Lousy Internet

Sorry for the lack of updates.  We've had some problems with Internet access. 

Maccas de Ferro?

Beautiful isn't?

It would be so much easier in car!

The God Shower 

Last time Andrew & I stayed here. I had such great memories of the hotel that we chose to stay again. Fantastic shower and really nice rooms. 

152 km to go. Yay!

I know how this poor bugger feels. 

Generally the weather has been very kind to us. I've even walked a few days in shorts. 

Leaving Sarria

More pilgrims (47%) start in Sarria than any other city. You need to walk at least 100km to get your certificate and Sarria is about 115km. 

Swollen right leg. 

This is the leg I had the thrombus in and I assume it is related. 

I've since bought some highly fashionable TED stockings. 

I was hoping for fishnet stockings!

Although not easy, the walking is slightly less painful now. 

Cruz de Ferro

Lord, may this stone, a symbol of my efforts on the pilgrimage that I lay at the foot of the cross of the Saviour, one day weigh the balance in favour of my good deeds when the deeds of my life are judged. Let it be so.

Traditional pilgrim’s prayer at Cruz de Ferro

Today we walked up to Cruz de Ferro, as compared to when Andrew and I did it the weather was considerably kinder. Rain at the start of the day but dry from about 9:30. 

Placing two stones at the foot of the cross. 

The theology of this is totally wrong from my reformed position but nevertheless I think that symbolically leaving a stone behind can have great personal value. 

At the foot of the cross. 

Return to Form?

Today we recommenced walking after our break. Coped quite well we had a couple of long breaks during the walk which helped a bit. 

Penny found a new friend. 

I suppose that would be hard to do with screw caps!

Look at the size of the bird's nest!

The end in sight. 

Where we came from, big climb today. 

Our home for the night. It's got a hippie vibe this albergue 

Rest Days

So we had three nights in Leon and then caught the bus to Astorga. 

Effectively we skipped four stages and rested three days. 

Tomorrow we start walking again. 

We have 11 more walking days (about 260km) and should arrive in Santiago on Christmas Eve. 

My leg has lost its swelling but now Penny has hurt her back, hopefully it will be right by the morning. 

Just before another authentic Spanish kebab meal. 

Staying in the same albergue where we met Richard two years ago. We had met Gordon a couple of days earlier I think. 

We've changed the walking schedule so we will have three 25 km days (approximately) rather than 20/25/30. 

Thrombus O'Clock

So it turns out that I need to take 2-3 days rest. 

Swelling and bruising. 

I noticed a swelling at on the right anterior medial aspect of my leg. After messaging Richard he suggested I should go to a doctor/hospital. 

We went to the next town and then caught a taxi back to Sahagun (11 km walking wasted). 

The doctor at the medical centre said I have a thrombus in my leg and should not walk for 2-3 days.

She also thought the leg was slightly oedematous. 

I'm now on low dose aspirin and amoxicillin as well. 

So catching train to Leon where we have a hotel booked for three nights. 

Trains are faster than walking. 

Penny is now busy calculating how to make up lost time. We will have two rest days for sure in Leon and then probably start walking again. 

Moratinos or bust!

After yesterday's very easy day we had a longer 30km day today. 

373,870 km to go!

(In Spain they use commas as the decimal seperator). 

We walked 17km before the first town. I was ready to quit but an hour later after a ham sandwich, two fantas and a hot chocolate we were able to walk the next 13 km. 

Solar, dairy and turkey farm. 

I wish we had sun & wind in Australia. There are wind turbines everywhere much more than two years ago. A really good sign I think but at least in Australia we have coal. 

Penny is celebrating because she is now a real pilgrim too!

That's not a blister!

My blister was about the size of West Australia compared to that!!!!!

Coming in to Moratinos we passed through Hobbiton!

Penny's coping. 

Me, not so much!

Finally we arrived in Moratinos and stayed at the Italian albergue where Andrew and I stayed two years ago. 

I love this clock!

¡Que va a ser una noche muy fría!

If google translate is correct that reads as It's going to be a very cold night. 

The walk today continued in fine weather but overcast and quite cold. 

We were aiming for the Albergue in Fromista but they were all closed. We walked another 3.4 km to Poblacion where we are being housed in the old school building (with no heating). 

Fortunately after our poor meals yesterday we were able to have a nice brunch and will be having a pilgrim meal tonight. 

A yummy breakfast. 

The hill to climb. 

At the top. 

