Day 20: Astorga - Foncebadon

Via MURIAS DE RACHIVALOO – SANTA CATALINA DE SOMOZA – EL GANSO – RABANAL DEL CAMINO

27.5km

Today was spent walking with an Austrian man named Johan.

Johan is in his mid fifties, and the over the next few days he featured heavily in my journey, and in a strange, and scary way, helped me to learn some powerful lessons.

When I first saw Johan, I thought he was walking the wrong way, so I called out to him, trying to be helpful. It turned out that there were two paths leading out of Astorga, but he was so grateful to me for trying to assist him, he decided that he was going to be my new best friend. At first I tried my absolute hardest to shake him, because I had really been enjoying my time alone so much – however every time I stopped, so did he and eventually I gave up and decided that it was ‘meant to be’ that I had some company for the day! In the end I was actually glad for his company – he spoke about many interesting things like family trees and lineage, Scotland and GASP! Religion! It was a nice walk and we had a coffee stop in Santa Catalina, and then we had lunch in El Ganso in an eccentric bar called The Cowboy Bar, which was very cool – hats and old kettles hanging off the roof of what looked like an old shed.

We ordered a beer with our bocadillas, and I needed two hands to lift up my glass it was so big! I inadvertently paid for the both of us (damn no Spanish!), so as a result, Johan insisted on buying me dinner, which meant I was stuck with him…

I was going to walk 21.5km to Rabanal today, but when I got there I decided that I had enough energy to keep going the 6km to Foncebadon (which was really a way to try and lose Johan), he decide to keep walking with me (so he could buy me dinner).

We walked 626m high over the stretch of 27.5km (Astorga being 869m above sea level, and Foncebadon being 1495m about sea level). We saw all kinds of weather – warm sun in the morning, rain at midday, and heavy hail as we walked into Foncebadon.

After being there for about an hour it started to snow – a real snow storm, with everything turning to white in a matter of minutes. It was absolutely amazing.

As nice as it looks though, I was hoping it wouldn’t keep up tomorrow – I wasn’t prepared for snow and it might be an uncomfortable day! The Albergue I stayed at in Foncebadon was like a hippy commune, complete with Tibetan prayer flags, incense, handmade grain food, people walking around in hemp clothing and even a grubby baby crawling around. Johan bought me my dinner at the Albergue, which was a huge feed of meat, bread, pasta, eggs, salad and cake… I swear that every km I walk, the more I eat – no chance of going home a shadow of myself!

This is a funny shout out to Rosie Roberts who sent me a message while I was on my walk asking me how often I had to stop in the woods to wee…. After my humongous beer at lunch time I had to make an in-woods wee stop – only my second on the trip so far! Oh, but wait kids, this story gets even classier. I got my shoe. Yes, that’s right – I weed inside my shoe and sock. Such a classy lady… And I tell you, it was mighty unpleasant to be squelching around in that baby for the rest of the afternoon. And on that classy note, this is the end of day 20!

Day 19: Hospital De Orbigo - Astorga

Approx 17km

Via VILLARES DE ORBIGO, SANTIBANEZ DE VALDEIGLESIA and SAN JUSTO DE LA VEGA.

I decided that today was going to be my first 'day off', because my energy levels have really dipped over the past couple of days, and the next few days are going to have some very steep inclines. So, to treat myself, I only walked 17km! I was lucky enough to get a late start from Hospital De Orbigo - they were more relaxed on leaving times than most other Albergues, so I had a 'sleep in' until 7.45am and treated myself to breakfast in a cafe before hitting the road at 9am.

There were two routes to choose from again today, and after yesterday's terrible choice, I chose the route as far away from the main road as possible!! It was a great decision, and I spent 3 hours walking through little villages and forests - so much calmer and nicer!

I was walking through one little town during morning Mass, and would you believe it - the sermon was piped through loudspeakers throughout the village! I stopped for a little while to listen before realising that I had absolutely no idea what was being said and decided to move on! As I left the village, I entered a forest and about a km or so in, there was a scarecrow dressed as a Pilgrim, standing along with a cross and other tributes.

