Walked today: 6.7 mi. Camino2023: 251 mi
The walk to Barbadelo is one you just need to do and move on.
We left Pintin at daybreak and after a short walk on a stone street, the dirt path became like a downward winding tunnel lighted solely by Jim’s headlamp. The dirt walls and overhanging trees keep the path dark until we exited onto a more open path that paralleled the secondary road into Sarria.
For about two miles the road rose and fell gradually, while the adjacent path rose more and fell more, suggesting someone had it in for we pilgrims.
Sarria at first glance is a large town with lots of activity, shops and oodles of pilgrim lodgings. It is the last major town on the Camino before reaching the 100 km milestone. (To receive a compostela for walking the Camino, you must complete at least the last 100 km.)
Most of the people who receive a compostela only walk the last 100 km. So they spend the first night in Sarria which is at the 112 km milestone.
The atmosphere of the Camino changes dramatically upon entering Sarria. The so-called pilgrims just beginning their Camino are not as immersed into the nature of the Camino, that can only be established with walking several hundred miles, experiencing the ups and downs of a pilgrimage with like minded pilgrims versus “tourists” seeking a shortcut to a Compostela.
We entered the forest, crossed a small wooden bridge over a stream and began walking up a very grueling incline for the next 0.3 mile. The elevation gain was 176 ft, giving an average slope of 11%.
When we finally reached the top, the path leveled out and we walked another half mile or so to the albergue in Barbadelo.
We ordered a drink while waiting for a taxi to return us to Casa Cines,
Our return trip was a bit bizarre. First, the taxi driver agreed to pick us up in 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, Jim asked the barkeeper who made the call to contact the driver to see when she would arrive. The response was 5 minutes or less. In less than 5 minutes the taxi arrived. Jim confirmed our destination, Pintin and Casa Cines by showing her the address on his phone and the driver said she knew where to take us. As we left Barbadelo we exited the hamlet on a different road than we remembered from the last Camino. Jim asked and the driver, who spoke zero English, gestured that she knew the way and was taking an alternate route.
We were patient for a few minutes until we recognized familiar roads that confirmed we were going away from our destination, not toward it. At this point Jim said stop! and pulled out his phone and a local map app to point out where we needed to go. The driver showed Jim her phone map and that she was going to Pinton. Jim pointed out that we were going to Pintin, not Pinton. The driver turned the car around and began to retrace our erroneous route and simultaneously got on the phone and began talking to an apparent colleague or dispatcher.
From the tone of the conversation and an occasional familiar Spanish word it seemed that the driver was being instructed to let Jim guide her to the correct location which he did. This included an occasional point or a confirming “bueno” or ultimately “aqui”. Along the way, the driver swerved several times out of her lane while checking her phone and almost collided with a inattentive truck while driving thru Sarria. And her engine stalked twice when waiting for a stop light. And she was driving a late model auto.
As we reached the first sign indicating Pintin, she drove on past it, so Jim got ready and when she approached the next opportunity to enter Pintin, Jim shouted “aqui” and then guided her through the several turns in the village to pull up to our hotel. We got out of the car and when Jim asked “cuanto” (how much) and was told 30€ not 50€, the original quote for the fare to Pinton! So the return to Casa Cines ended well, with only a few anxious moments along the way.
At lunch Jim requested some specialties of the house prepared by Núria’s mother and father during our visit in 2022.
We spent the rest of the day resting and trying to get relief from the near 100F heat. After a light supper we settled our two day bill and said our goodbyes to this nice family and their wonderful kindness and hospitality.
Jimandi 