So it is time for catch up and people. Yesterday I walked from Hornillos to Castrojeríz. On the way I stopped in Hontanas for café con leche and a tortilla. All the tables were taken, so I asked a young woman, who was busy on her phone, if I could sit at the empty seat at her table. She nodded ok, and went back to her phone. I glanced at her and realized she looked like she was still dressed from a party the night before. She had on a silk one piece with lace across the breasts and almost invisible thin straps. We used to wear these things for sexy bedtime stories, but I can't remember what they are called. Maybe that is sad. lol Anyway, she had several piercings and full make up and her hair looked splendid, casually piled on her head. So, imagine my surprise when she got up and I noticed she had 3/4 hiking boots on. She proceeded to put on her pack. I ran into her later when I was in the Municipal Albergue in Castrojeríz. She was Italian. Remember when I was on the Portuguese and spent the night with the four Italian women. I mentioned how the Italians manage to look stylish with no effort. This gal was hiking the Camino, and except for the boots, looked like she stepped out of a fashion magazine. I was impressed.
Last year Leea and I stayed in the Albergue Ultreira in Castrojeríz, which was a nice place and a lot of fun. It included a lesson in wine pressing, a visit to a bodega under the Albergue and a history lesson about the tunnel from the bodega to the castle. 
As you can see the castle was high up on the hill, which was a great defensive position. The town was essentially where it is now. So the tunnel allowed passage between the town and the castle.
But this year, I decided to revisit the Municipal Albergue, where I stayed on my first Camino. It is nice place and it seems to bring pilgrims together with no effort at all. I think it's the size of the kitchen and eating area which helps. It's very small almost forcing pilgrims to interact. The sleeping area, on the other hand is very large
I met a large burly Italian man with a big beard. He was on his way to Ermita San Nicolás to be a hospitalero for a week. His name was Dominic. He had noticed the "muñeca" on my necklace. Muñeca means doll in Spanish. This little metal muñeca is given out by the Spanish Confraternity to people who have served as hospitaleros. It is precious to me.
Because it is precious and because sometimes I mix up my Spanish words, I created an embarrassing situation. I had dropped the muñeca while trying to put it back on the chain. It hit my foot and skidded across the floor. I looked all over, but couldn't find it. I figured it had skidded under one of the backpacks sitting on the floor. So I was trying to ask the hospitalero if someone found it and turns it in, would he tell me. But instead of using the verb encontrar meaning to find, I used the verb esconder meaning to hide. So essentially I was saying that I thought someone was hiding it. Whoops! Fortunately a Spanish woman who speaks both Spanish and English and realized my mistake, jumped in and explained for me. It was a little embarrassing. But that was how Dominic noticed me and knew I had been a hospitalera. And luckily I found the muñeca a few minutes later.
The gal in the bunk above me was German and spoke English so we visited a bit. There was also a Japanese young man who I talked with over snacks at the table. I met a young Spanish woman, Ana, at breakfast who had walked the Camino 10 years ago when she was 18. She says she doesn't remember any of it, but is enjoying it this time. After Castrojeríz there is a large steep hill. She was freaked out about it. I told her it is steep, but not too long. I also said, if I can do it, you will have no trouble. She and the German woman thought I was very fit. It's funny, but I don't think of myself as fit.
Anyway here is a picture of Ana after she climbed the hill
She was actually in the process of raising her hands in joy and triumph, but I hit the button too soon. Here is a picture of me, after the hill
On the way up the hill there is this memorial to a pilgrim who died, presumably climbing the hill. lol I think that might give pause to a few pilgrims. 
The Meseta is so beautiful it sometimes makes me want to cry. Here are just a few pictures from today
Some pilgrims say this Meseta is boring and suggest that people skip it. I do not understand how it is boring.
So I was walking, getting closer to Boadilla, when I noticed this man and his grandson. We had been passing each other back and forth for the last couple of days. I noticed they were going very slow and the boy was limping. I gave them some information about Boadilla and the Albergue with a pool. The man thanked me and I moved on. Then I thought maybe I could carry the boy's pack to make it easier. I dropped my pack and went back and asked if I could carry the pack. The man said no that wasn't necessary.
So when I got to the Albergue I asked if Eduardo could save two beds for them. He and his mom said, Of course." So, after I dropped my stuff off I went back to check on them. The man said they were going to return home. The boy had sprained his ankle and wasn't going to be able to walk. They came to the Albergue and Eduardo helped them get information about trains and called them a taxi to take them to catch a train. He is so nice. It was sad to see them leave. It brought back memories from last year. We didn't go home though. We went on to other fun adventures.
As they were getting into the cab, I gave the boy one of my knotted things for his mochilla. His face lit up, he smiled and said, "gracias." It was the first time I'd seen him smile today.
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