Comida:
Much of the food is local and delicious. Bread is paired with everything. We get fresh bread delivered to our mailbox here every day.
When we go out to eat appetizers are very common to get instead of one large meal. Sidreria La Guia is one of the Aramburu’s favorite spots to go for a nice night out. We go about every weekend and enjoy muscles, monkfish, octopus, calamari and other appetizers.
I cannot say I’ve had a bad meal here. It is definitely the type of food I like to eat; No spice, hardy meals. Living with a butcher definitely has its perks. I’ve gotten to try some weird and new foods.
Some things I’ve tried:
- Lamb’s Brain
- Cow Liver
- Pig’s Feet
- Lamb’s tongue
- Lamb Cheek
- Cow Stomach
- Rabbit (which is quite common)
- Wild Boar
The three dishes in the photo (from left to right) are potatoes with ham and cheese, croquetas (fried bechamel sauce and ham), and chorizo. The chorizo that you see is quite common in a lot of dishes.
Of course, I’ve had paella. And, it was made by Eduardo’s grandma and if it’s also true here that grandmothers are the best cooks, I may have had the best paella I will ever eat.
For Christmas, we had prawns and roasted lamb. Not my favorite meal but the dessert was delicious. During this festive season, Turron is usually served after dinner. My favorite type is made with egg yolk called “Turron de Yema Tostada”.
Other typical dishes include:
- Cachocho – Ham, cheese, and calf meat breaded
- Churros with Chocolate – Hot chocolate
- Tortilla Espanola
- Fabada
- Patitas de Cerdo
It’s the best because after we work outside for a little bit, we come in and usually have steak for breakfast. And when it’s paired with a nice glass of Spanish wine; madre mia! I have not had gazpacho. Apparently, it’s more popular in the south, but it’s available to buy at the store.
For Tres Reyes Magos, I’m expecting the dinner to be superb and over-the-top because the holiday is considered more important here than Christmas.
Covadonga:
Another great area is hidden in the “Picos de Europa” mountains which is definitely worth checking out. The story goes that when the Muslim Moors were closing in on the last part of Spain, this region, a group of Austurian people, led by Don Pelayo, began throwing rocks at the oncoming troops as they walked through the valley. The Moors retreated and this sparked the “Reconquista” of Spain.
The Santa Cueva de Covadonga is this chapel located on the side of this mountain! I’ve never seen anything like it before and I thought I was mishearing Bea when she told me where we were going. There’s a small altar where you can pray. Beside the altar is a smaller cave with the tomb of Pelagius, or Don Pelayo. Below the cave is a waterfall and a pool where people throw coins for good luck. Also next to the pool is a fountain with seven heads and it’s said that if you drink from each of the seven heads, you will marry within the next year.
The cathedral is the “Basílica de Santa María la Real de Covadonga” and it’s really the first European Cathedral I’ve been to. You feel something different when you enter something so grandiose. The tall ceilings give the impression you are closer to touching God. The paintings (even normal cathedrals have impressive paintings), statues, and engravings all seem like they bear more weight on people’s emotions. Maybe it’s from watching so many movies that have led people to relate to THIS type of church more than others.
Beaches:
This area isn’t shy of beaches. Beautiful ones at that. Swimming can’t really be enjoyed too much because of the temperature of the water. I think it’s cold to balance out all the amazing things I’ve been able to enjoy. Still, I have gone swimming and plan to do so again.
Playa Vega:
Beautiful, yet dangerous; playa Vega sits next to the equally beautiful and quaint Vega town. It’s more lively in the summer with tourists and pilgrims walking the Camino. I got to swim here for a little bit after a run with Edu. Very refreshing and reminiscent of Costa Rica.
Playa Torimbia:
An active nudist beach secluded by the hills that surround it that has a lovely sunset I might add. I enjoyed simply looking at this beach from a distance and I really hope I can make it back there for a swim. No nudists now, of course, it’s a little too cold for that.
Playa Del Sablon:
Located in Llanes, this beach is a small enclosed area that butts up right to the city. The downtown is a three-minute walk away, just follow the river and you’ll find the downtown. Anyway, we saw the beach at the end of the sunset and it was the perfect conclusion to the day.
Llanes is a neat little place. Similar to Ribadesella with the beach and its history. The shore has these painted cubes to break the waves, but when we went at night I couldn’t see them too well. One of the five Aramburu stores is in downtown Llanes actually. Not as nice as the Ribadesella (Eduardo’s opinion). Speaking of the Aramburu Shops, below is a link to their website for more info.
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