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

Camino Day 24 August 15 Hornillos del Camino to Castrojeriz 12.7 milesTotal to date 219.7

Well today I got another big lesson in not worrying about things that may never happen. After worrying about the desert like heat and possible sunstroke of the Meseta I started out this morning early, about 6:30 am. It was still kind of dark. I haven't been able to leave real early because someone stole my head lamp way back at the beginning of the Camino. It really hasn't been a big problem, but I thought today I'd get a little bit of walking in the cool of the morning, before the heat. So I almost did a face plant because I forgot there were broad stairs outside the Albergue, but I righted myself and used my poles to search out the rest of the stairs.

Well there was no need to leave early to walk in the cool of the morning and no possibility of sunstroke. In fact frostbite would have been more likely. When I left it was cloudy and windy. After about a half hour it started to rain. The temperature was in the 50s with 20 to 25 mile winds. At times they were so strong coming from the side I had to fight to keep upright At other times they were head winds and I had to push against them to move foreard Not a good combination, wind and water and cold. However at one point I looked up an there was a rainbow. It was so close I felt like I could reach out and touch it. The rain and wind was on and off most of the day. The rain stopped for the last couple miles of the walk. By the time I stopped for café con leche and tostado con mantaquilla and mermelada my little fingers were frozen. The bars I went into had their heaters on! In the middle of August! I didn't need my hat for the sun. Fortunately, I brought a good rain jacket that also protected my core from the wind.

I can tell you the Meseta was not boring today. Actually I can't figure out how it would be boring even in the heat. There was all kinds of neat stuff to see, including some trees and rock formations. Maybe tomorrow will be boring. It's the last day of the Meseta.

I arrived in Castrojeriz and searched for a long time for the Albergue I wanted to stay at. During my half hour search I passed the municipal Albergue, but I wanted to stay somewhere else. It turned out that the Albergue I wanted to stay in was closed for fumigation until August 17. I then went looking for my second choice and it was closed for the day!? I found out later that today is some sort of religious holiday, a feast day, which in Spain is like Sunday and means everything closes. The municipal Albergue is open though and I got a bed. It is actually quite comfy here with my 34 roommates..

Girls laughing, quiet conversations, whispering and it is afternoon in the Albergue. I awake from my siesta.

Camino Day 23 August 14 Burgos to Hornillos del Camino 13 miles Total to date 207

Albergue can accommodate 78, it is full the population more than doubles. I have entered the famous or infamous Meseta. It is a flat high plateau with nothing for miles, or two days of walking, but wheat fields. It is notorious amongst pilgrims for being hot, dry and boring. The way everyone talks about it is a little frightening, but like child birth, so many have gone before me and survived. Heck, Sheila and I walked through the Arizona desert for three days in August.

You probably won't read this blog or anything else for a day or two. I am without phone service again and there is no wifi or Internet in this pueblo. We'll see what tomorrow brings. I really wished I had put more songs on my little iPods. I have two shuffles and another small one and I have the same 200 or so songs on all three and though they are some of my favorite songs, I am getting tired of them. Most of the time I'm out in the wilderness by myself so I can sing along at the top of my lungs and even break out in a dance from time to time. I've also taken to talking to snails, insects, flora and fauna. lol I have noticed that every time I'm feeling a little tired or discouraged iI glance at the side of the Camino and there are little purple flowers. I think of them as you, my friends showing up to cheer me on. The last few days I've been contemplating how this experience might come out in my art work. Very interesting. I have no idea, but I'm sure something happen,

Yesterday I met this young Italian man on the Camino. We passed each other a number of times. I would guess he's about eighteen or nineteen. His name is Vanelli. He speaks a little English. Yesterday he ended up in the bunk above me. Like most kids his age he had his stuff all over the floor blocking the way for the other seven of us. Eventually I just slid it under his bed. In the Albergues you have to be in and lights out by 10 or 10:30. They lock the doors. When I got up to go to the bathroom he still wasn't in his bunk a d I knew the doors were locked. I thought maybe he was down in the common room, but those usually shut down at lights out. Well he still wasn't there this morning I figured he was out drinking, but I was a little worried about him. So after I checked into the Albergue here and was eating the rest of my boccadillo from this morning, he walks in. I asked what happened to him. He said he and his friends were having a little party. Ah, youth is so resilient. Stay up all night partying and walk twelve miles in the heat! Of course he has been sleeping all afternoon.

