Jay Peak

10.11.23 — Vermont

With my first couple of days in Vermont done, it was time for the leaf peeping (find our what that means in my last post) to really begin. With Megan at work, Mallory came over and joined me and Maureen what was to become one of the most picturesque days of the whole trip. Keep on reading for some cool views!

The three of us hopped into Maureen’s car and began our journey up to the north of Vermont, where the leaves were supposedly at ‘peak’, meaning the peak of their colourfulness. Maureen had decided we should head up to Jay Peak, a mountain found tucked just below the Canadian border.

Before we arrived, we’d some errands to run. Our first stop was to an unassuming roadside shop where we grabbed what both Maureen and Mallory agreed were the best maple syrup ice creams in the whole state. The locals call these ‘maple creemees’, a name I still find hilarious.

I’m no maple expert, but this was one good ice cream!

Heading further on down the road, we eventually stopped for some lunch at another roadside café. Having fallen in love with the amazing sandwiches that they have around the area last year, I grabbed myself a turkey and bacon concoction. I enjoyed this on a park bench below the hills just round the back of the café, where Maureen got chatting to some cyclists who were off to bike around the area. What a great spot for a bike ride!

Lunch over, we hit the road once more, determined to make it to Jay Peak in good time. That was until we passed by what looked to be a fabulous spot to take a photo of the mountains, so we parked up and inadvertently stumbled across a stone merchants specialising in outdoor construction. Whilst Maureen got chatting to the owner, me and Mallory snuck off to take some photos of the gorgeous surroundings…

I soon found that I’d walked quite a way off course, discovering first this cool chrome truck and then some abandoned farm hardware framed by the gorgeous autumnal forest on the mountainside. I headed back to the car and then we set off once more.

This wasn’t to be the last of our stops, though, as after driving for a while longer we suddenly found ourselves approaching a lake set amongst the hills and curves of the country roads. This was an opportunity we couldn’t let pass us by, and so once again we parked up and stepped out to find ourselves surrounded by one of the most impressive sights I’ve ever seen.

All around the lake could be seen the warm colours of the dense forest.

Naturally we weren’t the only people that had stopped to admire the views. We got chatting to some other people who’d stopped by, although I was particularly jealous of a couple of kayakers who had chosen the perfect spot to have a paddle around at this time of year.

You can just about see the two kayaks in this picture.

As we hopped back in the car and continued up the winding lanes between the foliage, all I could think of was the country classic ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads‘ by John Denver. I know he was from pretty much the other side of the US, but the sentiment of the song felt like a perfect fit as we trundled along without seeing another soul.

We eventually made it to Jay Peak, taking the car as far up the mountain as we could before we’d to park up and take a cable car for the rest of the journey. This was very much like me and Megan’s trip up Mount Mansfield last year, but this time we were blessed with much better weather – even if it was pretty chilly!

The colours in these photos look almost fake, but I promise they’re not.

After buying tickets for the tram ride (which is their name for the arial cable car) we waited for the next trip to the summit, which were running every half hour until 5pm. It was already 4pm when we hopped into one of the gondolas, so we were cutting it pretty fine!

The trip up was amazing. From our cabin we could see right across Vermont and were even able to get up close to the colourful treetops as we flew over them. Whilst not gawking at the sights, we got chatting to the operator who was aboard the huge gondola with us. He told us about the history of the tram and pointed out some of the key sights as we ascended into the heavens. I’d tell you all about them if I could, but with my memory there’s no chance!

Our gondola rumbled past the other one on its way down, our ears popped, and before we knew it we were at the top. We stepped back onto terra firma and followed the signs to the peak of Jay Peak, which opened out to some amazing views from the other side of the mountain.

I wish the guy who took this photo for us would have told me that I’d left my bag in shot…

After me and Mallory had a good snoop around, we came back to find Maureen chatting to the lad who’d offered to take the photo of the three of us. We then also got talking to a guy who’d been sat on his own admiring the views. He explained what we were seeing from our vantage point atop the mountain, which even included a thin white line which was the reflection from the waters of the Great Lakes. Pretty cool.

When we asked him how he knew so much, it turned out that he had worked on the mountain’s resort and even running the tram for many years. I couldn’t resist then asking him what would happen if we missed the last trip down the mountainside. He said that there was always one more trip after the advertised final one, just in case, which put all of our minds at ease.

