A Day on the Camino, Comfort in Simplicity

There was a certain comfort in the simplicity of daily life on the Camino. I would check into the Albergue at the end of a days walk, give them my credential to stamp, pay for the night, and go to my bed. The cost of a bed for the night was sometimes “donativo” which means you pay whatever you feel like donating to keep the Albegue operating. But mostly it was five to seven euros, about six fifty to nine dollars. Occasionally it was as much as ten euros, about twelve to thirteen dollars, for private albergues. I would find my bed, the lower bunk on a bunk bed, with a mattress and a pillow.  They saved the lower bunks for us older folks and gave the upper bunks to the younger folks. Sometimes they gave you a paper cover for the mattress and pillow, sometimes not.

I would set Mr Burple on the pillow and say, “Well Mr Burple, this is our home for the night. It felt right, it felt complete. It was simple. Then I would unpack my pack, get my one change of clean clothes, my flip flops for shower shoes, my soap and towel and head for the shower. I have to explain my towel. It was the size of a hand towel, just a little longer. Because it is a camping towel, it is very thin and light weigh, but absorbent. Not absorbent enough, as it turned out.  I totally underestimated the size. Often after using the towel, I finished drying off with my dirty clothes. Most of the time the showers had hot water, but not always. The water stayed on for one minute then shut off and I would have to push the button again. Sometimes there was a spray attachment on the rope like metal tube that I could attach to a bracket on the wall to make it like a shower. But often the bracket on the wall was broken, so I just had a spray nozzle to hold and spray myself. When the water shut off after a minute I had to push the button to make it flow again, retrieve my bottle of soap from the floor, open the bottle, pour some soap in my hand and suds myself. Sometime in this process the water would shut off again and I had to balance the soap and push the button. I didn't bring a wash cloth.

After my shower I would gather my dirty clothes from the day, my soap and my clothes pins. There were typically one or more large sinks for washing clothes by hand. Sometimes there were washers or dryers, but they were fairly expensive to use, especially for my small amount of clothes. I washed my clothes by hand every day except two. Then I would hang them on a line to dry.

After the laundry, depending on the time, I would go sight seeing, out to eat or shopping. Markets were usually closed between 1:30 and 4:30 or 5:00. So between those hours, I might go have my large meal for the day or go sight seeing, if there was anything interesting to see. Shopping was usually for yogurt, fruit and granola bars for breakfast, two 1.5 liter bottles of water, and maybe nuts or something for snacks while walking. The big meal of the day was usually the Menu del Día or Menu del Peregrino which would include a first and second course, a postre (dessert), pan (bread,) and either wine or water. Sometimes you would also get a choice of a refresca (soda) to drink. The first course was a choice of four or five things like ensalada mixta, sopa (soup,) espaguetis (spaghetti,) white asparagus and mayonesa, etc. The second course would be a choice of four or five main courses,  typically some form of beef, pork, chicken and fish baked or fried. Sometimes local specialties were in this group. The postre would be things like helado (ice cream), flan, tarte (cake),  yogur, or some local dish. The meals for the most part were yummy and very filling. I could only eat half of what was served most days. These meals were available between 1 pm and 3 pm or 7 pm and 9 pm. If I didn’t eat at the early time, I would wait until the later time or just grab a bocadilla (large sandwich on a baquette.)

The other part of my routine was to get everything ready for the next day. This included wrapping my knee, if needed, bandaging blisters, etc. I had put on my only other set of clothes when I took a shower and I would sleep in these because it made it easier to get going in the morning and because I didn’t bring a night gown. I would also rinse out my camelback, add two liters of water and put it in my pack.  All of this would be done after the big meal if I ate early or before the big meal if I ate later. 

At bed time I would stuff everything in my pack back except Mr Burple, my bedbug sack I slept in, a small bag with all my valuables (phone, passport, money, glasses and credential) which went in the bedbug sack I slept in, and a bottle of water. I did this because it made it easier to pick everything up in the dark early morning and take it out of the sleeping area to a lighted area without waking everyone up or overlooking some article of clothing in the pitch black before dawn. Then I got in bed, read Dark Tower on the Kindle App on my iphone, and fell asleep.

This routine became very comforting. I had so few things to worry about. Walk, do the routine, sleep, get up and walk again. Day after day. One day at a time.

September 6 the day after

September 6 the day after

Made reservations yesterday to get home late Friday night. I hope I survive the trip. I was so excited about going home that I booked a 7 am flight out of Santiago to Madrid so I can get on an 11:30 am flight to Newark with a connecting flight to San Diego. I usually fly into OC, but I couldn't do that until next week. So I get up at 4 am here and won't get to Laguna Woods until 7 am Saturday (10 pm Laguna Woods time) here's hoping I get some sleep on the plane. And I get to bed when I get home so I can get to the meeting in the morning and take my chip.

Had a good night's sleep last night. Got up and had something to eat, then went to the Cathedral to hug the gold statue of Saint James (it's part of the Camino culture) and do a little photo shoot and window shopping before the crowds show up. Now I'm back at the Cathedral for the Pilgrim's mass which they have every day at noon. It's a big deal today because a Cardinal is here saying mass. I'm hoping they swing the big incense burner. They used to do this to fumigate the pilgrims, but now it's just part of the ritual, though they don't always do it.

I did light candles for Daniel and as gratitude for the Camino. Mr Burble is bored and is getting feisty. He's ready for lunch. The whole mass is in either Spanish or Latin, which is nice for me. It doesn't make me so twitchy. lol they did the big incense thing! It was awesome. It took seven guys to swing it. I have video I will post when I get home. The church seats 1000 and it was packed to the gills with all the seats filled and people standing. Big crowd.

This morning while I was window shopping I heard a familiar voice calling me. I turned around and it was Erin, the girl that is teaching English in Leon. We congratulated each other on having made it. She got in yesterday too. She said there was a group that had been talking the last few days about going to Finisterre. She was headed out for that continued hike. I told her I was headed home tomorrow she wished me safe travels. Then when I was coming in for the mass the young friend of Matt's and the Australian guy spotted me and congratulated me and I them. Then while I was waiting for the Mass to start another woman I had met said hello. We talked for a few minutes and it turns out she is from Mission Viejo! We're like neighbors.

After Mass Mr Burple and I sat at an out door cafe and had Ensalada Mixta con Atún. Last one for awhile. I think when I get home I want to go to Baja Fish Tacos for lunch. Yummy.

Camino Day 45 September 5 Arca O Pino to Santiago 12.1 miles Total journey 525 miles

Camino Day 45 September 5 Arca O Pino to Santiago 12.1 miles Total journey 525 miles

On my last night in an Albergue there was an Irish fellow with a guitar, a young man with a harmonica and a Spanish woman with a beautiful voice. They were singing all of the old folk songs that I remember from many summer nights on the beach. Everything from the Kingston Trio Sloop John B to Bob Dylan's Don't Think Twice and Blowin in the Wind. It brought tears to my eyes once again. Tears of gratitude for the life I have had.

Yesterday I passed a marker asking us pilgrims to remember this woman from Holland who died peacefully in her sleep at age 63 just after completing her second Camino. I decided right then and there, if I hadn't already decided it, that I won't do this a second time. lol

This last Albergue was the noisiest one I've been in the whole Camino. I think maybe it's the excitement in the air. You can feel it. Usually by nine half the people are asleep, lights are out and those that are still up move around quietly. Not last night. Everyone was up, lights on talking loudly, dog barking outside, just total nervous energy. Everyone eventually settled down, but I still didn't sleep well it was probably the anticipation of the final day. When my alarm went off at six a shut it off real quick so as not to wake any one. When I got up and looked around I realized everyone was already gone, except the two girls across from me who were already up.

The I walked in the dark again this morning. It was quiet and soothing. Nothing spectacular happened, it was more a feeling of anticipation. People were limping just trying to make those last few miles. There was a quiet camaraderie about the day. Everyone thinking positive thoughts for the others. Getting to Santiago was exciting, then tedious, then frustrating. It was exciting when I realized we were at the city limits, tedious like any big city because it takes a lot of walking to get from the city limits to the center of the city, and frustrating because it is a tourist town and it is packed with people. I was trying to find a place to stay and I kept getting lost. But I eventually ran into one of the young guys in front of the pilgrims office where you get your Compestela and he said he'd looked at the Pension across the street and that it was reasonable. Problem solved, I checked it out and got a single room for 45€. Not bad in a tourist town.

