Day 46 - Leon to Bercianos- August 30

Day 46 - Leon to Bercianos-  August 30

Woke up this morning, did my morning stretches, and discovered a note under my door. I figured it was one of those papers they slip under your door in the states telling you how much you owe and reminding you that check out time is noon. But, it wasn't that. It was a note saying Sally would be at breakfast at 8am. The problem being that it was at that moment about 8:45am and I hadn't showered, dressed or anything. So I thought oh well another missed opportunity. I'm not much fun before I've had coffee and it has had a chance to kick in. 

I wasn't always like this. A few years ago I was traveling with my youngest daughter, Leea, and she nick named me Sparky, because I would pop out of bed wide awake and raring to go. Leea isn't much fun to be around for about two hours after she gets up. She isn't crabby, she just can't talk. I' getting more and more like that. It's like everything is fuzzy and my mouth can't coordinate to communicate. Heaven help me if I wake up with an emergency 

So I eventually got showered and went down for breakfast about 9 or 9:30am  Sally was still there. Either she likes leisurely breakfasts too or she overslept. Either way I got to meet her. She said I could join her and her friend, but they had clearly finished breakfast and my brain and mouth were still in shit down mode. 

After breakfast I wandered around looking at stuff, then checked out, and headed for the train station. It's a nice short walk along the river. I got on the train, got to Sahagún, looked for a cab. None. There's a train station but no one is in it, the ticket window is closed. It's 1:30 in Spain. I really don't want to walk from Sahagún to Betcianos. Mu pack is heavy because I have some extra stuff in it for use while I'm in Bercianos. And I have mo water in my pack, because I wasn't planning to walk. O mean there's always taxi's at train stations, right. Not on Sahagún. The bar is open. I asked the woman if there is a cab nearby. She says no, you have to call them. 

So I ask her where the Camino is and she points. I go in that direction. I see an arrow pointing to the Tourist Information. Well I'm not exactly a tourist, but I need some information. Turns out the tourist information doubles as an albergue. I get the phone numbers and the first one I call says he'll be there in two minutes, and he is. He takes to Bercianos for 10€, what a deal. 

I get to the albergue and jump right into being a hospitalera in training. My trainers who have been doing the job for two weeks, Javier (Spanish) and Elena (Italian) are great. The best role models. I learned how to make Caldo Gallego. 

Getting dinner ready was little unnerving. Javier called me to the supply room and instructed me on dispensing wine from the box to the bottles. Those who know me well know my connection with boxes of wine. Of course never moved it from box to bottle to glass. Usually it was just box to glass, and if I didn't have a glass, well . . .

Anyway by the time this job was finished there was wine on the floor and all over mine hands. I have not been that intimate with alcohol for more than twenty nine years. I went and washed my hands immediately with disinfectant. A little later a couple of the young female peregrinas reminded me how grateful that wine was in the bottles and not in me. 

And I learned how to let pilgrims help. It was fantastic. After dinner we went and watched the sunset, then had a moment of reflection, before everyone trotted off to bed. Then we got the stuff ready for breakfast. 

Now it's time to call it a day. Good night sweet friends.   

Day 45 - Leon - August 29

Day 45 - Leon -  August 29

Woke up about 7:30am with my back out of whack. I thought it was just coincidence when this happened in Burgos, but now it is confirmed, my back likes bunk beds and mattresses on the floor in Albergues. Sorry John but we may have refit the bed room. :) 

I had another nice hot shower and went to breakfast. Oh my goodness, I don't think I've ever seen a hotel buffet (and I've seen a zillion of them) with so many delicious things to eat. AND they had corn flakes!! I was in heaven. I jad a very leisurely breakfast. I had a nice leisurely breakfast and went to get ready to go to the train station to get my ticket and then to the cathedral to take pictures. 

Well, one more time, done something silly. I can't find my passport or my pilgrim's credential. They are both in the same zip lock bag that almost always remains in my back zipped up pocket. I empty out my back pack, check all it's pockets and all other bags I have stuff in. Then I remember when I checked in to the hotel room I put it in the drawer by the bed. I check all the drawers. Nada. Then I remember I wasn't in this room when I first checked in, I was in the smoking room. So I go down stairs and tell the woman at the registration desk about my problem. She tells me the room is occupied. I have to say that in all my dealings with her she has seemed remarkably unwilling to be helpful. I ask if she can have the cleaning people look for it. I can't believe they wouldn't have Simone go knock on the door and just ask if they can look for it in the drawer or have the occupant look for it. 

So I wait around until around noon in the lobby. I saw a man standing in the check out line with a zip lock Baggie with what looks like an American passport. I go up and look closer. It looks like mine. I ask him if it is his, in Spanish. He just looked at me puzzled, so I ask him in English. Bingo. He's an American. We determined it was from room 515. He said he had called the desk to tell them he had found it, but they didn't bother to tell me, despite the fact I was sitting in the lobby right in front of them close enough to see the passport in this man's hand. 

While I was waiting a hotel management person ask if I would take a survey. I said sure. Unfortunately, he didn't ask about the hotel service, but about the city of Leon. I'm not sure I would have said anything, it sucks to be her and someone will eventually report her. 

So I eventually got to the cathedral. I got lots of wonderful pictures. It has an astonishing  amount of stained glass, like 1800 sq meters (6000 sq feet.)  I just kept shooting one beautiful window after another. I didn't know the cathedral closed at 1:30pm and I was so engrossed in shooting images, I didn't notice that people were leaving. Suddenly I noticed that there weren't many people left and those that were left were leaving. I was alone in this huge cathedral. Then an announcement came that the cathedral was closing. I scurried to the exit. As nice as the cathedral is, I had an appointment to get my hair it at four. Seriously, there are priorities. 

Since I had sometime and SMOOY yogurt was also closed, I decided to go to "el corte ingles," the complete department store. It has pretty much everything and everyone I've been in is six stories, with a grocery store at ground zero, cosmetics and men's clothing on floor I, women's clothing on floor 2, etc. I wanted to get some pants to wear while I'm being a hospitalera in Bercianos other than my two pairs of hiking shorts which are identical. So I went shopping and then got my hair cut. 

I took the river route home from the department store. This river is wonderful. It has an exercise trail down by the river and a strolling lovely park above along the river. The strolling path runs through a long park that includes play grounds, a rose garden, and lots of shade trees. It also has a McDonalds. Since it was right there, I decided it was another of those Camino things that was meant to be. I had a double cheeseburger and a small diet coke. And they must import the meat because it doesn't taste like the untainted Spanish ground beef. lol I never eat McDonalds. I had to come all the way to Spain to do it. I'm blaming it on the Camino. That's my story and I' sticking to it. 

When I returned to the hotel I got my hair cut. Then I went and iced my knee and had a cup of coffee. I tried to connect with Sally, another peregrina who is in Leon at the Parador, but were both dealing with intermittent. Wifi. After coffee I went on the Cloisters display here at the Parador. This edifice has had a long and varied history, including the cloister of Jesuits and other monks for 700 years, the home of military stud horses and a prison several different times. It's saddest term as a prison was probably during the Spanish Civil War when Franco used it to imprison and torture members of the Republican Guard. Many men and women died here during the last four years of the 1940's. 

