Spain part 3: Picos de Europa

Not far from Santander are the Picos de Europa.  With a cable car that can help you climb all the way to the very top, we just had to visit.

Because we had the weekend free, we were trying to work out how to get the bus there on Saturday and back on Sunday, but in the end, we could not really confirm when the bus would return, and we could not find a local tour agency that could arrange getting us there.  It was far simpler to rent a car for 24 hours, and do the trip ourselves.  This actually gave us a great deal of flexibility, and meant that we could use the car early the next morning to visit
some of the places in Santander that are a bit harder when tied to a public bus route & schedule.

We were up early (in Santander-terms) and at the rental agency by 9, but having lost our senses, we had left our passports at home.  In the end, with the delay of going back to pick them up we were on the road at about 9.45, and got to Fuente Dé by midday.  The clouds were thick, but relatively high up, allowing us to almost see all the way to the top, with the last few metres of the cable car's ascent blocked from view on the ground.  

Can't see the top

Although there are only two cars that go up and down in tandem, we did not need to wait too long before starting our ascent.  Crammed in with 18 others, there was little room to move, but our strategic positioning meant we had both a great view of the ground, and the "flight" upwards.  Looking back down from the top took your breath away and it was hard to believe we had covered so much height in such a short time.  

From the top 

With a cloud blanket

The clouds had lifted slightly, allowing us to sit just under them, admiring the view and munching on our prepared lunch.  Others were smarter than me (Kat), and recognised the need for warmer clothes at high altitude, so I was keen to get moving.  We walked amongst the mountains for a few hours, stopping as we felt like it, exchanging pleasantries with mountain goats, and chatting to a sheepdog who had very little interest, in us or anything else for that matter.

Nothing to see here

Once amongst the hills, we were lost to all sounds of people and civilisation but for the occasional tinkling of a sheep/goat's bell in the distance. If Kat hadn't been sick during this period, we would have done the 16km loop walk back down to th car park but as it was, she wasn't quite up to it.  It was a lovely day, so instead we sat, and talked and walked and sat and talked and walked and did it again in reverse until we were back at the cable car station, with no one in line but ourselves to enjoy the relaxing ride back down.

Cubby holes

On a break

Pictures of rocks

We punctuated the 2 hour drive home with a stop in the river-side town of Potes.  It was a beautiful place and we enjoyed walking the backstreets downhill from our car park to the small river and taking in the last of the sun with a coffee and tapas.

We woke early the next morning to enjoy a slow and late sunrise over Santander Bay and then explored further west along the northern coastline before it was time to return the car.  We found a nice spot where the light should start from just behind the palace. There were far fewer people out and about that I had expected.  At home I would normally expect a place to be buzzing with cyclists and runners and dogs and all sorts.  But our morning friends were a sole backpacker, a man with a pipe and a dog, and another man with a metal detector.  As the sun started to shine through the beach cleaners also put in an appearance.  Not much happens before 9 or 10 am in Santander!

Man and dog (and pipe)

As the sun progressed on its journey, we drove further north, and found an even better spot overlooking a small inlet.  It was so good to be able to move from place to place with our own car.

For the best spot to see sunrise, it is hard to go past Parque de Cabo Mayor, make sure to find the lighthouse!

Little car enjoying sunrise

Costs:

* 16 Euro/pp return cable car

* 25 pounds car rental (it was easier to book through a British website)

Glad we found this spot

Spain part 2: Santillana del Mar and Comillas

One weekend whilst we were in Spain, we took a trip to the two towns of Santillana del Mar and Comillas, only a few hours from Santander by their cheap and comfortable inter-city buses.  Our host in Santander advised against staying for the night as, in her opinion, we didn't need long to see both places, I even overheard a conversation in a cafe of some other toursts that were leaving on a bus at 11.30, visiting both towns and returning for a show in Santander at 8pm.  We think we could have easily spent more than a weekend there, particularly in Comillas.

Santillana del Mar
Parts of Santillana del Mar had certainly become a touristy town, but with good reason.  They have a beautiful old church, lovely architecture, well-maintained cobblestone streets and nearby are caves in which lived some of the earliest human inhabitants.

Santillana del Mar's main drag (Collegiate church in the background)

Posers in front of the Colegiata de Santa Juliana at Santillana del Mar

While we saw the outside of the church and wandered about town by the early Saturday afternoon Kat unfortunately began to feel even further ill, and retired to bed, but I (once making sure she was comfortable) returned to see the inside of the church.  No photos allowed inside (I apparently, was the only one observing the rule).

