Jill on the Camino de Santiago

Camino Friends and Food

2015-05-04T02:29:00.002-07:00

Friends and food, two meaningful words that sustain us. As in a typical Spanish city, Santiago has a large fresh market, housed in 3 buildings on the edge of the old city. Wandering the aisles, you find stalls overflowing with all types of beautiful fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs, bread, pastries, olive oils, vinegars, and jams. Another has refrigerated cases of whole chickens and ducks, complete with feet, many different cuts of beef and pork, including pig feet and even the face. The fish section is fascinating; whole fish of types I haven't seen before, sacks of mullosks and clams, live lobsters, and jumbo shrimp so fresh they still have life. And the cheeses ..... Yum.

It has continued to rain every day since my arrival here. Friday was a holiday, Labor Day, with many people marching throughout the area in support of labor issues. Many people were on holiday, so my huge hotel was full, with many noisy revelers returning to their rooms throughout the night. Saturday, the Camino next to the historic area was blocked off to traffic for about 1 1/2 miles for a popular street fair and handicraft, food and beer market. American music was blasting, a rock band played, Celtic singers performed, and a great time was held by all inspite of the cold and rain,

It is fitting I end my stay in Santiago with my new friends, some wonderful tapas and a glass of vino tinto from Rioja. Albert is Dutch, an old friend of Yvonne Thrasher from Vacaville. He finished walking the more difficult, isolated and rugged Camino del Norte, or Camino Primitivo at the same time as I finished the Camino Frances. He is a Facebook friend I met through Yvonne, and am delighted I finally got meet him and share a meal and a most interesting visit. He will continue to walk one of the many Camino routes each year in order to meet the many fascinating people who undertake this journey.

My Australian Camino Princessess arrived in Santiago before me; not being quite ready to quit, they walked another 3 days in the rain and wind out to Finisterre and the literal end of the Camino as it drops into the Atlantic. They have been delightful company, Francesca is of Indian descent, while Ranni, which means Princess in Sanskrit, is a typical light hearted Auzzie. I met them on Day 4, on a cold, windy, and rainy day climbing up the Hill of Perdon outside of Pamplona; they took my photo with the metal pilgrim cutouts. I kept meeting them along the way. The concept of not depriving oneself just because you are a pilgrim struck me at just the right time; days of walking in cold and rain was not a lot of fun. But as a Camino Princess, you can check into a nice hotel, preferably a palace, and reinvigorate yourself for the next day. What a concept! They are traveling on independently, will meet again in Greece for a yoga retreat, then return to Australia in July and September.

I maintained my general good humor and pilgrim attitude by staying in Casa Rurals, Pensiones, small inns, only 2 albergues, and an occasional palace. A good nights sleep is a wonderful thing. There is not the social aspect of meeting as many pilgrims as you would in the albergues, but us ladies of a certain age no longer relish the open dormitory, bunk beds, noise, lack of privacy and snoring found in them.

My grand adventure here has finally ended. Shortly, I will bid Spain a hearty 'Adios,' and 'Hasta Luego,' as I depart for a REAL vacation in London with Ken. Thank you for following along with me as I walked each step and carried my pack for 500 miles. It is with a huge sense of accomplishment that I finish my journey.

I wish you a 'Buen Camino' and a Grand Adventure as you continue your travels through life!

From Parador to Seminario

2015-04-30T07:44:00.000-07:00

The massive Parador, on the right side from the front of the Cathedral of Santiago and anchoring one side of the Plaza de Obradorio, is the oldest continuously operating hotel in the world. Although it opened as a hospital, pilgrims also were able to stay in it. The building was originally made around 2 interior courtyards, then 2 more were added a bit later. An ornate chapel with upper level balconies on 3 sides occupies the central crossing. The 4th side has a full length window opening into a small room. This room is now a meeting or dining room, but was originally used for the very sick and dying pilgrims. In the corner is a stone spiral staircase going down to the chapel. The patients could hear the mass through the window, and the priest could use the spiral stairs to come up quickly to give them last rites. The old vaulted stone stables are now the high end dining room. There are meeting and conference rooms and comfortable lounges scattered around the front part of the Parador. The Pilgrim Dining Room is located back by my courtyard. It is behind a service area and quite small and plain. The story is the hotel will serve a free meal to the first 10 Pilgrims who show up. I can't quite figure out how that worked, I never saw any pilgrims or employees back there.

