A family moves from the UK to Galicia

A short diversion - around 45mins off the north coast motorway A8 whilst on my way from Galicia back to Santander to return our hire van to the UK - and I have ticked off an initial visit I wanted to do to the Picos de Europa.   I had a wonderful (harrowing!) drive to Potes, had lunch there by the river, then drove back to wait for the ferry in the burning heat and tarmac!

But it was / is lovely. A wonderful place right up my mountain path/street.  I am a mountain person/climber and have spent a lot of time in the UK mountains and hills, then spent a few seasons in the french and swiss alps and a few trips skiiing/boarding in the pyrnees and italian alps. I've also been to the mountains in the middle of Vancouver Island.

So having driven past the Picos many years, i've been itchy to try them and to plan some proper climbing/walking trips.  This was just a flying visit to have some lunch and just be near rock and peaks. But it was wonderful.

 (sorry - don't seem to be able to rotate the images once they are in EyeOnSpain).  The roads are like the alps with great drops down to the river, and some great zoomy parts and others where you wince as you pass the overhanging rocks with a bus coming the other way..... Good fun though. And wonderful glimpses with occasional laybys to pull over in to ogle.

Then the twn of Potes was as gorgeous as a google search suggested it would be.  I chose one of the many restaurants offering outdoor seating and a three course menu al dia for 12 euros inc wine or cider, and water.  bargain.

I had mountain stew (beans, black pudding, chorizo, cabbage) and then a lamb which was local and muy rico.

I only scratched the surface of this wonderful set of mountains and all the villages and towns and people within. But I hope to be back.  I'm gonna buy a walking and climbing guidebook and see what short and longer trips I can plan. I think Fuente De is the main peak and main town, further south.  Or the quicker to visit from the north is Cavadonga I believe.

I'll be back.

I started this post yesterday on the ferry for 'we are on our way, day zero....' but the signal was too erratic!   Today instead is day 1, we arrived just after midnight and we have been unpacking, seeing family, and enjoying the beach, bar and ice creams!

It's been a long slow build up, then a fast three weeks since I finished work. The final 48 hours were of course hectic but I got the van packed, cats in the car and we all made it to the ferry with plenty of time.   We had almost messed it up re the Cats, as the vets appointment for their passports gave us 20 days not the 21 days before we departed : but a quick call then email to the Spanish animal/immigration department (like defra) gave us a permission letter to show at portsmouth and all was well.

So the new life begins, although it will be a staggered start as first it feels like every other holiday but with much more unpacking.  Then we are decorating the kids bedroom at least, so they won't be in it properly to settle until the weekend or next week.  Then we are working through getting lots of new furniture and arranging/unpacking as well as holidaying in the july and august sun.  

Oh and we are supposed to be getting chickens and rabbits too......  Hope we can fit it all in.  Ah but we have all the time in the world technically.  :>  quite different to our typical 10 day or two week or possibly 1 month holidays here.

It already feels very different to me, having lots of our own possessions and decor like our own bedcovers, and pictures above the bed.    Then of course the cats have always previously been left at home, and having them wander around is really nice.  The boy cat (usually spooked more easily) is really at ease immediatly - as he was in the ferry cabin.  The girl cat is more staying just under one of the beds.

We also have our two gerbils too  - so again, it makes it feel more homely and permanent like a real house move.  

The reality of actual emigration is still to come, probaly some weeks off when we start to tackle bank accounts and govmt processes!

Onwards.