Fromista to Carrion de los Condes

Monastery albergue that we stayed in..Carrion de los Condes.
Written on June 6, 2009.....12.5 miles.
Last night while Vern was watching the Perfect Storm in Spanish on t.v., there was a real storm going on the Fromista. This morning we left in perfect walking weather. We walked for about seven miles before coming to a small village. Vern spotted a sign for a bar...it was through a yard and out of sight. He must have smelled the coffee! It was a cool place with a Bob Marley poster.
Today was relatively flat. It was one of the first days that I walked all day without taking off my coat.
When we arrived in Carrion de los Condes a gentleman asked if we spoke English...we said yes...he told us that he had an albergue with microwave, handwash facilities, etc.
We ended up with a private room for fourteen euros....great deal! The best part of it was that St. Francis of Assisi allegedly stayed in its 13th century buildings.
As we were walking through town after checking into the albergue we saw a horsedrawn cart in front of a church. By the looks of the decoration the cart was there to pick up a bride and groom. As we were in a store picking up some snacks for tomorrow we heard one explosion after another...later to find out that those were the fireworks going off as the bride and groom came out of the church.
Tonight we had dinner in an actual restaurant, not bar. It was one of the best meals yet. For the first course I chose macaronis....for the second course I chose lasagna....wow, carboloading at its best.
We had dinner with Luke and Nick, two men we have seen for the last several days. We had a fun time.
Now it's time to rest our bodies and minds.

Photo Acknowledgement and Thanks

All pictures downloaded to this blog from May 17, 2009 will be possible due to the generosity of Piers Nicholson and the website: http://www.santiago-compostela.net/
*unless otherwise noted*

Thank you for the awesome website and for allowing pilgrims like myself and others to utilize the pictures that you have taken.

A Day in Fromista

Iglesia de San Martín

Written on June 5, 2009........Day of Rest.

This morning we slept in until 8:30 a.m. We went downstairs for desayunos, (breakfast), fresh orange juice, toast, and coffee. We walked around for awhile. The Iglesia de San Martin was open so we went in. It is as unique and beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside.

What a great kick back day. We took a long nap. I spent quite awhile on the internet posting and exploring.

We just had a great pilgrim dinner around the corner. I had veal with potatoes, a chef´s salad and chocolate mousse. Vern had noodle soup, sausage and potatoes, and chocolate mousse. Just about every bar serves a pilgrim dinner.

Soon we´ll play cards. Alot of nights we have to wait to find a place for dinner until 8 p.m. Tonight we ate around 6 p.m.....plenty of time to get our backpacks together and play cards. We were only willing to carry one deck of cards so we usually play ¨pay me¨, a game we learned from our friends Bruce and Susie

A note about our friends from Ireland, ¨Mrs. O´Shea and the girls¨.

Marian wrote us a note to let us know that they continued much farther down the Camino before they had to return home. They hope to continue the adventure at another time.

Vern had first met Mrs. O´Shea while I was in the library across the street from the albergue in Obanos. He had been introduced to all four of the women.....Mrs. O´Shea and her friend Marian...and Mrs. O´Shea´s daughter and her friend. As a result I have never known their names, but we felt a strong connection with them. We enjoyed seeing them everytime that we did. In fact, after I returned from the library in Obanos we had dinner at a bar near the albergue. Sitting next to us were the four women from Ireland. And so it continued....we would pass them on the Camino or sit in a small village and have a break with them. On the way into Estella we all walked together to find an albergue. The next day we saw them in Villamayor de Monjardin as we waited to check into the Dutch run hostel.

Our thoughts are with them and we cherish the time that we spent with them.

Castrojeriz to Fromista

Written on June 4, 2009......15.8 miles.
We left Castrojeriz at 5:40 a.m. Today is the final stage of the Meseta. We wanted to get going before it got hot. We had to climb a steep hill to leave Castrojeriz. As I climbed I occupied myself with a to do list that I turned into a mantra. I had an orange that I wanted to eat...it was heavy...so orange was a word. I need to unzip the legs of my pants because I was hot....pants was a word. I needed to drink my sports drink for electrolytes...so drink was a word. My mantra became orange, pants, drink..orange, pants, drink. I repeated it a thousand times.
As I reached the summit I looked back and saw the most beautiful valley and sunrise.
We walked eight miles to the first bar. As I was drinking my decaf espresso with leche I heard American music coming out of a speaker on the veranda. Yes! I danced and drank my coffee.
Today we walked on alot of earthen paths clearly marked. Very few pilgrims today.
No shade, carrying 3 liters of water.
After a few more miles we stopped in the village of Boadilla. We found a bar with a backyard and a pilgrim from Louisiana. The three of us were talking about how few Americans we have met on the Camino. We were the first she had met. Vern and I have met about ten Americans, but we have met alot of English speaking people from Canada, Ireland, England, Germany and other places. Just about that time here comes Andrew from Virginia who we had met yesterday in Castrojeriz. We had our coffee and were going back into the bar to get something else...it was closed. Oh well, it´s siesta time.
There is an ancient canal system in Fromista that seems to be updated over the years. It seems to be one of the highlights of this village. Another highlight is the eleventh century Iglesia de San Martin. A beautiful one of a kind cathedral...at one time could have been a fortress as well, or it seems. It has been hailed as one of the finest examples of pure Romanesque in Spain. The detail is beyond belief.
For the last few days we have chosen hotels over albergues. We have needed the extra sleep and the t.l.c. that comes with a hot bath.
We love the feel of Fromista and will spend tomorrow here taking care of ourselves and ¨re-grouping¨.