I am now back to reality, and have moved to the San Martin Seminario Majore, only perhaps a 1/2 block away, located opposite the side of the Cathedral. I heard a guide describe the building as the 2nd largest historic building in Spain. It is so large, the photo can't show it all. Looking at the front, the right wing is a museum, now closed for renovation, the middle has a large church and cloister, the left is now a hotel. As I write this, I am in a sitting area on the 2nd floor, where there are normal wooden doors to what look like fairly large hotel rooms at normal prices. My Pilgrim room is on the 4th floor, which has about 80 rooms for pilgrims. This is the best deal in Santiago, for only €23 a night, you have a private room with bath, complete with fresh sheets, a large towel and bar of soap, AND a breakfast buffet. This whole building used to be a Seminary, so the pilgrim rooms are what's left of where the students lived. It much better than the large, open rooms, bunk beds and unisex living of the albergues, but the Princess is missing her Parador!

There is rain today through when I leave for London. Tomorrow is a holiday so everything will be closed, but Saturday there is a festival next to the historic center. I will see Janet again tonight, Petra left for home. Friday Albert, from Holland, arrives; he is finishing the rugged Camino del Norte. Saturday, I will meet my 2 Australian Princesses I first met on Day 3. This is truly a small world.

Pilgrim Friends and the Cathedral

2015-04-29T02:22:00.001-07:00

The lovely breakfast room of the Parador is on the upper level, overlooking the huge Plaza de Orbeidorio with the grand Cathedral of Santiago on the left. The cathedral is not the largest or most ornate in Spain, but is one of the most important. The facade is undergoing restoration, so the entry is now through one of the lessor side doors. The huge retablo behind the altar has statuary of St James, the patron Saint of Spain and the name of the Camino and city (Tiago is James in Spanish, so Santiago is St James). The top statue is of St James on a rearing horse, representing the origin of the legend of St James appearing in a significant battle, fighting and defeating the Moors. The middle one is of St James as a Pilgrim, and the lower and most important is of St James as saint. One of the rituals of the pilgrimage, is to walk up the worn marble steps behind the altar, embrace the silver and jeweled statue, and offer a prayer of thanksgiving for a safe arrival.

The huge Pilgrim Mass is at noon every day. Even though there are not many pilgrims here yet, there were 6 priests in attendance and the 1000 seat cathedral was packed with people standing in the back of the nave and crossing. A priest announced the nationalities of organized groups, and those starting in various towns along the way. From Roncesvalles, only Italy and USA were represented. At the end of the service, a group of men in maroon robes appears, lowers the large silver censor or incense burner, lights it, starts it swinging across the crossing in front of the altar, and using the ropes, they pull and swing it so it is almost hitting the ceiling. Meanwhile, a huge cloud of incense is billowing out and the fire can be seen through the grates Spectacular! In the 'olden days', it was thought the incense would fumigate the dirty, stinky, and often diseased pilgrims.

The vestments of the priests and the altar cloth are embroidered with the red sword of Santiago. Under the massive alter is the silver casket and tomb of St James.

While walking around town, my British friend, Terry, found me. I met him on the Meseta on Day 20 and walked with him on day 27 and 28. We has a convivial beer together, and I invited him to join my American friend, Janet, from Day 18, for dinner. Janet arrived with a new friend, Petra, from Germany. We had tapas and wine, then dinner at a seafood restaurant. As you know, I am not a big fan of fish, but here it is very fresh and I had others to help guide me. I had hake, a mild white fish, very good, while the others ordered sautéed squid, excellent, and the local specialty, sautéed octopus, or pulpo, fabulous. We shared our various meals and a bottle of red wine, vino tinto de Rioja. A fabulous evening and great fun.

Terry leaves today, but I will see Janet and Petra tonight. Stay tuned, you still need to see the Parador, designed as a pilgrim hospital under the order of Queen Isabella in 1492, opened in 1501, and in modern times converted to a luxury hotel.

