We left Gijon earlier than usual after an OK breakfast at the NH hotel. Actually, for the price, the NHs are well located and on less expensive end, but they are just hotels. We made our way west along the northern coast of Spain toward La Caruna. This city is similar to San Sebastian and Gijon, but the most northern and western city of any size in Spain. We were in luck again in making our way to the down town area. This time we used the tourist information center to locate a restaurant. The El diez-10 was supposed to be a local restaurant that represents the city. It was close to the center and required the usual search for parking. This time we were in luck and found a parking garage almost immediately! Too good to be true! And, it was super close to what we thought was the location of El diez.
Every time I come out of a parking garage or leave the car, I mark my location on my Garmin GPS. That way I can find my way back. This bugs the hell out of G as she doesn’t like all of this high tech BS. I withstand the onslaught and move toward the restaraunt. Let me note that I have not needed the handheld GPS on this trip and G continues to find her way back to the vehicle unaided. I have been secretly hoping she couldn’t but thus far she is 100%.
The meal was the best so far on the trip. It was Paella with Lobster for two. It was served in a big skillet, paellera. We had salad with bread, wine and coffee and dessert. The atmosphere and the food were tremendous. G told me afterword that the couple next to us were having a heated discussion about their relationship and went into some detail about the basis of the discussion. Sounded like relationships are relationships no matter what country or language. We were in the restaurant for about 3 hours. Apparently typically the Spanish have their big meal of the day in the afternoon and then a light dinner. Well, in this case, there was no dinner.
We headed back to the car in the parking garage with me secretly hoping G would not be able to find her way, but foiled again. She found it no problem. We packed up our stuff and headed to the check out. This is where the fun began for this day. I handed the parking attendant the ticket and a credit card. He handed the credit card back to me and said they did not accept them. Oh, by the way still no Euros as it is Sunday. G and the attendant had quite a discussion all in a language that I did not understand and I think that was a good thing. After about 10 minutes and a line of cars back to the end of the parking lot, the attendant gave us an address to mail the money to. G assured him we would put it in the mail on Monday after we find an open bank and he finally let us go. From what G said the parking attendant will have quite a few “Hale Mary’s” to say based on his language.
Our next destination is Santiago. It is the end of the Pilgrimage, end of the Camino, end of el camino de San Juan de Compostela which is a trek across the northern part of Spain essentially from the French border to Santiago. Apparently millions of pilgrims have made this trek and at noon every day they get their feet washed by the priests and the cathedral.
We arrived at the hotel (another NH) checked in and got a shower. We then headed to the church to check it out and see if any pilgrims were about. It is quite a place with people about at 10 pm. We went back to the hotel and had a coffee and such.
At the end of the camino, there was a beautiful breeze and a couple played violin down a side street and although there were voices around us everywhere, it was peaceful. G knew that she would be back again someday so she marked the places to remember to revisit. We stood in front of the church for a few minutes and hugged, a very sweet, very tender, very special moment for G. It truly felt spiritual. We made it to the end of this camino…. the beginning of another.
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