Stages 16 Castrojeriz-Carrion de Los Condes& 17 Carrion to Ledigos

9/18 Sunday- 9/19 Monday - i am having technical difficulties. hard to post pictures. paragraphs won't hold. i am tired. some of this is just my notes. Lo siento

Breakfast with Carmen. Then Michelle Lea and I walked toward carrion. Easy straight walk. Partway we stopped at in Albergue in a small village. We had a second breakfast of chocolate croissants and coffee. They had geese, donkeys and sheep, art and teepees. Carrion. Food/lunch/shopping; drinks w terry Ohio rob bc and Juan Maria Dinner w extras who just showed up and wouldn’t shut up when I just wanted to eat w Juan and Maria. Great food and wine. Lamb sweet breads. Tuna belly. Juan and Maria roasted lamb Hotel used to be a monastery 6 am start today w Lea and Michele. Picnic lunch instead of breakfast. 14 miles to ledigo today. Very nice Albergue La morena. Clean modern bunks. Hot water. Excellent food and smoothies. Lots of familiar faces. Lea and I booked rooms for the next two towns. 2 nights in Leon already booked after that. Michele and I continued our deep conversations on the walk today. Justin, Lea and I are here among lots of familiar faces from BC, Newfoundland, the Big Island, Buffalo NY, etc. Michele and TDFSF are in the next town. The Camino is a wonderful safe community. You feel safe physically, emotionally and financially. You are surrounded by the natural beauty of Spain. A very clean country with friendly people. The Camino provides. I always thought you had to do the whole Camino-500 miles. You don’t. Many people just come for a week or so. You still get the Camino environment and experience- but in a limited way. If that is all the time you have, it is worth it. Don’t come as a group. I truly believe the Camino is best traveled solo, allowing you to be open and free. The Camino community is so welcoming that you will have a difficult time being alone or lonely. I am an outgoing person by nature. I am meeting new people every day. I like having friends and being liked. That is happening here for me hourly and daily. I can’t remember being this happy. Maybe back in my college days at Cal. I fantasize about doing the Camino Portuguese after I finish this one-even before going home. A lot of people are doing that. You never know. Love, the bear