September 2018. Lorraine and I went to Cologne for my mother's birthday. Jana and Josef, from Vermont, went to see his parents in Czechia. Then we met at Madrid airport and drove to Vitoria, where Asun and Txus brought us a fabulous dinner in one of our two apartments. The next day, we walked around Vitoria Gasteiz, the capital of the Basque country.
Asun is an extra mother of my son David a Txus is his Spanish brother. They hosted David as an exchange student for three summer visits when David was a teenager. We've stayed in touch. Now we are off to see the Basque country with them and then go on to Galicia to make our long-planned "Camino a Santiago", with Asun (Asuncion) joining us for the walk.
Click for an even larger image.
We also went to the Rioja valley. See photos below. This is the Marques de Riscal winery in a small town called El Ciego ("The Blind"). Behind us is the luxury hotel designed by Frank Gehry. We stopped there to drink some of their wine. Click on any of the photos to see a larger one.
Vitoria Gasteiz has several large squares in the center of the town.
Click on the photo to see a larger image.
.
Vitoria Gasteiz. All signs are in Spanish and Euskadi.
Click to see a larger image.
This is Vitoria's main square. In the summer, they have a huge festival with concerts in all the squares. Click for an even larger image.
On our way to a splendid Portuguese restaurant, although we are in Spain. Click on the photo se see a larger one.
Then we went on a trip around the Rioja wine growing area, south of Vitoria. Click on the photo to see a larger image.
In a Rioja vineyard. The mountains behind us protect the valley from cold North winds and help the wine grow. See a zoomed image below of the grapes ripening up. Click for an even larger image.
This is what the grapes look like.
One of the wineries, with mountains behind. Click on the photo to see a larger image.
With a statue of the owner of Eguren Ugarte, a winery.
Click to see a larger photo.
And, we met him, the same man as the statue, a 5th generation owner of the winery. Click for a much larger image.
We bought a couple of cases, to drink later on the Camino, because we already had the car to move to Galicia. Click to see a larger image.
What a beautiful part of Spain. Click to see a much larger image.
And then we started our trip to the West. Txus stayed in Vitoria, working, but Asun came with us for the rest of the trip. We stopped in Burgos, to see the spectacular cathedral. They started building it in 1221 and finished in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Josef and Jana taking a picture of their pets who came with us on the Camino. Click to see a larger photo.
Josef, for ever taking photos, this time of Jana with the Burgos cathedral. Click to see a larger image.
Josef & Jana at Burgos. Click for an even larger image.
Spectacular Burgos. Click for an even larger image.
After Burgos, we drove 400 kilometers West to Sarria, where we booked a nice Airbnb.com apartments with 3 bedrooms & bathrooms, to start our "Camino a Santiago". This photo was along the way, a cross marking the Camino.
Click for an even larger image.
And click HERE to see our photos of the Camino