I arrived in Astorga at about midday and the first thing I did was find a bar for a much desired cafe con leche, and it was soooo good! After my coffee, I was wandering around the town square looking for somewhere to stay and not looking wheere I was going, when I almost walked into a man on a bike. He was a very cheerful, eccentric man on a bike! Who was absolutely delighted to see me! "Ahhhhhh, Peregrino!". He gleefully pointed out Farmicia and Albergue for me with a HUGE grin on his face.

I checked into the Albergue and had a hot shower, which was so good, as it was very cold. Then I tucked myself into bed for a little Nana nap. I woke up a while later and was happy to see my 3 French singing friends once again! I got up and headed out to explore Astorga. Of course, the minute I stepped outside it began to rain and hail. I bought a brolly and continued on looking for somwhere to hide from the weather. I ended up in a museam/exhibition about the interior of the Cathedral, which is very special as it was created by a pupil of Michealangelo. The man running the exhibition spoke english and gave me some advice about what was worth checking out in Astorga.

Astorga is a part of the Maragateria region, and has some regional specialities that I indulged in - mantecadas, which are a lardy kind of cake and chocolate covered oranges (Astorga used to be the chocolate centre of Spain in the 18/19th Century). A bit of interesting history here: the people of Astorga and the 45 villages to the west and south are known as Maragatos. Their ethnic origins are unknown, but are perhaps Phoenician or Berbers ffrom the 9th C. They are a completely different race from the rest of Spain, and for centuries they were the muleteers of Spain, doing the job that is now done by 38tonne trucks. Amazing. The Ayuntamiento (Town Hall) has figures in the traditional Maragato dress, which chime the bell on the clock tower.

I took myself out for tea tonight, and I just cannot believe the value for money over here! I was alone, and I was given a whole bottle of red, all for me, haha! I couldn't understand the menu, so I just picked randomly, and for starters I had a salad - huge plate full of lettuce, tomato, tuna, ham and cheese with a tasty dressing. That would have done me......but then out came HALF a chicken, no joke! On top of that there was desert, plus half a loaf of bread. All for 7 Euro.

And no, I didn't finish my meal. But I did give the wine a good crack! Who could want more? A nice red, a huge feed, and a great dinner companion - Karouac!

As I was going to sleep I realised that apart from small talk to people in shops, I hadn't spoken to anyone all day, which is just how I wanted it. A very satisfying and relaxing day...which was needed before the horrors of the next few days.....stay tuned!

How do you like my hand tan?!

Day 18: Virgin Del Camino - Hospital De Orbigo

Approx 23.5km

Via VALVERDE DE LA VIRGIN, SAN MIGUAL DEL CAMINO, URBANIZACION SANTIAGO DE COMPESTELA, VILLADANGOS DEL PA'RAMO, SAN MARTIN DEL CAMINO.

Horrible, horrible morning! I had to be out of the Albergue by 7.30am, so it was still pitch black when I set out. There was a choice between 2 routes out of Virgin Del Camino, and I was knackered, so I chose the shorter route - 24km instead of 31km. Big mistake! The path was along the highway - 4.5 hours of walking (trudging?) along a fuel infused path. The route markers were almost non existant, and if there were arrows, they were pointing in all different directions. So many times I panicked that I was off the path, or going the wrong way. I had one particulary horrible moment of panic that I was walking back towards Leon. Talk about annoying, and as I was completely alone, a bit scary!

About 2 hours in I was bursting for the loo, starving and desperate for a coffee or three! Of course, nothing was open, and being beside a road I couldn't even hide behind a bush! I finally came across a road house in Urbanizacion, which isn't even a town, more like a truck stop. The bar was full of truck drivers and road workers who all started at me like I was a monster! But, it had a loo, coffee and a toastie, so it suited me just fine.

On the road again, it was 7km to San Martin. I got my passport stamped at a panaderia in Villadangos and then continued to San Martin along the dusty, polluted path. I had been walking like a little old lady, with blisters killing me and very achy legs. As I walked into a bar, I didn't see a step and landed very heavily on my bad ankle, so I was a bit worried that I wouldn't be able to continue on. Ahhhh, the life of a peregrino - stinky, sore and tired!

