Camino de Santiago: September-October, 2012: 2012-09-18 Tuesday

2012-09-18 Tuesday

Belorado / Agés

Camino de Santiago: Day 11. Since today we are walking 28Km and going up and down 3 mountains, we decided to leave earlier than our usual time. We met at 0630 and went out to eat breakfast, but the bar recommended by the innkeeper was closed; we looked around a couple of blocks to find a place open, but found none, we gave up trying, and took to the trail at 0645, we ate some of the fruit we bought last night to tide us over until we find a place open. It was still dark, and we walked behind Terry, who got his headlamp out. It was an interesting sight to see the clusters of pilgrims on the trail walking behind someone with a headlamp. Daylight gradually arrived, it was an amazing experience to see the night dissipate while walking the Camino, and we finally saw what we were feeling on our bones - a cold fog enveloped everything, making us feel damp and shivery.

In the first village, Tosantos, 4.8 Km from Belorado, the bar had not open yet, so we walked 2.6Km more to Villambistia to find an open bar for breakfast. It did not have many options, and only one person behind the counter, taking orders, one pilgrim at a time. I ordered a "bocadillo de tortilla francesa" and a coffee with milk, it sounds great in Spanish, but it's just an omelette sandwich.

Finally, nourished and caffeinated, we resumed the walking on an accelerated pace. The Camino was much nicer than Yesterday, it took us away from the highway and into rolling hills before we started the long and gradual climb to the first 1,000 meters mountain. We stopped at the crest, to catch our breath, and eat the rest of our fruit.

The fog slowly dissipated, but it was cloudy most of the day, with the temperature in the high 40s. I would wear a jacket and within 20-30 minutes of a brisk walk I would start sweating, I would take the jacket off, and 20-30 minutes later we would be cold and had to stop and put the jacket back on. And the cycle would repeat itself over and over.

Erico with a copule from England. We had met them in Najera

Chuch

We met fewer of our acquaintances today, they are either behind or ahead of us. We arrived at St Juan de Ortega at 1230. It's basically the ruins of an old monastery, a church containing the remains of the saint, one bar, one albergue run by the priests and a private hostal. The albergue and the hostal were all full, forcing the arriving pilgrims to keep walking. Good thing we have reservations for rooms in the next town, 3.6 Km away.

We had a snack, cold drinks and coffee at the bar. While we were eating, Linda and Cathy arrived. We have been meeting them almost every day since St. Jean. Linda is 72 years old, slim, just bones and muscles, carrying a big backpack. She likes to drink beer at the stops. I like to talk to Linda and Cathy, they are friendly and interesting persons to talk to, both have travelled all over the world.

St. Juan de Ortega: Paulo, Erico

St. Juan de Ortega: Paulo and pilgrims taking a break

St. Juan de Ortega: Pilgrims waiting to check in at the albergue

St. Juan de Ortega: Chapel

St. Juan de Ortega: Linda and Erico

We finished our snack and went out then went to visit the ruins of the monastery and the church before resuming the camino. Terry likes to walk fast, and frequently he gets far ahead of us and has to stop and wait for us. I keep telling him that Santiago de Compostela is not going anywhere, it's there waiting for us, there is no need to rush. When he goes past us Nancy usually says "there goes the Energizer Bunny…" Now, we left San Juan ahead of Cathy and Linda and, 15 minutes or so later, Linda overtakes us and leaves us in her dust. Paulo and I tease Terry saying that he should not let a 72 year old woman, carrying a huge pack, leave him behind, and goaded by us, he takes off trying to chase her, but soon he gives up and wait for us, he said he could not keep up with her.

Linda: off she goes...

Erico, Ages in the distance

We arrived at our hostal, the San Rafael, in Agés (just a little village) at exactly 1400. We made 27.9 Km in 7 hours and 15 minutes, including the stops. Quite good considering that we hiked over 3 mountains.