Started the day with an amazing breakfast in Hontanas at the Santa Bridga albergue. A breakfast with eggs, ham and bacon, fresh orange juice and coffee. It was delicious.
Following breakfast I started out on the trail. I was walking slow first and enjoying the view. I have started to listen to my body and let it warm up for about 30 mins to an hour, and it lets me know when I'm ready to increase the pace.
And walking through the old town I see the big hill that we all have to climb before we hit the Meseta. It is a big hill. Some inner spirit inside me accepts the challenge to climb the hill quickly. When I get close, my stride shortens on the uphill climb and the pace rapidly increases.
People were moving out of my way as I climed it. Once I reached the top of the mountain I was sweating profusely but I wasn't out of breath or tired. I just felt victorious. A little inner victory. I never stopped and controlled my breathing throughout the climb.
I started the climb at the same moment as another peregrino Franz and he reached just a minute or less behind me. The camaraderie of walking up the mountain at a fast pace resulted in an attempted selfie.
And then to the other side we went, and the view from the top was stunning.
Along the way from town to next town, I ran into a couple with their kids. And as it is customary to say 'Hola' and/or 'Buen Camino' I did. They spoke English so I walked with them for a bit. Torsten and Kathleen are amazing people. Torsten is German and Kathleen is American (from Wisconsin). We walked and talked for a good while and I found myself very connected to them in our conversations.
After a while I sped up and ran into my friends Finja and Chevon taking a break at the second to last town, and I decided to slow my pace down and walk with them. We walked by a river that led to an old canal and finally into our destination Fromista.
I went to stayed at a different albergue. Checked in, took a shower, washed clothes, and massaged my feet, took a short nap, and walked over to meet the gang who I haven't seen in a few days (but it felt like a very long long time). A few days of missing your friends feels like months on the Camino. Everything is very intense.
We met up at a bar near their albergue and caught up. There was a nice Roman Church in the background that was gorgeous and impressive to look at.
At around dinner time we went by to restaurant next to the bar, and had the best peregrino meal I have ever tasted. It was delicious and the company was just great.
Earlier before dinner, I had returned back to my albergue and I ran into Torsten and Kathleen in my albergue. The Universe/Camino has a funny way of connecting and reconnecting people together. When I returned after dinner and was about to settle in for sleep Torsten asks me if I need a hat. He has a spare. I had lost my hat during the first days of the Camino and was planning to buy another when I got into a bigger city. The Camino always provides. Torsten and Kathleen are just such amazing people!
I would have posted this earlier, but the lady who manages the albergue kicked me out of the bathroom for using the power and internet after sleeping hours (10 PM). The bathroom was the only place lighted since everyone was sleeping and I needed power and wifi accessibility. Grrrr.
Expenses: 32.20 Euro
Breakfast: 7 Euro
Snacks: 7.20 Euro
Albergue: 8 Euro
Dinner: 10 Euro
I had supper in the same restaurant as you and also found the food delicious. I shared a table (& a bottle of wine) with a Danish pilgrim who now lives in spain and who was on his 9th Camino. He pointed out the glass topped tables made of wood embedded with stones. He asked me what I thought they had been used for and I had no idea. He explained that they are antique harrow of sorts. The wooden slab was pulled along over the soil and small stones scraped and leveled the ground in preparation for planting.
ReplyDeleteHi, I was in this restaurant last week (Thursday, 15.09.2016)and was puzzled by these tables with small stones embedded in them.I don't speak Spanish and wasn't able to ask for an explanation! I googled and found this!
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