I got my Compestela and went and looked around the Cathedral, but I think I know that's not what this is about for me. This was an incredible experience, but it was not a singular spiritual experience. For me that is an ongoing process. There were lots of lessons, the biggest one was surrender and that started before I Ieft home. I had lessons all the time about being positive not negative, being grateful, not complaining. Tourist are demanding, pilgrims are grateful, is a saying I heard.

I didn't really know why I was doing this when I started. In some sense I felt it was a thank you to God for the amazing life I have been given. But I don't think he asked for that thanks. I think all he asks of me is that I be of service, pass it on. So I completed my mission I was given in France and brought Daniel with me in prayer. I hope he finds sobriety.

I'm sure more will come to me in the next weeks or months, maybe even later this evening.

Camino Day 44 Ribadiso. To Arca September 4 13.7 miles Total to date512.9

Camino Day 44 September 4 Ribadiso. To Arca 13.7 miles Total to date 512.9

I'm in Arca, just 12.1 miles from Santiago! It is so hard to even comprehend. I'm probably spending my last night in an Albergue. I'm definitely sad about that. I wonder if we could buy a summer camp and all move in. No, I don't think it would be the same. But the old commune hippie just pops out of me.

Today I approached a bar on the Camino and this whole gaggle of young people were sitting out side, including Matt from Tustin, his friend from Tustin, and a guy from Australia they met on the Camino, a young gal I have seen several times over the last couple of weeks, and Erin who I met a long time ago and who is from the states but living in Leon teaching English. They all started waving and smiling like they were excited to see me and offered me some watermelon. The guy from Australia asked me what I was listening to on my iPod. I told at that moment the last song I remembered was the one about you can't always get what you want by the Stones. He turned to his friend and said, "See, I knew it would be something cool" lol I should have shown him my dragon tattoo, that would have sealed it. The kids were all over the top with youthful exuberance and excitement about being so close to Santiago. It was catching. But not catching enough to convince me to walk the extra six miles they are going to walk today to get there before the Pilgrim's Mass at noon tomorrow. I'll catch the. Mass on Thursday.

I got a lot of kudos and positive comments about Mr Burple in several different languages. Who wouldn't like a cute little purple bear waving out of a pocket of a back pack. He's always smiling and waving. Maybe he thinks we are in the Rose Parade. hehehe.

I had dinner with Kay last night at the bar half way between our Albergues. I haven't seen her today, but I got going really late. I decided to not set the alarm and let other people rustling around wake me. Well I guess everyone decided to sleep in, because I was the first one up at seven! Yikes, I left at eight.

Today was a fairly easy hike. And with all the astounding beauty of Galicia that I have become accustomed to this past week. Well, I will finish here because I want to send this where I'm having dinner and access to wifi. I' post again tomorrow and probably for a few days while I process all of this.

Camino Day 43 September 3 Palas de REI to Ribadiso 16.6 miles Total to date 499.2

Camino Day 43 September 3 Palas de REI to Ribadiso 16.6 miles Total to date 499.2

26.3 miles left to Santiago!! Last night I ended up having breakfast cookies for dinner because I wasn't hungry enough to eat a dinner after my big lunch. I hung around the Albergue, wrote my blog, read, wrapped my knee, tended to blisters, and did my nightly organizing and stretching. I've developed a habit of getting everything done and then right before I go to sleep I put everything in my backpack except my phone, my glasses, my headlamp, my morning vitamins, and the stuff that goes in my pockets: my zip lock bag with my passport, money, and credit cards and my change purse with with my daily money. This stuff all goes in the bag my sleep sack stuffs into and then that bag goes in my sleep sack. Mr Burple stays with me of course. That way in the morning I can pick up my pack, my sleep sack, Mr Burple, and carry everything to a place with light where I won't disturb people who are still sleeping. And I don't forget anything. It's been working pretty good.

This morning I woke at 5:30, stretched, put on my socks and boots, ate some breakfast cookies, yogurt, and a banana, drank a cup of instant coffee, and stretched. I left the Albergue and walked in the silence of the predawn. It was lovely. I probably won't do this another time because the next two days are shorter and there is no need to leave early. I miss the beautiful sunrises I saw earlier on the Camino, but there are just so dang many trees you can't see the sun peeking over the horizon. Instead the dawn is heralded by the cock a doodle foo of roosters sounding from various locations as I walk along. Then eventually the sun rises above the trees and warms my back.

A lot of the signs identifying cities and places have been spray painted to change the spelling to Gallego from Castillian Spanish. Many of the people here object to Spain in general and don't want to be part of it. There are symbols of scissors in various form hanging from balconies and houses, meaning cut the ties with Spain. This under current has existed for many, many years.

One of the Galician foods is octopus or pulpo. A place in Milide, which I walked through today is famous as a pulpería, so I stopped and had some pulpo and pan. I posted a picture. It was actually very tasty powered with cayenne and swimming in butter.

Today we walked down to seven rivers and then back up, meaning we crossed seven rivers. It was a beautiful walk today with canopies of trees and a large variety of trees. The sky is so blue here in the country. While on the roadway I'm as apt to get passed by a tractor as a car. It's really delightful. Well that's enough for now. I really appreciate all the messages I woke up to this morning. It started my day off with a warm fuzzy feeling. If I don't answer them all tonight it is because I have a tummy ache.

Camino Day 42 September 2 Portomarin to Palas de Rei 16.7 miles Total to date 482.6

Camino Day 42 September 2 Portomarin to Palas de Rei 16.7 miles Total to date 482.6

Last night after I posted while I was finishing up my dinner which had grown cold, a Spanish woman came up to me and asked me what country I was from. I told her Estados Unidos and then she asked me what part. When I said California I got the look I always get when I say California in answer to that question, the look that says either, "I thought so" or " that makes sense." I mean What? Am I the poster child for California grandmas? lol We chatted for a while and she told me she is from A Coruña which is on the north coast of Galicia. She introduced me to her two daughters, one of whom is living and working in Vienna. She asked me where I started the Camino and when I told her she looked suitably impressed. She asked if I was out here alone. I said yes, my husband is at home cheering me on. She laughed.

Last night in the Albergue I met a young man named Matt from Tustin. He's traveling wit a friend he's had since childhood. They both just graduated from CSUF and his friend is staying in Spain to teach English. He heard about the Camino from his friend. He said it is life changing to get out of the Orange County bubble and see a simpler way to live. We discussed materialism and conspicuous consumption. He seems to be an intelligent young man.

After the bike race entry, as I was walking through town it looked like they had a small carnival with rides set up in one of the parks. Later after dinner when I went out to have some helado and use the bar's wifi to see if I had received any posts, I saw a big bouncy house set up by the church. Then as I turned the corner I saw that some people were putting up a large stage for amplified music. Apparently Portomarín was having a large fiesta. This was not particularly good news for me because my Albergue was half a block from this stage and the speakers were pointed in that direction. In Spain these things usually start about 10 pm and end about 3 am with stragglers drinking and cavorting until 6 or 7 am. Sure enough about 9:30 the fireworks started. I went out on the balcony to watch, but there really wasn't anything to see. They went up with a fiery tail and made a loud noise like a bomb. That was it, no explosion of colored light, nothing. I went to bed. The windows were closed and the stone walls pretty much kept the sound out. I got up about 1 am and could hear the music from the bathroom because the window was open, but where we were sleeping, it was pretty quiet.

I woke up about 4:30 and couldn't go back to sleep, so I got up, stretched, tended to my two little blisters, ate a banana and a granola bar and took off about 5:30. I hiked alone in the dark for a couple of hours. The sun started coming up about 6:45, but I was under a canopy of trees. At one point I was startled by what I thought was a low hanging branch, but when I looked up my head light was shining on a big spider web with a huge spider in it about two inches from my face! I'm not usually bothered by spiders but this one was big and too close for comfort. I used my poles to knock him and his web down so I could pass. I didn't see another soul until about 8:30 when I stopped at the next Albergue/bar for café and tostada. Yum.

