I’m sitting at a hilltop restaurant in Roncesvalles having a beer. I feel clean and refreshed for the first time in what seems a long time, although the line up for a shower was an hour long.

Today’s walk started off well. I was feeling good and I made it to Honto and had a rest. It had been about 4 km and an elevation change of about +240 metres. I then worked myself up to Orrison (which has a great deck hanging over the valley, providing a great view of the mountains) at 650 metres. This was when the wind hit. It was a steady 30 km or so and gusted to about 60; all coming at me while I was trudging uphill. I have amazing windburn. Orrison is where I met Tim, an art student from Leeds. Originally from the States, he decided to walk the Camino to inspire him and to figure out where he was heading. I’ve seen him in most towns since then. He’s a decent sort.

When I got to about 900 metres above sea level the trail took a sharp turn up and my left knee began to ache a lot. Too bad, there is nothing there, so on you go. I finally arrived at Roncesvalles after walking 25.5 km and climbing from 620 metres to 1442 metres, and then down to 960 metres. Tired? You bet.

I have already lost a piece of clothing. Somewhere along the way there is a nice new white t-shirt that I had strapped to my pack to dry.

I set myself up in the albergue, and 13th century church/storage area/and, apparently, at one point stables for Napoleon’s men. I had a shower, had some clothes washed (cool, the staff did for only 2€), and put a cold pack on my knee. A very kind Spaniard helped me ice it earlier and offered me some ibuprofen.

I also bought a staff as I figured I would need the help on the trail.

For supper I ended up at a table with Rupert from Oxford and two Australians who currently live just south of Paris, Morag and Peter. They study climate change, which is cool. Peter is blind and his wife Morag is leading him. I’m in awe. All three were great company and we had a nice pasta dish followed by a great trout (head included) with some chips. A full bottle of wine and mineral water was included as well.

We walked out sated and tired, just in time to get back to the albergue and get ready for bed. I even slept most of the night.

I like the walking so far, but I am having trouble with some of the social aspects of the Camino. I’m not one to just begin a conversation with strangers.

I am missing Sandy so very much. It is like a physical plain. I have been separated from her for only three days, and I have been on trips for up to seven days in the past, but I think the distance is having its toll.

I’ve been trying to maintain my audio journal and I have taken a huge number of photos so far. I hope the photos are able to convey the scope of what I have seen, but I have my doubts. It may be that the vistas just have to be experienced in person.

I left Roncesvalles on a misty dark morning. It rained just a little bit today. Mostly cloudy, and a little cool. It was lovely. Shortly I came across Burguete, the town that Hemingway loved so much. I had my first café con leche, and a warm chocolate pastry of some sort. Heaven!

For lunch I stopped in a village and had a bread and cheese roll with an Irishman named Jamie, and a fat dog.

But even though the terrain was wonderful, the day got worse for me as my knees steadily got worse. It isn’t too bad when the trail is level, but any incline makes it hurt a lot. Every step was like slipping a needle into each knee and I started to wonder whether my Camino would end so quickly. Along the way I was encouraged by Morag and Peter as we passed each other along the trail. As well I met Mette (from Denmark) who kindly traveled with me several times and help keep my mind on things other than the pain. I walk slower than Rick with his cane at that point. At the end of a long day moving it took me almost an hour to travel the last 3/4 km to the final destination for the day, Zubiri.

At the Farmacia I was given ibuprofen (900mg three times per day) to use with my codeine. It took away some of the pain and swelling, but not all. I also picked up some ear plugs, but with the pain I didn’t sleep well.

I had a nice supper in a local café where I met two ladies from Norway (for some reason their names escape me), a Danish gentleman named Kim, Anne, and Mo. Anne and Mo are Canadians from Ontario.

I also met two young Canadians. They are spending a year travelling the world and the Camino Is one part of that. The cool aspect is the lady was raised in Winnipeg.

Soundscape – Walking
Soundscape – Distant Bells

Walked with Mette for a fair bit today and we had several wide ranging conversations covering everything under the sun. She introduced me to a German woman named Danny who is carrying a huge pack almost bigger than herself. Wow!

However, I screwed up today and I was not prepared. There was none of the expected stores or cafés along the way and I ended up with nothing but 12 dried apricots and water for the day; everything is closed. Perhaps it is a holiday. Not good. I’m going to have to watch that in the future. I only had a handful of dried apricots to get the 22 km to town. By the time I got to  Pamploma, I was a wreck, and confused. I didn’t get enough food and I slept poorly. Not my greatest moment.

It is almost 5 pm now and I’m famished and a bit light-headed. I even got lost a couple of times on the way here, but the Spanish people are very friendly and helpful. One woman who saw me going the wrong way yelled across a very busy street to get me going the right way. I didn’t even know I was lost at that point.

Still missing Sandy, the kids, and Max…

Long, long day today.

I had no sleep last night as every little movement caused my knees to flare in pain. The left knee is swollen and bluish, the right is just swollen. This morning I gave one of my clay shells to Mette to carry. She liked it when she saw it tied to my walking stick and I was unsure at that point whether I could continue all the way to Santiago. The pain almost got me to pack it all in. However, I called Sandy and she talked me down and propped me up. Onwards to Puente la Reina!

So I walked, painfully, on. During the fourth day the ibuprofen and the codeine were starting to work their magic and my swelling did go down some and the walking became easier.

Somehow I made it to Puente la Reina, much to the surprise of many people. Mette’s jaw latterly dropped. They thought I was going to get a hotel and see a doctor in Pamplona. However, in my state I had been unable to accomplish it.

I can’t believe I made it.

I had an amazing pilgrim’s meal, some good company including Kim, Mette, Anne, Mo, and Rupert. I drank a lot of water as my body rebelled at the thought of drinking the wine. I said hello to Peter and Morag as well. I had not seen them since just outside of Zubiri. They seem to be doing well.

With the help of a variety of drugs and the first decent meal in a couple of days, I slept. Indeed, I slept in. When I woke up, the dormitory almost empty. Whoops!

It was a nice day of walking, my knees were just twinging on the inclines and the birds were singing.

In the first half of the walk I chanced upon Anne and Mo. They were having some problems with over packing. They had a bit more food than they needed. Since I had a relatively light load, I took their food and promised to meet them in Lorca. We had a nice lunch and I had a lovely ice cream while sitting in the shade in front of a very pretty albergue.

In the afternoon I travelled with Kathrina, Johann, and Patrice. They were very nice company and fun to walk with.

Estella is a lovely city and I was set up in the municipal albergue. The albergue is also a sport centre, so I enjoyed nice showers for a change. However, the municipal albergue is on the far edge of town. Which is good for the morning as it gives you a head start on the day. However, I estimate that it is a good 3-4 km back to the town centre. I made this trip several times. First to visit the town centre, then back to the albergue to have dinner, then back to town centre for supper when it turned out that dinner at the albergue was all booked, and then finally back to the albergue to go to bed. All with pained knees of course… Long day, but I slept well.

