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Stewart WarrilowStewart Warrilow
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Residente a: Wolverhampton, United Kingdom Leggi altro Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
  • ViaggiatoreEl Camino
    Giorno 57

    Cadavéu/Cadavedo

    7 ottobre 2023, Spagna ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Today was a killer. Hot, up and down, stone and mud, and all of the pilgrims were keeping themselves to themselves. So I haven't spoken to a soul other than hello.

    On top of that, the village I am staying in has a reputation for being unfriendly to pilgrims. So I bought today's food at the last shop before this place and I'll be staying in tonight.

    Fingers crossed I'll see someone tomorrow!

    Photos - I have hardly seen the coast today as I have been walking through wooded valleys. Fortunately, I saw this just before I finished today's walk...

    Leaving Soto del Barco this morning (it's still dark at 8am)...

    Palacio de los Selgas (I haven't a clue what this place is, I just thought it looked nice)...

    It's so green here...

    I have walked through several streams today so I thought I should have a picture of one.    Leggi altro

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  • ViaggiatoreEl Camino
    Giorno 56

    Soto del Barco

    6 ottobre 2023, Spagna ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    I had two very contrasting conversations today. The first was this morning with the first person I saw, an old man out for walk. We started by talking about walking and then he asked if I'd tried Asturian cider (sidra). I admitted I didn't like it. He was taken aback at this and started asking me questions like which ciders have I tried, and how much have I spent. He decided I needed to buy and try more expensive ciders and said I could try some of his. This was at 8.30am so I had to give up the offer unfortunately. He also told me I need to eat more bread! He was a real good laugh even though I was struggling to understand all he said.

    The second was as I was walking out of Aviles. A little dog was yapping and the owner, a well dressed old lady, told me off for scaring her dog! "How am I scaring your dog?" I asked. "By wearing this and this," I was told. She pointed to my walking poles and rucksack. I apologised to the dog and walked on.

    Photos - today was 26 miles through a conurbation pretty much so the first photo is a street in the old part of Aviles and the second is an example of what I've walked through for a large part of the day. It can't all be pretty beaches unfortunately.    Leggi altro

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  • ViaggiatoreEl Camino
    Giorno 55

    Gijón

    5 ottobre 2023, Spagna ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    I didn't realise this place was a bar, I thought it was just a house in the village we were walking through. The guy I was walking with spotted it.

    There was a large, burgundy coffee machine behind a dark wooden counter on the left, and on the right was a glass display with a solitary blue cheese and a ham inside. On top of the glass display were some faded boxes of biscuits. Between the counter and the coffee machine was a tiny old lady, shaky with a lopsided smile. The room held four small square tables, each with two chairs. We were the only ones there and it felt as though this was as busy as it gets.

    I ordered a coffee and she gave me an espresso, which was perfect. She asked if I wanted milk. I said no so she smiled and gave me a double espresso at no extra charge. She radiated kindness.

    After we had finished our coffees I went to pay and the old lady gave me way too much change. I told her it was wrong and she gave me even more change! I made sure we paid our bill plus a tip. She smiled throughout our exchange.

    I hope nobody takes advantage of her kindness.

    Today I continued to walk through the bucolic Asturias until I reached Gijón, a city with a large beach, marina, and where people have lived for over 7,000 years

    Photos - Gijón... the boat I'm sleeping on tonight in Gijón marina, cider barrels are very big, the morning mist is just beautiful. Me and the Ninja, mad Dom.    Leggi altro

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  • ViaggiatoreEl Camino
    Giorno 54

    Villaviciosa

    4 ottobre 2023, Spagna ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    Some folk I talk to are looking for an inner wisdom when they do this walk. I'm just out to enjoy myself BUT I have discovered that the more cider you drink, the less horrible it tastes. I am in Asturias which is the cider, or Sidra, centre of Spain. I have walked through so many orchards that I decided I had to try it. I don't like cider in the UK and, at the beginning, I disliked it just a little less here. However, they have given me a litre to drink with my meal. The waitress gave me a quick lesson on how to pour it (a little at a time from a great height) and left me to it. I'm losing the power of speech but it is just beginning to be palatable now. I just hope I can get back to the hostel later.

