Archive for October, 2009
Asturias – Peaks And Parks
October 28th, 2009 | 
Author: Asturias – Peaks And Parks
Asturias is one of the seventeen autonomous communities of Spain and can be found in the far north of the country. Many of the autonomous communities of Spain are further subdivided into provinces and Asturias is no exception albeit there is only one province in this region which is also named Asturias.
The autonomous community is bordered as follows:
on the east by Cantabria
on the south by Castilla y Len
on the west by Galicia
on the north by the Cantabrian Sea
The capital of the province Oviedo along with the seaport of Gijn and the industrial town of Avils are the most important cities of the region with other major towns including Mieres Siero Cangas de Ons Cangas del Narcea Grado Lena Laviana El Entrego Villaviciosa and Llanes.
High mountain ranges spanning some 200 kilometres characterize the landscape of Asturias and within these ranges some of Spains most exceptional nature reserves such as Picos de Europa and the national parks of Covadonga and Somiedo can be found.
Climbing walking skiing and caving are just some of the activities which are catered for in this Mecca for sports enthusiasts whilst the lush green landscapes of the rest of the region offers peace and tranquillity for the nonextreme amongst us. Such is the contrast of the landscape that the question should be Where else could you find high mountain peaks a few miles from a coastline which has great beaches and colourful fishing villages?
As extensive as it is spectacular the Asturian coastline is littered with hundreds of beaches coves and natural sea caves. Playa del Silencio Beach of Silence close to the fishing village of Cudillero and the many many beaches which surround the summer resort of LLanes are particularly noteworthy. Barro Ballota and Torimbia which is predominantly a nudist beach are just a few of these and it is not unusual to see grazing livestock on top of the steep cliffs which border most of the fine sandy beaches.
With an annual rainfall varying between 1m and 1.5m the province can claim to be one of the wettest in the Iberian peninsular and Degaa with its average of 2.13m per year is one of the wettest areas within the region. The mountainous areas of Asturias have predictably harsh and bitterly cold winter periods whilst in contrast the coast enjoys mild summers and winters with yearly average temperatures in Oviedo being 13C. Snowfall is commonplace in the Somiedo and Picos regions between November and January.
Food and Drink
Asturias is renowned for both its seafood and for its regional dish Fabada Asturiana which is a rich tasty stew made with large white beans shoulder of pork black sausage spicy sausage and saffron. The traditional alcoholic drink of the region is a natural cider made with apples harvested from the many apple groves here and it is usually served El Escanciado. The bottle when using this method must be held above head height which allows the cider to have a long vertical pour and since it is bottled without gas the cider becomes aerated as it splashes into the glass giving it a pleasant refreshing taste. It is customary to pass the same glass around and for everyone to drink from it. After each person takes his or her sip a small amount of the cider is splashed to the ground in a symbolic glass cleaning gesture before passing it to the next person.
Asturias is also affectionately known as the land of cheeses. This is due chiefly to the wide variety and quality of the regions famous product especially the Cabrales.
Tourist Attractions
The Way of Santiago along with all of its enroute monuments and the Ruta de la Plata the silver route both traverse Asturias and are some of the regions most favourite tourist attractions.
Music
Regional Anthem The regional anthem of Asturias Asturias patria querdia Asturias my dear motherland is a song which as popular myth suggests is sung by intoxicated people across the whole of Spain whereas in reality this is not actually true. Francos side first mentioned this idea during the Spanish civil war in an effort to damage the reputation of the Asturian people.
Major Attractions
Oviedo the regions capital: compromising of a diverse architecture it is a clean and cosmopolitan city. Some of the major highlights located to the north are Santa Mara del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo a preRoman church and a preRoman castle respectively which were built by the first Asturian Kings.
The Picos de Europa National Park: The Picu Urriellu is probably the more famous of the mountains in this range and is a molarshaped peak which has an orange radiance in the twilight sun which gives it its nickname of El Naranjo de Bulnes.
The shrine to the Virgin Mary of Covadonga and the mountain lakes near Cangas de Ons: The Virgin Mary is said according to legend to have given Asturian soldiers a timely signal to attack the Moorish conquerors which by doing so took the aggressors completely by surprise. The result is that the Reconquista and unification of Spain it is believed began here in Asturias.
The Asturian coast: the beaches and coves around the resort of LLanes are worthy of particular mention as is the Playa del Silencio close to the fishing village of Cudillero.
Other Places of Interest
Ceceda village: notice the traditional horreo grain silos which are built on stilts which keeps field mice from getting to the grain.
The Dobra River: its remarkable colours and natural beauty make the river worthy of visiting if you are in the area.
The senda costera coastal way between Pendueles and Llanes: some of the most impressive coastal scenery can be seen whilst walking along this nature route. Among the many spectacles are the bufones water spouts naturally created by sea erosion and the Playa de Ballota.
