Perhaps giving these posts such a title was inviting a little bit of noise! Well tonight, as I write this the heavens open with the most amazing explosion of thunder that echoes its way around the heavens and rattles the shop windows. I’m sitting under a shelter attached to a bar looking out through plastic rollaways that are doing a surprisingly sterling job keeping the stair rods on the outside. I’m running out of analogies so suffice to say the lightning is stabbing the clouds like lightning does but here we can see the forks travelling across the sky and both adults and children are gasping like the crowds at a New Year celebration display in any capital city.
I order a beer!
Yesterday was a day of buses, beautiful valleys and mountains. I still managed twelve thousand steps but that was related to Llanes and Colunga the former being well worth the visit and the latter a nice enough place but struggling a bit. That said, the people of Colunga have gone the extra mile and then some, I’ll come to that.
The storms in these parts are a reflection of the Bay of Biscay and anyone who has crossed that will probably understand. The storms appear, beat the crap out of you then drift on to do the same with someone new. We’ve just had the most amazing sound and light show and now the sun is shining and the plastic rollaways are being rolled away. Their job is done – for now!
I was about to set out from Colunga this morning and our teeth were rattled by a storm whilst we had breakfast; however, the forecast was that there were three, one following another so we took our time and eventually, I decided on a change of plan that would take me to the Jurassic Park about five or six kilometres from here. I’ll Camino tomorrow.
It turns out to be a masterful decision and the ‘snaps’ should warm your soul.
I’m squaring the bill with Gemma in reception and she asks me about my plans so I tell her that I’m going to Jurassic Park and she seems impressed then asks if I need a taxi so I agree and she spends a few minutes talking swiftly to different taxi companies and the storms have meant everyone and their dog has hired them so there’s nothing for a couple of hours. Then she smiled and said, “So I’ve spoken to my husband and he will take you”.
A few minutes later I get a call from the bottom of the hotel garden, my lift awaits!
He’s a lovely man who speaks to me in Spanish at a speed that means I pick up a couple of words in a dozen but he’s a happy and enthusiastic man who deposits me in the museum car park and flatly refuses any offer of payment. I try several times but he’s adamant and waves me on my way. It’s about a five-mile round trip so it’s a generous gift and I get out of the car leaving only profound thanks. He smiles again, waves and then he’s gone leaving me with a pack of dinosaurs. (I looked it up and it can be anything from a crash’, ‘a pack’ or ‘a herd’)
There are several life-size beasties all painted garish colours which has caused some criticism. My view is that no one knows what colour they were so paint them how you like. The colour scheme certainly goes down well with the kids and they even have little handlebars on some of the smaller ones so that the kids can sit on them.
I spend three hours here and it’s fascinating. It’s also interesting to see that they give huge credit to some of the English female archaeologists who barely got a mention in the UK (they do now but it has taken many years)
There’s a very interesting and amusing room where two dinosaur skeletons have been arranged in a particular way. Behind them is a huge picture of a similar two dinosaurs depicted as the artist imagined. Although the picture is discrete, the adults in the room take very little time to recognise the activity. By the look on Mrs. Dinosaur’s face, I don’t think there’s been an evening of fine dining or a candle-lit dinner with wine and there’s certainly no soft, romantic music.
On the other hand, Mr Dinosaur looks like he’s used the Australian combination chat up and foreplay line, “Brace y’self Shiela” and, unsurprisingly, it’s had little effect.
There’s a couple of young Americans in front of me and I hear her joke, “The big painting looks like they’re watching dinosaur porn” As she turns she sees me laughing and then realizes most of the room has heard. There’s a little boy with his family and I hear, “Por que…” and some other words that I’m fairly sure mean, “Why is everyone laughing”. I’m not sure of the answer but remember vividly the odd occasion when my kids asked a similar question!
The weather has improved as I leave so rather than calling a taxi, which I’m told is now available, I decide to keep my step count up and walk.
Back in the hotel I take a few photos in the garden and foyer just to show its lovely quirkiness.
Enjoy the snaps.
Love G x
Please feel free to share for the armchair ramblers no longer able to get about. x