One day I decided to go for a walk…

20 September 2023, Camino 3, Day 21

San Martin del Camino to Astorga

Today we are taking a taxi to Astorga. My right ankle has been slightly swollen this entire walk and frankly we were really worn out last night.

Yesterday was a 16+mile day and today is also 16+ miles. It’s the difficult part of planning the camino. Our time is limited so we have no days off. Walking everyday can be a lot on the joints. I’m sure 800 years ago pilgrims would simply stay in one place until they healed. Today with reservations, schedules, and more that doesn’t work for us. So today is a taxi stage. We are off to Astorga.

The reason I’m a little sad 😢 is because Astorga symbolizes the end of the meseta. While the paths along the highway aren’t the most pleasant they are flat and when I’m not struggling to go up hill or carefully watching my feet going down I am free to let my mind wander about. Will there be another camino? What will life be like when Glen retires? Any more grandchildren? What will my life be comprised of? So many thoughts.

In Astorga we experienced a new kind of adventure or at least I did. My right foot has been bothering me and since we are in town for the day it seems a good time to see a physiotherapist for a treatment on my foot/ankle. We went to a couple of places and none could see me before Friday. There are lots of pilgrims needing physiotherapy from the waist down. So we finally settled down in a cafe and I tried to make phone calls. Communicating in a foreign language is difficult at best and impossible over the phone. I actually had to interrupt a woman having coffee with her mother to see if she could interpret.

I finally got an appointment for today. This clinic had an amazing feature…if I didn’t understand the guy he would do something and a digital voice would answer my question. Bliss!

After an hour session of massage and manipulation the physiotherapist taped my foot up, told me to not carry too much weight, and to let the discomfort guide me in walking.

I’ll keep you posted.

Buen Camino

Lunch was great!

On the plaza…

18 September 2023, Camino 3, Day 19

Mansilla de las Mulas to Leon

Yesterday I was insulted by my watch. After two days off my watch said, “It looks like you took a day off. Try to close at least one ring today.” I do not need a digital object to make remarks about my movement or lack there of. My watch never says, “Hey you’ve been working hard for quite some time. Take a day off and rest. You’ve earned it.”

Apart from the watch today has been a good day. Although it was cool and somewhat windy, the sun was out and we made it into Leon, the halfway point. There are little towns dotted along the way so plenty of places to stop for a drink or a snack. However the actual walk into Leon is rather tedious. Léon is a big city so it’s all city walking. Not very attractive.

The other good thing that happened today was totally serendipitous. I went to the front desk for change to go to the laundromat. A French couple was checking in and they spoke no Spanish or English. The clerk only spoke Spanish and English. So I stood up and said, “I speak French.” I was able to translate the clerk’s English instructions (and some of the Spanish) into French so the couple could check in. Two minutes earlier and I would have gotten my change and been gone. I was really glad to help. I guess my word to describe today is helpful.

Buen Camino

We are staying at a Benedictine monastery made into a hotel. Lovely 😊

17 September 2023, camino 3, Day 18

El Burgo Ranero to Mansilla de las Mulas

We have taken a few days off the camino to rest and recover. It is harder this time around and with a janky (that’s a medical term) ankle and general exhaustion we elected to skip two stages of our Camino.

We spent an extra night in a monastery converted into a 4 star hotel, The Real Monasterio San Zoilo. It was wonderful. The common areas of the hotel had Gregorian chants piped in. Very soothing. Last night we stayed in a truck stop. Apart from a few amenities both were great places to stay. Our room is new, clean, and has everything we need. The restaurant downstairs has a fine menu even if the place resembles a Stuckey’s without the pecan logs.

So we head off today for a 12 mile walk and just to keep things interesting there’s a light rain this morning. The rain cleared up quickly and despite cooler temperatures with the sun out and our pace of walking it was very pleasant.

