Our third day on the meseta and so far we are not finding it intimidating but quite interesting.

A few disgruntled pilgrims this morning. Breakfast wasn’t until 7.45 and there was a queue at the door waiting. Pilgrims like their breakfast at 7.00am or earlier if possible. When the days are hot they like to get started as early as possible. Breakfast was coffee, juice, yoghurt, toast and jam.

Castrojeriz was a fortified village on the side of an impregnable island hill in the middle of a wide fertile valley. Outside the town was ia path up to the plateau, just over 1km long and 12% grade. Enough to get a bit of a sweat up. On the hill we met our friend Trish from Nebraska. I asked her how many hills Nebraska had like this. Answer: none. Trish is on her own and this is her first time in Europe. At first we thought, wow what an introduction to Europe. But on reflection maybe it is good. Very safe for women on their own and plenty of company if you want it. Also you can get by with very little knowledge of Spanish.

At the top of the climb was a guy with a table of fruit, coffee, bars, Cola etc. We bought bananas and it was donativo. It’s funny how when the price is a donation you always pay way too much. You always get rid of your coins. To lighten the load of course. After going across the plateau for a while there was a steep descent, 18% for 350 metres down into another fertile valley. The path was straight down, wide and concrete. Many people zigzagged across the path which was a bit hair raising when the cyclists came screaming down at top speed.

After two and a half hours we were flagging a bit. That breakfast just didn’t have enough oomph and we were desperate for the next village. It duly arrived and the approach was about 1km along a river and under the shade of some very welcome trees. The first cafe in a  village always gets the most business from desperate pilgrims. The further into the village the less business. Approaching Itero de la Vega a lady was out standing in the sun touting for business for her cafe which was in the middle of town. We thought she deserved a chance so went there, as did many others.

There were now two and half hours of crossing a flat region with no shade. It is an extensive agricultural area with wheat, vegetables and wine. There are many streams and canals the irrigate the rich soil. For the first time on the Camino we got out our ipods and wired ourselves for sound. While getting things set up Bryony and Roger came by, kiwis from Lower Hutt who we first met in the Human Evolution Museum a few days ago. They were intrigued we had ipods and we kidded them the playlist was hymns, psalms and Gregorian chants but we did confess it was really Meat Loaf, Janis Joplin, Pink Floyd etc. The music did the trick and the time passed very quickly. The only problem is that with the music going you tend to speed up. It is really hard to walk slowly to a fast beat. Only when you are all alone are you permitted to sing out loud.

For the last hour we walked along the Canal de Castilla, an 18th century canal used for irrigation but also for transporting cultivated crops and power to turn the corn mills. The canal was tree lined which was welcome relief.

We are in Fromista which has a population of 840 and declining. It is best known for the beautiful Iglesia de San Martin (consecrated in 1066) which is said to be the best example of pure Romanesque in Spain. It has been de-consecrated, painstakingly restored and made a national monument. It is now a must-see site and is visited by endless bus loads of tourists. It does have exquisite proportions but somehow it has been restored too well. It is too clean, too straight, no stork nests, a bit lacking in charm and character.

It could have been an insufferably hot day today but our good fortune continues and we had passing cloud and a wonderful cooling wind that caressed us all day. But then on the Camino nothing is just good fortune, everything has been preordained.

Ipod theme song f of the day: Wired for Sound by Cliff Richard

I’ve liked small speakers -I’ve liked tall speakers
If they’ve music, they’re wired for sound.