The End of the Earth

Tuesday was spent eating a leisurely breakfast, chatting with people who were leaving, taking a bag of washing to a laundry shop, and then wandering around Santiago.  We went into the cathedral and hugged the statue of Santiago, or St. James, and went down into the small crypt to see the reliquary where his bones are supposed to be.  We also did some souvenir shopping and general relaxing. 

However, on Wednesday we were up early to finish the Camino.  This time we went by bus.  It takes 3 or 4 days to walk from Santiago to Fisterra, time that we just didn't have, so we caught the bus at 9 am, and let the driver take us.  It is not a direct route, and took just over 2 hours to get to Fisterra.  From there, it is another 3 km walk out to the lighthouse and the 0.00 km way marker.  Without backpacks it is much easier to cover such a distance in a short period of time, even wearing flip flops.

I really understand why the Romans called it Finis Terra, or the end of the earthy, because it is a isthmus jutting out into the sea, and then there is just ocean.  It is really beautiful.  Of course,vase then had to walk back, and a further almost kilometer to the beach, but it was worth it.  We got bocadillos, and then spent the afternoon on a fabulous, white sand beach, with the boys swimming in the Atlantic, amongst fish.  I paddled in the cool water.  It was a great way to spent the afternoon.

 Sadly, we then had to get the bus back to Santiago, but the journey was worth it.  I am now really tired, and getting ready to leave Santiago.  I will have some thoughts on the trip to post, and more pictures later, but for now I will sign this off with some news  I got while walking.  I have been wanting to get a place for the London marathon for a while, and before we left, I applied of a bond place with a charity, as the ballot had closed before I could apply.  While walking, I heard that I have been awarded a place.  I will have more details later,  but it was a great wish, that has now been granted.  Serendipity, karma, higher power, call it what you want, it is yet another good thing that has happened on this journey, which has been amazing.

At the end of the earth, km marker 0.00, and the boys in the sea.

Rooms with a rooftop view

So , there we were in Santiago, end of the walk, but with a major flaw in the plan. We had no where to stay.  For the past almost 5 weeks, we had stayed in Albergues, or Pilgrim Hostels, which are set up on the Camino for pilgrim walkers with the Pilgrim Credential for one night stays, unless you are ill or injured. We had arrived in Santiago with no place to stay, and no real idea of what we were going to do.  Fortunately, Annette suggested the Hospedaje San Martino Pinario, which is a huge building next to the cathedral and we had walked past it on our way down to the main square in front of the cathedral.  It was a huge seminary, but now part of it is set up as a hotel and pilgrim hostel.  

After the Pilgrim Mass, and making arrangements to all meet up later of a celebratory meal, the boys and I strapped on our backpacks and went back up the stairs we had walked down 2 hours earlier, and turned left in to the Hospedaje.  There were 3 pilgrim beds at 23 euros each for 3 nights, and that included breakfast.  We took them and were then handed individual keys.  This was strange. We were used to sharing a dormitory, or at least a hotel room.  We were each given a key to individual rooms on the top floor of the building, and each room had its own individual shower/toilet room.  No matter how basic the room, to have a room to ourselves, with own toilet and washing facilities, after weeks of sharing, waiting for others to shower etc, or listening to snoring, an individual room is luxury.  We washed quickly, as we were hungry, and went out to find lunch, knowing that we could sleep later, without being disturbed.  We also had a view of the rooftops of Santiago.

We walked up to a small square and ordered drinks.  They came with a rather cool tapa - a fried egg, chips and a piece of bread.  I could have had another drink with tapa for my meal, but we had ordered bocadillos, so made our drinks last.  After lunch, we went back to the Hospedaje and took a siesta in the privacy of our own individual rooms.  

After a refreshing sleep, we went down to the Pilgrim Office with our stamped Credentials and got our Compostelas, or Certificates of Completion.  In order to get a Compostela, you have to have walked at least 100 km or cycled 200 km of the route, the Credential is stamped at every albergue you stay in, and also most bars on the Camino have a stamp, and this is proof that you have done the walking.  It also makes a great souvenir!

We then went  back to the main square in front of the cathedral and sat.  We met other walkers there and congratulated them, and then met Annette, Rune, Mark, Michelle, Laura and a couple of others and went for a celebratory meal.

However, there is still more to tell, and more pictures to share, as we still have 3 days in Santiago ...

Basic room and the view, interesting tapa and the celebratory meal of roast lamb and saffron potatoes with red pepper.

,

Santiago or bust!

We were up at dark o'clock, and out of the albergue just after 6pm, which was still before sunrise, but we were not the first ones out of the albergue.  We walked quickly, through the woods, using the knuckle lights to light the way. We were closely followed by someone without a torch/flashlight, and at one point were asked by another group which way we had to go.  The knuckle lights were great, and it was cool, and a little eerie walking through the woods so early in the morning.   None of the bars on Pedrouzo had been open, so we were very glad to come through a tunnel/underpass and find a cafe open after about 3.5 km  of walking (which had only taken us 45 minutes!).  We dropped the backpacks outside and went in, going through a cafeteria line and getting breakfast.  As we paid, we saw Mark, Michelle and Laura just about finding their breakfast and heading out again.

 We sat outside eating breakfast as the sun began to rise, and then we were on our way again.  It was as if something was impelling Jonathan along the track.  He was going like a train - none of his usual complaining that I was speeding up on the levels or descents.  He was determined to reach Santiago for the Pilgrim Mass, and nothing was going to stop him.  Because of this, we made great time, and were walking at between a 4.5 - 5km pace, the fasted we had done all trip.  At the next cafe en route, we stopped for Nico to got to the bathroom and get a cup of coffee.  Mark, Michelle and Laura were sitting there.  Nico went to the loo, and Jonathan went in to order some coffee.  He was totally ignored by the wait-staff, much to his annoyance, and after 2 other people had been served before him, he came out rather disgruntled.  There was a water fountain outside, so we just refilled our water bottles and walked on, joining Mark, Michelle and Laura. 

Jonathan was still going like a train, and we actually left Mark and Laura a little way behind us, but Michelle was in conversation with me and the boys, and so we kept going, deciding that at Monte de Gozo, we would have a bit of a longer break, while they caught up.  There is a pilgrim monument at Monte de Gozo and a huge municipal albergue and sports and leisure complex.  We took a couple of photos, had a coffee, rested and then walked. This time the boys talked with Mark and Michelle and I went a little ahead, and very soon we entered the outskirts of Santiago.  We were still following the yellow way markers, and moving fairly quickly.  We stopped for a brief comfort break at a bar and also bought a bottle of water, a donut and some crisps, and then we were off again.  

Suddenly we were walking down the side of the cathedral and into the square in front of the cathedral. It was only just past 11 am.  We had covered just over 20 km in 5 hours, and had had 4 breaks during that time, although 2 of them had been short.  I couldn't believe it.  There we were, in the main square outside the cathedral - 800 kilometers/500 miles of walking were over.  We had arrived.  We all congratulated each other, took pictures, said hello to other walkers we had seen on the way, and just stood in awe at the cathedral and our achievement.

