There were several other reasons for my decision to go to Ainsa. Firstly the drive there is spectacular, Ainsa sits in the heart of the protected Odesa National Park. Ainsa itself is beautiful, it is a medieval city, once the capital of the medieval kingdom of Sobrarbe, it was the birthplace of the Kingdom of Aragon and it was home to the palace of the first Kings of Aragon, which is still there in the Plaza Mayor.
Apart from that, it also has some excellent restaurants, one in particular 'Callizo' is very good. On Saturday we called and tried to book a table for two, we were pushing our luck calling at the eleventh hour and for Easter Sunday, surprise, surprise, they were full, but we decided to go anyway. We could always see if they had a table on the day and if not well, we could find somewhere else.
After being woken up with a lovely cup of tea and receiving a beautiful new handbag as a birthday present from lovely MG, we leisurely got ready, no rush, Spanish restaurants serve lunch until 4pm. The weather was not good in France, overcast and drizzly but the weather forecast for Ainsa was good, once ready, MG, Crusoe and myself set off.....
Climbing into the mountains on the French side
It was difficult trying to take photos, whilst MG negotiated hairpin bends
The Summit
Into the tunnel
Out of the tunnel and into Spain, the weather is much better on the south face
The scenery is changing
Views from Ainsa
Plaza Mayor
No chance at the restaurant, it is now in the Michelin guide 2010, with a Bib gourmande and was full of discerning French diners
We wandered around a bit
And joined the Spanish for a tapas lunch, washed down with local red wine
The local taxi service
That does indeed look like a lovely day. Gorgeous photos! And how super to wake up in one country and decide to have lunch in another :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the lovely photos. Almost as good as being there!! Ok, I'm lying about that...jealous is what I am :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful way to celebrate your special day. Thank you for including us in on your lovely journey. I wish you a belated Happy Birthday.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos - looks lovely. Must make a note to visit next time we go to Spain.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Belated Happy Birthday.
Gorgeous! Great photos and a great way to celebrate! Happy Easter and Happy Birthday to you!
ReplyDeleteBest,
Stephanie
Looks like a lovely day and a handbag to boot! Not too shabby :-)
ReplyDeleteOh Dash JOYEUX ANNIVERSAIRE!!! What a truly wonderful day you had. I'm a bit further away than you from Spain but I do so love the drive... I've been meaning to drop by and am going to stick you up on my side bar now I'm not in such a rush.
ReplyDeleteThanks for looking at my website... It's really kind of you!
What a gorgeous place!
ReplyDeleteI love a good selection of tapas and being able to sit out in the sun with tables full of locals must have been great fun.
Sounds like a lovely birthday.
Oh what a lovely way to spend an Eastery birthday and I loved all the photos. However you missed out a crucial one - a photo of the bag, silly.
ReplyDeleteCome on - show off your things
xx
oh Dash..i loved seeing this..having never been there this was so fun to see... and crusoe...what a cutie-pie...he got to go too?
ReplyDeletei cried when i read the story of how you got him....that's the same story about Buddy. we never meant to get him that day..we saw the ad and said, well, lets just go look...and i walked in and saw him, picked him up, and that was it. love at first sight...YES ! the best decision i EVER made in my life....13 years and 4 months 1 day of PURE HEAVEN ! gosh, i miss that doggy. it is so depressing here without him.barely hanging on till we get Teddy...
i love your blog...are you from the united states living in france or are you french? was just wondering....
sending love across the sea...and a Happy belated Birthday to you...
kary
oh no...is crusoe o.k.?
ReplyDeletehave you ever been to the united states/california?
i have never been to europe...never wanted to leave buddy :- (
hanging on over here ...2 weeks to go....
kary
xxx
small world, dash..
ReplyDeletei lived for 30 years in a small town called cambria...right by hearst castle...about an hour and a half south of big sur ( i LOVE big sur) on the coast right on highway one.
i now live in san luis obispo,ca about another 30 minutes south on highway one...about half way between san francisco and los angeles....
if you come out here...we could meet up...
:-)
Oh, Dash, what a wonderful way to spend your birthday! Getting a new purse is always something I adore. I agree with FF, you need to show us a picture of it.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to you!
OH OH OH OH OH
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful!!!!!!!!!! I could cry with envy... to have this sort of beauty nearby is such a blessing... gorgeous photos too... both before and after the tunnel!!! fabulous post dear Dash.. hope your birthday was just as wonderful as these views.. xxx Julie
Such stunning photos... always. Your journeys are so beautifully captured. x
ReplyDelete