A day on the camino:
Rise between 5 and 6 when you hear other people rustling. Eat breakfast at the hostel (coffee, bread, orange juice) or from your own food stash (bread, tea, yogurt, fruit, nutella) or wait for a bar.
Begin walking with the sunrise. Walk alone a ways, or slow your pace to talk to friends as you pass them. Maybe have a hiking partner for the day. Golden wheat fields in all directions, the sun rising over the hill.
Pass through a town and stop at a bar. Get a cafe con leche and a croissant napolitana, or just a Cola Cao so you can use the bathroom.
Walk. Stop at a bar. Walk. Picnic lunch. Walk. Walk. Walk.
20 or 30 kilometers (12 or 18 miles) later...
Arrive at a town and check into the albergue (hostel). Municipal or parroquial preferred. Between 12:30 and 2:30 is normal.
Take siesta. This includes napping, stretching, showering, washing laundry, and eating snacks.
At 5, when siesta ends, go explore the town. Stop into the cool quiet churches with their high stone roofs and golden altars. Stock up on groceries. Stop at a bar for a pincho of something.
Dinner. Menu del peregrino. Two courses, dessert, vino tinto, bread. Drink with friends.
10 PM. Lights out for all good pilgrims.
I will take it upon myself to translate the food and drink she encountered: Cafe con leche is a latte, napolitana is a chocolate croissant, Cola Cao is a high energy chocolate drink with vitamins and minerals that originated in Spain, (notice a theme here?)Menu del peregrino is the Pilgrim's menu, vino tinto is red wine. I couldn't find "pinchon" but may have something to do with kebabs or skewers. Esme, enlighten us!
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