Day 18 Fromista to Carrion de los Condes

26/10/2023 Thursday

18.9 kms

Accommodation - Hotel Real Monasterio De San Zoilo

Chose an alternative route rather than taking the track next to the road.

The first half was easy walking. Listening to Audio book. Feeling top of the world. Then, rain.... Extremely heavy rain. And windy. And cold. Track getting muddier and muddier.

When I arrived at Villarmentero de Campos, I decided to revert back to the track next to the road. A young girl walked past and helped me to put the rain cover on. A pilgrim walked past with his dog. The dog looked happy and wanted to linger. The guy told the dog to keep moving. I could not get my mobile out to take photo as the weather was wild.

After 4 kms of difficult walking in extreme weather, I finally arrived at Villalcázar de Sirga. A welcoming sight of a bar. By then, I was miserable, soaking wet from top to bottom. Chorizo, grilled vegetables and a cup of hot tea were ordered and I felt better.

The two lovely local ladies in the Bar felt sorry for me and comforted me. The bar owner tried to cheer me up. La vita è bella.

The night was spent at the Hotel Real Monasterio De San Zoilo. It is set in a former monastery.

Beautifully building and large room.

"Built on an old Roman settlement, this old convent and was once the court of the Kings of Castille and León during the middle ages and was rebuilt in the 16th century to include a Gothic Cloister.

" In fact, the ample enclosure still conserves the building corresponding to the old monastery itself, a declared National Historical Monument. Its orchard turned garden is also an open invitation to take long strolls."

The Jesuits established a secondary school at the Monastery in the mid19th century. This was the first secondary school in Spain.

 "The highlight of the monastic complex is the current cloister, designed by Juan de Badajoz in 1537 and finished in 1604 with the participation of important artists who raised its walls and carved the profuse ornamentation, composed by characters from both the Old – Prophets, patriarchs, judges, priests, heroines, and the New Testament – apostles, evangelists, church fathers and civil characters – kings, queens, emperors and empresses- or religious – pontiffs, cardinals, doctors, monks and saints. The lower cloister has two different heights and is built with five arches between thick prismatic buttresses, while the top one opens up with half point arches. The cloister is connected to the church through an arched entrance between vertical columns. The temple, from the seventeenth century, is one nave only covered by barrel vaults and a dome over the transept. It has choir at the feet, with seatings and baroque organ. The doorway is attributed to Felipe Berrojo and has two parts with images of saints. The monastery also has other more modest, neoclassical patio."

Dinner at the hotel's Michelin star restaurant.