He did also tell us the story of a group that missed even this last journey and got completely stranded, though. He’d volunteered to help this group, coordinating with local authorities to help guide the beleaguered tourists back to civilisation. I thought that the rescue would have involved a helicopter or something, but no: the poor souls had to make the hours-long trek down the mountain in the dark and on foot!

Sufficiently spooked by this story, we were very sure to be back on the tram for the 4:30pm descent, just thirty minutes after we’d arrived at the top. The descent was even more impressive, even if the tram operator this time said that the peak time for leaf peeping had been a week before our trip.

Once back at the car, we began our journey back to Williston. On the way, Maureen wanted to pay a visit to a relative’s grave, so me and Mallory allowed her some space as we went for a walk around the rest of the yard. I do love spending time in graveyards, for although they are a naturally sad space, I find them to be calm, pretty, and peaceful.

This cemetery was a particularly stunning place to be laid to rest.

Now back at Maureen and Terry’s place in Williston, Mallory headed back home and I settled down on the sofa to watch The Great British Bake Off with Maureen. It was a lovely relaxing end to a busy day of exploring the best that autumnal Vermont has to offer. Many thanks again to Maureen for taking me out to make some lovely memories and take some equally lovely photos!

Autumn in Williston

09.11.23 — Vermont

Our trip across the US border from Canada had taken us not into Vermont, the state we were headed to, but rather to New York State. Unfortunately this trip wouldn’t be seeing me visit New York City nor Buffalo as I did last year, so we’d to head east once we were on US soil.

This wasn’t before a celebratory stop to grab some snacks and milkshakes, though. Megan and Mallory took us to Stewart’s Shop, a magical place where we could have any ice cream flavour made into a huge milkshake that the guy at the counter left in the big cups they come out of the mixer in. I got an apple crumble one and it was divine!

With most of our daily calories now consumed, the three of us hopped back in the car and over to the border with Vermont, a trip which took us over the waters of the lovely Lake Champlain. As we crossed over, I began to catch a glimpse of what I’d come to see: the gorgeous autumnal colours that can be found across the northern US.

We then passed a sign which read “Leaf peepers: eyes on road”. I asked what a ‘leaf peeper’ was, and it turns out that it’s what the locals call the people that come to Vermont at this time of year to see the foliage in all its colourful glory. I was a leaf peeper!

When I further quizzed Megan about the sign, it turns out that people get so distracted by the colourful trees that there’s a rise in road accidents at this time of year. Megan wasn’t going to fall foul of such temptations, though, and we soon rocked up at her parents’ house in Williston, my home for the rest of my stay.

Leaf peepers: eyes on road.

It was wonderful to see Maureen and Terry again, and I’ve to thank them right off the block for hosting me in their lovely home. I unpacked my stuff, rested a bit after our weekend in Montreal, and then I was soon downstairs and helping Maureen prepare some potato salad for the arrival of all the guests who’d been invited over for an evening meal.

All of Megan’s friends who I’d met the year before then arrived and we all had a lovely catch up. Terry fired up the barbecue and made some delicious skewers and hot dogs, all of which we enjoyed in the unseasonal warm weather out on their back porch. It was an absolutely delightful evening!

The next day I was up bright and early for work, which thanks to the time difference meant that I was done by midday. This meant I could head back down to the garden and join Maureen for a chat over a lunch made of leftovers from the previous night’s barbecue.

Once she’d finished work, Megan came over with Mallory for the three of us to go on a little wander before we headed out for more evening activities. We took the family dog, Ellie, and walked up to the farm shop near their home as the sun began to slowly set.

Here’s the three girls on their way to the farm shop.

This turned out to be a very aesthetically pleasing trip, as we arrived to find the little wooden farm shop surrounded by pumpkins, squashes, and other seasonal produce. There were hundreds of pumpkins dotted around, amongst them these warty ones which it turns out they call ‘warty goblins’. Hilarious!

It was hard to take a bad photo when surrounded by such beautiful sights.

Once Megan finally managed to entice me inside the shop, I spent a while perusing the odd wares, from rock candy to maple sugar – the latter of which I picked up to take back to Madrid with me. I was also introduced to another little pick-me-up in the form of a tiny plastic straw full of honey, which I bought and chewed on as we walked home.

