Cilantro | Caminoist

: Our emerging camino family. From left: Bea, Andreas, Catia, Sebastian, Alexandre, author

: Vast, bleak stretches of more Roman road.

: The family outside Sahagun albergue. From left: Andreas, Catia, Sebastian, Bea, author

After breakfast walked in wet boots with Andreas, Catia, Bea, Alexandre (Brazil), to Sahagun. Many long conversations with Be a and Catia, learning about their lives. Catia has finished university and is waiting to start her student teaching. Be a is a sole dental assistant in a 2 dentist practice. Arrived Sahagun and left Andreas, Bea and Catia at the Cluny albergue. Walked on after cervesas with Sebastian to Calzada de Coto, then the extra kilometers along a deserted Roman road (alternative road) to Calzadilla de los Hermanillos. Stopped to enjoy some Cilantro with Sebastian at a rest area just shy of town. Saw Martin in town.

Dinner with a large group, including: Americans (Paulette and me), German (Sebastian), Russian, Sweed, English (Martin), New Zealand (Mervyn and Sheryl) Slept in cubicles of 4 with Sebastian and two French women.

: Ventosa in the distance

: Sebastian, the “small fireman”

: Looking up to dome at church in Najera.

Agreed with Sebastian to meet at 07:30 to walk to Azofra. We talked and walked all day and had a super time. Sebastian described a difficult situation and how he would let this go at Cruce de Ferro.

We met two Spanish men whistling Opera (Carmen) and sang and danced with them. At Ventosa we had coffee with Joanne and Joy of Vancouver. Sadie of Canada was just leaving and she told me I was known as “Rocky’s brother” among pilgrims. This struck me as very odd — it was never that way growing up.

Off to Najera where we met the tall German kid having coffee with Cloud and her Essex boyfriend. Cloud bought me a beer. Very nice! Sebastian and I bought a liquor called “Cilantro” after seeing 4-5 men in the table next to us drinking this yellow, oil liquid from a large, plastic bottle. They shared some with us and we asked if we could buy a bottle. Soon one of them had sent off and had 2 bottles at 17E each to sell us. Very heavy glass in our backpacks.

We happily skipped along to Azofra, meeting Nikki and her German friend along the way. Sat in the courtyard of the very nice albergue (2 person rooms) and sipped on my bottle of the cilantro with Rocky, Joanne, Kat, and many others. Had was done by the hospitalera and then headed to dinner, which was loud and fun and in the street with Sebastian, Rocky, Joanne, Kat, Debbie of Ottawa, and me. Roomed with Sebastian and had a good night’s sleep.