A Few Thoughts

2015-04-28T00:48:00.001-07:00

As I sit with delicious coffee con leche after a magnificent breakfast buffet in this grand old Parador, I am thinking of my journey and those who have made it possible. The decision was made almost a year ago; this meant a great deal of time spent training, painfully losing weight again, finding new boots, equipping myself with gear for cold and wet weather, and developing the mental fortitude to make a strenuous journey alone and in a country where I don't speak the language. Although I traveled alone, you were all with me, cheering me on. And THAT is what makes it all possible. At the end of a hard day, I knew there would be some positive messages waiting in my inbox. If I have missed replying, I will blame it on the wonky WiFi; I know I didn't receive all your messages.

I walked through mountains, hills, over rivers and streams, across the plains, through 2 cities, several towns, over 100 villages; I walked on rock paths, gravel, asphalt, crushed rock, dirt, mud, flooded fields and paths; with frequent rain, mild sunny days, cool to cold days, and even snow. It took 37 days of walking plus 3 rest days, averaging 13 miles a day, to reach Santiago. Many days were a distance of 14-17 miles. I arrived in good health and grand spirits, with no foot, leg, or hip issues.

My gear all worked beautifully to protect me from the elements and keep me warm, dry (usually), and out of the sun. My fabulous new boots from January are no longer waterproof, they look terrible and the soles are quite worn, but they got me here. For all this work, I have 2 Pilgrim Credencials filled with stamps of every place I stayed as well as many cafes and churches, an official Compostela and a new Certificate of Distance Traveled, all in Latin. I met many interesting people along the way, have made some new friends, some of whom I will reconnect with here in Santiago.

What did I learn? That I am quite sturdy, determined, and tough. To be healthy and fit is a magnificent blessing, it allows age to be just a state of mind. Once again, I am reminded to fully embrace the body I was given and able to train; it is what got me here. I could not have made this journey without the support of all of you; although I traveled alone, I knew I had an army behind me, encouraging and moving me along.

Now I make my pitch .... Help another deserving young woman in her quest for a college or advanced degree. If you have already contributed, I thank you for your generosity, as does Soroptimist and several unknown women; if you would like to donate, you can send a check to Soroptimist International of Vacaville, PO Boz 6054, Vacaville CA 95696-6054, or online through GoFundMe at www.gofundme.com/jillwalks500miles. Any amount is appreciated. Soroptimist International of Vacaville is a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization with Federal ID # 94-6130798.

Stay tuned, more events and photos are still to come, such as this Parador, the great cathedral with its massive swinging botafumiero (what could that be?), the rabbit warren of the historic center, and other fun 'stuff.' I am not done yet.

SANTIAGO!

2015-04-27T08:38:00.000-07:00

13.4 miles. I know I said I would arrive tomorrow, but the rain cleared, the sun came out, there was nothing interesting where I planned on staying, I felt great, so simply kept on putting one foot in front of the other and here I am .... A Fabulous Day! The Princess is in her Parador, other than poor WiFi, everything is right with my little world. Details tomorrow .....

Day 39 Arzua to A Rua

2015-04-26T04:31:00.001-07:00

11 miles. Yesterday the rain was constant all afternoon and heavy during the night, making for wet, and somewhat muddy walking. The rain stopped just as I started, but the poncho stayed on, ready to to be pulled down when the showers began again. When the sun comes out, everything is green and glorious. I saw few pilgrims today, but I think it is due to my normal early start, so I stay ahead of most of them.

I could easily reach Santiago tomorrow, but am holding off and building the anticipation. While there, I should reconnect with an American woman I met several weeks ago on the Meseta, and meet a new friend, Albert from Holland, who is a friend of one of my friends in Vacaville. It is truly a small world.

Day 38 Melide to Arzua

2015-04-25T05:59:00.000-07:00

9.4 miles. A fairly short walk, but still nothing easy. The book describes this stage as crossing 4 river valleys with gently undulating hills. NOT! The 4 rivers is correct, but in my opinion, the hills are reasonably high and fairly steep, with the path usually going straight up and down. However, everything is quite green and lush, most of the way is a woodland path, and the vistas are lovely. Today was cool, overcast, sunny, and showery; typical daily weather for Galicia.

I keep meeting up with groups from several days ago; about a dozen Koreans, and another mixed
group of about 10: British, Canadian, Dutch, and German, apparently new friends from a common albergue. Due to my shorter distance, they should all pass me today and I will discover new groups tomorrow. The local bars only have one person working, which makes it difficult when a big group comes in, all wanting service NOW.

