Day 21 - Calzadilla de la Cuerza to Sahagun (Sun 26 May 2019)
Well, loathe as I am to come across as Captain smugpants; we've had a wonderful day!
A relatively long stretch of 22 km felt like a breeze - not because we are some kind of wondrously fit gym bunnies, but because we've had a really sociable day talking with so many great people. Particularly whilst we walked. It is kind of understandable, but equally daft that the walking is so much easier if you're engrossed in conversation with people you've never or barely met before. Well today we really felt like we were part of the Camino Circus that rolls into the small towns and villages across northern Spain; and in the blink of an eye is gone again.
First stop for coffee and breakfast was Ledigos. We'd walked there with a charming English woman called Sian - quite a character for her years; but charming, intelligent and fun. Whilst having a coffee a couple of notable incidents occurred. First a couple of older men emerged from the bar and in their typical "can't speak a word of anything but Spanish way" were asking if anyone had lost a mobile phone. It became clear that it was probably the couple, maybe Italians, who'd left 5 minutes ago were the likely owners. Minutes later the Spanish gents emerged from the bar again, got in a car and drove off. Five minutes later they returned beaming and giving the thumbs up sign having successfully reunited the phone with its owners. Rightly, they got a round of applause from the 8 or so walkers who were sitting outside. Acts of kindness like that probably happen all the time; but of course are not newsworthy in our world of woe and stupidity
Two minutes later there was a bit of a fuss with some cyclists up on the corner 50 metres away. Was that a woman being assaulted by a lycra clad lunatic and his friend? Real concern very quickly dissipated as the smiling female cyclist rode up to the bar proclaiming her magic pants! For the first of several times today Christina from Perth (Australia, of course) came across our path and brightened our day.
She'd been walking but had suffered problems with both legs, so decided to try cycling slowly to Santiago. It turned out that she'd bought a bike along the way, but didn't really have any of the right gear. Word had got about; and the incident we witnessed was a male Spanish cyclist giving her some padded (in the gusset!) cycling shorts. He was absolutely insistent, and completely intent on putting them on her - hence the kerfuffle!! She was a typical Aussie; in her early 50's, and promptly came out with the line "I've been a bit wary of men trying to get in my pants, but have never had them putting pants on me". We met her a couple of more times later during the day and evening; and like so many here, there was a very sad story to tell about part of her life.
And so we arrived in Sahagun, a bigger than usual town for this part of the Camino - c2000 inhabitants. We walked past the Bullring and across the railway bridge to get into the middle of the town. All around the town, they'd got protective fencing erected along the roads - real heavy duty stuff. It turns out that they also do a bull run - similar to Pamplona - that happens in 2 weeks times. When you see the fencing, it really makes you realise how totally mad it must be.
Well, loathe as I am to come across as Captain smugpants; we've had a wonderful day!
A relatively long stretch of 22 km felt like a breeze - not because we are some kind of wondrously fit gym bunnies, but because we've had a really sociable day talking with so many great people. Particularly whilst we walked. It is kind of understandable, but equally daft that the walking is so much easier if you're engrossed in conversation with people you've never or barely met before. Well today we really felt like we were part of the Camino Circus that rolls into the small towns and villages across northern Spain; and in the blink of an eye is gone again.
First stop for coffee and breakfast was Ledigos. We'd walked there with a charming English woman called Sian - quite a character for her years; but charming, intelligent and fun. Whilst having a coffee a couple of notable incidents occurred. First a couple of older men emerged from the bar and in their typical "can't speak a word of anything but Spanish way" were asking if anyone had lost a mobile phone. It became clear that it was probably the couple, maybe Italians, who'd left 5 minutes ago were the likely owners. Minutes later the Spanish gents emerged from the bar again, got in a car and drove off. Five minutes later they returned beaming and giving the thumbs up sign having successfully reunited the phone with its owners. Rightly, they got a round of applause from the 8 or so walkers who were sitting outside. Acts of kindness like that probably happen all the time; but of course are not newsworthy in our world of woe and stupidity
Two minutes later there was a bit of a fuss with some cyclists up on the corner 50 metres away. Was that a woman being assaulted by a lycra clad lunatic and his friend? Real concern very quickly dissipated as the smiling female cyclist rode up to the bar proclaiming her magic pants! For the first of several times today Christina from Perth (Australia, of course) came across our path and brightened our day.
She'd been walking but had suffered problems with both legs, so decided to try cycling slowly to Santiago. It turned out that she'd bought a bike along the way, but didn't really have any of the right gear. Word had got about; and the incident we witnessed was a male Spanish cyclist giving her some padded (in the gusset!) cycling shorts. He was absolutely insistent, and completely intent on putting them on her - hence the kerfuffle!! She was a typical Aussie; in her early 50's, and promptly came out with the line "I've been a bit wary of men trying to get in my pants, but have never had them putting pants on me". We met her a couple of more times later during the day and evening; and like so many here, there was a very sad story to tell about part of her life.
Teletubby house at Moratinos - actually a wine store
Oh please!
I won't bore you with the detail but we had great conversations with people from Canada, the US, Switzerland and Germany as well as meeting Aussie Christina, and Sian again. Time and kilometres flew past, and before we knew it we'd got to the edge of Sahagun.
Cate and Nicolas - the "10 years and
I'm still finishing my degree Canadian"
Just outside Sahagun - the halfway point to Santiago
A mere 395 km to go
And so we arrived in Sahagun, a bigger than usual town for this part of the Camino - c2000 inhabitants. We walked past the Bullring and across the railway bridge to get into the middle of the town. All around the town, they'd got protective fencing erected along the roads - real heavy duty stuff. It turns out that they also do a bull run - similar to Pamplona - that happens in 2 weeks times. When you see the fencing, it really makes you realise how totally mad it must be.
Heavy duty steel fences
The Bullring - doesn't look like Birmingham to me!
Cate meets some Dementors from Harry Potter
Downtown Sahagun
That update probably only tells half the story of the day here, but it's late and time for bed. Buenos noches!!
Ps - for the record we got past the 400 km walked mark today; so feeling even more smug!
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