The Road from Santiago

  We haven’t done any furnishings for a while so let's pop in to Muebles Villafer before we leave San Miguel. Their website is not secure so we will rely on googlereviews. All 5 give 5 stars. Googletranslate says Robert said ‘Furniture on a whim, quality and formality. To recommend without a doubt.’ Out on the road we are back to bleached beige landscapes.  We will be near the Canis Club Leon.  https://www.facebook.com/canisclubleon/?paipv=0&eav=Afac-elS8AXSULqi4hEKxSloKBrmDzYd5TL9DDzV24JHXcYbfwVWNs9WfwyOAMrJm-A&_rdr  The 43 reviews are all five star. But three weeks ago StratNolimits said ‘Highly efficient dog training service to address my beagle's aggression problems. The trainer demonstrated a lot of professionalism and great knowledge on the subject. In addition, the dog hotel is the best in Leon, offering high-quality facilities and exceptional service, the dogs are constantly loose and playing. My experience was highly satisfactory, and I would recomme...

  We are going nowhere and we are going there at a decent pace. We end the day on the very edge of Leon and to get there we pass many, many businesses. Let us pause at the Maryan Decoracion y Obras concern. They have a new branch in Valladolid.  https://www.maryandecoracion.com/  Cervecera Leonesa offers beverages and employ jolly decent people if Consmecar 2001 has anything to do with it ‘I ran out of gas on the road and the Sahagún representative picked me up, took me to the nearest gas station and returned me to the motorcycle. I don't know the performance of the company but with the human quality of its workers it has to be very good. Thank you’ To be honest, of all the available places, you can not beat a good bazar and the Casa Ling Gran Bazar intends to fill that need. It has 746 reviews and averages 4.1 In the end we need a lift. De aluminio y pvc  https://dealuminioypvc.com/  get 4.9 stars on 52 reviews Rebeca Garcia says We chose this company to renew ...

  We are entering Calzadilla de los Hermanillos by way of a footpath and streetview October 2013. Possibly it has become a heady fleshpot of sinful desires; probably not. It is a place full of the sort of houses where life is lived on the inside because outside is scorching summers and frozen winters We are now on the camino net.  https://santiago-compostela.net/calzadilla-de-los-hermanillos/  It basically gets praised for not being the surrounding farmland and having a swing. Somebody enjoyed writing a lot on the wiki page - to no great end.  https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calzadilla_de_los_Hermanillos Our first touch of civilization is the Albergue ‘Via Trajana’ Kyle Settle was very taken with in September. He wrote We had a wonderful stay. The accommodations were extremely comfortable and our hosts were welcoming. One of the best showers we had along the camino. Great pot of coffee with breakfast! We could nip down to the crystal shop but the Bar Camino may offer m...

  It is one of those days when we have to fall back on ‘in other news’ because we have no streetview and nothing of note. The landscape photo is looking towards where we have come from, you get the general idea. Tomorrow we have a settlement. Not today. Big Jim, as Saint James the Great was never known was the son of Zebedee and Salome. He was one of Jesys’ first disciples and was brother to John. How he ended up in Spain is explained that either he was missionary in Spain or, after Herod Agrippa did for him his body was carried away and landed in Galicia at Pardon. The ‘his relics were sailed here’ tradition carries has such details as his decapitated body being taken up by angels and sailed on a rudderless, unattended boat. The relics were discovered in the 9th century, just when they were needed. Tomorrow hotels, grills and a crystal healing shop. But not today. This is going out late. Yesterday's photo was of santa but seen at a certain angle looked vaguely Uffingham Hors...

  We are about to go off streetview for a few days. To be honest, looking at the track, I can see why. We have no diverting little cheese shops so will have to fall back on our own resources. The only highlight is crossing the railway. We’ve not really talked about the whole Camino bit. St James, having died and then made the journey to Compostela, first had recorded visits in the 9th Century. Non-Iberians seemed to turn up in the 11th century and the first record of chaps from England can be dated to the period 1092 to 1105. The first official guide book, the Codex Calixtinus, was published in 1140, apparently. The oldest copy dates to 1173. Today 200,000 people do the way, with ever increasing numbers. For the official route descriptions see here  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camino_de_Santiago_(route_descriptions) We can now wait for the next train or push on. Best push on.

Up we go, a mighty 33 m before we slouch down another 10. We are heading towards Terradillos de los Templarios. Apparently, as the name suggests, the Templars had a manor here and was linked to the legend of the goose that laid golden eggs. The ‘de los Templarios’ wasn’t added until 2nd July 1916. Currently 60 people live there. In 1842 140 people lived there. Wiki somewhat crushingly says the place was ‘a small Roman settlement of no great importance’. It was repopulated in the 12th century. Alfonso VIII gave the place to the Templars in 1191. It wasn’t on, but near the camino de Santiago. The church, St Peter’s, has a 14th century Christ and several equally historic altar pieces. A bar can be found on the road. It has two reviews. One is five stars. The other isn’t. Aitor Agirre isn’t happy at all ‘Four friends of us came to this bar in Terradillo de los Templarios and we were scammed. We ordered 8 bottles of 20cl Mahou beer and they charged us €12 which comes out to €1.50 per ...

  We are going to descend a whole 20m today - guys! Change! Take the wins. We are also by-passing Ledigos, as is the fate of most modern towns with a previously narrow trackway through them. Currently 66 people live here. In 1970 it had peaked at 359. We missed the San Lazaro hospital by only 275 years, its materials were used to build a hermitage. The Church of St James contains images of the saint a pilgrim, an apostle and as the moor-slayer. Apparently no other church on the pilgrim route has such in one place. Time for a beer. Ledigos has a brewery.  https://cervezavereda.com/  A box of the tins of IPA [9 cans and 3 glasses or 12 cans] will set you back 25 euros. The reviews are almost totally in awe. I think Cap Perez needed a sit down after this: It has been a special weekend. A small town with a beautiful rural house where I can enjoy all its facilities, the charm of the people and the company of all my friends. If you want to get lost in a town in Palencia, come v...

  According to records, the first known stapler was made in the 18th century in the Basque country for the French King Louis XV. Yes, we are on the meseta and little more need be said other than, have a pointless fact to boost the otherwise flagging interest in flat landscapes. Alright, so we have a near-hill experience towards the end. We do have a village nearby, Calzadilla de la Cueza. It is a place with several places for pilgrims to stay and a restaurant. The Albergue Camino Real offers wifi, a mixed toilet, single use fitted sheet and pillow case and a swimming pool for 10 euros a night. You need a sleeping bag. Abba Wurzer says of it After the long straight walk from the previous town you will arrive in a total paradise. This was the best albergue I stayed in so far. Not only there is a pool but the host is just the most lovely person ever. He is interested in the people than come and a joyful and helpful person. A house full of love  Geni Lee Wrote Everything was alrig...