I had read that Hospital De Orbigo's main claim to fame is the Bridge of Paso Honroso - 20 arches, 204m long and one of the oldest bridges in Spain. I love bridges. Bridges make me happy, so I hoped that I wouldn't be let down by this one!

To my glee, it was everything that it was cracked up to be! It was massive and paved with cobblestones - loved it!! There was an area next to it which looked like a jousting area, like from 'A Knight's Tale'.

I loved Hospital De Orbigo. The Albergue reminded me of camping cabins, and there was a beautiful front courtyard which was cobbled and had a huge mural on one of the walls, spectacular. I was happy to see my French friends again - the 3 older men who sing. Oly and Ava were also there (an older French couple). Oly loves to call out my name - 'Yessica!'

Over the past few days, I had seen strange little houses built into hills along the side of the road. They have small little doors and the dome of the hill is the roof, with little chimneys poking out of the top of the hill. They reminded me of The Wind in the Willows, and Ratty and Mr Mole. I had to walk right past a few today, and they were all derelict and filled in with rocks. I spent a lot of time wondering who used to live in them and why they were built like that.

A little later in the evening I asked someone, who told me that they were houses before Christ. In more recent years they have been used as Bodegas, where people would meet to drink and maybe have a pre-dinner snack. Now, they are largely abandoned or used as wine cellars by wineries. So that ends that mystery!

I had a funny text message from Rosie Roberts today, asking me what song I was singing today. embarrassingly enough, I had been singing 'Waving my Dick in the Wind' by Ween when she sent it! I think that was because it was windy and I was waving my 'stick' in the wind!

In the evening I was in the grocery store buying some supplies, and the owner spoke some english, thank God! She was asking me if I was traveling alone, and when I told her I was she looked shocked and said 'Brave Girl'. I said maybe brave, or maybe stupid! It meant a lot for her to say that though. I guess I don't realsie how big this journey is sometimes, but it really is a big deal. I am walking over 700km across Spain, a country whose language I don't speak, and where I don't know anyone. I am doing it alone. I will spend 5 weeks without any creature comforts, not even a hair brush. I am filthy, sore and tired, and even though I have some bad days, I am really enjoying my time. But it really is an amazing journey and I will be very proud of myself to finish the whole Camino De Santiago!

The man running the Albergue tonight is young, and a bit strange. I spent a lot of time in the courtyard writing in my diary in the evening, and he kept standing next to me and staring at me as if he didn't like me, but then he wouldn't leave me alone! Maybe he has a thing for smelly, dirty girls with sunburn? He was trying to tell me that Australia was named after a dynesty of Spanish kings..hmmmm!

Day 17: Mansilla De Las Mulas - Virgin Del Camino

Approx 25km

Via PUENTE DE VILLARENTE - ARCHAHUEJA - VALDELADUENTE - LEON

Weeeelll. An interesting day today. I headed off on my own again, but found it very hard to get going with the ol' energy levels at an all time low. It wasn't unitl I had walked the 10km to Archahueja that I had a chance to refuel with some coffee and finally felt human enough to get into the 'groove' of my walk. It was still a bit of a struggle though, and I must have stopped every 5 steps to eat something. I think I was eating for Australia for most of this walk!


I made it into Leon (one of the major cities on the walk) by about midday, after another uninteresting morning of walking along a motorway. Once I got into Leon, I couldn't get out fast enough! I had spent so much time in tiny little villages over the past few weeks that I had forgotten what big, busy cities are like! In the smaller villages, everyone you pass stops to talk to you and are so pleased that you are undertaking the pilgrimage. In big cities people don't look at you and push you out of their way, regardless of the fact that you are wearing a huge backpack and have no centre of gravity, not to mention the fact that you can't move very quickly! It was horrible!

I made the HUGE mistake of going to a supermarket while I was in Leon. Stupid girl, never again! Again, I had the pack was on, again, people didn't care! I almost fell over at one point when a person shoved their trolley past me - get me out of here!!!!

