Stage 21 - Mansilla de las Mulas to Leon

Where We Are Tonight: Leon                           Miles Hiked Today:  12.4 (20.0 km)

Miles Hiked Overall: 291.3 (468.8 km)              Miles to Santiago: 193.7 (311.7 km)

Steps Taken Today: 37.527                              Blister Count: Ugh!

Spanish Word of the Day: lluvia (rain)

What We Learned Today: You don't notice all the signs pointing to a particular destination until you develop an interest in that destination.   Karen (and family) were in Leon a few years ago.  At that time, they didn't notice all of the arrows, shells and even Camino de Santiago souvenir shops that line the streets...because it wasn't a part of their knowledge base.  How funny to see the same city through different eyes!

Today was a rather easy and pleasant day with cool temperatures for walking.   Until it started raining again...ugh!

 

We walked to the city of Leon today.  This is such a beautiful, old city.   The small streets and alleyways are so picturesque.   When we got near the main cathedral, we witnessed a parade.  They must be celebrating their patron saint and also first communion for many young children.

Our favorite new food is chocolate and churros!   The chocolate is very thick (for dipping) and if there is any left over,  it is the most decedent drink ever!

“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”

―Unknown

Stage 20 - Bercianos del Real Camino to Mansilla de las Mulas

Where We Are Tonight:    Mansilla de las Mulas         Miles Hiked Today: 16.7 (26.8 km)

Miles Hiked Overall: 278.9 (448.8 km)                       Miles to Santiago: 206.1 (331.7 km)

Steps Taken Today:  46,146                                      Blister Count:too many to count

Spanish Word of the Day: podemos (we can).  We put this in as the word of the day because we saw it multiple times today written all over.  Spain is having general elections at the end of next month...so maybe it's a political thing?

What We Learned Today: When people realize we're from the US,  their very first reaction is to grill us on why we have a clown like Trump running for president or either they start laughing and ask when the joke is going to be over.  Just saying...we're the laughing stock of the world right now.

There's not much nice to say about this day.  It started out nice but soon got really cold.   And then it started pouring down rain and pouring down rain.  When you're out in the middle of nowhere, there's nothing to protect you against the elements.   There was even hail and thunder to top it off.  Our shoes were quickly soaked and the wet socks ended up giving us additional blisters.  It was just miserable.   Our albergue was very crowded and noisy and I ended up with a number of bites of some sort.   I could go on but I will spare you.

Here is Pam by some recently harvested crop.  It looks like yams or turnips or weird potatoes.

Here I am with my life-saving earbuds!

And our spacious accommodations.  Too tired to write more.

“If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you."

―Unknown

Stage 19 - Terradillos de los Templarios to Bercianos del Real Camino

Where We Are Tonight:   Bercianos del Real Camino        Miles Hiked Today:  14.6 (23.5 km)

Miles Hiked Overall:  262.2 (422.0 km)                             Miles to Santiago: 222.8 (358.5 km)

Steps Taken Today: 42, 795                                             Blister Count: It's better left unsaid

Spanish Word of the Day: dolor (pain)

What We Learned Today: A slice of citrus elevates the taste of any drink.

We started the day going through Moratinos.  There we saw these cool bodegas, which are little caves that people have carved into a hillside.  They were traditionally used for storage of food and wine.  People still occasionally use them now but many have been turned into party rooms.  This hillside had maybe 10 bodegas.

 

Then we walked through San Nicolas.  We were expecting to see Santa Claus or at least hear piped-in Christmas music but none of that appeared.  As we were walking out of town, we did see a Renault Elf car, though!

Then we traveled through the bigger town of Sahagun.  This town, like so many others on the Camino,  is a place I will need to come back to someday and really discover all it has to offer.

Pam can't figure out where her third Coke of the day has gone!

“Walking is the only form of transportation in which a man proceeds erect - like a man - on his own legs, under his own power. There is immense satisfaction in that.”

