The Go-Getters

Somiedo National Park. It´s also a biosphere reserve, and it´s gorgeous! I felt right at home in the park and Asturias as a whole, and, funnily enough, we met quite a few Asturians with family working in Canada. Maybe it´s the wide, open spaces. The beautiful natural places. The friendly attitude. The roast meat...

Anyway, this park was a bit of a drive from our home base in Oviedo, but we wanted to check it out since we had heard it was a hiker´s dream. Indeed.

We got some funny looks in the trail office, with several people commenting we should stick to the driving routes with Baby. We didn´t listen. By then we were well into our Babymoon and knew the right way to ask questions:

"Hello, we´re on our Babymoon. He loves being outside as much as we do! We´d like suggestions for trails that are well maintained, scramble-free, and under four hours."

This day we got two suggestions, so we thought, hey, try one, and if there´s time, head for the next!

Trail one, nicknamed Sun-Shade Trail, is 6km long and takes about two and a half hours. First, you leave your car at the edge of a tiny mountain village. Then you get distracted by leather goods and other handicrafts, and of course homemade cheese. Back on the trail, you wander along a country road, meeting farmers and a few other hikers. This trail had a number of bikers, too. The trail winds its way through farmland and a few copses before starting to climb up through a shady forest.

We picnicked and played with Baby at the halfway point, on the shores of a mountain lake, before heading back down on the sunny part of the trail. This part was mostly on a cement track. I suppose you could cut your time if you went there and back on this part. We walked by small farms and some traditional houses and huts, and came across many a cow. We also passed a man we´d seen in the tourist office. He hadn´t commented, and now he stopped to say hello, and how nice it was we were out with Baby.

We finished the trail in good time and in good spirits, so off we went for route number two, Lagos de Saliencia. If you´re really ambitious, start early, and maybe don´t have a baby, you can join the two routes into one super route. It would be great!

This is a linear route, and the nice thing about linear routs is that you can just turn around when you´re tired. We didn´t see all the lakes along this route (which would have included the Valley Lake we´d seen in the morning), but we stopped at the first three, and saw another from a lookout point. It was a very rolling route, over some rocky trails.

We saw someone wave, and who should it be but the man who´d stopped us earlier, amazed to see us again with Baby. "Animo!" he said.

Animo indeed.

Going Beyond the Tourist Track

If you want a view that will take your breath away, this is the trail for you. And if you´re not into hiking, you can still enjoy the view...
Welcome to Picos de Europa National Park, where the mountains are high and the cows are friendly. If you´re visiting in high season, you´ll need to park in one of several huge parking lots and take a bus up to the mountain (or, you could enter the park before 7a.m., not likely in Spain!). You´ll be glad, because the road is crazy. There will be times you´re sure the bus will have to stop and you´ll have to hike the rest of the way up, the turns are so tight, but you´ll get there. Rush to the info office, and to the washrooms, and then quickly head away from the crowds, following signs for PR PNPE 2, Lagos de Covadonga. 

the trail (source and more info)

First, you´ll stop at the Prince´s Lookout. There will still be plenty of people in the area to take some amazing pictures of your group. Don´t get caught up in the view, though, it´s stunning but there´s más y mejor (more and better) up ahead. Head through a garden, and take a picture with a wandering cow. Then follow the trail through part of an abandoned mine. You can walk right along part of an old mining cart track, through a tunnel, or go around to walk fully upright. There are some informative, interesting plaques about mining in the area here, and the rocks are quite beautiful. 

Next, you´ll come to a fork in the path. To the right, there´s a staircase and, obviously, a bar (still in Spain, remember?), and you should take a quick peak from the viewing platform here. On a clear day, you can see the Covadonga Lakes, and they are gorgeous! Most day trippers get stuck in this area. If you´re not looking for a hike, you could easily spend an hour or so by the water here, relaxing and enjoying a picnic, but I say walk back down and take the other fork.

lake ercina on a clear day (source)

You´ll be walking right along the shore of one of the lakes, Ercina. The grass is green, cow bells are ringing, flowers are blooming. If you didn´t know you were in Spain, you´d think you´d materialized on the set of Heidi. Shepherd huts, old men in straw hats smoking pipes, wild herbs. It´s that picturesque. There´s a bit of a rocky climb, but then a nice, open walk to a beech forest. Even in August, from here you might see snow on the highest peaks.