There was lots of beautiful scenery and nice people. I'm walking in the regular stages now so I'm seeing a lot of the same people every day and we all wave, smile, and say "hola" or "Buen Camino" I finally got to Palas de Rei about 1:30 and found a great Albergue with wifi downstairs in the bar and I have a single bed. It's Sunday, so nothing is open. I was having café in the bar when an English speaking woman asked me if I would like to walk about town and get a bite. Her name is Kay. She is from Australia and is an IT consultant. There seems to be a lot of them around. She started the Camino three years ago and got as far a Burgos and was injured. Last year she went from Burgos to Sarria and ran out of time. This year she started in Sarria and is going to Santiago and the on to Finnesterra. Her partner is also at home cheering for her.

I have 42.8 miles to go to Santiago. I can hardly believe the walking part of this journey is almost done. My knee and blisters will heal. I don't know if my toenails will ever be the same. They are a mess. I have a weird farmer tan. Half of the tops of my hands are white where the straps for my poles cover them, the other half up to the knuckles are almost black, and my fingers are normal tan. lol

I may try some pulpo (octopus) tonight if they start cooking it before I go to sleep. I love you all and would really like to hear from you. If you don't want to post on fb send me an email. nancy7484@gmail.com

Camino Day 41 September 1 Sarria to Portomarin 14.8 miles Total to date 465.9

Camino Day 41 September 1 Sarria to Portomarin 14.8 miles Total to date 465.9

Apparently since there is a steady supply of caca de vaca that is what they use here to fertilize their fields, unprocessed, except by the cows. It's like walking between fields of Woodstock hippies with they pungent stench of body odor, wet dog odor and drenching patchouli oil. lol

I had an up close and personal experience with the vacas today. I was going through a village path that was pretty narrow and ran into ten to twelve vacas just hanging out on the path. They warn in the guide book not to make sudden or loud movements that might scare them because they could run and hurt themselves I waited until a space and walked I walked in front of two of them and behind two of them, reminding myself the whole time that, unlike horses, cows don't kick unless they are bulls saddled with a sharp object under the saddle and a person in the saddle kicking with spurs and yelling intended to make them buck

A man in the bar, about half way through today's walk, had café con cognac at 11am! Sounded good to me I used to love café and cognac. But then I probably wouldn't get down off this mountain or back to the United States for that matter. I drank my café con leche and ate my Tarta de Santiago and thought about how grateful I am today to not only have choices, but to have the ability to make the ones that serve me and are not self destructive. Mr Burple agrees. He' grateful he doesn't have to carry me off the mountain. lol

I think I'm trying to eat my way across Galicia. Today for lunch I had a carne asada empanada. They are different here than at home. They are like a big (about the size of a medium or large pizza) double crusted thin pie. They are usually tuna or carne asada. It was yummy, but too big. I could only eat half of it. For dinner I am having Caldo Gallego which is a hearty soup broth with vegetables and queso gallego.

Today I saw a couple, probably in their fifties on the Camino with their adult daughter who I think has down syndrome. At first I saw them from behind and wondered why two adults were holding onto another adult going down a hill. I thought maybe the erson in the middle had balance or vision problems Later when I went by them I was humbled. Even later in the day when I thought about it and the love involved, I got tears in my eyes. This darn Camino is working on me.

When I got to Portomarín, I mean literally as I was approaching the bridge to cross onto the town, I saw a crowd gathered at the foot of the bridge a the flashing blue lights of the Civil Guardia. I thought there had been an accident. Then I saw a whole bunch of police motorcycles going across the bridge an lots of people on the bridge and a big crowd on the other side of the bridge. I squeezed myself onto the bridge so I could get to the town, squishing past people, when all of a sudden hundreds of bicycles came across the bridge, followed by a ton of cars with extra bikes and wheels on their roof and police vans. Apparently, this was some big bike race through Galicia called Vuelta España or something. I thought of Rick. Then I got grumpy because it is hard to move through crowds with a backpack and walking sticks going up steep stairs with people stopping mid step in front of you. But I got over it, found the Albergue and did my usual shower and laundry and now I'm on my way to the store.

Camino Day 40 August 31 Triacastela to Sarria 13.2 Total to date 451.1

Camino Day 40 August 31 Triacastela to Sarria 13.2 Total to date 451.1

Well today was just another day of endless vistas of lush verdant farm land and forests. Yawn. J/K. I climbed another mountain today with the usual steep, rocky down hill. The uphill came first thing this morning do I was good to go. The downhill lasted most of the middle part of the day and the steep down hill was the last two hours. I prefer the steep downhill to be at the end of the day when my knee will have a chance to rest after, instead of at the beginning of the day when there is still a days walk to do after it gets cranky. We have two more days of thousand foot climbs and downhills and then the last three days are pretty level looking.

Galicia has Celtic roots and you can feel it in the air and see it in the lush green pasture with grazing cows. The air here is brisk coming directly off the Atlantic with little to buffer it. But it is the epitome of fresh air, fresh and crisp as a fall apple. I have to have some pulpo (octopus) while I'm here, as well as their thick hearty soups. Apparently there is a dish with the local cheese and quince jelly. I must get busy eating local stuff and not my usual Spanish stuff. Actually, tonight I ate American junk. I ate a whole roll of double stuffed Oreos. I guess I just had a sweet tooth, or maybe a whole mouth full of sweet teeth.

Today I went into a small bar and had a diet coke. After drinking about half of it, I went to the rest room. While I'm in there I here this loud demanding voice in the bar, then someone (loud guy) tries to turn the door handle and when it won't turn, because I had locked it, started shaking the door. For a split second I thought he was going to break the door down. My peaceful moment disturbed, left the bath room and sat at my table to finish my diet coke. Meanwhile, loud guy is still talking in a loud demanding voice. He's with four other people who don't seem to be saying much, couldn't have heard them anyway. Well I decided this was not very relaxing, so I left the rest of my diet coke, put on my back pack picked up my walking sticks and headed for the door. They were all leaving at the same time and I hurried to get ahead of them out of range of loud guy, that would have been at least a mile if I hadn't had my iPod and earbuds. I was so irritated and walked so fast I made my shins hurt. Guess I showed him. After chewing on this and the fact that these people were Los Sinmochillas (those without back packs,) I calmed down enough to ask myself how long I wanted to rent space in my head to this oaf, said to myself, it sucks to be him and proceeded to enjoy the walk at a more leisurely pace.

The fact that some people choose to have a service drive their luggage or packpacks from last nights hotel or Albergue to the next, allowing them to walk unencumbered doesn't usually bother me, but it does seem that they are a little less mindful of their fellow travelers and a little less "part of" but everyone is free to experience the Camino however they want.

Anyway, I hope he finds something out here that softens his voice. lol it is said that if you are prideful, the Camino will humble you. I have certainly found that to be true in a number of ways on many occasions in tn past fifty days.

Well, nitey nite.

Camino Day 39 La Faba to Tricastle 16 miles Total to date 430

Camino Day 39 La Faba to Tricastle 16 miles Total to date 430

Left the Albergue before sunrise in a drizzle I thought was the heavy fog (can you have fog when you are not on the coast?) but no it was the beginning of rain. There is nothing do exciting as hiking up a steep grade of slippery wet rock. It wakes you right up. lol but it's not really cold, or I'm not cold, because of the physical exertion of the climb. I have a good rain jacket and cover for my pack. I had to put Mr Burple in the pack under the rain cover so he doesn't get wet and catch a cold.

The scenery, once the sun started coming up, is magical. There are islands of mountain tops surrounded by an ocean of very dense fog. Even after the sun came out it stayed pretty cool the whole day. There was a very brisk breeze. I stopped and had café so many times I may not sleep for a week.

