Since our goal for the day was just 15 kilometres, we had a leisurely start to the day. Something I have noticed is that it seems many people seem to walk without stopping to notice some of the details of nature around them. I think that is something that taking pictures gives me - the constant search for the unique in the usual.
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| Caracol |
Today that unique was a man who was standing off to the side of the road, wearing galoshes and sporting an umbrella. With a plastic bag in hand, he kept bending down to add something to his bag. We assumed it was mushrooms but our inquiry revealed something much different and more precious - snails or caracol as he told us in Spanish. He must have finished his hunt because he followed us into the village and told us the best restaurant, a bodega really, to stop at for refreshments,
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| Hobbit Wine Cellar |
Shortly before we arrived at the bodega, we came upon what resembled hobbit houses in the hillside. They were really wine cellars, we assume those for the bodega we were about to visit. Arriving there, we welcomed the time out of the rain, yes it rained again today, for a cup of coffee. There we met a couple from Australia who were only a little younger than us and had started a week after us. We were astonished - they were walking 30-35 kilometres a day!
Something we have noticed is that with each larger city there seems to be a growing number of peregrinos and those added numbers are also creating a demographic shift from older to younger. We are expecting to see this trend continue as we get closer to Santiago. This will likely be especially significant when we have only 100 kilometres to go as that is the minimum that is required to obtain a Compestella, a certificate that you walked the camino.
I am also starting to feel the cumulative effects of walking such long distances with the added weight of a backpack. My knee is starting to give me problems, in part I am sure due to the wearing off of the cortisone shot I received before I left home. So, I have started to use what so many on the camino do - Voltaren. I also am having some issues on and off with my ankles. In reality, I feel a little like a car that is in need of service!
Several people forward their backpacks to their next destination and then just walk with a separate light pack. Being my stubborn self, I don't want to do that. I have gone through my pack multiple times to determine if there is anything I can do to lighten my load but have essentially used virtually everything I am carrying. I am not going to be unreasonable though; if my issues become more debilitating I will take advantage of this service.
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| Young People |
Just before we reached Sahagun, we were overtaken by the young people we have come to know and like - Chris, Araska and Tomash. They were moving down the road quickly but was able to capture a photo of them with their colorful rain covers protecting their cargo.
As we arrived in town, we ran into Denise who suggested an albergue with some private rooms. This was exactly what we were looking for as the cold I have been trying to keep at bay has caught up with me and I have reached the stage where I feel okay but sound terrible with my nightly coughing. It would be enough to send peregrinos in our communal room at an albergue fleeing for their life!
We were also thrilled because they provided laundry service so we could get all of our clothes not only washed but dried, something that has been a bit of a challenge in this rainy and damp weather. Handing off our dirty laundry to the wonderful hospitalero, we headed downtown to purchase some necessary toiletry items, check out the churches (they were all closed) and to get something to eat. On the way, we met some new peregrinos from Kansas, Keith and Judy, who were looking for an albergue for the night. They had just started their camino journey in Burgos as they had friends there. Being from the Midwest, they too are enjoying the meseta.
On the way back to the albergue, walking past a confectionery shop, we spotted someone waving at us. It was Jim and Marilyn whom we had not seen for several days. With them were Fawn and a brother and sister from Slovania. I think Jim knows almost everyone on this camino route. They invited us to join them as they found a place for dinner but I didn't want to expose them to my cold so we went back to the albergue and had a very nice peregrino meal there before we called it a day.
Tomorrow, we have another fork in the road, one is the real Frances camino route which runs along the road andthe other is an old Roman road that runs through the country. Our leaning is once again to the one less traveled - the Roman road, but if the rain continues may have to reconsider. Always an adventure!
Lesson for the Day: Short walking days have their advantages.
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