Day 13 Bullay to Traben-Trarbach, 24 km

Another day of spectacular views and steep climbs. Special additions today: a really plain (but excellent) apple cake from a street stall; a long stop on the terrace of a bakery for lunch (a kind of onion tart, almost quiche-like thing - zwiebelkuchen - and the best snail Danish so far; and two ‘this trail is closed and you are putting your life in danger if you use it’ signs. The last came right at the end of the day. I did what it said for the first one (go back up and around), and ignored the second one. All I could see that would justify the closure were too extremely short sections, maybe 2 m long each one, where there were some loose rocks that you needed to be very careful on. A bit dicey but definitely not what I’d put in the category of life threatening

The day was definitely made possible by KY tape. After the super steep paths of the last couple of days, my Achilles was really talking to me this morning. I put on KT tape and it was WAY better. One of today’s paths was so steep I was afraid to put my heel down!

I did see other people out walking today. No one on the Jakobsweg though.

There must have been a dozen little huts and a gazillion benches. No good view went without one.

Down down down at the end of the day (on the closed “life danger” path). A Lebanese guy was standing at the bottom of the hill, trying to figure out the sign that had been posted at that end. I said that the dangerous part of the path was nothing that would’ve led to a trail closure where I’ve live, He said the same. He is living in Germany working for Telus. (Canadian cell company). They apparently do stuff for Meta that he suggested we would not be happy about.

I am staying in a small hotel. It looks like it has a very nice cafe downstairs, but Tuesday is rest day. Of course. When I got here, the guy who had been waiting for me, brought me up to show me the room and then said, come down soon because I will have your complimentary drink for you. He’s Dutch and moved to small town Germany because housing is cheaper.

Dinner tonight was at a very very good Vietnamese restaurant, which was one of only two that I saw that were open. At dinner I ran into the German couple I met the first day on this Camino. They are staying tonight at the one pilgrim hostel on this whole route. They said it was very, very nice, which I had read before. I can’t remember why I decided not to stay there.

Tomorrow is really short! So there will be some dawdling in the morning.Read more