Keep walking, pass the requisite shrine, and get ready for some serious encounters with cows. There´s a huge farm way up there! Follow the road, descending to lake Enol, and you´ll come to another fork. Head back to the bar and lookout, or continue on to the visitor´s center to catch the bus back down to Earth. A morning well spent in a little bit of paradise. 

This is a 6km hike that takes from two to three hours, depending on how long you stop to admire the view... to complete the day, you could visit the Sanctuary of Covadonga, part of which is built right into the cliff side. But, if you have a baby, you might call it a day and head down into town for a satisfyingly huge Asturian lunch. 

Walking up an appetite

We biked all morning, and it was so much fun! Time for lunch.

"There´s a great home style place on the mountain top in the next village", our bike rental lady told us. "You can drive, but most people walk because you need a huge appetite and even then there´s no way you´ll finish what you´re served," she went on.

Man, was she right!

The route, Las Xanas, was stunning. We had struck a similar hike, Ruta del Cares, from our list, due to crowds and potential danger due to poor conditions. It´s gotten so popular in recent years that maintenance can´t keep up. I had been feeling nervous about it (a great reason to make other plans - don´t start trails you don´t feel comfortable walking on!), but disappointed because I knew we were missing out on some gorgeous scenery. Well, Las Xanas certainly made up for it. 

La Ruta de Las Xanas (source and info)

After a substantial climb, we walked along the edge of the gorge on a fairly flat, wide trail. There were other hikers, but it wasn´t overly crowded. The path was mostly rocky, but passed through a forest and ruins of a water mill, and crossed a grassy hill, before coming to a picturesque Roman church. From there, it was a smooth walk on asphalt into the village, where we enjoyed the most enormous lunch I have ever been served.

We ordered a typical Asturian dish, fabada, a bean stew, and it came in what I can only describe as a witches´ cauldron. It was served with bread which would have fed our family of three for a week, and followed by a plate of meat cooked over an open fire. I think we got through a third. Then there was dessert. When they say a bowl of rice pudding, they mean a super-sized bowl of rice pudding. And the coffee! Wow. To top it off, we ate in what had originally been a stable or work area in of a traditional house. Very atmospheric and lively, with voices from tourists from all over Europe mingling in the dim, smoky air. The price was also right. At 16 euro a person including wine, the menu del dia is the way to go. It really actually is the only way to go, since they only serve menus. The restaurant is aptly named Casa Generosa.

After all of the food, we were glad the return hike started out heading down hill. We made it back to the car in under two hours, despite being stuffed, bringing our total hike stats to 8km and just over 4 hours. I highly recommend this hike, including a stop for lunch at Casa Generosa, as an off-the-beaten track option for Asturias. As the Spaniards say, Muy recomendable y repetiremos.

The Trail of Three Caves

Confession time: we drove this one. It was a really hot day, we were short on time, and we were pretty sure there was no way we´d make 13km in oh, half an hour, as our surrealist tour information officer had suggested.

So we drove to the caves and walked around the sites. A good decision.

This route is not called the Trail of Three Caves for nothing. It takes in the caves of Sare (in France), Urdax, and Zugarramurdi (both in Spain). They are each worth visiting for different reasons. All were inhabited at one time or another, and have guided tours available. The Sare Cave tours were fully booked, and since they were in French Tall Guy wasn´t too bothered about missing them.

We visited the Zugarramurdi Caves next. It was quite busy. The caves have become well-known thanks to a crazy Spanish movie, The Zugarramurdi Witches, filmed on location. There are some nice walking trails down to the river and through the caves. They are large and quite open, and although the area was quite beautiful, the best part of this tour was watching movie fans check out the site. They were so excited!

