22/05/23 From Sahagun to El Burgo Ranero

22 May

Sahagun is a sleepy place – in a time warp – the only lively activity was a bouncy castle for children who had made their First Communion – all sailor suits and white frocks.

Also on hand was a Churros and Chocolate van
“ Let’s leave then to,it “ these two decided.
The Plaza Mayor
There are a good number of heritage sites here. It looked as though it has taken a long time,literally, to begin much needed restoration of some of them.
It’s a cat’s life in the monastery.
Amazing grounds
ARCO SAN BENITO
PILGRIM THEMED MURALS
This morning we came upon some more on our way out of the town
The arch way at 08.00
Being a BBQ fan I took a double take on this metal sculpture
The Puente Canto – originally Roman
But reconstructed in the XI AND XVI TH centuries

We were on our way and after an hour or so,it was a welcoming picnic spot for refreshments on the REAL CAMINO FRANCES.

By 10.00 it was heating up and time to strip off tops and walk with arms and legs bared.
Just before Bercianos we came across the biggest Albergue ever!
Una Huerta
Entering Bercianos
This display was a eyeful of colour.
Lago de Bercianos – you might have easily failed to have noticed this lake on your right were it not for the din the frogs were making.. El Burgo Ranero,our destination, is said to have got its name either from being a granary town or a place with an abundance of frogs!
You could hardly hear the bird song.
A long,straight road but with plenty of shade if needed . Upon reaching El Burgo ( whatever ) we were told by the people in Piedras Blancas that we had no reservation and despite my insistence they directed us to Albergue La Laguna which they obviously ran as well. A five minute walk later we were told by the formidable receptionist there that we had no places booked there either! So, I showed the lady,the e-mail correspondence from last November when I reserved the rooms and she began to nod her head, picked up the phone, barked a few instructions, then gave me a “post it “with her name and 3 Habitaciones dobles written upon it. Smiling she redirected us back to Piedras Blancas where, I think it was her her husband, grudgingly filled in the forms with passport details etc and heigh ho we had our rooms. At the same time, the Correos arrived with our luggage and we were home and dry. The hotel’s decor was still very sixties, clean but basic. Given the choice I wished we had been given places in the Albergue where there was some greenery. Relieved,but unimpressed with our treatment we decided to dump,the luggage in our rooms and head next door to El Peregrino for a boccadillo and a beer .
We were greeted with a smile and great bocadillos, so we decided to book dinner and breakfast tomorrow there. Rob had researched and found that El Peregrino was highly rated.

An experience that reminds us that an independently arranged Camino is not a package holiday- there will be occasional setbacks but always more than compensated by the rewards.

Complete this sentence : “Local wine, regional food, laughter,camaraderie, kindness, resilience,revitalising your will,power, discovering the richness of another culture…..”

Leave a comment