We’d also picked up an apple crumble (or ‘crisp’ as they call it) for the evening’s dessert, so we took that over from Maureen and Terry’s place and over to Breen and Aaron’s. They’d invited us over for a meal at theirs, a meal which would then be followed by an evening watching ‘The Bachelor’. In the end, I can’t decide if it was better or worse than ‘The Bachelorette’, which I was forced to watch last year whilst in Williston too!

I was enchanted by the autumn leaves in the afternoon sun.

The meal of turkey lasagne was absolutely delicious. It came accompanied by some garlic bread that Megan put a lot of love into making, as well as some cheese and homemade crackers that Breen had whipped up before we arrived. She’s a dab hand!

It was an evening of fun and giggles as we all gave a running commentary of our opinions of the decisions that the bachelor made during this first episode of the new season. I also particularly appreciated the company of Libby, Breen and Aaron’s dog, as well as their cat, whose name as far as I can work out is just ‘Cat’.

Full of food and tired after a long day, I then had a good night’s kip. This was just as well, as the next day we’d plenty to get up to: but I’ll leave that for next time!

Back to Montreal

04.11.23 — Montreal

As you can see, I’ve had a busy summer. Between trips to Japan and Asturias and then many visits from friends to my home in Madrid, I’d barely had chance to breathe during the main summer months from July to September. October also promised for a busy time, however, as I had another little (see: big) trip planned: I was heading back to the US!

Last year I went on a month-long galavant around North America, the entirety of which I documented here on my blog. This year I was going to be doing the same thing, albeit for just two weeks this time around. I was even starting off the same, with the (relatively) cheap and easy flight from Madrid to Canada…

The trip was a pretty smooth one, with the only inconveniences being a rather long and winding journey to the aeroplane in Madrid and then a very slow disembarkation in Montreal. This was as we’d been transferred off into a “PTV”, a curious thing which looks like a bus but which rises to the aeroplane door, lowers to ground level, and then rises back again upon arriving at the terminal. Through sheer coincidence the other day one of the YouTubers I watch, Tom Scott, did a video on these very contraptions. It’s worth a look!

The flight was still 8 hours, but after the 14 back from Japan, it felt like nothing.

Once I cleared the Canadian border I headed outside and waited for my lift, as Megan and Malory were both coming to pick me up! The three of us had arranged to spend a night in Montreal together, this time in a rather swankier hotel than where Megan and I stayed last year.

Reunited at last, the three of us had a great catch up and some laughs as we sped into Montreal proper and to the hotel. The city was hosting an important ice hockey game that evening, so the hotel’s car park was pretty busy when we arrived. We managed to grab a spot and headed straight for the room as Megan and Malory had checked in when they’d arrived earlier in the day.

With the evening wearing on, there was only one thing we really fancied doing: making the most of our bougie hotel. It was set across the tenth and top floor of an office building, providing great views along with a pool, sauna, and a rather fancy lobby. Changing into our swimming gear and grabbing a glass of wine for Megan, the three of us jumped in the pool and spent a while unwinding. It was a welcome rest after a long journey!

Now tired and hungry, we headed back to the hotel room in our white dressing gowns and then got changed in order to head out for some food. Being in Canada, there was only one dish that fit the bill: poutine! Megan researched a good local spot and the three of us headed a few blocks down the road.

We arrived at the restaurant absolutely ravenous and so naturally ordered way more food than we could handle. With eyes bigger than our bellies, we tucked into three different variants of poutine, with one of them being just the classic combination of chips, gravy, and cheese. To top it all off we grabbed some huge milkshakes for dessert. It was bliss, but we did have to practically roll back to the hotel…

The sun came out for a morning in the hotel.

The next day we didn’t really have much planned, with our only priority being to head back to the lovely bakery that me and Megan had discovered the year before. There we had some croissants and coffee for breakfast, not forgetting (well, almost forgetting) to pick up some divine olive bread to take back with us to Vermont.

Along the way we did run into a nice little surprise in the form of a Parisian metro entrance that had been brought over to Montreal. I remember studying these Art Nouveau icons back in my design classes, so we simply had to grab a pic. Do you catch the other sneaky art reference?

Art Nouveau meets The Creation of Adam.

Now back at the hotel, we packed our bags and loaded them into the car ready for our drive south and across the US-Canadian border. Like last time, Megan took me through a smaller backroad checkpoint, where once again I was asked to step out of the car as Megan and Malory could drive straight through.

