Second Travel Day

I am in La Linea de La Concepción, about 130 kms and a two hour bus ride from Málaga. La Linea is on the border with Gibraltar, a vestige of the British empire. This year’s Camino, which is called the Via Serrana, starts there and finishes in Sevilla. If I had more time, I would love to continue from Sevilla on the Via de la Plata, which I really love. But because of my time constraints, I hope to hop on the train in Sevilla and start walking again in Ponferrada, where the Camino De Invierno begins. Since I haven’t been to Gibraltar since 1970, I decided to take tomorrow to walk up to the top of the rock. Then on Sunday, Clare and I will start our Camino!

I arrived in Málaga at 8:30 this morning, but unfortunately my duffel bag didn’t make it. Iberia told me they couldn’t get it to me before Monday in the best of circumstances, because there are no deliveries of lost bags out in the province on weekends. The best plan B I could come up with was for them to just send the duffel bag up to Santiago. That meant that I had to buy a new pair of hiking poles, but I can easily mail all the food to Paco and Olga from Santiago.

I got my poles in the Corte Inglés, and then walked through the historic center for a while. Then over to the Roman theater and to visit the castle as well as the Alcazaba, the Moorish fortress. I had been there a few years ago with Joe, but I can never resist the opportunity to climb up to and around a castle, or in this case, two castles! The Alcazaba is a poor stepchild to the Alhambra but has many of the same features. I loved it.

Then it was time to get going. On the way to the bus station, I picked up fruit and yogurt for the next couple of days of walking. So my errands are done.

La Linea is not much of a place to visit, but I’ve got a room in a hotel on the water with a view of the Rock of Gibraltar, and I am looking forward to a good sleep. Clare arrives in a few hours but I don’t think I’ll be able to stay up to welcome her.Read more