#Cantabrian Mountains

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Forest (No. 103)

Picos de Europa National Park, E

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Dune At Home: The First Dornish War, Part 5

Thanks again to those that have followed this series; if this is your first time encountering it, check out the master post or the series on AO3 if you prefer!

This section was not originally planned, but after analyzing Orys Baratheon's march down the Boneway and the Dornish raids that take place later in the First Dornish War, I believe the Dornish Marches warrant greater attention. As result this part will come off as combination of Part 1 and 4, establishing a worldbuilding baseline for the Dornish Marches and assessing the tactics and operations utilized in the Marches during the war. Similar to the Dornish worldbuilding, I have few issues with what we are told and can infer about the Marches from George's writings; the problem again is that this worldbuilding ends up being sacrificed or ignored for the sake of the plot.

Starting with the worldbuilding of the Marches, it is helpful to note that George's inspirations for Dorne included Wales and Spain, and these areas seem to influenc the portrayal of the Marches. The maps we have of the south and of Dorne, the Reach and the Stormlands in particular situate the Marches on the northern ridges of the Red Mountains, roughly extending from Horn Hill to Stone Helm. The glimpses we get of the terrain suggest that the topography is more varied than in the Dornish parts of the Red Mountains: While Sam thinks about Horn Hill being located within heavily wooded foothills in AFFC, and one of Stannis' men remarks to Jon that he thought it was cold up in the Marches in ADWD, characters throughout the books speak of marching down on the Marches from Dorne while TWOIAF describes the Marches as "a vast expanse of grasslands, moors, and windswept plains" extending north and west beyond the hills that "rise hard and wild, pushing against the sky until they give way to the Red Mountains."

The descriptions confirm that the Dornish Marches comprise a variety of terrain from lowlands leading up to hills and mountains near the Dornish border. The Dornish border and the lands of the Stony Dornish appear to consist of the highest peaks of the Red Mountains and the ridges and hills that form its southern face, extending down to the greenbelt around Yronwood before giving way to the western desert. This helps to explain why the Stony Dornish are described in TWOIAF as having "a history as savage as that of the Mountain Clans of the Vale" despite their close proximity to the Marcher lords, as the more extreme terrain on the Dornish side of the border would have produced political and cultural fragmentation among the First Men that settled there.

The landscape of the Marches as portrayed is very comparable to that of Wales and northern Spain: Between the rainy climate and the widespread uplands and mountains, agriculture in Wales was largely confined to small areas on the periphery, with grassland and forest dominating pre-modernity; crop based agriculture was more prevalent in northern Spain but the Cantabrian and Pyrenees mountains of the far north sported a similar ecology of grass and woodlands, while the Meseta or central plateau is fairly dry and reliant on irrigation. Moreover, Sam's recollections of Horn Hill and Yandel's description of the Marches in TWOIAF as dominated by plains and grassland suggest another commonality between Wales, northern Spain and the Dornish Marches, that being an economy centered on pastoralism/animal-husbandry.

We have indications that pastoralism is widespread on the Dornish side of the border, from the infamous 'sheep wall' in the First Dornish War to the numerous references to goat paths in the Boneway, and goat paths leading into the Reach which are mentioned by F&B in the context of the First Vulture King. Forests and pastures were ubiquitous in Medieval Wales and especially High to Late Medieval Spain, where herding cattle and sheep was important to the local economies alongside goats, pigs, and especially in Spain, horses. This does not mean that crop-based agriculture would not be practiced throughout the hills and valleys of the Marches, or along the Slayne river where runoff and the river itself would aid irrigation. However, the widespread undeveloped land implied by Yandel's description does suggest that pastoralism is central to the Marcher economy, as it was for George's historical influences.

Beyond the geography and what we can infer about the Marcher economy, there are further indications from George's writing that Wales and Spain were inspirations for the Marches as much as they were for Dorne. The most obvious Welsh connection is the use and prominence of the Longbow in the Marches and the reputation of Marcher bowmen. While aboard the Cinnamon Wind in AFFC, Sam ranks "Dornish yew" bows second only to the renowned goldenheart bows of the Summer Islanders; the Tourney of the Hand in AGOT demonstrates this when the three finalists of the archery competition are Jalabhar Xho of the Summer Isles and Ser Balon Swann and Anguy from the Marches, with Anguy being the winner. Interestingly enough, the 12th century chronicler Gerald of Wales wrote of the southern Welsh being renowned for their archery and the northern Welsh for their spearmen, which calls to mind the association of the Marchers with their longbows and the Dornish with their spearmen throughout the books. Northern Wales also remained independent longer than the South, so despite the reversed geographies I believe the influence remains strong.

Another area where Wales and northern Spain may have influenced George's portrayal of the Marches is the significance of music, particularly Marcher ballads. The length of these ballads is remarked on throughout the books, in particular when Arya comes to the Brotherhood Without Banners and meets Anguy, and TWOIAF also speaks highly of them. Portugal, northern or Christian Spain, and southern France were the centers of the Medieval troubadour tradition in Europe, generating poetry and song about the deeds of knights and courtly love. Wales itself had a long tradition of music which extolled the virtues and deeds of British warriors, and were as renowned in the British isles as the troubadours of continental Europe. According to Sean Davies' War and Society in Medieval Wales, one of the privileges of membership in a prince or noble's retinue (Penteulu) was "a song from the bardd teulu whenever he requested it," bardd teulu being a member of the retinue under Welsh law who both fought and composed ballads and music for his comrades (War and Society, pg. 35, 43).

The significance of castles in the Marches, while it's to be expected given the frontier status of the region, is a further area of comparison with Wales and the Welsh Marches and northern Spain. Castle building and other fortifications were an essential part of Anglo-Norman strategy for expanding the Welsh Marches, while the county and later kingdom of Castile in northern Spain derived its name from the extensive fortifications north of the Douro river valley which were built to defend against Arab and Moorish incursions. TWOIAF speaks highly of the Marcher Lords castles but we know of numerous smaller castles and fortifications as well, as Tyrion tells Cersei that he has offered some castles on the border to Prince Doran as part of Myrcella's marriage alliance in ACOK. Even if he did not have all of these connections in mind when he was crafting the world, the information we are provided about the Marches in the books and what we can infer from that information points towards Welsh and Spanish historical influences extending outside Dorne to the Marches.

While we're still on the subject of George's inspirations for Dorne and the Marches, one inspiration that requires scrutiny is that of 'guerrilla warfare.' George was asked about Welsh influences on Dorne in 2008 during a Q&A forum chat with Asshai.com, replying that the Welsh resisted English conquest for centuries "not by defeating the English in large battles, but by melting away into their mountains and hills and waging campaigns of small scale resistance," comparing this to contemporary guerrilla warfare and terrorism, stating that the Dornish "used the same approach." Understanding how this pre-conception affects his portrayal of the First Dornish War and the fighting in the Marches requires an understanding of how these 'guerrilla' methods were utilized during and before the Middle Ages and the extent of their use.

In fairness to George, TWOIAF provides ample evidence of the Dornish waging non-guerrilla warfare: Samwell Dayne sacked Oldtown prior to the reign of Gyles I Gardener; Garth VII Goldenhand turned back an invasion by Ferris Fowler when he was young; Gyles III Gardener was defeated by the combined forces of three Dornish kings, two River Kings, the Lannisters and the Storm Kings; Dornish kings sacked Highgarden and Oldtown at the end of Garth X's reign, and Garth XI "the Painter" wreaked vengeance upon them; Argillac Durrandon also repelled a Dornish invasion when he was a young boy, and well before him Yoren Yronwood and Wylla of Wyl were defeated by Durran the Young at the Battle of Bloody Pool; Erich VIII fended off incursions by Olyvar Yronwood at the outset of the Andal invasions, Cleoden I defeated Drox the Corpse Maker near Stonehelm with the aid of three Dornish kings, and Arlan III's death was followed by Dornish incursions through the Boneway. The Dornish clearly engaged in what George would perhaps consider conventional, non-guerrilla warfare prior to Aegon's Conquest, but in truth this dichotomy of conventional and guerrilla warfare is a false one, esp. where warfare in Medieval Europe and Antiquity are concerned.

For starters, George's claim that the Welsh fought no 'large battles' to resist English conquest is simply wrong: Sean Davies identifies almost 20 engagements that can be considered large battles between 1066 and 1277, including inter-Welsh conflicts where the Anglo-Normans were involved in some way, resulting in 11 Welsh victories, 6 defeats and one draw (War and Society, pg. 135). The same period witnessed numerous skirmishes, raids, small-scale clashes, sieges, castle and fortress-building, as well as royal expeditions and major Welsh incursions that resulted in no battles, because battles were the exception, not the rule. Nor was this the result of local circumstances pertaining to Wales, as these tactics and strategies were utilized by both Christian and Muslim powers in Iberia and throughout Medieval Europe, with a pedigree extending far back into Antiquity.