Hornillos del Camino to Castrojeriz

The remains of St. Anton over the road on the way to Castrojeriz.

Written on June 3, 2009....13.2 miles
Vern and I and the family were the first ones to leave the albergue. I did not want to wake up the other twelve people so I put on my headlamp and got dressed in the hallway. I took my backpack and sleeping bag outside to a bench to get organized and ready to go. After brushing my teeth in the plaza I was ready to go. Everyday I am carrying three liters of water and drink every bit of it.
As we were leaving Hornillos, walking up a hill, a fellow pilgrim passed and as she did she turned around and gasped......the sun was rising and it was incredible.
We took few breaks today and moved along quickly as it was getting hot earlier than usual.
The silence in the Meseta is deafening. Blue butterflies and again...red poppies guided the way.
One of the only areas with shade and a cafe was Hontanas about seven miles from where we started. As we walked toward Hontanas we did not see it until we were almost on top of it. It is hidden in a valley with the very top of the church the only part of the village that is visible.
We are grateful that we started early. By 11:30 a.m. the sun was hot.
Vern was far ahead singing, ¨She´s so vicious, she´s so vicious¨ really loud to some song on his ipod. About that time a couple from Madrid caught up with me and looked at Vern who was still singing. I told them that mi esposo tiene musica en su cabeza. They laughed and moved on. They told me that they are walking the Camino in three parts in three years. This is their second year.
As we entered Castrojeriz a college student stopped us and indicated that he wanted us to answer a survey about the Camino. Vern stopped to talk with him. I told the student that I would answer his survey if we moved into the sombra, (shade). Vern didn´t care if he was in the sun so he stayed with the student...I moved on to find a quiet room with a bathtub.
We found a wonderful room. We went to a farmers market outside and bought a couple of bananas and apples. We did very little walking in this village as we needed to save our energy for another day in the Meseta.

Burgos to Hornillos del Camino

The Meseta

Written on June 2, 2009......12.7 miles
There were some wonderful statues and sculptures to catch our attention as we were leaving Burgos. We walked about two miles before moving out of the city. After several miles and two villages we started walking into the Meseta. It will be about three days of walking to once again be in shade and more services.
We were fortunate today....lots of sun, but a cool breeze most of the day. When we arrived in Hornillos del Camino the albergue was full, but they had an overflow section in a house a short distance away. A family came in right behind us from Poland.....it is our first time in an albergue with children. The children are about 8 years and 11 years. They both have their own backpacks that seem fully stocked.
The father told us that he works for an American company and speaks pretty good English. The room we slept in not only had bunkbeds, but for added beds, had bunkbeds placed directly next to each other. As a result, Vern slept next to their son and I slept next to their Mother.
Around 5 p.m. a young couple on bicycles pulled into Hornillos. The man was pulling a trailer...they had a toddler....another first for us on the Camino.
Again today we saw Andy. Andy is a pilgrim that we have known for the longest amount of time. We met him on day two in Refugio Orisson in the Pyrenees. I tried to explain to Andy that we had heard that Monica and Sonia may be going back home because they are homesick. I said that they inferme de casa. He laughed so hard that he almost spit out his wine. He said in his best English that I did not say homesick...I said that their house was very sick.
Whatever my laughing pattern is it is now happening everyday. I tried to explain this to Andy....he said that it is my hour of happiness. He is right
Andy has walked through Italy without trails. He likes to sleep outside in his hammock as much as possible.
I feel so blessed to have this time on the Camino to truly exchange moments of joy and truth with others.

San Juan de Ortega to Burgos

The Cathedral in Burgos

Written on June 1, 2009.....16.9 miles plus.
Last night we stayed in a municipal albergue in an old monastery. There had to be 200 people in three rooms. We soon learned that there would be soup at 7 p.m. for a donation. We decided to look around for a meal in the small village. I went next door to the bar to ask about food. I was told to go to the house behind the church at 7 p.m. When I went to the house around 4 p.m. to sign up for dinner I was told to go back to the bar and let Manuel know that Vern and I want to eat dinner at 7 p.m. I sat in front of the bar and wrote in my journal waiting for Manuel...I knew that he would go back and forth between the bar and the house. I finally saw him and in my best Spanish asked him if we could eat dinner at his house....he said yes. It felt like going into the underground to make dinner arrangements.
It was one of the best dinners and best values that we´ve had.
We left the albergue at 6 a.m. and walked up and up. About two hours later we reached a summit with a large cross. A short way later there was one of the most profound labyrinths I have ever seen. It was very large...about 40 feet in diameter. It seemed to be created by each person placing a stone next to a previously placed stone while they walked on their way.
Soon after we, for the first time, saw a pilgrim with a dog. The dog looked like a long thin Akita.
Again today we saw our friends Monica and Sonia. They are contemplating whether they will proceed through the Meseta. The Meseta is the high plains. What that means to pilgrims is: very little shade, no water founts, and alot of miles between villages.
Today we walked through the industrial part of Burgos in order to get to the City Center and stay on the Camino. In San Juan de Ortega we had talked to a few pilgrims who were going to take the bus on advice of their guidebooks.
Sometimes it is as many miles to enter, pass through, and leave a city as it is to go 10 miles between villages.
The Catederal de Santa Maria in Burgos has spires that can be seen for miles. It is breathtaking in size and beauty...and that´s just on the outside.