Conquistador there is no time I must pay my respect And though I came to jeer at you I leave now with regret

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June 30 and July 1st - Potomarin to Palais de Rei then Palais de Rei to Castaneda



June 30



As Warned the band played until 2 am - they were a seven piece band with two singers and backup singers. The style wasn't much better than that of a Mariachi band - very fast, very loud and the instruments overpowering the singers to the point that they had to shout - an acquired taste - not mine.



After - 1/2 hour of this I left as did most of the other peregrinos. Sean O Kelly jokes it is just one more type of suffering the Camino extracts - no different than the "natural pathways" and torrential rains.



The local people were just starting to arrive and very much looked to be in a festive party mood.



I turned on the tv and as loudly as possible watched the soccer game. After it was over I closed the sun roof window in my room got out my earplugs and tried to sleep. I finally fell asleep at about 3 - and was up at 7.



I went down to the bar and had a cclg and headed out for the day.



Today's walk is varied - climbing through woodlands, criss crossing a main road and another ridge climb before another quiet road / path walk. Up / down / and all around.



As I pass the packed small village bars and bulging paths I can't stop myself from thinking of the end game - do I stay another three weeks or get an earlier flight home. I try to push these thoughts out of my head and concentrate on the beauty that extends all around - if only I could see it past the tour buses and the hoards of pilgrims. I am becoming jaded and I don't like it.



I walk today with Lea-Anne from Vancouver. We met on the path mid-yesterday - it is always easier to put in the long km with a fellow pelegrino - banter takes one's mind off of the task at hand - and drowns out my complaining feet. We stop a few times on the way for cclg / lunch and plow ahead.



We arrive at Palais de Rei and are lucky to find spots in a new Albergue - We get beds in a 4 bunk room, do a laundry and meet Lea-Anne and Brett (Monica's walking mate) for an early Pilgrim's meal. Monica is not feeling great and stays back. The meal is ok - with increased demand comes complacency on the part of the bar owners. We head back to the Albergue for an early night - big day tomorrow.



July 1st - Palais de Rei to Castaneda



Slept great - Get up early - have a continental breakfast and cclg - the Albergue serves breakfast - a first for me.



Lea-Anne and I walk again today. Trying to do another 26k day - not sure if my feet will hold out - decent paths and scenery - food is fair along the way - not much choice - long waits - forget the washrooms - the forests will have to do.



Today we cross six shallow river valleys - over 1/2 on woodland paths. Only 68 k left to Santiago. It is a tough walk and my feet start to really complain after about 18k - even the 600 mg ibuprofen pills aren't working. We trudge on - we are just about to reach another small town when we hear a horn and a young woman yelling at us. She pulls up in her car and tells us we are not on the Camino. She gives us the good news that we missed a turn about 1& 1/2 k to 2 km back. Thank goodness she stopped us - god knows where we would have ended up. I almost asked her for a lift back but didn't.



We walk back the extra km find the path and carry on. My feet are shot - I need to stop - I find a bed in a 6 bunk room in an Albergue in Castaneda - Lea-Anne needs to carry on to make her Thursday deadline so we wish each other buen Camino.



I unpack, comfort my feet and go down to the attached bar and get a cervesa grande - start on the blog. I email my travel agent and ask about extending another 10-11 days or cutting my trip by 4.



I recognize two Americans that I know from a previous Albergue - they have walked all the way from st. Jean. We have a pilgrim's meal together with two other American teachers from Texas. - I have the "widow maker" special - deep fried calamari, French fries and vino tinto - I will pay for this meal tomorrow.



I get to bed at 10 and actually with the exception of a pesky mosquito ( first encountered ) and having to get up three times to get rid of the cervesa grande and vino tinto I sleep well.



Only 48 km left to Santiago kind readers.... And then ?







Piss off of the days - I realize the Camino is throwing something new at me - boredom. The first part of this walk is all about the challenge, excitement, fear and wonder. This last 100k is about boredom, complacency and tolerance - I find this much tougher than the physical. I find myself longing for the past - boy that didn't take long - 30 days - maybe time to exit the building. I would make a lousy hobo - my beard is even starting to bug me.





Tip of the days - always keep your eyes on the ball - we got lost adding an extra 4 km onto an already long stage - three minutes in a car - over an hour by foot in these mountain ranges



Blessing of the days - the kind woman who noticed us and went out of her way to get us back on the path



Funny event of the days - well actually ironic event - when I first booked this trip I realized I would not have enough time to complete all the stages - as such I had our travel agent rebook - adding on a few more days. With the turn of events here I just realized from looking at the option my agent just emailed me if I take the leave early a option I will be on exactly the same flight I was originally booked on - same seats even - added total cost of changes - I am not telling you - I don't want Danielle to know..

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Comments

[Shane]

Love your blogs..
I can tell you're not having as much fun as you were when you first started because of how you're writing. You're more to the point of things with a little less colorful descriptions. Still fun to read them though.. but I can imagine it would be a bit more frustrating now compared to before. Especially with all the tourists. Funny.. even though you're a tourist, when you do the whole thing from the beginning, and others come in much later for the easier physical parts.. you feel like they're tourists.. even though you all are. I guess you feel really attached to it when you've done it from the beginning. Ownership vs. rental. Good luck with the rest of your Camino! :) Have you seen a Gruffalo yet? Alexava still asks!

[Jean-Paul LeSage]

Great Blogs
Hi Keith, you should of been a writer your blogs are very entertaining and I look forward to reading them when they come in. Hope your well enough to play in our Church golf tournament on August the 9th. I've got you down as a corporate sponsor again and its only $50. Ghislaine and Ben are coming as well. Hope you can make it this year Regards Your Favorite brother in law Jean-Paul