The most widely read treatise on warfare in Early Medieval Europe northwest of the Alps was Vegetius' De Re Militari, which preserved military practices used by the Late Roman Army in the late 4th/early 5th Century AD, as well as reiterating advice from earlier Greek and Roman military treatises. To quote Chapter 9, Book III of De Re Militari:

"...a pitched battle is defined by a struggle lasting two or three hours, after which all hopes of the defeated party fall away. That being so, every expedient must be thought of previously, tried out in advance and implemented before matters come to this final pass. For good generals do not attack in open battle where the danger is mutual, but do it always from a hidden position, so as to kill or at least terrorize the enemy while their own men are unharmed as far as possible. ...he should deliberate whether it is expedient for the crisis to be prolonged or fought out more swiftly. For sometimes the enemy hopes that the campaign can be ended quickly, and if it becomes long-drawn out, is either reduced by hunger, or called back to his own country by his men's homesickness, or through doing nothing significant is compelled to leave in despair." (DRM, trans. N. P. Milner, pg. 83-84)

The 6th Century Strategikon by the Byzantine Emperor Maurice makes similar recommendations, drawing upon Greek and Roman treatises and his own experience in waging war against the Avars and Sassanid Persia:

"...well-timed attacks against the enemy's flanks and rear are much more effective and decisive than direct frontal charges and attacks. If the enemy force is smaller, such attacks catching them by surprise inflict greater damage, since the troops driven back will find it difficult to reach safety. If the enemy force is equal to ours or even superior, it will find itself in a serious struggle, believing that the attacking troops are numerous. Consequently, a small army should not prepare to face an organized and more numerous foe in open battle except in case of necessity. If the necessity does arise, do not mass all your troops in front, and even if the enemy is superior in numbers, direct your operations against his rear or his flanks. For it is dangerous and uncertain under all conditions and against any people to engage in purely frontal combat, even if the enemy stations a smaller number of troops up front." (Strategikon, trans. George Dennis, pg. 27) "Warfare is like hunting. Wild animals are taken by scouting, by nets, by lying in wait, by stalking, by circling around, and by other stratagems rather than by sheer force. In waging war we should proceed in the same way, whether the enemy be many or few. To try simply to overpower the enemy in the open, hand to hand and face to face, even though you might appear to win, is an enterprise which is very risky and can result in serious harm. Apart from extreme emergency, it is ridiculous to try to gain a victory which is so costly and brings only empty glory." (Strategikon, pg. 65)

Just to drive this point home, the Byzantine soldier Syrianos Magistros devotes an entire chapter of his 9th century treatise on strategy to discussing when and when not to avoid battle:

"If our army seems to be in better condition, we should move toward battle, but without underestimating the enemy. For large forces have frequently been defeated by smaller ones ... If, on the contrary, the enemy is in a better condition for combat, we should avoid battle, unless some very serious harm would result. If our territory is unprotected and great danger would result from our refusal to join battle, we must choose to fight. We ought not do this carelessly or at any chance time or place. By day we should take our stand in a narrow place, in which we will not be left open on either side or worried about a detachment of the enemy attacking us from the rear. At night, though, attack them when they are resting and sleeping. If conditions are equal on both sides and the victory could go either way, we should not advance into battle before the enemy have become inferior to us in some respect." (Dennis, Three Byzantine Military Treatises, pg. 103-105)

It must be noted that these tactics were developed and utilized over many centuries: clashes between the Anglo-Saxons and the Brythonic peoples who inhabited Wales can be dated as far back as the mid-5th century AD, and continued into the 13th century after the Norman Conquest; the Arab and Moorish states and the kingdoms of northern Spain warred with each other from the Arab invasion of 711 to the fall of Granada in 1492; and Greco-Roman military treatises drew upon a corpus of campaigns and engagements spanning more than a millennia from before the Classical Age and extending to the Byzantine Empire of the High Middle Ages.

By comparison, the Marcher Lords and the Dornish have warred with one another for more than five millennia, going by George's estimate for the timing of the Long Night. From oral and written accounts, to local customs, traditions, and institutional knowledge passed on for generations, to the material culture of how arms and equipment are made and used, the Marcher Lords and the Dornish should be well accustomed to fighting each other. None of this history and worldbuilding appears to be present north of the Dornish border during the First Dornish War; indeed the impression one has is that the Reachers, Marchers and Stormlords have never fought the Dornish before.

At the outset, Orys Baratheon leads 1000 picked knights of the Stormlands down the Boneway, but they get no farther than the Wyl river just south of the Dornish border. TWOIAF tells us the Dornish rained rocks and projectiles upon the invaders from the heights and attacked them at night, while their horses struggled on the stony slopes with some balking at the steps carved by the Dornish in the steepest passes. The entire force is killed trying to cross a bridge over the Wyl save for Orys and a dozen lords, after the Dornish shower them with arrows and trigger a rockslide to cut off their retreat. When Aegon burns the castle and holdfasts of House Wyl in 7 AC as retaliation for the maiming of Orys and his fellow captives, the Dornish retaliate by raiding Cape Wrath in 8 AC. A pirate fleet lands Dornish troops there who proceed to sack half a dozen towns and villages, allegedly burning half the Rainwood. Targaryen retaliation for this raid the following year leads to the largest engagement in the Marches during the war, when Lord Fowler attacks the Reach and Nightsong in 10 AC. Nightsong is sacked along with a dozen other villages and towns and the Caron family are taken captive before a relief force under Addam Hightower arrives. Joffrey Dayne leads a second army from Starfall and ravages Oldtown's environs for twenty leagues, evading Ser Addam's host when it returns.

Starting with Orys' ill-fated march, the question that immediately arises is what was his mission to begin with, given the small force he commanded? We know the Boneway was used as an invasion route in the past, with Daeron I personally leading part of his 50000-man army through it in his Conquest of Dorne, while Doran Martell sent 10000 Dornish troops up the Boneway to support Rhaegar during Robert's Rebellion. Nor can we blame the casualties suffered by Argillac's forces during the Conquest; while he did raise a large enough army for the Dornish and Stepstone pirates to raid the Marches and Cape Wrath in it's absence, the Stormlanders only fought two engagements with Orys and Rhaenys. Lords Errol, Fell and Buckler ambushed Orys' forces as they crossed the Wendwater and were burned out of the Kingswood by Rhaenys, while the bulk of the casualties of the Last Storm were incurred by Argillac's mounted knights and heavy horse. When Aegon's 45000-man host meets Torrhen Stark's at the Trident there are men of the Stormlands, Westerlands and Reach counted among it's ranks; excluding Aegon's 11000 Rivermen and Crownlanders, and accounting for the more than 5000 Reachers and Westermen killed and tens of thousands burned at the Field of Fire, this still allows for 4 to 14000 Stormlanders being present assuming 20 to 30000 Westermen and Reachers joined them.

If Orys' force seems too small for whatever mission was expected of it, it is also woefully unprepared for the task of navigating the Boneway. This brings me back to the issue of George's perception of warhorses that I hinted at in Part 4; the struggles of the Stormlanders horses in the Boneway are eerily similar to the horses of Stannis' men on the march to Winterfell, which we see and hear of from Theon and Asha's POVS in ADWD. While the 'small' and 'little' garrons of the Hill Clans are sure-footed and equipped with snow shoes and so better able to maintain the march, the 'big' destriers and other warhorses of Stannis' knights need more food and struggle in the snow, with some balking and refusing to move when fitted with snow shoes. This dichotomy is largely false, as we noted in Part 4 that archaeology and written sources suggest that warhorses in Antiquity and the Medieval era were 16 hands (5'3"/1.6 meters) at most with 15 hands (5'/1.5m) or smaller being more common. There would still be a height difference, but this difference would not be as significant or drastic as George seems to think.

George's inspirations are also important here, especially that of Spain given that the Iberian peninsula has a history of equestrianism that far predates the Medieval period and the Arab and Moorish invasions. Iberian and Celtiberian cavalry were renowned in the Ancient Mediterranean and saw widespread use on both sides of the Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage, with Iberia becoming an important source of auxiliary cavalry and infantry for the Roman Empire. Northern Iberia and southern France is home to many horse-breeds that are well-adapted to living and working in mountainous conditions, such as the Portuguese Garrano, Spanish Asturcón, and French Mérens. Between the economy of the Marches likely being geared more towards pastoralism and animal-husbandry as we have suggested, and the millennia which the Marcher Lords have spent warring with their Dornish neighbours, it makes no sense why Orys and his knights cannot find warhorses better suited for the terrain of the Boneway, let alone packhorses, mules and donkeys suited for carrying supplies and equipment through such places.

