DAY TENTY EIGHT, 28 May 2015,
SAN BOL to CASTROJERIZ
started @ 6.20am till 12.20pm ~15 kilometres

Lucia and I agreed that there was no need for me to wait, I can get  packed and be gone early in the morning. I just love the early morning light. It makes for great photographs, and I just LOVE the peace and quiet early in the morning. I have my most deep and meaningful thoughts while walking along, and it is a shame that I don’t remember any of these thoughts in the evening. Should have carried my dictaphone along!

The poppies and the wheat talked to me along the way. Waving their heads in agreement to my philosophical thinking! I walked quickly to the next village where I had a lovely and leisurely breakfast. There was an old fuente and also a shrine for Saint Bridget. Which I didn’t go and see. My foot is holding out although still swollen and painful, if I don’t overdo the kilometres it seems to manage.

I walked most of the day alone with my thoughts and enjoyed it. Coming into Castrojeriz was stunningly beautiful. The trees on both sides of the road made a tunnel through which you could see the church at the end! Stunning. On the way there was an old Monestary, in which we could have stayed, they had beautiful stone carvings on the door frames and the TAO cross. A “T” shaped cross with a slight curve in the top beam.

When we arrived in Castrojeriz, we went to go sight seeing at the church first. I ordered a beer and watched the luggage, while Lucia went in and when she came out we swapped. She was going to organise our accommodation so I spend a lot of leisurely time in the church. When I came out it so happened that there was no phone coverage! Oops! Ah well, slowly we started to move to get ourselves a bed. We were in for a big shock! Everything was full! Oops! How was that possible? Full? In the end we had the last room in a casa rural, the attic room with three beds! Fabulous room lovely place. Later on our travels we met a lot of people who had to walk to the next village to get accommodation there!

One of the things I wasn’t aware of in the beginning of the Camino, was that people actually book their accomodation ahead! Only the Municipal Hostal or Council Hostals , don’t allow you to book at all, but of course when these are small, and they often are in little villages, they fill up quickly! Since I am a very slow walker I would miss out a lot! So I started to book ahead too, soon after, but I don’t really agree that this should be possible at all!

After a hot shower and a bit of a rest, we went out to explore the town. It was gorgeous. The first place we came to was the Hospital de Alma, a magic place, meditation music playing, lovely photographic exhibition on the walls and fabulous vibes.
We found a place to eat and drink. A super market to buy some necessary stuff and did our washing. It was relaxing and very soul repairing, I slept like a babe, but we decided to book the next place for sure.

Today’s lesson: Organise a bed first
Today’s gift: The last room in the village and it was lovely