To Market, And Then To Lunch

After two days on the northern route, it was time to hike the Primitivo route for a few days.  I've been rising at 5:45 am to do work and blog, and find that time a good chance to relax and think about what we have been doing.

We walked as a group to the market in Oviedo.  Spanish markets are quite amazing to wander around.  There are multiple fishmongers, butchers, bakers all selling their wares.  The food is so fresh, and it is a feast for the eyes just to walk around.

(Right now, in the small town of Tineo, a church bell just rang at 6:22 am.  It only pealed once, so it was likely by accident.  This hotel building dates from the 16th century, so it's pretty new by Spanish standards (just kidding, sort of).  Anyhow, the stone walls are so thick internet does not work in a lot of the rooms, so I'm down in the darkened bar whilst writing this.  Good thing my keyboard lights up!)

Anyhow, we drove to a small town outside of Tineo.  It had rained overnight, and the fog was just starting to lift.  We have been lucky; it has rained a couple of times at night, and only once, very lightly for a few minutes, during the day.

We hiked up the hills through the town, where Aner showed us an Albardada, a stone hut where women would wash clothes in a covered outdoor spring.  I made the obligatory joke about replacing our washer/dryer with one of these, and yet, for some reason, Mrs. Iron Tourist did not laugh.

Off we went, hiking the gently rising and falling hills.  We stopped after a while at a water closet and little hut with vending machines.  They are maintained by the people of the small village -- they make some modest money off the vending machines, and the pilgrims have a little extra services.

We passed by an old mill that I don't think is still in use.  The mill wheel is inside the small building (photos of this stuff will be posted when I have faster internet, probably on Thursday). 

We came to a little village, in which a gentleman was selling his wooden shoes, made from birch trees.  They are quite popular in the region, and people wear them over slippers.  Not just in the house, but outside as well.  He was happy to chat with Aner (who then translated) even though he was not going to make a sale to us.

We caught a short ride on the bus, by-passing some particularly muddy part of the trail.  Dropped off in another village, we walked past happy cows in barns, a pretty fountain, a walled cemetery with impressive mausoleums, and then up along a ridge.  

A horse came over to the edge of the fence to see what we were doing.  Well, the horse really was looking for food.  Aner used his knife to cut up my apple, and I fed the horse.  For a guy who is essentially scared of horses, it was pretty cool.

Hiking into Tenio, we had a "light" lunch (Aner's intentional use of irony was quite good).  It was a veritable feast.