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.....

Ochota and surrounds

Recently we have had some really stormy weather. Quite violent at times. It is sad to see the trees getting smashed and breaking up. Big beautiful old trees, that have been weakened by disease and time. The area we live in is really beautiful because we have many old trees. This is a main reason we decided to move here. Greenery softens the city and brightens the soul.

Night storms

Brewing.

A tree that has turned to honeycomb with a disease.

That is why it fell in big winds recently.

One of the coolest parts of town, Filtry.

One of the best coffee shops in Warsaw, on Filtry street, next to the Filtry installation called oddly Filtry.... creative!

I snapped our baristas tattoo, as it fitted in well with the theme of our work. Burza = Storm.

małe przyjemności - small pleasures. A reminder of all the little things. Like nice handwriting.

Więcej czułości - more sensitivity, it's the little things. Hold hands more. Hug. Smile. Be good.

I actually like these little garages, I would love to have one as a workshop, if I had a skill I could perform there!

Light and shadow, the little things.

Little windows, it's the little things.

I prefer the older number to the new.

Glass windows.

The chrysalis. 

Are we storm clouds? Nope.

Corners and clouds.

Corners and clouds.

Glass windows to the sky.

More wooden details. It's the little things.

I Heart Old People Reading in parks!

Moving house? When a bird house is blown down in storms.

The cool details of an empty ramp.

Folks hoofing it along the ramp. Happy puppy, too.

New Years bit

A stroll around the hood on New Years Day.

Waking in Warsaw, hangover free,
I am expecting a day cold and icy.
However, to my grateful surprise,
The day is clear, and I feel energised.
Now to assess my part of the city.

As we had a light night with only a couple of bottles of champagne and a few fingers of whisky it was easy to get up and smile at the face of a new year. I know this year will be great as there were less fireworks than normal the night before, there was a sunny day to greet us and I did exercise on the first day of the year.

Contrasting

The traditional Russian "champagne" leftovers from the night before.

There was only one shop open, it has traditional and regional food and three fridges of regional beers! I think I am in heaven.

Crusty and crunchy the new year appears

People already on the move.

Paths crossing in the stratosphere

Everyone wants to fly away.

Sometimes the easiest way to get away you just need to do it yourself.

The icy paths are everywhere and were great to watch people shuffle along.

Gently gently.

The paths look like this up close.

Staring into the new year.

Many people were out for a walk.

Such a nice day for a walk and to start the year.

many were out for a walk :)

Time to follow the path

It may look like it is into the dark, but the path still leads to something new and bright.

I hope the first 2 months of the new year have treated you well. Let's all be creative, happy and positive so that the year will be great for all around us, which in turn helps us to have a great life.