The Thursday before the Spain Hiking & Yoga Retreat was suposed to start, we woke up to the sound of our hammock hitting the side of our terrace. A tormenta (a storm), had blown in off the ocean. Our sun porch which also serves as our laundry drying room was leaking at the seams from the strength of the deluge. As they say in Spain, “llovía a cántaros.” (It was raining pitchers, or in other words, it was pouring.) There would be no dry laundry today, instead we scrambled for buckets to catch the leaks.

We live in the Principality of Asturias, also known as Green Spain, so rain is never un-expected. Not unlike our previous home in Tacoma, WA, in the Pacific Northwest, we chose to live here because of the moderate temperatures and the lushness of the natural world surrounding us. We love all the trees, grasses and the ocean. With that, of course, comes rain.

Asturias is mostly forests and rural pastures full of cows, sheep, goats and pigs surrounded by mountains. On the other side of the pastures and valleys, the Atlantic Ocean, called el mar Cantábrico, hammers the spectacular rocky coastlines. Mostly it feels like heaven here, except when we wake up to sideways rain and winds strong enough to move our terrace furniture around. Like the Alaskans who have an abundance of words for snow, the people of Asturias have many words for rain. That particular morning felt like an aguacero (a downpour). At least the wind wasn’t quite strong enough to consider it a galerna.  For more about galernas: https://upanddowndog.com/the-perfect-storm/

Looking at the weather app confirmed that we were in for wet weather for the forseeable future. Ugh. This was going to be our 4th Hiking & Yoga Retreat in the Quirós Valley and we had always offered them in September because the weather is usually perfect for hiking. No matter how many times I looked at the app, a prediction of 80-100% rain was predicted for every day. Of course, when the weather app predicts sunshine, I am always excited and plan something fun accordingly. This time though, I hoped it was wrong. I tried to find comfort in Alfred Wainwright’s quote, “There is no bad weather, just inappropriate clothing.”  Would our retreat guests be willing to hike all week in the rain? Would they bring the appropriate gear to keep them dry? Finally, I gave up worrying, realizing I had no Plan B.  Asturians say, “Ye lo que hay.” (It is what it is.) The retreat would go on, soggy or not.

On Saturday, September 25, our rendezvous with the retreat participants was on a corner near the main bus station in Oviedo, Spain. It was drizzling a bit but not raining too hard. We greeted each other, excited to finally meet. This was a group of participants from all over the U.S. (Minnesota, Texas, Georgia, Washington, Illinois) and even one woman from Guam. Unlike with past retreats where I knew most of the guests in advance, these travelers were mostly new to me and ranged in age from 26 to 64. Two couples besides Rocky and I; a woman traveling with her two grown daughters; two sisters and their life-long friend who they considered a sister; and one woman celebrating her 50th birthday with a first-ever solo trip to Europe.

From there, Judy and Juan Carlos, owners of Hotel Fuentes de Lucia, picked us up in two vans and whisked us off to the Quirós Valley. As we pulled away from the curb, one of the ladies turned to me and said, “Well, I hope it’s not going to rain all week like it did on Thursday, because I am not hiking in that!”  One of her daughters, who was sitting in the back seat, piped up quickly and said, “Mom…really? You’re going to travel all this way and not hike?”  I couldn’t blame her mom. I didn’t want to hike in that kind of weather either! Judy, who was driving our van, cheerfully added, “Maybe we can have a movie or game day this week?”  Pretty sure, those who had traveled more than 20 hours to get to this retreat, were not looking for a game day but I appreciated her brainstorming for alternatives.  “Ye lo que hay.” (It is what it is.) May the weather gods shine down on us, I prayed.

The next morning we practiced our Surya Namaskar (salutes to the sun) as we watched the sun rise over the Quirós Valley. I never get tired of the view from the yoga room at Hotel Fuentes de Lucia. The town of Faedo, where the hotel is located, has eight full-time residents, many who work at the hotel. The hotel sits on the hillside overlooking Barzana, the closest village below and across from other small villages dotting the hillside on the other side of the valley. The valley is peaceful and quaint, the perfect refuge for all of us after the chaos brought on by the pandemic over the past two years.

Hoping for the best, I encouraged the retreat guests to hold onto their intentions for the week, including sunshine, as we moved through our practice. Miraculously, by the time we finished our class, the sun was shining. The sun caught the raindrops on the roses in front of the hotel, making them sparkle. “Raindrops on roses…” from the Sound of Music came to mind as I thought of “a few of my favorite things.”

