Things got real today. Daylight savings time left us tired and in the dark. The temperature
dropped below zero and the winds picked up, so we were in for a cold morning. We started
walking at 7:45 am, after forcing down some cold pizza. We were the last to leave.
The first 14 km was mostly road walking through mountains with a constant gradual incline. At
10 am, we stopped to warm up in La Pola de Gordon at El Meson de Miguel, a cosy little cafe
bar, the only one open this Sunday morning. I ordered a Cola Cao (steamed milk hot
chocolate) and Mark ordered a cafe con leche. A steady stream of locals came in for their
morning coffee and greetings.
In Buiza, a hamlet boasting an altitude of 1130m, the road ran out. We pulled up our hoods,
put on our mitts, and started climbing past a cow and her twin calves sharing our path. The
trail spiralled around the mountain in and out of the wind. When we eventually reached the
pass, the wind came with snow. Down the other side was easier at first, but then we had to
skirt a fairly steep pitch. We ended up on a gravel road in the next valley.
Francisco
Francisco is from Barcelona, Spain. He has walked many Caminos and has the patches
sewed to his well-worn pack to prove it. He was walking the San Salvador Camino and then
taking a bus to Bilbao to explore the city. Many Europeans take advantage of the Easter
holiday to sneak in a quick vacation. We spent the next four nights with Fancisco and enjoyed
learning more of the Spanish culture from him.
A short road walk led to Poladura de la Tercia where we are staying in a municipal albergure
housed in an old two room school house for 9 euros each. The room was 12 degrees when
we arrived, 16 degrees now, and filled with the same cast of characters as last night: two
Portuguese, five Spaniards, and us two Canadians.
Restaurante El Embrujo is the only establishment in this town of maybe twenty homes. They
turned me down when I requested a reservation this afternoon using Whatsapp, but when we
went over at 5 pm, they offered a simple plate of ham, bread, and potatoes with paprika for 6
euros each. It turned out that Mark and I could only eat half of what they gave us. The
restaurant was filled with a family gathering so we sat and ate in the toasty warm bar. It’s only
7pm as I write this, but Mark and I will not last much longer tonight.
Camino San Salvador does not suffer fools, and tomorrow’s 13 km will be the hardest. Up,
then down. “Lungs and legs” is how one of the Portuguese described pilgrim requirements.
Mark and I have some work to do.