Camino de Santiago - Day 2

Las Medulas to O Barco de Veldoras - 16.5 miles

After the day I had I dropped off to sleep like a log. As I was a stone's throw away from the famous 'Las Medulas' I woke early so I could visit. It was only a 3-mile return journey but I managed to get to the top just with the sunrise. There were no tourists so the view was all mine to enjoy. I made it back well before 8 am and set off with the perfect weather forecast: cloudy but not wet and breezy but not windy. It was a solitary walk: I only encountered a whistling local, a runner and 2 dog walkers. It was also the first time that I started having serious 'discussions' with myself about the time I could have gained if I hadn't done my morning visit and the pros and cons of why it was a good idea. YEP :) I have gone slightly mad but luckily I won the argument and 'Me' and 'Myself' had to agree to disagree :)

Crossing the valley was very peaceful, the little villages in the distance looked almost magical. The meaning of time became irrelevant; my next step, fresh air and the view around me was the only thing that mattered. My mini-breaks included actual food and view that some would call a photographer's dream. The silence however was the highlight, it somehow felt healing, and I felt like I could breathe again. The villages I passed today were not ghost towns and getting my daily stamps was a bit easier. The terrain was also less of a challenge and my aching feet were very grateful for that. The second day in a row I got lucky with the mobile bakers and my lunch included warm and crispy bread that was savoured with the single-mindedness of a brain surgeon.

There is one thing, that can't easily be explained, was the support and admiration you get for walking the Camino. Total strangers/locals will tell you 'Buen Camino' while drivers will honk their cars and wave at you; it gives you a sense of pride and encouragement to carry and to keep going. It was another long day but I was never rushing as the point of this trip is the journey and not just the destination.