After a hot and hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs, oatmeal, toast, coffee and fruit, we packed our backpacks with rain gear, resigned to the fact that the sun would not stick around all day. Our first hike was in Parque Natural Las Ubinias-La Mesa. We hiked almost straight up through forests of ferns and trees to an area formerly used as a summer pasture by shepherds.  Arriving at a stone cottage which was no longer in use, we felt like we were stepping back in time. For a first hike, this one was fairly vigorous and had us all joking that the ancient shepherd’s hut might be a good place to nap.

After a ten minute break to catch our breath and take in the views of the many mountain peaks in this natural park, our Spanish Steps hiking guide Mario, pointed up to three cows grazing in the saddle, the valley between two high peaks. He said we would eat our picnic lunch up there with the vacas (cows). We continued the now rocky climb towards what we nicknamed Pico de Tres Vacas (Three Cow Peak). As we continued to climb, the darn cows seemed to be moving further away!  As is often the case in hiking, the destination that looked accessible from the vantage point of the shepherd’s pasture was farther than we thought. Jackets, and our long-sleeved shirts came off and zip-off pants became shorts as we got hotter and sweatier climbing towards lunch.

Mario and our friend, Lorraine, at “Pico de Tres Vacas” picnic site

By the time we reached the look-out point for our picnic, we had gained 3000 feet in elevation from the parking lot to the saddle. We each found a large comfy rock to picnic on and started to feast. Our other Spanish Steps guide, Jen, always the perfect “Mom” with a backpack full of necesities on hikes, shared fresh cucumber spears from the hotel garden, that she had carried up in her pack next to the first-aid kit and suntan lotion.

I opened a tin of sardines, ripped off a chunk of bread from the fresh baguette Rocky had in his backpack and made a sandwich. Lunch was simple and rustic but tasted as yummy as a Michelin-star restaurant meal after that long, steep hike. Rocky struggled a bit with the high altitude and stuck to water while I followed my sardine sandwich with chocolate. Turns out the three cows had friends in the high pasture so we shared our picnic space with about a dozen cows, all greeting us with their moos. The sun was shining, the vistas were spectacular and the retreat was off to a grand start.

As we hiked back down, I thought, “No matter what happens this week, at least we had this one gorgeous day to begin our retreat.” Once back at the hotel, we finished the day with a Restorative Yoga class, a great nap alternative that helps relax sore muscles after hiking, followed by a delcious dinner prepared by hotel-owner Judy and her current chef, Becca. Judy’s organic garden provided many of the ingredients for the large stuffed peppers and a huge, colorful salad.

Our second day started with more salutes to the sun. After all, it had worked well the day before! Before we left, I noticed the roses were sparkling with raindrops again, left over from the rainstorm that happened while we were asleep the night before. This time we would be hiking one of our favorite hikes from past retreats, Las Xanas, the Trail of the Nymphs. I hoped the weather nymphs would be on our side. This route, while not as vigorous as the one the day before boasts narrow trails with sheer drop-offs that could make even the most seasoned hikers a bit nervous if it was raining hard. Luckily for us, the sun stayed with us and our rain gear remained packed for most of the hike.

Las Xanas, Trail of the Nymphs

Our Seattle friends Sandra and Stefan had been looking forward to this trail after joining us on the same retreat in 2019. Not usually ones to seek out heights, they still love the challenge of this trail and the majestic views it provides. They wanted to face their fear of lofty places once again and definitely found it easier the second time around. They were also motivated by their love of Fabada Asturiana, a traditional Asturian stew made with large white beans and various meats. They remembered the restaurant, known for fabada, in the village of Pedroveya where we always stop for lunch while on this hike.

The restaurant lives up to its name, Casa Generoso (The Generous House), with it’s hungry hiker’s portion size. The first course for the meat eaters was the famed Fabada Asturiana, said to be the best in Asturias, and full of big chunks of chorizo sausage, thick slabs of bacon and the very popular morcilla (pork blood sausage).  Served family-style in large bowls, the fabada filled everyone up before the next course was even served. Of course they changed their minds when the second course arrived: big platters loaded with stewed goat, slow roasted beef and pork meatballs. Red wine, water, and baskets of freshly baked bread accompanied the meal.

The five vegetarians in our group were seated at a separate table reminiscent of the “kid’s table” from long-ago Thanksgiving dinners. We started with Pote Asturiano another delicious stew also made with white beans and loaded with veggies from the restaurant’s own garden, but without any sausage or meat. Our second course was a large platter of sauteed, locally-foraged mushrooms mixed with scrambled eggs. Somehow, we all managed to find room for dessert, sharing bites of Brazo de Gitano (Gypsy’s Arm), a cringe-worthy name for a sweet rolled sponge cake, Frisuelo de chocolate (a chocolate crepe), Tarta de Abuela (Grandma’s Tart), a many layered chocolate and cream cake, and their famous Arroz con Leche (Rice Pudding with burnt sugar topping).

