The spirit was willing but our flesh was weak. What was apparently food poisoning with Wendy turns out to be a flu bug affecting both of us. We decided rather than sit out another day and wait for our stomachs to improve, we would take a cab over the mountain. This morning we drove from Villafranca to Triacastela, a distance of 39kilometers. The views along the way were pleasant, but somehow it felt better knowing we did not have to try and make it over the mountain and down again.
Our taxi driver was part tour guide, providing information about the towns we passed through and stopping so we could take pictures. We entered into Galicia proper today and the weather is cooler and overcast, a nice change from scorching heat. The Galician accents and vocabulary are also different, so we don´t always understand it the first time we hear it.
We are now settled into an alburgue in Triacastela and have about 139 kilomters left to Santiago. There is little in this town of 900 inhabitants that is worh seeing. We have noticed quite a few pilgrims who walking wounded and have taxied or bused here.
We are hopeful that we will both feel well enough tomorrow to resume our travels.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Friday, June 4, 2010
One Can Never Start Walking Too Early?!%$
The alburgue was awash with zippers zipping and plastic bags rustling at 5 a.m. this morning. People were obviously anxious to either make it to the top of the mountain at O Cebreiro, some 30 kilometers away from Villafranca. Still others were planning to make it to the town before the hill.
There is an intensity to the pilgrims that was not evident when we began our walk in mid-May. Everyone is clearly tired, stressed by the heat, and injuries to legs and feet are appearing more commonly. This makes people more intense and cranky. There are fewer alburgues (and therefore fewer beds) to accomodate all those who are on the road. We are fortunate to have the option of private hotels or hostels, so we can escape the almost frenetic push being made daily for the next, best alburgue.
The locals continue to comment about the heat in every town and village we pass through. We are starting to hear Galician which is roughly the same as patois is French. It is still recognizable as Spanish (but just).
We walked 15 kilomters today to position ourselves for the push up the mountain to O Cebreiro tomorrow. This will officially take us into the region of Galicia.
There is an intensity to the pilgrims that was not evident when we began our walk in mid-May. Everyone is clearly tired, stressed by the heat, and injuries to legs and feet are appearing more commonly. This makes people more intense and cranky. There are fewer alburgues (and therefore fewer beds) to accomodate all those who are on the road. We are fortunate to have the option of private hotels or hostels, so we can escape the almost frenetic push being made daily for the next, best alburgue.
The locals continue to comment about the heat in every town and village we pass through. We are starting to hear Galician which is roughly the same as patois is French. It is still recognizable as Spanish (but just).
We walked 15 kilomters today to position ourselves for the push up the mountain to O Cebreiro tomorrow. This will officially take us into the region of Galicia.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Unexpected Break in Our Walking Schedule
We took two days off in Ponferrada: one for both of us to get a rest and a second day for Wendy with what seemed to be food poisoning. She spent a quiet day at the hotel watching Spanish television while I did a little food shopping and went for a few cafe con leches. Wendy is doing much better today and was able to walk.
We chuckled at some of the big news items on Spanish television. One item that received big coverage was the story that broke the news that people were not going to the beaches or the local fairs because the temperature was in excess of 35 degrees Celsius. A follow up to this big news item was a cloud of mosquitoes that had bitten people in Mallorca. Several people were interviewed showing as many as three mosquito bites on their arms and legs. One of the interesting aspects of Spanish news is that the commentator tells the story quite quickly and then the reporter interview at least five eyewitnesses to give their perspectives. One does not need too much Spanish to realize the perspectives are often dully similar!
We headed back out on the road today and walked 26 kilometers to Villefranca. We got started before 7 a.m. which was good. By noon, it must have been in the high 20s and it was hottttt! We took an alternative route for the last six kilometers which was, as always, scenic but tougher walking with many climbs and descents.Both of us had sore tired feet by the time we rolled into town. We had a great lunch at a modern restaurant that seemed almost out of place with this town of about 3,300 people.
As of now, we have walked a little over 300 kilometers with another 186 kilometers to Santiago. We are now aiming to be in Santiago on June 13th, a day later than we originally scheduled.
