Day 24: Calzadilla to Sahagun

I had a nice 22.4 km walk today. Even though today’s walk was longer than yesterday‘s, it was more enjoyable. There was a little more variety in the landscape, and I passed through several small towns, so it didn’t seem that long. I am in Sahagun, which is the official halfway point of the Camino Francés from St. Jean to Santiago. Woohoo! I’m staying in a monastery run by Marist priests, a brotherhood that aims to practice the virtues of Mary-simple, modest, and humble action. Along with the nuns and a handful of volunteers, they run this albergue (private room with bathroom for €24).
After showering and washing my clothes, I had some snacks in the courtyard. I shared my sangria with a couple of Korean pilgrims, who in turn shared their meal with me. I definitely got the better end of that deal! 🤣
In the evening, I attended the pilgrim’s mass, which was partly in English, so that was much nicer than the last mass I attended. 😀 The priests ended with a special blessing for all of the pilgrims who were present. It was actually a very special experience and I’m glad I was there.
For our communal dinner, the volunteers provided the first course of lentil soup and we all provided the rest of the food, which was basically what we could get at the nearby supermercado. It was a hodge podge dinner, but no one left hungry! After dinner, we were invited to put a pin in the map showing where we are from. There were two pins for Alaska, but none from the Aleutian Islands. 😉
Staying at this monastery has been one of my cooler Camino experiences, definitely one I will remember!Read more