Unfortunately, I was not able to see the cloister, as there was a wedding but I did get to have a lovely, peaceful and solitary look around.  For the thousands of pilgrims that have walked this way over the years, while extraordinarily grand for such a small town, it seemed a very peaceful & spiritual place to be.

What is now the Colegiata de Santillana del Mar (or 'de Santa Juliana') was once a small chapel built as long ago as the 9th century when the remains of Santa Juliana were supposedly kept here.  It flourished into a great monastery and became a collegiate church in the 12th century.

Morning sun on the Colegiata de Santa Juliana 

Within the walls of the monastery

For the latter parts of the afternoon we were entertained by local triathletes who were almost cycling and running past our window, being encouraged by a very repetitive man on a loudspeaker.

About town there are some proud coats-of-arms

Stunning house decoration

Late afternoon in Santillana del Mar

Comillas

Comillas, well, a day probably wasn't enough.  Our bus came into town in the late morning, but was stuck on the outskirts because of a road closure for a cycling event.  Deciding not to wait, we walked the last kilometre or two and cheered on the cyclists as the peloton passed through.

Bike back!

We first were excited by the necropolis, with a large angel standing guard.  Originally, the angel was there to protect the marquis' first son, but eventually the place was opened up and the angel was given to the town to protect the souls of their dead.  It was a beautiful and peaceful place with a view of the surrounding hills and down over the town.  

Guardian angel standing watch - ever ready at Comillas

We continued up the hill, eager to leave behind the crowd and traffic of the cycling event behind us and hoping to find the entrance to the Pontifical University - which I think is under renovation.  We did not manage that, but had a very enjoyable walk.  We returned for lunch where Kat found a Kat-sized personal Lighthouse - and we visited the local port/marina, which itself had a nice view of the esplanade and I think was once used for whaling. 

A Kat-sized lighthouse

It was only after lunch that we visited the town proper. We passed a man playing a digeridoo outside the grand church on the multi-layered market square, and walked part of the pilgrim route to a beautiful spot overlooking the beach, where a tall monument to the Marquis of Comillas was erected, sticking our beaks into the pilgrim's albergue on the way (which was packed full). 

Church of San Christóbal rising above the market square

Comillas Beach

On the pilgrim's path, outside an albergue

We of course, paid homage to the sand and water - where we realised that our experience of the beach differs greatly from the local Spaniards.   Spanish beach-goers set themselves up to face the sun, wherever it might be, while we generally always orient ourselves to thew water.  They probably have good reason, summer had started to draw to a close, and we were on an Atlantic facing beach, so the water wasn't what you would call inviting. Kat grabbed this lovely photo of this phenomenon in action.  Umbrella and backs to the sea and wind, faces to the sun!

Setting up at the beach

Sun is the priority, not water

This was all before enjoying an early dinner, where we had the unfortunate opportunity to overhear the horror of sleeping in one of the flea infested beds at the albergue.  The American recounting the story from the night before had just arrived in town at 7pm  to find all Comillas albergues full, and that he would need to continue walking!  Long hard days that reminded me a little of our efforts in Nepal.  A small part of me was jealous that he was on such a beautiful long hike, but the other part of me was looking forward to a nap on the bus that would carry me back to my nice warm and flea-less bed, in an apartment with hot running water, a stove, refrigerator and wifi!  

Spain part 1: Santander and Somo

Santander was a beautiful place to spend a month. 

We knew we wanted the flexibility in our trip through Europe to stay in the one spot for awhile and as our journey progressed we decided Spain was the place. Originally (so long ago now!) for our time in Spain we thought we could get jobs or volunteer as well as some hiking along the Camino de Santiago (St James' Way) but that evolved.  We decided we were most excited about staying put for a month somewhere near the beach, and do small walks on the El Camino de Santiago.  Doing a huge part of the walk was out of the question (I think that it is more than 800km long), but setting ourselves up in the beach-side town of Santander meant that we could do a few parts of the Camino Del Santiago Del Norte quite easily. 

In the end even that turned out differently than we imagined. Kat finished off some research work then got sick (and now has stories to tell about a home visit from a Russian speaking doctor and a trip to the emergency room). Whereas I landed a job working remotely for a client in Australia that allowed us to save up some additional travel money, but this did tie me to a computer. We learned some Spanish (but there's a lot more to go!), and we saw some amazing sights. Little did we know that Santander was once summer residence of the Spanish royalty, but more on that later.