This experience was rather pleasant, even if I did have to wait around as some Italians were sent back into Canada and told to return in a few hours when their online application should have been processed and approved. I thankfully suffered no hiccups, with the border control officer allowing me to head in without even paying for the border check as he couldn’t be bothered setting up the card reader. What a legend!

Now across the US border, I will leave the rest of the tale of what I got up to until my next post. It was only two weeks, but we packed plenty in, so prepare for a barrage of other posts outlining everything that we got up to…

Gijón, Madrid, Gijón

01.11.23 — Gijón

Now back in Madrid after a trip to Asturias with my parents, it was time for us to move into our new office at Erretres. This we realised in a hitch, moving all of our stuff over in record time and settling in right away. This was just like the first change in office I ever experienced whilst I was an intern there all those years ago!

On a more personal level, I set about some lifestyle changes now that my trips to Japan and Asturias were over. This meant joining the gym, restarting swimming, and doing my best to eat healthier. I’m still doing my best to do these three things as I write this blog post a couple of months later, so let’s see how this goes!

As the title of the blog post indicates, though, I wasn’t ready to sit still in Madrid for too long. For some context, I’ve been in the process of trying to get my British driving license exchanged for a Spanish one, but (and as is often the case with all bureaucracy here) I was struggling to get an appointment.

Looking around, I saw that the DGT (the Spanish equivalent of the DLVA or the DMV) had some appointments going in their Gijón office. With the city being my second home at this point (or is that third?), I grabbed a car share and headed up to visit Cami for a couple of days.

This odd tunnel was to be found at a rest stop along the way.

Once in Gijón, Cami and I spent a couple of very short days having lots of fun. In between the obligatory remote work, we managed to fit in a gym session, a movie night, some shopping, my visit to the DGT, and even a delicious homemade dinner made by Cami. It was a lovely, albeit way too short, trip!

Now back in Madrid, I’d another week at work before I was off on yet another little adventure – but more on that in my next blog post. Before I jetted off elsewhere, I wanted to make the most of the early autumnal weather here in the capital. That meant an afternoon with Sara wandering around Retiro, Madrid’s big central park.

This afternoon stroll in the warm light was followed by a cup of herbal tea sat on a terrace near the park’s lake. It was the perfect way to catch up and say goodbye before I headed off for two weeks of holiday elsewhere.

The next couple of days were then taken up with packing and sweating over the fact that I’d left said packing to the very last minute. I guess some things never change! More on all that very soon, though…

Asturias With My Parents

27.10.23 — Gijón

After enjoying many a visit and then spending some time with friends from Madrid, it was time for the arrival of some very special guests: my parents! They landed in from the UK and managed to plonk themselves on the right train at the airport in order to arrive in my neighbourhood. I collected them from there and we headed back to mine for a late and thus relaxing evening. We had big plans for the coming days!

The next day we were up and out of the door by noon as we’d arranged to go and pick up a hire car just up the road. This was because the three of us were going to head up to Asturias together, something I’d been talking to my dad about doing for a good while. In the end, my mum decided to join too, and so off we went!

Asturias, patria querida. Asturias de mis amores.

This northern region of Spain is very special to me: I first visited Kevin there in 2017 and ever since I’ve gone up time and time again to spend time with friends and discover more of the amazing landscapes, people, cider, and food that it has to offer. I was thus very excited to finally show my parents everything it had to offer as we sped up the motorway and closer to the mountain range that marks the Asturian border.

We’d be using Gijón, a city I know very well, as a base. We arrived there, I grabbed the keys to our apartment, and then the chaos began as we tried to navigate the parking that we’d been assigned. It was only after skilfully weaving the hire car down into the underground garage that my dad discovered that the Nissan in question had an absolutely terrible turning circle. A few stressful minutes ensued as we tried to search for a way to get the car out of the labyrinth of concrete pillars, but a bit of direction from my mum and me had us out in a jiffy.

It was time for my parents’ first look at Gijón.

With the car now parked on the street, we unpacked in the apartment and then headed out for my parents’ first taste of Gijón. The sun was already pretty much set by the time we made it into the centre, but we had enough time to snoop around a cute artisan market, wander around the harbour, and eventually find somewhere for something to eat.

We had our evening meal down by the waterfront, where my mum had her first taste of Asturian cider (it was a ‘no’ from her) and I introduced my parents to pastel de cabracho (a delicious fish paste) and cachopo (an Asturian classic of breaded and fried meat stuffed with cured ham and cheese). This all went down very well and had us plenty tired to get us off for the night before our first full day of explorations.

