Day 26

I am really enjoying the Spanish food but as soon as I start walking this morning I am thinking of breakfast which is 7km away. I really feel like poached eggs and a bit of bacon, the thought gets me to Sahagun, this town marks the halfway point for the Camino Frances. I take some photos at the marker and head into town. It suddenly occurs to me it’s Saturday and that’s why it’s so quiet. I find a cafe which looks promising. No poached eggs but they do have huevos y tocino – eggs and bacon so I give it a go. It’s great and hits the mark completely. A woman from the States joins me I met her a few nights ago, she is having a rest day here. Then another lady joins us, she’s from the UK, she had just arrived in town on the train having had to miss a few sections. It becomes a very social breakfast with other pilgrims saying Hola! I head off, if I see the place to get a halfway certificate I will stop, if not I will push on.

No certificate but I know I’ve done it! Mixed emotions on the halfway point, excited to have made it this far, sad as I know I am that much closer to finishing.

As I walk fond memories come to me of Saturday morning breakfasts in Rozelle, with girlfriends, this was an institution for many years. It was such a great way to start the weekend, end the week catching up some wonderful women!

As I walk the clouds get darker then the thunder starts, there are a few sprinkles of rain, not enough to stop and get my wet weather gear out. There is a canopy of Plane trees along the path.

I reach the town I plan to stay at and hope to get a bed at the Donativo Alburgue, which I can’t find I end up having to ask locals for directions, somehow I have circumnavigated the entire town and finally find it as the skies open. There are about 20 of us sheltering in the veranda waiting for it to open at 1:30pm. Donativo means you donate what you can for you bed, dinner and breakfast. There are three volunteer hosts checking us in taking us to our beds (in my case a bottom bunk) we will be asked to help with cooking and cleaning up afterwards. There will be a pilgrim reflection in the chapel after dinner.

Dinner is lots of fun, grace is a rap song to the beat of “We will rock you” there is a group of Spanish people singing and the volume in the dining hall is very loud. We have a great Tuna salad followed by a lentil stew lots of bread, some very light red wine and yogurt to finish. I help with the washing up. The reflection is lovely we sit in a small chapel and all share how we are feeling on our Camino today, I say how grateful I am for my body which just keeps going! After the reflections many filled with heartfelt emotions we all hug, then our hosts lead us out to see the sunset.

Distance walked 17.5km

Elevation 850m

Total Distance walked so far 416.6km

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