Day 12: Palau d'Anglesola to Lleide

Date	Jun 3rd ( Saturday )
Today's Distance:	18 miles /  28  km
Palau d'Anglesola to Lleide Stats	Route Video
Total This Camino:	116 miles
Total 2023 Caminos:	116 miles
Total All Caminos:	1851 miles
Lodging:	$ 107  @ Hotel AA
Total Lodging:	$ 663
Planes:	$ 1350
Total Planes:	$ 1350
Buses / Trains / Taxis:	$
Total Buses / Trains / Taxis:	$ 0 / 30 / 32 = 47
Food:	$ 35
Total Food:	$ 320

Meaningful Moment

On checking into the hotel, which we booked at the last minute because of  our change of plans mentioned below, the hotel clerk gave us an upgrade to a business class room. 

He said it's because we looked so tired lol and needed to rest. 

Whatever the reason was, it was greatly appreciated

Random Thought of the Day

Met some really nice bartenders today:

Bell-loc d'Urgell: place looked like a hole in the wall but he was so full of smiles and he knew about the Camino.

Acoletge: full of info and very friendly, even though we looked awfully bedraggled at this point.

Both Deb and I are very tired tonight.

On the Road / Notable memories

Lots and lots of farm fields of crops of grain, fruit trees and some other things. Periods of industrial zones. Most walking was on dirt farm roads,  which is much better than pavement.

Our original plan was to stop about 5 mi short in the small town of Alcoletge. 

We had been phoning the albergue there, but no one was answering the phone. Usually that just means it's not possible to get in touch with someone, but if you show up at the albergue door, there'll be instructions to reach the contact person.

That did not turn out to be the case today, so we had to implement our fallback plan which was to press another 5 mi ahead to the city of Lleide.

It turned a 13 mi hike into a 18 mi hike.

Nice walk around Lleida with Deb tonight. Made it down to the river Segro.

Had a really great dinner, drink and dessert in the hotel.

	Another beautiful day of roadside flowers
	Another late afternoon storm that we are trying to beat to the hotel
	Rio Segro in Lleide. Thunder threatening us by this point.
	Taking refuge in a coffee shop
	Lleide
	Rio Segro
	Bass with vegetables and wild prawns on a sea salt bed
	Entrance to the Hotel AA Lleide
	Crane nest found on early morning walk around Lleide

Day 11: Vilagrassa to Palau d'Angelsola

Day 11: From Vilagrassa to Palau d'Angelsola

Date	Jun 2nd ( Friday )
Today's Distance:	14 miles /   22 km
Vilagrassa to Palau d'Anglesola Stats	Route Video
Total This Camino:	98 miles
Total 2023 Caminos:	98 miles
Total All Caminos:	1833 miles
Lodging:	$  5 @ Municipal Albergue Palau d'Anglesola
Total Lodging:	$ 556
Planes:	$ 1350
Total Planes:	$ 1350
Buses / Trains / Taxis:	$
Total Buses / Trains / Taxis:	$ 0 / 30 / 32 = 47
Food:	$ 20
Total Food:	$ 285

Meaningful Moment

Today we finally crossed into the agricultural regions of Catalunya. It has a striking similarity to the meseta, the great Spanish plain.

We spent all day long walking through agricultural fields and animal husbandry fields.

Random Thought of the Day

How many days have we been hiking now? Deb and I counted it out to be our 9th day. We've achieved 98 mi now. That's coming out to about 11 mi a day. Little less than we were expecting as a daily average.

I think the sun is a definite factor as overexposure causes fatigue or weariness. The temperatures are in the mid-70s and are only a cause for concern in bright, constant, never-ending sun.

We have been walking in bright, constant, never-ending sun except for the day we were walking in the thunderstorm.

The solution for that of course is to seek out shade at every opportunity, to take off the shoes and socks every couple of hours and let the feet breathe, and to stay well hydrated and eat.

On the Road / Notable memories

Met some very friendly people today. 