The finale approaches .... Tomorrow, Sunday, should be a normal days walk, then a short one on Monday, then a very short walk into Santiago on Tuesday morning. After all this time in preparation and walking, I am savoring the last few days on the Camino, and see no reason to rush to the finish. Be prepared for loud cheers and rounds of applause!

Day 37 Portos to Melide

2015-04-24T05:43:00.000-07:00

12.5 miles. Cool with light rain most of the day. Remember all those hills you have seen in the photos? Well, today was the day of many medium sized hills. This morning I walked with a man from Pennsylvania; again he is planning on walking 20 to 25 miles a day to finish up the walk; this is his third walk on the Camino, and this time he will finish for his Compostela. I am very satisfied with my shorter distances. Arriving in Melide, I got lost for the first time; usually the way is well marked, I either missed it or there was no arrow. I had to backtrack about a 1/2 mile and still had problems finding the little hotel. I was so turned around, I asked the clerk the correct way to go when I leave in the morning.

My tiny room is a big change from the massive, quiet, comfortable room and inn of yesterday. This one is more like a nun's cell, with heat that again won't come on until evening. Wifi only works in the lobby. The Princess is longing for modern accoutrements. But I'll deal with it; tomorrow is another day and another chance to find a palace!

Wifi yesterday was very poor, so my blog post ended up a bit scrambled and wonky. It has now been fixed, so you should be able to go back and make sense of the day.

Day 36 Portomarin to Portos

2015-04-23T08:02:00.000-07:00

12 miles. Dense fog to start, eventually burning off to become a lovely, sunny, mild day. Remember all those hills in the photos, well today, the path led up and down only the big ones. Many pilgrims; the trick is at stay ahead or behind the groups. Then you can walk in peace. I am only 2.5 miles east of Palas de Rei, and feel great, but have elected to walk shorter distances vs the really long walks in the book. I am in a lovely stone Inn, with one private room with bath upstairs, as well as an 8 bed traditional albergue. There is an inviting patio and bar with a great deal of pilgrims stopping. The inn is not even in a village; it is a wide spot in the road. I met up with Kathy from Texas who I first walked with about 2 weeks ago, and a stimulating visit with British friends, walking from Sarria.

I will probably see them here and there over the next week.

Another great day!

Day 35 Sarria to Portomarin

2015-04-22T07:23:00.000-07:00

13,7 miles. Remember all those big hills you have been seeing in the photos? Today, I walked up, across, and down each one. At the base of each is a little stream, with someway to cross over it. In some areas, the stream runs straight down the trail; in one of the photos, the water is crossing over the large stone blocks on the right, then coursing down the cobblestones on the left. The day was generally overcast, cool, with light rain and occasional heavy showers. The poncho was used again.

A continuing surprise is how the Camino runs right through someone's property. You can look right into the barns as the cows are milked, share the narrow way with farm equipment, and pass between the house and garage.

I met a group of high school kids from Vermont; they started in O'Cebreiro and will take just one week to finish and return to school. There is another group with large suitcases staying in my little hotel tonight. The sheer number of pilgrims since Sarria is easily 10X what there was before. However, one of the guiding principles of the walk, is we each walk our own Camino and do what is necessary to achieve our personal goals.

The day begins and ends with steps; first at the base of the old town in Sarria, ending with the big staircase in Portomarin. The town was moved up the hill to make room for a large dam and reservoir in 1962. The staircase was part of the medieval bridge across the river; the original bridge was Roman.

I have been meeting many people who are fast tracking this walk, intentionally walking 18 to 25 miles a day. A middle aged British man planned to do the walk in 29 days vs the 33 in the book; he is walking on, only has 3 more days to cover about 60 miles, receive his Compostela, fly out on Sunday, and be at work Monday. Yowza! Am glad I can take what time I need to get the job done. The 100 km monument was passed today, that means 62 miles at that point to Santiago. Only a few more days ........

