Day 23 (Camino II): Calzadilla de los Hermanillos to Mansilla de las Mulas

This house is spotlessly clean and it's reasonable that the posted house rules include no clothes washing in the room (but they provide a laundry service). Last night's dinner was a great affair with excellent food prepared by the husband who also provided entertainment by clowning around, and the wife telling us about the history and present of her town here, and the company of a retired couple from Vermont.

When I ask Gemma about what people do in this town, she goes down the list. Her father is still working as a shepherd, now joined by her brother who decided to forego his biology studies. There are only a handful of children in this town, and it seems to me the future here is uncertain. Most pilgrims are now opting to go El Burgo Ranero, although this route is more historical with the Roman road where Augustus supposedly traveled on. It would be a shame if the town disappeared in our generation after standing here for centuries. It was a bit cold in the room last night and it's grey and gloomy outside but we leave Casa El Cura with the warm appreciation that our stay could not have been more authentic.

Casa El Cura: dinner starts with chorizo, best we have had in Spain. (Made by the grandmother, whose interview with Der Spiegel is framed on the wall.)

and it ends with homemade flan de queso and orujo de café.

As we leave there is only a slight drizzle, which my $250 rain coat/ poncho feels over-qualified for. Out the western end of the town, the asphalt continues - I was partially mistaken about this earlier, and it is good that at least one road to this tiny town is paved all the way. About 4km later the asphalt ends and Calzada Romana resumes. This is the beginning of a 19 km uninterrupted stretch described by Brierley as "glorious" and "the most complete and spectacular" section of Calzada de Peregrinos, which prior to the pilgrims, Augustus and Charlemagne also used. 

However, there is no description of what it feels like to walk here in a bad weather. It is getting quite windy and I am beginning to feel that I can take the rain or the wind but not both. Unfortunately we are getting both and soon the rain gives way and we are now sparring with a pretty strong wind. Both of us feel we prefer the rain now!



Looking back at Cazadilla de los Hermanillos, the little street of the little brothers (those who did not become powerful monks) with fondness

The asphalt yields to Calzada Romana again.

Footing could be a problem today.

Mushrooms out in force.

 

A pine plantation



Winds have picked up.

Chisoon has a hard time keeping steady even with the help of a hiking pole, and a number of young people pass us by. We have a quick break to consume the Bocadillo that Leo prepared for us this morning. We are about to make a turn by mistake when two young guys, from Philadelphia and Vincenza, Italy, respectively, express doubt instead of blindly following us, and they are right.

The precious few on this trail are passing us.



Landscape along Calzada Romana




Calzada Romana



Strong wind along Calzada Romana

 

a quick lunch literally on Camino

 

Where to step? I am surely building up negative karma by trampling continuously on vegetation in this particularly muddy section.

 

 

 

A sign of civilization: Train! It probably takes no more than a half hour to go to Leon.



Foraging: this man has a lone mushroom with colors in his basket. Maybe he is trying to get rid of poisonous ones for the pilgrims, or more likely, disappointed not to find edible ones.

Scenery on Calzada Romana

A short time later, he is much happier.

Scenery on Calzada Romana

We take a left turn at the first sign for Reliegos, prematurely ending our walk on the Roman road so Chisoon can get a taxi for the last 6km. The walk to this town is on a ridge and the wind is just vicious. At the first bar, the owner is not willing to help call a taxi, The second bar is funky with a friendly owner. I walk alone 75 minutes on senda to Mansilla de las Mulas joining the path which we would have taken, had we stayed in El Burgo Ranero last night. But those who stayed there would not have experienced the wild, windy, and wide winner of a route in Calzada Romana!

 

Happy to see the sign for Reliegos but we may have made the turn too soon.



Bonsai on Camino? More likely a testament to how windy it can be here.

Reliegos: Bodegas on the hill

Reliegos: Empanadillas in a welcoming and graffiti-laden bar

Reliegos: friendly bar owner in action, who turns out to be the famous "El Elvis del Camino"!



Senda: next to the highway and pretty narrow - they just don't make them like Romans used to.



Scenery along senda

 

 

Finally I arrive at the walled-city of Mansilla de las Mules with plenty of history and atmosphere.

Arriving in Mansilla de las Mulas: ancient streets with our hotel on right and the north gate in distance