September 4, 2024 San Vicente to Playa Cathedral Rocks Lunch - Casa Fernando in Cudillero. Dinner - O Lar de Carmina in Galicia
We awakened early and ate a cup of yogurt and drove west to Royal III, where we shared a slice of tortilla Yorkshire con queso. I also ate a pain au chocolat with a glass of orange juice and Suzette drank coffee with hot milk.
I wanted to make sure I had enough energy to visit Pindal Cave. Pindal was not very far but the road after we left N634 was very narrow with lots of blind curves. Finally we arrived at Pindal at 10:20, 10 minutes before our designated time. Our guide arrived at 10:30 and then a group of ten arrived. As usual I was the slowest and oldest person in the group and everyone let me go first so I could walk in the path lit by the guide’s flashlight. The steps down to the cave entrance were guarded by a railing and there was a good path in the cave. The guide spoke Spanish but we got the gist after Suzette translated the information placard a the office before we started. The cave was discovered in 1908 and was one of the first caves with Paleolithic art discovered in Asturias.
We walked 300 meters into the cave and viewed two walls painted in red ochre. I saw the second best articulated bison (the best was in Monte Castillo) and the only mastodon I have ever seen. The paintings are dated at 17,000 years old. The mastodon was on a wall that had been scraped smooth to create a smooth white background as a canvas. It was a very impressive cave high above the sea in a small notch in the rocks. They must have cut steps or used ropes to access the cave because it was inaccessible from the ocean below. The guide Pindal may have been I ceremonial site because no bones or other usual domestic remains have been found.
A deer with a small head and a large body
After we visited the cave we drove west until 1:30 when we got hungry and started looking for a restaurant. Suzette picked a restaurant in the old waterfront town of Cudillero. We drove down its narrow streets filled with people and could not find a parking space within walking distance of the restaurant so I drove up the hill back to N634 and Suzette found a. 4 star hotel restaurant on the other side of the A8 named Casa Fernando with a cheery restaurant with sliding doors that opened to the garden and parking lot. The key factor that convinced us to eat here was the large parking lot. I parked in front of the door to the hotel.
We perused the menu. I finally decided on the menu of the day for 13 Euros. I chose spaghetti with shrimp for my first course to replenish the carbs after the cave. Suzette chose Steamed clams in an olive oil and butter sauce, like she usually steams clams. This created the possibility of sharing. I gave her some of my spaghetti and she gave my several clams and some of her sauce that greatly improved the flavor of my spaghetti.
I ordered a 70 cl bottle of natural apple cider and Suzette ordered a beer. My lunch included bread, a beverage, two courses and wine or water.
I selected water and we were brought 1 1/2 liter bottle of Solares water, which made us very happy and Suzette dipped bread in the clam sauce.
For my second course I ordered roasted chicken and was served a leg quarter with a light garlic and chicken juice sauce in a plate filled with French fries. The chicken was a little overcooked but very edible especially with a French fry dipped in the garlic sauce. I gave Suzette the leg and some fries and I ate the thigh.
Baked Chicken and French fries
After we finished the second course it was time for dessert and a couple of glasses of water. I asked the waiter, “What is the best dessert?”
He said “Arroz con Leche” and that is what we got With lots of ground cinnamon sprinkled on top. The rice pudding was not overly sweet and very delicious with the slightly bitter cinnamon.
Rice pudding
We were even happier when the bill came and was only 37 Euros.
After lunch we drove for another hour past Ribideo to the cathedral Rocks Beach Hotel where we were staying for three days. It is just Rinlo where we ate Goose neck barnacles last year and relatively untouched by development. After we arrived we rested and napped for a couple of hours. Then I watched Stage 17 of the Vuelta.
The Peloton caught four breakaway riders about 2 Km. from the finish and there was a sprint finish into Santander that was won by Kaden Groves, an Aussie.
At 7:30 I was hungry so we drove to the cathedral Rocks and walked out to the rocks but the tide was up and there was not much to see and there was only a snack bar there, so Suzette found a 4.1 star rated restaurant in the next small town named O Lar Carnina.
We arrived at 7:50 and the parking lot was nearly empty and I was able to park by the front door. The reason the parking,lot was nearly empty was because the kitchen did not start cooking until 8;15. So Suzette sipped a vermouth and I perused the menu while we waited.
When we were seated in the restaurant’s dining area I ordered steamed mussels and a large draft beer and bread. Soon a platter with about 20 large steamed mussel was served with a reddish dipping sauceP that was really delicious. We asked the waiter to explain the ingredients in the sauce and he said, “Mostly vegetables. Onion, tomato, pimiento pepper, plus vinegar and olive oil.” We loved it and think we can replicate it when we return home. Suzette thought it had an affinity to a French mignonette sauce for seafood, but I did not see any shallot, but did see some egg white and corn kernels.
After dinner we drove back to the hotel and walked the two blocks to the beach. This is the first beach I have seen in Spain with no people.
We walked back to the hotel and I blogged and Suzette started reading her fifth or sixth book of the trip.
Bon Appetit
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