We chuckled at some of the big news items on Spanish television. One item that received big coverage was the story that broke the news that people were not going to the beaches or the local fairs because the temperature was in excess of 35 degrees Celsius. A follow up to this big news item was a cloud of mosquitoes that had bitten people in Mallorca. Several people were interviewed showing as many as three mosquito bites on their arms and legs. One of the interesting aspects of Spanish news is that the commentator tells the story quite quickly and then the reporter interview at least five eyewitnesses to give their perspectives. One does not need too much Spanish to realize the perspectives are often dully similar!
We headed back out on the road today and walked 26 kilometers to Villefranca. We got started before 7 a.m. which was good. By noon, it must have been in the high 20s and it was hottttt! We took an alternative route for the last six kilometers which was, as always, scenic but tougher walking with many climbs and descents.Both of us had sore tired feet by the time we rolled into town. We had a great lunch at a modern restaurant that seemed almost out of place with this town of about 3,300 people.
As of now, we have walked a little over 300 kilometers with another 186 kilometers to Santiago. We are now aiming to be in Santiago on June 13th, a day later than we originally scheduled.
Monday, May 31, 2010
An Easy day...Until the Temperature Soared
Everyone was commenting on how great it was to be going downhill on a short day of 17kilometers. That opinion changed as we walked for 8 kilometers in 30 degrees Celsius. Needless to say the beer vending machine is doing a booming business!
We are in Ponteferrada now. Several pilgrims thought it would be nice to have a break from the 180 bed alburgue and stay at a private alburgue or hotel. Hah! As they so often say, there was no room at the inn. We are now staying with 178 of our new closest friends at the municipal alburgue. Actually it is quite nice. It has a garden, a fountain, and a beautiful view of the snowcapped mountains. In some ways, it feels to both of us like staying at a conference hotel where everyone is attending the same conference.
We are spending tomorrow at Ponteferrada to explore the Knights´Templars castle and the local art gallery. So far, we have covered 270.5 kilomters on the Camino. We have 211 kilomters to go until Santiago. Today over a drink or two with an Australian acquaintance, we all admitted freely that we will never do the Camino again. Once, as they say, is enough.
Jim and our English walking friend Sue had their maladies looked at today by a medico here at the alburgue. He was not too impressed with Jim´s blisters and gave him only a mecuricrom swab and bandage. Sue got the full meal deal, including a compression stocking.
One of the wonderful moments today was coming down a kilomters long pass to arrive at a fruit stand with fresh cherries. We gobbled them down!
We are in Ponteferrada now. Several pilgrims thought it would be nice to have a break from the 180 bed alburgue and stay at a private alburgue or hotel. Hah! As they so often say, there was no room at the inn. We are now staying with 178 of our new closest friends at the municipal alburgue. Actually it is quite nice. It has a garden, a fountain, and a beautiful view of the snowcapped mountains. In some ways, it feels to both of us like staying at a conference hotel where everyone is attending the same conference.
We are spending tomorrow at Ponteferrada to explore the Knights´Templars castle and the local art gallery. So far, we have covered 270.5 kilomters on the Camino. We have 211 kilomters to go until Santiago. Today over a drink or two with an Australian acquaintance, we all admitted freely that we will never do the Camino again. Once, as they say, is enough.
Jim and our English walking friend Sue had their maladies looked at today by a medico here at the alburgue. He was not too impressed with Jim´s blisters and gave him only a mecuricrom swab and bandage. Sue got the full meal deal, including a compression stocking.
One of the wonderful moments today was coming down a kilomters long pass to arrive at a fruit stand with fresh cherries. We gobbled them down!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Up and down, down and up, then down
Today was a series of hills that took us up into the mountains, then down, then up again. Beautiful views of mountains and hillsides along the way. Finished up with a loooong downhill that will continue for another 17 kilometres tomorrow.
At the end, we shared the trail with motocross and quad riders. It was surreal after so many days of walkers and bicylists!
