Staying in the Parador at Fuente De, high up in the Picos de Europa, doesn’t quite have the same ambience as cabin 912 on Brittany Ferries ‘Galicia’, just ask Nige!
If you saw his comment on the last entry you will maybe have gathered that our 33 hour crossing from Portsmouth to Santander wasn’t quite ‘plain sailing’. Of this Famous Five I think only Ernie and I came through unscathed, so it is with great relief that, now on terra firma, everybody in the party is ‘ship shape’.
It was Nige and Sue’s desire to stay at this parador and what an excellent choice it is, this is the standard I should become accustomed to!
A funny thing happened on my way to Spain
Whilst on the ferry I was checking our position on one of the huge interactive screens, a member of the crew was pointing out our precise location off the coast of Brittany and as I scanned across the map I said “Oh, I have family in St Malo”, the crew member pointed over to the reception desk at a colleague and said “He’s from St Malo”. My conversation with his colleague went something like this:
“Well not exactly St Malo, a little place just outside called St Jouan”
“I’m from St Jouan”!
“Oh, you maybe know the name Couapel”?
“He was the mayor and director of the school”
“Yeah that’s right, Luc, is son Yann is married to my daughter”
“I know of Yann but he’s a few years older than me”
We laughed at the connection, but maybe it shouldn’t have been such a surprise being on a ‘Brittany’ ferry?
The ride into the Picos
I’m starting to get used to rolling off a ferry and riding on the ‘wrong’ side of the road, but it still took a few miles for it to sink in that we are now in Spain. We initially headed west and once clear of the urban environment around Santander the view opens up to the south where the rolling green foothills have the stunning rocky peaks of the Picos as a backdrop. I smile inwardly as we pass through lovely villages and meander our way past white sandy beaches and up through pine forests. The waterproofs stay packed away as the sun breaks through and the temperature starts to rise, vented bike gear is now the attire of choice.
Tomorrow we continue in a south westerly direction but for the time being here are today’s snapshots….
Let’s just say he’s finding the GS ‘lively’ compared to his Harley! 😬
Thanks Bri! You still made me laugh and I was there 😂
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It’s a small world! You never know who knows who …and what they know???
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Bloody hell Brian – think you have a connection with someone in every country 😜x
🤣x
It doesn’t surprise me for such an international man of mystery 😎. Great first day.
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