Tapia de Casariego (Spain) | What Animal Would You Be ? - Day 113

Standard issue paper sheets. The fitted sheet is on the left, the flat sheet is in the center, and the pillow case is on the right. The rubberized blue matter cover remains in the morning when I remove the sheets and toss them in the thrash. These standard issue sheets make it simple for Albergues and avoid issues with bed bugs that result from not washing sheets.

Day 28 takes me from Navia to Tapia de Casariego and back to the coast one last time. The stage is 25 km (15.5 mi) and descends gradually after a steep ascent near Navia. The maximum height is 120 m (390 ft). I decide to follow the coastal variant for these next two days instead of the interior route.

The morning light pierces the darkness over the ocean as I cross the bridge leaving Navia. I slept ok last night, despite the constant snoring. I had a new experience, though. Someone was talking in their sleep, which was amusing. Good sleep is become a bit more challenging as I progress deeper into the Camino. I find I am more tired. I am a side sleeper and find the beds too firm, so as I toss and turn during the night, I can't help but eventually hear someone snoring. My earplugs help some, but they sometimes fall out when I move during the night.

One last look at Navia as I climb towards the southwest. The arched bridge in the south of town along the Interstate is the first of its kind I have seen in Spain.

The sunrise to the east of me is blocked by the clouds this morning. However, this morning, the western sky is full of pink and orange colors. A beautiful way to start my morning. My heels feel great. I have noticed that when they get sore, my calves are tight, and I need to stretch them. The ligaments in my left knee are doing much better. I still choose to wear the compression sleeves on both knees. I find it helps keep my legs and knees warm during these cool mornings.

As I look to the west behind me, I notice the rays of sunlight piercing through the clouds. I continue moving down the trail along the cornfields till I find this great spot to take a picture overlooking the cornfield. A quick glance at the app on my phone. Dang, it! I laugh. I am off trail for the third time this morning. I am busy following what I see, not the Camino this morning. I completely miss my turn. A downside of being in the moment, I guess. I wouldn't have as great of a view as the picture I took, so I don't mind the minor detour.

Around 930 am, after a short climb, I pass my first Camino de Santiago cross. The Camino cross has gone through several evolutions throught the years. It was once a simple red cross and now has flares on the ends and CS across the front. This cross is quite prominent in this part of Spain.

I reflect this morning on an essay I wrote once as part of an entrance exam question for Whitney High School (WHS). WHS is located in Cerritos, California (a Los Angeles suburb) and is a magnet school. Magnet schools are public schools that draw students from the surrounding public schools due to their specialized curricula. Attendance is voluntary and competitive. So, as part of my entrance exam, I was asked to write an essay and answer the question, "If you were an animal, what would be and why?"

I wrote about the Coyote because the Coyote can thrive in solitude, with non-family members, as well as in a family unit. As a gregarious animal, communication is essential for the Coyote, and it is a generalist. It is good at many things but does not specialize in any one thing. The Coyote has few natural enemies and is highly intelligent and adaptable. In North American folklore, the Coyote is known as a Trickster. The Trickster figure is known for rebelling against social conventions through the use of deception and humor. 

The Frog Peregrino (below right) wishing everyone a Buen Camino makes me laugh this morning. 

As I reflect on my essay from some 30 years ago, I realize that this still holds true today for me. Unfortunately, I relied on some traits of the Coyote too often, turning them into a weakness. I remember the addage that an overdone strength becomes a weakness. Primarily my adaptability. This is a trait that is easy for me to overdue.

Consequently, I can appear to be wishy-washy or without conviction at times. Another downside is that I can easily ignore my heart in situations where I am highly flexible. A lesson that caused me a lot of grief in the past.

But what stands out to me today is that one trait in particular that once resonated with me, appears to have left me. I seem to have lost The Trickster part of my personality. It is not as prominent as it once was. I definitely have taken things a bit too seriously in recent years. As I walk on, there's a feeling that bubbles up. It's definitely time to find that playfulness side of my personality once again.

My challenge is finding a way to do that. It can be hard to take that first step when I am out of practice or injured. But, this summer has shown me that I can usually unlock the mystery if I work at things and am patient. So, let's get silly!

A few kilometers from Tapia, I decide to take a detour to see the coastline. I only have a couple of days left to take advantage of the coast, so I better do so. I wonder how I will feel when we push inland towards Santiago in a couple of days in the Galicia Region. It won't be easy for me to return to the ocean, feel the cool wind, and smell the salty marine air. The view is stunning today.

Rather than walk back down the same road, I take the fork that leads me closer to Tapia. Along the way, an artist has created various whimsical sculptures, including this lovely butterfly painted with wings attached to the Eucalyptus tree.

As I near the port town of Tapia de Casariego, I notice the architecture of this part of Spain is noticeably different. Gone are the red-tiled roofs. Instead, they are replaced with flat grey roofs, and the buildings look like modern "boxes" instead of the unique stone houses I've seen throughout the Asturias Region. They remind me of colonial or english houses from this distance.  

After checking in at my hotel, I head down to the port for a late lunch. Lunch is great, except for dessert. I ordered the cheesecake. I am still looking for that is as tasty as I had in the Basque Region. Unfortunately, this one tastes like they rubbed the side of the cow with it before bringing it to me. Wow! I laugh. There is no way I can eat this, even though it looks great and the texture is on point. The raw cow milk taste is more than I can handle. 

As the evening draws to a close, I head to the Farmacia to get some athlete's foot creme. I noticed that the webbing of my little toes was cracking. Perhaps the constant wet feet over the last few days, or maybe I picked it up from a shower as I also was not wearing my flip-flops in the shower the past few days. Nevertheless, it is an easy fix. 

Once I find what I need, I head to the ocean to watch the sunset. I love how the sunsets seem to last forever when I am near the sea. 

I spend the next while watching the sky evolve.

Until it looks like the horizon is on fire.

On my way back, I stop by the port of Tapia where I had lunch earlier today. Lunch was around 4 pm, so I am not hungry now. However, the tables are packed for dinner tonight. I love the reflections of light in the harbor.