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Covid Camino 2021

September - October 2021
A 35-day adventure by Laurie Read more
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  • Laurie ReynoldsCovid Camino 2021
    1
    Day 1

    First travel day

    September 6, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    After a 15-month hiatus, the longest I’ve gone without a Camino since I started walking in 2000, I am heading out. I had a lot of doubts about whether it was the right time, but Spain is one of the highest vaccinated countries in the world, I have N95 masks, I will sleep only in private rooms, and I will eat only outdoors or in my room. Some may think this sounds isolating and solitary, but it is exactly what I need. In fact, about a month ago I had to break the news to two dear Camino buddies that I was backing out of our tentative plans to walk together. I just wanted to walk alone.

    I picked the Salvador/Primitivo, even though I’ve already walked this route 3 times, because it is beautiful, slightly remote in places, mountainous, and will get me into Santiago in about 17 days. I couldn’t plan on a longer camino this year, but I’m hoping I can at least get to Santiago. And then if things are fine at home, I will walk into Santiago, hop on a bus to Braga, Portugal, and walk another short Camino, the Geira, back into Santiago. But I am at least hoping to make it to Santiago once.

    After a brain freeze that led me to think that tapping on the mute button was the way to UNmute, and panicking because no one could hear me when I did that, I was fortunate to have Clare at the ready in British Columbia to patiently talk me through it.

    Now one hour till boarding the Iberia flight to Madrid. Hopefully no more phone crises. Let the Covid isolation camino begin!!!    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsCovid Camino 2021
    Day 2

    Made it to Leon

    September 7, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Well I wouldn’t say I had the best of luck today, but I am here in Leon and very happy about that! The flight from Madrid arrived early, and we zoomed through immigration. Then there was no wait at the health check where they looked at my vaccination card and then another tiny line to show the QR code. This is a breeze, I thought. About a half hour from feet on the ground till I exited the airport.

    Then my luck took a turn for the worse. I got on the intra-airport bus to go to the post office in Terminal one so I could mail my duffel bag up to Santiago. When I got there, I learned the post office was closed because of Covid. Oh well, I headed back to Terminal 4 to get a cup of coffee, but first I checked about my bus at the ticket office outside. There I learned there was an earlier bus leaving three minutes later, but there was no time for me to change my ticket and get on it.

    Then I learned I could not get back into the terminal without a boarding pass. So I had a two hour wait at the bus stop without being able to get my first Spanish café con leche. At least I was outside. But don’t think I could take off my mask because the regulations require one inside and out in urban areas.

    Amazing what a shower can do. It’s a beautiful city and I’m glad that I’ll be here all day tomorrow when a friend who lives about 50 miles away comes to see me.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsCovid Camino 2021
    1
    1
    Day 2

    Leon at night

    September 7, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    I’ll bet I have walked through Leon at least seven or eight times. Many Caminos intersect here or near here— The Francés, Madrid, Salvador, and Vadiniense are the ones that come to mind. But when you’re walking through, you have to go to bed early, and you don’t get to see the city at night.

    So, since I am taking a jetlag day tomorrow, which I rarely do, I thought I would spend tonight walking to some of my favorite monuments to see them lit up. Gorgeous, beautiful, stunning, those are just a few adjectives that come to mind. Since I slept a few hours on the plane, I’m really not too tired, so carpe diem. Beautiful buildings are beautiful at any time of day, but at night they are really special. Even a favorite little cheese store looks magical.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsCovid Camino 2021
    Day 3

    Jet lag day in Leon

    September 8, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    I had a really nice day in the historical center of Leon. I visited the cathedral with its stained glass windows, which are in my opinion the very very best. I also went to San Isidoro, the Romanesque pantheon where all the Leonés kings are buried. Amazing XI C paintings all over the ceiling -last supper, Cristo Pantocrato, a sweet 12-panel depiction of the months of the year, just beautiful but no pictures allowed. But it wasn’t a totally touristic morning. I also had to buy fruit and yoghurt for my walk and my Spanish phone card.