After a while we went in to the cathedral and found seats for the mass.  It was at very moving experience, especially when, at the end, the big incense burner, the botafumeiro was lit and then swung. 

We may have arrived at Santiago, but the story is not complete yet.

Santiago cathedral, outside the cathedral, Jonathan and then Nico on the floor, inside the cathedral.

The penultimate day of walking

We had to be up early the following morning, to find a bar open to have breakfast.  We had finished the jam the day before, and I didn't want to buy another one just for one day.  There was a bar right on the Camino that was serving coffee and toast, which was what we wanted.  We had al slept slightly better, and so were moving slightly better than the day before, however, we were still on the slow side.  Five weeks of walking was catching up with us.  

We arrived at the first village after less than an hour, it was 3.5 km, and it was too soon after first breakfast for second breakfast.  I checked the guidebook, which suggested that in 1.7 km there was a village with 2 cafe/bars, so we waved at the Danish people who were having coffee there and walked on.  This proved not to be the best  decision, because one bar in the next village was shut and up for sale, and the other didn't seem to exist.  Rather than go of the Camino, we checked the book, and decided to walk on to the next village, Salceda, in the hope of finding something there.  We began to sow down, and so the Danish people, Annette and Rune, caught up with us, as we were admiring a beautiful garden, with huge fuchsia bushes.  Nico and I stopped to take a photo, they did as well, but their pace was much faster than ours, and they were soon ahead of us.  

We joined them at the first cafe in Salceda, where I got a piece of tuna empanada for second breakfast, as I needed the protein.  The boys were soon drooling over it, even though they had their napolitanas.  I gave them a small piece, and they then decided that they wanted a piece each of the meat empanada for later, so Jonathan went back and bought 2 pieces "para llevar".  

With those tucked away in a back pack, we started on our way and made it to the next village in another hour, where I needed and urgent comfort stop.  I ran inside with Jonathan in my wake, and told him to get me a beer and him and Nico something.  The facilities were through a very pretty, peaceful, shaded garden area,  but the boys stayed out in the front right on the main road.  We met up with Annette and Rune again, although they were about to finish and move on, as they were planning to reach  Santiago that day.  We only went on another 4 km or so, to Arco do Pino Pedrouzo, although we didn't check the guide, and made the walk about 1km longer than we needed to, by continuing on the Camino, instead of turning off into the town.  It turned out to be a good thing, because the first hostel we came to was air-conditioned, cool, small and friendly.  We were among the first to arrive, so we got pretty good beds, and I showered and lay down.  I was soon fast asleep, and only vaguely remember Nico doing my washing, and the boys taking their empanadas for lunch. I slept for about 2 1/2 hours, which was just what I needed. 

 The boys also rested, and then a little while later, we went out to look for somewhere to have dinner.  As we arrived at the first bar, we met Mark and Michelle and an Australian girl called Laura who we're having a drink there.  They invited us to join them, which we did, and after a while we all went to a restaurant for dinner.  It was a lovely meal with great conversation.  So,dhow during the meal, the boys decided that getting up early and getting to Santiago for the midday mass would be a good idea, as they heard that the big incense bowl was going to be used.  With that in mind, we headed back to the albergue for as early a night as we could get, knowing that we had 20 km ahead of us the following morning.  Just to add to this entry, the desserts were superb, a chocolate mousse cake and something called tarta de oruja, which is a bit like a cheese cake, that melted in the mouth and were finished before I could get a photos to share!

 

From Palas do Rei to Arzua

Another night of interrupted sleep, and we were all really slow in the morning.  We tried to be up and out early, but we didn't manage to leave until 7:20, which is decidedly late for walking the Camino, especially with the impending heat. However, we weren't the last to leave.  Someone was still sleeping, although how, I don't know, with the noise of about 10 other people packing up.  On the other hand, I have slept through people leaving early, and by early I mean by 5am, which is still dark o'clock to me.

Anyway, we set out, having had breakfast, and walked through misty fields and woodland, for about 8.5km until we came to a suitable stop for second breakfast.  This consisted of bread and jam for the boys and a cake for me, no photos, because it was still misty and chilly and threatening to rain, and I got cold!

We walked on, over a really cool bridge, and Nico and I did the "none shall pass" pose, which, of course, is on the other camera, past a monument to some Camino de Santiago group, which is right by an industrial estate, and into Melide.  Melide is a bit of urban sprawl to start with and then the town gets interesting.  By now it was time for elevenses, and we stopped at a pulperia, or octopus bar.  Galicia is famous for its "pulpo gallego" and now was the time to try it.  We went in and order a small plate of pulpo, and a plate of tortilla espanola and drinks.  I pulled the iPad out to take a couple of pictures, and before I was able to put it back, the boys had practically finished the pulpo.  It was delicious, and well worth the stop.

We made our way through the busy streets of Melide, to the Romanesque church of Santa Maria, where we passed our pilgrim Credentiales up to have them stamped, and then down yet another hill, and back into shaded forest paths. 

By now it was getting very hot, and we were all dragging.  We walked through a place called Boente, but didn't see anywhere for lunch so continued on to Castaneda, and stopped at the first cafe we came to. It was almost 2pm, about 3 hours since elevenses, no wonder we were dragging.  Jonathan and I ordered cheese bocadillos and Nico had Serrano ham.  The cheese was the local product and it was incredible - creamy, rich, full of flavor, but not overpowering, it took me 40 minutes to eat it, it was so good.   Revived by a great lunch, we walked quickly down to Ribadiso, where we were planning to stop.  However, the boys out-voted me, and we decided to continue on to Arzua, because we weren't

Impressed with the look of either of the albergues.

The hill up from Ribadiso was almost the end of me.  It was incredibly steep and long in the full heat of the day.  However, I am glad that we did it then, and not the following morning. We were also walking alongside the road for this section, and it seemed to go on forever.  Jonathan had picked out an albergue which looked good in the photo of the guide book, but really was rather dark and felt oppressive to me.  It was right as we arrived in Arzua, and I felt that as we had come this far, we may as well continue on into the town centre.  I am glad that we did.  We got to the municipal albergue, which was full, and the next one we tried was also full, but the lady suggested one just off the Camino, round the corner, called the Via Lactea.  At 12 euros each it is the most expensive albergue we have stayed in, but it was so worth it.  It was cool, and I was given a bunk in the corner, away from the light.    The kitchen was really well equipped, and the boys decided they would cook, especially as there were at least 2 packets of pasta that had been left by others to use by those following.  After showering and getting the dirty clothes handed over to be washed in the washing machine, we went out to find a supermarket.

As we were walking up, we met Margaret and Mathilde, who were also heading for the supermarket.  Margaret insisted that we join them for a drink after shopping, so we walked back to the main square, as it was between both albergues.  In the supermarket, we bought freshly made meatballs at the meat counter, and an onion, courgette and red pepper to go with the pasta.  