Day 34 Sarria

2015-04-21T05:38:00.000-07:00

A quiet but interesting day on the Camino. Since only a minimum of 100 km is required to receive a Compostela, Sarria is where many of the organized tour groups begin. The organizer buses your group to the start, transports the luggage, arranges for some meals and hotels, so the pilgrim only has to walk with a light day pack. My little hotel had a group of 12 Koreans at breakfast, who all set off in a minivan, probably avoiding the steep walk through town. As I left the hotel about 9, a load of about 40 pilgrims exited a large bus; they are Spanish, and appear to be divided into 3 smaller groups, each with a leader and flag. At the edge of town, a man in a kilt gave a short presentation in Spanish. After everyone left, I asked him what it was about: he represents the first Celtic King who colonized Galicia. Before the Christian Pilgrimage which began in the 900's, the Celts had many sacred sites which were visited and revered. Note the replica Iron Age boots he is wearing; not too comfortable or good for walking.

Coffee was later enjoyed at the King Alfonso IX, the local high end hotel named after the eponymous King who ruled Galicia in 1230. The statue of him doesn't look so happy, but it does show the existing stone tower at his feet. Along with my coffee, I thoroughly enjoyed my guilty pleasure and luxury item, my Kindle. So far, I have devoured 10 books. Now you know one of my secrets for what to do on an otherwise empty afternoon.

Tomorrow begins the last push, I should be in Santiago by Tuesday. Yippee!

Day 33 Triacastela to Sarria

2015-04-20T07:38:00.001-07:00

11.6 miles. A fairly short walk with some fabulous views once the sun appeared. Today I walked with Paul, from the UK, now living im France. We met about 4 days ago at the same inn, then ran into each other early this morning. It was wonderful to have a free ranging chat with a very interesting man. We are staying at the same hotel; tomorrow he moves on, while I have a day off and rest. We met for a late lunch; both of us were ready for a change from the traditional Menu del Dia, so ended up in a Kabob place for a fabulous, inexpensive, healthy meal. He went on to explore the town for a bit, while I found the supermarket for some yogurt and fresh fruit for tonight.

There should now be many more pilgrims. Sarria is the traditional starting point for those who want to walk the minimal distance and still earn the Compostela. This is now the home stretch. I have decided to take a little more time than the guidebook; I really don't want to walk 15+ miles a day anymore. About 75 miles to go!

Day 32 O'Cebriero to Triacastela

2015-04-19T06:45:00.001-07:00

13 miles. When the weather clears, the views are spectacular! Steep hills with vibrant green fields, stacked rock walls and purple bushes blooming towards the top, Although the day started with just overcast, it quickly deteriorated into light rain, and then mist, like walking through a cloud. Now that the mountain has been climbed, you must come down, but before that can happen, there are several large hills that you must go up, across, and down, before finally arriving at the village of Triacastela, so named because of the former 3 castles that were located here. A long walk on generally nice paths, some steep, but all OK.

The most interesting sight today, was the Camino donkey. I had heard of this previously; the dog is usually seen riding the donkey, the man is walking with them but not leading either.

Some of the stone houses here have the old arrangement of the barn for livestock below, and the living area for the family above, the Camino runs right through the villages and farms, so the barns open right onto the path, which means you need to dodge the cow flops.

Day 31 La Portela de Valcarce to O'Cebreiro

2015-04-18T05:31:00.000-07:00

9 miles. A short distance but a big effort. Half of the walk today was a gradual climb through picturesque villages, through the narrow valley, complete with rushing stream and cows. Then the real work begins; imagine about 4 miles of Wykoff hill, paved mostly with rocks, sometimes dirt, generally steep and treacherous. The fabulous views as you get towards the top are worth the effort. Rain alternating with sun, cool, and tiny villages with bars available for breaks. Towards the top, you pass the monument to Galacia, the last province of the journey. The weather should now become variable, due to the prevailing patterns blowing in from the Atlantic.

O'Cebreiro is now a little tourist village, it is located at the top of the narrow valley I just walked up. It is all stone buildings, roofs of slate or thatch, and a few of the traditional 'pallozas' or conical buildings with steep thatched roofs, formerly used as homes. I have now officially entered the home stretch, the remainder of my way will be up and down and across the hills for the last 100 miles.

Day 30 Cacabelos to La Portela de Valcarce

2015-04-17T05:53:00.000-07:00

13.4 miles. Enough for today! From Cacabelos, the path is generally along the road, going up and down the hills, finally cutting off on a farm road through the vinyards and down into Villafranca del Bierzo, with its lovely and usually lively, Plaza Major. Leaving the compact and steep town, the path is now alongside a secondary road, slowly climbing the narrow valley. A freeway has been erected at great expense, so the road has little traffic. However the pilgrims are separated from the road by a concrete barrier. Having enough walking, I stopped for the day at a glorified truck stop, which turns out to be a nice, inexpensive hotel with a 24 hour restaurant. Not bad.

