Travel to UK

After buying some food to cook for dinner which consisted of oven roasted chicken and lamb, hake in escabeche (which I brought from home specially for Mel), starters of fresh anchovies (which I also made from home), jamon serrano, lomo (pork loin), cheese, all from Madrid and some canned roasted vegetables, we gathered around the table with Andy's family.  His brother Duncan with wife Penny and son Sam brought a rhubarb pudding with custard on top.  It was delicious.  We had a good time chatting and eating.

The next day we headed to Chippenham, where Mel's Pinay friend Sara lives with her husband Mark.  They invited Mel and Andy to sleep over while Mel paid for our lodging in a B&B hotel.  It was a very nice and clean hotel close to where Mel and Andy stayed.  We dropped our luggages in the hotel before we went to a city called Bath.

Bath is surrounded by lovely rolling countryside. Founded by the Romans as a thermal spa, Bath is the UK's only World Heritage City. It also has Britain's only natural thermal spa.  Too bad we were not able to see it inside since it was already closed when we arrived.

We also saw these:

Pulteney Bridge, together with the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, is one of the world's most beautiful bridges. Like the Ponte Vecchio it is one of a handful of historic bridges in the world with shops built into it.  In spite of its practical origins it is surely the most romantic bridge in the world

The Royal Crescent is a residential road of 30 houses laid out in a crescent in the city of Bath, England. Designed by the architect John Wood the Younger and built between 1767 and 1774, it is among the greatest examples of Georgian architecture to be found in the United Kingdom. The buildings have been used as a location for several films and television programs.

The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Bath, commonly known as Bath Abbey, is an Anglican parish church and a former Benedictine monastery in Bath, Somerset, England. Founded in the 7th century, Bath Abbey was reorganised in the 10th century and rebuilt in the 12th and 16th centuries; major restoration work was carried out by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the 1860s. It is one of the largest examples of Perpendicular Gothic architecture in the West Country.  We were not able to see the interior as it was already closed when we arrived.

We ended up the day with dinner in one of the pubs.  Great day!

Source:  Wikipedia

               Flickr

Rural Tourism

Rural tourism focuses on participating in a rural lifestyle. It can be a variant of ecotourism which  involves visiting natural areas—in the remote wilderness or urban environments.

Here are some of the rural areas which are interesting to visit.

Kaardel Landetxea. San Martín, s/n. Gaintza (Navarra). Telf: 948 51 34 30

Finca Ronesa. Camino del Pantano, s/n. Tibi (Alicante). Telf: 966 18 10 84.

Cal Teixidó. Sol de Vila, s/n. Estamariu (Lleida). Telf: 973 36 01 21

 

Iriarte Jauregia. Eliz bailara, 8. Bidania-Bidegoain (Guipúzcoa). Telf: 943 68 12 34

El Privilegio de Tena. Plaza Mayor, s/n. Tramacastilla de Tena. Sallent de Gállego (Huesca). Telf: 974 48 72 06

Prado Toro. Camino Forestal, s/n. La Taha. Pitres (Granada).
Telf: 958 34 32 40

Perfeuto Maria. Cabanamoura, s/n. Outes (A Coruña). Telf: 981 85 10 09

Benefits

Rural tourism allows the creation of an alternative source of income in the non-agricultural sector for rural dwellers. The added income from rural tourism can contribute to the revival of lost folk art and handicrafts.  It is an ideal and natural method of rural and urban economic exchange.

Relevance in Developing Nations

Rural tourism is particularly relevant in developing nations wherein farmland has become fragmented due to population growth.

Relevance in Developed Nations

Rural tourism exists in developed nations in the form of providing accommodation in a scenic location ideal for rest and relaxation.

Source of images: MSN viajes

Source of information:  Wikipedia

Rural tourism is great for young people and nature lovers, but I prefer lodging in a hotel in a well communicated area instead of an isolated one.

Summer in Cantabria and Asturias

Ron and Beatriz spent two weeks of their well earned vacations in the north of Spain.  And these are some of their pictures.

1)  Lovely and picturesque sceneries:

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

2)  Where they stayed:

      

   3)  Some of what they ate:

4)  Flower Parade:

 

5)  Nice and funny pictures

Do we have to ask if they enjoyed themselves? The pictures are better than words can say.