Day 21 Riego de Ambros to Camponaraya

Hard to believe I have been walking for 21days now- an yes I know I took a day off in Leon, but still. It really is odd, days that we think are going to be a short walk end up taking longer. Today was 28km, I thought it was only going to be about 24km. Backpack was back in today and we had to finish coming off the mountain.
Yesterday had us walking over lots of rocks, so today we thought we will take the road to the bottom as it was still dark. All was going well until Dann and I started following the wrong people in the dark and ended back on the rocky road, a quick backtrack was required. Finally made it to Molinasec for coffee and croissant.

Very pretty town with lovely old building and bridge across the river.

Ran into a Spanish women Sandra who is walking the Camino with her dog Ivan. First met them about 2 weeks ago, I don’t think Thatcher would have enjoyed the walk.
Wondered through Ponferrada, famous for its medieval Templar castle. It’s funny after all this time you do get over looking at all the really old stuff and just think about getting to the next destination. While in Ponferrada we had a little nibble of cheese on toast – was to early for breakfast, so offered the boys a taste sensation. I had my tub of vegemite with me, Dann(from US) was the only one interested and enjoyed the vegemite/cheese on toast. I think it may be the fact it’s salty and we seem to crave a bit of salt after all the walking.

We are now I the town of Camponaraya, nice size town but very interesting accommodation, just waiting for Anthony Bates to appear..

Day 20 Murias de Rechivalda to Riego de Ambros

Today as I walked there was so many thoughts going through my head. We were setting out on a long walk- ended up being 37km but the good part was we had shipped our packs, so was not so bad, 9kg lighter. I must admit by the end I had walked long enough and was over it. We left our lovely Casa at 6.30am this morning and arrived this afternoon at 4pm.
The day started out cold and misty, I felt like I was in a really bad movie, lots of mist, no light and not sure which way to go. Breakfast was in Santa Catalina, about 7.30am tortilla and coffee, the sun soon came up.

I must say most of the up hill climb was very pleasant, reaching a height of 1515m.

Today we saw cruz de Ferro, the Iron Cross. This is were you leave something from home, a representation of your burdens. I left my rock and burdens behind, was not quiet the same as the movie. I was tired and still had 3 hours walking to go, all down hill on bad rocky paths.

Really now I can say the walk was beautiful but earlier today I was a very unhappy camper. I think that I the next few days I will have to catch up on some events but again photos will say it all.

Day 19 Hospital del Orbigo to Murias de Rechivalda

Today started dark, cold and wet. We didn’t leave till 8.30am, following coffee con leche and croissant. In Hospital del Orbigo there is a medieval bridge across the river – there is a story of a Knight being scorned by a beautiful women and as a result undertook to defend the bridge and his honour, after a month and 300 lances, he and his comrades headed to Santiago to offer thanks for his freedom from the bonds of love and his honour now restored. Anyway, I wanted to see the bridge, so broke one of my rules, to never go back, made the boys go and walk over the bridge to get into town, when we could have save 1km and walked the Main Street.

Sorry not a good pic but it was wet.
Hospital del Orbigo is a very cute little town but not much happening in the early morning. It would seem that most Spain towns don’t do much till about midday.
We are back into hilly countryside now which while makes things more interesting makes it harder to walk.

Astorgo is the biggest town around this area, with a Gaudi inspired/designed cathedral. This was the lunch stop for the day.

Note to self don’t have big meal during the day when there is still another 6km to walk and don’t have a beer, even if it is only a small one. Heading out of Astorga at about 2pm for our destination of Murias de Rechivalda, the last flat walk for a few days. Today is meant to be a short 20km but it has been about 25km, the books seem to be short a K or two.
We are staying in a sweet little Casa Rural, I had said this morning I would like somewhere with a fireplace and the boys laughed at me. Of course the first thing we see when booking in is the fireplace- mind you no fire but still….. Cute little rooms.

Lots of interesting conversation, the things these guys have done, I am continuously entertained and some what inspired. We have the ‘what is talked on Camino stays on Camino’ rule, so won’t add to blog, but…… Great time at dinner tonight, food was average but service great and lots of fun.

Oh and found a new friend along the way….

