Travel Series: La Vida Española.

Did you know that for a good portion of our 20s my husband and I lived overseas?! We literally lived as nomads and bounced around the world with 4 suitcases and a camera. We were very fortunate to have lived and worked in Europe, Asia and South America. In those years abroad we wrote a travel blog to keep our family and friends in the loop. Since the blog hasn't been updated in a couple of years, I decide it was time to transition it into a book format for our little family to remember our adventures. I also thought it would be fun to feature some of our most memorable stories and photos as a "fun travel series" to break up my photography blog. Hey, we all need a little more travel in our lives! So sit back, take a sip of your morning coffee and enjoy this first post of our time spent in Oviedo, Spain. 

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La Vida Española.
2014

I don't know what I expected from Northern Spain, it's not an area that gets much world recognition or gets put on the "must-see" or "must-travel-to" lists. Everyone that I talked to that has traveled to Spain has instantly fell in love with the culture, food and way of life. But for me, for the first time in our six years abroad, I wanted to keep my guard up and not experience the country through other people's stories. I wanted a completely clean slate - no research - no travel advice - just me, getting on a plane.... and seeing what this Spanish lifestyle is all about.  

​Oviedo is a charming town, nestled between the Cantabrian Sea and the Cantabrian Mountains. The city is the capital of the Asturias region and has about 200,000 inhabitants. It's covered with colorful houses - purple, olive green, blue, yellow and red - some tiled and some painted. The colorful houses are supposed to bring joy and color to a city in which winter months can be overcast and rainy. 

Oviedo has old world charm with cobblestone streets, fountains, historical buildings and it's famous cathedral. The Gothic cathedral of Oviedo, is a prominent structure in the city skyline. The light yellow cathedral was restored in the 12th century, on the grounds of a pre-romanesque 9th century church. The original parts of church are still visible inside the cathedral's cloister and are even listed on the World Heritage Site list. The Oviedo Cathedral is not only stunning to look at but legend has it that in 718, the King of Spain Alfonso II brought the cloth that was used to cover and clean the face of Jesus after his crucifixion to Oviedo. The religious relic remained hidden for years and finally on March 14th, 1075, the chest containing the cloth was officially opened and has remained inside the cathedral ever since. This religious relic, along with many others is housed inside the Holy Chamber of the cathedral.

Life in Oviedo moves slowly, stores are closed between 2-4, people stroll down the cobblestone streets often holding hands. Coffee is sipped at a leisurely pace, sitting at a cafe or restaurant watching the world go by. No one is in a hurry, even people stuck in traffic seem content. No honking, flashing lights, and remarkably, even letting other cars go in front of them. (Such a foreign concept to me being from Chicago and being used to aggressive driving!)

Pedestrians always have a right of way. 

People work to live, take in every moment and seem content doing the simple things in life.

Food is fresh and wine is cheap. It is totally acceptable to drink wine or the local Asturian speciality of sidra at lunch and then go back to work. Tapas and pinchos are served when one orders drinks (Even at discotecas!).  Food and drink are enjoyed, not swallowed quickly. Dinner can last a couple of hours with no one being in a hurry. Conversation is always plentiful and laughter is abundant. 

People are friendly, open, welcoming and willing to help. It has been remarkably easy for us to make new friends and even snatch a couple of dinner invitations along the way.

Once you leave the city all you will see is rolling hills with grazing life stock; sheep, horses, and cows with big Swiss looking bells. There are deep valleys with jagged rock formations covered by lush forests. 

When driving through the countryside one can notice an abundance of Asturian storage huts attached to houses or converted into garages. These elevated part wood - part stone structures, serve as excess food storage during the winter months and prevent any critters from getting in to the food supply. 

Northern Spain is friendly and full of culture. It's rich in it's traditions of fishing, farming and cheese making. The mountains and coast line make it  a unique natural retreat with hiking paths, outdoor sports and a plethora of beautiful scenery.

During our time in Spain, we have learned to slow down. To eat dinner and lunch for a couple of hours at a time. To take siestas in the middle of the day and stay out till 3 am. We learned that life is not about how much you aquire but it's about the experiences you have along the way. Our Spanish life has reminded us that the best pleasures in life are simple.