And then back down again. 

Brunch. Penny had a ham omelette. 

Most of today was like this. Gravel tracks. 

Did I mention it was cold?

The Albergue ran out of hot water so I had to have a cold shower. 

One blessing is that tomorrow we have a small day of only 16km. 

Tonight we are having dinner with Juan Komatsu from Japan. He walked 40km yesterday from Burgos and met us at last night's albergue. 

Like us he will have an easy day tomorrow and only walk the 16km. 

Tomorrow we will be walking in rain again :(

No internet and no 3G!

It was the worse day of my life!!

How did people cope in the bad ol' days?

Penny's new orthotics:

Top vs bottom the old ones. Hopefully this will make a difference. 

Saturday

The first days walk was pretty good, Penny's leg was sore but coping and the relatively flat terrain was a help. We left Burgos nice and early and trudged through the city/suburbs (which is not fun). 

A giraffe photo for Andrew. 

Stopped at Tardajos and had a nice brekky and hot chololate. Then a picnic lunch on the Meseta: fowl soup, bread (Spanish & French bread sticks are really nice) and of course chocolate. 

Beautiful daughter, beautiful scenery. 

We stopped at Hornillos at the very inadequate albergue.

Some hair hanging from the springs of the bunk bed. You can't see the blood on the sheets or ear wax on the pillow slips. 

Nothing in town was open so we bought some soup, eggs, and bread from the hosts. An interesting dinner to be sure. 

The lady was upset because we refused to pay 1€ for 25mls of olive oil. However sort of scrambled eggs following two courses of soup plus bread was ok. 

We also boiled two eggs to have hard boiled egg each for breakfast. 

Sunday

Once again a relatively flat day for walking. We left the albergue with a boiled egg in our tummy and a small amount of bread. 

Wind turbines in the distance, such a pity that Spain doesn't have the more attractive open cut coal mines that we have!

Leaving Hornillos we set our sights for 10km away —Hontanas where we would buy a more substantial breakfast. 

Guess what was closed in Hontanas? Everything :)

As usual not a dunny in sight, given the 200,000+ people who walk the Camino surely some Aussie drop dunnies would be a good idea?

Continuing along the road we passed the old pilgrim hospital at San Anton.

Mediaeval era convent and albergue. 

 Finally arriving at the really well appointed donativo albergue. Lovely hot showers, slow but functional Internet. 

A weary pilgrim. 

Santo Domingo & the Chooks

After our longer day yesterday we started out expecting an easy day today. 

Best laid plans etc…

After our first five kilometres, Penny was really struggling we stopped at Azofra and had some brekky and Facebook messaged with Richard (handy having an orthopod) in the family. 

It turns out it wasn't all in her head but real!

See the right leg is much bigger? Strange thing is I have an almost identical photo of Andrew at the same stage. 

So we need to get some orthotics with better arch support as well as increase her meloxicam dosage. Also slow down pace a little. 

We continued on for the next eight kilometres with Penny in increasing pain and when we got to the next town we went into the golf club that was open and asked them to phone for a taxi.

This town is the town with the cathedral with the chooks in it:

 

Hard to see but there are two chooks there. 

From Wikipedia:

The most famous miracle, however, concerns that of the rooster and the chicken, which is said to have taken place at Santo Domingo de la Calzada. The story goes that in the 14th century, a German 18-year-old named Hugonell, from Xanten, goes on pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela with his parents. A Spanish girl at the hostel where they were staying makes sexual advances toward Hugonell; Hugonell rejects her advances. Angry at this, the girl hides a silver cup in the German’s bag and then informs the authorities that the youth had taken it. Hugonell is sentenced to the gallows, in accordance with the laws of Alfonso X of Castile.

The parents sadly decide to examine their son’s body, still hanging on the gallows, but suddenly hear his voice –he tells them that Saint Dominic has saved his life. His parents quickly make their way to Santiago de Compostela to see the magistrate. The magistrate, who is at the time eating dinner, remarks: "Your son is as alive as this rooster and chicken that I was feasting on before you interrupted me." And in that moment, the two birds jump from the plate and begin to sing and crow happily.

Tonight we will eat next door where they appear to have nice pilgrim meals. Tomorrow we may or may not be able to walk depending on Penny's feet.  Another alternative is we do a half day. 

Electric prayer candles!

PS: How are my blisters going?

Still there but not as bad, the one under me foot is drying out ok but the one on the heel needs more time to heal.