A bizarre rock formation on the beach at Buelna village that is best viewed at low tide.
The mountains and nature reserves of Asturias offer a timeless way of life which is steeped in culture and is enchantingly different from the busy Southern Costas. At least once in a persons life a visit to Asturais should be on the adgenda.
About the writer: Mark Buckingham runs Spanish holiday rentals a fast groing website where you can find all types of properties to rent and for sale in Spain.
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Ancient Temples Of Malta
Ancient Temples Of Malta
On the sun drenched island of Malta south of Sicily and North of Tunisia temples can be found which date back as far as any in the known world. Such a variety and quality of temples have been found on this little island that visitors historians archaeologists and students from around the globe have travelled to view their wonders which span the archipelago of the three islands Malta Gozo and Comino.
With a history full of Knights invading and marauding empires and strategic importance Malta is in many ways a living museum to the great architectural forces of the past two thousand years but its temples predate everything else by a long shot and give an insight into times as far back as 5400 B.C; the earliest date from which evidence of settlers on the island has been found.
The Maltese Paleochristian catacombs of Abbatija TadDejr are richly decorated and some of the most important Christian catacombs South of Rome. Dating back to the late Roman and Byzantine period Mass was still celebrated here until 1575 and the site on the outskirts of the town of Rabat is still open to the public today. These are an excellent example of the history of Christianity on the island but further back other religions were dominant on the island.
The Ggantija Temples in Xaghra on Maltas neighbouring island of Gozo date back to between 3200 3600 BC with a boundary wall containing Megaliths large single stones exceeding five metres in length and weighing over fifty tons. The name Ggantija is Maltes for giant and local folklore tells of a giantess named Sansuna who built the temples in a day by carrying the huge stones on her back with her baby under her arm. Many of the temples on Malta and Gozo have been linked to the idea of fertility motherhood and the cycles of life and the stars. Ggantija is thought to be the oldest free standing structure in the world and is still open to visitors today.
The temple at Hagar Qim also dates back to the Ggantija phase of Maltas history between 3600 3200 B.C. It is known for the precision with which the giant megalithic stones have been placed together a precision and level of skill which can only be compared to the architects of the Valley Temple next to the Sphinx in Egypt which the temples at Hagar Qim predate significantly. Statues of what are thought to be a mother goddess have been moved from the temple to the museum in Maltas capital Valletta and the theme of the Mother Goddess pervades the structure with its womblike configuration and phallic menhirs marking its entrance. Evidence of rituals and worship have been found here and at the neighbouring temple of Mnajdra where the skill and artistry of the architects seems to have grown further. Although some of the finest specimens of megalithic temples in the world many of the islands heritage sites are in need of conservation and Maltese bodies such as Heritage Malta and Din LArt Helwa have begun to carry out the necessary work and fundraising to ensure these important structures survive.
There are many other temples and religious sites on the islands with a variety of different visitors; those wishing to study these amazing structures those whove just come to get a glimpse of the past artists who want to paint them and students and families having a picnic in beautiful surroundings. Whatever peoples reasons the temples stand as monuments to culture and civilisation in Malta and are much loved by this forwardlooking island which embraces its unique and mysterious past.
About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;Tom West has lived and worked in Malta and now writes short works of fiction as well as articles.
Use these links to find out more about Malta
Amazing Norway
Amazing Norway
Norway is well known for its amazing and varied scenery. The gulfs many high mountains on both sides in the west are long and narrow. Norway was an old Viking kingdom. Economically it is known for its oil and seafood exports. Norway is a country with low population which is about only 4.76 million while its land area is as equal as Great Britain and Germany about 385155 square kilometers. Thus for each inhabitant there is 70000 square meters of land. But the vast majority of the land is a rocky wilderness which is completely unusable for agricultural purposes. As a result Norway has a large number of completely unpopulated areas many of which have been converted to national parks.
In winter crosscountry skiing alpine skiing and snowboarding are very popular. In summer hiking and biking are good sports. For some people who love adventure kayaking rafting cave or glacier exploration are good choices. Car tourists usually enjoy driving along the gulf and mountains. In short Norway has a lot to offer you in terms of nature. Norwegians are very proud of their national parks which they strive to keep unspoiled.
You can see the polar day and polar night in north Norway. But you cannot see this marvelous sight in south Norway. The midsummer night of Oslo is very short even simply does not have darkness. Norway is a Christianity country where the Luther churches belong to the government institutions. Christmas day and Easter are so significant holidays that many Norwegians will be away from work for one week or more.
For more information about traveling please have a look at http://www.affordablecruisestours.com
About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;I like traveling and would like to share my experience with others.http://www.affordablecruisestours.com
