Castrojeriz to Boadilla

After a great nights sleep despite (apparently)heavy rain and thunderstorms set off through the worlds longest village to the big ‘up’ of Alto de Mostelares. My estimate was that it would only take about 20 mins but in fact only took 15 (I timed it this time as was worried that I had misrepresented how short it actually was!). A wheatear was singing on the cross at the top.
Then on and fairly quickly down to classic meseta plain. It seemed as if the fields were brimming with their crops - like a meniscus on a glass of water.
A long morning with no breakfast until about 11k when we arrived at Itero and a big, busy and rather overstretched albergue run by a Ukrainian family. Unfortunately a fellow pilgrim was ill here and they had to get an ambulance - not sure if it was heat exhaustion, sunstroke or some other illness but he was being well looked after by a pilgrim doctor until the ambulance arrived.
Continued on in increasing heat and humidity to eventually arrive at Boadilla and Albergue Juntos at 12 - about an hour before the hostel opened at 1. So went to another (much smarter) albergue for a fizzy water until it opened.
We were the only people booked in (although now two more have turned up) so have plenty of space in actual beds not bunks in a pretty big dorm. Counted six storks nests on the church tower - they make a manic clacking sound with their beaks - something I’ve never noticed before. Going back to take a closer look in a while.
With the help of my camino friends who were walking further today I found two live horses of the day in a field just outside the village - tho it did involve scrambling up a very steep bank and coming down on my bottom and scraping my hand. But all worth it for an actual live horse of the day - two in fact and very pretty ones!
Have just explored the village. The church is enormous for the size of the village and tbh a bit unloved and smelly. On the top as well as the storks there were a pair of kestrels nesting. The area around the church was alive with all sorts of birds including the storks and the kestrels and hundreds of swifts.
Now back at the albergue waiting for it to rain which everyone has been expecting it to do for at least 3 hours! Dinner (veggie Thai green curry and Dutch pancakes - the hospitaleros are Dutch) is smelling very good.
Looking forward to a good evening.
Dinner was fab - both food and company. There were only four of us - two young South Koreans who are studying in the US - masters and phds respectively. Fascinating conversation about their lives and plans and love of musicals - all the same ones that Liv loves - and they are exactly the same age.
So good to meet new interesting people.
And now it’s pouring with rain!!Baca selengkapnya