Stage 15 - Hornillos del Camino to Castrojeriz

Where We Are Tonight:    Castrojeriz                Miles Hiked Today: 12.6 (20,3 km)

Miles Hiked Overall:  204.0 (328,3 km)             Miles to Santiago:  281.0 (452,2 km)

Steps Taken Today:   37,978        

Blister Count: K's are healing but where the bandage goes around her big toe, now a new blister has formed...Pam now has 4 blisters.   We both have these issues only on our left feet!

Spanish Word of the Day: trigo (wheat)

What We Learned Today: Sometimes walking up a steep rocky side trail in the hopes of getting a better view isn't worth it.

Today was another day spent hiking through the meseta, the open high plains.  There are some ups and downs, but mostly it is fairly consistent elevation, 800-900 m (2600-3000 ft) .

May is a good month to be doing this Camino because the meseta is still green.  The fields are beautiful.   It's amazing how many different shades of green there are!

The fields are full of big rocks and here they pile them up on the edge of the fields or make awesome stone fences with them.

We have seen many wind turbines on our travels.

If you look closely at this church you will see that there is a big nest on one corner.   (There was actually a nest on each corner.) These are stork nests.  It is so cool to see them flying around.

Speaking of birds, out in the meseta there are very few sounds.   We haven't walked by roads much and between villages (usually 10K apart) there is nothing but fields.   The one sound you do hear, constantly, is of many small chirping, singing birds.  It's a lively and lovely sound.   It's hard to spot them and so far I've only gotten one photo.   At the beginning of the Camino,  we saw many big birds (we sometimes laughed that they were swarming vultures) that were something like falcons or other birds of prey.  These big birds were fascinating to watch in the big gusts of wind. 

We walked by ruins of a convent from the 15th century.  It is still an amazing structure, mostly intact, but now the road runs through it.

We ended our day in the village of Castrojeriz.  This cute village has ruins of a castle from the 9th century.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

―Henry Stanley Haskins

Stage 14 - Burgos to Hornillos del Camino

Where We Are Tonight:  Hornillos del Camino               Miles Hiked Today: 12.4 (20.0 km)

Miles Hiked Overall:  191.4 (308.0 km)                         Miles to Santiago: 293.6 (472.5 km)

Steps Taken Today: 36,986          

Blister Count: K's are all healing and Pam's are being held at bay

Spanish Word of the Day:paella (a Spanish dish prepared by simmering together chicken, seafood, rice, vegetables, and saffron and other seasonings - yummy!)

What We Learned Today: Why even look at the weather report?

Today we left Burgos early to hopefully beat the heat of the meseta.   So we slathered ourselves with sunscreen and set out.   And then it poured down rain!  And then after that episode, it started to blow.   The wind was kinda deja vu from our first day.  It was so cold that today was the first day that I wore my down jacket all day.  So much for the hot and dry meseta.

The landscape is really changing.   No more grapes growing...only wheat for miles and miles on the better soil and barley and oats on the poorer soil.

It's quite different to walk on relatively flat land as opposed to hilly or mountainous land.  Villages are deceptively far away...you can see it in the distance but it takes forever to get there.

In Hornillos, we are in a nice albergue.   At the communal dinner,  we had a very delicious paella.  Pam is in the photo to give perspective to the size of the paella pan.

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It has been so awesome to walk the Camino and to see peregrinos we've met over our time here.  We're still seeing some people from our first days but also constantly meeting new people.   Tonight our dinner table was loud with maybe 5 or 6 different languages.  This is perhaps the best part of the Camino.   The world is a small place and regardless of your country of origin, we're all the same in so many ways.  Maybe if the leaders of the world walked the Camino the state of world relations would improve. 

Today we met a couple of other Americans, one from South Dakota and one from Whidby Island in Washington State.

“Go as far as you can see; when you get there you’ll be able to see farther”

―Thomas Carlyle

Day 14 - "And on the 14th day they rested!"

Where We Are Tonight:  Burgos again!                    Miles Hiked Today:  just a few around town

Steps Taken Today:  8,127                  

Blister Count: K's almost all healed (knock on wood), P holding steady

Spanish Word of the Day: descanso (rest)

What We Learned Today:  Even a pilgrim needs to take a break.

After coming into town half-dead last night, we decided to look at our schedule and reevaluate.   We know how many days we can spend on the Camino (giving us ample time to recuperate in Italy afterwards before we fly home!) and we have a rough idea of how long we can walk each day.   So we made out a tentative schedule and found out that we have a couple days of wiggle room.  So that means A DAY OFF!!  

