Saturday 14th June 2014.....Camino Day 11!

Last night i read my book till 10.0pm it is great having kindle on my Nexus and my access to books this is a great little machine that I appreciate more each day especially as i get to learn more.....and I slept like a baby till 6.45am..sorry to see that Spain lost their opening game of the World cup the locals will not be happy...whilst having a great cup of tea and a strawberry muffin I went through my morning ritual it is very important that i do not rush getting ready especially my feet and a final check to make sure i had not left anytthing i was out of this wonderful place that i shall not forget. My watch said 9.00am so remember minus 2 hours plus 15 minutes for the real time!!! It was a beautifu morning stil with some fog .... but unfortunatly the first 17 km was on the highway with nothing really interesting to see... ...then it was into the town of Laredo a large vacation and beach town I stopped in another great cheap supermarket and got some OJ and next door a good bakery and then it was down to the promenade and a walk to a small ferry. For 2 Euros and about 2 minutes the boat takes you across the bay. Then it was back on the highway till I came to this fantastic beach and a walk of a few km by it's side ....then came a nasty climb up a hard and sandy and rocky path but the views were so rewarding at the top a left turn and another fantastic beach as always what goes up must come down and i still think coming down is harder on my body but again the views.. then it was about 30 minutes on the beach till I came to a small town and having walked 29 km i figured that was enough for today. I saw signs for a pilgrim hostel and that is where i am. This one is a little different it cost 11 Euros and the rooms are with 6 beds and each room has it's own bathroom and shower really nice. I was the first one in the room and took the far away lower bunk. There is a nice living room with nice chairs and a tv and a lovely looking restaurant. I did my laundry and they have lines outside to hang the clothes in the sun..I then used my Pearson charm to get some milk and had a great cup of tea!!! Time for a rest so I then laid down and I think I snoozed maybe 30 minutes and then had a great shower and when I came out another pilrim was in the room a lady from Sweden who I met 2 days ago we chatted for a while and then I got myself a big glass of cold water and I am in the armchair writing this. I will check out the town and find a store and Internet as it seems although I am connected I cannot get on line. ....the stores are usually all closed on sundays then will come back here for supper and hopefully get the tv on the right channel for more live soccer games. Felt good today and the walking seems easier as I cream and rub my legs it may be my imagination but they appear to be geting firm and developed. I listened to music on todays walk and it is good therapy for me..... Things I learned today The Camino continues to provide. I have great and special friends. Your life can change in a second. It is not easy to let go but for me it is very necessary. It is hard walking on sand. Today I remembered that quote which when I get home I shall get printed and framed on my wall from the young lady I fleeting met in San Sebastion.....'Like life when it is time it will happen" I am so lucky and blessed!! It is now 7pm and I am in a bar with great Internet and they are showing the Italy England soccer game at Midnight hope I can come and watch and stay awake....life is good oh and by the way THE KINGS WIN THE STANLEY CUP!!!!!!! Yashi Kochi!!!

Friday 13th June 2014..Camino day 10!!!

So after I posted last night I really enjoyed the first half of the first soccer game from Brazil and I say the first half because at half time the bar owner closed the bar it was only 11pm and myself and the hostel's worker were the only ones there so I had to wait till tonight to find out the score. Last night was the worst night ever not only did it appear that everyone snored but also a lot of laughing I think some of the pilgrims had too much vino with supper and then at 5.30am the alarms start to go off and the zips back and forth I really got very little sleep so I joined them and got up and was on the road by 6am. I have decided that the Camino is going to be one of the most important journey of my life and I will not let it be spoiled or lessened by the snorers so I have decided that from today i will try to get alternative accommodations where I can but I know this will not always be possible and when I do stay in hostels I will not complain or write about their antics it is what it is and I cannot change their ways so let it be and I am OK with this...... This morning was different a huge thick mist covered almost everything and after a few minutes of walking I was wet from the dampness. Stairs a nice way to start the morning this photo is taken after i walked up them!! I could hear the ocean but not really see it....the first few km were on paths where these cuties were keeping warm!!! and then onto a secondary round and then into a small city where I found a really good and inexpensive supermarket where I bought juice, turkey, fruit and bread and went down to the water's edge and had breakfast!! As I mentioned last night I had booked a hotel for tonight and after 7 hours with these scenes I arrived. Future pilgrims they all say Buen Camino when I go by!! I cannot help but gloat look at that tub!!!!! The room is great and I asked at the front desk and they gave me milk and ice and I had tea and a snack and then I hit the hay. Slept wonderfully for 2 hours and then went for a walk around the property it is very pretty. Came back and had a 45 minute jacuzzi bath!!! At 6.00pm mmmm what did I do??? Oh yes I remember here I am!!!! This photo contains nudity!!!! One hour of soothing and wonderful hands by a beautiful young lady she knew I was a pilgrim and spent lots of time on my feet and legs it was a really great massage made much more wonderful when afterwards instead of charging me the going rate of 55 Euros she charged me 30 Euros and said "Buen Camino" This just goes to show that the Camino does provide which is what i was told by many people and read on many blogs and it is so true and her kindness was just a example ....another small blessing was this morning on the walk I was in a field like setting and knew I had missed a sign and was lost and I not seen anyone when suddenly a woman and her dog appear and set me on the right track...these kinds of events happen every day!! So I just fixed myself another nice turkey sandwich with juice and I am hoping the tv in the room will show the Spain and Netherlands soccer game tonight at 10.00pm. Today's walk of 29 km was hard for me because I was tired when I started but one foot in front of the other I think now I have cracked the 200km barrier. I feel great now my body is relaxed and the massage was superb!!!! Today is Paola's Birthday she is 13 years old and I do miss her and hope she has a special day!! Also yesterday was Janet's special day she was honored with being the President of the Inner Wheel in her town which is a rotary based club. I hope with all her duties she is still able to bake her favorite Brother in law's wingies!!! Talking of food I have had it with that once was my special friend Linda she has this twisted notion of sending me an e mail every day telling me of the food she and Guy are having ...today it was apple strudel.......I may have to block her e mails and give her a blog ban!! Things I learned today. The Camino does provide. I have very special friends(except Linda) Some of the best things in life are not things I miss all that is SMA It is better to give...... Yashi Kochi!!!

