I have a fear of bridges and as nice as these roman one,s may be they still have to be crossed and the walls were not ment for 6 foot high people and with a rucksack making me top heavy I am in a state till I get to the other side often walking in the middle of the road and traffic till I get to the other side.
I am now in Benavente the last week as been much of a muchness the days all blend into one sleep and walk the vista remains the same each day a 2 metre wide track fairly close to the N630 ( like the meseta only not as crowded) my constant companion in fact my only one,we now part company as it winds its way to Leon,one of these days I will drive its full length and visit as a tourist the great city of Salamanca and others,till then I pound out the miles, its a great walk for stillness and quite contemplation but I was never one for keeping quite too long,so still with the remains of the cold and in an effort to get to Astorga sooner I treeked 35km into Benavente took too long to find the empty locked Refugio and at 8-30pm too late to get the key from the tourist office,this will give you some idea of how many people walk this way, this Refugio sleeps 80 and like tigger I,m the only one.
the hostell Bristol was 18 euros and worth every penny,but now after the punishing walk I am tired, the girl in the tourist office offers me the key to stay another night,I am tempted that or just walk 8km to the next Refugio at Villabrazaro-the best laid plans of mice and men and all that, my attempt to gain ground as backfired, so I sit in this library and catch up.
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
Saturday, 9 October 2010
DOCTOR DO-LITTLE
Just arrived in Zamora walking poco poco,I,m now the cat that walks alone,the whole road is mine to myself I have reached that stage in any Camino when my mind is still-I stroll the way as if promanading down any country lane with not a care in the world,each day a new sunset view each morning a new sunrise the most people in any of the aubergues is 4-Vasco from Portugal from day one has caught up a French lady and one German guy Martin but I never see them on the road.
the weather gets cooler now (21c) and today it rained for the first time turning the dusty clay track into a quadmire but all is well all is taken in my stride I work through the songs of Bob Dylan and Fairport Convention in my mind and the birds join in "Zipperdy do dah Zipperdy a my oh my what a wonderfull day"
this trippy state of mind might have a lot to do with the fact I,m in the final stages ( I HOPE ) of a bad head cold and I am eating tablets-but the stages now are small 17 to 20km and I´m getting into my stride.
My flight home is not till the 9th Nov so as the man sang "We have all the time in the World"
hopefully I can retain this zen like state of mind when I reach Astorga, the next main town is Benavente about 60km down the road,it may take a little time "As I gaze apon the chimes of freedom flashing"
the weather gets cooler now (21c) and today it rained for the first time turning the dusty clay track into a quadmire but all is well all is taken in my stride I work through the songs of Bob Dylan and Fairport Convention in my mind and the birds join in "Zipperdy do dah Zipperdy a my oh my what a wonderfull day"
this trippy state of mind might have a lot to do with the fact I,m in the final stages ( I HOPE ) of a bad head cold and I am eating tablets-but the stages now are small 17 to 20km and I´m getting into my stride.
My flight home is not till the 9th Nov so as the man sang "We have all the time in the World"
hopefully I can retain this zen like state of mind when I reach Astorga, the next main town is Benavente about 60km down the road,it may take a little time "As I gaze apon the chimes of freedom flashing"
Tuesday, 5 October 2010
La Man of Salamanca
so 3 weeks in and over half way there,it may be the silver route but finding an internet cafe is like looking for gold dust,but I sit here reflecting on the past 3 weeks,getting cooler now but those first 2 weeks were a killer.
an informal gang of 4 was formed Phil from England,the Irish girl Noula, Millitte from Denmark and me.
