Last night we were very tired after our 31km hike but ventured out (into freezing cold) looking for a beer ( the bar in our hotel is sterile). Just around the corner we found a delightful bar served by a beautiful young woman we dubbed Pocahontas who though not speaking a word of English was charming and we gulped down a draft or two or three. We had the Pilgrim menu at the hotel and again our host was absolutely charming communicating mainly with his hands. On the TV in the dining room Real Madrid were playing Juventus in the Champions League quarterfinal and he kept us updated with the score on his fingers. The food was typical of the region, wholesome and delicious but I really don’t know what we were eating …..well the first course was a thick soup/stew with portions of a spicy and black sausage served on the side.
This morning we were grateful for the substantial dinner because breakfast was sparse; corn flakes, muffin, cake and biscuits (great coffee).
The weather was kind this morning and conditions perfect for hiking and we were able to follow the Camino path for the best part of the day. The hike stared with a 8.5km/2h40 climb moving from 550m up to 1150m through and up the mountains. The ascent was sometimes gentle, frequently steep and periodically suited only to mountain goats and beyond humour. For most of the climb we walked about 50m above a strongly flowing stream with a soundscape of rushing water (and thumping heart beat). We crossed numerous waterfalls some being quite tricky. The beauty of the surroundings compensated somewhat for the suffering.
At one stage as our path crossed over the road, a string of motorcyclists on powerful bikes roared past swaying left and right through the sharp bends powering up the mountain pass.
At the top we chatted to a few fellow pilgrims we’d met over the previous days, shared our stories of the morning and then moved on quickly as the cold air began to freeze our sweat drenched clothes (still vestiges of snow around us).
The first km of the descent was brutal but then eased up and the rest of the hike was relatively easy punctuated occasionally with short, sharp climbs and muddy areas.
We stopped for coffee and a doughnut at about 3pm in a little village; we’d not eaten since breakfast. It would appear that when two or more houses come together they are considered a village worthy of a name 🙂
We were met in La Mesa (perhaps six houses) by a driver who transferred us back to the hotel in Pola. Driving back through the mountain passes we were mightily impressed (and humbled) that we’d climbed over and through those mountains today.
A good night’s sleep (after a beer and supper) before we tackle the morrow and the next stage in this adventure.
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