The first stop for café was in Laguna de Castilla where the cows way out number the humans. I hope they never realize the strength in numbers. This village defines Cow Town. It can't be more than two or three thin blocks long hemmed on by the mountain on one side and a cliff on the other, literally hanging on the mountainside. In this tiny space there are about ten large cow barns, cow poop every where, and in the rain the dried cow urine ran in rivulets down the stoney path. The odor was earthy. Very rural Leea. lol I was glad I did not hike this at the end of the day yesterday. In the afternoon the flies must be unbearable.

Shortly after this village I entered Galicia. This is probably the poorest part of Spain, but surely in the running for the most beautiful. I thought today was going to be a steep climb,a flat several miles and then a steep decline. What it has been is a slow roller coaster of steep inclines and declines with each turn in the road presenting yet another stunning vista. At one point a guy was moving his cows to a different pasture across the road. One of the cows and a calf weren't moving faster so his German Shepard dig went and herded them. It was fun to watch. Another time I was hiking up the path and from around the corner in front of me a cow appeared, then another. They looked at me like what are you doing on our path. There about eight all together moving down the path be herded by a woman with a switch. These poor cows had bags with tenets almost dragging on the ground. There's a lot of cows out here and a lot of caca de vaca (cow poop)

The last seven miles were downhill and by the end of it my knee was a little cranky. I think the guide book underestimates the final distances. It always seems longer than the same distance at the beginning of the day. lol. But I got to Tricastle and found a really nice Albergue and was greeted by the family I met the night of the bed bug drama. It's a doctor and his wife and their five children, the oldest is sixteen and the youngest is seven. They all seem very bright and nice. They are from Pennsylvania. They invited me to have dinner with them. This was a much better experience than the German.

In Galicia they have a marker every kilometer telling how far it is to Santiago. I think the last marker I saw was 131 kilometers. Tomorrow when I get to Sarria I think I'll have a little over 100 kilometers left which is about 60 miles. So it is time to sleep. I was on my hike for ten hours today, longest day yet. Even longer than the day I walked 19 miles. It was all the downhills on the roller coaster, especially the last seven miles. Nitey nite.

Camino Day 38 August 29 Villafranca del Bierzo to La Faba 16 miles Total to date 413.3

Camino Day 38 August 29 Villafranca del Bierzo to La Faba 16 miles Total to date 413.3

Today was an amazing hike. We we following the river up into a mountain pass. We had the sound and sight of the river the whole day. And the countryside has become a lush green. Lush green in August! Amazing. There are miles of green pastures. The forests are not dry like ours, they are moist. The final two miles of the hike was 220 meter gain on a rocky path under a canopy of green. I kept thinking of all the forest fairy tales.

There are many people now on the same track as me and we chat in the evenings in a friendly way, if there is no language barrier. If there is a language barrier we kind of smile and wave to acknowledge one another. Today after I had done my usual shower, laundry, and market, two ladies had just arrived at the Albergue and we were talking a out how hard the last three kilometers were, but how gorgeous. They remarked that I must be a fast walker because I left the last Albergue the same time they did and they thought they were walking pretty fast, but I obviously got here long before them. I told them it surprised me because I thought I was going kind of slow. I guess I was going faster than I thought, but it was pretty much a steady climb and My knee does better going up.

Today I am a week from Santiago, if all keeps going well. We'll see. I'm incredibly grateful for this opportunity. And I've spent a long time reflecting on how blessed I am and what an act of Grace my life is today. As far as I can tell at this stage this Camino has been about surrender and gratitude. Surrender, as most of you know, began a few weeks score I left home when I had an accident a threw everything out of whack. I was 't even sure if I could make the trip. It has continued throughout this journey from the bigger questions of my knee early on and the possibility that I might not be able to continue after just a few days to the little things like where I get to sleep and what I get to eat, along with people, places and things. I am surprised at how little even annoys me, except for the flies. They seem to want to fly in my face in the afternoon when I'm tired and just trying to get to my stopping place. I'm getting better about it, but it is the one thing about Spain I do not like.

Last evening I had an interesting conversation with one of the hositaleros about the Spanish Civil War. She's from Barcelona, so clearly in the Republican camp ( not Republican like we know them, in this case the Republicans were the farmers and lower classes fighting the fascists who were backed by the church and the monarchy. She said they were all dogs just different collars, they all killed someone. Interesting thought. In the Spanish Civil War the Republicans were backed by the communists and Franco was backed by Hitler and the other fascists. So they were probably screwed no matter who won.

Well it's time to stretch, eat and sleep. Tomorrow I have a big mountain to climb. Shortly after I start walking I will be in Galicia.

Camino Day 36 and 37 August 27 and 28 Acebo to Ponferrada to Villafranadel Bierzo 24.5 miles Total to date 397.3

Ahhh jugo de naranja (oj), tostado y café con leche. I'm in heaven. Short walk, but downhill today. On the morning I left Acebo. The hike down was as expected very steep pretty much the whole way down. What was unexpected was that it was made up of loose rocks and large pieces of worn stone. My instructions from Josef for going down hill was to take small steps, take normal flexion, and keep your feet straight. None of that is possible on this kind of surface. But I made it down and the knee was ok. The views were incredible and the trail was often times open and other times like an open tunnel. I have pictures, but I've been having trouble uploading photos to Facebook. I stopped in this one little village for café and the lady gave me a couple of different coffee cake things, one from a bakery. Very yummy. So I made it to Ponferrada, did my usual and got settled in the Albergue. Then I went sight seeing to see the large castle of the Knights Templar. It was in fact huge. I also had to go to the Basilica and La Torre del Reloj. Then there was dinner to be eaten, and well, then it was time for bed. So there was no time in my busy schedule to write.

Today I went through a string of little villages. I stopped several times for café or coca cola lite, and sometimes something to eat. At one of these stops I wrapped my knee again. I had decided to leave it unwrapped today because the trail was pretty flat. But, for some reason it started squawking, so I wrapped it. I think yesterday took a toll. After I wrapped it, it was pretty happy and I cocked right along except for all my refreshment stops and all my church stops. All of these little villages we went through had at least one church and sometimes two or three. And they were all right there along the sidewalk and they were all open. So often the churches are closed when we go by them. I lit lots of candles, said lots of prayers and got my passport stamped a lot. I filled up the Credential I brought with and now I'm starting on my Spanish one.

It just occurred to me you might not know what I'm talking about when I say Credential. You get an official Camino Credential from one of the Confraternities and it is filled out with your name, country, province or state, your government passport number, and the date and place where you start the Camino. These serve two purposes, one you can't stay in the Albergues without one because only pilgrims can stay in the Albergues. Second, when you get to Santiago, you need to present it as proof that you actually walked or road a bike or horse on order to get your Compestela, which is a certificate showing that you completed the Camino. Actually you only have to walk 62 miles or ride 124 to get a Credential, but everyone gets them stamped from the beginning. It's a badge of honor. Though I hear some people cheat. Imagine that!

The last part of the walk today was up steep hills and seemed to go on forever, coming, as it did at the end of fifteen miles. But the views and scenery were very nice. I finally got to the municipal Alberguegot checked in, found out the had wifi, and was getting read to shower etc. when the bed bug drama began. First they found one in one room and everyone scampered out of there. Then another one was found in another room. My bed was in a hallway, but I was still starting to itch at the thought. Bed bugs are a problem on the Camino because you have people from all over the world coming and the beds are slept in by a different person every night. It only takes one person bringing them from home and it spreads. I have a sleep sack that has been treated to keep them out and I sprayed my back pack before I left Pamplona. But I still got itchy just thinking about it. So I packed up a moved to the Albergue down the street. It was the one of the four I did not want stay at because of reports that it wasn't in good shape. But it's fine and they had a communal dinner that was good for seven euro the bed was five. So twelve euro for a dinner and a place to sleep. Not too bad.

Tomorrow is another fifteen mile day, if all goes as planned. The last part will be a steep climb again and the following day will start with the rest of the climb up that mountain into Galicia. I have a blister or blisters, I can't quite figure out what is going on, on my long toe, next to my great toe on my right foot. And it hurts like a son of a bitch. I hope it calms down by morning or I may have to amputate.

Well it's lights out and time to sleep. I look forward to waking up in the morning with lots of messages from all of you. Nitey nite.

