Fwd:

Day 21 Terradillos de los Templarios to Calzada del Coto

Today we walked through a couple of beautiful villages.  One even had a hobbit hillside.  It looked like a whole neighbourhood with several chemneys and TV antennas sticking out of the rolling sod roof.  Then we were in Sahagún where we had planned to stay but decided to move on.  Tonight finds us in a village called Calzada del Coto.  It is cold in the Albergue so we head for the bar.  We met a local man by the name of Vidal who tells us about his "hobby" and we think he says he grows mushrooms.  Bernard and he had a great time trying to make each other understood.  Later we were sitting in the sun and he came over with a book about wild mushrooms.  He explains to us and two other Spanish pilgrims that he gathers wild mushrooms.  Then he came back with a basket of mushrooms he had gathered that morning.  He insists we all follow him to his house where he seats us in the dining room, puts on some Spanish music and pours us all a glass of wine.  He disappears into the kitchen and returns 10 minutes later with a frying pan of onions, mushrooms and chorizo with egg and a hunk of bread which he proceeds to slice.  He gives us each a piece and a fork and urges us to help ourselves to the mushrooms.  It is delicious!  The Spaniards are totally comfortable with the whole situation.  Once we are done he brings out another bottle of wine and half a Wheel of cheese.  He also shows us pictures of some of the different mushrooms he has gathered.  I think it is more than just a hobby for him.  You would have loved these mushrooms, George!  Buen Camino!