Villaviciosa-Mieres-Cazames-San Justo-De Las Ranas-Arroes-La Esperanza-Infanion-Gijon                                              Walk Day 20

18.6 miles, 978′ elevation

Today felt longer than it was miles- wise. Left the verdant valley floor and wove up through many tiny little hill towns, all very small. I stayed on the edge of these hills with the greater valley beneath me on the left and later on the right. Mostly orchards and I think a couple different types of apples.

 In San Justo, I met two wild gentlemen that were incredibly friendly and quite curious about me. So within 3 or 4 minutes (perhaps I exaggerate, ha), I had exhausted all my Spanish.  Josephe and Alberto, in their seventies. They were like brothers or the oldest of friends, and they argued about everything: the most important ingredient in paella! The best olive oil! Which region in Spain had the best food! My favorite, who spoke better English, Americans or Brits!

Eventually they insisted I have a drink with them…mind you, it’s like 8:30 am!? Fin– it reminded me of the time on the island of Corfu when the grandad of the house, where we were to have Easter brunch, pulled you,  me and Doc into his kitchen and he dusted off his old bottle, his prized wine possession that he had kept for the most special occasion and he wanted to grace us with the pleasure of drinking it with him. And it was rancid, putrid, God awful stuff. You and I managed to pour most of ours in his planter box as he turned around. Doc got stuck drinking the whole glass full.  When ours was gone so fast he spit something at us in Greek; “ok, you guys must love my wine, have MORE,” smiled and poured us another glass. We fought deligently not to puke all over his kitchen. Once again,  Doc got caught and actually had to drink two complete glasses.

So there I am with Josephe and Alberto. They pour me a tall glass of their prized batch of who knows what!? I think it was a cider of some kind, but it tasted a wee bit like bad listerine. All I know is I fought my gag reflexes with ALL my earthly strength and managed not to puke on either of them.