10 June to Barbadelo

Ten things for the tenth

Número One: Bedbug Update

I was sitting on a bench beside one of the main vehicle streets of Sarria finishing off the bread I bought yesterday (now stuffed with hunks of Brie and coleslaw) when I saw three of the guys who had scarpered from the albergue last night. I jumped up and called out to them across the street, “Hey guys, you are so lucky you left. Look, I’m covered in bites!”

“Bullsh*t” the ring leader shouted back.

“Sure is,” I agreed. Not one bite.

Número Two: Damp Clothes

When you see how close the monastery is to the river it goes a long way towards explaining why clothes that were perfectly dry when I laid them on the end of my bunk last night were damp when I went to put them on this morning. Good thing it was a sunny day.

Número Three:

For the readers of the blog, who do not know me in real life, I am not a cat person. When the cute little kitty with black patches on her back legs from that picture up there ^^ disappeared inside the building, I wondered if she would come out again…even though I am not a cat person.

She was curious…and cute…

…but I am still not a cat person.

Número Four: Walk to Sarria

When I wrote about “finishing walking the entire Francés route” when I had done León to Astorga, I had in my mind that we had walked Astorga to Santiago in 2012. Which is true – except that I didn’t! I told you yesterday about Tessa falling over at O Cebreiro on a Saturday. On the Sunday we walked 21km to Triacastela, and when she was still favouring her arm on Monday morning we delayed our walk until we’d gone to the medical centre. The verdict was she needed an xray in Sarria and so I took a taxi with the two little girls while the rest of them walked. We had been going to stay at Samos that night and then walk to Sarria the next day, but the others decided to do a double stage and meet us in Sarria. So I didn’t walk it. But now I have and I really truly have now walked the complete route.

Those who did walk, still – twelve years later – only remember how long it was! Maybe they can look at these pics and see it was truly beautiful!

So while the rest of the family was seeing all these bucolic sights, the two little girls and I, with as much gear as the others could stuff into Grandpa’s backpack and my own backpack and Tessa’s were at the medical centre in Sarria. Once a broken arm was diagnosed, we were then sent up the road to find a bus to Lugo to get a cast put on at the hospital there. Speaking not a word of Spanish apart from thank you at that stage, it turned out to be quite the drama!!

Número Five: La Señora Walking Down the Road

She was muttering something, clearly not having a great day as I approached. Simply wishing her a good day was probably not going to make her happy, and I didn’t know if she wanted to be spoken to, but I took a chance. “Excuse me,” I asked as we got close to each other, “is it five kilometres to Sarria?” An inane question if ever there was one given that I had just looked at the map. Anyway, she must have thought I wouldn’t understand, because she held up four fingers.

“Thank you, that’s even better,” I said, while thinking the map’s 4.8km was probably more accurate. Señora broke into a broad grin that totally changed her demeanour. Made me think there is benefit to the helper when they help someone.

Número Six: Felipe from Belgium

I was sitting on a ledge doing my little sketch for the day when a man asked in English if he could have a look. He then showed me a watercolour painting someone had done in his credential…and asked if I would be willing to do him a quick picture. Why not?

When it was done Felipe asked to say thank you with a kiss on each cheek. The European way.

Número Seven: The Lady Behind Me

While I was drawing an old lady called out of the upstairs window behind me to a guy working on the street

They had a bit of a chat that sounded like a heated argument that finished suddenly with laughter. Then she came downstairs while I was packing up. I wanted to find a Unicaja ATM, even though Google told me the nearest is about three days walk away. So I asked the lady, who by now was talking to the guy, who had just delivered clean linen to the Albergue next door. He confirmed Google, but she was insistent there was an ATM very close by and she gave me very detailed directions to get to it. Worth a shot. Not Unicaja, but fees free so I was happy. The route had taken me past a supermarket so that was useful for the €-situation too. After I had shopped, as I was eating my roll – just after the Bedbug Exchange – who should come walking down the road but this same lady, on the arm of her young assistant (something that is commonly seen here). She stopped to check I had found it. So kind.

Número Eight: Spot the Difference

Rob messaged me when I was in the supermarket. He’s been posting photos on our Gamily Chat when he goes to the supermarket and so I snapped one for him. I ten told him my immediate dilemma. Buy rice pudding or chocolate mousse? Rice would make a suitable breakfast I was reasoning, but mousse would be yum. I was clearly leaning towards the rice as I had put it in the basket. But a series of MOOSE memes made me question my decision. It’s not like I could just take both – they were each four-packs! But then I decided I could, and could give half of them to the lady begging outside! Win-win

Numero Eight:

On our first Camino we didn’t eat out very often, but the day of the hospital drama was one of those times – and this is where we ate. I remembered our then-ten-year-old sitting at the table towards the end of the meal and bursting into tears because his legs were so sore. He’s always been prone to a bit of drama himself, and on this occasion declared he might never walk again. His dear eldest sister carried him down the street to the albergue…and he went on in future years to regularly walk much farther day after day!

Número Nine: Walk On

Sarria is all about pilgrim commerce. You can buy anything you might need to walk a Camino and then a whole lot more. It’s the largest town just outside the minimum distance that you have to walk to be able to get a Compostela and so many many many people start here. I was keen to distance myself from those new hordes for just one more evening and so opted to walk on to the next stop in the afternoon. I almost had the trail to myself.

Número Ten: Swimming pool

Not a bad place to stop for the night. Cotton sheets on the beds. Only four sets of bunks in a room with two showers and a toilet. Wonderful wifi. Bar, patio, loungers…all for €10.