Soundscape – Walking
Soundscape – Bird
Soundscape – Birds

Off to Los Arcos. A wonderful day! My knees barely bothered me and the weather was grand! On the way I encountered Camino John. John is a retired Englishman who, since he retired eight years ago, spends April to October of each year driving up and down the Camino in his camper offering pilgrims water, coffee, rest, and water. He is an angel!

Made it to Los Arcos, but the town is full. No room at the inn, the Albergue, or the hotel.

I wondered about wondering where I was going to end up when I met a small group of people also looking for a place to stay. One gent stood out of the group as he seemed the most comfortable in the situation as he speaks Spanish. His name is Keith and we followed him about as he talked with locals in the hopes of finding a spot or the local priest in hope of getting some help. In the end Keith found people a place to stay in a garage while I got lucky and was able to share an apartment with some other thanks to Danny who chanced upon the right person at the right time. It is wonderful!

I had a nice dinner with Kim, Mette, Danny, Morag and Peter.

Happy birthday to me. Danny and Mette both wished me a happy birthday and Danny gave me a small pilgrim’s pin which I put on my satchel strap. They were the only two that knew it was my birthday.

Soundscape – Birds

I left Los Arcos in the early morning. It was still dark in the streets and the sky was a wonderful dark blue. As I was walking over the bridge, the bells of the cathedral rang out behind me. It was a wonderful. It was a very nice walk to Torres del Rio. Yea pain killers! The trail was nice and the weather was pleasant.

When I arrived at Torres del Rio I sat at a cafe and tended to my blisters over a cafe con leche and said hello to some fellow travellers that I had been seeing off and on. Once my body was tended to, I donned my pack and set out to look at the Iglesia del Santo Sepulcro. It is a very nice Romanesque church reputedly of templar origin. It is and interesting octagonal shape and nice stone work. My friend Rick is interested in the myths and fables that surround the order so I took many photos for him. I also noted that there is a Templar-themed bar which was unfortunately closed when I walked through.

Along the way to Viana I chanced upon Peter and Morag. We stopped in Viana and had a little lunch and relaxed in a small plaza with a fountain and some tables and benches. Just before we got to Logrono, we passed what I later learned is a Camino institution, the fig stop of Felisia. The site was overseen by a woman called Felisia. She provided figs and took donations. She had her own sello that says “Felisia – Higos-Aqua y Amor” (Figs, water and love.) Felisa has passed on but her daughter Maria now sits at the rickety table outside a little farmhouse. The stamp is still one of the most sought after on the Camino. I didn’t get me credential stamped as I am trying to only stamp overnight stays and cathedrals, but Morag and Peter got stamps.

By the time we arrived at Logroño, there was no room left at the albergue so I luckily got some space with Danny, Mette, and Birgit in a hotel. We sat around for a fair bit just chatting in the hotel and we did a short walk about in the late afternoon. We were surprised the amount of people in the streets in the evening. There were people everywhere, strolling, shopping, signing, etc. They were simply enjoying their city. I wish Winnipeg was like this, but there is not will to better the downtown there.

Soundscape – Bells of the Los Arcos Cathedral
Soundscape – Logroño Street

I had a good, yet hard,  time of it today; 30 km in 6 hours. Not too bad.

I left Logroño at 5:45 this morning. My roommates from last night (Danny, Mette, and Birgit) were a bit surprised by how fast and early I was ready to head out this morning. Love travelling light…

I walked through the lovely downtown streets of Logroño in the early morning dark and I was surprised by the number of people in the streets. They were obviously coming home from a night of partying and were singing, clapping (a group activity in Spain), and talking. Everyone was in their late teens and early twenties. They were no causing any problems and it was all very social. This is apparently normal in Spain on the weekend.

I had a little bit of trouble finding the yellow arrows in the dark, but I finally found myself walking by a protected bird sanctuary. It was very pretty relaxing. Sat down and had a short rest.

I arrived in Navarette and I had a great pastry and orange juice. Life is good and my pace increased.

I met Anne and Mo near the end of the day, but I didn’t stay with them as I was in hustle mode, but Anne said that when we get to town she would check on my blisters. She is my hero.

After arriving in Najera, doing some laundry, and settling in, I called Sandy. Hearing her voice always makes the pain and fatigue disappear. I then met with Anne, Mo, and Kim and we had a few beers in the plaza. We talked about our travels and watched the locals set up for a medieval faire. Good beer, companionship, and nice weather. Yup, life is good.

Later, I had dinner with Morag, Peter, Kim, Anne, and Mo at a local restaurant that specializes in regional dishes.
I am currently relaxing in my bunk for a change, listening to some Gordon Lightfoot. I am in a weird mood. I think as I am currently having a love/hate relationship with the Camino. I miss Sandy and my family and sometimes the Camino feels like nothing more than some trial I have for some unknown reason decided to undertake with seeing my family being the final reward.

Strangely, after spending two nights in a house and a hotel it is so much more relaxing to be in an albergue. I guess it has to do with shared experience with those around you; the pain, the exhilarations, the fears, and the planning. Everyone has a common purpose.

I noted to myself today that there is no such thing as a solo endeavor. Everything you do can be traced to others in some way.

The Camino is not just a physical challenge that leads to betterment of some sort, but it also challenges us emotionally, physiologically, and spiritually.

It may not provide any ready answers, but it does help to frame the questions. As Mette said, it seems to encourage you to look at thinks in a backwards fashion; much like a proofreader who will read a sentence backwards to spot errors.

So, Will it change my life? I don’t know, perhaps is already has. I have met some amazing, wonderful, and strange people though, and from each of these I hope to add a piece to the puzzle.

Conclusions, mostly partial:

• I had to go a long way for something I could say “I did that” about. But I missed what was there right from the beginning, my family and friends.
• I want to learn to Tango
• I really for some reason want to watch Practical Magic with Sandy on a sunny day while drinking Coronas
• I would like to be better at listening to my kids.
• Not all lives are as glamorous and exciting as others, but they all involve people who care for each other
• I’m not as kind and caring as I pretend to be at times
• I love Sandy; even more than I thought was possible.

I wish I could see the lives of my children past my death. I hate not knowing how a story ends. I guess this is why death scares me so much, I just want to know what happens. Well that, and the notion of Hell or just plain nothingness have something to do with it too.

Soundscape – Bells

This morning Anne checked my feet again (she rocks), and I headed out for Santo Domingo de la Calzada (a chicken was resurrected here). The sky was grey the entire day and I had to pack well with all my electronics deep into the pack. I stopped for an OJ and an amazing croissant in Azorfra, and then did a nonstop 15 km walk to the city. At one point the mud became incredible for several kilometres. I mean it was really deep, and thick, and stuck to my shoes like nothing had before. I tried to walk on the grassy edges, but so had everyone in front of me, so they were not much better. It was a bit tough, but fun at the same time.

