tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76711100455356670932024-03-18T21:00:00.978-07:00PCT TurtleHiking for a CauseKen Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comBlogger113125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-39776081027247641882023-06-01T13:21:00.001-07:002023-06-01T13:21:53.183-07:00Finishing this Blog:)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64_sl_C4pU_64Jw7Eyn8eRXK6xsGa9ZdZ4GAkHWL3DwVOj9HiV_5_cvUYvRpMOntR1tAsbXfiCURjbhkQGXbUBDIZ6qbS1deifPomsT8wIruBMJ5dQHUBEmZysso6UIRn4egOtBgBLv0fzIEJzSQwi87iHz6wyr__QI7AblyPdCxfk6eARRNzsf0l/s4032/8A58A1B0-2F05-4DF2-B5FE-1513A1F9215D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64_sl_C4pU_64Jw7Eyn8eRXK6xsGa9ZdZ4GAkHWL3DwVOj9HiV_5_cvUYvRpMOntR1tAsbXfiCURjbhkQGXbUBDIZ6qbS1deifPomsT8wIruBMJ5dQHUBEmZysso6UIRn4egOtBgBLv0fzIEJzSQwi87iHz6wyr__QI7AblyPdCxfk6eARRNzsf0l/s320/8A58A1B0-2F05-4DF2-B5FE-1513A1F9215D.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMkAE8tW8UtLJPUiPn_MlqCkTdXaVEIoibzVDEI20RMx9mpBopUD9GO1so7L-M191rISu5NCXXPLYar9FyRDb0Jbnz582f3InXMlIcSXfAxBAJraDcZLggJRXwBm-SLDMyEs1G32YUGa2-k7dGbsETNxjy9h7pXVv6wHnU8IhQvUtHAqWGwV3Yadu/s4032/5F52B406-9627-4451-8872-2C0CB538AA43.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMkAE8tW8UtLJPUiPn_MlqCkTdXaVEIoibzVDEI20RMx9mpBopUD9GO1so7L-M191rISu5NCXXPLYar9FyRDb0Jbnz582f3InXMlIcSXfAxBAJraDcZLggJRXwBm-SLDMyEs1G32YUGa2-k7dGbsETNxjy9h7pXVv6wHnU8IhQvUtHAqWGwV3Yadu/s320/5F52B406-9627-4451-8872-2C0CB538AA43.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXbaz4uCiv2PFfKkKe6gaxeZqNmm9cKNmlVbueBZJe8qe7igh7lbi_khekU2MUhrDiRh4MqNcrdl3JR2DAFhfga70CZThRYsj7CTFa1O6Dbdsn_MiuUgcTYvibmRNFyhaTBmbQFF4Wzdt4belNo6wgCV53u5-jQewJNeBOu5asmqqjNjfx2JQb17E/s4032/3D523F1A-C5AF-4E3A-9186-0E0FE009BEB2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXbaz4uCiv2PFfKkKe6gaxeZqNmm9cKNmlVbueBZJe8qe7igh7lbi_khekU2MUhrDiRh4MqNcrdl3JR2DAFhfga70CZThRYsj7CTFa1O6Dbdsn_MiuUgcTYvibmRNFyhaTBmbQFF4Wzdt4belNo6wgCV53u5-jQewJNeBOu5asmqqjNjfx2JQb17E/s320/3D523F1A-C5AF-4E3A-9186-0E0FE009BEB2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>It was a few miles of walking from last night’s hotel, to one closer to the airport, and I got to see some more sites. Along the way I passed a woman firefighter outside her station. I told her about my firefighting daughters and she agreed to have her picture taken with me:)<p></p><p>In the morning I’ll either walk, or catch a taxi, to the airport and fly home. This trip has been great. </p><p>It is so great to see different ways of living. Wonderful to meet such a variety of people, with so many stories, occasionally in languages I could understand. Really, the language issue wasn’t as bad as I had expected. Smiles, kindness, and charades is all a person needs. </p><p>The importance of flexibility has never been so evident to me. Sometimes a person just has to go with the flow, and, see what happens. </p><p>Hotels are comfortable, and are a nice alternative. The albergues are where to meet people out of their element, every time having a different experience, and have the actual Camino experience. My experience was the best of worlds, some albergues, some hostels, and some hotels. </p><p>I’ll remember the kindness of strangers. The guy giving me a ride in his sports car so I would have a place to stay. The simple smile and nod from a pilgrim as I was placing a stone next to the Camino, and a couple of big blubberfests. Simply the kindness of shopkeepers and folks at restaurants as I butchered attempts to find and order things, and, helping so many times trying to figure out which Euro coin was worth how much. Euro bills were easy. The coins gave me grief, especially if there were folks waiting in line behind me. </p><p>The large amount of alone time to think, and practice, and to relax and concentrate on the present moment, and not dwell on the past too much, and not worry about the future too much, was great. My mind was often occupied by food, water, sometimes aching body parts, weather, sleeping arrangements, timing, learning new things (geography, history, cultural norms, languages, weird street signs), getting used to thinking in the metric system, trying to remember names of cities, people, and even…witches:) </p><p>This trip clearly took me out of my comfort zone. It was a good thing. My phone plan allowed for unlimited texting, but limited talking. I wanted to save my talking for necessary calls on the trip. Not talking to anyone from home for a month has been hard. There are some voices I really want to hear. Luckily, Rick and Nancy came so I was able to hear familiar voices for a bit. </p><p>I have a love/hate relationship with the phone. It was crucial for navigation. It was needed to text communicate with home, and communicate with fellow pilgrims, hotels, finding supermarkets, restaurants etc. I used it to help with Spanish words I didn’t know, and to learn more about historical items I didn’t know about. </p><p>I used the phone way less than I usually do at home, that’s a good thing. By far, the primary two uses of my phone on this trip are pictures, and this BLOG. I will actually be glad when I send this tonight and it’s done. I’m using this blog as my journal. I couldn’t help but keep up on some sports, but mostly just scores. One night I watched Euro League basketball on TV in a hotel…they’re good. </p><p>I’ve been told it before, and it’s clearly obvious, but things are really old here compared to at home. An old building at home is 150 years old. That seems brand new here:). I had never been to Europe before, and had heard others talk about this, but it hit home more to me when I saw reminders multiple times every day. </p><p>Learning that old languages are still hanging on was a surprise to me. I thought they just spoke Spanish in Spain. Foolish me. </p><p>A lot of people are moving around the world. Yesterday, working in the hotel I stayed at was a man from Nepal, who had worked for five years in Poland, and then came to Portugal because of work. People coming to Spain and Portugal to work from all over was a surprise. South America and Cuba seemed to be the most common foreign born workers I met. </p><p>In order to see the service at the cathedral in Santiago I arrived two hours early. I simply relaxed, looked at the building, listened to the din, watched people, rested my feet, smelled the unique odor/aroma of old, and didn’t say a word or wasn’t spoken to in a large, growing crowd. Never could I have imagined that I would voluntarily sit in a church for two hours before a church service:)</p><p>My lack of knowledge of Europe is embarrassing. I need to study maps, and history books. No wonder questions about Europe have always challenged me in Jeopardy! Franco, Salazar, and the Basque Country issues are things I should have known more about.</p><p>Would I do a Camino again? Yes. Will I? I don’t know. There are many different Caminos. The Camino Portuguese sounds very interesting, is only about 1/3 the length of what I did this time, and sounds incredible. Many do the Caminos on bicycles. Maybe that’s in the future. Some even do them on electric bicycles…that seems like cheating:). Theresa will be an important element in that decision.</p><p>For a month I averaged 17 miles per day. It took a few days, but my legs feel great now. My feet are better, and, I’m glad I have a podiatrist appointment next week:) I’m anxious to weigh when I get home. My guess is I lost a little weight, but not much. The amount of food I consumed was huge. Last night I found a buffet. I can still eat a lot. If my eating habits don’t change any weight I lost will soon return. </p><p>I miss my family so much, and am looking forward to seeing and hugging them! Thanks to Theresa for letting me do this. Thank you Kari for figuring out the flights, buying the tickets, and bringing your family along to make the beginning of the trip memorable! Thank you Colin for reiterating four important rules of travel: 1) Use the bathroom whenever you have the chance; 2) Charge your devices whenever you have a chance; 3) Eat whenever you have a chance, and; 4) Sleep whenever you have a chance. </p><p>All good advice!</p><p>Thank you Rick and Nancy for joining in on a bit of this adventure, and letting me see things I totally would have missed. Thanks too for Lifesavers, Smarties, and an umbrella I plan to replace. </p><p>It’s time for me to take some of Colin’s advice, and sleep. </p><p>Good Night from Lisboa, Portugal.</p><p>Buen Camino</p>Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-1377412108662719622023-05-31T09:41:00.003-07:002023-05-31T09:41:45.288-07:00Tourist in Lisboa (Lisbon)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKuLwTWb5Kx-8Jr02J5Fz-bMicaqKZjHaRQpTceNnb4WzzFUtImGT5_LoBvRbJ2ZdOrdHksYii80Gn0UAV6jHuXxbA3bktA7-SPo8pOhi0AgMD7AXet7DC8Bx-cuKpe3rquEiPOoVRxz9vdTnyhNsYZWE7tS-0SlDrv4J5k9dS3_jAMhvOqOQQV0Y/s4032/2CC38745-AD90-414A-BBAE-65007F678CC3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKuLwTWb5Kx-8Jr02J5Fz-bMicaqKZjHaRQpTceNnb4WzzFUtImGT5_LoBvRbJ2ZdOrdHksYii80Gn0UAV6jHuXxbA3bktA7-SPo8pOhi0AgMD7AXet7DC8Bx-cuKpe3rquEiPOoVRxz9vdTnyhNsYZWE7tS-0SlDrv4J5k9dS3_jAMhvOqOQQV0Y/s320/2CC38745-AD90-414A-BBAE-65007F678CC3.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKwy5lCMh-2oJa01G2y0U85LjMoc_H_bNzRjr4QwDe7KYC7-5yhE3ODReYB1JJoPG-ZsX3uinwbqN5bhTGHXGbiDHquDpB9thR5GdCV1EiF4mz7f6I3qcj2fgbR9gToiP0eU82CjWEVoqC2dbykQ_eWmfr8W_fzF22nehFC6gkVygg4CPfdbMod0q/s4032/596FF17F-A47E-4448-AD79-2D09E1E82C11.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKwy5lCMh-2oJa01G2y0U85LjMoc_H_bNzRjr4QwDe7KYC7-5yhE3ODReYB1JJoPG-ZsX3uinwbqN5bhTGHXGbiDHquDpB9thR5GdCV1EiF4mz7f6I3qcj2fgbR9gToiP0eU82CjWEVoqC2dbykQ_eWmfr8W_fzF22nehFC6gkVygg4CPfdbMod0q/s320/596FF17F-A47E-4448-AD79-2D09E1E82C11.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpwx1y8SbRII66b-PRvGk9Ygr5Px2LLYK-1nShdeZ2you7a5TdbHkx37Q2Y478Tz8_VnWTj48FEkVWNIuonUA_VqKjFgFrEmOQavsmdW2hh1zKqpwlKbe4HLvi1zyB0vB0HLjVB1GZoyLo0JB1Dnko37qKalKNCa-Wvfto_h1KcT7b6RMaKwM_0Ka/s4032/AE9D0E51-954B-4DFB-AC64-9CE6E6C9AC9F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpwx1y8SbRII66b-PRvGk9Ygr5Px2LLYK-1nShdeZ2you7a5TdbHkx37Q2Y478Tz8_VnWTj48FEkVWNIuonUA_VqKjFgFrEmOQavsmdW2hh1zKqpwlKbe4HLvi1zyB0vB0HLjVB1GZoyLo0JB1Dnko37qKalKNCa-Wvfto_h1KcT7b6RMaKwM_0Ka/s320/AE9D0E51-954B-4DFB-AC64-9CE6E6C9AC9F.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoVrk2Wlf03nxrqCuyRBxk3DGkn89xl6BCy0dbShYbthl86oZbUkIKZdPyBbyasGGcsiaHP-7tHSqsjkofyg5yl2lJxdAqjW8mJLOVEpUwY61SjfNWNb400U9HtwM_gXhXSFtDeBFpb8zjePsm5KvVBhdzqyOOHEZHIlLwSsfEvufGd2gmf9DHaZxe/s4032/C2C6C5FE-9A4B-4D34-B9E8-3EAAE8D26555.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoVrk2Wlf03nxrqCuyRBxk3DGkn89xl6BCy0dbShYbthl86oZbUkIKZdPyBbyasGGcsiaHP-7tHSqsjkofyg5yl2lJxdAqjW8mJLOVEpUwY61SjfNWNb400U9HtwM_gXhXSFtDeBFpb8zjePsm5KvVBhdzqyOOHEZHIlLwSsfEvufGd2gmf9DHaZxe/s320/C2C6C5FE-9A4B-4D34-B9E8-3EAAE8D26555.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2mycUrJDHb9Qs03aos65Qwjwyld9VlrK0ntX322ztU5iFIDrfvCmyHg7grfm9azdv7HtQI65LPvdn2sk8XV5JqVGlQyCp4ZSzqT_evenytEjae48tCBuNKu2g6s-4ClzQ81N1vSUqKzObnuhb6dcxVUWPgDbX1NZyYDVeiQSwK5LReugKITQB-jso/s4032/FA917A94-7479-443D-BDA4-FB12AD03CF2D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2mycUrJDHb9Qs03aos65Qwjwyld9VlrK0ntX322ztU5iFIDrfvCmyHg7grfm9azdv7HtQI65LPvdn2sk8XV5JqVGlQyCp4ZSzqT_evenytEjae48tCBuNKu2g6s-4ClzQ81N1vSUqKzObnuhb6dcxVUWPgDbX1NZyYDVeiQSwK5LReugKITQB-jso/s320/FA917A94-7479-443D-BDA4-FB12AD03CF2D.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Just a tourist day in Lisbon. I’m often corrected to Lisboa. Beautiful boat ride and learned historical fun trivia. The same guy who designed the Golden Gate Bridge designed this bridge In Lisbon. The top layer is for cars, the second layer is for trains.<p></p><p>The massive ship monument is in honor of famous Portuguese sailors such as Vasco de Gama, Magellan etc. I probably should have known all the others too, but I must have miissed the wrong day in a history class long ago. </p><p>An old fortress, about 500 years old, used to protect Lisbon from invaders is the castle looking thing it was also used as a prison. An old aqueduct. </p><p>I tried to use the train and subway system today. It has some major flaws, so I eventually stuck with taxis, and walked. </p><p>A boat ride on the major river was nice. </p><p>I’m settled in early for the evening. </p><p><br /></p>Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-19495520258081272432023-05-30T12:21:00.001-07:002023-05-31T01:07:57.101-07:00Travel Day<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO15wSdO2IFFmd9y0TsIdkOaQl62x8DbEUyh93pHU9dAcOmpU12dmNw-N7yYSDh41GGKh10FekQKTXY--e3fsQjVy9YBMJSFvE2TWxw0vINFktdsWRYiXgeODrEvCimplWsTbK50t34mEsLIfJTRQLNkEyKA94yBX0jyqmUb8KxfS5FEm_-RAdnbAS/s4032/2E05CD41-8B6C-412F-BDAF-77B090835A28.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO15wSdO2IFFmd9y0TsIdkOaQl62x8DbEUyh93pHU9dAcOmpU12dmNw-N7yYSDh41GGKh10FekQKTXY--e3fsQjVy9YBMJSFvE2TWxw0vINFktdsWRYiXgeODrEvCimplWsTbK50t34mEsLIfJTRQLNkEyKA94yBX0jyqmUb8KxfS5FEm_-RAdnbAS/s320/2E05CD41-8B6C-412F-BDAF-77B090835A28.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI-S-yCQx7DLzKeWeIhvm5yWiDvQAwZTYU_-VPowabs3yKczpCIyqRVXM6N6nXnLbhS9wLZyFnYn-nhnTEs3ZFTBIp0ZxAWC4mZZj2L0gtquh5elNulWwqp3-bp1wE7wiVwNQzE4At6ezUlJUGAQNmjUTIFY4xG5DUQrp26Dwmn56WDmMRraMBFnKZ/s320/D6A2E4BA-3DD9-4FF3-BEAC-2F7CE3D47AF3.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOlZO8KANjLCp6TMboDc3OT68tEyKQAYXGnHF2hyUHOX7zy3NmB07diKgaN65hofU1vlbVwrJLVi8M9pSQQt5pyBJO3kMY1iLCxAxffjyT8L6wCd9-N1qPL5ofw_GxlobOfzgxlzZid7pkq7bigAHgQ_PCRlG80Mc43ih740BRvlL-532qg5D8tFc8/s4032/D24233DF-3FC0-4780-AE20-3DB4245820A9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOlZO8KANjLCp6TMboDc3OT68tEyKQAYXGnHF2hyUHOX7zy3NmB07diKgaN65hofU1vlbVwrJLVi8M9pSQQt5pyBJO3kMY1iLCxAxffjyT8L6wCd9-N1qPL5ofw_GxlobOfzgxlzZid7pkq7bigAHgQ_PCRlG80Mc43ih740BRvlL-532qg5D8tFc8/s320/D24233DF-3FC0-4780-AE20-3DB4245820A9.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>Mostly pictures from trains, train stations, and Portuguese places today. This day was devoted to traveling!<p></p><p>What a day:)</p><p>Fascinating train-run-bus-train-train-train-walk from one train station to another-oops, I was at the right bus station the first time, and more. Then one last long train ride. It's been a blast!! </p><p>My favorite though, at one train transfer, they had everyone heading to Porto, get off to transfer...as planned. Probably ninety percent of the people (including me) got off, walked down a ways, crossed the tracks, and got on the train that was waiting there. We're about all loaded up, when a railroad employee anxiously told everyone we were on the wrong train. Another train was just pulling up on a third track. </p><p>Almost everyone thought it was really funny, but there were a few who were real jerks. The jerks were so outnumbered, they soon became quiet:)</p><p>I'm in Lisbon, Portugal. I was in Porto about two hours. I loved it, but, decided to make this totally a travel day. Then, I will spend two full days being a tourist in Lisbon.</p><p>In case you care, sometimes people give advice when they don’t have a clue what they’re talking about. Therefore, sometimes, a person can get a lot of extra, unneeded exercise as a result. I learned that, again, from experience today.