Villafranca Montes de Oca

I woke up at 5:30 a.m. with my knee still hurting so I went outside to see what the weather was like and to see if I could walk alright.   I walked around outside and had a cig. It still hurt so I went back to the room and wrapped the knee and went back outside. Well it still hurt but I could walk so I decided to try and walk to the next town and if it still was bad I would catch a bus.   So back up to the room put on the backpack and ate a chocolate croissant.  That's a typical  breakfast here.  Off I went It was at 6:00 a.m.

The first thing I came to was this bridge they have so much style in their bridges. Or  maybe they are just really old.   

Then I came to this sign 560km to go boy, it feels like the kilometers are flying by.

This sign made me think.   It says:  Why are you walking?  I still don't have a real answer to that, other than I can or it's here..

Sun rise still a bit cloudy but it was nice.  The pictures do no justice to the scenery.

Then before I knew it I was at the first town. The knee was not bothering me much at all so I just kept going.   The plan was today was going to be an easy 22km day.

When I saw this mud I was glad I didn't walk yesterday.   Imagine what this was like in the rain

This is the boundary between states.    La Rioga to Castile-Leon ( province of Burgos )

Rolling farmland, many wheat oats and barley fields

This is the first Church that I passed, it's not a very nice one.     I don't go in them and take pictures because they are all locked.   Locked churches just somehow seems wrong to me.   

I came to this fountain and a woman was filling her drinking bottle.   I tried to tell her that it was not for drinking, and pointed out the the X on the sign.   But she wouldn't listen.  I hope she is alright.

This was the building across from the Church not sure what it was but it was nice.

And it was built in 1746 that's kind of old.

And then the walking backwards trick!   What?!!  The sign says 576km to Santiago.  When I started the sing said 560km, and now have 576.    How or should I say who did they hire to figure out the distances?   I'm pretty sure I'm not going the wrong way.    I am hopping that it doesn't keep going up that would be depressing.

Another shot of this beautiful country

This is where I was going to stop, but it was only 10:30 a.m..,so I thought I would walk a bit farther.   I felt good the knee didn't hurt, so on I went.

I met this girl from Italy and we walked together, for about 2km.   Then I stopped for a coffee and she went on.    She said she wanted to get as far as she could every day.    She has teenagers at home and wants to get back as quickly as possible.   She said they keep telling her to stay longer....lol.   What else would teenagers with the run of the house say?   She has been doing around 40km every day so I said bye and off she went.   It's strange that she  is the first person I have met that walks the same speed as I do.

After the quick coffee I was off again thinking if I walked a bit faster I would catch up to my Italian friend.   We were walking at 4.7km an hour so I picked up the pace to around 5 and off I went.   This is a picture of a pine forest and the next town, where I did catch up to her.

I think this is the best mural I have seen in Spain. Not sure who it is.   Some king or Knight I am sure.

And another bridge

Yes more snow

And my favorite weed, Poppies in the wheat field

A nice sandstone cliff with some caves

And then we came upon this.   It kind of looks like a castle built into the cliffs. This was on the other side of the hwy so we never did find out what it was.

And another Church

There were a lot of towns today.  We came across one every few kilometers. I just can't remember what this is Flax keeps sticking in my head, or perhaps rapeseed??

And a closer look for all you farmers. LOL

and another

The only thing that was left on the trail that I saw today.  A pair of  silk pj's

I was told this is all that's left of a Castle

And after 36.5km I said my goodbyes to my Italian friend.    She wanted me to go another 12km but this was enough for me.   It made the day fun having someone that walked the same speed and lots to talk about from  family to what it's like to live in each others country.   So she is off and I will never see her again.  That's the Camino, people come and go.

This is my bed for tonight.  

This is a lot better than most of the Alberg's that I have stayed in.  The half walls give you some privacy without been too claustrophobic.

There are a couple of Peacocks running around out side

And this is the name of the place.  I wonder why the 'o' is a different colour?

And this is me having a beer doing this blog