492 kilometres from home...
It's been a crazy few days and it's Monday. Optimism, there's a long weekend ahead đ I don't know if it's because Christmas is approaching or because December is usually a month of non-stop work, gifts, preparations, dinners, exams...
The less time I have, the more I feel like writing and disconnecting for a while. So today I come to talk about a special trip (like all of them), but different. The famous Camino de Santiago.
The last time I had a feeling of complete tranquillity was last summer when I decided to do a small part of the Camino de Santiago. The thing is that I had been curious about this trip for many years and at the beginning of July, having several changes in my life and trying to escape from the post-mortem depression, I talked to my friend Javi and this idea came up. A bit improvised by the way. We didn't decide to do it for any religious reason. In my case it was a bit more spiritual and motivational. To dedicate some time to myself, to think, to overcome this small challenge, to get out of the Madrid oven and to enjoy friends and nature.
Two other friends (Ana and Baque) joined the trip. So we started as 4. Why did we start? It's one of the coolest things about the Camino, you meet people of all ages with whom you share great moments and normally you end up being more people than when you start. I say normally, because there is also the possibility of leaving (almost almost).
Which route did we decide to take?
Our requirements (and I think they are the essential ones) focused on time and place. We only had 6 and a half days, counting the return trip, so we decided to do a route of about 122 kilometres, which ended up being 168 km. From what I understand, people who do the Camino usually spend from two weeks to months and in extreme cases, years. As for the location, it was summer, so we clearly wanted the coast. In the end, we decided to do the Avilés - Ribadeo route, which gave us what we wanted: coast and landscapes with beaches: Coast and landscapes with beach. (I know, we didn't get to Santiago, but: 1.The stage we did belongs to the Camino and 2.Ribadeo-Santiago is still pending.
Day 1: "The good thing about having arrived is that we have already arrived".
Madrid - Avilés - Muros de Nalón
We left Madrid at 3 o'clock in the morning on our way to Avilés. We arrived at 10 o'clock in the morning and without hardly having slept we set off. And as always, on the first day you are a novice. It was raining, it was cold and all we could see was a road to walk on. A national road on which cars were passing at 120 km/h.
Another of the hazing was the choice of the first place to sleep, although we had no alternative. It was a sort of vintage-modern hostel but with a room that left a lot to be desired in terms of appearance and smell. On the first day you get rid of the nonsense all at once. You learn to appreciate a bed, a shower and the privacy of your room.
Day 1 passed.
Day 2: Getting up early, what's that?
Muros de Nalón - Soto de Luiña
Day 3: Cadavedo Express
Soto de Luiña - Cadavedo
Day 3 passed!
Day 4: Looks like a good day for fabada
Cadavedo - Luarca
Day 5: Ana is still alive
Luarca - La Caridad
This was the day we did the most kilometres. I liked it (very beautiful landscapes and lots of animals) but others didn't have such a good time. Blisters, 5 km/h pace and impotence that Ana was releasing through her little body. She made it back to the hostel alive. This day we basically spent playing cards, talking quietly and resting.
Day 6: Arrival in Galicia but without a place to sleep
La Caridad - Ribadeo
How little was left. The last two days I had the feeling of wanting to do more. On this particular day, we had extra strength to reach our final destination, Ribadeo, as soon as possible. It was the last part. We went at a good pace but all the energy was gone from one moment to the next when we realised that we had taken the wrong road. You have to be careful because often the signs are confusing and you have to look carefully.
Day 7: Back home in the tartana
Ribadeo - Madrid
Not much to tell about this day. We got up early to take a bus to Avilés where we saw for almost 2 hours all the route we had done during the 7 days (I loved it).
I say goodbye with the phrase that the locals repeated the most and that I enjoyed listening to so much...
ÂĄBUEN CAMINO!
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