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.
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