Wednesday, May 11, 2016

#20-Walking the Camino-May 11, 2016

18th day of walking
Boadillas to Carrion de los Condes
Book - 15.2 miles
Map My Walk - 17.02 miles, 7 1/2 hrs
Fitbit -39,555 steps, 16.82
Elevation tonight 847 meters

So----we don't know where we really are in this village.   I am now making reservations two days in advance which has worked out really well. Two days ago I asked our B&B manager to make a reservation in Carrion de los Condes. Simple, right?  Should be simple. So the guy is behind the counter and he starts gesturing wildly for me to come behind the bar. What is going on??!!  So I go behind the bar to the telephone and he says, "English, English". I take the phone and say hello. The  lady on the other end is speaking English gibberish. Then the phone clicks dead. That's wierd. Then the pay phone rings and it's for me!  "Hello. This is Kim". Same lady same gibberish. But I came to understand she will have a room for us, and by the way, her name is Anna. 

So this morning we set off with confidence that our room will be ready for us. We drag into town, exhausted, study the map, and there it is! Glowing in the evening sun, the "Santiago"

To make a long story short, the teenage girl explains, blah blah, no room, blah blah, get in car, and so on. In the car I ask,in my best Spanish,where we are going. She laughs and says, "a Madrid!"  Then she says the Spanish for just joking and drives like crazy through the windy streets of this old town and pulls up in front of .......a convent of the Sisters of Religioses Filipenses.  We heard angels singing!!!  









 It is spectacular - maybe our best room ever. Dinner at seven. Breakfast at seven. Perfect wifi. Hmm, I wonder what dinner will be?

This morning we left Boadilla del Camino on this picture perfect path. Here it is for you


Shortly we came upon the Canal de Castilla which we followed until the town of Fromista. The canal was built from 1753-1859 and covered 128 miles. Ships  were pulled by miles on tow paths. Yes, today we walked where mules walked. 

It's not used for ships anymore but as a water source for irrigation. Neat water valves, concrete irrigation channels




A dam with locks and some major leakage that should be addressed. 





Walked through Fromista and here are our interesting picks 


Peregrinos looking for first aid for their feet


A Spanish form of xeriscape landscaping-concrete


A door that goes to "Underground Poblacion"




I know you've been waiting for these

Two new Camino motifs 



Beautiful clouds 


A poplar tree farm like the ones on I84 east of Portland 


We kinda got on the scenic River route due to poor signage- not our fault !!  It was scenic but the path was terribly muddy, so we took a short cut nearby to the main road



Found some more of those wierd caterpillars. You might like this link

http://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2007/03/16/danger-caterpillars-crossing/

In Villalcazar we found the 13th century Iglesia de Santa Maria fe la Blanca. It is very famous for the White Virgin. Where she is located was closed so we just went inside and looked around. 





This organ is for Dolores. 


Interesting creatures holding up a crypt


Getting closer to Santiago 

Checking in


Dinner. Pretty yummy


One of our challenges tomorrow will be to find the Camino-wherever it is in the city. 























3 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness, what an adventure!

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  2. Reminds me of finding a room in Dubrovnik!!

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  3. Thanks for the organ. When will it be delivered? ;-)

    ReplyDelete