Day 21 - Into the Monasterio : Fromista to Carrion de los Condes

Our wonderful sleep concluded around 5:30 this morning as those in the room around us began preparing for the day ahead. Last night was great! No snoring, no movies on laptops, and no tour groups. As a result, we both feel much better.  By 6 we were out of the albergue, bundled against the early morning cold, with our headlamps on and heading towards the local bar to get a croissant and cafe con leche. 

Our pre-dawn trek took place primarily along the roadside to the town of Poblacion de Campos, where we took a moment to have another warming coffee, and where we decided to follow the alternate scenic route for the day to avoid the harder hours of road walking.

While much of the pathway today kept us alongside the highway, we occasionally enjoyed the chance to wander through fields, beside aqueducts, and near calming rivers. Here it is worthwhile to mention that while on many days it might seem to be "more of the same", more highways, more fields of wheat or sunflowers, or more Meseta - the reality is that if you take a moment, you'll see the subtle variations in the landscape, or the architecture, or the culture, and realize that the beautiful diversity of each day means that every moment on the Camino is different. In this spirit, and to delay returning to the roadway, we sat and enjoyed a break and our lunch beside the river in the shade. Here we were surprised to find frogs who sang and talked to one another while we repacked to continue on.

 

 

Throughout the day we passed through the villages of Villovieco and Villarmentero, and we rejoined the main Camino route in the town of Villalcazar de Sirga, where we took the opportunity to explore the central church, the Colegiata de Santa Maria La Blanca. The imposing rose window and carvings throughout the building were very impressive. 

    

 

Our hike in the early afternoon towards Carrion de los Condes was challenging, as we pushed against a strong cold wind. Tired and again feeling somewhat under the weather, we walked through Carrion de los Condes, along a raised Roman pathway beside a fascinatingly uniform plantation, and eventually to a magnificent hotel on the other side of town, the Monasterio de San Zoilo. While neither a monastery (anymore) nor albergue, San Zoilo could easily be mistaken for a Parador in its splendour, hospitality, and amenities. 

 

Despite the early hour, we were allowed to check in, and immediately given a second floor room, where we both enjoyed long warm showers in an attempt to get the day's dust off ourselves. The interior of San Zoilo is wonderful! The immediate corridor outside of our rooms was a beautiful open air, wood panelled sitting area, which overlooked a central cloister. Here, with the windows open, we relaxed for several hours, writing our day's journals and postcards. 

Afterwards we toured the cloister, side chapels, royal tombs and main church. All I can say is that if by this point on the Camino you want to enjoy an entirely different experience, and pamper yourself for just one evening, San Zoilo should definitely be considered!
 

 

By late afternoon we decided to wander the quiet and peaceful city of Carrion de los Condes. Unfortunately, several of the places we wished to visit were closed for Siesta, but we were able to explore the Iglesia de Santiago. This church has been transformed into a museum on the history of the church and pilgrimage in Spain. While that might not sound exciting, Iglesia de Santiago is a fascinating building, with its collection of iron crosses, mesmerizing spiral staircase, and bell tower from which you can look out over the city.

We spent the remainder of our afternoon relaxing beside the waterway, doing very little and simply enjoying ourselves. We were intrigued to find signs prompting people to take pictures and create postcards from certain locations and perspectives throughout the city. 

At 8 pm we attended a pilgrim mass at the local cathedral, and later had dinner at a sports bar in the town which was filled with local soccer fans who were very passionately watching a game on TV. Afterwards we took a final evening stroll through town and the now lit-up hotel cloister and grounds, and the headed back to our beds with their duvet covers (no sleeping bags tonight!!) by 10pm. 

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Practical information:

Distance: 19.3 km
Max Temperature: 16°C
Accommodations: Monasterio de San Zoilo, 70 Euroes