Good day, 22km in about 4 hours.

When I arrived in Santo Domingo I joined Keith and Kim while we waited for the albergue to open. We stood around and talked about the obvious tourigrinos. They particularly stood out as anyone who walked today would have mud up to at least their ankles.

The albergue is nice and it even comes with three roosters to wake us up. It is considered good luck if you hear one as you leave in the morning.

Anne and Mo found room at the albergue that is run by the local convent; it is just down the street. Anne again had to tend to my feet, but I’m happy to say that my knees seem to have completely healed! Yea! We sat about and drank some wine.

I went out for a walk, and ended up in a small bar looking for some cerveza and food. I was starving. So, I looked at the tapas that were sitting under glass at the bar. I asked for one that seemed to be some kind of fritter. The owner looked at me and stated, “Porco”. Hey, I like pork, and said “Si!” He looked at me again and said “Porco” and rapped his knuckles on the counter. I nodded, “Si”. So I took my food and beer and sat down. I guess I should have seen this coming, or figured it out, but I was tired I guess, so I ended up sitting there with pig’s feet in front of me. Well, I did try them. Not my thing, but the bread and beer were good.

So I went back to finish my laundry and get washed for dinner.

Well, dinner was not a great success. The company was great, but the food and service was okay at best. Of course, this is the same restaurant where earlier in the day I ordered pig’s feet. Should have known…

After dinner we did a walk about, as it was earlier than normal, and I ended up having a few beers with Danny Birgit, and Keith. Lovely time.

Soundscape – Birds
Soundscape – Cafe

Only did another 22 km today, and I took a nice eight hours to do it in. These gave me an opportunity to rest and air my blisters often. It was worth it.

I traveled with Anne and Mo for most of the day and we hit several small villages in a row. This morning I had a wonderful coffee con leche and a boccadillo with cheese in Grañon with them and we looked in on a wonderful small village church. It was amazing. The artisans knew how to build a sense of wonder, and this was just in a small village!

The walk was sunny today and it wound through the green hills and fields on a gravel path.

In Villamayor del Rio, the last little village before Belorado, Moe, Anne, and I sat in the tiny central square, ate fruit, and watched numerous village dogs and cats. We had never seen so many in one place in Spain.

I ended up in a new albergue that seems almost like a resort. There is even a pool. I am not used to this. There is a nice computer lounge and the laundry it all new. The bunk beds are stable and all is good in the world. I had a beer in the afternoon sun with Danny, Mo, and Anne which we followed up with a nice paella dinner that Morag and Peter joined us for. The paella was universally loved.

Then I retired out to the patio to have a drink with Peter and Morag and they described their jobs in more detail. They are both working in climate research, which in my mind is not only a timely field to be in, but a vital one also. They described how they are working on models to track different gasses in the atmosphere, as well as some history and stories about work others have done in climatology; efforts such as tracking down climate information from medieval manuscripts and records and how someone is actually taking regular air samples and sealing them so we have a record we can go back to. Very cool stuff.

Soundscape – Road to Belarado

I’m sitting in Atapuerca in the main kitchen. I was to be in a semi-private area, but I was uncomfortable sharing a room with a woman. I’ve been in a room with several women, but that just meant that there were chaperones, in this case there wouldn’t have been one, so I switched for a bunk with Alex.

The walk today seemed long, which really it was; 30 km. I am doing well enough though. I was walking with Anne, Mo, and Danny. They help me from going off like a fool at high-speed.

We intended to walk to San Juan de Ortega and the last 12 km to get there was flat, boring, and hot. We were very much looking forward to a bed and shower. However, when we arrived, we found that the priest had recently died and the refugio was closed. It is hard to find out that you suddenly have a 30 km day when you are mentally prepared for a 24 km day. Sigh.

I shared some bread and cheese with my walking companions and we drank water and tonica while reviewing our options.

My companions opted for a ride. I opted to walk, just to see how I would do. Danny was able to ensure we would have rooms at the albergue, bless her and her cell phone, and they snagged a ride from a kind Spaniard.

I waved to them and headed on. The next part of the walk was not too bad. It had more shade than earlier in the day and it was very pretty. I noticed that at one point while I was leaving a wooded area that the clouds seem to race away from the tree tops at an unnaturally high speed. I assume it was some sort of optical illusion, but it was very cool.

I found myself at Ages. A very pretty little place, but the albergue was full. Ah well, only 4 km to Atapuerca. I had to stop halfway though as I was close to done.

When I walked into Atapuerca, Mo gave me a cheer and a beer. It started to rain.

In the evening Mo, Anne, Danny, and Alex decided to make dinner and asked me to join them. So we went to the store and picked up supplies. They would  nt let me pay for the food or do anything as they said it was to repay the small kindnesses I’ve done for them along the way. It felt nice.

We had a lovely spaghetti dinner with wine and a fair amount of laughs, and then we sat around while Anne checked us for blisters. Ah, life on the Camino.

Soundscape – Water and Birds

I stayed at: Albergue de Atapuerca

The next morning was mist, and lots of it. Visibility was at times less than 30 feet or so. It was a long, cold, misty, and rainy walk.

After a few hours I came across Peter and Morag. We chatted and strolled together for a bit until my knees started to ache. I slowed down for a few kilometers. I caught a second wind and met up with them again when they were have a rest stop near the top of a hill in the shade of a lone tree.

Our intention was to take the southern route into Burgos as the normal route leads you through 10 kilometres of industrial wasteland. Most guide books recommend avoid it by taking the south trail which is just a few kilometers longer but much nicer, or to take a bus from the outskirts of Burgos from the little bedroom community of Villa Fria. Well, we missed the south turnoff and ended up in Villa Fria. We were not to sure where the bus stop would be but Morag, an astute student of history and European culture surmised that it would be by the cultural centre of town; the church. She was right, it was right across the street from the church.

We found it quite strange to be in a motorized vehicle for the first time in almost two weeks. Fortunately the ride was relatively short and we were deposited near city centre. We found our way to the cathedral with the help of Peter’s GPS phone and we separated as I was looking for the albergue and they were going to try for a 2-star hostel or hotel.

The albergue is not too great. It had started to rain while I waited in line and the albergue itself is humid and wet. Really one of the least comfortable albergues I’ve seen. Everything felt damp, and shortly so did all my clothes and gear. I was going to start running out of dry clothes soon. Oh well. Life on the Camino.

