on his dashboard saying he had low pressure in both the back tires.
Once back home we showered and I had a siesta . Then we walked to the pub but decided it was too cold and misty to sit outside so came home and had a coffee
Normal class at 6 o’clock and then a pleasant supper with the match between England and Switzerland in the background. The very weak English team finally won on penalties. Back in the room I finished the packing and then had an hour's hunt for my white buds . Without success, maybe they will turn up in the suitcases once we get to the Somme (they did)
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7 July Sunday.Asturias to Saint Estephe
We finished packing before at 8 o’clock breakfast and then a last lesson at 8:45 . With great sadness we said goodbye to La Peral, and set off towards France