Two monks and the hope of promotion to glory


We are off again and passing those splendid churches and straight to the Restaurante Vista Alegre Naranco Ovieod.  They have a blog. https://restaurantevistaalegreoviedo.blogspot.com/  It hasn’t been updated since 2015.  Five hours Sandra Pozo wrote  ‘Beautiful views of Oviedo, spectacular food and very friendly and close treatment.’  We might as well sit back for a while.



Rested? Onwards. It is a bit hot so maybe another time for a halt.  Cafeteria Juan is thought, by Jose, to be a typical neighbourhood bar. Jaime is more impressed. ‘Cozy place and very good treatment.’









We are working our way round Oviedo so we better say a thing or two about it.  The Kingdom of Asturias was set up in 720, in opposition to the Islamic Conquest of Spain. Oviedo appears to have been founded by two monks in 761. The settlement was sacked by Moorish troops in 794 but it grew, partly because it was on the best agricultural ground for some distance. King Fruela [757-768] built a palace and a church there and Alfonso II The Caste [791-842] moved his capital there. Despite the fact the Kings moved south, to Leon, Oviedo remained the provincial capital. It gained the hallmarks of status, a cathedral and a university.  It also has a football club - and we are going there next.  






The Estadio Carlos Tartiere could hold 30,500 people and was opened in 2000. That year was a bit of a peak. Real Oviedo was formed from a merger of two teams in 1926.   They enterted the 2nd division in 1929, was promoted to La Liga in 1933 and spent a good proportion of their history there. In 2001 they were demoted. Two years later, just about the time I thought I needed a Spanish team to follow, the team suffered a financial meltdown.  They were moved to the 3rd Division.  This is soooo much worse than it sounds. The 3rd division is not one but 18.  Each province had a 3rd Division.  It is the league for tiny towns, not city teams with a semi-international following.  Getting out of the 3rd involves play-offs.  That just gets you into the four equal Segunda Bs.  That is as tough to get out of.  Between 2003 and 2015 Oviedo bumbled around the 3rd and 2b. In 2015 they were promoted to the 2nd. They have lurked around the middle of the table but last season they got as far as a the play-offs.





Here we are. Tomorrow we head towards the centre.













































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