Hola
It is beautiful here and the aged land and stone structures
from churches to monuments to crosses to fences to cairns ti
well fonts are exquisite. Some of these villages have such a
southwest feel to them with the colors and the adobe and stucco
structures. The land is also very desolate at least the part I
am walking now. I chose to walk the old Roman road which is
largely intact despite the intervening 20 centuries. I am going
to quote directly from my guide book. "This part of the path is
called the calzada romana and is a 19.4 km of uninterrupted
track. It is part of the east/west highway built to link the
gold mines of Gallaecia to Rome via Astirga Asturica Augusta
and used by Ceasar Augustus in his campaigns against the
Cantabrians. It was also used by the armies of Islam and
Christianity including Charlemagne in their battles fir supremacy
over the Iberian peninsular. After the re-conquest it became
known as the Pilgrim Road Calzada de Los peregrines and countless
millions of pilgrims have walked this self-same path known as
the Camino de Santiago". I left Sahagun this morning around
7:45 and got to Calzada de Los Hermanillos around 12 ish. So
it was a very short day today only 8.6 miles. Tomorrow will
be much longer more like 15 mile if I'm up to it or I can stop
at 10.5. I will see how my feet are doing. My left foot is a
bit blistery on the bottom near the toes and I have a bit of
inflammation in my tendon on the outside of the foot. I am
taking good care of them and taking my time so I think all will
be well. I've been asking alot of my little feets. I am staying
in an amazing alburge that is also a restaurant. There is not
much in this little town although I did find the supermacsdo and
got Supplies for tomorrow's walk as there is a long stretch
without a town. At this point I am in a room with 4 single
beds read no bunk beds and we share a bathroom and shower.
There are sheets and Pillow cases and a towel and the shower
head was attached the the shower mount with hot water. Ah
the simple pleasures of life. I feel like a woman of leisure
today after walking such a short way. It is only 3:10 here and
by the time you get to your stopping place shower and do
laundry it is a bit later til one can get to correspondence.
Today was a beautiful walk and after my walking buddy Carl
from Belgium decided to pick up his pace and left me literally
in the dust I did not see another person for about 3 hours.
Very unusual for the Camino. When I got into town I walked
through checking out my options went to the grocery found this
Albergue had a cafe con leche talked politics with a German guy
showered did laundry and am now sitting in the sun looking
across the Meseta to a distant mountain range that is part
of the Prynees.
This journey has certainly been and continues to be an
incredible growth experience for me and I am sure I will
be integrating this for a long time. J will probably be
in Leon the next big city by Wednesday or Thursday depending
on my pace. Love to all my Camino supporters you are all with
me here. Thank you for you love support and good juju.
Camille on and in the Camino. As always. Carpe Diem
Camille, Mansilla de las Mulas is worth the 15 mile walk. The municipal albergue there is just 5 euros and was one of my most memorable stays along the Camino. There is a small but complete mercado just a 100 meters from the albergue, which has a complete kitchen and a lovely courtyard. The showers are a bit funky but okay.
ReplyDeleteAre you planning on taking a day or two off in Leon? Like Burgos, it's worth the time to wander the streets. The main albergue (Santa Maria) is a bit large and not one of my favorites, but it's okay. It has a women's only room -- which rules out a lot of the snoring:) But that city is also a good place to find an inexpensive real room for a couple of nights. Make sure that you allow plenty of time to tour the cathedral; its stained glass windows are amazing!!!
By the way, you're more than halfway to Santiago, right? That's worth celebrating. Have two cafes con leche.
God bless!!
Hey - sounds good that you had a short day so you can give your feet a bit of a break. Sounds like you are doing great . . . .celebrate every moment. Blessings for every step. Love, Rob
ReplyDeleteI am basking in some of your sun and sunny thoughts, as it is rainy here today. Fog and haze recently in the mornings - it is definitely fall in PA - a bittersweet pleasure. Best wishes and Buen camino. xLu
ReplyDeleteI am so enjoying your writing dear girl. Thanks for keeping us up to date on your pilgramage. I am struck by how conducive the experience is to the wonder of who you are! Good juju and many more blessings.
ReplyDeleteDorothy
I am keeping you in my heart, my friend. When you get home, you must read "Wild" by Cheryl Strayed, a true story about her walk on the Pacific Crest Trail. Love, Patti
ReplyDeleteGreat reading, throw a rock and someone and think of ME!! Mark
ReplyDeleteit's weird that your Sept. 30 is missing? anyway it's not showing up for me (started out hola from sunny... then nothing) anyway - mwah mwah to you! hugs, geo
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