Day 25
Carrión de Los Condes to Calzadilla de la Cueza - 18 kms
5 May 2019
Before leaving home I had read several times that the Camino can be roughly divided into three sections. The first section - St Jean Pied de Port through to Burgos - was said to be physical. No amount of training at home can really prepare you for the accumulative affect of day after day on the Camino. It takes a while to get used to walking and carrying packs, taking care of feet and legs etc. The next section, which we are walking now - Burgos to León or just beyond - was said to be mental, and the final section to Santiago de Compostela apparently is spiritual. We're yet to learn what the last section will bring but it's true about the first two. Initially the walk was very physical but we've learnt how to take care of ourselves and our packs have become part of us. This section that we're walking now is truly mental. The terrain for the most part is flat and expansive, and at reasonably high altitude. Today's walk was a real slog - a real mental test to keep going, one foot in front of the other - all on road, a few kilometres sealed and the rest gravel and very straight. At one stage it was a joy to see a slight hill towards the end. Only one car passed us which was good - but it raised a lot of dust as we had a strong cool wind all the way. Arriving in Calzadilla de la Cueza was wonderful.
Another reason why this section can be considered mental is because it's mostly level walking and the land and skyscapes so huge we are able to get lost in our thoughts as we go along, our minds are free to roam.
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| Leaving Carrión de Los Condes |
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| San Zoilo, just out of Carrión de Los Condes |
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| This is a stretch of the original Roman road, unfortunately the original road is completely hidden by modern gravel. When the Romans built the road about 2000 years ago they had to bring in all the stone as there was none locally. |
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| A mobile cafe along the way. |
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| This could be a scene from the Canterbury Plains. |
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| We stopped for a while in a pilgrim shelter and just happened to meet up with Phil. |
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| We got excited when we had a rise in the road - it made a welcome change. |
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| Finally coming into Calzadilla de la Cueza. |
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| This albergue cafe/bar at the entrance of Calzadilla de la Cueza was so very welcome! |
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| Pappy's house in Calzadilla de la Cueza needs quite a bit of work but at least it's small, it shouldn't take him too long. |
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| Jeff planning ahead for the next few days |
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| ...and I had a turn of being a shop assistant |
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| Pappy's butterfly sitting on wild rosemary. We love picking sprigs of rosemary or wild thyme as we go along. |
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| Calzadilla de la Cueza |
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| View from our accommodation in Calzadilla de la Cueza |
Thank you Marilyn, that was really interesting to read about the three sections. You're all doing so well.
ReplyDeleteThe sky is so blue, the fields are so green, it's easy to forget that you're not just on a Sunday stroll.
Xxxxx 😘
No matter how difficult or easy - hard,long, hilly or flat - we am enjoying it all as it's all new to us. We are seeing Spain as we would never see it if we were tourists.
DeleteYou are sharing a very inspirational walk. We are loving your posts and don't want it to end!
ReplyDeleteThank you❤❤
Thanks Mireille. I think our Camino is a state of mind as much as it is a walk. I can't imagine it ending. One of the wonderful things of our walk are the people we meet and get to talk to. Last night Jeff and I had dinner with four from France - we've met people of so many nationalities. It's just wonderful. Interesting to note that thus far we've met only four other NZers and about the same for Australians.
DeleteGreat to understand the sectioning of your pilgrimage. Hope you enjoyed being a shop assistant. Looks as if being tall would be an asset in that store.
ReplyDelete😊
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