Day 19 – Fromista to Carrion de los Condes


After yesterday’s long 17 miler today’s 13 miles would be a breeze? Well that’s how the mind can play tricks on you. You start to think it’s easy; but it’s still a good distance, and it comes directly on the back of yesterday’s long hard yards.

So with all that in mind we tried hard to prepare for a deceptively tough day. And in the end it was.



We took 3 decent breaks along the way at Poblacion de Campos, Villovieco and Ermita de la Virgin del Rio; but the final 4 miles were absolutely knackering, and a long the side of a road. Boring.

Nevertheless, looking for positives, we were grateful that we had not followed the official Camino route which was virtually along that road the whole way. So at Poblacion de Campos we’d chosen a more rural and lengthy route following the Rio Ucieza.


The Rio Ucieza - no frogs in sight, but you could hear them

We were discussing the amazing noise frogs make, when we met an English bloke called Michael from Wolverhampton. Unfortunately he did not have a supply of pork scratchings on his person. Unacceptable! However, Cate is more reasonable than me; and she chatted to him until we caught up with his mate – a retired PE instructor for HM Prisons – he was 60, but looked 45. Git! He was chatting to 2 “close to retirement”, female British teachers so we all then indulged in the official “can’t wait to get our pensions; isn’t the future shit for our kids” conversation. Very refreshing; but also quite worrying!


Villalcazar de Sirga


Villalcazar de Sirga



He wasn't very talkative


Great skies above the Meseta



A long way to go? Or not far?
Each day as it comes.


The long slog along the N-120

And so we have arrived in Carrion de los Condes. A small town of c 2000 people – a metropolis compared to the recent overnight stops. Well the great news was that our room “with bathroom” actually had a “bath”. Oh the joy of laying in warm water surrounded by your own filth – somewhere between gross and heaven sent depending on your viewpoint. The latter for me.


Carrion de las Condes – a nice enough place for a Friday night. Nothing special. It was a joy to just watch all the generations enjoying the main plaza – especially kids of all ages playing football – the goal being two trees in front of the town hall. Could you imagine that in the UK? The health and safety people or the police would be all over it. Still the families were out, and all the generations  didn’t seem to have a care in the world.


Meanwhile back in the sleazy world Auntie Teresa had resigned, and multi-millionaire, Eton educated prat looks set to lead our country into oblivion. I’ll leave it there! All I have to think about tomorrow is a choice of 2 pairs of trousers, underpants and T-shirts; and 1 of 4 options on the pilgrims menu. No wonder so many come back and do this walk time and again


The passport stamps are coming along very nicely








Comments

  1. Unknown25 May 2019 at 08:33

    Hi Nodge and Cate, loving the blog almost excited every day to hear of your adventures. I love Dad the tan you are developing! Off to the the New Theatre to in Oxford to watch Rhod Gilbert tonight.bw Ian

    ReplyDelete

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