It is 7:25 am and still I haven't left the albergue.
Suprising, as I woke up just after 5am and was really ready around 6:30.
I woke up very early the last couple of days, and was blessed with the most beautiful sunrises as a reward for my early starts. Today however, a storm greeted us as we were having breakfast, and we really didn't feel like setting off in the rain, so most of us are waiting that the rain slows down so it is walkable...
In the meantime, the computers are being used a lot, you can imagine! And, to answer your worried question, yes, the storm is now gone, it is only raining a bit, so it is safe to use the computers...
Today I am walking until León. Then we'll see how it goes. It also depends on the weather a lot, as I don't fancy walking further than necessary in the rain.
Well it seems some people are leaving now so I'll go as well and enjoy the newly refreshed (and still quite wet) air...
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Saturday, June 9, 2007
25km, and a small tendinitis
Would you believe that it is possible to have a tendinitis on the top of the foot?
Well, I have one since the day before yesterday.
Not bad though, and I have bought a homeopathic antiinflammatory cream that seems to help a lot, as well as sort of elastic bandages to put around the metatarsal area, and that have a sort of antishock gel pad underneath for walking. I walked with these today and my foot wasn't swollen when I arrived, even though I walked 25km.
I had planned on walking about 19km, but I met a lady in Reliegos, about 6km before the town where I wanted to stop, and she told me about this new albergue that was great and had plenty of space, but was another 12km further. So I walked until there.
The last 6km were a bit tougher, as it was getting hot, and the road was straight and uninteresting (right beside a national road loaded with traffic) so I busied my mind counting my steps or singing (yes, yes, sounds weird but hey, you don't know what you would do to make these last kilometers pass quicker!) and before I expected it, I arrived!
That makes tomorrow much easier, as I have only 12 km before arriving in León, and I have the choice then: either I like the town, and spend my saved energy walking about and visiting, or I want to escape the hustle and bustle as soon as possible, and I have enough strength to continue to the next village.
So we'll see how it goes tomorrow. In the meantime I need to go into town to buy some food for tonight, as there is a nice kitchen here where it would be nice to eat with the other pilgrims (what's more I had a big lunch around 3pm when I arrived so I certainly don't need a big dinner as well).
It is interesting how the camino is changing. At the beginning, it seemed that the same people were walking together, and it felt like a big family. Now, people are more on their own. I meet some people again, but usually 2 or 3 days in a row and then I lose them again. People seem to need the tribe less, and be more on the way towards themselves. It is an interesting time for me as well, and I like everything about the journey, even the sore feet...
Well, I have one since the day before yesterday.
Not bad though, and I have bought a homeopathic antiinflammatory cream that seems to help a lot, as well as sort of elastic bandages to put around the metatarsal area, and that have a sort of antishock gel pad underneath for walking. I walked with these today and my foot wasn't swollen when I arrived, even though I walked 25km.
I had planned on walking about 19km, but I met a lady in Reliegos, about 6km before the town where I wanted to stop, and she told me about this new albergue that was great and had plenty of space, but was another 12km further. So I walked until there.
The last 6km were a bit tougher, as it was getting hot, and the road was straight and uninteresting (right beside a national road loaded with traffic) so I busied my mind counting my steps or singing (yes, yes, sounds weird but hey, you don't know what you would do to make these last kilometers pass quicker!) and before I expected it, I arrived!
That makes tomorrow much easier, as I have only 12 km before arriving in León, and I have the choice then: either I like the town, and spend my saved energy walking about and visiting, or I want to escape the hustle and bustle as soon as possible, and I have enough strength to continue to the next village.
So we'll see how it goes tomorrow. In the meantime I need to go into town to buy some food for tonight, as there is a nice kitchen here where it would be nice to eat with the other pilgrims (what's more I had a big lunch around 3pm when I arrived so I certainly don't need a big dinner as well).
It is interesting how the camino is changing. At the beginning, it seemed that the same people were walking together, and it felt like a big family. Now, people are more on their own. I meet some people again, but usually 2 or 3 days in a row and then I lose them again. People seem to need the tribe less, and be more on the way towards themselves. It is an interesting time for me as well, and I like everything about the journey, even the sore feet...
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Calzadilla de la Cueza under the sun
I walked today to Calzadilla de la Cueza, a small village with a church, an albergue and a bar and not much more...