I had intended on having a nice, relaxed lunch, but the hecticness that is Leon just got too much for me, so I had a very quick bocadilla and headed out of town. On my way, I stopped at the Chapel of Santiago, and seeing as the sun was out, I spent about half an hour there before heading on my way.

It was bloody typical that I had arrived at Leon at 12pm, just when the Cathedral and other museums close. I didn't want to wait around until 4pm, when they all reopened, so I missed out.


The 7km from Leon to Virgin Del Camino were pretty horrible! I'd go so far to say the worse so far - 7 long km of housing estates and industrial estates. For the first time on the Camino, I was honestly concerned for my safety while I walking through this area. But, I lived to tell the tale!

The entrance to Virgin was right on a motorway and looked horrible. Thankfully a few km in it became a nice, busy little town. I was horrified when I arrived at the Albergue though - it was incredibly ugly from the outside, like a huge school demoundable. Inside was a different story though - the best I've been in so far, with a complete kitchen, lounge with new couches, TV, the whole works! Don't judge a book by it's cover Jessica!

When I unpacked, I was incredibly annoyed to discover that my adaptor for my phone and MP3 had been left behind at the last town. A guy who was staying in my room had unplugged my phone to plug his own phone in, and left my adaptor there. I managed to buy a new one after a particulary halarious game of charades with the shop keeper. The only problem was that the edges were too high for my plug to fit, so I spent the better part of the evening on a basketball court trying to file it down. Finally I had success......after about 4 hours hard work! Ahhh, the things we do!

A while later I was sitting in the lounge area when a man came over to me. I was hoping that he wouldn't because it was very important to me that I spend time alone, but in the end, I was glad he came over. His name was Alf, and he was German. Today had been his first day and he was incredibly nervous about the journey he had embarked on. I guess he needed someone to talk to and some reassurance. I told him some of my stories and have him advice, which I think he appreciated.

Alf also taught me a very important lesson.
He had been telling me that he was worried about how far to walk each day, and did I think 10km was a lot? I was very dismissive of him in my head, thinking to myself,
'This is a fit, young bloke. 10km? I've been averaging 25km!'
Then he was speaking to me about the weight of my backpack, as his was about 6kg, which he was having trouble with. Again, I was confused,
'6kg? That's nothing. He's bigger than me, if I can carry 10kg, he certainly could'.

Then Alf says to me that he had spent the past year in a rehab clinic after a horrible accident. And it was a miracle that he could walk. Let alone walk 10km per day. Carrying a 6km backpack. And how proud of himself he was. To say I felt like a bitch is an understatement. This man is remarkable.

My lesson. Do not judge others, you don't know their stories...

Day 16: Bercanos De Real Camino - Mansilla De Las Mulas

Approx 27km

Via EL BERGO RANERO and RELIGOS

The walk today from Bercanos De Las Camino to Religos was VERY long and boring - the track was right next to a main road, so there wasn't much to see. I was absolutely stoked to walk into Religos and headed right to the bar, where I proceeded to sit over a 'cafe con leche' for a veeery long time. I was so happy to be sitting down. I had woken up with my shoulder aching so much that I was actually feeling sick, so the day was a bit of a struggle, especially with the 10kg backpack weighing me down!

The bar that I had stumbled into was amazing. The walls were covered in sayings written in many different languages, and there was an fantastic camino mural.

A few of the sayings really caught my eye:

"I bet God has a great sense of humor" (Very relevant to a pilgrim!)

"Beauty: what was always there, but not truly realised".... Jake Ballinger

I had a really surreal moment while I was sitting there. The bar was in a tiny village, somewhere in Spain, and I was listening to the same album that I had spent hours listening to in a coffee shop in Katovice, Poland. (Back to Black by Amy Winehouse, if you're interested). Two massive extremes, yet the music just slipped in and was so right!

I had been suffering from a bit of a cough, and as all of the bars in Spain are filled with smoke (no smoking regulations in Spain), it got worse while I was sitting there. It didn't help matters that the owner was trying to light the fire place and flooded the bar with smoke and ashes! Anyway, I was having a bit of a coughing fit, and the owner came over and plonked a mug in front of me, gesturing to his throat, as in: 'drink this for your cough'. I will admit, I was a bit scared to drink it, but I didn't want to be rude, so drink it I did. The most interesting thing I've ever consumed! Sweet, then hot, it made my lips numb for the rest of the day - probably thanks to the chunks of chilli I discovered floating in it!

