I figured it would be easy to get from Leon to Zamora, and it is. But I've become so dependent on Google maps and Rome2Rio that when neither of them showed a direct bus route, I worried. Last night after dinner I even walked to the bus and train stations to see in person, but they were 'un-manned' for the night. I went to bed thinking that I'd just continue on the main Camino and try & get down to the Via de la Plata at some point but figured I'd stop by the bus station one more time.
I'm on the bus to Zamora now and it might work out even better than I'd hoped. The walking stage out of Zamora is about a 5 hour walk so if the bus gets in before 1pm I'll probably do that today. That would mean I'd make the transition from one route to the other, including 2 bus rides without taking a day off from walking.
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
Sunday, October 8, 2017
Last Day on Frances Route?
I'm in a place called Terradillos de los Templarios. Sahagun, which is a biggest town about 12km west of here. Since I've already done "this" Camino, which has about 350km left, I'm planning on catching a train or bus from Sahagun to Leon, then from Leon to Zamora so I can finish the Via de la Plata, which I abandoned for the the Portuguese coastal route last year. I think it's hard and hilly, with about 400km left to Santiago, but every step will be new. I think it's the only route that doesn't finish with the route of last years "60km day". Not sure if I've mentioned the 60km day but let me know if you want to hear all about it.
Saturday, October 7, 2017
I'm kind of feeling it
The idea of doing the main Camino route again was mainly because of how social I remember it being. Inside I knew that was setting high expectations and so I'm not shocked that it isn't full of fun, funny people, like me.
It's fine though. I have met some really good people - almost always at dinner. The most interesting were the Norwegian couplewith unpronounceable names. They made me feel so proudly Norwegian. Then last night I shared a table with a Dutch couple who were nice and interesting.
So I have four more days to Leon. From there I'm planning on going to Zamora and picking up the Via de la Plata where I abandoned it last year - so I'll be on a fresh route again. Did I ever mention what I sometimes refer to as "The 60km Day"? Aside from the fact that The shadows were arriving for our 40th anniversary trip, I really couldn't bear the thought of staying two nights in towns that I'd already been to, and didn't much like. So I'll be glad to have a fresh entry route into Santiago.
That's still a long ways always though.
It's fine though. I have met some really good people - almost always at dinner. The most interesting were the Norwegian couplewith unpronounceable names. They made me feel so proudly Norwegian. Then last night I shared a table with a Dutch couple who were nice and interesting.
So I have four more days to Leon. From there I'm planning on going to Zamora and picking up the Via de la Plata where I abandoned it last year - so I'll be on a fresh route again. Did I ever mention what I sometimes refer to as "The 60km Day"? Aside from the fact that The shadows were arriving for our 40th anniversary trip, I really couldn't bear the thought of staying two nights in towns that I'd already been to, and didn't much like. So I'll be glad to have a fresh entry route into Santiago.
That's still a long ways always though.
Thursday, October 5, 2017
Tautology?
There were seven of us at El Mulino last night. Me, a Chilean couple, father / daughter from Logrono and a couple from Geneva - they walked here from there starting July 20th.
The rooms at El Molino were okay. Dinner was excellent. Some kind of carrot soup to start followed by high end ham, fried zucchini, chorizo and cheese served all together. Then a delicious artichoke tortilla with pimientos de padron, then slightly carmelized salmon. There was a meat thing as well but I didn't have any of that. I ate so much of everything else.
To remind you, this was the place that was 10km (I said 6 yesterday but I was wrong) off the Camino that came to pick me & the Chilean couple up at the albergue in Hornillos del Camino. It was a 20 minute drive. Once we sat down to dinner I started gauging the crowd's morning routine. All six of those people wanted to leave by 7am. I'm like 'come on? Why?' They're like 'it's gonna be hot tomorrow'.
I was hoping that there was only one car for the six of us, so they'd have to make two trips - I'd be in the second batch. But the old woman (by the way, "old" means older than me) who ran the joint proudly told us that they had two cars and two drivers - but we couldn't leave til 7:30. Breakfast was at 7.
I looked into the Chilean couple's eyes and made them PROMISE that they wouldn't leave without me. They looked back in earnest and PROMISED they wouldn't. After breakfast (coffee and toast) it was still pitch dark - and I was 95% packed so a layer back down in bed for a couple of minutes and closed my eyes.
