Mile 230.7 Calzadilla de la Cueza
October 4, 2017
Though San Zoilo Hotel Real Monasterio was restful, it was time to move on.
As we left the hotel there was a cart with two horses across the street and a group of women getting ready to climb onto the cart. We knew some of them. They decided to enjoy their journey to Calzadilla de la Cueza by horse and cart. (We later found out that one of the ladies wasn’t feeling well so she and her mother had decided to take the cart and others joined them.)
The driver tried to convince my husband and I to do the same. He said that there was nothing from here to there and no water sources. We told him we were ready and both carry 2 liters…not what he wanted to hear. We wished them well and moved on.
El Camino is rather flat in the phase that we are on and still runs thru rather dry farm land…but nothing? So not true. It is full of texture and birds and old abbeys to discover. There was even a rest stop with shade (no water) and a food truck where the owner was roasting really good sausages that he added mustard and tomatoes to on a bun. The trail was not so rocky and for a while shaded (a bit) by trees. Later the trees were only on one side—the wrong side for shading the road.
We met some ladies that were riding bikes. They ride a few days and then walk. They told me that it gives an alternative to a sore bum to sore feet. They were not well covered though…tank tops and no cover for their heads. I hope they don’t end up too sun burned.
I know to pace myself when I walk but I am also pacing my rest stops now. When my feet begin to hurt I stop where I can and take my boots off and massage and move my toes. It makes a big difference. We kept a good pace and walked 2 miles an hour today. Made it to Calzdilla de la Cueza in good time.
We are staying in a hotel that is owned by a pilgrim: Don Cesar. He has 3 certificates on his wall and is so friendly…more fatherly to the pilgrims; he has a big heart. Our pilgrim’s dinner was good: lentil soup, chicken and I choose the ice cream (drum stick) but should have taken the apple tart (the best I have seen). The Pilgrim’s wine got better with the meal. The company was even better! We sat with 4 people from France who are doing El Camino in parts so this is their second set. We really had fun with them even though the language can be a challenge. Hope we meet again.
El Camino always has something to share.
Mile 247.4 Sahagún
October 5, 2017
Today we received our first certification.
We halved our walk and took a cab to Moratinos where there are bodegas (the little buildings in the hillsides) so that we would get to Sahagún early to explore this town that is the halfway mark between Roncevalles (the official start for Spaniards) and Santiago. The road was flat and not so rocky. We had a rest and KAS de Limón in the only town we passed and a rest at a nice park with interesting and comfortable metal chairs to sit or lie on. The park is next to an old Abbey. There is also a marker there that depicts the exact spot of the geographical halfway point.
Upon arriving to Sahagún we freshened up and had another KAS at a bar in the plaza where our hotel was. We had decided not to go to the church where the certificate for the halfway point was given since it was an uphill climb. Instead we asked the bartender where the nearest market was. He spoke really fast (as they do here) but I understood; my husband got confused. We headed down the road and turned right as we had been told to do. We looked and looked and looked for a sign that said market. Saw an alley but no market and no sign (turns out it was a large logo and with a very small letters saying “Market”). We asked a pilgrim who had a bag of tomatoes and she too was very confused. Said she had followed a lady to it but now wanted to go back and couldn’t find it either. We walked away and then she called us back again. She found it. It was the alleyway…it led us to the front of the market. Kind of was a surreal event for all three of us.
Afterwards we went to an abbey to see about a mass where the Mother Superior blesses the pilgrims. Met another pilgrim who had the certificate for the halfway mark between Roncevalles and Santiago. She showed it to us, it was beautiful, and asked if we had gotten ours. She convinced us to go.
The certificates are handed out at the Peregrina (female pilgrim). It is an old church under restoration and is now a museum. We had to go up-hill a bit but it was worth our weary bones to do so. What is there is beautiful and interesting since it has Moorish influences and a statue of the Pilgrim Virgin that was done by a woman sculpture. The architecture is called mudéjar. It is a mixture of Christian styles of Romanic, Gothic, and/or Renaissance with Muslim style architecture or art.
We also ended up meeting up with our friends from Colorado AND our new friends from France! Later we had dinner with the ladies from Colorado (one was celebrating her birthday).
El Camino brings good souls together.
Mile 257.6 El Burgo Ranero (The Frog Hamlet)
Today we walked to a hamlet famous for its frogs and the song they sing.
Did really well today. Was able to keep my normal pace (2 to 2.25 miles an hour). I took breaks and stretched my toes when I could (happy feet!) There were rest places along the way and even benches along the trail (thanks to the Friends of El Camino). The trail was tree lined and the trees were on the correct side so the shade went across the trail. The day was cooler for the most part.
We had lunch in a small town called Bercianos del Real Camino. I wanted a plate of “verdaderos” (veggies) for lunch without egg. Ended up with a plate of tomatoes and some zucchini scrambled up with egg…oh well. I could have sent it back but didn’t want to waste it. It is so hard to get just veggies sometimes.
As we were walking out of the town I was taking photos of doors, windows and walls (love the old stuff) and there was a house with metal bars on the windows and front wall that had little figures on it. I loved it and asked the two men sitting on a wood bench under a tree if it was their house. One said yes. They got a kick at me photographing the ironwork. In fact there were words along the rail: Bercian del Real Camino Frances. As I took photos, my husband got into a conversation with them. People are curious about the U.S.; what we think about our present government in Washington, and history in general. As we talked other pilgrims passed by and never noticed the ironwork that honored them.
