Camino Frances (May 4, 2014) - Day 72 Calzedilla de la Cueza to Sahagun

A very easy short day today at 22 kms over 4.5 hours...really enjoyable Sunday walk. Yesterday when Paulo returned from seeing the local blister specialist we sat down to discuss options for today. Paulo had received advice that the Compeed blister protection had to be removed, antiseptic cream applied and toe covered up with a bandage.

Marc and I had already decided that if Paulo needed to take off as a rest day we would stay with him in the hope that it would allow us to journey to Santiago de Compostela together. Paulo thought he could go today however agreed to our suggestion of a shorter day (Marc worked out logistics). Our objective of being in Leon on May 6th remains however the next two days, while reasonable at 30 and 26 kms will be a little longer than originally planned. Perfectly ok...Paulo had a strong day today...foot care continues as I write this.

Distances over the past few days in kms...42, 36, 27, 22...slowing down as we gear up for the second half!

Last night..another really good Pilgrims supper at 10€...we sat with Jean-Pierre from France who has been walking for a few days longer than us. He is 67...a retired History and Geography teacher who completed the The Puy route to Saint-Jean-de-Port last year. Clearly a well educated man...conversation flowed easily even if he could only speak French...some translation for Paulo took place  frequently.

Absolutely delicious minestrone soup

Chicken and Fries

Chocolate Dessert!

Guy, Paulo, Jean-Pierre and Marc

Today is also a special day as we had now walked over 400 kms which means we are more than half way to Santiago de Compostela! Plus I have now walked 2,000 kms since the start of my long walk or 2,860,000 steps!!! A few pictures of our walk to Sahagun...

An early start...just before 7:00

Now which way do I go?

A green door (in case of colour blindness)

Houses in the hill

Place has seen better days

I only gave a handful of Canadian lapel pins today however the impact of doing so was neat. The hospitalero at the Jacques-Molay Albergue where we stopped for breakfast was so pleased she gave each of us a lapel pin in return. I then gave a pin to a young pilgrim from Italy who was also really happy...she had lost a lapel pin from SJPP considering it very bad luck. When I gave her the lapel pin she said that this would reverse what had happened!

We have just spent a few hours outside eating lunch  and having a cervezas at a sidewalk cafe...not the most difficult thing I have ever done. 

Marc and Paulo

Pizza - really good!

Two days to Leon!!! Eight days to meeting Cyrille in O'Cebreiro!!!