I left soon after 6am, when it was just light, for what I was expecting would be a longish - for me- 29km stint to Moratinos. I had been in contact with a fellow blogger, Rebekah, who lived there, and had been invited to stay the night.
The walking was kind of straightforward... and flat.........
though the recent haybales looked rather glorious in the morning sunlight. Then for a change, there was more flat...... I was making good time along the flat with my two buddies from Quebec who had caught me up.
We had all just stopped to remove our top layers and put on sunblock when we were surprised that we needed to move over as a car was coming slowly towards us along our farm track-road. Then the car stopped, a window was wound down, and my surprised friends were asked if they knew a New Zealand pilgrim named Margaret. It was Rebekah Scott and her husband, who had come to rescue a gal from all that flat! I was picked up just before we reached our first village of the day, after some 17km. I waved goodbye to my Quebec friends like royalty, and was sped away!
And so, this became the day when 12 kilometres of Camino was not walked! And this came to pass, so that I could be saved forever from being sanctimonious about what 'real' pilgrims were- since I had on this occasion, taken a car! Rebekah and Paddy were on a mission though, to clear up a notoriously dirty area near a picnic table. Here is Rebekah at the end when it all looks clean again. And to be fair, it was probably not so much pilgrim-mess here as wind-mess, blowing a lot of stuff out of the nearby rubbish bin. I helped, but had a Kiwi fear of snakes as I did so. Rebekah looks far more matter of fact about it all!
Then I was whisked off to their home, where I was to enjoy the comfort of this lovely apple green room for the night, complete with real sheets and a real towel. We sat outside in the courtyard and talked.
And after lunch it was time for a siesta, in a real bed! And Rebekah's dogs, like every other dog I had seen in the north of Spain, knew about siestas. 
Rebekah and Paddy had some chores that needed doing in Sahagun after siesta time, and took me along for the ride. I had a chance to see this church built by the converted Moorish builders, and saw the Holy Week exhibits in the museum. Very explicit and disturbing. Very Spanish. They are used in procession, and a raffle is held to determine who gets to carry them. They looked incredibly heavy!
Back home Rebekah took me on a walking tour of the village, which really was very tiny. Here is their bodega, built into a slight rise near the edge of the village. Here they can store wine, and in the old days, the grapes were pressed here. It was beautifully cool in here. Each family used to have their own bodega, and this one came as part of the package with the house. 
We stopped and Rebekah talked with some of her neighbours, and this adobe building was nearby. Then it was home for dinner, the internet and a shower. I was made to feel so very welcome in their home, and tumbled gratefully into the comfortable bed for a sound night's sleep.
I left soon after 6am, when it was just light, for what I was expecting would be a longish - for me- 29km stint to Moratinos. I had been in contact with a fellow blogger, Rebekah, who lived there, and had been invited to stay the night.
The walking was kind of straightforward... and flat.........
though the recent haybales looked rather glorious in the morning sunlight. Then for a change, there was more flat...... I was making good time along the flat with my two buddies from Quebec who had caught me up.
We had all just stopped to remove our top layers and put on sunblock when we were surprised that we needed to move over as a car was coming slowly towards us along our farm track-road. Then the car stopped, a window was wound down, and my surprised friends were asked if they knew a New Zealand pilgrim named Margaret. It was Rebekah Scott and her husband, who had come to rescue a gal from all that flat! I was picked up just before we reached our first village of the day, after some 17km. I waved goodbye to my Quebec friends like royalty, and was sped away!
And so, this became the day when 12 kilometres of Camino was not walked! And this came to pass, so that I could be saved forever from being sanctimonious about what 'real' pilgrims were- since I had on this occasion, taken a car! Rebekah and Paddy were on a mission though, to clear up a notoriously dirty area near a picnic table. Here is Rebekah at the end when it all looks clean again. And to be fair, it was probably not so much pilgrim-mess here as wind-mess, blowing a lot of stuff out of the nearby rubbish bin. I helped, but had a Kiwi fear of snakes as I did so. Rebekah looks far more matter of fact about it all!
Then I was whisked off to their home, where I was to enjoy the comfort of this lovely apple green room for the night, complete with real sheets and a real towel. We sat outside in the courtyard and talked.
And after lunch it was time for a siesta, in a real bed! And Rebekah's dogs, like every other dog I had seen in the north of Spain, knew about siestas. 
Rebekah and Paddy had some chores that needed doing in Sahagun after siesta time, and took me along for the ride. I had a chance to see this church built by the converted Moorish builders, and saw the Holy Week exhibits in the museum. Very explicit and disturbing. Very Spanish. They are used in procession, and a raffle is held to determine who gets to carry them. They looked incredibly heavy!
Back home Rebekah took me on a walking tour of the village, which really was very tiny. Here is their bodega, built into a slight rise near the edge of the village. Here they can store wine, and in the old days, the grapes were pressed here. It was beautifully cool in here. Each family used to have their own bodega, and this one came as part of the package with the house. 
We stopped and Rebekah talked with some of her neighbours, and this adobe building was nearby. Then it was home for dinner, the internet and a shower. I was made to feel so very welcome in their home, and tumbled gratefully into the comfortable bed for a sound night's sleep.
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