This huge concrete monument sits on top of the Santa Catalina hill in Gijon, facing the sea…read more Praise of the Horizon is the English name of this concrete sculpture made by the Basque sculptor Eduardo Chillida. It is a work of large proportions erected in 1990 and it is considered a symbol of the city and is popularly known as "King Kong's toilet" One of the main features of this sculpture is that you can hear the ocean waves if you stand under it and the sea is rough...almost like when you hold a seashell to your ear...this structure does a similar feat. Some love it, some hate it, still is a symbol of Gijon....

If you are in the historic center of Gijon, one of the main landmarks you will see is the Pelayo…read morestatue....The Monument to Don Pelayo in Gijón was inaugurated in 1891and it is located in the Plaza del Marqués, near the Revillagigedo Palace and overlooking the Marina. The sculpture represents Don Pelayo, founder of the Kingdom of Asturias and considered the initiator of the Reconquista. It is almost 9 feet tall and weighs four tons. The sculpture was made with bronze cannons taken from the Moroccans during the Second Moroccan War (1859-1860). Pelayo holds the Victory Cross with his right hand, which is the emblem of Asturias. It is a common meeting place in the city.

There is a lot of interesting medieval architecture in Potes. One of the most striking examples is…read morethe Torre del Infantado, which physically stands out in the center of Town. Gayle and I came upon it as we were walking off a big late Lunch at Cafe Cayo. The 15th century Infantado Tower is build on a square plan with four corner turrets and crenellated at the top. It has now been refurbished to include a cool scenic viewing platform on top, a pretty atrium, optional open stairways, and a some really neat exhibits. We enjoyed the one on bears and handsome presentations of various monastic holy books. All of it was in Spanish, but we managed to figure out the essence. It's all very well done, free, and with friendly folks to help you if you need it.