Camino Day 35 August 26 Rabanal to Acebo 12.5 miles Total to date 372.3

The Gregorian chants last night were lovely. I love the sound of them, especially when I don't know what they mean, so I don't read along. The actual meanings make me a little twitchy. They chants we're in a very humble Romanesque church, in need of much repair and renovation. But it serves it's purpose quietly, no massive gold altarpiece, just the son hanging on the cross. And they had real candles to light. I lit one for Daniel, one for my Camino, and on for the Dodgers. I lit one for the Dodgers yesterday and they got Adrian Gonzales, who always make me think of my brother Kevin. I think Adrian looks like Kevin did when he was younger.

Well, got out of the Albergue at 6:15 and climbed 1000 feet by 8:15 and had a well deserved café. It was freaking cold. If it weren't for my rain jacket and "Beam Me Up thermals" I would have froze. I didn't take them off unroll noon. Even with all the climbing I was cold. This morning as the sun was rising behind me I looked up in front of me and saw that the whole hillside was glowing in oranges, pinks, and purples reflected from the sunrise. God finds so many different ways to show off. The place I had my first café actually had cornflakes, very rare in a cafe in Spain, so I had cornflakes and thought of Torji, my mom in Salamanca. Corn flakes was one of my favorite breakfasts there. I have no idea why, I never, ever eat them at home.

Only two more kilometers to the drop the rock place, Cruz del Ferro. It's one of the places or events I had been looking forward to because dropping the rock was so important to me in early sobriety and continues to be.

I made it to the Cruz del Ferro and ran into Heaven there. She wanted her picture taken with me since we are like neighbors, both being from South Orange County. So she had Angel take one of us with her camera and I had him take one with mine. I will probably not see them again because I'm doing two stages in three days, rather than two days which will put them a day ahead.

I'm breaking it up because we're climbing mountains. The climbing is not a problem, I rock at climbing, getting stronger all the time. It's the downhill that makes my knee squawk and these are some pretty radical down hills. Today's downhill was three and a hall miles of Steve terrain covered with loose rocks and shale. I promised my knee that I would take care of it and that's what I'm trying to do. I have to admit that every fiber of my body wanted to keep going today. Well maybe not the fibers in my knee and surrounding tendons. The deciding factor was this Albergue has a bar with wifi.

After the picture taking, I climbed the pile of rocks and taped Daniels name to the pole. Then I made a little arrangement of Sandy's purple rock from Australia, the broken pieces of tile from Camino markets that people had broken (I know not why, maybe to take souvenirs, so sad,) my three shells from El Moro, and a rock. The idea is to "drop the rock" I hope I dropped everything that is hard in me and stands in the way of my usefulness to God and my fellows.

In the afternoon I came to Manjarín, a relic of a mountain Pueblo. Years ago this guy Tomás who was doing the Camino when he was caught in a storm in this abandoned village. He tucked in there and has organically developed an Eco friendly Refugio for pilgrims. He says he is a Knight Templar and his purpose is to take care of pilgrims. The place was a trip. I saw Tomás wandering around. There was free coffee and snacks. I bought a couple of cool bracelets. The latrine was a shack with a hole through the floor, squat model, and you were requested to sprinkle some white powder when you were done.
Speaking of latrines, one thing I cannot fathom is why women think it is perfectly acceptable when peeing on the side of the Camino and wiping themselves with tissues, to just leave the tissues lying there. Yuck. The only possible purpose they serve is that sometimes if you are lost you can look around for tissues. If there are some you are still on the route. Why these women can't just carry a zip lock Baggie to store their tissues until they reach a trash can, I just don't know. Zip lock baggies are readily available in Spain. I have under pants that wick moisture. No tissues, no zip lock bags necessary. I am Eco friendly. Enough said.

Climbing the mountains brought us to some amazing and breath taking vistas.

Camino Day 34 August 25 Astorga to Rabbanal 14.4 miles Total to date 359.8

Whoa, I slept in this morning until 7am. I don't set an alarm because people start getting up about 4:30am and eventually the rustling around wakes me up. But this morning I slept through all the ruckus. I got out on the road about 8am, the latest I've ever left. But I must be gaining speed because I did 13.7 miles in 5.5 hours with two coffee and snack stops. That's 2.5 miles per hour. Up until the last few days I could only walk 2 miles in an hour. It's quite a change from my 4 miles per hour.

The family walking with the baby were in the Albergue last night. They are not in the one I am in now, but there are several in this town. Before I left this morning, while I was eating my yogurt and banana, I met three Irish folks a woman and two men. The older retired man was the uncle of the woman. They have been doing the Camino in stages for a few years, one week each year. This year they were starting in Astorga, so today was their first day. I ran into them in all the café and snack stops. They are staying in a different Albergue down the road.

I'm staying at an Albergue run by the British Confraternity so we are having tea and biscuits, which are really not what we call biscuits, they are more like cracker cookies. This evening I'm going across the street to the church to hear the Benedictine monks do Gregorian chants. And I just met a girl from Coto de Caza named Heaven who is walking with a guy from León named Angel. A very amazing confluence.

The Camino today was a slow climb through the lower part of the mountain. Tomorrow we climb to the highest point we will reach on the whole Camino, even higher than we got in the Pyranees. The landscape today was varied and textured. At one point I was walking through this dense wooded area. I expected a hobbit to pop up at any time. In the wooded area there was another fence with wooden stick crosses on it. This one went on for about a quarter of a mile. When I left the Albergue this morning it was chilly and there were huge black clouds out in the direction I was headed. I fear a rain storm, but it didn't happen. It was windy which added to the chill factor and the wind blew the clouds away. I walked against a pretty strong headwind most of the day, except when I was in the hobbit warren.

At the highest point tomorrow I will see the Cruz del Ferro (Iron Cross) which is where we drop the rock or other object we have carried up the hill here I will leave Sandy's purple rock from Australia, Daniel's name, some broken pieces of Camino tile and shells from home.

Camino Day 33 August 24 Villadangos del Páramo to Astorga 19.4 miles Total to date 345.4

I forgot a couple of things from yesterday. At one point in time I looked to the side and there you were my purple flowers, as if you had jumped on a bush to get up high enough to give me besas (kisses usually one on each cheek as a hello or goodbye.) later in San Miguel there was a table on the sidewalk with treats for pilgrims. There was also a book to write in, which I did and grabbed a cookie, a piece of candy and a couple of pieces of fruit. There was also an article about the man who lives in the house behind the table. He loves the Camino. As I was leaving he stuck his head out the window and told me I could write in the book. I told him I already did and thanked him for the treats. I walked down the side walk and in his yard he had a pilgrim sculpture and some other stuff about the Camino. I stopped to take a picture and while I was doing that the man came out with several more pieces of fruit. We talked a little and then gave besas and said hasta la vista. Life is incredible.

Didn't know how far I was going to walk today. 19.4 miles sounded like a lot. When I left the Albergue there were big black clouds in the sky. It had been cloudy, windy and cool last evening. I thought it might rain, but it didn't. It was jus dark longer than usual because the sun was blocked, but as it came out through the clouds it was pretty spectacular. So my first stop for cáfe I met up with Mutt and Jeff. We chatted a bit and I found out their names are Alvaro and Rosara. They offered me the tostado that they hadn't eaten, but I was full from the yogurt and banana I had before I left the Albergue. Alvaro and Rosara are from one of the Spanish territories in northern Morocco. These territories have been part of Spain the 15th century, but as Leea and I heard when we were in Morocco, the Moroccans don't like it one bit. Anyway, Alvaro invited me to wall with them, but I declined. I like walking alone. And I think they like walking together as a couple. They are really sweet. After they left another guy, Agusto started talking to me. He had been in California as an exchange student when he was in high school. He's doing the Camino on a bicycle, as are many other people. He was born in Navarra, but raised in Madrid and lives there now. We discussed the different cultures in Mexico and Spain, politics and a few other subjects. Then I went on my way. He passed me later on his bicycle and gave me a big wave. I stopped again for cáfe in Hospital del Obrigo which was one of the places I considered stopping if my knee was bothering me, but it wasn't and so I went on the scenic route which was the longer one and again the road less traveled.

