Postscript from last night: I attended the 8 pm mass at the beautiful
Church of Santa Maria in Carrion. The celebrant was very engaging and
gave a good homily on the readings for the Feast of the Most Holy
Trinity. We finished the mass at 8:45 PM and I looked forward to
having supper immediately and get a good night's sleep as it would be
a long walk today. However, there was a pilgrim blessing and while it
was very nice, it went on and on. After several psalms, there was a
reading from St. Paul and he asked all those with different languages
to read the version in their language, so we had the reading 6 times:
Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Polish. More psalms.
Then we sang a very beautiful hymn about the Camino. That was not the
end, he gave a long talk about the gifts of the camino. At a certain
point, I indicated to Alain and Pascale, who were also there that I
would meet them at the resto next door.
Saving grace was that we had a good supper: good onion soup and
excellent lasagna and wine.
Today was simply a very long day and a very long walk. The terrain was
not difficult, the path was on a senda parallel to the vehicle
highway, most of the way. The challenge was that it was hot (though
there was a breeze to make it more tolerable) and the road just went
on and on and on. We were warned that we would walk 17 km before there
would be a bar to stop by and get something. So I bought some snacks
last night and a jamon and tomate bocadillo at the breakfast place.
Walked 8 km before the first break, a rest area with shade and
benches. Drank water and had half a chocolate bar and some choco chip
cookies. Several other people at the break area.
Walked another 5 or so before the next rest area. Here I met the young
Japanese whom I had been running into off and on. He had his stuff for
sale (mostly pendants, etc.) on a bench and I sat down with him. A
young lady from Texas also joined us. I shared some of the chocolate
chip cookies with him. There was another Japanese leaving when I
arrived, he walks fast, probably doing 35 km a day. Asked the young
Japanese if he would take my picture.
Then the last 4 km before the lunch break at Calzadilla de la Cueza.
This part really seemed to go on and on. On these sendas, where
everything looks the same, same road, same fields around, one loses a
sense of progress on the road. There are no milestones to tell you how
you are doing. I estimate where I am by time -- I do 4 km an hour, a
little faster in the afternoon. When I was beginning to wonder whether
Calzadilla would ever appear, it finally did, hidden by the brow of a
hill.
Stopped at a bar and ordered a coke. Ate my jamon bocadillo and rested
my feet. Then a cafe con leche before leaving.
The last stretch is about 10 km. I was alone most of the time, except
for a young girl who was always a bit ahead of me. This part also
seemed to go on and on. It was also like 1:30 in the afternoon, so a
very warm sun. Got to Ledigos at around 3 pm and stopped at a bar and
ended up ordering two bottles of orange juice (very good stuff). It
was great after the heat of the walk.
Finally arrived at Terradillos de los Templares around 4 pm. My
albergue (Jacques de Molay) is in the center of the town. It is quite
full with lots of people I have met along the way. There are no
pensions with individual rooms in the place (nor nearby), so I share a
room with 5 others here. The facilities are quite good and the
guidebook says the family running it serves good food.
No mass here tonight.
Will sleep early as tomorrow my walk goes over 30 km to El Burgo Ranero.
All the best.
Church of Santa Maria in Carrion. The celebrant was very engaging and
gave a good homily on the readings for the Feast of the Most Holy
Trinity. We finished the mass at 8:45 PM and I looked forward to
having supper immediately and get a good night's sleep as it would be
a long walk today. However, there was a pilgrim blessing and while it
was very nice, it went on and on. After several psalms, there was a
reading from St. Paul and he asked all those with different languages
to read the version in their language, so we had the reading 6 times:
Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Polish. More psalms.
Then we sang a very beautiful hymn about the Camino. That was not the
end, he gave a long talk about the gifts of the camino. At a certain
point, I indicated to Alain and Pascale, who were also there that I
would meet them at the resto next door.
Saving grace was that we had a good supper: good onion soup and
excellent lasagna and wine.
Today was simply a very long day and a very long walk. The terrain was
not difficult, the path was on a senda parallel to the vehicle
highway, most of the way. The challenge was that it was hot (though
there was a breeze to make it more tolerable) and the road just went
on and on and on. We were warned that we would walk 17 km before there
would be a bar to stop by and get something. So I bought some snacks
last night and a jamon and tomate bocadillo at the breakfast place.
Walked 8 km before the first break, a rest area with shade and
benches. Drank water and had half a chocolate bar and some choco chip
cookies. Several other people at the break area.
Walked another 5 or so before the next rest area. Here I met the young
Japanese whom I had been running into off and on. He had his stuff for
sale (mostly pendants, etc.) on a bench and I sat down with him. A
young lady from Texas also joined us. I shared some of the chocolate
chip cookies with him. There was another Japanese leaving when I
arrived, he walks fast, probably doing 35 km a day. Asked the young
Japanese if he would take my picture.
Then the last 4 km before the lunch break at Calzadilla de la Cueza.
This part really seemed to go on and on. On these sendas, where
everything looks the same, same road, same fields around, one loses a
sense of progress on the road. There are no milestones to tell you how
you are doing. I estimate where I am by time -- I do 4 km an hour, a
little faster in the afternoon. When I was beginning to wonder whether
Calzadilla would ever appear, it finally did, hidden by the brow of a
hill.
Stopped at a bar and ordered a coke. Ate my jamon bocadillo and rested
my feet. Then a cafe con leche before leaving.
The last stretch is about 10 km. I was alone most of the time, except
for a young girl who was always a bit ahead of me. This part also
seemed to go on and on. It was also like 1:30 in the afternoon, so a
very warm sun. Got to Ledigos at around 3 pm and stopped at a bar and
ended up ordering two bottles of orange juice (very good stuff). It
was great after the heat of the walk.
Finally arrived at Terradillos de los Templares around 4 pm. My
albergue (Jacques de Molay) is in the center of the town. It is quite
full with lots of people I have met along the way. There are no
pensions with individual rooms in the place (nor nearby), so I share a
room with 5 others here. The facilities are quite good and the
guidebook says the family running it serves good food.
No mass here tonight.
Will sleep early as tomorrow my walk goes over 30 km to El Burgo Ranero.
All the best.
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