Walking Day 4 - Aviles to Muros de Nalon - 14 miles

 The day started in the dark bunk room of the Albergue with the almost forgotten sound of zippers opening and closing. This is the official alarm clock telling all it is time to make ready to depart. So we dressed in the dark, headlamps on red, brushed our teeth, zipped our backpacks and headed out the door at just after 8 am, still not completely light. City workers were washing the streets after Saturday’s night’s revelry.  

Again we thought of coffee but opted to wait until we had walked an hour. Big mistake as coffee came 4 km from end of the days walk. 

The ups and downs were steep which made the going slow. The good news was we were no longer in an industrial area, but it was still drudgery.

We have now met a few pilgrims and have began to share experiences with them. They are all younger and much faster, so meet ups are short, but it is nice to share the Camino experience.  We spotted a 12 century battlement which I am sure was a Fortelaza.  

We are now at Albergue Casa Carmina and have enjoyed the best pilgrim meal so far.  Tomorrow is steeper than today. 

Walking Day 3

9-28-2019.   This was the longest day so far.  We started off at 7:45 to early for coffee at our hotel.

A long but interesting walk out of the city and did find a place for coffee.  Our route led us miles around a steel mill at the far end of Gijon then up over a Mt. and though a small forest of eucalyptus trees and down a series of small country roads and what looked like small privately owned farms.

We only came across one Cantina today about 1:30.  It was certainly a welcoming sight.  

Then it was back to the highway...miles of hot blacktop though a very industrial area though small towns leading into Aviles. A steel rolling plant and aluminum plant and several others that Al just wasn’t sure of.  They all looked pretty clean but you could still smell the fumes. 






The last two hours seemed to drag on forever...so we our happy to be settled in at the only Albergue in Aviles.  It’s clean, friendly and has a washer and drier. There are two big rooms of bunk beds, one room on each level.  I think there are 25 bunk beds on each floor.  There are two showers for women and 2 for men on this floor but only one toilet for each.  The place is not full so it’s fine.  It is pretty amazing...some of the bunks are pushed together more like a double bed for couples.
Inside the red wall is the courtyard.



The view from my bunk.

9:30 and we are ready for bed.

Lights out at 10:00.

Rest Day in Gijon

9-27-2019.  A cloudy cool day good for sleeping in.   Coffee at the hotel and a little walk around town.  Went to the southern Market.  

School kids each class a different color.

City streets.

Then we ran into a student protest to save the planet.  There is no plan B Or planet B and signs that said Capitalism kills the planet.

    Also on the peninsula is the most prominent Yacht Club with fresh water pool and dining facilities...to bad Al forgot his card.

It’s flag tower is on the right up the hill.

Walking Day 2 stats

Walking Day 2

9-26-2019.   Peon to Gijon starting around 8:30 from the van drop off point. Where we stayed last night is a multi-generational family run albergue.


The twins are grown up and expanding both the albergue and the family while still running the farm.  
Asturias is Apple country and everyone has some apple trees in their back yards.  These are small apples not for eating....but for making “sidra” in large barrels.
The walk was beautiful although it did start out with a rather steep ascent.   Always enough picture opportunities to allow me to catch my breath.






Our first sight of the Atlantic .





Approaching the outskirts of Gijon we spotted this huge building and latter found out that it is the largest building in Spain built 1950 by the Franco regime then abandoned and now used as a cultural center by the Universitry of Oviedo.

        We took the alternative route though parks straight to the beach to avoid blocks of city streets.

It took us a while to find a hotel with Wifi but not long to drop our packs and try the nearest Sideria.

Our hotel.

Our hotel is at the end of Lorenzo Beach near the beginning of the Peninsula.  After showers and a brief rest we explored the Pargue del Cerro to see and experience the concrete sculpture Elogio Del Horizonte.  It’s acoustics of waves crashing underneath  is really worth the walk.

A few other sites around the town.