29 August - Day 11

The singing dog kept me awake, so I dressed and left for the albergue. Few people were there, most leave early to walk in the cool morning hours. I packed and left. I get this pain on the side of my left leg, that starts soon after I start to walk and then subsides after about an hour of walking. It feels like it is in a constant cramp. It is getting worse. It burns alot today. I got to the edge of the city and after much thinking and a tear or two, I walked back, crossed the street and took a bus back to town. The post office was near and I decided to lighten my load. I got rid of my sleeping roll (since I haven´t really had a hard time finding places to sleep), my sleeping bag (because now it is hot, and I hear the meseta is hotter), my fleece (ditto), rain jacket (doesn´t looke like rain for a while and I have an umbrella) a dress and a pair of socks. 3 kilos I got rid of. I sent it to Leon where it will be cold again once I move back up into the mountains and I will pick it up when I arrive. It will help to carry less weight. I am now waiting for the bus to Ventosa. I figure not walking for a day may help. It took no time at all to get to Ventosa. I showered, washed and hung my clothes as always and relaxed. The albergue is charming.


Earthy colors, dark woods, relaxing classical music. Bunks. Niall arrived a while later and settled in.


No shops here, only 2 cafes. We went to one that was charming as the woman herself. Picture windows to a sweet garden. Paella for first dish, lomo for second. Salad, wine, bread, and quesadilla (like a cheesecake) for dessert. Got back and chatted with Ben, the gay Viking, about Reiki healing, the Secret. I think this is new to Niall and may have been uncomfortable talking about energy and we are one, etc. I hope Niall knows he needs no lessons on how to seduce a woman . He went to bed and 5 mins later Ben and I had to as well since it´s time for lights out.


Sleeping with a bunch of people is interesting. At one point several people were snoring and they all suddenly stopped in unisom, like the crickets in the woods which all stop chirping when they hear something or like the birds and fish that all turn suddenly. I wonder if they heard something.