Tony, Tim, Betsy & Ray's (not forgetting Geoff) 2014 Camino

2.07.14 Wednesday Colunga to Villaviciosa. It starts to rain after 9 pm and continues most of the night. Tim our alarm clock is lulled by it and it is Tony who rouses the troops to a damp dawn. The front hss mostly passed and rain stops while we have coffee and toast in the bar in Calunga. The route heads a bit inland and rises undulating like a snake in snakes snd ladders to around 200m. Clouds manouvre sluggishly around the hillsides and the air though cool is saturated with moisture. At this point at Priesca we find the oldest church on the route consecrated in 912. It is of course locked. But just as we are about to leave a window opens in a house nect door and it is a safe bet we are being asked if we want to see inside. The ceiing paintings sre obviously original and barely visible, the font at the door shows signs of a millenium or so of use and the thin cut marble windows for light are typical of other ancient churches we have seen in Navarre. It has been maintained and is still in use. We meet again with Jaques and Kate a French American couple who we lad saw some days ago. Their camino started in Nantes and they are heading up the Camino Primitivo. We may see them again in Santiago or not. Nice people. We arrive in Villaviciosa before 1300 and get a good 8€ 4 course lunch servef by a waiter eager to practice his English and stagger out to find one of the two hotels that has bombarded us with signs and leaflets along the route. We find the Carlos 1 at under 15 € each including breakfast in two very nice rooms with en suite and wifi. There is even a washing line just outside the window. Pilgrim heaven at special pilgrim rates. 20km and a believable 660m up and down.