CUDILLIERO

This is a tiny fishing port not far from Orbieto but probably a Sunday in August was not the best time to visit it especially as it was raining.  I went anyway to have a look.  It reminded me very much of the Cinque Terra in Liguria, Italy.   Houses build on the hill sides and tiny roads.  Parking was at a premium.

ORVIETO

Orvieto - What a lovely city in Asturias and so proud of it's tradition.  The local cuisine is renowned so I decided to splurge and try out a really fine restaurant for lunch.   A great decision.  The name is El Raitan (the robin) for any of you who go there and the owners are so nice and kind too.  It is very near the centre and the cathedral.

El Raitan

A beloved image
People here dress up for a wedding.  Most of the men in tails.  Many women wearing long dresses.

LEON

Leon, a city of such history and wonderful buildings, parks and fountains.   It has a cathedral where the play of light is supposed to be magnificent but unfortunately I was too late to see inside it.  I did stroll around a great museum and its cloisters.  The slabs in the pavement had little low water fountains in the centre so the children (and adults) could dance around in the water.  It was a good walk in to town and the whole way was a green park, walkways and places for people to bike and jog.

another Gaudi influence now a bank

CASTILLO DE LA PULVAZARES

This is a really beautiful old village that has been kept that way.  Only inhabitants are allowed to have cars and all the streets are cobblestones and the buildings are all built of the same local brick and have almost entirely green doors.   These doors lead in to a lovely entrance area that is decorated but only visible if the door is open.

main street

An open door

ASTORGA

Pilgrims and Merlin in same shop

ASTORGA is a really lovely place on the camino.  Lots of Pilgrims around and shops doing a good trade in boots.   The cathedral is based (like many around here) on the one at Santiago and is huge for the size of the town.

It is overshadowed by the fairytale palace, now a museum, designed by Gaudi.  It looks as if it stepped out of a fairytale like many of his wonderful buildings.

Gaudi's Bishops Palace

The town itself is lovely and small.  

LUGO

The walls of Lugo are intact and run all around the inner city so it is mostly wonderfully free of cars.  One can easily walk all around the walls.

the museum

walls

cloister

Architecture

statues and street theatre

The make up and costumes on the mimes is usually absolutely wonderful.  How can they stand still for so very long and so patiently.
Here's a few of them and the statues I passed this week

Isn't she fab.  Santiago

what an angel

Merlin on the camino

This is how they pour the cider in Asturias

famous donkey and milk girl in Orvieto

Orvieto lady