Camino Del Norte to Santiago

We had a breakfast before we left. Choices were toast, locally made butter, hard boiled eggs,. Prosciutto, kiwi, pastries, fresh squeezed orange juice. This is similar to what most places consider the included breakfast. Then caffe/ coffe and leche sin lactosa and Cola Coa/ dairy free hot chocolate (for me). Hey, we all have our vises. 😉
19.15 km walk/Camino today to our place to stay. We started off with a choice:. Walk along the coast ( nearby not along) or up high in the mountains… No places to stop. No services.
We took the ‘nearby the coast’ choice.
19km and the equivalent of 135 flights of stairs climbed!! The description in our books was of dirt tracks and paved roads. (Watch out for cars! Fast and close). We wouldn’t let out kids walk on these roads. 😁.
It ventured on to say the Camino ascends and descends a number of steep valley’s. Yep, it did - 7 hours of up and down, just to go right back up then immediately down. OK. I have finished my complaining,
We just arrived in and I am waiting my turn for the shower. 👍😊 I am not first today, we take turns on ‘first or’ 😂.
The upside was off today’s Camino was dappled shade on forested roads, trails, streams. And still no blisters!! Those end some folks trips.
Challenges of the day: don’t get taken out by a car. Don’t trip over a root, then your out of play, Don’t fall into a stream = blisters! And there were many streams. And mud, so many deep, wide muddy sections in the mountain forests.
There are always some delightful cute surprises. Flower pots that look like people, colored rocks that represent countries of Peregrino’s/ Pilgrims.
I just finished and am out of the shower. Neither of us, and this is daily, want to touch our own wet sweaty clothes. 🤣
In a bag they go and off to the laundry we go.. Clothes, cloth bag and all into the machine!
I’ve made it to the cafe/restaurant to get a bite to eat. They were closing in 2 minutes. 😩
One gal said sorry, ‘No’. The guy who checked is in said, ‘ Sure’. I thought he was making me a simple salad. I fished that taking my time. Thinking that this was all I would eat ( other then trail food) until 8pm. He now, brought out a Secundo. My second dish! Fried pork and what we call, French fries. Yes!! I will survive!!! 😊
We are sitting outside in this coastal agricultural area. Neighbors are walking dogs. Passing by with smiles and big ‘hola’s/hello’s’. It’s broken clouds with a postage stamp view of an amazing shoreline. Delightful!
Ingrid. a fellow Pilgrim, , just asked to join us at our table outside. Late 70’s in age?
She even asked shared her train but walking the Camino . Ingrid broke her back a few years ago. To stern strengthen her back she walked a major trail in the Netherlands. It was a long trail the length of the Netherlands. iIt took 3 different trips on that trail. That worked!
She then read about the Camino. She has been on 3-4 different Caminos, now. Her back is healed. She, now volunteers at Alburgues to help with staffing a few weeks at a time. Then travels home to the Netherlands and then Camino’s again!
She just shared knowledge of some great places to see that we have added to our bucket do list! So…. NOT COMING HOME.
Just kidding. 😁❤️
This whole experience is just what this gal needs!! Thank you Ron for opening the door! Thank you, Abby for taking on extra.
Thank you Ronny, MoMo, Cassidy and Marley for loving me……. and waiting for gifts.😂
Post script: we just walked down the road to a view of the entire Spanish Asturian Coast, e are told. Stunning!もっと詳しく