Carrión de los Condes

The sky was dark and the weather threatening rain as I left the hostel this morning. So after walking a mere block, I stopped and repacked my backpack with my rain gear on top. Within half an hour I stopped and got the rain gear out of the pack, carrying the rain jacket just in case, as already some very light sprinkles were falling. Happily I never had to put it on. I did stop an hour later and get out my ear covers as it was very windy.
The path today took us on the pilgrim's 'senda' all day. Senda must translate something like walking path. It is a gravel path that runs along side of the highway for walking. It is a little more noisy as you do have cars going by sometime, but not often as it's not a superhighway. On the other hand it's flat and straight. Some people complain that it's boring, but I complain when they send us off on a longer route that's climbing up and down hills, when there's a straight level road going the same place I want to get to. So I guess you can't please everyone.
I got an early start and was on my way before 7, arriving here in Carrión de los Condes by 12:30 having come 12 miles. There was one stop on the way at Villalcázar de Sirga where there's a 13th century Templar church, that is one built by the Knights Templar to serve pilgrims on the way to Santiago. So it's always been an important stop on the Camino. Beautiful altarpiece with St James and dedicated to Mary the White Virgin.
I got to Carrión de los Condes and found a bed at a hostel run by the St Claire sisters of adoration. Entering the adoration chapel there was the largest monstrance I ever saw. It must of been 8 feet tall with the rays around the host at least 3 feet diameter, mostly glittery silver with gold, spotlighted against the 17th century altarpiece, it was quite impressive. Sadly only one sister praying in an otherwise empty chapel.
St Francis was supposed to have stayed here (I think I have his bed) on his way to Santiago in the 13th century, so this has been around also for some time.
The parish church was open and it too has a nice altarpiece - another nice medieval church.
They had a classical guitar concert there tonight, so I caught that, and then there was Mass. Father kindly let me concelebrate this Pentecost vigil, so that was a grace for me, but a help for him just distributing Communion, (I managed that in Spanish! )as the church was full. And after Mass they had a blessing for pilgrims, and almost everyone came forward. That was great to see.
God bless us everyone!