Ambasmestas

 I guess the reason for her difficulty was that so many accommodations we're closed. Hard to tell if temporary or permanent. I saw very few people walking today, mostly encountered cyclists.  Took a long lunch break, checked my guide and happily realized I had less than 6 kms to go. This is a very quiet village.  I think there are other people staying here. I have a covered balcony. It overlooks main street, but at least I can put my shoes outside.  I'm staying in a hotel. (53 Euros for room and full board. And I'm glad I chose that, as there really isn't any place else to eat, unless I walk one village back or one forward.)

Stopped for second breakfast in Villafranca del Bierzo, and to go to pharmacy. Pharmacist wanted to look at my feet. He put a bandage over my tailor's bunion as if it were a blister. I thought it was sweet, though I did have to reposition it further on.  It did help with the pain in the end. 

I'm still full from lunch and dinner is in an hour.  Breakfast is at 7:15, it'll be another late start.  I wonder how busy it really is? 

I think I hear a bread van, kinda late in the day.

Hotel Ambasmestas, 2022

Raining

Stopped into a winery for a sample, but really this means "last chance for a bio break." While I was drinking the wine and eating the tapa of cheese balls, I looked up and it was dumping rain, so at least I was able to pull out all the rain gear under a roof.  Then of course I was under a clear patch for the next 6 kms or so.  Decided to stay in town, only one other in shared room so far.  Wearing mask, using hand sanitizer as I saw a positive COVID test on the check-in desk.  Hoping for the best, how many people have I encountered where I didn't know? I had a booster about three weeks before I left.  I probably should've walked further today, my feet feel okay, and it makes for a long next couple of days.

My roommate has to send her bag forward and was feeling anxious that she couldn't find any available place.  I walked into the place I am today, but booked tomorrow.  At least it includes dinner + breakfast.

I wandered and got lost earlier. In Cacabelos.  Last night in Ponferrada.  Was finally able to visit castle. My feet were killing me, but then I went to the Museum of El Bierzo, too.  They were all free yesterday.  I would like to spend more time there, also in Leon.

I wasn't able to catch the bus to Leon, and because I had booked a room, felt like I should get there. I was offered a cab, it was very expensive, but I took it.  Got me there four hours early.  Found a farmers market and wandered.  Then went to try to find hostel. Then sat at a cafe and ate slowly.  When I checked in, the first thing the clerk pointed out to me was the nearest laundromat.  Did I smell bad? Perhaps. I did want to do laundry. It was in the residential part of town; and it was fast. Went and had a coffee while my clothes washed, and stayed for the dryer.  Later went back to Cathedral (with my laundry in tow.) I haven't been back since 2005, I appreciate the stained glass more now, though I still like the cloister.  I went to a couple other places in the morning before I had to check out.  Still, there's a lot more I'd like to see.

The hospitalero in Villalcazar offered to drive me to Carrion de los Condes because I think he thought I was ill, I'd been coughing up hairballs all morning, I think it was from all the debris in the air the day before.  Anyway, I walked.  It was cold. Fog dropped down in fingers making everything blurry. About halfway, the sun was high enough to hit the fog and make an arc of light, like a rainbow without color.  It was beautiful. It drifted apart and then re-formed a short time later.  So, it was a good walk, and then a long cab ride.  I will book bus tickets ahead of time.  (There was only one daily bus.) Cheers.

Fogbow, walking to Carrion de los Condes, L Herlevi

Only One Week In

 It's weird already thinking about planning the rest of my days to make my flight. I feel like I just got here.  The weather was funny today, just enough big drops of rain coming down to make everyone stop to put on rain gear only to stop and get warm again as soon as you got covered up.  The shop owner was telling me it had been quite crowded even a week ago, but now very few people are coming through. I'm walking to the next village then catching a bus to Leon. Then I'll either go to Astorga to see the museums or to Ponferrada to see the castle, then start walking again.  Should be able to walk the rest and then make my flight.  Of course if I do, I'll hit the crowds.  And I ve met a lot of interesting people.  That's life, though.  I have to do what's best for me. In Villalcazar de Sirga. Last night in Boadilla.  The food is quite good.

Now it is Autumn

 We've gone from 104 F to 72 F today. The lows will be in the 40's for next week or so.  Windy, too, though this seems to be a windy area. Didn't get walking until probably 7:30 ish. When I woke up half the room had already left, which is quite the change from yesterday, where it was noisy and someone turned on the lights at 10 before 5 am.  I only woke up this morning because someone's alarm went off at 5:30 am.  Walked just under 20 kms.

