Well here I am - now in Galicia! I've been through Pais Vasco, Cantabria and Asturias. There's now just Galicia. This has been another day that has turned out differently than I'd planned - but again for the positive :0)
I'll start at the beginning.
I took my time this morning. With nobody else around I wasn't constrained to packing in the dark. I had breakfast (tea and cake) and sorted myself out slowly, ensuring that everything was packed. I've lost a couple of things along the way and it's proved rather frustrating to lose things when I feel I'm being careful. Still, they weren't things that were utterly essential for the walk (excluding one of a pair of walking socks I had drying on the rucksack during one day).
It looked a bit grey and bleak outside, so although it wasn't raining I put my waterproofs on and set out. Today turned out to be all road walking - mile after mile of asphalt.
Not too much to report really. After about an hour the rain let up and I felt confident to take off the waterproofs. It's much better walking without, however good they might be at keeping me dry. I seemed to be back on a more established camino with decent marking. I made good time and just before midday I passed through La Caridá, where there was an albergue. And while I hadn't planned to stop there I did stop to restore the rain gear - there was definitely rain in the air. It was here I did something a bit daft. In putting on the overtrousers I took my camera out and placed it on a chair. I don't usually do this - I usually swap it directly into the new pockets, however this time I didn't. No problem, one would think. I set off again feeling strong and enjoying my day. I found another trail off into the fields and as I was walking I stopped with a dread feeling: I had left my camera behind!
Have you ever seen someone run at a sprint with a 16kg rucksack and poncho? No? Well - that was me ;0)
I managed the 100 metres in near record time but I was puffing a bit by the end. I didn't know one could run in walking boots! I burst into the albergue to be greeted by the cleaner. I looked at the chair and saw it empty. My heart sank. When I mentioned the reason for my distress she pointed calmly to a basket where she'd placed my camera. Out of consideration for anyone who might have been sleeping she hadn't sought to find the owner but simply placed it to one side.
So - let's assume I won't be doing that again!
The rest of my afternoon was quiet and gentle. No dramas and the walking, while it's all on asphalt, wasn't difficult. The rain eased off again and I arrived in my chosen destination of Tol at 14:50. This was a stage of about 27km. Once I found the albergue - again an old school building - I phoned the number on the door to gain entry. It was the local policia in Castropol, so the kind chap at the other end asked me to wait an hour. I went and found a bar.
When the local bobby turned up and opened the door I had had time to collect my thoughts. First was that I needed cooking facilities. I'd forgotten to ask on the phone but not only was I carrying rice and a tin of meatballs, the only source of nourishment in Tol was a four star hotel! Secondly, I had begun to feel that while everyone's camino is a personal experience, and thus I will insist on marching these great distances every day, nevertheless I still felt that I didn't really want to stay in another albergue as the only resident. A part of this experience is meeting other pilgrims, and for sure it makes for more enjoyable evenings :0)
So, upon quickly establishing that there was no kitchen I apologised to the policeman for dragging him out and explained my reasons. He told me that the camino I was on was another variant and that the main route is indeed via the coast and into Ribadeo. Indeed I had had this town marked as a point of interest but found myself on this quiet part of the camino and thus thought no more about it. I enquired about Ribadeo and was surprised to find it was only 7km away. Mind made up I put on my rucksack and thanked the chap again.
As I walked out of the parking area he stopped his patrol car and enquired whether I was walking. The route went via Figueras and on to Ribadeo. I said that yes I was walking. He then asked me if I'd like a lift to Figueras, from where I could ask for the route to Ribadeo. I accepted gladly. After all - not only was this going north and thus slightly farther away from Santiago (I can't accept lifts towards Santiago) but this suddenly felt right. And in fact as I sat and chatted with him en route, he suddenly found his way through Figueras and dropped me right by the bridge that crosses into Ribadeo and Galicia! Nice :0) I did find out one interesting thing though, while I was chatting. I promise not to go keep going on about motorways and the camino - especially now that I am past the far northern coast where the motorway continues to La Coruna - but I found this interesting. He asked me how I found the camino experience and I told him that while there were so many positives, it wasn't universally enjoyed to be walking on so much asphalt and beside and on busy roads. He pointed out of the window and said "I know the route of the original camino - up there in the woods". I expected him to go on to say that of course it had now been made impassable by the new roads. What he told me surprised me. He said that it had been left to grow over and thus, now that it required so much maintenance and clearing the alternatives were here beside the roads. So I took this to mean that another factor forcing us to walk constantly beside busy and noisy roads was simply that there exists no system for maintaining an existing rural network of paths.
I think I'm going to write some letters when I get back! ;0)
Anyway, having been dropped at the bridge I walked the couple of km into the albergue and sure enough - LIFE! :0) More pilgrims :0)
There's a kitchen - so I'll eat well tonight - and I've found a bakery and an internet bar. As I walked into town I saw the two young cyclists who showed up in Cadavedo the other night. They appear to be staying in the albergue too - so there's two people I've already met.
All in all then, I felt this was the camino working its magic again. A day that had threatened to end in silence and without company has now been transformed - due to the kindness of yet another stranger - into another mini adventure.
I'm off to eat now, and to find out where I'm going tomorrow!
I'll start at the beginning.
