Stuck inside of Sahagun with the Santiago blues again...

Just kidding. Actually I lucked into being in Sahagun the very best weekend of the year. Festival weekend. Two nights ago there was the running of the bulls with all its mania, last night there was the bullfight and parade, today there's a street market, and tonight there's yet another running of the bulls! And I'm luxuriating in a 4-star hotel for well under 50 bucks a night including a lavish breakfast. And I've had some good interactions and meals with some fellow travelers. How can I possibly complain? In fact I could easily get used to this. Getting back on the path ain't gonna be easy!

I didn't go to the bullfight last night. I decided I just didn't want to see the gore. But what a scene in the streets. I didn't quite understand it. The fight was scheduled for 7:30 so I went to the area of the arena about 6:15 to check out the preliminaries. There was a crowd of several hundred folks, many of them members of various brass bands, warming up. Then around 7 or so the parade started, but the parade went away from the arena, rather than towards it. The music was wild with multiple bands playing different tunes at the same time, people of all ages were dancing in the streets, alcohol was greasing the wheels, and even I, non-dancer that I am, was moving. I joined the parade, which wound its way through the streets to the central square about 1.5 km from the arena, arriving just around the time the fight was starting. I didn't get the logistics, but it sure was a spectacle!

Then I had one of the best dinners of the trip so far, a break from the standard pilgrims' menu. Salad, sirloin tips topped with grilled goat cheese, thinly sliced fried potatoes and peppers, good bread, a ton of wine, and a to-die-for apple torte for dessert. Omg.

Just returned from the street fair, which was mostly a flea-market-like affair with some music, mostly just an excuse for the town to be outdoors together. And I'll be heading out there for the second running of the bulls in a few hours.

I've been walking about 3 miles a day around town the last 3 days, trying not to over-do it, but also not wanting to sit still all day. My feet seem to be on the mend but they're still somewhat worse for wear. I think I'm going to start back up tomorrow, easing in. I'll probably walk just 6 or 7 miles tomorrow to the next town with an albergue, and then hopefully 12 the next day, feet willing. At first I was sort of dreading the idea of being stuck here, but it's been a great stay here in Sahagun, and I'm going to be sorry to leave. Funny how that can happen.