Camino del Norte - Day 20 - Villaviciosa to Gijon - 31 km walked nil!

As per yesterday's message we decided to bus it to Gijon (this is quite a pronunciation, best phoneticisation is "hee-haw", yes like the donkey! It is well accepted that English speakers have little chance of getting it right.

Yesterday was the end of our camino. The total Camino del Norte distance from San Sebastián to Gijon is some 450 kms. We actually walked for 14 days and covered just over 250 kms by foot.

However, food lovers stay put, it is far from the end of the gastronomic trail!

But first, a leisurely start to the day with breakfast at a panaderia, then on to the bus, with about 6 other pelegrinos, for the 45 min run to Gijon. All uneventful, except for the bus driver who was pulled over by the police and fined for something beyond our understanding.

Gijon is the principal city of the Asturias region, with a lovely old town, and 10 beaches..

...we are staying just behind the Marina...

...in Hotel Marques de San Estaban..top floor LH window..

M&M are walking this leg so we did lunch at the #2 rated restaurant in Gijon, Dosmasuno Gastro.

All our selections were chosen for us by our waiter, the whole menu was fantastic, too hard for us to choose.

First, the house version of patatas bravas, or potatoes in a spicey tomato sauce, in this case the tomato sauce is inside the hollowed out baby potatoes with a mayonnaise like topping.

Next course, arguably the best dish we have had in all our time in Spain, and last years pintxo of the year winner in Gijon, caramelised onion stuffed with baby octopus with a squid ink and puréed ginger sauce

Next course, simple translation, duck paella with beans and strawberries

Plus a desert of biscocho (vanilla biscuit ) with caramelised apples and a  honey walnut sauce and honey ice cream

All this and a bottle of rose made for a nice siesta. We went out  to the beach at 6 pm, still 28 degrees and packed with people.

We then had a short stroll around the old town, but the shops were closed so just window shopping for tomorrow.

We convinced Meg and Mark to stay up for the 9 pm opening of our lunchtime restaurant.

We had some of our lunch dishes again but also...this pate fois gras with puréed and jellied apple...a freebie from the restaurant..

...then eggplant topped with goats cheese and some sort of caramelised top...

...then cannelloni stuffed with slow cooked lamb accompanied by king prawns...

...and a death by chocolate dessert.

We all left well satisfied.