On my way out this morning I got confused and was going the wrong way. It's a lot harder to find and follow the way marks in the city, partially because there is so much signage and stuff going on and partially because there are so many streets going different ways and it's sometimes hard to tell if the arrow means a diagonal left or a hard left. Anyway, this nice man saw me and voluntarily, without me asking, told me I was going the wrong way and pointed me in the right direction.

The second thing that happened is I saw a public toilet on the parkway. The reason this is worth mentioning is that is the first public toilet I've seen in Spain. They have toilets in Museums, bars and restaurants, but none in parks, sports fields, or on biking, running or walking trails. I was flabbergasted so I had to try it out. It's like the ones I've seen in other European countries, free standing like an outhouse but with flush toilet, running water to wash, and paper towels. It cost thirty cents. I was delighted.

I stopped in Tardajos and got another monster bocadilla and this time with Serrano ham and queso, not the pressed ham, or what the Spanish call blanco ham. This monster boccadillo was like half a loaf of French bread. I ate it for two meals and still couldn't finish it. On my way out of that pueblo this woman stopped me. I took out my earbuds and she smiled and said "Buen Camino" and told Hornillos was only thirteen more kilometers. Wasn't that nice? Put a big smile on my face.

I also ran into the lady with the stroller and Kaitland a couple of times today. The sky here on the Meseta is so blue and big. I'm hoping I can stay awake long enough tonight to go out and see some stars.

I went to the local bar and had their salad special for 4.50€. This was a full plate of salad with lettuce, tomatoes, red cabbage, carrots, corn, white asparagus, onions, tuna and olives. And a basket of bread. Oh yum.

As night approached I realized why I never see the stars. It doesn't get dark until after ten
When we have to be inside with lights out. Hehehr. I'll have to stay in a Casa Rural or Hostal in one of these small pueblos.

Camino Day 22 August 13 Atapuerca to Burgos 12.1 miles Total to date 194

I was thinking about the woman pushing the kids in the stroller and I thought, "Wait a minute, I'm carrying Mr Burple on my back. He doesn't even have to get out and walk." lol I still don't know her name, but if we meet up again I'll ask.

I just ran downstairs to get some cafe con leche so I ca stay awake long enough to write this blog and I ran into Kaitland. Her birthday is September 5 and mine is September 10. She will be 24 and I will be 66. She is a speedy walker, I was surprised to see her. She had planned to just go through Burgos. But she said she stopped because her foot was killing her. She was with the Australian girls. Earlier I ran into the woman Josef was following because of her leg issues from the motorcycle accident. I was surprised to see her too, because she had decided to take a rest day the last time I saw her. She Sadi she took the bus part way. Lots of people do that if they have injuries, infected blisters or other debilitating issues. It's fun to see people you've shared an Albergue with or or passed or been passed by on the Camino. You start greeting each other.

I finally have phone service. At least for now. Which meant I have data, which is helpful because the Albergue last night and the one tonight don't have wifi. So I woke up this morning at 4:30 am and couldn't go back to sleep. Other folks were already up. So I had some emails to answer and I read my Facebook messages. Thanks to all of you who take the time to write me. I haven't been to a meeting since Barcelona which was about a month ago. So my sharing with you is my meeting time. Anyway, I got up and got ready.

Yesterday was Sunday so nothing was open in Atapuerca when I got there, so I had nothing for breakfast and I wouldn't see a cafe on the route for about three hours. I was told the Panaderia across the street from the albergue opened at six. At six I headed out the door to get some cafe con leche and something to eat. It turns out it didn't open until 6:30. With my data and phone service working I had gotten a message from Verizon that I had used 100 MB of data since July 19. I decided to call them and explain how difficult that is to imagine since I hadn't had phone service, never mind data since July 21. I called. The guy I talked to was very nice. He looked at the info Verizon got from Vodafone in Spain and it said I had been using small amounts everyday. Anyway, he's going to research it further.

By this time the Panaderia was open and I got a yummy empenada with jamon y queso (kind of a square flat croissant flaky crust stuffed with ham and cheese) it was so big I had to save half of it. When I got to Burgos I heated it up in the micro wave and ate it for lunch.
I got started walking about 7 and it was great. It was foggy and I went up a long hill. At the top of the hill was a big sign talking about the wonderful view and that we could see Burgos and the pueblos we would be passing through on our way to Burgos. I laughed. I couldn't see more than 100 feet in front of me. At this same spot there was also this huge bullseye on the ground made out of rocks. Spain is a very, very rocky country. A little further on there was a big cross on the ground made out of rocks.

