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Pyrennial: a Spanish Pyrenees TR
Ola amigos y amigas! Mrs Z and I welcome all fellow travelers to the segona parte of our 'Born to Bielsa' Spanish TR. That first part dealt with Barcelona and now this next installment is all about our subsequent two weeks up in Aragon, where Bielsa is the last town before the French border (the third and final part of this TR will cover the French Pyrenees). We deliberately chose a contrasting rural location to follow Barcelona. After Barcelona, we trained NW to Lleida then had the driver take us up to a supermarket in Barbastro. He waited while we two self-caterers shopped there, then finally took us onto our very special rental in the tiny hamlet Usana (aka Banaston-Usana). The majestic mountain parks just north of there could be fairly described as one of
In this chapter we will cover Usana, its larger neighbor town Ainsa, Ibon de Plan lake, Anisclo canyon, Escuain village/gorge, Pineta valley, Ordesa-Perdido Park proper plus both of our above Aragonese lodgings. Being in Aragon reminded us of our stay on Ischia, where our rental had a view of that island's 'Aragonese' castle. First, an overview. VAMOS! https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...80c98ce364.jpg We used our newly-purchased Barcelona glasses in our historic Usana rental 'Casa Blas.' https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7e882465c4.jpg First Usana, Ainsa and the Park (read 'mountains') then we'll conclude up in Bielsa before the French Pyrenees. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ae71423806.jpg Hikers and mountain fans will love Aragon. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8a64766337.jpg Reflective image of Escuain, an abandoned former butter-producing village with a spectacular gorge. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...46084c4c29.jpg Timeless icon of Iberia. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fcce5e2d26.jpg Mountain flora. Also seen were the Edelweiss species 'Leontopodium Alpinum.' https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3a32e4f683.jpg Mrs Z, she of delicate language and sensibilities: "Hurry up and take the fucking foto!" https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d509e90436.jpg Lotsa' trees about. A lumber industry was evident, in addition to varied agriculture. Barbastro's 'pink' tomatoes are favored by some over the more-hyped ones from Murcia. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bed1309b62.jpg We felt sorry for this Canuck bum traveler and gave him a lift. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8e5aea2698.jpg Lovely Raquel, the incomparable mountain guide and co-owner of Solomonte Excursiones. She led us on three separate daytrips. Her idea of a fun holiday is to climb cliffs. Very tall and oft-ice-covered cliffs. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...428eb7d900.jpg Raquel's husband Juancho, co-owner of the outfit and also a highly-qualified mountain expert. Their young son was taking drum lessons, so after each daytrip I prepared a tip sheet for the boy. Those included different songs to practice playing along to and like that. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b6381f73ae.jpg Jesus was my guide at Ordesa-Perdido Park proper. Mrs Z. passed on that loooong daytrip, preferring to chill back in Usana. I will later describe the unusual set of rules regarding visits to that park (see 'Torla'). https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...31c0fc25f1.jpg Julian Garcia ('Excursiones 4x4') was our guide at Anisclo canyon, the daytrip we completed before meeting Raquel and Juancho. He is also a trained masseur based in Boltana. Julian brought his ESL tutor pal gal (see next) to serve as interpreter. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...41fdf2c017.jpg Friendly Mia, Julian's ESL tutor. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5f97459880.jpg Ainsa town. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8c21eca7a5.jpg This is Isabel, one of the local sheep. She begged us not to tell her parents that she was pregnant. "Oh, no need to worry about that Izzy," we assured her. "We ate them last night." https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1c060e6a2c.jpg Did I mention mountains? Ordesa-Perdido park's Circo de Soaso with the famed Cala Caballo (horse's tail). *Next=our wonderful Casa Blas rental house. |
Trip Report fag and Spain tag added.
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Mod' my friend, I will be suing for defamation. Lookit what you called me above. LOL!
