Bandujo, a scenic drive

After the earlier walk on the Bear Route, and the not-without-problems lunch in L'Esbardu, we were left feeling rather empty, feeling rather dissatisfied.

We decided to go for a drive.

By the time we got the car out, it was already 7pm, and the sky was looking ominous. It wasn't wise to go far; Bandujo looked perfect then. So, off we went.

We missed a turn, doubled back, and went up on the narrow country road. As we climbed, we knew we'd made the right decision. The scenery was breathtaking. Rain clouds floating between lush green mountains rushed us along lest we couldn't make it to Bandujo.

By then, we had to put the windshield wipers on intermittent. I honestly don't remember how long I had to drive; perhaps it was about an hour. I was going slow, savouring the scenery, and besides, it was a winding road. We also stopped a couple of times.

Before long, however, houses appeared in the distance... and the road abruptly ended.

I only had time to take a few shots before the rain started to fall heavier. Had it been earlier and had it not rained, we might have ventured down into the village.

Bandujo is a very small village. According to Wiki, it has a population of 43. Forty-three! And 66 dwellings!

Stone house in Bandujo

Do you want to buy a house?

Rooftops and mountain tops

The most famous landmark of the village, La Torre de Tuñón, "one of the best preserved late medieval defensive towers of Asturias."

Wonder what it'd be like in winter...

Lines and curves

As the rain got heavier, we ran back into the car. My camera isn't waterproof, you know... Actually, come to think of it, we did bring some umbrellas with us, but it was getting late anyway. The drive down was much quicker and before long we were back at the apartment.

Time to pack our bags again...

Good morning, Asturias!

When was the last time I woke up to the sounds of cows mooing and roosters crowing? Too long ago for me to remember, I suppose.

This was one of the culprits!

Honestly, the mooing was so loud, it felt as though the cattle were right beneath the window, but they were in a farm across the road. All right, time to get out and about, say hello to the animals, and see what I could find for breakfast.

Baa baa white sheep...

Boy, this is a change. Misty mountains in the distance protect their valleys between them, the sun slowly warming up the crisp air; it's almost 10 am and the main road was still deserted. The whole town felt deserted. I walked down the road, heading towards the centre.

A hut with the Picos de Europa in the background

Almost looks oriental...

Main road still deserted at 10am

Sexy valley

There were a handful of shops, bars, restaurants, and a couple of small supermarkets. I went into one of them, got some stuff from the small selection, and headed back to the apartment to have some breakfast before heading for that distance in the photos...