As we we sitting having our drinks, a small band walked through, playing traditional music.  It is the start of the celebration of the patron saint of Arzua, and we happened to be there.  It was fun.  We sat and chatted, but then had to get back to cook.  On the way back to our albergue, we stopped in the cake shop and bought something for dessert.

Back at the albergue, the washing was done and Jonathan hung it up while Nico and I chopped everything quickly, and got dinner going. The meatballs were delicious, and the pasta with the vegetables was good as well.

As Jonathan got ready for bed he realised that he had left his water bottle on the table at the bar where we had had our drink with Margaret and Mathilde.  I was so tired that I told him to solve it for himself, so he put his shorts on and went back to see if it was there.  I waited by the door of the albergue, and he soon returned with it.  He had gone to the bar, explained in Spanish what had happened, and the barman reached down and got it for him.  They had kept it behind the bar, in case he came back.  I was really proud of him for doing that.  He had used his Spanish very successfully, and because the bar was so close I felt he could do it.

We then settled down to sleep, knowing that we needed at early start in the morning.

More woodland paths, eating pulpo, and sitting in the square having a drink.

Misty morning blues

Neither Nico nor I slept well last night, and getting up was difficult.  This is the first morning I have not wanted to walk.   It was very misty and humid and I felt out of sorts.  We had breakfast in the albergue, which served breakfast as well, so I got a cup of coffee,  but that didn't do much for me either.   We left the albergue and followed the road, along with all the other pilgrims, down and over the river, and then a steep climb up through the woods.  The humidity was like a warm blanket enveloping us, and I just didn't want to walk.

 We climbed on up and then walked by the side of the road.  It was so misty that we couldn't see any of the views, and the sun took a long time to break through and burn off the mist.  It was a good 7km before the first cafe/bar ,and it was crowded.  Nico was also not feeling good, but we persuaded him to walk on another km to the next bar, which we did.  He ate a banana and some sports beans to keep going.  At the next bar was a group of cyclists who had passed us on an uphill section, and we had cheered them on.  I was dragging by now, and they returned the compliment.  They were a funny group, who then entertained us with a dance.  

We had coffee and colacao, sitting at at table with another couple of Irish people, who moved on sooner than we did.  With a little more coffee in me and Nico, we started out again, and just kept walking.  We filled our water bottles with cold, cold water from the fountain about 2.5 km down the road, and walked on.  We decided to stop at the next village for a drink and something to eat, but it turned out to be a water stop only.  I had to take my boots off, because I had got little pebbles in them that were really uncomfortable, and I felt my feet shudder when I had to put them back on.  

 Fortunately, the next village was less than a km down the road, and there we saw Andrew, sitting with the 2 Irish guys we had met earlier, so we joined them for a drink.  There was no tortilla, but a rather nice looking cake, so Nico and Jonathan shared a piece, while I had a beer.  We sat and talked and the conversation was very interesting.  We could have sat and continued, but all of us knew that there was still almost 8km to go before Palas do Rei, and we had to make tracks.

I was walking on muscle memory, because my mind was elsewhere.  I didn't want to walk, I just wanted to get finished, I didn't really enjoy the scenery, it was getting to hot, and I just wanted to be done.  As a result, I have not taken any pictures so far today.

Eventually, we arrived at the outskirts of Palas do Rei, and walked past the large municipal albergue, down a track and into the town itself.  We very quickly came to the albergue that Jonathan had picked out, went in and it was a bar.  However the upper floors have been converted into dormitories, and so we registered, were shown our beds, set out our sleeping bags and went downstairs for a well-earned lunch of bocadillos.  It is still very hot, and even after a shower, we are still a little uncomfortable.  

We went through our afternoon routine of showering,washing out clothes and resting, before going to the supermarket to buy food to cook.  Back in the albergue we found that although there were lots of utensils, there were no knives, so Jonathan and I went down to the bar to ask to borrow some.  I had to go back down again for a lighter, because there was also no way to light the gas stove.  The barman/hospitalero seems to be amused by all of this, and told Jonathan that a good pilgrim always carries a knife, a fork and a spoon with him. It is only in Galicia that we have been faced with this problem.  The municipal albergues have kitchens, but no utensils at all, and now even the private albergues expect us to have a knife.  From here on in to Santiago many of the albergues don't even have kitchens, so the boys' adventures in cooking might be over for a while.

We ate supper and then went down to the bar of a drink.  I had a beer and the boys had colacao.  It was a nice way to end what had been a difficult day.

The bar/albergue in Palas do Rei

A walk through the woods to Portomarin

We were up at 6am, gathering our things and getting out of the albergue.  The other dormitory was already empty, and the group of young Spanish people in our room were also up at 6, so we were able to turn the light on and see what we were doing.   There was no breakfast, so the boys shared the one carton of apple juice and the jam sandwich and I had most of the apple that we had.  

It was barely light when we set off walking in the heavy mist.  It was quite eerie.  We could barely see the other pilgrims on the way.  After almost 2km we came to a cafe,which looked closed, but Jonathan went over and fund that it was open. We went inside and had coffee and colacao, and something to eat.  By now the sun was trying to break through the mist, but still not succeeding, so it was a little humid.   The Way led us along country paths and across streams and through farmyards (not always sweet-smelling) and gradually the sun burnt off all of the mist and the temperature rose.

There are more walkers now, because many people start in Sarria, but it is still very friendly.  We passed a trio from Gloucestershire a couple of times, as we took breaks, and  also the funny Italian again.  We made good progress, stopping for photos and a light second breakfast, and reached our destination of Portomarin well before lunchtime.  We stopped at a large albergue, and the boys got a good feeling.  I had to go to a bank,so Jonathan and I left Nico with the backpacks and walked further into the town.  We soon found a bank, and out of curiosity, walked up to the Xunta albergue.  The line was long and I got a bad feeling about it.  We walked backdown, and I was able to register us.  We set up our beds and headed back up to the town of lunch.  By now it was getting hot, and we watched many other pilgrims arrive.  The boys had their usual bocadillos, but I was not hungry, so ordered a racion of croquetas, they were homemade, tuna ,and delicious.  

As we were sitting eating lunch, Mark and Michelle walked by. We told them where we were staying, and they decided to register there as well.  We finished our lunch and walked back to the albergue, and mark was already asleep!  We had got the ingredients to cook for dinner, and invited Mark and Michelle to join us.  After a short nap, we began to prepare dinner, rice, with red pepper, onion, courgette, chorizo and salami.  It turned out really well. The albergue was very big, the kitchen well equipped, and as they had a small bar, we were able to have a beer with dinner.  We all st chatting for a while, and then Jonathan went to bed, and Mark and Michelle, Nico and I went up to the church for mass and the Pilgrim blessing.

