Our Walk Along the Camino Frances

Simplicity on the Way  Early Morning on the Camino We awoke early when many of the other 16 people in our little room decided to start packing up and getting ready to leave at 4 AM. It was hot and humid, so by 4:30 we too were packed and back on the trail. Today, as always, I am amazed at the ability of the human body to continue onward, despite being hungry, tired, and unpleasantly warm. Breakfast on the Way   On our way out of town, we discovered that a nearby bar was already open, or rather, it had yet to shut, due to last night's customers still watching the soccer game. This allowed us to have a quiche and café con leche prior to getting underway for the day. Today, much of the hike was along the roadway or Senda, which punishingly reflected the light and heat as we walked onwards through the towns of El Burgo, past Villamarco, and Reliegos.     Perhaps the most beautiful part of today was during the early morning when we walked towards the setting full mo...

Pilgrim Advice in the Meseta Camino Frances Pilgrimage After a wonderful night's rest, we both slept in until 5:45 AM! Despite this, we were still up and packed by 6:15, and ready to have a quick coffee and breakfast in the albergue before heading out. On the Meseta, weather conditions become important to your daily routine, given that there is little shelter from the rain, sun, or wind. So far we have been very lucky with regard to weather, and today turned out to be no exception. Out here, these daily blessings are what make the difference between a great day, a manageable trek, and a challenging slog.     In the early morning light, we hiked beside a busy roadway to the village of Moratinos, where we stopped for a coffee and to pack away our sweaters. From there we walked along the edges of fields and began to see large wind farms on the horizon. Eventually, we came to the church of San Nicolas, which was a large brick and adobe structure with a bell gable on top - th...