Leaving Calzadilla

I'm now on the Camino del Norte but I have to go back a few days to wrap up our time in Calzadilla.  The two weeks went very fast.  We counted 192 pilgrims from 30 countries.  There were many stories, three camino romances, blisters - both minor and serious and many very happy appreciative pilgrims.  Like most first time pilgrims, they were doing something that they didn't quite understand but they were giving it their all.  Here a few last photos of Calzadilla.

A last communal meal.

Meet Eutimeo.  He is the grocer in Calzadilla.  He supplies villagers and pilgrims with cheese, chorrizo, beer, bread and almost everything necessary to survive.  He is about five feet tall and is always smiling.  His tienda reminds me of a old American general store.

Gemma and Leo run the bed and breakfast in Calzadilla which in Spain is called a Casa Rural.  Gemma was born and raised in the village and ran the B&B with her mother.  Leo is Cuban and met Gemma when he walked the Camino.  He came back to Spain and stayed and now they run the business together.  He is a terrific chef.

This helps keep the alburgue clean.  The last few days at the alburgue were very busy.  We could see the camino traffic slowly increase.  We were full two nights in the last week and our replacement finally arrived.