As Nico and I were walking back to the albergue, we saw Mathilde and her grandmother, Margaret, who we had first met in Foncebadon, and seen several times since, having a quiet drink, and stopped to say hello. After a couple of minutes, we sat down and joined them.  It was very pleasant to be sat outside, sharing experiences on the Camino.

 

After a while, it was time to get going.  We arrived back at the albergue, when Jonathan was fast asleep.  We went to bed, hoping to sleep well, because there were so few people, and the room was air-conditioned.  However, there was a really loud snorer, and there was too much light from the front office, and both Nico and I slept badly.  Jonathan, on the other hand, had a really good night's sleep.

Early morning mist, rolling hills like middle earth, albergue beds, evening meal and the view of the reservoir at Portomarin from the albergue

Triacastela to Sarria and beyond

After the problem with not getting breakfast yesterday, we bought milk and bread, and eat before we left the albergue.  It was just before 7am when we set out, and the weather was cool and slightly misty.   There was a choice to make, go via San Xil or visit the monastery in Samos.  We chose San Xil, and the climb, which is shorter, but hillier, but we took our time and it was really pleasant.  We walkedpast a little chapel and then followed the path up through woods and farmland.  It was like walking through middle-earth.  Again the scenery was beautiful.  We were really enjoying the walk, it was not too hot, and there was still some mist around, and before we knew it, we had covered the almost 10 km to Furela, where there was a small cafe/bar, called Casa do Franco.  It was packed!

We stopped for second breakfast, colacao for the boys, coffee for me and some tortilla espanola for all of us, and was we took oUr drinks out, we saw Mark and Michelle sitting there ,so we joined them. With the scenery and the second breakfast ,we joked that we really were turning into hobbits.  The toilet was another interesting experience.  The toilet roll dispenser was outside the stalls, so you had to get it before you went in, and the lights were on an automatic timer, which was also outside the stall.  That was quite an adventure in itself!

However, soon it was time to move on, and we strapped on the backpacks and started walking again. Gradually, the mist evaporated, and thanks to a little disagreement between Jonathan and me, we made good time to Sarria.  It's amazing how fast I can walk with a backpack on when I am annoyed.  We arrived in Sarria by lunchtime, and stopped in the. Church to get our credentails stamped.  Then we walked up and found somewhere for lunch.  The first place we stopped at was weird, there was no one behind the bar to serve us and I felt uncomfortable waiting, so we went a little further up the road, and found somewhere else.  We ordered our sandwiches and looked at the guide book.  There were several albergues in town, but it was still early and the next village was only 4km further on.  We decided to continue, as there was a municipal albergue with a kitchen, according to the book.

We finished lunch and set off again.  We walked out of Sarria, past the convent, over the footbridge, alongside the rail track,  under the motorway, and into the wood, and then up a steep incline.  Fortunately the trees meant that it was very shaded, but it was strenuous, nonetheless. We climbed for about 2km, and gradually the incline lessened, and then we came out into open farmland.  It had become hot, and we were glad that we could see  buildings not too far away.  Barbadelo is a strange village, there are 4 albergues, a shop for pilgrim things, a church, and a restaurant, but no shop for food stuff.  The municipal albergue is cheap, and there were 3 beds left, which we took, but no where to shop for the things we needed for dinner, and although there was a kitchen, there were no kitchen internships at all, so even if we had been a le to buy food, we would not have been able to cook.  The Hospitalera recommended the restaurant  the hill, and really we had no other choice.

We followed our usual routine of showering, washing clothes and resting, and then we waited for the priest to arrive to open the church.  We visited the church, which is from the 12the century, and then went up the hill to eat.  The food was wonderful, lentil soup or a mixed salad, and then the bus had home,add met alls, and I had a beef stew.  Dessert was a chocolate mousse cake, or a special cheesecake, and plenty of wine and water to drink, all for 10 euros each.  With full bellies we walked back down the hill and had an early night.

The mist in the valley, the walk through "middle earth" and Jonathan's sleeping companion!

To the top, more climbing, and then a difficult descent

We set out really early this morning to get up to O'Cebreiro before the sun rose.  It was difficult, especially after little slept, but sweet were actually on the road/path by 6am!  We stopped at the fountain and filled our bottles with really cold water, and walked on up the road, missing entirely the path marker for the scenic route.  I looked down and saw the path, but actually we cut a little off the walk, and in the dark it was probably safer to walk on the road rathe than a narrow path up the side of a mountain.  We got to a crossroads at the top and turned away from the sun, and soon came to where the path joined the road at O'Cebreiro.  We had each eaten a banana, and thought that because o'Cebreiro is a bought village with several albergues, that there would be somewhere open for breakfast.  Sadly there wasn't, so we walked on, stopping to take pictures of the views over the valley.  It was beautiful with the sunrise.

We walked on to the next village, and that was closed as well, so we had to carry on.  There were more steep inclines ahead and we needed breakfast.  Fortunately, in the next village, the Meson was open.  It was packed, because by now it was 8am and we had walked just over 8km!  We had coffee and colacao,and toast, in which was lovely, and watched day 3 of the San Fermines, or running of the bulls in Pamplona on the television.  Jonathan still thinks that he wants to do this!

W walked on, enjoying the views, and then suddenly, there was a really steep climb up to the Alto do Poio.  I was really glad that I had taken my inhaler this morning.  It was hot and difficult, almost vertical at one point, but the view was breath-taking.

 From here it was more or less downhill into Triacastela.  We stopped in Fonfria for a quick drink and comfort brak, and then I refilled my water bottle in Biduedo.  At Filloval we stopped again for a drink and a quick snack, before the final descent to Triacastela.  Jonathan was running out of gas, and had not been drinking enough water through the morning, the early start, not enough food and water and the descent were too much for him, and when we arrived at Triacastela he was exhausted.  W made it into the albergue in town, a private one, slightly more expensive, but quiet, and he almost collapsed.  We got checked in, given beds, and he literally went straight to sleep.  Nico and I went to the. At next door for lunch,  and brought him back a Serrano ham sandwich.  He was suffering slightly from heat exhaustion, and needed sleep.  He was hungry when he woke up, and ate the sandwich and drank a lot of water.  He began to feel better.  Serrano ham is quite salty, so that helped replace some electrolytes.

After I had had a nap, we went and found a supermarket and cooked dinner, a sort of risotto with onion,  red pepper, courgette (zucchini), chorizo and salchicon.  It was rather tasty, and the boys are getting better at cooking.  After dinner Jonathan showered and went to bed.  He is still a little tired, but much, much better, and has drunk a lot of water.

Tomorrow is a much shorter day, only 18km, and we have bought food for breakfast, to have before we leave, we are leaving later, so more sleep, and we will stop more frequently for drink and food breaks.  I must remember that a 15 year old boy needs much more food than I do!

I am now up to date, we are in Triacastela, and only have one week more of walking.  It is a bitter-sweet feeling, but now I am going to bed,  and may just use a spare pair of earplugs tonight!

The cafe/bar that was shut, Nico attacks his bocadillo of bacon and cheese, sunrise over the mountains.

