In Valladolid

These Spanish cities never cease to amaze me. I don´t know many people who have even heard of Valladolid, much less been here. It´s an old city in the middle of the sunny meseta, but it has one wow-zer historical core. There are lots of beautiful renaissance churches, squares galore (all loaded with cafés), Cervantes´home, a museum of sacred sculpture which is pretty incredible -- all within a 15 minute walk of each other. And I always marvel at how the plazas and streets fill with people of all ages in the late afternoon, linked arms, just strolling or sitting or watching the kids play around. They sure have got the public life part down pat.

I have had a very nice rest day because in addition to all those top notch tourist attractions, my hotel has a computer with internet in the lobby and I have been able to wash many clothes. I am kind of embarrassed to admit it, but this is the first time I have washed my pants this trip. My standards have plummeted, I remember caminos when I washed them almost every day!


So, yesterday morning I said goodbye to my two walking companions who were forging on ahead to the next town. I will now probably be alone for the next 6 days or so, but you never know, I may meet someone else on the Camino de Madrid. The information I´ve been getting about the "pilgrim traffic" on the other caminos is quite sobering, and it has made me drop my plans to go back out to Finisterre (end of the world), a three day walk after arriving in Santiago. I have heard that it is just mobbed, albergues overflowing, people pushing past each other, etc. Just not worth it, so I will take an extra day now and then an extra day or two on the third segment of this Camino, which will also be very solitary. But I will be surrounded and mobbed for the 6 or 7 days walking on the Camino Francés, so I´ll get a taste of how this has all changed so much.

Last night I spoke with all three of the Love clan, and I realized it was the first time since May 16 that I had spoken a word of English. I´m happy to report that I´m still fluent.


Off for a café con leche in the Plaza Mayor and then I´ll be on my way to Cigueñela, tonight´s destination, where there isn´t likely to be much going on in a town of about 150.