I went to the Burgos city centre with Keith, Alex, and Birgit and we had an amazing supper at Restaurante Meson de los Infantes. It was the best meal I have had on the trip so far. Garlic soup with an egg in it and a roast chicken to die for, the obligatory french fries (they get served with everything here) and then cheese drizzled with honey for desert. Then we rolled to the cathedral. I was gobsmacked! I’ve never seen anything like it! It was immense, ornate, and inspiring. I was amazed by the shear devotion and man-hours that went into the building and the artworks. I even saw El Cid’s tomb.

Keith and I then wandered in the rain searching for bank machines. We were wrapped in the two very thin ponchos I had luckily picked up in Belorado, mine was yellow, and Keith’s was orange. This was followed by a few hours shopping for socks, postcards, fruit, bread, ponchos, stamps, and phone cards. Then Keith took me to the old city of Burgos to have a look around. Keith is a right, good mate. We saw some statues of El Cid and I think a Constable.

We started to head back to the albergue by way of the cathedral and stopped to make calls our Sandy and Alice. While hanging around the pay phone, Ellen found us and noted in her wonderful Dublin accent, that we “Look like ****’in condoms!” I like Ellen.

So we had some wine and beer in a street café with her and Danny (who graciously suggested I call Sandy on her cell phone as my phone card was giving me trouble) and we then paid a visit to Anne and Mo as they were in a hotel not far away. Keith and I had a glass of wine and we exchanged contact information with Ellen, Mo, and Anne ad we were not sure if our paths would merge again. Then back to the albergue, a damp sleeping bag and a sleeping pill.

Left Burgos in the rain. It kept up for most of the day. Fortunately, I had my new poncho.

I walked steady for 9 km to Taradajos. Occasionally, I could see Keith’s yellow slicker in the distance moving quickly and possibly Peter and Morag’s green and red gortex jackets as well as I moved though the rolling hills and valleys. When I got to Taradajos I sat with Peter, Morag, and Birgit just long enough to say hi over a café con leche and a pastry. After they trekked out, I leaned back with my eyes closed and recouped some energy before starting out again myself.

I seemed to pick up a bit of euphoria. I like to think it was the alchemical mixing of coffee and sweet pastry with 10 days of ibuprofen, sleeping pills, and codeine. I felt great and I trudged on at a fairly good clip.

Partly due to my temporary vigor and partly due to the rain which left the paths submerged and muddy;I caught up to Peter and Morag, and trust me, they can move at a good clip. It was a frightful walk the last 6 km to Hontanas. Most people were walking off the track on the elevated side, but it was rocky and treacherous. Peter and Morag had to walk right down the centre in most cases, as it was too difficult for Morag to lead Peter over the rocks. I walked with them for a bit and then decided to move on in hope of getting a room before they were all taken – a very real concern this year it seemed.

When I got to the Hontanos, the private and very nice albergue was already booked. Keith, of course, moved like a demon when he walks and he had already checked in and having a beer. I moved on to the municipal albergue, which turned out to be very nice as well.

I noted a hotel up the hill as I had walked into town so I decided to see if they had any rooms left. It turns out they had one and I reserved it for Peter and Morag. They were having a rough day with all the deep water and mud and were soaked past their knees. They were happy to have a nice place for the night.

I did some laundry and then sat in the café. I had a cerveza and wrote postcards to Sandy and the kids. I spotted Keith and we sat at the counter and had another. It had been a long day.

We sat down with Peter, Morag, Katie, Danny, and Birgit for some wine. Actually, I believe it was two bottles, but there were several of us working the issue. We ended up having dinner at a large table together. It was the usual good food and companionship, and a fine time.

After dinner Keith, Danny, Birgit, and I joined Peter and Morag in their room to discuss strategy for the next day. We decided that with all the traffic on the Camino and limited destination possibilities for the next day, we would be best off booking the next night in advance. So, Keith called a Pensione in Fromista for us all. Then we all went back to our respective albergues to get some sleep.

Soundscape – birds

Michael called to say he had made it to Hontanas. He should be in Leon within six days, and since the terrain is fairly flat here, his old man knees shouldn’t give him trouble. He’s hoping to take a rest day in Leon, and hope he can dry out some clothes – it’s been raining steadily.

My favourite part of this is getting voice mail. First you get a “You have a message, followed by a long set of digits, then a hang up. No “I’m in Blah, and I’m fine, call you in two hours”. I will have words…

Michael called to say there is no internet access until probably Leon. It’s also been “#%@*ing raining for the entire day”. Right now he’s in a small town that was the bread basket of the Western Roman Empire: Fromista. Shin splints are flaring up, and his rest day may have to come sooner than later.

I left Hontanas in the rain. This is becoming so familiar. Slog, slog, slog. Too bad about the rain as it was a lovely walk, but I had to keep the camera packed to protect it.

The walk to Castrojériz followed a road for a good portion, but the trees were pleasant and there wasn’t too much traffic. My legs were quiet painful, and my left shin was really giving me problems today. It has swollen up a fair bit too and I’m afraid that I may have either shin splints or tendonitis.

As I walked down the road I could see Castrojériz slowly grow larger in the distance. It is a stunning building and I cursed again that my camera was in the middle of my pack. I stopped at a café that is right beside Castrojériz and said hi to Keith who was just leaving. I sat with Morag and Peter for some café con leche and bocadillos. We were outside a porch, warming up as best we could with cafés and relaxing. There were a fair number of other pilgrims there and the mood seemed a bit subdued. Too grey for too long I think. I set out again.

Just past Castrojériz, I encountered an old raised Roman road. It had been updated a little on the top to keep things together, but none the less it was a cool feeling to walk along it. It rose a good five feet above the surrounding terrain and you could see the tactical advantage this would give travelling soldiers. It easily outweighed the fact that it made you somewhat obvious. Hard to sneak along a raised road, but then again, I don’t think sneaking was a standard Roman tactic. I could be wrong.

Just past the Roman road section, the Camino raises high and sharp to the meseta above. I had some trouble moving up the incline and had to stop several times along the way. Thankfully, the trail at this point is well covered in gravel. I can’t imagine what it would have been like going up that incline if it were covered in mud. I rested at the top, then began a long walk across somewhat rolling plains. This part of the walk was riddled with pools of rainwater and mud and I found it hard going. I stopped to take some extra codeine.

I stopped in on a café in Itero de la Vega to get out of the rain and to have a café con leche and some food. As I arrived, I bumped into Keith and Danny as they were heading out. We chatted and laughed a bit while I helped them get their raingear on. Then Keith, being the wonderful man that he is, started to dance around his walking stick while singing the classic rain song; Singing in the Rain. We all had a great laugh and several incoming pilgrim replaced their tired frowns with smiles. Well, except for one German pilgrim who just gave Keith a frown and muttered “Not normal” which of course made people laugh even more. Peter and Morag arrived as I was ordering so we joined each other for a meal and to dry out.