</p><p>Hotel rooms here are a pain in the butt. If not for a tenacious taxi driver, I’d be sleeping on the street tonight. He communicates entirely with Google Translate…it’s pretty cool. I stayed in a dive hotel for the night. Dinner at the dive spot around the corner, the Fat Chicken in English, was an experience. I don’t understand Portuguese, but I understand six grown old men teasing each other. The place I’m staying is obviously a poorer, working class neighborhood. </p><p>Tonight, will be better, I have a reservation in what appears to be a little better area. Thursday night I'm staying in a classy Holiday Inn Express near the airport preparing for my early Friday departure. For the most part I didn’t do reservations on this trip. Experiencing the challenges getting a room in Lisbon made me change my thought process. I was lucky to get anything, almost everything is/was sold out. </p><p>Lisbon seems to be a safe place. I still don’t really like big cities. </p><p>Mostly, I'm just getting anxious to be home. </p><div><br /></div><p><br /> </p>Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-86654141808627903022023-05-29T12:46:00.000-07:002023-05-29T12:46:39.153-07:00Unexpected Surprises <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-O3LH1PJc41S6f2ZMyASD21RE6HS2GXxp3H_Eeq_O1N44m-hJdqYCdxfcGeffguR2f8R9RY8bQFBGfSZ5Wp23ww3R0RPv1Q09tnpdlqX_muZhwhzF6U2WfqUKeAarnIUou9bJuBpHtGnpx5wdsxrI0o4Mw8V4NE7SoEMqRmwLGFeTkW9ksu98c7U/s4032/64B0F530-3322-4479-95D6-E5490A2F140F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-O3LH1PJc41S6f2ZMyASD21RE6HS2GXxp3H_Eeq_O1N44m-hJdqYCdxfcGeffguR2f8R9RY8bQFBGfSZ5Wp23ww3R0RPv1Q09tnpdlqX_muZhwhzF6U2WfqUKeAarnIUou9bJuBpHtGnpx5wdsxrI0o4Mw8V4NE7SoEMqRmwLGFeTkW9ksu98c7U/s320/64B0F530-3322-4479-95D6-E5490A2F140F.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQLZEQ6TXnHXFEuGCkF27_mCY6y4-A7VZc9OeHIGK3ZFcpSVvZ1FHmvUZ5QP4XHfwUMk44LMKZmInwsCMY-gPGJFP6gmPFLEzdrw1yeBtBUgxc4WVYZreGmxbebSQHuTlE3-bRLtSYO31tRa38Bp5Gtw8SgTUORyPYo1fJk9LdtAKUzwmFhp-JJXQ5/s320/13520144-4117-4DE4-9E3D-41456A771FCC.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ClMckcKW-05OHidp0nVSv5_3n5C_SA0FfRSWDrQ5YUVf_waJszxxqfOnB-kafRpK_9uvpU0ctqSmXEd7xnUnc9SsOrsfqxkUJzwWT3XZsSUOQjfD-isMJqp3E1WhgatNpjIxTThyxwrVz1nzvbZ6DA4YnaJ9H_CPYOFbhTTT3Lhq5hzKCgfhY3Bi/s4032/18890806-0645-4888-A420-D4CF5D1DAB2D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ClMckcKW-05OHidp0nVSv5_3n5C_SA0FfRSWDrQ5YUVf_waJszxxqfOnB-kafRpK_9uvpU0ctqSmXEd7xnUnc9SsOrsfqxkUJzwWT3XZsSUOQjfD-isMJqp3E1WhgatNpjIxTThyxwrVz1nzvbZ6DA4YnaJ9H_CPYOFbhTTT3Lhq5hzKCgfhY3Bi/s320/18890806-0645-4888-A420-D4CF5D1DAB2D.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEhfowL9NAxpaZYLRDoG23vb4nN_mTl312elUgKKjMR7aQ1P1f44ne28k43XR9qxkx0x_yb9p0kPW9Tq3QeJ2iFGkto30gPfZLmFvNYW5sMhotRuj8j30ajh0Ya0MONDYbsfJNbKa60_CezJH8pAz6oTaUNKK_-4SY1vUxMk8HNY0ErPCI82DUd5ha/s4032/BE6D6FFD-D39A-4081-A1D9-A0756EEECFE1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEhfowL9NAxpaZYLRDoG23vb4nN_mTl312elUgKKjMR7aQ1P1f44ne28k43XR9qxkx0x_yb9p0kPW9Tq3QeJ2iFGkto30gPfZLmFvNYW5sMhotRuj8j30ajh0Ya0MONDYbsfJNbKa60_CezJH8pAz6oTaUNKK_-4SY1vUxMk8HNY0ErPCI82DUd5ha/s320/BE6D6FFD-D39A-4081-A1D9-A0756EEECFE1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJqsiZ4czJQiwHxIkzn3peR8u1YRMAMnq0uGHZXgDSe7zmGFzAjBOgFWk1MPoTElt7063O4gEzLeMM1I0DCIpDZTPOr-wUIelZaQeqkse5Alyiz4-0Vcy3ECpYlKdZbrhB89R2T-zxJzAvWuMfsK0kRErzE21QxqPPgF3ie2Mz6aSTRGfg3aGNqkz/s4032/DC1918FD-D375-4324-9B1C-5844B840E4AE.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJqsiZ4czJQiwHxIkzn3peR8u1YRMAMnq0uGHZXgDSe7zmGFzAjBOgFWk1MPoTElt7063O4gEzLeMM1I0DCIpDZTPOr-wUIelZaQeqkse5Alyiz4-0Vcy3ECpYlKdZbrhB89R2T-zxJzAvWuMfsK0kRErzE21QxqPPgF3ie2Mz6aSTRGfg3aGNqkz/s320/DC1918FD-D375-4324-9B1C-5844B840E4AE.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>I woke up at 6:00 a.m. not knowing what the day would bring. It turned into a really good day. <p></p><p>When I arrived at the bus station, there was no one at the booth to help. There were, however, about 20 other pilgrims with the same problem. All the seats are sold out for the day for all six buses from Finisterre to Santiago Compostela. Not only that, but the first five buses for Tuesday were already sold out. I checked last night, there were only three seats left on the 3:00 p.m. (last) bus. I bought an 11€ ticket as a backup plan. I was worried about getting stuck. </p><p>I was ready to leave Finisterre, and was ready to move on. About this time a six passenger minivan taxi pulls up. I heard the price, quickly realized splitting it a bunch of ways was a great deal, and before the other folks realized what happened we had the six passengers for the minivan. The only problem is he had to leave immediately to do another run, and he would be back in 1 1/2 hours. We all agreed to sit down together, eat breakfast, and have coffee. We were all in such good moods, we became immediate best friends, with some language hiccups;) The Italian couple, about my age just spoke Italian, and thus understood a fair amount of Spanish, two German women in their 20’s, one had taken high school English, a Surgeon from Australia, and me. </p><p>The Taxi Driver showed up and we had an easy trip to Santiago where the Australian and I had lunch. We talked about the famous swinging incense scenario at the cathedral. He had the chance to see it on a previous trip. I really wanted to see it. His understanding was it was only special occasions, and Tuesdays. I decided then, if I had to wait an extra day to see it, I would. After lunch we talked to a cathedral guard who said he was wrong about Tuesdays. We wouldn’t be able to see it. I was bummed.</p><p>He took off, and I decided to spend ten euros and do the big cathedral tour. I had shortchanged myself being cheap my first time through Santiago. It was great, seeing all kinds of art, learning about the history of the construction, the first cathedral was built in the 1000’s, a second bigger one was built in the 1200’s etc. Amazing stuff. It was fun to look down at the people looking like ants in the square. I still don’t understand baroque versus Romantic architecture periods etc, but it was cool anyway. The tour leader was talking about the big incense ball, and she told me they would be using it at the 7:30 pm mass tonight! I found out where to sit for the best view, and I was to get there at least an hour early because it was going to be packed. She was right. I got there two hours early, and people were already in their seats. The ones who got there only an hour early were standing. </p><p>I hadn’t been to a Catholic mass in at least 15 years, and nothing like this. The organ music, singing, blessings to the pilgrims, almost all in Spanish of course, were awesome. The experience was great. The organ could be felt through the entire body. The ball (I guess it’s called a thurible) was fabulous. It takes eight men pulling on the ropes in unison to make it swing. It’s art in motion! I heard this is a World Heritage Site. It’s appropriate!</p><p>I’ve changed my plans due to the busing situation. I have a train ticket for tomorrow morning. I’ll be heading to Porto, Portugal. There’s a very short layover in Vigo on the way. The guy selling me the tickets, and his supervisor, both warned me I have to RUN from one train to the next to make the switch work. It sounds like a challenge, I’m ready for it:).</p><p>No Albergue tonight, I’m staying at the closest hotel to the train station.</p><p>It’s been great, but, I’m getting anxious to get home:) This makes day 40.</p><p><br /></p><p> </p>Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-7346469085506985632023-05-28T09:53:00.001-07:002023-05-28T09:53:29.686-07:00Mission Accomplished <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW9d09aEujUih4fZlaaQVbukbVpBRc0BX3dHadAesCmu3Gnn4sLPqU7RupCuGdLR8rk0EAtxjd9TgfXKVDfJ1dKXBqi3MzWXvIDnJdxrLZ7yYOll13c40Qd_McGYVqFO7ObXDRubjUxMxaC9uc6Wk9jlhfai0mCVUzjOd4MHJTYEvH_Bo8eq80TEnr/s4032/4E842DEA-21C4-4E24-87C2-BEC9145F37BD.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW9d09aEujUih4fZlaaQVbukbVpBRc0BX3dHadAesCmu3Gnn4sLPqU7RupCuGdLR8rk0EAtxjd9TgfXKVDfJ1dKXBqi3MzWXvIDnJdxrLZ7yYOll13c40Qd_McGYVqFO7ObXDRubjUxMxaC9uc6Wk9jlhfai0mCVUzjOd4MHJTYEvH_Bo8eq80TEnr/s320/4E842DEA-21C4-4E24-87C2-BEC9145F37BD.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiShnxlhEpcZ52xlxtukE5akabIG0a_qTNT6jps_SjViFDbAzRtIJs22BwipshFImlNF55aegzAZ42zkMWzJblwUPJ4aoV72STao-WTj1Yu51rISXmU47WbwRSw1J2b8UR_fgxkUyIn4b1C7BewmdFId8g4uMxMwHSDMAz1p3u68vUV-VA5Z3N8IplK/s4032/DA1D1D81-78B9-461E-8E50-33025ECF45F8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiShnxlhEpcZ52xlxtukE5akabIG0a_qTNT6jps_SjViFDbAzRtIJs22BwipshFImlNF55aegzAZ42zkMWzJblwUPJ4aoV72STao-WTj1Yu51rISXmU47WbwRSw1J2b8UR_fgxkUyIn4b1C7BewmdFId8g4uMxMwHSDMAz1p3u68vUV-VA5Z3N8IplK/s320/DA1D1D81-78B9-461E-8E50-33025ECF45F8.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> I made it to Finisterre (Fisterra) today, and I found out the difference. Finisterre is the name of this place in the Gallecian language, in Spanish it’s Fisterra. It’s the same place:)<p></p><p>Beautiful early morning in the small port village I stayed at last night. Much of the trail was very well kept today, and, there wasn’t too much road walking. </p><p>I made it to the 000,000km marker, with the lighthouse in the background:). I then went beyond the lighthouse and way down almost to the Atlantic Ocean to place my last stone. The stone is close enough that very high tides reach there. Without a doubt I was way closer than anyone else today. Finally, even I got nervous and decided it wasn’t that important for me to get in the water, a tide pool was good enough. </p><p>Tradition has people leaving their boots/shoes there, and even clothes. Sometimes burning their clothes. I really like my Hoka shoes, and leaving perfectly good clothes as basically litter, makes no sense to me. All I left was an important stone. </p><p>It was thought for centuries this was the furthest west point in Europe. As such, since they didn’t think there was anything west of there (little things like North America and South America) this was as far west on land as a person could go. That’s how it got it’s name, end of land, or end of the world. Two problems with this, first was Christopher Columbus and his trips west. The second problem was there’s a place is Portugal that juts out further west. </p><p>Now, this is just the furthest west point in mainland Spain. Still a cool place, and, keeps its old name(s).</p><p>When I arrived in town I did laundry, ate, got an albergue to stay in, and tried to figure out plans for tomorrow. Language challenges, and people having differing ideas, make planning interesting. I was going to ride the bus to Muxia tomorrow to start being a tourist. Depending on who I talk to, that may or may not, be feasible. Maybe all the tickets are sold already. Tomorrow morning I will be at the bus stop early to figure it out. One way or the other, I have two days to get to Santiago. Maybe I’ll be hiring a taxi after all:). </p><p>I’ve tried to keep track of how many countries I’ve met people from on this Camino. I’m sure I’ve missed some, and I haven’t asked everyone, but I’m up to 26 on the list. Slovenia is represented, so is the Czech Republic, Belgium, and, of course, Latvia. I didn’t know how to count the Irishman who now lives in Sweden, so I gave him double billing:)</p><p>I was walking really slow coming in to Finisterre all morning. It was time to enjoy, and soak it in. </p><p>My style is to get up very early, and escape the albergue either first, or with the first group. I have it down to a science. Everything I can pack, I do, the night before. I leave my “ditty bag” out so I can do things like put in my contact, brush teeth, etc. I shower the night before. I grab everything I can and as quietly as I can head to the common area where I can make a little noise as possible packing up and others can sleep. It’s nice to walk, catch the sunrise, and get going early. One problem is coffee shops often don’t open early in small towns here. Today I again had to walk quite a while before coffee until I actually woke fully up. </p><p>The other day I met a pilgrim taking care of his CPAP machine. There was no way I was going to carry that extra weight! He said it was 1/4 the weight of his entire pack. The ones who suffer the most when I don’t have my machine are the people who have to listen to me snore. I tell myself there are plenty of other snorers in those rooms. My snores just keep the drone consistent throughout the rooms. </p><p>I have met quite a few folks along the way who refuse, or quit, using albergues. They stay in hotels instead. Hotels are occasionally nice, however, the huge part of the experience is getting to meet so many, wildly different people! That’s what’s so fun. One funny example is what is socially acceptable to wear in such a setting. One lady from San Diego quit going to albergues after one night when a man in only “bikini underwear” was cooking in the kitchen. The Swiss woman in the conversation saw no problem with that. Just a cultural difference. Personally, I didn’t think I could be shocked after 67 years, so, let’s just say, I have been surprised. </p><p>The pilgrimage is done, being a tourist begins, and I will try to post some the last few days, but, no guarantees. I hope to go to Muxia, Santiago, Porto, and fly out of Lisbon June 2. Who knows. </p><p>This has been good for me:)</p><p>Buen Camino</p><p><br /></p>Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-44357952094255668672023-05-27T11:28:00.001-07:002023-05-27T11:28:54.488-07:00Last Long Day<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBuV-oG-E0_mNp3gnYn41AH4z9VCeWKNULA395TbOIrVGnQ3fj9xP8Pq4oHZo1RFDpswh4jteTWlYc1g7NqqAkqHqILCdG9NXPc8dwfQNs1RYAhQxlT3e9lXOPc0OouEfOcP0FhUnPEyq9-TOgc6fSm4ViNYyQ7vq8yIKv0H-TqxI-tG_OooEU1gP/s4032/3DF82CAE-24A0-46E9-887B-117CF6889CDA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBuV-oG-E0_mNp3gnYn41AH4z9VCeWKNULA395TbOIrVGnQ3fj9xP8Pq4oHZo1RFDpswh4jteTWlYc1g7NqqAkqHqILCdG9NXPc8dwfQNs1RYAhQxlT3e9lXOPc0OouEfOcP0FhUnPEyq9-TOgc6fSm4ViNYyQ7vq8yIKv0H-TqxI-tG_OooEU1gP/s320/3DF82CAE-24A0-46E9-887B-117CF6889CDA.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-yaGqmq2bqAYX_RYW4rrnx2vxkYLkDxQJfKFQUQKkL9_YYn8RuiiOeIqw34HoszZOJeYCaAcSUuO-hQI7prmblDMOO2g0CUJAsXZ9BItVFfacm7jUxpxWmjeW01m_crg6PQN-O0ZKBiT15p321SoIevH6hWV2P49bpQTV9w5Ql4qXtcgLxhpEVyxi/s4032/F7CF5AFA-FA1A-42EC-BCEA-17352243EB05.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-yaGqmq2bqAYX_RYW4rrnx2vxkYLkDxQJfKFQUQKkL9_YYn8RuiiOeIqw34HoszZOJeYCaAcSUuO-hQI7prmblDMOO2g0CUJAsXZ9BItVFfacm7jUxpxWmjeW01m_crg6PQN-O0ZKBiT15p321SoIevH6hWV2P49bpQTV9w5Ql4qXtcgLxhpEVyxi/s320/F7CF5AFA-FA1A-42EC-BCEA-17352243EB05.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /> The Taxi Drivers have figured out that some pilgrims get tired, and want rides. There are often yellow arrows with the phone numbers of the local taxi, or larger signs like these. I have never succumbed:)<p></p><p>I walked with a woman from Slovenia today. It was a wonderful conversation. She and her husband have four children, the oldest an 18 year old girl. She did the entire Camino Francés. They have a small farm in Slovenia, and we both discussed how others though Santiago was a nice, small city it seemed to both of us to be a real big city! She said it’s bigger than her capital city!</p><p>I’m embarrassed as to how little I know about Europe, and especially it’s countries. I’m going to have to get maps and figure out where they are in relation to each other. There’s no way I can get Jeopardy! questions right without serious remedial work. Being humiliated when I asked what language they speak in Latvia still haunts me. </p><p>The monk I had so much fun with, Lawrence, told me about a 74 year old Lithuanian woman who walked all the way from Lithuania on her pilgrimage. He kept saying “from Lithuanian, from Lithuania.” Someday I think I should learn where Lithuania is. Maybe near Latvia? Maybe they speak Lithuanian? I have felt humbled on this trip regarding how little I know about Europe. Maybe Slovenia is close to them…what language do they speak?</p><p>There are continuing scenes and flowers along the way. The morning sunrise was especially nice. </p><p>I came across this werewolf statue. I took a picture of the write up. Most fun was the little boy telling me about it in Spanish, and his father laughing at him. I just know he was excited about the statue;)</p><p>There was a stretch with no services. Three options were all crappy. I choose the option of making today a long day. My feet prefer shorter days. I went 21 miles today, and they did well. That means less than ten miles to the finish. </p><p>I’m in the fishing port of Cee. It’s a cute little port city. The first Albergue was full, the second one has about 20 bunk beds, 40 total beds, in one room. I got here early enough to get my choice. Absolutely a bottom bunk. Middle of the night bathroom breaks are easier, and, I can store my belongings under the bed. Then, I got the closest bed to the exit door. I get up earlier than most. I pack up in the evening, then leave before most are awake. Being close to the exit means I don’t bother anyone. </p><p>I had a great experience with fireworks and a little parade through a village today. I can’t get it to load to the blog, but I’ll show it to folks if interested. It was fireworks, bagpipes and all celebrating the Pentecost tomorrow.