Someone get a screenshot. Kidding, ce n'est pas un probleme. I am done. the ? |
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This is the secluded village of Usana (oo-Sa-nah), nestled 600m up a hilltop in the heart of the Pyrenees. Our rental Casa Blas is located smack dab in the middle where you can see white shutters. The site is directly along the Camino di Santiago Compostela GR19 route. It is one of nine hamlets that compose the Banaston municipality. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...78fffadb16.jpg Here is a shot from nearby and larger Ainsa (ah-EEN-sah), a proper town with a population of 1,640. Seen in the foreground is the less attractive modern part of Ainsa. It has a much more photogenic heritage section with Spain's largest village square, one which we will show later. Usana can be seen again at top left. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...54523d9cb7.jpg One enters sleepy Usana from this tiny chapel shown on the left. In the distance, we see the tunnel that is the hamlet's key feature. Usana has a pair of historic vaulted tunnels, apparently the longest in Spain. They are authentic and the cobblestone footing is both gnarly and uneven. In other words, the real deal. Casa Blas is found at the very end of the tunnel shown here. On Solstice days, locals gather for a celebration as they watch the sun rise to fill the entire length of that tunnel! https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f824577477.jpg The view from the end of the aforementioned tunnel is wonderful. An effort has been made to decorate both tunnels with some artifacts. Shown here is our rental's quaint garden, with its nocturnal jasmine and more. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1c9c0ed23c.jpg Same spot seen from opposite direction. This is Casa Blas. For us it was indeed 'Casa Bliss!' Property manager Jayne Calvert had described this house to us as being cozy and having a prime location. She was right. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...acf07ab9e3.jpg The corner of that same garden. Once during our 9-day stay, a hiking teen couple obsessed with the perfect Insta image posed while standing directly atop those beautiful flowers shown to the right! https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e8f922b9e3.jpg The rustic door to Casa Blas. Note the symbolic scallop shell, so meaningful to those along the Camino trail. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0268040763.jpg The knocker on that same door. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...daa4c73623.jpg Dramatic, heart-stopping views are but one advantage of staying here. The above manager Jayne Calvert lives not far off and will take care of all your concerns. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7f983127f4.jpg The second historic tunnel, which was located one lane below us. Usana was a paradise for both shutterbugs and painters. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...88f427cc0a.jpg That second tunnel features a sudden glimpse of history: a press from that fast vanishing yesteryear. Olives? Grapes? Both? https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fda34d6ce6.jpg There, one finds the excellent four-bedroom Dos Arcos B&B. Owners Emma and Yiftach had agreed to be available for assistance if we'd needed any upon our arrival. Mrs Z and I appreciated their gesture, even though we eventually found the secret location of our hidden door key aided by the actual owner lady. Yiftach also operates a Bike Workshop with tours. Their impossibly-clever children are trilingual and will be quick to tell you that!!! https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7a859a964f.jpg Some outdoors decor speaks to the arty steak of Dos Arcos. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9102bb0e4b.jpg More of same. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b2e9c10c54.jpg There was a full-on rural quality to the village. We just loved it. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1af246d07e.jpg There were artifacts both outside and... https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...36b47063e7.jpg also inside. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7272a92526.jpg A village of stone and... https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1aa3447d49.jpg ...also wood. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...64b7eb7804.jpg Style here and there. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...647ec2f4bb.jpg A sunset view from our terrace. Such an endless expanse of sky. Perfect for drinks, be they a sunrise coffee or a sunset Rioja. And a great place to dry wet laundry! https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cc1310cd87.jpg That same wonderful terrace view also included a nearby semi-derelict church in neighbouring Banaston village. It was located across some gnarly bluffs, raw and wild (see below). https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4169b866af.jpg That same southerly view shows the sheep farm in the foreground and the Embalse de Mediano dammed lake in the distance. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3a869afe78.jpg The latter flowed into a stretch of quasi-submerged trees lining its banks. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c794b7d3c4.jpg Ethereal sunrises never ceased... https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...410fdf94ea.jpg ...to enthrall us. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...662888f7a5.jpg Mrs Z likes to paint. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9087bb6312.jpg Bucolic landscape was never far away. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3265e553ea.jpg Such moody clouds. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fcfad5a159.jpg Some of our grocery purchases shown inside Casa Blas. Olive oil plus pimenton. We'd actually bought the latter in Barcelona at Casa Gispert. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f4159df016.jpg An antique coffee grinder. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8a2b96316d.jpg Usana pomegranates. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...112ecb63c3.jpg Usana beans. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...829867a798.jpg Usana eggplant. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fd579a62b1.jpg Our landlady Pepita was incredibly spry for someone her age, let alone while recovering after recent surgery to mend a broken leg! That hospital stay had been near her son's home up in St. Lary just across the French Pyrenees border. She was a citizen of both countries. Mrs. Z is totally bilingual and carried the conversation during our visit to her home next door to Casa Blas. She grasped some of my clumsy Spanish and French. I think. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c9252e9ed0.jpg This painting is of her husband. Pepita owns other rental properties within the tunnel. We met one of her other vacation renters, a couple from the States now living in Panama. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a552e2499f.jpg Local laundry. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f091f67aca.jpg In flowered fields... https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fe40aaea74.jpg ...the mind delights. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...01ac9ad5c5.jpg In addition to old rakes, ropes and tools, these dried flowers decorated the tunnel. One day there in the tunnel, I learned that I'd been calling Pepita's dog by the wrong name. Whereas I'd called him 'Charcoal' in fact he was actually named 'Choco(late)' for his brown fur. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...939288d330.jpg Spanish wine has a looooong history, just like Usana. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8651a0501d.jpg We found more than one variety of grapes on the outskirts of the village. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...99677b90da.jpg It was the very end of the viniculture season here. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...78d372ae96.jpg Next: our first daytrip with Raquel (Solomonte): the Ibon de Plan lake. |
Wonderful photos of a beautiful area of Spain. Those "dried flowers" full of thorns were traditionally used to clean the wool of the sheep, still seen in many households, now as a decoration.