Along this part of the path I met an interesting man, whose name I unfortunately remember. He is, if my memory can be trusted, a Dane and, from what I can tell, rather highly placed in the Schweppes company. I told him that Sandy and I love Schweppes and that it is the only brand of tonic and club soda we drink. He seemed pleased and we walked together for an hour or so until I noted that I was holding him back and I suggested he head on without me.
The last part of the day to Fromista was very painful and I could feel it getting worse with each step. Peter and Morag passed me and expressed some concern, but there is little that could be done. I told them I’d meet up to them in Fromista. When I arrived, the last of our little group, I found the pensione we had booked. Keith was drying out in our room, Danny, Birgit, Peter and Morag were doing the same in their respective rooms. I stuffed my boots with newspaper and had a much-needed hot shower followed by more painkillers, followed by cerveza.

Keith, Birgit, Danny and I then went out to visit the famous Fromista cheese museum. It was interesting, if somewhat underwhelming. It did however serve a nice cheese plate and Birgit treated us to a bottle of red wine. Peter and Morag joined us and we relaxed with the wine until we decided it was time to visit the church, Iglesia de San Martin. The church was lovely and the carvings were quiet extraordinary, in my opinion. Later we went out for dinner and had some lovely garlic soup, followed up with a bottle of wine in Keith’s and my room. We discussed our plans for the next day. Morag and Peter were going to do the 37 km stretch, Danny and Birgit the 20, and Keith was undecided and intended to play it by ear. I had to make the difficult choice of moving on by foot or moving my train and resting.

I debated the pros and cons with my walking companions, and I came to the conclusion that I need to give my body a rest for a day or two. I have been in pain since Zubiri and the shin splints (or tendonitis) are getting worse. I barely made the 35 km to Fromista. It was a difficult choice for me.

As Keith said (paraphrased), “You’ve damned well walked over 350 km in pain, take a rest. Are you walking for pride, or for other reasons?”

But as I think on it, one of the many reasons I decided to do the Camino was that I often play things by rote and cautiously. Here I was forced to change a plan (with a certain amount of anxiety), adapt, and move on. In some ways this was part of my Camino, walked or not. I do hope that it will not have to be repeated though as I really have the hankering for a good walk already.

I was beating myself up a fair bit about it, but it seems the best solution is to take the train to Sahagun, rest a day while waiting for my walking group to catch up, and then try walking again. It means I miss about 50 km of the entire walk, but really that isn’t much. Cross your fingers for me.

So that is that. My train leaves at 8:00am and I should be back on the road in a few days.

Morning:

Well, it is morning in Fromista and I’m not walking today.

I left the pensione early in order to catch the train. Seeing people start the trail this morning while I was stuck taking the train bothered me a fair bit. I know I’m doing the right thing, but it is still hard watching them walk away.
I expected the train at about 7:00, but it seems to be Sunday (who knew?) so the train will not be coming until about 11:00. So, I’m sitting in a café having café con leche and tortilla. There are a few other pilgrims about. They are the late starters who seem to be wise enough to sleep in and start a bit later. More power to them; wish I could do that! Nevertheless, somewhere between 5:00 and 6:00 my eyes pop open.

So the plan is to take a train to Palencia and then transfer to a train to Sahagun. The others should arrive in Sahagun sometime tomorrow.

Afternoon:

The Fromista train station is actually quite pretty. I got there early and noticed three or four other injured pilgrims. As well, I saw a group of tourigrinos. They were easy to spot as their packs and equipment were spotless and they had two tour guides with them. I hope that these people don’t stay in the albergues. No walking (or cycling), no albergue.

Palencia is a pretty city and the train station is right beside a lovely park that I had the pleasure of walking through. I then sat in the train station café and had some tonica and a bocadillo. The tonic was fine, but the sandwich couldn’t hold a candle to the ones you get in the small towns. It came from some vending company somewhere else in the city, wrapped in plastic. Oh well. I caught my next train and was off to Sahagun.

When I got here, I looked for a hostel or hotel. I lucked out and found the Alfonso VI. I went in to ask about rates for two nights, and was originally quoted 35 euros per night, but he looked at my limp and my pack and changed it to 30 euros. People are really nice to pilgrims here. The owner and his wife seem to run the place on the their own. They have cheap internet available, so I was able to exchange a fair number of e-mails with Sandy today. That improved my mood a lot.

After a rest I walked about the town and did some shopping for supper and tomorrow’s breakfast. Sahagun is a lovely little town with a lot of character and some very beautiful buildings. I walked down some older streets looking for the medical clinic (which was closed – so I have to go early tomorrow) and found some cool graffiti. I went to the café that is on the corner just down from the hostal and had a beer and some snacks. Now I’m off to rub on some ibuprofen gel, pop some pills, and go to bed.

Last night was somewhat strange. Late night Spanish television is bizarre, especially if you don’t speak Spanish. It is filled with call-in money games and bad adventure movies with women in tank tops, and a more than fair share of how-to-speak-English programming. However, and although it may have been the painkillers, watching an English animation movie about two Spaniards dubbed into Spanish just seemed somewhat surreal. There I was in the middle of the night watching Road to El Dorado on Spanish TV.

Early this morning I finally dragged myself in to see a doctor. Nice guy and with some pantomime we were able to communicate. He proscribed another huge dose of ibuprofen (600 mg 3 times per day for 3 days) and three days of rest. I´m working on my second day (if you include the light day of travelling by train to Sahagun). So, I should be able to walk either tomorrow or the day after that.

I am going to have to take a train or bus to get to the point (most likely Leon) in order to get to Santiago on time, but I’ve come to terms with that. Sometimes I wonder why I just didn’t do the official Camino from Sarria to Santiago. It is only about 120 km, but no, Michael has to do things the hard way and try for the 950 km or so route. Go figure.

After visiting the doctor, I stopped in at the corner café for some breakfast and down time. Then I did some shopping, cleaned my gear up a bit, and then lazed around the centre of town until almost noon. There was a nice little bench right beside the municipal albergue. I lay there and watched the incredibly blue sky while listening to some songs on my headphones, most memorably What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong. It truly was a glorious day with a lovely sun and a calming little breeze. I lay there for quite some time watching the swallows swoop through the sky; flying in and out of their nests that lay within the corrugated tile roof of the alburge.

Finally I decided that I need to move again and I walked up to look at the bullring and to lounge by the train overpass until I decided that a mid-afternoon cerveza was in order. On to the corner café. I wish I could remember what it was called. It was on the corner of Calle de Antonio Nicolás and Av de la Constitutión, but the name escapes me.

While sitting there I spotted Mette! After a big hug, I walked her down to the Alfonso so she could get a room there as well. I then moved back to the café again while she settled in and rested. While sitting there I spotted Keith and soon after Birgit. So we sat for a nice cerveza in the sun. We were joined later my Mette and a German lady named Sarah. Finally, Peter and Morag passed by and joined us and talk turned to dinner.