The Urdax Cave complex was well worth the visit. Stalagmites, Stalactites and an underground river made for an interesting hour. Cave access is by guided tour only, although the explanations are given by a recording of a "cave sprite"... Yeah... Thankfully the natural beauty makes up for the slightly cheesy commentary. It was nice and cool down in the cave, such a relief from the unseasonably hot weather. Baby loved looking around, and though the dramatic rescue of his water bottle from the underground river was hilarious (he tossed it in, it disappeared underground, then reappeared farther along the tour when the river came out again).

the jellyfish

While it was slightly disappointing not to hike between the three caves (we heard the route was lovely), it was a hot, hot day, and we were glad to have saved time and energy in order to enjoy our cave tours. 

When you´re hiking in Spain but then you´re in France

Borders. This trip reminded me once again how arbitrary they are, and how so often they´re just lines on a page. Hiking in the Pyrenees is a great example. One minute you´re walking around in Spain, the next thing you know the grass is greener and you´re looking at a sign that says vente de fromage. Mmmmm!

french sheep eating french grass, for some french cheese

The Harpy´s Cave is a hike that, while listed on our Irati Park map, is actually in France. We drove on the narrowest mountain road (goat track, really) I´ve been on, pulling aside and backing up oh so carefully several times to let other cars by, and once we thought we were good and lost, arrived at the end of the road. We got out, Tall Guy took a work call (how his phone works in the actual middle of nowhere, I´ll never understand), and then we took a narrow path downhill. 

those colours!

It was only about a 15 minute walk, but it took longer as we had to stop to admire the absolutely stunning colours. The afternoon sky was so blue, the grass such a rich green. Like velvet. So green I almost had to look away. We had a lot of impressive views on our trip, but this one was heart-wrenchingly beautiful. We passed a small cottage that could not have been quainter, and then arrived at the cave. The inside of the cave is, as they say, ni fu ni fa (not that impressive), but the wavy rock that forms it is spectacular. 

too cute

We headed back, uphill, to the car. It wasn´t overly steep, but Baby wanted to stop to admire each mountain flower on the way. So we did. They were beautiful, and what better way to teach him to remember to stop and smell the fleurs than stopping to smell the fleurs? 

a pastoral traffic jam

Orbaitzeta:The Walk that Wasn´t

Sometimes, you make plans. You check out a destination online, and you even go to the tourist office that very morning, and everything seems great. But then it doesn´t work out...

This is basically what happened to our walk around the Royal Arms Factory near Orbaitzeta. The factory was built in 1784 on the site of a forge that had been in existence since the 1400s. After 100 years of production, the factory closed and was abandoned. Now overgrown with plants, it looks like something out of a fairy tale, maybe Sleeping Beauty. All of the information about Irati Park mentions the factory as a magical, must-see walking destination, and if you know me, you know I can´t resist a visit to historic ruins, so we put it on the list. 

When we arrived, we were sorry to see the entire area fenced off. In the past, a guided walk was optional. It´s now essential and must be prearranged, due to potential danger of crumbling buildings and visitors taking "souvenirs". You can walk along one wall and look down into what was a workshop, but honestly? It looked a bit like a neglected barnyard. Nothing magical at all, and barely a walk. We watched a family look around and head back to their car, giving up. I, however, was determined to see something, anything, just a little bit magical, so we nosed around a bit more. 

It was Baby who led the way, really. He had enjoyed the river so much earlier in the day we decided to let him splash around a bit before getting back into the car. We headed down to the water´s edge, and that´s when I noticed the little path. Could it be? It was. The view was ours and ours alone. Truly a beautiful area. Those arches! The plants! The light on the water! We couldn´t stop taking pictures, and I was half expecting someone to emerge from the tunnel in period costume. Maybe a blacksmith.

one of my dozens of pictures of the factory

 No one came out of the tunnel (just as well), and we didn´t attempt to access the ruins by this watery route. We´ll save an in-depth exploration for the future, when we´ll be sure to book a guide.

