Loncho, No Poncho

Yesterday was a ‘get out of jail for free’ day on our Camino to Finisterre / Muxia, Spain …

What is that? Well, before leaving Canada, Lana and I agreed we each get one ‘get out of jail for free’ day. Basically we each get one day where we can say “neither of us walks tomorrow, we get to our planned destination together but not solely by our feet”. Lana played her card yesterday and so today instead of walking the 33km from Negreria to Oliveroa, we bussed from Negreria to Baines and walked just 8km to Oliveroa.

As of tomorrow we are on the coast when we walk which is something we are both super excited about. The most excited about of all things in the pilgrimage. So to give Lana’s feet the best chance at being able to walk the costal days, skipping one last and very long land lubber walk was in order. I am sad not to walk but my body is not complaining about the break and we made the day a great one in usual Lana and Brande fashion.

Truth be told, I have been plagued with bug bites every day that are swollen, sore and itchy and heat rash on my feet and some kind of blistering rash on my ankle. So perhaps everything happens just as it should on the Camino and this ‘get out of jail free’ card could have also been mine to play.

So here was our yesterday …

At 9am this morning we left our humble little home in Negreria, Albergue Alcerin. The owner was just the most helpful fellow ever with directions and bags and everything. He saw Lana shiver and immediately showed her where the extra blankets were and turned on the heat – the rest of us suffered but Lana was finally warm! This morning we woke to find all the power out, he was quickly on top of it and so apologetic. Definitely a great hostel in Negs.

We made our way to the bus stop just a couple blocks away and waiting for the bus that comes ‘about 9,930 or 10’ to spirit us to Baines. We were not the only pilgrims waiting – a 33km day is a tough one especially with a full pack and he forecast of rain, rain and rain.

About 30mins later we were dropped off in a baby road side village of Baines. We were pleasantly surprised to find a pharmacy (more blister bandaids for Lana, more bug stuff for me) and a little supermarket (a litre of wine in a Tetra pack – lighter than a bottle – and some tomato sauce for our pasta dinner). We also found a little cafe and accidentally had a yummy cafe con leche before heading out of town.

While walking we giggled at the weird prices here in Spain. An amazing coffee is 1.50 euros each (and came with free breakfast tapas), our 30 bus ride was 2.95 euros each but somehow a litre of wine and a container of pasta sauce was only 1.95 euros. We don’t have to understand to appreciate the approx 2 euros it would cost each of us for our homemade dinner tonight at the hostel when you add up all the ingredients. Yahoo deals!

The 8km walk was uneventful and unexciting – well the only 8km part was exciting for our bodies! It was along a secondary highway so we had to step into the ditch area a few times when big trucks and tractors passed but other than that just walk till yah get there.

We arrived at Casa Loncho around 1pm and of course carried on our tradition of toasting the day with a yummy cervaza con limon (beer with lemon cordial in it – a Spanish Radler of sorts) and some patatas fritas!

The rest of the day was quite literally spent, soaking up the sun, relaxing, journaling, laughing at our pics and adventure to date – sitting outside the pub at our hostel. We were told rain but heck no – it was 20C and awesome!

Around 5pm we ventured to the ‘kitchen’ the hostel makes available for pilgrims … aka mouse house. Oh yes, a wee mouse kept poking his head out at us wondering when we would leave so he could eat up our crumbs. Cute and gross haha

We made ourselves a penne, tomato sauce, fried garlic and chorizo sausage dinner with some baguette and white wine – all for a well spent 5euros (hey Shar that is the best 5bucks I ever spent!)