Stage 15: Colombres - Llanes, 25 kms, Grey, drizzly, 18

¿Tiene un Cidre?

Well, it might have been a grey day, but that doesn’t mean that it was a grey day. There were interesting happenings on the trail, such as this rather large wild boar who we had a couple of close encounters with early this morning. We were peacefully walking along yet another piece of  highway on a quiet Sunday morning when just in front of us a wild boar burst from the other side of the road. It paused in the middle of the highway and looked at us. We were both a little surprised and by the time I was able to react and pull my camera, it was well on down the road running for its life! It was an amazing sighting!

We thought our encounter was over, but when we arrived at the end of the guard rail (see photo) we discovered that our friend was just a few metres to our left having a tussle with the fence that protects intruders from finding their way up on to the autostrata. He seemed in his haste and panic to have missed the animal passage that would have allowed him to safely pass under the freeway. I think all three of us were quite surprised to be so close to each other and none of us reacted for a few seconds. Then he charged off into a small stand of trees between our highway and the autostrata while I tried to get my camera out again. No luck. He was so close and it would have been great to get a good photo. However, we were happy enough that he took off the other way as they have nasty tusks and can inflict damage if so inclined. This is the fourth one I’ve seen on my walks, and the closest encounter. It’s a Sunday and the hunters were out, so no doubt he was heading as far away from them as he could!

Eventually we finally got off the pavement for the first time in three days. Yahoo! We soon met Bran whose feet have been pretty tender and we left him sitting deciding how short he could make his walk today. One of the reasons I wear a thicker soled boot now. My feet have been very happy, though the roads shorten the boot life.

The scenery was still pretty good, even with the drizzle. 

Annemarie’s knee flared again today after doing the same late yesterday. We rested it in bars several times and the pain killers the doctors gave her helped, but not until late in the stage. I almost called a taxi at one point, but she was able to reduce the pain to complete the stage. When she stops walking the pain stops too. Will see how it goes in the morning. A short stage to set up another coastal variant the following day.



Such a beautiful trail. And finally off the roads for the second half! 

One town we passed through they were playing load music and this bols game. Throw the ball high in the air and I guess knock down as many pins as possible. Air bowling? I haven’t seen this game live before, just references to it.

And have you ever seen such an interesting cow coat? I asked him to smile, but...



Then there is the Indianos historical past along this part of the Spanish coast. When many Spaniards travelled to the new world, particularly Central and South America only a small percentage acquired a significant fortune. Many of these successful few returned home and built substantial residences and donated heavily to public works in their communities. We have seen quite a number of these homes this past week, and there were several as we arrived in town today.

When we crossed the border into Asturias yesterday we also entered another culinary area where cider rules and the local traditional food is excellent. We had our fill of the latter yesterday afternoon and today, Annemarie had her fill of the former! The bottle is placed upside down in a pressure machine on your table and pumped into the glasses one by one.

Or, there are tall pressure machines which work the same way, except the stream drops about a metre into one’s glass. The pros also pour from high over their heads! Still looking for that one.

That’s about it for today. It will be another grey day tomorrow and cooler, but no doubt something interesting will pop up. 

Home tonight.