We wandered a bit looking for a place and found one that advertised paella. We should have known something was wrong when the waiter pointed out that most of the menu was not available; no paellas left, just some of the pizzas, and certain pasta dishes. He even told us now many he had left of each; after he checked the big drugstore style ice cream freezer with the sliding top. Yup, all the food there was microwave dinners. We even had to send one back – I think it was Sarah’s – as it wasn’t fully defrosted, much less heated. The wine was bad too.

We went for a walk about to banish the memory of the meal and see the sights. We ended up at the café for a nightcap. Finally, off to bed and meds.

I have just finished up spending two nights in Sahagun. I´m travelling by train this morning to El Burgo Ranero (a ten-minute train ride) where I will overnight , then I´m on to Leon to spend two nights. This will give me four rest days, which is one more than suggested. But I want to be sure of my legs and it will sync me up with my travelling companions.

Although most days are spent walking at your own pace, groups tend to form of people with similar walking schedules who will tour the towns, cafes, and restaurants together. The groups shift around at times as not everyone is always on the same schedule, but they often sync back in three to four days. I´m in a good group.

I often travel with:

• Anne: A Canadian angel! She is a nurse and is always help people with their ailments. My feet thanks her!
• Birgit: A German woman who is unfortunately leaving to go home in the next few days but she will finish the Camino in the fall. She is filled with life and she has an infectious smile.
• Danny: A German woman who works in food marketing. Danny is full of humour and one of the most determined people I’ve met.
• Keith: A retired Scot who sings in the rain and is our main Spanish interpreter. Good man to share travels, beer, coffee, and walks int he rain with.
• Mette: A Dane who I met the second day out. Like so many of us, she is looking for answers and supplying some (to me) at the same time.
• Mo: A Canadian proferssor! She has a sharp mind, quick smile, and can keep a long conversation going. Useful when walking, and walking, and walking for hours at a time.
• Morag: An Australian climate researcher who is Peter´s wife and guide. An inspiring woman, she is a minister, a researcher, an excellent conversationalist and has the warmest “hello” on the Camino.
• Peter: An Australian climate researcher who happens to be blind. Charming, and so very, very funny.

Well, I made it easily to El Burgo Ranero. The rail system in Spain is wonderfully on time and cheap. However, the town turned out to be over a kilometre from the train station. I was worried that it would undo some the healing I accomplished in Sahagun. But there was nothing for it, so off I went. The town itself was a little less than I had hoped for. It didn’t feel like a place I’d want to spend a rest day, so I started looking around for any sign of a bus station that might get me to Mansilla de las Mulas which I read was a very nice place to stay. I ended up in front of the albergue, which was closed. I peeked in the window and noticed someone cleaning up, so I tapped on the door hoping for get some info. The door opened to reveal a young Spaniard with a thick beard and a broom in his hands. I asked about the bus to Mansilla, and he smiled and pointed behind me. While standing there at the door the bus had pulled into El Burgo behind me. I grinned back and said “Gracias!” and ran to the bus.

I got to Mansilla de las Mulas in good time as the bus system in Spain is every bit as good as the rail system. The bus itself was very clean, air conditioned, and the driver had chosen a decent radio station to filter through the sound system. I noticed that most radio stations in Spain seem to play a lot of North American music, not just the modern pop hits either, some good back catalog pops up. Don McLean’s American Pie on a bus in Spain, nice.

When I arrived in Mansilla, a little old lady decided that I needed help in finding the city centre and hostel. She was very kind and could not speak a work in English, this did not stop her and she kept up a monologue most of the way, stopping only to genuflect when we passed a church. I followed her for almost an hour while she happily chatted in Spanish. I did not want to be rude and just trudge off, but she had gotten me to the city centre and I knew I wouldn’t have a problem finding an albergure or hostel, but she was determined to see me to shelter. Finally I we came across a local that conveyed my thanks and that I would be fine now. So she smiled and led one last time to the plaza and wished me well with a hug. I love the people in Spain.

I checked out one of the hostels along Calle de los Mesones, but I had heard of a nice, if a little pricy one on Calle de La Conception. So I went in search. I am so glad I found it! It is called the Alberguería del Camino. It is a charming little place with a café/bar on the main floor, a courtyard in back, very nice sitting/gaming/reading room upstairs and beautiful rooms. I’m very happy that I found such a nice place. After showering and settling in, I went downstairs for a cerveza and the best cheese bocadillo I have ever had; the bread was fresh and crusty and it has at least three types of cheese including a very pleasant Camembert. It was so very good!

I then went out for a little walk to check out the open air market. It had everything from clothes to watches to rugs to baked chicken. It was a nice little diversion and I found I had to really reign in my temptation to spend my euros. Afterward, during siesta I was window shopping for a store to buy some food supplies for the next day. A local saw me and said, “Hey peregrino!” then pointed at the closed shop I was looking at and stated “No, no – mucho dinero!” and then he directed me to the local Dios that not only was open but was decidedly less expensive.

While heading back with my small cache of chorizo, bread, oranges, and chocolate I saw Keith, Birgit, and Katie sitting in the central plaza! I was especially surprised to see Keith as he was supposed to have stopped at a town a quite a bit before Mansilla. However, he had found himself past that town rather unexpectedly and decided to head on rather than backtrack. Lucky for me as he is always good company. We were all quite happy to see each other again and decide to have dinner together. We decided that based upon my lunchtime bocadillo, we would try the dinner at my hostel.

While waiting for dinner, Keith and I sat in the hostel’s lounge and talked about our travels so far, our families, and thoughts on the Camino. It was a nice downtime and Keith shared some great stories about how he met his wife, Alice.

At dinner, we all opted for the rather simple but very flavourful fried eggs. Yum! We chatted a little with another pilgrim sitting at the next table who was walking the Camino solo, and at a nice slow pace. It gave him a lot of time to explore the areas around the towns he is staying in. It would be tempting to do that in the future at some point, take perhaps 6 weeks to walk from St. Jean to Santiago. Finally, the food and wine started to hit us and after dessert we went our separate ways.

Tomorrow they walk to Leon and I will take my last bus of the walk to Leon. Keith and I have a pensione pre-booked for two nights. Peter, Morag, and Danny are also booked somewhere in Leon for a two nights.

The Camino does what the Camino does. As I was waiting for the bus to take me to León this morning, in walked Peter and Morag. Morag´s ankle is starting to get inflamed so they decided it would be best to bus the last bit of the walk to León and to take a rest day. I provided her with some of my Ibuprofen 600s and we climbed onto the bus and chatted a bit and relaxed.

