Where there’s a will

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post we are having a rest today before we embark on the Primitivo, but I thought I’d share with you a photo of Linda enjoying ordering her evening tapas. We followed the rhythm of Oviedo and headed out for our evening meal well after 9pm. The paseo de las tardes was well underway and we had a ringside seat at the head of Calle Gascona, a street dedicated to tapas, cider pouring and paseo!

After a long sleep and a very relaxed breakfast – the first for more than a fortnight- we headed out to see Ignacio, the young man in Bicicletas Salvador, who had undertaken to check out our bikes, and service them as necessary, before we tackle the next stage. The bikes were ready and waiting and he pronounced them to be in great shape for the demands of the Primitivo. We wish the same could be said for their riders! We were enormously grateful to him for fitting us in at such short notice. Another example of the kindness we have experienced along the Way.

We then commenced our own paseo and followed the folk music to a small square. A large group of Asturian dancers and musicians had gathered to perform simply for the benefit of Saturday’s passers by. Both music and dancing were outstanding and we wished that Ellie, our granddaughter, had been with us because she adores twirly skirts!

And then, as we were passing a coffee shop, we saw another character that reminded us of Ellie. He was too big to take on our bikes!

Oviedo’s Cathedral of San Salvador dominates the city skyline and appears to be situated at the highest point in the city. It is a beautiful building showing the many accretions of the centuries with numerous side chapels, a cloister, an ambulatory and the Camara Sancta which is the oldest part of the building dating back to the 10th century.

We tried to visit before a late lunch but we arrived too late and it was closed until 4pm, but our dancers had discovered a new plaza, and were still twirling with great enthusiasm!

We returned, and I have enclosed a few images from the wonderful interior. No Camino blog from us would be complete without a cherub and we found a cracker tucked away in a corner. Butter wouldn’t melt!

We’ve also added some samples of the wonderful stone carvings for our friends Howard and Jenny. We particularly liked the foot on head moment.

We also liked the very contemporary image in the Chapel of Our Lady of Bethlehem which conveyed a quiet dignity. These chapels are still places of living faith.

Before I close this electronic postcard we must thank our friend Brian, and Judith, from the Loughborough Pilgrims, who kindly took on the challenge of translating the poem/prayer from yesterday’s chapel in Casquita. It is wonderful to be able to understand the message and to share in the sentiment behind the words. We are hugely grateful to you both. For those of you who wish to read them our friends have added the translations as comments on yesterday’s post.

Finally, we hope that San Salvador, the dedicatee of Oviedo Cathedral, will send us safely on our Way tomorrow