October 05 2019

I was kind of putzy this morning. Maybe staying by yourself does that to you. I got out finally around 7:30am

Went to the only bar open for breakfast 

They had no menu so I waited for the guy in front of me to order and then said “el mismo del Chico” – the same as him. 

It was pan con tomate and I got a coffee

Then off. It’s kind of hard finding the trail again in big cities so I had to ask three people before I found it again

Today was slow and steady. The terrain wasn’t all that pretty and there was a lot of shitty down hill rocky pebble parts. Aka ankle knee nightmares

Along the way I started seeing almond and walnuts on the ground. There were trees full of them and some people were filling bags of them. Wayyy too much work to partake in

Finished my audio book – Running on the Edge about Meb and it ends with him winning the Boston Marathon at age 38. The year after the bombing. Just the inspiration I needed for the end. My feet started to really hurt af hour 3.5 and I finished around 5 hours.

As soon as I walked into the hostel- who was sitting there? The dutchies

Keep seeing these people everywhere. It’s amazing

I think I drink on this trip more than in normal life. I had three beers with them (nothing tastes better after hiking in the sun) and some jamon and cheese

Then I bought a bottle of white wine and olives and we polished that off with a French dude named Dennis.

There’s some interesting people doing this trek and we’re all like characters of a story 

There’s German Caroline who built a plant in Delhi for her company. She went to India 40 times in 4 years and finally just had enough and quit her job

Dutchies Frank the Tank and Kitty. My hang out buddies every night thus far

French Dennis who had two failed marriages and countless women and affairs and felt unfulfilled and came here 

Sweet religious enlightenment seeking Lillyana from Singapore 

Dude from Florida who’s done the Camino five times and every time gets a massive tattoo of one of the stamps on his body. I’m sure this time is no exception

There’s a family from New Zealand who’s been walking for 40 days with their kid on their back. Just 4-5 years old. They came from Northern France. And then this German lady and her six year old son. It’s her fifth Camino and his second ???

Vincent from Belgium who supposedly ran away from home with only €5 and has come to Spain from Belgium by foot. Although he has cigarettes, hash, is buying food… so idk where he gets the money from. But Frank the tank felt bad for him and gave him a €100 for new shoes and a knife.

Is it bad I’m skeptical?

Anyway after mainly snacks and booze all day, it was finally 7pm ! Aka dinner time! For €14 we got a buffet with free flowing wine, real salad, roasted fish or beef and ice cream.

I’m ridiculously full now