Monday, October 1, 2012


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

 

7 comments:

  1. 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.

    Are 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!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. 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

    ReplyDelete
  3. I 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

    ReplyDelete
  4. I 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.
    Dorothy

    ReplyDelete
  5. 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

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great reading, throw a rock and someone and think of ME!! Mark

    ReplyDelete
  7. it'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

    ReplyDelete