The Tasty Pilgrim

Perhaps El Camino de Santiago is the safest road in the world. The way has been celebrated as the only path officially recognised by the United Nations for its cultural aspects. Also it has the financial support of a United Europe. If the Camino had not been there, this part of Spain would be one of the poorest on the continent. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims walk the way every year. This pilgrim´s path is protected by the Guardia Civil. The Guardia Civil is the Militairy Police and their powers are vast. No one in his right mind would try to steal or rob a pilgrim. If caught he would be beaten up to pulp. Do not forget that in this region there is also the ETA active. It is a political movement to separate this region from the rest of Spain. Unfortunately their methods are by terror attacks. So I left Los Arcos and bought some fruit and apple pie to munch on the road. Soon the path turned into a muddy track. It was cold and now and then it rained a bit. You needed to concentrate on your feet. A pity because the landscape is really awesome. Certain sections of the path have been paved recently. Almost every hour a patrol car Guardia Civil slowly passed us. Then the path crosses the road and continues on the other side. Everytime there is a patrol car with lights flashing and the few cars that follow the road drive carefully. I always greet the Guardia Civil and wish them a good day. They explained to me that with this kind of weather they are out in full force. In the mud pilgrims could make a nasty fall and then they pick them up and rush them to a doctor or so. The path is always next to the road and today I looked at the path and decided to walk the side of the road. But often the path goes right across a ridge and you need to follow it again, as you do not know where the road leads to. At one point it went up so steeply, that I shouted UP UP UP and so hoisted myself up the mountain. I passed the village of Torre del Rio. Here you will find the grave of Cesare Borgia. Originally the family came from Spain. But his father became a pope and so everyone thinks they are Italian. There is a great novel called the Borgia Ring. His sister was known for the fact she poisened her lovers. Again I came to a well constructed path. The old path really is a goat´s trail here. Stubbornly I deceided to follow that. Great, just great. Here there are still traces of the original vegetation. You walk among bushes and flowering plants and the fragrance in the air is marvellous. Now and then I stopped to have a look at it in spite of the weather. Twice I came across a small hut made of lose stones. Thousands of years ago it was used for shelter. At one point the rock dropped down two meters. With one hand I held to a small tree and lowered myself down and found a small ridge for my foot. When I had accomplished it I shouted out ! Felt just like a pilgrim from the middle ages who had to go along such primitive paths. You see the origin of a path is usually a deer track ! I walked on till I came at the town of Viana. Only once I stopped in a bar for a caffee con leche and a boccadillo con tortilla frances.

For hours and hours there is no place to stop and have a coffee. I had left at seven in the morning and now it was two o´clock and I felt tired and muddy. Next to the refugio is a ¨hotel¨where I went inside. The same girl I had seen last year working in the restaurant was now the receptionist. I remembered her for the fact that her name is Maxima Gorgieta, the same name as our crown princess. So I greeted her with her name and made her a compliment that she had been promoted to the reception. It always helps when you speak the language and know how to pay a compliment. Anyway she was so pleased that I remembered her from last year that a room was offered at reduced prices including breakfast and WASHING ALL MY DIRTY CLOTHES. I accepted graciously and before entering the room took off my muddy shoes. ¨A bathtub, a bathtub, a kingdom for a bathtub " was n´t it a line from Henry IV by Shakespeare ? I peeled off my clothes and let the warm water fill the tub and floated in there for a long time. Nothing better then soaking the aching muscles in hot water. I just lay in there till all the soreness had left my legs. Then I went down for Menu Pelegrino. Great cuisine this place has !!!!!! Later on I will dwell on it. Clean sheets and I slept like a log for the rest of the afternoon. I collected my dirty clothes and put them a plastic bag and brought them to the reception desk. The expression¨" to stink like a bear" should really be " to stink like a pilgrim" . They all do in this type of weather. In every refugio you can wash you clothes by hand, but it does not dry in this rainy type of weather. So at last you just put on the same shirt and so on. I had brought some special underwear and shirts, quick drying and anti bacteria, so anti stink. Later in the evening after a special meal I collected the bag from the reception desk. Wow, smells good ! I stepped into bed and enjoyed the sleep of the innocent.

THE CLEAN SMELLING PILGRIM !