Hola!   Hola!   We couldn’t wait a week to share this blog with you…. How could  a place be so intoxicatingly awe inspiring!?! Bev has taken soooo many photos the camera wants to go on strike!! (actually Strike if we were in France – but Siesta as we are in Spain!) Ha!! Choosing the best ones has been near impossible, hence there are many!… Hope you enjoy the picture show!… This has to be our favorite “find” to-date!

Leaving marvelous Madrid, Bruce headed North East to an aire in Palencia for two nights where we had “work” to do! Mark was busy with SafetyQuip …. and Bev had hundreds of photos to choose from for our Madrid blog & then the writing!!! Not a lot to discover in Palencia so we continued North towards the coast!

Choosing quieter secondary roads through amazing valley and mountain scenery contrasting with the south of Spain. We drove peacefully for about four hours and saw only a handful of cars!

Around every bend was another majestic mountain and then our jaws dropped at what was ahead!!

Here comes………………Bruce ………………around the bend!!

It’s rare that words escape Bev!!              We both said in unison, “we have to stay here!”

This is the village of Riaño, part of the Picos de Europa National Park in Spain.

Hopefully the photos do it justice…..

It only gets better as we follow the signs up to the fantastic camping park with million dollar views. Plus, the park has super friendly staff, they even came out of the office to warmly greet us!! Excellent facilities, including spotless amenities (and an great restaurant and bar  – the kitchen opens at 8:30pm). Camping Riaño. Their website is here  http://www.campingrianopicosdeeuropa.com/default.aspx

Bev keeps getting distracted by the majestic, serene panoramic views as she writes this! Also by the sounds of cowbells clanging in the distant valleys and the chiming of the old church bells!

Hiking up the mountain behind our camping park we once again are blown away!! 360 degree views.

 

Check out our video here:

 There is a rather sad story behind the making of this beautiful scene. In 1987, under the bridge there was an old village that was sacrificed to make way for the dam. The Camping Park owner was telling us the story – he was seven at the time when his family was uprooted!

This church was dismantled stone – by – stone and rebuilt as part of the new town.

Bev’s meal was veal steaks with blue cheese and peppers. Mark is holding the menu!!

 

For those who need to see MORE, click this link: http://wp.me/P3d6Ek-hl

Yes, our camera tripod came in handy for this shot!