Day 15 18/4/12 Belorado - Ages 30km ( birthday coissant)

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We left at about 8.30 in the morning leaving our back packs behind....It felt pretty weird leaving them in some one else's care and not having them on our back....they do become part of you after awhile..... Just hope they get to the next place ok.......We left with our little light weight pack, raincoat and our bottle of water. There wasn't anything open so we walked straight out of town into the next...... 3 km down the track. Bought ourselves a coffee from a grumpy man. Its seems the people either like us walking through their area or they would just sooner us not be there.....

I have this feeling as we all walk through Spain that we are another breed of animal. Every day of these people's lives, people with backpacks walk through their towns, walk pass,and some times through their farms, down tracks that even a lot of the locals have possibly never walked, in their resturants, in their shops. We inject a huge amount of money into their economy along the camino. Most tiny little villages on the path have a supermacardo (supermarket) a couple of albergues and a couple of bars( deli's). If not for the pilgrim, the albergues, some of the supermarkets and bars wouldn't be required or the people that run them. The spanish certainly look after us. The path is well signed with yellow arrows, all albergues no matter how old or new have good beds, hot showers and are clean. We belong there, we are accepted, everyone knows where we are going, we never have to explain our reason for being there. All locals that run the albergues and pubs and resturants know the rules, our times that we eat, the pilgrim menu that we buy....a very well structured walk.........They even have signs on the road for the traffic to watch out for us....deer crossing.....pilgrims crossing......Some people wish us well ( Buen Camino) and others just ignore us like we arent there.......There is a lot of graffit around but only saw one yellow arrow with a bit of black paint on it.......they seem to be left alone. Vehciles mainly trucks will toot at us .....just saying hello have a great walk.

Our walk today took us up three climbs...It was quite cold and windy today a good choice of days to forward on the pack.....We wear merino t shirts and long shirts...they are very light but very warm...while I am walking I wear one long sleeve merino and either my rain coat or jacket and am allways sweating......And apparently I dont stink in it .....so Jacqui says cause I dont have any sence of smell, so do ask every now and again......

We stopped about 5k's from where we were staying for a coffee ....had we not forwarded on our packs we could have stayed at this place, but had heard that the facilities were cold.......and people that stayed there comfirmed that was so later down the track.The last 5km where in rain wind and cold, it was a great walk.....

We arrived at Ages at about 5pm......our backpacks were waiting for us...was good to see them. We are staying in a private albergue which is very new.....We had our own shower and toilet......

Went downstairs for tea...The owners were a brother and sister. The sister looked quite a bit older. She spoke a bit of english but her brother didn't. They were the nicest of people and she kept bossing her brother around in fun......lovely atmosphere. She said when we were ready we could eat just let her know....there wasnt any set routine......Her cooking was great......possibly the best pilgrim meal I have had. Her passion was cooking and when Jacqui thanked her and said that it showed that she cooked from her heart she became quite teary...but it was true. I suggested she come home to Australia with us and cook.......she was quite happy with that untill I told her it gets to about 40 odd in the summer......She went and told her brother ....No he wasnt going any where....

It was Jacquis birthday the next morning and she presented Jacqui with a coissant with a candle on it for breakfast and we sang happy birthday......the candle was one of those that when Jacqui blew it out it lit again...quite funny

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Comments

[Jacqui]

Yikes !
I'm loving reading your blog because it triggers my memories too.... but Diane...... THAT picture of me...... you COULD have reassured people I wasn't doing an outdoor crap - 'Cos that's what it looks like !!!!! Sheeesh ..... lol

[Why Walk]

Am sure it was just a wee..... any way have left up to people to work out what you are up to ...could be you are looking at flowers ....lol