Fantastic wineries, and countdown to the Camino

 There was a day trip to the Rioja region yesterday, to visit a couple of wineries and taste some wine. As I've reflected before, the Spanish have a very progressive attitude to architecture, and two of the wineries are pictured below, they were sensational. The wave-form winery, with the hills behind, was designed to complement the landscape, while providing a superb building in which to make wine where the shape of the building complements and enhances the wine-making process wherever possible. 

The wine was great, I like tempranillo anyway so was always inclined to be a fan, but I can see why the Spanish only export 5% of the good wine, 95% is for domestic consumption. Smooth, velvety, fruity to start then with a coffee undertone, very expensive for Spain at 20 euro a bottle but well worth the money in Australian prices. 

A Frank Gehry designed wine cellar

The usual suspects, myself, Sanne from Denmark and Mira from Germany. This photo was taken from the same spot as the previous photo, just turn around 180 degrees to go from beautiful tradition  to amazing modern innovation. 

The winery where we tasted the wine, with it's amazing backdrop. The wave form reflects in a pool at the base of the building, when the reflections are just right it's meant to look like a row of wine barrels. 

The grape vines, and the roses at the end of the row, the story is that the roses act as an early warning system for fungal diseases which both roses and vines catch, allowing the winery to treat the vines early. It's extremely common everywhere vines are grown, to plant roses at the end of the row. 

Why a boring room of wine tanks when you can have a beautiful, and very functional, room ?

******** new topic ;-) *********

I've finished with Spanish school, and will be leaving San Sebastián in two days to start the Camino del Norte. It's been great here, hard at times and the Spanish lessons have been challenging and inspiring in equal parts, but I have learned so much and greatly improved my Spanish. It's been well worth the time invested, and I have met some lovely people. Also, I am going to miss my beautiful little flat with its superb location in the centre of San Sebastián. 

I posted a parcel of clothes to Santiago de Compostela this morning, and am nearly finished with packing my backpack ( I'm sure it should be lighter still), I'm now functioning with only my Camino wardrobe. So, all photos from now on with me will be a rotation of a very limited variety of clothing ! Breakfast this morning was the peregrino ( pilgrim)  standard, coffee and a croissant. 

Now for the Camino .... I am feeling excited, nervous, anxious about the walking, some trepidation for sure, but more, keen to commence the adventure and see how I manage the physical and mental challenges.