11 November 2006
Northern Spain
Not much more to report, your all probably getting as tired of reading this stuff as we are of posting (judging by the number of posts).
After Santaigo we headed to the north coast of Spain, and over the next few days we went through, and stayed in, small villages, away from the larger towns and cities. This included an amazing drive through the Asturian and Cantabrian mountains, squeezing our way along the narrow, windy roads and tiny stone villages huddled up there. We made some real unexpected finds, like the high arched intact Roman stone bridge over the river at one of the little villages (Cangas). Back to the coast another of our unexpected finds was a village with its 11th century church and the beautiful village huddled around it (Santillana de Mar). We again looked for our three AnFuCa themes (see 6 Nov post titled "Spain - Portugal - Spain" for an explanation), we got 2 out of 3. Further below is a photo of one of them.
Santillana del Mar, Spain
A gruesome murder: Models of the severed heads of two martyred Saints in the church museum at Santillana de Mar
Heading into Basque country towards San Sebastian, we first stopped off in Bilbao for a few hours to visit the famous Guggenheim Museum. Anyone with an interest in modern art and extreme architecture should come here. San Sebastian is a beautiful smallish city huddled around a gracefully arched bay and a lovely beach (by European standards). The weather (up until today that is) has been absolutely perfect: days and days of clear, blue, sunny skies. San Sebastian´s tapas bars are also unbeatable. There are doxens of bars in the old town area, all of which have a mouth watering array of tapas (snacks) lined up along the bars, usually at least 20 types. They are all as good as any large canape served at a good business or restaurant function. You order a drink, get a plate and help yourself. You pay at the end by the number you have, based on the hnour system (all the bars are extremely popular and crowded). We missed out on seeing an ETA (Basque separatist movement) demonstration here in San Sebastian last night by half an hour, with riot police out in force, we´re a bit disappointed about that!
Bilbao`s Guggenheim Museum from across the river
San Sebastian from Monte Urgull
Tomorrow we head back into France, and Gail and I are very excited about that...
After Santaigo we headed to the north coast of Spain, and over the next few days we went through, and stayed in, small villages, away from the larger towns and cities. This included an amazing drive through the Asturian and Cantabrian mountains, squeezing our way along the narrow, windy roads and tiny stone villages huddled up there. We made some real unexpected finds, like the high arched intact Roman stone bridge over the river at one of the little villages (Cangas). Back to the coast another of our unexpected finds was a village with its 11th century church and the beautiful village huddled around it (Santillana de Mar). We again looked for our three AnFuCa themes (see 6 Nov post titled "Spain - Portugal - Spain" for an explanation), we got 2 out of 3. Further below is a photo of one of them.
Santillana del Mar, Spain
A gruesome murder: Models of the severed heads of two martyred Saints in the church museum at Santillana de Mar
Heading into Basque country towards San Sebastian, we first stopped off in Bilbao for a few hours to visit the famous Guggenheim Museum. Anyone with an interest in modern art and extreme architecture should come here. San Sebastian is a beautiful smallish city huddled around a gracefully arched bay and a lovely beach (by European standards). The weather (up until today that is) has been absolutely perfect: days and days of clear, blue, sunny skies. San Sebastian´s tapas bars are also unbeatable. There are doxens of bars in the old town area, all of which have a mouth watering array of tapas (snacks) lined up along the bars, usually at least 20 types. They are all as good as any large canape served at a good business or restaurant function. You order a drink, get a plate and help yourself. You pay at the end by the number you have, based on the hnour system (all the bars are extremely popular and crowded). We missed out on seeing an ETA (Basque separatist movement) demonstration here in San Sebastian last night by half an hour, with riot police out in force, we´re a bit disappointed about that!
Bilbao`s Guggenheim Museum from across the river
San Sebastian from Monte Urgull
Tomorrow we head back into France, and Gail and I are very excited about that...
Comments:
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Hello Lockley's!!
D'Souza's here - we thought we'd wait till towards the end of your trip to actually read your blog and find out what you and everyone else in the world is up to ;o) Hence sorry this is a long one - but no one else wrote anything yesterday so we're taking up all the comment space.
We are not pregnant, we haven't changed jobs and we are not travelling or moving anywhere. Do I sound bitter/depressed?? No - not enough bloody time to be!
Life solely revolves around this PhD I decided to start and the MBA course Sean spends all his weekends writing assignments for. And the end is about to stretch a bit further away as I apply for the mandatory 6 month extension! So it was with great pleasure that I took the time this lovely sunny Sunday morning in Perth to see all your georgeous photos and read everything that's been going on.
We're glad to hear Gemma is OK and wanted to send our best wishes - everyone must have been freaking out! Thanks for your SMS updates.
Life isn't all bad - the weather is heating up for summer and we're having our first BBQ of the season today. I have some Aunts and Uncles visiting from England, so it's a bit of a relie bash.
And the 23rd is our 10th anniversary so we decided to take a long weekend and head down to Bunker Bay resort in Dunsborough for some time out.
