Picos de Europa
In all the old photos, people were smoking. Where was all this tabacco coming from?
Las Arenas
The area is know for their blue cheese, Cabrales, which can be made from cow, goat and/or sheep (seen in Cabrales Gourmet)
Every year for the past 50 years, there is a contest and the winning cheese is auctioned off. The cheese in the lower left won a few years ago and went for 20,500€ (1 kilo). Prices were more like 40-60€/kilo. Cabrales is always in this green wrapper
The cheeses are stored in mountain caves for at least 4 months. There is no human forced inoculation. The penicillium in the air does all the work. The cheese makers have to hike 1+ hours after the trail ends weekly to clean the other molds off the cheese to let the penicillium penetrate. The longer the cheese ripens, the creamier it becomes
We tasted this liquor - made with the penicillium and cacao (and many other things). Unique, with a strong cacao aftertaste. Healthy, right? We trekked up the mountain with the sidra de hielo instead (we're more likely to finish a 375 bottle of wine!)
Warning - my curation skills have failed me on this page. Every view was stunning
My camera could not possibly capture the glory
Why are they so endearing?
Bulnes - population 34
View from the front of our mountain home
Floral interlude
Alpine flowers in blues, pinks, yellows and whites carpeted the sides of the trails
Ironically, our rental was filled with plastic plants
I kind of get baby's breathe, now
Whaaa? How did that rogue red guy get up here?
The banana slug's cousin, the babosa negra, let's rename it babosa regaliz
Lucas renamed this guy the pipas beetle
Jose Maria's restaurant bar
View from our back deck
The Villa of Bulnes from the mirador
Keep it local - Cabrales cheese with pear marmalade from Puertas de Cabrales
There are lobos here; the herd dog kept us away, but may not always succeed
If you don't want to hike the 4km up the hill to Bulnes, you can take the funicular. 22€ round trip as of this writing. The town wanted a road. In 2001, they got this cute, but rather of limited and expensive mode of transportation
I hope the water going to the homes is treated even if the fountain is not
"Asturias es España y lo demás tierra conquistada"
One of the other restaurants in town
Jose looked at me like I was nuts (a look he has perfected) when I asked if they grew apples here for cider. Have you seen any apple trees? Fair enough. Only hazelnuts. Skip the hazelnut chupito
Basically in Estrella Galicia country here. Don't ask about the horn, you'll end up with a horn full of beer
We met a German couple trying to hike the 120km around the Picos. They got waylaid by snow around 1900m (mid-May). We couldn't even see snow and were sweating. No camping below 1500m.
Rain was predicted all weekend - but it only drizzed a little and we were blessed with sun on our last day
The rest of Spain is in a drought. But they don't feel it in Asturias. The river can come up to the bridge when the snow melts!
Jose, the bar owner, and his mom, who lived to 100. His dream was to work on a boat, but was called home to take care of his mom and the goats when his father had an accident. The very mixed reviews of the bar are not surprising. The food was solid and he was a good person when you took the time to talk to him, which of course Hector did. That man could beat anyone in a staring contest
And yes, this mountain stream is cold - 9C when we put our feet in
Glow worm?
Back in Bilbao (Bizkaia)
And our final stop for pintxos and gildas