Day 12—-the Meseta. We had heard about this region of Spain…barren, dry, no shade, no water fonts, no wind, nothing to ease the sun and heat. Everyone we had talked to and everything we had read were 100% correct. Yesterday was a tough, long 19 mile day that made us reach deep down to keep going. Being the former Girl Scouts that we are, we were well prepared. All of us had extra water (bummer because of the weight, but grateful we had it) and salty peanuts. We kept saying over and over again a quote Conor (Loretta’s son) sent her, “What the mind can conceive, the body will achieve.” Thank you Conor💗 The only pleasing aspect of the Meseta was that the fields were green and not brown.

We stopped for the night in the ancient village of Hontanas and were beyond happy to have a room to ourselves! Because of another hot day on Thursday we started out at 6:00am. The morning was clear and it was nice walking when the sun wasn’t quite up yet.


We walked through the arches of Monasterio San Anton built in 1146. There are two cabinets placed into the arches that at one time were used for the pilgrims. Nuns would place food and water in them for the pilgrims arriving at odd hours on their journey to Santiago.


Thankfully today was not as hot as yesterday, but still quite warm. On the long stretches of barren road we would see a cloud overhead and wish it would come our way to give us a little relief from the sun. Or whisper thanks when there was a slight breeze.



After another 18 mile day we arrived in the town of Boadilla del Camino (population 200). Our choices for a bed were a hotel or barn…we didn’t have to think about that one. We are now clean, using hotel towels, washing our hair with actual shampoo and sleeping in a bed!!! Linda has her iPad, so we might watch something on Netflix-Yahoo! Life is good!!