The Camino provides. Please let me explain. Last night, Ventas de Naron was a bit of a “downer.” This happens often at the halfway mark on the Camino. Although it was a gorgeous walk the elevation change was about 500m. It wasn’t difficult but it was a workout. Nick said it was his most difficult day so far. I was OK with it but then I had no pain from a twitchy hip that started earlier and I was hoping would not get worse. It hasn’t so far. Nick suggested a taxi for tomorrow. I would wait until the morning to assess the situation.
Our accommodation was fine but what set me off was the fact that the hospitalera said the dryer was broken. I now had to put almost all our clothes outside to dry at 4:00pm and hope for the best.
We had a meagre lunch of bar food and were told that dinner would be available at 8:00pm. Well no. The kitchen actually closed at 8:00pm. They did have the decency to come to our room at 7:30 and ask if we wanted dinner.
I went down on my own as Nick had had a heavy lunch. The menu was the same so I found something to eat – salad, chips and pork of some sort. It was OK until one of the locals at the bar had a screaming phone conversation. After 10mins of this I left. I took my still wet clothes off the line and went to bed.
It was a difficult night.
In the morning Nick was fine. There was no mention of a taxi. Our clothes had dried in the room overnight and the barfly from Hell was gone.
We set out in stunning sunshine to walk 11.3kms through more rolling countryside. I chatted to a couple from Sri Lanka now living where I used to live in London- Ealing, while Nick walked ahead.
The journey sped along and we were in Palas de Rei in no time. I decided that Nick should have a day to walk ahead at his speed and I would walk on my own.
To make up for the rather boring meals yesterday we found a fabulous restaurant in Palas de Rei that did an amazing paella for one and an equally stunning scallop dish. We shared.
Yesterday might have been trying but today so far has been perfect. We are booked into a very eclectic Albergue tonight. The rooms are OK – maybe. But the owner is an Italian chef, who cooks a to die for Italian meal according to the reviews. I hope so because our room is almost behind the stove and a little damp. I will channel Bob Dylan from his early days in New York. Sleeping in kitchens has its own story. I’ll keep you posted.
PS – Those are real scallops which are actually cooked in their own shells. There is so much fake presentation out there that I had to qualify😋