Taking it Easier in Irati

Another day, another trail, that´s our motto when we´re on vacation. Today´s trail, a walk around the Irabia Reservoir, was only 2km of actual trail, and 7km of forest access road, and the steepest climb was 48m. Barely a climb after 900m a few days before! We had a leisurely start to the day, packed the requisite tinfoil wrapped bocadillos (you really do feel left out, if, at break time anywhere in Spain, you are the only one without a shining snack to unwrap. My Bro can attest to this - once we sent him to a Real Madrid game, and sure enough, at break time, he and his friend were the only ones in the stadium not to pull one out of a little plastic bag. Oops. Sorry Bro.), and headed to Orbaitzeta, the access point for the day´s hike.

The trail was appealing to all kinds of people. We saw an older couple, a family with teens, a couple with a dog, a scout group and bikers. One man stopped us to say how nice it was to see us introducing Baby to nature from such a young age. I thought it was nice to see so many different kinds of people out and about, enjoying the park. That´s something I love about Spain, and visitors from Canada often comment on - everyone and anyone is outside!

Despite the variety of people, the trail was not busy. The water was so blue it reminded me of the Carribean. The forest was not quite as dense, but still so green and beautiful. We had a quiet stroll around the reservoir, and Baby even walked for a kilometer on his own!

When "It´s not far" is farther than you thought

Late afternoon, after several days of pretty intense hiking, we wanted to explore more of the park, but we were also in the mood for something easy. 

"Oh, Las Cascadas del Cubo", said the park ranger (Bucket Falls). "It´s not far, you´ll be there in 15 minutes!"

It sounded like a great way to end the day, and to let Baby work on his emerging walking skills, so off we went. And went, and went.

I should have known - the sense of time in Spain is, well, open to interpretation.

The trail was easy, but longer than we had been expecting, and Baby quickly tired of walking. The falls were lovely, but the most fun we had was playing with Baby, who loved splashing in the river and picking up every stone he saw under the water. 

from Fotonatura.org

The falls are so named because of the bucket-like pool at their base. The water was cold, and one couple´s intent at a romantic dip was stymied by all the families posing for photographs. Large boulders in the river make perfect stages for posing, and everyone was jostling to get that one really nice family picture to remember their vacation. 

From the parking lot, Las Cascadas del Cubo is about a half hour walk on a flat, wide trail. Maybe the ranger had meant to say 50 minutes? Anyway, by the parking lot are picnic facilities, and the river is calm and clear (and cold!) if you´re up for a dip. While not the most spectacular route (you really don´t experience the density of the forest on this trail), it´s a good initiation to the park and easily doable for families with younger children.

We´re in Navarra Now

Navarra is a small and stunning corner of Spain, most of which is overshadowed by its capital, Pamplona, and the love it or hate it Running of the Bulls. We skipped Pamplona altogether and headed for the hills, this time in the Irati Forest.

The Irati Forest is the second largest beech and fir forest in Europe after the Black Forest, some 17,000 hectares of outdoors to explore. There are two access points, Ochagavia and Orbaitzeta. We spent two days hiking trails in the forest, one from each park entry. The entry fee is minimal, even cheaper if you fill up on gas at a nearby gas station, includes a great trail map, and the parks have well-maintained facilities (yes, including a bar-restaurant!). On the first day, we headed to Ochagavia, which is worth a walk around. Cobblestones! A rushing river! Plants everywhere! A complete 180 from Madrid´s hot, dry summer. 

After some hardcore trails in Ordesa National Park, I was looking forward to something a little more moderate. We chose two routes, a kind of build your own circular route, known as Casas de Irati/Embalse de Koixta, a 10km hike. Imagine my surprise when the trail started with a rather steep 200m climb! It was short-lived, though, and walking on the soft, springy forest floor made it easier.

The beech forest felt magical. It was so dense, so quiet, it didn´t feel like I was in Spain at all. Forests are just not something that comes to mind when I think of Spain. After the initial climb, the trail was fairly flat and even followed a forest access road for about a kilometer. It was a hot day, and about a third of the way through, the path left the forest for an open plain, and boy did we miss the shade! Back in the forest, we descended and followed the river for a while. Of course we passed a shrine with a little chapel, closed, to the Virgin of the Snow, and the ruins of some stone houses. We saw less than ten people.

