Camino - Reliegios, Shinsplints and Sister Blisters

Hi! Still here. A lot of pellegrinos (pilgrims) bus or taxi the 3-4 days through the Meseta and now I can see why. As one woman said: " its purgatory!" There were the 17km stretches without water or shade and the villages so shabby they look abandoned. But there were many magical moments too. 

1. We happened on a new, clean municipal albergue where we had the choice of 22 beds. See above. Livin' large, baby!

All the school children made this poster for the kitchen. The town seems really poor and I think they are hoping this albergue reverses their fortunes.

2. We found a litttle Hobbiton. Five homes were built into a little hillock as well as a wine bar. 

" The road goes ever on and on. Out from the door where it began. " Love this.

Some of the villagers were tiny and story book-like too. This lovely shopkeeper stocked one of everything you would need in life, including..,suntan stockings. Whip them out for a royal visit?

3. We were lucky enough to meet Alexander the Great, aka Lex. He's a dog who has already walked 4,200 km from Holland. His owner lost his wife last year and decided to walk the camino but didn't want to leave Lex behind. He fashioned a covered cart for Lex when he's tired and they sleep in a tent because rooms dont alllow dogs. The owner got his brother over to help with this leg of the journey.

4. And look who we bumped into in Reliegos A town in the middle of nowhere). Pietra - Ye olde sister blister!!' oops... should not say "blister"

Its the Scottish Play of the Camino. 

Pietra stumbling to the finish for the day. She's done the camino twice so we went next door to check if the Elvis Bar still had her " kia kaha" - "stay strong" writing on the rafters. It did! Martin Sheen wrote here too while he was making The Way movie. Friends write to say they are watching The Way and matching the places to my pics.

Kevin is really suffering with very painful shinsplints. The physio told him that he needs to take short slow steps. We are hoping he can continue, not sure at this stage. Bummer. 

Sad about Joan Rivers, loved that doco about her, she gave life heaps and she was an uncompromising pioneer and a total dag.

Cant escape the veritable heated debate about Angie's veil - with her kiddie's drawings on it. Cute idea... My two cents Would have looked better on the tablecloth. But hey, they looked happy and amazingly they did not seek my opinion. Buen camino!