</p><p>A few raindrops today, but, really a nice day. I’m ready to be done, but, this has been great!</p><p><br /></p>Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-71312981767149293682023-05-26T08:45:00.002-07:002023-05-26T08:45:33.106-07:00Right Now, Slow is Better<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1D8po6ZRepO8AzK3S6f5TEgFYSKKFnYS0Y4OBYBs4EtaU23r2ZA7Br98sQx3GuPlWMGfUplIOqMAbYkBCfhSxgBShgfwWGq4VeF1_0liWZ_W_TXoPfYkggmk6tQh5yNY6XYD0_vpY3N5mOYTtzVrp_IaWFGZaOehfBeH3vsFPuOabQm-SiDVse6NT/s4032/74B37FC7-D9E9-4A22-8558-E5E895FE93C3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1D8po6ZRepO8AzK3S6f5TEgFYSKKFnYS0Y4OBYBs4EtaU23r2ZA7Br98sQx3GuPlWMGfUplIOqMAbYkBCfhSxgBShgfwWGq4VeF1_0liWZ_W_TXoPfYkggmk6tQh5yNY6XYD0_vpY3N5mOYTtzVrp_IaWFGZaOehfBeH3vsFPuOabQm-SiDVse6NT/s320/74B37FC7-D9E9-4A22-8558-E5E895FE93C3.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimgjq1aR29my081uzNMSgP3hz6ivHQQEU0RslAO4UqjE55vZbQX-UzngV_-aR5P8DZWnKpHUjZEluX2bf8VVYQh33sdJ6uf7nmnGwBD-L_l3IWFPEETiAkeOeAszrLJpXQNwteckRgHZGf8dGgFzr6NcWuHrwPKnSDfp6qKUmeNB3eoSlp-beL549H/s320/F34A43B8-5DEC-4DD5-8DFE-08A6173E25B7.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /> I’m not going to try to put the pictures in any order. When I try that, everything gets messed up. Anyone reading this will have to guess which picture l, if any, pertains to which written content. Think of it as a game. <p></p><p>The certificate gives me credit for 828 km for the pilgrimage from Irún to Santiago, about 500 miles. My pedometer shows about the same. I’m sure that’s my best month since September of 2014 finishing the PCT. The hike continues now from Santiago to Finisterre. Some signs, and maps, show Fisterre. I’ve been assured it’s the same place. </p><p>Walking today I came across two tour buses with people standing around and looking at a nice river and bridge. I heard an American accent. A group of seven women, from Chino Hills, California and one guy, one of their boyfriends were in the group. They had done a 100km, fully guided and planned (and PAID for) pilgrimage finishing up enough of the Portuguese Way to get a certificate. Now the group is touring. Comparing and contrasting our experiences was funny! I don’t know what their trip expense was, but, I guarantee it was many, many, many times greater than mine:). And I like mine more. </p><p>Chino Hills is very near to where I grew up, and one of the women went to Montclair High School, where I learned to swim as a youngster. She went to Serrano Junior High, I went to Vernon Junior High. She remembers my old Kingsley Elementary School…we all had a lot of fun while they waited to get back on the bus and see in one day what it will take me four or five to see:)</p><p>I love some of the signs here:)</p><p>Nice scenery and rural farms and ranches with small towns. There were some stretches of gravel side roads, which were nice for a change. It seems to have been quite a lot of pavement walking lately.</p><p>One pilgrim showed me a website that shows how many pilgrims get a certificate each day on the Camino. It averages about 2,000 per day, going down significantly in the winter. So, yesterday’s zoo at the cathedral with all those people is pretty much a daily occurrence nearly nine months a year.</p><p>I have significantly cut down my distances the last two days. My feet seem to like the slower, shorter pace.</p><p>Albergues are all different. This one is funky. It’s old, remodeled apparently without any building codes, unique. An old, significant older than me, couple is running this. I’ve paid for dinner (sometimes dinners come with the room) and I have no idea what I’m getting. This is far enough out of town there are no restaurant options. No problem, I have a lot of energy bars if it’s inedible.</p><p>At the rate I’m walking I’m still two days away from Finisterre. Spending the night near Vilaserío, Galicia, Spain, listening to thunder. </p>Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-69324110074843983822023-05-25T10:53:00.000-07:002023-05-25T10:53:55.198-07:00First Goal Reached-Santiago Compostela<p><br /></p><br /><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL76vp3BDX9ymE3pkj1OUqgbdusVansgV7lq9irAmM-4veB4fjKge0jddwtvpv1wJLFONoN974VabJoajCZ7iJkpRA6szPIjzJD2XBJGWNmrOaFdGriq_-d_yzIDkouAEBxGohYJIAayQ1BC_myL2V2hxK3GAcTw4vr2iGyUtz9CEdpn6rqR-hc-5W/s4032/DEF1F033-C9B6-496E-8BA2-6524A2BFBFBF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL76vp3BDX9ymE3pkj1OUqgbdusVansgV7lq9irAmM-4veB4fjKge0jddwtvpv1wJLFONoN974VabJoajCZ7iJkpRA6szPIjzJD2XBJGWNmrOaFdGriq_-d_yzIDkouAEBxGohYJIAayQ1BC_myL2V2hxK3GAcTw4vr2iGyUtz9CEdpn6rqR-hc-5W/s320/DEF1F033-C9B6-496E-8BA2-6524A2BFBFBF.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PcOadbNxMfIKHl5HjxnT5doYbUyUqQvafzNXivi62NMpah0F6vJWamz21yBcaq1nye-QIc1dFR-YzkgYh5qewrM0JoG72CiwMS3OVhxCdlsq-zyVjHqbsZ1Jr7XuIYvXgz2CY6zKAXzyjczHu_U0V68VMh5V2dvD1C9HeSZvyO4aZ7xopLTFdfz_/s320/8841E1DC-DE32-4009-A34B-625198C03BB3.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE2uMO1HgbiBOUtZd6vP5npy0BVIPU7FFphVtEv-rIpqRbht74BntvGY-guCHKb0zFIMXBuDphUDrDIjCeWEj2ZF-XqNgPLqpdluHmT2PLM2Vos6iJOGqLg4U1qIXAq8PnmZB_IwxoTnXMxILIBZSfezOwcof6k21cMyp9hnAiC1B_GkRQ6oixjZvC/s4032/A2EF263D-BEE9-426C-A51F-728790FC3345.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE2uMO1HgbiBOUtZd6vP5npy0BVIPU7FFphVtEv-rIpqRbht74BntvGY-guCHKb0zFIMXBuDphUDrDIjCeWEj2ZF-XqNgPLqpdluHmT2PLM2Vos6iJOGqLg4U1qIXAq8PnmZB_IwxoTnXMxILIBZSfezOwcof6k21cMyp9hnAiC1B_GkRQ6oixjZvC/s320/A2EF263D-BEE9-426C-A51F-728790FC3345.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5GMFarAlAWtiRGG53qFUmASjJ9EfE-ZeJsSyT62rREyH9JmMMAiSxrHyz5XpdzP8IB7gtQrUMMWu9a_5gmXtUjizQhUNbsUAFmGtz3GSUR8etppjyV9Q4Mahn3EfOBTvw45hGNZ5w5A8vLc1D2d1aq0JYIH-jAdtZfws9RGB-vq0yKf09EI8FYPAO/s4032/3AD5CB73-48F7-4AEE-87EB-8020FD2EDE62.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5GMFarAlAWtiRGG53qFUmASjJ9EfE-ZeJsSyT62rREyH9JmMMAiSxrHyz5XpdzP8IB7gtQrUMMWu9a_5gmXtUjizQhUNbsUAFmGtz3GSUR8etppjyV9Q4Mahn3EfOBTvw45hGNZ5w5A8vLc1D2d1aq0JYIH-jAdtZfws9RGB-vq0yKf09EI8FYPAO/s320/3AD5CB73-48F7-4AEE-87EB-8020FD2EDE62.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I can’t figure out how to get this thing to format correctly. Technology is not my strength. The pictures are not in any order, when I try to fix that, I screw everything up. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wednesday afternoon I pushed too hard. There was another mixup with the German boys, and then another Thursday, it appears I won’t see them again. The communication challenges were daunting. I walked too far, my right foot got sore, I finally stopped at a really nice hotel and had a great dinner, but it didn’t help my feet. I felt spoiled, soaked my feet, got up in the middle of the night without bothering anyone, did my backpack “explosion” and got that all organized again. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I was worried about my right foot this morning. It wasn’t perfect, but it was functional. Because I had such a big day Wednesday, I didn’t have far to go to get to Santiago Compostela this morning. It’s a good thing I didn’t have far to go, I was exceptionally slow. A few reasons for this exceptionally slow speed: 1)My foot hurt 2) the trail merged with many others, most notably the Primitivo and the major one, the Camino Francés. The onslaught of people was even worse than I’d been led to believe. I thought for sure I would run into someone I had hiked with before, so walked slow so I could check people out as they passed me. Hundreds passed me, I didn’t recognize one of them. I stopped at cafés and sat where I could watch pilgrims walk by. All day I never saw anyone I knew, and I saw a LOT of people. 3) I was walking slow to relish the moment. I was just soaking in the enjoyment of knowing that I was going to make it, and appreciating the amazement of what I was seeing, and a part of. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then, from a park on a hill a couple of miles away, was the first glimpse of the Santiago Compostela. It was really cool. Lots of people around and enjoying the moment. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I had an emotional moment there with placing a stone. Wow. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then on to Santiago Compostela. I ate, did a self guided tour through the chapel, sat in a pew and relaxed (I wasn’t rousted by a little girl this time) went down to the area where reportedly the remains of Saint James are, and just marveled at how big and amazing it all was. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then, I went and got my certificates for having completed the pilgrimage. That was a challenge. Have I mentioned I’m not good with technology. Add technology and language differences, and things get funny. I wasn’t about to give up. I was going to get that certificate no matter what. They eventually realized I couldn’t accomplish the needed tasks on my phone, and sent me to a kiosk. Then I waited in line to get to a reviewer who would check my Credencials to be sure I deserved the Certificate. I had done everything correctly and actually received two Credentials, one for Ken Harris. The other for Dominum Canicum Harris. Apparently that’s my name in Latin. The counter on the display showed that almost 1700 people had got their certificate today. I believe it, there were a LOT of people there! There were way more in line when I left!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sergio never got back in touch with me. I sat in the cathedral for quite a while just relaxing, looking at the immensity of it all, listening and watching the crowds, and just relaxing…and resting my feet. I was hoping to get a text back from him, but never did. My trigger point was 3:00pm. If I didn’t hear anything by then I was going to leave. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I’m not a fan of cities, and, Santiago is too big for me. It’s an interesting place, just too many people. I looked for the nearest hostel far enough out of the city to make me feel comfortable, but close enough that I wouldn’t hurt my foot more. I found the perfect one, and it serves dinner in 15 minutes so I’m about done. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now I will be going west about three days to Finisterre. That will be the true end of the pilgrimage. Apparently, a person can get even another Certificate there. I’m not exactly sure what I’m going to do with these Certificates;)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It may take more than three days to get there. My speed is no longer up to the rest of me, it’s up to my feet. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-70051098429791546022023-05-24T02:41:00.003-07:002023-06-01T08:26:09.883-07:00Midday Post<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpV2xDab1Qc4z1AFkrpgcojHJNFa26WrW9X2MzylzJJAWSNXhw5zxHpMtVVNXUmaslN4a_anOHB9ZuUCW-TpapAfdntCDIE3W34GQ52b1Krn8JD4djxWqx0cjQ0eac9r072GH_MS_uoot4KBNbaSZ916daUM2elPcL0B55Tb2EmPxRfSVs5OQsfU0/s4032/B81D8C9F-0FB4-4963-8ED2-799123FDD4BC.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpV2xDab1Qc4z1AFkrpgcojHJNFa26WrW9X2MzylzJJAWSNXhw5zxHpMtVVNXUmaslN4a_anOHB9ZuUCW-TpapAfdntCDIE3W34GQ52b1Krn8JD4djxWqx0cjQ0eac9r072GH_MS_uoot4KBNbaSZ916daUM2elPcL0B55Tb2EmPxRfSVs5OQsfU0/s320/B81D8C9F-0FB4-4963-8ED2-799123FDD4BC.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00g7_39AgtB43TjHGPt1pQzQ_KwLiPCJ3EcCMJtRfv2vxVztoajcl5GnjmOlNslEdyI0EcHaY0KvqNMxM7a98Qo8S9lHm6LRJG-0XnP-wafG4CNd6Cm59LMc_jyPdMPaohtWKgIL0YIxOcRkCREhnq2jLbGBLPp8wOh63l98--j-J9Sq0ISDiu1Zj/s4096/98ADF62D-F84B-456A-A9FF-D4DAD907B3C7.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1486" data-original-width="4096" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00g7_39AgtB43TjHGPt1pQzQ_KwLiPCJ3EcCMJtRfv2vxVztoajcl5GnjmOlNslEdyI0EcHaY0KvqNMxM7a98Qo8S9lHm6LRJG-0XnP-wafG4CNd6Cm59LMc_jyPdMPaohtWKgIL0YIxOcRkCREhnq2jLbGBLPp8wOh63l98--j-J9Sq0ISDiu1Zj/s320/98ADF62D-F84B-456A-A9FF-D4DAD907B3C7.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> I found a nice, relaxing restaurant to get a tuna sandwich. Also, it seems to have good internet:). I decided to do an extra post.<p></p><p>It’s warm today, for the first time in quite a while. I’m switching to shorts after lunch. I started off with UnderArmor and a puffy down jacket on. That lasted about 1/2 hour. </p><p>The monastery last night was awesome. The monk, Lawrence, and I really hit it off well. I never pictured teasing a monk (because he was so young) or being teased (prostate humor) by a monk It seems that when a group hosts pilgrims for hundreds of years they work out all the kinks:). I can’t imagine how many tens of thousands, or more, pilgrims they have hosted over the centuries. I’m guessing the first pilgrims didn’t have USB ports, or WiFi.</p><p>I woke up at 6:00 and tried to be as quiet as possible when loading up my pack and heading out. When I headed out the door to the room, outside doing their packing, was Sergio and Aaron, my young German buddies. This time I took my book to Sergio, pointing to the map where the trail forks, he signaled clearly it was the right fork. I won’t know until the end of the day if they changed their mind;)</p><p>Dinner last night, cooked by the Missouri couple, Mel and Michael was amazing. She is a Registered Dietitian, and he is an exceptional cook. His Father-in-Law, John told me how much Mel loves to cook, and it’s always good. Also, being experienced long distance hikers they understand the importance of quantity. There was plenty for all four of us, and really good:)</p><p>Sitting with us, but eating her own food, was a 25 year old German woman, with a very big emotional “stone.” It was a heavy, memorable evening. </p><p>Many things are similar on the PCT and the Camino, but there are some major differences. Showers each night on the Camino, versus sometimes going a couple of weeks between showers on the PCT is obvious. Not carrying near the weight on the Camino because of food along the way really helps. Sleeping in a bed each night, with electricity, and usually WiFi is different. </p><p>Serious discussions are more common on the Camino. Certainly on the PCT when I got to know people, sometimes they would open up about tough times, or traumas, in their lives. It’s just more common here. So many people are dealing with heavy crap (or more like, carrying heavy stones). The reality that people have been dealing with carrying heavy stones on these Caminos for 1000+ years, and the albergues always have people in them, hits home. </p><p>We’re all on this journey together. Sometimes the paths are different. I still don’t know the difference between a “Variant” and an “Alternate” path. There are MANY different ways to get to Santiago. Sometimes the way there is easy to see, like the great signs in Galicia, sometimes there are no signs, or conflicting signs (the app shows going one way, the arrows on the ground the other, or, my favorite sign a yellow arrow AND a yellow X, one meaning go this way and the other meaning don’t go this way, on the same post). When an intersection like this happens, a person just has to wing it, kind of like what we have to do with life. </p><p>Enough of my rambling. I’m done with my atun (tuna) sandwich, ready to hike on a warm sunny day. It seems like I will be able to make it to Santiago, or it’s immediate outskirts, tomorrow.