Start: Muros de Nalón
End: Soto de Luiña
Distance: 11.3 miles (18.16 kilometers) and 1,490 feet (454.15 meters) of ascent.
Quote: “But the beauty is in the walking -- we are betrayed by destinations.” ~ Gwyn Thomas
Musings: We woke to sparkling sunshine today but wonderfully cool temperatures reaching only into the lower or mid-60s (approximately 15-16 C). It was about as ideal as walking weather gets. And we had less than 12 miles to our destination in Soto de Luiña. It almost felt like we had half-a-day off! Once again, we walked primarily on earthen, wooded trails. We saw beautiful countryside and diverted a short distance from the Camino to have lunch at a nearby beach.
But the best part of the day was meeting and getting to know Helen and Tony from upstate NY near Woodstock. We first met them at our little hotel last night. Our hotel was filled with pilgrims and at happy hour in the hotel’s restaurant Carol and I chatted with several and briefly met Helen and Tony. The next morning when I came down for breakfast, there was no obvious place for Carol and me to sit in the dinning room. All of the tables were in use. But Helen immediately flagged me down and asked if we’d like to join their table. Well, that was the start of a wonderful morning. We shared a meal and then walked the Camino together. Helen and Tony used to live in the Big Apple and are very fond of the place. They are excited for my son, Ben, who will move there in June. They think he will love it. We had so much fun getting to know one another that by the end of the morning I had designated the two of them to be Ben’s bonus parents in NY. I’m sure that we will all meet up again in NY when my husband, Dave, and I visit Ben this fall after he moves there.
It is this unique aspect of the Camino—the ability to meet and get to know such wonderful, open-hearted people from all over the world—that is one of the most joyful parts for me. I’ve met folks when traveling conventionally before, but it seems like there’s rarely the opportunity to really get to know someone even when you’re sure you’d hit it off. Here, on the Camino, traveling by foot, time is one commodity that is suddenly in abundance again. Before walking the Camino, I can’t remember when I felt like I had excess time. Can you? Even in retirement, when I’m home, things seem—well—busy. But here things slow down. People have time to talk. And even more importantly, they have time for pauses in conversation and reflection about what has just been said. Responses come more slowly and as a result perhaps more thoughtfully. There’s time to pick up threads of conversation that happened 2 miles ago that you’d like to explore a bit more. And time to walk together in companionable silence too. It’s one of the greatest gifts the Camino has to offer. And I’m so thankful to have the opportunity to experience it.
Until tomorrow, here are the photos for today:
Portica del Palacio de Valdecarzana
Best preserved Hórreo we’ve seen. Situated in a public park.
Insignia carved on the Hórreo. Wish I knew what it meant. 🤷♀️
Giant eucalyptus trees along walkway
Offerings to pilgrims along the Way. And a booklet to “[s]hate with our planet a reason to smile.” And I did.
Carol and Helen walking through a eucalyptus grove.
Tami, Carol, Tony, and Helen above a glorious Asturian beach. Photo credit goes to kindly pilgrim walking by.
Same beach sans people
Lunch by the beach
A few photos from Carol below:
Keeping it real! This is what our room looks like each evening after showers and clothes washing is done. Laundry hanging everywhere! Note the two sports bras hanging from light fixtures in the upper right hand corner.
This one is for Mom!
Beautiful. Thank you today and every day for sharing your thoughts, Tami!
Tami, the insignia on the horreo is the coat of arms for Nalon. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Escudomurosnalon.gif. The lion symbol is for Leon region of Asturias. I want to know the origin of the topless women with scallop shells! Haven’t found that yet...