Blogs from Fromista, Castile & León, Spain, Europe

First, let me apologize for the photos. I didn't realize the lens was dirty until we had been in Carrion de Los Condes for a while. We left the albergue around 7:30, heading towards our final destination of Carrion de Los Condes, about 20 kilometers away. Since the dining area of the albergue wasn't open and we weren't sure which if any of the four small towns ahead had any place to eat, we stopped at the Cafe Bar Puzzles for a light breakfast. I had my heart set on a delicious looking fruit pastry, but there were only 2 and Raresh and Livija ordered them while I used the bathroom. I ended up with a big glazed doughnut that was pretty good. After a few kilometers on the Camino, we passed through the little town ... read more

We started out early; expected to get breakfast at the supermarket opposite but being Saturday it was closed, so we set off regardless and ate energy bars roadside at San Juan de ortega then coffee and croissants in Burgos. Wow what a cathedral! Took some photos and a quick visit for sello (stamp) then continued on through Hontanas, Castrojeriz and on to Fromista. approx 104 Km not bad with 10 mph wind against all of the way. We met lots more walkers and a few more cyclists a couple from Columbia on mountain bikes and a girl riding road bike; she was from Liverpool and had started way back from us at Pau. Found an auberge easily by the Fromista railway station and ate a filling supper ready for sleep after 11 hours in the saddle. ... read more

This day was meant to be an easy walk but seemed to be mentally difficult for some pilgrims. Sue was keen for it to end,as were a few younger walkers with very few pain issues. I think the first 7 kms were testing and set the tone for the day. We left Castrojeriz at about 8am to the sound of doves cooing in the ancient eaves of the church, as it was a short leg to walk, but after a steady couple of kilometres with a few ups and downs, we crossed a long stone levy bank/sort of bridge, we faced a 12 degree, which looks more like 45 degrees when you see it, mountain to climb. It left the rio Odrilla and rose 110 metres over about one kilometre. I like to set a pace, ... read more

Sept 25 Carrion de los Condes Only 20kms today so we left late 8:30,thinking it would be a really easy day after yesterday.Nice track,level along a tree-lined river,sounds nice?Turns out one of the worst days yet!Cold and even higher winds than yesterday,with more heavy cloud.Aiden's blister acting up about 8km in.We had some trouble dealing with it in the wind.We just kept our heads down and walked,both a little cranky(the wind) I'm thinking.It started to rain the last 2 km which really didn't help,needless to say we arrived wet,exhausted and fed up with the Meseta!Forecast for the next couple of days is more of the same.I can see a bus in my future.They did wash our clothes for us and we had a great dinner with some people we had met before,so it ended on a ... read more

So I went to a bullfight. It´s not something that I´ve ever really been attracted to (certainly not in the Ernest Hemingway way...). But it was fiesta in Burgos and it was there! So along I trotted with Henrik from Sweden and we watched three bulls killed before we´d had enough. Then we went and had hamburgers... Bullfights are always held up as the quintessentially Spanish thing - that which shows that Spain is different from everywhere else - both in a positive sense (the heroic individual facing death with casual disregard) and negatively (the bulls die!!!!) We are told that the Spanish passionately cling to this difference and the bullfights as a consequence. Well not on a hot Tuesday night in June they didn´t. The corrida was as best half-full (about 3000) people and it ... read more