Climbing mountains again!

We started out early the next morning, and decided to take the alternative route that follows the road through the valley, given that that was a heat advisory in place.  Nico had had a very good night's sleep and was full of energy, but Jonathan and I were lagging a little.  We started out by 6:30, in the cool, crisp morning, with a light breeze making walking very pleasant.  We had had breakfast in the albergue, which was a lovely place and made good progress.  We stopped a couple of times along the way for coffee and comfort breaks, passing and repairing other pilgrims who were doing the same, and  wishing each other "Buen Camino".  

This part of Spain is still Castilla y Leon province, but the villages are now looking more and more Galician, and the road signs have been spray painted with the Galician names.

Gradually we began to climb, and a Herrerias, we stopped to buy bocadillos to go, as we knew we needed food, and were about to start the ascent to O'Cebreiro, a 700 meter ascent over 8km.  The first part is uphill, on the road, and then on to shady path that lulls you into a false sense of security, as it is gently undulating for the first part.  Then we rounded a corner and the steep climb began.  Having averaged just over 4km per hour, we slowed dramatically, although the path was mostly shaded and cool. We reached the tiny hamlet of La Faba, after 3km, and stopped for a cool drink.  We than had a decision to make.  There was an albergue 2.5kms further up, or O'Cebreiro, 5kms up and it was beginning to get hot.  We decided to try to call ahead to find out if there were beds available in Laguna la Castilla, and if we could reserve 3.  If not, we would have to make it all them way to O'Cebreiro.  The kind lady in the bar called for me, and got through on the second attempt.   They had 3 beds.  We decided to book them and wait for the morning to finish the climb.  I am vey glad we did, because the next 2.5 km were very steep, and more in the sun.  Also, during the time we had stopped for our col drink, it had got appreciably hotter.  

We reached the hamlet of Laguna individually, with me sending the boys ahead, much to the amusement of the bar/albergue people and an Irish couple I had met the day before in the albergue in Villafranca.   I finally arrived, and got us booked in.  There is by little on Laguna la Castilla except the albergue/bar/restaurant, and a few farm houses.  We went up to the room, which had 8 beds in it, but not inks, mu ch to the boys' delight, and showered, washed out clothes, rested a while and went and had a drink and a snack.  There really was nothing to do, so we rested some more, and then went down to have a little walk and a drink before dinner.  We st outside in the shade, and chatted with the Irish couple, Mark and Michelle for a while, and as we chatted a herd of cows was shepherded down the road by some dogs, and followed by a rather magnificent bull.  Unfortunately, by the time I had to the iPad out, they were gone.

We had the menu meal, which was delicious, and after a little more chat with Mark and Michelle, went to bed.  Not all the beds in the room were taken, there was an Italian couple, the man being a rugby fan who knew the parents of Lawrence D'Allaglio.  Unfortunately for me, he and the other man in the room snored, as Nico put it, like a wildebeest.  The boys both have earplugs, so they slept fairly well. I do not, so I was rather this this morning at 5:15 when the alarm went off and we got an extra early start. 

The room in the albergue, the boys outside the albergue, cows going down the hill, and a view across the valley.

Ponferrada to Villafranca del Bierzo in the heat

One thing I forgot to say yesterday about Ponferrada is that the albergue is divided into small rooms of 4 beds, and we ended up sharing with Andrew, the man who I had walked with on the way in.  While I was hunting down a new quick dry towel, he had found a bedbug in the room, so when I got back, one of the hospitaleros explained what had happened.  They use an all-natural spray to kill the little critters, and so had sprayed everything in the room, sleeping bags, clothes that were out, backpacks, the whole kit and kaboodle.  As none of us has been bitten so far, I am hoping that we were not carrying them, but apparently they can be a problem.  I have heard from another walker that there is a problem with them in Cacabelos, but as we were not planning to stay there, I was hoping we'd avoid them.   Anyway, we do not seem to have been feasted on, so I am again hoping that it was a Lone Ranger, who didn't survive.

The temperatures have been rising, and so we decided to leave the albergue in Ponferrada really early and get some miles done before mid day.  This turned out to bet a bit of a mistake, as Nico was still upset by the events of the day before, and actually needed breakfast.   Unfortunately, we didn't get to an open cafe for over an hour, so we had to nurse him through with apple juice and little Madeleine cakes that we had bought in Foncebadon and not eaten.  Once we had had breakfast, he was fine, and we kept walking.  We made very good progress, and seemed to zip through the towns and villages pretty quickly t first. Then the heat started, and we slowed down.  We waked through Cacabelos, as it was still a little early for lunch, and the next town was only just over 2km away.  However, it was 2km up hill, and we began to run out of steam.  Fortunately, at the very end end of the next village of Pieros, there was a very tranquil cafe/bar where we got cold drinks and bocadillos.  There are times when we seem to start a trend - when we order, there was only one other person in the bar, when we left, 2 other groups had arrived.  Fortified by our sandwiches, we hit the road again, having decided to take the slightly shorter road option,m due to the heat.

This was a good idea, as the temperature climbed to over 40 C.

 Villafranca is sometimes called the little Santiago, because in medieval times, pilgrims who were unable to continue to Santiago, were blessed and absolved in the church at the beginning of the town. Of course, we walked straight past this church without realizing it!  We headed through the town to the private albergue on the other side, which had been recommended to us.  The recommendation turned out to be a good one - we got a private room for the three of us, which was a blessing.  We showered, gathered the dirty clothes, and I decided to use the washing machine and get some other things washed as well.  Nico lay down on the bed and fell asleep almost immediately. I had a shorter nap and then Jonathan came up, fell asleep, so I went and blogged.

It was still hot at 6pm when I woke them up, and so rather than visit the town, we went down to the river beach area for a while, where the boys paddled.  After a while we walked slowly back and stopped at a restaurant  for dinner.  

We tried to have an early night, and sadly I forgot to take some pictures with the iPad, but I do have some only camera to put up later.  Thus another day on the Camino came to an end.

The Iron Cross, and the Templar Castle

We were the last to leave the albergue on Foncebadon.  We were up early, but it took us a long time to get going.  W walked up the mountain, and in the early morning, without the heat of the day it was beautiful.  The scenery is amazing, rolling mountains of heather and Scottish broom, and it is breathtaking.  Apparently it can often be shrouded in mist, but, of course, we re now in a mini heat wave, so we are getting amazing views.

We rounded a curve, and there, before us, was the Iron Cross.  This is a small cross high up on an oak beam, surrounded by rocks.  If you have seen the film The Way, you will know what I mean.  There has been something there, marking that spot since Roman times, and it is a place where people leave notes, rocks, remembrances, it is a pretty mystical place.  As we walked past it, we looked back and the sun was rising being it.  I hope the picture I took does it justice.

