Another lesson from the Camino: Just because a path is shorter doesn’t mean it’s easier.

Today, we stepped out in -1 degree weather in the mountains.

A few towns ahead, we came to two Camino paths. The one to the left was six kilometers longer, and the one to the right went through steep mountain trails. Rosan and I lost the others at another of their smoking breaks, and took the path to the right.

While the scenery was stupendous, the uphill climbs and sharp downhill roads tired us out.

And, worst of all, there wasn’t an open bar or restaurant to be found anywhere. We were exhausted and hungry. It didn’t help that we got pelted by hale and had to walk with our heads to the wind.

Although in a classic example of “the Camino will provide”, we asked a man with a truck where the next restaurant was. We asked him for the quickest route there because “tenemos mucho hambre”. The man – Jorge – calmed us down and opened up what turnednout to be a food truck and gave Rosan and I a banana each.

By the time we got to Sarria, we could barely walk. Our overzealous albergue manager got us appointments with physiotherapists, then we went out and had huge steaks for dinner, popped half a Xanax each and are now ready to pass out.

Goodnight. Will have to finish this entry another day.