Day 18 Leon to Hostital de Orbigo

Sadly today we had to leave our home away from home at the Parador and continue the journey westward to Santiago de Compostela. Today is a long day we need to cover 40km, but don’t worry did not have to walk it all. It was decided that we would take the bus for the first 10km through the suburbs and than walk to next 30km. As the bus was not till 8.30am we were able to fit in a lovely breakfast before leaving.
No sunrise this morning, well there was a sunrise I just didn’t see it. It was a quick walk to the bus stop and than I had it hide when ever a pilgrim walked past- oh the shame of using transport, but we were not the only ones.
The day started out fairly mild with cloud cover and a little breeze. I was feeling good after 2 days of relaxing, no sore feet or aching joints. How soon we forget that it doesn’t take long for the feet to react to constant pounding. The countryside is lovely, with wide open fields and lots of farming land.

As always Colin and Wolfgang are up the front with Dann and I bring up the rear. Dann came across a couple of girls he had met his first day. One of them, Morgan, has her camera stuff with her, she is carrying 27kg of stuff. The camera was amazing.

She wanted to do a portrait of Dann.
Rain set in not long after this, my first lot for the trip. Tested out wet weather gear, would of preferred not too. Continued to rain on and off for the rest of the day.

Seems some little towns are going modern with there bell towers, while others have the old ones falling down.

Oh how things have changed, tonight we are in a hotel at a truck stop, that being said the showers were hot and beds soft.

Tomorrow we push on only 285km to go……

Day 17 Leon

Today is a rest day! It was an opportunity to sleep-in and take is slowly for the day. Having said that I woke up about 6 am but did stay in bed until breakfast about 7.45am. Sorry there is no sunrise for today, my room faces the wrong way. I am sure you are wondering, if you have seen the movie ‘The Way’ are the rooms at the Parador just like the one Martin Sheen had in the movie – the answer is NO. It is a very nice room but no 4 poster bed and lounge area, I think that is extra, there are some suites but I am not in one. But I do have a bath and bath products, it is like a little piece of heaven. My needs are changing, I think I could start camping after this is over.
After breakfast I headed out for a facial. Was not quite like ones I have had at home but they did moisturise my face and massage my shoulders- it felt great. Then I decided to explore the hotel, it is a very old building used by pilgrims for over a thousand years. Beautiful central court yard with statues.

As I had the day just to wonder around I headed into the old church next door, lovely vaulted ceilings. Than strolled down streets and alleyways, nice way to spend the morning. Ended up by the Cathedral again, and if you are going to find people that’s were they will be. I few people I have lost contact with arrived in town this morning so spent so time catching up on events. Found the Canadian girls, Tom from England and a few others.
Than it was on to look at a few shops. Very depressing, lots of lovely clothes and shoes, but I can not buy anything as it would need to be carried. I did manage to get myself sprayed with perfume so that made me feel better.
This afternoon I an just lazing around the hotel and will have a bit of a sleep. I have managed to acquire a bit of a cold, just enough to be annoying, but not sick. Have to be ready to hit the road again in the morning for the last 12 day push. Looks like we may be in Santiago earlier than planned, so hope to head to Fisterra to see the ocean, will just be a day trip by bus if it happens.
Tonight we plan to eat at the hotel and to bed early. A very slow day all round. The adventure begins again tomorrow…..

Day 16 Mansilla de las Mulas to Leon

Yesterday left us in the next planning stage of the journey.

Today’s travel was very short only 18km to Leon and this day had been taken under advisement. After much discussion about the landscape it was decided the bus to Leon would be the way to go. This meant that we were going to have 2 whole walk free days. A chance for the feet to recover a little before the final 12 day push to the end. We were not the only pilgrims with this line of thought- there were a few of us waiting at the stop.

As it is only 1/2 hour trip into Leon and buses go every 30 minutes or so, a sleep in started the day. Didn’t wake up till after 7am, amazing, but still time for the sunrise.

Once in Leon it was a shortish walk from the bus stop to the Hotel. The next 2 days are my mid point relax and have fun days because this is still a holiday. I had booked myself into the Parador some time ago and when the boys found out this they decided to follow along.