Then we came down the hill and it was walking on the side of the road for 10 miles including a very tedious 5 mile stretch coming into Burgos past factories and warehouse with big rigs passing within 3 feet smelling of fuel and exhaust. After all these days in nature it was overwhelming. At one point I was ready to step into a cross walk when a Goliath big rig rolled up to turn right and get on the main road. The driver was talking on his cell phone and still looking to the left for a break in traffic to pull out. He never looked to his right, he never saw me. I was so grateful I was not already on the crosswalk when he rolled up. I wonder how big the ticket is for squishing a pilgrim flat as a fruit roll up in a cross walk on the Camino. lol

So I finally got into Burgos and then it was another 2 miles through Burgos looking for the Cathedral, because the Albergue was next to the Cathedral. When I finally found , what by now was the fucking Cathedral, there was a long line at the Albergue. I waited in line for about half an hour or forty five minutes, not knowing if there would be a bed available when I got to the front of the line. I just kept thinking it will be however it is supposed to be. And I guess I was supposed to be here tonight, because here I am.

I showered, washed clothes, napped, went to the store for food and water and the bank and now it's almost time for bed. Nighty night.

Camino Day 21 August 12 Villafranca to Atapuerco 11.5 miles total to date 189.6

Camino Day 21 August 12 Villafranca to Atapuerco 11.5 miles total to date 189.6
Well I meant to stop at 7.5 miles in San Juan de Ortega (which is Saint John of Thistle,) but I picked up some speed today and when I got there it was only 11 am, the only Albergue didn't open until 1pm and I didn't feel like sitting around for to hours. I ended up in Atapuerco, the former home apparently of the world's oldest man. At least this is where they found his remains. John and I stopped hear and saw his remains when we were in Spain six years ago. At that time they had the whole display in an little old building. Now there is a big fancy building with tour buses coming through.

Last night I watched Spain beat Korea in the women's handball. Man that game is brutal. It's like a mix of soccer, basketball and American football. Then I saw the doctor who told me my blister was healed but the skin was very thin. He wrapped it in a ace like bandage which cost me 1€. His services were free. Then I had a yummy dinner and went to bed.

I got up this morning, got ready, ate a peach (no yogurt because the Albergue didn't have a fridge,) and went out the door. The people with the kids were still there when I left. The first step was the beginning of a killer climb to the top of the mountain and the a steep descent. The people with the stroller passed me! The woman was pushing it. I asked if she pushed up the hill she said yes and he said, but the kids had to walk. These people are amazing. Actually I found out later, she is amazing. He has only been on the Camino for a few days and tomorrow is his last day. I have no idea what their relationship is, maybe brother sister. She is not only pushing the stroller with two kids in it (ages 4 and 6), she is carrying all the clothes and stuff for the three of them. She's also carrying food for snacks and lunch and water. My God, I'm impressed. When I get to the Albergue it's all I can do to shower, wash my clothes and go to the restaurant. She has to shower herself and the kids, wash all their clothes (we're not talking about throwing them in a washer, we're talking hand wash and hang on the line to dry. She also goes to the market, buys groceries, cooks the dinner, and does the dishes (again, no dishwasher.) I'm exhausted just writing about it. She and the kids are in the same room at the Albergue that I'm in, so I've gotten to know her a little. The kids are really good.

Also in my room is the second American I've met. The first was one of the people I got lost with who was from Texas, but now lives in Barcelona. The gal I met today is from Pennsylvania but lives in Leon, Spain. Her name is Kaitland and she's teaching English in a school in Leon. Her major in college was Spanish history and culture so we chatted long time about Spain. Kaitland and I went to watch the last quarter of the Spain vs US basketball game. I was disappointed that Spain lost.

We came back to the Albergue and sat around chatting with a guy from Ireland and a gal from Hungary who thought she was speaking English with an American accent. We all assured her she was not.

Well tomorrow I'm off to Burgos. I think I'm finally settling into this thing. I'm enjoying myself, enjoying, the people, enjoying the walking, enjoying the random acts of kindness that surround the Camino, and enjoying the varied landscapes, trees, flowers, sunrises etc. Today we were in the mountains. It was almost cold. And yesterday it had been blistering hot.