    In the afternoon my friend Rebekah, who lives about 80 km from here, drove over for lunch. It was really really great to see her. After she bought 500 candles for her little church in Moratinos, we went to a very delicious Japanese restaurant. Reb had to head home during a rain, and I ducked into the Leon municipal museum, which covers human habitation in Leon from the very beginning, starting a hundred thousand years ago.

    WhatsApp works extremely well for free video and audio phone calls. When the wifi is weak, the video fades out but it’s been great so far.

    Sunrise is late— not till 8 am. I am glad I have my headlamp because I am programmed to leave early. 38 km tomorrow and there are a few ups and downs. Since I haven’t walked since 2019 it remains to be seen how much of my Camino power I’ve lost. Tomorrow will be the test.

    Early to bed and early to rise. Can’t wait to walk tomorrow!!!    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsCovid Camino 2021
    1
    2
    Day 4

    First walking day!

    September 9, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Last night I was like a 10-year-old trying to get to sleep on Christmas Eve. It just wouldn’t happen. I’m sure I got a few hours sleep though. After a cup of instant coffee (caffeine is the desired ingredient more than taste), at about seven I put my headlamp on and headed out. Sunrise is about 8 am now!

    It was a great walking day, cloudy at the beginning and then cooler and breezy towards the end. Leaving big cities is usually not so much fun, but there is a dirt path along the river that took me from the parador all the way to the first town about 10 km out. I have seen one other pilgrim, but he was going to stop in the town before I did. Lots of other people out on the trail though, all wearing masks and all saying Buen Camino to me.

    In the woods I found another great use for my mask. I put it on to keep the gnats out of my nose and mouth. Then when I got too hot, I would take it off and leave it off until a gnat either flew into my nose or my mouth. Then I would put the mask on and start the drill all over again.

    I didn’t remember this stage as being so difficult. I knew it was about 38 km, with maybe 400 m of elevation gain. But I was dragging at the end, and then I realized that the last time I did this stage I was five years younger and I had been walking for three weeks.

    I am walking through mining country and now that the coal industry isn’t totally shut down in Spain, the towns that are left behind are really suffering. So sad.

    After a shower and clothes wash, I met up with Ender, the Salvador angel who started it all. The first time I walked there was very little marking, and he took care of that along with a guidebook. We had a good Camino Chet.

    Tomorrow is the most beautiful mountain stage, I can’t wait and the weather looks good.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsCovid Camino 2021
    Day 5

    MOUNTAINS!!!!

    September 10, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Today was 7 kms shorter than yesterday but with 1100 m elevation gain (that’s a lot for me and more than twice yesterday’s). My GPS tells me my “moving time” today was 2minutes more than yesterday so I guess it all evens out. But I did stop a lot more today. There were two separate mountain segments, with a little town in between, but I took my rests up in the mountains, basically gaping and not believing that I was here. It was one of those days that was really exhausting, glorious, and fulfilling all at the same time. My favorite!

    On the walk today I thought about things that were different from my last walk here. I came up with a few things that I spend more time on now and things I spend less time on now.

    Less time.
    Number one —no time spent eating blackberries because they aren’t ripe. Last time I gorged myself and stopped about every 2 feet.

    Number two— no time spent standing paralyzed by barking dogs who are running towards me. Now, I just keep walking, not even batting and eye when one kept circling me and barking.

    Number three— no time spent trying to avoid livestock that is standing in my way. I just walk straight through and they will move or not. But so far not one has attacked me.

    Now for the things I spend more time on.
    Number one— I spend way more time getting up and moving again after a rest.

    Number two— it takes me at least twice as long to descend than it did five years ago.

    Number three— it takes me a lot longer to convince myself that I should not take the road shortcut, but rather should go up or down and around to avoid the road. There were a couple of times today when I was mighty tempted, but in the end I stuck with the Camino path!

    Maybe tomorrow I will ponder more weighty things.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsCovid Camino 2021
    21
    Day 6

    To Pola de Lena

    September 11, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    I am now lighting candles for eight people. I am not religious, but there is something very centering about lighting candles and then sitting there quietly thinking and sending good thoughts. Yesterday I was in a (much reformed) Romanesque church. Wide open (unusual) and with real candles instead of electric lights (very unusual). I felt very connected, and I remembered that when my mom was dying, three of my camino amigas who were walking all lit candles for her along the way. It meant so much to me.

