Monday, October 30, 2017

Getting around to Galicia

Our most recent holiday was focused on the north west of Spain. Starting in the principality of Asturias, through Galicia, a little part of Castilla y Leon and back to Asturias again. Flying into Santander airport and then grabbing our hire car, which in tradition of travel we promptly named Coutinho Santiago the Fiat Panda. Then we got a driving, in some beautiful Asturian country, sea to the right, mountains to the left. It was a bold green verdant land around us. For the end of summer one would naturally expect the Spanish countryside to be a little more wilted and weather beaten. This it was not, more lush than I have seen any part of Spain, Asturias is fed by waters running down from "Los Picos de Europa" they can't really grow wine grapes here, but apples and legumes love it.

Our first road stop was a cute town of Llanes, it was just a coffee break after the one and a quarter hours drive from Santander, to stretch the legs and poke around our first taste of the sea since May. Yes, living in Warsaw does mean you don't get a great deal of sea influence.

Llanes harbour.
love that the tower was incorporated to other buildings




The first of many bakery windows I ogled.

grimy but not grim
angular

clifftop lookout

The first of our lighthouses on our lighthouse trip.



the egg and the local north western style facades, with the enclosed ornate balconies

Monday, October 23, 2017

Brescia Museum.

An amazing place is the Santa Giulia City Museum it is based in an old convent originally founded in 753AD. Honestly, there are so many photos here, I won't say much with the exception that the Brescia Museum is like the entire town of Brescia underrated and something well worth the effort. Please enjoy the photos.










When making the museum they actually found an old Roman domus in the area and there were these beautiful mosaic floors.
























I am a massive fan of etchings, I wish I had some, and people would come up to my house to see them. That and the details are amazing.




Frutti di Mare anyone?


Italian chickens look different.

a little evil

The ridiculously good Antonio Rasio in the style of Giuseppe Arcimboldo and his foods of the season. Worth the entrance price just to stare at these for half an hour.




It appears I've run out of time already!