The only downside to this route was that there were no real natural picnic areas along the way. Can you believe it? A Spanish trail that hadn´t factored in the eating of the requisite bocadillo, a sandwich on baguette, wrapped in tinfoil. 

Another Province, Another Via Verde

We could have spent more time exploring Ordesa, and maybe one day we´ll go back, but after four days we moved on to Navarra, another lovely northern province. We took our time with the drive, detouring to Canfranc, Eco and Anso, heading to our next hotel later than expected. Too late to hike in Irati, too early for dinner, we followed road signs to the Foz de Lumbier.

the lumbier gorge and irati river

The Foz de Lumbier, is a via verde and follows an abandonded train line for 1.5 kilometers, with the option of walking back over rolling hills and fields. We stuck to the linear path along the train line, and enjoyed watching the light change on the rock walls. We saw a number of griffin vultures circling overhead. Tall Guy enjoyed walking through the two unlight tunnels. Pitch dark at the midway point, he had fun making spooky noises until Baby told him to stop. 

heading into the gorge

I like via verde hiking. Apart from being well maintained, family friendly routes, there are also information plaques along the way. It´s nice to know what you´re looking at. This gorge is one of three in the area, which you can easily visit in a long morning or afternoon with a car. We stopped at two. One is a lookout platform, beautiful but no trail. Lumbier is supposedly the most spectacular of the three, and it certainly was beautiful, especially in the late afternoon sun of summer´s end. 

The Fourth Day: Ordesa

While we weren´t quite hiked out after our adventure climb, we decided we needed a change of pace, especially since later that week we´d be at a whole new park to explore and wanted to have the "ganas" (the will, the excitement) to do so. Our friendly hotel receptionist suggested a trip to three little villages. Little village was a stretch - teeny, tiny hamlet was more like it. Very authentic.

closed, but i loved the colours

Gistaín, Plan and Sin are a grouping of three communities perched on the mountainside. While there are lots of hiking routes in the area, we stuck to the town square in Gistaín, mainly because we happened upon the rehearsal for the village festival, San Joaquín. Baby played in a park backing onto the church bell tower, to a soundtrack of traditional music. We watched a tiny girl practise walking in her costume, and saw the musicians setting up for the procession. Even the mayor was out, prowling up and down the procession route.

you can always find a fiesta in spain

There were places in each of the little towns to buy cheese and other locally made foods, and of course even for such a small place there were more than a few bars, but most things were closed, as everyone was out preparing for the next day´s festivities.  

 

It was fun to wander "sin rumbo" around Gistaín, getting a glimpse of rural mountain life. And it´s a not a stereotype - Spaniards really do love their fiestas, and even the smallest "pueblo" will take the time and effort to put on a good celebration. Gistaín has about 150 people, and yet they had four days of festivities. Incredible, and oh so typical for Spain. One´s lonely, two´s barely company, but three and up? Let´s party. Viva!

The Third Day: Ordesa

The hike on Day Three was the reason we came. The Horse´s Tail. I saw it on TV, and put it in our travel plans. How Spanish am I?

finished the climb

Tall Guy being Tall Guy, he found an "alternative route" (read: much more challenging), so our trip to the waterfall was not as straightforward as it could have been. To hike in this section of the park, it´s essential to get there early as there is a visitor limit. You park, and a bus takes you up what would be a precarious road, if it were filled with the cars from all the visitors. There is room for one vehicle. The buses are on a strict time table and the drivers communicate with walkie talkies to indicate their positions, taking turns pulling over into designated areas to let each other pass. The bus takes about thirty minutes, and lets you off at, you guessed it, a bar.

up, up, up we go

From the bar, the majority of hikers set off toward the left on the wide, straightforward trail. We veered to the right, and quickly left the wide trail behind for a narrow path through the forest. The Hunter´s Path. I was carrying Baby, and I´m proud to say I made it all the way up to the lookout with him strapped on. It was a climb of nearly 900 meters! The path was narrow, but Tall Guy and I both found it more comfortable than the previous day´s hike, because the trail was mainly forest floor. Much springier and easier on the feet, but longer and steeper.

