Though it was a bit rainy and less sunny, today was another wonderful day on the Camino de Santiago! We started out our day around seven thirty: wake up, pack up, walk! The morning was brisk and wet, and we were anxious to get our morning coffee, so we walked quickly and soon arrived at a cafe where we had cafe con leche, tostadas, and Napoleones. Once breakfast was in we were back out and at it. The trail was really hilly today, ups and ups and ups and down, and up and up and up! It is exhausting to go up, but there is something so empowering about conquering those mountains! And of course, the view from the top is a reward.
We walked again today with our normal posse: Catia and Collie and Itamal and Ronni. Our group enjoys so much laughter and sharing of experience -- there's never a dull moment while we walk. Today while we were sitting for a rest, Itamal noticed a pilgrim walk past with a backpack that had pockets on the belt strap and commented on how neat that was .... and Catia looked at her belt strap and pointed out that she also had a pocket ... and I pointed out that I had two pockets on mine ... and now we will have to watch our bags because Itamal had sworn to steal all our pockets in our sleep 😂😂😂
After quite a bit of walking we decided to stop for lunch -- it was still a bit chilly and wet, so I had lentil soup. I need to learn to cook this soup; I enjoy it every time I am in Spain. This version also had some sausage and ham on the bone in it. With full bellies and tired legs, we left our lunch spot (Cafe Pepe) in search of our albergue -- and God bless the yellow arrows, it was less than one kilometer away. We were assigned our bunks, got our stamps, and settled in for a nice long siesta.
While on the trail today we ran into quite a few new faces: a college group from Germany who have been on many pilgrimages around the world, including Israel and Ireland and the United States, a couple from Brazil that always seem to be around for my cooking adventures (they are both artists and have sketch books that they draw in daily -- they are amazingly talented); a girl from South Korea who is walking two days worth of kilometers each day; and two guys from Portugal who are doing the Camino on bike. We also met a lot of kind non pilgrims -- one man came out of his home when we were approaching on the path and gave us each hand carved Camino arrows; there was also a man on the trail serenading pilgrims with guitar music as we walked past.
Once we woke from our naps, it was time to decide what to do for dinner. Collie had already eaten (he didn't nap) and the rest had woke a little earlier and went further into town; we had discussed cooking a big meal at the albergue for tonight earlier in the day, but we all waited a bit and weren't sure where they were or if they had decided to grab dinner out, so CJ and I walked to the grocery store and bought things to attempt making dinner again. This time I decided no packaged meals: I would buy fresh pasta and broccoli and mushrooms and cream and shredded Parmesan and make my own pasta. Of course no albergue cooking attempt is ever met without an element of adventure, this one in the form of a cook top that had the knobs on backwards, so when you thought it was at the highest setting it was really at the lowest. After me and a girl from Germany waited nearly forty minutes to get pots of water to boil, I decided to see what would happen if I turned the knob the other way -- boy did our cooking go quicker once we had proper heat!! And (if I do say so myself) our dinner turned out great!! We had also bought wine and a fresh baguette -- we are like kings!! So did Ronni. Just as we were finishing up cooking, they arrived back at the albergue. By this time it was nearly eight thirty and they had not eaten or bought groceries. We offered to share our pasta with all (I made sure we stayed kosher just in case they wanted to join us) but Catia and Itamal decided to walk to the grocery and get something to make their own meal (Catia decided to make sandwiches; I think Itamal was a little disappointed, for he had pasta on the brain; but they ended up with cheesecake which made him happy). Ronni did take us up on our pasta offer and joined us for dinner -- partly because we had plenty and it smelled really good, and partly because he didn't want to walk anywhere else today. haha
At dinner I asked Ronni about his family and his other children. He told me about his other son who is living in Miami and about his daughter who is living in Jerusalem. In Israel, everyone is required to be part of the army after high school, boys for three years and girls for two. Itamal had spoke earlier in the day of his time in the army, that it wasn't for him and he didn't enjoy it. But Ronni spoke of the experience as just that: an experience. He views it as a time for youth to learn life skills while deciding what they will do afterwards. Ronni's son who lives in Miami met his wife while they were both serving in the army; she was from Miami and decided to go to Israel to join the army; they lived for a while in Israel but are now moving to Miami to be close to her family. I told Ronni when he goes to visit his son he must also visit St. Louis.
And now dinner is consumed and bellies are full and I'm exhausted -- all this walking and mountain air and cooking is wearing me out! But of course I can't wait to do it all again tomorrow.
Photos ...
#yellowarrowlove
Starting our day off strong!
At one point today we could see the Atlantic Ocean!
At one of the highest points on the trail today the pilgrims have left a wall of shells -- the shell is the symbol of the Camino and of the pilgrim: coming from many places and taking many routes, but ending at the same destination.
Our packs -- we have a love-hate relationship. We need them and we take great care of them, but boy do we like to be rid of them after a day of walking!!
We stopped for a drink in the lovely town of Arcade -- we walked across the old bridge into the town.
Beautiful forest trails -- even if they did all go up.
And now I'm going to try to get to sleep before the snoring begins -- although I am so tires tonight I will probably be asleep before my head hits the pillow.
Buen Camino.
Dinner sounded great ! C J likes mushrooms, do not remember him eating them, that's great... I am so glad that it seems you two are traveling with others, Jena's "posse" equipped with kind determined souls and an "evil people whacking stick." The picture of the beds reminded me of being in the orphanage so many moons ago. Till tomorrow, love to you both....
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