Friday, September 24, 2010

The road less travelled

Good day everyone.


Today's travels have us now in Calzadilla de los Hermanillos, a small town outside of Sahagún, just on the other side of the half-way point to Santiago.


The reason I titled this entry "the road less travelled" is because we chose the option, at a part where the Camino briefly splits into two separate routes, to take what seems to be the less popular of the two. We chose the northern branch of the Camino which, at this point, follows the old Roman road that used to connect Rome to Astorga, Spain--pretty cool, ¿huh?  Being the old Roman road, it is still pretty rocky and therefor a little more taxing on the feet.  But, it's all part of the Camino :-)


The past few days we hung out with the two girls from the USA because we were at the same albergues.  We left their company this morning when making the decision not to stay in Sahagún and push ahead in order to keep on schedule.  Their company will be missed mostly because they were some of the funniest people I have met in a long time! Great senses of humor.


We got into Calzadilla de los Hermanillos around 2:30 or so this afternoon after about a 28km walk and settled into the municipal albergue that can house about 22 pilgrims.  We met another American at the Albergue named Matt, who is from upstate NY.  I don't know much about him, but something tells me conversation is going to be interesting.  When talking about how he heard about the Camino, he said that he a priest on the radio a couple years ago who was writing a book on his experience on the Camino--Jason and I bought this same book before beginning the Camino.  Jason talked to him a little while I was getting settled in, and he said that when he mentioned our times in seminary his eyes lit up.  That, coupled with a feeling I got when passing him on the road, told me something good was going to come from our meeting him.  We'll have to wait and see :-)


I keep meeting other cool people as well.  I met some people from the mother-land last night--The Emerald Isle, that is--who are from Dublin, and I had a very pleasant conversation with them.  We also met some more people from Holland, Germany, and a guy our age from France who has been on the Camino for two months already.


It is continuing to be a great experience.  Thank you all for your prayers.  Be assured of mine.  peace.


--Paul

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