Day 37 Santa Cruz to Arres, 16 km

A short, easy day full of mud, the kind that sticks to your shoes and then sticks to itself and climbs up your trousers. Messy, messy, messy. I’m writing this in the bar in Arrés. It’s open! But getting served is clearly a whole other issue!

Breakfast at Santa Cruz didn’t start until 8:30. Tostadas with tomatoes! And a big cafe con leche. And some home made cake that I have not eaten yet. It was probably 9:30 before I left. And then the three women I had seen in the restaurant yesterday were sitting outside. They are Colombians but live in France and are just going down the hill to Santa Cilia tonight ( about 7 km). They had many questions about walking in France. By the time I left them it was about 10:00. About half an hour later I crossed paths with each of three Czech people, who were on their way to the monasteries. That will be the last time I see them - unless E and I manage to go to Iceland, where the daughter lives, to see the northern lights!

Some hills at the start and then a long way more or less parallel to the road. A little detour through Santa Cilia, not really on purpose, I just followed the arrows, which take you through the middle of the village. No store. No bar. I didn’t bother going into Puenta La Reina La Jaca because I wanted to make sure I got here in time for lunch. Another rio in spate after all of yesterday’s rain. It had not overflowed its banks but it was trying very hard. Trees sticking out where previously there must have been islands.

Update on lunch: the hospitalero came in to drop something off and managed to get me a beer. 40 minutes in. I’ll keep you posted.

3 km up and around a hill to Arrés changing the direction of the views for the first time in a few days. Nice quick welcome from the two volunteer hospitaleros, who, I don’t think, knew each other before. One Spanish, one Brazilian.

They sent me off to the bar. Where eventually I did, after almost an hour, get some food and a coffee, and I ordered a sandwich for tomorrow. I’m back in the albergue, a big favourite on this route for its location, and its vibe as a ‘traditional,’ low key, simple place with good hospitality. Bed, dinner and breakfast by donation. It’s three floors. A kitchen and eating room at the top. Two dorm rooms below - one with 4 bunk beds and one with 3. So room for 14 people. (Gronze says there are 22 places!) And then the bottom floor is shower room and toilets. And they are old school too. One hook! (For dirty clothes, clean clothes, towel, glasses, everything!)

I got here around 2 and got the last bottom bunk. 6 people before me came from Santa Cilia. Two after came from Jaca. And two more have just come in, maybe also from Jaca? It is tight!!!!!! I have not been in an albergue this full since a few nights on the Via de la plata in 2016. Yikes! Are they all going to Ruesta tomorrow too????? Lots of lessons for the pilgrim used to her own space!

I have been hearing about two Canadians. They are here. They had also heard about me. Are you Mary Louise??? They are from Saskatoon and are the organizers of the Canadian Company of Pilgrims chapter, gave walked a lot of caminos, and volunteered at hospitaleros in Zamora, probably my favourite town (city?) in Spain. Also in residence - 3 Koreans, a German, two Italians, an Argentinian, and, on the bunk over mine, a man from France. I will be interested to see how everyone fits in the dining room!

Before dinner a brief visit to the church. It’s all about Ste Agatha. I’ll leave you to look up the gory story of her martyrdom on your own. The church is tiny. Ornate. The most interesting thing: a kind pass through baptismal font. Priest stands outside the church proper with the unbaptized child. The mother stands inside and receives the baby, inside the church, only bc after it’s been baptized. And apparent it is the only square baptismal font in the world. Can that possibly be true?

Dinner was good and cosy. Two tables. A good mix of English, Spanish, French, German and Korean. I think we are probably split half and half on tomorrow’s albergues. I’m going to Ruesta. It’s managed by a cooperative under the auspices of the CGT, the anarchist-leaning General Confederation of Labour. The albergue is just a part of a bigger, decades long project set up to respond to depopulation, in this case caused by the building of a reservoir. I’m interested to see it.Okumaya devam et