Phil is a beer monster and chief rabbit following is Noula with Millitte and me bringing up the rear the highlight of our week together was a mad full moon walk.
it started with an easy 27km walk into Merida booked into a dirty auberge down by the river left our bags and hit the town for lunch in the tapas bars a tour round the roman remains by Walt Disney toy steam train and then a siesta in the park a long evening meal and back to the Auberge I can,t remember who came up with the idea (Noula was later blamed) but we decided to leave the Auberge and moonlight walk the 17km to Aljucen,bags were collected,the cold machine was raided for water or in Phils case beer and we set off through the woods our head torches on full beam as we searched for the way spread out like an Indian war party looking for signs of arrows, footprints or bike tracks I don,t think we could have done it sober but did it we did with just a half hour power nap in the woods watched over by Noula who stayed awake (afraid of the dark) We hit the town just as the bar opened at 6am so coffee con letchie and tostadas for all and bocadillas for the road. we were soon joined by the towns Auberge crowd (5) who said later they were faced by 4 mad laughing red eyed pilgrims with bits of forest floor sticking velcro like to there trousers.
The problem we had not given thought to was what to do in a small town at 6am=nothing left to do but hit the road again for another 21km to find our bed for the night in Alcuescar a residencia for mentally handicapped rather fitting realy.
The next day being Sunday and while the mood was still on us we did the 40km to the big city of Caceres as the day could be split up into 4 stages (bars) where rest and food could be got. that evening sitting in the Plaza Mayor frosted beer glasses in hand we toasted our adventure,nearly 100km with just 2 nights sleep.
it was madness but joyfull0but there was a price to pay Phil let down by his ankle stayed back a day (only to pass us 2 days later=he is now 2 days ahead with Noula)
one of the hard bits about this Camino is the distance between beds,31km to the albergue by a resevoir was to be our last as a group= Millitte just did 14k the next day and hung back to rest and write postcards-I managed another 10 while Noula was seen dissapearing over the hill looking like the duracell bunny her little legs pumping away. Millitte catched up with me in Galisteo ( she,s taken to hitch hiking as she gets lost a lot) our last night was spent with vino tinto as she told me of the death of her 21 year old son 4 years ago hit by a speeding taxi and after a deep depresion was slowly coming to terms with it but each day she says he walks with her on the Camino.
The distances I thought impossible before I bang out now-there is no choice the 40km between Carcabose through the triumphal roman arch at Caparra and on to Aldeanueva was the only choice.sent on my way from the owner of the hostel in Carcabose with a kiss and 2 hard boiled eggs, she was still waving as I reached the corner,I felt as if I was being sent off to war.
the days are long still and silent now and my knees are holding up but I think I take the Silver route all the way to Astorga and there join up with the French way. this is a beutifull walk and great for contemplation.
"but this aint no party this is aint no disco this is aint no fooooling around"
an informal gang of 4 was formed Phil from England,the Irish girl Noula, Millitte from Denmark and me.
Phil is a beer monster and chief rabbit following is Noula with Millitte and me bringing up the rear the highlight of our week together was a mad full moon walk.
it started with an easy 27km walk into Merida booked into a dirty auberge down by the river left our bags and hit the town for lunch in the tapas bars a tour round the roman remains by Walt Disney toy steam train and then a siesta in the park a long evening meal and back to the Auberge I can,t remember who came up with the idea (Noula was later blamed) but we decided to leave the Auberge and moonlight walk the 17km to Aljucen,bags were collected,the cold machine was raided for water or in Phils case beer and we set off through the woods our head torches on full beam as we searched for the way spread out like an Indian war party looking for signs of arrows, footprints or bike tracks I don,t think we could have done it sober but did it we did with just a half hour power nap in the woods watched over by Noula who stayed awake (afraid of the dark) We hit the town just as the bar opened at 6am so coffee con letchie and tostadas for all and bocadillas for the road. we were soon joined by the towns Auberge crowd (5) who said later they were faced by 4 mad laughing red eyed pilgrims with bits of forest floor sticking velcro like to there trousers.
The problem we had not given thought to was what to do in a small town at 6am=nothing left to do but hit the road again for another 21km to find our bed for the night in Alcuescar a residencia for mentally handicapped rather fitting realy.
