And I‘m talkin‘…
Left at 7:30am, since Martins bag, that Jacotrans had not picked up yesterday and sent on to Villa de Mazarife was still not picked up. So the lovely lady at the concierges desk called them again. I hope he got his bag no in Astorga where he walked to today.
I walked out of town happy, with a new backpack and confidence that it is just pain and cannot stop me if I don‘t let it. I decided to take the Old Camino running by the road, and not the Denis route, to see how far I would get. All places along the road route seemed to have more beds available, to make my I don‘t plan I just walk strategy of the last two weeks seem more liable.
Got out of León quite easily, even though there was a small detour. I had options to stop at 11km, 14km or 25km or even go the 32km to hospital de orbigo, where some people had gone to that had left the day before.
The Walk itself was unspectacular, right by the road, the only Highlight were again the wine cellars that looked like hobbit homes. But walking right next to a busy road was not as meditational as the other stretches. So I decided to go for music, and since I had heard of the pilgrim song, that is supposedly often sung by people entering Santiago, I thought I better get this down.
It is quite beautiful, and in its simple way captures the feeling of walking this way quite nicely. It basically says, every morning we take the path, we walk on further. Day after day the road calls us to compostela. Go forward, praise the Lord, may he help us. And so on.
I made it to San Martin del Camino, the 25km goal. At this point even the half time paracetamol wore of, and I decided to call it a day.
At a very simple Albergue, I got a bed, and met this 26 year old Italian man, who I spent the rest of the day with. What wonderful company, and Since he just started today on his Camino from León, I think I might even have been able to share some experience, he might just have found useful.
We spent most of the day in a small bar/restaurant, where half of the little village seems to have played a card game tournament.
We had wonderful conversations, and he went to have the community dinner in the Albergue, where I stayed in the bar for it‘s pilgrim plate, and some vino tinto.
All in all it was a good day. I am looking forward to tomorrow, when the two routes join again, and I will meet with Hunter for lunch. I noticed I did not send my sleeping mat home, it was tucked into the side Pocket of my new pack. And since Hubzer camps out a lot, and it is getting quite cold, I offered it to him.