Pendueles to Playa de Poo
Distance: 12.2 miles (19.7 kilometers)
Total Ascent: 200 meters
Difficulty: 2
Calories Burned: 2,555
I’m sitting in Poo right now. I didn’t mean to do it. In fact, I had larger aspirations for myself today. But Kim told us to listen to our bodies, and at about 1:30 pm, they told us, “It’s time. Let’s stop in Poo.”
Playa de Poo, a quaint little beach town, is home for us tonight. We decided to start aiming for 20 km per day, rather than 30, but at 17km (I walked a bit longer because I got lost on the coast by myself for a bit today), Andrew and I found the sweetest little albergue, Albergue Llanes Playa de Poo, and met the owner, Ivan, as we were passing his cool digs.
Our friends, Lisa (Germany) and Iris (Austria) had also stopped, so we walked inside to see how it looked. Ivan was so warm and inviting, and welcomed us to come to his back yard and relax, even if we decided to keep walking. Andrew and I sat down, found a hammock in the yard, and upon a suggestion from one of the sweetest hospitaliaros, Lucia, we decided that this should be our stopping place for the day. And we are so glad we did.
We booked a private room, took a shower and a nap, and then took a short walk to the beach. The water was calm and the waves were nearly silent. We watched children playing in the sand, and commented that, while we see vast cultural differences every day between the US and the countries we are touring and meeting (through the pilgrims), a day at the beach is universal. Sand castles, volleyball, splashing and playing.
And what a relief that is.
We decided today that we like taking things easier. That we are in no rush.
And when we find an opportunity to relax in Poo, we are going to take it.