The ambush at the Wyl cements the image that Orys and his men were completely unprepared for their mission despite ample time to prepare and experience to draw upon. The ease with which the Dornish enfilade the column and cut-off it's retreat all but confirm the absence of a vanguard, rearguard or flank guards to provide security. A vanguard would have scouted well ahead of the column to report on the terrain and warn of ambushes while securing the bridge, flank guards would have secured high ground around the bridge and along the route to provide observation and to further guard against ambushes, and a rearguard would have protected against attacks on the column or ambushes attempted from behind. Despite these precautions being basic tactics that any army should practice while traversing treacherous terrain in enemy territory, Orys does none of these things and attempts to cross the bridge in one go, predictably ending in disaster. One might also expect him to be cautious given the terrain and his experience being ambushed at the Wendwater, but this is clearly not the case.

One subject that deserves attention here is the issue of 'goat paths' or side roads in the Red Mountains, since the use of one of these by Daeron I in his conquest is typically seen as his learning from his predecessors mistakes. In truth such paths should have been sought out and scouted well ahead of time by Aegon, Orys and the Targaryens councilors, given the time they had to prepare for this war and the task facing Orys in particular. There is no excuse for Orys to have failed to seek out individuals with knowledge of routes along the Boneway, or to have sought out local guides once he crossed the Dornish border. Medieval literature on warfare was well aware of such routes and their importance in mountain warfare:

"If they say that there are other roads, of the sort which the border guards call atrapoi, off to the right or left of the line guarding the public road, not close by but further off, these too should be seized by the infantry and tightly guarded. Otherwise, if the enemy find out the public road is securely held by a large number of troops, they will advance along one of those off to the side. If this should not be well and securely guarded, the enemy will use that to find a way through and will appear to the sides or rear of our formation, injecting confusion and fear into the Roman army. But if both sides are tightly guarded, then the enemy will either charge into battle and, with God's help, will be put to shame, or, struck with terror, they will take another road a number of days distant." (On Skirmishing, 155-157)

Note that it is taken for granted that the enemy will seek out such paths when they know the main routes are guarded; with the importance of such tracks to pastoralists on either side of the border, and the millennia of warfare between the Marchers and the Dornish, the fact that these paths were either unknown or not sought out is yet more confirmation that little to no preparation for the invasion took place, and further undermines the worldbuilding of the Marches.

The naval raid on Cape Wrath in 8 AC further highlights the absence of Westerosi naval forces from the First Dornish War, as the fleet-less Dornish end up executing the only naval action of the war. The contrast between this raid and the failed invasion of 83 AC is striking, as we're told in the latter case that spies and informants in the Dornish court and lose-lipped sailors from the pirate fleet gave Jaehaerys ample warning of the impending attack. In 8 AC however, no intel is provided despite the assassinations of Dornish lords throughout the war indicating that there were many in the country willing to support Aegon's cause for a price. The pirates also must have been lead by Euron Greyjoy, since there's not a peep about the pirate ships gathering in Dorne to execute this attack. Neither the Swanns, Estermonts or Tarth seem to have possessed any naval forces to intervene despite being located on the coast, and there is no response from any of the surrounding houses. This makes little sense given that the raiders lingered long enough to sack half a dozen villages and set fires that allegedly burned half the Rainwood, which should have allowed for ravens to reach King's Landing and call for assistance from the dragons.

Where the Marcher Lords and their worldbuilding truly becomes unhinged from the story is with the attacks on Nightsong and Oldtown in 10 AC. The first issue with the scenario is the logistics of how Lord Fowler and Ser Joffrey Dayne are able to mount their attacks. We suggested in Part 3 that the Prince's Pass is about 200 miles (c.322 km) from Skyreach to Nightsong, so the estimates we used for Aegon's army suggest that Fowler's presumably smaller force could have gone to and from Nightsong without great difficulty, since he was marching entirely within friendly territory, and the surprise he enjoys in his attack would have made foraging across the border feasible. Joffrey Dayne's army is said to have marched down from Starfall upon Oldtown, and the maps we have of Dorne and the Reach seem to indicate that the Red Mountains open up more near the mouth of the Torrentine, so it's likely he marched on Oldtown from the southeast. This would be entirely through enemy territory, requiring him to forage from the local population of the Reach to supplement the supplies he carried with him.

Distance is an issue here as we know from Samwell V of AFFC that Horn Hill is 100 leagues/300 miles (483 km) northeast of Oldtown, and the maps of Westeros we have and the distance map indicate that Starfall is a similar distance from Oldtown to the southeast. The weather also poses a further problem: we know that 3-4 AC was autumn and F&B's claim that 8 AC was very dry suggests that it was summer by that point, meaning that winter, spring and potentially another year of autumn or summer took place from 5 to 7 AC. Assuming it's still summer in 10 AC, this means that 3 of the past 8 years or almost half have been very dry with perhaps a single year of winter when rainfall would have been more substantial. This cannot have been good for Dorne or southern Westeros where food production and feeding livestock is concerned, and should have caused problems for Fowler and Dayne with feeding their armies.

Based on the speed with which Fowler attacked we might assume that his forces were mounted; Kenneth Chase estimates that with sufficient grass and water, mounted forces carrying 10 days of supplies could cover 18 to 30 miles per day (c.29 to 48 km) depending on the proximity of the enemy and the caution observed, allowing for a round trip of 180 to 300 miles (290 to 483 km) provided every man had a packhorse to carry his supplies (Chase, Firearms, 17). But without infantry or any kind of siege train, Fowler would had to have stormed Nightsong, nor does he really have the time for a siege given how he would have to build siege equipment on sight. If he did storm Nightsong then we have to wonder at this point how useful large castles actually are if they can be taken so easily. We can be almost certain that Joffrey Dayne attempted a siege, as we're told by F&B that Oldtown's walls proved too formidable and that Garmon Hightower was killed leading a sortie against Dayne.

This brings us to the most fundamental problem with the entire scenario, and that is the completely botched portrayal of how the Marchers and the rest of the Kingdom respond. For starters, despite word reaching Oldtown of the attack on Nightsong, we have nothing from the text to suggest that Highgarden or Storm's End responded, and the Targaryens and their dragons never appear to support there subjects. In fact the only ones who respond are the Hightowers, with Lord Manfred sending a host under Ser Addam to assist the Carons; according to F&B, the Dornish anticipated this and Joffrey Dayne's army attacks in response. This is simply preposterous: Oldtown is 300 miles from Horn Hill and so probably closer to 400 miles (c. 644 km) from Nightsong. There's simply no way that Dayne and Fowler anticipated the Hightowers responding over any of the other, much closer houses like Tarly, Peake, Dondarrion, Selmy, and Swann, all of whom are Marcher Lords. When one considers the time delay between Fowler's attack and word reaching Oldtown, the time needed to raise a host and take on supplies, and the time spent actually marching to Nightsong, it's completely unsurprising that Fowler was able to evade Ser Addam's forces.

The contrived nature of the response to the attacks underlines the way the Marcher Lords are divorced from their own worldbuilding by the plot. We already noted the weather and logistical concerns that should affect Fowler and Dayne's forces which could be exploited, but there are two fairly straightforward tactics that the Marcher Lords and the lords of the Reach and Stormlands in general could use to counteract Fowler and Dayne's incursions: striking at their rear and flanks, or taking the fight into Dornish territory while their armies are absent. The former is fairly self-explanatory, as given the time delays we've already discussed the chances of intercepting Fowler or Dayne's armies where they are attacking are slim; instead, the surrounding houses could use their forces to fall upon the Dornish lines of retreat, preventing them from escaping and destroying or severely mauling their armies. We know that Joffrey Dayne applied scorched earth tactics on the lands within 20 leagues of Oldtown before he withdrew, but there are numerous houses beyond this area that could threaten Dayne's lines of retreat, such as the Florents, Tarlys, Beesburys or Mullendores to name but a few. The Tarlys are particularly well situated given Horn Hill's location between the source streams of the Torrentine.