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You made my day! Starting your TR with these sumptuous photos.
I know you don’t drive, so please include all your logistics and other options you found for getting around this area. More please … |
Hey Ade and Hey Mikelg! Muchos Gracias.
Mikelg, thank you for your clarification about those thorns. Who knew about that fact? They remain a pyrennial fave of my wife wherever we go. Seriously. We would be grateful if you were to continue with such clarifications plus any other input whatsoever that you may have for this region. Hmm, so driving logistics. I'll start by clarifying that the 'driver' abovementioned was a taxi that we caught outside the Lleida (aka Lerida) train station. We'd taken that train from Barcelona's busy Sant station. The train itself was fine but the leadup was nearly a shit show, all the more ironic coz we'd just raced through heavy rain to finally catch a cab to Sants (taxis had refused to enter our Gracia area citing some possibly-bogus excuses). Sant Station authorities then kept the crowd of us waiting to board in a tightly-packed corner for over an hour. Couples with young children and elders were kept standing throughout as there were only so many seats. One could sense the mounting frustration. I remarked then to Mrs. Z how unnecessary that corralling of riders had been: there was plenty of room in the original waiting area. When the stationmaster finally announced boarding, a mad rush ensued. We were supposed to followed a staffer towards an elevator down the far hall, but I thought 'screw that' and just hefted both of our heavy suitcases (see 'misguided machismo') and lurched through the throng straight down the nearest stairs onto our reserved train car. Maybe not so good an idea for a 67 year old. Huff huff... Some looooong-distance car transfers were necessary for this itinerary to continue to unwind. I will def address those further down the road. As for mountain daytrips, both Solomonte and also Julian above were willing to fetch us for a fee. The aforementioned property manager Jayne Calvert also once kindly drove us into close-by Ainsa so that we could see the historic town and shop for groceries. Traditional taxis did not seem to exist throughout that part of Aragon, and there were precious few buses - we knew all that ahead of time. One daytrip that we'd love to have done, if only there's been sufficient buses, was the medieval town of Alquezar. OK, now time for Ibon de Plan. |
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*Ibon de Plan is a pristine lake with an entry hike. Raquel picked us up. Juancho had earlier been busy transferring some cyclists to a mountaintop for sunrise. Those riders had been part of a major international cycle fest centered up at Bielsa. Raquel brought the Solomonte jeep, not the van. Note that she and Juancho speak good English. In addition, they guide various adventure water sports popular in the area e.g. canyoning. *image above shows elsewhere SOLOMONTE phone +34 617 99 5434 https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8ee1020be9.jpg We headed north past Solomonte's Escalona HQ up the vale di Christau. The lovely aquamarine Cinca river was right beside. We passed the now-blocked shortcut to the lake, a route ruined by recent flooding. Then we went through the ex-hydro town Lafortunada and the Desfiladero des Devotas. A waterfall streamed atop us in the tunnel there. A historic pilgrim woman came from afar to worship there, hence the name. On the way up to Ibon de Plan we went to the village of Saravillo (seen above). https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...17463e2f9b.jpg There on the outskirts, we shopped at Queso del Artesano de Saravillo. If I caught their family name correct, these folks were Andres Miro and wife (shown here). They make their own varieties of goat cheese, plus 'arandanos' or Pineta blueberry jam, honey, yogurt and eggs. We bought a wide variety. It was amusing to hear their unseen goats bleating in their nearby pen. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4d49f4b9cd.jpg Spectacular is the only word to describe the Freda Mirador. It was worth the by-now bumpier ride on dirt trails. What far-reaching views! We were most of the way up to the lake by this point and the fresh smell of pine was wonderful. Base-jumpers sometimes utilize the area. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a29343caf2.jpg There were two pine species, black plus orange or Scot. Each preferred its own altitude. During our brief stop at this mirador, we asked Raquel to clarify various Spanish accents. She explained that Andalucians drop the final letter; Northeners (inc. Toledo) are proper and pronounce all letters; Zaragosans 'sing' sentences while the Euskadi do a hard 'K' as their language is not a Latin-based one. Her explanation was fun! https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c84ac36dc3.jpg Below one saw the curiously-named village of Sin. Its neighbor there in this Feixon Ziego area was Gistain. Clearly audible far below was the Paso Inclusa d'Escun man-made hydro embalse/dam. