The Spain Wandering - Days 6 & 7

Friday, April 25

We drove the three hours or so to the small town of Panes.  I looked at it as the gateway town to the Picos de Europa (peaks of Europe) National Park.

Rainy and overcast day for the most part, we explored one of the trails to the south while waiting for check-in time at the hotel.

This the town we had a late lunch at, the place featured a serve yourself system for the Apple Cider for which this region is known.

Check out the wire bridge between nearby hills:

No, we didn't inquire further as to accessing it.

Dinner was not great as all the restaurants were closed due to holidays, just some sad Tapas.

Saturday, April 25

We checked out of the Panes Hotel ( Villa Elena) and drove down to the eastern end of the road which provides access to view the peaks.  At a small town called Fuente Dé we boarded a Teleferico or Cable Gondola.

It takes you up about 800m or so for a few peak views.  Several trails exist for one to wander away from the crowds.  Note: crowds weren't bad at this is the shoulder season.  It costs 20 Euros/ person to ride the gondola up and back.

Pretty good attraction, this gondola ride.  Pricey of course but it beats walking up!

We then returned back the way we came until we stopped at the town of Potes.  We had a big lunch (it's the main of the day you know, when in Spain).

The first place was a Risotto ai Fungi, quite yummy too.

Martha found us a hotel nearby and we went to check in as it was almost 4PM which is also the end of the Spanish lunch hour (2-4 PM).

Martha went off to explore while I tried to rest as I'm still coughing pretty badly at times.  In a sign of approaching decrepitude I managed to pull a lower back/upper right buttock muscle while in the midst of a severe coughing session!

The pain associated made my later attempt to swiftly rendezvous with Martha an utter failure!  Google maps had me wandering in circles in the medieval part of Potes which flared up the muscle pain when coughing....good times, but not for Martha.

Her support and patience will be noted in the post-trip addendum for her sainthood paperwork.

Most of these pics are by Martha:

Here's the view from our third floor room at the Hotel Toscana:

In spite of my kidneys I asked for 4 x Ibuprofen from Martha.  I had to get rid of the muscle pain so I could wildly cough without accompanying shooting pains.

More touring of the Picos de Europa tomorrow.