The next day I wanted to show my parents a little bit more of Gijón before we’d begin exploring the rest of Asturias. We headed down to the centre for a wander around in the rather overcast weather, stopping off for a rather delicious lunch just as it began to rain. This was a nice stroke of good luck given that the weather in Asturias is notoriously unpredictable.

We then wound up heading up to the cape of Cimadevilla, a great spot for looking out over the ocean and looking back over Gijón’s seafront. The clouds were once again rolling in as we climbed, and sure enough it began to throw it down just as we reached the summit.

This wasn’t about to ruin our afternoon though. We had a giggle with the rest of the people who were taking refuge under a big concrete sculpture and then enjoyed the views of a 180° rainbow that formed over the sea.

Despite the downpour, they weren’t really that grumpy.

To finish the day in Gijón off, we headed back down to the old town in Cimadevilla and plonked ourselves under an awning for a drink before we were set to head back to the apartment. This strategic location worked a treat, as soon enough it was raining again and we just about managed to avoid getting wet.

That night I headed out alone in order to meet up with Cami, Bogar, and Javier, my friends who all live in Gijón and who I hadn’t seen for a while. We headed out for pizza and a few drinks and had an absolute whale of a time as we giggled over stories aplenty. It was great to make a moment to see them whilst I was up there.

Day two saw the three of us having breakfast in what would soon become our go-to bar just below the apartment. From there, we grabbed the car and drove westwards and to the gorgeous coastal town of Cudillero. Kevin had taken me to this place a few years ago and I’d been blown away by how striking it was. I was therefore keen for my parents to experience it too.

Avoiding the parking struggle and long walk that me and Kevin had endured when we went unprepared (as ever), this time I did a little research and we thus headed for the free parking down at the port area. From there we began to wander into the town, upon which it – shocker – started to rain.

The whole morning we spent in Cudillero was a bit like this – on and off rain with some moments of blue sky. The quaint yet striking surroundings made up for the naff weather though, and we were able to saunter around, explore shops, and have a coffee at our own pace.

This guy didn’t seem at all fazed by the unstable weather.

Once we’d had our fill of Cudillero, we hopped back in the car and headed down the coast for a few minutes to another town I wanted to revisit: Luanco. This was yet another coastal spot that Kevin had taken me to and which I had remembered was very pretty. This memory was affirmed as we parked up and admired the views as the sun just about broke through the clouds over the seafront.

We walked along the beach and into the old centre of the town, where we found ourselves back out by the water for some lunch. This time we’d nabbed a table in a bustling little restaurant just by the small port. There we tucked into some seafood and other local dishes whilst enjoying a spell of good weather as the sun heated us up a little.

I love the wonky lines of the rather old local church.

As the afternoon wore on we headed back to the car and to one last quick stop: Candás. As you have probably guessed by now, this was yet another spot I originally visited with Kevin back in 2018, and one I thought that we might as well stop off at seeing as it’s located on the road back to Gijón.

When me and Kevin had visited we had run into a medieval market, but the odd time of year coupled with the dodgy weather meant that Candás was quite quiet as I arrived with my mum and dad. I’d been recommended an ice cream parlour and so we grabbed one each, although my mum wasn’t a fan and so my dad happily pottered off down to the beach with an ice cream in each hand!

On the way back to Gijón, my mum announced that she wanted a burger, and so we wound up stopping in the Burger King just around the corner from our apartment. We had a good laugh about trying the local food, but I’m always down for a greasy burger and so the evening’s arrangements just hit the spot!

The next day I made a last-minute change in our plans and decided that I wanted to take my parents to Oviedo, the city that first introduced me to Asturias and where Kevin was based for many years. We’d had a busy day in smaller towns, so I thought that a day wandering around the pretty, calm, and clean streets of the Asturian capital would make for a welcome break.

We first stopped for lunch at an area called La Ruta de los Vinos, meaning “The Wine Trail”. Rather than indulging in a tipple, we were served huge portions of local dishes including a delicious piece of lamb that I devoured with some chips. It was a proper Asturian lunch, and I think my mum and dad were both rather impressed by how much you can get for your money in this glorious northern region!

We spent the afternoon perusing the city in the glorious sun, which had finally shown up after a few grey days. Activities included a spot of shopping, a little tourist tour around the main sights, and even a relaxing afternoon drink in the park.

