Author: Thom

A string of these monuments runs along the Camino between El Burgo Raneros and Reliegos. While some have been defaced or are covered in graffiti, most of them have become repositories of small stones, piled up by passing pilgrims. The cross, of course, is the Cross of Santiago, and they also feature the shell symbol. Date: 18 April 2013Place: between […]

Spotted this sign as we were leaving the village following our second breakfast. Mansilla de Las Mulas is our destination for the day. What does it say that this seems so close? It’s about 10 AM, and we would arrive just before 4:30. Date: 18 April 2013Place: El Burgo Raneros (Province of León, Castilla y León, Spain)Today started: Bercianos del […]

We had a visitor for our second breakfast in El Burgo Raneros at the Cafetería El Camino. She was quite insistent that we give her at least a nibble of our tortilla. I imagine she’s quite familiar to the locals, as she seemed to have the run of the outdoor café tables. Date: 18 April 2013Place: El Burgo Raneros (Province […]

We came in search of breakfast. Well, second breakfast at any rate. El Burgo Raneros is a cozy little village, with a population of about 800. The road surface goes from gravel to cobbles and back again, the houses are packed tightly together, and we arrived at about 9:30 in the morning. Date: 18 April 2013Place: entering El Burgo Raneros […]

This section of the Meseta is very much like the sections we walked on previous days. If anything, there might be slightly more signs of human habitation on this stretch. Once again we’re walking next to a long, straight country road with only an endless line of bare trees for shade. It was actually a little cold this morning, which […]

It’s just after eight in the morning, and we’re on the road. This is, for my money, one of the most fun signs pointing the Way to Santiago. Let’s get going! Date: 18 April 2013Place: Bercianos del Real Camino (Province of León, Castilla y León, Spain)Today started: Bercianos del Real Camino (Province of León, Castilla y León, Spain)

I took entirely too many photos during the long dusk of that day in Bercianos of shepherds, sheep, and goats. At some point, the goat was fed up. It walked up to me – it did not run, praise God – and gently head-butted me as if to say, “enough! Go to bed!” Date: 17 April 2013Place: Bercianos del Real […]

Many of the folks in Bercianos are shepherds. I was particularly taken with this old-timer who was kind enough to speak with us pilgrims about his flock, his life, and the changes that had taken place in his village over his life. He was a fascinating character. Mind you, he only spoke to us in Spanish, so one of the […]

Many of the folks in Bercianos are shepherds. We went with our hospitalero up to one of the nearby meadows where the goats and the sheep were grazing as the sun went down. This goat apparently has the run of the village. Despite appearances, he was friendly and nuzzled up to a number of the pilgrims. Apologies for not posting […]

As I mentioned before, the little village of Bercianos doesn’t have much in the way of pilgrim amenities, other than the albergue. Fortunately, the hospitaleros organize a proper communal meal. We all helped put it on, with some of us helping to prepare the food, setting the tables, and cleaning up afterwards. I love these types of communal meals; they […]