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ea0923b4d7.jpg Above, a die-hard American mountain-biking couple and their local guide navigating through the immediate Ibon de Plan periphery. Upon our earlier arrival at the parking lot terminus, we had just seen the 'Comlet' megalithic stone circle. That'd been unexpected. So had been the filthy condition of the attached Refuge Labasar. Trash had been left uncollected. This neglect had embarrassed Raquel. She was rightly disgusted. We carried on past the massive scree of avalanche-prone Mt. Punta es Litas (2623m). the nearby pasture had a rainbow pole that indicated winter snow heights here. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...852154ad66.jpg After the rocky entry hike and its tiny brook, we finally made it to the lake: Ibon de Plan. Only a handful of other folks were there on this weekday, whereas weekends can be much more crowded. Mrs Z and I saw clear evidence of this being a glacial valley. Mother Nature and her moraine had gouged and carved the terrain of Cotiella Mountain (2912 m) into artistic stony striations. The legend: a Moorish princess from long ago will dance above the water at sunrise for any good-hearted folks who sleep shoreside there in the Basa (basin) de la Mora. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...49130152e2.jpg The sun kept making the mountain brighter. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7fe41dce1b.jpg Cotiella's Clump Massif had a neighbor, the 2427m high Penu del Mediodia. The latter had intriguing patches of gold-coloured scree high above. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1a09f5232f.jpg This was a particularly floral area, with substantial pasture. Shown here is violet saffron crocus, but there was also 'oreja de osos' (bear ears') a primrose that survived the tropical prehistory and grows near karst cracks and fractures. Also seen: gentian, saxifrage, lilies, houseleek, cinquefoil, alpenrose, rododendrum, silverbirch and a notorious fake cannabis that is toxic. Here, beech is called 'fresno.' https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6fe69d6210.jpg These hikers were excited to have just seen a nearby ostrich fossil on one particular rockface. They may have been German. Raquel and Juancho's clients tend to be French, Belgian, Dutch and Spanish. *next: Julian and Mia's tour of the wild Anisclo canyon. |
Thanks again for your beautiful pics and report. A side note: in Spanish, an "Ibón" (with an accent on the "o") is how we specifically call the small lakes on the Pyrenees (and funnily enough, nowhere else!). It´s also a popular male name in the Basque Country (one of my best friends is called Ibon, but there are no accents in Basque).
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Fun Fact: Monte Perdido /Mont Perdu (both the French and Spanish sides) is one of only three UNESCO world heritage sites listed for both natural AND cultural wonders.
the other two are in Poughkeepsie, NY sorry if I missed this, but when did this part of your trip take place? Hard to figure out from the photos. If it’s winter, I am surprised how green it looks. super exciting trip! |
Glorious photos and fascinating commentary!!! I love this!!
Shlemm: Are you kidding? Poughkeepsie? |
Very interesting, completely unfamiliar part of Spain for me.
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Originally Posted by ekscrunchy
(Post 17629909)
Glorious photos and fascinating commentary!!! I love this!!
Shlemm: Are you kidding? Poughkeepsie? |
Welcome aboard Shelemm, Eks and ANUJ! Time for a musical interlude. Raquel and Juancho are big fans of the German soundtrack composer superstar Hans Zimmer. Perhaps the funniest morning moment of our trip (Shelemm, it was this past fall) occurred when Juancho fetched us with the big Solomonte van blaring Zimmer's brilliant Dune soundtrack! We loved it. Outstanding.
Raquel and Juancho were excited about Zimmer's upcoming Pamplona concert - they had tickets. |
And also this longer, more relaxing piece from same.
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thx for posting beautiful and interesting photos of rural Spain.
A dedicated urbanite like me will probably never visit those parts of the country. |
The following were selected due to the various intros: roosters, cowbells, church bells.... So very apropos for a village like Usana. Let's call this section ORCHESTRA ARAGON.
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Stunning landscape.
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OK so now Anisclo Canyon. Aragon has but 3% of Spain's national population and oye, was that ever evident in this wild and remote area. Julian drove us up through tiny Puertolas village and tinier Santa Maria hamlet. We passed only two or three vehicles. "Mushroom pickers," explained Mia from the back seat. She'd lived in London plus Toledo. Soon, she was off to a tutoring job in the Canaries. A coincidence: she knew our landlady Pepita's adult son Lorenzo!