</p><p>Buen Camino</p><p><br /></p>Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-54317477572567602322023-05-23T08:26:00.005-07:002023-06-01T08:16:49.555-07:00Monastery <p><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZVCSRVfB8Q2tVlcyI3Ei7YROnBbFNTdoBmjdR3MgCuAj4wFvnFODuE3cZSwUcPtmX0YFo63r4vXkaErakOC_CIy3Ln9xU7PrHGxN6mHocgELF2AR7FVJAeE3GR-fyH02mOwX_n8H2R5qeklUZJOh9fdx_vatte95yWZ-q7s1uzeMzRDdyAVOHVsb/s4032/71B4254E-3585-48C8-8175-351BFCD9422C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZVCSRVfB8Q2tVlcyI3Ei7YROnBbFNTdoBmjdR3MgCuAj4wFvnFODuE3cZSwUcPtmX0YFo63r4vXkaErakOC_CIy3Ln9xU7PrHGxN6mHocgELF2AR7FVJAeE3GR-fyH02mOwX_n8H2R5qeklUZJOh9fdx_vatte95yWZ-q7s1uzeMzRDdyAVOHVsb/s320/71B4254E-3585-48C8-8175-351BFCD9422C.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOf7N3moxUdLZOllhS_4kq5QC2ZALy5kJ3fe5EM1kBZM1rf7HFragvrqgk50rF49Ab12YUZuAz7LSRKkcOcMR2rZ-LGUXZ0etqZ3gIP8JQS-xgjaXkIDaV5UEE2BbqUW6_xsKTQFn5BDksC3BDOU5XJKLnQZ0H0rUrJ5R-qqTJjj3sANQNsA02ELvr/s320/841A516B-79A7-46A0-BA2C-00B455599DB6.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_U_O2LwMoUDrwXXuJvQP5A8ujwoA222gYhPbhm9Ce-Kb_Gqv2Y9f016xxduN499lVaWjN2pmUuLd2PeC0sKXmFPw4_yYkrJVDH-InBnjigVg5YAZNU8nehxnEH19TqjpM7ytXyvQJykhICyt_m7mSK2SSqJ4MGKWX9BJnpljYRt4XY0y8JnCimSb6/s4032/A18A62C7-19CC-488B-AAA9-F11942E69DB8.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_U_O2LwMoUDrwXXuJvQP5A8ujwoA222gYhPbhm9Ce-Kb_Gqv2Y9f016xxduN499lVaWjN2pmUuLd2PeC0sKXmFPw4_yYkrJVDH-InBnjigVg5YAZNU8nehxnEH19TqjpM7ytXyvQJykhICyt_m7mSK2SSqJ4MGKWX9BJnpljYRt4XY0y8JnCimSb6/s320/A18A62C7-19CC-488B-AAA9-F11942E69DB8.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigsgxYUeMO85tV4a0JfkM0NQspHqSFk_ds30l_6pdmAjQDmgX1HQRIyc2JsW7R2gwQycYHTPbxgtsQSXqNmnIHppDSSaBnsXJw6TePvJmex1odG6MU1HGnuRDM8OHrFjl8I39_SsdpWLkFTCSk1unodIeps6Gkv1H7UQN-vFK9-GAkUHhx3_fvQVu1/s4032/696A43B9-463D-4C39-89C2-9244AF5193AC.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigsgxYUeMO85tV4a0JfkM0NQspHqSFk_ds30l_6pdmAjQDmgX1HQRIyc2JsW7R2gwQycYHTPbxgtsQSXqNmnIHppDSSaBnsXJw6TePvJmex1odG6MU1HGnuRDM8OHrFjl8I39_SsdpWLkFTCSk1unodIeps6Gkv1H7UQN-vFK9-GAkUHhx3_fvQVu1/s320/696A43B9-463D-4C39-89C2-9244AF5193AC.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Church and Albergue</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">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:)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Language issues caused the misunderstanding. Aaron speaks no English, Sergio little, and, our charades and pointing game failed, but all ended well. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lots of road walking. A few times we had animals walking on the roads with/against us. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">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€. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">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. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">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. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I’m writing this Tuesday night. There is a chance I will be in Santiago Thursday night:)!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sorry about not being able to figure out the format thing. I’m a technosaur. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Buen Camino</div>Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-4834887433683261962023-05-22T09:43:00.002-07:002023-05-22T09:43:48.785-07:00101 km to Santiago <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikk7SgQVVF2KuQnz6aWHic2FGNYGyX9Rx8GgNNR3SMN3_rBMWBawQrtWwpNvBDI_46mHNKl2kx0A-eWaM_G5Qczk-JgIKmLJVG6J5u1z_iABzPIYjbKHjmu6yKxXw3C4OnRwrGCA4zF3irfxINwgkMy7bNy91ZVPFJGQLfwSIwId95QHkOtiycB55o/s4032/A424C133-5763-456C-8AF0-346414C471A9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikk7SgQVVF2KuQnz6aWHic2FGNYGyX9Rx8GgNNR3SMN3_rBMWBawQrtWwpNvBDI_46mHNKl2kx0A-eWaM_G5Qczk-JgIKmLJVG6J5u1z_iABzPIYjbKHjmu6yKxXw3C4OnRwrGCA4zF3irfxINwgkMy7bNy91ZVPFJGQLfwSIwId95QHkOtiycB55o/s320/A424C133-5763-456C-8AF0-346414C471A9.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilDf0LmfIas8AEbDtUYIdhQLyZjcaMLqp-njtcJh9QQcM3kFaHTZtfMLtLsnqxRpO73p5dKj3LnBBpsn7HzaQkqXo5-pVId7rEP982yiqKa-3mvQyqo6kPoxMrnRkDFwIkHY7X3qmVbY0MMg80g-7b-T6_iABRSH9q_1M2Etz8nWZ04jl9uLqfV6A/s4032/A2E96573-BC09-43BC-A0CC-6025AD18346F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilDf0LmfIas8AEbDtUYIdhQLyZjcaMLqp-njtcJh9QQcM3kFaHTZtfMLtLsnqxRpO73p5dKj3LnBBpsn7HzaQkqXo5-pVId7rEP982yiqKa-3mvQyqo6kPoxMrnRkDFwIkHY7X3qmVbY0MMg80g-7b-T6_iABRSH9q_1M2Etz8nWZ04jl9uLqfV6A/s320/A2E96573-BC09-43BC-A0CC-6025AD18346F.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNp4gVV3O6_3427yU-2ERmZHZp2Fo9i7QKxAb9Lh0PweJOl04fOt9daPRjqk0rNVeoV0MolvmO2k4eO1Od8RFRan0bBfer1gN9Bz7fRZ8jb4MeqJP5at6c8n24jVRSjjxWWZyP91CtvixrN2kHOxUyqzjSwlom85tkbduac2DFrb_YC80_uu0x1hpL/s4032/112AE771-11C3-42ED-AA39-EFE1B7B785AC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNp4gVV3O6_3427yU-2ERmZHZp2Fo9i7QKxAb9Lh0PweJOl04fOt9daPRjqk0rNVeoV0MolvmO2k4eO1Od8RFRan0bBfer1gN9Bz7fRZ8jb4MeqJP5at6c8n24jVRSjjxWWZyP91CtvixrN2kHOxUyqzjSwlom85tkbduac2DFrb_YC80_uu0x1hpL/s320/112AE771-11C3-42ED-AA39-EFE1B7B785AC.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2ORZSzg2d0tnVa4PmQFVU14baUivXjiC3qGmUlOhqSWFhtn9sG4IErNa6JOYAxKCOGcLgUiY6foJiShDJJvuaypIt-YLhxb0DeqOnpNPG0kgHTu8LW8nCtYmX8CEZMbheEENzHssMgvpyRZVNooU1ZWCwtNU56Yb7JJhzR_jrJxYsESkDzu1GdIn/s4032/56BAA3BD-8111-4004-B233-1B3C5234394C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2ORZSzg2d0tnVa4PmQFVU14baUivXjiC3qGmUlOhqSWFhtn9sG4IErNa6JOYAxKCOGcLgUiY6foJiShDJJvuaypIt-YLhxb0DeqOnpNPG0kgHTu8LW8nCtYmX8CEZMbheEENzHssMgvpyRZVNooU1ZWCwtNU56Yb7JJhzR_jrJxYsESkDzu1GdIn/s320/56BAA3BD-8111-4004-B233-1B3C5234394C.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSb_TlXsmwHQabSkQnL2LXPCi76EW0qj0Wig_JPGepVEalUSM4TnJrP1CtTo-sRvMmO-7rR25P4tLeYQrJChcV2cvaISJyYrCQBtilDm1DJImU2Se6wMPugwQdIB4koQgaLxaVfmA3WIATE1opzsxjhmrypgPT5DbAT72Y0zJneYDFZ3ZrtpjpkiNc/s4032/1F7EB36F-7670-4FA5-BC65-BEEFF29F695B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSb_TlXsmwHQabSkQnL2LXPCi76EW0qj0Wig_JPGepVEalUSM4TnJrP1CtTo-sRvMmO-7rR25P4tLeYQrJChcV2cvaISJyYrCQBtilDm1DJImU2Se6wMPugwQdIB4koQgaLxaVfmA3WIATE1opzsxjhmrypgPT5DbAT72Y0zJneYDFZ3ZrtpjpkiNc/s320/1F7EB36F-7670-4FA5-BC65-BEEFF29F695B.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBCbLm3NY6E9174X46h_XZ3V9Lwqp9w3kR2IqkQPJTHCjkpsDp_pMaUnV48DIu-YLujVxc_LaimkTVy_5zs7PuNYgxGJsHHJSAXYbx9KZuNCczfe1g1LyjMuQ_UCdbluHtSOU_3AtFhv_cF9fdJrNqI_AjYBRmleebBXItvDghcv7qbIpJV0m_X7by/s4032/1C331334-274C-4C16-A25A-56DEBEF627A3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBCbLm3NY6E9174X46h_XZ3V9Lwqp9w3kR2IqkQPJTHCjkpsDp_pMaUnV48DIu-YLujVxc_LaimkTVy_5zs7PuNYgxGJsHHJSAXYbx9KZuNCczfe1g1LyjMuQ_UCdbluHtSOU_3AtFhv_cF9fdJrNqI_AjYBRmleebBXItvDghcv7qbIpJV0m_X7by/s320/1C331334-274C-4C16-A25A-56DEBEF627A3.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>There were some beautifully built and maintained trails today:) Also, nice, rolling topography. Not jaw dropping beauty, but nice relaxing beauty. <p></p><p>Some more monuments along the way where people are putting their stones.</p><p>When I crossed the autopista (interstate in our terms) and I saw greater than 500 km to San Sebastián it made me smile knowing I had walked all that, and more because the autopista is straight and the trail is not:).</p><p>The markers in Galicia indicate that I’m just over 100km to Santiago. That’s the first goal for this pilgrimage. The I have another 87 km to get to Finisterre and the west end of the trail. </p><p>If all goes as planned I’ll make Santiago on Friday. Today’s plans didn’t go as I thought they would. I just got tired and didn’t go as far as I had hoped, but still completed 18 miles. I’m in the town of Baamonde for the night. </p><p>This is a huge albergue. Think of a warehouse with bunk beds. I met an American man from Missouri about my age. He’s doing the Camino with his daughter and son-in-law. The daughter and son-in-law (Mel and Michael) are serious hikers and have been in Etna, Seiad, and the area a few times. They are triple crowners, PCT, AT, and CDT, and have interesting stories to tell.</p><p>I bought food to microwave for dinner. Every albergue is different. This one has a microwave, but no utensils. I ate lasagna with my fingers, and a noodle shrimp dish with my fingers. I felt like a caveman. </p><p>A highlight came for me at 2:15 this morning. I have learned to have my phone on silent in the evenings so as not to wake up everyone. I was laying, awake, wishing I could sleep in the middle of the night and I heard my phone vibrate. It was my 8 year old granddaughter texting me on her mother’s phone. A wonderful text. I have never been so happy to be contacted in the middle of the night!!</p><p>Buen Camino</p><p><br /></p>Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-89602603131655185342023-05-21T11:06:00.005-07:002023-06-01T08:10:06.506-07:00Meigas de Galicia<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieFYyZraWQC55y_bY1eXrcPFOOJSZJm3cUWOjglaw8F_aoFJQw6oxNxA3BlkR_JY03WNtcyl0m3Eaf8QFbHtPSwW58qs129VGemQn0xgCCpmbIkmiE5BMcX67r9kqC5UPrBkx5Z26SB2WG5l6_vOZB39G9SIWPOoE6n_tYsZwxVRdtXgSFzYPz69j5/s4032/057744C5-0C5F-4E74-8858-6CDA2FCEEE4F.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieFYyZraWQC55y_bY1eXrcPFOOJSZJm3cUWOjglaw8F_aoFJQw6oxNxA3BlkR_JY03WNtcyl0m3Eaf8QFbHtPSwW58qs129VGemQn0xgCCpmbIkmiE5BMcX67r9kqC5UPrBkx5Z26SB2WG5l6_vOZB39G9SIWPOoE6n_tYsZwxVRdtXgSFzYPz69j5/s320/057744C5-0C5F-4E74-8858-6CDA2FCEEE4F.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>Not a lot of pictures today. The area wasn’t that picturesque after what I’ve seen the last month or so, just a lot of eucalyptus trees. I didn’t stop much to take pictures. <p></p><p>The day started with me having little ambition. The Tres Hermanos left, so I had the whole place to myself. I was bummed I couldn’t get the dryer to work, so I would have to carry wet clothes on and in my pack. Finally I decided it was time to leave, just then the cleaner arrived. She knew how to fix the dryer. She climbed behind it and seemed to jiggle some wires and all was well. While my clothes dried I went out and had a small breakfast, the café was odd. I went back, got my clothes and headed out at about 11:00. I have been leaving before 7:00-8:00 every morning. </p><p>There are two options for the stretch from Mondoñedo to Abadin/Gontán, about 10 miles. The most common option is the low route. There are a few small towns with café’s, restaurants, and amenities along the way, it is relatively flat and easy. It’s a little longer than the high route. Almost everyone took the low route. I took the high route. </p><p>The high route had a long uphill stretch which scared most away from it. It was a little shorter. The views were supposed to be better if clear, it was foggy most of the way so not a lot of views. </p><p>When leaving Mondoñedo I immediately passed a woman about 50 years old who was walking a bit slow, and I saw a younger woman, I guessed about 18 (it turns out she’s 27) up ahead. She was a strong hiker. I learned later they’re both German, like most on this part </p><p>When I hike a lot, I play little games. I wanted to see if I could pass the young one. I’m quicker than most on the downhills, but slow down more on the uphill. There was a downhill piece before the long uphill so I turned on the jets and caught her before the uphill began:). It’s easier to win races if the other person doesn’t realize it’s a race:).</p><p>The uphill climb was about three miles. She had trekking poles, so I could hear her clanking behind me when she would get close, and I would pull away. It was a silly game and went on for about an hour. There were no vehicles the entire way between the two towns. There were no other people, except for those two. For about an hour or more I had this uphill race from against this strong hiker who didn’t realize it was a race. I was getting a bit tired. Each time I slowed down I’d hear her poles clank, clank, clank. </p><p>The road was a timber harvest road through a large stretch of managed eucalyptus stands. My mind was wandering and I was too oblivious to my surroundings.</p><p>Out of nowhere, standing above me on a skid trail to the left was a woman, dressed strangely, yelling and swinging her arms wildly at me. Kimberly later told me she just appeared out of no where. After the last month or so I can understand a little bit of Spanish, but I couldn’t understand a word she was saying. I was absolutely stunned, and confused. Just then the young woman I was racing arrived, and tried talking to her in excellent Spanish. My race opponent looked at me and told me, in perfect English, “she doesn’t speak Spanish, she speaks Gallego,” the local language of Galacia. </p><p>They were dressed like the Gypsies I had seen in New Zealand, and in movies like The Way.</p><p>Things happened fast after Kimberly arrived. A man came from behind a tree up to the yelling woman. He talked with her, she stopped yelling, and they walked off together.</p><p>My race opponent looked at me and said, “Do you know about the Witches of Galacia? She’s a Witch!” She quickly told me they believe in special rocks with powers, spells, and magic. By chance I did know a little something about the Meigas of Galicia, my friend had told me about them and I had read an article about them. Some times in past centuries they have not been nice to peregrinos.</p><p>Then she said, “We have to wait, Mom’s still behind.” The older woman was her mom. We waited, nervously, until her mom arrived and then all three of us took off.</p><p>We will never know for sure what was going on or why. Maybe she was just a crazy lady. Maybe the hiding guy behind the brush and trees was there for a nefarious reason? </p><p>I was so glad Kimberly showed up when she did. She had been a high school foreign exchange student in Missoula, Montana, thus her solid English. She is a 27 year old psychologist who just had her honeymoon in Costa Rica in December. I told her I went to Costa Rica on my daughter’s honeymoon…she and her mom thought that was funny. </p><p>When we got to Abadin I made sure I was ahead of Kimberly. I won the race:)</p><p>I went to the next hostel outside of Abadin for the night. I want a head start for tomorrow’s race.</p><p><br /></p>Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-86021383477329120792023-05-20T23:55:00.001-07:002023-06-01T08:01:05.748-07:00 Tres Hermanos<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2igdPfd_d1QU2ojg2KqXGLne3djgbHuPcBnSOPWu4JnN2vV51S64unC5HdcO0fur-ngUqUtMexE1uwY_kNdF2wfoKpnxwO26WwInUDfVoK7BdnFtXuRpRzyYnSAKDHF4DU-jmKNlPE2LmNbM6onBagNYCUWNft17tgeHXcc40UE4Y8Q3MjY4cSSUy/s4032/AD452724-6913-467D-96F4-15FCCAEC9AC3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2igdPfd_d1QU2ojg2KqXGLne3djgbHuPcBnSOPWu4JnN2vV51S64unC5HdcO0fur-ngUqUtMexE1uwY_kNdF2wfoKpnxwO26WwInUDfVoK7BdnFtXuRpRzyYnSAKDHF4DU-jmKNlPE2LmNbM6onBagNYCUWNft17tgeHXcc40UE4Y8Q3MjY4cSSUy/s320/AD452724-6913-467D-96F4-15FCCAEC9AC3.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" data-original-height="1188" data-original-width="4096" height="93" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvmDIpq24c2X6rpU0G3gt8b3qIJTPBN2EvDhE3NnNpXu2FHcGrgY4NKaVZZwPJoNzc11E60oz_sQRp37MQZiV1VRnITjI7wJL6C6z6epksU02lI5kuK0kX6R_Is_MH0zy6EghiO_O7pRLYtlm64hoqetY7nIubZrsWKvGW9p9PKom5Zjc_hVKyeUz/s320/608B3685-FAC8-4D4D-B34A-4AD45C39B76B.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Random highlights:)</p><p>Immediately had an issue with not being able to cook a pizza because no oven the night before last. Lady working at albergue said no problem, talked to her husband, he was going to come, get pizza, take it home, cook it, and bring it back for me. I thought it was totally absurd so wouldn’t let them do it. </p><p>At the grocery store the clerk dropped one of the apples I was buying and immediately sprinted back, got a replacement apple, and ran back. Actually RAN. Over the top service from everyone. </p><p>Then, while hiking into a small town the young, friendly gal working there could not have been nicer. She talked in Spanish a lot and I ended up staying longer, ordering seconds, and left that town full and happy. Fun to banter with. She told me this time of year is when there are a lot more Germans, probably because of their vacation times. Also, many have just started the trail for the part from here to Santiago. They will still get the certificate at the end, they only need to do 100 km, not 820 km. Right now I’m only about 150 km from Santiago.