After that uplifting education, I went into the city center and got some SMOOY, sat and ate it while waiting to take the little train on the city tour. I think I will need a chiropractor after that adventure. I'm leaving tomorrow. I did consider staying one more day, but both here and in Burgos, I have had a really strong sense of when it is time to go. So I am packed up and ready to go tomorrow, after the breakfast buffet of course. I need fuel. hehehe. 

  

Day 44 - Mansilla de las Mulas to León - August 28 On the Camino 24 days

Day 44 - Mansilla de las Mulas  to León - August 28 

On the Camino 24 days

The dinner last night was delicious. A dab of olive oil and fresh vegetables with a few spices. Allison called it Ratatouille, but I thought that was a mouse from a Disney cartoon. I'm obviously not very refined. But it was good, whatever you call it. We had gotten a melon for dessert, but we were too full to eat it. So, we saved it for breakfast. 

I learned something about my self last evening. I was starting to feel irritable, restless, and discontent. I was not happy with a number of people, including the guy who accused me of grand theft yogurt, the other people cooking in the kitchen and getting in my way (the nerve of them), the two gals Allison invited to join us for dinner who told her they already ate and then came in with groceries to join another group (frankly the mood I was in I didn't care where they ate, but I felt like I was back in high school being dissed,) I could go on but this is already sufficiently humiliating. 

Anyway, we ate. A lovely young woman from Barcelona joined us and we had a lively Spanish conversation amongst the three of us. Then I decided to take my poor pitiful self to bed. The next thing I know, I'm being awoken by the rustling of a back pack. It's totally dark in the room. I'm thinking why do these people want to get up at the crack of dawn. It hasn't been so hot you need to get started early to avoid the heat. I haven't bee to albergue yet that filled up before five, and most of them hadn't filled up at all. So I look at my phone clock. YIKES!!! It's 7:30am. Then I realize I hadn't gotten up to pee once. It struck me right between the eyes, I was tired. Duh! Well I'm a little slow sometimes, well, alright, a lot of the time, if you insist on rigorous honesty, then, yeah, most of the time. 

I got up got ready, realized how kind and considerate everyone was being quiet this morning. The room was empty when I got up. The people who were on my bad people list last night were just charming and we shared all our food at breakfast. So now I know, being tired makes me cranky. 

I was one of the last to leave the albergue. Allison and I exchanged contact info. We may not see each other again. She is going to León, but is probably staying in an albergue, because it will be her last chance to do so. I'm telling you, you get to love the atmosphere of the albergues. Tomorrow she is taking a bus to Astoga to go to the Chocolate Museum and then get a bus to San Sebastion to visit her daughter, meet her husband, and attend her first grand child's first birthday. And I am going to León, staying in the Parador, and returning to Bercianos to be a hospitalera for two weeks. She is fun to be around and we are good together, same age, same outlook, similar experiences, etc. she is from South Africa and has traveled a lot. 

So I got on the Camino late, got briefly lost, so I really started moving toward León about 9am. I think that is a record. But I have a hotel reservation, so I don't have to worry about getting a bed, not that the beds are all being taken any way. And I like heat, so I never really worry about that and right now it's getting warm, but not hot. So I was pretty much at the end of the line and didn't see any other pilgrims. Everyone, and I mean everyone was ahead of me. I did see a few bikers. I had a brief conversation with one biker when I stopped to take a stone from my shoe. He was waiting for his friends to catch up. He said I spoke Spanish well. Imagine that. It was a short conversation. I had fun singing to tunes on my iPod. I'm a little more inhibited when there are pilgrims ahead of me and behind me. 

I came across the place where I had a delicious cheese omelette last year, so O decided to stop and try it again. It was very good. There was a lot of wonderful things to look at today. The last part into Leon was a little tedious. City walking is never real exciting. When you've been out on country roads and in villages, it is a bit disorienting and very tiring to suddenly be amongst people rushing here and there, cars going here and there, horns honking, lights flashing, and all the while your tiring to look for the yellow arrows painted on walls, curbs, sidewalk, etc. or metal scallop shells implanted in the sidewalk. León also has some glass triangle (which was a design failure. I haven't seen one where the glass isn't shattered) and it has metal foot prints embedded in the sidewalk. I have to say León is probably one of the best marked cities on the Camino. 

So I get to León. The Parador, where I'm going to stay is on the Camino as it leaves León, which is to say on the other side of the city. I'm crossing the last street to get to it, I step into a cross walk and this guy has to stop for me, as I'm passing I think I hear him saying something to a guy on the side walk. I figure it's someone he knows, then suddenly the guy on the side walk is trying to get my attention and is pointing at the guy who is still stopped at the cross walk. I turn around and I'm astonished. It's my hitch hiking friend, the guy who picked me up when I wandered 10km off the Camino and gave me a ride back to Fromista!! What are the chances of us being at the same place at the same time on a cross walk? I mean the hitch hiking incident was one week and more than a hundred kilometers ago. Any way he asked how I was and I said very good, considering I was not lost right then. We waved and then went our separate ways. I'm still a little baffled by the universe. 

When I was taking the picture to show all of you the hardships I'm enduring, I saw my Irish friend, Dermott in front of the Parador. So I got to the Parador and checked I.  I got to my room and it is nice, but not spectacular. It has a nice view a a courtyard with bushes sculpted in designs and lots of fun bath stuff. The bears were especially excited about the bath stuff and decided they would let me stay with them, even though there are only two twin beds, so they have to share. Actually in Burgos when we had two twin beds we all ended up in the same bed. Hehehe. They missed me.  

Then I realized they had given me a smoking room. My booking.com profile always requests a non smoking room. I think the ash trays in the room were the first clue. The smell and the fact that's chest was getting tight was my second clue. I don't think they've heard of vapor here. So I go down to the desk to explain and she tells me the guy will be up to help Meier my luggage to a different room in five to ten minutes. I'm thinking, "luggage? She must mean my back pack, the one I've been carrying for about 350 miles. I'm thinking I can probably get it to a different room, but oh we'll. so they move down to the next floor, which must be the non smoking floor. But it's on the other Sid of the hall with a view of the street. Oh well, at least I can breathe.  

I went back to the center of the tourist area, looked at the outside of the Catedral because I planning to go inside tomorrow and use my new technique on the stained glass. I see Allison. She is on her way to see a doctor because her foot is swollen and one of the pilgrims who is a nurse said it might be infected.  

I am now at the Parador getting sleepy. So good night all. 

 

Day 43 - El Burgo Ranero to Mansilla de las Mulas August 27 On the Camino 23 days

Ok, this is all of today's post. Just skip the part you've already read. I'll try to get today's pictures up with it. 

Day 43 - El Burgo Ranero to Mansilla de las Mulas  August 27 On the Camino 23 days

Well once again I woke up at 5am, not because people were up being noisy, I just woke up. Damn! I tried to go Val to sleep, but by 5:30 am I realized it was a hopeless cause. So I did my bed stretches and got up. By 6:30 I had eaten and was ready to go. So once again I used my head lamp. It was a nice sun rise though. 

