Isnochys

14. Juli
23.8 km
9h
4 beer+

A, tu es a cabron!
What a morning..what did I do last night?
who..when..where..why..what?
I..Ican’t even begin…I can’t remember..what?
This was one of my hardest mornings.
No..didn’t have an hangover..
No Headaches, nothing..
I was just so tired!
Wherever I had the chance, I tried to get some sleep..
In bars, restaurants, fountains, etc.
But why are you making all those jokes about me?
What did I do yesterday?

But again thanks to Holly, I made it up to La Faba..total exhausted.
And she is making dinner!
Hooray!
On the way, we talked a lot.
And another soul brought to the german side of life
:))
I just love to surprise people, and it is easy as german to impress them;)
Yes, I know some foreign bands..like Beatles:))
Sesamestreet?
Yepp!
Gummiboot?
What?
🙂

The way up to La Faba is really hard..and again, Holly pushed me up.
But here in that alberge there are too many germans..real ones.
Always complaining and shit:
„We are walking the camino like our son last year..but he told us now, he often took the cab..“
„And than, we were in that village, no alberge, just a little room, next to the church, primitive toilet..no showers..and we had to pay 2 euros.
So, we complained..and then the preist took our money, spit into his hands and threw it in front of us onto the floor..“
Awesome!!!
I would have paid, to see such things!
And germans are very noisy..
I don’t like them!
I think, tomorrow, Holly and me, we have to look for better countries on the camino;)

Some Impressions:
Georg and Holly, Danger!Danger! High Voltage!

13. Juli
30.2 km
6-12h
2 beer(++++++)

Veinte Euros!!
There are storys, where you only have two options. You could try to quiet them down..or tell them, that there be legends!
I think, this day is one of those story producing days.
Starting early in Molinaseca, the room was already empty, I walked peacefully to Ponferrada.
Took some pictures there from the castle..and moved on.
At Compostilla, I heard one voice:
„Jorge!!“
A, stayed in Ponferrada and here we meet again. First, we went into the next bar, for „desayuno“, breakfast.
After an oppulent meal, hot chocolate and Cola, back on the Camino, we started talking.
Absolutely hilarious!
Me, „hablo solo un pocito espanol“, and A, „que? no ingles!“
And one of the first things he showed me was his new mobile phone.
for only „veinte euros“
amazing!
:))
His father gave him updates, where good bars were. He works for the renfe, I think;)
So we had to stop everywhere and drink here some and there some.and exchanged stories.
I would have stayed in Cacabelos, but A urged me, to go on.
Up the hills to Villafrance. where we met H.
With more hilarity, A retold our stories, which took a lot longer that time:))
Arrived at the alberge, we were desperately searching for beer.
The place for beer is obviously the marketplace.

So we went there.had a burger and two beer..and were about to leave..
But than we had to entertain guests.
Dropping by, more and more known pilgrims sit with us, drank a beer went on, us still sitting there, more guests, more beer and „ron cola“ which ist „Cuba Libre“ in spain.
from 14h to 20h we sat and drank..
And fast back to the alberge, dinner awaits.
At that point, I was bit drunken.
I can’t remember using the shower, but H and Kim, australia, ensured me the next day..yes, I used the shower..
During dinner, I went down into the cellar, to get some drinks, sure H will tell you another story, but whom to trust?
:))
As you can see from those pictures here, 2h am .. I was really pissed.
Can’t even remember what funny stories I told..and repeated. but that’s not my fault:)

And so the next day awaits with pure horror..

Some Impressions:
Ponferrada, Castle Ponferrada I, Castle Ponferrada II, Castle Ponferrada III, Castle Ponferrada IV, View to Castle, Villafranca, Market with guests, A and guest, crazy pilgrims, Georg and Alvaro, drunken pilgrims, Georg and Alvaro

12. Juli
26.1 km
6.5h
4 beer++

Cruz de Ferro!
But first things first..
Spain is world champion de footboolll.
congracilaciones!
I heard this shocking news this morning..but it was so quiet tonight!
Doesn’t matter, I had to go on.
Up to Cruz de Ferro, and down to Molinaseca.
Going up,up and up, I was talking to myself..complaining about the hard walk..when suddenly 2 voices appeared:
„George, you are getting slower!“
H and Betty, running up the hill, dragging me with them.
And entertaining me all the way up..telling storys, singing, talking and chating..
No, I am so comfortable being a sourpuss..don’t change me.
Ah, Cruz de Ferro. Finaly, I can put the big heavy stone down.

Walking afterwards seems to be easier, I think.
But even then, I had to break up with H.
I realized, she walks to fast..and is vegeterian..this won’t work!
But thanks anyway, H!
Wouldn’t had this much fun on the way.
Downhill, I was alone again.
And go very sentimental..als those nations, together in peace..this sounds like crap..but it isn’t

In the alberge, for the first time on that camino, I stayed in another one, as first time.
Here I met M and A again, he had to move on to Ponferrada, coz here were no ATMs..6km walking for money..that’s hard..
They have met Oscar (O), spanish guy, living in germany .. and working for „1. FC Nürnberg“ ..yes, that german soccer team..

I had dinner together with a british ex cop.
Told some amusing stories, how to catch prostitutes..:))

But nothing, absolutely nothing, prepared me for what expected me tomorrow….

