A day for Prayers

Burgos to Hornillos del Camino – day 13

Today I walked for Janine (heal well) Gigi (recover quickly) and Steve W (RIP and prayers for the family)

Before I start a few pictures from my evening in Burgos last night…

I met my Camino Friend Jan for dinner…we then took a stroll around this beautiful city (daylight until 9pm)

Shaded plazas with everyone out enjoying the cooler evening…

Sitting on a park bench with the church spire and Jesus watching over us!!! We said our goodbyes (maybe forever – maybe not) and I wandered back to my hotel at 9pm…spying my other Camino friends Rosann and Micki – so goodbyes again as they are staying another day in this town….I kinda felt my so journey was starting all over! As the first 2 weeks (almost) has been fun meeting others and making great connections on this journey!

But no time to ponder…as I was up at 6am dealing to my toes with the very technical operation of plasters on hot spots! Then breakfast at 7am…where I saw Rosann and Micki again (yay) and on the road at 7.30am!

This looked like a good option…but no time to dally and smell the roses…

…. if I wanted to make the most of the cooler morning… finding my way out of town…I ran into a lady from England, Chrissie, and together we navigated our way out of the suburbs!

Past monuments

One last view of the cathedral spire – catching the rising sun!

Chrissie and I walked the first half of today’s journey together and it was very pleasant…with shaded areas…

Hay fields…

Motorway bridges….rest stops and easy chats!

The odd river or two and arriving at the first village of Villalbilla on the outskirts of Burgos…we decided not to stop here and carried on to the halfway point of Tardajos, found a great garden bar for coffee and breakfast (for Chrissie) around mid morning…

I have realised the secret of not stopping. At the first tent or food truck you see …. There is always another less crowded non touristy option!

I left Chrissie here as she only had a short walk to her accomodation…. And cleared the town… but not before….

A church stop and a prayer for my friends who are going through struggles….my sore feet are nothing compared to their world right now!

I don’t go into all the churches, but this one popped up on me when I felt I needed it!

Just a mile or so on was the last village before the final 10km of the day…

The wall art continues…this one the back of a large garage!

Today’s climb was beginning… in this village of Rabe de las Calzadas….

Then it was out in the big wide wilderness …. A gradual ( but continual) ascent of over 700m – totally exposed to the sun with wheat fields and hay making on the farms! Luckily I had refilled both my water bottles, as constant hydration was a must, and even a bush wee…as it was a long time between drinks – euphemism for restrooms.

I found this track very isolated with very few walkers, so kept going to keep at least one person in sight in the distance…

An oasis half way up this 7km stretch…but I dare not stop as I might not get going again!

There you go team…my view for half the day!! In the blazing sun ….. up and more up, even a bit hot for the poppies!

However there were some pretty little purple flower bushes… not sure if I am starting the meseta yet or this is just a gentle (?) conditioning process!

We were definitely back in windmill country as every ridge was lined with these big white birds! When I felt I was almost at the top I took a break…water break and shoe break..

On this pile of rocks…a few sandal bits were left floating around…,I hope the humans made it to their destination!

Hot sweaty mess selfie – alone on the track …not sure where all the pilgrims were that we saw this morning, maybe they had stopped earlier?

After prising myself off my rock haven… another 200meters over the (last) rise behold…my destination in the distance!

Back to zigzagging and looking after my knees for the steep descent, all the while the soles and little toes of my feet screaming! As always that village was a lot further away…so after another 30-40 mins I finally arrived (22.31kms)

Hornillos del Camino…I had to meet at a certain bar for my shuttle to my hotel at 3.00pm…I had an hour for a cold beer! Yay! But the barmaid (female) kept ignoring me and it took half an hour for her to get around to pouring my beer! Only after I asked the man next to me to order one for me (very kindly he did)

Then my 3.00pm shuttle turned up at 2.40pm so I had to scull the pint!

Checked in and had a cold bath on my legs and feet and arranged with the shuttle driver to pick me up at 7.30am (instead of the scheduled 9.00am) so I can at least get a couple of cool hours on the road!

Also dinner is served here at 6.30pm… so I can get myself (mentally and physically) prepared for tomorrow….we are into the Meseta!

To explain:

The Meseta Central is Spain’s vast, high-altitude central plateau. Covering about 210,000kms and it spans Castile and León (where Burgos is located), Castile-La Mancha, and Extremadura. Sitting at an average elevation of 660 meters, it is famous for extreme temperatures, vast agricultural plains and sweaty pilgrims!!!

I think I have 8 days of this ahead! But best not think about this right now…time to find a beer (that I don’t have to scull)

Love to all…