August 26, 2018

Today I walked 24.5 k (15.2 miles) from Boadilla Del Camino to Carrión De Los Condes – through the villages of Fromista, Población De Campos, Revenga De Campos and Villarmentero De Campos. It was a long, one foot in front of the other day, like the last few – through sunflower (girasoles) and wheat fields. Again I left by 6:30 a.m., mostly walked by myself – and even though it seemed the day would never end and that my village would never appear, I finished my just under six hour day before noon! Highlights include walking for close to an hour under the light of a full moon, walking a couple of kilometers with Halla from Germany and walking through town to find Albergue Santa María (a part of Inglesia de Santa María la Blanca) with Teddy from Japan. We also found a tienda (little store) all due to MY limited Spanish!!! We were one and two in line when it opened at noon, and quickly joined by three other Japanese as well as a man from Sweden. By the time we got checked in there were 15 more people waiting to get it!

The place has a lovely courtyard, a kitchen, touts “singing nuns” (who are not on the schedule tonight – though they do promise a musical program, Vespers and Mass) and provided juice and cookies upon greeting. But it has one shower and two bathrooms per gender to serve 52 beds, so tomorrow morning is going to be a zoo!! And in the usual FILO (first in, last out) layout, I am in the farthest corner from said facilities. Yikes!!!

I had canned tuna, olives and dates for my brunch, so decided to splurge on some “Authentica Pizzas, an unforgettable taste from the stone oven” and I am pretty sure they were freezer pies. Oh well – it’s Sunday and the town is dressed up and walking around so People Watching was Supér Bueno!