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End day one. Here I am in Uterga. I had intended on getting to Puenta la Reina which is about 10kms further but just couldn't go any further. The climb up to Alto del Perdon (aka the hill of forgiveness - wasn't very forgiving on my body let me tell you) was an absolute killer as heading into strong winds & all uphill. Can see why they put the wind farm up here. What smart people the Spaniards are, I think I read somewhere once that they are the 3rd largest users of alternative energy such as wind farms, behind Germany & either the French or the Swiss I think. We have a long way to go, that's for sure.
I couldn't get a bed in the albergue here as they were full but got a bed in the hotel part which was ok. Enjoyed having my own room again but feeling that I'm missing part of the experience. Not to worry, got weeks ahead of me for that.
After leaving Z this arvo I walked part of the way with a French guy (Daniel) and a Spaniard (also named Daniel) who had also stopped by the stream for a rest. They were both really nice guys. Kinda sounds like the start of a joke though - a Frenchman, Spaniard & Aussie walk into a bar ...... French Daniel reminded me of that French dude from Darlo who rings work all the time. I got a bit worried that it was the same one so I carefully, O ever so carefully, asked if he had ever lived in Aus. Thankfully he answered No - PHEW.
Alto del Perdon is interesting. It is a set of cast iron statues commemorating the pilgrimage, with the following text "Donde se cruza el camino del viento, con el de las estrellas" which loosely translates to "where the wind and the Camino intersect, the stars are above ie the Milky Way. For thousands of years, people have believed that strength to continue the Camino was obtained from the Milky Way above. Who knows, maybe they have a point, I don't think I could walk this far at home. In saying that, I was reading on the Aussie Camino site that somebody was planning on walking from Perth to New Norcia, which sounds pretty cool. I love New Norcia, I need to go back there one day
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