The road was long and straight with a few curves up. It paralleled along a road that had little traffic. We walked most of the way on the asphalt rather than the semi-rocky trail…much easier on the feet.
At one point there was a deep ditch that crossed under the road. It was full of green plants contrasting the dry vegetation around it. A noise undulated from one side to the next…up and down the ditch…kind of a low fast series of clicks. I stopped and listened. It was so calming; I could hear the wave in the movement of the sound. I take it that that was the ranas (frogs) singing. That is what this little hamlet (burgo) is named after: ranero
Later my husband and I walked around town. There are a lot of old adobe homes here. Most in bad condition and some for sell. We went to the church and it was closed with no hours for the mass. We sat down on one of two ornate metal benches in front and soon an elderly lady came by. We greeted her and began a long conversation. She, of course, told us that her husband is sick…he has no energy. She then told us that she came to the area as a young woman to work in a butcher shop near the train station. She met her husband and stayed. I asked her if I could take a photo of her with my husband but she said no. She was wearing her housedress and was not made up well…she also told us that she is 88 years old and is not comfortable with photos. I actually found her to have a lot of character and beauty so it was too bad that she felt too self-conscience. But we had a wonderful time talking about life in general and joking. She told us that in the past there use to be a lot of pilgrims lined up to get into the church but over time it changed so now mass is only in the late morning. I feel that this is so sad. The church should be open for the pilgrims that want to come: if not for mass then at least to be able to come in and enjoy and pray in the church. She told us that El Camino was “Mucho Sacraficio” (A big sacrifice.)
I don’t think like that but I get where she is coming from.
El Camino brings us gifts.
Mile 270.3 Mansilla de las Mulas
October 7, 2017
It began as a cool, crisp day and the trees along El Camino were dense and on the correct side of the trail so we had shade most of the way.
There is a quote that says that it is about the journey not the destination. There is so much to see, hear, touch, smell, and feel along El Camino. The way here is much like it has been for several days: dry, dusty farm land, sunny, warm (though is it cooling down a bit), towns with restructured adobe homes and adobe buildings in various states of disrepair. We meet people, dogs, and cats along the way. Today we conversed with a lady that had a beautiful rose garden. She said that it has been so warm that the roses are still blooming. She didn’t seem happy that it was still warm so I said yes but you still have roses. She laughed and introduced us to her four dogs.
There is a small airport that we passed and there were two small planes that were flying in circles landing and taking off so this gave us opportunities to take photos of them. They flew over the road so I got a shot of one as it flew directly over me. The other plane had flown over before and it “waved” its wings at us. We were the only pilgrims paying attention to them. They noticed.
Over the past several days, as a photographer, I feel like I have had a “Georgia O’Keefe” moment with my art. The area is not a desert but it is dry and arid. There is so much texture and contrast. The lone tree is more dramatic and when we do have clouds I think of a piece of hers that is hanging in the Chicago Art Institute. It is big and of clouds…rows and rows of clouds. The adobe buildings…the old ones…have so much character, the people too. I also think of her friend, Ansel Adams.
El Camino shows beauty in simplicity.
Mile 282.7 León
October 8, 2017
Today I woke up in a room with antique furniture, lace, and a view above a porch covered in grape vines. I didn’t want to leave…
El Camino was calling us so we did.
We crossed a bridge over the Esla River and began a new day along trails that parallel roads and went thru new towns to discover. We were headed to León.
We passed a house with lots of cats. The owners told us “Más gatos menos ratones.” (More cats; less mice.) We lunched at La Torre Alberge in Arcahueja that my husband had gone to before. The owner makes everything himself and is a really good cook. I had the albondeges (meet balls) and they were “Rico!” He was great to talk to and we enjoyed both food and conversation.
A note here: while we were eating three young pilgrims came in for something to drink and eat. They were very careful in what they ordered because of price. Two went outside to a table and one was waiting for his drink. The owner took a plate and placed one of his homemade chorizos in homemade cider sauce on it and cut it up in pieces. He then added some more portions of other items on the plate. He gave it to the young man and told him to share it with his friends. It was “gratis” (a gift).
There are many on El Camino who travels with little. Compassion is a gift from above.
Most of the trail to León went thru small towns. There is a new pedestrian bridge and rest stops. The Friends of El Camino have done a wonderful job making the way easier for us pilgrims these past several days. A bench in the shade means a lot.
And then we saw León and its cathedral in the distance. . .
We stopped for a KAS on the outskirts, rested and began our journey into this beautiful city.
As we began our walk in the older part of León, passing thru the old city wall we met a man and three ladies. He was curious about us as well as giving us some history of the area. We were near a church that he said was once the church that the pilgrims came to and its old name is still above the door: St. Maria del Camino. We introduced ourselves and he is the president over the Federación Española Asociación de Amigos del Camino de Santiago (Spanish Federation of Friends’ Associations of the Way of St. James.) He has walked El Camino several times and has written two books: one on pilgrims’ stories in the Hostels and the other one poetry of El Camino. We later found an interview with him in the magazine that they have at the Cathedral: Catedral d León. Gracias Don Luiz Gutiérrez Perrino y los Amigos por sus dedicationes a los peregrinos.
Later as we walked thru León we met up with our friends from Oregon and a mother and daughter who we met before. We met later for dinner. One of the women from Oregon told us a story where she decided to bake a pie a day and give it away. Sometimes to a friend; sometimes to a stranger. She made over a hundred pies of different varieties. She has a blog on it; I hope she does a book. Her story and experience in giving is worth hearing.
On El Camino we break bread and learn more about each other.
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