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Published: October 4th 2016
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Been having problems with WiFi again. Most places have it but sometimes the signal isn't strong.
Since I last updated you we have walked through golden fields, over rivers or along them, alongside a canal, Robert has serenaded us with guitar, we have experienced some unusual entertainment from a local and there has been 'spongegate.'
Sunday 2 Oct from Burgos.
Most days start with a walk beneath the stars in a royal or navy blue sky depending on how dark it is. We wear head lamps to find our way. Today we have breakfast first in the cafe directly opposite, a croissant, orange juice fresh from oranges and cafe lecce.
Much of the walking today, like over some of the past days is walking on a track surrounded by golden fields, its a bit like walking along the parting of a giant shaven headed Boris Johnson. Perhaps the Boris Johnson equivalent in the land of Brobdingnag. Much of the walk is dry and dusty. We have remarked before about how the walking is sometimes like something out of the wild west, walking across a prairie or the golden flat fields of Montana on a smaller scale.
Robert, Reinhold and myself find a lovely albergue run by a wonderful couple who run a little bar as well. They work non stop, can't do enough for you and its always with a smile. They are truly happy. Youngish and made a lifestyle change they tell us.
After about 14 or so of us have dinner, Robert picks up a guitar he had spotted in the corner and serenades us with an old Irish song, much to everyone's delight. The entertainment didn't stop there. Our host told us he wanted to introduce us to a special guest. It turned our to be a little local guy whose speciality is to drink 1 litre of wine non stop by drizzling it down his forehead and nose into his mouth. WARNING: I will attach a photo but you may want to view it through your fingers!
Felicity and Robert stayed at a different albergue but luckily they came to ours for a drink and Robert spotted them. We miss them if they are not with us and start to feel anxious if we book into an albergue and they haven't turned up.
Monday 3rd October
Next morning.
Warning: Drinking wine from the face
I'd already read about this from the guidebook and so in a car crash kind of way enjoyed having the person actually there to see it Spongegate. We're all standing outside, boot up, lift our rucksacks on our backs and as I do so, disaster, no sponges! I looked high and low but they were nowhere to be found so I had to go without. Luckily so far I have been fine.
Each day the sunrise behind us is beautiful in its own different way. You will have gathered by now if you didn't already know that we are walking west. Today when the day had broken, behind us, a brighter white sun dazzles us through the white cloud. There had been mist this morning and as we go uphill a veil of wispy white cloud floats and dances across the plain. A few hillocks rise, like molehills, planted with green in circular cornrow style.
Then later, back to Boris Johnson's parting.
When Claire was still with us Robert bought a shell, the symbol of the Camino, and put it on his rucksack. The rest of us already had one. It all caused much banter and merriment, especially when I called him a Bobby Dazzler. Not having heard the term before Claire and I had some explaining to do to get the concept
over. We were obviously successful as yesterday, Reinhold announced he'd had a shave. Quick as a flash, Robert said 'Bobby Dazzler.' We were outside a bar having a cafe Lecce at the time so we got Siegfried to take a picture of us - me and two Bobby Dazzlers. Siegfried stayed at the same albergue the night before having just started the walk from Burgos. He joined our gang from Honatanas but went ahead during the day as he has a limited time from work.
On Monday night we manage to stay in the albergue of our choice, in Boadillo del Camino, which is like a little oasis in a desert. Lush green grass, trees, tubs and troughs filled with bright pink and red geraniums. Even a little paddling/swimming pool. Again we are ahead of the Irish and hope they choose the same hostel as us. We are shown into a dark building with a barn feel to it. The beds are metal and close together. However we make the best of it and find in the next room there is a little platform, like a rustic mezzanine floor, with more beds on and decide the three of us can sleep next to each other up there. A big wooden beam roped to the raised floor protects us. Or we think, until Reinhold leans on it and yelps. Its not secure and swings on the ropes! Elf and safety ain't here what it is in Britain. I go for a shower and the boys go to the explore and probably the bar.
As I get back to my bed fresh and dressed they come back shouting, 'get your things we are moving house.' It turns out our Irishes are here and they're in a room in the main building with just 6 beds in it. Its so much fresher, brighter and more spacious than where we were. There are 5 of us and no one takes the other bed. Its the first time we have all slept together and it feels right. We just have to remember not to unplug Roberts machine. He has sleep apnoea.
Reinhold and I share a bunk for the second time. Me on the bottom, him on top. We're safe with each. other. At least he probably thought that till I headbutted his metal bunk after getting up in the night. It didn't half go with a ring and a shake. It came off worse than my head. Poor Reinhold must have thought he was in that boat I was in about a week or so ago.
Tuesday 4 October
Robert and Felicity leave without breakfast planning on eating at Fromista and wanting to take their time with blistered feet. The remaining three of us eat at the albergue. I have cake and tea. Again we walk in Boris Johnsons parting for a bit then stay at a bar in Poblacion de Compos for cafe lecce (Fromista having been closed when we arrived) where I also get a ginormous cheese and tomato French stick jobby for lunch. Its lush but massive. We then take the more scenic option of the two routes walking by a canal with trees on one side. People say the meseta is boring and quite a few take the bus to miss it. So far we have enjoyed it
Its been more green and varied than some of the other walking. That is likely to change over the next few days as it gets more desert like.
Robert is full of cold and I have no water. We're making good progress though and manage to hang on till the next bar where we rejoin the main route. Its a modern, brand new bar with excellent WiFi and we enjoy a happy half hour there. As we leave we take snaps of the old dovecote in the grounds.
As we arrive at Carrion de Los Condos our first choice of albergue is complete (full) so we make our way to one recommended by two women outside a bar. On the way there is a shout from a bar. Belgian Jean is sitting there. We hug hello and he and all his group strongly recommend Espiritu Santo. We go there although its slightly controversial. When we turn up it looks like a prison. As Irish Robert said (they turned up later having also been turned away NY Santa Maria) its like being back at boarding school! However we are in single beds not bunks, the showers are powerful and hot, plenty of room in the sunshine to dry clothes. Its very functional.
Tomorrow heading for Terradillos de los Templarios by which time we will be more than half way through.
Incidentally most churches here have massive stork nests on top. I never thought we would see a stork, but today in Carrion that's exactly what there was standing on the nest!
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