After a days rest I am happy to be able to walk again. I started at six, the normal time, after a reasonable sleep. I cannot understand why people are sleeping with the tv on all night. With the thin walls it was quite a nuisance. Nevermind I slept well enough. I walked out of Villaviciosa in the dark for a big part through a garden which was nice. My foot felt much better and that was a great relieve. Slowly I climbed through the dawn and later through the sunrise. At about nine I reached the highest pass. Probably the last view of the Picos de Europa was the reward. They were still covered with a haze of morning fog, but visible I do not know whether it will be visible at the pictures. Then descending, my favorite, I am not very good with climbing. In Barcena there is a bar restaurant sadly enough it was closed. I took a rest and the climbed again to the next pass less high. At the summit there is a bar and that one was open. Coffee and something to eat. They sell also bread so the basic needs for today are fulfilled. Already for a number of days I am seeing a kind of sheds on a special foundation. It took sometime to figure out what the purpose could be. Now I am convinced that they are meant for storing the apples and pears. The construction prevents rodents to reach the storage, quite smart. Most of them are in a miserable state now, I think the fruits are now processed in cooperative factories. At half past one reached the boundaries of Gijon, time to eat again. I haven’t eaten so much in the last years of my life, walking takes a lot of energy. I walked further after the lunch into Gijon. It’s not a very nice place. A combination of an industrial centre and a seaside city. There is a festival going on here so it took some time to find a place to sleep, but luckily I succeeded. I walked 32 km today, that is enough. Tomorrow to Aviles, the. Last big city till Santiago. According to the book only 11 legs to go 365 km. The end is near.
Till tomorrow.
Tranen, het wordt steeds moeilijker, maar ik blijf er voor gaan. Niet struikelen in het zicht van de finish. Ik wil jullie terug in mijn leven
Ja Niko…. de laatste loodjes schijnen het zwaarst te wegen… ik denk dat nu de streep in zicht is, alles bijzonder intens gaat worden. Je hebt zo lang al de focus, het doorzettingsvermogen, de wilskracht, maar ook de ontbering, de emoties. Alles bouwt zich op.
Ik wens je toe dat door deze focus zó gericht bent op het moment, dat je super kan genieten van deze laatste 365 kilometer. Dat je ook je spirituele doel bereikt. Dat je dit als een wonder mag ervaren, als een onvergetelijke beloning.
Dat de aankomst straks je moge verheffen…
Dat je verrast wordt door dat wat je gegeven wordt!
je vriend.