The phrase in the title, “Strength in Numbers” usually applies to the size of a group and the power derived from all those bodies working together. However, for this walk on the Camino de Santiago, the phrase works equally well if those numbers represent miles rather than bodies. We have both gained in strength due to the number of miles we have walked over these past three weeks. Checking the GPS after today’s walk, I see that we are 289.5 miles from Burgos, our starting point. We skipped about 28 miles of walking by riding the bus into Leon and then out again. This still leaves us with about 260 miles walked. There are strength in those numbers. Evidence? We walked 14 miles today and Sally called it an “easy day”. Back on the first day we walked 13.xx miles and Sally slept the rest of the afternoon and night. There is strength in numbers.
I am not sure strength applies as an attribute when we refer to the number of people now walking the route. It is a steady, unbroken line of people. Thousands. With every step we take there are 10 people within 100 yards in front of us and the same behind. So many, I run into overload. I can’t greet each one as they pass, or spend the time walking and talking to get to know them. It is overwhelming. But, every once in a while, someone comes along that slows to walk our pace and spends the time to talk. This morning it was Milan.
Milan is from Serbia. He is 61, divorced with two sons, 31 and 26, and a daughter 24. He worked at a summer camp in Massachusetts as a teenager, then traveled briefly on the east coast. He made sure his sons and daughter got the same opportunity. All three kids still live with him in his home. The sons are working in their professions. The daughter not yet. He was a soft spoken man, quick to smile. We probably covered about a mile during our conversations. When he retires in 3 years he hoped to travel, including in the United States. Before we parted, us to step off the route to get a mid morning sandwich, I got his email and sent him a note, inviting him to our home when he comes to the US.
It is possible to make connections, even in this crowd.
The weather is staying warm. 60º was the low this morning, 83º the high. Luckily, the thunderheads that built yesterday are not forming today. For our walk into Santiago tomorrow the weather looks good, if not a bit to hot.
As with every morning, we were up at 5:00 and out the door by 6:00, navigating by street lamp and headlamp. The “way” was gentle, with hills both up and down, but nothing big. We gave ourselves 6 extra days in our walking plan, just incase we needed to nurse feet, take a rest day or visit something interesting. We took one of those days to visit Leon, but are now sitting on 5 days. We will spend one with a second day in Santiago, then bus to Finesterra (translated “the end of the earth”) instead of walking the 58 miles to it. We will spend one night there, then walk north to Muxia, a quaint coastal village 18 miles north and spend two nights there. That makes it the 25th of September and back to Santiago for one more night before flying to Madrid on the 26th. Of course, all this is tentative, dependent on weather, bus schedules and how we feel, but for today, it is the plan.
Our 13.4 miles today went by quickly and we were soon in O Podouzo. We found our albergue, checked in and took showers. It was starting to get hot, as it was 1;00PM (although if you read my dissertation on time zones in the European Union time zone you would know it is really about 11 in the morning.
Ever since we missed having octopus yesterday at the crowded restaurant we have been shooting for one. In town, one block over and above our albergue we found a octopus (pulpo) restaurant and sat down for some our first taste of traditionally cooked octopus. Traditional means it is boiled, then cut up and served drenched in olive oil and a spices. I thought it was tasty. Sally could not get past putting little suction cups in her mouth. She ate 2 or 3 bites, then the revulsion got to her and she couldn’t eat any more. She had bread and watched me down the rest. She filled up on bread and beer.
Next, to the grocery store to buy a light dinner for tonight, breakfast and lunch for tomorrow. Green salad for dinner, yogurt, nectarines and bananas for breakfast. Also some Muesli, some cookies and a chocolate bar (think Calories!) By the time we got back to the albergue it was a little after 5:00. Bad timing, too late to take a nap yet too tired to stay awake. I sat down and wrote this blog entry. Sally was on Facebook.
The “way” weaves to go by nearly every church on its route so pilgrims can stop to pray at each one. In the dark they are beautifully lit.
Cafes open early to service the pilgrims
Not all is rosy on the route. Even though most cafes let you use their bathrooms without question, many stop on the way to relieve themselves then leave their toilet paper. Everywhere you step off the route looks like this. They need an education program to get people to carry out their used paper.
A unique kind of beer garden
Many many prople
Octopus (pulpo). It was good. Sally passed
The route (in purple) from Fisterra to Muxia that we will walk Sunday and Monday. About 17
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