</p><p>I just spent the night in an awesome hostel, in a room with five beds, and only me. When a group of three brothers came in she had them go upstairs, the manager had set me up in the handicap bed, downstairs, right next to the bathroom for easy access during the night. We had been joking, and I think I looked a little rough when I showed up:). </p><p>Every single person I have met in Galicia has been fabulous. People are extremely nice. I was asked by someone back home if I was afraid here. I’m not afraid at all. It’s very safe. Before leaving I asked a woman from back home who had walked the Camino the same thing, is it safe. She said she would send her daughter (early twenties) here alone and not worry about it. I know now what she was talking about:)</p><p>The town of Ribadeo was picturesque. The hostel was right there when I crossed the bridge to enter Galacia, I didn’t have to look for it. </p><p>But for me the best is how they’ve marked the trail! They’ve put effort into these wonderful trail markers, and have them maintained well, and there are so many of them you can often see two at a time. There’s no need for any effort to navigate. I can just wander blissfully, not concentrate on anything about navigation, and know I’m heading the right way always. It really speeds things up by not having to look at phone navigation, or backtrack when you missed an obscure yellow spray painted arrow etc. </p><p>The scenery is no longer coastal. Just rolling hills with farms and ranches and managed timber stands. Logging and ranching scenes everywhere. Houses kept up, (except the cool old-old ones). Little villages have a Norman Rockwell feel. </p><p>It helped the weather was perfect:)</p><p>There was some walking along paved roads, but, it was mostly dirt logging, ranching back roads with zero traffic. </p><p>I’m trying to keep up on my laundry little by little consistently. The problem is socks drying. It takes them forever. Often two days on the backpack. My routine now is to wash underwear each night and let dry hanging on my backpack the next day. I’m a walking laundry drying rack. Very attractive:( I hope this works better heading inland with more sun and less humidity and fewer storms. </p><p>I’m in great shape time wise now. I’m walking fast and long, reminiscent of some of the later PCT days. About 150 miles last week.</p><p>Feeling good. Legs are reasonably tired and sore, but not unexpected with how hard I’ve been walking. I’m usually eating four meals a day. Basically whenever I get to a small village or town with an open restaurant or café I eat. I carry energy bars and fruit for the trail. Hiker Hunger has definitely set in:). For a while I was thinking I was losing weight. I had to tighten my belt one notch. On the PCT each notch was about a ten pound loss. Now I think my weight is holding steady.</p><p>The Galicia Camino signs are so awesome because they give the distance to the Santiago Compostela down to the meter with each sign. I don’t know if that means to the property, the front door, the alter? It’s pretty darn specific! It is fun for figuring out how far and how fast one is traveling. They put a lot of effort into these, the other three provinces could learn from them;). </p><p>I met, and chatted with, two brothers on the Camino today. They showed up at the same hostel after they couldn’t get into the albergue. They had another guy, their third brother. All conversations were in Spanish, they’re from Bilbao. There are ten brothers in their family! They are having a fun Camino:). Los Tres Hermanos:)</p><p>I am finally getting to understand the international road signs, but, I will actually study them first before I ever try driving in Europe. Not only are road signs confusing, just figuring out how to flush the toilet is confusing often. Push, pull, push a button on the wall? No levers like are common at home. On that topic, bidets should be more common in America…just an opinion. </p><p>I’m digressing…I’d better quit. </p><p>But one more thing. I’m really glad I’m here. The long stretches of quiet, thinking, calm, beauty, and seeing such kindness has been good for me.</p><p>Buen Camino:)</p>Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-7208466100026170512023-05-20T10:46:00.001-07:002023-06-01T07:56:37.815-07:00The Final Province-Galicia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgbeUPAI8h8uwAzZvqLSvzdRI0foDeAjYA82I9crI4gu3rjysqgvu-CjYL3u09KKQ0oVxx_UZ_oDE0Vqcs7fA_gUgCcGco6H78lnV3YDGYnjF97mTKMqtKEGXDS_MMYEvGLoK9MDK8ScjgGnql-JwFtiO5QYszTBholb-uQDVVVGKImWn60yWF5RR/s4032/620AE45E-6D12-4EF1-9336-4D76975A7188.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgbeUPAI8h8uwAzZvqLSvzdRI0foDeAjYA82I9crI4gu3rjysqgvu-CjYL3u09KKQ0oVxx_UZ_oDE0Vqcs7fA_gUgCcGco6H78lnV3YDGYnjF97mTKMqtKEGXDS_MMYEvGLoK9MDK8ScjgGnql-JwFtiO5QYszTBholb-uQDVVVGKImWn60yWF5RR/s320/620AE45E-6D12-4EF1-9336-4D76975A7188.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnuOTfbC0K35X3qdm9r61tuvcP_QEvP-_OdkDW2E0KK_GN7E1eH1a2SAppVoWuRGR3_QSIHDQFIIFBYCt71owLt7_hk2gSLTkm9QF_mahsActK7hnXxCccJzLI3Z0bYV-CkgyL8iM2b4A45fEcQ13Pk9faMCSOgOwApJrJs6YpsmMOQycNDZB1gwrl/s4032/F3CF7A9C-254E-40E2-93D9-D9A5570EA3C9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnuOTfbC0K35X3qdm9r61tuvcP_QEvP-_OdkDW2E0KK_GN7E1eH1a2SAppVoWuRGR3_QSIHDQFIIFBYCt71owLt7_hk2gSLTkm9QF_mahsActK7hnXxCccJzLI3Z0bYV-CkgyL8iM2b4A45fEcQ13Pk9faMCSOgOwApJrJs6YpsmMOQycNDZB1gwrl/s320/F3CF7A9C-254E-40E2-93D9-D9A5570EA3C9.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />A couple of pictures on top about the two breakfast comparisons I talked about before. One is the table full of leftovers from the sit down breakfast for about ten that was amazing. The next breakfast was a container of coffee and some rolls. <p></p><p>There has been a lot of logging on this entire trip. I finally saw a lumber mill. </p><p>Lot’s of beautiful rural countryside, and calm thinking and relaxing.</p><p>Finally I made it to the river which is the border between the provinces of Asturias and Galicia. The albergue was just past on the other side of the bridge in a wonderful setting. </p><p>A nice view looking back at boats and the bay/ria from Ribadeo.</p><p>Interesting night. Mostly German spoken. 12 beds, all full. I had hiked in with three Germans two young guys and an older woman and got some of the last slots. Lots of confusion because of languages. I think Dutch and others were spoken too. I went grocery shopping with the German contingent, more confusion there. I’ll keep the story short, I had odd food for dinner and breakfast, and, people are very kind;).</p><p>This seemed to be the most challenging language setting this far for the trip. </p><p>The older woman, Alicia, indicated she knew me. She did the thing with two fingers to her eyes, and then pointed them at me. I thought that was “I’ve got my eyes on you” kind of signal. She meant it as “I’ve seen you before.” I didn’t remember, and we were having the complete language challenge. Finally, she got out her Credencial from the very first day of the Camino a month ago in Irún, and sure enough we started the same day! There were about 40 people in that albergue a month ago, my memory isn’t that good. How could she have remembered me? </p><p>I’m making steady progress Ribadeo signals the end of following the coast. From here the trail goes inland, in a southwest direction, toward Santiago.</p>Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-61741332380079543892023-05-18T09:17:00.003-07:002023-06-01T07:53:00.948-07:00Spain Has Wildfires Too<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgau9Oxu7fCrB3bQ5x1HlUEujU1MTOntnFmr8P2AV5X3QxPP9HVljT6iQ07xUAv_Qd8aV6cLnMPv_iCbEgxQTt2Ln0gLjTJYGvCNiJN41Zkr9wNFhGNaoTxhZNuWCK_3KIh7-2KeLSlip8ecVf3ZdIwQ6TOyXybOG-tJ_ERYCghZ1XwVWsqqQOwA5M9/s4032/79D4469D-8F3D-472B-A5D7-C29D22C710B9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgau9Oxu7fCrB3bQ5x1HlUEujU1MTOntnFmr8P2AV5X3QxPP9HVljT6iQ07xUAv_Qd8aV6cLnMPv_iCbEgxQTt2Ln0gLjTJYGvCNiJN41Zkr9wNFhGNaoTxhZNuWCK_3KIh7-2KeLSlip8ecVf3ZdIwQ6TOyXybOG-tJ_ERYCghZ1XwVWsqqQOwA5M9/s320/79D4469D-8F3D-472B-A5D7-C29D22C710B9.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5o-8LTAPhaZE6qRwhXyMQAXh2HvzByLhbFj-nN-oSaoK1N0DuFdlGoR6Qf5NBeA0k3S6b2_RpPY9rXkM4PWJiO5Ay0tbqMmO8zroAL3LZO49358k05YhYl65AoAtt_d4pWCtBprV3wXp8zzamwHJU-Ez51W15sTPjG1BSxqddiV3mNVbN5B-IZwvs/s4032/0C5CAD16-996F-4C9F-ACD0-A467E3328705.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpVZK-pBQJGS-OTuL3rfU9j6fu5sTHocHDUZUN-Zd9RUOyffgtQyBR0_DqTXietO9SmY8mYx6S5D8LlnPoj-qUulUkxML0A0xST0ZEpL0GmN-Exv70s0b-zSt37QkhOQwPyEfEeVR01PZTxErt4-qsibOfg1-N43bVPcymexHYieAM6gVs_S98F6Wu/s320/DEEA2F6E-2232-47DE-836E-EE5ADB3273E8.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The day started with about three hours of walking through and looking at a fire scar from a large wildfire last fall. It came all the way into the town I stayed in, what a mess that had to be. <p></p><p>They have Wildland Urban Interface issues here too! There was still some smoke from the interior, probably a stump hole. </p><p>The north line of the fire in a few places was the Atlantic Ocean. </p><p>The fire jumped their version of an interstate (an autopista) repeatedly. </p><p>After the burned area it was nice, gentle, bucolic farmland and mostly road walking. </p><p>My “Hiker Hunger” has kicked in. I had the tiny excuse for a breakfast at the albergue and then stopped three different times at cafés and restaurants, and ate each time. One time I ate a lot! I’m getting ready to go to dinner soon (not soon enough!) and I’m really hungry. This will technically be my fifth meal of the day. </p><p>I’ve eaten a lot, and, I’m pretty sure I’ve lost weight. </p><p>One and a half stages got checked off today. It could have been more, but, it was way more important to do laundry!</p><p>Today’s albergue, in Navia, is very clean and well run, and nice, but no meals. That’s not a problem, there are plenty of restaurants. </p><p>My Credencial is getting full, so picked up a second one in preparation for the final push to Santiago. Apparently the rules are there must be at least two stamps per day for the last 100 Kilometers. My problem is, I often forget to get a stamp when I eat, so I only get a stamp where I stay. </p><p>I must get in the habit of getting stamped at restaurants. </p><p>No restaurants open before 8:00 pm. I remember on the PCT the saying that 9:00 pm is hiker midnight. </p><p>The Credencial tradition is kind of fun. Mine looks rougher than most because of my getting drenched head to toe one day. Everything was soaked…phone, credential, my attitude, everything:).</p><p>It has been a week, or a little more, since my last laundry. Hand washing socks, underwear, and shirts in sinks is perfect on the PCT, but this is more urban hiking, and many people in close quarters. This albergue has 24 beds in one room. </p><p>It’s not polite to others to stink in this situation. It’s not like fire camp. </p><p>The albergue has laundry facilities. I’m washing everything, except my swimsuit and my puffy down jacket. </p><p>I tried the “cleanest dirty shirt” sniff test to decide which shirt to wear while doing laundry. </p><p>All shirts flunked the test:(</p><p>I’m making a fashion statement. I have been laughed at…I can handle it. </p><p>I started without the down jacket, it wasn’t a full out laugh, but a funny grin, so I added down.</p><p>I’m feeling stronger. I can do 20+ miles, day after day now and not feel totally wiped out like earlier. </p><p>If I have a really good day tomorrow I will leave the province of Asturias and enter Galicia. </p><p>Lots of time to think today. Singing songs, doing “mindfulness” things like concentrating on all five senses etc has helped. Concentrating on the sounds and I hear, then I see many more birds. Also, hearing the sounds of cars and trucks zipping along on the autopista let’s me just appreciate that I’m not part of the Rat Race for a while, just a bystander watching it. One of my go to songs when listening to the Rat Race is, “Slow Down, You Move Too Fast, You’ve To Make The Morning Last….” I think it’s Simon and Garfunkel. When it’s time for me to look around I realize all the wonderful scenery I’ve been walking by and not appreciating. Concentrating on smells is especially notable in the eucalyptus stands. </p><p>I’m rambling. I just enjoyed today. </p><p>Now I need to do my chores…fold laundry:)</p><p>Buen Camino</p>Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-57916698742544879642023-05-17T10:45:00.002-07:002023-06-01T07:49:01.644-07:00Solitude, Amazing Views<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTb1TOWmqVeFXtDlKCyzYBWV0HLyuK4sztz6AKa66zEq0jb6MKxM2JAJnB_5hO0eJ8YHO7o8RPV5RJNkK0mPOc4rgoMgIsEN6xIDRubSbtBl4nq09SONmrQmi9vrio77URk8wHdjocf9_Vb-FyryBZs2TeSlcw2FXxr2msFtT9Q2kzhUKYAJsi3K7K/s4032/54CA5F3C-A3ED-4473-B9E6-CF23AA3BE80D.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTb1TOWmqVeFXtDlKCyzYBWV0HLyuK4sztz6AKa66zEq0jb6MKxM2JAJnB_5hO0eJ8YHO7o8RPV5RJNkK0mPOc4rgoMgIsEN6xIDRubSbtBl4nq09SONmrQmi9vrio77URk8wHdjocf9_Vb-FyryBZs2TeSlcw2FXxr2msFtT9Q2kzhUKYAJsi3K7K/s320/54CA5F3C-A3ED-4473-B9E6-CF23AA3BE80D.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_JAUZYie9va06IdI0-HkM3iJhoTUb5yPPhtWtHBQgOuKV29hlIL30MVhGJZ16oZ2ZzrFwlEATc_obdsLhonEOCHMU41vxC3hVqbgapI8EUv4vwcEQ8oa_nuSUpe0e2AYUHQjVNO-jK7WFUud21Yji5dKfuLBLjm2qYWd68y8fQyzCdHYx9FB4V1V/s4032/20010AD0-D250-4E4D-9380-6ABDE85CC1DB.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_JAUZYie9va06IdI0-HkM3iJhoTUb5yPPhtWtHBQgOuKV29hlIL30MVhGJZ16oZ2ZzrFwlEATc_obdsLhonEOCHMU41vxC3hVqbgapI8EUv4vwcEQ8oa_nuSUpe0e2AYUHQjVNO-jK7WFUud21Yji5dKfuLBLjm2qYWd68y8fQyzCdHYx9FB4V1V/s320/20010AD0-D250-4E4D-9380-6ABDE85CC1DB.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9yeFrZI93S-hOG1UBeDEN8ZcqzBPjuaKpCDXInhzBZREYwGvFF_VK4f_1VPbHy99pxECzhq22Ae0BoLf3-N3giLQq_3hOUnUcgnVsD6eZ4OCYcwMjagsn4xd8ur8fA8mcAuPhpd6TmjkDJbPqIHkN8MqNBpc9sOYnWsVKB3Bnf9oxz9_lv-15SyD/s4032/548903E0-8A94-43F0-A078-47BEA01C8A32.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9yeFrZI93S-hOG1UBeDEN8ZcqzBPjuaKpCDXInhzBZREYwGvFF_VK4f_1VPbHy99pxECzhq22Ae0BoLf3-N3giLQq_3hOUnUcgnVsD6eZ4OCYcwMjagsn4xd8ur8fA8mcAuPhpd6TmjkDJbPqIHkN8MqNBpc9sOYnWsVKB3Bnf9oxz9_lv-15SyD/s320/548903E0-8A94-43F0-A078-47BEA01C8A32.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjF2XKBExzMD3jjddu_zS7nQVW4OusMlTVOTNy8W1NVqtb74NUtpqZhI3Iza_nZSNtI70Fx_4vX8zpRZkeM8I26MFcO_xHa4ykF1plx_YjVX17HRVpR-Kmw_CeqONd9iu-UGpQSeZO6fCnwjWPKqVCEfJ5AV31Bu19ds9I6u0tZhPUYKcr377xdOGx/s4032/A6F2DE44-F66D-465E-89B7-739867684F9A.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjF2XKBExzMD3jjddu_zS7nQVW4OusMlTVOTNy8W1NVqtb74NUtpqZhI3Iza_nZSNtI70Fx_4vX8zpRZkeM8I26MFcO_xHa4ykF1plx_YjVX17HRVpR-Kmw_CeqONd9iu-UGpQSeZO6fCnwjWPKqVCEfJ5AV31Bu19ds9I6u0tZhPUYKcr377xdOGx/s320/A6F2DE44-F66D-465E-89B7-739867684F9A.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx8LsGtKuQNcMGaB5ifoRLauY9kFnq9JpB-0v2vGwVW8ynLR23MZpbwxy7afeM16BSK3XhhLKkDqAy_8I6uuku7ofUx1gHDtE39QWMFUVkDUb7siQ_Em8-Z7bCY3YIT9fYZnk4FmkAZCcsV4s2TabX8CAlt5glWCxYwWCWWVkJSE5Zah4NhiEsLnLb/s4032/AB7FFC78-6C20-400F-B9BF-728550E18F70.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx8LsGtKuQNcMGaB5ifoRLauY9kFnq9JpB-0v2vGwVW8ynLR23MZpbwxy7afeM16BSK3XhhLKkDqAy_8I6uuku7ofUx1gHDtE39QWMFUVkDUb7siQ_Em8-Z7bCY3YIT9fYZnk4FmkAZCcsV4s2TabX8CAlt5glWCxYwWCWWVkJSE5Zah4NhiEsLnLb/s320/AB7FFC78-6C20-400F-B9BF-728550E18F70.