If it can go wrong, it will go wrong applies to today's logistics, but first, the walk. 14.5 miles. About three quarters climbing and descending, but pretty. Had one annoying navigational situation near the beginning, so spent about 15 minutes wandering about looking for a bridge. But a man, who came outside to toss his garbage, saved the day, and I was off.
An odd-looking tree? Maybe, but behind it, also a bathroom:
A creature:
Apparently, you are not allowed to pick mushrooms here, and you could get shot if it is hunting season, but through the gate you go:
Today's view:
Two ferociously barking dogs en route, fortunately, chained up. Not much other drama until arrival. Get to the apartamentos where I have been booked since Nov. 21. Not a soul around, no bell, nothing, and my phone does not work. Next door is a grocery store, open for ten more minutes, so I buy a few things planning to come back when it reopens at 5:00, only it did not reopen at 5:00, which would have made me very sad since I have a stove and was hoping to cook a couple of eggs, but, not surprisingly, the stove did not work nor did the frig, so I was annoyed about that and not so sad about the eggs.
Asked grocer man if he knew lady who owns apartments, and, if so, would he phone her. He said he would not because they do not get along, therefore she would not pick up the phone if he called. Three old men were sitting on a bench outside the grocer's. I explain my predicament and one, Pedro, the only one of the three who had teeth, and, by the way, a moustache, let me use his phone. Reach lady who is in Leon or some such place and she claims to know nothing about my reservation. She speaks a mile a minute and I am having trouble getting the gist, but I do get that she is very concerned about how much I owe her. I tell her that I am using Pedro's phone, so could we please get on with it. At last, making another call, she summons a friend who lives nearby and she, the friend, works things out after much in the way of issues. For example, she had a devil of a time getting the keys to work, and the lights would not go on, so she had to fiddle with the fuse box. FINALLY, after two hours, I am IN. I tell the lady, again using her friend's phone, that I had only wanted to book for one night, but that she had insisted on two, and owing to all the trouble, would she settle for one night's payment, although I would do what she asked. No, two nights, in cash, and that was it. Muy desagradable. At least the wi-fi works.
Then the suitcase, It had not been not delivered. It was still back in Salamón. After several phone calls, made by lady's friend, Gregorio, el taxista, showed up with the bag about an hour later. He claimed that since the booking had not been confirmed, he simply did not go to get the bag in the morning.
Movistar, the phone company is giving me grief. Hope I can work this out tomorrow. The Go is not an option for long calls, such as arguing over a reservation tend to be.
Well, so much for the planned afternoon of R and R, but in the end, it all worked out.
Ok vey!!!
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