Walked Today: 5.2 mi / Camino2022: 155 mi
We turned off the alarms for this morning and slept only an extra 45 minutes! With the shortage of bathroom space, we figured we’d have an easier time getting ready if we let most of the more than 30 other pilgrims go first. Our plan worked… we had the bathroom all to ourselves and left at 7:30.
We walked just over 5 miles, dictated by our reservations made two days ago. The Camino is still busy and we’re glad we made some more bookings in advance. The walk was less interesting than most.
We remember this section of the Camino, because about half way there is rise in the mostly flat terrain and at the crest, we could see the steeple of the church in Boadillo del Camino. But regardless of how much we actually advanced toward it, visually we didn’t appear to be making any progress. This has happened now for all 4 Camino’s and we can’t explain it.
The first records of Boadillo del Camino’s existence occur in AD905! The church and Rollo were built in the 15-16th centuries when the town became more affluent.
This is our first time to stay in Boadillo del Camino (pop. 70). We usually passed through early in the morning, in a hurry to make it to Formista or Población de Campos before it got too hot …and the only thing open was the bar at another albergue, where we would have breakfast and moved on.
Today we checked-in early, at 10:45, got showers, paid 7.50€ for laundry service, and ventured out while waiting for lunchtime at our Casa Rural Boadillo en el Camino.
We had one of our great Camino moments today. While wandering aimlessly around Boadillo, looking for a market, we were approached by a resident who asked if we spoke Spanish. He was clearly disappointed with our response, but motioned for another young man to come over who could speak English.
Mario Mediavilla, a young 80-year-old, said he had completed three Camino’s, the first in 1992 on a horse! He also said he knew English because he has a “rich” uncle who owns several liquor stores in NYC. He also pointed up the street to his new house.
After chatting for a few minutes longer, Mario asked if we would like to see his “museum”. We both responded simultaneously with “Si!” and we followed him up to the end of his street and to what appeared to be a garage door, with a chain, but no lock.
Mario opened the door and the first thing we saw was a cheese press, which he explained he used to make goat cheese. But all around us were relics, mostly farm implements, many over 100 years and older. Many were labeled like in an antique store.
He opened another door down to another lower level filled with all kinds of weighing scales, again many well over a hundred years old…also in one corner were a couple dozen aging cheese wheels… 90 days to maturity.
We continued into another room which was a garage occupied by a Mercedes Kompressor. The garage walls were neatly filled with displays of farm implements, skis, children’s antique toys, horse tack, etc. Jim asked Mario which saddle he rode in his first Camino and he proudly pointed to it.
At the end of our tour, Mario asked us to sign his guestbook. He said he so far had over 1000 entries! He also showed us and read to us, what appeared to be a prayer which we copied.
We then thanked Mario for sharing his wonderful “museum” and worked our way out of the building. As we walked down the street, Mario ushered us into a large barn (tractor engine running outside) and called out to his brother, who we’re sure felt left out from the English tour. His brother then guided us through the barn through a door in the rear, an we went outside to a large pen or corral for 15-20 goats… several who were close to delivery.
Mario pointed out one goat that was the unusual “brother” of four that were born to a dam this past season. We thanked Mario’s brother (name never revealed) and walked away in amazement at what we had just experienced.
PRAYER TRANSLATION:
Lord, teach me how to be a builder of your peace.
If I can encourage those who are dejected, if I can give strength to my neighbor, if I can cheer him up with my song, tell me how to do it, Lord.
If I can help those who suffer, if I can relieve any burden, if I can spread more joy, tell me how to do it, Lord.
If I can lift those who fell, if I can relieve sorrows and sufferings, if I can share life and path,
Tell me how to do it, Lord!
We returned to our casa and had a large lunch, probably enough for supper, too. We settled into our nice room, a palace, compared to yesterday and read, napped and blogged for the remaining afternoon.
After our full lunch, we decided to not have another meal and instead had a snack dessert and retired for the evening after a memorable day on the Camino Frances.
Jimandi 