• The bartender in Castellnou
• The hospitalera in Palau d'Anglesola
• The Albergue check-in person likewise
• The waiter at the poligono deportes who recommended some outstanding food for dinner

Near Bellpuig: Nothing but blue skies, flat land and crops out to the horizon.

	Anglesola Plaza Mayor for a self service meal and drink
	Canal d'Urgell
	Plantá de la Plana
	Rest stop and light snack
	Super bartender in Castellnou de Seana
	Castellnou de Seana
	Marta, super great hospitalera in Palau d'Anglesola
	Sign of Catalan desire for independence
	Cranes make nests quite often on church steeples
	Camí de Sant Jaume

Day 10: Cervera to Vilagrassa

Day 10: From Cervera to Vilagrassa

Date	Jun 1st ( Thursday )
Today's Distance:	10 miles /  16  km
Cervera to Vilagrassa Stats	Route Video
Total This Camino:	84 miles
Total 2023 Caminos:	84 miles
Total All Caminos:	1819 miles
Lodging:	$ 45 @ Hotel del Carme
Total Lodging:	$ 551
Planes:	$ 1350
Total Planes:	$ 1350
Buses / Trains / Taxis:	$
Total Buses / Trains / Taxis:	$ 0 / 30 / 32 = 47
Food:	$
Total Food:	$ 245

Meaningful Moment

Went down to the bar to get an Estrella beer for me and a Vino Verde for Deb.

Asked the bartender for a Vino Verde and she looked really odd at me as if I was pulling her chain.

She says they only have red wine, rosé wine and white wine.

She thought I was asking for a green wine ( "Verde" in Spanish ). I was asking for a type of Portuguese wine.

Deb laughed long and hard when I explained to her that the bartender looked at me like I was an idiot. Lol

Random Thought of the Day

Deb and I have passed two huge stone houses but the ceiling's were gone and some of the walls were gone. If they're not houses, I have no idea what their function is. But they're very old.

Open business hours in Catalunya seem to be very different for other provinces of Spain. For example it's not even 12:30 in Tárrega and yet everything is closed, especially the restaurants.

On the Road / Notable memories

Just had the realization that today is all hills and farm fields. What a difference from yesterday where we were still in the mountains.

Also so far we have gray cloud cover. It is very slightly sprinkling. But on any other day at this time, we would already be getting hot and sweating.

Another late afternoon rain shower but Deb and I are in the hotel room, looking out the windows, and this is much better than hiding underneath a tree lol.

Wine for Deb and beer for me in the hotel room.

Dinner for us was the Menú del Día.

Deb: tomato and tuna green salad, sausage and potatoes, mixed fruit in juice

Me: same salad, albondigas (meatballs) in gravy with potatoes and greens, Catalán custard

	Have left the mountains behind and now in the rolling hills
	Not sure if this is a house in ruin, or some kind of functional farm structure
	Roadside flowers
	Giving the four feets a well-deserved rest
	Eglesia Parroquial de Sant Pere rest stop
	Hostal del Carme: really nice room and dining experience

Day 09: Jorba to Cervera

Date	May 31 ( Wednesday )
Today's Distance:	12 miles /   18 km
Jorba to Cervera Stats	Route Video
Total This Camino:	74 miles
Total 2023 Caminos:	74 miles
Total All Caminos:	1809 miles
Lodging:	$ 70 @ Hostel La Savina
Total Lodging:	$ 506
Planes:	$ 1350
Total Planes:	$ 1350
Buses / Trains / Taxis:	$
Total Buses / Trains / Taxis:	$ 0 / 30 / 32 = 47
Food:	$ 20
Total Food:	$ 245

Meaningful Moment

From Deb: Unexpectedly tempestuous day. Started off with a lovely 9 mile walk. With about nine more to go, the sky became stormy. 

Rather than spend the night at something of a truck stop Hotel. We decided to go the next 9 miles. 

