Post by both of us:
Below is a Ruta sign that tells us that we’ll get to “el mejor banco del mundo” in 4 kilometers. So, the Ruta considers it “the best bench in the world.”
Google maps calls it “el banco mas bonito del mundo”, “the most beautiful bench in the world.” Not sure how it ended up with both names. But it is pretty great. Remote location. Nothing else there but the bench and a parking area. We’ve seen it twice and both times we’ve had to wait in line to get to it. Since we didn’t want the young couple ahead of us to feel rushed and since we got to sit on it in 2019, we decided to head on down the trail.
Here are two other photos we took of the young couple there.
Almost seems like a gauntlet has been thrown. But it is a beautiful view.
As you know, I am partial to benches in beautiful spots. I hope when I pass away I will be sitting on one in a foreign country. There was a bench in the Borghese gardens in Rome, one in an circular cellar beneath a church in Cadiz, but the best so far, one that would vie for honors with “the most beautiful bench in the world,” is one that was on the Greek island of Hydra overlooking the Aegean. It was a bench to die for.
We were in San Gimignano in Italy (on the via fracigena, the Italian Camino) and we saw a place the said it had the best ice cream in Italy. Well, maybe, but unlikely. Claims like this are made all the time for PR purposes. We had lunch at a picnic table about a kilometer before the alleged most beautiful bench and we thought it was a nicer view. Not technically a bench I guess. It surprises me that someone got both the Ruta Cantabrica sign maker and Google to go along with their PR. And who came up with it anyway and for what purpose? There is no business there. I’m calling for some in-depth investigative reporting here.
Looking at this couple, and, more to the point, looking at the two of you…. It made me think: the experience and interactions you get as a couple must be very different than the experience and interactions a single (male) would get. Nobody to share with on a day-to-day basis. Are others as willing to talk to a single?
Then again, I’ve had some travel experiences that a single can have, that a couple might not. Like the time I picked up a Berber hitchhiker in the back country of Morocco and wound up getting invited into his home for lunch.
Just me musing…
Hi Henry, I know what you mean. I don’t think I would want to do much traveling alone at this point in my life. When I was in my mid-20s I traveled in Europe alone and loved it. But, then, I was very young. In restaurants, they seated me with strangers, etc. (not sure if they still do that). I didn’t seem to have a problem meeting people and, at the time, I thought I’d never want to travel any other way. But I’m not sure about now, at my age. But, I do think that if there is any place to travel alone it would be the Camino Frances. You would never be alone there unless you wanted to be. People to walk with, people to have communal meals with or share a restaurant meal with, people to visit with in the bars along the way. Everyone sharing a similar experience. Everyone walking in the same direction. I think you might really love it. The only problem is that you’ve read all our blogs and there might not be enough surprises. I’m just kidding. We still are surprised almost every day by something.
Henry, I’m trying to imagine when and why you would be driving alone in the back country of Morocco!
After spending a semester teaching at the Technische Universtät Graz during my 1987-88 sabbatical, I spent six months traveling, starting in Morocco and ending in India. I was 40 years old. I learned to drive a stick shift in Morocco—it was do or die as the rental agency only had standard transmission cars. It was an adventure.
During my sabbatical year (1987-88), after spending a semester teaching at the Technische Universität Graz, I traveled for six months, starting in Morocco and ending in India. I was 40. I learned to drive a stick shift in Morocco — it was do-or-die, as the car rental agency didn’t have any automatic transmission cars. It was quite an adventure.
PS I tried to do this post from my phone, but something went wrong, and it didn’t post. Sorry, if it eventually shows up twice.
That’s a beautiful bench and view I’m sure- looking out at the sea always seems to calm me down and I can do it for a long time.
The bench reminded me of the day that Barbara and I hiked up to the point looking out over the ocean in Finisterre.
No bench, but what a view and you were up high looking down. We stayed for probably 3 hours and didn’t say a word to one another. No need to talk-
Wow, 3 hours! I remember that view.
The great thing about this photo is that it brings to mind all the gorgeous places we’ve each seen on this earth (and many we haven’t seen…yet).
And Holly – boy – I’m with you on the calming effect of water, and waves. I took two of my granddaughters to Zuma beach last summer and we all just sat on the sand staring, mesmerized by the water and lapping of waves. No beautiful bench or overlook.