The walk today was 22kms leaving Montemarta and walking via the Embalse del rio Esla de Ricobayo. which is overlooked by the imposing ruins of the Castrotarafe. These ruins are of the castle of the Knights of the order of Santiago and offered for protection for a town within its walls as recently as the eighteenth century. I would like to be able to describe stunning scenery but the whole of week 5 has been dominated by flat, arable plains that extend to the horizon. The open terrain and lack of any shelter, together with a biting wintery wind has made the walking arduous. The sparse villages we passed have seemed as bleak, desolate and unwelcoming as the terrain in which they are situated. And so, instead I will describe the average day for these Pilgrims and the dogs that accompany them.

Each morning we awake to the dawn chorus - I use the term “awake” loosely because that is assuming you are, or have been at some time in the night, asleep. This is almost impossible to achieve when you are sharing a room with eleven other people exuding varying noises from every orifice in the body, coupled with trips to the toilet and the occasional sleep-talking. The dawn chorus is made from 21st century technology (birds no longer exist in this treeless environment) - mobile phones, travel alarm clocks and any other instrument of torture designed to get you out of bed. Each individuals has their own bleep, flash, vibration and is set to go off at intervals that make any chance of dozing impossible. The temperatures this week have been as low as 3 degrees so it’s a quick dash to the loos and then get dressed - although many have learnt it’s better to get dressed BEFORE you go bed. By this time any lingerers have been roused by the cacophony of barking from the dogs which signals that Johanna has taken them from their cages and secured them on their husky-like chains ready for breakfast. Breakfast for the Pilgrims is “al fresco” by Dietmars camper van. Usually it´s a pleasant start to the day but this week has been so cold the coffee cools before you can drink it. Then it is the best part of the day, when we go to greet the dogs. For them, it is like Groundhog day, same routine, different place but the welcome is always as raptuous as the first morning. Patrick gives a briefing for the days walk and then it´s time to hit the road. The first hour is hard before you get into your rhythm. The dogs are so well trained that they wait to defaecate as soon as convenient, invariable in the most public place in front of non-animal loving Spaniards. Each hour we take a 5 minute break and a longer lunch break to coincide with the distance and duration of the walk. Each dog is so happy to be out in the countryside and demonstrates an enthusiasm that has not always been shared by the Pilgrims this week. The cold has sapped everyones energy and the relentess landscape has added to the endurance. Any hint of moaning and we are sharply reminded that this is a pilgramage and suffering is obligatory! Karin from Austria, doing one week like me, commented - as she hobbled along in agony with her feet full of blisters on day three - that she had served her penance and should duly be absolved of her sins. If this is the case, and one can issue self-absolution, then the “seven weekers” who have completed nearly five weeks of their pilgrimage and suffered almost every step of the way, are surely in credit by now and can look forward to a life full of sin and debauchery on their return home. Day three seems to be a hurdle for everyone and it was no different for me. A man came from his house, watching me struggle with tiredness and offered the comfort of a drink and a rest for me and the three dogs I had. As always, it is the kindness of strangers when we most need it that brought tears to my eyes. We must carry these gestures with us, nuture them and freely pass them on when the need is greatest.  This is the true spirit of the Camino.

Hello this is Dido the dog. My Dad Patrick has asked me to write the BLOG today as he is injured and I am walking with  my uncle david, at least I was until I saw a nice cyclist and was able to indulge my favourite hobby of biting the legs of mountain bikers and chasing after the bike.  This caused my other uncle Mike to get worried that I had got lost.

Yesterday night we had a good time in el Cubo. We had a private fenced garden and my aunty Andrea let us have a lovely ball to play with so me Rambo, Lily Paca and Alfie had a lovely game of fetching the ball. This was after a long day of 35 kilometres from SaLamanca. I think my Dad is not walking this part as he did it 4 years ago with me and my sister betsie and we had to walk along way along the main road. But all the women in the group are fussing round him so much saying he should not walk on that leg that maybe he has had to take that advice. They are building an autovia along the route so actually we did not have to walk along the road at all this time as there was a service track alongside but it was rather boring nevertheless.

Today has been a nicer walking day with Rambo, Cabra, Uno, Rompe, Harpo, Alfie and just 7 walkers. Mike our temporary guide, although I heard that the others want to make him the guide because he lets them stop at bars on the way for coffee. I think that is very boring for us dogs as we prefer to be in the country looking for rabbits.
Andrea from Austria has blisters so she is not walking and Sylvia s knee is not good again. We had Johanna walking with us this morning which was nice as she is always is very nice to me and us dogs.

I am very glad the dogs from last week have gone as they took all the ground floor bedrooms and I had to move to a smaller one, but I am now back in my favourite room next to the door so I can bark at anyone coming in. Also the shaggy black one called Wanda bit my dad on the leg and i did not like that. We dogs have been very well looked after we have two meals a day, i only get one at home and we have nice cream put on our paws every morning. we go to bed quite early but we are usually glad as we are very tired, but some of us stay awake for a chat and took about the humans, they are always complaining about the aches and pains and especially about their blisters. The three new ladies Andrea, Karin and Annie have had a few blisters and Annie has a bad leg from yesterday but she is very brave carrying on all the way today.

We are in Zamora tonight but the day has not gone well so far for the support crew my dad tells me as the police have put our mobile hotel in a horrid busy street and the are trying to get the police to change our place.  And some of the other got lost in the town and the police had to show them the way.

Anyway we dogs are having a great time and I am getting on very well with the lovely ADANA dogs. I do hope they all find a nice home to go to when they get back.

signed with her paw

DIDO