I left Hontanas before 7am while it was still cool, as it was forecast to get a little warmer... It was beautiful and peaceful in the early morning, and the landscape was still so surprisingly green. The nine kilometres to Castrojeriz seemed to pass by very quickly. There, medieval history seemed to jump out at you from the stones of the old buildings. I had breakfast at a friendly bar. Again I was in a place too early for buildings to be open for viewing, but I was desperate to buy some shampoo -and a hairdresser's was open! There was another climb here onto the Mostelares part of the Meseta. It was actually quite steep... more so than it looks in this photo... This moth gave me an excuse to stop and catch my breath.
And as always, the climb was well worth it, with a magnificent view back in the direction of Castrojeriz. There was evidence that the farming season was progressing. I arrived at Hospital San Nicholas, run by an Italian group. This has been restored from 13th century buildings and luckily they had let a few walkers in to eat lunch -possibly because they were Italian- and so I got to see inside. The chapel section was up the front, and a long table filled the main room. It was beautifully done. Francis had also stopped here, and I think this is probably the last place I saw him until I had the joy to see him again in Santiago.... The forecasters had got it right, and the temperature had warmed up, but it was only a few more kilometres until Itero de la Vega. I bypassed a place on the outskirts with a pushy owner, and arrived in the centre of town to find a family-run place, with a very genuinely Spanish atmosphere. A wander in the town here showed some more storks that had chosen a church tower for their nesting place. And seats in the square here provided a chance to 'mix and mingle' with those staying in the municipal albergue nearby. Dinner was an interesting meal. It was being served while Spain was playing in a European Cup game. At half-time Spain weren't doing so well, and we heard all about how lazy they were. By full-time though, the team had found redemption and were absolutely wonderful again..... Somehow, this all reminded me of home.....
When I was preparing to walk the route from Le-Puy-en-Velay to SJPP, I found there wasn't much info in English, and I hope this blog might fill the gap a little.... In 2008 I walked from Le Puy to Santiago. In 2012 I walked from Cluny to Conques, then spent three weeks in Spain, re-walking two sections of the Camino Frances. Please feel free to contact me if you wish.
Hunkered In
-
The sky keeps changing colors, the wind roars all night and morning.
Sometime overnight it pulled the chicken-hut door off its hinges and
smashed it to k...
Beachscape
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I haven't blogged for a while, but here is a new poem.
*Beachscape*
*Surprising that I never knew before*
*the bright curve of this bay,*
*the way the wash...
Taranaki-born, long-time Manawatu resident and primary teacher; inveterate traveler, Camino walker, occasional cyclist, lover of sea and bush walks; getting into genealogy more; collapsed catholic; lapsed musician looking forward to doing more again in retirement
from the poem "The Summer Day" by Mary Oliver.....
" I don't know exactly what a prayer is. I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass, how to be idle and blessed how to stroll through the fields, which is what I have been doing all day. Tell me, what else should I have done? Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon? Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
This quote is taken from notion900 on the Pilgrimage to Santiago forum: "Please know that although some people seem to imagine it as some appalling ordeal, the camino is a very health-giving thing - if you do simple things like healthy food, plenty of water, moisturise your feet and get plenty of sleep. Being out in nature for 5 weeks is just so life-giving: I finished the camino absolutely glowing with health and vitality. I hope you have a wonderful time."
'Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.' Goethe
"Glowing... this is the thing about pictures of people on the Camino. This light within... As if the Camino washed the soul and cleared the eyes." Claire Bangasser in a comment on Johnnie Walker's blog
The nine kilometres to Castrojeriz seemed to pass by very quickly. There, medieval history seemed to jump out at you from the stones of the old buildings.
I had breakfast at a friendly bar. Again I was in a place too early for buildings to be open for viewing, but I was desperate to buy some shampoo -and a hairdresser's was open!
There was another climb here onto the Mostelares part of the Meseta. It was actually quite steep... more so than it looks in this photo...
This moth gave me an excuse to stop and catch my breath.
And as always, the climb was well worth it, with a magnificent view back in the direction of Castrojeriz. 
There was evidence that the farming season was progressing.
I arrived at Hospital San Nicholas, run by an Italian group. This has been restored from 13th century buildings and luckily they had let a few walkers in to eat lunch -possibly because they were Italian- and so I got to see inside. The chapel section was up the front, and a long table filled the main room. It was beautifully done. Francis had also stopped here, and I think this is probably the last place I saw him until I had the joy to see him again in Santiago....
The forecasters had got it right, and the temperature had warmed up, but it was only a few more kilometres until Itero de la Vega. I bypassed a place on the outskirts with a pushy owner, and arrived in the centre of town to find a family-run place, with a very genuinely Spanish atmosphere. 
A wander in the town here showed some more storks that had chosen a church tower for their nesting place. And seats in the square here provided a chance to 'mix and mingle' with those staying in the municipal albergue nearby. 
Dinner was an interesting meal. It was being served while Spain was playing in a European Cup game. At half-time Spain weren't doing so well, and we heard all about how lazy they were. By full-time though, the team had found redemption and were absolutely wonderful again..... Somehow, this all reminded me of home.....
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