―Edward Abbey

Stage 18 - Carrión de los Condes to Terradillos de los Templarios

Where We Are Tonight: Terradillos de los Templarios      Miles Hiked Today: 16.3 (26.2 km)

Miles Hiked Overall: 247.6 (398.5 km)                         Miles to Santiago:  237.4 (382.0 km)

Steps Taken Today:      46,410      

Blister Count: P has 4 and a very swollen toe, K has blisters on her blisters

Spanish Word of the Day: piedras (rocks)

What We Learned Today: We were reminded of, why is it that the US is the only place that uses miles?

Today we officially reached the half way point!!  That's a little overwhelming to really think about - on one hand it was a big accomplishment, but on the other hand we still have the other half still to do.
 

We continued another 2.8 km past Lédigos to Terradillos de los Templarios

Today we walked the longest we ever had without any services  (17.2 K).  That was a long haul.  This is really Big Sky country...as far as the eye can see are fields and the biggest sky you can imagine. We've seen every kind and shape of clouds imaginable.

The photo of me below is of the beautiful weeds or wild flowers that are always on the sides of the Camino.   We decided to take this photo because I especially love the purple  ones - and I just happened to be wearing my purple shirt and socks.

When we got to the midpoint we had to celebrate with cokes and pizza.

Today we had a Keens day.  We both wore our Keens (heavy-duty sandal) in the hopes that wearing something different would help our feet issues...but to no avail.  Pam went back to her hiking shoes after the first couple of hours.  I wore mine all day but the many pointy rocks did wonders on my already sore feet.  Nothing good to report on this front.

Here we are at the end of the day at the albergue - at least we can still smile!

"It does not matter how slow you go so long as you do not stop."

―Confucius

Stage 17 - Frómista to Carrión de los Condes

Where We Are Tonight:  Carrión de los Condes         Miles Hiked Today:  12.0 ( 19.3 km)

Miles Hiked Overall:  231.3 (372.3 km)                     Miles to Santiago: 253.6  (408.2 km)

Steps Taken Today:  35,199                                     Blister Count:It's complicated

Spanish Word of the Day: cielo  (sky)

What We Learned Today:  Just when you think you've seen it all on the Camino,  you find something else that blows your mind.

Today's Camino ran right along side the main road...which was not very busy so not much car traffic.  The book called it "soul numbing" but I actually kinda liked it.  Instead of hours of nothing going on, at least the road traffic gave some entertainment at times.  I know true pilgrims are supposed to be thinking deep, enlightening thoughts during the quiet times but that's a stretch for me.  Either I don't so deep thoughts or I like to be entertained, I guess.

Today's high point came in the village of Villarmentero de Campos.  We wanted to stop for a drink but instead we found ourselves in the Camino's version of Disneyland.   There were numerous animals wandering around, there were multiple toys to play with (including hula hoops and hammocks),  walls for your graffiti enjoyment and multiple interesting places to spend the night (including a tipi and cement culverts.)  The craziness went on and on...what a fun place.  They had pizza and coca cola light for me which also helped to rank it among the Camino"s  top entertainment spots.

Pam and I also met a couple of new friends today, but they were a bit stiff..

We went into a Knights Templar church built around the 12th century.   The KT were quite big in this area at that time spreading their version of Christianity and helping to "protect" pilgrims on their way to Santiago.   It was a beautiful building.   Inside is a huge altar piece depicting the life of St. James.

Here I am doing the daily routing of getting my feet ready for the day...lotion, antibiotic cream, bandages and special band aids.  Pam does the same...as does everyone else in the albergue.   Almost every pilgrim you see or talk with has some (if not multiple) issues with their feet and other parts of their bodies.  But especially with their feet.  It's almost funny to see pilgrims at the end of the day without packs. ..they're doing what Pam and I like to call the Pilgrim Wiggle.  Not only do pilgrims walk differently without extra weight in their backs but at night they tend to their physical woes and then everyone is limping and walking tenderly.   It would be funny to watch if it weren't so sad.

