The Church and Albergue
I don’t know how to change this format, so it will be weird today;). A very productive day, that started out odd. My German hiking friends, Aaron and Sergio, and I have been staying at most of the same places since Ribadeo. I asked Aaron if they were taking the rural route, or the route with villages, coffee shops, and about 3 miles longer. He said the longer route, and he told me town they were going to stay in. That was the route to the left at a Tee intersection. I was quite a ways behind them when they got to the tee, but I could see they went to the right. I had decided after meeting a witch the other day I wasn’t going to do any rural routes alone. So I speeded up to stick close to the two Germans. Sergio looks intimidating, with lots of tattoos, even on his head, big lobe things in his earlobes etc. Looks don’t tell the story, he’s a very nice man. I wanted to be close to the intimidating looking guy. There was no hint of any witchcraft today:)
Language issues caused the misunderstanding. Aaron speaks no English, Sergio little, and, our charades and pointing game failed, but all ended well.
Lots of road walking. A few times we had animals walking on the roads with/against us.
Our goal for the day changed, we ended up in Sobrado de Monxes. We’re staying in an albergue attached to a very old, cool church. It’s a monastery. The monk, Lawrence, who showed me around was very fun. We were born within a month of each other, and joked old man humor. You know, prostate jokes. Unbelievably cheap, 8€.
Then, the triple crown couple (Mel and Michael) and Mel’s dad, John from Missouri invited me to dinner they’re cooking tonight in the monastery kitchen. They all seem to have an interest in talking with someone in their native language. John and I walked and talked quite a while today too. He’s 70, and I eventually had to let him pull away because I couldn’t keep up. That man is in good shape. He had tried to run a marathon in all fifty states, he had to stop in the thirties, Mel has run marathons in 42 states. I’m out of my league with those guys.
Things are expected to change drastically by the end of the day tomorrow. Three trails merge. I’m on the Camino Norte. It ties back in with the Camino Primitivo, and the all converge with the big Camino, the Camino Francés. The book says you go from seeing fifty pilgrims a day to seeing 500 per day. It’s supposed to be a zoo. 75% of the people who do the Camino de Santiago do the Camino Francés. This should be interesting, and, finding a bed to sleep in is a concern for everyone with the crowds on the Camino Francés this year.
I’m writing this Tuesday night. There is a chance I will be in Santiago Thursday night:)!!
Sorry about not being able to figure out the format thing. I’m a technosaur.
Buen Camino