The next day being Sunday and while the mood was still on us we did the 40km to the big city of Caceres as the day could be split up into 4 stages (bars) where rest and food could be got. that evening sitting in the Plaza Mayor frosted beer glasses in hand we toasted our adventure,nearly 100km with just 2 nights sleep.
it was madness but joyfull0but there was a price to pay Phil let down by his ankle stayed back a day (only to pass us 2 days later=he is now 2 days ahead with Noula)
one of the hard bits about this Camino is the distance between beds,31km to the albergue by a resevoir was to be our last as a group= Millitte just did 14k the next day and hung back to rest and write postcards-I managed another 10 while Noula was seen dissapearing over the hill looking like the duracell bunny her little legs pumping away. Millitte catched up with me in Galisteo ( she,s taken to hitch hiking as she gets lost a lot) our last night was spent with vino tinto as she told me of the death of her 21 year old son 4 years ago hit by a speeding taxi and after a deep depresion was slowly coming to terms with it but each day she says he walks with her on the Camino.
The distances I thought impossible before I bang out now-there is no choice the 40km between Carcabose through the triumphal roman arch at Caparra and on to Aldeanueva was the only choice.sent on my way from the owner of the hostel in Carcabose with a kiss and 2 hard boiled eggs, she was still waving as I reached the corner,I felt as if I was being sent off to war.
the days are long still and silent now and my knees are holding up but I think I take the Silver route all the way to Astorga and there join up with the French way. this is a beutifull walk and great for contemplation.
"but this aint no party this is aint no disco this is aint no fooooling around"
Monday, 27 September 2010
Tuesday, 21 September 2010
Hot Hot Hot
6 days in and this is the first internet,having to sit here in the dark 5-30am, que a mile long last night here in Fuente de Cantos-great auberge.
Arriving in Seville was hit by the heat as I got off the airport-40c and it seemed like no air-was sunburned by the time I hit the backpacking hostell-quick dash out to get the passport from hotel simon first stamp at the Cathedral-back to the hostel-evening spent on rooftop terrace with early 20s crowd none had heard of the Camino,one lad 23 spent the evening smoking joints and reading a book called breaking through by some dutch guy-said he was having to read it twice to make any sense to it all-put me in mind of all the books I had read at the same age. he later spent the whole night coughing in the bunk across from me-the cardboard rouch will get you every time.
hit the road early head still full of those books of yesterday "on the road" "dharma bums" amongst others-feeling more a part of the dead beat generation these days-crossed the bridge and down the palm tree lined route a truly hotel calafornia sunraise-you can book into the Camino but its seems you can never leave.
Castilblanco 20 odd km down the road was my first bed and was it earned the last 10k nearly did for me-I have never walked that far in heat that bad-spent the whole time sucking on the nipple of the Camelbac water pouch-I will get used to the taste of rubber i,m sure.
The heat was to get less over the next few days the highlights being the terrace of El Berrocal after a dinner of venison and great wine watching the thunder storms in the distance-the relief of getting the 16k main road walk part of a 30k day out off the way and through the park set out for tree growing when the lightning and storms hit us.
Almaden de la plate where one of our group of seven who had told me she was spanish and spoke no english turned out to be from Ireland-she said the Camino had taught her to be wary of men of a certain age and she had been keeping her distance but was now thawing towards me-we spent the evening talking shared camino experiancies-I went to bed feeling old.
El real de la Jara and my evening meal in a deserted bar outside the church only to be joined by what seemed the entire village as they streemed out of saturday mass.
Monesterio tired days walking questioning why I was there -these are not easy days and I have yet to get into the Zone-followed by a truly great walk into Fuente followed by Lunch with the irish girl Noula ( see stayed at yours reb last year)
who is now after 6 days thawing and now making me feel less old and threatning.
So here I am and as noula say,s why would you want to be anywhere else but on the Camino-today we walk to our first city Zafra-the small group off 7 of us that started out 6 days ago are now part of 27 that stayed in this great Auberge last night.