We stopped today at a small and primitive alburgue in the valley. It had no running water but the staff were very friendly and provided free fruit, cookies and coffee. They also had the friendliest cats and dogs we have encountered in Spain. Most animals tend to be pretty skittish, reflecting the poor treatment they receive. These animals were just like our own. One cat cuddled up to Wendy and stayed there for 15 minutes, purring loudly.
We have hit the half way point of our time on the Camino. Like others, we sometimes find ourselves saying ¨What the hell are we doing out here?¨ However, after slogging along one arrives in a town, gets a bed, has a beer, gets showered, and eats. After that, a good sleep, one finds him/herself back on the trail and doing it all again for another day.
At our alburgue today is a Korean man who is walking the Camino for the third time. He did it last year and returned this year with his wife. The alburgue volunteer had actually walked some of the Camino with him last year, so both were pleased to renew acquaitances.
Wendy climbed her first mountain today ever and is very pleased she survived! Tomorrow we move on to Ponferrada, a city of 63,000 people. We may take a day off since we will have walked almost 110 kilometers in 5 days.
At the end, we shared the trail with motocross and quad riders. It was surreal after so many days of walkers and bicylists!
We stopped today at a small and primitive alburgue in the valley. It had no running water but the staff were very friendly and provided free fruit, cookies and coffee. They also had the friendliest cats and dogs we have encountered in Spain. Most animals tend to be pretty skittish, reflecting the poor treatment they receive. These animals were just like our own. One cat cuddled up to Wendy and stayed there for 15 minutes, purring loudly.
We have hit the half way point of our time on the Camino. Like others, we sometimes find ourselves saying ¨What the hell are we doing out here?¨ However, after slogging along one arrives in a town, gets a bed, has a beer, gets showered, and eats. After that, a good sleep, one finds him/herself back on the trail and doing it all again for another day.
At our alburgue today is a Korean man who is walking the Camino for the third time. He did it last year and returned this year with his wife. The alburgue volunteer had actually walked some of the Camino with him last year, so both were pleased to renew acquaitances.
Wendy climbed her first mountain today ever and is very pleased she survived! Tomorrow we move on to Ponferrada, a city of 63,000 people. We may take a day off since we will have walked almost 110 kilometers in 5 days.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Making Our Way into the Mountains
We left the meseta behind and began to climb into the mountains today. Over the course of 21 kilometers we gained several hundred meters in altitude. We arrived at Rabanal de Camino, a town of 50 inhabitants (but three alburgues!)high in the hills of the Cordillera area of Northern Spain.
We have noticed that the density of pilgrim traffic has picked up since Leon. Early in our travels, we could walk along the Camino for quite a while and only see the odd one of two pilgrims up ahead or behind. Now, when one looks ahead there are groups of 6 to 8 pilgrims as well as an equal number behind. However, in the early stages of the Camino, a number of people were only walking for a week or two. They would finish at any number of points and return home. Now, everyone on the trail is bound for Santiago. This means the coffee bars are more crowded in the mornings and the alburgues fill up sooner in the late afternoon.
Yesterday we passed a village where one of the inhabitants (a man who walked the Camino to Santiago)has set up a tray of cookies and other treats for pilgrims. We actually got to thank him for his generosity personally as he happened to be standing outside when we walked by. Such acts are not uncommon. We are commonly greeted by Spaniards who wish us a ¨Buen camino!¨
We have noticed that the density of pilgrim traffic has picked up since Leon. Early in our travels, we could walk along the Camino for quite a while and only see the odd one of two pilgrims up ahead or behind. Now, when one looks ahead there are groups of 6 to 8 pilgrims as well as an equal number behind. However, in the early stages of the Camino, a number of people were only walking for a week or two. They would finish at any number of points and return home. Now, everyone on the trail is bound for Santiago. This means the coffee bars are more crowded in the mornings and the alburgues fill up sooner in the late afternoon.
Yesterday we passed a village where one of the inhabitants (a man who walked the Camino to Santiago)has set up a tray of cookies and other treats for pilgrims. We actually got to thank him for his generosity personally as he happened to be standing outside when we walked by. Such acts are not uncommon. We are commonly greeted by Spaniards who wish us a ¨Buen camino!¨
Friday, May 28, 2010
How Time Flies!
