Big Spain

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Our host finally returning and revealing an additional room for our nights stay in Hornillos (last blog entry) seems now long in the past although only four days ago. Since our departure from Burgos Castile y Leon has opened up into a place of expansive gently rolling valleys covered with a gigantic patchwork of intensive crop farming. The mild undulation means that it frequently feels like we are walking to the edge of a huge plateau. Each time we seem to reach its end another new expanse opens up before us. Spain now looks a vaste land. Todays walk gave us a 16km stretch of path with nothing but fields punctuated with the occasional tree. The mystery of the dereliction of many buildings in the villages is still to be completely solved as to whether they are places in resurgence or decline. We read that young Spaniards thurst only for a city existence supporting the theory of decline. However, a fellow pilgrim that completed this long walk seven years ago said that many villages were in fact much improved since his last visit supported by renewed interest in the Camino. It seems that the forces are multi-faceted and require more careful investigation. We have had a few blisters on our hard working feet over the past week which have now healed. With over 300km on the clock this type of wear and tear is inevitable. Sun and pure blue skies have been predominant for many days now and we hope for more of the same tomorrow.

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