Castrojeriz to Fromista

16.6 miles and 38,134 steps!

One of the funny things about hiking the Camino de Santiago is you frequently see these signs showing how many kilometers you have left and thirty kilometers later (or the next day) you will see one that says you are father away than a much earlier one said.  They are not exactly reliable. If you believed them you would think you were going backwards.

If you look closely you can see a squiggley line from mid photo and headed to the left that is the trail over the mountain.  Right off the bat, steep, steep uphill.  

At the top, monuments to pilgrims...one official (left) and one made by pilgrims.  Woohoo!  The summit! Pant-Pant...Gasp-gasp!

The wind was pretty strong at the summit and clouds were beginning to form.  I can imagine being at the top of this mountain in a storm.  Shelter would be pretty important. 

Looking across the endless Meseta, a vision of green...lush, grassy and gorgeous.

A memorial to a fallen Peregrino and to Santiago.  

The Rio Pisuerga,.  This river like many of the others we have crossed, was over flowing its banks. Much prettier than a dry river!

We are now in the Palencia district...Welcome!

So nice to see a whole house dedicated to Peregrinos

Well, almost the whole house.  They must like Halloween too!

Again, the long and not so winding road.  I couldn't get over how green the grass was and then I took off my sunglasses and it was even greener.

Anyone remember Crazy Guggenheim?  He was on the Jacki Gleason show and was played by Frank Fontaine.  He was always in the skit where Gleason played Joe the Bartender.  Just thought I would take you on a trip WAY down Memory Lane.

Pilgrim relief.  Sitting down and off the feet!

So often I have walked to the sounds of the Cuckoo bird.  I had never seen one.  THIS is a cuckoo bird.  My only sighting!  Not the best photo but a sighting! Did you know that Cuckoo birds lay their eggs in other bird's nests for other birds to sit on and raise.  It is the bird version of "on the dole."  It was once believed that cuckoo birds laid their eggs while the mama bird (nest owner) was gone...turns out they often force the mama bird off her nest, leave an egg and fly the coop...so to speak.

The Canal de Castilla is a man made canal which runs for many miles.  It is used to water the fields of wheat and is quite scenic to walk along.

We were so lucky tonight.  There was a celebration in Fromista.  There were musicians and folk dancers galore.  There are only about 400 people in this town so half of the people must have been performing.  It was a bit like Irish dancing with castanets. I have photos but the Internet is weak here and I can not get them to upload.  So sorry.  Will post them later :)

So Adios for today!