It was a splendid morning when I left San Esteban, already warm at 6:45 am, although clouds hung low over the mountains to the south. The Way followed interesting terrain, up rocky and muddy slopes, often with a view of the ocean, dipping down through forest paths and inevitably through sleepy little villages.
It may have been Saturday, but it seemed to be a working day for village residents. In groups, they were cleaning up the long grass on the edges of pathways and roads. I was delighted to see the community working together on its own behalf.
I lost the trail a couple of times today. One set of way markers took me off the main road to a dead end, where I started down a gravel path which didn’t seem to be going in the right direction. So, I backtracked and cut through some bushes back to the main road, where, lo and behold, there was another yellow flèche. Crazy. At one point, I was so far off the trail that I needed my map app to point me in the right direction.
Birte nearly caught up with me before I took yet another wrong turn. But in the end, we both ended up meeting in Colunga for a coffee and pastry, which was the plan. After that, I followed Birte, who isn’t nearly as directionally challenged. She carries her German guidebook almost constantly, so we rarely miss a turn on the Way.
We stopped at a small albergue outside Villaviciosa, which was not advertised in either of our guidebooks. I hesitated to come here because the trail turned downhill at a point where we had to climb a long steep hill to get to the albergue. I looked at Birte and said, “What do you think?” She smiled and said, “Come on, let’s climb the hill.”
I’m glad we did. Our hostess, Monte, is simply adorable and loves pilgrims. She once worked in the tourist industry and now lets the travelers come to her. For the first time on this Camino, I have a double bed separate from the bunk beds. It’s paradise. And there is a dog here with an unpronounceable name who seems to find me good company. Chickens wander freely about the yard and a couple have been curious enough to come and check me out. When Monte played her guitar in the yard, the chickens gathered around because, I assume, they also love her music. One chicken nestled in close to me and let me stroke her back. It sure is a good life.
