A peek at rural Navarra

Hello blog fans, the weather's on the turn here with a definite autumnal chill in the air.  Mick wore his long trousers yesterday for the first time since June - a sad day for him as his shorts have been stowed until we head south.  So we thought we'd better get a trip to the Pyrenees in before it's too late in the year...

Thursday 8 October - Elizondo
With our walking gear on we boarded the bus for the village of Elizondo in the Baztan region of Navarra for a peek at Basque life in the Pyrenees.  An hour and a half later we arrived and, although it was overcast, it was fairly warm.  We hoped the rain would hold off for the duration of our visit as, although we've had a glorious summer in the French sun, we're still not quite ready for the rain!

Our route took us around the village and into the foothills of the mountains, alongside a mountain-fed river, past farms and outbuildings and back into the town again for our bus home (only 2-3 run daily at odd hours so, as lovely as it is, we didn't fancy getting stuck overnight).

Elizondo - a village in the clouds

On leaving the village, the first thing we heard were cow bells!  Can't remember ever hearing that in the UK - really lovely.  The second thing we noticed was the Alpine style of the houses.  This area was - and still is - an agricultural and farming region.  In the days before central heating, livestock would be kept at ground level; the heat they produced would rise to the first floor which is where the family would live - alongside the coal fire; hay insulated the area between the attic and first floor to keep the family warm and the attic cool.  The attic served as a larder where food was stored and cured.  Walls were nearly 1 metre thick to keep out the harsh weather.  How times change eh?

Mick on his mini-pilgrimage

We then went into the woods and were surprised to find this little small-holding with some very friendly sows who rushed over to say 'hello'!

We continued walking for an hour or so and really enjoyed being out in the countryside - although we're townies we're nature kids at heart!  

And after all that hard work all there was to do was enjoy our first (and not last!) churros.  These are a speciality in Spain and the Spanish love them.  Churros are long finger doughnuts that you dip in chocolate - not the Cadbury's drinking chocolate we know of - but a thick chocolate, custard-type sauce you get on a chocolate sponge pudding.  I'd heard they were good from Catherine (my lovely Spanish teacher) but I didn't know how good.  Well, all we can say is they were D-I-V-I-N-E!!!!  We devoured them and know we're now addicted - not good for the waistline! 

The churreria in Elizondo

With full and content bellies we boarded the last bus home and it wasn't uneventful: the bus was stopped - and boarded - by the Guardia Civil who made directly for a guy at the back of the coach and checked his luggage and papers.  Not sure if they were tipped off or just picked our bus randomly but you don't mess with the Guardia - they are armed with machine guns.  We were held up for about 15 minutes while they checked his ID and then we were on our way again.  Never a dull moment, eh?

We're off to Zaragoza early next week so we'll update you soon but, until then, keep well and happy.