Oviedo

Here we are at the start of our Camino, after a five and a half hour bus trip.

The Cathedral and plaza are stunningly beautiful and thronging with people! It seems as though quite a few Spaniards are having a summer break in this lovely town set in the foothills of the mountains of Asturias. The trip here was interesting. The country for the first four hours through to Leon was relatively flat and dry plateau but the last hour and a half went through some seriously steep and rugged mountains. The weather also changed from clear sunny skies to mist and rain. We passed through numerous tunnels, the bus screaming around windy roads faster than we would have liked!! But here we are, safely ensconced in the cathedral square with a  cerveza and a serve of tortilla, watching kids riding the merry-go-round and people out for their evening stroll. All ages enjoying what has turned out to be a sunny evening.

We got our pilgrim credentials stamped in the cathedral.

We paid our respects to King Alfonso of Asturias, the first pilgrim to Santiago, and thus the reason this route is called ‘the Original way’.

And we began to pick up waymarkers for the beginning of the walk tomorrow.

Then we went in search of accommodation.

 The local albergue was full, but we found a nice little room about 50 metres from the cathedral. And an intriguing promise of cider along the way, and then just down the road pulpo y patatas - boiled octopus with paprika and potatoes - a specially of this region and one of our real favourites!!

We’re still carbo-loading for the trip!

Buen Camino, 

Neil and Sarah