A Bridge too Far

Roman Stairs

It is getting harder to get out really early, as it really doesn’t get light until 7:45 or a little later and some of the trails are hard to navigate by flashlight. But since almost all of the new pilgrims on the camino are part of groups that have made advance reservations, getting out early is the only advantage that the rest of us have as we scramble for the remaining beds.  One gem on our trek today was this gorgeous bridge that was built on the footings of a former 9thc Roman bridge.  However, they also built a dam that flooded the original city. If you look closely at the bottom of the bridge, you will see part of the original Roman bridge that they left intact and remnants of original buildings. They also left the Roman stairs at the entrance to the city and yes the camino travels up them!  By not stopping in the major towns, we hoped to miss the large crush of people on the trail and apparently it worked, as those on the camino today were cordial and we were back to our “Buen Camino” which was so nice to hear.  We now have km markers letting us know how far it is to Santiago.  Having come this far, not sure if that encouraging or depressing.