I took my time this morning. With nobody else around I wasn't constrained to packing in the dark. I had breakfast (tea and cake) and sorted myself out slowly, ensuring that everything was packed. I've lost a couple of things along the way and it's proved rather frustrating to lose things when I feel I'm being careful. Still, they weren't things that were utterly essential for the walk (excluding one of a pair of walking socks I had drying on the rucksack during one day).
It looked a bit grey and bleak outside, so although it wasn't raining I put my waterproofs on and set out. Today turned out to be all road walking - mile after mile of asphalt.
Not too much to report really. After about an hour the rain let up and I felt confident to take off the waterproofs. It's much better walking without, however good they might be at keeping me dry. I seemed to be back on a more established camino with decent marking. I made good time and just before midday I passed through La Caridá, where there was an albergue. And while I hadn't planned to stop there I did stop to restore the rain gear - there was definitely rain in the air. It was here I did something a bit daft. In putting on the overtrousers I took my camera out and placed it on a chair. I don't usually do this - I usually swap it directly into the new pockets, however this time I didn't. No problem, one would think. I set off again feeling strong and enjoying my day. I found another trail off into the fields and as I was walking I stopped with a dread feeling: I had left my camera behind!
Have you ever seen someone run at a sprint with a 16kg rucksack and poncho? No? Well - that was me ;0)
I managed the 100 metres in near record time but I was puffing a bit by the end. I didn't know one could run in walking boots! I burst into the albergue to be greeted by the cleaner. I looked at the chair and saw it empty. My heart sank. When I mentioned the reason for my distress she pointed calmly to a basket where she'd placed my camera. Out of consideration for anyone who might have been sleeping she hadn't sought to find the owner but simply placed it to one side.
So - let's assume I won't be doing that again!
The rest of my afternoon was quiet and gentle. No dramas and the walking, while it's all on asphalt, wasn't difficult. The rain eased off again and I arrived in my chosen destination of Tol at 14:50. This was a stage of about 27km. Once I found the albergue - again an old school building - I phoned the number on the door to gain entry. It was the local policia in Castropol, so the kind chap at the other end asked me to wait an hour. I went and found a bar.
When the local bobby turned up and opened the door I had had time to collect my thoughts. First was that I needed cooking facilities. I'd forgotten to ask on the phone but not only was I carrying rice and a tin of meatballs, the only source of nourishment in Tol was a four star hotel! Secondly, I had begun to feel that while everyone's camino is a personal experience, and thus I will insist on marching these great distances every day, nevertheless I still felt that I didn't really want to stay in another albergue as the only resident. A part of this experience is meeting other pilgrims, and for sure it makes for more enjoyable evenings :0)
So, upon quickly establishing that there was no kitchen I apologised to the policeman for dragging him out and explained my reasons. He told me that the camino I was on was another variant and that the main route is indeed via the coast and into Ribadeo. Indeed I had had this town marked as a point of interest but found myself on this quiet part of the camino and thus thought no more about it. I enquired about Ribadeo and was surprised to find it was only 7km away. Mind made up I put on my rucksack and thanked the chap again.
As I walked out of the parking area he stopped his patrol car and enquired whether I was walking. The route went via Figueras and on to Ribadeo. I said that yes I was walking. He then asked me if I'd like a lift to Figueras, from where I could ask for the route to Ribadeo. I accepted gladly. After all - not only was this going north and thus slightly farther away from Santiago (I can't accept lifts towards Santiago) but this suddenly felt right. And in fact as I sat and chatted with him en route, he suddenly found his way through Figueras and dropped me right by the bridge that crosses into Ribadeo and Galicia! Nice :0) I did find out one interesting thing though, while I was chatting. I promise not to go keep going on about motorways and the camino - especially now that I am past the far northern coast where the motorway continues to La Coruna - but I found this interesting. He asked me how I found the camino experience and I told him that while there were so many positives, it wasn't universally enjoyed to be walking on so much asphalt and beside and on busy roads. He pointed out of the window and said "I know the route of the original camino - up there in the woods". I expected him to go on to say that of course it had now been made impassable by the new roads. What he told me surprised me. He said that it had been left to grow over and thus, now that it required so much maintenance and clearing the alternatives were here beside the roads. So I took this to mean that another factor forcing us to walk constantly beside busy and noisy roads was simply that there exists no system for maintaining an existing rural network of paths.
I think I'm going to write some letters when I get back! ;0)
Anyway, having been dropped at the bridge I walked the couple of km into the albergue and sure enough - LIFE! :0) More pilgrims :0)
There's a kitchen - so I'll eat well tonight - and I've found a bakery and an internet bar. As I walked into town I saw the two young cyclists who showed up in Cadavedo the other night. They appear to be staying in the albergue too - so there's two people I've already met.
All in all then, I felt this was the camino working its magic again. A day that had threatened to end in silence and without company has now been transformed - due to the kindness of yet another stranger - into another mini adventure.
I'm off to eat now, and to find out where I'm going tomorrow!
What a joy to read this, A. Keep up the spirit - and enjoy the remainder of your walk. P, in awe
ReplyDelete:)
Hi P,
DeleteLike your ID :0)
Spirit is up, thanks - the camino is a test. There are good days (most of them) and difficult or frustrating days. But overall, what a great experience. Am looking forward to the next couple of weeks :0)