4-June-2016 Gijon to Soto del Baro 18km walking, 21km by train

Today we had decided to have a rest day, breakfast was meant to be at eight, we waited and waited. The young girl on her own didn't wait long before she headed off. We gave up waiting for the breakfast room to open, grabbed our packs and walked to town, but not much was open there either so headed to the waterfront where we found a cafe open.
After breakfast we just wandered, along the beach, then around, stopped into the Roman bath museum, wandered over the headlands with the battlements down past the docks and ferries, stopped for doughnut and coffee, went to the next beach where there was a beach volleyball tournament going on, then finally down the road to the train station. By this stage ww had walked 9km with our backpacks on.
We bought tickets to Aviles as the next stage of walking is meant to be through industrial estate. The train was due in half an hour so we had more coffee and I had a small salami and cheese bocadillo. We thought once we got to Aviles we would start walking to Salinas which is only 6.9km to break up the next stage which is 39km we looked at accommodation and there was none. We pretty much decided to just start walking and take our chances on finding a Posada. We made it to Salinas and felt good, continued but there was nothing else for a long stretch, the next town was Soto del Barco booking.com show all hotels full but we thought we would try anyway. Lynette got to put her Spanish to good use, the first place she rang was Completo. She was very excited that she was understood and had understood the response. The next place she tried had a room, Lynette told the receptionist that we were walking and that we would be two hours more.
As it was it took two hours fifteen minutes to arrive after 18kms added to the 9km around town, it made for a big day. Good thing we booked this hotel though, it is our most expensive at 70€ but has a full spa. Sauna, Jacuzzi, foot spa and fanastic pool with soothing jets to massage every part of our weary bodies.
We hadn't arrived until 7.00pm so we only spent an hour in the spa before hunger overtook the need to soothe, we wandered towards town and Lynette got to practice her Spanish again by asking a local where to eat. He gave very clear instructions, to a restaurant about 1/2 km away which had a Saturday special of meat fest for two. It was massive, took us ages to get through it. The meal, bottle of nice wine and ice cream for one plus bread was 28€ well worth it. Walked back to our nice hotel, the Magdalena with just one stop for tea and coffee on the way.