A similar approach could have been taken against Lord Fowler, with the Tarlys, Dondarrions, Selmys and other houses sending their forces through the mountains and valleys along the Prince's Pass to cut off Fowler's retreat, actions that would also give them the opportunity to rescue the Carons and Fowler's other hostages and to reclaim the loot stolen by the Dornish. In fact attacking your enemy as they withdraw is fully endorsed by Nikephoros Phokas in his treatise On Skirmishing:

"...instead of confronting the enemy as they are on their way to invade Romania, it is in many respects more advantageous and convenient to get them as they are returning to their own country. They will be worn out and much the worse for wear after having spent such a long time in the Roman lands. They are likely to be burdened with a lot of baggage, captives, and animals. The men and their horses will be so tired that they will fall apart in battle. They will also be in a hurry and anxious to get back to their own country rather quickly." (On Skirmishing, 157-159)

The other option, attacking the enemy's territory while their army is in yours, is exactly what the Daynes do when the Hightower host departs to retake Nightsong, but somehow it never occurs to the Marcher Lords or their Lords Paramount to return the favour. While an expedition against Skyreach might prove difficult, Starfall's location on an island where the Torrentine empties into the Summer Sea renders it vulnerable to attacks from the sea. The Dornish are fortunate that the Hightower and Redwyne fleets are nowhere to be seen, as it would have been easy for them to send their ships to raid Starfall while the Dayne forces were encamped outside Oldtown. Hostages could be taken to exchange with the Dornish while the raiders could obtain valuable loot and damage the local Dornish economy. Such operations were likewsise used to great effect by the Byzantine Empire in it's wars against the Arab Caliphates in modern day Syria and southeastern Turkey:

"Therefore, General, when you are at a loss about how to injure the enemy with stratagems and ambushes, because they are very cautious and guard themselves carefully, or if, on the other hand, it is because your forces are not up to facing them openly in battle, then this is what you ought to do. Either you march quickly against the lands of the enemy, leaving the most responsible of the other generals behind, with enough troops for skirmishing and for the security of the themes. Or else, if you carry out the skirmishing, then send your best general, well known and esteemed for his courage and vast experience, with a significant force of cavalry and infantry down to the country of the enemy. He should stay there a while, burning, destroying, besieging fortified towns. When the enemy hear of this, they will force their leader, even if he is unwilling, to get back to defend their own country." (On Skirmishing, 221) "You, therefore, O general, must keep an eye on them by means of trusted spies. Find out exactly what is going on with them and be prepared with a strong enough army. When they campaign by sea, you go by land and, if possible, launch an attack against their own territory. But if the spies report that it is their intention to campaign on land, then you should advise the commander of the Kibyrraiotai fleet so that, with the dromons under his command he may fall upon the Tarseote and Adanan territories that lie along the coast. For the army of the Cilician barbarians is not very numerous, since the same men are campaigning both on land and on the sea." (Taktika of Leo VI, George Dennis trans., 487-489)

In the midst of these displays of woeful ineptitude on the part of the Marcher Lords and their neighbours to the north, one final question that arises is why there has been no warning system developed to protect the Marches despite millennia of warfare with Dorne? We know the Night's Watch and the North have beacons to warn against Wildling raids, Oldtown has its Hightower, and the Shield Islands possess a beacon system for warning the Reach against Ironborn raids that may have been established under Garth VII when he gave the islands their name and still exists at the time of the main books. Considering how close Oldtown and Highgarden are to the Marches and their past sackings by the Dornish, it makes little sense for there to be no kind of system in place for the Marchers to warn one another and their overlords of an attack.

Having laid out the issues with the portrayal of the Dornish Marches during the First Dornish War, we can at last talk about 'fix-its.' One of the issues with having the Dornish succeed so effortlessly at raiding the Reach and Stormlands is that it creates something of a plot hole for the entire war; since the scenario of the War needs scaling back, and we talked about the considerable preparations needed to assemble and supply Aegon's army in Part 3, why did the Dornish not simply conduct spoiling raids? This plan would not require actually fighting the invaders on Dornish soil as our scenario from Part 3 would, and it completely avoids the problems with George's scenario that we've discussed in Parts 2 and 3. The Dornish have ample time to gather intelligence about where camps are located, where stockpiles are being kept, and which fields need to be targeted to kill or steal livestock and burn crops and grass to deny food and forage to Aegon's army locally.

Such a scenario could address the internal divisions of Dorne by having Lord or Lady Yronwood gather the other 'Stony' lords and present an ultimatum to Meria Martell: Allow the Dornish armies to take pre-emptive action against Aegon's Army, or they will aid Aegon's advance. Princess Deria is betrothed to the Yronwood heir to 'seal the deal' and planning begins, with the raids ultimately succeeding although at a heavy cost. Aegon must disperse his army for lack of supplies and the invasion is called off; the war instead becomes a series of raids and expeditions across the border by either side, alongside dragon attacks and raids by the Hightower, Redwyne, Tarth and Velaryon fleets, with the Dornish enlisting pirates and sellsails from the Stepstones and Free Cities to repay them in kind. The Marches and the Red Mountains suffer greatly from continued raiding and pillaging, with Rhaenys' death and the fruitlessness of the conflict leading to a peace agreement, ideally around 7 or 8 AC. Orys could still be taken captive in one of these raids, and the back and forth nature of the fighting would allow the Dornish and the Marchers to demonstrate their grasp of this kind of warfare.

The devastation of the Marches and Red Mountains could have interesting implications for events after the war, but I'll save that for Part 6 when we discuss the aftermath of the First Dornish War. If you've made it this far, thank you so much for braving that wall of text, I wound up having a lot more to say about the Marches than I thought I would; stay tuned, and thank you!

[meirimerens]

one thing about studying cave art and more specifically that of the franco-cantabrian region is that particular signs (typically the so-called "claviforms") will be found on both sides of the Pyrénées, which would have been a fucking trek and a half during the last Ice Age, and that we have digsites discoveries that could very much hint at great gatherings (a whale tooth from the Mediterranean or the Atlantic Ocean having been found in the middle of the mountain, adornments made of saltwater shells being found in-land,...), fueling all sorts of hypotheses and daydreams ("tribal" or at the very least cultural recognition, magico-religious gatherings, rituals, marriages,...), but since we were not there, and we both get closer to the truth with the refinement of our tools and further from it as time passes, basically every state of research looks like this

[hilobiak]

my ancestors toiled away at the farm somewhere in the cantabrian mountains so that I could watch reruns of the sopranos half naked in a basement

[shadowspellchecker]

<p><h1>8. 7. Timer AU</h1></p>

<p><h1>9. 8. Star Wars meets the Roman Empire </h1></p>

<p>For Rogue One, it is well-suited to a pretty direct one to one translation of circumstances. </p>

<p>Galactic empire = Roman Empire</p>

<p>Coruscant / Imperial Center = Rome</p>

<p>Palpatine = the Emperor</p>

<p>Stormtroopers = Roman footsoldiers</p>

<p>Core worlds:</p>

Alderaan =

<p>Mid-Rim</p>

Naboo =

<p>And the alliance? Assorted resistance groups and enemies of the Roman Empire from within and without. </p>

<p>I'd like to use the period around the reign of Augustus. 1st century. </p>

<p>There wasn't really a Civil War where you have clear Republic and Separatist groups on the scale of Star Wars until late in its lifetime, but the Roman Civil War between Caesar and Ptolemy and that other guy stand in pretty well. </p>

<p>The setting is Roman Palestine, Jedha being Jerusalem. So… 0BBY is 70 CE. </p>

<p>Let us begin there. </p>

<p>Chirrut is a Pharisee who contracted cataracts in his youth. He is a master of oral tradition with a brilliant memory. </p>

<p>Baze went off and fought alongside Judas of Gamala . He left them when Chirrut became blind, and they've been on the run from both the zealots and the Romans ever since. </p>

<p>Chirrut, given the period, was probably literally Pals with Jesus. Or at least a pleasant verbal sparring partner. </p>

<p>Bodhi Rook, not a Jew, is also from the province. Perhaps one of the Greek cities, or the son of an immigrant from Syria. Seeking a better life for his family after his father's death he took work as an animal handler for the Roman Army in that province. Swift and light, he eventually became a message carrier. </p>

<p>Saw Gerrera and the Partisans are Zealots. </p>

<p>Galen Erso is a Romanized Greek; Lyra full Roman by parentage but raised alongside Saw. </p>

<p>Cassian is from Hispania. Specifically, Kenari and Fest are both Basque country. Need to do research on the specifics, see Cantabrian wars, but he's taken in by a couple living in the west of Spain after their death. The big economic trade of hispania is olive oil of course, and other kinds of farming, but let's assume he didn't get such a connected life. Perhaps first a mining village or something, yes they had those, or brickmaking. Something that could lead to a village being destroyed and all the adults killed. After that some sort of blacksmith thing. Then foster parent gets executed (not crucified, just hung), foster mom and him are stuck salvaging and odd jobs in their new community. FYI, he was raised speaking proto-Basque. So… yeah. Language barrier from hell as a child, which in fact led to his sister being left behind in the mountains when he was nabbed. Then he gets in trouble with the authorities, debt slavery as a kid, then later prison, hard labor again, being voluntold into the Roman Army and desertion, etc etc etc. Most of it is a one to one correspondence although Narkina IV is probably mining tar, because I figure that Greek fire would be the equivalent to the death star here. </p>

