STAGE TWENTY: Oviedo to Aviles- back on the Norte!!!!

Sebastian and I woukd get Benjamin off this morning abiut 0700....the Camino is filled with good-byes, this one would be a particularly difficult one.  Not certain why, I feel like Benjamin is a little brother to me when our age difference actually would be more like him being a son to me ( and he reminds me of it), but our conversations have been good ones, his English is fluent and our political views seem to be the same.  Sebastian and I have different walking paces and typically prefer to walk alone and meet at night or along the way but we agreed we'd walk together today as the route back up to the Norte might not be well marked. Many pilgrims leave the Norte for Oviedo....and I have no regrets I LOVED Oviedo!

We woukd wander the streets early looking for a cafe con leche ( coffee with milk), and when it was suggested we bavktrack back near our auberge to some hole the wall I protested some....I craved a coffee in the square or near the cathedral vs a small smoke filled place where the same two locals are propped all day long drinking and watching a blaring TV. Thankfully Sebastian joined me though I think he really wanted to get a coffee....

We walked around and nothing was open....any hint of an open business had a gentleman calmly telling us they were not.  Today is Good Friday and maybe they are gearing up for a busy night. As we walked in the trendy area I felt guilty for taking us off a decent course for coffee and then we heard the wonderful sounds of " swishhhhhhhhh" from an expensive commercial coffee machine. We both instantly realized the sound and I think started dancing in the open street where only street cleanerscould  witness us. I went dancing into the fancy restaurant where the gentleman behind the bar was doing something to the coffee machine, desperate for coffee I was skipping thru the air, hands in air and dancing in the doorway and the gentleman told us matter of fact that he was closed. I said, " cafe con leche" and he said, " closed".... I don't know if it was the fat lip that overtook my face or what but Sebastian was turning around and the gentleman looked at me and said, one moment"....

Sebastian clearly was calling it and I said to hold on that I felt this guy was 1. Going to hook us up or 2. Point us in the direction of MacDonalds....hoping for number one of course.

All of a sudden two coffees were before us, donut/cake kind of snack and two bottles of water. when I went to pay the man made it very clear he woukd take no money from me and even loaded us with another bottle of water to go. A true Camino Angel!!!!! He asked that I pray for him in Santiago at which I made sure he knew I would. I didn't get the name of his business which really is not like me as I would love to have sent him an email but for some odd reason I was at peace knowing my word was more important than proving any deed....

Today would be a wonderful walk, and very well marked. Super misty and birds singing their heart heart. I would experience a special connection this morning, in the thick mist where my hair was drenched I woukd see three donkeys stationed right beyond where we would turn to follow an arrow or a shell that marks our way. in my pockets I always carry bread," for the donkeys" and woukd go out of my way to get these three some....way out in left field, not visable due to the mist came a desperate, " hee haw, hee haw" of another donkey who clearly knew what was going on and came running and hollaring the whole way to me. Of course I not only saved him dome but he was given the most!

I think it was Posada de Llanera where a bar at the corner treated us so great, the name was El Cruce.

Thirteen kilometers later a dog that teminded me so much of dear friend's pup that died several years ago, Cinnamon, would bark with excitement as we passed...the owners were busy doing outside work and woukd invite us onyo their patio for a great conversation and water and lemon.

On to Aviles, we would arrive pretty pooped, woukd shower before going out and seconds from the doorway as we were about to leave for dinner woukd be a pilgrim, I thought by himself and I did what all pilgrims should do and invited him to join us for dinner....and he agreed. This pilgrim is Danial from Southern France...we woukd eat at a nice vino and tapas place but maybe because it was Good Friday we were not socializing the way pilgrims usually do, we all seemed to aplogize for the need to communicate at home with loved ones. Daniel had just arrived from Oviedo, Sabastian's girlue back at home was really wanting to chat with him on the phone and I was missing my family terribly. Sure we chatted, ate and drank....but will admit all were slightly pre-occupied. I do notice this pilgrimage vs my one eighteen months ago seems alittle more tolerant of devices on the table, with that said my family will always come first so if a communication must come thru I will make sure the connection is made.

Lights out at ten PM...I woukd lose sight of Sebastian as he had to call his girl and since he is an early riser feared we might lose eachother and not see eachother again. While that is, " the camino", I certainly hoped that would not be the case for he too was like a little brother to me.....

 

STAGE NINETEEN: (still off Norte): Pola de Siero to Oviedo

So Steve emailed me yesterday in a panic, " are you aware you are heading South?".... He can see where I am via GPS technology on the IPhone and wondered what happened. I told he caught me thst I had escaped to Rome snd the sheep I tied my phone to was off the Norte.

Oviedo us wonderful and just what I needed!!!!