We were shocked to realize that it has been four days since we last updated the blog. We enjoyed three days off from the Camino: two in Burgos and one in Leon. The time off really helped us get over the worst of our colds. We are both feeling more energetic and coughing a lot less.
Some of our highlights of the time in Burgos included touring the cathedral and taking in a pretty good museum. We also encountered the only vegetarian restaurant we have seen in Spain so far. Wendy was in heaven!
We travelled by bus the 180 kilometers or so from Burgos to Leon. We walked around the city centre a bit and saw the exterior of Leon´s cathedral. Pretty impressive, but not as grand as the one in Burgos.
As always, it is people we encounter along the way that are of greatest interest. Here are a few vignettes:
Overheard on the Burgos to Leon bus from one women: "I just lost in one hour the two people I had been travelling with for the last two weeks."
A Dutch man from near Rotterdam who began walking in early March and, when he reaches Santiago on June 10th will have walked 2,600 kilometers. His wife is joining him for the last 100 kilomters into Santiago.
A mother and adult daughter from the Czech Republic who are travelling together on the Camino. Mom pushes her daughter in her wheelchair about 15 kilometers each day.
We had a delightful dinner with them yesterday in a tiny town called St. Martin of the Camino. The daughter is a translator and speaks excellent English. She effortlessly translated between English and Czech when needed.
Tonight we are in Astorga, having travelled about 50 kilometers in the past two days since Leon. This part of the camino is very dry, the Spanish call it the meseta. Leon to Astorga is the last remnant of the meseta before we head into the mountainous Cordillera area, starting tomorrow.
During the past two days, we have had the option of travelling one of two different routes on the Camino. The original Camino route travels parallel and usually just a few metres from the main highway. The purists take this route because it is the original Camino route. It is also somewhat more direct. The second option is the more scenic route that winds its way through rolling hills. We have experienced both routes. We found the route tracking the highway to be ok with relatively light traffic noise. The scenic route had rolling hills that made it more demanding while offering less scenery than we might have hoped.
We are hoping to see a Gaudi designed church here in Astorga, if we can stir ourselves to keep moving. Not always easy after a day out on the Camino!
Some of our highlights of the time in Burgos included touring the cathedral and taking in a pretty good museum. We also encountered the only vegetarian restaurant we have seen in Spain so far. Wendy was in heaven!
We travelled by bus the 180 kilometers or so from Burgos to Leon. We walked around the city centre a bit and saw the exterior of Leon´s cathedral. Pretty impressive, but not as grand as the one in Burgos.
As always, it is people we encounter along the way that are of greatest interest. Here are a few vignettes:
Overheard on the Burgos to Leon bus from one women: "I just lost in one hour the two people I had been travelling with for the last two weeks."
A Dutch man from near Rotterdam who began walking in early March and, when he reaches Santiago on June 10th will have walked 2,600 kilometers. His wife is joining him for the last 100 kilomters into Santiago.
A mother and adult daughter from the Czech Republic who are travelling together on the Camino. Mom pushes her daughter in her wheelchair about 15 kilometers each day.
We had a delightful dinner with them yesterday in a tiny town called St. Martin of the Camino. The daughter is a translator and speaks excellent English. She effortlessly translated between English and Czech when needed.
Tonight we are in Astorga, having travelled about 50 kilometers in the past two days since Leon. This part of the camino is very dry, the Spanish call it the meseta. Leon to Astorga is the last remnant of the meseta before we head into the mountainous Cordillera area, starting tomorrow.
During the past two days, we have had the option of travelling one of two different routes on the Camino. The original Camino route travels parallel and usually just a few metres from the main highway. The purists take this route because it is the original Camino route. It is also somewhat more direct. The second option is the more scenic route that winds its way through rolling hills. We have experienced both routes. We found the route tracking the highway to be ok with relatively light traffic noise. The scenic route had rolling hills that made it more demanding while offering less scenery than we might have hoped.
We are hoping to see a Gaudi designed church here in Astorga, if we can stir ourselves to keep moving. Not always easy after a day out on the Camino!
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