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Published: September 4th 2019
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SC writes: Our guides on this trip are A) The RUTA (route) of our pre package Paradores trip; B) Lonely Planet - a downloaded large PDF file and C) Our own instincts for a worthwhile visit. Yesterday was a good one for C) as Cathy explains;
CJ writes: We left the delightful Santillana del Mar relatively early today (ie somewhat after 9:30 - but this is a holiday after all!) and travelled just a couple of kilometres to the Museo de Altamira. This celebrates the discovery, in 1879, of a cave with the most stunning cave art created from 36,000 to 14,500 years ago. The cave itself is now far too fragile to admit the thousands who travel here every year (in the 1960’s well over 100,000 people a year!) and so an absolutely millimetre-accurate replica has been created.
The art was stunning. The earliest examples were simple handprints made by blowing pigment over a hand placed flat on the ceiling of the cave (all the art work was on the ceiling). The most recent were mainly of bison - first incised into the rock, taking advantage of natural extrusions to add volume and shadow, then drawn in outline
in charcoal, finally (and unusually) fully coloured in with red ochre. They looked as though they could have leapt off the rock, so full of life were they.
Interestingly, the archaeological evidence suggests that bison - though clearly plentiful - were not usually hunted: the main source of protein seems to have been wild goat.
After the Museo, off another few kilometres to Comillas: one of the many lovely little towns that dot the mountains in this part of the world. The main attraction there - and I confess I knew nothing of it beforehand - was the Capriche de Gaudi - yes, that Gaudi, he of the Sagrada Famiglia in Barcelona. He has only 3 examples of his work outside Catalonia, and we saw the earliest of those today. It was the building that inspired Modernism, the artistic style that he pioneered.
The place was, quite simply, wonderful- this is what I want my next house to look like! Alternating bands of glazed ceramic tile and red-ochre bricks (of exactly the same length, I noticed) rose the whole height of the charming little house. The chimneys were sunflower-shaped, the wrought iron balconies had built-in seats overhanging
the garden, and the whole place was built around a large conservatory that brought light and warmth to the entire house. The ceilings were coffered, the woods used throughout were tropical and exquisitely carved. Marvellous place.
Now we’re at our next Parador - our third - in Gijon (pronounced ‘Khi-HON’), and we’re off out to find the local bars and restaurants. Prices have been unexpectedly good so far, so were enjoying ourselves tremendously!
SC writes: We walked 40 minutes into the old town in the evening enjoying some great late sun, the beach and the very popular passageo...there were a lot of people out and about at 20:00.After an enjoyable beer in the sunshine we found dinner...and tried local speciality...basically a mountain of breaded veal....we were over faced frankly...tried that but won’t again.
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