It is Thursday, the 18th of May and I am resting chatting with Joseph from Switzerland In the courtyard of the Albergue Rio Aljucen in the small village of Aljucen. We first met at the Municipal Albergue in Guillena on our first night out from Seville 9 days ago. Joseph pictured below in the blue shirt is 70 and I am 62.
Last night we stayed together in a room at the Albergue Placio de Los Lamas in Torremejia. The room had 10 beds and 9 old men from 57 to 78. The only exception was Toby from Bavaria(36). I laughed when I went to the toilet at 3:00 AM and there was a line (queue). And of course there were two serious snorers placed strategically on either side of the room. Fortunately on the Camino you are usually so tired and with decent ear plugs you still get some rest. Above me in the bunk bed was Cornelis (74) from Holland. He is walking with his wife of 50 years, Johanne(76). They are pictured below.
This is a very different Camino. Almost everybody has done a minimum of Camino Frances and most of us others. Unlike Frances which pretty much anyone with the desire can do, this Camino is more difficult. You can go 20 to 30K and not pass a house, shop, bar or Albergue. It is longer than Frances’ 790K at 1000K. It is grueling. There is very little talk of pain or blisters. These are all hardened Camino veterans.
Unlike Camino Frances, this is not so fun. This pilgrimage requires more determination and resolve. I suppose we’re mostly a bunch of old men and some women who refuse to stop walking. I would not bet against anybody I have met on this Camino not to go the full course to Santiago.
Buen Camino! Ultreia (Onward)!
Louis (78) from Paris pictured below in the orange shirt.
