I wasn’t the first person awake and out of bed this morning. There was a Spanish fellow who wanted to get an early start because he doesn’t walk very fast. He was out the door shortly after 6:00am, but then the poor fellow was back a half hour later. He had forgotten his walking stick.
The trails were excellent this morning, mostly through forests and up and down quiet village streets. I stopped in Myron de Nalon for a coffee at what has to be one of the best little cafes on this Camino. They do something with their tortilla, adding olive oil perhaps, that makes it extra yummy. And their pastries are so good, I went for seconds. The seating area for the cafe is across a street in a large town plaza, so servers have to look both ways before delivering food to patrons. I was surrounded by unfamiliar trees that connect to each other through their branches. They make me think of how I am connected to the people in my life, and how they are connected to others.
Birte caught up to me at the cafe, and then Greg and Kaitlin joined us shortly after. Kaitlin is a professional pastry chef, and she was suitably impressed, not only with the quality of the pastries we were eating, but also the low price. Birte was in a particularly good mood this morning. She absolutely detested the walk through the industrial area yesterday, but a good night’s sleep, today’s trails, and the excellent cafe have raised her spirits.
After breakfast, we all walked together to El Pito, and then after a huddled discussion, we opted to leave the Camino and explore the coastal village of Cudillero, long known for its fishing vessels, but now a tourist mecca.
Cudillero is right on the Bay of Biscay, but is built tight between two mountains, so the access road is a steep downhill along a narrow street, sometimes under overhanging balconies. From a distance, it looks like the houses built on the slopes are standing one on top of another. Those houses are not accessible by car, so residents must climb the steps, sometimes with groceries in tow, to reach their abodes.
We all ended our day in Soto de Luina, a village at the bottom of an inland valley. Today’s trails have been some of the best we have seen on this Camino. Such peaceful, quiet, and scenic walking today. Very grateful.