    Photos - a street in Villaviciosa. This is a working town and it's not the prettiest but it has a good feel to it....

    At last, a proper sink for laundry...

    One of many beaches...

    My view when I left my place this morning...

    I liked this washroom...

    I walked through a small place called Vega which had lots of murals so here are a couple...

    A hórreo. You see these everywhere. They are granaries. They are draughty for ventilation, raised to keep out rodents, used for storing grain or similar.

    Me walking. Photo taken by an Austrian engineer!    Leggi altro

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  • ViaggiatoreEl Camino
    Giorno 53

    Vera the dog

    3 ottobre 2023, Spagna ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Ana lost her partner suddenly a couple of years ago. They had both loved walking Camino routes and so last year she opened a hostel. I was so lucky to stay there last night as she creates a great atmosphere and brings out the best in people. I laughed so much I was a giggling wreck by the time I went to bed. Anyway, a guy was there who had walked all the way from Switzerland with his dog, Vera! They hadn't walked in a straight line either. He wanted to visit Lourdes so they did that before walking along the Pyrenees until they reached the Atlantic. They have been walking for three months now! Vera was the star attraction, everyone loved her. I also met a lawyer who works to stop people on death row in the USA being executed. I felt so humbled. She is walking here because, unsurprisingly, she needs a complete rest. She has links with Manchester University and, as a result, is a big Huddersfield Town fan!

    I also walked through Poo today. Nobody else got the joke! I really needed an English speaker around.

    Photos - the lovely Vera with her rucksack...Poo station...sound on for the acoustics at Bufones de Arenillas (I thought it sounded like a giant breathing)...not how the English tend to think of Spain but I love it... Ana's hostel.    Leggi altro

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  • ViaggiatoreEl Camino
    Giorno 52

    Pendueles

    2 ottobre 2023, Spagna ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Walking with mad Dominic is a dangerous affair. He sincerely believes that alcohol is good combined with exercise. "You do not know this?", he said in exasperation with his heavy French accent when I questioned him. Today we tested his theory while walking along cliffs and he was like a mountain goat whereas I, on the other hand, was walking like a bloke who has had a couple of beers. No surprise there.

    The main thing is I got to tell the tale in spite of his best efforts to see me off. At one point he said he could hurl his walking cane five metres in the air and catch it. He was half right. He threw it five metres but it landed on me before he caught it, sending me toppling!

    In spite of all that I love his company. He is staying in a place 15 kilometres further on from me so it's unlikely I'll see him again but we pretended otherwise. I said I'll walk a bit extra each day and he said he'd wait in Santiago but neither is likely.

    That's how this walk can be; a cycle of happy and sad and it is richer for it.

    Photos - a river on the way to Pendueles... Dominic crossing a natural bridge over the sea...the beautiful coastline here...how I refuel    Leggi altro

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  • ViaggiatoreEl Camino
    Giorno 51

    San Vicente de la Barquera

    1 ottobre 2023, Spagna ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    I checked and it is not a fiesta in San Vicente but there is one hell of a noisy party going on in the square. It'll be earplugs tonight, even for me!

    Anyway, today I have had the luck of walking through some great scenery and villages, and to end it in the inviting, if noisy, San Vicente is perfect.

    Yesterday, I noticed the guy on reception was watching football on his phone so I got talking to him. His favourite teams are Barcelona and Liverpool so it was all good and it wasn't long before he offered to get the Wolves v Man City game for me on the screen he had behind his desk. So yesterday I sat at the reception desk, cold beer in hand, watching the game with a Spanish Liverpool fan. Fortunately he checked the guests in while I tried to keep a lid on it. Surreal but great fun.

