A great but tiring day

We left Castrojeriz, bound for Fromista, under threatening, cloudy skies. It did rain overnight, but thankfully we were snug in our beds. We knew this would be kind of a tougher day. 25km (15.5 mi), and right in the first two kilometers, a steep climb up onto the mesa Alto de Mostelares. Once we got to the top, the views were amazing. We could see down into the valleys in all directions.

It was a rather chilly walk this morning, with a light breeze under the heavy, overcast sky. But when we crossed the Rio Pisuerga, the weather shifted. It was partly sunny with amazing cloud formations all along the vast horizon. We walked for a bit along the river path under the shade of some old growth trees (perhaps maple or birch). There was also a large grove of poplar trees - thousands of trees in perfectly straight rows - growing on the other side of the river.

We stopped in a village called Itero de La Vega at Cafe Tachu. An edgy cafe in a sleepy town, that had a punk feel to it and a sketch of the Mona Lisa with a blunt and a pot plant - love the irreverence! And they had the best tortilla so far, and a really great cafe con leche! You never know where you will find these little gems. We had a long day ahead of us so we decided to take plenty of rest stops.

Even with the additional rest stops, today felt a bit rougher - a bit of wind, the path rockier (literally) which is tough on the knees and feet. I was feeling pretty tired and sore, so we took another rest stop at Boadilla del Camino (at 19km of 25 for the day), at a very hip and modern bar/albergue where we sat on a couch and took off our shoes. (It may sound rude to take off your shoes in a bar. But these places are almost exclusively patronized by tired and sweaty pilgrims, all doing the same thing.) Rory had a coke, and I decided to take the edge off with a “Radler,” a local drink of part beer and part lemonade. Very refreshing with just a little bit of added fun. Then Rory pronounced, “Only 6 more kilometers. We’ve got this!” (WTF?! Who ARE you?)

For the final stretch, we followed a raised dirt trail that ran along the Canal de Castilla. The canal was used in the 18th century to transport crops and to power the corn mill in Fromista. Now it is used primarily for irrigation and leisurely (ha!) walks. The canal was on our right, and tall trees were on the left which provided a welcome wind break. I noticed a kid - maybe 10 years old - racing his bike up and down the canal, and shouting “Buen Camino” to all the pilgrims!

We made it to Fromista, and had a great meal with new pilgrim friends - sisters from a big Irish Catholic family - and ready to sleep off the day. But apparently there is a big festival in the town square tonight. Right next to our hotel… yay! The DJ is already blasting music, and I understand that the band goes on at 9:30. This will definitely be a Tylenol PM night!

And I had to include the photo that Mark sent me of Cocoa holding a sign that says “I miss you, Mommy.” He claims she typed it herself. I believe him.