Calzadilla de la Cueza to Sahagun - May 22, 2015

Very cold and bad decision early in walk to take one of the "green" routes in the guide book. It took me across a field that was completely empty of other peregrinos and in better temperatures, would have been lovely but with temperature of 8C and a 25Km crosswind, it was actually a bit hellishlly cold.

It was however a bit shorter so not a complete loss.

After that, a straightforward walk into Sahagun, the centre of the Camino Frances (as a nice man in a grocery told me) and also the intersection of the Camino de Madrid with the Frances route (there are about 18 different Camino routes!)

Into a hotel which would have won the award for the WORST (teeny, tiny room; No bathtub and NO WINDOW!!!) except I immediately asked for something else and the desk complied without a quibble (I really was ready to go to another hotel) so was an OK place to stay for 2 days.

 Usual routine, feet up for at least 10 min. then tub and dinner...much better.

Pictures of the Day

Sunrise in Real del Camino - Really don't need to see the foreground.

More Hobbit-y houses into the hillside

Still definitely in the Meseta

Close-up of the straw/mud building material 

Ill-fated, cold (but mercifully short) detour

In someone's yard

Guess they have a problem with the peregrinos ??!!

Still in Palencia province

Sign on the right shows where I've been ( Burgos) and where I'm going (Leon) but in the middle, there in the distance, is my current rest stop, Sahagun.

I'm here

Carrion de Los Condes to Calzadilla - May 21, 2015

This was a fairly straightforward walk. No services along the way (read banos!), fairly cool temperatures. There was a cafe movil (mobile cafe) that only had ice cream and cold drinks and it was about 10C. Don't think he  had very big sales that day. My destination was in Calzadillas, a very little village that had an albergue and one hotel - which I was in. Very basic and quite a come-down from the sumptuous San Zoila monastery but all you really want at the end of the day is to get clean, put your feet up, eat and drink something and sleep. This fulfilled all of the above. Didn't take many pics. It was more of the magnificant Meseta.

Facade of the Monasterio de San Zoilo, as I was leaving in the morning - really, if you are ever in the neighbourhood, must stay here.

Meseta - fields and sky

Another possible "The Way" moment - when Martin Sheen's character looks back and sees the image of his dead son leaning against one of these trees. Except in the movie, he was walking the wrong way! These trees - whether here or elsewhere - are always on your left shoulder as you are walking forward.  In the movie, they were on his right - i.e. he was walking the wrong way - only someone who has done this would pick up on that.  Do not care. As a fangirl - loved that image in the movie. :-)

Fromista to Carrion de Las Condes- May 20, 2015

This was the best day yet but with an upsetting episode in the middle. I will get to that.

Started out as usual, breakfast and then getting the pack on.

Hmm...some similiarities- don't you think?

Sunrise over Fromista, where I have been - next to my favorite roadside weed plant - what is it? It looks like yellow butterflies and they are everywhere!

Pilgrim silhouette beckoning to my next destination

Wild roses in Spain - they have the standard pink ones and then these!

Donkey and humans - leading me to the best, most peaceful, solitary and wonderful walk yet...

Another donkey in a field; almost made me leave the best route prematurely but got back on track after I took his picture.

End of a magical walk with Ermite de la Virgen del Rio in the background.

If you look closely, Donkey and family on the road in the foreground ...that was it.. and no one I could see behind me....so peaceful.

In Palencia there are not a lot of stones so many buildings are made of a mud and straw wattle. Also, there are storage areas (and homes too) built into the hillside, hobbit-like. Cooler in the summer and easier to keep warm in the winter.

To my left - waayyyy over there - multitudes of peregrinos who hadn't read of this wonderful alternative, walking the Highway to Hell - so estupido!

  This picture was taken from the patio of a lovely cafe near the end of my morning walk where I stopped for lunch. Classical arias were playing (the Four Tenors ? ) and it was all so beautiful, it literally brought me to tears...