When I was getting my stuff out of the refrigerator, I think I stole some guys juice. I bought one yesterday at the store and I thought I put it in the refrigerator with the rest of my stuff. There was one upstairs on the window ledge, but I thought that belonged to somebody in the bunk across from me, but they weren't there to ask. Besides I had put my cold stuff in the refrigerator. 

So I'm sitting at the table eating my fig and nectarine, and starting to drink my juice when this guy comes up and motions to ask if the juice is mine. I think he's French. He doesn't speak English or Spanish. I tried both. But I tell him I think it is mine, but he can have it. He gestured no and walks away. Oh well. I walk on freeways and steal fruit juice. I'm a scofflaw, no doubt about it. 

I'm more than half way through with the walking.  So once more I'm off before dawn with my head lamp. It is downright chilly, so I put on my fleece over my long sleeve lululemon.  The first stretch is about 8 miles without a bar or water fountain., which in the abstract doesn't sound like much, but with a pack on your back it seems like a long way. So I take lots of water and snacks. There are plenty of picnic areas and places to sit and rest and munch. 

But the major problem was that's iPod ran out of battery, so I had to walk it without entertainment. What I've realized is music is like energy. When fast, upbeat or rock and roll is on I pick up the pace. When slow music is on I drag. When no music is on, I almost come to a stand still. lol

I finally finish the first stage and get to Reliegos, charge my iPod, get café con leche and tostada con mantequilla and mermelada. So I have music, sugar and caffeine, I rocket into Mansilla de las Mulas! 

On the way to the albergue both Allison and I noticed a great little Farmer's Market in the plaza. So we checked into the albergue and go to the market. We decide to fry up some eggplant, zucchini, onion and tomato with some spices and get a melon for desert. I think all of the ingredients were less than five euros. 

We came back, I showered, washed some clothes and them read all your wonderful comments and emails. Then I went out for a café. I knew I was in a bar for locals because there were at least three dominoes games going on with the sound of tiles being slapped on the table. They don't laugh and joke like we do when playing dominoes. In fact they don't even talk. They only noise is the sound of the tiles slapping the table. Now I'm resting. In a little bit I'm going to walk about town before dinner. 

I'm headed to Leon tomorrow and will be spending two nights at the Parador, which is the hotel from the movie, The Way. I should get good wifi and have some time there and hope to send the next batch of pictures. 

Day 42- Sáhagun to El Burgos Ranero- August 26 On the Camino 22 days

Day 42-  Sáhagun to El Burgo Ranero-  August 26

On the Camino 22 days

The day was started out without much excitement and without any caffeine. This may explain what happened later. I woke up about 6am, this time before my room mates. Laid in bed and stretched until they woke up, then got up and out. The bar on the corner wasn't open, so I took off without coffee. It was just getting light, so I didn't need my head lamp. I walked for about an hour before I came to the split where one trail goes to the old Roman road, which I did last year. The other trail goes to Bercianos and El Burgo Ranero. I want to pick up my fleece in Bercianos. 

But I want coffee. This split in the trails occurs at the intersection of two major highways. I can see the trail I want to go on, but the other direction, which requires going on the highway off ramp has a village (Calzada de Coto) with the promise of coffee. So I think I'll just go over there, get a café con leche and come back to the trail. So, off I go. I get to the village walk around for about fifteen minutes and find no coffee. So, I shrug my shoulders and head back to the trail. I'm walking on what I think is the on ramp and Ll of a sudden I think it looks more like a freeway and I've gone much further than I think I should have to go. At this point I'm thinking I went the wrong way on the interchange and I'm thinking of turning around. When I look up I see a police car pulling off to the side of the freeway in front of me, facing me with it's lights flashing. I think uh oh. I'm sure walking on the freeway in Spain is not allowed, just like the US. So once again I imagine getting familiar with the Spanish legal system. What do they do to people in Spain who walk on the freeway? I don't even know what they do to people who walk on the freeway in the US.

So I walk up to the car and the cop in the passenger seat told me that walking on the freeway is dangerous, as though I'm a little slow or demented. Which might not be too far off. I explain that I'm looking for the Camino to El Burgo Ranero. They scratch their collective heads and confer. I think they come to the conclusion that they are going to have to drive me back over the interchange, otherwise I will still be walking on the freeway. So they tell me to get into the back seat. It's the first time I've been in the back seat of a police car sans handcuffs. No billy clubs were involved, no jails, etc. it was all quite civilized. My how my life has changed. Anyway, together we figure out how to get this crazy American back on the Camino. I told them "Muchas gracías" and off I went. I could hear them shaking their heads. lol

I still haven't had any coffee. So I head to Bercianos and find the albergue. Fortunately the hospitaleros are still there cleaning and I get there attention through an upstairs window. The albergue closes after the pilgrims leave and doesn't open again until 1:30. Anyway, I get my fleece. They were laughing at how happy I was to see my fleece. I was just delighted. And they directed me to a nearby bar where I had  glass of fresh squeezed orange juice, a slice of apple coffee cake, and a café con leche. The bar also had wifi and I was so delighted to read your comments and the many more that were there tonight. I also got the less than delightful news that the mobile disco show will be in Bercianos September 6 through 9.That is the noisy event that was in Carrion de Los Condes last Friday where the music went from 11pm until 7 am.  I will be in Bercianos Sept 1 to 15, volunteering as a hospitalera. Oh joy!

After my rest in Bercianos, I head for El Burgo Ranero. I'm having a lovely walk, enjoying the scenery. It is a nice trail along a road that rarely sees a car. I think I saw one tractor and two cars the whole day. I'm lost in my own little world when I notice that two people on bicycles are riding along beside me and talking to me. I think oh my goodness, what did I forget now. But it was Michael and Kathryn, on their way to turn in their bicycles in Mansilla de las Mulas. Their going home after that. We take some pictures and say another good bye. Kathryn shoots a picture with my camera that includes Mr Burple. It's so nice she understands the bears. So off they go and I wander into El Burgo Ranero and find the Municipal albergue. There is a group waiting for it to open at 1pm. And in the group is Allison from South Africa and the French woman I met in Burgos. I want to call her Simone, but that's not her name. 

The albergue opens and we get checked in. Allison and I decide to go to the market and get stuff for dinner. We decide to make a salad with green olives, garbanzo beans, cheese, fresh tomato and red bell pepper, and they have romaine lettuce. I also get some Oreos and when get back to the albergue we go through this whole thing about the proper way to eat an Oreo. Then we teach this Spanish guy how to eat an Oreo. He was a natural. lol the salad was super yummy. I should have taken a picture, because it was also very colorful. But alas, the stomach trumps art once again. 

Allison and I had several long talks during the day. She's my age and we share a lot of interests and views. At 8:50 the hospitaleros get us all together to go see the sunset, which is spectacular over the lake with clouds in the sky. The they give us each a present of a bracelet with a message on it. We draw them out of a hat. They told us we could burn them at Finisterre. Between now and then we could think about why we got this message. I drew Courage. Hmm! That will certainly be food for thought. 

