13 August - Day 19 - Tapia to Ribadeo- 12km

Good night sleep in our private room. However we still had a snorer in the room next door. We didn't notice it until we woke, but "wow" it really rumbled though the walls. 

Desayuno (breakfast) is included and Kim has high hopes. We are the first ones there. Cafe con leche, fresh orange juice, toast with olive oil and tomato purée.  Accompanied with packet croissant and cake. It just passes, but not really a good base for walking. If all goes to plan it shouldn't matter too much. It should be a short walk today.

Overcast. Perfect walking weather. 12km or about 3 hours walk to Ribadeo. We don’t have accomodation for tonight but are hoping there are beds in one of the two albergues. If not plan b. Not sure what that is yet!

Walk out of town and meet a Spanish girl Ava who is walking to Vilela about 7km past our destination. It was booked out when we looked it up last night. She asks where we are staying and we say anywhere we can find a bed. Oh wow she says, her and her boyfriend have pre booked their accomodation all the way to Santiago. We tell her it’s part of the adventure and freedom and she tells us she is envious but it would make her anxious. 

Ava wishes us a buen (good) Camino and walks on as she is faster than us. Again we hope for trail but are gifted with road through more corn fields. 

Many of the houses in this provence of Asturias have traditional corn cribs. It is built on stone pillars several meters off the ground, away from vermin to stores and dry the corn. We have seen hundreds of them of various sizes. They are a real symbol of the area. Some even have minature replicas in their gardens or as a letterbox, cute! 

Today is our last day on the coast before we head inland. It’s also our last day in Asturias. When cross the bridge to Ribadeo we arrive into Galicia our forth and final region of the trip. 

7km down and we reach Playa Penarronda. There is a cafe on the headland overlooking the beach. Of course we stop for a coffee and accompany it with an uninspiring crumbed veal bocadilla. As we enjoy our coffee and watch the waves Alisair and his parents (met in Soto) walk past. Always so nice to bump into other pilgrims we have met.

The rest of the way is walking on road through corn fields to the Ribadeo bridge. 

We get our last views of the coast from the bridge and then can see our intended alberge on the Ribadeao side of the river bank. We arrive at the municipal albergue at 12:15pm. These are ones you can't book and operate on a first come first served bases. It opens at 1pm, has 12 beds and there already 7 waiting when we arrive.  Win! We have a bed for night.

Beds in the dorm cost the princely sum of €8pp. We make our beds with the single use fitted sheet and pillow case over there new rubber covers (to prevent bed bugs) and head out to find lunch. 

We follow the river toward town and find a seafood restaurant for lunch. 

We order our first Galician soup, which turns out the be a vegetable soup. Good news as we have been lacking in vegetables. Of course we couldn't go past the octopus Galician style (Pulpo). Still hungry we have a racióne of grilled squid and a mixed salad. I have beer and Kim tries to order an Albariño. The bartender says "Similar?" So Kim gets a local  Ribadeo white vino... not as good as an Albariño, but passable. 

Move on to a cafe with water views and free wifi to blog and look for try and book accomodation for tomorrow night. 

We manage to get a private room 29km away. We will need to psych ourselves up for it  we have not walked that distance for a week or so and each time has left us a bit broken. Walk around the town and head back to rest as tomorrow is a big day. 

Shower. Read. Bed. No cups so no tea before bed tonight.

Today's short flat easy walk on Garmin