Author: Thom

The expression on Francine’s face says it all. Like a day on our last Camino, she was done for the day. It was perhaps 10 AM. We went into this “Cafeteria” for pilgrims attached to the swanky Hotel San Antón Abad. We never left that day. After hemming and hawing, I could see that we were not walking any further […]

We arrive in the village of Villafranca Montes de Oca in intermittent rain storms. This place is typical of many in Castilla: the church was locked up tight. In fact, a local I asked about it very firmly gave me the impression that I was an idiot for even asking. Why would the church be open? It isn’t Sunday! Francine […]

Francine, as you can see, is not thrilled to be crossing this wet wooden bridge in the rain. I think this might have been the exact moment she decided that she was quitting for the day. Date: 11 April 2016 Place: Entering Villafranca Montes de Oca (Castilla y León, Spain) Map of the day:

That bare ruin to Francine’s right is all that remains of the once mighty Monasterio de San Felices de Oca. What is today something between a pile of stones and a deteriorated hut was once part of a venerable Mozarabic church and monastery, built in the ninth century and dedicated to the hermit San Felices of Bilibio. According to tradition, […]

Somewhere past Espinosa del Camino the rain began in earnest. This, combined with a long day yesterday, seriously sapped Francine’s strength and, more importantly, her will to carry on. Weirdly, it energized me. This would become our first major point of conflict on this Camino in just a few hours… Date: 11 April 2016 Place: Between Espinosa del Camino and […]

We quickly hurried through the village of Espinosa del Camino. If there was any place for breakfast here, it was not open. The little church was not open. Nothing, in fact, was open. But there were some fun medieval-style houses. Not sure about the flag though. Any ideas? Date: 11 April 2016 Place: Espinosa del Camino (Castilla y León, Spain) […]

Looking over my photos of this area from our first Camino reveals a similar scene nearby. Could this place just be ground zero for rainbows on the Camino? Date: 11 April 2016 Place: Between Villambistia and Espinosa del Camino (Castilla y León, Spain) Map of the day:

April 11, 2016 dawns, and we are dragging a little. We walked too far yesterday, given the terrible wind we were walking into most of the day. Soon, we would pay for this terrible lack of foresight, but for now, it’s dawn and we’re on the road! The weather was cool and clear, and we were out of the village […]

We enter our final village for today, Vallambistia. I never found out the name of the village church, seen here. In my various guides and sources, it’s just called the Iglesia Parroquial – the “parish church”. I just love the blue door. There’s only one albergue here, the Municipal San Roque, so that’s where we head first. Date: 10 April […]