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Incredible views, and good weather today. Windy, but wind at my back for the first time. <p></p><p>Only one “stage” today, but, because it was steep it was tough. I took the longer, scenic route. </p><p>I have a room. That’s big news. I got into Cadavéu, and nothing was available. I was starting to worry. A man, Sam, spoke broken English, and of course, my broken Spanish made things fun. I had already done some backtracking trying to get some place to stay. He started making phone calls. </p><p>Finally he got a bed in an albergue for me, with a bed. He loaded me up in his awesome red, sports car and took me to a place to stay:). He laughed at me when I buckled up:) It’s one of the dumpier places, but I don’t care. Pulling up to such a shabby place, in such a nice, shiny car, seemed so incongruous. I won’t have to be on a park bench or underpass, so I’m okay with incongruity:)</p><p>Sam explained there is a Netflix movie being filmed here, there are hundreds of people here for the filming. This is a nice, touristy area </p><p>Thank goodness they didn’t want to stay in a really rough albergue:). A few days ago I passed up one, because it didn’t look too great. Situations change:)</p><p>There were three Camino options for this stretch. I took the high option for the better views, it did not disappoint:). Nobody else took the high route, so it was a solitary day through ranch and timberlands. A wonderful day for thinking and appreciating things. A real photographer would have loved the views. </p><p>A random thing I forgot from yesterday. I spent about an hour and talking to a Brazilian biker. He was walking his bike up a long, long uphill stretch. He was a retired Military Attaché for Brazil, and had lived all over, including Madrid and Washington DC. He has come back to Spain for other bike rides on different Caminos, and he really likes Spain. If sounded like he liked it almost more than his home country. </p><p>When we got to the top of the hill he took off, very fast, down the hill. The advantages of a bicycle! I’ll never see him again. There are lots of bicyclists.</p><p>The food last night, and this morning, in the other albergue, was off the charts great! He had a fish (hake?) and vegetable concoction I thought couldn’t be beat, then he came up with breakfast. He had a tomato based spread, and olive oil combination, topped off by some unique type of salami that he had to teach us all how to eat. This guy shouldn’t be running an albergue, he should be a chef at a fancy restaurant. </p><p>Then, to top it off, he had real French Press coffee, and we weren’t limited to just one cup like the last couple of places. The cups were full sized, not like little shot glasses. </p><p>Today’s Albergue doesn’t serve dinner, and I’m sure tomorrow’s breakfast won’t match this morning’s. </p><p>It’s 7:15 pm, and I’m sitting at a restaurant. Like virtually all restaurants, I can’t even order until 8:00 pm. Folks eat way late here:)</p><p><br /></p>Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-13041790579184851122023-05-16T12:02:00.000-07:002023-05-16T12:02:18.942-07:00No Rain, Great Day<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZiZXkE_0L8CVrnLrU2j2d97oM5zX0Z9Td22hpVRdNZHs-tBgnwPND883E6l5DPED8VO4KQ23IVAshP96hDb55rp9GAjvtIb_xHvk6pIvC9k79yeDcuWlZWOAbiIdWfFKnH0Vthsq2Bv6i6zLSh75NBgfSxB0WACJMm4MlFVKJOFas5mms3IePA2ZE/s2532/BD86C94D-4ABD-43DE-B141-E0DE2F16AA51.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2532" data-original-width="1170" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZiZXkE_0L8CVrnLrU2j2d97oM5zX0Z9Td22hpVRdNZHs-tBgnwPND883E6l5DPED8VO4KQ23IVAshP96hDb55rp9GAjvtIb_xHvk6pIvC9k79yeDcuWlZWOAbiIdWfFKnH0Vthsq2Bv6i6zLSh75NBgfSxB0WACJMm4MlFVKJOFas5mms3IePA2ZE/s320/BD86C94D-4ABD-43DE-B141-E0DE2F16AA51.png" width="148" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-gF8V7XQqkRxNcWFopvf6tPI35S2vJt5G0RsCKXqjxsLkG6f2f7xbBjXcYMzmj4sIhAPEJrHiGbXcJOvmK5B0V7Y-8wnBGyR4IfGQjqL6D4NVbkw4pjlUS1OC2YV6nT2lpAKmRcK_9VNdx2nvQrgnar4ek6NlDE4c70lWp3GRi9iy7RWSI0lRlwK/s4032/B8BD1C0B-CF9A-4E72-9AA8-DD83D98E4259.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-gF8V7XQqkRxNcWFopvf6tPI35S2vJt5G0RsCKXqjxsLkG6f2f7xbBjXcYMzmj4sIhAPEJrHiGbXcJOvmK5B0V7Y-8wnBGyR4IfGQjqL6D4NVbkw4pjlUS1OC2YV6nT2lpAKmRcK_9VNdx2nvQrgnar4ek6NlDE4c70lWp3GRi9iy7RWSI0lRlwK/s320/B8BD1C0B-CF9A-4E72-9AA8-DD83D98E4259.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEYtDB25cVieXKKTXX4m6CfQ-cPwy76Se2bc_ZdxfYcxO2sNGfpbpgZCnwb6WbInOBm8bYgyDDFtmm6WYKYMLRPnz8mn7S2zt2YXWgP1De_oEE3UzceJ-y_MYZ9VYgFxICCuRzoUsdXaC0kYt33Nf5W79vkcKe0NqI24txCq1qiuOfVUdRiJFWO3G_/s4032/691C2BAD-D68B-41D3-B32A-F8B6C33A6008.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEYtDB25cVieXKKTXX4m6CfQ-cPwy76Se2bc_ZdxfYcxO2sNGfpbpgZCnwb6WbInOBm8bYgyDDFtmm6WYKYMLRPnz8mn7S2zt2YXWgP1De_oEE3UzceJ-y_MYZ9VYgFxICCuRzoUsdXaC0kYt33Nf5W79vkcKe0NqI24txCq1qiuOfVUdRiJFWO3G_/s320/691C2BAD-D68B-41D3-B32A-F8B6C33A6008.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQoJ7wfiLvmJIenY_0rIseU1xTnJN3Wli78rHnqUmuLnBKvDs_qOaOLtFnlNPU22GWcuZ-xzV58VVGxTH_ixu6vbzu27ussmlqzGrhVhiyIuk83PE5_pEUfKTNzONV5Vpxx46Ra1Csd7HudJUToNYdwulvJmMj8Yoru_MyF1MP72CsCcHQff1NtPms/s4032/9CCBB7CE-C0F7-47F7-9AE6-57DBCC51B930.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQoJ7wfiLvmJIenY_0rIseU1xTnJN3Wli78rHnqUmuLnBKvDs_qOaOLtFnlNPU22GWcuZ-xzV58VVGxTH_ixu6vbzu27ussmlqzGrhVhiyIuk83PE5_pEUfKTNzONV5Vpxx46Ra1Csd7HudJUToNYdwulvJmMj8Yoru_MyF1MP72CsCcHQff1NtPms/s320/9CCBB7CE-C0F7-47F7-9AE6-57DBCC51B930.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUiOP1pWP4s_ILCdxyre2YkWDKHAOdn1PXH3eZC3m_FqMpYYz2tpYqhk1Jda9m0vYtfITD2nR3xT6HlkscjCXL6TzQbmA5zdstl05OFxK-_7nXtAQJAaUV2cqvOaqTmnKaUFlecDl2Mwu1CKoTPEvOEH3qzVaJBTP8zQ8wRxUCB-8Lf3I8JHLgOHk_/s4032/6B34D754-AC7B-4DB8-B8F9-5E52697A723B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUiOP1pWP4s_ILCdxyre2YkWDKHAOdn1PXH3eZC3m_FqMpYYz2tpYqhk1Jda9m0vYtfITD2nR3xT6HlkscjCXL6TzQbmA5zdstl05OFxK-_7nXtAQJAaUV2cqvOaqTmnKaUFlecDl2Mwu1CKoTPEvOEH3qzVaJBTP8zQ8wRxUCB-8Lf3I8JHLgOHk_/s320/6B34D754-AC7B-4DB8-B8F9-5E52697A723B.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>Lot’s early in the day in industrial area. Then into forestry operations that looked real familiar but much smaller materials. I talked with the “loader operator” and he said all material was being used for paper pulp. A beautiful town of Avilés along the way. <p></p><p>Good Day:)</p><p>If you go by my phone, I walked 26 miles today. According to my book, and converting from Km, I did 29.95 miles. </p><p>Whichever was right, I walked a long way:)</p><p>By chance I ended up in a perfect albergue, just as dinner was about to be served, and they had a bed. It’s the smallest albergue I’ve seen, only 12 beds. Dinner was perfect. Only 3 speak English, Patrick from Switzerland who I keep running in to from the first day, me, and a woman, Tonita, who lives in Portland, used to live in San Francisco. She has been to Etna, and spent a lot of time in Mt Shasta. </p><p>The best part is a place to stay and shower, dinner, and breakfast tomorrow with interesting people for €27. That’s a great deal!</p><p>I completed two stages in one day! I’m really excited about that, I won’t be stressed at the end of the trip if I get a little ahead of schedule. </p><p>It didn’t rain all day, and, my toe did better. </p><p>Dinner as a group was fun. Mostly German, a little Dutch, I think, some French, and very little English. </p><p>What a hoot. I’m the first one in bed. I’m exhausted in Muros de Nalón.</p>Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-6426375991718657112023-05-15T12:33:00.003-07:002023-06-01T07:44:48.286-07:00Villaviciosa to Gijón<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCeGgtStAdVt6VpiX684Ng7mMGXVQa_J5b7gqmUp90YZUgMtGevo6dm5xhQKVxs5NwmnhAWLnOe2cRGh1ZB8qPdxG7PZ0aIDHz3dqUqB86Gk8iMZifWWCQAKu-t3EtEYGJry3j_gYeqAbXtYFPYTQ3BCrQPxwx22qo81r3XgBtw6qnIrmYOZ2eUOS4/s4032/2A3F0731-8BAE-4B07-9681-1FC3D58C39C8.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCeGgtStAdVt6VpiX684Ng7mMGXVQa_J5b7gqmUp90YZUgMtGevo6dm5xhQKVxs5NwmnhAWLnOe2cRGh1ZB8qPdxG7PZ0aIDHz3dqUqB86Gk8iMZifWWCQAKu-t3EtEYGJry3j_gYeqAbXtYFPYTQ3BCrQPxwx22qo81r3XgBtw6qnIrmYOZ2eUOS4/s320/2A3F0731-8BAE-4B07-9681-1FC3D58C39C8.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIfRBQHTyF0VGCd7Y9TYMSRObrMSz7gEL6F1a7HjGJoS9d4YPT4DgzJ0TglUvEXm0VqcWamh9d-4xuFMP3SEwFHk0ZyQD9v01cXv0tqwPyCzmiTTh9n8TcTuXrlt0W0DliCF8cIPDR6SnYLhZ__Yy4PayTLkUWiKgpM9NZJWCdBwgeZxJ8D1rpWn6D/s4032/5BAD4C9C-69EA-4119-892C-DD71DE6143EB.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIfRBQHTyF0VGCd7Y9TYMSRObrMSz7gEL6F1a7HjGJoS9d4YPT4DgzJ0TglUvEXm0VqcWamh9d-4xuFMP3SEwFHk0ZyQD9v01cXv0tqwPyCzmiTTh9n8TcTuXrlt0W0DliCF8cIPDR6SnYLhZ__Yy4PayTLkUWiKgpM9NZJWCdBwgeZxJ8D1rpWn6D/s320/5BAD4C9C-69EA-4119-892C-DD71DE6143EB.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3m1lOW8-xSfc1tLsE6L-eo-hH-MiL3ObmBu3llq9u0qMka4c6vx13qFqEWCpkCGKnjYQLgGHSyM9bHwP0R6JHHfccM9rNW5JjH6V5RUgNuBtLuFGue9_EPAD8FmKVkrkGwXNCW_XUqSGqJj-siPAxbxAr-z0-826A1quZVqz298s49bza2Pdio-bV/s4032/D21F998A-F597-4865-9A98-9B2B0F20DC62.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3m1lOW8-xSfc1tLsE6L-eo-hH-MiL3ObmBu3llq9u0qMka4c6vx13qFqEWCpkCGKnjYQLgGHSyM9bHwP0R6JHHfccM9rNW5JjH6V5RUgNuBtLuFGue9_EPAD8FmKVkrkGwXNCW_XUqSGqJj-siPAxbxAr-z0-826A1quZVqz298s49bza2Pdio-bV/s320/D21F998A-F597-4865-9A98-9B2B0F20DC62.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />In this area I’ve seen a lot of these structures and was curious about them. Florentino said many were 400 or 500 years old. No obvious access to most of them. There are, however, some newer nice ones. They’re storage units that mice can’t get into. Now many park their cars underneath. <p></p><p>They must use ladders to access. I did see one with a set of stairs about two or three feet away from the building. Maybe they put a plank from the stairs to the building when they’re storing stuff?</p><p>I had seen this green VW van many times, he’s filming a perigino. It’s kind of funny. They set up scenarios:)</p><p>The guy is a professional film guy, doing this project for the guy, with hopes of putting it on YouTube and other platforms. So, the perigrino hiking has hired a guy to drive along and film him. It’s been going on at least a week, but probably more. </p><p>I’m glad nobody films me when I do my dumb moves:)</p><p>Just out of Villaviciosa there is a major split in the trail. At that point one must choose to do either the Primitivo Route, or the Northern (coastal) route. It sounds like about half do Primitivo, and half continue on Norte. </p><p>I decided to do Camino Norte. For the first day I haven’t seen any people I know, with the exception of the green VW guy, and I really don’t know him. </p><p>As I was heading down a steep stretch of trail, this elderly woman (about my age) Angelica, was animated telling me I was lost. This was entirely in Spanish. I was confident I was not lost. The second woman came up, and was just as adamant I was on the wrong trail. I agreed to walk back up the trail to show them the last trail marker I had seen, at a road/trail intersection. It was only a couple of hundred yards. I walked back up with the smaller, weaker hiker while the other went ahead. </p><p>The other woman (Isabella) was going to a nearby house to get the final answer. As the weaker hiker, Angelica, and I arrived I showed her the trail marker, then in addition another less obvious yellow arrow, she realized she was incorrect. The other woman was leaving the house a little disappointed that she was incorrect. The thinner woman, and I smiled and laughed, then finally so did the other woman. </p><p>They were absolutely not going to allow me to go down the wrong trail. I think they would have tackled me to keep me from going down the steep stretch:)</p><p>We then hiked together for the next couple of hours and had a late lunch together. They are from Barcelona, and have a heavy metaphorical stone they’re carrying. They’re doing this hike in sections. They’ve done parts the last two years, and very much hope they can finish this year. I hope it works out.</p><p>Angelica and I bonded because she’s been trying to learn English on Duolingo, and I’ve been working on my Spanish with Duolingo. My Spanish was more effective this time. But again, charades is a common language:)</p><p>Staying in an inexpensive, but nice, hotel in Gijón for the first time it has two stations in English. They’re both business channels so I’m not watching them I’m back to Big Bang Theory in Spanish. </p><p>The last time in a hotel I forgot to turn off my phone in the middle of the night, and I got a call in the middle of the night from the US from a scam, or spam, number at 2:00 a.m . It bothered me, but I was the only one it woke up. I’m very careful to silence the phone in albergues now, lots of folks would be unhappy with me!</p><p>It rained again all morning. I chose to do this pilgrimage starting in April so it wouldn’t be so crowded. The disadvantage of early Spring is it rains here. It’s expected. What wasn’t expected are crowds I’ve met two people who left the Camino Francés because they couldn’t get housing as all albergues were full, repeatedly.</p><p>This is busier than ever for this time of year according to Locals. A few theories: South Korea had a special on TV and a large number on the Francés are from there. There are a lot of Germans here, it seems to me that’s the largest single county represented. Apparently a German comedian did the Camino, had it documented, and lost a lot of weight and had a very positive experience. These shows, in addition to Martin Sheen’s, The Way, and finally the pent up demand due to COVID has caused an influx. </p>Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-76377760845060337152023-05-15T11:34:00.001-07:002023-06-01T07:38:21.034-07:00Unexpected Villaviciosa <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF0j3rUpoRENxNN4uXG-ow9793wQ6fBe43Fd8Mxn9H-3hlPUYNMWVNjG3ST9laVAPypEsP9kWq_srll3CtFi3pYsXyZKy9OCDRrkf_N3ShpRb9P1jRZHRBD2zNOe1FwPKIvbHGQ4xejnVJaKRterJz3vQn8LtIc_kULUFQts3ROsyVrZbKEd2EXBia/s4032/A3DC3A13-95F5-43E4-B6C6-2F4890C5A2A1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF0j3rUpoRENxNN4uXG-ow9793wQ6fBe43Fd8Mxn9H-3hlPUYNMWVNjG3ST9laVAPypEsP9kWq_srll3CtFi3pYsXyZKy9OCDRrkf_N3ShpRb9P1jRZHRBD2zNOe1FwPKIvbHGQ4xejnVJaKRterJz3vQn8LtIc_kULUFQts3ROsyVrZbKEd2EXBia/s320/A3DC3A13-95F5-43E4-B6C6-2F4890C5A2A1.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyVG65M7PvqH-c6dxEXFvYwBIZfQcKlS_wYk2yxVtokaQpyhiEMXR_0zEkBwdGq14Cc2LNNR_Bkcmm7UBm8okW00ME794N-mftHPBidCHgRpmjovRjfXDA17AO5kR9E30n0m3NHi-q7hO_izI6EbsW16FKJKYvPivdh-usv5Eemm5oYMvSwaUyIIWN/s4032/5445B6A2-12B5-4A91-9D11-06BCA176B70C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyVG65M7PvqH-c6dxEXFvYwBIZfQcKlS_wYk2yxVtokaQpyhiEMXR_0zEkBwdGq14Cc2LNNR_Bkcmm7UBm8okW00ME794N-mftHPBidCHgRpmjovRjfXDA17AO5kR9E30n0m3NHi-q7hO_izI6EbsW16FKJKYvPivdh-usv5Eemm5oYMvSwaUyIIWN/s320/5445B6A2-12B5-4A91-9D11-06BCA176B70C.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOm-lNjHBUKuv1qx3HKXRwchlfATSnytPePMLHMqkcDutpzlMKLcq2CUKKBrqtZsR_zl6NxyI88YQAJHVz2EnAhtsEoRiSVOPrAc0Jf5s3_Al3IprLhFdaP_-66wwvp-BwrYqWVW-RnNgmQnmB5WhuX3CkgeZQHtq6VU_DniHNEnXeYY2KoBjeuNWo/s4032/79AE9B76-7799-42BB-8A28-721C5443ADCF.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOm-lNjHBUKuv1qx3HKXRwchlfATSnytPePMLHMqkcDutpzlMKLcq2CUKKBrqtZsR_zl6NxyI88YQAJHVz2EnAhtsEoRiSVOPrAc0Jf5s3_Al3IprLhFdaP_-66wwvp-BwrYqWVW-RnNgmQnmB5WhuX3CkgeZQHtq6VU_DniHNEnXeYY2KoBjeuNWo/s320/79AE9B76-7799-42BB-8A28-721C5443ADCF.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht17X4n-mjV9Fn0Qns0Pbzs5wNrzWxnWcp1nQmvvHO4leVcBQDzfirniM-OB62TTpkq7CLPbMdYzp1eUdIvRESKOtYitVs58K5JEa-RKy4O6y6OsSLlCcqiIEbmZum6-d4n0MQOz-W0msv_gJeh5BUvIfK4Oz-jAna9glDi0gWLEmcACp8kG3GJLYn/s4032/7DFFA62F-E354-45FA-A7CE-90AB5D5AD896.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht17X4n-mjV9Fn0Qns0Pbzs5wNrzWxnWcp1nQmvvHO4leVcBQDzfirniM-OB62TTpkq7CLPbMdYzp1eUdIvRESKOtYitVs58K5JEa-RKy4O6y6OsSLlCcqiIEbmZum6-d4n0MQOz-W0msv_gJeh5BUvIfK4Oz-jAna9glDi0gWLEmcACp8kG3GJLYn/s320/7DFFA62F-E354-45FA-A7CE-90AB5D5AD896.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-p2G-h50L54lfq7QYal8RN1pSya8DJbVzvG4b6JFy2tx6iTbiG1Hxt6-1Z9vQJ7zRauz0lC-YuaO7gzHnNDshXS0DfNMo3BaA0GgEybPVLTxs2sErc598hlo0Otq_J_x5KZjNb18TT8prQw4326XCJVhpSParPzMnuMa8-yAVzO79IeDuqG7kBrc/s4032/3B78AD8F-79EA-4BD0-AD99-3746481879CC.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-p2G-h50L54lfq7QYal8RN1pSya8DJbVzvG4b6JFy2tx6iTbiG1Hxt6-1Z9vQJ7zRauz0lC-YuaO7gzHnNDshXS0DfNMo3BaA0GgEybPVLTxs2sErc598hlo0Otq_J_x5KZjNb18TT8prQw4326XCJVhpSParPzMnuMa8-yAVzO79IeDuqG7kBrc/s320/3B78AD8F-79EA-4BD0-AD99-3746481879CC.