Tomorrow, the distance is shorter, but there is a huge, steep climb at the end to O'Cebreiro and the last province of Galacia. Other than being tired, I am continuing to do well.

Day 29 Molinaseca to Cacabelos

2015-04-16T06:55:00.000-07:00

13.6 miles. Overcast, a little rain, cool, a nice day for a walk. Leaving Molinaseca, the route drops down, across a small valley and up to the city of Ponferrada. Walking into the city, you pass the very large old Pilgrims hospital, which is now a modern hospital. Turning left, you see the magnificent castle of the Knights Templar built in the 1100's to protect the pilgrims. The order became so wealthly and powerful, the Pope disbanded them in the mid 1300's. Walking through the historic old city, everything is closed up, so I just continued on, passing through one of the old city gates on the way out. Crossing the iron bridge, you descend and cross a flat valley for several hours, full of beautiful, well tended gardens and homes on huge lots. Finally, you pass up and over the freeway and into the Bierzo wine area. Finally spring is here, the first leaves are out on these old vines.

I am in a modern hotel on the main road in Cacabelos, complete with key card and climate control in the room. I think this is the 2nd key card of this trip, quite a luxury vs figuring out which way to turn what is usually a very large and old fashioned key in the lock. AND a full breakfast is included, all for only €36, I am a happy camper.

My late lunch was at a recommended restaurant. At this point, I had only eaten about 400 calories, and walked all those miles, so I was HUNGRY. The Menu del Dia was Minestrone de Verduras, which was not soup, but a large plate of cooked green beans, carrots, artichokes, and brussel sprouts; then Pollo alla Plancha, which is sautéed chicken breasts with French fries, and chocolate ice cream. of course, accompanied by a full bottle of wine, of which I drink 1 glass. Yum. Ate it all, except the brussel sprouts. Tonight, dinner is from the market, my other favorite: yogurt and fruit.

Tomorrow I will start climbing the steep mountain, and the following day should be in O'Cebreiro, in the final province of Galacia. I am entering the home stretch. Yahoo!

Day 28 Foncebaddon to Molinaseca

2015-04-15T06:12:00.000-07:00

12.5 miles. Some rain, a little wind, cool, but no thunderstorms. This was a reasonably short day except for the trail ..., since Astorga, yesterday, there has been 2000' of elevation gain, and today, 2500' loss, with about 5 miles of it on a very steep path with many loose rocks, made more treacherous in the rain. The photo only shows the flat part of the path. I walked for much of the day with Terry from Britian, and met up again with Jim from Ireland. I will probably see Terry along the way, but Jim is headed back home tomorrow.

The first photo shows me at the little inn, ready for the rain while leaving at 7:30 am. However, at the Iron Cross, we dismantled rain gear only to put it back on an hour later and use it for the remainder of the walk. The Iron Cross is the literal high point of the journey, both in elevation, 5000', and significance. A pilgrim will carry a small stone from home, then leave it at the cross; this signifies letting go of a problem or concern. As you can see from the pile, there have been many thousands of pilgrims passing by and thoughts left here.

Tomorrow I will cross the valley through Ponferrada, and enter the next range of mountains. My journey continues to move along well,

Day 27 Astorga to Foncebaddon

2015-04-14T07:02:00.002-07:00

16 miles. Another beautiful day on the Camino. The adobe houses of the Meseta are gone, and now the villages have substantial stone buildings. The walk has been a slow ascent up the mountain, with the path becoming steep and rocky the last 4 miles. My original plan was to stop in Rabanal, but the forecast tomorrow is for possible rain and thunder showers, so I am eager to cross and get off the mountain. I am in a tiny village which is coming back to life due to the Camino and the many Pilgrims. Surprisingly enough I even have my own very simple room vs, the albergue I was expecting.