<p>Or perhaps orichalcum as an equivalent to kyber. </p>

<p>Really, the clone wars backstory is likely multigenerational. So Palpatine wouldn't be just one, no, it would be two … or three! </p>

<p>And Anakin Skywalker. </p>

<p>Born a slave, to a slave woman in Tunisia. A couple of Roman elite soldiers or augers come along and buy him. Ani is an amazing horseman, natural jockey, and an intuitive sailor. Really a genius at everything. They buy his freedom and adopt him. Qui-Gon dies, Ani joins the Roman legions. Excels. He climbs the ranks (see Miscellany) as a soldier and politician. Eventually he saves enough and gets an opportunity to find and free his mother, while accompanying a noblewoman to Egypt, only to learn she was killed and died. He goes, finds the nearest people who match the description, kills them. </p>

<p>The noblewoman is of course Padme Amidala of the house of Ptolemy. She is a Greek Egyptian, see? This is relevant because it allows Luke and Leia to have coloring that conceals them where we put Alderaan. But that's later. </p>

<p>Out in Egypt the two marry. But then Ani is called away to quell a "slave revolt" on the other side of the empire. Yah.</p>

<p>And things go downhill. </p>

<p>By the way, the Chiss? They are the Picts. Blue man group solidarity, dudes. Hehehe. Actually, I'm thinking that the Chiss would be the Han Dynasty, or perhaps even the New World. </p>

<p> </p>

<p>Active rebellions between 1 and 70 CE:</p>

<p>Passive resistance groups </p>

<p>With the end of the period of civil wars (44–31 BC), Augustus undertook the conquest of the Alpine valleys (from the Aosta Valley to the Arsia river in Istria) from 16 BC to 7 BC completing the conquest of the Italian geographical region. </p>

<p><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iapydes">https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iapydes</a></p>

<p><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquileia">https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquileia</a></p>

<p>Sardinia: The last organized revolts were repressed by Marcus Caecilius Metellus in 115-111 BC and Titus Albucius in 106.[19] However the Sardinians living in the impervious mountains of the interior resisted the Roman colonization well into Imperial times.</p>

<p>Social War (91–87 BC): The Roman clients in Italy the Marsi, the Paeligni, the Vestini, the Marrucini, the Picentes, the Frentani, the Hirpini, the Iapyges, Pompeii, Venosa, Lucania and Samnium rebelled against Rome.</p>

<p>73bc Third Servile War: Some seventy gladiators, slaves of Lentulus Batiatus in Capua, made a violent escape.</p>

<p> Siege of Jerusalem (63 BC): Pompey conquered Jerusalem and entered the Holy of Holies of the Second Temple.</p>

<p>2nd Invasion of Britain: Julius Caesar's second invasion of Britain.</p>

<p>31 BC 2 September Battle of Actium: Forces loyal to Augustus defeated Antony and his lover Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, in a naval battle near Actium.</p>

<p>30 BC 1 August Final War of the Roman Republic: Antony's forces defected to Augustus. He committed suicide.</p>

<p>The province of Egypt was organized. Augustus took the title pharaoh.</p>

<p>Cantabrian Wars: Rome deployed some eighty thousand soldiers against the Cantabri in Iberia.</p>

<p>19 BC Cantabrian Wars: The last major combat operations ended. The Cantabri and Astures were pacified.</p>

<p><h1>10. 9. Cohortes Urbanae</h1></p>

<p>CU Lucius Racilius recruits deserter Andor, last known survivor of a village in the West, as informant in exchange for legal protection and clean slate (backdated paperwork). Lucius eventually is killed. His adopted son Draven takes over his position in the CU, metaphorically inheriting Andor as client. Eventually you find a plot equivalent to Rogue One. Whether Cassian and Jyn survive, eh. 50-50. I'd give them the live option myself though. There's no death star, and even though the ancient world didn't really do handrails and OSHA, they also didn't have blasters. They had slings and arrows…. Which… </p>

<p>Actually…. </p>

<p>Well, they wouldn't build ludicrous towers in random tropical islands. That's something, right?</p>

[europeas20]

Discover Asturias: A Guide to Natural Beauty, Cultural Heritage, and Gastronomic Delights

Holidaying in Asturias offers an enchanting blend of natural beauty, cultural richness, and culinary delights. Nestled in the verdant landscapes of northern Spain, Asturias beckons travelers with its rugged coastlines, lush forests, and picturesque villages. Here, every corner unveils a new adventure, whether you're exploring ancient ruins, indulging in delectable seafood, or hiking through breathtaking mountain trails. #AsturiasAdventures #ExploreAsturias #AsturiasGetaway #DiscoverAsturias #AsturiasVacation #AsturiasTravel #AsturiasEscapade #AsturiasMagic #AsturiasExperience #AsturiasWanderlust Asturias is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts, boasting a diverse terrain that caters to all kinds of activities. From the majestic peaks of the Picos de Europa to the tranquil beaches of the Costa Verde, there's no shortage of options for exploration. Hiking trails wind through verdant valleys and dense forests, offering captivating views of cascading waterfalls and pristine lakes.

For those seeking a taste of history and culture, Asturias is dotted with charming towns and cities steeped in tradition. Oviedo, the region's capital, is a treasure trove of architectural wonders, with its historic old town showcasing a fascinating mix of Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque landmarks. Don't miss the iconic Cathedral of San Salvador or the pre-Romanesque churches of Santa María del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The coastal town of Gijón is another must-visit destination, where you can stroll along the promenade, explore the bustling marina, or sample fresh seafood at local taverns. Nearby, the seaside village of Cudillero charms visitors with its colorful houses perched on cliffs overlooking the sea, creating a postcard-perfect scene.

No visit to Asturias would be complete without indulging in its culinary delights. The region is renowned for its gastronomy, particularly its seafood dishes crafted from the bounty of the Cantabrian Sea. From succulent grilled octopus to creamy seafood stew, every meal is a celebration of the region's maritime heritage. Pair your meal with a glass of Asturian cider, a beloved local tradition that adds a refreshing twist to any dining experience.

Nature lovers will find solace in Asturias' protected areas, including the stunning Lakes of Covadonga and the Somiedo Natural Park, home to diverse wildlife such as brown bears and golden eagles.

Whether you're kayaking on tranquil waters, birdwatching in pristine forests, or simply basking in the serenity of nature, Asturias offers endless opportunities for outdoor adventure. Nature lovers will find solace in Asturias' protected areas, including the stunning Lakes of Covadonga and the Somiedo Natural Park, home to diverse wildlife such as brown bears and golden eagles.

Whether you're kayaking on tranquil waters, birdwatching in pristine forests, or simply basking in the serenity of nature, Asturias offers endless opportunities for outdoor adventure.

In conclusion, a holiday in Asturias promises a unique blend of natural wonders, cultural treasures, and gastronomic delights. Whether you're seeking adrenaline-fueled activities or peaceful moments in nature, this enchanting region captivates visitors with its timeless charm and undeniable beauty.

Travel Resources Hotels and Hostels Booking.com is available in 43 languages and offers more than 28 million reported accommodation listings, including over 6.6 million homes, apartments, and other unique places to stay. TripAdvisor is the world’s largest travel guidance platform. With more than 1 billion reviews and opinions of nearly 8 million businesses, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on accommodations, and book experiences. Klook is a booking platform on which travelers can book hotels, cars, tours and activities, tickets to attractions, and shows at great prices.

Hotellook is a service that helps you find and compare prices on hotels around the world, provided by a leading reservation system. Today, Hotellook.com offered to put together information on more than 250,000 hotels in 205 countries. Hostelworld, the global hostel-focused online booking platform, inspires passionate travelers to see the world, meet new people, and come back with extraordinary stories to tell. Hostelworld has more than 13 million reviews across over 17,000 hostels in more than 179 countries, making the brand the leading online hub for social travel. Tours and excursions WeGoTrip is an online service for booking audio excursions and tours on 35+ countries on different languages (mostly english). Travelers can take audio excursions created by professional tour guides and local experts. Tiqets’ innovative technology ensures that travelers can book tickets on their phone at the last minute, receive their tickets directly in a digital form, and show their mobile phones in place of physical tickets to museums, places of interest, and attractions. Offers available passes in Europe and the US.

