On the 23rd of April 2013, I walked from Granon, to Espinoza Del Camino, a distance of about
25 kilometres. By now, the blisters on my feet were starting to heal. The albergue in
Espinoza Del Camino was operated by a wonderful older bearded man called Pepe (Ramon).
Pepe cooked our dinner and our breakfast and entertained us by playing very loud opera music
throughout his small, private albergue.
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Me at a sign outlining the route of the Camino while I was walking from Granon, to
Espinoza Del Camino. It was still very early in the morning and the dawn shadows
were still long as we walked.
A compelling reason for always starting early was to ensure arrival at the next albergue
before it ran out of beds. This is because other peregrinos had already arrived before you.
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Stuart walking in front of me on the way from Granon, to Espinoza Del Camino. This photo
clearly shows the length of the early morning shadows.
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More of the beautiful Spanish countryside as we walked from Granon to Espinoza Del Camino.
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For much of the walking from Granon to Espinoza Del Camino, the Way paralleled a major highway.
This did not raise any safety issues because we did not have to walk on the highway, but the
traffic was noisy.
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Signboard located in the District of El Corro. I walked past it on the 23rd of April 2013
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There were always other peregrinos walking the Camino and I was never alone. This is a random photo I took on the 23rd of April 2013.
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Diary Entry Made on Tuesday 23 April 2013 at 5:58 pm
I am at Espinosa Del Camino in a private albergue with 10 beds. Opera is playing and paella is cooking. I got here with Stuart at about 2:30 pm after walking about 25.3 kilometres according to Brierley.
The albergue is run by a full bearded older man who could be the model for "Ramón" in the movie The Way. It costs €16.00 for a bed, plus evening meal and breakfast. My feet feel much better although the left calf hurt all day. It has been a cold day but the sun has been shining.
For most of today's walk the Camino paralleled the N140 - a busy highway with plenty of noise.
Distance Walked Today: 25.3 kilometres.
Total Distance Walked So Far: 230.9 kilometres.
Total Distance Covered So Far: 243.3 kilometres including the 12.4 kilometres by taxi.
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Soul Song Number 12 - Highway Hiking
(23 April 2013)
It is hard to genuinely sleep on a foam mattress plonked on a wooden floor,
Even if you really are physically exhausted.
Never mind.
You did get some sleep.
Nearly everyone else says they got no sleep at all.
Judged by that criterion, you have been blessed.
You were conscious of the blessing as you strode out of Granon,
For it was in Granon that you slept on the floor.
The cold air snapped at your nose and ears.
Your feet did not snap though.
The blisters were healing.
The remaining ache in your feet did not impede your step.
Your whole body might have still ached,
But you could walk without agonising pain.
Life was good!
You breathed in the holy manna that laced the air,
A divine gift for those who had not forgotten how to breathe.
The highway hiking began.
Although the Camino paralleled the highway,
It was still a good path.
The noise of the traffic faded.
The villages passed,
All in their own good time.
All in their own proper order.
Fields of green stretched all around you,
Lapping at the distant hills.
You were born to do this.
We were all born to do this.
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Soul Song Number 13 - Pepe/ Ramón)
(23 April 2013)
Pepe ran the albergue,
The one in Espinosa del Camino.
It wasn't a big albergue.
It accommodated only ten peregrinos.
The albergue was spotlessly clean.
It was a welcome break after too many days and hours of walking.
Pepe was probably in his seventies.
He spoke only Spanish
We spoke only English.
Although comfortable and spotlessly clean,
The albergue was bitterly cold.
For €16.00 Pepe provided a bed, dinner and breakfast.
There was another unannounced price to pay though.
Pepe impounded our Pilgrim Credenciales del peregrino.
He said we would get them back in the morning,
After he accepted payment of our €16.00.
As I lay upstairs shivering inside my sleeping bag, the music started.
It was overwhelmingly loud.
Opera tenors filled the albergue with opera sung in Spanish.
Pepe showed us the CD box.
It was Il Divo,
Four tenors singing beautiful music just for us pilgrims,
And they sang everything in Spanish.
Ten pilgrims knew that evening that Pepe was a wonderful man.
Ten pilgrims knew that evening that Pepe didn't run the albergue to become rich,
But to provide a welcome to tired, hungry pilgrims.
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