2018 Camino – Page 12

I left as usual in the pitch black and picked up my picnic lunch which I took a peak at and found it was …well not good. In fact I would like to say that it ‘was God awful’ but I have to be a good pilgrim!!?

The sandwich was squishy white bread stuck with cheese and ham, a juice and water and some kind of chocolate wafer biscuit. I’m getting quite brave now so 30 minutes out, I came across a little bar that was open, It was only 7.30. Anyhow, I was happy to order a coffee and ditch the breakfast. I sat on the seat outside underneath a hanging owl. Well it wasn’t real thank God but he was my sort of breakfast companion.

The only funny thing was that the wife of the cafe spoke Spanish to everyone, 50 to the dozen, I don’t even think her husband caught everything she said. Of course I braved up to her and asked for the toilet and where the bin was. Mistake! Whatever she said it was a monologue with gestures and I was no wiser. I did get that I had to ask for the key to open the toilet…its only open to Patrons!! I’d had a coffee…I prayed that was sufficient. It was ?

I just felt a failure today and even though the day was supposed to be short, it was straight, and flat, and it stretched absolutely forever and ever and ever…

I recovered from the owl cafe lady and trundled through the blackness away from the village. Of course dawn broke and the joy of being able to see everything is always a thrill. It must have been awful for mum when she lost most of her sight.

There were 2 routes on my app. blue, the picturesque one and slightly longer,and then the red one by the road. I’d heard everyone talking about taking the blue…but it wasn’t daybreak and I found myself at the bridge taking the red route. I failed. ..and it went on into the heat of the sun, a relentless shameless track. I kept thinking that I would be asked which route did I take and I would have to say the boring road one.. ?

Then the funniest bar cropped up just as 2 hours had gone by. Perfect. I needed the toilet. So this hippy guy inside the bar is singing his head off. I ask for a water and a banana to which he sings to me…

”only two, two, two ,two. Only two euros!!”

I wasn’t sure if he expected me to buy something else or maybe he was happy…or high? But the toilet was useful and off `I set amongst the wheat fields and the midges again. PS Five minutes resting your feet is amazing..it works.

Some days the midges dance in front of your face with maddening rapidity. So I blow air at them which sends them scuttling off. But no, they will not quit, and so I wave my sticks in the air like a demented woman, worse still, I start talking to them and telling them to buzz off!!! I want to know why they like me as I am plastered in repellant spray. I decide that they want to get under the shade of my hat, underneath which I am sweating profusely. Maybe my perspiration is their swimming pool and local jacuzzi!!

Little blue cornflower-type flowers which are dotted along the hedgerows greet me so when I get rid of the midges, I can enjoy these little sky coloured flowers and the pretty butterflies that visit them. It takes my mind off the flat and seemingly endless road.

But hey, I arrive in Carrion de Los condes!!! Yeah!!! I pass the school, and when you are tired and look like a pack horse, the sight of fresh faced lively teenage boys spilling out of school can be a bit unnerving . I am now vigilant with the satnav and weave round the narrow streets. Its a bigger town on a big river. Where am I staying? I pass a Correo…..POST OFFICE …and it doesn’t close till 2.30!!Its only 12.30!!!! I’m excited as I have spent the last couple of weeks having a fight with my stuffed suitcase trying to close zips that I pray don’t burst. But maybe I will be miles from the post office. I cross an impressive bridge….and there it is !! My dwelling place for the night. Its a MONASTERY!!!! Thank the Lord ?