We are so tired and a day off is so needed.   We had an awesome day: sleeping in, taking yet another shower,  getting our clothes washed by a real laundry service,  walking around playing tourist, and eating in quaint restaurants.

Burgos is a wonderful city full of life and energy.   Their main cathedral is spectacular;  it rivals other Gothic structures like Notre Dame in size and splendor.

We walked through main plazas, tree-lined parks and many shops bustling with life.  This is a place in which, like all we've gone through so far, I need to spend more time.   The town is also home to the famous El Cid, a local war hero and strategist.   It was an awesome day off!

"Anything worth doing is worth doing slowly"

―Mae West

Stage 13 - Ages to Burgos

Where We Are Tonight:  Burgos                      Miles Hiked Today:  14.9 (23.9 km)

Miles Hiked Overall:  179.0 (288.0 km)            Miles to Santiago:  306.0 (492.5 km)

Steps Taken Today:  41,536        

Blister Count:  K's are all healing as are Pam's...but Pam has one more

Spanish Word of the Day:  asfalto (asphalt)

What We Learned Today: Walking across hot asphalt for hours is soul draining.

Early this morning we passed the half million step mark in our journey.  That is 500,000 steps!  Or, just imagine marching and saying "left-right-left right..."  and repeating that two word sequence 250,000 times.  That probably explains the blisters and sore feet.   Only about another million steps to go before we get to Santiago.  That's depressing.  Enough said about steps.

Today we climbed one more rocky hill and now we're basically in the meseta - a drier, flatter plain that doesn't have much cover at all to hide from the sun.

We're already feeling the crazy heat and so are now thinking that a daily ice cream is not out of the question.

We didn't fully understand the severity of the sun until midday when we came to the outskirts of Burgos.  There were supposed to be signs leading us to a non-traditional Camino route into town (since the Camino route takes you through the industrial area into town and is far from beautiful or interesting or peaceful).  As with the last time we came to a city, the usually very-helpful Camino signs and arrows disappear in all of the other road signs and distractions and it.becomes very hard to know where to go.  So, we missed the turnoff and bumbled our way into town via lots of hot asphalt. It was hours of soul-draining walking.

Here I am at a resting spot near Burgos...so exhausted.

Today we met pilgrims from Mexico and San Diego.  So far we we have met people from 4 other states (California, New Mexico, Washington, & Tennessee) and 28 countries (Germany, the Netherlands,  Ireland, USA,  Spain, France, Italy, Scotland, Sweden, Brazil, Australia,  Korea, Canada, Greece, Palestine, Guadalupe, Great Britain, Venezuela, Belgium, Singapore, Romania, Ukraine, Hungary, Colombia, Bulgaria, South Africa, Japan & Mexico).

"It always seems impossible until it's done."

― Nelson Mandela

Stage 12 - Belorado to Ages

Where We Are Tonight:  Ages                      Miles Hiked Today: 17.2 (27.7 km)

Miles Hiked Overall: 164.1 (264.1 km)          Miles to Santiago: 320.9  (516.4 km)

Steps Taken Today:  50,037                         Blister Count: K's are all healing as are Pam's

Spanish Word of the Day: mosca (fly)

What We Learned Today: If a bottom bunk is available,  grab it before someone else does!

We started off today extra early...for us,  anyway.  If we get on the road by 730, we celebrate.  Other people leave by 5; that's just insane if you ask me.  We left early because the two obvious places to stay tonight after a decent day of walking did not accept reservations and are pretty small...so we are competing with everyone else for a bed.

We continued 3.7 km past San Juan to Ages

Here is Pam drying her clothes on her backpack as we walk.

This type of Camino is what is killing my feet!  Loose and sharp rocks on the path. ..enough already!

Today was pretty mountainous...beautiful scenery.  These are the last mountains or hills we will see for awhile; the higher elevation and the slight breeze made walking perfect today.  The landscape and vegetation are changing.   For a long time today we walked through a forest of pine trees and it smelled SO GOOD!

Both of us love to look at all of the wild flowers that grow along the Camino.  We've taken photos of all of them, I think.  My favorite are the poppies and Pam's is the wild thyme.  It's funny to see all that grows wild here that we'd pay good money for at Home Depot.  We've decided that Spain has the most amazing variety and colors of weeds of anywhere.

It has also been very buggy today...the sky is literally filled with flying insects.   They can't be mosquitoes or I'd be eaten to death by now but that's what they look like.  They don't appear to want to bite...just annoy.  The word of the day is fly because we are noticing them more and more in restaurants and communal places.