About a mile or so in, a thunderstorm rolled in with some rain so we hid in some bushes and took a selfie while we waited out the rain. 

When the rain stopped, we went on our way and soon encountered a downpour and impressive thunderstorm. 

We were not smiling quite as much then and tried to hide under some very low trees, but we were quickly soaked. 

In fact we went down a gully lower than the road and of course were covered with all kinds of stuff. And the second time we found two very low bush trees as well.

I knew we didn't want to be the highest point in a field and I knew we did not want to hide under trees.

We then made our way to an underpass. 

There, an incredibly nice woman stopped to help and drove us the rest of the way to our final destination, Cervera.  She was a real Camino Angel.

Well, we are now dry and fed and ready to rest, so what more can we ask for lol

--- Deb

Random Thought of the Day

Have spoken with several people who say the weather forecasts for the next several days are  for afternoon showers.

So much freaking road walk, pretty much the entire day. And the first half, 9 mi, was a slow constant upgrade. 

On the Road / Notable memories

The summit of the long incline up was La Panadella, the halfway point of today's hike. We stopped for a rest and a drink.

Shortly after we started walking again, we ran into the thunderstorm mentioned in the memorable moment above.

...

Was starving by the time we got into Cervera. 

We were walking around the city about 7:00 p.m., which in Spain is way too early to find a dinner. Kitchens and restaurants open up about 8:30 p.m. and I couldn't wait that long. 

I had forgotten the Spanish custom of late dinner. 

While walking around, we finally found a Chinese restaurant that was open in the University quarter.

I had a corn and crab meat soup and vegetable and shrimp dinner. I was afraid that I had ordered way too much, but that turned out to be absolutely not the case. It all disappeared.

...

Cervera is a city atop a hill and surrounded by stone walls going back I don't know how many hundreds of years.

So walking around the streets can easily get you into a dead end alley.

Deb and I ended up down such an alley. We asked a guy who was unloading stuff from his car for help.

He let us into his building to cut through in order to get to the Calle Principal. He had the cutest small dog with him who seemed to adore him.

Anyway the point is that this guy was a Camino angel, because he could have simply had us go all the way back down and double back.

	The west side of Cataluna is beautiful.
	Marcelo chatted with us. He had not seen another hiker in days
	Thunderstorm headed our way. No way around it. La Panadella was a trucker town and we did not want to spend our rest day there.
	Caught a ride to Cervera shortly after this. We were taking cover under short trees.
	Cervera sits on a hill. Much of the old walls remain.

Day 8: Castellolí to Jorba

Date	May 30 ( Tuesday )
Today's Distance:	11 miles /   17 km
Castellolí to Jorba Stats	Route Video
Total This Camino:	62 miles
Total 2023 Caminos:	62 miles
Total All Caminos:	1797 miles
Lodging:	$ 11 @ Albergue Sant Jaume
Total Lodging:	$ 436
Planes:	$ 1350
Total Planes:	$ 1350
Buses / Trains / Taxis:	$
Total Buses / Trains / Taxis:	$ 0 / 30 / 32 = 47
Food:	$ 10
Total Food:	$ 225

Meaningful Moment

Deb and I arrived at the Albergue of Jorba at 4 p.m. which was an hour before it opened.

There was a pilgrim already waiting 

We started talking. He was from Barcelona. He did in two days what Deb and I did in five days. He was our age. What a beast! His name is Ferrar.

Anyway we were in the courtyard in front still at 4:45 p.m. when the first thunder pealed. Lightening started soon after and then the rain. 

Fortunately the priest who runs the Albergue opened the door early. 

Shortly after we got inside, the full thunderstorm hit.

Random Thought of the Day

In Castelloli, I spoke by phone with the hospitalero in Jorba and he told us to take our time and enjoy our intermediate stop, the city of Igualada. The Albergue Sant Jaumé in Jorba is closed between 1:30 and 5:00 p.m. so there's no reason to be in a hurry to get there.