There was much discussion about whether we should feel bad about the bus and not walking some of the distance- my theory is ‘my walk, my way’ so taking the bus for 18 km out of 720km will not change the world and my feet loved it.
Once settled in it was off to discover Leon, but first a few necessities. Dann needed to see a podiatrist about is feet and ankles, also get so strapping put on. As is with things on the Camino, we meet a guy on the bus who know just the place we needed, so Dann got booked in. Colin needed his watch fixed and I needed the bank. Wish I had a photo of getting money out of the ATM, I know we do it everyday but here I was doing a very ordinary thing only to turn around when I was finished to find my 3 travelling companions guarding my bank transaction. Now mind you 2 of them are aver 65 and a little grey around the edges and the other at 56 is not far behind. I just started laughing, it was the moment in the movie The Way were the girl,is doing a wee beside the road except I was using an ATM, you may have needed to be there.
Leon is a beautiful city and we found the local markets, fruit, vege, clothes and bits.

Just wondered around, than back to the hotel for siesta. Dinner tonight was in lovely restaurant – no pilgrim meal tonight. Great salad followed by beef cheek ravioli, just sat and watched the world go by, no need to be in bed early tomorrow is another sleep in.

Leon cathedral by night.

Day 15 Hermanillos de la Calzada to Mansilla de las Mulas

In the last few days we have walked the Road Less Travelled- the alternate old roman road and today I learned what the first line to the book A Road Less Travelled is- ‘Life is hard’. Today I found this to be very true. Life on the Camino condenses to one day at the time, the day you are walking is all you think about, yesterday is over and tomorrow is a long way away. You just need to get through today.
With a relatively short 25km to walk to and a good night sleep behind me I thought that today would be a nice day- wrong. Old Roman Roads are exactly that, roads built by the Romans, needless to say they are in less than perfect condition, very very old, uneven, rocky and hard on the feet. I sent most of the morning trying to figure out how they walked these roads in roman saddles, perhaps their feet are harder than mine.
Just in case you are worried I did get my morning sunrise about 7.45am

Now that I am walking with my Camino group/family I know some one is making sure I reach the next destination. Colin and Wolfgang are always leading the pack with me next and Dann bring up the rear. It is funny how you link up with certain people but it seems we are destined at this stage to walk together. I am going to have to give some serious consideration to how I describe the group dynamic, we seem an old little group. No doubt more on this later…. Back to my day.

The view behind me and the view in front as I walk today.
There is little shade and once the sun is up by about 9am it starts to get hot. Walking about 4.5km an hour so really, we are covering ground fairly quickly. There was nothing open when we started out at 6.15am this morning so coffee has to wait till we reach a town along the way. This has in the past been within an hour of starting out but today we don’t reach a town until 10am, and what a town it is. Reliegos is a very small town with a population of about 200, but has a number of bar/cafes the one we stopped in had the music going and I am sure a slimmed down Elvis behind the bar. Coffee was not good, but the bathrooms were clean, the food was good and the atmosphere very different.

From Reliegos it was just a short 6km into Mansilla, you can see the towns in the distance but it seems forever to get there. As I walked I kept thinking 6km is nothing, I do that with Thatcher in the morning before work, but with sore bruised feet it takes awhile.
We arrived in Mansilla about 12.30pm, so was only about 6 hour walk with 45 minutes off for morning tea, so not so bad. We are booked into a cute little private Albergue that we later learn has only 4 rooms. For the moment I have moved from sharing with about 16 to 100 people to sharing a twin room with just one- sleep is no longer a distant memory. From my room I see the church bell tower and grapes are growing everywhere.

After the usual shower and washing it is off to explore the town and see who else we may know. If you want to find someone the best thing to do is just sit somewhere and eventually everyone will walk past. Late in the afternoon we went down to the local river and put our feet in the water- freezing but felt great. Than dinner and plan for tomorrow….

Day 14 Terradillos de los Templarios to Hermanillos de la Calzada

I would like to tell you about how different my day started,  but up at 5.30ish for a 6am start. As always it was dark and breakfast was not till we reached San Nicolas about 7.30am- coffee con leche and croissant. Today’s sunrise::

About midmorning we hit the town of Sahagun, a big town by recent standards, about 170 000 people.  You always have to find the old city when following the Camino, taking you past church,  old town walls and ruins.

Coming into Sahagun we walked through the geographical centre of the Camino.

After mid morning coffee, always have to stop for coffee, it was of again,  heading toward Caldadilla de los Hermanillos. I am now walking with Colin, Wolfgang and Dann-seems we have formed a group. There are two options for this last section of the day, the main road or the old roman road, we choose the old roman road.  It is debatable if this was a wise choice- the road had little shade. The path itself was uneven and hard on the feet, but there is no turning back. We did get a little lost ending up at a petrol station on the highway.  This is the only good thing of the day as we found Lyn(a lady from Victoria) who was as of course. We all ended up finding our wsy together.
Lunch was outside a very small shop in Calzada de Coto.

