The Mounting Toll
The day started with a pretty decent breakfast of scrambled eggs, yogurt, toast and jam, and a couple of slices of ham and cheese. We needed to load up a bit because the temperature was 37 degrees.
The distance from our hotel back to the Camino trail was easy today. We covered the two miles or so in almost no time at all. Because the proprietor of our hotel gave us a lift.
I was expecting lots of flatland on today’s hike toward Castrojeriz. I was not disappointed to see a number of hills and valleys along the route.
This was only a 12-mile day. Much of it was on the trail away from traffic. At the halfway point we grabbed some coffee and a snack and mingled with many fellow travelers, some new faces and some familiar.
During the break, it was also time to change socks. The absence of good foot care is evident in many travelers as they nurse blisters and other ailments. Spence and I both purchased high-end socks with toes. When he went to swap out socks today, Spence discovered he had two for the right foot, and none for his left. This counts as a funny situation on the Camino
It didn't take long for the temperature to climb. Within two miles people were beginning to take off layers of clothing. By the midway point it came down to shorts and just a T-shirt. The temperature was 63 degrees with no wind. It was an incredibly comfortable day to cover the miles.
The upside of doing no research before I start each leg is that around every corner there is an opportunity for a surprise. Today we passed directly through the ruins of an 8th century monastery that was used to treat pilgrims who suffered from St. Anthony's disease (also known as St. Anthony’s Fire). The illness was brought on by ingestion of fungus-contaminated rye grain, which caused ergot poisoning, aka ergotism. Medieval Benedictine monks who were dedicated to St. Anthony offered treatment such as topical ointments and wine to sufferers. I learned something today.
The last mile was on a gentle slope through fields, approaching a very picturesque site. There is a ruined castle at the top of the hill in the town where we were staying. One of us, either myself or Spence, decided to climb to the top of the hill and check out the pile of bricks that is still standing. Spoiler alert, I took a nap.
Cleaned up and laundry is done, and now all that is left is dinner and sleep again. The building where we are staying is more than 300 years old. The remodeling is excellent. Furnishings are sparse but everything is comfortable. We've been very fortunate so far with our accommodations. Fingers crossed that the trend continues.
The only fly in the ointment today is that I apparently lost some socks. They were probably left in a closet or draped over the heater in one of the hotels behind us. So for anybody keeping track, that’s one hat and one pair of socks now missing.
