19 December 2021
Big day. 40 km.
Not a great night. The bed was average. Host came home at 10.00 pm and watched Youtube for a few hours.
Up early. Cold. Below zero. Breakfast from a packet. Not great.
Shell has a dream. Her numb hands and feet. Solution. Plastic bags. Fashion faux pas. Worked a treat.
Double. Double gloves. Double socks. Four layers. Merino tights. Still cold.
“The best way to keep something bad from happening is to see it ahead of time… and you can’t see it if you refuse to face the possibility.” ― William S. Burroughs
A few kilometers and we are back on the Cani de Sant Jaume. Old friend.
Can gravel roads twisting through farmland and ancient ruins become banal?
We stop every 5 km to get the feeling back in our fingers. Still below zero at 10.00 am. Eat the apples from the day before. Delicious.
Birds of prey everywhere. More orchards. Dog trailers. Gun dogs. Shotguns fire. Hunting birds. I want in.
It is tough going for some reason. Downhill. Maybe its the cold? Relentless fog that shuts out the sun the entire day?
We push through lunch and make it to Lleida. A massive church on the hilltop the most remarkable feature.
Bikes inside. Showers. Famished.
Its 2.30 pm. Everywhere is full. Can’t get a table.
Find Rita Cokó. Squeeze us in.
Side note. The Australian COVID vaccine QR does not work here. Neither does the Australian International COVID vaccine QR. The Malaysia MySejahtera QR does.
Not a food blog.
Anchovies. Octopus. Onion risotto. Squid. Mushroom buns. Steak with roquefort. Aubergine with honey. Wine.
“Worthless people live only to eat and drink; people of worth eat and drink only to live.” – Socrates
The service here is excellent. We asked for wine.
‘Blanco or Tinto?’
‘Tinto. Do you have a list? Lista? Menú?
‘No’
He produces a bottle.
‘Local. Catalan. Good with food. You will like it’
He opens the bottle, pours. He is correct. Good with food. Leaves the bottle. Ordering wine is simple here.
Shell home. I am off to see if we can train with bikes.
We can.
Asleep at 6.00 pm. Crashed.
Today’s trip –