We hit León in fairly short order and we gathered our gear and set off to cross the river. The river in León is a lovely area with green space on both side and what looks like hydro electric stations along it. We passed a small plaza and set about looking for a café to have some food and drink. We found a lovely little cafe and we each had two cafe con leche and tortilla. It was a very nice meal and the conversation and the company were great. We discussed both faith and politics and I’m sure we were there for at least an hour. Afterwards, we continued our walk to the Cathedral and set off to find our respective beds.

Keith and I have booked a double room in a pensione. It is worn, somewhat clean, and cheap. All good. The big plus to the room is it overlooks the Plaza Mayor and you can see the top of the León Cathedral in a few blocks over. I arrived before Keith, but I spotted him walking across the plaza towards us while I was sitting on the balcony. Later, Keith pointed out that I put far too much faith in that balcony, which is most likely true. However, it was so nice to sit on this tiny balcony in the shade of the pensione watching the market below me.

Keith and I set off to explore a bit and to find someplace to backup my photos onto a disk. We toured the maze that is the side-streets in León and almost got lost once or twice. Along the way we found a nice little sporting goods shop. Keith picked up a very nice poncho that has an expandable hump for his pack and I picked up a pack cover.. We found a nice little bookshop that sold pen and paper, an British newspaper, a cool female pirate statue in front of a novelty shop (photo op!), a camera store near the river that transferred by photos, and on the way back to the pensione we hit upon a nice little neighborhood bar that had very good lomo bocadillos, so we ate. Back at the pensione we sat about reading and writing postcards. I also wrote a letter to Sandy and package the CD to be sent home.

We went off to post the stuff and met with Birgit. Off we went sightseeing with Birgit. We hit the old walls and followed them about and back toward the cathedral.

Then at 7:00 we met with Peter and Morag, Birgit, Katie, and Ellen (from Sweden?). During dinner I decided to exchange my pack cover for a poncho like Keith’s. Fortunately the restaurant was right beside the sporting goods shop. It was a nice dinner, and said our farewells to Birgit, Ellen, and Katie as they would head off in the morning.

Soundscape – León Open Air Market

It was a cool morning with grey clouds and some light drizzles that made the cobblestone streets slick. Keith and I started with breakfast in a nice café by the Cathedral. We sat in the warmth of the  café by the window and watched the Leónese move about town in the morning light. The café con leche was marvelous and the croissants a little bit of heaven. We sat and chatted a while. A pleasant morning indeed…

As we sat there, four postal workers came in pulling their mail trolleys behind them. They stood by the bar and ordered cafes and a shot of some sort to warm up. This isn’t that uncommon in Spain from what I can see – I’ve even saw a police officer have a beer on his lunch break in one town. You would never see that in Canada, well, not without a huge uproar. But here, in Spain, it doesn’t seem to be an issue. People tend to drink very responsibly here. They may have one drink or perhaps two, but then go on with their day.

Eventually, Keith and I left the café and headed out in search of a bank machine. We quickly found our little pots of gold and then headed back to the pensione to rest up and to finish up some correspondence before lunch.

Danny was expected to reach León at midday, and Keith and I had arranged to meet her, Peter, and Morag by the Cathedral at noon. There were greetings and hugs all around. We all went to visit the Cathedral, and I have to say it was an amazing experience. It is magnificent. While the Burgos cathedral was a stunning experience, the León cathedral somehow seemed more… well, grounded. The Burgos Cathedral has a bit of a touristy feel to it that the León does not seem to have. I loved the Burgos Cathedral, but I felt something more here.  It was a deeply emotional experience, but perhaps too overwhelming. I still haven’t processed all that I saw and felt.

Afterward, we headed out in the rain to see the León parador. Along the way we found a lovely calligraphy shop. The gentleman who runs it – Antonio Suarez Gordon – was very nice and he produced beautiful work. I chatted with him for a few moments and offered up some vellum samples for Sandy, as well as his card and picture. Sandy would love this place!

We were a bit tired by the time we hit the plaza where the parador is, so we sat by a statue of a pilgrim for a few minutes and took some photos. Then we dropped into the parador itself to have a look around. Nice! I have high hopes now for the parador Sandy and I are going to in Jaen.

One the way back to the city centre, we separated with plans to meet again for dinner. Keith, Danny and I met Mette. We all stopped for some bocadillos, cerveza, and infusion de menta in the bar that Keith had discovered yesterday. I talked with Mette and caught up on her travels, and then we parted until supper.

Finally more rest, and then packing and preparing for tomorrow’s walking. I am so looking forward to walking again. My mind and body seem to need the walk. I’ll see how far I can go, I won’t push it.

For dinner we visited the same place as last night. It is a nice, little place with decent food and nice wine. There were a lot of us tonight, and a good three quarters of us were German. The mood was bright and once we filled our bellies, we streamed out into the shiny, wet León streets in search of our beds.

Soundscape – Bells of Leon

I did 29 km today. My ankle swelled up a bit a but I found that if I changed my stride a bit the pain diminished quite a bit. I left León a bit before Keith. But he, of course, passed me at some point. I must have been sitting having a café con leche or orange juice at the time.

I met up with Morag and Peter at Villadangos del Páramo. They were leaving as I arrived, but I found Danny and a German named Anne. I chatted with them while I had a quick fresh squeezed orange juice. They walked ahead and I very shortly had to rest at the side of the road to eat my packed lunch.

I met up with Peter and Morag a second time at San Martin del Camino, had a Pepsi with them and met Pixel II. Morag was a in a bit of pain and they both seemed tired today. I met up with them a third time as we entered Hospital de Orbigo. As we walked to town we saw cloth hanging from lines between the buildings and we debated whether the hangings we saw where banners or laundry. It turns out that they were banners for an upcoming festival. We ended up in the German albergue. It is very beautiful here and the hospitaler is quite nice too. He was talking to some people about how he felt that something needs to be done about the tourigrinos that do not walk or bike. Apparently he is working with other hospitalers to institute a black list of tourigrinos.

Keith is here too, but he took the taxi to find a dentist. While he was gone it started to rain. I took his socks from the line and I put them on his pack. When he got back, without any aid for his tooth, he thought someone had stole them. Morag told him the good news that I had saved them from the rain.

I went shopping at a little store near the start of town. I then walked down to the bridge and the tournament field. We will miss the yearly festival celebrating Don Suer de Quiniones. In 1434, Don Suero de Quiniones, pledged his love to a woman who, regrettably did not reciprocate. He fastened an iron collar around his neck as a sign that he was bound to her. He vowed that it would not be removed it until he had defeated 300 challengers on the bridge. Knights poured in from all over Europe and all that summer. He met and defeated them on the bridge of Orbigo. Once he had met his challenge, he made his pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. It looks like an exciting festival, complete with jousting. Too bad I can’t wait for it.

