According to my credencial there are 475 kms to go!!
I thought that I had seen the last of all of the original 9 that I met in Roncesvalles but 4 of us were in Burgos last night, though I didn't see Vicenta, she went to a different Albergue.
The Municipal Albergue was very good. I stayed in Burgos for a while in the morning, until some of the shops were open as the memory on my camera was full. The poor little thing doesn't have much memory, so I had a CD burnt of my photos. At least I hope I did as I've wiped them off now! When I get to somewhere with a decent computer I will have a look and try to post some of them. I was going to try and buy some socks as well as I need another pair but the only possible place I could find was El Corte Ingles but this was the wrong side of town and opened at 10. So I had breakfast, wondered around, complete with back-pack, organised my photos, then left about 10 to 10. Initially the weather was very misty, this was fine for walking, not too hot, not too cold, later the sun came out and I spent an hour in Rabe de la Calzada with a couple of beers and some tortilla, sitting outside in the sun, it was very pleasant.
I ditched my thick fleece in Azofra because the zip had been broken for several days. Today Oscar told me that he has it, he thought that I'd left it by mistake! Apparently he also mended the zip! I think I only really wanted an excuse to ditch something I was carrying to save weight!
I'm finding it very difficult to get to sleep at night. I find that the moment I get into bed my feet become alive, they burn, they itch and every nerve ending pops up to say hello. I have to stick my feet out of the sleeping bag. I mentioned this this morning to a guy who trains rugby players, he said about sports people soaking their limbs in ice! I couldn't find any ice this evening but I found a bowl of cold water and soaked my feet. I'll have to see tonight if it works. Otherwise it may be Ibruprofen at night as well!
Well the week has started with an almost completely different set of pilgrims, only 2 people I know are still here. One is a very large German girl, all credit to her she persists and has managed to stay the course. She really didn't want to walk today and she did a very long day yesterday but she's here. I don't think I would have the guts to carry it through like she is. It's odd how people come and go but I have nothing to moan about today!!
On the other hand the Camino is certainly a study in human behaviour. Tonight there is a little old Spanish man, I suppose 70-80, difficult to tell with country folk! He says he has long had the idea of doing the Camino. He started in February in St. Jean Pied de Port, in the snow. He's obviously been toddling along fairly slowly but today, in Burgos, he attached himself to a German lady and now he seems to think he owns her, the poor woman can't get rid of him. There is an interesting group of people here tonight, getting bigger by the minute.
Tuesday 23rd March
Hornillos del Camino to Castrojeriz 20.33 kms
Bathing my feet definitely helped yesterday, I slept well. I had thought that bathing feet in cold water was something to do in summer, I hadn't thought of doing it now.
Also I've always thought of Burgos to Leon as being very flat, it always seems so on the motor
way, but today has had lots of ups and downs, mostly gentle but still a surprise. Nice walking today, very still in the morning, just the sound of bird song, or twitter. I wish I knew more about bird song, there are mostly no birds to be seen, they are of a variety, or varieties, that nest on the ground, in the cornfields (skylarks maybe?), but they don't half make a noise.
Castrojeriz is a nice little town with just 2 shops, one of them sells the most amazing collection of trecking gear, socks by the thousands, so I've bought a pair of socks and an ultra-light towel. I'm staying in the Albergue privado, primarily because I thought they did breakfasts, but they don't until summer so I'll have to go to the bar in the morning, hope it's open. The Albergue is very quaint and there was just me and the German lass but, whilst I've been sitting here my favourite Slovakian pair have turned up!! I really thought I'd lost them but no such luck! Any way it worked OK. Mrs Slovak went straight to the kitchen (about 4.30) and was still there at 6 when I went to the shop to buy some food, the shop was late opening so we had a pilgrim get together from the 2 Albergues and by the time we got back the kitchen had been vacated so Claudia and I ate together, the Hospitalero came in with some biscuits made by the local nuns, they were delicious. By then it was nearly bedtime!
It may seem really strange but I'm going to bed about 8pm. I don't go to sleep straight away but I do get 11 hours with my feet up!!
Wednesday 24th March
Castrojeriz to Fromista 25.38 kms
The day started OK but just as I got to a nice exposed place it started to rain. The early rain was not too heavy. Again we had a steep climb and a steep descent, lovely views from the top, though the rain meant we couldn't see too far. At Itero de la Vega it wasn't raining, so, after a coffee, I carried on. I'd only gone about half a mile and the heavens opened. There was absolutely nowhere to stop and put on waterproofs so I just had to get wet. There's something strangely liberating about being as wet as one can possibly get.
