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Principality of Asturias Travel Blogs

Background: Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II, but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). In the second half of the 20th century, Spain has played a catch-up role in the western international community; it joined the EU in 1986. Continuing challenges include Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorism and further reductions in unemployment.

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By Liz and Ron
December 24th 2009

This One's For Betty Europe » Spain » Principality of Asturias » Oviedo

Who let the lambs out?

Ron has been reading Ghost Train to the Eastern Star aloud to me in bed, and I blame Paul Theroux for that all-night train ride from Barcelona to Oviedo, I really do. I lay lonely and claustrophobic in my bottom bunk, which was a bit like a coffin without the amenities. As the old train rattled its way north, my poor bones jiggled from side to side, and my head did that bobble-head thing you used to see dolls do in the rear window of cars. To top it off, we almost missed our station and hopped off in such an [View Full Entry]

By Katy abroad
June 20th 2009

Surprise Party Europe » Spain » Principality of Asturias » Oviedo

cake made of sweets

I arrived back in Oviedo last week for the final 17 days of my year abroad, and somehow, 11 of them have already disappeared! Time has mainly been taken up with revision and exams, and Oviedo, in its inimitable style, has provided us with mostly grey days, although it is just proving me wrong at this moment by bringing out the sunshine. I have my three final exams next week, and then it is all over. There's a lot to do apart from revision, not least cleaning the flat and packing up or getting rid of all our possessions. It does [View Full Entry]

By LJ
June 7th 2009

I smell like a roast lamb!! Europe » Spain » Principality of Asturias » Covadonga

View from the hotel window

We are on yet another holiday! This time we are on a 4 day mini break in Green Spain. Green Spain, as the name suggests, is the bit of Spain that is very green. It is on the northern coast and it does not really look like Spain at all! We are currently staying in Hotel Posada del Valle which is on organic farm in the mountains. The view from the window are lovely. We drove here in our hire car which is a Citroen C2. I know we booked a 3dr economy car but still! I have never seen a [View Full Entry]

By Katy abroad
June 3rd 2009

Fiona comes to stay Europe » Spain » Principality of Asturias » Oviedo

The Bum

I'm taking a break from packing from my birthday trip home to write this, excitable and surrounded by clothes and general disorder! Finally, we've had a week of glorious sunshine. It's been so hot, 30 degrees every day. So all in all, Fiona chose a pretty good weekend to visit Oviedo. Rosy and I met her from the bus station on Friday, still getting used to the novelty that was hot, sunny weather. After squeals of excitement and hugs all round, we went back and spent a couple of hours eating snacks and watching the Mighty Boosh before going out for [View Full Entry]

By Katy abroad
May 17th 2009

Visiting Jesus Europe » Spain » Principality of Asturias

Jesus on Mount Naranco

Well, they weren't wrong when they said it rained in Oviedo, and coming from Britain, you wouldn't think that would be too much of a problem. But what we don't get in Britain is the astounding unpredictability of weather. I know it's something I've mentioned before, but this week wins in the fickleness stakes hands down. Ever had all four seasons in one day? Brilliant sunshine, temperatures in the twenties, blue skies, turn in seconds to grey clouds and autumnal winds, which in turn give way to plummeting temperatures and rain. Oh the rain. It has been the most frequent and [View Full Entry]

By Katy abroad
May 12th 2009

The best aquarium ever Europe » Spain » Principality of Asturias

Mesmerising jellyfish

With 7 weeks left to go of my year abroad, time is flying. The workload is piling on in preparation for the exams, and that's what this week has mostly been about. I worked fiendishly to get all my creative writing pieces done for my Lengua Espanola class, and now it's all ready to hand in! So that's one thing out the way, but I have a LOT of Portuguese to get going on before the exam, and tons of reading for my literature classes. I'll be heading down to the library as soon as I've bashed this out to get [View Full Entry]

By Katy abroad
May 3rd 2009

Sunburn Europe » Spain » Principality of Asturias

Playa San Lorenzo

Sitting here now, bathed in moisturiser, drinking copious amounts of water, it's hard to believe how changeable the weather was at the start of the week. One minute, it was raining and blowing a gale, and the next it was sunny, we didn't know if we were coming or going. The umbrellas were up and down, coats were on and off, flip-flops were put on and immediately regretted... April is the month of unpredictable weather, I know, but this was taking it to extremes. And then May arrived, and along with it, a full day of glorious sunshine. So we headed [View Full Entry]

By campodelverano
April 15th 2009

Asturies Europe » Spain » Principality of Asturias

CIMG2210

Picos de Europe, Gijon, etc. [View Full Entry]

By Katy abroad
March 29th 2009

a trip to the beach and a proper Sunday lunch Europe » Spain » Principality of Asturias

Smiley girls on a night out

It's a cold and grey Sunday afternoon, quite a change from the last few weeks of beautiful summer weather, but nevertheless we've been having a lovely day. We all find that Sundays can be 'dead' days - because nothing's open, nothing's going on and we don't always get together leaving Sundays for boring things like work and cleaning - essential things, but not necessarily fun ones. And even when you've done those jobs the hours can still stretch out before you endlessly. So we decided to change things, and yesterday, we went to the supermarket to get things to make a [View Full Entry]

By Katy abroad
March 23rd 2009

Sunny days Europe » Spain » Principality of Asturias » Oviedo

fountains in the park

After the weekend in Leon, we were all absolutely shattered, and the weather meant we spent a lot of long, lazy days sunbathing in the park, broken only by the odd lecture. It really did feel like we were on holiday, only with lectures! We didn't even have a night out, which is very unusual, but which suited me down to the ground. Instead, we spent Friday and Saturday evening at Jo and Sarah's; on Friday we got chinese, and on Saturday we made fajitas. It was really lovely, just to sit, chat, watch films and pig out! It does mean [View Full Entry]

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