The municipal albergue in Castellolí was gratis. I offered to give the City Hall a donativo and they indicated it was not necessary.

On the Road / Notable memories

Walking into Igualada was kind of difficult because it was a very long commercial and industrial district with a string of big box stores and factories. I was so glad to be fnally finished with the industrial zone.

Because we are taking a slow day, we had a nice coffee shortly after we entered Igualada. Deb went into the pharmacy and replenished our supplies of Advil, Ibuprofen etc.

Saw far more cloud cover today than previous days. Really appreciated it. I've lost that strong New York desire to see the sun right now :-) In fact, I'm getting too much sun, even using sun block.

	After Montserrat, the trail has been really well marked.
	Walking through the industrial commercial district of Igualada
	Main square of Igualada
	A 12th century Church
	Amazing view from the hills into Jorba
	The Albergue Sant Jaumé is run by the local parish priest

Day 07: Monestir de Montserrat to Castellolí

Date	May 29 ( Monday )
Today's Distance:	12  miles /  13 km
Monestir de Montserrat to Castellolí Stats	Route Video
Total This Camino:	51 miles
Total 2023 Caminos:	51 miles
Total All Caminos:	1786 miles
Lodging:	$ 0 @ Municipal Albergue La Rectoría
Total Lodging:	$ 425
Planes:	$ 1350
Total Planes:	$ 1350
Buses / Trains / Taxis:	$
Total Buses / Trains / Taxis:	$ 0 / 30 / 32 = 47
Food:	$ 10
Total Food:	$ 215

Meaningful Moment

Castellolí is one of those Camino towns that is basically a one horse town. 

Being Monday night, everything was closed except for one bar. Although the bar was open for drinks, the kitchen was closed. 

So all Deb and I could do was order a wine and a beer. 

But they did have a drinks machine so we could stock up on stuff for tomorrow, like Aquarius which is kind of like a power drink.

So the long and short was that there was no place to eat supper. 

But Deb, always the problem solver, came across some chorizo and iberica ham and rice that a previous pilgrim had left for follow on Pilgrims to use.

The kitchen had a pot and a stove and some other rudimentary cooking implements. 

So Deb saw the opportunity and made us jambalaya.

So we went from eating emergency food that we had been carrying to a home-cooked meal. :-)

We sat outside in the courtyard on a bench under the evening sky and had our meal.

Random Thought of the Day

So last night when we checked into the albergue at Montserrat, we had completed the first part of this journey. That is to say the Camino Barcelona. 

Today we started the second part of this journey. We are on the first legs of the Camino Catalán. 

This part of the journey will take 4 days, at which point we will come to a split in the Camino. We could go north or south, but in planning this earlier, I had already chosen the southern route. 

That route will take us about 7 days to complete, at which point we will have completed the Camino Catalan.

It will then be time to decide what we are doing next.

On the Road / Notable memories

Was thinking that we would slowly come off the Montserrat mountain, but as it turned out we had to do a bunch of up and downs in s curves as we rounded more faces of the mountain. 

It really wasn't until about 2/3 of the way through the hike that we got off the mountain.

After yesterday's challenging climb of Montserrat, today's 12 mile hike was a bit of a breather. Tomorrow's hike is at about 10 mi and will be another chance to recoup a little bit.

This is important because two days from today we're setting out on an 18 mi hike, in order to preposition ourselves for a rest day in the city of Tarrega. 

The hike into Tarrega will only be 6 miles. So if we get in early enough, we'll have lots of downtime.

...

Today's albergue is a converted church. Deb and I have the church all to ourselves.

	Montserrat
	One last look
	We thought it would be a relatively short descent but it turned out to be 2/3 of the hike
	Unbelievable views
	Finally got off the road
	And back on the rocks
	Yes, that is the trail behind us 9:40
	Midday break of carbonated water and some snacks ... Espresso for Deb
	Main Street of Castellolí
	Municipal Albergue La Rectoría