El Camino de Santiago
We were warned that Spain would be hotter than Portugal. But thankfully, we received a break in the weather. Clouds, cool temps, a bit of rain over a week. We’ve used all our layers and have even been cold at times.
Rangelands and their flies have past, and we finally lost the olive and cork trees (cork is an oak as in Quercus species— should have known— and the cork bark is harvested every 10 years). Now there are endless fields of wheat and feathery barley rolling by, patched together by fields of… sunflowers! So many acres of these that I want to ride here again when they bloom. There were fields of peas and others were freshly tilled. Who knows what ancient prehistoric artifacts or ancient Roman coins could have been exposed by the farming? I want to look, but we pedal on. And on.
The Spanish people have been distantly polite to us transients, and we missed the personal exchanges we had in Portugal. But it was okay– we were headed to the El Camino de Santiago.
El Camino. Many of you have heard of it or even done it. We were going to get just a taste. It’s a big deal—not just in numbers of people, but as with any meaningful undertaking, the esprit de corps. We saw more people from the US in 15 minutes than we had in 3 weeks. John got a few “Go Ducks!” in response to his jersey, making him feel at home. Folks from all over the world make the walk. Some do it for religious reasons (in honor of St James/Santiago—a martyr and patron Saint who had been laid to rest in western Spain when angels took him out to sea). Others do it for the physical challenge, camaraderie, or time for reflection. Every reason is the right one. This is the most popular of the Camino paths —Camino Frances. It takes 790 K/491 miles to complete, about a 30-day total trek or 12 days by bicycle. The Camino is also part of EuroVelo Route 3.
Going against the flow, we passed many pilgrims, calling out wishes for a “buen Camino!” (which I interpret to mean “have a good Camino”) or “Adios” (good-bye or literally, to God). Many come alone (like the blind woman we met from Jamaica), but no one is alone on the Camino.
Like most of our routes, it is gravel, but not smooth. In fact, we’ve lost 5 screws on our racks that rattled loose on the jarring descents. One of our 3 nights on the Camino, we shack at an albergue (hostel) with the other pilgrims.
Above: The church in Fromista, where we first hit the Camino.
Below: Images along the Camino.
Although John has never adhered to traditional religion (known to joke “If you don’t sin, Jesus died for nothing.”), his love of people, and bikes gave him many opportunities to share stories at the many watering holes.
We have been impressed by Spain’s investment in wind energy. The ridgetops are lined with thousands of turbines. The country must be less subservient to big oil.
Next we will be heading north, off the Camino, and finishing our stair-stepping across Spain. It’s been nice here, not struggling to communicate. We haven’t gotten used to the lack of dinner offerings. (We eat out a lot.) We have made a daily ritual of drinks after pedaling all day and like the small beers (1.5 euros), and the tapas that come with it. John is smitten that “Estrella Damm” beer is a standard here in Spain. Breakfast restaurants are scarce to none, but bakeries abound. As did fresh squeezed orange juice (we are near Valencia of orange fame), the only fruit in site. Alcohol was universally offered all day long.
Crimson-colored poppies pop-up around every turn, and invariably, charm.
