Day 14 Hontanas to Boadilla

Day 14, Snow White's poison apple! Started early as usual, Al and I had agreed to meet in front of the albergue I was staying in at 05:30. Later we found out our watches were a little different. I waited until my watch said 05:40, so I took off alone.

I hadn't been on the trail long when Al caught up with me. we compared watches and found a small difference in time. We walked through San Anton.

Al was needing to find an ATM machine to top off his cash reserve. We all tried to keep a certain amount of cash on us at all times. The amount you carry depends on your own comfort level. It is not guaranteed that the next village will have an ATM or as in one case, the ATM's would not work (all 5 of them). It is not uncommon to float a fellow pilgrim a small loan. We are now travelling through the Meseta, villages are sparce.

We walked into Castrojeriz as dawn was breaking.

We had to ask around where an ATM was. Finally, found one on the outskirts of town. As Al was doing his banking, I found a nice bench under a tree, with a small fountain. A small park in town. As I watched the sun rise, I started to eat the apple I had bought back a day or so earlier at Tarjados, We had a steep climb just ahead of 2700 ft all within a mile. As Al came back, I noticed my thigh was itching, pretty bad. I noticed a whelp the size of a silver dollar on it . Then, another and another, next thing my lips started to swell, not just a little but to about 3 times their size. I was having a reaction to the apple. Thinking back, the lady I bought it from, washed it good before she gave it to me. I deducted, it had some pesticide on it and now I'm having a serious reaction! Went to my First aid kit and pulled out the benedryl. Took two capsules and waited about 15 minutes. My breathing was never restricted, so, I decided to press on. There wasn't a hospital for miles.

After we started, the Mesa was within a mile and a half from town.

Slopes of Mostelares

Looking back off Mostelares

The swelling continued up until we started up Mostelares. It seemed to slow, at no time, did I feel ill or sick. Looked like I had two wieners for lips, but was able to climb without issue. The down hill is where injury almost always come. After a hard climb, the relaxing and the muscles trying to brake going down steep grades is where pulls and strains occur. Someone, thought of this and had poured a concrete road down the back side of the mesa. I guess people had been hurting themselves sliding and catching themselves on the loose rocks.

Christine from Australia walking down the backside

As we walked, the swelling started to go down. Benedryl, a wonder drug! It is the first med I will pack! By now, it is obvious, we are in the Meseta! Hot, dry, breeze, water is a necessity! As we walked we came to a town Itero de la Vega, population 110 people.

Puente Itero

A very small village, but nice. We continued to walk, the weather was hot, dry and my swelling was now down to a minimum, but still noticeable. We were looking for an albergue, two tired weary peregrinos. We walked into a very small village Boadilla del Camino, population 200 people. We came up on a stucco wall, that looked as if it needed some work and saw a sign for the En El Camino albergue. We decided we would settle for anything at this point! There is a saying, "The Camino will provide". Well, we walked in through the antique gates and here is what we saw!

Al and Drew unwinding

 

 

We could not believe our eyes! There would be no way, they have beds for us, so we went into the restaurant/office and asked. We presented our pilgrim credentials and asked a young man with dreadlocks did he have beds for us. My heart sank, when he said, put those away! Then, my heart soared! he said, bring your packs, let me show you where you will sleep. He showed us our beds in a converted barn, very nice! He then told us, to settle in, get us something cold to drink and rest, then come see him about paying! WOW! what a nice gesture after our long hot walk. Looking from the outside, I would never have guessed it was this nice! The dinner was prepared by a chef, and the price of the bed and meal was about the same as we had paid all along the way.

We visited the 16th century church, in the door way was an older man sitting at a table that had some sort of small weaving jig on it. Later, I found out from Al, the guy made Camino bracelets. We went back to get me one made. Unfortunately, it was getting late, the man did not speak any English, and I speak Spanish  muy poco, (very little)! lol I wanted one of the bracelets, handcrafted and was beautiful! 3 Euros. I used all my Spanish and some charades I tried to get him to make me a bracelet and leave it tied to the chainlink fence across the street and I would pick it up the next morning. I paid in advance. I didn't worry if he was honest or not, I felt he was. I found almost all the Spanish people along the Camino honest, hard working and very courteous! My fear was, that my lack of communication skills would leave him confused.
Got up early, headed out and hanging on the fence was my bracelet! Fine workmanship!

The Boadilla Bracelet

I will be sure to try and stay in Boadilla again!

This day I walked 28.6 km or 17.7 miles.

Two weeks on the Camino, total 309.9 km or 192 miles. The second week, I did less than the first week of 101.9 miles and 14.6 miles per day average.

This week I walked 91 miles and averaged 12.9 miles per day.