A simply spectacular day!

Well, let's start with last evening.......
The albergue experience was basic, the two Hungarian women volunteers running the place were very kind and helpful. We were encouraged by the placard that said lights out at 10:00, lights on at 7:30.
So NOT!!
Now, I appreciate seeing the sun rise as much as anyone, but why folks need to fall out of their bunks with headlamps on and begin morning bathroom call, foot wrapping, packing, etc. at 5:00, which is an hour and a half before sunrise, is beyond me!!!!!!!!
B and I slammed our pillows over our heads, but by 6:15 it was painfully obvious that we were the ONLY peregrinos still in our bunks, so we got up, turned on the lights, and got ready for the morning.
Oh, did I mention yesterday that I made my first successful reservation in a pension for this evening (Monday 9th)? So amazed that they didn't say "completo" (we're fully booked) or "no reservar" (we don't reserve rooms). So proud of myself.
But I digress, back to last evening.
We had the most wonderful dinner in the coolest tiny restaurant - it totally made up for the rain, lack of shower, or change of clothes, and the general sloppiness of the day.
This is the bar - and a couple who read there all afternoon.


Some cool decorations -


This is our Camino friend John from California at dinner with a fellow peregrina -


We had a most wonderful dinner adventure. We were about done with our salads when a couple of sixty something gentlemen came in - there was no table available so we offered to share ours. Of course, the first question is "habla Ingles?". Turned out they were German but my Deutsch was better than their English and they were very kind to have a long and animated conversation over dinner. B understood most and questioned as needed. Lifted my spirits immensely! And dinner with wine was terrific.

So here's a little local history of Castrojeriz, the village had four churches!


The original monument, and the 1000'th anniversary monument!


And lastly for yesterday, a photo of laundry that would never dry and a most intriguing clothes dryer, reminiscent of a 1960's bonnet hair dryer!





So, on to Monday, May 9
We stepped out of the albergue at about 7:15, in search of coffee. Ended up at last nights restaurant where we snagged cafe con leche and a packaged muffin.
Just out of Castrojeriz we got our morning straight up the hill workout! You can just see the trail going up and to the left right to the top here


And the sign came along a bit later letting us know it was a 12% grade


The view back to Castrojeriz was quite nice though.


News alert! This ever-fuzzier-faced peregrino has a new theory on causes of climate change! The earth's rotation is actually slowing from the drag caused by thousands of Spanish windmills!


After a quick 10.5km and cross into the region of Palencia it was time for our now habitual "second breakfast" and a bit of time out of boots.


I'm sure I'm using my lifetime allotment of salt intake at an incredible rate, but Spanish "jamon"is worth every grain!


We soon came to the Canal de Castilla


Which we followed the rest of the way into Fromista, where there was a lock. This canal was originally used both for irrigation and transport of agricultural products, but is now just for irrigation and leisure. View from top


And from bottom of lock


As I said earlier, pulled into a lovely small hotel, had showers, did laundry (hanging in the bathroom) and went out to explore Fromista's two churches.
This is the 1636 altarpiece at the gothic church of San Pedro, begun in the 15th and finished in the 16th century. For the folks from our church, we also took a little delight in seeing the church's annual balance sheet. One of their biggest expenses was apportionments, the only greater one was electricity, and they had an annual shortfall of $15,000 euros last year :-)!


And they had a 16th century Baroque organ, rehabbed in 1998!



All through Spain we have seen these tightly manicured trees, don't know why they're called. Fromista has ones that are really amazingly trained and trimmed into multiple loops.


Finished up our afternoon with a visit to the local farmacia (B has the sniffles), and then on to the Romanesque church of San Martin. Built in 1066!!!! And rescued from ruin between 1896 and 1904, it's no longer an active parish but is amazingly well preserved, rather stark without artwork, but the stonework is beautiful and quite amazing.








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