Monday, January 29, 2018

Santander, Cantabria, Spain.

The very last of our Galicia and Asturias odyssey. Yes, of course we popped into Castilla y Leoń and finished up in Cantabria, but the main focus for us were the big two here. We adored this part of Spain, and the people we met along the way were fabulous as well. A huge thank you to our friend Jorge from Santiago de Compostela who gave us some great hints and tips for locations and food in the areas we passed.

Now, to the last stop we made which was Santander, no not the bank, but home of the bank.

The Granny patrol.


The internal ceiling of the Main Post Office, just before I was very politely, and with a smile, told by the guard not to take photographs.

This is the central post office outside.

Simplicity.

The bank headquarters.

The tiles under an art gallery by the sea, quite something, no?

But is it better in black and white?

Look a crane! Not that one, that is a seagull.

Waterfront statues.

Dive on in to Santander!

There is a really cool eclectic mix of building styles along the waterfront.

With little invasions of nature.

Always nice to get a big chair and some sun with a view.


Palacio de la Magdalena.
Faro de la Isla de Mouro

The Sawa sister.

Blowing her own trumpet, too, by the looks of things.

I have started to fall for tiles again, the Moorish culture of parts of Spain do that to me every time.

Even when on a grand scale.
Honestly, over the planning of this trip I never thought I would love it this much. The question is how can I live everywhere. I love Warsaw, when it isn't polluted, and many of the people in it. But, when you go to somewhere like Galicia or Asturias, you just think "How can I not live here?" It is beautiful, it is motivating, it is something I never thought I'd find in Europe. Rugged, civilised, traditional, modern but dying. I have a saviour complex in the sense that I want to make everything and everyone better. I want Galicia to be a thriving place, full of good positive energy and happiness. I want Warsaw to be inhabited by people who want to make the city itself better. I want to make myself better, but at the end of the day all I will do is write about it and sit on the couch pondering my futile existence in this crazy game called life. Maybe time to play Football Manager to make a small village team a European Champion.....

Friday, January 26, 2018

Oviedo, Asturias, Spain.

As we get close to the completion of the trip, we get to the capital of Asturias, Oviedo. It is seen as a somewhat wealthy and well to do town. People dress quite well and seem to spend lots of time in bars, cafes and restaurants. This may also be partly linked to the fact that we were there during a festival weekend. A bit of a student town, too, but it really is a nice place to go, even if they have a Woody Allen statue.


Plenty of baked love here.
The boulevard of cider, maybe also broken dreams.

Look at these beauties. I know a couple of Olgas but are they this sweet?
Festival crowds getting the good seats.


I think this statue is related to the churros.....

The next morning was a little hazy, and no, it wasn't because of the cava the night before. I went for a run that day, and it was amazing to see the town at 7AM the morning after the festival. Hazy for me, and hazy for others in a very different way.

I've started to return my love to my roots of 70s glass doors, my father would be proud... I think.



Ice cream neons, must be festival related!

On the second day we went to the museum of fine arts of Asturias, and it was surprisingly good. You have to love a dragon and saint.

I had some massive hair envy here.

I think the disciples are wishing deodorant was invented by the looks on their faces. 

The great babcia


I wish that years ago I had started the series of babies with the faces of old men, this would be a contender for man baby of the year.

This was an amazing painting called "The hospital garden" of Carl Frithjof Smith.

Just look at that granny!

 

A really cool window with the reflection of passersby




Some of the neons



These neons depict how I felt in Oviedo, it is a cool little town. Good food, wine and coffee and easy to get around.