My Sister and I in Venice

TRAFFIC JAM

Spain with the fam!

Late Korea Pictures - Blowfish soup

Day before my day break

Day After Zamora

Day 4 (Zamora)

Day Three:

I had a SHORT day today! Only 13kilometers. Knowing this I woke up later and left around 8:15. The walk was still lots of freeway but not as much and really much prettier. I arrived at 11:45 to the small town of Villanieva de Campean. Most people walk through and head to Zamora but I had a little blister that was not happy times and wanted to arrive in Zamora refreshed and happy so I opted to stay in the Alburgue.

It was a newer alburgue that was still being built in the second story. The town was small, no store only a bar. I went into the bar and read the newspaper (great article about Picasso´s cubism being influenced by an old Bible he would have seen) and had the menu del dia (green beans, basket of bread, slice of meat with french fries, yogurt and wine). When he left the bottle of wine at my table I was unsure how much I was supposed to drink so I had about a quarter of the bottle. I was later told I didn´t drink enough :P

As I went to sleep that night an Irish pilgrim studying to be a priest came in the Alburgue at about 8:30pm or so. He had planned on staying in Zamora another night but the Alburgue only lets you stay one night so he had to bike to the next closest city. He and I exchanged a few stories and then went to sleep.

I have talked a bit about the alburgues that there are. They vary a lot, sometimes they are big with kitchens. Some alburgues are very small with hardly a bathroom. Sometimes therey are abandoned train stations that you can set your sleeping bag up wherever and sleep. The Irish-priest-to-be stayed there and blessed the rooms to make sure that nothing bad would happen as he slept.

MORAL: Better safe than sorry :P

Day Two Lesson: Same Same...but different

I woke up at 6:30am and lazily watched as others began packing up their bags. I discovered I HATE packing in the dark. I was also a bit hesitant about the whole getting change part. So I took my jeans and shirt into the bathroom and changed in the dark (as the light was broken).

It was only 20 kilometers and since I ended up leaving around 7:30 the weather was just warming up as I started walking. The walk was mostly freeway but I still managed to get lost and ended up walking on the railroad tracks for a while. It was pretty, but definitely not where I was supposed to be. I headed towards the freeway and saw a French pilgram from the other day.

YAY! That means I am n the right track! Kept walking occassionally startled by a honking horn. At first I thuoght they were upset as I was basically walking on a very busy road but it turns out the honk is a sign of respect to the pilgrim...it´s like the car saying, "Hola, Bien Camino"

Arrived at Cubo de la Tierra de Vino at 12:30 and found the Alburgue. Went to the store and bought some tomatoes and tuna and made a makeshift salad. Did laundry (sink and clothes line) and read outside in the sun for a bit.

When I was outside some kids kicked a soccer ball and I stopped it and kicked it back. This prompted them to befriend me. It is funny that no matter where I am in the world when I talk to kids the number one question seems to be: "Do you have a boyfriend?" This is usually followed by other questions (such as do I shave my legs, whats my job etc). They were pretty funny. One person asked if they liked boys and when they responded that boys had cooties the man said, "oh so you´re lesbians".

They said that it might be better to like girls because girls are better at cleaning and ironing and cooking. Well...they obviously haven´t seen my house work. It is funny that even in this small town things are the same and yet so different.

Lesson Two: Same Same...but different. Even though the kids still write their names on the walls and believe in cooties and still want to know if I have a boyfriend, to them the woman belongs in the kitchen, and that´s it! I guess I have to remember that my point of view isn´t the only one the world has...