13.3 miles

6:30am to 1:00pm walking time

Today hasn’t been a bad day by any means but it’s just felt like the part of a vacation that’s just “travel day.” The only goal is to get from point A to point B. I suppose that’s every day on the Camino. But often it feels like there’s something unique to see or a fun city to explore. But today our only stops were the normal Camino bars/cafes and then running errands (bank, grocery store) in the one city we walked through.

Today I’ve also been tired – I think all of us have been. With the village party next to our albergue last night, the loud music and fireworks went until 1am, it was hard to get decent sleep. We stopped by the party before it was really getting going at around 9:45pm. It kinda looked like much ado about nothing with a huge stage, a bar and two snack stands. All for about 25 people, most over the age of 70. Since it’s Spain, I’m guessing the party picked up later and things got more exciting a while after we left.

Sergio, Lena and I started off in the dark again. I probably shouldn’t mention that we somehow missed an arrow and started down the wrong road for a bit. I realized it when I opened my geocaching app to see that the power trail of caches I followed on the Camino last year was on the next road over. Luckily we were still headed in the right direction so barely any time lost.

For the most part it was a very easy walk today. Flat trail or road and mostly through farm country. I remember on this same section of the way last year that my cousin Justine and I got caught in a rain storm and waited out a downpour under grape vines in a vineyard. With only two days away from Santiago, I might actually get a rain free walk (minus a little foggy mist).

Being back in Spain, I’m excited about the fact that I can get bocadillos at almost every bar or cafe again. On the Camino Frances, I loved them until I got so bored with eating them. But distance makes the heart grow fonder, so my love for them is back again. Two days ago I got one for my lunch and just like I remember, they’re WAY too big for one meal. Even when you’re a hungry pilgrim. That bocadillo lasted me for two days of lunches. The new one I picked up this morning will do the same. I like getting the jamon and queso bocadillo and then buying a package of chorizo to add to it. Sooo good! The beer and soda are there for scale…

It was supposed to hit 31 degrees today (88 F), so it was nice to finish walking before the hottest part of the day. I think we got lucky and mostly walked in the woods or had a nice breeze to keep the temperature down.

So there’s not much to the “town” of Valga. I already took the full tour and found that it consists of the albergue, a restaurant that’s closed. A building supply store and two bars. One of those bars also acts as a little market. So those two bars our the options for dinner. Hopefully that means something other than a bocadillo. 🙂

The plan for tomorrow right now is a short day of only 20 kilometers and then we just have 15 kilometers left until Santiago on Wednesday. I’m sad that it’s coming to an end soon as I’ve made some great friendships and I love walking even when it hurts. But I know the Camino will be here waiting for me when I come again.