Thursday12th June 2014.... Camino Day 9!!!

So here we are again and after I posted last night Estitxu and I had a very rich dessert and tea and chatted before she went to her room to mark her student's examination papers and i did some route planning and went to sleep around 11.30pm feeling healthy and just a bit tired in some places. Now here the story gets interesting well perhaps that is not the right word but anyway during the night i must have tried to see what time it was on my watch and maybe pressed some buttons i should not have pressed anyway when i woke up my watch said 6.45am so I got up cleaned my teeth had a wash went and had some breakfast and realized when I turned my Nexus on that it was not 645am....not even close!!!!! Funny I thought it was dark anyway the outcome of this story is that my watch is way ahead and I do not know how to set the correct time....take you back to when I bought the watch in England my very smart brother and sister in law with directions could not figure out how to set the watch and i finally did it and when the instructions were read correctly it was easy so smart me set the watch one hour ahead to Spanish time figuring no need to bring the instructions less weight right???? Wrong i need those instructions so will e mail Malc ask him to go to my draw get the instructions photograph them and e mail them to me..in the meantime when my watch says I have to immediately subtract 2 hours and add 15 minutes for the right time....do I hear some of you say I need to get a life!!! The other funny thing is that I never ever wear a watch so I could easily do without here but I like to see the time and judge my distance and as I found out later it is a good mental exercise......all this and i have not even left the house yet!!!!! Anyway by the time I had packed and had tea i was out of the house by 6.20am and walked the few steps to get on the tram which came almost immediately and got off at the Guggenheim Museum and started the next stage of the Camino.....I had gone maybe 2 km when i caught up with Matt and another Pilgrim a nice young Italian girl we keep seeing..we walked for a while and then i moved ahead this stage was the least attractive going through shipyards and main roads After 10 km came to this quite interesting bridge and enjoyed the .35Euro 1 minute ride across the river. After going through town there was a steep hill and for the first time I have seen elevators on the side walk!!! All towns should have this....no not the very cute lady the ELEVATORS!!!! Then it was on a cycle / walking path for another 15km before arriving at the Hostel and the BEACH!!!! Did I ever mention I love the beach!!! I was the first person here and I arrived at 12.30pm with the hostel not opening till 3.00pm so I went into town bought a cold orange juice and sat and studied my guides and would you believe that about 25 km away is a ........well I am sorry you are going to have to wait but I went around the corner to a bar that had Internet and got on line and booked a room tomorrow night in a ........sorry I cannot tell you!!!! Two reasons one I am just a smart mouth and a big tease and secondly in my past expectations have come up to rise and bite me in the rear end so I try not to anticipate things but I hope when I write tomorrow night you are going to say"that is one lucky Mexicokid!!!! Anyway a few more pilgrims arrived included guess who??? Of course Eliza!!!! and then it filled up quickly and the last 3 beds to be taken were by the Japanese blind man and their friend and he is actually in the bunk below me and I do believe that Japan does not have a team in the Olympics this time!!!!!!!!!! The hostel is really nice and I did my washing and got sorted and climbed onto the top bunk in the far away corner and rested. Then went to the beach and spent a glorious hour walking in the surf my feet are so happy!!!! I had forgottn that nearly all the beaches in Europe are topless so after walking on pavement for 25km a refreshing walk on the beach is ..well...refreshing. In the past I have been accused of posting inappropiate photos so here is the only topless photo I am going to post Eat you heart out ladies!!! This is the problem I have this is a photo of my big toe and the one next to it overlaps and rubs and causes the big callus and that is what I keep getting cut down but I think I may have solved the poblem because for the last few days I have been spending time filing it down myself and it helps it is not so big nd not sore at all Back around 6pm and got cleaned up and went back to the bar around the corner where they have Internet to post this......the plan is to eat here and watch the first game of the World cup soccer Brazil V Croatia.....a hard life I know. Actually I just had supper and it was great and I have a wonderful seat for the soccer game which I shall enjoy!! Things I learned today. The body is an amazing machine. My feet do not like pavement. Estitxu was a wonderful host and now friend. The Japanese man is my hero. I have great friends and I am truly blessed to be here!!! A walk of 25 km today for a grand total of 180km and it felt good even though the scenery was nothing to write home about it all ended well with the lovely beach and again reading my guide book I think I can expect some tantalizing scenery the next few days. I try to make this blog interesting for everyone and I do enjoy the long time it takes me to do .....by the way donations can me made to...... Yashi Kochi!!!