Friday sept 3 - Companiello to Berducedo We are a group of pilgrims (peregrinos) who met and shared dinner at an albergue the end of the firt day´s walking. WE share the trail and help each other out becoming friends in the process. so far no internet, no postcards. the weather is good and we are going on the variation over the local peaks in an earea where there are habitations or other potential support. Evidently in poor weather the route can be miserable and dangerous but our weather is good and the waymarking in the route has been improved. The initial climb is long and hot but the views are magnificent and we see wild horses in ruins dating to medieval times as well as a site of a mine that I understand dates to Roman times. long descent and we arrive (about 29 k) at a village of Berducedo. Merced and Kiki geet their first and Merced says the public albergue is not too clean so we opt for a private albergue which is clean but which offers no services or kitchen. While most of are showering and doing our laundry in the sink and putting it out to dry Merced and Kiko look for a place for us to eat. The restuarant is closed for holidays and a bar owner doesn´t want to do any cooking. Arrangements are made at another bar for an old woman to do some cooking and it will be brought to the bar for us to eat. She makes a great lentil soup and ensalada mixta (mixed salad) and we are happy. Forgot to mention that about 6 k back some of us passed an older peregrino on the way who stopped to let us pass him. we got a bit further and stopped for a drink and wondered if he was all right so stopped further waiting for him. Gave him water and insisted he drink it and eat the snacks we gave him as he didn´t seem fully ok. Peter from the Shetland Islands. we walked about a k more and found our friends waiting for us at a roadside bar with Jean-Baptiste ´J-B´who had met Peter earlier and who was helping him.J-B went back for Peter and walked him to the bar and i bought him a cold drink. we urged Peter to consider taking a taxi or changing his route to the Camino France which would be miore suitable for him but he wouldn´t consider changes saying repeatedly that he was quite obstinate as if this was something he was proud of. They arrived at Berducedo as we were eating and we gave them food. J-B made sure that Peter had a guide and gave him additional directions and was then going to do his own camino. At dinner I was making conversation with Luz and found out that she is also a member of couchsurfers.org and has had good experiences with it. Cool. She has belonged for two years. Maria will be leaving us tomorrow and we will all miss her very much. Unfortunaely she has to go back to work although I have offered to phone her boss and lie for her. I am glad I have met her. Luz has joined us and I think we are all enjoying her company.
Sunday Berducedo to Grandas del Selime a hot day of steep climbing and steep descents. part way down it is obvious that Merced is having problems. I walk past her and half an hour afterwards a small forstry vehicle comes down the track with her in it as a passenger. she get let off below us and about 1 1/2 from a hotel/restuarant with a great view. we get to her and are consiering the last 6 k to Grandas. It is now hot - 30 degrees plus and the remainder of the way in is along a steep winding road with no shoulders and little shade. We are sitting on the steps of the hotel discussing getting a taxi when the hotel keeper mentions that the bus is in sight. Immediately all discussion ends and we grab ur packs and flag down the bus who gives us a ride in to Grandas wihout charge! We are sleeping on mattresses on the floor but that is fine. in the evening we wander around and stop in at a local festival in the park. they are playing traditional dance music. Romero who is not part of our group but who is travelling parallel to us starts dancing with Kiko. They re great and then Alicia (a 65 year old grandmother) starts dancing with Romero - AMAZING!
Monday Sept 6 Grandas del Selime to Padrone (about 30 k) (distances are aproximate. early on we compared guides and found they rarely agreed) There are many foot experts in our group and on the camino because there are many foot problems such as blisters. additionally this camino wiht its steep ascents and descents stresses feet more. I have been having trouble with my little toes on each foot and Raoul takes something that looks like a tubular bandage and cuts off a piece for each little toe. Works well. do we have this in Canada? Our hospitalero last night said we had done the worst of the Camino Primitivo which cheered us all up. unfortunaely we had a stiff wind and rain and when we got to our destination we were all wet and a bit cold. we were staying at an albergue about a k beyond town so we met and had lunch ( 3- 4 pm typical spanish lunch time) at a local pulperia and had a very good time there. Our company was me, Kiko, Merced, Raoul, David, Alicia, Begonia, Luz, Jean-Baptiste
Sept 7 Padrone - Cadao 24 k
started off good with moderate grades but while walking Kiko got a call that his mother had died. not a surprise as she was elderly and had alzeimers but sad. Emotional moment and Kiko and >Merced will be leaving to go home to be with family. Will miss them greatly expecially considering I have only known them a few days. Kiko is full of fun and good spirits. Merced emotional and caring. continued walking and it was raining heavily and very windy. about 7 k before Cadavo took taxi. got places in the albergue and then people came in who had walked entire distance and were being sent to overflow facility. I tried t swap as I felt guilty but wasn´t allowed to. No internet no postcards.
Wed sept 8 Cadavo to Lugo (about 31 k) put raingear on but it only rained an hour or two. My pack cover was two small so I gave it two David cause it fit his pack. stopped at an old church. tired when I got to Lugo. I thought we were all going to bus to Ferrol and do the english way but Raoul,David and Jean-Baptiste are going to continue to the french way and santiago while the rest of us will enjoy a rest day in Lugo and catch a bus to Ferrol and start the english way the next day. the english way is actually a bit longer and should be much less crowded. David wasn´t around when we went for dinner. He found a pack cover that would fit my pack, bought it and gave it to me. emotional farewells to people we have become close to in only a few days.
thursday - Raoul and David leave early. JB stays and has breakfast with the rest of us and then leaves.Everybody but me has a mobile phone (luz´s phone is also a 12 megapixl camera) and have exchanged phone numbers. maybe we will meet again for dinner in Santiago. we check our packs at the bus station and buy tickets for 4 pm and go our separate ways to relax and explore Lugo. I start by walking the top of the old roman wall that circles the old city of Lugo. I expect I will update this blog again in Santiago. Maybe before but not too likely.
No comments:
Post a Comment