Day 25: Oviedo - San Juan de Villapañada

The soft stirrings of my roommates woke up my brain a little bit after 6, I let my eyes stay closed and stretched and twisted in bed before opening them and getting up. I was ready, packed and out before 7. Walking with the stars while the city still slept was peaceful and I soon spotted two French pilgrims and my Canadian friend from the albergue. We shared coffee before heading on our ways out of town. I lost the markers and went in a little circle, but for the most part the way was well-marked. It is beautiful! 

I can definitely tell I am in a new part of Spain. The soft green hills rolled along as I followed country roads out of the city. The path became more rural, rising and falling, passing through tiny villages and lots of farmland. It is a different landscape, but there are still familiar "faces."

I feel like I have walked into a picture storybook. I would not take a second look if the Seven Dwarves marched by or if I bumped into Alice. 

I visited a few lovely small chapels. 

An overdue snack, rest stop, bathroom stop and water refill finally happened in Peñaflor. I ordered a salad and refilled my water (I picked out the egg.).

The two Russian pilgrims that I kept crossing paths with ordered cider, a traditional drink from this region. It was served to them in a very interesting contraption which sucked the liquid out of the bottle and funneled it into the glass. So cool! They shared a sip with me. The spirit of sharing is one of the beautiful things about the Camino. 

The day was hot as I moved on, crosssing another bridge and making my way towards Grado, which is the end of the first stage according to some guides. I had heard great things about the albergue in the next village, so I pushed on. 

I bought some snacks in Grado and rested in a park. And moved on! Uphill! I was probably about halfway there (a couple of k to go) when a truck pulled up next to me, the driver greeted me in Spanish and said that he was Domingo - we had spoken the day before! He told me to get in! I hesitated, he insisted, "it's hot; it's still a little ways," I conceded, calling him my angel. :) They say that the Camino gives you what you need; I guess I needed a lift. 

Check out the spot:

And the view! Oviedo is way in the background. 

And my new friends: 

Domingo, our super host, takes a selfie with us. 

I should explain the name, Camino Primitivo, you may be thinking your Spanglish understands this word, but it actually means original. It's the way Alfonso II went to visit the apóstol and it's the first path from which we have pilgrimage information. 

It's been a lovely, restful evening here. Everyone cooked and shared food, B from Oregon did her stand up routine (and I interpreted into Spanish!) and we learned more about tomorrow's path from Domingo.  It's not as chilly as the Francés has been (at least this evening) and it's definitely a less crowded path. Tomorrow another big day awaits, but I have a reservation at the next spot (along with my other friends in the picture), so I don't have to worry or rush for a bed. It's early, but so far, I'm loving the Primitivo experience. 

Kilometers walked: 26.97 (Fitbit), 32.78 (Buen Camino app). There should be a little discrepancy, but not that much! 

Day 24: León - Oviedo (Bus!)

Like Russian nesting dolls, there are caminos within the Camino. Each etapa, stage, that you walk in one day is a camino and there are times when the path splits and you have a choice of routes. I started the Camino Francés in St. Jean because this is the most well-traveled camino and I wanted to cover the ground that I didn't have time for last year (and I did repeat the Pamplona - Navarrete section), but going forward on the Francés now would mean about two weeks of repetían. Repetition that would not be ugly or bad, just a path already walked. 

This fact directed me to the Camino Primitivo, which begins in Oviedo and also ends in Santiago. I will be covering about the same amount of kilometers and stages, but I will see a lot of Asturias and I'll pilgrim my way on new paths. Here's a park path in Oviedo:

Today is essentially a rest day for me... I did spot a shell in Oviedo, but I had a two hour bus ride and then time to explore another drop-dead gorgeous Spanish city, including another cathedral tour. 

I stocked up on a few mini-size toiletry items and met H from Canada for a salad before tucking myself in for a good night's sleep at the albergue. It's an old school!

A special note: Thanks for following me! I appreciate folks letting me know they are there... I know I have readers in Europe, the US and Asia! This blog started 3 years ago when I moved to Myanmar as a way to share with family and friends back home, but it's growing up! The creative experiment of writing everyday on the Camino has been good for my brain so far, I plan to keep it going. ¡Gracias!

Kilometers walked: 15.33 (Fitbit). Normal travel walking (to and from bus stations) and wandering around Oviedo.