This mornings breakfast was uninviting but I did get coffee. I set off. The air was cool and the horizon was clear in all directions.

At one point the road went by the ruins of an old monastery. The road actually went through it.

After a relatively short walk I arrived in Castrojeriz around noon. In the picture below you can see a castle high on the hill.

There was a campground at the edge of town with a 4 person bungalow. I knew a campground would have good shower and washing facilities. I was right!! It was in a grove of trees and had a small front porch.

After my routine and rest a trio of bicyclers from Holland joined me in the cabin. They had ridden from Holland. Around 5:00 I walked up by the church and through the old town.

I decided to hike up to the castle (it had been a short day after all). The views were amazing and the castle ruins fascinating.

On my way back through town I had a beer with some pilgrims I knew that were staying at the municipal albergue, they said it was pretty basic and one giant room. Dinner was included at my place and I had a most delicious salad (it’s hard getting enough good veggies here), grilled steak and fries and a great raspberry cream caramel (18€ for bed and dinner). I sat alone and studied my route book but the Holland cyclist were at the next table. We talked and they are headed to Santiago, then south through Portugal across to Morocco and then somehow to Barcelona before flying home in February. At least I think that’s what they said. It makes me have greater respect for the cyclist. They are leaving at 7:00 so I’ll have the hooch to myself. The bar opens at 8:00 so I may go slow and have a coffee before I leave. Tomorrow is a short day followed by a long one. The storm back in Arlington seemed pretty intense. Just yesterday Martin and Jane were asking me about tornados in Texas. So when I saw them this evening I relayed the story of the big storms that swept the area. They were most impressed.

PS. I’m sitting on the porch of my mini-condo finishing my wine. Two of the Holland people came back (they are probably in their mid 60’s). They got their books and went back to the bar. As they left they asked where I was from. I said Texas. They went oh Texas, very big. As the walk off the woman said George Bush and blew a raspberry. It was hysterical!!