23. Day 21 to Vilar de Barrio

Yesterday, I didn't do much. In the room were a lady from Latvia and one from England. And then there were the two I already knew from yesterday, because they were at the same hostel: David from Aachen and Pedro from Spain. I went to bed early, and although there was underfloor heating, I still felt cold. There were no blankets. I should have unpacked my sleeping bag earlier, but I only thought of it at night, and I didn't want to disturb the others. So, I put on my socks and my long shirt, and then I was okay. Around 4 AM, I woke up. Pedro from Spain had been awake for a long time, and I slept restlessly because of that. Also, I was just too cold. That's why I packed my things and set off around 4:30. In the village, there were 2 alternatives for continuing on the path. You had to be careful to take the right one. It led out to the main road and then into the greenery. The stage was beautiful, but in the dark, I couldn't see much. On both sides, there was only nature, surrounded by mountains and the beautiful landscape. I went through a few small villages and also along a stretch of the road, but at that hour, no cars were on the road. Then I continued on the road. You could have gone over a mountain, but both the ascent and the descent were very steep, and it had rained a bit beforehand, so I continued along the road. The route was long, but slowly it got bright, and I could finally see the entire landscape properly. Then I arrived in a village where I thought I could have a coffee, but of course, the two bars were still closed. There was nothing more. So, I went on. And it felt like uphill for an hour. But you were rewarded with a breathtaking view. Today was a very demanding stage, but also a really beautiful one in terms of landscape. Oh, I almost forgot: earlier on the path, I encountered a few frogs that were just chilling in the road. I guided them into the grass because I had seen some dead frogs on the path.

So, I continued, and slowly it started to go uphill. It was gradual, but therefore not too steep. I was on schedule and in a good mood. Then I reached a spot where pilgrim friends offered drinks and food for pilgrims based on donations. I took a Fanta, some nuts, and two homemade muffins that tasted really great. That's what you love about the camino. Of course, I also donated a bit. So I continued, and then the worst thing that has happened to me so far happened: I had to go to the toilet. Generally, no problem, as I always carry some toilet paper and was in the woods—no one was around. That was the plan, but I had a bit of constipation, and it just wouldn't come out. I waited there for over an hour, and I walked a bit, but I couldn't walk normally anymore. I really thought that was it. The next village was still 3 kilometers away. I was constantly thinking about what to do. If there were a taxi, I would have taken it. I was in real pain, but I couldn't relieve myself peacefully outside. So, I had no other choice but to struggle to the next village. And of course, the first place that Google said was open was on vacation. Then to the next place, ordered a coffee there, and finally, I could go to the toilet. It was really a liberating feeling, and after that, everything was fine. I relaxed for half an hour outside on the terrace, thinking about what to do. There is also a hostel in the village, but I actually wanted to go 20 kilometers further. But because of this incident, I lost a lot of time. Nevertheless, I decided to definitely walk another 12 kilometers to the next place, where there was also accommodation available. And if I felt good, I could keep going. Said, done. I packed my jacket because it had gotten really warm by then and set off. First along the road and then eventually into the woods, and then indeed back up into the mountains. And it became really steep and strenuous. There often wasn't a proper path, and I had to climb over rocks often. When I reached the top, I was completely exhausted and soaked. It didn't help. I had to continue. Going back was not an option. It was very strenuous, going up and down. Then the path became a little dangerous again as it went steeply down over small stones. But I managed it. Another half-hour along the road and I was in the village. I was really knackered and didn’t want to go any further. So, I went to the accommodation, which is also a bar. Perfect, because there was no supermarket in the village. The bar was adorned with shells everywhere. Really a mystical place. But there were two problems: the bar was closed today, on Mondays, and the albergue wouldn't open for another 1.5 hours. I could have sat there, but I couldn't shower and relax. And so, I continued because only 7 kilometers were left to the next place. So, I set off again, and the route was also a bit demanding again, but with not quite so steep climbs. And so, I arrived at my destination around 5 PM. I quickly went to the supermarket and then to the hostel. If it was closed or full, that would be bad, but luckily there were only 2 Dutchmen there. Perfect. I had an entire room to myself. And the shower felt so good again. After that, I ate something and just lay down. I wrote my blog and then went to bed early because I was exhausted. But I will look at the stage for tomorrow...