Madre Mia: A Night in the Convent

Let me begin today by saying that I am glad there is no beauty pageant happening on el Camino. Today I enhanced my look (which had already been enhanced by the fabulous "color enhancer" I bought instead of laundry detergent the other day - my colors are looking fantastic, thank you).  If the layer of dirt, the dreadlocks starting in my hair, and the egg shaped lump over my eye from the bed bug bites were not enough to earn me a tiara, today's accessory should certainly get me there.  Yes, I woke up to broken sunglasses in one of the sunniest places on earth (in one of the least commercial pockets of Spain...remember I can't even find an ATM or food most days).  So, to make sure that I am voted Miss Camino 2014, I pimped my look with duct-taped sunglasses and hit the road.  We're calling the look, "Nerdy Pilgrim." If my children knew anyone in Spain, this would surely be a travesty.  However, today they just took it in stride and added it to the "whatever" column.  Maybe they really are getting spiritual on me and are realizing that my outer appearance is simply a shell for my inner beauty. Maybe they are just sick of me after two weeks of walking, and they could really care less what I look like.

Anyway, we began today as we begin everyday - by walking.  We started out in lettuce fields listening to the sound of sprinklers watering all that lettuce.  Foster noticed one of the rotating sprinklers had a plant stuck in it and was not functioning properly.  He decided to fix the sprinkler head, and, in so doing, also stepped into a small canal.  Starting a 35 km walk with one sneaker, sock, and foot soaked through is not recommended.  He put it in the "whatever" column and moved on - noting that his left foot was about ten pounds heavier than his right. 

The temperature was decidedly warmer today, and the wind continued to blow.  It was more like a convection oven today than an arctic wind, so we shed our layers early.  We made a quick breakfast stop at 8 km and continued on to Fròmista, where the coveted ATM awaited me.  Along the way, we enjoyed a path along the Canal de Castilla and checked out the old locks. After finally getting some money in Fròmista, and breathing a sigh of relief, we stocked up on lunch food at the grocery store before heading off again.

Our afternoon led us along a very flat path next to a winding canal and, then, onto a hot paved road for the last 6 km into Carrion de los Condes.  The scenery still included lots of wheat and hay fields and heavy farm machinery.  

We were happy to pull into a relatively large town for the evening.  We were turned away from the first hostel because it was full. Our second try, at the convent, however, was successful.  The sweet nuns were very smitten with Nolan. I told him to just keep smiling and stop asking questions as he whispered, "What is Mass?" right after the sweet sister invited us to attend at 8:00 p.m.  Then, as we are sitting down and checking in, one of the nuns offered him a necklace with a picture of the Virgin Mary that said, "Madre." He politely took it, and then said,"This is for you, Mom.  It says Madre." I cringe-smiled, thanked him, and dutifully hung it around my neck while simultaneously scanning the sky for lightning bolts.

Once we were checked in and settled in a room that looks like something out of a movie, we went on a serious junk-food mission to the grocery store.  We returned to the hostel/convent laden with treats and determined to eat every last bit before we hit the trail tomorrow.  Does the word "gluttony" come to mind? I may need to stay here a few more days to do some soul cleansing. Before our ridiculous meal was over, into the dining room came three nuns and a camera. They patted and kissed Nolan and stole his popcorn before posing for a picture with us.  Nolan took it in stride and continued to gorge himself on pasta that some Korean girls had shared with him. His assessment? "I'm in HEAVEN." Seems fitting tonight.