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Published: April 19th 2010
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Alone in the Albergue
Spent an interesting evening in last night. Antonio had left the albergue in my untried hands for ´just 30 minutes´ so that he could go and get a meal at the bar. I had been writing up my notebook and thinking about some stories to tell for the next time I had a decent period of time on the internet. Earlier, I had wandered down to the same bar, but it was so smoky, and Wal, Ian etc were clearly well socially lubricated, that I decided not to stay. So I was pretty quiet company, and wasn't going to too much mind a short spell by myself. Two and a half hours later, they all returned together. I wondered whether Antonio had been encouraged to stay by the others, or just lost track of time. I doubt anyone but me gave a thought to or regretted my enforced encarceration!
Ian made some comment about my service in the Army when they got back to the albergue, and I realised that Wal must have said something about that. I must admit to some un-Camino like thoughts to the effect that maybe my life was my business, and
I didn´t need to have others trumpeting odd bits of it about. I must admit feeling more vindicated about this when Ian began making some odd references about this later in the evening when we were at dinner in Masilla.
The Roman Road
About three kilometres west of Calzadilla, there is a long stretch of Roman road. Most of it has been badly cut up, and only in places is it possible to see the original surface. Two or three major complete sections of road have been fenced off, and one can see the whole form of the road. The whole lot was incredibly difficult to walk on, and the morning became a walking challange with little time to reflect on life.
Ian and Wal passed me early in the day, and were clearly powering on to Mansilla. Did not see them until later that evening.
Reliegos
Lunched here at a strange bar, with the walls and bar front covered in scribbling of passing peligrinos. Martin, Ilka and Christian there when I arrived but moved on shortly afterwards.
After Reliegos, there was a long stretch of senda. This pilgrim´s path is well made, but makes for
Roman Road
Section of Roman Road fenced off from the Camino boring walking. Here it was beside a not particularly busy stretch of road, so there is little to see on one side, and not much on the other.
Arriving in Mansilla
There was a new albergue on the way into town which looked tempting, but saw Christian and he indicated the albergue we had agreed to stay in was some 400m further on. Found it and booked in. Martin, Ilka and Christian had all booked in, but not Wal and Ian. It appeared they had stopped at the earlier albergue, and had not moved from there.
Amber and Nicky were there, as was Chris (the Londoner) a number of other familiar faces, so spent and hour or so cleaning up and sitting in the sun chatting.
The Truth About Terradillos
A person who I have agreed shall not be named had been the cause of much excitement at Terradillos the evening we were there, and she was in the albergue with us. Over the course of the next couple of hours, people who had been there drifted in and out with their own versions of the events, and added to a rich pattern of fact and possibly
Roman Road
Section of Roman Road fenced off from the Camino near fact about what had occurred that night. The only person who claims to have no memory of the events is She Who Shall Not Be Named.
Key to the magical loss of memory and other aberrent behaviour appears to have been the addition of an unknown amount of some non-tobacco substance to a cigarette, and the gradual release of several inhibitions.
Several of the young ones claimed that their appearance in the dormitory in what otherwise might have been construed quite differently was an attempt to calm She Who Shall Not Be Named down to prevent her doing further damage to herself, their tents and the garden. I much preferred the alternative explanation, it was far racier!
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Pam McLennan
non-member comment
this is getting better every day
Hi Doug, I am pleased you are relecting but also adding memories, to the rich pattern that is your life. Keep well and happy on your journey. I am enjoying the virtual one. Pam