    Today’s 27 km were much harder than I expected. My pal Ender had given me some new tracks for this stage, a few changes here and there, and he asked that I try them out. Well where I thought the changes were, the route seemed familiar, and then on a long downhill road walk that I remembered well, I saw his tracks take me off the road. After making such a big point of never turning down the opportunity to go off road, I was sort of already committed. Well, it turns out that Ender sent me the wrong tracks. The 5 or 6 km that deviated from the road were very pretty, but there were sections that required every ounce of concentration and care to make sure I got one foot in front of the other. Horrible ascents, and the descents were just as bad. Ender didn’t mean to give me those tracks, because it’s a path he hasn’t yet navigated himself. I can’t imagine making this the official camino route without a lot of work on the surface.

    The extra hours spent on those Kilometers meant that I arrived after closing of the beautiful ninth century Santa Cristina church. I could have waited for 2 1/2 hours for it to open up again, but I was still 5 km from my destination, and I decided the best idea was to walk on.

    I am in a very nice family run pension, the Payareta. Private room, bath, and breakfast just 20 €. Once again, after a shower, I feel totally refreshed and ready to walk around town .    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsCovid Camino 2021
    1
    Day 6

    Taxi trick

    September 11, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Once I was showered and had my clothes hanging to dry, I decided I had plenty of time to hop into a cab and go back to visit the inside of the church. Though it was hard to find a free taxi on a Saturday afternoon in a small town, after several phone calls and the help of a hotel clerk (not my hotel) a driver appeared.

    It was just as beautiful as I remembered, and the señora with the keys was the same as the last two times I’ve stopped to visit (One other time it was closed for reforms). The Señora always used to just leave her phone number on the door, and you could call her whenever you got there. If it was convenient for her (she lives about 200 m away) she would come open it. I don’t know if this is a Covid change or what, but the church is now on a regular schedule.

    Anything that is still standing from the ninth century Is bound to be impressive, and this little tiny church meets that standard. It used to be adjacent to a monastery and a palace for the Asturian king, but both of those buildings disappeared. Apparently all of the stones can be found in the walls of many houses throughout the area. Thankfully they left the church in tact.

    I’m not very good with the architectural terms, so the pictures will have to suffice. Awesome .    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsCovid Camino 2021
    111
    Day 7

    Plan B

    September 12, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    I had some more new tracks to follow. There is a very dangerous narrow road that goes for 4 km between two little towns. These tracks were an alternative, not yet officially marked, that went up and around the monte. They were difficult to follow with a lot of undergrowth. I was forced to give up and in the end I took the bus into Oviedo. With 27 kms to go at about noon, I would have been crazy to keep walking. I have a sore glute muscle because I slipped but I am fine otherwise.

    So now I have some extra time in one of my favorite Spanish cities, Oviedo. There are fiestas going on, so it is very lively here. I had a good meal outside, and will not have to wake up early tomorrow. I will spend tomorrow here as I had planned anyway to see my friend.

    This is very unlike me —to hop on a bus and totally miss a stage. But since all my reservations are set because of Covid, I really had no choice. No way to move things around. My camino pals tell me that I just need to be flexible and forget about feeling bad. At least I’m on the camino!    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsCovid Camino 2021
    1
    Day 8

    Fun in Oviedo

    September 13, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    This was a great day with visits to the pre-Romanesque churches (900s!!!) I love them so much. After visiting both the Naranco sites and San Julian de los Prados, Helena and I had a great lunch in the old part of town. Things are really changing in staid old traditional Oviedo when you can get a poke bowl for lunch!

    We had so much to catch up on since it had been three years since we last saw each other. We wound up staying up much later than was sensible for someone starting to walk the next day, since I think it was after 1130 when I got to my room.

    We also met up with a Forum member from Maine who decided to stop walking in Oviedo because the Salvador had done him in. We had a nice long chat, while sitting in the main square with the Cathedral in the background. He also gave me a Covid test kit that I can use to prove my Covid free status before coming back to the US.

    Here’s hoping it won’t be three more years till I see Helena again!    Read more

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