Thursday, May 16, 2024

Our plans were thwarted to wake up by 7:00 am due to noisy early risers, as always. We prepare quickly, pack, and grab breakfast downstairs before setting off. Yesterday we were turned away from a full albergue, forcing us down the Camino ten kilometres. We unanimously agree that our new-found lodging at the end of an extra long day was superior to our initial choice. Today, we begin walking the flatland Meseta! This is the area comprising the central plateau of Spain. Largely grassland, the views afforded stretched for tens of kilometres in all directions. The wind can be spotted in waves through the grasses and immature fields. Sander suggests a group challenge: two kilometres from a hill, he proposes a race to the top. A half-hour of running, top-gear hiking, and scrambling up a 110-metre hill over four kilometres produces four wheezing and red-faced Camino pilgrims. Laughs. High-fives. Pranks. Congratulations Sander—today’s best man on the Camino! Find our albergue. We eat a “pilgrim menu meal”, a three-course dinner set at a reduced price for those carrying a pilgrim passport walking to Santiago. We meet a wonderful French couple at our table, speaking mixed sentences of English and French to tell our stories. A very satisfying day on the way! Great scenery and wonderful camaraderie. Silly and irresponsible challenges produce laughs from fellow pilgrims. A tasty dinner followed by many chess matches with the lads before turning in for the night.

Today’s distance walked: 37.9 km    |    Total distance walked: 388.31 km

Merging the ridiculous with the significant.