Last update 30 May 1996
	7 May 1996	Población de Campos: Sunday morning in Burgos I first went to town for coffee and a roll at the Plaza Mayor, then I climbed up to the castle. You have a fantastic view of the city from there. Then I walked the 9 km to Tardajos and got the key of the refugio there. Had a nice shower and when I came back from lunch found that four Spanish racing cyclists with their coach had arrived. They shared one room, I had the other. The next morning on my way to Castrojeriz. It was going to be a bad day, rain on a clay path, your shoes become heavier all the time, you slip, very exhausting. Well, I arrived in Castrojeriz at the refugio and surprise, a Dutch couple was running it during the month of May. Very nice people. After five the place was slowly filling up, amongst others a Dutch guy, who turned out to be a Jesuit. We had a real nice discussion, about whether Bernard de Clairvaux in his time was just as bad as Khomeini of Iran. The manager joined us, and we spent the rest of the evening talking, until his wife asked us to be a little quieter. It was a lot of fun. Everybody went to Fromista the next day, I was there already at 1.40 p.m., visited the church, had a drink and went on to Población de Campos. There I met two British teachers, 65 years old, nice guys, we had some soup together and we'll have a drink later. Today was a day, when the kilometers were short. I know now, that enough to eat and a good breakfast is very important for me. Tomorrow I'll post this letter and the film in Carrión de los Condes
	9 May 1996	El Burgo Ranero: From Población the camino runs alongside the road, they made it especially. Quite a luxury, as you can see on the picture I made from the British. Carrión de los Condes was the first real town after a rather straightforward stage, nice place with a magnificent church Santa María del Camino. After a bite to eat on to Calzadilla de la Cueza, a long stretch on a real nice path, very rocky, which makes you appreciate your walking shoes even more. You couldn't see the village until the last few 100 m, then you went down and there it was. Entered the village passing by the refugio, I really should have passed by, this was a bad one. In the fonda I found the two teachers, really exhausted, but very proud they did the 33 km stretch. They greeted me like we had know each other for years, really nice. In the evening there was a discussion about the distance to El Burgo the Ranero, was it 37 km (which can be done) or 43, which is too much. I did it and it turned out to be 40 km, a bit too much but I'm here. Passed through Sahagun, with some very nice things, and then the long road on the meseta again, long and flat. Now I am writing here in this excellent refugio, going to eat something and then hit the sack
	11 May 1996	Villadangos del Páramo, about 20 km past Leon: I had a reasonable dinner at the restaurant together with a Swiss, he speaks German to me and I English to him. According to the information of the Dutch Society of St Jacob the refugio in El Burgo Ranero was one of the best, that is correct, but I had the worst night so far on the Camino. We were four in the part were I slept, an older Dutch couple, a Spaniard and me. Well, the Dutchman succeeded in keeping just about everybody awake with his snoring. He must suffer from apnoea, it was this very loud snoring, then complete silence, gasping for breath and snoring again. And so on for the rest of the night. In the morning the wife wished me a good journey and see you back in Holland at the reunion, all the others were talking about the nightly noises. Anyway, that morning to Mansilla de las Mulas, nice little place with its walls, then on to León. Coming into a large town is always very tiring and for me at least, depressing. I always ask myself, where is all that beauty, I know it's there, but how to find it in the easiest way? Went to Hospedaje Suares about 100 m from the cathedral, which I visited that night in the rain. Very beautiful and impressive, as some other churches I looked at. In the morning I went again to the basilica San Isidor, and then on to this place, Villadangos del Páramo. If you don't take the road N120, you are walking through the mud, really a bad stretch. It is crowded here with Dutch people, had lunch with another Herman, and just now two more walk in. Tomorrow I plan to go to Astorga, also a rather big place with lots to see.
	12 May 1996	Astorga 7.30 p.m.: This afternoon I arrived here in Astorga after a rather uneventful walk. Only the last part started to go up and down a little and in the distance I could see the mountains with white tops, so that's something to look forward to tomorrow and the day after. Tomorrow a short stage of about 20 km to Rabanal del Camino, then going up till 1495 m, so that could be fun. But the difference in height is not to big, so we'll see. Back to yesterday evening. For the second time we had dinner with the whole group, a total of eight. It was fun, all together at a big table, a lot of talking of course. Someone asked the girl who served us to make a picture of the group, then everybody got out his camera, and wanted a picture taken (I am the one that is nót looking in the lens). I am amazed at myself about how much I can eat without feeling stuffed, feels rather good actually. Made some pictures of the cathedral de Santa María and the Episcopal Palace by Gaudí
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