2012-10-01 Monday

2012-10-01 Monday

Vega de Valcarce / O Cebreiro

Camino day 24, distance : Today's segment is just 12 Km long, but we have to climb 700 meters to the village of O Cebreiro on top of a 1,330 meters high mountain. Nancy's knee is hurting, and she will take a taxi to the top, I called a taxi to pick her up at 1000. I will send my backpack with her. 

I woke up not feeling well, something I ate Yesterday disagreed with me and took some medicine. We had breakfast at 0800, but I was still not feeling well, so I told Paulo and Terry to carry on without me. If I improve by 1000, I will  walk up the mountain, if not, I would go by taxi with Nancyi. Toni had left earlier.

Luckily, the medicine took effect, I gradually improved, and I decided to took off at 0930. The trail was rocky and uneven. The temperature got up gradually to low 60s with sunny skies. It was hard going uphill, but it was a glorious walk,  the views were fantastic. 

Pilgrims with laundry hanging to dry

Camino trail

I was walking at a fast pace and quickly overtook the 4 Spaniards; it was not surprising since they have take frequent breaks to rest and smoke. The two doctors smoke 2 packs a day each! And Dr. Fernando is a geriatric doctor and works at a hospice; he sees the daily painful deaths of the lung cancer patients. 

I also passed Maude, the young Canadian girl from Montreal, we have been meeting almost daily since Leon. She said she was walking slower than usual because she was also battling stomach problems.

It was a new and refreshing experience to walk all by myself for a long stretch. During the first week, the four of us walked together, in a pack. Starting on the second week, on occasion we would space out but kept within sight of each other, but usually walked in twos, the pairs changing. Since then, I have tried to walk for at least 40 to 60 minutes by myself, early in the day, just me and my thoughts, before resuming the pairing up and the Camino socializing. 

Erico, near O Cebreiro

Erico, nearO Cebreiro

I was surprised when I caught  up with Paulo and Terry, about 30 minutes from the top, I had expected them to arrive at O Cebreiro way before I did. We walked together to the Village, Nancy and Toni were waiting for us at the entrance. I ended up doing the 12 uphill Km in exactly 3 hrs, arriving there at 1230. 

About 1 hr later, Gunther arrived, he walked faster and longer in the last 2 days to catch up with us. It's great that Gunther is rejoining us, but we are sorry that we are losing Toni. He needs to arrive in Santiago on the 6th, our plan is to arrive there on the 8th, so he will walk faster and go ahead of us, starting tomorrow. 

Church in O Cebreiro

Our hostal: Casa Carolo

Erico and the view from O Cebreiro

O Cebreiro - Tatched roof house

O Cebreiro - Tatched roof storage building

O Cebreiro: Pilgrims catching the last sun rays of the day

We showered, hand washed out clothes, and set them up to dry in the sun. The air is dry and there is a breeze, they should dry quickly. 

My laundry

At 1430, the Gang of Four and Toni got together for our late lunch/early dinner, Gunther could not join us, he still needed to do his laundry. The Spaniards had not arrived yet. The Pilgrim's lunch was simple but satisfying, washed down with a bottle of a good Rioja wine, selected by Toni.

Yesterday the Spaniards gave us information about places to stay for the remainder of the Camino, and today Paulo called ahead and booked rooms for us for the 7 nights remaining on the Camino. We have "just" 155Km to Santiago!