5th June

5th June
Navia to Tapia 20k

We started out on a drizzly day.  It wasn't enough to really even get wet to start with just enough to keep us cool.  The rain eventually got heavy enough to put on our ponchos but not for too long so the conditions weren't too bad.

We did a lot of  walking on the road today which was better than muddy slippery paths.  Along the way we found a bar/restaurant and decided to stop for lunch.  We had the menu of the day which consisted of a lovely vegetable soup for me and a chicken broth and pasta for Fuzz followed by really nice meat balls in sauce with chips (everything comes with chips here) followed by a very nice cake and wine and water all for 8 euros each
What a bargain.  The problem was we still had to walk 7k more to reach our albergue.  Which is in a great location on top of a cliff overlooking the sea.  It's a shame the only windows are too high to be able to see anything from and we're sharing our room with 30 others.  It's going to be an interesting night.

4th June

4th June Luarca to Navia 21k

Last night was an incredible evening talking with our fellow pilgrims over a lovely dinner.  We shared some wonderful conversations with our Camino friends... Peter from Germany,  Tighe from Ireland, Jon the Vicar from England and the German girls who we get to know a little better each time we meet.  There were some very deep conversations and we were so engrossed we almost missed the lock out time for our Albergue where we stayed which is 10 pm.  We rushed home like guilty teenagers.  Phew we just made it in time.  Our room had 24 beds and it was reasonably quiet through the night.

Quite a nice day walking in the countryside.  A few rolling hills nothing too major.  Just as it started to get a bit too hot a nice breeze turned up in the nick of time.   It was mostly rural no views if any note but a pleasant day.  We found our accommodation without too much hassle and we're very grateful to have a nice place tonight as we're very tired.  It wasn't long until the predicted thunderstorms arrived.   Just as well we didn't linger too long this morning as some people will be out walking in this.

3rd June

3rd June
Cadavedo to Luarca 18k

Last night ended brilliantly.  After a nice dinner in a bar with some pilgrim friends we headed back to our accommodation.  The lovely lady who looked after us there was disappointed we hadn't made our way to  the Hermita and the beautiful view.  She bundled us up in the car and drove us the 1k so we didn't miss out.  It was 10pm and still enough light so see the incredible view. We're so glad she insisted we go as we really would have missed out if we'd hadn't  gone.

This morning started off with a scrumptious breakfast prepared by our hostess before we headed out on a pleasant walk through the woods and lanes.  It wasn't long before we came across Peter from Germany who works for the same company as me there.  Then we came across Tighe, our Irish friend who we'd met last night.  We all walked along together chatting and passing the time until we arrived in this seaside town.  It's not particularly pretty but interesting enough.  We got ourselves settled in our relatively new albergue and now we're just chilling.

2nd June

2nd June
Soto de Luina to Cadavedo 22k

Back to the sea views today and muddy forest.  We had quite a bit of climbing and descending on what would have been lovely forest paths had it not been for yesterday's rain.  It made for muddy slippery paths a lot of the time but some of the views were very worth it.  At one stage we had the option to take a 1k detour to Playa del Silencio.  It was an amazing view and I'm glad we took the extra k's to see it and as usual the photos don't even come close to what we saw. 

We  did some more muddy climbs and descents before we came to another secluded beach with more visual delights.  Climbing back to the road from there was an adventure.  The path was barely visible it was so overgrown with weeds and stinging nettles.  It was after that we decided to keep to the road before we arrived at tonight's accommodation.

Tonight we learn about life in Spain as part of a Spanish family and this is a lovely place with very lovely people.   Watch this  space!

1st June

1st June
Soto de Luina.

It was lovely to arrive here.  It was a wet day but had dried up and the sun was trying to break out when we got to our lovely accommodation.  We had no wifi and no mobile signal so we were totally 'disconnected'....fantastic.  we sat on our little balcony looking at the swaying trees listening to the birds and a babbling stream.

We went to dinner and found Natas a Spanish pilgrim we've been seeing from the beginning but lost almost a week ago.   We also found an older German guy who we've also seen and lost but not had much of a conversation with yet.  His name was Edgar and a nuclear physicist.  We also shared our table with an IT guy called Peter from Germany who works for Bayer.  Small world eh?  He thought I was joking when I told him that I too work for Bayer.  I just love this stuff.

31st May

31st May.
Gijon. - Aviles.

Tough day.  Walking out of Gijon wasn't the nasty big deal it was made out to be.  Not pretty agreed but ok.  Then we climbed plenty.  We found a place that had a little sanctuary for the pilgrim beside the road and we were  grateful. Then a bit further along the climb we found a couple of cheap plastic chairs that some thoughtful person had purposefully placed so we could rest...and we did.  Then we came to a forest / national park and we really enjoyed our walk for a while.  Eventually we arrived in a town.  It was an industrial area and brought us back to a world that neither of us lives in.  It felt without hope.  We walked for ages through these ugly industrial suburbs becoming more demoralized by the metre.  After some of the beautiful places we've been and seen on this pilgrimage this brought us back to the real world with a whack.  It was horrible.  As we walked I hoped our  accommodation wasn't anywhere near here.  Oh well it was just on the edge and we are just on the off side of a dirt area where there are about 20 trucks parked.  I was a bit worried about the dodgy bars  right next door to our place of residence tonight but once we got to know the locals it turns out out it's Mothers Day in the Dominican Republic (we're told) not to be deterred we helped the locals celebrate for just  enough time to no longer feel scared and learned a few new things as well. 
I'm so glad I'm not here alone.  This is not Camino I would do by myself.  I was uncomfortable today.  Some of our friends have skipped some stages because of this and I totally understand why.
Tomorrow is another day.

30th May

30th May
Gijon

We arrived in Gijon in time to farewell our German friend Lucas who has to return home suddenly.  It was so nice meeting him and we're sorry to see him go.  We also got to see our friend Chiarra who is going ahead and we're hoping we'll see her again sometime along the way.  You find and lose people along the way and some people stay in your heart forever.  That's how it is on the Camino.

We found an Italian restaurant and had a fantastic gnocchi and probably ate too much but it was so nice.  When we came back into the plaza it was very busy and we could hear music playing and a band of minstrels came along. They stopped in the square and continued playing and people started dancing and enjoying the festivities.  It was so much fun.

Gijon is quite large and the old part of the city is lovely and interesting.  We found the old roman baths that have been here since 1-11 BC.  We had a good look around in there before going to the beautiful church for our first Mass since we've been here.  It has a beautiful pipe organ that was being played and it was lovely.  It made me think of my grandmother who played beautifully.  She would have loved that one.