My Camino de Santiago (Spring is in the Air)

The following morning I left Hornillos by myself at about 7:30 am, after walking in the company of others for several days, today I decided that I wanted to be alone. It was a magnificent morning, the sun was shining brightly in a clear azure sky, the insects were buzzing and the birds were singing, Spring was once more in the air and also in my step.

I was accompanied by the ubiquitous call of cuckoo's as I strolled along, and the Meseta was a lovely shade of green, reminding me of the South Downs a few miles from my home in East Sussex. The track led uphill on to a wide flat plain with wide sweeping views in all directions, to the north I could make out the distant snow capped tops of the Picos de Europa mountains.

Stepping a few feet off of the track I set up my little stove and brewed up a refreshing cup of tea, I then enjoyed a very pleasant breakfast warming in the morning sun like a lizard, wishing every passing Peregrino a hearty "Buen Camino". Eventually I Dragged myself reluctantly to my feet and followed the long line of Pilgrims to the pretty little village of Hontanas where they all stopped for refreshments in the pavement bars.

Leaving my fellow travellers to their breakfasts, I continued through Hontanas and along a narrow footpath passing through fields of young crops. There was nobody else around for miles apart from the occasional car driving along the little tree lined road several hundred metres to my left. I was singing and whistling to myself and really flying along without a care in the world. After several kilometres my path joined this road near to the ruins of the ancient Convent of San Anton where I stopped for another short break.

The road now led me to my destination for the day, the small town of Castrojerez which I could see in the distance dominated by a small ruined castle on the hill behind the town. There was a long straight road leading to the town with very little shade and the sun was now beating down on this hot afternoon.

When I was about a kilometre from the town I noticed two elderly ladies standing at the side of the road. They were both wearing their Sunday best dresses. As I approached them they stopped me and one of them took hold of my hand. Opening my palm, she placed some sweets into it and they both blessed me and wished me a "Buen Camino". I thanked them and walked on, although I'm not a particularly emotional person I did feel myself welling up and I had a warm feeling inside. I had just met two more 'Camino Angels'.

Several months later, after returning home I was reading a blog from an American Pilgrim who was posting daily reports as he walked the Camino with his wife. One of his posts was about something that they experienced as they approached Castrojerez, they too were approached by two elderly ladies who gave them sweets and blessed them. These Camino Angels obviously make a regular habit of helping Peregrinos, and this is just one example of the Spanish People showing kindness to strangers. God Bless them!