Keith and I were able to switch our rooms over to the front room that Morag and Peter are in. This will let us coordinate ourselves better in the morning. After that , the four of us went out to dinner. I had an amazing trout soup. As Peter said, it the best kind of soup, one that you can use a fork to move to one side of the plate. It is several large cubes of bread, sitting in a lovely broth, and a cross-slice of trout on top. The waiter should us how to use our forks to flick out the ribs with a swoop and similarly slip off the skin,. You then mash the fish into the bread and stir. It was heavenly. I followed that up with a equally good baked, whole trout. The wine was nice too. We walked back to the albergue, quite full and content.

I thought a lot about Sandy today. I think often of how just as I am leaving in the morning she is just going to sleep and how as I go to sleep, she is just leaving work. I look up at the night sky and she sees a blue sunny sky. Strange.

Soundscape – Birds

I had a decent sleep last night. However, when I went to the bathroom this morning I forgot to take my satchel with me. Someone took the opportunity to steal 50 euros, my photos, and some papers from me. Bastard. I didn’t even notice until I was just past San Juan de la Vega.

The day started well though. Keith, Peter, Morag, and I left together and had a nice walk to Villares de Orbigo. We separated as we walked and predictably Keith arrived first. In Villares de Orbigo we had a couple of café con leches and pastries. While sitting there we met Michelle. She is a South African who was doing the Camino at a fairly fast pace. She is very fit and seems to be keeping a high pace. We chatted about the life and in particular the state of South Africa. She did not seem hopeful. She was specifically concerned that basic infrastructure is slowly deteriorating. She had recently accepted an job in Europe and she expected not to return to South Africa anytime soon.

I walked by myself for a while with little or no pain. It was wonderful. The countryside was beautiful and the sun shone warm while a nice breeze kept it from getting too warm. I came upon a lovely pilgrim’s monument set up by some artistic local. I turned left there and came upon a lovely little valley amongst the rolling hills. There was a tiny bench sitting along the path in the centre of the valley. I unburdened my pack, sat down, pulled off my shoes and socks, and started on some chocolate as I sat with the sun on my face and the loveliest wind slipping over me. It was heaven. Shortly, Peter and Morag came by and joined me. It was nice to share such a beautiful spot and the chocolate.

We walked together up to San Justo de la Vega where we had a café con leche together. I then walked ahead to met Keith at the Bishop’s Palace. It was there that I noticed the missing money, photo, and papers.

In Astorga I hunted down a bank to get some more funds and then I joined my fellow pilgrims for some lunch and drinks. I checked out the palace and found it interesting, but not too strange. I was surprised as the Bishop thought it somewhat outlandish and refused to move in. There are three lovely angles overlooking the front of the palace that I thought were particularly nice. On our way out of the town we chanced upon a little church that isn’t mentioned in any of our guide books. Which is too bad, it has amazing mosaics depicting the Camino! Very nice work, but it doesn’t seem to get noticed.

I arrived in Murais de Rechivaldo a little after Keith. It is a nice small town and the albergue is on the far end of town right beside a long expanse of the meseta. I got my spot, did some laundry, had a shower, bandaged my feet, and then sat in the courtyard in the sun with Peter and Morag and a round of cerveza. It was actually a bit cool, but the company was good and the albergue itself was very atmospheric. Keith and I made a short trip to the local bar so he could call Alice. I kept time for him on the phone’s meter and enjoyed a tonica which he chatted with Alice. We eventually trotted back to the albergue to met up with Peter and Morag for supper. We walked over to a small local restaurant for a decent enough meal. We were in the dining room all by ourselves with the locals all in the adjoining lounge area. We sat down and the first thing the staff did was turn on the TV for us. We politely asked that he turn it off again. Finally, it was off to the albergue to some rest.

Soundscape -  More Birds

Had breakfast in the albergue, which was nice enough with plenty of toast and preserves, but the cafe con leche was barely average. Ah well.

I left Murais de Rechivaldo in the rain with Keith, Peter, and Morag.

Shortly after we left we caught up with Danny and Alice. I was feeling very good and I think I needed some time alone so I put on some speed and walked ahead. The rain was very nice in fact and the mist and rainfall hid the mountains in front of me. I stopped for a cafe con leche in Santa Catalina de Somoza. Keith, Peter and Morag decided to keep going so I enjoyed a little bit of decompression. I think the theft was still bothering me. I know I was missing the photo of Sandy, Kieran, Aleksander and Max. Near the end of my coffee Alex showed up and we shared the table for a while, enjoying the dry warm cafe. I then moved on and walked alone until I came to El Ganso where I caught up to Keith, Peter and Morag in a cowboy bar. It was a strange open-sided place, but the empanadas de atún was very good, as was the cafe con leche.

I walked with Keith for the rest of day. We met up with Danny, Peter, and Morag several times during the day as our paces ebbed and flowed along the trail. We had a light lunch in a cafe in Rabanal del Camino. Keith had himself a very large lunch as he noted that he seemed to be losing weight, and he is slender to start with.

We finally approached Foncebedon and we ended up in the worst of the three albergues in town. It looked okay at first but it had strange showers (with a toilet in it), it was always cold and yet humid, and the owner seemed a bit off. Danny luckily ended up in one of the Red Albergues and it was lovely, warm and inviting. Lucky Danny!

Foncebedon is a strange little town. Hardly anyone lives there anymore other than people supporting pilgrims, and many of them apparently do not live in Foncebedon itself. The whole place has a a feeling of abandonment. Alex, Keith and I went strolling through the tiny town and ended up at the old church that is the third albergue in town which is run by nuns and volunteers. One was kind enough to give us a tour of the tiny church.

Later we joined Peter and Morag for some wine in our albergue. The wine was not very good at all. Peter was kind enough to lend me the use of his cell phone and I gave Sandy a quick call. Every one kindly took a moment to say hello to her. Later we went out to stand by the highway overlying the valley and relaxed before supper. There is a courageous dog who insisted in sitting in the middle of the little highway, forcing traffic around it.

For dinner itself, I joined Keith, Alex, Peter, and Morag at La Taberna de Gaia. Danny joined us to sit and provide us with some extra company, but she didn’t dine as she had already eaten in her albergue. Too bad, as it was by far the best meal I had on the Camino so far! It is a medieval themed restaurant run by a family (father, mother, and daughter). Once through the front door you step down several steps into the dining room and sit in a wonderful warm room filled with handcrafted items. The food was simply wonderful.

We started with a vegetable soup that was rich and thick with zucchini, onions, walnuts, squash, and several things I couldn’t place. I had the best venison (with thick slices of ginger) I have ever tasted, served on a magnificent bed of saffron rice. The restaurant has a truly amazing food and atmosphere. Tea was an infusion of locally harvested herbs that was warming and very pleasing and was served with slices of chocolate. This easily made up for the albergue.

Soundscape – Cafe

Soundscape – Walking in the Rain