Family Sabbatical TravelSpain We were in Fuente De in the Picos de Europa National Park. The scenery was fantastic, the day was beautiful and the mountains were right there, so once we looked at this view ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170001 we knew we had to get to the top and the cable car ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170002 was the way to do it once we repaired Suzanne's injured finger ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170003 So we walked up to the teleforico (cable car) station and bought some water (agua) from these machines ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170004 We figured that we could walk to lunch ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170005 once at the top. We joined the crowd waiting ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170006 as the car came down to get us ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170007 and landed at the right spot ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170008 We boarded with the crowd ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170009 and hung from our straps ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170010 It didn't take long before the parking lot was far below ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170011 and we were above the tree tops ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170012 and getting closer to the rocks ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170013 at the top happy that the cable ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170014 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170015 was holding and giving the good view as we followed our shadow ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170016 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170018 as we enjoyed the view ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170017 until we reached the top ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170019 and could really enjoy the view ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170020

This meant it was time to start walking ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170021 in to the mountains ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170022 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170023 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170025 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170028 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170029 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170030 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170031 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170032 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170033 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170034 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170035 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170036 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170038 stopping for the occasional picture ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170024 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170026 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170027 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170037 of us and sometimes snow ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170039 and sometimes others ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170040 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170041 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170042

Next, we came upon the cows and horses (vacas y caballos). To fully appreciate these pictures, you need to hear the sound of cowbells each time one of the cows moved. Sometimes they were on beautiful stretches of mountain ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170043 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170044 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170047 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170048 and sometimes they were with us ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170045 and sometimes we were alone ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170046 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170050 and sometimes, it was just more mountain pictures ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170049 They decided it was lunch time and so decided to head off but Jane decided to join them ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170051 driving them past the rest of us ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170052 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170053 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170054 and eventually passing us ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170055 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170056 as we headed to the restaurant ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170057 at the 4km mark. To get there, we had to go past the sheep ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170058 but we did get there and enjoyed our meal ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170059 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170060 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170061 then Suzanne consulted with our neighbors ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170062 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170063 to plan the walk back – either 4km back to the cable car or 8km downhill to the town below Fuente De. Eventually we decided on the longer walk which took us through some great scenery ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170064 that we all enjoyed ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170065 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170066 including the cows and horses ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170067 until we came to these signs ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170068 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170069 along the trail ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170070

We read this sign ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170071 as we tied our shoes ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170072 and looked at the red roofs below ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170073 as the trail continued ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170074 the mountains continued to impress ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170075 and we continued our descent ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170076 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170077 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170079 seeing the occasional red roof ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170078 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170080 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170081 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170082 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170083 along the trail and taking breaks ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170084 to rest our knees and ankles. We took a few last glimpses of where we'd been ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170085 and were excited to see the red roofs ahead ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170086 that seemed to represent our destination. This barn ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170087 meant we were almost there. At the end, we were happy but tired ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170089 and ready to go here ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170088 for lots of liquid refreshments ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170090 that refreshed all of us ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170091 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170092 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170095 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170093 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170094 including Jane ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170098 who was suffering from a bite on her arm ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170097 on her hand as the sky started to get cloudy ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170096

We took a taxi back to Fuente De where David decided to celebrate with a Cuban cigar ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170099 in Castro fashion though he needed some help getting it lit ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170100 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170101 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170102 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170103 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170104 finally succeeding ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170105 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170106 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170107 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170108 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170109 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170110 to the delight of Jane who felt it all had to be recorded on film. Everyone was enjoying himself or herself ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170111 as David and Sarah made progress in their books ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170112 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170116 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170117 David built a large ash on his cigar ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170113 that made its way into the lawn ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170118 and the mountains ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170114 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170115 remained as beautiful as ever.

We were left to take the obligatory phone booth picture ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170119 at the hotel (note than Jane actually was speaking on the phone) and to record some of our dinner – the salad ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170120 ordered by Sarah and David, the filet ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170121 ordered by Benjamin, and the anise liqueur ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170123 ordered by David.

We conclude a very active day with a self portrait ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170122 done by Jane and a night time view ../../../Sabbat/Pics/07.17.00HikingInFuenteDe//P7170124 of the mountains which were still lit at 1030PM.