Buen Camino

14 September 2023, Camino 3, Day 15

Fromista to Carrion de los Condes

Today we are walking along the road. It’s not the prettiest paths, but it goes from Fromista to Carrion de los Condes. There is an alternative path that we took four years ago that follows the river. It is a more beautiful path, but longer. There’s no shade along the road but it’s cool and actually when I say there’s no shade what I mean is there no trees lining this road. There are however scattered clouds in the sky and they make a little patch of shade right underneath them It reminds me of when we lived in New Mexico, and we might be driving down the road and look over at a field, and there would be a single large circle of shade, and if you looked above, the sky would be absolutely clear except for that one cloud that was giving shade to that little part so today I’m grateful for the clouds and for the little shade they provide.

Upon arriving and checking in we went to the main plaza in town for a drink and met two Americans from Houston. Friends and work colleagues they bickered like an old married couple. We talked about how we each had caminos planned that were derailed by the dreaded covid. Then Mike reached into his pack and gave us a hand carved shell that he made.

Does anyone remember going to Disney World or Disneyland and seeing the Monsanto 360° theater? Wherever you stood whether you looked ahead or to your right, to your left or turned around it was if you were standing in the middle of that place and everywhere you looked was what you would see around you if you were really there. It’s like that here on the camino and taking a picture or even taking a panoramic picture or even trying to to do a 180° video of what’s around me just doesn’t capture it. It’s so vast and so beautiful. It takes my breath away.

Buen Camino

13 September 2023, Camino 3, Day 14

Castrojeriz to Fromista

Fromista is one of my favorite stops on the camino. There’s not much to see except the church (which is beautiful) and the food is so-so. Even the Hotel Rural Oasibeth is a nice but not over the top outstanding place. Loli the owner of the hotel is the reason. She exudes hospitality like a freshly uncorked bottle of cava (Spanish sparkling wine).

Glen took this picture 4 years ago. Two years ago when I walked into her hotel I said, “Loli?” She looked at me quizzically and when I showed her the picture she hugged me and made a big fuss. She took me to my room personally and filled a basin with hot water and epsom salts, told me to sit and to soak my feet. It was such a kind gesture and I was humbled.

Today we walked in and again I said, “Loli?”. Again the querying look until I showed her the picture. “Carida!” She cried. She hugged me and kissed me multiple times. She speaks no English but was rattling off Spanish as if I understood every word.

We had gotten a stamp earlier in the day from a Pilgrim’s office on the way.

But before leaving Fromista I made sure to get a stamp from Loli.

The words I carry today from the camino are friendship and hospitality.

Buen Camino

12 September 2023, Camino 3, Day 13

Hornillos to Castrojeriz

I’m amazed at all the plants growing out of this rocky area even in the midst of the harshest environment these plants are growing and thriving, even this beautiful little red flower.

What does that tell us about our own lives when we think that things are hard and impossible, and that nothing can grow within us or around us. Isn’t it true that something beautiful can still come forth in the harshest environments?

Buen Camino

8 September 2023, camino 3, Day 9

Belorado to Villafranca Montes de Oca

I spoke about bicycling on the camino 2 years ago and I want to reiterate my findings. Having bicycled in organized rides in the states there are certain rules to be followed. When passing it is customary to call out, “On your left”. This way other bicyclists or walkers on the path know to move right so the bicyclist can pass safety. This does not happen on the Camino.

With so many countries and languages “on your left” might not be understood. Then there are those cyclists who come from countries that drive on the left side of the road so they are accustomed to passing on the right.

I used to try to get out of the way but often found myself actually stepping into the path of an oncoming cyclist. So whenever I hear a cyclist coming I just stop and stand still. They can see me and they know which direction they are going. That’s my strategy.

There is a different question of whether or not cyclists should even be allowed on the camino.

A few feet before this picture was taken the path was half the width and two bicyclists came through with very little warning. It was a little scary.

But back to the question. In his book Off the road: a modern-day walk down the pilgrim’s route into Spain, Jack Hitt has a discussion with Claudy, a Flemish man. Claudy is insistent that bicyclists are cheaters on the camino. Then Jack brings up people who ride horses…

or have donkeys to carry their packs…

Claudy snorts and says, “That is tradition.” End of argument.

I have a lot of respect for the bicyclists. Just look at the elevation profiles and imagine cycling up those hills. I just wish there was an easier way to know they’re coming.

Buen Camino