Short day to Arres

The typical Spanish breakfast underwent a sea change about 15 years ago. Tostada, toasted bread, is still the most common food item. They still serve it with butter and jam, but olive oil and chopped tomatoes is almost always on offer. The puréed sauce I had this morning was delicious. For years, pan con tomate has been a staple Catalán breakfast, but it has spread nationwide and is very delicious. It is even more delicious when there’s a piece of good jamón serrano on top.

It was hot today, but there were a couple of bars open for cold drinks. The bars had lots of people this morning because there was a cyclist ride through the mountains — 3000 cyclists riding 150 km from Huesca and back. Some of the guests at my little hotel last night were put off, because they would not be able to get on the road for several hours in the morning. But it didn’t affect the two walking pilgrims. We didn’t walk on the road where the race took place, but we frequently crossed it and sometimes could see it from above. They shouted Buen Camino to me when we coincided, and I shouted “ánimo” back to them.

No matter how short the day, if it’s hot at the end and there’s a climb, I’m going to feel it. Walking into the little bar in this cute hillside town felt almost as good as walking into the restaurant yesterday after one of the hardest walks I’ve ever done!

There is a very iconic albergue in this town, and I got my sello. This was changeover day so there were 4 hospitaleros and 4 people sleeping there. I joined in for the tour of the church, which has a very rare 16C baptismal font — square!

I slept in the albergue about eight years ago and very much enjoyed the hospitality and the camaraderie, but when I hit 70, I decided it was time to leave the albergues to the next generation. But all of us who walk owe a great debt to the organization that runs this albergue, HOSVOL. They are dedicated volunteers who fight to preserve the best of the camino. If I can stay awake for two more hours, I will go to watch the sunset with all of them.

Tomorrow’s forecast says rain, but not till noon. I’ll have to walk early.Läs mer