Our Way to Santiago: Days 5, 6, and 7

Day 5 - May 24 Villa la Cazar de Sirga to Calzadilla de la Cueza

14 mile day

We got a late start waiting for the breakfast, that was a disappointing choice of pastries then back on the path. I am not sure how people do this on next to nothing in the morning. We have begun to supplement with a good old breakfast Americano.

We saw a sign on the path that read 463K to Santiago. Every step gets us closer.

Going thru Carrion de los Condes, we met up again with Joe and Sheila from Canada and said goodbye. They decided to hop ahead to Leon by train. Hmmm, it did cross my mind too. At the Inglesia de Santa Maria del Camino, we stopped to light a candle for Ann-Marie's Father and John's Mother.

You can see the track of the pilgrim in above photo. Very few cars only walkers or bikes have made the tracks.

Still walking through farmlands. Tough day for John. Taxis were on his mind. The heat and the wind and not much to eat in the morning slowed him down a bit. Our packs have the same stuff, but seem heavier each day. We still arrived at our next destination at a reasonable hour. Enjoyed a nice dinner with a Frenchman named Jean Pierre, and Ann Marie got some good practice with her French speaking. His 70th birthday was the following day so we helped him to celebrate early. Didn't get to sleep until very late as the bar in the hotel was crowded with futbol (soccer) fans as two Madrid teams were competing in a championship game and their screams radiated throughout the hotel until after midnight

Our hotel for the night - Camino Rea

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Day 6 - May 25 Calzadilla de la Cueza to Sahagun

13 mile day

Had a great breakfast buffett then headed out.

Sights along the way today

More cereal fields. Several picnic areas. Cold drinks in Ledigos and John became Dr John to a young girl suffering from blisters, more walking.

Arrived at our hotel in Sahagun around 3. Great day

After the daily arrival ritual, we migrated to the common area with the other pilgrims. We met Tina from Belgium. She was posting her blog and told us she had been riding her bicycle for 4 weeks from Belgium thru France on her way to Santiago along the Camino Frances. She works for Johnson & Johnson as a medical chemist. Her bike was rented in Belgium and furnished with paniers, bags tools and uses a belt drive instead of a chain. Nice. It eliminates a lot of maintenance. We had dinner with her and great conversation. She was staying in the dormitories of the Albergue.

Annie sent me out on a mission tonight to ask the host to call ahead for some reservations. With my marvelous pigeon Spanglish, I wore out my welcome quickly. After 5-6 calls and two successes, he said enough for tonight. He actually wanted to watch TV!

We got to sleep after 10 and it was still light outside.

Our hotel for the night - Domus Viatoris

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Day 7- May 26 Sahagun to El Burgo Ranero

12 mile day

Before leaving Sahagun, we had breakfast with our new found friend Tina and wished her Buen Camino as she continued her bike ride to Santiago.

Another perfect weather day. We started the day with a trip to el banco (bank) and a little unsettling route finding thru Sahagun. But, the WAY presented itself and we were off again. No wind today and temperature perfect for walking. After leaving town we trekked along the path serenaded by the cuckoo bird and frogs in the adjacent wetlands. With fruit and nuts from the mercado (market) last night, we snacked along the way at picnic areas and also had a coffee in Bercianos del Real Camino, a village on our path today.

Passed quite a few vineyards today. Vines looking quite healthy, but no grapes yet.

We met a pilgrim from New Mexico who is walking while her husband drives their rental car to the next destination. We also met a young woman from The Hague, Holland as we walked and her singing and conversation helped us along and made our aches less noticeable. We arrived in El Burgo Ranero around 2pm. After the daily ritual of showers, washing and stretching, the bar and large cervesa beckoned. We are now enjoying the sun and comfort of the rooftop patio.

Sadly we've noticed that there are many, many churches in the villages, but not many are open for the pilgrims. We have met young and old on this pilgrimage and all struggle to get to the end of the day. We feel very fortunate to be doing as well as we are each day.