The walk today was 17.2 km or so, which as such is not huge, but what made it longer is that between Carrión de los Condes and Calzadilla, there is absolutely nothing. 17 km of flat fields of cereal, and the stony way in between. Incredible!
Some people were clever enough to put a new bar exactly in the middle, and I didn't see any walking pilgrim who didn't stop for a bocadillo or at least a coffee...
Still, the experience was exhilarating, sometimes hard, but somehow it felt like I got into some kind of trance after a while of walking at the same rhythm, with the same landscape.
Now I am happy to have arrived, showered, washed my clothes and eaten, and I can relax for the rest of the day.
There is a well closeby where the water is incredibly pure and delicious, there are fields all around, and stones and dust. I am going to wait for the evening when it is not so hot, to go and walk around the village and take in the atmosphere of this small lost place in the middle of nowhere, that seems to live mostly because of its albergue.
Yesterday, Carrión de los Condes was a long day to start with, about 20km, but I felt I had to stay there for the night. I could already have stopped at the village before, about 5 km beforehand, but I felt something calling me at Carrión. I stayed at a big albergue that was part of a convent - first time so far that I am welcome into a place by nuns - and used the afternoon, despite my tired feet, to walk around the town. I even made it to the Monasterio de San Zoilo, on the way out of town. I arrived there at a time where it was open for visits, and had the incredible luck and honour of sitting about half an hour in the beautiful closter, at a time where it was bathed by the evening sun. There I understood what had called me there!!
I could almost hear the monks walking around the closter and chanting, it was so peaceful!
So today there is less to do around here and I can let my feet rest more.
They are ok so far. I can't say that they are much better than before I stopped, but somehow they go along with me and as long as I rest regularly and massage them often, they don't give me too much trouble. We'll see how it goes and if at last this path can stop being a path of suffering...
The walk today was 17.2 km or so, which as such is not huge, but what made it longer is that between Carrión de los Condes and Calzadilla, there is absolutely nothing. 17 km of flat fields of cereal, and the stony way in between. Incredible!
Some people were clever enough to put a new bar exactly in the middle, and I didn't see any walking pilgrim who didn't stop for a bocadillo or at least a coffee...
Still, the experience was exhilarating, sometimes hard, but somehow it felt like I got into some kind of trance after a while of walking at the same rhythm, with the same landscape.
Now I am happy to have arrived, showered, washed my clothes and eaten, and I can relax for the rest of the day.
There is a well closeby where the water is incredibly pure and delicious, there are fields all around, and stones and dust. I am going to wait for the evening when it is not so hot, to go and walk around the village and take in the atmosphere of this small lost place in the middle of nowhere, that seems to live mostly because of its albergue.
Yesterday, Carrión de los Condes was a long day to start with, about 20km, but I felt I had to stay there for the night. I could already have stopped at the village before, about 5 km beforehand, but I felt something calling me at Carrión. I stayed at a big albergue that was part of a convent - first time so far that I am welcome into a place by nuns - and used the afternoon, despite my tired feet, to walk around the town. I even made it to the Monasterio de San Zoilo, on the way out of town. I arrived there at a time where it was open for visits, and had the incredible luck and honour of sitting about half an hour in the beautiful closter, at a time where it was bathed by the evening sun. There I understood what had called me there!!
I could almost hear the monks walking around the closter and chanting, it was so peaceful!
So today there is less to do around here and I can let my feet rest more.
They are ok so far. I can't say that they are much better than before I stopped, but somehow they go along with me and as long as I rest regularly and massage them often, they don't give me too much trouble. We'll see how it goes and if at last this path can stop being a path of suffering...
Monday, June 4, 2007
The break continues...
Well, this is interesting...
My two days in Boadilla del Camino were great. The place was really literally like an oasis in the desert, and the hospitaleros were absolutely lovely and took care of me as if I was at the same time a hurt little bird and a long time friend. It was almost painful to say goodbye to them yesterday morning.
But, as I was getting ready to walk 25km, yesterday, I noticed that my feet were still swollen. Less sore, true, but swollen.
So I thought: I'll walk the first 6km, and if they are sore then, I will stop and stay there for one or two nights again.