The views and a rest at the lookout were our reward, plus congratulations from other hikers who were pretty sure they wouldn´t have been able to do it while wearing a baby. We continued on to the Faja de Pelay, a fairly flat trail along the gorge top, where we watched the crowds of tourists walk along the trail in the bottom of the gorge. Then it was time to hike down to join them. We had arrived at the Horse´s Tail. 

views from the top

This waterfall is much more impressive in any season that isn´t summer, especially the hot, dry summer we´d had, but I´m glad we went all the same. We had a picnic at the water´s edge, and braved the cold to soak our feet in the icy water for instant revival. The walk back wasn´t relaxing - it really was that crowded - but a return journey along the Hunter´s path is not recommended, as the long and steep descent isn´t the safest or most comfortable option. Still, the path was pretty (and easy!), and this is one of my all-time favourite hikes. The Circo de Soaso, as it´s known, is just over 20km and takes seven hours not including breaks. The trail along the canyon floor is difficult only due to its length, but if you´re accustomed to hiking, go for the Hunter´s Path. It´s truly a beautiful trail.

The Second Day: Ordesa

resting in the clearing

We had a great sleep and breakfast at our mountain lodge (La Peña Montañesa, a great place for families. We used it as a base to explore, but we could have just stayed and relaxed, enjoying the mountains only for their views. They have a pool, restaurant, children´s playground, family friendly rooms, and very family friendly staff.). Time for day two!

We drove down another winding road, this time on the canyon floor, and with a full tank of gas. We got off to a later start than planned (never wake a sleeping baby!), but it was nice to have a leisurely morning after the long drive. We were rested up and ready to take on the Añisclo Canyon trail, a five hour, 16km trail through the gorge. We started on a flat, wide trail that quickly went from easy to never ending. Beautiful as it was, this trail tired me out! The difficulty was the steep, stony, switchback section. Every time we thought we were "up", we´d turn to face another climb. While I didn´t find that section especially attractive, it did lead us to a beautiful forest path which opened onto an enchanted clearing.

thrilled to see a sign for the "flat forest"

We splashed our feet in the water and played on the rocks with Baby, enjoying the solitude. This part of the park is quite remote, and while we had parked in the overflow lot, there were way fewer people than we would encounter in the main area the next day. As we were hiking out, we saw a number of families heading in. This trail is linear, so you can make it longer or shorter according to your time frame. The first part is a quick walk on a wide trail, but it´s worth pushing through the climb to get to the greenest, densest section and the clearing.

The first day - Ordesa and Lost Mountain National Park

On this rainy Monday, I´m reminded of a hike we did on a dreary summer´s afternoon in August. We had been driving for two days, finally arriving in Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido in the late afternoon. We left our things at our mountain lodge and headed for the information office, excited to find out all the park had to offer, and eager to do a short hike that same evening.

that light on the rock!

 Wouldn´t you know, as we pulled up to the information office, the rain came teeming down. 

"It´ll blow over," said the park ranger, "you should head up to the lookout over Escuain Valley."

And it did, so we did.

the never ending road

The hike started out way, way up a twisting, turning mountain road. To make things especially interesting, we hadn´t seen a gas station for ages and were running on low. 

escuain valley. definitely worth it.

"I hope the views are worth it", Tall Guy said. They were! I felt right at home on this trail. The scenery gave off a very Canadian vibe. I said "Wow, we could be in Canada!" several times. The fresh pine air! The rock faces! The berry shrubs! It was a good initiation to things to come. We love this national park!

dinner after the hike.

After the hike, we were hungry, and low on gas. Time to drive down the mountain on fumes, and find a gas station and a restaurant. Tall Guy was getting nervous, which was making me nervous, but we did make it down. When we filled up our tank, we checked the litres against how many our tank holds. We had had only one left. Yikes!

Los Miradores de Revilla is a 4.5km hike, with an easy climb of 200m. We did it in under the suggested hour and a half. The hardest part of this hike was getting there! A seriously crazy road (do fill up your tank before taking it on).