For the record: Burgos, Tardajos, Hontanas, Castojeriz, Boadilla del Camino. I probably could've walked further, but everyone else was heading to Fromista, and it seemed like it might get hard to find a bed, plus the food here is good, and there's a huge yard to hang out in. I'll probably catch a bus to Leon or Astorga soon, getting short on time.

I have a wool top on, it feels chilly after a week over 100.

Bit the Bullet

 Staying in a big albergue in Hontanas, seems to still have beds. I'd stopped in a place called San Bol, it was full, so I couldn't stay. I'd gotten blisters because it's tailor's bunion pain or blisters (not lacing first part of show to create more space in the toe box, it makes my feet slide more.) These French peregrinos didn't think I should walk to next village, distance, heat, limping, and asked the man who was cleaning if he'd drive me there, also he called and held a bed for me, and for another French peregrino, whom I think has a knee issue. So, we are both here.  Also, the kindness of the French people kept making me cry.

Have finally done laundry, waiting for a shower. Then I'll have to deal with my feet more.

My internet is dropping in and out. Apparently my phone company was bought out, and I might have issues until I remove and reload app. I can't remember my password, neglected to write it down.  

The storm arrived late. I was watching TV but turned it off because I thought it was flashing too much.  In retrospect, I think it was the lightning. Flashed for a long time in silence, got quite windy, when I looked out the window, lots of crap blowing under the street lamps.

Later the rain came, and I thought I saw some pale animal dashing through the wheat.  Been humid today.

Lots and lots of butterflies today. Also a couple of big green lizards. Woke up at 5:30, but didn't get out until 7. Will probably easier tomorrow with all the other people getting up.

A woman who was washing laundry with me said she hasn't booked ahead at all.

Cheers

What to do

 Lost my post, internet cut out.  It's getting stormy, breezy and actual clouds, yet still quite bright and hot. Came outside, my room was getting too hot.  We're going to get a thunderstorm.

So, I've been averaging between 40-50 Euros/night for lodging, and still coming up empty for pre-booking tomorrow, so do I just wing it and hope I find a bed? Not all places let you prebook, and I know COVID protocols changed things, but it's kinda lonely travelling this way (and I really need laundry facilities.). Should I cut the chord and just walk? Worst case scenario, I'll have to find someone to help me find a bed, and hail a cab, which will be stressful, but I was seeing 70 Euro/night, and that's not sustainable for long-term.  Wish me luck.

The thunderstorm won't cool things down much, though once again the breeze is nice.

New City, Still Hot

 Made it to Burgos midday. I almost missed my bus, driver was pulling away from curb by the time I figured out how to use the door, everything has become touch-free, but I was confused if it was a door. Anyway, he let me get on the bus, even got off to let me stow my backpack in the hold.

It was pretty full, but since it's mandatory to wear a mask on public transport, everyone was. And that was good, as there were several people coughing and sneezing, including person right behind me (I'm writing on my phone and it keeps auto-correcting me.)

Anyway, by the time I started walking it was really hot, and I drank a whole bottle of water in the first km or so.  This place is nice, outside the city, west, I guess.  I ended up booking another hotel for tomorrow, though I can't keep doing this.  Also, it's closer than I want to be, but tomorrow will be the hottest day, and everywhere close, i.e., next 20 kms, is booked.  I got a lot of time to kill tomorrow. Someone told me that people are leaving at 4:30 am to beat the heat.

I went back to an ermita I'd passed earlier. It was still open, the sign seemed like there should be a Mass, but there was a groundskeeper working and a woman sitting on a bench but she got up and walked toward the gate when I passed.  No one inside.  I got a bit emotional.  Hard to explain.  Tiny space, a figure lying in repose taking up most of the aisle.  The ermita is for St Amaro?  French, I think.  Anyway, I touched his feet, put my palm against each of his soles; they felt real, the shape, the way my hands held against them.  Asked for a blessing of my feet. Santiago was at the altar, asked for a pilgrims' blessing since I began my journey in a bus station.  After I moved my hands away from his feet, the building started creaking. And yeah, there is wind blowing, and it's a very old structure, still, it was a bit spooky.  When I walked back out the groundskeeper and the woman were in deep conversation.

I bought some fruit on my way back, then went to the bar nextdoor. Strong cross breeze blowing through.  Out through the back door, there's a big playground.  And in spite of the heat, people out for evening stroll, at the playground, having picnics in the park.  I would've stay, but have to get up early.  I can hear the people outside, both bar patrons and playground.  Alas, I can't hear the music, was really enjoying it, kinda 80's music, but Spanish.

