Time Arrived: 12 noon
Distance: 18.5kms
Cumulative Distance: 155kms
Percentage Completed: 19%
Weather - Sunny and warm
Accommodation: Hotel Palacio
Feelings: Henk - Positive, Neil - Good, Di - Realistic
This blog is in two parts because I had to either be stupid or sensible. I chose the latter. After I put on my boots this morning I decided that swollen feet from the heat and the accompanying blisters were not a good thing for anymore walking. I went to Viana in the local bus and Henk and Neil walked.
My morning:
Our hotel manager spoke Spanish and French so with my little Spanish I ascertained where to catch the bus, the time and the cost to get to Viana. The bus was meant to leave at 8.15am but eventually arrived at 9.00am. In the cool morning I was joined by approximately 25 other Peregrinos who were either injured or wanted to get further along the way. Walkers who had kept us company en route, the two American women, Nancy and Marty and the Sydney woman, Jenny who had been lain low with a virus were waiting also for the bus. It was a lovely ride through the countryside and I saw many pilgrims. It only took about 20mins compared to 4.5 hours for Neil and Henk. On arrival we were immediately impressed with the small, hillside town of Viana. It has a lovely plaza lined with outdoor cafes alongside a very impressive, large stone church, Santa Maria.
After finding Jenny's Albergue and visiting a chemist she and I spent a pleasant morning sitting under a large umbrella in the plaza chatting away, having coffees, and getting to know each other. At noon she went to her Albergue as that was when it opened and I walked along the Main Street to see if Henk and Neil were arriving. I timed it well as they were just entering the town so I welcomed them to Viana. We were pleased to see each other and share our morning's stories.
Neil and Henk's Morning:
The 7.00am breakfast meant we could leave at 7.30am. It was cool walking through the plaza which had its lights on due to the late rise of the sun.
We were soon onto the open fields where the super moon was just setting. The many pilgrims looked like they were walking towards the moon.
It was an easy walk and we made good time. We met two Melbourne brothers in their early twenties one of whom is undertaking the walk a second time. This time it's in Crocs rather than walking boots as his theory is that it is the perspiration that causes blisters of which he had many last time. Walking with the two young guys meant for a quicker pace and pushed us along a bit. Also, we talked a lot and the kilometres seemed to melt away. We came across an enterprising store holder who insisted on donations rather than direct payment which meant most paid more than market price!
The rest of the day:
As we had the afternoon off we had a long lunch in one of the cool, narrow cobbled streets. We had the Menu del Dia and Neil and I mistakenly ordered a bottle of white rather than glasses of wine which was a good thing!
We watched the many walkers pass by as they were undertaking the extra ten kilometres to Logrono. It would have been a hot afternoon for them. We will be doing this section during the cool morning and having a short day. It is estimated that approximately 250 - 300 walkers are coming through the towns each day.
Good on you, Di,
ReplyDeleteHope you are on the mend now.
Lyn and Paul