The half is over

Yesterday I passed Ribadesella and reached exactly the halfway point of the Camino del Norte. Today there's a stop in Amandi before heading over a mountain to Gijon tomorrow. I have decided to continue along the coast and therefore will not be able to visit Oviedo. Nevertheless, it is now time to take stock. Apart from general fatigue and a few small blisters, I feel quite good and fit and even reached a top speed of over 5 km/h today (mountainous terrain + 8 kg backpack). However, on the Camino I have met some strange and funny people whom I would like to write about here. I assume that I will never meet them again in my life, so I will mention them by their real names.

Negative:

1. Alberto, Spaniard, spent a year as an Erasmus student in Bari (Southern Italy), lacks tact in private conversations and interferes, throws around phrases that have nothing to do with the context.

2. Eduardo, Spaniard, 25, from Valencia, a trained lawyer, works for the city administration, is a member of the socialist party and apparently ran in the last elections. He's basically okay, but when he's drunk, he says things like, 'I'm proud of the Spanish Inquisition because it was so creative and innovative when it came to torture methods.'

Neutral:

1. Iñaki (pronounced Inyaki), Basque, is nice and quick, probably grows his own weed, as he smokes at least 10 joints a day and offers them to everyone.

2. Borja, Basque from Bilbao, quiet and nice guy, doesn't drink alcohol and cooked pasta for us last night.

3. Chiara, Italian, lives in London, was initially annoying because she was too posh, but the Camino seems to be changing her, so now you can have a conversation with her without getting annoyed.

Positive:

1. Marco, Italian, 39, from Imola, is a great guy and can keep up with me, is very helpful and has good ideas.

2. Francesco, native Venetian, works as a risk manager in Milan, studied history, is a smart guy and really funny because he constantly teases Chiara (from Puglia, Southern Italy). They have found each other for 2, 3 days now and are probably something like a couple.

3. Linda, 24, from Latvia, studied photography in Nottingham and moved back to Latvia, has an old-school camera with her and takes photos, also visits museums here and there, marches like a machine and is practically impossible to catch up with.