9th June Busy

 

Larado to Guermes 28.4km

There is a question asked by many travellers around the world. "how do you know if someone is American? The answer is simple. You can hear them. Today , on what has been hy far and away the busiest day so far, our colonial cousins appeared on the Camino . And you could hear them coming long before they came into view.

It was busy because we started with a pinch point leaving Larado in the form of a ferry which only began to operate at 9am. So with everyone being used to being on the road by 7am by the time it finally chugged into view, there must have been 50 or so pilgrims waiting to do the 5 min crossing. 

It also meant there were 50 pilgrims disembarking at Santona, all frantically searching for the tell tale yellow arrow or scallop shell. From days of often solitary walking the early part of the day felt a little but of a pilgrim procession. 

The highlight of today, was undoubtedly the 3km of gorgeous golden beach that we were able to walk along mid morning towards the seaside resort of Noja, rucksack sporting pilgrims going one way, budgie smuggling Spanish sunseekers going the other. 

Again food/refreshments have been an issue with innumerable places that I passed resembling wild west ghost towns. Surely someone should be on the Spanish version of "Dragon"s Den" with the idea of a cafe!!

According to the various guides, tonight's albergue in Guermes is one of the highlights of the trip, the Albergue del Abuelo Peuto, founded and run by Father Ernesto Bustio Crespo (go on Google him). In 1999 he turned the family home into what is today one of the most charismatic hostels on the Camino del Norte...an oasis on a hilltop at the end of another long 8 hour day walking. 

A few hours relaxing in the extensive gardens, a talk about his life that seemed to last as long as today's  walk (lol ) a shared communal meal for the 74 pilgrims from 18 different nations gathered here  (I had people from France, Belgium,  Check Republic and Italy) and I collapsed into bed at the end of what has been a busy day indeed.

PS The image used today is not how I  currently look after 9 days on the Camino. I look much worse!!