After a few hours, I finally dragged myself to my feet and slowly wandered the remaining 6km to Mansilla. I had a glorious, spontanious, who-gives-a-f*@k moment in a spot of sunshine, dancing to 'Going, going gone' by Jack Johnson.

The Albergue in Mansilla was really nice, and full of people (including quite a few nice looking boys wandering around in the lycra bike shorts. Nice!). My biggest concern this evening was trying to decide if I should save money and have packet soup, stale bread and questionable meat, or go out to eat.... It wasn't a concern for too long. I was wandering through a shop when I ran into Xavier, a Catalan who I had been passing by and waving at all day. We decided to cook dinner together (Jess's famous Camino soup), and then popped out to a bar where I had my first introduction to Liquor de Herbas, which would quickly turn into an addiction on the Camino...more on that in a later post!

Day 15: Ledigos - Bercianos De Real Camino

Easter Saturday

Via TERRADILLOS DE LOS TEMPLARIOS, MORATINOS, SAN NICOLA'S DEL REAL CAMINO, SAHAGUN, CALZADA DEL COTO

Approx 27km

Today I hit the road alone. Completely alone.
I decided it was absolutely time for my solo journey to start, and I picked a good day to do it!

It was a nice day, and despite having quite a few vinos the night before, I woke up ready and raring to get going. To start the day I walked 16.5 km to Sahagun, where I stopped at about 11.30 for a coffee, an early lunch of an amazing bacon and cheese bocadilla, and a sneaky glass of red - all for under 5 euro. What a country. What a life! I relaxed at my outdoor table for a while and then decided it was time to get going again before I got too comfortable and stayed all night.

As I was leaving the city, I was stopped by a very old man, who chatted away madly to me in Spanish. He kept pointing to me and saying 'Italian'. I kept saying 'Australian', but he had decided that I was Italian. He kept pointing in the direction of the Camino - giving me directions (in the direction I was already headed). He blessed me, crossed himself and then waved me off. Very nice!

The afternoon stretch was tougher, with my feet deciding to cease up on me about an hour in. But, with the aid of a lot of breaks, I made it to my destination, Bercianos de real Camino by about 3pm. It wasn't the most scenic of routes today - the beginning of the horrible 'mesita'. The highlight was a field of yellow flowers (which were more than likely weeds). I was so excited to see colour that I must have stayed there for an hour smiling like a special kid at them.

At one point when I was giving my poor little feet a bit of a rest, I sat down by the side of the road and was having a nice little daydream, when a car pulled up next to me and honked. The driver was pointing to the back seat and laughing. The second time I've been 'accosted' by a Spanish driver who thinks it's funny to offer Pilgrims a lift between towns!

I came across a grave with a headstone on the side of the road a bit later. It was for a Pilgrim who had died on that spot in 1998. The grave is at least the 5th that I've come across since the start of the walk, and the dates are all relatively recent. Apparently on average, 4 Pilgrims will die on the Camino each year. So far on my journey there has been one - a girl died crossing the Pyranees about the time I started the walk. 4 of my friends have had to go to the hospital so far, Makes it all seem a bit scary really - it's certainly not just a stroll in the park...

The reason I chose to walk to Bercianos is because the Albergue had a communal meal and church service, and seeing as it is Easter I thought it would be really nice to try and capture the 'family' environment. The welcome I recieved on my arrival brought tears to my eyes. The lady, Suelee, from Mexico, was so sweet and friendly and greeted me with a huge cuddle and even bought me a cup of tea! I was really looking forward to meeting some new people. The 3 singers from a few days before hand were there and they were really happy to see me!

