Picos de Europa...wow

We loved the Picos. It is a compact mountain range springing up 2500m just in from the coast at San Vicente. Absolutely spectacular, it has the feel of a much larger mountain range, starkly beautiful almost lunaresque towers overlooking lush green valleys underneath.

The highlight was a trip up the Fuente De teleferique which is a 753 metre high single span ride up the mountain. Archie was terribly excited about going up, we could hardly contain him...and it looks a loooooooong way down through the glass panels (which were left slighly smeared with dribble and nasal matter)

The Cares canyon which we walked along is 1.5km deep with the walking path narrow and perched high up the cliff. The boys stayed on the cliff side held by our white knuckle hands. The rewards were rich, an icecream from the blue menu to celibrate a 3km walk. Bribery gets us everywhere!

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Specialities of the area included piquant blue cheeses, such as Queso de Cabrales, traditionally matured in caves and guaranteed to put a fast end to a hot date..."have you changed your socks in the last week?" she cried!. The ubiquitous fruit flavoured rocket fuel distilled here may have helped with a comeback. Salut!

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It was also nice to see green for a change...hope there has been some rain at home

Oops Wrong Oyster...

San Vicente de Baroquera was our next destination so we could meet up with the Giffins before they left. In advance I would like to apologise unreservedly for breaking the handle off their campervan after having being poured a ridiculously strong bourbon and coke.

The north coast was more populated than we had imagined though had the look of Ireland about it. Green rolling hills littered with old stone farmhouses, cows with bells and of course the ubiquitous blue icecream menu which was always a popular "I spy" item.

We holed up in a bungalow next to the beach. Nice white sand and surf but it was pretty chilly in the water, even for a south coaster. A nice relaxing place though.

On an expedition to the old town bridge Scotty returned with the news that there were oysters and mussels in their thousands and they were accessable at low tide. So armed with a bucket and blunt rocks we headed across the mudflats (with the kids in clean clothes of course) to do some hunter gathering and returned muddy but proud as punch with the harvest.

The oysters were big and creamy, much like a large Sydney rock. I think we said at the time "best ever".

The groans and pale faces eminating from the handleless campervan the next morning told the story. Just around the bend of the river was Spains largest plutonium plant and the oysters were mutants...or so we thought between stomach cramps and delerium. Luckily I only ate 4, Scotts mate ate 20 or more and then drove off to France.

Hope he's still alive...

Off to the Hills...

"las carreteras son poco estrechos"

the last words we heard before we headed into the Pyrenees. Not until we met a truck coming round a hairpin on its own side of the road, which was our side too did we look up "estrecha"... narrow! The scenery was breathtaking however with small Romanesque villages sitting on impossibly steep footings, each village crowned with a church bell tower.

The most memorable nights were spent in Ainsa, an almost perfect medieval village, in probably the oldest building we have ever slept in. The view from the terrace wasnt too shabby either. Managed our first "menu del dia" without a poo, vomit, airborne egg or maniacal screaming (just kidding) , the kids did really well sitting down for the whole meal. Amber and I got to enjoy a nasty red wine (we were still very green in our choices and have since had some beautys) and three courses overlooking a Pyrenean bluff of about 2500m.

Ainsa at night was a thing of beauty...especially as we timed our visit with the festiva. Everyone was out dancing and the kids spun endlessly on merry go rounds...

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We also did a 3km walk along a section of the G11 cross Pyrenees track up to a waterfall. Angus was keen to continue up with crampons and ice axe so getting him down was actually more difficult than up. Archie climbed uphill for 1 1/2 kilometres then his little legs packed it in...it was a valiant effort for a two year old. The highlight in the Pyrenees was just driving and absorbing the grandeur of the landscape as you can see.

and more...

The Costa Brava

We rented a house from Pam and Brian, an English couple who had got stuck in a place called L'Estartit. I think the abundant vegetation of Brians verandah may have contributed to their 'stuckness'. Impressive to this agricultural scientist anyway. The place itself was a resort town, busy in Summer and virtually deserted in Winter. We were there somewhere in between.

I guess we are a little spoilt with beaches, and I mean no offense to any Spaniards, but there were people lying on potting mix! Every little gust of wind and things looked like a car on a country road. Anyway we had a few swims in the cool water but decided that perhaps visiting villages may be a better thing to do. Pam convinced us to go and have a look at some of the smaller beaches cut into the steep cliffs along the coast just north and we were rewarded with a beautiful little black sand (pebble) beach with a nice little bar on it (along with some micro swimwear)
The next day we decided to visit some of the medieval villages perched on the surrounding hilltops. Now we definately don't have this in Australia! Beautifully conserved and built to last - not much fibro or gyprock to be seen at all. The boys revelled in the sense of history - even if it was a comparison to 'Bob the Builders one hour medieval DVD' which is a good show...for the first twenty times or so anyway. If we were only to know how many medieval villages we were going to see...

Cadaques...the most eastern village in Spain. France is just over the hill. So is the World Cup!

As a little footnote we also found a winery that sold a fair drop for 1 euro a litre...tasted pretty good once you got to the second litre.

Barcelona Ho

Dont mention ze flight...

To juxtapose Bankok and Barceona - well see for yourselves. This is from outside our hotel in Bangkok

and this outside the hotel in Barcelona...

Barcelona is a beautiful city, in the same league as Paris I think. Full of narrow alleys, fascinating shops and flowers overflowing from wrought iron balconies into the street.

Bars every 20 metres selling coffee, beer, wine and mouthwatering tapas...and us with 2 boys that dont sit for long at all. So we walked past them all...ouch. Back to zoo's and beaches (a little disappointing on this front) and looking at ice cream menus, which has become Angus' favourite occupation. We did however manage to get out into the paseo each evening when all of Barcleona emerges into the streets - couples young and old holding hands and the single and very fashion conscious parading their wares....and all along the street table full of people enjoying their pre dinner drinks and tapas. For those not in the know dinner here doesn't start until 9 or 10pm. Anyway it is people watching at its best.

Oh and I should mention that my first drive of our manual RHD car on the narrow roads at Barcelona peak hour wasn't me at my calmest! What a nightmare.

Off to Chiang Mai...

Koh Samui was left behind for the cooler mountain air of Chiang Mai. Got stuck into the street food here at the market around the corner from our hotel. Cheap and very tasty - amazing what bamboo shoots really taste like. The pool was big and Angus could suddenly swim without floaties. We had made him googles with his old lenses, roofing silicone and a set of rubber swimming goggles and this had really helped him turn the corner. All of a sudden he was diving to 8ft and retrieving and objects he could throw in. Archie joined in the fun and very soon the pool was full of any movable objects in the vicinity.

The night markets of Chiang Mai were Amber all over so she had a couple of evenings in doing what she loves doing. Due to the near overflowing state of our baggage any additions may well have meant excess so it was mainly perusing and no purchasing. We do miss the odd night out, especially when you see people having a great time in a nice restaurant...oh well.

We had an impromtu day which began with a tuk tuk ride up into the mountains. One snake show, monkey show and elephant show later we headed back down. Love the elephants, there seems to be a lot of thinking going on behind those kind dark eyes. Feeding them is a real buzz. We have gotten to feed giraffes as well which for me was just fantastic. I can watch them move all day, so graceful, timid and seemingly well mannered. We seem to have spent a lot of time looking at animals, fish and insects - no guessing why Mr Attenborough!