I walked with my British friend, Terry, for awhile this afternoon, then ran into him again at the only place here that has WiFi. I met an American young woman yesterday, and talked with her again today; she has a most compelling story. Her mother was killed by a drunk driver 3 years ago, and her birthday is Friday. She always wanted to walk the Camino, so her daughter is walking and scattering her ashes along the way. This is a real life version of the motivation of Martin Sheen in the movie, 'The Way.'

Day 26 San Martin del Camino to Astorga

2015-04-13T07:15:00.000-07:00

14.5 miles. The Camino Princess is having a problem adjusting to the pilgrim 'way'; last night's lodging was in a tiny village in a private albergue which also has rooms. The heat didn't come on until 5 pm, and it is off sometime in the middle of the night ..... Brrrrr! Even though the highs are now in the 60's, the lows still drop into the 30'a or low 40's. A 2 blanket night and a bad pilgrim attitude! However, the communal dinner was good, which was wonderful, since it was the only source of food in town.

The path today was along the busy road until Hospital de Orbigo. The long bridge just before town has a Roman foundation, and medieval upgrades. The big sandy area in front is used for jousting during the town's medieval fairs. Once through the little town, the foothills appear with oak and pine forests. The 'Way' is now becoming scenic again. Just before the hilltop town of Astorga, the mountains are finally visible and will be experienced tomorrow.

Before walking up to the town, you cross the railroad tracks on an elaborate raised platform. The locals use a little path off the side and simply walk over the tracks. This area was a large Roman trading center, so has Roman walls on the hill, and the foundations of a Roman villa complete with mosiac floor in town.

I am in a lovely small hotel, right across from the Palacio designed by the Spanish architect, Gaudi, who also designed a famous cathedral in Barcelona. Today is a holiday, so except for bars and restaurants, everything is closed. You now get to see my favorite meal in Spain, the Insalta Mixta with Tuna. Very healthy.

Day 25 Leon to San Martin del Camino

2015-04-12T06:21:00.000-07:00

16.1 miles. Yikes! But no problem. I chose the less interesting 'short cut' to Astorga, which allows me to arrive there in 2 days, rather than the 3 I was planning. Leaving Leon, you have to walk over the railroad tracks and under a freeway, The path was generally adjacent to a road, but since today is Sunday, there isn't much traffic. An interesting sight as you walk out of the suburbs of Leon, is the many wine caves built into the sides of the hills. The little villages appear much more prosperous than the ones I walked through on the more scenic alternate route on my last trip. It appears that having a road to and from more major centers makes a difference. I passed a semi ruined church with several very large stork nests; these are quite common, but not so easy to photograph. The storks are seen throughout Spain; they fly to Africa for the winter. In the same village was a large grove of trees with many bird nests, black birds, possibly crows.

My activity this afternoon is watching the clothes dry. One more day on the Meseta, and then the scenery will really change as the foothills are entered and then the mountains.

Day 24 Leon

2015-04-11T08:50:00.000-07:00

An altogether fine day! My Canadian friends, Mark and Jeannie stopped by the Parador this am at 7:30 for coffee while I had breakfast. They were most impressed with the building and my room. His feet are somewhat better, so they are pressing on as planned. I will miss visiting with them. I met Jesus at 11 for more sightseeing around this beautiful city, had some coffee and a nice long chat, then time for a short siesta before a late lunch. He and his sister,Marie, took me to a Greek restaurant owned by his student Pablo's parents (Pablo has stayed with John, Stace, and Jason Carman for a while). The food is all made by the husband and chef, while the wife takes care of the partrons. Anyway, it was a casual, 2 hour lunch, with some of the best Greek food I have had.

The sun should stay for the next few days, the temps remain cool. Mark continues to inspire me with how he is moving along with bad feet, so I may just do the same. However, after having a great mini vacation in such a great hotel and beautiful city, it is hard to wrap my mind around the work that starts again tomorrow. We'll see.

Day 23 Mansilla de las Mulas to Leon

2015-04-10T08:32:00.000-07:00

11.2 totally non scenic miles. Today was cool, a little rainy, and an uninteresting walk into beautiful Leon, a former Roman military garrison and base for the VIIth Legion, and capital of the old kingdoms of Asturias and Leon; conquered by Visigoth, Moor, and finally Christian forces. The Pilgrims enter through one of the original gates of the city, where part of the old wall still stands. The route tinto Leon today was mostly a path alongside a busy road, with pedestrian bridges over a river (bypassing the busy, narrow auto bridge, the only scary part of the Camino), and 2 freeways.