After having a shower and rest, I decided to explore town (ok, look for a bar..). I walked into the first bar I came across, sat down and ordered a beer, before looking around and realising I was the only female in a very crowded bar, and everyone had stopped their conversations and were staring at me. Akward!! There were a lot of groups of old men sitting around and playing dominos - it was a very surreal moment! I finished my beer very quickly and found another bar, with my Amigos, Jaoquin, Fernando and JuanJose sitting in it! I was happy to see them. They are Spanish, all teachers who have been walking over the school holidays, so it was their last day on the road. They have all been so friendly to me - (I remember being in a bar one day trying to order lunch to a horrible woman who was misunderstanding me on purpose, and I was so frustrated because I couldn't get my point across, when over my shoulder a man shouted at her in Spanish and she hurried off to get my order - It was Fernando, so he's been a bit of a favourite ever since!).


After a few drinks, I headed back to the Albergue to do some sun worshipping! I had a lovely hour or so hanging out in the sun, stretching and meditating before dinner. The communal dinner was lovely, and I was so lucky that there was a really special group of people staying. The prayer session was after dinner and was very nice - no open flames this time to my relief! I've already blogged about this bit, so if you want to read the prayer from this session, go to: http://whatkindofparadise.blogspot.com/2009/04/like-prayer.html.

Songs of the Camino - Part II

Ani DiFranco.

This woman has been there with me for almost every situation in my life since I was 15 years old. I can relate a song to just about anything that happens to me, and every day on the Camino I had a 'DiFranco moment'.

Her lyrical abilities leave me breathless at times....

Her poetry is lyrical. Her lyrics are like poems. She is an outstanding woman with passionate views of important issues. She is my number one on my list of 3 people 'dead or alive who I would invite to a dinner party'. Love her!

Here's a few 'snippits' of her, as written in my diary on Day 15 of my Camino:

"One day you might find you are hungry, and all of those words you just said"

32 Flavours.

"You are a china shop, and I am a bull. You are really good food, and I am full"

You Had Time.

"You are a party, and I am a school night. I'm looking for my door key, but you are my porch light"

School Night.

On the Road

My book of choice for the Camino De Santiago was "On The Road" by Jack Kerouac.



I had been told about this book by someone who made a very brief, yet lingering impression on my life...who taught me many lessons about life - and how we should, or probably more appropriately, shouldn't, live our lives.....

Anyway, the passion this person had for the story of the life-altering journey of young Karouac always sparked my curiosity - and what better story to read as a young person embarking on what would be my life-altering journey?

My copy of "On The Road" was a given to me as a gift from Lucy Mann - the day before I left for Spain. I read it every day of my journey and it really spoke to me. It was written in 1951, and is a largely autobiographical tale that is based on a serious of road trips across America. The story is considered as defining work of the Beat Generation, and much of it was inspired by jazz, poetry, and drugs.

Karouac's style of writing ('spontaneous prose') is different to anything I've ever read, and I can understand why this novel is so important to so many people.

Highly recommended - especially if you're having a 'what the f@#k am I doing with my life' kind of time!

"the most beautifully executed, the clearest and most important utterance" of Kerouac's generation - New York Times.

Day 15: Carrion De Los Condes - Ledigos

Good Friday

Via CALZADILLA DE LA CUEZA

Approx 24km.

An average start to the day, but things picked up about 17.5 km in! The road from Carrion to Calzadilla was long and straight, and I passed nothing for about 4 hours! The road was muddy and rocky and really started to hurt my feet about 10km in, so I wasn't sure how far I would be able to continue today.

I stopped for coffee in Calzadilla with Hermann and Otmar, and contemplated stopping there for the night, but the coffee fortified me and I was ready to power on! I think they might have slipped something into the drink, because I took off like I had rockets attached to my feet. I had just started walking when it started to hail - Day 15 and finally some bad weather!

I loved it! I put on my poncho and kept going. The wind was insane and freezing and I have never felt more alive in my life. I left Hermann and Otmar for dead and had showered and rested by the time they arrived in the Albergue! It was absolutely freezing in Ledigos, and I found out that the town is 863m above sea level, so no wonder.

Hermann, Otmar and I went to Good Friday Mass in the evening at the town cathedral, and following the service we enjoyed a very special meal together. We had planned to spend the night with each other, as I began my solo journey the next day, leaving them behind. Unfortunately, this evening was to be the last time I ever saw Hermann. I had arranged to meet Otmar again in Santiago, but more about that later..

