The Road from Santiago

  We are back on the canal quiet quickly and it is a day for rural happiness and observations on the Region of Aragon.  In population terms it is small.  Av=bout 325,000 people live here - of which half live in Zaragoza.  It is split into three provinces, Huesca, Teruel and Zaragoza. Lets talk about food.   With its lush Pyrenean pastures, lamb, beef, and dairy products are, predominant in Aragonese cuisine . Also of note is its ham from Teruel ; olive oil from Empeltre and Arbequina ; sausage from Graus ; rainbow trout and salmon, boar, truffles and wild mushrooms from the upper river valleys of the Jacetania , Gallego , Sobrarbe , and Ribagorza regions; and wines from Cariñena , Somontano , Calatayud , and Campo de Borja ; and fruits, especially peaches, from its fertile lower valleys. The region also features a unique local haggis , known as chireta , several interesting seafood dishes, including various crab pastes, which developed from an old superstition t...

  Yesterday I speculated about the lack of Google Streetview updates.  We were, afterall on a majorish road - the A-126.  According to ‘sources; Streetview update cities yearly and other places every three years.  We headed out in 2012.  Today we will advance to 2015 and then 2018 and in all that time the road does not seem to have been repaired and renewed. We are turning off the road and heading down the Tauste Canal.  It is the most exciting thing to look at today so here we go. In 1252, King Theobald I of  Navarre  granted a concession to extract water from the Ebro River by building a dam and digging an irrigation ditch to the Order of Saint John and the Navarrese towns of Cabanillas and Fustiñana . In 1444, the town of Tauste obtained a concession from Don Carlos, Prince of Viana , to take water from the Ebro River through a canal that crossed the Navarrese lands. The attempts to carry out the work were so unsuccessful that in 1498 the town ...

  We are in 2012 territory.  I mention this only because as we move along we will come to the border with Aragon.  The road surface turns from prim and new to somewhat a highway may look the morning after a good night out.  It may have changed since then. We won’t be passing any builsings so enjoy the Bardenas Reales - that lump of geography off to the left.  Jean Luc said of it ‘ An’ unusual, surprising geological curiosity in this desert which transports us into the world of landscapes on the other side of the Atlantic. In short, Les Bardenas are well worth the trip. Traveled by camper van at the end of September but all means of travel are accepted subject to temporary bans. Inquire beforehand… Frank added ‘Bardenas is an incredible place to go with the family and even with your partner you can travel with your own car since the authorized track called perimeter is completely adapted to all types of vehicles we can see different areas divided into several sto...

  Another long Navarese road.  I mean, it is interesting, It has a cliff one side and a field the other.  Much of it looks like it has had all the minerals it could provide extracted.   Lets talk windpower.  Navara has a lot of it. Spain was an early leader in development of wind power, ranking second after Germany by installed capacity until 2006, when it was surpassed by the United States.  Like the US, Spain has a lot of land no one is going to get upset about putting a wind farm up in. In November 2009, a wind storm caused wind farms to produce a peak of 53% of total electricity demand (11.546 GW).  This was surpassed in November 2011 with a capacity peak of 59% of power demand being generated by wind power. In 2022, Spain's wind energy sector contributed significantly to the country's electricity supply, averaging 25% of total consumption. This figure stands in contrast to the EU average, which is over 17%. On specific occasions, the contribution ...

  We  had an entire town to visit and we spent on festivals.  Today we have nothing to review and a whole day to look at the valley.  I tried to go on Fustiana’s town website but was warned it contained harmful things by my virus app so didn/t  I went on Navarra’s tourist site instead and it has a nice view of thew town.   https://turismodenavarra.com/en/fustinana/   The first thing of note nearby is: 1. Calvario Ravine and the fossil footprints “The Barranco del Calvario is a highlight of Fustiñana's geological heritage. Here, there are more than 800 fossil footprints belonging to an extinct species of artiodactyl, dating back to the Miocene. These footprints offer a unique testimony of the fauna that inhabited the region millions of years ago. The ravine, characterized by its limestone formation and natural erosion, is ideal for family walks and fossil observation. The route that leads to the site is simple and educational, allowing visitors to disco...

  We are in a proper river valley.  We are going to cross the Ebro and then advancing towards a settlement, tucked between hills, fields and the river.  Fustinana, for that is its name, has 2451 inhabitants, as of 2024.  The town belonged to the Knights of St John from 1189 and they held it until 1837.  Like many places round here the population was on the rise since 1842. It dipped a little after 1950 but picked up again since 1991 and is now only a little short of te 2606 peak. I am going to quote wiki here because the Spanish version of it carries much pon festive stick weaving. ‘The patron saint festivities in honour of Saints Justo and Pastor are celebrated from 5 to 12 August. The festivities begin with a good lunch before the chupinazo (the rocket), which marks the beginning of these festivities. The rocket, the broth, the bull runs, the young bulls, the procession, the popular meals, the concerts, the street parties, the “Riau Riau”, etc. are the main ev...