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e9392e2a7e.jpg Anisclo Canyon (alt. 1740m) receives fewer tourists than more high-profile parts of Ordesa-Perdido park. The drive there is interesting too. One farm on its outskirts featured a collection of multiple different scarecrows. Were they for sale? As mentioned above, our guide Julian had brought his ESL tutor pal Mia as translator. Btw, another sign here said NO DRONES. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...492bb3cbb2.jpg On the long, rocky entry trail, we drove past waterfalls with rainbows and also some landslide damage. The latter was the result of recent rainfall. It was a comfy 12 degrees in the sun, paired with exhilarating fresh air. One can see the route in this photo, as it appears horizontally three-quarters of the way down. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...29d80cd2b4.jpg The signature berries of the Pyrenees are the 'pataculo' or damask rose. Despite being high in vitamin C, it can cause constipation (see 'culo'). Julian handed us some dried ones, already turning a yellow-orange tinge. Elsewhere: a kind of vine growing out of rockfaces used for both animal plus human abortion. We were also shown the large, light-green bush known as 'the difficult mother-in-law'! A hard, inflexible bush mind you. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e721425200.jpg While viewing this holm oak, we were approached by duck hunters. "Seen anything so far?" they asked. "Naw, just some marmots n' chamois tracks," came the reply. The rock bastion Castillo Major (2014m) was in front of us. Beside it were the highly-visible trio of snowcapped peaks known as 'The 3 Marias.' Using Julian's binoculars, we saw cliff faces stained from the white shit of 'bearded' nesting Egyptian/African vultures. Birds of prey were ever-present high in the skies throughout this trip. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...18e8df7d9c.jpg Anisclo. The sole sounds in the otherwise silent valley, were the whinnying of a few ponies plus the discordant tinkling of cowbells. Mia informed us that locals will say, "LETS GO FOR SOME SAKSIA THERAPY!" Saksia refers to the meditative quality created by that symphony of cowbells so identified with remote mountain hiking here. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a01d774124.jpg Julian with his telescope. He also showed us all a cool app on his phone that labelled the names of the mountains and other features as they appeared right in front of us. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fb1d963b04.jpg Intriguing geology was never far off. The huge green hills just across were streaked by strange irrigation streams, looooong ones made by Mother Nature. A major fossil field also lies close by. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a7364cf375.jpg Anisclo's signature attraction (that word) was an immense, deep gorge gouged out millions of years ago. Eons of sculpted erosion. The gurgling Bellos trout river was just below. Unfortunately, its other key attraction seems nearly-extinct, the rare 'sarria' or 'chamois' goat-antelope, also known as 'capra pierneca.' https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9a009efa81.jpg Anisclo's smooth pastures were filled with cattle. Cow patties were mixed with the mud everywhere. The black companion to this pair of cows was unexpectedly startled by my presence and began a panicked charge in our direction. I'd merely been walking by it with my Nikon inside my Domke bag. That sudden cow run was FELT as well as seen: the big beast's weight made the ground shudder. It soon backed off. Lucky that it wasn't a bull! https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e89513fcc0.jpg A corral was nearby. Cowboys have ranching rights throughout certain park domains, and this has led to some controversy. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...457841a52f.jpg These teen punks were into Drake and Lady Gaga. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fa7b374fc4.jpg We four had our bocadillo picnic lunch at the remote and empty Refugio 'Plana Canal'. Julian had supplied the meal. Birds of prey dive-bombed the area from the clouds for their own lunch as they hunted something nearby. Rabbits? Marmots? https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e78f794e98.jpg The steep and deep ravine is popular with hardy hikers. We only lasted part way. *A coincidence. We actually saw the above-pictured guide Raquel leading a troupe of 20 senior hikers there, not realizing whom she was! We'd not yet met her and did not know what she looked like. We finally met her for the first time a couple of days later, along with her husband Juancho. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...16da3cc961.jpg There were no washrooms so... https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...69def0d842.jpg Afterwards we stopped in little Bestue, a sleepy Pyrenees village with outstanding views and much humanized landscape. I mean that it is known for its extensive farm terraces. This charming Bestue corner revealed a traditional bit of local architecture: the truncated stone chimney known as a witch's hat seen above. Those were once created by superstitious Pyrenees builders to ward off the approach of evil witches. The village vista's 'table' was actually a wide chunk of ancient sea fossil! https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2a5da622fc.jpg A golden Bestue wall. The hamlet had a lot of traditional uneven slate work roofing. After leaving the hamlet, we later passed through a centuries-old stone enclosure wall in the wild. It'd once been used to store cereals to feed livestock. Once back home at our rental, Mrs Z created an ingenious remedy to our pesky 'Spanish fly' problem: a makeshift plastic bag trap that did the trick. No more annoying flies. I married a genius. Next: more music. |
Welcome and gracias Danon! We are aware of your extensive urban adventures.
