After a great night at a top hostel in Ventosa, we set off once again in light rain. Dressed for rain and cold, it wasn't long before the first wardrobe adjustment of the day. Wonder if I will ever get it right.
What a beautiful morning. Snow on distant mountains, green pastures, rolling hills, fields of grape vines, almonds and olives. Such amazing scenery, we couldn't get enough of it. Walking is certainly the way to see the country. We feel very blessed to be here.
Sometimes 1 km does NOT = 1 km
Like early this morning, time just flew past. We had walked 10km in just over 2 hours, and it wasn't long before we were stopping for a second breakfast at Najera. Well a hot chocolate and a chocolate croissant. Plan for losing weight on this camino is fast disappearing.
Later we walked out of Najera, just past a sign telling us that it was 582km to Santiago. Woohoo, that meant we had walked about 200kms already. Amazing, I know a lot of people wouldn't ever believe that I would WALK 200kms. Wouldn't have believed it myself. But there you go.
Anyway, as we passed this mark, we talked to Sophie on Skype. How amazing was that to share our walking experience, and describe the scene around us. We didn't talk for long, reception dropped, but it gave us such a buzz. The next marker I noticed was 3 km farther along. Unbelievable - talking to family seemed to make the kms slip by. So friends and family, look out. I will be looking for people online to chat to while we are walking- if it is fine, and we have reception.
Some time later we were walking along a really muddy path. Scenery was beautiful, but the mud made the path sooooo hard going. A km seemed to go on forever, as it does on the uphill slopes. Such a hard slog!!!
Finally made it up to the top of a long hill to the township of Cirueña. Absolutely deserted. Magnificent golf course, and so many houses/apartments, but most deserted. A project which never took off, apparently.
Found some accommodation in the old town, checked in, and to be honest, it is reminiscent of scenes from the movie. We .. are .. the .. only .. guests. The hostelero could be heard laughing somewhere in the extensive old building. Ohhhh,ahhhhhh. Interesting. Mmmmmmm.
We were offered cena (dinner) but declined, thinking we would find the bar and have a late lunch. In the bar now, and there's a menu, but not confident about ordering anything. Barman seems to have gone for a siesta, and one of the drinkers is providing customer's needs, sort of. Now might not be best time to order food!
Back to our room, and we have company, a German couple. Wonder if there will be more by tonight.
Buen Camino... Actually we hear that quite a bit each day. Pilgrims say it, especially the ones on bikes that fly past us, but it also comes from the many locals we pass in villages and along paths. The camino seems to draw tremendous respect from locals. They often greet us with 'Buen Dia, buen camino.' We passed a group of nuns last Sunday and they asked us to pray for them in Santiago. Well that's the translation Lex had. Sign language apparently, or his Spanish is really improving.
As we sit here in the bar, there have been a couple of groups of pilgrims come in, passing time as they wait for taxis to take them to the next (bigger) town. Wondering if the other Albergue ( the more upmarket and favourable one) is booked out. Who knows. So we sit here with another vino tinto grande, a cerveza, and a bowl of delicious olives. Oh, and free wifi! And the sun has come out. Woohoo
Notes to self
- 26km. Ventosa to Cirueña
- Cirueña Albergue Virgen de Guadalupe - 13€ bed and breakfast. Basic, and brings to mind scenes from the movie. Other Albergue in town has glowing reports, apparently.
- Free wifi in the bar, but don't expect much in the way of food.
- Later.... friends stayed at the other albergue.... good reports.
- But you can't beat experience, and this night was certainly that!
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