Day 30:O Cebriero

Here are the pictures for the walk to O Cebriero. This was a “tree of dreams.” I wrote mine down and tied it to a branch. We left very early.People on the trail didn’t see this. The white in the picture below is clouds, not water. Well, I guess clouds ARE water, but you know what I mean.I am literally on top of a mountain right now. The one Judy stressed over so. After we climbed it, she said, “Well, that wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.” I thought, “Honey, NOTHING is as bad as you thought this mountain would be.”

We decided to stay here, even though we were here by 11:30. We’ve been pushing on, walking over 25k each day for two days. She hasn’t had a rest day, and she seriously needed to do laundry. It’s supposed to rain between 3 and 4 (it’s 3:05 now and starting to cloud over) so she needed to wash ASAP. So she did.

Judy doesn’t really know why she came on Camino. I don’t know either, but I hope a lesson she learns is to relax and be content.

She complains that the paths aren’t smoother, and wonders why “the council” doesn’t do something. I’ve already told you she wanted a different mountain. She worries whether we’ll get a bed, and complains if she doesn’t get hotel quality accommodation at an albergue price. (Sorry, Fred, she HATED El Molino. The bathroom ceiling had mold spots, which made it filthy.)

When we are on paths she keeps saying how the road would be better because it’s a more even surface, even though that surface is harder to walk on, in my opinion. I don’t like the road; it makes me nervous.

As we climbed today I missed the trail as it went to the left, and we stayed on the road. Someone pointed it out before we got too far, but we didn’t want to go back. We figured the road would get there too. I thought she’d be pleased, although I didn’t miss the turn deliberately.

Nope.

I heard about how the path looked quite nice, but oh well, we were on the road now, weren’t we.

We had sent our packs on to the only alburgue on my app. It didn’t open till 1. She worried the packs hadn’t gotten here, and bemoaned the fact she hadn’t taken a picture of the flyer for the company that had them, in between worrying that we would get a bed and were we making the right decision by staying.

So we went into a cafe for a coffee and some of the worst apple cake I have EVER had (dry and gummy at the same time; how do you manage that?) and as we were about to leave saw our backpacks!

She was floored, but I said, “This is what I’ve been telling you. This sort of thing has been happening to me for a month.” I hope she learns to relax soon.

We check into the albergue and after she takes a shower she tells me the women’s showers are “disgusting, just disgusting.” I go in prepared for a previously I encountered level of filth. I don’t find it.

What I do find is a complete lack of privacy. No doors. No curtains. No way to hang your towel or anything. I wasn’t pleased either, but hey, it’s the Camino. The thing that pissed me off was there’s WiFi but I can’t access it. You log on and give it your phone number and it sends a text with the password. Only it WONT SEND ME THE TEXT! So I’m in a bar using their WiFi. Judy is napping and the rain is beginning. I hope she wakes up and brings her laundry in.

Despite all the complaints she is an interesting person, and I’m okay with traveling together for now. But if I see a chance to separate without rejection I might take it. No, there’s no might about it. I will.

Here was dinner.