Today I trekked 20.5 miles to the village of Mansilla de las Mulas. This is one of this’s towns with a name that will slip my mind. Every time someone asks where I spent the night I have to look at the guide book to remind myself because the names are starting to run together. I usually say it’s the village with the old church, and that narrows it down to at least a hundred.

Today I got a slow start and didn’t start trekking until almost eight. I was a little surprised as people started to get up at five, and most were gone by six. I think it’s because people want to beat the heat and stop trekking shortly after noon. Many also don’t go more than 12-14 miles so they are at their stop fairly soon. If there is anything I dislike the most about a hostel it’s the beehive activity and rush in the morning. 

Monica walked with a nice young American woman from Rode Island that we had met from the first day on the Camino. They both seemed to hit it off together and decided to go back to Sahagun this morning with the hostel host and watch the running of the bulls. In retrospect we should have stayed there a few nights because trekking the Camino is not a race and part of the experience is to stop and see the sights and culture. 

Today the weather was much cooler and there was some cloud cover and a good breeze. Still the Camino seemed empty today, but I think it was that everyone got to their destinations early in anticipation of the heat. The terrain was all flat and nondescript with nothing but fields of crops, and an occasional river crossing. The Camino ran alongside a quiet two lane road all the way to here. 

When I arrived here I stopped at the first hostel to see if they might have a private room but none were available. The place was loaded with the Day Walkers who had probably been there much earlier and got the rooms. 

I found this place, and again I felt fortunate because it was nearly new and spotless. It was a small hostel with only two rooms, eight beds to a room. There are only four of us in my room, three Italians and me. 

The owners are extremely nice and tried to make everyone feel at home. For two euros ($2.24) they washed my clothes and hung them out to dry. This is one of two rituals every pilgrim does every night, first take a bath, and then wash your clothes. 

One of the Italian roommates was a man I met within the first few days on the Camino. Like so many people you met and see again later, it’s like meeting an old friend. He and the other Italian woman were planning to buy groceries and cook a home cooked meal at the hostel and he asked me to join them. I ran to the store and bought my contribution to the meal, what else but two bottles of wine. There ended up being six of us, three Italians, two Hungarians, and me. Great diner and nice company and conversation. Part of the Camino experience.

Tomorrow will be a short day to the big city of Leon, population 130,000. It’s only about ten miles and I should be there by noon. I am not sure whether I’ll have a zero day there?

Best wishes,

Ted

The Camino and an artistic stainless steel arche

The Camino 

Another church in a small village. Note the strokes on the steeple.

The walls on this house appear to be Adobe and straw.

The city center in Mansilla de las Mulas.

Dinner tonight. The three Italians to the left, the two Hungarians to the right, and me. Wine with diner is such a custom, or tradition, in both Spain and other countries, even the twelve year old to the left had a very, very, small glass of wine.