Next thing I hear is the Chilean woman on her way out the door saying "buen camino!" Bolted up, stuffed the rest of my crap in my backpack, found my boots and ran out just as the old man was shutting the hatchback (His wife was driving the car with me and the Chileans). I shook my head disappointingly at at them and said "you promised!" They replied "and we didn't!" Touché to them.
I was in the front seat with the Chileans in back. They were speaking Spanish but I could follow what they were saying. "Nice house. How old? Has it always been in the family?" "Thanks. 200 years. Yes." The grandma asked me where I'm from and I told her. "Muchos Americanos (Spanish words) Camino" to which I replied that yeah porque el peliqula (which is supposed to have meant because of the movie.
The Chileans didn't know about the movie and i was really glad that I'd made that remark because the woman told the Chileans the story that was in the link on yesterday's post. The girl that married Emilio Estavez's son is her daughter. It confirmed what I thought might be true: that without the woman who made me such a fantastic meal, and is now driving me back to the Camino, I would almost certainly not be in her car after eating the dinner she made.
Years ago my friend Kevin, who ran a 4:00.1 mile as a philosophy major in college tried to explain what tautology meant in the philosophical context (not the rhetorical). A story that is true from all perspectives. I wonder if this story is an example?
The rooms at El Molino were okay. Dinner was excellent. Some kind of carrot soup to start followed by high end ham, fried zucchini, chorizo and cheese served all together. Then a delicious artichoke tortilla with pimientos de padron, then slightly carmelized salmon. There was a meat thing as well but I didn't have any of that. I ate so much of everything else.
To remind you, this was the place that was 10km (I said 6 yesterday but I was wrong) off the Camino that came to pick me & the Chilean couple up at the albergue in Hornillos del Camino. It was a 20 minute drive. Once we sat down to dinner I started gauging the crowd's morning routine. All six of those people wanted to leave by 7am. I'm like 'come on? Why?' They're like 'it's gonna be hot tomorrow'.
I was hoping that there was only one car for the six of us, so they'd have to make two trips - I'd be in the second batch. But the old woman (by the way, "old" means older than me) who ran the joint proudly told us that they had two cars and two drivers - but we couldn't leave til 7:30. Breakfast was at 7.
I looked into the Chilean couple's eyes and made them PROMISE that they wouldn't leave without me. They looked back in earnest and PROMISED they wouldn't. After breakfast (coffee and toast) it was still pitch dark - and I was 95% packed so a layer back down in bed for a couple of minutes and closed my eyes.
Next thing I hear is the Chilean woman on her way out the door saying "buen camino!" Bolted up, stuffed the rest of my crap in my backpack, found my boots and ran out just as the old man was shutting the hatchback (His wife was driving the car with me and the Chileans). I shook my head disappointingly at at them and said "you promised!" They replied "and we didn't!" Touché to them.
I was in the front seat with the Chileans in back. They were speaking Spanish but I could follow what they were saying. "Nice house. How old? Has it always been in the family?" "Thanks. 200 years. Yes." The grandma asked me where I'm from and I told her. "Muchos Americanos (Spanish words) Camino" to which I replied that yeah porque el peliqula (which is supposed to have meant because of the movie.
The Chileans didn't know about the movie and i was really glad that I'd made that remark because the woman told the Chileans the story that was in the link on yesterday's post. The girl that married Emilio Estavez's son is her daughter. It confirmed what I thought might be true: that without the woman who made me such a fantastic meal, and is now driving me back to the Camino, I would almost certainly not be in her car after eating the dinner she made.
Years ago my friend Kevin, who ran a 4:00.1 mile as a philosophy major in college tried to explain what tautology meant in the philosophical context (not the rhetorical). A story that is true from all perspectives. I wonder if this story is an example?
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Something good always happens on the Camino
Sometimes you can't wait for the Camino to do something good. You have to make it happen yourself. So I've been buying tickets to the Christmas Lottery. Show me a camino miracle!
Anyway, I decided to do the easiest, laziest thing and just keep going on the route I've been on. Once out of Burgos, which is a really nice walk - they seem to have strung together a dozen parks on the western edge of town so by the time you leave the city, you're practically in the country.
It's no secret that the movie The Way has had a big impact on me. I think it's because in a way I thought of it as a gift to me. I saw it within a week of losing my job and my dog dying. Seen it at least ten times and never without bawling my eyes out. One of the last strung together parks on the way out of Burgos is where the gypsy makes his kid - who stole Martin Sheens backpack carry it all the way the the end of Burgos. I noticed that spot this morning and pictured the filming of the movie.
