Ugly, but...
in the spirit of the Camino I'll move on and tell you all the good things that happened today. First, a sunrise....
Now I'll back up to yesterday and show you a few photos from Sanabria...a very nice town, a bit on the tourist side, but clearly a very nice medieval city...
Here is the direction we headed out this morning...
After a great dinner last night at the Hostal Carlos Quinto I stayed up late trying to figure out how to get out of town in the morning...unresolved I had a restless night, and this morning I found Didier wandering around lost having no luck with departure. I asked for some directions, but they were said too fast, so I headed off, Didier following. Eventually we did find our way to the N-525 and off we went along the highway where we quickly separated to walk at our own speed. Lots of climbing ahead today, so important to find your own pace and stick with it. Case in point, I arrived 2 hours ago and Didier is still not here...a very difficult stage today, and he will be exhausted and fall asleep as soon as he has showered. We are sharing a nice little room above the town's only bar. Cuts the price in half and only slightly more expensive than the albergues which are now filling each night as we get closer to Santiago and more folks join the Camino to only walk the last couple of hundred kilometres.
Heading towards the pass...note the lack of rain...I dealt with it this morning by putting Margarita (my poncho) in an outside pocket and my gaiters on my boots...guaranteed to keep the rain away:)
Eventually off the highway for a while and through some pretty country side along narrow trails...
through mud...
And past several holy places and symbols.... It was a long hard grind up the pass, not so much because of the height or the steepness, but because the trail surface was poor. The type of rocks that dig deep into the souls of your feet and really hurt. The pad of my right foot is already badly bruised from this type of surface a few days ago, so the climb was a lesson in pain management. Sometimes you have to remind yourself that the Camino provides, sometimes though, not what you need. Ah, Didier arrives...looking pretty wiped out too...off to the shower, then we will have a drink which will help to revive him.
Some photos from the pass today...
I never thought I'd be so happy to see this sign...
and the lady of the house, in the bar, took one look at me and put my favorite cervasa from last year right in front of me with a big smile...welcome to Galicia!!!
So now the rain has begun, but we are home and dry...at least for tonight as there is a bar and a restaurant right down stairs:) Tomorrow is another day, and I'll worry about the rain then...if I have to.
Buen Camino!
Spanish gravel: you can't walk on it, and I don't think you could drive on it, either. It seems to come in two flavours: egg-sized and fist-sized.
ReplyDeleteOh, and recycled. I remember leaving Burgos we saw a building with striking blue tile on the exterior. A couple of kilometres later, the gravel path was mixed with shards of the same striking blue tile.
Enjoy that beer--you earned it!
Ken
A big and challenging day, Geoff. Welcome to Galicia and that well earned cerveza!! Neil and Sarah
ReplyDeleteQuite a day you have had!! Loving your pics and hope that your boots stay dry today. Looking at the profile of your walk and can see that it provides some challenges. Perhaps today will provide a companion who speaks English and the day will end with a good meal and a sound night' s rest
ReplyDeleteHi Geoff: Just a short comment in that I thought I would record a note in your June 6th blog to the effect that June 6th is the 70th anniversary of the D Day landings in Normandy, France in 1944. Huge events were held in France today to mark the occasion.
ReplyDeleteCheers Dad