Beaches

The first week in Santander was really hot and we took the opportunity to visit three of the best beaches in Spain, according to Rough Guides.  We went to Playa de la Magdalena, Somo & El Sardinero; all of which lie along the Camino Del Santiago Del Norte  and all are very close to each other and all beautiful in different ways. The beaches were full of Spaniards enjoying the final weeks of the summer holidays. We enjoyed watching some play paddle ball and alternated reading in the sun with swimming in the ocean. It was so lovely to be at the beach as it had been awhile!

La Playa de la Magdalena

El Sardinero

El Camino del Norte

"The Way of Saint James" follows the legend that St James' remains were taken from Jerusalem to the city that is now known as Santiago de Compostela.  Although a pilgrim could take any route to get there, regular routes developed over the centuries.  Nowadays, the northern (del norte) walk has about 20 pilgrims starting per day and follows the northern coastline whereas the standard or "the French" camino (so-called because traditionally most pilgrims were French) can draw up to 200 pilgrims per day, particularly in the peak season (source).  The weather is probably less reliable in the north, and apparently goes up and down a lot more.  Overall, I think there are a number of reasons to pick the French route over the north, but we were happy to join a part of the north route along the beautiful coast.  Luckily for us, it passes through Santander. 

On our first weekend, we took the local ferry across the bay where locals go for warmer waters trapped in the bay by the sand bank (no Dolphin Sands Road-ing here, although one would think that the real pilgrims would go all the way around).  With our tent, backpack and hiking shoes, we didn't really fit amongst the beachgoers who I am sure never wear sunscreen.  

A little out of place at Somo

We had a pleasant walk along to sand dunes and beach for a few kilometres to reach the campsite at Somo.  After a bit of a standoff with a waitress where I was trying to explain that I only wanted one meal and she was only trying to find out our table number, we left for our (reverse) walk along El Camino del Norte.

A beautiful coastline

Deep in thought

This walk took us along the clifftops by Somo where we saw the true wrath of the Atlantic, again like our visits to the Cliffs of Moher and other places in Ireland. With nothing to stop us falling off, and no idiots trying to get that perfect photo likely to fall off, we quickly left the busy-ness of the beach and Somo behind and thoroughly enjoyed the combination of sun and wind.  

Kat making friends with el Camino del Norte

Kind of wish they moved after 2 hours (we passed them in both directions)

It seemed a strange place to find a crop of maize, but that's indeed what we found, alongside wild berries, that I foolishly tried to eat.  The picturesque walk along a dirt track, sometimes overgrown with berries was quiet and peaceful and ended in a steep descent into a cave-like bay where we took a dip and briefly read our books. 

The downwards climb at the far end of our loop

Our return to Somo coincided with my ability to finally internalise (and express) the word for 'ice-cream' and we settled in for a night interrupted "only" by what I would describe as a cannon, or some other ear-splitting explosive device, going off every hour, something that took me back to the traumatic experience of sleeping in the backyard of a train station in Edinburgh.

Sunday was a lovely day, a long sleep-in to then wake with coffee and pastries on the beach, which we visited tent and large backpack in hand and enjoyed for the remainder of the day before a comfortable ferry ride back to our cosy room in Santander.  Although we did not earn a plenary indulgence, or a compostela/certificate of accomplishment (only awarded for those on a religious journey who make it to Santiago de Compostela and who walked over 100km), we did have a great weekend, with many of the things we both enjoy.  Food, coffee, walking, camping, and beaches.

El Camino

TOUR DE COFFEE: Wakey uppy juice, A cup of the good stuff!

Today, this hilarious video motivated me to get around to writing a post on coffee. 

“I'm trying to de-wank my coffee so i'll just have an International Roast. You know that powdery, instant coffee that comes in a big white tin." Kitty Flanagan on ABC's The Weekly


Currently Rob and I are enjoying coffee in Santander. One reason we are glad we chose to spend a month here, is they have a great cafe culture. It came at a time when we were really wishing we could walk down the street and simply "be" at a Melbourne cafe, even a snobby one! 

Before leaving for our trip I had a GRAND PLAN to do away with coffee for a year. Or, at least, to reduce my reliance on my morning coffee. 

This failed miserably. 


Leading up to our adventure was a very busy period that involved goodbyes (over coffee), alertness to move/sell/pack (cue caffeine), Christmas and New Years (hourly offers of coffee) and the grand event of a wedding weekend (a certain coffee scenario). 

Gilmore girls coffee-ism

It wasn't just that I kept my coffee habit way into the New Year as we inched closer to our departure date, but also that before we knew it, we were in Vietnam. The cafe culture in Vietnam is really like no other. I would live to take this moment to lay almost all of the blame the country for continuing my reliance on coffee! (This is probably more a compliment than anything else.)

