Sahagun.... Camino Life - Camino Community.....

The morning after the night walk I was the first to awake and when I left camp at 9 am everyone else was still sleeping. It was cloudy and kind of cold. I walked by myself and when I arrived in Poblacion de Campos, a few km´s past Fromista, I decided to call it a day.  It was around 1 pm.  The Albergue in Poblacion looked to be perfect for sorting myself out. I pitched my tent in a side yardand gathered my thoughts. I very much needed to spend the afternoon doing laundry and cleaning up so that´s what I did. Sometimes when traveling you just got to stop and sort yourself out.  Later in the day the rest of the gang caught up. Mark, Simon, Micha, and Petra were inclined to keep up a little faster pace. Xavier was´nt sure what he wanted to do. He decided to stay, then not to stay, and walked on with the team. Ten minutes later he returned with a few bottles of beer and decided I had a better idea. We drank beer and talked about the Camino.  Xavier lives in Madrid and is an MD who works with children 16 years and younger. He´s very nice, well spoken and good company.  His English is good which is great for me.  When communicating we go back and forth between Spanish and English but pretty much stick to English. One of the most frustrating things for me when I travel in a non English speaking country is that it really limits my ability to connect and get to know the local culture. It´s great to have met Xavier.... The next day (Yesterday) Xavier and I got a good start and stopped in Villasirga to check out ¨Santa Maria la Blanca¨, a church built by the Templers in the 13th century. Quite interesting and impressive.  Xavier, being Spanish and having an interest in history, was really good about explaining and pointing out things I would have definitely missed had I been on my own. Afterwards we continued on to Carrion De Los Condes where we checked out a Romanesque church before buying food for lunch.  On our way out of town we stopped along a Roman road and ate.  We then continued on for another 17 km across wide open agricultural land (mostly cut hay fields) and into the village of Caldadilla de la Cueza........  Last night I pitched my tent in the back yard of the albergue in Caldadilla and was accompained by some other pilgrim´s dog.  This morining Xavier and I set out with new company. Ave from Estonia and David from Venezuela. David has been traveling the Camino on a Mtn bike.  He´s found cycling to be kind of lonely and really wishes he was walking.  The Camino community is a great thing and he felt like he was missing out.  Ave´s walking in her running shoesbecause of sore feet so she offered her boots to David. The boots fit. David is now walking the Camino and pushing his bike.  He seems to be having more fun...... I´m not sure if I´ll run into Mark, Simon and Micha again because I´m slowing my pace a little.  Frank is somewhere nearso I´m sure we´ll meet again.  Yesterday I just reconnected some Australians I have´nt seen in a week. Xavier will be leaving the Camino on Sunday in Leon. Martin and Franice who I met in the beginning are probably less than a day behind. I think I´ll see them as I near Santiago.... The Camino Community is a great experience and its common to pass each other, back and forth, daily, every other day, or week...... I´ve been walking for over 2 weeks and those going the distance have settled in to a nice routine.  Everyone has had time to work thru the intial adjustments.  Some walkers may be friendlier than others but everyone I´ve met has been nice and reasonalby considerate as we all work towards the common goal of reaching Santiago de Compostela. The combination of history, scenery, and people make the Camino a VERY special thing. Everyday is full and rich with new sights and experiences.  It´s times like these when I really feel alive.  For me the Camino feels like home and I´m very comfortable here...Currently I´m in Shagun writing on a computer in a bar/cafe. The camino may not take you to every church in every village but it will take you every bar !.. It´s 4 pm and when I finish this post I´ll continue with Xavier to Calzada de Coto for the night. Tomarrow we will head across 30 km of wide open country.... Buen Camino !.