More to follow soon.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
A day in the life of a modern day Pilgrim
We are not really sure that you have the picture of just what is involved in our daily life...so here is a little insight just to set you straight.
Awake at 6.00am when the first eager pilgrim wants to take off, usually to plastic bags rustling.
We are amongst the last to get up. Most places you have to be our by 7.30 or 8.00am.
We stay in our sleeping bags and put on our undergarments(!) if they have been removed at night due to sweating. Could be hot , could be cold , you never know. Should have left the PJ´s at home!!
Then we can get out of our bags, still lying down, put on another layer of clothing, all the while trying to forget that there are about 20 other blokes in the room in various states of undress!!! Lets just say they are not as modest as us, don´t use your imagination here!
Michele then puts on deoderant and reminds Chris to do the same. Reluctantly she does, most times! We then go to do teeth next to some man doing morning abulutions!!!
Next, pack sleeping bag and stuff everything you are not wearing in to the pack. Then unpack again as you have forgotton to fill the water bladder up!
Then to the boot room to pick out your smelly pair,usually the last 2 pairs sitting there! Hang sandals on the outside of your pack along with any wet undies and socks that have not dried overnight, that is if we could have been bothered to wash them the night before.
Now to feed ourselves..we would kill for a pot of tea ...find the nearest bar/cafe that is open.. yes they are all smokey at this hour of the morning!
Cafe con Leche Grande and Tostados with jam and something they call butter.
Choke it all down and then we are on the way. walk about 2kms and find out it is either too hot, too cold, too wet for what you are wearing and you need to strip off/add something, whatever.So of course then we stop and have to take off the back packs and start again.
Then we need the maps because we dont know where we are going..and try to guess where the next coffee stop will be. Then we might want a tissue, try to remember who has them and on what side of whos pack.
Then we need the lip gloss ..same senario again, turtles turning in circles comedy act!
All we have to do is follow the yellow arrows and we are right. When fellow pilgrims ask where we are headed for that night we just say "the town that starts with...." What ever we say is never pronounced right..Chris sometimes gets it..Michele hasn´t a hope..but says she will learn French or German when she is home instead!
Ok have worked up a thirst/sweat need to find a bar pronto. Great one nearby where we meet up with fellow pilgrims exchange horror stories about where we spent the night/enjoyed(?) dinner etc. Only joking it is all the most amazing adventure. Check the time, is it really 11am already - have we only walked 6km with 24k´s to go??
Sun is over the yard arm and Michele is already discussing possible vino tinto venues up ahead. Many pilgrims have shots in their coffees and beers all before 10am (outrageous!!) Must add here all the truck/taxi drivers have a slug of something as well.
Lunch is generally around 2pm, timing is the key as you need not to be in the middle of a forest/meadow/meseta/industrial estate or mountain top. also it needs to be someplace mentioned on a map otherwise they are all very busy having their siesta´s.
Have progressed past ordering a ham cheese bocadilla and moved onto tortilla patata with ensalada which is a perfect compliment to the vino tinto. Can even order sin or con onion - how clever we have become!! Sometimes we have had wonderful picnics in amazing locations. That requires prior planning, a visit to the supermarkado and actually carrying it all with you. Its a struggle, day half over still a long way to the nights destination. Divide the number of k´s left to travel by 4 (our average k´s per hour) then guesstimate our arrival time. This system accurate to the nearest 3hours. It doesn´t take into account the number of chats/vinos/loo´s you stop for.
Now the important part of the day, finding a bed and feeding ourselves (again) and showering. You will have to check back for the next installment on this. (Will talk you thru a communal shower!!)
Awake at 6.00am when the first eager pilgrim wants to take off, usually to plastic bags rustling.
We are amongst the last to get up. Most places you have to be our by 7.30 or 8.00am.
We stay in our sleeping bags and put on our undergarments(!) if they have been removed at night due to sweating. Could be hot , could be cold , you never know. Should have left the PJ´s at home!!
Then we can get out of our bags, still lying down, put on another layer of clothing, all the while trying to forget that there are about 20 other blokes in the room in various states of undress!!! Lets just say they are not as modest as us, don´t use your imagination here!
Michele then puts on deoderant and reminds Chris to do the same. Reluctantly she does, most times! We then go to do teeth next to some man doing morning abulutions!!!
Next, pack sleeping bag and stuff everything you are not wearing in to the pack. Then unpack again as you have forgotton to fill the water bladder up!
Then to the boot room to pick out your smelly pair,usually the last 2 pairs sitting there! Hang sandals on the outside of your pack along with any wet undies and socks that have not dried overnight, that is if we could have been bothered to wash them the night before.
Now to feed ourselves..we would kill for a pot of tea ...find the nearest bar/cafe that is open.. yes they are all smokey at this hour of the morning!
Cafe con Leche Grande and Tostados with jam and something they call butter.
Choke it all down and then we are on the way. walk about 2kms and find out it is either too hot, too cold, too wet for what you are wearing and you need to strip off/add something, whatever.So of course then we stop and have to take off the back packs and start again.
Then we need the maps because we dont know where we are going..and try to guess where the next coffee stop will be. Then we might want a tissue, try to remember who has them and on what side of whos pack.
Then we need the lip gloss ..same senario again, turtles turning in circles comedy act!
All we have to do is follow the yellow arrows and we are right. When fellow pilgrims ask where we are headed for that night we just say "the town that starts with...." What ever we say is never pronounced right..Chris sometimes gets it..Michele hasn´t a hope..but says she will learn French or German when she is home instead!