There are a couple of German lads on the go at the moment, their guide book doesn't give distances it gives times between places and as they are walking really fast they are always ahead of themselves so they have to stop in bars for long periods, one excuse anyway, so whenever I stop I find them there before me! I walked most of the bit between Itero de la Vega and Boadilla with the German lady who started in Burgos. She looks a lot happier now she has lost her Spanish friend, when we got to Boadilla there were the German lads, they are great fun, it was a great way of spending a while but soon my legs started to feel cold in my wet trousers so I made a move, a quick move as I walked the last 6kms in an hour, I didn't think I could do that with a backpack!
I've come to the private albergue again, I was not sure if this was a good move or not as I had to keep asking for simple things, like where to dry my soaking wet clothes! and the family were taking up all the space. Then Renata arrived and she found the german lads, who were even more unhappy in the Municipal as it was cold, so they moved in with us and brought 2 Slovenian cyclists as well, (Slovenia ..h'm.. I'm still working on that???) they spoke excellent English with American accents. The lads walked in and took over and with a couple of bottles of wine we had a super evening!! Rudi is one of those big lads with loads of personality, great to have about.
Thursday 25th March
Fromista to Carrion de los Condes 19.26km
What a bloody awful day!! Renata decided to get up before 6 and as she was awake she poddled about moving plastic bags and muttering. It's strange how a very nice, middle-aged woman can be so oblivious of other people sleeping! Eventually every one was up and by 7.10 I was ready to go! It wasn't raining and I found a cup of coffee at the next village so all started OK but after 5 Kms it started to rain and it poured and poured, along with a very strong wind from the left side, this should be south so I don't know why it was so flipping cold but it was miserable. The path was along the edge of the road and I just trudged along from one milestone to
the next.
Any way the albergue in Carrion de los Condes is nice and warm and there was quite a reunion of old faces, I even met up with Vicenta again, whom I hadn't seen since day 2.
I also had an opportunity to visit a couple of the Monasteries, which were interesting. Good to do something cultural for a change!
Friday26th March
Carrion de los Condes to Terradillos de los Templarios 26.84 kms
Well!!!! We were awoken at 6.30 by loud music, polyphonic church music. They obviously wanted us out! I was on the way again just after 7, I bought a croissant in the bakery opposite and got moving. It was pretty cold but OK, then after a few kilometres, when I came to somewhere with some seats I sat for a drink of water and some chocolate. A little dog suddenly appeared, there was no-one there and no houses any where near and I couldn't get rid of the dog, it had decided it wanted to belong to me and it followed me, it would run ahead for a while and then come back to tell me it was still there! It walked with me for well over 10 kms!! The weather is horrible again today, not raining but a very strong cold wind coming from in front so walking is really difficult and it is probably one of the most difficult days in that there is no village and no protection for 18kms, you just have to keep going, it was bliss to arrive in Calzadilla de la Cueva and get a cup of coffee! Even the birds weren't singing today, and any bird that tried to fly seemed to fly backwards!
The houses here are made of Adobe, that's different, I always connected Adobe with Mexico.
To finish the Saga of the Slovaks!!! It's better than a soap, they have kept a low profile most of the week, mostly because there were no men around!
Alaine, the remaining French guy had gone on ahead, along with the Norwegian lady who started in Burgos. they were doing longer stages but, because of the weather they slowed down and we all met up in Carrion de los Condes. Mrs Slovak was instantly all over him, I wasn't very surprised but she did seem even more touchy/feelly than before. Mrs Slovak told us that we should all cook and eat together, I was not enthusiastic and Lilian, the Norwegian pointed out that we had all bought food individually, so it was agreed that we would all eat together at 7 pm. Apparently when Mrs Slovak had been here before the nuns had organised a group meal and she wanted to do the same. When I got back from my museum visits at 6ish I met Lillian outside and she reckoned that 7pm was late, especially as most seemed to want to go to Mass at 7.30 so should we eat now? I agreed and we went off to the kitchen. The kitchen was teeming with folks, the Spanish were just finishing lunch and the Germans were already eating tea. There was a queue for the hob so we claimed the table in the kitchen and opened 2 bottles of wine, we'd bought one each! Though I hasten to add that we didn't finish either of them! Eventually we prepared our meals and sat and ate in the kitchen, where we were joined by Renata and Claudia and a Spanish guy. During this time Mrs Slovak had prepared a meal for herself, Alaine and, presumably, her daughter. Later at bedtime she descended on Alaine's bed, he had the bottom bunk next to mine, I thought she was going to get in with him, but she just gave him a massage!