Well it is time to think about sleep. Please write, tell me what you are doing, what good or not so good things that are happening. Or he'll, what you ate for breakfast. Anything. I miss all of you and love to hear from you. If you don't want to write on fb wall private message or email me at nancy7484@gmail.com. Nitey nite

Camino Day 20 August 11 Belorado to Villafranca Montes de Oca 7.5 miles total to date 170.5 miles

Camino Day 20 August 11 Belorado to
Villafranca Montes de Oca 7.5 miles total to date 170.5 miles

Decided to do 7.5 today because the next part has three steep climbs and three steep downhills in the next 7.5 miles. It was either do 15 miles today with the steep climbs and downhills in the second half of the walk, or divide it, give my knee an easier day and do the steep climbs and downhills at the start of a day. It seemed like a sensible solution, which is why I can't believe I made it.

Yesterday I met a couple from Holland who are doing the Camino on bicycles with their nine year old daughter. Today a family arrived at the Albergue with two or three children one about Gia's age. The have some kind of carriage for two kids that they are pushing. I've also seen a mother with a young son. I just have memories of Jeno carrying on about forced marches and scorching sun when I made him do a one mile loop around the stream in the Compound. lol

Just met three young girls from Australia who are currently living in London. They say lots of Australian youth drive in London because it's easy to get a visa and it gives them the ability to travel around Europe. They arrived and hour or so ago and have been relaxing with beer and wine and cigarettes. Go figure.

I left my theatre albergue late this morning, about 7:30 am, since I was going a short distance. It's the first day since before Logroño that I have enjoyed walking. My knee didn't hurt at all until the last half mile and then only mildly. My blister was just a minor distraction and it didn't form any new blister on top of it over the last two days. They have a doctor here for free too, so I'm going to have it looked at this evening. The guy at reception insisted. He just can't seem to do enough. This Albergue is behind a nice hotel. The fellow who owns the hotel walked the Camino and wanted to give something back, so he built this very nice Albergue.

Maybe it's because my knee didn't hurt today, but these last few days I'm really starting to feel differently about this whole adventure. I'm less focused on it being the experience of others I read about in the books, than just being whatever it is. Since I stayed in Logroño and got behind the group I had started with I've met lots of people, but haven't become part of a group. The language barrier is significant. There are not many English speaking people out here, not even as a second language. There was no one who spoke English in the Albergue I stayed in last night. They weren't even speaking romance languages which I can sort of understand. They were from the northern places, Holland, Germany, etc. It's all ok and I believe it is all exactly as it is supposed to be. It's making it possible for me to spend a lot of quiet time.

The thing that I thought I would find hardest about this adventure, sharing a room with a dozen or two people in bunk beds, is actually my favorite part. I love the albergues. They other thing I thought would be hard, is not having all my junk. Again, I'm kind of enjoying the adventure of making do with what I have. I'm also enjoying the decision making about what I want and what I want to carry. Hehehe

Camino Day 19 August 10 Santa Domingo to Belorado 14 miles Total to date 163

Camino Day 19 August 10 Santa Domingo to Belorado 14 miles Total to date 163

Woke up at 5 am because someone's alarm went off, so I figured I may as well get up and get going since I was under Healing Man's (aka Josef) orders to go very slow on all the downhills. I was delighted to realize that my blister stopped hurting during the night. I got my stuff together, had a cafe con leche, yogurt and a peach, and said good bye to all the wonderful hospitalteros. It wasn't light yet but there was enough of us leaving that I could just follow the crowd. Many people recognize me and inquire about my knee. While waiting for Josef last evening, I met another patient, Susie from Italy who speaks Italian and Spanish, but no English, so we spoke in Spanish. I also met a couple from Valencia, Spain. They run a conference center in Valencia and he has traveled to the States, only the east coast. He says when he tells people in Boston or New York that he is from Spain, they think Spain is in South America. Sometimes being American is embarrassing.

So this morning was a little discouraging because I kept having intermittent sharp paid in my knee. But I kept drinking water and saying "small steps, feet forward, normal flexion" and after about five hours it stopped hurting and I was walking pretty normal. It took me a while to realize it, I had become so used to the pain. I ran into Josef twice this morning. He was checking up on another woman he treated last night who had some pretty knarly leg issue due to a motorcycle accident and some botched surgeries. He went to two stops on the way to check on her and then arranged for her to get a massage from a lady in one of the towns we went through. Then he hopped on his motorcycle and went back to Santa Domingo to treat some other pilgrims. There are some really amazing people out here.

There is this young guy with dreadlocks that I keep running into. The first few times I saw him he was yakking on his cell phone while walking. Today I introduced myself. His name is Francesco and he is Italian. I like his vibe.

I made it to Belorado in 8.5 hours. Long damn day. It's hotter than hell here, kind of like Arizona in August, sun, heat, and no shade. I'm staying at the parish Albergue which used to be a theatre. Perfect for the actress in me. After showering, laundry and siesta I walked next door to the church. Churches are always refreshing. Because they are made of thick stone. While I was sitting there this guy began to sing in this beautiful voice. The acoustics in the church made it even more incredible. First he sang Ave Maria, one of my favorites. Then he began Amazing Grace and I knew I was right where I was supposed to be. I started crying. I don't cry often, maybe once every ten years, but I was just so damn grateful.

Now I'm sitting in a bar watching the Spain Russia basketball game. Spain just caught up and the electricity went out. Oh dear. It's back on now.

Camino Day 18 August 9 Najera to Santa Domingo de Calzada 13 miles total to date 149

Well I covered 13 miles of the Camino today, but it took me 16 or 17 miles to do it. I, and a lot of other people, got lost and I walked way off in the hills before I finally admitted I was going the wrong way. I had to walk all the way back the way I came to try to figure out where I lost the trail. I did that and walked up and down the road way for a while. At one point a local on a bike went by and I asked him where the Camino was and he waved his hand to indicate it was down the road a kilometer. I wasn't really convinced but I started walking that way. He must have felt he wasn't sure or didn't explain it well because about ten or fifteen minutes later he came back, looked at my map, verified that he was right and explained it to me. So I started walking down the road, after thanking him profusely. When I'm having these conversations, getting and giving directions, I hope you realize it's all in Spanish I have met very few Spanish people in this part of Spain or on the Camino who speak English. So I'm just babbling away in Spanish. I'm sure it leaves a lot to be desired, but they usually understand what I'm trying to say. And I've lost my fear of opening my mouth!

I walked down the road and as I went I asked a couple of farmers working the their fields for more specific direction and got it.

I finally got back on the track. And walked on to Cirueña where I decided I would just call it a day because of all the extra walking I had done. But when I got there I got a weird vibe from the town and an even weirder vibe at the Albergue. And they wanted 13€!! That's highway robbery. The usual cost is around 7€. I decided to get something very cold to drink and a bite to eat. On my way I ran into a couple I had seen walking. We had passed each other a few times on the Camino. They were just leaving the medical clinic because his blisters were so bad. The doctor told him he should rest for a few days to let them heal, but he said they stayed the night last night and would stay tonight but then he was going on. I told them I was going to the bar to get something to drink and a bite and the I was going to Santa Domingo and they decided to join me at the bar. They are a Irish. She is an assistant in a class with special needs children, so they have to be back home by the first of September. So if they want to complete it they have to get going. I suggested they rest and then take a bus to skip a couple of stages, but that was not an acceptable solution. Good to know I'm not the only hard headed person in the world.

I got to Santa Domingo and the Albergue here is run by the Spanish Confraterity. It is wonderful. And the amount you pay is a donation! They are so welcoming and nice. Confraternity are groups that support the Camino in one way or another. They usually host an Albergue, help keep the Camino marked, and help pilgrims. There's a British one, a German one, an American branch of the British one, and others.

They have a nurse/paramedic type person who treats pilgrims for blister, tendonitus, and other ailments common on the Camino. I've taken a shower washed my clothes and now I'm waiting in line to see the nurse/paramedic to see if he has any other things to do for my knee. Apparently there is also a play tonight at the theatre in town that we pilgrims get to go to for free, but it starts at 10 pm. I don't think I'll be awake.

So the healing guy wrapped my knee in a whole different way. It is a method I saw on the Internet. He also told me I'm not drinking enough water and that is adding to my knee problems. So I'm putting my camel back into backpack again. I'll only put a liter in it to keep the weight down, but I will refill it twice. He says I should drink three kilometers a day. Oh and all of his services is part of whatever donation I decide to give the Albergue. I can also drink some before I leave in the morning and at night. He also worked on my blister which I had just got to stop hurting, and now it hurts like a son of a bitch. There were new blisters on top of the old blister. I'm hoping the pain lessens by tomorrow. He also told me how to walk to avoid more problems, some of which I've been doing which is small step and normal flexion up and down hills and keep feet pointed forward. I have been keeping my leg straight and turning the foot out on the downhills. He said after three days the wrap can come off and if I walk correctly and drink water it should be fixed. That would be nice, but got the names of the tape just in case. He also thought I was fifty five and was surprised when I told him I would be sixty six in a month and that I had nice legs. It lessened the pain a little.