Day 15
Day 15 completed is significant as it puts me at about halfway, time wise, through my Camino to the cathedral in Santiago. It’s not the halfway point on the Camino – that’s at Sahagun, which I’m projected to hit on day 17. There are more stages in the first half of the trek because the terrain is more difficult. Day 17 will also be halfway, time wise – for me, to Muxia – my end destination for this Camino. Sorry if that gets confusing.
Left the albergue in the dark – before 5 AM. Alex, from Germany, left at the same time and we walked together for the first hour. It’s easier to walk in the dark with a second person watching for trail markers.
Dawn arrived about 7 and First Coffee (which now holds a place of honor in this pilgrim’s day) 45 minutes later.
It was a cloudless day. By 8 the shadows were long in the field.
There was a split in the trail – one option followed the highway and the other a canal. So grateful to have selected the canal because it had been planted with trees along the banks for most of the way. I turned off my music and listened to the songbirds. And, after a few kilometers, the trail shifted to the other side of the canal and the shadows played in the favor of the pilgrims, providing cool shade.
At Villalcazar I stopped for Second Coffee and realized I only had 6 km more to go. At the town’s edge the path clearly became the Meseta again. Vast dry, shadeless fields. The first 4 km were up, up, uphill. Not steep – but just enough that I couldn’t see over the horizon.
In one field, a vein of water was clearly marked by thirsty green.
The music came back on to help me with my pace. Ray Charles, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, and more Springsteen. I don’t know if Bruce secretly went on a Camino – but The Rising is the perfect Camino song. Both for the rhythm and the lyrics.
At the top of the hill, the distant church steeple again indicated the end of the day’s stage. I made my way to the monastery at Santa Clara and gladly paid a little extra for a private room as the price was reasonable and the funds go to support the Order. My room is simple, clean, comfortable and ‘just enough’.
I stepped out for a quick walk but most places were closed for siesta. I did manage to find a cold coke in a bar – which was served with a complimentary appetizer. Five shrimp, cooked whole in garlic butter. And…I do mean whole. 😳
Hoping to make evensong and/or Mass this evening before a pilgrim’s dinner. So glad to be here. Happy Sunday!
More later..
If you’d like more information about my walk for charity:water, please follow this link. Thank you!
https://www.charitywater.org/marilyn-peterson/marilyn-s-camino-for-water
Glad you took the canal route for a change of terrain. Good companions to listen to. Recommend Van Morrison ‘days like this’ if it is not already on your playlist. Garlic prawns mmmm… worth the effort and you can degrease your fingers in the coke! Hurrah for the blessed sisters, again providing hospitality. Hope you made it to mass.
Thanks for cheering me on. Much appreciated.