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>A hotel along the way titled El Babú. Babú isn’t a Spanish word, it is a Swahili word that means Grandfather. Babú is what my grandchildren call me. The name of this hotel made me smile. <p></p><div>The picture with the church on the left, and the albergue (pink) on the right is where I stayed. </div><div><br /></div><div>A lot of rain was falling after leaving that albergue, but I made a reasonable distance. By 2:30 pm I arrived at the next albergue I was going to stay at, but couldn’t check in until 4:00 pm so decided to eat. The only restaurant around was closed, permanently. I went ahead maybe another six or eight miles to Villaviciosa, got a spot in an albergue in the middle of the city and badly needed to eat. I stopped an 82 year old man, Florentino, on the street and asked him for a good place to eat. </div><div><br /></div><div>About three hours later I knew quite a bit about Florentino, his lifelong friend Emilio, how the best apple cider in the world is made in Villaviciosa, and how crucial it is that it be poured properly, and the great skill involved. I had excellent paella, and was very full. His wife passed away three years ago and I think he hangs out and entertains perigrinos for fun:). There were language issues, but they were overcome:). A fun evening.</div>Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-5578903995619466712023-05-13T12:14:00.000-07:002023-05-13T12:14:13.278-07:00How Far to Food?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzpVFqkTc2wZ8eA97H4jydSk9OHqyw6qVYz4l7_vZIk3oUyM0WOWk_EuET-emT-fGyHfDtTceBsLD3QIk_tT2huvSRk0Q6MZtZwYaOsA-zBXZpOfWigYRqk_xuTjnTegZk6xdCKXxEBWCU7bzavz-zcF24Q0e-PGc2x4uL1EE01gp6cYC83XYLlmcQ/s4032/4025739A-A6E4-4E54-BCE0-F889A55980E4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzpVFqkTc2wZ8eA97H4jydSk9OHqyw6qVYz4l7_vZIk3oUyM0WOWk_EuET-emT-fGyHfDtTceBsLD3QIk_tT2huvSRk0Q6MZtZwYaOsA-zBXZpOfWigYRqk_xuTjnTegZk6xdCKXxEBWCU7bzavz-zcF24Q0e-PGc2x4uL1EE01gp6cYC83XYLlmcQ/s320/4025739A-A6E4-4E54-BCE0-F889A55980E4.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQMHC9lhm5rKADB1F8zNzY6tA7nmc39f7cu1Z11sIxblzB_TB_XQEaahPQ8zbhroo7qXygNd3CzSVMB4xgEh1ggPIkcsowEmF-MG8jrOSCCC_3NTQZIBEJv_KOEcPi5UkBFtYXmFXMtUBxIhIM1-a3g1FdkUUutRynWENDXmMq6UcPF6CTrh6ZGWwo/s4032/FDF00D6E-40B4-4A37-AAB1-EA9B3FC3E384.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQMHC9lhm5rKADB1F8zNzY6tA7nmc39f7cu1Z11sIxblzB_TB_XQEaahPQ8zbhroo7qXygNd3CzSVMB4xgEh1ggPIkcsowEmF-MG8jrOSCCC_3NTQZIBEJv_KOEcPi5UkBFtYXmFXMtUBxIhIM1-a3g1FdkUUutRynWENDXmMq6UcPF6CTrh6ZGWwo/s320/FDF00D6E-40B4-4A37-AAB1-EA9B3FC3E384.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBYNCZ8fgEOKKg31K2FmjSJ2ynX7fFEvbZgYk3qMbqLSZ2kGQ0d3IWod0qdIuOrD7yaNfqU3oMHK56mACVABG4RuClAZ6sSWItNW_-l3a4vg59WQKv1j9m6GfHeFr7Xuuowq7-HPyYnWg5eV01RCI1bM4xQ7TGafo3YpOS6a98wL68GRPnXfuRuoP/s4032/D41D69F9-879C-419F-A13B-34B0EDC9BAD7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBYNCZ8fgEOKKg31K2FmjSJ2ynX7fFEvbZgYk3qMbqLSZ2kGQ0d3IWod0qdIuOrD7yaNfqU3oMHK56mACVABG4RuClAZ6sSWItNW_-l3a4vg59WQKv1j9m6GfHeFr7Xuuowq7-HPyYnWg5eV01RCI1bM4xQ7TGafo3YpOS6a98wL68GRPnXfuRuoP/s320/D41D69F9-879C-419F-A13B-34B0EDC9BAD7.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaTLzKR9Sm0109D9_mntY96FphCqgKtVuvAzmEW2JYYZ7gSwag_wFC7LVRvaAmdZmMa_dqp0N8tTvTgbc3M2Wihd6DdY1uiCZzWfo0pSnikT6JZANsRvdbCrpoEIfHG5cJCpY7Md5bitEq5oAOI0qbGdI-f775oTkJLdd2Li5w4or6J0rPguROKBqW/s4032/A65491CC-96C3-466A-9C28-ADEDFB464A19.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaTLzKR9Sm0109D9_mntY96FphCqgKtVuvAzmEW2JYYZ7gSwag_wFC7LVRvaAmdZmMa_dqp0N8tTvTgbc3M2Wihd6DdY1uiCZzWfo0pSnikT6JZANsRvdbCrpoEIfHG5cJCpY7Md5bitEq5oAOI0qbGdI-f775oTkJLdd2Li5w4or6J0rPguROKBqW/s320/A65491CC-96C3-466A-9C28-ADEDFB464A19.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVUnJZSTO2Oyzph_O3rJRrDq-IwKwrOD59W2MPCACPAlOrb--S5vQd8J5LH2BCJTJiekbp_zqoISpkmJmQ0bdxAoUH5y7n3LpkNoaqVNCuSLajufipiS8CxRjOVLIggoDaJqWQp-dFkUQ-_-FP1RJ_2xKxCqahY4CIY65JUL8hAaIa7JVj15MJxxYl/s4032/54E7DEB4-610F-4074-829E-4261FDFBA465.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVUnJZSTO2Oyzph_O3rJRrDq-IwKwrOD59W2MPCACPAlOrb--S5vQd8J5LH2BCJTJiekbp_zqoISpkmJmQ0bdxAoUH5y7n3LpkNoaqVNCuSLajufipiS8CxRjOVLIggoDaJqWQp-dFkUQ-_-FP1RJ_2xKxCqahY4CIY65JUL8hAaIa7JVj15MJxxYl/s320/54E7DEB4-610F-4074-829E-4261FDFBA465.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>I knew it was going to be a long stretch today, so I ate a big breakfast. I used up all the energy the breakfast had provided, and still had a long way to go to real food. <p></p><p>Before they left, my friends Rick and Nancy left me with a gallon zip lock baggy of things like Smarties, nuts, trail bars, hard candy, and the appropriately named Lifesavers. That was enough energy to get me to the far off restaurant:)</p><p>I ordered the regular, fish soup. It was always good before, this time it disappointed, but I ate it all anyway. </p><p>Later I came across a street fair. I made it all the way to Ribadesella, and am staying in an albergue. Eight people in the room, 60 total. Very few speaking English tonight. Not the amenities of a hotel room, but, more interesting. It’s fun!</p><p>It’s a challenge putting together a string of longer days together, but, looking at the schedule I’m getting excited about the results. In the evenings I wonder what I was thinking. In the mornings, once I’m actually walking, then I remember. </p><p>In the next day or two I have to make the decision of whether to turn off to the Camino Primitivo (the original plan) or continue on the Camino Norte. </p><p>It only rained about half as much as yesterday, substantial, but not like yesterday. </p><p>It still strikes me as funny that I slept in Poo last night. I’m sixty-seven, that’s the kind of humor for a seven year old. Will I ever grow up?</p><p>About 18 miles today. </p>Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-29974129297091923202023-05-13T10:49:00.003-07:002023-05-13T10:49:52.192-07:00RAIN<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirK1taOkj3RRA1hg7zMBZm2bq75E_sL-HW7ATIoVEOzI2ipzbtEkfi5QNOEUiEUNBNnSBN2wEmwv--r60dvyLXmHtveaWVk7G_GnDbBbcREIUo5KnVdqn-BjswFEB5e2t6FUw2G4l8pFRQ-8aXiwX7hGCauHoSw5JfK4P_7ODjjDhRe0-yJ5XqlGRB/s4032/FA7EE617-9F6C-4465-BF92-25DF7EA3C851.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirK1taOkj3RRA1hg7zMBZm2bq75E_sL-HW7ATIoVEOzI2ipzbtEkfi5QNOEUiEUNBNnSBN2wEmwv--r60dvyLXmHtveaWVk7G_GnDbBbcREIUo5KnVdqn-BjswFEB5e2t6FUw2G4l8pFRQ-8aXiwX7hGCauHoSw5JfK4P_7ODjjDhRe0-yJ5XqlGRB/s320/FA7EE617-9F6C-4465-BF92-25DF7EA3C851.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhinXHHrkDArQZklWJHKbwXCgMbzqSzb9-R0gNmIAUkkPq5yoNQsz9nil5hm_9amkwx7A0QkDA1-A7_pZ7JTh0QtTQRxm4TXVQA-9Q9rTzETsKqyRH8OQbH3Wx_KnX6b5FYWDdIfpEPziGbANpKv74RKbEiO8OIOZ466V1SJoY1QW_-Hw2laxy4m96a/s4032/FA0A89FF-DD1F-4F73-8336-1173C3F1E118.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhinXHHrkDArQZklWJHKbwXCgMbzqSzb9-R0gNmIAUkkPq5yoNQsz9nil5hm_9amkwx7A0QkDA1-A7_pZ7JTh0QtTQRxm4TXVQA-9Q9rTzETsKqyRH8OQbH3Wx_KnX6b5FYWDdIfpEPziGbANpKv74RKbEiO8OIOZ466V1SJoY1QW_-Hw2laxy4m96a/s320/FA0A89FF-DD1F-4F73-8336-1173C3F1E118.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCSmLulcEDbXYduqD41asOKasskWnaaeoY9I7v7dTFPSMWZURgCQGjBHuDOBqSXHOUp_oOOSPVoN_cNSsr8lC6tU4GuudoFzsWXezSuuNs_PFXIPny8gAsszB7gJ3lvgzOQT5BYVS0kV6Y-eZREyTaNU3pLXY0aArM_ld6wSnwMkD_z-dgdGpIaNX_/s4032/E32BBB5E-186F-4567-859E-EEBE6637EDFF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCSmLulcEDbXYduqD41asOKasskWnaaeoY9I7v7dTFPSMWZURgCQGjBHuDOBqSXHOUp_oOOSPVoN_cNSsr8lC6tU4GuudoFzsWXezSuuNs_PFXIPny8gAsszB7gJ3lvgzOQT5BYVS0kV6Y-eZREyTaNU3pLXY0aArM_ld6wSnwMkD_z-dgdGpIaNX_/s320/E32BBB5E-186F-4567-859E-EEBE6637EDFF.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNradWL_Yp0fzbjkR4ZE0tRML7i2GrewQUkUvKie2Le0wJhp6EtrPy990kZ6IW9KKIW_HuuqnhSm-h2VfW2YeuJFUezQNPLCk1uhFUKThbqEEiV0iVBmo9dsqb0b-vkvJZfkqra-S_l_ql1UcqVHUu50SQvJR9JUqKmRbK8HKcDhUy6M3kgKzNiQf2/s4032/E8EF501A-6413-479C-944C-96EA4E91B208.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNradWL_Yp0fzbjkR4ZE0tRML7i2GrewQUkUvKie2Le0wJhp6EtrPy990kZ6IW9KKIW_HuuqnhSm-h2VfW2YeuJFUezQNPLCk1uhFUKThbqEEiV0iVBmo9dsqb0b-vkvJZfkqra-S_l_ql1UcqVHUu50SQvJR9JUqKmRbK8HKcDhUy6M3kgKzNiQf2/s320/E8EF501A-6413-479C-944C-96EA4E91B208.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisAbfThWOEQcXksCzq4QSgZuQV4aYtPu9VH4i0xcf7vrNYwi0pWFttZYHQdSFLADU-Fwhw_zJkP-hsP4_tC0ciW723Mf9Bd7_N2bCDTC-7FMhkqGr25q_it-6gGCW4yHks7qAKuVlUuM3t216HUfz1qRfOYC8y1bZx5IlYu4AP-3xAP5VyBX5iQxkO/s4032/BCD1C1F8-232C-4028-94BA-89990D80C0C9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisAbfThWOEQcXksCzq4QSgZuQV4aYtPu9VH4i0xcf7vrNYwi0pWFttZYHQdSFLADU-Fwhw_zJkP-hsP4_tC0ciW723Mf9Bd7_N2bCDTC-7FMhkqGr25q_it-6gGCW4yHks7qAKuVlUuM3t216HUfz1qRfOYC8y1bZx5IlYu4AP-3xAP5VyBX5iQxkO/s320/BCD1C1F8-232C-4028-94BA-89990D80C0C9.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>I didn’t take many pictures today because it rained, a lot. It did clear up in the town of Llanes toward the end of the day and those are the pictures of the town and the boats. It is a very nice, beautiful town. It seemed even nicer that there was no rain there!<p></p><p>I hiked out of the province of Cantabria, and into the republic of Asturias. </p><p>Again there was no room at two albergues, so I stayed in a hotel. I’m spoiled. The disadvantage is not meeting all the people like you do in an albergue.</p><p>The hotel was in Poo. Yes, I slept in Poo. </p><p>I went to Playa de Poo (Poo Beach) which was beautiful.</p><p>Enough Poo comments:)</p><p>A good, long, productive day in the rain. </p><p>Weather app is less than perfect. In fact, totally useless.</p><p><br /></p>Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-4455566051339765452023-05-11T14:48:00.001-07:002023-06-01T07:32:10.741-07:00Bad, Good, Bad, Good, Bad Weather <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFt30F9W87Ri2FgsGdjHBKDqP27LkXFuy-4ThscjpUvpOOUg50pI3P-vywlQd7jX4dXNSq_RilfGhE8lpiXWCYfgMDRV6CivmqNReC3ciDDOQZxHfTIgtooxJuqPciqIo5DwzQdwaqu0iXgLZwNJ--Nmi_qEeRWxdQPZ4ToZ1LO8yFLH23sVmnoRkI/s4032/5D94F7E2-A67B-411F-B31E-4B59FF83DC4C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFt30F9W87Ri2FgsGdjHBKDqP27LkXFuy-4ThscjpUvpOOUg50pI3P-vywlQd7jX4dXNSq_RilfGhE8lpiXWCYfgMDRV6CivmqNReC3ciDDOQZxHfTIgtooxJuqPciqIo5DwzQdwaqu0iXgLZwNJ--Nmi_qEeRWxdQPZ4ToZ1LO8yFLH23sVmnoRkI/s320/5D94F7E2-A67B-411F-B31E-4B59FF83DC4C.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1ulATylMRgW73EjD8CatmDb0CrMVhTzmhGlQ1s4a85nde0zGJP2pUZ3AZwJUkSkNzR6HHNu9HqpSMgbuOkt6anj1jwgeWUf-d6ZQVxKzDJNgzT1GjD0ALamAGCmCxjnSw0TvDtW6bZRVi03GGBJFRDTfwvj7RqaCQwaFCFCPNcXtAj0TBrFEokQN/s4032/6FAA9799-9572-4DA3-847A-6CF85AE652EB.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1ulATylMRgW73EjD8CatmDb0CrMVhTzmhGlQ1s4a85nde0zGJP2pUZ3AZwJUkSkNzR6HHNu9HqpSMgbuOkt6anj1jwgeWUf-d6ZQVxKzDJNgzT1GjD0ALamAGCmCxjnSw0TvDtW6bZRVi03GGBJFRDTfwvj7RqaCQwaFCFCPNcXtAj0TBrFEokQN/s320/6FAA9799-9572-4DA3-847A-6CF85AE652EB.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38gpTMDK7pvwBeUHu6gYiTvcAviEeAoB3CGUY4Wpq5l8pjGP8KBb2Wlytv3309Xs6XaVB96KoFz1iZm9rZOpzHEuiBSUT98dwB-C5lN_CwjoGDrieH5lvvZaPQxiyhFmyHkyqb53tAM9ZWfm58RPnUkIFSsVHUqBDymrNZEyQNfpMGTVqqdDoV0Is/s4032/24B0932C-DC5E-4467-90D6-0AE7185E396B.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38gpTMDK7pvwBeUHu6gYiTvcAviEeAoB3CGUY4Wpq5l8pjGP8KBb2Wlytv3309Xs6XaVB96KoFz1iZm9rZOpzHEuiBSUT98dwB-C5lN_CwjoGDrieH5lvvZaPQxiyhFmyHkyqb53tAM9ZWfm58RPnUkIFSsVHUqBDymrNZEyQNfpMGTVqqdDoV0Is/s320/24B0932C-DC5E-4467-90D6-0AE7185E396B.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZ7eNIdswijlAWexZLL0R72qHAVoNlupPl7cYKIDmGEolC1wgG8sEVB53GgzibiUQ7AUqHKKZ3REVDx90NrSymLWNN3S2FqevfhXcaJQ6XB9Rhg4DIcyH0ba9UfYLwy6XzQrAgoQxoM-Co_AEfp0qRhDpY81Fgka6oyKFM1QYMr6dEgIDWldj5Wfk/s2532/714CF141-8E84-40E4-B108-A96F982B0F9C.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2532" data-original-width="1170" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZ7eNIdswijlAWexZLL0R72qHAVoNlupPl7cYKIDmGEolC1wgG8sEVB53GgzibiUQ7AUqHKKZ3REVDx90NrSymLWNN3S2FqevfhXcaJQ6XB9Rhg4DIcyH0ba9UfYLwy6XzQrAgoQxoM-Co_AEfp0qRhDpY81Fgka6oyKFM1QYMr6dEgIDWldj5Wfk/s320/714CF141-8E84-40E4-B108-A96F982B0F9C.png" width="148" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qZLjH7rzekb20vBc-FjbnsYNKTQpbbF5xb0pZkUZG4cSBnHbdQ8iKIpJTMAmjsue0YbEjk-e6xNzgHMlGrOdClpnqENIU_bvpU6fLmdC4uDVGA-LzeED9tUr8fGtX-qr1bTYTckzXvwhActHaBLvhI3z7mkZvcG5UAy4bsrloQrkyX3uNGpfAPtW/s4032/B8BA52F2-EFA0-40D5-BE2E-B060FD054A44.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qZLjH7rzekb20vBc-FjbnsYNKTQpbbF5xb0pZkUZG4cSBnHbdQ8iKIpJTMAmjsue0YbEjk-e6xNzgHMlGrOdClpnqENIU_bvpU6fLmdC4uDVGA-LzeED9tUr8fGtX-qr1bTYTckzXvwhActHaBLvhI3z7mkZvcG5UAy4bsrloQrkyX3uNGpfAPtW/s320/B8BA52F2-EFA0-40D5-BE2E-B060FD054A44.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>The day did not go as planned. That’s okay. <p></p><p>As I woke up, it was raining hard. I had slept in late, it was 8:00. I ate breakfast at the hotel and found out they didn’t have a laundry, but there was a laundromat in town. </p><p>It had been a long time without a good washing of my clothes. Hand washing in sinks and showers only works so well. And clothes don’t dry well, even quick drying clothes, hanging on a backpack in high humidity and rain. Socks are the worst. </p><p>The laundromat opened at 9:00, it was a little out of the way. I got there at about 9:15, and all three machines were full. I had to wait to get started. When it was time to start, my Spanish was tested, this wasn’t like any laundromat I had used before. The main difference is you do not add soap. I got change, put in my money, and sure enough the machine added soap itself and suds were with the clothes. Everything, including the dryer, worked successfully, but I was delayed getting going. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>In order to get big miles in I would need to push hard with a late start. The weather didn’t cooperate. The skies would clear, then the winds from the west would come in strong with the rain, then calm down, then come back. Back and forth all day. The weather forecast calls for more of this. <p></p><p>A casualty of the wind is the umbrella Rick and Nancy lent me. The “Mary Poppins” thing happened a few times, one of the ribs broke. It still functions, but it’s no longer fashionable. It required rebar ribs to handle some of these winds. </p><p>Apparently the winds were nice for the surfers, there were lots of them surfing today, and an entire community centered on surfing. There was one golf course, and only one group of golfers. They were brave.</p><p>Lots and lots of nice scenery today, but I decided not to take as much time taking pictures. Take my word for it, it was pretty scenery, but sometimes hard to see because of the wind. </p><p>Did I mention this trail heads west along the northern part of Spain. Winds from the west, when your walking west, aren’t nice. </p><p>About 4:30 in the afternoon going through a tiny village I saw a hand painted sign saying Restaurant. I was ready to eat, with my head down walking toward it when I heard my two French-Canadian brother friends yell out “Ken” in their strong French accents. They had stopped to eat, and decided to stop for the day due to conditions. The back and forth of good weather/ bad weather had got to them, and quite a few others. I decided to stop earlier than intended and visit. I didn’t get as far as hoped, but still had a good day. ~12 miles. </p>Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-35479066286462191842023-05-10T21:05:00.000-07:002023-05-10T21:05:33.611-07:00Alone Time<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSdaZrzR3GIJq8C-T3BMGeTLWHr3mgNkyAMIbo3aytu8_qzdjoMQZ9UtQTwexHieBcj1N3eBeg2w2W79E3XHYlmPv4DNQ25ZzzFqNPC-NuQhMyHsoz4E_OEtPysBI-NCysIDL4r7tfOxafFHcv3LsMWG9Sri7GaleYQI5YBY_8AhSIFUlU-Bin7vL/s4032/FEEBA5DC-3026-45DC-B2AD-FF27E9B5EA38.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSdaZrzR3GIJq8C-T3BMGeTLWHr3mgNkyAMIbo3aytu8_qzdjoMQZ9UtQTwexHieBcj1N3eBeg2w2W79E3XHYlmPv4DNQ25ZzzFqNPC-NuQhMyHsoz4E_OEtPysBI-NCysIDL4r7tfOxafFHcv3LsMWG9Sri7GaleYQI5YBY_8AhSIFUlU-Bin7vL/s320/FEEBA5DC-3026-45DC-B2AD-FF27E9B5EA38.