Some Impressions:
Clouds, Flowers, Goats, Cruz de Ferro, Stones, same Stones, more Clouds, Camino, Molinaseca, Bridge, Mountains

11. Juli
20.2 km
5h
2 beer++

World Cup Final!
But important things first.
The way from Astorga up to Rabanal seems to be flourishing for business ideas.
Last time (read my book) Tato and I had this idea of Kebab and Tacos on the Camino.
This time, I got an Idea for a smartphone app for donativos.
You don’t always have spare on the way with you..but always your mobile.
Take a picture of the donativo stand and automatically money will be transfered to given bank account.
Needs some improvements, I know, but nice idea.
The albuerque in Rabanal is maintained by british..elderly people..the kind of persons, I would whisky drink with..
And another famous pilgrim enters the stage:
Holly(H)
Having lost A and M, she’s quite the backup I need.
so this evening, I will watch the final with her.
And Gilberto.
A guy from mexico.
seems to be from Guadelajara.
To be precise: Colima..

Now Way!
Awesome.
Had a really good chat with him during the game, about his hometown..and where I stayed, which clubs I visited, etc.
Then I had some beer
And then some more.
This game doesn’t seem to end.
I am tired.
I go home to the alberge [I have to look up, how to write this word] with H.
It’s so quiet..did they lose? did they win?
No cars on the street..no shouting..I think, they lost the final..
Ok, I go to bed now!

Some Impressions:
Camino, Mountains, Rabanal, Alberge, More Alberge, Socks

10. Juli
32 km
9h
2 beer ++

Totaly exhausted.
Did take the longer route..nearly collapsed on the way. No sports is no good on the camino.
Actually I would have stopped in San Justo de la Vega. But here I met A again(picture). And Marie(M).
So drunk some beer with them and walked on to Astorga.
Here were a lot of empty beds. Last time, it was so full.
Today is Germany against Urugay.
„Schlaaand“
Which is the correct pronunciation of „Germany“.
Some spanish guys were shouting for urugay, when they realized, that I am german.
Funny.

Drinking alcohol definitely helps to ease the pain..
and building up good companionship.
I start to think in english again.
It’s hard to say something in german and not sound silly.

Some Impressions:
Crazy Pilgrims, Puente de Orbigo, Camino, More Camino, Even more Camino, San Justo de la Vega + Astorga, Chocolate Museum(?) Astorga, Palais, Cathedral, Palais, Cathedral, Cathedral during night

9. Juli
21,7 km
4h
1 beer ++

I Am Back!
What a glorious feeling.
My first day of my second Camino.
And my first beer on the Caminno.
Nothing has changed. Within my first steps..the pain was back.
Pain everywhere in my feet.
My head is empty.
But beat the time from last Camino, 1 hour short.
What a joyride..but I don’t think, I am able, to keep up that speed.. have to walk slower.
And now..Mahou .. a good beer, drinkable. But what isn’t after such a walk?
Only 1 beer for me, this has to be enough.

This time I am not alone in the room.
[This is, where Alvaro(A) enters the stage]
You can hear here the clattering of the storks.
On the way, under a bridge, there was a graffiti:
„Warum liegt hier eigentlich Stroh?“
[try to google it, if you don’t get it;)]
Last time, I discovered here, that oil is deadly for flies.. but here are so many flies..I don’t think, they used this recipe.
My spanish has to be improved..those spanish people don’t speak any english..couldn’t remember having difficulties the last time..

Here are some impressions:
Cathedral in Leon, Shadow, Way to Villar de Mazarife, Storks, More Storks, View east

8. Juli
Hundreds of km
6h
No beer

Kudos to the spanish railroad organisation, Renfe.
This is traveling at its best.
Deutsche Bahn could learn a lot from those services here. Movies on a train! Space for legs. Seats for everyone!
Arrived in Leon..i got lost.. what a good start for my camino. I couldn’t find the monastery. But here I am. Feels already home. I know this place..very familiar. But not the people. Last time, I knew mostly all of them. Had a lot of fun reading my old journal. it seems so distant and far away..yet so close.
Is it possible for me, to know some of those pilgrims better, even after only 3 weeks. 5 weeks were not enough to have any closer contacts in 2006. Maybe this time..who knows at ths point?
And now, a girl starts playing the flute..silence her!
Make the music stop!
I got the inca sound from the train station in Madrid in my head.

Those spanish trains look really hilarious.

The room, where 50 male pilgrims have to sleep is hot and humid. They seperate here men and women. Only couples can stay together. I wonder, how many of those „couples“ are actually married..and how many have just found themselves on the way.

7. Juli
Thousands of km
4h
No beer


Spain has won. 0:1 against Germany.
But there is an interessting docu about San Fermin on TV. I switched between those 2 Programms..
and heard Madrid scream and shout after that one tiny goal. This will be a relaxed camino:))
I feel strange, starting this journey in such comfort.
Yeah, not really, the seats on the airplane were very tight packed. Lucky me, I reserved one on the aisle. More room for my feet!
Arriving in Madrid, 38°C at the airport. It’s going to stay that warm..that will be interesting.
The Hotel is pure luxus.
(For me as a pilgrim at least)
Axor Feria, I think. Couldn’t really remember that name.
Now I have to pack my backpack in the right order..
Don’t know, where to sleep tomorrow, hope those nuns will give me shelter;)
Provisioning has to be improved..
[This is going to be so awesome, reading my old journal..always about provisioning:))]
And here’s the picture of the 2 laziest pilgrims:

Beginning from today, I will publish my journal of this years camino.
The header is start and finish point.
Bold are date, distance, time and earned/drunken beer.
A Picture of me, starting to walk.
The log entry.
A picture of me, finished walking at that day.
A Picture of the 2 laziest pirlgrims on this planet: Ente and Teddy. Always in the alberques on bed.
Prepare yourself for some boring days;)