Sunday walk up a mountain…today, although a short walk it basically was up a moutain and then always the worst…down a mountain. Nonetheless, as always surprises wait for you around every corner. The views were spectacular, the air amazing and crisp, a tiny village at the top where we had coffee and homemade chestnut cake fresh from the oven in a tiny little Albergue, acres of domaci kupus (up until now I would have described it as Croatian cabbage…but clearly have to reconsider the naming rights) and the sensation of the day, apparently the largest natural chestnut grove in Europe. Beautiful and BIG trees.
At the top we met a lovely Canadian man who was completing his fourth Camino at 78. His great line is “I enjoy a terrible memory, so I have to come back and see it again”. He then proudly said “I hope to do it again to celebrate my 80th birthday” after which he showed us his latest acquisition, a tattoo on his right arm of the Camino yellow and blue arrow.
The climb down was not so much fun, but manageable. We spent the night in a tiny, tiny village and shared a meal with Sue who has caught up with us again. Tomorrow’s walk is a challenge – straight up a mountain …but more on that tomorrow.
So the last 200km is not such a “walk in the park” – I’d fogotten about the possibility of more mountains.
Ringed by them so looking at our cross sections we’ve got some more ups and downs but gradually less.