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfMQ7aQ-5QZE0BpEltiuR9rUszHdBinnuTgo6PntCgrxrFqM0sy-a3wrrunmY_Y7RhAlAlx4TyAhn13Tnl-ugY_8QJs4mIDztsIr_stZLA-7JTbMcKnPBRcHxmViISVZcsgwrVgvpiqQEJZKiGzzQQWWZDrXi9X5yzGFYW_1rgKnAVqmWkZwVJMk4D/s320/9AA09CE9-D00D-49A1-8CF4-A4EBE34C8621.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinxLjVclgSZO2QaP3JJ_C2zY72g3oi5-7n_eNaK648_V-18g5rgkwy0P6-Uh8IFiPvOj1sQlDETBtGKJsv8lU-T45Dmqy3Ym7CjZN0L5ynmeNaUOWrcpZjUdvstgGSImzPyzt3ZdmSkrRc5Dmasj3wHlymB1r_HZ9T47PxY2C5UGbPUXKSzkmlWgI/s4032/0B6E08C9-2008-4134-A44F-24493CA4D9EE.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinxLjVclgSZO2QaP3JJ_C2zY72g3oi5-7n_eNaK648_V-18g5rgkwy0P6-Uh8IFiPvOj1sQlDETBtGKJsv8lU-T45Dmqy3Ym7CjZN0L5ynmeNaUOWrcpZjUdvstgGSImzPyzt3ZdmSkrRc5Dmasj3wHlymB1r_HZ9T47PxY2C5UGbPUXKSzkmlWgI/s320/0B6E08C9-2008-4134-A44F-24493CA4D9EE.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>So many big old churches along the way, in virtually every small village. A benefit is being able to hear peaceful bells regularly through the countryside. The Camino goes by churches along the way. Most have a historical plaque. One pictured above was built in 1730’s and my thought was how new it was. It was the most recent date of the churches I’ve seen…and there are a lot of old churches on the Camino:)<p></p><p>There were so many beautiful scenes today. A real photographer could have done wonders! Peaceful. </p><p>A lot of time to think. Maybe too much time:)</p><p>I made it through Santillana Del Mar again, where I had visited with Rick and Nancy by car yesterday. I walked past many of the sites a second time. I giggled when I noticed the parking space where Rick parked. There was a parking attendant who was very particular. Rick parked. </p><p>Theresa and I grade each other’s parking when we’re out. Rules such as if you touch a line it’s less than a C. It’s very rare to receive an A+. We’re docked one grade if we go back and adjust. It’s a silly game we play. </p><p>Rick’s parking job was an A-, if a person were a really tough grader maybe a B+. It wasn’t good enough for this parking attendant. Rick had to adjust it to an A+. </p><p>I thought Theresa was a tough grader, but I found someone tougher.</p><p>From Santillana to Camillas was the ultimate long, time to think, repeatedly beautiful stroll. I thought of the “two backpack” theory a German pilgrim shared. Every pilgrim carries two backpacks. There are stones in both backpacks. Some have bigger, and heavier backpacks than others.</p><p>You get to take one backpack off at night. You can do things to reduce the load from this backpack. I sent some things back with Rick and Nancy I didn’t need, it reduced my load. I carry just enough water to get to the next water source. I eat a lot of the snacks as soon as I feel any hunger, it keeps me fueled, and it reduces my load. When the time and place is right, I place a stone for a close friend, or family member, the lighter load is just a little bit at a time, but every little bit counts.</p><p>The other backpack is tougher. Everyone has this other backpack, some are quite a bit heavier than others. There are stones that will never be taken out of THAT backpack. The German said the best option for her is to get stronger so she can carry that backpack. For five years she’s been coming back to do the Camino. She’s darn strong. In sections she’s hiked from Germany all the way to Santiago. She’s taken different routes. </p><p>There are arrows along the Camino to help guide the way. Sometimes they’re big and clearly marked. Sometimes they’re old and challenging to locate. Learning how to find these arrows and indicators takes some time and paying close attention. I’m getting better at it. </p><p>There weren’t a lot of people around today, but, every one was kind. Kids walking and giggling on a walking field trip made me happy. Language barriers aren’t barriers if people have smiles and play charades. I carried on a conversation with two French women who spoke no English or Spanish. It was funny. Their husbands are walking the Camino, and they’re driving. </p><p>There are so many analogies. I had way too much time alone:) Seeing and appreciating all the beauty and good helps me forget for a while I have my backpack on. Thankfulness. Accepting the help and kindness of others helps. Helping others to lighten their backpack seemed to help lighten mine. </p><p>I’m thankful that I can still physically do this crazy pilgrimage. 23 miles today. </p><p><br /></p>Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-7989982457569876522023-05-09T09:27:00.001-07:002023-06-01T07:26:29.552-07:00Not Good Start-Better End<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRx7tfS6LKzH2LRhF8Hiv0BT_nJllHYLvkaxVopb2-IbqnUtaMsrWjrXPkNdUp0pjD8gKJfDrRDQIIO4htBtSBBkqqLnxCCeaeTmcX8Ye9szrfkHI5w5lv2sBBnR4xURNxHDcM4sJQM3O4vzPOMcEDq2m4q8Fle-IyL5B5k2aUGpf8xq5Zjtjq7Kv0/s2532/FD727B80-717B-487F-9EA3-00DEA19E2E32.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2532" data-original-width="1170" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRx7tfS6LKzH2LRhF8Hiv0BT_nJllHYLvkaxVopb2-IbqnUtaMsrWjrXPkNdUp0pjD8gKJfDrRDQIIO4htBtSBBkqqLnxCCeaeTmcX8Ye9szrfkHI5w5lv2sBBnR4xURNxHDcM4sJQM3O4vzPOMcEDq2m4q8Fle-IyL5B5k2aUGpf8xq5Zjtjq7Kv0/s320/FD727B80-717B-487F-9EA3-00DEA19E2E32.png" width="148" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1VWv-sQ9Mgk43dX88f7J0MPsdum-axPq_tMhVMkeNUEUbCweLAYBm-C0z7NKkt3Q4HHsOiJIicaMfDYpObfnr3DFW3WxAOX7rg9FkYDw93DgkvQNXcYPHIZ6pH6efca9IuuVKG_eHCKkRQuRql_A36P16bA524s8pvbJ7y6daKeGwTF7K9AYgzmhb/s4032/14869450-A78A-455B-BB88-BBB213561242.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1VWv-sQ9Mgk43dX88f7J0MPsdum-axPq_tMhVMkeNUEUbCweLAYBm-C0z7NKkt3Q4HHsOiJIicaMfDYpObfnr3DFW3WxAOX7rg9FkYDw93DgkvQNXcYPHIZ6pH6efca9IuuVKG_eHCKkRQuRql_A36P16bA524s8pvbJ7y6daKeGwTF7K9AYgzmhb/s320/14869450-A78A-455B-BB88-BBB213561242.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkFmdw3ZV2XkUBoIRv-mkuVB1i2y-0Q9EZY54MCVUQT0WfvRcaEjfbkinrqCtHzo8wZlPQ1bxODlPzUT5Y-R8O7yoqL31i-ZNhDO_98lDLAeGnkifAYRDiknDKj9c0go9fW2u4v_u0lZ9ZqLGCA_5sGI9v8l5N6_Z-KW0YofAvHZtV0mknEeFLRJ9X/s4032/4930AD7C-ADF3-471B-B459-5C54866FA80F.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkFmdw3ZV2XkUBoIRv-mkuVB1i2y-0Q9EZY54MCVUQT0WfvRcaEjfbkinrqCtHzo8wZlPQ1bxODlPzUT5Y-R8O7yoqL31i-ZNhDO_98lDLAeGnkifAYRDiknDKj9c0go9fW2u4v_u0lZ9ZqLGCA_5sGI9v8l5N6_Z-KW0YofAvHZtV0mknEeFLRJ9X/s320/4930AD7C-ADF3-471B-B459-5C54866FA80F.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjwfoLkz8UTQPbXakksYP3xfmZaJ3RzjdDcHeCPU7RONNsFzMQdz5J2-aMHTvqfd9gy4WcIN53t0GAxmVnOq3vP360kp8zmZ1oFV5YPWjItllNDOE3cxccDbi81vR6dAZsRmcL373YItRQfmmUuU8J-fp4ZGOF2UBVkgiVv5p26ffvWcnPyfuzXUfB/s4032/900C8C2D-3FE2-4833-B344-6ABB520C6B14.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjwfoLkz8UTQPbXakksYP3xfmZaJ3RzjdDcHeCPU7RONNsFzMQdz5J2-aMHTvqfd9gy4WcIN53t0GAxmVnOq3vP360kp8zmZ1oFV5YPWjItllNDOE3cxccDbi81vR6dAZsRmcL373YItRQfmmUuU8J-fp4ZGOF2UBVkgiVv5p26ffvWcnPyfuzXUfB/s320/900C8C2D-3FE2-4833-B344-6ABB520C6B14.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>The albergue in Santander was not appealing. I found a place for dinner, completed the blog, showered, and went to bed early, about 8:00 pm.. Folks kept checking in, and, coming back from dinner after maybe extra libations. They were loud. I didn’t get to sleep until after 11:00 and then, didn’t sleep well. I was waiting to get up, awake, and decided just before 6:00 to get up and go. I was walking before daylight, a little after 6:00. <p></p><p>Santander is a big city, the capital of Cantabria, there was plenty of light and all was well for, maybe an hour, then the rain started. It rained hard. Thinking I was prepared I had a pack cover, a light raincoat, and a parka. They didn’t work. </p><p>I had planned with Rick and Nancy to contact them at 10:00 a.m. with the plan for the day, as they were 15-20 miles away near Santillana Del Mar, and I was walking that direction. </p><p>I was soaked. In addition to other things, my phone, in my pant’s pocket got soaked. When I tried to use it, I couldn’t. It then showed the message that liquid was detected, and dry the phone. I knew “liquid was detected” long before the phone showed me that. I couldn’t use the phone because I had detected so much blasted liquid. </p><p>It’s safe to say I was a little uncomfortable. I had been hiking on and off with two French Canadian brothers since about the time the rain started. I had met Martin sometime around the beginning of the pilgrimage. </p><p>I tried sitting under a highway overpass and using the phone, no luck. I tried drying the phone the best I could, no luck. My trail “passport” got soaked too. When Martin and Stefan caught back up, I told them my dilemma, and we all shared a common problem, we were cold and we hadn’t had any coffee yet. I couldn’t even look up a café Google Map on the phone. We walked into the town of Mompía, saw the hospital, and across from that a gas station with a mini-mart with 4 or 5 sets of tables and chairs. They had pastries and hot coffee!</p><p>I took my phone out, took it out if it’s protective case, dried it with napkins, tried it again, and it worked! I sent them a picture of my location. It was only 9:00, but, Rick and Nancy came to the rescue! </p><p>They took me to their hotel room where I took a hot shower and put on dry clothes. I was done with the Camino for the day, with only about six miles of progress.</p><p>They showed me the really nice town of Santillana Del Mar, we are a nice lunch, and visited the visitor center and display replicas of the cave paintings of Alta Mira, some of the oldest paintings of mankind. </p><p>I bought a new raincoat, and, got a different (not ripped) parka, and an umbrella from Rick and Nancy. Rain is in the forecast for 8 of the next 9 days, so I had better get ready.</p><p>I’m staying in a nice hotel tonight, warm, watching “Friends” in Spanish and trying to figure it out. I saw the trail marks in Santillana Del Mar today, it will be fun to see them as a pilgrim tomorrow.</p><p>Rick, and Nancy, and Martin, and Stefan were good friends today! </p><p>Buen Camino</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671110045535667093.post-42479419056019307262023-05-08T10:59:00.001-07:002023-06-01T07:22:32.807-07:00Meeting Daniel<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiDYqFz9_YFaOEDByDvq8tBv2UX8rBFhw4EH-W61F_KvejLTTGdkULMohfqhrDm0y8m0zG3v1ETCmHfdB2CLNblK2ughifmxvMZfEj0MCqLNVKFD51zefUiZOOFGhT2Mw3kQGpWPEZXOU92T7BTcbC-xV8V8XNg-2DlDKBPT6FHo4-lO-bSodrHehw/s4032/B455F09F-F4F4-4D33-89E6-B454647F01A1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiDYqFz9_YFaOEDByDvq8tBv2UX8rBFhw4EH-W61F_KvejLTTGdkULMohfqhrDm0y8m0zG3v1ETCmHfdB2CLNblK2ughifmxvMZfEj0MCqLNVKFD51zefUiZOOFGhT2Mw3kQGpWPEZXOU92T7BTcbC-xV8V8XNg-2DlDKBPT6FHo4-lO-bSodrHehw/s320/B455F09F-F4F4-4D33-89E6-B454647F01A1.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSMzJdKHsdArg0WhPp3WhW7WNSUPrSkL0C-m-We98l0mt7CQQHeTdJ0omavzCMb0VU7yT-hIGwUxpdu3prykW5gbAW56JJVZ_Lg_RJ4ADr0fjt9Mv5cbkUq4Si-AeLgdn0DXq7Ygj0NaWJ6KbdEJ9bOe4aaplKkE_WYNq9PCPZ45U_7VlftasFysJ/s4032/25229A16-D6D7-473B-BD2F-1BFEA1EF07AD.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSMzJdKHsdArg0WhPp3WhW7WNSUPrSkL0C-m-We98l0mt7CQQHeTdJ0omavzCMb0VU7yT-hIGwUxpdu3prykW5gbAW56JJVZ_Lg_RJ4ADr0fjt9Mv5cbkUq4Si-AeLgdn0DXq7Ygj0NaWJ6KbdEJ9bOe4aaplKkE_WYNq9PCPZ45U_7VlftasFysJ/s320/25229A16-D6D7-473B-BD2F-1BFEA1EF07AD.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjdHUXnXB6tN-arlmULTJCfUTXDqNeyFPrrF_CDPXeIx9NLd0OpvmbzWSj4KHnWBX7WgwBS4K3x5f3yTnXr87JixGY0BrLHHIG3IoB_AcsmjDusUIO0-q1Wq_eRiH5rhbftd6Rwknn7ISGQYBbI6dkPqbn_WTn0VHH0QLld2ZOnFguEP_Bm9JieZaZ/s4032/76F0299E-9135-400A-A229-B0A105E2910B.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjdHUXnXB6tN-arlmULTJCfUTXDqNeyFPrrF_CDPXeIx9NLd0OpvmbzWSj4KHnWBX7WgwBS4K3x5f3yTnXr87JixGY0BrLHHIG3IoB_AcsmjDusUIO0-q1Wq_eRiH5rhbftd6Rwknn7ISGQYBbI6dkPqbn_WTn0VHH0QLld2ZOnFguEP_Bm9JieZaZ/s320/76F0299E-9135-400A-A229-B0A105E2910B.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuundu8A2A2GFueaE2Hdot-XyVn1GZVLqHXutYQuVDcFunAxO8Ii4k1PIx4PF8iN8-TMSkuE8Sp1Den5_f9zvzSLRZp0rBF6cO0AmUkSEu7CUHCIzZmU6qHFOAfCkYyHcP0afRvUvmN-4NIvSuYJo5p5WP3lKMyhN1tOcaVfJAbgIzZ1TiJv2ilStu/s4032/7FAA8608-3202-46B0-964A-AC396ECF4126.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuundu8A2A2GFueaE2Hdot-XyVn1GZVLqHXutYQuVDcFunAxO8Ii4k1PIx4PF8iN8-TMSkuE8Sp1Den5_f9zvzSLRZp0rBF6cO0AmUkSEu7CUHCIzZmU6qHFOAfCkYyHcP0afRvUvmN-4NIvSuYJo5p5WP3lKMyhN1tOcaVfJAbgIzZ1TiJv2ilStu/s320/7FAA8608-3202-46B0-964A-AC396ECF4126.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>The schedule from above is what I’m using to try to ensure I get to Santiago Compostela in time to catch my flight from Lisbon, Portugal, June 2nd. The pilgrimage is broken into 32 “Stages,” or days. In the last three days I was able to complete four stages, which makes me happy. I may be able to do some extra things if I walk enough to not have to take an entire day to do each “stage.” I’ve now completed through stage 12, more than 1/3 of the way:)<p></p><p>It seems every time I mention “Lisbon” I’m corrected. It’s “Lisboa” here. A common question others ask is where I’ll fly out of when I’m done. My goal is to answer them correctly with Lisboa from here on. </p><p>A couple of Spanish differences from this part of Spain. Instead of “Buenos Dias,” people often say just “Buen.” And, of course, when they realize one is a peregrino the greeting is “Buen Camino.” And, they say “hola” differently. What I’m used to is “oh-“ with the second syllable being like the u in “under.” I believe it’s the schwa sound. The second syllable here seems to be pronounced like one is relaxed, or, at the dentist, or trying to make it sound sexy, “oh-laaah.” </p><p>A comfortable 16 mile day. The weather was perfect, in the high 60’s, and no wind. There is rain in the forecast, so I enjoyed this comfortable hiking day. It started out perfectly when the hotel had the best breakfast spread I have seen on the trip. I filled up early and had no problems with navigation or seeing the symbols along the way. For quite a while there were no other peregrinos. After a couple of hours I met Daniel, a 47 year old therapist from this province, Cantabria. He was very interesting, and we walked at a good pace for a few hours until he was ready to stop. </p><p>We spoke mostly in Spanish, because my Spanish was better than his English. Once in the while his English was helpful. I learned a lot about Cantabria, his take on the Basque Country, Spanish issues etc. He had an interesting perspective because he was raised in Venezuela, his father had immigrated there, and when things got bad Daniel returned to his father’s old country. He speaks “Cantabrian” as well as Spanish. I can’t tell the difference. He is a therapist, and has done other Caminos. Therapists doing the Camino seems to be a common thread. When they need a break they go walking. When I told him my theory of the Camino being a walking, international, multilingual, therapy session he laughed, and he agreed:). </p><p>After he stopped, I found a restaurant for lunch that was perfect. I had shrimp in a garlic sauce that really hit the spot. Then I saw helada de queso, and I had to try it. I had never heard of cheese ice cream before. It was interesting, but, if they had any other choice of flavor…I would go with the other choice. </p><p>Soon thereafter I could see Santander in the distance.</p><p>After about 15 miles I got to the ferry taking peregrinos across the bay to the city of Santander. That’s the way to travel!</p><p>Santander is a big city. A large cruise ship was docked. It’s the largest city, and the capital, of the province of Cantabria. The albergue houses 40, and is right in the middle of the city, meaning it was easy to find a restaurant for dinner. I also found “real” ice cream. If anyone ever asks, chocolate ice cream is better than cheese ice cream.</p><p>“Hiker Hunger” is starting to kick in. Food is often on my mind;)</p><p>Buen Camino </p>Ken Harris (PCT)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14195274072871865207noreply@blogger.com