11. Stage Camino del Norte from Serdio to Pendueles

Today I woke up to the sound of bells. Behind the accommodation, there were sheep in a pasture. I felt like Heidi. Haha. Since I was woken up so nicely, I took a shower right away and went for breakfast. The breakfast was by far the worst ever. There was a cup of coffee, a glass of orange juice, and a slice of toast with jam. I wanted to order another slice of toast, but there was no one in sight. Grrrrr, this is unbelievable. Pilgrims should start their day well-fed :-)!

A short time later, I set off. It was still pleasantly cool outside, and I went downhill the entire time in beautiful sunshine, for about four kilometers. It was very pleasant, especially since there were huge eucalyptus trees on both sides that smelled wonderful.

After that, I crossed an old bridge and faced the first small ascent. It wasn't bad at all, as the sun was not too strong yet, and I was still relatively fit :-). Once at the top, there was a sandy path lined with trees, allowing me to walk mostly in the shade.

Next, I continued to Bustio. Here, there were plenty of bistros and cafés on both sides of the road for a second breakfast. In a lovely café, I first ordered a coffee, orange juice, and a pastry. The food was all really delicious, and I could say, 'yip, I am finally full'. 

In Bustio, there is also a really beautiful old bridge. I walked over it and, as usual, took a few photos. After that, there was a really nasty ascent with a steep incline. No matter, I just closed my eyes and pushed through. I kept turning around, as the view was truly amazing. You looked down at the river, the bridge, and the small town. It just looked fantastic; I had just walked along down there, and now I am here at the top looking back. It's pretty impressive to see the whole way.

Next came the town of Colombres. I went into the tourist center and got a stamp for my pilgrim passport. After that, I looked at two streets and then left the town, continuing on the Camino.

Just before leaving the town, I spotted Micka. We walked on together and wanted to have something to eat at the next restaurant. I asked in English if there were spaghetti. The waitress laughed and pointed to the display of filled baguettes. I didn't feel like baguettes, so we just ordered a cool drink.

After the short break, the path was really pleasant, and the inclines that still came were not bad at all. The sun briefly hid but quickly returned.

We then had the choice to either go through the towns or along the coast, and we decided to definitely take the coastal path. For that, we had to cross railway tracks and climb over a fence. It felt somewhat illegal, but it probably wasn't. 

Once again, it was indescribable; we both became quiet and simply enjoyed the landscape. We kept sitting down for a short while to take in the natural spectacle. We were told that what was happening there is a natural phenomenon. The water shoots up many meters during high tide and strong waves. It was truly unique, especially the sounds. Sometimes it sounded like thunder. I would have loved not to get up anymore, as I found the waves crashing against the rocks so fascinating.

Micka had to go one town further than I did today. We said goodbye, and I went out for something delicious to eat. Near my Posada, there is a Mexican restaurant that had really good reviews. I had been there before and can only confirm the positive reviews. I found it not only tasty but also extremely spicy. ;-)

After checking in, I walked again to the steep coast and watched the natural spectacle for a while longer. Eventually, I set off and watched two calves drinking from their mother. One had a lot of milk foam on its snout. Super cute!

I am now sitting in my accommodation planning my stage for tomorrow.

This morning I wondered why I wasn't getting tired of walking. I've never felt like this before; on the contrary, I look forward to a new stage every morning and am always excited about what I will experience :-).

Oh, today's stage was 20.1 KM long!

Best regards

Anke - Flip