Castrojeriz - A Down Day

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Knee problems

Today´s walk was mostly over fair to good farm road, and some minor sealed road coming into Castrojeriz. Had a pleasant early morning walk into Hontanas following breakfast at the albergue at San Bol. Leaving Hontanas, I slipped and jarred my knee. Slow and painful walk then for the remainder of the way to Castrojeriz, where I decided to call it a day rather than press on.

Despite this, there was a bright moment. I was a little way past San Anton, a ruin, and saw three older women walking towards the road I was on. They were all rugged up and just appeared to be out for a stroll. They arrived at the intersection, turned and came walking up towards me. I thought they were about to pass, but they stopped, and one of them pressed four or five small sweets into my hand. I objected, saying one was enough. The woman insisted, saying ´for the Camino´. It was such a nice gesture, and I felt like hugging all three, but something kept me from doing that.

A short way on, I looked back to see they were returning the way they had come from. It was as if their only purpose had been to make a pilgrim´s day just a little brighter.

Booked into the albergue San Estaban. This appeared quite nice, with one big room and quite good separation of beds. Kept off my feet for most of the afternoon.

Snoring

What occured in the evening was then one of the most unpleasant of the Camino. The hospitalera informed me that someone had complained that I snored, and asked if I would mind sleeping in the common room rather than in the dormitory. After some discussion I agreed to this. It was the worst thing I could have done.

My sleep that night was continually disrupted by people using the toilets, turning on the wrong lights and lighting up the common room rather than the toilet, flushing the toilets, shutting doors noisily, etc etc.

To rub salt into these wounds, in the morning the two women who had made the complaint that I snored were up at six, and came into the common room to prepare to leave. As soon as they saw that I was awake - difficult not to be with the noise they were making - they had the lights on and clattered around getting breakfast.

The Aftermath

The following evening, Wilfred, the oldest pilgrim on the trail with us, asked one of the other Australians how I was going. He was clearly upset by the treatment that I had been given, particularly since there were several other snorers at San Estaban that night.

My morale has improved, but it was a hard couple of days.

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Photos

San Bol
Albergue in the morning

Castrojeriz - Evening
It was not uncommon to see people out walking in the early evening.