Coaching for Pizza: Kike's Amazing Tour of the Beaches to the West of Gijón

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

In what would become an absolutely gorgeous day in Asturias after several days of rain, we were off once again with our personal tour guide, Kike Prado Alonso, for the second installment of his insider's guide to the best beaches and villages on the Costa Verde.

Today we would travel to the West of Gijón and be joined by Mariners QB Spencer Moore and WR/DB Geoff Green.

Gijón's Socialist/Commie HQ Building

I needed some ready cash for the impending road trip and my stroll to the nearest ATM took me past this center of social consciousness, protest and upheaval.

The Spanish word for cash is efectivo and I now had enough of it to last the two of us through the weekend.

At 11:00 a.m. our tour group of five were on our way in Kike's car to our first stop.

Cudillero

Historic Artistic Center

Cudillero has a harbor that could

easily shelter this lost boat if needed

Cudillero's hillside plunging

to the Sea of Cantabria

Most boats were anchored in

the harbor area in the distance

Cudillero emptying into the harbor

Couldn't have said it better myself

Clean, clear sea water

Mosaic Art was a MUST!

Picturesque Cudillero,

the perfect muse for any artist

We would stop for a snack at that

bright blue building housing . . .

. . . the Café Bar Con Vito Corleone

The café con leche hit the spot and

the colors all around us were pleasant

A small fish market

Local Heraldry

Shops, bars and restaurantes down

below, dwellings up above

Cudillero is so pleasing to the eye

Fishing nets drying in the Sun

We proceeded farther West to the serene overlook known as the Mirador de la Regalina.

The coastline to the West was breathtaking

Of course the peninsula-like Mirador

had a traditional Asturian Hórreo . . .

. . . and a second view of the

Costa Verde to the East

Laurie by a not so recently

decorated cart beneath the hórreo

Kike informed us that the Mirador is frequently the scene for weddings in the Spring and Summer. During these marital ceremonies this cart would be decorated with fresh flowers.

I can visualize it with bright Spring flowers

The Wedding Chapel at the

Mirador de la Regalina

The Blessed Virgin Mary?

Blue is her color after all.

Another look to the West

The point of the small peninsula

A final look to the East

Laurie peering into the

closed wedding chapel . . .

. . . and what she saw

The hórreo begged a closer inspection

To review, these are found all over the Asturian countryside and were meant to store grain.

They are elevated well above the ground to avoid moisture damage during heavy rains that could cause flooding.

The additional danger to these grain stores was vermin infestation. At first I didn't see how height alone could stop that from happening.

Into the breach stepped our tour guide, Kike.

Each of the four support pillars of

any well constructed hórreo has a

stone wheel like this one at the top

It effectively stops animals from getting any closer into the hórreo.

Genius.

One last, long look at the tranquil

Mirador de la Regalina

Now we were on to Luarca!

This village gets its name from Roman times due to a story, most likely apocryphal, that when wolves, Lupi in Latin, loomed large in this area, and part of the Ark, Arca in Latin, of the Covenant's original Ten Commandments tablets wound up here thanks to the Apostle St. James of Camino de Santiago fame.

Lupi Arca morphed into Luarca.

I had to wonder if Indiana Jones and his father knew about this?

The sign mentions Luarca's favorite son, physician and scientist Severo Ochoa who was born here.

His work in DNA research earned him the 1959 Nobel Prize for Medicine.

My love of Heraldry was satisfied

A close up of the two ayuntamiento/city hall crests that are involved with this lighthouse complex just outside Luarca's city limits.

This light house at Cabo Busto

was so peaceful

This light house serves a real purpose

keeping ships away from these rocks below

The Costa Verde is just . . .

. . . BEAUTIFUL!

Of course, you can borrow

books at the light house

Finally, we made it into the city

of Luarca proper

We saw no wolves or stone tablets of any religious significance.

What we did see and enjoy was a delicious seafood lunch at the Hotel Restaurante Baltico.

Getting in the mood for lunch

but this was not our dining spot

Luarca was a joy to our senses

"Our house is just across

the bridge in Luarca"

Luarca's Rula is the fish market and is

a locals' hangout too on a sunny day

Our view while dining

Restaurante Baltico decor

Yes, fishing is as big part of life here

I wonder what goes on during a naughty fishing expedition?

Or did I translate that wrong?

I just liked this logo

A random Luarca church

No tablets were found inside.

Roaming the Mean Streets of Luarca

Cool Luarca building on a warm day . . .

. . . and another

We drove up to the bluffs that

overlook Luarca

There was a chapel at the top

Outdoor Station of the Cross

We entered the Capilla de la Blanca

still in search of those missing tablets

What we found were statues

Parishioners were getting them ready to be carried through the streets of Luarca during the fast approaching Semana Santa Processions.

The BVM will be carried around

town for sure . . .

. . . as will her Son

It can get windy on the Costa Verde

I just liked this compass' color

Luarca's harbor entrance

As it turns out, Spencer was in a bit of pain as somehow over the past week, a small pebble had become imbedded into a finger of his non-throwing, left hand.

With Dr./Professional Grandmother Laurie in charge and packing a knife, alcohol, mostly sterile Kleenex and vast surgical skill, she went to work.