My sweet little knee was a very brave little soldier. It only got cranky a couple of times on the steep downhills. There will be more of those in the next few days. Today we did the hill, tomorrow we start to cross the mountains. These are the Montañas de Leon. The same mountains that were on fire a few days ago, though I don't think we pass through the burned area. The terrain is changing and getting more varied and interesting. I'm really enjoying walking.

I got to Astorga about three, did the usual stuff and was delight to find out they have wifi, so I can hear from all of you this evening, well this afternoon your time. To night I'm having dinner at the Gaudi Restaurant which is across the Plaza from the building Gaugi designed called the Bishop's Palace i think it looks a little like the Dismeyland Palace myself. It is also across the Plaza from the humongous Cathedral. I think in the old days it was believed that the city with the bestest church got the best favors from God. Kind of a silly concept now, but I think it was part of the belief then, because there is no way the cities are big enough today to need that much space, never mind a thousand years ago. Besides in these gothic churches, most of the space is unusable, it's a soaring ceiling.
I also crossed over one of the oldest and best preserved medieval bridges today dating from the 13th century and built over an earlier Roman bridge. The thing is massive and back in the day the river was wide and deep and there was no way to get across the river, except by the bridge. Many lives were lost and much blood was spilled on that bridge by opposing forces trying to control passage.

Well I have to check my laundry and get ready for dinner.

Camino Days 31 and 32 August 22 and 23 Mansilla de las Mulas to León to Villadangos del Páramo 25.4 miles Total to date 326

I did a little sight seeing, shopping, and religious activities yesterday in León, so I didn't get around to writing. I needed to replace the yoga pants I left behind accidentally a while ago. I found some pants in a sporting goods store that are like light weight yoga pants, but have some silver material which is supposed to use your own body heat to keep you warm, but also regulate the heat so you don't get too warm. We'll see. As I said in my short post, they are like Star Trek thermals. Beam me up Scottie.

I also went and visited the cathedral in Leon. It is a gothic cathedral with the the soaring arched ceilings. What makes this one different from all the other astoundingly beautiful cathedrals with soaring arched ceilings is that it has hundreds of stained glass windows in the arches and other places. It really is beautiful.

I lit a candle for Daniel in the cathedral and said a little prayer that he finds what I found, thank you Jonathon. I always enjoy lighting candles in churches. I'm not sure why, maybe it's just some small thing I can do to participate. I really like lighting the real candles, which are slowliy being replaced by little electric light ones. Maybe it's a fire safety thing, though in the huge stone churches that hardly seems an issue. The only thing that could burn are the pews. Or maybe it's maintenance, having to keep the place stocked with candles. Though the electric ones seem to break a lot. Or maybe it's the money. Hmmm with the real candles you are supposed to pay to light them, but there's nobody there to check. I think your prayer or request might loose some suction if you cheat. If you do the real ones, you have a decision to make, which one should I light or where should I put the one I light. These decisions may have powerful spiritual and cosmic consequences, don't you know. On the other hand, the machines choose for you. You put in you 20 cents and a tiny electric light flickers on at the top of a plastic cylinder representing a candle. It's all very entertaining, of you are me. It just doesn't take much to entertain me.

Early evening I went to Vespers Mass (Misa Vispera) where the Benedictine sisters sing the responsorial parts of the mass. It sounds really lovely. I was late because I couldn't find the place. I went to the church where some guy was painting lacquer on trim and waited around for mass to begin long enough to get a headache. Then I went and asked at the Albergue and they said Vespers are in the Capilla which I guess is the private chapel for the brothers and sisters. Someone please shine some light on this, if I'm wrong.

Later I went to a benediction or blessing for us Pilgrim's. I thought it was going to be in the courtyard of the Albergue, but we just met there and then walked over to the Capilla together over to the Capilla. This time the nuns sang and we sang responses. It was fun.

So you can clearly see why I haven't had time to write. lol

There is this couple I've been seeing for a few days now. They are a real Mutt and Jeff team. He his tall dark and thin as a rail. She is short, round and light completed. They are both friendly and we laugh now every time we see one another. She seems to have a very happy disposition and it makes me happy to see them. They are Spanish.

Yesterday when I stopped for my morning café con leche and a cheese omelette, quite yummy by the way, I saw a young family, parents in their early thirties, with a daughter about 11, and a baby about six months. Then I noticed the had fully loaded pack packs sitting by them. I didn't see a baby carrier, so I thought maybe dad and daughter are walking and mom and the baby are driving along and meeting them when they stop. Then maybe they all stay in a Hostal or Casa Rural (bed and breakfast.) only pilgrims are allowed to stay in the albergues.

Last night they showed up at the Albergue. It was a sex segregated one, boys upstairs, girls downstairs, so only the mom, baby and daughter are in the room I am in. The mom and daughter had beds pushed together and the baby slept between them. I was mystified. I saw no toys or other stuff to entertain the baby, but it was really well behaved. It made a couple of short fusses and nothing more. And I kept thinking, the mom looks so fresh and rested. I think that's why I thought she was driving. This morning I saw them on the Camino and mom was carrying the baby in a cloth thing wrapped around her and the baby!! The baby was facing out and looked happy as a clam. Mom was also carrying a back pack!! I have no idea what they are doing about diapers and food, but I am impressed.

So now I'm tucked into my little Albergue for the night. I have taken my shower, washed my clothes, and walked into town got some more blister supplies from the farmácia and ate. I had some delicious baked pork, French fries, spaghetti and vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce. Then I had a siesta. Now I'm going back to town to see the church and go to the store.

I couldn't find the church! The town only has like three streets and I couldn't find the church. I guess I really didn't want to find it that bad, because I could have asked someone. I did go to the market and get some supplies. I think I'll have a cup of yogurt for dinner because I'm still full from my big meal today.

Oh my God, guess who just showed up, the German guy! He was talking about how many kilometers he walked, I didn't think I'd ever see him again. He showed up with these two nice German guys I met two days ago. Too funny.

Camino Day 30 August 21 Calzadillo de los Hermanillos to Mansilla de las Mulas 15.7 miles Total to date 300.6 miles.

I got up at 5am, organized my stuff, treat my feet, had breakfast (a peach, a granola bar, yogurt and coffee,) and headed out the door at 6 am. The hospitaltero gave me brass and asked if I knew the emergency number for Spain. I indicated that I know the number is 112, but my phone is not working in this area of Spain. We both shrugged. I headed off with my little light and let it shine. Today was the second half of the Roman Road. Talk about the road less traveled. In five hours I saw one person, a guy on a bike. There are ways to cross over from the Albergue to the smoother route. The Korean kids and the German were still in the Albergue when I left and would have easily passed me if they had taken that route. Other people I saw on the first part of the Roman Road apparently had decided to pass over to the smoother senda. It was a little disturbing when I realized no one else was on this section of the road. There were places that were so messed up from weather, I'm not sure any vehicle other than a four wheel drive could come through. I pondered the possibility of my knee giving out completely and the fact that my phone didn't work. Oh well, I thought, I've got enough snack stuff so I wouldn't starve for a few days, water and it was pretty warm so freezing wasn't likely. So, I decided it's his will, and kept on walking. After five hours I came to a cross over place and made the change.

The Roman Road is very hard to walk on. It's made up of rocks, big and little, and most of them are loose. You have to keep you eyes where your feet ate going so you don't trip or sprain an ankle or knee. So you can't look around. I thought about the Romans walking it in those sandals they wore. That would be very difficult.

Once I crossed over, the rest of the walk was I eventful. I got to look at some scenery. I think they got the fire put out because the sky looks clearer. When I got into town I got my room in an Albergue with wireless, took a shower, and went out to find a farmácia y un mercado. I could not find a farmácia, so I asked a couple of women in the plaza if there was one near there. One of the women handed her bag to the other woman a d said, "Venga!" Luke come With me. She took me on a five minute walk through lots of tiny streets , asked me if I was staying at the municipal Albergue, I said no I wa staying at the El Jardin Albergue. She said the farmácia was near the municipal. We finally got there and I thanked her. I was overwhelmed by her kindness.

