Calzadilla de la Cueza

Torment. Yes, that is the word to describe today's walk. The walk
was a relativily easy if boring walk for 17km, most on a flat,
straight pathway through endless flat fields.

The route mostly followed the old Roman road, Via Trajana, which
linked the mines of Astorga to the rest of the Roman Empire. No
evidence of the Romans was visible. The pathway was surfaced in those
round pebbles that are murder on the feet while easily travelled.
There were no towns to break the 17km.

The fields were mostly fallow with a few in the process of being
plowed for the next crop. Several fields added to the atmosphere with
the pungent aroma of recent, very recent, coverings of cattle shed
manure.

Then there was the torment, clouds of flying insects that swarmed into
one's face, mouth, ears and eyes. They turned a modest days walk
into a nightmare.

I decided to stop early in Calzadilla to rinse out my eyes to remove
any remnant insect parts. Despite a good rinse with saline my eyes
are still very watery.

At dinner I stumbled on Judith, an Aussie staying at the same hotel
and a younger Aussie staying at the full Albergue. We invited a
Frenchman named Robert to join us at our table.

Robert is now into his sixth Camino, at 77 years of age he still
plans to do 35km tomorrow. During dinner the frequent question of why
one does the Camino came up and Robert told us his story.

To summarise, he and his wife set out on the Camino inspired by his
son who had completed the journey on a mountain bike. His wife became
ill and they returned home. After a long illness his wife passed away
but not before asking Robert to complete the Camino.

So he completed the Camino, and is now doing so for the sixth time
with the goal of being in Santiago by the 2nd of November - the
anniversary of the passing away of his wife.

I had met Robert several times over the last few days and he has
always been a charming if a little quiet and retiring. I now am most
impressed by him, he is a retired doctor who volunteered to provide
medical help to local villagers during the troubles in Algeria.

I started the day in pretty miserable conditions but go to bed relaxed
about the effort I will have to put in during the coming days - and
quietly inspired by some of my fellow peregrinos.

Cheers
John