We've been waiting to start the Camino, but much of our excitement was dampened by a rainy morning. Not the start we expected, but that is life on the Camino - you must take the good with the bad. The day prior we had met a young girl who postponed her trek for a day due to rain. A bit naive and she may never complete her goals due to small setbacks.
The trek today was challenging, with a 400m elevation gain. The grade was gradual and a good workout. At the top of the hill were the famous metal sculptures of pilgrim travellers and a very windy and cold greeting. The descent was more challenging. The mud and wet rocks provide a recipe for disaster and therefore the descent took much longer. But once we reached the bottom of the hill there were many cafes waiting, allowing us to celebrate our achievement.
Highway to Hell AC/DC, and many other '70s hits being sung in the plaza, as we sat on our patio enjoying appetizers and champagne, to celebrate Julie's birthday. Puente de Reina is an interesting little town made famous by its bridge. As the story goes, a long time ago, a local was overcharging residents for taking them across the river. The queen (reina) of the region commissioned the building of the bridge that put the greedy local out of business. Today (Sunday) there was an event featuring motor bikes in the plaza, which included a feast for the bikers and band in the evening. We took a walk along the main street (Calle Mayor) were there were many pilgrims enjoying tapas and local wines.
Happy Birthday Julie!
Julie was touched by her sister's card, which she opened in the morning. And a happy ending to the day with the restaurant staff acknowledging her by presenting Julie with a cake and singing Happy Birthday (in Spanish of course). It was an almost a perfect birthday had not her husband left his card and gift at home. My bad! My brain at 5am does not function without clear written instructions.
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