Cat Walk

Today we walked. And walked. And walked some more. 12,914 steps, according to the pedometer,  around Madrid´s Madridiest´s neighbourhood, La Latina. 
 

the many colours of jesus

I listened to a podcast about crows this summer, and one of the speakers noted how she found it absurd when people talk about going out into nature. Nature, she said, can be found everywhere. Even sitting on a bench and watching the crows. While I do enjoy "getting back to nature," in that spirit, I don´t need to "go for a walk". I walk everywhere! So today we´re staying in the city, enjoying the architecture, people, and yes, even pigeons, the city environment has to offer.
 

plaza mayor

La Latina has a medieval vibe, with twisting and turning streets lined with quirky shops and tapas restaurants opening onto sunny squares. Being the historical centre of Madrid means a wide range of architectural influences, from Arabic tiles to French balconies, lots to see before we even get to today´s main event, El Rastro market.

el rastro

the cane stall

If you want to get really catty, in the best kind of way (gato, or cat, is what the locals call, well, locals), get up early on Sunday and head to El Rastro. We began our walk in Embajadores, checking out vendors along Calle de Toledo, stopping to hear the organ grinder (who, I kid you not, is pictured in my 1999 Madrid guidebook), and heading up Ribera de Curtidores. This street is a mix of old and new, but from tacky souvenirs to handmade leather goods. Whatever you´re looking for, you can be pretty sure you´ll find it at El Rastro. Plastic rosaries in every colour, gas masks, flamenco dancer aprons, all kinds of corks, well curated antique shops, knives, pets, the cheapest underwear you´ll ever see, scarves, CDs, kitchen gadgets, batteries... It´s a never-ending feast for the eyes.

Once we´d had enough of the crowds (we only covered about a third of the market), we made our way to the Plaza Mayor, the opera house, the Royal Palace, and finally Plaza España. It´s a lot of walking, but there´s always something interesting to see, and the time passes quickly. Today we saw a human sculpture of two riders on a motorcycle going over a bump (Baby loved that), a man blowing giant bubbles to the delight of about a dozen children who were screaming and running wild with delight, seven brides posing for a group photograph, and an accordion and flamenco guitar player, both of whom Baby delighted by dancing and snapping his fingers. I call it his ¨olé¨ move. 

brides in plaza españa

It didn´t have the freshness of a pine forest, but a walk through Old Madrid refreshed my appreciation of my Second City. 

leading the way

Country Roads

Saturated with sights seen, shopped and dropped, no room for any more tapas.

What´s a girl with house guests to do?

Head for the hills. Boot it for the country. Show them another side of Spain.

We headed toward El Escorial, turned off the main highway, and drove down a bumpy country road, parking the car when we could drive no further. We left the car, unlatched the gate, and started on our way. We were headed for Felipe's Seat, a royal lookout over El Escorial and Madrid.

Felipe´s Sceat is a lookout point said to have been used by Felipe II to oversee construction of El Escorial. Apart from a bird´s eye view of the monastery and environs, the area has some nice hiking trails through the Herreria Forest. We came through an area called Los Ermitanos. The path was wide and clearly marked with red and white trail markers, taking us by some private residences (hence the gates - feel free to use the paths, but remember to close the gates!), through a forest of wild cherry, Montpellier maple, and chestnut trees, a picnic area, and two lookouts. It´s possible to drive almost all the way to Felipe´s Seat (there is even a bar up there...this is Spain, remember?), and start the hikes from there, but then you´d be missing out on a lovely country walk.

There were stairs up to both lookouts, and otherwise the climb was barely noticeable. Felipe´s Seat is a kind of throne carved into granite. There are three viewing areas, the most popular is an actual pair of stone seats with arm rests facing North, toward the Monastery of El Escorial. If you´ve been there, you know it´s big, but it is quite something to see just how much space it takes up. Truly an impressive building. 

We came back into the city feeling refreshed and ready for a cozy night in, dinner, tea, and organizing photos. It´s getting chilly out there!

