Camino Primitivo - The Quest For Truth Hike

Irish presidential election enters last week. I’m hoping Catherine Connolly romps home, she’s way ahead in polls. Nothing against Heather Humphries but she is a lightweight versus her opponent.  CC’s ‘truth to power’ line is completely misunderstood I think but I like it. If you sanction Russia for invading Ukraine (22/2/2022) you gotta sanction Israel for Gaza, and call out the US for supplying them arms to carry out the genocide.  While the World watches on TV. Catherine Connolly is right to feel sick about it. It’s a pity economic fears stop nations from calling out ‘truth to power’.  I’m writing these thoughts down now because when I read these back in a photo book ten/twenty years from now I want to remember what was happening when I was on the Camino Primitivo in Oct 2025. 

Very decent walk today up and down through vales and hills. Started at 745 and finished at 245 with my usual hour not walking so six in total. A fascinating insight there. Here’s where I’m staying tonight, that’s 2km away, all downhill, I tested out my new stick. The excitement. It held up. 

Well, tbh, it ain’t much fun. Take today’s stage. Up and down, up and down, all day. It’s gets old you know. And the pain in the feet, not great. The hamlets and valleys start to blend into one. Then you think of Wales and Lloyd George and he was no friend of Ireland and ok the singing was good but is it enough and you start to go a bit crazy blaming everything on the Welsh. I did make a stick mind, that’s something I suppose. 

Dodged the forecasted rain and the route through the forest not so steep, albeit long. Straightforward and pleasant walk to Tineo largely above the road on small trails and paths. Met Tatiana,  a Russian, born in Ukraine now working as a tax lawyer in Spain, with a father in the military. Her backpack weighed around 18 kgs. That doesn’t work. We also discussed bullfighting and the tomato festival. Also met Suzy from Budapest, I tried to rob her stick when she was in that church. I did come clean in fairness to me. Finally met a funny English /Portguese couple who were giving it welly while washing g their clothes. The lad that he wanted to be the washing machine when doing laundry, he became the machine as such. Very good.