Carrion de los Condes and beyond

Yesterday was a most pleasant day.  We walked on a nice level pathway, stopping in the villages along the way in a very unhurried way. We stopped for breakfast after about an

 hour. A croissant, banana, orange juice, and coffee make for a good start. What I look for at mealtime has changed, not by choice but necessity. I was joking with a pilgrim from South Korea about wanting an "American" breakfast: eggs, hash brown potatoes, toast, and brewed coffee. It's rare here. I used Google Maps to search for a Denneys and it returned "Missouri"! It's all good though. That kind of eating is killing Americans, and I need to change. Simple really is better, and more enjoyable.

 As we entered one village we passed a wall with a doorway in it. A pilgrim came walking out and exclaimed to us "you really should go in there. It's like Woodstock on the Camino"! Being time for a break, we went in. Upon entering we immediately notice the cool lawn and tables in the shade, with chicken, geese, and dogs walking about. There was music playing, a kind of "Yanni-style", elevator version of classic rock songs. Stairway to Heaven was playing, which had been running through my head for several days of the Camino. As I relaxed with a Coca Cola (in an old fashioned 8 oz glass bottle), listening to "Nights In White Satin" and "Wish You Were Here", I was nearly overcome with a sense of contentment I perhaps have never felt. The Camino is good for my soul. 

Last night we stayed in an albergue run by nuns that appeared to have been a school. We slept in a large room with 12 beds. We hadn't done that thus far and it was, interesting. Couldn't find my earplugs in the dark, but still managed about 5 hours of sleep. So it is. The nuns told us that there was a pilgrims mass at the local church, so we went after dinner. Trying to follow mass in Spanish was fun, but, well, it's about the same everywhere. Afterwards the priest had all of the pilgrims (there were many) stay for a special blessing. It was very moving as he said the Pilgrims Prayer and we each received an individual blessing from the priest and a small gift from the local nuns. Just a cutout paper star, colored by the nuns. A small token, but one I will treasure. 

This morning we decided to walk some and ride some. We are planning to meet Nate and the Aussies in León, so we need to make up some ground. After mass we mentioned this to a pilgrim and he put us in touch with another pilgrim who was organizing a horse-drawn carriage ride the next morning through 17 km of path without any services or water. We jumped at the chance. So, the first part of the day we rode through that section of the Camino, waving and wishing "Buen Camino" to pilgrims we passed. It was fun. Then we walked for awhile, in the hot Spanish sun. (It really does feel like the sun is hotter here).  When we had walked far enough, we went into a bar, had a couple of  beers and called a taxi to take us to Sahagún. Here's to a good meal, a good nights sleep in a hotel, and another walk tomorrow. Who knows what awaits us?