Category: 2018 Camino

• I sat in an empty grand dining room in my lovely hotel when a lady came up to me and asked could she join me?

Of course I said yes . Her name was Fran. She had visited the camino 6 times but only for a few days at a time. Because she could, she told me!! She was lovely. She was 75 and told me about her bad marriage to an invalid who was very possessive. She had a son to him but after 13 years quit the marriage. Now she was  happy to be alone, although she has a twin brother but after a lifetime of being a PA and making ends meet,she had a pay off of £20,000. Then her dad died and her and her twin Brother!!!… had another £50,000 each so she invested in 2 bedroom apartments when the price of property rocketed. She told me that she made so much money that now she just cruised…..

I’m staggered!!!!

The walk was only meant to be short the next morning…but it never feels it. I could see that the countryside became greener, it was peppered with derelict little homes and the odd village like El Ganso because I was in ‘Maragato land’ It is an indigenous people that have remained isolated up here and those that are left are trying to preserve their heritage. They were supposed to be descended from the berbers in North Africa when they crossed over here in the 8th century, the last Moorish people in Spain…but I didn’t see anyone part from the old gentleman at the side of the road who was carving wood and hoping  you would but something from him.

There is always some church or other but after passing from the road, because the yellow arrows told me to, ?? I entered a rocky narrow rising track into the woods. These 2 foot wide senda’s require all your concentration. One slip of the foot and its all over.

I must have had my head down when I heard a familiar voice,

”Oy, Christmas Carol!!”

It was Canadian Diane. Look here she said. So I looked up and saw a Templar knight all dressed in his chain mail. It was boiling…was he mad?

Then I saw his eagle!! Everyone was having a picture taken. When it came to my turn, I duly put on the provided thick glove and the eagle, eyed me!!!! And sat reluctantly on my hand.

All good you might think…but Mr Chain mail went to his little stall to stamp everyone’s credencial…that he left me. I stood there grinning with beady eagle eyeing me until I caouldnt smile any longer, so I hollowed out,

”Hey Signor, Signor” No response.

”Amigo, aqui, aqui!!” No response,

” Te Kiero…” I cried. Eventually I was relieved of the bird …only when everyone had a had a giggle. But it wasn’t them left holding the baby was it??

II think my hostel was the last in the village..It would be. It had a lovely vine covered garden terrace where I enjoyed ‘Menu of the day”…but boy was I tired and I knew the nightmare 34.7 kilometres was tomorrow.

”How can they do that!!!” I was really scared and just wanted to lay down, rest and sleep and get up at 5.05am to meet Diane at 6am….to get an early start.

Im not really going to say much about this day!! Gratefully I met up with Canadian Diane…who is amazing travelling with her Achilles’ tendon problem. She is a nurse and has lost so many people ,her brother and mother!!! We decided to meet up at 6am… It was a moonlit night and the path took me through such isolated woodland, I doubt I would have had confidence that it was the right way!! Diane with her head torch and me with my phone torch…it was tricky. But we did it. . eventually we had daylight.

Our first thankful stop was in the hills and an isolated inn that was so welcoming  The patron and his wife work so hard so early in the morning…but the funniest thing was the big painting of the apostles. It made Diane laugh so much that I took a picture… we laughed about the 12 apostles at the last place…but they were real…not paintings!!

The path became strewn with purple heather.

Well we got to Ponferrado but it went on for miles. I googled my hotel when my feet were falling off and it said…45 minutes!!! poor Diane had to go on…but I followed the route which was a bit scary and eventually got through the day

I think the most significant part of the day was to arrive at the iRon Cross. We all thought it would be bigger but many were emeotional and left treasures at the base. Diane hasd so many little Peter momentous from her mum, so I offered to take her photo.  Me? I picked up a green stone…and laid it down with all my hopes and dreams and cares for my family….

After a day too long to recall i arrived at the hotel and the receptionist  looked up at me as though I was a smelly dusty pilgrim..   which `I was….I have never felt like that before…but I just wanted the room I had paid for…no problem,…first floor .ok there was a lift…

After negotiating the automatic lights..I found the towels after my bath were threadbare!! Ok Not a problem…but when I pulled the covers back the counter pane was threadbare too….not a problem. I needed to eat.. I went down about 4pm and was told that the kitchen was closed and the menu of the day had finished at 3,30 anyway. Nothing would open till 8pm!!

So I sat and ordered wine looking at the main square. It was heaving with life…kids on their motor scooters and whatever…but I felt really low.  I was the epitome of grumpy.This cant be what it is all about…surely. Desperate for food I take a tapas at the empty bar…? Well that was no Fun!!!

I give in and wait for 8 pm and it cost me almost 40 euros!!! I am not used to this. I was sad so I make contact with family….disaster….I’m worse than ever…what am I doing here!!My body is reeling  after 35K and 25 odd days of walking…I sleep.