Sick pilgrim

I have neglected my blog because I have been sick with a terrible earache. After three days of suffering, I arrived at a larger town Fonsagrada and decided to go to a clinic. The receptionist insisted on seeing my insurance card which I fortunately had brought with me. They never asked for any money. What a difference from the US. The doctor spoke no English so it was a great chance to use my Spanish except I couldn't hear very well with one ear blocked. The word for ear in Spanish is oreja or so I thought. However when I said that my oreja hurt, the doctor looked confused. Turns out that means the outer ear. The inner ear is a different word. Anyway, he gave me a prescription for antibiotics written a piece of computer paper and I was off to the farmacia. I am feeling much better today.

We have seen many fascinating things. On many of the mountain ridges are lines on windmills. As we climbed, we could hear the distinctive woom-woom of the windmills that were often shrouded in mist.

There are lots of evidence of the Roman occupation in the first century. We visited a Roman fort complete with the house of the commander with columns and all.

I keep thinking how our trip compares to those of the ancient pilgrims. We with the carbon fiber walking poles, goretex jacket, high tech shoes and ergonomic backpacks and the ancient pilgrims in leather shoes, a wooden stick, and a sack on their back. It hardly seems fair to compare.

Windmills in the mist.
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View from Roman fort.

El camino with a little paving.

Old farm with grain storage