And sure enough, as I arrived in Frómista, my feet were crying again. So I stopped, had something to eat and some coffee (you wouldn't believe how much coffee I drink everyday here. And Spanish coffee is soooooo nice!!), and, as it was only about 9am, I started to try and look for a place where I could stay for one or two nights. I didn't feel like staying at the albergue, so looked for a pensión or casa rural instead, trying to find one that wouldn't rush me to the end of my finances either. So I walked around and walked around, saw one, thought nah, let's see if there are others, but it wasn't flowing. Either there were no single rooms left, or no one to talk to at all. So I went back to the first one I had seen, and rang the bell. A lovely lady came down, told me there was a single room for two nights, and gave me an affordable B&B price. So I stayed there.
And I slept about 2 hours in the afternoon, and still went to bed around 9pm last night.
I can't believe how much I have been sleeping in the last two-three days. I must really have needed it, as I am still happy to go to bed around 9 or 9:30 pm, and don't feel like going out partying at all. I think my feet were the weakest link, but if I had gone further and ignored what they were telling me, my whole body would probably have crumbled down as well!
So now I am quite thankful for my feet to be such excellent indicators of tiredness and health boundaries.
Of course, I am not in an albergue, so this break is a bit more solitary, but I think I need that as well. Now I haven't walked properly for 3 days, and I am starting to miss it. Also, I feel like I am a bit out of the whole pilgrimage path. I am not quite a pilgrim, and not quite a tourist either. It feels a bit weird. Hopefully I won't have time to truly find an identity as "the-pilgrim-who-is-currently-resting"...
As my feet don't seem to truly unswell, I thought I would treat them to some therapy. So first, I bought some salt and vinegar, and bathed them. Now they feel all soft and happy, but still swollen. As I have plenty of salt and vinegar, I'll give them another couple of baths today, to see if it helps.
Then, I have booked a massage in a therapy centre. I am not sure what they offer, so we'll see. The massage is scheduled tonight at 6. If they do some reflexology or foot massage, I am sure to go for that. I can't wait to see how it goes.
That's the thing, you see, my job is to walk, and then there is a whole routine that comes from walking: first, getting up early, having some breakfast, getting the rucksack ready, making sure I have enough water, saying goodbye to the hospitaleros if some kind of relationship had started, and then walking, taking breaks, talking to other pilgrims, stopping somewhere for coffee and a sandwich if possible, then arriving at the next albergue, signing in and paying, having a shower, wash clothes, eat, and relax and then find a nice place to have the pilgrim menu in the evening, before going back to the albergue, brushing teeth, and going to bed. All of that really takes most of the day.
So when I don't walk, that means the whole morning is free, there is little if any clothes to wash, and only few pilgrims to talk to, so the day ends up a bit empty.
Hence my delight when I found Hermann Hesse's book Siddartha in the last albergue in Boadilla. I am already half through it, even though it is in German. It suits the camino quite well actually.
So these days, when I am not walking, I am really taking my time to do everything. To read, to eat, to walk around, to shop, etc...
OK, I'll let you know soon how it goes. In the meantime I will take some time to write a few emails before my internet connection times out.
My two days in Boadilla del Camino were great. The place was really literally like an oasis in the desert, and the hospitaleros were absolutely lovely and took care of me as if I was at the same time a hurt little bird and a long time friend. It was almost painful to say goodbye to them yesterday morning.
But, as I was getting ready to walk 25km, yesterday, I noticed that my feet were still swollen. Less sore, true, but swollen.
So I thought: I'll walk the first 6km, and if they are sore then, I will stop and stay there for one or two nights again.
And sure enough, as I arrived in Frómista, my feet were crying again. So I stopped, had something to eat and some coffee (you wouldn't believe how much coffee I drink everyday here. And Spanish coffee is soooooo nice!!), and, as it was only about 9am, I started to try and look for a place where I could stay for one or two nights. I didn't feel like staying at the albergue, so looked for a pensión or casa rural instead, trying to find one that wouldn't rush me to the end of my finances either. So I walked around and walked around, saw one, thought nah, let's see if there are others, but it wasn't flowing. Either there were no single rooms left, or no one to talk to at all. So I went back to the first one I had seen, and rang the bell. A lovely lady came down, told me there was a single room for two nights, and gave me an affordable B&B price. So I stayed there.