I really enjoyed the last few days that I spent with these men.Their lack of English and my terrible German have given us some incredibly funny times. I will definately be an awesome addition to any game of charades!

Day 14: Fromista - Carrion De Los Condes

Maundy Thursday

Via POBLACION DE CAMPOS, REVENGA, VILLARMENTERO DE CAMPOS, VILLACA'ZAR DE SIRGA

Approx 20 km

Not a very long walk today, and I got to my destination at about 1pm, which was very early!


It was not the most scenic of days, mainly walking next to a main road on a dirt path. It was dusty and windy and was a case of head down and power on! I had one little stop for coffee early on at an Albergue, which was very nice - seats out in the sunshine and Gregorian chants playing. There were 2 very cute dogs who were enjoying all the attention being paid to them!


I stayed in a Monestry (Santa Clara) in Carrion De Los Condes, which was very spooky! The bedroom door kept opening by itself, which gave me the creeps, because it was a very heavy door! I wouldn't have been surprised to find out that the place was haunted - it was built in the 1200s! For the history buffs out there, Carrion is reputed to be the place where the Moorish Underlords required the Christains to surrender 100 Virgins every year - how intense is that?!



I spent the afternoon doing some washing with a lovely Korean girl called Jong Hee. At one point, she looked down at my feet and gasped in horror (I'm still not sure why she was so horrified. Sure, they were swollen and covered in rashes and had a few blisters, but otherwise they looked reasonably normal!). Anyway, she pushed me down onto a chair and squatted down to look at them, banging them with her fists and threading her fingers through my toes - she kept asking if my feet were 'sick'! Bless her. I'm not sure what the problem was but it was unreal to get a foot massage!!!

After that I sat in the last slivers of afternoon sunshine soaking my feet in freezing cold water that my friend Jon got from a spring in San Bol. The water is supposed to have healing qualities - once you dip your feet in the water you have no more problems with blisters and aches. (In case you're wondering, my feet continued to get blisters and aches for the next 20 days).

After dinner, I headed into town to watch the Maundy Thursday Parade, which was certainly different to the parades back home! It was a very sombre affair with dirge-like music and serious looking men carrying huge statues of Jesus and The Virgin Mary. Crowds of people followed the procession, and I get swept up in the frenzy of people. Little Spanish Nannas were out in droves, wearing furs and pushing me out of their way! I don't think they approved of my going out outfit (thongs and trackies), judging from a few of the looks I got!!



*In an aside, I came across two Spanish women today who were walking the Camino. They really stood out to me, because where the rest of us are filthy and smelly, and carrying 10kg+ on our backs, they had on tiny little fashionable backpacks, actual wooden walking sticks (usually used by the elderly), highly fashionable clothing - and - they had their HAIR AND MAKE UP DONE!!!! And when they walked past me ......I ....smelt....perfume!!!!!! It reminded me of when I was in Burgos. Stefi and I were sitting on the church steps in our 'best' clothes (Trackies that were in desperate need of a wash and thongs...not to forget the burnt jacket I was still sporting). All these stunning women were walking past in dresses and heels, immaculate makeup and hair etc. Stefi and I were staring at them wistfully and sniffing after them.... "Did you smell her"? "Oh my god, she smelt soooo good"..... Oh, the envy!

Anyway, I was thinking about these women for a while, and then I realised that today is the official start of the Easter celebrations in Spain, and as such, a lot of Spanish 'daytrippers' will be on the road for the next week or so. They tend to walk a few days of the Camino each year, starting where they left off the previous year. A lot of them pay to have their backpacks transported from town to town so they don't have to carry them. I guess it makes the Camino a bit more 'holiday' like for them!

Day 13: Castrojeriz - Fromista

Via HOSPITAL DE SAN NICOLAS / ITERO DEL CASTILLA, ITERO DE LA VEGA and BODILLA DEL CAMINO

Approx 25.5km

Another lovely day wandering along by myself - after I got to the top of the HUGE mountain I had to climb this morning! It was something like 400m on a steep incline and was just a bit tough. I was sweating and huffing and puffing my way to the top, but the view was amazing and worth it! It certainly woke me up!