Well it's been another fun filled adventure. Thank you all so much for your comments and messages. They mean so much to me. Sleep with the angels! See you tomorrow. 

Day 41- Terradillos de Los Templarios to Sáhagun - August 25 On the Camino 21 days

Day 41-  Terradillos de Los Templarios to Sáhagun -  August 25 

On the Camino 21 days

No problem with the cold last night. I put my convertible pants on over my yoga pants, jumped into my sleep sac and was cozy as a bug. I had two young Spanish men as roommates. They are riding bicycles on the Camino and do not speak a word of English. They were very nice and polite. This was their first day on the Camino. They started from home which is a village on the Camino, outside of Burgos. 

This morning I was blasted out of sleep by one of my roommate's alarm on his phone. I think it was some kind of Spanish hard rock, but really wasn't awake enough to know. He went back to sleep, I couldn't go back to sleep. Why does this always happen? Why set an alarm if you aren't going to get up?

Not a big deal, because 6:30 is a perfectly acceptable time for me to get up. So I got organized, went down to the bar for café con leche, checked my Facebook, no comments :(, checked my email and I had two farm Sheila and Michelle :). Every morning when I get up I look for comments and messages. It's a great way to start the day. 

The morning was glorious. The way was a rolling path. There were golden fields. As I was walking along admiring God's artistry, two biking Peregrinos pulled up beside me. I said "Buen Camino" but they stopped and one of them pulled out my cord to charge my phone and iPod with the adaptor attached. I had left it plugged into the wall by my bed. These boys took the time and trouble to bring it with them and look for me on the Camino. Two handsome Camino Angels! I thanked them profusely. They said "Buen Camino" and rode off. 

 I stopped at Moratinos to get some sesame seed and nut snacks I like to take with me. I looked for peaceable kingdom, but didn't find it.

I forgot to mention Ledigos in yesterday's post. I was going to stop there last night until I got close to the village and said, " oh, hell no." I stayed there last year. There is a man and a woman and a younger woman I assume is their daughter. They are the three most miserable and unfriendly people I have met in two Caminos. This is an example of change in management. Apparently these folks took over a few years ago. The albergue itself is ok. It's a converted barn. It's old and kind of run down, but also kind of trippy. But these people are so miserable it just permeates the air. I actually feel compassion for them. It truly sucks to be that miserable, but it doesn't mean I want to jump in the pool. I saw a woman I know(the one I met coming out of Burgos) and she stayed there last night. She had the same reaction I did. 

So yesterday I walked on to Terradillos where the people were friendly and the food was good. Tomorrow night I'm staying in El Burgos Ranero and I'm really excited about that and looking forward to seeing the Laguna and the sunset. I'm going to stop in at Bercianos and say "hola" to the hospitaleros I will be replacing on September 1 for my two week stint and to see if there is anything I can get in Leon to bring back. 

Well, right now I'm sitting in a bar having café con leche and four men at the table next to me are engaged in what looks like an all day card game. I'm meeting Michael and his wife Kathryn at 8pm for dinner I think. They are stopping here. Their time is up. They need to get home, their son is getting married. Guess where? Crystal Cove. My favorite beach. 

I'm going to beg again. Please don't just click "like," please comment even if it is to say, "when are you going to stop posting." Or send emails. Tell me what you are doing. I miss hearing from you. I don't mean you Trish, you are my hero!

Day 40 - Carrion de Los Condes to Terradillos de Los Templarios - August 24 On the Camino 20 days

Day 40 -  Carrion de Los Condes to Terradillos de Los Templarios - August 24

On the Camino 20 days

Well compared to yesterday, it has been a pretty uneventful day. I woke up about 5 am when people started moving around. Got up about 6am and started getting packed up. Apparently there was a festa last night. The music must have started around 11 pm or so after we were in bed asleep, because I didn't hear a thing. But when I woke up this morning I could hear the DJ and the music. So we had another morning of walking through trash and drunken young people. I think the music stopped about 7am. I left the albergue about 7:30am. I ran into a young man I had met at breakfast in Boadilla. His name is Alex. He is from Germany, a university student, and speaks very good English. He started walking with me. His friend who is doing the Camino with him got really sick last night and couldn't walk today. he's not sick from partying. We have to be in the albergues at 10pm, before the party even starts. So Alex is going to walk alone for a couple of days and his friend will take a bus and catch up when he is better. 

Alex and I walked together more than half the walk today. We chatted about America, Germany, philosophy and all sorts of stuff. Today was a tough walk because there were no towns or cafes for about ten miles and the road was flat and straight. Alex did the Camino two years ago and I did it last year and neither of us remember this long flat road. We stooped and had a little picnic. He had a melon that he cut up and ate. And he had bread. I had some almond butter. 

After a while with no towns, we started joking about maybe they hid the town behind the big stack of hay and such stuff. We finally reached a town. He decided to go on and I decided to have a café con leche. Then I put on my music and headed out. The weather was lovely, warm but with a cool breeze. I walked further than I planned because I was feeling pretty chipper.

I ended up in Terradillos de Los Templarios in an albergue. I decided to eat before showering and washing clothes because the served the menu del dia from 1 to 3 or 8:30 to 10. I felt like having a meal today, not just a sandwich, but I didn't want to wait until 8:30. So I say down and ate. I had spaghetti for my first course and pork and French fries for my second course. Obviously I didn't eat it all or I would have popped. But I did have helado (ice cream) for my postre (dessert course.) 

Them I took a shower and did laundry. While I was doing laundry I noticed it was getting windy. And it got very windy and cold. I lost my data on my phone, I think due to the wind. It was working before it got windy. The place I'm staying doesn't have wifi. So I read took a nap. Got my dry clothes in and got my pack organized for tomorrow. I hope the wind stops. I don't think I have enough warm stuff to walk in a cold wind. We'll see. Right now it is bed time. 

Day 39 - Boadilla del Camino to Carrion de Los Condes - August 23 On the Camino 19 days

Day 39 -  Boadilla del Camino to Carrion de Los Condes - August 23

On the Camino 19 days

Well 5am and an alarm goes off. It is the guy on the bunk next to mine. I'm thinking I didn't see any cemeteries nearby. I hope there are none because that alarm was loud enough to raise the dead. Then we'd have a whole other zombie movie idea. :) of course, once that happened a lot of people were awake and started to get up and pack their bags. I couldn't do mine, or even get out of my bunk because the couple next to me were packing their bags. I will never, for the life of me, understand why they don't just pick them up and take them out of the sleeping room to a place that has light. There was such a place about three feet from our bunks. 