Car Rental You can find the best car rental prices at QEEQ.COM. QEEQ.COM serves road trip travellers from different countries by working with car rental companies all over the world. The company offers its customers the widest set of car rental options and always strives to offer the most competitive price. Read the full article

[thehungrykat1]

Cantabria by Chele Gonzalez Opens at The Westin Manila

The city's newest and possibly most authentic Spanish restaurant recently opened its doors at The Westin Manila. Cantabria by Chele Gonzalez is a new Spanish dining concept from multi-awarded celebrity chef Chele Gonzales that is named after and in honor of his hometown of Cantabria, located in the northern coast of Spain. The Hungry Kat was invited to the special media preview held last March 7, a day before it officially opened for dinner on March 8, 2024.

Cantabria by Chele Gonzalez is a new culinary venture in partnership with The Westin Manila which just recently celebrated its first anniversary. The restaurant is an ode to Chef Chele's childhood years and is a project that has been one year in the making. It's a place that Chef Chele can definitely be proud of as he shares his own Cantabria heritage with the rest of the world.

Cantabria is open from Tuesdays to Sundays from 6:00pm to 10:00pm. You can find it on the hotel's topmost level, a more private and exclusive area with gorgeous views of the Ortigas central business district.

Plush sofas and elegant chairs give the place a sophisticated yet homey ambiance. The cozy interiors come decorated with beautiful Spanish tiles along with paintings and photos of the region. There's even a small metallic map of Cantabria adorning one of its walls.

Cantabria, in the words of Chef Chele, is an infinite landscape known for its unparalleled culinary treasures from its legendary ocean to a multitude of greeneries and mountains. Their menu takes guests to the shores of the Cantabria region, offering a taste of its bounty in delicate bites and indulgent delights.

Chef Chele Gonzales is proud to present the diversity of Spanish cuisine and to celebrate this region's ocean gems through heritage recipes from his childhood and early culinary beginnings. These are dishes he enjoyed at home prepared by his mother which he is now sharing with us. Together with chef de cuisine Ivan Saiz Sordo, Cantabria specializes in creative and sophisticated approach to seafood, as well as innovative tapas, comfort meats, and other traditional Spanish favorites.

Our evening started with some pintxos like the Wagyu and Inure Toast. These are made with wagyu tartare, salmon roe, and truffle yolk on top of a brioche toast. It's an immaculate burst of flavors with the tender wagyu just melting away with the egg yolk in one glorious bite.

The Toasta de Anchova y Berenjena is one of Chele's signature dishes using premium Cantabrian anchovy served with charred eggplant on a baguette toast. This gave guests a quick preview of the many Cantabrian seafood items the restaurant will be featuring.

There's also a bar area inside Cantabria with dedicated bartenders ready to prepare exquisite cocktails and bubbly beverages.

We had a taste of the Sangria Tinto as our welcome drink. This is a refreshing red wine sangria with fruity flavors.

The bartender also prepared a special cocktail for us called A Night in Santander, which is the capital of Cantabria. This comes with tequila in green tea and chili salt on the side. Cantabria by Chele Gonzalez offers a wide selection of beverages from sangria, cocktails, vino and more.

What Cantabria is really proud of are their sea produce. These imported seafood are on display at the counter for all the guests to see.

Chef Chele prepared a fantastic menu for us that evening to highlight some of his Spanish specialties using ingredients and cooking techniques from Cantabria

For our appetizers, first up was the Ostra De La Casa. These are plump and juicy oysters combined with sherry mignonette, green apple, and chives.

Next was the Tartlet De Viera, a scallop tartlet combined with white chocolate, caviar and celeriac puree. I was not sure if it was a starter or a dessert, because this had a unique combination of premium seafood and white chocolate. It was truly culinary genius on display because it all worked together and we all loved it.

These dishes were paired with the Torello Brut Reserve, a sparkling wine made using Penedes grapes from Spain.

We also tried some of the tapas on the menu. The Chili Crab Croquetas con Mayonesa De Lima comes with creamy chili crab croquettes with lime mayonnaise. The croquettes really tasted like Singaporean chili crab and we didn't even have to get our hands dirty.

The Ravioli de Carne Guisada con Espuma de Parmesano is a braised beef and porcini ravioli topped with parmesan espuma and basil oil. Chef Chele used to eat this dish as a child when his mother made these for him during Saturday lunches. These tapas were served with Menade Rueda Verdejo Blanco from Spain.

For our main course, the highlight of the evening was the Rodaballo a la Parrilla or Grilled Whole Wild Turbot. The wild turbot is a flat fish that is native to European waters and is highly valued and classified as a fine dining fish. Cantabria by Chele Gonzalez is one of the very few places where you can find this gem on the menu. Our portions of the Grilled Wild Turbot were served with house salad and potatoes on the side.

The next main course was the Arroz Negro de Viera Y Chipiron. This comes with black ink creamy rice topped with grilled scallops, baby squid and herb aioli. It's similar to a paella negra but the creaminess of the rice is more like a risotto which I really liked. The big pieces of scallops were also a delicious addition.

Meatlovers don't have to worry because there's also the Presa Iberico con Patata Y Mojos. This is a grilled pork iberico steak served with fried marble potatoes plus green and red mojos sauces. The pork was so tender and flavorful, as if I was eating at one of the country's best steakhouses.

To make this course even more spectacular, it was served with a glass of Les Cousins L'Inconscient from Catalonia, Spain.

For dessert, Chef Chele presented probably the most delicious cake I have ever tasted. The Sobao Pasiego is a Cantabria delicacy cake served with cheese ice cream and berries coulis. The fluffy cake was just heavenly and went so well with the ice cream and mixed berries.

We ended our exquisite dinner with the Toffe, Cacao, Avellana Y Cafe. This is a chocolate sponge cake with caramel mousse and caramelized hazelnut topped with ice cream. We would like to thank Chef Chele Gonzalez for hosting and preparing our lovely dinner in Cantabria at The Westin Manila. This is definitely the most authentic Spanish restaurant you can find in Metro Manila because Chef Chele has crafted the entire menu from his heart.

Cantabria by Chele Gonzalez

Roof Level, The Westin Manila, San Miguel Avenue corner Lourdes Drive, Ortigas Center, Pasig

(0962) 533-7957

www.facebook.com/westinmanilahotel

[luui61]

The route of the sheep(in the past)

This year (2022), 1,000 merino sheep (La oveja merina) and 100 red goats (La cabra roja Kalahari) will visit Madrid to promote the importance of livestock in Spain for centuries. Led by shepherds, the sheep set off from Cervera de Pisuerga and Polentinos in the Cantabrian Mountains of Palencia in September and trekked all the way to Madrid.

#festival

#Transhumance Festival 

[whereareroo]

REST DAY IN ASTORGA

WF UPDATE (7/1/23)—DAY OFF

We’re enjoying a day off in Astorga.

Astorga is an old city. As early as 275 BC, there were folks (Celts) living here. The city itself was founded in 14 BC as part of the Roman Empire. Ultimately, the inner city was walled. The Roman Walls have been maintained, and they still encircle the inner city.

Because of its placement on a river and in a valley surrounded by hills and mountains, Astorga became a key military area for the Romans. Later, it became a government center.

By 35 AD, Astorga was a developed commercial area and a key trading hub. During the Roman Empire, it was the most important city in northwestern Spain.

Soon after the birth of Christianity, Astorga became a center of Catholicism. During their travels, Saint Paul and Saint James preached here. When Pilgrims began to take pilgrimages to the tomb of Saint James in Santiago, starting in the late 800s, Astorga became a key stopping point. Pilgrims headed to Santiago wanted to get some rest before attacking the hills and mountains that were visible just ahead. Pilgrims headed home needed to recover after crossing the hills and mountains.

So, now you know something about Astorga.

We’ve been having a fun visit. Like many old European cities, Astorga is dotted with several key plazas. We’ve been taking in the sights at each plaza. The old, giant, buildings look like something from the movies.

The locals claim that, ever since the 1500s when traders arrived with “cacao” beans from Mexico, Astorga became the “Chocolate Capital” of Europe. Today, to explore the chocolate making here, we went to the Chocolate Museum. It was interesting, and it seems to support the argument that Astorga has historically been a chocolate center. In 1914, there were 51 chocolate companies in Astorga. If the museum is correct, it was the world’s largest chocolate producer at that time. I can affirm that, even today, the streets are full of chocolate shops. Astorga is also famous for pastry, and the streets are full of pastry shops too. GC1 has consumed his fair share of pastry and chocolate.

So what does one do on a hot (85 degrees) Saturday afternoon in Astorga when you’ve finished touring all of the big plazas? You hit the pool! During our walks, we stumbled upon a big outdoor pool complex that sits just outside the walls. We went for a swim. GC1 had a blast.

