Monday, 18 October 2010
Welcome to the Camino Frances
Walking slowly from Astorga,now 21km short of Ponferrada,my walking companion Sandy also from Yorkshire has a bad foot and is taking it slowly-an ideal situation for both of us,its good to slow down and take in the sights and a vista I will never tire of.
already met so many people, it feels good to be back on the madhouse.
Saturday, 16 October 2010
? ASTORGA-A FINISH ¿
So I made it,now what to do for the next 3 weeks,I will let the Camino decide and walk again on this French way at least for a little way, already there are more people in my dorm here than I have seen for the passed 4 weeks I,m kind of liking it,last night I had a 40 bunk place all to myself,it was cold-so cold in fact that I retreated to the warmth of the kitchen and putting the 4 electric plates on max managed to plunge the whole place into darkness,it took me half an hour stumbling about in the dark to find the trip switch,tonight I have to have a top bunk its so full=but at least its nice being in a town I know.
I,m sure looking back I will remember the Via de la Plata with fondness,the first half at least (the last half was a bit of a slog over never changing terrain, Apart from the welcome solitude what I will remember most is the kindness of strangers and the warmth of the people on the route-always a friendly greeting to this pilgrim,I hope it stays like that when the route gets more popular, I entered Zamora like a king being greated it seemed by the whole population, all of them pointing out the way and where to find the aulbergue, leaving Benavente up the hill I stopped for a rest and a dark clad old lady gave me grapes and bannanas for the road and asked I say a prayer for her in Santiago-that I will do-the staff given me carved with the words Camino de Santiago my first proper staff, the lady said my eucaliptas branch was not proper,even the few cyclists have all been welcoming all calling out greatings, the cars and lorries that honked a greating just when I was feeling low lifted my spirits and made the way less hard and last but not least the younger women that gave me a flirty smile and wave as she passed in her smart car,that was like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day and made this man of a certain age feel a lot younger and put a spring in my step for the next 5 km.
so if I walk all the way to Santiago its 250km more and with 3 weeks thats just over 11k per day,I plan to take my time and enjoy it all or book an early flight if not.
just been told the doors are open in the morning at 6-30 and out by 8 as it does not get light till 9 and at the moment its very cold and I don,t cast a shadow till at least 11 its going to be interesting-welcome to the wacky races.
I,m sure looking back I will remember the Via de la Plata with fondness,the first half at least (the last half was a bit of a slog over never changing terrain, Apart from the welcome solitude what I will remember most is the kindness of strangers and the warmth of the people on the route-always a friendly greeting to this pilgrim,I hope it stays like that when the route gets more popular, I entered Zamora like a king being greated it seemed by the whole population, all of them pointing out the way and where to find the aulbergue, leaving Benavente up the hill I stopped for a rest and a dark clad old lady gave me grapes and bannanas for the road and asked I say a prayer for her in Santiago-that I will do-the staff given me carved with the words Camino de Santiago my first proper staff, the lady said my eucaliptas branch was not proper,even the few cyclists have all been welcoming all calling out greatings, the cars and lorries that honked a greating just when I was feeling low lifted my spirits and made the way less hard and last but not least the younger women that gave me a flirty smile and wave as she passed in her smart car,that was like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day and made this man of a certain age feel a lot younger and put a spring in my step for the next 5 km.
so if I walk all the way to Santiago its 250km more and with 3 weeks thats just over 11k per day,I plan to take my time and enjoy it all or book an early flight if not.
just been told the doors are open in the morning at 6-30 and out by 8 as it does not get light till 9 and at the moment its very cold and I don,t cast a shadow till at least 11 its going to be interesting-welcome to the wacky races.
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
A BRIDGE TOO FAR
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.
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.
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"
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