A month in the country - Leon

Leon is the area where FR's family are from - not Valladolid at all. On his father's side, he has two aunties who live to the north east of the provincial capital. In Leon itself, FR's mother has two sisters and their families and this is also where Segundo, FR's grandfather has been living - well, been looked after - in an apartment with one of these sisters in turn. The house where these sisters, another and two brothers were born is to the east of the province in a typical little Leonese village called Valdepolo. 

Despite a plethora of mosquitoes and flies, ancient beds, awkward cooking arrangements and the occasionally cutting off of the water supply, we are very fond of the house in Valdepolo and when I say we spent a month in the country, it is this house that is central to the concept.

Add to this the proximity of family, who joined us for lunch from time to time and brought pipes along......

....glorious, glorious countryside and natural surroundings.....

....amazing sunsets....

....outdoor baths....

... lazy, hazy evening strolls.....
 

....in late golden sunlight....

...and making campfires on which to toast marshmallows....

....I think you'll see why we like it here.

And a short drive away, we were able to visit Segundo just a few days before he died. 

I hadn't been able to go on the day this photograph was taken as I was unwell but I went the next day and saw Segundo in his bed. FR suggested I sing to him - I don't know why - but I obliged with the first thing that came into my head, which was 'The Owl and the Pussycat'. I had his rapt, if somewhat bemused attention from start to finish. I think he liked it. I hope so. 

What I didn't capture, because I forgot my camera that day, was the beautiful cathedral of Leon which we went to visit before returning to Valdepolo. I have borrowed an internet image as it is such an amazing building it would be a shame not to include it here.

It is a huge tribute to Alcala la Real that we don't choose to live in Leon. I wish we could have two - no, three homes - one in Alcala la Real itself; one in the campo nearby - for weekends and holidays, with a swimming pool, of course; and a third in Leon province for our month in the country and possibly for longer as our children grow up, leave school and make their own way in life. I think FR and I would appreciate the peace and calm of the countryside in years to come. 

Though right now, I'd be glad of just the one house - the one we're searching for in Alcala! But Leon can rest assured that we will be back...