Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Day 54 - The wheels on the bus...

Go 'round and 'round...and 'round...and 'round...

If you don't book ahead of time, the cheapest way from Spain to Germany is by bus. Cheap, yes. Fast, NO. We boarded the bus at 9:45AM August 7. We did not expect to be in Dortmund until 7:00PM August 8.

On the upside, the bus follows parts of the Camino. And there is certain pride in having walked a distance which will take the bus 12 hours to cover.

The first leg of the trip takes us past the Camino's approach to Santiago. It is interesting to see all the expressions on the pilgrims' faces as they enter the city...Incredulous, elated, and a good number of just plain exhausted.

As the bus rolls on, we go right through Astorga (the Blister Hospital and Gaudi House), plus several small towns whose names I have forgotten.

We drive through the siesta sun in our air-conditioned coach, and the pilgrims we pass along the way look positively wilted. I want to lean out the window and tell them to take a break, the trail will still be there in the cool evening, but they wouldn't listen even if I could have. Riders in air-conditioning have little credibility with walkers, and walkers are driven with strange zeal towards their goals.

I have that on good authority.

Bonus pics: Compiled the best "iiiity biiity cz and a great whole of nuthin" pictures below








































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