Day Fourteen: Hontanas to Boadillas

Someone forgot to tell the maseta that it is supposed to be flat -- because just about the time that I think "today will be a lovely day of level walking" a mountain just pops up out of nowhere and upwards I climb. Today marks TWO WEEKS of continuous walking on the Camino de Santiago -- and what an adventure these two weeks have been!! 

This morning started out well -- Vera is feeling so much better! We grabbed breakfast and then headed out on the path. We were blessed with another day of gorgeous weather and beautiful scenery. After about two hours we arrived at the first little town where we indulged in freshly squeezed orange juice and pastries (I think it must be okay to eat chocolate at every meal if you are walking more than fifteen miles a day with a twenty five pound pack in your back). We rested there and enjoyed the company of our fellow pilgrims before heading back out. We walked through some beautiful fields of wild flowers and then came upon a "hill". So we huffed and puffed our way to the top where there was a tiny shelter in the shade. I have to tell you: when I see the pilgrims walking these steep climbs along side me who are well in their seventies, I think three things: please don't have a stroke; I'm being outpaced by someone three times my age; I hope that when I am in my seventies I'm still seeking adventure. These older pilgrims really do inspire me. So many times I think that there is so much I want to do in my life and so many things I want to see and experience; I fear that there just isn't enough time to accomplish it all! But then I see these pilgrims who are living every minute of life to the fullest, and I think that  perhaps it is possible to check all the items from my bucket list. 

After a short rest on the top of the hill we contined on. The next town was about two hours away, and it was where we were to have lunch. After what seemed like forever, we arrived and had a small lunch in an Albergue before heading out towards our final destination. Usually as the day winds down, my feet begin to ache and I lessen my pace. Vera is the opposite: the day begins to wind down and she just wants to arrive, so she walks faster -- she is usually a good five minutes ahead of me by the time we get to where we are going. So tonight when I entered Boadillas, I found Vera sitting at an entrance to a gate along with a French man (that we have seen many times on the path) who until two days ago was walking with his cousin (his cousin decided the Camino wasn't her thing and flew home). They were joined by a man who shouted his congratulations as I approached. There are two large albergues in the town (and visible from the spot I was standing) but this man also runs an Albergue and (lucky for us ...) would love to have us for the night. Had it just been Vera and I, I would have said we should have continued to the municipal Albergue, but with the addition of the French pilgrim to our team this seemed like an okay option. 

First I all, the place is wonderful. It is like being at home! We each have our own bed and there is a living room with a gas burning stove and a (partially stocked) kitchen where we could cook our own dinner and the bathrooms and showers were clean and we were the only people to use them today ... so homey and quaint! Secondly, the man who runs this Albergue is crazy; maybe certifiably so. But he has a stamp and his Albergue is in the guide book, so I guess he is legit. After establishing that the town has no restaurant and no grocery store, we resigned to cooking our own dinner (salad and pasta). The guy from France just happened to be carrying noodles and sausages with him -- all Vera and I had to contribute to the meal was half a chocolate bar and a few cookies ... When dinner was consumed and we had cleaned all the dishes, the Albergue owner had us all sit down in front of this huge wall painting and asked us to describe it to him. Long story later, it was his opportunity to tell us to enjoy the Camino and to be a pilgrim, not a tourist. (Also his chance to rant about how the big albergues are just out for our money ...) 

And now I am all tucked into my bed and ready for a good night of sleep. Here are a few pictures from today: 

Good morning, lovely Camino! 

Mid morning snack? Don't mind if I do ... 

I want poppy fields near my home! 

Two very tired pilgrims -- but we finally got to the top!! 

Standing strong all the way at the top! And look at the pretty views behind me!! 

So my feet have decided that they are going to remind me that I am on a pilgrimage, not a vacation, and that the road is often filled with suffering. How kind of them to keep me grounded in reality -- and the reality is: these blisters hurt!! I much prefer poking other people with needles to puncturing myself. Oh well -- the toes are well cleaned, drained, and all bandaged up for the night. 

Every day I wonder how I will explain the beauty to everyone at home, but I think you must experience it for yourself. 

It's a good thing the French guy was here, or Vera and I would have had cookies and chocolate for dinner!! 

Look who found a guitar in her Albergue!! I felt so at peace sitting on the couch with the window open strumming the guitar and singing. 

Such a lovely place to call home for the night! 

And my bed for tonight. 

I keep forgetting -- so now that it is almost over: Happy Nurses' Week to all my fellow nurses!! Not many professions get to be the hands and feet of Christ on a daily basis -- how blessed we are to be the comforters, caretakers, and advocates for the sick and the suffering. 

Buen Camino. 

Jena