Before we could push away from the table and start our descent, the waiter brought out coffees and Licor de Hierbas, a digestif, for those who thought they could manage the steep trail down better after a shot of green liquor. When in Spain, right? The traditional name for this liquor is Orujo and it’s similar to the better-known Italian liquor, Grappa, a pomace brandy made from wine.

While we enjoyed our classic Asturian feast, the rain that had been threatening to wash out our hike earlier, pounded on the roof of the restaurant. We enjoyed such a long, leisurely meal though, by the time we left, the sun was shining again. The weather nymphs were definitly watching over us. Most of us were grateful to continue our hike, albeit with very full bellies, although a few caught the van down the mountain with one of the guides.

The third day found us hiking a coastal trail from San Esteban de Pravia to Muros de Nalon. The trail started with what our guide Mario always says is “only 100 steps up to a chapel, mas or menos (more or less).” According to the hikers who actually counted the steps, there are more like 430. When asked about this discrepancy, Mario laughed and admitted he had never actually climbed the steps! The rest of the trail is paved and more of a stroll than a hike, a welcome relief after the first two days of climbing.

As we began, we put on our rain gear because it had started to mist. This type of fine, light rain is very common here and is called Orbayu. Most of the time when we notice this mist, we convince ourselves that it isn’t really raining because it is so light. Ten minutes later, we find ourselves soaked, though! Always best to have your rain gear when you are hiking in Asturias.

As we approached the beaches in Muros de Nalon where we had hoped to picnic, the orbayu suddenly stopped and the sun came out!  As if on command once again: cue the sunshine. At this point, I gladly took credit for the perfect weather we’d had on retreat so far, saying, “Thank you Global Yoga Trips for the fabulous weather!” (I really wish it were that easy!)

A few brave souls actually got their swim suits on and went for a cold plunge in the ocean. The rest of us dug our feet in the sand and let the sunshine warm our faces while we had our picnics. Afterwards we stopped in the cute fishing village of Cudillero, known for its many white houses and red tiled roofs, to have ice cream and explore the quaint port town.

Overlooking the port town of Cudillero

By this point in the week, I realized the weather was not going to take center stage or detract in any way from our retreat. What was more remarkable was how we bonded as a group of strangers from such diverse backgrounds. While our love of travel, hiking and yoga may have brought us together, what we shared even more was a desire to heal from the past two years. To return to a time when we could be adventurous again; curious about the world and not just about the pandemic; joyful and balanced; not living in an almost constant state of stress and fear.

We were able to move towards a state of harmony together by sharing a daily yoga practice, the powerful medicine of hiking, an appreciation of nature and a curiosity about the history and lives of people from another culture. Nutritious, delicious meals, deep conversations, and lots and lots of laughter added to our joy. Almost everyone admitted that they had done this trip against the advice of their family and friends. A few even said they didn’t tell anyone they were going because they worried they would be judged. They had sensed somehow that coming together in community in a far-away place, virtually unaffected by the pandemic, would lead to their own healing so that they could return to their lives stronger, more relaxed, healthier, more rested, more resilient and better able to help those who depend on them, maybe even those who were most opposed to them traveling in the first place.

Rainbow over Hotel Fuentes de Lucia

As we finished our final yoga practice of the retreat, a bright Arco Iris, (a rainbow) appeared in the Quirós Valley over the yoga room of Hotel Fuentes de Lucia. Cue the rainbow: an inspiring symbol of hope and transformation. This week that was supposed to be so wet and stormy was the right amount of rain and sunshine.  Maybe the fact that we all expected bad weather initially, made us appreciate the sunshine that much more. And maybe the isolation of the last two years, encouraged us to forge deeper friendships and become a community far more easily.  Ye lo que hay. (It is what it is.) And it was just right.

Notes from the author:

If you love to hike, travel and do yoga, consider joining us next year for the Spain Hiking & Yoga Retreat September 2-9, 2022. Bring your rain gear (just in case) and your spirit of adventure!  https://globalyogatrips.com/yoga-hiking-in-northern-spain/

Want to make your own Fabada Asturiana? https://www.recetasderechupete.com/receta-de-fabada-o-fabes-asturianas/982/  

Fabada Asturiana kits are available all over Asturias to make this recipe even more simple. However, you’ll have to prepare them here in Spain because you can’t travel back to the U.S. with a suitcase full of sausage!

Want to read more about Las Xanas Trail?  https://www.senditur.com/es/ruta/ruta-de-las-xanas/

Want to read more about Hotel Fuentes de Lucia where we host the retreats? https://spanishsteps.com/home/