Villalcazar de Sirga to Carrion de los Condes, 5 May (5 kms)

From Villalcazar de Sirga ("town of the canal towpath") to Carrion de los Condes it was only 5 kms.  I had resolved to stay in this town for a rest.  The first accommodation I came to was the Convent of Santa Clara, where I easily secured a single room (ex-nun's cell?) so early in the day for €22.  The funny little man in charge of interacting with visitors insisted on giving me more information than I needed and showed me around the albergue facilities.  There were 3 temperamental locks to negotiate to reach my upstairs room!

It was another pleasant sunny day in which to explore the town.  Firstly, I went to the information kiosk, where I discovered that one bus per day in the direction of Leon departed at 11.50 a.m.  I went across the road to the bar to buy a ticket for tomorrow.  Emily and her 2 Korean friends were sitting in the bar waiting for today's bus.  Her chest was bad and she had almost lost her voice.  She said the walk from Fromista along the send had nearly killed her!

Setting off into the town centre, the practically first thing I saw was a Ferreteria.  I was able to buy an international adaptor for €4.  Then I followed the Camino arrows through the historic streets, passed the 2 notable churches dating back to the 11th century, crossed the river and finally ended up at the Real Monasterio de San Zoilo.  I had a poke around the grounds and the reception area (very like a Parador) and discovered that a single room was only €65.  I could have stayed there, but Emily had previously searched Booking.com and found it was full.

On the way back to Santa Clara, I had a quick shop at the biggest supermarket - a really excellent place, and bought cheese, ham, bread, a litre packet of red wine, fruit and yoghourt (probably too much to carry!) There was so much to be had, compared with previous shops on the Camino, that I got carried away.

After lunch in my little cell, I had an hour's siesta, then took a "half bath" and washed my hair.  At 5.00 p.m. when the town opened up again, I headed for the public library for a long Internet session.  I then went to the Church which reportedly had a frieze depicting the annual tribute of 100 maidens which the Moors extracted from the town in the Middle Ages.  I couldn't find it.

I had dinner at La Corte Restaurant. I chose not to take the Pilgrims' Menu, but instead selected a mixed salad followed by an enormous trout.  This was my down fall, as I was up all night with a very bad attack of gastro.

Pilgrim statue at Carrion

Monastery of San Zoilo

Romanesque church of Santa Maria del Camino

Courtyard of Santa Clara Convent

View from my window at the convent:
swallows circling at dusk

Boadilla del Campo to Villalcazar de Sirga, 4 May (21 kms)

I awoke to a cold sunny morning.  I had an apple and an orange for breakfast before setting off around 8.00 a.m., one of the last pilgrims to leave town, I suspect.  It was a delightful walk beside the Canal de Castilla, built around 1750 in the heyday of canals.  It had many informative noticeboards about the birdlife, flora and history.  Just outside Fromista was a staircase of 4 locks, apparently now disused.

I chatted again to American Emily, a young and feisty girl travelling on her own, whom I had first met in Hontanas albergue.  She had been working for an NGO in Rwanda, as an administrator trying to improve health clinics, under the auspices of the Clinton Foundation.  Her task had been to set up a training model so that Rwandans would be able to duplicate it throughout the country. 

In Fromista I had a lovely breakfast in a warm café and managed to get the Internet terminal working with Emily’s help.  All these coin operated terminals are different, and not well used because people en route are using their own wi-fi equipment and mobile phones.  Emily herself  was looking for a place to stay for a few days in Leon.  She had a severe chest infection and wanted to seek medical advice at a special clinic for pilgrims.

I had a quick look at the “jewel of Fromista”:  Iglesia de San Martin, an 11^th  century  church and one of the finest examples of pure Romanesque in Spain, now deconsecrated.

The day was getting hotter and it seemed a long trek beside the road (“senda”).  I stopped for a late lunch at Villamentero de Campos, where a strange albergue had attracted a large crowd of pilgrims.  There was a big garden with hammocks and a tepee, which are available for the night at €3 in summer  (a bit too cold at present!)

I pressed on to Villalcazar de Sirga and found a room at Las Cantigas, unfortunately directly above the bar;  but all this quitened down in time for me to get a really good night’s rest.  I didn’t wake up till 7.00 a.m. when I saw the first light of sun promising another nice day for the Camino.  I was able to get a café con leche and a croissant downstairs when the bar opened at c. 8.00 a.m.

Walking beside the canal

Staircase of locks

Informative notice board

Iglesia San Martin, Fromista

Romanesque detail

Romanesque detail