Oh well, I start stretching, roll up my sleeping sac, and get ready to go. As soon as I get a chance, I grab my bag and take it in the other room. I get all packed up and then go get some coffee and toast I manage to piss off some woman who was saying that German is easier for English speakers to learn than Spanish. Having studied both languages, I told I thought Spanish was easier for me than German, because of the cognates (words that sound alike.) but maybe it is just because I grew up in So Cal listening to Spanish. Though German is the first language I learned. It's a good day when you can give someone a resentment before 6:30am. lol 

So I left to get on the trail. I asked for directions to the trail from the albergue and I had already read the directions for getting to Fromista about three times. I did all this because I got lost coming out of Boadilla last year and ended up walking 4 extra miles on the side of highways. So this year I wanted to get it right. Well it was dark when I left, but I got on the trail, so I had my headlamp on.  Then the first morning lightening started and I got all wrapped up in the beauty of a soft pastel dawn and this canal we were walking along, and taking pictures. Sometime later as I was listening to the birds and the rustle of the leaves in the trees lining the trail, I realized I hadn't seen anyone in a long time. Certainly some of the people behind me would have caught up while I was taking pictures and, even taking pictures, I usually pass a few of the slower people who leave before me. But there's no one. I keep walking, hoping to see some human being I can talk to to ascertain where I am and what direction I need to go to get back to the trail. No one. 

I finally see a church steeple and I think, oh thank goodness, it's Fromista, I'm not lost! Wrong, wrong, wrong. It's not Fromista. So I stop a guy driving a big tractor down the rode and ask for directions to Fromista. He tells turn left it's down the road. I turn left, walk a little and come to a sign that says Fromista is 7 km ahead. That's over 4 miles added on to what was going to be a sixteen mile day any way. It took three seconds to decide to hitch hike and a few minutes for a car to actually come by. 

I haven't hitch hike since my hippie days, like almost fifty years ago. But what the heck, it's not complicated. You stick out your thumb and run like heck to the car when they stop, because they never have time to make the decision to stop, and then actually stop until there a little ways down the road. In this case there were two cars, and O didn't think either of them were going to stop, so I turned around and started walking. Then I saw them both stop. The first car had to stop slowly or he would have been rear ended. So here we go with the whole running with the pack, bears flopping scene again. But I get to the car and this very nice man gives me a ride to Fromista. In a car it didn't take long at all. lol

So then I continue what is now going to be a 16 or 17 mile walk to Carrion de Los Condes, but I'm grateful it's not going to be a 20 mile walk. The rest of the walk was pretty uneventful. I got to Carrion and there were still beds available in the Santa Maria albergue which is run by the church and the nuns in the convent. They have singing nuns, plus vespers, and some sort of musical event tonight. And the nuns cook us a communal meal. The smells from the kitchen lead me to believe it will be yummilicious. I Will let you know. Stay tuned. 

Well I haven't had dinner yet. It's not until 9 pm. But we have a had a fun filled evening so far. The hospitaleros and the nuns could not have been more welcoming from the minute I walked through the door. We had Vespers at 5:30pm where the nuns sang beautifully. Then at 6pm we had a musical session with the nuns, the hospitaleros, and the pilgrims. It was a lot of fun. The three women of my Spanish friend group are here, Anna and the two Basque sisters. I don't know what happened to Victor and the man. But when the women and I saw each other we were all surprised and delighted, smiling, laughing and exchanging greetings. One of the nuns commented that she thought this was so great that Camino friends are so glad to see one another. Anyway they were at the song fest. One pilgrim had a flute, one of the hospitaleros had a flute one nun was playing a drum, and several had guitars. It was so much fun. When they started singing Amazing Grace, I was reflecting on how blessed I am and tears ran down my face. I think I'm getting soft. 

After the song fest we came over to the church again for a classical guitar concert. I have never heard a guitar sound like that. And with the acoustics of this old stone churc it was over the top amazing. 

Now I'm at mass where we will get a special individual pilgrim's blessing. Well the blessing was very special and personal. And the nuns gave us each a little gift and the priest stamped our credentials. Wow! This is a must not miss albergue. Santa Maria in Carrion de Los Condes. It was full when I came last year so the nun directed me to a convent albergue which was just wonderful. One of the reasons I was not happy about getting lost was it meant I might not get to Carrion at all or get there too late and it would be full. But I kept reciting my mantra, "I will get where I'm supposed to get, when I'm supposed to get there." And I did. I had no idea why I wanted to come to this place, now I know why. And God sent the Eskimo. lol

Well now it's time for dinner and bed. Dinner was fantastic! Thirty or forty pilgrims being served by nuns and priests. Wild I'll tell you. Never in my wildest dreams. My friend Allison from South Africa just gave me a little gift made in South Africa. 

   

Day 38 - Castrojerez to Boadilla del Camino- August 22

Day 38 -  Castrojerez to Boadilla del Camino- August 22

On Camino 18 Days

When I woke up at 3am to go to the bathroom there were people in the kitchen packing their packs and getting ready to go. Three in the morning!! Craziness!! While I was up I noticed my Spanish friends were not snoring, but the Irish guy two beds over was. Didn't keep me from falling back to sleep. This guy is a little odd. He doesn't really talk to anyone. I've tried, but all I found out is that he is Irish. He didn't ask me anything. He looks like a businessman going to work short hair cut, clean shaven, long sleeve button down shirt tucked into khaki bermuda shorts and a belt. He's heavy set. A Camino mystery. 

I woke at 5am when other people started moving around, had breakfast with my Spanish friends, got ready and got on the road about 6:30am. This is the first time Zi've used my headlamp this year. I decided last year that  I really don't like walking in the dark, because you can't see anything. 

After I started walking I came to this hill. I remember it from last year. It's about one kilometer up a steep hill. This year the sunrise and moon kept me busy, so I went up slowly and got to see plenty. The sky was extraordinary until sun got up.  The sky looked like there was a fire nearby, but none are on the news and the sky is clear now. It must have been atmospheric because they don't have smog in this part of Spain. 

I walked along happily. I saw my Spanish friends again at a little picnic area where this guy sets up with fruit, soft drinks and coffee. All donativo. I had a nectarine in my pack, so I ate that and gave him a euro for a coffee. While I was sitting there munching away, I saw these hunters with guns and dogs, so I took some pictures. A lot of people hunt birds for eating along the Camino. It fact the other day we were kind of all strung out in a line walking one section of the trail and I thought of the game booth at carnivals where the little ducks swim by and you try to shoot them for a prize. I thought of us pilgrims walking in a line as the ducks and suddenly I thought, "If I see any dirt fly, I'm going to dove into the ditch." Fortunately, it was just my crazy mind again. I mean there were hunters and gun shots, but they weren't aiming at us, unless they were very bad shots. 

I saw my Victor, the young man with my Spanish friends, with the man who I think is his father at the sign telling us we were entering the Provincia of Palencia and he offered to take my picture. He did a great job. I saw my Spanish friends again when I entered Boadilla. They called to me and we said our goodbyes. They are going on to from oats where one of them is leaving for home, so they will be ahead of me. And I think the others are only going to Leon. 

I got to En El Camino in Boadilla. This is my favorite albergue on the whole Camino, at least of the ones I've stayed in so far. I got my pick of beds, took a shower, did laundry, had an incredible ensalada mixta, and took a nap. Now I am looking forward to a yummy dinner. I think I'll go get my pack organized. More later.  

Well dinner is over and it was yummy. I sat next to the Irish guy. His name is Bartlett and he is a road engineer. He is actually quite nice, but seems socially awkward. I'll have to make a friendly effort. 

I met a bunch of people here by the pool and at dinner. One lady was from France, two from Italy, and another woman from Australia (not the one I met yesterday.)

Well it's time to get ready for bed. Morning seems to come early on the Camino. 

Day 37 - Hornillos del Camino to Castrojerez - August 21

Day 37 - Hornillos del Camino to Castrojerez - August 21

On Camino 17 days

I was thinking, I can hear you saying, "Oh, no, not again." Imagine what it's like to love in my head. Anyway what I was thinking about is that over the years much my art work has been about the concept of the begging bowl that Buddhist monks carry and sit with quietly by the side of the road to receive good for sustenance. They rely on the universe to provide what they need. I used this concept on my graduate thesis show. I didn't buy anything for the show, used what I had, what I found, or what people have me. Somewhere along the line it was explained to me that they rely on the universe to provide, but also that they are thankful for what they receive and eat what is put in their bowl whether they like it or not. 

I've worked on this concept over the years, I'm possibly a little slow spiritually. The Camino is a great place for me to practice this. I am grateful I have food to eat. I am grateful I have a bed or mattress on the floor to rest my body. When I have a choice, I will usually choose what I prefer, but regardless I am grateful. For instance, I didn't like the first albergue in Grañon, it was creepy and dirty in a sanitary sense. But i tooky shower and washed my clothes and started to settle in. If Michael hadn't come and made me aware I was not in the paroquial alberque I would have stayed and been grateful to have a place to lay my head. At least I think I would have because that's the way I was behaving. 

The first couple of times I came to Spain, I didn't know much Spanish, or much about Spanish food. When I was presented with a menu, I would just point at something, and then when it was served, I ate it. I never had anything that wasn't good. 

When I tell people I'm going to China, Spain, Morocco, etc. I often hear from them that I won't like wherever I'm going. When I question this statement the response is usually something like this, "Well, I ordered a hamburger/pizza/hot dog and it . . ." I never hear the end of it because I'm busy thinking, why in the heck would you go to China and order a hamburger?" If I want to eat what I eat at home, have the creature comforts I have at home, not be too hot or too cold or anywhere outside my comfort zone, I would stay at home. 

I generally don't rent cars when I travel, I use public transportation. I can't stand tour groups or tour buses. I loving walking tours or biking tours. I did a biking tour of China during the SARS "epidemic." I ate what was given to me, slept where I was put. All of it was outside my comfort zone. I got sick (not with SARS) and it gave me the opportunity to get a fancy certificate stating I was in good health. At least that is what they told it said. It was in Chinese, so it could have said "This is a crazy American" lol

So I continue to work on this. I try to be open to whatever the universe provides whether food, lodging or experience. It has made my life less stressful and more interesting. But it is still a work in progress. Sometimes I think to myself, "someday this experience will make a funny story. 

OK, enough of that. When I left you last I was getting ready to take a nap in Hornillos. Well, I never got the nap, because I decided to get my pictures for that day loaded to Facebook. I'm doing this so I can remember where the pictures are from when I get home. I've found that the days and places get all mixed up in a hodge podge in my mind when I'm on the Camino. So hopefully this will help. So by the time my pictures were done it was time for dinner. It was a communal dinner with a gal from Denmark, one from Germany who has been walking from her home since April, an older Australian couple who had done the Camino in 2004, a group of five Spaniards, one from Barcelona named Anna, two sisters from San Sebastion in the Basque Country (the sister sitting next to me is named Marusa) and a older man (could be a husband or father) and a young man (could be a son or brother.)

The Spaniards are also sharing my corner of the room in the Albergue. 

Dinner was a yummy chicken paella, salad, wine and water, and either yogurt or fruit for dessert. 

I had a wonderful conversation in Spanish with Anna and Marusa and they relayed the bits they found interesting to the others who were sitting at the opposite end of the table, while I translated for the others who understood English. 

At bedtime I discovered that three of my five new Spanish friends snore, and it was not like vespers. More like dueling banjos. I had to use my ear plugs. lol

We all got up about 5:30, packed up, ate breakfast, and took off somewhere around 7am. It was a beautiful day for walking.

I spent a good deal of time taking pictures of the full moon descending and the sun rising, simultaneously. What a trip. Glad I didn't miss that! 

I made it to Castrojerez, got a bed I'm grateful for, ate an ensalada mixta and had a cup of coffee I was grateful for, took a shower with warm water and hung out my clothes in hot sunshine. It's been a great day!

Day 36 - Burgos to Hornillos del Camino - August 20

Day 36 - Burgos to Hornillos del Camino - August 20

Well I got all packed last night and set my alarm for 6am, thinking I'd be on the road before 7am. Jokes on me! I either didn't set my alarm or slept through it, because I woke up at 7:30! The amazing thing is I didn't panic, curse myself, or run around in circles like one legged wind up toy trying to turn back the clock by rushing. I just got up stretched, got dressed, ate a peach, and went downstairs to settle my bill. He got it all done, but when I looked at it I realized they had not charged me for the breakfast yesterday morning. So he had to redo all the computer stuff and print a new bill. I got out of there about 8:15am. The amazing thing is I knew that everything was exactly as it was supposed to be. 

As I left the hotel I met another pilgrim woman and I said hola and she began talking to me. I couldn't understand a word she was saying. I thought all of my Spanish had leaked out of my ears while I slept. Then I said something in English and she said "Oh you speak English, good I need to practice mine. Turns out she is French, which is why I didn't understand a word she said. I don't know what part of "hola" made her think I spoke French. Maybe there is a French word that sounds like "hola."

We walked together for a while. She practiced her English, telling me this was her first day and that she hoped to make it to Hornillas, but she wasn't sure she could make it that far. She walked to Santiago four years ago. Two years ago she tried to do it again but had to stop in Burgos because of her leg. She couldn't walk last year because her mother was ill. I suggested she not push too hard and risk injuring her leg again. At this point it was obvious to me that we were not walking at the same pace. I wished her well and said I see her in Hornillos if she made it that far. 

Then as I walked, I thought maybe that wasn't hospitable. Maybe I should have walked with her. But I also thought, this is my Camino too. This prompted a lot of reflection about being hospitable vs being codependent or people pleasing, hospitality vs self care, giving and getting, etc. These thoughts went around and around, back and forth until I was rudely interrupted by the astonishing beauty of the landscape. We are slowly making the climb to the meseta. I remember when I first went to Montana and looked up around. The concept of "big sky country" suddenly became clear to me. The meseta is like that for me. There is the yellow of the harvested wheat and then sky everywhere. The sky is so blue on the Camino. 

