The Road from Santiago

Happy New Year!  We will step out with our right foot first, it is meant to be lucky in a new year sort of way.  It’s lentils for lunch.  This is reckoned to be a thing to be done in Spain so we will try. Lentejas con chorizo Ingredients 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 30 ml 2 links firm Spanish chorizo 1 onion 4 cloves garlic 1 red bell pepper 1 green bell pepper 1 carrot 1 large potato 1 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika 2.30 grams 2 tomatoes 1 cup dried brown lentils 210 grams 5 cups vegetable broth or water 1200 ml 1 bay leaf pinch sea salt dash black pepper handful fresh parsley Finely chop the onion, roughly chop the garlic, finely chop the bell peppers, thinly slice the carrot,, cut the potato  into small bite-sized pieces, finely grate the tomatoes and cut the links of chorizo into 1.25 cm thick rounds Heat a stock pot with a medium heat and add in the olive oil After a couple minutes add in the sliced chorizo, mix with the olive oil, after 3 minutes and the cho...

Another day of vast vistas.  We are on the road south and by passing Ausejo.  Nearby is what Google refers to as Amor y Pasion.  We won’t be visiting. Is it because we have enough love and passion in our life.  Well of course.  It will also be because the photo google provide suggests it is no longer in operation. And is not reviewed by even Raul, seven years ago, four stars, no comment.  Mind you, in April 2022, went streetview went by someone had hung washing up in the car par and a car looked like it was being repaired. We won;t be going to Ausejo either since the road does no longer graces it with its presence.  Today about 770 people live there and it has been about that since 1970. About a third of the populace are foreign born, mainly North Africans and Romanians.  We will miss seeing the castle, much reduced by an earthquake in 1819 and we are a day early for the day the Quintos go singing round the town, collecting money and singing in ai...

  How can I put this?  It’s roads and views today.  It is grand.  I mean, I appreciate the huge open spaces but, well, there is not much more to say of it.  So, today, famous people from la Rioja. Peter Hard. [the google translate of Pedro Duro.   Duro was born in Brieva de Cameros, La Rioja, and he died in the Principality of Asturias in 1886. He married Dolories Ortiz.  He began construction on the Felguera Factory in 1857; a metallurgical factory that became the most important in Spain in the 19th century, and through the 20th century until the 1960s. It was the first major ironworks that were constructed in Spain. His descendants were created Marquesses of La Felguera by King Alfonso XIII. In addition, Duro was awarded the Order of Isabella the Catholic and the Légion d'honneur from the French government. He was buried in La Felguera, where the workers of his factory raised a big monument. He was also a pioneer in social measures for workers....

We have long, long, stretches of the La Riojan landscape.  What shall we do.  No football to watch.  La Liga is on its winter break,  Since Real Betis took on Rayo Vallecano at 8pm on the 22nd all has gone quiet.  Things properly get going on the 10th January with Rayo v Celta.  But what of Valencia v Real Madrid on the 3rd I hear you cry, somewhat unexpectedly.  This is a postponed fixture caused by the Autumn floods and not, properly, part of the canon.  Alright, I will admit the Copa del Rey is happening from the 3rd January, but the point I’m making is, no football is happening now.  Well, maybe some friendlies but the point I'm making is…….. Lets talk wine. La Rioja has a DOCa or Qualified Designation of Origin.  The regulation of the wine industry has a long history.  The King of Navarra and Aragon gave the first legal recognition of Rioja wine in 1102.  In 1560, harvesters from Longares chose a symbol to represent the qu...

I’m afraid this will be the last post till January with photos.  Apparently there is a limit to the number of images from Streetview you can use in a year - and I broke it a long time ago.  The AI has finally caught up with me and a warning has been issued.  Next year we will be limited to about one picture every three days. Welcome to Santos Inocentes: The Feast of Holy Innocents. Not only are we remembering the Royal murder of the toddler threat by King Herod but it is the Spanish April’s Fools Day.  Sorry for the above.  I am not really into pranks because it all seems based on making people look stupid and, to be honest most are capable of doing it themselves unaided. Working in education the average jap is to declare ‘your shoe laces are untied.  Given that Fact Checking the statement is seen as the equivalent of being foolish it seems a no win situation. Having said that the gentle misdirection of the Spaghetti harvest was well done and a worthy excep...