We’re going to get to sleep early tonight. I want to start a bit earlier tomorrow. The next two days involve some climbing as we hit the edge of the Cantabrian Mountains. At around lunchtime on the second day, we’ll hit the highest point on El Camino (approx. 5,000 feet). From here (at approx. 3,000 feet), it’s a slow but steady climb. After the peak, we drop down into a flat valley called El Bierzo. Both days are a bit over 16 miles. After that, we’ll treat ourselves to another day off. Why not?

So, grab your favorite climbing shoes. We’re going up, up, up!!

[tomirovira]

ISARD PIRINENC 20230415181249

The chamois, sometimes called the Pyrenean chamois to distinguish it from the Alpine chamois, is a common bovid in the Pyrenees. It is found in the Pyrenees in general, although there are also small populations in other mountain ranges in southern Europe such as the Apennines and the Cantabrian Mountains.Location: Setcases, Girona, Catalonia, Southern Europe. Fine Art Prints

[safereturndoubtful]

Day 70 - to Brañavieja

Cloud and steady drizzle all morning meant limited views of anything more than 30 metres away, with the whole day all up above 1200 metres.

I moved eastwards around the Palencia mountains to Hoz de Abiada, and then on a road into the ski resort at Alto Campoo. The road goes through the newly constructed village of Brañavieja, where the lifts are based, at 1640 metres. The whole village is seasonally occupied, today a ghost town, though the construction design blends better with the surroundings than many I have been to. The road then winds on to its terminus for a further 6 kilometres, at 1980 metres. There are views across to the Picos, but not today.

From the head of the road it’s about an hour’s hike to the summit of Tres Mares, at 2175 metres, easy certainly, but made more of an adventure with a temperature of just 4C, a decent northerly wind lowering that by a few, mist and drizzle, and the occasional ice and snow under foot. It was back out with the merino under-layers today.

After a couple of hours out I retreated back down the road to the village to park up, it was out the wind, and had some breaks in the cloud during the afternoon.

We did get the occasional visitor while watching the IPL..

Here’s a spot the van photo..

The inscription up at the terminus car park is of a Spanish hymn composed in 1971, on the construction of the road and resort, by Juan José Guerrero and Gerardo Diego, which they dedicated to Isidoro Palacio, the manager of the Alto Campoo project.

It begins appropriately for a day like today.. (a rough translation)

“Not a veil of mist, nor of rain 
or sleet, nor a gift of snow, 
nor a bubbling of enshrouded fountains, 
was lost.”

Of interest are the lines..

“To the three seas that surround it, 
my waters run - distinct and pure.
To the Ebro, the Híjar, the Pisuerga, the Duero 
and the Nansa tumble from the cliff.

To three destinations: 
Mediterranean, Atlantic, Cantabrian. “

From this massif 5 rivers flow to 3 seas (the name of the mountain).

Though some dispute about the Duero, which actually rises in Picos de Urbión, 200 kilometres south east of here, though the Pisuerga is the Duero’s second largest tributary, so technically maybe..

The Cantabrian sea is what the Spanish call the Bay of Biscay.

[rabbitcruiser]

Forest (No. 98)

Cangas de Onís, E

[queencrystal69420]

Affenpinscher Afghan Hound Africanis Aidi Airedale Terrier Akbash Akita Aksaray Malaklisi Alano Español Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog Alaskan husky Alaskan Klee Kai Alaskan Malamute Alopekis Alpine Dachsbracke American Bulldog American Bully American Cocker Spaniel American English Coonhound American Eskimo Dog American Foxhound American Hairless Terrier American Leopard Hound American Pit Bull Terrier American Staffordshire Terrier American Water Spaniel Anglo-Français de Petite Vénerie Appenzeller Sennenhund Ariège Pointer Ariégeois Argentine Pila Armant Armenian Gampr Artois Hound Assyrian Mastiff Australian Cattle Dog Australian Kelpie Australian Shepherd Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog Australian Terrier Austrian Black and Tan Hound Austrian Pinscher Australian Silky Terrier Azawakh Bắc Hà Bakharwal Banjara Hound Bankhar Dog Barak hound Barbado da Terceira Barbet Basenji Basque Shepherd Dog Basset Artésien Normand Basset Bleu de Gascogne Basset Fauve de Bretagne Basset Hound Bavarian Mountain Hound Beagle Beagle-Harrier Bearded Collie Beauceron Bedlington Terrier Belgian Shepherd Bergamasco Shepherd Berger Picard Bernese Mountain Dog Bichon Frisé Biewer Terrier Billy Black and Tan Coonhound Black and Tan Terrier Black Norwegian Elkhound Black Russian Terrier Black Mouth Cur Bloodhound Blue Lacy Blue Picardy Spaniel Bluetick Coonhound Boerboel Bohemian Shepherd Bolognese Border Collie Border Terrier Borzoi Boston Terrier Bouvier des Ardennes Bouvier des Flandres Boxer Boykin Spaniel Bracco Italiano Braque d'Auvergne Braque du Bourbonnais Braque Français Braque Saint-Germain Brazilian Terrier Briard Briquet de Provence Briquet Griffon Vendéen Brittany Broholmer Bruno Jura Hound Bucovina Shepherd Dog Bulgarian Hound Bulgarian Scenthound Bull Arab Bull Terrier Bulldog Bullmastiff Bully Kutta Burgos Pointer Ca Mè Mallorquí Ca de Bou Ca Rater Mallorquí Cairn Terrier Calupoh Campeiro Bulldog Can de Chira Can de Palleiro Canaan Dog Canadian Eskimo Dog Cane Corso Cane di Oropa Cane Paratore Cantabrian Water Dog Cão de Gado Transmontano Cardigan Welsh Corgi Carea Leonés Carolina Dog Carpathian Shepherd Dog Castro Laboreiro Dog Catahoula Leopard Dog Catalan Sheepdog Caucasian Shepherd Dog Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Central Asian Shepherd Dog Český fousek Český strakatý pes Cesky Terrier Chesapeake Bay Retriever Chien Français Blanc et Noir Chien Français Blanc et Orange Chien Français Tricolore Chihuahua Chilean Terrier Chinese Crested Dog Chinook Chippiparai Chongqing Chortai Chow Chow Chukotka sled dog Cimarrón Uruguayo Cirneco dell'Etna Clumber Spaniel Colombian Fino Hound Continental bulldog Corsican Dog Coton de Tulear Cretan Hound Croatian Sheepdog Curly-coated Retriever Czechoslovakian Wolfdog Dachshund Dalmatian Dandie Dinmont Terrier Danish Spitz Danish–Swedish Farmdog Denmark Feist Dikkulak Dingo Dobermann Dogo Argentino Dogo Sardesco Dogue Brasileiro Dogue de Bordeaux Donggyeongi Drentse Patrijshond Drever Dunker Dutch Shepherd Dutch Smoushond East Siberian Laika East European Shepherd Ecuadorian Hairless Dog English Cocker Spaniel English Foxhound English Mastiff English Setter English Shepherd English Springer Spaniel English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) Entlebucher Mountain Dog Erbi Txakur Estonian Hound Estrela Mountain Dog Eurasier Faroese Sheepdog Field Spaniel Fila Brasileiro Finnish Hound Finnish Lapphund Finnish Spitz Flat-coated Retriever French Bulldog French Spaniel

Galgo Español Gascon Saintongeois Gaucho sheepdog Georgian Shepherd German Hound German Longhaired Pointer German Pinscher German Roughhaired Pointer German Shepherd German Shorthaired Pointer German Spaniel German Spitz German Wirehaired Pointer Giant Schnauzer Glen of Imaal Terrier Golden Retriever Gończy Polski Gordon Setter Grand Anglo-Français Blanc et Noir Grand Anglo-Français Blanc et Orange Grand Anglo-Français Tricolore Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen Grand Bleu de Gascogne Grand Griffon Vendéen Great Dane Greater Swiss Mountain Dog Greek Harehound Greek Shepherd Greenland Dog Greyhound Griffon Bleu de Gascogne Griffon Bruxellois Griffon Fauve de Bretagne Griffon Nivernais Guatemalan Dogo Gull Dong Gull Terrier Hällefors Elkhound Halden Hound Hamiltonstövare Hanover Hound Harrier Havanese Himalayan Sheepdog Hmong bobtail dog Hokkaido Hovawart Huntaway Hygen Hound Ibizan Hound Icelandic Sheepdog Indian pariah dog Indian Spitz Irish Red and White Setter Irish Setter Irish Terrier Irish Water Spaniel Irish Wolfhound Istrian Coarse-haired Hound Istrian Shorthaired Hound Italian Greyhound Jack Russell Terrier Jagdterrier Jämthund Japanese Chin Japanese Spitz Japanese Terrier Jeju Jonangi Kai Ken Kaikadi Kamchatka Sled Dog Kangal Shepherd Dog Kanni Karakachan Karelian Bear Dog Karelo-Finnish Laika Kars Karst Shepherd Keeshond Kerry Beagle Kerry Blue Terrier Khala King Charles Spaniel King Shepherd Kintamani Kishu Kokoni Kombai Komondor Kooikerhondje Koolie Korean Jindo Kromfohrländer Kuchi Kunming Kurdish Mastiff Kuvasz Labrador Retriever Lagotto Romagnolo Lài Lakeland Terrier Lancashire Heeler Landseer Lapponian Herder Large Münsterländer Leonberger Levriero Sardo Lhasa Apso Liangshan Dog Lithuanian Hound Lobito Herreño Löwchen Lucas Terrier Lupo Italiano