We woukd stay at the auberge that I think filled up or was close and woukd park our backpacks at a local small bar slightly affiliated wuth the auberge ( they were safe). Benjamin loves a Woody Allen movie about this town and took off to see certain sites. Sebastian and I headed for the cathedral...but slowly....as a Bohemian restaurant caught our attention and we enjoyed vino and beer sitting almost in the middle of an alley with the cathedral right before us. I would fall in love with a bathroom door here ( see picture) and a family I got to talking to from Northern Africa. The grandfather was very intelligent and I enjoyed our conversation. 

Dinner was had in the town square and being the Thursday before Easter everyone was out! Processions through town brought everyone out!

Back at the auberge there was a line to the bathroom to brush teeth and get ready for bed so I made the decision to grab my stuff run to the affiliated bar buy a glass of wine (cheap) and use their restroom to brush my teeth and get ready for bed. i know it sounds crazy but two local fuys were the only patrons and they had been there all day and knew me....

This was a sad night.....sending a Camino friend home before you leave is difficult, it is part of the Camino but never an easy thing. Benjamin woukd be up at 0700 and we made him promise to wake us to say good-bye.

STAGE EIGHTEEN (off Norte route): Villaviciosa to Pola de Siero

The boys and I would head South today....I have not changed my mind about doing the Norte there is a city Oviedo that is a loved pilgrim town that is off the official Norte What happens is the Norte splits and one can stay on the coast or start heading down to Santiago early through the mountains and evidently a stunning walk. I knew I would stay on the Norte but have heard wonderful things about a town two stages south called Oviedo, many pilgrims actually take the time, spend two days to get to Oviedo and one to return to the Norte by skipping two stages on the Norte ( think upside down triangle). Benjamin only has about ten days a year to Camino so he has two years of Camino Norte under his belt and will hopefully finish next year....SO we say goodbye to our Camino friend and Sebastian and I agreed we'd send him off in style and walk him to Oviedo. This detour takes three days but is in lieu of two days on the Norte so it really only adds a stage to my trip.

The boys woukd take a path slightly faster and I think shorter while I woukd take route that went hy a monestary. It was a difficult walk but very nice. Several times I would be prompted to make the decision to split north vs south and for a nano second questioned if indeed I was making the right decision....I looked down and saw my name in the path with flowers and knew I was. Both of tgese boys are like a younger brother to me though Benjamin woukd remind me my age was close his mothers:)

We stayed at the municiple auberge in town that was very nice with a huge grass backyard and flowers. The boys bought dinner items at the grocery store so we stayed in for the night. Two Spanish gals doing a few days on trail would be at this auberge with us.

Pictured below are two local guys sitting at one of by beverage stops drinking a traditional " cider drink" that for some reason needs to be poured high up from the drinking glass.

STAGE SEVENTEEN: La Isla to Villaviciosa

So it appears I always arrive into town with some drama!!!!

Boys and I agreed we would split a hotel if a decent price in Villaviciosa as there is no pilgrim auberge.

Yesterday after my mud fiasco Benjamin seemed suprised I would attempt the written route when there were green fields ( fenced) right beside me that I could have jumped over and avoided the mud. SO when I hit mud today I thought, "think outside of the box", and boy did I.....knee deep in mud again I see an option to literally work my way down to the highway....not an easy task.

While nervously walking the highway ( real highway median in the middle) I see a bridge going over the  highway and a glance at my book shows me I need to get back up to get over that bridge.  The embankment was huge...I literally crawled up that embankment from the highway with a huge backpack trying to force me back. It had to be the most awful site to see and I had to stay close to the ground on all fours to keep my backpack from pulling me back. Then thinking the worse was behind me I coukd not get over a chain linked fence at the top to get to a spot where I could cross the bridge. I now walked backtracking on top of the highway and came to a part of damaged fence that had been fixed with barbwire that was heavily rusted. I threw my backpak over the fence just hoping I could pull this off....I then crawled between the broken, bent fence and the rusted barbwire that now fixed it. When I was done I had images of my 17 year old Sandy dog!!!! Who has had a wonderful very proper life BUT now at age 17 will at times pee outside while she is barely squatting and I say to her, " Sandy, do you not have any dignity?" At which she puts her nose in the air amd carries on....THIS is how I felt!!!!

The boys snagged us a dream of a hotel, three beds hot shower, blow drier ( LUXURY) for 15 euro each!!!! I hopped in the shower while they both rested on their beds and when I came out they were both asleep. I crawled into my bed and took my first Camino nap, it was so nice!!!!! We all got up around 1900, not sure who made the first commotion but we hunted out a decent dinner spot and watched a procession for Holy Week go by. These typically have scenes of Jesus on the cross and Mother Mary on a float being carried by several men. Huge deals I can gather !!!!

This was a perfect evening on the Camino!!!!!