May 22nd, 2017
Aviles to Camping Cudillero
Km walked: 27
Km total: 516
We left Aviles late, around 10 AM, after getting the buffet from the hotel, which left a lot to be desired. The morning walk was again a slog, first out of the city and then through a network of suburbs. We had to pump some tunes in order to prevent ourselves from going insane.
The afternoon allowed us to escape the pavement, and we walked through a lush forest on a jeep trail. This lasted all but 40 minutes and we were again thrust out of the woods onto the asphalt.
We took a different road late in the day to make our way to a campground which was not on the Camino. This provided the most enjoyable and scenic walking of the day, which passed by a secluded beach with neat rocks and boulders. Why does the Norte not follow the coast more? This puzzles me, as the parts that actually do have been the most scenic and interesting. How many farms must one see before turning into a cow himself? How much cow shit must one smell to get the full Camino experience?
This trail baffles me sometimes by how utterly monotonous and unvaried it is. Yes, there are interesting things to see- sometimes amazing things. But the space in-between these highlights is too long, boring and often aggravating. Perhaps this is why the Camino is a “pilgrimage” and not a hike. It is merely the pursuit of arriving somewhere else. It is not about the journey but mostly about the destination, Santiago. Perhaps the walk does not need to be enjoyable because that’s not the point.
I hope that in time I can look back on this trip with fond memories. I really do. Spain is so spectacular that maybe I’m just wishing too much that this trail was something different. I really need to take a step back and refocus. Only then will anything potentially be clear.
