Covadonga

[Mac]

In the confessional beside me a white-robed monk in a wooly hat is
doing his paperwork whilst waiting for customers. The bells ring for
mid-day mass, which is quite well-patronised for a damp Tuesday
morning out of season.

I'm in the Basilica of Covadonga, a name known (I presume) to every
Spaniard from schooldays, as the birthplace of resistance to the
Moorish occupation before Reconquista was even thought of. A rather
lean statue of King Pelayo, the originator of this centuries-long
process, stands to the left of the Madonna in the Cueva Santa above
the waterfall (in full spate), a line of pilgrims queueing to partake
of the holy water and kiss his medallion. The place is geared to mass
pilgrimage, although just now this doesn't obtrude, or detract from
its beautiful situation in the cliff above a wooded hillside, but I
can well imagine the scene on a fine summer weekend.

The two mountain lakes several kilometres above the shrine would seem
to be a place of pilgrimage too, if the facilities they command are
any guide - a good road, bars and a restaurant, miradors, walkways, an
interpretation centre, and lots and lots of parking. The setting is
undoubtedly impressive, but I have visited many such in Scotland (we
would call them lochans) equally beautiful, without such additions
(but also without the thousands of hoop-petticoat daffodils carpeting
the shore - we saw these in flower in the south six weeks ago). The
lakes however would probably still exist in spledid isolation had not
a road been constructed to service the mines here almost a hundred
years ago.

All this is left behind, however, as I squelch round the top lake
photographing wildflowers and watching the courting antics of the pied
wagtails, and not seeing another soul.

It's so wet that I decide to go back to Canga de Onis to buy a pair of
botas de goma (wellies). The maker's name on the side is 'Blimey'. I
think this may be why I chose them.

Suerte

Mac

[Roger Warwick]

> It's so wet that I decide to go back to Canga de Onis to buy a pair of
> botas de goma (wellies). The maker's name on the side is 'Blimey'. I
> think this may be why I chose them.

Haha. This has to be filed in the memory banks alongside such great
Spanish brands as Bimbo bread and DYC whisky (rhymes with pick)

Roger.