Arriving in Seville was hit by the heat as I got off the airport-40c and it seemed like no air-was sunburned by the time I hit the backpacking hostell-quick dash out to get the passport from hotel simon first stamp at the Cathedral-back to the hostel-evening spent on rooftop terrace with early 20s crowd none had heard of the Camino,one lad 23 spent the evening smoking joints and reading a book called breaking through by some dutch guy-said he was having to read it twice to make any sense to it all-put me in mind of all the books I had read at the same age. he later spent the whole night coughing in the bunk across from me-the cardboard rouch will get you every time.
hit the road early head still full of those books of yesterday "on the road" "dharma bums" amongst others-feeling more a part of the dead beat generation these days-crossed the bridge and down the palm tree lined route a truly hotel calafornia sunraise-you can book into the Camino but its seems you can never leave.
Castilblanco 20 odd km down the road was my first bed and was it earned the last 10k nearly did for me-I have never walked that far in heat that bad-spent the whole time sucking on the nipple of the Camelbac water pouch-I will get used to the taste of rubber i,m sure.
The heat was to get less over the next few days the highlights being the terrace of El Berrocal after a dinner of venison and great wine watching the thunder storms in the distance-the relief of getting the 16k main road walk part of a 30k day out off the way and through the park set out for tree growing when the lightning and storms hit us.
Almaden de la plate where one of our group of seven who had told me she was spanish and spoke no english turned out to be from Ireland-she said the Camino had taught her to be wary of men of a certain age and she had been keeping her distance but was now thawing towards me-we spent the evening talking shared camino experiancies-I went to bed feeling old.
El real de la Jara and my evening meal in a deserted bar outside the church only to be joined by what seemed the entire village as they streemed out of saturday mass.
Monesterio tired days walking questioning why I was there -these are not easy days and I have yet to get into the Zone-followed by a truly great walk into Fuente followed by Lunch with the irish girl Noula ( see stayed at yours reb last year)
who is now after 6 days thawing and now making me feel less old and threatning.
So here I am and as noula say,s why would you want to be anywhere else but on the Camino-today we walk to our first city Zafra-the small group off 7 of us that started out 6 days ago are now part of 27 that stayed in this great Auberge last night.
Monday, 13 September 2010
My Name Is Ian and I am a Camino Addict
 |
| dovedale |
Having got back in July and in an aim to keep my post camino weight I went back to my old badminton club only to do my back in and to cap it all was asked for my years subscription and would I like to buy a ticket for the Christmas dinner!
walking through the local supermarket car park I tripped and fell in a foreward roll sort of way saved only by my backpack from a serious head injury even so my ribs hurt for a week.
Laying there dazed and confused hopeing no one had seen me or worse still have some spotty youngster stand over me asking if the old man was ok and could they give me a hand back on to my feet.
don't get me wrong I like this area of Norfolk and its big sky,the village is calm and peaceful and the only good thing about smoking the odd cigarette again is that I get to sit out in my garden of an evening and take it all in.
I've been back to Berlin to see old friends and friends have visited me here,seen all of my 5 children apart from son number 2 and got to see the fast growing 4 grandchildren.A camping trip is arranged this weekend with daughters one and two, I'm kind to them giving them such a good chance to boss me around for a whole weekend.
But the Camino calls and on the premis that if you do nothing-nothing happens I'm off again.
I have booked a flight to Seville for the 14th of September to walk the Camino Mozarabe or via de la plata.an old roman road ( 1000klm )used to transport silver up through Spain.
The route comes with a few problems not least of which is the heat and lack of water sourses, in summer temperatures can reach 40c and above hopefully September will be cooler though today in Seville it was 37c.
my first nights bed is booked the "Living Roof" backpacking hostel boasting the best rooftop terrace in Seville, as this boast is echoed by a number of other hostels we shall see,but it is very close to the Cathedral the starting point of the walk.
so once again this fool sets of, wish me luck.
Monday, 30 August 2010
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