Ok have worked up a thirst/sweat need to find a bar pronto. Great one nearby where we meet up with fellow pilgrims exchange horror stories about where we spent the night/enjoyed(?) dinner etc. Only joking it is all the most amazing adventure. Check the time, is it really 11am already - have we only walked 6km with 24k´s to go??
Sun is over the yard arm and Michele is already discussing possible vino tinto venues up ahead. Many pilgrims have shots in their coffees and beers all before 10am (outrageous!!) Must add here all the truck/taxi drivers have a slug of something as well.
Lunch is generally around 2pm, timing is the key as you need not to be in the middle of a forest/meadow/meseta/industrial estate or mountain top. also it needs to be someplace mentioned on a map otherwise they are all very busy having their siesta´s.
Have progressed past ordering a ham cheese bocadilla and moved onto tortilla patata with ensalada which is a perfect compliment to the vino tinto. Can even order sin or con onion - how clever we have become!! Sometimes we have had wonderful picnics in amazing locations. That requires prior planning, a visit to the supermarkado and actually carrying it all with you. Its a struggle, day half over still a long way to the nights destination. Divide the number of k´s left to travel by 4 (our average k´s per hour) then guesstimate our arrival time. This system accurate to the nearest 3hours. It doesn´t take into account the number of chats/vinos/loo´s you stop for.
Now the important part of the day, finding a bed and feeding ourselves (again) and showering. You will have to check back for the next installment on this. (Will talk you thru a communal shower!!)
Chanting in Samos
Last night we stayed in the Monastry of the Blackfrairs. A wonderful sight to see as we came over the hill after walking 30kms. We arrived at 7pm, just in time to go on a tour and see the monks chanting in the monastry (as they do.)
Found out the showers were cold, so put if off for the moment. This is where travelling with a Spainish person comes in handy. for important intel. Elig was a font of information (more than Chris and he could speak better spanish!!!!) headed for the nearest bar and tonight no real effort needed to get vino tinto and pasta. 10.o0pm lockdown tonight..makes it very hard as eating doesnt start till 8.30 or 9pm!! just got back in time, managed to guzzle and gobble it all down. no time for a shower though, oh well always tomorrow..but it is official we are both on the nose!!!
here are some photos of different things, we are off for ...yes you guessed it VINO TINTO! and we in staying in our hotel tonight so no curfew! It is amazing just how many pilgrims you see in the hotels..not just us!
Leaving Leon...entering Glacia our last provence
We had a huge day, we were told this was our next big challange after the first day. AND it was..started the big climb at 4pm and arrived at 7pm in O Cebreiro a delightful little village high in the mountain range 1400mts. Stunning panoramic views..lost for words..needs showering but just had to go and drink first..opps we mean eat first. found a bar, patted ourselves on the back for not ordering the pilgrims meal. Sucessfully got Tapas and a local bottle of vino tinto..ahhh.
Wondered why the queso was a bit light on till a dish arrived after which was a cheesy desert..opps! oh well hoe in..its all food! we were joined during the night by 3 fellow pilgrims, 2 from Spain and one from Germany.
Sunny one day..Blizzard the next!
Remember yesterday here in Astrorga we saw the Gaudi building? Take note of the blue sky, beautiful day.
well the next morning we woke to rainy, cold weather. so we rugged up with all our stuff on except Chris just had to show off her BULGING calf muscles today, so she wore her shorts!
So off we went, we had a long climb up the mountain. We sto
pped for a coffee at Foncebadon and not far past that we saw the Iron Cross. . Here it is a pilgrim tradition to leave a pebble from home and say some prayers for your hopes troubles to lighten your spritual being.Chris had her pebble from home and Michele had hers from Brisbane airport (last minute!) lets se
e which one works.
Near the top of the mountain Michele was getting very concerned as Chris's legs were turning PINK! She did agree that fher flesh was frozen so agreed to put long pants on. So off with the backpack, boots, shorts, now semi naked in the middle of nowhere, she had to put long johns on then pants! Carried out with military precison with
the help of Michele.
Arriving in Ponferrada for the evening, coming in to town saw the amazing sight of the Knights Templar Castle.. checked into our 2 star hotel to recover, refuel after another 30km plus day.
We both felt that this was our most challenging day of walking to date. We are machines!! amazing ourselves :)
Big day out 37kms
Waking up in our lovely albergue in Hospital de Orbigo we made a special note to selves...avoid when ever possible sharing a dorm with aging balding coughing burping stinky MEN!!!!! (who wear loose underwear!!!!!!!!!!!) It is enough to put you off your cafe con leche!!!!!!!!! Next morning, we met the "other" 2 Aussie girls we had heard so much about. Carol and Carol and also James we met on day 2. Here we are before leaving for our 37km day!!!
Its not all walking, eating , talking, meeting we have cultural imput as well. We can now spot a Gaudi building from 100 mts and also pastleire wont say which excites us most!!! except to say that the cake shop was open and the Gaudi building was not!
That afternoon we tried a new plan. at 25kms we stopped for a afternoon Vino Tinto.very pleasant. In fact so pleasant, we did it again at the next bar which was "CowboyBar" about
1hr later!This plan worked very well as we still kept walking leaving fellow pilgrims behind us. We eventually arrived at Rabanal del camino at 8pm!
ONLY to find that we got the last 2 beds and therefore it was full .. So it was ve
ry necessary to get out earplugs and blindfolds! (see top of post!)
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