We were a bit reluctant to leave Bilbao so soon, but we will have at least two more nights there at the end of the trip, and reservations at Tito Bustillo (paleolithic cave art) await us. So after a lovely breakfast in a pastry shop near the hotel yesterday, we packed up and wheeled our suitcases down to the train station and the Europcar office. Our rental car is a shiny little silver Fiat 500, about as small as a car can get, but easy to maneuver on medieval streets!
This north coast west of Bilbao is green and mountainous; the famous Picos de Europa wilderness area is along here, just inland. The Atlantic stretches to the north as far as the eye can see. Storm clouds yesterday and this morning created a wonderfully atmospheric view, and this afternoon we have sunshine. Our hotel, the Ribadesella Playa, is right on the beach promenade of this little town (population 6,000). The Sella river rises in the Picos and empties here into the sea; the older part of town is on the east bank (ribera), while the west bank contains the mansions of the Indianos -- the name given to 19th-century Spaniards who went to the Americas, became wealthy, and returned. The group here all went to Cuba, as far as we can tell, got wealthy on tobacco, and came home to Asturias. The Ribadesella Playa is in just such a mansion, now converted to a modern hotel. We slept to the sound of the surf last night.
Today is the big event of our trip, the visit to Tito Bustillo, a cave discovered by college-age spelunkers in 1968 that is one of the most significant finds of Paleolithic cave art anywhere. Our reservation for a restricted tour (they are concerned about preserving the paintings) is at 5 o’clock. I will report on it tomorrow.
For now, we are resting up for the adventure and recovering from a most memorable midday meal at El Albidel, justifiably rated the best restaurant in town. So, one more menu for you:
~ house appetizer: three tiny glasses presenting creamed tomato with whipped goat cheese, apple gazpacho, and vichyssoise
~ a plate of creamy croquettes about the size of large marbles, nested in applesauce (apples are a specialty in Asturias)
~ risotto with mushrooms, foie, and truffle oil
~ grilled fresh sea bass (yes, again: it is so good!)
~ the house apple tart with sweet cream and cinnamon on top, and homemade cinnamon ice cream on the side
~ a bottle of alboriño wine from Navarra
~ dark Spanish coffee
This was our high-end meal of the trip so far, even though it is not yet Jerome’s birthday. I have half an hour to rest before the Tito Bustillo tour, so will sign off here and continue tomorrow.