I got some glucosamine and condroitin at the pharmacy. I didn't take any with me because of the weight in the back pack and I knew I could get it in Spain, because I had gotten some last winter. It never occurred to me until few days ago that it would probably help my knee. I got some few days ago that was a capsule containing both in one capsule. That was different than what I had last winter but similar to what I use at home. So I thought it would be more convenient. I bought it and took it twice, then I notice it said glucosamine hydoclura, so I grabbed the little information paper out of the trash and sure enough it said it was also an anti inflammatory. I about freaked. For those of you who don't now I cannot take any kind of anti inflammatory, even aspirin because several years ago I had a perforated ulcer, surgery which resulted in a scar from my breast bone to my pelvic bone, a long recovery, and a good excuse to get a dragon tattooed on my stomach.

So I'm imagining the hyrocloric bubbling and eating my stomach lining and thinking it was one thing to have emergency surgery in Barcelona, it would be a bit riskier to need it in a pueblo with a population of 60, miles from a major city or even a train to a major city. Fortunately I had walking to do and couldn't worry about it too long. As Willie Nelson says, "there's nothing I can do about it now. So far no hole in my gut and I got the correct stuff today and a bag of frozen peas for my knee.

I had ensalada mixta, pork, French fried and helado for dinner. And now it's time to say nitey nite.

Camino Day 29 August 20 Sahagún to Calzadillo de los Hermanillos 7 miles Total todate 284.9 miles.

I continue to get lost, even in the tiny pueblos. One of the problems with finding your way around Spanish cities or pueblos is there is no master planned development. The house and streets have just grown organically over the last two thousand years. Another problem is that there are no street signs. You know, the little poles with signs on them indicating the name of the street? None of those. I think the idea is that the name of the street is supposed to be painted, signed, or otherwise noted on the side of the building on each corner. And maybe at one time it was, but buildings get painted, new facades, demolished and rebuilt. In all of these transformations over hundreds of years, the names disappear. After all, the people who own the building know what street they are on, the people living in the town know where everything is, and if they need to give directions to someone coming to see them from outside the town, I imagine the directions are given by land marks, like turn left at the house with the fence. Anyway, even if you have a map with the names of streets nicely printed on it, your odds of finding any information identifying a street is about thirty percent.

Last night I had dinner with a Polish couple. They both work in a bank. They heard about the Camino from a priest who did it last year. He was an inspiration because he was a very old man, like sixty or sixty five. I told them to watch that old stuff that I would be sixty six in three weeks. They were surprised, said I didn't look that old. I get that reaction a lot. I usually tell people how old I am so they will understand why I'm going so slow on the Camino. Eva said that women in Spain who are my age are not in such good shape and they don't exercise. At some moments I feel like I'm eighty and others I feel like I'm forty. I guess it depends on what is hurting. lol

I walked on a part of the two thousand year old Roman Road today. It is definitely the road less traveled. Most people take the gravel path along the highway because it is more direct and there are more places to eat and get water. In fact, I intended to take the gravel path, in fact, I was on it for a while and I was following the yellow arrows when all of a sudden I was on the Roman Road! Must have been God's will or my lack of attention. lol It's all good.

I'm in a very small pueblo named Calzadillo de los Hermanillos. I think there is one letter in the name for each resident. hehehe I'm in a nice little Albergue with a comfortable bed. No wifi or Internet. Tomorrow is a long 15.7 miles through the middle of no where. There are o places to stop and get a snack or water. I'm going to try to carry three liters, that is 6.6 pounds. Of course as you drink it, the pack gets lighter.

I do the usual shower, laundry and market and settle in for a siesta. I'm in a cubicle with two bunk beds. These bunk beds are made out of wood, instead of sheet metal and the are taller, do I don't bump my head when I sit up. After my siesta four young Koreans come in and occupy the four beds in the next cubicle. They are raising a ruckus and the Hospitaltero asks if they are bothering me. I say no, I'm just reading. A while later my new roommate shows up. He is German. I would guess early thirties. He's a television journalist. From the get go he is also a pain in the arse. He walked 30 kilometers (about 19 miles) and he's doing this whole non verbal dramatic thing to let me know how tired he is. I'm trying to read and really don't give a rats ass about his macho 30 kilometers. Lots of people are doing that many and more. I don't get it. It's not an athletic competition.

Then he goes to take a shower and comes back to ask if he can borrow some soap, he left his or ran out and forgot to buy some or something. I tell him I think there is some in the shower that someone left, but he doesn't appear to register. So I put my book/phone down and get out my bar soap. He looks at it like, that's not what I wanted. I find out later at the market that he prefers liquid soap. I just go back to reading.

Later he ropes me into making dinner with him. I think what the heck, people are always making group meals in the albergues and I haven't done this yet It is a nightmare. I got stuff to make a salad, but he tells me to make the spaghetti because he has to prepare all the stuff to make the sauce. Well I thought my part was the salad, but ok, I get a pan, put water and salt in it and put it on the stove to boil. I make my salad, get out some olives to share, and put the spaghetti in the water. Meanwhile he asks me where the napkins are and where the cheese grater is, like I live there and am supposed to know all this. Then he tells me he needs some wine for the sauce, like I'm supposed to snap my fingers and make it appear. When the spaghetti is done I drain it into a collendar and begin to rinse it. He comes running in waving his hands yelling, " no, don't do that." I just drop everything and walk away, before I say something above amends level.

We eat. I ask him why he doesn't rinse spaghetti. He says the spaghetti has gluten in it which builds muscles and if you put water on the spaghetti it washes the gluten away. Good to know. I no longer have to buy all that gluten free pasta, I can just rinse the gluten out of the regular pasta. lol I'm not clear what boiling it in water does to the gluten, but I didn't want to ask. After he is done eating, he goes outside to smoke. Just as I finish eating, he comes back in, says he'll do the dishes later, he can't right now, and goes on and goes to sleep. Well I don't know if any of you have ever heard a man or teenager say they'll do the dishes later. I have and I know what this means. I do the dishes. It wasn't that hard. What an A hole. Oh yeah when I ask if he was going to do a television journalist thing about the Camino, he said yes, about the spiritual journey. ROTFLMAO

Watched the smoke in the sky from the fire, talked to the hospitalteros for a while, went down the street to the bar with Internet and posted a message to all of you, and went to bed.

Camino Day 28 August 19 Ledigos to Sahagún 10 miles Total to date 285.3 miles

Camino Day 28 August 19 Ledigos to Sahagún 10 miles Total to date 285.3 miles

Ledigos is a very, very small pueblo. I would guess the population to be about 30. The Albergue I stayed in last night was the pueblos bar/restaurant and market. The "market" was a room off the bar containing the bar supplies and a few things to buy. I got a banana, two large bottles of water, and a yogurt that had not been refrigerated. There was a whole bunch of them in different flavors that had not been refrigerated. That may be ok, I don't actually know, but I wasn't going to try it. So I had a banana and a granola bar, which I had in my stash, for breakfast. The Albergue was another converted barn. I believe the room we slept in had been the goat or sheep pen. They had a swimming pool, but not green grass like Boadilla.

They served a Pilgrim's menu for dinner, thank goodness because there was no where else to eat. Dinner was yummy. There was a noodle soup and then pork chops and french fries. The pork chops were American style, not thin slices of pork which is normal in Spain. They were very good. Dessert was an ice cream bar, vanilla with chocolate outside. I shared the dinner table with Roberto, an Italian who lives in Milan and works in IT. He spoke some English. He asked me about our elections. Oh boy. You know most of the Europeans are aware that we have an election coming up. How many of us Americans, including me, know when any European country has an election? In Europe they actually report news from other countries, and not just in the sense of how that news affects their country.