And I slept about 2 hours in the afternoon, and still went to bed around 9pm last night.
I can't believe how much I have been sleeping in the last two-three days. I must really have needed it, as I am still happy to go to bed around 9 or 9:30 pm, and don't feel like going out partying at all. I think my feet were the weakest link, but if I had gone further and ignored what they were telling me, my whole body would probably have crumbled down as well!
So now I am quite thankful for my feet to be such excellent indicators of tiredness and health boundaries.
Of course, I am not in an albergue, so this break is a bit more solitary, but I think I need that as well. Now I haven't walked properly for 3 days, and I am starting to miss it. Also, I feel like I am a bit out of the whole pilgrimage path. I am not quite a pilgrim, and not quite a tourist either. It feels a bit weird. Hopefully I won't have time to truly find an identity as "the-pilgrim-who-is-currently-resting"...
As my feet don't seem to truly unswell, I thought I would treat them to some therapy. So first, I bought some salt and vinegar, and bathed them. Now they feel all soft and happy, but still swollen. As I have plenty of salt and vinegar, I'll give them another couple of baths today, to see if it helps.
Then, I have booked a massage in a therapy centre. I am not sure what they offer, so we'll see. The massage is scheduled tonight at 6. If they do some reflexology or foot massage, I am sure to go for that. I can't wait to see how it goes.
That's the thing, you see, my job is to walk, and then there is a whole routine that comes from walking: first, getting up early, having some breakfast, getting the rucksack ready, making sure I have enough water, saying goodbye to the hospitaleros if some kind of relationship had started, and then walking, taking breaks, talking to other pilgrims, stopping somewhere for coffee and a sandwich if possible, then arriving at the next albergue, signing in and paying, having a shower, wash clothes, eat, and relax and then find a nice place to have the pilgrim menu in the evening, before going back to the albergue, brushing teeth, and going to bed. All of that really takes most of the day.
So when I don't walk, that means the whole morning is free, there is little if any clothes to wash, and only few pilgrims to talk to, so the day ends up a bit empty.
Hence my delight when I found Hermann Hesse's book Siddartha in the last albergue in Boadilla. I am already half through it, even though it is in German. It suits the camino quite well actually.
So these days, when I am not walking, I am really taking my time to do everything. To read, to eat, to walk around, to shop, etc...
OK, I'll let you know soon how it goes. In the meantime I will take some time to write a few emails before my internet connection times out.
Friday, June 1, 2007
Break!
Today I am staying in Belloado del Camino, which means that I walked about 19km today. I took long breaks and went slowly but still the last 4km felt like the road was never going to end.
My feet were getting really sore, and my shoulders as well with the bag. Yet the path was nice and the weather perfect for walking: sunny but not too hot. However I didn´t enjoy much of the last hour. So I thought, why not stop for a day.
Belloado is a very small village, less than 140 people. So I thought, if I stay here for a day, I will really rest. There is only one shop that is tiny and situated in a bar, but the albergue is comfortable, and has a restaurant so really I can relax all day tomorrow in a nice setting.
I saw so many people getting sick on the camino, or getting a tendinitis and having to stop for a few days, that I realised that it could happen to me if I don´t stop.
On top of the physical side, I have received so many impressions, felt so many things in the last 2 weeks that I can feel the need of stopping to process the whole lot.
So we´ll see how it goes! Maybe tomorrow I am so bored that I spend my whole day on the internet!
Then again, maybe not...
My feet were getting really sore, and my shoulders as well with the bag. Yet the path was nice and the weather perfect for walking: sunny but not too hot. However I didn´t enjoy much of the last hour. So I thought, why not stop for a day.
Belloado is a very small village, less than 140 people. So I thought, if I stay here for a day, I will really rest. There is only one shop that is tiny and situated in a bar, but the albergue is comfortable, and has a restaurant so really I can relax all day tomorrow in a nice setting.
I saw so many people getting sick on the camino, or getting a tendinitis and having to stop for a few days, that I realised that it could happen to me if I don´t stop.
On top of the physical side, I have received so many impressions, felt so many things in the last 2 weeks that I can feel the need of stopping to process the whole lot.
So we´ll see how it goes! Maybe tomorrow I am so bored that I spend my whole day on the internet!
Then again, maybe not...
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