The Bear´s Path

at the reservoir

Vias verdes, or green tracks, are out of use railways that have been converted into trails. They´re usually very well maintained, easy to follow, smooth, and wide, making them very popular with families. The first trail will did in Spain with baby was a "green track". He was four months old and we rented bicycles and a chariot to explore La Senda Del Oso, the Bears path, which follows an old mining train track along the river Trubia, some 48km. 

starting out

It was the first of many hikes on our babymoon in Asturias, and was so much fun we plan to do it again sometime! The tour company, TeverAstur, is top notch. We got there bright and early, and they quickly fitted Baby's car seat into a bicycle chariot, complete with a bug screen. Apart from wonderful service, this company is also great because it´s the only one that rents bikes at the top of the trail and collects you at the bottom! We barely needed to pedal!

in spain, you´re never far from a bar

We took a short detour and pedaled uphill until we came to a reservoir, an excellent picnic and diaper changing spot. Then it was downhill for the rest of the trail. Tunnels, friendly cows, forests, two highway crossings, and a bear reserve dotted the trail. All in all a lovely half-day excursion.

 

Bread Island, Yummy!

It only took 8 years, but we finally did a hike in Las Tablas de Daimiel. I first saw this national park in my guide book when I came to Spain on exchange in high school (!!), and despite the appealing picture, I never imagined I´d actually go there one day.

Then I met Tall Guy, and wouldn´t you know, the exit for Las Tablas is on the way to the family farm! We drove by, and by, and by, and said we´d stop one day. And then we drove by some more, until, ten days before David was born, I said it was time. 

Las Tablas de Daimiel wetlands area was designated as a national park in the 70s and a Biosphere Reserve in the 60s. It´s the last existing fluvial tables ecosystem, and thanks to its park status, the flora and fauna who make it their home will have a better chance of survival. My hometown has a beautiful wetlands park where I´ve spent many enjoyable hours out in nature, especially observing the great blue heron, my favourite bird. Las Tablas reminded me of home.

There are three hiking routes in the park, and we chose the Isla del Pan for its accessibility and length, since Tall Guy and the Doctor had banned me from long, remote hikes at that stage in the game. It was a very easy walk, under an hour and a half, 2.5km, circular. A network of boardwalks took us through the wetlands, where we unfortunately didn´t see many birds (not the season), but it was lovely to be outside in the warm, spring air. I am looking foward to going back with Baby someday soon.

Waterfall, Ultimate Surviour Style

(source)

Today´s hike is another one I´ve done more than once. Sometimes when you´re at the beach, you need a break from... the beach. Enter, Waterfall Adventure Trek, otherwise known as Les Fonts de l´Algar. It´s essential to get there early to beat the crowds, especially since there is now a visitor cap as well as an entry fee. Pack a picnic and spend the day paddling in the river or at the base of the falls, or pack your stuff in a waterproof sack and start walking.

(source)

The first time I visited this park was at the end of an extra hot, dry summer, so the falls weren´t very watery. Hiking to the source was fairly easy, and it was interesting to walk along the river bed, so when Tall Guy suggested we go back, with Tweedle E and Tweedle N in tow, I agreed. It´s a lovely natural area, and it would be nice to show them another Spanish landscape.

This time round, things were different. For starters, we had a mini hike from the overflow lot to the entrance. The place was packed! It had also been a rainier year, and after walking along a boardwalk, admiring the dips and falls, we started onto the trail following the river. So far, so good. We were all enjoying ourselves and the scenery, the water was emerald green and turquoise, and there were many, many waterfalls. 

Then the wading began. At first, the water barely covered our shoes. Then, it was up to our ankles. Tall Guy was sure it "wasn´t much farther" to the source, so onward we pressed, and soon enough we were up to our necks, and finally swimming, holding our day packs up out of the water over our heads, a la Bear Grylls in every other episode of Ultimate Survivor.

"This is the most amazing thing I´ve ever done!!"

"We´ll never make it!"

how tweedle e describes it

The water was calm and cold enough to be called invigorating, and once the swim-hike was over, we were rewarded with a sense of accomplishment. I´m pleased to say that both cousins survived (a testament to the power of a promised ice cream) and look back on the experience positively, although I´m pretty sure if we were to go back, one of them would offer to wade in the shallows with Baby to avoid a second grylling. 

how it actually was