The Camino Princess has found her Palace; it is the Parador San Marco, formerly a pilgrim hospital and monastery with a cloister, built in the 1500's, and now an elegant high end hotel with special rates for pilgrims. I have an gorgeous, huge, quiet room with sitting area, balcony, complete with minibar and fluffy towels, and heat all day (the heat last night went on at 5 and off in the middle of the night, so I woke up at 5 am due to the cold). This Princess is in her element.

This afternoon I met a friend of Stace Carman, Jesus Vega. We went for a glass of wine, then met his sister, Maria, for a long magnificent lunch. He will meet me again at 7 for a little sightseeing, and more tomorrow.

Life is not just good, it is GRAND!

This

Day 22 Bercianos del Real Camino to Mansilla de Los Mulas

2015-04-09T07:26:00.000-07:00

16.5 miles. Yowza! Today was a long slog, with only 2 villages to walk through. The weather remains cool, with possible thunder storms tonight. I ran into the Canadians and joined them for breakfast at the first bar in the first village after a 2 hour walk. They are moving slowly, so I moseyed on, finally arriving in Mansilla de Los Mulas. This is a formerly walled village, which maintains its importance by having 2 pilgrim routes join here. In wandering the village in the afternoon, I ran across my British friend, Terry. We proceeded to find a bar for a little vino tinto and pinchos and a wide ranging conversation. The Canadiams will be moving along from Leon, while I have a rest day, so I probably won't see them again. Terry will probably appear again somewhere else on the Camino. That is the nature of this journey; meeting the same people when you least expect it at various times along the walk.

Tomorrow will be a reasonable walk into Leon and then a rest day to explore the beautiful historic area of the city. All continues to go well.

Day 21 Terradillos de Los Templarios to Bercianos de Real Camino

2015-04-08T07:07:00.001-07:00

14.5 miles. Yowza, my short day disappeared. Note to self, only take one day are time! I decided on the short walk several days ago when I was exhausted. I had a long day yesterday, feeling fine this am, and after much debate, decided to push on. After all, my Canadian friend Mark (and Jeanne) were going to continue after buying new shoes in Sahagun. To skip to the end, they just arrived at my little hotel, and Mark has new light weight athletic shoes. We will probably be on a similar schedule for a while, we'll see.

At the hostal last night, I met Mark and Jeanne for dinner and met a new friend, Terry, from Great Britian, who was able to show me how to make an international call.

On the photos, check out the wine caves in the hill outside one of the villages. There will be more of them all around Leon, I stopped in Sahagun for breakfast, had some photo ops, then cruised on another 5 miles to Bercianos. I am motivated to finish the Meseta. Tomorrow will be a long slog into Mansilla de las Mulas, then a short walk to Leon and civilization. Yippee! All continues to go well, I feel great in spite of all the miles. And ... I am now more than 1/2 way through, and in just a few days will start over the mountains.

Day 20 Carrion de los Condes to Terradillos de Templarioa

2015-04-07T07:07:00.000-07:00

16.7 miles. Yikes! So much for my short day. Today is The long section of 10.5 miles, with absolutely no services or water; about 7 miles are on a Roman road. The fascinating part of the story, is there are no rocks for roadbed in the area, so the Romans had to find the rocks, then haul thousands of tons to buildup the road over the existing marsh. In our modern times, the road bed is original, still built up about 3' higher than the fields, and the top is fine gravel.

I ran into the Canadian couple at the first coffee bar. Mark has horrible blisters, but still planned on walking the final 6 miles to Terradillos. I suggested he change out of his boots to his spare shoes, which he did, and was able to mosey on along. I figured if he can walk more with bad feet, then I need to change my attitude and move along also. They recommended this nice albergue just before Terradillos, where I have my own, very simple room. Dinner and breakfast is available, so all is good.

Since there is not local rock or trees for lumber, the Meseta is the land of adobe villages. Brick is also used in construction, but many of the houses appear to be adobe covered with stucco, others are old fashioned adobe walls.

I am now ready to finish the Meseta; it is like walking the prairie with the constant wind. However, it was another cool, lovely day, perfect for a long walk. Tomorrow will be a short walk, then two more moderate days and I am in Leon. Progress!