...and so began our 

TOUR OF COFFEE!

Our coffee and cafe passion/habit has created a huge dent in our budget but I think it has been worth it. It is has been truly fascinating seeing just how different coffee is perceived in different places and how variable the cafe experience can be. We have found it surprisingly hard to predict when a "good" coffee will be served and when it won't. Our tastes have also evolved and we have realised just how much of a Melbourne-centric view of what makes a coffee good. 

Malaysia
Our first destination is certainly more hazy in my mind than other places. Adjusting to the humidity, trying not to get lost in our first country and still faintly clinging onto the notion of giving up the drink, coffee was not top-of-mind in Malaysia. I have previously tried the infamous Kopi Luwak (coffee cherries eaten and defaecated by a civet) which is mainly found in Indonesia but I also spotted it in Malaysia and Vietnam.

In Kuala Lumpur we did try something new (and hideously over-priced even by Melbourne standards!): coffee ice cubes that melt as you add hot milk.

Not really worth it!

Nepal
Nepal, naturally, was more of a place to sample tea. Outside of the touristy areas, cafes serving espresso coffee are scarce. Since Rob was last there in 2009, the expansion of cafes is astronomical because coffee machines now exist. Well, they might have been there but he didn't notice because it would not have occurred to him to buy a latte back then!

The tourist cafes ranged dramatically and you could not rely on first impressions! Of course, it is pretty amazing, and kind of outrageous I suppose, that a country battling with massive weather challenges, poverty, vast electricity restrictions and a range of other issues has any of these cafes at all. Our best coffee was probably at Himalayan Java (the Starbucks of Nepal) in Thamel.

Latte art! 

Lady selling Nescafes in Durbar Square

Cambodia 

Cambodia was really more about continuing my love affair with mango shakes/juice/smoothies but we did sample a few lattes. Importantly, we got the teeniest cutest take-away coffee you have ever seen!

Baby coffee for the bus

Phnom Penh latte

Vietnam's Ca Phe
Ca phe is serious business in Vietnam. Having spent a month in Ho Chi Minh, we tried to sample the dizzying array of styles. The big Vietnamese coffee chain, Trung Nguyen Coffee, has a multiple page coffee menu offering everything under the sun. Trung Nguyen are everywhere but that doesn't mean there aren't a multitude of other cafes. (Quite like Melbourne!) 

Rob and Ann at ca phe time!

What initially makes the cafe experience in Vietnamese unique is that often the coffee is brewed slowly at your table using a gravity drip system. Even at the most basic cafes your coffee choice involved numerous factors: black, white, hot, cold, ice cubes, milk, condensed milk, ice cream, etc. The beans are from everywhere, including Vietnam. It took us awhile to get our heads around the concept of having ice with a hot beverage. The best thing about the cafe culture in Vietnam is also probably the highlight of many aspects of the country: the community atmosphere on the streets.   

We actually failed to take many photos of our coffee experiences but I did capture Rob having coffee on the Mekong so that's something! 

Ca phe sau on the Mekong!

French Quarter cafe in Hanoi (note the mopeds outside)

China
Finding ourselves in another country famous for its tea and tea rituals, we didn't have many expectations for China. However, we had recently left Vietnam so caffeine was not optional at this point! We got by with instant and 3-in-1 packets (better than nothing!) for much of the time. When we splashed out on a tourist coffee (priced as such), it was hit-or-miss. This was kind of a let-down as when we did buy it, we saw it as a luxury. 

Drinking Beijing yoghurt was really a better
idea! (On the street so you could recycle the jar.)

Not all coffee was targeted at tourists. We have to give an honourable mention to the Guang Zhou cafe: One Dollar Coffee which did not, in fact, provide $1 coffee. It did provide a huge coffee that I would not recommend. 

Looks a lot like Starbucks!

In Beijing, Sarah, Rob and I visited a cafe with a great set-up overlooking a garden. It would have fit right in at home. When we were there it was absolutely dead and I wonder how viable it will be into the future.

Japan
Oh Japan! ...I don't want to say anything bad about you...still....months down the track and many km's down the road. However, coffee is not always your strong suit. A bit unfair to say when tea is obviously the priority. (Viewing a tea ceremony in Kyoto was a beautiful, tranquil experience.) 