The walk now is down the mountain, and that can be as tricky as going up.  There path is not easy walking, with many rocks, and again, it was getting hot. A little further down the mountain is a place called Manjarin.  It is a deserted village which is now occupied by one person, who describes himself as the last Knight Templar.  He runs an alternative albergue, with solar heated water and an outside loo.  We did not stop to take advantage of other hospitality, as I really didn't want to use the very primitive facilities, but apparently he has tea and coffee and biscuits available, free of charge.

We walked on to the next village, and stopped for a drink.  Not long afterwards, Dave, the guy from Biggin Hill appeared.  He had walked from Rabanal, and had had another interesting experience. We had also been passed by Gerry, our Catalan friend, who was moving very quickly, as he needed to get to Molinaseca quickly.  

We continued to make our way down the mountain, over steep, rocky paths, and through another village, and finally arrived in Molinaseca.  We walked over the Roman bridge, and stopped at the first bar restaurant for lunch.  We had really good sandwiches there, and the people were very friendly, one even suggested a shorter route to Ponferrada, which used to be the route, until it was changed.  As it was so hot, we decided to do that, as it was about 2km shorter, and by now it was very hot.  

As we were leaving Molinaseca, a man on the same route struck up a conversation with me.  We walked and talked the 6km to Ponferrada, and even with the heat, it went quickly for me.  It was about 2pm when we arrived at the albergue, hot and tired.  In the middle of the entryway was a fountain, with people sat round, cooling their feet of.  We checked in, dumped our backpacks, and joined them.  Then it was the usual routine of shower, wash out clothes and rest.  Unfortunately,Nico then discovered that he had left his towel in the albergue at Foncebadon, and this was rather upsetting.  We shared towels, and got things washed, and later on went into the town to look for a shop.  This Xmas to prove difficult, as many shops shut on Saturday afternoons.  We walked past the Templar castle, to the shop we had been told bout, but it was shut.  We went to the supermarket and got food for the evening, and then back to the tourist office to see if there were any shops that might be open.  The lady in the tourist office was very helpful, sadly the castle was closed to visitors due to the Templar Festival, but there was a shop about 15-20 minutes walk that would have what we needed.  I sent the boys back to prepare supper and started to walk.  It was more than 20 minutes, and it was still very hot.  I finally found the shop, bought large quick dry towels for all of us, which are much bigger than the ones we have, and much cheaper, and walked back.  It took me well over an hour, but I was successful, and so were they boys in preparing dinner.

Nico and I went to the Mass and Pilgrim Blessing, while Jonathan washed up.  Then to the foot pool again to cool off before bed, as we were making and early start in the morning.

 The Iron Cross, the albergue San Nicolas Flue in Ponferrada and the Templar Castle.

Astorga to Foncebadon

We were up very early this morning, and not because we wanted to be.  The albregue floors/celings were. Vey creaky old wooden beams, and people were up and moving at 5am.  Some people also do not now how to do things quietly - there  seemed to be a lot of shouting and to-ing and from-ing.  Never again, we decided, will we stay in an albergue with only one layer of wooden beams separating the floors, as did the lovely Spanish couple was had met the night before in Hospital de Orbigo.

We were on our way just after 6:30, and making good progress out of Astorga.  We even walked past a couple of cafes, which was not a good idea, because  their facilities would have been useful.  However, we did stop at a small "ermita" or roadside chapel, for a "sello" or stamp in the Pilgrim Credential (passport), and there we met up with Isobel and Josep again. We had a photo taken, and then said goodbye to them, as we continued on.

We stopped at the next village for breakfast, and I think I was overcharged, it was the most expensive bar breakfast we have had.  By now the sun was up and  the Camino followed alongside the road, so it was getting hot.   We kept walking.  We walked throughout the next village, Santa Catalina de Somoza,and on to El Ganso, where we decided to stop for a drink. I wish I had been  able to get a picture of the bar, it was called El Cowboy, and was a strange place.  I was also offered another boy, the son of the barman, to take with me so he could learn about work!  I declined the offer.

We walked on again, and eventually arrived at Rabanal, which is the suggested stop in the Guidebook.  It was about midday, and getting very hot, so we stopped for our usual lunch of a bocadillo each and a cold drink, and looked to see how far the next village was.  We decided to walk on.  It was hot, it was all up a steep mountainside, covered with heather and Scottish broom, there was little to no shade, and we climbed.  It got hotter, and steeper and still there was no site of Foncebadon.  I began to doubt our sanity, and my ability to continue.  I was also getting anxious about running out of water.  

Then, suddenly, we came over the crest of a hill, and there, beyond the next crest, was the tiny hamlet.    We waked past the first albergue, which was full of the young crowd, and advertised its food, not its beds, and on to the second.  It only had one bed left.  By now I was losing the will to continue, so we walked further up the street to the third albergue and I sent the boys in to ask if there were beds.  There were, and the welcome we got was perfect.  It is a small parish albergue, and runs on donations. There is a shared communal meal, cooked by the guests, and others do the washing up.  I volunteered us for washing up duty, and breakfast the next morning.  The Hospitalera was from America, and took one look at me and said, "there is a washing machine, I have to charge you 3 euros, but with the three of you, it will be worth it, just give me your clothes when you have showered."    We showered,gathered our clothes, gave them to her and went to bed.  With hindsight, I think I was beginning to suffer from heat exhaustion and dehydration.  The boys picked out the bed in the darkest corner for me, and I was soon asleep.   I woke up to hang the washing up, and went back to bed with another large drink of water.  Even the water tasted wonderful.

When we had rested, we went down to the little shop for some fruit, and I chatted with the owners.  They were really fun.  We took the fruit back to the albergue - some of it was for the sangria for the meal, and chatted with other people there.  Supper was at just before 8pm, and was salad with pasta. It was great.  One or two people went out for a walk, but the boys and I did the washing up, chatted with a grandmother and her grandchild and went to bed.  I don't even remember the lights being turned out, and I slept really well.

The next morning I wAs refreshed and ready to continue.  As I left, I asked the Hospitalera her name, it was Martha.  I got goosebumps, remembering the Bible story of Mary and Martha, with Martha being the one seeing to everyone's needs.  She truly lived up to her name with me, and I left there in a great mood, ready for the next day.

Communal meal in Foncebadon 

Hospital de Orbigo and on to Astorga

The sopa castellana turned out rather spicy, due to an accident with the cayenne pepper, but for a first attempt without help, it was very good.  It took the boys longer to cook than they had anticipated, but I think they had fun making it.  W sat out in the back patio of the albergue to eat, and I started chatting with the other pilgrims. There was a group of young Spanish students who has just started their walk in Leon, and had walked the kilometers that we had just done on the bus, an older Spanish couple and guy from Cuba.  The boys cleared away and washed up, and the disappeared - the conversation was very fast and I could barely keep up with it, let alone join in.

It was a lively discussion, covering many topics, and continued until the hospitalero came out to lock up.  Lights out was at 10pm, with breakfast served at 6am the following morning.  I really enjoyed the evening, very relaxing and the perfect antidote to the stress caused by the bus ride earlier, and I was sure  I was going to get a good night's sleep.  When I chose my bed, I had not taken into account the bright orange emergency light that shone right into my face.  When we had arrived at the albergue, the sun was shining through the windows and I had not seen the light at all.  