After some suburbs comes the meseta, the central plateau of Spain and it comes upon you suddenly. It gets a bad reputation on 'Camino forums' as being so long and monotonous that a substantial percentage of people skip it. To me it's the most Camino-esque part of the whole thing.
There are very few choices of where to stay on the meseta and since the Camino is far more crowded than it was last time I figured I'd better call ahead to book a room (most places don't use booking.com, etc in these smaller places.) The guy at the other end of the phone said the his place "Casa Rural Sol y Sol" was sold out, but that I should call him when I got into town and he'd come & take me to 'El Molino' 6km away and drive me back in the morning.
El Molino is way out of the way but it's a very nice old house. There's an autographed 'The Way' poster on the wall, so I googled it.
It turns out that the whole movie was inspired by Martin Sheen staying here in the mid 2000's while driving the Camino with his grandson. The grandson fell in love with el Molino's owner's daughter and they got married. Apparently they live in Burgos. If you've seen the movie, El Molino was also the place where Martin Sheen and his gang made themselves a great dinner.
If you're interested, http://alibi.com/film/39145/Martin-Sheen-and-Emilio-Estevez.html
Anyway, I decided to do the easiest, laziest thing and just keep going on the route I've been on. Once out of Burgos, which is a really nice walk - they seem to have strung together a dozen parks on the western edge of town so by the time you leave the city, you're practically in the country.
It's no secret that the movie The Way has had a big impact on me. I think it's because in a way I thought of it as a gift to me. I saw it within a week of losing my job and my dog dying. Seen it at least ten times and never without bawling my eyes out. One of the last strung together parks on the way out of Burgos is where the gypsy makes his kid - who stole Martin Sheens backpack carry it all the way the the end of Burgos. I noticed that spot this morning and pictured the filming of the movie.
After some suburbs comes the meseta, the central plateau of Spain and it comes upon you suddenly. It gets a bad reputation on 'Camino forums' as being so long and monotonous that a substantial percentage of people skip it. To me it's the most Camino-esque part of the whole thing.
There are very few choices of where to stay on the meseta and since the Camino is far more crowded than it was last time I figured I'd better call ahead to book a room (most places don't use booking.com, etc in these smaller places.) The guy at the other end of the phone said the his place "Casa Rural Sol y Sol" was sold out, but that I should call him when I got into town and he'd come & take me to 'El Molino' 6km away and drive me back in the morning.
El Molino is way out of the way but it's a very nice old house. There's an autographed 'The Way' poster on the wall, so I googled it.
It turns out that the whole movie was inspired by Martin Sheen staying here in the mid 2000's while driving the Camino with his grandson. The grandson fell in love with el Molino's owner's daughter and they got married. Apparently they live in Burgos. If you've seen the movie, El Molino was also the place where Martin Sheen and his gang made themselves a great dinner.
If you're interested, http://alibi.com/film/39145/Martin-Sheen-and-Emilio-Estevez.html
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Still Not Feeling It!
In Burgos which is a fine city. That said, the 'been here did this' feeling is pretty heavy so I'm weighing options.
Door one is a train to Zamora and continue the Via de la Plata that I abandoned for the Portuguese coastal route last year. Behind door two is a bus up to the picos de Europa which, now that I've written it down seems like a lousy idea.
There are other doors. Like continuing to put one foot in front of the other on this one like I'd planned, at least to Leon where I could pick a new door.
Door one is a train to Zamora and continue the Via de la Plata that I abandoned for the Portuguese coastal route last year. Behind door two is a bus up to the picos de Europa which, now that I've written it down seems like a lousy idea.
There are other doors. Like continuing to put one foot in front of the other on this one like I'd planned, at least to Leon where I could pick a new door.
Monday, October 2, 2017
I'll Give It A Few More Days
a couple of days ago I made the comment that even though I've done this Camino before, it seemed 95% new. That's no longer true and it's wearing on me.
I'm thinking that I'll continue on this route, maybe as far as Leon and then finish on a route that I haven't done before. I'll be in Burgos tomorrow. Then it's just under a week on the meseta to Leon.
I'm thinking that I'll continue on this route, maybe as far as Leon and then finish on a route that I haven't done before. I'll be in Burgos tomorrow. Then it's just under a week on the meseta to Leon.
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