I liked the pics of Sorrento - I may be going to a conference there next July and we hope to use that as the starting point of our own European holiday - thanks for doing all the groundwork for us so we can plan a condensed version into (hopefully) 5-6 weeks ;o)
Some hometown news from here in Perth - the international Red Bull Air Race will be over the Swan next weekend, daylight saving may be getting a 3 year trial, Alan Carpenter gave an ultimatum "it's me or Brian Burke" and the christmas lights in the city were turned on Friday!! Oh and I'm sorry to say another aussie passed away yesterday - Belinda Emmett died at only 32.
Anyway I'm sure you'll catch up on all the goss when you get back. Glad to see you're having a fantastic time - savour the last few weeks. Look forward to seeing you soon!
Nola and Sean xxx
D'Souza's here - we thought we'd wait till towards the end of your trip to actually read your blog and find out what you and everyone else in the world is up to ;o) Hence sorry this is a long one - but no one else wrote anything yesterday so we're taking up all the comment space.
We are not pregnant, we haven't changed jobs and we are not travelling or moving anywhere. Do I sound bitter/depressed?? No - not enough bloody time to be!
Life solely revolves around this PhD I decided to start and the MBA course Sean spends all his weekends writing assignments for. And the end is about to stretch a bit further away as I apply for the mandatory 6 month extension! So it was with great pleasure that I took the time this lovely sunny Sunday morning in Perth to see all your georgeous photos and read everything that's been going on.
We're glad to hear Gemma is OK and wanted to send our best wishes - everyone must have been freaking out! Thanks for your SMS updates.
Life isn't all bad - the weather is heating up for summer and we're having our first BBQ of the season today. I have some Aunts and Uncles visiting from England, so it's a bit of a relie bash.
And the 23rd is our 10th anniversary so we decided to take a long weekend and head down to Bunker Bay resort in Dunsborough for some time out.
I liked the pics of Sorrento - I may be going to a conference there next July and we hope to use that as the starting point of our own European holiday - thanks for doing all the groundwork for us so we can plan a condensed version into (hopefully) 5-6 weeks ;o)
Some hometown news from here in Perth - the international Red Bull Air Race will be over the Swan next weekend, daylight saving may be getting a 3 year trial, Alan Carpenter gave an ultimatum "it's me or Brian Burke" and the christmas lights in the city were turned on Friday!! Oh and I'm sorry to say another aussie passed away yesterday - Belinda Emmett died at only 32.
Anyway I'm sure you'll catch up on all the goss when you get back. Glad to see you're having a fantastic time - savour the last few weeks. Look forward to seeing you soon!
Nola and Sean xxx
# posted by 
: November 12, 2006 9:37 am
: November 12, 2006 9:37 am
No we or us ( Digbys ) are not bored with your updates that i can tell you,, Love jumping on here to see what's going on and where you both are. And i,m sure just because there are no comments now and then doesn't mean we aint looking. So don't stop as it's great to read and see the pics, well as Nola has said now we have our 3rd aussie leaving us,, very sad news that was,, anywho take care and see you soon. J & D
# posted by : November 12, 2006 3:41 pm
: November 12, 2006 3:41 pm
Hi Ian and Gail!
It is official: you have not been forgotten and you are not boring! I enjoy checking to see where you are and what you're up to. It's so much more exciting than my own life - I can't write about that otherwise some Big Brother type would shut down the site on the grounds of inducing global insomnia.
Keep posting and keep showing us your photos - it's an education! I can see that there will be a lot of cloned "Lockley Europe Trails" in the months to come.
Lucky Aussies with summer round the corner. We Brits are battening down the hatches ready for winter! (There is still some sun - but it only lights the country now, it doesn't heat it!)
Vive la belle France!
lisa
It is official: you have not been forgotten and you are not boring! I enjoy checking to see where you are and what you're up to. It's so much more exciting than my own life - I can't write about that otherwise some Big Brother type would shut down the site on the grounds of inducing global insomnia.
Keep posting and keep showing us your photos - it's an education! I can see that there will be a lot of cloned "Lockley Europe Trails" in the months to come.
Lucky Aussies with summer round the corner. We Brits are battening down the hatches ready for winter! (There is still some sun - but it only lights the country now, it doesn't heat it!)
Vive la belle France!
lisa
# posted by : November 13, 2006 8:33 am
: November 13, 2006 8:33 am
I still haven't worked out where in the world it might be 08:33 am (the time of my last post). Here it is coming up for 30 minutes past midnight on 13 November.
Time for bed, said Zebedee.
Time for bed, said Zebedee.
# posted by : November 13, 2006 8:35 am
: November 13, 2006 8:35 am
Hi guy's,
Hav'nt logged on for a while, but rest assured, you never fail to deliver a good read and great pic's.don't worry, there's no lack of interest from this end.
blog-on Tezza...
P.S Hope Gem is recovering well
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Hav'nt logged on for a while, but rest assured, you never fail to deliver a good read and great pic's.don't worry, there's no lack of interest from this end.
blog-on Tezza...
P.S Hope Gem is recovering well
# posted by : November 14, 2006 10:53 pm
: November 14, 2006 10:53 pm<< Home
