Outono Gastronómico in O Xurés

Autumn is not my best friend.

Days are shorter and I feel like if it takes away my energy, I feel smaller and my head goes crazy thinking and thinking again.

But then, I look at the colors on the trees and I remember how I love to walk through the fallen leaves or how I like to hear the rain on the window.

Not too many years ago I discovered something that makes me expect this season with more emphasis: “Outonos Gastronómicos” (Gastronomic Autumns) by Turgalicia, the organism in charge of the tourism development in Galicia. This is an offer that includes different menus with products of the season and the area and accommodation in rural houses.

This year was my third Outono Gastronómico… I always enjoy it! It is really a hard job to “decide well”, there are so many houses to choose with delicious options to taste. I usually bet for places that I barely know and houses that “tell me something” and seem authentic… If I just let me go for the menus I would become crazy (as my family say, I have bigger eyes than stomach). Have a little bit of help in this election is ideal, and this year, we finally decided to go to Casa Baralló in Lobios, next to Serra do Xurés in Ourense.

Arriving there, Pepe, the owner, came to us like if we were family. Or at least I felt it that way. I felt like if I were coming back home after a while and that is because Pepe is so kind that you make him your “new uncle”. He showed us the house, which he restored by himself, and from the first minute he offered us his help and advices about the area to know it better and don´t miss anything.

Serra do Xurés is a stunning Natural Park on the border with Portugal, in fact, there it is a National Park. The weather wasn´t the better to go for a walk but you can drive through the Park to have a look and get a general idea. It was a shame because it is so beautiful that everywhere seemed good to start a walking route and get a little bit lost in the middle of that forest taken from a story for little children. Next time I would look better to the forecasts to choose a better day to go. Anyway, we could admire the waterfalls coming up because of the rain and Pepe gave us some ideas to complete our day: visist the Roman campsite Aquis Querquennis (I, II century), Santa Comba de Bande (the only Visigothic church in Galicia) or a nice therma near to the river.

Xurés is a place that I keep on my mind to come back and explore it better, maybe in Spring or Summer, and, probably, coming back to Casa Baralló.

Now all that I can say is that I can´t wait for the next Outono Gastronómico!! (You can call me greedy…).