In Terradillos Lillian and I found ourselves together, we indulged in a jug of wine and started to chat. Initially just personal things, like jobs, kids, etc. It transpired that our jobs had been very similar and we shared a similar outlook on life, then we shared our outlook on the previous day! It seemed that Alaine had actually been coming on 'quite heavy' to her over the previous couple of days, he had also flirted with me off and on since Puente de la Reina. In Carrion he told her that he had met someone again that he hadn't seen for a few days, she thought it was me! She soon realised that she was wrong, but she also reckoned that we had been asked/told to join a communal meal at 7 so that they (Mrs Slovak and Alaine) could eat together earlier, because when we arrived at 6 she had already been preparing food for a while and they had finished eating almost before we started, so maybe I'm not so bitchy! Miss Slovak arrived at Terredecillas, on her own, at least, not entirely on her own she arrived with 5 others, Spanish and Korean, whilst Mum and Alaine stayed at Ledigos, the next night she turned up at Hermanillas completely on her own because her mother had told her that the Koreans had gone that way when in fact they had gone totally the other. Any way, here endeth the Saga, who knows what finally happens!!
Saturday, 27th March
Terradillos de los Templarios to Calzadilla de los Hermanillas 26.63 kms
Well, up early and on the way. Blue skies, still chilly and a bit of wind but much improved. After Sahagún there are alternatives to the route, I decided to take the Via Trajana for a while as it is away from the road. In Sahagún they were draping the windows ready for the Holy Week processions. The route from Sahagún was pretty but I was ready to stop when I got to Calzadilla, and ready for lunch, it was well after 2. When I arrived the Albergue was locked, I nearly cried, there was no indication of when it would open or how to get a key. Then an old woman appeared and asked if I wanted to get in! The place was fairly grim and dirty, I wondered again about my choice of Albergues. The woman said there is a bar but it doesn't sell food and the shop opens at 5, she was less than helpful really.
Soon 2 Belgian women arrived, they were doubtful about staying abut eventually decided that they would. Then I went to look for the bar to see if they served anything edible! On the way the shopkeeper saw me and yelled for me to come to the shop, so I bought bread, ham and a bottle of wine and returned to the albergue. I couldn't sit down to eat until I had cleaned, so I dusted the table and benches and swept and washed the floor then realised that if we were to be at all warm in the evening I needed to light the wood burning stove. I was just trying to light the stove when some Germans arrived, Peter immediately took over the firelighting (it is a man's job after all!) It took a while but life started to change, I started on my lunch whilst the Germans organised things! We had a lovely evening, we all ate together, eventually Nina arrived as well and it was really very pleasant. Albergues need people and warmth!
Sunday 28th March
Calzadilla de los Hermanillas to Mansilla de las Mulas 25.22 kms
Clocks went forward last night, so we made a pact that no-one would get up before 7.30. In fact the first one up was Peter at 7.40, trying to get the stove lit again! I had some breakfast then started off, I went across to the other Camino at El Burgo Ranero as the one I was on involved 24 kms without a bar or any possibility of a break.
Telly tubby land!
So! End of the week. Leon tomorrow. 320 kms left, or there abouts.
What have I learnt this week!
1. That meeting and chatting to people on the Camino doesn't just mean the organised events (which I'm avoiding) but includes the spontaneous get togethers as well, so just to go with the flow and do it my way.
2. RESPECT! No matter what I may think of anyone as a person doing the Camino is not a walk in the park, so all deserve respect.
3. Find the belt for my trousers! They are now 2" too wide and are hanging around my ankles and the strap from my backpack makes me feel they are falling down.
Finally, Quote ot the week!
Me talking to Claudia about the night she spent at Boadilla. Me: How was it? It seemed very nice. Claudia: Well ...... it was full of Germans. Me: Claudia .. You're German! Claudia: Yes, but they're the kind of germans that I don't like in Germany, so I don't like them any where else.
Actually these were the same Germans whose company I enjoyed in Hermanillas!
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