Halfway - And I've Got a Certificate to Prove It

We were mostly excited about having coffee available before we left this morning, but the buffet was so impressive we lingered over breakfast. Kathy decided to take a taxi and meet us ten miles down the road so she could give her feet a break. It was another cool, breezy morning, and a fairly easy walk.

Mim and I stopped at a cute cafe -- not because we were hungry or needed coffee, but just because that's what you do! The ten miles into Sahagún went by quickly. Kathy had let us know where to find her, so we all had lunch together there.

Sahagún is considered the halfway point of the Camino Frances, and you can get a certificate from the Santuario de la Virgen Peregrina -- a building slightly off trail and up a hill. I'm hedging my bets, though; just in case I don't make it to Santiago I have something. We went in, and for €3 the nice lady will write your name on the certificate stating you are at the halfway point. So basically a participation trophy. Doesn't seem to matter where you actually started or that you've put in the effort to get halfway, just that you are currently standing in the halfway city. With three Euros. Still happy I bothered.

The bonus was that I'm on my last set of stamp pages in my credencial, and they have them for sale there. I had planned to get a new book in León, but the ones they had are very pretty. I don't think it will take me to the end, so I'll need a third at some point. Getting two stamps per day is required to show your progress so that you can get your final certificate. You can always get one where you spend the night, and almost any place you go will also have them available. I just happen to have more from food trucks and cafes than churches and museums. The trick is mostly remembering to ask.

The last 10K to town had a surprising amount of shade. We got in around three, which is later than usual, even for a 16 mile day, but we did linger places and take the side trip for the certificate.

Mim and Kathy are about five minutes down the road. Tom, Yvonne and I went there for dinner, then Yvonne, the Blister Queen, gave me some advice and supplies after I'd limped back to our place. My shin splints seem better after taping them, and the twisted ankle doesn't bother me anymore. However, my ankles are so swollen I can't tighten my shoes much, which means more friction, so the annoyance on the ball of my foot has become a Very Big Deal. Big enough that I may be doing a taxi some or all of tomorrow.Read more