16. Carrión to Terradillos de los Templorios

Camino Frances - Day 18 - September 13th. 2013: Carrión to Terradillos (16th day walking)

Contour Map: Copyright John Brierley click here to see notes

Click here for Google Map and my starting point today
I was clearly in good form today because the walk went without incident and I have little to report about my progress along the way. I need not have worried about buying food as some guy had set up a makeshift cafe in a small enclosed area in a field. He had a BBQ going and also sold, water, fizzy drinks, tea coffee etc. I ordered a green tea, sat at a table and made up my own roll of smoked salmon and olives. This facility may not be there all year round as it did look temporary so I suppose pilgrims should still make provision for this stretch by at least having enough water and some basic food or fruit.

Sunset over Terradillos viewed from Albergue Los Templarios

I checked into Albergue Los Templarios, a modern facility just before the town of Terradillos. I was lucky it seems because shortly thereafter I saw people being turned away because there were no beds available. In fact I noticed two young girls setting up their sleeping bags on couches in the reception area 

I enjoyed a couple of beers in the garden with Jo, Mary, Kathy, Anna, James, Sheila, Chris and Clara.

Mary and Kathy

Anna from Virginia

Jo and Mary

Chris, Mary, Clara and Jack

James entertaining the ladies : )

Clara stopped me on the way into dinner and said she had some very interesting information for me and that we should sit together with Chris for our meal. I sat with Chris, Clara and the lovely Mary from Canada. 

Chris informed me that he was on Kilimanjaro on January 2nd. the same day that my own group had been struck by lightening. He was on the opposite side of the mountain but heard all about our tragedy. It is indeed a small world. Clara told us all about growing up in Columbia as one of 15 children. A wonderful, open, insight into her earlier life.

I shared a room with two young ladies who were travelling together and a stunningly beautiful German lady in her forties and travelling alone. Lights out at 9pm. I had a thought that my older grandkids were probably still running around at this time. 




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Other Links, relating to this section of the Camino, you may wish to follow 

Carrión de los Condes:
Images of Carrión de los Condes on the internet
Wikipedia on Carrión de los Condes
Terradillos de los Templorios:
Image of Terradillos de los Templorios on the internet
Wikipedia on Terradillos de los Templorios
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Topic:

17. Terradillos to Calzadilla de los Hermanillos

Camino Frances - Day 19 - September 14th. 2013: Terradillos to Calzadilla (17th day walking)

Contour Map: Copyright John Brierley click here to see notes

Click here for Google Map and my starting point today

Leaving the Albergue shortly after 7am I walked about 13klms., to Sahagún, before stopping for breakfast. I met Jo, Mary and Kathy who were almost finished their own meal. 

Hanna was standing outside the cafe and she told me she had a chest infection. She was going to see a local doctor and spend a day or two recovering before walking again. 

Inside I met Saoirse who told me she was feeling very ill having come down with food poison. She was also going to take a day out from walking to give he body time to recover. 

I found the second part of today's walk to be painfully slow. 
Over the past couple of days I managed to get enough emails and texts off to my son Damian and my sister in law, Jean, in San Francisco. I had been trying to arrange flowers, for Brenda, through interflora to arrive on the morning of Sunday 15th. September and our 41st. wedding anniversary. It was Jean who suggested the best solution. She would arrange to pick up the flowers locally this ensuring there would be no mix up either in terms of date, time or flower arrangement. I fired off a final note seeking confirmation that everything was in place.

There was much confusion on the road today where pilgrims were given two options in terms of the route they wished to follow. One would bring you to El Burgo Ranero via the 'Real Camino Frances' while the other route, 'Via Romana' would bring you to Calzadilla de los Hermanillos. The symbols and road signs at the intersection were very confusing and I believe many pilgrims were unsure which destination they were heading for until it was too late to alter their course. I asked a very helpful motorist for some guidance and set off in confidence on the old Romana pathway. 

Via Trajana (my first choice) was full but I did get a bed in the Albergue Muni in Calzadilla de los Hermanillos. I met Phillipe and we agreed to go for a beer after we had an opportunity to shower and change. We went to a tiny bar and sat outside with a bottle of beer, no draught beer. He comes from Versailles and works for HP. He travels around the world working on large HP installations. 

We decided to go to Via Trajana for another beer where we also ordered a platter of cheese, ham and an assortment of spicy meats. Phillipe had attempted to walk the Camino back in April but had to stop due to the amount of snow he encountered at altitude. He was picking up his walk from where he stopped on the last occasion. We made a reservation for dinner at Via Trajana before going back to our room. 


Back in the Albergue we found a group, including two young men and a group of older women, engaged in the preparation of a communal meal. This is an experience I would have loved but I took the lazy option every time and went with the pilgrim dinner. The meal they were putting together looked amazing with the two guys making some kind of paella while the ladies were preparing a selection of salads and then bread, wine and water to complete the meal. 

When Phillipe and I arrived for dinner we were joined by James and Sheila.  After dinner I went to a tiny store to purchase a few items for tomorrow's walk. Apparently there are no cafes for at least 18klms tomorrow. 

Back in my room I made some preparations for tomorrow before getting into bed and sending a few emails.  


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Other Links, relating to this section of the Camino, you may wish to follow 

Terradillos de los Templorios:
Image of Terradillos de los Templorios on the internet
Wikipedia on Terradillos de los Templorios
Sahagún:
Images of Sahagún on the internet
Wikipedia on Sahagún
Calzadilla de los Hermanillos:
Images of Calzadilla de los Hermanillos on the internet
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Topic: