{"id":15455,"date":"2017-02-23T23:30:40","date_gmt":"2017-02-23T23:30:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thesojournseries.com\/bavaria\/?p=15455"},"modified":"2017-02-23T23:30:41","modified_gmt":"2017-02-23T23:30:41","slug":"an-asturian-birthday-twelve","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.thesojournseries.com\/bavaria\/an-asturian-birthday-twelve\/","title":{"rendered":"An Asturian Birthday – Twelve"},"content":{"rendered":"

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If you hadn’t noticed, it has become a little tradition in our family to choose somewhere special to celebrate a birthday. \u00a0 It started when we were living away from home – \u00a0a kind of a distraction from being far from friends and family I suppose. \u00a0It seems like it’s carrying on now that we are back, and I don’t feel it necessary to complain about that just yet…<\/p>\n

The first birthday of the year in our house falls to The Small Girl, who turned a mind boggling 12 last week (mind boggling only to her parents of course, but still – 12!!!), and with Stansted just up the road, we gave her the choice of where we should go. \u00a0 After contemplating every single destination you can get to from that particular airport, and after (thankfully) deciding against the Faroe Isles (which I would love to visit, just not in February), she came to a decision that Asturias might be nice, especially as she and her younger siblings were yet to visit Spain…<\/p>\n

When we lived in Bavaria, I felt that we neglected France and Spain somewhat (apart from Strasbourg<\/a> and Colmar<\/a> which were relatively easy to get to), mainly because they were prohibitively expensive to fly to (most of the time), but also because we had so many other places that were far easier to explore pretty much on our doorstep. \u00a0 I have always loved Spain though, and having only ever visited the South before recently found myself wanting to explore the North, thanks mostly to a blogging friend of mine Mary, and her lovely Blog – Asturian Diary<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Fast forward to departure day, and I am not sure how over the moon the birthday girl was about getting turfed out of bed at 4am on her big day to get to the airport (despite parental suggestions that this made for an extra long birthday!), I however slightly enjoyed the sweet sense of revenge at getting our own back for all those “is it my birthday yet” at 3am on birthdays past!…<\/p>\n

A painfully early start did have an upside however, by the time we arrived and had dumped our stuff at our sweet little chalet on the outskirts of Tapia de Casariego, we were just in time for lunch at a little local eaterie La Posada De San Blas <\/a>(which sadly doesn’t seem to have a proper website!). \u00a0 \u00a0Despite our general lack of Spanish speaking ability (and they really don’t speak much English around here), we managed to pick out a few specials from the menu that made for a respectable birthday lunch, including a tortilla not far off the size of a small dustbin lid, the most delicate crispy calabrales croquettes, a kind of hake stew which was a favourite with the grown ups, and a huge plate of fresh calamari, all approved by madame…<\/p>\n

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The rest of the afternoon we spent on one of Tapia de Casariego’s idyllic empty beaches, with its expanse of sand punctuated by huge impressive rock formations here and there, and the odd child magnet cave. \u00a0 Add to this masses of rock pools to explore, and the promise of being able to hunt down a birthday cake entirely of her own choice for later on (which turned out not to be a giant carbayon (local almond cake, not looking too unlike an eclair) I had hankered after, but the completely retro dessert that is Viennetta, apparently quite exotic if you are freshly twelve and haven’t ever had one before!) and it was declared “a really great birthday” by the special birthday person herself…<\/p>\n

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I have a couple more Asturias posts coming up (with about a billion pictures as it is truly stunning with both sea and mountains nearby), but for now, a few words to my not so little one, as has become yet another tradition over the years…<\/p>\n

My lovely girl, you never cease to amaze me with the things you take in your stride. \u00a0The past year has seen you glide gracefully through your start at secondary school, followed swiftly by the acceptance that we would soon say goodbye to the country you had called home for five years, leaving behind incredibly close friends, and a school that was often an extension of family to all of us. \u00a0 Despite your obvious heartbreak at this en masse farewell, you have embraced our new chapter with nothing but positivity, right down to the first day at your new school that had you putting on a much braver face than your Mother… \u00a0It has been lovely to see you so excited about being back in a country you don’t remember too much about, making regular new discoveries that have me chortling quietly under my breath (I am wondering how long your current Twiglet obsession will last for!). \u00a0 Your enthusiasm for life in general knows no bounds, even if your fiestiness makes an appearance from time to time (you do take after me after all!)… \u00a0As I wrote as a caption on the picture of you and the impressive giant rock arch above, I sometimes worry about the world for you my sweet and what it holds, \u00a0but sometimes I think the world should be worried about you too. \u00a0Don’t change. x<\/em><\/p>\n

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