There are some really pretty rivers along this part of the Camino. I stopped to gaze at one and take a picture. As I was standing there I realized I heard a large engine. I looked up and saw a car coming toward me, then I looked back and saw a huge truck hurtling toward the bridge from the other direction, he'll bent for leather. Now the thing about this bridge is that it was only big enough for either the truck, or the car, or me. There was not room for the three of us, not even enough room for the truck and the car. I suddenly realized the truck probably wouldn't be able to stop even if the driver wanted to or even knew I was there. Maybe too many brandy and coffees. This bridge had no sidewalks for pedestrians. I'd like to say my life flashed before my eyes, but there really wasn't time for even the abbreviated version. I said a word I won't repeat and started running, back pack bouncing, poles dragging. I made it to the edge just as I felt the wind from the truck. Turns out it was a milk truck with a big storage tank. I'm sure the driver got a good chuckle out of the fleeing pilgrim. I regret not having the presence of mind to give him the universal salute. I guess it was not my time. Somehow I believe, if I'm going to be taken out by a truck, it would be more appropriate if it were a Budweiser truck or John Walker Black Label. lol. It turns out the driver of the car must have been familiar with truckers practices in this area because he was waiting on the side of the road. I signaled for him to go ahead I was alright. 

I made it to the albergue in Hornillos by 1:15 and somehow made better time and felt better on arrival than I had for days. Even thought about walking further, but sanity returned. I think the rest day was a good idea. I have another on planned for Leon, if all goes well. I think I will take that one as well. 

When I stopped at the albergue, I thought it was the Municipal one, I didn't remember stopping in Hornillos last year, so I didn't know what to look for. This one has a communal dinner, bed, wifi, it looks like free Internet, and breakfast for less than 20€. After taking a shower and doing my laundry I went down the street looking for a bar to get some lunch. I saw this tall guy walking toward me with long black hair, a black tee shirt and a black leather motorcycle vest. It was the same guy I saw in the bar last year in one of the towns, so I got the the bar which was on this tiny plaza as he walked into the bar and I realized I did stay here last year and it was the place that had the yummy huge ensalada mixta for 4.5€. Oh boy! So I went in and had one. Now it may be time for a nap. 

Day 35 - Burgos - August 19

Day 35 - Burgos - August 19

Got up this morning about nine, had a leisurely breakfast at the hotel until ten, then went to the Cathedral and had a blast taking pictures, went to the supermercado to get a few things like soap and clothes pins, had a burger at Islas, and then came back to my room and loaded pictures onto Facebook albums. I had gotten way behind. Most evenings I'm too tired or busy talking with people or having moments of reflections. 

So now I've had my shower, packed my bag and I'm read to roll tomorrow. The jury is still out on the rest day idea. It was nice to have a long hot shower and wander around Burgos. But I feel like I've lost momentum and connection. I'm also realizing there are already many people whose pictures are in my Facebook album that I will probably never see again. The Camino is so fluid that way. There will be new people to meet 

I'm going to sleep now so I will be chipper in the morning. Night all!

Day 34 - Agés to Burgos - August 18, 2013

Day 34 - Agés to Burgos - August 18, 2013

I woke up about 6:30 and started doing the stretches I do on bed and organizing my stuff. I couldn't do much else because the room was small and Bri (short for Briana) a young German woman who had the bunk above me was putting her stuff in her pack right next to my bed. When she was done she started talking to me about how hard the Camino is, she said you've done it before was it hard the whole way. She was crying at this point. This is the third or fourth time I've heard pilgrims talk about the Camino being hard. I told Bri I thought is was supposed to be hard. She laughed. If what you want is a comfortable easy trip, maybe going to the beach or some controlled environment, like Disneyland would be a better choice. So we talked about the Camino changing us and if it just slides by easily, it probably won't effect much of a change. I shared about my expectations last year and how different, and actually better the result was than what I expected or wanted. We talked about trying to control the outcome of the moment, the day or the whole Camino. For me this year I am much more into whatever happens is what is supposed to happen, I will sleep wherever I am supposed to sleep, etc. we hugged, she left, packed up and went down for breakfast. Michael was just finishing up, so we left together and walked to the first village together. We didn't get started until 8:30am. Gasp! 

As I was leaving Maria came up to me and gave me a big hug and besas. She told me she really liked me, had enjoyed our conversations, and thought I was interesting. Well it takes one to know one. She's pretty interesting herself. 

As I was walking after Michael and I parted ways I was pondering this thought about how I am being trained to be a hospitalera as I walk the Camino. Then I thought that may I didn't have to be in an albergue to be a hospitalera, that I could be hospitable to pilgrims wherever I happened to be. What a happy thought.  

We had another climb today up a rocky road (not like the ice cream) and at the top was a prayer circle that spiraled in as you walked into it. And from this point you could see the whole valley below, including Burgos. 

Then we got to the walk into Burgos, which would be an ok walk if you hadn't already hiked for five hours with a back back. lol last year I took the historic route which in this day and age involves walking on a highway (I mean literally on the highway) then on a sidewalk along the busy highway through miles of industrial area with big rigs spewing diesel exhaust. As if that isn't enough, then you reach the city and you have another couple of miles of busy city streets with traffic and pedestrians. After walking for days through open country and villages with a population of less than one hundred people, this is all rather nerve wracking and exhausting. 

This year I opted for the river route which, though just as long, takes you along the fence of the airport, then runs along the river in open country, then improved walkways, by a beach on the river until you cross a bridge and are in front of the cathedral. Definitely a better way to go. 

I checked into my hotel only to discover they had given me a room with an incredible view of the cathedral. I posted a picture of it in my Burgos album taken at night from my room. Spectacular. It reminds me of the room Leea and I had in Istanbul overlooking the Blue Mosque. Come to think of it, that one involved a long hike too through the city streets at midnight when our taxi driver couldn't be bothered to actually find our hotel, but that's another story. 

So I took a lovely shower with lots of hot water and dried off with a real towel. Oh what luxury, a towel with fluffy little nubs. lol  Then I went out to explore and to find Pancho's which people have been telling me is a must eatery in Burgos. Well Pauncho's was between lunch and dinner, so no food for me. But, joy of joys, in my search for Pauncho's I discovered a Smooy frozen yogurt place. Oh, yummy. 

I went to the Pilgrim's mass at 7:30 where a pilgrim passed out. He was revived so all is well. After mass I ran into Michael as we were leaving and got to meet his wife Kathy. We all went and had a wonderful dinner at Pauncho's. his wife is delightful, which doesn't surprise me because he is really a nice guy. And she runs a charity that raises money to help educate, even building a school, in Bali. She even seemed to understand the bears. Though she walked from SJPP to Pamplona last year with Michael and did express concern over the extra weight the bears would have in my pack. I explained how helpful they were and how many things I would leave behind before I would leave the bears. She understood. 

They left to take a walk along the river and I went back to my room to finish this blog. But I fell asleep before it was done. The jury is still out on whether this rest day was a good idea. I had no idea how tired I was until I stopped walking. :)

Well it is a cool cloudy day in Burgos. Perfect for picture taking. 