This is a photo of me at a memorial remembering 300 people who were killed in 1936 during Spain's civil war when Franco was in charge.  Due to the horrible conditions of the rest of Europe at the time, Spain's horrendous situation has been somewhat overlooked in history but it was, in fact, quite bloody and dire in its own right.

When we arrived in Ages tonight we were more than 1/3 of the way to Santiago de Compostela!  That is simultaneously inspiring and depressing, depressing knowing we still have 2/3 left to do!

"Walking the Camino you can make yourself miserable or strong. But the amount of walking will be still the same."

―Unknown

Stage 11 - Santo Domingo de la Calzada to Belorado

Where We Are Tonight:  Belorado                    Miles Hiked Today: 14.2 (22.9 km)

Miles Hiked Overall:  146.9 (236.4 km)            Miles to Santiago:  338.1 (544.1 km)

Steps Taken Today:  40,989                   

Blister Count: same as yesterday but K has even more on the bottom of her foot and her little toe is completely covered in blisters

Spanish Word of the Day:   bocadillo (sandwich)

What We Learned Today:  They say that by now our bodies are supposed to be conditioned and our walking is supposed to be easier; they lie.

Today was another beautiful day.  We are once again putting on a lot of sun screen as the afternoons are hot.  But the late afternoon also brought an awesome breeze that kept us from completely burning up.

Can you see all of the pilgrims walking along, almost dwarfed by the wheat fields in the photo below?

Today was mostly just a long haul.  After staying in albergues the last few days, we treated ourselves to a small hotel tonight.   What luxury! 

“You don't quit walking because you get old..... You get old because you quit walking”.

―unknown

Stage 10 - Azofra to Santo Domingo de la Calzada

Where We Are Tonight:   Santo Domingo de la Calzada            Miles Hiked Today: 9.4 (15.2 km)

Miles Hiked Overall:  132.7 (213.5 km)                                    Miles to Santiago:  352.3 (567.0 km)

Steps Taken Today: 32,279                                                     Blister Count: same as yesterday...

Spanish Word of the Day:  sol (sun)

What We Learned Today:  Don't go into the first albergue you see in town just because it looks cool (and you're exhausted); it could be gross.

Today was another short day for housing reasons and also because there was a lot we wanted to do in Santo Domingo.  When we were watching TV while having breakfast, I was surprised to see that on the international news portion, they said that today was the primary in Oregon!   Good thing I voted before we left home.

Today was a beautiful day...it's been 2 days now without rain!  It starts off cold but soon we're stripping off our coats and enjoying the sun.   We walked through the most beautiful field yet, I think. As we came up a tough hill, there was a man selling fruit, cold drinks and souvenirs.   What a smart man with an ingenious marketing scheme!   I think all of us tired and hot peregrinos bought at least something from him.

We can now add the following countries to the pilgrim list:  Romania, Ukraine,  Hungary,  Colombia,  Bulgaria, South Africa, and Japan.  We also met 2 people from Seattle and another from Tennessee.

The first thing we wanted to do in Santo Domingo was to visit the cathedral because of the very famous Camino story that goes with it.  What a sight to see 2 chickens inside the church!   The remains of Santo Domingo, a huge Camino supporter in his time, are also in the church.  Here is the legend of the miracle of Santo Domingo:

      The most famous miracle, however, concerns that of the rooster and the chicken, which is said to
      have taken place at Santo Domingo de la Calzada.  The story goes that in the 14th century, a
      German 18-year-old named Hugonell, from Xanten, goes on pilgrimage to Santiago de
      Compostela with his parents. A Spanish girl at the hostel where they were staying makes sexual
      advances toward Hugonell; Hugonell rejects her advances. Angry at this, the girl hides a silver
      cup in the German’s bag and then informs the authorities that the youth had taken it. Hugonell is
      sentenced to the gallows, in accordance with the laws of Alfonso X of Castile.

      The parents sadly decide to examine their son’s body, still hanging on the gallows, but suddenly
      hear his voice –he tells them that Saint Dominic has saved his life. His parents quickly make their
      way to Santiago de Compostela to see the magistrate. The magistrate, who is at the time eating
      dinner, remarks: "Your son is as alive as this rooster and chicken that I was feasting on before you
      interrupted me." And in that moment, the two birds jump from the plate and begin to sing and
      crow happily.

We got all of our 9 errands accomplished in Santo Domingo...that was awesome!...and even had time for a helados  (ice cream) before having dinner and drinks with quite a few fellow peregrinos.

“There was never a pilgrim that did not come back to his own village with one less prejudice and one more idea.”

―Chateaubriand