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Published: October 6th 2018
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Today was the first unserviced long walk since I began. There was a small food outlet called the Oasis, but I just put the 50+ on my face, took off my vest, put on a hat, and kept walking.
There were many people on the paths and I wanted to be sure of a bed in the Albergue Jacque de Mornay. I’ve stayed before and it’s preferable to the one you see as you enter the village.
Optus kindly woke me at 2.15 am with a vibrating message to tell me I had sent a message. I thought it was my alarm and jumped out of bed to start the day. Thanks Optus.
Yesterday I had a long hot bath, slept with no earplugs, and organised myself this morning with the casual abandon of a man in a room alone. By the time I sorted out my feet, filled my pack, and made a few phone calls, it was 7.15 and past time to leave.
I stopped in a bar to add a croissant and coffee to the banana and peach I ate in the room, and wandered down the street leading the way into the dark
Dawn Looking Back To Carrión
I know I put in many sunrise pictures but this is how I start each day. countryside. And the first of 17 quiet uninterrupted kilometres.
As usual, the sunrise was stunning and caste a gentle false tone onto the unforgiving, hard track ahead. The scenery along this stretch of the Meseta is mainly vast golden stubble fields, occasionally broken up by the sound of tractors ploughing the earth for the next crop. Often the turned soil is strewn with round rocks that gave me the appearance of a crop of harvested potatoes.
I saw my little Korean lady friend 4 times today, as every time I stopped, she would quietly sneak by with her consistent slow pace. I walked with her for a while and she said she is walking to Muxia. When I asked her what she thought of the Camino, she replied,” Happy, Happy, ....Happy today, Happy tomorrow, Happy Happy.”
I think she’s happy.
The bar at Caldadilla de la Cuevas was a welcome sight, and was a timely place to check my feet.
Before I even left Carrión I changed from sandals to boots due to a sharp pain I was feeling on the inside of my right ankle. I thought the boots might support it better, but
in fact it was the arched inserts that probably solved the problem.
No more pain, but by Caldadilla my toes were feeling the pinch. A quick change back to sandals and fresh ( sort of ) socks, and they started to feel like mine again. The next 10kms to Terradillos was slower, more careful, and I arrived at 1.15 with a mostly trouble free body.
My hostess, Carmen, was kind enough to offer me a bed, a real bed, for €10. This will be a €30 day so it will balance out my grand excesses in León in 3 days time. I’m booked into the Posada Regia, the same place as 4 years ago.
Often on my Camino I don’t immediately recall places or villages, but on rounding a bend or cresting a hill, many memories come back from our 2014 Camino.
Happy memories that at times stir up emotions. That was a very special time and maybe when Ezra is older , he could accompany Andrew and me on a shorter walk. Or maybe not; I could be too old and past it. Or Ciara or Andrew will veto it. Probably I’ll be too old.
The Meseta
Who said that this does your head in? This albergue is very popular; 5,000,000 Flys can’t be wrong! They are everywhere. Saucers cover food and drinks and plates are weighted so they are not carried away.
I’ve done my washing ( I don’t remember doing that from 2014), showered and if I can get online , I’ll post this soon. Otherwise it will be tomorrow..
Newsflash !! There’s a virus going through the Camino Community and it started in Carrión. I stayed privately and I’m taking no chances. Hand washing and no contact. It must be terrible.
I hope you get this on time DS.
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Donna Smith
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Perfect timing
Thanks Steve for my wonderful early morning read...like before you’ doing a fantastic job I’m loving every bit of it xx