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What follows is done in pairs. Each artist will be featured in two of their songs or instrumentals. Firstly, a pair of numbers off the live album by the Madrid band 'Radio Tarifa.' In their first 'Bulerias' number here, check out the crowd reaction to the great guitar string bend @2:30. We were there for that very concert with our pal Mike. I can attest that there were no embellishments or overdubs on that live album, which is rare among recording artists of any sort. We know this warts n' all live approach to be a fact coz Mike made a digital audience recording of that same show! One can listen and compare.
And check out the sax solo on this one. |
And now two from Manu Chao. The first may have special meaning just now.
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A pair from the late Spanish superstar.
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You probably know the first. Maybe not the segona parte.
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And to conclude this section Orchestra Aragon: two more from those honorary Spaniards, fellow Iberians from right next door 'Dead Combo.'
*Next: the Escuain area |
A big fan of Radio Tarifa, sadly his singer Benjamin died in 2012 and the group disappeared. And of course, Manu Chao, a free soul with a very liberal attitude reflected in his lyrics.
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You have captured so well the unique quality of the Pyrenees. Sure there are other mountain ranges, but this is something special.
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Wowza, zman!!!! Where to start???
Glad to see that your artistic eye has not been diminished by cataracts or anything else! Fab photos, once again. The compositions and use of shadows and textures are wonderful. You could teach a photography class, if you haven’t already. (Seems like there isn’t much you haven’t, or couldn’t, do!) And so very nice to include a couple photos of you two intrepid travelers. Your story telling and writing skills haven’t diminished, either, nor has your ridiculous memory. I will listen to the music selections later. Not sure my fellow gate passengers here at DFW would approve. Thanks for taking us along on this less traveled road!!!! Joyce and I won’t get there but I feel like I’ve been thanks to your exquisite photography and tales. |
zebec, fabulous!! A visual and musical cornucopia of an area completely unfamiliar to me. Now I don't even have to go there!
But no kidding on the beauty of the region. The Mrs. Z artwork you slipped in is nice. You guys are talented. I have one of those mountain name apps you mentioned (mine called PeakFinder), they are a lot of fun. Carry on. |
Anyone catch the Mod's typo gaffe above in #2 at the start? Apparently, I'm a 'Trip Report fag.' LOL! Outstanding.
I want to thank every traveler above. You are now each required to share with us where your next trip(s) will be or might be. Please don't be shy, just jump in. Danon, you're one of our resident Film Buffs. We leave for Santa Barbara soon and plan to see the Dylan flick there. Turns out that the SB Film Fest will be on during our stay, an unexpected coincidence. "LOOK! There goes..." Nelson, your tip to visit The Mission there will be soon realized. A date has been set to go there with maitaitom and his better thirds. We also look forward to hooking up with Irice! Dcd, there were top-shelf (your phrase) shots of the motif Pyrenees 'Quebruntahuesos' (bearded vulture) bird shown in shops and tourism offices. Their bodies are a combo of orange/gold with bright red eyes and a unique black 'moustache' - striking stuff. Raquel and Juancho's friend was a pro whose shots of same taken at the protected bird sanctuary appeared on bookmarks and postcards. After seeing the excellence of those fotos we thought, "Well, we used to be photographers!" Shelemm, I agree about the unique quality seen throughout the Pyrenees. Other travelers have also pointed to nearby regions just east and also west on both sides of the border. Btw, the skiing center to the west of Torla (Ordesa-Perdido park) was the site of last month's ski lift accident. Mikelg, you are one of the very few folks we've come across who knew about Radio Tarifa! For me, they represented quality in a music world so full of well-produced, instantly-forgettable garbage. Pretty sure that poor Benjamin was terminal when he recorded his final solo album from which we selected the song above. I also wanted to address...wait, excuse me. We're packing and Mrs Z is shouting a question up to me...WHAT HUN?! YES, DO PACK THE NEW DILDO! LEAVE THE CODPIECE." Sorry, where were we?...oh yeah: Ecsuain. |
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In some parts, the Escuain Garganta ('throat' or gorge) rock face is streaked orange-black. That's why we made the fonts above so coloured. Coming here during shoulder season meant far fewer crowds at the less-popular parts of the park such as Escuain. We saw only two other tourists there. The Visitor Center's gal was glad to see we three. Among the wildlife displays there, was a *'quebrantahuesos' stuffed bearded vulture. Its wingspan was impressive up close! *German: 'lammergeiter' https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4535285061.jpg En route to the gorge, we went via Puertolas village again (above). That began an uncanny trio of chance encounters for Raquel. First, we waved to her blue-eyed pal Nuria. She and husband are Puertolas' sole occupants off-season, raising cows and sheep. Soon after by complete fluke we bumped into Pep, Raquel's former classmate from Mountain Guide school. He was visiting his nearby vacation rental investment before returning home to Majorca. *Third coincidence below https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b9cb536c62.jpg *Later in Belsierre, her high school classmate Oscar drove by in his new one-person vehicle! He owns the modern tourist rental village there. The smell of cow manure was extremely powerful in Puertolas above. But those of who were born on farms feel that a multi-sensory approach is essential to grasp the full experience. And seriously, it'd be a great education for kids. