Boadilla to Osorno

Boadilla to Osorno— 28 km, 98 m

https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/boadilla-… -26285582

Easy walk today, another flat day along the canal. No rain! No towns, no signs of human life except for the cultivated fields on both sides of the canal. I would say that about 75% of the walk was shaded, with chopos (Cottonwood), which must’ve had a million birds living in them. Sometimes there was a real concert, other times just a few chirping. But always birdsong.

I thought a lot about my parents, remembering the summer after David was born, when we stayed with them in New Jersey while Joe went to Mexico. The connection was my memory that every evening, Katy and my dad would go sit out in the backyard and listen to the “cardinal concert.“ Walking a camino is a great time to remember things like this.

I got to my destination early, and there were no signs of life at the albergue. I sent a WhatsApp and decided to walk out to the nearby dolmen, La Velilla. I had seen some of the artifacts from this site in the museum in Palencia. It is a megalithic necropolis, from about 3000 BC. At least 75 people were buried here. A good place to contemplate my mortality.

On my way back into town, I crossed paths with a señora out for her daily walk. She walked very slowly, with two crutches. Much younger than I. We had a long chat, which was very inspiring to me. Every day, rain or shine, she walks this route. She is grateful to still be ambulatory, and says she will keep doing it until it’s no longer possible. No bitterness, no sadness, just happy to still be walking and alive. A really good message.

When I got back to town, I still had no message from the albergue, so I decided to go to the little hotel in town. Perfectly fine, but I felt bad that I had told them that I was coming. They also felt bad, and they’ve invited me to dinner. I will probably just go by and say hi since I have had a big lunch. Longer day tomorrow, but still along the canal!Læs mere