in for a break

Candás (Asturias), Spain

a dash of color...

Candás (Asturias), Spain

A dash of color brightens the gloomiest of days!

times gone by

Candás (Asturias), Spain

afternoon walks

Lastres (Asturias), Spain

shades of blue

Lastres (Asturias), Spain

An ideal day in Asturias... the sun shining, blue skies and views like this!

an idyllic setting

Lastres (Asturias), Spain

The people of Lastres make a living mainly from fishing, agriculture and tourism.  Click here to see another angle of this idyllic fishing village.

fishing - a way of life

Lastres (Asturias), Spain

almejas a la marinera

Tazones (Asturias), Spain

This is by far one of my favorite seafood dishes, almejas a la marinera: clams with a yummy sauce made with onions, garlic, flour, white wine, olive oil and parsley.  This little fishing village in Asturias is the perfect place to enjoy this wonderful dish.

  

vivid

Tazones (Asturias), Spain

One of my favorite places ever... anywhere in Asturias, but especially Tazones!

a life at sea

Lastres (Asturias), Spain

moments to savor

Playa de Rodiles, Villaviciosa (Asturias), Spain

lost in another world

Playa de Rodiles, Villaviciosa (Asturias), Spain

lighthouses on a rocky coastline

Cudillero (Asturias), Spain

serendipity

Luarca (Asturias), Spain

Some of the best moments are those than just happen without any planning and that happen by chance.  Serendipity.  That is exactly what happened to us on a beautiful Sunday morning in Asturias.

I can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday morning than listening to live music outside - and better yet - in this beautiful fishing port as a backdrop.  When walking to this area of Luarca, we heard a voice from the other side of the port singing Johnny Cash's signature song "Ring of Fire".  I thought to myself, "Wow, they're really good.  Let's get closer and check this out."  The closer we got, the more impressed I became.  It turns out, it was a group called the Strangers made up of Silvia Fernández and Lee Wolfe, but I didn't know their names at the time.  The more they sang the more I thought they had to be native English speakers, based on their accent singing.  However, hearing this duo speak between songs, I realized the man must be American and the woman Spanish, which was confirmed after the concert talking to them.  It turns out he was from Pennsylvania and she was from Asturias.  I absolutely loved the concert full of American roots music with songs as varied as Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Johnny Cash, Bonnie Raitt, Lucinda Williams, etc.  

It was one of those moments you never wanted to end, with such good music, such good weather, such good company and such beauty surrounding us!

mountains, a river and the sea

Luarca (Asturias), Spain

Luarca is in a privileged area surrounded by mountains and the River Negro flowing into the sea.

Luarca

Luarca (Asturias), Spain

Luarca is definitely worthy of a visit, especially with weather like this!  It is the hometown of the 1959 Nobel Peace Prize winner in Medicine, Severo Ochoa.

fish market

Cudillero (Asturias), Spain

A tradition of fishing clings to this picturesque village in the north of Spain.  The old Lonja de Pescado (fish market) can be seen here blending in with the rest of the colorful homes of Cudillero.

 

from high above

Cudillero (Asturias), Spain

Take a walk up the hill by following any of the blue railings which lead you to impressive views from high above.  You can sneak a peek inside some of the colorful homes on the way.

pixuetos

Cudillero (Asturias), Spain

The people of Cudillero are also known as "pixuetos" which comes from the Asturian word meaning "people who make a living from fishing"  (pix = fish; ueto = activity).  This term was meant to differentiate them from the majority of the rest of the people of Asturias who made a living from agriculture and cattle raising.

colors of happiness

Cudillero (Asturias), Spain