Gran Hotel Balneario De Puente Viesgo Cantabria

... swift action resulted in them being relocated underneath the van, despite the protestations of Lymºs board, which proceeded to lash out and cause him bodily harm about the head. (A: ha ha ha !!) However, all is forgiven and we all lived to surf another day.

A very pretty (cobbled alleyways, olde worlde stylee, cows in a field with not only udders, but also tuneful bells which, when youºve got a dozen, made quite a din a la Mike Oldfield) little town, unlike the campsite which was essentially a sodden piece of grass, for which we were charged Euro 22, for the pleasure of a night's shut-eye.

Leaving San Sebastian behind we drove to Santander to spend the night. With nothing more then the car, no place to stay and no plan. As luck turns out we found a cheap Pension to stay at, and ate in their quaint little restaurant, treated to warm hospitality, good food, and free Grappa and Lemonchelo

... taking place for the past several days. The idea is that all the major immigrant groups in Santander are represented, with a different group taking the lead every night - tonight was Bolivia.

The food selection here was much more extensive than over at the medieval fair, which was really just pastries, South American-style BBQ, and the odd crepe and kebab/couscous joint. Here, there was all that and more, as numerous South American countries ...

... at La Magdalena, which was a nice place for a stroll, and an even nicer place for a picnic. The picnic was cut short, as the winds in La Magdalena were picking up, and it looked like a storm was blowing in.

Luckily, the storm didn't come, and I finished up my picnic just outside of the park, before going for a walk. It's a little difficult doing aimless wandering in El Sardinero, since it lacks the dimly-lit and narrow streets that ...

... I prefer Leon's because of its stained glass windows. Gothic cathedrals are normally dark on the inside, but the Burgos cathedral seemed almost too bright. There were, however, some very interesting items to be found in the cathedral. And as is generally true, the cloisters were the best part of the cathedral, at least for me. Though today, this was mostly due to the high number of senoritas walking about the cloisters.

Having time to kill ...

... women with slightly less in the
pneumatic chest department. This really is the 21st
Century you know! At least I think that by employing the marketeers
from Brittany Ferries they would maybe have called the festival
Tractores y Chocolate y Tetas or some such giving some clue to the
actual content, I mean anyone hoping for a bar of chocolate or a ride
on a tractor would be sadly disappointed.
Anyhow, things ridiculous aren't
confined to ...

... I loved this human scale city. No building is higher than the church spires, and so many streets are closed to cars. The locals make the most of this and wander around late into the evening. It feels a very safe city. The city sits right on three beautiful beaches and the back drop are hills and mountains. I think it would e a very nice place to live. The food is also great with the basque equivalent to tapas lined artistically up along bars.

... of the scenery today was just incredible, as the winding roads cut a path through the tree covered mountains i was regulerly greeted with the most amazing views, views which were visable due to the regularity by which i was climbing and descending through said mountains. I fear and relish in equal measure the fact that this rise and fall may well be the story of the next two weeks, could ...

... in the day, I discovered that the locals have an evening favorite drink. Vino con Cola. There is a specific name for the concoction that I can't remember right now ... but essentially its just that ... wine plus Coca Cola. Just like you'd mix Rum and Coke. Same thing. We tried it. Loved it. Another favorite. Twenty minutes later, Janice took the kids home for bed and I watched and cheered the Spaniards on to victory with the locals. Every German that was passed on ...