Pendueles | Breaking the Silence - Day 101

I love the city of San Vincente de la Barquera's glow this morning as the sun rises over the ocean. 

Day 16 takes me from San Vincente de la Barquera to Pendueles. The stage is long at 28.5 km (18 mi) and climbs steeply near the town of Colombres. The max elevation is 120 m (400 ft), is reached three times today.

I leave the Albergue, following behind Céline and Cami. I forgot to blow my nose this morning before leaving and am having difficulty breathing. So, I decide to clear my nose by blowing a few snot rockets as I continue to climb. "Vous avez besoin d'un mouchoire?" asks Cami in perfect French as she turns around and looks at me. I start laughing! Is that the only phrase you remember from French class? She says "Yes" and immediately starts laughing.

Today I enter my third region, near Colombres, Spain. I am leaving Cantabria Region and entering the Asturias Region of Spain. I look forward to experiencing the new area as the Camino returns to the coast. Plus, this part of the Camino has significantly less pavement. Cantabria, the 2nd region I passed through, was nearly 90-95% pavement. I am tired of walking on pavement for hours on end.

It is noticeably cooler this morning as I watch the sun rise above the city. The sunrise is a beautiful bright pink color, unlike any others, I have seen thus far.

Another thing that is noticeably different this morning is the proximity of the mountains. The mountains are very close to the coast this morning. It is also noticeably colder this morning. Although I am working hard climbing, since leaving the Albergue, my hands and arms are cold. I can't wait for the sun to start warming things up.

I haven't seen many yuccas in Spain, as they are not native here. However, they are lovely when they bloom and seem to fit the landscape this morning.

Around 9 am, I pass this tiny colorful shrine near an Albergue. I stop to look at all the knick-knacks that Peregrinos have left behind. 

I keep expecting the sun to warm me up this morning, but it is slow coming today. I may have to do something different in the coming days to stay warm in the mornings. As we crest the top of the hill, I hear the howling of several canids. The howls echo back and forth off in the distance. There are only two animals I am familiar with that howl like that. I am not sure if either is common to this part of Spain. It doesn't sound quite like a Coyote or a Grey Wolf. The biologist in me immediately starts looking up what wild canids are native to Spain. Only one wild canid in this part of Spain can make that sound, the Iberian Wolf. It is slightly smaller than its closely related Grey Wolf cousin. It might explain why the tone of the howl was a higher pitch than the Grey Wolf. I immediately tell Céline and Cami, who also heard it. I never expected this, as < 3,000 individuals exist in Spain, but there is no mistaking those howls. They are not domestic dogs. Cami and Céline are excited to have heard it too. A fantastic wildlife connection this morning.

Finally, around 1020 am, the air starts to warm up, and so do I. As the sun hits our shoulders, Céline begins to sing, "Here Comes the Sun doo-doo-doo-doo." I immediately load on Spotify, and the three of us sign along as we walk in the sunshine. 

I love being this close to the mountains and the ocean. I feel grounded this morning. This region is visually stunning.

It feels great to be off the pavement. However, I notice that my left knee is a bit tender this morning. I am unsure if it is because of my unusually high mileage in the last few days, the hard beds, or because I am spending my off time in flip-flops. However, the inside of my right knee is definitely tender.  Fortunately, it doesn't affect my walking ability. At least not yet. Something I need to monitor closely.

The route divides with about 6 km (4 mi) to Pendeles. Either we walk the coastal path or the traditional way. The traditional route is more direct and follows the highway. The three of us stop, and we are all tired. We discuss options, and each makes our decision. For me, it is simple, follow the coast. This is why I chose to walk the Del Norte.

I continue to make my way toward Pendeles. I'm tired. It's 230 pm, and I've been walking since 730 am and still have about an hour to go.

Across from the Albergue is a beautiful abandoned and dilapidated building. I love these types of ruins. It's now 445 pm, and I am finally cleaned up. Ivo, Lap, and Lena are enjoying Mexican food at a restaurant downstairs. It looks awesome! Unfortunately, they stopped serving food at 430 pm. So, I head for a nearby cider bar.

Another thing that is different for this region of Spain is it is known for Cidra (i.e., Cider). It is not like Cider from the US. This is more like wine, between 6 to 6.5% alcohol and tastes a bit acidic. Further, when you pour it, it needs to aerate. I learn quickly that I need to pour it into a glass by holding my arm above my head and leaving the glass on the table. Some locals stand and pour while holding the glass below their belt. It is quite a spectacle. The taste resembles Kombucha.

For dinner, we all gather at the Mexican restaurant. Fresh Mexican food and a margarita sound fantastic! At the table next to us is a young man in his 30s, another Peregrino. We invite him to join us. Steven sits beside me, and I share the chicken quesadilla I ordered for the table. Steven is from Virginia and is a former high-school Spanish teacher. He tells me he's never going back to the States. He says he wants something different. It doesn't take long before Steven has his face buried in his phone and ignores the conversation around him. When the food arrives, he inhales it! "I'm so hungry," Steven says. I laugh. I am pretty sure he didn't even taste the food. He can't recall anybody's name at the table. Finally, we all discuss ordering another round of drinks. But this time, Piña Coladas. "That sounds great," says Steven. He speaks excellent Spanish, so when the waiter arrives, he orders. Did you order another round for the table? "Nah, I just ordered one for myself," he says. I shake my head and flag down the waiter.

I find it hard to connect with Steven. He says he wants to live differently. However, he hasn't managed to change anything that will allow him to live differently. We shared our food, our friendship, and our conversations with him. We invited him to be part of a different world. But, unfortunately, he is not in a place where he can appreciate what we offered him. 

Cami had a similar reaction when I visited with her later about Steven. "He was nice but not a person I want to spend more than an evening with," she says. "He was difficult to connect with," she continues. I frequently think of other people as mirrors. I believe they reflect traits I like and dislike about myself. It depends on the person. When this happens, I take a moment to reflect on why this is. Nowadays, I am much more forgiving to myself and others.

Nevertheless, Steven mirrors traits I have worked hard to change and have since let go of. I was once self-absorbed and lost in my electronics. I think this is common for many people, especially Americans. I hope Steven finds his way along the Camino. I remind myself it isn't where you live but how you live.