Lingering in the Rain Just Means You Arrive Later...

I really don't want to walk today. I just woke up and looked out the window of the first hotel I have stayed at that didn't have unidentified fluids smeared on the walls, and it is raining. On top of that, this next stretch of road between Gijon and Aviles is often described as some of the most boring, unappealing industrial walking of the Camino. But the road beckons, always...

I will at least take a short stroll through Gijon, as my first impressions yesterday were that this could be an interesting town...

The beach in the morning..

A closer view of St. Peters Church..

First Roman Emporer Octavio Augustus... Gijon has a strong connection to the Roman's, as the Silver Route ends here, and there are numerous Roman sites being excavated in Gijon...

Excavation museum of ancient Roman Baths...

A model of what the bath house might have looked like, including supports under the flooring...

... and what those supports looked like in real life...

Inside Iglesias San Pedro...

Above the altar...

Stunning mosaics in a room behind the altar...

I really browse around today in Gijon... Sadly, it doesnt make today's walk any shorter...

I make a market purchase. . and it is delicious!...

From the Plaza Mayor I spot the harbour... Im going to be really late getting on the road today!

The square next to the harbour..

I love taking boat photos!

More boats with the old town in the background...

When I finally get on the road near 1pm, I have 25kms to walk, and the scenery will consist of lots of industrial, like this...

... and old abandoned buildings like this...

... and more industrial like this..

These blue trees really stand out!...

Eucalyptus everywhere!...

Beautiful scenery yes, but I am way wrong about Galicia... It is still several days away... I must have been reading ahead on gronze.com..

Enjoy the cows! They become scarcer over the next few days...

Unlike the cows, there are still churches everywhere!...

This little guy was happy to come see me at the fence...

A convent or monastery I pass on my way into Aviles...

There was a nice walking path into Aviles. .

Unfortunately, the old section of town was either booked or super expensive, so I ended up taking a room at a hotel that I thought was close to beaches, but was actually in the middle of a really ugly commercial/industrial area...

The saving grace was this restaurant I found less than 1/2 km from the hotel. This was the display upon entering the restaurant!

I started with a bottle of apple cider which I think was the best of all the bottles I have had... My first course was a seafood broth- simple but delicious... I then sampled a local blue cheese with apple jelly... 🍎 ❤️...

Main course is a soupy rice with monkfish and prawns...

Wonderful, and filling...

And a nice glass of red to accompany... Here's the scam they run in Spain... You order a glass of red, and they pour a glass at the table, and then leave the bottle.. They know you're by yourself and all you have to do while waiting for dinner to arrive is drink, so of course you have two, or three, glasses... geeesh...

For dessert, a palper pudding, an Asturian specialty, like a flan but with what tastes like condensed milk... Served with vanilla ice cream with Madagascarvanilla bean. If I'd known, I would have skipped the meal and just had 10 of these...

Neptune says "Thanks for visiting!"

Distance walked today- 32 kms

TOTAL DISTANCE TRAVELLED DO FAR- 579 KMS