nice asturian coast
windy, but dry.
peaceful lands that we are passing through. it’s a gently hilly and beautiful passage along the northern coast of asturias, occasionally touching the playas and dramatic cliffs.
we come across a mural that reads vacas si oro no - a bit of research on the internet seems due and tells us that salave holds one of the largest gold reserves in europe (around 2 million ounces). given the lifestock tradition in asturias and the focus on sustainability and soft tourism in the area there is quite a bit of social unrest and opposition to mining projects.
following in the coastal breeze we venture into tapia de casariego, a charming little town in full swing for domingo de ramos (palm sunday) where we go for the compulsory daily cafe con leche and un vaso de leche caliente para la nuestro hija - even if we oust ourselves as foreigners, since spaniards will mostly drink a cortado or similar. well, they will know anyway as our spanish is a bit patchy.
we find quiet reflection at the lovely chapel in santa gadea. not only reflection but also a merienda with the typical aceite y tomate on toast.
once outside the villages and towns we meet more animals than people. our daughter gives them names: today we met pedrito, the little dog that thought long and hard whether he wanted to come along the whole way to santiago. he stayed behind eventually.
a bit tired after the first hiking day and roughly 20km we traverse the pedestrian lane of the puente de los santos, quite high up above the waters of the ría del eo, where we also cross into the lands of galicia at ribadeo.
we arrive at a tiny municipal albergue up on a cliff, wait for three times the 10 minutes it reads on the paper at the door, the hospitalera arrives including her daughter, son in law and granddaughter. they manage to register us, we prepare our beds, go have showers, relax, chill, i write this post, later we will head into town in search of la cena. typically spanish restaurants open their evening kitchen from 8 or half past 8. we will have a bit of appetite then.
hasta mañana.