It was an 11km walk to the first coffee shop, and I was very happy to see the cafe and my friends sitting in front of it! It was a stunning day, so having a pit stop soaking in the vitamin d was amazing. After the break, I set off again, headphones in, enjoying my music and the gorgeous day. After about an hour, I found myself a spot in the shade of a tree and waited for my Da to call me. We had a nice short chat, and then I was on my way towards Fromista!

My favourite part of the day was in the early afternoon. I came across some bales of hay and decided to sit on them and have my lunch. My shoes came off and I settled in for the afternoon, reading my book and eating cheese on crackers. It was pretty difficult to get going again after that and I shuffled the remaining 5km or so to Fromista. My feet were very happy to see the Albergue.



I spent the evening sitting in the sun in the back garden of the Albergue with a bottle of vino tinto when three French men (fellow pilgrims) sat down next to me and started singing harmonies - it was amazing!

Day 12: Hornillos Del Camino - Castrojeriz

Via ARROYO DE SAN BOL, HONTANIS, RUINS OF THE CONVENT OF SAN ANTON

Approx 20km

I had a lovely day today. I spent most of it alone and wandered along at my own pace, daydreaming and enjoying the sunshine and wind on my face. The morning was cold and dreery, and began with an uphill struggle, so I was a very happy girl when I saw the sun poking it's head out and a bar 10km in - vitamin d and coffee to warm my cold bones!! A few of my friends were in the bar, so I settled in for a chat. An hour later I was on my merry way again. I had my music playing and trotted along lost in my thoughts.


I walked through the Ruins of the Convent of San Anton, which must have been amazing in its day. The monks here specialised in treating Pilgrims who suffered from San Antonys Fire - a form on Gangrene. Mmmmmmm.


Not far past San Anton, I was looking for a spot to sit in the sunshine when a car pulled up next to me, horn blaring madly. I looked over and saw that the driver was pointing to his back seat and laughing hysterically. He thought it was a funny joke, offering a pilgrim a lift into town! I ended up sitting in the middle of a paddock for a while, and I could see Castrojeriz from where I was. It's a stunning town - wrapped around a mountain and there is the ruin of an 11C castle sitting on the very top of the mountain. Rumor has it that Julius Caesar founded the town, and it is very strong in it's Roman influence.


I wandered into town and found somewhere to stay, and then headed to the bar, which was my favourite bar of the whole journey. As I walked in, the first thing I saw was a dog and cat sleeping on a bench:


The owner was so friendly, and I really enjoyed my afternoon there with my friends.

Day 11: Burgos - Hornillos Del Camino

Via VILLABILLA, TARDAJOS and RABE DE LAS CALZADAS.

Approx 20km

I had a very late start today, because I had to do some serious shopping and the shops didn't open until 10am. Burgos was the first town that was big enough to have clothing shops, so up until this point I had been wearing my burnt out jacket (which still smelt fetchingly like burnt plastic). A few of the others waited with me, either because they had some things to get, or because they didn't want to walk off alone.

The shop that I had my eye on to buy my new jacket from was supposed to open at 10, but didn't actually open until 10.30, much to my annoyance! Considering I would usually be 2.5 - 3 hours into my walk by this point, it was incredibly frustrating! However, open it did, and new jacket I bought...Good times!

Not much else to say about the day today. Because we started so late the day seemed never ending! I walked with Stefi from Germany and Ronnie from Rome, and we stopped every km or so to lean against a wall and complain! At least I was in good company! When we were walking through Rabe De Las Calzadas, a group of nuns stopped us and the Mother Superior started speaking to Ronnie and asked where we were from. When he told them I was Australian, another nun began translating in English, which was very kind. They told us that they would pray for us on our journey and asked that we pray for them when we arrived in Santiago. They were so pleased to see us making the journey!

At the Albergue, I met the first absolutely horrible person on the Camino, a woman who took an instant dislike to me and spent all her energy in the evening trying to befriend my friends and ostracise me. A good lesson to learn - not everyone will like you, and if they don't it is their problem, not yours. True, brother, true.