Tuesday, June 14, Day 24 on the Camino

Today on the Camino we trekked about 18 miles to the small village of Acebo, maybe with a population of 100 people.
My day started as usual by leaving the hostel about 7:30 this morning, while Monica was still in bed. It was overcast and cold, and this was the first time it’s been this cold since starting in Saint Jean.
It got so cold that I stopped to put on my wool layer at a small cafe in the middle of nowhere. Just as I was getting ready to start up again Monica caught up to me even though she left a half hour after me.

Today the Camino took us through several very small villages and then started to climb into the mountains. We came to one of the symbolic spots on the Camino where over the years people have placed so many stones and rocks under a tall pole and cross that it’s now an actual hill. It’s considered a place for reflection and people stop here to think, pray, meditate, cry, or just sit in silence. It’s not necessarily a religious spot but there is definitely something spiritual about it. Many of the stones have been paint and have messages written on them. Most of the stones have been brought by pilgrims from their homes throughout the world. There are stones, notes, trinkets, jewelry, and other personal items strewn on the hill.

I recently lost one of my best friends, Bob Glackin. He was a high school friend and my very first roommate. I had been thinking of him when I planned this trip and thoughts of him came to me throughout this trip. When we were young everything was so new and exciting and I remember spending countless hours sharing our experiences and dreams. Things I have experienced on the Camino brought back some of those new and exciting feelings, and this made me think of Bob and it made me wish that I could once again share them with him. So, I wrote a note to him and placed it under a rock for him and the world to see.
After we started back up we went through another small village, which started the steepest uphill climb of the day. We went through a tough section that was rocky and eroded, with deep gullies, and it was a challenge pulling the Wheelie up the grade. I knew it would get tougher when I saw two men on mountain bikes get off and push the bikes up to where the Camino crossed the road.
When I got to the top the bikers offer to help me up, but I told then I was fine. The Camino started on the other side of the road and the bikers advised me this section was even rougher and more difficult. I decide at that point to just walk on the road. Even that section on the road was very steep and I just took one step at a time without stopping or looking for the top.
As it turned out from what Monica, and several people, told me I would probably not have been able to walk that section with the Wheelie. It was very narrow and steeply sloped to the side, with deep ruts several feet deep. I was fortunate to have encountered the bikers as they must have traveled that section of the Camino before.
From that point the Camino still continued uphill and then finally began going downhill to Acebo. It was an interesting little village that almost seem to appear out of nowhere as it was such mountainous terrain, and all of a sudden it appeared. It looked almost medieval with its old buildings, many dilapidate, and a steep cobble main street.
I wasn’t excited about finding lodging. The first albergue I looked at was big, old, and didn’t look clean. The second was small and looked even worse. That’s the problem with finding a great place, once you’ve stayed at one, you get spoiled.
We were still high in the mountains and could see the next village way in the distance and possibly hours more away. Not a pleasant thought this late in the day and with rain threatening. We walked to the very edge of town and saw a big fancy motel, and it had a sign that also advertised an albergue.
We walked up the long driveway and saw this beautiful building and surrounding setting. A tour bus parked there no less! We went in and were totally surprised how new and beautiful the place was and the albergue was only ten euros. Also, just as we walked in it started to rain hard. Wow!
We got a bunk bed in a room with eight bunks, lower bunk for me of course. We unloaded our gear and then I bumped my head three times on the upper bunk within ten minutes. It was lower than usual and I picture sitting up quickly in the middle of the night for a bathroom run. Ouch!
Back down to the desk and I was told they had a cancellation for their last private room with three beds in the albergue section for only twenty euros more and it included a buffet breakfast. Sold, and we took the room! I know part of the Camino experience is staying wherever you can find lodging, including the albergues, but there is nothing with a little luxury once in a while when you find it.
We had the pilgrim dinner there with three Australians and one American we had been walking with all day, and that along with a good meal finished a nice day for us. Well, going to our private room while everyone else went to their bunks didn’t hurt either.
Tomorrow we hope the weather holds? We will hope for the best.

Best wishes,
Ted

Please excuse the typos, spelling, grammar, etc., as this is typed on my phone.

Heading out of the village