To Mirador Paseo Litoral

For my last evening in Gijón I explored the eastern half of Playa de San Lorenzo, up to the Mirador Paseo Litoral where I could look back on the beach and the city. I started about halfway along the Playa. There were volleyball players enjoying an evening game.

These panoramas were taken near Escalera 15 (Ramp 15) near where beach ends and Rio Piles enters the ocean.

The promenade continues up the coast.

Looking back at the city. Here the beach gets rocky. There is a gap between this and the previous photo. I might have sat down on a bench to enjoy the ambience.

I liked the dramatic light on the tide.

And the colour from the setting sun.

Another 10 minutes walk brought me to this statue Monumento a la Madre del Emigrante (Monument to the Emigrant's Mother). The name says it all. You can imagine a mother's sorrow watching her children sail away to a foreign land, in the hope of a better life. Representatives from Cuba and Argentina, countries that had received much immigration from Spain were consulted, and the statue was inaugurated in 1970.

It was now late enough to capture the sunset photos I wanted.

A lot of other spectators for the golden hour.

The marble blocks and plates are part of Mirador Paseo Litoral.

Perhaps the people were waiting for the sunset to get better before looking up from their phones.

The area around the Mirador.

Coming soon.

Deliberately underexposed for effect.

The Mirador, also underexposed.

The phone camera depicts a less dramatic scene, one our eyes would see. The spot isn't as isolated as it looks, there are runners, cyclists and dog walkers on the path.

Retracing my steps past the now lit lamps.

The beach in twilight.

Another panorama.

I couldn't leave Asturias without having some of the fabulous seafood so I found a restaurant where I ordered scallops. On the left are some pinchos (starters).

And that was my last evening in the north of Spain.