The lady 6km of the day where hard, flat farming land, very sore feet and hot sun. We didn’t arrive at our destination until about 2.40pm, which for only 27km is a long walk.
Late afternoon saw us meeting up with a few friends and share the tails of the day.

The camino has you finding the same friends every evening no matter who you spend the day walking with. We share aches and pains, thoughts of the day and plans for the next day.

Day 13 Carrion de los Condes to Terradillos de los Templarios

Another uneventful day 26.8km, started out at 6am only to discover within 15 minutes that my water bladder had leaked and I about 100ml of water in the bottom of my pack and down my back. Not happy at all. Sitting on the side of the road, in the dark unpacking everything to see what is wet. Luckily not to bad- sleeping bag damp, and a few clothes. Rearranged my pack and back on the road again. It was very cold down my back and legs till the sun came up and I dried out.
Mostly flat today with wide open plains. Lovely sunrise again today.

Walked the first part of the day by myself. Was about 16km till the first village for a coffee, than walked with Andreas (Lithuanian sailor) for the rest of the morning. Really an flat landscape

I arrived about 11.30am to the albergue, we were the first to arrive. Than the usual process of shower, washing but also had to hang sleeping bag to dry. It does not take long for everything to dry in the afternoon sun. Get very warm and no one wants to walk after about 1pm.
The crowd started arriving about 12.30pm including a number of camino friends.  I has semi teamed up with Colin, Dann and Wolfgang- we are all booked to spend 2 days in Leon. Also with our group is Dennis and Beah from California. Is a bit of a laugh and really great people.  At some stage I will need to do a whos who of my Caminos- there are some interesting stories.
We have all sent the afternoon sitting on the front deck of the albergue watching the world passed us by,  discussing who we have met, where everyone is and telling stories about life. Great way to spend the afternoon.
Dinner was pilgrims menu, 1st course choice of salad,  pasta or lental soup. 2nd course fish or veal witb chips. 3rd course ice cream, yogurt or apple. This always served with vino tinto, if one at table 1 bottle if 4 at table 1 bottle.  We hsd 7 so got 2 bottles or you can have aqua (water).great dinnrr Dennis played his flute and another guy from a different table sang. Not many restaurants that you just get up and entertain- bit like karaoke.

And now 9pm time for bed. Tomorrow we hit the road again.

Day 12. Fromista to Carron de los Condes

Today was a pleasant uneventful day. Only 20.5km today. There was a choice of walking along a stream or the road, I went with the stream.
Had a good sleep last night so feeling a little more upbeat than yesterday.
Yesterday ended with a lovely dinner and in bed by 8pm- this is what my life has come to. There was a Dutch boy who was not drinking the water as he was worried about getting sick from the water but last night ended up in hospital on a drip, dehydrated.  Now just waiting to become well enough to travel home.
Another lovely sunrise.

Mostly flat farming countryside,  coffee at Villovieco around 7.30am. Early lunch at Villalcazar de Sigra- very nice church

Than a short 6km walk to Carrion de los Condes.  I am staying in albergue Santa Maria run by the local parish. The nuns have had singing in the common area, 7pm is music in the church than pilgrim mass at 8pm followed by communal dinner at 9pm. I will attend mass at 8pm by had dinner earlier as my bed time comes early.
Nice surprise this afternoon,  sitting having a vivo tinto when 3 pilgrim friends walked around the corner.  I had not seem alot of familiar faces for days and now a number of people have arrived in town. It is funny the relationships that are formed on the camino, but was happy to see Colin, Wolfgang and Dann. Hoping a few others will turn up over the next few days.
Wolfgang (Austrian about 65) and Dann (American about 65) met two days into their walk and they have been traveling together since. Really nice, interesting guys who are meeting their wives at Santiago. Colin is an English guy about 50 who has a wife at home but all sounds complicated. They are very good company. We are going to spend some time in Leon if we lose each other before than. ( only 4 days away).

Life on the camino sets a rhythm and we all follow along. Tomorrow is a longer 26km. I have rested this afternoon so hope my hip which has been a bit sore will feel better- nothing some Voltaran gel and panadol can not fix and only one blister that I think I have sorted. Everyone has some injury some worse than others mine are a fairly minor. They say a pilgrim suffers even when you have a credit card.