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5c99345d68.jpg Views and vistas. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9203f1aa9d.jpg Escuain village is a ghost town right by the gorge. It was once a well-known butter-producing village. Folks would once barter butter for wine. A scattered collection of crumbling old buildings still exist, like the one shown below. Shown here is Escuain's historic church/mausoleum, its empty hutches the result of expensive rates that apparently drove historic farm families to bury and inter elsewhere. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...538950e589.jpg See the 'witch's hat' chimney? Beware the evil eye. Btw, one could hear the Rio Yaga far below. No doubt it was utilized by locals in the past. Escuain's rare physiognomy means that it is the park's sunniest sector. The hard-working farmers of yesteryear, with their sweaty shirts and weathered faces would've valued a cool respite on hot summer days. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...993a89ecb0.jpg Higher elevations are often home to thorny plants, ones which result in excellent local honey. Bees must love these cliffs and canyons. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1464809e4e.jpg We'd never seen this rare species before. Any ideas? https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...76d503573f.jpg Escuain village is now attracting some folks intent on restoring buildings as holiday homes. During each fall season, they will continue to experience (as we did) annual 'transhumance' cow migrations, with sizable herds coming down from the mountains. You could hear their cowbells coming down en mase from Tozal de Raton for miles. Whereas France has laws disallowing dogs off-leash in mountain parks, here we saw local tourists allowing their pets to bark at the bovine migration. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1319defa56.jpg Would this be a safe mushroom for folks to ingest? https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b96d288eaa.jpg The pair of mirador lookouts here were closely-located. Bocastiello belvedere had puddles and was muddy. It's boulders nearby had plentiful once-seabed fossils. But the best views of these jagged limestone massifs were from Gratallera. The source of the waterfalls that feed the local rivers is a mountain cave located 1,000 m deep inside the cliff seen here. Above: Circo de la Sarra. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3712605bf6.jpg Back in Solomonte's Escalona HQ basement, Raquel and Juancho operate a climbing wall activity to train kids. One of those children is the daughter of the couple who own Usana's aforementioned Dos Arcos B&B. Next: Lofty Pineta valley |
Bur first music. The first flamenco piece is by Jesse Cook, who is a member of our gym. The second is a calming instrumental that travelers could use around bedtime.
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I blame you, zebec, I was Googling the Pyrenees and the dog was very annoyed…. “I want to go for my walk!” 🐕
yes, I saw that typo (or was it?) 🤷♀️ I have always loved your photography, but charming old villages and mountain vistas are my favourite travel moments, so I’m hooked. |
Wow! What an awesome TR and a gorgeous part of Spain. How smart of you to include this rural beauty after the city life of wonderful Barcelona. Nice to have such a contrast while traveling. Love all the photos, especially the stunning mountain vistas and beautiful bucolic scenery. And the people you met along the way. And that gorgeous green glass in your first photo, which I remember from the restaurant in Barcelona.
How long were you in the Spanish Pyrenees? And what time of year? This past Autumn??? |
Again, as a side note: there are big differences in elevation, style of houses, languages, ways of living...along the Spanish Pyrenees. Those that start in the west (Basque Country and mainly Navarre) are very different to those in the central area (Huesca, Andorra, Lleida), which are also very different to those in the eastern area. Almost 500miles of a mountain range that divide two countries, with many common links on both side of the borders.
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Gracias Mikelg, please keep adding these interesting facts. They are important for those travelers who wish to be informed. And gracias KW. This six-week trip started mid-September and we were in the Spanish Pyrenees for two of those weeks.
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Flamenco has become so popular that there is a widespread idea that Spanish music = flamenco. As Mikelg has explained, there is a great cultural diversity in Spain which is also reflected in its traditional music, for example the "jota" of which there are several versions in Spain, the Aragonese being the best known.
