Category: 2018 Camino

I didn’t like the route out of Leon, it seemed to go on forever and typical of me…I didn’t need my torch because the city streets are lit up…I see a pilgrim ahead.

“He will do, “ I thought to myself, I will follow him. Ha! His gait was fast and purposeful so I did cover a fair amount of ground before the sun was up. There was a little park to go through and past San Marco church with the seated bronze pilgrim outside but apart from that I was glad to get out. I had to pass through all the industrial car places, stopped at a petrol station for the loo, it was immaculate, and then just before the rise and climb, I stopped at a tiny bar for a coffee.

After that though the country opened up into another plateau called the Paramo.

Gosh it was beautiful and empty. I had lost my silent pilgrim a couple of kilometes back. Either side of me was scrubby bushland but it was so peaceful.  A few minutes later, would you believe it, A deer hopped in front of me..he was too quick for me to get my camera out but I watched him all by himself, bound over the road with his lovely hoppity  hops.

Then, just on the floor, a tiddly baby snake wriggled and ‘s’ shaped across the road. It could have only been 6 inches long. Obviously the deer and the snake had an assignation because they were travelling the same route.

My app explained there were 2 routes about the same length but one was more scenic and preferred…who am I to argue, so I trudge on that one. I passed through a village called La Virgin del Camino…there are lots of virgins here, indeed I am one, a Virgin of the Camino that is….and later I passed through Fresno. The funniest thing was that on one of the way marks where people often place a little stone to signify something special to them…I saw one with a pair of boots on it!!!

All these little villages seem to have the longest names and when you get there , there is usually the most elaborate signs. This one was no exception.

I get to Tio Pepe’s…my inn for the night. I really like it almost as much as the hotel in Leon. Its simple and the towels are purple, there is a big walk in shower and ..bless…a tray with coffee sachets, tea and a kettle…no milk of course but hey…the young lady had the biggest proudest smile when she showed me across the bar courtyard, through the beaded curtain (everyone has a beaded curtain) and up to room No. 3. There was a tiny key and a huge block of wood attached to it? I think that is so you don’t accidentally go off with the key. I’m famished so I order Paella again as the lasagne was finished!! I ate in the courtyard listening to Diane from Canada with the severe tendinitis,  I am  multi tasking, trying to get service and internet and swoosh away the flies at the same time, and listen to Diane. The flies didn’t win but lack of internet did…grrr

So off I tootle on the sore pins to the corner of the little street. In front of me is a corner bar with 3 plastic tables outside on a small pavement facing the road. I enter. Lovely young Spanish girl pours me a large white wine for 1.5 euros!! Inside there are about 10 empty tables, so I decide to sit outside facing the road.

Up goes my iPad and I sit and type away. After half an hour I think I went in to get another wine…at that price who wouldn’t?

Inside it is heaving!! Where everyone has come from I have no idea. In front of me every table is filled with Spanish men playing cards or dominoes.

It was noisy and obviously, I am at the centre of the village universe. I smile at the waitress who looks resigned and I saunter out into the cool sunshine, facing the road and continue to try to load pictures. 

After about 5 minutes, I look up from my iPad and see that a Spanish guy from inside has come out and pulled one of the chairs and placed it on the road facing me. FACING ME!! I am a bit disconcerted so I smile and say Hola!!

He smiles back and nods.

I look down and carry on writing, after a few minutes he is joined with 3 other friends. Each one of them grab a chair and place it in the road facing me!!

Maybe I’m taking their patch on card night I think??

Just then 4 lovely Irish ladies come onto the only table next to me. We greet, I smile, we exchange where we are from and all the usual but they notice that now there are SIX Spanish guys all sat in a row opposite me. I shrug my shoulders…after a minute or two, the SIX are joined by another SIX.  I have an audience of TWELVE.

I look toward the girls and say,

”I think Imust be on their patch but would you look after my stuff whilst I slip into the bar for a drink?”

”Be Jesus, of course we will…but ya have notin to fear as you’re in safe hands wid de 12 apostles opposite!!!!”

Another joins them to which Yvonne says..

”Oh and Jesus is with them!!”

As there is no more space on the road, a Spanish guy…he had all his teeth!!! came and sat beside me. With no aside to him at all, he leaned over to see what I was doing. He sees the pictures of Leon and proceeds to talk away in Spanish to me. I explain

‘Poco Espagnol, Signor”.. but he takes no notice. The Irish girls are in bulk laughing at me. Yvonne interprets…

”He says there ar so many women on the Camino”

So I turn to my new audience and flex my bicep saying,

Mujeres…strong!!” (We women are strong)

They laugh so my new mate is encouraged and broaches the subject of Brexit. What can I say, I am in some tiny village in the heart of Northern Spain!!!

So I pretend to slit my throat in a gesture and proclaim that I am Spanish.  They loved that. All my 12 apostles laughed and giggled, some with more teeth than others and it was a good time!!

”Anyway, I am from Liverpool!!” I say…they loved that. Then there was a football conversation..or melee …as everyone spoke at once…but they knew Liverpool!!! Job done.