Knowmark Travelblog: España 2004

Saturday, May 15

Ábalos

We set quite a leisurely pace today, as we thought perhaps we had been too busy! Today is the Festival of San Isidro (more Christian mythology) in these parts. Plus, it is Saturday, so there are many visiting families; festival-type things; more social activity generally. And, that's quite a lot, since Spanish society is (generally) more social than ours in Canada!

We meandered (found some new back roads) down to Nájera; got the week-end edition of the Financial Times; had a café y pastel; did a little shopping. We are managing to travel nearly every small road in the area, particularly north of the Ebro (bounded by the Sierra de Cantabria and the Sierra de Toloño), and immediately south of the Ebro. The countryside is fascinating - quite rugged, but with vineyards everywhere. We have tried to capture this, but our photographs simply don't do this area justice. We spent a little while in the main plaza in Haro with wine and bocadillo at a table outside a small cafe, just people-watching. Then, we visited Briñas and San Vicente, where we just missed some of the festival goings-on. Nonetheless, there was a general party atmosphere there, so we joined in with a glass of wine and some nice tapas. Finally, we found our way back to Ábalos for a rest.

Since it was an absolutely gorgeous day (a perfect 3.0 in the KWS), we then walked out into some of the vineyards around Ábalos, and explored a little more of this small village that we hadn't seen. Our hotel was quite busy (week-end visitors), and since the weather was great, the patio was hopping. We spent some time there in the early evening, before an excellent dinner (the best we've had so far at the hotel).


Church door (Briñas) Posted by Hello


San Vicente de la Sonsierra Posted by Hello


Guardaviña with Steve Posted by Hello


Vineyard Posted by Hello


Vineyards Posted by Hello


Vineyards Posted by Hello


Vineyards (Sierra de Cantabria in background) Posted by Hello


Vineyards Posted by Hello


Our room at Hotel Villa de Àbalos Posted by Hello


Steve in our room Posted by Hello


Just west of Ábalos Posted by Hello


An old guardaviña? Posted by Hello


Newly planted vine Posted by Hello


Poppies near Àbalos Posted by Hello


Hotel Villa de Àbalos Posted by Hello