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This Pineta valley part starts with this carving. For me, this fellow represents plucky determination. Like for example, if a certain Trip Reporter suddenly had several hours of their labeled photo essay work suddenly disappear at 2am due to some indecipherable tech issue. Sigh... https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e849df4b71.jpg This day's routing was: Usana van transfer to Escalona (Solomonte HQ) to use washroom/observe huge wall map/board the sturdy jeep. Then jeep with Raquel and our pair of new tourmates up to Bielsa (see map bottom R). Then ascend up the U-shaped Pineta valley to our terminus goal, the remote La Estiva refugio hut. Then reverse. For locals, this is a landmark mountain area, with a number of 'heavyweight' peaks exceeding 3000 meters. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8252075fb9.jpg The Barraso and Cinqa (seen-kah) rivers were two of the gorgeous rios that we saw. Cinqa is the main course where the annual Navatas is celebrated. Hardy teams of rowers reenact the historic river voyages when lumber was moved towards markets in the era before roads. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0c926e3b15.jpg Those rowers still use authentic pinewood rafts. They also use specific vocabulary and dress is traditional clothing. That includes black vests, pants and berets with white shirts and stockings, Black rubber sandals complete the look. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...72c51dd35c.jpg Our tourmates hailed from Guadalajara. They were handsome Jorge and... https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d1da71476c.jpg ...beautiful Cristina. Newlyweds? We were never told. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...10a0cdcedb.jpg In Espierba, we stopped at the embalse/dam. It was a surprisingly beautiful man-made site, with a marsh within a sizable lake. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...77d2163b51.jpg And that lake was beautiful too. The looming karstic landscape hinted at highlights to come. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ee81941941.jpg After driving past Zapatierna, we kept going up and up. It was our windiest, and coldest daytrip yet. It was also the one with the most tricky driving. I tried to reduce my chirpiness to a minimum so that Raquel could concentrate behind the wheel. In this very stretch, an alert Mrs Z began to notice patches of dying/dead pines. An invasive species of butterfly had been nesting throughout. The firs and beeches seemed resistant so far. The poor pines not so much. A problem for forestry personnel. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b8a8f84e3f.jpg We took a couple break stops. We learned that most mountains here have two names: Spanish and French - we were close to the border. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0c901ad11c.jpg A repeat photo of Mrs Z, shown again so we can ID these high-profile mountains. Far R above her left shoulder: Pico Taillon/Balcon Pineta, which fronts the best hike in all the Pyrenees, the famous Breche de Roland gap. Above her right shoulder going R-L: Mt Marbore, Mt Cilindro, *Mt Perdido ('lost') and Soum de Ramon on the farthest left. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...48d2356bd1.jpg Mt. Perdido is one of 'Las Tres Sorores' along with Marbore and Soum de Ramon. Each of those enormous rock legends towers higher than 3000m and are featured on countless postcards, calendars, book covers and the like. Perdido lends its name to the title of Ordesa-Perdido Park. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...14d14680e9.jpg This was a remote area. The only other humans that we saw were some Moroccan timber crews. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...52fc033dfa.jpg Our goal was La Estiva Refugio hut, seen here in the distance. The mountain the distance is half in Spain and half in France. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...23c678d6f3.jpg In the center, one can see the distinctive twin peaks of Los Astuzas (love that name). The leftmost twin is Gran Astuzas, which is 3080m. Its little brother Pequeno Astuzas is 'only' 3012. I mention these measurements to add some perspective. These are Tall mountains. Behind those twins is the popular ice climb 'Couloir Swan,' plus a tarn mountain lake. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...13f7e8ce74.jpg La Estiva Refugio is a destination for students taking Mountain Guide courses. Apparently, the first team to arrive there on the final exam gets to drink the waiting bottle of wine. Back at Solomonte HQ we'd seen their HUMUNGOUS wall map beside their feather collection. That map covered an entire wall and clearly showed the location of La Estiva, marked with the visible symbol of a wine bottle! Cristina and Jorge shared their delicious homegrown yellow cherry tomatoes with us all, during the bocadillo-yogurt lunch at the hut. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...245979389b.jpg The aptly-named Fuende la Pieta was on the slope directly behind the hut. This veritable rock garden gallery proved Mother Nature had once earned an Art degree. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...864ba70d7d.jpg Igneous rocks plus many other sorts were displayed as though on display at an art show, most covered with a wide variety of colorful lichens. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2b3d7073bf.jpg The variety went on and on... https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...50203976aa.jpg Where are we, Switzerland? This 'Meadow of the Corders' is favoured by local shepherds. Wonder what they pay for their trained sheepdogs? https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...075b5840d7.jpg Raquel pointed out this unique site: an ancient collapsed cave roof. Next: the Conclusion, with Ordesa Park proper, the Parador, Ainsa town and music. |
Revulgo: Gracias for that information. Please keep it coming so that we can all learn more.
I am done. the tired travelerz |
Originally Posted by zebec
(Post 17630610)
Revulgo: Gracias for that information. Please keep it coming so that we can all learn more.
I am done. the tired travelerz |
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