Posts Tagged ‘winter’

Día soleado en San Isidro
Originally uploaded by Marcos Dopico.

“Fancy going skiing some time?” Asked Pompeyo on last week’s walk.

“Why not” We answered, fresh from the week in the Alps.

The phone rang on Thursday:

“The forecast is okay for Saturday, how about it?”

So we went. And it didn’t rain, and it only snowed a little bit. The snow was a bit heavy (alright, on the lower slopes it was papa (as they say here, mashed potato consistency) but higher up it was fine).

We set off at 8, sure in the knowledge that the majority of Spaniards would not be rising early to ski. Well some of them did but not too many.

A half day pass for San Isidro (in León) is €16, boot and pole hire for Liz another €11. Pompeyo lent me his carving skis, he skied on his ancient long thin skis. Liz used Carmen’s short skis, which she enjoyed, and we just tootled up and down the reds (which were easier than many blues in Courchevel).

We ate on the way home in Felechosa, pote then trout and now we’re home, digesting and getting ready to head out to the opera. It’s a hard life…

Well, not really horror, but the first snowy walk of the season. Although Liz’s expression was a fleeting one, and subsequently replaced by the more usual smile.

We were supposed to start in León, at 1200m but the guys in the group were a bit worried about the roads up there (and the forecast wind, and snow). So we changed our plans and did a much lower walk. There was still a bit of wind (so much so that at one point I was unable to use my umbrella for a couple of minutes!! No, really, there was a fresh breeze (maybe 40mph gusting to 60) and it broke a few brollys (which needed to be deployed in a shield like manner for the horizontal rain sleet and snow).

We reached the snow, wet and cold… that’s us not the snow (although that was cold and wet too) and didn’t wait to take a photo… just headed down along swollen rivers through autumnal forests.

Back in the village we started from we (the faster walkers, who had the time while waiting for the slower ones) took advantage of the bar and had egg and chips (Pompeyo’s favourite food, and a steal in this place at €2.25).

Then for a complete change of pace later on we went to the luxurious Auditorio Principe Felipe to see the fantastic Kroke… a snippet of which is already on youtube (although the quality is poor so this clip is better).