Tetonia (Idaho, USA) | Tavë Dheu - 16/12/2022

Looking east from my parent's backyard in Tetonia, Idaho. The view of the Teton Mountains over the last week has been obscured and blocked by clouds and still is in this picture. However, yesterday evening the clouds lifted a tiny bit and revealed the purple foothills as the sun set behind me. 

It has snowed nearly every day, and when it wasn't snowing, the clouds were hanging so low that it was impossible to take pictures of this beautiful area. My parents moved to Tetonia, Idaho, about two years ago from Idaho Falls, Idaho, and the views of the mountains here, when not obscured, are stunning. I hope to take a few photos if the weather cooperates.

The clouds finally lifted to the west this morning. But, unfortunately, this is the "boring side" of the view. The ranch next door has several cows that they feed during the winter. 

When I was in Muros de Nalón, I took this photo of the sculpture outside the Hospital for Peregrinos. I posted the black-and-white version of the picture on my Canero post, as I thought the black-and-white version was more interesting.

However, I chose to leave the photo out of my post as I found it lacking with the shadows in the image. Nevertheless, I wanted to include it here to show what a historic Hospital looked like in Spain.

On my walk to Canero, I walked down to this beautiful beach. The beach was covered with river rock, not sand. Earlier that day, I visited the stunning Playa de Silencio, so I left these photos out because they were less captivating than the others earlier in the day. This first photo looks to the south.

The view north along the cliff was spectacular. Unfortunately, the weather was shit on this day, and I constantly took my rain gear on and off. Accordingly, I should have taken the time to explore this secluded beach.

When I left Vilela, the Camino climbed away from the tiny village. When I broke free of the trees, I could see the clouds hanging low in the valley as the sun rose. It was common during this part of the Camino to have morning fog, and I always enjoyed how it looked when it hung low in the valley.

Every morning was overcast on this stretch of the Camino, which I welcomed as it kept temperatures cooler. This is my favorite weather for walking long distances. I love the sun and its views, but the heat makes walking under it less enjoyable. This photo was taken along the road to Villamartin Grande, a small ranching community. 

Near Vilalba, I encountered this crypt. It was the first of its kind I met along the Camino. This photo captures why it captured my attention. I was captivated by the details of the structures I saw ahead of me. I chose to post the picture from the interior as it was more colorful. Nevertheless, this structure was amazing to see!

Over the last four days, I took the opportunity to cook a few meals for my parents. The first was a request by my dad, which I had not fixed in almost a year, Menudo. Menudo is a traditional Mexican soup that uses red chilis as the base for the broth, including hominy and beef tripe. My dad's mom, who used to live in Texas, gave me the recipe. Although Grandma's recipe tastes fantastic, only some enjoy Menudo. The key to great Menudo is buying high-quality beef tripe.

The other meal I made was Tavë Dheu from Albania (pictured below with a greek salad). Tavë Dheu is the Albanian National dish and is a tomato paprika stew with beef chunks and ricotta cheese. It was delicious. Here are a couple of tips not in the video. First, allow plenty of time to cook. It takes nearly 30 minutes for the water from the meat to evaporate before you can add the other ingredients. Second, season the meat before browning. It will be more flavorful. Thirdly, allow the soup to boil on low for a few hours before transferring it to a dutch oven or clay pot to finish the meal. This will ensure the meat falls apart in your mouth, as it should.