4 days on Mesata

Left Burgos on Tuesday and it is now Friday. Life on the Mesata is different, very little internet access but it is amazing. Walking the Mesata is a bit like driving the prairies in Canada although I have been surprised by how lush the vegetation is. We have walked along streams with all the noises that brings: frogs, birds and other pilgrim effects and long, long stretches of straight trails surrounded by grain fields. There has been shade in places but there have been long stretches of hot, hot sun. In Burgos the group decided to break into 2 for the Mesata and we will all meet again tomorrow night in Leon. Jenny, Charlotte and I have done some incredibly long days. On Tuesday we walked 32km and spent the night in Hontanas, a very small vilage very dependent on the Camino. Accomodation was adequate but the food was excellent. The whole dorm was quiet by about 9pm we were all exhausted. Wed. was another 30km day. We stopped at the newly renovated church of St. Anton, notorious for curing pilrim allergies to the rye bread of north Europe. The cure was feed them wheat and make them walk - a miracle. On to Boadillo where we stayed in a private hostel with lovely shaded grounds. The church was undergoing renovations. First it was amazing to find the church open, many are closed during the week but is was more strange to see wheelbarrows full of concrete being pushed in, the whole altar area was being retiled. Again the food was excellent served in the Auberge. Thursday we continued to Carrion de los Condes - 26km. After the rain and the cool weather earlier in the trip we are now experiencing the heat. Getting up before 6am and trying to get ahead of the intense sun is good but exhausting. We have tried to make our destination by no later than 3pm. Some days I have foudn the heat brutal by 2or 3 in the afternoon. Today for some reason it was better. After we left Carrion this morning at 6am there was no where to buy food so we stocked up last night. However we did encounter some enterprising Spaniards who brought coffee to the pilgrims in the middle of nowhere. Truly a gift of the Camino. Last night in Carrion we went to a pilgrim mass which was amazing. The priest interpreted the key points of the service into English which in itself was a gift. At the end all the pilgrims came forwarded and he laid hands on each of us and blessed us. This ws the first service that I have really connected with. He made us all welcome and encouraged all to participate in the Mass. Time is running out so that´s it for today. Blessings to all. Daphne