In an exception to the rule, in Kyoto I searched the net for a cafe with good coffee being the sole criteria. I came across a cafe with coffee that an Australian tourist promised would transport me to Melbourne*. Vermillion Espresso Bar almost got there! Rob was even confident enough to order a soy latte. This has been extremely rare!

Kyoto for coffee

Kat's sideways latte

Rob's sideways SOY latte

* Whilst writing this post I found out that the barristas/owners lived in Melbourne for many years. They say that they drew their inspiration for the cafe from Melbourne. Uh huh! 


Mongolia
We didn't have high expectations for Mongolia but inside the capital we were most pleasantly surprised. Ullan Bataar seemed to have its own unique style of cafe culture going on. Possibly it is due to the boom times of recent years, but whatever the reason, we benefited. In UB we did a fair bit of planning and I did some work so it was great to have a plethora of cafes to choose from each day! We even had a Luke's! (For those not in the know: "LUKE'S" a homey cafe; your local; the place you want to be in the morning for your cup of joe! Origin: Gilmore Girls)

This was not the best UB had to offer but not too bad!

Finland
Excited to be entering a new continent full of coffee potential, but wary of the Northern Euro price tag, Rob and I found ourselves at our first European stop: Helsinki. Initially bursting with joy at the sight of outdoor cafes and European squares, I could hardly contain myself. Then I found the Finnish knew the way to my heart: a small chocolate on my coffee saucer.

Danger: Fairly consistent chocolate
accompaniment! Pretty good coffee.

Bearded Rob and Oliver at Robert's Coffee
Chain Cafe- they were everywhere!

You might think that was the end of it. That once in Europe life was a coffee dream. No, not quite! You see, I do prefer a cafe latte and, obviously, milk isn't really the way in most of Europe. So I have been switching it up, an espresso here, a cafe latte there. Apparently there is a Parisian cafe that serves Flat White's now! 

Ireland
During our road trip of Ireland we found the coffee to vary greatly. Our first Irish coffee (actually invented for tourists apparently) was absolutely horrible. Not at all what Mum had remembered from the past. Luckily those that followed were better. 

The best part coffee-wise in Ireland for me was that Mum gave Rob and I Keep Cups! (From an Australian company but sold in Dublin!) They have been brilliant, especially whilst we were on the road in Ireland and then on our various camping expeditions.

On the "interesting" side...

Keep cup coffee!

Mum with her Irish coffee!

Scotland
Still flummoxed at my discovery that "Lemon, lime and bitters" is not a drink found commonly in the UK (or Ireland) but actually a beverage of Australia invention, I took awhile to assess the coffee landscape in Scotland! When I did, I found some great coffees and some average ones. 

One of the better coffees was at Loch Lomond at Cafe Street Mocha or maybe I was influenced by the clever handle at the entrance!

Loved this door handle 

Latte art! A side of toffee!

The Netherlands
We were welcomed to the Netherlands by a sunny street-side picnic lunch and coffee with my friend Ilir and his housemate, Jackie. A fantastic way to kick off our time in a beautiful country....until Jackie mentioned that he had his coffee with milk- "the WEAK way". Thus we were welcomed to mainland Europe! Really, it was about this time that I put a bit of extra effort into embracing the espresso. (Rob was ahead of me on this one!) Regardless, I did have some good lattes in the Netherlands and not much beats a coffee on a pretty canal in Utrecht.

A cycling pit-stop for coffee

Mini stroop waffle!

Coffee along the canal

France
During our first half of our short time in France we were spoilt by relatives, in all ways including coffee! We weren't in France long enough to visit a huge amount of cafes however, given the fact that we sought out the French quarters in many other cities does give some indication of what we expect from French cafes. (Refer to Vietnam above for example.) That said, we had an absolutely disgusting coffee in Montmartre!  

In Bordeaux we visited the Medoc region for a chateau tour. Apart from the wine tastings we were presented with a beautiful picnic that included a great coffee and the regions celebrated Caneles de Bordeaux. 

Bordeaux style

Spain
So far Spain is right up there in the coffee stakes! Not only is the espresso good but they make a great cafe con leche- finally I've hit the jackpot. The price tag is also much more condusive with our coffee habits. So far my favourite cafe is el museo de la musica which perhaps doesn't really sound like a cafe at all. I actually want to eat here at some point.

First coffee in Santander

"TAKE-AWAY" POINTS

• You really can't really generalise about a country's coffee: surprises abound
• Noone seems to serve coffees in latte glasses like at home! 
• We are coffee snobs...but only a little bit. Nothing gets in the way of us and caffeine, even a lack of latte art or a 3-in-1 packet.
• Coffee is an adventure!