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go."

―TS Eliot

Stage 16 - Castrojeriz to Frómista

Where We Are Tonight:   Frómista                 Miles Hiked Today:  15.3 (24.7 km)

Miles Hiked Overall: 219.3 (353.0 km)            Miles to Santiago: 265.6 (427.5 km)

Steps Taken Today: 45,595                            Blister Count: Don't ask.

Spanish Word of the Day:  Niños (children)

What We Learned Today:  Always pet a pony that comes running over!

Today was just a long slog through the meseta.   We hiked for about 8 hours.

While the path is fairly flat, it is so open that you can see the route a long ways away.  From the top of a small rise you can see the next village that you want to go to, and it seems so close, but on foot it can take a very long time to get there!

Perhaps the only highlight of the day was when we passed by a group of maybe like 5th graders out on a hike.    They (all 40 of them) all wished us "Buen Camino!" one by one as we passed them.  I even heard a couple of them say (in Spanish), "Hey!  Those are real peregrinas!"  Some even took our photos!  That was fun!   And then there was also Pam's new pony friend.

Here is Pam doing laundry...doing our daily duty.

Here is a photo of my credencial so far...in fact I've almost filled up both sides at this point.  Each peregrino needs, at this stage, to get only one stamp per day.   You can get a stamp almost anywhere - the albergue,  stores, restaurants,  etc.   This proves that you are truly walking the Camino and deserve the status of peregrino...which in turn,  allows you to get the Compostela  (or certificate of completion of the Camino) in Santiago.   Without this credencial,  you are not allowed in albergues.   We also got quite a discount on entering the cathedral in Burgos upon showing our credencial.  Closer to the end of the Camino (100K to go), you must get at least 2 stamps per day.  It's a personal mission of mine to get as many stamps as possible. ..but I end up forgetting most of the time.  Not only do we have to do it, I think it's fun.

“Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time.”

―Steven Wright

Stage 15 - Hornillos del Camino to Castrojeriz

Where We Are Tonight:    Castrojeriz                Miles Hiked Today: 12.6 (20,3 km)

Miles Hiked Overall:  204.0 (328,3 km)             Miles to Santiago:  281.0 (452,2 km)

Steps Taken Today:   37,978        

Blister Count: K's are healing but where the bandage goes around her big toe, now a new blister has formed...Pam now has 4 blisters.   We both have these issues only on our left feet!

Spanish Word of the Day: trigo (wheat)

What We Learned Today: Sometimes walking up a steep rocky side trail in the hopes of getting a better view isn't worth it.

Today was another day spent hiking through the meseta, the open high plains.  There are some ups and downs, but mostly it is fairly consistent elevation, 800-900 m (2600-3000 ft) .

May is a good month to be doing this Camino because the meseta is still green.  The fields are beautiful.   It's amazing how many different shades of green there are!

The fields are full of big rocks and here they pile them up on the edge of the fields or make awesome stone fences with them.

We have seen many wind turbines on our travels.

If you look closely at this church you will see that there is a big nest on one corner.   (There was actually a nest on each corner.) These are stork nests.  It is so cool to see them flying around.

Speaking of birds, out in the meseta there are very few sounds.   We haven't walked by roads much and between villages (usually 10K apart) there is nothing but fields.   The one sound you do hear, constantly, is of many small chirping, singing birds.  It's a lively and lovely sound.   It's hard to spot them and so far I've only gotten one photo.   At the beginning of the Camino,  we saw many big birds (we sometimes laughed that they were swarming vultures) that were something like falcons or other birds of prey.  These big birds were fascinating to watch in the big gusts of wind. 

We walked by ruins of a convent from the 15th century.  It is still an amazing structure, mostly intact, but now the road runs through it.

We ended our day in the village of Castrojeriz.  This cute village has ruins of a castle from the 9th century.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

―Henry Stanley Haskins