I think my parents really enjoyed Oviedo, but we’d still to go and experience the main reason why I’d brought them here: Tierra Astur. This restaurant is specialised in traditional Asturian cuisine and is a firm favourite with locals and visitors alike. This is a great sign but is also something which makes it a nightmare to get a reservation for. I’d managed to bag one though, and so off we went to try yet more local dishes.

We enjoyed yet another lovely meal inside the cozy atmosphere of Tierra Astur, with the star plate being the pork in a creamy cheese sauce: divine! This combined with the huge lunch had left us rather full and quite sleepy, so afterwards all that was left for us to do was to potter back down to where we’d left the car.

The old church in the moonlight made for a spooky scene.

On the way we ran into an old church which is the oldest building in the entire city – a fact I’d learned from Kevin the first time I went up to visit him there. In the evening light and with the moon obscured by clouds, it made for an interesting scene and a nice little farewell image as we left Oviedo.

The next day was our last day in Asturias and so I’d made sure to save the best until last. Well rested and well fed after a day in Oviedo, it was time to head up into the mountains and to one of the most stunning locations I’ve ever visited: Cangas de Onís.

This sanctuary up in the mountains is of great regional, religious, and even national importance, being the place where Alfonso III began his “reconquista” or “reconquest” of the Iberian Peninsula from the Muslim kingdoms back in the eight century. Once again, Kevin introduced me to this place way back in 2017, and since then I have been looking forward to going back to check out its breathtaking scenery.

To get there, we parked up in a field where a bus would take us up the final leg of the road and to the mountainous town itself. Upon arrival in Cangas de Onís we began wandering around, with my parents as impressed as I was the first time by the awesome views of the cathedral amongst the mountains, the sheer cliffs, and the little church perched high up in a cave over a natural spring water pool.

This church tucked into the rock face is a sight to behold.

Whilst me and my dad headed down to check out the natural spring, my mum said she would head up to the church. Once we were back at the steps up to the cave, we couldn’t find her anywhere. We then discovered that she’d gone and joined the congregation for a sit down in this tiny little church itself!

From the church, we followed the cave tunnel system back out and up to the level of the cathedral, which would be impressive in any location, never mind out here in the middle of a valley between two mountains. We were soon asked to leave that one as a mass was about to begin, and so took that as a cue to head back down to the bus stop and be on our way to the next location.

Spot my mum in between the crosses of this sculpture.

Before we headed back to Gijón for our last evening, I also wanted to show my parents Ribadesella. Who might it have been that showed me this pretty town back in the day? Say it with me now: Kevin!

We parked up under still blue skies and had a good wander along the port area, which is situated along the banks of the river’s estuary just before it meets the sea. I love this place for its combination of sea, beach, mountains, and old town centre, but the first thing we needed to do was to get some more lunch: we’d had a bite to eat up in the mountains of Cangas de Onís, but I was still peckish for some croquetas.

We found a nice restaurant that was kind enough to fry us up some croquetas despite the late hour, and there we sat on their terrace as we watched the clouds roll in and start to look a little menacing.

The grey skies thankfully never turned to rain though, and so we did have chance to watch the boats come to and fro, potter around the old town, and even try a carbayón, a traditional local sweet made of pastry, almonds, and plenty of sugar.

Once tired, we headed back to Gijón to ready ourselves for our last night. We spent this down in the old town of Cimadevilla, where we snagged a table at El Llavaderu, a restaurant famed for its huge cachopo. We had a lovely meal and a great laugh with the waiter, who poured us plenty of ciders and kept us entertained with his tips and stories.

The next day we were up and packed and ready to go, but not before some breakfast at our favourite local bar. From there, we headed back to the car and made the long journey back down to Madrid, where our only task was to get something to eat before bed.

We thus spent the evening around Lavapiés, enjoying some lovely pizza at NAP before sauntering back down to my neighbourhood for some drinks at two of my local favourite terraces: one just outside the local cinema and one that I’ve been going to for years now. It was a great way to end my parents’ visit.

I had an absolutely lovely time spending a week with my parents, and it was so nice to finally get to take them around a part of Spain that I love so very much. Although we couldn’t squeeze in everything that I wanted to do, we saw a decent amount for the few days that we were actually up in Asturias. I hope that they come back soon to experience a bit more of the north – perhaps even with some better weather, too!