I woke up after fitful sleep, and waited for breakfast to be ready.  We were down first for breakfast, followed by the young students, all of whom looked like we had after our first day - barely awake, complaining about the snoring and stiff and achy in places we had never felt before!  I do not know what time we left the albergue, but the morning was beautiful, clear and crisp, the path well-marked, and we were on our way.

We reached the first village quickly, too early to stop, only to find that the second village did not have a cafe that was open.  Nico and I went into the albergue there, and used their "comfort" facilities quickly, because there was a sign that said they were only for guests of the albergue, but there was no one to stop us.  I would have paid them if they had wanted me to!

We made really good progress through the countryside, and I would share the pictures, but they are on my camera, not the iPad, so I will share them later.  Suddenly we were looking down on Astorga. There has been s town here for thousands of years, it was an important garrison town for the Romans.

We walked through the satellite village, past the cafes (by mistake), and the Camino seemed to be heading straight for the cathedral, where the albergue we had chosen was located.  Suddenly the Camino took a sharp left, and through an ugly part of town and up a very  steep hill.  We walked past the municipal albergue, past the Roman excavation, through several squares and finally to the cathedral.  We had been joined by an English guy, and together we finally found the albergue.  We checked in, chose beds, showered, washed clothes and headed out for lunch (but not before I found out that Dave is from Biggin Hill, close to where I grew up!).  Lunch was tricky for some reason, and Nico split his toe open on a step, but we were finally fed, and then stopped in at the supermarket to buy food for supper.  Back at the albergue, it was siesta time, which was sadly interrupted by a very loud conversation upstairs - the floorboards are the only thing that separate the floors - but the couple that we had met yesterday are in the same dormitory, and he went upstairs to ask them to be a little quieter.  

After resting, we went down and had a cup of tea, which we shared with Dave, and also began to prepare supper. We then visited the cathedral and the Palace Gaudi designed for the Archbishop, which is now a museum.  A quick Skype call home while we cooked supper, and then an earlyish night - we have a lot of walking to do tomorrow.

The remains of the sopa,and a couple of views of the Plaza Mayor in Astorga.

Farewell to Leon

As we made our way back from our supper of raciness we stopped at a cake shop, and the boys again had chocolate con churros, and I had chocolate and a flaky pasty thing - this really could be a food blog!  

I haven't actually said where we are staying.  It is the Parador in San Marcos Square.  It was the monastery next to the church,and is now a hotel.  It is also not the most expensive hotel in Leon, but is is one of the most beautiful places the boys and I have ever stayed in.  The cloisters are open to hotel guests, and they are an oasis of cool, calm and quiet in the middle of the heat, hustle and bustle of a major city like Leon. 

 We all slept very well and woke refreshed, and ready for breakfast ,which was included in the price.  It was delicious, and so much choice.  We then checked out and walking past was our Chica Loca, on her way out of the city.  She kindly took a picture of us by the pilgrim statue, and we hope to see each other again in Astorga in a couple of days' time.  

We then walked to the bus station, to catch the bus to our next stop, Hospital de Orbigo.  That turned into a bit of an ordeal, as we missed the first bus, because it wasn't signed, nor did it have the number on it.  The next bus was 1 1/2 hours later, and it was all a bit confusing, with a women shouting at me that we were not getting on the right bus, and another saying that we shouldn't be taking our  backpacks on the bus.  Fortunately, we were on the right bus, and the driver told us to keep our backpacks with us.   45 minutes later, the driver dropped us off in Hospital de Orbigo and we were sort of lost.  We were rescued by a kind man who walked us to the Albergue San Miguel, which is serene and beautiful.  Because it was already past 2pm, we had to find a bar to eat in, so the boys decided to cook dinner tonight - they are trying their hand at soap castellana.  

Photos of the chocolate in Leon, the cloister and pilgrim statue at the Parador San Marcos, the bridge at Hospital de Orbigo (one of the longest medieval bridges still in existence), and the  Albergue 

More Leon

In the late afternoon, we walked out of the hotel to the church next door.  Again, the architecture and engineering outside, sand the artistry inside are stunning.  There was also a small museum with only one room open.  Inside it had a tombstone bearing the coat of arms of the Cabeza de Vaca family ,and also a little history of the cloister area.  Francisco Quevedo, a Spanish writer, had been imprisoned there in 1636, in his later life, for a critical comment made against one of the King's advisors. He had been dragged there in the middle of winter, with barely a blanket, and left of 3 years, with no help, and living. Off the charity of others.  He died from illness some 2 years after his release. Some 300 years later, Francisco Franco had used the same building as a concentration camp during the Spanish Civil War. Reading this left us chilled, so we walked out into the sunshine and down to the cathedral area.

We met a few people that we have chatted to on the walk.  They were really excited that we were taking time out to visit and experience their country.  As we walked down to the Plaza Mayor, we met the Chica Loca, or crazy girl, who had been so worried about Nico's blisters way back in Najera.  She could not believe how well they had healed.  She had had to catch a bus a couple of times, because her blisters had got so bad.

We were looking for the church of San Martin.  It was hidden round the back of the PlazaMayor, and when we found it, it was shut.  We walked round a little further, but there was no other door.  As we walked back, the doors were opened,  another moment of serendipity, so we went in.  This is a simpler church, but again with the vaulted gothic ceiling.  Over the alter hung a large crucifix, and the lighting was such that behind, but on either side was a clear shadow, which made it look like the 2 other people who were crucified alongside Jesus.  It was special.  We sat and contemplated this for a while, and then quietly left.

 

The bright sunshine warmed us again,and we stopped to have drink in the cathedral square.  It was a beautiful evening, and most of Leon was out walking or having something in a bar.  Nico and i had real horchata de chufas, and Jonathan had a fruit smoothie.  We explored a little more and then decided to find somewhere to eat.  It was still a little early for tapas, but we found a small place and order a racion of croquetas, patatas  in garlic mayonnaise and chorizo in wine.  It was delicious, but the croquetas were eaten before I could take a picture.

To Leon

We were up very early the next morning, and eating breakfast.  It surprises me how many people do not eat breakfast before they start out.  We were not the first out of the albergue, but we were on our way by 7:15am.  It was a beautiful morning, and although the first part was next to the main road to Leon, it was not too busy and it felt good.  We made excellent progress, and by 9:30 had covered just over 10km.  We walked up a steep hill into a very small village, and decided that a comfort break would be a good idea.  In the small bar, we met the 2 girls from Portland, Oregon, who we had met 2 nights before.  They had not stopped in Mansilla, but had walked to the next village.  As we were chatting with the barman, he said that a tall Swede had been the only one in his albergue that night - KJ.   What a good decision he had made!  He had not only had a room to himself, but the whole albergue!  Second-guessing yourself is not good, but I rather wish we had listened to that little niggle we had all had about staying in Mansilla.