    Photos - my first view of San Vicente... it's retro night at the local disco...Comillas has amazing architecture (I could have spent the best part of a day there)...one of many beaches I walked past....and one of many golden churches....I loved this dinky house next to the small river    Leggi altro

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  • ViaggiatoreEl Camino
    Giorno 50

    Santillana del Mar

    30 settembre 2023, Spagna ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    I was lying in the gutter like an upturned beetle. My legs and arms were going ten to the dozen and I was laughing out loud at my situation.

    How did I get here?

    I was walking down a steep country road but I wasn't concentrating and hadn't noticed the edge of the road was uneven. Boom! I went into a slow motion fall. I've fallen over enough times to know that you have to go into a roll only this time I hadn't factored in my rucksack so my elbow took the force of my fall and I landed on my back and stayed there. I knew my legs were still in the road so I held them up. The dying fly from Tiswas springs to mind.

    Eventually I realised I had to unclip my rucksack if I was going to get up but by then I had a crowd around me. I stopped laughing. I swear I hadn't seen anyone for ages and then I fall over and rentacrowd is on the scene. I was so embarrassed but everyone was lovely and I was on my way as quickly as my legs could carry me, which was very quick!

    In Bilbao, I washed a pair of my woollen boxers in a washing machine without realising it was a washer/drier. Big mistake. I think they would fit a 7 year old now.

    Photos - Jean-Paul Sartre said Santillana is the prettiest village in Spain, I wish I could capture it...I'm staying in a very old convent tonight...even I could catch a fish in this river...it was very foggy until 20am this morning    Leggi altro

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  • ViaggiatoreEl Camino
    Giorno 49

    Santander

    29 settembre 2023, Spagna ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    I'd met this guy before. He is a retired sailor from the US Navy and he doesn't let you forget it. We were both waiting for the ferry to Santander and I thought the tide might be a problem.

    "Of course there's enough water! We landed boats on beaches in the War! Remember?" he said with authority, almost haughtily. Moments later a young Spanish later came over to tell us we will have a bit of a wait. The tide needs to come in more before the boat can dock. The sailor left me without a word and sat looking at his phone.

    I walked through a eucalyptus plantation earlier in the day. At times it was like walking through a cough sweet.

    Photos - Santander, the capital of Cantabria, at last!...the low ceiling and Romanesque arches create a very special space for prayer in the cathedral... evening fishing by the art gallery...much of old Santander burnt down in 1941 but the wide avenues that replaced it are a delight to stroll around...arriving at Santander by boat...peace and quiet while walking to Santander    Leggi altro

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  • ViaggiatoreEl Camino
    Giorno 48

    Noja

    28 settembre 2023, Spagna ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    I was thinking that there is something about Spain that has caused my unusual conversations to evaporate and I was missing them. And then out of the blue two ladies asked me if I was walking to Santiago. "Yes!" I replied. At last I'm talking to non-pilgrims! They asked me lots of questions about my walk then they told me they were going to Santiago too. This was surprising as they were very elegantly dressed so I had to ask if they were walking too. They must have realised I was less intelligent than they first thought because at this point they switched to speaking in English. They were flying to Santiago for a three day visit next week after they have attended a friend's wedding. That made sense! Anyway, I must still have made a good impression because they took selfies with me. I felt a bit like a celeb!

    I was calling home when a guy walked over and started talking to me. I told him I was on the phone but he just carried on so I listened. He was telling me the best path to take so I thanked him. He didn't tell me his 'best path' involved using hands to climb up. That is not what you want when it's 33 degrees and you've already walked more than 20 miles. Nor did he tell me that his 'best path' meant you had to walk along the nudist beach! It's the first time I've felt overdressed on this walk!

    Photos - the beach at Noja... the 'best path'...Berria beach which has a prison at the far end and a lagoon behind...the little boat that took me from Laredo to Santoña...I love goats and it was super to see a heard this morning    Leggi altro

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