Grado to Salas

I have to tell my foodie friends all about dinner last night.  My hostelario, Marta was the most charming woman and I was the only guest for the night.  My dinner was a simple one but ever so flavorful.  I had a platter of fresh salad straight from her garden, picked that day.  It was topped with a local fresh cheese seasoned with paprika, turning it orange.  It was a cross between cream cheese and regular cheese.  OMGosh!  I also had another sorta salad with lightly cooks red bell peppers (from her garden) topped with tuna.  Yum!  And my third thing was tortilla which is the famous Spanish potato-egg dish.  It is actually cooked on top of the stove and then put in the oven. And you guessed it, the eggs came from her chickens.  This tortilla was very light which is the sign of a good cook.  Marta was so concerned that I was not eating enough that I resorted to the baggie I always keep in my purse.  I kept the remaining cheese and had a tasty trail lunch today. I was so full that I passed on dessert.  Marta told me that the oldest hiker who had stayed with her was 97 years old. He told her that it was the best age to hike because  everyone already thought he was dead so no one worried about him.  He was Scottish.  I want to be him when I grow up.  

For breakfast, I had the Iberian ham and a local white cheese.  I also had a serving of a fruit I have never heard of.  Marta said it was not good to eat this fruit fresh but it made a wonderful jam.  It was like a less sweet fig jam.  It was wonderful with the white cheese.

Today was a buns of steel, thigh master hard kinda day. My hip flexors have had enough for one day. To describe it further, I started straight up hill (actually up mountain). I knew that I had 3.2 miles of climb and my watch buzzed to tell me that I had completed my 5000 steps.  Like clockwork I normally walk 3.2 to 3.3 miles for 5000 steps.  I had walked 2.2 miles.  It was so steep that my steps were shortened.  Whew.  The whole day was severe uphill or severe downhill. I actually took everything out of my backpack because I was sure someone had put a couple of bricks in it.  No, it was just the normal things.  I didn't think I could take another step when I reached the hotel at 15.2 miles. And yet when I stopped in the church, (the doors were open, yea!) I left feeling revived.

The scenery was beautiful today.  I know why hikers love this trail.  I passed several other peregrinos.  I met three from Italy and two different couples from Germany.  I also saw a forty-fifty something man hiking with his father who was seventyish.  The younger man was being most patient.  What a lovely (or crazy) thing to do together. And I passed several Spanish hikers.  I missed one turn but lucky for me, a woman practically chased me down to point me in the right direction.  I love the Spanish people.  

I hiked by the Monastery El Salvador that looked abandoned but I could hear voices from inside.  Clearly wasn't one of those silent orders.  I would like to have taken a tour but I never found a door into the Monastery.

I also saw lots of horreos which are typical of Asturias.  Once again.  I can not seem to add the photos.  I will try for later.

I am not looking forward to a good dinner.  Hope your day is as blessed.