Anyway, refreshed from coffee and cake, we walked on into Leon.  It was a good walk and at the top of one hill, we stopped as Leon appeared in the valley below.  We followed the Camino shells in the pavement, and walked into the old town and to the albergue run by the Benedictine nuns.  The line was very long when we arrived, but the albergue is large, and then we were greeted by Norman, the Australian who we had met earlier, and who had stayed at Santo Domingo to volunteer as a hospitalero.  It was a pleasant surprise, and we decided to buy a ticket for the evening meal and eat with him.

The domitories here were separated onto males and females, so the boys were in a different room from me.  This was only a problem when I realised that I had both the shower gel and the bar soap.  So I showered and washed my clothes, and then had to wait for the boys to find me and hand them over.

We then went out, got some lunch, booked into a hotel for the following night, walked around, had a drink and visited the cathedral.  It is magnificent.  I really have very few words to describe it that will do it justice, it is breathtaking.  The entry fee includes an audio guide, which explains the architecture, various chapels and the restoration works.  The stained glass windows are stunning, and the boys were both in awe.

We left the cathedral and went back to the albergue to have a rest before dinner and the pilgrim blessing.  Jonathan is having a hard time sleeping, and is very tired.  We went to dinner at 7:45 and Norman joined us just after 8.  As we were chatting after the meal, Jonathan put his head down and literally fell asleep.  Although I tried to persuade him to go to bed, he came to the pilgrim blessing, which started later and went on a little longer that I had anticipated. It was close to 10:30 when we got back, and the boys and I said goodnight and went off to our separate dormitories.  Soon after, the lights went out, and it was time to sleep.

Mansilla de las Mulas

We made good progress, although we did have a sandwich emergency. I had made jamon and cheese sandwiches for lunch, which were in  a plastic bag, hanging from Nico's backpack.  One of the edges of the bread  must have been very sharp, because suddenly Nico shouted "the sandwiches" and they had fallen to the ground, with the bag completely cut across the middle. We grabbed them quickly, rewrapped them, and put them into a backpack. 

 We continued on, on a path alongside the road until we got to Reliegos, some 12 km down the road.  We stopped for coffee and some tortilla de patata.  Some of the Martin Sheen film, The Way, was filmed around Reliegos.  Refreshed from our stopped we continued, and were soon in Mansilla de las Mulas.  It was only 11:40, and the albergue was not yet open.   We had a choice, to stop here or have a short break, eat lunch and continue on a little way.  While we were sitting with a drink at the bar outside the albergue, KJ walked by.  He was going to to walk on a further 10 km, or 2 more villages.  It was already getting hot, and we had seen a good looking pilgrims' menu in a bar/restaurant with father name of someone we know, and had more or less decided to eat there that evening.  Sometimes a decision comes back to bite you a little.  This one did.  KJ joined us for a drink, and then carried on and we registered at the albergue.  We found bunks, got showered and the washing started and I st in the patio while the boys rested.  Gradually more and more people arrived, and it soon turned into a party albergue.  Gerry arrived and we chatted for a while, over a beer, but by then I knew that our decision was one we might end up regretting, especially with one of the characters who had introduced himself to us.

The boys and I had a quiet meal in the restaurant, which was very good, and then walked back to the albergue.  I got a bottle of wine, which we shared with Gerry and another couple of Spanish  people we had met in El Burgo Ranero, but shortly after that we went to bed.  It was rather difficult sleeping with the party going on the the patio down below.   I am not sure that the good meal we had outweighed the interrupted sleep.

Sahagun to El Burgo Ranero

We were up early this morning, ate breakfast and then set out to walk.  The backpacks were heavier than yesterday because the water bottles were full and we also had food for lunch and snacks.  

As Nico was tying his boots, a Spanish man stopped him and showed him a different way, tying the laced part and then the loops.  That way the foot stays secure and the part around the ankle is tighter. It has made a difference to him already.

Sahagun is a strange village, but the old main gate and the bridge over the river were amazing. After a couple of days off, walking was a little more difficult,  we then had to make a decision - the Camino has 2 routes.  Originally we were going to take the old Roman road, but we decided to follow the route that goes next to the road.  It is longer today,  but shorter tomorrow, and there are 2 towns.  It being Sunday tomorrow, I am a little concerned about getting food on the long stretch.

We stopped for coffee at the first village, and the boys had "second breakfast" of a chocolate croissant.  We then stopped at the little grocery store to try to get a single packed of pocket tissues.  The 2 women serving were deep in conversation with the person they were serving, and were taking a long time.  A little old lady came in behind us, and asked what we wanted.  When I said a packet of tissues, she said  to ask, and when I couldn't get the shopkeeper's attention, she motioned to us to follow her,as she only lived the other side of the road and she would give us some.  We followed her, and sure enough, she soon stopped and went into her house and came out with pocket packets of tissues.  She gave one to each of us and then an extra one to me.  I could not thank her enough, and she wished us "buen camino" and we left her, rather surprised and a little overcome with the unexpected generosity.

We continued walking along the poplar-lined road, until we arrived at El Burgo Ranero. The albergue was closed until 1pm, and it was only 12:10, so we ate our chorizo sandwiches and waited. There was another pilgrim walker waiting, and he had an attack of sneezing.  I paid forward the earlier kindness of the lady in Bercianos by giving him the extra packet of tissues.

  I then walked down to the shop and bought some milk, and by the time I got back the albergue was open.  We were greeted with hugs and kisses from the hospitaleros, registered and went to our beds.  It is a strange place, and I can't quite describe why.  We showered, washed our clothes, and then Nico and Jonathan were invited to play cards.  I went upstairs to take a siesta.  A little while later, Jonathan came up and said they were setting up for dinner and they had been invited.   The albergue itself is run on donations, so I will leave a little more, to cover their food.  I need to go to the shop and get something for breakfast and lunch tomorrow because there is a long stretch without anything, not even a fountain,so we need to be well supplied before we set out.

I went back to the little shop and got eggs, cheese, ham and bread for the morning, I also made myself an omelet with some of the cheese for supper.  KJ,, the tallest Swedish guy I have even met was at the albergue..   We met way back in Roncesvalles, and  had not seen him since Larrasoana.  Wee had met again in Sahagun -he is a very interesting person and the boys and I like  talking with him.

 Jonathan and I were tired,so went to bed early, while Nico stayed downstairs and chatted with people.  Gerry, a way-walker from Catalina, was very funny, and has excellent English, having spent time in St. Ives in Cornwall.  He had acted as hospitalero when we arrived, and was great at welcoming everyone.  The conversation was lively, we could hear it from the dormitory, but eventually sleep came, and Nico also went to bed. The albergue was made of traditional building material  - mud and straw, and the walls were very thin.  The beds were also the creakiest ever, and so none of us slept very well.  We were up and out early the next morning, on towards Leon.