Mozarabe-The Redemption Walk

“ I prefer dangerous freedom to quiet servitude”

No pictures but this phrase is used all the time. “Tell me”. So when you walk into any bar or shop you’ll often hear this phrase even if they appear not to be looking at you. I love it. What do you want? Tell me now. 

This one is a bit easier

The only place I’ve ever been where the village sign is bigger than the actual village. 

“Without equality there is no love”…Really?  

Open up a tin of sardines after passing these guys sleeping, next thing, they pop over for a sniff. They were out of sight so must have smelt the fish. Ain’t they amazing, as is the haircut on yer man. Just before Guadix. 

“For her, half the World would go to war” - Fair play! 

Every year thousands of sun-burnt farmers from Waterford descend on this beautiful moor town to pay homage to Abla. And every year there is trouble as the Mount Sion mob meet the Ballygunner crowd. Then they head up the road and try and storm the castle at La Calahorra. Hundreds are injured from falling ladders, burning oil and sharp pikes. No one knows why. But it’s a tradition. 

Post written from La Calahorra 

In case I fall down one of these steep gorges I have noted on my person the name and address of my dentist so I can be identified. But Frank, why not just note your own name and address I hear you cry? Because if I did that then the guys who chase down dental records linked with unidentified bodies would be out of a job. Even in death I’m thinking of others. What a guy!

The goats won!

In fairness, Nely runs the show. I think she has a tracker on all peregrinos and knows exactly where they are at all times. And if they need help, she’s there. Plus she sends me the code of the next Albergue every morning. All very organised. 

I applied for the reception job at this clinic but they said no thanks, my teeth weren’t good enough. I can’t see what my teeth have to do with answering the phone, filing, but whatever. Is there ongoing discrimination against receptionists of all creeds who maybe don't easily fit in the category of ‘good looking’? Just a thought. 

Two cartoons that age this walk. Meanwhile Putin is meeting the Chinese Premier. 

Walking through the riverbed I had a sinking feeling, I felt a danger, a threatening presence, not sure why.  

Massive stadium but pitch looking a bit rough. In 20 years time I can see the plucky Spaniards beating Ireland in a WC quarter final. 

Seeing I’m in Clint Eastwood country again I looked up some of the locations for the movies. I did not know that there was often a mix of Spain and Italy locations for the same movie, with the Italian film studio in Rome and editing done in the US.  In the case of “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly,” for instance, specific locations include the Tabernas Desert and the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park in Spain. Which I’m passing through right now. The Sad Hill Cemetery scene was filmed in Burgos, Spain, and is a notable location that has since become a sort of pilgrimage site for fans. If I had known I too would have made that pilgrimage. I also hadn’t realised the cemetery set was recreated by fans. I thought it was a real cemetery.  The Good lays out his simple credo. “You see, in this World, there’s two kinds of people my friend.Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig.”

The normal orange groves and shadow shots just to get them out of the way early doors. 

Most interesting. Not sure what Cardiff has to do with it as the store is in Elche but irrespective it’s a must  visit if you are looking for a Pennyfarthing bike.  My decision to do a three hour walk from Alicante Airport to Elche (a city the size of Cork) was perhaps a bit hasty given the heat and the fact that I faced a 4 hour bus ride to Almeria. Still, I’m sure the person sitting next to me didn’t mind. 

Embarking on a transformative journey through Spain's rugged landscapes, this hike is more than a trek; it's a quest for redemption.  As I traverse ancient trails, each step is a practice in mindfulness, an opportunity to cleanse and reconnect with my inner self. This is more than a journey, it’s an evolution.