Oviedo, Asturias, Espana

Aqui estoy en Oviedo.  Here I am in Oviedo. 

It only took four flights - Sydney to Abu Dhabi, to Paris, to Barcelona, and finally to Oviedo - to arrive around 4 on Sunday afternoon, after almost 36 hours 'on the road'.  Already the arduous journey has been rewarded.

The old town of Oveido is charming. I immediately feel excited and, at the same time, relaxed to be back in this vibrant country which is now quite familiar. My fourth time in Espana in fewer years makes the transition easy. If only the same could be said for the transition from English to Spanish. 

Dominique arrived on Sunday evening around 7.30 after a short flight direct from Paris. I said 'Adios' to him in Pamplona in the first week of May this year having met along the Chemin du Puy a few weeks earlier. Though I would have predicted we would stay in touch, I would not have imagined that we would meet again so soon. Yet here we are.

I was fading fast by the time Dominique arrived. I had been determined to stay awake through the day and into the evening, according to my new time zone. We strolled around the old town in search of tapas and a vino, settled on a small outdoor restaurant, reacquainted ourselves over dinner, then back to the hotel for an early night for me. We are staying in the Hotel Fruela, a boutique hotel in the old city. The hotel is jist right, as is the location. 

Wanting to put jet lag behind me, and to be well rested to begin the Primitivo on Tuesday, I decided not to set the alarm until 9am in the hope of getting some catch up sleep. It worked. I slept from 10 until 7.45 and was full of energy today. Just as well, we covered at least 10 kms today and probably much more. And, in a belated attempt to do some training, we've taken the 6 flights of stairs each time we've been in and out of our hotel. Hope that counts for something in the days ahead. Thankfully, the walk we are planning for tomorrow is long, but not mountainous. That comes on Day 2. 

But I don't want to get too far ahead. Back to Oveido. I like this city very much. Wikipedia tells us that Oviedo is the capital of the region of Asturias in the north west of Spain, dates back to the 700s and has a population of around 220,000. And until a few weeks ago, the only other thing I could tell you about Oviedo was that it is the starting point of the Camino Primitivo - that is, until my friend Rosanne saw Oviedo, and region of Asturias generally, featured in the first episode of Rick Stein's Spain on the ABC. Fortunately, I was able to catch it on iView.  His enthusiasm - for the people, the mountainous landscape and, of course, the food and wine - added to my own. 

At around the same time another friend (was it you, Jan?) asked me, 'Oviedo, wasn't that the town featured in the Woody Allen film, 'Vicky Christina Barcelona'? (Apart from Barcelona, of course.) It was some years since I'd seen the film and I didn't recall Oviedo at all. I thought, I must try to watch it again before I leave but time got away from me. Then on the flight coming over, there it was on the movie menu. Though not the greatest film, it was a perfect way to spend a few hours of my long journey knowing that I would soon be in that very place and, most likely, back to Barcelona for a few days after the Primitivo. Es perfect. 

So I've thoroughly enjoyed the past 24 hours or so wandering in and around Oveido, as well as visiting the Cathedral to obtain our Credenciales (pilgrims passport) and then searching for a place to buy a shell to tie on our packs and eventually finding them this evening from a kind hospitalero in the albergue de peregrinos. There is only one albergue marked on the map of Oviedo - which gives an idea of how few pilgrims walk this route in comparison to others. We saw just two today - a young french couple who were on their way back in the other direction. They had thoroughly enjoyed the Primitivo. 

We were both a bit snap happy today with the camera. I leave you with just a small selection - some from me and some from Dominique - so perhaps you can see why. This is a delightful place and a perfect beginning for the next Camino.  

Before I go, big thank you to Helen for taking such great care of Zac. I was thrilled to receive your reprot that all is going well and you are already great friends. 

Hasta Luego

J x