It's too light out to sleep.

Things

 Oh, I guess one of the reasons for all the police was the King was coming to the palace, but that was Monday. Maybe there were dignitaries in town. 

Still in Madrid

Changing plans on the fly. Decided to stay extra night in Madrid, switch rooms to one in the old part of the city.  Read reviews after I'd booked it, which were awful, so pleasantly surprised so far, minus the poor soul puking out their guts on the other side of the wall (my bed being against their toilet), but I can't fault the pension for that.  Dropped my bags off earlier (and near Plaza del Sol there were at least two places with storage lockers, which is good to know), ran some errands, and then stopped in a bar for lunch. I was in there for over an hour, and when I walked back outside, just blasted with heat. Now it's 102 or something, but at least no humidity. Still, it radiates off all the stone, there are some shades hung over streets to help block some of the sun.  So, basically, I'm now sitting in a dark room watching cartoons dubbed in Spanish...it calms my brain.  Thought about going to the Thyssen gallery but couldn't muster the will to go back outside. It'd be a shortish walk, too. I've been going back out later in the day, seems a shame to be here and not explore.

The food tour was fun, and this is my second one, first in Barcelona, pre-Covid. It can get lonely travelling alone in big cities when you aren't fluent in the language. There were only 7 of us, 3 Australians and 4 Americans.  Everyone was friendly. We got a bit of history, ate some food, tried various drinks, such as two different tempranillos aged the same, but grown in different soils and tasting quite different.  As well as different labeled jamons, almost all of us preferring the red label, black being the most expensive, red being second.  I think red can be 75% black hoofed, acorn fed; black label is 100%, but also aged longer.  We had vermouth at another place and ended at San Gines for churros and chocolate.  (The first night I was ever in Madrid I heard people on the street and got up to go wander and ended up at San Gines around midnight.  This guy that spoke English hit on me, which is amusing, I looked like a dork.)

I bought a bus ticket to go north tomorrow.  Not any cooler there. Then the week seems to be ending with thunderstorms everywhere I want to go, but by late weekend the temps drop down to more reasonable.  It's not unreasonable to not want to get heatstroke.

The swifts are still screaming around the sky, I can hear them through the closed window. They always surprise me, we don't have them back home, how they suddenly gather en masse scream through the air and then break up again.

I was doing intensive spanish lessons for past couple of months, it helps, but still difficult.  It only got to past tense. Aside from the tour group, really not encountering english, although, yes, lots of travellers speak english, but unlike in the past, I'm not staying in shared room in a hostel.

I should go out.

Madrid

 I'm in Madrid. It's hot. Hovering around 100 F hot. I took a taxi from the airport here for the first time, normally, I'd take the Metro, but didn't want to walk to my hostel jet-lagged, and dragging luggage in the heat.  There wasn't any traffic, so it was pretty fast.  And after all, my stressing regarding travel forms, there were no passport nor COVID checks to go through. By chance I backed up and looked at someone's phone after I passed by, and he ended up being my taxi driver. (He had my name on his phone screen, held up.)

I've been sick, puking my guts out six hours before my flight, I figured it was stress from annual review at work or bad yogurt. I'm still a bit queasy, but I didn't get sick on the flight.  My review was stressful, and while I'll concede maybe I'm not proactive regarding my own work development, it's partly I hadn't felt encouraged in the past and being the front desk person seems like the afterthought as far as career development and work loads.  I will give her credit for having made the offer for training, but I couldn't imagine what training would be approved, so I guess I didn't really pursue it.

And she kinda mocked me for not wanting to take my time off when it was too hot to hike, she didn't think that was a legitimate concern as far as office flow goes.  But that's how I want to spendy vacation.  And when are we supposed to pursue our own lives?  Does work have to come first until we retire?  And if so, how is that a life?

Anyway, it's either excessively hot or thunder storms everywhere I want to go.  It's after 11 pm now, and still in the 90's.  

I took a nap, which seemed long, but was out two hours and then went out to wander.  I need to drop my pack weight (as usual) a d then of course went into a torron shop and bought torron, which is heavy. Maybe I'll send it forward. Then I went next door to that shop and ate fancy tapas.  The neighborhood was crawling with cops, big guns.  Maybe some official was there, or neighborhood was sketchy. I didn't feel unsafe.

Tomorrow I am think I'll do a tour, and then find a post office, and buy a bus ticket north.

Cheers.