This morning I went through Terradillosde Los Templarios one of the towns of the medieval Knights Templar. The Medieval Knights Templar owed their allegiance to the Pope and wore white mantles with red crosses Their original job was to protect the Pilgrims to the Holy Land. Later they became cought crusades on Spain and protected the Pilgrims going to Santiago. One of their strongholds along the Camino was in Terradillos de los Templarios. Nothing they built here remains today. Another was in Ponferrada where their castle, built in the 12th century still stands today. We will come to that in another week or so. They also were involved in a few Crusades on behalf of the Pope, including Reconquista. They also built financial systems that we're an early form of banking. They eventually got too much money and power. A French King (Phil number 4) was owed them a lot of money so he managed to have a number of them arrested, tortured for false confessions (funny how some things don't change,) and burnt at the stake. He then pressured the Pope to disband the Order.

After that Pueblo I came to a really nice Albergue with a bar run by an Austrian woman. I had a café con leche and bought two yummy looking nut bars, one sesame and one cashew, for my stash. I walked some more and then stopped at a bar in San Nicolás del Real Camino and had a diet coke and watched some news. Then I finished my journey into Sahagún. I found the Convent Albergue and checked in. I got here early so I decided to find a Farmácia before everything closes. It's Sunday in Spain. After the farmácia I had a lovely ensalada mixta for lunch. I returned to the Albergue to find I have three roommates, all male. Never in my wildest dreams or even drug induced hallucinations did I ever imagine myself sleeping with three men in a convent. lol Barns and convents seem to be the theme lately.

In the picture there you all are my friends, cheering me on, sending love.

Camino Day 27 August 18 Carrion de Los Condes to Ledigos 14.5 miles Total to date 272.8

Well there is not much to report today. It was a 14.5 mile walk across a flat hot expanse of land with no shade and no water, except what you carried with you. I'm going to do 11 tomorrow and 8 the next day, kind of rest days, because the next day will be 15.2 miles of that. The most interesting thing about that day and today is that for a large part of the walks we are walking on roads built by the Romans 2000 years ago. It was part of an East-West gold trade route and was used by Caesar Augustus in his campaigns against the Cantabrians. Later it was used by the Christians and the Muslims in their battles for control of the Iberian Peninsula. After the reconquest (that's when the Catolicos drove the Muslims out of the Iberian Peninsula or what we know as Spain) the road became known as the Pilgrim's Road Calzada de los Pergrinos and countless millions of Pilgrims have walked this same path which is now part of the Camino de Santiago.

Today, as I trudged along, I thought about those Roman armies of Caesar marching or trudging across this same road 2000 years ago. Of corse Caesar would have been on a horse with servants carrying his water, food, clothing, toiletries, etc. But I thought about those foot soldiers and servants who did not have backpacks designed to ride on your hips and distribute the weight and designed to allow air to flow between your back and the pack. And they didn't have specially designed hiking boots. How much harder for them this journey was.

On other days I've thought about the Pilgrims who walked this path so many years ago when they had to worry about thieves and murderers along the way, and there were not water fountains along the way, or guidebooks to tell you where the fountains and albergues were. And I am grateful for all the things and people who make it so much easier and safer to make this journey.

Oh, by the way, my headlamp worked great this morning. I was able to leave a little after six when I was packed and ready to go.

Oh and I saw some cave houses built into the side of a hill.

Camino Day 26 August 17 Boadilla del Camino to Carrion de Los Condes 19.1 miles Total to date 258.3

I'm half way there!!!! I'm in Carrion de Los Condes which is a little past the half way mark. I'm so excited. I walked 16.9 miles that count toward the Camino, but another 2 miles tryin to find the river route. I'm saving up my "extra miles" that I walk because I got lost or walked a mile in the wrong direction trying to find a route, so I can justify taking a bus from one town to the next if I need one.

The trek today was pretty dreary, all of it was on a gravel path by the side of the road. But it was good go my knee because it was fairly level. I ran into Eva at one of the rest stops and we chatted. I don't think I'll see her again because she wasn't going this far today, but you never know. I also chatted with three young Germans at my second rest stop. They were fun.

On the way into this town I saw advertisements along the Camino as sort of a sporting goods store for things peregrinos need and it is in this town. I went and replaced my head lamp so now I can leave earlier in the morning. I end up waking u at five because other people are up and rustling around and it wakes me up. Once I'm up I can't go back to sleep so now I can just get ready and go. I brought one of these with, but it got stolen early on, like at my third stop.

I also need to replace my yoga pants that I wear on cool nights if there are no blankets in the Albergue, because I sent my sleeping bag home. The ones I had were perfect. I could just kick myself. If I had had a head lamp, they wouldn't have gotten left. I was packing in the dark and I just missed them. This tore didn't have what I wanted and they were very expensive. I wish I had my LuLu Wonder Unders. They would be perfect.

I got in a little late today and I was worried about getting a bed. The first Albergue I went to was full, but the directed me to another that had a bed. I'm in a Convent. Try to picture how that happens :) only by the Grace of a very loving God and the Program. The woman I was would not be here, on so many different levels. Anyway it's run by nuns and part of it is also a school which they use to add beds to the Albergue in the summer. So, I'm sleeping in a class room. I even have a regular twin bed, no bunk bed.

So I got here and did the usual. Before enlightenment take a shower, wash the clothes, and shop for food. After enlightenment ( I really don't know from my own experience, but I understand) take a shower, wash the clothes, and shop for food.

Camino Day 25 August 16 Castrojeriz to Boadilla del Camino 12.1milesTotal to date 231.1

Camino Day 25 August 16 Castrojeriz to Boadilla del Camino 12.1 miles Total to date 231.1

I'm sleeping in a barn tonight. Well a barn that was converted into an Albergue and it is packed to the gills. All the beds are full , so they moved the chairs in the lounge and put some mattresses on the floor and there are even someone who is sleeping on the lawn. I stopped here because the albergue sounded nice. It is run by a family. Mom who is also an artist is the cook and all the family works helps in some way making us pilgrims welcome. Eduardo, one of the sons was a nice young Spanish man he lives in Londo and Paris when he's not helping out in the summer i suspect he's an artist like his mom

They even have a yard with green grass, a swimming pool, and out door sculpture. Mom's paintings are hanging on the walls. All this for 6€. I sat and soaked my feet and knees in the pool the water was cool. The food is marvelous. I had red bean soup with bread for lunch. I almost made myself sick. I ate it all. I couldn't stop, it was so yummy. This with. Diet coke was 4.80€. Dinner was 9€

I climbed 3500 feet in less than a short distance, a 20 % grade all before 7:30 this morning. It was awesome watching the sun come up. And from the top I could see the whole.valley of wheat fields. Apparently we have gotten very lucky with the weather going across the Meseta. Normally at this time of the year it is in between 95 and 105 with no shade and no water. Today I was still wearing my long sleeves at 10 am. I think the high today might have been mid 80's and there was a cool breeze. So I am across the Meseta, it wasn't boring and I didn't get sun stroke. Yea!

I came upon a lovely rest area with a cover and seats about mid morning. There was a man there serving coffee and fruit for donations. It was a welcome sight. I had coffee and a banana. I met a woman Eva from Seville at the rest stop and we chatted briefly. She is staying at the same Albergue. We sat by the pool chatting, she practicing her English me practicing my Spanish. She was telling about a movie that inspired her to walk the tail end past the Camino from Santiago to Finnistere to Muxia with her 76 year father. She said it was an amazing experience. She is doing the Camino in stages, a little bit each year. Lots of people do this because they can't take a whole month off work or away from their families. While we were chatting she rescued a fly (mosca) from the pool because she said it was going glub,glub,glub. I looked at her amazed. She said everything has a purpose in the chain of life. I told her I have yet to figure out what the purpose of flies are in the chain. I've spent most of the Camino swatting and swearing at them. In Spain they must not use as many pesticides as we do because they have millions of flies. And it doesn't seem to bother them. So today because of Eva I didn't swat or swear at them. I don't know how long this will last. lol

I don't remember the movie The Way saying anything about tendonitis, blisters or knee problems. They are all very common on The Camino. Limping is almost a qualification. lol Yet there are many people who don't seem to suffer at all. There are lots of middle age a d older couples walking. They get bottom or top bunks next to each other and cuddle, lay whispering to each other, or holding hands across the bunks. It is sweet, but, not my cup of tea. Mr Burple and I prefer to sleep in the same bunk. hehehe