Aviles-Salinas-Piedrasblancas-Carcedo-Soto del Barco-Muros-Cudillero       Walk Day 22

19.1 miles, 234′ elevation

It began bleakly; overcast, threatening rain and the walK continued through the similar industrial ugliness of yesterday; spewing towers from factories, warehouses and port facilities with all the shipping mechanical junk. It changed around Carcedo, and then Soto del Barco an estuary and ecological preserve around a bay and wetlands area made for great scenery.

That reminds me… the depressing industrial walk yesterday was met with Niemeyer’s architectural unique Cultural Egg and Tower. The Spanish pay for and revel in their arts and architecture! What a crazy dichotomy between old, historic Aviles, on the one hand, and on the other side of the river and the train tracks, amid the industrial yuk there is the Cultural Building and Convention Building and Tower.

After bay and playa and bay and playa,  I came to a thick forest and descended into Muros and then Pio and then a very narrow canyon with endless switchbacks that wound down to the town of Cudillero. A saxophonist greeted me, playing Bottecelli’s “Say Goodbye” with the acoustics augmenting the awesome sound as it echoed throughout the natural amphitheater. The little charming fishing village is draped along the two canyon walls down to this plaza filled with outdoor cafes and restaurants. Tiny cat like alleyways separate the colorfully painted dwellings.