Mackenzie River husky Magyar Agár Mahratta Hound Majorca Shepherd Dog Maltese Manchester Terrier Maneto Markiesje Maremmano-Abruzzese Sheepdog McNab Minecraft Wolf Miniature American Shepherd Miniature Bull Terrier Miniature Fox Terrier Miniature Pinscher Miniature Schnauzer Molossus of Epirus Mongrel Montenegrin Mountain Hound Moscow Watchdog Mountain Cur Mountain Feist Mudhol Hound Mudi Neapolitan Mastiff Nenets Herding Laika New Guinea singing dog New Zealand Heading Dog Newfoundland Norfolk Terrier Norrbottenspets Northern Inuit Dog Norwegian Buhund Norwegian Elkhound Norwegian Lundehund Norwich Terrier Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Old Danish Pointer Old English Sheepdog Olde English Bulldogge Otterhound Pachón Navarro Pampas Deerhound Papillon Parson Russell Terrier Pastor Garafiano Pastore della Lessinia e del Lagorai Patagonian Sheepdog Patricia Taxxon Patterdale Terrier Pekingese Pembroke Welsh Corgi Perdigueiro Galego Perro Majorero Peruvian Hairless Dog Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen Petit Bleu de Gascogne Phalène Pharaoh Hound Phu Quoc Ridgeback Picardy Spaniel Plummer Terrier Plott Hound Podenco Andaluz Podenco Canario Podenco Valenciano Pointer Poitevin Polish Greyhound Polish Hound Polish Lowland Sheepdog Pomeranian Pont-Audemer Spaniel Poodle Porcelaine Portuguese Podengo Portuguese Pointer Portuguese Sheepdog Portuguese Water Dog Posavac Hound Pražský Krysařík Presa Canario Pudelpointer Pug Puli Pumi Pungsan Pyrenean Mastiff Pyrenean Mountain Dog Pyrenean Sheepdog

Rafeiro do Alentejo Rajapalayam Rampur Greyhound Rastreador Brasileiro Rat Terrier Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz Ratonero Murciano Redbone Coonhound Rhodesian Ridgeback Rize Koyun Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog Romanian Raven Shepherd Dog Rottweiler Rough Collie Russian Spaniel Russkiy Toy Russo-European Laika Saarloos wolfdog Sabueso Español Saint Miguel Cattle Dog Saint-Usuge Spaniel Sakhalin Husky Saluki Samoyed Sapsali Sarabi Sardinian Shepherd Dog Šarplaninac Schapendoes Schillerstövare Schipperke Schweizer Laufhund Schweizerischer Niederlaufhund Scottish Deerhound Scottish Terrier Sealyham Terrier Segugio dell'Appennino Segugio Italiano Segugio Maremmano Serbian Hound Serbian Tricolour Hound Serrano Bulldog Shar Pei Shetland Sheepdog Shiba Inu Shih Tzu Shikoku Shiloh Shepherd Siberian Husky Silken Windhound Sinhala Hound Skye Terrier Sloughi Slovak Rough-haired Pointer Slovak Cuvac Slovenský kopov Smaland Hound Small Münsterländer Smithfield Smooth Collie Smooth Fox Terrier Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier South Russian Ovcharka Spanish Mastiff Spanish Water Dog Spino degli Iblei Spinone Italiano Sporting Lucas Terrier St. Bernard St. Hubert Jura Hound Stabyhoun Staffordshire Bull Terrier Standard Schnauzer Stephens Stock Styrian Coarse-haired Hound Sussex Spaniel Swedish Lapphund Swedish Vallhund Taigan Taiwan Dog Tamaskan Dog Tang Dog Tarsus çatalburun Tatra Shepherd Dog Tazy Teddy Roosevelt Terrier Telomian Tenterfield Terrier Thai Bangkaew Dog Thai Ridgeback Tibetan Kyi Apso Tibetan Mastiff Tibetan spaniel Tibetan Terrier Tonya Finosu Tornjak Tosa Toy Fox Terrier Toy Manchester Terrier Transylvanian Hound Treeing Cur Treeing Feist Treeing Tennessee Brindle Treeing Walker Coonhound Trigg Hound Tyrolean Hound

Valencian Terrier Vikhan Villano de Las Encartaciones Villanuco de Las Encartaciones Vizsla Volkosob Volpino Italiano Weimaraner Welsh Hound Welsh Sheepdog Welsh Springer Spaniel Welsh Terrier West Country Harrier West Highland White Terrier West Siberian Laika Westphalian Dachsbracke Wetterhoun Whippet White Shepherd White Swiss Shepherd Dog Wire Fox Terrier Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Wirehaired Vizsla Xiasi Dog Xoloitzcuintle Yakutian Laika Yorkshire Terrier Zerdava

oh you're a puppygirl, huh? name every dog

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5 of the Best Gastronomic Destinations in Spain

5 of the Best Gastronomic Destinations in Spain Spain is a country famous for its vibrant culture, incredible nightlife, and spectacular cuisine including cheeses, wines, and seafood. If you’re a fan of gastronomy, it may be difficult to decide which part of Spain to go for, as many areas have their own enticing regional dishes. That’s why the team at TruTripper has offered up some of the best gastronomic regions in Spain, to narrow down your search so you can experience some of the best places to eat in the country! Balearic Islands If you’re looking to sample some of the tastiest seafood in the world, you should look no further than the Balearic Islands. Here you can expect to find traditional Spanish cuisine, amongst regional delicacies that you won’t find anywhere else in Spain. The ‘Sobrasada de Cerdo Negro’ sausage is a sweet and spicy meat made from the Balearic pig. This variation of sausage came from Mallorca and is unique because the humid Mallorcan climate affects the curing process, making it softer than other similar cured meats found on the mainland. Cantabria This region is situated in the north of Spain and is home to the celebrated Cantabrian cuisine. Cantabria is known for its flavorsome comfort food and many unique recipes and dishes have emerged from the area, such as cocido montañes. Cocido montañes is a hearty bean stew made of white beans, pork, potatoes, wine, and a variety of vegetables. The dish was originally created to fight against the cold conditions in the Cantabrian mountains, making it the perfect dish to enjoy on a rainy day. Extremadura Extremadura produces many spectacular culinary delights, rightfully earning its title as one of the best gastronomic destinations in the country. This region is the home of the Iberian pig, which produces one of the finest cured hams in the world. It is also the birthplace of one of the country’s most celebrated cheeses, Torta del Casar. If you want to treat yourself to some truly exceptional food in Extremadura, be sure to visit the two times Michelin-starred restaurant, Atrio. Head chef, Tono, uses a mix of local ingredients in his dishes and adds his own twist to create a beautiful, eclectic menu. Aragon ‘Classical’ is the best way to describe Aragonese cuisine. Meats such as lamb, venison, and wild boar are staples in many dishes from this region, typically combined with vegetables, herbs, and spices to create tasty soups and stews. Frutas de Aragon is the perfect treat for anyone with a sweet tooth. These treats are made of sugared candied fruits such as pear, apple, and apricot. They are then covered in chocolate and packaged individually, making them the perfect on-the-go treat. Canary Islands The Canary Islands is the perfect place to experience authentic Spanish cuisine. These diverse islands are home to a wide range of spectacular dishes, including Papas Arrugadas. Papas Arrugadas is a unique dish that involves boiling potatoes in heavily salted water. This gives the potatoes a wrinkled, salty exterior, making them easy to enjoy on their own or with a simple sauce. The Canary Islands are also home to a variety of traditional wines, so if you fancy a tipple, why not explore what’s on offer. via Blogger https://ift.tt/s1bFJfd April 01, 2023 at 10:26PM

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Picos de Europa, Spain (by M Angleles Otero)

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Cantabrian Mountains, Spain. by Terry Laws