Day 33 - Tosantos to Agés - August 17

Day 33 - Tosantos to Agés - August 17

Walked out of the albergue this morning to a dawn muted by some small clouds and the sound of roosters welcoming the day. At breakfast I had a lengthy conversation with a Spanish man who spoke no English. One of the things we discussed is my confusion over the terms for sunrise and sunset. Sunrise is "salida del sol" and sunset is "puesta del sol." I always think of the word salida as exit and salir as to leave. But apparently salir can also mean to emerge. So I think it is cemented in my brain now. 

Then as I was walking I started thinking about the terms "sunrise" and "sunset," just as we know the earth is not flat, we know the sun doesn't actually rise or set. We spin in circles so that we see it and then we don't. So maybe a new term is needed, like sun appearance and sun disappearance. I wonder who I should consult about this.

Well while I was in these deep and important thoughts we passed another group of drunken young people. They were down they block though, so they were paying us no attention. One of the young German lads said, "The Spanish are weird, they stand in the street in the early morning getting more drunk." I told him it was still the night before to them. Apparently this holiday which is the celebration of Mary's Assumption is celebrated with dance music and partying. It started around August 12 and goes until tomorrow, the 18th. Tomorrow I will be in Burgos where I will spend two nights in a hotel and do some sight seeing. I'm afraid I'm going to be lonely without 8 to 16 people sleeping in the room with me. 

Actually the Spanish I have seen drink at all times of the day. John and I saw some truck drivers and construction guys at the truck stop by where we were living having several brandy an coffees with there breakfast, wine is served with pretty much anything you eat. But, with the exception of the drunken young people, I've never seen a drunk Spaniard. 

A while later we arrived at Villafranca Montes de Oca, where I stayed last year in an albergue built onto a hotel which was converted to a hotel from the historic Bospital de la Reina which hosted about 18,000 pilgrims a year in the 17th century. 

After that we climbed and climbed and climbed up very steep hills until I thought I was going to bump my head on the clouds. Then of course we went down, then back up. To totally wipe us out we then went about five miles on this wide, what looked like a logging road between two forests, rocky as heck so I had to keep my eyes on the ground to avoid a sprained ankle or knee. It was mind numbing. At some point I realized I was doing a zombie walk and my iPod had hit a slow song patch. Oh and did mention it was hot with bright sun and no shade. So anyway I switched my iPod to the fast song playlist and booked it with poles in time with the music. It turns out I could have walked on a trail along side the forest on the left. I saw the trail but I didn't know if it would reconnect with where we were supposed to be according to the yellow arrows. I didn't want to get lost in a forest. 

Well I made to the next pueblo a d had som lunch. I walked another two and a half miles and came to Agés and a lovely albergue with vegetarian dishes and a big Buddha statue in the hallway. I always end up where I am supposed to be. It is so amazing. The proprietor, Maria, is a loving hugging fun lady we had a long conversation about kids grand kids, men, and other stuff. I'm getting so much better at conversations. It's unbelievable. 

She has a guy that works for her that is a riot. He's so funny. He had the whole dining room in an uproar. I had dinner with Nina (Hancock's mom,) and a French couple and what they called their spiritual son. The woman spoke a little English, her husband spoke non the spiritual son spoke a little Spanish, Nina is German and speaks English pretty well.  It was an interesting dinner conversation. Then Maria comes up and starts philosophizing in Spanish (she speaks no English) and I'm translating. Incredible!! The French woman was shocked to learn that most kids in the US take Spanish in school, not French. lol The French really have a hard time believing everyone doesn't speak French. 

Michael's wife is on a plane to Madrid at the moment and will join him in Burgos. Then they are going to walk small stages for a few days before heading home. So I won't see him again after Burgos, but hopefully I will get to meet his wife. 

Well it's time for sweet dreams. 

Day 32 - Grañon to Tosantos - August 16

Day 32 - Grañon to Tosantos - August 16

Beautiful morning coming out of Grañon. The sunrise was soft colors of pink and purple which reflected on the ground. And the hills were blanketed in sunflowers. I got word yesterday that a friend of mine had died. Her name was Nancy also. She was not a close friend, but I loved her spirit. She liked trying new things. One day I met her on the street and she and another woman were coming from some sort of dance class. She said her goal was to try all of the activities the village had to offer. She was a talented artist and we were often in the ceramics studio at the same time. She had a wonderful smile and a great sense of joy. So in all the beauty of the morning I saw Nancy. 

Shortly after this soft memory we had some drama trauma. In the next village I passed through there must have been a festa because there were a bunch of drunken young people. Now this wasn't my first rodeo with drunken young people the morning after festas, but there was something about these drunks. They were standing in the street harassing the pilgrims as they walked by. When I got to where they were, one of the guys held up his hand and told me to stop. Then he said something about my hair and I was trying to get by him when I felt something tugging on my pack. I realized some was messing with the bears. I yelled "HEY!!!" And swung around with my poles up and ready. I was about to whack him one. He didn't have a bear in his hand, so I moved away far enough to check my pack and the bears. They were still there but Mr. Berry was hanging tenuously from his pocket. We were all traumatized, but physically  unharmed. 

From there on the hike was uneventful. I stopped in. Belorado for lunch and they were preparing for a festa. Thank goodness that town is behind me. One of the frustrating things is my inability to capture the grandeur of the landscapes. There is just one breathtaking vista after another. It's really a shame I cannot show you what my eyes are seeing. 

I made it to Tosantos and got my own little mat. The bears are still a little raw from the trauma but I think a good night's sleep will calm their nerves. This evening a woman from the village took us up the hill, yeah that's what I thought, after walking all day I want to go walk in the hills. Hehehe. But it wasn't too bad. And the cave was very interesting. It is a chapel to the Virgin of Peña. I guess like Buddha there are many forms of the virgin. Who knew? After years of being Catholic and even teaching CCD, this was news to me. I'm still not sure I got it right. But this cave was excavated and made into a chapel in the 16th century. And, if there is a priest in the village he is allowed to use it to say mass for the pilgrims. At one time a monk lived up there and there was a convent of Benedictine nuns in the village who taught the children at a school in the cave complex 

Nina and her dog Hector are still put here with us. Hector has his own tent and when he can't stay in the albergue, he sleeps in the yard in his tent. Michael's wife is meeting him in Burgos Sunday. We are all staying in the same hotel so I will get to meet her. I now have a new pilgrim family, which will change again, when I stop walking to be a hospitalera in Bercianos. I love the fluidity of the Camino. I've learned something about being a hospitalera who makes it easy for someone to help. Maria here at Tosantos does it beautifully. I met another Maria here who just finished being a hospitalera in Najera. She lives in the Basque Country and speaks English very well, as well as Spanish and Basque. 

I've also learned in the last couple of night's if I'm ever involved in the evening prayer or reflection to keep it brief and to not lecture. But more will be revealed. I like what I have learned about sharing my experience and nothing more. I use to presume what God meant to you, how God should manifest in you life, what and how we share certain ideas, failings, desires, etc. as human beings. I try not to do that today. I barely understand what the Camino means to me, how it has worked in my life, what I have found here, etc. I have no idea what it means or how it works for anyone else. I suspect it all works exactly as it is suppose to for each of us. 

Well I think that's all for now. The bears and I wish you sweet dreams.