Stage Nine– Ventosa to Ciruena

30+ km.

October 15

The Detour

Today we were aroused from our sleep, not by an annoying alarm or lights turned on, but, by beautiful Gregorian chant music. What a wonderful thing! Breakfast was included in our nights’ accommodation, which was true of most private albergues. I left in the dark, as usual and got a nice picture of the church, just out of the town, before sunrise.

After walking about 14 km, I decided to take a detour off the Camino. The guide book described an old monastery at Canas, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, 16 km from there. I had seen some pictures so thought I might go to see them.  My plan was to stay in Cana and get a cab out to the World Heritage Site, then rejoin the Camino the following day. I had to back track to Alfosa a short way as I realized I had missed the road to Cana. I met the Irish boys, who I figured must be days ahead of me by now, as I was walking back and they said “Hey, Canada!, You giving up?” I laughed and said “Ya, I am out of here!” and I kept walking.

Najera

I followed a major road to Alesanco and watched for the sign to Canas. It should only be three more kilometers. I continued following the highway over a couple of hills and approached what I thought was the town of Canas. As I got closer and could read the town sign, I read “Cordovin”

What?? That’s not Canas. Ok, now my heart is starting to beat faster and I realize I am on the wrong road. I missed the road to Canas. Now what? This town was not on my map. I walked through the town which appeared deserted. It was Saturday so not much was happening. I finally came across a bar where there were several people gathered. The women in one group and the men in another, hanging just outside the bar door so they could smoke. I approached the women first and tried to ask if they knew how to get to Canas. They didn’t seem to know or didn’t understand what I was saying. I could hear them talking in Spanish and every few words I would hear the word Camino.  “Blah, blah, blah Camino, blah, blah, Camino, blah, blah, blah, Camino.” They were obviously commenting on the lost pilgrim.

Shadow at Najera

I then approached the men saying, “Donde monasterio, Canas (which I was probably mispronouncing). They didn’t seem to know either until an older gentlemen started telling me how to go back to Canas. Only he was pointing and speaking very fast Spanish and all I could understand was, go back to Iglesia (church) and follow road left. I guess I must have looked a little pathetic, cause one of the men motioned to get in his car and he and another fellow would drive me there. So I dumped my pack into the trunk and off we went. They drove me about 4 km across country to another road...the road to Canas. They stopped, let me out, and refused any payment. I was grateful for the ride and didn’t figure it was cheating the Camino cause I technically wasn’t on the Camino at the moment. I started walking again and as I got a little closer to the town that the men pointed to and said Canas , I looked at the sign. “That’s not Canas!!! What the hell?” It was Canasilla. I soon stopped a car and asked and they pointed me up the road and said it was only 1 km. Thank God!

Cistercian abbey of
Santa Maria
at Canas

When I got to the monasterio it was closed till at least 4: 30 and even at that I wondered if it was closed for the season.  Now it was about 3:00 and the town of Canas was very small. It did not look like a great place to stay the night and I found out there were no taxis way out there. What was I thinking? I went in another bar to try to get directions out of town. Now all I wanted to do was rejoin the Camino and follow the arrows! With sign language, the man working the bar told me how to get out of town. It was another 6 km to Ciruena.

I ran out of water with about 3 km to go but I had an orange to keep me going. All I could do was kick myself all the way there for thinking I was so smart and going off the Camino. I was grateful that I had the help of strangers all day.

Monasterio Santa Maria
de la Real, Najera
Built over a cave
 in 11th century
Image of the Virgin
discovered  in the cave

Once I arrived in Ciruena, at about 6 pm, all I could think about was finding the Camino’s yellow arrows and checking into the albergue. Then I heard a familiar voice calling me “Sharon, Sharon”( that is how they pronounced it). I turned around and there was Gerti, coming out of a bar with a huge glass of beer. She hurried over to me and said. Thank god you are here! We have been worried about you all day, Here take this beer!” and from then on, Gerti will be forever known as my Beer Angel! I told her of my misadventure and she just kept saying.”Thank God you are safe! She carried my pack for me to the albergue. It wasn’t a very nice albergue but I was happy to be there. I was very lucky because that was the last night it was to be open. I would have had to walk another 6 km to the next albergue. The Spanish hospitalaro had been working for seven months straight without a day off. He was ready for a break.

Locals roasting peppers
for the winter.
The woman didn't want to be on
camera

We went out for a pilgrims menu at the only bar in town. I met Milan, from the Czech Republic. He could speak many languages but English was not one of them. Our conversation went something like this

“ I am from Edmonton, Alberta Canada”

 “ oh..Ed Mon Ton Oilers”

“oh yes..hockey”.

“Jaromir Jagr, Dominik Hasek”

 “Oh yes, great Czech players.”

 and that was about the extent of our conversation but through some interpretation from the three German women, and one Swiss man, there was some communication. I believe Milan had been walking, on average, 40 km a day. Crazy!  

I learned two lessons this day on the Camino:

Pay better attention to my water supply and STAY on THE WAY!