26th September, 2019
- Day 19: Amandi to Gijón
- Distance: 30km
- Weather: Sunny and hot
- Accommodation: Couchsurfing
After breakfast at the albergue, I say goodbye to Michael (he’s taking the Primitivo route) and Jörg and I continue along the Norte. There’s a chill in the air and it’s the perfect walking temperature.
Where the Camino del Norte splits; turn left for Oviedo and the Camino Primitivo, or keep straight to continue along the Camino del Norte
Blue skies and countryside
It’s a day of countryside views, farm animals and hills.
Following the arrows through the forest
Dandelion
Spanish slug (Arion vulgaris)
Cowmino
Sidra barrels
An Asturian hórreo (granary)
Montbretia, also known as Sword Lily
After 14km, I stop in Peón at Casa Pepito for a bite to eat. There’s no tortilla or any other food on the counter, but there is a baguette menu. I order a lomo and pimiento baguette with an Americano and minutes later when it arrives, I can’t believe my eyes. It’s enormous! (I put my camera in the photo below for scale!) I look up at the waiter with astonishment and he clearly understands my shock but shrugs his shoulders and walks away. ‘No problem,’ I think to myself, ‘soon enough a pilgrim will walk in and I’ll be able to share it.’ I cut a quarter off and start eating, keeping an eye on the door for the pilgrim who’ll be sharing my baguette… it’s like a ghost town.
Only when I’m almost finished eating a second quarter a pilgrim finally walks in. I’m fairly confident he’s a pilgrim, even though he’s not wearing a backpack, the giveaway signs are the sweaty back and defined calves. I go up to him at the bar, ask if he speaks English (no), then point to the half-eaten baguette with a few gestures added in. Daniele from Italy accepts my offer and laps up the second half.
An enormous baguette at Casa Pepito in Peón
Gijón Labor University (Universidad Laboral) with its 122m high tower
There’s no albergue in Gijón so I contacted someone through couchsurfing last night and they’ve accepted me 🙂 They’re at work until 4pm so I take my time walking along the esplanade. Who knew there was this incredible beach in Gijón?
Playa de San Lorenzo, Gijón
Playa de San Lorenzo, Gijón
Playa de San Lorenzo, Gijón
Just after 4pm I find my way to the couchsurfing host’s home. He’s a local Spanish man and has also walked the Camino so the conversation flows easily. We chat all afternoon and into the evening. I have my own bedroom, my clothes have been washed and I’m again feeling grateful and fortunate to be having this experience.
followingthearrows 