Holaaaa!
Day 10 – we can’t believe it. This is such a weird feeling because I feel like we were just starting Camino #1 yesterday. Yet it also feels like we’ve been walking for so much longer than 10 days. This is such a cool experience. You really come to just fully enter into the Camino as if you’ve never left and I love it.
Today we walked 18km, again through the Meseta. We stopped for coffee and breakfast at a cute little cafe that did not disappoint. They make Tortilla, but not as we know it. I think it’s also known as “Torta”. It is potato, egg, and maybe some spices. You can easily change it up, but it’s so delicious even simple like that. It’s a very popular dish in Spain, apparently. My Dad then went ahead of me, and I found myself wandering through town checking out so much.
There was a really cool church that you could tour, so of course I did, and absolutely loved it. The history is mind boggling. On my way out of town I came across a building that is for silence, reflection and meditation. It’s all about creating a calming space for pilgrims to take a break during the Camino. So naturally I stopped there for about half an hour, jounralling and praying. I didn’t know I needed that until I did it. Eventually I left with a new friend of mine and we walked all the way to Itero de la Vega together. Meanwhile, my Dad got so ahead of me that I never saw him until we got to the hostel! For the first time ever, Dad beat me to the hostel! It worked out great because he got us the last two beds! Thank you Jesus!!
On the route today we had extremely minimal coverage, almost no water stops, and a huge incline to complete. And of course, it was 26 degrees with the sun beaming down hard. I was so grateful to be covered head to toe, yet still managed a bit of a sunburn on my neck. It sure made for a sweaty walk. My Dad wore shorts today and sadly got burnt on his legs and hands. Managing sun burns and blisters seems to be half the battle of the Camino. Blister count: Hannah = 4, Dad = 0.
At our hostel we shared a lovely meal – Paella – with many others. This meal, a classic in Spain, is fantastic and well worth trying to make if you can. We have met so many lovely people, including the author of my favourite Camino book! She is staying here with us, and I was so excited to be meeting her. Beebe Bahrami has been walking the Camino routes since 1995 and wrote a fantastic book on the Camino de Santiago de Frances, which highlights a lot of historical and religious sites, as well as food and activities to participate in! Definitely worth looking into.
As a side note, to reiterate from yesterday: I’ve been having some issues with internet connection, among other things, and so that’s why posts have been often delayed. It might seem like a lot, but I’m hoping to have 3 posted by Saturday night so I’m caught up. I prefer posting each day on its own for the sake of organization, so I apologize if the email notifications are annoying you.
Enjoy, and please pray for us!
Hannah and Tony