 Then, I got into this village.

Villalcazar de Sirga. And all the wonderful feelings were blown away.

WARNING: Rant to follow. Feel free to ignore and just look at the pictures

Brierley (the guide book) talked about the 13th century Templar church, Santa Maria la Virgen Blanca and said it was a must-see, even for people who don't "do" churches and it looked impressive on the outside so I went in.

   The man at the door to take the one euro fee (for pilgrims) had a sour, contemptuous look on his face as he took my euro and stamped my credencial. Then he started barking something in Spanish and gesticulating strongly off to one side of his desk. I didn't understand but assumed he wanted me to take off my backpack so hurried to comply; leaving my credential in front of him. He then barked something else and flung it across the desk at me. His anger and contempt were palpable.

Shaken, I picked up my credential and wandered around the church and took some photos. It is an impressive space but I was no longer "into" it. 

Gathered up my backpack and left after maybe 10 minutes.

Donkey was parked out front; her people having a mid-day cafe. It turned out to be the last time I would see them. I just hurried out of town and got on the last unavoidable 6 km of Highway to Hell to Carrion de los Condes and I was seething!!

 All the amazing feelings of the morning and lunch at that lovely space with the serene music were shredded. Why??

 I am starting to believe the Camino is some kind of force; that it puts people, things, situations in your vision and then leaves it up to you to figure out the meaning - if any exists. So I had to analyze this interaction and put it behind me because it was wrecking my day.

And this is what I came to: 

 It was about a cranky old man in a Christian church. The Christian faith and indeed almost all faiths are organized and run by cranky old men who have nothing but anger and contempt towards women. They all need to control women and to tell them what to do because women are too stupid to figure it out for themselves.This is something I believed before going on the Camino and Camino confirmed my belief and conviction. 

  I have been asked if I am getting religious since starting this pilgrimage and I can emphatically state, NOT ON YOUR LIFE! Thank you, Camino; lesson learned.

And to paraphrase a song from an old musical - "I walked that man right outta my hair.. and sent him on his way" 

And then I got to Carrion de los Condes and the magic returned! My hotel was formerly a monastery  and is magnificient.

More photos from the day:

Church of the Cranky Old Man

Nice altar

Nice arches... OK, outta here

Bye bye Donkey.  :-(

Entering Carrion de los Condes- and a better frame of mind

My room

View from my window

This place was amazing

Interesting juxtaposition of very modern crucifix with classic painting

One of the courtyards

This is a bar (of many) not currently open but Gregorian chant was playing. Maybe not your "cup of tea" but very restful

The chapel of the monastery, only people staying at the hotel can visit here. On my own, very quiet. 

OK, took lots of pictures here but had to get back on the road the next day. 

Still a long walk ahead..

Castrojeriz to Fromista - May 19, 2015

It was another very cool (5C) and windy morning starting out and had "Mule  Killer Hill" to look forward to. One kilometre more or less straight up. Hope my training/walking so far will help me out.

There it is in the distance...

OK, got through it with only 2 (or3) stops for breath, but then on the other side, it was steeper (at least it was going down). No falls or other catastrophes

More rock balancing

And fields..

And poppies

And fields of poppies - Did you know that this is Tierra de Campos (Land of Fields)?

In the province of Palencia

Met this character at a rest stop. More later - he/she is travelling with 3 humans and is their porter.

Boadilla del Camino with 16th century Santa Maria church

Canal de Castilla - originally a canal system used to transport crops and run corn and grain mills, now used for irrigation. I walk into Fromista along this pleasant tree-lined space.

Another of the Romanesque churches, Iglesia de San Martin, consecrated in 1066. And right next door to my hotel..

The Nave of San Martin

The Altar

Donkey (sorry, never got her name or gender, but she was so calm and sweet, I assumed she's a she) and her people are staying at the same hotel as me. Here she is - unpacked, shift is over, and off to her dinner and bed...like me.